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
meaneth to make seuerally knowen the true God from the false gods it chiefelye compareth him with idols not that it doth allowe these inuencyons that are more suttelly and finely taughte by the Philosophers but the plainlier to disclose the folishnesse of the world yea rather their madnesse in sekyng God so long as they cleaue euery one to their own imaginations Therfore that exclusiue definition whych we commonly heare bryngeth to nought all that maner of Godhead that men frame to themselues by their own opinion because God hymselfe is the only conueniente witnesse of hymselfe In the meane tyme sith thys brutysh grossenesse hath possessed the whole world to couet visible shapes of God and so to forge themselues Gods of timber stone golde siluer and other dead and corruptible matter we ought to holde thys prynciple that wyth wycked falshode the glorye of God is corrupted so oft as any shape is fained to represent him Therfore God in the law after he had once chalenged the glory of hys deitie to hymselfe alone meaning to teache vs what manner of worshipping him he aloweth or refuseth addeth immediatly Thou shalt make thee no grauen image nor any similitude in which woordes he restraineth our libertie that we attempt not to represent him with any visible image And there he shortly reckneth vp all the formes wherwith of long time before supersticion had begon to turne his trueth into lyinge For we know that the Persians worshipped the sonne yea and so many starres as the folish nations saw in the skie so many goddes they fained them And scarce was there any liuing creature whiche was not among the Egiptians a figure of God But the Grecians were thought to be wyser than the rest because they worshipped God in the shape of a manne But God compareth not images one with an other as though one wer more and an other lesse mete to be vsed but withoute any exception he reiecteth all images pictures and other signes wherby the superstitious thought to haue God nere vnto them This is easy to be gathered by the reasons whiche he ioyneth to the prohibition First with moses Remember that the Lord hath spoken to thee in the vale of Horeb. Thou heardest a voice but thou saweste no body Therfore take hede to thy selfe least paraduenture thou be deceiued and make to thy selfe any likenesse c. We see how openly God setteth his voice against all counterfaite shapes that we may knowe that they forsake God whosoeuer do couet to haue visible formes of hym Of the Prophetes onely Esay shal be enough whiche speaketh ofte and much herof to teache that the maiestie of god is defiled with vncomlye and folishe counterfaiting when he beeyng without body is likened to bodily mater being inuisible to a visible image being a spirit to a thing without life being incomprehensible to a small lompe of timber stone or golde In like manner reasoneth Paule For asmuch as we are the generacion of god we ought not to thinke that the godhead is lyke vnto golde or siluer or stone grauen by art and the inuention of mā Wherby it certainely appeareth whatsoeuer images are erected or pictures painted to expresse the shape of god they simply displease hym as certaine dishonors of his maiestie And what maruel is it if the holy ghost do thonder out these oracles from heauen sith he compelleth the verye wretched and blinde idolaters themselues to confesse this in earth It is knowen how Seneca complained as it is to reade in Augustine They dedicate saieth he the holy immortall and inuiolable gods in most vile and base stuffe and put vpon them the shapes of men and beastes and some of them with kinde of man and woman mingled together with sondryshapen bodyes and such they call gods whiche if they shoulde receiue breath and mete them would be reckened monsters Whereby agayne plainly appeareth that it is a fonde cauillacion wherewith the defenders of images seke to escape which say that the Iewes were forbidden images because they were inclinable to superstition As thoughe that thyng perteyned to one nation onely which god bryngeth forth of hys eternall beeing and the contynuall order of nature And Paule spake not to the Iewes but to the Athenienses when he confuted theyr error in counterfaytyng a shape of god God in dede I graunt somtyme in certayne sygnes hath geuen a presence of hys godhed so as he was sayed to be beholden face to face but all these sygnes that euer he shewed dyd aptly serue for meanes to teache and wythall dyd playnly admonishe men of an incomprehēsible essence For the cloude and smoke and flame although they wer tokens of the heauenly glory yet did they as it were bridle and restraine the mindes of mē that they should not attempt to passe any further Wherfore not Moses himself to whom God disclosed himselfe most familiarly in comparison of other obteined by prayer to see that face but receyued this answere that man is not able to susteine so great brightnesse The holy ghost appeared vnder the lykenesse of a doue but sith he immediatly vanished away who doeth not see that by that tokē of so short a continuaunce of a moment the faithful are put in minde that they ought to beleue him to be an inuisible spirite that holding them contēted with his vertue grace they should make him no outwarde shape This that God appeared somtimes in forme of a man was a foreshewing of the reueling that was to be made of him in Christ. And therefore it was not lawfull for the Iewes to abuse this pretense to erect to themselues a representacion of the godhead in the shape of man Also the mercy seate wherin God shewed forth the presence of his power in the time of the law was so made as it might teache that the best beholding of the godhead is this when mens mindes are caried beyond them selues with administracion of it For the Cherubins with their winges stretched abrod did couer it the veile did hide it and the place it selfe being set faire inwarde did of it selfe sufficiently kepe it secrete Therefore it is very plaine that they be very mad that goe aboute to defende the images of God of Saintes with the example of these Cherubins For I pray you what meant these litle images but to shewe that images are not mete to represent the misteries of God forasmuch as they were made for this purpose that hiding the mercy seate with their winges they should not onely kepe backe the eies of man but also all his senses from the beholding of God and so to correct his rash hardinesse For this purpose maketh it that the Prophetes described the Seraphins shewed them in vision with their face vncouered wherby they signifie that so great is the brightnesse of the glorye of God that the Angelles themselues are kept from direct beholding it and the smal sparkes therof that
God doo take goodnesse from himselfe I dooe not speake of his humaine nature least perhappes they shuld take exception and say that what soeuer goodnesse was in it it came of free gyft I aske whether the eternall Word of God be good or no If they say nay then we hold their vngodlinesse sufficiētly cōuinced in sayeng yea they cōfound themselues But where as at the first sight Christe semeth to put from hymselfe the name of Good that doothe the more confirme oure meanyng For sithe it is the singular title of God alone forasmuche as he was after the common maner saluted by the name of Good in refusing false honour he did admonish them that the goodnesse wherin he excelled was the goodnesse that God hathe I aske also where Paule affirmeth that only God is immortall wise and true whether by these wordes Christe be brought into the numbre of men mortall foolishe and false Shall not he then be immortall that from the begynnyng was lyfe to geue immortalitie to angels Shall not he bee wise that is the eternall wisedome of God Shall not the trueth it selfe be true I aske furthermore whether they thynke that Christe ought to be worshipped or no For he claimeth this vnto hymselfe to haue all knees bowe before hym it foloweth that he is the God whiche dyd in the lawe forbyd any other to be worshipped but himselfe If they will haue that meant of the Father onely whiche is spoken in Esaie I am and none but I this testimonie I tourne against theim selues for as muche as we see that whatsoeuer pertaineth to God is geuen to Christe And their cauillation hath no place that Christe was exalted in the fleshe wherein he had bene abased and that in respecte of the fleshe all authoritie is geuen hym in heauen and in earthe because althoughe the maiestie of Kyng and Iudge extende to the whole Person of the Mediatour yet if he had not been God openly shewed in fleshe he coulde not haue been auaunced to suche heighth but that God shoulde haue disagreed with himselfe But thys controuersye Paule doeth well take away teaching that he was egall wyth God before that he dyd abase hymselfe vnder the shape of a seruaunte Nowe howe coulde thys equalitie haue stande together vnlesse he hadde been the same God whoe 's name is Iah and Iehouah that rydeth vppon the Cherubin that is kynge of all the earthe and Lorde of the worldes Nowe howesoeuer they babble agaynste it it canne not bee taken from Chryste whiche Esaie sayeth in an other place He he is our GOD for hym we haue wayted whereas in these woordes he describeth the comming of GOD the redemer not onelye that shoulde bryng home the people from the exyle of Babylon but also fullye in all pointes restore the churche And with their other cauillation they nothynge preuayle in sayinge that Chryste was God in hys Father For thoughe we confesse that in respecte of order and degree the begynning of the Godheade is in the Father yet we saye that it is a detestable inuentyon to saye that the essence is onelye proper to the Father as thoughe he were the onelye God-maker of the Sonne For by thys meanes eyther he shoulde haue moe essence than one or ells they call Chryste God onely in tittle and imaginacion If they graunte that Chryste is God but nexte after the Father then shall the essence bee in hym begotten and fashioned whiche in the Father is vnbegotten and vnfashyoned I knowe that many quicke nosed men doe laughe at thys that we gather the distinction of Persons oute of the wordes of Moses where he bryngeth in God speakyng thus Lette vs make manne after oure image But yet the Godly readers doe see howe vaynly and fondely Moses shoulde bryng in thys as a talke of dyuerse together if there were not in God moe Persons than one Nowe certayne is it that they whom the Father spake vnto wer vncreate but nothing is vncreate but God himselfe yea the one onely God Nowe therefore vnlesse they graunte that the power of creating was common and the authoritie of commaunding common to the Father the Sonne and the Holy ghoste it shall folowe that God did not inwardly thus speake to himselfe but directed his speche to other forein woorke menne Finallie one place shall easilie answere two of their obiections For where as Christe himselfe pronounceth that GOD is a Spirite this were not conueniente to be restrained to the Father onely as if the Woorde himselfe were not of spirituall nature If then the name of Spirite doeth as well agree with the Sonne as with the Father I gather that the Sonne is also comprehended vnder the indefynite name of GOD. But he addeth by and by after that none are allowed for good worshippers of the Father but they that worshyppe hym in Spirite and trueth where vppon foloweth an other thyng because Chryste doeth vnder a hed execute the office of a teacher he doeth geue the name of GOD to the Father not to the entente to destroye his owne Godhead but by degrees to lyfte vs vp vnto it But in this they are deceiued that they dreame of certaine vndiuided singular thinges wherof eche haue a part of the essence But by the Scriptures we teache that there is but one essentially God and therefore that the essence as well of the Sonne as of the Holy ghost is vnbegotten But forsomuch as the Father is in order firste and hath of himselfe begotten his wisedome therfore rightfully as is aboue sayed he is counted the original and fountaine of al the Godhead So God indefinitely spoken is vnbegotten and the Father also in respecte of Person is vnbegotten And foolishly they thinke that they gather that by oure meaning is made a quaternitie because fasly and cauillouslye they ascrybe vnto vs a deuise of their owne brayne as though we dyd faine that by deriuacion there come three Persons out of one essence wheras it is euident by our wrytinges that we do not drawe the Persons out of the essence but although they be abiding in the essence we make a distinction betwene them If the Persons were seuered from the essence then paraduenture their reason were like to be true But by that meane it shoulde be a Trinitie of Goddes and not of Persons which one God conteineth in hym So is their fonde question answered whether the essence doe mete to make vp the Trinitie as thoughe we did imagine that there descende three Goddes oute of it And thys exception groweth of lyke foolyshenesse where they saye that then the Trinitie shoulde be withoute God For though it mete not to make vp the distinction as a parte or a member yet neither are the Persons withoute it nor oute of it Because the Father if he were not God coulde not be the Father and the Sonne is none otherwyse the Sonne but because he is God We saye therefore that the Godheade
hathe made an ende of them doth so no thing diminish their holynesse that it rather setteth them fourth and maket them glorious For as they shold haue geuen but a vaine shewe to the olde people vnlesse the power of the deathe and resurrection of Christe had beene shewed therein so if they hadde not cessed wee coulde not at this daye discerne to what purpose they were ordeyned Therefore Paule to proue that the keepinge of them nowe is not onely superfluous but also hurtefull teacheeh that they weare shadowes whereof wee haue the bodye in Christe We see therefore howe in the abolishinge of them the trueth shyneth better than if they did still a farre of and as it were with a veile spred before shewe a figure of Christe that hathe already playnelye appeared 〈◊〉 therefore the veile of the Temple at the deathe of Christe was torne in twoo peeces and fell downe bycause nowe the true and expresse image of the heauenly good thynges was come to lyghte whyche before had been but vnperfectly begonne wyth darke rude draughtes as the authore of the Epistle to the Hebrues saythe Herevnto serueth the sayeng of Christe that the lawe and the Prophetes were vnto the tyme of Ihon and that from that tune forwarde the Kyngdome of God beganne to bee ioyefully preached not meaninge that the holy fathers were without the preachynge that conteyneth the hope of saluation and of eternall lyfe but bicause a farre of and vnder shadowes onely they dyd beholde that whiche wee at thys daye see in the full lyghte But why it behoued that the Churche of God shoulde clymbe vp hyer from those firste instructions Ihon the Baptist declareth for that the lawe is geuen by Moses but grace truth beganne by Iesus Chirste For althoughe the purginge of sinnes were truely promised in the olde sacrifices the Arke of the couenant was a sure pledge of the fatherly fauoure of God yet all this had been but a shadowe if it had not ben grounded vpon the grace of Christe wherin is sounde perfect and eternal stedfastnesse Let this then remaine sure that although the ceremonial vsages of the lawe haue cessed to be obserued yet by the ende of them it is that better knowen how great was the profite of them before Christes coÌ„minge wyth in takinge awaye the vse of them hathe sealed the force effecte of them with his deathe Somwhat more harde is the point that Paule noteth And he hath renued you together with him when ye were deade by sinnes and the vncircumcision of your fleshe forgeuinge you of all your offences blotting out the handwriting that remained in the decrees against vs whyche was contrarie vnto vs and he hath taken it awaye fastninge it to the crosse c. For he seemeth to stretche the abolyshinge of the lawe soÌ„what further that nowe we haue nothing to do with the decrees therof For thei erre that expond it onely of the lawe morall whose vnappeassable rigoure rather then doctrine thereof thei thinke to be taken away Some more deepely weying the wordes of Paule do espie that it is proprely spoken of the lawe ceremoniall and doe shewe that this worde Deuill doth more than ones so signifie in Paule For to the Ephesians he saith thus He is our peace that maketh both to be one that maketh voide the law of coÌ„maundementes consistinge in the decrees that he might make two in himselfe into one new man It is no doubt that he speaketh ther of the ceremonies for he calleth it the partition wherwith the Iewes were seuered from the Gentiles wherefore I graunt that those first expositors are rightfully reproued by these but yet mee thinkes that these do not sufficientlye well set fourth the minde of the Apostle For I like not at all to haue these two places compared together in all pointes when his purpose was to aduertise the Ephesians of their adoption into the felowship of Israel he teacheth that the stoppe is taken awaye whereby they were before tyme kepte asunder that was in ceremonies For the vsages of washinges and sacrifices wherewith the Iewes were made holy vnto the Lorde did seuer them from the Gentiles But in the epistle to the Colossians whoe seeth not that 〈◊〉 â—oucheth a hyer misterie In deede the point of the disputation ther is of Mosaicall obseruations whervnto the false Apostles did laboure to driue the Christian people But as in the Epistle to the Galatians he fetcheth that controuersie further of and as it wer bringeth it back to the first heade therof so doth he also in this place For if in the ceremonies you consider nothing els but a necessitie of that vse of them to what purpose was it to call it a handwriting against vs moreouer to set the whole summe in a manner of our redemption in this that it shold be caÌ„celled Wherefore the matter it selfe trieth out that here is some more secret thing to be considered And I truste that I haue atteined the naturall vnderstandinge of it if at leaste this be graunted me to bee true which in one place is most truli written by Augustine yea that he hath taken out of the plaine wordes of the Apostle that in the Iewish ceremonies was rather a confession than a cleansinge of sinnes For what did thei ells by sacrifices but confesse theÌ„ selues in their conscience gylty of death that did put cleansinges in their place What did thei with their cleansinges but testifie them selues to be vncleane And so was the handwriting of their sinne and vncleannesse oft renewed by them but ther was no discharge in that testifying thereof For whyche cause the Apostle writeth that at lengthe by meane of the deathe of Christe was perfourmed the redemption of the offences that remayned vnder the olde Testamente Therefore the Apostle dothe woorthyly call the Handwritinges againste those that obserue them for asmuch as by them ther did openly sâ—ale to their owne damnation vncleannesse And it hindereth not that they were also partakers of the same grace with vs. For this they obteyned in Chryste not in the ceremonies whyche there the Apostle dothe seuer from Christe bicause being at that time vsed they did obscure the glorie of Christe Thus learn we that the ceremonies if they be consydered by them selues are well and fittly called handwrytynges againste the saluation of men bicause they were as solemne instrumentes that testified their beinge bounde When the false Apostles wente aboute to binde the Christian Churche to them againe Paule did not withoute cause admonyshe the Colossâ—aus by fetchinge their signification of them further of to what poynte thei shoulde fall backe agayne if they suffered them selues in such sorte to be yoked by them For there withall was the benefite of Christ wrested awaie from them in as muche as he hauinge ones perfourmed the eternall clensinge hathe vtterly abolyshed these dayly obseruations whiche were onely of force to seale sinnes but coulde do nothing
forraine nations whiche had ben transplanted into Samaria and the places borderynge there about feared the fayned Gods and the God of Israell whiche is as much as to mingle heauen and earth together But now our question is What is that fayth whiche maketh the chyldren of God different from the vnbeleuers by which we call vpon God by the name of our Father by whyche we passe from death to life and by which Christ the eternall saluacion and â—he dwelleth in vs. The force and nature thereof I thinke I haue shortly and plainely declared Now let vs againe goe through all the partes of it euen from the beginning which beyng diligently examined as I thinke there shal remaine nothing doubtefull When in defining faith we cal it a knowledge we meane not thereby a coÌ„prehendyng such as men vse to haue of those thinges that are subiect to mans vnderstandyng For it is so far aboue it that maÌ„s wit must goe beyond surmount it self to come vnto it yea and when it is come vnto it yet doth it not atteyne that whiche it feleth but while it is persuaded of that whiche it conceiueth not it vnderstandeth more by the very assurednesse of persuasion than yf it did with maÌ„s owne capacitie throughly perceyue any thing familiar to man Therefore Paule sayth very well where he calleth it to comprehende what is the length bredth depth and heighth and to knowe the loue of Christ that farre surmounteth knowledge For his meanynge was to signifie that the thynge whiche our mynde conceyueth by faythe is euery waye infinite and that this kinde of knowledge is farre hyer than all vnderstandynge But yet bycause the Lorde hath disclosed to his Saintes the secret of his will whiche was hidden from ages and generations therefore by good reason fayth is in Scripture sometime called an acknowledging and Iohn calleth it a certayne knowledge where he testifieth that the faithfull doe certainely knowe that they are the children of God And vndoutedly they knowe it assuredly but rather by beyng confirmed by persuasion of Gods truthe than by beyng informed by naturall demonstration And his also the wordes of Paule doe declare sayeng that while we â—well in the body we are wanderyng abrode from the lord bycause we walke by fayth and not by sighte whereby he sheweth that those thynges whiche we vnderstande by fayth are yet absente from vs and are hidden from our sight And hereupon we determine that the knowledge of fayth staÌ„deth rather in certaintie than in comprehendyng We further call it a sure and stedfaste knowledge to expresse thereby a more sound constantie of persuasion For as faith is not contented with a doubtefull and rowling opinion so is it also not coÌ„tented with a darke and entangled vnderstaÌ„ding but requireth a ful and fixed assurednesse â–ª such as men are wont to haue of thinges fouÌ„d by experience and proued For vnbelefe sticketh so faste and is so depe rooted in our heartes and we are so bent vnto it that this which all men confesse with their mouth to be true that God is faithfull no maÌ„ is without great contention persuaded in his heart Specially when it coÌ„meth to the profe then the waueryng of all menne discloseth the fault â—hat â—â—ore was hidden And not without cause the Scripture with so nâ—â—â—ble citâ—es of coÌ„mendacion maineteyneth the authoritie of the worde of God but endeuoreth to geue remedie for the aforesayde disease that God maye obteyne to be fully beleued of vs in his promises The wordes of the Lorde sayth Dauid are pure wordes as the Sâ—â—â—eâ—â—ryed in a fornace of earth fined seuen times Agayne The worde oâ— the Lorde fined is a shielde to all that truste in him And Salomon confirmynge the same and in a manner in the same wordes sayth Euery worde of God is pure But sithe the whole .cxix. Psalme entreateth only in a manner vpon the same it weare superfluous to allege any moe places Truely so oft as God doth so coÌ„mend his word vnto vs he doth therein by the waye reproche vs with our vnbeleuingnesse bycause that commendacioÌ„ tendeth to no other end but to roote vp all peruerse doubtinges out of our heartes There be also many which so coÌ„ceiue the mercie of God that they take litle coÌ„fort thereof For they be euen therewithall pinched with a miserable carefulnesse while they doubte whether he will be mercifull to them or noe bicause they enclose within to narrow boundes the very same mercifulnesse of whiche they thinke themselues moste assuredly perswaded For thus they thinke with themselues that his mercie is in deede greate and plentiefull poured out vpon many offrynge it selfe and ready for all menne but that it is not certayne whether it will extende vnto them or no or rather whether they shal atteyne vnto it or no. This thought when it so stayeth in the midde race is but a halfe Therefore it doth not so confirme the spirite with assured quietnesse as it dothe trouble it with vnquiet doubtefulnesse But there is a far other felyng of full assurednesse whiche in the Scriptures is alwaye assigned to fayth euen suche a one as playnely settynge before vs the goodnesse of God dothe clearely put it out of doubte And that can not be but that we muste needes truely feele and proue in our selues the swetenesse thereof And therefore the Apostle out of fayth deriueth assured confidence and out of it agayne boldenesse For thus he sayeth that by Christe we haue boldenesse and an entrance with confidence whiche is through fayth in him By whiche wordes truely he sheweth that it is no right fayth but when we are bolde with quiet mindes to shewe our selues in the presence of God Which boldnesse procedeth not but of assured confidence of Gods good will and our saluation Whiche is so true that many times this word Faith is vsed for Confidence But herupon hangeth the chiefe staye of our faith that we do not think the promises of mercie which the Lord offreth to be true only in other biside vs not at all in our selues but rather that in inwardly embracing theÌ„ we make them our owne FroÌ„ hense procedeth that coÌ„fidence which the same Paule in an other place calleth peace vnlesse some had rather say that peace is deriued of it It is an assurednesse that maketh the conscieÌ„ce quiet cherefull before God without which the coÌ„science must of necessitie be vexed in a manner torne in peces with troublesome trembling vnlesse parhappes it do forget God it selfe so sloÌ„ber a litle while I may truely say For a litle while for it doth not loÌ„g enioy that miserable forgetfulnesse but is with often recourse of the remembrance of Gods iudgement sharply tormented Briefly there is none truely faithful but he that beyng persuaded with a souÌ„d assurednesse that God is his mercyfull louyng father doth promise himselfe all thinges vpon trust of Gods goodnesse and none but he that trustyng
we suffer with him we shal also reigne together with him that we be so fashioned like to his suffringes till we atteyne to the likenesse of his resurrection For asmuch as the Father hath predestinate these to be fashioned like the image of his sonne whome in him he hath chosen that he maye be the first begotten among all his brethreÌ„ and therfore that neyther death nor present thinges nor thinges to come shall seuer vs from the loue of God which is in Christ but rather all thinges shall turne to vs to good and to saluation Loe me do not iustifie a maÌ„ by workes before God but we say that all they that are of God are regenerate made a newe creature that they may passe out of the kingdome of sinne into the kingdome of righteousnesse that by this testimonie thei make their callyng certayne and are iudged as trees by the frutes The .xvi. Chapter ¶ A confutation of the sclaunders whereby the Papistes goe about to bryng this doctrine in hatred WIth this one word may the shamelesnesse of certayne vngodly men be confuted whiche sclaunder vs with sayeng that we destroy good workes and doe draw men awaye from the followyng of theÌ„ when we say that they are not iustified by workes nor do deserue saluatioÌ„ and againe that we make to easy away to right cousnesse when we teache that it lieth in the free forgeuenesse of sinnes and that we do by this enticement allure men to sinne whiche are of their owne will to much enclined thereto already These sclaunders I say are with that one word sufficiently confuted yet I will brefely answer to them bothe They allege that by the iustification of fayth good workes are destroyed I leaue vnspoken what manner of men be these zelous louers of good workes whiche doe so backbite vs. Let them haue licence as freely to rayle as they do liceÌ„tiously infect the whole world with the filthinesse of their life They faine that they be greued that when fayth is so gloriously aduaunced workes are dryuen downe out of their place What if they be more raysed vp and stablished For neyther doe me dreame of a fayth voyde of good workes nor a iustification that is without them This onely is the difference that when we confesse that fayth and good workes do necessarily hange together yet we set iustification in fayth not in workes For what reason we doe so we haue in redinesse easily to declare if we do but turne to Christ vnto whome our faythe is directed and from whome it receyueth her whole strength Why therefore are we iustified by faith bycause by fayth we take holde of the righteousnesse of Christ by which alone we are reconciled to God But this thou canst not take holde of but that thou must also therewithall take holde of sanctification For he was geuen to vs for righteousnesse wisdome sanctification redemptioÌ„ Therfore Christ iustifieth none whome he doth not also sanctifie For these benefites are coupled together with a perpetuall and vnseperable knot that whome he enlighteneth with his wisdome them he redemeth whome he redemeth he iustifieth whom he iustifieth he sanctifieth But for asmuch as our question is only of righteousnesse and sanctifieng let vs staye vpon these We maye put difference betwene them yet Christ conteineth them bothe vnseperably in himself Wilt thou therfore obteine righteousnesse in Christ Thou must first possesse Christ thou canst not possesse him but that thou must â—e made partaker of his sanctification bicause he can not be torne in peces Sithe therefore the Lord doth graunt vs these benefites to be enioyed none otherwise than in geuing himself he geueth them bothe together the one neuer without the other So appereth how true it is that we are iustified not without workes and yet not by workes bycause in the partaking of Christ wherby we are iustified is no lesse coÌ„teined sanctification than righteousnesse That also is moste false that the mindes of men are withdrawen from the affection of weldoyng when we take from them the opinion of merityng Here by the way the readers must be warned that they foolishly reason froÌ„ reward to merit as I shall afterward more plainly declare namely bicause they know not this principle that God is no lesse liberal when he assigneth reward to workes than wheÌ„ he geueth power to do well But this I had rather differre to the place fit for it Now it shal be enough to touche howe weake their obiection is whiche shal be done two wayes For first whereas they say that there shal be no care of well framyng of life but when hope of reward is set before them they erre quite from the truth For if this only be enteÌ„ded when men serue God that thei loke to reward or let out to hire or sell their labors to him they litle preuayle for God will be freely worshipped freely loued he I say alloweth that worshipper which when all hope of receyuing reward is cut of yet cesseth not to worshippe him Moreouer if men be to be pricked forward no man can put sharper spurres vnto them than those that are taken of the ende of our redeÌ„ption and calling such as the word of God spurreth men withal when it teacheth that it is to wicked vnthaÌ„kefulnesse not mutually to loue him agayne whiche first loued vs that by the blood of Christ our consciences are cleansed from dead workes to serue the liuyng God that it is a haynous sacrilege if beyng ones cleased we defile our selues with newe filthinesse and prophane that holy blood that we are deliuered from the handes of our enemies that we maye without feare serue him in holinesse and righteousnesse before him all the dayes of our life that we are made free from sinne that we maye with a free Spirit folow righteousnesse that our olde man is crucified that we may rise agayne into newnesse of life agayne that if we be dead with Christ as becommeth his members we must seeke those thinges that are aboue and must in the world be wayfaring men from home that we may long toward heauen where is our treasure that the grace of God hath appered to this end that forsakyng al vngodlinesse worldly desires we maye liue soberly holyly and godlyly in this world lokyng for the blessed hope and the appering of the glorie of the great God sauior therefore that we are not apointed that we should stirre vp wrath to our selues but that we may obteyne saluation by Christ that we are the teÌ„ples of the Holy ghost which it is not lawfull to be defiled that we are not darknesse but light in the Lord whiche muste walke as children of light that we are not called to vncleannesse but to holinesse bicause this is the will of God our sanctificatioÌ„ that we absteyne from vnlawfull desires that our callyng is holy that the same is not fulfilled but with purenesse of life that we are
decree of any Councel is brought foorth I would haue it first to be diligently weyed at what tyme it was holden for what cause it was holden what maner of men were present and then the very thyng that is entreated of to be examined by the rule of the Scripture and that in suche sorte as the determination of the Councell may haue his force and be as a foreiudged sentence and yet not hinder the aforesaid examination I wold to God all men did kepe that moderation which Augustine prescribeth in the third boke against Maximinus For when he mynded brefely to put to silence this heretike contendyng about the Decrees of Councels Neither sayeth he ought I to obiect against thee the Synod of Nice nor thou against me the Synode of Ariminum as to the entent to conclude one an other by foreiudged sentēce neither am I bound by the authoritie of the one nor thou of the other By authorities of Scriptures not such as are propre to either one but suche as are common to both let there striue mater with mater cause with cause reason with reason So should it come to passe that Coūcels should haue the maiestie that they ought but in the meane season the Scripture should be alone in the hier place that there might be nothing that shold not be subiect to the rule therof So these old Synods as of Nice of Constantinople the first of Ephesus of Chalcedon and such other which were holdē for confutyng of errors we willyngly embrace and reuerēce as holy so much as belongeth to the doctrines of faith for they conteine nothyng but the pure and naturall exposition of Scripture whiche the holy fathers with spirituall wisdome applied to the subduyng of the enemies of religion that then rose vp In some of the later Councels also we se to appere a true zele of godlinesse and plaine tokens of witt learning and wisdom But as thinges ar wonte commonly to growe to worse we maye se by the later Councells howe muche the Chirch hath nowe and then degenerate from the purenesse of that golden age And I doute not but that in these corrupter ages also Councells haue had some Bishoppes of the better sorte But in these the same happened which the Senators themselues complained to be not well doone in makyng of ordinances of the senate at Rome For while the sentences are numbred not weyed it is of necessitie that oftētimes the better part is ouercom of the greater Truly they brought foorth many wicked sentences Neither is it here nedefull to gather the speciall examples either because it should be to long or because other haue doon it so diligently that there can not muche be added Now what nede I to reherse Councels disagreyng with Councels And it is no cause that any should murmure against me and say that of those Councels that disagree the one is not lawfull For howe shall we iudge that By this if I be not deceiued that we shall iudge by the Scriptures that the decrees thereof are not agreable with true doctrine For this is the onely certaine law to discerne them by It is now about nine hundred yeares agoe sins the Synode of Constantinople gathered together vnder Leo the Emperour iudged that images sette vp in Chirches should be ouerthrowen and broken in pieces A lyttell afterward the Councell of Nice which Irene the Empresse assembled in spite of him decreed that they shoulde bee restored Whether of these two shall we acknowledge for a lawful Counsell The later which gaue images a place in Chirches hath preuailed among the people But Augustine saith that that can not be doone without moste present perill of idolatrie Epiphanius whiche was before in tyme speaketh much more sharply for he saith that it is wickednesse abhomination to haue images seen in a Chirche of Christians Wold they that so speake allowe that Councell if they were aliue at this day But if bothe the hystorians tell truth and the very actes be beleued not only images them selues but also the worshipping of them was there receiued But it is euident that suche a decree came from Satan How say you to this that in deprauing and tearing the Scripture they shew that they made a mocking stocke of it Whiche thyng I haue before sufficiently made open Howsoeuer it be we shall no otherwise be able to discerne betwene contrarye and disagreyng Synodes whiche were many vnlesse we trie them all by that balance of all men and angels that is by the worde of the Lord. So we embrace the Synode of Chalcedon refusyng the seconde Synode of Ephesus because in this latter one the wickednesse of Eutyches was confirmed which the other former condemned This thing holy mē haue iudged none otherwise but by the Scripture whom we so folowe in iudgyng that the woorde of God which gaue light to them doeth also nowe geue light to vs. Nowe let the Romanistes goe and boast as they are wont that the Holy ghost is fastned and bound to their Councells Howbeit there is also somwhat which a man may well thinke to bee wantyng in those auncient and purer Councels either because thei that then were at them beyng otherwise learned and wise men wholly bent to the businesse then in hande did not foresee many other thyngs or for that many thynges of lighter importance escaped them beeyng busied with weightier and more earnest maters or for that simply as beeyng menne they myghte bee deceiued with vnskilfulnesse or for that they were sometyme caried headlong with to muche affection Of this laste point whiche semeth the hardest of all there was a plaine example in the Nicene Synode the dignitie whereof hath by consent of all men as it was worthy ben receiued with most hye reuerence For when the principall article of our faith was there in daunger Arrius the enemie was present in redinesse with whom they must fyght hande to hande and the chief emportance lay in the agrement of them that came prepared to fight againste the error of Arrius this not withstandyng they carelesse of so great daūgers yea as it were hauyng forgotten grauitie modestie all humanitie leauyng the battel that they had in hand as if they had com thether of purpose to do Arrius a pleasure began to woūd themselues with inward dissentions and to tourne against themselues the stile that should haue ben bent against Arrius There were hearde fowle obiectyngs of crimes there were scattered bokes of accusations and there would haue ben no ende made of contentions vntill they had with mutuall woundes one destroied an other vnlesse the Emperor Constantine had preuēted it which professyng that the examinyng of their life was a mater aboue his knowledge and chastised suche intemperance rather with praise than with rebukyng How many waies is it credible that the other Councels also failed whiche folowed afterward Neither doeth this mater nede long profe For if a man reade ouer the actes of the Councels he shall note
people of Israell that such introduction was ordeined for their sakes whiche although the stronger may well want yet they oughte not to neglecte it forasmuche as they see it to be profitable for the weake brethren I answer that we ar not ignorant what we owe to the weakenesse of our brethren but on the other side we take exception and say that this is not the way whereby the weake may bee prouided for that they shold be ouerwhelmed with great heapes of Ceremonies The Lorde did not in vaine put this difference betweene vs and the olde people that his wil was to instruct them like children with signes figures but vs more simply without such outward furniture As saieth Paule a childe is ruled of his scholemaister and kept vnder custodie accordyng to the capacitie of his age so the Iewes are kepte vnder the lawe But we are like vnto full growen men whiche beeyng set at libertie from tutorshyp and gouernement haue no more neede of childishe introductions Truely the Lorde did foresee what maner of common people there shold be in his Chirche and how they shoulde be ruled Yet he did in this maner as we haue said make differēce betwene vs and the Iewes Therfore it is a foolishe way if we will prouide for the ignorant in raising vp Iewishenesse which is abrogate by Christ Christ also touched in his owne woordes this difference of the olde and new people when he said to the woman of Samaria that the time was cōme wherin the true worshippers should worship God in Spirite and truth This verily had alway ben don but the new worshippers differed frō the old in this point that vnder Moses the spiritual worshippyng of God was shadowed and in a maner entāgled with many Ceremonies which being abolished he is now more simply worshipped Therfore thei that confound this difference do ouerthrow the order institute and stablished by Christ. Shal there then wilt thou say no Ceremonies be geuen to the ruder sort to helpe their vnskilfulnesse I say not so for I verily thinke that this kynde of helpe is profitable for them I doe here trauaile only that suche a meane may be vsed as may brightly sette out Christ and not darken hym Therfore there are geuen vs of God few Ceremonies those not laborsome that they should shew Christ being present The Iewes had moe geuen them that they shold be images of him being absent Absent I say he was not in power but in maner of signifying Therfore that meane may be kept it is necessarie to keepe that fewnesse in number easinesse in obseruing and dignitie in signifieng which also cōsisteth in clerenesse What nede I to say that this hath not ben done For the thyng it selfe is in all mens eyes Here I omitt with how pernicious opinions mens myndes are filled in thinking that they be sacrifices wherewith oblation is rightly made to God wherby sinnes are clēsed wherby righteousnesse saluatiō is obteined They wyl deny that good things ar corrupted with such forein errors forasmuch as in this behalf a man may no lesse offende in the very works also cōmaunded of God But this hath more hainousnesse that so much honor is geuē to works rashely fained by the will of mā that they are thought to be things deseruing eternal life For the works cōmaunded of God haue reward therfore because that lawmaker himself in respect of obedience accepteth them Therfore they receiue not their value of their own worthinesse or of their own deseruing but because God so muche estemeth our obediēce toward him I speake here of that perfectiō of works which is commaunded of God and is not performed of mē For therfore the very works of the law which we do haue no thāk but of the fre goodnesse of God because in them our obediēce is weake lame But bicause we do not here dispute of what value works ar without Christ therfore let vs passe ouer the question I come back again to that which proprely belōgeth to this presēt argumēt that whatsoeuer cōmēdation works haue in them they haue it in respect of the obediēce which only the Lord doth loke vpon as he testifieth by the Prophet I gaue not cōmaūdement of sacrifices burnt offringes but only that ye shold with hearing heare my voice But of fained works he speaketh in an other place saying Ye weye your siluer not in bred Againe they worship me in vaine with the precepts of men This therfore they can by no waies excuse that they suffer the silly people to seke in those outward trifles the righteousnesse wherby they may stand against God vphold themselues before the heauenly iugement seate Moreouer is not this a fault worthy to be inueyed against that they shew foorth Ceremonies not vnderstanded as it were a stage play or a magicall enchaūtment ▪ For it is certaine that al Ceremonies are corrupt and hurtfull vnlesse men be by them directed to Christ. But the Ceremonies that are vsed vnder the papacie are seuered from doctrine that they may the more holde men in signes without all signification Finally such a conning craftesman is the belly it appeareth that many of them haue ben inuented by couetous sacrificing prestes to bee snares to catche money But what beginning soeuer they haue they are all so geuen foorth in cōmon for filthy gaine that we must nedes cut of a greate parte of them if we will bring to passe that there be not a prophane market and full of sacrilege vsed in the Chirch Although I seeme not to teach a continuall doctrine concernyng the ordinances of men because this speakyng is altogether applied to our owne tyme yet there is nothyng spoken that shall not be profitable for all tymes For so oft as this superstition crepeth in that men wyl worship God with theyr owne fayned deuises whatsoeuer the lawes bee that ar made to that purpose they do by by degenerate to those grosse abuses For the Lord thretneth not this curse to one or two ages but to al ages of the world that he wil strike them with blyndnesse and amased dullnesse that worshyp him with the doctrines of men This blyndyng continually maketh that they flee from no kynde of absurditie whiche despisyng so many warnyngs of God doe wilfully wrap them selues in those deadly snares But if settyng asyde circumstances you wyl haue simply shewed what be the mens traditions of al ages which it is mete to be reiected of the Chirche and to bee disalowed of all the godly that same shal be a sure and playne definition whiche we haue aboue sette that all lawes without the worde of God are made by men to this end either to prescribe a maner of worshippyng God or to bind consciences with religion as though they gaue cōmaundement of thinges necessary to saluation If to the one or both of these there be adioyned other faultes as that with their multitude they darken the
they exhort theÌ„ that they might the more familiarly declare to the men of their age that the Gentiles should be called into the true felowshippe of religion Like as also they are wont altogether to describe by figures of theyr law the truth that was deliuered by the Gospell So they set for turning to the Lord asceÌ„ding into Ierusalem for the worshipping of God the offring of al kindes of giftes for larger knowlege of him which was to be geuen to the faithfull in the kyngdome of Christe dreames and visions That therfore whiche they allege is like vnto an other prophecie of Esaye where the Prophet foretelleth of three altars to be set vppe in Assiria Egipte and Iurye For first I aske whether they do not graunt that the fulfillyng of this prophecie is in the kingdome of Christ. Secondly wher be these altars or when they were euer set vp Thirdly whether they think that to euery seuerall kyngdome is apointed a seuerall temple such as was that at Ierusalem These things if thei wey I think they wil confesse that the Prophet vnder fygures agreeable with his tyme prophecieth of the spiritual worship of God to be spred abrode into the whole world Which we geue to them for a solution But of this thing sithe there do euery where examples commonly offre them selues I wil not busie my selfe in longer rehearsall of them Howbeit herein also they are miserably deceiued that they acknowlege no sacrifice but of the Masse wheras in dede the faithfull do nowe sacrifice to the Lord do offer a cleane offring of which shal be spoken by and by Nowe I come downe to the third office of the Masse where I must declare howe it blotteth oute the true and onely deathe of Christe and shaketh it oute of the remembrance of menne For as among men the strength of a testament hangeth vppon the death of the testator so also our lord hath with his death confirmed the testament whereby he hath geuen vs forgeuenesse of synnes and eternal righteousnesse They that dare varie or make newe any thing in this testamente doo denye hys death and holde it as it were of no force But what is the Masse but a new and altogether diuerse testameÌ„t For why Doth not euery seueral Masse promise new forgeuenesse of sinnes new purchasing of righteousnesse so that now there be so many testaments as there be Masses Let Christ therfore come again and with an other death confirme this testament or rather with infinite deathes confirme innumerable testamentes of Masses Haue I not therfore said true at the beginning that the only and true death of Christ is blotted oute by Masses Yea what shall we say of this that the Masse directly tendeth to this ende that if it be possible Christ should bee slayne agayne For where is a testamente sayeth the Apostle there of necessitie must be the death of the testator The Masse sheweth it selfe to be a new testament of Christ therfore it requireth his death Moreouer the hoste which is offred must necessarily be slayne and sacrificed If Christ in euery seuerall Masse be sacrificed then he muste at euery moment bee in a thousande places cruelly slayen This is not myne but the Apostles argument If he had neded to offer him selfe ofte he muste ofte haue dyed sins the beginning of the worlde I knowe that they haue an answere in redinesse whereby also they charge vs with sclander For they say that that is obiected agaynst them which they neuer thought nor yet canne And we knowe that the death and life of Christ is not in their hande We loke not whether they goe aboute to kill hym onely our purpose is to shew what maner of absurdity foloweth of their vngodly and wicked doctrine Which self thing I proue by the Apostles owne mouth Though they crye out to the contrarye a hundred tymes that this sacrifice is vnbloody I wil deny that it hangeth vpon the wyll of men that sacrifices should change their nature for by this meane the holy and inuiolable ordinance of God shold faile WherupoÌ„ foloweth that this is a sure principle of the Apostle thâ—â— there is required sheding of blood that washing may not be wanting Now is the fourth office of the Masse to be entreated of namely to take awaye from vs the fruite that came to vs of the deathe of Christe while it maketh vs not to acknowlege it and thinke vpon it For who caÌ„ call to mynde that he is redemed by the death of Christ when he seeth a new redemption in the Masse Who can truste that sinnes are forgeueÌ„ him when he seeth a newe forgeuenesse Neither shall he escape that shall say that we do for no other cause obteyn forgeuenesse of sinnes in the Masse but because it is alredy purchased by the death of Christ. For he bringeth nothyng els than as if he would boste that Christ hathe redemed vs with this condition that we shoulde redeme our selues For such doctrine hath ben spred by the ministers of Satan and such at this day they mainteyn with cryenges out with swerd and fier that we wheÌ„ in the Masse we offer vp Christ to his Father by this work of offring do obteine forgeuenesse of sinnes and are made partakers of the passion of Christ. What now remaineth to the passion of Christ but to be an example of redemption whereby we may learne to be our owne redemers Christe him selfe when in the Supper he sealeth the confidence of pardon doth not bidde his disciples to sticke in that doing but sendeth theÌ„ awaye to the sacrifice of his deathe signifieng that the Supper is a moniment or memorial as the common spech is whereby they may learne that the satisfactorie clensing sacrifice by which the Father was to be appeased must haue ben offred but ones For neither is it enough to know that Christ is the onely sacrifice vnlesse the onely sacrificing be ioyned with it that our faith may be fastened to his crosse Nowe I come to the conclusion namely that the holye Supper in which the Lord had left the remembrance of his passion grauen and expressed is by the settyng vp of the Masse taken away defaced and destroyed For the Supper it selfe is the gift of God whiche was to be receiued with thankesgeuing The sacrifice of the Masse is famed to pay a price to God which he may receiue for satisfaction Howe muche difference there is betwene to geue and to receiue so much doth the sacrifice differ from the Sacrament of the Supper And this truely is the moste wretched vnthankfulnesse of man that where the largesse of Gods bouÌ„tie ought to haue beÌ„ acknowleged thanks to be geuen therin he maketh God his dettor The Sacrament promised that by the death of Christe we are not onely ones restored into life but are continually quickned because then all the partes of our saluation were fulfilled The sacrifice of the Masse singeth a farre other song that Christ must
reson called a sacrifice but because it is the remēbrance image and witnesse of that singular true and only sacrifice wherwith Christ hath cleansed vs. Also there is a notable place in hys fourth boke of the Trinitie the xxiiii Chapter where after that he hath discoursed of the only sacrifice he thus concludeth because in a sacrifice fower things ar cōsidered to whō it is offred and of whō what is offred for whō The same he himselfe the one and true mediator recōciling vs to God by the sacrifice of peace remaineth one wyth hym to whō he offred maketh them one in hym for whom he offred is one himselfe which offred the thing which he offred To the same effect also speaketh Chrysostome But they so chalenge the honor of sacrificing presthode to Christ that Augustine testifieth it to be the voice of Antichrist if any man make a Bishop intercessor betwene God men Yet do we not deny but that the offring vp of Christ is there so shewed in vs that the spectacle of the crosse is in a maner set before our eyes as the Apostle sayth that Christ was crucified in the eyes of the Galathians whē the preaching of the crosse was set before them But forasmuch as I se that those olde Fathers also wrested thys remembrāce an other waye thā was agreable with the institutiō of the Lord because their Supper cōteined I wote not what repeted or at least renewed forme of sacrificīg the safest way for godly hartes shal be to rest in the pure simple ordināce of God whoe 's also the Supper is therfore called because in it his authoritie alone oughte to be in force Truely sithe I fynde that they haue kepte a Godly and true sense of thys whole mysterie and I doe not perceiue that they meante to abate any thyng were it neuer so litle from the only sacrifice of the Lord I can not condemne them of vngodlinesse yet I thynke that they can not be excused but that they haue offended somwhat in the maner of the celebration For they counterfaited the Iewishe manner of sacrificing more nerely than either Christ had ordeined or the nature of the Gospel did beare Therefore that same ouerthwart appliance to heauenly thynges is the only thing wherin a man may worthily blame them for that beyng not contented with the simple and natural institution of Christe they swarued to the shadowes of the law If a man do diligently wey that this differēce is put by the worde of the Lord betwene the sacrifices of Moses our Thankesgeuing that wheras those did represent to that Iewishe people the same effectualnesse of the death of Christe which is at thys day deliuered to vs in the Supper yet the maner of represēting was diuerse For in those the Leuiticall Prestes were commaunded to figure y◠which Christ should performe there was brought a sacrifice which should be in the stede of Christ himselfe there was an altar wherupon it should be offred Finally al thinges were so done that there was set before their eyes an image of the sacrifice which was to be offred to God for a satisfactorie cleansing But sins the tyme that the sacrifice is ended the Lord hath apointed to vs an other order namely that it should conuey to the faithful people the frute of the sacrifice offred to hym by the Sōne Therfore he hath geuen vs a table wherat we should eate not an altar wherupon sacrifice should be offred he hath not cōsecrated prestes to sacrifice but ministers to distribute the holy bāket How much more hye holy the mysterie is so much more religiously and with greater reuerence it is mete to be handled Therfore there is no way safer than putting away al boldnesse of mans vnderstāding to sticke fast in that alone which the Scripture teacheth And truely if we consider that it is the Supper of the Lord not of men there is no cause why we should suffer our selues to be remoued one heare bredth from it by any authoritie of men or prescription of yeres Therefore when the Apostle mynded to cleanse it from al faultes which had alredy crept into the Chirch of the Corinthiās he vseth the rediest way therunto that is he calleth it backe to the only institution of it frō whense he sheweth that a perpetuall rule ought be fetched Nowe least any wrangler shoulde stirre vs vp strife by reason of the names of sacrifice and sacrificing prest I wil also declare but yet brefely what in the whole discourse I haue meant by a sacrifice and what by a Sacrificing Prest Whoso stretche the woorde sacrifice to all holy Ceremonies and doinges of religion I se not by what reason they doe it We do knowe that by the continuall vse of the Scripture a sacrifice is called that which the Grekes cal somtyme Thusia somtime Prosphora somtyme Telete Which being generally takē cōprehendeth whatsoeuer is in any wise offred to God Wherefore we muste make distinction but yet so that thys distinction may haue a supernall appliance of similitude from the sacrifices of the lawe of Moses vnder the shadowes wherof the Lord willed to represēt to his people the whole truthe of sacrifices Of those although there wer diuerse formes yet they may al be referred to twoo sortes For either there was oblation made for sinne after a certaine maner of satisfaction wherby gyltinesse was redemed before God or it was a signe of the worshipping of God a testifyeng of religiō somtime in stede of supplicatiō to craue the fauor of God sometime in stede of thākesgeuing to testifie thākfulnesse of mynde for benefites receiued somtime only for an exercise of Godlinesse to renewe the stablishing of the couenāt to which later sort perteined burnt offryngs drynke offrynges oblations first frutes peace offringes Wherefore let vs also diuide ours into twoo kyndes and for teachinges sake lette vs cal the one the sacrifice of worship of Godly deuotiō because it consisteth in the honoring worshipping of God which the faythfull bothe owe yelde vnto hym or if you wyl the sacrifice of Thākesgeuing forasmuch as it is geuen to God of none but of them y◠beyng loden with immeasurable benefites do rēder to him them selues with all their doinges The other may be called propitiatorie or of expiation The sacrifice of expiration is that which tendeth to appease the wrath of God to satisfie his iugement so to wash wype away sinnes whereby the siner cleansed from the filthy spottes of them restored into puritie of ryghteousnesse may returne into fauor with God hymselfe So in the lawe those were called sacrifices that were offred for the purging of synnes not for that they were sufficiente to recouer the fauor of God or to put away iniquitie but for that they shadowed out such a true sacrifice which at lēgth was fully done by Christ alone by hym alone because it could be done by none