saued Laste of all that that shal most assuredly light vpon the vngodly and the godly what so euer the holy Scriptures doe eyther threaten or promise Out of all these definitions there-fore being diligently considered we maye according to the Scriptures make this description of fayth Fayth is a gift of God poured into man froÌ„ heauen whereby he is taught with an vndoubted persuaâ—ioÌ„ wholy to leane to God and his word â–ª in which word God dothe freely promise life and all good things in Christe and wherein all trueth necessarie to be beleeued is plainly declared Whiche description of fayth I will by Gods helpe in this that followeth vnfolde into partes and by assertion of places out of the Scriptures will bothe confirme and make manifest vnto you Ye as hytherto ye haue done so still giue diligent care and in your heartes praye earnestly to God. First of all the cause or beginning of fayth commeth not of any man or any strength of man but of God him selfe who by his holy spirite inspireth fayth into our hearts For in the Gospell the Lorde sayth No man commeth to me vnlesse my father drawe him And againe fleshe and bloude sayth the Lorde to Peter confessing Christ in true faith hath not reuealed this to thee but my father which is in heauen Whervnto the Apostle Paul alludeth when he sayth We are not able of ourselues to thinke any thing as of our selues but all our abilitie is of God. And in another place To you it is giuen for Christe not onely to beleeue in him but also to suffer for his sake Fayth therefore is poured into our hearts by God who is the welspring and cause of all goodnesse And yet we haue to consider here that god in giuing and inspiring faith dothe not vse his absolute power or miracles in working but a certaine ordinarie meanes agréeable to mans capacitie although he can in déed giue fayth without those meanes to whom when and howe it pleaseth him But we reade that the Lord hath vsed this ordinarie meanes euen from the first creation of all things Whome he meaneth to bestowe knowledge and faith on to them he sendeth teachers by the worde of God to preache true fayth vnto them Not bycause it lyeth in mans power wil or ministerie to giue fayth nor bicause the outward worde spoken by mans mouth is able of it selfe to bring fayth but the voice of man and the preaching of Gods worde do teache vs what true fayth is or what God dothe will and commaunde vs to beléeue For God him selfe alone by sending his holy spirite into the hearts and myndes of men dothe open our hearts persuade oure myndes and cause vs with all oure heart to beléeue that which we by his worde and teaching haue learned to beleeue The Lorde could by miracle from heauen without any preaching at all haue bestowed fayth in Christe vpon Cornelius the Centurion at Cesaria but yet by an Aungell he dothe sende him to the preaching of Peter And while Peter preacheth God by his holy spirite worketh in the hearte of Cornelius causing him to beléeue his preaching Verily Sainte Paule sayth Howe shall they beleeue in him of whome they haue not heard How shall they heare without a preacher And howe shall they preache if they be not sent So then fayth commeth by hearing and hearing by the word of God. In another place also Who is Paule sayth he or what is Apollos but ministers by whome ye haue beleeued according as God hath giuen to euery one I haue planted Apollos watred but God hath giuen increase So then he that planteth is nothing nor he that watreth but God that giueth increase With this doctrine of Saint Peter and Saint Paul doth that agrée which Augustine writeth in the Preface of his booke of Christian doctrine where he sayth That whiche we haue to learne at mans hande let euery one learne at mans hande without disdaine And let vs not goe about to tempte him in whom we beleeue neyther being deceiued let vs thinke scorne to goe to Churche to heare or learne oute of bookes looking still when we shal be rapt vp into the thirde heauen Let vs take héede of such like temptations of pride and let vs rather haue this in oure myndes that euen the Apostle Paul him selfe although he were cast prostrate and instructed by the calling of God from heauen was neuerthelesse sent to a maÌ„ to be taught the will of God and that Cornelius although God had heard his praiers was committed to Peter to be instructed by whome he should not only receiue the Sacramentes but shoulde also heare what he ought to beleue what to hope for and what to loue all which things notwithstaÌ„ding might haue bene done by the Angell c. The same Augustine also in his Epistle to the Circenses saith Euen he worketh conuersion and bringeth it to passe who by his ministers doth warne vs outwardly with the signes of thinges but inwardly doth by himself teach vs with the very things themselues Also in his treatise vpon the 26. of Iohn What doe men saith he when they preach outwardly What doe I now while I speake I driue into your eares a noise of words but vnlesse he which is with in doe reueale it what say I or what speake I He that is without doth husband the tree but he within is the creator of it c. This said he But euen as the Lorde his desire is to haue vs beleue his worde for the Prophet crieth out and saith To day if ye will heare his voice harden not your harts So in like maner he doth require of vs al which heare his word that we be not slacke in praying For in hearing the worde of God we must pray for the gifte of faith that the lord may opeÌ„ our harts coÌ„uert our soules breake and beate downe the hardnes of our mindes and increase the measure of faith bestowed vpon vs Of this order of prayer there are many examples in the holy scriptures WheÌ„ the Lorde in the gospell sayde to one Canst thou beleue to him that beleueth all things are possible He made aunswere saying I beleue lord helpe thou mine vnbeliefe The Apostles also cry to the Lord and say O Lorde increase our faith Moreouer this praier wherin we desire to haue faith powred into vs is of the grace gifte of God and not of our owne righteousnesse which before God is none at all This therefore is lefte vnto vs for a thinge most certaine and vndoubtedly true that true faith is the mere gift of god which is by the holy ghost from Heauen bestowed vpon our mindes and is declared vnto vs in the worde of trueth by teachers sent of God and is obtained by earnest praiers which cannot be tyred Whereby we learne that we ought often and attentiuely to heare the word of God and neuer cease to praye to God for the obtayning of true faith But that
labour and bring it to an ende For whosoeuer hath sayth the Lorde him selfe in the Gospell to him shall be giuen that he may haue the more aboundance And euery one that asketh receiueth and he that seeketh findeth and to him that knocketh it shal be opened Whervpon S. Iames the Apostle sayth If any of you lacke wisdome let him aske of God whiche giueth to al men liberally that is willingly not with grudging neyther casteth any man in the teeth and it shall be giuen him Where by the way we sée our dutie which is in reading and hearing the worde of God to pray earnestly and zealously that we may come to that ende for the whiche the worde of God was giuen and reuealed vnto vs But as touching that matter we will say somewhat more when we come to declare in what maner of sorte the worde of God ought to be heard Nowe bycause I haue sayde that the worde of God is reuealed to the intente that it maye fully instructe vs in the wayes of God and our saluation I will in fewe wordes declare vnto you dearely beloued that in the worde of God deliuered to vs by the Prophetes and Apostles is aboundantly contained the whole effect of godlynesse and what thinges soeuer are auaileable to the leading of oure liues rightly well and holyly For verily it must néedes be that that doctrine is full and in all pointes perfect to which nothing ought eyther to be added or else to be taken away But such a doctrine is the doctrine taught in the worde of God as witnesseth Moses Deuter. 4. 12. and Solomon Prouerb 30. What is he therfore that dothe not confesse that all pointes of true pietie are taught vs in the sacred Scriptures Furthermore no man can denie that to be a most absolute doctrine by which a man is so fully made perfect that in this worlde he may be taken for a iust man and in the world to come be called for euer to the companie of god But he that beleeueth the word of God vttered to the world by the Prophetes and Apostles and liueth thereafter is called a iust man and heire of life euerlasting That doctrine therefore is an absolute doctrine For Paule also declaring more largely and fully the same matter sayth All Scripture giuen by inspiratiō of god is profitable to doctrine to reproue to correction to instruction whiche is in righteousnesse that the man of God may be perfect instructed to all good workes Ye haue brethren an euident testimonie of the fulnesse of the worde of god Ye haue a doctrine absolutely perfect in al points Ye haue a most perfect effect of the word of God bicause by this doctrine the mā of God that is the godly and deuoute worshipper of God is perfect being instructed not to a certaine fewe good workes but vnto all and euery good worke Wherein therfore caust thou finde any want I do not thinke that any one is suche a sot as to interprete these wordes of Paule to be spoken onely touching the olde Testament séeing it is more manifest then the daye light that Paule applyed them to his scholer Timothie who preached the Gospell and was a minister of the newe Testament If so be then that the doctrine of the olde Testament be of it selfe full by howe much more shal it be the fuller if the volume of the newe Testament be added there vnto I am not so ignoraunt but that I knowe that the Lorde Iesus both did and spake many things whiche were not written by the Apostles But it followeth not therefore that the doctrine of the worde of God taught by the Apostles is not absolutely perfect For Iohn the Apostle and Euangelist doth freely confesse that the Lord did many other things also whiche were not written in his booke But immediately he addeth this and sayth But these are written that ye might beleue that Iesus is Christe the sonne of God and that in beleeuing ye might haue life through his name He affirmeth by this doctrine whiche he conteined in writing that faythe is fully taught and that through fayth there is graunted by God euerlasting life But the ende of absolute doctrine is to be happie and perfectly blessed Since then that that commeth to man by the written doctrine of the Gospell vndoubtedly that doctrine of the Gospell is most absolutely perfect I knowe that the Lord in the Gospell sayde I haue many things to tell you but at this time you can not beare them But therwithal I know to that he immediatly added this saying But when the spirite of trueth shall come he shall leade you into all trueth I knowe furthermore that the spirite of trueth did come vpon his disciples and therefore I beléeue that they according to the true promise of Christ were led into all trueth so that it is most assuredly certaine that nothing was wanting in them But some there are whiche when they can not deny this do turne them selues and saye that the Apostles in déede knewe all things but yet taught them not but by word of mouth only not setting downe in writing al those things whiche doe appertaine to true godlinesse As though it were likely that Christ his most faithful Apostles would vpon spite haue kept back any thing from their posteritie As though in deede he had lyed which sayd These things are written that in beleeuing ye might haue life euerlasting Iohn therefore did let passe nothing whiche belongeth to oure full instructing in the fayth Luke did omit nothing Neyther did the rest of the Apostles and disciples of our Lord Iesus Christ suffer any thing to ouerslip them Paule also wrote fourtéene sundry Epistles but yet the most of them cōtained one and the selfe same matter Whereby we may very well coniecture that in them is wholy comprehended the absolute doctrine of godlynesse For he would not haue repeated one and the selfe same thing so often to so many sundry men if there had yet bene any thing else necessarie more fully to be taught for the obtaining of saluatiō Those things vndoubtedly woulde he haue taught and not haue rehearsed one and the same thing so many times Verily in the thirde chapter of his Epistle to the Ephesians he dothe affirme that in the two firste chapters of the same his Epistle he did declare his knowledge in the Gospel of Christ God saith he by reuelation shewed the mysterie vnto me as I wrote before in fewe wordes whereby when ye reade ye may vnderstand my knowledge in the misterie of Christe And this spake he touching that one and onely Epistle yea and that too touching the two firste chapters of that one Epistle Whervnto when the moste large and lightsome Letters or Epistles of Sainte Paule him selfe and also of the other Apostles are added who I praye you vnlesse he be altogether without sense will once thinke that the Apostles haue left in writing to vs their posteritie a doctrine
loased If sayth the Lorde in Ieremie ye can vndoe the league that I haue taken with the day or the couenant that I haue made with the night so that it neyther be day nor night at the appointed time then may my couenant be of none effect which I haue made with Dauid But not the whole worlde laying all their strengthes together is able to make it day when it is once Night nor cause the Daye to breake one howre sooner then the course of Heauen doth commaunde Therefore not all this worlde with all the powre and pompe therof shall be able once to weaken or breake to chaunge or abolish so much as one tittle in the word of God and the trueth of Godds worde Faith therefore which resteth vpon a thing most firme or sure can not choose but be an vndoubted certification And since Gods worde is the foundacion of Fayth Fayth can not wander to and fro and leane to euery worde whatsoeuer For euery opinion conceiued without the worde of God or against Gods word cannot be called true faith And for that cause S. Paule the Apostle of Christ would not ground the true or Christian faith vpon any carnall proppes or opinions of men but vpon the truth and power of god With his wordes will I conclude this place Fayth sayth he commeth of hearing and hearing by the worde of God. By the worde of God he saith and not by the worde of man Againe to the Corinthians My preaching saith he was not in entising wordes of mans wisedome but in the shewing forth of the spirite and of powre that your faith should not be in the wisedome of man but in the power of God. Whereby also we learne that some there are which against all reason require fayth at our handes that is they would haue vs to beléeue that which they are not able to shewe out of Gods worde or that which is cleane contrary to the word of god To the better declaring of this that I haue saide auaileth that short abridgement of Gods word and of fayth which we in the definition of fayth haue closely knitte vp together There are there rehearsed two chiefe â—oints of fayth and of the worde And first of al that God in Christ doth fréely promise life and euery good thinge For God who is the obiect or marke and foundation of fayth beinge of his owne proper nature euerliuing euerlasting good doth of himself from before al beginning beget the son like to himself in al points who bicause he is of the same substance with the father is himselfe also by nature life and all goodnesse And to the ende he might communicate to vs his Sonnes and brethren both life and all goodnesse he became man and being conuersant very God and man among men he testified that God the Father through the Sonne doeth powre himselfe wholly with all good things into the faithfull whom he quickneth and filleth with all goodnesse and last of all doeth take them vppe to himselfe into the blessed place of euerlasting life And that he doth frankly and fréely bestow this benefite to the ende that the glory of his grace may in all thinges be praysed This doth true fayth beleeue and herevnto belonge no small part of the scriptures which testifie that God in Christ doth communicate to the faithful life and al goodnes Iohn the Apostle cryeth out and sayth In the beginning was the word and the word was with God God was the word And the word became flesh dwelt amonge vs And we saw the glorie of God as the glory of the onely begotten sonne of the Father full of grace and truth And of his fulnesse haue all we receiued c. For the Lorde him selfe in the Gospell after Saint Iohn sayde Verily I say vnto you whatsoeuer things the Father doth the same also doth the Sonne For euen as the Father doth raise the deade to life and quickneth theÌ„ so also doth the sonne quicken whom he will for neyther iudgeth the father any man but hath coÌ„mitted all iudgement to the sonne that all men may honour the sonne euen as they honour the father He that honoureth not the sonne the same honoureth not the father which hath sent him Verily verily I say vnto you he that heareth my word and beleeueth on him that sente me hath life euerlasting and shal not come into iudgemente but is escaped from death vnto life With these woordes of the Gospell agreeth that sayinge of S. Paule In Christe are layde vp all the treasures of wysedome and knowledge Because in him dwelleth all fulnesse of the Godheade bodily and yee in him are fullyfilled But that these great benefits of God are freelie bestowed vppon the faithful Paule that Vessell of election declareth in these woords Blessed be God who hath chosen vs in Christe before the foundations of the world were layd and hath predestinated vs into the adoption of children through Iesus Christ vnto himselfe accordinge to the good pleasure of his will to the prayse of the glorie of his grace wherein he hath made vs accepted in the beloued throughe whom wee haue redemption in his bloud c. And againe All haue sinned and haue neede of Gods glorie but are iustifyed freely throughe his grace by the redemption which is in Christe And so forward True fayth therefore doth beleeue that life and euery good thinge doth freely come to it from God through Christe which is the chiefe Article of our fayth as in the Articles of the beliefe is more largly layde forth The second principal point of Gods word and fayth is that in the word of God there is set downe all truth necessary to be beleeued and that true fayth doth beleeue all that is declared in the Scriptures For it telleth vs that God is what maner one hee is what Gods works are what his iudgments his wil his commaundements his promises what his threatnings are finally what soeuer is profitable or necessary to be beleeued that doth Gods worde who lie set downe vnto vs and that doth true fayth receiue beleeuing all thinges that are written in the Lawe and the Prophets in the Gospell and wrytinges of the Apostles But whatsoeuer caÌ„not be fetched or proued out of those writinges or whatsoeuer is contrary vnto them that do the faithful not beleeue at all â–ª For the very nature of true fayth is not to beleue that which squareth froÌ„ the worde of god Whosoeuer therefore beleeueth not the fables and opinions of men he alone beleeueth as he should for he dependeth onely vppon the worde of God and so vppon God himselfe the onely fountayne of all truth The matter the argumente and the whole summe of fayth is brieflye set oute vnto vs in the Articles of the Christian fayth whereof I will speake at another time I haue this houre declared vnto you decrely beloued and reuerende brethren in the Lorde the definition of faith which to the ende that
but yet bycause the fleshe dothe striue with the spirite so long as life remaineth on the earth therefore the godly haue néede with faith and the holy Ghost to wash and wipe their féete that is the reliques and spottes wherewith they are disteined by their dayly conuersation in this world But nowe wherevnto belongeth this that is added The communion of Saintes These wordes are neyther read in Cyprian nor Augustine nor yet by them expounded Wherefore it is likely that they were added for the better vnderstaÌ„ding of that which went before for that it might appeare that the Catholike Church is the fellowship or companie of the faythfull he added The communion of Saintes as if he shuld haue sayd which church is a communion of Saintes Paule called them Sainctes which for their fayth are sanctified by the bloude and spirite of god Also this word CoÌ„munion is verie euideÌ„t and comfortable For first the meaning thereof is that betwixt God vs ther is a Communion that is a fellowship participatioÌ„ and so consequently a parting betwixt vs of all good and heauenlie thinges And then also we vnderstand that we are fellowes and partakers with all the Saintes that are liuing either in heauen or on earth For we are members of theÌ„ vnder one head Christ For the Apostle Iohn saith That which wee haue seene and heard we declare vnto you that ye also may haue fellowship with vs and that your fellowship may be with the father and his sonne Iesus Christ Hereunto appertayneth that trimme similitude of the body members vnder one heade which the Apostle Paul handleth at large in déede but what is he that can worthily enoughe set forth the great goodnesse of Gods gifte benefite in that wée are made fellow partners of God with whom we are most nerely conioyned and haue a part in all his good heauenly things what can bee more delightfull to oure eares then to heare that all that Saints as well in heauen as in earth are our bretheren and that we againe are meÌ„bers partners and fellowes with theÌ„ Blessed be God which hath so liberally bestowed his blessing on vs in Christe his sonne To this place belongeth the discourse vppon the Sacraments of which of the Church I meane at an other time more fullie to entreate This for the present time is sufficient For this that I haue said doth abuÌ„dantly enoughe expresse set out the fruite of faith in the father the sonne the holy ghost to wit that wée haue participation with God and al the Saints and that in this fellowship we are sanctiâ—ied 〈◊〉 all filth or vncleannesse being clensed and holie in Christe our Lord. Now followeth the tenth article of our beliefe which is The forgiuenes of sinnes The second fruit or commoditie of our beliefe in God the father the sonne and the holie ghoste is here set forth that is the remission of sinnes which although it be coÌ„teyned in sanctification spoken of in the last article is in this place notwithstanding more liuely expressed Without the Church as it were without the arke of Noe is no saluatioÌ„ but in that Church I meane in that fellowship of Christe the saincts is full forgiuenes of all offences That this maye be the better vnderstoode I wil diuide it into some parts First of all it is néedeful to acknowledge confesse that wée are sinners that by nature and our owne proper merits we are the children of wrath damnation For S Iohn doth not in vaine nor without a cause call euerie one a lyar that saith he hath no sinne And God which knoweth the harts of men hath coÌ„maunded vs euen till the laste gaspe to pray saying Forgiue vs our debtes Moreouer in the Gospel wee haue two excellent examples of meÌ„ openlie confessing their sinnes to God the prodigall sonne I say and the Publican in S. Luk. Let vs therfore thincke that wee are all sinners as Paule also taught yea as he hath euidently proued in the first Cap. to the Romanes let vs fréely confesse to God our sinnes with Dauid in the 32. and 51. Psal. saying My sinne haue I made knoweÌ„ to thee mine iniquitie I haue not hid I haue saide I wil confesse mine vnrighteousnes against my self thou haste forgiuen the iniquitie of mine offence Haue mercie on me O God accordig to thy great mercie c. The Psalme is knowen Secondarily let vs belieue that al these sinns of ours are pardoned forgiuen of God not for the acknowledging and confessing of our sinnes but for the merit and bloud of the sonne of God not for our owne workes or merits but for the truth and mercie or grace of god For we do plainly professe saying I belieue the forgiuenes of sinns We say not I buy or by gifts do get or by woorkes obtaine the forgiuenes of sinnes but I belieue the forgiuenes of sinnes And the word remission or forgiuenesse doth signifie a free pardoning by a metaphore taken of creditours and debitours For the creditour forgiueth the debitour when he is not able to pay therefore remission is a forgiuing according to that saying of our Sauiour in the Gospell A certaine lender had two debitours when they were not able to pay hee forgaue them both Hereunto belongeth that also in the Lords prayer And forgiue vs our debtes For our debts are our sinnes them do we request to be remitted that is to be forgiueÌ„ vs In this sense also saith S. Paule To him that worketh is the reward reckoned not of grace but of due debte But to him that worketh not but belieueth on him that iustifieth the vngodlie his saith is counted for righteousnes Euen as Dauid describeth the blessednesse of that man vnto whom God imputeth righteousnes without works saying Blessed are they whose vnrighteousnes are forgiuen and whose sinnes are couered Blessed is that man to whom the Lord will not impute sinne Wherefore in respect of vs which haue not wherewithal to repaie our sinnes are freelie forgiuen but in respect of Gods iustice they are forgiuen for the merit and satisfaction of Christ Moreouer it is not the sinnes of a few men of one or two ages or a few certaine number of sinnes are forgiuen onely but the sinnes of all men of all ages the whole multitude of sinns whatsoeuer is is called sinne whether it be original or actuall or any other else to be short all sinnes are forgiueÌ„ vs Which we do hereby learne because the onely sacrifice of Christ is effectual enough to wash away all the offences of all sinners which by fayth come to the mercie seat of Gods grace And yet by this wée do not teach men to sinne because the Lorde hath long since made satisfaction for sinnes but if any man do sinne wee teach him to hope well and not to despaire but to flee to the throne of Grace For there wée say that Christ sitting at
mediatour the Lord Christ Iesus wee doe by faith laye hold on him by whome wee being acquited from all oure sinnes are reputed of God for righteous and holy This benefite whosoeuer doe sincerely acknowledge they cannot choose but hate sinne and mortifie the old man I would therfore now add other members belōging to this treatise of repētaunce to witt the mortification of the old man and the renuing of the spirite were it not that the very matter it selfe doth require to haue somewhat said touching the confession of sinnes and satisfaction for the same For some there are that when they speake of Repentaunce doe speake somethings contrarie to the trueth To the ende therefore dearely beloued that ye bée not ignoraunt what to thinke of these pointes according to the trueth I will not sticke to stay somewhile in the exposition of the same And I hope ye shall out of my woordes gather such fruite as ye shall not hereafter repent your selues of To confesse or a Confession is in the holy Scriptures diuersely vsed For it signifieth to praise the Lord and to giue him thanckes for the benefites that wée receiue at his hands And therefore Confession is put for praise and thanckesgiuing For the Prophete sayeth O praise the Lord for hee is good and his mercie endureth for euer Paule in his Epistle to Titus speaking of hypocrites sayeth In woordes they confesse that they knowe God but in their deedes they denie him Heere to confesse doeth signifie to say to professe or to boast In an other place it is taken for to trust to staye vppon Gods goodnesse and to testifie that confidence as well by woords as déedes And in that sense did Sainct Iohn vse it in the fourth Chapiter of his first Epistle and Paule in the 10. to the Romanes Moreouer to confesse is to giue glorie to God and fréely to acknowledge thy sinne and the iudgement whiche is obiected to thée for thy sinne Solomon in the twentie eighth Chapiter of his Prouerbes sayeth Whosoeuer hideth his iniquities or doth as it were defend them nothing shall goe well with him but whoso confesseth forsaketh them to him shal be shewed mercie The Hebrue tongue vseth the woord Iadah for that which wée call to confesse Nowe Iadah signifieth to let slacke or loose as when a bowe once bended is vnbended againe And Modeh which commeth of Iadah is as if one should say confessing yéelding or graunting to be vāquished For God accuseth vs and pleadeth vs guiltie of sinne indaungered to punishment whiche our flesh doth presently acknowledge but yet standeth stiffe like a bended bowe vntill at length when that stiffenesse is vnbended it doeth acknowledge euery thing that God obiecteth against vs This acknowledging is called Modeh that is a confession And we Germanes say Es hat gelassen Er hat geschnellt when we meane that any thing hath yéelded or that a man hath at last confessed that whiche hee did afore either flattly denie or else dissemble But nowe confession of sinnes is of more sortes than one For the one is diuine the other humane I wil first speake of the diuine confession then of the humane Wee call that diuine whereof there be euident testimonies or examples in the holy Scriptures whiche is instituted by God himselfe That is a frée acknowledging flatt confession of the sinne which God obiecteth against vs whereby we doe attribute all glorie to God and to oure selues shame and confusion therewithall doe craue pardon of God and of our neighbour against whome wée haue sinned Now sinne is obiected to vs by God himselfe who outwardly by the word or the ministerie of men and sometime by signes wonders and inwardly by the secrete operation of his holy spirit doth plead vs guiltie of sinne and indaungered to punishment requiring of vs a frée and voluntarie confession of our sinnes For he liketh of a frée and voluntarie not a feigned or extorted confession Truly the citizens of Hierusalem and people of the Iewishe religion did of their owne accord come to the baptisme of Iohn confessing their sinnes whiche Iohn in his preaching had obiected against them And after the Ascension of Christ into heauen Sainct Peter accused the sinnes of the Iewes and immediately vppon the accusation it followeth in the historie When they heard this they were pricked in their heartes and said to Peter and the other Apostles Men brethren what shal we doe and so forth as followeth in the second of the Actes Likewise also the kéeper of the prison at Philippos féeling the earthquake sprang out and being instructed with the Apostles wordes confessed his sinnes and was baptised And the men of Ephesus whiche were giuen to Magicall arts when they heard the calamitie which the diuel brought vppon the sonnes of Sceua their fellowes and practisers in Magicke and sorcerie did feare exceedingly and came and did confesse their sinnes Vpon these causes for the most part doeth the confession of sinnes especially arise Againe of the confession instituted by God there are two sortes whereof the one is made to God the other to our neighbour That which is made to god is either priuate or publique We do then make oure confession to God priuately when we disburden our harts before God open the secretes of oure heartes to him alone and in acknowledging the sinnes that are in vs doe earnestly beséech him to haue mercie vppon vs This confession is necessarie to the obteyning of pardon for our sinnes For vnlesse wée doe acknowledge oure owne corruption and vnrighteousnesse we shall neuer by true fayth lay hold on Christ by whome alone we are to be iustified But heere wee thincke not that penitentes must hasten to any other confessour to confesse their sinnes vnto but vnto God alone For he alone doth forgiue and blot out the offences of penitents Hée is the Physician to whome alone wée must discouer and open our wounds Hée it is that is offended with vs and therefore of him wee must desire forgiuenesse and reconciliation Hée alone doeth looke into our heartes and search oure reines to him alone therefore we must disclose our heartes Hée alone calleth sinners vnto him let vs therefore make haste vnto him prostrate our selues before him confesse our faultes vnto him and craue pardon for them of him This confession if it be made of a zealous minde to Godward although it cannot be made by word of mouth by reason of sonie impedimēt or want of the tongue is notwithstanding acceptable to God who doth not so much respecte the mouth as the minde of man On the other side if wee make confession with the mouth and in hart are not thoroughly bent to the same although wee make that confession to God or the high priest yet doth not the Lord regard so vaine a confession Concerning that true confession to God I haue alreadie spoken whereas in the definition of Repentaunce I said that penitentes doe acknowledge their sinnes
of the prayers of Angels and that they offer the prayers of the faythfull in Gods presence therefore not Christ alone prayeth or maketh intercession for vs in heauen but also the Saintes We denie that this followeth bycause the scripture teacheth that Angels are ministring spirites and according to their office offer prayers only as ministers in the presence of God but not to make intercession or that men are heard for Angels sakes but for Christes sake who maketh intercession and for whose sake the prayer whiche is brought and offered vnto God is acceptable vnto him Nowe if so be they will bring foorth the like also touching the blessed soules of the Saintes and reason Asimili from that that is like let them first teache that soules are appointed and made ministring spirits But they can not and if they coulde yet had they not proued that the heauenly Saintes are intercessours For not the Angels themselues doutlesse are therefore intercessours bycause they offer the prayers of men vnto god They agrée say they and are knit vnto vs in the same knot of charitie and loue and forbycause the spirites of the blessed whiche liue in heauen do loue vs here in earth therfore according to the nature and disposition of this loue they also praye for vs We answere that they gather this without warrant of scripture For that we maye without wrangling graunt them this that the Saintes in heauen are not without the loue of their neighbour yet notwithstanding we adde that this loue in the heauenly Saintes hathe not nowe that nature or disposition and those offices which in times past it had in earth Otherwise we should attribute many moe absurdities to the Saints as though they eyther did or suffred those things which they neither do nor yet suffer Whilest they liued in earth according to the disposition and nature of loue they were sorie and they were glad and they prayed with vs yea they also made intercession for vs but nowe that they haue put off this corruptiō and haue lefte vs leading their liues in heauen with the Lord they neither knowe our affaires neither are moued with any earthly affectiōs They vnderstād that it is passing well with vs without their helpe They vnderstande likewise that the worke of our saluation is already wrought and accomplished so that they may acquiet them selues and rest from their laboures and reioyce in Christe who is doubtlesse the onely intercessoure with the father of all men liuing in their miserie bycause he knoweth all and can do al neither is he moued at neither wearied or tyred with or yet is ignorant of any thing but taketh vppon him most absolutely and dispatcheth all things whatsoeuer are incident or belong to an intercessour They vnderstande that this glory agréeth vnto the onely sonne of God and therefore they goe not busily about it that they in Christes steade might appoint or make thē selues intercessours For here the loue that they beare to God surpasseth the loue of their neighbour But these mē obiect that the saints pray not in heauen after the rite and fashion of that only intercessour but after the same maner that they prayed for their fellow-brethrē in earth Euen nowe we sayde that it did not follow This they did in earth therfore they doe the same in heauen Neither can it be proued by manifest scriptures that the Saints in heauen pray for vs Why then doe they set foorth vnto vs doubtfull opinions for certeine For that we may graunt them that the Saintes pray in heauē which thing not a fewe of the fathers haue written it doth not therfore followe that the Saints are to be called vpon For that sentence of S. Augustine is very well knowne which is reade written in his booke De Ciuitate Dei. 22. chap. 10. The Gentiles did both build temples made altars ordeyned priestes and offered sacrifices vnto their Gods. But we do not erect tēples to our martyrs as vnto Gods but remēbraunces as vnto dead men whose spirits liue with god Neither do we there set vp altars vpon whiche we might sacrifice vnto martyrs but we sacrifice to one God who is the sacrifice both of the martyrs also our sacrifice according to whiche sacrifice as men of god that haue ouercome the worlde in the confession of him they are named in their place and order Howbeit they are not called vpon of the priest that sacrificeth Bycause hee is Gods priest not theirs Now the sacrifice it self is the body of Christ which is not offered vnto them bicause they also them selues are the same Thus saith he Testifying plainly enough that the Saintes are not called vpon or to be called vpon bicause sacrifice belongeth vnto God and not to the Saints Wherefore when the aduersaries adde That the Churche many yeares called vpon the Saintes that the churche erred not and therefore they that call vpon the Saints do not erre We answere that the churche doth not erre when she heareth the voyce of her bridegrome and shepehearde but that she doth erre when neglecting the voice of her shepheard she followeth her owne decrées The whole churche of Israel erred together with their high Priest Aaron the elders of the people when transgressing the lawe of God they worshipped god represented by an image with singings and dauncings otherwise than he him selfe had appointed Neither are the Israelites absolued from errour and sinne for that many yeares they put not downe their high places They add againe The saints haue helped when they haue bene called vpon therefore they are to be called vpon Oftentimes that falleth out well whiche is instituted against the worde of god But who can thervpon gather that that is good whiche is instituted against the worde of God as though the innocent and harmlesse were therefore to be spoyled with warre bicause we sée that by warre mercilesse souldiers waxe rich The Gods of the Gentiles likewise séemed to heare the petitions of their supplyants but are the Gods of the Gentiles therefore to be called vpon But we meane not to answere to euerie one of their arguments bicause we haue done that already elsewhere according to our talent We conclude therefore that the word of truth vttered out of the mouth of God doth teache vs inuocation of Gods name by the mediation of Iesus Christe neither doe we reade that any holie man either in the olde or the new testament of whome the scripture vndoubtedly hath made mention called vpon any though neuer so excellent a Patriarch or Prophete departed this life or vpon any Apostle or Apostles disciple otherwise than by the name of Iesus Christ Let vs therefore hold fast that that doctrine is most perfect and most safe which biddeth vs all to cal vpon God alone by his only sonne that God him selfe requireth this of euery one of vs and that when we obey we please God. The last place touching the seruing of God doth remaine behinde This
omnipotent must be present with all men in all places The sonne of God therfore is true and verie God bycause he is the Messias Furthermore what is more manifest and lesse called in controuersie than that God only forgiueth sinnes It must needes be therefore that nothing is more euident and lesse doutfull than that we beléeue Christ to be true and verie God bycause He is the Lambe of God that taketh away the sinnes of the world Againe whereas Paule truly calleth Christ Our hope for Esay foretolde In him shal the Gentiles trust And wheras Ieremie cryeth Curssed be the man that putteth his trust in man but blessed is the man that putteth his truste in GOD we muste necessarily confesse that Christe is god For in Iohn he oftentimes repeateth Verily I say vnto you he that beleueth in me hath euerlasting life I coulde bring innumerable examples of this kynd out of the scriptures which witnesse that the sonne of God our Lord Iesus Christe is of one and the selfe same nature with the father and therefore is verie God of verie God but I trust that to holie hearers and not giuen to contention those whiche I haue alreadie cited will suffice It remaineth that we declare vnto you that the sonne of God was incarnate for vs and was borne verie man of the Virgine Marie consubstantiall or of the selfe same substaunce with vs in all pointes sinne excepted The Lawe the Prophetes and the Apostles shewe vnto vs most manifest arguments of the true flesh or humanitie of the sonne of god For in the lawe the Lorde saith The seede of the woman shall crushe the serpents head But who knoweth not that the heade of the serpent is the kingdome force or power of the diuell And that Iesus Christe brake this power the whole scripture doth witnesse And here he is called the séede of the woman And truely he is called séed to verifie his true humane nature and he is termed the séede of the woman not of the man bycause of his conception by the holy Ghoste and his byrthe of the Virgine Marie And bicause she was the daughter of Dauid of Abraham and Adam it followeth that the sonne of Marie was verie man For as we haue heard it sayd to Adam The seede of the woman shall bruise the serpents heade so also we read that the same promise was renued and repeated to Abrahā in these wordes In thy seede shall al the nations of the world be blessed And Paule to the Galat. manifestly sayth that this séede of Abrahā wherin we haue obteined blessing is Christ Iesus The same Apostle sayth For in no sorte tooke he the Angels but he tooke the seede of Abraham By Angels doubtlesse excluding all manner of spirituall substaunces by the séede of Abraham vnderstanding the verie substance it selfe of the fleshe of man. For he addeth Wherefore in all things it became him to be made like vnto his brethren And bicause they be partakers of flesh and bloud he also him selfe likewise tooke part with them of the same Verily the Scripture draweth the lineall descent of Christe most diligently from the loynes of Abraham vnto Iacob and frō him againe to Iudas and from him in like sort to Dauid To him againe the promises of the incarnation of the sonne of God are remied For Nathan sayth to Dauid Thus sayth the Lorde When thy dayes bee fulfilled thou shalt sleepe with thy fathers I will set vp thy seede after thee which shal procede out of thy body and will stablish his kingdome he shall build a house for my name and I wil stablish the throne of his kingdome for euer Neyther is there any cause why any mā shuld interpret this of Solomon For he was borne while his father Dauid liued his kingdome quickely decayed But Nathan speaketh of a sonne which should be borne to Dauid after his death When thou shalt sleepe with thy fathers sayth he I wil set vp thy seede after thee And what maner of séede this should be he most euidently declareth and sayth Whiche shall proceede out of thy bodie For in the 132. Psalme we reade Of the fruite of thy body will I set vpon thy seate Furthermore Marie the virgine descende lineally of the séed of Dauid of whome Christ our lorde was begotten and borne of whome the Angel speaking and expounding those olde and auncient prophecies sayth vnto the Virgine And the lord God shall giue vnto him the seate of his father Dauid and he shall reigne ouer the house of Iacob for euer and of his kingdome there shall be none ende Herevnto also belongeth that which Elizabeth sayth to the virgine which came out of Galilée into the hil countrie of Iuda And whence commeth this to me that the mother of my Lorde should come to mee Blessed art thou among womē and blessed is the fruite of thy wombe Truly Matthewe and Luke drawe the lineall descent of Christe from the loynes as it were of Dauid euen vnto the virgine Marie whiche conceiueth by the holy Ghoste that is the holy Ghoste making her fruitfull She when the moneths were fulfiled that she shoulde bee deliuered brought foorth a sonne and he which is borne in all respectes appeareth to be true and verie man he is layde in a manger wrapped in swathling cloutes he grewe in stature and increased in yeares according to the manner of mans body he is wearied he is refreshed he is glad he is sad he is hungrie he is thirstie he eateth he drinketh he feareth to be short he dyeth Whiche the trueth of the historie of the Gospel in many words declareth Neyther is the Scripture it selfe ashamed to call Marie the mother of our Lorde not the putatiue or supposed but the true and natural mother whiche of the substaunce of her owne body gaue true fleshe and substaunce of man to the sonne of God the Angel of God so witnessing with Esaie and saying A virgine shall conceiue in her wombe and shall bring foorth a sonne Loe he sayth In her wombe And againe in Matthewe the selfe same Angel saith That which is conceiued in her is of the holy Ghoste Wherevppon the Apostle vnto the Galathians sayth that The sonne of God is made of a woman to wit according to mans nature For Christe is the fruite of the body of Dauid and of the virgine Marie begotten and borne of the loynes of Dauid and Iohn also the Apostle and Euangelist saithe The worde was made fleshe and dwelt among vs. In calling God fleshe doubtlesse he calleth him verie man For the same Apostle in an other place fayth Euerie spirite that confesseth that Iesus Christe is come in the fleshe is of God And euerie spirit which cōfesseth not that Iesus Christe is come in the flesh is not of God. Therfore we fréely pronounce that Valentinus Marcion Apolles and Manichęus denying the true and very flesh
reteyneth the properties of both natures vnconfounded or vnmingled Paule vnto the Romanes manifestly sayeth that He was called to be an Apostle to preache the Gospell of GOD whiche hee had promised afore by his Prophets in the holy scriptures concerning his sonne whiche was made of the seede of Dauid according to the fleshe and declared mightilie to be the sonne of god touching the spirite of sanctification by the resurrection from the dead The Apostle therfore acknowledgeth both natures in Christe For according to the flesh sayth he Christ is the sonne of Dauid but if wee behold the power of his myracles his resurrection from the dead whiche giueth life and that Christ sendeth the holy Ghost sanctifyeth all the faithfull it appeareth that he whiche is the sonne of Dauid after the flesh is also the sonne of God according to his diuine power The same Apostle in the second chapiter to the Philippians doeth no lesse plainely and euidētly affirme both natures in Christ But because that place hath béene alreadie oftentimes alledged I passe ouer to the citing of other Sainct Augustine expounding not onely the confession of his owne faith but of the whole church in all the world which flourished in his time in his epistle to Dardanus 57. hath thus left written Doubt not that the man Christe Iesus is there nowe from whence hee shall come and haue in readie remembraunce and faithfully hould the christian confession because he roase from the dead ascended into heauen sitteth at the right hand of the father neither shall come from elsewhere than from thence to iudge the quicke and the dead and in such sort shall he come that voice of the Angel so witnessinge as hée was séene to goe into heauen that is to saye in the selfe same shape and substance of fleshe to whiche in déede hee gaue immortalitie but toke not the nature away According to this shape hee is not to be thought euerie where present For we must beware least we so fortifie y diuinitie of man that we take cleane away the trueth of his bodie For it doeth not consequently followe that that which is in GOD should so be euery where as god For the scripture whiche cannot lye sayth euen of vs that in him we liue moue and haue oure béeing howbeit we are not euery where as he is but he is after another sort man in God béecause he is also otherwise God in man after a certeine proper and singular manner For one person is God and man and both of them is one Iesus Christ euerie where in that he is God but in heauen in that he is man. And the same authour sayeth a little after Take away space of places from bodies they shal be no where and beecause they shall be no where they shal be no bodies Take the verie bodies from the qualities of the bodies and there shal be no place for them to be and therefore it must néeds be that they haue no beeing And in the end of the epistle the same Augustine sayeth Doubt not that Christ oure Lord the onely begotten sonne of God coequall with the father beeing also the sonne of man whom the father excéedeth in greatnesse both to be present euerie where as hée is God and also to be in the same temple of GOD as God dwelling there And yet to be in some certaine place of heauen according to the manner of his true body The selfe same thing the same authour as yet expoūdeth more at large in his 50. treatise vppon Iohn And Contra Faelicianum Arianum Cap. 9. 10. 11. Also in his treatise De agone Christi Cap. 24. vnto Cap. 27. To which wée will also ioyne the testimonie of the holy martyre Vigilius bishopp of Trident. For he disputing against Eutyches in the defence of both natures in Christ sayeth If the nature of the woord and flesh be one how is it that since the word is euery where y flesh also is not found euerie where For when the flesh was in earth surely it was not in heauen and because it is now in heauē surely it is not in earth and so farre is it from beeing in the earth that according to flesh wee doe looke for Christ to come from heauen whome according to the word wee beléeue to be with vs on earth Therfore acording to your opinion either the word is conteyned with his fleshe in place or else the flesh with the word is in euery place Whereas one nature receiueth not into it selfe anye thing contrarie and vnlike But it is contrarie farre vnlike to bee limitted within a place and to bee euerie where and béecause the word is in euerie place but his fleshe not in euerie place it is euident that one and the selfe same Christ is of both natures and that he is euerie where according to the nature of his Godhead and is conteined in place according to the nature of his manhood that he is both created and also without beginning that he is subiect to death and also can not die one of whiche is agréeable to him by the nature of the word whereby he is God the other by the nature of the flesh wherby the selfesame God is man Therefore one and the selfe same sonne of God being also made the sonne of man hath a beginning by the nature of the flesh and hath no beginning by the nature of his diuinitie by the nature of his fleshe hee is created and by the nature of his diuinitie hee is not created by the nature of his flesh he is limitted in place and by the nature of his diuinitie he is not conteyned in place by the nature of his flesh he is inferiour also to Angels and according to his diuinitie he is equall to the father by the nature of his fleshe hée died but by the nature of his diuinitie he died not This is the catholique faith and Christian confession which the apostles deliuered the martyrs confirmed and the faithfull euen vnto this day doe obserue and kéepe Hetherto we haue rehearsed the words of Vigilius martyre and bishopp to this end that the most notable agréement of the holy scripture of the vniuersall church and of the most Godly and learned fathers in this principle might be vnderstood wherin we confesse that the properties of both natures in Christe remaine vnconfounded Againe wée must by all meanes take héede least thorough defending and reteyning the properties of the two natures we diuide and pull asunder the vnitie of the person as though there were two Christes whereof the one should be subiect to suffering and mortall the other not subiect to suffering and immortall For there is but one and the same Christ who according to his Godhead is acknowledged immortall and mortall according to his manhoode Nestorius denied that the blessed virgin Marie was the mother of god For he said God was vnchaungeable and therefore that hee could not be borne and that
neuer so sound pithy and effectuall to be read in Churches They are like Physicians whiche forbid their patients all those meates which they may haue and would do them good and appoint them only suche as by no meanes they can obteine for it will not yet be that euery parish shal haue a learned able preacher resident and abyding in it And in the meane time it cannot be denied but that an Homilie or sermon penned by some excellent clerk being read plainly orderly distinctly doth much moue the hearers doth teach coÌ„firme confute coÌ„fort persuade euen as the same pronounced without the booke doth Perhaps some hearers whiche delight more to haue their eyes fed with the preachers action than their hartes aedified with his sermon are more moued with a sermon not read but to a good christian hearer whose minde is moste occupied on the matter there is smalods Better is a good sermon read than none at all But nothing say they must be read in the open congregation but the verie Canonical scriptures That rule is somwhat straite praecise Then may not either the Creed called the Apostles creed or the Nicene creed or the creed called Athanasius creed or any prayers which are not word for word coÌ„teined in the canon of the scriptures nor any coÌ„tents of chapters be read in the CoÌ„gregatioÌ„ The church CongregatioÌ„ of the Colossians were inioyned by S. Paul Col. 4. ve 16. to read amongst them the Epistle written froÌ„ Laodycea which Epistle as Caluine thinketh was not writen by Paule but by the church of Laodycea and sent to Paule and is not conâ—eined in the Canon of the scriptures The Churche of Corinth also and other churches of the godly soone after the Apostles times as appeareth out of Eusebius lib. 4. cap. 23. and the writers of the Centuries Cent. 2. cap. 10. did vse to read openly for admonition sake certeine Epistles of Clement of Dionysius Bishop of Corinth Maister Bucer in his notes vpon the communion book in King Edwardes time writeth thus It is better that where there lackes to expounde the scriptures vnto the people there should bee godly and learned Homilies read vnto them rather than they should haue no exhortation at al in the administration of the supper And a little after he saith there be two fewe Homilies and too fewe pointes of religion taught in them when therefore the Lord shal blesse this kingdome with some excellent preachers let them be coÌ„maunded to make moe Homilies of the principal pointes of religion which may be read to the people by those pastors that cannot make better themselues And that worthie martyr doctor Ridley Bishop of London speaking of the Church of England that was in the reigne of king Edward as he is reported by maister Foxe in his booke of Actes and Mo To 2. Pag. 1940. sayeth thus It had also holy and wholesome Homilies in commendation of the principall vertues which are coÌ„mended in scripture and likewise other Homilies against the most pernicious and capital vices that vse alas to reigne in this Churche of Englande So long therfore as none are read in the Church but such as are sound godly learned and fit for the capacitie of the people and whiles they are not thrust into the Churche for Canonicall Scriptures but are read as godly expositions and interpretations of the same and whiles they occupie no more time in the church than that which is vsually left and spared after the reading of the Canonical scriptures to preaching and exhortation and whiles they are vsed not to the contempt derogation or abandoning of preaching but only to supplie the want of it no good man can mislike the vse of them but such contentious persons as defie all thinges which they deuise not themselues And if it be saide there be already good Homilies and those also authorized likewise wholesome expositions of sundrie parts of scripture tâ— the same purpose I graunt there be so But store is no sore And as in meats which are most deintie if they come often to the table we care not for them so in sermons which are moste excellent if the same come often to the pulpit they oftentimes please not others are desired But to end these sermons of maister Bullingers are such as whether they be vsed priuately or read publiquely whether of ministers of the word or other Gods children certeinely there will be found in them suche light and instruction for the ignorant such sweetenesse and spiritual comfort for consciences suche heauenly delightes for soules that as perfumes the more they are chafed the better they smell and as golden mynes the deeper ye digge them the more riches they shewe so these the more diligently ye peruse them the more delightfully they will please and the deeper ye digge with daily studie in their mynes the more golden matter they will deliuer forth to the glorie of GOD to whoÌ„ only be praise for euer and euer Amen ⧠Of the foure generall Synodes or Counsels SINCE THE TIME OF THE APOSTLES MANY Counselles haue beene celebrated in sundrye Prouinces Those Counsels then were Synodes or assemblies of Bishops and holy men meeting together to consult for keeping the soundnesse of Faith the vnitie of Doctrine and the discipline and peace of the Churches Some of which sorte the Epistles of the blessed martyr Cyprian haue made vs acquainted withall The first generall or vniuersall Synode therefore is reported to haue bene called by that moste holy Emperour Constantine in the Citie of Nice the yere of our Lorde 324. against Arius and his parteners which denied the naturall Deitie of our Lorde Iesus Christ And thither came there out of all nations vnder heauen 218. Bishops and excellent learned men who wrote the Creede commonly called the Nicene Creede Hitherto the Creede of the Apostles sufficed and had bene sufficient to the church of Christe euen in the time of Constantine For all men coÌ„fesse that all the churches vsed no other Creede than that of the Apostles which we haue made mention of and expounded in the firste Decade wherewith they were content throughout the whole world But for because in the dayes of Constantine the great that wicked blasphemer Arius sprange vp corrupting the purenesse of Christian faith and peruerting the simple trueth of doctrine taught by the Apostles the Ministers of the churches were compelled of very necessitie to set themselues againste that deceiuer and in publishinge a Creede to shewe forth and declare out of the Canonical Scriptures the true and auncient confession of faith condemning those nouelties brought in of Arius For in the Creedes set forth by the other three general counsels presently folowing neither was any thinge chaunged in the doctrine of the Apostles neither was there any new thinge added which the churches of Christe had not before taken and beleeued out of the holy Scripture but the auncient truth beeing wisely made manifest by coÌ„fessions made of
1067. 1068. 1073. 1078. 1079. Symbole 961. Synodes 1130 Synagogue 263. 339. 813 Synaxis 1019. 1063 T Tabernacle 334. 339. 341. 862 Table of the Lord. 1063 Tables of Gods lawes 111. 112 Tale carriers 322 Testament 49. 463. 1064 Testimonies 106. 364. 443. 669. 764. Teaching 909. 910 Temples of Christians 1126 Thanksgiuing 951. 652 653. 1063. Theft and deceipte 106. 270. 395 Thâ—uma and Thnupha 378 Theodosiu Emperour 181 Time holie 417. 349. 1129 Torments nothing dismaye the Apostles 723 Tongue 319. 1071 Toward what part of the world we must pray 1127. Traditions 5. 18. 447 Treasures heauenly all giuen vs of God in Christ 77 Tryall of oureselues by afflictions 294 Trinitie 612. 627. 628. ce True worship and adoration 652 True religion 672 True vnderstanding of the Lordes wordes This is my body 1085 True eating of Christes body 1097 True end of scholes 1117 Tyrannie 169 V. Valentinian Emperour 181 Verbum what it is 1 Vengeance taken of bloudy Rome 319 Vertues of the pastour 911 Vestal virgines 368 Vessells belonging to the Lordes Supper 1070 Vice is to be rebuked sharply and seasonably 894 Vigilius 74 Virgines and Virginitie 1134 Vowes and vowed sacrifices 379 380. 135. 421. 1137 Voluntarie sinne c. 497. 511 Vncleanethings 386 Vnitie ought to be kept 849 Vnderstanding 589 Vncircumcised soule 1048 Vrim Thummim 334 Vsurie and Vsurers 274. 275. 276 W. Warre Warres and Warriours 207. 208. 209. 210. 211. 212. 213. 214. 215. c. 399. Wages of hirelings 396 Water and the Word 971 Wayes of eating the Lordes Supper 110â— Weight and measure 397 Wedlocke 222. 223 c. 227. 1133 1134 Wealth by inheritaunce 266 Who elected to life 643 Who an Heretique who a Schismatique 850 Who to be baptised 1050 Why God created maÌ„ so frayle 487 Whoredome and adulterie 393 Who do not rightly preach Christe 544 Why all men are not saued 546 Widowes and Widowhoode 1134 Wisedome of god 619. 96â— Without the church no light or saluation 843 Wicked are not partakers of the things signified in the Sacraments 98â— Witnesse Witnesse-bearing 39â— Wife the arme of her husband 224 Witches and Sothsayers 397 Worde Wordes and the Worde of god c. 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8. 9. 10. 11. c. vsque 22. 24. 25. 26. c. vsque 29. 525. 528. 823. 940. 971. 975 978. 1102. Workes 53. 54. 98. 406. 453. 454. 456. 457. 620 Worship Worshipping and Worshippers 6. 652. 658. 744 Women-deacons and their office 875 Wormes take vengeaunce of Gods enimies 890 Worthy and vnworthy eating and drinking of the Lords supper 1106 Writings of the old Testament giuen to Christians 15 Wrath of God vppon kingdomes for vsurie 276 Y. Yeare of Iubilie 354 Z. Zuinglius 502. 1015. 1020. 1204 FINIS The first Decade of Sermons written by Henrie Bullinger Of the worde of God the cause of it and howe and by whome it was reuealed to the worlde ¶ The first Sermon ALl the decrees of Christian fayth with euery waye howe to liue rightly well and holyly and finally all true and heauenly wisdome haue alwayes bene fetched out of the testimonies or determinate iudgements of the word of God neyther can they by those which are wise men in déede or by the faithfull and those whiche are called by God to the ministerie of the Churches be drawn taught or last of all soundly confirmed from else where then out of the word of god Therefore whosoeuer is ignorant what the worde of God and the meaning of the word of God is he séemeth to be as one blinde deafe and without witte in the Temple of the Lorde in the schole of Christ and lastly in the very reading of the sacred Scriptures But whereas some are nothing zealous but very hardly drawen to the hearing of Sermons in the Church that springeth out of no other fountaine than this which is bycause they doe neyther rightly vnderstande nor diligently inoughe weigh the vertue and true force of the word of god That nothing therefore may cause the zealous desirers of the trueth and the worde of God to staye on this point but rather that that estimation of Gods word which is due vnto it may be layde vp in all mens hartes I will by Gods helpe lay foorthe vnto you dearly beloued those things which a godly man ought to thinke and holde as concerning the worde of god And praye ye earnestly and continually to our bountifull God that it may please him to giue to me his holy effectuall power to speake and to you the opening of your eares and mynds so that in all that I shall say the Lorde his name may be praysed and your soules be profited abundantly First I haue to declare what the worde of God is Verbum in the scriptures and according to the very propertie of the Hebrue tongue is diuersly taken For it signifieth what thing soeuer a man will euen as among the Germanes the worde Ding is moste largely vsed In S. Luke the Angel of God saythe to the blessed Virgin with God shall no worde be vnpossible whiche is all one as if he had sayde all things are possible to God or to God is nothing vnpossible Verbum also signifieth a word vttered by the mouth of a man Sometime it is vsed for a charge somtime for a whole sentence or speach or prophesie wherof in the Scriptures there are many examples But when Verbum is ioyned with any thing els as in this place we cal it Verbum Dei theÌ„ is it not vsed in the same signification For Verbum Dei the worde of God doth signifie the vertue and power of God it is also put for the Sonne of God which iâ— the seconde person in the most reuerend trinitie For the saying of the holy EuaÌ„angelist is euident to al meÌ„ The word was made flesh But in this treatise of ours the word of God doth properly signify the speach of God the reuealing of gods wil first of al vttered in a liuely expressed voyce by the mouth of Christ the Prophets and Apostles and after that againe registred in writings whiche are rightly called holy and diuine Scriptures The word doth shew the minde of him out of whom it commeth therefore the worde of God doth make declaration of god But God of him selfe naturally speaketh trueth he is iust good pure immortal eternall therefore it followeth that the word of God also which commeth out of the mouth of God is true iust without deceipt and guile without errour or euill affection holy pure good immortall euerlasting For in the Gospel sayth the Lord Thy word is truth And the Apostle Paule saith The word of God is not tied Againe the Scripture euery where cryeth The word of the Lorde indureth for euer And Solomon saythe Euery word of God is purely cleansed Adde thou nothing to his wordes leaste peraduenture he reproue thee and thou be founde a lyar Dauid also sayth The sayings of the Lorde are pure
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
God is reuealed in what manner it is to be hearde and what the force thereof is or the effect Our God is the God of all men and nations who according to the saying of the Apostle woulde haue all men to be saued and to come to the knowledge of the trueth and therfore hath he for the benefite life and saluation of all men reuealed his worde that so in déede there might be a rule and certaine waye to leade men by the pathe of iustice into life euerlasting God verily in the olde time did shewe him selfe to the Israelites his holy and peculiar people more familiarly then to other nations as the Prophete sayth To Iacob hath he declared his statutes and his iudgementes to Israel he hath not dealt so with any nation neyther hath he shewed them his iudgementes and yet he hath not altogether bene carelesse of the Gentiles For as to the Niniuites he sent Ionas so Esaias Ieremias Daniell and the other Prophetes bestowed muche labour in teaching and admonishing the Gentiles And those moste auncient Fathers Noe Abraham and the rest did not onely instruct the Iewish people which descended of them but taught their other sonnes also the iudgementes of god Our Lorde Iesus Christe verily laying open the whole world before his disciples sayd Teach all nations Preache the Gospell to all creatures And when as Sainte Peter did not yet fully vnderstande that the Gentiles also did appertaine to the fellowship of the Churche of Christe and that to the Gentiles also did belong the preaching of the glad tydings of saluation purchased by Christe for the faythfull the Lord doth instruct him by a heauenly vision by speaking to him out of heauen and by the message which came from Cornelius as you knowe dearely beloued by the hystorie of the Actes of the Apostles Let vs therfore thinke my brethren that the worde of God and the holy Scriptures are reuealed to all men to all ages kindes degrées and states throughout the worlde For the Apostle Paule also confirming the same sayth Whatsoeuer things are written are written for our learning that through patience and comfort of the Scriptures we may haue hope Let none of vs therefore hereafter say what néede I to care what is written to the Iewes in the olde Testament or what the apostles haue written to the Romanes to the Corinthians and to other nations I am a Christian The Prophets to the men of their time and the Apostles to those that liued in the same age with them did both preach and write For if we thinke vprightly of the matter we shall sée that the Scriptures of the olde and newe Testamentes ought therefore to be receiued of vs euen bicause we are Christians For Christ our Sauiour and maister did referre vs to the written bookes of Moses and the Prophets Saint Paule the very elect instrument of Christ doth apply to vs the Sacramentes and examples of the olde Fathers that is to say Circumcision in baptisme Coloss 2. and the Paschall lambe in the Supper or Sacrament 1. Cor. 5. In the tenth Chapter of the same Epistle he applyeth sundry examples of the Fathers to vs And in the fourth to the Romans where he reasoneth of fayth whiche iustifieth without the helpe of works and the lawe he bringeth in the example of Abraham And therewithall addeth Neuerthelesse it is not written for Abraham alone that fayth was reckoned vnto him for righteousnesse but also for vs to whome it shal be reckoned if we beleeue c. By that meanes say some we shal againe be wrapped in the lawe we shall be inforced to be circumcised to sacrifice fleshe and bloud of beastes to admit againe the priesthood of Aaron together with the temple and the other ceremonies There shall againe be allowed the byll of diuorcement or putting away of a mans wife together with sufferaunce to marrie many wiues To these I aunswere that in the olde Testament we muste consider that some thinges there are whiche are for euer to be obserued and some thinges whiche are ceremoniall and suffered onely till time of amendement That time of amendment is the time of Christe who fulfilled the lawe and tooke awaye the curse of the lawe The same Christe chaunged Circumcision into Baptisme He with his owne only sacrifice made an end of all sacrifices so that nowe in steade of all sacrifices there is lefte to vs that onely sacrifice of Christe wherein also we learne to offer our own very bodies and prayers together with good déedes as spirituall sacrifices vnto god Christ changed the Priesthood of Aaron for his owne and the Priesthoode of al Christians The Temple of God are we in whom god by his spirit doth dwell All ceremonies did Christ make voide who also in the nineteene of Mathewe did abrogate the bill of diuorcement together with the marriage of many wiues But althoughe these Ceremonies and some externall actions were abrogated and cleane taken away by Christ that we should not be bound vnto them yet notwithstanding the Scripture whiche was published touching them was not taken awaye or else made voide by Christ For there must for euer be in the Churche of Christ a certaine testimoniall wherby we may learne what manner of worshippings and figures of Christ they of the olde time had Those worshippiÌ„gs figures of Christ must we at this day interprete to the Churche spiritually and out of them we muste no lesse then out of the writinges of the newe Testament preach Christ forgiuenes of sinnes and repentance So then to all Christians are the writinges of the olde Testament giuen by God in like manner as the Apostles writ to all Churches those thinges which bore the name or title of some particular Congregations And to this end is the woord of God reuealed to men that it may teache them what and what maÌ„ner one God is towardes men that he would haue them to be saued aâ—d that by faithe in Christ what Christ is and by what meanes saluation commeth what becommeth the true worshipers of God what they ought to flie and what to ensue Neither is it sufficient to know the wil of God vnlesse we do the same and be saued And for that cause sayde Moses Heare Israell the statutes and iudgements whiche I teache you that ye may doe them and liue And the Lorde in the Gospell confirming the same cryeth Blessed are they whiche heare the worde of God and keepe it And here is to be praysed the excéeding great goodnesse of God whiche would haue nothing hid froÌ„ vs whiche maketh any whit to liue rightly well and holily The wise and learned of this world doe for the most part beare enuy or grudge that other shoulde attaine vnto the true wisedome But our Lorde doth gently and of his own accorde offer to vs the whole knowledge of heauenly things and is desirous that we goe forward therein yea and that more is he doth further our
Fayth in them that hearde it For they dyed in the desarte And immediately after he sayth Let vs therefore doe our best to enter into that reste so that no man dye in the same example of vnbeliefe If therefore that the worde of God doe sounde in oure eares and therewithall the spirite of God doe shewe foorth his power in our harts and that we in fayth doe truly receiue the word of God then hath the worde of God a mighty sorce and wonderful effect in vs For it driueth away the misty darknesse of errors it openeth our eyes it conuerteth and inlighteneth our mindes and instructeth vs most fully and absolutely in truth and godlines For the Prophet Dauid in his Psalmes beareth witnes sayth The law of the Lord is perfect conuerting the soule the testimony of God is true and geueth wisedome vn to the simple The commaundement of the Lord is pure and geueth light vnto the eies Furthermore the word of God doth féede strengthen confirm and comfort our soules it doth regenerate clense make ioyfull and ioyne vs to god yea and obtaineth al things for vs at Gods handes setting vs in a most happy state in so much that no goods or treasure of the whole worlde are to be compared with the worde of god And thus much do we attribute to the worde of God not without the testimony of Gods worde For the Lord by the prophet Amos doth threa ten hunger thirst not to eate bread and to drinke water but to heare the worde of God. For in the olde new testaments it is sayd that man doth not liue by bread onely but by euery worde that proceedeth out of the mouth of god And the Apostle Paul saith that all things in the scriptures are written for our learning that by patiēce and comfort of the scriptures we might haue hope Also Peter saith ye are born a new not of corruptible seede but of incorruptible by the word of god which liueth lasteth for euer And this is the worde which by the gospell was preached vnto you The Lorde also in the gospell beareth witnesse to the same and sayth Now are ye cleane by the worde which I haue spoken vnto you Againe in the gospell he crieth saying If any man loueth me he will keepe my saying and my father will loue him and we will come into him and make our dwelling place in him Ieremie saith also Thy word became my comfort And the Prophet Dauid saith The statutes of the Lorde are right and reioyce the hart Wherunto adde that saying of the Lordes in the gospell If ye remaine in me and my wordes remaine in you aske what ye will and it shal be done for you In an other place also the Prophet crieth saying If ye be willing and will hearken ye shall eate the good of the land but if ye wil not heare my word the sword shall deuoure you Moreouer Moses doth very often and largely reckon vp the good thinges that shall happen to them which obey the worde of God Leuiticus 26. Deutero 28. Wherefore Dauid durst boldly preferre the word of God before all the pleasures and treasures of this world The feare of the Lorde is cleane and endureth for euer the iudgementes of the Lord are true and righteous altogether more to be desired are they thē gold yea then much fine golde sweeter also then hony and the dropping hony combes For by them thy seruaunt is plainely taught and in keeping of them there is great aduantage Therfore is the lawe of thy mouth more precious vnto me then thousands of siluer and golde Vnlesse my delight had been in thy lawe I had perished in my miserie To this now doth appertaine that parable in the gospell of him which bought the precious pearle and of him also which solde all that he had and bought the grounde wherin he knewe that treasure was hidde For that precious pearle and that treasure are the gospell or worde of God which for the excellencie of it is in the scriptures called a light a fire a Sworde a Maule which breaketh stones a Buckler and by many other names like vnto these Dearely beloued this howre ye haue heard our bountifull Lorde and God who would haue all men saued and to come to the knowledge of the truth how he hath reuealed his word to al men throughout the whole world to the intent that all men in al places of what kinde age or degrée so euer they be may know the trueth and be instructed in the true saluation and may learne a perfect way how to liue rightly well and holily so that the mā of God may be perfect instructed to all good workes For the Lorde in the worde of trueth hath deliuered to his Church all that is requisite to true godlinesse and saluation Whatsoeuer thinges are necessary to be knowne touching God the works iudgments will and commaundements of God touching Christe our faith in Christe and the duties of an holy life all those thinges I say are fully taught in the worde of god Neither néedeth the Church to craue of any other or else with mens supplies to patch vp that which seemeth to be wantinge in the worde of the Lorde For the Lord did not onely by the liuely expressed voice of the Apostles teach our fathers the whole summe of godlinesse and saluation but did prouide also that it by the meanes of the same Apostles shoulde be set down in writing And that doth manifestly appéere that it was done for the posterities sake that is for vs and our successours to the intent that none of vs nor ours should be seduced nor that false traditiōs should be popt into any of our mouthes in stéede of the truth We must all therfore beware we must all watch and sticke fast vnto the worde of God which is left to vs in the scriptures by the Prophetes and Apostles Finally let our care be wholy bent with faith and profite to heare whatsoeuer the Lord declareth vnto vs Let vs cast out and treade vnder foote whatsoeuer by our flesh the world or the deuill is obiected to be a let to godlines We know what the diseases plagues of the séede of Gods worde sowed in the hartes of the faithful are We know how great the power of Gods worde is in them which heare it deuoutly Let vs therfore beséech our Lorde God to powre into our mindes his holy spirite by whose vertue the séede of Gods word may be quickened in our harts to the bringing forth of much fruite to the saluation of our soules and the glory of God our father To whom be glory for euer Of the sense and right exposition of the worde of God and by what maner of meanes it may be expounded ¶ The thirde Sermon DEarly beloued brethren I doe vnderstande that by meanes of my doctrine of the worde of God ther are risen sūdry thoughts in the hartes of many men yea and that of some there
Prophets in a solemne set and appointed Sacrifice Eliseus at the Lords commaundemente annointed Iehu king to the end that hée might roote out the house of Achab and kill at once all Baals priestes Ioiada the priest slue Athalia And good king Iosias destroyed together the wicked stubborne priestes of all high places S. Augustine Tractatu in Ioan. 11. disputing against the Donatistes doth proue by the example of Nabuchodonosor that Christian Princes do iustlie punishe the Donatistes for despising Christ and his Euangelicall doctrine Among other thinges he saith If king Nabuchodonosor did glorifie God for deliuering three childreÌ„ out of the fyâ—e yea and glorified him so much that he made a decree throughout his kingdom for his honour and worship whie should not the kinges of our dayes be moued so to do which see not three children saued from the flame alone but themselues also deliuered from the fire of hell when they behold Christ by whom they are deliuered burnt vpp in Christian men and when to a Christian they heare it said Say thou that thou art no Christian This they wil doe and yet this they wil not suffer For marcke what they doe and see what they suffer They kill soules they are afflicted in bodie They kill other eternallie and doe complaine that they themselues doe suffer a temporall death Thus much hath Augustine In that new testament we haue most euideÌ„t examples of Peter Paul Christ his greatest Apostles The one wherof sâ—ue Ananias and Saphyra for their lying hypocrisie and feined religion The other strucke Elymas the Sorcerer blinde bereft him of his eyes Neither is there one hayres difference to choose whether a maÌ„ be killed with a sword or with a word For to kill is to kill by what meanes or with what instrument soeuer it be done God wrought that by his Apostles and doth the like by the magistrate also For vengeaunce is Gods who giueth it to the magistrate and chiefe men to bée put in vre and execution vpon wicked offenders There are to be séene many lawes made by holie Christian princes for the state of religion which giue an especiall charge to kill idolatrers apostataes heretiques and godlesse people I will recite vnto you déerely beloued one lawe among many made by the holie Emperour CoÌ„staÌ„tine the great For in an epistle intituled ad Taurum P. P. hée saith It pleaseth vs that in al places throghout euerie citie the temples be out of hand shut vpp and libertie denied to wicked men to haue accesse thether to commit idolatrie Wee will also and commaund all men to bee restrained from making of sacrifice And if so be it happen that they offend herein our pleasure is that they be slain with the sword and the slaine mans goods to be confiscate And wee haue decreed that the rulers of the prouinces shall suffer like punishment if they neglect to punish the offenders The verie same almost do Theodosius and Valentinianus by proclaimed edicts commaund In Codice Theodosiano tit 2. And Valentinianus and Martianus in Codice Iustiniano tit 11. lib. 1. Lastlie without al controuersie adulterers murderers rebells deceiuers and blasphemers are rightlie punished and not against religion Wherfore it followeth consequentlie that false Prophets and heretiques are by good right slaine For they are deceiuers blasphemers and manquellers But in the execution of this punishment there must a great consideratibe had and obserued First of the persons then of the errours and lastly of the penalties For in persons there is great diuersitie because there are some standard bearers and headie graund capitaines which are stoute hypocrites and full of tongue therfore y aptest for to seduce who falling headlong without ameÌ„dment to their owne destruction do with themselues draw other into daunger They must by al meanes be brideled and kept vnder as plagues to the Church least like a cancker they spread all ouer Againe there are some sillie seduced soules made fooles by other men which erre not of malice nor stubborne stomach but doe repente and amend in time These the magistrate must not streightway condemne but pray to the Lord and beare with their error and teach them in the spirit of gentlenesse vntill they be brought to a better minde Moreouer in erronious doctrines som are more intollerable than other some are Some there be so wicked blasphemous that they are vnworthie to bée heard much lesse to bee done Some there are which do directly and openly tend to the ouerthrow of the common weal vnlesse they be in time appensed and resisted But those crimes that are brought in and accused ought first to be by the Scripture and manifest truth coÌ„uinced to be such as they are said to be When the truth is knowen and manifest proofes of scripture alledged then is it lawfull most sharpely to punish those blasphemers of God and ouerthrowers of the Church and common weale But a light and easier penaltie must be set on the heads of them whose offence consisteth in light and smaller errors For some doe erre so that by their error God is not blasphemed that Church not subuerted nor the common weale in any daunger at all Where by the way euerie one must thincke of that saying of the Apostle Beare ye one an others burthen And againe The weake in faith receiue yee not to the doubtfulnes of questions Furthermore in punishment and penalties there is a great difference They that erre stubbornely and doe their indeuour to drawe in and kéepe other men in their errours blasphemers troublers and subuerters of Churches maye by lawe bee put to death But it followeth not therevppon that euery one which erreth must therefore by and by suffer losse of his life The things that by threates and faultfinding may bée remedied and amended must not be punished with sharper correction A meane in euerie thing is alwayes the best There is a penaltie by paiment of money There are prisons for them to be shut vppe into which are corrupted with the poison of false doctrine and lacke of beliefe least peraduenture they infecte others with their contagious disease There are also other meanes to punish the bodie whereby to kéepe them vnder that erre from the trueth to kéepe them from marring those that are sounde and to preserue them selues that they perish not vtterlie but that through repentaunce they may fall to amendment But the feare of God iustice and the Iudges wisedom shal by the circumstaunces make him perceiue how hée ought to punish the naughtie doctrine and stubborne rebellion of malicious seducers and howe to beare with the foolishe lighte beliefe of sillie seduced men grounded vppon simplicitie and not enuenomed rancour Earnest and diligent admonition is giuen to late when the fault is allreadie committed and is so detestable that it ought streight waye to be plagued with the sword Let the magistrate therefore alwayes haue an eye to admonish them in time that are to be warned
but sawe it inhabited of most puissaunt nations Moses hoped that he should deliuer the people of Israel out of Aegypt and place them in the land of promise when as yet he sawe not the maner meanes how hee should doe it Dauid hoped that he should reigne ouer Israel and yet he felt the peril of Saul and his seruaunts hanging ouer his head so that oftener than once hee was in daunger of his life The Apostles and holie martyrs of Christ did hope that they should haue eternall life and that God would neuer forsake them and yet neuerthelesse they felt the hatred of all sortes of people they were banished their countries and lastly were slaine by sundrie tormentes So I say hope is the hope and looking for of thinges not present and things not séene yea it is a sure and most assured looking for of things to come and that not of things whatsoeuer but of those whiche wée beleeue in faith and of those which are promised to vs by the verie true liuing and eternal god For S. Peter saith Hope perfectly in the grace which is brought vnto you Now they hope perfectly which doe without doubting coÌ„mitt themselues wholie to the grace of God and doe assuredlie looke for to inherite life euerlasting Furthermore the Apostle Paule calleth hope as it were the safe sure anchor of the soule And by how much the promise of God is the surer by so much is hope the more firme and secure For hope is not the looking for of any thing whatsoeuer but of faith that is of the thing that faith hath beleeued and which we knowe to be promised to vs in the woord of god And therefore doth Paule expounde faith by hope where he saith Faith is the ground of thinges hoped for the euidence of thinges not seene Faith therfore is as it were the fouÌ„dation wherupon hope doth rest and so God himselfe his infallible word is the obiect to our hope And for that cause Paul calleth God our hope and so doe the Prophets also To this belongeth the 91. Psalm where the faithfull crieth Thou art my hope O Lord thou hast set thine house verie highe Like to this thou shalt find an inumerable sort of places in the booke of the Psalmes But hope cannot bée sure where there is no sound faith and expresse promise of god Nowe since Gods promises are as well of thinges temporall as eternall hope also is as wel of things transitorie as euerlasting And as faith is the gifte of Gods grace and not the power or effecte of our owne nature so hope is giuen vs from aboue and confirmed in vs by the spirite of god For in our looking after thinges there are both groanings and longings for them Temptations assayle and vrge vs sorely as thoughe the thinge were vtterly demed which is for a season deferred or as though God knew not our state condition because he seemeth somewhiles and as it were for euer to neglect and not set by our earnest expectaâ—ion wherfore our hope hath néede of much consolation and coÌ„firmation of the spirite of god Which if it bée sound susteyneth and vpholdeth the minde of man ouerladen howsoeuer wyth very weake infirmities And when the Lord deferreth his promises and séemeth somewhat too long eyther to neglect oure calamities or else to lay more troubles on the backes of vs that are otherwise sufficiently afflicted then commeth hope which doing her duetie biddeth vs pluck vp our harts and stay the Lords leysure who as he cannot possiblie hate them that worship him so he neuer fayleth nor in the least point deceiueth them for hée himselfe is the eternal trueth and euerlasting goodnesse Here now the places of Scripture touching the certaintie of hope are very proâ—itable to teach that the people that hoped in God were neuer confounded although he did delay very long to ayde them with his healping hand The Lord promiseth the land of Canaan to the séede of Abraham but 430 yeares do first come about before he setleth them in possessioÌ„ of it yea before he brought them to it he ledd them whoale 40. yeares about in the wildernes Hée deliuereth the Israelits from the captiuitie of Babylon but not till 70. yeares were spent What may be thought of this also that God hauing immediately after the beginning promised his only sonne did notwythstanding not send him til and toward the latter â—nd of the woorlde The Sainets must therefore stil endure and alwayes wayte the Lords good leysure because truth caÌ„not possibly fayle them and all that hope in it are surely saued Dauid cryeth Our father 's hoped in thee they hoped in thee and thou diddest deliuer them They called vppon thee and were saued they hoped in thee and were not confounded And againe The Lord is good happie is the man that hopeth in him And againe they that hope in the Lord shal be like mount Sion they shal not be moued but shal staÌ„d fast for euer And Paul in his temptations cryeth out in his epist. to the Phil. saying I know that my affliction shal turne to my saluatioÌ„ according to my earnest expectation and my hope that in nothing I shal be ashamed Thus much haue I said hetherto to teach you how the faithful do behaue themselues in sundry calamities for they despayre not but confirme their harts with assured hope and suffer al euils with a patient minde quietly wayting for the Lord in their troubles who is the only hope of al the faithful Now to the end of this I meane to ad a few general consolations which may the more confirme the hope of that faithfull induce them to patience in suffering calamities cheare vp their heauie spirits to al maner afflictions First of all let the afflicted weigh with himselfe from whence affliction cometh Euil men the diuel sicknes the world are they that afflict vs but not without god who suffereth them to do it satan could not trouble Iob neither in goods or body but by gods sufferaÌ„ce And the Prophet Dauid cryeth Thou art he that toke me out of my mothers womb thou wast my hope when I hanged yet vpon my mothers breasts I was left to thee as soone as I was borne Thou art my God my time is in thy hand And the Lord in the gospel sayth Are not two sparrowes sold for one farthing one of them lighteth not vpon the ground without your father yea euen al the haires of your head are numbred Now God by whose gouernment al things are ruled is not a God a Lord only but also a father to mortal men And his will is good and wholesome to vs ward besids that whatsoeuer he doth he doth it al in order and iustly But if the will of God be good toward vs the thing cannot choose but be good to vs which happneth by the sufferance and wil of him that loueth vs so dearly And herein doe the children
they were simple and yet they pearce to the inward partes of the heart When hee speaketh softly beleeue him not for there are seuen mischiefes in his hart And therefore in Ecclesiastes it is very well sayd It is better to heare the rebuke of a wise man than the songe of a foole That is of a flatterer And yet althoughe flatterie bée so great an euill it is notwithstanding fauoured of all men so that as an infecting plague it is crepte into the Church into Princes Palaces into Iudges Courtes and euerie priuate house For like an alluring Mermayde it hath a songe that doeth delight our flesh For wée like fooles are blinded with selfe loue and doe not marke that flatteries and allurementes doe breede oure destruction Ezeâ—hiel blameth greatly all flattering Preachers and sayeth Woe vnto them that lay to the people peace people peace peace when there is no peace which dawbe with vntempered morter which sowe entising pillowes vnder euerie elbowe and put alluting kercheifes vpon euery head to hunt after catch soules Of such kinde of teachers that delight more in lyes and flatterie than in syncere veritie the Apostle Paule saith The time shall come that they shall not abide to heare sounde doctrine but they whose eares do ytche shall gett them teachers according to their lustes and shall turne their eares from the truth and shal be turned vnto fables And Dauid praying against this plague as the thing that is most pernicious to all kinges and Princes in authoritie doeth say The righteous shall smite mee friendly but the precious baulmes of the wicked shal not annoynt my head And againe Lord deliuer mee from lying lippes and a deceiptful tongue Thus much haue I hetherto said for the exposition of the ninth commaundement Now followeth the tenth and last commaundement which word for word is expressed thus Thou shalt not couet thy neighbours house thou shalt not couet thy neighbours wife nor his manseruaunt nor his maydseruaunt nor his oxe nor his asse nor any thing that is thy neighbours Which words the Lord in the fifte of Deut â–ª doth lay downe in this maner and order Thou shalt not couet thy neighbours wife thou shalt not couet thy neighbours house nor his field nor his manseruaunt nor his maydseruaunt nor his oxe nor his asse nor any thing that is thy neighbours Neither is there any difference or contrarietie in the thing it selfe although in Exod. Thy neighbours house and in Deuteronomie Thy neighbours wife be set first in order Now this maketh somewhat against them that diuide this laste precept into two commaundements which is in deede but one as it may be partly gathered by this order thus inuerted in the setting of it downe in two sundrie places In this precept coueting is especially forbidden I meane euill longing and corrupt desiring For coueting is a word indifferently vsed as well in the better as the worse signification For Dauid affirmeth that he did long after God and his lawe I haue wished for saith hee O Lord thy saluation And I haue longed after thy commaundementes Psal. 119. Wée must here therfore be able with discretion to iudge betwixt that good affection which God did first create in man and that other motion the roote of euill that groweth in our nature by the discent of corruptioÌ„ from our first father Adam There was in Adam before his fall a certaine good appetite with pleasure and delight He was not so hungrie that huÌ„ger did pain his emptie bowels whiche is in déede a plague for sinne but he did eate with a certaine swéet and delectable appetite Hee was delighted with the pleasures of Paradise Hee did with a certaine holy desire both loue and long after the woman which God had brought and placed before him And this good appetite or desire procéeded from God himselfe who made both Adam and all his affections good at the first Yea and at this day also there are in men certaine naturall affections and desires as to eate to drink to sléepe and such like belonging to the preseruation of mans life which of themselues are not to be accompted among the number of sinnes vnlesse by corruption of originall vice they passe the bounds for which they are ordeyned But in this treatise vpon the tenth commaundement desire is vsed in the worser part and is taken for the concupiscence or coueting of euil things This concupiscence being translated from Adam into vs al is the fruite of our corrupt nature or ofspring of original sinne whose seate is in the hart of man and is the fountaine and he adspring of all sinne and wickednesse that is to bee found in mortall men For the Lord in the Gospell doeth expressely say whatsoeuer entreth in by the mouth goeth into the bellie and is caste out into the draught but the things that come out of the mouth proceede froÌ„ the heart and those defile the man For out of the heart doe come euill thoughts murders adulteries whordomes theft false witnesse bearinges despiteful speakig these be they that do defile the maÌ„ And the Apostle Iames speaking altogether as plainely in an other place doeth say Let no man when he is tempted say that he is tempted of god For euery one is tempted while he is drawen away entised with the baite of his owne concupiscence then when lust hath conceiued it bringeth â—oorth sinne and sinne when it is finished bringeth forth death Concupiscence therfore is a moti-on or affection of the minde which of our corâ—upt nature doth lust against God and his lawe and sâ—â—rreth vs vp to wickednesse although the consent or déed it selfe doth not presently followe vppon our conceipt For if the deede do follow the lust then doth the sinne increase by stepps and degrées For first wée must consider the very blotting out or corrupting of the Image of God in vs Originall sinne and that disease that lyeth hidd in our members which is by vse called euill affections Secondarilie wee must consider that it increaseth by our delight and pleasure therein Thirdly it is augmented if wee consent and séeke after counsell to commit the crime and lastly if the consent breake forth to the déede doing than is it greater and greater according to the qualities of accidentes or circumstances Now al these are reckoned in the number of sinnes thoughe by degrées the one of them is greater thaÌ„ the other touching which I will by Gods sufferaÌ„ce speake somewhat more largely when I come to the treatise of sinne Wherefore that euill and vnlawfull affection which is of our naturall corruption and lyeth hidd in our nature but bewrayeth it selfe in our hartes against the purenesse of Gods lawe and maiestie is that very sinne which is in this lawe condemned For although there be some which thinke that such motions diseases blemishes and affections of the mind are no sinnes yet God by forbidding them in this lawe doeth flatly condemne them But if any man doubt
Iesus said vnto him Verilie I say vnto thee this day thou shalt bee with mee in Paradise Therefore this théefe was thoroughe faith iustified without the workes of the lawe For after this request and prayer of his the Lord made no inquisition what his woorkes were all his life longe neither did hee looke what workes hée would doe after this faith and beleeuing but did immediatly vppon his confession both iustifie and take him as a companion to goe with him to Paradise Moreouer to the woman of whom mention is made in the Gospell after Sainct Luke not for any worke of the lawe but for faith onely hee said Thy sinnes are forgiuen thee And againe Go in peace thy faith hath made thee safe Furthermore in many places of the Gospell wée finde that our Sauiour vsed the like kinde of speach making faith alwayes to bee the cause of mens saluation And a little while after the same Apostle saith God forbid that I should glorie in any thing but in the crosse of our Lord Iesus Christ by whome the world is crucified to mee and I to the world Thou séest héere that the Apostle glorieth not of his owne righteousnesse or chastitie or wisedome or other workes or vertues of his owne but doth most plainly pronounce and say Let him that glorieth glorie in the Lord and so by that meanes all boasting is excluded And so forth with many other sayings tending to this purpose S. AMBROSE in his exposition of Paule his Epistle vnto the Romanes vppon the third and fourth Chapiters doeth saye They are fréelie iustified sayth Sainct Paule beecause when they woorke nothing nor doe any thing for GOD againe they are yet thorough faith onely iustified by the gift of God. According to the purpose of Gods grace sayeth Paule it was so ordeined of God that laying the law aside the grace of God should require faith onely vnto saluation This doeth by the example of the Prophete confirme the blessednesse of the man to whom the Lord imputeth righteousnesse without woorkes hée calleth them blessed with whome the Lord hath couenaunted that without labour and kéeping of the lawe they should bee iustified before their maker S. IOHN Chrysostome treating of faith of the lawe of nature and of the holie Ghost doth expressely saye I cannot proue that hee whiche woorketh the woorkes of righteousnesse without faith doeth enioye eternall life But I can by good proofe shewe that hée which beleeued without works did both liue and obteine the kingdome of heauen No man without faith hath obteined life But the théefe beléeued onely and for his faith was iustified by the most mercifull god And whereas here peraduenture thou wilt obiecte that hee wanted time to liue iustly and to doe good woorkes I aunsweare that I doe not greatly striue about that but this onelye I sticke to that faith alone did iustifie saue him For if he had liued any longer and had neglected faith and workes hée had vndoubtedly fallen from saluation But the onely end and argument whereat I now shoote is that faith of it selfe doth bring saluation and that workes of themselues did neuer saue any workers that wrought them As Chrysostome doth at large declare by the example of the Capitaine Cornelius These testimonies I suppose are sufficient to wittes that will bee aunsweared and doe not stand obstinateâ—â— in quarellinges and ianglings Otheâ—wise I could alledge a great 〈◊〉 But I will not bee ouer tedâ—ors vnto you deerely beloued nor same to bee endlesse in an euident matter But nowe because to this treatise of the righteousnesse of woorkes there is a questioÌ„ annexed touching the merits of good woorkes I will therefore summarilie say somewhat of merits or rather of the hire and reward of good woorkes To this ende especiallie least any man thincking irreligiouâ—ly of the merits of good workes do therby winne to himselfe not good but euill workes The name of Merits is an vnaâ—quainted terme not vsed in the Scriptures For in that signification wherin our Merite woorkers vse it to wit for meritorious woorkes for that I meane wherevnto both life and the grace of GOD is of duetie giuen as debt that is due in that signification I saye it doeth obscure the Grace of God and maketh man too proude and arrogant What I pray you can our woorkes deserue since none of the Sainctes durst bée so bold as to plead their merites before the Lord Iob cryeth If I wil iustifie mee selfe mine owne mouthe shall condemne mee If I will goe about to shewe mee selfe to bee an innocent hee shall proue mee a wicked doer If I washe mee selfe with snowe water and make my handes neuer so cleane at the wel yet shalt thou dippe me in the myre and mine owne garmentes shall defile mee Dauid crieth Enter not into iudgment with thy seruaunt for in thy sighte shall no man liuing bee iustified Christ oure Lord in the Gospell saith When ye haue done all thinges that are commaunded you then say wee are vnprofitable seruauntes wee haue done that wee oughte to doe But a little before oure Lord saide Doeth the maister thancke the seruaunt whiche doeth the thinges that are commaunded him to doe The holy Apostle Sainct Paule also cryeth I doe not despise the Grace of god For if righteousnesse bee of the Lawe then did Christe die in vaine Againe in the Gospell after Sainct Luke the Phariscie is greatly blamed which could not be content to put confidence in his owne righteousnesse but would néedes boaste of his merits also And Nabuchodonosor fealt no little plague for saying that the kingdome of Babylon did come vnto him by his owne arte industrie power and vertue By how muche a greater punishement therefore shall wée thincke them to be worthie off which are persuaded make their bragges that they by their merits haue deserued or earned the kingdome of heauen And yet all this doth not tend to y making void of the stipend of good woror to the denying of the reward that is prepared for vertues For he is true which promised and what hee promised he will performe Now he promised rewards to them that worke righteousnesse euen as also according to his iustice and trueth hée hath threatened terrible punishments to wicked impenitent sinners But the promises of God are of two sortes to witt they lay before oure eyes the giftes and rewards of this present life and of the life to come For the Lord in the Gospell after S. Marke doth say Verilie I saye vnto you there is no man that hath forsaken house or brethren or landes for my sake and the Gospels but he shall receiue an hundreth fold now at this present with persecutioÌ„s and in the world to come life euerlasting And Paul saith Godlinesse is profitable to all thinges hauing promise of the life that is nowe of that which is to come This is a sure saying and by all meanes worthie to bee receiued For therefore wee
the sense béeing sounde vncorrupted and well weighed he attributeth frée will which he graunteth to bée in vs vnto the grace that woorketh in vs yea to the regeneration of the Spirite rather than to our selues or our owne power I will here cite and rehearse vnto you dearely beloued this one testimonie onely out of all his writinges as it is to bée founde in the firste Chapter of his booke De Correptione et Gratia where hée saith Wee must confesse that wee haue free will to doe bothe euill and good but in the doing of euill euerie one is free from righteousenesse and bound to sinne but in good no man can bee free vnlesse hee bee made free by him which saide If the sonne make you free then shall ye bee free in deede And yet not so that when euery one is sett free from the condemnation of sinne hee should then no more stand in neede of his deliuerers ayde but so rather that where hee heareth his deliuerer saye Without mee yee can doe nothinge hee should presently saye to him againe Bee thou my helper O forsake mee not And verily I am gladde that in oure brother Florus I founde this faith which without doubt is the true propheticall and Apostolicall faith For here must the grace of God through Iesus Christe our Lorde bee needes vnderstoode by whiche alone wee men are deliuered from euil and without which wee doe no good either in thought will loue or deede Not onely that by the shewing or teaching of grace men should no more but knowe what is to bee done but also that by the verie woorking and perfourminge of grace they should with loue doe the thing that they knowe And so forth For I haue hitherto rehearsed vnto you Saincte Augustines opinion touching free will of which this is sufficient for a note by the waye nowe I returne to my purpose againe Wée haue hearde what the olde man is what the newe man is and howe wée are renued by the holy spirite nowe therefore when we saye that penitentes doe mortifie the olde man and are renued by the spirite or spiritually we saye nothing else but that to all penitents the affections senses or lustes of the fleashe I meane euen the verie vnderstanding which wee haue of olde Adam together with the will are not onely suspected but also conuicted of impietie and that therefore in all their thoughtes wordes and deedes they do neuer admitte their affections into their counsell but doe by al meanes resist them and continually studye to breake the necke of them and on the other side in all our counsels words and déedes to admitt and receiue yea with prayers to call vnto vs that heauenly guyde the spirite of Christ by whose conduite and leading wee maye perceiue iudge speake and woorke that is to saye either omitt or doe that which we haue learned in our graunde patterne Christe according to whose likenesse wee must bee refourmed that henceforth wee maye applye our selues to holinesse righteousnesse and good woorkes to Godwarde But nowe all this we shall vnderstande more rightly and plainely by the wordes of the Apostle where hee sayeth This I saye and testifie in the Lorde that ye henceforth walke not as other Gentiles walke in vanitie of their minde darkened in cogitation being alienated from the life of God by the ignoraunce that is in them by the blyndnesse of their hartes which being past feeling haue giuen them selues ouer vnto wantonnesse to worke all vncleannesse with greedinesse But ye haue not so learned Christ if so be ye haue heard him and haue beene taught in him as the trueth is in Iesus to lay downe according to the former conuersation the olde man which is corrupt according to the lustes of errour but to bee renued in the spirite of your mynde and to put on that newe mā which after God is shapen in righteousenesse and holinesse of trueth and so forth as followeth in the 4. Chapter to the Ephesians The same Apostle in the thirde to the Colossians saith Mortifie your members whiche are vpon the earth fornication vncleannesse inordinate affection euill concupiscence and couetousnesse which is idolatrie for which thinges sake the wrath of God commeth vpon the children of disobedience amonge whom ye also walked sometime whē ye liued in them But nowe put yee off also all these things wrath fiercenesse maliciousenesse blasphemie filthie communication out of your mouth lye not one to another seeing that ye haue put off the old man with his workes and haue put on the newe man which is renued into the knowledge and image of him that made him Put on therefore as the elect of god holie beloued bowels of mercie kindnesse modestie meeknesse long suffering forbearing one an other and forgiuing one another if any man haue a quarell against anie and so forth To which if thou addest that which the Apostle hath of the same matter in the sixt Chapter to the Romanes euery poynt wil be more expresse plaine vnto the hearer Nowe these woordes of the Apostle do not onely teach vs what the old man is what the newe man is what it is to mortifie the olde man and how penitents are renued in the newnesse of the spirite or of the minde but doe also shewe what the fruits be that are worthie of repentance to wite those rehearsed vertues or those offices of life towarde God and our neighbour We owe to God feare or reuerence humblenesse of minde the knowledge of our selues faith hope the hatred of sinne the loue of righteousenesse charitie toward our neighbour well doing towardes all men and innocencie in all things These kind of fruits did the holie man Iohn Baptist require of the Iewish nation when he saide Bring forth fruits that become repentance For in Saincte Luke beeinge demanded of the people of the Publicanes and of the mercenarie or garrison souldiers what thing they shoulde do worthie of repentaunce he prescribeth none other than that whiche we euen nowe recited For the Lord him selfe by Esaie in the 5. Chapter of his prophecie rehearsed vpp none other fruites than those And in the Reuelation made to S. Iohn speaking to the minister of the Churche of Ephesus he saith Remēber from whence thou arte fallē and repent and doe the firste woorkes Wherevnto agrée the wordes of S. Paule speaking to Agrippa and saying I haue preached to the Iewes and Gentiles exhorting them to repent and to turne to God and to do such woorkes as become them that repent And againe in the seuenth Chapter of the seconde Epistle to the Corinthians hee saith Sorrowe which is to Godwarde causeth repentaunce vnto saluation not to be repented of For behold this selfe same thing that ye were made soarie to Godward howe muche carefulnesse it hathe wrought in you yea what clearing of your selues yea what indignation yea what feare yea what vehement desire yea what zeale yea what punishment Nowe this carefulnesse is an intentiue
excommunication the secular power hath nowe by the space of 30. yeares and more beene called on and persecution hath beene euery where raysed vpp against guiltlesse Christians not for committing heynous crimes and defending naughtinesse but for inueighing against mischiefes and mischiefous men and for requiring the reformation of the Church and yet euen at this day most cruell edicts are out and crueltie is exercised euery day more more against them that confesse the name of Christ yea such is their impudencie brasen-faced boldnesse they dissemble not that the counsell if any must be celebrated shall be called for the rooting out of heresies yea they doe openly professe that the counsell once held at Trent was to this end assembled Nowe since these things more clearely than the sunne are perceiued to be most true thou shalt most holy kinge doe wisely and religiously if without looking for the determination of a generall counsell thou shalt proceed to reforme the Churches in thy kingdome according to the rule of the bookes of both testaments which we do rightly beleeue being written by the inspiration of the holy Ghost to be the very word of God. But nowe that it is lawfull for euery Christian Church much more for euery notable Christian kingdome without the aduise of the Church of Rome and the members therof in matters of religion depraued by them wholie to make are formation according to the rule of Gods most holy word it is therby manifest because Christians are the congregation the Church or subiects of their king Christ to whome they owe by all meanes most absolute and perfect obedience Now the Lord gaue his Church a charge of reformation he commended vnto it the sound doctrine of the Gospell together with the lawfull vse of his holy Sacraments he also condemned all false doctrine that I meane that is contrarie to the Gospell he damned the abuse and prophanation of the Sacraments and deliuered to vs the true worship of God proscribed the false therefore Christians obeying the Lawes commaundements of their Prince do vtterly remoue or take away all superstition and do restore establish and preserue the true religion according to the manner that Christ their Prince appointed them He verilie is a foole or a mad man which sayeth that the Church of Christ hath none authoritie to correcte such errours vicces and abuses as do daily creepe into it And yet the Romish tyrannie hath so bewitched the eyes of many men that they thincke that they cannot lawfully doe any thinge but what it pleaseth Rome to giue them leaue to doe The Ecclesiasticall histories make mention of prouinciall Synods held in sondrie prouinces wherein there were handled matters of faith and the reformation of the Churches and yet no mention once made of the bishop of Rome What may be thought of that moreouer that in certeine Synodes not heretical but orthodoxasticall and Catholique thou mayest finde some that were excommunicated for appealing from their owne Churches vnto the Church of Rome Sainct Cyprian writing to Cornelius the bishop of Rome doth say Since that it is ordeined by vs all that it is iust and right that euery mans cause should be heard there where the crime is committed that to euery seueral pastour is appointed a portion of the flocke which euery one must gouerne make accompt of his doings before the Lord it is expedient verilie that those ouer whome we haue the charge should not gad to and fro by that meanes with their subtile and deceiptfull petulancie to make the concord of bishops to be at iarre but to pleade their causes there where they maye haue their accusers present and witnesses of their crime committed But letting passe the testimonies of men we do now come to the testimonies in the booke of god The most holy king Iosias most godly Prince may alone in this case teach you what to do and how to do with the warrant authoritie of God himselfe He by the diligent reading of the holy booke of God and by the contemplation of things present and the manner of worshipping God that then was vsed did vnderstand that his auncestours did greatly very farre erre from the plaine and simple truth for which cause he calleth together the princes and other estates of his kingdome together with all the priestes to hold and celebrate a counsell with them In that counsell he standeth not long disputing whether the examples of the elders ought rather to be followed or Gods commuandement simplie receiued whether he ought rather to beleeue the Church or the Scripture and whether all the iudgement of religion ought to be referred to the high priest For laying abroade the booke of the Lawe he submitteth both himselfe and all his vnto the Sacred Scripture Out of the booke of the Lawe both he him selfe doth learne biddeth all his to learne what thinge it is that pleaseth God namely that which was commuanded and learned in the reading of the Lawe of god And presently hee gaue charge that all men should doe and execute that not hauing any regard to the auncient custome or to the Church that was at that time he made all subiecte to the word of god Which deede of his is so commended that next after Dauid hee is preferred before all the kinges of Iuda and Israel Nowe your royall Maiestie cannot followe any better or safer counsell than this cōsidering that it proceedeth from God and that it is most fit for the cause which is euen nowe in hand The disputation is of the Reformation of Religion and the true fayth of Christ You know that that doth spring from heauen namely that it is taught by the word of God and powred into our hartes by the holy Ghost For Paul sayth Faith commeth by hearing and hearing by the word of Christ Therefore as true fayth is not grounded vppon the word of man so is it not taught or planted by the same For in an other place the same Apostle sayth My preaching was not in the enticing words of mans wisedome but in the shewing of the spirite and of power that your faith might not be in the wisedome of man but in the power of God. Not without good cause therefore doe we refuse the traditions of men and turne onely to the doctrine of the word of the Lord without which it is assuredly certeine that there is no doctrine nor any foundation of true fayth Neither are they worthie to be heard who thincke that the Canonicall Scriptures are not plaine enough full enoughe or sufficient enough to minister a perfect platforme of reformation They blaspheme the spirite of God imputing vnto it obscurenesse imperfection which faultes no prophane writer can well abide to heare off Sainct Paule in defence of the trueth sayth All Scripture giuen by inspiration of God is profitable to doctrine to reproue to correction to instruction which is in righteousnesse that
thereby gather that God is the chiefe good that his maiestie is in coÌ„prehensible This one place of Esay may staÌ„d in sted of many where in the 40. cha he saith Who hath measured the waters with his fist Who hath mesured heauen with his span Who hath helde the dust of the earth betwixt three fingers and weighed the mounteines and hilles in a balance Who hath directed the spirit of the Lord who gaue him counsell who taught him who is of his counsell to instruct him Beholde all people are in comparison of him as a droppe of a bucket full and counted as the least thing that the balance weigheth Yea he shall cast out the Isles as the smallest crumb of dust Libanus were not sufficient to minister him wood to burne nor the beasts thereof were in ough for one sacrifice vnto him All people in comparison of him are reckoned as nothing and if they bee compared with him they are couÌ„ted as lesse than nothing Vnderstand ye not this hath it not bene preached vnto you since the beginning haue ye not beene taughte this by the fouÌ„dation of the earth It is he that sitteth vpon the circle of the world whose inhabiters are in coÌ„parison of him but as Grashoppers He spredeth out the heauens as a couering stretcheth theÌ„ out as a tent to dwell in He bringeth princes to nothing and maketh the Iudges of the earth as though they were not And so foorth To this place now doe belong the Prosopopeiall spéeches of God of which thou shalt finde suÌ„drie and many beside the visions which we placed in the second way or meane to know god But the moste excellent are extant in the 18. Psalme and in the 5. Chapter of Solomons Ballad bothe which I passe ouer vntouched because I meane not to stay you too long For we muste descend to the other points Last of all God is knowen by the sayings or sentences vttered by the mouthes of the Prophetes Apostles Of which sorte is that notable spéech of Ieremie where he saith Let not the wise man glorie in his wisdome nor the strong man in his strength nor the rich man in his riches but let him that glorieth glorie in this that he vnderstandeth and knoweth me that I am the Lord and doe mercie iudgement and righteousnesse vpon earth therefore am I delighted in suche things alone saith the Lord. Now by the mercie of God we are saued and adorned with sundrie great benefites By his iudgement he punisheth the wicked and disobedient according to their deserts and therewithal he kéepeth equitie Euen as also his righteousnes doeth truely perfourme that which he promisseth Therefore we say that God is a sauiour a liberall giuer of all good things an vpright iudge assured trueth in performing his promisses And hether now is to be referred the doctrine of the Prophets and apostles which teacheth that to be the true knowledge of God y acknowledgeth God to be one in essence and thrée in persons Concerning the vnitie of the diuine essence by the allegation whereof the pluralitie of the heathen Gods are vtterly reiected and flatly condemned I will cite those testimonies out of the holie Scripture that séeme to be more euidente and excellent than all the other which are in number so many that a man canne hardely reckon them all The notablest is that whiche is grounded vppon the Propheticall and Euangelicall authoritie and béeing cited out of the 6 Chap. of Deuteronomie is in the 12. of Marke set downe in these words Iesus said The first of all the commaundements is Hearken Israel the Lord our GOD is one lord And thou shalt loue the Lord thy God with all thy hart with all thy soule with all thy minde and with all thy strength This is the first commandement and the second like this is thou shalt loue thy neighboure as thee selâ—e There is none other commaundement greater than these It followeth now in the Gospell And the Scribe said Well maister thou hast saide the trueth that there is one god that there is none other but he and that to loue him with all the hart with all the minde with all the soule and with all the strength and to loue a mans neighboure as him selfe is greater than all the burnt offerings and sacrifices With this testimonie also doe all the other notable ones agrée that are in the lawe For in the 20. of Exodus we reade that the Lord him selfe with his owne mouthe did in mount Sina say I am the Lord thy GOD which brought thee out of the land of Aegypt out of the house of bondage haue thou none other Gods but me Againe Moses in the end of his Song bringeth in GOD saying Se now how that I I am GOD and there is none other God but I. I kill and make aliue againe I wound and I heale neither is there any that can deliuer out of my hand With the testimonies in the lawe doe those of the Prophets also agrée For Dauid in the 18. Psalme saith The way of God is an vndefiled way the worde of the Lorde also is tryed in the fire He is the defender of all them that put their truste in him For who is God but the Lord or who hath any strength except our God There are of this sorte many other places in the volume of the Psalmes The Lord in Esaie and by Esaie cryeth and saieth I am the Lord Hu is my name and my glorie will I not giue vnto any other nor mine honoure to grauen images I am the first and the laste and beside me there is no god And who is like to me If any be let him call foorthe and openly shewe the thing that is past and lay before me what hath chaunced since I appointed the people of the worlde and let him tell what shall happen hereafter and come to passe I the Lorde do all-things I spred out the heauens alone and I onely haue layed foorthe the earth by mee selfe I make the tokens of witches of none effect and make the soothsayers fooles As for the wise I turne them backwarde and make their wisedome foolishnesse I set vpp the word of my seruant and doe fulfill the counsells of my messingers I am the Lorde and there is else none which created light and darcknesse and maketh peace and trouble yea euen I the Lord doe all these things To these testimonies of the Prophetes we will nowe add one or two out of Sainct Paule the great instructer and Apostle of the Gentiles He in his Epistle to Timothie saith There is one GOD and one mediatour of GOD and men the man Christe Iesus And againe he saith One Lord one faith one baptisme one God and father of all which is aboue all and through all and in you all Againe the same Apostle to the Corinthians saith There is none other God but one And though there bee
be called vppon For that God only is the searcher of heartes cōprehended in no place but present euery where and omnipotent Solomon in these words doth testifie Behold the heauens and the heauen of heauens are not able to conteine thee how much more vnable than is this house that I haue built Thou therfore shalt heare in heauen in the place of thy habitatiō or in thy dwelling place and shalt haue mercie For thou only knowest the heartes of the sonnes of men Thou shalt doe and giue to euery one according to al his wayes which knowest his very hart As for the heauenly patrons as these men cal them they do neyther know the thoughtes of men neither is their power spred throughout the heauen the earth and the seas neither do they know althings or yet are euery wher present or be omnipotent For if it were so with them they shoulde be transformed changed into a diuine nature should ceasse any more to be creatures but althogh by Christ they inioy euerlasting blessednes yet notwithstanding they remain creatures stil neither do they knowe al things neyther are almighty therfore are they at no hand to be called vpō In one prick moment of time truly innumerable thousands of mortal mē offer vp their vowes and make their petitions so that he verily which heareth must at a pinche and in a very moment not at sundry seasons or degrées of time know be able to doe all things yea and in a moment also reache out his helping hande vnto all Which as no creature though neuer so excellēt can do so the only God that knoweth al is omnipotent can do all things and therefore only alone is to be called vpon I wot well what the defenders of heauenly patrones or Saints obiect against that which I haue spoken to wit that they of their owne nature do neither sée nor yet heare what is done of vs vpon the earth but in the face of God as in a most lightsome looking glasse to sée all thinges what so euer God vouchsafeth to reueale to them and that so they haue an vnder-knowledge of all our affaires also helpe vs But this imagination or forgerie in all points doutfull can be proued by no authoritie out of the holy scriptures But touching the celestiall Saints the scripture doth rather affirme the flat contrarie For in Isaie the people of god cry out Thou O God art our father though Abrahā be ignorant of vs and Israel know vs not yet thou O Lorde art our father and our redeemer If than the patriarchs so studious and careful for their people knew not what they did which of the Saints I pray you shal we graunt or point out that knoweth what we do that intermedleth with the affaires of the liuing True doutlesse is y that the holy Psalme soūdeth Bicause my father and my mother haue lefte or forsaken me the Lord hath taken me vp If our parents forsake and leaue vs how I pray you can they tel or do they care how it fareth with vs Let that suffice vs wherw t Dauid held himself throughly cōtent saying The lord hath takē charge ouer me We reade y Iosias was trāslated out of this life into an other to the end he shuld not sée the mischiefes or plagues and punishments which the Lord determined to bring vpon the Israelitish people for their most wicked naughtie life The blessed souls therfore enioy the sight of god therby participate light and endlesse ioy or gladnesse they knowe none of our affaires neither is it néedefull they should knowe them considering that the Lorde alone hath all things in his gouernement Nowe is that also most certeine that inuocation springeth from faith as the fruit from the roote For Paul vsing that saying of the Prophete Who so euer calleth vpon the name of the Lord shall be safe doth by and by adde But howe shall they call vpon him in whome they haue not beleeued Sée howe the Apostle bringeth in one vppon an other He is not called vppon who is not beléeued Wherefore in whom we beléeue vpon him we doe also call But in God onely and alone we do beléeue therefore on him onely do we call For where so euer true faith is there likewise is the gift of the holie Ghost For the Apostle sayth If any haue not the spirite of Christe this man is none of his And againe You haue not receiued againe the spirite of bondage vnto feare but you haue receiued the spirit of adoption by which we cry Abba father They therefore that are indued with a true beliefe in God call vpon God whome they doe acknowledge and confesse to be the onely father of all Neyther might so much as the lest part in that solemne forme and order of inuocation deliuered vnto vs by the sonne of God be attributed by any meanes vnto Patrones or Saintes The onely God therefore is to be called vpon The hart of sinfull man trembleth and quaketh to approche neare vnto so greate a maiestie For who may séeme worthy in him selfe to appeare and come before the presence of the most holy the most iust and the moste terrible God Here therefore some supply and make vp the matter with the patronship or intercession of celestiall Saintes by whose mediation and making way before vs passage lyeth open for vs vnto God. But this they bringe foorthe without the warrant of the scripture The scripture hath layde before vs a law as it were of calling vpon god thervnto hath annexed most ample or large promises so the commaundement doth set foorth vnto vs by and through whome we shoulde call vpon God adding therevnto a most excellent promise and opening vnto vs through Christe Iesus onely a ready way to the Father For in the Gospell the Lorde sayth Verily verily I say vnto you whatsoeuer ye shal aske the father in my name hee shall giue it you Hetherto you haue not asked any thing in my name Aske and ye shall receiue that your ioy may bee perfect or full And Whatsoeuer ye shall aske in my name I will doe it that the father may bee glorified by the sonne If you shall aske any thing in my name I will doe it What could be spoken more fully and clearly than these words Christe biddeth vs by or in his name to call vpon god the father and promiseth that he will giue the faithfull what so euer they aske in Christ his name Who doubteth now any whit at all of the truth constancie of him which promiseth What néed we therfore hencefoorth the intercession of Saintes Of calling vpon them or of comming to God by their mediation we haue no testimonie of scripture we haue no promise Wherevnto I adde that he contemneth the commaundement and precept of God who so euer seeketh by any other than by Christe and his intercession to come to the father
histories declare more largelie Of this King Christ the Prophets prophecying said And in mercie shal the seate be prepared and he shall sitt vpon it in trueth in the tabernacle of Dauid iudging and seeking iudgement and making haste vnto righteousnes And againe Beholde the time commeth saith the Lorde that I will raise vp the righteous brauÌ„che of Dauid which King shall beare rule he shall prosper with wisdome and shall set vp equitie and righteousnes againe in the earth In his time shall Iuda be saued and Israel shall dwell without feare and this is the name that they shall call him The Lorde our righteousnesse And because our Lord is a king therefore be must néeds haue a kingdome As well the realme dominion subiecte to a kinge is called a kingdoÌ„e as principalitie empire power maÌ„ner of gouernment it selfe Therefore the church the communion or fellowship of saints béeing obedient subiect to their king Christe is called the kingdoÌ„e of god For Micheas saith And the Lord shall reigne ouer them in mount Sion therfore Sion which signifieth the church is the kingdome of god And god is said to reigne when in the church he ruleth gouerneth kéepeth defendeth those that be his and indueth and maketh theÌ„ fruitful with diuerse graces For Paule saith The kingdome of God is not meate and drink but righteousnes peace ioy in the holy ghost Moreouer the kingdome of god is that eternall glorie felicitie which God dâ—eth communicate to his elect For the Lord saith in the gospel Comeye blessed of my father inherit the kingdome which is prepared for you froÌ„ the beginning of the world And the théefe euen at point of death making his praâ—er to the Lord who was redy to dye on the crosse desiring to bee â—artaker of this kingdoÌ„e saith Lord remember me when thou coÌ„mest into thy kingdome â–ª Againe since y gospel teacheth vs how God reigneth in vs in this world in time to translate vs vnto him self into that other that is since the gospell is that thing by which the Lord reareth vp his dominion it is not vnaduisedly called of Matthew in his 13. cap. the kingdome of god In another place for the same cause it is called the word of the kingdome To be short we at this preseÌ„t by the kingdome of God vnderstand the coÌ„gregation of saints it self the catholique church I meane and the power or administratioÌ„ of God reigning therein that is preseruing gouerning glorifying the same And this kingdome of god is verily but only one for ther is but one God only one king Christ only one church â— life â—uerlasting But his one kingdome of god according to he dispensation 〈…〉 two wayes First acording to y omâ—ipotencie of god For he 〈◊〉 he iâ— the highest omnipotent hath executeth ouer all creatures visible inuisible â—oste iust rule and equall powerâ— nill they or will they be obedient Secondly according to his spirits whereby he reigneth in his elect And so y kingdoÌ„e of God is againe two waies coÌ„sidered For either it is earthly is called the kingdome of grace or else it is heauenlye and is called the kingdome of glorie The earthly kingdome of grace is not therefore called earthly as though it were carnall earthly like the kingdome of Babylon Persia Alexander or Rome but because it is on earth For a good parte of the holie churche of God is conuersant on this earth beeing partaker of flesh bloud while it â—â—eth on the earth though it liue not an earthly life according to the â—â—esh For acording to the spirit whereby it is ruled it liueth a heauenly life Not that the partakers of the kingdome of God sinne not For the iust man falleth riseth seuen times in a day Whervpon it is also called the kingdome of grace For as long as we liue in this world our King Lord neuer denyeth his grace mercie to vs that craue pardon And the faithfull doe wholie hange vppon the grace of their king they embrace continuall repentance and endeuor theÌ„ selues to things of more perfectnesse For they frame all that they do according to the lawes of their king prince For he reigneth in his elect by the worde of truth and by the holie ghost By the word of truethe hee teacheth what the Saintes should doe and what they should auoide By his holie spirit he moueth their hartes and giueth strength to 〈◊〉 euill and followe that is good For truely our king reigneth not so much for him self as for vs For he maketh vs also kinges that we béeing deliuered from the diuell damnation sinne and the curse may be Lords ouer the diuel damnation sinne and the cursse yea ouer all thinges and ioynâ—t-heires with the sonne of God him self For these causes the kingdoÌ„e of God is called a spirituall kingdoÌ„e For the partakers of the kingdome of God indued with the spirite of God doe bring foorth the fruites of the spirit not the works of the flesh and to be short are gouerned with the spirit of god Neither truelie doeth our Lorde reigne after the manner of the kinges of this worlde sayinge to Pilate My kingdome is not of this worlde Which sentence some abuse gathering y there is no ouâ—ward gouernemeÌ„t in the church of God vnder whiche name they also take away the office of a Magistrate and speake so subtilely of the kingdome of God that a man cannot tell where the kingdome of God is or who be partakers of this kingdome They vnderstand nâ—t that the meaning must bee gathered vppon the occasion of that saying The Iewes accusing the Lorde before Pilate laide to his charge that he ambition flye sought after a kingdome The lord clering him self of this crime sheweth Pilate that his kingdome shal not be such a one whiche after hee had cast out Tiberius Caesar should be gotten and kepte with armes and be gouerned after the manner of this worlde declaring that he addeth If my kingdome were of this world then would my seruaunts surely fighte that I should not bee deliuered to the Iewes Therefore he inferreth But now is my kingdome not from hence therefore they fight not for me to place main the throne of the kingdome Tiberius béeing cast out And anon he saith For this cause was I borne and for this cause came I into the worlde that I should beare witnesse vnto the truethe and all that are of the truethe heare mye voice As therefore Christ by trueth not by lyinge deceipts and craftie practises like the Princes of this worlde prepareth him selfe a kingdome so by trueth he doeth bothe reteine gouerne his kingdome and whosoeuer imbrace trueth are partakers of Christes kingdome whether they be princes or of the coÌ„monaltie all these obey the voice of their king and serue their highest prince Héere neuerthelesse we expresly add y Kings can no
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
Cap. 33. sayeth When he had called the comforter the spirite of trueth that is to say his spirite for he is the trueth he addeth that he procéedeth from the father For as hee is the spirite of the sonne naturally in his abiding and through him procéeding so also surely is hée the spirite of the father But vnto whome the spirite is common surely they cannot by any meanes bee disseuered in substance Againe S. Augustine in his fiftéenth booke De Trinitate Cap. 26. sayeth Who may vnderstand by this that the sonne sayeth as the father hathe life in himselfe that he gaue life vnto the sonne as béeing then without life but that hee so begatt him without time that the life whiche the father gaue to the sonne in begetting him is coeternall with the life of the father which gaue it him Let him vnderstand as the father hath power in himselfe that the holy Ghoste mighte procéede from him so hath he giuen to the sonne that the same holy Ghoste maye procéede from him and both without beginning and so it is said that the holie Ghoste procéedeth from the father that that which procéedeth from the sonne might be vnderstoode to be of the father and the sonne For if the sonne haue ought he hath it of the father surely hee hath it of the father that the holy Ghoste procéedeth from him Thus farre hée By all this wée gather that the holy Ghost procéedeth as well from the father as from the sonne Nowe as concerning the manner of procéeding wée saye that the procéeding of the holie Ghoste is two-fouldor of two sortes temporall and eternall Temporall procéeding is that whereby the holie Ghoste procéedeth to sanctifie men The eternall procéeding is that whereby from euerlasting he procéedeth from god The spirite procéedeth from both partes from both of them as well from the father as the sonne Neither doeth hée procéede from the father into the sonne seuerally and from the sonne into creatures For I say the nature and substaunce of the father and the sonne is one and the self same inseparable and coeuerlasting too Temporall procéeding commonly is called a sending and gifte For the holie Ghoste is sent two manner of wayes vnto men visiblie that is to say vnder some visible fourme as of a Doue of fierie tongues as hée is read in the Gospell and in the Acts of the Apostles to haue béene giuen to Christe and the Apostles inuisibly hée is daily and as it were euerie moment giuen to the faithfull the spirite of Christe wateringe vs with his grace and giuing faith hope and charitie vnto vs. Moreouer the eternall procéeding of the holie Ghoste whereby hée procéedeth out of the substaunce of the father and the sonne is vnspeakeable as the begetting of the sonne by the father Wherevppon it is not said in the Gospel hath procéeded or shall procéede but Proceedeth for so the Lord declareth his eternitie of procéeding and that the substaunce of the father and of the sonne and of the holie Ghoste is coeternall and vnseparable and nothinge at all differing Sainct Augustine in his fiftéenthe booke De Trinitate and 26. Chapiter sayeth Hee that is able to vnderstand the beegetting of the sonne by the father without time let him also vnderstand the proceeding of the holie Ghost from them both without time And if anye aske this question Since the holie Ghoste proceedeth from the substance of the father and the sonne howe commeth it to passe that hee is not called the sonne I aunsweare that the Scripture calleth the second person the sonne and testifyeth that hée is the onely begotten of the father and that the same no where maketh any mention that the holie Ghoste is begotten or that hée is called the sonne Neither haue the auncient fathers made any other aunswere to this question And I like the similitude whiche whâ—ere expressed If one streame should flowe from two springs it might wel bee saide to flowe from them both yet it could be said to be the sonne of neither of them Herevnto I shall not séeme vnfruitfully nor beside the purpose to add the disputations of Didymus concerning sending least any should vnderstand that peruersly and according to the flesh whiche is spiritually to be interpreted by faith The holy Ghost the comforter is sent of the sonne sayeth he not according to the ministerie of Angels or Prophets or Apostles but as it becommeth the spirite of God to bee sent of the wisedome and trueth of God hauing an vnseparable nature with the selfe same wisedome and trueth For the sonn being sent of the father abiding in the father and hauing the father in himselfe is not separated nor sundered from the father And the spirite of trueth also being sent of the sonne after the manner aforesaid procéedeth from the father not from elsewhere remouing vnto other thinges For this is impossible and blasphemous likewise For if this spirite of trueth bee limitted within a certaine space according to the natures of bodies leauing one place he goeth to another but euen as the father not consisting in place is farre aboue and beyond the nature of all bodies so also the spirite of trueth is not limitted within space of place séeing he is bodilesse and as I may more truly say excelling all and euerie reasonable creature Béecause therefore it is impossible and wicked to beléeue these thinges which I haue said in bodily creatures we must vnderstand that so the holy Ghost went out and came from the father as oure Sauiour doeth beare witnesse that he himselfe went out and came from the father saying I went out and came from God. And as we separate places and chaunginges of places from bodilesse things so also we do separate these speaches inwardly I meane outwardly from the nature of things intellectuall For these two woordes perteine to bodies that may bee touched haue biganes Therefore wee must beléeue the vnspeakeable woord whiche faith onely and alone maketh knowen vnto vs that our Sauiour is said to come out from GOD and the spirite of trueth to procéede from the father c. Other questions both scrupulous and very many I passe ouer vntouched in these things I require a mind religious and not a curious a faithfull minde and not a subtile Now there is but one holy Ghost béecause hee is alwayes one and the selfe same god It is the same spirite therefore whiche spake vnto the Patriarches prophets and Apostles and whiche at this day speaketh to vs in the Church For therefore the counsel of Constantinople is thus read to haue confessed their faith I beleeue in the holy Ghost the Lord. And anon after Who spake by the prophets And I beleeue one Catholique and Apostolique Church These sayings are taken out of the holy Scripture For S. Peter testifieth in expresse words that the spirite of Christe was in the Prophetes and there was none other spirite in the Apostles than the spirite of
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
Pharistis confesse both And in déede the whole scripture doth testifie that there are Angels making mention in many places that they haue appeared vnto men and haue reueled vnto them the will of God or otherwise accomplished his worke Truely the Lord Iesus reasoning against the Saduceis in the Gospel sayth Ye erre not knowing the scriptures nor the power of god For in the resurrection they neither marrie nor are giuen in marriage but are as the Angels of God in heauen Let vs therefore beléeue that there are Angels For the authoritie of the sonne of God and the irreuocable trueth of the holie scriptures ought worthily to winne more â—râ—dite with vs than the toyes of all Saduceis and wicked men What haue not the heathenish Poets and philâ—sophers confessed that there are Angels whome they call Gods for they 〈◊〉 that Gods in the likeness 〈◊〉 were lodged and interteyned of righteous men séemed to al learned men to haue ment nothing else than that whiche the holy scriptures make mention of howe Abraham and Lothe receiued Angels into their houses resembling straungers But howsoeuer the case staÌ„deth most certeine it is both by the holy scripture and by manifolde experience that there are blessed spirites of God that is to say good angels Now what the nature of Angels is it can not throughly be declared of any man. For there are many things in the order of creatures whose nature can not directly and perfectly be expounded they may neuerthelesse after a sorte according to our capacitie be shadowed out Some therefore there are whiche say that Angels are good spirites ministers of a firie nature created for the ministerie or seruice of god and good men Othersome say Angels are heauenly spirites whose ministerie and seruice God vseth to execute all thinges which he hath determined Wherefore we shall not séeme to misse much of the marke if we say that Angels are good spirites heauenly substaunces I meane incorruptible created for the ministerie or seruice of God and men That Angels are created of God the writinges of the Prophetes and Apostles doe witnesse For Paule citeth that saying of Dauid Whiche maketh his Angels spirites and his ministers a flame of fire The same Apostle saith By Christ all thinges are created that are in heauen and that are in earth visible and inuisible whether they be maiesties or lordships either rules or powers Wherfore heretiques haue set foorth toyes saying that Angels are workers in the creation of al things and coeternall with god For God in time by the sonne as wel created angels as all other creatures Nowe touching the time when angels were created whether with the light before man or after man and al the workes of God let him tell that can the holie scripture passing it ouer with silence and pronouÌ„cing no certeintie therof Epiphanius and Augustinus auÌ„cient interpreters of the scriptures learnedly and truly confesse that there is nothing deliuered in the scriptures of y matter And that which is not deliuered in the scriptures can not without daunger be inquired after but without daunger we may be ignoraunt thereof It is sufficient to acknowledge that angels were created at what time soeuer it semeth they were created Let vs rather giue god thankes that he hath created for mankind so excellent ministers Let vs liue an holie and an angelike life in the sight of Gods holy angels Let vs watche least he which transfigureth and turneth him selfe into an angel of light vnder a good shewe and likenesse deceiue vs Nowe we must further sée what maner of creatures angels are They are heaueÌ„ly spirits incorruptible most swift substaunces We say expresly that angels are substances that is to say creatures hauing essence or being For some denie that they are substaÌ„ces subsisting in their proper essence or being For they imagine that angels are nothing else thaÌ„ qualities motions or inspirations of good mynds But the canonical scripture calloth them ministers Oursauiour saith that they whiche rise againe shall be like vnto the angels of god Saint Paule declareth that the sonne of God is more excellent them the angels for that they worship him as God their creator The selfe same apostle saith For ye shall reade in no place that the sonne taketh on him the angels but the seede of Abraham taketh he on him Whiche testimonies most manifestly teache that angels are substances not qualities or motions in mens myndes that I say nothing nowe how they haue oftentimes appeared vnto men in likenes or shape of men Let vs therefore hold and confesse that angels are substances Furthermore what substaunces angels are other peraduenture haue better declared for the which I beare no man grudge I confesse that there are good spirites to make difference of them that are euill Whereof shal be spoken hereafter I confesse that they are good not so much for the goodnesse of their nature in whiche they continued as for their operation or working For they alwayes stirre vp and further vs to that which is good I confesse also that angels are spirits that is to say spirituall heauenly incorruptible and excéeding swift substaunces For the Scripture witnesseth and saithe Whiche maketh his Angels spirites and his ministers a flame of fire The scripture I say nameth Angels spirites and a flame of fire not that angels of their owne nature and substaunce are corporal fire but bicause fire after a sort resembleth them which in clearnesse beautie and incorruptiblenesse and also in swiftnesse quicknesse and brightnesse are y most beautiful and excellent creatures The 〈◊〉 definitions groâ—â—ely enoughe â—ay that the angels are bodily substances but of their owne kinde For God only is without body In thâ—se wordes therefore thus they haue â—etdowne Euerie creature is bodily Angels and all heauenly powers are bodily though they consist not of flesh Nowe hereby we beléeue that they are bodily bycause they are limited in place as the soule also is inclosed with fleshe Angels peraduenture at this daye are more aptly sayd to be locall or in place not circumscriptiuely but definitiuely We must beléeue that nothing by nature is bodilesse and inuisible but God onely that is to say the father the sonne and the holy Ghost who therefore is rightly beléeued to be bodilesse bycause he is in euerie place and fulfilleth and conserueth all thinges and therefore he is inuisible to all creatures bycause he is without body Thus much from theÌ„ But those bodies eyther of young men or olde men in whiche Angels oftentimes appeared vnto the fathers were not their proper or natural bodyes but taken vpon them and as it were borrowed from elswhere for a time and for the weaknesse of oure capacitie And what manner bodyes those same very bodies were whiche they tooke or from whence they were taken or where they were bestowed when they had ended their businesse it is verie hard to declare S.
thinges doe require that I speake somewhat likewise of the reasonable soule of man wherein I will follow the plainenesse of the scripture and of the interpretours thereof leauing physicall or naturall poyntes vnto them to be expounded vnto whom it belongeth by duetie and profession sauing that we will so farre deale in them as wee cannot want them in this discourse of oures The holy scripture and the interpretours therof neither moue curious questions of the soule of man neither doe they satisfie curious heads when they desire to knowe those thinges whiche cannot be declared or if they coulde yet it would alwayes séeme vnto theÌ„ that nothing were vnto them more aptly spoken for they alwayes stagger they are alwayes learning and yet doubte they neuor come to the knowledge of the truthe with a quiet minde they neuer abide in the plaine trueth when it is found they searche after other many more subtiler matters than they vnderstand But we know that all things whiche are necessarie and for our saluatioÌ„ are simplie plainely deliuered in the holy scripturs that we must simply godlily religiously rest in them therefore those things that are not deliuered in theÌ„ touching that matter of our saluation we know that they are not to be sought after of vs that they hinder not our saluation if we be ignoraÌ„t of them The word Anima whiche we call soule is diuersly taken in the holy scripture First of all Anima that soule is takeÌ„ for euery liuing thing For Moses bringeth in the lord speaking Let the earth bring forth liuing creature after his kinde catel worme beast of the earth after his kinde For who knoweth not that there are reckoned thrée kindes or parts giue me leaue so to speake for instruction sake or thrée principal powers of the souls for there is y soule vegetatiue whiche worketh in plants There is the soule sensitiue which is not without the soule vegetatiue it giueth life to brute beasts and other creaturs indued with life féeling There is also the reasonable soule wherwith men are indued whiche is furnished with many powers or abilities and comprehendeth both y other Hereof Anima the soule is taken in the scripture for breath which men drawe in and let go againe also for the life of maÌ„ or of a liuing creature Thus we read Anima eius c. His life is in him And I wil doe thee no more harme saith Saul to Dauid because Anima mea my life was precious in thine eyes this day The Grecians cal Anima the soule 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as it were 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 because by drawing breth it refresheth The Hebricians call it Naephaeseh of comforting Again Anima the soule is taken in the scriptures for the thing it selfe that hath life yea euen for any or rather for the whole man For it is said in the law The soule that worketh with a spirit or that is a southsayer shall die Likewise in Paule we reade Let euery soule be subiect to the higher power And again in Genesis the king of Sodome saith to Abraham Giue me the soules take the substance or goods to thy selfe For the scripture is wont to name the whole by a part For as by the soule he meanes that whole man rehearsing the nobler part so by flesh also he signifies the whole baser part Moreouer since man also other liuing creatures haue an appetitiue or desiring soule is vsed in the scripture for affection wil desire or lust For Ezechiel saith They shal not satisfie their soules In Dutch Sy werdend iren glust nâ—t buffen Noither shal their bellies be filled Lastly Anima y soule signifieth y reasonable soule of man. Whereof we will intreate God assisting at this present Yet here I cannot dissemble that among verie famous writers there is controuersie De anima animo aboute the soule and the minde whether they are one and the selfe same or diuerse and that there are reasons on bothe sides They that make a difference betwéene them say that by the soule we liue and that with the minde we vnderstand which thing Lactantius saith in his eightéenth cha De opisiâ—â—o Dei. I know that all the best moste approued writers vse them bothe indifferently and take the one for the other For we must not thinke that there are two soules in man For verie well haue the schoose definitions defined vttering these wordes in y 15. cha We do not say that there are two soules in one ma as Iacobus certein of the Syrians write one natural wherby the bodie hath life and is mingled with bloud the other spiritual which ministreth reason But we say there is one the selfe same soule in man which both quickneth the body with his felowship ordereth him self by his own reason Therefore we do not think that there is any consideration to be had of them whiche altogether denie that there is a soule For these are as madde as they whiche denie that the sunne shineth For al of vs do sée féele the sunne as also we liue by the benefite of the soule Furthermore what the reasonable soule of man is the wise heades of this worlde could not as yet with one agréement define For they so differ y a man shall hardly find two which say one thing And there are â—pinions not a few contrarie betweene themselues What do not the old interpretours â—f the scriptures doubtingly procéed in deâ—ining the soule Lactantius in his booke De opificio Dei denieth that man can atteine to the reason and nature of the soule Therfore nothing at al did they erre from the truth which thought the soule coulde be comprehended in no absolute definition wherin his nature might be expressed throughly at the ful yet that the nature or disposition of the same might after a sort bâ— shadowed out and that by the workes or actions thereof by such qualities as the scripture doth attribute There are some therfore which haue said that the soule is the spirite of life created after the image of god breathed into the bodie of man One ther is which describes it thus The soule is a spirit whereby the bodie to whiche it is coupled doth liue made apt to the knowlege of God through loue and hereby méete to be ioyned within vnto euerlasting blessednesse Another defineth it after this sort A reasonable soule is an vnderstanding spirite one part of the substance of man neither dyeth it when it is departed froÌ„ the bodie but is immortal Cassiodore defineth it The soule of man is created of God a spirituall and peculiar substance which quickeneth the bodie whose owne it is reasonable in déed and immortal We will setdown a description fetched from the scripture to be weyed considered vpon of the godly to direct rule this our whole discourse The soule
of doctrine maners Neither charge they them with light coÌ„mon faults but heynous Esaie crieth That from the crowne of the head to the soale of the foot there is no whole place and yet he departed not froÌ„ the churche nor planted him selfe a newe albeit froÌ„ al vngodlinesse corruptioÌ„ he kept him self very diligeÌ„tly How many faults nay howe many errours I pray you were there amongest the Apostles of Christ them selues what did our lord depart from them The church of Corynth was corrupted not only in maners but also in doctrine There was in it conteÌ„tions factioÌ„s brawlings Whordome breaking of wedlocke vndoutedly was coÌ„mon among them What thinke you of that the many of them were present at prophane sacrifices Surely it was no small error that they estéemed baptisme according to the worthinesse of the minister They had defiled the Lords Supper with their priuate prodigal banquets yea of the resurrection of the dead they thought not aright But did the apostle for the cause either depart from them him selfe or commaund others to depart yea rather he calleth theÌ„ a holy church greatly rebuking their coÌ„tentions he exhorteth al meÌ„ to obserue the vnitie of the church in the sinceritie of truth It is not to be douted therfore the they greatly sinne which abstein from the fellowship of our or rather the catholique churche in which albeit there be great corruption of life yet the doctrine is sincere the sacrameÌ„ts are purely ministred But these men obiect ye admit al men without exception to the receiuing of the Lordes supper wicked men drunkards couetous men souldiers such like kindes of men with whome the holy apostle forbids vs to eate coÌ„mon breade so far off is it that he graunteth vs to be partakers at thâ— lords table with such Except therfore we like to be defiled with the fellowship of the wicked it is néedful either not to ioyne with this societie or else altogether to flee from it But of the Lords supper the receiuing therof if I liue I wil speak in an other place apt for it At this time this onely we bring against them that Paule the most faithfull seruant of Iesu Christe was not sharper than his maister But it is manifest that he admitted Iudas to the holy table whoÌ„ he knew as it is wont to be saide Intus in cute that is to say throughly within without yet he did not put him by But he wold haue reiected him if he had knowne the rest of his disciples wold haue ben polluted with his coÌ„panie Iudas him selfe was polluted for his minde conscience were corrupt but the rest of the apostls whose minds were pure through perfect faith could not be defiled by another mans trecherie Therfore saith Paule the apostle Let a maÌ„ proue him selfe and so let him eate of that breade and drinke of that cup. He biddeth euery man to proue him self not to iudge an other mans seruant who standeth to his Lorde or falleth If thou béest indued with faith dost lawfully participate at the Lords table thou art not defiled with an other mans wickednesse Therefore to auoyd pollution there is no cause why thou shouldest be separated from the church in which thou séest the bad mingled with the good to be partakers of the Lords supper But if so be thou béest separated thou plainly declarest thy selfe being hardned with arrogancie to be partaker with those whome S. Aug. in his 3. booke against Parmenian the first chapter painteth forth with these proper liuely colours They are â—uil childreÌ„ who not for the hatred of other mens iniquities but throughe the studie of their owne contentions go about eyther wholy to alure or at lest to diuide the simple people prouoked with the bragging titles of their names puft vp with pride folish with frowardnes subtile with slaunders troublesome with seditions who least they shuld be detected to want the lighte of trueth pretend the shadowe of sharpe seueritie and those things which in the holy scriptures the sinceritie of loue beeing saued and the vnitie of peace beeing kept are commaunded for the correction of the faults of their brethren wherein moderation also should be vsed they vsurpe to the sacriledge of scisme and occasion of cutting off The same authour amongst other things godlily and wisely disputed in the two chapters following giues this counsel to modest wits That quietly they should correct what they may and what they can not mende they should patiently suffer and louingly mourne till God him selfe either amend it or in the day of iudgement fan away the chaffe Furthermore concluding this place I wil recite vnto you the words of the blessed martir CypriaÌ„ He in his 3. booke 3. epistle hath thus left it written If cockle appeare to be in the churche yet ought neither our faith nor our charitie be letted that bicause wee see cockle in the church we our selues depart froÌ„ the church we must rather labour to bee good corne that when the corne shal be laid vp in the lords barne we may receiue the fruite of our labour and trauell The Apostle saith in his Epistle but in a great house are not only vessels of gold and siluer but also of wood and of earth some vessels of honor some of dishonor Let vs indeuour and labor what we may that we may be a vessel either of gold or of siluer But the Lorde only hath libertie to break in peeces the eartheÌ„ vessels to whoÌ„ also is giuen an yron rod. The seruaÌ„t can not be greater thaÌ„ his lord Neither let any man think it lawful for him to challenge that to him selfe which the father hath giueÌ„ only to his sonne that he might now be able to purge the â—â—owre or fanne the chaffe or by al the wit man hath to separate al the chaff froÌ„ the corne This is a proud obstinacie and wicked presumption which lewde furie taketh to him selfe And whiles some men alwayes take to theÌ„ selues a further dominion thaÌ„ peaceable iustice requireth they perish froÌ„ the church and whiles they proudly lift vp theÌ„ selues blinded with their owne presumption they are bereft of the light of truth The Lord Iesus reduce the wandering shepe into the vnitie of the catholique churche liuing in vnitie kéepe vphold them Amen These aduersaries of ours being ouercome there arise vp new cruel enimes that is to say the defenders of the Romane Monarchie of the apostolique sea as they cal it the most auncient church for they cry eueÌ„ while they be whorse that we are guiltie of the same cryme whereof we condemned the Anabaptistes certeine other fantastical fellowes For they say that we with a wicked scisme forced by no necessitie haue forsaken the olde Romishe church and haue set vp for our selues newâ— hereticall Synagogues And they alledge that the holy scripture hath as yet her authoritie in the
church of Rome that it is reade as yet in all their churches that they fetch their disputations out of it in al their schooles yea also that the sacraments haue their right place vse therfore that we are wicked scismatiques who without any necessary cause to go away are departed from the catholique church most of all for the faultes of some of the clergie of the bishops I must needs therefore digresse a little contende with these defenders of the Popâ—she church and shewe that we neuer departed from the catholique church of Christe And beecause in this matter it chiefly beehoueth â—s to knowe who is truely said to bâ— an heretique or whoÌ„ is a scismatique of these matters I will first of all speake these few words S. Augustine thinketh that this differeÌ„ce there is betwene an heretique a scismatique that an heretique doth corrupt the sinceritie of faith and doctrine of the apostles with his wicked doctrine and a scismatique although he sinne not at all against the pure doctrine and sincere faith yet he rashly separates himselfe from the Church breaking the bond of vnitie And surelie he properly is an heretique whosoeuer hee bée that contrarie to the scripture whiche is the word of God against the Articles of faith or against the sound opinions of the Church grounded on the word of God through hope of any teÌ„poral commoditie of his owne braine and fleshly choice chooseth receiueth teacheth followeth straunge thinges and stiffely reteyning doeth both defend them and spread them abroade By the Imperiall edicte of Augustus Cesar Gratian Valentinian Theodosius they are defined to bée Catholiques or Christians who continue in that religion whiche S. Peter taught the church of Rome and which blessed Damasus and S. Peter bishop of Alexandria did teach that is to say confessing according to the teaching of the Apostles and doctrine of the Gospel the only Godhead of the father and of the sonne and of the holy Ghost in equall maiestie and in an holy Trinitie And againe they are by them declared to be heretiques who followe contrary opinions whome they accompte both madd and infamous and worthie of punishment And he is a scismatique whosoeuer he be that separateth himselfe from the vnitie of the true Church of God and either himselfe gathereth together newe assemblies or ioyneth himselfe to congregations gathered by others albeit in doctrine he erre little or nothing And I thinke no man can either 〈◊〉 or gainesaye any thinge in these descriptions And therefore the defenders of the Romishe monarchie do greatly offend against vs euermore hauing in their mouthes against vs the most heyndus crimes of heresie and scisme For wee teach nothing against the sinceritie and trueth of the holy scriptures or against the articles of faith or against the opinions of the Catholique Church whiche be sounde established by the Canonicall scriptures If it had liked vs to haue sought earthly commoditie we would surely haue continued in the Popishe doctrine in which all things are gainefull But because we haue receiued the doctrine of Christ we are open to euery mans reproche Whereof wee were not ignoraunt when we departed from the doctrine of the Pope For no hope therfore of temporall commoditie doe wée embrace the doctrine of Christ neither doe wee presumptuously affirme any thing For if any man can teach vs any better out of Gods word wée will not refuse to embrace that whiche is better And moreouer with open voice and with all our hearts we condemne all heresies and heretiques whosoeuer they be which the auncient Church either in generall counsels or without Counsels hath killed with the sworde of Gods word But we striue against the false doctrine of the Pope his new decrées whiche fight against the word of God and most filthie abuses corruptions in the Church The bishops of Rome haue taken to themselues with their conspiratours a tyrannie ouer the Church playing the part of very Antichrists in the temple of GOD their tyrannie therfore and Antichristianisme wee flie and refuse Christe and his yoke wee refuse not the fellowship of saincts we flie not yea rather to that end wee may remaine in that societie and become the true meÌ„bers of Christ of his sainctes flying out of the Popish church wee are gathered together againe into one holy catholique and Apostolique Church And this Churche wee doe acknowledge to be the verie house of GOD and the proper sheepe-fould of Christ oure Lord whereof hee is the shéepeheard For fréely we confesse and with great ioy giuing thanckes to God that hath deliuered vs wee publish abroad that wee are departed from the Romishe Church and that we do at this day also abhorre the same But first of all wee distinguishe and put a diuersitie betwéene the old church of Rome and the late vpstart church For there was sometime at Rome a holy and a faithfull Church whiche Apostolique men and the Apostles of Christ themselues did establishe and preserue by the woord of GOD whiche auncient Churche was not onely without the Ceremonies there vsed and receiued at this daye but if shee had but séene them shee would surely haue accursed them That auncient Churche wanted the decrées wherevppon the Churche of Rome at this daye altogether stayeth her selfe She was ignoraunt of that Monarchie and all that stately court Therfore from that auncient and Apostolique Church of Rome wee neuer departed neither will we euer depart We ackâ—owledge moreouer all that are at Rome who at this day doe worshipp Christ and kéepe themselues from all Popish pollution to be our beloued brethren of which sort we doubt not but Rome hath a great many Finally wée doe not acknowledge that vpstart church of Rome to be the true church of Christ whiche doeth acknowledge and worshipp the Pope as Christ his vicar in earth and is obedient to his lawes Wherefore wee cannot be scismatiques who leauing the Church of Rome haue not departed from the true church of God. For the holy catholique churche cleaueth vnto her onely shéepeheard Christ beléeueth his word and liueth holily But you shall finde all thinges quite coÌ„trarie in the church of Rome so as it cannot come within the compasse neither of the outward and visible neither of the inward and inuisible church of god The godly beare with many thinges in the church that is to say in the members of the church and in the ministers as I shewed of late when I entreated against scismatiques but in that vppstart church of Rome thou shalt not finde small and tollerable faultes either of doctrine or of life or of errours all these faultes in her are heynous desperate and abhominable What manner of charitie should it bee therefore that could hope for better of these most vntoward and lamentable thinges Hypocrites and euill men are accompted to be parcell of the outward and visible church of God and are suffered in the same but these Romanistes
Gentiles Againe when the same Paule at Corinthe had preached Christe to the Iewes and they resisted and reuiled The Apostle shooke his rayment and sayde Your bloude be vppon your owne heades I am cleane from hencefoorth I will goe vnto the Gentiles And so he did â—â—nd the vnbeléeuers And God confirmed the preaching of Paule bycause it procéeded from God him selfe And vnlesse you put the proper and true keye into the locke you shall neuer open it The true and right keye is the pure worde of God the counterfet and théeuishe key is a doctrine and tradition of man estraunged from the worde of god I thinke I haue sufficiently proued by euident testimonies of the scripture that the keys giuen to the Apostles and Pastours of the Churche and so to the Churche it selfe are nothing else than the ministerie of teaching the Church For by the doctrine of the Gospell as it were with certeine keyes the gate of the kingdome of heauen is opened when a sure and readie meane and waye is shewed to come to atteine vnto the participation of Christe and the ioyes of euerlasting life by true fayth To the testimonie of God mans recorde agréeth For Sainte Iohn Chrysostome vpon Matthewe chapter 23. The keye saythe he is the word of the knowledge of the scriptures by whiche the gate of truthe is opened to men And the key-bearers are the Priests to whom is committed the worde of teaching and interpreting the scriptures Other testimonies of olde interpreters of the Scriptures differing nothing from these of oures for that I am desirous to be briefe I do not bring Since these thinges are thus brethren and are deliuered vnto vs in the expresse Scriptures we will not therefore greatly passe what the Papistes babble touching the power of the keyes and what offices dignities preferments and I knowe not what other thing and what authoritie of Priestes they deriue from thence We haue learned not out of the wordes or opinions of men but out of the manifest worde of GOD that the keys are the ministerie of the preaching of the worde of GOD and that the keyes are giuen to the Apostles and to their successours that is to say the office of preaching remission of sinnes repentaunce and life euerlasting is coÌ„mitted to them Wherevpon we nowe conclude this that the chiefe office of a Pastour of the church is to vse those very keyes whiche the Lorde hath deliuered to his Apostles and no other that is to preache the onely and pureworde of GOD and not to fetche any doctrine from any other place than out of the verie worde of god For there is a perpetuall and inuiolable lawe at this day also layde vpon our Pastours which we reade was layd vpon the most auncient gouernours of the Churche the Lorde him selfe witnessing in Malachie and saying My couenaunt was with Leuie of life and peace and I gaue him feare and he feared me and was afrayde before my name The lawe of truth was in his mouth and there was no iniquitie found in his lippes he walked with me in peace and equitie and turned many from their iniquitie For the Priestes lippes shoulde preserue knowledge and they shoulde seeke the lawe at his mouth for hee is the messinger of the Lorde of hoastes Againe the Lord sayth to Ezechiel Thou shalt heare the word at my mouth and giue them warning from me In Ieremie the Lorde sayth The Prophete that hath a dreame let him tell a dreame and hee that hath my woorde let him speake my woorde faythfully He expressely puts a difference betwéene heauenly things and earthly thinges betwéene those thinges whiche are of the word of GOD and those that are feigned and chosen by man whiche hée willeth to let passe as vncerteine thinges and as dreames For he immediately addeth Is not my worde as fire sayth the Lorde and like a hammer that breaketh the harde stone And againe Heare not the wordes of the Prophetes that preache vnto you and deceiue you truly they teache you vanitie for they speake the meaning of their owne hearte and not out of the mouth of the lord Therefore all the true Prophetes of GOD haue this continually in their mouth Thus sayth the Lorde The mouth of the Lorde hath spoken it And therefore they deliuered vnto the people nothing contrarie vnto the worde of god The olde people had also the Scripture And the Prophetes were nothing else but interpreters of the Lawe applying the same to the place time matters and persons Also oure Lorde Iesus Christe sayth oftentimes that his doctrine is not his owne but the fathers Whiche thing if you vnderstande literally and according to his words I knowe not whether any thing can be spoken more absurde Therefore the Lorde meaneth that his doctrine is not of man but of god Doth not he sende vs continually to the writinges of the Lawe and the Prophetes and confirmeth his owne sayinges by them But Christe is the onely teacher of religion and maister of lyfe appoynted vnto the vniuersall Churche by GOD the father To this Churche he himselfe also sending teachers and shewing them what they shoulde deliuer fayth Teach them to obserue those thinges which I haue commaunded you Also Goe into the whole worlde and preache the Gospell to all creatures But the Apostle Paule witnesseth that the Gospel was promised by the Prophetes of God in the holy Scriptures And this doctrine receiued of Christe the Apostles deliuered to the nations adding nothing vnto it taking nothing from it and there withall also they expounding the auncient writings of the Prophetes yet neyther in this matter trusting any thing to their owne wit nor being ruled by their owne iudgement For the Apostle Peter saith As euery man hath receiued the gift euen so minister the same one to an other as good stewardes of the manifold graces of god If any man speak let him talke as the words of god Tertullian also in his booke intituled De Praescript haeret which I haue also elswhere rehearsed expresly saith It is not lawful for vs in any thing to rest vpoÌ„ our owne fancie or iudgemeÌ„t neither yet to be negligent markers what any other man bringeth foorth of his owne braine We haue the Apostles of the Lord for authours for not they them selues did choose any thing whiche they might establish after their own fancie and the doctrine whiche they receiued of Christe they faythfully deliuered to the nations And therefore if euen an Angel from heauen should preach any otherwise he shal be accurssed at our hands Thus farre he We haue moreouer shewed in our sermons of faith and of the churche that faith dependeth vpon the only worde of God and that it wholy stayeth vpon the onely word of God also that the churches of god are builded and preserued by the worde of God and not by mans doctrine all whiche séeme to apperteine to this matter Neyther is it leâ—t to the byshops
of the church of Christe as the Popish pastors do falsely boast to ordeine new lawes and to broach new opinions For the doctrine whiche was deliuered to the apostls of Christ is simply to be receiued of the church and simply and purely to be deliuered of the pastours to the church whiche is the congregation of such as beléeue the word of Christe And who knoweth not that it is sayde by the Prophete All men are lyars God only is true And the church is the piller and ground of truth bycause as it stayeth vpon the truth of the Scriptures euen so it publisheth none other doctrine than is deliuered in the scriptures neither receiueth it being published And who is he that will challenge to him selfe the glorie due vnto God onely God is the onely lawegiuer to all mankinde especially in those thinges which perteine to religion and a blessed life For Esaie sayth The Lorde is our iudge the Lord is our lawegiuer the Lorde is our king and he him selfe shal be our Sauiour And S. Iames also saythe There is one lawgiuer which is able to saue and to destroy God challengeth this thing as proper to him selfe to rule those that are his with the lawes of his word ouer whome he only hath authoritie of life and death Moreouer those lawes can not be godly whiche presume to prescribe and teache fayth and the seruice of God after their owne fancie The doctrine concerning fayth and the worship of God vnlesse it be heauenly is nothing lesse than that which it is sayd to be God only teacheth vs what is true fayth and what worship he delighteth in And therefore in Matthewe the sonne of God pronounceth out of Esaie In vayne doe they worship me teaching for doctrines the commaundementes of men Ioyne herevnto also that from the newe constitutions of men there springeth alwayes vp a wonderfull neglecting yea and contempt of the word of God and of heauenly lawes For through our owne traditions as the Lorde also sayth in the Gospell we goe astraye and despise the commaundements of God. Nowe since it is manifest from whence the Pastour or doctour must fetche his doctrine to wit from no other place than out of the Scripture of the old and new Testament which is the infallible and vndoubted word of God and that therefore this doctrine is certeine and immutable There remaineth nowe also something to be spoken of the manner of teaching which the teacher or pastor of the Churche ought to followe And here I will onely briefly touche the shorte summe or effect of matters Afore all other thinges therefore it is required of Pastours that continually they account that to be spoken vnto them whiche the Apostle commanded to be often tolde to Archippus Take heede to the ministerie that thou haste receiued in the Lord that thou fulfill it And moreouer 〈◊〉 they neuer turne away their eies from that liuely picture of a good and euill shepehearde whiche Ezechiel that famous Prophete setteth out after this manner Thus sayth the Lorde God woe be vnto the shepeheardes of Israel that feede them selues shoulde not the shepeheards feede the flocks ye eate the fat ye cloath you with the wooll ye kill them that are fed but ye feed not the shepe the weak haue ye not strengthened the sicke haue ye not healed neither haue ye bound vp the broken nor brought againe that whiche was driuen away neyther haue ye sought that whiche was lost but with crueltie and with rigour haue ye ruled them And againe I will feede my sheepe sayth the Lord God I will seeke that whiche was lost and bring againe that whiche was driuen away and will binde vp that which was broken and will strengthen the weake but I will destroy the fat and the strong and I will feede them with iudgement Hereby we gather that it is the duetie of a good Pastour or shepeheard to féde and not to deuour the flocke to minister not to exercise dominion to séeke the safetie of his shéepe not his priuate gaine and also to séeke out againe the lost shéepe that is to say to bring again such as can not abide the truth and wander in the darkenesse of errous home to the church and vnto the light of the trueth and to restore and bring back againe the shéep that is driuen or chased away to wit such as are separated from the felowship of the Saintes or godly for some priuate affections sake to heale or binde vp such as are broken For he meaneth the wounds of sinnes whiche Ieremie also commaundeth to heale and to be short to strengthen the weake and féeble shéep and not altogether to treade them vnder foote and to bridle such shéepe as be strong that is to say men flourishing in vertues least they be proude and puffed vp with the giftes of God and so fall away But let him thinke that these thinges can not be perfourmed but through sounde and continuall teaching deriued oute of GOD his worde The manner of teaching extendeth it selfe to publique and priuate doctrines By publique doctrine the Pastour eyther catechiseth that is to say instructeth them that be younglings in religion or other whiche are grounded therein To the younglings or ignoraunt sorte he openeth the principles of true religion For Catechesis or the fourme of Catechising comprehendeth the groundes or principles of fayth and Christian doctrine to wit the chiefe pointes of the couenaunt the tenne commaundements the Articles of fayth or Apostles Créede the Lordes prayer and a briefe exposition of the Sacramentes The auncient churches had Catechisers appoynted properly to this charge And the Lorde commendeth vnto vs bothe in the olde Testament and in the newe with great earnestnesse the charge of the youth commaunding vs to instruct them both betimes and also diligently in true religion Moreouer he setteth out great rewardes and grieuous punishments in that behalfe Assuredly no profite or fruite is to bee looked for in the Churche of those hearers that are not perfectly instructed in the principles of religion by Catechising for they knowe not of what thing the Pastor in the Churche speaketh when they heare the couenaunt the commaundement the lawe grace fayth prayer and the sacraments to be named Therefore if in any thing then in this ought greatest diligence to be vsed The doctrine whiche apperteyneth to the perfecter sorte is specially occupyed in the exposition of holy Scripture It may appeare out of the writings of the old bishops that it was the custome in that happie and most holie primitiue churche to expounde vnto the Churches not certeine parcels of the Canonicall bookes neyther some chosen places out of them but the whole bookes as well of the newe Testament as the olde And in so doing there came no small fruite vnto the Churches As at this day also we sée by experience that Churches can not be better instructed nor more vehemently stirred vppe
thinges in deede are sensible howbeit they haue altogether a spirituall vnderstanding or meaning So Baptisme is ministred vnder a sensible element namely water but that which is wrought thereby that is to say regeneration and the newe byrth doth spiritually enter into the mynde For if thou wert a bodilesse creature hee would haue deliuered vnto thee all these giftes bare naked and bodilesse according to thy nature but since thou hast a resonable soule coupled and ioyned to thy body therefore hath he deliuered vnto thee in sensible signes substāces those things which are perceyued with a spiritual vnderstāding Which I doe not alledge to this end as if I woulde take the testimonie of man for my stay but bicause I sée S. Iohn Chrysostome his speache according to the manner obserued and vsed in the Scripture For who knoweth not that the Scripture is full of parables similitudes allegories and figuratiue speaches whiche the holie Ghoste vseth not for his owne but for oure sakes The talke whiche Christe had in the Gospell with Nicodemus touching heauenly regeneration is verie well knowne where he by hidden and couert kynd of speaches of ayre winde and water c. reasoneth saying If I haue told you of earthly things and ye beleeue not howe will you beleeue if I shall tell you of heauenly thinges He calleth Earthly things that his doctrine of heauēly regeneration or new birth figured to vs vnder earthly signes of water the spirit or of aire the winde And by heauenly things he meaneth that selfe same doctrine of heauenly regeneration nakedly deliuered to Nicodemus without any imagination without similitude or sēsible signes The Lorde therefore signifieth hereby that men do more easily conceiue and vnderstand the doctrine of heauenly thinges when it is shadowed out vnder some dark and couert signe of earthly things then when it is nakedly spiritually indéede deliuered that by comparing together of thinges not much vnlike it may appeare that the sacraments were for none other cause foūd out or instituted thā for demonstratiō sake to wit that the heauenly thinges might become more familiar and plaine vnto vs In which thing we haue to mark the Analogie which is a certeine aptnesse proportion or as Cicero termeth it a conuenience or fit agréemēt of things I say knowne by their signes that if they be sleightly passed ouer without this analogie the reason of a sacrament can not be fully and perfectly vnderstoode but this analogie being diligently discussed and obserued to the full offereth to the beholder without any labor at al the verie 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is to say the hidden and secrete meaning of a sacrament We will when we come to intreat of these things do what we can to make them manifest by examples Whosoeuer therfore shal throughly weigh the institution of sacramēts he can not choose but extol with prayses the excéeding greate goodnesse of the Lorde who doth not onely open vnto vs miserable men the mysteries of his kingdome but hath a singular care of mans infirmitie whereby he framing him selfe to oure capacitie doth after a sort stutte and stammar with vs whilest he hauing respect to oure dulnesse the weakenesse of our wit doth as it were cloath and couer heauēly mysteries with earthly symbols or signes thereby most plainely and pithily opening them vnto vs and laying them before our eyes euidētly to be beheld In this same institution of the sacraments wee haue cause to extoll and prayse the wisedome of God if so be we take in hand to compare great and small things together For this custome is receiued as a lawe throughout the world that all the wisest men when they had occasion to speake of high mysteries of wisedome they did not by words only but by signes and words together commende them to their hearers to the ende that the two most noble senses in man to wit Hearing and Seeing might be both at once vehemently moued and forceably prouoked to the consideration of the same The volumes of heathenish philosophers are ful of examples What say you to the Iewes Gods olde auncient people did not God him selfe shewe among them verie many such kind of examples Againe as in making leagues or in confirming promises in earnest and weightie matters men vse signes or tokens of truth to winne credite to their wordes and promises euen so the Lord doing after the maner of men hath added signes of his faithfulnes and truth to his euerlasting couenaunt and promises of life the sacraments I meane wherewith he sealeth his promises and the verie doctrine of his Gospell Neyther is this rare or straunge vnto him Men sweare euen by the Lorde him selfe when they would make other beléeue certeinely and in no case to mistrust the truth of their promises yea it is read in the holy Scriptures that the Lord him selfe tooke an othe sware by his owne selfe when hee ment Most aboundantly to shewe to the heires of the promises as the Apostle sayth the stablenesse of his counsel Moreouer it was the accustomed manner among them of olde as they were making their league or couenaunt to take a beast and to diuide him in péeces and ech of them to passe through and betwéen the péeces so diuided testifying by that ceremonie that they would yeald them selues so to be diuided and cut in péeces if they did not stedfastly stande to that which they promised in their league or couenaunt After the same manner the Lorde making or renuing a league with Abraham which Moses describeth at large in the 15. of Genesis he commaundeth him to take an heifer a she goate and a ramme each of thē thrée yeares olde and to diuide them in the middest and to lay euery péece one ouer against an other which whē Abraham had done the Lord himselfe in the likenesse of a smoaking fornace or firebrand went betwéene the sayd péeces that thereby Abraham might knowe that the lande of Chanaan should of a certentie be giuen to him and to his séede to possesse and that all things which he had promised in that league shoulde be brought to passe Since therfore the good and true lord is alwayes like vnto him selfe frameth himselfe after the same manner nowe to his Churche as we sayde he did then what wonder or straunge thing is it I praye you that he hath left vnto vs also at this day vnder visible thinges signes and seales of his grace and mysteries of the kingdome of God And hitherto haue we entreated of the chiefe causes of Sacraments for the which they were instituted Touching the kinde number of Sacraments which hath the nexte place to that which went before there are diuers opinions among the writers specially of later time For amoung the olde and auncient this question as an vndoubted and well knowne perfecte principle drewe quickly to an end But he which shal diligently search the Scriptures shal
of the inuisible grace whiche by faithe onely is receiued Whervpon yet againe it followeth that the signe is not confounded with the thing signified but bothe of them do reteine their substance and nature distinguished What doth not the scripture expressely pithily make a difference betwéene the outward ministerie of man and God the inward worker and giuer of spirituall gyfts For Iohn Baptiste saith I baptise you with water But he Christ shall Baptise you with the holy Ghoste Wherewith agréeth that saying of Peter Baptisme saueth vs not the putting away of the filth of the flesh but in that a good conscience maketh request to God. To this nowe pertcineth that euident testimonie of saint Augustine which is read 3. Quest lib. in Leuit. Quest. 83. In these wordes Wee must diligently consider as often as he saith I the Lord which sanctifie him that he speaketh of the priest when he also spake this to Moses thou shalt sanctifie him Howe therefore doth both Moses and God also sanctifie for Moses doth not sanctifie for the Lord but Moses doeth sanctifie in the visible sacraments by his ministerie and the Lorde by inuisible grace by his holy spirit where the whole fruit of visible sacraments also is For without this sanctificatioÌ„ of inuisible grace what profite haue we by visible sacraments Thus farre August As Iohn Baptist made distinction betwéene his owne ministerie in Baptisme and the power of Christ euen so maketh he distinction betwéen the ministerie of preaching the drawing of the spirituall teacher I am saith he the voyce of a crier in the wildernes make streight the way of the Lord. And againe He that commeth from on high is aboue all he that is of the earth is earthly speaketh of the earth he that coÌ„meth from heauen is aboue all and what he hath sene and heard that he testifieth c. Saint Paule also agréeing therevnto sayth Who is Paule What is Apollos but ministers by whom ye beleeued euen as the Lorde gaue to euerie man I haue planted Apollos watered but god gaue the increase So that neither is hee that planteth any thing neither he that watereth but God that giueth the increase Albeit the comparison of ministers with the signes agrée not altogether and in euerie part which I told you before â–ª because ministers are fellowe labourers with Christ according to their office but the signes which are without life are not so vnlesse 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 we translate vnto them that whiche is the ministers yet by other proofes I suppose it to be made plaine that the signe thing signified do reteine their natures distinguished in the sacraments These things doe specially disproue and conuince those who are persuaded of that papisticall traÌ„substantiation of bread and wine into the substance of the bodie bloud of Christe For these men vtterly denie that the breade and wine béeing consecrated in the mysteries do remaine in their owne substances For they contend that these substaÌ„ces of bread wine are annihilated turned into the verie bodie and bloud of the Lord so that after the consecration the accidents of bread and wine doe remaine and no part of the substance thereof at all For they say that the Lorde in expresse words pronounced ouer the bread wine This is my bodie This is my bloud that the Lord can easily bring to passe by his own omnipotencie that that which he said may be as he said For proofe wherof they alledge these such like places that the Lord for soothe fashioned man out of the clay of the earth by by of the rib of man made woman also turned Lots wife into a piller of salt therfore y he by the selfe same his power can make of bread his bodie of wine his bloud And these truely are their bulworkes But we in another place haue plentifully disputed of the meaning of the Lords words This is my bodie So that it is superfluous to make long repetition of them I haue also tolde you y of the omnipotencie of God we muste not gather determine whatsoeuer commeth into our braine also that Gods power doth nothing against trueth neither against it selfe and that no Godly man ought to take that in hand vnder pretence of the power of God whiche is repugnant to the plaine Scriptures and the articles of the catholique faith Now it is euident and plaine that after consecration there remaineth in the sacrament the substaÌ„ce of bread wine And herein we néed no other witnesses than our verie senses whiche perceiue sée taste and féele no other thing than bread and wine but while clay was turned into a mans bodie the ribb into a woman Lots wife into a piller of salte they were not as the sacrament of the supper that which they were before neither did there appeare vnto the senses any iotte of the clay of the ribbe of Lots wife Verie foolishly therefore and vnaptly are these examples applyed to the mysterie of the Lordes supper wherewith they nothing agrée whiche thing also we touched before The Gospel verie diligently describing the moste holy institution of the Lordes supper and the maner thereof maketh no mention of miraculous transubstantion but calleth the bread and wine whiche the Lord tooke and distributed to his disciples and which they also receiued by the names of bread wine as wel after the words of consecration as they tearme it were spoken as also before consecration Doeth not the Lorde in the 26. cha of Mat. call the wine being coÌ„secrated not wine only but the fruit of the vine after a more vehement and significatiue kinde of spéeche lest any shold be ignorant that the wine was wine in déede and so remained In Marke we reade this of the Cuppe And he tooke the Cuppe and when he had giuen thanks he gaue to them And they dranke of it and he saide vnto them This is my bloud of the new Testament c. Loe they dâ—anke all sayth he of the Cuppe before the words of consecratioÌ„ as they terme it were spoken therefore they dranke wine Nowe if so be they answere that this place of the Euangelist is to be expounded by the figure Hysteroâ—protero that is wheÌ„ any thing is declared out of order preposterously theÌ„ admitt they tropes figures in the celebration of the supper which notwithstandinge they haue contended ought simplie to bee vnderstoode without the help of tropes or figures But Paule also the Apostle in the 1. Cor. cap. 10. calleth the bread of the Lorde beeing nowe in the verie holy vse and that I may so say consecrated by the name of bread And in the 1. Cor. 11. chap. the thirde time hee calleth it bread To this apperteyneth that the Actes of the Apostles doe testifie how that the Churche of the Apostles do call the whole mysticall action The breaking of breade not The breaking of
grace that is which haue power to giue grace For they say that they are as instruments pipes certeine conduits of Christes passion by whiche the grace of Christe is conueyed and powred into vs but that the signes of the old testament giuen to the fathers were signes onely and not causes of grace also whiche haue force to signifie but not to giue grace They séeme truelye to haue suckte that errour out of Sainct Augustines words wrongfully vnderstoode for he writeth vppon the 73. Psalme thus The sacraments of the new lawe are more wholesome happie than they of the old lawe because they promise these giue But S. Augustinement to say no other thing than that whiche in another place he speaketh after this manner The sacrament of the old lawe did foreshew that Christ should come but ours doe shewe that hee is come For also against Faustus Lib. 19. cap. 14. he calleth the Sacraments of the old lawe Promises of things to bee perfourmed but our sacramentes tokens of thinges that are alreadie perfourmed Wherfore vpon the 73. Psalme he sayeth The sacramentes of the old lawe are giuen to signifie the verie thing but ours do witnesse that it is giuen and signifie that it is present I confesse that he saith more than once that our sacramentes are more comfortable and effectuall but hee said that by no other reason than for that the Messias being alreadie reuealed and giuen vnto vs in the new testament our sacramentes are more perfecte more lightsome and more beautifull for Christ hath brought all signes to an end wherfore ours haue a more full signification and after a sort are the more liuelie But if Augustine had béene altogether of that opinion which these men do fauour and followe would not godlines it selfe persuade vs to forsake the authoritie of men and cleane to the word of trueth Let vs sée therefore what may bée gathered out of the word of trueth that is out of the canonical scriptures touching the likenes and difference of the sacraments of the old and new testament This we hould for a certeintie out of the scriptures that there is but one euerlasting and vnchaungeable God and Lord of either Churche that there is but one faith in him thorough Christe of either Churche that there is but one waye layd downe in either Church to atteine to the promises of saluation to be short that there is but one Churche of the onely liuing God gathered together out of either people both of the Iewes Gentiles I thincke there needeth no large confirmation of these thinges out of the scripture béecause in the 8. Decade and third Sermon I haue handled them at the full Now that I haue fortified and cōfirmed these thinges before by the writinges of the Apostles thus I conclude not of mine owne braine but by the authoritie of God They which alwayes haue one euerlasting and vnchaungeable God one waye of saluation set forth for all in Christ from the beginning one faith one church one baptisme the same spirituall meate and drincke they cannot choose but haue the selfe same sacraments as touching their substance But the Iewes and Christians haue one God one faith one way of saluation which is by Christe to be short one church therefore haue they also the selfe same sacraments sauing that ours are giuen vnder other signes and for that throughe the reuelation ot the Sunne of righteousnes I meane Christ are made more lightsome and manifest I saye further that the scripture witnesseth that the sacraments of the old testament and ours are of the same force in so muche that Paule calleth them circumcised which are baptised and them baptised which are circumcised And he also teacheth That oure fathers did eate that spirituall meate which wee eate dranke of that spirituall drincke that is the rocke But anon he addeth And that rocke was Christ The words of the Apostle are well knowen and are read in the 1. Cor. 10. The same Apostle in the se-second chapiter to the Coloss saith In Christ ye are complete or made perfecte in whome also ye are circumcised with circumcision made without hands by putting off the bodie of the flesh subiecte to sinne by the circumcision of Christe buried with him in baptisme c. What I praye you can bée spoken more plainely Circumcision made without handes is the circumcision of Christians which is baptisme But in the former place of Paul to the Corinthians we must mark as elsewhere I put you in minde that to be baptised into Moses is not the same that it is to be baptised into Christe For to be baptised into Moses is all one as if he had said to be baptised by Moses or thoroughe the ministerie of Moses For it is manifest that Moses broughte the people to GOD whiche were onely committed to his charge In many places in Aurel. August ye shall read the like howsoeuer oure aduersaries doe father vppon Augustine this difference betwene the sacraments of the old lawe and ours of their owne bringing in For he Lib. 2. cont literas Petil. cap. 27. sayeth The sacraments of the Iewes were in out ward tokens diuers from ours but in the thinges signified they were equall and all one Also Tract in Ioan. 26. vpon this place He is the bread which came downe frō heauē he saith Manna did fignifie this bread the altar of God signified this bread Those were sacramēts In signes they are diuers but in the thinge signified equall The like woordes thou mayest read Lib. 19. contra Faustum Manichęum cap. 13. 16. 17. And againe Tract in Ioan 45. Before the comming of oure Lord Iesus Christ whē he came basely in the fleshe there were iust and righteous men who did so beléeue in him then that was to come as we doe beléeue in him nowe that is come The times were chaunged but so was not faith And so forth And anon In diuers signes is all one faith so in diuers signes as in diuers words because woords chaunge their soundes by times and truely words are nothing bu◠signes For in that they signifie they are wordes take a waye the signification from the word and it is a vaine noyse Therefore all woordes are significations Did not these that ministred those signes in the old lawe beléeue those thinges which we no we beléeue were prophecied before hand by them No doubt they did beléeue them but they beléeued they should come and wee that they are come Also vppon the 77. Psalme The same meate and drincke sayeth hee had they in their Sacraments which wée haue in oures but in signification the same not in likenesse For the selfe same Christ was figured to them in the rocke but manifested to vs in the flesh But with them all God was not well pleased All verilie did eate one spirituall meate and dranke one spirituall drinke that is which signified some spirituall thing but in all of them God had no delight And
reached farre Many thinges are sounge in the seruice of the papistes at the time of Easter and Whitsuntide which are not vnderstoode but by this lawe and custome At the lengthe it grewe out of vse and the faithfull were baptised as occasion and opportunitie firste serued This is also in controuersie Who ought to baptise what the baptiser worketh Of the last I wil speake first The baptiser giueth visiblie the sacrament of regeneration and a testimonie of the remission of sinnes but the Lorde by his spirite doth inuisibly regenerate and forgiueth sinnes and sealeth the regeneration Iohn and the Apostles baptise with water Christe baptiseth with the holy Ghost not onely with the visible signe of fire and the gyfte of tounges but euen he onely giueth all spiritual giftes Which thing the auncient fathers that they might expressely declare did diligently distinguishe betwéene power and ministerie For August tract in Ioh. 5. sayth It is one thing to baptise in way of ministerie another thing to baptise by power Our Lorde Iesus Christe coulde if he had would haue giuen power to any one seruaunt to giue his baptisme as in his steede could translate or remoue frō himself power to baptise and place it in one of his seruauntes and giue as greate force to baptisme being translated or remoued into his seruant as it should haue being giuē by the lord He wold not doe so for this purpose that the hope of thē which wer baptised shuld hang on him of whom they acknowledge them selues to be baptised He would not therefore that a seruaunte shoulde settle his hope in a seruaunt And therefore cryed the Apostle when hee sawe men willinge to putte their hope and truste in him Was Paule crucified for you Or were yee baptised in the name of Paule Paule therefore baptised as a minister not as the power it selfe but the Lorde baptised as the power And againe Iohn Baptist learned by the doue Vppon whomesoeuer thou shalt see the spirite descending like vnto a doue and tariestil vpon him the same is he whiche baptiseth with the holy ghost Therefore O doue let not deceiuers seduce thee which say Wee baptise O doue acknowlege what the doue taught The same is he which baptiseth with the holy Ghost By the doue it is knowen that it is hee doest thou thinke that thou arte baptised by his power by whose ministerie thou art baptised If thou bee of that minde thou art not yet in the bodie of the doue and if thou bee not in the bodie of the doue it is no maruel because thou hast not simplicitie For simplicitie especially is figured by the doue Iohn learned by the simplicitie of the doue that this is hee which baptiseth with the holy ghost Thus farre he Furthermore the minister of the Church being lawfully ordeined ought to baptise The Donatistes contende that none can baptise but he whiche is pure holy They boldly auouched that the baptisme was fruitelesse and voide of effecte which a lewde liuing minister or defiled with wicked vices did administer Against these Augustine grauely disputed and conuinced thē by the trueth of the scripture He in his 166. Epistle saith See howe peruersely and wickedly that is spoken which ye are wont to say Because if he be a good man he sanctifieth him whom he baptiseth but if he be an euill man and he not know so muche which is baptised then God sanctifieth him If this be true then men ought rather to wishe to be baptised of minsters vnknown to be euil then of them whiche are knowen to bee good that they may rather be sanctified of God than of man But farre from vs be this madnesse Why then doe wee not speake trueth and are rightly wise Because that grace belongeth alway to GOD and the Sacramente is his and the ministerie onely committed vnto man who if he be good he cleaueth to God and worketh with God but if he be euil GOD woorketh by him the visible fourme of the sacrament but he himselfe giueth the inuisible grace Herein let vs al be wise and let there bee no schismes or diuisions among vs. The same Augustine in his thirde booke Contra literas Petiliani ca. 49. doeth plentifully sette forth the same mattter And because wee haue also handled the same thinge in the ende of our former sermon nexte before this it is néedelesse to speake one thing twise Here is a question obiected vnto vs touching the baptisme of Middewiues Whether women Midwiues vppon the point of necessitie that is when the Infante is in ieopardie to die before hee come to bee baptised at the handes of the Ecclesiasticall minister ought and may babtise We answer that baptisme is a sacrament of the Churche that women are forbidden to minister in the Church therfore that they neither can nor ought to baptise as they are by no meanes permitted to teache The lawes of the Apostle are well known But I suffer not a womā saith Paule to teache neither to vsurpe authoritie ouer the man but to bee in silence The same lawe is repeated of the same Apostle 1. Cor. 14. is cōfirmed by Gods law Mans testimonies agrée with gods For Tertulliin his booke De Velandis Virginibus sayeth It is not permitted vnto a woman to speake in the Churche muche lesse to teache or to babtise nor to offer neither to take to her self the execution of any mannes office muche lesse the priestes This also is read repeated in the fourth counsel of Carthage where also Aurelius Augustine is said to haue béene present Epiphanius Bishop of Salome in Cypres disputing againste diuerse heresies and confuting Marciō saith He also giueth women leaue licēce to baptise He saith as muche of the Quintilian and Peputian heretiques He also reasoning against the heretiques Collyridiani sayeth If women were cōmanded to sacrifice vnto God or to execute any regular thing in the churche then Marie ought rather to do sacrifice in the new Testament whiche was made worthie to carrie in her owne armes the king of al kings the heauenly God the sonne of God whose wombe was made a temple and dwelling for the dispensation of the Lord in the flesh being prepared for that purpose throughe the bountifulnes and maruelous mysterie of god But it did not so please god But neither was it committed or graunted vnto her to baptise Otherwise her sonne might haue bin rather baptised of her thā of Iohn The same author addeth And truly there is in the Church an order of women ministers called women-deacons but not permitted to sacrifice neither to attempt any thing but for reuerence sake of women-kind or for the houre of bathing or visiting or for affection and trauel Whereas they obiecte the example of Sephora the Madianite wife of Moses whiche circumcised her sonne in the time of necessitie that doeth establishe no common lawe as the particular example of Delbora maketh not all women Iudges For there are
vnto saluation that baptisme is superfluous he hath despised the ordinance of God is condemned for a rebell and an enimie to God. Furthermore that place of Iohn 3. is not to be vnderstood of the ourward signe of holy baptisme but simplie of the inward most spiritual regeneration of the holy spirite which when Nicodemus vnderstoode not perfectely the Lorde figured and made the same manifest vnto him by parables of water of the spirit that is to say of the winde or the ayer by elements verie base and familiar For by and by he addeth That whiche is borne of the flesh is flesh c. Again The winde bloweth where it lusteth c. whiche must néedes be ment of the ayer For the other part of the coÌ„parison followeth So is euery one that is borne of the spirite Furthermore he addeth If I tel you of earthly thinges and ye beleeue not how will you beleeue if I tel you of heaueÌ„ly things But the argumeÌ„t which he put forth was not altogether earthly For this is the argument of his whole disputatioÌ„ Except a man be borne from aboue he cannot see the kingdome of God That is to say vnlesse a man be renued as it were borne againe by the spirite of God which is giuen from aboue that is to say powred into him from heauen he caÌ„not be saued The doctrine is altogether heauenly but the meanes wherby he deliuered declared set forthe this heauenly doctrine is earthly For by thinges taken from the earth he shadowed out to man beeing grosse of vnderstanding earthly a spiritual and heauenly thing laid it open as it were euen â—â— the view of his eyes As by water ayre oftentimes the qualities of bodies are changed and as the effecte and woorking of water and the aire in bodies is merueilous in like manner is the working of the holy Ghoste in the soule of man which it changeth purifieth and quickeneth c. For so the Lorde himselfe afterward whiche I tolde you euen now expoundeth an other parable of the spirite And because al olde writers for the moste part by water haue vnderstood sacramentall water that is to say holy baptisme we also receiue this interpretation For we willingly graunte that baptisme is necessarie to saluation as wel in such as are of perfect age as also in babes or infantes so that necessitie constraine not the contrarie For otherwise if we goe forwarde stubbernly with S. August to condemne infantes by this place truely we shal be compelled also to coÌ„demne euen those that are baptised if they departe this life without partaking of the bodie and bloud of Christ For S. Augustine béeing infected with the like errour defendeth that the sacrament of the Lordes supper ought to be put into the infantes mouthe or else they are in daunger of death and damnation because it is written Except ye eate the fleshe of the sonne of man drink his bloud yee haue no life in you Therefore after this same order he placeth these two sentences Except a man be born of water and of the spirite he cannot see the kingdome of God. And Excepte ye eate the flesh of the sonne of man c. So that if thou persist obstinately in S. Augustines sentence verily thou wilt condemne the whole Church at this day which denieth the partaking of the Lordes supper vnto Infantes But if in this thing there be admitted a coÌ„uenient interpretation why are ye so rigorous obstinate in another the like place cause not disagréeable What wil you say if in this opinion Augustine doeth not satisfie no not himselfe in all and euery point To a Lay-man he thinketh it veniall sinne if he baptise in time of necessitie He cannot tell whether it be godlily spoken the baptisme ministred by a lay-man ought to be iterated or done againe But how much better and safer had it béene letting the necessitie of baptisme pas which hath no lawful causes to holde opinion the infantes if they be not preuented by death ought to be baptised of the minister of the church in the church their parents procuring it as opportunitie first serueth that too too spéedie souden death which we cal the pinch of necessitie is no let or hinderance to saluation to them which are not yet broght to be baptised The same Augustine trembleth and is afraide to determine of the punishmente of damned infants for not beeing baptised neither knoweth truly what he might certeinly say In his first booke De anim c. ca. 9. hée saith Let no maÌ„ promise to infantes vnbaptised as it were a middle place of rest or felicity whatsoeuer it be or whersoeuer it be betweene hell and the kingdome of heauen But that sentence is for the most part receiued of all men â–ª whervpon also the infantes are buried in the churchyarde in a certeine middle place betwéene the prophane holy ground And againe the same Aug. contra Iulianum Pelagianum lib. 5. ca. 8. writeth That those infantes of all other shal come in the easiest damnation And immediately bee addeth Which of what maner how great it shal be although I cannot describe yet I dare not say that it were better for them to be as no body thaÌ„ to be there And againe in his Epistle to Sainte Hierome 28. he sayth When I come to determine of the punishments of little infants beleeue me I am driuen into narrowe streightes neyther finde I any thing at all to aunswere Héere also may that be added whiche hee disputeth vppon Lib. 4. contra Donatist cap. 22. 23. touching the théefe whiche was crucified with Christe among other things saying That then baptisme is fulfilled inuisibly when not the contempt of religion but the poynt of necessitie excludeth and shutteth out from visible baptisme Why then should wee not beleeue also that in infantes departing by to to timely death baptisme is inuisibly perfourmed since that not contempt of religion but the extremitie of necessitie whiche can not bee auoyded excludeth and debarreth them from visible baptisme And since verie many at this day doe graunt that any man of perfect age withoute baptisme in the point of necessitie may bee saued so that hee haue a desire of baptisme why then may not the godly desires of the parentes acquite the infantes nowe newly borne from guiltinesse But thus much hitherto Touching this also who are to be baptised both in time past our age there hath bene bitter iarring Pelagius in time past denyed that infants ought to be baptised which we heard euen nowe Before Pelagius time AuxeÌ„tius Arianus with his sectaries denyed that they are to be baptised Some in the time of S. Barnard denied the same as we may gather out of his writings The Anabaptistes at this day a kinde of men raysed vp of sathan to destroy the Gospel denie it likewise But the Catholique trueth whiche is deliuered vnto vs in the holy scriptures
I haue admonished you elsewhere Therefore it is an horrible offence to iterate the Ceremonie of baptisme it is without example Neither in this matter is there any necessitie for to what ende is it to baptise againe when as baptisme once giuen is sufficient for the whole course of a mans life Beside this since Anabaptisme is nothing else but a confederacie conspiracie and a certeine lincking together by one marke into a newe and seditious or at the least superstitious companie into a newe and scismaticall Church and into a new and straunge kind of doctrine and as contrarie as can bée to the doctrine of Christe and his Apostles truely it is no meruaile that the obstinate Anabaptists are kept vnder and punished by common lawes For otherwise these thinges are damnable and not to be dissembled or suffered of a Christian magistrate But the Anabaptists presently obiecte vnto vs these two places The first out of the fifte Chapiter of Iosua where we read in these words Make thee sharpe kniues of stone and goe to againe and circumcise the children of Israel the second time Behold the second time they could not bee circumcised saye they vnlesse they had béene also circumcised before I answere To circumcise the second time or to doe a thing once againe doeth not signifie to doe that which was done before For when the fore-skinne was once cutt off howe could it be cutt off againe Therefore that which was left vndone for a certeine space is nowe againe renued and is said to be done the second time So that the second time is not applied to them that should bee circumcised but vnto the verie time wherein they that were vncircumcised should bée circumcised For they were first solemnely circumcised in Aegypt before they did eate the Passeouer Nowe entering into the land of Chanaan they are the second time solemnly circumcised which hetherto by reason of the wildernesse and iourneying were not circumcised And so it followeth immediatly in the same Chapter that all the males that came out of Aegypt died in the wildernesse and that their sonnes were vncircumcised so that nowe it was expedient that they should be circumcised as their fathers were before them Therefore the Anabaptistes in this testimonie of the lawe haue no defence at all The latter testimonie to mainteine Anabaptisme or rebaptising they bring out of the 19. Chap. of the Actes where they say that those twelue men of Ephesus were once baptised by Apollos with the baptisme of water and with that of Iohns likewise but the verie same afterward are rebaptised of Paule in the name of Christe I aunswere That those twelue men were not baptised againe of Paule with water They were once baptised with water whiche was sufficient for them But neither could Paule minister another baptisme of water than that of Iohns For I taught and euidently proued anon after the beginning of this Sermon that the baptisme of water ministred by Iohn Christe and his Apostles is one and the selfe same There I declared that the baptisme of fire or of the spirite is peculiar and proper to Christe Those men therefore of Ephesus were baptised with the baptisme of water as the Samaritans were by Philip but they were not as yet fully instructed of the baptisme of fire neither were they baptised with fire yea they confesse they know not whether there be any such baptisme that is whether there be an holy Ghoste whiche in the visible forme of fire shuld come downe vppon men For they could not be altogether ignoraunt that there was a holy Ghost without whom vndoubtedly they had not beléeued yea in whome they had beléeued if they had rightly beléeued Therfore they were onely ignoraunt of that baptisme of fire As therefore Peter and Iohn layed their hands on the Samaritanes and they forthwith receiued the holy Ghoste So Paule layeth handes on the men of Ephesus and they receiue the holy Ghoste For Luke sayeth When they heard these thinges they were baptised in the name of the Lord Iesus And least any man should vnderstand this of the baptisme of water by and by he addeth the manner thereof and a plaine exposition saying And when Paule had layed his handes on them the holy Ghoste came vppon them This I say hee called baptising in the name of the Lord Iesus For it followeth And they spake with tongues and prophecied And this alwayes hath béene the fruite and effecte of the baptisme of fire in the Primitiue Churche as I declared anon after the beginning of this Sermon Wherefore the Anabaptists haue no testimonie out of the scriptures for their Anabaptisme or rebaptising So that all that will gather their witts about them doe plainely sée that they are to be forsaken and shunned of all good men But wée haue sufficiently disputed against them as it séemeth Nowe wée goe forward to expound those things that remaine to be opened touching baptisme whiche are not the last and of least account Now that we are come to intreate of the vertue efficacie of baptisme we will followe that order which wee shadowed out in the description of baptisme knitting vp at least the particulars because in the generall consideration of Sacramentes wée haue spoken largely of them Yet neuerthelesse it is good first of all to knowe what the aduersaries of the Churche haue sometime thought touching the force of baptisme The Manicheis baptised none of their secte For they taught that Baptisme did auaile the receiuers nothing to saluation The Seleucians who are called also Hermiani did likewise sett baptisme at nought The Messalians whiche bee called Euchetes or prayer-makers as I haue shewed in the end of my former Sermon and the Enthusiastes inspired I say by some heauenly power nay rather by some hellishe furie are persuaded that baptisme neither profiteth nor hindereth any man For so they did attribute all meanes of saluation to the inward woorking of the spirite yea to mans prayers in somuch that they loathed and abhorred all outward helpes yea and doctrine also as vnprofitable and without force Whiche Theodoret in his Ecclesiasticall historie Libro 4. cap. 11. rehearseth of them But the holy Scripture teacheth that wée are washed cleane from our sinnes by baptisme For baptisme is a signe a testimonie and sealing of oure cleansing For GOD verilie hath promised sanctification to his Churche and hée for his trueths sake purifyeth his Churche from all sinnes by his Grace thoroughe the bloud of his sonne and regenerateth and clenseth it by his spirite whiche cleansing is sealed in vs by baptisme whiche wée receiue and thereof is it called in the Scriptures cleansing and remission of sinnes purifying newe birthe regeneration and the lauer or founteine of regeneration as circumcision is called the couenaunt and sacrifices sinnes and sanctifications For wée read in the Gospell according to Sainct Marke Iohn baptised in the desart preaching the baptisme of repentaunce for the remission of sinnes
places taking aduise of faith we say that the sonne is equall with the father touching his diuinitie but inferiour vnto him in respect of his humanitie according to that saying of the prophete which is alleged by the Apostle to that purpose Thou hast made him litle inferiour to the angels We read in the Eospell that Christ our lord had brethren and that S. John the Apostle was called the sonn of Marie Marie called the mother of John. But who vnlesse he were infected with the heresie of Heluidius wil stand herein that these places are to be expounded according to the letter specially since other places of the scripture do manifestly proue that they were called brethren which in déede were brothers sisters children cousen germans kinsmen or néere of bloud also the circumstāces of the place in the 19. cap. of S. John proue that Marie was committed to John as a mother to her sonne Wherefore if they haue a desire stil to wrangle as hetherto at their owne pleasures wee haue by proofe founde them to doe crying out and in crying to repeate This is my bodie This is my bloud This is This is This is This is Is Is Is Wée will also repeate The woord was made was made was made flesh The father is is is greater than I. Christ hath brethren I say he hath brethren hee hath brethren The scripture hath so The trueth sayeth so But tell mee nowe what commoditie shal there redound to the Church by these troublesome odious outcries and most froward contentions Howe shall the hearers be edified Howe shal the glorie of God be enlarged How shal that truth be set forth Necessitie therfore cōstreyneth vs to confesse that in some places wée must forsake the letter but not the sense and that sense is to be allowed which faith it selfe w other places of scripture conferred with it and finally the circumstances of the place the first being compared with the last do yeld as it were of their owne accord Howbeit we also cry out and repeate againe and againe that we ought not without great cause to goe from the simplicitie of the word But when as the absurditie not of reason but of pietie and the repugnancie of the Scriptures and contrarietie to the articles of oure faith doe inforce vs then we say affirme and cōtend that it is godly yea necessarie to departe from the letter and from the simplicitie of the words And that these places which we alledged euen now doe constreine vs to depart from the letter in these words of the Lord This is my bodie This is my bloud wée will proue by most sound arguments taken out of the sciptures when I haue first briefly declared the true auncient sense meaning of those vsuall and solemne words The Lord sitting at the selfe same table with his disciples reached the bread vnto them with his owne hand And he hauing only one true humane and natural body with the very same bodie of his deliuered bread vnto his disciples and not a body either of any other mans or that of his owne Neither doeth that trouble vs whiche S. Augustine reciteth of Dauid in expounding the 33. Psalm And he was borne in his owne hands where vnto he addeth immediatly Who is borne in his owne handes A man may bee borne in the hands of other men but none can be borne in his owne This is therefore ment of Dauid not of Christ For Christe was borne in his owne handes when as commending his very body vnto them he said This is my body For that body was borne in his owne handes For by these wordes S. Augustine doth not feigne that Christ hath two humane bodies but he meaneth that the humane body bare in his handes the Sacramentall bodie that is to say the bread which is the sacrament of the true body For he speaketh plainely saying He cōmending his body bare that body in his owne hands For in the second sermon almost in the same words being but a litle chaunged he saith How was he borne in his owne hands For whē he had commended his body bloud he toke that in his handes whiche the faithful know and after a sort he bare himselfe when he said This is my bodie By which words he manifestly de clared that he ment not that Christ in his naturall body deliuered his naturall body to his disciples but the which the faithful do know to wit the sacrament or mysterie For it followeth And hee bare himselfe after a sort I pray you marke this saying After a sort when hee said this is my body Wherfore those solemne words This is my body whiche is broken for you And likewise this is my bloud which is shedd for you can haue none other sense thā this This is a cōmemoration memoriall or remembrance signe or sacrament of my bodie which is giuen for you This cup or rather the wine in the cup signifieth or representeth vnto you my bloud whiche was once shed for you For there followeth in the Lords solemne words that which notably confirmeth this meaning Do this in the remēbrance of me As if he should say Now am I present with you before your eyes I shall die ascend vp into heauen then shall this holy bread wine be a memorial or token of my body and bloud giuen shed for you Then breake the bread eate it distribute the cup and drink it and do this in the remembrance of me praysing my benefits bestowed on you in redéeming you giuing you life Althoughe this interpretation bee most slaunderously reuiled and become abhominable in the sight of many yet is it manifest to be the true proper and most auncient interpretation of all other Tertul. lib. 4. contra Mart. saith Christ taking the bread and distributing it to his disciples made it his bodie in saying This is my body that is to say the figure of my bodie Hierom vpon S. Matt. Gospel saith That like as in the prefiguring of Christ Melchisedech the priest of almightie God had done in bringing forth bread wine so he might represent the truth of his bodie Chrysostome also in his 83. homilie vpon Matt. If Iesus be not dead saith he whose token signe is this sacrifice Ambrose vppon the first to the Corinthians cap. 11. Because wee be deliuered by the Lords death saith he being mindeful thereof in eating drinking we do signifie the flesh and the bloud whiche were offered for vs Au. Aug. also in many places heapeth vpp many speaches like to this same kind of speach The bloud is the soule The rock was Christ And This is my body Let vs heare then what he saith of these speaches that we may vnderstand what he thinketh of the true interpretation of this text This is my body In the 3. booke of Questions in the 57. question vppon Leuiticus hee saith It remayneth that that be called the soule whiche signifieth the
be altogether perished in the captiuitie Furthermore they were called the sonns of the Prophetes for the affection which they bare towards their schole maisters as if they had bene their parentes and for their obedience and daily studie towards them But how muche the more noble and wise the Princes were so much the more diligence they employed in repayring scholes and restoring Ecclesiasticall orders Which a man may sée not in Dauid and Solomon onely but also in Iosaphat Ezechias and Iostas who were moste vertuous and moste happie Princes In the captiuitie and after the captiuitie of Babylon the Lordes people was dispersed and scattered into many kingdomes farre and wide But whether so euer they were carried they erected scholes or synagogues and when the citie of Ierusalem was restored then they often came vnto the same For therefore the Actes of the Apostles make mention that at what time Sainte Paule preached the worde of God among the Gentiles he went into the synagogues And Sainte Iames the Apostle saythe Moses of olde time hath in euerie citie them that preache him in the synagogues Where he speaketh not of the cities of Iude◠and Galilee but of the cities of the gentiles in Syria Cilicia and Asia But that which we reade in the Actes doth shew that they being dispersed and scattered abroade did sometime come vnto the holie citie of Ierusalem There were dwelling at Ierusalem certeine Iewes religious men of all nations that are vnder heauen And that also whiche Saint Paul reciteth of him selfe confirmeth the same that being borne frée in the citie of Tharsus he trauelled to Ierusalem vnto Gamalieles féete that is to saye to the intent to heare the instruction and to be a scholer vnder Gamaliel So likewise we reade that at Ierusalem there were Colleges or Synagogues of the Libertines Cyrenians Alexandrines Cilicians and Asians This vse of scholes continued vntil Christs time yea and after his asce nsion into the heauens almost vntill the destruction of the citie although in the meane time it maye appeare to haue béene sundrie times depraued Christe also the sonne of God our king and high Byshoppe he him selfe instituted the most famous schole of all other calling ther vnto the twelue Apostles and the seuentie disciples chosen men I say to the number of fourescore and two Yea the Apostles them selues drewe vnto them verie many disciples and first of all Saint Paule the most chosen instrument of God to conuert the gentiles is read to haue had in his companie Sopater of Berrhoe Luke of Antioch Marke of Ierusalem Barnabas Sylua or Syluanus Caius and Timothie Aristarchus and Secundus Tychicus and Trophimus Titus and Linus Crescens and Epaphras Archippus and Philemon Epaphroditus and Artemas and many other He hath also commended most diligently vnto good men the studious and the ministers of the Churches exhorting all men vnto liberalitie that they maye want nothing And writing vnto Titus Bring diligently saythe he Zenas the Lawyer and Apollo vpon their waye that they maye want nothing Moreouer it maye be gathered by playne and manifest proofes oute of the thirtéenth chapter of the Actes that there was a verie famous and that an Apostolique schole at Antioche in Syria Eusebius also of Cesarea aboundantly witnesseth what noble scholes were at Alexandria in Egypt and in other renouned churches And we haue also declared the same more at large when time serued in a booke which we haue written of the institution of Byshoppes But in processe of time when al thinges apperteyning to the Churche beganne to decline to the worsse Ecclesiasticall scholes also degenerated into Abbaies or into Colleges of Canons and Monkes But of all these thinges whereof we haue spoken I thinke it not vnknowne vnto any man that scholes doe principally belong to the preseruation of the Churche and the maintenaunce of the holie ministerie in which scholes good artes might be exercised verie profitable for the furtheraunce of the studie of the holie Scriptures of which sorte chiefest of all are the studies and knowledge of holy tongs of Logicke naturall Philosophie and the Mathematicks and these moderately knowne directed vnto the certeine scope and ende of Godlinesse For a man may sometime finde wittes worne and waxed olde in diuers Artes and disciplines howbeit not once medling or inured with holie exercises and studies But I woulde to God that the wicked being too muche glutted with prophane studie would also leaue to contemne holie Scriptures as thinges playne barbarous A man also may find some wits so busied in the studie of the Mathematickes that they are more méete to be maisters of buildinges than gouernours or pastoures of Churches Yea they are so farre crept into the studie of Astronomie and the Astronomers heauen that they quite forget the blessed heauen which is the seate of the blessed Saintes any thing to perteine vnto them and that they shall be sufficiently happie if they can but once atteine vnto the knowledge of the motion of the visible heauē and to the course of the starres As for those that meddle ouermuch with the studie of Philosophie and the trifles of Logicke and the rules of Khetoricke neuer attaine vnto any ende nor earnestly thinke vpon the bestowing of their trauels to the edifying of the Church commonly they become contentious and brawling disputers for the most parte and arrogant controllers vnto whom nothing sémeth to be neatly and aptly enoughe eyther spoken or done of others but that whiche is tempered and as it were tuned to their great conceiuing heades and so agréeing with prescript rules that they swarne not there from no not so much as a haires bredth These men snarle and intangle all thinges with their doltishe disputations puffing out nothing else but quarelling controuersies taking vpon them moste arrogantly to iudge all mens doings sayings what so euer you though they be good and tollerable they snap at them and maliciously cauill against them being rather vayne babblers than Philosophers yea the verie plagues of scholes and Churches who spitte out the poyson of debates contentions variances strises and diuisions at and into the Church Against these Sainte Paule the Apostle to Timothie séemeth to speake For after he hadde briefly set downe the summe of sounde doctrine he addeth there vpon This teache and exhorte Who so euer teacheth otherwise and holdeth not him selfe contented with the healthfull worde of our Lorde Iesus Christe and the doctrine whiche is according vnto godlinesse he is puffed vp knowing nothing but spending his time aboute questions and contention in wordes whereof groweth hatred strife slander euill suspicions vaine conflictes of men corrupt in hart and destitute of the trueth whiche suppose gayne to bee godlinesse Avoyde the companie of such Truely it neuer went well with the Churche when learned and studious men forsaking the playnenesse and purenesse of the worde of GOD turned their eyes an other way and aymed not at the
their tributarie cities subiecte vnto them diligently to sée and marke what they did in euerie citie 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is to say spyes and watchmen The Apostles called byshops watchmen and kéepers of the Lords flocke and the stewardes of Christe or disposers of the secretes of God in the Churche And Presbyter an Elder hath his name of age and auncient yeares In times past the care of the common wealth was committed vnto the elders as to those that were exercised with manifolde experience long vse of things For gouernours of cities are bothe called Seniors and Senatours And as common weales haue their Senatours so hath the church her elders as it appeareth in the Actes 14. 15. 20. 21. chap. It séemeth that the ordeining of elders came into the church out of the synagogue For thus we reade in the booke of Numbers Gather vnto me saith he three score and ten men of the elders of Israel whome thou knowest to bee the elders of the people and officers ouer them and I wil take of the spirit which is vpon thee and put vppon them and they shall beare the burthen of the people with thee least thou bee constrained to beare it alone Wherefore the elders in the churche of Christe are eyther byshoppes or otherwise prudent and learned men added to byshops that they maye the more easily beare the burthen layd vpon them and that the churche of God may the better and more conueniently be gouerned For Paule sayth The elders that rule well let them be counted woorthy of double honour most specially they which labour in the worde and doctrine There were therefore certeine other in the Ecclesiasticall function who albeit they did not teach by and by as did the byshops yet were they present with them that taught in all all businesses Perhaps they are called of the same Apostle elsewhere Gouernours that is is to say whiche are set in authoritie concerning discipline and other affaires of the churche And bycause we are come thus farre in this present treatise we will also declare other names of offices in the churche There is muche speache in the scriptures of Deacons and amonge Ecclesiasticall writers of Priestes In the primitiue Churche the care of the poore was committed to Deacons as it is plainely gathered out of the sixt chapter of the Actes of the Apostles There are also lawes to be séene which are prescribed vnto them by the Apostle in the firste to Timothie the thirde chapter The office of Deacons was separated froÌ„ the function of Pastours and therefore we do not reckon them in the order of Pastours The auncient fathers referred them to the ministerie but not to the Priesthoode We reade also that women not wedded but widowes ministred in the primitiue churche And among other Phebe of the churche of Cencâ—ea highly praysed of the Apostle is verie famous But he forbiddeth women to teach in the church and to take vpon them publique offices How therfore or in what thing did women minister in the churche vndoubtedly they ministred vnto the poore in duties apperteyning to women They ministred vnto the sicke and with Martha Christs hostesse they did with great care and diligence chearish the members of Christe For what other offices could they haue Moreouer the name of Priest séemeth to be brought into the churche out of the synagogue For otherwise ye shall not finde in the newe Testament the ministers of the worde of GOD and of churches to be called priestes but after that sorte that all Christians are called priestes by the Apostle Peter But it appeareth that the ministers of the new Testament for a certeine likenesse whiche they haue with the ministers of the olde Testament of ecclesiasticall writers are called Priestes For as they did their seruice in the tabernacle so these also after their manner and their fashion minister to the churche of god For otherwise the Latine word is deriued of holy things and signifieth a minister of holy things a man I say dedicated and consecrated vnto God to do holy things And holy things are not only sacrifices but what things so euer come vnder the name of religion from whiche we dee not exclude the lawes them selues and holy doctrine In the old testament we read that Dauids sonnes were called priestes not that they were ministers of holy things for it was not lawfull for theÌ„ whiche came of the tribe of Iuda to serue in the tabernacle but onely to the Leuites but bicause they liuing vnder the gouernement and discipline of priestes did learne good sciences and holy diuinitie Here it séemeth it must not be dissembled that those names which we haue intreated of are in the Scriptures one vsed for an other For Peter the Apostle of Christ our Lord calleth him selfe an Elder And in the Actes of the Apostles he calleth the Apostleship a Byshopricke For Saint Paule also calling the Elders together at Miletum and talking with them he calleth them Byshops And in his Epistle vnto Titus he commaundeth to ordeine Elders towne by towne whome immediately after he calleth Byshoppes And that they also are called both Doctors and Pastours there is none so grosse headed to denie Now by all these things we think it is manifest to all men what orders the Lord him selfe ordeined from the beginning and whome he hath consecrated to the holie ministerie of the Church to gouerne his owne church He layd the foundation of the churche at the beginning by Apostles Euangelistes and Prophetes he enlarged and mainteyned the same by Pastours and Doctours To these Elders and Deacons were helpers The Deacons in séeing to the poore and the Elders in doctrine in discipline and in gouerning and susteyning other weightier affaires of the Churche Neuerthelesse it appeareth that the order of the Apostles Euangelistes and Prophets was ordeined at the beginning by the Lorde vnto his Churche for a time according to the matter persons and places For many ages since and immediatly after the foundation of Christes kingdome in earth the Apostles Euangelistes and Prophets ceased and there came in their place Byshops Pastours Doctours and Elders which order hath continued most stedfastly in the Church that nowe we can not doubt that the order of the Churche is perfect and the gouernement absolute if at this day also there remaine in the Church of God byshops or pastours doctours also or Elders Yet we deny not that after the death of the Apostles there were oftentimes Apostles raysed vp of GOD whiche might preache the Gospell to barbarous and vngodly nations We confesse also that God euen at this day is able to rayse vp Apostles Euangelistes and Prophetes whose labour he may vse to worke the saluation of mankinde For we acknowledge that holy and faithfull men whiche first preach the truth of the Gospell to any vnbeléeuing people may be called Apostles and Euangelistes
We acknowledge y men inspired with singular grace of the spirit which foresée foreshew things to come and be excellent interpreters of the scriptures or Diuines illuminated may be called Prophetes as we haue shewed elsewhere more at large But in the order of byshops and elders from the beginning there was singular humilitie charitie and concord no contention or strife for prerogatiue or titles or dignitie For all acknowledged themselues to be the ministers of one maister coequall in all thinges touching office or charge He made them vnequall not in office but in giftes by the excellencie of giftes Yet they that had obteyned the excellenter gifts did not despise the meaner sort neither did they enuie them for their giftes S. Paule sayth Let a man so esteeme of vs as the ministers of Christe and disposers of the secretes of God. The same Paule in more than one place caleth the preaching of the gospel the ministerie For that tooke déepe root in the auncient byshops hearts which the Lorde when his disciples striued for dignitie and as they say for the maioritie that is which of them shuld be the greatest setting a childe in the middest of them sayde Verily verily I say vnto you except ye turne and become as little children ye shal not enter into the kingdome of heauen Truly the martyr of God Saint Cyprian standing in the counsel of the byshops at Carthage wisely sayde Neither hath any of vs appointed him selfe to be a byshop of byshops or by tyrannous feare compelled his fellowes in office to necessitie of obeying since euery byshop hath according to the licence and libertie of his power his owne free choyce as if hee might not bee iudged of an other since neyther he him selfe can iudge an other but let vs all looke for the iudgement of our Lord Iesus Christ who only and alone hath power both to preferre vs in the gouernement of his Church and to giue sentence of our doing Thus farre he At that time therefore byshoppes contended not for I knowe not what primacie or patrimonie of Peter but that one mighte excell the other in purenesse of doctrine and holinesse of life and mutually to helpe one an other And then vndoubtedly the affaires of the Church went forward prosperously in so muche that though the most puisant princes of the world should haue persecuted the Church of Christe with fire and sworde yet neuerthelesse against all the assaultes of the diuell and the worlde she had stoode vnmoueable hauing wonne the victorie and had daily béene more inlarged also renoumed Oh happy had we béene if this order of Pastors had not béene chaunged but that that auncient simplicitie of ministers that fayth humilitie and diligence had remained vncorrupted But in processe of time all things of ancient soundnesse humilitie and simplicitie vanished awaye whiles somethings are turned vpside down somethinges eyther of their owne accorde were out of vse or else are taken away by deceite somethings are added too Verily not many ages after the death of the Apostles there was séene a farre other Hierarchie or gouernement of the Churche than was from the beginning althoughe those beginninges séeme to be more tollerable than at this day all of this same order are Sainte Hierome saythe In times past churches were gouerned with the common counsel and aduise of the elders afterward it was decreed that one of the elders being chosen should bee set ouer the other vnto whome the whole care of the church should perteine and that the seedes of scismes should bee taken away Thus much he In euery citie countrie therefore he that was most excellent was placed aboue the rest His office was to be superintendent and to haue the ouersight of the ministers and the whole flocke He had not as wee vnderstoode euen nowe out of Cyprians words dominion ouer his fellowes in office or other elders but as the Consul in the Senate house was placed to demaunde and gather together the voyces of the Senatours and to defende the lawes priuileges and to be carefull least there should arise factions amonge the Senatours euen so no other was the office of a bishop in the church in all other thinges hee was but equall with the other ministers But had not the arrogancie of the ministers and ambition of bishops in the times that followed further increased we would not speake a word against them And S. Hierome affirmeth that That preferrment of bishops sprange not by Gods ordinaunce but by the ordinance of man These thinges haue wee remembred sayeth he to the end we might shewe that amonge the old fathers bishops and ministers were all one but by litle and little that the plantes of dissentions might be pluckt vpp all the care was committed vnto one Therfore as ministers knowe that they by the custome of the church are subiect to him whiche is set ouer them so let bishops know that rather by custom than by the truth of the Lords disposition they are greater than the other ministers and that they ought to gouerne the churches together in common following the example of Moses who when it was in his power alone to gouerne the people of Israel chose out threescore and tenne other with whom he might iudge the people Thus he writeth in his commentarie vppon the 3. cap. of the epist. of Paul vnto Titus But the auncient fathers kept not themselues within these boundes There were also ordeyned Patriarches at Antioche Alexandria Constantinople and Rome There are appointed Archbishops or Metropolitanes that is to â—aye such as haue gouernement ouer the bishops throughout prouinces And to bishops of cities or inferiour bishops there are added such as were called Chorepiscopi or bishops of the multitude that is to saye at such time as the countrie or region was larger than that the care and ouersighte of the bishop placed ouer the citie would suffice For these were added as vicars and suffraganes who might execute the office of the bishop throughout that part of the countrie But we know that the functions of suffraganes or vicars generall in these last times are of a farre other maner in bishops courtes and diocesses And also vnder deacons were placed subdeacons and when wealth increased there were archdeacons also created that is to saye ouerseers of all the goodes of the church They as yet were not mingled with the order of ministers or bishops and of those that taught but they remained as stewards or factours of the goods of the church As neither the monkes at the beginning executed the office of a priest or minister in the church For they were counted as laye-men not as clearkes and were vnder the charge of the pastors But these vnfortunate birdes neuer left soaring vntill in these last times they haue clymed into the topp of the temple and haue set themselues vppon bishops and pastours heads For monkes haue béene and are both Popes archbishops bishops and