with the same Spirit ioyned with the Father but also according to his person of mediator bicause if he had not had that power he had come to vs in vaine After whiche meaning he is called the seconde Adam geuen frō heauen to be a quickning Spirit whereby Paule compareth the singular life that the sonne of God breatheth into them that be his that thei may be alone with hym with the natural life that is also common to the reprobate Likewise where he wissheth to the faithful the fauoure of Christ and the loue of God he ioyneth withall the common partaking of the Spirit without which no man can tast neither of the fatherly fauoure of God nor of the bountifulnesse of Christe As also he saith in an other place The loue of God is poured out into oure heartes by the holy Spirite that is geuen vs. And here it shal be profitable to note wyth what titles the Scripture setteth out the holy Spirite where it entreateth of beginninge and whole restoring of oure saluation Fyrste he is a called the Spirit of adoption bicause he is a wytnesse vnto vs of the free goodwil of God wherewyth God the Father hathe embraced vs in hys beloued onely begotten Sonne that he might be a father vnto vs and doth encourage vs to praie boldly yea and dothe minister vs wordes to crie with oute feare Abba Father by the same reason hee is called the earnest pledge and seale of our inheritance bicause he so geueth life from heauen to vs wandringe in the worlde and being like to deade men that we maie be assured that oure soule is in safegarde vnder the faithefull keping of God for which cause he is also called life by reasō for righteousnesse And forasmuch as by his secret watering he maketh vs frutfull to brynge forth the buddes of righteousnesse he is oftentimes called water as in Esaie All ye that thyrste come to the waters Againe I will poure out my spirit vpon the thyrsty and stoodes vpon the drie land wherewith agreeth that sayeng of Christ which I did euen now allege If any thyrste let him come to me Albeit sometime he is so called by reason of his power to purge and cleanse as in Ezechiell where the Lord promiseth cleane waters wherwith he wil washe his people from fylthinesse And forasmuch as herestoreth norisheth into liuely quicknes them vpō whom he hath poured the liquore of hys grace he is therefore called by the name of oyle and anoyntement Agayne bycause in continually seethynge oute and burninge vp the vices of oure luste hee setteth oure heartes on fyre wyth the loue of God and zeele of godlynesse he is also for thys effect worthyly called fyre Finally he is described vnto vs as a fountaine from whense do flowe vnto vs all heauenly rychesse or the hande of God wherewyth he vseth hys power bycause by the breathe of hys power he so breatheth diuine lyfe into vs that wee are not nowe styrred by oure selues but ruled by hys styrringe and mouynge so that yf there bee any good thynges in vs they bee the frutes of hys grace but oure owne gyftes wythout hym bee darkenesse of mynde and pereuersnesse of hearte Thys poynte ys sette oute playnely enoughe that tyll oure myndes bee bente vpon the holy ghoste Christe lyeth in a manner idle bycause we coldely espye wythout vs yea and farre awaye from vs. But wee knowe that hee profyteth none other but them whose heade hee ys and the fyrste begotten amonge brethren and them whyche haue putte on Hym. Thys conioynynge onely maketh that as concernyng vs he is come not vnprofytably wyth the name of sauioure And for proofe hereof serueth that holy mariage whereby we are made fleshe of hys fleshe and bones of hys bones yea and all one wyth hym but by the Spirite onely hee maketh hym selfe one wyth vs by the grace and power of the same Spirite wee are made hys membres so that hee conteyneth vs vnder hym and wee agayne possesse hym But forasmuche as faithe is his principall woorke to it are for the moste parte referred all those thynges that we commonly finde spoken to expresse his force and working bicause he bryngeth vs into the light of the Gospel by nothyng but by faith as Ihon baptiste teacheth that this prerogatiue is geuen to them the beleue in Christ that thei be the childrē of God which ar borne not of flesh blood but of God wher setting God againste fleshe and bloode he affirmeth it to be a supernaturall gift that thei receiue Christe by faith whoe otherwise shoulde remaine subiect to their owne infidelitie Like where vnto is that answer of Christe Fleshe and bloode hathe not reueled it to thee but my Father whiche is in heauen These thinges I do nowe but shortly touche bycause I haue already entreated of them at large And lyke also is that saieng of Paule that the Ephesians were sealed vp with the holy spirit of promisse For Paule sheweth that he is an inwarde teacher by whose workynge the promyse of saluation pearceth into oure mindes whiche otherwise shoulde but beate the ayre or oure eares Likewyse when he saith that the Thessalonians were chosen of God in the sanctification of the spirit and beleuing of the truth by whiche ioyning of them together he brefely admonisheth that faythe it selfe proceedeth from nothing els but from the holy spirit whych thyng Ihon setteth out more plainely saieng We knowe that there abideth in vs of the spirit whiche he hathe geuen vs. Againe By this we knowe that we dwel in him and he in vs bicause he hath geuen vs of his spirit Therfore Christ promised to his Disciples the Spirit of truthe whiche the worlde canne not receiue that thei might bee able to receiue the heauenly wisedome And he assigneth to the same spirit this propre office to put them in mynde of those thynges that he hadde taught them by mouthe Bicause in vaine shoulde the light shewe it selfe to the blinde vnlesse the same spirit of vnderstanding shoulde open the eyes of their minde so as a man may rightly call the holy spirit the keye by which the treasures of the heauenly kingdome are opened vnto vs and may call his enlightning the eyesight of oure minde to see Therefore doth Saint Paule so muche commend the ministerie of the spirit bycause teachers shoulde crie without profiting vnlesse Christ himselfe the inwarde maister shoulde drawe them with his spirit that are geuen him by his Father Therefore as we haue sayde that persecte saluation is founde in the person of Christ so that we may be made partakers therof he doth baptize vs in the holy spirit and fyre lightning vs into the faith of his Gospell and so newe begetting vs that we maie be newe creatures and purging vs from vnholy fylthynesse doth dedicate vs to be holy temples to God The seconde Chapiter Of faithe wherein bothe is sette
disciples â–ª Althoughe they be vexed with extreme madnesse yet I thynke they are not caryed with suche gyddinesse that they dare so boast But what maner of spirite dyd he speake of in his promise euen that spirite whiche shoulde not speake of it selfe but shulde mynister and inspire into their myndes those thynges whyche he the Lorde hymselfe hadde taught by his woorde It is not therfore the office of the spirite whyche is promised vs to fayne newe and vnhearde of reuelations or to coyne a newe kynde of doctrine wherby we shuld be led from the receiued doctrine of the gospell but to seale in our mindes the selfe same doctrine that is commended vnto vs by the gospell Wherby we playnly vnderstand that we ought right studiously to apply the redyng hearyng of the scripture if we list to take any vse and fruite of the spirite of God As also Peter praiseth their diligence that are hedefull to the doctrine of the Prophetes which yet myght seme to haue geuen place after the risyng of the light of the gospell On the other syde yf any spirite leauynge the wysedome of the worde of God doth thrust vnto vs an other doctrine that the same spirite ought rightfully to be suspected of vanitie and lyenge For what when Sathan transformeth hymselfe into â—n aungell of lyght what credite shall the holy ghoste haue among vs if it be not seuerally knowen by some assured marke And truely it hath been playnly poynted oute vnto vs by the woorde of the Lorde but that these miserable men doo wyllyngly couete to erre to their owne destruction while thei seeke a spirite rather from them selues than from him But say they it is dishonorable that the spirite of God whom all thynges ought to obey should be subiect to the scripture As if this were a dishonour to the holy ghost to be euery where egall and lyke to it selfe to agree with it self in all thynges and no where to varye In deede if it were to be tried by the rule either of men or of angels or any others rule whatsoeuer then it myght well be thought that it were brought into obedience or if ye lyst so to terme it into bondage But when it is compared with it selfe when it is consydered in it selfe who canne therfore say that there is any wrong doone vnto it But thus it is brought to tryall I graunte but suche a triall wherewith it was his owne pleasure to haue his maiestie established It ought to content vs so soone as he entreth into vs. But lest vnder his name the spirite of Sathan shoulde creepe in he wylle haue vs to knowe hym by that image of hym selfe whyche he hathe printed in the scriptures He is the authour of the scriptures he can not be dyuers and vnlyke hym selfe Therefore it muste needes bee that he contynually remayne suche as he hathe shewed hym selfe therein This is no dishonor vnto him vnlesse perhappe we count it honorable to swarue and goe out of kinde from himselfe Wheras they cauil that we rest vpon the letter that sleieth herein they suffer punishment for despising of the Scripture For it is plain enough that Paule there contendeth against the false Apostles which commending the law without Christ did cal away the people from the benefite of the new testament wherin the Lord doth couenant that he will graue his law within the bowels of the faithful and write it in their hartes The letter therfore is dead and the law of the Lord killeth the readers of it when it is seuered from the grace of Christ and not touching the heart only soundeth in the eares But if it be effectually printed in our hartes by the holy gost if it present Christ vnto vs then is it the worde of life conuerting soules geuing wisedome to little ones c. Also in the same place the Apostle calleth his preaching the ministerie of the holy ghost meaning that the holy ghost doth so sticke fast in his truth which he hath expressed in the scriptures that then only he putteth forth and displaieth his force when the Scripture hath her due reuerence and dignitie And it disagreeth not here with which I before said that the woorde it selfe is not much assured vnto vs vnlesse it be coÌ„firmed by the witnesse of the holy ghost For with a certain mutuall knot the Lorde hath coupled together the assuraunce of his worde and of his spirite so that perfecte reuerence to the worde doth then settle in our mindes when the holy ghost shineth vpon vs to make vs therin beholde the face of God and on the other side without al feare of being deceiued we do embrace the holy ghost when we reknowledge him in his own image that is in his worde Thus it is vndoutedly God brought not abrode his worde among men for a sodeine shewe meaning at the comming of his spirit by and by to take it away againe but he after sent the same spirite with whose power he had distributed his word to make an end of his worke with effectual confirmacion of his worde In this sorte Christe opened the mindes of the two disciples not that they shold cast away the Scriptures and waxe wise of themselues but that they should vnderstand the Scriptures Likewise Paule when he exhorteth the ThessaloniaÌ„s not to extinguishe the spirite doth not carry them vp on hie to vaine speculations without the worde but by and by saith further that prophecies are not to be despised wherby without dout is meant that the lighte of the spirite is choked vp so sone as prophecies come to be despised What say these proudely swelling meÌ„ rauished with the spirit to these things which recken this onely to be an excellent illumination when carelesly forsaking and saying farewel to the word of God they both boldly and rashly do take holde of al that they haue coÌ„ceiued in their slepe Truely a farre other sobrietie becommeth the children of God whiche as they see that without the spirite of God they are voide of al light of trueth so do they knowe that the worde is the instrumente wherwith the Lorde distributeth to the faithfull the light of his spirite For they know none other spirite but that which dwelte and spake in the Apostles by whose oracles they are continually called to the hearyng of the worde The .x. Chapter That the Scripture to correct all supersticion doth in comparison set the true God against al the Gods of the gentiles reckening hym for none of them BUt because we haue shewed that the knowledge of God which in the frame of the world and al the creatures is somwhat plainly set forth is yet more familiarly and plainly declared in the worde now is it good to consider whether the Lord shew himselfe suche in the Scripture as it pleased him first to be represented in his workes But I shall at this time be contented only to point vnto it wherby the godly mindes
there is one vnderstandynge of earthely thynges an other of heauenly thynges Earthly thynges I call those that doe not concerne God and his Kyngedome true ryghteousnesse and the blessednesse of eternall lyfe but haue all theyr respecte and relation to thys presente lyfe and are as yt were contayneth wythin the boundes thereof Heauenly thinges I cal the pure knowledge of God the ordre of true righteousnesse and the misteries of the heauenly kyngdome Of the fyrste sorte are policy gouernaunce of householde all handy craftes and liberall Scienses Of the seconde sorte are the knowledge of God and Gods will and the rule to frame oure lyfe accordynge to yt Concernynge the fyrst this we muste confesse bicause man is a creature by nature geuen to lyue in companies together he is also by naturall instinction bente to cheryshe to preserue the feloweshyppe of these companies therfore we see that there are in the myndes of all men vniuersall impressions of a certaine ciuill honestie and ordre Hereby yt commeth to passe that there is founde noman that vnderstandeth not that all companies of men oughte to bee keepte in ordre with lawes and that conceyueth not in hys minde the prynciples of these lawes Hereof commeth that same perpetuall consente as well of all nations as of all menne vnto lawes bycause the seedes thereof are naturally planted in all menne wythoute any teacher or lawemaker And I weye not the disscusions and fyghtynges that afterwarde arise â–ª whyle some desyre to peruerte lawe and ryghte the loose absolute gouernementes of kynges that luste strayeth abroade in steede of ryghte as the eues robbers some whiche ys a faulte more than common thynke that to bee vniuste whyche other haue stablyshed for iuste and on the other syde styffely saye that to be laudable whiche other haue forbydden For these menne do not therefore hate lawes bycause they dooe not knowe that lawes are good and holly but for that they ragynge wyth heddye luste doe fyghte agaynste manyfeste reason and for theyr fansiâ— dooe abhorre that whych in vnderstandyng of minde thei allowe The latter sorte of stryuyng is suche that yt taketh not awaye that fyrste conceiuing of equitie For when menne dooe stryue amonge them selues concerninge the poyntes of lawes they agree together in a certaine summe of equitie Wherein is proued the weakenesse of manns witte which euen then when it seemeth to folowe the righte waye yet halteth and staggereth but styll thys remayneth true that there is sowen in all menne a certayne seede of polytyke ordre And that ys a large proofe that in the orderynge of thys lyfe no manne ys voyde of the lyghte of reason Nowe do folowe the artes boothe the liberall the handy craftes in learnynge whereof bycause there ys in vs all a certaine aptnesse in them also doothe appeare the force of manns wytte but all bee yt all menne bee not apte to learne them all yet ys this a token certayne enoughe of the common naturall power that there ys almooste no manne founde whose conceyte of wytte doothe not in some arte or other shewe fourthe it selfe Neyther haue they onely a power or facylytye to learne but also to deuyse in euerye arte some newe thinge eyther to amplifie or make perfecter that whyche hathe been learned of an other that wente before whyche thyng as yt moued Plato erroniouslye to teache that suche conceauyng ys nothyng ells but a calling to remembrauÌ„ce so by good reason it oughte to compell vs to confesse that the beginnyng thereof is naturally planted in the witte of man These poyntes therefore done plainely testyfye that there ys geuen to men naturally an vniuersall conceyuynge of reason and of vnderstandynge Yet ys yt so an vniuersall benyfyte that therein euery manne oughte for himselfe to acknoweledge the peculiar grace of God To whyche thankefullnesse the creatore hym selfe doothe suffycyently awake vs when hee createth naturall fooles in whome hee maketh vs to see wyth what gyftes mans soule excelleth yf it bee not endued wyth hys lyghte whyche ys so naturall in all men that yt ys yet altogether a free gyfte of hys lyberalytye towarde euerye man But the inuention and ordrely teachynge of the same artes or a more inwarde and excellente knoweledge of them whyche is propre but to a fewe is no perfecte argumente of the common conceyuynge of wytte yet bycause wythoute dyfference it happeneth to the godlye and vngodlye yt ys ryghtefully reckened amonge naturall gyftes So oft therefore as we lyghte vpon profane wryters lette vs be putte in mynde by that maruaylous lyghte of trueth that shyneth in them that the wytte of manne howe muche soeuer yt bee peruerted and fallen from the fyrste integrytye ys yet styll clothed and garnyshed wyth excellente gyftes of God If wee consyder that the spyryte of God ys the onely fountayne of trueth wee wyll neyther refuse nor despise the trueth yt selfe wheresoeuer yt shall appeare excepte wee wyl dishonourably vse the spyryte of God for the gyftes of the holy ghoste canne not bee sette lyghte by without contempte and reproche of hymselfe And what Shall wee denye that the trueth shyned to the oulde Laweyers whyche haue sette fourth Ciuile ordre and Dyscyplyne wyth so greate equytye Shall wee saye that the Phylosophers were blynde boothe in that exquysyte contemplation and cunnynge descryption of nature Shall wee saye that thei had no wytte whiche by settinge in ordre the arte of speache haue taught vs to speake wyth reason Shal we saye that they were madde whithe in settynge fourthe Physycke haue employed theyr dilygence for vs What of all the Mathematicall scienses shall wee thynke them dotynge erroures of madde menne no rather wee canne not readde the wrytynges of the oulde menne concernyng these thynges wythoute greate admiration of theyr wytte But shall wee thynke any thynge praysewoorthy or excellente whyche wee doe not reknoweledge to come of God Let vs bee ashamed of so greate vnthankefulnesse into whyche the Heathen Poetes fell not whyche confessed that boothe Phylosophye and Lawes and all good artes were the inuentions of mods Sythe then yt appeareth that these men whome the Scripture calleth naturall menne were of so sharpe and deepe sygthe in searchynge oute of inferioure thynges lette vs learne by suche exaumples howe manye good thynges the Lorde hathe lefte to the nature of manne after that it hathe been spoyled of the true God But in the meane tyme yte lette vs not forgette that these are the moste excellente good gyftes of the spyryte of God whyche for the common benefyte of mankinde hee dealeth abroade to whome it pleaseth him For if it behoued that the vnderstanding and skill that was requyred for the framyng of the tabernacle shold be poured into Beseleel Oliab by the spirit of god it is no merâ—el if the knowledg of those thinges whiche are moste excellent in mans life be sayde to be communicated vnto vs by the spirite of God Neither is there cause why any manne
than eche one seuerally neither is it my meaning that thys is so spoken in common to the faithful as though they were al alike endued with the Spirite of vnderstanding and doctrine but because it is not to be graunted to the aduersaries of Christ that they should for the defense of an euill cause wrest the Scripture to a wrong sense But omitting this I simply cōfesse that which is true that the lord is perpetually presēt with his ruleth them with his Spirite And that this Spirite is not the Spirite of error ignorance lyeng or darkenesse but of sure reuelation wisedome trueth light of whō they not deceitfully may learne those thinges that are geuē them that is to say what is the hope of their calling what be the richesse of the glory of the inheritaunce of God in the saintes But wheras the faythful euen they that are endued with more excellent giftes aboue the rest do in thys fleshe receiue onely the firste frutes a certaine tast of that Spirite there remaineth nothing leeuer to them thā knowing their own weakenesse to hold themselues carefully within the boundes of the worde of God least if they wander farr after their own sense they by by stray out of the right waie in so much as they be yet voide of that Spirite by whoe 's only teaching truth is discerned from falshode For all men do confesse with Paule that they haue not yet atteined to the marke Therfore they more endeuor to daily profiting than glory of perfection But they wil take exception say that whatsoeuer is particularly attributed to euery one of the holy ones the same doth throughly fully belong to the Chirche it selfe Although this hath some seming of truth yet I deney it to be true God doth in dede so distribute to euery one of the members the giftes of his Spirite by measure that the whole body wanteth nothing necessarie whē the giftes are geuē in cōmon But the richesse of the Chirche are alway such that there euer wāteth much of that hiest perfection which our aduersaries do bost of Yet the Chirche is not therefore so lefte destitute in any behalf but that she alway hath so much as is enough For the Lord knoweth what her necessitie requireth But to holde her vnder humilitie and godly modestie he geueth her no more than he knoweth to be expedient I know what here also they are wont to obiecte that is that the Chirche is clensed with the washing of water in the worde of life that it might be without wrincle and spot and that therfore in an other place it is called the piller and stay of truth But in the first of these two places is rather taught what Christ daily worketh in it than what he hath allredy done For if he daily sanctifieth purgeth polysheth wypeth from spottes all them that be his truely it is certayne that they are yet besprinkled with some spottes and wrincles and that there wanteth somwhat of their sanctificatiō But how vayne and fabulous is it to iudge the Chirch alredy in euery part holy and spottlesse wherof all the members are spotty and very vncleane It is true therefore that the Chirche is sanctified of Christe But onely the beginning of that sanctifieng is here seen but the ende and full accomplishment shall be when Christe the holiest of holy ones shall truely and fully fill it with his holinesse It is true also that the spottes and wrincles of it are wiped awaye but so that they be daily in wiping awaye vntill Christe with his comming dooe vtterlye take awaye all that remaineth For vnlesse we graunt this we must of necessitie affirme with the Pelagians that the righteousnesse of the faithfull is perfect in this life and with the Cathani and Donatistes we muste suffer no infirmitie in the Chirch The other place as we haue ells where seen hath a sense vtterly differing from that which they pretende For when Paule hath instructed Timothee and framed him to the true office of a Bishop he sayeth that he did it to this purpose that he should knowe how he ought to be haue himselfe in the Chirch And that he should with the greater religiousnesse and endeuor bend himselfe thereunto he addeth that the Chirch is the very piller stay of truth For what ells do these wordes meane but that the truth of God is preserued in the Chirch namely by the ministerie of preaching As in an other place he teacheth that Christ gaue Apostles Pastors and Teachers that we should no more be caried about with euery winde of doctrine or be morked of men but that being enlightened with the true knowledge of the Sonne of God we should altogether mete in vnitie of Faith Wheras therfore the truth is not extinguished in the world but remayneth safe that same cōmeth to passe because it hath the Chirche a faithful keper of it by whoe 's helpe ministerie it is susteined But if this keping standeth in the ministerie of the Prophetes and Apostles it foloweth that it hangeth wholy herupō if the word of the Lord be faithfully preserued doe kepe hys puritie But that the reders may better vnderstande vpon what pointe thys question chefely standeth I wil in fewe wordes declare what our aduersaries require and wherin we stande against them Where they say that the Chirche can not erre it tendeth herunto thus they expounde it that forasmuch as it is gouerned by the Spirite of God it may goe safely without the worde that whether soeuer it goeth it can not thinke nor speake any thing but truth that therfore if it determine any thing wtout or beside Gods worde the same is no otherwise to be estemed than as a certaine Oracle of God If we graūt that first point that the Chirche can not erre in thinges necessarie to saluation this is our meaning that this is therfore because forsaking al her own wisdome she suffreth her selfe to be taught of the Holy ghost by the word of God This therfore is the difference They set the authoritie of the Chirch without the worde of God but we wil that it be annexed to the worde and suffer it not to be seuered from it And what maruel is it if the spouse and scholar of Christ be subiect to her husbande scholemaister that the cōtinually and ernestly hāgeth of his mouth For this is the order of a wel gouerned house that the wife should obey the authoritie of the husbande thys is the rule of a wel ordered schoole that the teaching of the scholemaster alone should there be heard Wherfore let the Chirche not be wise of her selfe not thinke any thing of her selfe but determine the ende of her wisdōe where he hath made an ende of speaking After thys maner she shal also distruste all the inuentions of her owne reason but in those thinges wherin it stādeth vpō the word of God she shall wauer
with no distrustfulnesse or doutyng but shall reste with great assurednesse and stedfast constancie So also trusting vpon the largenesse of those promises that she hath she shal haue whereupon aboūdantly to susteine her fayth that she maye nothyng doute that the best guide of the righte way the holy Spirite is alwaye presente with her but therewithall she shall kepe in memorie what vse the Lord would haue vs to receiue of his holy Spirite The Spirite sayth he which I wil send frō my Father shal leade you into al truth But how◠because sayeth he he shal put you in minde of al those thinges that I haue tolde you Therfore he geueth warning that there is nothing more to be loked for of his Spirite but that he should enlightē our mindes to perceiue the truth of his doctrine Therfore Chrisostome saieth excellently well Many sayeth he do boste of the holy Spirite but they which speake their own do falsly pretēde that they haue him As Christ testified that he spake not of himselfe because he spake out of the law the Prophetes so if any thing beside the Gospel be thrust in vnder the title of the Spirite let vs not beleue it because as Christ is the fulfilling of the law the Prophetes so is the Spirite of the Gospel These be his words Now it is esy to gather how wrōgfully our aduersaries do which bost of the Holy ghost to no other ende but to set fourth vnder his name strāge and foreine doctrines from the word of God wheras he wil with vnspeakable knott be conioined with the worde of God thesame doth Christe professe of him when he promiseth him to his Chirch So is it truly What sobrietie the Lord hath ones prescribed to his Chirch the same he wil haue to be perpetually kept But he hath forbidden her that she should not adde any thing to his worde nor take any thing frō it This is the inuiolable decree of God and of the Holy ghost whiche our aduersaries goe about to abrogate when they faine that the Chirche is ruled of the Spirite without the worde Here againe they murmure against vs say that it behoued that the Chirch shold adde some things to the writinges of the Apostles or that they thēselues should afterwarde with liuely voice supply many thinges which they had not clearly enough taught namely sith Christ said vnto them I haue many thinges to be said to you which you can not now beare and that these be the ordinances which wtout the Scripture haue ben receiued only in vse maners But what shamelessenesse is this I graūt the disciples were yet rude in a maner vnapt to learne whē the Lord said this vnto them But wer they then also holdē with such dulnesse whē they did put their doctrine in writing that they afterward neded to supply with liuely voice that which they had by fault of ignorāce omitted in their writinges But if they were already led by the Spirite of trueth into al trueth whē they did set fourth their writinges what hindred that thei haue not therin conteined left written a perfect knowledge of the doctrine of the Gospell But goe to let vs graunt them that which they require Only let them point out what be those thinges that it behoued to be reueled without writing If they dare enterprise that I wil assaile them with Augustines wordes that is When the Lord hath saied nothing of them which of vs dare say these they be or those they be or if any dare say so wherby doeth he proue it But why do I striue about a superfluous mater For a very childe doeth knowe that in the writinges of the Apostles which these men do make in a maner lame and but half perfecte there is the frute of that reuelation which the Lorde did then promise them What say they did not Christ put out of controuersy what soeuer the Chirche teacheth decreeth when the cōmaundeth him to be taken for a heathen man and a Publicane that dare saye against her Firste in that place is no mentiō made of doctrine but only the authoritie of the censures is established for correcting of vices that they which haue ben admonished or rebuked should not resist her iudgement But omitting this it is muche maruell that these losels haue so litle shame that they dare be proude of that place For what shal they get therby but that the consent of the Chirche is neuer to be despised whiche neuer consenteth but vnto the trueth of the worde of God The Chirch is to be heard say they Who denieth it forasmuch as it pronounceth nothing but out of the worde of the Lorde If they require any more let them know that these wordes of Christ do nothing take their part therin Neither oughte I to be thought to muche contentious because I stande so earnestly vpō this point That it is not lawful for the Chirche to make any new doctrine that is to teach and deliuer for an Oracle any more than that which the Lorde hath reueled by hys worde For men of sounde witt doe se how great daūger there is if so great authoritie be ones graūted to mē They se also howe wyde a wyndowe is opened to the mockynges and cauillations of the wicked if we saye that that whiche men haue iudged is to be takē for an Oracle among Christians Beside that Christ speaking according to the cōsideratiō of his own time geueth thys name to the Sinagoge that his disciples should afterwarde learne to reuerence holy assemblies of the Chirche So shoulde it come to passe that euery citie and village should haue egall authoritie in coyning of doctrines The examples which they vse do nothing helpe them They say that the Baptising of infantes proceded not so much from the expresse commaundement of the Scripture as from the decree of the Chirche But it were a very miserable succor if we were compelled to flee to the bare authoritie of the Chirche for defense of the Baptisme of infantes but it shal in an other place sufficiently appeare that it is farre otherwise Likewise whereas they obiecte that that is no where founde in the Scripture which was pronounced in the Nicene Synode that the Sōne is cōsubstantial with the Father therin they do great wrong to the fathers as though they had rashly cōdemned Arrius because he would not sweare to their wordes when he professed al that doctrine which is cōprehended in the writinges of the Prophetes Apostles This word I graūt is not in the scripture but whē therin is so oft affirmed that there is but one God againe Christ is so oft called the true eternall God one with the Father what other thyng do the fathers of the Nicene councell whē they declare that he is of one substance but simply set out the naturall sense of the Scripture But Theodorite reporteth that Constantine vsed this preface in their assemblie
fayth of the godly is grounded vpon the authoritie of the church nor meaneth that the certaintie of the gospel doth hang therupon but simplye and onely that there should be no assurednesse of the gospel to the infidels wherby they might be wonne to Chryst vnlesse the consent of the church did driue them vnto it And the same meanyng a litle before he doth plainly confirme in this saying When I shall praise that which I beleue and scorne that which thou beleuest what thiÌ„kest thou mete for vs to iudge or do but that we forsake such men as first call vs to come and knowe certaine truethes and after commaunde vs to beeleue thinges vncertaine and that we folowe theÌ„ that require vs first to beleue that which we are not yet able to see that being made strong by beleuing we may atteine to vnderstande the thing that we beleue not menne nowe but God himselfe inwardly strengthning and geuing lighte to oure minde These are the very words of Augustine wherby euery man may easely gather that the holy man had not this meaning to hang the credite that we haue to the Scriptures vpon the wil and awardemente of the churche but onely to shewe this which we our selues also do confesse to be true that they which are not yet lightened with the spirite of god are brought by the reuerence of the churche vnto a willyngnesse to bee taught so as they can finde in their hartes to learne the faith of Christ by the gospel and that thus by this meane the authoritie of the church is an introduction wherby we are prepared to beleue the gospel For as we see his minde is that the assuraunce of the godly be staied vpon a farre other foundacion Otherwise I do not deny but that he often presseth the Manichees with the consent of the whole churche when he seketh to proue the same Scripture which they refused And from hence it came that he so reproched Faustus for that he did not yelde hymselfe to the trueth of the gospel so grounded â–ª so stablished so gloriously renomed from the very time of the Apostles by certaine successions perpetuallye commended But he neuer trauaileth to this ende to teach that the authoritie which we acknowledge to be in the Scripture hangeth vppon the determinacion or decree of men But onely this which made much for him in the mater that he disputed of he bringeth forth the vniuersal iudgemeÌ„t of the church wherein he had the auauÌ„tage of his aduersaries If any desire a fuller proufe herof let him reade his boke concernynge the profit of beleuing Where he shall finde that there is no other redinesse of beliefe commended vnto vs by him but that which only geueth vs an entrie and is vnto vs a conuenient beginning to enquire as he termeth it and yet not that we ought to rest vpon bare opinion but to leane to the certaine and sounde trueth We ought to holde as I before sayd that the credit of this doctrine is not established in vs vntil such time as we be vndoutedly perswaded that God is the author therof Therfore the principal profe of the Scripture is coÌ„monly taken of the person of God the speaker of it The Prophetes and Apostles bost not of their own sharpe wit or any such thigs as procure credit to mâ—n that speake neither stande they vpon proues by reason but they bring forth the holy name of God therby to compell the whole world to obedience Now we haue to see howe not onely by probable opinion but by apparant truth it is euideÌ„t that in this behalfe the name of God is not without cause nor deceitfully preteÌ„ded If then we wil prouide wel for consciences that they be not continually caryed about with vnstedfast douting nor many wauer nor stay at euery small stop this maner of perswasion must be fetched deper then from either the reasons iudgementes or the coniectures of men euen from the secrete testimony of the holy ghoste True in dede it is that if we lysted to worke by way of argumeÌ„tes many thinges might be alleged that may easily proue if there be any God in heauen that the law the prophecies and the gospell came from hym Yea although men learned and of depe iudgemente would stande vp to to the contrary and would employ and shew forth the whole force of their wittes in this disputacion yet if they be not so hardened as to become desperatly shamelesse they woulde be compelled to confesse that there are seen in the Scripture manifest tokens that it is God that speaketh therin wherby it maye appeare that the doctrine therof is froÌ„ heaueÌ„ And shortly hereafter we shal se that al the bokes of the holy Scripture do farre excel al other writinges what soeuer they be Yea if we bring thether pure eies and vncorrupted senses we shal forthwith finde there the maiestie of God which shall subdue al hardnesse of gainesaying and enforce vs to obey him But yet they do disorderly that by disputacion trauaile to establishe the perfecte credit of the Scripture And truely although I am not furnished with great dexteritie nor eloquence yet if I were to contende with the moste luttle despisers of God that haue a desier to shew themselues wytty and plesaunt in febling the authoritie of Scripture I trust it should not be harde for me to put to silence their bablinges And if it 〈◊〉 profitable to spende labor in confuting their cauillations I would with no great businesse shake in sunder the bragges that they mutter in corners But though a man do deliuer the sounde word of God from the reproches of men yet that sufficeth not fourthwith to fasten in theyr hartes that assurednesse that godlynesse requireth Prophane men because they thynke religion standeth onely in opinion to the ende they woulde beleue nothing fondly or lightly do couet and require to haue it proued to them by reason that Moises and the Prophetes spake from God But I answere that the testimonie of the holy ghost is better thaÌ„ all reason For as onely God is a conueniente witnesse of hymselfe in hys owne worde so shal the same worde neuer finde credit in the hartes of men vntil it be sealed vp with the inwarde witnesse of the holy ghost It behoueth therfore of necessitie that the same holy ghost whiche spake by the mouth of the Prophetes do entre into our hartes to perswade vs that they faythfully vttered that which was by God commaunded them And this order is very aptly set fourth by Esay in these words My spirite which is in thee and the wordes that I haue to put in thy mouth and in the mouth of thy sede shal not faile for euer It greueth some good men that they haue not ready at hande some cleare proufe to allege when the wicked do without punishment murmure against the worde of God As though the holy ghost were not for this cause called both a seale and a
chaunge dothe shewe that beyng compelled by heauenly authoritie he nowe maynteyneth that doctrine whiche before he had fought agaynst Nowe lette these dogges denye that the holy ghoste came downe vpon the Apostles or lette theym discredite the hystorie yet styll the truthe it selfe openly crieth out that they were taughte by the holye ghoste whyche beynge before tyme despised men amonge the raskall people sodeynly began so gloriousely to entreate of heauenly mysteries There bee yet also furthermore many very good reasons why the consente of the churche shoulde not be esteemed without weyght For it is to be accompted no smalle matter that syns the scripture was first publyshed the wylles of so many ages haue constantly agreed to obey it And that howe soeuer Sathan with all the worlde hath trauayled by meruaylous meanes eyther to oppresse it or ouerthrowe it or vtterly to blotte and deface it oute of mennes remembraunce yet euer styl like a palme tree it hath rysen vp aboue and remayned inuincible For there hath not lyghtly ben in olde tyme any sophister or Rhetorician that had any more excellent witte than other but he hath bente his force agaynst this scripture yet they all haue nothyng preuayled The whole power of the earthe hath armed it selfe to destroye it and yet all their enterprises are vanished away as in smoke Nowe coulde it haue resysted beyng so myghtyly on eche syde assayled yf it hadde had none other defence but mannes Yea rather it is hereby proued that it came from God hymselfe that all the trauayles of men stryuynge againste it yet it hath of her owne power styll rysen vp Besyde that not one citie alone nor one onely nation hathe agreed to receiue and embrace it but so farre as the worlde extendethe in lengthe and breadth the scripture hath atteyned her credite by one holye conspiracie of diuers nations whiche otherwyse were in nothynge agreable one with an other And forasmuche as suche agreement of myndes so dyuers and disagreyng in maner in all thynges elles ought muche to moue vs because it appeareth that the same is brought about none other way but by woorkyng of the heauenly maiestie no smalle estimation groweth vnto it when we beholde theyr godlynesse that doo so agree I meane not of them all but onely of those with whom as with lyghtes it pleased God to haue his churche to shyne Nowe with what assurednesse of myde ought we to submitte vs to that doctrine whiche we see stablished and witnessed with the bloude of so mayne holye menne They when they hadde but ones receaued it sticked not boldely without feare yea and with greate cherefulnesse to dye for it howe shoulde it then come to passe that wee hauynge it conueyed to vs with suche an assured pledge shoulde not with certayn and vnmouable persuasion take holde of it It is therfore no small confirmation of the scripture ▪ that it hath ben sealed with the bloud so many witnesses specially when we consider that they suffred deth to beare witnesse of their faith and not of a frentike distemperance of brayne as somtyme the erronious spirites are wont to do but with a firme and constant and yet sobre zeale of God There be other reasons and those not fewe nor weake whereby the Scripture hath her dignitie and maiestie not onely ascertayned vnto godly hartes but also honourably defended agaynst the subtilties of cauillers yet be they suche as be not of them selues sufficiently auaylable to bryng stedfast credite vnto it vntyll the heauenly father disclosyng therin his maiestie doothe bryng the reuerence therof out of all controuersie Wherfore then only the scripture shall suffise to that knowledge of God that bryngeth saluation when the certayntie therof shall be grounded vpon the inwarde persuasion of the holy ghoste So those testimonies of men that serue to confirme it shall not be vaine if as seconde healpes of our weaknesse they folowe that chiefe and hyest testimonie But they doo fondly that will haue it perswaded by proofe to the unfaithfull that the scripture is the woorde of God whiche can not be knowen but by faith For good reason therfore dooth Augustine geue warnyng that godlynesse and peace of mynde ought to go before to make a man vnderstande somwhat of so greate matters ¶ The .ix. Chapter ¶ That those fanaticall men which forsakyng scripture resort vnto reuelation doo ouerthrowe all the principles of godlynesse NOwe they that forsaking the Scripture doo imagine I wote not what waie to attayne vnto God are to bee thought not so muche to be holden with errour as to be caried with rage For there haue arisen of late certain giddy brained men whiche moste presumptuously pretendyng a schoole of the spirite bothe them selues doo forsake all readyng and also doo scorne their simplicitie whiche still folowe the dead and slaying letter as they call it But I would fayne knowe of these men what spirite that is by whose inspiration they are caried vp so hye that they dare despise the doctrine of the scripture as chyldishe and base For yf they answere that it is the spirite of Christ then suche carelesnesse is woorthye to bee laughed at For I thynke they will graunte that the Apostles of Christe and other faithfull in the primitiue churche were lightned with none other spirite But none of them dyd learne of that spirite to despise the worde of God but rather euery one was moued more to reuerence it as their writynges doo most playnly witnesse And surely so was it foretold by the mouthe of Esaie For where he saythe My spirite that is vppon thee and my woordes whyche I haue putte in thy mouthe shall not departe oute of thy mouthe nor oute of the mouthe of thy seede for euer he dooth not bynde the olde people to the outwarde doctrine as thoughe they were sette to learne to spelle but rather he teacheth that this shal be the true and perfecte felicitie of the newe churche vnder the reigne of Christe that it shall no lesse be ledde by the voyce of God than by the spirite of god Wherby we gather that these lewde menne with wycked sacrilege dooe seuer asunder those thynges that the Prophete hathe ioyned with an inuiolable knotte Moreouer Paule beeynge rauysshed vp into the thyrde heauen yet ceassed not to goe forwarde in the doctrine of the law and the Prophetes euen so as he exhorteth Timothe a doctour of singular excellence to apply readyng And worthie is that commendation to be remembred wherwith he setteth foorthe the scripture sayeng that it is profytable to teache to admonysshe and to reproue that the seruantes of God maye bee made perfecte Howe dyuelyshe a madnesse is it to fayne that the vse of scripture is but transitorye and lasteth but for a whyle whiche in dede guydeth the chyldren of God euen to the laste ende Agayne I woulde haue them answere me this whether they haue tasted of an other spirite than that whiche the Lord promysed to his
which is incomprehensible The seconde part forbiddeth vs to honor any images for religious sake Morouer he shortly reciteth al the formes wherwith he was wont to be expressed in shape by the prophane and superstitious nations By those thinges that are in heauen he meaneth the Sunne the Moone and other Starres and paraduenture also birdes as expressyng his meanyng in the fourth of Deuteronomie he meaneth as well birdes as starres Whiche note I would not haue spoken of but that I sawe some vnskilfully to applie it to Angeles Therfore I omitte the other partes bicause they are sufficiently knowen of themselues And we haue already in the first boke taught plainely enough that what so euer visible formes of God man doth inuent they are directly contrarie to his nature and that therfore so sone as images come sorth true religion is corrupted and defiled The penall ordinance that foloweth ought not a litle to auayle to shake of our slouthfulnesse For he threteneth That he is the Lord our God a yelous God that visiteth the iniquitie of the fathers vpon the children vnto the thirde and fourth generation in them that hate his name and sheweth mercie vnto thousandes to them that loue him and kepe his commaundementes This is as much in effect as yf he should haue sayde that it is he only vpon whome we ought to 〈◊〉 And to brynge vs thereunto he speaketh of his power that doth not without punishment suffer it selfe to be contemned or diminished Here is in deede let the name El whyche signifieth God Eut bicause it is deriued of strength do expresse the sense the better I did not sticke so to translate it or to put it into the texte Then he calleth himselfe â—elous that can abide no fellow Thirdly he affirmeth that he will be a reuenger of his maiestie and glorie yf any doe transferre it to creatures or to grauen images and that not with a short or sclender reuenge but suche as shall extend to the chyldren and chylderns children and childrens childrens children that is suche as shal be â—oâ—owers of their fathers vngodlinesse as also he sheweth a perpetuall mercie and bountifulnesse vnto longe continuance of posteritie to those that loue him and kepe his lawe It is a common manner with God to take vpon him the persone of a husband towarde vs. For the conuinction wherewith he bindeth himself vnto vs when he receiueth vs into the bosome of his church is like vnto a certaine holy wedlock that muste stande by mutuall faythfulnesse As he dothe all the duties of a faythfull and true husbande so agayne he requireth of vs suche loue and chastitie as ought to be in wedlocke that we yelde not our soules to Satan to lust and to filthy desires of the flesh to be defiled by them Wherupon he that rebuketh the Apostasie of the Iewes coÌ„plaineth that they did throwe away chastitie were defiled with adulteries Therfore as the husband the more holy chast that he himselfe is the more is he kindled to anger yf he see his wiues minde encline to a strang louer so the lord that hath wedded vs vnto himself in truthe testifieth that hath a most feruently burnyng ialousie so oft as neglecting the purenesse of his holly mariage we are defiled with wicked lustes but specially then when we traÌ„sferre to any other or do inâ—ectt with any superstition the worship of his name whiche ought to be most vncorrupted For asmuch as by this meane we doe not only breake the faith geuen in wedlocke but also do defile the very weddyng bed with bryngyng into it adulterers In the thretening is to be seen what he meaneth by this when he sayth that he will visit the iniquitie of the fathers vpon the children vnto the third fourth generation For biside that it staÌ„deth not with the equitie of gods iustice to punish yâ— innocent for an others offence God him self also sayth that he will not make the sonne to beare the wickednesse of the father But this sentence is more than ones repeted of prolongyng the punnishmente of the sinnes of the auncelters vpon the generations to come For so doth Moses oftentimes speake vnto him Lord lord â–ª that rendrest the iniquitie of the fathers to the children vnto the third fourth generatioÌ„ Likewise Ieremie Thou that shewest mercie in thousandes that rendrest the iniquitie of the fathers into the bosome of the children after them Many while they trauaile much in losyng this knot thinke that it is to be vnderstaÌ„ded only of temporall punishmentes whiche if the children suffer for the parentes faultes it is no absurditie for asmuch as they are ofteÌ„times layed vpon theÌ„ for their saluation which is in deede true For Elaye declared to Ezechias that his sonnes shuld be spoiled of the kingdome caried into exile for the sinne that he had coÌ„mitted The houses of Pharao Abimelech were plaged for offending AbrahaÌ„ But when that is alledged for assoiling of this question it is rather a shift than a true exposition For here in like places he threteneth a more greuous reuenge than that it may be limited within the boundes of this present life It is therfore thus to be taken that the iust curse of the Lord lieth not only vpoÌ„ the head of the wicked maÌ„ himself but also vpoÌ„ his whole familie when the curse ones lieth vpon them what is els to be loked for but that the father being destitute of the spirit of God liue most wickedly the sonne likewise forsaken of the lord for the fathers fault do follow the same way of destruction finally the childes childe the childe of the childes childe that cursed seede of detestable meÌ„ do fal hedlong after theÌ„ First let vs see whether such reuenge be vnsemely for the iustice of God If al the nature of maÌ„ be daÌ„nable we know that destruction is prepared for theÌ„ to whoÌ„ the lord vouchsaueth not to coÌ„municate his grace Neuer the lesse thei do perish by their owne vnrighteousnesse not by vnrighteous hatred of God Neither is there left any cause to quarel why they be not holpeÌ„ by the grace of God to saluation as other are Wheras therfore this punishmeÌ„t is laied vpoÌ„ wicked meÌ„ euel doers for their offenses that their houses be depriued of that grace of God during many generatioÌ„s who caÌ„ accuse God for this most iust reueÌ„ge But the Lord on the other side pronouÌ„ceth that the punishment of the fathers sinne shal not passe ouer vnto the sonne Note what is ther entreated of â—heÌ„ the Israelites had beÌ„ long coÌ„tinually vexed with many calamities thei began to vse â—or a Prouerbe that theire fathers had eateÌ„ a sower grape wherwith the childrens teeth were set on edge wherby thei meant that their fathers had coÌ„mitted sinnes wherof thei being otherwise righteous not deseruing it did suffer yâ— punishmeÌ„t rather by â— vnappeaâ—able wrathfulnesse of God thaÌ„ by a
yet this hath still place with vs that we should mere at apointed dayes to the hearyng of the worde to the breakyng of the misticall bread and to publike prayer then that to seruauÌ„tes and laboreâ—s be graunted their rest from their labour It is out of doubt that in commaundyng the Sabbat the Lord had care of bothe thâ—â—â— thinges The first of them hath sufâ—icâ—ent testimonie by the only vse of the Iewes to proue it The second Moses spake of in Deuteronomie in these wordes that thy man seruant and thy mayde seruaÌ„t maye reste as well as thou remember that thou thy selfe didst serue in Egypt Againe in Exodus that thy Oxe and thy Asse maye rest and the sonne of thy boâ—dâ—woman maye take breath Who can denie that bothe these thinges do serue for vs aswell as for the Iewes Meâ—â—â—ges at the church are commaunded vs by the word of God â–ª and the necessitie of them is susficiently knowen in the very experience of life 〈◊〉 they be certainely appointed and haue their ordinarie daies 〈◊〉 can they be kept All thinges by the sentence of the Apostle are to be done comly and in order among vs. But so farre is it of that coÌ„â—â—â—esse and order can be kepte without this policie and moderation that there is at hand present trouble and ruine of the church if it bee dissolued Now if the same necessitie be among vs for relete whereof the Lord apointed the Sabbat to the Iewes let no man saye that it belongeth nothyng vnto vs. For our moste prouident and tender father willed no lesse to prouide for our necessitie than for the Iewes â—ut thou wilt saye why do we not rather dayly mete together that the difference of dayes maye be taken awaye I would to God that wâ—re graunted and truely spirituall wisedome was a thynge worthy to haue dayly a pece of the time cut out for it But yf it can not be obteined of the weakenesse of many to haue dayly metinges and the rule of charitie doth not suffer vs to exact more of them why should we not 〈◊〉 the order whiche we see layed vpon vs by the will of God I am compelled here to be somwhat long bicause at this day many vnquiet spirites do rayse trouble concernyng the Sondaye They crie out that the Christian people are nourished in Iewishnesse bicause they kepe some obseruation of dayes But I answere that we kepe those dayes without any Iewishnesse bicause we do in this behalfe far differ from the Iewes For we kepe it not with streight religion as a ceremonie wherein we thinke a spirituall misterie to be â—iâ—ured â–ª but we reteine it as a necessarie remedie to the kepyng of order in the church But Paul teacheth that in kepyng thereof they are not to be iudged Christians because it is a shadow of a thing to come Therefore he feared that he had labored in vayne amonge the Galathians bycause they did still obserue dayes And to the Romanes he aâ—â—â—â—meth that it is superstition if any man do make differeÌ„ce betwene daye and daye But whoe saâ—yng these mad men only dothe not see of what obseruyng the Apostle meaneth For they had no regarde to this political ende and the order of the church but wheras they kept them still as shadowes of spirituall thinges they did euen so muche darken the glory of Christ and the light of the Gospell They did not therfore cesse from handy workes bicause they were thinges that dyd call them away from holy studies and meditations but for a certayne religion that in cessinge from worke thei did dreame that thei still kept their misteries of olde time deliuered them The Apostle I saie inueyeth against this disordered difference of daies not againste the lawefull choice of daies that serueth for the quietnesse of Christian feloweship for in the Churches that he himselfe did ordeine the Sabbat was kept to this vse For he appoynteth the Corynthians the same daye wherin thei shoulde gather the collection to releue the brothren at Hierusalem If they feare superstition there was more danger thereof in the feaste dayes of the Iewes than in the Sundayes that the Christians nowe haue For so as was expediente for the ouerthrowinge of superstition the daie that the Iewes religiouslye obserued is taken awaie and so as was necessarie for keepinge of comclinesse ordre and quiet in the Churche an other daye was appoynted for the same vse Albeit the olde fathers haue not without reason of their choise put in place of the Sabbat daie the daie that we call Sundaie For whereas in the Resurrection of the Lorde is the ende and fullfyllinge of that reste whereof the olde Sabbat was a shadowe the Christians are by the very same daye that made an ende of shadowes put in mynde that thei shoulde no longer sticke vnto the shadowishe ceremonie But yet I do not so reste vpon the numbre of seuen that I wolde binde the Churche to the bondage thereof Neither wil I condemne those Churches that haue other solemne dayes for their meetinges so that thei be withoute superstition whiche shall bee if thei be onely applyed to the oseruation of Discipline and well appoynted ordre Let the summe hereof be thys as the trueth was geuen to the Iewes vnder a figure so is it deliuered vs without any shadowes at all Firste that in all oure life longe we sholde be in meditation of a continuall Sabbat or rest from oure owne workes that the Lorde may worke in vs by his spirit then that euery man priuately so ofte as he hath leysure shoulde diligently exercise himselfe in godly calling to minde the workes of God and also that we al sholde keepe the lawefull ordre of the Churche appoynted for the hearinge of the woorde for the ministration of the Sacramentes and for publike prayer thirdely that we shoulde not vngently oppresse them that bee vnder vs. And so do the trifelynges of the false prophetes vanish awaie that in the ages paste haue infected the people wyth a Iewyshe opinion that so muche as was ceremoniall in this commanudement is take away whiche thei in their tongue call the appoyntinge of the seuenth daye but that so muche as is morall remayneth whiche is the keeping of one daie in the weke But that is nothinge ells in effect than for reproche of the Iewes to change the daye and to keepe still the same holinesse in their minde For there still remaineth wyth vs the lyke signification of mysterie in the daies as was amonge the Iewes And truely we see what good thei haue done by such doctrine For thei that cleaue to their constitutions do by theise as muche as exceede the Iewes in grosse and carnall superstition of Sabbat so that the rebukinge that are readde in Isaie do no lesse fittly serue for them at these dayes than for those that the Prophete reproued in hys tyme. Butte this generall doctrine is principally to be kept
to his sonne waylyng into the graue In the meane time howe great causes of griefe wayting and werinesse were the rauishment and deftourynge of his daughter and the boldenesse of his sonnes in reuenging it whiche not only made him to be abhorred in sight of all the inhabitantes of that countrey but also procured him moste present perill of vtter destruction Then followed that horrible outragious offense of Ruben his first begotten sonne whiche was suche as their coulde not chaunce a more greuous For wheareas the defilyng of a mans wyfe is reckened amonge the hyest yll fortunes what is to be sayde of it when that wickednesse is committed by a mans owne sonne Within a litle whyle after his house is spotted with an other vunaturall adulterie so that so many shames might well breake a heart that otherwise were most constant and vnable to be vanquished with calamities Nere before the ende of his life while he sought to prouide succour for the famine of himself and other he was striken with tidynges of a newe misfortune vnderstandynge that an other of his sonnes was kepte in pryson for recoueryng of whome he was compelled to leaue to the rest Beniamin his only dearling Who caÌ„ think that in suche a heape of mischeues he had any one moment geuen hym safely to take breath in And therefore he himselfe the beste witnesse of himselfe affirmed to Pharao that his dayes were shorte and â—uell vpon the earth Nowe truely he that declareth that he hath passed his lyfe by continuall miseries denieth that he felte that prosperitie whiche the Lorde had promised him Therefore eyther Iacob did vnkindely and vnthankefully weye the grace of God or he truely professed that he had ben miserable vpon the earth If his affirmation were true then it foloweth that he had not his hope fastened vpon earthly thinges If these holy fathers loked for as vndoubtedly they did a blessed lyfe at the hande of God truely they bothe thought and sawe it to bee an other manner of blessednesse than the blessednesse of earthly liâ—e Whiche thynge the Apostle also doth shewe excellently well Abraham sayth he direct by fayth in the lande of promise as in a strange land dwellyng in tentes with Isaac and Iacob parteners with him of the same inheritaunce For they loked for a citie set vpon a good fundation the maker and bilder whereof is God All these are dead in fayth not receyuyng the thinges promised but loking at them a farre of and beleuyng and confessyng that they were gestes and strangers vpon the land Whereby they declare that they sought for a couÌ„tree And yf they had ben moued with desire of that lande from whense they came they had power to returne But they sought for a better that is the heauenly couÌ„tree Wherefore God is not a shamed to be called their God for asmuch as he hath prepared them a citie For they had ben duller than blockes to followe promises to earnestly â–ª wherof there appered no hope in earth vnlesse they had loked for the fulfillynge of them els where But this he chiefely enforceth and that not without good reason that thei called this life a iourney from home euen as Moses reporteth For if they were strangers and foreners in the lande of Chanaan where is the Lordes promise wherby they were made heires of it He sheweth plainely therefore that the Lordes promise coÌ„cernyng the possessioÌ„ therof had a further respect Wherefore they purchaced not one foote in the land of Chanaan but for burial wherby they testified that they did not hope that they shuld receiue the frute of the promise till after death And that is the cause why Iacob so much estemed to be buried there that he compelled his sonne Ioseph to promise it him and to swere to performe it and why Ioseph willed his bones certayne ages after when they were longe before fallen into powder to be remoued thither Finally it appereth plainely that in all the trauailes of this life they had alway set before them the blessednesse of the life to come For to what purpose should Iacob haue so much desired with so great danger sought the preeminence of the first begotten whiche shoulde procure him nothyng but banishment and in a manner to be caste of from beyng his childe but no good at all vnlesse he had respecte to a hyer blessyng And he declared that he had this meanyng by the wordes which he spake among his last breathinges Lord I will loke for thy saluation What saluation could he haue loked for wheÌ„ he sawe that he laye ready to geue vp the ghost vnlesse he had seene in death the beginnyng of a newe life But what dispute we of the holy ones and chrildren of God when euen he was not without a taste of suche vnderstandyng whiche otherwise was enemie to the truthe For what meant Balaam wheÌ„ he sayd Let my soule dye the death of the righteous and let my laste times be like vnto theires but that he meante the same thynge that Dauid afterwarde vttered that the death of the Sainctes is precious in the sighte of the Lorde but the death of the wicked is very euell If the furthest bounde and ende were in death there coulde in it be noted no difference betwene the righteous and vnrighteous they differ one from the other by the diuersite of the estates that after death shall befall to them bothe We are not yet come beyonde Moses Whiche as these menne saye had no other office but to perswade the carnall people to worship God by the frutefulnesse of the ground and plentie of all thinges And yet vnlesse a manne will flee the light that willyngly offreth it selfe there is alredy a playne declaration of the spirituall couenant But yf we come downe to the Prophetes there with most full brightnesse bothe the lyfe euerlastyng and the kyngdome of Christ do vtter themselues And first of all Dauid which as he was before the other in time so accordyng to the order of Gods distribution he shewed the heauenly misteries in shadowes more darkely than the rest yet with what plainnesse certaintie directeth he al his sayenges to that end How he estemed the earthly dwelling this senteÌ„ce testifieth I am here a forener straÌ„ger as al my fathers were Euery liuing maÌ„ is vanitie euery one walketh about as a shadow But now what is my exspectatioÌ„ Lord euen to thee is my hope Truely he that coÌ„fessyng that in the earth there is nothinge sounde or stedfast kepeth still a stedfastnesse of hope in God coÌ„sidereth his felicitie layed vp in an other place To such consideration is he wont to call all the faithefull so oft as he meaneth to comforte them truely For in an other place after he had spoken of the shortenesse and the transitorie and vanishing image of mans life he addeth but the mercie of the Lorde is for euer vpon them that
for whereas this is the extremest matter of despeire to the holy ones to â—ele according to the coÌ„sideracion of present thinges the hande of God bent to their destructioÌ„ yet Iob affirmeth that his hope shall procede so far â–ª that though God do kill him yet he wil not therfore cesse to trust in him This is the truthe therefore Vnbelefe reigneth not within the heartes of the godly but outwardly assayleth them neither doth she deadly wound them with her wepons but only troubleth them or so hurteth them that yet the wound is curable for fayth as Paule teacheth serueth vs for a sheld that beyng holden vp agaynst weapoÌ„s doth so receiue the force of them that it either vtterly driueth them backe or at least so breaketh their violeÌ„ce that thei can not pearce them to danger of life Therefore when fayth is shaken it is like as if a stroÌ„g souldior with the violent stroke of a darte be compelled to remoue his foote and geue ground a litle and when faith it self is wounded that is like as if his buckler by some stroke be in some part brokeÌ„ but yet so that it is not strikeÌ„ through For alway the godly minde will atteine to rise thus hie as to say with Dauid If I walke in the middest of the shadow of death I wil feare none euel bicause thou art with me It is in deede terrible to walke in the darknesse of death it can not be but that the faithfull how much strength soeuer they haue must be afrayde of it Yet bicause this thought surmounteth it that they haue God present with them and prouidynge for their safetie that feare is ouercome with assurednesse For as Augustine sayth how great engines so euer the deuell raiseth vp against vs so loÌ„g as he possesseth not the place of the heart where faith dwelleth he is cast out of the dores And so if we may iudge by the successe the faithfull not only escape safe from euery battel so that by and by receyuyng fresh courage they are redy to come againe into the field but also that is fulfilled whiche Iohn sayth in his canonical Epistle This is the victorie that ouercometh the world eueÌ„ your faith For he affirmeth that it shal not only winne the victorie in one or fewe battels or against some one assault but also that it shal get the ouerhande of the whole world although it be a thousand times assayled There is an other kinde of feare tremblyng but such a one as by it the assurednesse of faith is so nothing at all diminished the thereby it is the more soundely stablished That is when the faithfull either in thinking that the exaÌ„ples of Gods vengeance against the wicked are shewed for lessons for theÌ„ to learne by do carefully beware that they happen not to prouoke gods wrath against theÌ„selues with the same offenses or recording with theÌ„selues their owne miserie do learne to hang altogether vpon the Lord without whoÌ„ thei see theÌ„selues to be more fickle soner vanishing than any blast of winde For when the Apostle in setting forth the scourges wherwith the Lord in old time had punished yâ— people of Israel putteth the Corinthians in feare that they entaÌ„gle not theÌ„selues with like euels he doth not therby abate their affiaÌ„ce â–ª but only shaketh away the dulnesse of the flesh by whiche faith is wont more to be oppressed thaÌ„ streÌ„gthened And wheÌ„ he taketh occasioÌ„ of that Iewes fal to exhort him the standeth to take heede that he fal not he doth not therby bidde vs to wauer as though we were not fully assured of our stedfastnesse but only he taketh away arrogaÌ„t presumptioÌ„ rash trusting to much in our owne streÌ„gth that after the thrusting out of the Iewes the Gentiles being receyued into their place shuld not to much outragiously triumph agaynst them Albeit he speaketh there not only to the faithfull but also in the same sayeng comprehendeth the Hypocrites that gloried only in outward shewe For neyther doth he admonish euery man particularly but makyng a coÌ„parison betwene the Iewes and the Gentiles after that he had shewed that the Iewes in this that they were reiected did suffer iuste punishment for their vnbelefe and vnthankfulnesse he also exhorted the Gentiles that they should not by beyng prowde and extollyng themselues lose the grace of adoption lately conueyed vnto them But as in that generall reiectyng of the Iewes there remained yet some that were not fallen from the couenant of adoptioÌ„ so out of the Gentiles there might arise some which without true faith should be puffed vp only with foolish confidence of the flesh and so abuse Gods louyng kindnesse to their owne destruction But although you take this as spoken to the elect faithfull yet thereupon shall follow no inconuenience For it is one thyng to holde downe the rash presumption whiche out of the remnantes of the fleshe crepeth sometime euen into the holy ones that with vayne confidence it waxe not outragiously wanton and an other thyng to strike the conscience with feare that it rest not with full assurednesse in the mercie of God Then when he teacheth that with feare and trembling we should worke our owne saluacioÌ„ he requireth nothing els but that we shuld accustome vs with much abacyng of our selues reuerently to loke vp vnto the mightinesse of God For truely nothyng doth so much awake vs to cast all our confidence and assurance of mynde vpon the Lorde as doth the distrust of our selues and carefulnesse coÌ„ceyued by knowledge in conscience of our owne wretchednesse And accordyng to this meanyng is that sayeng in the Prophet to be takeÌ„ In the multitude of thy goodnesse I will entre into thy temple I will worship in feare Where he comely conioyneth the boldnesse of fayth that leaneth vpon Gods mercie with a reuerent feare whiche we muste needes fele so oft as coÌ„myng into the sight of Gods maiestie we perceyue by the glorious bryghtnesse thereof howe greate is our owne filthinesse And Salomon sayth truely where he pronounceth the man blessed that continually maketh his owne heart afrayde for by hardening thereof men fall hedlong into euell But such feare he meaneth as maye make vs more heedefull not such wherby we shuld be troubled and vtterly fall euen such a feare as when the minde confounded in it self dothe recouer it selfe agayne in God when despeiryng it self it reuiueth by trust in him Therefore there is no cause to the contrarie but that the faythfull maye at one time bothe be in feare and also enioye moste assured comfort in respect that somtime they turne their eyes to behold their owne vanitie and somtime they cast the thought of their minde vpon the truthe of God But how will some man saye shal feare and fayth dwell bothe in one minde euen thus as contrarily vnsensible dulnesse and carefulnesse For wheras the wicked trauaile to procure to themselues a want of
grefe that no feare of God might trouble theÌ„ yet the iudgement of God so presseth them that they can not atteyne that whiche they desire So there is nothyng to withstande but that God maye exercise them that be his to humilitiâ— that in fightyng valiantly they maye restrayne themselues vnder the bridle of modestie And by the processe of the texte it appereth that this was the entent of the Apostle where he assigneth the cause of feare and tremblyng to be the good pleasure of God whereby he geueth to them that be his bothe to will wel and valiantly to goe through with it According to this meaning ought we to take that sayeng of the Prophete The children of Israel shal feare God and his godnesse bicause not only godlinesse engeÌ„dreth the reuerence of God but the very swetenesse and pleasant taste of grace filleth man beyng discouraged in himself with feare and admiratioÌ„ to make him hange vpon God and humbly yeld himselfe subiect to his power Yet we do not herby make roome to that most pestileÌ„t Philosophie whiche many halfe papistes at this daye beginne to coyne in corners For bicause they caÌ„ not defende that grosse doubtfulnesse which hath ben taught in Scholes thei flie to an other deuise to make a confideÌ„ce mingled with distrustfulnesse Thei confesse that so oft as we loke vnto Christ â–ª we finde in him full mater to hope well but bicause we are alwayes vnworthy of those good things that are offred vs in Christ they would haue vs to wauer stagger in beholding of our owne vnworthinesse Briefely they place conscience to betwene hope feare that it altereth from the one to the other by enterchangeable times courses and they so compare fayth hope together that when the one springeth vp the other is pressed downe wheÌ„ the one ariseth the othre againe falleth So wheÌ„ Satan seeth that those open engines wherwith before time he was wont to destroy the assurednesse of faith do now nothing preuaile he endeuoreth by croked vndermininges to ouerthrow it But what manner of coÌ„fidence shal that be which shal now then yeld to desperatioÌ„ If say they thou coÌ„sider Christ there is assured saluatioÌ„ but if thou returne to thy self there is assured daÌ„nation Therefore of necessitie distrust and good hope must by enterchaÌ„geable courses reigne in thy minde As though we ought to imagine Christ standyng a far of and not rather dwellyng within vs. For therefore we loke for saluation at his hande not bycause he appereth a far of vnto vs but bicause he hath graffed vs into his bodye and so maketh vs partakers not only of all his good thinges but also of himself Therefore I thus turne this their argument against themselues If thou consider thy self there is certaine damnation But bicause Christ with all his good thinges is by way of coÌ„municatyng so geuen vnto thee that all his thinges are made thine and thou arte made a member of him yea all one with him his righteousnesse drowneth thy sinnes his saluation taketh awaye thy damnation he by his worthynesse coÌ„meth betwene thee and God that thy vnworthynesse come not in the sight of God Briefely this is the truthe we ought neyther to separate Christ from vs nor vs from him but with bothe handes to holde fast that felowshippe whereby he hath coupled himselfe vnto vs. So the Apostle teacheth vs The body in deede sayth he is dead by reason of sinne but the Spirit of Christ that dwelleth in you is life for righteousnesse According to these mens trifeling deuise he should haue said Christ in deede hath life with himself but you as you be sinners remayne subiect to death and damnation But he sayth far otherwise For he teacheth that that damnatioÌ„ which we deserue of our 〈◊〉 â–ª is swalowed vp by the saluation of Christ and 〈…〉 the same reason that I haue alleged bicause Christ is not 〈◊〉 vs but dwelleth within vs and cleaueth vnto vs not only with â—â—diuidable knot of felowshippe but with a certaine maruellous communion dayly more and more groweth with vs into one body till he be made altogether one with vs. And yet I denie not as I haue sayd a litle before that sometime there happen certaine iâ—â—erruptions of fayth as the weakenesse thereof is amonge violent sodeine motions bowed hether or thether So in the thicke miste of teÌ„tations the ligâ—â— thereof is choked but what so euer happeneth it cesseth not from endeuour to seke God And no otherwise doth Bernarde argue when he purposely entreateth of this question in his .v. Homelie in the Dedication of the temple Oftentimes I say by the benefite of God studieng vpon the soule me thinkes I finde in it two thinges as it were contrarie If I behold the soule it selfe as it is in it selfe and of it selfe I can saye nothyng more truely of it than that it is vtterly brought to nought What neede I nowe to recken vp particularly all the miseries of the soule how it is loaden with sinnes couered with darknesse entangled with deceitfull enticementes itchyng with lustes subiect to passions filled with illusions alwaye enclined to euell bent to all kindes of vice finally full of shame and confusion Now if al the very righteousnesses of it beynge loked vpon by the light of truthe be founde like a clothe stayned with floures then what shall the vnrighteounesses thereof be accompted If the light that is in vs be darkenesse how great shal the very darkenesse be What then without doubte man is made like vnto vanitie man is brought to nought man is nothing But how theÌ„ is he vtterly nothing whome God doth magnifie How then is he nothyng toward whome Gods heart is set Brethren let vs take heart againe Though we be nothing in our owne heartes peraduenture there maye somewhat of vs lie hidden in the heart of God O father of mercies O father of the miserable howe doest thou set thy heart toward vs For thy heart is where thy treasure is But howâ—â—e we thy treasure if we be nothyng All nations are so before thee as yf they were not they shal be reputed as nothyng Euen before thee not within thee so in the iudgement of thy truth but not in the affection of thy pitie Thou callest those thinges that are not as though they were Therefore bothe they are not bicause thou callest those things that are not and also they are bycause thou callest them For though they are not in respect of theÌ„selues yet with thee they are according to that sayeng of Paule not of the workes of righteousnesse but of him that calleth And then he sayth that this couplyng together of bothe consideracions is maruellous Truely those thinges that are knit together do not the one destroye the other Which also in the coÌ„clusion he more plainely declareth in these wordes Now if with both these consideracioÌ„s we diligently loke vpon our selues what we be yea in the one consideracioÌ„
loueth he laboreth in vaine and troubleth himselfe to no profitte for his peines sithe all thinges happen alike both to the righteous and the wicked to him that offreth sacrifices and him that offreth none Whervpon foloweth that God doth not alway witnesse hys loue to them to whome hee maketh all thynges happen prosperously nor dothe alwaies vtter the hatred to them whome hee punisheth And that he dothe to condemne the vanitie of mans witte sith it is so dull in thynges moste needefull to be knowen As he hadde written a little before that it canne not be discerned what the soule of a man differeth from the soule of a beast bicause it seemeth to dye in like manner If any manne will gether thereof that the opinion that wee holde of the immortalitie of soules standeth vpon coniecture maye he not worthyly be compted a madde manne Are they then in theyr right wittes whiche gather that there is no certaintie of Gods grace bycause wee can conceyue none by the carnal beeholdynge of presente thynges But thei alleage that it is a point of rashe presumption to take vpon vs an vndoubted knoweledge of Gods will I woulde in dede graunt it vnto them if we did take so muche vpon vs that we wolde make the incomprehensible secret purpose of God subiect to the sclendernesse of oure witte But when we symply saie with Paule that we haue receiued not the spirite of thys worlde but the Spirit that is of God by whose teachinge wee maie knowe those thinges that are geuen vs of God what canne thei barke againste it but they muste slaunderously speake against the Spirit of God But if it be a horrible robberie of God to accuse the reuelation that commeth from him either to be lyeng or vnassured or doubtefull what do we offend in affyrminge that it is assured But they say that this also is not without greate presumptuousnesse that we dare so glorie of the Spirit of Christe Who woulde thynke that their dulnesse were so greate that woulde bee compted maisters of the worlde that they so fowly stumble in the fyrste principles of religion Surely I woulde not thinke it credible vnlesse theyr owne wrytynges that are abroade dyd testifie yt Paule pronounceth that they onely are the chyldren of God that are moued wyth hys spirit and these menne woulde haue them that bee the chyldren of God to be moued wyth theyr own spirit to be without the Spirite of God Paule teacheth that we call God oure Father as the holy ghoste ministreth that woorde vnto vs whyche onely canne beare witnesse to oure spirite that we are the children of God These men althoughe they forbydde vs not to call vpon God yet do take awaie his Spirite by whose guydinge hee shoulde haue been rightly called vpon Paule denyeth that thei are the seruantes of Christ that are not moued with the Spirit of Christ these men faine a Christianitie that needeth not the Spirit of Christe Paule maketh no hope of the blessed resurrection vnlesse wee feele the holy ghoste abydynge in vs they forge a hope withoute any suche feeling But peraduenture the will answere that thei do not denie that we ought to be endued with it but y◠it is a point of modestie and humilitie not to acknowledge it What meaneth he then when he biddeth the Corynthians to trie whether thei be in the faith to proue themselues whether thei haue Christe whome vnlesse a man do acknowledge to be dwelling in him he is a reprobate But by the Spirite that God hath geuen vs saith Ihon we knowe that he abydeth in vs. And what do we els but cal the promises of Christ in dout when we will be compted the seruantes of God without his Spirite whiche he hathe openly declared that he woulde poure out vpon all his Biside that we do wronge to the holy ghoste whiche do separate from him faithe that is his peculiar worke Sithe these are the firste lessons of godlie religion it is a token of miserable blindenesse to haue Christians noted of arrogancie that dare glorie of the presence of the holy ghoste without whiche glorieng Christianitie it selfe dothe not stand But thei declare by their example how truely Christ saide that his Spirite is vnknowen to the worlde and is onely knowen of them with whome he abideth And bycause thei will not go about to ouerthrowe the stedfastnesse of faith with digging onely of one myne they assayle it also otherwise For thei say that although according to our present state of righteousnes we mai gather a iudgment of the grace of God yet the knowledg of perseuerance to the ende abideth in suspense A goodly cōfidence of saluation forsoothe is left vnto vs if we iudge by morall coniecture that for a presēt moment we be in fauoure what shal become of vs to morrow we can not tell The Apostle teacheth farr otherwise I am surely perswaded saith he that neither angeles nor powers nor principalities neither death nor life neither present things nor things to come shal seuer vs frō the loue wherwith the lord embraceth vs in Christ. Thei seke to escape with a trifling solutiō pratinge that the Apostle had that by speciall reuelation But thei are holden to hard to slippe away so For ther he entreateth of those good things that cōmonly come by faith to the faithfull not those that he himselfe specialli feleth But the same Paule in an other place putteth vs in feare with mention of our weakenes vnstedfastnes Let him that standeth saith he beware that he fal not It is true but not suche a feare wherby we shold be ouerthrowē but wherby we may learne to humble our selues vnder the mighty hand of God as Peter expoundeth it Then how against ordre truthe is it to limite the assurednes of faith to a moment of time whose propretie is to passe beyond the spaces of this life extend further to immortalitie to come Sithe therefore the faithfull do impute it to the grace of God that being lightned with his spirite thei do by faith enioy the beholding of the heauenly life so farr is such glorieng frō presumptuousnesse that if any man be ashamed to confesse it he doth therin more bewraie his extreeme vnthankfulnesse in vnkindely hiding Gods goodnes than he doth declare his modestie or submissiō Bicause it semed that the nature of faith could not otherwise better or more plainly be declared than by the substance of the promise vpon whiche it resteth as vpon her propre foundation so that if the promise be taken away faith by by falleth down or rather vanisheth away therfore we toke our definition frō thense which yet varieth not from y◠definition or rather descriptiō of the Apostle that he applieth to his discourse wher he saith that faithe is a substance of thinges to be hoped for a certaintie of things that are not seen For by this word Hypostasis
there speaketh in the persone of a maÌ„ regenerate I speake not of this that he vseth these wordes Euell Sinne that thei which wil speake against vs may not cauil against those words but whoe can denie that a striuing against the lawe of God is euell whoe can denie a withstanding of Iustice to be sinne Finally whoe wâ—ll not graunt that there is a fault where is a spiritual miserie But al these thinges are reported of this disease by Paule Againe we haue an assured demonstration by the law by whiche this whole question may easily be discussed For we are coÌ„maunded to loue God with all our heart with al our soule with al our powers Sithe al the partes of our soule ought so to be occupied with the loue of God it is certaine that they satisfie not the coÌ„maundement that conceiue in their heart any desire be it neuer so litle or suffer any such thought at all to entre into their minde as maye withdraw them from the loue of God into vanitie For what are not these the powers of the soule to be affected with sodeine motions to coÌ„prehend with wit to coÌ„ceyue with minde Therfore when these do open a way for vaine or corrupt thoughtes to entre into them do they not shew that they are euen so much voide of the loue of God Wherfore who so confesseth not that all the lustes of the flesh are sinnes and that the same disease of lusting which they call a fedyng is the well spryng of sinne he muste needes denie that the transgression of the lawe is sinne If any man thinke it an absurditie that all the desires wherwith man is naturally moued in affection are vniuersally condeÌ„ned wheras they be put into man by God the author of nature We answer that we doe not condemne those desires that God hath so engrauen into the minde of man at the firste creation that they can not be rooted out without destroyeng the very nature of man but only outragious and vnbridled motions that fight against the ordinance of God But nowe sithe by reason of the peruersnesse of nature all her powers are infected and corrupted that in all her doynges appereth a continuall disorder and intemperance bicause the desires can not be seuered froÌ„ such intemperance therefore we say that they are corrupt Or if you like to haue the whole summe in fewer wordes we teache that all the desires of men are euell and we accuse them to be gilty of sinne not in that that they are naturall but for that they are inordinate and we call them inordinate bycause no pure or cleane thynge can come out of a corrupte and vncleane nature And Augustine dothe not so much varie from this doctrine as he appereth in shewe while he somwhat to much feareth the enuie that the Pelagians labored to bryng him into he sometime forbeareth to vse the name of sinne Yet where he writeth that the law of sinne still remaynyng in the holy ones the onely giltinesse is taken awaye he plainely sheweth that he doth not so much disagree from our meanyng We will alleage some other sentences wherby shal better appere what he thought In yâ— second boke against Iulian This law of sinne is both released by the spiritual regeneration abideth in the mortal flesh released herein bicause the giltnesse is taken away in the sacrament whereby the faithfull are regenerate and it abideth bycause it worketh the desires agaynst whiche the faythfull doe fight Agayne Therfore the law of sinne which was also in the membres of so great an Apostle is released in baptisme but not ended Agayne The lawe of sinne of which yet remainyng the giltinesse is in baptisme discharged Ambrose called wickednesse bicause it is wickednesse for the flesh to lust against the Spirit Againe Sinne is dead in respect of that giltinesse wherin it helde vs and euen beyng dead it still rebelleth til it be healed with perfection of burial And yet playner in the v. boke As the blindenesse of heart is bothe a sinne whereby menne beleueth not in God and also a punishment of sinne whereby a proude heart is chastised with worthy correction and the cause of sinne when any thyng is committed by the errour of a blinde heart so the lust of flesh agaynste whiche a good spirit lusteth is bothe sinne bycause there is in it disobedience agaynst the gouernement of the minde and also the punishment of sinne bycause it is geuen for recompense to the deseruynges of the disobedient and the cause of sinne in manne when he consenteth by defection or in manne when he is borne by infection Here wythout anye doubtefull speache he calleth it sinne bycause when errour was ones ouerthroweÌ„ and the truth coÌ„firmed he lesse feared sclaunderours reportes As in the .xlj. Homelie vpoÌ„ Iohn where doâ—tlesse he speaketh according to the true meaning of his mind he sayth If in the flesh thou serue the law of sinne do that whiche the Apostle himself sayth let not sinne reigne in your mortal bodie to obey the desires therof He sayth not let it not be but let it not reigne So long as thou liuest sinne must needes be in thy meÌ„bres at least let Reigne be taken from it Let not that be done whiche it commaundeth They that defend that luste is no sinne are wont to obiecte that sayeng of Iames Lust after that it hath conceiued bryngeth forth sinne But this is easily confuted For vnlesse we thinke that he speaketh of only ill workes or actuall sinnes euell will it self shall not be accompted sinne But where he calleth mischeuous deedes and wicked offenses the ofsprynges of sinne and geueth vnto them the name of sinnne it doth not by and by folow thereof but that to luste is an euell thyng and damnable before God Certaine Anabaptistes in this age deuise I wote not what phreÌ„tike intemperance in stede of spirituall regeneration sayeng that the children of God restored into the state of innoceÌ„cie now ought no more to be carefull for bridlyng of the luste of the fleshe that the Spirit is to be folowed for their guide vnder whose guidyng they neuer goe out of the way It were incredible that mans minde could fall to so great madnesse vnlesse they did opeÌ„ly and proudely babble abrode this doctrine Truely it is monstruous But it is mete that suche should suffer the punishment of suche blasphemous boldnesse that so haue persuaded their minde to turne the truth of God into a lie Shal al the choise of honestie and dishonestie righte and wronge good and euell vertue and vice be taken awaye â–ª Suche difference saye they coÌ„meth of the cursednesse of olde Adam from whiche we are exempted by Christe So nowe there shal be no difference betwene fornication and chastitie playne dealyng and sutteltie truthe and lyeng iustice and extortion Take awaye vayne feare saye they the Spirit will commaund thee no euell thyng so that thou boldly and without feare yelde thee to
the guidynge thereof Whoe can choose but be astonished at these monstruous thinges Yet it is a common learnyng amonge them whiche blynded wyth madnesse of lustes haue put of all common reason but what Christ I beseche you doe they frame vnto vs and what spirite doe they belche out For we reknowledge one Christ and his only Spirit whome the Prophetes haue commended whom the Gospell geuen vs doth preache of whome we there heare no such thyng That Spirit is no patrone of manslaughter whoredom droÌ„kennesse pride coÌ„tentioÌ„ couetousnesse gutle but the author of loue chastitie sobrietie modestie peace teÌ„peraÌ„ce truth It is not a giddy spirit and runneth hedlong without consideration through right and wrong but is ful of wisedome vnderstanding that discerneth rightly betwene iust and vniust It stirreth not vnto dissolute and vnbridled licentiousnesse but maketh difference betwene lawefull and vnlawfull and teacheth to kepe measure and temperance but why doe we labour any longer in confutynge this beastly rage To Christians the Spirit of the Lord is not a troublesome phantasie whiche eyther themselues haue brought forth in a dreame or haue receyued beyng forged of other but they reuerently seeke the knoweledge of him at the Scriptures where these two thynges be taught of hym First that he is geuen vs vnto sanctificatioÌ„ that he might bryng vs into the obedience of Gods wil beyng purged from vncleannesse defilinges whiche obedience can not stand vnlesse lustes be tamed and subdued wherunto these men would geue the bridle at libertie Secondly we are taught that we are so cleansed by his sanctification that we are still besieged with many vices and much weakenesse so longe as we are enclosed in the burden of our bodye whereby it coÌ„meth to passe that beyng farre distant from perfection we haue neede alwaye to encrease somewhat and beyng entaÌ„gled in vices we haue neede dayly to wrastle with them Whereupon also foloweth that shakynge of slouth and carelesnesse we muste watche with heedeful mindes that we be not compassed vnware with the snares of our fleshe Unlesse paraduenture we thinke that we haue proceded further than the Apostle which yet was weried of the Angel of Satan that his strength might be made perfecte with weakenesse and whiche did vnfaynedlye represent in his fleshe that diuision of the flesh and of the spirit But whereas the Apostle in describynge of repentance reckeneth seuen eyther causes or effectes or partes thereof he doth that of a very good cause and these they be endeuour or carefullnesse excusyng indignation feare desire zele punishement Neyther ought it to seme any absurditie that I dare not certainely determine whether they ought to be compted causes or effectes For both may be defended in disputation They maye bee also called affections ioyned wyth repentance but bicause leauynge out those questions we maye vnderstande what Paule meaneth we shal be content with a simple declaration of them He sayth therefore that of the heauinesse whiche is accordynge to God ariseth carefulnesse For he that is touched with an earnest felynge of displeasure bycause he hath sinned agaynst his God is therewithall stirred vp to diligence and heedefulnesse to winde himselfe clerely out of the snares of the Deuell to take better heede of his snares to fall no more from the gouernance of the holy ghost not to be oppressed wyth securitie Nexte is Excusyng whiche in this place signifieth not the defense whereby a sinner to escape the iudgement of God eyther dothe denye that he hath offended or diminisheth the hainousnesse of his faulte but a purgation whiche standeth rather in crauyng of pardon than in defense of his cause Lyke as the children that are not reprobate when they acknowledge and confesse their faultes doe yet vse entreatynge and that it maye take place they protest by all meanes that they can that they haue not cast awaye the reuerence that they owe to their parentes Finally they so excuse them as they goe not about to proue themselues righteous and innocent but only that they maye obteyne pardon Then foloweth Indignation wherby the sinner fretteth inwardly with hymselfe quareleth with hymselfe is angry with hymselfe when he recordeth his owne peruersnesse and his owne vnthankfulnesse to God By the name of feare he meaneth that tremblynge that is stryken into our mindes so ofte as we thynke bothe what we haue deserued and howe horrible is the seueritie of Gods wrathe agaynste sinners For we muste needes then be vexed wyth a maruellous vnquietnesse whiche bothe instructeth vs to humilitie and maketh vs more ware agaynst the time to come Nowe yf out of feare doe sprynge that carefulnesse whereof he had spoken before then we see with what lynkyng they hange together It semeth to me that he hath vsed this worde Desire â—or diligence in our dutie and redy cherefulnesse to obeye whereunto the acknowledgynge of our owne faultes ought chiefely to prouoke vs. And thereunto also belongeth zele which he ioyneth immediatly next vnto it For it signifieth a feruentnesse wherwith we be kindled when we be spurred forwarde with these pryckyng thoughtes what haue I done whether had I throwen my selfe hedlonge yf the mercie of God did not help me The last of all is punishment for the more rigorous that we be to our selues and the streightlier that we examine our owne sinnes so much the more we ought to trust that God is fauorable and merciful vnto vs. And truely it is not possible but that the soule beyng striken with horrour of the iudgement of God muste needes do some execution in the punishyng of it self Truely the godly hoâ—â—e what punishmeÌ„tes are shame confusion mourning lothyng of theÌ„selues other affections that spring out of earnest acknowleging of sinnes But let vs remeÌ„ber that there is a measure to be kepte that sorrow do not swallow vs vp bicause nothing more redily happeneth to fearefull consciences than fallyng to despeire And also by that crafty meane whom so euer SataÌ„ findeth ouerthroweÌ„ with dreade of God he more and more drowneth them in the gulfe of sorrowe that they maye neuer rise vp againe Truely the feare can not be to great which endeth with humilitie and departeth not from hope of pardon But alwaye as the Apostle teacheth the sinner must beware that while he moue himselfe to the lothyng of himselfe he despeire not oppressed with to great feare for so doe we flee awaye from God whyche calleth vs in him by repentance Upon whiche point this lesson of Bernarde is very profitable Sorrowe for sinnes is necessarie yf it bee noâ— contâ—nuall I counsell you sometime to returne your faute from gâ—â—nous and paynefull remembrance of your owne wayes and to 〈◊〉 vp to the playne grounde of cherefull remembrance of benefites of God Let vs mingle honye with wormâ— wood that the holsome â—â—tternesse may bring vs health when it shal be dronke tempered wâ—â—â— swetenesse And if ye thinke of your selues in humilitie thinke also of the
bicause the Lord hath determined to haue mercie vpoÌ„ men to this ende that they shuld repeÌ„t he teacheth men whether they shall trauaile if they will obteine grace Therfore so long as we shall dwell in the pryson of our body we must continually wrastle with the vices of our corrupt flesh yea with our own naturall soule Plato sayth in certayne places that the life of a Phylosopher is a meditation of death but we may more truely say that the life of a Christian maÌ„ is a perpetuall studie and exercise of mortifieng the fleshe till it beyng vtterly slayue the Spirit of God get the dominion in vs. Therefore I thinke that he hath much profited that hath learned much to mislyke himself not that he should sticke faste in â—hat myre and goe no further but rather that he should haste and long toward God that being graffed into the death life of Christ he should studie vpon a continuall repentance as truely they can not otherwise do that haue a naturall hatred of sinne for no man euer hated sinne vnlesse he were first in loue with righteousnesse This doctrine as it was most simple of all other so I thought it beste to agree with thâ— truthe of the Scripture Nowe that Repentance is a singular gift of God I thinke it be so wel knowen by the doctrine aboue taught that I neede not to repete a long discourse to proue it agayne Therfore the church prayseth and hath in admiratioÌ„ the benefit of God that he hath geuen the Gentiles repentance vnto saluation And Paule commaundyng Timothee to be patieÌ„t and milde toward the vnbeleuers sayth If at any time God geue them repentance that they maye repent from the snares of the Deuel God in deede affirmeth that he willeth the conuersion of al meÌ„ and directeth his exhortations generally to all men but the effectual workyng therof hangeth vpon the Spirit of regeneration Bicause it were more easy to create vs men than of our owne power to put on a better nature Therfore in the whole course of regeneration we are not without cause called the worke of God created to good workes which he hath prepared that we should walke in them Whom soeuer the lordes will is to deliuer from death those he quickeneth with the Spirit of regeneration not that repentance is properly the cause of saluation but bycause it is alredy seen that it is vnseparable froÌ„ fayth and from the mercie of God sithe as Esaye testifieth there is a redemer come to him and to those that in Iacob are returned from their wickednesse This truely standeth stedfastly determined that were so euer liueth the feare of God there the Spirite hath wrought vnto the saluation of man Therfore in Esaie when the faithful complaine and lament that they are forsaken of God they recken this as a token of beyng reprobates that their heartes were hardened by God The Apostle also meanyng to exclude apostataes from hope of saluation apointeth this reason that it is impossible for them to be renewed vnto repentance bicause God in renewyng them whom he wil not haue perish sheweth a tokeÌ„ of his fatherly fauour and in a maÌ„ner draweth them vnto him with the beames of his cherefull and mery contenaÌ„ce on the other side with hardenyng them he thundereth agaynst the reprobate whose wickednesse is vnpardonable Whiche kinde of vengeance the Apostle threateneth to wilfull apostataes whiche when they depart from the faith of the Gospell do make a scorne of God reprochefully despise his grace and defile treade vnder feete the bloud of Christ yea as much as in them is they crucifie him agayne For he doth not as some fondly rigorous men would haue it cut of hope of pardon from all wilfull sinnes but teacheth that apostasie is vnworthy of all excuse so that it is no maruell that God doth punish a contempt of himself so full of sacrilege with vnappeasable rigour For he sayth that it is impossible that they which haue ones ben enlightened haue tasted of the heauenly gift haue ben made partakers of the holy ghost haue tasted of the good word of God the powers of the world to come yf they fall shuld be renewed to repeÌ„tance crucifiyng againe of newe and makyng a scorne of the sonne of God Againe in an other place If sayth he we willingly sinne after knowledge of the truth receyued there remayneth no more sacrifice for sinnes but a certayne dreadfull expectation of iudgement c. These also be the places out of the wroÌ„g vnderstandyng wherof the Nouatians in old time haue gathered matter to play the mad men with whose rigorousnesse certaine good meÌ„ beyng offended beleued this to be a counterfait Epistle in the Apostles name whiche yet in all partes doth truely fauour of an Apostolike spirite But bycause we contend with none but with theÌ„ that allowe it it is easy to shewe how these sentences do nothing mainteine their errour Firste it is necessarie that the Apostle agree with his maister whiche affirmeth that all sinne and blasphemie shal be forgeueÌ„ except the sinne agaynst the holy Ghost which is not forgeuen neyther in this world nor in the world to come It is certaine I saye that the Apostle was contented with this exception vnlesse we will make him an aduersarie to the grace of Christ. Whereupon foloweth that pardon is denied to no special offenses but only to one whiche procedyng of a desperate rage can not be ascribed to weakenesse and openly sheweth that a man is possessed of the Deuell But to discusse this it behoueth to enquire what is that same so horrible offense that shall haue no forgeuenesse Whereas Augustine in one place defineth it an obstinate stifnesse euen vnto death with despeire of pardon that doth not well agree with the very wordes of Christ thaâ— it shall not be forgeuen in this world For eyther that is spoken in vaine or it maye be coÌ„mitted in this life But if Augustines definition be true then it is not committed vnlesse it continue euen vnto death Wheras some other saye that he sinneth against the holy ghost that enuieth the grace bestowed vpon his brother I see not froÌ„ whense that is fetched But let vs bring a true definitioÌ„ which beyng ones proued with sure testimonies shall easily by it selâ—e ouerthrowe all the reste I saye therefore that they sinne agaynst the holy ghost which of set purpose resist the truthe of God with brightnesse wherof they are so daseled that they can not pretend ignorance whiche they do only to this ende to resâ—st For Christe meanynge to expounde that whiche he had sayd immediatly addeth He that speaketh a worde agaynst the sonne of man it shal be forgeueÌ„ him but he that blasphemeth agaynst the holy ghost shal not be forgeuen And Matthew for the blasphemie against the holy Spirit putteth the spirit of blasphemie But how can a maÌ„ speake a reproche against the
Sonne but it is also spoken agaynst the holy ghost They that stumble vnware against the truthe of God not knowyng it which do ignorantly speake euell of Christ hauyng yet this minde that they would not extinguish the truth of God disclosed vnto them or ones with one worde offend him whome they had knowen to be the lordes anoynted these men sinne agaynst the father and the sonne So there are many at this day that do most hatefully detest the doctrine of the Gospell whiche if they did know it to be the doctrine of the Gospell they would be redy to worship with all their heart But thei whose conscience is conuinced that it is the worde of God whiche they forfake and fight agaynst and yet cesse not to fight agaynst it they are sayd to blaspheme the holy ghost for asmuch as they wrastle against the enlightening that is the work of the holy ghost Such were many of the Iewes whiche when they could not resist the Spirit that spake by Stephen yet endeuored to resist It is no doubt but that many of them were carried vnto it with zele of the lawe but it appereth that there were some other that of malicious wickednesse dyd rage agaynst God himselfe that is to saye agaynst the doctrine whiche they were not ignoraunt to be of God And such were those Pharisees against whoÌ„ the Lord inueyeth which to ouerthrow the power of the holy ghost defamed him with the name of Beelzebub This therfore is the Spirit of blasphemie when mans boldnesse of 〈◊〉 purpose leapeth forth to reproche of the name of God Which Paule signifieth wheÌ„ he sayth that he obteined mercie bicause he had igâ—oraÌ„tly coÌ„mitted those thinges through vnbelefe for whiche otherwise he had ben vnworthy of Gods fauour If ignoraÌ„ce ioyned with vnbelefe was yâ— cause that he obteined pardoÌ„ therupoÌ„ foloweth that there is no place for pardon where knowlege is ioyned to vnbelefe But if thou marke it wel thou shalt perceiue that the Apostle speaketh not of one or other particular fal but of the vniuersal departyng whereby the reprobate do forsake saluation And it is no maruel that they whom Iohn in his canonical epistle affirmeth not to haue ben of the elect froÌ„ whom they went out do fele God vnappeasable For he directeth his speache against them that imagined that they might reâ—urue to the Christian religion although they had ones departed froÌ„ it and calling them from this false pestilent opinion he sayth that whiche is most true that there is no way of returne open for them to the coÌ„munion of Christ that wittingly willingly haue cast it awaye But they cast it not away that only in dissolute licentiousnesse of lyfe transgresse the word of the lord but thei that of set purpose cast away his whole doctrine Therfore the deceit is in these wordes of fallyng sinning Bicause the Nouatians expound Falling to be if a man beyng taught by the law of the Lord that he ought not to steale or to coÌ„mit fornication absteineth not from stealing or fornication But coÌ„trarywise I affirme that there is a secret comparison of contraries wherein ought to be repeted althinges coÌ„trarie to that which was first spokeÌ„ so that here is expressed not any particular fault but the whole turning away froÌ„ God and as I may so cal it the Apostasie of the whole maÌ„ Therfore when he sayth they which haue fallen after that they haue ones ben enlightened haue tasted the heaueÌ„ly gift ben made partakers of the holy ghost also tasted the good worde of God and the powers of the world to come it is to be vnderstanded of them that with aduised vngodlinesse haue choked the light of the holy spirit haue spit out agayne the tast of the heauenly gift haue enstraÌ„ged themselues from the sanctificatioÌ„ of the holy ghost haue troden vnder foote the word of God the powers of the world to come And the more to expresse that aduised purpose of wickednesse in an other place afterwarde he addeth this worde by name Wilfully For when he sayth that there is left no sacrifice for them that sinne willingly after knowlege of the truthe receiued he doth not denie yâ— Christ is a continual sacrifice to purge the iniquities of the holy ones which he expresly crieth out almost in the whole epistle where he declareth yâ— priesthode of Christ but he sayth that there remaineth no other wheÌ„ that is ones forsaken it is forsaken when the truth of the gospell is of set purpose renounced But whereas some do thinke it to harde and to far from the tender merciefulnesse of God that any are put awaye that flee to beseching the lords mercie that is easily answered For he doth not say that pardon is denied theÌ„ if they turne to the lord but he vtterly denieth that they can rise vnto repentance bycause they are by the iuste iudgement of God striken with eternall blindnesse for their vnthankefulnesse And it maketh nothyng to the contrarie that afterward he applieth to this purpose the example of Esau whiche in vaine attempted with howling and wepyng to recouer his right of the firste begotten And no more doth that threatenyng of the Prophet When they crie I wil not heare For in such phrases of speache is meante neyther the true conuersion nor callyng vpon God but that carefulnesse of the wicked wherewith beyng bouÌ„d they are compelled in extremitie to loke vnto that which before they carelesly neglected that there is no good thing for them but in the Lordes helpe But this they doe not so muche call vpon as they mourne that it is taken from them Therefore the Prophet meaneth nothing els by Cryeng and the Apostle nothing els by Weping but that horrible torment which by desperation fretteth and vexeth the wicked This it is good to marke diligently for els God should disagree with himself which crieth by the Prophet that he wil be merciefull so sone as the sinner turneth And as I haue alredy sayd it is certayne that the minde of man is not turned to better but by Gods grace preuentyng it Also his promise concernyng callynge vpon him will neuer deceyue But that blinde torment wherwith the reprobate are diuersly drawen when they see that they muste needes seeke God that they may finde remedie for their euels and yet do flee from his presence is vnproperly called Conuersion and prayer But a question is moued whereas the Apostle denieth that God is appeased with fained repentance how Achab obteined pardon and turned awaye the punishment pronounced vpon him whom yet it appereth by the reste of the course of his life to haue ben onely striken amased with sodeine feare He did in deede put on sacke cloth scattered ashes vpon him laye vpon the ground and as it is testified of him he was huÌ„bled before God but it was not enough to cut his garmentes when his heart remayned thicke and swollen
shal be proued but the worke of all Neither is this my argument but Augustines which so confuteth that expositioÌ„ And whiche is more absurditie he dothe not saye that they shal passe through the fire for all workes but if they haue faithfully buylded the churche they shall receiue reward whan their worke is examined with fier First we see that the Apostle vsed a Metaphore when he called the doctrines inuented by mans braines woed hey and stubble And the Metaphore hath an apparant rescue that as wood so sone as it is put in the fier consumeth and wasteth so can not those doctrines continue when they come to be examined Now no man is ignoraunt that suche tryall cometh of the holy Ghost Therfore to folowe the true cause of his metaphore and match the partes together with iust relatioÌ„ he called the triall of the holy Ghost fier For euen as the nerer that gold and siluer are put to the fier so muche the surer profe they haue of their goodnesse and finenesse so the Lordes truthe the more exactlye it is weyed with spirituall examination so muche the greater confirmation of credit it receiueth As hey wood stubble put to the fier are brought to sudein consuming so the inuentions of men not stablyshed by the worde of God can not beare the triall of the holy Ghost but they by by fall away and perishe Finally if forged doctrines be compared to wood hey stubble because like wood hey and stubble they are burned with fire and destroied but they are not destroied or driuen awaye but by the spirite of the Lorde it foloweth that the holy Ghoste is the fier wherwith they shal be proued whose profe Paul according to the common vse of the Scripture calleth The day of the Lord. For it is called the day of the Lorde whensoeuer he doth any way shew his presence to men But then his face principally shineth when his truthe shineth vpon vs. Now haue we proued that Paul meaneth no other fier but the triall of the holy Ghost But how are they saued by that fier that suffer losse of their worke That shall not be hard to vnderstande if we consider of what kinde of men he speaketh For he toucheth those buylders of the churche that keping the true fundation doe builde disagreing matter vpon it that is to say they that not swaruing from the cheâ—e and necessarie articles of faithe do erre in pointes that be smaler lesse perilous mingling their owne deuises with the worde of God Suche I say must suffer losse of their worke hauing their deuises destroyed But them selues are saued but as by the fier that is to saye not that their ignorance and errour is alowable before the Lorde but because they are cleansed from it by the grace and power of the holy Ghoste Therfore whosoeuer haue defiled the golden finenesse of Gods worde with this dong of purgatorie they must nedes suffer losse of their work But they wyll say it hath ben an auncient vsage of the churche Paul answered this obiection when hee comprehendeth his owne tyme in that sentence where he saith that all they must suffer losse of theyr worke that in the building of the churche do lay any thing vpon the fundation that ageeth not with it Therfore when the aduersaries obiect against me that it hath bene vsed aboue a thousand and thre hundreth yeres to haue priayes made for the dead I aske them againe by what word of God by what ReuelatioÌ„ by what example it was done For here they do not only want testimonies of Scripture but also all the examples of holy men the ther are red do shew no such thing Of the mourning and order of funeralles there are somtimes founde manye long tales but of prayers you can not see one tittle But of the greater weight that the matter is the more it ought to haue ben expressely spoken But the very old fathers them selues that prayed for the dead did see that herein they wanted both coÌ„maundement of God and lawfull example Why then durst thei so do In this I say thei did suffer somewhat as men and therfore I affirme that that whiche they did ought not to be drawen into example For where as the faithfull ought to enterprise the doing of nothing but vpon assured conscience as Paul reacheth this assurednesse is principally required in prayer But it is likely that they were led by some reason vnto it they sought some comfort to releue their sorrowe it semed vnnatural not to shew before God some testimonie of their loue toward the dead How mans wit is enclined to this affection all meÌ„ know by experience Also the receiued custome was like a burning brand to set many mens mindes on fier We know that with all nations in all ages there were funeralles done for the dead their soules yearely purged For though Satan beguiled foolish men with these deceites yet he toke occasion so to beguile by a true principle that death is not a destruction but a passage out of this life into an other And it is no dout but that euen very superstition condemneth the GeÌ„tiles before the iudgement seate of God for neglecting the care of the life to come whiche they professed them selues to beleue Nowe Christians because they would not be worse than Heathen men were ashamed to do nothing for the dead as though thei were vtterly destroyed Hereupon came that ill aduised diligence because if they were slowe in looking to the funeralles in bankettinges offeringes they thoughte that they had put them selues in dauÌ„ger of a great reproche And that whiche first proceded from a wrongful folowyng of the Heathens exaÌ„ple was so multiplied by often newe encreasces that now it is the principall holinesse of Papistrie to helpe the dead in distresse But the Scriture ministreth an other muche better and perfecter comfort when it testifieth that the dead are blessed that die in the Lorde And it addeth a reason because from thenceforth they reste from their labours And we ought not so muche tenderly to folow our own affection of loue to set vp a wrongful manner of praying in the churche Truely he that hathe but meane wysdome dothe sone perceiue that all that is red hereof in the olde wryters was done to beare with the common vsage and the ignorance of the people They them selues also I graunte were caried away into errour euen as vnaduised lightnesse of belefe is wont to rob mens wittes of iudgement But in the meane tyme the very redynge of them doth shew howe doubtyngly they coÌ„mende prayers for the dead Augustine in his boke of coÌ„fessions reporteth that Monica his mother did earnestly desire that she might be remembred in celebrating the misteries at the Altar An old wyues request whiche the sonne neuer examined by the rule of the Scripture but according to his affectioÌ„ of nature wold haue it allowed of other As for the booke that he
vnlesse our weakenesse be shewed vs as it were before our eyes we do easily esteme our owne streÌ„gth aboue due measure doubte not that what soeuer happen it wil coÌ„tinue vnbroken vnouercoÌ„me against al hard assaultes Whereby we are caried into a foolish vaine confidence of flesh and then trusting therupon we stubbornly waxe proude against God himself as though our owne powers without his grace did suffice vs. This arrogancie he caÌ„ no way better beate down thaÌ„ wheÌ„ he proueth vnto vs by experience not only how feble but also how fraile we be Therfore he afflicteth vs either with shame or pouertie or losse of childreÌ„ or sicknesse or other calamities which we beyng vnable to beare in respect of our selues doe by and by sinke downe vnder them Beyng so humbled we learne to call vpon his strength whiche only maketh vs to stand vpright vnder the heauy burden of afflictioÌ„s Yea the moste holy how wel so euer they know that they stand by the grace of God and not by their owne force yet are to muche assured of their owne strength and constancie vnlesse by the tryall of the crosse he bring them into a more inward knowledge of theÌ„selues The slouthfulnesse crept into Dauid I sayd in my rest I shall neuer be moued Lorde thou hadst stablished in thy good pleasure a strength to my hill thou hiddest awaye thy face I was striken For he confesseth that with sluggishnesse in prosperitie his senses were dulled that not regardyng the grace of God vpon whiche he should haue hanged he leaned vnto himselfe to promise himselfe perpetuall continuance If this chauÌ„ced to so great a Prophet which of vs ought not to be fearfull that we may be heedefull Therefore whereas in prosperitie they flatter themselues with opinion of a greater constancie and patience when they are ones humbled with aduersitie they learne that their former opinion was but hypocrisie The faythfull I saye beyng admonished by such examples of their diseases do thereby profit to humilitie that beyng vnclothed of the wrongfull confidence of the flesh they maye resort to the grace of God And where they are ones come to his grace they fele the presence of Gods strength wherein is abundantly sufficent succour â—or them And this is it that Paule teacheth that by troubles is engendred pacience by pacieÌ„ce profe For whereas God hath promised the faithfull that he will be present with them in troubles they fele the same to be true when they stande patiently beyng vpholden by his hande which by theyr owne streÌ„gth they were not able to do Patience therfore bringeth a profe by experience to the holy ones that God when neede requireth will in deede performe the help that he hath promised And thereby also their hope is confirmed for asmuche as it were to much vnthankefulnesse not to loke for in time to come the same truth of God that they had already by experience proued to be constant and sure We see now howe many good thinges doe come vnto vs in one knot by the crosse For ouerthrowyng the opinion that we falsly presume of our owne strength and disclosing our hypocrisie that deliteth vs it shaketh awaye the hurtfull confidence of the fleshe and teacheth vs beyng so humbled to rest vpon God only by which it commeth to passe that we neyther be oppressed nor fall downe And after victorie foloweth hope in so much as the Lord in performing that which he hath promised stablisheth the credit of his truthe for time to come Truely although there were no moe reasons but these it appereth how much the exercise of the crosse is necessarie for vs. For it is a matter of no small importance to haue the blinde loue of thy selfe wiped away that thou mayst wel know thine owne weakenesse To fele thine owne weakenesse that thou mayest learne to distrust thy selfe to distrust thy selfe that thou mayst remoue thy confidence from thy selfe vnto God to rest with confidence of heart vpon God that beyng vpholden by his help thou mayst continue vnouercomme to the last end to stande fast by his grace that thou mayest vnderstaÌ„d that he is true in his promises to know by profe the truthe of his promises that thy hope may be strengthened thereby The Lord hath also an other end of afflictyng his to trie their patience and instruct vs to obedience Not that they can vse any obedience toward him other than the same that he geueth them but so it pleaseth hym by open examples to make approued by witnesses and to set forth the graces that he hath bestowed vpon his holy ones that they should not lie idly hidde within them And therefore in bringyng forth into open shewe the strength of suffrance and constancie wherwith he hath furnished his seruauntes it is sayd that he tryeth their pacience And from hense came these sayenges that God tempted Abraham and had profe of his godlinesse by this that he refused not to offer vp in sacrifice his owne and only sonne Therefore Peter teacheth that our fayth is so proued in troubles as golde is tried in a fornace And whoe can say that it is not expedient that the moste noble gift of pacience which a faithful man hath receyued of his God shuld be brought forth into vse that it may be made certainely knowen and manifest For otherwise men will not esteme it as it is worthy Now if God himself doth rightfully when he ministreth matter to stirre vp the vertues that he hath geuen to his faithfull that they should not lie hidden yea lye vnprofitable and perish then is there good reason of the afflictions of the holy ones without which there patience shold be nothyng I saye also that by the crosse they are instructed to obedience bicause they are so taught to liue not after their owne wish but after the will of God Truely if all thinges should flowe vnto them after their owne minde they would not know what it were to folow God And Seneca reherseth that this was an olde Prouerbe when they exhorted any man to suffer aduersities Folow God By whiche they declared that then only meÌ„ truely entred vnder the yoke of God when he yelded his hand and backe to Gods correction Nowe if it be most righteous that we should shewe our selues in all thinges obedient to the heaueÌ„ly father then we ought not to refuse that he should by all meanes accustome vs to yeld obedience vnto him But yet we perceyue not howe necessarie this obedience is for vs vnlesse we do also consider how wanton our fleshe is to shake of the yoke of God so sone as it hath ben but a litle while deintily and tenderly handled The same happeneth vnto it that chaunceth to stubborne horses whiche yf they be a fewe dayes pampred idlely they can not afterward for fearcenesse be tamed neyther do know their rider to whose gouernement they somwhat before obeyed And this is continual in vs that God
but to strengthen thy minde with constant certaintie perfect assurednes to haue whervpoÌ„ to rest fasteÌ„ thy fooâ—e He adioyneth also an other thing that is that the promise shal therby be made of no effect voide For if the fulfilling therof do hang vpon oure deseruing when shal we come thus farre as to deserue the bountifulnes of God Also this second point hangeth vpon the former For the promise shal not be fulfilled but to them that beleue it Therfore if faithe be fallen ther shall remaine no force of the promisse Therfore the inheritance is of faith that it may be according to grace to stablishe the promise For it is abundantly wel stablished when it resteth vpon the only mercy of God bicause his mercy truth are with a perpetual knot ioyned together that is to sai whatsoeuer God mercifulli promiseth he also faithfulli performeth So Dauid before that he required saluation by the word of God first determineth the cause therof to be in his mercye Let thy mercies saith he come vnto me thy saluation according to thy word And rightfully bycause God is by no other meane perswaded to make the promise but of his own mere mercie Therfore we must herin stay deepely fasten all our hope not to loke to our own works to seke any helpe of theÌ„ And that you shold not think that I herin speake any new thing Augustine doth also teache that we ought so to do Christ saith he shal reigne for euer in his seruantes God hath promised it God hath said it and if that be not enough God hath sworne it Therefore for asmuch as the promise is stablished not according to our deseruinges but according to his mercie no man ought to speake fearefully of that of whych he can not doubte Bernarde also saythe The disciples of Christe saye Whoe canne bee saued Butte hee aunswered thys ys impossible with menne butte yt is not impossible wyth God This is all our confidence this is our only comforte this is the whole grounde of oure hope but beyng assured of the possibilitie what saye we of hys wyll Whoe knoweth whether he be worthy of loue or hatred Who hath knowen the Lords meaning â–ª Or who hath ben his counseller Here now faith must of necessitie help vs here must his truthe succoure vs that that which is hidden from vs in yâ— heart of the father may be reueled by the Spirit his Spirit testifieng it may perswade our heartes that we are the sonnes of God And it may perswade vs by calling iustifyeng vs freely by fayth in which things ther is as it were a certaine meane passage from the eternall predestination to the glorie that is to come Brefely let vs thus conclude The Scripture declareth that the promises of God are not stablished vnlesse they be taken hold of with assured affiance of conscience whersoeuer there is any doubting or vncertaintie it pronounceth that thei be voide Againe yt pronounceth that they do nothing but stagger wauer if thei rest vpoÌ„ our own workes Therfore we must nedes either lose righteousnesse or we must not coÌ„sider our own workes but only faith must take place whose nature is this to lift vp her eares shut her eies that is to say to be hedefully bent to the promise only and to turne away her thought from all mans worthinesse or deseruing So is yâ— notable prophecie of Zacharie fulfilled that when the wickednes of the land shal be done away a man shal call his frend vnder his vine vnder his figge tree where the Prophet declareth that the faithful do no otherwise enioy true peace but after obteining of the forgeuenesse of sinnes For this cauelatioÌ„ is to be remeÌ„bred in the Prophetes that wheÌ„ thei speake of the kingdome of Christ they set out the outward blessinges of God as figures of the spirituall thinges Wherupon Christ is called both the king of peace our peace because he appeaseth al the troublesom motioÌ„s of coÌ„science If we seke by what meane he doth it we must nedes come to the sacrifice by which God is appeased For he shal neuer cesse to tremble for feare that shall not determine that God is appeased by the only satisfactorie cleansing wherin Christ hath susteined his wrath Finally peace is no where els to be sought for but in the terrors of Christ our redemer But why do I vse so darke a testimonie Paul euery where denieth that there is peace or quiet ioy left to consciences vnlesse it be determined that we be iustified by faith And he therwithall declareth whense that assurednes cometh namely when the loue of God is poured into our heartes by the holy Ghost as if he had said that our coÌ„sciences can not otherwise be quieted vnlesse we be certeinly persuaded that we please god WherupoÌ„ also in an other place he crieth out in the persone of al the godly Who shall seuer vs froÌ„ the loue of God whiche is in Christ because we shall â—reÌ„ble euen at euery litle breath till we be arriued into that haueÌ„ but we shal be without care euen in the darkenes of death so long as the lord shal shew him selfe a pastor to vs. Therfore whosoeuer prate that we are iustified by faith because being regenerate we ar iust by liuing spiritually they neuer tasted the swetenesse of grace to coÌ„sider that God will be merciful vnto theÌ„ WherupoÌ„ also foloweth that they do no more know the manner of praiyng rightly than Turkes whatsoeuer other profane Nations For as Paul witnesseth it is no true faith vnlesse it teache put vs in minde of the most swete name of Father yea vnlesse it opeÌ„ our mouth freely to crie out Abba father Whiche in an other place he more plainely expresseth where he saith that in Christ we haue boldnesse entrie in coÌ„fidence by the faith of him Truly this cometh not to passe by the gift of regeneration which as it is alway vnperfect in this flesh so it conteineth in it self manifold mater of douting Wherfore we must of necessitie come to this remedy that the faithful shold determine that they may by no other right hope for the inheritaÌ„ce of the heaueÌ„ly kingdome but because being graffed into the body of Chist they are frely accoÌ„pted righteous For as touching iustificatioÌ„ faith is a thing merely passiue bringing nothing of our own to the recouering of the fauour of God but receiuing of Christ that whiche we want The .xiiii. Chapter ¶ What is the beginning of iustification and the continuall procedinges therof THat the mater may bee made more plaine let vs searche what may be the righteousnesse of maÌ„ in the whole course of his life let vs make fower degrees therof For meÌ„ either being endued with no knowledge of God are drowned in idolatrie or being entred into profession by sacrameÌ„tes denyeng God with vncleannes of life whom thei
dealing which he knew to be pleasing to the merciful kindnes of God agaist al euel speaking of meÌ„ whatsoeuer it be For we se what he saith in an other place that he knoweth no euel by himself but the he is not therby iustified namly bicause he knew that the iudgment of god far surmuÌ„teth the bleareyed sight of meÌ„ Howsoeuer therfore the godly do defend their innoceÌ„ce agaist the hypocrisie of the vngodly by the witnessing iudgmeÌ„t of God yet when thei haue to doe wyth God alone they all crye oute wyth one mouthe If thow marke iniquitie Lorde Lorde who shall abide it Entre not into iudgement with thy seruantes bycause euery one that liueth shall not be iustified in thy sight and distrusting their owne workes thei gladly sing Thy goodnesse is better than life There are also other places not vnlyke to these before in which a man may yet tarry Salomon saith that he whiche walketh in his vprightnesse is righteous Againe That in the path of righteousnesse is life and that in the same is not death After whiche manner Ezechiell reporteth that he shal liue life that doth iudgment and righteousnesse None of these do we either denye or darken But let there come forthe one of the sonnes of Adam with such an vprightnesse If ther be none either thei must perishe at the sighte of God or flee to the sanctuarie of mercie Neither do we in the meane time denie but that to the faithfull their vprightnesse though it be but halfe vnperfect is a step towarde immortalitie But whence commeth that but bicause whome the Lord hathe taken into the couenant of grace he searcheth not their works according to their deseruinges but kisseth them with fatherly kindenes Wherby we do not only vnderstand that which the scholemen do teache that works haue their value of the accepting grace For thei meane that workes which are otherwise in sufficient to purchase righteousnesse by the couenant of the law are by the accepting of God auauÌ„ced to the value of equalitie But I saie that thei being defiled bothe with other trespassinges with their owne spottes are of no other value at al than in so muche as the lord tenderly graunteth pardoÌ„ to bothe that is to say geueth free righteousnesse to maÌ„ Neither are here those praiers of the Apostle seasonaly thrust in place wher he wissheth so great perfectioÌ„ to the faithful that thei may be faultlesse vnblamable in the day of the loâ—â— These wordes in deede the Celestines did in olde tune turmoile to affirme a perfectioÌ„ of righteousnes in this life But which we thinke to be sufficient we answer brefely after Augustine that al the godly oughte in dede to endeuoure toward this mark that thei may one day appeare spotlesse faultlesse before the face of God but bicause the best most excellent maÌ„ner of this life is nothing but a going forward we shal then not til then atteine to this mark when being vnclothed of this flesh of sinne we shall fully cleaue to the lord Yet wil I not stiffely striue with him which will geue the title of perfectioÌ„ to the holy ones so that he also limit the same with the words of Augustine himselfe Whan saich he we wil cal the vertue of the holy ones perfect to the same perfectioÌ„ also belongeth the acknowledging of imperfection bothe in trueth and in humilitie The .xviii. Chapter That of the rewarde the righteousnesse of Workes is ill gathered NOw let vs passe ouer to those saiengs which affirme the God wil rendre to euery man according to his workes of whiche sort are these Euery man shal beare away that which he hath done in the body either good or euel Glory honoure to him that worketh good trouble distresse vpoÌ„ euery soule of him that worketh euel And thei whiche haue done good thinges shall goe into the resurrection of life thei which haue done euell into the resurrection of iudgement Come ye blessed of my father I haue hungred ye gaue me meate I haue thirsted ye gaue me drinke c. And with thâ— let vs also ioine these saiengs which cal eternal life the reward of works Of whithe sort ar these The rendring of the handes of a man shal be restored to him He that feareth the coÌ„maundemeÌ„t shal be rewarded Be glad reioise behold your reward is plentiful in heauen Euery man shal receiue reward according to his labore Wher it is said that God shal rendre to euery man according to his works the same is easily assoiled For that manner of speaking doth rather shew the ordre of folowing than the cause But yt is out of dout that the lord doth accoÌ„plish our saluatioÌ„ by these degrees of his mercy wheÌ„ those whom he hath choseÌ„ he calleth to him those whoÌ„e he hath called he iustifieth those whom he hath iustified he glorifieth Although therfore he do by his only mercie receiue them the be his into life yet bicause hee bringeth them into the possession therof by the race of good works that he may fulfil his work in them by such ordre as he hath apointed it is no maruel if it be said that thei be crowned accordig to their works by which wtout doubt they are prepared to receiue the crowne of immortalitie Yea after this manner it is fittly said that thei worke their own saluation when in applieng themselues to good works they practise theÌ„selues toward eternall life namly as in an other place thei are coÌ„maunded to work the meate which perisheth not when bi beleuing in Christ thei get to theÌ„selues life yet it is by by afterwarde added Which that sonne of man shal geue you Wherby appeareth that the word of Working is not set as contrary to grace but is referred to endeuoure therfore it foloweth not that either the faithful artheÌ„selues authors of their own saluatioÌ„ or that the same proceedeth froÌ„ their works How then So sone as thei are taken into the felowship of Christ by the knowledge of the Gospell the enlightning of the holy ghost eternal life is begone in them Now the same good worke which God hath begonne in them must also be made perfect vntil the day of the lord Iesu. And it is made perfect when resembling the heauenly father in righteousnesse holinesse thei proue theÌ„selues to be his children not swarued out of kinde There is no cause why we shold of the name of reward gather an argument that our works ar the cause of saluacioÌ„ First let this be determined in our hearts that the kingdome of heaueÌ„ is not a reward of seruants but an inheritance of childreÌ„ which thei only shal enjoy that ar adopted of the lord to be his children for no other cause but for this adoptioÌ„ For the sonne of the bond womaÌ„ shal not be heir but the soÌ„ne of the sre woman And in the
a crooked figure as men sometime speake mingle him selfe with the multitude as one of the people but rather seuerally confesseth his owne gyltinesse humbly fleeth to the sanctuarie of forgeuenesse as he expresly sayth When I coÌ„fessed my sinnes the sinnes of my people And thys humblenesse Dauid also setteth out with his own example when he saith Entre not into iudgement with thy seruant bicause in thy sight euery one that liueth shall nat bee iustified In suche manner Esaie prayeth Loe thou art angry bicause wee haue sinned the worlde is founded in thy waies therefore we shal be saâ—ed And we haue been all filled with vncleannesse al our righteousnesses as a defiled cloth and wee haue al withered away as a leafe our iniquities do scatter vs abroade as the winde and there is none that calleth vpon thy name that rayseth vp himselfe to take holde of thee bycause thou hast hidde thy face froÌ„ vs and hast made vs to pine awaie in the hande of oure wyckednesse Now therfore O Lord thou art our father we are claye thou art our fasshioner we are the worke of thy hand Be not angry O Lord neither remembre wickednes for euer Behold loke vpon vs we ar al thy people Loe how thei stand vpoÌ„ no affiance at al but vpon this onely that thinking vpon this that thei be Gods thei despire not that he wil haue care of them Likewise Ieremie If our iniquities answer against vs do thou for thy names sake For it is bothe most truely most holyly written of whome soeuer it be which being written by an vnknoweÌ„ author is fathered vpon the Prophet Baruch A soule heauy deosolate for the greatnes of euel croked weake a hungrye soule fainting eies geue glorie to thee O Lord. Not according to the righteousnesses of our fathers doe we poure out praiers in thy sight aske mercie before thy face O Lord our God but bicause thou art merciful haue mercie vpon vs bicause we haue sinned before thee Finally the beginning also the preparing of praieng rightly is crauing of pardoÌ„ with an humble plaine confession of fault For neither is it to be hoped that euen the holiest man may obteine any thinge of God vntil hee bee freely reconciled to him neither is it possible that God may be fauourable to any but theÌ„ whom he pardoneth Wherfore it is no maruel if the faithful do with this keie opeÌ„ to theÌ„selues the dore to pray Which we learne out of many places of the Psalmes For Dauid wheÌ„ he asketh an other thing saith Remembre not the sinnes of my youthe remember me according to thy mercie for thy goodnesses sake O lord Again Loke vpoÌ„ my afflictioÌ„ my labore forgeue al my sinnes Wher we also see that it is not enough if we euery seuerall day do cal our selues accoÌ„pt for our new sinnes if we do not also remeÌ„bre those sinnes which might seeme to haue been long agoe forgotten For the same Prophet in an other place hauing coÌ„fessed one haynous offense by this occasioÌ„ returneth eueÌ„ to his mothers wombe wherin he had gathered the infectioÌ„ not to make the faulte seme lesse by the corruptioÌ„ of nature but the heaping together the sinnes of his whole life how much more rigorous he ys in coÌ„demning himself so much more easy he maye finde God to entreate But although the holy ones do not alwaye in expresse woordes aske forgeuenesse of sinnes yet if we diligently weie their praiers whiche the Scripture rehearseth we shal easily finde that which I say that thei gathered a minde to praie of the only mercy of God so alwaye toke their beginning at appeasing him bicause if euery man examine his owne conscience so far is he froÌ„ being bold to open his cares familiarlie with God yâ— he trembleth at euery coÌ„ming toward him except that he standeth vpoÌ„ trust of mercie pardon Ther is also an other special confession wher thei aske release of peines that thei also praie to haue their sinnes forgeuen bicause it weare an absurditie to will that the effecte to be takeÌ„ awaye while the cause abideth For we muste beware that God be fauourable vnto vs before that he testifye hys fauoure wyth outwarde signes bycause boothe hee hymselfe wyll keepe thys ordre and yt should lytle profyte vs to haue hym benefytiall vnlesse oure conscience feelynge hym appeased shoulde througely make hym louelye vnto vs. Whyche wee are also taughte by the aunswere of Christe For when hee hadde decreed to heale the manne sycke of the Palsey hee sayde Thy sinnes are forgeuen thee lifting vp our mindes therby to that which is chefely to be wisshed that God first receiue vs into fauoure and then shew forth the frute of reconciliation in helping vs. But byside that speciall confession of present gyltynesse wherby the faithful make supplication to obteine pardon of euery speciall faulte peine that general preface which procureth fauour to praiers is neuer to be omitted bicause vnlesse thei be grounded vpon the free mercie of God they shall neuer obteine any thing of God Whereunto maye be referred that sayeng of Ihon If we confesse oure sinnes he is faithfull righteous to forgeue vs and cleanse vs from al iniquitie For which cause it behoued praiers in the time of the law to be hallowed with expiatioÌ„ of bloode that they might be acceptable and that so the people sholde be put in minde that thei are vnworthy of so great a prerogotiue of honour til being cleansed from their defilinges thei shold of the onely mercie of God conceiue affiance to praye But wheras the holy ones seme somtime for the entreating of God to allege the helpe of their owne righteousnes as when Dauid saith Kepe my soule bicause I am good Again Ezechias RemeÌ„bre lord I beseche thee that I haue walked before thee in truthe haue done good in thyne eyes by such formes of speaking thei meane nothing els than by their very regeneratioÌ„ to testifie theÌ„selues to be the seruants childreÌ„ of God to whom he himselfe pronounceth that he wil be mercifull He teacheth by that prophet as we haue already seen that his eies are vpon the righteous his cares vnto their praiers Againe by the apostle that we shal obteine whatsoeuer we ask if we kepe his coÌ„maundemeÌ„ts In which sayenges he doth not value praier by the worthines of works but his will is so to stablish their affiance whose own coÌ„scieÌ„ce wel assureth theÌ„ of an unâ—ayned vprightnes inocenci such as al the faithful ought to be For the same is taken out of the very truth of God which the blindeman that had his sight restored saith in Ihon that God heareth not sinners if wee vnderstaÌ„d sinners after the coÌ„moÌ„ vse of the scripture for such as wtout al desire of righteousnesse do altogether slepe rest vpoÌ„ their sinnes forasmuch as no heart can
made sure and of force Therefore that shadowish ceremonie of the lawe taught that wee are all shutt oute from the face of God and that therefore wee neede a Mediator whyche maye appeare in oure name and maye beare vs vpon hys sholders and holde vs fast bounde to his breast that we may be hearde in his person then that by sprynkeling of bloode our praiers are cleansed whiche as wee haue already saide are neuer vorde of filthinesse And wee see that the holy ones when thei desyred to obteyne any thynge grounded theyr hope vpon sacrifices bycause they knewe them to be the stablishinges of all requestes Lett hym remembre thy offrynge sayeth Dauid and make thy burnt offringe fatt Herupon is gathered that God hath ben froÌ„ the beginning appeased by the intercessioÌ„ of Christ to receiue the praiers of the godly Why then doth Christe apoint a new heire when his Disciples shall beginne to praie in his name but bicause this grace as it is at this daye more glorious so deserueth more commendation wiâ—h vs. And in this same sense he had said a little before Hetherto ye haue not asked any thinge in my name nowe aske No that thei vnderstode nothing at all of the office of the Mediator whereas all the Iewes were instructed in the principles but bicause thei had not yet clerely knowen that Christ by his ascending into heauen shold be a surer patron of the Church than he was before Therefore comfort their greefe of the abscence with some speciall frute he claimeth to himselfe the office of an aduocate teaceth that thei haue hitherto wanted the cheâ—e benefite which it shal be graunted them to enioye when being aâ—ded by his mediation thei shal more frely cal vpon God as the Apostle saith that his newe waie is dedicate in his blood And so much lesse excusable is oure frowardnes vnlesse we do with both armes as the saieng is embrace so inestimable a benefite whiche is proprely apointed for vs. Nowe whereas he is the onely waie and the onely entrie by which it is graunted vs to come in vnto God whoe so doe swarue from this way and forsake this entrie for them there remayneth no waie nor entrie to God there is nothinge left in his throne but wrath iudgment terroure Finally sithe the Father hathe marked him for oure heade guide thei which do in any wise swarue or go awaie from him do labore as much as in them lieâ—h to race out dysfigure the marke which God hath imprinted So Christ is set to be the only Mediator by whose intercession the Father may be made to vs fauourable and easy to be entreated Howe be it in the meane time the holy ones haue theyr intercessions left to them wherby thei do mutually coÌ„mend the safetie one of an other to God of which the Apostle maketh mention but those be such as hange vpon that one only intercession so farre is it of that thei minish any thing of it For as thei springe out of the affectioÌ„ of loue wherwith we embrace one an other as the membres of one body so thei are alâ—o reâ—erred to the vntâ—ie of the heade Sythe therefore they also are made in the name of Christe what doe they els butte testifie that noe manne canne be holpen by any prayers at al butte wyth the intercession of Christe And as Christe wythe hys intercession wyth standeth not butte that in the Churche wee maye wyth prayers bee aduocates one for an other so lette thys remaine certayne that all the intercessors of the whole Churche oughte to bee directed to that onely one yea and for this cause we ought specially to be beware of vnthankfulnesse bycause God pardoning oure vnworthinesse doth not onely geue leaue to euery one of vs to praie for himselfe but also admitteth vs to be entreaters one for an other For where God appointeth aduocates for his Churche which deserue worthily to be reiected if they praie pryuately euery one for himselfe what a pride were it to abuse this libertie to darken the honoure of Christe Nowe yt ys a meare trifelynge whyche the Sophisters bable that Christe ys the Mediatoure of redemption butte the faythefull are Mediatoures of intercession As thoughe Christe hauynge perfourmed a Mediation for a time hathe geuen to hys seruauntes that eternall Mediatoreshippe whyche shall neuer dye Full courteouslye forfoothe they handle hym that cutte awaie so little a portion of honor from hym But the Scripture saythe farre otherwise wyth the symplicitie whereof a godly man ought to be contented leauinge these deceyuers For where Ihon saithe that yf any doe synne we haue an aduocate wyth the Father Christe Iesus dothe he meane that he was ones in olde tyme a patrone for vs and not rather assigneth to hym an euerlastinge intercession Howe saye we to thys that Paule also affirmeth that he sitteth at the right hande of God the Father and maketh intercession for vs And when in an other place he calleth hym the only Mediatoure of God and men meaneth he not of prayers of whych he had a little before made mention For when he hadde before said that intercession muste be made for all men for proofe of that sayeng hee by and by addeth that of all menne there is one God and one Mediatore And none otherwise doth Augustine expounde it when he saith thus Christian menne dothe mutually commende themselues in their prayers But he for whom none maketh intercession but he for al he is the onely and true Mediatoure Paule the Apostle though he were a principall membre vnder the heade yet bycause hee was a membre of the bodye of Christe and knewe that the greatest and truest preeste of the church entred not by a figure into the inward places of the vaile to the holy of holy places but by expresse and stedfast trueth into the innermost places of heauen â—o a holynesse not shadowish but eternal coÌ„mendeth hymself also to the prayers of the faithful Neither doth he make himself a Mediatore betweene the people God but prayeth that al the meÌ„bres of the bodye of Christe shoulde mutually praye for hym bycause the membres are carefull one for an other and if one membre suffer the other suffer with it And that so the mutuall prayers one for an other of all the membres yet trauayling in earthe may ascende to the head which is gone before into heauen in whome is appeasement â—or our synnes For yf Paule were a Mediatoure the other Apostles shoulde also bee Mediatores and if there were many Mediatoures then neither shold Paules owne reason stande faste in whych he hadde saide For ther is one God one Mediatoure of one God and menne the manne Christe in whome wee also are one if wee keepe the vnitie of faithe in the bonde of peace Againe in an other place But if thou seke for a Preest he is aboue the heauens wher he maketh intercessioÌ„ for thee whiche in
expediente also to pray in other places but he sheweth that prayer is a certaine secrete thing whiche bothe is chefely placed in the soule and requireth the quiet therof farr from all trobles of cares Not wtout cause therfore the lord himselfe also when he was disposed to apply himselfe more earnestly to prayer coÌ„ueied himself into some solitarie place farr froÌ„ the troblesome coÌ„pany of meÌ„ but to teach vs by his exaÌ„ple that these helps ar not to be despised by which our minde being to slippry of it self is more beÌ„t to earnest applyeng of praier But in the meane time eueÌ„ as he in the middest of the multitude of men absteined not from praying if occasion at any tyme so serued so should we in al places where nede shal be lift vp pure handes Finally thus it is to be holden that whosoeuer refuseth to praye in the holy assemblie of the godly he knoweth not what it is to pray apart or in solitarinesse or at home Againe that he that neglecteth to pray alone or priuatly how diligently soeuer he hauÌ„t publike assemblies doth there make but vaine prayers because he geueth more to the opinion of men thaÌ„ to the secrete iugement of God In the meane time that the common prayers of the Chirch shoulde not growe into contempte God in olde tyme garnished them with glorious titles specially where he called the temple the house of prayer For by thys sayeng he both taught that the chefe part of the worshipping of hym is the dutie of prayer and that to the ende that the faythful should with one consent exercise themselues in it the teÌ„ple was set vp as a standard for them There was also added a notable promise There abideth for thee O God prayse in Sion to thee the vow shal be payed By which wordes the Prophet telleth vs that the prayers of the Chirch are neuer voyde because the Lord alway ministreth to hys people mater to sing vpon with ioy But although the shadowes of the law are cessed yet because the Lordes wil was by thys ceremonie to nourish among vs also the vnitie of fayth it is no doute that the same promise belongeth to vs which both Christ hath stablished with hys owne mouth and Paule teacheth that it is of force for euer Now as the Lord by hys worde commaundeth the faithful to vse coÌ„mon prayers so there must be common temples appointed for the vsing of them where whoso refuse to communicate their prayer with the people of God there is no cause why they should abuse thys pretense that they enter into their chamber that they may obey the commaundemente of the lord For he that promiseth that he wil do whatsoeuer twoo or three shall aske being gathered together in hys name testifieth that he despiseth not prayers openly made so that bosting and seking of glory of meÌ„ be absent so that vnfained true affectioÌ„ be present which dwelleth in the secret of the hart If this be the right vse of temples as truely it is we must againe beware that neither as they haue begon in certayne ages past to be accoÌ„pted we take them for the propre dwelling places of God from whense he may more nerely bende hys eare vnto 〈◊〉 â—ayne to them I wote not what secrete holinesse whiche maye 〈…〉 prayer more holy before God For sith we our selues be the 〈◊〉 teÌ„ples of God we must pray in our selues if we wil cal vpon God in his own holy temple As for that grossenesse let vs which haue a commaundement to call vpon the Lord in Spirite and truth without difference of place leaue it to the Iewes or the Gentiles There was in dede a temple in olde time by the commaundemente of God for offring of prayers and sacrifices but that was at such tyme as the truth lay hydde figured vnder suche shadowes which being now liuely expressed vnto vs doth not suffer vs to sticke in any materiall temple Neither was the temple geuen to the Iewes themselues with this condition that they shold enclose the presence of God within the walles therof but wherby they myght be exercised to beholde the image of the true temple Therefore they which in any wise thought that God dwelleth in temples made with handes were sharply rebuked of Esay and Stephen Here moreouer it is more than euident that neither voice nor song if they be vsed in prayer haue any force or do any whit profite before God vnlesse they procede from the depe affectioÌ„ of the hart But rather they prouoke his wrath against vs if they come only froÌ„ the lippes and out of the throte forasmuch as that is to abuse his holy name and to make a mockerie of his maiestie as we gather out of the wordes of Esay which although they extende further yet perteine also to reproue thys fault Thys people sayth he cometh nere to with their mouth and honoreth me with their lippes but their hart is farr froÌ„ me they haue feared me with the commauÌ„dement and doctrine of men Therfore beholde I will make in this people a miracle great and to be wondred at For wisedome shall perish from their wise men and the prudence of the Elders shal vanishe away Neither yet doo we here condemne voice or singyng but rather doo hyely commende them so that they accompany the affection of the mynde For so they exercise the mynd and hold it intentiue in thynkyng vpon God which as it is slippery and rollyng easily slacketh and is diuersly drawen vnlesse it be stayed with diuers helpes Moreouer wheras the glorie of God ought after a certaine maner to shine in al the partes of our body it specially behoueth that the tong be applyed and auowed to this seruice both in singing and in speaking which is properly created to shew fourth and display the praise of God But the chefe vse of the tong is in publike prayers which are made in the assemblie of the Godly which tend to thys ende that we may all with one common voice and as it were with one mouth together glorifie God whoÌ„ we worship with one Spirite and one Faith and that openly that all men mutually euery one of hys brother maye receiue the confession of Fayth to the example wherof they maye be bothe allured and stirred Is for the vse singyng in Chirches that I may touche this also by the waie it is certaine that it is not onely most auncieÌ„t but that it was also in vse among the Apostles we maye gather by these wordes of Paule I will syng in Spirite I will syng also in mynde Agayne to the Colossians Teachyng and admonishing you mutually in hymnes psalmes and spirituall songes singyng with grace in your harts to the Lorde For in the first place he teacheth that we should syng with voice and harte in the other he commendeth spirituall songes wherewith the godly doo mutually edifie themselues Yet that it was not vniuersal Augustine
the Sonne and of the Holy ghost or must we passe ouer in silence the creation of the worlde Yea but the truthe of God is bothe in this behalfe and euery where mightiâ—r than that it neede to feare the euell speakyng of the wicked as Augustine strongly maynteineth in his worke of the good of Perseuerance For we see that the false Apostles coulde not by defamyng and sclanderyng the true Doctrine of Paule make hym to bee ashamed of it But whereas they say that this whole disputation is perillous also for godly myndes because it maketh against exhortatioÌ„s because it shaketh faith because it troubleth the hart it self this is vaine Augustine sticketh not to confesse that for these causes he was wonte to be blamed for that he did to freely preache Predestination but as he had in readinesse wherwithall he largely confuteth them But we because many and diuers absurdities are thrust into this place had rather to reserue euery one to be wyped away in place fitt for it Onely this I desire generally to obteyne of them that those thynges which the Lorde hath layed vp in secrete we may not searche those thynges which he hath brought openly abroade me may not neglect least either on the one part we be condemned of vayne curiositie or on the other parte of vnthankfulnesse For this also is very wel sayd of Augustine that we may safely folow the Scripture whiche as with a motherly pace goeth stoupyngly least it shoulde forsake our weakenesse But who so are so ware and so fearfull that they would haue Predestination to be buried least it shoulde trouble weake soules with what color I beseche you wyll they couer theyr arrogance when they indirectlye accuse God of foolishe vnaduisednesse as though he foresaw not the danger which thei think themselues to haue wisely mett with Who soeuer therfore trauaileth to bryng the doctrine of Predestination into mislikyng he openly saith euyl of God as though somwhat had vnaduisedly slipped from him which is hurtful to the Chirche Predestination wherby God adopteth some into the hope of life iudgeth some to eternall death no man that would be accompted godly dare simply denie But they wrappe it vp with many cauillations specially they which make foreknowlege the cause of it We in dede doo say that they be bothe in God but we say that the one is wrongfullye made subiecte to the other When we geue foreknowlege to God we meane that all thynges alway haue ben and perpetually dooe remayne vnder his eies so that to his knowlege there is nothyng to come or pasâ—e but all thynges are present and so present that he dothe not imagine onely by conceyued formes as those thynges are presente to vs whereof our mynde holdeth fast the remembrance but he truely beholdeth and seeth them as sett before hym And this foreknowlege extendeth to the whole compasse of the worlde and to all creatures Predestination we call the eternall decree of God whereby he hadde it determyned with hymselfe what he willed to become of euery man For all are not created to like estate but to some eternall life and to some eternall damnation is foreappointed Therfore as euery man is created to the one or other ende so we say that he is predestinate either to lyfe or to death But this predestination God hath not onely testified in euery seuerall persone but hath shewed an example therof in the whole issue of Abraham wherby myght playnly appeare that it lyeth in his will what shall be the estate of euery nation When the Hyest diuided the nations and seuered the children of Adam his parte was the people of Israell the corde of his inheritance The separation is before the eyes of all men in the persone of Abraham as in a drye stocke one people is peculiarly chosen all other beyng refused but the cause appereth not sauyng that Moses to cutte of all occasion of gloryeng from posteritie teacheth that they excell onely by the free loue of God For he assigneth this to be the cause of their deliuerance for that God loued the Fathers and chose their seede after them More playnely in an other chapiter He was pleased in you to choose you not because you passed other nations in number but because he loued you The same admonition is often repeted with hym Beholde to the Lorde thy God belongeth the heauen the earth and whatsoeuer thyngs are in it and he hath pleased hymselfe onely in your Fathers and hath loued them and hath chosen you their sede Agayne in an other place sanctificatioÌ„ is comaunded them because they are chosen to be a peculiar people And agayne in an other place Loue is affirmed to be the cause of protection Whych also the faithfull doo declare with one voyce sayeng He hath chosen for vs our inheritaunce the glorie of Iacob whome he hath loued For they do all impute to free loue all the gyftes wherewith they were garnished of God not onely because they knewe that they themselues had obteined them by no deseruynges but also that euen the holy Patriarch was not endued with suche vertue that he coulde purchase to hymselfe and his posteritie so greate a prerogatiue of honor And the more stronglye to treade downe all pride he vpbrayded them that they haue deserued no And the more strongly to treade downe all pride he vpbrayded them that they haue deserued no such thing forasmuch as they are a stubborne hard necked people And oftentimes the Prophetes do hatefully and as by way of reproche cast the Iewes in the teethe with this election because they had fowly departed from it Whatsoeuer it be nowe lett them come fourth which wil binde the election of God either to the worthinesse of men or to the merites of works When they see one nation to be preferred before al other and when they heare that God was led with no respect to be more fauourably bent to a fewe and vnnoble yea and â—rowarde and disobedient men wil they quarel with hym because hys will was to shewe suche an example of mercie But they shall neither with their pratling voices hinder his worke nor with throwing stones of tauntes into heaueÌ„ shall hitt or hurt his righteounesse but rather they shall fall backe vpon their owne heds Moreouer the Israelites are called backe to thys principle of the free couenant when either thankes are to be geuen to God or their hope to be raised vp against the time to come He made vs and not we our selues saith the Prophet his people and the shepe of his pastures The negatiue is not superfluous which is added to exclude vs that they may knowe that of all the good thinges wherwith they excell God is not onely the author but fetched the cause therof from himselfe because there was nothing in them worthie of so greate honor Also he biddeth them to be contented with the mere good pleasure of God in
he therefore colde in admonishyng and exhortyng Let these good zelous men coÌ„pare their earnestnesse with his it shal be found in them â—se in comparison of his incredible heate And truely this principle taketh away all doutes that we are not called to vncleannesse but that euery man should possesse his vessell in honor c. Agayne that we are the handy worke of God created to good workes whiche he hath prepared that we should walke in them Summarily they that are euen but meanely exercised in Paule shal without long declaration easily perceiue how fitly he maketh these thinges to agree which thei fayne to disagree Christ commaundeth that men beleue in him â–ª yet is his definitiue sentence neyther false nor contrarie to this coÌ„maundement where he sayth No man can come to me but he to whome it is geuen of my father Let preachyng therefore haue his course whiche maye bring men to fayth and with continuall profityng holde them faste in perseuerance Neither yet let the knowlege of predestination be hindered that they which obey may not be proude as of their owne but maye glorie in the Lord. Christ not for nothyng sayth Whoe so hath eares of hearyng let him heare Therfore when we exhorte preach they that haue eares do willingly obey but who so lack eares in them is fulfilled that whiche is written That hearyng they heare not But why sayth Augustine shold some haue other not haue Whoe hath knowen the minde of the Lord Must that therfore be denied which is open bicause that can not be compreheÌ„ded whiche is hidden These sayenges I haue faithfully reported out of Augustine but bicause paraduenture his wordes shall haue more authoritie than mine goe to let vs bring forth the very wordes that are red in himself If when this is heard many are turned into dulnesse and sluggishnesse and beyng enclined froÌ„ labour to lust do goe after their desires ought that therefore to be accompted false whiche is spoken of the foreknowlege of God If God haue foreknowen that they shal be good shal they not be good in how great euelnesse soeuer they nowe liue and if he haue foreknowen that they wil be euell shal they not be euel in how great goodnesse soeuer they be now seen Shal therfore those things which are truely spokeÌ„ of the foreknowlege of God be for such causes either to be denied or to be left vnspoken of namely then when if they be not spoken of men goe into errors The rule sayth he to kepe truthe vnspoken is one thing and the necessitie to speake truth is an other As for the causes of leauyng truth vnspoken it were long to search them out al of whiche yet this is one that they be not made worse whiche vnderstande it not while we meane to make them more learned that vnderstand it whoe when we speake any such thing are in deede not made more learned nor yet are made worse But when a true thing is in such case that when we speake it he is made worse that can not conceiue it and when we speake it not he is made worse that can conceyue it what thinke we now to be done is not the truth rather to be spoken that he maye conceiue it that can conceyue it that kepe it vnspoken that not only neither of them maye conceiue it but also he that more vnderstandeth may be the worse wheras if he did heare conceiue it by him also many shold learne And we wil not say that which as the Scripture witnesseth we lawfully might haue spokeÌ„ For we feare for so the least when we speake he be offended that can not conceiue it but we feare not least while we holde our peace he that can conceyue truthe be deceiued with falshed Whiche sentence he at the last shortly knittyng vp more plainely also confirmeth Wherefore if the Apostles they which followed them the doctors of the Church did both namely both godlyly preache of the eternall election of God and holde the faythfull in awe vnder the discipline of godly life why doe these our aduersaries beyng confuted with inuincible violence of truthe thinke that they saye well in sayeng that that whiche is spoken of predestination is not to be preached to the people although it be true Yea it must in any wise be preached that he which hath eares to heare may heare But who hath eares if he haue not receiued them froÌ„ him that promiseth that he will geue them Truely let him yâ— receiueth not refuse it so that yet he which receiueth it do take drinke do drink liue For as godlinesse is to be preached that God may be rightly worshipped so is also predestination that he whiche hath eares to heare of the grace of God may glorie in God and not in himself And yet that holy man as he had a singular desire to edifie so tempereth the manner of teaching the truthe that offense be wisely auoyded so far as it lawfully maye be For he sheweth that those thinges which are truely sayd maye also be conueniently sayd If any man do thus preache to the people If ye beleue not the cause is for that ye are already predestinate of God to destruction suche a man doth not only cherish slouthfulnesse but also maineteyne wickednesse If any man also stretch his sayeng to the time to come and saye that they whiche heare shall not beleue bicause they are reprobate this shal be rather a cursyng than a teachyng Such therfore Augustine not vnworthily biddeth to departe from the Church as foolish teachers and vnlucky and ill prophecieng Prophetes In an other place he truely affirmeth that it is to beholden that a man then profiteth with rebukyng when he hath mercie and helpeth whiche maketh to profit whome he will euen without rebukyng But why some thus some otherwise God forbidde that that we should saye that the power of iudgyng belongeth rather to the claye than to the potter Agayne afterward When men by rebuking either come or returne into the way of righteousnes who worketh saluatioÌ„ in their heartes but he which when any whosoeuer he be planted watereth geueth the encrease whom when he wil saue no freewill of man resisteth It is therefore not to be doubted that the willes of men can not resist the will of God which both in heauen earth hath done what soeuer he would and which hath also done those thinges that are to come but that he may do what he wil for asmuch as euen of the very willes of men he doth what he wil. Agayne wheÌ„ he wil leade meÌ„ to him doth he binde them with corporal bondes He inwardly worketh inwardly holdeth hearts inwardly moueth hearts draweth them with their willes which he himself hath made in theÌ„ But that which he by and by addeth ought in no wise to be omitted that bicause we know not whoe belongeth or not belongeth to the number of the
declare any thyng at all but frō the Lord. Therfore it is said that the people when thei embraced his doctrine beleued in God and in his seruant Moses Also that the authoritie of the priestes shoulde not growe in contempt it was stablished with most greuous penalties But therwithal the Lord sheweth vpon what cōdition they wer to be heard when he saieth that he hath made his couenant with Leui that the law of truthe shoulde be in his mouth And a little after he addeth The lips of the priest shall kepe knowledge and they shall require the law at his mouth because he is the angell of the God of hostes Therfore if the priest will be heard lette him shewe himself the messinger of God that is let him faithfully report the cōmaundements that he receiued of his author And where it is specially entreated of the hearing of them this is expressely set That they may answer accordyng to the lawe of God What maner of power the Prophetes generally had is very well described in Ezechiell Thou sonne of man saith the Lord I haue geuē thee to be a watcheman to the house of Israell Therefore thou shalte heare the worde out of my mouth and thou shalte declare it to them frō me He that is commaunded to heare out of the mouthe of the Lord is he not forbidden to inuent any thyng of himself But what is to declare from the Lorde but so to speake as he may boldly boast that it is not his owne but the Lordes woorde that he hath broughte The selfe same thyng is in Hieremie in other wordes Let the Prophet saith he with whom is a dreame tell a dreame and let him that hath my woorde speake my worde true Certainly he appointeth a law to them all And that is such that he permitteth not any to teach more than he is cōmanded And after he calleth it chaffe all that is not come from himselfe onely Therfore none of the Prophetes them selues opened his mouth but as the Lord tolde hym the wordes before Wherupon these sayinges are so ofte found among thē the word of the Lord the burden of the Lorde so sayth the Lord the mouth of the Lord hath spoken And worthily For Esaie cryed oute that he had defyled lyppes Ieremie confessed that he coulde not speake because he was a childe What coulde procede from the defiled mouth of the one and the foolishe mouthe of the other but vncleane and vnwise if they had spoken their owne speche But this lyps were holy and pure when they began to be the instruments of the Holy ghost When the Prophetes are boūd with this religion that they deliuer nothyng but that which they haue receiued thē they be garnished with notable power and excellent titles For when the Lorde testifieth that he hath set them ouer nations and kyngdomes to pluck vp and to roote out to destroy and plucke downe to builde and to plant he by and by adioyneth the cause because he hath put his wordes in theyr mouth Nowe if you looke to the Apostles they are in dede commended with many and notable titles that they are the light of the worlde and the salt of the earth that they are to be heard in stede of Christ that whatsoeuer they bynde or lose in earth shal be bounde or loosed in heauen But in their very name they shewe howe muche is permitted theim in their office that is if they be Apostles that they shoulde not prate whatsoeuer they list but shold faithfully report his commaundementes from whom they are sent And the wordes of Christe are playne enough in which he hath determined their embassage when he cōmaūded them to go teach al nations al those thinges that he had cōmaunded Yea he himself also receiued this lawe and laid it vpon himself that it shold be lawful for no man to refuse it My doctrine sayth he is not myne but his that sent me my fathers He that was alway the only and eternall coūseller of the Father he that was appointed by the Father the Lord and scholemaister of all men yet because he executed the ministerie of teaching prescribed by his owne example to all ministers what rule they ought to folow in teaching Therfore the power of the Chirch is not infinite but subiect to the word of the lord and as it were enclosed in it But sith this hath from the beginnyng ben of force in the Chirche at this day ought to be in force that the seruantes of God shold teache nothing whiche they haue not learned of him yet accordyng to the diuersitie of tymes they had diuers orders of learnyng But that order which is nowe muche differeth from those that were before First if it be true whiche Christe saieth that none hath seene the Father but the Sonne and he to whom it hath pleased the Sonne to shewe him it behoued verily that they should be alway directed by that eternal wisdome of the Father whiche wold come to the knowledge of God For howe should they either haue comprehended in mynd or vttered the misteries of God but by his teachyng to whom alone the secretes of the Father ar open Therfore the holy fathers in old time knew GOD no other wise but beholding him in the Sonne as in a glasse When I say this I meane that God did neuer by any other meane disclose hymselfe to men but by the Son that is his only wisdome light and truthe Out of this fountaine did Adam Noe Abraham Isaac Iacob and the other draw all the knowlege that they had of heauenly doctrine Out of the same foūtain haue also al the Prophetes themselues drawē al the heauēly Oracles that they vttered For verily this Wisedome hath alway disclosed 〈◊〉 selfe by moe waies than one To the Patriarches he vsed secrete reuelations but therwithall to confirme their myndes he adioyned suche signes that it coulde not bee doutefull to them that is was God that spake The Patriarches conueied ouer from hand to hand to posteritie that whiche they had receiued For the Lorde left it with them to this entent that they should so sprede it abrode But the children childrens children by God secretely informyng them did knowe that that whiche they heard was from heauen and not from the earth But when it pleased God to raise a more apparāt forme of a Chirche he willed to haue his worde put in writing noted that the prests shold fetch frō thense what thei might deliuer to the people that all the doctrine that shold be taught shold be tried by that rule Therfore after the publishyng of the law when the prestes are comaunded to teach out of the mouth of the Lord the meaning is that they shold teach nothing straūge or differing from that kinde of learning which the Lord cōprehended in the lawe and to adde and diminishe was vnlawful for them Then folowed the Prophets by
rest that he adioyneth to the same effect Like complaintes are euery where in the Prophetes so that nothyng is ofter found in them But perhappes it might be that that was so among the Iewes but our age is free from so great an euill I would to God in deed it wer so but the Holy ghost hath geuen warnyng that it shal be farre otherwise The wordes of Peter are plaine As saieth he there were in the olde people false Prophets so shall there also bee among you false teachers slyly bryngyng in sectes of perdition See you not how he saieth that there is daunger to come not by men of the cōmon people but by them that shal boste themselues with the title of Teachers Pastors Moreouer how oft hath it ben forespoken by Christ his Apostles that there should very great daungers hang ouer the Chirch by the Pastors Yea Paule plainly sheweth that Antichrist shal sit in no other place than in the temple of God Wherby he signifieth that the horrible calamitie of whiche he there speaketh shall come from no where els but from them that shall sitte in stede of Pastors in the Chirch And in an other place he sheweth that the beginnyngs of so great a mischief are euen alredy nere at hand For when he speaketh to the bishops of Ephesus I know saieth he that after my departure there shall enter in to you rauenyng wolues not sparing the flocke And they shal be of your own selues that shall speake peruerse thynges to leade away disciples after them How muche corruption might a long course of yeares bryng amōg Pastors when they coulde so farre goe out of kynde in so small a space of tyme And not to fyll muche paper with rehersyng them by name we are admonished by the examples in a maner of al ages that neither the truth is alway nourished in the bosome of the pastors nor the safetie of the Chirch doeth hang vpon their state They ought in dede to haue bene the gouernours and kepers of the peace and safetie of the Chirche for preseruation wherof they are ordeined but it is one thyng for a man to performe that whiche he ought and an other thyng to owe that whiche he performeth not Yet lette no man take these our wordes in suche part as thoughe I woulde euery where and rashely without any choise diminishe the authoritie of Pastors I do but onely admonishe that euen among Pastors them selues there is a choise to bee had that we should not immediatly thinke them to be pastors that are so called But the Pope with all his flocke of Bishops vpon none other reason but because they are called pastors shaking away the obedience of the word of God do tumble and tosse all things after their owne lust and in the meane tyme thei trauaile to persuade that they can not be destitute of the light of truth that the spirite of God perpetually abideth in them that the Chirche cōsisteth in them dieth with them As though there be now no iugementes of the Lorde wherby he may punishe the worlde at this daye with the same kynde of punishement wherwith somtyme he toke vengeance of the vnthankfulnesse of the olde people that is to strike the Pastors with blindnesse and amased dullnesse Neither do they most foolish mē vnderstande that they syng the same song whiche those in old time did syng that warred against the worde of God For the enemies of Hieremie did thus prepare them selues against the truthe Come and we will imagine imaginations against Ieremie forasmuche as the lawe shall not perishe from the Preste nor counsell from the wyse man nor the worde from the Prophete Hereby it is easy to answer to that other obiectiō concerning general Councells It can not be denied but that the Iewes had a true Chirch in the time of the Prophetes But if ther had then ben a general Coūcell gathered together of the Prestes what maner face of the Chirche had there appered We heare what God saith not to one or two of them but to the whole order The prestes shal be astonied and the prophetes shal be made afraide Againe The law shall perishe from the prest and counsell from the Elders Againe Night shal be to you in steede of a vision and darknesse in stede of prophecieng the sunne shall fall downe vpon the Prophetes and be darkened vpon these daies c. Well if all suche had then ben gathered together in one what Spirit should haue gouerned in that assemblie of that thyng we haue a notable example in that Councel which Achab called together Ther were present fower hundred Prophetes But because they were come togither of no other mynde but to flatter the wicked kyng therfore Satan was sent of the Lorde to be a lying spirite in the mouth of them all There by all their voices the truthe was condemned Micha was condemned for an heretike striken and cast in prison So was done to Hieremie so to the other Prophetes But let one example suffice for all whiche is more notable then the rest In that Councell which the Bishops and Pharisees gathered at Hierusalem against Christ what can a man say that there wanted in so muche as pertained to the outwarde shewe For if there had not then ben a Chirch at Hierusalem Christ would neuer haue cōmunicate with their sacrifices and other ceremonies There was made a solemne summoning of them together the hie Bishop sat as chief ▪ the whole order of prestes sate by hym yet Christ was there condemned and his doctrine driuen away This doyng is a profe that the Chirche was not enclosed in that Councell But there is no perill that any such thyng should happen to vs. Who hath geuē vs assurāce therof For it is not without fault of sluggishnesse to be to carelesse in so great a mater But wher the Holy ghost doeth with expresse wordes prophecie by the mouth of Paule that there shall come a departyng which can not come but that the Pastors must be the first that shall forsake God why are we herin wilfully blynde to our owne destruction Wherfore it is in no wise to be graunted that the Chirch consisteth in the companie of Pastors for whom the Lord hath no where vndertaken that they shall perpetually bee good but he hath pronounced that they shall sometime be euill But when he warneth vs of the daunger he doeth it to this entente to make vs the warer What then wilt thou saye Shall the Councells haue no authoritie in determinyng Yes forsoothe For neither doo I here argue that all Councels are to be condemned or all their actes to be repelled or as the saying is to be defaced with one blotte But thou wilte say to me thou bryngest them all into subiection that it maye bee free for euery man to receiue or refuse that whiche the Councells haue determined Not so But so oft as the
therin many infirmities though I speake of nothyng more greuous And Leo bishop of Rome sticketh not to charge with ambition and vnaduised rashnesse the Synode of Chalcedon which yet he confesseth to be sounde in doctrines He doeth in dede not denie that it was a lawfull Synode but he openly affirmeth that it might erre Some man peraduenture will thinke me fonde for that I busy my selfe in shewyng suche errors forasmuche as our aduersaries do confesse that Councels may erre in those thyngs that ar not necessary to saluation But this labor is not yet superfluous For althoughe because they are compelled they do in dede confesse it in worde yet when they thrust vnto vs the determination of al councels in euery mater whatsoeuer it be for an oracle of the Holy ghost they do therein require more than they toke at the beginnyng In so doing what do they affirme but that Coūcels can not erre or if they erre yet it is not lawfull for vs to see the truthe or not to soothe their errors And I intend nothyng ells but that it may therby be gathered that the Holy ghost so gouerned the godly and holy Synodes that in the mean tyme he suffred somwhat to happen to them by the nature of men lest we shold to muche trust to men This is a muche better sentence than that of Gregorie Nazianzene that he neuer sawe a good end of any Councel For he that affirmeth that al without exception ended ill doth not leaue them much authoritie It is now nothyng nedefull to make mention seuerally of prouinciall Councells forasmuche as it is easy to iudge by the general how much authoritie they ought to haue to make newe articles of Faithe and to receiue what kynde of doctrine soeuer it pleaseth them But our Romanistes when they see that in defence of their cause all helpe of reason doth faile them do resort to that extreme and miserable shift that although the men themselues be blockishe in wit and coūsell and moste wicked in mynde and will yet the word of God remaineth whiche cōmaundeth to obey Rulers Is it so what if I denie that they be rulers that ar such For they ought to take vpon themselues no more than Iosua had which was bothe a Prophet of the Lord an excellent pastor But let vs heare with what wordes he is set by the Lorde into his office Let not saieth he the volume of this lawe depart from thy mouth but thou shalt studie vpon it daies nights Thou shalt neither bow to the right hand nor to the left then shalt thou direct thy way vnderstād it They therfore shal be to vs spiritual rulers which shal not bowe frō the law of the Lord neither to the one side nor to the other But if the doctrine of al pastors whatsoeuer they be is to be receiued wtout any douting to what purpose was it that we shold so oft so earnestly be admonished not to harken to the speche of false prophets Heare not saith he by Hieremie the words of the prophets that prophecie to you For they teach you vanitie not out of the mouth of the Lord. Again Beware you of false prophets that come vnto you in shepes clothing but inwardly are rauening wolues And Iohn should in vaine exhort vs that we should proue the Spirits whether they be of God From which iudgement the very Angels are not exēpted much lesse Satan with all his lyes What is to be said of this saying if the blind lead the blind they shal both fall into the diche Doth it not sufficiently declare that it is of great importance what maner of prophets be heard and that not all are rashely to be heard Wherfore there is no reason that they should make vs afraid with their titles therby to draw vs into partakyng of their blyndnesse forasmuche as we see on the other side that the Lorde hadde a singular care to fray vs away from suffring our selues to be led with other mens error vnder what visor of name soeuer it lurketh For if the answer of Christ be true then al blynd guides whether they be called fathers of the Chirch or prelates or bishops can do nothing but draw their partners into the same headlong downfall Wherfore let no names of Councels Pastors Bishops which may as well be falsely pretended as truely vsed hinder vs but that beyng taught by lessons both of words and examples we may examine all spirites of all men by the rule of the word of God that we may proue whether they be of God or no. Forasmuche as we haue proued that there is not geuen to the Chirch a power to set vp a newe doctrine now let vs speake of the power whiche they attribute vnto it in expoundyng of Scripture Truely we doo willingly graunt that if there happen debate about any doctrine there is no better nor surer remedy than if a Synode of true bishops assemble together where the doctrine in controuersie maie be discussed For suche a determination wherunto the Pastors of Chirches shall agree in common together calling vpon the Spirite of Christ shall haue muche greater force than if euery one seuerally should conceiue it at home so teach it to the people or if a few priuate men shold make it Again when bishops are gathered together in one they doo the more cōmodiously take aduise in cōmon what in what forme they ought to teach least diuersitie shold brede offence Thirdely Paule prescribeth this order in discerning of doctrines For wheras he geueth to euery seuerall Chirche a power to discerne he sheweth what is the order of doyng in weightier causes that is that the Chirches shold take vpon them a cōmon tryall of the mater together And so doth the very feeling of godlinesse instructe vs that if any man trouble the Chirch with an vnwonted doctrine the mater procede so farre that there be peril of greater dissention the Chirches shold first mete together and examine the question propounded at last after iuste discussing had bryng foorthe a determination taken out of the Scripture suche as may both take away doutyng out of the people and stoppe the mouthes of wicked and gredy men that they may not bee so hardy to procede any further So when Arrius was risen the Nicene Synode was gathered together whiche with the authoritie therof bothe did breake the wicked endeuors of the vngodly man and restored peace to the Chirches whiche he had vexed and defended the eternall godhead of Christ againste his blasphemous doctrine When afterward Eunonius and Macedonius stirred vp new troubles their madnesse was resisted with like remedie by the Synode of Constantinople In the Coūsel at Ephesus the wickednesse of Nestorius was banished Finally this hath ben from the beginning the ordinarie meane in the Chirch to preserue vnitie so ofte as Satan began to worke any thyng But let vs remembre that not in all ages or in all places
it was drawen to those signes whiche had a reuerende representation of hie and spiritual thinges Which Augustine also noteth in one place It were long sayth he to dispute of the diuersitie of signes which when they perteine to diuine thinges are called Sacramentes Now of this definitioÌ„ which we haue set we vnderstande that a Sacrament is neuer without a promise going before it but rather is adioined as a certaine addition hanging to it to this ende that it should confirme and seale the promise it selfe and make it more approued vnto vs yea after a certaine maner ratified Which meane the Lord foreseeth to be nedefull first for our ignorance and dullnesse and theÌ„ for our weaknesse and yet to speake properly not so much to coÌ„firme his holy word as to stablish vs in the Faith therof For the truth of God is by it selfe sounde and certaine enough and can not froÌ„ any other where receiue better confirmation than from it selfe But our Faith as it is smal and weake vnlesse it be stayed on euery side and be by al meanes vpholden is by and by shaken wauereth staggereth yea and fainteth And herein verily the mercifull Lorde according to his great tender kindnesse tempereth himselfe to our capacitie that whereas we be naturall men which alway creping vpon the grounde and sticking fast in the flesh dooe not thinke nor so much as coÌ„ceiue any spiritual thing he vouchesaueth euen by these earthly elementes to guide vs vnto himselfe and in the fleshe it selfe to set fourth a mirror of spirituall good thinges For if we were vnbodily as Chrysostome sayth he would haue geuen vs the very same thinges naked and vnbodily Now because we haue soules putte within bodies he geueth spirituall thinges vnder visible thinges Not because there are suche giftes planted in the natures of the thinges which are set fourth to vs in the Sacramentes but because they were signed by God to this signification And this is it which they coÌ„monly say that a SacrameÌ„t coÌ„sisteth of the word the outward signe For we must vnderstande the worde to be not that which being whispered wtout meaning Faith with onely noise as it were with a magical enchauntment hath power to coÌ„secrate the element but which being preached maketh vs to vnderstande what the visible signe meaneth Therfore that which was vsually done vnder the tyraÌ„nie of the Pope was not without a great profaning of the mysteries For they thought it inough if the Prest while the people stode amasedly gazing at it without vnderstanding did mumble vp the forme of consecration Yea they of set purpose prouided this that no whit of doctrine shoulde thereof come to the people for they spake all thinges in Latine before vnlearned men Afterwarde superstitioÌ„ brake out so farr that they beleued that the consecration was not formally made vnlesse it were with a hoarse whispering sounde which fewe might heare But Augustine teacheth farr otherwise of the Sacramental worde Let the word sayth he be added to the element and there shal be made a SacrameÌ„t For whense cometh this so great strength to the water to touch the body and washe the soule but by the word making it not because it is spoken but because it is beleued For in the very worde it selfe the sounde which passeth is one thing and the power whiche abideth is an other This is the worde of Faith which we preach sayth the Apostle Wherevpon in the Actes of the Apostles it is said by Faith cleansing their hartes And Peter the Apostle sayth So Baptisme also saueth vs not the putting away of the filthinesse of the flesh but the examination of a good coÌ„science This is the worde of Faith which we preach by which without dout that it may be able to cleanse Baptisme also is halowed You se how it riquireth preaching wherupoÌ„ Faith may growe And we nede not to trauaile much in profe hereof forasmuch as it is clere what Christ did what he commaunded vs to do what the Apostles folowed what the purer Chirch obserued Yea euen from the beginning of the world it is knowen that so oft as God offred any signe to the holy Fathers there was added an vnseparable knot of doctrine without which our senses should be made amased with bare beholding Therfore wheÌ„ we heare mention made of the Sacramental worde let vs vnderstand the promise which being with a loude voice preached of the minister may leade the people thether as it were by the hande whether the signe tendeth and directeth vs. Neither are some to be heard which trauail to fight against this with a doble horned argument rather suttle than sounde Either say they we know or we knowe not that the worde of God which goeth before the Sacrament is the true will of God If we knowe it then we learne no new thing of the Sacrament which foloweth after If we know it not then neither wil the Sacramente teach it whoe 's whole force standeth in the worde Wherunto let this brefely be for an answere that the seales which are hanged at patentes and other publike instrumentes takeÌ„ by themselues are nothing forasmuche as they shoulde be hanged in vaine if the parchemente had nothing written in it yet they doe not therefore not confirme and seale that which is written when they be added to writinges Neither can they say that this similitude is lately fayned by vs whiche Paule himselfe vsed calling CircumcisioÌ„ a seale where he purposely trauaileth to proue that Circumcision was not righteousnesse to Abraham but a sealyng of that couenaunte by faith whereof he had alredy ben iustified before And what I beseche you is there that may muche offende any man if we teache that the promise is sealed with Sacramentes when of the promises themselues it is euidente that one is confirmed with an other For as euery one is manifester so is it more fit to vpholde faith But the SacrameÌ„tes do both bring most clere promises and haue this peculiar more than the worde that they liuely represent them to vs as it wer painted out in a table Neither ought that distinction any thing to moue vs which is wont to be obiected betwene Sacramentes and seales of patentes that wheras both consist of carnall elementes of this world those can not suffice or be mete to seale the promises of God which are spirituall and euerlasting as these are wont to be haÌ„ged to for sealing of the grauntes of Princes concerning fading and fraile thinges For a faithfull man when the Sacramentes are prâ—sente before his eyes sticketh not in that fleshly sighte but by those degrees of proportion whiche I haue spoken of he riseth vp with godly consideration to the hie mysteries which lie hidden in the Sacramentes And sith the Lord calleth his promises couenantes and his Sacramentes seales of couenantes a similitude may wel be brought froÌ„ the couenantes of men What can a sowe killed worke if wordes were not vsed
to admonishe them of what force the worde of God is of it self being preached by man he compareth the ministers themselues to husbandemen which when they haue bestowed their labor and trauaile in tillyng the earth haue no more to do But what shold tillyng and sowing and wateryng profit vnlesse that whiche is sowen should receiue liuetynesse by heauenly benefite Therfore he concludeth that bothe he that planteth and he that watereth are nothyng but that all thynges are to be ascribed to God whiche alone geueth the encrease Therefore the Apostles do in their preachyng vtter the power of the Spirite so farre as God vseth the instrumentes ordeined by hymselfe to the settyng foorth of his spirituall grace Yet we must kepe still that distinction that we remembre what man is able to do by hymselfe and what is propre to God Sacramentes are so confirmations of our Faith that many tymes when the Lorde meaneth to take away the confidence of the very thynges that are by hym promysed in the Sacramentes he taketh away the sacramentes themselues When he spoyleth and thrusteth away Adam from the gifte of immortalitie he sayth Let him not eate of the fruite of lyfe least he lyue for euer What sayth he Coulde that fruite restore to Adam his vncorruption from which he was nowe fallen No. But this is all one as if he had said Least he should enioy a vaine confidēce if he kepe still the signe of my promise let that bee shaken awaye from hym whiche myght bryng hym some hope of immortalitie After this maner when the Apostle exhorteth the Ephesians to remēbre that they were forein gestes of the testamentes strangers from the felowship of Israell without God without Christ he saith that they were not partakers of Circumcision Whereby he doth by figure of transnomination signifie that they were excluded from the promise it self which had not receiued the signe of the promise To their other obiection that the glorie of God is conueyed to creatures to whome so muche power is ascribed and that therby it is so farre diminished we haue in redynesse to answere that we set no power in creatures Onely this we say that God vseth meanes and instrumentes whiche he hymselfe seeth to be expedient that all thynges may serue his glorie forasmuch as he is Lorde and iudge of all Therfore as by bread and other nourishementes he feedeth our body as by the sunne he enlightneth the world as by fire he warmeth yet neither bread nor the sunne nor fyre are any thing but so farre as by those instrumentes he dothe distribute his blessynges vnto vs so spiritually he nourisheth Faith by the Sacramentes whose onely office is to sett his promises before our eies to be loked vpon yea to be pledges vnto vs of them And as it is our duetie to fasten none of our affiance in other creatures which by the liberalitie and bountifulnesse of God are ordeined to our vses and by the ministerie wherof he geueth vs his giftes nor to haue them in admiration praise them as causes of our good so neither ought our confidence to sticke fast in the Sacramentes nor the glorie of God to be remoued vnto them but leauyng all thynges both our Faith and confession ought to rise vp to him the author bothe of the sacramentes and of all thyngs Wheras some bring an argument out of the very name of a Sacrament it is nothyng strong A Sacrament saye they whereas it hath among allowed authors many significations yet it hath but one which agreeth with the signes that is wherby it signifieth that solemne othe whych the soldior maketh to his capitaine when he entreth into profession of a soldior For as by that othe of warfare newe soldiors do bynde their faith to the capitain and professe to be his soldiors so by our signes we professe Christ our capitaine and do testifie that we serue vnder his banner They adde similitudes to make therby the mater more playne As a gowne made the Romains seuerally knowen frō the Grekes which dyd weare clokes as the very degrees of men at Rome were discerned by their seueral signes the degree of Senators from the degree of knightes by purple cote and piked shooes againe a knyghte from a cōmoner by a ryng so we beare our signes that may make vs seuerally knowen from prophane men But by the thynges aboue said it is euident enough that the olde writers whyche gaue to the signes the name of Sacramentes hadde no regarde howe this woorde was vsed among Latine writers but for theyr owne purpose fayned this newe signification wherby they signified onely holy Signes But if wee will searche the mater more depely it maye seme that they haue with the same relation applied this woorde to suche a signification wherewith they haue remoued the name of Faith to that sense wherin it is nowe vsed For wheras Faith is a truthe in performyng promises yet they haue called Faith an assurednesse or sure persuasion whiche is had of the truth it selfe Likewise wheras a Sacrament is the soldiors part wherby he voweth hymselfe to his capitayne they haue made it the capitaynes parte whereby he receyueth soldiors into roomes of seruice For by the Sacramente the Lorde doothe promise that he will be oure God and that we shall bee his people But we passe ouer suche suttleties forasmuche as I thynke I haue proued with argumentes playne enoughe that they hadde respecte to nothyng ells but to signifie that these are Signes of holye and spirituall thynges We receyue in deede the similitudes whyche they bryng of outwarde tokens but we allowe not that that whyche is the last poynte in the Sacramentes is by them set fo◠the chiefe yea and onely thyng But this is the fyrste poynte that they should serue our Faith before GOD the later poynt that they should testifie our confession before men Accordyng to this later consideration those similitudes haue place But in the meane tyme lette that first point remaine because otherwise as we haue already proued the mysteries should be but colde vnlesse they were helpes to our faith and additions to doctrine ordeined to the same vse and ende Agayne we must be warned that as these men doo weaken the force and vtterly ouerthrowe the vse of Sacramentes so on the contrarie syde there be some which faine to Sacramentes I wote note what secrete vertues whiche are no where red to be putt in them by God By which error the simple and vnskilfull are dangerously deceiued while they are bothe taught to seke the giftes of God where they can not bee founde and are by little and little drawen away from God to embrace mere vanitie in stede of his veritie For the Sophisticall schooles haue taught with great consent that the Sacramentes of the new law that is to say those which are nowe in vse in the Christian Chirch do iustifie and geue grace so that we do not laie a stoppe of deadly
examples when he shewed to Abraham a lighte in a smoking ouen when he watered the flece with dew the earth remayning dry againe he watered the earth the flece being vntouched to promise victory to Gedeon when he drew the shadowe of the diall .ix. lynes backeward to promise safetie to Ezethias These thinges when they were done to relieue and stablishe the weakenesse of their Faith were then also Sacramentes But our presente purpose is to discourse peculiarly of those Sacramentes whiche the Lord willed to be ordinarie in his Chirch to nourishe his worshippers and seruantes into one Faith and the confession of one Faith For to vse the wordes of Augustine men can be congeled together into no name of religion either true or false vnlesse they be bounde together with some felowship of visible signes and Sacramentes Sithe therefore the moste good Father foresawe thys necessitie he did from the beginning ordeine certayne exercises of godlinesse for his seruantes whiche afterwarde Satan by turning them to wicked and superstitious worshippinges hath many wayes depraued and corrupted Hereupon came those solemne professions of the Gentiles into their holy orders and other bastarde vsages which although they were full of error and superstition yet they also were therewith a profe that men could not in profession of religion be without suche outwarde signes But because they neyther were grounded vppon the worde of God nor were referred to that trueth whereunto all signes oughte to be directed they are vnworthy to be rehearsed where mention is made of the holy signes whiche are ordeined of God and haue not swarued from their fundation that is that they should be helpes of true godlinesse They consist not of bare signes as were the boaw and the tree but vpon Ceremonies or rather the signes that be here geuen are Ceremonies But as it is aboue sayd that they be on the Lordes behalfe testimonies of grace and saluatiō so they be againe on our behalfe markes of profession by which we openly sweare to the name of God for our partes bynding our Faith vnto him Therefore Chrysostome in one place fittly calleth them couenātinges wherby God byndeth hymselfe in league with vs and we be bounde to purenesse and holinesse of life because here is made a mutuall forme of couenanting betwene God and vs. For as the Lorde therin promiseth that he will cancell and blot out whatsoeuer giltinesse penaltie we haue gathered by offending and doth reconcile vs to himselfe in his only begotten Sonne so we againe on our behalfes do by thys profession bynde oure selues vnto hym to the folowing of Godlinesse and innocence so that a man may rightly say that such Sacramētes are Ceremonies by which God wil exercise his people first to the nourishing stirring vp and strēgthening of Faith inwardly then to the testifieng of religion before men And euen these Sacramentes also were diuerse after the diuerse order of tyme according to the distribution whereby it pleased the Lorde to shewe hymselfe after thys or that manner to men For to Abraham and his posteritie Circumcision was commaunded wherunto afterwarde purifienges and Sacrifices and other Ceremonies were added out of the law of Moses These were the Sacramentes of the Iewes vntil the comming of Christ at which comming those being abrogate twoo Sacramentes were ordeined whiche nowe the Christian Chirch vseth Baptisme and the Supper of the Lord. I speake of those that were ordeined for the vse of the whole Chirch For as for the layeng on of handes whereby the ministers of the Chirch are entred into their office as I do not vnwillingly suffer it to be called a Sacrament so I doe not recken it among the ordinarie Sacramentes As for the rest which are commonly called Sacramentes what they are to be accompted we shal se by and by Howbeit the olde Sacramentes also had respect to the same marke wherunto ours doe tende that is to directe and in a maner leade by the hande to Christ or rather as images to represent hym and shewe hym fourth to be knowē For wheras we haue alredy taught that they are certayne seales wherwith the promises of God are sealed and where it is most certaine that there was neuer offred any promise of God to men but in Christ that they may teache vs of some promyse of God they must nedes shewe Christ. Wherunto perteineth that heauenly paterne of the tabernacle and of the worshipping in the law which was geuen to Moses in the mount One only differēce there is that those did shadowe out Christe being promised when he was yet loked for these doe testifie him alredy geuen and deliuered When these thinges shall all be particularly and eche one seuerally declared they shal be made much playner Circumcision was to the Iewes a signe whereby they were putt in mynde that whatsoeuer commeth of the sede of man that is to saye the whole nature of man is corrupte and hath nede of proyning Moreouer it was a teaching and token of remembrance whereby they should confirme themselues in the promyse geuen to Abraham concerning that blessed sede in whome all the nations of the earth were to be blessed from whome they had their owne blessing to be looked for Nowe that healthfull sede as we are taughte of Paule was Chirst in whome alone they hoped that they shoulde recouer that whiche they had loste in Adam Wherefore Circumcision was to them the same thyng whiche Paule sayth that it was to Abraham namely the seale of the righteousnesse of Fayth that is to saye the seale whereby they shoulde be more certainly assured that their Fayth wherewith they loked for that sede shoulde be accompted to them of GOD for righteousnesse But we shall vppon a better occasion in an other place gooe throughe with the comparison of Circumcision and Baptisme Baptisinges and purifienges did sette before their eies their owne vncleannesse filthinesses and pollution wherwith they were defiled in their owne nature but they promised an other washing wherby al their filthinesses should be wiped and washed away And this washing was Christ with whoe 's blood we beeing washed do bryng hys cleannesse into the sight of God that it maye hyde all our defilinges Their Sacrifices did accuse them of their owne wickednesse and therewithall did teache that it was necessarie that there shoulde be some satisfaction whiche shoulde be payed to the iugement of God That therefore there shoulde be some one chefe Bishop a mediator betwene God and men which should satisfie God by sheding of blood and by offring of a Sacrifice whiche should suffice for the forgeuenesse of synnes This chefe Prest was Christ he himselfe shed hys owne blood he himselfe was the Sacrifice for he offred himselfe obediente to hys Father vnto death by which obedience he toke awaye the disobedience of man whiche had prouoked the displeasure of God As for oure Sacramentes they doe so muche more clerely presente Christe vnto vs as he
As when he promised euerlastyng blessednesse to his seruant Abraham that he myght sett before his eies a manifest token of his fauor he addeth an other promise concernyng the possession of the lande of Chanaan After this maner we ought to vnderstande al the earthly promises that are geuen to the Iewiche nation that the spirituall promise as the hed wherunto they are directed shold alway haue the chefe place But sithe I haue more largely entreated of these thynges in the difference of the newe and olde testament therfore nowe I do the more slightly knitte it vp In the namyng of the children they finde this diuersitie that in the olde testament they were called the children of Abraham whiche issued of his sede but that nowe they are called by that name whiche follow his faith And that therfore that carnall infantie which was by circuÌ„cision graffed into the felowship of the couenant figured the infantes of the newe testament whyche are regenerate by the worde of God to immortall lyfe In whych woordes we beholde in dede a smalle sparcle of truthe but herin these lyghte spirites greuously offende that when they catche holde of that whyche fyrste commeth to theyr hande when they should go further and compare many thynges together they stand slytly vpon one worde Wherby it can not otherwyse bee but that they must somtyme be deceiued whych rest vpon the sounde knowlege of nothyng We graunt in dede that the carnall seede of Abraham did for a tyme holde the place of the spirituall sede whiche is by faith graffed into hym For we be called his children howsoever there is no naturall kinred betwene hym and vs. But if they meane as they playnly shew that they doo that there was neuer spirituall blessing promised to the carnal sede of Abraham herein they are muche deceiued Wherfore we muste leuell to a better marke whereunto we are directed by the moste certaine guidyng of the Scripture The Lorde therefore promised to Abraham that he shoulde haue a seede wherein all nations of the earthe shall be blessed and therwithall assureth hym that he would be a God to hym and his sede Whosoeuer do by Faith receiue Christe the author of blessyng are heires of this promise and therefore are called the children of Abraham But althoughe sins the resurrection of Christe the boundes of the kingdome of God haue begonne to be farre and wide enlarged into all nations without difference that according to the saying of Christ faithfull ones should be gathered from euery part to sit downe in the heaueÌ„ly glorie with Abraham Isaac and Iacob yet he had many ages before extended that same so great mercie to the Iewes And because passing ouer all other he had chosen out that only nation in which he wold restraine his grace for a tyme called them his peculiar possessioÌ„ his purchased people For testifiyng of suche liberalitie Circumcision was geuen by the signe wherof the Iewes might be taught that God is to them the author of saluation by which knowledge their myndes were raised into hope of eternal life For what shal he want whoÌ„ God hath ons receiued into his charge Wherfore the Apostle meaning to proue that the Gentiles were the children of Abraham as well as the Iewes speaketh in this maner Abraham saith he was iustified by faith in vncircuÌ„cision Afterward he receiued the signe of circumcision the seale of the righteousnesse of faith that he should be the father of all the faithfull both of vncircumcision and of circumcision not of them that glorie of only circumcision but of them that folow the fâ—â—th which our father Abraham had in vncircumcision Do not we see that both sortes are made egall in dignitie â–ª For during the tyme appointed by the decree of God he was the father of circumcision When the wall being plucked downe as the Apostle writeth in an other place by which the Iewes wer seuered from the Gentiles the entrie was made open to them also into the kingdome of God he was made their father and that without the signe of circumcision because they haue Baptisme in stede of circumcision But wher he expresly by name denyeth that Abraham is father to them which are of circumcision only that same was spoken to abate the pride of certaine which omittyng the care of godlynesse did bost themselues of only Ceremonies After which maner at this day also their vanitie may be confuted which seke in Baptisme nothyng but water But an other place of the Apostle out of the .ix. Chapiter of the Epistle to the Romaines shal be alleged to the contrary where he teacheth that they whiche are of the fleshe are not the children of Abraham but they onely are compted his sede whiche are the children of promise For he seemeth to signifie that the carnall kynred of Abraham is nothyng which yet we do set in some degre But it is more diligeÌ„tly to be marked what mater the Apostle there entreateth of For meaning to shew to the Iewes how much the goodnesse of god was not bouÌ„d to the sede of AbrahaÌ„ yea howe it nothyng auayleth of it selfe he bringeth forth Ismael and Esau for example proue it whome beeyng refused as if they were strangers although they were accordyng to the fleshe the naturall ofspryng of Abraham the blessing rested in Isaac and Iacob Wherupon is gathered that which he afterwarde affirmeth that saluation hangeth of the mercie of God whiche he extendeth to whome it pleaseth hym and that there is no cause why the Iewes shold stand in their own conceite or boast vpon the name of the couenaÌ„t vnlesse they kepe the law of the couenant that is to say do obey the worde Agayne when he hath throwen them downe from vaine confidence of their kinred yet because on the other side he sawe that the couenant which was ones made of God with the posteritie of Abraham coulde in no wyse be made voyd in the xi chapiter he argueth that the carnall kinred is not to be spoyled of his due dignitie by the beneficiall meane wherof he teacheth that the Iewes are the first and naturall heires of the Gospell but in respecte that by their vnthankfulnesse they were forsaken as vnworthy yet so that the heuenly blessyng is not vtterly remoued from their nation For whiche reason howe muche soeuer they were stubborne and couenant breakers neuerthelesse he calleth them holye so muche honor he geueth to the holy generation with whom God had vouchsaued to make his holy couenant but calleth vs if we be compared with them as it were after borne yea or the vntimely borne children of Abraham and that by adoption not by nature as if a twigg broken of from his naturall tree should be graffed into a strange stocke Therefore that they should not be defrauded of their prerogatiue it behoued that the Gospel should be first preached to them for they be in the household of God as it were the first begotten children
But that most nere felowship wherby we are coupled with his fleshe he hath yet set out with a more glorious title when he sayd that we are members of his body and are of his bones and of hys fleshe At the last to declare it to be a mater greater than all wordes he concludeth hys sayeng with an exclamation This is sayth he a greate secret Therefore it should be a pointe of extreme madnesse to acknowlege no communion of the faythfull with the fleshe and blood of the Lord which the Apostle declareth to be so greate that he had rather wonder at it than expresse it Let the summe be that oure soules are so fed with the fleshe and blood of Christ as bred wyne do mainteine susteine the bodily lyfe For otherwise the proportional relation of the signe should not agree vnlesse soules dyd fynde their fode in Christ. Which can not be done vnlesse Christ do truely grow into one with vs and refresh vs with the eating of his fleshe and drinking of hys blood But although it seme incredible that in so great distance of places the flesh of Christ reacheth to vs that it may be meate to vs let vs remember how much the secret power of the Spirit surmounteth aboue al our senses and how foolysh it is to goe aboute to measure hys vnmeasurablenesse by our measure That therfore whiche our mynde comprehendeth not let our fayth conceiue that the Spirite truely knitteth in one those thinges that are seuered in places Nowe that same holy coÌ„municating of his body and blood wherby Christ poureth hys life into vs euen as if he peaâ—ced it into our bones marowes he in the Supper also testifieth sealeth land yâ— not with setting before vs a vayne or voyde signe but bringing fourth there the effectuall working of his spirite wherby he fulfilleth the which he promyseth And verily he there offreth and deliuereth the thing signified to al them that sit at that spiritual banket although it be receiued with frute of the faythfull onely which receiue so great bountifulnesse with true Fayth thankfulnesse of mynde After which maner the Apostle sayd that the bred which we breake is the communion of the body of Christ and that the cup which we hallow with the word prayers to that purpose is the coÌ„munion of hys blood Neither is there any cause why any man should obiect that it is a figuratiue speche by which the name of the thing signified is geuen to the signe I grauÌ„t verily that the breaking of the bred is a signe not the thiÌ„g it selfe But this being admitted yet we shall rightly gather of the deliuerance of the signe that the thing it selfe is deliuered For vnlesse a maÌ„ wil cal God a deceiuer he can neuer be so bolde to say that he setteth before vs an empty signe Therfore if by the breakyng of bred the Lorde doth truely represente the partakyng of hys body it ought to be out of dout that he truely performeth and deliuereth it And this rule is alway to be holden of the godly that so oft as they se the signes ordeined of the Lorde they certainly thinke persuade themselues that the truth of the thyng signified is there present For to what purpose should the Lorde deliuer to thee into thy hande the signe of hys body but to assure thee of the true partaking of it If it be true that a visible signe is geuen vs to seale the gift of an inuisible thing when we receiue the signe of the body let vs no lesse certainly beleue that the body it selfe also is geueÌ„ vs. I saye therefore which both hath ben alway receiued in the Chirch and al they teache at thys day that thynke right that the holy mysterie of the Supper consisteth of twoo thinges that is to saye of the bodily signes which beyng set before our eyes doe represent vnto vs inuisible thinges according to the capacitie of our weakenesse and of spirituall trueth which is by those signes bothe figured and deliuered Of what sort that is when I meane to shewe it familiarly I vse to set thre thinges the signification the mater which hangeth of the signification the vertue or effect which foloweth of both The signification consisteth in the promisses which are after a certayne manner wrapped together with the signe The mater or substance I cal Christ with hys death and resurrection By effect I vnderstande the redemption righteousnesse sanctification and eternall lyfe and whatsoeuer other benefites Christ bringeth vs. Now although all these thinges haue respect to Fayth yet I leaue no place to thys cauillation as though when I say that Christ is receiued by Fayth I would haue hym coÌ„ceiued with vnderstanding only and imaginatioÌ„ For the promises offer hym not that we should sticke fast in the sight alone and in bare knowlege but that we should enioye the true communicating of hym And truely I se not how any maÌ„ maye haue coÌ„fidence that he hath redeÌ„ption and righteousnesse in the crosse of Christ lyfe in hys death but principally standing vpon the true coÌ„munion of Christ himselfe For those good thinges shoulde not come to vs vnlesse Christ first made himselfe oures I say therefore that in the mysterie of the Supper by the signes of bread and wine Christ is truely deliuered to vs yea and hys body and blood in which he hath fulfylled al obedieÌ„ce for purchasing of ryghteousnesse to vs namely that first we should growe together into one body with hym then beyng made partakers of hys substance we may also fele hys power in the communicating of al hys good thinges Now I come down to the excessiue mixtures which superstitioÌ„ hath brought in For herein Satan hath played with maruelous sutteltie that withdrawing the myndes of men from heauen he might fyl them with peruerse error as though Christ were fastened to the elemente of bred And first we must not dreame such a presence of Christ in the Sacrament as the craftesmeÌ„ of the court of Rome haue fayned as though the body of Christ were made present with presence of place to be handeled with handes to be broosed with teethe and swallowed with mouth For this forme of recantation Pope Nicolas endited to Betengarius to be a witnesse of hys repentance namely with woordes so farr monstruous that the author of the glose cryeth out that there is danger if the reders do not wisely take hede to themselues least they should sucke out of them an heresie worse than was that of Berengarius In the seconde distinctioÌ„ in the Chapter beginning thus Ego Berengarius But Peter Lombarde although he trauaile much in excusing the absurdity yet more inclineth to the contrary senteÌ„ce For as we nothing dout that it hath limites accordyng to the perpetual nature of the body of men and is holden in heauen into which it was ones receiued vntill he returne to iugement so to draw it backe vnder these corruptible
of Christ which is done when he is broughte vnder the corruptible elements of this world or is bound to any earthly creatures The other that nothyng be by fainyng applied to his body that agreeth not with the nature of man whiche is done when it is either saide to bee infinite or is sett in many places at ones But these absurdities being taken away I willyngly receiue what soeuer may auaile to expresse the true and substantiall communicatyng of the Body and Blood of the Lord which cōmunicatyng is deliuered to the faithfull vnder the holy signes of the Supper so that they may be thought not to receyue it by imagination onely or vnderstandyng of mynde but to enioy it in dede to the foode of eternall lyfe Why this sentence is so hatefull to the worlde and all defence taken away from it by the vniust iudgementes of many there is no cause at all but for that the deuell hath with horrible bewitchyng madded their myndes Truely that which we teache dothe in all pointes very well agree with the Scriptures it conteineth neither any absurditie nor darknesse nor doutfulnesse it is not agaynst true godlynesse and sounde edification finally it hath nothing in it that may offend sauyng that in certaine ages past when that ignorance and barbarousnesse of Sophisters reigned in the Chirche so clere light and open truthe hath ben vnworthily oppressed Yet because Satā at this day also trauayleth by troublesome Spirites to spot it with all the sclanders and reproches that he can and bendeth himselfe to no other thyng with greater endeuor it is profitable the more diligently to defende and rescue it Nowe before that we goe any further we must entreate of the selfe institution of Christe specially because this is the most glorious obiection that our aduersaries haue that we departe from the woordes of Christe Therfore that we may be discharged of the false cause of malice wherwith they burden vs our fittest beginnyng shall be at the exposition of the woordes Three Euangelistes and Paule rehearse that Christe tooke bread when he had geuen thankes he brake it gaue it to his disciples and sayde Take eate this is my Body whiche is delyuered or broken for you Of the cuppe Mathew and Marke saye thus This cuppe is the blood of the newe testament whiche shal be shedde for many vnto forgeuenesse of synnes But Paule and Luke say thus This cuppe is the newe testament in my blood The patrones of transubstantiation will haue by the pronoune this the forme of bread to be signified because the consecration is made in the whole contente of the sentence and there is no substance that can be shewed But if they be holden with religious care of the woordes because Christ testified that that whiche he reached into the disciples handes was his bodye truely this their deuise that that whiche was bread is nowe the bodie is moste farre from the propre meanyng of them That which Christe tooke into his handes and gaue the Apostles he affirmeth to be his body but he toke bread who therfore can not vnderstande that bread is yet shewed and therfore there is no greater absurditie than to remoue that to the forme whiche is spoken of the bread Other when they expounde this woorde is for to be transubstantiate doo flee to a more enforced and violently wrasted glose Therefore there is no cause why they should pretende that they be moued with reuerence of wordes For this was vnheard of among all nations and languages that the word is should be taken in this sense namely for to be tourned into an other thyng As for them that leaue breade in the Supper and affirme that there is the body of Christ they muche differ among themselues They whiche speake more modestly althoughe they precisely exact the letter This is my body yet afterwarde swarue from theyr precisenesse and say that it is as muche in effect as that the body of Christ is with bread in bread and vnder bread Of the mater it selfe which they affirme we haue already touched somwhat and we shal by and by haue occasion yet to speake more Nowe I dispute only of the wordes by which they say they are restrained that they can not admitte bred to be called the body because it is a signe of the body But if they shunne all figures why do they leape away from the plaine shewing of Christ to their owne maners of speaking farr differing from it For there is great difference betwene this that bread is the body and this that the body is with bread But because they sawe it to bee impossible that this simple proposition might stande that bread is the body they haue attempted to scape away by those formes of speche as it were by croked turnyngs Some more bolde sticke not to affirme that euen in propre speakyng bread is the body and by this meane they truely proue themselues to be litteral mē If it be obiected that therfore the bread is Christ and is God this verily they will denie because it is not expressed in the wordes of Christ. But they shall nothyng preuayle by denyeng it forasmuche as all doo agree that whole Christ is offred vs in the Supper But it is an intolerable blasphemie that it be without figure spoken of a fraile and corruptible element that it is Christ. Now I aske of them whether these twoo propositions be bothe of one effect Christe is the Sonne of God and bread is the body of Christe If they graunt that they are diuers which we will enforce them to graunte whether they will or no then lett them answere whens commeth the difference I thynke they wyll bryng none other but that the bread is after the sacramentall maner called the body Wherupon foloweth that Christes wordes are not subiecte to the common rule nor oughte to bee tried by Grammer Also I aske of all the precise and stiffe requirers of the letter where Luke and Paule do call the cuppe the testament in the blood whether they do not expresse the same thyng which they dyd in the first parte where they call bread the bodye Truely the same religion was in the one parte of the mysterie that was in the other and because shortnesse is darke longer speche dothe better open the meanyng So oft therfore as they shall affirme by one word that the bread is the body I will out of mo wordes bryng a fitt exposition that it is the Testament in the bodye For why Shall we nede to seke a more faithfull or surer expositor than Paule Luke Neither yet doo I tende herunto to diminishe any thing of that communicating of the body of Christ which I haue confessed onely my purpose is to confute that folish waiwardnesse wherby they do so hatefully brawle about words I vnderstand by the authoritie of Paul and Luke that the bread is the body of Christ because it is the couenant in the body If they fight against
the promise Againe of those ceremonies that they vse it is not red that any one is institute of god Therfore here cā be no Sacramēt Of Matrimonie The last is Matrimonie which as all men confesse to be ordeined of God so no man vntill the tyme of Gregorie euer sawe that it was geuen for a Sacrament And what sober man would euer haue thought it It is a good a holy ordināce of God so tyllage carpentrie shoemakers craft barbers craft are lawfull ordinances of God and yet they are no Sacramentes For there is not only this required in a Sacrament that it be the worke of God but that it be an outwarde Ceremonie appoynted of God to confirme a promise That there is no suche thyng in Matrimonie very chyldren also can iudge But say they it is a Signe of a holy thyng that is of the spirituall conioynyng of Christe with the Chirche If by this woorde Signe they vnderstand a Token sett before vs of God to this ende to raise vp the assurednesse of our Faithe they are farre besyde the truthe If they simplye take a Signe for that which is brought to expresse a similitude I wyll shewe howe wittyly they reason Paule sayth As one starre differeth from an other star in brightnesse so shal be the resurrectiō of the dead Lo here is one Sacrament Christ sayth The kyngdome of heauen is lyke to a grain of mustardsede Lo here is an other Againe The kingdom of heauē is like vnto leauē Lo here is the third Esai saith Behold the lord shal fede his flock as a shepherd Lo here is the fowerth In an other place The Lord shall go forth as a Gyant Loe here is the fifth Finally what end or measure shal there be There is nothyng but by this meane it shal be a Sacrament Howe many parables and similitudes are in the Scripture so many Sacraments there shal be Yea and theft shal be a Sacrament because it is written the day of the Lorde is lyke a thefe Whoe can abyde these sophisters prating so foolishly I graunt in dede that so oft as we see a vine it is very good to call to remembrance that whiche Christ sayth I am a vine ye be branches my father is the vinedresser So oft as a shepherde with his flocke cometh toward vs it is good also that this come to our mynde I am a good shepherd my shepe heare my voice But if any man adde such similitudes to the number of Sacramentes he is mete to be sent to Antycira But they still laye fourth the wordes of Paule in which he geueth to Matrimonie the name of a Sacrament he that loueth his wife loueth hymselfe No man euer hated his owne flesh but nourisheth it and cherisheth it euen as Christ doth the Chirch because we are members of hys body of his fleshe and of his bones For this a man shall leaue hys Father and mother and shal cleaue to his wife and they shal be two into one fleshe Thys is a great Sacrament but I saye in Christ and the Chirch But so to handle the Scriptures is to mingle heauē and earth together Paule to shew to maried men what singular loue they ought to beare to their wiues setteth fourth Christe to them for an example For as he poured fourth the bowells of his kindenesse vpon the Chirch which he had espoused to himselfe so ought euery man to be affectioned toward his own wife It foloweth after He that loueth his wife loueth himselfe as Christ loued the Chirch Now to teache how Christ loued the Chirch as himselfe yea how he made himselfe one with hys spouse the Chirch he applyeth to hym those thinges which Moses reporteth that Adam spake of him selfe For when Eue was brought into his syght whom he knew to haue ben shapen out of his syde This woman sayth he is a bone of my bones and fleshe of my fleshe Paul testifieth that all this was spiritually fulfylled in Christ and vs when he sayeth that we are membres of his body of his fleshe and of his bones yea and one fleshe with hym At lengthe he addeth a concludyng Sentence This is a great mysterie And least any man shoulde be deceiued with the doble signifyeng of the woordes he expresseth that he speaketh not of the fleshely conioynyng of man and woman but of the spiritual mariage of Christe and the Chirch And truely it is in dede a great mysterie that Christe suffred a ribbe to be taken from himselfe whereof we might be shapen that is to say whē he was strōg he willed to be weake that we might be strengthened with his strength that now we may not our selues lyue but he may lyue in vs. The name of Sacramente deceiued them But was it rightfull that the whole Chirch should suffer the punishment of their ignorance Paul said Mysterie which word when the translater might haue lefte beyng not vnused with Latin eares or might haue translated it a Secrete he chose rather to put in the worde Sacrament yet in no other sense than Paule had in Greke called it Mysterie Now let them go and with crieng out raile against the skil of tōges by ignorance whereof they haue so long most fowly been blynde in an easy mater and suche as offreth it self to be perceiued of euery man But why doo they in this one place so earnestly sticke vpon this litle word Sacrament and some other tymes do passe it ouer vnregarded For also in the first Epistle to Timothe the Translater hath vsed it and in the selfe same Epistle to the Ephesians in euery place for Mysterie But let this slippyng be pardoned them at least the liers ought to haue had a good remēbrance For whē they haue ones set out Matrimonie with title of a Sacrament afterward to call it vncleannesse defyling and fleshly filthinesse how gyddy lightnesse is this How great an absurditie is it to debarre prests from a Sacramēt If they deny that they debarre them frō the Sacramēt but frō the lust of copulation they escape not so away frō me For they teach that the copulatiō it self is a part of that Sacramēt that by it alone is figured the vniting that we haue with Christ in conformitie of nature bicause man and womā ar not made one but by carnall copulatiō Howbeit some of thē haue here founde two Sacramentes the one of God and the soule in the betrouthed man and woman the other of Christe and the Chirch in the husband and the wife Howsoeuer it be yet copulatiō is a Sacrament from which it was vnlawful that any christian should be debarred Unlesse peraduenture the Sacraments of christiās do so yll agree that thei can not stand together There is also an other absurditie in their doctrines They affirme that in the Sacrament is geuen the grace of the Holye ghoste they teache that copulation is a Sacrament and they denye that at copulation the Holy ghost
pledge because vntill he do lighten mens minds they do alway wauer among many doutinges Let this therfore stande for a certainly perswaded trueth that they whom the holy ghost hath inwardly taught doe wholy reste vppon the Scripture and that the same Scripture is to be credited for it selfsake ought not to be made subiect to demonstracioÌ„ and reasons but yet that the certaintie which it getteth among vs it atteineth by the witnesse of the holy ghost For though by the only maiestie of it selfe it procureth reuerence to be geuen to it yet then only it throughly perceth our affectioÌ„s when it is sealed in our hartes by the holy gost So being lightened by his vertue we do then beleue not by our own iudgemeÌ„t or other meÌ„s that the Scripture is froÌ„ God but aboue al mans iudgement we holde it most certainly determined euen as if we behelde the maiestie of God himselfe there present that by the ministery of men it came to vs from the very mouth of God We seke not for argumentes and likelhodes to rest our iudgement vpon but as to a thing without al compasse of consideracion we submit our iudgement and wit vnto it And that not in such sort as some are wont sometime hastily to take holde of a thing vnknowen which after being throughly perceiued displeaseth them but because we are in our consciences wel assured that we hold an inuincible truth Neither in such sort as silly men ar wont to yelde their mynde in thraldom to superstitions but because we vndoutedly perceiue therin the strength and breathing of the diuine maiestie wherewith we are drawen and stirred to obey both wittingly and willingly and yet more liuely and effectually than mans wil or wit can attaine And therefore for good cause doth God cry out by Esay that the Prophetes wyth the whole people do beare him witnesse because being taughte by the prophecies they did vndoutedly beleue without guile or vncertaintie that God himselfe had spoken Such therfore is our perswasion as requireth no reasons such is our knowledge as hath a righte good reason to maintaine it euen such a one wherin the minde more assuredly and stedfastly resteth than vpon any reasons suche is oure feling as cannot procede but by reuelacion from heauen I speake nowe of none other thing but that which euery one of the faithful doth by experieÌ„ce find in himselfe sauing that my wordes do much want of a full declaratioÌ„ of it I leaue here many thinges vnspoken because there wil be els where againe a conuenient place to entreate of this matter Onely now let vs know that onely that is the true faith which the spirite of God doth seale in our hartes Yea with this onely reason wil the sobre reder and willing to learne be contented Esay promeseth that al the childreÌ„ of the renewed churche shal be the scholars of God A singular priuilege therin doth God vouchsaue to graunt to his elect onely whom he seuereth from all the rest of mankinde For what is the beginning of true doctrine but a redy cherefulnesse to heare the voice of God But God requireth to be heard by the mouth of Moises as it is written say not in thy harte who shal ascende into heauen or who shal descende into the depe the worde is euen in thine own mouth If it be the pleasure of God that this treasure of vnderstanding be layed vp in store for hys chyldren it is no marueil nor vnlikely that in the common multitude of meÌ„ is seen such ignoraunce and dullnesse The common multitude I call euen the most excellent of them vntil such time as they be graffed into the bodye of the church Moreouer Esay geuing warning that the Prophetes doctrine should seme incredible not onely to straungers but also to the Iewes that woulde be accompted of the householde of God addeth this reason because the arme of God shall not be reueled to al men So oft therfore as the smallnesse of nuÌ„ber of the beleuers doth trouble vs on the other side let vs call to minde that none can comprehende the misteries of God but they to whom it is geuen ¶ The .viii. Chapter That so farre as mans reason may beare there are sufficient proues to stablyshe the credite of Scripture VNlesse we haue this assuraunce whiche is bothe more excellent and of more force than any iudgement of man in vayne shall the authorytie of Scripture eyther bee strengthened with argumentes or stablished with consente of the churche or confyrmed with any other meanes of defence For vnlesse this fundation bee layde it still remayneth hangynge in doubte As on the other syde when exemptynge it from the common state of thynges we haue embraced it deuoutely and accordyng to the worthynesse of it then these thynges become very fitte helpes which before were but of small force to graffe and fasten the assurance therof in our myndes For it is meruaylous howe greate establishemente groweth herof when with earnest studye we consider howe orderly and well framed a disposition of the diuine wisedom appereth therin howe heauenly a doctrine in euery place of it and nothyng sauoryng of earthlynesse howe beautyful an agreement of all the partes amonge theym selues and suche other thynges as auayle to procure a maiestie to writynges But more perfectly are oure hartes confirmed when we consyder howe we are euen violently caried to an admiration of it rather with dignitie of matter than with grace of woords For this also was not done without the singular prouidence of God that the hye misteries of the heauenly kingdome should for the moste part be vttered vnder a contemptible basenesse of words least if it hadde ben beautified with more glorious speache the wicked shoulde cauill that the onely force of eloquence doeth reigne therein But when that roughe and in a maner rude simplicitie dooeth rayse vp a greater reuerence of it selfe than any rhetoricians eloquence what may we iudge but that there is a more myghty strength of truthe in the holye Scripture than that it nedeth any art of wordes Not withoute cause therefore the Apostle maketh his argument to proue that the faythe of the Corinthians was grounded vpon the power of God and not vpon mans wysedom bycauâ—e his preachyng among them was set foorth not with enticyng speche of mans wisedom but in playne euidence of the spirite and of power For the truthe is then sette free from all doubtyng when not vpholden by forayne aides it selfe alone suffiseth to susteyne it self But how this power is proprely alone belongyng to the scripture hereby appereth that of all the writynges of menne be they neuer so connyngly garnyshed no one is so farre able to pearce our affections Reade Demosthenes or Cicero reade Plato Aristotle or any other of all that sorte I graunt they shall meruailously allure delite moue and rauishe thee But if from them thou come to this holy readyng of Scriptures wylte thou or not it shall
to be propre to his Father that our Faith may be stayed in hym then that we may be certainly persuaded that he is not carelesse of our safetie because he vouchesaueth euen to vs to extende his prouidence With whiche introductions Paule prepareth vs to pray rightely For before that he hiddeth our petitions to be opened before God he sayth thus Be ye carefull for nothyng the Lorde is at hande Wherby appeareth that they doutefully and with perplexitie tosse theyr prayers in their mynde whiche haue not this well settled in them that the eie of God is vpon the righteous The firste Petition is That the name of God be hallowed the neede wherof is ioyned with our greate shame For what is more shamefull than that the glorie of God should be partly by our vnthankefulnesse partly by our maliciousnesse darkened and so muche as in it lyeth by our boldenesse and furious stubbornesse vtterly blotted out Though all the wicked wolde burst themselues with their wylfulnesse full of sacrilege yet the holynesse of the name of God gloriously shineth And not without cause the Prophet crieth out As thy name O God so is â—hy praise into al the endes of the earth For wheresoeuer the name of God is knowen it can not be but that his strengthes power goodnesse wisdome righteousnesse mercie and truthe must shewe foorth themselues whiche may drawe vs into admiration of him and stirre vs vp to publyshe his praise Sithe therfore the holynesse of God is to shamefully taken from hym in earth if we be not able to reskue it we be at the least commaunded to take care of it in our prayers The summe is that we wishe the honor to be geuen to God whiche he is worthye to haue that men neuer speake or thinke of hym without moste hye reuerence wherunto is contrarie the vnholy abusyng whiche hath alway been to common in the worlde as at this day also it rangeth abroade And hereuppon commeth the necessitie of this petition whiche if there liued in vs any godlynesse though it were but little oughte to haue ben superfluous But if the name of God haue his holynesse safe when being seuered from all other it breatheth out nothyng but glorie here we are commaunded not only to pray that God wil deliuer that holy name from al contempt dishonor but also that he wil subdue al mankind to the reuereÌ„ce of it Now wheras God discloseth hymself to vs partly by doctrine partly by workes he is no otherwise sanctified of vs than if we geue to him in both behalfes that which is his so embrace whatsoeuer shal come from hym and that his seueritie haue no lesse praise among vs than his mercifulnesse forasmuche as he hath in the manifolde diuersitie of his workes emprinted markes of his glorie which may worthily drawe out of all tonges a confession of his praise So shall it comme to passe that the Scripture shall haue full authoritie with vs and that no successe shall hynder the blessyng whiche God deserueth in the whole course of the gouernyng of the worlde Agayne the petition also tendeth to this purpose that all vngodlynesse whiche defyleth this holy name may be destroyed and taken away that whatsoeuer thynges doo darken and diminishe this sanctifieng as well sclaunders as mockynges may be driuen away and when God subdueth al sacrileges his glorie may therby more and more shine abroade The seconde petition is that The Kyngdome of God may come which although it conteyne no newe thyng is yet not withoute cause seuered from the fyrst because if we consyder our owne drewsynesse in a thyng greatest of all other it is profitable that the thyng whiche oughte of it selfe to haue ben most well knowen be with many wordes ofte beaten into vs. Therfore after that we haue ben commaunded to pray to God to bryng into subiection and at length vtterly to destroye whatsoeuer spotteth his holye name nowe is added a like and in a maner the same request that his kingdome come But although we haue alredy sett fourth the definition of this kingdome yet I now brefely rehearse that God reigneth when men as wel with forsaking of themselues as with despising of the world and of the earthly life do so yelde themselues to his righteousnesse that they aspire to the heauenly lyfe Therfore there are twoo partes of this kyngdome the one that God correcte with the power of his Spirite all corrupt desires of the fleshe which do by multitudes make warre against hym the other that he frame all our senses to the obedience of hys gouernement Therfore none do kepe right order in thys prayer but they which beginne at themselues that is to say that they be cleansed from all corruptions which troble the quiet state of the kingdome of God and infect the purenesse therof Now because the worde of God is lyke a kyngly scepter we are here commaunded to pray that he wil subdue the myndes and hartes of al men to willing obedience of it Which is done when with the secret instinct of hys Spirite he vttereth the effectuall force of hys worde that it may be auaunced in such degree as it is worthi Afterward we must come down to the wicked which do obstinatly and with desperate rage resist his authoritie God therfore setteth vp hys kyngdome by humbling the whole world but that in diuerse maners because he tameth the wantonnesses of some and of other some he breaketh the vntamed pride Thys is daily to be wished that it be done that it may please God to gather to hymselfe Chirches out of all the coastes of the worlde to enlarge and encreasce them in number to enriche them with his giftes to stablishe right order in them on the other side to ouerthrowe all the enemies of pure doctrine and religion to scatter abrode their counsels to cast down their enterprises Wherby appeareth that the endeuor of daili proceding is not in vaine commaunded vs because the maters of men are neuer in so good case that filthinesse bring shaken away and cleansed full purenesse florisheth and is in liuely force But the fulnesse of it is differred vnto the last comming of Christ when Paule teacheth that God shal be al in al. And so thys prayer ought to withdrawe vs from all the corruptions of the world which do seuer vs from God that hys kyngdome should not florishe in vs and also to kindle our endeuor to mortifie the flesh finally to instruct vs to the bearing of the crosse forasmuch as God will in this wise haue hys kyngdome spred abrode Neither ought we to take it miscontentedly that the outward man be destroyed so that the inwarde man be renewed For thys is the nature of the kingdome of God when we submitt our selues to the righteousnesse therof to make vs partakers of his glorie Thys is done wheÌ„ brightly setting fourth his light and truth with alway new encreasces wherby the darkenesse and
lyes of Satan and hys kyngdome may vanish away be destroyed and perish he defendeth them that be his with the helpe of hys Spirite directeth them to vprightnesse and strengtheneth them to coÌ„tinuance but ouerthroweth the wicked coÌ„spiracies of hys enemies shaketh abrode their treasons and deceites preuenteth their malice and beateth downe their stubbornnesse til at length he kill Antichrist with the Spirite of hys mouth and destroy all vngodlinesse with the brightnesse of his comming The third petition is That the wil of God be done in earth as it is in heauen Which although it hangeth vpon his kingdome and can not be seuered from it is not in vaine added seuerally for our grossnesse whiche doth not easily or by and by conceiue what it is that God reigne in the world It shal therfore be no absurditie if this be taken by waye of plainer exposition that God shal then be king in the world when al things shal submitt themselues to his will Now here is not meant of hys secret will wherby he gouerneth al thinges and directeth them to their ende For though Satan and men are troblesomly caried againste him yet he can by hys incomprehensible counsell not only turne aside their violent motions but also driue them into order that he may do by them that which he hath purposed But here is spokeÌ„ of an other wil of God namely that whereunto answereth willing obedience and therefore the heauen is by name compared with the earth because the Angells as it is sayd in the Psalme do willingly obey God and are diligently bent to do his commaundements We are therfore coÌ„maunded to wish that as in heauen nothing is done but by the becke of God and the Angels are quietly framed to al vprightnesse so the earth al stubbornnesse and peruersenesse being quenched may be subiect to such gouernemeÌ„t And when we require this we renounce the desires of our owne fleshe because whosoeuer doth not resigne and yelde his affections to God he doth as much as in hym lyeth set himself against him forasmuch as nothing cometh out of vs but faulty And we are againe by thys prayer framed to the forsaking of our selues that God may gouerne vs after his wil and not that only but that he may also create in vs new mindes and new hartes our olde being brought to nought that we may fele in our selues none other motion of desire than a mere coÌ„sent with his wil summarily that we may wil nothing of our selues but that his Spirite may gouerne our hartes by whoÌ„ inwardly teaching vs we may learne to loue those thinges that please hym and to hate those thinges that displease him Wherupon this also foloweth that whatsoeuer affections fyght against his wil he may make them vaine and voide Loe here be the first three chefe pointes of thys prayer in asking wherof we oughte to haue the onely glorie of God before our eyes leauing the respect of our selues and hauing no regarde to any of our owne profit whiche although it come hereof largely vnto vs yet we ought not here to seke it But albeit al these thinges though we neither thinke of them nor wish them nor aske them must neuerthelesse come to passe in their due time yet we must wishe them and require them And thys to doe is no smal profit for our trauaill that we may so testifie and professe our selues to be the seruantes and childreÌ„ of God as much as in vs lyeth endeuoring and being truely and throughly geuen to set fourth hys honor which is due to hym being bothe a Lord and a Father Whoso therefore doe not with affection and zele of auauncing the glorie of God pray that the name of God be hallowed that hys kyngdome come that hys wyll be done they are not to be accompted among the childreÌ„ and seruantes of God and as all these thinges shal be done agaynst their willes so they shal turne to their confusion and destruction Now foloweth the seconde part of the prayer in which we come down to our own commodities not that bidding farewel to the glorie of God which as Paul witnesseth is to be regarded euen in meate and drink we shold seke only what is profitable for our selues but we haue alredy geuen warning that there is thys difference that God peculiarly claiming three petitions to hymselfe doth draw vs to hymselfe wholly that he may in thys wise proue our godlinesse Then he graunteth vs also to haue an eye to our own commodities but with this condition that we aske nothiÌ„g for our selues but to this ende that whatsoeuer benefites he bestoweth vpoÌ„ vs they may set fourth his glorie forasmuche as nothing is more rightfull than that we lyue and dye to hym But in thys petition we aske of God generally al thinges whiche the vse of the body nedeth vnder the elementes of this world not only wherwith we may be fed and clothed but also whatsoeuer he foreseeth to be profitable for vs that we may eate our bred in peace By which prayer brefely we yelde our selues into his care and commit vs to his prouidence that he may fede cherishe and preserue vs. For the most good Father disdayneth not to receiue also our body into hys faythfull sauegarde and keping to exercise our Fayth in these smal thinges when we loke for all thinges at hys handes euen to a crumme of bred and a droppe of water For wheras it is come to passe I wote not how by our iniquitie that we be moued and vexed with greater care of the fleshe than of the soule many which dare trust to God for their soule are yet carefull for their fleshe are yet in doute what they shall eate and wherewith they shal be clothed and if they haue not plenty of wyne wheate and oyle aforehande they tremble for feare So muche more do we esteme the shadow of this lyfe which lasteth but a moment than that euerlasting immortalitie But whoso trusting to God haue ones cast away yâ— carefulnesse for the prouision of the fleshe do also by and by loke for saluatioÌ„ and euerlasting lyfe at hys hand which are greater things It is therfore no smal exercise of Fayth to hope for those thinges of God whiche otherwise do so much holde vs in care and we haue not smally profited when we haue put of thys vnbeleuingnesse whiche sâ—â—cketh fall within the bones almost of all men As for that whiche some doe here teache of transubstantiall bred it semeth but smally to agree with the meaning of Christ yea but if we did not euen in thys frayle lyfe geue to God the office of a nourishing Father our prayer should be vnperfect The reason whiche they bryng is to muche profane that it is not mete that the children of God which ought to be spiritual should not only cast their minde to earthly cares but also wrappe God therin with them As though his blessing fatherly fauor doth not also appeare in yâ— sustenaÌ„ce
is not possible but that all this kynd of dominion must immediatly be ouerthrowen and fall down As for the power of the swerd whiche they also geue to themselues because it is not exercised vppon conscieÌ„ces it pertaineth not to our present purpose to entreate of it In which behalf yet it is also to note that they be alwaye like themselues verily nothyng lesse than that which they would be taken for that is to say Pastors of the Chirch Neither do I blame the peculiar faultes of men but the common wickednesse of the whole order yea the verye pestilence of the order forasmuch as it is thought that the same should be maymed vnlesse it be gloriously set forth with welth and proude titles If we require the authoritie of Christ concernyng this mater it is no dout but that his mynd was to debarre the ministers of his word from ciuile dominion and earthly gouernement when he said The kyngs of the Gentiles beare rule ouer them but you shall not so For he signifieth not onely that the office of Pastor is distinct from the office of a Prince but that they be thynges so seuered that they can not mete together in one man For wheras Moses did beare both the offices together First that was done by a rare myracle agayne it was but for a time tyl thinges were better set in order But when a certaine forme was ones prescribed of God the ciuile gouernement was left vnto him and he was coÌ„maunded to resigne the priesthode to his brother And worthily For it is aboue nature that one maÌ„ shold suffise to beare both burdens And this hath in all ages beene diligently obserued in the Chirche And there was neuer any of the Bishoppes so long as the true forme of the Chirch endured that ones thought of vsurping the power of the swerd so that this was a common prouerbe in the tyme of Ambrose that Emperors rather coueted the prestehode than prestes the empire For this which he afterwarde sayth was emprinted in the myndes of all men that palaces perteined to the Emperor and Chirches to the prest But sins that a way hath ben deuised wherby Bishops myght holde the title honor and richesse of their office withoute burden or care least they should be lefâ—e altogether idle the power of the swerde was geuen them or rather they dyd by vsurpation take it vpon theÌ„ selues By what color wil they defend this shamelesnesse Was this the dutie of Bishops to wrappe themselues with iudiciall hearyng of causes wyth the gouernementes of cities prouinces through large circuites to meddle in businesses so vnperteining to them which haue so much worke businesse in their owne office that if they were wholly and continually occupied in it and were withdrawen with no callinges away from it yet they were scarcely able to satisfie it But suche is their waywardnesse they sticke not to bost that by this meane the Chirch doth florishe accordyng to her worthinesse and that they them selues in the meane tyme are not to muche drawen away from the dueties of their vocation As touchyng the first point if this be a comely ornament of the holy office that they be aduaunced to suche heighth that the hyest monarches may stand in feare of them then they haue cause to quarel with Christ which hath in such sort greuously pinched their honor For at lest in their opinion what could haue ben spoken more dishonorably than these words The kinges of the Gentiles and princes beare rule ouer them but you shall not so And yet he layd no harder lawe vppon his seruantes than he first layde and receiued vpon himselfe Who sayth he hath made me a iudge or diuider among you We see that he plainly putteth away froÌ„ hymselfe the office of iudgyng whych he wolde not do if it were a thing agreyng with his office will not the seruantes suffer themselues to be brought into that order wherunto the Lorde hath yelded hymselfe subiecte As for the other pointe I woulde to God they coulde so proue it in experience as it is easy to speake it But forasmuche as the Apostles thoughte it not good to leaue the woorde of God and minister at tables therby because they will not be taught they are conuinced that it is not all one mans woorke to be bothe a good Bishoppe and a good Prince For if they whyche accordyng to the largenesse of the giftes wherwith they were endued were able to satisfie moe and greater cares than any men that haue ben borne since them haue yet confessed that they can not at ones applie the ministerie both of the worde and of tables but that they shold faint vnder the burden how could these that be meÌ„ of no valor in coÌ„parison of the Apostles a hundred folde excell the industrie of the Apostles Truely to attempt it was a point of most shamlesse to presumptuous boldnesse yet we se that it hath ben atteÌ„pted but with what successe it is euidence For it could not otherwise come to passe but that forsaking their owne office they shold remoue into other mens charge And it is no dout but that of smal beginnyng they haue by litle litle groweÌ„ to so great encreases For it was not possible that they shold at the first step clime vp so hie But somtime with suttletie and crooked crafty meanes they priuily auaunced them selues so as no man coulde foresee that it would come to passe tyll it was done somtime when occasion serued they did by terror and thretenings wryng from princes some augmentation of theyr power sometime when they sawe Princes not hard laced to geue they abused theyr fonde and vnaduised gentlenesse In olde tyme if any controuersie happened the godly to escape the necessitie of goyng to lawe committed the arbitrement to the Bishop because they douted not his vprightnesse With such arbitrementes the olde Bishops were ofteÌ„times encoÌ„bred which in dede greatly displeased theÌ„ as Augustine in one place testifieth but least the parties should runne to contentious lawyng they did though against their willes take that encumbrance vpon them These men haue of voluntarie arbitrementes whiche were altogether differyng from the noyse of iudiciall courtes made an ordinarie iurisdiction In a litle whyle after when cities and contrees were troubled with diuerse harde distresses they resorted to the protection of Bishops to be sauegarded by their faithful succour the Bishoppes by marueilous sutteltie of protectors made them selues Lordes Yea and it can not be denyed that they haue gotten the possession of a greate parte by violente seditious partakinges As for the Princes that willingly gaue iurisdiction to Bishops they were by diuerse affections moued thereunto But admitting that their gentlenesse had some shew of godlinesse yet with this their wrongfull liberalitie they dyd not very well prouide for the profite of the Chirch whoe 's auÌ„cient and true discipline they haue so corrupted yea to say truthe haue vtterly
abolished But those Bishops that haue abused suche goodnesse of princes to their owne cōmoditie haue by shewyng of this one exāple enough and to much testified that they are not Bishops For if they had had any sparcle of an Apostolike spirite they wold without doute haue answered out of the mouthe of Paule The weapons of our warfare are not carnall but spirituall But they beyng rauished with blynd gredinesse haue destroyed bothe them selues their successoures and the Chirche At length the Bishop of Rome not contented with meane lordships fyrst layde hande vpon kingdomes and afterwarde vpon the very empire And that he may with some color whatsoeuer it be reteine the possession gotten by mere robberie he sometime bosteth that he hath it by the lawe of God he sometime pretendeth the gift of Constantine sometyme some other title Fyrst I answer with Bernarde Admitte that he do by any other reason whatsoeuer claime this vnto hym yet he hath it not by Apostolike right For Peter coulde not geue that whiche he had not but he gaue to his successors that which he had the care of Chirches But when the Lorde and maister saieth that he is not appointed iudge betwene two a seruant and scholar ought not to thinke scorne if he be not iudge of all men But Bernarde speaketh of ciuile iugementes For he addeth Therfore your power is in crimes not in possessions because for those and not for these ye haue receiued the keyes of the kyngdome of heauen For whiche seemeth to thee the greater dignitie to forgeue sinnes or to diuide landes There is no comparison These base and earthly thynges haue kynges and princes of the earthe their iudges Why do ye inuade the boundes of other c. Againe Thou arte made a superior he speaketh to Pope Eugenius but wherunto Not to beare lordship I thinke Therfore howe muche soeuer we thinke of our selues let vs remembre that there is a ministerie laid vpon vs not a lordshyp geuen vs. Learne that thou hast nede of a wedehoke not of a scepter that thou mayste doo the worke of a Prophete Agayne it is playne Lordship is forbidden to the Apostles Goe thou therfore and presume to vsurpe to thy selfe either beeyng a lorde an Apostleshippe or beyng an Apostle a lordship And by and by after the forme of an Apostleship is this Lordshippe is forbidden them ministerie is bidden them Wheras these thynges are so spoken of a man that it is euidente to all men that the very truthe speaketh them yea where as the very thyng it selfe is manifest without all woordes yet the bishop of Rome was not ashamed in the Councell at Orleaunce to decree that the supreme power of bothe the swerdes belong to hym by the lawe of God As for the gift of Constantine they that be but meanly practised in the histories of those tymes nede not to be taught howe muche this is not only fabulous but also to be laughed at But to passe ouer histories Gregorie himself is bothe a sufficient and most full witnesse hereof For so oft as he speaketh of the emperor he calleth him most noble Lord and himselfe his vnworthy seruant Againe in an other place But lette not our Lord by the earthly power be the soner angry with the prestes but with excellent consideration for his sake whoe 's seruantes they be let him so rule ouer them that he also geue them due reuerence We see howe in common subiection he wold be accompted as one of the people For he there pleadeth not any other mans cause but his owne In an other place I trust in the almighty God that he wyll geue a long lyfe to our godly lordes and will dispose vs vnder your hande accordyng to his mercie Neither haue I therfore alleged these thynges for that it is my purpose throughly to discusse his question concernyng the gift of Constantine but only that the Reders should see by the way how chyldishly the Romanistes do lye when they go about to chalenge an erthly empire to their Bishop And so muche the more fowle is the shamelesnesse of Augustine Steuchus which in suche a despeired cause hath ben so bolde to selle his trauayle and tong to the Bishop of Rome Ualla as it was not hard for a man learned and of a sharp witt had strongly confuted that fable And yet as a man litle exercised in ecclesiasticall maters he had not sayde all that mighte haue made for that purpose Steuchus burst in and scattred stinkyng trifles to oppresse the clere light And truely he doeth no lesse coldly handle the cause of his master that if some mery conceited felow faynyng himself to do the same wold in dede take Uallaes part But verily it is a woorthy cause for whiche the Pope should hyre such patrones for money and no lesse worthy are those hyred losells to be deceyued of theyr hope of gayne as it hapened to Eugubinus But if any man require to knowe the tyme sins this fained empire began to ryse vp there are not yet passed fiue hundred yeares sins the Bishoppes yet remained in subiection of the princes neither was the Pope created without the authoritie of the Emperor The Emperor Henry the fowerth of that name a light and rashe man and of no forcast of great boldnesse and dissolute life gaue first occasion to Gregorie the .vii. to alter this order For when he had in his court the Bishoprikes of all Germanie partly to be sold and partly laid open for spoile Hildebrand whiche had receyued displeasure at his hande caught hold of a goodly color to reuenge himselfe But because he seemed to pursue an honeste and a godly cause he was furthered with the fauor of many And Henry was otherwise by reason of his insolent maner of gouernyng hated of the most part of princes At the length Hildebrand whiche called hymself Gregorie the .vii. as he was a filthy and naughty man bewrayed the malice of his harte which was the cause that he was forsaken of many that had conspired with hym But he thus much preuailed that his successors might freely without punishment not only shake of the yoke but also bryng Emperors in subiection to them Hereunto was added that from thense fourth there were many Emperors liker to Henrie than to Iulius Cesar whō it was no hard thing to subdue while they sate at home carelesse of all thinges and slouthful when they had most nede with vertue and lawfull meanes to represse the gredinesse of the Bishops Thus we see with what color that same goodly gift of Constantine is shadowed wherby the Pope fayneth that the Empire of the West was deliuered vnto him In the meane time the Popes cessed not somtime with fraude somtime with treason and somtime with force to inuade other mens dominions and the very citie it selfe which before was free within a hundred and thirty yeres or there about they broughte into their subiection till they grewe to the same