Wherfore we must fetche the exposition of it farther of And as I think I haue marked yâ— there are three causes to be coÌ„sidered wherupoÌ„ this coÌ„maundement consisteth For first the heauenly lawmaker meant vnder the rest of the seuenth daye to set out in figure to the people of Israel the spirituall rest whereby the faithfull ought to â—esse from their owne workes that they might suffer God to worke in them Secondarily his wil was to haue one apointed daye wherein they should mere together to heare the lawe and execute the ceremonies or at leest bestowe it peculiarly to the meditation of his workes that by such callyng to remembrance they might be exercised to godlinesse Thirdly he thought good to haue a day of rest graunted to seruants and such as liued vnder the gouernement of other wherin theâ— might haue some cessyng from their labour But we are many wayes taught that the same shadoweng of the spiritual rest was the principal point in the Sabbat For yâ— Lorde required the keping of no coÌ„mauÌ„dement in a maner more seuerely than this when his meaning is in the Prophetes to declare that al religioÌ„ is ouerthrowen then he coÌ„plaineth that his Sabbates are polluted defiled not kept not sanctified as though that pece of seruice beyng omitted there remained no more wherin he might be honored He did set forth the obseruing therof with hie praises For whiche cause the faithful did among other oracles maruelously esteme the reuelyng of the Sabbat For in Nehemiah thus spake the Leuites in a solemne coÌ„uocation Thou hast shewed to our fathers thy holy Sabbat hast geuen them the coÌ„maundementes the ceremonies the law by the hand of Moses You see howe it is had in singular estimation among al the coÌ„maundementes of the law All whiche thinges do serue to set forth the dignitie of the misterie which is very wel expressed by Moses and Ezechiel Thus you haue in Exodus See that ye kepe my Sabbat day bicause it is a token betwene me you in your generations that you maye know that I am the Lord that sanctifie you kepe my Sabbat for it is holy vnto you Let the children of Israell kepe the Sabbat and celebrate it in their generations it is an euerlastyng couenaÌ„t betwene me the children of Israel and a perpetual token Yet Ezechiel speaketh more at large But the summe therof cometh to this effect that it is for a token wherby Israell should knowe that God is their sanctifier If our sanctification be the mortifiyng of our owne will then appereth a most apt relation of the outward signe with the inward thing it self we must altogether rest that God may worke in vs we must depart from our owne wil we must resigne vp our heart we must banish all lustes of the â—â—esh Finally we muste cesse from all the doynges of our owne witte that we maye haue God workyng in vs that we maye reste in him as the Apostle also teacheth This perpetual cessyng was represented to the Iewes by the kepyng of one daye among seuen whiche daye to make it be obserued with greater deuotion the Lord commaunded with his owne exaÌ„ple For it auaileth not a litle to stirre vp mans endeuour that he maye know that he tendeth to the folowyng of his creatour If any man searche for a secret signification in the number of seuen For asmuch as that nomber is in the Scripture the nomber of perfection it was not without cause chosen to signifie euerlastyng continuance Wherwith this also agreeth that Moses in the day that he declared that the Lord did rest from his workes maketh an ende of describyng the succeding of dayes nightes There maye be also brought an other probable note of the number that the Lord thereby meant to shewe that the Sabbat should neuer 〈◊〉 perfectly ended til it came to the last day For in it we beginne our blessed rest in it we doe dayly procede in profityng more and more But bicause we haue still a continuall warre with the flesh it shall not be ended vntill that sayeng of Esaye be fulfilled concernyng the continuyng of newe Moone with newe moone of Sabbat with Sabbat euen theâ— when God shal be all in all It may seme therfore that the Lord hath by the .vij. day set forth to his people the perfection to come of his Sabbat at the laste daye that our whole lite might by coÌ„tinuall meditation of the Sabbat aspire to this perfection If any man mislyke this obseruation of the number as a matter to curious I am not agaynst him â–ª but that he maye more simply take it that the Lorde ordeyned one certaine day wherein his people might vnder the scholyng of the lawe bee exercised to the continuall meditation of the spirituall reste And that he assigned the seuenth daye eyther bycause he thought it sufficient or that by settynge forth the likenâ—â—se of his owne example he might the better moue the people to kepe it or at leaste to put them in mynde that the Sabbat tended to no other ende but that they should become like vnto their Creatour For it maketh small matter so that the misterie remayne whiche is therein principally set forth concernynge the perpetuall reste of ouâ— workes To consideration whereof the Prophetes did nowe and thâ—â— call backe the Iewes that they shoulde not thynke themselues 〈◊〉 charged by carnall takyng of their rest Bysâ—de the places alredy â—â—leged you haue thus in Esaye If thou turne awaye thy â—oote from the Sabbat that thou doe not thine owne will in my holy daye and shalt call the Sabbat delicate and holy of the glorious Lorde and shalt glorifie him while thou doest not thyne owne wayes and sekâ—st not thine owne will to speake the worde then shalt thou be deâ—â—ted in the Lord c. But it is no doubte that by the commyng of our Lord Christ so muche as was ceremoniall herein was abrugate For he is the truthe by whose presence all figures do vanish awaye he is the bodie of sight whereof the shadowes are leite He I sâ—ye is the â—rue fulfillyng of the Sabbat we beyng buryed with hym by â—â—ptiâ—me are grafted into the felowship of his death that we beyng made partakers of the resurrection we maye walke in newnesse oâ— life Therfore in an other place the Apostle writeth that the Sabbat was a shadowe of a thing to come and that the true bodie that is to saye the perfect substance of truthe is in Christ whiche in the same place he hath well declared That is not coÌ„teyned in one day but in the whole course of our life vntill that we beyng vtterly dead to our selues be filled with the life of God Therefore superstitious obseruing of daies ought to be far from Christians But for asmuche as the two later causes ought not to be reckened among the olde shadowes but doe belong a like to all ages sins the Sabbat is abrogate
who so dare go further and to aske any thing of God beside these firste they will adde of their owne to the wisdome of God which can not be done without mad blasphemie then they hold not themselues vnder the wil of God but despising it do with gredynesse wander further finally they shal neuer obteine any thyng forasmuche as they pray without faith And there is no doute that all suche praiers are made without faith because here wanteth the woorde of God vpon which vnlesse faith be grounded it can in no wise stande But they which forsaking the maisters rule doo folowe their owne desires are not onely without the worde of God but also so much as they be able with their whole endeuor are against it Therefore Tertullian no lesse fitly thaÌ„ truly hath called this a lawful prayer secretely signifyeng that all other are lawlesse and vnlawfull We woulde not haue these thynges so taken as though we were so bounde with this forme of prayer that we may not change a worde or a sillable For there are echewhere red many prayers in the Scriptures farre differyng from this in woordes yet written by the same Spirite and which are at this day profytable to be vsed of vs. Many are continually put into the mouthes of the faithful by the same Spirite which in lykenesse of wordes do not so muche agree This onely is our meanyng in so teachyng that no man shold seke loke for or aske any other thyng at all than that which is summarily comprehended in this praier and whiche thoughe it moste differ in wordes yet differeth not in sense Like as it is certaine that all the praiers which are found in the Scriptures and which do come out of godly hartes are applied to this so verily none can any where bee founde whiche maye matche muche lesse passe the perfectnesse of this praier Here is nothing left out that might be thought vpon to the praises of God nothyng that ought to come into the mynde of man for his owne profites and the same so fully that all hope is worthily taken away from all men to attempt to make any better In a summe let vs remembre that this is the doctrine of the wisedome of God which hath taught what he willed and willed what was nedefull But although we haue aboue saied that we ought alway to breathe vpwarde with myndes lifted vp to God and pray without ceassyng yet forasmuche as suche is our weakenesse as nedeth to bee vpholden with many helpes suche is our dullnesse as needeth to be pricked forwarde with many spurres it is good that euery one of vs appoynt to hymselfe priuately certaine houres whiche may not passe away without prayer and which may haue the whole affectioÌ„s of our mynd throughly busied to that purpose as when we rise in the mornyng before that we go to our daies worke when we sitt down to meate when we haue ben fedde by the blessyng of God when we take vs to rest Only let this not be a superstitious obseruyng of houres by which as payeng a taske to God we may think our selues discharged for the other houres but a trayning of our weakeâ—s wherby it may so be exercised from time to time stirred vp Specially we ought carefully to loke that so oft as either we our selues are in distresse or we se other to be in distresse with any hardnesse of aduersitie we runne streight waye to hym not with feete but with hartes then that we suffer not any prosperitie of our owne or other mens to passe but that we testifie that we acknowlege it to bee his with praise and thankesgeuyng Finally this is diligentlye to bee obserued in all prayer that we goe not about to bynde God to certaine circumstances nor to appoynt to hym what he shal do at what time in what place and in what maner as by this prayer we ar taught to make to hym no law nor to appoynt to him any condition but to leaue to his will that those thynges which he will do he may do in what maner at what tyme and in what place it pleaseth him Wherfore ere we make any prayer for our selues we first praie that his will be done where we do already submitt our will to his with which when it is restrained as with a bridle put vppon it it maye not presume to bryng God into rule but make hym the iudge and gouernor of all her desyres If we do with myndes framed to this obedience suffer our selues to be ruled with the lawes of Gods Prouidence we shall easily learne to continue in praier and with longyng desires paciently to waite for the Lord beyng assured that although he appeare not yet he is alway present with vs and will when he seeth his tyme declare howe not deaffe eares he gaue to the praiers whiche in the eyes of men semed to be despised And this shal be a most present comfort that we faint not and fall downe by despaire if at any time God do not answere at our firste requestes Like as they are wont to do whiche while they are caried with their sodeyne heate do so call vpon God that if he come not to them at their fyrst bruntes and bryng them present helpe they by and by imagine hym to be angry and hatefully bent agaynst them and castyng away all hope of obteynyng do cesse to call vpon him But rather differâ—yng our hope with a well tempered euennesse of mynde let vs goe forwarde in that perseuerance which is so much coÌ„mended to vs in Scriptures For in the Psalmes we may oftentymes see howe Dauid and other faithfull men when they seme in a maner weried with prayeng did beate the aire because they threwe away their words to God that heard them not and yet they cesse not from prayeng because the word of God hath not his full authoritie manteined vnlesse the credite therof bee set aboue all successes of thynges Moreouer let vs not tempte God and prouoke him against vs beyng weried with oure importunacie whiche many vse to doo which do nothing but indent with God vpon a certain condition and binde him to the lawes of their couenantyng as though he were seruant to their desires which if he doo not presently obey they disdayne they chafe they carpe against hym they murmure they turmoile Therfore to such oftentymes in his furor he beyng angry grauÌ„teth that which to other in his mercie he beyng fauorable denieth An example hereof are the children of Israell for whome it had ben better not to haue ben heard of the Lord than with flesh to eate vp his wrath But if yet at length after long lokyng for it our sense do not perceiue what we haue preuailed with prayeng and feleth no fruite thereof yet our faith shall assure vs of that whiche can not bee perceiued by sense namely that we haue obteined that which was expedient for vs forasmuche as the Lord dothe so ofte and so certainly
maiestie Only my mynde was to teache certaine introductions wherby they that are touched with some zeale of religion myght bee instructed to true godlynesse And this trauayle I tooke principally for my contremen the Frenchemen of whoÌ„ I vnderstode very many to hunger and thirst for Christe but I sawe very fewe that had rightly receiued so much as any litle knowlege of him And that this was my meanyng the boke it selfe declareth beyng framed after a simple and playne maner of teachyng But when I perceyued that the furious rage of some wycked men hath so farre preuailed in your realme that in it there is no roome for sounde doctrine I thought I should doo a thyng worthe my trauayle all in one worke bothe to geue an instruction for them and to declare a confession to you wherby ye may learne what maner of doctrine that is agaynst which those furious men burne in so great rage who at this day trouble your realme with sweard and fyer For I will not feare to confesse that I haue in this woorke comprehended in maner the summe of that selfe same doctrine agaynst which they crie out that it ought to be punished with prisonment banishement condemnation without iudgement and with fyer that it ought to be chaced away by lande and sea I knowe in dede with how haynous informations they haue fylled your mynde and eares to make our cause most hatefull vnto you but this of your clemencie ought you to weye that there shal be no innocence neither in wordes nor dedes if it may be enough to accuse Truely if any to bryng the same in hatred shall allege that this Doctrine whereof I now go about to yelde accompt vnto you hath ben long agoe condemned by consente of all degrees and atteynted by many iugementes allready geuen in iudicial courtes al that he sayth shall amount to no more but that it hath partly ben violently throwen downe by the â—anding and power of the aduersaries therof and partly ben traitorously and fraudulently oppressed with their lyes and suttle practises and sclaunders Herein is violence shewed that without hearyng the cause bloody senteÌ„ces are pronouÌ„ced against it here in is Fraude that it is without deseruyng accused of sedition and euel doyng And that none may thynke that we wrongfully complayne of these thynges you your selfe can beare vs witnesse moste noble Kyng with how lyeng sclaunders it is dayely accused vnto you as that it tendeth to no other ende but to writhe from Kynges their scepters oute of their handes to throwe downe all iudges seates and iudgementes to subuerte all orders and ciuile gouernementes to trouble the peace and quiete of the people to abolish al lawes to vndo all proprieties and possessions finally to turne al thynges vpsyde downe And yet you heare the smallest portion For horrible thynges they spreade abroade among the people whiche if they were true the whole worlde myghte worthily iudge it with the mainteiners therof worthy of a thousande fiers and gallowes Who can now maruell that a common hatred is kindled agaynst it where suche moste wrongfull accusations are beleued Loe thys is the cause that all degrees agree and coÌ„spire to the condemning of vs and our doctrine They that sit to iudge beeing rauished with this affection pronounce for sentences their freconceiued determinations whyche they brought from home with them and thinke that they haue well enough discharged their duties if they commaunde no man to be drawen to execution but suche as are founde gylty eyther by theyr owne confession or by sufficient witnesse But of what fault of that condeÌ„ned doctrine say they But by what law coÌ„demned Herein should haue stande the succor of defense for them not to denie the doctrine it selfe but to mainteine it for true But here is all libertie ones to mutter vtterly cutt of from vs. Wherefore I doe not vniustly require most victorious king that it maye please you to take into your owne hande the whole hearing of the cause whiche hetherto hath ben troblesomly handled or rather carelesly tossed without al order of law more by outragious heate than iudiciall grauitie Neyther yet thynke that I here goe about to make myne owne priuate defense whereby I may procure to my selfe a safe returne into my natiue contree to whiche althoughe I beare such affection of naturall loue as becometh me yet as the case nowe is I not miscontentedly want it But I take vppon me the common cause of all the Godly yea and the cause of Christe himselfe whiche at thys day hauing ben by all meanes torne and troden downe in your kyngdome lyeth as it were in despeired case and that in dede rather by the tyranny of certaine Pharisees than by your owne knowlege But howe that cometh to passe it is not here nedeful to tell truely it lyeth in great distresse For thus farr haue the vngodly preuailed that the truethe of Christ be not destroyed beyng chaced away and scattered abrode yet it lyeth hydden as buried and vnregarded as for the silly poore Chirch it is eyther wasted with cruell slaughters and so dryuen away with banishmentes or dismayed with threatens and terrors that it dare not ones open her mouth And yet stil they continue with such rage and fercenesse as they are wont thruâ—ting strongly against the wall alredy bending and the ruine whiche themselues haue made In the meane tyme no maÌ„ steppeth fourth to set hymselfe in defense agaynst suche furies And they if there be any suche that will moste of all seme to fauor the truthe say no more but that it were good to pardon the error and vnskilfulnesse of ignorante men For thus the good natured men forsoothe do speake calling that error and vnskilfulnesse whiche they knowe to be the most certaine trueth of God calling them ignorante men whoe 's witt they see that Christe hath not so despised but that he hath vouchesaued to communicate to them the mysteries of hys heauenly wysedome So muche are all ashamed of the Gospell It shal be your office most noble King not to turne away your eares nor youre mynde fâ—oÌ„ so iust a defense specially when so great a mater is in question namely how the glorie of God may be mainteined safe in earth how the trueth of God may kepe her honor how Christ may haue hys kyngdome preserued whole among vs. Thys is a mater worthy for your eares worthy for your iugement worthy for your royall throne For euen this thoughte maketh a true King to acknowlege hymselfe in the gouernance of hys kyngdome to be the minister of God Neyther doth he now vse a kyngdome but a robberie which reigneth not to thys ende that he may serue the glorie of God And he is deceiued that loketh for a long prosperitie of that kyngdome whiche is not ruled by the scepter of God that is by hys holy worde forasmuche as the heauenly Oracle can not proue vayne whereby it is proclaymed that the people shal be scattered
the gētils it was necessary to haue god more expresly painted out vnto thē For wheras that saying that God is the minde of the world which is cōpted the most tolerable descripcion that is founde among the Philosophers is but vaine it behoueth vs more familiarly to know hym least we alway wauer in doutfulnesse Therfore it was his pleasure to haue an history of the creaciō remaining wherupō the Fayth of the church might rest seke for no other God but hym whō Moses hath declared to be the maker bilder of the world There is first set forth the tyme that by continual proceding of yeres the faithfull myghte come to the first original of mankinde and of al thinges Which knowledge is very necessary not only to confute those monstrous fables that somtyme were spred in Egipte and other partes of the worlde but also that the beginning of the worlde ones beyng knowen the eternitie of God may more clerely shine forth and rauishe vs in admiracion of it Neyther oughte we to be any thyng moued wyth that vngodly mocke that it is maruel why it came no soner in the mind of God to make the heauen the earth why he syttīg idle did suffer so immesurable a space to passe away sith he mought haue made it many thousande ages before wheras the whole continuaunce of the world that now draweth to an end is not yet come to sixe thousande yeres For why God so long differred it is nether lawful nor expediēt for vs to enquire Because if mans mynd wil trauaile to attaine thereunto it shal faile a hundred tymes by the way nether wer it profitable for vs to know that thing which God hymselfe to proue the modestie of our Fayth hath of purpose wylled to be hydden And wel did that godly olde man speake whiche when a wanton felowe did in scorne demaunde of hym what God had done before the creacion of the worlde aunswered that he builded hell for curious fooles let this graue and seuere warning represse the wantonnesse that tickleth many yea and dryueth them to euill and hurtfull speculacions Finally lette vs remember that the same inuisible God whoe 's wisedome power and iustice is incomprehensyble doth sette before vs the historye of Moses as a lokyng glasse wherein hys liuely image appeareth For as the eyes that eyther are growen dimme with age or dulled wyth any disease doe not discerne any thyng playnly vnlesse they be holpen with spectacles so suche is oure weakenesse that vnlesse the Scripture directe vs in sekyng of God we do forthwith runne out into vanitie And they that folowe their owne wantonnesse because they be nowe warned in vaine shall all to late fele with horrible destruccion howe muche it had ben better for them reuerently to receiue the secrete counsels of God than to vomite oute blasphemies to obscure the heauen with all And ryghtly doeth Augustyne complayne that wrong is done to God whē further cause of thinges is sought for than his onely will The same mā in an other place doth wisely warne vs that it is no lesse euel to moue question of immeasurable spaces of tymes than of places For howe brode soeuer the circuit of the heauen is yet is there some measure of it Nowe if one shoulde quarell wyth God for that the emptynesse wherein nothyng is conteyned is a hundred tymes more shall not all the godly abhore suche wantonnesse Into lyke madnesse runne they that busy them selues aboute Gods sitting stil because at their apointment he made not the world innumerable ages soner To satisfie their own gredinesse of minde they couer to passe wtout the cōpasse of the world as though in so large a circuite of heauen earth they could not finde things enough that with their inestimable brightnesse may ouerwhelme al our senses as though in six thousād yeres God hath not shewed examples in cōtinual cōsideracion wherof our myndes may be exercised Let vs therfore willingly abide enclosed within those boundes wherw t it pleased God to enuirō vs as it were to pen vp our mindes that they shold not stray abrod with liberty of wādrīg For like resō is it that Moses declareth y◠the work of God was not ended in a momēt but in .vi. dayes For by this circūstāce we ar wtdrawen frō forged inuencions to the one onely God that deuyded hys worke into vi dayes that it should not greue vs to be occupyed all the tyme of our lyfe in considering of it For thoughe oure eyes what waye soeuer we turne them are compelled to loke vpon the workes of God yet see we howe fyckle oure hede is and if any godly thoughtes doe touche vs. howe sone they passe away Here againe mans reason murmureth as though suche procedinges were disagreing from the power of God vntil suche time as being made subiecte to the obedience of Fayth she learne to kepe that rest wherunto the hollowing of the .vii. day calleth vs. But in the very order of thinges is diligently to bee considered the Fatherly loue of God towarde mankinde in this that he did not create Adam vntill he had stored the worlde with al plenty of good thinges For if he had placed him in the earth while it was yet barren and emptie if he had geuen him life before that there was any lighte he should haue semed not so wel to prouide for his commoditie But nowe where he first disposed the motions of the Sunne and the Planets for the vse of man and furnished the earth the waters and the aire wyth liuing creatures and brought forth aboundaunce of fruites to suffyce for fode taking vpon him the care of a diligent prouidēt householder he shewed his maruellous bountie towarde vs. If a man do more hedefully weye with himselfe those thinges that I doe but shortly touche it shall appeare that Moses was the sure witnesse and publisher of the one God the creator I omitt here that which I haue already declared that he speaketh not there onely of the bare essence of God but also setteth forth vnto vs his eternall Wisedome and Spirite to the ende we should not dreame that God is any other than such as he wil be knowē by the image that he hath there expressed But before that I begin to speake more at large of the nature of mā I must say somwhat of Angels Because though Moses applying himselfe to the rudenesse of the common people reciteth in his history of the creacion no other workes of God but such as are seen with oure eyes yet wheras afterwarde he bryngeth in Angels for ministers of God we may easily gather that he was the creator of them in whoe 's seruyce they employ their trauaile and offices Though therefore Moses speaking after the capacitie of the people doth not at the very beginning rehearse the Angels among the creatures of God yet that is no cause to the contrary but that we may plainly and expresly speake those thinges of
and therof brought forth all liuing creatures and thinges without lyfe with maruellous order disposed the innumerable varietie of things to euery thīg he gaue the propre nature assigned their offices appointed their places and abidinges and where all things are subiecte to corruption yet hath he so prouided that of all sortes some shal be preserued safe to the last day and therfore some he cherysheth by secrete meanes and poureth now and then as it were a new liuelinesse into them and to some he hath geuen the power to encrease by generation that in their dying that whole kinde should not die together So hath he maruellously garnished the heauen and the earth with so absolutely perfect plentie varietie beauty of al thinges as possibly might be as it were a large and gorgeous house furnished and stored wyth aboundaunce of most finely chosē stuffe last of all how in framing man and adorning him with so godly beautie and with so many and so great giftes he hath shewed in him the most excellent exāple of al his works But because it is not my purpose at this present to set forth at large the creation of the worlde let it suffice to haue ones agayne touched these few thinges by the way For it is better as I haue already warned the readers to fetche a fuller vnderstanding of this matter oute of Moses and other that haue faithfully and diligently conueied the history of the world by writing to perpetuall memory It is to no purpose to make much a do in disputing to what end this consideration of the workes of God ought to tend or to what marke it oughte to be applyed forasmuch as in other places already a great part of this question is declared and so muche as belongeth to our presente purpose maye in fewe wordes be ended Truely if we were minded to set out as it is worthye howe inestimable wisdome power iustice and goodnesse of God appeareth in the framing of the world no eloquence no garnishment of speche could suffice the largenesse of so great a matter And no dout it is gods pleasure that we should be continually occupied in so holy a meditation that while we beholde in his creatures as in loking glasses infinite richesse of his wisedome iustice bountie and power we should not runne ouer them as it were with a fleeing eye or with a vaine wandryng looke as I maye so call it but that we shoulde wyth consideration rest long vpon them cast them vp and downe earnestlye and faythfully in oure myndes and ofte repeate them with remembrance But because we are now busyed in that kinde that perteineth to order of teaching it is mete that we omit those thinges that require long declamations Therefore to be short let the readers knowe that then they haue conceyued by Fayth what thys meaneth that God is the creator of heauen and earth if they firste folowe thys vniuersall rule that they passe not ouer with not considerynge or forgetfulnesse of those vertues that God presenteth to be seen in his creatures then that they so learne to apply them selues that they may therwyth be throughly moued in their hartes The first of those we do when we consider howe excellente a workemans worke it was to place and aptly set in so well disposed order the multitude of the starres that is in heauen that nothyng can be deuised more beautifull to beholde to sette and fasten some of them in theyr standinges so that they can not moue and to other some to graunte a free course but so that in mouing they wander not beyonde theyr appoynted space so to temper the motion of them all that it maye deuide in measure the dayes and nyghtes monethes yeres and seasons of the yere and to bryng thys inequalitie of dayes whiche we dayly see to suche a tempered order that it hath no confusyon Likewyse whē we marke hys power in susteyning so great a body in gouernyng the so swifte whirling aboute of the engyne of heauen and suche lyke For these fewe examples doe sufficientlye declare what it is to recorde the power to God in the creatiō of the world For els if I shoulde trauayle as I sayed to expresse it all in wordes I shoulde neuer make an ende forasmuch as there are so many miracles of the power of God so many tokens of hys goodnesse so many examples of hys wysedome as there be formes of thynges in the worlde yea as there be thynges eyther great or small Now remayneth the other part which commeth nerer to Fayth that whyle we consyder that God hath ordayned all thynges for oure garde and safetie and therewithal doe fele hys power and grace in our selues ▪ and in so great good thynges that he hath bestowed vpon vs we maye thereby stire vp our selues to the trust inuocation prayse and loue of hym Nowe as I haue before sayed God hymselfe hath shewed in the very order of creation ▪ that for mans sake he created al thynges For it is not without cause that he deuided y◠making of the world into six daies wheras it had ben as easy for hym in one moment to haue in al pointes accomplished his whole worke as it was by suche proceding from pece to pece to come to the ende of it But then it pleased hym to shewe hys prouidence and fatherly carefulnesse towarde vs that before he made man he prepared all that he foresaw shoulde be profitable for hym and fyt for hys preseruation Now great vnthankfulnesse now should it bee to dout whether this good Father do care for vs whom we see to haue been careful for vs ere that we wer borne How wycked wer it to tremble for distrust least hys goodnesse woulde at any tyme leaue vs destitute in necessitie which we se was dysplaied for vs being not yet borne wyth great aboundaunce of all good thynges Besyde that we heare by Moses that by hys liberalitie al that euer is in the worlde is made subiecte to vs. Sure it is that he did it not to mocke vs wyth an emptye name of gifte Therfore we shall neuer lacke any thyng so farre as it shall be auaylable for our preseruation Finally to make an end so oft as we name God the creator of heauen and earth let this come in our mindes withall that the disposition of al thinges which he hath create is in his hande and power and that we are his children whom he hath taken into his own charge and keping to foster and bryng vp that we may loke for all good thinges at his hande and assuredly trust that he will neuer suffer vs to lacke thinges nedefull for our safetie to the ende our hope shoulde hang vpon none other that whatsoeuer we desire our praiers may be directed to him of what thing soeuer we receiue profite we may acknowledge it to be his benefite and confesse it with thankes geuing that being allured with so greate swetenesse of his goodnesse and liberalitie we maye
according to the nature planted in hym and mā ordereth his own doinges by his own volūtary aduise Briefely they meane that the world mens matters and mē themselues are gouerned by the power but not by the appointmente of God I speake not of the Epicureans which pestilence the worlde hath alwaye been fylled wyth which dreame of an idle and slouthful God and other as mad as they whiche in old tyme imagined that God did so rule aboue the middle region of the ayre that he left thinges benethe to Fortune for against so euident madnesse the dumme creatures themselues do sufficiently crye out For now my purpose is to confute that opinion that is in a manner commonly beleued which geuing to God a certain blinde and I wote not what vncertayne motion taketh from him the principall thinge that is by his incomprehensible wisedome to directe and dispose al thinges to their ende and so in name onely and not in dede it maketh God a ruler of the world because it taketh from him the gouernement of it For what I beseche you is it els to gouerne but so to be ouer them that are vnder thee that thou mayest rule them by appointed order Yet do I not altogether reiect that which is spokē of the vniuersall Prouidence so that they will agayne graunte me this that the world is ruled by God not onely because he mainteineth the order of nature whiche himselfe hath set but also because he hath a peculiar care of euery one of hys workes Trew it is that al sortes of things are moued by a secret instinct of nature as if they did obey the eternal commaundement of God and that that which God hath ones determyned doth of it selfe procede forwarde And hereunto may that be applied which Christ sayeth that he and his father were euen from the beginning alway workyng And that which Paule teacheth that in him we liue are moued haue our beyng and that which the author of the Epystle to the Hebrues meanyng to proue the Godhead of Christ sayeth that by hys mightie commaundement al thinges are susteyned But they do wrong which by this color do hide darken the speciall Prouidence whiche is cōfirmed by so certain plain testimonies of Scripture that it is maruell that any man could dout of it And surely they thēselues that drawe thesame veile which I speake of to hide it are cōpelled by way of correctiō to adde that many thyngs ar don by the peculiar care of god but then they do wrongfully restrayn thesame onely to peculiar doinges Wherfore we muste proue that God doth so geue hede to the gouernement of the successes of al thyngs and that they al do so procede from his determyned counsell that nothyng happeneth by chaunce If we graūt that the beginning of motiō belōgeth to God but that all things are either of thēselues or by chaūce caried whether the inclination of nature driueth thē the mutual succeding by turnes of daies nightes of winter sōmer shal be the work of God insomuch as he appointing to euery one their duties hath set thē a certaine law that is if they shoulde alway kepe one measure in egal proportiō as wel the dayes that come after the nightes the moneths after monethes yeres after yeres But whē somtime immoderate hetes with drynesse do burne vp al the grain somtime vnseasonable raines do mar the corne when sodein harme cōmeth by hayle tempestes that shal not be the worke of God vnlesse parhap it be because the cloudes or faire wether or colde or heate haue their beginning of the meting of the planetes or other naturall causes But by this meane is there no roume left nether for the fatherly fauour nor for the iudgemēts of God If they say that God is beneficial enough to mankinde because he poureth into the heauē earth an ordinary power wherby they do find him nourishment that is to vaine and prophane an inuention as though the frutefulnesse of one yere wer not the singular blessing of God and dearth and famine wer not his curse vēgeaunce But because it wer to long to gather together al the resons that serue for this purpose let the authoritie of God himselfe suffice vs. In the law in the Prophetes he doth oftētimes pronoūce that so oft as he watereth the earth with deaw rayne he declareth his fauor that whē by his cōmaundemēt the heauen is hardened like irō whē corne is consumed with blasting and other harmes when the fieldes are strykē with hayle tempestes it is a tokē of his certayne special vengeaūce If we graunt these things then is it assured that there falleth not a drop of rain but by the certaine commaundement of God Dauid prayseth the general Prouidēce of God that he geueth meate to the rauens birdes the cal vpon him but when God himselfe threatneth famine to lyuing creatures doth he not sufficiently declare that he fedeth al liuing thinges somtime with scarce and sometime with more plenteful portiō as he thinketh good It is a childish thing as I said before to restrain this to particular doīges wheras Christ speketh wtout exception that not a sparrow of neuer so smal a price doth fal to the groūde wtout the wil of his father Surely if the flyeng of birdes be ruled by the purpose of God thē must we nedes confesse with the Prophet that he so dwelleth on hye that yet he humbleth himself to loke vpō at thinges that chaunce in heauen and earth But because we know that the world was made principally for mākindes sake we must therfore cōsider this end in the gouernāce of man The prophete Hieremy cryeth out I know Lorde that the waye of man is not his own nether belongeth it to man to direct his own steppes And Salomon saieth the steps of man are ruled by the lord and how shall a man dispose his own way Now let thē say that mā is moued by God according to the inclinatiō of his own nature but that man hymselfe doth turne the mouing whether it pleaseth him But if that wer truely sayd then shoulde man haue the free choise of his own wayes Paraduēture they wil deny that because he can do nothing wtout the power of God But seing it is certain that the Prophete and Salomon do geue vnto God not only power but also choise and appointment they can not so escape away But Salomō in an other place doth finely rebuke this rashenesse of men that apoint vnto themselues an other ende wtout respect of God as though they were not led by hys hande The preparations saith he of the hart are in man but the answer of the tong is of the Lord. It is a fonde madnesse that mē wil take vpon thē to doe thinges wtout God which can not so muche as speake but what he wil. And the Scripture to expresse more plaīly that nothing at al is
of synne Therefore let thys summe of that distinction be kepte that manne syns hee ys corrupted synneth in deede wyllyngely and not agaynste his will nor compelled by a moste bente affection of minde and not by vyolente compulsion by motion of hys owne luste and not by forren constraynte but yet of suche peruersenesse of nature as hee ys hee canne not but bee moued and dryuen to euell If thys bee true then surely yt is playnely expressed that hee ys subiecte to necessytye of â—ynâ—ynge Bernarde agreeynge to Augustine wryteth thus onely manne among all liuinge creatures is free and yet by meane of sinne hee also suffreth a certaine violence but of will and not of nature that euen thereby also hee shoulde not bee depryued of freedome for that whyche is wyllynge is free And a lyttle after wyll beynge chaunged in it selfe into worse by I woote not what corrupte and marueylous manner so maketh necessitie that very necessitie for as muche as it is willinge can not excuse wyll and wyll forasmuche as it is drawen by aluremente can not exclude necessitie for this necessitie is after a certaine manner willing Afterwarde he saith that we are pressed down wyth a yoke but yet none other but of a certaine wyllynge bondage therefore by reason of oure bondage we are miserable by reason of our wil we are inexcusable bicause wil when it was free made it selfe the bond seruaunt of sinne At length he concludeth that the soule is so after a certaine marueilous and euell manner holden both a bonde seruaunt and free vnder this certaine willinge and yll free necessitie a bonde seruante by reason of necessitie free by reason of wyll and that whiche is more maruelous and more miserable therein gylty wherin it is free therein bonde wherein it is gylty and so therein bond wherin it is free Herby truely the readers do perceiue that I brynge no new shynge whyche longe agoe Augustine broughte fourthe oute of the consent of all godlye men and almoste a thousande yeares after was kepte styll in monkes Cloysters But Lombarde when he coulde not distynguyshe necessitie from compulsion gaue matter to a pernitious erroure On the otherside it is good to consider what manner remedie is that of the grace of God whereby the corruption of nature is amenhed and healed For whereas the Lorde in helpyng vs geueth vs that whyche we wante when we shall knowe what his worke is in vs it will streightwaye appeare on the other side what is our nedynesse When the Apostle sayeth to the Philippians that he trusteth that he whiche beganne a good worke in them will performe it vnto the daye of Iesus Christe is no doubte that by the beginnynge of a good worke he meaneth the very beginnyng of conuersion whiche is in will Therefore God beginneth a good worke in vs by stirryng vp in our heartes the loue desire endeuour of righteousnesse or to speake more properly in bowyng framyng and directyng our heartes to righteousnesse he endeth it in confirmyng vs to perseuerance And that no manne should cauill that good is begonne by the Lorde when will beyng of it selfe weake is holpen the holy ghost in an other place declareth what will is able to doe beyng lefte vnto it selfe I will geue you sayeth he a newe heart I will put a newe spirit in the middes of you And I will take awaye the stony heart from your flesh and I will geue you a heart of fleshe And I will put my spirite in the middes of you and I will make you to walke in my coÌ„maundementes Whoe shall saye that the weakenesse of mans will is strengthened with helpe whereby it maye effectually aspire to the choise of that that is good when it must be whole transformed renewed If there be any softenesse in a stone which by some help being made tenderer will abide to be bowed euery way then wil I graunt that the heart of man is pliable to obey that whiche is right so that that whiche in it is vnperfecte be supplied by the grace of God But if he meante to shewe by this similitude that no goodnesse coulde euer be wroong out of our heart vnlesse it be made throughly new let vs not parte betwene him and vs that which he chaleÌ„geth to him self alone If therefore a stone be transformed into fleshe when God turneth vs to the desire of that whiche is right then is all that whiche was of our owne will taken awaye and that which coÌ„meth in place thereof is all of God I saye that will is taken awaye not in that it is will bicause in the conuersion of man that whiche was of the firste nature abideth whole also I saye that it is created newe not that will then beginneth to be but that it be turned from an euell will into a good And this I affirme to be wholy done by God bycause we are not able so much as to thinke as the same Apostle witnesseth therefore in an other place he sayeth that God doth not only helpe our weake will or amende our peruerse will but that he worketh in vs to will Whereupon is easely gathered that whiche I saide before that what so euer good is in will it is the worke of only grace In whyche sence in an other place he sayeth that it is God that worketh all in all Neyther doth he there entreate of the vniuersal gouernement but geueth vnto God alone the prayse of al good thinges that the faythfull haue And in sayeng all â–ª truely he maketh God the authour of spiritual life euen from the beginning to the end Whiche self same thing he had taught before in other wordes sayeng that the faythful are of God in Christ. where he playnly maketh mention of the newe creation wherin that whiche was of common nature before is destroied For there is to be vnderstanded a comparyson betwene Adam and Christe whyche in an other place he more plainely expresseth where he teacheth that we are the worke of God created in Christe to good workes whyche hee hathe prepared that we shoulde walke in them For he goeth aboute by this reason to proue that oure saluation is of free gifte bicause the beginninge of all goodnesse is at the seconde creation whiche wee obteyne in Christe But if there were any power of oure selues were yt neuer so smale we shoulde haue also some portion of merite But hee to proue vs altogether nothing worthe resoneth that we haue deserued nothing bicause we are create in Christe to good workes whiche God hathe prepared In whiche wordes he signifieth againe that all partes of good workes euen from the first motioÌ„ are propre to God only For this reason the Prophete after he had said in the Psalme that we are the workemanshipe of God that there shoulde be no particion addeth by and by We made not our selues That he speaketh ther of regeneration whiche is the beginning of spirituall life appeareth
by him it is not mente thereby that man as it were striuing agaynst it and resistyng is compelled to obeye as we compell bondeslaues agaynst their wil by reason of beyng their lordes to do our coÌ„maundementes but that beyng bewitched with the deceites of Satan it of necessitie yeldeth it selfe obedient to euery leadyng of him For whome the Lord vouchesaueth not to rule with his spirite them by iust iudgement he sendeth away to be moued of Satan Wherfore the Apostle sayth that the god of this world hath blinded the mindes of the vnbeleuers ordeyned to destruction that they should not see the light of the Gospell And in an other place That he worketh in the disobedient children The blindynge of the wicked and as the wicked deedes that followe thereupon are called the workes of Satan of whiche yet the cause is not to bee sought elswhere than in the will of man out of which ariseth the roote of euell wherin resteth the fundation of the kingdome of Satan whiche is Sinne. But farre other is the order of Gods doyng in such thinges And that the same may appere more certainly vnto vs let the hurt done to the holy man Iob by the Chaldees be an exaÌ„ple The Chaldees killed his herdemen and like enemies in warre droue awaye his cattle for booties Nowe is their wicked deede plainely seene and in that worke Satan is not idle from whome the Historie sayeth that all this dyd procede But Iob himself did acknowledge the worke of the lord in it whome he saith to haue take away from him those things that were taken away by the Chaldees How can we referre the selfe same work to God as authour to Sathan as authour and to maÌ„ as authour of it but that we must either excuse Sathan by the company of God or report God to be the authour of euill Uery easely if first we loke vpon the ende why it was done and then the manner how The purpose of the Lorde is by calamitie to exercise the patience of his seruant The deuil goeth about to driue him to despeir The Chaldees against right and lawe seke gaine of that whiche is an other mans Suche diuersitie in purposes maketh great difference in the worke And in the maner of doing there is no lesse diuersitie The Lord leaueth his seruant to Sathan to be afflicted and the Chaldees whome he did chose for ministers to execute it he did leaue and deliuer to him to be driuen to it Sathan with his venemous stinges pricked forward the myndes of the Chaldees whiche otherwyse were peruerse of them selues to do that mischief they furiously runne to do wrong and do bynde and defile all their membres with wicked doing Therfore it is properly said that Sathan doth worke in the reprobate in whome he exerciseth his kingdome that is to say the kingdome of wickednesse It is also sayd that God worketh in them after his maner because SathaÌ„ him selfe for as muche as he is the instrument of his wrath according to his bidding and commaundement turneth him self hether thither to execute his iust iudgementes I speake not here of Gods vniuersall mouing wherby as al creatures are susteined so from thence thei take their effectuall power of doing any thing I speake only of that special doing whiche appeareth in euery special act We see therfore that it is no absurditie that one selfe acte be ascribed to God to Satan and to man but the diuersitie in the ende and maner of doing causeth that therin appeareth the iustice of God to be without fault and also the wickednesse of Sathan and man bewrayeth it selfe to their reproche The olde wryters in this point also are somtime to precisely afraid simply to confesse the truthe because they feare least they should so open a wyndowe to wickednesse to speake irreuerently of the workes of God Whiche sobrietie as I embrace so I thinke it nothing daungerous if we simply holde what the Scripture teacheth Augustine hym selfe sometime was not free from that superstition as where he saith that hardening and blynding perteine not to the worke of God but to his foreknowledge But the phrases of scripture allowe not these subtilties whiche phrases do plainly shew that there is therin somwhat els of God besides his forknowledge And Augustine himselfe in his v. boke against Iulianus goeth earnestly about with a long processe to proue that sinnes are not only of the permissioÌ„ or sufferaâ—ce of God but also of his power that so former sinnes might be punished Lykewyse that whiche they being fourth concerning permission is to weake to stande It is oftentimes sayd that God blyndeth and hardeneth the reprobate that he turneth boweth moueth their heartes as I haue els where taught more at large But of what maner that is it is neuer expressed if we flee to free forknowledge or sufferance Therfore we answere that it is done after two maners For first where as when his light is taken away there remaineth nothing but darknesse and blyndnesse where as when his spirite is taken away our heartes ware hard and become stones where as when his direction cesseth they are wrasted into crokednesse it is well sayd that he doeth blinde harden bowe them from whome he taketh away the power to se obey and do rightly The second manner whiche commeth nere to the propertie of the wordes is that for the executing of his iudgementes by Sathan the minister of his wrath he bothe appointeth their purposes to what ende it pleaseth hym and stirreth vp their willes streÌ„gtheneth their endeuors So wheÌ„ Moses reherseth that king Sehon did not geue passage to the people because God had hardened his spirite and made his heart obstinate he by and by adioyneth the ende of his purpose that he might saith he geue him into our handes Therfore because it was Gods will to haue him destroied the making of his heart obstinate was Gods preparation to his destruction After the firste manner this seemeth to bee spoken He taketh away the lyppe from the speakers of truth and taketh away reason from the Elders He taketh the heart away from them that are set ouer the people hee maketh then to waÌ„der where no way is Again Lord why haste thou made vs mad and hardened oure hearte that wee shoulde not feare theeâ— Because they iudge rather of what sorte God maketh men by forsaking them than how he perfourmeth his worke in them But there are other testimonies that goe further as are these of the hardening of Pharao I wyll harden the heart of Pharao that he do not heare you and let the people go Afterward he saith that he hath made heauy and hardened his heart Did he harden it in not susteining it That is true in deede but he did somwhat more that he committed his heart to Sathan to be confirmed with obstinacie Where vpon he had before sayd I wyll holde his heart The people went out of Egypt
helpe of Gods grace they do testifie enoughe and more that we are altogether vnfitte muche more insufficient to keepe the lawe Wherefore let thys proportion of oure strengthes wyth the commaundementes of Gods lawe be no more enforced as if the Lord hadde measured the rule of iustice whiche hee purposed to geue in his lawe accordynge to the rate of oure weakenesse Rather by hys promysses wee oughte to consyder howe vnreadye wee are of oure selues whyche in euerye behalfe do so muche neede hys grace But whoe saye they shall be perswaded that it is lyke to be true that the Lorde appointed his lawe to stockes and stones Neyther dothe any manne goe aboute to perswade yt For the wycked are neyther stockes nor stones when beynge taughte by the lawe that theyr lustes do stryue agaynste God they are proued gyltye by theyr owne wytenesse Nor yet the godly when beeynge putte in mynde of theyr weakenesse they flee vnto grace For whyche purpose serue these sayinges of Augustine The Lorde commaundeth those thynges that we can not do that wee maye knowe what wee oughte to aske of hym Greate is the profite of the commaundements yf so muche bee geuen to free wyll that the grace of God bee the more honoured Faythe obtayneth that whyche the lawe commaundeth yea the lawe therefore commaundeth that faythe maye obtayne that whyche was commaunded by the lawe yea God requyreth faythe yt selfe of vs and fyndeth not what to requyre vnlesse hee geue what to fynde Agayne Let God geue what hee commaundeth commaunde what he wyll That shall more plainely bee seen in rehersinge the three sortes of commaundementes which we touched before The Lorde oftentimes commaundeth bothe in the lawe and in the Prophetes that we be cōuerted vnto hym But on the other syde the Prophete aunswereth Conuerte me Lorde and I shall be conuerted for after that thou didst conuerte me I repented c. He commaundeth vs to circumcise the vncircumcised skynne of oure hearte and by Moses he declareth that thys circumcision is done by his owne hande He eche wher requireth newenesse of hearte but in an other place hee testifieth that it is geuen by himselfe That whyche God promiseth saith Augustine we do not by free wil or nature but he himselfe doth it by grace And this is the same note that he himselfe reherseth in the v. place among the rules of Ticonius that we wel make difference betwene the lawe the promises or betwen the commaundementes grace Nowe let them goe that gather by the commaundementes whether man be able to do any thing toward obediences in suche sorte that thei destroye the grace of God by whiche the commaundementes them selues are fullfylled The commaundemēts of the seconde sorte are symple by whyche wee are bydden to honoure God to serue cleaue vnto hys wyll to kepe hys comaundemtes to folowe his doctrine But there are innumerable places that doe testifie that it is his gyft what so euer ryghteousnesse holynesse godlinesse or puritie may bee had Of the thirde sorte was that exhortacion of Paul and Barnabas to the faithfull whiche is rehearsed by Luke that they shoulde abyde in the grace of God But from whence that strengthe of constancie is to be had the same Paul teacheth in an other place That remayneth sayeth he ▪ brethren bee ye stronge throughe the Lorde In an other place he forbyddeth vs that we doe not greue the spirite of God wherewith we are sealed vp vnto the daye of our redemption But because the thynge that he there requireth could not beperfourmed by men therfore he wysheth it to the Thessalonians from God namely that he woulde recken them worthy of his holy callyng and fulfyll all the purpose of his goodnesse and the woorke of faythe in them Lykewyse in the seconde Epistle to the Corinthians entreating of almes he oftentymes commaundeth theyr good and godlye wyll yet a litle after he thanketh God that put it in the hearte of Titus to take vpon hym to geue exhortacion If Titus coulde not so muche as vse the office of his mouthe to exhorte other but only so farre as God did put it vnto hym howe shoulde other haue bene wyllynge to doe vnlesse God hym selfe had directed their heartes The craftier sorte of them doe cauyll at all these testimonies because there is no impediment but that wee maye ioyne our owne strengthes and God to helpe our weake endeuours They bryng also places out of the Prophetes where the effect of our conuersion seemeth to bee parted in halfe betwene God and vs. Tourne ye to me and I wyll tourne to you What maner of help the Lord bryngeth vs we haue aboue shewed and it is not nedefull here to repete it This one thyng I woulde haue graunted me that it is vainely gathered that there is requyred in vs a power to fulfyll the lawe because God dothe cōmaunde the obedience of it For as much as it is euident that for the fulfillyng of all the commaundementes of God the grace of the lawegeuer is bothe necessary for vs and promysed vnto vs. Thereby then it appeareth that at least there is more required of vs than we are able to paye And that saying of Hieremie can not be wyped away with any cauillatiōs that the couenaunt of God made with the auncient people was voyde because it was only literall and that it coulde no otherwyse bee stablyshed than when the spirite cometh vnto it whiche frameth the heartes to obedience Neither dothe that saying Tourne ye to me and I wyll tourne vnto you fauour their errour For there is meant not that tourning of God wherewith he renueth oure heartes to repentaunce but wherewyth hee by prosperitie of thynges dothe declare hym selfe fauourable and merciful as by aduersitie he somtime sheweth his displeasure Where as therfore the people being vexed with many sortes of miseries and calamities dyd complayne that God was turned awaye from them he aunswereth that they shall not be destitute of his fauour if they retourne to vprightnesse of lyfe and to hym selfe that is the paterne of righteousnesse Therefore the place is wrongfully wrested when it is drawen to this pourpose that the woorke of our conuersion shoulde seeme to bee parted betwixte God and men These thynges we haue comprehended so muche the shortelyer bycause the propre place for this matter shall bee where we entreate of the Lawe The seconde sorte of their argumentes is muche like vnto the fyrst They alledge the promises whereby God dothe couenaunt wyth oure will of whiche sorte are Seeke good and not euell and ye shall liue If ye will and do heare ye shall eate the good thynges of the earth but if ye will not the swoarde shal deuoure you bicause the Lordes mouth hathe spoken it Againe If thow put awaie thine abhominations oute of my syghte then shalte thou not be dryuen oute If thou shalte obeye dylygently the voyce of the Lorde
worke of the same grace In the meane time we denie not that it is very true that Augustine teacheth that will is not destroyed by grace but rather repayred For bothe these thinges doe stand very well together that mens will be sayd to be restored when the faultinesse and peruersenesse thereof beyng reformed it is directed to the true rule of iustice and also that a newe will be sayde to be created in manne for asmuch as it is so defiled and corrupted that it needeth vtterly to put on a newe nature Nowe is there no cause to the contrarie but that we maye well be sayde to doe the same thyng that the spirit of God doth in vs although our owne will do of it self geue vs toward it nothing at all that may be seuered from his grace And therefore we muste kepe that in minde which we haue els where alledged out of Augustine that some do in vayne trauayle to finde in the will of manne some good thinge that is proprely her owne For what so euer mixture men studie to brynge from the strength of free will to the grace of God it is nothing but a corruptyng of it as if a manne would delay wine with dirty and bitter water But although what so euer good is in the will of manne it procedeth from the mere instincte of the holy ghoste yet bicause it is naturally planted in vs to will it is not whythout cause sayd that we do those thinges whereof God chalengeth the prayse to him selfe Firste bycause it is oures what so euer by his goodnesse he worketh in vs so that we vnderstand it to be not of our selues and then bycause the minde is oures the will is oures the endeuour is oures whiche are by him directed to good Those other testimonies biside these that they scrape togither here there shal not much trouble euen meane whittes that haue wel conceiued only the solutions aboue sayd They allege that sayeng out of Genesis Thine appetite shal be vnder thee and thou shalt beare rule ouer it Whiche they expound of sinne as yf the Lord did promise to Cain that the force of sinne shoulde not get the vpper hande in his minde yf he would labour in subduyng of it But we saye that it better agreeth with the order of the text that this be taken to be spoken of Abel For there Gods purpose was to reproue the wickednesse of the enuie that Cain had conceyued against his brother And that he doth two wayes One that in vayne he imagined mischiefe to excell his brother in Gods sight before whome no honour is geuen but vnto righteousnesse the other that he was to much vnthākful for the benefite of God which he had alredy receyued which could not abide his brother although he had him subiect vnder his authoritie But lest we shoulde seme therefore to embrace this exposition bicause the other is agaynst vs let vs admitte that God spake of sinne If it be so then God eyther promiseth or commaundeth that whiche he there declareth If he commaundeth then haue we alredy shewed that thereby foloweth no proofe of the power of manne If he promiseth where is the fulfillyng of the promise for Cain became subiecte to sinne ouer whiche he should haue had dominion They will saye that in the promise was included a secrete condition as yf it had ben sayd that he should haue the victorie yf he would stryue for it But who will receyue these croked compasses For yf this dominion be meante of sinne then no man can doubte that it is spoken by way of cōmmaundement wherein is not determined what we are able to doe but what we ought to doe yea though it be aboue our power Albeit bothe the matter it selfe and the order of Grammer doe require that there be a comparison made of Cain and Abel bicause the elder brother should not haue ben set behinde the younger vnlesse he had become worse by his owne wicked doyng They vse also the testimonie of the Apostle whiche sayth that it is not of him that willeth nor of him that runneth but of God that hath mercie Whereby they gather that there is somewhat in mans will and endeuour whiche of it selfe though it be weake beyng holpen by the mercie of God is not without prosperous successe But if they did soberly weye what matter Paule there entreteth of they woulde not so vnaduisedly abuse this sentence I know that they may bryng forth Origen and Hierome for mainteiners of their expositiō and I could on the other side set Augustine against thē But what thei haue thought it maketh no mater to vs if we know what Paule meante There he teacheth that saluation is prepared only for thē to whō the lord vouchsaueth to graūt his mercie that ruine destructiō is prepared for al those that he hath not chosen He had vnder the example of Pharao declared the state of the reprobrate and had also cōfirmed the assurednesse of free election by the testimonie of Moses I will haue mercie vpon whome I will haue mercie Nowe he concludeth that it is not of him thath willeth or him that runneth but of God that hath mercie If it be thus vnderstanded that will or endeuour ar not sufficient bicause they are to weake for so great a weight that whiche Paule sayth had not ben aptly spoken Therfore awaye with these suttelties to saye It is not of him that willeth nor of him that runneth therfore there is some wil there is some rūning For Paules meaning is more simply thus It is not will it is not runnyng that get vs the waye to saluation herein is only the mercie of God For he speaketh no otherwise in this place than he doth to Titus where he writeth that the goodnesse and kindenesse of God appereh not by the workes of righteousnesse whiche we haue done but for his infinite mercie Thei thēselues that make this argument that Paul meant that there is some will some rūning bicause he saide that is not of him that willeth nor of him that runneth would not geue me leaue to reason after the same fashion that we haue done some good workes bicause Paule sayeth that we haue not atteined the goodnesse of God by the good workes that we haue done If they see a fault in this argumēt let them open their eyes and they shal perceiue that their owne is not without the like deceite For that is a sure reason that Augustine resteth vpon If it were therefore sayd that it is not of him that willeth nor of him that runneth bicause neyther the will nor the runnyng is sufficient Then it maye be turned on the contrarie parte that it is not of the mercie of God bycause it alone worketh not Sithe this seconde is an absurditie Augustine doth rightfully conclude that this is spoken to this meanyng that there is no good will of man vnlesse it be prepared of the Lord not but that
the formes of swearyng that are after rehersed For this was also parte of their errour that when they did sweare by heaueÌ„ and earth they thought that they did not touch the name of God Therfore after the principall kinde of offense against this commaundement the lord doth also cut of from them all bye shiftes that they should not thinke that they haue escaped if not speakyng of the name of God they call heauen and earth to witnesse For here by the way it is also to be noted that although the name of God be not expressed yet men by indirect formes do sweare by him as if they sweare by the liuely light by the bread that they eate by their Baptisme or other tokens of gods liberalitie toward them Neither doth Christ in that place where he forbiddeth them to sweare by heauen and earth Hierusalem speake it to correct superstition as some men falsly thinke but he rather confuteth their sophisticall suttâ—ltie whiche thought it no faulte babblingly to throwe our indirect othes as though they spared the holy name of God whiche is engrauen in all his benefites But otherwise it is where either a mortal man or a dead man or an Angel is put in the place of God as amonge the prophane nations flatterie deuised that stinkyng forme of sweryng by the life or soule of the Kyng for then the false making of gods doth obscure and minish yâ— glory of the one only God But when we meane only to procure credit to our sayenges by the holy name of God although the same be indirectly done yet in al such triflyng othes his maiestie is offended Christ taketh froÌ„ this licentiousnesse all pretense of excuse in this that he forbiddeth to sweare at al. And Iames tendeth to the same purpose recityng the same wordes of Christ whiche I haue before alleged bycause that same rash boldenesse hath alwaye ben in the world whiche is a prophane misuse of the name of God For if ye referre this worde At all to the substance as it without any exceptioÌ„ it were altogether vnlawfull to sweare wherefore serueth that exposition whiche is added afterward Neyther by heauen nor by earth c Whereby it sufficiently appereth that those cauillatioÌ„s are met withall by which the Iewes thought their fault to be excused Therefore it can not nowe be doubtefull to sounde iudgementes that the Lorde in that place did onely reproue those othes that were forbidden by the lawe For he himselfe whiche shewed in his life an examplar of the perfection that he taught did not sticke to sweare when occasion required And his disciples whoe we doubte not did obeye theyr maister in all thinges folowed the same example whoe dare saye that Paule wold haue sworne yf swearing had ben vtterly forbidden but when matter so required he sware without any sticking at it yea somtime adding an execration But this question is not yet ended bicause some do think that only publike othes are excepted out of this prohibitioÌ„ as those othes that we take when the Magistrate doth offer them to vs require them of vs. And such as Princes vse to take in stablishing of leagues or yâ— people when thei sweare allegeaÌ„ce to their Prince or the Soldiar wheÌ„ he is put to an othe for his true seruice in that warre such like And to this sort thei adioyne that rightfully such othes as are in Paule to coÌ„firme the dignitie of yâ— gospell for asmuch as yâ— Apostles in their office ar not priuate meÌ„ but publike ministers of god And truely I denie not that those are yâ— safest othes bicause thei ar defended with souÌ„dest testimonies of scripture The magistrate is coÌ„maunded in a doubtful case to driue the witnesse to an othe he otâ— the other side to answer by othe the Apostle sayth that meÌ„s controuersies are by this meane ended In this coÌ„maundement bothe these haue a perfect allowance of their offices Yea we maye note that among the old heathen men the publike and solemne othe was had in great reuereÌ„ce but coÌ„mon othes that were vsually spoken without consideration were either nothing or very litle regarded bicause they thought that in these they had not to do with the maiestie of God at al. But yet it were to much dangerous to condemne priuate othes that are in necessarie cases soberly holyly reuerently taken whiche are mainteined both by reason examples For if it be lawfull for priuate men in a weighty earnest matter to appele to God as iudge betwene them much more is it lawefull to call hym to witnesse Put the case thy brother will accuse thee of false breache of faith thou endeuorest to purge thy self accordyng to the dutie of charitie he by no meanes will suffer himself to be satisfied If thy good name come in perill by his obstinate maliciousnesse thou shalt without offense appele to the iudgement of God that it will please him in time to make thine innocency knowen Now if the weight of the wordes be considered it is a lesse matter to call him to witnesse Therefore I see not why in this case we should affirme that the callyng hym to witnesse is vnlawful And we are not without many examples therof For though the othe of Abraham and Isaac with Abimelech be sayde not to serue for our purpose bycause it was made in the name of a publike companie yet Iacob and Laban were priuate meÌ„ which stablished a couenant with mutuall othe betwene themselues Booz was a priuate man whiche by the same meane coÌ„firmed his promise of mariage to Ruth Abdias was a priuate man a iuste manne and fearyng God whiche affirmed vnto Elias by othe the thing that he meant to persuade him Therefore I haue no better rule but that othes be so tempered that they be not vnaduised that they be not common without regard that they be not vsed of ragyng lust nor triflyng but that they serue iuste necessitie as where the Lordes glorie is to be mainteyned or the edification of our brother furthered to whiche ende the commaundement of the lawe tendeth The fourth Commaundement Remember that thou kepe holy the Sabbat day Sixe dayes shalt thou worke and do all thy workes But on the seuenth day is the Sabbat of the Lord thy God In it thou shalt do no worke c. The end of this coÌ„maundement is that we beyng dead to our owne affections workes should be busied in meditation of the kingdome of God to the same meditation should be exercised by such meanes as he hath ordeyned But bicause this coÌ„maundement hath a peculiar seueral consideration froÌ„ the rest therfore it must haue also a seuerall manner of exposition The old writers vse to call it a shadowish commaundement for that it conteyneth the outward obseruation of the day whiche by the comming of Christ was taken away with the other figures Wherin I graunt they say truely but they touche but half the matter
of pardon and reconciliation hee by and by tourneth to an other thing and wandereth about in longe superfluous circumstances rehersinge howe maruelously the Lorde gouerneth the frame of heauen and earth and the whole ordre of nature yet is there nothinge that serueth not fittly for the circumstance of the matter that he speaketh of For vnlesse the power of God wherby he is able to do all thinges be presently set before our eies our eares wil hardly heare the worde or wil not esteme it so much as it is worth Beside that her is declared his effectual power bicause godlinesse as we haue already shewed in an other place doth alwaie applie the power of God to vse and worke specially it setteth before it selfe those workes of God wherby he hath testified himselfe to be a father Herevpon commeth that in the Scriptures is so often mention made of the redemption wherby the Israelites might haue learned that God whiche was ones the author of saluation will be an euerlastinge preseruer thereof And Dauid putteth vs in mynde by hys owne exaumple that those benefites whiche God hathe particularly bestowed vpon euery man doe afterwarde auaile to the confyrmation of his faithe Yea when God seemeth to haue forsaken vs it behoueth vs to stretche oure wittes further that hys aunciente benefites maie recomforte vs as it is saide in an other Psalme I haue ben mindefull of olde daies I haue studied vpon all thy workes c. Againe I will remembre the workes of the Lorde and his meruelles from the beginning But bicause without the word all quickly vanisheth awaie that we conceiue of the power of God and of his woorkes therefore we do not without cause affyrme that there is no faithe vnlesse God geue lighte vnto it with testimonie of hys grace But here a question myghte bee moued what ys to bee thought of Sara and Rebecca bothe which being moued as it semeth with zele of saith passed beyonde the bondes of the word Sara when she feruently desyred the promysed issue gaue her bondmaide to her housbande It can not be denied but that shee many waies sinned but nowe I touche onely thys faulte that beinge carryed awaye wyth her zele she did not restraine herselfe within the bondes of Gods worde yet it is certaine that that desire proceeded of faith Rebecca being certified by the oracle of God of the electiō of her sonne Iacob ▪ procured his blessing by euell crafty meanes she deceued hir husbande the witnesse and minister of the grace of God shee compelled her sonne to lye she by dyuerse guiles and deceites corrupted the trueth of God Fynally in makinge a scorne of hys promise shee dyd as muche as in her laye destroie it And yet thys acte howe muche soeuer it was euell and woorthy of blame was not without faith for it was necessarie that she sholde ouercome many offenses that shee might so earnestly endeuoure to atteine that whiche without hope of earthly profite was ful of greate troubles daungers As wee may not say that the holy Patriarche Isaac was altogether without faithe bicause he beinge by the same oracle of God admonished of the honoure transferred to the yonger sonne yet cessed not to bee more fauourably bente to hys fyrste begotten sonne Esau. Truely these examples do teache that oftetimes erroures are mingled with faithe but yet so that faith if it be a true faith hath alwaie the vpper hande For as the particular erroure of Rebecca did not make void the effect of the blessing so neither did it make voide her faith whyche generally reigned in her mynde and was the beginning and cause of that doynge Neuerthelesse therein Rebecca vttered howe readye mans mynde is to fall so sone as he geueth hym selfe neuer so lyttle lybertie But thoughe mans defaut and weakenesse dothe darken faith yet it doth not quenche it in the meane time it putteth vs in minde how carefully wee oughte to hange vpon the mouthe of God and also confyrmeth that whyche wee haue taughte that faythe vanysheth awaye vnlesse yt bee vpholden by the woorde as the myndes boothe of Sara and Isaac and Rebecca hadde become vaine in theyr croked wanderinges out of the waie vnlesse thei had ben by Gods secret brydle holden in obedience of the worde Againe not without cause we include all the promises in Christ forasmuche as in the knowledge of him the Apostle includeth al the Gospell and in an other place he teacheth that all the promises of God are in him yea and Amen The reason whereof is ready to be shewed For if God promise any thinge he therein sheweth hys good will so that there is no promise of hys that is not a testimonie of his loue Neither maketh it any mater that the wycked when they haue great and continuall benefites of Gods liberalitie heaped vpon them doe thereby wrappe themselues in so much the more greuous iudgement For syth thei do neither thinke nor acknowlege that those things com vnto them frō the hande of God for if thei acknowlege it thei do not with themselues consider his goodnesse therefore thei can not thereby be better taught of his mercie than brute beastes which according to the measure of their estate do receiue the same frute of Gods liberalitie yet they perceiue it not Neither doth it any more make againste vs that many times in refusing the promises apointed for them they do by that occasion procure to them selues the greater vengeance For although the effectuall workinge of the promyses do then onely appeare when they haue founde faith with vs yet the force and natural propretie of them is neuer extinguyshed by oure vnbeleefe or vnthankfulnesse Therefore when the Lorde by hys promyses doth prouoke man not onely to receiue but also to thynke vpon the frutes of hys bountifulnesse hee doth therwith all declare vnto him hys loue Wherevpon we muste returne to thys poynte that euery promyse is a testifieng of Gods loue towarde vs. But it is out of question that no man is loued of God but in Christe he is the beloued Sonne in whome the loue of the Father abydeth and resteth and then from hym poureth it selfe abroade vnto vs as Paule teacheth that wee haue obteyned fauoure in the beloued one Therefore it muste needes bee deryued and come vnto vs by meane of hym For thys cause the Apostle in an other place calleth him oure peace in an other place hee setteth hym oute as a bonde whereby God is with fatherli natural kindenes bound vnto vs. It foloweth then that we must caste our eyes vpon hym so oft as any promyse ys offered vs. And that Paule teacheth no absurditie that all Gods promyses whatsoeuer they bee are confyrmed and fulfilled in hym There be certayne exaumples that make for the contrarie For yf ys not lykely that Naaman the Syrian when hee requyred of the Prophete the manner how to worship God arighte was instructed concerning the
holy because our God is holye For when we were scattered abrode lyke straying shepe and dispersed abrode in the maze of the worlde he gathered vs together agayne to ioyne vs in one flocke with hym selfe When we heare mention made of our ioynyng with God lette vs remember that holynesse must be the bond therof Not that by the merite of holinesse we come into common with hym where as rather we must first cleaâ—e vnto hym that beyng endued with his holynesse we may folowe whether he calleth but because it greatly perteineth to his glorie that he haue no felowship with wickednesse and vncleannesse Therfore also it teacheth that this is the ende of our callyng whiche we ought alwaye to haue respect vnto if wee wyll answere God that calleth vs. For to what purpose was it that we should be drawen out of the wickednesse and filthenesse of the worlde if we geue our selues leaue all our lyfe long to wallowe in them styll Moreouer it also admonysheth vs that to the ende we maye be reckened among the people of God we must dwell in the holy citie Hierusalem Whiche as he hath halowed to him selfe so is it vnlawefull that it be vnholyly profaned by the vncleannesse of the inhabitantes From hence came these sayinges that they shall haue a place in the tabernacle of God that walke without spot and studie to followe ryghteousnesse c. Because it is not meete that the Sanctuarie wheron he dwelleth should be lyke a stable full of filthinesse And the better to awake vs it sheweth that God the father as he hath ioyned vs to him self in his Chist so hath printed an image for vs in him after whiche he would haue vs to be fashioned Nowe let them finde me a better order among the Phylosophers that thinke that the phylosophie concerning manners is in theÌ„ only orderly framed They when they wyll excellently well exhorte vs to vertue bring nothynge els but that we shold liue agreably to nature But the Scripture bringeth her exhortation from the true welspring wheÌ„ it not only teacheth vs to referre our life to God the authour of it to whome it is bond but also when she hath taught that we are swarued out of kynde from the true originall and state of our creation she immediatly addeth that Christ by whome we come againe into fauour with God is set before vs for an example that we should expresse the forme therof in our life What may a man require more effectual then this one thing Ye what maye a manne require more than thys onelye thynge For if the Lorde hathe by adoption made vs chyldren with this condition that our lyfe shoulde resemble Christe the bond of our adoptioÌ„ if we do not geue auowe our selues to righteousnesse we do not only with moste wicked breach of allegiaunce depart from our creatour but also we forsweare him to be our sauiour Then the Scripture taketh matter of exhortation out of all the benefites of God whiche she reherseth vnto vs and all the partes of our saluation And sheweth that sithe God hath shewed himselfe a father vnto vs we are worthy to be condemned of extreeme vnthankfulnesse if we do not likewise in oure behalfe shewe oure selues children vnto him Sithe Christe hathe cleansed vs with the washing of his blood hath made vs partakers of this cleansing by baptisme it is not semely that we should be spotted with newe filthinesse Sithe he hath graffed vs into his body we must carefullye take hede that we sprincle not any spot or blott vpon vs that are hys members Sithe he him self that is our head is ascended into heauen it behoueth vs that laying awaye earthly affection we doe with all our heart aspire to heauenward Sithe the holy Ghost hath dedicated vs temples to God we must endeuour that Gods glorie may be honorably set out by vs and muste not doe any thyng where by we may bee prophaned with filthynesse of synne Sithe both our soule and our body are ordeyned to heauenly incorruption and an vnperishing crowne we must diligently trauayll that the same may be kept pure and vncorrupted vnto the day of the Lord. These I say be the best layed foundations to bylde a mans lyfe and suche as the lyke are not to be found among the Phylosophers whiche in commendation of vertue doe neuer climbe aboue the naturall dignitie of man And heare is a fit place to speake vnto them that hauing nothynge but the title and badge of Christ yet would be named Christians But with what face doe they boste of his holy name sithe none haue any felowship with Christ but they that haue receiued a true knowledge of hym out of the worde of the Gospell But the Apostle sayeth that all they haue not ryghtly learned Christ that are not taught that they must cast alway the old man which is corrupted according to the desire of errour and haue not put on Christ. Therfore it is proued that they falsly yea and wrongfully pretende the knowledge of Christ although they can eloquently and roundely talke of the Gospell For it is not a doctrine of tong but of life is not coÌ„ceiued as other learnings be with only vnderstaÌ„ding memorie but is then only receiued when it possesseth the whole soule findeth a seate place to hold it in the moste inward affection of the heart Therfore either let theÌ„ cesse to the sclauÌ„der of God to boste of that which they ar not or let theÌ„ shew theÌ„ selues not vnworthy scholars for Christ their maister We haue geuen the first place to the doctrine wherin our religion is coÌ„teined because our saluatioÌ„ beginneth at it but the same must be poured into our hearte passe into our maÌ„ners yea transforme vs into it that it be not vnfrutefull vnto vs â–ª If the Phylosophers do iustly chafe against theÌ„ do with shamefull reproche driue theÌ„ from their coÌ„panie that professing an art that ought to be the scholemaistres of life do turne it into a Sophistical babbling with how much better reason shal we detest these trifling Sophisters that are coÌ„tented to role the Gospel vpon the top of their tonges the effectual working wherof ought to pearce into the innermost affectioÌ„s of the heart to rest in the soul to alter the whole man a hundred times more than the cold exhortations of Phylosophers Yet do I not require that the manners of a ChristiaÌ„ man sauour of nothing but the absolute Gospel which neuerthelesse both were to be wished we must endeuour vs toward it But I do not so seuerely require a gospellike perfection that I wold not acknowledge him for a christian that hath not yet atteined vnto it For so should al meÌ„ be excluded froÌ„ the churche sith there is no man found that is not by a great space distant from it many haue hetherto but a litle way proceded toward it who yet should be vniustly cast
So in Ezechiel he teacheth how muche we glorifie his name by reknowleging of our own wickednesse You shall remember sayeth he the wayes and al the wicked doinges wherewith ye haue been defiled And ye shall be displeased with your selues in your owne syght in all the euels that ye haue cōmitted And ye shall knowe that I am the Lorde when I shall do good to you for myne owne names sake and not according to your moste wicked offences If these thinges be conteined in the true knowledge of God that we being broosed with knowledge of our owne iniquitie should cōsider that he doth good to vs where as we be vnworthy therof why then do we to our great hurt attempt to steale awaye from the Lorde any parcell be it neuer so small of the prayse of his free goodnesse Like wise Ieremie when he crieth out Let not the wise man glorie in his wisdome or the riche man in his richesse or the strong man in his strēgth but let him that glorieth glorie in the Lorde doth he not there declare that somwhat is diminished from Gods glorie if mā glorie in him self To this purpose truely doth Paule apply those wordes when he teacheth that all the partes of our saluation are reposed in Christ that we should not glory but in the Lord. For his meaning is that he riseth vp against God darkeneth his glorie whosoeuer thinketh that he hathe any thing be it neuer so litle of his owne This is the truthe we neuer truely glorie in him vnlesse we be vtterly put from our own glorie On the other side this is to be holdē for a catholike principle that all they glorie against God that glorie in thē selues For Paul iudgeth that only by this meane the worlde is made subiect to God when all matter to glorie vpō is vtterly taken frō men Therfore Esaie when he declareth that Israel shall haue their iustification in God sith also that they shall there also haue their praise as though he should say that the Lord to this end iustifieth the elect that they should glorie in him and in nothing els But howe we ought to be praised in the Lorde he had taught in the verse next before that is that we should sweare that our righteousnesses strength are in the Lord. Note that there is not required a bare confession but cōfirmed with an othe that a mā shold not thinke that he shal be discharged with I wote not what fained humilitie And let no man here allege for excuse that he doth not glorie when without arrogance he reknowlegeth his own righteousnesse for there can be no such estimation but it engendreth cōfidence nor cōfidence but it bredeth glorie Therfore let vs remēber that in all the disputatiō of righteousnes we must haue regard to this end that the praise therof remaine with the Lorde whole perfect For as muche as for declaratiō of his righteousnesse as the Apostle testifieth he hath poured out his grace vpon vs that he might be iust iustifiyng him that is of the faith of Christe Wherfore in an other place when he had taught that the Lord gaue vs saluation to set out the glorie of his name afterward as it were repeting the same thing he addeth ye ar saued by grace by the gift of God not by workes that none shold glorie And when Peter telleth that we are called vnto hope of saluation that we shold declare the powers of him that hath called vs out of darkenesse into his maruelous light without doubt his meaning is so to make the only praises of God to sound in the eares of the faithful that they shold with depe silence oppresse al arrogancie of the fleshe In a summe man can not without robberie of God chalēge to him self any one crum of righteousnesse because euen so muche is plucked and taken away from the glorie of Gods righteousnesse Now if we aske by what meane the conscience may be quited before God we shall finde no other meane but if free righteousnesse be geuen vs by the gift of God Let vs alway thinke vpon this saying of Salomon Who shall say I haue cleansed my heart I am made cleane from my sinne Truely there is no man that shall not be ouerwhelmed with infinite filthinesse Therfore let euen the perfectest man descende into his own conscience call his doinges to accōpt what end shal he haue Shal he swetely rest as though al things were in good order betwene him God shall he not rather be vexed with terrible tormentes whē he shall fele matter of damnation abiding in him selfe if he be iudged according to his workes The conscience if it loke vpon God must of necessitie either haue assured peace with his iudgement or be beseged with the terrors of hell Therfore we profit nothyng in disputing of righteousnesse vnlesse we stablyshe suche a righteousnesse with the stedfastnesse wherof our soule may bee staied in the iudgement of God When our soule shall haue whereby it may bothe without feare appeare before the face of God receiue his iudgement vnshaken then not till then let vs knowe that we haue found an vnfained righteousnesse Therfore not without cause the Apostle standeth so muche vpon this point with whose wordes I had rather expresse it than with mine owne If saith he the promise of inheritance be of the law faith is made voide the promise is made abolished He first inferreth that faith is disanulled and made voide yf the promisse of righteousnes haue respect to the deseruinges of our workes or do hang vpon the keping of the law For so could neuer any man assuredlye rest in it because it could neuer come to passe that any mā might assuredly determine with him self that he had satisfied the law as in dede neuer any man doth by workes fully satisfie it Wherof that we should not nede to seke far for testimonies to proue it euery man may be a witnesse to him selfe that will with a right eye behold himself And hereby appereth in how depe darke corners hypocrisie buried the mindes of mē while they so carelesly beare with thē selues that they stick not to set their own flatteries against the iudgegement of God as though thei would binde to a stay of his iudicial proceding but the faithfull that do sincerely examine them selues are greued tormented with a far other māner of carefulnesse Therfore ther should so entre into all mindes a doubting at length a very despeire where eche man for him selfe should make accompt with howe great a burden of det he is still ouerpressed and how far he is from the conditiō wherw t he is charged Loe how faith is by this meane already expressed extinguished For to wauer to varie to be carried vp downe to stick fast in doubting to be holden in suspense to stagger at length to despeire is not to trust
haue we shewed that there commeth not so muche as one good woorke out of holy men whiche if it be iudged in it selfe deserueth not iuste rewarde of shame SecoÌ„dly I say that if it wer possible that we shold haue som throughly pure perfect works yet one sinne is enough to blot our quench al the remeÌ„brance of the former righteousnes as the prophet saithe With whome also Iames agreeth He that offeÌ„deth saith he in one is made gilty of al. Now fith this mortal life is neuer pure or void froÌ„ siÌ„ne whatsoeuer righteousnes we shold purchace being froÌ„ time to time with sinnes folowing corrupted oppressed lost it shold not com into the sight of God nor be accoÌ„pted to vs for righteousnes Finalli wheÌ„ the righteousnes of works is entreted of we must not haue respect to the work of the law but to the coÌ„maundement Therfore if we â—eke righteousnes by the law we shal in vain bring forth one or two works but a perpetual obedience of the law is there necessarie Wherfore the Lord doth not but ones as many foolishlythinke impute to vs righteousnesse that same forgeuenes of sinnes wherof we haue spoken that hauing ones obteined pardon of oure life past we should afterwarde seeke righteousnesse in the lawe bicause he shoulde so do nothing els butte bringe vs into a false hope and mocke and laughe vs to scorne For sith no perfectioÌ„ cold com to vs so loÌ„g as we are clothed with this flesh sith the law thretneth death iudgmeÌ„t to al theÌ„ that performe not ful rightousnes in work it shal alway haue wherof it mai accuse coÌ„deÌ„ne vs vnlesse the mercie of God on the other side did wtstand it to acquite vs froÌ„ time to time with coÌ„tinual forgeuenes of sinnes Wherfore this staÌ„deth alwaye certain which we said at the beginning that if we be weied by our own worthines whatsoeuer we purpose or go about yet we with al our trauailes endeuours are worthy of death and destruction UpoÌ„ these two points we must strongly staÌ„d fast that ther was neuer any work of a godli maÌ„ which if it wer examined by the seuere iudgmeÌ„t of god was not daÌ„nable Again if ther be any such shewed which is not possible for maÌ„ yet being corrupted defiled with the sinnes wherw t it is certaine that the doer of it is loden it looseth the grace And this is the cheefe point of our disputatioÌ„ For about the beginning of iustification there is no striâ—e betwene vs the souÌ„der sort of Scholmen but that a sinner being freely deliuered froÌ„ damnation obteineth righteousnes that by the forgeuenes of sinnes sauing that thei vnder the worde of Iustification comprehende the renewing wherw t we are newly formed by the Spirite of God vnto the obedience of the law thei thus describe the righteousnes of a maÌ„ regenerate that man being ones recoÌ„ciled to God by the faith of Christ is by good workes iudged righteous before God and by theyr deseruynge vs accepted But the lord contrariwise pronouÌ„ceth that he imputed to AbrahaÌ„ faithe for righteousnes not at the time wheÌ„ he yet serued idols but wheÌ„ he had al ready mani years excelled in holines of life Therfore AbrahaÌ„ had long worshiped God froÌ„ a pure hart had performed that obedieÌ„ce of the law whiche mai be performed of a mortal maÌ„ yet he hath righteousnes reposed in faithe WherevpoÌ„ we gather accordiÌ„g to the argumeÌ„t of Paul that it was not of works Likewise wheÌ„ it is said in the prophet The righteous maÌ„ shal liue by faith it is not spokeÌ„ of wicked prophane men whoÌ„ the lorde iustifieth by coÌ„uerting theÌ„ to faith but the speach is directed to the faithfull to them is promised life by faith Paul also taketh away all Doubt wheÌ„ for coÌ„firming of that senteÌ„ce he taketh this verse of Dauid Blessed ar they whose iniquities are forgeueÌ„ But it is certein that Dauid speaketh not of the wicked but of the faithful such as him self was bicause he spake out of the feliÌ„g of his own coÌ„science Therefore this blessednes we must not haue ones in our life but hold it throughout al our life Last of all he testifieth that the embassage coÌ„cerning the fre reconciliatioÌ„ with God is not published for one or two daies but is perpetual in the church Therfore the faithfull haue euen to the end of their life no other rigteousnesse than that which is there set foorth For Christ euerlastyngly remaineth the mediatour to reconcile the father to vs the effectualnesse of his death is euerlasting namely washing satistactioÌ„ expiation finally perfect obedience wherw t al our iniquities are couered Neither doth Paul to the Ephesians say that we haue the beginning of saluation out of grace but that we are saued by grace not of workes that no man should glorie The starting holes whiche the scholemen do here seke to escape by do not deliuer theÌ„ They say the good workes are not by inward worthinesse in theÌ„selues of so great ualue that they be sufficieÌ„t to purchace righteousnesse but this that thei be of so great value is of grace accepting theÌ„ TheÌ„ because they be driuen to coÌ„fesse that the righteousnesse of workes is in this life alway vnperfect they grauÌ„t that we so long as we liue do nede forgenesse of sinnes wherby the way of workes may be supplied but that the defautes which are coÌ„mitted are recoÌ„pensed with workes of supererogation For I answere that the accepting grace as they cal it is none other thaÌ„ his fre goodnes wherwith the father embraceth vs in Christ wheÌ„ he clotheth vs with the innoceÌ„cie of Christ accompteth the same ours that by the beneficial meane therof he may take vs for holy pure innocent For the righteousnesse of Christ which as it only is perfect so only can abide the sight of God must be set in our stede and be presented at the barre as a suretic Herewith we beyng furnished to obteine coÌ„tinual forgeuenesse of sinnes in faith With the purnesse herof our filthinesses vnclenesses of imperfections being couered are not imputed but are hidden as if they were buried that they may not come into the iugement of god vntil the houre come wheÌ„ the olde maÌ„ being slain vtterly destroied in vs the goodnesse of god shal receiue vs into blessed peace with the new Adam where let vs loke for the day of the Lorde in whiche receiuing vncorrupt bodies we shal be remoued into the glorie of the heauenly kingdome If these thinges be true verily no workes of ours can of them selues make vs acceptable pleasing to god neither can the workes theÌ„selues please but in respect that maÌ„ being couered with the righteousnes of Christe pleaseth god obteineth forgeuenes of his siÌ„nes For god hath not promised the rewarde of eternal life to some certaine workes but only promiseth that he which doth these things shal liue settiÌ„g the
from all manner of affiance when they teache that our righteousnesses do stinke in the sight of God vnlesse they receiue a good sauor from the innocence of Christ that they can do nothing but prouoke the vengeance of God vnlesse they be susteined by the tendernes of his mercie Moreouer they so leaue nothing to vs but that we shold traue the mercie of our iudge with that confessioÌ„ of Dauid that none shall be iustified before him if he require accoÌ„pt of his seruantes But where Iob saythe If I haue done wickedly wo to me but if I doe righteously yet I wyll not so lyfte vp my head though he meane of that most hie righteousnes of God wherunto the very Angels answer not yet he therwithal sheweth that wheÌ„ thei come to the iudgement of God there remaineth nothing for al mortal men but to holde their peace as duÌ„me For it teÌ„deth not only to this purpose that he had rather willingly yeld thaÌ„ daÌ„gerously striue with the rigorousnes of God but he meaneth that he felt no other righteousnes in him self thaÌ„ such as at the first moment shold fall before the sight of God When affiance is driuen away al glorieng must also necessarely depart For who can geue the praise of righteousnes to these workes the affiaÌ„ce wherof treÌ„bleth before the sight of God We must therfore come whether Esaie calleth vs that al the seede of Israel may be praised glorie in God because it is most true whiche he saith in an other place that we ar the planting of the glorie of God Our mynde therfore shall then be rightly purged wheÌ„ it shal neither in any behalf rest vpon the coÌ„fidence of workes nor reioise in the glory of theÌ„ But this errour encouraged folish men to the puffing vp of this false a lying affiance that they alway set the cause of their saluatioÌ„ in workes But if we loke to the fower kindes of causes which the phylosophers â—eache vs to coÌ„sider in the effect of thinges we shal find that none of them doth accord with workes in the stablishing of our saluatioÌ„ For the Scripture doth euery where report that the cause of procuring the eternall life to vs is the mercie of the heauenly father his free loue towarde vs that the Material cause is Christ with his obedience by which he purchaced righteousnesse for vs. What also shal we say to be the formal or instrumeÌ„tal cause but faith And these thre causes Iohn coÌ„prehendeth together in one senteÌ„ce when he saith God so loued the world that he gaue his only begotten sonne that euery one which beleueth in him may not perish but may haue euerlastiÌ„g life Now the final cause the Apostle testifieth to be both the shewing of the righteousnesse of God the praise of his goodnes wher he reherseth also the other thre in expresse wordes For he satih thus to the Romains al haue sined do nede the glory of god but they are iustified frely by his grace Here thou hast the head first fountain namely that God embraced vs with his free mercie Then foloweth By the redeÌ„ptioÌ„ which is in Christ Iesu. Here thou hast as it were the matter wherof righteousnesse is made for vs through faith in his bloude Here is shewed the instrumeÌ„tall cause wherby the righteousnes of Christ is applied to vs. Last of al he ioyneth the end when he saithe vnto the shewyng of his righteousnesse that he may be righteous the righteousmaker of him that is of the faithe of Christe And to touche by the way that this righteousnes standeth of reconciliatioÌ„ he setteth expressely by name the Christ was geuen to vs for reconciliatioÌ„ So in the first chap. also to the Ephesians he teacheth the we are receiued of God into fauour by mear mercie that the same is wrought by the intercession of Christ receiued by faithe all to this ende that the glorie of the goodnesse of God may fully shyne When we see that all the partes of our saluation are so without vs what cause is there that wee shoulde now either haue affiance or glorie in workes Neither can euen the most sworne ennemies of the grace of God moue any controuersie with vs about the efficient or fynall cause vnlesse they wyll denye the whole Scripture In the Materiall and Formall cause the caste a false colour as though our workes haue a half place with faithe and the righteousnesse of Christ. But this also they teache the Scripture criynge out against them whiche simply affirmeth both that Christ is to vs for righteousnesse and life and that this benefit of righteousnesse is possesed by only faith But where as the holy men do oftentimes strengthen and comforte them selues with remembrance of their owne innocencie and vprightnesse and somtime also forbeare not to report of it with prayse that is done twoo wayes either that in comparing their good cause with the euell cause of the wicked they conceiue thereby assured trust of victory not so muche for commending of their own righteousnes as for the iust deserued condemning of their aduersaries or that euen without comparison of other while thei recorde theÌ„selues before God the purenesse of their own conscience bringeth to them both some comfort affiance Of the first of these two wayes we shall se hereafter now let vs brefely declare of the latter how it agreeth with that whiche we haue aboue said that in the iudgemeÌ„t of God we must rest vpoÌ„ no affiance of workes and glorie vpon no opinion of them This is the agrement that the holy ones when it concerneth the founding and stablishinge of their saluation do without respect of workes bend their eies to the only goodnesse of God And they do not only bend them selues to it afore al thinges as to the beginning of blessednesse but do rest therin as in the fulfilling of it A conscience so founded raised stablished is also stablished with consideration of workes namely so far as they are the witnessings of God dwelling reigning in vs. Sithe therfore this affiance of workes hath no place vnlesse thou haue first cast the whole affiance of thy mynde vpon the mercie of God it ought not to seme coÌ„trary to the wherupon it hangeth Wherfore wheÌ„ we exclude the affiance of workes we meane only this that a Christian mind may not bowe to the merit of workes as to the succour of saluation but should throughly rest in the free promise of righteousnesse But we forbid it not to vnderprop strengthen this faith with the signes of the good will of God toward it selfe For if al the good giftes whiche God hath bestowed vpon vs wheÌ„ theâ— be recorded in remeÌ„brance are to vs after a certaine manner as it were beames of the face of God by whiche we ar enlightened to behold that soueraigne light of goodnesse much more is the grace of good workes whiche sheweth that the Spirite of adoption is geuen
dealing which he knew to be pleasing to the merciful kindnes of God agaist al euel speaking of meÌ„ whatsoeuer it be For we se what he saith in an other place that he knoweth no euel by himself but the he is not therby iustified namly bicause he knew that the iudgment of god far surmuÌ„teth the bleareyed sight of meÌ„ Howsoeuer therfore the godly do defend their innoceÌ„ce agaist the hypocrisie of the vngodly by the witnessing iudgmeÌ„t of God yet when thei haue to doe wyth God alone they all crye oute wyth one mouthe If thow marke iniquitie Lorde Lorde who shall abide it Entre not into iudgement with thy seruantes bycause euery one that liueth shall not be iustified in thy sight and distrusting their owne workes thei gladly sing Thy goodnesse is better than life There are also other places not vnlyke to these before in which a man may yet tarry Salomon saith that he whiche walketh in his vprightnesse is righteous Againe That in the path of righteousnesse is life and that in the same is not death After whiche manner Ezechiell reporteth that he shal liue life that doth iudgment and righteousnesse None of these do we either denye or darken But let there come forthe one of the sonnes of Adam with such an vprightnesse If ther be none either thei must perishe at the sighte of God or flee to the sanctuarie of mercie Neither do we in the meane time denie but that to the faithfull their vprightnesse though it be but halfe vnperfect is a step towarde immortalitie But whence commeth that but bicause whome the Lord hathe taken into the couenant of grace he searcheth not their works according to their deseruinges but kisseth them with fatherly kindenes Wherby we do not only vnderstand that which the scholemen do teache that works haue their value of the accepting grace For thei meane that workes which are otherwise in sufficient to purchase righteousnesse by the couenant of the law are by the accepting of God auauÌ„ced to the value of equalitie But I saie that thei being defiled bothe with other trespassinges with their owne spottes are of no other value at al than in so muche as the lord tenderly graunteth pardoÌ„ to bothe that is to say geueth free righteousnesse to maÌ„ Neither are here those praiers of the Apostle seasonaly thrust in place wher he wissheth so great perfectioÌ„ to the faithful that thei may be faultlesse vnblamable in the day of the loâ—â— These wordes in deede the Celestines did in olde tune turmoile to affirme a perfectioÌ„ of righteousnes in this life But which we thinke to be sufficient we answer brefely after Augustine that al the godly oughte in dede to endeuoure toward this mark that thei may one day appeare spotlesse faultlesse before the face of God but bicause the best most excellent maÌ„ner of this life is nothing but a going forward we shal then not til then atteine to this mark when being vnclothed of this flesh of sinne we shall fully cleaue to the lord Yet wil I not stiffely striue with him which will geue the title of perfectioÌ„ to the holy ones so that he also limit the same with the words of Augustine himselfe Whan saich he we wil cal the vertue of the holy ones perfect to the same perfectioÌ„ also belongeth the acknowledging of imperfection bothe in trueth and in humilitie The .xviii. Chapter That of the rewarde the righteousnesse of Workes is ill gathered NOw let vs passe ouer to those saiengs which affirme the God wil rendre to euery man according to his workes of whiche sort are these Euery man shal beare away that which he hath done in the body either good or euel Glory honoure to him that worketh good trouble distresse vpoÌ„ euery soule of him that worketh euel And thei whiche haue done good thinges shall goe into the resurrection of life thei which haue done euell into the resurrection of iudgement Come ye blessed of my father I haue hungred ye gaue me meate I haue thirsted ye gaue me drinke c. And with thâ— let vs also ioine these saiengs which cal eternal life the reward of works Of whithe sort ar these The rendring of the handes of a man shal be restored to him He that feareth the coÌ„maundemeÌ„t shal be rewarded Be glad reioise behold your reward is plentiful in heauen Euery man shal receiue reward according to his labore Wher it is said that God shal rendre to euery man according to his works the same is easily assoiled For that manner of speaking doth rather shew the ordre of folowing than the cause But yt is out of dout that the lord doth accoÌ„plish our saluatioÌ„ by these degrees of his mercy wheÌ„ those whom he hath choseÌ„ he calleth to him those whoÌ„e he hath called he iustifieth those whom he hath iustified he glorifieth Although therfore he do by his only mercie receiue them the be his into life yet bicause hee bringeth them into the possession therof by the race of good works that he may fulfil his work in them by such ordre as he hath apointed it is no maruel if it be said that thei be crowned accordig to their works by which wtout doubt they are prepared to receiue the crowne of immortalitie Yea after this manner it is fittly said that thei worke their own saluation when in applieng themselues to good works they practise theÌ„selues toward eternall life namly as in an other place thei are coÌ„maunded to work the meate which perisheth not when bi beleuing in Christ thei get to theÌ„selues life yet it is by by afterwarde added Which that sonne of man shal geue you Wherby appeareth that the word of Working is not set as contrary to grace but is referred to endeuoure therfore it foloweth not that either the faithful artheÌ„selues authors of their own saluatioÌ„ or that the same proceedeth froÌ„ their works How then So sone as thei are taken into the felowship of Christ by the knowledge of the Gospell the enlightning of the holy ghost eternal life is begone in them Now the same good worke which God hath begonne in them must also be made perfect vntil the day of the lord Iesu. And it is made perfect when resembling the heauenly father in righteousnesse holinesse thei proue theÌ„selues to be his children not swarued out of kinde There is no cause why we shold of the name of reward gather an argument that our works ar the cause of saluacioÌ„ First let this be determined in our hearts that the kingdome of heaueÌ„ is not a reward of seruants but an inheritance of childreÌ„ which thei only shal enjoy that ar adopted of the lord to be his children for no other cause but for this adoptioÌ„ For the sonne of the bond womaÌ„ shal not be heir but the soÌ„ne of the sre woman And in the
very same places in which the holy ghoste promiseth to works eternal glorie for reward in expressing the inheritance bi name he sheweth the it coÌ„meth froÌ„ els where So Christ rehearseth works which he recompenseth with the rewarding of heaueÌ„ when he calleth the elect to the possessioÌ„ therof but he therwtal adioyneth that it must be possessed by right of inheritance So Paul biddeth seruantes which do their duetie faithefully to hope for reward of the lord but he addeth of inheritance We see how thei do as it were by expresse wordes proued that we impute not eternall blessednes to works but â—o the adoptioÌ„ of god Why therfore do thei therwtal together make mentioÌ„ of works This questioÌ„ shal be made plaine with one exaÌ„ple of scripture Before the birth of Isaac ther was promised to Abraham a seede in which al the nations of the earth shold be blessed a multiplieng of his sede which shold match the starres of the skie and the sandes of the sea other like In many yeares afterwarde Abraham as he was coÌ„maunded bi the oracle prepared himself to offer vp his soÌ„ne in sacrifice When he had performed this obedience he receyued a promise I haue sworne by my selfe saith the lorde bicause yâ— hast done thys thing hast not spared thine own only begotteÌ„ sonne I wil blesse thee and multiplie thy sede as the starres of the skie the sandes of the sea thy sede shal possesse the gates of their enemies al the nations of the earth shal be blessed in thy seede bicause yâ— hast obeied my voice What heare we Hathe AbrahaÌ„ by his obedience deserued the blessing the promise wherof he had receiued before that the coÌ„maundemeÌ„t was geuen Here verily we haue it wtout circuÌ„stances shewed that the lord rewardeth the workes of the faithful with those benefites which he had already geuen theÌ„ before that the works were thought of hauing yet no cause why he shoulde do good to them but his owne mercie Yet doth the Lord not deceiue nor mocke vs when he saith that he rendreth for rewarde to workes the same thing which he hadde before workes freely geuen For bicause he will haue vs to be exercised wyth good workes to thinke vpoÌ„ the deliuerie or enioyeng as I may so call it of these things which he hath promised and to runne through them to the blessed hope set before vs in heauen the frute of the promises is also rightly assigned to theÌ„ to the ripenesse wherof thei do not bring vs. The Apostle very fittly expressed both these points when he said that the Colossians applie themselues to the duties of charitie for the pope which is laied vp for them in heauen of which thei had before heard by the word of the true speaking Gospel For wheÌ„ he saith that thei knew by the Gospel that there was hope layed vp for them in heauen he declareth that the same is by Christ only not vnderpropped with any works Wherew t accordeth that saieng of Peter that the godly are kept by the power of God through faith vnto the saluatioÌ„ which is ready to be manifestli shewed at the time appointed for it When he sayth that thei labor for it he signifieth that the faithfull must runne all the time of their life that thei may atteine to it But least we shoulde thinke that the rewarde whiche the lorde promiseth vs is not reduced to the measure of merit he did putte forth a parable in which he made himselfe a householder whiche sent al them that he met to the trimming of his vineyarde some at the first houre of the daye some at the second some at the thirde yea some aâ—o at the xi At euening he payed to euery one egall wages The expositioÌ„ of whiche parable that same olde writer what soeuer he was whose booke is carried abroade vnder the name of Ambrose of the callinge of the Gentiles hathe breefely and truely sette oute I wyll vse rather his woordes than myne owne The Lorde saithe hee by the rule of thys comparison hath stablished the dyuersitie of manifolde calling belonging to one grace where without doubt thei whiche beinge lette in into the vineyard at the xi houre are made egal with them that had wrought the whole day do represeÌ„t the estate of theÌ„ whom for the aduanciÌ„g of the excellency of grace the tender kindenes of the lord hath rewarded at the wauing of the day and at the ending of their life not paieng wages for their labore but pouring out the richesse of his goodnes vpoÌ„ theÌ„ whome he hath chosen wtout works that euen thei also which haue swet in great laboure haue receiued no more than the last may vnderstand that they haue receiued a gift of grace not a reward of works Last of al this also is worthy to be noted in these places wher eternal life is called the rewarde of works that it is not simply takeÌ„ for the communicating which we haue with God to blessed immortalitie wheÌ„ hee embraceth vs with fatherly good wil in Christe but for the possessing or enioying as thei cal it of blessednesse as also that very words of Christ do sound In time to come life euerlasting And in an other place Come possesse the kingdome c. After this manner Paul calleth adoptioÌ„ the reueling of the adoptioÌ„ which shal be made in the resurrectioÌ„ afterward expouÌ„deth it the redeÌ„ptioÌ„ of our body Otherwise as estranging froÌ„ God is eternal death so when man is receiued of God into fauour that he may enioye the coÌ„municating of him be made one with him hee is receiued froÌ„ death to life which is done by the beneficiall meane of adoption onely And if as thei are wonte thei stiffely enforce the reward of works we maie tourne against them that saieng of Peter that eternall life is the rewarde of faith Therfore let vs not think that the holy ghoste doth with such promise set forth the worthinesse of our works as if thei deserued such rewarde For the scripture leaueth nothing to vs wherof we may be aduauÌ„ced in the sight of God But rather it wholy endeuoreth to beate down oure arrogance to humble vs to throwe vs downe altogether to breake vs in peces But our weaknes is so succoured which otherwyse wold by by slippe fal down vnlesse it did susteine it self with this expectation mitigate her tedious greues with coÌ„fort First how harde it is for a man to forsake deny not only al his things but also himselfe let euery man consider for himself And yet with this introduction Christ traineth his schollers that is all the godly Then throughout all their life he so instructeth theÌ„ vnder the discipline of the crosse that thei may not set their hearte eyther to the desire or coÌ„fideÌ„ce of present good things Brefely he so handleth them for the most part that which way so euer they tourne their
other sense thought our heart must be cleāsed of al desires al our strēgths must be gathered vp drawē together to this only purpose Thei which haue gone most far before other in the way of the Lord are yet very far from this marke For though they loue God with their minde and with sincere affection of heart yet they haue still a great part of their heart and soule possessed with the desires of the fleshe by which they are drawen back and stayed from goyng forward with hasty course to God They do in deede trauayle forward with great endeuor but the fleshe partly febleth their strengthes and partly draweth them to it self What shall they here do when they fele that thei do nothing lesse thā performe the law They wil thei couet they endeuor but nothing with such perfection as ought to be If they loke vpon the law they see that whatsoeuer worke they attēpt or purpose is accursed Neyther is there any cause why any man should deceiue himself with gathering that the worke is therefore not altogether euell bycause it is vnperfect and therfore that God doth neuerthelesse accept that good which is in it For the law requiring perfect loue condēneth al imperfectiō vnlesse y rigor of it be mitigated Therefore his workes should fal to nought which he wold haue to seme partly good he shal finde that it is a transgression of the law euen in this bicause it is vnperfect Loe how al our workes are subiect to the curse of the law if thei be measured by the rule of the law But how shold thē vnhappy soules cherefully applie thēselues to work for which thei might not trust that they colde get any thing but curse On the otherside if beyng deliuered frō this seuere exacting of the lawe or rather from the whole rigor of the lawe thei heare that they be called of God with fatherly gentlenesse thei wil merily with great cherefulnesse answer his calling folow his guiding In a summe they which are boūd to the yoke of the law ar like to vn̄dseruāts to whō are apointed by their lordes certain taskes of work for euery day These seruāts thinke that thei haue done nothing nor dare come into the sight of their lordes vnlesse they haue performed the ful taske of their workes But childrē which are more liberally more freemālike handled of their fathers stick not to present to them their begonne half vnperfect workes yea those hauing some fault trusting that they wil accept their obedience willingnesse of minde Although thei haue not exactly done so much as their good wil was to do So must we be as may haue sure affiāce that our obediēces shal be allowed of our most kinde father how little soeuer how rude vnperfect soeuer thei be As also he assureth to vs by the prophet I wil spare thē saith he as the father is wont to spare his sonne that serueth him Where this word Spare is set for to beare with al or gētly to winke at faultes forasmuch as he also maketh mention of seruice And this affiance is not a litle necessarie for vs without which we shall go about all thinges in vaine For God accompteth himselfe to be worshipped with no worke of ours but which is truely done of vs for the worshipping of him But how can that be done among these terrors where it is douted whether God be offended or worshipped with oure worke And that is the cause why the author of the Epistle to the Hebrues referreth all the good workes that are red of in the holy fathers to faith and weyeth thē only by fayth Touching this libertie there is a place in the Epistle to the Romaines where Paule resoneth that some oughte not to haue dominion ouer vs bicause we are not vnder the lawe but vnder grace For when he had exhorted the faithfull that sinne should not reygne in their mortal bodie and that they should not geue theyr members to be weapons of wickednesse to sinne but shoulde dedicate them selues to God as they that are alyue from the deade and theyr members weapons of righteousnes to God and whereas they might on the other side obiect that they do yet carry with them the fleshe full of lustes and that sinne dwelleth in them he adioyneth that comforte by the libertie of the law as if he shold say Though they doo not yet throughly fele sin destroyed the righteousnes yet liueth not in thē yet ther is no cause why they shold feare be discouraged as though they had ben alwaidispleased with thē for the remnantes of sin forasmuch as they ar by grace made free from the law that theyr workes shuld not be examined by the rule of the law As for them that gather that we may sinne because we ar not vnder the law let thē know that this libertie perteineth nothing to them the ende wherof is to encourage to God The third part is that we be bound with no conscience before God of outward thinges which are by them selues indifferent but that we may indifferently sometime vse thē and sometime leaue them vnused And the knowledge of this libertie also is very necessary for vs for if it shal be absent there shal be no quiet to our consciences no ende of superstitions Many at this daye do thinke vs fonde to moue disputation about the free eating of fleshe about the free vse of dayes and garmentes and suche other smale trifles as they in dede thinke them but there is more weight in them than is commonlye thoughte For when consciences haue ones cast thē selues into the snare they entre into a long and combersome waye from whence they can afterwarde finde no easy way to get oute If a man beginne to doubt whether he maye occupye linnen in shetes shertes hankercheifes and napkines neither wil he be out of doubt whether he may vse hempe and at the last he wil also fal in doubt of maters for he will waye with himselfe whether he can not suppe without napkins whether he maye not be without handkerchifes If any man thinke deyntye meate to be vnlawful at length he shal not with quietnesse before the Lorde eate either brounebreade or common meates when he remembreth that he may yet susteine his body with bacer fode If he doute of pleasaunte wyne afterwarde he will not drinke deade wine with good peace of conscience last of al he wyl not be so bolde to touche sweter and cleaner water than other Finally at the length he wil come to this point to thinke it vnlawfull as the common sayinge is to treade vppon a strawe lying a crosse For here is begonne no lyghte stryfe but this is in question whether God will haue vs to vse these or those thinges whose will ought to guide al our counsels and doynges Hereby some must needes be carried with desperatiō into a confuse deuouryng pit some must despising God and casting away
from thys care for verily these promyses haue respect to the time to come All that my Father geueth mee shall come to me and him that shall come to mee I will not cast him oute of doers Againe This is the will of him that sente me the Father that I lose nothing of al things that he hath geuen me but may raise them vp againe in the last day Againe â–ª My shepe heare my voice and thei folowe me I knowe them and I geue them eternall life and thei shall not perishe for euer neither shall any man take them out of my hande The Father which gaue them to me is greater then all and no man can take them out of the hande of my Father Now when he pronouÌ„ceth Euery tree whiche my Father hathe not planted shall be plucked vp by the roote he signifieth on the coÌ„trary side that thei can neuer be plucked from saluation which haue roote in God Wherewith agreeth that saieng of Ihon If thei had ben of vs thei had not at all gone out from vs. Herevpon also commeth that noble glorieng of Paul against Life and Death present thinges and thinges to come which glorieng must nedes be grounded vpon the gift of continuance Neyther is it any doubt that he directeth this saieng to all the faithfull In an other place the same Paul saith He that hath begonne in you a good worke shal ende it euen vntil the day of Christ. As also Dauid when his faith fainted leaned vpon this stay Thou shalt not forsake the worke of thy handes And nowe neither is this doubtfull that Christ when he prayeth for all the faithfull asketh the same thinge for them whiche he asketh for Peter that their faith maye neuer faint Whereby we gather that thei are out of danger of falling awaie bycause the sonne of God askinge stedfaste continuance for their godlinesse suffered no deniall What woulde Christe haue vs to learne hereby but that wee shoulde truste that we shall perpetually be safe bicause we are ones made his But it dayly happeneth that thei whiche semed to be Christes do agayne reuolt from him fal yea in the very same place where he affirmeth that none had perished of them which were geuen him of the Father yet he excepteth the sonne of perditioÌ„ That is true in dede but this is also as certaine that such did neuer cleaâ—e to Christ with that aâ—fiance of heart with whiche I sate that the assurednesse of our election ys stablished Thei went out from vs saith Ihon but thei were not of vs. For if thei had ben of vs thei had still taried with vs. Neither do I deny that thei haue like signes of calling as the elect haue but I do not graunt that thei haue that sure stablishment of election which I bidde the faithfull to fetche out of the worde of the Gospell Wherfore let not suche examples moue vs but that we quietly reste vpon the promise of the Lord where he pronounceth that al thei are geuen to him of the Father which receiue him with true faith of whom sith he is their keper Pastor none shal perishe Of Iudas we shal speake hereafter Paule doth not counsell Christians from assurednesse altogether butte from carelesse and loose assurednesse of the fleshe whiche draweth wyth it pride presumptioÌ„ and disdaine of other and quencheth humilitie and the reuerence of God bringeth forgetfulnes of grace receiued For he speaketh to the Gentiles whome he teacheth that thei ought not proudly vngently to reproche that Iewes for this that the Iewes beinge disherited thei were set in their stede Feare also he requireth not wherew t thei sholde be dismaied stagger but whych framing vs to the humbler receiuing of the grace of God shold abate nothing of the affiance therof as we haue said in an other place Beside that he doth not there speake to euery maÌ„ particularly but to the sectes theÌ„selues generally For when the Churche was diuided into two parts enuie bred dissensioÌ„ Paul putteth the GeÌ„tiles in minde that their beiÌ„g supplied into the place of the peculiar holy people ought to bee to theÌ„ a cause of feare modesty And amoÌ„g theÌ„ ther wer many puffed vp with glory whose vaine bostiÌ„g it was profitable to beat downe But we haue in an other place shewed that our hope is extended to the time to come euen beyonde death that nothing is more contrarye to the nature of it than to doubte what shall become of vs. That saieng of Christ of many being called but few chosen is very il takeÌ„ after that maÌ„ner Ther shal be nothing doubtful if we hold faste that which ought to be clere by the things aboue spokeÌ„ that ther ar two sorts of calling For ther is an vniuersal calling wherby through the outward preaching of the word God calleth al together to him euen them also to whom he setteth it forth vnto that sauour of death vnto matter of more greuous coÌ„demnatioÌ„ The other is a special calling whiche for the most part he vouche saueth to geue only to the faithful wheÌ„ by the inward enlightning of his spirit he maketh that the word preached is setled in their hearts Yet somtime he maketh theÌ„ also partakers of it whoÌ„ he enlightneth but for a time afterward by the deseruiÌ„g of their vnthankefulnes forsaketh theÌ„ striketh theÌ„ with greater blindenes Nowe when the Lorde sawe the Gospel to be published far wide to be despised of many but to be had in due price of fewe he describeth to vs God vnder the persoÌ„ of a Kinge which preparinge a solemne feaste sendeth his messingers rounde about to bidde a greate multitude to be his gestes and yet can get but a fewe bicause euery one allegeth lettes for his excuse so that at length he is compelled vpon their refusal to cal out of the hie waies euery one that he meteth Hetherto euery man seeth that the parable must be vnderstand of the outward callinge He addeth afterward that God doth like a good maker of a feast which goeth aboute the tables to chere his gestes If he finde any not clothed with a weddinge garment he wil not suffer him with his vncleanlines to dishonoure the solemnitie of the feast This part of the parable I grant is to be vnderstand of them which enter into the Church by the profession of faithe but are not clothed with the sanctification of Christ. Suche dishonors and as it were botches of his Churche the Lorde wyll not suffer for euer but as their fylthinesse deserueth he wil caste them out Therfore few ar chosen out of a great numbre of them that are called but yet not with the calling by which we say that the faithfull ought to iudge their election For that general calling is also common to the wicked but this special Calling bringeth with it the spirit of regeneratioÌ„ which is the
earnest seale of the inheritance to come wherw t our hearts are sealed vp agaiÌ„st the day of the lord In a suÌ„me sith hypocrites boast of godlines as wel as the true worshipers of god Christ pronouÌ„ceth that at length thei shal be cast out of the place which thei wrongfully possesse as it is said in the psalm Lord who shall dwell in thy tabernacle The innocent in handes the man of a pure heart Againe in an other place This is the generation of theÌ„ that seke God of them that seeke the face of the God of Iacob And so dothe the Spirite exhorte the faithful to sufferance that thei take it not greuously that the Israelites be mingled with theÌ„ in the Church for at length their visor shal be plucked from them thei shal be cast out with shame The same reason is of the exception euen now alleged where Christ saith that none perished but the sonne of perdition It is in dede an vnpropre speache but yet not darke For he was not accompted among the shepe of Christe for that he was one in dede but bicause he kept the place of one And where in an other place the Lorde affirmeth that hee was chosen with the Apostles that is spokeÌ„ onli in respect of the ministerie Twelue saith he haue I chosen one of them is a Deuel that is he had chosen him to the office of an Apostle But when he speaketh of choosing to saluacion he denieth him far away froÌ„ the numbre of the choosen saieng I speake not of al I know whome I haue choosen If a man do in bothe places confound the word of Choosing he shal miserably entangle himselfe if he make differeÌ„ce nothing is more plaine Therfore Gregory teacheth very ill pestilently when he saith that we know only our calling but are vncertaine of our election wherby he moueth al men to feare trembling vsing also this reasoÌ„ but bicause we know what we be to day but what we shal be we know not But in the place he sufficiently declareth how he stumbled at this blocke For bicause he hanged election vpoÌ„ the merites of works he had mater enough more to discourage the minds of men but he colde not strengthen theÌ„ which did not remoue theÌ„ from theÌ„selves to the affiance of the goodnes of God Herof the faithful haue som taste of that which we haue determined at the begiÌ„ning the predestinatioÌ„ if it be rightly thought vpoÌ„ bringeth not a shaking of faith but rather the best strengthening of it And yet I denie not that the holy ghoste frameth his talke to the smale measure of oure sense As wheÌ„ he saith In the secret of my people thei shal not be in the rowle of my seruants thei shal not be writen As though God did beginne to write in the booke of life them whom he reckeneth in the numbre of his wheras yet we know euen by the witnesse of Christe that the names of the children of God are from the beginning written in the boke of life But in these wordes is only expressed the casting away of them which semed the chefe among the electe as it is saide in the Psalme Let them be blotted out of the boke of life and let them not be written with the righteous But the electe are neither immediatly from the wombe nor al at one time by calling gathered together into the flocke of Christe but as it pleaseth God to distribute his grace to them But ere thei be gathered together to that chefe shepeherd thei are scattered abroad and sâ—ray in the common deserte and differ nothinge from other sauing that they be defended by the singular mercie of God from fallinge into the extreeme hedlong downefall of deathe Therefore if you loke vpon them selues you shall see the offspring of Adam which fauoreth of the coÌ„mon corruption of the whole masse That they be not carried into extreeme and dispeâ—red vngodlynesse this comÌ„eth not to passe by any goodnesse naturally planted in them but bicause the eye of God watcheth and his hand is stretched out to their saluation For thei the dreame that froÌ„ their very natiuitie there is planted in their heartes I wote not what sede of election by the vertue whereof thei are alwaie enclined to godlynes to the feare of God thei both are not holpeÌ„ to proue it by the authoritie of Scripture also are confuted by experience it selfe Thei do in dede bring forth a fewe examples to proue that the elect euen before their enlightning were not vtterly strangers from religioÌ„ that Paul in his being a Pharisee liued vnreprouable that Cornelius was by almes praiers accepted of God such other Of Paul we grant to them of Cornelius wee saye that they are deceiued For it appeareth that he was then already enlightned regenerate so that he wanted nothing but the clere reueling of the Gospel But what wil thei wring out by these fewe examples that al the elect are alway endued with the spirit of godlinesse No more than if a man by shewing the vprightnesse of Aristides Socrates Zenocrates Scipio Curius Camillê° other sholde therof gather that al thei that are left in blindnesse of idolatrie wer desirous folowers of holines honestie Yea and the Scripture in more places than one openly crieth out againste them For the state which Paul describeth of the EphesiaÌ„s before their regeneracioÌ„ sheweth not one grain of this sede Ye were saith he deade with defaultes sinnes in which ye walked according to the time of this worlde according to the prince of the â—yre which now worketh in the obstinate children among whome we all also were somtime conuersant in the lustes of our flesh doing those thinges that liked oure fleshe minde And we were by nature the children of wrath as other also were Again Remembre that ye were somtime wtout hope lacked God in the world Againe Ye were somtime darkenesse but now ye are light in the lord walke as the children of light But paraduenture thei wil haue these thinges to be referred to the ignorance of the true God wherew t thei denie not that the elect are holden before that they be called Albeit this were a shamelesse cauilling sith he therof concludeth that thei ought nowe noe more either to lie or to steale yet what will thei answer to other places as is that place to the Corynthians where when he had pronounced that neither whoremongers nor idolatrers nor adulterers nor weakelinges nor buggerers nor theues nor couetous men shal be heires of the kingedome of God he by by addeth that thei wer wrapped in the same haynous offenses before that thei knew Christ but now that thei are bothe washed by his bloode made free by his Spirit Againe an other place to the Romaines As ye haue geuen your membres bond to vncleannesse to iniquitie
wherof consciences are bounde as though they wer necessarie to be obserued Let vs therfore remeÌ„ber that al lawes of meÌ„ ought to be weyed with this balance if we wil haue a sure triall that may neuer suffer vs to erre The first of these reasons Paule in the Epistle to the Colossians vseth in contending against the false Apostles that attempted to oppresse the Chirches with newe burdeÌ„s The secoÌ„d reasoÌ„ he more vseth with the GalatiaÌ„s in the like case This therfore he trauaileth to proue in the Epistle to the ColossiaÌ„s that the doctrine coÌ„cerning the true worshipping of God is not to be sought at meÌ„s hands because the Lord hath faithfully fully instructed vs how he ought to be worshipped To proue the same in the first chap. he saith that in the Gospel is coÌ„teined al wisdome wherby the maÌ„ of God may be made perfect in Christe In the beginning of the ii chap. he saith that al the treasures of wisdome vnderstanding are hiddeÌ„ in Christ. TherupoÌ„ he afterward coÌ„cludeth let the faithfull beware that they be not by vain Philosophie led froÌ„ the flocke of Christe according to the constitutions of meÌ„ But in the ende of the chapter he doth yet with greater boldnesse condemne al Ethelothreskias that is to say al fained worshippings which meÌ„ deuise to theÌ„selues or receiue of other whatsoeâ—er precepts they dare of theÌ„selues geue coÌ„cerniÌ„g the worshippiÌ„g of god We haue therfore that al those ordinaÌ„ces are wicked in obseruing wherof the worshipping of God is fained to be As for the places in the Galatians wherw t he earnestly affirmeth the consciences which ought to be ruled of God only ought not to be entaÌ„gled with snares they are opeÌ„ enough specially in the .v. Chap. Therfore let it be sufficient to haue but noted theÌ„ But because the whole mater shal better be made open by examples before that we goe any further it is good also to apply this doctrine to our own times We say that the coÌ„stitutioÌ„s which they cal Ecclesiasticall wherwith the Pope and his do burden the Chirch are pernicious wicked our aduersaries defende that they be holy auailable to saluatioÌ„ There be twoo kindes of them for some coÌ„cerne Ceremonies rites other some perteine more to discipline Is there theÌ„ a iust cause to moue vs to impugne them both Truly a iuster thaÌ„ we would Firste do not the authors theÌ„selues clerely define that the very worshipping of God is conteined in them To what purpose do they apply their Ceremonies but that God shold be worshipped by them And that coÌ„meth to passe not by the only error of the ignorant multitude but by their allowaÌ„ce that haue the place of teachiÌ„g I do not touche the grosse abhominations wherw t they haue gone about to ouerthrow al godlinesse But it should not be imagined among them to be so hainous an offeÌ„se to haue failed in any of the least pety traditioÌ„s vnlesse they did make the worshipping of god subiect to their fained deuises What do we theÌ„ offende if at this day we can not beare that whiche Paul taught to be intolerable that the lawfull order of the worshipping of God should be reduced to the wil of meÌ„ specially when they coÌ„maund meÌ„ to worship according to the elemeÌ„tes of this world which Paul testifieth to be against Christ Againe it is not vnknoweÌ„ with how precise necessitie they binde coÌ„sciences to kepe whatsoeuer they coÌ„mauÌ„de Here when we cry out to the coÌ„trary we haue al one cause with Paule which in no wise suffreth faithful consciences to be brought into bondage of men Moreouer this worst of al is added that when religioÌ„ hath ones begon to be defined with such vain inueÌ„tioÌ„s there euer foloweth after that peruersnesse an other abhominable frowardnesse wherof Christ reproched the Pharisees that the coÌ„maundemeÌ„t of God is made voide for the traditioÌ„s of meÌ„ I wil not vse mine own words in fighting against our lawmakers at these daies Let them haue the victory if they can by any meane purge theÌ„selues froÌ„ this accusatioÌ„ of Christ. But how should they excuse them wheÌ„ amoÌ„g them it is thought infinitly more hainous to haue omitted auricular coÌ„fessioÌ„ when the time of yere coÌ„meth about thaÌ„ to haue coÌ„tinued a most wicked life a whole yere together to haue infected their tong with a litle tasting of flesh on a Friday thaÌ„ to haue defiled their body with whoredome al the dayes of the weke to haue put their hand to an hâ—nest work vpoÌ„ a day coÌ„secrate to I wote not what pety Saints thaÌ„ to haue coÌ„tinually exercised their meÌ„bers in most wicked offeÌ„ses for a Priest â—o be coupled with one lawful mariage thaÌ„ to be entaÌ„gled with a thousand adulteries not to haue performed a vowed pilgremage thaÌ„ to breake faith in al promises not to haue wasted somwhat vpoÌ„ monstruous no lesse superfluous vnprofitable excessiue gorgiousnesse of teÌ„ples thaÌ„ to haâ—e failed to help the extreme necessities of the poore to haue passed by an idâ—e wtout honor thaÌ„ to haue despitefully entreated al kindes of men not 〈◊〉 haue mumbled vp at certaine houres a great nuÌ„ber of wordes without vnderstanding thaÌ„ neuer to haue conceiued a true praier in their hart What is to make voide the coÌ„maundement of God for the traditions of men if this be not when coÌ„mending the keping of Gods commaundemeÌ„tes but coldly as it were lightly by the way they do no lesse earnestly and busily exact the obeying of their owne than if they conteined in them the whole pith of godlinesse â–ª wheÌ„ reuenging the transgressing of Gods law with light penalties of satisfactions they punishe the very least offence of one of their own decrees with no lesse peine than with prisonmente banishmente fier or swerd Being not so sharpe and harde to entreate against the despisers of God they persecute the despisers of themselues with vnappeasable hatred to the extremitie doe so instructe all those whoe 's simplicitie they holde captiue that they would with more contented minde se the whole law of God ouerthrowen than one smal title as they cal it in the coÌ„maundemeÌ„tes of the Chirche to be broken Firste in thys point is greuous offence coÌ„mitted that for small maters and such as if it should be tried by Gods iudgement are at libertie one maÌ„ despiseth iudgeth and casteth away an other But now as though that were not euil enough those trifling elementes of the world as Paule calleth them in his writing to the Galatians are weyed of more value thaÌ„ the heaueÌ„ly Oracles of God And he that is in a maner acquited in adulterie is iudged in meate he that hath leaue to vse a harlot is forbidden to haue a wife This profit verily is gotten by that transgressing obedience which is so much turned froÌ„ God as it declineth to men There be also other twoe not scleÌ„der faultes which we disallow in the same ordinaÌ„ces First
they exhort theÌ„ that they might the more familiarly declare to the men of their age that the Gentiles should be called into the true felowshippe of religion Like as also they are wont altogether to describe by figures of theyr law the truth that was deliuered by the Gospell So they set for turning to the Lord asceÌ„ding into Ierusalem for the worshipping of God the offring of al kindes of giftes for larger knowlege of him which was to be geuen to the faithfull in the kyngdome of Christe dreames and visions That therfore whiche they allege is like vnto an other prophecie of Esaye where the Prophet foretelleth of three altars to be set vppe in Assiria Egipte and Iurye For first I aske whether they do not graunt that the fulfillyng of this prophecie is in the kingdome of Christ. Secondly wher be these altars or when they were euer set vp Thirdly whether they think that to euery seuerall kyngdome is apointed a seuerall temple such as was that at Ierusalem These things if thei wey I think they wil confesse that the Prophet vnder fygures agreeable with his tyme prophecieth of the spiritual worship of God to be spred abrode into the whole world Which we geue to them for a solution But of this thing sithe there do euery where examples commonly offre them selues I wil not busie my selfe in longer rehearsall of them Howbeit herein also they are miserably deceiued that they acknowlege no sacrifice but of the Masse wheras in dede the faithfull do nowe sacrifice to the Lord do offer a cleane offring of which shal be spoken by and by Nowe I come downe to the third office of the Masse where I must declare howe it blotteth oute the true and onely deathe of Christe and shaketh it oute of the remembrance of menne For as among men the strength of a testament hangeth vppon the death of the testator so also our lord hath with his death confirmed the testament whereby he hath geuen vs forgeuenesse of synnes and eternal righteousnesse They that dare varie or make newe any thing in this testamente doo denye hys death and holde it as it were of no force But what is the Masse but a new and altogether diuerse testameÌ„t For why Doth not euery seueral Masse promise new forgeuenesse of sinnes new purchasing of righteousnesse so that now there be so many testaments as there be Masses Let Christ therfore come again and with an other death confirme this testament or rather with infinite deathes confirme innumerable testamentes of Masses Haue I not therfore said true at the beginning that the only and true death of Christ is blotted oute by Masses Yea what shall we say of this that the Masse directly tendeth to this ende that if it be possible Christ should bee slayne agayne For where is a testamente sayeth the Apostle there of necessitie must be the death of the testator The Masse sheweth it selfe to be a new testament of Christ therfore it requireth his death Moreouer the hoste which is offred must necessarily be slayne and sacrificed If Christ in euery seuerall Masse be sacrificed then he muste at euery moment bee in a thousande places cruelly slayen This is not myne but the Apostles argument If he had neded to offer him selfe ofte he muste ofte haue dyed sins the beginning of the worlde I knowe that they haue an answere in redinesse whereby also they charge vs with sclander For they say that that is obiected agaynst them which they neuer thought nor yet canne And we knowe that the death and life of Christ is not in their hande We loke not whether they goe aboute to kill hym onely our purpose is to shew what maner of absurdity foloweth of their vngodly and wicked doctrine Which self thing I proue by the Apostles owne mouth Though they crye out to the contrarye a hundred tymes that this sacrifice is vnbloody I wil deny that it hangeth vpon the wyll of men that sacrifices should change their nature for by this meane the holy and inuiolable ordinance of God shold faile WherupoÌ„ foloweth that this is a sure principle of the Apostle thâ—â— there is required sheding of blood that washing may not be wanting Now is the fourth office of the Masse to be entreated of namely to take awaye from vs the fruite that came to vs of the deathe of Christe while it maketh vs not to acknowlege it and thinke vpon it For who caÌ„ call to mynde that he is redemed by the death of Christ when he seeth a new redemption in the Masse Who can truste that sinnes are forgeueÌ„ him when he seeth a newe forgeuenesse Neither shall he escape that shall say that we do for no other cause obteyn forgeuenesse of sinnes in the Masse but because it is alredy purchased by the death of Christ. For he bringeth nothyng els than as if he would boste that Christ hathe redemed vs with this condition that we shoulde redeme our selues For such doctrine hath ben spred by the ministers of Satan and such at this day they mainteyn with cryenges out with swerd and fier that we wheÌ„ in the Masse we offer vp Christ to his Father by this work of offring do obteine forgeuenesse of sinnes and are made partakers of the passion of Christ. What now remaineth to the passion of Christ but to be an example of redemption whereby we may learne to be our owne redemers Christe him selfe when in the Supper he sealeth the confidence of pardon doth not bidde his disciples to sticke in that doing but sendeth theÌ„ awaye to the sacrifice of his deathe signifieng that the Supper is a moniment or memorial as the common spech is whereby they may learne that the satisfactorie clensing sacrifice by which the Father was to be appeased must haue ben offred but ones For neither is it enough to know that Christ is the onely sacrifice vnlesse the onely sacrificing be ioyned with it that our faith may be fastened to his crosse Nowe I come to the conclusion namely that the holye Supper in which the Lord had left the remembrance of his passion grauen and expressed is by the settyng vp of the Masse taken away defaced and destroyed For the Supper it selfe is the gift of God whiche was to be receiued with thankesgeuing The sacrifice of the Masse is famed to pay a price to God which he may receiue for satisfaction Howe muche difference there is betwene to geue and to receiue so much doth the sacrifice differ from the Sacrament of the Supper And this truely is the moste wretched vnthankfulnesse of man that where the largesse of Gods bouÌ„tie ought to haue beÌ„ acknowleged thanks to be geuen therin he maketh God his dettor The Sacrament promised that by the death of Christe we are not onely ones restored into life but are continually quickned because then all the partes of our saluation were fulfilled The sacrifice of the Masse singeth a farre other song that Christ must