Morauians Both Origene and also Cyprian were wonte to minister the Communion vnto the litle children that were brought in the armes of thâ— Parentes when thei came to receiue the sacrament geuyng vnto them not onely the misticall bread but also the misticall Cup. And in Saint Augustines tyme they did commonly minister the Sacrament in both kyndes vnto the young infantes and children when they were baptized And all this did come to passe bicause the auncient fathers and great learned men did take the saiynges of our Sauiour Christe after the rigour of the letter Whereof it did come also that some did thinke that if a man after that he was baptized had once receiued the sacrament he could neuer be damned or at least he should once be deliuered from damnation bicause that our Sauiour Iesus Christe did saie I am the bread of life whiche is come downe from heauen he that shall eate of this bread shall liue for euer They did alwaies sticke vnto the bare letter saiyng that our Sauiour Christ who had promised the same could not lie But Saint Augustine doth both reproue and also confute that errour These men are like to the person of Trumpington who readyng the .27 Chapiter of Mathew on Passion sonday as they call it and when he came to these wordes Eli Eli â—ama-sabacthani called the Churche wardens to hym and saide truely this booke doth appertaine to the Bishop of Ely for his name is here I will scrape out his name and put in our owne parishes name and so he did then he began to reade againe Trumpington Trumpington Lama-sabacthani Thus wee may see what absurdities men be wonte to fall into for lacke that they do not examine throughly the meanyng of the scriptures but will goe still to the rigour of the letter Saint Hierome saieth very notablie Non in verbis scripturarum est euangelium sed in sensu The gospell standeth not in the bare wordes of the Scriptures but in the meaning Therfore we maie saie vnto them as Saint Ciprian once saide to the Nouatian heretiques Andite Nouatiani apud quos scripture câ—lestes leguntur potiùs quam intelliguntur Hearken hereto ye Nouatian heretiques amongest whom the heauenly Scriptures are read rather theÌ„ well perceiued or vnderstanded For if folowyng the doctrine and opinion of the Papistes touching the Sacrament of the body and blood of Christ we would take after the rigour of the letter the same that our Sauiour Christ doth speake of the eatyng of his fleshe and of the drinkyng of his bloud without all doubt wee shal be faine to confesse that all thei that haue once receiued the Sacrament shal be saued and that all they that neuer receiued it and so die shal be damned for euer Whereby it must needes folowe that it is no lesse necessary to minister the Sacrament of the body and blood of christ vnto the children then to baptize or christen them Wherfore I should thinke good that they should aswell geue aucthoritie vnto the Midwiues to minister the Lordes supper vnto the infantes in time of necessitie as thei geue them aucthority to minister baptisme whiche is a Sacrament of no lesse efficacie and dignitie then the other is yea rather by their doctrine it is of more vertue and strength For I haue not yet read that euer they condemned any bicause that they had not receiued the Sacrament of the Euchariste wheras they doe sende all them to the deuil that die without the receiuing of baptisme thought they would neuer so faine haue come to it But wheras we spake before of Midwiues how they baptized by the aucthoritie of the papistes in tyme of necessitie I speake it not so as that I doe allowe their doynges for I am of a cleane contrary mynde and doe saie with sainct Paule that none ought to take aucthoritie vppon them in the Churche to vse any ministration vnlesse they are called lawfully as Aaron was Christe gaue aucthoritie to his Apostles onely to baptize and to preach Sainct Paul in no wise would haue a woman to speake in the congregation muche lesse to minister a Sacrament whiche must be alwaies doen with doctrine for they must go both together Therefore was it rightly condemned flatly forbidden in the councell of Carthage without any maner of exception that women should once presume to baptize any at all And where they hang so much of necessitie if the childe be readie to dye that then she may and ought to do it Saint Augustine doubteth whether it be lawfull or no for them to do it at that instant of necessitie for his wordes are these Et si laicus necessitate compulsus baptismum dederit nescis an pie quisquaÌ„ dixerit esse repetendum Although a laye man compelled by necessitie do geue baptisme I can not tell whether a man may godly say that it ought to be iterated Howe the custome was before that Augustine was borne is gathered of Tertullian that it is not permitted to a woman to speake in the Church nor teache nor to baptize nor to offer that she shoulde not clayme to her self the execution of any mans office much lesse of the priestes Of the same thing Epiphanius is a substantiall witnesse where he reproueth Martion that he gaue women libertie to baptize Many foolishe women and men do say if the infantes dye without baptisme they are depriued of Gods grace and of their saluation Not so God pronounceth that he adopteth our infantes to be his owne before they be borne when as he promiseth that he wyll be a God to vs and to our séede after vs In this worde is conteyned their saluation for the first foundation of our saluation is neither faith hope loue nor feare of God but the election of GOD by whiche are saued not only they which of full yeres of vnderstanding do beleue hope loue feare call vpon heare and obey god c But also infantes albeit that they be taken out of this life without baptisme wherfore let vs not hang so much vpon creatures that we exclude and doubt of our creatour and for our foolishe good intentes sake will suffer sacramentes to be ministred by women cleane and besides the expresse worde of god Wherefore I do holde and beleue that it is no more méete and lawfull for a Midwife to baptize children in tyme of necessitie then it is for her to preache publikely and minister the Euchariste openly or otherwise But let vs come againe to the saying of our sauiour Christ â–ª that they haue alwayes in their mouthes for to condemne and cast away the poore séely infantes and children of the christians which dye without baptisme It is to be vnderstanded yea they that will consider diligently and weigh the absurdities that do ensue and followe of the exposition of them that do vnderstande it of baptisme going thus to the rigour of the letter shall
and stinckyng harlotte of Antichriste Thei haue alwaies in their mouthes this saiyng of saincte Augustine non crederem Euangeli◠nisi me ecclesiae catholicae authoritas commoueret I would not beleue the Gospell excepte the aucthoritie of the Catholike Churche moued me These fewe words haue thei tossed to and fro to presse out of them that is not in theim and would seme to goe aboute to proue the creature aboue the creatour that made all thynges But as S. Augustine saieth he beleued the Gospell because of the Church so likewise he hath said Exore veritatis ecclesiam agnosco participem veritatis By the mouthe of the truthe I knowe the churche that is partaker of the truthe But whereas thei would seme to goe aboute to proue by Augustines woordes that the Churche is aboue the worde of God their folie herein is easily espied if wée consider the cause that moued Augustine so to speake The Manichees would needes goe about to proue and make men to beleue that the Epistle of Fundamētus was of as good aucthoritie as the Epistles of Paule Peter Iames or Ihon. And that their Manicheus was the Apostle of Christe Augustine aunswereth theim and saieth he can not bee so easily perswaded by the same reason to receiue the Epistle of Manicheus as the Epistles of Peter and Paule c. He giueth a reason why for because saieth he in receiuyng of them thei had the aucthoritie testimonie and commendation of the Catholike Churche but Fundamentus Epistle hath no aucthoritie nor testimonie but onely of the Manichees theim selues whiche were openly shutte out from the Churche whiche by no meanes can be in equall aucthoritie with the aucthoritie of the Churche So if wée marke Augustines woordes well wée shall easily perceiue that he maketh not the Churche iudge of the scriptures nor yet graunteth any aucthoritie to the church ouer the scriptures but onely as witnesses and testimonies whiche bee the true canonicall scriptures from the Apochriphes and counterfecte Scriptures as this Epistle of the Manichees And that this is the true meaning of sainct Augustine one of their owne doctours and a Papiste for his life saieth vpon these woordes of sainct Augustine before recited Errare cos qui ijs dem Augustini verbis abutuntur ad probandum quod Papae vel cōcilium vel ecclesia possit immutare quae ab Euangelistis Apostolis sunt tradita That is to saie they do erre whiche vse the same wordes of sainct Augustine to proue that the Pope or Counsaile or the churche maie alter or chaunge what so euer haue been deliuered by the Euangelistes and Apostles No◠wee maie not gather herevpon that the aucthoritie of the churche is greater then the aucthoritie of the scriptures because that there bee many founde whiche dooe take the holy scriptures for authenticall as moued by the aucthoritie of the Churche In deede to them the Churche séemeth better then the holie scriptures but thei bee farre otherwise of them selues Els Moyses should by the same reason bee of greater aucthoritie then Christe because that many beleued in Christe moued by the aucthoritie of the scripture of Moyses as Christ saith If you would beleue Moyses ye would beleue me also We reade in Iohn thus And of that citie many of the Samaritans beleued in Christe vppon the woorde of the woman whiche bare witnesse and saied For he tolde me all thynges that I haue doen. Accordyng vnto this argument the aucthoritie of the synfull woman was more then of Christe and so it was in deede at the firste of more reputation with the people of the citie to whom Christe was yet vnknowen But of it self it was not so nor afterwardes whē thei hearyng the doctrine of saluation of Christe hym self thei saied vnto the woman Now we doe not beleue because of thy woordes for we haue heard knowen that this is verely the sauiour of the worlde Sainct Ihon shewed Christe vnto the people yet he was not greater then Christe In sainct Peter we doe reade in this wise Likewise ye women also bee subiecte vnto your husbandes that thei also whiche dooe not beléeue the woorde maie be wonne without the worde through the conuersation of the woman c. Ergo whereas the vnfaithfull husbande is stirred vnto the faithe of Christe by the regarde of the conuersation of his wife whiche he seeth is honeste chaste faithfull and obediente whereas he coulde not bee moued by the preachyng of the Gospell maie we gather that the conuersation of the woman is better or greater then the Gospell In deede so it appeareth but it is to hym whiche is still vnfaithfull not vnto hym which doeth acknowedge the trueth of the Gospell and the aucthoritie of God. The Churche had in tymes paste greate estimation of holy conuersation whereby many were brought vnto the faithe of Christ and the aucthoritie of the church did them good But yet it was not of it selfe better then the truth of the Gospell ¶ The xxxlx Chapiter ¶ Of the office and aucthoritie of the Churche and how i◠maie erre and how it cannot erre THE Churche we graunt as part we touched before hath three offices touchyng the worde of god The first and formoste of them is that as a witnesse she keepeth the holie bookes of the Canonicall scriptures But thereby it can not be proued that it is lefull for her to peruerte or alter any thyng in the saied holie bookes As publique and priuate writynges are committed to Scriueners or Notaries to be laied vp and kepte of them And yet none will saie he maie alter any thyng of those writynges The seconde office is to preache and publishe the wordes committed vnto it by God but it maie publishe nothyng but what is taught by the worde to them deliuered as a common crier who although he publishe the decrees of Princes and Magistrates yet he is not aboue the decrees of Princes and Magistrates but his whole office is faithfully to pronounce all thynges as he hath receiued them of the Prince addyng nothyng to it nor takyng ought awaie The thirde office is sithe that she is indued with the spirite of God it must therefore discerne and trie the sincere and vncorrupte bookes of holie scriptures from the counterfecte and Apochriphas So many can descerne the true and proper writynges of Plato and Aristotle So we can descerne God from the deuill and yet are we not to be compted equall with God much lesse can we thinke that we doe excell hym Now we haue saied somewhat of the office of the Churche I will also declare the whole aucthoritie that she hath by the woorde of GOD. The aucthoritie then of the true Churche of our Sauiour Christe doeth moste chiefly consiste in fower thynges First this true and faithfull Churche hath aucthoritie to choose and ordeīne ministers as wee learne by the example of the Apostles and of the Churches that bee spoken
of in the booke of the Actes but this must bee doen accordyng to the rules and canons of the Apostles If they be blamelesse the husbande of one wife vigilante sober and apte to teache c. Secondlie it hath aucthoritie to teache by the lawfull ministers I meane by these ministers that are lawfully chosen with the laiyng on of handes accordyng to the rule and Cannons of the Apostles And these ministers ought to teache and set foorthe none other thyng then thei haue receiued of the Lorde hauyng alwaies before their eyes the saiyng of Christ our Sauiour Docete eos obseruare quaecunque precepi vobis Teache them to keepe and obserue all thynges what soeuer I commaunde you And the same it is that we call Potestatem clauium The power of the keyes which as it hath been sufficientlye declared before consisteth in preachyng free remission of synnes vnto the faithfull and true repentaunte synners and eternall condemnation vnto the vnfaithfull and vnrepentaunte Whiche thyng if it bee duely dooen accordyng to the institution and ordinaunce of our Sauiour Christe taketh no lesse effecte then if it were doen in heauen And vnder this doe we comprehende the aucthoritie that the churche hath to excommunicate open synners and to receiue them again if thei shewe true tokens of repentaunce and of amendemeÌ„t of life Thirdely the true and faithfull Churche hath aucthoritie to minister the sacramentes by the ministers thervnto lawfully appoincted so that it bee doen accordyng to the institution and ordinaunce of our sauiour Iesu Christe vsyng suche tymes and seasons as thei shall thinke moste expediente for the same Fourthly and laste of all it hath full aucthoritie and power to examine the doctrines and to trie the spirites whether thei bee of God or not as it is manifeste and plaine by these saiynges Lette twoo or three Prophetes speake in the Churche and let other iudge Againe Proue all thynges and holde that whiche is good Saincte Ihon saieth Dearely beloued try the spirites whether thei bee of God or not But this triall muste bee doen with the touchestone of Gods woorde whiche with the holie ghoste ought to be the chiefe president in all Sinodes and Counsailes So saincte Augustine saieth againste Maximinus these woordes Nowe neither ought I to alledge the Counsaile of Nice nor thou the counsaile of Ariminum to take aduauâ—tage thereby for I am not bounde to the aucthoritie of the one nor thou restrained to the determination of the other Sed scripturarum authoritatibus non quorumque proprijs sed vtrisque communibus testibus res cumre causa cum causa ratio cum ratione concertet But by the aucthorities of the Scriptures not peculiar witnesses vnto either of vs but common and indifferent vnto vs bothe let one matter with an other cause with cause and reason coÌ„tende with reason Saincte Hierome therefore saieth Omni studio legende nobis sunt scripturae in lege domini meditandum die ac nocte vt probati trapezite sciamus the scriptures are to be read of vs with all diligence and to meditate daie and night in the lawe of the lorde that we maie become perfecte exchaungers to knowe the false counterfecte doctrine froÌ„ the true doctrine of Christe Sainct Origene also hath these woordes Sensus nofiri enarrationes sine scripturis testibus non fidem habet Our iudgemente and expositions without witnesse of the holie scripres haue no credite Thus wee maie plainly see that all our matters muste bee tried by the Canonicall bookes of the holy Scriptures So farre foorth doth the aucthoritie of the true Churche extend which as it can not erre as long as she taketh gods word the holy ghost for her guide so assoone as she forsaketh Gods worde and the guidyng of the holie ghoste she falleth into all kinde of errours at length doeth become the Synagogue of Satan the Church of the malignaunt the stinckyng haâ—lot of antichriste Howbeit the whole vniuersal Church doth neuer so fall awaie from the truthe of Goddes woorde but that God dooeth alwaies preserue vnto hym selfe a certaine number whiche will neuer agree nor consente vnto vngodlinesse and from whom the spirite of trueth is not taken awaie And because that these bee vnknowen of the worlde as thei that lacke the outwarde tokens and signes of the true Churche of Christe whiche are the preachyng of Gods worde and the ministration of the sacramentes and the vse of true discipline accordyng to the institution and ordinaunces of the Lorde are commonly called the inuisible Churche not bicause that men are inuisible whiche thyng can not be as long as they bee here conuersaunt vpon the earth but bicause that thei be only knowen and seen of God who knoweth onely who be his who be not And this faithfull congregation whether it hath the outwarde signes of the true Churche of Christ or not as long as it beareth aboute this body of synne is subiect to many infirmities but for Christes sake thei are not imputed for when it is saide that it is without spot or wrinkle that is to be vnderstanded by imputation through Iesus Christ our sauiour And therefore it is called the glorious congregation And I doe also beleue with sainct Augustine that this catholique Churche is the Barne floore of the Lorde and that in it vntill the daie of iudgement Chaffe shal be mixed still with the Wheate My meanyng is this that in the Church both good and badde true beleuers and hypocrites are conteined together in the felowship of the sacramentes and that it shall be so vnto the worlds ende Whiche thyng we doe learne by the parable of the good seede and of the Darnell and of the Nette that is cast into the Sea and whiche doeth drawe of all kynde of fishes vnto the shore But we must in the meane while beware that we do not because of the Chaffe Darnell and rotten fishes seuere and diuide our selues from the Churche as the wicked Anabaptistes doe which for euery triflyng matter do diuide them selues from the Churche though the worde of God bee neuer so finely nor sincerely preached and the Sacramentes moste rightly ministred according to the institution and ordinaunce of the Lorde Why do we not rather folowe the godly counsell of the blessed Martyr of God S. Cyprian that he geueth vnto vs Although saith he Darnel Tares are seen to be in the church yet our faith and charitie ought not to be letted that bicause we do sée Tares and Darnell to be in the Church we shoulde therfore forsake the Church but rather we ought to endeuour our selues that we may be good corne that when the good corne is gathered into the Garners of the Lorde we maie receaue a rewarde of our labour and worke Also in a great house there be many vessels not only of Golde and Siluer but
in the Popes Boate his Oares will directly rowe thée to that hauen and porte where doctour Storie of late caste his Anker and brake his necke and for that his handes were haltered he gaue all traiterous Papistes the Popes blessyng with his heeles at Tybourne An ende and blessyng mooste meete for all sortes of Papistes God of his mercie quickely conuerte theim that are aliue or els good Lorde sende a merie winde to blowe them all into that course that Felton and Storie before haue runne For I am fullie perswaded that what soeuer he bee high or lowe riche or poore that holdeth with any Popishe or Papisticall doctrine he is a rancke traitour in his harte and when tyme serueth it will so fall out in proofe as daiely experieÌ„ce teacheth vs by our late traiterous rebelles whiche soughte the suppressyng of the faithe of Christe the ouerthrowe of the Queenes Maiestie and vtter desolation of this our Realme If the almightie Lorde had not preuented them of his mercie towardes vs. What resteth now but that we loue God and his worde and obeye our Queene and her Magistrates and also to consider our waies and sée whether wee walke as he hath taught vs For there is no heauen but his dwellyng place no walkyng vnto it but by his coÌ„maundementes and his commaundementes no where to be founde but in the holy Scriptures which he hath left vs Next vnto Gods glory we haue nothing so precious as the sauegarde of our soules And where shal we finde it but in the worde of god And here I make an ende of this my long preface most heartely besechyng thée to accepte in good parte this simple and rude worke of myne consider my good meanyng and wyll towardes the buildyng of Gods Churche who woulde haue giuen thée better if better he had in store I must warne thée not to looke in this booke for the pleasaunt speache of Isocrates nor the high stile of Demosthenes nor for the excellent dignitie of Plato nor the eloquent wordes of Cicero or for the reuerende maiestie of Theucidides For then thou wilt foulie be deceiued But for bare and simple wordes for I seeke not goods but God not gasinges but gayne not prayse but profite not mony but men Therefore gentle and freendly reader if thou receiue any fruicte of my labours helpe mée with thy prayers to God our Father in the name of his Soonne and our onely Sauiour In readyng hereof let reason leade thée lette the aucthorities perswade thée and let trueth enforce thée GOD of his mercie quickely conuerte or soone ouerthrowe al his enimies and the Quéenes fooes that holde of any doctrine contrarie to the true and christian faith Confounde all errours O Lorde giue the victory to thy trueth and glory to thy holy and blessed name now and for euer Amen ¶ Fare well Gentle Reader from Redcliffe in Bristoll ¶ Thy poore brother in Christ Iohn Northbrooke Preacher ¶ The contentes of all the Chapiters OF Gods creation and gouernaunce of all thinges of Christes conception and birth of his death and passion c. Cap. 1. fol. 1. Christes death and passion is a sufficient sacrifice for all mankinde Cap. 2. fol. 2. The meanes whereby the death and sacrifice of Christ may be applied vnto vs. Cap. 3. fol. 3. Of Christes burial and the profite that we haue gotâ—en therby Cap. 4. fol. 4. How many wayes this worde hell is taken in the scripture and after what maner Christ descended into hell Cap. 5. fol. 5. Reasons and argumentes of those that holde that Christe went downe to hell in his soule Aunswered Cap. 6. fol. 7. Christ is our true Purgatorie and the Papists purgatorie is falle Ca. 7. fo 9. Popishe purgatorie is flat against the worde of god For it maketh Christes death and passion of litle or none effect Cap. 8. fol. 11. Against praying for the dead and apparations of the dead after their departing hence Cap. 9. fol. 14. Children that are dead borne or dye before that they can come to baptisme not damned nor yet go into the Popishe Lymbe Cap. 10. fol. 15. What comfort we haue gotten by Christes rising from death againe and that it shoulde be vnto vs as a glasse in this life Cap. 11. fol. 31. Of Christes ascention into heauen and howe it is saide that he fitteth at the right hand of god c. And after what maner he is here amongst vs. ca. 12. fo 34 Christes humane body can be but in one place at once and not in many and diuers places Cap. 13. fol. 37. Against Popishe transubstantiation Cap. 14. fol. 40. what it is to be guiltie of the body and blood of Christ. Cap. 15. fol 47. The â—acrament ought to be ministred to all the people in both kindes Cap â–ª 16. fol. 49. Against worshipping of the Sacrament Cap. 17. fol 56. How the vnworthy receauers are guiltie of the body and blood of Christe although he be not corporally in the Sacrament Cap. 18. fol. 59. whether the papistes haue still the same bodie in the Sacrament that was geuen vpon the Crosse. Cap. 19. fol. 61. Against the carnall presence of Christ in the Sacrament Cap. 20. fol. 64. The wicked dooe neither eate nor drinke the bodie and blood of Christe Cap. 21. fol. 66. The true exposition of these wordes Hoc est corpus meum and that Sacraments are called by those names whereof they are Sacraments Cap. 22. fol. 68. The godlie in the olde lawe did eate and drinke the same fleshe and blood of Christ that we do nowe in the newe Testament Cap. 23. fol. 78. What comfort we haue by Christes ascention into heauen Cap. 24. fol. 79. Against praying and intercession to Saintes Cap. 25. fol. 80. Christ is both our mediatour of saluatioÌ„ and also of intercessioÌ„ Ca. 26. fo â—2 The principall argumentes that the papistes alledge for praying to Saintes Aunswered Cap. 27. fol. 85. Howe and wherein we ought to honour the Saintes Cap. 28. fol. 98. Of Christes comming to iudgement in the last daie Cap. 29. fol. 99. To whoÌ„ the sharpe sentences of the scriptures are terrible Cap. 30. fol. 102. The subtile meanes that Satan vseth to bring vs into securitie Cap. 31. fol. 104. The Pope is Antechriste and that man of sinne which shal be reuealed before Christes comming to iudgement Cap. 32. fol. 107. The strength operation of the holy ghost working in vs. Ca. 33. fo 108. What is the true Churche of God and where it is Cap. 34. fol. 111. Christe is the head of his Churche and not the Pope Cap. 35. fol. 112. All the Apostles had equall power to binde and to loose with Peter and the keyes were equally deliuered to them all Cap. 36. fol. 113. The true Churche of Christ is but as a witnesse to the worde of God adding nothing to it nor taking ought from it Cap. 37. fol. 117. The true Churche is knowen by the worde of God. Cap. 38. fol.
119. Of the office and aucthoritie of the Churche and how it may erre and how it can not erre Cap. 39. fol. 121. Our offences and sinnes are forgiuen vs by faith through Christ and not by our workes and merites Cap. 40. fol. 123. Faith onely iustifieth vs before God. Cap. 41. fol. 127. It is no presumption to be sure and certaine of our saluation Cap. 42. fol. 132. Of free wyll Cap. 43. fol. 133. Of the generall resurrection both of the godlie and wicked at the last day Cap. 44. fol. 142. FINIS ¶ A breefe Summe of the Christian faith ¶ The firste Chapiter ¶ Of Gods creation and gouernaunce of all thinges of Christes conception and birth of his death and passion c. I Dooe not onely confesse that there is a true liuyng God who by his almightie power did of nothing make bothe heauen and earth and all the creatures that bee in theim bothe visible and inuisible but also I dooe vnfeignedly beleue that the same true liuyng God who by his almightie power hath created all thinges and now by his vnsearchable wisedome and vnspeakeable goodnesse doth gouerne rule and preserue all his creatures will bee a most louyng mercifull father vnto me and vnto all the faithfull beleuers for as he is almightie and able to dooe what soeuer he will bothe in heauen and in earth so that nothyng is able to resist or withstande his holy and blessed will for euen the very deuilles and wicked spirites will thei nill thei must be obedient vnto him and can doe no more then he doth appoint suffer and permit them so is he most louyng and mercifull vnto all those that putte all their whole trust and confidence in hym And therefore we muste take holde vpon his fatherly promises through a liuely faithe in our sauiour Iesu Christe his onely begotten sonne our Lorde Who beyng true and naturall God begotten of the father afore all beginnynges coeternall and coequall with hym in power and Godhead did at the fulnesse of tyme take our fraile nature vpon hym and was conceiued by the mightie operation of the holy ghoste in the blessed virgines wombe of whom he tooke his vndefiled substaunce to witte his mortall bodie that so he might offer hym self an omnisufficiente Sacrifice vnto God his father for the redemption of mankinde and deliuer vs all that take holde by faithe vpon the merites of his death and bloodsheddyng from the curse and malediction of the Lawe wherevnto all men of their owne nature are subiecte He then beyng bothe God and man and touchyng his māhode subiecte to all maner of infirmities that we are subiecte vnto synne onely beyng excepted Did suffer a moste cruell and opprobrious death vpon the crosse vnder Poncius Pilat who was at the same time the Emperours deputie and liefetenaunt in the land of Iewrie before whom he was brought and by his determinate sentence iudged and condemned and so deliuered into the handes of the tormentors to th ende that I and all faithfull beleuers should not bee condemned before the iudgemente seate of almightie God nor put into the handes of the deuill nor yet sent into the euerlastyng fire of hell but that I and all other that beleue truely should finde fauor and be quieted before the greate and euerlastyng iudge And saie boldly with the holy Apostle who shall laye any thing to the charge of Gods chosen it is GOD that iustifieth who shall then condemne it is Christ whiche is deade yea rather whiche is risen againe whiche is also on the right hande of God and maketh intercession for vs Let vs therefore goe boldely vnto the seate of grace that wée maie receiue mercie and finde grace to helpe in the tyme of néede Thus beyng iudged and condemned for to deliuer vs that beleue frō the fearfull iudgemente of God and from the condemnation that is due vnto vs for our synnes He was with all dispitefulnesse nailed vpon a Crosse as it was signified and prefigured before by the listyng vp of the brasen Serpente in the wildernesse For as the brasen Serpente was eleuated and lifted vp in the deserte by Moises for to heale all those that did looke vpon it so it was necessarie that our sauiour Iesus Christ as he hym self doeth expounde should bee hanged vpon the crosse and lifted vp on high for to heale all those that be deadly stonge and wounded by the olde serpent the deuill And as the brasen serpent had the figure forme and shape of a serpent and yet it was no serpent nor yet had any venime or poyson So our Sauiour Iesus Christe did take vpon hym the shape of a synner and yet he was no synner but was and is a moste wholsome medicine and salue vnto all poore synners that doe beholde and looke vpon hym by faithe and that seeke for saluation no where els but in the only merites of his death passion and bloodsheddyng although this meane and waie to saue men doeth séeme very vile and straunge vnto mans reason whiche iudgeth this wisedome of God and the preachyng of the crosse to be mere foolishnesse And yet notwithstāding as there was no phisick medicine nor salue that could heale those that were stong of the fierie serpents but only the loking vpō the brasen serpent that was erected set vp by the commaundement of god so haue we no maner of Phisick or salue against synne euerlastyng death for to bryng soule health saluation vnto vs but onely Iesus christ being crucified who is giuen vnto vs of God for it doth not belong vnto vs to choose the medicine or salue but it pertaineth only to god our soueraigne phisicion who alone is able to heale vs frō this deadly sickenes who alone knoweth what medicine or salue is necessarie for vs And giueth such as pleaseth him suche as he giueth is sufficient so that we can finde none other that is worth any thing and that doeth not rather bryng death then life if we do put any confidence in it or seke to obtain through it saluation and forgiuenesse of our synnes Also bicause that it is written cursed is euery one that cōtinueth not in all thynges whiche are written in the booke of this lawe to fulfill theim wherby all men were brought vnder the malediction and curse of the lawe and so made the children of euerlastyng damnation The onely begotten sonne of God did vouchsafe for to deliuer vs from this curse and malediction of the lawe to hang on a tree and to bee made accursed for vs for it is written Cursed is euery one that hangeth on tree that the blessyng of Abraham whiche was promised him in his séede who is our Sauiour Iesus christ might come vpon vs for whose sake and loue he was made lower then all men yea he was reputed as a worme and not as a man he
little water sithe that he hath the chief and principall that is to saie a true iustifiyng faithe else the water shoulde haue more vertue and efficacie then the blood of oure Sauiour Iesu Christ or at least as muche and the Priest that should minister the outwarde baptisme should be of as much power as Iesus Christe hym selfe For as the water and the Minister can doe nothyng without the spirite and blood of our Sauiour Christe so it should followe that Iesus Christe his spirite and blood shoulde be able to doe nothyng without the water and minister And so by this meane our sauiour Christ and his spirite should be as subiect vnto the Minister water as the water the Minister should be subiect vnto Christ and his holy spirite and so consequently his grace mercie shoulde be alligated and bounde vnto corruptible elimentes and made subiect vnto men Wherby it should come to passe that Iesus Christ shoulde be no more true God nor yet true Sauiour Here may be a question demaunded of those elimentaries and children damners whether we are saued by water or by Christe or els by both if thei saie by both as so they holde opinion then it foloweth that the water died for our synnes and so muste wee saie that the water hath life and yet beyng our seruaunt and created for vs is our Sauiour we woulde then iudge easely that suche doctrine came not of God sith that it doeth so euidently repugne vnto his grace and vnto the iustification of faith ouerthrowing altogether the whole misterie of our redemption purchased vnto vs by our Sauiour Iesu Christe And bicause it shall not be thought that I doe take and expounde the Scriptures at myne owne pleasure and as I liste Ye shall heare the meanyng not only of the auncient writers but also of the schole doctours and namely of the maister of the Sentences who doth proue by good reasons and also by the aucthorities of the fathers of the auncieÌ„t catholike church that some are iustified and saued without baptisme among whom Sainct Augustine doeth comprehende al those that be dead and haue suffered martyrdome for the confession of Iesu Christ. Likewise the aucthoritie of sainct Cyprian is set forth by the maister of the Sentences wherby he doeth testifie and proue that saith repentaunce and the conuersion or tourning of the harte are in steede of baptisme vnto them that had neither tyme nor place for to receiue it callyng it the baptisme of deuotion and for a better confirmation of this he doeth bryng the example of the theefe that hong by christ who as he saith was not nayled on the Crosse for the name of Iesu christ but for his owne merites and wicked doinges nor yet suffered bicause that he did beleeue but as he was suffring he did beléeue and came vnto the faithe It is then declared in the same theefe how faith is auaileable vnto saluation without the Sacrament of the visible baptisme as sainct Paule saith The belief of the harte iustifieth and to confesse or acknowledge with the mouth maketh a maÌ„ safe But this is fulfilled and performed inuisiblye when the necessitie doth exclude or keepe of the sacrament of baptisme and not the contempte of religion There may bee some baptisme without conuersion or turnyng of the hearte And conuersion or tournyng of the hearte can be in some without hauyng receiued baptisme But it can not be where baptisme is despised nor we ought in any wise to caâ— it conuersion or tournyng of the hearte vnto God when the Sacrament of God is despised This is the aucthority that Gratianus doth alledge vppon this matter in the boke of the decrees and also the maister of sentences beyng taken out of Cyprian wherunto is added the saiyng of S. Ambrose who speakyng of the death of Valenâ—â—tianus the Emperour without baptisme did saie I haue loâ—â—e hym whom I should haue regenerated or begotten a newe but he hath not loste the grace which he did require Likewise Chanesius who hath written of the Sacramentes in verses being of the same opinion doth bryng a Iewe for an example who beyng conuerted vnto our sauiour Iesu Christ doth with all haste runne vnto the Church for to be baptized and yet for lacke of water and of a Prieste doth die without Baptisme He doeth conclude that neuerthelesse he shal be saued if he doe stedfastly beléeue in our Sauiour Christe Now if wee ought to haue such a confidence and truste of the saluation of those that beyng of age and of yeres could not be baptized howe muche more ought we to beléeue and trust that the litle infantes that die afore that they can come vnto baptisme are saued by the vertue of the Testament and of the blood of the onely begotten sonne of God which is shed for vs and for our seede to washe awaie all our synnes both originall and other For if they be of the elect and chosen of God it lieth in his power to baptize them in the mothers wombe by his holy spirite and to to sanctifie them as it is written of Iob of Ieremie of Iohn Baptiste and of Paul. And as for the saiyng of our sauiour Christ which they say is generall and doth excepte no man if they will vnderstande it of the sacramente of baptisme as many of the olde and late writers haue doen and goe to the rigour of the letter we may saie the like of that which he hath saide of his fleshe and of his blood in the sixt of Iohn speakyng on this maner verely verely I saie vnto you Except ye eate the fleshe of the sonne of man and drynke his blood ye shall not haue life in you which is as muche as if he shoulde saie whosoeuer doth not eate my fleshe nor drinke my blood he shall not haue life euerlastyng This no man is able to denie It foloweth then that all litle children with all those that haue not receiued the sacrament oâ— the body and blood of christ are damned if it be true that Christe our Sauiour is really substauncially naturally fleshe blood and bones in the sacraâ—ent and we must eate his fleshe and drinke his bloud after the same maner and sorte that they doe teache vs Therefore it shall be as requisite necessarie and needefull that the sacrament of the boâ—â— and blood 〈◊〉 Christe bee ministred vnto the litle infantes and children 〈◊〉 the sacrament of baptisme And here 's it doth â—ome that euen in Chaâ—â—lemagnes time they did kepe the Sacrament for to giue it vnto the litle children when they were sicke thinking it to be a thing very necessarie And yet nowe a dayes euen at this present the Iacobites and Greekes as some do write do minister thâ— Sacrament vnder both kindes vnto yong babes that are suckyng on the mothers breast We doe reade in a maner the like of the Bohemians and of the
giue eare to Paule and in respecte of this spirite the Prophet saith Erunt omnes docti a Deo Thei shal bee all taught of god Who so euer besides dooeth not beleue that the doctrine of the holie ghoste conteined in the olde and newe Testament is sufficiente vnto saluation But regardeth it as vile and of no force nor yet aucthoritie but calleth nameth and reporteth it with these woordes and suche like blasphemie deade ynke a liuelesse matter a dumbe iudge that can not speake a blacke Gospell Inken diuinitie a nose of ware Doeth deny this article of our beléefe I beleue in the holie ghost that is to saie he doth denye the holie ghoste to be true and naturall God sithe that any insufficiencie or vnperfection is founde in his doctrine For why It is the propertie of God to dooe all thynges with most consummate perfection Whereby it doth folowe that he whiche doeth any thyng with vnperfection is no true and naturall god Thei therefore that deny the doctrine of the holie ghoste and also doe despise mocke scorne and speake vnreuerently of it conteined in the old and newe Testamēt not to be perfect or sufficient to saluation are plaine Macedonians For they deny the holie ghost to bee true and naturall god And all thei that followe this opinion and doctrine not contentyng theim selues with the moste true and infallible worde of God whiche is set foorth vnto vs by the holie ghost are not the true Churche and spouse of christ For the true Churche and spouse of Christe as it is borne of newe not of mortall seede but of immortall by the worde of God whiche liueth and lasteth for euer so is it builded vpon the sure foundation of the Prophetes and Apostles Christe Iesus hymself beyng the chief corner stone Wherefore we must learne firste of all to beleue God secondly to beleue hym as God thirdly to beleue in God wee must beleue GOD that is to saie that he is creatour of all thynges and that he is omnipotente We muste beleue God as God that is wée must beleue hym as he hath declared and opened hym self in his holy and sacred scriptures vnto vs To beleue in God that is to put our whole truste confidence and affiaunce onely in hym and to call vnto and vpon hym in all our troubles miseries and aduersities and vpon none other And also constauntly and assuredly to beleue in hym that by his power he susteineth vs by his prouidence he gouerneth vs by his goodnesse nourisheth vs and by his mercie saueth vs and indueth vs with all kinde of blessynges So that wee must beléeue in none but in God the father that loueth vs in God the sonne that redemeth vs and in God the holie ghoste that sanctifieth vs although three in persones yet one in essence and Godhead Sainct Agustine therefore saieth Credimus Paulo non credimus in Paulum credimus Petro non credimus in Petrum Wee beleue saieth he Paule but we beleue not in Paule we beleue Peter but we beleue not in Peter The .xxxiiij. Chapiter ¶ What is the true Churche of God and where it is THis then shal be my beliefe touchyng the true Catholique and vniuersall Churche All they that are begotten of newe with the immortall séede of Gods worde and are builded vpon the foundation of the prophetes and Apostles hauyng Christe for their chief corner stone by whose only spirite and worde they are guided and ruled in what countrie or nation vnder the heauens so euer then be are the true church of Christe we may also define and set forth the Churche after this maner The Churche of Christ is the holy congregation of the faithfull whiche by a true and liuelie faith are vnited incorporated in our sauiour Christe whose members they are And bicause that sauiour Christ is the true sonne of God all his members by hym are the sonnes of god Iesus Christe is the head and the true Christians are his body He is the Bridegrome and the faithfull are his spouses whiche he doth cleanse with his blood geuyng health and saluation vnto his bodie and sauyng his people from their synnes This Church is affixed or bounde to no seuerall place but wheresoeuer twoo or three are gathered in the name of the Lorde I meane of our sauiour Christ there the true Church is They therefore that doe aligate and bynde the true Catholique Church to this place or that place as though it coulde be no where els as our Papistes doe are in this thyng greately deceiued For though the whole worlde were so ouer whelmed with Idolatrie and superstition that there shoulde séeme to be no Church at all yet God hath alwaies his elect and chosen in one corner or other although they be vnknowen vnto the worlde Yea many tymes the faithfull congregation is vnknowen vnto the true and faithfull seruauntes of God as we maie see by the example of Elias the Prophete who complained that he was lefte alone But the Lorde made hym an aunswere that he had seuen thousandes left in Israell whiche had not bowed their knées vnto Baall Who woulde not then haue thought that the Churche had been at that tyme in Israell or in Samaria where foure hundreth and fiftie false Prophetes were continually which did feede at Iesabelles boorde or that there had been no Church at all yet we sée that God had euen at that tyme his flocke which he did preserue and keepe vnto hymselfe although they were scattered abroad and not scarcely knowen of the true and faithfull Prophetes of God. Therefore it were good to haue alwaies before our eyes the goodly saiyng of Hilary which writeth on this maner One thyng saieth he I warne you of beware of Antichriste It is not well that ye haue suche a pleasure in the walles It is not well that ye honour and reuerence the Church of God in houses and buildings It is not wel that vnder the colour of them ye doe bryng in the name of peace Is it to be doubted that antichriste shall sit in them The Mountaines the Woodes the Lakes the Prisons and mierie Doungeons are more sure for mee For the Prophetes remainyng in them or beyng let downe into them did there prophecie This then is my beliefe that although the true preachyng of Gods word and the right ministration of the sacramentes accordyng to the Lordes institution and ordinaunce are the moste infallible tokens and signes whereby the true Churche of God is knowen here vpon the earth yet many and sundrie tymes by the righteous iudgement of almightie God our sinnes and wickednesse deseruyng the same these signes and tokens are so taken awaie that it is impossible for the worlde to knowe where this true Churche of God is And yet notwithstanding God hath stil his flocke in one place or other he hath still his elect and chosen whom he doeth preserue and keepe in the
middest of this peruerse and crooked generation whiche contenting themselues with the heauenly doctrine of the holy ghoste which is conteined in the canonicall bookes of the olde and newe Testament The .xxxv. Chapiter ¶ Christe is the heade of his Churche and not the Pope I DOE acknowledge none other head then our Sauiour Christ as it is written that God hath made him aboue al thinges the head of the congregation whiche is his body and the fulnesse of hym that filleth all in all thynges Wherby all the faithfull doe gather that he onely can be the head of the Churche whose body the Churche is But the Churche is the body of Christe onely therefore Christe onely can be the head of the Churche Againe in a nother place it is written And he is the head of the body of the congregation which is the beginnyng and firste begotten of the dead but who is the beginning and first begotten of the dead sauyng onely our sauiour Christe We may well say then that he onely is the head of the Church Moreouer sainct Paul saieth that as the husband is the head of the wife so Christe is the heade of the Churche beyng the sauiour of the body These wordes are plaine and do manifestly declare that he onely whiche is the sauiour of the bodie can be the head of the congregation and Church but it perteineth only to christ to be the sauiour of his body Therefore Christ onely can bee the head of the faithfull congregation and Church Moreouer who woulde not iudge that woman to be an aduoutresse that had twoo heades that is to saie twoo husbandes All men woulde counte that woman to be a moste filthy and stinkyng harlot Sainct Hierome therfore saieth these wordes Ego nullum primum nisi Christum sequens beatitudini tuae idest Cathedrae Petri communione consoâ—ior I followyng no firste nor chief man but onely Christe am ioyned as a fellowe in communion vnto the blessed that is to saie to Peters chaire Marke here S. Hierome saieth he knoweth no firste no chief heade no not the Pope hym self but onely christ Againe he saieth not I am bounde to thy commaundementes but I am ioyned as a fellowe in communion vnto the blessednesse Sainct Gregorie also saieth Quid tu Christo vniuersalis ecclesiae capiti in extremi iudicij responsurus es examine qui cuncta eius membra tibimet conaris vniuersalis appellationae supponere What aunswere wilte thou make vnto Christe the head of the vniuersall Churche when thou shalt be examined at the last iudgement that thus goest about by the name of vniuersall bishop to make all his members subiect vnto thee Sainct Chrisostome to pull downe the pride of suche as will exalte theim selues aboue their heade Christ saith whosoeuer desireth primacie in earth in heauen he shall finde confusion Neither shall he be accounted among the seruauntes of Christ that will once intreate of primacie What shall we saie then of that whorishe Churche that besides Christe the onely heade and husbande of the faithfull congregation dooeth acknowledge that Antichriste of Rome to bee her heade preferryng his lawes decrees statutes and durtie traditions before the wholesome doctrine of our Sauiour Christe As for the argumentes that the Popes dearlynges are wont to bryng in for to proue their fleshly Idoll to be the supreme heade of the Churche thei are so childishe that I marueile that thei be not ashamed to alledge them First for a foundation of their doctrine they bryng these wordes of Christe Thou arte Peter and vpon this rocke will I builde my churche And I wil giue to thee the keyes of the kingdome of heauen Doeth not Christe promise here plainly saie thei that he will bothe builde his Churche vpon Peter and also giue hym the keyes of the kyngdome of heauen Againe be not these the woordes of Christe Thou art Symon the sonne of Ionas thou shalte be called Cephas Here maie we see that Christe did appoinct Peter whose successours all the holy Popes and Bishoppes of Rome are to bee the supreme heade of his congregation and Churche For what should be his meanyng els when he saith And thou shalt be called Cephas Did not he also say that he would builde his Church vpon him In déede I maie saie of you as Barnarde saieth Successores omnes cupiunt esse imitatores pauci Euery one couetteth to bee successours of the Apostles but fewe are followers of them ¶ The .xxxvj. Chapiter ¶ All the Apostles had equall power to bynde and to loose with Peter and the keyes were equally deliuered to them all BEcause no man shall thinke that this our doctrine is a newe founde doctrine as the enemies of all truthe are wont liyngly to call it I will bring certaine aucthorities of the faithfull Fathers of the auncient Catholike Churche whiche shall make this matter so plaine that any man excepte he will obstinately be blinde still shal be able to espie out all their knauerie First I will bryng Sainct Cyprian vpon these woordes And I will giue thee the keyes of the kyngdome of heauen who writeth after this maner In the persone of one man the Lorde did giue the keyes vnto all the Apostles for to signifie the vnitie of theim all For truely the other Apostles were euen the same that Peter was they were indued with like felowship of honour and power but he did beginne with vnitie that is to saie with one that thereby it might bee signified that there is but one Churche of Christe wee learne by this that the keyes were giuen to all the Apostles as well as vnto Peter Sainct Origene saieth Hoc dictum tibi dabo claues regni coelorum caeteris quoque commune est Et quae sequuntur velut ad PetruÌ„ dicta sunt omniae communia This saiyng to thee will I giue the keyes of the kyngdome of heauen is common to the reste of the Apostles and the woordes that followe as spoken vnto Peter are common vnto all Saincte Hierome also saieth Dices super Petrum fundatur ecclesia licet ad ipsum in alio loco super omnes Apostolos fiat cuncti clauis regni caelorum accipiant ex aequo super eos ecclesiae fortitudâ— solidetur Ye wil saie the Churche is founded vpon Peter Notwithstandyng in an other place the same thyng is doen vpon all the Apostles and all receiue the keyes of the kyngdome of heauen and the strength of the Churche is founded equally vpon them all Saincte Ambrose to the same purpose saieth Our Lorde saied vnto Peter Féede my sheepe Whiche shéepe and flocke not onely blessed Peter then receiued but he receiueth the same together with vs And all we haue receiued the same together with hym Saincte Augustine hath these woordes Cum Petro dicitur omnibus dicitur amas me Pasce oues meas These words of christ louest thou me Feede my sheepe when thei
are spoken vnto Peter thei are spoken vnto all Priestes or Ministers Beda plainly saieth these wordes Potestas ligandi soluendi quamuis soli Petro a domino data videatur tamen absque vlla dubietate noscendum est quod caeteris Apostolis datae est The power of bindyng and loosyng notwithstandyng it séeme to bee giuen onely vnto Peter yet without all doubte wee muste vnderstande that it was giuen also to the reste of the Apostles Sainct Augustine saith Petrus quando accepit claues ecclesiam sanctam significauit Peter when he receiued the keyes signified the holy Churche Therefore saieth he when thei were all asked Peter alone doeth make an aunswere and it is saied vnto him And I will giue thée the keyes of heauen as though he alone had receiued aucthoritie to binde and to loose whereas he had spoken that for theim all and receiued this as bearyng in hym self the persone of vnitie with them all The meanyng is this when our Sauiour Christe did aske his Apostles whom thei thought hym to bee Peter alone did make aunswere whiche did serue for theim all For though one alone had aunswered yet Christ tooke it as if thei had all aunswered like to a Iurie of twelue men one maketh aunswere for all and the Iudge accepteth it as though euery one had spoken And as the aunswere of one did serue for them al so the promise that was made vnto one was made vnto them all Whiche thyng is moste true For looke what he did promise to one the same doeth he performe vnto them all saiyng these wordes As my father hath sent me so doe I sende you And when he had spoken these words he did blowe vpon thē saiyng Receiue the holy ghoste whose synnes soeuer ye dooe forgiue shal bee forgiuen vnto hym and whose synnes soeuer ye doe retaine thei shal be retained vnto hym Whiche doeth plainly agree with the woordes that he speaketh vnto them in the .xviij. Chapiter of Sainct Matthewe But I thinke it expediente and necessary for the instruction of the vnlearned and ignoraunte people to shewe what our sauiour doeth vnderstande by the keyes And here will I bryng nothing of mine owne but Chrisostome an auncient writer of the Greke churche shall discusse all the whole matter The keye saieth he is the knowledge of the worde of the scriptures whereby the gate of the truthe is opened vnto men And the kepers of the keyes are the ministers vnto whom charge is giuen to expounde and declare the scriptures Saincte Tertulian also saieth Quam clauem habebant doctores nisi interpretationem legis What key had the doctours of the lawe sauyng the exposition of the lawe Sainct Hierome also hath these wordes Duces ecclesiae habent claues scientiae vt aperiant scripturas creditis sibi populis Vnde praecipitur vt magistri aperiant discipuli ingrediantur The capitaines of the Churche haue the keyes of knowledge to open the scriptures vnto the people to them committed Therefore commaundemente is giuen that the Maisters should open and the Scholers should enter Sainct Ambrose saieth Remittuntur peccata per dei verbum cuius leuites est interpres Synnes bee forgiuen by the worde of God the expounder whereof is the priest Saint Augustine agreyng with them all saieth Claues est dicenda qua ad fidem pectorum dura reserantur That ought to bee called the keye wherewith the hardnesse of mens heartes is opened vnto faithe Here maie wee see that all the true preachers of Goddes worde are the kepers of those keyes and not the Bishoppe of Rome onely for of hym Christes woordes maie bee verified when he saieth Ye haue taken awaie the keyes of the kyngdome of heauen and neither dooe you enter your selues nor will you suffer others that would enter Of the Popes keyes it is well saied of Veselus Claues Pape praelatorum non aperiunt regnum dei sed claudunt potius The Popes and the prelates keyes dooe not open the kyngdome of God but rather shutte it It was saied generally vnto theim all Go ye into the vniuersall worlde and preache the Gospell vnto euery creature he that beleueth and is Baptized shall bee saued and he that beleueth not shal be condemned In these fewe wordes of our Sauiour Christe twoo thinges are to be considered and marked Firste we doe learne by them that the keyes of the kyngdome of heauen that is to saie the preachyng of the Gospell is committed vnto them all I meane vnto all the Apostles and not to one more then an other Secondly wee learne by theim that to loose is none other thyng but to certifie by Gods woorde the consciences of the true beleuers that their synnes are freely forgiuen thorowe faithe in our Sauiour Christe iesu Whiche thyng beyng doen by the true and faithfull ministers of the Churche here vpon the earth taketh no lesse effecte in all true repentaunte synners then if it were dooen in heauen in the sacred counsaile of the holy and blessed Trinitie And for this cause doeth Christ our sauiour saie What soeuer ye loose here vppon the earth is loosed in heauen Therefore saincte Hierome accordeth herewith saiyng Quaecunque solueritis super terram erunt soluta in caelo Soluant autem eos Apostoli sermone dei testimonijs scripturarum exhortatione virtutum What soeuer thynges ye loose vppon earth thei shall bee loosed in heauen but the Apostles loose them by the woorde of God and by the testimonies of the scriptures and by exhortation vnto vertue Sainct Augustine also saieth Now are you cleane bicause of the worde that I haue spoken vnto you Quare non ait mundi estis propter Baptismum quo loti estis Nisi quia in aqua verbum mundat non quia dicitur sed quia creditur Wherefore saieth he not you are cleane because of the baptisme wherewith ye are washed Sauing that euen in the water it is the worde that maketh cleane Not because it is spoken but because it is beleued Againe he saieth Fides nostra est clauis regni coelorum Our faithe is the key of the kyngdome of heauen Ambrose saieth these woordes Remittuntur peccaeta per verbum dei cuius leuites est interpres Sinnes be forgiuen by the worde of God the expounder whereof is the Leuite or Prieste Therefore S. Paule calleth it Verbum reconciliationis the worde whereby we be reconciled to God. Againe he called it Potentia dei ad salutem omni credenti The power of God vnto saluation to euery one that doeth beleue And on the contrary parte to binde here vpon the earth it is none other thyng but to certifie by the same worde the vnfaithfull synners whiche will giue no eares vnto the glad tidynges of the kyngdome of heauen their synnes are stil in remembraunce before God vnto euerlastyng condemnation because thei will
him He hath set fire and water before thee reache out thy hande vnto which thou wilt They doe herein shewe their ignoraunce if the matter bee waighed for all men knowe this booke is not autenticall nor numbred among the canonicall Scriptures therefore Sainct Hierome saith it is Apochrypha That is to say a thing that is hidden secrete or darke whiche hath no certaine authour or whiche is not autentike that is asmuche to saie as of aucthoritie or bookes which were not receiued by a common consent to be read and expounded publikely in the Church neither yet serued to proue any pointe of christian religioÌ„ saue in asmuch as they had the consent of other Scriptures canonicall to confirme the same or rather whereon thei were grounded But lette vs graunte that it is Canonicall what get thei by it For it maketh nothyng for their purpose For before we declare how it maketh nothyng for their matter we must consider of man what he was before he fell what he was after he fell and what he is when he is regenerated and newe horne againe of the spirite by the will of god If you marke this texte well you shall easily perceiue that he speaketh of man as he was before his fall in his firste estate of his creation and being in his originall innocencie and righteousnes And that doeth sainâ—te Augustine saie whose woordes are these Freewill before the fall was an vpright freewill before which fire and water was laied of God and the first man did reache his hande to whiche he would he did choose fire and forsooke water Sée the righteous iudge the same which man beyng free did choose he did receiue he would haue euill and the same did followe hym Againe he saieth I saie that free-will was in that man whiche was created firste For he was so made that nothyng could with stande his will if he woulde haue kepte Goddes commaundementes but after that he had synned through freewill he did caste vs all that come of his stocke into necessitie Againe he hath these wordes The fault whiche followed the synne and whiche is the punishemente hath tourned libertie into necessitie Againe Man vsyng free-will not well did bothe loose it and hym selfe And in an other place he hath these woordes Verum est magnas arbitrij liberi vires homo cuÌ„conderetur accepit sed peccando amisit It is true saith he that man when he was made did receiue greate strength of freewill but he loste it in synnyng These aucthorities of saincte Augustine doe sufficiently declare how the place that thei alledged out of Ecclesiasticus ought to bee vnderstanded for there doubtlesse the wiseman speaketh of man as he was firste created in the estate of innocencie not as he was with his posteritie after his fall whereby as Augustine saieth All men haue loste their naturall possibilitie and ablenesse and their naturall or originall innocencie And so oughte all the doctours to be vnderstanded when soeuer thei speake of free-will in man for thei speake of that freewill that was in AdaÌ„ before his fall And therefore sainct Augustine when he saith Ad ValentinuÌ„ Si noÌ„ est liberum arbitrium vt mundum iudicat deus If there bee no freewill how shall God iudge the worlde He meaneth there that God shall iudge vs all by his iustice in that freewill that we had in Adam before his fall whiche some men in his tyme did vtterly deny any freewill to bee in Adam at all vpon occasion whereof he saied these wordes to staie the contentions that then was For in an other place he openeth his full mynde and iudgemente saiyng Cum autem de libera voluntate recte faciendi loquimur de illa scilicet in qua homo factus est loquimur That is When wee speake of freewill of doyng well we speake and meane of that freewill in whiche man was first made before his fall And hereto sainct Hierome agreeth writyng vppon Ieremie when he saieth these woordes And therefore the heretiques bee wonte to promise felicitie and to open vnto synners the kingdome of heauen saiyng Thou maiest followe the maiestie of GOD and bee without synne sithe that thou hast receaued the power and strengthe of freewill and the vnderstandyng of the lawe whereby thou art able to obtaine what soeuer thou wilte And so the saied heretiques doe deceiue the poore simple and ignoraunte persons and specially women whiche beyng loden with sinnes are ledde to and fro with euery winde of doctrine deceiuyng by their flatterie all them that giue eares vnto them Here we see that sainct Hierome doth call them all heretiques that saie that men be able by their freewill to dooe bothe good and euill They do further obiect and saie that if man hath not that power of his owne strength to kepe the whole lawe and performe it why then are we commaunded to kepe it vpon paine of dampnation and if for not keepyng wee shal bee punished then are wée punished wrongfully and God shall seeme to bée vnrighteous to giue vs a lawe and to require performaunce of vs of the same when it is not in our powers and freedome to obserue it as â—e commaundeth And againe what neede so many exhortations to turne to hym to beleue hym to heare to repente to amende our liues c. if we haue not a wyll and power of our selues to doe al this And againe God saueth no man againste his will. As to the firste in that God giueth his lawe vnto vs to bee obserued and requireth of vs due fulfillyng of the same and for not doyng of it he will punishe vs he is in all this a iuste and righteous god And in that wée can not fulfill the lawe as it requireth the fault nor hardnesse of it to be kepte is not of God nor yet of the law it selfe for the lawe of it self is easie and so are all the commaundementes of GOD and if any difficultie or hardnesse bee in them it commeth not of the nature and propertie of the commaundementes of God giuen â–ª vnto vs but of the corruption of our owne nature Therefore sâ—inct Paule setteth foorthe this in plaine wordes saiyng What soeuer the law coulde not fulfill in as muche as it was weake because of the fleshe that same did God performe sendyng his sonne in the similitude of synfull fleshe and by synne dampned synne Two thynges are to be learned in Saincte Paules woordes Firste that it commeth not of the lawe that men are not able to fulfill it but of the imbecilitie and weakenesse of the fleshe Secondlie we doe learne that God doeth by his sonne Iesu Christe supplie the same that by reason of the weakenesse of our fleshe wee bee not able to fulfill God therefore is not vnrighteous to aske the performaunce of his commaundementes at our handes although we can not satisfie it accordyngly No more then if I were bounde to paie one
August de vnitate eccle cap. 1. August cont Crâ—â—co Gâ—am lib. 1 cap 33. Be vnitate ecclesiae cap. 16. Chrisost. in Mat. Ho. 49. August de Vnitate eccle cap. 3. In eodem capi Ambro. Hexameron lib. 4. cap. 8. Ephe. 5. Beholde proude Lucifer of Rome Syluester priâ—rias cont Lutherum August cont EpistolaÌ„ fundament cap. 5. August in psal 57. The cause that moued S. August to say hee would not beleue the gospell without the church â—erson lib. de spirituali vita anima lectione 2. Iohn 4. Iohn 1. 1. Peter 3. The true Church hath three offices as touching the worde of God. First 〈◊〉 Seconde office Matth. 28. Third office The aucthotie of the true church doth consist in fourâ— thinges Actes 6. Tim. 3. Titus 1. Hebre. 5. Actes 6. 2. Cor. 11. Matth. 28. 2. Cor. 2. Matth. 18. 1. Cor. 5. 2. Cor. 2. 1. Cor. 14. 1. Thess. 5. 1. Iohn 4. Actes 15. August cont â–ª Maxim. lib. 3. cap. 14. Hieroni. in Epist. ad Ephe. lib. 3. cap. 5. Origen in Episto ad Rom. lib. 10. cap. 16. When the Church can not erre When the Churche can and doth erre The whole vniuersall Church doth neuer fall away from God. Markes of the true Church Why it is called the inuisible Church Iohn 10. â— Tim. 2. 2. Cor. 5. Ephe. 2. Ephâ— 5. August de fiâ—e ad PetruÌ„ cap. 43. Matth. 1â— We must not diuide our selues from the Church because the wicked are among vs The opinion of the Anabaptistes Cyprian de simplicitatâ— praelatoruÌ„ Matth. 3. 2. Tim. 2. Communion of saintes Iohn 15. The forgeuenes of sinnes Galat. 2. Esai 43. Rom. 3. Matth. 1. Actes 4. Barnarde supâ—â— canti Ser. 61. Whence this woord iustificare hath ben borowed and what it signifieth Rom. 4â— â–ª Psal. 32. Iames. 2. Obiection Aunswere Gen. 15. Rom. 4. Hebre. 11. Note this diligently August in lib. 83. questionuÌ„ questio 76. Thomas de Aquino in epist. Iacobi cap. 5. Rom. 4. Psal. 51 â–ª This worde iustificare is taken of S. Paul in one sence and of S. Iames in another Iames. 2. Actes 13. Rom. 3. Ephe. 2. Ephe. 2. Reuel 22. Ambro. de vocatio Gent. lib. 1. cap. 5. Iob. 9. Esai 64. Luk. 17. Origen in Matth. tract â— August in Psal. 94. August Epist. 52. ad Macedon Rom. 5. August in Psal. 137. Hieroni in Esai cap. 64. Origen ad Rom. lib. 4. cap. 4. Origen ad Rom. lib. 9. cap. 10. Barnard super cant Serm. 67. Walden cont Wiclesium Rom. 8. Rom. 10. Obiection Rom. 8. Papistes do call vs Solifidians Aunswere This worde gratis is of as great force as this word â—ola Rom. 3. 1. Peter 1. Rom. 3. Papistes like to Arian heretikes Titus 3. Ephe. 2. The purpose of god doth exclude all â—â—erites from the iustification of man. Rom. 8. Galaâ— 4. Ambro. in epist. ad Rom. cap. 4. Eodem loco In Epist. ad Rom. cap. 9. Theo. de curaÌ„dis graecoruÌ„ affectibus lib. 7. Basil de humilitate Nazianzenus Origen in Epi. ad Rom. cap. 3. lib. 3. Hesychi in Leuiti lib. 4. Chrisost. in Epist. ad Galat. cap. 3. Hieroni. in Epist. ad Rom. cap. 10. Hylari canonâ— nono in Maâ— Obiecttion â–ª Reuel 14. Matth. 10. 1. Cor. 15. Matth. 5. Hebre. 6. Aunswere Gregor Nazi de sancto baptismaâ—e Luk. 17. Hylar in psal â—18 Basil in psal 32. August confession 10. Good works of the papists Esai 1. Good works that god doth require of vs. 1. Peter 2. Matth. 5. Galat. 5. Matth. 25 â–ª Galat. 5. Ephe. 2. Why God doth crowne his giftes in vs August in Psal. 109. August in Psal. 32. â— Cor. 4. Rom. 11. August in quinquagintis Hom. Ho. 14. August in psal 98. psal 70. August in Psal. 107. Barnard super cant Serm. 61. 1. Tim. 6. Psal. 16. A similitude A rewarde neuer stirreth vp the godly to seeke for righteousnesse Gods promises very neâ—ssary to vs all What the nature of merite is Rom. 8. Rom. 3. Phil. 2. Ephe. 2. August in psal 32. The imperfection of our â—wâ— workes Esai 64. August lib. 9. confessione Barnard in Serm. omniuÌ„ sanctoruÌ„ 1. Esai 64. Psal. 14.3 A similitude Marke this well August â–ª in psal 31 â–ª Luk. 18. A sylogisme Iohn 15. Matth. 9. Iohn 7. August in tract 33. Iohn 1. Obiection Iohn 20. Aunswere Three maner of powers to forgiue sinne Esai 43. â—zech 18. Luk. 5. Hieroni. in Matth. cap. 16. Senten 4. distinct 18. nec ideo August in psal 101. Hieroni. in Matth. cap. 16. Actes 3. Beatus Reuanus in argum libelli Tertul. de poenitentia Distinct. 1. de poenitentia in Gloss. Petr. Sâ—ten 4. dist 17. quid ergo â–ª De poenit dist 1. quidam Chrisost. in psal 50. Hom. 2. Hom. de praenit confessione Matth. 6. Coloâ—s 3. Psal. 103. Obiection Phil. 3. Aunswere Certaintie of our saluation Rom. 8. Iob. 13. Iob. 19. Psal. 70. Tertul. cont Martio lib. 5. Cypr. de mortalit Sermo 4. Prosper de promiss praedictio dei par 1. cap. 16. August de verbis Dorm Serm. 28. August in Io. tract 22. Basil. de humilitate Ambro. de Iaco. vita beatâ— Barn. in canti cantico Ser. 61. Cypr. de simpli praelato Matth. 28. Iames. 1. Gen. â— Deut. 29. Eeze. 36. 11. Psal. 51. Iere. 32. Iere. 31. Iere. 10. Prou. 21. Psal. 119. Iohn 3. Iohn 6. Matth. 16. Iohn 6. 1. Cor. 2. 2. Cor. 3. Phil. 2. Rom. 9. 2. Cor. 3. Iohn 8. What we are as long as we are without the spirite of god 2. Cor. 3. The definition of free wyl after S. August 1. Cor. 15. Galat. 2. Obiection Eccle. 15. Gen. 1. Iere. 1. Aunswere What this worde Apocrypha is Canon is a Greke word and signifieth a rule to do any thing by or to trye any matter or proue the spirites by to leade our lyues by Iohn 3. August de canâ—ico none â–ª cap. 8. Cont. fortu disput 11. Lib. de perfect iusticiae In enâ—heridioÌ„ ad Laur. ca. 30 August de verbis apost Serm. 2. Loke for mo â–ª aucthorities in my booke called the poore mans Garden for this matter De eccl. dogm cap. 32. Enchirid. ad Lauren. ca. 30. The fathers speake of mans free-will before the fall whensoeuer they speake or write of freewyll in man. August ad Valen. Epi. 46. August lib. 2. cap. 18. de libero arbitrio in lib. 1. Retract Hieroni. in Iere. cap. 23. Obiection Aunswere Rom. 8. Two things to be learned in s. Pâ—ules sayinges A similitude Matth. 18. Deut. 6. Rom. 8. The lawe hath mo ends then one Galat. .3 Galat. 3. Rom. 10. Galat. 3. Epist. 200. aâ— AsellicuÌ„ August de correptione gratia cap. 3. Epist. 157. ad OptatuÌ„ August iâ— psal 11â— Commaundements and exhortations proue not the libertie of wyll Actes 15. Ephe. 6. Ephe. 4. 1. Thess. 1. 2. Cor. â— Actes 17. Matth. 9. August in solutionibus quest Hylaâ—iâ— quest 1. in Epist. 89. Libro 10. confeâ—sion ca.