hath bounde him selfe to vs of his free grace and goodnesse And in vs there are many thinges that hinder the perfection of righteousenesse in vs Wherevppon Dauid cryed Enter not into iudgement with thy seruaunt for in thy sight shall no man liuing be iustified Therefore GOD doeth freely impute to vs the righteousenesse of faith that is hee reputeth vs for righteous because we beléeue him through his sonne So wee read that in the Euangelicall parable the Lorde did saye But when the debters were not able to paye hee forgaue them bothe the debte For GOD also forgiueth vs our debtes or sinnes not reputinge them vnto vs but countinge vs for righteous for Christe his sake For the same Apostle moste euidently testifying the same thinge in the seconde Epistle to the Corinthians saith God was in Christe reconciling the worlde vnto himselfe by not imputing sinnes to men And after that againe Him whiche knewe no sinne he made sinne for vs that wee might bee the righteousenesse of God in him What canst thou require more euident than that wee are counted righteous before GOD because by Christ his sacrifice oure sinnes are so purged that wee shoulde heereafter bee no longer helde with the guylte of the same Wee proceede nowe to reckon vpp the other argumentes of Saincte Paule as firme and manifeste as these that are alreadie rehearsed In the same Chapter therefore it followeth Euen as Dauid describeth the blessednes of the man to whom the LORDE imputeth righteousenesse without workes saying Blessed are they whose vnrighteousenesses are forgiuen and whose sinnes are couered Blessed is that man to whome the Lorde will not impute sinne In the beginninge hee doeth with cleare and euident woordes expresse the thing that hee intendeth to prooue or confirme to wite that GOD imputeth righteousenesse to the Saincts without woorkes What coulde bee saide more plainly And to proue it to bee so here he inferreth the testimonie of Dauid which doeth in a manner conteyne three sundry members or clauses Firste Blessed saith hee are they whose vnrighteousenesses are forgiuen Then Blessed are they whose sinnes are couered And lastly Blessed is that man to whome the Lord will impute no sinne Nowe the force of the argument or demonstration doeth consist in the wordes Forgiue Couer and not Impute The creditour forgiueth the debtour that whiche hee hath not payde him whether he bee able or not able to paye it him Wee in respecte of our sinnes whiche are our debtes are able to paye nothinge to GOD. Forgiuenesse therefore of those debtes or sinnes of oures is the gifte of Gods méere grace and liberalitie For the creditour cannot forgiue the thinge that is alreadie payde vnto him For when hee giueth backe the thinge that hee hath receiued in so dooing hee doeth not forgiue but giue and that deede in the Scriptures is called Donum a gifte not Remissio a forgiueing Wherevppon Sainct Paul saith GOD gaue to Abraham the inheritaunce therefore Abraham with his woorkes did not merite the same Secondarily some filthie thing that offendeth the eyes of men is vsually woont to bee couered and yet notwithstandinge the filthie thinge abydeth filthie still although it doeth not appeare outwardly vnto the eyes of men And our mercifull God hath couered our sinnes not that they shoulde not bee but that they shoulde not appeare or come to iudgement whiche thing is the gifte of grace and not of merites For the coueringe is nothing else than the bloud of the sonne of GOD for for his bloudes sake wee sinners are not damned Lastely GOD might by right and iustice impute sinne vnto vs but of his grace hee imputeth it not And all these layde together doe confirme and prooue that righteousenesse is freely by faith without workes imputed vnto vs. This verie same place of Saincte Paule taken out of Dauid doeth discusse and make plaine vnto vs other poyntes of doctrine also whereof there is some controuersie For wee learne that iustification is nothinge else but sanctification forgiuenesse of sinnes and adoption into the number of the children of god We learne that Saincte Paule speaketh not only of the Ceremoniall woorks of the Lawe but also of the Sainctes good woorkes of euery sorte Furthermore wee learne that both sinnes and iniquities that is all manner sinnes of the faithfull are freely pardoned and vtterlye forgiuen Moreouer wee learne that sinnes are fullye remitted not the fault onely but the punishement also whiche punishment some saye is reteined but God doeth not impute sinnes In an other place he saith that he wil not haue any remembrāce of our sinne at all Lastly we learne that the satisfactions for sinne of mans inuention is a moste vaine lye and flatlye opposite to the Apostles doctrine I haue hitherto alledged two most euident places the one out of the Gospell of Christe the other out of sainct Paule his Epistle written to the Romanes by which I meant to prooue that Christe beeing preached to vs by the Gospell is receiued not by workes but by faith and I hope I haue by diuine testimonies so declared this matter of importance that no man shall néede hereafter either to doubte or wauer in the same To all this nowe I adde this note still moste necessarie to be obserued that all good and holie men in the Church of Christ must with all their power do their indeuour that this doctrine of the Gospell maye abyde sincere and vtterly vncorrupted For they must in no case admitte that iustification is partely attributed to faith and the mercie of God and partely to the workes of faith and our owne merites For if that be admitted then doeth the Gospell loose all force and vertue I thinke therefore that all men must onely and incessantly vrge this that the faithful are iustified saued or sanctified by faith without woorkes by the grace and mercie I saye of GOD thorough Christe alone And I suppose verily that this doctrine of the Gospell must be kepte sincer◠and vncorrupte in the Churche for verie many causes but among all other for these especially which followe hereafter Firste of all it is manifest that the often repeated doctrine of the Grace of God which in his onely sonne doeth thorough faith alone woorke iustification is by so manye diuine testimonies euen from the beginning of the worlde by so manye demonstrations and so many determinations of vnreproueable counsels both so plainely declared and throughly inculcated that the verie cōsent of all ages in the trueth reuealed from heauen and the authoritie of the moste holye men in all the worlde do sufficiently inuite vs to retaine maintaine and keepe that doctrine vncorrupted Wée haue the iustification of oure blessed father Abraham a little aboue expounded by no obscure author but euen by Paule the teacher of the Gentiles and elected vessel of GOD him selfe Wee haue the doctrine of instification taught by the moste glorious kinge and Prophet Dauid a man euen after Gods heartes desire the greate grandsyre of Christ
gaue them mee is greater than all and no man is able to take them out of my fathers hand I and my father am one Hereunto belongeth that outâ—rie of S. Paule which he vseth to the encouragement of vs Christians where hee saith Who shall seperate vs from the loue of Christe Shall tribulation or anguish or persecution or hunger or nakednesse or peâ—ill or sword As it is written For thy sake are we killed all day longe and are compted as sheepe for the slaughter Neuerthelesse we ouercome in all these things through him that loued vs For I am sure that neither death nor life nor Angels nor rule nor power nor thinges present nor things to come nor height nor depth nor any other creature shal be able to seperate vs from the loue of GOD which is in Christ Iesu our Lord. The Sainctes I confesse in their calamities doe féele griefe and many discommodities but so yet that euen in their discoÌ„modities they haue farr many more coÌ„modities they are therfore diminished one way but augmented an other way so that the crosse of theirs is not their destruction but an excercise for them and a whoalesome medicine And therfore I thinke that that same worthie and golden sentence of S. Paul can neuer be too often beaten into your minds where hée saith We are troubled on euery side yet are we not without shift we are in pouertie but not in extreeme pouertie we suffer persecution but are not forsaken therein wee are cast downe but we perish not The faith full therefore doe in this world loose these their earthly riches but do they thereby loose their faith Loose they their vpright and holy life or loose they the riches of the inner man which are the true riches in the sight of God The Apostle crieth Godlines is a great luâ—re with a mind content with that that it hath For wee brought nothing into the world it is certaine that wee maye carrie nought away but hauing foode and rayment we must therewith be content And the Lord verily who of his goodnesse hath created Heauen and earth and all that is therein for the vse of men which euen séedeth the Rauens younge ones will not cause the iust man to die with hunger and penury Moreouer that man doth not loose his treasure in this world which gathereth treasure as the Lord hath coÌ„maunded him with whom y faithful know that a most wealthie treasure is layd vpp in heauen for them which are in this world spoiled of their â—errestrial goods for their lordâ— masterâ— sake That worthy notable seruam of god Iob doth cry Naked camed ouâ— of my mothers wombe naked shal I turne to the earth againe The Lord gaue and the Lord hath taken away as the Lord pleased so is it happened Blessed be the name of the Lord. Last of all it is manifest that to denie the truth therby to escape persecution is not the way to kéepe our wealth and quiet state but rather the meanes to loose them yea by so doing wee are made infamous to all good men of euery age and nation For we sée that they which would not for Christ and the cause of his trueth hazard their riches but chose rather by dissimulation and renouncing of the truth to kéepe their worldly wealth did reteyne for euer infamous reproch and daily augment most terrible tormentes which vexed horiblie their guiltie conscience loosing neuerthelesse in the diuels name y wealth which they would not once hazard in the cause of their Sauiour But they on y otherside which ieoparded themselues and all their substaunce in the quarell of Christe despising manfully al daungers that could happen did alwayes finde a swéete and pleasant coÌ„fort which strengthened the minds of their afflicted bodies For they crie with the Apostle Wee haue learned in whatsoeuer estate wee are therewith to be content Wee know how to be lowe wee know also howe to exceede euerie where and in all thinges we are instructed both to be full and to be hungrie both to haue plentie and to suffer neede We can doe all thinges through Christ who strengtheneth vs. They know that the same Apostle hath said Ye haue suffered with ioy the spoyling of your goods knowing that ye haue in heauen a farre more excellent substance which will endure For the Lord in the Gospel also said Verilie I say vnto you there is no man that hath forsaken house or brethren or sisters or father or mother or wife or children or landes for my sake and the Gospels but he shall receiue an hundred folde now at this present with persecutions and in the world to come eternall life Mar. 10. So than the Saincts and faithful seruauntes of God are oppressed with seruitude in this present world but therewith all they know and consider that the Lord himselfe became a seruaunt for vs men whereby they that are seruauntes in this world are made frée thorough Christe and by terrestriall seruitude a way is made to celestiall libertie The faithfull are exiled or banished their countrie but the heathen Poet sayth A valiaunt harted man takes euerie countrie for his owne Verilie in what place of this world soeuer wee are wée are in exile as banished men Oure father is in heauen and therefore heauen is our countrie Wherefore when wée die wée are deliuered from exile and placed in the heauenly countrie and true felicitie In like maner whom the tyrant killeth with hunger and famine those doth hée ridd of innumerable euils And againe whomsoeuer famine doth not vtterly â—il but only tormeÌ„t â–ª them doth it teach to liue more sparingly and afterward to fast the longer and deuoutly Nowe in this case the faithfull which suffer famine do call to remembraunce the examples of the auncient Sainctes of whome when Paul speaketh hée sayth They wandered about in sheepe skinns goate skinnes being destitute afflicted and tormented of whome the world was not worthie they wandered in wildernesse in mountaynes and in dennes and caues of the earth christians also consider that the state of famished Lazarus who died amoÌ„g the tongues of the dogges that licked his blaâ—â—es was farre â—erter than the surfetting of the strutbellied glutton who being once dead was buried in hell Moreouer it is to be abhorred de tested and yet lamented of all men to see a crue of barbâ—rous villaynes and vnrulie souldiours abuse perforce not honest matrenes onely but teÌ„der virgins also that are not fit yet nor ripe for a man But the greatest comfort that wee haue in so great a mischiefe and intollerable ignominie is that chastitie is a vertue of the mind For if it bée a treasure of the minde then is it not lost though the body be abused euen as in like sort the fayth of a man is not thought to be ouercome although the whole body be coÌ„sumed with fire And chastitie is not lost verilie where the body is defloured because the wil
Iesus said vnto him Verilie I say vnto thee this day thou shalt bee with mee in Paradise Therefore this théefe was thoroughe faith iustified without the workes of the lawe For after this request and prayer of his the Lord made no inquisition what his woorkes were all his life longe neither did hee looke what workes hée would doe after this faith and beleeuing but did immediatly vppon his confession both iustifie and take him as a companion to goe with him to Paradise Moreouer to the woman of whom mention is made in the Gospell after Sainct Luke not for any worke of the lawe but for faith onely hee said Thy sinnes are forgiuen thee And againe Go in peace thy faith hath made thee safe Furthermore in many places of the Gospell wée finde that our Sauiour vsed the like kinde of speach making faith alwayes to bee the cause of mens saluation And a little while after the same Apostle saith God forbid that I should glorie in any thing but in the crosse of our Lord Iesus Christ by whome the world is crucified to mee and I to the world Thou séest héere that the Apostle glorieth not of his owne righteousnesse or chastitie or wisedome or other workes or vertues of his owne but doth most plainly pronounce and say Let him that glorieth glorie in the Lord and so by that meanes all boasting is excluded And so forth with many other sayings tending to this purpose S. AMBROSE in his exposition of Paule his Epistle vnto the Romanes vppon the third and fourth Chapiters doeth saye They are fréelie iustified sayth Sainct Paule beecause when they woorke nothing nor doe any thing for GOD againe they are yet thorough faith onely iustified by the gift of God. According to the purpose of Gods grace sayeth Paule it was so ordeined of God that laying the law aside the grace of God should require faith onely vnto saluation This doeth by the example of the Prophete confirme the blessednesse of the man to whom the Lord imputeth righteousnesse without woorkes hée calleth them blessed with whome the Lord hath couenaunted that without labour and kéeping of the lawe they should bee iustified before their maker S. IOHN Chrysostome treating of faith of the lawe of nature and of the holie Ghost doth expressely saye I cannot proue that hee whiche woorketh the woorkes of righteousnesse without faith doeth enioye eternall life But I can by good proofe shewe that hée which beleeued without works did both liue and obteine the kingdome of heauen No man without faith hath obteined life But the théefe beléeued onely and for his faith was iustified by the most mercifull god And whereas here peraduenture thou wilt obiecte that hee wanted time to liue iustly and to doe good woorkes I aunsweare that I doe not greatly striue about that but this onelye I sticke to that faith alone did iustifie saue him For if he had liued any longer and had neglected faith and workes hée had vndoubtedly fallen from saluation But the onely end and argument whereat I now shoote is that faith of it selfe doth bring saluation and that workes of themselues did neuer saue any workers that wrought them As Chrysostome doth at large declare by the example of the Capitaine Cornelius These testimonies I suppose are sufficient to wittes that will bee aunsweared and doe not stand obstinateâ—â— in quarellinges and ianglings Otheâ—wise I could alledge a great 〈◊〉 But I will not bee ouer tedâ—ors vnto you deerely beloued nor same to bee endlesse in an euident matter But nowe because to this treatise of the righteousnesse of woorkes there is a questioÌ„ annexed touching the merits of good woorkes I will therefore summarilie say somewhat of merits or rather of the hire and reward of good woorkes To this ende especiallie least any man thincking irreligiouâ—ly of the merits of good workes do therby winne to himselfe not good but euill workes The name of Merits is an vnaâ—quainted terme not vsed in the Scriptures For in that signification wherin our Merite woorkers vse it to wit for meritorious woorkes for that I meane wherevnto both life and the grace of GOD is of duetie giuen as debt that is due in that signification I saye it doeth obscure the Grace of God and maketh man too proude and arrogant What I pray you can our woorkes deserue since none of the Sainctes durst bée so bold as to plead their merites before the Lord Iob cryeth If I wil iustifie mee selfe mine owne mouthe shall condemne mee If I will goe about to shewe mee selfe to bee an innocent hee shall proue mee a wicked doer If I washe mee selfe with snowe water and make my handes neuer so cleane at the wel yet shalt thou dippe me in the myre and mine owne garmentes shall defile mee Dauid crieth Enter not into iudgment with thy seruaunt for in thy sighte shall no man liuing bee iustified Christ oure Lord in the Gospell saith When ye haue done all thinges that are commaunded you then say wee are vnprofitable seruauntes wee haue done that wee oughte to doe But a little before oure Lord saide Doeth the maister thancke the seruaunt whiche doeth the thinges that are commaunded him to doe The holy Apostle Sainct Paule also cryeth I doe not despise the Grace of god For if righteousnesse bee of the Lawe then did Christe die in vaine Againe in the Gospell after Sainct Luke the Phariscie is greatly blamed which could not be content to put confidence in his owne righteousnesse but would néedes boaste of his merits also And Nabuchodonosor fealt no little plague for saying that the kingdome of Babylon did come vnto him by his owne arte industrie power and vertue By how muche a greater punishement therefore shall wée thincke them to be worthie off which are persuaded make their bragges that they by their merits haue deserued or earned the kingdome of heauen And yet all this doth not tend to y making void of the stipend of good woror to the denying of the reward that is prepared for vertues For he is true which promised and what hee promised he will performe Now he promised rewards to them that worke righteousnesse euen as also according to his iustice and trueth hée hath threatened terrible punishments to wicked impenitent sinners But the promises of God are of two sortes to witt they lay before oure eyes the giftes and rewards of this present life and of the life to come For the Lord in the Gospell after S. Marke doth say Verilie I saye vnto you there is no man that hath forsaken house or brethren or landes for my sake and the Gospels but he shall receiue an hundreth fold now at this present with persecutioÌ„s and in the world to come life euerlasting And Paul saith Godlinesse is profitable to all thinges hauing promise of the life that is nowe of that which is to come This is a sure saying and by all meanes worthie to bee receiued For therefore wee
the blasphemie against the holie Ghoste shal not be forgiuen vnto men And whosoeuer speaketh a worde against the sonne of man it shal be forgiuen him but whosoeuer speaketh against the holie Ghost it shall not bee forgiuen him neither in this worlde nor in the world to come The same sentence of our Sauiour is thus expressed in the thirde Chapter of sainct Markes Gospell All sinnes shal be forgiuen vnto the children of men blasphemies wherewith soeuer they shal blaspheme but he that speaketh blasphemie against the holie Ghoste hath neuer forgiuenesse but is in daunger of eternall damnation In the twelfth Chap. after Sainct Luke these woordes in a manner are vttered thus Who soeuer speaketh a worde against the sonne of man it shal be forgiuen him but vnto him that blasphemeth the holie Ghoste it shal not be forgiuen In these woordes of the Lorde we haue here mention made of blasphemie against the sonne of man and of blasphemie against the holie Ghoste of which that against the holie Ghoste is vtterly vnpardonable but that against the sone of man is altogether veniall Blasphemie against the sonne of man is committed of the ignoraunt which are not yet inlightened doeth tend against Christ whome the blasphemer doth thinke to bee a seducer because he knoweth him not Suche blasphemers the woorde of the Lorde doth manifestly testifie that Paul him selfe before his conuersion a greate parte of the Iewes were For vppon the crosse the Lorde prayed crying Father for giue them for they wott not what they doe And the Apostle Paule sayth If they had knowen the Lorde of glorie they would not haue crucified him Wherevpon Saincte Peter in the Actes speakinge to the Iewes saith I knowe that ye did it through ignorance nowe therefore turne you and repent that your sinnes may be wiped out Act. 3. But the blasphemie against the holie Ghost is saide to be a continual faultfinding or reproche against the holie spirite of God that is against the inspiration illumination and woorkes of the spirite For when he doth so euidently worke in the minds of men that they can neither gainesaye it nor yet pretend ignorance and that for all this they do resist mocke despise and continually snapp at the trueth whiche they in their consciences do knowe to be moste hoalsome and true in so doing they do blaspheme the holie Spirite and power of god As for example the Phariseis being by moste euident reasons and vnreproueable miracles coÌ„uinced in their owne minds could not denie but that the doctrine woorkes of our Lorde Iesus Christe were the trueth and miracles of the verie God and yet against the testimonie of their owne consciences they did of méere enuie rebellious doggednesse and false apostacie continually cauil that Christ did al by the means inspiration of Beelsebub the diuel And little or nothing better than the Phariseis are those which when they haue in these dayes once vnderstoode that the verie trueth and assured saluation are moste simplie and purely set forth in Christe doe notwithstanding forsake it and allowe of the contrarie doctrine condemning and with mockes rayling vppon the sounde and manifest trueth yea and that more is they ceasse not to clappe their handes and hisse at it as a damnable heresie As this sinne is of all other the filthiest so is it not veniall but vtterly vnpardonable For in the Gospell the Lorde hath expresly saide it shall not bee forgiuen him neither in this world nor in the worlde to come Whiche sentence in Saint Marke is thus pronounced He hath neuer forgiuenesse but is in daunger of eternall damnation The cause is manifest For it is vnpossible without faith to please god Without faith there is no remission of sinnes Without faith there is no entraunce into the kingdome of god But the sinne against the holie Ghoste is méere apostacie flatt rebellion against the true faith which the holie Ghoste by his illumination doth powre into our heartes Whiche illumination these vntoward Apost ataes doe incessantly call darkenesse they name it a meere seduction and do with tauntes blaspheme it openly Therfore the sinne is neuer forgiuen them For they tread vnder foote the Grace of God and do despise make a mocke of the waye which leadeth to saluation Wherefore Sainct Paule in the tenth to the Hebrues saith If wee sinne willingly after we haue receiued the knowledge of the trueth there remaineth no more sacrifice for sinnes but a fearefull looking for of iudgement and violent fire which shal deuour the aduersaries Nowe I pray you what is it to sinne wilingly Forsooth to sinne willingly is not to sinne through infirmitie or ofteÌ„ times to fall into one the same sinne but to sinne willingly is with a moste stubborn coÌ„teÌ„pt to sinne as they are wont to do which wittingly and willingly do reiecte and spurne at the Grace of God not ceassing to make a mocke of the crosse death of Christ as thoughe it were foolishe and not sufficiently effectuall to the purginge of all oure sinnes For to such there is prepared none other sacrifice for sinnes And suche the Apostle calleth the aduersaries that is the contemners and enimies of god And therefore the same Apostle in the sixte Chapter of the same Epistle saith It cannot be that they which were once lighted and haue tasted of the heauenly gifte were become partakers of the holie ghost and haue tasted of the good woorde of God and the powers of the world to come and they fall away should be renued againe into repentaunce crucifying to them selues the sonne of God afreshe and making a mock of him He speaketh not here of euery fall of the faithfull but of wilfull stubborne apostacie For Peter fell and was restored againe throughe repentance which happeneth to more than Peter alone For all sinners are through repentaunce daily restored But vnrepentant Iudas is not restored because he was a wilfull apostatae Mockers and blasphemâ—rs are not restored through repentance because they do obstinately stande against the knowen veritie and ceasse not to blaspheme the waye by whiche alone they are to be ledd vnto eternall life Therefore those places of S. Paule do make neuer a whit for the Nouatians but do expound to vs the nature and enuenomed force of the sinne against the holie Ghost Sainct Iohn the Apostle and Euangelist disputing of this sinne in his Canonicall Epistle saith If any man see his brother sinne a sinne which is not vnto death he shal aske he shal giue him life for them that sinne not vnto death There is a sinne vnto death I say not that thou shouldest praye for it All vnrighteousnesse is sinne and there is a sinne not vnto death We knowe that whosoeuer is borne of God sinneth not but he that is begotten of God keepeth him selfe and that euil toucheth him not Sainct Iohn here maketh mentioÌ„ of two sortes of sinnes The one vnto death that is mortall
our owne For this is the glorie of the sonne of God that vnder Heauen there is none other name giuen vnto men in whiche they must bee saued Herevppon it is that Paule saide Christe is made of none effecte to you who soeuer are iustified by the Lawe ye are fallen from Grace And againe I doe not despise the grace of god For if righteousenesse bee of the Lawe then did Christe dye in vaine If hee dyed in vaine then is the glorie of Christe his Crosse perished The thirde cause is the certeine and assured reason of oure saluation Our saluation should bee vtterly vncerteine if it did depende vppon our woorkes and merites who because of oure naturall corruption vnlesse wee bee beside our selues doe saye or ought to saye with Iob If I haue any righteousenesse I will not aunswere but humbly beeseeche my Iudge Therefore did Paule verie rightly saye If the inheritaunce bee of the Lawe then is faith voide and the promise made of none effecte Therefore is it of faith as according to Grace that the promise may bee firme to all the seede The fourth cause is because by this doctrine especially there is repayred in vs the image of GOD to the likenesse whereof wee were at the firste created For by faithe Christe dwelleth and liueth in vs who is also delighted in our humilitie But then is the image of the diuell stirred vpp in vs when wee beginne once to bee proude in our selues and to vsurpe the glorie of God whiche is done vndoubtedly so often as wee doe attribute our righteousenesse and saluation vnto oure selues as though by oure owne woorkes or merites wee had deserued the kingdome of god The diuell swelleth with pride and doth his indeuour to robbe God of his glorie The Saintes do knowe and acknowledge that they are saued by the true grace and mercie of God and doe therefore attribute to him all honour and glorie and to them selues confusion and ignominie Wherevnto vndoubtedly belongeth the parable in the gospell of the Phariseie boastinge in his good workes and of the Publicane praying and saying God be mercifull to me a sinner of whiche twayne the Publicane is read to haue gone heauie to his house rather iustified than the other The fifte cause is the value or estimation of the sinne For that semeth to be no greate faulte which may by mennes workes be blotted out before god But the holy scripture teacheth that sinns could be by none other meanes cleansed but by the death and innocent bloude of the sonne of god Nowe by that euery man that hath anye vnderstandinge may easily gather that sinne in the sight of GOD is a moste abhominable and detestable thinge Wherevpon there doeth arise in the faithfull Sainctes a carefull and diligent watchinge against sinne and a continuall bewaylinge of oure miserable condition with a passinge humilitie and exquisite modestie I coulde yet add to these some causes more why al men ought to stâ—iue endeuour to kéepe this doctrine that the Catholique church iâ— iustified by the grace of God in his only beâ—otteÌ„ sonne through faith not through workes sincere and vncorrupt in the church of Christe but these I hope are sufficient for them that are not of purpose set to quarell against vs And yet notwithstanding there is no perill why by this doctrine good woorkes should be neglected of which I haue spoken in place conuenient But if there be any that ceasse not of purpose to cauil against the manifest truth of the Gospell I obiect against them that saying of Paule that neither wee nor the churches of God do stand to wrangle in so manifest a light To conclude the summe of all that which hitherto I haue saide touching the Gospell is this that al men that be in the world are of their owne nature the seruauntes of sinne the diuell and eternall death and cannot be loosed or set at libertie by anye other meanes but by the frée grace of God and the redemption which is in the onely begotten sonne of God our Lorde Christe Iesus Of which redemption they onely are made partakers that doe beléeue and trust in him For whosoeuer doe by true faith receiue Christ Iesus through the preaching of the Gospell they are therewithal iustified that is acquited from their sinnes sanctified and made heires of eternall life But they that by their vnbeléefe and hardnesse of harte do not receiue Christe are giuen ouer to the eternall paines and bondes of hell For the wrath of God abydeth vppon them Let vs therefore giue hartie thankes to God our redéemer and humbly beséech him to kéepe and increase vs in the true faith and lastely to bring vs to life euerlasting Amen ¶ Of Repentaunce and the causes thereof of Confession and remission of sinnes of satisfaction and indulgences of the olde and newe man of the power or strength of men and the other thinges perteining to Repentaunce The Seconde Sermon I Promised in my last Sermon that I made of the Gospell of IESUS Christe to adde a discourse of RepeÌ„taunce which by the helpe of GOD and your good prayers I purpose in this Sermon for to perfourme They amonge the Latines are sayde to repent which are agreeued at or ashamed of the thing that they haue done Thou hast done a good turne and thinckest him vnworthie of it for whome thou hast done it and for that cause arte sorie to thy selfe that sorrowe of thine is repentaunce Wee Germans call it Denriiwen The Gréekes doe name it Metanoeam Nowe they which are skilful of y toung saye that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 signifieth to bethinke afterwarde so that Metanoea is there properly vsed where a man hauing once slipped by dooynge some thing foolishelye doth notwithstanding at length come to himselfe againe and verily purpose to correcte his owne errour It is theÌ„rfore referred not to the thought of the minde onely but also to the deed done For he that perceiueth that he hath offended doth deuise with himselfe how to amend it So now the thing beginneth to displease thée which before did please thée so nowe thou eschuest the thing that before thou ensuedst Moreouer the Hebrues call Repentaunce Theschuah that is a conuersion or returning to the right way or minde againe The Metaphore séemeth to bée taken of them whiche once did straye from the right path but doe againe at lengthe returne into the way Which word is translated to the minde to the maners and déedes of men But nowe this word is diuersly vsed For Repentaunce signifieth the chaunging of the purpose once conceiued or of any other thing For by Ieremie the Lord sayeth If they turne from euill I will also repente mee of the euill whiche I ment to lay vppon them Therefore God doth then repent when he chaungeth his purpose he repenteth not when he doth not alter it Paule sayeth The giftes and calling of God are without repentaunce And Dauid said The Lord hath sworne and will not
the sense béeing sounde vncorrupted and well weighed he attributeth frée will which he graunteth to bée in vs vnto the grace that woorketh in vs yea to the regeneration of the Spirite rather than to our selues or our owne power I will here cite and rehearse vnto you dearely beloued this one testimonie onely out of all his writinges as it is to bée founde in the firste Chapter of his booke De Correptione et Gratia where hée saith Wee must confesse that wee haue free will to doe bothe euill and good but in the doing of euill euerie one is free from righteousenesse and bound to sinne but in good no man can bee free vnlesse hee bee made free by him which saide If the sonne make you free then shall ye bee free in deede And yet not so that when euery one is sett free from the condemnation of sinne hee should then no more stand in neede of his deliuerers ayde but so rather that where hee heareth his deliuerer saye Without mee yee can doe nothinge hee should presently saye to him againe Bee thou my helper O forsake mee not And verily I am gladde that in oure brother Florus I founde this faith which without doubt is the true propheticall and Apostolicall faith For here must the grace of God through Iesus Christe our Lorde bee needes vnderstoode by whiche alone wee men are deliuered from euil and without which wee doe no good either in thought will loue or deede Not onely that by the shewing or teaching of grace men should no more but knowe what is to bee done but also that by the verie woorking and perfourminge of grace they should with loue doe the thing that they knowe And so forth For I haue hitherto rehearsed vnto you Saincte Augustines opinion touching free will of which this is sufficient for a note by the waye nowe I returne to my purpose againe Wée haue hearde what the olde man is what the newe man is and howe wée are renued by the holy spirite nowe therefore when we saye that penitentes doe mortifie the olde man and are renued by the spirite or spiritually we saye nothing else but that to all penitents the affections senses or lustes of the fleashe I meane euen the verie vnderstanding which wee haue of olde Adam together with the will are not onely suspected but also conuicted of impietie and that therefore in all their thoughtes wordes and deedes they do neuer admitte their affections into their counsell but doe by al meanes resist them and continually studye to breake the necke of them and on the other side in all our counsels words and déedes to admitt and receiue yea with prayers to call vnto vs that heauenly guyde the spirite of Christ by whose conduite and leading wee maye perceiue iudge speake and woorke that is to saye either omitt or doe that which we haue learned in our graunde patterne Christe according to whose likenesse wee must bee refourmed that henceforth wee maye applye our selues to holinesse righteousnesse and good woorkes to Godwarde But nowe all this we shall vnderstande more rightly and plainely by the wordes of the Apostle where hee sayeth This I saye and testifie in the Lorde that ye henceforth walke not as other Gentiles walke in vanitie of their minde darkened in cogitation being alienated from the life of God by the ignoraunce that is in them by the blyndnesse of their hartes which being past feeling haue giuen them selues ouer vnto wantonnesse to worke all vncleannesse with greedinesse But ye haue not so learned Christ if so be ye haue heard him and haue beene taught in him as the trueth is in Iesus to lay downe according to the former conuersation the olde man which is corrupt according to the lustes of errour but to bee renued in the spirite of your mynde and to put on that newe mā which after God is shapen in righteousenesse and holinesse of trueth and so forth as followeth in the 4. Chapter to the Ephesians The same Apostle in the thirde to the Colossians saith Mortifie your members whiche are vpon the earth fornication vncleannesse inordinate affection euill concupiscence and couetousnesse which is idolatrie for which thinges sake the wrath of God commeth vpon the children of disobedience amonge whom ye also walked sometime whē ye liued in them But nowe put yee off also all these things wrath fiercenesse maliciousenesse blasphemie filthie communication out of your mouth lye not one to another seeing that ye haue put off the old man with his workes and haue put on the newe man which is renued into the knowledge and image of him that made him Put on therefore as the elect of god holie beloued bowels of mercie kindnesse modestie meeknesse long suffering forbearing one an other and forgiuing one another if any man haue a quarell against anie and so forth To which if thou addest that which the Apostle hath of the same matter in the sixt Chapter to the Romanes euery poynt wil be more expresse plaine vnto the hearer Nowe these woordes of the Apostle do not onely teach vs what the old man is what the newe man is what it is to mortifie the olde man and how penitents are renued in the newnesse of the spirite or of the minde but doe also shewe what the fruits be that are worthie of repentance to wite those rehearsed vertues or those offices of life towarde God and our neighbour We owe to God feare or reuerence humblenesse of minde the knowledge of our selues faith hope the hatred of sinne the loue of righteousenesse charitie toward our neighbour well doing towardes all men and innocencie in all things These kind of fruits did the holie man Iohn Baptist require of the Iewish nation when he saide Bring forth fruits that become repentance For in Saincte Luke beeinge demanded of the people of the Publicanes and of the mercenarie or garrison souldiers what thing they shoulde do worthie of repentaunce he prescribeth none other than that whiche we euen nowe recited For the Lord him selfe by Esaie in the 5. Chapter of his prophecie rehearsed vpp none other fruites than those And in the Reuelation made to S. Iohn speaking to the minister of the Churche of Ephesus he saith Remēber from whence thou arte fallē and repent and doe the firste woorkes Wherevnto agrée the wordes of S. Paule speaking to Agrippa and saying I haue preached to the Iewes and Gentiles exhorting them to repent and to turne to God and to do such woorkes as become them that repent And againe in the seuenth Chapter of the seconde Epistle to the Corinthians hee saith Sorrowe which is to Godwarde causeth repentaunce vnto saluation not to be repented of For behold this selfe same thing that ye were made soarie to Godward howe muche carefulnesse it hathe wrought in you yea what clearing of your selues yea what indignation yea what feare yea what vehement desire yea what zeale yea what punishment Nowe this carefulnesse is an intentiue
holy Ghost had y comforter present in their mindes went reioycing from the presence of the counsel bicause they were counted worthy to suffer reproch for the name of Christe So we read in the Ecclesiasticall historie that the martyrs of Christ being full of the holy Ghost euen in extreme torments and moste bitter deaths were most patient and sange prayses and gaue thanks vnto GOD. Furthermore we haue heard that the holy Ghoste is called of the Lorde the spirite of trueth For in an other place also hee beautifieth him with that name for he saith When the cōforter shall come whome I will send vnto you from the father euen the spirite of trueth which proceedeth from the father hee shall beare witnesse of me And he is called the spirite of trueth bycause there is an other hypocriticall spirite an erronious and lying spirite in the mouth of all false Prophetes This our spirite worketh in his worshippers sinceritie gentlenesse of mynde and integritie Those he teacheth all trueth For our Lorde elsewhere in the gospel sayth That comforter whiche is the holy Ghoste whome the father will send in my name he shall teache you all things and bring all thinges to your remembraunce what so euer I haue sayde vnto you Therefore the spirite of trueth hath taught the Apostles all trueth that is to be beléeued and all godlinesse and they haue deliuered the same fully to the Church For the holie Ghost driueth away all errours destroyeth all heresies confoundeth all Idolatrie and vngodlinesse and poureth true faith into our heartes and establisheth true religiō in the Church The Actes of the Apostles affoorde vs verie many of examples By this spirite of God the Apostles foretolde things to come shadowing out amōg other things Antichrist and the corruption of this oure last age and admonishing the Church least the elect shoulde be intangled in errours and blasphemous wickednesses Now he is called the spirit of promise for that he was promised of god by the Prophetes through Christ to the Fathers to the apostles and to al that beleue the apostles doctrine and was at length also through the same Christe fully giuen and perfourmed This worde putteth the godly in mynde that they shoulde not ascribe the hauing of this so great and healthfull a gift to their merites but to the méere grace of god And the holie Ghoste is graunted yea giuen vnto vs by the promise of god Wherevpon it followeth that all the giftes of God are fréely giuen which thing the Apostle Paule principally proueth and earnestly beateth into our heades in his epistles specially to the Romanes and the Galathians In Luke the Lord sayth If I with the finger of God cast out diuels no doubt the kingdome of God is come vpon you Saint Matthewe rehearsing the same wordes sayth If I by the spirite of God cast out diuels thē is the kingdome of God come vpon you Therefore the holie Ghost is called the finger of god to wit the might and power of god Men of occupations worke with their fingers God worketh his workes by his diuine power I meane by his spirite whose power is so greate that euen his little finger giue me leaue so to speake surpasseth all the power and strength in the worlde That appeared in those Sorcerers of Egypt Didymus rehearseth a parable touching the vnitie of the diuine substaunce and admonisheth diligently and conueniently that we should not for corporall things forge and feigne vnto our selues a corporall meaning of spirituall things For he sayth But beware lest thou being cast downe vnto base things doest imagine in thy mynd diuersities of corporall actions and begin to forge to thy selfe magnitudes and inequalities and other members of the body greater and lesser saying that the finger from the hand and the hand from him whose hand it is doth differ by many inequalities bycause the scripture doth now speak of bodylesse thinges purposing to shewe the vnitie onely and not the measure of substance also For as the hand is not diuided from the body by the whiche it worketh and bringeth all things to an end and is in him whose hand it is so also the finger is not separated frō the hand whose finger it is Therefore away with inequalities and mesurings when thou thinkest of God and vnderstande the vnitie of the finger of the hande and of the whole substaunce by which finger the lawe was written in tables of stone Thus farre he Now the holie Ghost is read as wel in the writings of the Prophets as also of the apostles to be shadowed out by water and a liuely or continuall running founteine I will poure out sayth the Lord by Esaie waters vppon the thirstie and riuers vpon the dry ground And anon by interpretation he addeth I will poure my spirite vpon thy seede and my blessing vpon thy stocke And in the Gospell the Lord sayth If any mā thirst let him come vnto mee and drinke Hee that beleeueth in me as sayth the scripture out of his bellye shall flowe riuers of water of life To which in way of exposition the holie Euangeliste addeth But this he spake of the spirite whiche they that beleeue in him should receiue Surely water maketh barren groundes fruitfull cleanseth things defiled giueth drinke to them that be thirstie and cooleth them that are in a heate so the grace of the holy spirit maketh barren myndes fruitfull to bring foorth fruite to the liuing god By the selfe same grace our harts are cleansed from all vncleannesse the same quencheth the thirst of the soule and comforteth it when it is afflicted and fulfilleth all the desires thereof Fire is simple and pure and some bodies it consumeth and othersome it purgeth making them more fine and cleane It warmeth also and hath many profitable and necessarie operations in man Therefore the holy Ghoste is rightly shadowed out vnto vs by fire For he is pure and simple he consumeth the vngodly cleanseth the faythfull from the filthinesse of sinnes and maketh them to burne with the loue of God and their neighbour setting them on fire doubt lesse with the fire of his loue When he was giuen to the Apostles in the day of Pentecoste there was heard a sound as it had bene with the force of a mightie winde comming by which thing was signified that the doctrine of godlinesse shoulde be spread throughout the whole worlde by the power of GOD and wonderfull successe maugre the might of the whole world setting shoulder against the same all in vaine For the wind no man staying it bloweth through the whole world pearceth all places and no mā can keepe it out it hath also wonderfull effectes in bodies to chaunge thē And the holie Ghost pearceth al thinges softneth mens hearts and of froward stubborne and rebellious he maketh most lowly modest and obedient men Fierie toungs appeare vpon the heades of the Apostles and disciples indued
with the lords supper exhorteth with martyrdome cōtrarie to this institutiō receiueth no man This is the institution Thus far Tertullian in his booke which he intituled Of the prescription of heretiques The last thing that is to be noted is this that the lord God not only of old vnto this time but in these daies also giueth doctors and pastors to the church doctors I say and not leaders and captaines of hostes and armies of men not princes not souldiers not craftie men vsing deceitful meanes which in these days they call practises For by no other meanes or maner nor by no other instrument than by the doctrine of truth and founde simple godlinesse is that holy catholique church of God built vp fenced preserued wherof at the beginning simple men Christes Apostles by the preaching of the gospel laid the foundation Paule therefore remoueth all worldly wisedome and saith I was among you Corinths in weaknesse and in feare in much trembling neither stoode my worde my preaching in the enticing speach of mans wisedome but in plain euidence of the spirit of power that your faith should not be in the wisedome of men but in the power of god The same apostle also banisheth al craftie counsel with al sorts of deceite whē writing to the Thessalonians he saith Our exhortation was not by deceit nor by vncleanesse nor by guile But as we were allowed of God that the gospel should be cōmitted vnto vs euenso we spake not as thei that please men but god which trieth our harts Neither yet did we euer vse flattering words as ye knowe nor coloured couetousnesse God is recorde neyther sought we praise of men c. Wherfore he is greatly deceiued madde the thinketh the church can either be gathered togither or being gathered can be mainteined preserued with practises that is to say with crafty counsels subtile deceits of men It is truly said of the common people That the same is ouerthrowne againe by mans wisedome which was first built by mans wisdome Besides this the Lord him selfe doth remoue force armes frō the building of the church since he forbids his disciples the vse of sworde vnto Peter ready prest to fight saith Put vp thy sword into the scabberd Neido we euer reade that any were sent of the Lord as souldiers which with armed force shuld bring the world in subiectiō But rather the scripture witnesseth the great enimie of God Antichrist shal be destroied with the breth of Gods mouth Wherefore there is no doubt that all those thinges which are reade in diuers places of the prophets and chiefly in the 12. of Zacharie cōcerning wars to be made against all nations by the apostles apostolical men ought to be figuratiuely expounded For the Apostles according to their manner fight as apostles not with speare sword bowe of carnal warfare but of spiritual The apostolical sword is the word of god Yet in the meane time no man denieth but that the wepons of carnal or corporal warfare haue béen profitable somtime to apostolicall men and to the church do good euē at this day No mā denieth the God doth ofttimes vse the helpe of souldiers magistrates in defēding the church against the wicked tyrants Yea rather al men wil confesse that a good and godly magistrate oweth a dutie toward the church of god For not without great cause the worthy prophete of God Isaie calleth kings noursing fathers Queenes noursing mothers Paul being oppressed of the Iewes in the temple of Ierusalem for preaching of the gospel amongst the gentiles by the army of Claudius Lysias the Romane tribune is taken away and rescued And not long after there was sent with the Apostle by the same Tribune no small companie of souldiers to wit a troupe of horsmen certeine companies of footmē by whom he was brought safely to Antipatris Caesarea before Foelix the Proconsul of Iudea Whiche thing is not rashly with so great diligence at large remembred by Luke in the Actes of the Apostles The Ecclesiastical history reciteth many examples of holy princes whiche haue defēded succoured the church But these things in another place in som measure I haue intreated of in the. 7. and 8. sermons as I remēber of the second decade And thus farre of the originall of the churche of God and of the increase and preseruation of the same haue we spoken In this place it séemeth vnto me not vnfitly may the famous question be hand led or briefly expounded whether the church of god may erre which that it may more plainely be vnderstoode I will briefly discusse the parts of this question I haue taught that the catholique church of God doth comprehend firste the blessed spirites in heauen then all faithfull Christians here on earth vnto whom I say did cleane the wicked or hypocrits feyning faith for a season Now therfore if we vnderstand by the church the blessed spirits in heauen the church can neuer erre But if we vnderstand the wicked or hypocrits ioyned mingled with the good the wicked alone by them selues they do nothing else but erre but as they are ioyned vnto the good faithful do follow thē they eyther erre or they erre not For the church of the good faithfull herevpon earth doth erre doth not erre Which thing we will declare when we haue weyed the diuersities of errors and gathered the number of them together wholy in a bundle Errours some be of doctrine and faith some be of life and maners And what maner of ones either of them be I think there is no man but knoweth Let vs sée then whether the church of the faithful vpon earth doe erre or no and if it erre in what point or howe farre it erreth As concerning the manners and life of the church it can not wholy and clearely acquite it selfe of errours that is to say frō sinne For alwayes so long as it is liuing here on earth it prayeth hartily And forgiue vs our trespasses as wee doe forgiue them that trespasse against vs. And GOD for his mercies sake doth alwayes purge in his Saints all dregs and infirmities as long as they liue in this world continually renewing and defiling the elect I am not ignorant what may here hinder thée faithfull hearer If the churche sayest thou be not holy and pure howe is it called of the apostle holy without spot and wrinkle I answere if thou wilt acknowledge no churche vpon earth but that which is altogether without blemishe thou shalte be forced to acknowledge none at all For there shall neuer be any suche kinde of Church remayning on earth where The moste righteous God as the Scripture witnesseth hath shutte vppe all things vnder sinne that he might take mercie on all men S. Paule therefore doeth call the church pure without spot or wrinkle through
their tributarie cities subiecte vnto them diligently to sée and marke what they did in euerie citie 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is to say spyes and watchmen The Apostles called byshops watchmen and kéepers of the Lords flocke and the stewardes of Christe or disposers of the secretes of God in the Churche And Presbyter an Elder hath his name of age and auncient yeares In times past the care of the common wealth was committed vnto the elders as to those that were exercised with manifolde experience long vse of things For gouernours of cities are bothe called Seniors and Senatours And as common weales haue their Senatours so hath the church her elders as it appeareth in the Actes 14. 15. 20. 21. chap. It séemeth that the ordeining of elders came into the church out of the synagogue For thus we reade in the booke of Numbers Gather vnto me saith he three score and ten men of the elders of Israel whome thou knowest to bee the elders of the people and officers ouer them and I wil take of the spirit which is vpon thee and put vppon them and they shall beare the burthen of the people with thee least thou bee constrained to beare it alone Wherefore the elders in the churche of Christe are eyther byshoppes or otherwise prudent and learned men added to byshops that they maye the more easily beare the burthen layd vpon them and that the churche of God may the better and more conueniently be gouerned For Paule sayth The elders that rule well let them be counted woorthy of double honour most specially they which labour in the worde and doctrine There were therefore certeine other in the Ecclesiasticall function who albeit they did not teach by and by as did the byshops yet were they present with them that taught in all all businesses Perhaps they are called of the same Apostle elsewhere Gouernours that is is to say whiche are set in authoritie concerning discipline and other affaires of the churche And bycause we are come thus farre in this present treatise we will also declare other names of offices in the churche There is muche speache in the scriptures of Deacons and amonge Ecclesiasticall writers of Priestes In the primitiue Churche the care of the poore was committed to Deacons as it is plainely gathered out of the sixt chapter of the Actes of the Apostles There are also lawes to be séene which are prescribed vnto them by the Apostle in the firste to Timothie the thirde chapter The office of Deacons was separated froÌ„ the function of Pastours and therefore we do not reckon them in the order of Pastours The auncient fathers referred them to the ministerie but not to the Priesthoode We reade also that women not wedded but widowes ministred in the primitiue churche And among other Phebe of the churche of Cencâ—ea highly praysed of the Apostle is verie famous But he forbiddeth women to teach in the church and to take vpon them publique offices How therfore or in what thing did women minister in the churche vndoubtedly they ministred vnto the poore in duties apperteyning to women They ministred vnto the sicke and with Martha Christs hostesse they did with great care and diligence chearish the members of Christe For what other offices could they haue Moreouer the name of Priest séemeth to be brought into the churche out of the synagogue For otherwise ye shall not finde in the newe Testament the ministers of the worde of GOD and of churches to be called priestes but after that sorte that all Christians are called priestes by the Apostle Peter But it appeareth that the ministers of the new Testament for a certeine likenesse whiche they haue with the ministers of the olde Testament of ecclesiasticall writers are called Priestes For as they did their seruice in the tabernacle so these also after their manner and their fashion minister to the churche of god For otherwise the Latine word is deriued of holy things and signifieth a minister of holy things a man I say dedicated and consecrated vnto God to do holy things And holy things are not only sacrifices but what things so euer come vnder the name of religion from whiche we dee not exclude the lawes them selues and holy doctrine In the old testament we read that Dauids sonnes were called priestes not that they were ministers of holy things for it was not lawfull for theÌ„ whiche came of the tribe of Iuda to serue in the tabernacle but onely to the Leuites but bicause they liuing vnder the gouernement and discipline of priestes did learne good sciences and holy diuinitie Here it séemeth it must not be dissembled that those names which we haue intreated of are in the Scriptures one vsed for an other For Peter the Apostle of Christ our Lord calleth him selfe an Elder And in the Actes of the Apostles he calleth the Apostleship a Byshopricke For Saint Paule also calling the Elders together at Miletum and talking with them he calleth them Byshops And in his Epistle vnto Titus he commaundeth to ordeine Elders towne by towne whome immediately after he calleth Byshoppes And that they also are called both Doctors and Pastours there is none so grosse headed to denie Now by all these things we think it is manifest to all men what orders the Lord him selfe ordeined from the beginning and whome he hath consecrated to the holie ministerie of the Church to gouerne his owne church He layd the foundation of the churche at the beginning by Apostles Euangelistes and Prophetes he enlarged and mainteyned the same by Pastours and Doctours To these Elders and Deacons were helpers The Deacons in séeing to the poore and the Elders in doctrine in discipline and in gouerning and susteyning other weightier affaires of the Churche Neuerthelesse it appeareth that the order of the Apostles Euangelistes and Prophets was ordeined at the beginning by the Lorde vnto his Churche for a time according to the matter persons and places For many ages since and immediatly after the foundation of Christes kingdome in earth the Apostles Euangelistes and Prophets ceased and there came in their place Byshops Pastours Doctours and Elders which order hath continued most stedfastly in the Church that nowe we can not doubt that the order of the Churche is perfect and the gouernement absolute if at this day also there remaine in the Church of God byshops or pastours doctours also or Elders Yet we deny not that after the death of the Apostles there were oftentimes Apostles raysed vp of GOD whiche might preache the Gospell to barbarous and vngodly nations We confesse also that God euen at this day is able to rayse vp Apostles Euangelistes and Prophetes whose labour he may vse to worke the saluation of mankinde For we acknowledge that holy and faithfull men whiche first preach the truth of the Gospell to any vnbeléeuing people may be called Apostles and Euangelistes
what are they not It is rehearsed out of the Registre of Gregorie that hee who neuerthelesse was verie fauourable to the monkes himselfe would put him out of the cleargie who beeing a monke would take the degrée of an abbat for asmuche as the one dignitie would hinder the other Clearkes who are the Lords inheritaunce or whose lot the Lord is in times past suche were called as were studentes or professours of diuinitie that is to say the very séed of pastours of the churche and such as were euen as it were consecrated to succéed in the ministerie of the church that is suche as liued vnder gouernment and were trained vp by the doctours and elders in the studie of the liberall sciences holy scriptures This institution is auncient not new neither inueÌ„ted by man For in time past amonge the old people of the Iewes they were called Nazarites And that the most excellent churches haue coÌ„tinually had famous scholes euen from the time of the Apostles Eusebius doth often witnes But vnto those students the affaires of the church somwhat increasing it séemeth that the charge of opening shutting the temple or church was committed and to prepare al things in the church and further to read openly before the people such places of scripture as the bishop appointed them Wherevppon perhaps the names of dorekepers and readers sprang which are at this day reckoned amoÌ„gst ecclesiastical orders But they which were more familiarly present with the bishops accompanied them were estemed as those who after the decease of the bishops might succéed in their places were called Acoluthi as if you would say folowers For it is a gréeke word And as in time for the most part all things become worse euen so these things the further off from their first institution the more filthilie were they wrested In som things you shal sée nothing left but the bare name some things vtterly lost some things are turned altogether to another vse And here for witnes I alledg Isidorê° Rabanus Innocentius Durandus and other writers of this kind They make 2. sorts of ecclesiastical persons one of dignitie another of order Of dignitie as Pope patriarche primate archbishop archpriest archdeacon prouost Of order as the minister or priest the deacon c. But some account 6. orders other some 8. All with one accord doe reckoÌ„ dorekéepers or porters readers or singers exorcists acoluthes subdeacous deacoÌ„s elders or priests Those againe they diuide into greater lesser orders Among the greater orders are the priest or elder the deacon the subdeacon The rest are called the lesser orders Of which orders there remayneth nothing in a maner beside y bare name The office of dore-kéepers is turned ouer to the sextens which they cal Holy water clearks There are no readers for that auncient reading is worne out of vse The Psalmistes or singers doe vnderstand nothing lesse than that they rehearse or singe Touching the exorcists this they say Iosephus writeth that king Solomon found out the maner of exorcisme that is of coniuring wherby vncleane spirits were driuen out of a maÌ„ that was possessed by Eleazar the exorcist so that they durst no more come againe To this office they that are named exorcistes are called Of whom it is read in the Gospel If I thrugh Beelzebub cast out diuels by whom do your children to witt your exorcists or coniurers cast them out Thus much they say which I rehearse to this end that it may appeare to all men that these men are the very same of whom the Apostle foretold that it should come to passe that they shall not suffer wholesome doctrine but shal be turned vnto fables For who knoweth not that it is most fabulous which is reported of Solomon Who knoweth not that the Apostles of the Lord were not exorcists neither vsed at any time any manner of inchantments or coniurations For with a word they cast out vncleane spirits that is by calling vppon and by the power of the name of Christ Those gifts ceased long agoe in the church of god Those sonnes of ScÄ™ua the priest in the Actes of the Apostles were said to be exorcists whom the euil spirite though they called on the names of Iesus and Paule ranne vpon and tare the clothes from their backs and so by Gods appointmeÌ„t made knowne vnto all men how much the eternal God is delighted with exorcistes And yet these fellowes thrust them vpon vs as yet Touching the Acoluthes or followers thus they write heare I pray you howe trimly they reason The Acoluthes say they are waxe-bearers because they carrie waxe candles For when the Gospell must bee read or masse is to bee said waxe candles are lighted to signifie the ioy of the minde Who hearing these thinges will say that these men doâ— vnlearnedly handle no mysteries Subdeacons and deacons are no longer prouiders for the poore but being made ministers of superstition they attende on the Popishe masse The deacons office is to singe the Gospell the subdeacons to singe the epistle In fewe woordes I cannot expresse what foolish men do fondly chatter cocerning these masters Ouer these they haue set an archdeacon which is a name of dignitie and preeminence Sacrificers who are also called priestes are diuerslye distinguished For there are regular priestes and secular priestes By regular priestes they vnderstand monkes whereas they are nothinglesse than those they are said to be Truly they resemble those that of â—ld were called monkes in no point of their doings A greate part of them are a rule and lawe vnto them selues Of these men some are doctours appointed to the office of preaching but yet rather occupied in saying of their houres and in singing and saying of masses And these men sowe superstition and most obstinately defend it most bitterly do persecute true religion Another sort and the greatest part of these monkish priestes doe nothing else but singe in the church and mumble masse and that for a very slender price But you may sooner number the sandes of the coast of Libya than the whole rable of these But they are vnprofitable both vnto God and to the church also euen to themselues men vtterly vnlearned and slow bellies yet in the meane season sworne enimies to the truth of the Gospel Among the secular priestes the chiefe are canons whiche for the most part are idle persoÌ„s giuen ouer to voluptuousnes gluttons and in very déed secular that is to saye worldly They thinke they haue gailie discharged their duetie if they make an end of the houres which they call canonical and be present gazers on at the masse and if they honour and beautifie with their presence gods seruice as they cal it They séeme to be more streit and not to be secular priests â–ª who say masse both for the quick and for the dead There are reckoned also in the number of secular priestes parish priests whom they call
in old time he shal not finde in â—he celebration of CircumcisioÌ„ the feast of the Passeouer sacrifices any words to haue ben spoken or pronounced wherby thei were formed as it were created sacramentes were made effectuall To which belongeth this that Iohn Baptist did not only baptise the common people without respect of person but the Lord Iesus himself also in the water of Iordane no words in the mean while béeing pronounced wherby he called drew down the heauenly grace ouer or vpon the water of baptisme Againe whiles Christe our high bishop did institute his supper in the gospell he coÌ„maunded nothing to be spokeÌ„ or pronounced by vertue of which spéech or pronuntiation the elementes might either be chaunged or the things signified béeing drawen down from heauen should be present with or ioyned to the signes but what the lord hath simply done what his wil was we should doe after what maner to what end he instituted his supper the Euangelists haue declared We read in no place that the Lord said As often as ye speake or pronounce these my wordes This is my body this is my bloud it shall come to passe by the vertue of my words that the substance of the signe shal be made void that in the same prick of time wherin the words are spoken it shâ—l begin to be the true bodie and the true bloud of the lord vnder y formes or likenesses of bread wine or that the formes or likenesses the truth of y signe remaining it shal begin at once with the bread and wine to be the very body and blood of Christ Wherfore in the pronouÌ„cing or speaking of that words of the lord in the supper there is no power or vertue either to cal down the things signified or to change that things preseÌ„t These imaginations do rather séem more to mainteine superstition than religion As though the words pronouÌ„ced according to the forme conceiued had power to call down out of heaueÌ„ to bring froÌ„ one place to another to restore health to draw to to put from or to transforme or change S. Au. reconeth vp amonge superstitions vanities those things which for remedies of diseases are tyed or fastened about the body which also physick maketh no account of whether it be in charmings or in certein signes called characters or in hanging certeine thinges about some parte of the body The place is to be séene Cap. 20. Li. De doct Christ 2. And Chrysost béeing very angry with them that hang the writeÌ„ gospel about their neck hath these words vpon Mat. 23. cha Wherin consisteth the force or power of the gospel in the forme and figure of the letters or in the vnderstanding of the meaning and sense of the same If in the forme of letters thou dost wel to hang it about thy neck but if in the vnderstanding of the meaning it is better they were laid vp in thy hart Thus saith he But there is the same reason of the figures and of the pronuntiatioÌ„ of the letters or words of the gospel For as the figure of the letters is of power to doe nothing euen so is there no force or vertue either in the pronuntiation or sounde of words Plinie an hethenish writer alledgeth many heathenish examples wherin he declareth that words are effectual but yet among other thinges which he bringeth he hath this It is a queâ—â—io 〈◊〉 he whether words or inchanting speeches are of any force but euerye one that is wise is so far from beleeuing it that euen man by man they vtterly denye it The place is to be séene Lib. 28. Cap. 2. But most worthily is the true word of God it self preferred before al these the which by Moses Deu 18. with great seueritie forbiddeth and condemneth all kinde of superstitions and inchantments I knowe what the aduersaries wil here obiect vnto me namelie that it is a blessing or consecration and not a superstition which they vse Besides this they bring many examples out of the scripture set downe in their Canonicall decrées whereby very foolishly most vnaptlie doutlesse they go about to proue that by blessing or consecration as they say the natures of the things are chaunged whervpon they also gather that the breade by the wordes of blessing or consecrating is turned into flesh Their examples are these and of this sorte The water flowing out of the rock after it was smitteÌ„ with Aarons rod the riuer Nilus turned into bloud the water at the marriage in Cana of Galile turned into wine the bitter waters of Marath chauÌ„ged into swéet water Moses his rod turned into a serpent But I beséech you what make these to the Lords supper wherwith they haue no maÌ„ner of similitude or likenes so that this must néeds be a very vnapt coÌ„parison a doltish which they make The riuer Nilus was turned into blod therfore the bread is turned into flesh the water at the mariage in Cana was changed into wine therefore the wine in the lords supper is changed into the blood of Christ For while that the water gushâ—d out of the rock when it was smitteÌ„ while the riuer Nilus was turned into blood while that water at the mariage was chaged into wine while the bitter waters of Marath becaÌ„e swéet while Moses rod was turned into a serpeÌ„t the water truly the blood the wine the swéet water the serpeÌ„t so turned chaÌ„ged were not vnder y forme or likenesse of 〈◊〉 things which they were before 〈◊〉 were they at once that whiche they were before that which thei were theÌ„ made but y water of Nilus was very bloud not water bloud together nether was there inuisible bloud vnder the visible forme of water And so standes the case also in the other examples therfore they do nothing agrée with the sacramental signes but are so farr from béeing like them that they are altogether vnlike them Moreouer who can wel tell by what pronuntiation of wordes Moses made water brust out of the hard rock turned the riuer Nilus into bloud changed the bitter waters into swéete Who knoweth what forme also of wordes the lord vsed when he changed water into wine Therefore very vnfitly do they apply these examples to their blessing or consecration changing the natures of thinges since it cannot be shewed what maner blessings y saints or holy men vsed Likewise we reade not that Moses Iosue pronouÌ„ced any wordes of blessing wherby they diuided the chanell of the Erithean sea the riuer Iordan Eliseus is read to haue vttered no words of blessing when he made y are to swim reached it out of the water by the helue In al these things the power of God did worke But we must not imagine what we list to procede from it For it is weakenes and not power which is repugnant to iustice taketh things in hande which are contrary to gods trueth But the
whole world and all the counsels in the world all the kinges and princes yea if all the Angels and Saintes should commaund vs to beléeue that Christ is here or there corporally yet the commaundement of our only redéemer Iesus Christe the sonne of God the father of wisedome by whome all thinges were made who forbiddeth vs to beleue the same ought to be of that authoritie among all the godly that they may knowe that they muste not beléeue as creatures commauÌ„d them but as the creatour hath commaunded them Yea moreouer the Lorde vouchsafeth in this verie same place of the Gospell to giue vs a reson of his doctrine For why must we not beléeue that Christe is conuersant or bodily present vpon the earth but inuisibly Bycause like as the lightening goeth foorth of the East and appeareth in the West so shall the comming of the Sonne of man be Which is as much as if he had sayde The Sonne of God came once humbly into the earthe to redéeme vs throughe his humilitie and death on the crosse which thing being finished he forsooke the earth and ascended into heauen and sitteth on the right hand of the father from thence he shall not returne into these our regions but to iudgement But then shal he appeare glorious noble to be séene of all men as it were the moste cleare sunne yea rather like a lightning right terrible to all the wicked And therefore there is no cause why from the time of his ascension vntill his comming to iudgement we shuld looke for him to come inuisibly and to remayne with vs corporally present S. Hierome expounding the same place sayth This also must be sayd that the second comming of oure sauiour shall not be shewed in humilitie as before but in glory It were a foolishe part therefore to seeke him in a little corner or in some secrete place who is the light of the whole world Thus farre he But least I may séeme to stay my self vpon some humane authoritie I will rehearse that whiche S. Paule teacheth vs in his Epistle to the Hebrues saying Christ appeared once before the end of the worlde to put away sinne by offering vp of him selfe And for as much as it is appointed to men once to dye and after this commeth the iudgement euen so Christe being once offered vp to take away the sinnes of many shal the second time be seene of them withoute sinne who looke for him to their saluation Bicause therefore our Lorde came once into the worlde hee was once offered vp but he shall come againe or the second time at the ende of the world truely he commeth not againe euerie day into the worlde And bycause he hath forbidden vs to beléeue if any man should shewe him present here or there vnto vs in this worlde it must néedes followe that he may be shewed present here or there 〈◊〉 â–ª in all places where the Sacrament of thankesgiuing is celebrated if wee will vnderstand the wordes of the Supper according to the letter therfore it followeth without all contradiction by conference of places that the wordes of the Lordes Supper ought not to be expounded according to the letter I thinke herewith I haue satisfied such as be not of a contentious disposition For vndoubtedly their meaning is that we shoulde speake of the sacramentes sacramentally and that sacramentall speaches ought to bée expounded sacramentally Besides that wee ought to beéeue nothing that is repugnaunt to the rule of beliefe But the myracles and the omnipotencie of God brought foorth and alledged in this place for the setting oute and persuading of an euill matter they do no good at all after so many and manifest arguments of truth Myracles are ioyned vnto the worde as it were seales whiche thing the Lorde God him selfe testifieth in S. Marke If then they be repugnaunt to the worde and affirme that whiche the worde altogether denyeth who will not perceiue them to be of that kynde of myracles whereof the Apostle speaketh in the second chapter of the second Epistle to the Thessalonians and wherof we haue heard now that the lord gaue vs warning in the Gospell that we should in no case beleue them The lord can do al things but therefore he doth not all things The Prophete sayth What so euer the Lord would do that he did both in heauen and in earth Moreouer he will not do such things as are contrarie to his worde and his fayth therefore he can not do that he will not do Theodoretus in his thirde Dialogue intituled Polymorphus sayth The Lorde God will doe nothing that is not in him of his owne nature but he can doe what euer he will but he will doe suche things as are fit and agréeing to his nature Therfore sith God of his owne nature is true he can not doe that whiche is contrarie to his worde Other sounde writers doe adde Not that hee can not doe all thinges but that he will not doe that which is contrarie to his nature and bycause it doth not become to doe against him selfe In the meane season I do expresly professe that I condemne not or flatly am against all manner of Christes presence in the Church and in the action also of the supper For I am flatagainst that bodily presence of Christ in the breade which the Papistes defende and enforce vppon the Churche of god But I confesse and acknowledge with open mouth and sincere heart that spiritual diuine and quickening presence of oure Lorde Christe both in the Supper and also out of the supper wherby he continueth to powre him selfe into vs not by sings lackiÌ„g life but by his holy spirit to make vs partakers of all his good graces to iustifie quicken nourishe susteine and satisfie vs whiche presence we doe also féele in our selues through fayth by the whiche we are both susteyned nourished and satisfied For Christe is the heade of his Churche and we haue fellowshippe with him But howe should a liuing bodie be without his heade Howe should we be partakers of Christe if we should not féele him present yea liuing and working in vs But of these matters wee haue also intreated more at large in place coÌ„uenient Some there are I knowe well enoughe who otherwise are not iniurious to the trueth which gainesay these things crying out that by this reason the manner of Christes presence in the Supper is not fully enough expressed especially since hée him selfe also hath sayde elsewhere Beholde I am with you continually vnto the worldes ende I saythe he wholy not my power or diuinitie not my spirit nor my strength Moreouer it is a hazaâ—dâ— least we should séeme to teare Christe in péeces séeing that he cannot be wholy with vs vnlesse he be present with vs as well in body as in diuinitie But we woÌ„der what is in their heades Do they not vnderstand that the Lord in that diuine talke spoken both in the verie Supper and also immediately
diligently teacheth all men to haue a speciall care that they contracte matrimonie deuoutely holily soberly wisely lawfully and in the feare of God and that no euil disposition of couetousnesse desire of promotion or fleshly lust may lead and prouoke theÌ„ and that wedlock be not entred into otherwise than either the lawes of man or of God will permit And in this place we must consider of the degrées of consanguinitie and affinitie of publique honestie of the reuerence of bloud of offence towardes other and that no man take vnto wife a heathen woman or one that is of a contrarne religion For we are expressely forbidden to yoke oureselues with the vnbeléeuers Againe we are taught to enter into the knot of wedlock lawfully godlily and holily with prayer the receipte of Godly blessing in the temple of the Lorde bothe in the sight and with the prayer of the whole congregation and to beware that in any case we bee not stained in this pointe with all prophanation of the filthie world Neither be we ignorant in this case also that men of this worlde are commonly wonte to celebrate their weddinges more fitte for the diuell than God with riotting pride surfetting drunkennesse and all kinde of wantonnesse Moreouer we are taught to dwell with our wyues according to knowledge moderation patience faith and loue and also to bring vppe our children vertuously and honestly and them also to place and bestowe when time requireth in holy wedlocke But if for adulterie or some other matter more heynous than that necessitie forceth to breake wedlocke yet in this case the Church will do nothing vnaduiâ—edly For she hathe her Iudges who will iudge in matters and causes of matrimonie according to right and equitie or rather according to Gods lawes and the rule of honestie The holy Apostle woulde not haue the faithfull to contend and stande in lawe in the court of the vnfaithfull wherefore he exhorted them to take vmpiers to make agréements friendly betwixte them that were in contention But in causes and matters of matrimonie there are farre greater matters that forbidde the parties that sue or be sued to come before vnbeléeuing iudges Therefore the Churche of God hath very wel appointed a court to trie matters of matrimonie But bicause we spake of wedlocke in the tenth sermon of the second Decade also haue set forth somtime a booke specially concerning the same I haue knit vppe this matter in these fewe woords touching christian wedlocke The Church of God hath widowes in it but such as the Apostle of Christ doth describe in this sort saying Shee that is a widowe and a lone woman in deede trusteth in God and continueth in prayer and supplication night and day But she that liueth in pleasures and delightes is dead thoughe she be aliue The same Paule doeth will the yonger sort to marrie to gett children and to gouerne the house neither to giue any occasion at all for the enimie to speake euill of them the place is euident in the first Epistle of S. Paule to Timothie the fift chapter The Church also hathe virgins These be careful only for those things that long vnto the Lord are true virgins without all deceit or hypocrisie Paule saith A virgin careth for that that belongeth to God that she may be holy both in bodie spirit There are many that rule and gouern their bodies but not their mindes God requireth bothe and especially of the minde It is an easie matter to deceiue men but we cannot by any meanes deceiue god S. Paul in the first epistle to the Corinths the seuenth chapter setteth forth the praise of virginitie and by comparing a virgin to a married wife he sheweth how great the goodnesse of virginitie is Notwithstanding it is lawfull for virgines to marrie if they will whiche thing the same Apostle plainly sheweth in the selfe same place of Scripture Vnto this testimonie of God the testimonie of man also is agréeable For Cyprian with his fellowe Bishoppes and Elders making answere to a question demaunded by Pomponius saith Doest thou desire that we shoulde write vnto thee what we thinke of those virgins who after that they once determined to continue their state continently and stedfastly are found to haue lien and continued in the same bedde with men concerning which thing because thou dost desire to knowe our iudgement thou shalt vnderstand that we do not departe from the traditions and ordinaunces of the Gospell and the Apostles whereby we should so much the lesse strongly and stoutly prouide for our brethren and sisters and that Ecclesiasticall discipline should be kept by all meanes for their profite and safetie And it followeth But if thoroughe faith they haue vowed vnto Christ and continue chastly shamfastly without leasing let them stedfastly and stoutely looke for the rewarde of virginitie But if they will not or can not continue it is better that they marrie than to fall into the fire of their delights pleasures And so forth S. Augustine disputing of the wordes of the Apostle Hauing the greater damnation because they brake their first promise and faithe ascribeth not this damnation to the marriage following but to the inconstancie going before Suche are damned sayth he not because they entred into the bonde and promise of wedlock but because they brake the firste promise made of continencie and chastitie And a litle after that hee addeth these wordes They therefore that say suche marriages are no marriages in deede but rather adulteries it seemeth to mee that they speake foolishly and without consideratioÌ„ And thus much he I vnderstande that by this worde Condemnation or Iudgment is men by the Apostle Reprehension whiche wee Switzers terme Ein anszricteâ— oder nachred For they be euil spoken of by many for that they haue broken their firste faith that is to say they haue broken the promise of continencie Wherefore the Apostle thinketh it much better for young women to matche themselues in marriage then to set downe to themselues suche an order of life from the which although necessitie forceth them thervnto they cannot depart without reprehension of men But in that place he speaketh not of virgins but of widowes Saint Cyprian speaketh simplie of virgins Monkes and Nonnes were altegether vnknowne in the primitiue churche of Christe and the Apostles the latter ages had monkes but not such as are nowe a dayes whiche are their owne rule and lawe whose monasteries abound in all filthinesse and vncleannes Which though we should holde our peace yet to be true trueth it selfe and experience wil sufficiently declare And those that séeme to bee gouerned by more seuere discipline are defiled with hypocrisie I wil say none other thing Touching the firste monkes they dwelt not in cities neyther intermedled them selues with worldly affaires We haue declared in another place howe that a writer of the middle age being made an Abbat required that