of such ornaments haue some of the good Fathers made no account whereupon as Ierom sheweth Exuperius Bishop of Tholosa ministred the holie Supper with a cup of glasse Exuperius and with a wicker basket And in the Triburien Councell they began to dispute whether golden or woodden vessels should be had for the vse of the Sacraments Boniface saying of golden Priests and woodē cups and contrariwise There Boniface the Martyr being demaunded of his opinion said When they were golden Priests they had woodden cups now being woodden Priests they will haue golden Challices And after this manner he derided the question put forth Yea and Persius and Ethnick Poet taunted this vanitie of men Persius writing Tell mee ye Bishops what doeth gold in your sacrifice Which verse Bernarde something changed Bernard very wel vsed the verse of Persius when as alreadie in his age the Bishops had golde in the furniture of their horses and said Tell mée ye Bishops what doeth gold in your brydle But the aduersaries saie that by these riche mettals and precious stones their ministerie is beautified Let them be holie of life and maners let them teache reprooue and féede the people committed vnto them It is verie diligentlie taught by Paule in the Epistles vnto Timothie and Titus 1. Tim. 3. 1 Titus 1. 6. with what ornamentes the holie ministerie shoulde be decked 24 But they still saie it cannot be denied An obiectiō why that should not be lawful in the newe Testament that was lawfull in the old but that such things were vsed in the olde Testament why is not the same lawfull for vs But if they haue determined to reuoke all things which were done in the old Testament why doe they not also renue the sacrifices of Moses Let them confesse that they haue the spirit of children not of men and of bondage not of fréedome They that be delighted with this kinde of worshipping had néede to deuise to themselues another Christ For true Christ neuer required such things We graunt that in the old Testament God would haue the Iewes to haue these things but of the Christians he hath not required them So as they which at this day giue vnto him without asking doe ill We liue now in that age The true worshipping of God Iohn 4. 24. wherein God must bee worshipped not in this place nor vpon that mountaine but in spirit and trueth as we reade in the 4. Chapter of Iohn Wherefore the charges which are lauished vpō these things should much rather be bestowed for the maintenance of the poore and aduauncement of learning and especiallie diuine learning Further that the ornaments of Salomon in that time also were not so necessarie Those ornaments of Salomon were of no necessitie to them of that time but that GOD might be worshipped without them it is thereby declared that by the will of God they were taken awaie by the Chaldeans Moreouer if we calculate the times Those ornaments were not long kept in the Temple 1. kings 14. 25. we shall easilie perceiue that this golde of Salomon was not long kept in the temple because Rehabam his sonne tooke awaie the greatest part thereof to deliuer it vnto Sesack the King of Egypt whose prisoner he became And againe Abias gaue no small part of that gold vnto the King that beséeged him Ezechias also did the like 2. kin 18. 15 But let vs returne to our owne The beginning of superfluous expenses in our Temples Constantinus the first Emperour of that name opened the window vnto this so great a charge who as Eusebius writeth in the third booke of his life dedicated a temple at Ierusalem which he magnificentlie garnished with offerings with golde siluer and precious stones Furthermore I knowe that Optatus the Bishop of Millaine in the first booke against Parmenianus made mention of such Ornaments and so also did other of the Fathers But whatsoeuer they eyther affirme or decrée if it should be receiued by vs it ought to be allowed by the testimonie of God The sixth Chapter Of Schisme and whether the Gospellers bee Schismatikes because they haue alienated themselues from the Papists Looke after in the 20. Place In 1. kin 12 at the end I Will diuide this defence into thrée principall pointes A diuision of this question First I will shew that there happened most iust causes of our separation Secondly I will prooue that this separation was necessarie for vs. Thirdlie I will make it plaine that we haue not departed from the Church but haue rather returned to the same But before I enter to the explaining of these things I minde to speake somewhat of Schisme The Etymologie of Schisme The word is a Gréeke word deriued in Gréeke 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which is to diuide to cut hewe in sunder But betwéene Schismes and Heresies The difference betwéene Schisme Heresie Looke In 1. Cor. 1. 10. Augustine against Cresconius Grammaticus so distinguisheth as a Schisme is called a late separatiō of the congregation by reason of some diuersitie of opinions the which when it hath waxed old is called an heresie Howbeit it séemes not verie likelie to be true that these should differ one from another by the difference of newnesse and oldnesse This doth rather agrée that mē maie be infected with schisme who neuerthelesse retaine the selfe same faith as it hath oftentimes happened in the papacie And the propertie of heresie is that it taketh some opinion to be defended seuerallie from others the which is repugnant aswell to the word of God as to the common faith Yet doth Paul in the first Epistle to the Corinthians séeme to confounde these two 1. Cor. 11. 18. For he accuseth them both of Heresie and Schisme The efficient cause of Schisme 2 It must not be passed ouer that Augustine affirmeth hatred against the neighbour to be the cause of Schisme And of this hatred there maie bée shewed foure chiefe partes namelie that men among themselues as touching the principall points doe not consent 2. Cor. 13. 11. and therefore Paul wished that the Corinthians were agréed and ioyned together in one minde Secondlie they oftentimes iarre in those things which are deriued and concluded of principles and therefore the Apostle added That they maie bee knit together in one and the same opinion It also happeneth sometime that although they agrée in minde and opinion yet are some so in loue with their owne phrases and forme of spéech and so obstinatelie maintaine the same as rather than they will forsake them they will be separated frō their brethren therfore Paul wished that they might speake al one thing Lastlie they therefore hate their brethren because some made one their guide and some another as it happened among the Corinthians of whom some saide I hold of Caephas 1. Cor. 1. 13. I of Paule and I of Apollo and euerie one hated
Catholike which is a Gréeke word and signifieth no other thing than if thou shouldst saie vniuersall for that it is not bound more to one place than to an other But euen as God is a God of the whole vniuersall world euen so will he that the bodie of his sonne which is his church should be extended into euerie place With him there is no exception of persons neither had he respect whether those which he calleth into his church be either husbandmen or smithes men or women princes or seruants rich or poore barbarous citizens or Gentils as though he were moued for these outward things to choose them but of euerie nation he chooseth those whome he thinketh méet Wherefore the church is an vniuersall bodie compacted of men of euerie kind and condition But it excelleth also in a nobler societie which is of such sort as whosoeuer be truelie gathered togither into that bodie be indued with the same féeling of faith And vndoubtedlie in vaine shall euerie other consent be if minds disagrée in the doctrine of faith Neither is there euer anie thing that bringeth more detriment vnto this faith than the inuentions of men From hense haue flowed all the heresies that euer were which in verie déed are nothing else but the opinions of men conceiued besides the meaning of the scriptures and sowen abroad among diuers people as if they were certeine diuine mysteries which bring saluation or else works most acceptable vnto God And forsomuch as such doctrines are nothing else but deuises of men by which the authours of them haue sought their owne gaine and commoditie first they be méere lies deceipts and wicked iuglings secondlie when as they procéed from the inuentions of men they cannot satisfie all men For looke how manie men so manie sundrie opinions there be so that some dissent in one article of the faith and some in another So in verie déed it happened among the Gréekes and other Christians which inhabit towards the East part whome if thou examine thou shalt vndoubtedlie find that by a common consent they haue allowed the holie scriptures but in those sundrie superstitions the which they haue oftentimes deuised there will appeare great disagréement The Roman church aboundeth with superstitions 38 Howbeit in these deuises of superstitions the church of Rome carrieth awaie the price For while they prouide to stuffe into the pure and simple religion of Christ infinit abhominations drawne out of the sinkes of paganisme in restoring and as they saie or rather as they lie in reforming them to a better forme it hath troden vnder foote and destroied all things Also this it obstinatelie vrgeth that euerie mans faith dooth rest in such goodlie things And mens inuentions are more estéemed than the lawfull doctrine of the truth drawne out of the holie fountaines of the scriptures And this might not others which in like maner be infected with their owne superstitions abide that they anie lesse than the Romans should stoutlie kéepe still and defend their fained worshippings and humane inuentions But they which haue imbraced the principall and sincere doctrine of Christ be vtter enimies against those superstitions séeing they perceiue that thereby the glorie of Christ and his merits are altogither obscured the honour of God translated vnto his creatures his seruice vsed without his word set foorth onelie after the deuise of men so that the church which at this daie challengeth proudlie vnto it selfe alone the name of Catholike shée alone I saie more than others hath seuered and euen rent in sunder that common and vniuersall societie of the faithfull For if it had staid it selfe in that religion and seruice which the holie scriptures doo prescribe vnto vs there had not procéeded so manie schismes from thence But hitherto it hath vsed no measure of hir owne feined deuises and it hath endeuored by force armes to constraine euerie man to receiue the same From hence haue risen infinit dissentions amongst which there be some that remaine vnto this daie as experience it selfe plainlie testifieth And as touching those that haue béene in the former ages whosoeuer will diligentlie applie his mind in reading of histories shall easilie perceiue them Howbeit whatsoeuer sathan by his cunning The Catholike church standeth fast hath wrought the Catholike church remaineth still stedfast and immooueable and shall firmelie abide euen vntill the last daie of iudgement For the same betokeneth nothing else but an vniuersall bodie compact togither of men of euerie state and condition the which in what parts soeuer of the earth they dwell they reteine the same faith and grace righteousnesse holinesse and happinesse and finallie they imbrace euerie good thing offered them in Christ and so as they will neuer suffer themselues one iot to be led from that truth which the spirit of God hath reuealed to vs in the holie scriptures but they will assure themselues of that onelie worshipping to be lawfull and acceptable vnto GOD which hée hath prescribed in those holie scriptures 39 Neither are they for anie other end compacted togither in this societie A communion of the church but spirituall but that they should edifie one an other to their power euen as the ioining togither that is in the members of a mans bodie is chéeflie ordeined for the helpe and preseruation of euerie particular member The church striueth not to the intent it might challenge vnto it selfe some chéefe empire or temporall iurisdiction it promiseth no such end vnto it selfe as it would heape vp excéeding treasures and earthlie riches The scope thereof is not to rule nations to make warres to laie hold vpon cities What weapons the church hath and to vanquish them Indéed this bodie is not destitute of his weapons but these be spirituall and not carnall weapons namelie the word and the spirit with the which it ouercommeth the wisedome of man casteth it to the ground leadeth captiue the mind and cogitation to the obedience of Christ And the same vndoubtedlie oppresseth not the bodies with tyrannicall seruitude or draweth awaie mens goods by gréeuous tributes This selfe-same doctrine dooth Paule in verie manie words inculcate in his later epistle to the Corinthians 1. Cor. 10 4. where he verie well describeth the wrestlings of this congregation and he in the same epistle intreating there of his owne and of other of the apostles authoritie saith that The same was granted vnto him to edifie and not to destroie Vnto the which notwithstanding they doo singularlie bend themselues which will alone be called heads and apostles of the church Howbeit in the meane time with all their power they resist the word of God Neither doo they suffer the perfect state of our iustification to be preached but rather by their humane decrées and constitutions laie infinite snares against the miserable soules of the people committed to them the which notwithstanding are redéemed by the pretious bloud of Christ And yet further they pollute with their
also As often as ye shall doo these things ye shall doo them in remembrance of me when as neuertheles they haue appointed to eat and drinke it alone And doubtlesse manie other things speake they secretlie and openlie in the Masse as though manie did communicate or should communicate when as the sacrificer meaneth to doo the same alone by himselfe Indéed a lie is shamefull alwaies but then most shamefull of all when it is committed in holie things and before the Lord. 26 But what shall we speake of their applications They protest that they may at their owne pleasure applie to the quicke and dead those sacrifices which they make Abac. 2 4. Eze. 18 26. But the scripture testifieth that euerie man is iustified by his owne faith and that all persons in their owne righteousnesse or vnrighteousnes shall either die or liue But they saie otherwise namelie that they be able to helpe with their Masses both quicke and dead If they would attribute this vnto praiers We may helpe others by our praiers to wit that they would teach it to be lawfull for them by their praiers to helpe the necessitie of others they might haue béene borne with but when they affirme that the worke it selfe namelie of the Masse hath such vertue and strength in it as it may be a helpe to all kind of men that may not in anie wise be doon Adde also that Masses be manie times celebrated to the honor of some saints which thing vndoubtedlie is most strange from the truth For Christ instituted his supper to the end it should be a remembrance of his owne death and not a commemoration of other saints I speake not how it commonlie commeth to passe that there is nothing found certeine of those saints whom there they worship The liues of manie of the saints are falslie written The liues of them are obscure and oftentimes full of fables and fainings of poets Also therin are placed certeine yea verie manie strange rites ridiculous signs and garments not vsed the signification of which things are vtterlie vnknowen not onelie to the standers by but euen the sacrificers them selues if they should be demanded what the matter meant could not tell what answer to make Wherfore either they answer nothing at all or else if they would faine saie somewhat they alledge not the same things but diuerslie disagrée one from another Whereby thou maist easilie gather that there is no truth in their words So as faith hath no place in those things which they doo in their Masse séeing it hath place there onelie where Gods word offereth it selfe to vs. 27 And that they cannot cleare themselues In the masse images are worshipped but that they offend in the crime of idolatrie the images testifie wherevnto they turning themselues doo celebrate their most vnpure seruices For in their Masses they are not satisfied by looking vpon images but they cense them knéele before them and finallie doo vnto them all maner of honor which should be shewed vnto God alone And bicause as I haue declared before they dare affirme that the Masse hath I knowe not what affinitie with the institution of Christ it shall not be from the purpose and it may easilie be doone if we consider the tokens to shew that the old Ethniks may with much better probabilitie excuse and plead for their sacrifices than these men may defend their Masses For the sacrifices of nations did lesse differ from the maner of sacrificing which the fathers had before the lawe and which God allowed in his lawe than these doo differ in their Masse from that supper which Christ appointed and the euangelists and Paule the apostle taught There on both sides was inuocation of God a temple an altar sacrifices priests killing sheding of bloud salt wine oile meale a holie banket religious garments washings fumigations continuall fire singing oracles and such like which would be too long to rehearse Let the popish sacrificers shew vs if they can in their Masse as manie things that can agrée with those which Christ did in his holie supper But if so be they cannot let them then thinke that their Masse doth no more agrée with the celebration of the Lords supper than the rites of the idolaters accorded with the legall sacrifices Let them cease therefore frō dandling that little daughter of theirs and say no more that it ought to be taken for the institution of Christ and of his apostles I will speake little of the yéerelie obits and funerals of the dead which be so often frequented whereof God gaue no commandement By it they establish purgatorie whereof the holie scriptures haue made no mention Furthermore this is most of all from pietie that in their Masse they powre out their praiers vnto saints alreadie departed out of this life Finallie all the things wherwith they there busie themselues they make a market of yea they sell them they bargaine and set them out to most shamefull gaine Wherfore we had néed to take verie great héed least while we doo desire to worship God and haue him mercifull vnto vs we by hearing of Masses prouoke him not excéedinglie vnto wrath 28 The superstitious sort procéed and by the example of Naaman the Syrian would prooue that it is permitted them to be present at most corrupt Masses 2. Kin. 6 18. Naaman praied Elizaeus the prophet that if he bowed his knée in the temple of the idoll when the king who leaned his hand on his shoulder should so doo he would earnestlie craue of God mercie forgiuenes for him To whom Elizaeus onelie answered Go in peace These fellowes ought to consider with themselues whether they onelie and alone haue read and séene the discourse of this historie I thinke not Looke par 3 pl. 11. art 8. For the holie martyrs in the old church were studious daie and night in the holie scriptures so as these examples were not hidden from them And what cause was there then that they would not followe such an example and that with the losse of their life Those ancient champions and pillers of our faith sawe no doubt that which our aduersaries make no account of among themselues namelie that the same Naaman which is obiected against vs was newlie conuerted vnto the true God and was yet a nouice who also was not yet prouided to renounce both his substance and himselfe also but after a sort desired to retaine his old place and dignitie about the king The which if he should obteine Naaman knew that fact of his to be blameable and offensiue he sawe that it might easilie be that he should fall into that sinne which he declared vnto the holie prophet But when he had verie well vnderstood that it was not agréeable to true godlines he required praiers and intercession of the true God whereby he falling through weaknes might haue his fault forgiuen him Otherwise there is none which néed to aske pardon of
sacrificing priests and monks séeking after gaine doo spread abroad manie things altogither false which were neuer anie where doone or spoken But whie the elders as we haue aboue said signed their forehead with a crosse it is no easie matter to alledge the certeine cause Before in art 14. But I thinke that there were two respects first to testifie themselues to be Christians as though they were not ashamed of the crosse of Christ And this I gather by Augustine De verbis apostoli the eight sermon for the Ethniks triumphed ouer the Christians casting their follie in their téeth bicause they worshipped Christ that was nailed on the crosse To whom that father maketh answer A hart in déed we haue but yet no such as ye haue neither are we ashamed of him that was crucified but in that part where the signe of shamefastnesse is there haue we the signe of his crosse An other cause is that they would of a certeine euill and preposterous zeale imitate the legall ceremonies and bicause it might not be lawfull after the comming of Christ to sacrifice after the maner of the Hebrues Exod. 12 22 who were bidden to besprinkle the doore-posts of their houses with the blood of the paschall lambe our Christians in semblance thereof signed their foreheads with the crosse As Augustine dooth testifie in the 20. chapter De catechizandis rudibus Moreouer they persuaded themselues as it is alreadie shewed that the euill spirits were by such a signe chased awaie Yea and Gregorius Romanus also in his third booke of Dialogs writeth A wonderfull historie of a Iew that came by night into the temple of the idols that A Iew entering by night into a temple of an idoll there to take his rest and being greatlie astonished with the sight of verie manie wicked spirits which were in that place armed himselfe by the signe of the crosse And when the prince of the euill spirits vnderstood that a man was present he commanded one of the diuels that he should go vnto him and trie him what he was Who after he had beheld him returned and said Trulie I found an emptie vessell but it was marked and he left the Iew quite and cleane without anie harme Which thing he considering with himselfe came to the religion of Christ But Gregorie in that booke heaped vp togither manie vaine fabulous things the which not onlie may mooue the readers of them vnto laughter but also they are verie much against the religion of Christ The signe of the crosse is worne by princes vpon their crownes without superstition bicause by that signe they onelie testifie and professe that they honor and mainteine the religion of Christ Further if it be lawfull for a man to beare in armes the badge of his owne familie it is also lawfull for him by the signe of the crosse to professe Christian religion The signe of the crosse appeered vnto Constantine And in times past there appeared in heauen the signe of the crosse vnto Constantine the great and an inscription was added In this signe shalt thou ouercome For God was minded by a miracle to cōfirme him in the religion of Christ which he had latelie receiued Neither may he be condemned for that he caused that signe to be expressed in the banner which he ment to vse But that he afterward made such a maner of signe in gold that I allow not bicause by the dooing thereof he opened no small gap to superstition Concerning the finding of the Lords owne crosse by Helen wise men maruell that Eusebius Caesariensis who was verie familiar with Constantine and set foorth his life wrote nothing of it But Theodoretus Sozomenus indéed write somwhat of that matter Howbeit rather of the report of others than by the certeintie of their owne knowledge Yet in the reading of that historie there is found no mention of worshipping neuerthelesse it is said that it was placed in the temple Moreouer what great estimation Helen made of the nailes which the report is that she found it appéereth in that it is written that she put one of them in the bridle of that horsse which hir sonne vsed an other into his helmet and the third she cast into the sea for appeasing of tempests The speare which pearsed Christs side At this daie also they worship and honour at Rome with singular adoration the speare wherewithall they saie the Lords side was pearsed vpon the crosse This is the wilinesse of the diuell that he may perpetuallie driue men forward till at length they be throwne downe headlong into the bottomlesse gulfe of impietie An other obiection 21 Our aduersaries blame vs as being ouer hard and bitter and they saie If one walking by chance shall espie a faire plant not onelie gréene but loden with fruit and he being inflamed with an earnest affection towards the most bountifull goodnesse of God and féeling his mind stirred to worship God the author of so beautifull a worke what should let but that he may prostrate himselfe néere vnto that pleasant trée and there worship God and render thanks vnto him for his singular benefits bestowed on men Nothing as I thinke So in like maner if one shall behold the image of Christ and is earnestlie affected to the benefit of Christ his death wherefore may he not worship Christ the author of his life néere vnto the same Héerevnto I answer that the word of God must alwaies be before our eies whereby it is forbidden for religion sake to prostrate before a creature This ought to remaine alwais firme and sure and to be in force that neither we prostrate our selues vnto a trée nor yet vnto an image Neither is it lawfull to excuse these things by saieng that they doo not worship the outward matter neither the figure nor the lineaments What then doo they honour They saie they honour the thing signified So might the Ethniks likewise haue excused their idolatrie that they did not worship stones wood and metall but onelie the properties which were represented by those signes The epistle of Symmachus of restoring images confuted by Ambrose Verelie Symmachus wrote an epistle to the emperours that they would at length restore the images of the Romans and there he vseth such and such like arguments verie Rhetoricallie but Ambrose most stronglie hath confuted them all The writings on both parts are yet at this daie to be séene in the epistles of Ambrose God commanded absolutelie that images should not be worshipped wherefore we must rather obey his words than the subtill sophistications of men Augustine vpon the 113. psalme wrote this argument By the iudgement of Paule it is said Rom. 1 25. They turned the glorie and truth of GOD into a lie and they desired rather to worship the creature than the creator The first part of Pauls saieng condemneth images bicause they be lies which are repugnant vnto the truth and glorie of God and the other
Lord is verie méet and fit for him 8 For first as touching his diuine nature it cannot be doubted but that in the old testament God manie times is called Lord as he that is far aboue all things séeing he is the maker of them Christ is Lord also euen according to his humane nature And this title also perteineth vnto man who in the person of him of whom we intreat was vnited with God bicause he being cléere from all sinne was replenished with all good If anie such therefore were in this world as there neuer was besides him anie would he not séeme to be adorned with those gifts for the which the name of Lord might dulie agrée vnto him Euen so indéed it séemeth to me that when as a man is frée from sinne he is by no meanes a seruant The first seruitude entered into the world by sinne and he that is indued with diuine properties out of doubt is able to helpe others Hereof it commeth that lords and they that are rulers ouer others if they be lawfullie called are not preferred to be aboue others for anie other end but bicause they should not be hurtfull vnto their subiects and that they being void of all vice may be so armed with strength and fortitude as they should be able to succour all those which be vnder their subiection Christ was free from sinne Matt. 1 18. That Christ was vndoubtedlie without sinne I suppose it néedlesse to prooue vnto anie séeing as Matthew beareth record He was conceiued by the holie Ghost that by this means he might be frée from originall sinne The which also is manifest in that he liuing among vs neuer sinned And Peter writeth 1. Pet. 2 22. Esai 58 9. that He did no sinne To whom agréeth Paule when he saith He that knew no sinne 2. Cor. 5 21. for our sakes became sinne Iohn Baptist also shewed him to his disciples as the most pure lambe of GOD Iohn 1 29. which should take awaie the sinnes of the world For it was méet for him to be pure and without all blemish as a sacrifice that should be offered vp vnto God Further the heauenlie father not without miracle testified with his owne voice that he was well pleased in him that is to saie that he was innocent and pure from all fault sith this is an acceptable thing vnto God And who doubteth but that he was adorned with diuine properties Col. 1 15. Séeing Paule vnto the Colossians calleth him The image of the inuisible God bicause he truelie expresseth him and all things that be in him in such sort as there neuer hath béene nor now is nor hereafter shall be anie sonne more perfectlie resembling his father than Christ Iesus did Wherefore of all vs he is called as well God as man Christ the onelie sonne of God And we confesse him to be the onelie sonne of God as he that in diuine nature hath no other brethren insomuch as he is the onelie word of God He is the onelie word of God of which we now speake And among men though he haue manie brethren by adoption he may iustlie be called Onlie for the heape that he hath of the well pleasing graces of God and bicause of the image and similitude of the eternall father Méet therefore it is that he be called Lord as well for that he is without sinne as for the heape that he hath of diuine gifts 9 I let passe this that he which paieth ransome to redéeme a captiue is his Lord. Which thing that Christ did for vs wretches and bondslaues of sinne and satan none that be faithfull ought to doubt séeing Paule both to the Romans and Ephesians affirmeth Rom. 3 25. Epes 1 7. that We haue obteined remission of sinnes namelie by his bloud which he hath plentifullie and liberallie shed for vs vpon the crosse So therfore he must of good right be called our Lord. Furthermore there is a custome receiued by long vse among lawfull sonnes of kings and princes Christ is the first begotten sonne that the first begotten sonne obteineth the Lordship among his yoonger brethren Which thing is not doubtfull vnto them which haue read either the holie or prophane histories or else which haue in verie déed vnderstood what is the maner of gouerning in kingdomes and segniories of the world Rom. 8 14. Gal. 4 7. And vnto the Romans and Galathians it is plainlie shewed that All the faithfull be the children of God Vnto the Romans it is written that His spirit testifieth with our spirit Rom. 8 16. that we be the children of God And vnto the Galathians it is said Gal. 4 6. Bicause ye be the sonnes of God he hath sent into your harts the spirit of his sonne For this cause all we that beléeue be now brethren bicause of that diuine adoption but among all Christ is the first begotten we as we read vnto the Romans being made like vnto the image of his sonne Rom. 8 29. that he might be the first begotten among manie brethren 1. Cor. 1 3 and well neere in all epistles Let vs not maruell therefore if Paule in his epistles for the most part calleth God Father and further comming vnto Christ calleth him Lord. Which maner also the church hath reteined when as in our praiers we ascribe all vnto GOD for Christ our Lords sake as well that which we doo desire as that which we haue obteined But séeing now that after the declaration of those things which were proposed the principalitie of Iesus Christ is so manifest which of vs can abide himselfe to be brought into the power of anie tyrant from such a Lord who also is our brother Which I saie of vs refusing this so notable a capteine will betake himselfe to his enimies alreadie conquered and put to flight by him when as they be mortall enimies to our selues Shall there be found anie that will shake off the yoke of so bountifull a Lord to submit himselfe vnto him that wisheth nothing more than to destroie both bodie and soule For my part I thinke there can be none found among them which haue tasted the swéetnesse of so acceptable a Lordship whereof Christ made mention Matt. 11 30 when he said My yoke is easie and my burthen is light This subiection is voluntarie as the prophet if we haue a consideration vnto the Hebrue truth declareth in the 110. psalme wherein it is said vnto Messias Psal 110 3. Thy people dooth worship thee of their owne accord Rom. 6 14. And the apostle also saith Ye be no more vnder the lawe but vnder grace Wherefore all the charge and burthen of this principalitie was laid vpon the shoulders not of vs but of Iesus Christ as it was foretold of him by Esaie the prophet Esaie 9. Vpon his shoulders shall he beare the souereigntie or rule Note that the prophet saith not that his souereigntie shall
most assured that he cannot be iustified But the holie scriptures teach far otherwise for they set foorth vnto vs the example of Abraham Rom. 4 18. A man being iustified doubteth not of his iustification how that He contrarie to hope beleeued in hope and that he when now he was well-néere an hundred yéeres of age had no regard either to the barrenesse of his owne bodie or else vnto the wombe of Sara being past child-bearing that he stood not in a mamering through distrust but was by faith confirmed and most certeinelie persuaded that God was able to performe whatsoeuer he had promised This example teacheth vs that we ought not to haue regard vnto those things which either may or séeme to hinder our iustification but out faith ought vtterlie to be fixed in the words and promises of GOD. But contrariwise these men will call vs backe to our owne indispositions as they call them and will haue vs therefore alwaies to be in doubt of our iustification Indéed we ought not to dissemble whatsoeuer imperfection or fault is in vs and that bicause it may be daily corrected amended yet ought we not therefore to be in doubt and wauering touching our iustification and the grace of God 47 Now haue we to prooue the second proposition A confirmation that we are iustified by faith namelie that a man is iustified by faith which we intend first to prooue by testimonies of the holie scriptures Paule in the 1. chapter of the epistle to the Romans defineth the Gospell that It is the power of GOD to saluation to euery one that beleeueth Rom 1 16. In these words is touched the efficient cause of our iustification namelie The power of God and the end which is Our saluation and also the instrument whereby it is receiued namelie Faith for he addeth Vnto euerie one that beleeueth And this he confirmeth by a testimonie of Abacuke the prophet Abac. 2 4. in which sentence he was so much delighted that he vseth it both to the Galathians Gala. 3 11. Heb. 10 38. and also to the Hebrues in the selfe-same sense He addeth moreouer The wrath of God was reuealed from heauen Rom. 1 18. by reason of the knowledge of the philosophers which did with-hold the truth of God in vnrighteousnes and who at such time as they knew God glorified him not as God but fell to the worshipping of idols But contrariwise Ibid. 17. in the Gospell is reuealed the righteousnes of God namelie that righteousnes whereby men are iustified from faith to faith which phrase of speach we haue in his due place sufficientlie expounded Vpon the third chapter Now is the righteousnesse of God saith he made manifest without the lawe Rom. 3 21. the righteousnesse I saie of God by the faith of Iesus Christ in all and vpon all them which beleeue in him And a little afterward Wherefore being iustified freelie by his grace Ibid. 24. by the redemption that is in Christ Iesus whome God hath set foorth to be a reconciliation through faith in his bloud Here also is not onelie shewed the grace by which God fréelie iustifieth vs but also Christ and his death is set foorth that it may manifestlie appéere that he is the reconciliator and the mediator Wherevnto is added faith whereby we receiue the fruit of his redemption for the setting foorth also of his righteousnes in this time that he himselfe might be iust iustifieng him which is of the faith of Iesus Christ If men could by their works get vnto themselues righteousnes the righteousnes of God should not then in such sort be declared but séeing we perceiue it is communicated to vs by faith without anie preparation of works it must néeds séeme vnto vs verie great And amongst other things which God requireth of men this is the chéefest that they should not anie thing glorie of themselues But if iustificatiō consist of works men might boast of their own trauell indeuor but seing we are fréelie iustified by faith there is no place left for boasting Wherfore Paule saith Thy boasting is excluded By what lawe Rom. 3 27. By the lawe of works No but by the lawe of faith Wherefore he concludeth after this maner verse 28. We iudge that a man is iustified by faith without works And that we should not thinke that proposition to be particular he declareth that it is vniuersall verse 29. God saith he is he the God of the Iewes onlie Is he not also the God of the Gentils Yes of the Gentils also for it is one God which iustifieth vncircumcision through faith and circumcision by faith Wherefore euen as there is but one God ouer all men so iustifieth he all men by one and the selfe-same waie Rom. 4. 48 And in the fourth chapter he saith But vnto him that worketh not but beleeueth in him which iustifieth the wicked faith is imputed vnto him vnto righteousnes By this sentence both works are excluded and also faith is set foorth by which is imputed righteousnes vnto men And straitwaie he addeth of Abraham that He is the father of all them that beleeue Ibid. 11. being vncircumcised that it might also be imputed vnto them and that he is the father of circumcision not onelie vnto them which are of circumcision but also vnto them which walke in the steps of faith which was in the vncircumcision of Abraham our father Afterward by the nature of the promise he sheweth that iustification is by faith Ibid. 13. for he saith By the lawe was not the promise made vnto Abraham and vnto his seed to be the heire of the world but by the righteousnes of faith for if those which are of the lawe should be heires then should faith be abolished and the promise made void In these words are two excellent things to be noted The first is that the promise is frée neither it is ioined with the condition of works and therefore séeing faith as a correlatiue is referred vnto the promise it must néeds followe that it is such as the promise is and therefore it hath a respect vnto the promise by it selfe and not to the condition of our vntowardnesse or indisposition as the holie Fathers of Trent doo teach The second is that if the inheritance and righteousnes should depend of that condition of works then had there béene no néed of the promise for men might haue said Why is that fréelie promised vnto vs which we maie claime vnto our selues by our owne endeuour and labour Or why is it so necessarie that we should beléeue séeing by our owne works we can atteine vnto righteousnes Afterward Paule addeth the finall cause why iustification commeth by faith By grace saith he that the promise might be firme verse 17. for if by our owne works and preparations we could be iustified the promise should alwaies be vnstedfast neither could we appoint anie certeintie of it Afterward
which are found in the holie scriptures but onlie is a certeine vehement confidence wherby we certeinlie beléeue that God will doo this miracle or that miracle Chrysost Of this faith Chrysostome interpreteth Paule in this place And to th' end that of this distinction either part might haue a peculiar name the one they call The faith of doctrine The faith of doctrine and faith of miracles the other The faith of signs and miracles And vnto this latter faith Chrysostome applieth these words If ye haue faith as a graine of mustard seed Matt. 17 19. ye shall saie vnto this mountaine Get thee hence and hurle thy selfe into the sea and it shall be done Neither vndoubtedlie can it be denied but that there is such a kind of faith for Paule in the 22. chapter of the first epistle to the Corinthians verse 8. when he rehearseth vp the frée gifts which the holie Ghost distributeth vnto euerie man as pleaseth him thus writeth Vnto one is by the spirit giuen the word of wisedome and to another the word of knowledge by the same spirit and to an other is giuen faith by the same spirit and to an other the gifts of healing by the same spirit Here we sée that amongst the frée gifts of the holie Ghost is reckoned faith and that in the third place the which Paule would not haue spoken of the generall faith wherby we are iustified And if we diligentlie peise these things we shall sée that Paule kéepeth the selfe-same order in the 13. verse 2. chapter of the 1. to the Corinthians For as here in the first place he putteth the word of wisdome so there he putteth prophesieng and as here in this second place he putteth knowledge so there also in the selfe-same place he putteth knowledge and as here so also there he putteth faith in the third place and as here the gift of healings and of miracles followeth faith so doth it there the remoouing of mountaines And therefore those things which Paule hath spoken of a particular faith ought not to be wrested to the vniuersall and iustifieng faith for that is to make a false argument which they call A secundum quid ad simpliciter to wit A paralogisme From that which is in some respect vnto that which is absolutelie As if a man should saie This faith may be separated from iustification which is called faith Secundum quid to wit in some respect Ergo the true faith and the iustifieng faith which is called faith Simpliciter that is absolutelie maie be separated from iustification If a man should so compare two seuerall kinds that he will ascribe one and the selfe-same propertie vnto either of them he shall soone be deceiued 57 But Pighius sawe that by this easie and plaine exposition all his reasoning might be ouerthrowen and therefore he went about to wrest it out of our hands forgetting in the meane time that the author and patrone thereof is Chrysostome And to infringe it he vseth this argument Paule manifestlie saith All faith Ibidem wherefore we may not vnderstand it of anie singular faith For the Apostle maketh an vniuersall proposition But this man ought to know Vniuersall propositions must be streitned vnto that matter at that time intreated of that vniuersall propositions are to be streictned abridged vnto that matter whereof the words are meant and spoken And although this might be declared by manie examples yet at this present onlie one shall suffice vs. Paule in that selfe-same epistle vnto the Corinthians the 1. chapter saith that He giueth thanks vnto God for them that they were enriched in all kind of speach and in all knowledge And it is not verie likelie that they were by the spirit of Christ indued with naturall philosophie with metaphysicall and mathematicall knowledge with knowledge of the lawe and with other liberall sciences but onlie with all knowledge which should perteine vnto pietie and vnto the gospell Neither is it likelie that they by the power of the holie Ghost were adorned with all kind of Rhetoricall Logicall Poeticall and Historicall speaches but onelie with those which should perteine vnto the edification of the church with sound doctrine godlie admonitions Wherefore propositions although they be vniuersall yet are they not alwaies to be vnderstood simplie but ought sometimes to be abridged vnto the matter which at that time is entreated of So likewsie that which Paule saith If I haue all faith we vnderstand of all that faith which serueth vnto the working of miracles And that in this sort they must be taken of necessitie the words following doo declare for Paule straitwaie addeth So that I can remooue mountains Chrysostome also saith Chrysost that He in that vniuersalitie sawe that this particular sentence is of necessitie to be vnderstood for he saith that It may be doubted how Christ saith that to remooue mountains a little faith is sufficient which is in smallnes of quantitie resembled to a graine of mustard séed when as Paule saith If I haue all faith so that I can remooue mountains as though to bring that to passe is required a woonderfull great faith He thus expoundeth the question and saith that Christ spake of the truth and nature of the thing for the gift of faith although it be neuer so small sufficeth to worke miracles be they neuer so great But Paule had a respect vnto the common opinion and iudgement of men for they when they looke vpon the greatnes and hugenes of a mountaine thinke that it cannot be remooued without a certeine incredible efficacie and greatnes of faith Neither helpeth it much Pighius his cause that Erasmus making answer vnto the Sorbonicall doctors Erasmus reiecteth this our interpretation For first his reason is verie weake and secondlie false for he saith that The purpose of the apostle was to praise charitie by comparison But what praise should that be saith he if it should be compared with faith which is one of the frée gifts of the holie Ghost and may light as well vpon the wicked as vpon the godlie For he should but coldlie praise a man which would saie that he is better than a dog or a beare First this is false that Paule compareth not charitie with frée gifts of God for he maketh mention of prophesieng of knowledge and of the gift of toongs and preferreth charitie before them Secondlie it is weake that he saith that if our interpretations be receiued the apostle should compare charitie onlie with frée gifts for we confes that toward the end he compareth it with the true faith For Paule saith There are three things faith hope and charitie but the chiefest is charitie And he bringeth a reason why For it abideth and the other shall cease Further it is a full comparison if as we haue said we begin at the frée gifts and so afterward come in order to the vertues Theologicall yea rather by that that
idolatrie is committed The fellowes of Daniel Dan. 3 3. Were not the felowes of Daniel present in the field hauing now obteined high offices and dignities when the golden image of the king was with great pompe erected Present no doubt they were but they worshipped not the same and they were bold constantlie to saie vnto the king that they would neuer worship it Also there was present a man of God at the seruice of Ieroboam 1. Kin. 13 1. A man of God present at the seruice of Ieroboam Act. 17 23. when the king himselfe offered incense to the golden calues but he being sent from God came thither and reprooued and detested that which was doone adding those threatnings which the Lord commanded him to speake Paule also entred into the temple of the gods at Athens certeinlie not to the intent he would allow of the idolatrous rites but bicause he might thereby picke out an argument and occasion of confuting idolatrie Valentinianus also led Iulian euen vnto the temple but there he gaue a blowe vnto the prelate of the temple Valentinian which sprinkled his gowne with vnpure water for the purifieng of him after the Ethniks maner Further all the arguments which Paule prescribed vnto the Corinthians touching the sitting downe at the feasts of idols 1. Co. 10 14 and of eating of meat dedicated vnto idols doo reprooue this boldnesse of making semblance and of giuing offense to them that stand by And so doo those reasons which be declared vnto the Romans for repressing of them which were ouer strong and bold Rom. 14 1. who for meat and drinke sake offended the weaker sort through a hurtfull libertie Vnto Eleazar one of the principall Scribes a man of verie great honour and estimation among the Hebrues 1. Macha 6 verse 18. 19 c. Eleazar licence was giuen that he eating some other kind of flesh should make shew as though he did eate swines flesh which thing he vtterlie refused to doo saieng that To feigne as though he did eat things forbidden was all one as if he should eate them indéed 15 Besides this I admonish the readers that they weigh well the holie historie that it sheweth not whether Naaman either did or did not that which he feared he should doo and therefore no argument can be taken of his fact Further if he had doone it it followeth not therevpon that he did it orderlie rightlie iustlie wiselie and godlie Let vs rather account as we said before that he in that fact acknowledged his fault the which should haue néed of pardon and forgiuenesse There is nothing therefore that by this example men can excuse their comming vnto vnpure Masses séeing Naaman himselfe desireth of the prophet that this sinne may be forgiuen him It might be also that Naaman being holpen by the godlie and holie intercession of the prophet turned home so well confirmed as he did no more bow his knées before the idoll Rimmon We must weigh herein the answer of the prophet 2. Kin. 5 19. Moreouer I thinke that this ought to be most diligentlie marked that the prophet did not answer him Go thy waies so doo thou the Lord will be mercifull vnto thee but he onelie said Go thy waies in peace which is all one as if he had promised that he would aid him with his praiers according as he had desired But they saie If that were sinne into the which he feared he should fall why did not Elizaeus reprooue him Why did he not warne him that he should diligentlie beware of such an offense Some answer that this man was not yet to haue béene iustlie blamed and that according to the word of the Lord The smoking flaxe should not haue beene extinguished Esaie 42 3. and the shaken reed broken And that manie things also ought for a time to be licenced to the weaker sort which should not be granted vnto the stronger They feigne in like maner that Naaman went to reteine the worshipping of idols with the true and sound religion 2. Kin. 5 19. and that the prophet commended his godlines towards Iehouah tollerated his outward bowing before the god Rimmon but yet would not allow of the same Howbeit I iudge neither of these saiengs to be true for the weake sort must not be borne with How far foorth the weaker sort must be borne withall vnlesse it be as touching Adiaphora that is things indifferent but in those things which be vtterlie against the lawe of God and be verie sinnes in déed nothing can be dispensed vnto them by men Further the mind of Naaman was not to reteine still the worshipping of idols séeing he testified vnto Elizaeus that he would thence forward sacrifice vnto Iehouah onelie and not to anie strange gods And thus I had rather saie that the prophet would not reproue Naaman bicause he perceiued him not ignorant that the same was sinne for the which he made request Wherefore séeing he knew it he was not to be taught but rather to be comforted to be strengthned as concerning the helpe of God And where as he said Go in peace it séemeth that he promised him not to be without the helpe of God the which should preserue him from so gréeuous a fall So then in speaking after that sort he both promised to make praiers for him also foreshewed that he himselfe should be heard least that Naaman might fall 16 Moreouer séeing the Nicodemites haue nothing out of this place they shew themselues greatlie to be laughed at The Nicodemites shew themselues to be yong soldiers when they will be accounted Naamanites who being in their own iudgment strong wise would be compared to Naaman the Syrian but newlie conuerted vnto God whereas they rather declare themselues by this reason to be yoong soldiers If they are to be accounted yoong soldiers let them remember that souldiers of this order will not alwaies abide in that state but doo aspire to higher and better degrées But when I beséech you will these men laie awaie their apprentiship Verelie neuer if they continue alwaies in dissimulation and togither with the knowledge of the truth be present at Masses and corrupt worshipping of God Neither are we to passe ouer that in armies they vse to spare rawe soldiers for they are not placed where the greatest dangers be but these men will be in the midst of the flames séeing they ioine themselues with idolaters A similitude and are not afraid to be present at their corrupt worshippings Euen as in buildings the weake stuffe that is certeine brickle stones and weake timber is not placed there where much weight must be borne so weake men and they that fall on euerie side ought diligentlie to auoid a dangerous station Let them saie which of these they will it is in their choise whether they will be old soldiers of experience or els yoong soldiers not yet trained If they be old soldiers
such other like Men thinke that aduersities be a token of Gods wrath towards vs Chrysost For whatsoeuer aduersitie happeneth we thinke the same to be a token of Gods wrath towards vs when as he neuertheles of a singular loue suffereth vs to be afflicted Chrysostome noted that Paule rehearsed not things light and of small force For he left vntouched couetousnes of monie ambition of honors desire of reuenge and pleasures forbidden which things are woont to drawe backward euen those men that be constant but he reckoneth vp things horrible and most gréeuous and which are wont easilie to ouercome nature For in these words he comprehendeth those things which commonlie happen in a life most hard and most bitter as prisonments burnings bonds tearings in sunder and such like things And he vseth an interrogation thereby to signifie a stedfast assurance And the words which he vseth are not placed by chance or at all aduentures but with singular working of the holie Ghost The first word is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is Affliction deriued of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which signifieth To breake or to presse vehementlie An artificiall comparing of words for things that be well made are wont to be first broken or brused And afterward the euill is increased then cōmeth 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is Anguish where things are brought to so narrowe a streict that a man cannot tell what counsell to take or which waie to turne himselfe Then outwardlie commeth Persecution which dooth spoile a man of his fréends Afterward followe Hunger and nakednes for men when they be compelled to flie awaie haue then great want of things necessarie And then is added Perill so that men come also into danger of their life And bicause nothing should want at the last is added the Sword All these things saith the apostle haue no such strength as they can persuade the elect that they are not beloued of God These discommodities of the godlie Paule setteth foorth in the latter epistle vnto the Corinthians the fourth chapter verse 9. for thus he writeth I thinke that God hath declared vs the last apostles as men appointed vnto death For we are made a gazing stocke vnto the world and to the angels and vnto men We are fooles for Christ his sake but ye are wise through Christ We are weake and ye are strong We are despised and ye are honoured Vnto this houre we both hunger and thirst and are naked and are buffeted and haue no certeine dwelling places and labour working with our hands We are reuiled and yet we blesse we are persecuted and suffer we are ill spoken of and we praie And in the latter epistle to the Corinthians 2. Co. 11 23. In prisons aboue measure in labours more aboundantlie c. And vnto Timothie 2. Tim. 3 2. They which will liue godlie in Christ Iesus shall suffer persecution And manie such other like sentences are euerie where to be found in the holie scriptures Augustine De doctrina christiana Augustine Erasmus and Erasmus in his annotations declare that that place excelleth in weight of matter and ornaments of Rhetorike namelie in Gradation in Antithesis in Contraries and Repetitions The apostle also dooth vrge it with interrogations and speaketh nothing in this place that is base meane for all things are magnificall and excellent whether a man consider the things themselues or the persons He speaketh of life death higth depth God Christ the right hand of the father angels principalities powers and last of all he addeth In all these things we be more than conquerours This oration of Paule they thinke to be so notable excellent as they suppose that neither Cicero nor Demosthenes could euer haue spoken more eloquentlie not indéed that the holie Ghost hath néed of these ornaments but bicause he sometimes vouchsafeth to abase himselfe vnto these things when they may serue for our commoditie The art of eloquence is the gift of God and must not be contemned of yong men Which I therefore thought good to giue warning of bicause yoong men might vnderstand that this force of eloquence perteineth vnto the gifts of God and that they must endeuour to get the same in time that the holie Ghost may vse it when it shall serue for the commoditie of the church 14 Paule in the same place addeth Rom. 8 31. As it is written For thy sake are we deliuered to the death all the daie long we are accounted as sheepe to the slaughter Bicause that reason and our flesh are hardlie persuaded that we are beloued of God when we be exercised with afflictions therefore Paule brought a proofe out of the scriptures to confirme this paradox for héere haue we néede of faith which cleaueth vnto the word of God Psa 44 25 This testimonie is taken out of the 44. psalme wherein are set foorth such men complaining of their tribulations as of them we cannot doubt but they were most déere vnto God We are saie they counted as sheepe for the slaughter that is vnto whom nothing is more certeine than to be slaine For there be certeine shéepe which be kept and fed for their wooll sake or to mainteine brood and those haue life spared them for a time Some are appointed for the kitchen and they are euerie daie as occasion serueth drawne vnto death And therefore the saints in the same psalme complaine that they are like vnto the shéepe appointed to be eaten They complaine that they are otherwise dealt with than the fathers in the old time were dealt with vnto whom God séemed to beare great fauour when as he inriched them fought for them gaue them the victorie with excellent names and titles made them famous and honourable We saie they are now otherwise dealth with for we are deliuered vnto the enimies as shéepe to be slaine as vnto whom they may doo what pleaseth them It is true in déed that God would sometimes declare his loue towards the saints and confirme the truth of his doctrine when he adorned them with such goods and riches That euen the idolaters also might vnderstand that the same God whom the patriarchs worshipped was both the creator of the world and also the distributer of all good things and that all things which men commonlie desire God vsed to his glorie both the prosperitie and aduersitie of his elect are in his pleasure Which thing when he had sufficientlie declared he also made them so strong by reson of aduersities as they with a noble courage and inuincible stedfastnesse testified the doctrine of God to be true Wherein God likewise declared himselfe to be the distributer of all good things of the mind of heroicall vertues that his power is so great as euen of things contrarie God can pluckt out of things contrarie all one maner of effect he can work all one effect And that which the Latine interpretor translateth We are
Otherwise he saith the flesh profiteth nothing but it is the spirite that quickeneth Wherein thou maist note that this saying of our Sauiour which is in the 6. of Iohn is vnderstoode by Augustine as touching the flesh of Christ but not of the carnall vnderstanding as some will haue it 50 And as touching adoration I will knit vp in few words will rehearse what I haue elsewhere spoken in my exposition of the Epistle vnto the Corinthians In what things adoration consisteth namelie that the same consisteth in inuocation and confession which is of two sortes aswell of the heart as of the mouth and in thanksgiuing And those things are due both vnto God and vnto Christ God and Christ must be worshipped wheresoeuer they declare themselues vnto vs. Looke the Dialogue of both natures in Christ and in the treatise against Gardiner wheresoeuer they shewe themselues vnto vs. And this is doone thrée manner of wayes First by the internall worde when as by the power of the spirit of God anie vehement cogitation of God and of Christ entereth into our mindes Then followeth worshipping because wee either confesse or inuocate or else giue thankes Sometime these thinges declare themselues vnto vs by the outward worde when as we our selues reade the holie scriptures or else heare godlie sermons Then are we oftentimes stirred vp to inuocation or else to other things which belong to the order of seruing God Finallie Christ and GOD otherwhile declareth him selfe by outwarde signes as vppon mount Syna Vnto Esay vnder the forme of a king sitting vppon his royall seate in the Arke of the Couenaunt in the Sacraments and there also worshipping is giuen vnto him But euen as Augustine admonished that we must not settle our minde vppon the fleshe but wee must haue accesse vnto the Godhead Whether in receiuing the Eucharist it be lawful to vse adoration by the outward signes So I héere admonish that in worshipping when we receiue the Eucharist wee must not staie in the signes but must worship in spirite and trueth Christ sitting in heauen at the right hande of his father And this because the simple sort doe not vnderstande by reason of the confirmed and grounded errour of transsubstantiation therfore I thinke it not vnprofitable if we woulde forbeare from outward worshipping namelie from prostrating or knéeling vntill such time as these might be instructed Inwarde worshipping maie be vsed without danger neither would outward worshipping in his owne nature be euill for manie doe knéele and worship deuoutlie at the hearing of those wordes And the word was made fleshe and yet is it not to be saide that those words be worshipped but the things signified And why may not the same be doone here so that the signes be not worshipped but that which is signified by them Howbeit in these dayes for the cause aforesaide perhappes outwarde Adoration is not méete vnlesse that oftentimes mention shoulde bee made hereof in Sermons 51 Neither let anie man take an occasion of my sayings Whether pictures Images are to bée worshipped that it should be lawfull to worshippe either Images or pictures because God and Christ séeme otherwhile to declare themselues there effectuallie For we haue the plaine worde Let vs not make vnto our selues Images for to worship But as touching the words of the holie scripture and the Sacramentes nothing letteth that we should adore in the hearing or receauing of them because those things are instituted by the worde will and commaundement of God Of the remnants of the Eucharist after the vse of the Sacraments that we maie be prouoked to the seruice of GOD which consisteth in adoration Neither oughtest thou to gather hereby that the remnantes of the Eucharist must bee worshipped For whatsoeuer strength the signes haue that they haue by the holie Ghost by the words of the Lord and by his institution which thinges without the vse of the sacrament are not extant And whyle we eate drinke there is a promise Wherefore that opinion of consecration was not vniuersall because in the time of Hesychius as hee himselfe testifieth vpon Leuiticus the remnantes of the Eucharist were burned And euen this thou hast in Origen vppon Leuiticus although it bee the same booke which is ascribed vnto two And Clement the Bishop of Rome as appeareth by his decrée which is de Consecratione distinct 2. ordained that the remnantes of this sacrament shoulde be eaten by the Ecclesiasticall persons We denie not that they were sometime kept but this was doone without adoration and superstitious worshippinges They were giuen vnto children and vnto Women to be caried vnto the sicke Of the Eucharist sent from house to house as appeareth out of the Historie of Eusebius Caesariensis and out of Ierom. And I would not willinglie saie that the receauing of these remnants after that manner out of the holie congregation and besides the rite appointed by the Lorde was a iust communion which neuerthelesse I graunt the sicke might haue so that they repeated the holie wordes and that some faithfull men did there communicate among themselues For where manie doe not communicate the nature of the sacrament is not retayned Christ saide Take ye eate ye and drinke ye The breade is broken which pertaineth vnto distribution And in their Canon they saie manie thinges the which vnlesse manie doe communicate be lies Moreouer it is called a supper a Communion a gathering together Which names little agrée with priuate action Neither doe we at anie time read of priuate masses among the olde Fathers Honorius the Bishop of Rome brought in a decrée that the Eucharist shoulde be kept and he added that honour and reuerence should bee doone vnto it when it shall be caried about Which if it had béene doone before his time it shoulde haue béene néedlesse for him to make such a decrée And to speake briefelie we affirme that this Sacrament as before hath béene sayde hath not his force or efficacie except when it is exercised and receaued which also thou séest to come to passe in all other Sacramentes T Hilarie 52 Hilarius is obiected against vs. But he had verie great controuersies with the Arrians against whom he dealeth because they thought that betwéene the father and the sonne there is no coniunction vnlesse it bée by a consent of will Against these Hilarie saith I demaunde of you whether betwéene vs and Christ there be a coniunction by the propertie of nature or by an agréement of the will For the Arrians woulde lay holde of that place wherein Christ prayed that we might be one together with him euen as he and the father be one betwéene themselues There is a place in Iohn the 17. Verse 21. Chapter where it is saide Euen as thou father art in me and I in thee that they also may bee one in vs. The Heretikes added that wee haue no coniunction with Christ vnlesse it be as touching the consent and will
in themselues as sometime they haue which may further the preseruation of mens life and the true saluation of them Wherefore séeing other faculties and sciences haue taken manie thinges from the scripture and it nothing at all from others it is by all manner of right called most aunciēt Which also the plainnesse thereof and simplicitie without counterfeiting ioyned with a woonderfull grauitie dooth declare And so auntient are the Histories therein rehearsed that those thinges which be set foorth by other writers being cōpared with them may easilie be perceiued to be doone manie ages after But since all commendation is not to be sought for in antiquitie therefore wee will nowe haue a regarde to the vtilitie thereof and as I hope will shewe that the same is farre more plentifull in the holy scriptures than can euer bee founde any where else What more plentifull fruite I beséech you can men of sober and sound iudgement looke for by the knowledge of worldly thinges when they haue verie perfectlie attained to the same than that some knowledge of almightie God may at the length by the effects thereof lighten mans vnderstanding that by those thinges we may be holpen to sustaine the life of the bodie In these knowledges there cannot bee had or imagined a greater profite But the holy scriptures doe in many places set foorth the naturall works of God and do euerie where teach that God himselfe by his eternall power and singular prouidence is the cause of all those thinges neuer making any mention of nature chance fortune forme priuation elements imaginations * A thing so small as cannot be diuided Atomi concord or discord as the principles of all things No doubt but the knowledge of men is busied in considering the effects of God But how seldome herein is there recourse vnto God himselfe his goodnesse counsel and wisedome Indéed naturall knowledge may séeme to be somewhat curious in searching out the power of thinges and somewhat more subtill and diligent in finding out the secretes of nature But as touching the ende it selfe to wit that God may be truely knowen by the effects and that we may well and Godly vse his creatures if it bee compared with diuinitie it is farre more negligent yea and in a manner blinde and dumbe Finally the holy scriptures doe speake of a certaine notable and woonderfull kinde of the workes of God whereby the powers of nature be ouercome and the accustomed course of things is cut off wherein God both more properlie and more expresly shineth than in the daylie and common succession of thinges which by reason of a continuall vse thereof is become of small estimation And by a word now receiued these thinges are woont to be called myracles for no other cause indéede but that they haue commonly made mortall men to woonder altogether at them But the works of this kinde are kept secret in naturall knowledge For there shall yee neuer reade of that first creation of things of laying the foundations of the worlde of breathing the breath of life by God into the claie of our bodie of the Godheade speaking openly with men Of the sea giuing place vnto men passing through the déepe thereof so as it made walles of water both on the right side and the left for them that passed through Of the standing still of heauen and of staying the perpetuall turnings about thereof from the East to the West Of God to bee made a man of a virgin to be a mother of the raising from life them that were deade and of men gréeued with desperate and incurable diseases to be cured by a woonderfull efficacie of Christ our sauiour These maruelous things without doubt God woulde haue vs to knowe by the holie scriptures least perhappes wee might doubt that all his vertue and power is so spent and consumed in bringing foorth and preseruing of natural things that hée shoulde not be able yet to doe any thing greater and more excellent This kind of doctrine doth not Philosophie teach but onely beholdeth the accustomed course of nature Assuredly it is no small comfort vnto Godly men What fruite the doctrine of prouidence bringeth to vnderstande that God is the prince and authour of nature For since they be the children of God while they consider that all thinges which bee doone are in the hande of their good father they feare the power of no creatures since they know for a certaintie that they are not able to bring vpon them any trouble or sorrow but somuch as God the guide thereof hath decréed to bring vpon them for their saluation This is the singular fruite which is had of the saincts by the knowledge of naturall things But how much more ample is this if they be perswaded with a constant faith that the power of the heauenly father is infinite whereby hée is able still to doe and produce many yea infinite thinges otherwise than they be in the common course of nature Héereby Godly men being incoraged become of an excellent hope euen in aduersitie In perils valiant euen in the crosse it selfe ioyfull of an inuincible courage and altogether without feare when for the trueth of God or the name of Christ they must abide any conflict Héereof sprang that noble spéech of Daniels fellowes Beholde our God whom we worship is mightie to saue vs from the furnace of burning fire and shall plucke vs out of thy hand O king Psal 27. Héereupon did Dauid with an inuincible minde sing The Lorde is my right and my saluation whom shall I feare The Lord is the strength of my life of whom shall I be afraide Though an hoast of men besieged me yet shall not my heart bee afraide though there rose vp warre against mee yet will I put my trust in him And againe Although I shall walke through the valley of the shadowe of death I will feare no euill Psa 23. 3. Finallie by this meanes did Paul saie Rom. 8. 34. Who shall separate vs from the loue of God shall afflictions shall penurie shall persecutions shall hunger shall nakednesse shall perill shall the sworde As it is written For thy sake wee are deliuered to the death all the daie long wee are accounted as sheepe appointed to the slaughter but in al these things we ouercome through him that loueth vs. For I am perswaded that neither death nor life nor Angels nor principalities nor powers nor things present nor things to come nor height nor depth nor anie other creature shall bee able to separate vs from the loue of God which is Christ Iesus our Lord. Such things doe the children of God taught by the holie Scriptures pronounce with true boasting that GOD suffereth not nature as the wise men of the worlde teach to goe forwarde according to those lawes which hee at the verie beginning appointed thereunto but that he directeth tempereth and ruleth al thinges at euerie instant according to his owne pleasure that he
that Christian charitie mooueth mée to fauour them your request also shall cause mée that I will pleasure them any waie that either they themselues shall desire of me or that Iohn Vlmer shall desire in their behalfe That Hooper is deliuered of all his troubles I thinke you nowe vnderstand by others I neuer failed him and I alwayes hoped well of his cause He is nowe in his Bishoprick he exerciseth his function faithfully and earnestly God graunt him that he may plentifully reape the fruites which he most desireth Also Christopher Froschouer behaueth himselfe well for your sake I will neuer forsake him so farre as in me lyeth and I hope so well of him as I thinke hee will well aunswere your expectation I bid you and all yours fare well in the Lorde From Oxford the 25. of Aprill 1551. To Ralph Gualther IF I shoulde not my learned Friend giue you thankes for the paines which you haue taken in the perusing and correcting of my Booke when it was in Printing both I shall be vngratefull and shall not deserue hereafter to haue any benefite bestowed vpon mee by any other Truely I sée that you haue taken no small toyle therein For in copying out the Booke which I sent vnto you there was no such diligence vsed as had bin requisite But I will prouide hereafter that the matter may bee more diligently handled when I shall sende any thing to you to be Printed Wherefore I beséech almightie GOD to requite the paines which you haue taken for mee Your carefulnesse hath brought to passe that the worke is come forth well ynough amended But looke how much you haue furthered the impression so much lesse hath fortune fauoured the carriage of the bookes For to this day there could be conueyed hither but thirtie Coppies wherefore many séeke them in vaine since they are not to bee solde any where in this kingdome Birkman who promised me xx Coppies hath not sent one which I will not thinke to bée doone of ill will but rather that it hath happened through some mischaunce As touching our matters I cannot certifie you of much more than this our carrier I meane your Froschouer is able to shewe who vndoubtedly is an honest and godly young man and all the while he taried here liued moderately and religiouslie wherefore it appeareth that he was not rashlie commended of you at the beginning God increase his godlinesse and graunt you to procéede as ye doe in the instructing of your children and young men Great newes is here spread out of Germanie but yet so vncertaine and variable as we cannot wel assure our selues what to beléeue We are desirous to knowe whether the Switchers which professe the Gospell haue determined to send any of the Ministers of their Churches to the Councell of Trent But to enquire much of these things perhaps will not be thought conuenient since Christes cause is chiefely to bée commended to Christ himselfe Howbeit as the members of the bodie of Christ which is the Church are ioyned one with another by a most sure bonde of the spirit so is it requisite that they shoulde be carefull one of another I bid you farewell in the Lorde Salute in my name Maister Pellican Maister Bibliander together with the rest of our fellowe Ministers Giuen out of the house of my Lorde of Canterburie the 6. of Marche 1552. To the Lords of Polonia Professors of the Gospel and to the Ministers of the Churches there I Am fullie perswaded right honorable and louing brethren in Christ that you so abounde in the grace of God and his plentifull spirite and be so replenished with heauenlie doctrine and wisedome that you are able not onelie to teach and instruct your selues in the waie of God but can also admonishe and teach others yet am I bolde to write these things vnto you that you maie knowe as a certaine testimonie of my minde what coniunction I haue with all the members of Christ what most ready will towardes the holie renewing of the kingdome of Christ and what a certaine singular affection towardes the kingdome of Polonia Polonia embraâ—ed the Gospel First then I giue thankes vnto God the father through our Lorde Iesus Christ that your newe profession of the gospell is with great praise of the godlie spread in a manner euerie where For what can happen more acceptable or more ioyfull vnto them than that the Gospell of God maie be ministred euen in the vttermost parts of the worlde that the oblation of the Gentils where it was least to be looked for maie bee accepted of God and most aboundantlie sanctified by his spirite Verilie they which haue but a sparke of godlinesse in their brest and are touched with anie indeuour of the worshippe of God do not onelie make great account of your indeuours which you bestowe in the reformation of Christes religion but also doe weigh the same as the greatest pleasure and singular delight Procéede therefore as you haue begunne forasmuch as you are nowe become a most ioyfull spectacle vnto God vnto the Angels 1. Cor. 4. 9. and vnto men and for your sakes doth euerie good man from all partes reioyce Verilie I my selfe who am woonderfullie afflicted for the harde misfortunes of the Church of Englande The afflicted state of the Church of England who dailie lament the newe slaughters of holie men and continuallie sorow for the fires wherewith the most holie members of Christ are burned cannot but recreate my selfe by reason of the determination of godlinesse that you haue begunne For with you is increased and amplified that which elsewhere is by the extreme power of Antichrist abated and diminished Howbeit that our thankes giuing maie be the fuller and you receiue more ioyfull aboundant and long lasting fruite of that which you haue taken in hand this must you speciallie prouide that ye ioine with innocencie and purenesse of life that trueth of God which he hath vouchsafed to open vnto you The knowledge of God without integritie of life is hurtfull otherwise it profiteth nothing yea rather it doeth excéeding much harme to haue the knowledge of God to haue the reuelation of his will and to vnderstand the secrets of the Scriptures when wee shall in déedes and life denie all these thinges For what other thing I beséech you should that be Rom. 1. 18. than as Paul saith to detaine the trueth of God in vnrighteousnesse Assuredlie it is the first steppe vnto godlinesse rightlie to knowe those thinges whereby God will be worshipped of vs but herein to labour for performance thereof which we haue nowe by the grace of GOD knowen it is a most certaine fruite of that faith which indéed being taken awaie what soeuer knowledge went before though it were lightened by the spirit of God yet did it make vnto most gréeuous condemnation Wherefore my most déerelie beloued brethren we must take héede that our light be not without heate that the leaues bee not without
fruite and that the cloudes caried about with windes be not without waters For those thinges which bee vaine and vnfruitfull because they be without soundnes strength and stabilitie they are not able to stande against the wilinesse of Sathan and assaultes of aduersarie powers Wherefore let faith take most déepe root in your hearts that it maie be the more fruitefull and bee confirmed with constancie not to bee repented of But when I speake of faith I meane not that which men of their subtiltie haue framed by the imagination of their owne thoughtes and by the iudgement of humane wisedome but I speake of that which as Paul teacheth Ro. 10. 17. is by hearing yet not euerie hearing but that which is onelie of the worde of God as wee haue it nowe by the grace of God comprehended in the holy scriptures Which I therefore adde because there be such in manie places which bee not ashamed to weaken counterfeite the same For they saie that they professe the true God séeing saie they we teach and adore him who is eternall who created heauen and earth who is the father of our Lorde Iesus Christ But afterward when they procéede further The â—eâ—orâ— of the Arrians they ioyne thereunto some opinion either of Arrius or Seruettus or some other phansie Also they bragge that they worshippe and imbrase Christ the true sonne of God and our redéemer but straightwaie either they confounde the two natures or else denie him to bee an humane creature The error of the â—…iquitie of Christs bodie They no lesse presumptuouslie than vnlearnedlie saie that his bodie is spread in all places They decrée that it is multiplyed and continued through out all the péeces of bread of the Eucharist and that it is included in them or else they madlie imagine that the substaunce of his flesh was not taken of the matter of the blessed Virgin The error of the Anabaptists but either brought out of heauen or else conceiued and formed of the substance of the holie Ghost What is he which vnlesse he become foolishe or doltish will graunt that these men confesse or admit verie God and verie Christ as he is described in the holie Scriptures Therefore is neither verie God nor verie Christ worshipped and adored of them but that God and that Christ which they themselues haue framed in their owne imagination Heretikes like vnto the Philistians 1. Sam. 5. 2. Dagon Neither doe I thinke that it otherwise happeneth vnto them than vnto the Philistians who instéede of the true God worshipped Dagon whose name was deriued from Fishe if yee respect the Hebrewe worde séeing Dag in Hebrewe signifieth a Fishe For they so fashioned the Image that from the head vnto the thighes there might appeare a humane forme but that his féete shoulde be the tayle of a fishe as Neptune Phorcis and the Meremaides are of some described Verilie these are no other thinges than Monsters But so is the impietie and madnesse of men increased as they haue not one onlie waie changed the truth of God into a lie For they in the stéede of the true God haue worshipped brute beastes and thinges more vile than brute beastes Yea and they are come to such a passe as they haue feigned to themselues monsters which are not extant in the nature of things that they might haue those thinges in the stéede of Gods And such Images haue they oftentimes so made as they beganne with the figure of a man then they ended either with a brute beast or with a fishe So the Heretikes and all they which straie from syncere godlinesse doe for the most part in making of their God beginne with God the maker of heauen and earth and with Christ the sonne of GOD and our redéemer but afterwarde they ende with monsters and straunge thinges of their owne deformed cogitations Neither doe they worshippe the true God and the true Christ but the figures Images and phantasies of their own imagination These things doe I not therefore write vnto you my déere brethren as though I suspect you to bee infected with these euils but to the intent I maie verie plainelie shewe that our father the God immortall and Christ the sonne of GOD and most verie God man must be apprehended and receiued with that faith which shall bee drawen out of the verie fountaines of the holie scriptures not out of the puddle of humane dreames And those thinges which we haue nowe spoken of Christ and GOD the verie same must wee vnderstande of our frée election of iustification of the sacraments of good workes of the Church and of all other things which belong vnto mans saluation wherunto our faith must be so applied as we reade the same to be defined and appointed in the Canonicall scriptures Not the glorie of the world but the holie Scripture is the rule of fayth Let not the dignitie or gorgeous shew of any creature let not kings nor fathers nor Bishops nor Romane Prelats nor Councels finallie let not the learned men of our age which doubtlesse are verie many and may iustlie be compared with the ancient fathers dasell our eyes Let it be a prerogatiue of the holie Scripture onely to ouer rule our faith let that as a most certaine rule prescribe what we are to beléeue besides that let no creature be beléeued except so far foorth as he agréeth therewith And you right reuerend pastors which are now made gouernours of the Church of God I pray and beséeche you in Christ that ye make no delaies in restoring of his temple No delaie must be vsed in restoring the word of God Who séeth not that when a matter is differred occasions which are fit and to be desired are lost This doth the Diuill worke least that which is to be doone shoulde be doone quickelie Now he faineth that a generall Councell must be expected now he pretendeth that there must be had the authoritie of a parliameÌ„t that the consent of princes must be obtained Wherefore if you stay vppon his delaies perswade your selues that you shall neuer bring anie thing to passe Did the Apostles and those most holie men that succéeded them expect these thinges When the Arrian heresie began to destroy the world did not the Pastors of the Churches straightway begin to crie out against the same Certainlie they differred not till the Nicene Councell was had Neither did they in Germanie expect the assent of the Byshopes Princes or Parliamentes The men of God should neuer by these wayes haue brought to passe or obtained anie thing I am not of the minde that these meanes must be refused when they be offered and in the meane time I doe not blame if they be sought for so the time be not for those causes consumed and the occasions graunted by God cut off Wherefore bestirre ye with spéede brethren restore ye the house of God contaminated and in a manner vtterlie destroyed by Antichrist and in
which disquieted Garnerius doe still remaine they be as they haue euer bin of a troublesome nature Peter Alexander procéedeth with his worke begun teacheth well and effectually enough Baldwine as I suppose will goe to Heidelburgh I knowe nothing for certaine for he dealeth closely and he doth not openlie speake that which he hath in his minde If he depart I would wishe that Holomanus were appointed in his place But so far as I sée Molinaeus will sticke héere for he séeketh as I can gesse to obtaine eyther this place or a place at Heidelburgh Howbeit yet he shal not easilie succéede him since God hath not giuen him the gift of teaching For no man in a manner vnderstandeth him when he speaketh Truelie I am sory for him for hée is learned in his facultie and he hath not laboured in vaine against the Pope If he would apply his mind to wryting and defending of our cause and had some place about a Prince I thinke it were a good turne for him but the man lacketh constancie wherefore to say the truth I cannot certainly tell what he shoulde doe I commende vnto you as earnestly as I can our Italian church although I thinke there is no néede for mee so to doe I lately receaued letters out of Saxonie from a certaine Pastor my olde Friende who is not onelie learned but also godly and iudgeth well as touching this controuersie He saieth he hath manie brethren about him which iudge after the same sort that he doeth but that they are ouerpressed with multitude The rest hée saieth doe rage so that in the Pulpits they haue almost no other voice but that we bée Heretickes false Prophets Wolues Suermerians and Sacramentioosers and he addeth that they doe chiefely rage against you I thinke that if they can they will deuise some kinde of excommunication I beséeche GOD withstande their indeuours That same good man is in great hatred because he will not crie out vppon vs as others doe and because he hath receiued into his house certaine English men which are fled out of their Countrie whom others haue reiected and because he sometime communicated with the Church of Phriseland Wherefore he doubteth that neither his owne Church nor yet Saxonie will bée able long to holde him But because these Lutheran Papistes to stirre vp enuie against vs perswade the multitude that all their Churches are condemned by vs and doe easilie perswade euen what they will vnto those that bee ignorant he thought it woulde bée profitable if by the common consent of our Churches there were set forth a writing vnto the children of the Church of Saxonie whereby this slaunder might bée tried out and that verie absolutelie there might bée giuen an account of our faith which although after a sort it hath bin doone at other times yet he iudgeth that the same would verie much profite at this time especiallie if there were a subscribing by the Churches for the aduersaries bragge euerie where that there is a great disagréement among vs touching this matter These things I thought not good to kéepe in silence because you may vse your iudgementes about the same The packet of letters I sent before because I thought that Westphalus Booke was included therein and I was minded to sende these letters by the Maister of Saint Andrewe but because as I heare he departeth into the lowe Countries I did not thinke to differre it any longer I beséeche GOD kéepe you long safe among vs. From Strasborough the 23. of September 1555. To Maister Iohn Caluin RIght woorthie sir most néerely ioyned vnto my heart in Christ I am verie much delighted with your little booke which you sent vnto me The same did I not reade ouer but rather deuoure in one night For when the carier had deliuered it vnto mee he would be gone the next morning Thus doe I iudge thereof he that diligently readeth ouer the same shall with one labour obtaine two thinges and those not small First he shall throughly knowe and perceiue the controuersie about the Eucharist which it pleased God of his goodnesse in our age to make manifest againe to the Churches of Christ For in such sort was it obscured and so folden vp in darkenesse that there scarcely appeared anie small steppe of the trueth thereof because in verie déede it was acknowledged of verie fewe But I iudge the manifestation thereof to bée so great a good as without it God cannot bee sincerely worshipped in his Church There be such as for common quietnesse sake woulde haue this cause to lie buried and in silence But I for my part thinke that vnlesse this fountaine of manie euils be abolished there shall want a great part of Christian doctrine in the Church of Christ Wherefore the last wéeke when N. was with vs I sent a large Epistle to the Churches of Polonia wherein with great indeuour I did sincerelie and plainely shewe the true sense of the holie scriptures concerning the question of the Sacrament I beséeche God that he will not suffer my letters to bée vnprofitable The other commoditie of your booke is that Westphale and his fellowes which cannot be satisfied with courteous and milde spéeches are by this kinde of inchauntment to bée driuen againe to their dennes whence they fled that after the manner of Serpents they may féede and delight onelie themselues with their owne venim but dare not spread the same among others and kill them any more Will they complaine that you haue bin sharpe and vehement in writing Wée demaunde why Westphalus did of his owne accorde procure to himselfe these mistie cloudes showers haile thunder and lightening Will it grieue them that the conflict of this contention was so bloudie Wée will againe replie vppon them that the Centauri and Cyclops coulde not by any other meanes be vanquished Will some of them complaine of to much bitternesse and as they haue saide at other times that wee deale by a scurrile or vile manner of spéeche Wée will answere that wee haue incountered with Westphalus his professed shamelesse audacitie not by the scoffes of Hickscorners but by strong argumentes and most firme reasons Briefely let other men looke howe they iudge that which you haue written verie much liketh mée and I allowe wel thereof Wherefore I giue you heartie thankes aswell for the wel ordering of the worke which you haue written as for the litle booke which you sent vnto me Fare you well my deare and welbeloued brother in Christ who long kéepe you safe among vs. Zanchus saluteth you I pray you vouchsafe to salute the brethren in my name and especiallie the Marques From Strasborough the 16. of Februarie 1556. To Maister Caluin FOr somuch as N. N. returneth from hence vnto those parts I determined to write somewhat vnto you whereby you might both knowe that I am in good health and that I earnestlie desire that you maie at the length be deliuered this winter time from the feuer wherein you haue
Ianuarie I answered not before because I receiued them in the Calends of March neither haue we any store of conuenient cariers at Tigure Now must you perswade your selfe of this that those things which gréeue you and such as you be do also very much gréeue me my brethren To answere againe vnto your questions I thinke it not much néedeful because I thinke that all my letters came vnto you whereunto I haue answered as I coulde not perhaps so much as the matter required or somuch as you your selfe desired yet I said that which séemed then to serue to the purpose That which you feare wee cannot turne away from you otherwise than by prayers which beléeue me we carefullie doe and will doe Finallie to come to your last question The Image of the Crucifix namely to haue the signe of the crucifix vpon the holie table while the Lords supper is ministred I do not account it among things indifferent neither would I aduise any man to distribute the sacraments with that rite Howbeit you that are in the verie conflict looke not for counsell from hence for we bée farre from you consult vppon your owne grounde a vocation is not lightly to be cast off nor yet to be taken in hand with iniury of the truth To be briefe the worshipping of images must in no wise be suffered neither doth master Bullinger nor I account such for indifferent thinges nay rather we refuse them as thinges forbidden Howebeit except you be compelled to these things doe not you refuse the ministerie which is fréelie offered to you As concerning the writing of letters to the Quéene about this matter this much vnderstande that I am nowe so ouerwhelmed with businesse as though I haue neuer so much minde to doe it yet I cannot For these two moneths together I alone teach in the schoole and I iudge that the cause is not to bee committed vnto letters And besides this I thinke that my letters will be of no great weight Truely I haue written twise publiklie and priuately neither coulde I vnderstand whether the things that I wrote were well accepted Furthermore if it be the determination of your men as it is reported that they will imbrase the confession made at Augusta and that they couet the league of the Protestants you your selfe may consider of what credite my letters and the letters of such as I am will be accounted That one thing which I can I will not faile to doe namely to praie that your kingdome and Church together with your most mightie Quéene may most happilie liue in Christ Notwithstanding as you willed me I haue delt in the cause with master Bernardine Hee is sicklie both by reason of age and through the diseases that come vpon olde men yet he refused not the labour of writing but promiseth to doe it when he shal be able I doubt not of Bullinger but that hee will write for he is verie well incouraged in this matter Although he haue read your letters hee hath not yet shewed me any thing whereof I may giue you to vnderstand Fare you well Bullinger all the fellow ministers my wife and Iulius with his wife salute you A sonne was borne vnto me the 2. of March and died the 10. day of March. Salute in my name all your friends and cease not to loue your Martyr The 20. of March 1560. To a certaine friende of his 42. I Verie well knowe by your letters my godlie and learned friende and my most beloued in the Lorde that you throughlie vnderstande my meaning as touching the supper of the Lord. Wherefore I shall the lesse neede to make aunswere to your most courteous learned Epistle The state of the question as you rightlie gather is whether according to the increase of faith which both of vs agrée to be giuen vnto the faithfull in the vse of the Eucharist Whether we by the increase of faith be the more incorporated into Christ we bée more vnited or incorporaâ—… vnto Christ our Lorde and by him vnto God which I affirmed but you denied as thinking that although our faith increase yet that coniunction which wee haue wish Christ is not for that cause increased thereby But I minding to confirme my opinion That our coniunctioÌ„ in Christ is encreased thought it verie requisite to bring foorth places of the Scriptures by which our increase in Christ is most manifestlie declared Paul vnto the Ephesians the 3. Chapter saith Ephe. 3. 19. That ye maie be filled with all fulnesse of God By these wordes of the Apostle is opened and taught that vnto the faithfull belongeth euerie daie to be fulfilled and perfected But the same Apostle testifieth that it is Christ alone by whom we be fulfilled and perfected yea it is he who is both fulfilled and perfected in vs. For we read in the verie same Epistle that the Church is the body of Christ and fulnesse of him that filleth all in all thinges Ephe. 1. 23. that while one member of this bodie is augmented Christ maie be saide to be increased in it that is become greater and more néere vnto it In the 4. of the same Epistle to the Ephesians it is saide that there are giuen vnto the Church Apostles Prophetes Euangelistes Pastors and teachers who in verie déede doe not deale but by the worde of God and Sacramentes for the restoring of the saintes into the worke of the administration into the edifying of the bodie of Christ Eph. 4. ver 11. 12. 13. 14. vntill we all meete together into the vnitie of faith and knowledge of the sonne of God vnto a perfect man vnto the measure of age of the fulnesse of Christ that hence foorth wee maie be no more children Hereunto therefore maie these Ministeries of the Church and Sacramentes bee saide to pertaine that euerie man maie bee strengthened in his vocation ministerie and that hee doe not alwaies liue an vnperfect age but be increased in the bodie of Christ and be made at the length of full age and perfect stature that hee be not a babishe and childishe member of the perfect and manlie heade I meane of Christ Neither is there anie other augmentation of the members to be appointed than that Christ himselfe shold be amplyfied and made greater in euerie of his members and this is doone if the faithfull be euerie daie made more partakers of him And streight way after the same Apostle saith But we following the trueth in loue let vs in all thinges growe vp vnto him who is the heade that is Christ And hee addeth In whom al the bodie being coupled and knit together by euerie ioynt for the furniture thereof according to the effectuall power in the measure of euerie part receiueth increase of the bodie vnto the edifying of it selfe in loue In this place also we heare of an increase of the bodie as touching each part according to the measure thereof and the manner of
without great trauell and charges for whatsoeuer good thing they teach they doe it vppon hope of reward But all these difficulties did Martyr with singular patience and inuincible studie ouercome so earnest a desire had he to learne the holie scriptures Whome when I consider I cannot woonder enough at the proceeding and order whereby it seemed good vnto the heauenlie father to bring him vnto the knowledge of the heauenly trueth For first he stirred vp his will in the beginning of his age that he might indeuour to his power to please and serue God albeit he suffered him in the meane time to erre in the manner of worshipping of him Afterwarde hee so instructed his minde that he inclined the same to innocencie of life and vnto righteousnesse whereby although he coulde not deserue thankes of God yet he shewed himselfe vnblamable before men Lastlie he inflamed and kindled him with an incredible loue of the holie scriptures whereof while he for a good space of time followed the letter at the length by the reuelation of the spirit of God he comfortably knewe the hidden and spirituall mysteries In this matter I might iustlie compare him to Saint Paul the teacher of the Gentiles in whose life before his conuersion there was an indeuour of worshipping GOD and of righteousnesse which is according to the lawe wherein he was vnblameable and moreouer hee vsed to reade the lawe although as yet couered with the vaile but leauing these thinges the desire of breuitie cals me backe to other narrations The principall men of his societie liked well his diligence in preaching and teaching Nowe was his name become famous in the greatest Cities of Italie wherfore they determined to aduance him according as his excellent vertues deserued to a greater dignitie and therfore by a cōmon consent they made him Abbot of Spoletū Which office when he had taken in hand to exercise he behaued himselfe so singularly wel as al men maruelled that the man being vntill that time trained in learning only could so excel in al his gouernment with wisdom dexteritie For to say nothing of other matters his singular vertue appeared in two things which no Abbots before him were able to bring to passe At Spoletū were two Colleges of Virgins and the third wherein he himself liued was of Canons of that same regular familie as they terme it of Augustine the discipline of al these by the negligence of the former Abbots was so decayed as through the wanton and filthie life of them the whole familie of this order was greatly hated of all men This when Martyr sawe he by his authoritie and office what with teaching admonishing exhorting and eke with some seuere chastening brought them all into such order as he not onelie wanne to himselfe great praise but also to the whole familie singular good will And this in verie deede was a thing proper and as it were the bounden duetie of his order and institution But that other thing which I will nowe speake of is farre more excellent and as it were pertaining to the whole Common weale The Common weale of Spoletum euen as also many other Commonweales in Italie was diuided into certaine factions among which there were alwaies contentions the which oftentimes proceeded euen to frayes and slaughters and albeit that the former Abbots had oftentimes indeuoured to doe it yet coulde they neuer make attonements and reduce the Citie vnto Concorde This when Martyr perceiued and that he thought with himselfe that nothing should be more agreeable to his office than to bring home into concorde those that were at dissension and to winne them in mutuall charitie which Christ so often commended he thought that he shoulde rather laie downe his life than to see the Citie any longer to perish so miserablie with her owne discord and therefore he neuer ceased to exhort all men publikelie and priuatelie vnto vnitie to teache the dueties of a Christian man and to laie before their eyes the calamitie of their Countrie and the particular daungers of euerie one vntill he had brought that to passe which he earnestlie desired For so greatly did his authoritie wisedome and eloquence preuaile as all the time afterward that he liued in that Citie not onelie there were no slaughters nor frayes committed but there also appeared no tokens of factions so much was the vertue and indeuour of one excellent man able to doe Of this man haue all Abbots an example which if they woulde followe wee might perhaps hope for some amendment of the Church by them but nowe when as they correct not euen the most manifest abuses and that they breath out continual slaughters and warres I beseeche you what goodnesse can we promise to our selues concerning them Three yeare was Martyr at Spoletum and then in the publike assemblie of the fathers of the whole familie he was made gouernour of the Neapolitane College of S. Peter at the Altar which benefice for the pleasantnesse of the place and for the ample reuenew thereof is a great dignitie In this Citie did the grace of the heauenly light begin to shine more notablie and clearelie vnto him For when he had bin hitherto long and much exercised in Scholasticall Diuinitie and also in the fathers and at length had betaken himselfe altogether to the fountaines themselues and that he was daylie more and more lightened by the spirit he began to acknowledge errours and abuses in the Church and therefore he beganne whereof some make a scruple of conscience to giue his minde also to the vnderstanding of our mens writings and taking in hand the Commentaries of Bucer vpon the Euangelistes and his annotations vpon the Psalmes which he set foorth vnder the name of Aretius Felinus he diligently perused them ouer Also he read Zuinglius Booke Of the true and false Religion and another booke of the same man concerning the prouidence of God and he also read some Bookes of Erasmus he francklie confessed oftentimes that he profited much by the reading of all these And in the meane time he reasoned in a maner euerie day of some thing out of the holie scriptures with those his friendes which were studious of the pure Religion so that on both sides they were much edified in the true Religion by such kinde of talke And among those with whom he conferred touching Religion were chiefely Benedictus Cusanus of whom we also made mention before M. Antonius Flaminius and Iohannes Valdesius a Spaniarde This latter man was borne in Spaine of a noble kindred and was honored with Knighthood by Charles the Emperour who after that he was endued by God with the knowledge of true Religion he led his life in Italie but especiallie at Neapolis In which place by his learning and most godly example of life he wanne verie manie especially noble men vnto Christ And at that time there was no meane Church of godlie men in the Citie of Neapolis For in that congregation there were many
120 a 100b 106. 107 ab 3 210 a 211 ab 201 a 2 586 b 588 a 635 a They offer grace 3 105 a What they bee 44 b All are called signes 4 112 a 171. 172. Must bee ministred in a knowne tongue 4 105 a 3 310 a Euangelicall easie to bee celebrated 4 112 b Some before Christ and some after 4 101 ab Whether they depende of our faith 4 107 b Instruments of the holy Ghost 4 126 a The thing that is sealed thereby ought to bee present 4 118 b An explication and meaning of certeine of the olde lawe 4 105 a It is méete that in them all thinges should be receiued sacramentally 4 159 b In what respectes ours are better than theirs in the lawe 4 107 b Of what thinges they consist 4 112 b Whether Princes may compell those that are not yet perswaded of the trueth vnto them the same being against their consciences 2 325 a Why mention is so often made of the chaunging of our selues in receiuing of them 4 179 b The two knitte together 4 156 a Whether they should be simply worshipped 4 177 b 178 a The efficacie of them 4 196 a Whether by them we are made subiect vnto creatures 4 99 b Howe and in what respect they doe much hurt 1 67 b Why they of the olde lawe were weake and beggerly elementes 4 104 b Two thinges contrarie to the nature of them 4 100 a They and Scriptures of equall weight 4 97 a whether the receyuing of ours bee anie whit more noble than theirs in the lawe 4 107 a All are not equallie affected vnto the Sacramentes 4 97 a Howe there maie be a huge number of Sacramentes 4 97 b Visible signes perteine to manie senses 4 98 a The effectes of the Sacramentes 4 99 b 100 a How much must be attributed vnto them 4 107 b The manner of administring them 4 100 b 101 a why more were in the lawe than in the Gospell 4 104 b The signification of Sacramentes could not be hidden froÌ„ the Iewes 4 105 b 146 ab Sacramentes are not bare signes 4 100 a Sundrie opinions of the number of Sacraments 3 212 a 109 a Why we contende about it 3 210 a No common signes 2 590 a A due examination of the seuen 3 210 211. The ende for which they were instituted 4 98 b Sacramentes defined 4 99 a Two errors to bee shunned therein 4 101 a The power of the Sacramentes compared to the light of the Sunne 4 101 a Cautions for ministers when they are to minister the Sacraments 4 19. 20 a What wee are to iudge of the vertue of Sacramentes 4 24 a The nature of Sacraments in transferring of names 4 14 a Whether theirs of the olde fathers were sacraments 3 210 a 2 583 b 593a 592a 591 b 589 ab 588 a 586b 4 197 b 152 b 201 b 152 ab 153 a 187 a Whereof Sacraments take their names 4 163 a They be visible words 2 â—35 a 3 210 a Whie the fathers in speaking of them extoll the power of God 4 183 b The sinne against them perteineth to the first table 2 323 a Faith ought to goe before the receiuing of them 2 586 b Whether Christ put a difference betwéene them of the law and ours 2 588 b Sacraments haue the names of those thinges that they signifie 2 609 a Myracles haue some resemblance and likenesse with Sacraments 1 67b They are instruments not efficients of saluation 4 107 ab They are one thing and signifie another 4 98 b They are beléeued and what they are 3 63 a Why to institute them belongeth not to man 3 209 b Their vse and necessitie 2 633 b Of the analogie that ought to be in them 4 113 a Of what two thinges the Sacraments consist 4 98 a Difference betwéene them and sacrifices 4 100a 105 a The number of Sacraments in the newe Testament 4 99 a How ours giue saluation and howe they bée of greater vertue than those of the lawe 2 588 a Theirs of the olde lawe extenuated by the fathers 4 102 a The efficient cause of them 4 99 a Of regeneration circumcision and baptisme 2 594 a Sacraments and sacramentals 4 127 a 134 a Sacramentals The Papistes Sacramentals 4 134 a Sacrifice The definition of a Sacrifice 4 220 a A distinction thereof 4 220 a What kinde of action or worke it is 4 220. Two kinde of thinges required in euerie Sacrifice 4 221 ab What is a Sacrifice in the Lords supper 4 172 b Two parts of the same 4 220 b Why it is not méete to call the Eucharist a Sacrifice 4 222 a How the father 's called it so 4 215 b 19 a Howe many wayes it ma. bée called so 4 221 b 222 a The outwarde Sacrifice without the inwarde pleaseth not God 4 220 b In what respectes the communicants do Sacrifice 4 222 b An vnbloudie Sacrifice 4 222 b Why obedience is better than Sacrifice 4 44 ab 45 a What two thinges are preferred before it 4 221 a The sacrificer more worthie than the Sacrifice 4 225 a More acceptable to God than the Sacrifice 4 223 b Whether a Sacrifice and a sacrament can be all one thing 4 221 b 105 a 220 a Against the Sacrifice of the abhominable masse 4 18 b Whether it be an vnbloudie Sacrifice 4 202 a Whether it be in man to Sacrifice the sonne of GOD. 4 18 b 19 a Whether the Sacrifice of the king of Moab were profitable vnto him 2 361 b The superstitions sacrifice of the Cleons in a storme of haile 1 84 a The sacrifice of Mincah 4 222 a What places the Patriarchs chose to offer sacrifice to GOD in 2 336 a Whence came the custome to sacrifice children through fire 3 180 a The sacrifice of Abraham Iephtha compared 3 183 b Whether Iephtha vowed an humane sacrifice 3 185 b Of the sacrifice of Christ and that the same of it selfe did not please God 2 360 b 361 b Why Christ the onely Sacrifice did so please God 4 221 a But one onely propitiatorie Sacrifice 4 220 a Of the Sacrifice of Melchisedech 4 223 a Sacrifices of mans flesh and other things God forbiddeth and vtterly misliketh of humane Sacrifices in the scriptures 2 361 a By what reasons men haue béene allured to make them 2 360a To Molech otherwise called Saturne 2 359 b Against such and that it is vnnatural 2 360 b Howe humane Sacrifices sprang vp and in what places it was vsed 2 359 b We are not altogether without them which we must offer vnto God 2 261 b How long they endured and of their abrogation 2 359 b God in his owne right might require them 2 361 a 3 185 a The Romans manner therein euery yeare 1 359 b How we should offer vp our children vnto God 2 361 b Plutarchs and other writers reports of them 2 359 b The place where the Iewes offered such 3 376 b 377 a
part taketh awaie all excuse that there they worship not God but creatures And Claudius the bishop of Thurine said If thou haue pictured vpon the wall Mars Venus and Mercurie thou hast no true gods and when thou hast there Paule Peter Iohn thou hast not verie men wherefore the error is not quite taken awaie but altered Paule also said vnto the Corinthians 1. Co. 10 19 We knowe that an idoll is nothing but that which the Gentils doo offer they offer vnto diuels Vndoubtedlie if the excuse brought now by our aduersaries were of anie weight the Ethniks would easilie haue said vnto the apostle Thou hast doone vs a manifest iniurie for our purpose is to offer the sacrifices which we slaie vnto God and not vnto diuels An other obiection more foolish Also we méete with others more foolish which saie that this precept was giuen vnto the Hebrues that it ought to be reckoned among the ceremonicall precepts but that now the ceremonies being abrogated we are no longer bound by it An answer They consider not that in the table of the ten commandements there was nothing commanded which did apperteine vnto the ceremonies onelie the kéeping of the Sabboth daie excepted wherein neuerthelesse some morall thing presenteth it selfe vnto them which diligentlie doo behold the same Augustine in his 119. epistle vnto Ianuarius dooth acknowledge the same I beséech you let these wise men consider that if this thing should haue béene reckoned among the ceremonies the Ethniks had not sinned in the honouring and worshipping of images bicause they were not bound vnto the ceremonies of the Iewes Moreouer it is euident that that ceremonies of the old testament were not reuoked by the apostle nor yet the yoke of them laid vpon the Gentils who neuerthelesse in expresse woords commanded that idols and images should be auoided 22 Séeing therefore it is plentifullie enough confirmed Whether images ought to be put in temples Note that images must not be worshipped nor adored now it resteth that we examine this whether it be lawfull to set them in holie places where the congregations of the faithfull resort Some affirme that it is lawfull so the worshipping of them be forbidden But in my iudgement it must not be allowed that they should be had in churches first bicause it is a verie dangerous thing And experience hath taught whither men at the length thorough beholding of them fell when they sawe them placed in the temples for they worshipped them The waie therefore that leadeth vnto idolatrie must be cut off from the faithfull Augustine writeth verie well and religiouslie of this matter vpon the 113. psalme When images saith he be set in a high place or else in some tabernacle a naughtie affection is bred in mens minds whereby the diuell is inuited to intermedle himselfe Also in his 49. epistle Ad Deo gratias he was of the same mind And surelie we perceiue that this thing hath happened Neither will I passe ouer the same father in his sixt sermon vpon the Lords sermon made in the mount They declare saith he in what place and estimation they account the image when they appoint to erect an altar vnto it for vnlesse they thought that either it were god or had some diuine power in it they would not erect an altar therevnto Wherefore by this saieng of Augustine almost all the temples of the Papists are condemned wherein alwaies in a maner altars are ioined with idols Epiphanius Besides it may be prooued by the example of Epiphanius that they ought not to be had in churches He being in his iournie and happening into a certeine towne that was called Anablatha did sée as he passed by a certeine candle burning and demanding what place the same was he vnderstood that it was a church or a place of praier for the faithfull wherefore he entered in that he might praie vnto God And he sawe a curteine hang wherein was painted the image of a man as if it had béene of Christ or of a holie man insomuch that when he sawe the picture of a man hanged in the church contrarie to the authoritie of the scriptures he both plucked downe and rent the curteine and counselled the sextons of the church that they should carrie it foorth and wrap a poore dead man in it Moreouer he wrote vnto Iohn bishop of Ierusalem vnto whom the cure of that place belonged that from thence forward he should take héed that such hangings otherwise than religion would permit should not be suffered in the church of Christ And that epistle séemed vnto Ierom to be of such weight as that he vouchsafed to turne it into Latine which he would not haue doone if he had not béene of our mind The latter synod of Ephesus Also the latter synod of Ephesus condemned images howbeit the same synod is not allowed and that vpon iust cause insomuch as it fauoured the heretiks Nestor and Eutyches Such is the hap not onelie of humane affaires but manie times also of ecclesiasticall that euill things are mingled with good Wherevpon it commeth afterward to passe that not onelie euill things but good things also togither are therewithall reiected Emperours which were Monothelites So we sée it happened vnto some of the Graecian emperours which abolished images for Philippicus the first Leo the third Constantine and Leo the fourth bicause they were Monothelites that which on the other side they iudged aright of images was reiected Which also commeth to passe at this daie when by reason of the corrupt conuersation of them which professe the Gospell their sincere doctrine is cast out Also the synod of Eliberinum condemned images wherein was decréed that within the walles of the churches there should no image be painted least such a thing should be pictured out as might be worshiped Peresius when he perceiued himselfe to be hardlie beset with the saiengs of these fathers he said vnaduisedlie A shift of Peresius that Their mind was not to haue all images to be taken awaie but onelie those which were made deformedlie vpon the walles and not likewise those that were doon vpon clothes tables But afterward when he perceiued that this also was but a vaine shift he calleth to remembrance that this sort of pictures ought well to be taken away for a time bicause men in those daies worshipped them with the honour due vnto God And in this opinion he is against Gregorie which decréed that they should not for that cause be taken awaie but rather that men should be warned not to worship them Peresius also determined that after the same reason and sort Epiphanius was to be excused 23 Whereas afterward our aduersaries demand of vs What they be that destroied images 1. King 18 4 what woorthie men we haue séene to be destroiers of images We answer Ezechias a most godlie king which brake in péeces the brasen serpent Moses also which brake in sunder