grefe that no feare of God might trouble theÌ„ yet the iudgement of God so presseth them that they can not atteyne that whiche they desire So there is nothyng to withstande but that God maye exercise them that be his to humilitiâ— that in fightyng valiantly they maye restrayne themselues vnder the bridle of modestie And by the processe of the texte it appereth that this was the entent of the Apostle where he assigneth the cause of feare and tremblyng to be the good pleasure of God whereby he geueth to them that be his bothe to will wel and valiantly to goe through with it According to this meaning ought we to take that sayeng of the Prophete The children of Israel shal feare God and his godnesse bicause not only godlinesse engeÌ„dreth the reuerence of God but the very swetenesse and pleasant taste of grace filleth man beyng discouraged in himself with feare and admiratioÌ„ to make him hange vpon God and humbly yeld himselfe subiect to his power Yet we do not herby make roome to that most pestileÌ„t Philosophie whiche many halfe papistes at this daye beginne to coyne in corners For bicause they caÌ„ not defende that grosse doubtfulnesse which hath ben taught in Scholes thei flie to an other deuise to make a confideÌ„ce mingled with distrustfulnesse Thei confesse that so oft as we loke vnto Christ â–ª we finde in him full mater to hope well but bicause we are alwayes vnworthy of those good things that are offred vs in Christ they would haue vs to wauer stagger in beholding of our owne vnworthinesse Briefely they place conscience to betwene hope feare that it altereth from the one to the other by enterchangeable times courses and they so compare fayth hope together that when the one springeth vp the other is pressed downe wheÌ„ the one ariseth the othre againe falleth So wheÌ„ Satan seeth that those open engines wherwith before time he was wont to destroy the assurednesse of faith do now nothing preuaile he endeuoreth by croked vndermininges to ouerthrow it But what manner of coÌ„fidence shal that be which shal now then yeld to desperatioÌ„ If say they thou coÌ„sider Christ there is assured saluatioÌ„ but if thou returne to thy self there is assured daÌ„nation Therefore of necessitie distrust and good hope must by enterchaÌ„geable courses reigne in thy minde As though we ought to imagine Christ standyng a far of and not rather dwellyng within vs. For therefore we loke for saluation at his hande not bycause he appereth a far of vnto vs but bicause he hath graffed vs into his bodye and so maketh vs partakers not only of all his good thinges but also of himself Therefore I thus turne this their argument against themselues If thou consider thy self there is certaine damnation But bicause Christ with all his good thinges is by way of coÌ„municatyng so geuen vnto thee that all his thinges are made thine and thou arte made a member of him yea all one with him his righteousnesse drowneth thy sinnes his saluation taketh awaye thy damnation he by his worthynesse coÌ„meth betwene thee and God that thy vnworthynesse come not in the sight of God Briefely this is the truthe we ought neyther to separate Christ from vs nor vs from him but with bothe handes to holde fast that felowshippe whereby he hath coupled himselfe vnto vs. So the Apostle teacheth vs The body in deede sayth he is dead by reason of sinne but the Spirit of Christ that dwelleth in you is life for righteousnesse According to these mens trifeling deuise he should haue said Christ in deede hath life with himself but you as you be sinners remayne subiect to death and damnation But he sayth far otherwise For he teacheth that that damnatioÌ„ which we deserue of our 〈◊〉 â–ª is swalowed vp by the saluation of Christ and 〈…〉 the same reason that I haue alleged bicause Christ is not 〈◊〉 vs but dwelleth within vs and cleaueth vnto vs not only with â—â—diuidable knot of felowshippe but with a certaine maruellous communion dayly more and more groweth with vs into one body till he be made altogether one with vs. And yet I denie not as I haue sayd a litle before that sometime there happen certaine iâ—â—erruptions of fayth as the weakenesse thereof is amonge violent sodeine motions bowed hether or thether So in the thicke miste of teÌ„tations the ligâ—â— thereof is choked but what so euer happeneth it cesseth not from endeuour to seke God And no otherwise doth Bernarde argue when he purposely entreateth of this question in his .v. Homelie in the Dedication of the temple Oftentimes I say by the benefite of God studieng vpon the soule me thinkes I finde in it two thinges as it were contrarie If I behold the soule it selfe as it is in it selfe and of it selfe I can saye nothyng more truely of it than that it is vtterly brought to nought What neede I nowe to recken vp particularly all the miseries of the soule how it is loaden with sinnes couered with darknesse entangled with deceitfull enticementes itchyng with lustes subiect to passions filled with illusions alwaye enclined to euell bent to all kindes of vice finally full of shame and confusion Now if al the very righteousnesses of it beynge loked vpon by the light of truthe be founde like a clothe stayned with floures then what shall the vnrighteounesses thereof be accompted If the light that is in vs be darkenesse how great shal the very darkenesse be What then without doubte man is made like vnto vanitie man is brought to nought man is nothing But how theÌ„ is he vtterly nothing whome God doth magnifie How then is he nothyng toward whome Gods heart is set Brethren let vs take heart againe Though we be nothing in our owne heartes peraduenture there maye somewhat of vs lie hidden in the heart of God O father of mercies O father of the miserable howe doest thou set thy heart toward vs For thy heart is where thy treasure is But howâ—â—e we thy treasure if we be nothyng All nations are so before thee as yf they were not they shal be reputed as nothyng Euen before thee not within thee so in the iudgement of thy truth but not in the affection of thy pitie Thou callest those thinges that are not as though they were Therefore bothe they are not bicause thou callest those things that are not and also they are bycause thou callest them For though they are not in respect of theÌ„selues yet with thee they are according to that sayeng of Paule not of the workes of righteousnesse but of him that calleth And then he sayth that this couplyng together of bothe consideracions is maruellous Truely those thinges that are knit together do not the one destroye the other Which also in the coÌ„clusion he more plainely declareth in these wordes Now if with both these consideracioÌ„s we diligently loke vpon our selues what we be yea in the one consideracioÌ„
studye to loue and honor him withall oure harte ¶ The .xv. Chapter What a one man was created wherin there is entreated of the powers of the soule of the image of God of free wyll and of the first integritie of nature NOw must we speake of the creation of mā not only because he is among all the workes of God the moste noble and most excellente example of his iustice wisdome and goodnesse but also because as we said in the beginning we cannot plainly and perfectly know God vnlesse we haue wtall a mutuall knowledge of our selues Although the same knowledge be of two sortes the one to knowe what we were created at the first beginning the other to know what our estate began to be after the fall of Adam for it were but to smal profit for vs to knowe our creation vnlesse we did also in this lamentable fall knowe what is the corruption and deformitie of our nature yet at this time we wil be contente with descriptiō of our nature when it was pure And before we descende to this miserable estate wherunto man is nowe in thraldome it is good to learne what a one he was created at the beginning For we must take hede that in precisely declaring only the natural euils of man we seme not to impute them to the author of nature For vngodlinesse thinketh her self to haue sufficient defense in this color if it may lay for her selfe that whatsoeuer fault she hath the same did after a certaine maner procede from God sticketh not if she be accused to quarell with God and to lay the fault vpō him wherof she is worthely accused And they that would seme to speake somwhat more reuerently of the maiestie of God yet do willingly seke to excuse their own wickednesse by nature not considering that therin though not openly they blame God also to whoe 's reproche it shoulde fall if it were proued that there is any fault in nature Sith then we see that our fleshe gapeth for all the wayes to escape wherby she thynketh the blame of her own euils may any way be put of frō her we muste diligently trauail to mete with this mischiefe Therefore we must so handle the calamitie of mankinde that we cut of all excuse and deliuer the iustice of God from al accusation Afterwarde in place conueniente we shall see howe far men be nowe from that purenesse that was geuen to Adam And first we must remember that in this that man was taken out of earth and claye a bridle was putte vppon his pride for there is no greater absurditie than for them to glory in their excellencye that do not onely dwell in a cotage of clay but also are themselues in parte but earth and ashes But forasmuche as God did not onely vouchesaue to geue life vnto an earthen vessell but also it was his pleasure that it shoulde be the dwelling house of an immortall Spirite Adam might iustly glory in so great liberalitie of his maker Now it is not to be doubted that man consisteth of soule body and by the name of soule I meane an immortall essence and yet created whiche is the nobler parte of him Sometime it is called the Spirite Albeit whē these two names Soule and Spirite are ioyned together they differ one from the other in signification yet when Spirite is sett by it selfe it meaneth as muche as Soule As when Salomon speaking of death sayeth that then the Spirite returneth to him that gaue it And Chryste commending his Spirite to his father and Stephen his Spirite to Chryst doe both meane none other thing but that when the soule is deliuered from the prison of the fleshe God is the perpetual keper of it As for them that imagine that the Soule is therfore called a Spirite because it is a breath or a power by god inspired or poured into bodyes which yet hath no essence both the thing it selfe and all the Scripture sheweth that they do to much grosly erre True it is that while men are fastened to the earth more than they oughte to bee they waxe dull yea because they are estranged from the Father of lightes they are blinded with darkenesse so that they do not thinke vpon thys that they shal remaine aliue after death And yet is not that lighte so quēched in darkenesse but that they be touched with some feling of immortalitie Surely the conscience which discerning betwene good and euil answereth the iudgement of God is an vndouted signe of an immortal Spirite For how could a motion without essēce atteine to come to the iudgement seate of God and throwe it selfe into feare by finding her own giltinesse For the body is not moued with feare of a Spiritual peine but that falleth only vpō the soule Wherby it foloweth that the soule hath an essence Moreouer the very knowledge of God doth proue that the soules which ascende vp aboue the world are immortal for a vanishing liuelinesse wer not able to atteine to the fountaine of lyfe Finalli forasmuch as so many excellent giftes wherwith mans minde is endowed do cry out that there is some diuine thing engrauen it there are euen so many testimonies of an immortal essence For that sense which is in brute beastes goeth not out of the body or at lest extendeth no further than to thyngs presently set before it But the nimblenesse of the minde of man which veweth the heauen and earth secretes of nature and comprehending all ages in vnderstandyng and memory digesteth euery thyng in order and gathereth thynges to come by thinges past doth playnly shewe that there lyeth hydden in man a certayne thing seuerall from the body We conceiue by vnderstanding the inuisible God and Angelles which the body can not doe We know thynges that be right iuste and honest which are hidden from the bodily senses Therefore it muste nedes be that the Spirite is the seate of thys vnderstandyng Yea and our slepe it selfe which astonieth a man and semeth to take life away frō him is a plaine witnesse of immortalitie forasmuch as it doth not only minister vnto vs thoughtes of those thinges that neuer were done but also foreknowinges of things for time to come I touch these thinges shortly which euen prophane writers do excellently sette oute with more gorgeous garnishment of wordes but with the godly reders a simple putting in minde of them shall be sufficient Nowe if the soule were not a certayne thing by it selfe seuerall from the body the Scripture would not teache that we dwell in houses of clay that by death we remoue out of the Tabernacle of the flesh that we do put of that which is corruptible that finally at the last day we may receiue rewarde euery man as he hathe behaued hymselfe in hys bodye For these places and other that we do eche where cōmonly light vpon do not only manifestly destinguish the soule from the body but also in geuing to the soule the name of
bicause the Lord hath determined to haue mercie vpoÌ„ men to this ende that they shuld repeÌ„t he teacheth men whether they shall trauaile if they will obteine grace Therfore so long as we shall dwell in the pryson of our body we must continually wrastle with the vices of our corrupt flesh yea with our own naturall soule Plato sayth in certayne places that the life of a Phylosopher is a meditation of death but we may more truely say that the life of a Christian maÌ„ is a perpetuall studie and exercise of mortifieng the fleshe till it beyng vtterly slayue the Spirit of God get the dominion in vs. Therefore I thinke that he hath much profited that hath learned much to mislyke himself not that he should sticke faste in â—hat myre and goe no further but rather that he should haste and long toward God that being graffed into the death life of Christ he should studie vpon a continuall repentance as truely they can not otherwise do that haue a naturall hatred of sinne for no man euer hated sinne vnlesse he were first in loue with righteousnesse This doctrine as it was most simple of all other so I thought it beste to agree with thâ— truthe of the Scripture Nowe that Repentance is a singular gift of God I thinke it be so wel knowen by the doctrine aboue taught that I neede not to repete a long discourse to proue it agayne Therfore the church prayseth and hath in admiratioÌ„ the benefit of God that he hath geuen the Gentiles repentance vnto saluation And Paule commaundyng Timothee to be patieÌ„t and milde toward the vnbeleuers sayth If at any time God geue them repentance that they maye repent from the snares of the Deuel God in deede affirmeth that he willeth the conuersion of al meÌ„ and directeth his exhortations generally to all men but the effectual workyng therof hangeth vpon the Spirit of regeneration Bicause it were more easy to create vs men than of our owne power to put on a better nature Therfore in the whole course of regeneration we are not without cause called the worke of God created to good workes which he hath prepared that we should walke in them Whom soeuer the lordes will is to deliuer from death those he quickeneth with the Spirit of regeneration not that repentance is properly the cause of saluation but bycause it is alredy seen that it is vnseparable froÌ„ fayth and from the mercie of God sithe as Esaye testifieth there is a redemer come to him and to those that in Iacob are returned from their wickednesse This truely standeth stedfastly determined that were so euer liueth the feare of God there the Spirite hath wrought vnto the saluation of man Therfore in Esaie when the faithful complaine and lament that they are forsaken of God they recken this as a token of beyng reprobates that their heartes were hardened by God The Apostle also meanyng to exclude apostataes from hope of saluation apointeth this reason that it is impossible for them to be renewed vnto repentance bicause God in renewyng them whom he wil not haue perish sheweth a tokeÌ„ of his fatherly fauour and in a maÌ„ner draweth them vnto him with the beames of his cherefull and mery contenaÌ„ce on the other side with hardenyng them he thundereth agaynst the reprobate whose wickednesse is vnpardonable Whiche kinde of vengeance the Apostle threateneth to wilfull apostataes whiche when they depart from the faith of the Gospell do make a scorne of God reprochefully despise his grace and defile treade vnder feete the bloud of Christ yea as much as in them is they crucifie him agayne For he doth not as some fondly rigorous men would haue it cut of hope of pardon from all wilfull sinnes but teacheth that apostasie is vnworthy of all excuse so that it is no maruell that God doth punish a contempt of himself so full of sacrilege with vnappeasable rigour For he sayth that it is impossible that they which haue ones ben enlightened haue tasted of the heauenly gift haue ben made partakers of the holy ghost haue tasted of the good word of God the powers of the world to come yf they fall shuld be renewed to repeÌ„tance crucifiyng againe of newe and makyng a scorne of the sonne of God Againe in an other place If sayth he we willingly sinne after knowledge of the truth receyued there remayneth no more sacrifice for sinnes but a certayne dreadfull expectation of iudgement c. These also be the places out of the wroÌ„g vnderstandyng wherof the Nouatians in old time haue gathered matter to play the mad men with whose rigorousnesse certaine good meÌ„ beyng offended beleued this to be a counterfait Epistle in the Apostles name whiche yet in all partes doth truely fauour of an Apostolike spirite But bycause we contend with none but with theÌ„ that allowe it it is easy to shewe how these sentences do nothing mainteine their errour Firste it is necessarie that the Apostle agree with his maister whiche affirmeth that all sinne and blasphemie shal be forgeueÌ„ except the sinne agaynst the holy Ghost which is not forgeuen neyther in this world nor in the world to come It is certaine I saye that the Apostle was contented with this exception vnlesse we will make him an aduersarie to the grace of Christ. Whereupon foloweth that pardon is denied to no special offenses but only to one whiche procedyng of a desperate rage can not be ascribed to weakenesse and openly sheweth that a man is possessed of the Deuell But to discusse this it behoueth to enquire what is that same so horrible offense that shall haue no forgeuenesse Whereas Augustine in one place defineth it an obstinate stifnesse euen vnto death with despeire of pardon that doth not well agree with the very wordes of Christ thaâ— it shall not be forgeuen in this world For eyther that is spoken in vaine or it maye be coÌ„mitted in this life But if Augustines definition be true then it is not committed vnlesse it continue euen vnto death Wheras some other saye that he sinneth against the holy ghost that enuieth the grace bestowed vpon his brother I see not froÌ„ whense that is fetched But let vs bring a true definitioÌ„ which beyng ones proued with sure testimonies shall easily by it selâ—e ouerthrowe all the reste I saye therefore that they sinne agaynst the holy ghost which of set purpose resist the truthe of God with brightnesse wherof they are so daseled that they can not pretend ignorance whiche they do only to this ende to resâ—st For Christe meanynge to expounde that whiche he had sayd immediatly addeth He that speaketh a worde agaynst the sonne of man it shal be forgeueÌ„ him but he that blasphemeth agaynst the holy ghost shal not be forgeuen And Matthew for the blasphemie against the holy Spirit putteth the spirit of blasphemie But how can a maÌ„ speake a reproche against the
none receiue frute of the benifites of Christ but thei that lift vp theyr mindes to the resurrectioÌ„ For Paul setteth vp this marke to the faithful toward which he saith that he endeuoreth forgetteth al things til he coÌ„ to it And so much the more cherfulli ought we to trauail toward it least if this world wthold vs we suffer greuous punishmeÌ„t for our slothfulnesse Wherfore in an other place he marketh the faithful with this mark that their conuersatioÌ„ is in heaueÌ„ froÌ„ wheÌ„se also thei loke for their sauiour And that their courages shoulde not faint in this race he ioyneth al creatures companions with them For bicause euery where ar seen deformed ruines he saith that al things in heauen earth doe endeuour the renewing For sith Adam by his fal dissolued the perfect ordre of nature to the creatures their bondage is peineful greuous whervnto they are subiect by reasoÌ„ of the sinne of maÌ„ not for that thei are endued with any feling but for that they naturally couet the perfect estate froÌ„ which they are fallen Therfore Paul saith that thei grone are as in peine of childe bearing that we to whom are geuen the first frutes of the Spirit may be ashamed to pyne awaie in our corruption not at the least to folow the dead elements which beare peine of an others sinne And the more to pricke vs forward he calleth the last coÌ„ming of Christ our redemption It is true in dede that al the partes of our redemption are already fulfilled but bicause Christ hath ones ben offered for sinnes he shall be seen againe without sinne vnto saluacion With what miseries soeuer we be pressed let this redeÌ„ptioÌ„ susteine vs eueÌ„ vntill the performaÌ„ce of it The very weight of the thing it self shal whet our endeuor For neither doth Paul wtout cause affirme that the whole gospel is void deceitful vnlesse the dead do rise again bicause our state shold be more miserable thaÌ„ the state of al men namly sith we lieng open to the hatredes reproches of many are euery houre in danger yea are as shepe appointed to the slaughter therfore the authoritie therof shold fal away not only in one part but also in the whole suÌ„me whiche bothe our adoptioÌ„ the effect of our saluacioÌ„ coÌ„teineth And so let vs be hedefully bent to this most earnest thing of al that no coÌ„tinuance of time may make vs wery For which purpose I haue differred to this place that whiche I had breefely to entreate of it that the readers may learne when thei haue receiued Christe the author of their saluatioÌ„ to rise vp hier may knowe that he is clothed with heauenly immortalitie glorie that the whole body may be made lyke fashioned to the heade as also the holy ghost oftentimes setteth forthe in his persoÌ„ an exaÌ„ple of the resurrectioÌ„ It is a thing harde to be beleued the bodies when thei haue been coÌ„sumed with rottennesse shal at their appointed time rise vp againe Therfore where many of the Philosophers haue affirmed soules to be iÌ„mortal the resurrectioÌ„ of the flesh hath ben allowed of few wherin although ther was no excuse yet we ar thereby put in minde that it is to harde a thing to draw mans senses to beleue it That faith may ouercome so great a stoppe the scriptur ministreth two helpes the one is in the likenes of Christ the other is the almightines of god Nowe so oft as the resurrectioÌ„ is thought of let the image of Christ come into our mindes which in the nature that he toke of vs so ranne out the race of mortal life that now hauing obteined immortalitie he is to vs a pledge of the resurrectioÌ„ to coÌ„ For in the miseries wherw t we ar beseged we carie about his mortifieng in our flesh that his life may be openli shewed in vs. And we may not seuer him froÌ„ vs neither can we possibly but that he must be torne in sunder WhervpoÌ„ coÌ„meth that argument of Paul If the deade do not rise againe then neither is Christ risen again bicause verily he taketh that principle for coÌ„fessed the Christ was not made subiect to death nor obteined victorie of death by rising againe priuately for him self but that that was begone in the heade which must nedes be fulfilled in al the membres accordinge to the degree ordre of euery one For it were not right that thei shold in al pointes be made egal with him It is said in the Psalm Thou shalt not suffer thy meke one to see corruptioÌ„ Although a portioÌ„ of this trust perteine to vs according to the measure of gift yet the ful effect hath not appeared but in Christ whiche being free froÌ„ all rotting hath receiued againe his body whole Now least the felowship of blessed resurrectioÌ„ with Christ shold be doutful to vs that we may be contented with this pledge Paul expresly affirmeth that he therfore sitteth in heauen shal come at the last day a iudge that he may make oure base and vile body like fashioned to his glorious body In an other place also he teacheth that God raysed not vp his sonne froÌ„ death to the entent to shew a token of his power but to stretche out the same effectual force of the Spirit toward vs which are faithful whome he therefore calleth life while he liueth in vs bycause he was geuen to this ende that he sholde make aliue that which is mortall in vs. I knit vp in a brefe abridgement those things which might both be more largely handled ar worthâ— to be more gorgeously set out yet I trust that the godli readers shal in few words fiÌ„de matter enough which mai suffice to edifie their faith Christ therfore is risen again that he might haue vs coÌ„panions of the life to come He was raised vp of the father in so much as he was the head of the church froÌ„ which he doth in no wise suffer himself to be plucked away He was raised vp by the power of the Spirit which is common to vs vnto the office of quickening Finally he was raised vp that he shold be resurrection liâ—e But as we haue saide that in this miroure there is to be seen of vs a liuely image of the resurrection so let it be to vs a sure substance to stay our minde so that yet we be not lotheful or wery of longe tarieng bycause it is not our part to measure the seasons of times by our will but patiently to rest til God at his owne fit time repaire his kingdome To which purpose semeth the exhortatioÌ„ of Paul The first frutes is Christ then thei that are Christes euery one in his ordre But yâ— no questioÌ„ shold be moued of the resurrection of Christ vpoÌ„ which the resurrection of vs all is founded we se by how many how diuerse meanes he hath made it approued
also they fele the effect of his resurrection in the quicknyng of the Spirite Herupon he gathereth mater of exhortation that if we be Christians we ought to be dead to sinne and to lyue to righteousnesse This selfe same argument he vseth in an other place that we be circumcised and haue put of the olde man sins that we bee buried in Christ by Baptisme And in this sense in the same place which we haue before alleged he called it the washyng of regeneration of renewing Therfore first free forgeuenesse of sinnes and imputation of righteousnesse is promised vs and then the grace of the Holy ghoste whiche may reforme vs into newnesse of life Last of all our Faith receiueth also this profite of Baptisme that it certainly testifieth vnto vs that we are not only graffed into the death and life of Christ but that we are so vnited to Christ hymselfe that we are partakers of all his good thynges For therfore he hath dedicated and halowed Baptisme in his owne body that he might haue it cōmon with vs as a most strong bonde of the vnitie and felowshyp which he vouchsaued to entre into with vs so that Paul proueth therby that we be the children of God because we haue put on Christ in Baptisme So we see that the fulfillyng of Baptisme is in Christ whome also for this reason we call the propre obiect of Baptisme Therfore it is no meruaile if it be reported that the Apostles baptised into his name which yet wer commaunded to baptise into the name of the Father also and of the Holy ghost For whatsoeuer giftes of God are set foorth in Baptisme are founde in Christ alone And yet it can not be but that he whiche baptiseth into Christ do therwithall call vppon the name of the Father and of the Holy ghost For we are therfore cleansed with his blood because the merciful Father accordyng to his incomparable kyndnesse willing to receiue vs into fauor hath set him a mediator in the middest to procure to vs fauor with him But regeneration we so only obteyne by his death and resurrection if beyng sanctified by the Spirite we be endued with a new and spirituall nature Wherfore both of our cleansyng regeneration we obteine after a certaine maner distinctly perceiue the cause in the Father the mater in the Sonne and the effect in the Holy ghost So Iohn first baptised so afterwarde the Apostles with the baptisme of repentance into the forgeuenesse of sinnes meanyng by this worde repentance suche regeneration and by forgeuenesse of sinnes washyng Whereby also it is made moste certaine that the ministerie of Iohn was altogether the same which was afterwarde committed to the Apostles For the diuers handes wherewith it is ministred make not the Baptisme diuers but the same doctrine sheweth it to be the same Baptisme Iohn and the Apostles agreed into one doctrine bothe baptised into repentance bothe into the forgeuenesse of sinnes bothe into the name of Christe from whome was bothe repentance and forgeuenesse of sinnes Iohn saied that he was the lambe of God by whome the sinnes of the worlde shoulde be taken away where he made him the Sacrifice acceptable to the Father the propitiator of righteousnesse the author of saluation What coulde the Apostles adde to this confession Wherfore let it trouble no man that the olde writers labor to seuer the one from the other whoe 's voice we oughte not so muche to esteme that it may shake the certaintie of the Scripture For who will rather harkē to Chrysostome denyeng that forgeuenesse of sinnes was comprehended in the Baptisme of Iohn than to Luke contrarywyse affirming that Iohn preached the Baptisme of repentance into the forgeuenesse of sinnes Neither is that suttletie of Augustine to be receyued that in the Baptisme of Iohn sinnes were forgeuen in hope but in the Baptisme of Christ they are forgeuen in dede For where as the Euangelist plainly testifieth that Iohn in his Baptisme promised the forgeuenesse of sinnes what nede we to abate this title of commendation when no necessitie compelleth vs vnto it But if any man seke for a difference out of the worde of God he shall fynd none other but this that Iohn baptised into hym that was to come the Apostles into hym that had already presented himselfe As for this that more abundant graces of the Spirite were poured out sins the resurrection of Christ it maketh nothyng to stablishe a diuersitie of Baptismes For the Baptisme which the Apostles ministred while he was yet conuersant in earth was called his yet it had no larger plentifulnesse of the Spirite than the Baptisme of Iohn Yea euē after his ascēsion the Spirit was not geuen to the Samaritans aboue the common measure of the Faithfull before the ascension althoughe they were baptised into the name of Iesus till Peter Iohn wer sent vnto them to lay theyr hands vpon them This only thyng as I think deceiued the old writers that they said that the Baptisme of Iohn was but a preparation to the baptisme of Christ because they red that they were baptised againe of Paul which had ones receiued the baptisme of Iohn But howe muche they were herein deceiued shall ells where be plainely declared in place fitte for it What is it therfore that Iohn said that he baptised in dede with water but that Christ should come whiche should baptise with the Holy ghoste and with fyre This maye in fewe wordes be assoiled For he meant not to put difference betwene the one Baptisme and the other but he compared his own person with the person of Christ saiyng that himselfe was a minister of water but that Christ was the geuer of the Holy ghost and should declare this power by visible miracle the same day that he should sende the Holy ghost to the Apostles vnder fyry tonges What coulde the Apostles boast of more than this What more could they also that baptise at this day For they be onely ministers of the outwarde signe and Christ is the author of the inward grace as the same olde writers thēselues do euery where teach and specially Augustine whose principal stay agaynst the Donatistes is this that what a one soeuer he be that baptizeth yet only Christ is ruler of it These thynges which we haue spoken bothe of mortification and of washyng are shadowed out in the people of Israell whom for the same cause the Apostle sayth to haue ben baptised in the cloude and in the sea Mortifiyng was figured when the Lorde deliueryng them oute of the hande of Pharao and from cruell bondage made for them a waye thorough the redde sea and drowned Pharao hymselfe and the Egyptiās their enemies that folowed them hard at their backes and were euen in their neckes to ouertake them For after the same maner also he promiseth to vs in Baptisme and by a signe geuen sheweth vs that we
chaunge dothe shewe that beyng compelled by heauenly authoritie he nowe maynteyneth that doctrine whiche before he had fought agaynst Nowe lette these dogges denye that the holy ghoste came downe vpon the Apostles or lette theym discredite the hystorie yet styll the truthe it selfe openly crieth out that they were taughte by the holye ghoste whyche beynge before tyme despised men amonge the raskall people sodeynly began so gloriousely to entreate of heauenly mysteries There bee yet also furthermore many very good reasons why the consente of the churche shoulde not be esteemed without weyght For it is to be accompted no smalle matter that syns the scripture was first publyshed the wylles of so many ages haue constantly agreed to obey it And that howe soeuer Sathan with all the worlde hath trauayled by meruaylous meanes eyther to oppresse it or ouerthrowe it or vtterly to blotte and deface it oute of mennes remembraunce yet euer styl like a palme tree it hath rysen vp aboue and remayned inuincible For there hath not lyghtly ben in olde tyme any sophister or Rhetorician that had any more excellent witte than other but he hath bente his force agaynst this scripture yet they all haue nothyng preuayled The whole power of the earthe hath armed it selfe to destroye it and yet all their enterprises are vanished away as in smoke Nowe coulde it haue resysted beyng so myghtyly on eche syde assayled yf it hadde had none other defence but mannes Yea rather it is hereby proued that it came from God hymselfe that all the trauayles of men stryuynge againste it yet it hath of her owne power styll rysen vp Besyde that not one citie alone nor one onely nation hathe agreed to receiue and embrace it but so farre as the worlde extendethe in lengthe and breadth the scripture hath atteyned her credite by one holye conspiracie of diuers nations whiche otherwyse were in nothynge agreable one with an other And forasmuche as suche agreement of myndes so dyuers and disagreyng in maner in all thynges elles ought muche to moue vs because it appeareth that the same is brought about none other way but by woorkyng of the heauenly maiestie no smalle estimation groweth vnto it when we beholde theyr godlynesse that doo so agree I meane not of them all but onely of those with whom as with lyghtes it pleased God to haue his churche to shyne Nowe with what assurednesse of myde ought we to submitte vs to that doctrine whiche we see stablished and witnessed with the bloude of so mayne holye menne They when they hadde but ones receaued it sticked not boldely without feare yea and with greate cherefulnesse to dye for it howe shoulde it then come to passe that wee hauynge it conueyed to vs with suche an assured pledge shoulde not with certayn and vnmouable persuasion take holde of it It is therfore no small confirmation of the scripture ▪ that it hath ben sealed with the bloud so many witnesses specially when we consider that they suffred deth to beare witnesse of their faith and not of a frentike distemperance of brayne as somtyme the erronious spirites are wont to do but with a firme and constant and yet sobre zeale of God There be other reasons and those not fewe nor weake whereby the Scripture hath her dignitie and maiestie not onely ascertayned vnto godly hartes but also honourably defended agaynst the subtilties of cauillers yet be they suche as be not of them selues sufficiently auaylable to bryng stedfast credite vnto it vntyll the heauenly father disclosyng therin his maiestie doothe bryng the reuerence therof out of all controuersie Wherfore then only the scripture shall suffise to that knowledge of God that bryngeth saluation when the certayntie therof shall be grounded vpon the inwarde persuasion of the holy ghoste So those testimonies of men that serue to confirme it shall not be vaine if as seconde healpes of our weaknesse they folowe that chiefe and hyest testimonie But they doo fondly that will haue it perswaded by proofe to the unfaithfull that the scripture is the woorde of God whiche can not be knowen but by faith For good reason therfore dooth Augustine geue warnyng that godlynesse and peace of mynde ought to go before to make a man vnderstande somwhat of so greate matters ¶ The .ix. Chapter ¶ That those fanaticall men which forsakyng scripture resort vnto reuelation doo ouerthrowe all the principles of godlynesse NOwe they that forsaking the Scripture doo imagine I wote not what waie to attayne vnto God are to bee thought not so muche to be holden with errour as to be caried with rage For there haue arisen of late certain giddy brained men whiche moste presumptuously pretendyng a schoole of the spirite bothe them selues doo forsake all readyng and also doo scorne their simplicitie whiche still folowe the dead and slaying letter as they call it But I would fayne knowe of these men what spirite that is by whose inspiration they are caried vp so hye that they dare despise the doctrine of the scripture as chyldishe and base For yf they answere that it is the spirite of Christ then suche carelesnesse is woorthye to bee laughed at For I thynke they will graunte that the Apostles of Christe and other faithfull in the primitiue churche were lightned with none other spirite But none of them dyd learne of that spirite to despise the worde of God but rather euery one was moued more to reuerence it as their writynges doo most playnly witnesse And surely so was it foretold by the mouthe of Esaie For where he saythe My spirite that is vppon thee and my woordes whyche I haue putte in thy mouthe shall not departe oute of thy mouthe nor oute of the mouthe of thy seede for euer he dooth not bynde the olde people to the outwarde doctrine as thoughe they were sette to learne to spelle but rather he teacheth that this shal be the true and perfecte felicitie of the newe churche vnder the reigne of Christe that it shall no lesse be ledde by the voyce of God than by the spirite of god Wherby we gather that these lewde menne with wycked sacrilege dooe seuer asunder those thynges that the Prophete hathe ioyned with an inuiolable knotte Moreouer Paule beeynge rauysshed vp into the thyrde heauen yet ceassed not to goe forwarde in the doctrine of the law and the Prophetes euen so as he exhorteth Timothe a doctour of singular excellence to apply readyng And worthie is that commendation to be remembred wherwith he setteth foorthe the scripture sayeng that it is profytable to teache to admonysshe and to reproue that the seruantes of God maye bee made perfecte Howe dyuelyshe a madnesse is it to fayne that the vse of scripture is but transitorye and lasteth but for a whyle whiche in dede guydeth the chyldren of God euen to the laste ende Agayne I woulde haue them answere me this whether they haue tasted of an other spirite than that whiche the Lord promysed to his
and as the truth is in dede he wil vnderstande that he is by the wyll of God bounde to theÌ„ by whoe 's hand it was gods wil to be benefitial vnto hym If he suffer any losse by negligence or want of foresight he wil determine in hys mind that the same was done in dede with the wil of God but he wil impute it also to hymselfe If any man be dead by sickenesse whoÌ„ he hath negligently handled wheras of duty he should haue taken good hede vnto him although he be not ignoraunt that the maÌ„ was come to his appoynted tyme beyond whych he could not passe yet will he not therby lessen hys offense but because he had not faythfully discharged hys duty towarde hym he wil so take it as if he had perished by fault of hys neglygence Much lesse when there is vsed any fraude conceiued malice of mynde in committing either murther or theft wil he excuse it vnder preteÌ„ce of gods Prouidence but he wil in one selfe euil act seuerally behold both the righteousnesse of God and the wickednesse of man as both doth manifestly shew theÌ„selues But principally in thynges to come he wil haue coÌ„sideration of such inferior causes For he wyl reckeÌ„ it among the blessinges of God if he be not disappoynted of the helpes of men which he may vse for hys safety And so he neither wil be negligeÌ„t in takyng of counsell nor slouthful in crauyng their helpe whoÌ„ he seeth to haue sufficieÌ„t wherof he may be succoured but thinking that whatsoeuer creatures can any thyng profyt him the same are offred into hys hand by God he wil apply theÌ„ to hys vse as the lawful instrumeÌ„tes of gods Prouidence And because he doth not certaynly know what successe the businesse wil haue that he goeth about sauing that in al thynges he knoweth that the Lord wil prouide for hys benefyte he wil wyth study trauaile to that which he shal thynke expedyent for hym selfe so far as he caÌ„ coÌ„ceiue in mynde vnderstanding And yet in takyng of counsels he wil not be caried on by hys own wyt but wyl coÌ„mit yeld hymselfe to the wisdom of God that by the guiding therof he may be directed to the ryght end But hys confydence shal not so stay vpon outward helpes that if he haue them he wyl carelesly rest vpon them or if he want them he wil be afraied as lefte destitute for he wyl haue hys mynde alway fastened vpoÌ„ the Prouydence of God neyther wyll he suffer hymselfe to be draweÌ„ away froÌ„ the stedfast beholdyng therof by consideration of present thynges So though Ioab acknowledged that the successe of battail is in the wil and hand of God yet he gaue not hymselfe to slouthfulnesse but did diligeÌ„tly execute that whych belonged to hys callyng but he leaueth it vnto the Lord to gouerne the end We wil stand valiant saith he for our natioÌ„ for the cities of our God But the Lord do what is good in his eies This knowledge shal despoyle vs of rashnesse wrongful coÌ„fydeÌ„ce shal dryue vs to coÌ„tinual calling vpoÌ„ God also shal vpholde our mindes wyth good hope so as we may not doute assuredly and boldly to despyse those dangers that compasse vs about In this point doth the inestimable felicitie of a godly minde shew forth it selfe Innumerable are the euils that do besege mans lyfe do threaten hym so many deathes As not to go further thaÌ„ our selues for asmuche as our body is a receptacle of a thousaÌ„de diseases yea haâ—h enclosed and doth nourishe within it the causes of diseases man can not carrye him selfe but he must nedes also cary about wyth hym many formes of hys own destruction draw forth a lyfe as it were entangled with death For what may it els be called where he neyther is cold nor sweateth without peril Now whether soeuer yâ— turne thee al thynges that are about thee are not only vntrusty frendes to thee but do in maner opeÌ„ly threaten seme to shew thee present death Go into a ship there is but a fote thicknesse betwene thee death Sit on horsebacke in the slippyng of one fote thy lyfe is in daunger Go through the stretes of the citie euen how many tyles are vpoÌ„ the houses to so many perils art thou subiect If there be an iron tole in thy hande or thy frendes the harme is ready prepared How many wylde beastes yâ— seest they are al armed to thy destructyon If thou meane to shut vp thy selfe eueÌ„ in a garden well fensed where may appeare nothyng but pleasantnesse of aire grouÌ„d there somtime locketh a SerpeÌ„t The house whych is continually subiect to fyer doeth in the day tyme threaten thee with pouertie in the nyght tyme with falyng vpon thy hed Thy feld forasmuche as it lyeth opeÌ„ to hayle froste drowth other tempestes it warneth thee of barrennesse thereby famyne I speake not of prysonninges treasoÌ„s robberies opeÌ„ violence of which part do besege vs at home part do folow vs abrode In these streightes muste not man nedes be most miserable which euen in lyfe halfe dead doth painfully draw forth a careful faintyng breath as if he hadde a swearde contynually hangyng ouer hys necke But thou wilt say that these thinges chaunce seldome or at least not alwaies nor to all men and neuer all at ones I graunte but seyng we are putte in minde by the examples of other that the same thinges maye happen to our selues and that our lyfe ought of duty no more to be fre thaÌ„ theirs it can not be but that we must dred and feare them as thynges that maye light vpon vs. Now what can a man imagine more miserable thaÌ„ such a fearefulnesse Beside that it is not without dishonorable reproche of God to say that he hath set open man the noblest of al hys creatures to their blinde and vnaduised strokes of fortune But here my purpose is to speake onely of the misery of man which he should fele if he should be brought subiecte vnder fortunes dominion But when that light of Gods Prouidence hath ones shyned vpon a godly maÌ„â—he is now releued deliuered not only from the extreme anguishe and feare wherw t he was before oppressed but also from al care For as iustly he feareth fortune so he dare boldly commit hymselfe to God This is I say his comfort to vnderstande that the heauenly father doth so holde in all thynges wyth hys power so ruleth them with hys authoritie and countenaunce so ordreth them with his wisdome that nothyng befalleth but by hys apointment and that he is receiued into Gods tuitioÌ„ coÌ„mitted to the charge of Angels and can not be touched with any hurt of water nor fyer nor wepoÌ„ but so far as it shall please God the gouernor to geue theÌ„ place For so is it song in the Psalme For he shal deliuer thee from the hunters snare and from the noysom
our workes vnlesse we do embrace by faith the same goodnesse geueÌ„ vs by the Gospel then want they not their effectualnesse yea with their condition annexed For then he doth so freely geue al things vnto vs that he addeth this also to the heape of his bountifulnesse that not refusing our half ful obedience and remitting so much as it wanteth of ful performance he so maketh vs to enioy the frute of the promises of the law as if we our selues had fulfilled the coÌ„dytion But we wil at this preseÌ„t procede no further in this matter bicause it shal be more largely to be entreated of when we shal speake of the IustificatioÌ„ of faith Wheras we sayd that it is impossible to kepe the law that is in few wordes to be both expounded and proued For it is wont among the people commonly to be accompted an opinion of great absurditie so far that Hierome doubted not to pronouÌ„ce it accursed what Hierome thought I doe nothing staye vpon as for vs let vs searche what is truthe I will not here make longe circumstances of diuerse sortes of possibilities I call that impossible which both neuer had ben also is hindered by the ordinance decree of God that it neuer herafter maye be If we recorde from the farthest time of memorie I saye that there hath none of the holy meÌ„ that beyng clothed with the bodie of death hath euer atteyned to that full perfection of loue to loue God with all his heart with al his minde with al his soule with all his power Againe that there hath ben none that hath not ben troubled with concupiscence Who can saye Naye I see in deede what maner holy men foolish superstition doth imagine vnto vs euen such whose purenesse the heauenly angels do scarcely counteruaile but against bothe the Scripture profe of experience I saye also that there shall none herafter be that shall come to the marke of true perfection vnlesse he be loosed from the burden of his bodye For this point there are open testimonies of Scripture Salomon said there is not a righteous maÌ„ vpon the earth that sinneth not And Dauid sayd euery liuing manne shal not be iustified in thy sight Iob in many places affirmeth the same But Paul most plainly of all that the flesh lusteth agaynste the spirit and the Spirit against the flesh And by no other reson he proueth that all that are vnder the law are subject to the curse But bycause it is written that cursed are al they that doe not abide in al the coÌ„maundementes therof meanyng or rather taking it as a thing confessed that no man can abide in them And what soeuer is forespoke by the Scriptures that must be holden for perpetual yea necessarie With such sutteltie did the Pelagians trouble Augustine sayeng that there is wrong done to God to say that he doth coÌ„maund more thaÌ„ the faithful are able by his grace to performe Augustine to auoide their cauillation coÌ„fessed that the lord might in deede if he wold aduauÌ„ce a mortal man to the purenesse of Angels but that he neither hath done so at any time nor wil do bicause he hath otherwise affirmed in the Scriptures And that do I also not denie But I adde further that it is incoÌ„uenieÌ„t to dispute of his power against his truthe and that therfore this sentence is not subiect to cauillations if a man should saye that that thing is impossible to be wherof the Scriptures do pronounce that it shal not be But if thei dispute of the word when the Disciples asked the lord who may be saued he answered with men in deede it is impossible but with God al things are possible Also Augustine with a most stroÌ„g reason stiffly defendeth that in this flesh we neuer yelde to God the due loue that we owe him Loue saith he so foloweth knowledge that no man can perfectly loue God but he that hath first fully knoweÌ„ his goodnesse We while we waÌ„der in this world see by a glasse and in a darke speach it foloweth therfore that our loue is vnperfect Let this therefore remaine out of controuersie that in this flesh it is impossible to fulfil the law if we behold the weakenesse of our owne nature as it shal yet also in an other place be proued by Paule But that the whole mater may be more plainly set forth let vs in a compendious order gather vp together the office and vse of the lawe which they cal Morall Now as far as I vnderstand it is coÌ„teined in these three partes The first is that while it sheweth to euery man the righteousnesse of God the is the righteousnesse which only is acceptable to God it admonish certifie proue gilty yea condemne euery maÌ„ of his owne vnrightousnesse For so is it nedeful that man blinded dronke with loue of himself be driuen both to the knowledge the confession of his own weakenesse vncleannesse for asmuch as if his vanitie be not euidently conuinced he swelleth with mad affiance of his owne strength can neuer be brought to think of the scleÌ„dernesse therof so long as he measureth it by the proportion of his owne wil. But so sone as he beginneth to coÌ„pare his streÌ„gth to the hardnesse of the lawe there he findeth matter to abate his courage For how so euer he before conceiued a great opinion of it yet by and by he feleth it to pante vnder so great a burden then to shake folter at laste euen to fall downe and faint So being taught by the scholing of the lawe he putteth of that arrogaÌ„cie wherwith before he was blinded Likewise he is to be healed of an other disease of pride wherof we haue said that he is sick So long as he is suffred to stand to his own iudgemeÌ„t he deuiseth Hypoâ—â—iâ—e in stede of rightousnesse wherwith beyng coÌ„teÌ„ted he riseth vp in courage by I whote not what forged rightousnesses against the grace of God But so soue as he is coÌ„pelled to trie his life by the balaunce of the law theÌ„ leauing the presumption of that counterfait righteousnesse he seeth himself to be an infinite space distaÌ„t froÌ„ holinesse againe that he floweth full of infinite vices wherof before he seemed cleane For the euels of luste are hidden in so deepe and crooked priuie corners that they easily deceiue the sighte of man And not withoute cause the Apostle saith that he knew not luste except the lawe had saide Thou shalte not luste bicause except it be by the lawe disclosed out of her lurking holes it destroyeth miserable manne so secretly that he feeleth not the deadly darte thereof So the lawe is like a certaine lookinge glasse wherein we beholde fyrste oure weakenesse by that oure wickednesse laste of all by them boothe oure accursednesse euen as a glasse representeth vnto vs the spottes of our face For when power fayleth man to folowe righteousnesse then
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
euery one after the proportion of their nature yet it doth not deliuer them from necessitie of corruption but I speake of this speciall manner whereby the soules of the godly are bothe lightened vnto the knowledge of God and in a manner coupled to him By this enlightenyng of the worde sithe Adam Abel Noe Abraham and the other fathers cleaued vnto God I saye that it is not doubtfull that they had an entrie into the immortall kingdome of God For it was a sound partakyng of God whiche can not be without the benefit of eternall life But yf this seme somewhat entangled goe to let vs come to the very forme of the couenant which shall not only satisfie sobre wittes but also shall sufficiently conuince their ignorance that bende themselues to speake agaynst it For God did alwaye thus couenant with his seruantes I will be to you a God and ye shal be to me a people In whiche wordes the Prophetes themselues are wont to expound that both life and saluation and the whole summe of blessednesse is cōprehended For Dauid doth not without cause often pronounce that blessed is the people whose God is the lord blessed is the natiō which he hath chosen to be his inheritance and that not for earthly felicities sake but bycause he deliuereth them from death he preserueth them for euer and cōtinually sheweth them eternal mercie whome he hath taken to his people as it is in the other Prophetes Thou art our God we shall not die The Lord is our king our lawmaker he shall saue vs. Blessed art thou O Israel bycause thou art saued in the lord God But not to labour ouermuch in a thynge needelesse this admonition is sound eche where in the Prophetes that we shall wante nothyng toward all abundance of good thinges and assurance of saluatiō so that the Lord be our God And rightfully For if his face so sone as it beginneth to shine is a most present pledge of saluation to what man shall he openly shewe himselfe for his God but that he will also open to him his treasure of saluation For he is our God with this condition to dwell in the middest of vs as he testified by Moses But such presence can not be obteyned but that life must be also together had in possessiō with it And although there were no more expressed yet had thei a promise of spiritual life plaine enough in these wordes I am your God For he did not declare that he would be a God vnto their bodies alone but principally to their soules But soules vnlesse they be ioyned to God by righteousnesse remaine estranged from him in death But on the other side let that ioyning be present it shal bring euerlastyng saluation with it Byside that he did not only testifie that he was to them their God but he also promised that he would be so alway to the ende that their hope not contented with present benefites should be extended to eternitie And many sayenges do shewe that the speakyng in the future time meant so much as where the faithfull not only in present euels but also for the time to come doe comfort themselues with this that God will neuer fayle them Nowe as concernyng the seconde part of the promise he yet more plainely assured them of the blessyng of God to be prolonged vnto them beyond the boundes of this life in sayeng I will be the God of your seede after you For if he minded to declare his good will toward them beyng dead in doyng good to their posteritie much more would his fauour not faile toward themselues For God is not like vnto menne whiche do therefore carry their loue to their frendes children bicause their power is interrupted by death so that they can not employe their frendely doynges vpō them to whom they did beare good will But God whose bountifulnesse is not hyndered by death taketh not awaye from the very dead the frute of his mercie whiche for their sakes he poureth out into a thousand generations Therefore the Lordes will was by a notable profe to set forth vnto them the greatnesse and flowyng plētie of his goodnesse which they should fele after death when he described it to be such as should slowe ouer into all their posteritie And the truthe of this promise the Lord did then seale and as it were brought forth the fulfillyng of it when he named himself the God of Abraham Isaac and Iacob long after their death For what had it not ben a fond naming if thei had vtterly perished For then had it ben all one as if he had sayd I am the God of them that are not Wherefore the Euangelistes reherse that with this one argument the Sadduces were so driuen to a streight that they could not denie that Moses did testifie the resurrection of the dead for that they had learned by Moses that all the Saintes were in his hand Wherupon it was easy to gather that they are not destroyed by death whome he that is the iudge of life and death had receyued into his sauegard custodie and protection Now which is the principal point wherupon this cōtrouersie hangeth let vs loke whether the faithfull themselues haue not ben so instructed of the Lord that they perceiued that they shuld haue a better life els where and so neglectyng this life had an eye to the other First the state of life that was enioyned them by God was a continuall exercise whereby they might be put in minde that they were the moste miserable of all men if their happinesse were only in this life Adam most vnhappy euen with only remembrance of the happynesse that he had lost did with painfull labours hardly susteyne his nedynesse and that he shuld not be pressed with the curse of God in the only labours of his handes euen there receyued he extreme sorrow of that whiche remayned for him to be his comfort Of his two sonnes the one was taken awaye by the wicked slaughter of his brother the other he had lefte aliue whose sight he worthily detested abhorred Abel cruelly murthered in the very floure of his age became an example of the wretchednesse of men Noe while the whole world carelesly liued in pleasure spent a good part of his age with great werinesse in bildyng the Arke This that he escaped death came to passe by his greater troubles than yf he should haue died a hundred deathes For byside that the Arke was to him as a graue for x. monethes there is nothing more vnpleasaunt than to be holden so longe in manner drowned in dong of beastes When he had passed ouer so great difficulties he fell into newe matter of grefe he saw him self scorned of his owne sonne and was compelled with his owne mouth to curse him whom by the great benefit of God he had receiued safe from the generall flood Abraham in deede may be one alone
hym oure saluation by lyttle and lyttle vanisheth awaie whiche wholly resteth in hym so that all they wilfully spoile them selues of all grace that reste not in him And that admonition of Bernarde is worthy to be rehersed that the name of Iesus is not onely lyght but also meate yea and oile also without which al the meate of the soule is drye and that it is also salte without the seasoning wherof al that is set before vs is vnsauorie Fynally that it is hony in the mouth melodie in the eare and ioyfulnesse in the hearte and also medicine and that whatsoeuer is spoken in disputation is vnsauorie but where thys name soundeth But here it behoueth to weie diligently howe saluation is purchased by him for vs that we may not onely be perswaded that he is the author of it but also embracing such thinges as are sufficient to the stedfast vphold in of our faithe wee maye refuse all suche thinges as myghte drawe vs awaye hether or thether For sithe no man can descende into him selfe and earnestly consider what he is but feelinge God angry and bent agaynste hym he hathe neede carefully to seeke a meane and waye to appease him whiche demaundeth satisfaction there is no common assurednesse required bicause the wrathe curse of God lyeth alwaie vpon sinners tyll they be loose from their gyltenesse who as he is a righteous iuge suffereth not his lawe to be broken without punishment but is ready armed to reuenge it But before we goe any further it is to be seen by the waye howe it agreeth together that God whiche preuented vs wyth his mercie was oure enemie vntyll he was reconciled to vs by Christe For howe could hee haue geuen vs in hys onely begotten Sonne a syngular pledge of his loue vnlesse he had already before that embraced vs wyth hys free fauoure Bycause therefore here ariseth some seminge of contrarietie I will firste vndo this knotte The holy ghoste commonly speaketh after this manner in the Scriptures that God was enemye to men tyll they were restored into fauoure by the deathe of Christ that thei were accursed till theyr iniquitie was purged by his sacrifice that thei were seuered from God tyll they were receyued into a conioyninge by hys bodie Suche manner of phrases are applied to oure capacitie that we maie the better vnderstande howe miserable and wreatched our estate is beinge oute of Christe For if it were not spoken in expresse woordes that the wrathe and vengeance of God and euerlastinge death did rest vpon vs we woulde lesse acknowledge howe miserable we shoulde bee without Gods mercie and woulde lesse regarde the benefite of deliuerance As for example If a man heare this spoken to him If God at suche time as thou wast yet a sinner had hated thee and cast thee away as thou hadst deserued thou shouldest haue suffered horrible destruction but bicause he hath willingly of his owne free kindenesse kept the in fauoure and not suffered thee to be estranged from hym he hathe so deliuered thee from that perill truely he will bee moued with and in some parte feele howe muche he oweth to the mercie of God Butte yf hee heare on the other syde that whyche the Scripture teacheth that hee was by synne estraunged from God the heyr of wrathe subiect to the curse of eternall deathe excluded from all hope of saluation a stranger from all blessing of God the bondslaue of Satan captiue vnder the yoke of synne Fynally ordeined vnto and already entangled wyth horrible destruction that in this case Christe became an intercessor to entreate for him that Christ toke vpon him suffered the punyshment whiche by the iuste iudgement of God did hange ouer al sinners that he hathe purged with his bloode those euels that made them hatefull to God that by this expiation is sufficient satisfaction and sacrifice made to God the father that by this intercessor his wrath was appeased that within thys foundation resteth the peace betweene God and men that vpon this bonde is conteined his good wyll towarde them shall not he be so muche the more moued with these as it is more liuely represented out of howe greate miserie he hathe been deliuered In a summe bicause oure minde can neither desirously enoughe take holde of life in the mercie of God nor receiue it with suche thankefulnesse as we ought but when it is before striken and throwne downe wyth the feare of the wrath of God and dreade of eternal death we are so taught by holy Scripture that wythout Christe wee maye see God in manner wrathfully bent againste vs and his hande armed to our destruction that wee maye embrace hys goodwyll and fatherly kindnesse no otherwhere but in Christe And althoughe this bee spoken according to the weakenesse of oure capacitie yet is it not falsly saide For God whyche is the hyghest ryghteousnesse can not loue wickednesse whiche he seeth in vs all Therfore we al haue in vs that which is worthy of the hatred of God Therfore in respect of oure corrupted nature and then of euell life added vnto it truely we are all in displeasure of God gylty in his sight and borne to damnation of hell But bicause the Lorde wyll not lose that whiche ys his in vs he fyndeth yet somwhat that he of hys goodnesse maye loue For howesoeuer we be sinners by our owne faulte yet we remaine hys creatures Howesoeuer we haue purchaced death to oure selues yet he made vs vnto lyfe So is he moued by meere and free louinge of vs to receiue vs into fauoure But sith there is a perpetuall and vnappeasable disagreement betweene righteousnesse and iniquitie so longe as we remayne sinners hee canne not receiue vs wholy Therefore that taking a waie all matter of disagreement he might wholy reconcile vs vnto him he doth by expiation sette forth in the deathe of Christe take away whatsoeuer euel is in vs that wee which before weare vncleane and vnpure may nowe appeare righteous and holy in hys sight Therfore God the Father dothe wyth hys loue preuent and goe before oure reconciliation in Christe yea bycause he fyrste loued vs therefore hee afterwarde doothe reconcile vs vnto hymselfe But bycause vntyll Christe wyth hys deathe come to succoure vs there remaineth wickednesse in vs whiche deserueth Gods indignation and is accursed damned in his sight therefore wee are not fully and fyrmely ioyned to God vntill Christe do ioyne vs. Therefore if wee will assure oure selues to haue God made well pleased and fauourable vnto vs we muste fasten oure eyes and myndes vpon Christe onely as in deede we obteyne by him onely that oure synnes be not imputed to vs the imputing whereof draweth with it the wrathe of God And for this reason Paule saith that the same loue wherwith God embraced vs before the creation of the worlde was staied grounded vpō Christ. These things are plaine agreable with the scripture do make
that it pearced euen to the dead when the godly soules enioyed the presente sight of that visitation whiche they had carefully loked for on the other side it did more plainely appere to the reprobrate that they were excluded frō all saluation But whereas Peter in his sayeng maketh no distinction betwene them that is not so to be taken as though he mingled together the godly and vngodly without difference but only he meante to teache that generally they bothe had one common felyng of the death of Christ. But concernyng Christes goyng downe to the helles byside the consideracion of the Crede we muste seke for a more certayne exposition and we assuredly haue suche a one out of the worde of God as is not only holy and godly but also full of singular comforte Christes death had ben to no effect yf he had suffred only a corporall death but it behoued also that he shoulde feele the rigour of Gods vengeance that he might bothe appease his wrathe and satisfie his iuste iudgement For which cause also it behoued that he should as it were hand to hande wrastle with the armies of the helles and the horrour of eternall death We haue euen nowe alleged out of the Prophet that the chastisement of our peace was layed vpon him that he was striken of his father for our sinnes and broused for our infirmities Whereby is meante that he was put in the stede of wicked doers as suretie and pledge yea and as the very gilty persone himselfe to able and suffer all the punishmentes that shoulde haue ben layed vpon them this one thyng excepted that he could not be holden still of the sorrowes of death Therefore it is no maruell yf it be sayde that he wente downe to the helles sithe he suffred that death wherewith God in his wrathe stryketh wicked doers And their exception is very fonde yea and to be scorned whyche saye that by this exposition the order is peruerted bycause it were an absurditie to set that after his buriall whyche wente before it For after the settyng forth of those thynges that Christe suffred in the sighte of menne in very good order foloweth that inuisible and incomprehensible iudgement whiche he suffred in the sight of God that we shoulde knowe that not only the body of Christ was geuen to be the price of our redemptiō but that there was an other greater and more excellent price payed in this that in his soule he suffred the terrible tormentes of a dāned and forsaken manne According to this meaning doth Peter say that Christ rose againe hauyng loosed the sorrowes of death of whiche it was impossible that he should be holden or ouercomme He doth not name it simply death but he expresseth that the sonne of God was wrapped in the sorrowes of death whiche procede from the curse and wrath of God whiche is the originall of death For howe small a matte◠had it ben carelesly and as it were in sporte to come forthe to suffer death ▪ But this was a true profe of his infinite mercye not to shunne that death whyche he so sore trembled at And it is no doubte that the same is the Apostles meanyng to teache in the Epistle to the Hebrewes where he wryteth that Christ was heard of his owne Feare some translate it Reuerence or pietie but how vnfitly bothe the matter it selfe and the very manner of speakynge proueth Christ therefore prayeng with teares and mightye crye is hearde of his owne feare not to be free from death but not to be swallowed vp of death as a sinner bicause in that place he had but oure persone vpon him And truely there can be imagined no more dredfull bottomlesse depth than for a manne to fele himselfe forsaken and enstranged from God and not to be heard when he calleth vpon hym euen as yf God himselfe had conspired to his destruction Euen thether we see that Christ was throwen downe so farre that by enforcement of distresse he was compelled to crye out My God my God why hast thou forsaken me For whereas some woulde haue it taken that he so spake rather accordynge to the opinion of other than as he felte in himselfe that in no case probable for asmuche as it is euident that this sayeng proceded out of the very anguishe of the bottome of his heart Yet doe we not meane thereby that God was at any tyme his enemie or angry with him For how coulde he be angry with his beloued sonne vpon whome his mynde rested Or howe coulde Christ by his intercession appease his fathers wrath towarde other hauynge him hatefully bente agaynst himselfe But this is our meanyng that he suffred the greuousnesse of Gods rigor for that he beyng striken and tormented with the hande of God did fele all the tokens of God when he is angry and punisheth Whereupon Hylarie argueth thus that by this goyng downe we haue obteyned this that death is slaine And in other places he agreeth with our iudgement as where he sayth The crosse death and helles are our lyfe Agayne in an other place The sonne of God is in the helles but manne is carried vp to heauen But why doe I alledge the testimonie of a priuate manne when the Apostle affirmeth the same rehersing this for a frute of his victorie that they were deliuered whiche weare by feare of death al their life long subiect to bondage It behoued therefore that he shal ouercōme that feare that naturally dothe continually torment and oppresse all mortall men whiche coulde not be done but by fightyng with it Moreouer that his feare was no common feare or conceiued vpon a sclender cause shall by and by more playnely appere So by fightynge hand to hand with the power of the Deuel with the horrour of death with the peines of the helles it came to passe that he both had the victorie of them and triumphed ouer them that we nowe in death shoulde no more feare those thynges whiche our Prince hath swallowed vp Here some lewde menne although vnlearned yet rather moued by malice than by ignoraunce crye out that I do a haynous wrong to Christ bycause it was agaynste conueniencie of reason that he should be fearefull for the saluation of his soule And then they more hardly enforce this cauillation with sayeng that I ascribe to the sonne of God desperation whiche is contrarie to fayth First they doe but maliciously moue controuersie of Christes feare and trembling whiche the Euangelistes do so playnely report For a little before that the time of his death approched he was troubled in spirit and passioneth wyth heauynesse and at his very metyng with it he began more vehemently to tremble for feare If they say that he did but counterfait that is to foule a shift We must therefore as Ambrose trulie teacheth boldly confesse the sorrowfulnesse of Christ vnlesse we be a shamed of his crosse And truely yf his soule had not ben partaker
of peyne he had ben only a redemer for bodies But it behoued that he should wrastle to rayse vp them that laye throwen downe And his heauenly glorie is so nothyng appeired thereby that euen herein gloriously shineth his goodnesse whyche is neuer sufficiently praysed that he refused not to take our weakenesses vpon him From whense is also that comforte of oure anguishes and sorrowes whiche the Apostle setteth before vs that this Mediatour dyd feele our infirmities that he might bee the more earnestly bente to succour vs in miserie They saye that that thynge whiche is euell of it selfe is vnworthily ascribed to Christ. As though they were wiser than the spirit of God whiche ioyneth these two thinges together that Christe was in all thynges tempted as we are and yet that he was without sinne Therfore there is no cause that the weakenesse of Christ should make vs afrayde whereunto he was not by violence or necessitie cōpelled but by mere loue of vs and by mercie was led to submit himselfe And what so euer he of his owne will suffred for vs diminisheth nothyng of his power But in this one poynte are these backebiters deceyued that they do not perceyue in Christ an infirmitie cleane and free from all faulte and spot bycause he kepte himselfe within the boundes of obedience For whereas there can be founde no moderation in our corrput nature where al our affections do with troublesome violence excede all measure they doe wronge to measure the forme of God by that standard But when man was in his vncorrupted state then there was a moderation hauyng force in all his affections to restrayne excesse Wherby he might well be that he was like vnto vs in sorrowe dread and fearefulnesse yet that by this marke he differed from vs. Beyng so confuted thei leape to an other cauillation that though Christ feared death yet he feared not the curse and wrath of God frō which he knew himself to be safe But let the godly readers weye how honorable this is for Christ that he was more tēder and more fearefull than the most part of the very rascall sort of men Theues other euell doers do obstinately hast to death many do with haute courage despise it some other do midly suffer it But what constācie or stoute courage were it for the sonne of God to be astonished in a maner striken dead with feare of it For euen that whiche among the common sort might be accompted miraculous is reported of him that for vehemencie of griefe very droppes of bloud did fal from his face Neither did he this to make a shew to the eyes of other but whē in a secret corner whether he was gone out of companie he groned vnto his father And this putteth it out of all dout the it was needeful that he should haue Angels to come downe frō heauen to relieue him with an vnwonted maner of cōforting How shameful a tēdernesse as I sayd should this haue ben to be so far tormented for feare of cōmon death as to melt in bloudy sweate and not to be able to be comforted but by sight of Angels What doth not that prayer thryse repeted Father if it be possible let this cuppe departe from me proceding frō an incredible bitternesse of heart shewe that Christ had a more cruell and harder battell than with common death Whereby appereth that those triflers agaynst whome I nowe dispute doe boldly babble vpon thynges that they knowe not bicause they neuer earnestly considered what it is or of howe great importance it is that we be redemed from the iudgement of God But this is our wisedome well to vnderstand how deere our saluation dyd cost the sonne of God Now yf a man should aske me if Christ went then downe to hell when he prayed to escape that death I answere that then was the beginnyng of it whereby may be gathered how greuous and terrible tormentes he suffred whē he knew himself to stand to be arrayned for our cause before the iudgement seate of God But although for a moment of time the diuine power of the spirit did hide it selfe to geue place to the weakenesse of the fleshe yet muste we know that the tentation by felyng of sorrowe and feare was suche as was not agaynst fayth And so was that fulfilled whiche is in the Sermon of Peter that he could not be holden of the sorrowes of death bycause when he felt himselfe as it were forsaken of God yet he did nothyng at all swarue from the trust of his goodnesse Whiche is proued by that his notable callyng vpon God when for extremitie of peyne he cryed out My God my God why hast thou forsaken me For though he was aboue measure greued yet he cesseth not to call him his God of whome he cryeth out that he was forsaken Moreouer hereby is confuted as well the errour of Apollinaris as theirs that were called Monothelites Apollinaris fayned that Christ had an eternall spirit in stede of a soule so that he was only but half a mā As though he could cleanse our sinnes any other way but by obeyeng his father But where is the affectiō or will of obedience but in the soule whiche soule of his we knowe was troubled for this purpose to driue awaye feare and bryng peace and quietnesse to our soule Agayne for confusion of the Monothelites we see how nowe he willed not that thinge accordyng to his nature of manhode whiche he willed according to his nature of godhed I omit to speake howe he did subdue the aforesayd feare with a contrarie affection For herein is a playne shewe of contrarietie Father deliuer me from this houre But euen herefore I came euen into this houre Father glorifie my name In whiche perplexitie yet was there no such outrage in him as is seen in vs euen then when we must of al endeuour to subdue our selues Nowe foloweth his resurrection from the dead without which al that we haue hetherto were but vnperfect For sithe there appereth in the crosse death buriall of Christ nothyng but weakenesse faith must passe beyond all those thinges that it maye be furnished with ful strength Therfore although we haue in his death a full accomplishment of saluation bicause by it bothe we are reconciled to God and his iust iudgement is satisfied and the curse taken awaye and the penaltie fully payed yet we are sayd to be regenerate into a liuing hope not by his death but by his risyng agayne For as he in risyng againe rose vp the vanquisher of death so the victorie of our fayth consisteth in the very resurrection but howe this is is better expressed in the wordes of Paule For he sayth that Christ died for our sinnes and was raysed vp agayne for our iustification as if he should haue sayd that by his death sinne was taken awaye and by his risyng agayne righteousnesse was renewed and restored For how
could he by dyâ—ng deliuer vs from death yf he himself had lyen still ouercoÌ„me by death Now could he haue gotten victorie for vs if himself had ben vanquished in fight Wherefore we doe so parte the matter of our saluation betwene the death and resurrection of Christ that by his death we saye sinne was taken awaye and death destroied and by his resurrection righteousnesse was repaired and lyfe raysed vp agayne but so that by meane of his resurrectoiÌ„ his death doth shewe forth her force and effect vnto vs. Therefore Paule affirmeth that in his very resurrection he was declared the sonne of God bycause then at last he vttered his heauenly power whiche is bothe a cleare glasse of his godhed a stedfast staye of our fayth As also in an other place he teacheth that Christ suffred after the weakenesse of the flew rose againe by the power of the spirit And in the same meaning in an other place where he entreateth of perfection he sayth that I maye knowe him and the power of his resurrection Yet by and by after he adioyneth the fellowship with death Wherw th most aptly agreeth that sayeng of Peter that God raysed him vp from the dead and gaue him glorie that our faith and hope might be in God not that our faith beyng vpholden by his death should wauer but that the power of God whiche kepeth vs vnder fayth doth principally shewe it selfe in the resurrection Therefore let vs remember that so oft as mention is made of his death only there is also comprehended that whiche properly belongeth to his resurrection and like figure of comprehension is there in the word ResurrectioÌ„ as oft as it is vsed seuerally without speaking of his death so that it draweth with it that whiche peculiarly peâ—teineth to his death But for as much as by risyng agayne he obteyned the crowne of conquest so that there should be both resurrection and life therefore Paule doth for good cause affirme that fayth is destroyed and the Gospell is become vayne and deceitefull if the resuâ—â—â—â—tion of Christ be not fastened in our heartes Therfore in another place after he had gloried in the death of Christ agaynste all the errors of damnation to amplifie the same he sayth further Yea the same He whiche died is risen vp agayne and nowe standeth a Mediatour for vs in the presence of God Furthermore as we haue before declared that vpon the partakyng of his crosse hangeth the mortificatioÌ„ of our flesh so is it to be vnderstanded that by his resurrection we obteyne an other commoditie whiche answereth that mortificatioÌ„ For sayth the Apostle we are therefore graffed into the likenesse of his death that beyng partakers of his resurrection we may walke in newnesse of life Therefore in an other place as he gathereth an argument of this that we are dead together with Christ to proue that we ought to mortifie our members vpon earth likewise also bicause we are risen vp with Christ he gathereth thereupon that we ought to seke for those thinges that are aboue and not those that are vpon the earth By which wordes we are not only exhorted to be raysed vp after the exaÌ„ple of Christ to follow a newnesse of life But we are taught that it is wrought by his power that we are regenerate into righteousnesse We obteyne also a third frute of his resurrection that we are as by an earnest deliuered vs assured of our owne resurrection of whiche we knowe that his resurrection is a most certaine argument Whereof he disputeth more at large in the .xv. chapter of his first Epistle to the Corinthians But by the waye this is to be noted that it is sayd that he rose agayne from the dead in which sayeng is expressed the truthe bothe of his death and of his resurrection as yf it had ben sayd that he did bothe die the same death that other menne naturally doe dye and receyued immortalitie in the same fleshe whiche he had put on mortall To his resurrection is not vnfittly adioyned his ascendynge into heauen For although Christ beganne more fully to set forth his glorie and power by risyng agayne for that he had nowe layed awaye that base and vnnoble estate of mortal life and the shame of the crosse yet by his ascendynge vp into heauen only he truely beganne his kyngedome Whiche the Apostle sheweth where he teacheth that Christ ascended to fulfil al thinges Where in semyng of repugnancie he sheweth that there is a goodly agreement bycause he so departed from vs that yet his presence might be more profitable to vs whiche had ben penned in a base lodgyng of the flesh while he was conuersant in earth And therefore Iohn after that he had rehearsed that notable callyng If any thirst let him come to me c. By and by sayth that the holy ghost was not yet geuen to the faythfull bycause Iesus was not yet glorified Whiche the Lord himselfe also did testifie to the Disciples sayeng It is expedient for you that I goe awaye For if I doe not goe away the holy ghost shall not come But he geueth them a comfort for his corporall absence that he will not leaue them as parentlesse but will come agayne to them after a certayne manner in deede inuisible but yet more to be desired bycause they were then taught by more assured experience that the authoritie whyche he enioyeth and the power whiche he vseth is sufficient for the faithfull not only to make them liue blessedly but also to die happyly And truely we see howe muche greater abundance of his spirite he then poured out how much more royally he then aduauÌ„ced his kingdome howe much greater power he then shewed bothe in helpyng his and in ouerthrowyng his enemies Beyng therefore taken vp into heaueÌ„ he toke away the presence of his body out of our sight not to cesse to be present with the faythfull that yet wandred in the earth but with more present power to gouerne both heauen and earth But rather the same that he had promised that he would be with vs to the ende of the worlde he performed by this his ascendyng by whiche as his bodye was lifted vp aboue all heauens so his power and effectuall workynge was poured and spred abrode beyonde all the baundes of heauen and earth But this I had rather to declare in Augustines wordes than mine owne Christ sayth he was to goe by death to the right hande of the father from whense he is to come to iudge the quicke and the dead and that lykewyse in bodyly presence accordyng to the â—ounde doctrine and rule of fayth For in spirituall presence with them he was to come after his ascension And in an other place more largely and plainely Accordyng to an vnspeakeable and vnuisible grace is that fulfilled whiche he had spoken beholde I am with you all the dayes euen to the ende of the worlde But
was meant by this that God did see sinnes but that he did punish them But let vs heare also out of an other place of the Prophet vpon what conditioÌ„s the lord forgeueth sinnes If sayth he your sinnes be as scarlet they shal be made white as snow if they be red like crimosin they shal be as woll And in Ieremie we rede thus In that day the iniquitie of Iacob shal be sought for and shall not be founde the sinne of Iudah and it shal not be Bicause I will be fauorable to the remnantes that I shall preserue Wilt thou briefely vnderstand what is the meaning of those words Weye on the other side what is meant by these speches that the Lorde doth binde vp iniquities in a sacke doth gather them into a bundell and laye them vp and doth graue them with an iron pointell in an Adamant stone If they signifie as it is out of doubt that vengeance shal be geuen for recompense then is it also not to be doubted but that by contrarie sentences the Lord affirmeth that he remitteth all recompensyng of vengeance Here I muste beseche the readers not to harken to my gloses but only that they will suffer the word of God to take some place What I praye you had Christ done for vs if we would still be coÌ„pelled to suffer peine for sinnes For when we saye that he dyd beare all our sinnes in his bodye vpon the tree we meane nothing els ther by but that he suffred all the peyne and punishment that was due to our sinnes And the same hath Esaye more liuely declared where he sayth yâ— chastisemeÌ„t or correctioÌ„ of our peace was vpoÌ„ him What is the correctioÌ„ of our peace but the peine due to sinne which we shold have suffred before that we could be recoÌ„ciled to God vnless that he had entred into our stede Loe thou seest plainely that Christ suffred the peynes of sinnes to deliuer them that be his from them And so oft as Paule maketh mention of the redemption performed by Christ he vseth to cal it in Greke Apolutrosin whereby he meaneth not only redemption as it is coÌ„monly taken but the very price and satisfaction of redemption After whiche manner he wryteth that Christ gaue him self Anâ—ilutron a price of raunsome for vs. What propitiatioÌ„ is there with the Lord sayth Augustine but sacrifice And what sacrifice is there but that which is offred for vs in the death of Christ But that whiche is apointed in the law of Moses for cleansing the offenses of sinnes ministreth vs a strong battel raÌ„me For the lord doth not there apoint this or that manner of satisfieng but requireth the whole recompense in sacrifices Whereas yet in other thinges he doth moste diligently and in most exact order set out all the ceremonies of expiation Now commeth it to passe that he commaundeth to recompense faultes coÌ„mitted with not workes at all but requireth only sacrifices for satisfaction but bicause his will is so to declare that there is only one kinde of satisfaction wherby his iudgement is appeased For the sacrifices that the Israelites did then offer were not weyed by the worke of men but were estemed by their truthe that is to say by the only sacrifice of Christ. But what manner of recompense the Lord receyueth of vs O see hath very well expressed in fewe wordes Thou shalt sayth he take away iniquitie O God Loe here is forgeuenesse of sinnes And we shal paye thee calues of our lippes Loe here is satisfaction I knowe that they yet do suttelly slippe awaye when they make distinction betwene euerlastyng peyne and temporall peines But when they teache that temporall peyne is any kinde of punishment that God taketh as well of the body as of the soule except only euerlastyng death this restraynyng of it doth litle help them For the places that we haue aboue recited do expresly meane this that God receyueth vs into fauour with this condition that in pardonyng the fault he pardoneth al the peyne what so euer we had thereby deserued And so oft as Dauid or the other Prophetes do craue pardon of sinnes they do also there withal pray to be released of the peyne Yea the very felyng of Gods iudgement doth dryue theÌ„m therunto Againe when they promise mercie at the Lordes hand they do in manner alwaye of purpose preache of the peynes and the forgeuenesse thereof Truely when the lord in Ezechiell pronounceth that he will make an ende of the exile in Babylon and that for his own sake not for the Iewes sake he doth sufficiently shewe that bothe are of free gift Finally if we be deliuered by Christ from giltinesse of fault the peines that come therof must needes cesse But for asmuch as they do also arme themselues with testimonies of Scripture let vs see what manner of argumentes those bee that they allege Dauid say they beyng rebuked by Nathan the Prophet of adulterie and manslaughter receiued pardon of his sinne and yet he was afterward punished by the death of his sonne that he had gotten by that adulterie We are taught to redeme with satisfactions such peynes as were to be extended after forgeuenesse of the faulte for Daniel aduised Nebuchadnezer to redeme his sinnes with almes And Salomon writeth that for equitie and godlinesse iniquities are forgeuen And in an other place that with charitie the multitude of sinnes is couered Which sentence Peter also confirmeth Agayne in Luke the Lorde sayth of the woman that was a sinner that many sinnes are forgeuen her bicause she hath loued much Now peruersly and wrongfully they euer weye the doynges of God But if they had marked as they should not haue ouerpassed it that there are twoo kindes of Gods iudgement they would haue seen in this rebukyng of Dauid a far other manner of punishment than suche as might be though to tende to reuengement But bycause it not a litle behoueth vsal to vnderstand wherunto the chastisementes haue respect wherwith God correcteth vs for our sinnes and howe much they differ froÌ„ those exaÌ„ples wherewith he pursueth the wicked and reprobate with indignation therefore I thinke it shall be not byside the purpose to comprehend it shortly in a summe For the order of playne teachyng let vs cal the one kinde of iudgement the iudgement of Reuenge the other of ChastisemeÌ„t It is to be vnderstanded that God so punisheth his enemies with the iudgement of reuenge that he vseth his wrath against them confoundeth them destroyeth them and bryngeth them to nought Therfore let vs take that to be properly the vengeance of God when his punishyng is ioyned with his indignation with the iudgement of Chastisement he dealeth not so cruelly as to be angry â–ª nor punisheth to destroye nor sendeth downe his lightenyng to kill Therefore it is not properly punishment or vengeance but correctioÌ„ and admonishment The one is the doyng of a iudge
in shame no horrour in death what valiaÌ„tnesse or temperance were it to beare them indifferently But when euery one of these doth with the natural bitternesse therof bitte the heartes of vs all herein doth the valiantnesse of a faythfull man shewe it self if beyng assayed with the felyng of such bitternesse how greuously so euer he be troubled with it yet with valiantly resistyng he ouercommeth it his patience vttereth it selfe herein yf beyng sharply prouoked he is yet so bridled with the feare of God that he bursteth not out into any disteÌ„per His cherefulnesse appereth herein yf beyng wounded with sadnesse and sorrowe he resteth vpon the spirituall comfort of God This conflict whiche the faithfull do susteyne agaynst the natural felyng of sorrow while they studie for patience and temperance Paul hath very wel described in these wordes We are put to distresse in al thinges but we are not made sorrowfull we labour but we are not lefte destitute we suffer persecution but we are not forsaken in it we are throweÌ„ downe but we perish not You see how to beare the crosse patiently is not to be altogether astonished and without al felyng of sorrow As the Stoikes in olde time did foolishly describe a valiant hearted man to be such a one as puttyng of all nature of man was a like moued in prosperitie and in aduersitie in sorrowfull and ioyefull state yea suche a one as like a stone was moâ—ed with nothyng And what haue they profited with this hye wisedome Forsothe they haue painted out such an image of wisedome as neuer was found and neuer can herafter be among meÌ„ But rather while they coueted to haue to exact and precise a patience they haue taken awaye all the vse of patience out of mans life And at this day also amoÌ„g Christians there are newe Stoikes that recken it a fault not only to grone and wâ—pe but also to be sad and carefull But these strange conclusions do commonly procede from idle men whiche busieng themselues rather in speculation than doyng can do nothyng but brede vs such new found doctrines But we haue nothyng to do with that stony Philosophie whiche our maister and Lord hath condemned not only by his worde but also by his example For he mourned and wept both at his owne and other mens aduersities The worlde sayth he shall reioyse but you shall mourne and wepe And bicause no man should finde faulte therewith by his open proclamation he hath pronounced them blessed that mourne And no maruell For if all wepyng be blamed what shal we iudge of the Lord himself out of whose body dropped blouddy teares If euery feare be noted of infidelitie what shall we iudge of that quakyng feare wherewith we reade that he was not sclenderly striken If all sadnesse be mislyked how shal we like this that he confesseth his soule to be sad euen to the death This I thought good to speake to this ende to cal godly mindes from despear that they should not therfore altogether forsake the studie of patience bycause they can not put of the naturall affection of sorrow whiche must needes happen to them that make of patience a senslesse dulnesse and of a valiant and constant man a stocke For the Scripture geueth to the holy ones the prayse of patience when they are so troubled with hardnesse of aduersities that yet thei be not ouercome nor throweÌ„ downe with it when they be so pricked with bitternesse that they be also delited with spirituall ioye when they be so distressed with grefe that yet they receyue courage againe beyng cheared with the comfort of God Yet in the meane time that repugnancie abideth still in their heartes that naturall sense eschueth and dredeth those thinges that it knoweth to be against it but the affection of godlinesse trauaileth euen through all those difficulties to the obeyeng of Gods will This repugnancie the Lord expressed when he sayd thus to Peter WheÌ„ thou waste yong thou didst gird thy self didst walke whether thou woldest But when thou art old an other shall gyrde thee and leade thee whither thou shalt not be willyng Neyther is it likely that Peter when the time came that he must glorifie God by his death was drawen vnwillyngly and resistyng vnto it Els his martyrdome should haue but small prayse But howe so euer he did with great cherefulnesse of heart obeye the ordinance of God yet bicause he had not put of the nature of manne he was doubly strayned with two sortes of willes For when he dyd by himselfe coÌ„sider the bloudly death that he should suffer beyng stryken with horrour thereof he would gladly haue escaped it On the other side when it came in his minde that he was called vnto it by the commauÌ„dement of God then conqueryng and treadyng downe feare he gladly yea and cherefully toke it upon him This therefore we must endeuour yf we will be the Disciples of Christ that our mindes be inwardly filled with so great a reuerence and obedience to God as may tame and subdue to his ordinance all contrarie affections So shall it come to passe that with whatsoeuer kinde of crosse we be vexed eueÌ„ in the greatest anguishes of minde we shall constantly kepe patience For aduersities shal haue their sharpnesse wherwith we shal be bitten so when we are afflicted with sicknesse we shal bothe grone and be disquieted desire health so beyng pressed with pouertie we shal be pricked with the sâ—inges of carefulnesse and sorrowe so shall we be striken with grefe of shame contempt and iniurie so shall we yelde due teares to nature at the burial of our frendes but this alway shal be the conclusion But the lord willed so therefore let vs folow his will Yea euen in the middest of the prickynges of sorrow in the middest of mourning and teares this thought must needes come betwene to incline our heart to take cherefully the very same thinges by reason whereof it is so moued But for asmuche as we haue taken the chefe cause of bearyng the crosse out of the coÌ„sideratioÌ„ of the wil of God we must in few wordes define what difference is betwene Phylosophical Christian patieÌ„ce Truely very fewe of the Phylosophers climbed to so hie a reason to vnderstand that the hand of God doth exercise vs by afflictions and to thinke that God is in this behalf to be obeyed But they bryng no other reason but bicause we must so doe of necessitie What is this els but to say that thou must yeld vnto God bicause thou shalt trauail in vaine to wrastle against him For if we obey God only bicause we so must of necessitie then if we might escape we would cesse to obey But the Scripture biddeth vs to consider a far other thing in the wil of God that is to say first iustice and equitie then the care of our saluatioÌ„ These therfore be the Christian exhortations to patience whether pouertie or banishmeÌ„t or
steppe at al of remēbrance behinde it finally it passeth away as a clapping of hādes vpō a stage at any pleasant sight And we forgetting not only death but also that we be subiect to death as though we had neuer heard any report therof fall to a carelesse assurednesse of earthly immortalitie If any mā in the meane time tel vs of the Prouerbe that man is a creature of a dayes continuance we graunt it in deede but so heedelesly that still the thought of euerlastyng continuance resteth in our minde Whoe therfore can denie that it is a great profit to vs all not only to be admonished in wordes but by all the exāples of experiēce that may be to be cōuinced of the miserable estate of earthly life for asmuche as euen when we are conuinced we scarcely cesse to stand amased with peruerse foolish admiratiō of it as though it cōteined the vttermost end of good thinges But if it be necessarie that God instruct vs it is our dutie likewise on our behalues to harken to him when he calleth awaketh our dulnesse that despisyng the world we may with al our heartes endeuour to the meditatiō of the life to come But let the faithfull accustome themselues to suche a despisyng of present life as maye neither engendre a hatred thereof nor any vnthankfulnesse toward God For this life howsoeuer it is ful of infinite miseries is yet worthily reckened amōg the not sclender blessynges of God Therfore if we acknowlege no benefit of God in it we are gilry of no small vnthankfulnesse toward God himselfe But specially it ought to bee to the faythfull a testimonie of Gods good will for asmuche as it is wholy directed to the furtherance of their saluation For before that he openly deliuer vnto vs the inheritance of eternall glorye hys will is to shewe hymselfe a Father vnto vs by smaller examples and these be the benefites that are dayely bestowed vpon vs. Sithe therefore this life serueth vs to vnderstand the goodnesse of God shal we disdaine it as though it had not a crūme of goodnesse in it We must therefore put on this felyng and affection to recken it among the giftes of goodnesse that are not to be refused For though there wanted testimonies of Scripture of which there are both many and most euident very nature it self doth exhort vs to geue thākes to the Lorde for that he hath brought vs into the light of it that he graunteth vs the vse of it that he geueth vs all necessarie succors for the preseruation of it And this is a muche greater reason yf we consider that we are in it after a certayne manner prepared to the glorie of the heauenly kingdome For so the Lorde hath ordeyned that they whiche in time to come shal be crowned in heauen must fight certaine battels in earth that they should not triumph till they had ouercome the hard aduentures of the battel obteyned the victorie Then an other reason is that we do by diuerse benefites beginne therin to taste the swetenesse of Gods liberalitie that our hope desire should be whetted to long for the reuelyng thereof When this is determined that it is a gift of Gods clemencie that we lyue this earthly lyfe for whiche as we be bound vnto him so we ought to be mindefull and thankfull thē we shal in fit order come to cōsider the most miserable estate therof to this end that we may be deliuered frō to much gredinesse of it wherunto as I haue before sayd we are of our selues naturally enclined Now what so euer is taken from the wrongfull desire of this life ought to be added to the desire of a better life I graūt in deede that thei thought truely that thought it best not to be borne the next to die quickly For what could they beyng destitute of the light of God and true religion see therin but vnhappy and miserable And they dyd not without reason that mourned and wepte at the birthes of their frendes and solemnely reioysed at their burials but they did it without profit bicause beyng without the right doctrine of fayth they did not see how that may turne to good to the godly which is of it self neither blessed nor to be desired and so they ended their iudgement with desperation Let this therfore be the marke of the faithful in iudgyng of mortall life that when they vnderstand it to be of it self nothing but miserie they maye resort wholly the more freshly redily to the eternall life to come When we come to this comparison then this present lyfe maye not only be safely neglected but also vtterly despysed and lothed in comparison of the other For if heauen be our contrey what is the earth els but a place of banishment If the departyng out of the world be an entryng into lyfe what is the world but a graue to abide in it what is it els but to be drowned in death If to be deliuered from the bodie is to be set in perfect libertie what is the bodye els but a pryson If to enioye the presence of God is the hyest summe of felicitie is it not miserable to lacke it But til we be escaped out of the world we wander abrode from the Lord. Therefore if the earthly life be compared with the heauenly life doutlesse it ought to be despised troden vnder foote But it is neuer to be hated but in respect that it holdeth vs in subiection to sinne yet that hatred is not properly to be layed vpon our life But how so euer it be yet we must be so moued either with werinesse or hatred of it that desyrynge the end of it we may be also redy at the will of the Lorde to abide in it so that our werinesse may be far from all grudging and impatience For it is like a place in battell array wherin the Lorde hath placed vs which we ought to kepe tyll he call vs away Paul in dede lamēteth his state that he is holden bond in the bondes of the body longer than he wyshed and sigheth with feruent desire of his redemption neuerthelesse to obey the commaundement of the Lorde he professed him self ready to both because he acknowledgeth himself to owe this vnto God to glorifie his name either by death or life and that it is in God to determine what is moste expedient for his glory Therfore if we must liue and die to the Lorde let vs leaue to his will the tyme of our life and death but so that we be styll feruent in desire of death and be cōtinually occupied in meditation therof and despise this life in comparison of the immortalitie to come and wyshe to forsake it when it shall please the Lorde because of the bondage of sinne But this is monstruous that in stede of that desire of death manye that bost them selues to be Christians are so afrayed of it that they trēble at euery
mention of it as of a thing betokening vnluckely and vnhappy Truely it is no maruell if naturall sease in vs do quake for fear when we heare of the dissoluing of vs. But this is in no wyse tolerable that there be not in a Christian mans brest the light of godlinesse that should with greater comfort ouercome and suppresse that feare howe great soeuer it be For if we consider that this vnstedfast faulty corruptible fraile withering and rotten tabernacle of our body is therfore dissolued that it may afterward be restored againe into a stedfast perfect vncorruptible and heauenly glorie shall not faith compell vs feruently to desire that whiche nature feareth If we consider that by death we are called home out of banishmeÌ„t to inhabite our contry yea a heauenly contrey shall we obteine no comfort there by But there is nothinge that desireth not to abide continualli I graunt therefore I affirme that we ought to loke vnto the immortalitie to come wher we may atteine a stedfast state that no where appeareth in earth For Paul dothe very well teache that the faithfull ought to goe cherefully to death not because they would be vnclothed but because they desyre to be newly clothed Shall brute beastes yea and lifeles creatures euen stockes and stones knowing their present vanitie be earnestly bent to loking for the last day of the resurrection that they may with the children of God be deliuered from vanitie and shall we that are endued with the light of wyt and aboue wyt enlightened with the spirite of God when it standeth vpon our being not lift vp our myndes beyond this rottennesse of earth But it perteineth not to my present purpose nor to this place to speake against this peruersnesse And in the beginning I haue alredie professed that I would not here take vpon me the large handlinge of common places I would counsel suche fearfull myndes to rede Cyprians boke of Mortalitie vnlesse thei were mete to be sent to the Phylosophers that they may beginne to be ashamed when they se the contempt of death that those do shewe But this let vs hold for certainly determined that no man hath well profited in Christes schole but he that doth ioyfully loke for the daye both of death and of the last resurrection For both Paule describeth all the faithfull by this marke also it is common in the Scripture to call vs thither as oft as it will set forthe a ground of perfect gladnesse Reioyce saithe the Lorde and lift vp â—our heads for your redemption commeth nere at hande Is it reasonable I praie you that the thing which he willed to be of so great force to raise vp ioye cherefulnesse in vs sholde brede nothing but sorrowe and discouragement If it be so why do we still boast of hym as oure Scholemaster Let vs therfore gette a sounder minde and howsoeuer the blinde and senslesse desire of the flesh do striue against it let vs not doubt to wishe for the comming of the Lorde not onely with wishinge but also with groning and sighing as a thing most happy of all other For he shal come a redemer to vs to drawe vs out of this infinite gulfe of euels and miseries and to leade vs into that blessed inheritance of his life and glorie This is certainely true all the nation of the faithfull so longe as they dwel in earth must be as shepe appointed to slaughter that they mate be fashioned like Christ their heade Therfore thei were in moste lamentable case vnlesse thei had their minde raised vp into heauen surmounted all that is in the worlde and passed ouer the present face of things Contrariwise wheÌ„ thei haue ones lifâ—ed their heades aboue all earthly thinges although thei see the wealth and honoures of the wicked storyshing if thei see them enioying quiet peace if thei see them proude in gorgiousnesse and sumptuousnesse of all thinges if they see them to stowe in plentiful store of al delites by side that if thei be spoyled by their wickednesse yf they susteine reprochfull dealinges at theyr pride if thei be robbed by their couetousnesse if thei be vexed by any other outrage of theirs thei will easily vpholde themselues in such aduersyties For that daie shal be before their eies when the Lorde shall receiue his faithfull into the quiet of his kingdome when he shal wipe all teares from theyr eyes when he shall clothe them with the robe of glorie gladnesse when he shall feede them with the vnspeable swetnesse of his deinties when he shall aduaunce them to the felowshippe of his hie estate ynally when he shall vouchesaue to enterparten hys felicitie wyth them But these wycked ones that haue floryshed in the earâ—he he shall throwe into extreeme shame he shall change their delites into tormentes their laughing and mirth into weping and gnasshing of tethe he shall disquiet their peace with terrible torment of coÌ„science he shall punish their deintinesse with vnquenchable fier shall put their heades in subiection to those godly men whose patience thei haue abused For this is righteousnes as Paule testifieth to geue release to the miserable to them that are vniustly afflicted and to render affliction to the wycked that do afflict the godly when the Lorde Iesus shall be reueled from heauen This truely is our onely comfort whiche if it be taken awaie we must of necessitie either despeir or flatteringly delite oure selues wyth the vayne comfortes of the worlde to oure owne destruction For euen the Prophete confesseth that his fete stagged when he taried to longe vpon considering the present prosperitie of the wicked and that he coulde not otherwise stande stedfaste but when he entred into the sanctuarie of God and bended his eyes to the last ende of the godly and the wicked To conclude in one word then only the crosse of Christ triumpheth in the heartes of the faythfull vpon the Deuil fleshe synne the wicked when our eyes are turned to the power of the resurrection The tenth Chapter ¶ Howe we ought to vse this present lyfe and the helpes thereof BY suche introductions the Scripture doth also wel informe vs what is the right vse of earthely benefites whiche is a thyng not to be neglected in framyng an order of lyfe For if we must lyue we must also vse the necessary helpes of life neyther can we eschue euen those thynges that seme rather to serue for delite than for necessity Therfore we must kepe a measure that we may vse them with a pure conscience either for necessitie or for delight That measure the Lorde apointeth by his worde when he teacheth that this lyfe is to them that bee his a certaine iorney through a strange countrey by whiche they trauayle towarde the kingdome of heauen If we must but passe through the earth doubtlesse we ought so far to vse the good thynges of the earth as they may rather further than
shoulde be made partakers of the nature of God As though we weare nowe suche as the Gospell promysed that we shal be at the last comming of Christe yea Iohn telleth vs that we shall then see God as he is because we shal be lyke vnto hym Only I thought good to geue a small taste to the readers that I doe of purpose passe ouer these trifles not for that it is harde to confute them but because I wyll not be tedious in a superfluous worke But in the seconde point lurketh more poyson where he teacheth that we are righteous together with God I thynke I haue alredy sufficiently proued that although this doctrine were not so pestilent yet because it is colde and frutelesse and of it selfe so vayne that it melteth away it ought worthely to be vnsauorie to sounde and godly Reders But this is an intolerable wickednesse vnder pretense of double rightuousnesse to enfeble the earnest assuraunce of saluatioÌ„ and to cary vs aboue the cloudes that we shold not embrace by faith the grace of propitiation cal vpon God with quiet myndes Osiander scorneth them that teache that this worde Iustifying is a lawe terme because we must be ryghteous in dede And he abhorreth nothing more thaÌ„ to say that we be iustified by free imputation But if God do not iustifie vs by acquiting and pardoning what meaneth that saying of Paul God was in Christe reconciling the worlde to hym selfe not impuâ—ynge to men their synnes For hym that had done no synne he made synne for vs that we might be the rightuousnesse of God in him First I wynne thus muche that they be iudged righteous that be reconciled to God The manner howe is declared for that God iustifieth by forgeuyng as in an other place iustification is set as contrary to accusatioÌ„ which comparing of them as contraries doth clerely shewe that it is a phrase borrowed from the vse of the lawe And there is no man beyng but meanely practised in the Hebrewe tongue if he haue a sober brayne that is ignoraunt that this phrase came from thence and whereunto it tendeth and what it meaneth Nowe where Paul sayeth that Dauid described the ryghteousnesse without workes in these wordes Blessed are they whose synnes are forgeuen Let Osiander aunswere me whether this be a full definition or but halfe a one Truely Paul bryngeth not in the Prophet for a witnesse as though he taught that forgeuenesse of sinnes is but a part of righteousnes or a thing that ioyneth with other to the iustifiyng of man But he includeth whole ryghtuousnesse in free forgeuenesse pronouÌ„cing the man blessed whose sinnes are couered to whom God hath forgeuen iniquities to whom he imputeteh no traÌ„sgressions He doth measure iudge suche a mans felicitie thereby because he is not this way righteous in dede but by imputatioÌ„ Osiander taketh exception and saieth that this should be sclaunderous to God and contrary to his nature if he should iustifie them that in deede remayne styll wicked But we must remember as I haue already sayde that the grace of iustifying is not seuered from regeneration although they be seuerall thynges But because it is more than sufficiently knowen by experience that there abide alwayes in the righteous some reÌ„nantes of sinne it must nedes be that they be farre otherwyse iustified than they be reformed into newnesse of lyfe For this later point of reformation God so beginneth in his elect and throughout the whole course of their life by litle and litle and sometime slowly procedeth in it that thei be alway before his seate in danger of the iudgemeÌ„t of death But he iustifieth them not by partmeale but so that thei may freely as clothed with the purenesse of Christ appere in heauen For no portion of righteousnesse could appease our consciences tyll they be satisfied the God is fully pleased with vs because we be righteous in his sight with out exception Whereupon foloweth that the Doctrine of iustification is misturned yea ouerturned from the very foundation when doubtinge is cast into mens myndes when the affiance of saluatioÌ„ is shaken wheÌ„ thee free and dredlesse inuocation is hindred yea when quiet and tranquillitie with spirituall ioye is not staâ—lyshed Wherupon Paul gathereth an argument by contraries to proue that the inheritance is not by the lawe For by this meane faith should be made voide whiche if it haue respect to workes is ouerthrowen because none of the moste holy shall therin finde wherupon to trust This differeÌ„ce of iustifiyng and regeneratyng whiche two thinges Osyander confoundinge together calleth two sortes of righteousnesse is very wel expressed by Paul For speaking of his reall righteousnesse in dede or of the vprightnesse wher with he was endued whiche Osiander nameth essentiall righteousnes he lamentably crieth out Wretche that I am who shal deliuer me from the body of this death But fleing to the righteousnesse whiche is grounded vpon the only mercie of God he gloriously triumpheth ouer both life death reproches hunger sworde and all aduersities Whoe shall accuse the electes of God whome he iustifieth For I am surely persuaded that nothing shall seuer vs from his loue in Christ. He plainely publisheth that he hath the righteousnesse whiche alone fully sufficeth to saluation before God so that the wretched bondage whiche he knowyng to be in him selfe did a litle before beuayle his estate may not mouish nor any way hinder his boldnesse to glorie This diuersitie is sufficiently knowen and so familiar to al the holy ones that grone vnder the burden of iniquities yet with victorious confidence do mount vp aboue all feares As for this that Osiander obiecteth that it disagreeth with the nature of God it falleth vpon him selfe For although he clotheth the holy ones with a double rightuousnesse as it were with a furred garment yet he is compelled to confesse that without forgeuenesse of synnes they neuer pleased God If that be true then at least let him graunt that thei which are not righteous in dede are accompted righteous according to the apointed proportion of imputation as they call it But howe far shall a sinner extend this free acceptation that is put in place of ryghteousnesse shall he measure it by the pounde or by the ounce Truely he shall hang doubtefull and waueryng to this side and that side bicause he may not take vnto him so much righteousnesse as shal be necessarie to stablish confidence It is happy that he that wold binde God to a law is not iudge of this cause But this shal staÌ„de stedfast that thou mayest be iustified in thy sayenges and ouercoÌ„me when thou art iudged But howe great presumption is it to condemne the chefe iudge when he freely acquiteth that this answer maye not be in force I will haue mercie vpon whom I wil haue mercie And yet the intercession of Moses which God did put to silence with this sayeng tended not to this ende
death to make vs a new creature For we se that oftentimes specially of the Apostle the goodnes of god is set foorth vnto vs by this title God saith he which is riche in mercy for the great loue wherw t he loued vs euen whē we were dead by sinnes hath made vs aliue together in Christ. c. In an other place wher vnder the figure of Abrahā he entreateth of the general calling of the faithful he saith it is God that geueth life to the dead calleth those thinges that are not as though they were If we be nothyng what I beseche you can we do Wherfore the lord strongly beateth downe this arrogancie in the historie of Iob in these wordes who preuenteth me I shal rendre it him for al thinges ar mine Which sentēce Paul expoūding applieth it to this that we shold not think that we bring ani thīg to the lord but mere shame of needines emptines Wherfore in the place aboue cited to proue that we ar come into the hope of saluatiō by his grace alone not by works he allegeth that we ar his creatures bicause we ar new begottē in Christ Iesus to the good works which he hath prepared that we shuld walk in thē As if he had said which of vs may boaste that he hathe with his righteousnes prouoked God sith our first power to do good procedeth out of regeneratiō For as we ar made by nature oyle shal soner be wrong out of a stone thā a good work out of vs. Truly it is wonderful if mā being condēned of so great a shame dare yet say that ther remaineth ani thing with him Therefore let vs confesse with this noble instrumēt of God that we ar called of God with a holy callīg no◠accordīg to our works but accordīg to his purpose grace that the kindnes loue of God our sauior toward vs hath appeared bicause he hath saued vs not by the works of righteousnes which we haue don but according to his own mercie that being iustified by his grace we might be made the heires of eternal life Bi this confessiō we dispoil mā of al righteousnes euē to the least litle pece therof til he be bi only merci regenerate into hope of eternal life forasmuch as if the righteousnes of works do brīg any thīg toward the iustifyīg of vs it is falsly said that we ar iustified by grace Truly thapostle had not forgottē hīself whē he affirmed iustificatiō to be of fre gift which in an other place resoneth that grace is now not grace if works do any thing auail And what other thīg doth the lord mean whē he saith that he came not to cal righteous mē but sinners If only sinners ar receaued why seeke we an entry by fained righteousnesses Stil this same thought hath now thē recourse to my mind that it is peril least I shold do wrong to the mercies of God which do so carefully trauail in prouīg of this thīg as though it wer doutful or darke But bycause our enuiousnes is such as vnlesse it be most straightli thrust out of place it neuer yeldeth to God that which is his I ā cōpelled to tary sōwhat the lōger vpō it Yet for asmuche as the scripture is clere inough in this matter I wil in fighting rather vse the words therof thē mine own Esai whē he hath described the vniuersal destructiō of mākind doth īmediatly after veri fitly adioyn the ordre of restoring The lord hath seen it semed 〈◊〉 in his eyes And he saw that ther is no mā he maruailed that there is none that offereth himself he hath set saluatiō in his own arm hath strēgthned hīself with his own righteousnes Where are our righteousnesses if it be true which the prophet saith that ther is no mā that helpeth the lord in recouerīg his saluatiō So an other prophet wher he bringeth in the lord discoursīg of the recōciling of sīners to hīself saith I wil espouse the to me for euer in righteousnes iudgmēt grace mercie I wil sai to hir that hath not obteined merci thou hast obtained merci If such couenāt which it is certain to be the first cōioyning that we haue with God stādeth vpō the mercy of god ther is left no foūdatiō of our own righteousnes And I wold fain learn of those mē which fame that mā meteth God with sō righteousnes of works whether thei think that ther is ani righteousnes at al but that which is acceptable to God If it be madnes to thīk so what acceptable thīg to god cā procede frō his enemies whō he wholli abhorreth with al their doings That al we I sai ar the dedli professed enemies of our god the truth it self testifieth til being iustified we ar receiued into frēdship If iustified 〈◊〉 the beginnīg of loue what righteousnes of works shal go before 〈…〉 Ihon to turne away that pestilent arrogance dothe diligently put vs in mind how we did not first loue him And the self same thing the lord had long before taught bi his prophet I wil loue thē saih he with a fre loue bicause mine anger is turned Certainly his loue is not prouoked by workes if it hath of his owne accorde inclined it self vnto vs. But the rude cōmon sorte of men think it to be nothing els but that no mā hathe deserued that Christ shoulde performe oure redēption yet that to the entring into the possession of redemptiō we be holpen by our owne works Yea but hosoeuer we be redemed of Christ yet till we be by the calling of the Father graffed into the communion of him we are bothe heires of darkenesse and death and the enemies of God For Paul teacheth that we are not cleansed wasshed from our vncleannesses by the blood of Christ vntill the holy ghoste worketh y◠cleansing in vs. Whiche same thing Peter minding to teache declareth that the sancrifinge of the Spirite auaileth vnto obedience the sprinkling of the bloode of Christ. If we be by the Spirite sprinkled with the bloode of Christ vnto cleansing lette vs not thinke that before such watering we be any other than a sinner is without Christ. Let this therfore remaine certaine that the beginning of oure saluatiō is as yt were a certain resurrectiō frō death to life bicause when for Christes sake it is geuē to vs to beleue in him thē we first begin to passe frō death into life Under this sort are comprehended they whyche haue in the diuision aboue set ben noted for the second third sort of men For the vncleannesse of conscience proueth that both of them ar not yet regenerate by the Spirit of God And againe wheras there is no regeneration in them this proueth the want of faith Wherby appeareth that thei are not yet reconciled to God nor yet iustified in his sight forasmuch as these good
maÌ„ that hath a takyng of profit in a pece of ground by an other mans liberall graunt do also claime to himselfe the title of propretie doth he not by such vnthankfulnesse deserue to lose the very self possession whiche he had Likewise if a bondslaue beyng made free of his Lord do hide the basenesse of the estate of a Libertine boaste himself to be a freeman borne is he not worthy to be brought back into his former bondage For this is the right vse of enioyeng a benefite if we neyther clayme to our selues more thaÌ„ is geueÌ„ nor do defraude the author of the benefite of his praise but rather do so behaue our selues that that which he hath geuen froÌ„ himself to vs may seme after a certaine maÌ„ner to remaine with him If this moderation be to be kept toward men let all men loke and consider what manner of moderation is due to God I know that the Sophisters do abuse certain places to proue therby that the name of Merit toward God is fouÌ„d in the Scriptures They allege a senteÌ„ce out of Ecclesiasticus Mercie shall make place to euery man accordyng to the Merit of his workes And out of the Epistle to the Hebrues Forget not doyng good and communicating for with such sacrifices men merite of God As for my right in resistyng the authoritie of Ecclesiasticus I doe now release it Yet I denye that they faithfully allege that which Ecclesiasticus whatsoeuer writer he were hath written For the Greke copie is thus 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 He shal make place to euery mercie and euery man shall finde accordyng to his workes And that this is the true text which is corrupted in the Latine translation appereth both by the framing of these wordes by a loÌ„ger ioyning together of the sentence goyng before In the Epistle to the Hebrues there is no cause why they should snare vs in one litle word when in the Greke wordes of the Apostle is nothing els but that such sacrifices do please are acceptable to God This alone ought largely to suffice to subdue beate downe the outragiousnesse of our pride that we faine not any worthinesse to workes beyoÌ„d the rule of Scripture Now the doctrine of the Scripture is that all our good workes are continually be sprinkled with many filthy spottes wherewith God may be worthily offended and be angry with vs so far is it of that they be able to winne him to vs or to prouoke his liberalitie toward vs Yet bicause he of his teÌ„der kindenesse doth not examine them by extremitie of law he taketh theÌ„ as if they were most pure and therfore though without merite he rewardeth them with infinite benefites bothe of this present life and of the life to come For I do not allow the distinctioÌ„ set by meÌ„ otherwise learned godly that good workes deserue the graces that are geuen vs in this life that eternal life is the reward of faith alone For the Lord doth coÌ„monly alway set in heauen the reward of labors and the crowne of battell Agayne to geue it so to the merit of workes that it be taken away from grace that the Lord heapeth vs with graces vpon graces is against the doctrine of the Scripture For though Christ sayth that to him that hath shal be geuen that the faithful and good seruant which hath shewed himself faithful in few thinges shal be set ouer many yet he also sheweth in an other place that the encreases of the faithful are the giftes of his free goodnesse All ye that thirst sayth he come to the waters ye that haue not monie come and bye milke and honye without monie and without any exchange What so euer therfore is now geuen to the faithfull for help of saluation yea blessedneâ—â—e it selfe is the mere liberalitie of God yet bothe in this and in those he testifieth that he hath consideration of workes bicause to testifie the greatnesse of his loue toward vs he vouchsaueth to graunt such honor not only to vs but also to the giftes which he hath geueÌ„ vs. If these things had in the ages past ben handled disposed in such order as thei ought to haue beÌ„ there had neuer arisen so many trobles dissensions Paul sayth that in the bulding of Christian doctrine we must kepe stil that fundation which he had layed amoÌ„g the CorinthiaÌ„s biside which no other can be layed that the same fundation is Iesus Christ. What maÌ„ner of fundatioÌ„ haue we in Christ is it that he was to vs the beginning of saluatioÌ„ that the fulfillyng therof shold follow of our selues hath he but only opened the way by which we should goe forward of our own streÌ„gth Not so but as he sayd a litle before when we acknowlege him he is geueÌ„ to vs for righteousnesse No maÌ„ therfore is wel founded in Christ but he that hath full righteousnesse in him for asmuch as the Apostle sayth not that he was sent to help vs to obteine righteousnesse but that he himself might be our righteousnesse Namely that we are chosen in him froÌ„ eternitie before the making of the world by no deseruyng of oures but accordyng to the purpose of the good pleasure of God that by his death we are redemed froÌ„ the daÌ„nation of death deliuered froÌ„ destruction that in him we are adopted of the heauenly father into children heires that by his bloud we are recoÌ„ciled to the Father that beyng geuen to him to be kept we are deliuered from peril of perishyng of beyng lost that beyng so engraffed in him we are alredy after a certaine manner partakers of eternall life beyng entred into the kingdome of God by hope and yet more that hauing obteined such partaking of him how so euer we be yet fooles in our selues he is wisdom for vs before God howsoeuer we be sinners he is righteousnesse for vs howsoeuer we be vncleane he is cleannesse for vs howsoeuer we be weake howsoeuer vnarmed lieng open in danger of Satan yet oures is the power which is geueÌ„ him in heaueÌ„ earth whereby he may treade downe SataÌ„ for vs breake the gates of helles howsoeuer we stil cary about with vs the body of death yet he is life for vs brefely that al his things are oures we in him haue all things in our selues nothing vpoÌ„ this foundation I say it behoueth that we be bulded if we wil encrease into a holy temple to the Lord. But the world hath a long time beÌ„ otherwise taught For there haue ben fouÌ„d out I wote not what moral good workes by which meÌ„ may be made acceptable to God before that thei be graffed in christ As though the Scripture lieth wheÌ„ it sayth that they are al in death which haue not possessed the Sonne If they be in death how shold thei bring forth matter of life As
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
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
it com to passe that whatsoeuer greues we suffer thei shal be to vs a shewing of the life to come bicause it agreeth with the nature of God to render affliction to the wicked whiche afflict vs but to vs which are vniustly afflicted rest at the appearing of Christ with the Angels of his power in a flame of fire But that is to be holden whiche he addeth by and by afterwarde that he shall come that he may be glorified in his saintes be made wonderfull in al them that haue beleued bicause the Gospel hath ben beleued But althoughe the mindes of men ought to haue ben continnually occupied in this studie yet as though thei would of set purpose destroy all remembrance of the resurrection they haue called death the vtâ—ermost bounde of all thinges and the destruction of man For verily Salomon speaketh of the common and receiued opinion when hee saithe that a liuing dogge is better then a deade Lion And in an other place Whoe knoweth whether the soule of a man go vpward the soule of a beaste goe downewarde But in al ages this brutishe senslesse errore hath ben coÌ„mon in the worlde yea hath broken into the Church it self for the Sadduces haue presumed to professe openly that there is no resurrection yea and that soules are mortal But that this grosse ignorance sholde not helpe to excuse any man the infideles euen by very instinct of nature haue alwaye had an image of the resurrection before theyr eies For to what purpose serued that holy and inuiolable manner of burieng but to be an earnest of newe life Neither may it be answered that this spring of erroure bicause the religiousnesse of buriall was alway in vre amonge the holy Fathers and God willed the same manner to remaine amonge the Gentiles that an image of the rusurrection set before them might awake their drowsinesse But althoughe that ceremonie wanted his vse of profitinge yet it is profitable for vs if we wisely marke the ende of it bicause it is no sclender confutation of vnbelefe that al together professed that which no man beleued But Satan hath not only astonished the senses of men so that thei haue buried with the bodies the remembrance of the resurrection but also hath practised to corrupt this parte of doctrine with diuerse fained inuentions that at length it mighte vtterly die I passe ouer howe in Paules time Satan beganne to pinche at it but in a little after there folowed the Millenaries whiche limited the reigne of Christe to a thousande yeares Their erroure is so childishe that it nedeth not or is not worthy of any confutatioÌ„ Neither doth the ReuelatioÌ„ make on their side by whiche it is certaine that thei colored their erroure forasmuche as in the place where he mentioneth the numbre of a thousande hee entreateth not of the eternall blessednesse of the Church but only of the diuers trobles which were to come vpon the Churche while it yet trauailed in earth But the whole Scripture crieth out that there shal be no end of the blessednesse of the elect nor of the punishment of the reprobate Now of all thinges whiche bothe are hidden from our sight and do far passe the capacitie of our minde eyther we muste fetch the credite out of the certaine oracles of God or we muste vtterly caste it away They whiche assigne to the chyldren of God a thousand yeres to enioye the inheritance of the life to come do not marke how great a dishonor they do bothe to Christ and his kingdome For yf they shal not be clothed with immortalitie then neyther is Christ hymselfe to whose glorie they shal be newly fashioned receiued into the immortall glorie If their blessednesse shal haue any end then the kingdome of Christ â–ª vpon the stedfastnesse whereof it standeth endureth but for a time Finally eyther they are most vnskilfull of all matters concernyng God or they go about with croked maliciousnesse to ouerthrow the whole grace of God and power of Christ the fulfillyng wherof is no otherwise perfect but when sinne beyng blotted out death swallowed vp eternall life is fully restored But very blinde men may see how fondly they playe the fooles which feare that thei should ascribe to God to great crueltie if the reprobate be condemned to euerlasting peynes The Lord forsothe shall do wrong if he denie his kingdome to them whiche haue by their vnthankfulnesse made themselues vnworthy of it But say thei their sinnes endure but for a time I grauÌ„t but the maiestie yea and the righteousnesse of God whiche they haue offended by sinnyng is eternall Worthily therfore the remembrance of iniquitie dyeth not But so the peyne excedeth the measure of the faulte This is a blasphemie not to be suffred when the maiestie of God is so litle set by when the despising therof is estemed at no greater value than the destruction of one soule But let vs leaue these trifles least contrarie to that which we haue before sayd we may seme to iudge their dotages worthy of confutation Byside these there haue ben two other doting errors brought in by men peruersly curious The one sort thought as though the whole man died that the soules shall rise agayne with the bodies The other for asmuch as they graunt that the soules be immortall spirites say that they shal be clothed with new bodies whereby they denie the resurrection of the flesh Of the first sort bycause I haue touched somwhat in speakyng of the creation of man it shal be enough for me to warne the reders againe how beastly an errour it is to make of a spirit fashioned after the image of God a vanishyng blast whiche doth nothing but quicke the body in this frayle life and to bryng the teÌ„ple of the holy ghost to nothyng Finally to spoyle that part of vs wherein dimnesse chefely shineth and markes of immortalitie appere to spoyle it I say of this gift so that the estate of the body should be better and more excellent than the estate of the soule The Scripture teacheth far otherwise which compareth the body to a cotage out of whiche it sayth that we remoue when we die bicause it estemeth vs by that part whiche maketh vs differing from brute beastes So Peter beyng me to death sayth that the time is come when he muste saye awaye his tent And Paul speaking of the faithful after that he hath sayd That when our earthly house shal be dissolued there is a bildyng for vs in heauen adioyneth that we are wayferyng from the Lord so long as we abide in the body but do desire the presence of God in the absence of the body If the soules do not ouerliue the bodies what is it that hath God present when it is seuered from the body But the Apostle taketh away all doutyng when he teacheth that we are ioyned in felowship to the spirites of the righteous By whiche wordes he sheweth that
we haue sayd that we shall rise againe in the same fleshe whiche we beare as touchyng the substance but the qualitie shal be other As when the same flesh of Christ whiche had ben offred for sacrifice was raysed vp againe yet it excelled in other qualities as yf it had ben altogether an other flesh Which thing Paule declareth by familiar examples For as there is all one substance of the fleshe of a man and of a beast but not al one qualitie as all starres haue like matter but not like brightnesse so he teacheth that though we shal kepe stil the substance of our body yet there shal be a change that the state of it may be muche more excellent The body therefore that we maye be raysed vp agayne shal not perish nor vanish awaye but puttyng of corruption it shal put on vncorruption But for asmuch as God hath al the elementes ready at his becke no hardinesse shall hinder him but that he may commaund both the earth waters fier to rēder that which semeth to be cōsumed by them Which also Esay testifieth though not without a figure where he sayth Beholde the Lord shal goe forth of his place that he maye visit the iniquitie of the earth and the earth shall discouer her bloud and shal no more hide her dead But there is to be noted a difference betwene them that haue ben dead long before and those whō that daye shall finde aliue For we shall not all slepe as Paul sayth but we shall all be changed that is to saye it shall not be of necessitie that there be a distance of time betwene death and the beginnyng of the seconde life bycause in a moment of time and in the twyncling of an eye the sound of the trompet shall pearce to rayse vp the dead vncorruptible and with a sodeyne change to fashion agayne the liuing into the same glorie So in an other place he comforteth the faythful whiche muste die bycause they whiche shall then remayne aliue shal not goe before the dead but rather they shall first rise agayne whiche haue slept in Christ. If any obiect that sayeng of the Apostle that it is apointed to all mortalll menne ones to dye it is easy to answere it with sayeng that when the state of nature is changed it is a kinde of death and is fittly so called And therefore these thinges agree wel together that all shal be renewed by death when they shall put of their mortall bodie and yet that it is not necessarie that there be a seueryng of the bodie and the soule where there shal be a sodeyne changyng But here ariseth a harder question by what right the resurrection whyche is the singular benefit of Christe is common also to the wicked and the accursed of God We knowe that all were in Adam condemned to death Christ came the resurrection and lyfe Came he to geue life to all mankinde vniuersally without choyse But what is more agaynst reason than that they should by their obstinate blindenesse obteyne that which the godly worshippers of God do obteine by onely faith Yet this remaineth certaine that there shal be one resurrection of iudgement and an other resurrectiō of life and that Christ shall come to seuer the Lambes from the Goates I answer that this ought not to seme strange the likenesse whereof we see in dayly experience We see that in Adam we were depryued of the inheritance of the whole worlde and that we are by no lesse iuste reason debarred from common foode than from the eatyng of the tree of lyfe Whense then commeth it to passe that God doth not onely make his sunne to ryse vpon the good and euell but also as touchyng the vses of this present lyfe his inestimable liberalitie continually floweth forth to them with large plentuousnesse Hereby verily we knowe that those thinges whiche properly belong to Christ and his members doe also ouerflowe to the wicked not that it is their rightfull possession but that they maye be made the more inexcusable So the wicked do oftentimes finde God beneficiall by more than meane proues yea suche as somtime do darken all the blessinges of the Godly but yet do turne to their greater damnation If any man obiect that the resurrection is not fitly compared to fadynge and earthly benefites here also I answere that so sone as they were estranged from God the fountayne of life they deserued the death of the Deuell whereby they should be vtterly destroyed Yet by the maruelous counsell of God there was founde a meane state that out of lyfe they mighte liue in death No more absurditie ought it to seme yf the resurrection happen to the wicked whiche draweth them agaynst their willes to the iudgement seate of Christ whome nowe they refuse to heare for their mayster and teacher For it were a small peyne to be consumed awaye with death yf they were not to suffer punishment for their obstinacie broughte before the iudge whose vengeance they haue without ende and measure prouoked agaynst themselues But although we muste holde that whiche we haue sayd and whiche that notable confession Paule before Felix conteyneth that he loketh for the resurrection of the righteous and wicked yet the Scripture oftentimes setteth forth election together with the heauenly glorie to the only children of God Bicause Christ proprely came not to the destruction but to the saluation of the worlde Therefore in the Crede there is made mention of the blessed life only But for as much as the Prophecie of death swallowed vp by victorie shall then and not till then be fulfilled let vs alwaye haue in mynde the eternall felicitie the ende of the resurrection of the excellencie whereof yf all thinges were spoken whiche the tonges of men where able to speake yet scarcely the smallest parcell thereof should bee expressed For howe so euer we truely heare that the kyngdome of God shal be stuffed full with bryghtnesse ioye felicitie and glorie yet those thynges that are spoken of are moste farre remoued from our sense and remayne as it were wrapped in darke speaches vntill that daye come when he himselfe shall geue to vs his glorie to be seene face to face We know sayth Iohn that we are the chyldren of God but it hath not yet appered But when we shal be lyke to him then we shal see him such as he is Wherfore the Prophets bicause thei could by no wordes expresse the spiritual blessednesse in it self did in a manner grosly portray it out vnder bodily thinges But for as much as the feruentnesse of desire must with some tast of the swetenesse be kindled in vs let vs chefely cōtinue in this thought that if god do as a certaine fountaine which can not be drawen drie cōteyne in him the fulnesse of al good things nothing is beyōd him to be coueted of them that tend toward the soueraigne good and the
the same is nothing ells but a pronouncing of hys own sentence and that whatsoeuer they do in erth is confirmed in heauen For they haue the worde of the Lord wherby they may condemne the frowarde they haue the worde wherby they may receiue the repentant into fauor They I say that trust that without thys bonde of discipline Chirches may long stande are deceiued in opinion vnlesse perhappes we may want that helpe which the Lord foresaw that it should be necessarie for vs. And truely how great is the necessitie therof shal be better perceiued by the manifolde vse of it There be three endes whiche the Chirch hath respect vnto in suche corrections and excommunication The first is that they should not to the dishonor of God be named among Christians that leade a filthy and sinfull lyfe as though his holy Chirch were a coÌ„spiracie of noughtie and wicked men For sith the Chirch is the body of Christ it can not be defiled with suche filthy and rotten members but that some shame muste come to the hed Therefore that there should not be any suche thyng in the Chirch wherby hys holy name may be spotted wyth any repâ—oche they are to be driuen out of her householde by whoe 's dishonâ—â—e any sclauÌ„der myght redounde to the name of Christians And herein also is consideration to be had of the Supper of the Lord that it be not profaned with geuing it to alwithout choise For it is most true that he to whom the distribution of it is committed if he wittingly and willingly admitt an vnworthy man whom he might lawfully put back is as giltie of Sacrilege as if he did geue abrode the Lordes body to dogges Wherfore Chrysostome greuously inueyeth against the Prestes whiche while they feare the power of great men dare debarre no man The blood sayth he shal be required at your handes If ye feare man he shall laugh you to scorne but if ye feare God ye shal be reuerenced also among men Let vs not feare maces nor purple nor crownes we haue here a greater power I verily will rather deliuer mine own body to death and suffer my blood to be shed than I will be made partaker of this defiling Therfore least this most holy mystery be spotted with sclander in the distributing thereof choise is greatly requisite â–ª which yet can not be had but by the iurisdictioÌ„ of the Chirch The secoÌ„d ende is least as it is wont to come to passe with the continuall company of the euil the good shold be corrupted For such is our redy inclination to go out of the way there is nothing easier than for vs to be ledde by euill examples froÌ„ the right course of lyfe This vse the Apostle touched when he commauÌ„ded the Corinthians to put the incestuous man out of their company A litle leuen sayth he corrupteth the whole lomp of doae And he foresaw herein so great danger that he forbade hym euen from all felowship If any brother sayeth he among you be named either a whoremonger or a couetous man or a worshipper of Idoles or a dronkarde or an euill speaker with suche a one I graunte you not leaue so much as to eate The thirde ende is that they themselues confounded with shame may beginne to repente of their filthinesse So it is profitable for them also to haue their owne wickednesse chastised that with feling of the rod they may be awaked which otherwyse by tender bearing with them would haue become more obstinate The same thing doth the Apostle meane when he sayth thus If any do not obey our doctrine marke hym and kepe no companye wyth hym that he may be ashamed Againe in an other place when he wryteth that he hath deliuered the Corinthian to Satan that hys Spirite might be saued in the day of the Lord that is as I expounde it that he went into a damnation for a tyme that he might be saued for euer But he therefore sayth that he deliuereth hym to Satan because the deuil is out of the Chirch as Christ is in the Chirch For wheras some do referr it to a certaine vexing of the fleshe I thynke that to be very vncertaine When these endes be set fourth nowe it remaineth to se howe the Chirch executeth this part of discipline which consisteth in iurisdiction First let vs kepe the diuision aboue set that of synnes some be publike and other some be priuate or more secrete Publike are those that haue not onely one or twoo witnesses but are committed openly and wyth the offense of the whole Chirch Secrete I call those not which are altogether hidden from men as are the sinnes of Hipocrites for those come not into the iugement of the Chirch but those of the meane kynde which are not without witnesses yet are not publike The firste kynd requireth not those degrees which Christ rehearseth but wheÌ„ any such thing appeareth the Chirch ought to do her dutie in callyng the sinner and correcting him according to the proportion of the offense In the second kind according to the rule of Christ they come not to yâ— Chirch til there be also obstinacie added WheÌ„ it is ons come to knowlege then is the other diuision to be noted betwene wycked doinges defaultes For in lighter synnes there is not to be vsed so great seueritie but chastisemeÌ„t of wordes sufficeth the same gentle and fatherly which may not hardeÌ„ nor confounde the synner but bryng hym home to hymselfe that he may more reioyse than be sory that he was corrected But it is mete that haynous offenses be chastised with sharper remedie For it is not enough if he that by doing wycked dede of euill example hath greuously offended the Chirch shoulde be chastised onely with wordes but he oughte for a time to be depriued of the communion of the Supper til he haue geuen assurance of his repentance For against the Corinthian Paule vseth not only rebuking of wordes but driueth him out of the Chirche and blameth the Corinthians that it had so long borne him The olde and better Chirch kepte this order when rightfull gouernement florished for if any man had done any wicked dede wherupon was growen offense first he was commaunded to absteine from partaking of the holy Supper then both to humble himselfe before God and to testifie hys repentaÌ„ce before the Chirch There were also certaine solemne vsages which were enioyned to them that had falleÌ„ to be tokens of their repeÌ„tance When they had so done that the Chirch was satisfied theÌ„ by layeng of handes he was receiued into fauor Which receiuing is oftentimes called of Cipriane peace who also briefely describeth this vsage They do penance saieth he in a certaine ful time then they come to coÌ„fession and by the laying on of handes of the Bishop and the Clergie they receiue power to come to the communion Howbeit the Bishop and his Clergie had so the ruling
are by his power brought foorth and deliuered out of the thraldome of Egypt that is to say out of the bondage of sinne that our Pharao is drowned that is to saye the deuell although euen so also he ceasseth not to exercise and weary vs. But as that Egyptian was not throwen downe into the bottome of the sea but beyng ouerthrowen on the shore did yet with terrible syght make the Israelites afrayde but coulde not hurte them so this our enemie yet in dede threateneth sheweth his weapons is felt but can not ouercome In the Cloude was a signe of cleansyng For as then the Lorde couered them with a cloude cast ouer them and gaue them refreshyng colde least they should faint and pine away with to cruell burning of the sunne so in Baptisme we acknowlege our selues couered and defended with the blood of Christ least the seueritie of God which is in dede an intollerable flame shoulde lie vpon vs. But although this mysterie was then darke and knowen to few yet because there is none other way to obteyne saluation but in those two graces God wold not take away the signe of them both from the old Fathers whom he had adopted to be heires Now it is clere how false that is which some haue lately taught and wherin some yet continue that by Baptisme we be loosed and deliuered from originall sinne and from the corruption which was from Adam spread abrode into his whole posteritie and that we be restored into the same righteousnesse and purenesse of nature which Adam should haue obteined if he had stand fast in the same vprightnesse wherein he was first created For suche kynde of teachers neuer vnderstode what was originall sinne nor what was originall righteousnesse nor what was the grace of Baptisme But we haue alredy proued that original sinne is the peruersenesse and corruption of our nature whiche firste maketh vs giltie of the wrath of God and then also bryngeth forth workes in vs whiche the Scripture calleth the woorkes of the fleshe Therefore these two poyntes are seuerally to be marked namely that we being in all partes of our nature defiled and corrupted are already for suche corruption only holdē worthily condemned and conuicted before God to whom nothyng is acceptable but righteousnesse innocence and clennesse Yea and very infantes themselues bryng their owne damnation with them from their mothers wombe Who although they haue not yet brought foorth the fruites of their iniquitie yet haue the sede therof enclosed within them Yea their whole nature is a certaine sede of sinne therfore it can not but be hatefull abhominable to God The faithfull are certified by Baptisme that this damnation is taken away and driuen from them forasmuch as we haue allready said the Lord doth by this signe promise vs that ful and perfect forgeuenesse is graūted bothe of the fault whiche should haue ben imputed to vs and of the peine whiche we should haue suffred for the faulte they take holde also of righteousnesse but suche as the people of God may obteyne in this life that is to say by imputation onely because the Lorde of his owne mercy taketh them for righteous and innocent The other poynte is that this peruersnesse neuer ceasseth in vs but continually bryngeth foorth newe fruites namely those workes of the fleshe which we haue before described none otherwise than a burning fornace continually bloweth out flame and sparcles or as a spring infinitely casteth out water For lust neuer vtterly dieth and is quenched in men vntill being by death deliuered out of the body of death they haue vtterly put of themselues Baptisme in dede promiseth vs that our Pharao is drowned and the mortification of sinne yet not so that it is no more or may no more trouble vs but only that it may not ouercome vs. For so long as we lyue enclosed within this pryson of our bodye the remnantes of synne shall dwell in vs but if we holde fast by faith the promyse geuen vs of God in Baptisme they shal not beare rule nor reigne But let no man deceiue himselfe Let no man flatter hymselfe in his owne euell when he heareth that synne alwaye dwelleth in vs. These thynges are not spoken to this ende that they shoulde carelesly slepe vpon their sinnes which are otherwise to much enclined to sinne but onely that they should not faint and be discouraged which are tickled and pricked of their fleshe Let them rather thynke that they ar yet in the way and let them beleue that they haue much profited when they feele that there is dayely somewhat minished of theyr luste tyll they haue atteined thether whether they trauayle namely to the last deathe of their fleshe which shal be ended in the dyeng of this mortall lyfe In the meane tyme let them not cesse both to striue valiantly and to encourage them to goe forwarde and to stirre them vp to full victorie For this also oughte more to whett on their endeuors that they see that after that they haue long trauailed they haue yet no small businesse remainyng This we ought to hold we are baptised into the mortifying of our fleshe which is begon by baptisme in vs which we daily folowe but it shal be made perfect whē we shal remoue out of this life to the lord Here we saye no other thyng than the Apostle Paule in the seuenth Chapter to the Romaines moste clerely setteth oute For after that he had disputed of free righteousnesse because some wicked menne dydde thereof gather that we myght lyue after our owne luste because we should not be acceptable to God by the deseruynges of workes he addeth that all they that are clothed with the righteousnesse of Christ are therwith regenerate in Spirite and that of this regeneration we haue an earnest in baptisme Hereuppon he exhorteth the faithfull that they suffer not sinne to haue dominion in their membres Now because he knewe that there is alway some weakenesse in the faithfull that they should not therfore be discouraged he adioyneth a comforte that they are not vnder the lawe Because againe it might seme that Christians might growe insolent because they are not vnder the yoke of the law he entreateth what maner of abrogating that is and therwithal what is the vse of the lawe which question he had now the seconde tyme differred The summe is that we be deliuered from the rigor of the lawe that we should cleaue to Christ but that the office of the lawe is that we being conuinced of our peruersnesse shold confesse our owne weaknesse and miserie Now forasmuche as that peruersnesse of nature doth not so easely appeare in a prophane man which foloweth his owne lustes without feare of God he setteth an example in a man regenerate namely in him self He saith therfore that he hath a continual wrastlyng with the remnantes of his fleshe and that he is holden bounde with miserable bondage that he can not consecrate himself
wholly to the obedience of the lawe of God Therfore he is compelled with gronyng to crie out Unhappie am I. Who shall delyuer me out of this body subiect to death If the children of God be holden captiue in prison so long as they lyue they must nede be muche carefully greued with thinkyng vpon their owne perill vnlesse this feare be mette withall Therefore he adioyneth to this vse a comfort that there is no more damnation to them that are in Christ Iesu. Where he teacheth that they whome the Lorde hath ones receiued into fauor engraffed into the communion of his Christ hath by Baptisme admitted into the felowship of his Chirch while they continue in the faith of Christ although they be besieged of sinne yea and carry sinne about within them yet are acquited from giltinesse and condemnation If this be the simple and natural exposition of Paule there is no cause why we should seme to teache any ▪ new vnwonted thyng But baptisme so serueth our confession before men For it is a marke whereby we openly professe that we wold be accompted among the people of God wherby we testifie that we agree with all Christians into the worshippyng of one God and into one religion finally wherby we openly affirme our faith that not onely our hartes shoulde breathe out the praise of God but also our tong and all the membres of our bodye should sound it out with suche vtterances as they be able For so as we ought all our thyngs are emploied to the seruice of the glorie of God wherof nothyng ought to be voyde and other may by our example be stirred vp to the same endeuors Hereunto Paule had respect when he asked the Corinthians whether they had not ben baptized into the name of Christ meaning verily that euen in this that they wer baptised into his name they auowed themselues vnto hym swore to his name and boūd their faith to him before men that they coulde no more confesse any other but Christ alone vnlesse they would forsake the confession whiche they had made in Baptisme Now sithe it is declared what our Lord had regard vnto in the institution of Baptisme it is plaine to iudge what is the waye for vs to vse and receiue it For so farr as it is geuen to the raisyng nourishyng and confirmyng of our faith it is to be takē as from the hande of the author himselfe we ought to holde it certaine and fully persuaded that it is he which speaketh to vs by the signe that it is he which clēseth vs washeth vs and putteth away the remēbrance of our sinnes that it is he whiche maketh vs partakers of his death which taketh away from Satan his kingdome which febleth the forces of our lust yea which groweth into one with vs that being clothed with him we may be reckened the children of God that these thynges I say he doth inwardly so truely and certainly performe to our soule as we certainly see our body outwardly to be washed dipped and clothed For this either relation or similitude is the most sure rule of Sacramentes that in bodily thynges we should beholde spirituall thynges as if they were presently set before our eies forasmuch as it hath pleased the Lord to represēt them by such figures not for that suche graces are bounde and enclosed in the Sacramente that they should be geuen vs by the force therof but onely because the Lorde dothe by this token testifie his will vnto vs that is that he will geue vs all these thynges Neyther dothe he onely fede our eyes with a naked syght but he bryngeth vs to the thyng present and together fulfilleth that which it figureth Hereof let Cornelius the capitayne be an example which was baptised ▪ hauyng before receiued forgeuenesse of sinnes and visible graces of the Holy ghost seking not by baptisme a larger forgeuenesse but a more certaine exercising of Faith yea an encreasce of confidence by a pledge Paraduenture some man will obiect why therfore did Ananias say to Paule that he shoulde washe away his sinnes by Baptisme if sinnes be not washed away by the power of Baptisme it selfe I answere We are sayd to receiue to obteyne to gette that whiche so farre as concerneth the felyng of our faith is geuen vs of the Lorde whether he doo then fyrst testifie it or beyng testified dothe more and certainlier confirme it This therfore onely was the meanyng of Ananias that thou mayest be assured Paule that thy sinnes are forgeuen thee be baptised For the Lorde dothe in Baptisme promise forgeuenesse of synnes receiue this and be out of care Howbeit I mean not to diminishe the force of baptisme but that the thyng and the truthe is present with the signe so farre as God worketh by outwarde meanes But of this sacrament as of all other we obteyne nothyng but so muche as we receiue by Faith If we want faith it shal be for a witnesse of our vnthākfulnesse wherby we may be declared giltie before God because we haue not beleued the promise there geuen But so farre as it is a sygne of our confession we ought by it to testifie that our affiance is in the mercy of God and our cleannesse is in the forgeuenesse of sinnes which is gotten vs by Iesus Christe and that by it we entre into the Chirche of Christe that we may with one consent of Faith and charitie liue of one mynde with all the faithfull This laste poynte dydde Paule meane when he sayeth that we are all baptised in one Spirite that we may be one bodye Nowe if this be true which we determine that a Sacrament is not to be weyed accordyng to his hande of whome it is ministred but as of the very hands of God from whome without dout it proceded herupon we may gather that nothing is added to it nor takē from it by the worthinesse of hym by whoe 's hande it is deliuered And euen as among men if a letter be sent so that the hand and the seale be well knowen it maketh no matter who or what maner of man be the carrier so it ought to suffice to acknowe the hande and seale of our Lord in his Sacramentes by what carrier soeuer they be brought Hereby the error of the Donatistes is very well confuted whiche measured the force and value of the Sacrament by the worthinesse of the minister Such at this day are our Catabaptistes whiche deny that we be rightly baptised because we were baptised by wicked men idolatrers in the popishe kingdome therfore they furiously cal vpon vs to be baptised again Against whoe 's follies we shal be armed with a reason strong enough if we thinke that we were professed by baptisme not into the name of any man but into the name of the Father the Sonne and the Holy ghost and that therfore it is not the Baptisme of man but of God of whomsoeuer it be ministred Althoughe they
receiue teaching Afterwarde he addeth that such when they are instructed ought to be Baptised adioyning a promise that they which beleue and are baptised shal be saued Is there in al that sayeng so much as one syllable of infantes What forme therefore of reasoning shal thys be wherewith they assaile vs they which are of growen age must first be instructed that they may beleue ere they be baptised therfore it is vnlawful to make Baptisme common to infantes Althoughe they would burst themselues they shall proue nothing ells by this place but that the Gospell must be preached to them that are of capacitie able to heare it before that they be Baptised forasmuch as he there speaketh of such only Let them herof if they can make a stopp to debarre infantes from Baptisme But that euen blynde men also may with gropyng fynde out their deceites I wil poynt them out with a very cleare similitude If any mā cauil that infantes ought to haue meate taken from them vppon thys pretense that the Apostle suffreth none to eate but them that labor shal he not be worthy that al men should spit at hym Why so Because he without differēce draweth that to al men which was spoken of one kinde and one certayne age of men No whit handsomer is their handeling in thys present cause For that which euery man seeth to belong to one age alone they draw to infantes that thys age also may be subiect to the rule which was made for none but them that were more growen in yeres As for the example of Christ it nothing vpholdeth their side He was not baptised before that he was thirty yeres olde That is in dede true but there is a reason therof redy to be shewed because he thē purposed by hys preaching to lay a sounde fundatiō of Baptisme or rather to stablish the fundation which had ben before laied of Iohn Therfore when he mynded with hys doctrine to institute Baptisme to procure the greater authoritie to his institution he Sanctified it with his owne body and that in such fitnesse of tyme as was most conuenient namely when he began his preaching Finally they shall gather nothing ells herof but that Baptisme toke hys original and beginning at the preaching of the Gospell If they list to appoint the thirtith yere why doe they not kepe it but doe receiue euery one to Baptisme as he hath in their iugemente sufficiently profited yea and Seruettus one of their maisters when he stiffly required thys tyme yet began at the .xxi. yere of his age to boste himselfe to be a Prophet As though he were to bee suffred that taketh vpon himselfe the place of a teacher in the Chirch before that he be a member of the Chirch At the last they obiect that there is no greater cause why Baptisme should be geuen to infantes than the Lordes Supper which yet is not graunted them As though the Scripture did not euery way expresse a large differēce The same was in dede vsually done in the olde Chirch as it appeareth by Cypriane and Augustine but that maner is worthily growen out of vse For if we consider the nature and propertie of Baptisme it is truely an entrie into the Chirch and as it were a forme of admission wherby we are adnūbred into the people of God a signe of our spirituall regeneration by which we are borne agayne into the children of God wheras on the other syde the Supper is geuē to them that be more growen in age which hauing passed tender infantie are now able to beare strong meate Which difference is very euidently shewed in the Scripture For there the Lorde so muche as perteineth to Baptisme maketh no choise of ages But he doth not likewise geue the Supper to al to take part of it but only to them which are fit to discerne the body and blood of the Lord to examine their own conscience to declare the Lordes death to weye the power therof Would we haue any thing plainer than that which the Apostle teacheth when he exhorteth that euery man should proue and examine hymselfe and then eate of thys bred and drynke of thys cup Therfore examination must goe before which should in vaine be loked for of infantes Agayne he that eateth vnworthily eateth and drynketh damnation to hymselfe not discerning the Lordes body If none can partake worthily but they that can well discerne the holinesse of the Lordes body why should we geue to our tender children poison in stede of liuely foode What is that commaundement of the Lord ye shal do it in remembrance of me what is that other which the Apostle deriueth from the same So oft as ye shall eate of this bread ye shal declare the Lordes death til he come What remembrance I beseche you shal we require at our infantes of the thyng which they neuer atteined with vnderstanding what preaching of the crosse of Christ ▪ the force and benefite whereof they do not yet comprehende in mind None of these things is prescribed in Baptisme Therfore betwene these twoo signes is great difference whiche we note also in like signes in the olde testament Circumcision which is knowen to answere to our Baptisme was appointed for infantes But the passeouer into whoe 's place the Supper hath now succeded did not receiue al maner of gestes without difference but was rightly eaten of them only that myght by age enquire of the signification of it If these men had remayning one crumme of sounde brayne woulde they be blynde at a thing so clere and offring it selfe to sight Although it greueth me to lode the reders with a heape of trifles yet it shal be worth the trauail brefely to wype away suche gay reasons as Seruettus not the least of the Anabaptistes yea the great glory of that company thought himselfe to bring when he prepared himselfe to conflict He allegeth that Christes signes as they be perfect so doe require them that be perfect or able to conceiue perfection But the solution is easy that the perfection of Baptisme which extendeth euen to death is wrongfully restrayned to one point of time I say yet further that perfection is foolyshly required in man at the first day wherunto Baptisme allureth vs al our life long by continuall degrees He obiecteth that Christes signes wer ordeined for remembrance that euery man should remember that he was buried together with Christ. I answer that that which he hath fained of his owne head nedeth no confutation yea tha◠which he draweth to Baptisme Paules wordes shew to be propre to the holy Supper that euery man should examine himself but of Baptisme there is no where any such thing Wherupon we gather that they be rightly baptised which for their smalnesse of age ar not yet able to receiue examination Wheras he thirdly allegeth that all they abide in death whiche beleue not the Sonne of God that the wrath of God abideth vppon them therfore
that infants which can not beleue lie in their damnation I answer that Christe there speaketh not of the generall gyltinesse wherwith all the posteritie of Adam are enwrapped but only thretneth the despisers of the Gospell which do proudely and stubbornely refuse the grace offred them But this nothing perteineth to infantes Also I set a coÌ„trarie reason against them that whomesoeuer Christ blesseth he is discharged from the curse of Adam and the wrathe of God Sithe therfore it is knowen that infantes are blessed of him it foloweth that they are discharged from death Then he falsly citeth that whiche is no where red that whosoeuer is borne of the Spirite heareth the voyce of the Spirit Which although we graunt to be written yet shal proue nothyng ells but that the faithfull are framed to obedience accordyng as the Spirite woorketh in them But that whiche is spoken of a certaine number it is faultie to drawe indifferently to all Fowerthly he obiecteth because that goeth before which is naturall we muste tarry type tyme for Baptisme whiche is spirituall But althoughe I graunte that all the posteritie of Adam begotten of the fleshe doo from the very wombe beare their owne damnation yet I denye that that withstandeth but that God may presently bryng remedy For neither shall Seruettus proue that there were many yeares appoynted by God that the spirituall newnesse of lyfe many beginne As Paul testifieth although they whiche are borne of the faithfull are by nature damned yet by supernatural grace they are saued Then he bryngeth forth an allegorie that Dauid going vp into the toure of Sion did leade neither blinde men nor lame men with him but strong souldiors But what if I set a parable against it wherin God calleth to the heauenly banket blinde men and lame men howe will Seruettus vnwynde himselfe out of this knott I aske also whether lame and maimed men had not fyrst ben souldiors with Dauid But it is superfluous to tary longer vpoÌ„ this reasoÌ„ which the readers shall fynde by the holy hystorie to be made of mere falsehod There foloweth an other allegorie that the Apostles were fishers of men not of litle children But I aske what that sayeing of Christ meaneth that into the nette of the Gospel are gathered al kyndes of fishes But because I lyke not to play with allegories I answer that wheÌ„ the office of teaching was enioyned to the Apostles yet they were not forbidden from baptisyng of infantes Howbeit I wold yet knowe when the Euangelist nameth them Anthropous men in whche woorde is comprehended all mankynde without exception why they should deny infantes to be men Seuenthly he allegeth that sithe spirituall thyngs agree with spirituall infantes which are not spiritual are also not mete for baptisme But first it is plainly euideÌ„t howe wrongfully they wrest the place of Paule There is entreated of doctrine when the Corinthians did to muche stande in their owne conceite for vayne sharpnesse of witte Paule rebuketh their sluggishnesse for that they wer yet to be instructed in the first introductions of heauenly wisdome Who can therof gather that Baptisme is to be denied to infants whom being begotten of the fleshe God doth by free adoption make holy to himself Where as he sayth that they must be fed with spirituall meate if they be newe men the solution is easy that by Baptisme they are admitted into the flocke of Christ and that the signe of adoption suffiseth them til being growen to age they be able to beare strong meate that therfore the time of examination which God expresly requiâ—eth in the holy Supper must be taried for Afterward he obiecteth that Christ calleth all his to the holy Supper But it is certaine enough that he admitteth none but them that be already prepared to celebrate the remembrance of his deathe Wherupon foloweth that infantes whome he vouchesaued to embrace do stay in a seuerall and proper degree by themselues till they grow to age and yet are not strangers Whereas he saieth that it is monstrous that a man after that he is borne should not eate I answere that soules are otherwise fed than by the outward eatyng of the Supper and that therfore Christ is neuerthelesse meate to infantes althoughe they absteine from the signe But of Baptisme the case is otherwise by which onely the gate into the Chirch is opened to them Agayne he obiecteth that a good Stewarde distributeth meate to the household in due time Which although I willyngly graunt yet by what right wil he appoint vnto vs the certaine tyme of Baptisme that he may proue that it is not geuen to infantes out of tyme. Moreouer he bryngeth in that coÌ„maundemeÌ„t of Christ to the Apostles that they shold make hast into the haruest whyle the fieldes waxe white Uerily Christe meaneth this onely that the Apostles seeyng the fruite of their labor present shoulde the more cherefully prepare themselues to teache Who shall thereof gather that the onely tyme of Haruest is the ripe time for Baptisme His eleuenth reason is that in the first Chirch christians and disciples were all one but we see nowe that he fondely reasoneth from the parte to the whole Disciples are called men of full age whiche had ben already throughly taught and had professed Christ as it behoued that the Iewes vnder the law should be the disciples of Moses yet no man shall therof rightly gather that infantes were strangers whome the Lord hath testified to be of his householde Besyde these he allegeth that all Christians are brethren in which number infantes are not vnto vs so long as we debarre them from the Supper But I returne to that principle that none are heires of the kingdome of heauen but they that are the membres of Christ then that the embracyng of Christ was a true token of the adoption wherby infantes are ioyned in common with full growen men and that the absteining for a time from the Supper withstandeth not but that they perteyne to the body of the Chirche Neither did the these that was conuerted on the Crosse cesse to be brother of the godly although he neuer cam to the Supper Afterward he addeth that none is made our brother but by the Spirite of adoption which is geuen only by the bearing of Faith I answer that he still falleth backe into the same deceitefull argument because he ouerthwartly draweth that to infantes which was spoken only of growen men Paule teacheth there that this is Gods ordinarie maner of callyng to bryng his electe to the faith when he stirreth vp to them faithful teachers by whoe 's ministerie and trauaile he reacheth his hande to them Who dare therby appoint a lawe to him but that he may by some other secrete way graffe infantes into Christ Where he obiecteth that Cornelius was baptised after that he had receiued the Holy ghost howe wrongfully he doothe out of one example gather a generall rule appereth
capacitie of the vnlearned I wyll vndo those knottes wherwith Satan hath endeuored to snare the worlde Fyrst bread and wyne are signes whiche represent vnto vs the inuisible foode whiche we receyne of the fleshe and blood of Christ. For as in Baptisme God againe begettyng vs doothe graffe vs into the felowshippe of his Chirche and by adoption dothe make vs his owne so we haue sayde that he performeth the office of a prouident Father of householde in this that he continually ministreth vs meate that he susteineth and preserueth vs in that lyfe wherinto he hath by his worde begotten vs. Now the only meate of our soule is Christ and therfore the heauenly Father calleth vs to hym that beyng refreshed with common partakyng of hym we maye from tyme to tyme gather liuely force vntill we atteine to heauenlye immortalitie But forasmuche as this mysterie of the secrete vnityng of Christe with the godly is by nature impossible to be comprehended he geueth the figure and image therof in visible signes moste fit for our small capacitie yea as it were by earnestes and tokens geuen he maketh it so assured vnto vs as if it were seen with our eies because this so familiar a similitude entreth euen into the grossest myndes that soules are so fed with Christ as bread and wine do susteine the bodily life Now therfore we haue it declared to what ende this mysticall blessyng tendeth ▪ namely to assure vs that the body of the Lord was so ones offred for vs that we nowe eate it and in eatyng it doo fele in vs the effectual working of that only sacrifice that his blood was so ones shed for vs that it is vnto vs continuall drinke And so sounde the words of the promise there adioyned Take this is my body whiche is deliuered for you The body therfore which was ones offred vp for our saluation we are commaunded to take and eate that when we see our selues to be made partakers of this we may certainly determine that the power of his death which bringeth life shal be effectuall in vs. Wherupon also he calleth the cuppe the couenant in his blood For after a certaine maner it reneweth or rather continueth the couenant whiche he hath ones stablished with his blood so muche as pertaineth to the confirmyng of our faith so ofte as he reacheth vnto vs that holy blood to be tasted of A great fruite verily of affiance and swetenesse may godly soules gather of this Sacrament because they haue a witnesse that we are growen together into one body with Christe so that whatsoeuer is his we may call ours Herupon foloweth that we may boldly promise vnto our selues that euerlastyng life is ours whereof he is heire and that the kingdome of heauen wherinto he is now entred can no more fal away from vs than from him agayne that we can not nowe be condemned by our sinnes from the gyltinesse wherof he hath acquired vs when he willed them to be imputed to himself as if they were his owne This is the maruailous exchange whiche of his immeasurable bountifulnesse he hath made with vs that he beeyng made with vs the sonne of man hath made vs with hym the sonnes of God that by his cōming downe into earth he hath made vs a waie to goe vp into heauen that putting vpon him our mortalitie he hath geuen vs his immortalitie that takyng on hym our weakenesse he hath strengthened vs with his power that takyng our pouertie to himselfe he hath conueyed his riches to vs that taking to hym the weyght of our vnrighteousnesse wherewith we were oppressed he hath clothed vs with his righteousnesse Of all these thynges we haue so full a witnessyng in this sacrament that we must certainly determine that Christ is truely geuen vs as if Christ hymselfe were sett present before our eies and handled with our handes For this woorde can neither lye to vs nor mocke vs Take eate drinke this is my bodye whiche is deliuered for you this is the blood whiche is shed into the forgeuenesse of sinnes Whereas he commaundeth to take he signifieth that it is ours Whereas he commaundeth to eate he signifieth that that is made one subslance with vs. Whereas he sayth of the body that it is deliuered for vs of the blood that it is shed for vs therin he teacheth that bothe are not so muche his as ours because he toke and laide away both not for his commoditie but to our saluation And truely it is to be diligently marked that the chefe and in a maner whole pith of the Sacrament standeth in these words Which is deliuered for you Which is shed for you For otherwise it should not much profit vs that the body and blood of the Lord ar now distributed vnlesse they had ben ones geuen foorth for our redemption saluation Therfore they are represented vnder bread wine that we shold learne that they are not only ours but also ordeined for the nourishment of spirituall life This is it that we before saied that from the corporall thynges whych are shewed foorth in the Sacrament we are by a certayne proportionall relation guyded to spirituall thynges So when bread is geuen vs for a signe of the body of Christ we ought by by to conceiue this similitude As bread nourisheth susteineth and mainteineth the life of our body so the body of Christ is the onely meate to quicken geue lyfe to oure soule When we see wyne set foorth for a signe of his blood we must call to mynde what vses wyne bryngeth to the bodye that we may consider that the same are brought to vs spiritually by the blood of Christe those vses bee to cherishe to refreshe to strengthen to make mery For if we sufficiently weye what the deliueryng of this holy body what the shedyng of this holy blood hath profited vs we shal plainly perceiue that these thynges whiche are spoken of bread and wine according to such proportionall relation doo very well accorde with them toward vs when they are communicated vnto vs. Therfore the chefe partes of the Sacrament are not simply without hier consideration to reach to vs the body of Christ but rather the same promise wherby he testifieth that his fleshe is verily meate and his blood is drink with which we are fed into eternall life wherby he affirmeth himselfe to be the breade of lyfe of whiche who so eateth he shall liue for euer to seale I saye and confirme that promyse and for bryngyng the same to passe to sende vs to the crosse of Christ where that promise hath ben truely performed and in all pointes fulfilled For we doo not well and healthfully eate Christ but crucified when we doo with liuely feelyng conceiue the effectualnesse of his death For wheras he called himselfe the breade of life he did not borrow that name of the sacrament as some do wrongfully expounde it but because he was geuē vs suche of the Father and performed
himselfe suche when being made partaker of our humane martalitie he made vs parteners of his diuine immortalitie when offring himselfe for sacrifice he toke our accursednesse vpon himself that he might fil vs with blessing when with his death he deuoured swalowed vp death when in his resurrection he raised vp this our corruptible flesh which he had put on to glory vncorruption It remaineth that by appliance all the same maye come to vs. That is done bothe by the Gospell and more cleerely by the holy Supper where bothe he offreth himselfe to vs with all his good thynges we receiue him by faith Wherfore the sacramēt maketh not that Christ first beginneth to be the bread of life but when it bringeth into remembrance that he was made the bread of life whiche we continually eate and when it geueth vnto vs the taste and sauor of that breade then it maketh vs to fele the strength of that bread For it promiseth vs that whatsoeuer Christ did or suffred the same was done to geue life to vs. Then that this geuing of life is euerlasting by which we may without ende be nourished susteined and preserued in life For as Christ should not haue bene to vs the bread of life vnlesse he had bene borne and had dyed for vs vnlesse he had risen agayne for vs so now he should not bee the same vnlesse the effectualnesse and fruite of his birth death and resurrection were an euerlasting and immortall thing All which Christe hath very well expressed in these wordes The bread which I wil geue is my flesh which I wil geue for the life of the world By which wordes without dout he signifieth that his body shoulde therfore bee to vs for bread to the spirituall life of the soule because it shold be geuen forth to death for our saluatiō and that it is deliuered to vs to eate of it when by faith he maketh vs partakers of it Ones therfore he gaue it that he might be made bread when he gaue foorth himselfe to be crucified for the redemption of the world daily he geueth it when by the word of the Gospell he offreth it vnto vs to be receiued so far as it was crucified where he sealeth that deliuerance with the holy mysterie of the Supper where he inwardly fulfilleth that which he outwardly betokeneth Now herein we must beware of twoo faultes that neither doing to muche in abaring the signes we seme to pluck them frō their mysteries to which they are in a maner knitte fast nor that being immeasurable in aduancing the same we seme in the meane tyme somwhat to darken the mysteries themselues That Christ is the bread of life wherewith the faithful are nourished into eternal saluation ther is no man but he graunteth vnlesse he be altogether without religiō But this point is not likewise agreed vpon among al men what is the maner of partaking of him For there be that in one worde define that to eate the fleshe of Christe and to drinke his blood is nothing els but to beleue in Christ himlsefe But I thinke that Christ meant some certainer and hyer thyng in that notable sermon where he cōmendeth to vs the eatyng of his fleshe namely that we are quickned by the true partaking of hym whiche also he therfore expressed by the woordes of eatyng and drynkyng least any man should thynke that the life whiche we receiue of hym is conceyued by bare knowlege only For as not the syghte but the eatyng of bread suffiseth the body for nourishment so it behoueth that the soule be truly and throughly made partaker of Christ that by the power of hym it may be quickened into a spirituall lyfe But in the meane tyme we confesse that there is no other eatyng but of faith as there can no other be imagined But this is the difference betwene my wordes and theirs that with them to eate is only to beleue but I say that the flesh of Christ is eaten with beleuing because by faith he is made ours and I say that eatyng is the fruite and effect of faith Or if you wil haue it plainer with them eatyng is faithe and I thynke it rather to followe of faith In wordes verily the difference is but smalle but in the thyng it selfe not small For though the Apostle teacheth that Christe dwelleth in oure hartes by Faithe yet no manne will expounde this dwelling to be Faith but all men doo perceyue that there is expressed a singular effect of faith for that by it the faithful do obteyne to haue Christ dwellyng in them After this maner the Lorde meant in callyng hymselfe the bread of lyfe not only to teache that in the faith of his death and resurrection saluation is reposed for vs but also that by true partakyng of himselfe it is brought to passe that his life passeth into vs and becometh oures like as bread when it is taken for foode ministreth lyuelinesse to the body Neither dyd Augustine whom they bryng in for their patron in any other meanyng write that we eate by beleuyng than to shewe that this eatyng is of faith not of the mouthe Which I also denye not but yet therwithall I adde that we do by faith embrace Christe not apperyng afarre of but makyng hymselfe one with vs that he may be oure head and we his membres Yet do not I vtterly disalow that maner of speakyng but only I deny it to be a full declaration if they meane to define what it is to eate the fleshe of Christ. Otherwyse I see that Augustine hath ofte vsed this forme of speche as when he saith in the thirde boke Of Christian doctrine Unlesse ye eate the fleshe of the sonne of man this is a figure teachyng that we must communicate with the passion of the Lorde and muste sweetely and profitably laye vp in remembrance that for vs his fleshe was crucified and wounded Agayne when he sayeth that the three thousande menne whyche were conuerted at Peters sermon dyd drynke the bloode of Christe by beleuyng whyche they had shedde by cruell dealyng But in manye other places he honorably setteth out that benefyte of Faith that by it oure soules are no lesse refreshed with the communicatyng of the fleshe of Christe than oure bodies are with the breade whiche they eate And the same is it whyche in a certayne place Chrysostome wryteth that Christe doeth not onely by Faith but also in dede make vs his body For he meaneth not that we doo from any other where than from Faithe obteyne suche a benefite but this onely he meaneth to exclude that none when he heareth faithe to be named shoulde conceyue a naked imagination As for them that will haue the Supper to be onely a marke of outwarde profession I do now passe them ouer because I thinke that I haue sufficiently confuted their error whē I entreated of Sacramentes generally Only thys thing let the reders marke that when the
this they haue warre not with me but with the Spirite of God Howsoeuer they cry oute that they be touched with reuerence of the wordes of Christ wherby they do not figuratiuely vnderstande those thynges that are playnly spoken yet this is not a pretence rightfull enoughe why they shoulde so refuse all the reasons whiche we obiecte to the contrarie In the meane tyme as I haue already geuen warnyng it is conuenient to learne what maner of thing this is The testament in the body and blood of Christ because the couenant stablished with the sacrifice of death should otherwise not profit vs vnlesse there were adioyned that secrete communicatyng whereby we growe into one with Christe It remaineth therfore that for the affinitie which the things signified haue with their signes we confesse that the selfe name of the thing was geuen to the signe figuratiuely in dede but not without a most fitt proportionall agreement I leaue allegories and parables least any man should quarell that I seeke startyng holes and wander out of the present purpose I say that this is a speche by figure of transnomination whiche is cōmonly vsed in the Scripture when mysteries are entreated of For neither can you otherwise vnderstand that whiche is sayd that circumcision is a couenant that the lambe is the Passeouer that the Sacrifices of the law are expiations finally that the rocke oute of whiche water flowed in the deserte was Christ vnlesse you take it to be spoken by way of transferring of names Neither are names transferred only from the hyer name to the lower but contrariewise the name of the visible signe is also geuen to the thing signified as when it is sayd that God appeared to Moses in the bushe when the arke of couenante is called God and the face of God and the doue is called the Holy ghost For though the signe differ in substance from the thing signified because this is spirituall and heauenly and that is corporall and visible yet because it doth not only figure the thing whiche it is holily appointed to represente as a naked and empty token but doth also truely deliuer it in dede why may not the name of the thing rightly accorde with it If signes deuised by men whiche are rather images of thyngs absent than markes of thynges present which selfe absent thynges they do oftentymes deceitfully shadow are yet somtime garnished with the titles of the thinges then those thinges that are ordeined of God do by much greater reason borrow the names of those thyngs of which they alway bothe beare a sure and not disceytfull signification and haue the truthe adioyned with them There is therfore so great likenesse and nerenesse of the one to the other that it is easy to draw their names to and froe Therfore let our aduersaries cesse to heape vnsauory scoffings against vs in calling vs Tropistes because we expounde the Sacramental maner of speakyng after the common vse of the Scripture For whereas the Sacramentes agree together in many thinges in this trāsferryng of names they haue all a certaine communitie together As therfore the Apostle teacheth that the stone out of which spiritual drynke did spring to the Israelites was Christ because it was a visible signe vnder which that spirituall drinke was truely in dede but not discernably to the eie perceiued so bread is at this day called the body of Christe forasmuche as it is a sygne whereby the Lorde offereth to vs the true eatyng of his bodye Neither dyd Augustine otherwyse thynke or speake least any man shoulde despise this as a newe inuention If sayeth he the Sacramentes hadde not a certaine likenesse of those thynges whereof they are Sacramentes they should not be Sacramentes at all And of this likenesse oftentimes they take the names of the things themselues As therfore after a certaine maner the sacramēt of the body of Christ is the body of Christ the sacrament of the blood of Christ is the blood of Christ so the sacramēt of faith is faith There be in him many like places which it were superfluous to heape together sithe that same one suffiseth sauyng that the readers must be warned that the holye man teacheth the same thyng in the Epistle to Enodius But it is a trifling shift to say that where Augustine teacheth that when transferryng is often and commonly vsed in mysteries he maketh no mention of the Supper because if this shyft were receiued we myght not reason from the generaltie to the specialtie neither were this a good argument Euery feling creature hath power of mouing therfore an oxe and a horse haue power of mouyng Howbeit long disputation hereof is in an other place ended by the wordes of the same holy man where he sayth that Christ sticked not to call it his body when he gaue the signe of his bodye Against Adimantus the Manichean in the .xii. Chapiter And in an other place vpon the thirde Psalme Meruailous saieth he is the patience of Christ that he receiued Iudas to the banket wherein he cōmitted and deliuered to his disciples the figure of his body and blood But if some precise man beyng blynde at all the rest doo stand onely vpon this worde this is as though is seuered this mysterie from all other the solution is easy They saye that the vehemence of the substantiue verbe is is so great that it admitteth no figure Which if we graūt to them euen in the wordes of Paule is redde the Substantiue verbe where he calleth bread the communicatyng of the body of Christe But the communicatyng is an other thyng than the body it selfe Yea commonly where sacramentes are entreated of we fynde the same woorde vsed As. This shall be to you a couenant with me This Lambe shall be to you a Passeouer To reherse no moe when Paule sayth that the rocke was Christe why do they take the substantiue verbe in that place to be of lesse vehemence than in the speche of Christ Let them also answer where Iohn saith the Holy ghost was not yet because Iesus was not yet glorified of what force the substantiue verbe is in that place For if they abide fastened to their rule the eternall essence of the Holy ghost shal be destroyed as though it toke beginnyng at the Ascension of Christ. Finally let them answer what meaneth that sayeng of Paule that Baptisme is the washyng of regeneration and renewyng which it is euidēt to be vnprofitable to many But nothyng is strōger to confute them than that sayeng of Paule that the Chirch is Christe For. bryngyng a similitude of the body of man he addeth So is Christ in whiche place he vnderstandeth the onely begotten sonne of God not in himselfe but in his membres Hereby I thinke I haue obteined that to soundwitted and vncorrupted men the sclaunders of oure enemies are lothsome when they spread abroade that we withdraw credit from the wordes of Christ whiche we doo no
But what did the Apostles Luke reporteth in the Actes that the Apostles which were at Hierusalem when they hearde that Samaria hadde receiued the worde of God sent thether Peter and Iohn they prayed for the Samaritans that they might receiue the Holy ghost which was not yet come into any of them but they were baptized onely in the name of Iesus when they had prayed they laied their hands vpoÌ„ them by which layeng on the Samaritanes receiued the Holy ghost And of this laieng on of hands he diuerse tymes maketh mentioÌ„ I heare what the Apostles did that is they faithfully executed their ministrie The Lord willed that those visible and wonderfull graces of the Holy ghost which he then poured out vpon his people shold be ministred and distributed of his Apostles by the laieng on of handes But vnder this laieng on of hands I thinke there was not conteined any hier mysterie but I expound it that they adioyned such a ceremonie that by the very outeward doyng they mighte signifie that they commended and as it were offred to God him vpon whome they laid their handes If this ministerie which the Apostles then executed were yet stil remaining in the Chirch the layeng on of handes also ought to be kept But sins that same grace hath cessed to be geuen whereto serueth the laieng on of handes Truelye the Holy ghost is yet present with the people of God without whom being guider directer the Chirch of God can not stande For we haue the eternal promise and which shal euer stande in force by which Christ calleth to him self them that thirst that they may drinke liuing waters But those miracles of powers and manifest workinges which were distributed by the layeng on of handes haue ceassed neither behoued it that they should be but for a time For it behoued that the preaching of the Gospell while it was new should be gloriously set fourth and magnified with vnheard of and vnwonted miracles From which when the Lord cessed he did not by and by forsake his Chirch but taught that the royaltie of his kingdome and the dignitie of his word was excellentlye enough disclosed In what point therfore wil these stageplaiers say that they follow the Apostles They shoulde haue done it with layeng on of handes that the euident power of the Holy ghost might by and by shew forth it self Thys they bring not to passe why therfore do they bost that the laieng on of haÌ„des maketh for them which we rede in dede that the Apostles vsed but altogether to an other ende This hath like reason as if a man shoulde teache that that breathing wherewith the Lord breathed vpoÌ„ his disciples is a Sacrament wherby the Holy ghost is geuen But whereas the Lord did this ones he did not also will that we should do the same After the same maner also the Apostles layed on their handes during the time that it pleased the lord that the visible graces of the Holy ghoste shoulde bee distributed at their praiers not that they which come after shold only playerlike and without the thing in dede couÌ„terfait an empty cold signe as these apes do But if they proue that in layeng on of handes they folow the Apostles wherein they haue no like thing with the Apostles sauing I wote not what ouerthwart wrongfull counterfaiting yet whense cometh their oyle which they call the oile of saluatioÌ„ Who taught them to seke saluatioÌ„ in oyle Who taught them to geue to it the power of strengthning Did Paule which draweth vs far away from the elements of this world whiche condemneth nothing more than the sticking to suche pety obseruations But this I boldly pronounce not of my selfe but from the Lorde Whoso call oyle the oyle of saluation they forsweare the saluation whiche is in Christ they denye Christ they haue no part in the kingdome of God For oyle is for the belly and the belly for oyle the Lorde shall destroy bothe For all these weake elementes whiche decay with very vse belong nothing to the kyngdome of God which is spiritual and shal neuer decay What then wil some men say do you measure with the same measure the water wherewith we be baptyzed and the bread and wine vnder which the Supper of the Lord is geuen I answere that in Sacramentes geuen of God twoo thinges are to bee loked vnto the substaÌ„ce of the bodily thing which is set before vs and the forme that is by the worde of God printed in it wherin lyeth the whole strength In respect therfore that the bread wine and water that are in the SacrameÌ„tes offred to our sight do kepe their owne substance this saieng of Paul alway hath place â–ª Meate for belly and the bellye for meates God shall destroy them both For they passe and vanish away with the fashioÌ„ of this world But in respect that they be sanctified by the word of God that they may be Sacramentes they do not hold vs in the flesh but doo truely and spiritually teache vs. But let vs yet more nerely loke into it how many monsters this fat liquor fostreth and fedeth These anoynters saye that the Holy ghost is geuen in Baptisme to innocence in ConfirmatioÌ„ to encrease of grace that in Baptisme we are new begotten into life in confirmation we ar prepared to battell And they are so paste shame that they deny that Baptisme can well bee doone without confirmation O wickednesse Are we not therfore in Baptisme buried together wyth Christ being made partakers of hys death that we maye bee also parteners of hys resurrection But thys felowship wyth the death and life of Christ Paule expoundeth to be the mortifieng of our flesh and quickning of our spirite for that our olde man is crucified that we may walk in newnesse of life What is to be armed to battel if this be not If they compâ—ed it a matter of nothing to trede vnder feete the word of God why did they not yet at least reuereÌ„ce the Chirch to whom they wil in euery point seme so obedient But what can be brought forth more stroÌ„g against their doctrine thaÌ„ that decree of the Mileuitane councel Whoso sayeth that Baptisme is geuen onely for forgeuenesse of sinnes and not for a helpe of grace to come accursed be he But whereas Luke in the place which we haue alleged sayth that they were baptised in the name of Iesus Christe which had not receiued the Holy ghost he dothe not simply denie that they wer endued with any gift of the Holy ghost which beleued in Christ with hart and confessed him with mouth but meaneth of that receiuing of the Holy ghost wherby the open powers and visible graces were receiued So is it sayd that the Apostles receiued the Spirite on the day of Pentecost wheras it had ben long before sayd vnto them of Christ It is not you that speake but the Spirit of my Father which speaketh in you Beholde
that Baptisme is nothing ells but a marke and token wherby we professe our religion before men as soldiars beare the conufance of their capitaine for a marke of their profession wey not that which was the chefe thing in Baptisme That is this that we shoulde receiue it with this promise that whosoeuer beleue and are Baptised shal be saued In this sense is that to be vnderstode which Paule writeth that the Chirch is sanctified of Christ her spouse and cleansed with washing of water in the worde of lyfe And in an other place that we are saued according to his mercy by the washing of regeneration and of the renewing of the Holy ghost And that which Peter writeth that Baptisme saueth vs. For Paules will was not to signifie that our washing and saluation is perfectly made by water or that water conteyneth in it self the power of cleanse regenerate and renew Neither did Peter meane the cause of saluation but only the knowlege certaintie of such giftes to be receiued in this Sacrament which is euidently enough expressed in the wordes themselues For Paul knitteth together the word of lyfe Baptisme of water as if he had sayd that by the Gospel the message of washing sanctifieng is brought vs that by Baptisme such message is sealed And Peter immediatly adioyneth that that Baptisme is not the putting away of the filthinesse of the flesh but a good cōscience before God which is of Fayth Yea Baptisme promiseth vs no other cleansing but by the sprinkling of the blood of Christ which is figured by water for the lykenesse of cleansing washing Who therefore can say that we be cleansed by thys water which certainly testifieth that the blood of Christ is oure true onely washing So that frō no where ells can be fetched a surer reason to confute their blinde error which referr al thinges to the power of the water thā from the signification of Baptisme it selfe which doth withdraw vs as wel from that visible element which is set before oure eies as from all other meanes that it may bynde our mindes to Christ alone Neither is it to be thought that Baptisme is applied only to the time past that for new fallinges into whiche we fall backe after Baptisme we must seke new remedies of clensing in I wote not what other Sacramentes as thoughe the force of Baptisme were worne out of vse By this error it came to passe in old time that some would not be Baptised but in the vttermost peril of life and at their laste gaspinges that so they might obteine pardon of their whole life Against whiche waywarde suttle prouision the olde Bishops so oft inuey in their writinges But thus we ought to thinke that at what time soeuer we be Baptised we are at ones washed and cleansed for al our life Therfore so ofte as we fal we must goe backe to the remembrance of Baptisme and therewith we must arme our minde that it may be alway certaine and assured of the forgeuenesse of sinnes For though when it is ones ministred it semeth to be past yet by later sinnes it is not abolished For the cleannesse of Christ is therin offred vs that alway florisheth is oppressed with no spottes but ouerwhelmeth wypeth away al our filthinesse yet oughte we not to take therof a libertie to sinne in tyme to come as verily we be not hereby armed to such boldnesse but this doctrine is geuen onely to them which when they haue sinned doe grone weryed and oppressed vnder their sinnes that they may haue wherwith thei may raise vp and comfort themselues least they should fal into confusion and desperatiō So Paule sayth that Christ was made to vs a propitiator vnto the forgeuenesse of faultes going before Wherin he denieth not that therin is obteined perpetual continual forgeuenesse of sinnes euē vnto death but he meaneth that it was geuē of the Father onely to poore synners which wounded with the searing iron of conscience to sighe to the Phisitian To these the mercy of God is offred They whiche by escaping of punishment do hunt for mater and libertie to sinne dooe nothing but prouoke to themselues the wrath and iugement of God I knowe in dede that it is commonly thought otherwise that by the benefite of repentance and of the keyes we do after Baptisme obteine forgeuenesse which at our first regeneration is geuen vs by only Baptisme But they which deuise this do erre herin that they do not remember that the power of the keyes wherof they speake doth so hang vpon Baptisme that it ought in no wise to be seuered The sinner receiueth forgeuenesse by the ministerie of the Chirch namely not without the preaching of the Gospell But what maner of preaching is that That we be cleansed from sinnes by the blood of Christ. But what signe and testimonie is there of that washing but Baptisme We se therfore how that absolution is referred to Baptisme And this error hath bredde vs the fayned Sacrament of Penance of which I haue touched somwhat before and the residue I wil make an ende of in place fit for it But it is no maruell if men which according to the grossenesse of their witt were immeasurably fast tyed to outwarde thynges haue in this behalfe also bewrayed that faulte that not contented with the pure institution of God they did thrust in newe helpes fayned of themselues As thoughe Baptisme it selfe were not a Sacrament of repentance But if repentance be commended to vs for our whole life the force also of Baptisme ought to be extended to the same boundes Wherfore it is also no doute but that all the godly throughout all their life long so oft as they be vexed with knowlege in conscience of their owne sinnes dare calle backe themselues to the remēbrance of Baptisme that therby they may confirme themselues in the affiance of that onely and continuall washing which we haue in the blood of Christ. It bringeth also an other fruit because it sheweth vs our mortificatiō in Christ and new life in hym For as the Apostle saith we are baptised into his death beyng buried together with hym into death that we may walke in newnesse of life By whiche wordes he doth not only exhort vs to the folowyng of hym as though he did saye that we are by Baptisme put in mynde that after a certaine example of the deathe of Christ we should die to our lustes and after the example of his resurrection we shold be raised vp to righteousnesse but he fetcheth the mater muche deper that is to say that by Baptisme Christ hath made vs partakers of his death that we may be graffed into it And as the graffe receiueth substāce and nourishmēt of the roote into which it is graffed so they that receiue Baptisme with such faith as thei ought do truly fele the effectualnesse of the death of Christ in the mortifiyng of their flesh and therwithall