iustifieng of one the benefite abounded toward al men to the iustification of life So that with faith of y e remission of sinnes grace wherebie we are iustified and accepted before God is ioined al which are comprehended in the definition of iustification Which is defined to be An absolution of him from sinne that beleeueth in Christ an imputation of righteousnes à receiuing vnto eternal life freelie for Christ his sake When I saie for Christ I include the merites of Christ onlie And although the imputatiō of Christ his righteousnes be the forme of our iustification before God yet because these three benefites do necessarilie concur together in our iustification I haue included them within the compasse of the definition Whosoeuer do either folow the righteousnes of workes or compound righteousnesse of faith and workes together theie doe peruert the word of God For Paul writing vnto the Philippians doth on this wise distinguish the righteousnesse of workes from the righteousnesse of faith The thinges that were vantage vnto me the same I counted losse for Christe his sake Yea doubtlesse I thinke all thinges but losse for the excellent knowledge sake of Christ Iesus my Lord for whome I haue counted al thinges losse doe iudge them to be dongue that I might winne Christ and might be found in him that is not hauing mine owne righteousnes which is of the Law but that which is through the faith of Christe What I praie could be more plainelie saide Paule here compareth two righteousnesses together one hee saieth is manns properlie the which hee calleth the righteousnesse of the lawe it is in deede the righteousnesse of man as farre-forth as man doth endeuour to fulfil the same although he can neuer perfectlie fulfill the same and it is also the righteousnes of the lawe because it is required of the lawe the other he saith is of God and is obteined by faith it is of God because God of meere grace imputeth it and giueth it to man and it is also through faith for that it is obteined by faith wherbie Christ is thought to be the end of the lawe for righteousnes vnto euerie one that beleeueth Which two righteousnesses he maketh so contrarie that together theie can not stand For he which by the workes of the law seeketh the righteousnesse wherbie he maie stande boldlie in the presence of God is voide of the righteousnesse of faith and contrariwise who so dependeth vpō the righteousnesse of faith doth not thinke at al that hee is iustified by the lawe And although there is but one righteousnes which consisteth in the perfect obedience of the law yet in respect of the diuers manner of iustification it is saide to be twofolde For he that dischargeth and by his workes fulfilleth the lawe which thing Christ onelie hath done is iustified after one sorte and he which of himselfe fulfilleth not the lawe but beleeueth on Christe who hath fulfilled the same that the obedience of the lawe done by Christ maie bee imputed vnto him for righteousnesse that so he maie haue what the lawe requireth euen the righteousnesse of the lawe yea and with righteousnesse life is iustified after another So that in the manner of obteining the righteousnes of the lawe the difference is For he that doeth the lawe obteineth righteousnes one waie and he that beleeueth another And y t mortal man can obtaine the same by doing but onelie by beleeuing Paul sheweth at large especiallie in his Epistles vnto the Romanes Gal. Ephesians that maruel it is howe men can be so frowarde as to resist the manifest trueth of God What can bee saide more plainelie Wee conclude that à man is iustified by faith without the workes of the law To wit done of our partes What more euidentlie If righteousnes bee by the law then Christ died without à cause What more distinctlie Not of workes but through faith it is the gift of God least anie man should boast himselfe Finalie what more absolutelie Christ is the ende of the lawe for righteousnesse vnto euerie one that beleeueth that is Christ hath so fulfilled the lawe that euerie one which beleeueth is righteous through his obedience Againe The Gospel is the power of God vnto saluation to euery one that beleeueth for the iust shal liue by faith In this most manifest trueth rest wee our selues leaue we their subtilties to Sophisters wherin they both miserablie intangle themselues and curssedlie seduce others that committe themselues to such schoole-masters They which compounde righteousnesse of faith and workes together as of the partes thereof are better liked of the vnlearned especialie of politike men ignorant of the gospel But the error of these euen by one place of Paul as it were by à thunder-bolt frō heauen wee maie ouerthrowe They being ignorant saith hee of the righteousnes of God that is of the righteousnes of faith and going about to stablish their owne righteousnes haue not submitted themselues to the righteousnes of God that is they are not capable of the righteousnes of faith who withall seeke righteousnes from the lawe For Christ is the end that is the fulfilling and perfection of the lawe for righteousnes vnto euerie one that beleeueth Faith then alone excludeth all merite and al workes of man from the causes of our iustification before God and dependeth vppon Christ alone who imputeth the obedience of the law to the beleeuing man y t he maie haue that which the lawe requireth to wit righteousnes which thing this argument also of Paul in the 3. chap. vnto the Galathians doeth euidentlie confirme in these wordes And that no man is iustified by the law in the sight of God it is euident for the iust shal liue by faith And the law is not of faith but the man that shal doe those things shal liue in them The aduersaries nowe in alleadging for their side against vs the Apostle Iames varie not from their olde wont For neglecting the the most constant agreement of the whole scripture and of al the sainctes of Moses the prophetes of Christe and of the Apostles they wrest à doubtful saying verie subtiltie against vs. The sense whereof would they seeke at the occasion and end whie it was written they shoulde finde that Iames disputeth not of our iustification before God but of the declaration of our iustification before men and that against hypocrits who by their false and dead faith or shadow of faith did thinke thēselues righteous and yet in the meane while defiled themselues with al manner sinnes and wickednes Thē seeing that the word Faith is not taken in y t sense of the Apostles Paul and Iames they do oppose thēselues against y e spirit of god who out of their saying do seek cōtrarieties They alledge also other places such as concerne rewarding of good works rendering to euerie man according to his deeds the blessednes promised to the
so much as we see temples to be erected wherin the names of martyrs and of others are placed and festiual daies ordained in their honor worship Vnto this question out of Cyril where he refelled the slaunders of Iulian I doe thus answere We doe saie how the holie martyrs be no Gods neither haue we vsed to worship them But we praise them with great honor for so much as valiantlie theie haue foughten for the truth and kept the synceritie of the faith And Augustine The examples of the saintes are not set before vs that we should of them be iustified but that following their foote-steps we maie knowe how he hath iustified vs who iustified them Therefore if either temples be erected vnder the names of Martyrs or Feastes bee instituted in their momorie I mislike it not so it be done not for worshippe sake but onelie to retaine themâ—in remembrance and to recite their actes that others maie both thanke God for their constancie and imitate their examples if anie occasion shal seeme to require the same The thinges which Monkes doe tell of martyrs are but meere fables and illusions As that Martyrs at the houre of their martyrdome haue begged of God that so manie as beare their passions in memorie and worship them vpon fasting and ember daies maie be deliuered from certaine diseases Which their lies are so abhominable as nothing can be more For did the holie martyrs make such a request theie were extreame blasphemers of God his holie Name Besides the Papistes doe faigne howe the martyrs of God for three causes are to be worshipped The first whereof is the neede we stand in the second the glorie of the martyrs the thirde the reuerence of God But al these rotten reasons are ouerthrown as it were with a thunder-bolt from heauen by this saieng of the Lord Thou shalt worship the Lorde thie God and him onelie shalt thou serue If then necessitie doe presse thee downe followe the example of Dauid who saith Mine helpe commeth from the Lord which hath made the heauen and the earth For that is the commandement of the Lord Call-vpon mee in the daie of trouble And the truth it selfe doeth saie Whatsoeuer yee shal aske the father in my Name he wil giue it you And whereas theie saie the glorie of Saints is more knowen through calling-vpon them to witte while we obtaine that which we aske by the helpe of them that is open blasphemie and reproch against the sonne of God yea and most filthie idolatrie which all the saintes do abhorre Neither is that of greater force that theie saie the reuerence toward God doth require that a sinner who hath offended God should not approch vnto God himselfe without a patron As though that patron did not suffice whome we haue in heauen euen Iesus Christe the righteous If anie man sinne saith Iohn we haue an aduocate with the Father Iesus Christ the iust And he is the reconciliation for our sinnes and not for ours onelie but also for the sinne of the whole world And therefore the Papistes doe both deceaue and are deceaued of Satan who hath brought the worship of Saints into the world euen vtterlie to abolish or at the least to blemish the office of our onelie Mediator Iesus Christ to make the Saintes infamous and finallie that y e idolatrous worshippers of Saints maie be partakers of his eternal tormentes So then omitting fables and delusions of the diuel let vs imitate the examples of the saintes in al their wel-doing and prepare we our selues to enter into troubles for the truth of God so long as we goe on warfare vpon this earth And that this is the true vse of the memorie of Saintes Augustine also doth witnesse when he saith There is none haue à better waie to instruct the people of God than Martyrs examples are of more force thâ—n wordes and better is it by deede than by voice to teach Besids it is demanded whether it be lawful for any maÌ„ to seâ— himself against tyraÌ„ts which maintaine idolatrie especialie seing that Christians are commanded to obeie euen the cruel For so Peter saith Be ye subiect to your Masters withal feare not onelie to the good courteous but also to be froward This commandement of the Apostle wherby we are commanded to obeie euen the froward is not so to be vnderstoode as though we should obeie them in matters against our saluation but theie are to be followed so long as theie command either such thinges as are honest or thinges against right if so be theie onelie make vs miserable in respect of our bodies not vngodlie in respect of our soules Therfore Polycarp doth â—aie That honour is to bee giuen to the Magestrate which is not contrarie to religion If therfore he command thee to do against religion answere with Peter we ought rather to obeie God than man For we obeie the Magistrat euen because God hath commanded that we should And therefore if he command that which God hath forbidden theie are held excused by the commandement of à superior namelie God and deliuered from obedience to the inferior which is man be he notwithstanding for authoritie mightie But by the waie it is to be noted that tyraâ—tes are to be resisted two manner of waies One is when subiectes doe improue wicked decrees as those three yong-men of whome Daniel speaketh refused to adore the image erected by the tyrant and chose to be cast into the burning fornace rather then theie would obeie the wicked commandement of the Tyrant For this commandement Flie from idolatrie bindeth al men be theie of what state oâ— degre so-euer The other waie to resist tyrantâ— is when subiectes flie vnto their weapons wherebie theie remoue-awaie wicked commandementes Here à question is moued whether it be lawfull for the maintenance of religion to resist tyrans and by sworde to hinder wicked and vngodlie decrees In this place I distinguish betweene them that are vnder one chief head whether he be à King or an Emperor or anie other Monarch For some are subiectes simplie some are Magistrates next vnto the cheef Magistrate theie are caled popular magistrates such were in time passed at Lacedemonia the Ephors at Athens the Demarches at Rome the Tribunes of the people and are at this daie the Septeâ—â—â—irie in the Romane Empire the chiefe Senatorâ— next vnto Kinges in euerie Realme These for somuchas theie are placed of God first to be the keepers of the first and second tables y t is to see that true religion be professed â— and honest discipline in vse then to moderate and if neede require to bridle the raging desires of kinges and monarches when theie set-downe anie thing against the lawes and religion these I saie both maie yea and are bound first by counsel so much as maie be to set theÌ„selues against tyrants and by their wisedome stop their foolish enterprises But
Augustine doeth answere That hauing made earnest prayer vnto God they are by lot to chuse who shal flee and who shal tarie For in so doing both good regard is had for the present state of the Church and also it is wel prouided that when the teachers of the Church be once killed it shall want no ministers for all that to instructe them Sophisters and Sycophantes being puffed-vp with the wisedome of this worlde they subtillie laie snares to entrappe the preachers The scope of whome is that the fountanes of Israel beeing either stopped or troubled that is that the heauenlie doctrine being either vtterlie abolished or depraued with humane or diuelishe deuises the Church whose life is the puritie of Gods worde maie be oppressed Their sophistical arte is fitlie compared to à brawling woman Whome who so hideth hideth the winde and shee is as the oile in his right hande that vttereth it selfe as Salomon saith For the slightes thereof are infinite Whereof it is that hee which would refute al Sophismes doeth like him which woulde take the windes in à net Then what is to bee done Howe are Sophisters to be resisted The Pastors of the Church aboue al thinges must keepe in memorie the strong and euident testimonies coÌ„cerning euerie principal pointe of doctrine from which they must not suffer themselues to be with-drawen by anie sophistrie of man which they shall notablie withstande if they haue ben wel instructed in true Logique SecoÌ„dlie by ardent praier they must beg of God that by his word hee would strengthen them against y e subtile reasons of man least the truth bee wound in by the serpent and so choaked that is that by sophistrie it be neither vtterly ouerthrowen nor at the least depraued Thirdlie they are to eschewe all vnproper kindes of phrases and vnusual of the Church and to content themselues with the simplicitie of speech which the trueth doeth loue Finalie if so instructed they are not yet able quickelie to aunswere vnto all Sophismes let them be contented with the simplenes of doctrine which is euidentlie expressed proued with manifolde testimonies of the scripture agreing-together And the ministers of the Gospel being thus armed they shall easilie beare-awaie the bel from al their aduersaries notwithstanding the subtiltie of the slipperie serpent A notable example hereof I will adde taken-out of the Ecclesiastical historie following the vsual translation What force saith he the simplicitie of faith hath wee doe knowe by those thinges which bee reported to be done there For when for the care of the religious Emperor the Priestes from all partes of the worlde had assembled-together verie noble and rich Philosophers also came thither too mooued through an opinion they had among whome à certaine notable Logician daie by daie woulde mooue great conflictes of disputation to our Bishops men not vnprobablie learned in Logique And great concourse of learned and lettered men there was to heare yet coulde the Philosopher by no meanes bee either brought vnto à blancke or caught from flieng of anie man For by his art of Logique hee so mette with the questions obiected that when hee seemed most of al to be taken as à slipperie Eele hee slidawaie But because God woulde showe that his kingdome consisteth not in worde but in power among the confessors of the trueth à certaine Bishop of à most simple nature which knewe nothing beside Iesus Christ and him crucified was present Who seing the Philosopher to insult ouer those whiche toke our parts bosting himself of his craftâ—nes through the art of disputation craueth of al meÌ„ rome faith he would speak à few words with the Philosopher But they on our sid which knew wel enough the simplicitie blunt speech of this man began to blush somewhat to feare least peradueÌ„ture his holy simplicitie should be made à laughing game amoÌ„g subtile felows yet would not this father desist froÌ„ his purpose but thus began his speech In the name of Iesus Christ faith he harken ô Philosopher vnto the truth There is one God who made both heauen and earth and which gauè life to man whome hee had framed out of the lime of the earth hee hath created all thinges both visible and inuisible by the power of his worde and established them by the sanctification of his spirit This worde and wisedome whom we call the sonne taking pittie vppon the errors of mankinde was borne of à virgine and hath through the passion of his death deliuered vs from euerlasting damnation and by his resurrection hath giuen vs euerlasting life whom also wee trust shall come to iudge all things which we go about Dost thou beleeue this to be true ô Philosopher But hee the Philosopher as though he had neuer learned anie art to gainsay was so astonished throgh the power of the words that he had nothing to saie but only this that he did thinke so that there was none other thing true besid that which he had said Then the old man If thou beleeuest these things to be so said he arise and folow me vnto Demonicus receaue the signe of this faith And the Philosopher turning about vnto his disciples vnto them which came to heare harkeÌ„ saith he ô learned men while I was delt withal with words I to words opposedwords by the art of speech did ouerthrow whatsoeuer was said but when for words power proceeded from the mouth of the speaker words could not resist power nor man preuaile against God And therfore if any amoÌ„g you can of those things which haue ben spokeÌ„ perceaue the things which I do let him giue credite to Christ folow this old man in whoÌ„ God hath spokeÌ„ This storie notablie doth teach by what weapons victorie may be atchiued against Sophisters namely by a certain persuasion or demonstratioÌ„ of y e ground of religioÌ„ by simplicitie of spech by ardent praier y t God maie giue streÌ„gth to his word as though himself did vtter the same by his owne most holy mouth As y e hypocrits I meane stage plaiers are not taken for them which they be but do put-on and represent à strange person or as Augustin saith they hid y t which they are vnder à personage boast in à personage y t which they are not So the scripture by à Metaphor calleth such hypocrites as by external gestures and deedes boaste themselues for sainctes when for al that their minde is prophane and wicked that is when the outwarde man appeareth meeke as à sheepe when the inwarde is rauening like à woulfe For by this image Christ depainted hypocrites Hereof hypocrisie is saide to bee an outwarde faigning of godlines vnder à prophane and wicked mind So that à double sinne is in hypocrisie to wit impietie and lying For which cause their damnation is doubled for they are condemned both as wicked against God and as liers before men Therefore the saying of Aristotle against
himselfe a Church wherein his truth is sounded and showen from age to age and for admitting vs into that companie which both in this worlde doe professe his Name and in the worlde to come shal euerlastinglie extoll his goodnes And secondly it is our dueties by all the giftes and meanes which God hath imparted vpon vs to aduance and promote this trueth Which they among others do worthilie that by preaching but they as I thinke best of al performe which by writing publish spread-abroad the same and that not onely because for y e time present they do greatly profit but especialie for that they prouide both for the instruction and comfirmation of the posteritie to come For bookes wil teach and strengthen testifie and consute when men happilie cannot In which respect we are much beholding to the Prophets much to the Apostles to the Fathers much and much to the Godlie learned of our age For by their bookes and writings wee knowe the trueth which otherwise smallie or not so perfectlie coulde be vnderstoode Of which truth I doe nowe present vnto your Honor noble Comitisse à most singular descriptioÌ„ drawen out of the pure fountanes of Gods holie word and to the ouerthrowe of al aduersaries of the same whether theie be Iewes Turks Papists Atheistes or whatsoeuer heretikes written in the Latine tongue by that learned and paineful Pastor in the Church of Christ at this day Nicholas Hemmingius publique professor of diuinitie at Haffine à famous Vniuersitie in Denmark Which treatise I haue translated into English for these causes One is that the ignorant sort of people may see howe Protestants are not so as the Papists giue out at variance among themselues For this work with infinite other good bookes of foraine writers in our English tongue doth shew that touching the substance of Religion we varie not neither wil by Gods grace though Satan gladly would bring it so to passe â—nother is that it may bee knowen from time to time that the Religion which al the Protestants in the world doe maintaine is not à seruice of God newlie found-out by Luther Melancton Caluine and others as the Papists vntruely report but is verie ancient and grounded altogether vpon Gods holy worde For this trueth here described is builded not vpon the weake in â—entions of man but vpon the holie scriptures as may easilie appeare The third that it may be more knowen and coÌ„mon then hitherto it hath bine For this is proper to true Religion which thing is not proper either to Poperie or to any sect of heretikes that the more it is knowen the more it is desired the more common the more commended The last is seing how good Christians do both studiouslie reade and also gratefulie accept good Books in our vulgar tongue at this day to giue them an occasion when either for the ignorance negligence or Non residence of their Pastors or for other causes they can not heare y e word preached to inflame their zeales by the reading of this Booke which in al respectes is so necessarie and singular as in mine opinion though there be manie good yet but fewe better Bookes And that it maie be read with more pleasure and vnderstoode with more ease I haue not onlie illustrated the same with the places of Scripture but also diuided the Booke into Chapters the one sheweth the integritie of the doctrine and the other openeth the excellencie of the method And these my labors I am bolde nowe to publishe vnder your name Noble Comitisse moued thereunto partlie by the good reporte generalie giuen of your Honor as one which maketh no smal account both of Christian religion and of them who are Christianlie religious and partelie by that fauour which my selfe haue found at your handes the which I beseech your goodnesse accept wel in worth God almightie euen for his sonnes sake confirme your Ladieship in that truth vntil your liues ende whereof nowe you are not neither neede to be ashamed and graunt to your Honor and to the Right Honourable your husband both the perfect felicitie of this life to your hearts desire and in the worlde to come those thinges which he hath prepared for such as vnfeinedlie doe loue him Amen The fourth of Nouember Anno 1581. At your Honors commandement Thomas Rogers ¶ TO THE HONOrable and for wisdome godlines and vertue the renowmed Lorde Peter Oxe Lord of Gisselfelde Master of the Palace both of the King and also of the Kingdome of Denmarke c. his most gratious Lord and worthie Pation NICHOLAS HEMMINGIUS wisheth al peace safetie and prosperitie in his godlie enterprises HOWE great the darkenes of mans minde is concerning God and his prouidence right Honorable not onelie the infinite sectes in à manner of Philosophers but also the lamentable securitie of verie manie men who by their life and conuersation doe shewe that either they acknowledge no God at al or thinke that God as it is in Homer doth so dallie-out the time among I knowe not what Ethiopians that he hath no leasure to see vnto the state of mankinde doe witnes Such is the darkenes the vanitie of men is such euer since the fal of our first Parentes and mightilie hath it beene confirmed partlie through euil education partlie by the examples of those who doe seeme to excell others both in wisedome and vertue This loathsome darknes none other way caÌ„ be depelled thaÌ„ by the torch of god his world Hitherto keth that question and answere of Dauid Wherewith shal à yong man redresse his waie In taking heede to thy worde Now seeing that as youthis such is age as Salomon saith it foloweth that without the worde of God which is the only remedie for wickednesse the whole life of man is altogether vncleane And that vncleanenes which cleaueth in al men vntil it be through God his worde washed-awaie is not so much à bodily as à spiritual inwarde blot coÌ„sisting of many partes Whereof the firste which is the spring of others is theignorance both of the trueth and of goodnes is compared vnto grosse darkenes and vnto blindnes wherebie the whole soule of man as it were an ouglie monster gropeth in the darke The second is to haue an erronius opinion of heauenly matters to imbrace and loue the same as the most euident trueth As manie Philosophers and heretikes had who by stiffe mainteining opinions touching heauenlie mysteries rushed-headlong into damnation ThaÌ„ which nothing could be more lamentable The thirde is in thought to yeelde vnto wicked affections For as the minde is wickedlie informed So the affection of the minde raised-vp by sinister iudgement is carried-awaie into that which is worst The fourth is to consent vnto sinne after which ensueth an horrible swarme of al manner wickednes as Paul in his first chapter vnto the Romans disputeth vntil man be vtterlie drowned in euerlasting miserie From these lamentable spots the soule of man is
purged by the cleere fountanes of our Sauiour that is by the worde of God Touching the efficacie of which worde of God Dauid speaketh to this effect The Lawe of the Lord is vndefiled refreshing the soules The testimonie of the Lorde is sure and giueth wisedome vnto the simple The statutes of the Lord be right and reioice the heart The commandement of the Lord is pure and giueth light vnto the eies This commendation of Gods word although it be but briefe if you respect the wordes yet is it verie large if you consider the lessons and consolations comprised in the same Which commendation may of right be opposed againste al the furious iudgementes of Epicures Politians Hypocrites and Sycophantes The partes of which commendation are eight al maruelouslie discerning betwene the word of God philosophical or humane doctrines The firste saith he The Lawe of the Lord is vndefiled that is the word of God both in it selfe is pure as that which proceedeth from God himselfe the most pure fountane and also maketh those to bee pure who giue credite therevnto But mans doctrine seeme it neuer so neate and so cleere yet is it not in al respectes cleane neither can it make men cleane The Philosophie of Socrates so bewtified by Plato maie seeme of right before al other Philosophical doctrines to be the best For it containeth verie manie good right sentences concerning God his prouidence and end of man yet is it foulie defiled wheÌ„ Plato by lawes alloweth an vncleane communitie and by deed coÌ„firmeth more horrible wickednes than is of vs to be vttered And therfore both Socrates Plato wheÌ„ they endeuor of one side to purge the soule of maÌ„ on the other theie defile the same with an abhominable wickednes But the word of God or the sound of the Gospel as it is in al respectes pure so it maketh the soule of him who by a liuelie faith embraceth the Gospel pure and perfect it deliuereth him from erronious opinions it replenisheth him with sound iudgement and by the Spirite of Christ raiseth-vp pure affections to which when the wil doth assent the actions both internal outward as most cleere riuers from à most pure fountaine do issue-out The second It refresheth the soules saith Dauid The soules of men are withered with à most grieuous thirst neither can theie be comforted or refreshed before theie haue drunke of the healthful springes of Israel which is the worde of the Gospel For the conscience of sinne doth euermore augmeÌ„t the thirst which nothing but the liquor of the Gospel doth mitigate or take-awaie Of this water the Prophet Zechariah speaketh when he saith And in y t daie shal there waters of life go-out from IerusaleÌ„ that is y e word of the gospel which is that to the soule of man which the most fresh and cleere water is to him that thirsteth Of this speaketh our Lord in y e fourth of Iohn whosoeuer drinketh of the water that I shal giue him shal neuer be more a thirst but the water that I shal giue him shalbe in him à wel of water springing-vp into euerlasting life The third The testimonie of the Lord is sure that is the word of god is no deceiteful testimony coÌ„cerning the wil of god to man-ward For as the voice of the lawe doth witnes that God without respect both of persons of natioÌ„s wil throw together with the deuils his enimies al obstinate impeniteÌ„t sinners into euerlasting darknes tormentes So the voice of the gospel doth testifie how God for his Sons sake wil receiue al men be theie neuer so egregious sinners into his fauor againe that theâ—e may be nuÌ„bred among the heires of eternal blessednes if so be that they beleeue the gospel and with à liuely faith rest vpon the Son of God who hath giuen himselfe à raÌ„some for the sins of the world In respect of this vnchangable rule of God his wil coÌ„mended to vs in his word the word of God is caled Sure the word of the gospel Truth as when it is said The truth shal make you free For the gospel which is the word of truth doth offer Christ the deliuerer of whome it is written If y e son shal mak you free ye shalbe free indeed The 4. it giueth wisedome vnto the simple The wise meÌ„ of this world know nothing of God his wil as they should they vnderstaÌ„d not throughly his works which are to recite the chiefe his wisedome in creating of man his iustice in the fal of maÌ„ his mercie in repairing of maÌ„ his merciful goodnes in conuerting of à sinner theie are ignorant of the difference betweene the houshoulde of God and other sectes theie are ignorant of the waie both to auoide eternal miserie and to obteine euerlasting happines and they be ignorant of the manner howe to serue God which for the most part doth consist in the feare of God whose wisedome is infinite But euen simple ones through the sound of the gospel attaine this wisedome whereas the greatest and most mightie of the world doe miserablie ouerthrow themselues by their selfe wisedome For the word of the Lorde spoken by the Prophet Iremiah shal stand for euer They haue reiected the word of the Lord and what wisedome is in them The fifte The statuts of the Lord be right This saying is to be opposed against the destinies fained out of Zeno his schole For it giueth to vnderstande howe God is no accepter of persons buâ— indifferent to al according to the rule of his decree Hee will doubtlesse the saluation of al men but through the knowledge of the truth As it is written God he wil haue al men shalbe saued and come vnto the knowledge of the truth He wil also that al impenitent persons without respect of any shal vtterlie perish The sixt They reioice the heart This effect of the Gospel is the chiefest good thing which can betide mankinde in this life No doctrine of man can tel how to heale the wounds of conscience For he which is guiltie in his minde of any grieuous crime carrieth about with him day night à witnesse and an accusing conscience which can bee helped by no Philosophie at al. But the sound onelie of the gospel it is that applieth the good plaster and the most present remedie to the wounded conscience while it testifieth howe Christ died for our sinnes and is risen-againe for our iustification how Christ is the ende of the Lawe for righteousnes vnto euerie one that beleeueth And howe Christ calleth those which labor vnto himselfe as vnto the Physition to which he promiseth helpe and that gratis For he as Augustine both godlie and rightly doth saie hath made our offences his offences that his righteousnesse might be our righteousnes So that when our consciences be sprinkeled with the blood of Christ as theie are when wee beleeue in him then are theie purified
fewe attaine-vnto could for all that persuade the people howe theie were to be folowed Hitherto generalie haue we spoken of heauenlie miracles now come we vnto y e markes wherebie diuine are distinguished from diuelish and true from from fained miracles The notes are sixe namelie the truth of the nature the power the manner of doing the efficient cause the cause mouing before it be wrought and the ende By these notes as it were by à touch-stone miracles aswell of Christ and of the Saintes namelie diuine as fained and diabolical as of Magicians and inchanters are to be examined For the first therefore The truth of the essence is to be considered All the miracles of Christ haue the trueth of the essence that is are such in deede as theie seeme to be Lazarus had lien foure daies in the graue stoonk againe therefore without doubt he was dead Therefore Christ raising him from the dead wrought à true miracle in deede For beeing raised he liued truelie he eate and dranke wherebie manie Iewes that knew him marueled much at the miracle Neither was there wanting which sought to kil Lazarus that so theie might either blemishe or denie the dead And therfore it was à true miracle But the miracles of the diuel and of magicians are done by iuggling and deluding the eies as those were in times passed that happened in Epidaurus and els where or by secret and natural philosophie For the diuel who exactlie perfectlie knoweth both the nature power of things can secretlie applie either herbes or stones the effect whereof is counted of ignorant men for a miracle albeit it be the worke of nature The second note whereby true miracles are knowne from false is the power whereby theie are wrought the which if it exceede the power of nature is doubtles diuine and the miracles so done haue God for the author of them This diuine power may diuerslie be seene in the miracles both of the Saintes and of Christ himself First in y e verie action as for y e sūne to staie his course or to returne frō the west vnto the East for a man to walke vpon the waters as vppon drie land which thing we reade our Sauiour to haue done Secondlie in the subiect vppon whom the deede is done as to giue to the blinde sight and life to the dead For nature may giue both light and life too but not either to the blinde or to the dead as our Sauiour did Thirdlie by the order also and manner wherby they are done as suddenlie to cease à tempest and the troubled sea suddenlie to heale the sicke So do we reade our Sauiour Christe to haue commaunded the windes and the sea and the tempests which forth-with obeied him manietymes euen with à becke and suddenlie to haue healed leapers and others Fourthlie by the worker as to behold the heartes of men which thing belongeth onlie vnto God How often I pray you do we reade that Christ sawe the verie cogitations sometyme of his owne disciples somtyme of his aduersaries Fiftlie by the instrument wherwithal the miracle is done as with claie to restore sight to y e blind wheras claie naturalie wil make blinde rather but the Lord vsed claie in healing the blind that the curing might seeme to proceede not from nature but from the God of nature And so Christ did worke al sortes of miracles that if anie man as the mindes of men are very diuers should suspect or not be throughlie persuaded in some one so manie and so diuers were added that now al matter and occasion of doubting is quite remoued so y e none may dout whether y e miracles of Christ were done by the power of God But neither the diuel nor anie other power that is finite can worke such miracles And although manie thinges do seeme to be miracles yet in truth theie are not because they be wrought by the power of nature as by herbs or some other thing which the diuel secretlie can applie And therefore manie thinges are done which are knowen to the skilful in the nature of thinges that y e rude people accounte for miracles as are those thinges which are done by Art magike as aboue also we haue noted The thirde note followeth to wit the maner of working miracles Sometime Christ by onely commanding shewed miracles to declare how he was the Lorde of nature sometime he did so by inuocation to giue men to vnderstand from whome he had all thinges and also to meete with their slander who said that in the name of Beelzebub the chiefe of the diuels he cast-out diuels somtime by y e vse of one thing or another as by clay or spittle to shew that God worketh somtime by meanes somtime with-out means somtime contrarie to the nature of the meanes sometimes thorough the touching of his garment sometime by his onelie pleasure being absent But the illusions of diuels which haue likenes of miracles are done after foolish and verie ridiculous meanes whereby it maie easelie be perceaued who is the author of them For y e diuel that no man maie suspect them to be done by the power of nature commandeth wordes to be vsed that agree nothing at al to the matter as if an horse be to be healed these wordes are to be said The sea is salt and frosen in the Winter and some such thing more absurd Somtime y t woulfe putteth on à lambes skin and wil haue the wordes of the holie Scripture to be vsed as some verse of the Psalter to be recited or à sentence out of the Gospel to be hung about y e necke or à Masse or moe to be said somtime he wil haue beanes or other things to be put vnder an holie clout of lynen But who can bring al his toies into remembrance the which are better knowen to the bond-slaues of Satan than to the godlie The 4. note is the efficient cause Christ at no time sought occasion to work miracles but alwaies vsed y e occasiō offered He tooke neither time nor place to shewe his cunning but suddenlie alwaies according to the matter ministred But y e diuel deluders of the simple seeke both time place conuenient for their iuggling and haue their certain preparations Againe Christ who excelled in true holines wrought miracles both by him selfe by his good and godlie disciples but Satan doth his fained miracles by wicked by naughtie persōs witches vncleane men by wisemen by fairies by the reprobate who no man can doubt doe worke by guile and fradulentlie The fifte note is the cause mouing before the thing be don The Sonne of God other good men at no time respected their own cōmoditie but the profite of others y t it might appeare how in their miracles they sought not their own glorie but were brought
nothing else but an absoluing of the beleeuing man from sinne an imputing of the righteousnesse of Christ and à free accepting vnto euerlasting life for Christ his sake And whosoeuer shal patch his owne merite with Christs as either à part or à cause or consummation of righteousnesse is doubtlesse out of the waie according vnto that of Paul vnto the Romanes Being ignorant of the righteousnesse of God and going about to stablish their owne righteousnesse they haue not submitted themselues to the righteousnes of God For Christ is the ende of the lawe for righteousnesse vnto euerie one that beleeueth Wherefore abide we in the way of Christ his merite least with the vnbeleeuing Iewes and idolatrous Papistes we vtterlie forgoe righteousnes and saluation Howe is he the waie by example In proposing himselfe for à paterne of godlines according to that I haue giuen you an example that ye shoulde doe euen as I haue done to you Againe Loue ye one another as I haue loued you I am the light of the worlde he that foloweth me shal not walke in darkenes but shal haue the light of life Nowe he doeth folowe Christ who both embraceth his doctrine and resteth vpon his merite and placeth the example of Christ as à light before him Then by doctrine Christ doeth illuminate the minde that he may shewe the father by merite he doeth iustifie and by his example prescribeth à rule to liue by so that iustlie he deserueth to be called the onelie waie of saluation and happines Howe is Christ the trueth He is the truth both in fulfilling the prophecies and in performing promises and finalie in giuing true libertie and freedome For firste al the prophecies of the prophets and figures of the olde Testament are fulfilled in him according vnto that of Iohn The lawe was giuen by Moses but grace and trueth came by Iesus Christ that is what Moses hath shadowed by figures Christ in trueth hath fulfilled Againe he doth constantlie kepe promise He hath promised to be with his Church he giueth an euident token that he is present by his wonderful preseruing y e same amiddes the rage of Satan his limmes He hath promised that the gates of hel shal not ouercome the Church which promise he keepeth faithfullie Finalie he is the trueth also in giuing true libertie Hitherto is that of Iohn If yee continue in my wordâ— ye shal know the trueth and the truth shal make you free that is of the seruants of sinne he wil make you the free sonnes of God so that sinne can haue no more power ouer you And this was it which afterwarde in the same chap. is said If the sonne shal make you free you shal be free in deed And the sonne maketh free when he endueth man with his spirit according to the saieng Where the spirit of the Lord is there is libertie Howe is Christ the life By regenerating sanctifieng and glorifieng By regenerating because through his spirit he regenerateth vs into new men For through beleeuing we by à certaine secret blast and working of the spirit of Christ are borne the children of God according to that saieng He gaue power to be the sonnes of God euen to them that beleue in his name The greeke word in that place signifieth not so much à power as à preheminence And therfore Nonnus did aptlie expresseth it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is à celestial honor or preheminence Howe this new spiritual natiuitie commeth to passe Christ teacheth Iohn 3. The wind bloweth where it listeth and thou hearest the sounde thereof but canst not tel whence it commeth so is euerie man that is borne of the spirite that is As nothing of the wind is perceiued but through the blast and sound so we be regenerated after an hidden forme wheÌ„ we beleeue but that regeneration is perceaued through the power and working of the holy spirit in the man regenerate A notable token of this newe regeneration is Baptisme Furthermore here woulde be considered the coÌ„parison betweene the life of nature and the life of grace the more to stir vs vp vnto the loue of the life of grace The life of nature is verie short but the life of grace is the beginning of immortalitie As an image hath the shape and not the substance So this present life hath nothing permanent nothing of continuance And therefore Paul doeth saie The fashioÌ„ of this world goeth-away for this present life hath manie sudden changes But the life of grace wherebie we are the sonnes of God hath the thinges which euermore abide and continue The present life is caled à natural life but the life of grace is à diuine life as witnesseth the Apostle The present life is excluded out of Paradise but the life of grace is entered into the spiritual paradise wherefore henceforth beware we of trappes least againe deceaued of the old serpent we be excluded out of Paradise Againe Christ is the life by sanctifieng For the regenerate more and more dailie by the power of y e death resurrection of Christ are mortified in the flesh and quickened in y e spirit For so saith y e Apostle Know ye not that al we which haue ben baptized in to Iesus Christ haue beene baptized into his death We are buried then with him by baptisme into his death that like as Christ was raised-vp from the dead by the glorie of the father so wee also shoulde walke in newnes of Therefore that the fleshe is mortified in vs it is done by the vertue of Christe his death that the spirite is quickened it is by the efficacie of Christ his resurrection This mortification and this quickening be partes of sanctification whereunto the Apostle testifieth we are called This sanctification or separation of man from the vncleanesse of the gentiles through the mortification of the fleshe and coâ—iuÌ„ction of him with God through y e quickening of the spirit is y e renuing or repairing of the image of God in man Wherefore as the image of Caesar in coine putteth men in minde what is due to Caesar So this image of God doeth admonish man what he bearing this image of God oweth to God Last of al he is called the life by glorifieng For by his owne power he shal raise vs vp being vp-raised he wil endue vs with immortal glorie For they are both the benefites of Christ to wit both the raising-vp of the dead and the giuing of eternal life wherein wee shal be conformable to him worlds without end This likenesse of the Church with Christ which is the coniunction and knitting of him with God is mans perfect felicitie yea and the ende of man For if that be mans ende which maketh him perfect and blessed so that he shal neither want nor wish any thing and is therefore named the ende because it pertaineth vnto
thinges to do First they shoulde washe themselues with water whereby was signified howe by nature they themselues being vncleane were to be cleansed by spiritual water which Christ the chiefe Prieste alone doeth sprincle an effectual badge whereof Baptisme is Then they were to put-on garments not their owne but the priestlie garments which thing betokened the innocencie of Christe wherewithal being cleansed and cloathed with his blood they doe seeme righteous and bewtiful in the presence of God After that they were annointed whereby the spiritual ointment wherewithal they are annointed for Prophetes kings and priestes and whereby they maie be effectualie taught concerning the vertue of Christ his benefites is signified Lastlie they filled their handes that is they sacrificed for then obedience doeth please God when it is shewen of thē who are purged through faith cloathed with the righteousnes of Christ and vncted with Gods holie spirite When they offered burnt offeringes they were admonished to offer vp thēselues spiritualie to God Wherevnto Paul in his 12. chapter vnto the Romanes had regarde When these partes of liuing creatures as the kidneie the liuer the fat which partes of al others are prone vnto concupiscence were sacrificed they were put in minde of killing wicked lustes and concupiscence that they might addict themselues al whole to the seruice of God The parting of the beastes did giue them to learne howe they shoulde cut the worde of God aright and applie the same according to y e condition of men which thing Paul seemeth to point-at when he commandeth to deuide the worde of trueth aright Of the double signification of the altar we haue spoken alreadie Neither maie we ouerpasse howe it was decreed that neither leauen nor honie shoulde be vsed in sacrifices but that they shoulde besprincle euerie sacrifice with salt For as we be admonished by leauen that malice is to be excluded according to the teaching of the Apostle and by honie that al hypocrisie must be laid-awaie So the salte doeth signifie that al workes ought to be seasoned with spiritual wisdome faith and praier otherwise they wil not please God Moe notes of this matter you maie reade in our Commentarie vpon the Epistle vnto the Hebrewes CHAP. 22. 1. Of the original cause of idolatrie 2. Of the diuerse Gods in times passed 3. Festiual daies 4. and sacrifices among the Gentiles AFore we come vnto the sacrifices of the Gentiles wee wil saie somewhat concerning their Gods and their sundrie feastes that thereby we maie cal into minde both what an horrible punishment the blindnes of such as depart from God is and what à great and vnspeakeable benefite it is to haue the worde of God which not onelie sheweth to vs the true God but also prescribeth a right forme of seruing God whereby wee maie bee led through the kingdome of the grace of Christ in this life vntil we shal attaine vnto y e marke y t is vnto glorious immortalitie where we shal be conformable to Christ our Lorde for euermore which conformitie is the repairing of the image of God in vs and the last ende of our creation and reparation through the son of God our onelie redeemer In the 31. chapter of Genesis mention is made of the Gods of the Gentiles where Laban vnto his sonne in lawe doth saie Wherefore hast thou stolne my goods Whereof wee maie gather that the worde of the promise being obscured among the posteritie of Noah foorth-with they inuented strange Gods and fained worshippinges For seeing as Cicero doth saie There is no people neither so vnciuil nor so sauage but although they be ignoraunt which is the true God yet they knowe that some God is to be worshipped hauing lost the true God and his worde they made to themselues fained Gods which thing Paul doeth pronounce was the punishment of their neglecting the true God when he saith Because that when they knewe God they glorified him not as God neither were thankeful but became vaine in their imaginations and their foolish heart was ful of darkenes When they professed themselues to be wise they became fooles For they turned the glorie of the vncorruptible God to the similitude of the image of à corruptible man of birds and fourefooted beastes and creeping thinges Wherefore also God gaue them vp to their heartes lustes vnto vncleanes to defile their owne bodies betweene themselues which turned the trueth of God vnto à lie and worshipped and serued the creature forsaking the creator which is blessed for euer So then idolatrie and the inuention of fained Gods is the iust punishment of apostasie from the true God And this was it which y e same Apostle doth saie Therfore God shal send thē strong delusiō that they should beleue lies that al they might be damned which beleeued not the truth but had pleasure in vnrighteousnes Hitherto of the occasion and cause of idolatrie among the Gentiles nowe ad we somewhat concerning the diuers Gods which they had The posteritie of Noah being grosse rude did not worship God the creator and gouernor of the worlde but the things which to the sight appeared goodlie and wonderful in their blockish and most dul iudgementes they tooke for Gods This error flowed from the parentes vnto the children daielie more and more encreasing through continuance of time it waxed strong The ages folowing deemed it impietie to resist the same For the posteritie thinke they doe owe that reuerence to their predecessors which children do to their parentes euen as many at this daie wil not depart from Poperie because of the reuerence y t they beare to their forefathers And therefore some because of their goodlie shew greatnes worshipped the heauens the starres the Sunne Moone elementes Some did number brute beastes of whome they reaped anie commoditie among the Gods so did the Egyptians oxen cats serpents Some ascribed diuine honor to men either in respect of benefites or for feare or for flatterie Some accounted euen the foule diuels for Gods And others esteemed Palenes Feare the Ague and such like for Gods Al those through the great most miserable calamitie of mankind were called and counted Gods But to speake onlie of men admitted into the companie of y e Gods that was extreeme madnes of theirs to choose them as they did not for their noble virtues but for their notable egregious vices as they did epicures wantons harlots adulterers and them which had ben most shamfulie defiled with y e incest euen of their owne mothers their owne sisters their owne daughters The father of y e Gods they faine somtime in y e shape of à bul somtime of an Eagle somtime of a swane somtime of à golden fleece to be disguised so to haue defloured defiled virgins women They say Mercurie y e president of sweet speech changed himselfe into à goate to obteine his desired pleasure with Venus what should
I make mention either of Apollos heate or of the in temperancie of Daphnie the virgin What shoulde I tel howe the same Apollo embraced the bodie of à senselesse baie-tree through vntemperate lust Howe Proserpina was stolne-awaie by Pluto Howe the mother Ceres did wander For these Gods the Diuel enimie to mankinde instituted festiual daies solemne ceremonies and popular banketes to bee kept euerie one hauing à seueral title or name To Iupiter Panthea to Iuno Herea to Minerua Panathenea Dionysia to Father Bacchus to Ceres Eleusinia and Tesmophoria Delia to Apollos and Phithia Hermea to Mercurie to Neptune Posidonia to Hercules Heraclea Aesclepia and Panasia to Aesculapius were dedicated At these feastes of the Gods al manner wickednes was committed and wine so immoderatlie quaffed-vp that the next daie they woulde be sicke of surfetting yea such as at al other times abhorred dronkenes at these feastes woulde commende the same as an holie worke And thereof the Greeke word that signifieth dronkenes did spring For Methe is nothing else but as it were Metha to thuein y t is after sacrifices And because of the paine proceding from surfetting the next daie after the feast was called Episda Whereof the name is translated vnto the time of reuengement for the wickednes before committed Other things cōmitted at these bankets were so abhominable that for shame I cannot vtter them wherefore let vs come vnto the sacrifices themselues Some did sacrifice frankencense to their Gods others wine and hearbes afterward in processe of time they offered sometime euen whole flockes of shepe sometime an hundred bullocks Whereof came that name Ekatombe which Homer vseth Some did sacrifice euen whole heards of oxen also And at the length through the instigation of sathan that murtherer who by his oracles seduced the mindes of men they came to that passe that they sacrificed men Through which madnesse not one man alone nor one countrie onelie but euen verie manie nations were driuen to thinke that the Gods were pacified by the offering of mans fleshe Diogenes as Theophilus doeth report persuaded children to slaie their owne parentes in sacrifices and to eat their flesh It was à custome among y e Grecians at the yeerlie feastes of Bacchus to sacrifice quicke men The Lacedemonians did offer to Mars the fleshe of men The same people with other nations in y e time of à dearth or of war did run vnto the sacrifice of men as vnto à last refuge Wherof it came that when Eumoiphus king of Thracia had inuaded Grecia with an armie the king of Grecia fearing both himselfe and his people sent messengers to know y e oracle of Apollo that was of à foule and wicked spirite and to craue howe the God offended might be pacified to whome the oracle made aunswere that by the sacrificing of the kings daughter if her owne parents did kil her before they encountered with the enimie the wrath of the God would be pacified When Erechtheus the king and Praxithea his wife heard this aunswere they foorth-with did offer their murthered daughter vnto the diuel and therevpon encountered with the enemie and draue him from their kingdome Aristodemus in like sort killed his onlie daughter for the welfare of his countrie It is reported how that Aristomenes Misenius at one sacrifice killed 300. men The Herodians and Cretensians at the feast dais did offer to Saturne à dronken man boies vnder y e age of fourteene yeres The Phenices Carthagenians likewise did sacrifice to Saturne y e yong children of Aldermē set-out in princelie apparel and for neglecting this oblation after they were ouer-come of Agathocles to pacifie the God offended at one time they offered vnto the diuel 200. sonnes of noble men The Romanes were of opinion that Saturne and Iupiter Latialis were pleased with the sacrificing of men and besprincled the images of them with mans bloode The Britanes for à long while did vse to sacrifice the blood of captiues in their sutes to y e Gods The French-men when they waged battel did flee vnto the sacrificing of men The Germans likewise by à barbarous custome thought it à great point of Gods seruice to sacrifice mans bloode to Mercurie So the Cimbrians bounde to stakes giltie persons which they kept for y e nonce and offered them to their Gods for sacrifices The◠Amonites which bordered vpon y e Iewes offered their sonnes their daughters to the idol Moloch y e which as some Hebrewes doe giue out was an holowe image made of brasse wherein children were included that fire beeing put there-vnder they might bee consumed Other nations there-about did vse this sacrifice after another custome For hauing builded set-on fire two piles of wood they draue their sonnes and their daughters into the flames of fire and so long did enforce them to goe vp and downe in the flame vntil they died This barbarous ceremonie did Achas and Manasse kinges of the Iewes imitate and that by the example of Mesa king of the Moabites naught regarding the cōmandement of God to the contrarie in Leuiticus chapter 18 and 20. Which crueltie the Lorde by the prophet Ieremiah doeth condemne Ieremie 7. where it is thus written They haue built the hie place of Topheth which is the valleie of Ben-Humon to burne their sonnes and their daughters in the fire which I commanded them not neither came it in mine hearte For the wicked hypocrites did thinke that if calues for à burnt sacrifice did please God the oblation of their sons for à burnt sacrifice would much sooner please him And if God was delighted with the obedience of Abrahā which offered his sonne Isaak whie should hee not like also the oblation of our children And so by their blind vnderstanding they presumed to correct the manifest commaundement of God which in expresse words forbiddeth to sacrifice of their seede to the idole Moloch But what maie be learned hereby We maie learne two thinges First how extreeme the crueltie of sathan vpon mankinde is and how greate the darkenes of mans minde is when they are destitute of Gods worde For then they be carried from one idolatrie vnto another and from one sinne vnto another vntil blinded in al maner wickednes and impietie they delight themselues euen in their owne filthines which doubtles is an horrible punishment of defection from God and from his worde Secondlie we who by the worde of God are deliuered from the tyrannie of sathan and from the mistie darkenes of ignorance hereby haue occasion offered vs continualie both to praise God for his goodnes toward vs and to praie him earnestlie not to suffer vs to fal into olde or such like darkenes For according to y e doctrine of Paul God doth send them strong delusiō that they should beleue lies and be deliuered ouer into à reprobate minde which wil not beleeue the trueth CHAP. 23. 1. Of papistical sacrifices 2. of consecration of Popish Priestes THe Popedome or
man woulde worship the water either to be sprincled vpon à man to be baptized or sprincled alreadie and reserued for worship sake Nowe whereas the Papistes doe attribute to the reciting of the wordes of the supper virtue to transsubstantiate to speake as they do the elements surelie they haue learned that of the Magicians and witches rather than of Christ. For he alone it is and none other that by his diuine power worketh in the supper by the hands of his ministers reacheth to vs when wee doe communicate his verie bodie and his verie blod after an vnsearchable maner And wheras in reformed Churches the ministers of the Gospel doe pronounce the historie of the institution of the supper with à loude voice in à knowen tongue they doe it not that anie virtue by that reciting shoulde passe-ouer into the elementes but otherwise for à most holie and profitable purpose For they know nothing is more comfortable to the godlie than to heare the historie of the instituted supper which containeth the causes of the institutiō and commendeth to them the greate loue betweene Christ and his Church And therefore as the Papistes by mumbling with themselues the wordes of the supper commit hainous sacriledge by keeping close the doctrine of Gospel the summe whereof is contained in the historie of the institution of the supper So doe I iudge it an intollerable thing sorelie to be punished if anie woulde celebrate the Lord his supper without repeating the historie of the same taken either out of the Euangelistes or out of Paul Here some perchance wil arise saie in the celebration of the supper in the reformed Churches y e bread is cōmonlie adored euen as in y e papacie Herevnto I doe thus answere If anie in our Churches do worship the bread and the cup he sticketh as yet in à papistical error from which he is to be reuoked by the godlie ministers of the Gospel Then I distinguish betwene the worship of the bread and the reuerence towarde the maiestie of Christ present in the supper which reuerence we do testifie by bowing the knee and by outward gestures of the bodie while we are occupied in the celebration of the supper The which reuerence as I iudge it laweful and godlie and commended to vs by the Apostle Paul so I doe thinke the worship of the breade and of the wine is wicked prophane both because we haue no cōmandemēt to doe without which à godlie minde can appoint nothing in religion and also because it is meere presumption as that which is not cōtent with that vse of the sacrament which the Lorde requireth The sixt It is contrarie to the institution and nature of the Lorde his supper that one seueralie by himselfe shoulde haue à banket without moe communicants For thus doeth Paul saie When ye come together into one place this is not to eate the Lordes supper For euerie man when they shoulde eate taketh his owne supper afore Againe as no man can baptise himselfe alone So neither is it lawful for à priest to minister the Lordes supper priuatelie to himselfe alone If then this Lordes supper be not à priuate banket surelie in vaine do those sacrificers vaunt howe with fiue wordes they can pluck-downe the bodie of Christ from heauen vpon their altar For y e bodie blood of Christ is onelie in y t place where the institution of Christ is maintained and the communion according to the institutiō It is needful then that at the least there be one to minister and another to receaue The seauenth By the helpe of this masse the kingdome of Antichrist which was erected by the diuel is augmented established For the storehouse of al vngodlie worshippings whereby the kingdome of Antichrist is vp-holden is the masse Which therefore the more forceablie doeth deceaue because it hath à forme quite contrarie to y e nature therof For it seemeth goodlie whereas nothing is more abhominable The eight The application of the masse for the dead y t they maie be deliuered frō purgatorie is à meere diuelish inuention For no man is forgiuen without he haue faith wherfore they most horriblie deface the glorie of Christ which do faine that that offering doth merite that remission of sinnes for the deade Furthermore al which depart out of this life doe depart either in faith or without faith In in faith they are blessed according to that Blessed are the dead which die in the Lorde And Peter saith The end of faith is the saluation of soules But if they die without faith the sentence of Christ standeth sure He that beleeueth not on the sonne the wrath of God abideth on him So then there is à double waie to wit à waie of saluation which is of the faithful and à waie of death or damnation which is of al such as refuse in this worlde to beleeue on Christ. Where then is purgatorie frō whence the soules by masses be redeemed for monie Notwithstanding albeit the trueth touching the idolatrous masse of Papistes bee not vnknowen to the Church of God yet the Papistes to shew that they haue some ground doe obiect three thinges as buclers for their defence For first they bring-out the deede of Melchizedech Secondlie they oppose à place of Malachie touching the sacrifice to come among the Gentiles with the like Lastlie they doe amplifie the worthines of the people of the new Testamēt But what force they are of let vs brieflie consider The deede of Melchizedech from whence the Papistes do seeke to haue their cause countenanced is thus described Gen. 14. And Melchi-zedek king of Shalem brought-foorth breade and wine and hee was à Priest of the most high God Therefore he blessed him saieng Blessed art thou Abraham of God most high Hence do they most impudentlie inferre that Priestes must offer to God bread and wine for peace offeringes With as good a consequent might one make this argument Philip is in Spaine therefore the sea is sweet For first they doe corruplie reade He offered for He brought-foorth and in place of the particle And they reade For. Wherby they testifie who is their master euē the diuel the corrupter and slanderer of gods worde Secondlie they doe verie naughtilie distinguish the thinges which are to be compounded and mingled the thinges that are to be distinguished For there be two distinct members of the narration in Moses The former is of the king his deed The latter of the priest his deed Melchi-zedek brought-forth bread wine you haue the king and his deed And he was à Priest of the most high God therefore he blessed him Where you haue the priest and his deed Melchi-zedek therefore in bringing forth bread and wine showed himselfe a liberal king whereby he would refresh the wearied host of Abraham And in blessing Abraham he shewed himself a Priest For it was the office of Priestes to blesse the
smal importance y t by a little holie water they may be washed-away I omit them in like sort who dream that by the Popes pardons by Masses sinnes be redeemed by which toies the Popes kingdome is encreased vpholden and preserued both to the great dishonor of God and the most certaine destruction of infinite soules Thirdlie of the due waying of sinne this also followeth y t no pure creature could satisfie the iustice of God make amendes for the offence and restore man to his former happinesse where-from he did fall through sin And therfore Christ was faine in the flesh to take our cause vpon him selfe and to satisfie the iustice of God And although this wrath of God as we haue shewed be infinite yet is it tempered with mercie as the Prophet Habakuk doth saie In wrath remember mercie And Theodoret It is the propertie of God by the temperature of mercie to mitigate his iustice But of this mercie we are nowe to speake CHAP. 32. 1. The great mercie of God toward miserable man 2. Where-unto it may fitlie be compared AFter the due examination both of mans miserie and of the wrath of God against wickednes the infinite mercie of God which is the foundation of our turning vnto him is to be caled into minde God is saide to be merciful not because he is subiect to perturbations and griefe of mind as man is but for that of his meere goodnes loue he helpeth mans miserie For the mercie of God issueth out of loue and loue from the likenes which man hath with God being formed according to his image and similitude This mercie of God toward man is diuerslie painted-out in the Scriptures and the force thereof is commended to vs by sundrie comparisons First it is compared to the kindnesse of à mother towarde her tender babe For so saith Isaiah Can à woman forget her childe and not haue compassion on the sonne of her wombe Though she should forget yet will not I forget thee And in the 103. Psalme it is likened to the natural kindenesse of à Father As à father it is there saide hath compassion on his children so hath the Lorde compassion on them that feare him Of this naturall affection of parentes toward their children the worde Mercie in the Hebrue tongue is deriued And therefore Zacharie saide Through the tender mercie therebie to expresse the force of the Hebrue worde and the affection of God taking pitie Secondly this mercie of God is compared by Isaiah to mountaines and valeies where he saieth The mountaines shal remoue and the hils shal fal downe but my mercie shal not depart from thee neither shal the couenant of my peace fall awaie saith the Lorde that hath compassion vpon thee Thirdlie it is likened to the largenesse of the earthe as in the Psalme The earth is ful of the goodnes of the Lord. Fourthlie it is likened to the hie heauens in the 103. Psalme As hie as the heauen is aboue the earth so great is his mercie toward them that feare him Fiftlie it is compared to the ornament of à Kings throne In mercie shal the throne be prepared and he shal sit vpon it in stedfastnesse Sixtlie it is compared to à cloude of raine in the time of drought Eccles. 35. Oh how faire à thing is the mercie of God in the time of anguish and trouble It is like à cloude of raine that commeth in the time of drought Seuenthlie it is compared to à buckler or weapon of warre Psalme 103. Who redeemeth thy life from the graue and crowneth thee with mercie and compassions that is compasseth on all sides And Psalme 5. Thou with fauour wilt compasse him as with a shielde Eightly it is preferred before life it selfe than the which nothing is deemed better or sweeter Psal. 63. Thy louing kindnesse is better than life Ninthlie it is preferred aboue all other workes of God Psalme 145. The Lord is good to all and his mercies are ouer all his workes Last of all it is compared euen to the maiestie of God himselfe For so saith Ecclesiasticus As his greatnes is so is his mercie As if he should say In God there is souereign maiestie linked with souereigne mercie by the one whereof he hath power to do what he list by the other he hath will to preserue his chosen And although God by manie argumentes commendeth his mercie vnto vs yet the chiefest is that he gaue his sonne Iohn 3. God so loued the world that he hath giuen his onely begotten sonne that who so euer beleeueth in him should not perish but haue euerlasting life Rom. 5. God setteth-out his loue toward vs seeing that while we were yet sinners That is not conuerted vnto God Christe died for vs. Rom. 8. God spared not his owne Sonne but gaue him for vs al. To be briefe No creature is able sufficiently to commend this mercie of God flowing out of entire goodnes and loue The wisedome of the world is not touched with mercy toward the transgressors but toward the vnfortunate and such as do seeme vniustly to be afflicted For so saith Cicero They are to be pitied who are in miserie for fortune not for their offences But the wisedome of God doth helpe transgressors and the greatest sinners if so be they repent For grace proceeding from mercie aboundeth ouer sinne And Augustine doth say Greater is God his mercie than the miserie of all sinners So that Dauid not without cause doeth adhorte vs to praise God for this his infinie mercie Al nations saith he Praise ye the Lorde all yee people praise him For his louing kindnes is great towarde vs and the trueth of the Lorde endureth for euer But here some maie well obiect and saie the mercie of God in deede is great but for al that it hath an impossible condition annexed For so saith the Lord himselfe who cannot lie I will shewe mercy vnto thousandes to them that loue me and keepe my commandements This promise of God without Christe is plainlie to none effect because a condition of impossibilitie is added therevnto For no man by his owne strength can fulfil the commandements of God notwithstanding in Christe it is possible and effectual vnto a thousand generations of Christ that is to al who are borne the sonnes of God in Christ. For as he is the ende of the lawe for righteousnesse vnto euerie one tha◠beleeueth so al the promises of God in him are yea and Amen as Paule saith Hitherto belongeth that in Exodus The Lord the Lord God is mercifull and gratious and aboundant in goodnes and trueth who reserueth mercie for thousandes forgiuing iniquitie transgression sinne Neither maie it be douted y t God when he made this promise did signifie howe both Christe should be the fulfiller of the lawe and that al which desire the mercie promised must runne
vnto Christ that as they should finde the lawe fulfilled in him so they should be made partakers of the promised mercie And therefore this promise of mercie hath one conditiō fro the law without Christ to wit touching y e fulfilling of y e law another in Christ name lie of faith wherbie the end of the law which is righteousnes is obteined So that as manie as beleue haue righteousnes which is as much as y e law requireth Wherof the promise of mercie is ratified and confirmed to them and this is that couenant whereof the 25. Psalme doth speake Al the pathes of the Lorde are mercie and truth vnto such as kepe his couenant and his testimonies that is as another Psalme doth expound it Mercie shal compasse him that trusteth in the Lord. The mercie then of GOD is moderated according vnto the rule of iustice when it is exhibited to such as repent For this iustice of God is à perpetual rule that as he wil condemne such as be rebellious without al pitie and mercie so he wil of his infinite mercie saue as manie as turne vnto the Lord. This rule of God his iustice is to be thought vpon when we reade in the Psalmes that Dauid praied God that he would heare him for his righteousnes ◠For three thinges together came into his minde namelie the promise of mercie the free pardon of his sinnes and the price wherebie the iustice of God is satisfied namelie by the sacrifice of his Sonne for he is vniust that hauing receiued à raunsome wil not set free the captiue and by the merite of Christ wherebie we are iustified before God being conuerted vnto him through faith Whence it is that if he should not heare them which repent and forgiue their offences he should be vniust as one that dealeth against the rule of his own iustice that denieth his promise that would accept no ransome nor regarde the righteousnes of his sonne wherebie he did merite fauour for vs. So that Dauid after his adulterie murder and betraieng the hoste of God did craue mercie and remission of his sinnes through faith and among other reasons brought this in for one That thou maiest be iust when thou speakest that is that men maie confesse thee iust for keeping thy wordes whereby thou promisedst pardon to as many as repent CHAP. 33. 1. Of Christe his wonderful obedience to his Father for our saluation 2. The fruite thereof NExt vnto the mercie of God we are to consider the wonderfull obedience of Christ which would vouchsafe to take our cause vpon himselfe and feele the wrath of God to deliuer vs from eternall death Of this obedience Paule vnto the Philippians on this wise Who being in the forme of God thought it no roberie to be equal with God but he made himselfe of no reputation and tooke on him-selfe the form of à seruant was made like vnto men was found in shape as à man He humbled him selfe became obedient vnto the death euen the death of the crosse Here Paul entreateth of the vnspeakeable obedience of the sonne of God and because equals cannot properly be said to obey one another but inferiors their betters Paule sheweth howe the sonne beeing of one essence and power with the Father did humble him selfe taking to himselfe the nature of man wherein he became obedient to the Father euen vnto the death of the crosse And in the 10. Chapter of the Epistle vnto the Hebrues out of the 40. Psalme Because it is vnpossible that the bloud of Buls and Goates should take away sinnes Wherefore when he commeth into the world he saith Sacrifice and offering thou wouldest not but à bodie thou hast ordeined me In burnt offeringes and sinne offeringes thou hast had no pleasure Then I saide Loe I come In the beginning of the Booke it is written of me that I should do thy will O God Isaiah 53. He was offered euen because he would But with this obedience how agreeth that prayer thrice repeated in the garden O my Father if it be possible let this cup passe fro me neuerthelesse not as I wil but as thou wilt This praier seemeth to import that the wil of the sonne differed yea and was contrarie also to the Fathers wil. For the Fathers wil was that he should drinke of the cup which he had prepared And the sonne desireth that the same cup if it were possible might passeawaie This obiection is aunswered by the wordes of our Lord afterward in the same Chapter vttered The spirit in deed is willing but the flesh is weake So that what he would not through y e weaknesse of the flesh the which naturalie without offence dreadeth death the same he wold through the willingnesse of the spirite wherbie he was obedient to the Father And thus doth Cyril also distinguish the same when he saith That the passion of the Crosse was not voluntarie to Christ and againe was voluntarie for the fathers wil and for our saluation you maie easilie perceiue by this praier O my Father if it be possible let this cup passe from me For as the word of God is God and naturalie the verie life no man wil saie that anie waie he feared death but beeing made flesh he permitteth fleshe to suffer that which belongeth to flesh and therefore as verie man he dreadeth death standing at the dores Here an other question doth arise what obtained Christ by his praieng The Epistle vnto the Hebrewes maketh answere He was hearde in that which he feared for the paines of death being remoued awaie he ouercame those conflictes The fruite of this wonderful obedience of the sonne of God is our iustificatton and saluation As by one mans disobedience saith Paul manie were made sinners so by the obedience of one shal manie be made righteous The Apostle highlie extolling this obedience doth saie Christ when we were yet of no strength at his time died for the vngodlie Doubtlesse one wil scarse die for a righteous man but yet for a good man it maie be that one dare die But no tongue can vtter nor minde conceaue howe greate the obedience of the sonne of God was who deriued the wrath of God vpon himselfe and put himselfe into our place to suffer the paines due vnto vs for our saluation Christ hath redeemed vs from the cursse of the lawe when he was made a cursse for vs. Againe He hath made him to be sinne for vs which knew no sinne that we should be made the righteousnes of God in him CHAP. 34. 1. The greeuousnes of the paines which Christ endured for our sakes 2. What theie signified WIth this obedience would be considered both the greeuousnes of the pain which the sonne of God endured for our sakes both in minde and in bodie and also the reproche against his person The griefe of minde Christe doth testifie when he
watering of the newe plantes springing-vp in the Church So that à Martyr in suffering doeth not suffer for himselfe onelie as Ambrose saith but also for euerie man For himselfe hee suffereth to bee crowned for euerie man hee suffereth to giue them an example For himselfe to his rest for euerie man to their welfare And although the verie feare of GOD onelie bee à sufficient cause why that Martyrs shoulde endure tormentes couragiouslie for the feare of God shoulde worke so that wee must contemne all other feares after the example of y e Apostles who at the first being sharpelie whipped greeued no whit thereat but triumphed sorowed not but reioiced that they were counted worthie to suffer rebuke for the name of Iesus yet the auncient writers doe make foure causes of the same which they mention on this wise The loue of Christ commaundeth Fortitud◠ouercommeth feare Faith confirmeth the mind patience endureth But in à Martyr I require these thinges in order The firste is à firme knowledge and demonstration of the doctrine of the Church the seconde a liuelie faith in Christ the thirde a constant confession and defence of the doctrine the fourth courage of mind to beare the crosse the fifth obedience or patience vnder the crosse the sixte an inuincible hope the seauenth inuocation of GOD to which together with the cause he shoulde commende his soule All which are euident in Stephan the Proto-martyr For neither as Augustine saith can they haue the life of Martyrs who haue not the liues of Christians seeing it is not the punishment but the cause that maketh à Martyr Wherefore the punishment of Anabaptistes and other obstinate heretikes is not martyrdome but a iust punishment due to them by God and the lawes Manie fanatical heads indeede approch without feare vnto the tormentes but it is because they are deluded by Sathan who endeuoreth by their paines to confirme erroneous opinions vnto the destruction of the Church And therefore let vs duelie consider the cause whie we suffer martyrdome least through the delusiōs of y e diuel we be bewitched for to suffer persecutiō to be in prison to be whipped to be kept frō libertie to be killed is no praise but this is praiseworthie to haue a good cause For y e praise consisteth in y e goodnes of cause not in the bitternesse of punishment Neither would I haue anie man for some certaine opinion not contrarie to the foundation of religion to bring himselfe into danger especialie if the iudgementes of the godlie which agree-together in the grounde are diuerse which notwithstanding maie stande without shaking the foundation I meane the article of faith Heere happilie some enquirer of the iudgementes of GOD maie demaunde howe it commeth to passe that God beeing most righteous can suffer his sainctes whome most entirelie hee doeth loue to bee torne after such an horrible sorte and to be mangled and deformed with such contumelies and that of Sathan and his members Heere wee must open the eie not of reason but of faith not the sense of fleshe but of the spirit must be consulted withal that we maie clerelie beholde the trueth and knowe that nothing commeth to the Sainctes of God without his prouidence vnder the shadow whereof they are couered I confesse indeede it is à trim sight for the Diuel to see Abel murthered of his owne brother Daniel cast into the Lyons denne Iob spoiled of his goodes and replenished with botches Steuen to bee stoned yea and all the sainctes with tormentes and shame to bee executed to death But I confesse too that in the eies of God who testifieth that in his sight the death of his Saintes is pretious it is à much more goodlie sight yet not of it selfe but in respect of the euent And therefore both God and the diuel also wil the punishment of the saintes but not both alike but with à diuers affection and purpose For God of mercie suffereth his Saintes to be afflicted but the diuel persecuteth them of malice God that theie maie be crowned the diuel that theie maie be confoūded God as à Father the diuel as à tyran and hangman God for his owne glorie the diuel to his owne confusion Of these causes Augustine speaketh on this wise Euerie wicked man in himselfe hath à will to hurt but yet hath no power in himselfe that he maie hurte that he would he is now accused that he maie through the secrete dispensation of God he is giuen to one to be punished to another to be proued to another to be crowned To be punished the Israelites were deliuered into the handes of strangers because theie had sinned against God To be proued Iob was deliuered to Satan And Iob was proued but Satan put vnto shame To be crowned the Martyrs were tormented of bloudie persecutors And therefore à great deale more happie are the martyrs in their torments than the moste mightie monarches in their delitiousnes riches honour and pleasures Which thing Augustine also doth witnesse when he saith The men of this world are vnhappilie happie but the Martyrs were happilie vnhappie For theie were vnhappie for à time but theie are happie for euer According to the worde of the LORDE Blessed are theie which suffer persecution for righteousnes sake This successe of the Martyrs is notablie described by the Psalmist in these words Theie that doe sowe in teares shall reape in ioie Theie went weeping and carried pretious seede but theie shal returne with ioie and bring their sheaues And hence it is that the holie Martyrs of God doe cast their eies and their minde not vnto the time of sowing and to the purpose of Sathan that would vtterlie ouerwhelme y e Church of God in the streames of blood but especiallie vnto the most ioieful time when the sheaues shalbee gathered together with gladnes and vnto the reuerend prouidence of God who after this maner by his wise counsel wil haue his saintes to be exercised in this life that theie maie be like his sonne both in the crosse in glorie Whence it is that the holie Martyrs of God doe comfort them-selues in the middes of tormentes For theie knowe That light affliction which is but for à moment causeth vnto them à farre more excellent and an eternal waight of glorie that as it is in the Epistle vnto the Hebrues Chastising bringeth the quiet fruite of righteousnes Hitherto maketh that adhortation of Peter Reioice in asmuch as ye are partakers of Christes sufferings that when his glorie shal appeare ye maie be glad and reioice By the remembrance of this prouidence of God let vs strengthē our minds against the offence of the crosse think-vpō à ioiful euent to wit howe theie who in this world beare witnes to Christ shal in y e worlde to come be eternalie blessed with Christ. Furthermore it maie be asked with what seruice are y e martyrs to be worshipped especialie for
Xenocrates maie well be applied to hypocrites 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. Faire handes he hath but a foule heart These because they are not enimies but citizens not haters but friendes not strangers but wil be counted of the householde of the Church they doe more easilie ouerthrowe the simpler sorte than doe open enimies For it is truelie saide A sase and à common waie to beguile is vnder the name of friendship Nowe what hurt hypocrites haue done to the Church the histories of al ages doe aboundantlie declare For seeing they fight with outwarde superstition and ceremonies wherewith the rude people are moste of all moued and because they cloake their supertion with fastinges long prayers almes deeds and fained sadnes of the face they set-vppon the doctrine of free iustification and woulde obscure the same with à certaine witch-craft as maie appeare in the sectes of al monkes But against this hypocrisie prudent simplicitie must be opposed which consisteth in the knowledg of the truth in y e loue of goodnes in doing righteousnes Then by teaching the visor is to bee taken from hypocrites that the woulfe which they do hide maie appeare filthines bee seene the subtilties detected and inwarde wickednes bee knowen that all maie learne howe that the kingdome of God doth consist not in outward rites not in ceremonies not in à sained showe but in the true godlines of minde Last of all the Epicures they also insult ouer the doctrine of the Church and persecute the same preferring pleasures riches and worldlie glorie before the will of God celestiall riches and the eternall glorie of the sainctes Theie obiecte the stumbling-block of the crosse of Christ theie obiect the smal number of those which vnfaignedlie doe beleeue the Gospell theie obiecte the glorie of the popishe kingdome theie obiecte the wisedome of the aduersaries and finalie theie obiect the heresies and schismes wherewithal the Church is rent-asunder But hee which rightlie hath learned Iesus Christ and which measureth the felicitie of man not with the falfe measure of humane wisedome but by the truth of the celestial doctrine and by y e euent or ende of each that is of the godlie of the wicked wil easilie contemne all their mockes and scoffes Of this euent you maie reade in the 37. and 73. Psalmes Nowe because the doctors of the Church doe encounter with these aduersaries whose engines are ouerthrown by spiritual weapons and they breake the force of their enimies theie are saide to go from victorie vnto victorie Moreouer of the doctrine whereof nowe we haue spoken à most sweete consolation is gathered whereby the ministers of the word maie stir-vp themselues in their conflict with the fore-mentioned enimies For first they will comforte them selues in this that the cause is not theirs but the Lords Secondlie that they come foorth vnto battel being armed not with carnall weapons but with spirituall Thirdlie that they haue present with them à king or capitane vnder whome theie fight euen Christ himselfe who is the vanquisher of the whole kingdome of darkenes Fourthlie they haue an eie vnto the vncorruptible crown of righteousnes proposed before them by Christe their chiefe capitane Last of all that the ende of the fight shall bee verie ioifull and pleasant wherein God himselfe wil shewe himselfe to their eies of which thing it followeth in the description CHAP. 6. 1. The finall cause of the victorie of Christ his souldiers 2. howe God is continualie present in his Church THAT GOD IN SION MAIE APPEARE THis sixt and last parte of the present description containeth the finall cause whie the souldiers of Christ haue got the victorie namelie that God maie be acknowledged to bee the defender and keeper of his Church according to the promise The gates of hel shal not ouercome it Hitherto belongeth that praier in the 115. Psalme Not vnto vs ô Lord not vnto vs but vnto thy Name giue the glorie for thie louing mercie and for thy trueths sake Wherfore shall the heathen saie Where is nowe their God As if he saide this blasphemie of men which denie the to haue care of thy Church represse giuing-out à testimonie of thy presence in the Church And although God doth testifie his presence in y e whole world by his prouidēce gouernāce preseruation of the nature of things yet by certaine peculiar waies hee showeth that hee is present in the Church and in euerie of the sainctes as by preseruing the ministerie of his worde and sacramentes by his dwelling in the sainctes through faith by inwarde comfort by his miraculous defending thē against the rage of diuels and wicked men Of this presence these places of holie scripture doe beare recorde When the Aegyptians shal heare it for thou broughtest this people by thy power frō among them Then they shal say to the inhabitāts of this land for they haue heard that thou Lorde art among this people and that thou Lorde arte seene face vnto face c. Againe Herebie ye shal knowe that the liuing God is among you Againe That all the worlde maie knowe that Israel hath à God Againe That all the gentiles maie vnderstande howe thou onelie art God in the vniuersal earth And againe Nowe therefore ô Lorde our God saue thou vs out of his hande that al the kingdomes of the earth maie know that thou onelie art the Lord. This presence of God in the Church hath à double ende proposed One whereof vnto the householde of the Church the other belongeth vnto strangers and prophane people And as touching the godlie or of the householde of faith this is the ende of God his presence in the Church namelie that the godlie maie be strengthened in faith that theie maie praise God vnder whose winges theie are secure that vnder the crosse theie maie cal vpon God who is present before them and that through patience theie maie looke for victorie ouer the diuel and the worlde Hence commeth that consolation of great faith The Lorde is with vs feare them not And as touching those which are without and prophane folkes this is the ende of God his presence in the Church that either they maie ioine themselues vnto the true Church by repentance hauing renounced all prophanenes and impietie or if they do not so that their owne consciences maie bee witnesses of their iust condemnation For it will come to passe at the length according to the saying of the Psalme that they shall be confounded and troubled for euer yea they shall bee put to shame and perishe that they maie know that thou which art called Iehouah art alone euen the most hie ouer all the earth And as it is in another Psalme Hee shall destroie thee for euer he shall take thee and plucke thee out of this tabernacle and roote thee out of the lande of the liuing The righteous also shall see it and
For thou Lorde wilt blesse the righteous and with fauour wilt compasse him as with à shielde Againe Thou hast giuen mee the shielde of thy saluation and thy right hand hath staied mee For it seemeth good in the sight of God that the godlie shold not only be cōpassed about with y e crowne of his good wil but also be happie through euerlasting blessednes When Paul writeth vnto the Ephesians Take vnto you the shielde of faith wherewith yee maie quench all the fierie darts of the wicked hee signifieth y t then we are cōpassed-about with the shield of faith when reteining an vnshakened faith of doctrine with à confidence of mercie and à good conscience wee fight à good fight Now what thing I praie you can be more miserable than the enimies of God who haue not this shield For the king of darkenes hath ful power ouer them and casteth them down headlong from one wickednes vnto another til he bring them to vtter destruction The thirde and fourth benefites are Grace and glorie For thus hee saith The Lorde will giue grace and glorie Grace is the fauour of God both pardoning the sinnes of the faithfull for the deathes sake of his sonne also adorning the Church with an vnspotted garment namelie with Christ his obedience or righteousnes Nowe forsomuch as the faithfull doe please through this grace they can not bee otherwise than happie and blessed But they which are without the Church be destitute of this grace guiltie damned in respect of their wickednes Glorie is the attainement of adoption the inhabitation of the holie spirite and the hereditarie possession of eternall happinesse But so manie as bee not within the Church are the bondslaues of Sathan moued with the spirite of the Diuell and reserued for euerlasting shame The fifth good thing or commoditie of the Church which the vngodlie doe want is that which the Psalmist meaneth when hee saith No good thing will be depriue them of that walke innocentlie Here by the fruit iudgement is giuen of the tree For a good tree bringeth-foorth good and profitable fruite but à rotten tree can yeelde nothing but hurtful vnpleasant fruite To walke innocentlie or soundlie or perfectlie for the worde which the Psalmist vseth in this place is oftentimes expressed of interpretors by the worde perfection is when the man which is iustified preferreth obedience towarde God before euen the most pleasant thinges of the worlde This definition maie bee proued out of the 22. Chapter of Genesis Nowe there is a double perfection of Christians of imputation of obedience He is perfect by imputation that beleeueth in Iesus Christ according to that Christ is the ende of the lawe for righteousnes vnto euerie one that beleeueth Hee is perfect by obedience which loueth obedience to God warde more than all thinges of the worlde Yet is not this perfection an absolutnes of worke according to the rule of the law but it is a purpose an endeuorment and a studie of the minde whereby a man daielie more and more goeth forwarde vnto the marke of perfection Ths endeuorment throught the approbation of God is called perfection And that this Christian perfection is to be referred vnto the will and affection of the heart these testimonies ensuing doe witnesse Feare the Lorde and serue him in vprightnes in trueth of heart Againe And thou Salomon my sonne knowe thou the God of thy father and serue him with à perfect heart and with à willing minde Hezekiah in the prophecie of Isaiah doeth testifie howe hee fulfilled the same when hee saide I beseech thee Lorde remember now how I haue walked before thee in trueth and with à perfect hart and haue done that which is good in thy sight And this perfection Paul requireth when he saith Fight à good fight hauing faith and à good conscience For through faith the obedience of Christe which is the fulfilling of the Lawe is obteined à good conscience is kept by a willingnes to obeie whereby a godlie man preferreth obedience towarde God before all thinges although mā cannot fulfill the same in such absolute forme as the rule of the lawe doeth require Moreouer when the Psalmist doeth saie No good thing will he depriue them of which walk innocentlie it is to bee vnderstood concerning the rewarding of the obedience showen through faith For in this place hee speaketh not of the causes of saluation but of the effect of faith wherewith being iustified we are saued And therefore this and such like sentences of which sort there be manie in the scripture be thus to bee vnfolded They y t walke innocentlie shall not bee depriued of good thinges Whie so Because they which walke innocentlie doe beleeue And al beleeuers are righteous through Christ his righteousnesse imputed vnto them To the righteous life and abundance of all good thinges in such sorte is proposed that they shal desire nothing to the consummating of true happines And therefore so manie as walke innocentlie shall not be depriued of good thinges After which sort the like sentences are to bee vntied that wee maie be led from the proper effect vnto the proper cause and againe conclude frō the proper cause other effectes adioined and following of the same as when it is saide Blessed are they which suffer persecution for the confession of Christ heere mention is made not of the cause of blessednes but of the effecte of faith and of that which necessarilie doth followe faith And therefore the sentence is thus to be opened They are blessed which suffer persecution for the confession of Christ. Why so Because they doe beleeue For it is a proper effect of faith to confesse Christe in the time of persecution But the faithfull bee righteous through Christe his obedience And the righteous doe liue and are blessed by the hope of eternall felicitie Therefore they who suffer persecution for the confession of Christ are blessed Nowe the holie scripture vseth this manner of speech for two causes One is that we shoulde iudge of true and liuelie faith by the naturall properties which it hath leaste for the true faith wee embrace a fained and false faith Another is that we maie be stirred-vp with the promise of the rewarde of obedience the more cheerefullie to doe our dueties and not waxe negligent in respect of the manifold difficulties which happen manie times and make manie slouthful But touching this point wee haue spoken more at large aboue where wee confuted the errors of Papistes who verie naughtilie doe confounde the causes and effectes and manie times of the qualities affections and workes of y e saintes do make the causes of iustification and saluation whose errors bee ouerthrowen by the pretious bloode of our onelie mediator For in the matter of iustification al mans merites are quite contrarie vnto the merite of Christ his death Last of all seeing the wicked which
euidentlie aunswered vnto this prophecie For the spirit of the Lord was powred vpon al flesh not particularlie but generallie vppon Iewes and Gentils yong and old men women bonde and free rude and learned c. And Isaiah 54. And al thy children shal be taught of the Lorde and much peace shal be to thy children In times passed man made himselfe an author conductor and teacher of godlinesse as appeareth in the Philosophers whereof diuers set diuers endes of the felicitie which man should seeke after but nowe although man teach man the seruice of God yet professeth he not his owne but the wisdome of God The Apostles nowe hauing receiued the holy Ghost through the heauenly doctrine at the commandement of Christ they gathered à Church by wonderful miracles confirmed y e same their doctrine according to y e promise of our Sauiour which thing Isaiah prophecied of 600. yeares afore it came to passe For in his 8. chapter thus he saith Behold I and the children whome the Lorde hath giuen mee are as signes as wonders in Israël by the Lord of hostes which dwelleth in mount Zion What wonder I pray you is greater what signe more euident than that the Apostles by their workes being for number fewe for power weake fraile for knowledge simple should worke miracles and turne both the tongues and the wil of men vnto them to their religion These are the children that are giuen to the church in stede of the auncient fathers as the Psalmist doth say In steede of thy fathers shal thy children be thou shalt make them princes through al the earth When hee nameth princes we must haue respect to à kingdome Therefore for somuch as the kingdome of Christ is gouerned by the worde they are princes which by the worde and heauenlie doctrine do rule the realme of Christ. And although the Church was first builded of the fathers and princes of the Iewes yet principalie it is gathered from the Gentiles euen from that barren and altogether vnprofitable flocke Whereof Isaiah in his 54. chapter speaketh after this manner Reioyce ô barren that diddest not beare breake forth into ioye and reioyce thou that diddest not trauel with child for the desolate hath mo children than the married wife saith the Lorde Enlarge the place of thy tentes and let them spreade out the curtaines of thine habitations spare not streach out thie cords and make fast thy stakes For thou shalt increase on the right hande and on the left and thie seede shal possesse the Gentils and dwel in the desolate cities Againe in his 60. Chap. he saith whereas thou hast beene forsaken and hated so that no man went by thee I wil make thee an eternal glorie and à â—oie from generation vnto generation And afterwarde A little one shal become as à thousande and à smale stone as à strong nation I the Lord wil hasten it in due time Christ fore-telled howe the kingdome of God shoulde be taken from the Iewes and shoulde be giuen to à nation that shoulde bring foorth the fruites thereof Which thing as we nowe see it come to passe so was it long before prophecied by the Prophet Isaiah in his 65. chapter where he saith I haue bene sought of them that asked not I was founde of them that sought me not I saide Beholde me beholde me vnto à nation that called not vpon my name I haue sprede out my handes al the daie vnto à rebellious people which walked in à waie that was not good euen after their owne imaginations à people that prouoked me euen vnto my face And more plainlie yet in an other place Though thy people ô Israel be as the sande of the sea yet shal but à remnant of them be saued Reade the 9. 10. 11. chap. of Paul vnto the Romanes By this I thinke we haue sufficientlie confirmed the Minor of the proposed argument and both briefelie and plainelie proued howe all thinges are accomplished in Iesus y e sonne of Marie which were fore-spoken both of Moses and the prophets concerning the Messiah and this is it which in Iohn is written The Lawe was giuen by Moses but grace and truth came by Iesus Christ that is the thinges which Moses by figures shadowed and the prophetes fore-tolde by prophecies Christe in truth hath fulfilled The summe of al is this howe Iesus the sonne of Marie is the verie Messiah that is à prophet à King and à Priest A prophet whereof Moses in the 18. Chapter of Deuteronomie did speake The Lorde thie God wil raise-vp vnto thee à Prophet like vnto me from among you euen of thie brethren vnto him ye shal hearken A King of whome it is saide in the second Psalme I haue set my King vpon Zion mine holie mountaine A priest according vnto the 110. psalm Thou art à Priest for euer after the order of Melchi-zedek The benefites of this Messiah and the application of theÌ„ are proposed in this verse of the 2. Psalme Blessed are al that trust in him CHAP. 5. A confutation of the obiections which the braine-sicke Iewes doe alleage for their partes NOw forsomuch as the obstinacie and malice of the Iewes is such that rather they wil stop their eies against the cleere light thaÌ„ admit the trueth of God concerning the Messiah our Lord and Sauior Christ alreadie come into the world I purpose brieflie to confute such thinges as theie falslie maliciouslie and furiouslie doe obiect Theie not without great railing speaches vtterlie doe denie the Minor of our foundation and euen against their owne consciences verie vntrulie do saie that the prophecies of the Prophets touching the Messiah promised were not fulfilled in Iesus the sonne of Marie For they obiecte foure thinges The first is touching the time of the Messiah the seconde of the forme of his kingdome the thirde about the place of his dominion the last concerning the people Yea and besides these thinges that they maie diminish the credite of the Euangelistes they giue out howe they are contrarie one to another And that these seducers may persuade miserable men especialie they assault the heade of al and denie that our Lorde and Sauiour Christ is risen from the deade which reprochful lie when I haue aunswered I wil in order confute these foure thinges which they obiect together with the slanders that vniustlie they laie vpon our Lord. Let these enimies of GOD crie til their hartes ake againe that our Lord Christ is not risen from the dead but who is so foolish that wil beleeue his enimies before his friendes who so childish that wil giue credit to manie euil rather than to à fewe good who are soonest to be beleeued they which of meere malice heape slaunders lies together which are defiled with al manner wickednes or they rather that being famous for their holines and innocencie of
life haue sealed the trueth of God euen with their verie bloode who more worthie of credite the spirit of Satan in the hardened Iewes or the spirit of Christ who the 50. daie after the resurrection of the Lord by à visible testimonie bare witnesse of the resurrection kingdome and power of Christ What madnes is it sooner to beleeue the forged lies of the Iewes than the diuine workes of Christ whereby the Apostles did confirme the resurrection of the Lord To be briefe the sepulchre the disciples the Angels the holie Ghost the power of Christ in the heartes of the righteous and the preseruation of the Church against the marueilous rage of diuels and Tyrantes do plainlie prooue y t our Lord Iesus Christ is risen from the dead And therefore abhore we the most impudent lie of the Iewes and let vs looke for the comming of our Sauiour from the cloudes euen for Iesus Christ whom we worship as our redemer Now let vs come vnto these foure things which they saie are not fulfilled in Iesus whō we acknowledge serue as y e true Messiah which foure thinges we confesse were fore-told concerning the Messiah by y e holie Prophets of God who without great sinne are not to be suspected of vntruth in their words The first thing therefore which they obiect is concerning the time of the comming of the Messiah The true Messiah saie they shal come in the last daies But y t Iesus whō ye acknowledg to be y e Messiah did much preuēt he last dais For it is aboue 1567. yeeres since hee was borne Therefore that your Iesus is not the Messiah The maior they proue by the saieng of the Prophet Isaiah who in his second chap. speaketh after this forme of the time of y e Messiah It shal be in the last daies that the mountaine of the house of the Lord shal be prepared Lo how shamefully y e blind Iewes do offend here contrarie to the very right rule which they make thēselues and y t is this Who marketh not what is written both afore after in books he peruerteth the words of the liuing God For had they here cōpared y e prophecie of Isaiah with y t prophecie of Daniel wherin as it were with à finger by most euident words y e time of the comming of the Messiah is pointed-vnto surely farre otherwise theie would haue defined the last dayes A daie is vnderstoode three manner of waies First for the time wherein the sunne is ouer our Horizon which the Astronomers cal an artificial daie Secondlie it is taken for the space of 24. houres from y e rising of the sunne vnto the rising-againe of the same and that is called à daie natural Last of all some certaine time ordeined decreed and appointed for some speciall thing in which sense the Prophetes vnderstand it manie times Therefore when the Prophet saith In the last daies he noteth the last times that is the last age of the world distinguished frō the other ages not so much by à certaine and described number of yeeres as by à separation of thinges done in the same So did Elias distinguish the worlde into three times or ages when he saide Two thousand voide two thousand the Lawe two thousand the Messiah And therefore according to the computation of Elias the last time of the worlde is the space of two thousand yeeres Read the Chronicles of Philip Melancton Againe the last daies are oftentimes taken by the prophets for the last time of the Iewish kingdome and nation in Palestine So that the sense of the Prophet is this it shal be in the last daies not of worldlie time for who should haue reaped anie benefit by fauour so long put of surelie verie few but in y e last daies of prophecie of y e kingdom of y e Priesthod which three things ceased when y e sacrifice of Christ was finished A vaine fiction therefore is it of the Iewes which they make about the time of the Messiah inuented contrarie to their verie conscience But this they faine to delude such as are ignorant of the maner of the scripture in distinguishing times The second thing which they obiect is about y e form of the kingdom of y e Messiah promised which they verie impudentlie contend agreeth not with our Messiah Vnder the Messiah saie they shalbe no warres neither among men nor among the beastes of the feelde but soueraigne peace the mountaines being made lowe and the vallies exalted that al thinges may be streight and plaine But this we see not hitherto come to passe And therefore the Messiah is not yet come To prooue the Maior they bring foorth these and such like places of the Prophetes They shal breake their swordes into mattockes and their speares into sithes nation shall not lift-vp à sworde against nation neither shal they learne to fight anie more And in the 11. chapter of the same prophet Isaiah The wolfe shal dwel with the lambe and the leopard shal lie with the kid and the calfe and the Lion and the fat beast together and à litle childe shal leade them And the kowe and the beare shal feede their yong ones shal lie together and the Lion shal eate strawe like the bullock And the sucking child shal plaie vpon the hole of the aspe the wained child shal put his hand vpon the cokatrice hole Then shal none hurt nor destroie in al the mountaine of mine holines for the earth shal be ful of the knowledg of the Lord as the waters that couer the sea To which effect the Prophet Micah cap. 4. entreateth Isaiah likewise addeth Euerie valleie shalbe exalted euerie mountaine and hil shalbe brought low By these manie moe such like prophecies concerning y e manner of the gouernmēt of the Messiah the blinde foolish Iewes doe cōclude y t Iesus the sonne of the virgin Marie is not y e true Messiah promised by y e Prophets But against these let vs oppose an immoueable foundation whereof we will conclude that such thinges as corporaly be ascribed ought spiritualie to be vnderstoode through comparing earthlie with heauenlie thinges The foundation is this The kingdome of the Messiah is not an earthlie but an heauenlie spiritual kingdom which maie be gathered by the first promise made of y e Messiah to come For the Messiah was promised that he should come to destroie the kingdome of Satan For thus it is in the firste promise The seede of the woman shal breake the serpentes head that is the Messiah shal destroie the workes of the diuel namelie sinne and death and restore to man y e image of God which through sinning he had lost that is as Daniel doth interpret y e same shal bring-in euerlasting righteousnes and blessing vpon such as acknowledge him to be King And therefore it is
of righteousnes and of life from which we are fallen by sin it was needful y t he should both take vpon himselfe the curse of the law with the cause that is our sinnes being made accursed and subiect to death for our sake For so saith Paul Christe hath redeemed vs from the curse of the lawe when hee was made à curse for vs and also restore the blessing of the lawe to vs which he hath deserued for vs by his perfect obedience towarde the lawe vnder which he was made not for his owne sake but for ours And this doeth Paul meane where he saith Christ is the ende of the lawe for righteousnes vnto euerie one that beleeueth And because the resurrection of Christ is à most euident testimonie of this fulfilling the lawe Paul affirmeth howe he is risen againe for our iustification By the merite of his praiers and intercession he hath made an entrance for vs vnto the father as Paul saith vnto the Romans Who shal laie anie thing vnto the charge of Gods chosen c. It is Christ that maketh intercession for vs. Therefore when Christ is said to offer his merites to the father the general sacrifice of Christ containing thistriple merit namelie of his obedience to the law of his passion and of his praiers must be vnderstoode Otherwhile y e sacrifice of Christ is morespecialie taken for his death passion which death passiō is the only propitiatorie sacrifice The figures wherof were y e sacrifices of the Iewes by à singular forme of speech was caled propitiatorie because it was à shadow of this eternal propitiatorie sacrifice euē Iesus Christ. But because aboue where we shewed the vanitie of the Iewes who as yet do looke for the messiah we haue spoken of shadowes in this place we wil speake onlie of the sacrifice of Christe which the scripture calleth expiatorie or propitiatorie from the effect thereof which sacrifice may rightly be defined on this wise The passion of our Lord Iesus Christ the eternal Priest is the propitiatorie sacrifice wherein the eternal sonne of God made man and of the father appointed an eternal Priest by obeieng the father in suffering euen vnto the death of the crosse offered himselfe through the eternal spirite to the eternal father vppon the altar of the crosse sustaining the curse of the law truelie to the end that by this one and most perfect oblation he might satisfie the iustice of God for the offence and punishment of mākinde pacifie the iust displeasure of God and by this onelie sacrifice merit for al which from the creation of the world either haue beleeued or til the ende of the same shal beleeue euen eternal sanctification that is deliuerance from the cursse of the lawe grace benediction life and euerlasting saluation that so being cōformable to Christ theie maie praise and glorifie God for euer and euer This large definition Christe in verie fewe wordes doth comprehend Iohn 17 where he saith For their sakes sanctifie I my selfe that theie also maie be sanctified through the truth But the holie spirit in the Epistle vnto the Hebrewes doth verie copiouslie entreate of this matter and that which scatteringlie is spoken to this purpose in that Epistle I haue gathered together as it were into one bodie that at one sight as it were we maie behold this wonderful worke and after a sort esteeme the greatnes of the benefite and be thankeful to God for this infinite mercie shewed to vs in Christe Augustine saith howe in euerie sacrifice there be foure thinges to be considered namelie who is y e offere◠to whō it is offered what is offered and for whō it is offered which foure things are both expreslie distinctlie contained in this our definition For y e sonne of God made man of God the father himselfe ordained an eternal priest is y e offerer For this priest as he alone is holy righteous and hier than the heauens so could he alone offer à perfect sacrifice for euermore Because in that he was à iust man hee might lawfulie take vppon him the cause of vs al especialie seeing one man had brought the rest of the posteritie into the state of damnation with himselfe and in that hee was hier than the heauens to wit verie God hee was of power to offer such a sacrifice as was perfect and effectual for euermore againe in that he was one person al the deedes of his manhood are most pure and of an infinite price To whome doeth this priest offer Euen to God himselfe For to him alone the sacrifice was due that his iustice might be satisfied whome our first parentes and we in them offended that the sentence of condemnation for our transgressing the lawe being vtterlie abolished we might be made partakers of eternal blessednes through his merit What doeth this priest offer to God The sonne of God the eternal priest hath offered himselfe to the father vppon the altar of the crosse taking our cause that is our sinne and punishment vpon himselfe For the Epistle vnto the Hebrewes doeth witnesse that the sonne of God was made partaker of our flesh and bloode that he might haue that which he might offer And Augustine doeth saie What was more meete to bee taken of men for their oblation than the fleshe of man And what so apt for this sacrifice as mortal fleshe And what so cleane for the sinnes of the worlde as without al contagion flesh borne in the wombe out of the wombe of à virgin And what so gratefulie could be either offered or receaued as the flesh of our sacrifice the made bodie of our Prieste Furthermore seeing euerie sacrifice in the olde lawe ought first to be separated from other things of the same kinde secondlie to be applied to the altar the hande of the Priest laide there-vpon thirdlie to be offered vpon the altar fourthlie being done rightlie according to the lawe it was à sacrifice accepted of God let vs see howe these foure thinges do aggree to our sacrifice First therefore Christe this our sacrifice was segregated from other men not by nature whereby he was to be ioined to them but by puritie innocencie and excellencie wherin he surpassed al other men Secondlie he was applied to the altar being consecrated to God through his wonderful obedience For he was offered euen because he woulde Thirdlie hee was offered vppon the altar hanged on the woode of the crosse bearing vppon his owne heade our cause that is both sinne and the punishment of sinne namelie the wrath and curse of God Which thing was in olde time figured in the goate vpon whose heade Aaron hauing confessed first his owne sinnes and the sinnes of the people of Israel laide his owne sinnes and al the sinnes of the sonnes of Israel and sent him awaie by the hande of a man appointed into the wildernes The truth of
this type was fullie accomplished in Christe For as the Prophet saith The Lord hath laide vpon him the iniquitie of vs al. So doth Paul applie the figure to Christe when he saith He hath made him to be sinne for vs which knewe no sinne that we should be made the righteousnes of God in him Againe Christ hath redeemed vs from the cursse of the lawe being made a cursse for vs. For it is written Cursed is euerie one that hangeth on tree Furthermore as that figuratiue goate was sent into the wildernes to be torne of wilde beasts So Christe was deliuered into the handes of the Scribees Pharises people obeieng the commandementes of their prince the diuel to be slaine for our sinnes and bare the punishment due vnto them as if it had bene his owne Here we must diligentlie distinguish betweene the shadowe and the truth The sinnes of the children of Israel were laide vpon the goate but in a figure onelie but Christ indeede bare the sinnes of the whole world Neither is here anie trope to be admitted For herein our whole hope doth consist herein the infinite loue of God doth appeare finalie herevpon our whole saluation doth depend that our God trulie without trope hath poured forth al his anger vpon his owne sonne as though he had bene guiltie of al the sinnes of the world who trulie and without trope was made a cursse to deliuer vs trulie and without trope from the cursse For otherwise if the wrath of God had bene fained the obedience of the sonne had also bene fained the hope of glorie also which we loke for had bene fained Therefore Christ is to be considered with those qualities which he hath not in him selfe but through imputation in respect of his mediatorship which voluntarilie he tooke vpon himselfe that we likewise after the same sort that is through the imputation of those thinges which were proper to him namelie through the satisfaction of righteousnes and holines iustified and sanctified might be made his brethren and heires of one the same kingdome Fourthlie the sacrifice Christ so orderlie offered vpon y e altar of the crosse did so both pacifie and please y e father the force therof shal euermore continue to the saluation of man The fourth thing which Augustine requireth in euerie sacrifice is the circumstance of persons for whome it is offered Wherevnto Paul in these wordes doth aunswere He gaue himself à ransome for al men And Iohn saith Beholde the lambe of God which taketh awaie the sinnes of the world Moreouer beside these foure thinges which Augustine requireth in our sacrifice wee haue added other foure thinges moe out of the Epistle vnto the Hebrewes in our definition namelie the manner of the sacrifice the perpetual force of the same the forme of applieng it and the final ende of our knowledge and confidence in this sacrifice The manner is that Christ did offer himselfe through the eternal spirit For so saith the Epistle vnto the Hebrewes Howe much more shal the bloode of Christ which through the eternal spirit offered himselfe without spot to God purge your conscience from dead workes By the name of the eternal spirit he vnderstandeth the power of the diuinitie ioined with the humanitie the which gouerned al this sacrifice whereof it commeth to passe that this bloode seeing it was the bloode of that man who also was verie God is indued euen with the liuely virtue whereby as he made vs so he was able also to renue vs. In consideration hereof God is saide to haue died and to haue purchased to himselfe à Church by his owne bloode as Paul doeth testifie when he saith Take heede vnto your selues and to al the flocke whereof the holie Ghost hath made you ouerseers to feede the Church of God which he hath purchased with his owne bloode Hence then is that which wee added concerning the perpetual force of the sacrifice whereof the Epistle vnto y e Hebrewes doeth saie With one offering hath be consecrated for euer them that are sanctified So by his owne bloode entred he once into the holie place and obteined eternall redemption for vs. Of the application which is through the worde through faith and the sacramentes and also of the final end of Christ his sacrifice we wil entreate afterwarde in their due places CHAP. 30. 1. Of diuerse things to be considered in Christ his suffering and offering-vp himselfe vnto God the father for our sake 2. Particularly for mans miserie which made Christ to suffer BVT here we are to staie à while and deeplie to consider of diuerse weightie pointes namelie howe great the miserie of men was where-into they fel through sinne how great y e displeasure of God was against man for sinning againe how great his mercie was toward man how vnspeakeable the obedience of the sonne of God was how horrible the punishment that he suffered was of what an inestimable incomparable à price the death of y e sonne of God was in that it coulde satisfie and make amendes for the sinnes of all mankinde and contrariwise howe cursedlie vngratefull the maior part of men is in that they will not acknowledge this wonderful worke of God namelie the sacrifice of Christ. First therefore it is beâ—ooueful to consider the miserie of mankinde without the sacrifice of Christ whereof Iob doeth saie Man that is borne of a woman is of short continuance full of trouble Augustine defineth the miserie of man to be an abundance of troble a scarsitie of comfort when à man diuerslie doth suffer but findeth coÌ„fort of none Homer with an out crie affirmeth that nothing is either in greater peril or more miserable than man is But Homer considereth onelie the calamities and miseries and tragical chances wherevnto men are subiect in this life For hee knewe neither the beginning nor the degrees nor the ende of mans miserie The beginning from whence the miserie of mankinde hath sprong and spread-forth none knoweth excepte hee haue learned the same out of the worde of God This word referreth the original of all sinne vnto the diuel the sinne of our first parentes and vnto the propagation of the same sinne vnto al posteritie Which thing Paul Romanes 5. expreslie doeth teach and Isaiah the Prophete doeth saie We al doe vade as a leafe and our iniquities like the winde haue taken vs away The degrees of mans miserie are manifold and verie lamentable The first whereof is à pittiful separation from God Your iniquities saith the Prophete Isaiah haue separated betwene you and your God and your sinnes haue hid his face from you Howe great this miserie is no man is able sufficientlie to conceaue For what can be more wretched than to bee separated from God than to bee excluded from the fountane of al goodnesse from al happines and saluation The second degree is to be
with his sacrifice taketh awaie all feare of death and maketh à mā no more to dread death than a sweet sleep Whereof it is that a godlie man desireth death euen as à passage out of these miseries vnto euerlasting life Then shal he find the saying of Christ to be true If à man keepe my worde hee shal neuer tast death Hence proceedeth y t willingnes in manie of the Martyrs who had in minde Christ not onelie that died but also y t did rise againe by whose power we shal be raised vnto immortalitie and our soules in the meane space euen vntil the daie of the laste iudgement shal possesse the ioies of heauen with the chast spirits and then ioined to their bodies shal enioie the sight of God immortal glorie for euer and euer And therefore it is not without iust cause said both in the Reuelatiō Blessed are the dead which die in the Lord and also by Dauid Precious in the sight of the Lord is the death of his saincts Thus hitherto we haue spokē concerning the propitiatorie sacrifice of Christians of such things as do seeme to make for the plane declaration of the same nowe wee are brieflie to speake of the other sacrifice of Christians which they cal Euchatistical CHAP. 41. 1. Of the Priestes of the newe Testament howe they be consecrated 2. the couenant betweene God and them 3. The excellencie of the Priesthood 4. What is Eucharistical sacrifice 5. Whie so called 6. The kindes thereof 7. Ministers of the Gospel whie and howe Priestes THE Apostle Peter applied to such as doe conuert both from the Iewes and the Gentiles the promise of the Lorde which is in the 19. of Exodus to this purpose If yee wil heare my voice in deede and keepe my couenant then yee shal bee my chiefe treasure aboue al people though al the earth bee mine Yee shalbe also vnto mee à kingdome of Priestes and an holie nation à peculiar people that yee maie shew-forth the vertues of him that hath caled you out of darknes into his maruelous light Out of these words to omit other places it is manifest that all Christians bee Priestes to offer sacrifices of thankesgiuing and praise vnto God Firste therefore it is to bee noted that as by nature wee bee sinners and the children of wrath So by our owne strength worthinesse and merites wee can chalenge nothing at Gods hande And therefore as by that onelie sacrifice of Christ wee bee reconciled so of his goodnes wee enter into the order of priestes and are consecrated to him for to dedicate our selues and al ours vnto the glorie of God This our inauguration into y e priesthood because it is merlie spiritual internal is wroght by a secrete maner how it maie be declared after à sort by cōparing the truth vnto y e shadow As then they which were to be made priestes out of the tribe of Leui did first of al washe their bodies with water secondlie put vppon them the garmentes appointed of God thirdlie did annoint their heades and fourthlie filled their hands so they which shal be priestes in the newe Testament be spiritual ordained For first the high priest euē Christ doth wash them both with water and bloode Hee cleanseth vs saith Paul by the washing of water throgh the word to wit of God instituting ordaining baptisme Ioh. in the Reuelatiō saith He hath loued vs and washed vs from our sinnes in his bloode and made vs kinges and Priestes vnto God euen his father Secondlie the same Christ adorneth vs with spiritual garmentes much whiter and cleaner than those Leuitical garmentes For so Paul saith Alyee that are baptized into Christe haue put-on Christe And hauing him vpon vs wee seeme white that is righteous and holy in the sight of God Of this apparel the Psalme meaneth where it is said Let thie priests be clothed with righteousnes and let thie saintes reioice Thirdlie theie are annointed not with material fleeting oyle as Leuitical priests but with inward spiritual and immortal Whereof Paul speaketh saieng It is God who establisheth vs with you in Christ hath annointed vs. Who hath also sealed vs and hath giuen the earnest of the spirite in our heartes Of this ointment wherewith Christe annointeth vs we be called Christians and Priests Kinges and Prophets Marueilous is the force of this spiritual vnction For as the nature of the oile wherewithal the Priestes of the olde Lawe were annointed is to shine and to burne so the holie Spirite wherebie we are annointed for Priestes both lighteneth our mindes and setteth our heartes on fire that both the minde maie vnderstand what is good and behooueful and the heart zealouslie couet after the same And this commeth to passe when through faith conceaued by the preaching of the worde we bee rauished wholie with admiration of the great mercie of God who hath called vs out of darkenes into his marueilous light Last of al theie fil their handes that is theie shewe them-selues readie to offer vnto the Lorde For nowe they are no more their owne men but consecrated to God theie surcesse to liue and theie dedicate all the actions of their life vnto the seruice of God And being thus ordained we haue a certaine couenant also concluded betweene God and vs what that is I wil shew out of the words of Malachie The words of the Prophet are these My couenant was with him of life and peace and I gaue him feare and he feared me and was afraid before my name The lawe of truth was in his mouth and there was none iniquitie founde in his lips he walked with me in peace and equitie and did turne manie awaie from iniquitie For the Priestes lips should preserue knowledge and theie should seeke the lawe at his mouth for he is the messenger of the Lorde of hostes And although the Prophete here speaketh of the Leuitical priestes yet it is fitlie applied also to al Christians who are in the sight of God much more excellent priestes being roial than were the Leuitical Out of which wordes of the Prophet the forme of the couenant maie thus be made As the Lorde promiseth life and peace so doth he require also feare through faith For as in al couenantes there is à mutual obligation so here too God promiseth peace and life which two thinges are opposed against the wrath of God and euerlasting death But the partes of the couenant in respect of our selues are manie in this place which naturalie do hang together The first whereof is à syncere feare of God springing of Faith which the Prophete meaneth when he saith The beginning of wisedome is the feare of the Lorde Againe The holie feare of the Lorde endureth for euer The second the lawe of truth in his mouth that is true holie sounde doctrine And although eùerie Christian mà ie not teach
publiquelie yet is it necessarie that all Christians do both knowe and confesse too the doctrine of Christ. The third and there is none iniquitie founde in his lips that is he shunneth false and forged doctrine yea and abhorreth as the pestilence whatsoeuer commeth not from the mouth of the Lorde And therefore Christe saith to all Beware of false Prophetes The fourth He walked in peace and equitie that is he studied to order his life according to the rule of my iustice by keeping peace and equitie with his neighbours And this parte of the couenant Christ also and the Apostles doe applie to all Christians The fifte He turned manie awaie from iniquitie to wit both by word by deede by example this euerie man wil grant al Christians ought to do To conclude as God promiseth life and peace so we are bounde againe to him through faith and obedience Moreouer with the priesthood of Christians manie thinges are ioined which make much for the knowledge of the dignitie and excellencie thereof But the special thinges are which Peter numbreth-vp to wit that Christians are à spiritual house à holie and à roial Priesthood à chosen generation an holie nation à peculiar people and that which passeth al that theie are and be called the children of the liuing God Of this excellent dignitie of Christians Iohn speaketh when he saith To them that beleeue in his name he gaue power to be the sonnes of God Which sentence is both truelie and elegantlie brought into these Verses by Nonnus 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 That is to expresse them in à maner word for worde One happie state of heauenlie blisse to al gaue hee That sonnes of euerlasting God theie might cald bee This honour which none sufficientlie can commend ought both to reclaime vs from al filthinesse vnseemelie for the temple of God vnseemelie for roial priestes vnseemelie for à chosen generation for an holie nation vnseemelie vnseemelie for the peculiar people and sonnes of God and to prouoke vs also vnto the seruice of God continualie to offer acceptable sacrifice to God throgh Iesus Christ. For of right our consecration into the priesthoode of Christ doth require the same Because we are priestes to offer sacrifices not propitiatorie which belonged onelie to Iesus Christ the hie priest but Eucharistical and those perpetual Wherefore as the Leuites at certaine daies appointed houres did offer according vnto the Lawe of Moses and after waited vntil their turne came after the Ecclesiastical ordinance of Dauid So are not Christian priestes to intermitte sacrifice but continualie and without ceassing theie must haue ful handes and offer continual sacrifice vnto the Lorde What is Eucharistical sacrifice The Eucharistical sacrifice of Christians is euerie action and passion commanded of God separated from the prophane actions and passions of the world through saith wherewithall as seasoned with salt it is inflamed and sanctified by the holie Ghoste as by fire from heauen and through the merite of Christe is accepted of God into glorie through y e same Iesus Christ. And this is called an Eucharistical sacrifice from the proper end thereof because it is an oblation of our thankfulnes For being reconciled to God through the propitiatorie sacrifice of Christ we offer to him our obedience we honor praise him and continualie giue him thankes For Christ being apprehended by faith giueth the holie Ghost which createth à newe heart within vs and à willing minde wherebie we offer this our gratefulnes to God Nowe it is necessarie that we consider why our obedience is called à sacrifice For the opening of this phraze wil notablie stir vs vp vnto the studie of obedience So then the workes of Christians are called sacrifices by à certaine relation vnto the sacrifices of the olde Iewes For as theie were commanded from heauen to the Priestes were chosen applied sanctified and accepted so in our sacrifices it is necessarie that there be à commandement à choise an application a sanctificatiō and that they be accepted of God In y e old law it was not lawful to offer à sow or anie vnclean beast by the law but onlie such as were cleane according to the lawe So the workes that Christians should offer must not be vncleane that is either forbidden by the worde of God or hypocritical or superstitious but such as GOD commandeth Therefore the Lorde saith by the Prophet Walke in my statutes Secondlie as the cleane lambe which should be offered was separated from the rest of the flocke So by faith our workes are to be separated from the like workes of prophane people The Pharisee gaue almes so did Cornelius the Courtier yet was the Pharisees almes vncleane the courtiers cleane because through faith it was separated from the almes of the Pharisee Thirdlie as the ceremonial sacrifice was applied to the altar by the hand of the priest beeing laide there-vpon so our workes shal be applied to the altar through Christ by whose handling they are sanctified Fourthlie as those olde sacrifices were consumed with fire from heauen and sanctified and so accepted so our sacrifices through the merite of Christ inflamed by the holie Ghost are sanctified with fire from heauen and are accepted through Christe as Peter saith For seeing al our own obedience is vnperfect in euerie work we offend partlie by omitting somewhat partlie by doing more than we ought for at no time our obedience is perfect and ful it cannot be that our sacrifices of them-selues should please God Wherefore as through the merite of Christ theie are sanctified so also through Christ as Peter saith theie are acceptable For Christ maketh our obedience grateful and deserueth that our obedience both in the crosse also in the lawe of sacrifice is commended So y t our sacrifices please not in respect of any excellencie of merit but throgh Christ in whō God waieth our works y t he maie accept them as most worthie sacrifices For as the faultie sacrifice of the olde people which came to the altar through error touched y e altar was not chāged for a better but was taken as purged and holie by reason it had touched the holie place so our workes albeit theie are verie faultie yet become theie cleane and apte for holie sacrifice and acceptable to GOD through touching our altar Christ who through faith is touched And although the summe of the doctrine of the Christians sacrifices maie be vnderstoode by that wich is spoken yet to make it the more euident we wil more particularlie entreate of them that it maie appeare howe theie agree together and folowe each of other Among the sacrifices of Christians in the first place is the offering of our selues which is done in Baptisme and answereth to the washing which was vsed at the consecration of Leuitical Priestes For through baptisme we are visiblie and sacramentalie seuered from the prophane world