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
vpon the promises of Gods good will toward him conceyueth and vndoubted lokynge for of saluation as the Apostle sheweth in these wordes Yf we keepe sure to the ende our confidence and gloriyng of hope For hereby he meaneth that none hopeth well in the Lorde but he that with confidence glorieth that he is heyre of the kyngdome of heauen There is none I saye faythfull but he that leanyng vpon the assurednesse of his owne saluation doth confidently triumph vpon the deuell and death as we are taught by that notable concluding sentence of Paule I am persuaded sayth he that neyther death nor life nor Angeles nor principalities nor powers nor thinges present nor thinges to come shal be able to separate vs froÌ„ the loue of God wherwith he embraceth vs in Christ Iesu. And in like manner the same Apostle thinketh that the eyes of our minde are by no other meane well lightened vnlesse we see what is the hope of the eternall inheritance to whiche we are called And eche where his common manner of teachyng is such that he declareth that no otherwise we do not well comprehend the goodnesse of God vnlesse we gather of it the frute of great assurednesse But some man will say the faithfull doe finde by experience a far other thing within themselues whiche in recordyng the grace of God toward them are not only tempted with vnquietnesse whiche oftentimes chaunceth vnto them but also are sometime shaken with most greuous terrors so great is the vehemencye of temptations to throw downe their mindes which thing semeth not sufficiently wel to agree with that assurednesse of fayth Therefore this doubt must be answered if we will haue our aforesayde doctrine to stande But truely when we teache that fayth ought to be certayne and assured we doe not imagine suche a certaintie as is touched with no doubtynge nor suche an assurednesse as is assayled with no carefulnesse but rather we saye that the faythfull haue a perpetuall stryfe with their owne distrustfulnesse So farre be we from setlynge their consciences in such a peasable quietnesse as maye be interrupted with no troubles at all yet on the other side we saye that in what sorte so euer they bee afflicted they doe neuer fall and departe from that assured confidence whiche they haue conceyued of the mercie of God The Scripture setteth forth no example of fayth more playne or more notable than in Dauid specially if a manne beholde the whole continuall course of his lyfe But yet howe he was not alwaye of quiet minde hymselfe declareth by innumerable complaintes of whiche at this time it shal be sufficient doe choose out a fewe When he reprocheth his owne soule with troublesome motions what is it els but that he is angry with his owne vnbeleuengnesse Why treÌ„blest thou my soule sayth he and why art thou disquieted within me trust in God And truely that same discouragement was a plaine token of destruction euen as if he thought himselfe to be forsaken of God And in an other place we reade a larger confession thereof where he sayth I sayd in my ouerthrow I am cast out from the sight of thy eyes Also in an other place he disputeth with himselfe in carefull and miserable perplexitie yea quareleth of the very nature of God sayeng Hath God forgotten to haue mercie will he caste of for euer And yet harder is that whiche foloweth But I haue sayde To die is mine charges are of the right hande of the hyest For as in despere he condemneth himselfe to destruction and not only confesseth himselfe to be tossed with doutyng but as if he were vaÌ„quished in battel he leaueth nothyng to himself bycause God hath forsaken him and hath turned to destroy him the same hande that was wont to be his helper Wherefore not without cause he exhorteth his soule to returne to her quietnesse bicause he had found by experience that he was tossed amoÌ„g troblesome waues And yet whiche is meruellous in al these assaultes faith vpholdeth the heartes of the godly and is truely like vnto a Date tree to endeuour and rise vpwarde agaynst all burdens howe great soeuer they be as Dauid when he might seme to be vtterly ouerwhelmed yet in rebukyng himselfe cesseth not to rise vp to God And truely he that striuing with his owne weakenesse resorteth to faith in his troubles is alredy in a manner conquerour Whiche maye be gathered by this sentence and other like Waite for the Lord be stronge he shall streÌ„gthen they heart waite for the Lord. He reprocheth himselfe of fearefulnesse and in repetyng the same twise conâ—esseth himself to be somtimes subiect to many troublesome motions And in the meane time he doth not only become displeased with himselfe in these faultes but earnestly endeuoreth to amendement Truely if we will more nerely by good examination compare him with Achaz there shal be founde great difference Esaye was sente to brynge remedie to the carefull griefe of the wicked king and hypocrite and spake vnto him in these wordes Be in sauegarde and be quiet feare not c. But what did Achaz As it was before sayd that his heart was moued as the trees of the woode are shaken with winde though he hearde the promise yet he cessed not to quake for feare This therefore is the propre rewarde punishment of vnbelefe so to tremble for feare that in temptation he turneth himselfe awaye from God that doth not open to himselfe the gate by fayth Contrarywise the faythfull whome the weighty burden of temptations maketh to stoupe and in a maÌ„ner oppresseth do coÌ„stantly rise vp although not without trouble and hardinesse And bicause thei know their owne weakenesse thei pray with the Prophete Take not the worde of truth away from my mouth coÌ„tinually By which wordes we are taught that somtime they become dumme as though their fayth were vtterly ouerthrowen yet they faint not nor turne their backes but procede in their battell with prayer do encourage their slouthfulnesse lest by fauoring themselues they should growe to vnsensible dulnesse For the vnderstaÌ„dyng therof it is needeful to returne to that diuision of the fleshe and the spirit wherof we made mention in an other place which doth in this behalf most clearly appere The godly heart therefore â—eleth a diuisioÌ„ in it self which is partly delited with swetenesse by acknowledging of the goodnesse of God partly greued with bitternesse by felyng of his owne miserie partly resteth vpon the promise of the Gospel and partly trembleth by reason of the testimonie of his owne wickednesse partly reioyseth with conceyuing of life and partly quaketh for feare of death Whyche variation coÌ„meth by imperfection of fayth for as muche as we neuer be in so good case in the course of this present life as beyng healed from all disease of distrustfulnesse to be altogether filled possessed with faith Hereupon procede those battels wheÌ„ the distrustfulnesse
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 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
church And we se what a maze thei haue framed with this their hidden implication that any thinge whatsoeuer it be wythoute any choise so that it bee thrust in vnder title of the Church is gredy receiued of the ignorant as it wer an oracle ye sometime also most monsterous erroures Whyche vnaduysed lyghtnesse of beleefe wheras yt is a mooste certayne downefall to ruyne is yet excused by them for that yt beleueth nothynge determynately but wyth this coÌ„dition adioyned yf the faith of the Church be suche So do they faine that truth is holden in erroure light in blindnes true knowledg in ignorance But bicause we wil not tarry long in confuting them we doe only warne the readers to coÌ„pare their doctrine wyth oures For the very pleanesse of the trueth it sefe wil of it selfe minister a confutation ready enough For this ys not the question among them whether fayth be yet wrapped wyth many remnauntes of ignoraunce but they definitiuely say that thei beleue aryght which stande amased in their ignorance yea and doe â—â—atter them selues therein so that they doe agree to the authoritie iudgement of the Churche concerning things vnknowen As though the Scripture did not euerywhere teache that with fayth is ioyned knoweledge But we do graunt that so longe as we wander from home in thys worlde oure faith is not fully expressed not onely bicause many things are yet hidden from vs but bicause being compassed with many mistes of erroures wee atteine not all thinges For the hyghest wysedome of the moste perfect is thys to profite more and proceede on further forwarde with gentill willingnesse to learne Therfore Paule exhorteth the faithfull if vpon any thinge thei differ one from an other to abide for reuelation And truely experience teaceth that till we be vnclothed of oure fleshe we atteine to knowe lesse than were to be wisshed and dayly in reading we light vpon many darke places whiche do conuince vs of ignorance And with this brydle God holdeth vs in modestie assigning to euery one a measure of faith that euen the very best teacher may be ready to learne And notable exaumples of thys vnexpressed faithe we may marke in the Disciples of Christ before that thei hadde obteined to be fully enlightned We see how thei hardly tasted the very fyrste introductions how thei did sticke euen in the smallest pointes howe they hanginge at the mouthe of their maister did not yet muche proceede yea when at the womens information they ranne to the graue the Resurrection of their master was lyke a dreame vnto them Sithe Christe dyd before beare wytnesse of theyr faythe we may not saie that they were vtterly without faith but rather if they dad not been perswaded that Christe shoulde ryse agayne all care of him wold haue perished in them For it was not superstition that dyd drawe the women to embalme with spices the corpes of a deade man of whome ther was no hope of life but although thei beleued his words whome thei knewe to be a speaker of trueth yet the grosnesse that styll possessed their myndes so wrapped theyr faithe in darkenesse that thei were in a manner amased at it Wherevpon it is saide that thei then at the last beleued when thei hadde by tryall of the thinge it selfe proued the truethe of the wordes of Christ not that they then beganne to beleue but bycause the seede of hidden fayth whiche was as it were deade in their heartes then receiuing liuelynesse dyd sprynge vp There was therefore a true fayth in them but an vnexpressed faythe bicause they reuerently embraced Christe for their onely teacher and then beynge taught of him they determined that he was the author of their saluation fynally they beleued that he came from heauen by the grace of his father to gather his Disciples to heauen And we neede not to seke any more familiar poofe hereof than this that in al thinges alway vnbelefe is mingled with faith We may also call it an vnexpressed faithe whiche yet in deede is nothinge but a preparation of faithe The Euangelistes do reherse that many beleued whiche onely beinge rauished to admiration wyth myracles proceded no further but that Christe was the Messias whyche had ben promysed albeit thei tasted not so much as any sclender learning of the Gospell Such obedience which brought them in subiectioÌ„ willingly to submitt them selues to Christe beareth the name of faith where it was in deede but the beginning of faithe So the courtieâ— that beleued Christes promise concerninge the healinge of his sonne when he came home as the Euangelist testifieth beleued againe bycause he receiued as an oracle that whiche he hearde of the mouthe of Christe and then submitted hym selfe to his authoritie to receiue hys doctrine Albeit it is to be knowen that he was so tractable and ready to learne that yet in the fyrste place the woorde of beleninge signifieth a particular beleefe and in the seconde place maketh hym of the numbre of the Disciples that professed to bee the scholers of Christe Alyke exaumple dothe Ihon sette forthe in the Samaritanes whiche so beleued the womans reporte that they ranne earnestly to Christe whiche yet when they hadde hearde hym saide thus Now we beleue not bycause of thy report but we haue hearde him and we know that he is the sauioure of the worlde Hereby appeareth that they whyche are not yet instructed in the fyrste introductions so that they be disposed to obedyence are called faithfull in deede not proprely but in thys respect that God of hys tender kyndenesse voutchesaueth to graunte so greate honoure to that godly affection but this willingnesse to learne with a desire to procede further differeth farr from that grosse ignorâ—â—ce wherein they lye dull that are content wyth the vnexpressed saith suche as the Papistes haue imagined For if Paule seuerely condemneth them whiche alwaie learning yet neuer come to the knowledge of trueth howe muche more greuous reproche do they deserue that of purpose stadie to know nothing This therfore is the true knowledge of Christ if we receiue him such as he is offered of his Father that is to saye clothed with his Gospel For as he is appoynted to be the marke of oure faith so we can not go the right waie to him but by the Gospell going before to guide vs. And truely ther are opened to vs the treasures of grace which being shut vp Christ should litle proâ—ite vs. So Paule ioyneth faithe an vnseparable companion to doctrine wher he saithe Ye haue not so learned Christ for ye haue been taught what is the trueth in Christe Yet do I not so restraine faith to the Gospell but that I confesse that there hath been so much taught by Moses and the Prophetes as suffised to the edification of faith but bicause ther hath ben deliuered in the Gospel a fuller opening of faith therefore it is woorthyly called of Paule the doctrine of saith For which cause also
he saithe in an other place that by the comming of faith the lawe is taken awaie meaning by this word faith yeâ—ewe vnaccustomed manner of teaching wherby Christ sins he appeared our scholemaster hath more plainlâ— set forth the mercy of his father more certainly testified of our saluation Albeit it shal be the more easye more conuenient ordre if we descend by degrees from the generaltie to the specialtie First we must be put in minde that there is a general relation of faith to the word that faith can no more be seuered from the word than the sun beames from the sume froÌ„ whome thei procede Therfore in Esaie God cryeth out Heare me and your soule shall lyue And that the same is the fountaine of faythe Ihon sheweth in these woordes These thinges are written that ye may beleue And the prophete meaninge to exhorte the people to beleefe saythe This daie yiÌ„ ye shall heare hys voyce And to heare is commmonly taken for to Beleue Moreouer God dothe not wythout cause in Esaie sette thys marke of difference betwene the children of the Churche and straungers that he will instructe them all that thei maie be taught of him For if it were a benefite vniuersall to all why shoulde he direct hys woordes to a fewe Wherewith agreeth thys that the Euangelistes do commonly vse the woordes Faithfull and Disciples as seuerall wordes expressing one thing specially Luke very oft in the Actes of the Apostles Yea and he stretcheth that name euen to a woman in the ninthe chapiter of the Actes Wherefore if faith do swerue neuer so little from this marke to which it ought to be directly leuelled it kepeth not her owne nature butte becometh an vncertaine lightnesse of belefe and wandring erroure of mynde The same Worde is the foundation wherwith faith is vpholden susteined from which if it swarue it falleth downe Therfore take awaie the Worde then there shal remaine no faith We do not here dispute whether the ministerie of man be necessarie to sowe the worde of God that faithe may be conceiued thereby which question we will els where entreate of but we saie that the worde it self howesoeuer it be conueied to vs is like a mirroure when faith may beholde God Whether God dothe therein vse the seruice of man or worke it by his owne onely power yet he doth alwaie shewe him selfe by his worde to those whome his will is to drawe vnto him wherevpon Paule defineth faithe to be an obedience that is geuen to the Gospell Rom. i. And in an other place he praiseth the obedience of faithe in the Philippians For this is not the onely purpose in the vnderstanding of faithe that we knowe that there is a God but this also yea this chefely that we vnderstande what wil he beareth toward vs. For it not so muche behoueth vs to knowe what he is in himself but what a one he will be to vs. Nowe therefore we are come to thys point that faithe is a knoweledge of the will of God perceyued by his worde And the foundation hereof is a foreconceiued persuasion of the truthe of God Of the assurednesse whereof so longe as thy minde shal dispute with it selfe the worde shall be but of doubtful and weake credit yea rather no credit at all But also it sufficeth not to beleue that God is a true speaker whiche can neither deceiue nor lie vnlesse thow further holde this for vndoubtedly determined that whatsoeuer procedeth from him is the sacred and inuiolable truthe But bicause not at euery word of God mans hearte is raised vp to faith we must yet further search what this faith in the word hath proprely respecte vnto It was the saieng of God to Adam Thou shalte die the death It was the saienge of God to Cain The bloode of thy brother crieth to me out of the earth Yet these are suche saiengs as of them selues canne doe nothynge butte shake faythe so muche lesse are they able to stablyshe faythe We denye not in the meane season that yt ys the offyce of faythe to agree to the truthe of God howe ofte soeuer what soeuer and in what sorte soeuer yt speaketh butte nowe oure question is onely what faythe fyndeth in the woorde of the Lorde to leane and rest vpon When oure conscience beholdeth onely indignation and vengeance howe canne it butte tremble and quake for feare And howe shoulde yt butte flee God of whome yt is afraide But faythe oughte to seeke God and not to flee from him It is plaine therefore that we haue not yet a full definition of faythe bycause it is not to be accompted for faithe to knowe the wyll of God of what sorte so euer it be But what yf in the place of wyll whereof many tymes the message is sorrowefull and the declaration dreadful we putte kindenesse or mercie Truely so we shal come nerer to the nature of faithe For wee are then allured to seeke God after that wee haue learned that saluation is laied vp in store with him for vs. Whyche thynge is confyrmed vnto vs when he declareth that he hath care and loue of vs. Therefore there needeth a promise of grace whereby he maie testifie that he is oure mercifull father for that otherwise wee canne not approche vnto hym and vpon that alone the hearte of man maie safely rest For thys reason commonly in the Psalmes these two thinges Mercie and Truth do cleaue together bicause neither should it any thynge profite vs to know that God is true vnlesse he did mercifully allure vs vnto him neither were it in our power to embrace his mercie vnlesse he did with his owne mouthe offer it I haue reported thy truth and thy saluation I haue not hidden thy goodnesse and thy truthe Thy goodnesse and thy trueth keepe me In an other place Thy mercie to the heauens thy trueth euen to the cloudes Againe All the wayes of the Lorde are mercie and trueth to them that keepe his couenant Againe His mercie is multiplied vpon vs and the truth of the Lorde abydeth for euer Againe I will singe to thy name vpon thy mercie and trueth I omitte that whiche is in the Prophetes to the same meaninge that God is mercifull and faythfull in hys promyses For wee shall rashly determine that God is merciefull vnto vs vnlesse himselfe do testifie of himselfe and preuent vs wyth his callinge leaste his wil shoulde be doubtful and vnknowen But we haue already seen that Christ is the onely pledge of his loue without whome on euery side appeare the tokens of hatred and wrath Nowe forasmuche as the knoweledge of Gods goodnesse shall not muche preuayle vnlesse he make vs to rest in it therefore suche an vnderstanding is to be banished as is mingled with doubting and doth not soundli agree in it selfe but as it were disputeth with it selfe But mans witte as yt is blinde and darkened is farre from
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
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
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
of spiritual policie To this ende from the beginning were ordeined iudicial orders in Chirches which might vse examination of maners correcte vices and exercise the office of the keyes This order Paule speaketh of in the Epistle to the Corinthians when he nameth gouernementes Againe to the Romaines wheÌ„ he saith let him that ruleth rule in carefulnesse For he speaketh not to the magistrates for at that time there were no Christian magistrates but to them that were ioyned with the Pastors for the spirituall gouernement of the Chirch Also in the Epistle to Timothee he maketh twoo sortes of Elders some that labor in the worde other some that do not vse the preaching of the worde and yet do rule well By this later sort it is no doute that he meaneth them that were appointed to loke vnto maners and to the whole vse of the keyes For this power of which we now speake hangeth wholly vpon the keyes which Christ gaue to the Chirche in the xviii Chap. of Mathew where he commaundeth that they should be sharply admonished in the name of the whole Chirch that haue despised priuate monitioÌ„s but if they goe forward in their obstinacie he teacheth that they should be put out of the felowship of the faithful But these monitions and corrections can not be without knowlege of the cause therefore there nedeth both some iugement and order Wherefore vnlesse we will make voide the promise of the keyes and take vtterly away excoÌ„municatioÌ„ solemne monitions and all suche thynges whatsoeuer they be we must nedes geue to the Chirch some iurisdiction Let the reders marke that that place entreateth not of the generall authoritie of doctrine as in the .xvi. Chapter of Mathewe and the .xxi. of Iohn but that the power of the Sinagoge is for the time to come transferred to the flocke of Christ. Untill that day the Iewes had their order of gouerning which Christ stablisheth in his Chirch and that with great penaltie so much as concerneth the pure institution of it For so it behoued forasmuch as otherwise the iugemente of an vnnoble and vnregarded congregation might be despised of rash and proude men And that it should not encomber the reders that Christ doth in thesame words expresse thinges somwhat differring one from the other it shal be profitable to dissolue this dout There be therfore â—woo places that speake of bynding and loosing The one is in the xvi Chapter of Mathew where Christ after that he had promised that he would geue to Peter the keyes of the kingdome of heauen immediatly addeth that whatsoeuer he shal bynde or loose in earth shal be confirmed in heauen In which wordes he meaneth none other thing than he doth by other wordes in Iohn when sending his disciples to preache after that he had breathed vpon them he said whose synnes ye forgeue they shal be forgeuen whoe 's ye reteine they shal be reteined in heauen I will bring an exposition not suttle not enforced not wrested but natural flowyng and offring it selfe This commaundemente of forgeuing and reteining synnes and that promise of bynding and loosing made to Peter oughte to be referred to no other thyng but to the ministerie of the worde which wheÌ„ the Lord committed to the Apostles he did therewith also arme them with this office of bynding and loosing For what is the summe of the Gospell but that we all being the bondseruantes of synne and of death are loosed and made fre by the redemption that is in Christ Iesus and that they which do not receiue nor acknowlege Christe theyr deliuerer and redemer are damned adiudged to euerlasting bondes When the Lorde deliuered this message to his Apostles to be carried into al nations to approue that it was his owne and proceding from himself he honored it with this noble testimonie and that to the singular strengthening both of the Apostles themselues and of all those to whom it should come It behoued that the Apostles shoulde haue a stedfast and sounde certaintie of their preaching which they should not onely execute with infinite labors cares troubles and dangers but also at the last seale it with their blood That they might I say knowe thesame to be not vaine nor voide but full of power and force it behoued that in so great carefulnesse in so great hardnesse of thynges and in so great dangers they should be persuaded that they did the businesse of God that when all the worlde withstode them and fought againste them they should knowe that God stode on their side that hauing not Christ the author of their doctrine present by sight in earth they should vnderstande him to be in heauen to confirme the trueth of the doctrine which he had deliuered them It behoued againe that it should also be most certainly proued by testimonie to the hearers that that doctrine of the Gospell was not the worde of the Apostles but of God himselfe not a voice bred in earth but come downe from heauen For these thinges the forgeuenesse of sinnes the promise of euerlasting life the message of saluation can not be in the power of man Therefore Christe hath testified that in the preaching of the Gospell there is nothing of the Apostles but the only ministerie that it was he himselfe that spake and promised all thynges by their mouthes as by instrumentes and therefore that the forgeuenesse of sinnes which they preached was the true promise of God and the damnation which they pronounced was the certaine iudgement of God But this testifieng is geuen to all ages and remaineth in force to certifie and assure all men that the word of the Gospel by what man soeuer it be preached is the very senteÌ„ce of God published at the soueraigne iudgement seate written in the boke of life ratified firme and fixed in heauen Thus we see that in those places the power of the keyes is nothyng but the preachyng of the Gospell and that it is not so muche a power as a ministerie if we haue respect to meÌ„ For Christ hath not geuen this power proprely to men but to his owne worde wherof he hath made men ministers The other place whiche we haue said to be concernyng the power of bynding and loosyng is in the .xviii. chapter of Mathew where Christ sayth If any brother heare not the Chirch let him be to thee as a heathen maÌ„ or a publicane Uerily I say vnto you whatsoeuer ye bynd vppon earth shal be bound also in heauen whatsoeuer ye loose shal be loosed This place is not altogether like the first but is a little otherwise to bee vnderstanded But I do not so make them diuerse that they haue not great affinitie together This first point is like in both that either of them is a generall senteÌ„ce that in both there is alway all one power of bynding and loosyng namely by the worde of God all one commaundement all one promise But herein they differ that the fyrst place
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
maiestie Only my mynde was to teache certaine introductions wherby they that are touched with some zeale of religion myght bee instructed to true godlynesse And this trauayle I tooke principally for my contremen the Frenchemen of whoÌ„ I vnderstode very many to hunger and thirst for Christe but I sawe very fewe that had rightly receiued so much as any litle knowlege of him And that this was my meanyng the boke it selfe declareth beyng framed after a simple and playne maner of teachyng But when I perceyued that the furious rage of some wycked men hath so farre preuailed in your realme that in it there is no roome for sounde doctrine I thought I should doo a thyng worthe my trauayle all in one worke bothe to geue an instruction for them and to declare a confession to you wherby ye may learne what maner of doctrine that is agaynst which those furious men burne in so great rage who at this day trouble your realme with sweard and fyer For I will not feare to confesse that I haue in this woorke comprehended in maner the summe of that selfe same doctrine agaynst which they crie out that it ought to be punished with prisonment banishement condemnation without iudgement and with fyer that it ought to be chaced away by lande and sea I knowe in dede with how haynous informations they haue fylled your mynde and eares to make our cause most hatefull vnto you but this of your clemencie ought you to weye that there shal be no innocence neither in wordes nor dedes if it may be enough to accuse Truely if any to bryng the same in hatred shall allege that this Doctrine whereof I now go about to yelde accompt vnto you hath ben long agoe condemned by consente of all degrees and atteynted by many iugementes allready geuen in iudicial courtes al that he sayth shall amount to no more but that it hath partly ben violently throwen downe by the â—anding and power of the aduersaries therof and partly ben traitorously and fraudulently oppressed with their lyes and suttle practises and sclaunders Herein is violence shewed that without hearyng the cause bloody senteÌ„ces are pronouÌ„ced against it here in is Fraude that it is without deseruyng accused of sedition and euel doyng And that none may thynke that we wrongfully complayne of these thynges you your selfe can beare vs witnesse moste noble Kyng with how lyeng sclaunders it is dayely accused vnto you as that it tendeth to no other ende but to writhe from Kynges their scepters oute of their handes to throwe downe all iudges seates and iudgementes to subuerte all orders and ciuile gouernementes to trouble the peace and quiete of the people to abolish al lawes to vndo all proprieties and possessions finally to turne al thynges vpsyde downe And yet you heare the smallest portion For horrible thynges they spreade abroade among the people whiche if they were true the whole worlde myghte worthily iudge it with the mainteiners therof worthy of a thousande fiers and gallowes Who can now maruell that a common hatred is kindled agaynst it where suche moste wrongfull accusations are beleued Loe thys is the cause that all degrees agree and coÌ„spire to the condemning of vs and our doctrine They that sit to iudge beeing rauished with this affection pronounce for sentences their freconceiued determinations whyche they brought from home with them and thinke that they haue well enough discharged their duties if they commaunde no man to be drawen to execution but suche as are founde gylty eyther by theyr owne confession or by sufficient witnesse But of what fault of that condeÌ„ned doctrine say they But by what law coÌ„demned Herein should haue stande the succor of defense for them not to denie the doctrine it selfe but to mainteine it for true But here is all libertie ones to mutter vtterly cutt of from vs. Wherefore I doe not vniustly require most victorious king that it maye please you to take into your owne hande the whole hearing of the cause whiche hetherto hath ben troblesomly handled or rather carelesly tossed without al order of law more by outragious heate than iudiciall grauitie Neyther yet thynke that I here goe about to make myne owne priuate defense whereby I may procure to my selfe a safe returne into my natiue contree to whiche althoughe I beare such affection of naturall loue as becometh me yet as the case nowe is I not miscontentedly want it But I take vppon me the common cause of all the Godly yea and the cause of Christe himselfe whiche at thys day hauing ben by all meanes torne and troden downe in your kyngdome lyeth as it were in despeired case and that in dede rather by the tyranny of certaine Pharisees than by your owne knowlege But howe that cometh to passe it is not here nedeful to tell truely it lyeth in great distresse For thus farr haue the vngodly preuailed that the truethe of Christ be not destroyed beyng chaced away and scattered abrode yet it lyeth hydden as buried and vnregarded as for the silly poore Chirch it is eyther wasted with cruell slaughters and so dryuen away with banishmentes or dismayed with threatens and terrors that it dare not ones open her mouth And yet stil they continue with such rage and fercenesse as they are wont thruâ—ting strongly against the wall alredy bending and the ruine whiche themselues haue made In the meane tyme no maÌ„ steppeth fourth to set hymselfe in defense agaynst suche furies And they if there be any suche that will moste of all seme to fauor the truthe say no more but that it were good to pardon the error and vnskilfulnesse of ignorante men For thus the good natured men forsoothe do speake calling that error and vnskilfulnesse whiche they knowe to be the most certaine trueth of God calling them ignorante men whoe 's witt they see that Christe hath not so despised but that he hath vouchesaued to communicate to them the mysteries of hys heauenly wysedome So muche are all ashamed of the Gospell It shal be your office most noble King not to turne away your eares nor youre mynde fâ—oÌ„ so iust a defense specially when so great a mater is in question namely how the glorie of God may be mainteined safe in earth how the trueth of God may kepe her honor how Christ may haue hys kyngdome preserued whole among vs. Thys is a mater worthy for your eares worthy for your iugement worthy for your royall throne For euen this thoughte maketh a true King to acknowlege hymselfe in the gouernance of hys kyngdome to be the minister of God Neyther doth he now vse a kyngdome but a robberie which reigneth not to thys ende that he may serue the glorie of God And he is deceiued that loketh for a long prosperitie of that kyngdome whiche is not ruled by the scepter of God that is by hys holy worde forasmuche as the heauenly Oracle can not proue vayne whereby it is proclaymed that the people shal be scattered
howe perillous that is I wyll rather poynt vnto than declare least I should draw out my tale into infinite length The Pope say they whiche holdeth the Apostolike see and the Bishops that are annoynted and consecrate by hym so that they be trimmed with fillets and miters doo represent the Chirche and ought to be taken for the Chirche and therfore they can not erre How so because they are pastors of the Chirche and consecrate to the Lorde And were not Aaron and the other rulers of Israel also Pastors But Aaron his sonnes after that they were made prestes dyd yet erre when they made the calfe After this reason why shoulde not the fower hundred Prophetes whiche lyed to Achab haue represented the Chirche But the Chirche was on Micheas syde beyng in dede but one man alone and vnregarded but out of whoe 's mouthe came truthe Did not the false prophetes in resemblance beare bothe the name and face of the Chirch when they did with one violent assaulte rise vp agaynst Ieremie and with threatnyng boasted that it was not possible that the lawe should perishe from the priest counsell from the wiseman the woord from the Prophet◠Ieremie alone was sente agaynste the whole companie of the Prophetes to declare from the Lord that it shoulde come to passe that the lawe should perishe from the priest counsell from the wiseman and the worde from the Prophet Did not suche a glistering shewe shyne in that Councell which the Bishops Scribes and Pharisees assembled to take aduises together for the killyng of Christ. Nowe let them go and sticke faste in the outwarde visor that they may make Christ and al the Prophetes of God schismatikes and on the other syde make the ministers of Satan the instrumentes of the holy ghost If they speake as they thynke let them faithfully answere me in what nation place they thinke that the Chirch remained sins the tyme that by the decree of the Councell at Basile Eugenius was thruste downe and depriued from the estate of Pope and Aymee set in his place They can not though they would burst for it denye that the Councell for so much as concerneth outwarde solemnities was lawfull and summoned not onely of one Pope but of two Eugenius was there condemned of schisme rebellion and obstinatie with the whole flocke of Cardinals and bishops whiche had with hym practised the dissolution of the Councell Yet afterward beyng borne vp by the fauor of princes he recouered his papacie safe againe That election of Aymee which had been orderly made by the authoritie of a generall holy Synode vanished away in a smoke sauyng that he hymselfe was appeased with a cardinalls hatte as it were a barking dog with a pece of bread cast vnto hym Out of the bosome of these herelikes rebelles and obstinates are proceded all the Popes Cardinalls Bishops abbotts and Prestes that haue ben sins Here they are taken and can goe no further For to whether side will they geue the name of the Chirche Wyll they denye that the Councell was generall whiche wanted nothyng to the outwarde maiestie namely whiche beyng solemnely summoned by two bulles and well framed in the order of all thynges continued in the same dignitie to the laste ende Will they confesse Eugenius with all his companie a schismatike by whome they are all sanctifeid Therfore eyther let them otherwyse define the forme of the Chirche or they all as many as are of them shal be of vs accompted schismatikes whiche wittyngly and willyngly haue ben ordered of heretikes If it had neuer before ben knowen that the Chirch is not bound to outwarde pompes they themselues may be to vs a large profe which vnder that glorious title of the Chirch haue so long so proudly bosted themselues wheras yet they were the deadly pestilences of the Chirche I speake not of their maners and those tragicall dooynges wherewith theyr whole life swarmeth full because they say that they be the Pharisees whiche are to bee heard not to be folowed But if ye will spare some of your leysure to reade our writinges you shall playnly know that the very doctrine the doctrine it selfe for the whiche they say that they be the Chirche is a deadly butcherie of soules the firebrande ruine and destruction of the Chirche Finally they doo not vprightly enough when they doo spitefully rehearse how great troubles vprores and contentions the preachyng of our doctrine hath drawen with it what fruites it now beareth in many For the blame of these euells is vnworthily layde vpon it which ought rather to haue ben imputed to the malice of Satan This is as it were a certayne naturall propretie of the worde of God that whensoeuer it ryseth vp Satan is neuer quiet or sleapyng This is the moste sure and moste trusty marke wherby it is discerned from lyeng doctrines which doo easyly shew foorthe themselues when they are receiued with fauorable eares of all men and are heard of the world reioysyng at them So in certayn ages past when all thynges were drowned in depe darkenesse the Lorde of this worlde made a sport and a play in manner of all men and lay ydle and toke his pleasure like a certayne Sardanapalus in sounde peace For what should he ells doo but laugh and playe beyng in quiet and peasible possession of his kyngdome But when the lyght shinyng from aboue somwhat scattered abrode his darknesse when that strōg man troubled assailed his kyngdome then he began to shake of his wonted drowsinesse hastily to arme himself And first he stirred vp the force of mē wherby he might violently oppresse the truthe beginnyng to shine By whiche when he nothyng preuailed he turned to suttle entrappynges He stirred vp dissentions and disagreementes of doctrines by his Catabaptistes and other monstruous lewde men wherby he might darken it and at lengthe vtterly quenche it And nowe he continueth to assayle it with bothe engines For he trauaileth bothe by the force and power of men to plucke vp that sede and with his darnell as much as in him lieth to choke it that it may not grow and beare frute But all this he dothe in vayne if we heare the warnyng of God which both hath long before opened his craftes vnto vs that he shold not take vs vnware and hath armed vs with sufficient defences agaynst al his engins But how great maliciousnesse is it to lay vpon the worde of God the hatred either of the seditions which noughty and rebellious men do stirre vp or of the sectes which deceiuers do raise agaynst it Yet it is no new example Elias was asked whether it were not he that troubled Israel Christe was esteemed of the Iewes a seditious man The Apostles were accused of makyng a commotion among the people What other thyng doo they which at this day do father vpon vs all the troubles vprores and contentions that boyle vp agaynst vs But what is to be answered to
and corrupcion of nature I will omit also to entreate of the remedy therof Therefore let the readers remember that I do not yet speake of the couenaunt whereby God hath adopted to hymselfe the children of Abraham and of that specyal parte of doctrine wherby the faithful haue alway been peculiarly seuered frō the prophane nations because that doctrine was founded vpon Christ but I speake how we ought to learne by the Scripture that god which is the creator of the world is by certaine markes seuerallye discerned from the counterfait multitude of false gods And thē the order it selfe shal conueniently bring vs to the redemer But although we shal allege may testimonies out of the new testamēt some also out of the law and the Prophetes wherin is expresse menciō made of Christ yet they shall al tende to this ende to proue that in the Scripture is disclosed vnto vs God the creator of the world and in the scripture is set foorth what we ought to thinke of him to the end that we should not seke about the busy for an vncertaine godhead But whether God were knowen to the fathers by oracles and visions or whether by the mean and ministraciō of men he informed them of that which they should from hande to hand deliuer to their posterity yet it is vndoutedly true that in their hartes was engrauen a stedfaste certaintie of doctrin so as they might be perswaded and vnderstand that it which they had learned came from God For God alwaies made vndouted assuraunce for credit of his worde which farre exceaded all vncertaine opinion At length that by continual proceding of doctrine the trueth suruiuing in al ages might stil remaine in the world the same oracles which he had left with the fathers his pleasure was to haue as it were enrolled in publike tables For this entent was the law publyshed wherunto after were added the Prophetes for expositors For though there were diuerse vses of the law as hereafter shal better appeare in place conuenient and specially the principall purpose of Moises and al the Prophetes was to teach the maner of reconciliacion beetwene God and men for which cause also Paule calleth Christ the end of the law yet as I say once againe beside the proper doctrine of faith and repētance which sheweth forth Christe the mediatour the Scripture doth by certaine markes and tokens paint out the onelye and true God in that that he hath created and doeth gouerne the worlde to the ende he should be seuerally knowen and not reckened in the false nomber of fained gods Therefore although it behoueth man earnestlye to bend his eies to consider the workes of God forasmuch as he is set as it were in this gorgeous stage to be a beholder of them yet pryncipally ought he to bende his eares to the word that he may better profit therby And therfore it is no maruel that they which ar borne in darkenesse do more and more waxe hard in their amased dulnesse because verye fewe of them do geue themselues pliable to learne of the word of God whereby to kepe them within their boundes but they rather reioyse in their own vanity Thus then ought we to holde that to the ende true religion may shyne among vs we must take our beginning at the heauenly doctrine And that no man can haue any tast be it neuer so little of true and sounde doctrine vnlesse he haue ben scholer to the Scrypture And from hense groweth the original of true vnderstanding that we reuerently embrace whatsoeuer it pleaseth God therin to testifye of himselfe For not onely the perfect and in al pointes absolute faith but also al right knowledge of God springeth from obedience And truelye in thys behalfe God of his singular prouidence hath prouided for men in and for al ages For if we consider how slipperye an inclinacion mans minde hath to slide into forgetfulnes of God how great a redinesse to fal into al kind of errors how great a lust to forge oftentimes new counterfayt religions we may therby perceiue how necessarie it was to haue the heauenly doctrine so put in writing that it should not either perish by forgetfulnes or grow vaine by errour or be corrupted by boldnes of men Sith therfore it is manifest that God hath alway vsed the helpe of hys word toward al those whom it pleased him at any time frutefully to instruct because he foresaw that his image emprinted in the most beautifull forme of the world was not sufficiently effectual Therfore it behoueth vs to trauaile this straight way if we earnestly couet to attayne to the true beholding of God We must I say come to his word wherin God is well and liuely set out by his workes when his workes be weyed not after the peruersuesse of our own iudgemēt but according to the rule of the eternall trueth If we swarue from that worde as I saied euen now although we runne neuer so fast yet we shall neuer attaine to the marke because the course of our running is out of the way For thus we must thinke that the brightnesse of the face of God which the Apostle calleth such as cannot be atteined vnto is vnto vs like a maze out of which we cannot vnwrappe our selues vnlesse we be by the line of the word guided into it so that it is much better for vs to halt in this way than to runne neuer so fast in an other And therfore Dauid oftē times when he teacheth that supersticions are to be taken away out of the world that pure religion maye floryshe bringeth in God reigning meaninge by this worde reigning not the power that he hath but the doctryne wherby he chalengeth to himselfe a lawfull gouernement because errors can neuer be rooted out of the hartes of men till the true knowledge of God be planted Therfore the same Prophete after that he hath recited that the heauens declare the glory of God that the firmament sheweth fourth the woorkes of his handes that the orderly succeding course of daies and nightes preacheth his maiestie then descendeth to make mentiō of his worde The law of the Lord saieth he is vndefiled conuerting soules the witnesse of the Lord is faithful geuing wisedome to little ones the righteousnesses of the Lord are vpryght makyng hartes cherefull the commaundemēt of the Lord is bryght geuing light to the eies For although he comprehendeth also the other vses of the law yet in generalitie he meaneth that forasmuch as God doeth in vaine call vnto hym al nations by the beholdyng of the heauen and earth therfore this is the peculiar schole of the children of God The same meanyng hath the xxix Psalme where the Prophet hauing preached of the terrible voice of God whiche in thunder windes showres whirlewindes stormes shaketh the earth maketh the mountains to tremble and breaketh the cedre trees in the ende at last he goeth further and sayth that his praises are
song in the sanctuary because the vnbeleuers are deafe heare not al the voyces of God that resounde in the aire And in lyke manner in an other Psalme after that he had descrybed the terrible waues of the Sea he thus concludeth thy testimonies ar verified the beautie of thy teÌ„ple is holinesse for euer And out of this meaning also proceded that which Chryst said to the woman of Samaria that her nation and the rest did honor that which they knew not and that onely the Iewes did worship the true God For wheras the wit of man by reason of the feblenesse therof caÌ„ by no meane attaine vnto God but being holpen and lifted vp by his holy worde it folowed of necessitie that al men excepte the Iewes dyd wander in vanite and errour because they sought god without hys worde ¶ The .vii. Chapter By what testimony the Scripture oughte to be established that is by the witnesse of the holy gost that the authoritie therof may remaine certaine And that it is a wycked inuention to say that the erâ—â—yt therof doeth hangs vpon the iudgemente of the churche BUt before I go any further it is nedeful to say somwhat of the authoritie of the Scripture not onely to prepare mens mindes to reuerence it but also to take away al dout therof Now when it is a matter confessed that it is the worde of God that is there sette forth there is no maÌ„ of so desperate boldnesse vnlesse he be voide of all common sense and naturall wit of man that dare derogate the credit of him that speaketh it But because there are not daily oracles geuen from heauen and the onelye Scryptures remaine wherin it hath pleased the Lord to preserue his truth to perpetual memory the same Scripture by none other meanes is of ful credit among the faythful but in that they doe beleue that it is as verely come from heauen as if they heard the liuely voyce of God to speake therin This matter in dede is ryght worthy both to bee largely entreated of diligently weyed But the readers shall pardoÌ„ me if herein I rather regarde what the proporcion of the woorke which I haue begon may beare thaÌ„ what the largenesse of the matter requireth Ther is growen vp among the most part of men a moste hurteful erroure that the Scripture hath onely so much authoritie as by common consent of the churche is geuen vnto it as if the eternall and inuiolable trueth of God did rest vpon the pleasure of men For so to the great scorne of the holy gost they aske of vs who caÌ„ assure vs that these Scriptures came from God or who can assertaine vs that they haue continued vnto oâ—r age safe and vncorrupted who can perswade vs that thys one booke ought to be reuerently receiued and that other to be stryken out of the number of Scripture vnlesse the churche did appoint a certaine rule of al these thinges It hangeth therfore say they vpon the determinacioÌ„ of the churche both what reuerence is due to the Scripture and what bokes ar to be reckened in the canon therof So these robbers of gods honor whyle they seke vnder color of the church to bring in an vnbridled tyranny care nothing with what absurdities they snare both themselues and other so that they may enforce thys one thyng to be beleued among the symple that the churche can do al thynges But if it be so what shal become of the poore consciences that seke stedfast assuraunce of eternal lyfe if al the promyses that remayne therof stande and bee stayed onely vpon the iudgement of men â–ª When they receyue such answere shal they cesse to wauer and tremble Agayne to what scornes of the vngodly is our faith made subiect into how great suspicion with al men is it brought if this be beleued that it hath but as it were a borrowed credit by the fauoure of men But such babblers are wel confuâ—ed euen with one worde of the Apostle He testifieth that the churche is builded vpon the foundacion of the Prophetes and Apostles If the doctrine of the Prophetes and Apostles be the fundacion of the church then muste it nedes be that the same doctrine stode in stedfast certaintie before that the churche began to be Nether can they wel cauil that although the church take her first beginning therof yet it remaineth doutful what is to be sayed the writinges of the Prophetes and Apostles vnlesse the iudgemente of the church did declare it For if the Chrystian church were at the beginning builded vpon the writinges of the Prophetes and preachyng of the Apostles wheresoeuer that doctrine shal be founde the allowed credyte therof was surely before the churche without which the churche it selfe had neuer ben Therefore it is a vaine forged deuise that the churche hath power to iudge the Scripture so as the certaintie of the scripture should be thought to hange vpon the wil of the churche Wherfore wheÌ„ the churche doth receiue the Scripture and sealeth it with her consenting testimonie she doeth not of a thyng doutefull and that otherwyse should be in controuersy make it autentike and of credit but because she acknowledgeth it to be the trueth of her God accordyng to her dutye of godlinesse without delay she doth honor it Wheras they demaund how shal we be perswaded that it came from god vnlesse we resort to the decree of the churche Thys is al one as if a man should aske howe shall we learne to knowe light from darkenesse white from blacke or swete from sower For the Scripture sheweth in it selfe no lesse apparaunte sense of her trueth than white and blacke thynges do of their color or swete and sower thinges of their tast I knowe that they commonly allege the saying of Augustine wher he sayeth that he would not beleue the gospel saue that the authoritye of the churche moued hym therto But how vntruely and cauillouslye it is alleged for such a meaning by the whole tenor of his writing it is easy to perceiue He had to do with the Manichees whiche required to be beleued without gainesaying when they vaunted that they had the trueth on their side but proued it not And to make their Manicheus to be beleued they preteÌ„ded the gospel Now Augustine asketh them what they would do if they did light vpon a man that would not beeleue the gospel it selfe with what maner of perswasion they would drawe hym to their opinion Afterwarde he sayeth I my self would not beleue the gospel c. saue that the authoritie of the church moued me therto Meaning that he himselfe when he was a straunger from the fayth coulde not otherwise be brought to embrace the gospel for the assured trueth of God but by this that he was ouercome with the authoritie of the church And what maruel is it if a maÌ„ not yet knowing Chryste haue regarde to men Augustine therfore doeth not there teache that the
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
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
thynges done It is likely forsoth that he wold com amoÌ„g them rebuking the people of infidelitie stubbornesse vnthankfulnesse other sinnes wold haue bosted that his doctrine was established in their owne syght with such myracles which in deede they neuer sawe For this is also worthy to be noted so ofte as he telleth of any myracles he therwithall odiously ioyneth suche thynges as myght stirre the whole people to crye out agaynst hym if there had been neuer so lytle occasion Wherby appeareth that they were by no other meane brought to agree vnto him but because thei were euer more than sufficiently coÌ„uinced by their owne experience But because the matter was plainlier knowen than that the prophane coulde deny that myracles were done by Moses the father of lyeng hath mynistred them an other cauillation sayeng that they were doone by Magicall artes and sorcerie But what likely profe haue they to accuse him for a sorcerer whiche so farre abhorred from suche superstition that he commaundeth to stone him to deathe that dooth but aske councell of sorcerers and soothsaiers Truly no suche deceiuer vseth his iugglynge castes but that he studieth to amase the myndes of the people to get himselfe a fame But what dothe Moses by this that he crieth out that himselfe and his brother Aaron are nothyng but dooth onely execute those thynges that God hath appoynted he dothe sufficiently wipe away all blottes of thinkyng euyll of hym Nowe if the thynges themselues be considered what enchantment coulde bryng to passe that Manna dayly raynynge from heauen should suffise to feede the people and if any man kept in store more thaÌ„ his iuste measure by the very rottyng therof he shuld be taugh that God dyd punishe his want of beleefe Beside that with many great proues God suffred his seruant so to be tried that now the wicked can nothing preuayle with pratyng agaynst hym For how oft did somtyme the people prowdely and impudently make insurrections somtyme dyuers of them conspiryng among them selues wente aboute to ouerthrowe the holy seruaunt of God howe coulde he haue begyled their furour with illusions And the end that folowed plainly sheweth that by this meane his doctrine was stablished to continue to the ende of all ages Moreouer where he assigneth the chiefe gouernement to the tribe of Iuda in the persone of the Patriarch Iacob who can denye that this was doone by spirite of prophecie specially if we wey in consideration the thyng it selfe howe in comyng to passe it proued true Imagine Moses to haue ben the fyrst author of this prophecie yet from the tyme that he dydde fyrste put it in writynge there passed fower hundred yeares wherein there was no mencion of the sceptre in the tribe of Iuda After Saule was consecrate kynge it semed that the kyngdom shuld rest in the tribe of Beniamyn When Dauid was annoynted by Samuel what reason appeared there why the course of inheritance of the kyngdome should be changed who wold haue looked that there shuld haue come a kyng out of the base house of a herdman And wheÌ„ there were in the same house seuen brethren who wolde haue sayd that that honour shuld lyght vpon the yongest By what meane came he to hope to be a king who can say that this annointment was gouerned by any art trauaile or policie of man not rather that it was a fulfillyng of the heauenly prophecie Lykewise those thinges that Moses afore speaketh albeit darkely concernynge the Gentiles to be adopted into the couenaÌ„t of God seing thei came to passe almost two thousand yeres after do thei not make it plain that he spake by the inspiration of God I ouerskippe his other tellynges aforehande of thynges whiche doo so euidently sauoure of the reuelation of God that all men that haue their sounde witt may playnely perceiue that it is God that speaketh To be shorte that same one song of his is a clere lookyng glasse wherin God euidently appeareth But in the other prophetes the same is yet also muche more plainely seene I will choose out onely a fewe examples because to gather them all together were to greate a laboure When in the tyme of Esaie the kyngdom of Iuda was in peace yea when they thought that the Chaldees were to them some staie and defence then did Esaie prophecie of the destruction of the citie and exile of the people But admitte that yet this was no token playne enough of the instinct of God to tell longe before of suche thinges as at that tyme semed false and afterward proued true yet those prophecies that he vttereth concernyng their delyueraunce whense shall we saye that they proceded but from God He nameth Cyrus by whom the Chaldees shoulde be subdued and the people restored to libertie There passed more than a hundred yeares from the tyme that Esaie so prophecied before that Cyrus was borne for Cyrus was borne in the hundreth yeare or theraboutes after the deathe of Esaie No man coulde then gesse that there shoulde bee any suche Cyrus that shoulde haue warre with the Babylonians that shoulde bringe subiecte so myghtie a monarchie vnder his dominion and make an ende of the exile of the people of Israell Dooth not this bare tellynge without any garnishement of woordes euidently shewe that the thynges that Esaie speaketh are the vndoubted oracles of God and not the coniectures of men Againe when Ieremie a litle before that the people was caried awaie didde determine the ende of the captiuitie within threscore and tenne yeares and promised returne and libertie muste it not needes bee that his toâ—gue was gouerned by the spirite of God What shamelesnesse shall it bee to denye that the credite of the prophetes was stablished by such proues and that the same thyng was fulfilled in dede whiche thei theim selues doo reporte to make their sayenges to bee beleued Beholde the former thynges are come to passe and newe thinges doo I declare before thei comme foorthe I tell you of them I leaue to speake howe Hieremie and Ezechiell beeynge so farre asonder yet prophecyenge bothe at one tyme they so agreed in all theyr sayenges as if eyther one of theym hadde endyted the wordes for the other to write What did Daniell Doothe he not write continuynge prophecies of thynges to come for the space of sixe hundred yeares after in suche sorte as if he hadde compyled an hystory of thynges already doon and commonly knowen These thynges if godly men haue well consydered they shall bee sufficiently well furnished to appease the barkynges of the wycked For the playne proofe hereof is to cleare to be subiect to any cauillations at all I knowe what some learned men doo prate in corners to shewe the quicknesse of their witte in assaltyng the truthe of God For they demande who hath assured vs that these thynges whiche are redde vnder title of their names were euer written by Moses the prophetes Yea they are so
being admonished may know what is chefely to be searched in the Scriptures coÌ„cerning God â–ª and be directed to one certain marke in their seking I do not yet touch the peculiar couenaunte wherby God seuered the stocke of Abraham from other nations For euen then he appeared the redemer in receyuing to his children by free adopcion those that before were ennemies But we ar yet about that knowledge that resteth in the creation of the world and ascendeth not to Christ the mediatour And although by and by it shal be good to allege certaine places oute of the newe testament forasmuch as euen out of it both the power of God the creator and his prouidence in preseruing of the first nature is approued yet I warne the readers before what is now my purpose to do to the ende that they passe not the appointed boundes So for this present let it suffice vs to learne how God the maker of heauen and earth doth gouerne the world by him created Euery where is renomed both his fatherly bountie and enclined wil to do good and there are also examples rehearsed of hys seueritie which shew him to be a righteous punisher of wicked doinges specially where his sufferaunce nothing preuaileth with the obstinate In certain places are set forth more plaine descriptions wherin his natural face is as in an image represented to be seen For in the place where Moses descrybeth it it semeth that his meanyng was shortly to comprehende al that was lawful for men to vnderstande of God The lord sayeth he the Lord a mercyfull God gracious paciente and of much mercy and true whych kepest mercy vnto thousandes which takest away iniquitie and wycked doinges beefore whom the innocente shal not be innocent which rendrest the wyckednesse of the fathers to the children and childrens children Where let vs marke that his eternitie and being of himselfe is expressed in the twise repeting of that honorable name and that then his vertues are rehearsed in which is described vnto vs not what he is in respect to hymselfe but what a one he is towarde vs that thys knowledge of hym maye rather stande in a liuely feling than in an empty and supernatural speculation And here we do heare recited those vertues of hys which we noted to shine in the heauen and earth that is to say â—lemeÌ„cie bountie mercy iustice iudgement and truth For myght and power are conteyned vnder this name Elohim God Wyth the same names of addition doe the Prophetes set him forth when they meane fully to paint out his holy name But because I would not heape vp to many examples together at this preseÌ„t let one Psalme suffice vs wherin the summe of al his vertues is so exactly reckened vp that nothing can seme to be omitted And yet is nothing there rehearsed but that which we may beholde in his creatures So plainly do we perceiue God by informacion of experyeÌ„ce to be such as he declareth himselfe in hys worde In Ieremy where he pronounceth what a one he would haue vs knowe hym to be he setteth forth a description not altogether so full but yet comming all to one effecte He that gloryeth saieth he let him glory in this that he knoweth me to bee the Lord that do mercy iustice and iudgemente on the earth Surelye these three thinges are very necessary for vs to knowe mercy in which alone consisteth al our saluacion Iudgement which is dayly executed vpon euil doers and more greuous is prepared for them to eternal destruction Iustice wherby the faithful are preserued and most tenderlye cherished Which thinges when thou hast conceiued the prophecy saith thou hast sufficiently enough wherof thou maiest glory in God And yet here are not omitted either his trueth or his power or his holinesse or goodnesse For how should the knowledge stand sure which is here required of his iustice mercy and iudgement vnlesse it did rest vpon hys vnmouable truth And how should we beleue that he doeth gouerne the earth with iustice and iudgement but vnderstandyng hys power And whense commeth his mercy but of his goodnesse If then all his waies be mercy iudgement and iustice in them must holinesse also nedes bee seen And to none other ende is directed that knowledge of God that is set forth vnto vs in the Scriptures than is that knowledge also which appeareth emprinted in his creatures that is to say it first moueth vs to the feare of God and then to put confidence in hym to the ende we may learne first to honor him with perfect innocency of lyfe and vnfained obedience and then to hang altogether vpon hys goodnesse But here I meane to gather a summe of generall doctrine And first let the readers note that the Scripture to the ende to direct vs to the true God doth expresly exclude and cast away al the gods of the gentiles because commonly in a manner in al ages religion hath ben corrupted True it is in dede that the name of one God was euerye where knowen and renomed For euen they that worshipped a great nomber of gods so oft as they did speake according to the proper sense of nature they simply vsed the singular name of God as if they were contented with one God alone And thys was wisely marked by Iustine the Martyr which for thys purpose made a boke of the Monarchie of god wherby many testimonies he sheweth that thys that there is but one god was engrauen in the hartes of al men The same thyng also doth Tertulliane proue by the common phrase of speche But forasmuche as all without exception are by their own vanitie either drawen or fallen to false forged deuises and so their senses are become vayne therefore all that euer they naturally vnderstode of the beeing but one god auayled no further but to make them inxecusable For eueÌ„ the wisest of them do plainly shewe the wandering error of theyr mynde when they wyshe some god to assist them and so in theyr prayers do cal vpon vncertayne gods Moreouer in this that they imagined god to haue many natures although they thought somwhat lesse absurdely than the rude people did of Iupeter Mercury Uenus Minerua and other yet were they not free from the deceites of Satan and as we haue already sayed els where whatsoeuer wayes of escape the Philosophers haue suttelly inuented they cannot purge themselues of rebellioÌ„ but that they all haue corrupted the trueth of god For thys reson Habacuc after he had condeÌ„ned all idols biddeth to seke God in hys own temple that the faythfull should not admyt hym to be any other than such as he had disclosed him selfe by hys worde The .xi. Chapter That it is vnlawfull to attribute vnto God a visible forme and that generally they forsake God so many as do erect to them selues any images BUt as the Scripture prouiding for the rude grosse wit of man vseth to speake after the common maner so when it
woorde whiche can not be shewed in scripture as it is written in nombre of syllables then they bynde vs to a hard law wherby is condemned all exposition the is not pieâ—ed together with bare laying together of textes of scripture But if they meane that to be straunge whiche beyng curiousely deuised is superstitiousely defended whiche maketh more for contention than edification whiche is either vnaptely or to no profite vsed whiche withdraweth from the simplicitie of the word of God then with all my hart I embrace their sobre minde For I iudge that we ought with no lesse deuout reuerence to talke of God than to thynke of him for as muche as what soeuer we doo of our selues thinke of him is foolishe and what so euer we speake is vnsauorye But there is a certayn measure to be kepte We ought to learne out of the scriptures a rule bothe to thynke and speake wherby to examine all the thoughtes of our mynde and wordes of our mouth But what withstandeth vs but that suche as in scripture are to our capacitie doutfull and entangled we may in plainer woordes expresse theim beynge yet suche wordes as doo reuerently and faithfully serue the truthe of the scripture and be vsed sparely modestly and not without occasion Of whiche sort there are examples enowe And where as it shall by profe appere that the Churche of great necessitie was enforced to vse the names of Trinitie and Persones if any shall then fynde faulte with the newenesse of woordes shall he not be iustly thought to be greeued at the lyght of the truthe as he that blameth onely this that the truthe is made so playne and cleare to discerne Suche newnesse of woordes if it be so to bee called commeth then chiefly in vse when the truthe is to be defended against wranglers that doo mocke it out with cauillations Whiche thyng we haue at this daye to muche in experience who haue great businesse in vanquisshynge the enemies of true and sounde doctrine With suche foldyng and crooked windyng these slippery snakes doo slide away vnlesse they be strongly griped and holden hard when they be taken So the old fathers beyng troubled with contendyng againste false doctrines were compelled to shewe theyr meanynges in exquisite playnnesse least they should leaue any crooked bywayes to the wicked to whom the doutful constructions of woordes were hidyngholes of errours Arrius confessed Christe to be God and the sonne of God because he coulde not agaynsay the euident wordes of God and as if he had ben so sufficiently discharged did fayne a certayne consent with the rest But in the meane while he ceassed not to scatter abroade that Christe was create and had a beginnyng as other creatures But to the ende they myght drawe foorth his windyng sutteltie out of his denne the auncient fathers went further pronouncyng Christ to be the eternall sonne of the father and consubstanciall with the father Hereat wickednesse began to boile when the Arrians began to hate and deteste the name Omoousion consubstanciall But if in the beginnyng they had sincerely and with playn meanynge confessed Christ to be God they would not now haue denyed hym to be consubstantiall with the father Who dare nowe blame these good men as brawlers and contentious bycause for one litle woordes sake they were so whote in disputation and troubled the quiete of the churche But that little worde shewed the difference betwene the true beleuyng Christians and the Arrians that wer robbers of God Afterward rose vp Sabellius whiche accompted in a maner for nothyng the names of the Father the Sonne and the Holy ghost sayeng in disputation that they were not made to shewe any maner of distinction but onely were seuerall additions of God of whiche sorte there are many If he came to disputation he confessed that he beleeued the father God the sonne God the Holy ghost God But afterwarde he would redely slippe away with sayeng that he hadde in no otherwise spoken than as if he had named God a strong God iust God and wise God and so he song another songe that the Father is the Sonne and the Holy ghost is the father without any order without any distinction The good doctours which then had care of godlynesse to subdewe his wickednesse cried oute on the other side that there ought to be acknowleged in one God thre propreties And to the ende to fense themselues againste the crooked writhen suttleties with plaine and simple truthe they affirmed that there did truely subsist in one God or which came all to one effect that there did subsist in the vnitie of God a Trinitie of persons If then the names haue not ben without cause inuented we ought to take hede that in reiectyng them we be not iustly blamed of proude presumptuousnesse I woulde to God they wer buried in dede so that this faith were agreed of all men that the Father and the Sonne and the Holy ghost bee one God and yet that the Father is not the Sonne nor the Holy ghost the SoÌ„ne but distinct by certain propretie Yet am I not so precise that I can fynde in my harte to striue for bare wordes For I note that the olde fathers whiche otherwise spake very religiousely of such matters did not euery wher agree one with an other nor eueryone with himselfe For what formes of speeche vsed by the councels doothe Hilarie excuse â–ª To howe greate libertie doothe Augustine sometyme breake foorth Howe vnlyke are the Grekes to the Latins But of this variance one example shal suffise for this tyme. When the Latins ment to expresse the word Omoousion they called it Consubstancial declaring the substance of the Father and the Sonne to be one so vsyng the word substance for essence Whervpon Hierom to Damasus sayth it is sacrilege to say that there are thre substances in God and yet aboue a hundred tymes you shall fynde in Hilarie that there are three substances in God In the woorde Hypostasis howe is Hierome accombred For he suspecteth that there lurketh poison in namyng thre Hypostases in God And if a man do vse this word in a godly sense yet he plainly saith that is an impropre speeche if he spake vnfainedly and dyd not rather wittyngly and willyngly seeke to charge the bishoppes of the Eastlandes â–ª whome he soughte to charge with an vniuste sclaunder Sure this one thynge he speaketh not very truely that in all prophane schooles ousia essence is nothyng els but hypostasis whyche is proued false by the common and accustomed vse Augustine is more modeste and gentyll whiche although he say that the worde hypostasis in that sense is strange to latine eares yet so farre is it of that he taketh from the Grekes theyr vsuall maner of speakyng that he also gently beareth with the Latins that had folowed the greke phrase And that whiche Socrates writeth in the syxte booke of the Tripartite hystorie tendeth to this ende as though he ment that it hadde
with hym and that the Holy Spirite is not a thyng diuers from the Father the Son For in eche Hypostasis is vnderstanded the whole substance with this that euery one hath his own propretie The Father is whole in the Sonne the Sonne is whole in the Father as hymselfe affirmeth I am in the Father and the Father is in me And the Ecclesiasticall writers doo not graunt the one to be seuered from the other by any difference of essence By these names that betoken distinction sayth Augustin that is ment wherby they haue relation one to an other and not the very substance whereby they are all one By whiche meanynge are the sayinges of the olde writers to bee made agree whiche otherwise would seeme not a little to disagree For sometyme they saye that the Father is the beginnyng of the Sonne and somtyme that the Sonne hath bothe godhead and essence of hymselfe and is all one begynnynge with the Father The cause of this diuersitie Augustine doothe in an other place well and planelye declare when he sayeth CHRIST hauynge respect to him selfe is called God and to his Father is called the Sonne And agayne ▪ the Father as to hymselfe is called God as to his Sonne is called the Father where hauynge respecte to the Sonne he is called the Father he is not the Sonne where as to the Father he is called the Son he is not the Father and where he is called as to hym self the Father and as to hymselfe the Sonne it is all one God Therfore when we simply speake of the Sonne without hauyng respect to the Father we do well and proprely say that he is of hym selfe and therfore we call hym but one beginnyng but when we make mention of the relation betweene him and his Father then we rightly make the Father the beginning of the Sonne All the whole fifth boke of Augustine concernyng the Trinitie dooth nothyng but sette foorth this matter And muche safer it is to reste in that relation that he speaketh of than into suttletle pearcyng vnto the hye mysterie to wander abroade by many vayne speculations Let them therfore that are pleased with sobrenesse cōtented with measure of Faith shortly learne so muche as is profitable to bee knowen that is when we professe that we beleue in one God vnder the name of God we vnderstande the one onely and single essence in whiche we comprehende thre Persons or hypostases And therfore so oft as we doo indefinitely speake of the name of God we meane no lesse the Sonne and the Holy ghost than the Father But when the Sonne is ioyned to the Father then commeth in a relation and so we make distinction betwene y◠Persons And because the propreties in the Persons bring an order with them so as the beginnyng and orginall is in the Father so ofte as mencion is made of the Father and the Son or the Holy ghost together the name of God is peculiarly geuen to the Father By this meane is reteined the vnitie of the essence and regarde is hadde to the order whiche yet dothe minishe nothyng of the godhead of the Sonne and of the Holy ghoste And where as we haue already seene that the Apostles doo affirme that the Sonne of God is he whom Moses and the prophetes doo testifie to be Iehouah the Lorde we must of necessitie alwaye come to the vnitie of the essences Wherefore it is a detestable sacrilege for vs to call the Sonne a seuerall God from the Father bycause the symple name of God doothe admytte no relation and God in respecte of hym selfe can not bee saide to be this or that Now that the name of Iehouah the Lorde indefinitely taken is applied to Christe appereth by the wordes of Paul wher he sayth Therfore I haue thryse praied the Lorde because that after he hadde receyued the aunswere of Christ. My grace is sufficient for the he sayeth by and by that the power of Christ may dwell in me It is certayne that the name Lorde is there set for Iehouah and therfore to restraine it to the person of the Mediatour were very fonde and childyshe for somuch as it is an absolute sentence that compareth not the Father with the Sonne And we knowe that after the accustomed maner of the Greekes the Apostles doo commonly sette the worde Kyrios Lord in stede of Iehouah And not to fetche an example farre of Paule dydde in no other sense pray to the Lorde than in the same sense that Peter citethe the place of Ioell who soeuer calleth vppon the name of the Lorde shall be saued But where this name is peculiarly geuen to the Sonne we shall se that there is an other reason therof when we com to a place fitte for it Nowe it is enough to haue in mynde when Paule had absolutely praied to God he by and by bryngeth in the name of Christ. Euen so is the whole God called by Christ hymselfe the Spirite For there is no cause agaynst it but that the whole essence of God may bee spirituall wherin the Father the Sonne and the Holy ghoste be comprehended Whiche is very playne by the Scripture For euen as there we heare God to be made a Spirite so we do here the Holy ghost for so muche as it is an Hypostasis of the whole essence to bee called bothe God and procedyng from God But for as muche as Satan to the ende to roote out our Faith hath alway moued great cōtentions partly concernyng the diuine essence of the Sonne and of the Holy ghost and partly cōcernyng their distinction of Persones And as in a maner in all ages he hath stirred vp wicked spirites to trouble the true teachers in this behalfe so at this day he trauaileth out of the olde embres to kyndle a new fyre therfore here it is good to answere the peruerse foolishe errours of some Hitherto it hath ben our purpose to leade as it were by the hande those that ar willyng to learne and not to striue hande to hande with the obstinate and contentious But nowe the truthe which we haue already peasably shewed must be reskued from the cauillations of the wicked All be it my chiefe trauayle shall yet be applied to this ende that they whyche geue gentill and open eares to the woord of God may haue whervpon stedfastly to rest their foote In this poynt if any where at all in the secrete mysteries of Scripture we ought to dispute sobrely and with greate moderation and to take great hede that neyther oure thought nor oure tongue procede any further than the boundes of Goddes woorde dooe extende For howe may the mynde of man by his capacitie define the immeasurable essence of God whiche neuer yet coulde certainly determine howe great is the body of the Son which yet he daily seeth with his eyes yea howe may she by her owne guidyng atteyn to discusse the substaunce of God that can not
the same is in suche forte the gouernour of all thynges that sometyme it woorketh by meanes somtyme without meanes and somtyme agaynst all meanes Last of all that it tendeth to this ende that God maye shewe that he hath care of all mankynde but specially that he doeth watche in rulyng of his churche which he vouchesaueth more nerely to loke vnto And this is also to be added that althoughe eyther the fatherly fauoure and bountyfulnesse of God or oftentymes the seueritie of his iudgemente do brightly appere in the whole course of his Prouidence yet somtyme the causes of those thynges that happen are secrete so that this thought crepeth into our myndes that mens matters are tourned and whirled about with the blynde sway of fortune or so that the fleshe stirreth vs to murmure as if God dydde to make him selfe pastyme to tosse menne like tennise balles True it is that if we were with quiet and still myndes ready to learne the very successe it selfe woulde at length playnely shewe that God hath an assured good reason of his purpose either to traine them that be his to pacience or to correct their euill affections tame their wantonnesse or to bryng theym downe to the renouncyng of theim selues or to awake their drowsynesse on the other syde to ouerthrowe the prowde to disappoint the suttletie of the wicked to confounde their deuises But howsoeuer the causes be secrete and vnknowē to vs we must assuredly hold that they ar layd vp in hiddē store with him therefore we ought to crie out with Dauid God thou hast made thy wonderful works so many that none can count in order to thee thy thoughts towarde vs. I would declare and speake of them but they are more than I am able to expresse For although alwais in our miseries we ought to thinke vpon our sinnes that the verye punishement maye moue vs to repentance yet doo we see how Christe geueth more power to the secrete purpose of his father than to punishe euery one according to his deseruyng For of hym that was borne blynde he sayth neither hath this man synned nor his parentes but that the glory of God may be shewed in hym For here naturall sense murmureth when calamitie commeth euen before birth as if God did vnmercifully so to punish the sely innocente that had not deserued it But Christe dooth testifie that in this lokyng glasse the glory of his father doeth shyne to our syght if we haue cleere eies to beholde it But we must kepe modestie that we drawe not God to yelde cause of his dooynges but lette vs so reuerence his secrete iudgementes that his wyll be vnto vs a moste iuste cause of all thynges When thicke cloudes doo couer the heauen and a violent tempest aryseth then bycause bothe a heauysome mystynesse is caste before oure eyes and the thunder troubleth oure eares and all oure senses are amased with terrour we thynke that all thynges are confounded and tombled togither and yet all the whyle there remaineth in the heauen the same quietenesse and calmenesse that was before So muste we thynke that whyle the troublesome state of thinges in the worlde taketh from vs abilitie to iudge God by the pure lyghte of his ryghteousnesse and wysedome dooth in well framed order gouerne and dispose euen those very troublesome motions themselues to a ryght ende And surely very monstrous is the rage of many in this behalfe whiche dare more boldly call the workes of God to accompte and examyne his secrete meanynges and to geue vnaduised sentence of thynges vnknowen than they wyll dooe of the deedes of mortall men For what is more vnorderly than to vse such modestie towarde our egals that we had rather suspende our iudgement than to incurre the blame of rashenesse and on the other syde proudely to triumph vpon the darke iudgementes of God whiche it became vs to regarde with reuerence Therfore no man shal wel profitably wey the Prouidēce of God but he that considering that he hath to doo with his creatour and the maker of the worlde dooeth with suche humilitie as he ought submitt himself to feare and reuerēce Hereby it cometh to passe that so many dogs at this day doo with venimed bitynges or at leaste barkynge assaile this doctrine because they will haue no more to be lawfull for God than their own reason informeth them And also they raile at vs with al the spitefulnesse that they are able for that not contented with the commaundementes of the lawe wherin the will of God is comprehended We doo further saie that the worlde is ruled by his secrete counsels As though the thyng that we teache were an inuention of our owne brayn and as though it were not true that the Holy ghost doth euery where expressely say the same and repeteth it with innumerable formes of speeche But because some shame restraineth theim that they dare not vomyte out their blasphemies against the heauen they fayn that they contende with vs to the ende they may the more freely play the madmen But if they do not graunt that what soeuer happeneth in the worlde is gouerned by the incomprehensible purpose of God let them answere to what ende the Scripture sayth that his iudgementes are a depe bottomlesse deapth For where as Moses crieth out that the wyll of God is not to be sought afarre of in the cloudes or in the deapthes because it is familiarly sette foorth in the lawe it foloweth that his other hidden will is compared to a bottomlesse deapth Of the whiche Paule also saith O deapth of the richesse and of the wisedom and of the knowlege of God howe vnsearchable are his iudgementes and his waies paste fyndyng out for who hath knowen the mynde of the Lorde or who hath bene his counsellour And it is in dede true that in the gospel and in the law are conteyned mysteries whiche are farre aboue the capacitie of oure sense but for asmuche as God for the comprehendyng of these mysteries whiche he hath vouchesaued to open by his woorde doeth lighten the myndes of them that be his with the Spirite of Understandyng nowe is therin no bottomlesse deapth but a way wherin we muste safe walk a candell to guyde our feete the light of life and the schoole of certayn and plainly discernable trueth But his meruailous order of gouernyng the worlde is worthily called a bottomlesse deapthe bicause while it is hidden from vs we ought reuerently to worshyp it Ryghte well hath Moses expressed theym bothe in fewe woordes The secrete thynges saieth he belong to the Lorde our God but the thyngs reueled belong to vs and to oure children for euer We see howe he byddeth vs not onely to studie in meditation of the lawe but also reuerently to looke vp vnto the secrete Prouidence of God And in the booke of Iob is rehersed one title of this deapth that it humbleth our myndes For after that the author
fallynge awaye mankinde became accursed did degenerate from hys firste estate wherin is intreated of Original sinne NOt without cause hath the Knowledge of himself ben in the olde prouerbe so muche commended to man For if it be thought a shame to be ignoraunt of all thynges that pertayne to the course of mans lyfe then muche more shamefull is the Not knowinge of our selues whereby it commeth to passe that in taking counsel of any thinge necessary we be miserably daseled yea altogether blinded But how muche more profitable this lesson is so muche more dylygentlye muste we take heede that we do not disordrely vse it as we see som of the Philosophers haue done For they in exhortinge man to knowe himselfe do withall appoint this to be the ende why he should know hymselfe that he shoulde not be ignorant of his owne dignitie and excellencie and nothinge els do thei will him to beholde in himselfe but that wherby he may swell with vaine confidence be puffed vp with pride But the knowledge of oure selues first standeth in thys pointe that considering what was geuen vs in creation howe bountifully God contynueth hys gracious fauoure towarde vs we may knowe howe great had ben the excellencie of oure nature if it had continued vncorrupted we may withall thinke vpon this that ther is nothing in vs of oure owne but that we haue as gotten by borrowing all that God hathe bestowed vpon vs that we maye alwaies hang vpon hym Then that we cal to minde oure miserable estate after the fal of Adam the feeling wherof may throwe downe al gloryinge and truste of our selues ouerwhelme vs with shame truely humble vs. For as God at the beginning fashioned vs like his owne image to the end to raise vp our mindes both to the study of vertue to the meditation of eternall life so least the so greate noblenesse of oure kinde whiche maketh vs different from brute beastes shoulde be drowned wyth our slouthfulnesse it is good for vs to knowe that we are therfore endued with 〈◊〉 vnderstandinge that in keping a holly honest lyfe we shulde â—â—â—cede on forwarde to the appointed ende of blessed immortalitie 〈◊〉 firste dignity can not come in our minde but by by on the other 〈…〉 heauy sight of oure filthines shame doth thruste it selfe in presâ—â—â—â—â— sins we in the person of the fyrste man are fallen from oure 〈◊〉 estate where vpon groweth the hatred and lothinge of oure sel 〈…〉 true humilitie and there is kyndeled a newe desire to seeke for God in whome euery of vs maye recouer those good thinges whereof we are founde altogither voyde and emptye This thinge surely the truth of God appointeth to be sought in examinynge of oure selues I meane it requyreth suche a knowledge as maie bothe call vs away froÌ„ all confidence of oure owne power making vs destitute of al matter to glory vpon may bringe vs to submission Whiche rule it behoueth vs to keepe if we wyll attaine to the true marke bothe of right knowledge welldoinge Neyther yet am I ignoraunt howe muche more pleasant is that other opinion that allureth vs rather to consider oure good thinges than to loke vpon oure miserable nedynesse and dishonore whiche ought to ouerwhelme vs with shame For ther is nothynge that mans nature more coueteth than to be stroked with flattery and therfore when he heareth the giftes that are in hym to be magusyed he leaneth to that syde wyth ouermuche lyghtnes of belefe whereby it is so muche lesse to be maruelled that herein the greatest parte of men haue perniciously erred For sith ther is naturally planted in all mortall menne a more than blynde loue of them selues they do moste willingly perswade themselues that there is nothinge in them that they ought woorthyly to hate So wythout any maintenance of other this moste vaine opinion dothe eche where gett credit that man is aboundantly sufficient of hym selfe to make hym selfe liue well and blessedlye But if there be any that are contente to thinke more modestly howe soeuer they graunt somewhat to God leaste they shoulde seeme arrogantly to take all to them selues yet they so parte it that the principall matter of glorye and confidence alway remayneth with them selues Nowe if there come talke that with her allurementes tickeleth the pride that already of it selfe itcheth within the bones ther is nothinge that may more delite them Therefore as any hath with his extollinge moste fouourably aduaunced the excellency of mans nature so hathe he been accepted with the well lykynge reioisement in manner of all ages But what soeuer suche commendacion there be of mans excellency that teacheth man to reste in him selfe it dothe nothinge but delyte with that her swetenesse and in dede so deceyueth that it bryngeth to moste wretched destruction all them that assent vnto it For to what purpose auaileth it for vs standynge vpon all vaine confidence to deuise apoint attempt and gooe about those thinges that we thinke to be for oure behoofe and in our fyrste beginninge of enterpryse to be forsaken and destytute of sounde vnderstandinge and true strengthe and yet to go on boldely tyll wee fall downe into destruction But it can not otherwise happen to them that haue affiaunce that thei can do any thing by theyr owne power Therefore if any man geue heede to suche teachers that holde vs in consyderynge onely oure owne good thynges he shall not profyte in learninge to knowe hym selfe but shall be carryed violently awaye in to the worste kynde of ignoraunce Therefore where as in this poynte the trueth of God dothe agree with the common naturall meanynge of all men that the second part of wisedome consisteth in the knowledge of oure selues yet in the verye manner of knowinge there is muche disagreement For by the iudgement of the fleshe a man thinketh that he hathe then well searched himselfe when trustinge vpon his owne vnderstandinge integrytie he taketh boldenes encourageth him selfe to doinge the dueâ—ies of vertue biddinge battell to vices trauayleth with al his study to bende himselfe to that whiche is comly and honest But he that loketh vpon and trieth himselfe by the rule of Gods iudgement â—inneth nothinge that maye raise vp his minde to good affiance and the more inwardely that he hathe examined him selfe the more he is discouraged tyll beinge altogether spoyled of all confydence he leaueth to himselfe nothinge towarde the well orderinge of his lyfe And yet wold not God haue vs to forgette the firste noblenes that he gaue to oure father Adam whiche ought of good righte to awake vs to the studie of righteousnes and goodnes For we can not consider either oure owne firste estate or to what ende we are created but we shal be pricked forwarde to studye vpon immortalitie to desire the kyngedome of God But that consideratioÌ„ is so farre from putting vs in courage that rather discouraging vs it throweth vs doune to
humblenes For what is that first estate of oures euen that from whence we are false What is that ende of oure creation euen the same from whiche we are altogether tourned away so that lothinge oure owne miserable estate we may groâ—e for sorrowe in groninge may also sighe for the losse of that dignitie But nowe when we saye that man ought to beholde nothinge in himselfe that may make hym of bolde courage wee meane that there is nothinge in him vpon affiance whereof he oughte to be proude Wherefore if any liste to heare what knoweledge man oughte to haue of himselfe let vs thus diuide it that firste he consider to what ende he is created and endued with giftes that are not to bee despised by whiche thought he may be styrred vp to the meditation of the hearinge of God and of the lyfe to come Then let him weye hys owne strength or rather needy wante of strengthe by perceiuynge whereof hee maye lye in extreeme confusion as one vtterly broughte to naught The fyrste of these considerations tendeth to thys ende that hee maye knowe what is hys duety and the other howe muche he is able to do towarde the perfourminge of yt We wyll entreate of them bothe as the ordre of teachinge shall requyre But bicause it muste nedes be that it was not a lighte negligence but a detestable wicked acte whiche God so seuerally punyshed wee muste consider the verye fourme of the same in the fall of Adam that kyndeled the horryble vengaunce of God vpon all mankynde It ys a childishe opynyon that hathe commonly been receiued concerninge the intemperaunce of glotonye as though the summe and heade of all vertues consysted in the forbearinge of one onely frute when there flowed on euery syde store of all sortes of deyntyes that were to bee desyred and when in that blessed frutefulnesse of the earthe thâ—re was not onely plentye but also varyetye to make for pleasure Therefore we muste looke further bicause the forbiddinge him 〈◊〉 the tree of the knoweledge of good and euell was the tryall of obedience that Adam in obeyinge myghte proue that he was wyllyngely â—â—â—iect to the gouernement of God And the name of the tree it selfe shewâ—â—â— that the coÌ„maundement was geuen for none other ende than for 〈…〉 he contented with his owne estate should not with wicked lust adueuree himselfe higher But the promise wherby he was biddeÌ„ to hope for eternall life so longe as he did not eate of the tree of life and agayne the horrible threatening of death so sone as he should taste of the tree of knowledge of good and euell serued to proue and exercise his fayth Herof it is not harde to gather by what meanes Adam prouoked the wrathe of God agaynste him selfe Augustine in deede sayeth not amisse when he sayeth that pryde was the beginnyng of all euels For if ambition had not lifted vp man higher than was laweful and than was permitted him he mighte haue continued in his estate but we must fetch a more ful definition from the maner of the tentation that Moses describeth For sithe the woman was with the deceite of the Serpent led awaye by infidelitie now it appereth that disobedience was the beginning of the fall Whiche thing Paule coÌ„firmeth teaching that all men were loste by one mans disobedience But it is withall to be noted that the first man fell from the subiection of God for that he not only was taken with the entisementes of Satan but also despising the trueth did tourne out of the waye to lying And surely Gods worde beyng ones despised all reuerence of God is shaken of Bicause his maiestie doth no other waies abide in honore among vs nor the worshippe of him remaine inuiolate but while we hange vpoÌ„ his mouth Therfore infidelitie was the roote of that falling awaye But thereupon arose ambition and pride to which was adioyned vnthankefulnesse for that Adam in coueting more than was graunted did vnreuerently despise the so greate liberalitie of God wherewyth he was enriched And this was a monstruous wickednesse that the sonne of the earth thoughte it a small thyng that he was made after the likenesse of God vnlesse he mighte also bee made egall with God If Apostasie be a filthy and detestable offense whereby manne withdraweth him selfe from the allegeance of his creatour yea outrageously shaketh of his yoke then it is but vaine to extenuate the Sinne of Adam Albeit it was no simple Apostasie but ioyned with shamefull reproches agaynst God while they assented to the sclaunders of Satan wherein he accused God of lying enuye and niggardly grudgyng Finally infidelitie opened the gate to ambition ambition was the mother of obstinate rebellion to make men caste awaye the feare of God and throwe themselues whether their lust caried them Therfore Bernarde doeth rightly teache that the gate of saluation is opened vnto vs when at this day we receiue the gospel by our eares eueÌ„ as by the same windowes when they stode opeÌ„ to Satan death was let in For Adam would neuer haue ben so bolde as to do agaynst the coÌ„maundement of God but for this that he did not beleue his worde Truely this was the best bridle for the right keping of all affections in good order to thinke that ther is nothyng better than to kepe righteousnesse in obeyenge the coÌ„maundementes of God then that the chiefe ende of happy life is to be beloued of him He therefore beyng carried away with the blasphemies of the Deuell did asmuch as in him lay extinguishe the whole glory of god As the spirituall life of Adam was to abide ioyned and bounde to his creatour so his alienation from him was the death of his soule Neyther is it maruell yf he by his fallynge awaye destroyed all his owne posteritie whiche peruerted the whole order of nature in Heauen and in Earth All the creatures doe grone sayeth Paule beyng made subiecte to corruption agaynst their will If one shoulde aske the cause no doubte it is for that they beare parte of that punishement that manne deserued for whose vse they were created Sythe then the curse that goeth throughoute all the costes of the world proceded from his faulte bothe vpwarde and downeward it is nothing agaynst reason if it spread abroade into all his issue Therefore after that the heauenly image in him was defaced he did not alone suffer this punishment that in place of wisedome strength holinesse truth and iustice with whiche ornamentes he had ben clothed there came in the moste horrible pestilences blindenesse weakenesse filthinesse falsehod and iniustice but also he entangled and drowned his whole ofspryng in the same miseries This is the corruption that cometh by inheritaunce which the olde writers called Originall sinne meaning by this word Sinne the corruptioÌ„ of nature which before was good and pure About which mater they haue had much contention bicause there is nothyng farther of from coÌ„mon reason than all
made plaine whether he be altogither depriued of power to do well or whether he haue yet some power althoughe it be but litle weake whyche by it selfe in dede can do nothynge but by helpe of grace dothe also her part While the Master of the Sentences goeth about to make that playne he sayth there are two sortes of grace necessary for vs whereby we may be made mete to do a good worke the one thei call a Working grace wherby we effectually wil to do good the other a Together workinge grace whiche foloweth good will in helpinge it In whiche diuision this I mislike that while he geueth to the grace of God an effectuall desyre of good he secretly sheweth his meaninge that man alredy of his owne nature after a certaine māner desireth good though vneffectually As Bernarde affirminge that good will is in dede the worke of God yet this he graunteth to man that of his own motion hee desireth that good wil. But this is farre frō the meaning of Augustine frō whome yet Lombard wold seeme to haue borowed this divisiō In the seconde part of the divisiō the doubtfulnes of speache offendeth me whiche hathe bredde a wronge exposition For they thought that we do therefore worke togither with the Seconde grace fo God bicause it lieth in our power either to make voide the First grace by refusing it or to confirme it by obedientlye folowinge it Whereas the author of the boke Of the calling of the Gentiles dothe thus expresse it that it is free for them that vse the iudgement of reason to depart frō grace that it may be worthy rewarde not to haue departed that the thing whiche coulde not be done but by the workynge togither of the holly ghoste may be imputed to their merites by whose wyll it was possible to haue not ben done These two things I had will to note by the waye that nowe reader thou maist see how muche I dissent from the soundest forte of the Scholemē For I do much farther differ from the later sophisters euen so muche as they be farther gone from the auncient tyme. But yet somwhat after suche a sorte as it is we perceaue by this diuision after what manner thei haue geuen Free wil to man For at length Lombard sayth that we haue not free will therfore bycause we are alyke able eyther to do or to thynke good and euell but onely that we are free from compulsion whiche freedome is not hindered althoughe we be peruerse and the bondemen of sinne and can doe nothinge but sinne Therfore man shal be saide to haue free will after this sorte not bycause he hath a free choise as well of good as of euell but because he dothe euell by Wyll and not by compulsion That is very well saide but to what purpose was yt to garnyshe so smale a matter wyth so proude a title A goodly libertie forsooth if man be not compelled to serue sinne so is he yet a wyllynge seruaunte that hys wyll is holden fast bounde with the setters of sinne Truely I do abhorre striuinge about woordes wherewith the Churche is vainely wearied but I thinke that suche wordes are with greate religious carefulnes to be taken hede of whiche sounde of any absurditie specially wher the errour is hurtefull How few I praye you are there whyche when they heare that Free wil is assigned to man do not by and by conceaue that he is lorde bothe of his owne mynde and wyll and that he is able of hym selfe to turne hym selfe to whether parte he will But some one wyll saye this perill shal be taken awaye if the people be dylygentlye warned of the meaninge of it But rather forasmuche as the witte of man is naturally bent to falsitie he will soner conceiue an errour out of one little worde than a truth out of a longe tale Of whiche thing we haue a more certaine experience in this very worde than is to be wished For omittinge that exposition of the olde wryters all thei in manner that came after while thei sticke vpon the naturall signification of the woorde haue ben carried into a truste of them selues that bringeth them to distruction But if the authoritie of the fathers do move vs they haue in dede continually the worde in their mouth but thei do withal declare how muche thei esteme y◠vse of it Fyrst of all Augustine whiche sticketh not to call it Bonde wyll In one place he is angry with them that denye free wil but he declareth his chiefe reasō why when he saith onely Let not any man be so bolde to denye the freedome of wyll that he go aboute to excuse sinne But surely in an other place he confesseth that the wyll of manne is not free wythoute the holye ghooste for as muche as yt is subiecte to lustes that doe bynde and conquere yt Agayne that when wyll was ouercome wyth synne whereinto it fell nature begane to wante freedome Agayne that man hauynge yll vsed hys free wyll loste bothe hymselfe and yt Agayne Free wyll is become captiue that it can do nothinge towarde ryghteousnesse Againe that it canne not be free whyche the grace of God hathe not made free Againe that the iustice of God is not fullfylled when the lawe commaundeth and man dothe as of hys owne strength but when the holy ghoste helpeth and mans will not free but made free by God obeyeth And of all these thynges he shortely rendreth a cause when in an other place he writeth that man receiued greate force of free will when he was created but he loste it by sinninge Therfore in an other place after that he had shewed that free will is stablished by grace he sharply inueieth against them that take it vpon them without grace Why therfore sayth he dare wretched men either be proude of freewil before that they be made free or of their owne strength yf they be allready made free And they marke not that in the very name of Freewyll is mention of freedome But where the spirite of the Lorde is there is freedome If then they be the bondemen of sinne why do thei boste them of free wyll For of whome a manne is ouercome to hym hee ys made bonde But yf they bee made free why do they boaste them as of theyr owne woorke Are they so free that they wyll not bee his bondseruauntes whyche sayeth Wythoute me ye canne do nothynge Besyde that also in an other place hee seemeth sportyngly to mocke at the vse of that woorde when hee sayde that wyll was in deede free butte not made free free to righteousnesse but the bondeseruaunt of synne Whyche sayinge in an other place hee repeteth and expoundeth that manne ys not free from ryghteousnesse but by choyse of will and from synne hee ys not free but by grace of the Sauyoure Hee that doothe testifie that the freedome of manne ys nothynge ells but a
it vs doth argue our need let no man nowe doubte to confesse that he is so much able to vnderstande the misteries of God as he is enlightened with his grace He that geueth to him selfe more vnderstanding is so much the more blinde for that he doth not acknoweledge his owne blindenesse Nowe remaineth the thirde pointe of knowyng the rule of well framynge of life whiche we doe rightly call the knoweledge of the workes of righteousnesse wherein mans wit semeth to bee of somewhat more sharpe sight than in the other two before For the Apostle testifieth that the Gentiles whiche haue no lawe while they doe the workes of the lawe are to themselues in stede of a lawe and do shewe the lawe written in their heartes their consciēces bearing them witnesse and their thoughtes accusyng them within themselues or excusing them before the iudgement of God If the Gentiles haue righteousnesse naturally grauē in their mindes surely we can not say that we are altogether blynde in the order of life And nothing is more cōmon than that man by the lawe naturall of whiche the Apostle speaketh in that place is sufficiently instructed to a right rule of life But let vs waye to what purpose this knowledge of the lawe is planted in men then it shall by and by appeare howe far it bringeth them toward the marke of reason and truthe The same is also euident by the wordes of Paul if a man do marke the placing of them He had sayde a litle before that they whiche sinned in the lawe are iudged by the lawe they that haue sinned without lawe do perishe without lawe Because this might seme vnreasonable that the gentils should perish without any iudgement going before he by and by addeth that their conscience is to them in steade of a lawe and therfore is sufficient for their iust damnation Therfore the ende of the lawe naturall is that man may be made inexcusable And it shal be defined not il after this sorte that it is a knowledge of conscience that sufficiently discerneth betwene iust and vniust to take away from men the pretence of ignoraunce while they are proued gilty by their owne testimony Such is the tendernesse of man toward him selfe that in doing of euyls he alway turneth away his mynde so muche as he may from the feling of sinne By whiche reason it semeth that Plato was moued to thynke that there is no sinne done but by ignorance That in dede were fitly sayd of him if mens hypocrisie went so farre in hiding of vices that the mynde might not knowe itselfe gilty before God But when the sinner seking to escheue the iudgement emprinted in him is now and then drawen back vnto it and not suffered so to winke but that he be compelled whether he wil or no some time to open his eies it is falsly sayd that he sinneth only by ignoraunce Themistius sayth more truly which teacheth that vnderstanding is seldome deceiued that it is blyndenesse when it goeth any further that is whē he cometh down to the speciall case Euery man if it be generally asked wil affirme that manslaughter is euell but he that conspireth to kil his enemies deliberateth vpon it as on a good thyng The adulterer generally will condemne adulterie but in his owne priuately he will flatter himself This is ignoraunce when a man cōmyng to the speciall case forgetteth the rule that he had lately agreed vpon in the generall question Of whiche thyng Augustine discourseth very finely in his exposition of the first verse of the .lvij. Psalme albeit the same thyng is not continuall For sometime the shamefulnesse of the euell deede so presseth the conscience that not deceyuynge him selfe vnder false resemblance of a good thing but wittingly and willingly he runneth into euell Out of whiche affectiō came these sayinges I see thee better and allowe it but I followe the worse Wherefore me thinke Aristotele hath very aptely made distinction betwene Incontinence and Temperance Where incontinence reigneth he sayeth that there by reason of troubled affection or passion knoweledge is taken away from the minde that it marketh not the euell in his owne acte which it generally seeth in the like and when the troubled affectiō is cooled repentaunce immediatly foloweth But intemperaunce is not extinguished or broken by feeling of sinne but on the other side obstinately standeth still in her conceyued choyse of euell Now when thou hearest iudgement vniuersally named in the difference of good and euell thinke it not euery sounde perfect iudgement For if mās heartes are furnished with choise of iust and vniust only to this ende that they should not pretēde ignorance it is not then nedefull to see the trueth in euery thyng But it is enough and more that they vnderstande so farre that they canne not escape awaye but beyng conuict by witnesse of their conscience they euen now already beginne to tremble at the iudgement seate of God And if we wil trie our reason by the lawe of God whych is the exampler of true righteousnesse we shal finde howe many wayes it is blinde Truely it atteineth not at all to those that are the chiefe things in the First table as of confidence in God of geuyng to hym the prayse of strength and righteousnesse of callyng vpon his name of the true kepyng of Sabbat What soule euer be naturall sense did smell out that the lawful worshippyng of God consisteth in these and like thinges For when prophane men will worshippe God although they be called awaye a hundred times from theyr vaine trifles yet they alwaye slyde backe thither agayne They denie in deede that sacrifices dooe please God vnlesse there be adioyned a purenesse of minde wherby thei declare that they tonceyue somewhat of the spirituall worshippyng of God whyche yet they by and by corrupte with false inuentions For it can neuer be persuaded thē that al is true that the lawe perscribeth of it Shall I saye that that wit excelleth in any sharpe vnderstandynge whych can neyther of it selfe be wise nor harken to teachyng In the commaundementes of the Second table it hath some more vnderstandyng by so much as they came nerer to the preseruation of ciuile felowshyppe among menne Albeit euen herein also it is founde many times to faile To euery excellēt nature is semeth moste vnresonable to suffer an vniuste and to imperious a manner of gouernyng ouer them if by any meane he may put it away and the iudgement of mās reason is none other but that it is the part of seruile and base courage to suffer it patiently and againe the part of an honest and free borne heart ▪ to shake it of And reuenge of iniuries is rekened for no fault among the Philosophers But the lorde condempning that to muche noblenesse of courage cōmaūdeth his to kepe the same patience that is so ill reported among men And in all the keping of the lawe our vnderstandinge marketh
without the directyng grace praieth God to create a newe heart within hym to renewe a righte spirite within his bowelles doeth he not acknowledge that all the partes of his heart are full of vnclennesse and hys spirite writhen wyth croked peruersenesse and in callynge the cleannesse whyche he prayeth for the creature of God doeth he not attribute it wholly to God But yf anye manne take exception and saye that the verye prayer is a token of a godly and holy affection oure aunswere is ready that though Dauid were by that time somewhat come to amendement yet doeth he still compare his firste state with that sorrowefull fall that he had felte Therefore takyng vpon hym the person of a manne enstranged from God he for good cause prayeth to haue geuen hym all these thynges that God geueth to his electe in regeneration And so beyng like a dead manne he wisheth hym selfe to bee created of newe that of the bondeslaue of Satan he maye bee made the instrumente of the holyghoste Maruellous and monstrous surely is the luste of our pryde God requyreth nothyng more earnestly than that wee should moste religiously kepe his Sabbat that is in resting from our owne workes but of vs nothyng is more hardly obteyned than bidding our owne workes farewell to geue due place to the workes of God If sluggishnesse hindered not Christe hath geuen testimonie euident enough of his graces to make them not to bee enuiously suppressed I am sayeth he the Uine you bee the branches My Father is a husbandeman As the branche can not beare fruite of it selfe vnlesse it abide in the Uine no more can you vnlesse you abide in me For without me you can do nothyng If we beare fruite none otherwise than a braunche buddeth beyng plucked out of the grounde and without moysture we neede no more to seke what is the aptnesse of our nature to goodnesse And this is a playne cōclusion Without me ye can do nothing He doeth not saye that we are to weake to be sufficiēt for our selues but in bryngyng vs to nothyng he excludeth all opinion of power be it neuer so little If we beyng graffed in Christe beare fruite lyke a Uine whiche taketh her efficacie of liuelinesse both from the moisture of the earth and from the deaw of heauen and from the cherishyng of the sonne I see nothinge remayne for vs in doyng a good worke yf we kepe whole for God that whyche is his That fonde suttle deuise is alledged in vayne that there is a iuyce already enclosed wythin the branche and a certayne power to bryng forth frute and that therefore it taketh not all from the earth or from the firste roote bycause it bringeth somewhat of her owne For Christe doeth meane nothing els but that we are a drye sticke and nothing worth when we be seuered from him bicause by our selues beyng separate we haue no power to doe well as also in an other place he sayeth Euery tree that my father hath not plāted shal be rooted vp Wherfore the Apostle ascribeth all the whole vnto him in the place alredy alleged It is God sayth he that worketh in vs bothe to will and to performe The firste parte of a good worke is will the seconde is a stronge endeuour in doyng it the authour of bothe is God Therefore we steale it from God if we take to our selues any thinge eyther in will or in effectuall workyng If it were sayde that God doth help our weake will then somewhat were lefte for vs. But when it is sayde that he maketh will nowe all the good that is in it is set out of vs. And bicause the good will is yet still oppressed with weight of our fleshe that it can not rise vp He sayde further that to ouercome the hardenesse of that battell there is ministred vnto vs stedfastnesse of endeuour euen to the effect For otherwise it coulde not stande together whyche he teacheth in an other place that it is God alone that bryngeth to effect all thynges in all wherein we haue before taught that the whole course of spirituall life is comprehended For whyche reason Dauid after he had prayed to haue the wayes of the Lorde opened vnto hym that he mighte walke in his trueth by and by addeth Unite thou my heart to feare thy name In whyche wordes he signifieth that euen they that are well minded are subiecte to so many withdrawynges of minde that they easily vanish or fal awaye if they bee not stablisshed to constantie For whiche reason in an other place after he had prayed to haue his steppes directed to kepe the worde of God he requireth also to haue strength geuen him to fight Lette not any iniquitie sayeth he beare rule ouer me After this sorte therefore doeth the Lorde bothe beginne and ende good worke in vs that it maye all be his worke that wil conceyueth a loue of that whiche is right that it is enclined to the desire thereof that it is stirred vp and moued to endeuour of followyng it And then that our choyse desire ▪ and endeuour fainte not but do procede euen to the effecte laste of all that manne goeth forward constantly in them and continueth to the ende And he moueth the will not in suche sorte as hath in many ages ben taught and beleued that it is afterwarde in our choyse eyther to obeye or withstande the motion but wyth mightyly strengthnyng it Therefore that muste bee reiected whyche Chrysostome so ofte repeteth whome he draweth he draweth beyng willyng Wherby he secretly teacheth that God doeth only reache out his hande to see yf wee will be holpen by his ayde We graunte that suche was the state of manne whyle he yet stoode that he might bowe to eyther parte But sithe he hath taught by his example howe miserable is freewill vnlesse God bothe will and can in vs what shall become of vs yf he geue vs his grace accordyng to that small proportion But rather wee dooe obscure and extenuate it with our vnthankefulnesse For the Apostle doeth not teache that the grace of a good will is offred vs yf we doe accepte it but that he will performe it in vs whiche is nothyng els but that the Lorde by his spirite dothe direct howe and gouerne our heart and reigneth in it as in his owne possession Neyther doeth he promise by Ezechiel that he will geue to the electe a newe spirite onely for this ende that they maye be able to walke in his commaundementes but to make them walke in deede Neyther can Christes sayeng euery one that hath hearde of my Father cometh to me be otherwyse taken than to teache that the grace of God is effectuall of it selfe as Augustine also affirmeth Whyche grace God vouchesaueth not to geue to all menne generally without regarde as that sayeng as I thynke of Occam is commonly spoken among the people that it denieth nothyng to hym that doeth what lieth in him
It is reprochefully spoken in the Psalme concerninge the Iewes A frowarde generation that haue not made theyr hearte streight Also in an other Psalme the Prophete exhorteth the men of hys age not to harden theyr heartes and that bycause all the faulte of obstynacie remayneth in the peruersenesse of men But it is fondely gathered thereof that the hearte is pliable to either side the preparinge whereof is onely of God The Prophet saith I haue enclyned my hearte to keepe thy commaundementes bycause he had willingely and with a cherefull earnest affection of minde addycted himselfe to God and yet he dothe not boaste him selfe to bee the author of his owne inclination which he confesseth in the same Psalme to be the gyfte of God Therefore we muste holde in minde the admonition of Paule where he â—â—ddeth the faithefull to worke their owne saluation with feare and trembling bicause it is the Lorde that worketh bothe the willinge and the perfourminge In deede hee assigneth them offices to be doinge that they shoulde not geue them selues to sluggyshnesse of the fleshe but in that hee commaundeth theÌ„ to haue feare and carefullnesse he so humbleth them that they may remembre that the same thing whiche thei are commaunded to do is the propre worke of God wherein he plainely expresseth that the faithefull woorke passiuely as I may so call it in so muche as power is ministred them from Heauen that they sholde cleame nothinge at all to them selues Wherefore when Peter exhorteth vs that we shoulde adde power in fayth he graunteth not vnto vs a seconde office as if we shoulde do any thynge seuerally by oure selues but onely he awaketh the slothefullnesse of the fleshe wherewyth commonlye fayth yt selfe is choked To the same purpose seemeth that sayeinge of Paule Extinguyshe not the spirite for slouthefullnesse dothe oftentimes crepe vpon the fayethfull yf it be not corrected Butte yf any manne conclude there vpon that yt ys in theyr owne choyse to cheryshe the lyghte beynge offred them his ignoraunce shall bee easily confuted bycause the selfe same dylygence that Paule requyreth cometh onely from God For we are also oftentimes commaunded to purge oure selues from all fylthynesse whereas the holy ghoste do the claynte to hym selfe alone the offyce of makynge holy Fynally that by waye of grauntynge the same thynge is conueyed to vs that proprely belongeth to God is playne by the woordes of Ihon Whosoeuer ys of God saueth hym selfe The aduauncers of freewyll take holde of thys sayeinge as yf wee were saued partelye by the power of God partely by oure owne as though wee had not from heauen the very same safe keeping wherof the Apostle maketh mention For whiche cause Christ also praieth his Father to saue vs from euill and we knowe that the godly whyle they warre against Satan do get the victory by no other armie and weapons but by the armure and weapons of God Wherfore when Peter commaunded vs to purifie our soules in the obedience of truthe he by and by addeth as by way of correction by the holy ghoste Finally how all mans strength are of no â—orce in the spirituall battell Iohn briefly sheweth when he sayth that they whiche are begotteÌ„ of God can not sinne because the sede of God abideth in them And in an other place he randreth a reason why for that our faith is the victory that ouercometh the worlde Yet there is alleged a testimonie out of the lawe of Moses whiche semeth to be muche against our saluation For after the publishing of the lawe he protesteth vnto the people in this maner The commaundement that I commauÌ„de thee this day is not hid from thee neither far of It is not in heauen but hard by thee it is in thy mouthe and in thy hearte thou shouldest do it Truely if this be taken to be spoken of the bare coÌ„maundementes I grauÌ„t they be of no smal weight to this present matter For though it were easy to mocke it out with saying that here is spoken not of the easinesse and redinesse of obseruation but of knowledge yet euen so peraduenture it would also leaue some doubte But the Apostle whiche is no doubtfull expositour taketh away all doubte from vs whiche affirmeth that Moses here spake of the doctrine of the Gospell But if any obstinate man wyll say that Paul violently wrested those wordes that they myght be drawen to the Gospell although his boldenesse so to say shall not be without impietie yet is there sufficient matter beside the authoritie of the Apostle to coÌ„uince him withal For if Moses spake of the commaundementes only then he puffed vp the people with a moste vaine confidence For what should they els haue done but throwen them selues downe hedlonge if they had taken vpoÌ„ them the keping of the lawe by their owne strengthe as a thing not heard for them Where is theÌ„ that so ready easinesse to keepe the law where there is no accesse vnto it but by a hedlong fall to destruction Wherfore there is nothing more certaine than that Moses in these wordes did meane the couenant of mercie which he had publyshed together with the streight requiring of the lawe For in a fewe verses before he had taught that our heartes must be circumcised by the haÌ„d of God that we may loue him Therfore he placed the easinesse wherof he streightway after speaketh not in the strength of man but in the helpe succour of the holy ghost which performeth his worke mightely in our weakenesse Albeit the place is not simply to be vnderstanded of the commaundementes but rather of the promises of the Gospell whiche are so far from stablyshing a power in vs to obteine righteousnesse that they vtterly ouerthrowe it Paule considering that same proueth by this testimonie that saluation is offred vs in the Gospell not vnder that hard and impossible coÌ„dition wherwith the lawe dealeth with vs that is that they only shall atteyne it whiche haue fulfilled all the commaundementes but vnder a condition that is easy ready and playne to come vnto Therfore this testimony maketh nothyng to chalenge freedome to the will of man There are also certayne other places wonte to be obiected whereby is shewed that God sometime withdrawynge the succour of his grace tryeth menne and wayteth to see to what ende they will applie theyr endeuours as is that place in Osee I will goe to my place till they putte it in their heart and seeke my face It were a fonde thyng saye they yf the Lorde should consider whether Israell would seke his face vnlesse their mindes were pâ—â—able that they might after theyr owne will incline themselues to the one side or the other As though this were not a thinge commonly vsed with God in the Prophetes to make a shewe as yf he did despise and caste awaye his people till they haue amended their life But what will the aduersaries gather
our workes vnlesse we do embrace by faith the same goodnesse geueÌ„ vs by the Gospel then want they not their effectualnesse yea with their condition annexed For then he doth so freely geue al things vnto vs that he addeth this also to the heape of his bountifulnesse that not refusing our half ful obedience and remitting so much as it wanteth of ful performance he so maketh vs to enioy the frute of the promises of the law as if we our selues had fulfilled the coÌ„dytion But we wil at this preseÌ„t procede no further in this matter bicause it shal be more largely to be entreated of when we shal speake of the IustificatioÌ„ of faith Wheras we sayd that it is impossible to kepe the law that is in few wordes to be both expounded and proued For it is wont among the people commonly to be accompted an opinion of great absurditie so far that Hierome doubted not to pronouÌ„ce it accursed what Hierome thought I doe nothing staye vpon as for vs let vs searche what is truthe I will not here make longe circumstances of diuerse sortes of possibilities I call that impossible which both neuer had ben also is hindered by the ordinance decree of God that it neuer herafter maye be If we recorde from the farthest time of memorie I saye that there hath none of the holy meÌ„ that beyng clothed with the bodie of death hath euer atteyned to that full perfection of loue to loue God with all his heart with al his minde with al his soule with all his power Againe that there hath ben none that hath not ben troubled with concupiscence Who can saye Naye I see in deede what maner holy men foolish superstition doth imagine vnto vs euen such whose purenesse the heauenly angels do scarcely counteruaile but against bothe the Scripture profe of experience I saye also that there shall none herafter be that shall come to the marke of true perfection vnlesse he be loosed from the burden of his bodye For this point there are open testimonies of Scripture Salomon said there is not a righteous maÌ„ vpon the earth that sinneth not And Dauid sayd euery liuing manne shal not be iustified in thy sight Iob in many places affirmeth the same But Paul most plainly of all that the flesh lusteth agaynste the spirit and the Spirit against the flesh And by no other reson he proueth that all that are vnder the law are subject to the curse But bycause it is written that cursed are al they that doe not abide in al the coÌ„maundementes therof meanyng or rather taking it as a thing confessed that no man can abide in them And what soeuer is forespoke by the Scriptures that must be holden for perpetual yea necessarie With such sutteltie did the Pelagians trouble Augustine sayeng that there is wrong done to God to say that he doth coÌ„maund more thaÌ„ the faithful are able by his grace to performe Augustine to auoide their cauillation coÌ„fessed that the lord might in deede if he wold aduauÌ„ce a mortal man to the purenesse of Angels but that he neither hath done so at any time nor wil do bicause he hath otherwise affirmed in the Scriptures And that do I also not denie But I adde further that it is incoÌ„uenieÌ„t to dispute of his power against his truthe and that therfore this sentence is not subiect to cauillations if a man should saye that that thing is impossible to be wherof the Scriptures do pronounce that it shal not be But if thei dispute of the word when the Disciples asked the lord who may be saued he answered with men in deede it is impossible but with God al things are possible Also Augustine with a most stroÌ„g reason stiffly defendeth that in this flesh we neuer yelde to God the due loue that we owe him Loue saith he so foloweth knowledge that no man can perfectly loue God but he that hath first fully knoweÌ„ his goodnesse We while we waÌ„der in this world see by a glasse and in a darke speach it foloweth therfore that our loue is vnperfect Let this therefore remaine out of controuersie that in this flesh it is impossible to fulfil the law if we behold the weakenesse of our owne nature as it shal yet also in an other place be proued by Paule But that the whole mater may be more plainly set forth let vs in a compendious order gather vp together the office and vse of the lawe which they cal Morall Now as far as I vnderstand it is coÌ„teined in these three partes The first is that while it sheweth to euery man the righteousnesse of God the is the righteousnesse which only is acceptable to God it admonish certifie proue gilty yea condemne euery maÌ„ of his owne vnrightousnesse For so is it nedeful that man blinded dronke with loue of himself be driuen both to the knowledge the confession of his own weakenesse vncleannesse for asmuch as if his vanitie be not euidently conuinced he swelleth with mad affiance of his owne strength can neuer be brought to think of the scleÌ„dernesse therof so long as he measureth it by the proportion of his owne wil. But so sone as he beginneth to coÌ„pare his streÌ„gth to the hardnesse of the lawe there he findeth matter to abate his courage For how so euer he before conceiued a great opinion of it yet by and by he feleth it to pante vnder so great a burden then to shake folter at laste euen to fall downe and faint So being taught by the scholing of the lawe he putteth of that arrogaÌ„cie wherwith before he was blinded Likewise he is to be healed of an other disease of pride wherof we haue said that he is sick So long as he is suffred to stand to his own iudgemeÌ„t he deuiseth Hypoâ—â—iâ—e in stede of rightousnesse wherwith beyng coÌ„teÌ„ted he riseth vp in courage by I whote not what forged rightousnesses against the grace of God But so soue as he is coÌ„pelled to trie his life by the balaunce of the law theÌ„ leauing the presumption of that counterfait righteousnesse he seeth himself to be an infinite space distaÌ„t froÌ„ holinesse againe that he floweth full of infinite vices wherof before he seemed cleane For the euels of luste are hidden in so deepe and crooked priuie corners that they easily deceiue the sighte of man And not withoute cause the Apostle saith that he knew not luste except the lawe had saide Thou shalte not luste bicause except it be by the lawe disclosed out of her lurking holes it destroyeth miserable manne so secretly that he feeleth not the deadly darte thereof So the lawe is like a certaine lookinge glasse wherein we beholde fyrste oure weakenesse by that oure wickednesse laste of all by them boothe oure accursednesse euen as a glasse representeth vnto vs the spottes of our face For when power fayleth man to folowe righteousnesse then
sutteltie when they are wroonge from the owner by coloure of law An other sorte in flatterie where they are sucked awaye by pretense of gifte But leaste we sholde tarry to longe vpon rentinge of all the seuerall kyndes of thefte lette vs knowe that all crafty meanes whereby the possessions and money of oure neyghboures are conueyed vnto vs when they ones goe by croked wayes from syncerenesse of hearte to a desire to beguile or by any meane to do hurte are to be accompted for theftes Althoughe by pleadinge the lawe they maye preuayle yet God doth not otherwyse way theÌ„ For he seeth the long captious suttleties wherwith the guilefulman beginneth to entangle the simpler minde till at length he drawe him into his nettes He seethe the harde and vngentle lawes wherewyth the myghtier oppresseth and throweth downe the weaker Hee seeth that allurementes wherwith as with baiteth hookes that crastier taketh thee vnware All whyche thinges are hidden from the iudgement of man and come not in his knoweledge And thys manner of wronge is not onely in money in wares or in landes but in euery mans ryght For we defraude oure neighboure of his goodes if we denye him those dueties whiche wee are bounde to doe for hym If any idle factore oâ— baylye do deuoure his masters substance is not heedefull to the care of this thrifte if he either do wrongfully spoyle or doe ryoutously waste the substance committed vnto him if a seruant do mocke his master yf he disclose his secretes by any meanes if hee betraye his life and hys goodes agayne if the Lorde doe cruelty oppresse his householde they are before God gylty of thefte For he both withholdeth and conueieth an other mans goodes which perfourmeth not that whiche by the office of his callinge he oweth to other We shall therfore ryghtly obey thys commaundement if being contented with oure owne estate we seeke to get no gaine but honest and lawefull if we couet not to waxe riche with wroong nor goe aboute to spoyle oure neighboure of hys goodes that oure owne substance maye encrease if we laboure not to heape vp cruell riches wroonge oute of other mens bloode if wee do not immeasurably scrape together euery way by right and by wronge that either oure couetousnesse maye bee filled or oure prodigalitie satisfied But on the other side lette this bee our perpetuall marke to ayde all men faithfully by counsell and helpe to kepe their owne so farre as we may but if we haue to do with false and deceytful men let vs rather be redy to yelde vp some of our owne then to striue with them And not that onely butte lette vs communicate to their necessities with our store releue their nede whome we see to be oppressed with harde and poore estate Fynally lette euery man loke howe muche he is by duety bounde vnto other and lette him faithfully paye it For this reason lette the people haue in honoure all those that are sette ouer them let them paciently beare their gouernement obey their lawes and commaundementes refuse nothinge that they maye beare still kepinge God fauorable vnto them Againe lette them take care of their people preserue coÌ„mon peace defende the good restraine the euell and so ordre all thinges as redy to geue accompte of their office to the soueraigne iudge Lette the Ministers of Churches â—aithfully applye their ministerie and not corrupt the doctrine of saluation but deliuer it pure and syncere to the people of God and let them instructe them not onely with learning but also wyth example of lyfe fynally let them so be ouer them as good sheperdes be ouer the shepe Let the people lykewise receiue them for the messingers and Apostles of God geue them that honoure whereof the hyest maister hath voutsaued them and minister vnto them suche thinges as are necessarie for their life Lette parentes take on them to feede rule and teache their children as committed to them of God and greue not nor turne away their mindes from them with crueltie but rather cheryshe and embrace them with suche lenitie and tendernesse as becommeth there person After whiche manner we haue allredy sayde that children owe to their parentes their obedience Let yonge men reuerence olde age euen as the Lorde willed that age to be honorable Let olde men also gouerne the weakenesse of youth with their wisedome and experience wherein thei excell yonge men not ratinge them with rough and loude brawlinges but temperinge seueritie with mildenesse and gentlenesse Lette seruantes shewe them selues diligent and seruisable to obey and that not to the eye but from the hearte as seruinge God himselfe Also lette maisters shewe them selues not testie and harde to please nor oppresse them with to much sharpenesse not reprochefully vse them but rather acknowledge that thei are their brothren and their felowe seruantes vnder the heauenly Lord whom thei ought mutually to loue gently to entreat After this maÌ„ner I sai let euery maÌ„ coÌ„sider what in his degre and place he oweth to his neighboures let him paie that he oweth Moreouer oure mynde oughte alwayes to haue respecte to the lawemaker that wee maye knowe that this lawe is made as well for oure myndes as for oure handes that men shoulde studie to defende further the commodities and profite of other The nynthe Commaundement Thou shalte not be a lyeng witnesse agaynste thy neighboure The ende of thys commaundement is that bycause God whyche is trueth abhorreth lyinge we oughte to obserue trueth without deceitfull coloure The summe therefore shall be that wee neither hurte any mans name either with slaunders or false reportes nor hinder him in his goodes by lyeng fynally that wee offende no manne by luste to speake euell or to bee busie with whiche prohibition is ioyned a commaundement that so farre as we maie we employe oure faythfull endeuoure for euery man in affyrminge the trueth to defende the safetie bothe of his name and goodes It seemeth that the Lorde purposed to expounde the meaning of his commaundement in the thre and twenty Chapter of Exodus in these woordes Thou shalte not vse the voyce of lyeng nor shalte ioyne thy hande to speake false witnesse for the wicked Agayne Thou shalte flee lyeng Also in an other place he doth not onely call vs awaie from lyeng in this pointe that wee be no accusers or whysperers in the people but also that no man deceiue his brother for hee forbiddeth them bothe in seuerall commaundementes Truely it is no doute but that as in the commaundementes before hee hathe forbidden crueltie vnchastitie and couetousnes so in this he restraineth falshoode Whereof there are twoò partes as wee haue noted before For either wee offende the good name of oure neighboures by maliciousnesse and frowarde mynde to backbite or in lyeng and sometime in euell speakinge we hinder their commodities There is no dyfference whether in thys place be vnderstanded solemne iudiciall testimonie or common testimonie that
of his manhoode For the erroure of Nestorius is to be driuen farre away from vs which when he went about rather to draw in sonder than to distinguish the nature did by that meane imagine a doble Christ. Wheras we see that the Scripture crieth oute with loude voice against it where bothe the name of the<