shall preach any other Gospel c. 559. 898 2 I liue yet not I but Christe liueth in mée and the life whiche I nowe line in the fleshe I liue by the faith of the sonne of God c. 454 763 825 2 If righteousnesse come by the lawe then Christ died in vaine c. 771 2 Titus being a Gréeke was not circumcised because of incommers being false c. 451 2 Wee knowe that man is not iustified by the woorkes of the Lawe c. 49 3 The séede of Abraham wherein we haue obteined blessing is Christ Iesus c. 687 3 All ye that are baptised haue puâ— on Christ c. 1061 3 If there had béene a lawe giuen which could haue giuen life then no doubt c. 40â— 3 For it is written Cursed is euery one that continueth not in all thinges which c. 407 3 The Lawe was our Scholemaster vnto Christ that wée should c. 1001 3 There is neither Iewe noâ— Greeke neither bond man nor frée c. 813 3 O foolish Galathians who hath beewitched you that yee should not beléeue the trueth c. 1020 3 The same oure father Abraham was not iustified by the Lawe c. 51 4 The sonne of God is made of a woman to witt according to mans nature c. 688 4 After that ye haue knowen God howe chaunceth it that ye returne againe to weake and beggerly elements c. 1142 4 Because ye are sonnes GOD hath sent the spirite of his sonne into your heartes c. 719 4 He feygneth that there are twoe mothers the one wherof doeth gender to boundage c. 437 4 God sent his sonne made of a woman that we by adoption might receiue the right of sonnes c. 448. 629. 4 Ye despised not neither abhorred my triall which was in the 〈◊〉 c. 876 4 Hierusalem whiche is aboue is frée which is the mother of vs all c. 827. 868 5 Brethren ye haue béene called vnto libertie onely let not libertie be an occasion c. 448 5 Loe I Paule say vnto you that if ye be circumcised Christ shal profite you nothing c. 419 5 The flesh lusteth contrary to the spirite and the spirite contrarie to the flesh c. 594. 718 5 The fruite of the spirite is loue ioy peace long suffering gentlenes goodnes c. 729 6 While wee haue time let vs worke good to all men c. 95. 289. 1125 6 Brethren if a man be preuented in any fault ye whiche are spirituall restoare such c. 574 ¶ Out of the Epistle of S. Paule to the Ephesians 〈◊〉 YE are sealed with the holy spirite of promise whiche is the â—arnest of our inheritance c. 727. â—016 〈◊〉 God hath chosen vs in Christe 〈◊〉 efore the foundations of the world were layde c. 643 〈◊〉 God raised Christ from the dead â—nd sâ—t him on his right hand in â—â—auenly places c. 701. 865 〈◊〉 Christe dwelleth in oure heartes â—hrough faith c. 825 〈◊〉 Now therefore ye are no more â—â—raungers and forteners but 〈…〉 ns c. 862 〈◊〉 Wherefore remember that ye â—eing in time passed Gentiles in â—â—e flesh c. 1021 〈◊〉 Wée were by nature the sonnes wrath euen as other c. 501 〈◊〉 Wée are created in Christ Iesus â—â—to good workes whiche GOD 〈…〉 th before c. 473 〈◊〉 By grace are ye saued throughe 〈…〉 th and that not of your selues c 2 Christ is our peace which hath made both one and hath broken downe c. 413 4 Christ gaue some Apostles some Prophets some pastours c. 41 828. 877. 3 By Christe wee haue bouldnesse and entraunce with confidence by faith c. 921 3 God by reuelation shewed the mysterie vnto mée as I wrote c. 18. 4 There is one body and one spirite euen as you are called in one hope of your vocâ—tion c. 841 2 Christ is the head of the church and the same is the Sauiour c. 865 4 Hee instituted ministers for the gathering together of the Sainctes for the worke c. 875 4 Bee ye tenned in the spirite of your minde and put on that newe man c. 490 4 Layinglies a side speake ye euery man the truth to his brother for we are members c. 273 4 One Lord one faith one baptisme one GOD and father of all which is aboue all c. 624. 1033 4 This I saye and testifie in the Lord that ye henceforth walke not as other Gentiles walke c. 503. 592 4 Be angrie and sinne not Let not the Sinne set vpon c. 164 4 Let no filthie communication procéede out of your mouth c. 238 4 Gréeue not the holy Spirite of God by whome ye are sealed vnto the day of redemption c. 1016 5 Christ is the head of the church and he it is that giueth saluation to the bodie c. 702 5 So must husbandes loue their wiues euen as their owne bodies c. 230 5 Neither whoremongers nor adulterers shal inherite the kingdom of God c. 235 5 Christe loued the Churche and gaue himselfe for it c. 80. 973 1061 5 Bée not drinken with wine wherein is excesse but be full-filled c. 933 5 Let not fornication or any vncleannesse or couetousnesse be once named c. 238 5 Giue thanckes alwayes for all thinges vnto GOD and the father c. 952 6 Children obey your parents for this is right Honour thy father c. 158 6 Fathers prouoke not your children to anger c. 161 6 Brethren be strong in the Lord and in the power of his might Put on c. 594 6 Take vnto you the whole armour of GOD that ye may be able to resist in the euill day c. 754 ¶ Out of the Epistle of S. Paule to the Philippians 1 I Desire to be dissolued and to be with Christ c. 767. 777. 1 To you it is giuen for Christe not onely to beléeue in him but also to suffer for him c. 455. 591 2 When Christe was in the fourme of GOD he made himselfe of no reputation c. 63 689 2 There is a name giuen vnto Christe which is aboue all names that in the name of IESVS euery knée should bow c. 689 2 God worketh in vs both to wil and to doe euen of his good pleasure c. 591. 646 2 An exhortation to loue If therefore there bee any consolation in Christ c. 99 3 Christ shall transforme this vile body of oures to make it conformable c. 85. 88 3 Our conuersation is in heauen from whence wee loke for a Sauiour the Lord Iesus Christ c. 71. 87. 690. 4 Let your requests be shewed vnto God in prayer and supplication c. 914 4 Wée haue learned in what estate so euer we are therewith to be content c. 312 ¶ Out of the Epistle of S. Paule to the Colossians 1 IT pleased the father that all fullnesse should dwell
thine iniquities in shewing pitie to the poore c. 584 4 Nabuchodonosor sawe in a vision a watchman comming downe from heauen c. 742 7 Thousand thousands and hundred thousandes did minister vnto him c. 609. 737 7 Daniel describeth the rising and falling of all kingdomes and of antichrist c. 703 7 Hee shall thinke that hee may chaunge times and lawes c. 887 9 We haue sinned we haue committed iniquitie and haue done wickedly c. 308 9 Thou verily O Lorde art righteous thou arâ—e true and thy iudgements iust c. 564 9 I turned my face vnto the Lord God and sought him by prayer c. 924 9 We do not present our prayers before thée in oure owne righteousnesse c. 921 9 As I was yet a speaking making supplication and confessing myne owne sinne c. 736 9 A people vpon whom the name of God is called c. 656 10 His body was like the Turkish or Iasper stone his face to look vpon was like lightening c. 737 10 Angels are brought in as princes and presidentes or gouernours of kingdomes c. 742 12 And many of them that sléepe in the dust of the earth shall awake some to euerlasting life c. 747 Out of Osee 2 I Will not haue compassion vpon her children bicause they are c. 869 3 Thou shalt be without Ephod and Terâ—phâ—m c. 333 6 I desire mercy more than sacrifice and the knowledge of god more than c. 475 14 Take these wordes with you turne ye to the Lorde and say c. 953 Out of Ioel. 1 PRoclayme an holy fast gather the people together c. 238 2 Blowe the Trumpet in Sion sanctifie a fast call a solemne c. 927 2 Turne ye to me sayth the Lord with all your heartes with fasting with wéeping c. 595 2 Euery one that calleth vpon the name of the Lorde shall bee saued c. 645. 657 Out of Abdias 1 HE sayth that Sauiours shall ascend into the monne Sion c. 871 Out of Ionas 3 THE men of Niniuie beleued God and proclaymed a fast and put on sackcloth from c. 595 3 Let neyther man nor beast taste any thing neyther féede nor yet drinke water but let c. 595 3 And God sawe their works that they turned from their euill wayes and he repented of c 596 4 The Lorde sayth that he hath a consideration and respect to such as are not yet come to yeares of discretion namely to infantes c. 1045 Out of Amos. 2 VNder Ietoboam the second of that name Amos the prophet a neatchearde of Tecoa taught and preached c. 855 2 I taysed vp of your sonnes for Prophetes and of your young men for Nazarites 1114 3 There is no euill in a citie but the Lord doth it c. 493 3 They store vp treasures in their palaces by violence and robberie Therefore c. 280 6 I am no Prophete neyther the sonne of a Prophete c. 1114 7 Get thee quickly hence and goe into the land of Iudea and propheete c. 855 8 Heare this Oye that swallowe vp the poore and make the néedie of the land c. 276 9 The temnaune of the men shall séeke after the Lord and at the heathen c. 425 Out of Micheas 4 ALI people walke in the name of their God as for vs we wil walke in the name of our God c. 685. 686 4 And the Lorde shall reigne ouer them in mount Sion c. 699 4 A man shall sit vnder his vine c. 72 5 And thou Beth lehem Ephrata art little to be among the thousands of Iuda c. 678. 692 6 For what cause GOD sendeth waree as a plague vppon people c. 209 6 Threatenings of grieuous punishmentes against them that vse deceites in weightes and c. 271 6 I wil them thée O man what is good and what the Lorde requireth of thée namely c. 475. 668 Out of Malachie 1 WHen ye bring the blinde for sacrifice do ye not sinne wheÌ„ ye bring the lame sick c. 368 1 I haue no pleasure in you sayth the Lorde of hoastes neyther will I c. 953 1 The sonne honoureth the father and the seruaunt the maister Therefore if I be a father c. 565 2 My couenaunt was with Leuie of life and peace and I gaue him feare c. 904 3 It is but vaine to serue GOD and what profite is it that we haue kept his commandements c. 292 4 The day of the Lord shall come in which the proude and those that worke wickednesse c. 300 Out of Sophonie 1 I Will out off those that worship sweare by the Lord sweare by Malchom c. 133 Out of Haggee 1 COnsider your owne wayes in your heartes ye so we muche but ye bring little in c. 285 2 I will take thée to my seruaunt Zorobabel thou sonne of Salathiel c. 1011 Out of Abacuche 1 O Lorde howe long shall I cry and thou not heare howe long shall I cry out to thée c. 292 2 What profiteth the Image for the maker of it hath made it c. 122 123 Out of Zacharie 1 AN Angel of the Lorde is brought in sorrowfull for the miserie of the captures in Babylon c. 739 3 Behold I bring foorth the braunche my seruaunt For loe the stone c. 375 7 Thus saith the Lord of hoastes execute true iudgment shewe mercie and louing kindnesse c. 475 7. 8 Hypocriticall fastings found fault withall I haue not chosen c. 241 12 Beholde I make Hicrusalem a cup of poyson vnto all the people c. 316 12 Of warres to be made againste all nations by the Apostles c. 831 11 Take to thée yet the instrumeÌ„ts of a foolish shepheard For lo I wil raise vp a shepheard c. 829 13 Arise O thou sword vpon my shepheard and vpon the man that is my fellowe c. 680 Out of Ecclesiasticus or Iesus of Syrache 1 SEeke not out the thinges that are too harde for thee neyther search after c. 642 7 God created man good but they sought out many inuentioÌ„s of their owne c. 482 11 When the cloudes are full they poure out raine vpon the c. 771 15 Say not thou It is the Lords fault that I haue sinned for thou shalt not doe the thing c 491 15 God made man in the beginning and left him in the hand of his counsel c. 483 12 The dust shal be turned againe vnto earth from whence it came c. 715 Out of the booke of Wisedome 1 GOD hath not made death neither hath he delight in the destruction of the liuing c. 481 482 3 The soules of the righteous are in the hande of God and there shall no torment touch them c. 766 Out of the booke of Tobie 4 BE mercifull after thy power if thou haue much giue
the Father from whence it shall come to iudge the quicke and the deade and let vs thinke that the Lord speaking of the Sacrament woulde haue vs to expounde the words of the Sacrament Sacramentally and not Transubstancially Also in reading that saying of the Apostle Fleshe and bloud can not inherite the kingdome of God let vs not by and by vppon these wordes take it simply as the words do séeme to signifie but sticking to the Article of our sayth I beleeue the resurrection of the body let vs vnderstand that by fleshe and bloud are ment the affectiōs infirmities not the nature substance of oure bodies Furthermore we reade in the gospell that the Lorde doth gather a sum of the lawe and the Prophets saying Thou shalt loue the Lorde thy God with all thy heart with all thy soule and with al thy mind this is the chief and great commaundement And the second is like vnto it Thou shalt loue thy neighbor as thy selfe In these two commaundemēts hangeth the whole law and the Prophets Math. 22. Vpon these words of the Lorde that holy man Aurelius Augustinus in the. 36. Chapter of his firste booke De doctrina Christi sayth ▪ Whosoeuer doth seeme to himself to vnderstād the holy scriptures or any part thereof so that that vnderstanding he dothe not worke these two points of charitie towardes God his neighbor he yet doth not vnderstande the scriptures perfectly But whosoeuer shall take out of them such an opinion as is profitable to the working of this charitie and yet shall not say the self samethig which shal be proued that he did meane whome he readeth in that place that mā doth not erre to his own destruction nor doth altogether by lying deceiue other mē Thus much writ Augustin We must therefore by all meanes possible take héede that our interpretations doe not tende to the ouerthrow of charitie but to the furtherance and commendatiō of it to al men The Lord sayth Striue not with the wicked But if we affirme that he spake this to the Magistrates also thē shal charitie towards our neighbours the safetie of them that are in ieopardie defence of the oppressed be broken and cleane taken away For théeues vnruly persons robbers and naughtie fellowes will oppresse the widowes the fatherlesse and the poore to that all iniquitie shall reigne and haue the vpper hande But in a mattter so manifestly knowen I suppose it is not néedefull to vse many examples Moreouer it is requisite in expounding the Scriptures and searching out the true sense of Gods worde that we marke vpon what occasion euery thing is spoken what goeth before what followeth after at what season in what order and of what person any thing is spoken By the occasion and the sentences going before and comming after are examples and parables for the moste parte expounded Also vnlesse a man do alwayes marke the manner of speaking throughout the whole Scriptures and that verie diligently too he can not choose in his expositions but erre very muche out of the right way Sainte Paule obseruing the circumstaunce of the time did thereby conclude that Abraham was iustified neyther by Circumcision nor yet by the Lawe The places are to be séene in the fourth to the Romanes and the thirde to the Galathians Againe when it is sayde to Peter Put vp thy sword into thy sheath He that taketh the sworde shall perishe with the sworde We must consider that Peter bare the personage of an Apostle and not of a Magistrate For of the Magistrate we reade that to him is giuen the sworde to reuengement But it woulde be ouer tedious and too troublesome to rehearse more examples of euery particular place There is also beside these another manner of interpreting the worde of God that is by conferring together the places whiche are like or vnlike and by expounding the darker by the more euident and the fewer by the more in number Wheras therfore the Lorde sayth The father is greater then I we must consider that the same Lorde in another place sayth My father and I are all one And whereas Iames the Apostle sayth That Abraham and we are iustified by workes there are many places in Saint Paul to be set againste that one And this manner of interpreting did Peter the Apostle allowe where he sayth We haue a right sure worde of prophesie wherevnto if ye attend as vnto a light that shineth in a darke place ye doe well vntill the daye dawne and the daye starre arise in your heartes That auncient writer Tertullian affirmeth that they are heretiques and not men of the right fayth which drawe some odde thinges out of the Scriptures to their owne purpose not hauing any respecte to the rest But doe by that meanes picke oute vnto them selues a certaine fewe testimonies which they woulde haue altogether to be beleeued the whole Scripture in the meane season gaine-saying it bycause in deede the fewer places muste be vnderstoode according to the meaning of the more in number And finally the moste effectuall rule of all whereby to expounde the worde of God is an heart that loueth God and his glorye not puffed vp with pryde not desirous of vayne glorye not corrupted with heresies and euill affections but whiche doth continually praye to God for his holy spirite that as by it the scripture was reuealed and inspired so also by the same spirite it maye be expounded to the glorye of God and safegarde of the faythfull Let the mynde of the interpreter be set on fire with zeale to aduaunce vertue and with hatred of wickednesse euen to the suppressing thereof Let not the heart of suche an expositor call to counsell that subtile Sophister the deuill least peraduenture nowe also he doe corrupt the sense of Gods worde as heretofore he did in Paradise Let him not abide to heare mans wisedome argue directly against the worde of god This if the good and faythfull expositor of Gods worde shal doe then although in some pointes he doe not as the prouerbe sayth hit the very head of the nayle in the darker sense of the Scripture yet notwithstanding that errour ought not to be condemned for an heresie in the authour nor iudged hurtfull vnto the hearer And who so euer shall bring the darker more proper meaning of the Scripture to light he shall not by and by condemne the vnperfect exposition of that other no more then he whiche is authour of the vnperfect exposition shall reiect the more proper sense of the better expositour but by acknowledging it shall receiue it with thankes giuing Thus muche hytherto haue I said touching the sense and exposition of Gods worde which as God reuealed it to men so also he would haue them in any case to vnderstand it Wherefore there is no cause for any man by reason of a few difficulties to despaire to attaine to the true vnderstanding of the Scriptures The Scripture
dothe admit a godly and religious interpretation The worde of God is a rule for all men and ages to leade their lyues by Therefore ought it by interpretation to be applyed to all ages and men of all sortes For euen our God him self did by Moses in many wordes expounde and apply to his people the lawe whiche he gaue and published in Mount Sina Furthermore it was a solemne vse among the auncient Prophets first to reade and then by expositions to apply Gods law to the people Our Lord Iesus Christ him selfe expounded the Scriptures The same did the Apostles also The word of God therfore ought to be expounded as for those whiche woulde not haue it expounded their meaning is bicause they would sinne frely with out controling or punishment But wheras the Scripture doth admit an exposition it doth not yet admit any exposition whatsoeuer For that which sauoureth of mans imagination it vtterly reiecteth For as by the spirite of God the scripture was reuealed so by the same spirit it is requisite to expound it There are therefore certaine rules to expounde the worde of God religiously by the very worde of God it self that is so to expounde it that the exposition disagrée not with the articles of our fayth nor be contrarie to charitie towardes God and our neighbour but that it be throughly surueyed and grounded vpon that whiche went before and followeth after by diligent weighing of all the circumstances and laying together of the places And chiefly it is requisite that the heart of the interpreter be godly bent willing to plant vertue and plucke vp vice by the rootes and finally alwayes ready euermore to praye to the Lorde that he will vouchsafe to illuminate oure myndes that Gods name maye in all thinges be gloryfied For his is the glory honour and dominion for euer and euer Amen Of true fayth from whence it commeth that it is an assured beliefe of the minde whose onely stay is vpon God and his worde ¶ The fourth Sermon IN my last sermoÌ„ I declared vnto you howe that the perfecte exposition of Gods worde doth differ nothinge froÌ„ the rule of true Faith and the loue of God and our neighbour For vndoubtedly that sense of Scripture is corrupted which doeth square from Faith and the two points of charitie I haue now therfore next to treate of true faith and charitie towards God and our neighbour to the intent that no man may finde lacke of any thing herein And first therefore by Gods help and the good means of your prayers I wil speake of true Faith. This word Faith or beliefe is diuersly vsed in the common talke of men For it is taken for any kinde of religion or honor done to god As we say the Christian faith the Iewish faith and the Turkish faith Faith or beliefe also is taken for a conceiued opinion of any thing that is tolde vs as wheÌ„ we heare any thing rehearsed vnto vs out of the Indian or Ethiopian hystorie we by by say that we beleue it and yet notwithstanding we put no confidence in it nor hope to haue any commoditie therby at all This is that faith wherewith Saint Iames sayth that the deuill beleeueth and trembleth Last of all faith is commonly put for an assured and vndoubted confidence in God and his word Among the Hebrues faith taketh her name of truth certainty and assured constancy The Latines call that faith when that is done which is sayd Wheruppon one sayth I demaund of thee whether thou beleeuest or no Thou aunswerest I beleue do theÌ„ that which thou sayst and it is faith Therfore in this treatise of ours faith is an vndoubted beliefe most firmely grounded in the minde This faith which is a setled and vndoubted persuasion or beliefe leaning vpon God and his worde is diuersly defined by the perfecter diuines S. Paul saith Faith is the substance of things hoped for the euidence of things not seene The substance or hypostasis is the foundation or the vnmoueable proppe which vpholdeth vs and wheron we leane and lye with out perill or daunger The things hoped for are thinges celestiall eternall inuisible And therefore Paul saith Faith is an vnmoueable foundation and a most assured coÌ„fidence of gods promises that is of life euerlasting all his good benefits Moreouer Paul himselfe making an exposition of that which he had spoken immediatly after saith faith is the argument of thinges not seene An argument or proofe is an euident demonstration whereby we manifestly proue that which otherwise should be doubtfull so that in him whom we vndertoke to instruâ—te there may remainâ— no doubt at all But now touching the misteries of god reuealed in gods word in themselues or in their owne nature they can not be seene with bodily eyes and therefore are called things not séene But this faith by giuing light to the mind doth in harte perceiue them euen as they are set forth in the word of god Faith therfore according to the definition of Paul is in the minde a most euident seeing and in the hart a most certaine perceiuing of things inuisible that is of things eternall of God I say and all those thinges which he in his word setteth forth vnto vs concerning spirituall things To this definition of Paules they had an eye which defined Faith in this sorte Faith is a grouÌ„ded persuasion of heauenly things in the meditation wher of we ought so to occupy our selues for the assured truthes sake of Gods worde that we may beleeue that in minde we do see those things as well as with our eyes we do behold things sensibly perceiued easy to be seene This description doth not greatly differ from this definition of an other godly learned man who saith Faith is a stedfast persuasion of the minde wherby we do fully decree with our selues that Gods truth is so sure that he can neither will nor choose but performe that which he in his worde hath promised to fulfill Againe Faith is a stedfast assurednes of conscience which doeth embrace Christ in the same sort wherin he is offered vnto vs by the gospell Another there is which after the same manner almost defineth Faith in this sort Faith is a gift inspired by god into the mind of maÌ„ wherby without any douting at al he doth beleue that to be most true whatsoeuer god hath either taught or promised in the bokes of both the testameÌ„ts The very same author of this definitioÌ„ therfore doth extend fayth to thrée termes of time to the time past the time present the time to come For he teacheth to beléeue that the worlde was made by God and what so euer the holy Scriptures do declare to haue bene done in the olde worlde also that Christ dying for vs is the only saluation of them whiche beléeue and that by the same God at this daye also the worlde and Church are gouerned or preserued that in Christe the faythfull are
Gods. Against this faithlesse and double dealing al the Prophets cry out most vehemently with words that represent a tyrrannous and cruell reuengemēt For of all other sinnes that is moste detestable I woulde to God at this day so many were not persuaded that this kinde of honour is the worship that God maketh most account of Or els otherwise the sense of those words may be thus I will not haue thée to séeke any other Gods but me I will not haue thée worship me according to thine owne inuentions The cause is I am a icalous God that is I am easie to be prouoked and will not suffer mee selfe and myne honour to be reiected without due punishment for the contempt And to this sense he séemeth to drawe where he goeth forward and doth at large expound how he is iealous for I visite sayth he the fathers iniquitie in the children vnto the third and fourth generation of thē that hate me God therfore is a sharp reuenger and a iust iudge against thē that followe after straunge Gods or serue God vnlawfully or irreligiously also against all them that swarue from the lawe of god For he thundereth out this bitter punishment especially against Idolaters but therewithall inclusiuely he threateneth it to them which breake the rest of his commandements For that which the Lorde vttereth here is generally spoken and is of force and effect against all impietie and vnrighteousnesse of all mankinde But for bycause Gods case is far more excellent then mans they therefore doe more hainously offend which breake the first table then they that sinne against the second and thereby do deserue a farre more grieuous paine and heauie punishment Now wheras we sée that the Lord sayth that he will visite and by inquisition punish the sinnes of the fathers in the children vnto the thirde and fourth generation we muste not by and by thinke that God is vniust and punisheth another mans fault in afflicting the innocent that is in whipping him that did not offende as the Iewes in Ezechiel did wickedly taūt and cauill with God saying The Fathers haue eaten sower grapes and the childrens teeth are set on edge But it is not so For euery man shall beare his owne offences neyther shall the sonne beare or abye the fathers sinne nor the father the sonnes iniquitie This doth the most true God very often and earnestly beate into our heades throughout Ezechiel and the whole scripture beside If therfore the children or childers children shall abide in the crooked steppes of their fathers and shall as their fathers did doe seruice to Idoles and shall thinke that they shall be safe and remaine vnpunished bycause they learned it of their fathers euen as their fathers also were Idolaters and yet flourished in wealth and prosperitie then I say I will punish the sinne of the fathers in the children that is I will sharply reuenge the sinne that the children haue learned of the fathers and wherein they stifly stande and abide being encouraged therevnto by their fathers example and good fortune although for the very same sin I did not once touch their fathers before them And for that cause is this expresly added Of them that hate me Hereof haue we very many and very euident examples in the bookes of Kings The house of Ieroboam is vtterly destroyed bycause Ieroboam did erect in Israel Idolatrie and superstition Immediately after the whole stocke of King Baasa is cleane cut off and Achabs house is pulled vp by the rootes At lengthe the Israelites are made slaues to serue the Assyrians Solomon the moste mightie welthy wise happy king of Iuda bycause of his Idolatrie and straunge superstition is of a soudeine made a wretch of all other There is none vnlesse he neuer read the holy Scriptures but doth know what hapned to his son Roboam to Ioram the son of Iosaphat to Achas Manasses Iehoiachim Zedechias bicause of idolatry forreine worshipping of god Let vs therfore firmly holde and beléeue that the threatenings of God are true in effect God that is both a seuere and iust reuenger and punisher of Idolaters and wicked superstitious men and finally of all and euery wicked acte done by euery man Althoughe God do sundry times séeme to wicked men to slumber and not to sée them yet notwithstanding he doth awake when he thinks good and payeth home the wicked for all their offences done and past Although he be long suffering yet the righteous Lord doth not alwayes neglect the godly and oppressed neyther doth he alwayes winke at vngodlinesse and let the wicked be vnpunished for euer But he giueth them time to repent in whiche who soeuer doe neglect they doe at length féele the greater paines and sharper punishment according to the saying of the Apostle What dost thou despise the riches of Gods goodnesse suffering and gentlenesse not knowing that Gods goodnesse calleth thee to repentance But according to thy hardnesse and heart that can not repent thou heapest vp to thee selfe wrath against the day of wrath wherin shall bee made manifest the iust iudgement of God who shal repay to euery one according to his deeds c. Againe the bountifull Lorde promiseth great and large rewardes to them that worship him and stedfastly perseuere in true godlinesse and perfect religion I am God sayth he shewing mercy or giuing bountifully vn to thousandes Here note that his mercy is greater then his vengeance For where he is angrie there he punisheth vnto the thirde and fourth generation but where he is mercifully liberall there he is bountifull vnto many thousands For of his goodnesse and benefites there is no measure or end the mercy of God is farre aboue all his works Here yet againe he addeth two things more To thē saith he that loue me kéep my commaundements Here I say he requireth two things at their handes that are his The first is That they loue God and make accompt of and take him to be their God which if they do then shall there no roome be left in the godly for straunge or forreine Gods. The seconde is that they obey God and walke in his commandements which if they doe then are all Idoles and straunge worshippings vtterly at an end then doth the Lorde by his word reigne in the hart of euery godly mā whome the bountifull Lord doth liberally blesse with all kinde of blessings and good gifts And this clause verily doth especially belong to this commaundement but inclusiuely also it is referred to al the rest as by the very wordes of God we may easily gather Let vs holde and verily thinke therfore that the infinite and vnspeable benefites of God are prepared for them that walke in the lawe of the Lorde Thus much had I to speak of these two commaundements of the first table which I can not now againe recapitulate bicause an houre and an half is already spent and for that I hope that I haue so
heauen Which deede is reported by heathen Historiographers but that it was obtained at the prayers of our men they do not reporte for with them the other myracles which are done by our menne haue no place of credite But amonge our men Tertullian maketh mention hereof and amonge the Greekes Apollinaris whoalso affirmeth that for the miracle of that notable deede that legions name was chaunged by the Emperour and called the legion of thunder Tertullian addeth that the letters of Marcus the Emperour are yet to be had wherin the full and manifest trueth of this matter is plainly declared Hetherto Eusebius Wherby wée gather that Christian souldiers of old were not onely giuen to prayer but to iustice also and holines of lyuing For who knoweth not that Iames the Apostle said The earnest prayer of a righteous man auayleth much Elias was a man vnder infirmities euen as wee are and hee prayed in his prayer the heauens gaue rayne the earth brought forth her fruite It is moste euidente therefore that souldiers of old were verie godly and religious men Dure souldiers at these dayes because they are farre from religion yea because they are enimies to true religion doe in stéede of victorie suffer ouerthrowes abroad and losse and destruction of their citties at hoame And worthilie doe common weales suffer such plagues for trustinge somuch in such wicked souldiers For to trust in them is all one as if they should put confidence in the verie diuells whom these souldiers doe for the most parte excéede in all kinde of filthines vncleannesse crueltie and villanie But now the word of God doth set before our eyes an innumerable sorte of examples almost of holie and vpright warres and of excellent kinges and capitaynes Abraham oure father settinge forwarde with a verie small armie pursueth the fower most puissant kings or robbers of the world hée ouerthroweth and putteth them to flight and hauing recouered his people and restoared to them their substance againe he giueth the thanks to God as to the author of that vnlikely victorie Moses and Iosue destroyed about 39. kings they punished seuerelie the vnspeakeable wickednesse of al those nations and planted the people committed to their charge in the land which god had promised to giue them The Iudges of the people of Israell had notable warres against the Heathens and infidels wherby they brake the tyrannie of those wicked men vnlawfullie vsurped amonge Gods people restoaring them againe to their libertie and religion The Prophete Samuel is here to be numbred amoÌ„g the notable Capitaynes of Gods people Ionathas Saules sonne was a worthie Capitaine and a singular example of a godlie man Than Dauid none was more excellent or worthie to be praised In warre hée vaÌ„quished the Philistines the Idumits the Syrians and a good part of the Easte beside by warre hée reuenged iniuries by warre hée mainteyned his libertie and kept Gods people from a number of mischiefes and yet notwithstanding he that warred thus is said to be a man according to Gods heartes desire and the father of our Lord Iesus Christ touching his flesh or his humanitie In Dauids posteritie thou maiest finde manie excellent warriours and valiaunt Capitaynes Abia Asa Iosaphat Amasia Ofia Ezechias and other moe Amonge these Iudas Machabeus hath not the last nor leaste place of all who fought verie stoutely for the lawe religion and people of God and died at the last in the middest of the batteile in defence of religion and his countrie quarrell I will not adde to these the examples of ConstaÌ„tine Gratian Theodosius and other more that were excellent in feates of warre Of these and other writeth S. Augustine in the ende of his fiâ—t booke De ciuitate Dei and Orosius verie largelie in the 7. booke of his historie vnto the ende of the 28. Cap. This is sufficient for godly magistrates Hetherto haue I discoursed of warre to be made by the magistrate and the vse of the sword in the magistrates hand touching which I gaue some notes by the way in that sermon wherein I expounded the fifte commaundement This being thus ended I haue now to proue that ChristiaÌ„ men may beare the office of a magistrate which treatise I meane therfore to take in hand because our madde headed Anabaptistes and some other builders of A deuised common weale by gainsayinge that which hetherto we haue alledged do goe about to proue that a Christian may not beare the office of a magistrate their reason is because Christians as they say may not striue in lawe nor kil any man nor recouer by warre thinges violently taken away nor reuenge any iniurie that is done vnto them And although these causes of theirs be aunsweared euerie one in his fitte and seuerall place yet will I briefely gather héere together a few substantiall argumentes by which a politique and Christian man may vnderstand contrarie to the madnesse and dreames of the Anabaptistes if hée bée called to beare rule and authoritie that then he both may and of dutie ought to serue the Lord his God in taking vpon him and executing the office of a magistrate For whereas they faine that the doctrine of the Gospell doth vtterly cutte off all kinde of defence and whatsoeuer else belongeth to the defence of Christian mens goods and bodies that is nothing so and they are deceiued as farre as heauen is wide for the truth doth teach vs cleane contrarie For whatsoeuer thinges are ordeined by God for a meanes of mens safe gard and good estate they are so farre from misbecoÌ„ming and being vnsemely for a Christian man if hée vse them and applie himselfe vnto them that if hée refuse and neglect them he cannot rightly be called a true Christian For the first and greatest care of euerie ChristiaÌ„ is by all meanes that he may to set forward and mainteine that health and safegard of all sortes of men But the magistrate is not ordeined by any man but by god himself for the health and wealth of all mankinde as it is expressely witnessed by the Prophets and Apostles but by Paule especially in the 13. to the Rom who then cannot therby perceiue that a Christian may praiseworthilie execute a magistrates office Furthermore no man will denie I knowe that a Christian mans faith is not in wordes onely but in deedes also to giue a proofe of iustice and mercie by all meanes to care for publique peace and tranquillitie to doe iudgemente with iustice to defend the fatherlesse widowes and children and to deliuer poore oppressed people Neither doth hée contemne flée from nor reiect occasion places and meanes by which hée may put those good woorkes in vre And therfore a Christian refuseth not the place or office of a magistrate For the magistrates office is to doe iudgement with iustice and to prouide for publique peace Moreouer it is vndoubtedly true as before we haue declared that Moses Samuel Iosue and Dauid are not excluded from the name of
but sawe it inhabited of most puissaunt nations Moses hoped that he should deliuer the people of Israel out of Aegypt and place them in the land of promise when as yet he sawe not the maner meanes how hee should doe it Dauid hoped that he should reigne ouer Israel and yet he felt the peril of Saul and his seruaunts hanging ouer his head so that oftener than once hee was in daunger of his life The Apostles and holie martyrs of Christ did hope that they should haue eternall life and that God would neuer forsake them and yet neuerthelesse they felt the hatred of all sortes of people they were banished their countries and lastly were slaine by sundrie tormentes So I say hope is the hope and looking for of thinges not present and things not séene yea it is a sure and most assured looking for of things to come and that not of things whatsoeuer but of those whiche wée beleeue in faith and of those which are promised to vs by the verie true liuing and eternal god For S. Peter saith Hope perfectly in the grace which is brought vnto you Now they hope perfectly which doe without doubting coÌ„mitt themselues wholie to the grace of God and doe assuredlie looke for to inherite life euerlasting Furthermore the Apostle Paule calleth hope as it were the safe sure anchor of the soule And by how much the promise of God is the surer by so much is hope the more firme and secure For hope is not the looking for of any thing whatsoeuer but of faith that is of the thing that faith hath beleeued and which we knowe to be promised to vs in the woord of god And therefore doth Paule expounde faith by hope where he saith Faith is the ground of thinges hoped for the euidence of thinges not seene Faith therfore is as it were the fouÌ„dation wherupon hope doth rest and so God himselfe his infallible word is the obiect to our hope And for that cause Paul calleth God our hope and so doe the Prophets also To this belongeth the 91. Psalm where the faithfull crieth Thou art my hope O Lord thou hast set thine house verie highe Like to this thou shalt find an inumerable sort of places in the booke of the Psalmes But hope cannot bée sure where there is no sound faith and expresse promise of god Nowe since Gods promises are as well of thinges temporall as eternall hope also is as wel of things transitorie as euerlasting And as faith is the gifte of Gods grace and not the power or effecte of our owne nature so hope is giuen vs from aboue and confirmed in vs by the spirite of god For in our looking after thinges there are both groanings and longings for them Temptations assayle and vrge vs sorely as thoughe the thinge were vtterly demed which is for a season deferred or as though God knew not our state condition because he seemeth somewhiles and as it were for euer to neglect and not set by our earnest expectaâ—ion wherfore our hope hath néede of much consolation and coÌ„firmation of the spirite of god Which if it bée sound susteyneth and vpholdeth the minde of man ouerladen howsoeuer wyth very weake infirmities And when the Lord deferreth his promises and séemeth somewhat too long eyther to neglect oure calamities or else to lay more troubles on the backes of vs that are otherwise sufficiently afflicted then commeth hope which doing her duetie biddeth vs pluck vp our harts and stay the Lords leysure who as he cannot possiblie hate them that worship him so he neuer fayleth nor in the least point deceiueth them for hée himselfe is the eternal trueth and euerlasting goodnesse Here now the places of Scripture touching the certaintie of hope are very proâ—itable to teach that the people that hoped in God were neuer confounded although he did delay very long to ayde them with his healping hand The Lord promiseth the land of Canaan to the séede of Abraham but 430 yeares do first come about before he setleth them in possessioÌ„ of it yea before he brought them to it he ledd them whoale 40. yeares about in the wildernes Hée deliuereth the Israelits from the captiuitie of Babylon but not till 70. yeares were spent What may be thought of this also that God hauing immediately after the beginning promised his only sonne did notwythstanding not send him til and toward the latter â—nd of the woorlde The Sainets must therefore stil endure and alwayes wayte the Lords good leysure because truth caÌ„not possibly fayle them and all that hope in it are surely saued Dauid cryeth Our father 's hoped in thee they hoped in thee and thou diddest deliuer them They called vppon thee and were saued they hoped in thee and were not confounded And againe The Lord is good happie is the man that hopeth in him And againe they that hope in the Lord shal be like mount Sion they shal not be moued but shal staÌ„d fast for euer And Paul in his temptations cryeth out in his epist. to the Phil. saying I know that my affliction shal turne to my saluatioÌ„ according to my earnest expectation and my hope that in nothing I shal be ashamed Thus much haue I said hetherto to teach you how the faithful do behaue themselues in sundry calamities for they despayre not but confirme their harts with assured hope and suffer al euils with a patient minde quietly wayting for the Lord in their troubles who is the only hope of al the faithful Now to the end of this I meane to ad a few general consolations which may the more confirme the hope of that faithfull induce them to patience in suffering calamities cheare vp their heauie spirits to al maner afflictions First of all let the afflicted weigh with himselfe from whence affliction cometh Euil men the diuel sicknes the world are they that afflict vs but not without god who suffereth them to do it satan could not trouble Iob neither in goods or body but by gods sufferaÌ„ce And the Prophet Dauid cryeth Thou art he that toke me out of my mothers womb thou wast my hope when I hanged yet vpon my mothers breasts I was left to thee as soone as I was borne Thou art my God my time is in thy hand And the Lord in the gospel sayth Are not two sparrowes sold for one farthing one of them lighteth not vpon the ground without your father yea euen al the haires of your head are numbred Now God by whose gouernment al things are ruled is not a God a Lord only but also a father to mortal men And his will is good and wholesome to vs ward besids that whatsoeuer he doth he doth it al in order and iustly But if the will of God be good toward vs the thing cannot choose but be good to vs which happneth by the sufferance and wil of him that loueth vs so dearly And herein doe the children
in God nor his couenaunts Finally circumcision did put the circumcised in mind of their duetie al their life long to wite that euery man should thinke that he had taken vpon him to professe God to beare in his bodie the SacrameÌ„t of the Lorde For that is the cause why the Israelites were named or had their names giuen them in their circumcision For it is euident in Luke that Iohn Baptist and Iesus our sauiour had their names giuen them at their circumcision euen as also the first circumcised at his circumcision was called Abraham whose name before was said to be Abram It did admonish the circumcised of his duetie for so much as he had giuen his name vnto the Lord his confederate to bee inrolled in the register of God amoÌ„g the names of them that giue them selues vnto the Lord wherefore he ought by couenaunt duetie to frame his life not after his owne lust and pleasure but according to the will of God to whome he did betake him selfe For the condition of the couenaunt was that the circumcised shoulde not defile them selues with idolatrie and straunge religions that they should not pollute with vncleane lyuing the bodies and mindes that were hallowed to the Lord but that they perseuearing in true faith should ensue godlynesse shewe the workes of repentance and be obedient to God in all things For thus saith Moses in the tenth of Deuterono Circumcise the foreskinne of your hearts and harden not your neckes any longer To which words the Prophet Ieremie alludeth in his fourth Chapter saying Bee ye circumcised to the Lord and cut away the foreskinne of your hearte And the Martyr S. Stephan rebuking the vnbeléeuing Iewes sayeth Ye stiffe-necked and of vncircumcised hearte and eares ye alwayes resist the holie ghost Verie rightly therefore doth the holy Apostle Paule in his Epistle to the Romanes declare that there are two sortes of circumcision the one of the letter in the fleshe the outwarde circumcision that is made with handes the other in the heart of the Spirite the inwarde circumcision which is made by the meanes of the holy Ghost The circumcision of the heart God doth like well of in those y be his but that in the fleash he doeth vtterly mislike of if as the fleashe is the heart be not circumcised The liking and misliking of these two circumcisions is in that which went before so plainly alreadie declared that I néede not to stick any longer vpon it And here I think it not amisse before I make an ende of circumcision to reherse vnto you déerely beloued the woordes of the auncient writer Lactantius lib. Instit 4. Chap. 17. where he speaketh of circumcision in this manner The meaning of circumcision was that we should make bare our breastes to wite that wee should liue with a simple and plaine dealing heart because that parte of the bodie which is circumcised is partely like to a heart and is the fore parte of the priuitie and the cause why God commaunded to make it bare was that by that signe he might admonishe vs not to haue a couered heart that is that we should not couer within the secretes of our conscience any crime whereof wee ought to be ashamed And this is the circumcision of the heart whereof the Prophets speake which God hath translated from the mortall fleshe to the immortall soule For the Lorde being whole set and fully minded according to his eternall goodnesse to haue a care for our life and safegard did set repentance before our eyes for vs to followe as a waye to bring vs thereunto so that if wee make bare our heartes that is if by confession of our sinnes we satisfie the Lord we should obteine pardone whiche is denied to the proude and those that conceale their faultes by God who beholdeth not the face as man doeth but searcheth the secrets of the brest Thus much hitherto hath that auncient writer of the churche Lactantiê° Firmianus declared vnto vs touching the mysterie of circumcision Nowe all this whiche hitherto I haue saide touching the meaning and mysterie of circumcisioÌ„ was set forth as in a picture to be séene of all mens eyes so often as circumcision was solemnized in the church There was the league as it were renued which God did make with men There was the grace of God his sanctification and our corruption declared therein did Christ the rocke of stone appeare who with his spirite doth cutt wash away all spottes of the Churche Moreouer the worshippers of God did learne by that signe and so by all the holie ceremonie that they beeing in one ecclesiasticall bodie ought to do their indeuour by purenesse of liuing to winne the fauour of God their confederate Because by the visible circumcision there was after a sorte an open confession made of the true religion of frée consent to the true religion and of a bynding by promise vnto the same He therefore that did despise or vnaduisedly neglect that holie ceremonie was sharply punished as may be gathered by the 17. of Genesis and the fourth Chapter of Exodus And so muche hetherto touching circumcision There followeth nowe the seconde Sacrament of the auncient churche I meane the Paschal Lamb. It is an Hebrewe word not signifying a passion as it should séeme if it were deriued according to the Gréeke etymologie but it signifieth a skipping a leaping or a passing ouer For the Hebrewe *** signifieth to leape or passe ouer The cause of this worde Moses him selfe sheweth in the lawe where he saith The Lord shall go ouer to strike the Aegyptians when he shall see the bloud vppon the vpper poste and the two side postes of the doore *** the Lord wil passe ouer that doore and will not suffer the destroyer to come within your houses This sacrament is knowen also and called by other names For it is called a signe a remembraunce a solemnitie an holie assemblie the feast of the Lorde a worship an obseruation an oblation and a Sacrifice But whereas that ceremonie is called a passing ouer that is not done without a trope For the passing ouer was the verie benefite wherein the Angel of the Lorde did passe ouer the Iewes leaue their houses vntouched and saue their liues but for because the Paschall Lambe was a memoriall a renuing of that benefite therefore it tooke the name of the benefite Euen as I admonished you before that it is vsuall in Sacramentes for the signes to bee called by the names of the thinges that they signifie béecause of the likenesse and mutual proportion that is betwixt them Let vs sée nowe what the passeouer was and what kinde of ceremonie did belong vnto it The Passeouer was an holy action ordeined by God in the killing and eating of a Lambe partely to the ende that the Churche might kéepe in memorie the benefite which God did for them in the land of Aegypt to be a testimonie of Gods
bands wherewith they are tyed that wishe loke to be set at libertie But throughout all ages there is none such to bée found in all the world nor yet in heauen but Iesus Christ alone the sonne of God who for that cause did in the Gospell say If the Sonne set you at libertie then are ye free in deede Nowe they whome the Lord deliuereth are bondslanes wherefore hée doeth deliuer them from bondage and doth incorporate them in the libertie of the sonnes of god Hée doth set all bondseruauntes at libertie excluding none but such as do by their owne default their owne vnbeléefe and disobedience exclude themselues For the comming of the sonne of God was to set all such at libertie as were entangled in bondage Therefore he doth so farre forth deliuer vs as we are bondseruaunts For bondage and libertie are one opposed and contrarie to the other so that without the consideration of the one wée cannot conceiue the meaning of the other Wherefore I thincke it best héere to speake so much of bondage as this present argument shall séeme to require First bondage is nothing else but the state or condition wherein bondseruauntes bée Nowe those that are in boÌ„dage are either bondmen borne or else made bondseruauntes The children that issue of bondseruaunts are bondslaues borne The other that are made bondseruantes are so made either by captiuitie wherevppon they take their names and are called captiues For Pomponius saith Slaues were therevppon so called because the Capitaines commaunded to sell them for monie when they were in warres taken captiues by their souldiours and so by that means to spare their liues and saue them these bondmen are in latine also called Mancipia eo quod ab hostibus manu caperentur because they were taken prisoners by the hande of their enimies Or else they are made bondslaues by the ciuil law as when a frée man aboue twentie yeares of age doeth for lucre sake suffer himselfe to bée sould for monie Bondmen therefore haue loste all libertie and doe whoalie hange vppon their maisters gouernment in whose power it lyeth to kill them if they list Nowe of bondage there are two sortes the Politique and the Spirituall The politique bondage is not by grace the preaching of the Gospell taken out of the Churche of the faithfull so that there should bee no bondmen at all or that they should not doe their duetie or not doe the seruice that of right they doe owe. For the Apostle Paule saith Let euery man walke according as he is called And so ordeine I in al Churches Art thou called being a seruaunt Care not for it But yet if thou mayest be free vse it rather And againe Seruauntes obey them that are your bodilie maisters with feare and trembling and singlenesse of hearte as vnto Christ not with eye seruice as men pleasers but as the seruauntes of Christe doinge the will of God from the heart with good will seruing the Lord and not men knowing that what soeuer good thinge any man doeth that shall hee receiue againe of the Lord whether hee be bond or free And in his Epistle to Timothie hée saith Let as many seruauntes as are vnder the yoke counte their maisters worthie of all honour that the name of God and his doctrine bee not blasphemed And they which haue beleeuing masters despise them not because they are brethren but rather doe seruice for as much as they are beleeuing beloued and such as are partakers of the benefite And yet in this bondage the faithfull haue this comfort by the preaching of the Gospel that howsoeuer they bée bond in body yet they are frée in mind and soule For the Apostle againe doth say Hee that is called a bondman in the Lord is the Lords freeman Likewise hee that is called free is bond to Christ This is a comfort to the faithful in all their afflictions which knowe that their spirite is safe and frée howsoeuer their bodie is streightly imprisoned or sharpely tormented Therefore the Saincts are at their libertie although they be neuer so narrowely looked to and shutt vpp in custodie they are victorers and vanquishers howsoeuer they are bound and oppressed Finally they enioy most exquisite pleasures euen then when they are vexed with most infinite euils I knowe that the children of this world doe mocke and scoffe at these pleasures and libertie of the faithfull beléeuers as though they were méere dreames and fantasiâ—s of very fooles and asses But God doth soundly pay them home for their scoffes and mockerie not in the world to come onely but also in this preseÌ„t life while they themselues like miserable caytifes beeing in extreme captiuitie doe notwithstanding euen in that slauerie thincke themselues at libertie and in most absolute felicitie For they serue a filthie seruice in detestable slauerie making themselues bondmeÌ„ to abhominable whoredome to beastly madd drunkennesse to the wicked Mammon and to other most vile pleasures wherein they die and rott with endlesse shame and infamie But of the seruice afflictions of the Sainctes who doe euen in their afflictions enioye their libertie and reioyce in the Lord the Apostle Paule speaketh where he saith We are troubled on euery side yet are wee not made pensiue wee are in pouertie but not in extreme pouertie wee suffer persecution but are not vtterly forsaken therein wee are caste downe but wee perish not bearing about alwayes in the body the dying of the Lord Iesus that the life of Iesus might also appeare in our bodie And againe In all things wee doe our endeuour to shewe oure selues as doth become the ministers of Christ in much suffering in afflictions in necessities in sorrowes in stripes in imprisonmentes in seditions in labours in watchinges in fastinges in glorie and ignominie in reproches and prayses as deceiuers yet speakers of trueth as vnknowen and yet knowen as dying and loe wee liue as chastened and not killed as sorrowfull and yet alwayes reioycing as poore and yet making many riche as hauing nothing and yet possessing all thinges Loe héere ye sée howe the Saincces in extreme seruitude haue a chéerefull consolation and are alwayes at their libertie as is to be séene by infinite examples in the Actes of the Apostles other Ecclesiasticall histories Nowe wee come to the second part of bondage The spirituall bondage hath a certaine likenesse to the bodily seruitude For Adam by his owne fault became a bondman and wée of him are all borne bondmen Hée was once at libertie and had the Lord to bee his friend and fauourer but hée did disâ—oyallie reuolte from GOD and gost himselfe an other maister the diuell a tyraunt as cruell as maye bée who for his sinne hauing gotten power ouer him did like a mercilesse Lord miserablie handle him like a bond seruaunte Nowe wée of oure corrupte graundsire are borne corrupt and sinners and for our sinne are also vnder the diuels dominion wée are
intricate places of the holie scripturs which it is hard to coÌ„prehend or define in any certeine order both that many things are vnknowen without the perill of Christian faith and also that in some points men do erre with out any crime of hereticall doctrine But concerning the two men by the one of whoÌ„ wee are sold vnder sinne by the other redeemed from sinne by one we are cast headlong into death by the other wee are made free vnto life because that man did in himselfâ— destroye vs by doing his owne will and not the will of him that madâ— him but this man hath in himselfe saued vs by doing not his owne wil but the will of him that sent him Therfore in the coÌ„sideration of these two men Christian faith doeth properly consist For there is one God and one mediatour of God and man the man Christ Iesus Because there is none other name vnder Heauen giuen vnto men in which they must be saued in him hath God appointed all men to trust raysing him vp from death to life Therefore Christian veritie doubteth not but that without this faith that is without the faith of the only mediatour of God and man the man Christ Iesus without the beliefe I say of his resurrection whiche God hath prescribed to men whiche cannot be truly beleeued without the beleefe of his incarnation and death without the faith therefore of the incarnation death and resurrection of Christ none of the auncient iust men could be clâ—nsed and iustified of God from their sinnes whether they were in the number of those iuste men whome the holy Scripture mentioneth or in the number of those iuste men whom the Scripture nameth yet are to bee beleeued to haue beene either before the deluge or betwixte the deluge and the lawe or in the verie time of the lawe not onely among the children of Israel as the Prophets were but also without that people as Iob was For euen their harts were cleÌ„sed by the same faith of the mediatour and charitie was powred into them by the same holy spirite which breatheth where he listeth not following after merits but euen working the verie merits themselues For Gods grace will not bee by any meanes vnlesse it be free by al meanes Although therefore death reigned from Adam vnto Moses because the law giuen by Moses could not ouercome it For there was no such law giuen as could quicken but such a lawe as whose office was to shewe that the dead to the quickening of whome grace was necessarie were not only ouerthrowen by the propagation and dominion of sinne but were also condemned by the hidden transgression of the verie law it selfe not that euery one should perish that did then vnderstand it in the mercie of God but that euery one being through the dominioÌ„ of death appointed vnto punishment and detected to himselfe by the transgression of the lawe should seeke for the helpe of God that where sinne abouÌ„ded grace might more abound which alone doth deliuer from the body of this death Although therefore the lawe giuen by Moses could not ridd any maÌ„ from the kingdome of death yet in the very time of the lawe were the men of God not vnder the terrifying conuinceing punishing law but vnder the delectable sauing and deliuering grace There were among them some which said In iniquitie was I conceiued and in sinne hath my mother fedd mee in her wombe And so forth For hetherto I haue cited the very words of S. Augustine I haue thus farre spoken of originall sinne of the natiue and hereditarie corruption of our nature which is the first part in the definition of sinne here followeth nowe the latter part to witt the very Action which ariseth of that corruption the actual sinne I say which is so called Ab actu that is an acte or a déede doing For in so much as that corruption whiche is borne together with and is hereditarie in vs doeth not alwayes lye hidd but woorketh outwardly and sheweth forth it selfe doth at last bring forth an imp of her owne kinde and nature which impe is actuall sinne therefore we define actuall sinne to bee an action or woorke or fruite of oure corrupte and naughtie nature expressing it selfe in thoughts words and workes against the lawe of God and therby deseruing the wrath of God. So then by this the cause of actuall sinne is knowen to be the very corruption of mankind which sheweth forth it selfe through concupiscence and euil affections affections intice the will wil being helped with the other faculties in man that worke together with it doth finish actual sinne And that ye may more clearely perceiue that whiche I saye I wish you to note that our minde hath two partes The vnderstanding or reason or iudgement and the will or appetite In the reason are the lawes of nature whereunto must be added the preaching or reading or knowledge of Gods word And nowe as of good woorkes in man there are two especiall causes to witt sound iudgement well framed by the woord of God and a will consenting and obeying therevnto and yet notwithstanding there is principallie to be required the comming to of the holye Ghoste from heauen to illuminate the minde and moue forward the will euen so we may most properly say that actuall sinne is finished when any thinge is of set purpose with aduised iudgement and the consent of our wil committed against the lawe of god And yet to these there doe many times happen other outward causes both visible and inuisible For euill spirites moue men and euill men moue men and other infinite examples of corruption that are in the world Hope seare and weakenesse doe also moue men Augustine Quaest in Exodum 29. sayeth The beginning of vice is in the will of man but the heartes of men are moued by sundrie accidental causes now this now that sometimes the causes are all one the difference is in the manner and order according to euery ones proper qualities which doe arise of euerie seuerall will. Againe in the 79. Psalme he sayeth Two things there are that woorke all sinnes in mortall men desire and feare Consider examine aske your heartes search your consciences and see if any sinnes can be but by desiring or else by fearing Thou aâ—t promised if thou wilt sinne to haue such a reward giueÌ„ thee as thou doest delight in and for desire of the gifte thou crackest thy conscience doest commit sinne And againe on the other side though peraduenture thou wilt not be seduced with giftes yet being terrified with threatnings thou doest for dread of that whiche thou fearest coÌ„mit the iniquitie that other wise thou wouldest not As for example Some one man or other would with giftes corrupte thee to beare false witnesse Thou presently hast turned thee selfe to God and hast said in thy heart what doth it aduantage a man if hee gaine the whole world suffer the losse
be called vppon For that God only is the searcher of heartes cōprehended in no place but present euery where and omnipotent Solomon in these words doth testifie Behold the heauens and the heauen of heauens are not able to conteine thee how much more vnable than is this house that I haue built Thou therfore shalt heare in heauen in the place of thy habitatiō or in thy dwelling place and shalt haue mercie For thou only knowest the heartes of the sonnes of men Thou shalt doe and giue to euery one according to al his wayes which knowest his very hart As for the heauenly patrons as these men cal them they do neyther know the thoughtes of men neither is their power spred throughout the heauen the earth and the seas neither do they know althings or yet are euery wher present or be omnipotent For if it were so with them they shoulde be transformed changed into a diuine nature should ceasse any more to be creatures but althogh by Christ they inioy euerlasting blessednes yet notwithstanding they remain creatures stil neither do they knowe al things neyther are almighty therfore are they at no hand to be called vpō In one prick moment of time truly innumerable thousands of mortal mē offer vp their vowes and make their petitions so that he verily which heareth must at a pinche and in a very moment not at sundry seasons or degrées of time know be able to doe all things yea and in a moment also reache out his helping hande vnto all Which as no creature though neuer so excellēt can do so the only God that knoweth al is omnipotent can do all things and therefore only alone is to be called vpon I wot well what the defenders of heauenly patrones or Saints obiect against that which I haue spoken to wit that they of their owne nature do neither sée nor yet heare what is done of vs vpon the earth but in the face of God as in a most lightsome looking glasse to sée all thinges what so euer God vouchsafeth to reueale to them and that so they haue an vnder-knowledge of all our affaires also helpe vs But this imagination or forgerie in all points doutfull can be proued by no authoritie out of the holy scriptures But touching the celestiall Saints the scripture doth rather affirme the flat contrarie For in Isaie the people of god cry out Thou O God art our father though Abrahā be ignorant of vs and Israel know vs not yet thou O Lorde art our father and our redeemer If than the patriarchs so studious and careful for their people knew not what they did which of the Saints I pray you shal we graunt or point out that knoweth what we do that intermedleth with the affaires of the liuing True doutlesse is y that the holy Psalme soūdeth Bicause my father and my mother haue lefte or forsaken me the Lord hath taken me vp If our parents forsake and leaue vs how I pray you can they tel or do they care how it fareth with vs Let that suffice vs wherw t Dauid held himself throughly cōtent saying The lord hath takē charge ouer me We reade y Iosias was trāslated out of this life into an other to the end he shuld not sée the mischiefes or plagues and punishments which the Lord determined to bring vpon the Israelitish people for their most wicked naughtie life The blessed souls therfore enioy the sight of god therby participate light and endlesse ioy or gladnesse they knowe none of our affaires neither is it néedefull they should knowe them considering that the Lorde alone hath all things in his gouernement Nowe is that also most certeine that inuocation springeth from faith as the fruit from the roote For Paul vsing that saying of the Prophete Who so euer calleth vpon the name of the Lord shall be safe doth by and by adde But howe shall they call vpon him in whome they haue not beleeued Sée howe the Apostle bringeth in one vppon an other He is not called vppon who is not beléeued Wherefore in whom we beléeue vpon him we doe also call But in God onely and alone we do beléeue therefore on him onely do we call For where so euer true faith is there likewise is the gift of the holie Ghost For the Apostle sayth If any haue not the spirite of Christe this man is none of his And againe You haue not receiued againe the spirite of bondage vnto feare but you haue receiued the spirit of adoption by which we cry Abba father They therefore that are indued with a true beliefe in God call vpon God whome they doe acknowledge and confesse to be the onely father of all Neyther might so much as the lest part in that solemne forme and order of inuocation deliuered vnto vs by the sonne of God be attributed by any meanes vnto Patrones or Saintes The onely God therefore is to be called vpon The hart of sinfull man trembleth and quaketh to approche neare vnto so greate a maiestie For who may séeme worthy in him selfe to appeare and come before the presence of the most holy the most iust and the moste terrible God Here therefore some supply and make vp the matter with the patronship or intercession of celestiall Saintes by whose mediation and making way before vs passage lyeth open for vs vnto God. But this they bringe foorthe without the warrant of the scripture The scripture hath layde before vs a law as it were of calling vpon god thervnto hath annexed most ample or large promises so the commaundement doth set foorth vnto vs by and through whome we shoulde call vpon God adding therevnto a most excellent promise and opening vnto vs through Christe Iesus onely a ready way to the Father For in the Gospell the Lorde sayth Verily verily I say vnto you whatsoeuer ye shal aske the father in my name hee shall giue it you Hetherto you haue not asked any thing in my name Aske and ye shall receiue that your ioy may bee perfect or full And Whatsoeuer ye shall aske in my name I will doe it that the father may bee glorified by the sonne If you shall aske any thing in my name I will doe it What could be spoken more fully and clearly than these words Christe biddeth vs by or in his name to call vpon god the father and promiseth that he will giue the faithfull what so euer they aske in Christ his name Who doubteth now any whit at all of the truth constancie of him which promiseth What néed we therfore hencefoorth the intercession of Saintes Of calling vpon them or of comming to God by their mediation we haue no testimonie of scripture we haue no promise Wherevnto I adde that he contemneth the commaundement and precept of God who so euer seeketh by any other than by Christe and his intercession to come to the father
histories declare more largelie Of this King Christ the Prophets prophecying said And in mercie shal the seate be prepared and he shall sitt vpon it in trueth in the tabernacle of Dauid iudging and seeking iudgement and making haste vnto righteousnes And againe Beholde the time commeth saith the Lorde that I will raise vp the righteous brauÌ„che of Dauid which King shall beare rule he shall prosper with wisdome and shall set vp equitie and righteousnes againe in the earth In his time shall Iuda be saued and Israel shall dwell without feare and this is the name that they shall call him The Lorde our righteousnesse And because our Lord is a king therefore be must néeds haue a kingdome As well the realme dominion subiecte to a kinge is called a kingdoÌ„e as principalitie empire power maÌ„ner of gouernment it selfe Therefore the church the communion or fellowship of saints béeing obedient subiect to their king Christe is called the kingdoÌ„e of god For Micheas saith And the Lord shall reigne ouer them in mount Sion therfore Sion which signifieth the church is the kingdome of god And god is said to reigne when in the church he ruleth gouerneth kéepeth defendeth those that be his and indueth and maketh theÌ„ fruitful with diuerse graces For Paule saith The kingdome of God is not meate and drink but righteousnes peace ioy in the holy ghost Moreouer the kingdome of god is that eternall glorie felicitie which God dâ—eth communicate to his elect For the Lord saith in the gospel Comeye blessed of my father inherit the kingdome which is prepared for you froÌ„ the beginning of the world And the théefe euen at point of death making his praâ—er to the Lord who was redy to dye on the crosse desiring to bee â—artaker of this kingdoÌ„e saith Lord remember me when thou coÌ„mest into thy kingdome â–ª Againe since y gospel teacheth vs how God reigneth in vs in this world in time to translate vs vnto him self into that other that is since the gospell is that thing by which the Lord reareth vp his dominion it is not vnaduisedly called of Matthew in his 13. cap. the kingdome of god In another place for the same cause it is called the word of the kingdome To be short we at this preseÌ„t by the kingdome of God vnderstand the coÌ„gregation of saints it self the catholique church I meane and the power or administratioÌ„ of God reigning therein that is preseruing gouerning glorifying the same And this kingdome of god is verily but only one for ther is but one God only one king Christ only one church â— life â—uerlasting But his one kingdome of god according to he dispensation 〈…〉 two wayes First acording to y omâ—ipotencie of god For he 〈◊〉 he iâ— the highest omnipotent hath executeth ouer all creatures visible inuisible â—oste iust rule and equall powerâ— nill they or will they be obedient Secondly according to his spirits whereby he reigneth in his elect And so y kingdoÌ„e of God is againe two waies coÌ„sidered For either it is earthly is called the kingdome of grace or else it is heauenlye and is called the kingdome of glorie The earthly kingdome of grace is not therefore called earthly as though it were carnall earthly like the kingdome of Babylon Persia Alexander or Rome but because it is on earth For a good parte of the holie churche of God is conuersant on this earth beeing partaker of flesh bloud while it â—â—eth on the earth though it liue not an earthly life according to the â—â—esh For acording to the spirit whereby it is ruled it liueth a heauenly life Not that the partakers of the kingdome of God sinne not For the iust man falleth riseth seuen times in a day Whervpon it is also called the kingdome of grace For as long as we liue in this world our King Lord neuer denyeth his grace mercie to vs that craue pardon And the faithfull doe wholie hange vppon the grace of their king they embrace continuall repentance and endeuor theÌ„ selues to things of more perfectnesse For they frame all that they do according to the lawes of their king prince For he reigneth in his elect by the worde of truth and by the holie ghost By the word of truethe hee teacheth what the Saintes should doe and what they should auoide By his holie spirit he moueth their hartes and giueth strength to 〈◊〉 euill and followe that is good For truely our king reigneth not so much for him self as for vs For he maketh vs also kinges that we béeing deliuered from the diuell damnation sinne and the curse may be Lords ouer the diuel damnation sinne and the cursse yea ouer all thinges and ioynâ—t-heires with the sonne of God him self For these causes the kingdoÌ„e of God is called a spirituall kingdoÌ„e For the partakers of the kingdome of God indued with the spirite of God doe bring foorth the fruites of the spirit not the works of the flesh and to be short are gouerned with the spirit of god Neither truelie doeth our Lorde reigne after the manner of the kinges of this worlde sayinge to Pilate My kingdome is not of this worlde Which sentence some abuse gathering y there is no ouâ—ward gouernemeÌ„t in the church of God vnder whiche name they also take away the office of a Magistrate and speake so subtilely of the kingdome of God that a man cannot tell where the kingdome of God is or who be partakers of this kingdome They vnderstand nâ—t that the meaning must bee gathered vppon the occasion of that saying The Iewes accusing the Lorde before Pilate laide to his charge that he ambition flye sought after a kingdome The lord clering him self of this crime sheweth Pilate that his kingdome shal not be such a one whiche after hee had cast out Tiberius Caesar should be gotten and kepte with armes and be gouerned after the manner of this worlde declaring that he addeth If my kingdome were of this world then would my seruaunts surely fighte that I should not bee deliuered to the Iewes Therefore he inferreth But now is my kingdome not from hence therefore they fight not for me to place main the throne of the kingdome Tiberius béeing cast out And anon he saith For this cause was I borne and for this cause came I into the worlde that I should beare witnesse vnto the truethe and all that are of the truethe heare mye voice As therefore Christ by trueth not by lyinge deceipts and craftie practises like the Princes of this worlde prepareth him selfe a kingdome so by trueth he doeth bothe reteine gouerne his kingdome and whosoeuer imbrace trueth are partakers of Christes kingdome whether they be princes or of the coÌ„monaltie all these obey the voice of their king and serue their highest prince Héere neuerthelesse we expresly add y Kings can no
name the substance of the soule For I do not thinke the same to bee of these vsuall and knowne natures whiche we touche with the senses of our bodie For I thinke that the soule coÌ„sisteth not of earth nor of water nor of aâ—â—e nor of the neitâ—â—r yet of all 〈◊〉 ioyned together nor of any one of them The nature of the soule may be called simple because it consisteth not of other natures Whiche wordes of Augustine Cassidore willing to reheâ—rse and expresse by imitation sayth The soulâ— of man created of God is a spiritual and peculiar substance Therefore I simpliâ— offirme that the soule hashe a singular yea a certein more excellent 〈◊〉 differing from other spirite hauing his true béeing and working always from his creator but suche as we in our spéeche cannot â—â—â—passâ— â—ither are able to vtter In the meane 〈…〉 allow if theÌ„ 〈…〉 to 〈◊〉 what maker of substaâ—ie â–ª she soâ—â—é is say that the soule is God or else surely a part or pâ—rtion of god For the scripture reproueth them do the. For truly y soule is a creature is drowned in variablenes sinâ—s but a creator cleane of it selfe it is not And because God the creator is immutable a indiuisible the soule cannot be a portion of god Therfore elegantly truly Anâ—chus Prudentius in his 〈◊〉 after he had in many words 〈◊〉 these filthy errors gathering at length al the meaning of the trueth sayth To say thâ— soule is GOD or part of him T' is follie great and too absurde a thing Since chiefe 〈…〉 ioyes it 〈◊〉 which swim From alwayes fâ—eshe and euer-lasting spring Now it 〈…〉 falles to sâ—nne One while 〈◊〉 another while in paine For due 〈…〉 it 〈◊〉 winne Now 〈…〉 t' is free againe To y end that we might ouerthrow this errour and discerne the soule from other spirites and spiritual substances we added in our description That the soule of man is powred into the bodie of man by God Whereby euerie man vnderstandeth wiâ—hout any adoe that it is created and also is a spirit not angeliâ—al but humane that is breathed into mans bodie by God of his owne essence and nature Where again a new question touching the original of soules doth offer it self to vs to be expounded For it is wont to be asked from whence souls come when or howe they enter into their bodies Sainte Hierome is the Author that in time past there were verie many opinions and those same most contrarie betwéene them selues touching the originall of soules For hée writâ—â—g to Marcellinus and 〈◊〉 fayth I remeÌ„ber your question nay rather 〈◊〉 the questâ—â—n of the church touching the state of the soule whether it â—el from heauen as Pythagoras the Philospher al Platonisteâ— and Origen doe thinke Or whether it be of the proper substaÌ„ce of God as the Stoikes Manichcus and the heresies of Priscilianus of Spaine doe suppose Whether they be counted in Gods treasurie long since layd vp there as certeine churchmen foolishly persuaded thinke Whether they be daily made of God sent into bodies according to that which is written in the gospel My father worketh hitherto I worke Or whether Eâ—traduce that is by the generation of the parentes as Tertullian Apolinarius tâ— the 〈…〉 of the West Câ—â—rches 〈◊〉 that as a bodie is borne â—f a bodie so a soulâ— is borne of a soule and hath his béeing after the like 〈◊〉 as bâ—â—ite beastes haue But all those â—pinions ar◠〈◊〉 oâ— Ecclesiasticall writers with found argumentes That opinion is receiueâ— auouched for the truest which holdrth That the soule is crâ—â—ted of nothing and powred of God unto the bodie when the childe is 〈…〉 in shape and in euerie part of hiâ— bodie in the wombe of hiâ— mother For thus the Ecclesiasticall definitionâ— do declare We say that the creator of al thinges doeth onely knowe the creation of the soule and that the bodiâ— onely is sowed by carnal 〈◊〉 in marriage that by the true appointment of God it thickeneth in the matrice becommeth a substance and receiuâ—th shape and that when the bodie is fashioned the soule is created and powred into it Where vpon 〈◊〉 Hâ—erome also to 〈◊〉 diâ—puting against the tâ—rors of 〈◊〉 bishop of Hierusalem after he 〈…〉 diuerse opinions touching the origiâ—al of the soule he saith Wheâ—her truely God createth souleâ— dâ—ily in whom his will iâ— his worke 〈◊〉 conâ—seth to be a 〈◊〉 of them which is an Ecclesrastical opinion according to the opinion of our Sauiour The father worketh hitherto and I worke And according to that of â—sai Which formeth the spirit of man 〈◊〉 him And in the Psalmes Whiche 〈…〉 their harts in euery one of theÌ„ Thâ—s farre he The scripture truly in expresse wordes doth teaâ—he that the soule hath not originall â—ut of earthe neither that it is created before the bodie but that it procâ—â—deth out of the moâ—the 〈◊〉 the creator to wit from the secret power of God and that it is powred into the bâ—die when it is fashioned For Moses describing the 〈◊〉 of God our Father dâ—eth firste 〈…〉 that the body of Adam was fashioned and made and that afterwards the spirite of life was breathed â—nto his bodie beeing perfectly made 〈…〉 The Lorde God 〈◊〉 he 〈◊〉 of the clay of the 〈…〉 vppon his face or iâ—to his 〈◊〉 the breath of life and 〈…〉 liuing soule For the bâ—eath of life doth signifie the liuing reasonable soule that is to say the 〈…〉 whiche thou séest breathed oâ— powred into the bodie when it is â—â—shioned And when the same Lorde created the woman of Adams 〈◊〉 he tooke not life froÌ„ Adam or out of his soâ—le and put it into Eue but of hiâ— gâ—â—dnâ—sse and power hee powrâ—d the 〈◊〉 into her bodie when it was pâ—â—fectly 〈◊〉 And that we are 〈…〉 created of the Lorde at this 〈…〉 that the soule may bee poâ—red into the bodie when it is fashioned Iob is a witnesse sufficient saying â–ª Thy handes O God haue 〈…〉 and fashioned mee rounde aboâ—◠〈…〉 powred me as it 〈…〉 me to 〈◊〉 like 〈◊〉 â–ª Tâ—ou hast â—ouered mee â–ª with 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 and ioyned me together with bones and sinewes â–ª Loe thou hast heâ—e iâ— these wordes bothe the conceptiâ—â— and also the fashioâ—â—ng of 〈◊〉 bodie in his mothers wombe most excellently described And touching the soule it followeth in Iob immediately Thou hast giuen me life and grace and thy 〈◊〉 haâ—he preserued my spirite Bâ—hold life that is the soule is by God 〈…〉 and grace 〈…〉 〈◊〉 mercie to life For it is a 〈…〉 in so many 〈…〉 benefite of the 〈…〉 sheweth it selfe in this But it 〈◊〉 by way of 〈…〉 thy visitation that 〈…〉 and preferuation 〈…〉 serued My spirite For 〈…〉 that spirite which 〈…〉 life that is to sayth◠〈…〉 we rightly 〈…〉 to the Scriptures that 〈…〉 men are created of God 〈…〉 into the bodyes when they 〈…〉 fashioned in the womb◠〈…〉 touch not euery
finde that they of the old Testament had Sacraments after one kynd and they of the newe Testament Sacraments after an other kind The Sacraments of the people vnder the old Testament were circumcision and the Paschal lambe to which were added sacrifices whereof I haue aboundantly spoken in the thirde Decade and the sixt Sermon In like manner the Sacraments of the people vnder the newe Testament that is to say of Christians by the writings of the Apostles are two in number Baptisme The Supper of the Lorde But Peter Lombard reckoneth 7. Baptisme Penance the supper of the Lorde Confirmation Extreme vnction Orders Matrimonie Him followeth the whole rablement of interpretours and route of scholemen But all the auncient doctours of the Church for the moste part do reckon vp two principall sacraments among whome Tertullian in his first fourth booke Contra Marcionem and in his booke De corona militis very plainly maketh mention but of two onely that is to saye Baptisme and the Eucharist or supper of the Lorde And Augustine also Lib. 3. de doctr Christiana cap. 9. sayth The Lorde hath not ouerburthened vs with signes but the Lorde him selfe and the doctrine of the Apostles haue left vnto vs certeine fewe thinges in steade of many and those most easie to be done most reuerend to be vnderstoode most pure to be obserued as is baptisme and the celebration of the body and bloude of the Lord. And againe to Ianuarius epist. 118. he sayth He hath knit and tyed together the fellowship of a newe people with sacramentes in number verie fewe in obseruing verie easie in signification verie excellent as is baptisme consecrated in the name of the Trinitie and the partaking of Christs body and bloud and whatsoeuer thing else is commended vnto vs in the canonicall scriptures excepte those thinges wherewith the seruitude of the olde people was burdened according to the agreeablnes of their heartes and the time of the prophets Which are read in the fiue books of Moses Where by the way is to be marked that he sayth not And whatsoeuer things else are commended vnto vs in the canonicall scriptures but And what so euer thing else c. which plainely proueth that he speaketh not of Sacramentes but of certeine obseruations bothe vsed and receyued of the Churche as the wordes of Augustine whiche folowe do declare Howbeit I confesse without dissimulation that the same Augustine elsewhere maketh mention of the Sacrament of Orders where neuerthelesse this séemeth vnto me to be also considered that the selfe same authour giueth the name of Sacramentes to Annoynting and to Prophecie and to Prayer and to certeine other of this sorte as well as he dothe to Orders and now and then among them he reckoneth vppe the Sacramentes of the Scripture so that we may easily sée that in his workes the worde Sacrament is nowe vsed one way and sometimes an other For he calleth these Sacraments bicause being holie they came from the holie Ghoste and bycause they be holie institutions of God obserued of all that be holie but yet so that these differ from those Sacramentes whiche are holie actions consisting of wordes and ceremonies and whiche gather together into one fellowshippe the partakers thereof But Rabanus Maurus also Byshoppe of Mentze a diligent reader of Augustins works Lib. 1. de Instit cleric cap. 24. sayth Baptisme and vnction and the body and bloude are Sacramentes whiche for this reason are called Sacraments bycause vnder a couert of corporall thinges the power of GOD woorketh more secretely oure saluation signified by those Sacramentes wherevppon also for their secrete and holie vertues they are called Sacramentes This Rabanus Maurus was famous about the yeare of the Lorde eight hundreth and thirtie so that euen by this we may gather that the auncient Apostolique Churche hadde no more than two Sacramentes I make no mention here of Ambrose although he in his bookes of sacramentes numbereth not so many as the companie of scholemen doe bycause some of those workes sette foorthe in his name are not receyued of all learned men as of his owne doing so I little force the authoritie of the workes of Dionysius whiche of what price and estimation they be among learned and good men it is not needefull to declare But howe so euer the case standeth the holye Scripture the onely and infallible rule of life and of all thinges whiche are to be done in the Churche commendeth baptisme and the Lordes Supper vnto vs as solemne institutions and Sacramentes of Christ Those two are therefore sufficient for vs so that we néede not be moued what so euer at anye time the subtile inuention of mans busie brayne bring against or beside these twaine For why GOD neuer gaue power to any to institute Sacramentes In the means while wee doe not contemne the wholesome rites and healthfull institutions of GOD nor yet the religious obseruations of the Church of Christ We haue declared elswhere touching Penaunce and Ecclesiasticall Order Of the residue whiche latter writers doe authorize for Sacra ▪ mentes we will speake in their conuenient place So haue we also elsewhere so farre foorthe as we thought requisite entreated of the likenesse and difference of Sacramentes of the people of the olde and newe testament Nowe let vs sée in what thinges Sacramentes consiste By the testimonie of the Scripture and of all the godly men they consiste in two thinges to witte in the signe and the thing signified in the worde and the rite in the promise of the Gospell and in the ceremonie in the outwarde thing and the inwarde in the earthly thing I saye and the heauenly And as Irenaeus the Martyr of Christe witnesseth in the visible thing and inuisible in the sensible thing and the intelligible For heerevnto belongeth that whiche Sainte Iohn Chrysostome vppon Matthewe sayth 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 CHRIST deliuereth nothing vnto vs that is sensible but vnder visible thinges the outwarde thinges are sensible but yet all spirituall But hee calleth those thinges 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 sensible whiche are perceyued by the outwarde senses as by séeing hearing tasting and touching but those thinges he calleth 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 intelligible or mentall whiche are perceyued by the mynde the vnderstanding consideration discourse or reasoning of the mynde not of the fleshe but of fayth By the testimonie of the Scriptures this thing shall bée made manifest .. The Lorde sayeth to his disciples in the Gospell Goe into the whole worlde and preache the Gospell to all creatures and he whiche shall beleeue and bee baptised shall be saued Yee shall baptise in the name of the Father and of the Sonne and of the holie Ghoste The same sayeth of Iohn Baptiste Iohn baptised in the wildernesse preaching the baptisme of repentaunce for the remission of sinnes So also Sainte Luke witnesseth that Sainte Peter sayde to the Israelites Repent yee and bee baptised euerie one of you in the
be altogether perished in the captiuitie Furthermore they were called the sonns of the Prophetes for the affection which they bare towards their schole maisters as if they had bene their parentes and for their obedience and daily studie towards them But how muche the more noble and wise the Princes were so much the more diligence they employed in repayring scholes and restoring Ecclesiasticall orders Which a man may sée not in Dauid and Solomon onely but also in Iosaphat Ezechias and Iostas who were moste vertuous and moste happie Princes In the captiuitie and after the captiuitie of Babylon the Lordes people was dispersed and scattered into many kingdomes farre and wide But whether so euer they were carried they erected scholes or synagogues and when the citie of Ierusalem was restored then they often came vnto the same For therefore the Actes of the Apostles make mention that at what time Sainte Paule preached the worde of God among the Gentiles he went into the synagogues And Sainte Iames the Apostle saythe Moses of olde time hath in euerie citie them that preache him in the synagogues Where he speaketh not of the cities of Iude◠and Galilee but of the cities of the gentiles in Syria Cilicia and Asia But that which we reade in the Actes doth shew that they being dispersed and scattered abroade did sometime come vnto the holie citie of Ierusalem There were dwelling at Ierusalem certeine Iewes religious men of all nations that are vnder heauen And that also whiche Saint Paul reciteth of him selfe confirmeth the same that being borne frée in the citie of Tharsus he trauelled to Ierusalem vnto Gamalieles féete that is to saye to the intent to heare the instruction and to be a scholer vnder Gamaliel So likewise we reade that at Ierusalem there were Colleges or Synagogues of the Libertines Cyrenians Alexandrines Cilicians and Asians This vse of scholes continued vntil Christs time yea and after his asce nsion into the heauens almost vntill the destruction of the citie although in the meane time it maye appeare to haue béene sundrie times depraued Christe also the sonne of God our king and high Byshoppe he him selfe instituted the most famous schole of all other calling ther vnto the twelue Apostles and the seuentie disciples chosen men I say to the number of fourescore and two Yea the Apostles them selues drewe vnto them verie many disciples and first of all Saint Paule the most chosen instrument of God to conuert the gentiles is read to haue had in his companie Sopater of Berrhoe Luke of Antioch Marke of Ierusalem Barnabas Sylua or Syluanus Caius and Timothie Aristarchus and Secundus Tychicus and Trophimus Titus and Linus Crescens and Epaphras Archippus and Philemon Epaphroditus and Artemas and many other He hath also commended most diligently vnto good men the studious and the ministers of the Churches exhorting all men vnto liberalitie that they maye want nothing And writing vnto Titus Bring diligently saythe he Zenas the Lawyer and Apollo vpon their waye that they maye want nothing Moreouer it maye be gathered by playne and manifest proofes oute of the thirtéenth chapter of the Actes that there was a verie famous and that an Apostolique schole at Antioche in Syria Eusebius also of Cesarea aboundantly witnesseth what noble scholes were at Alexandria in Egypt and in other renouned churches And we haue also declared the same more at large when time serued in a booke which we haue written of the institution of Byshoppes But in processe of time when al thinges apperteyning to the Churche beganne to decline to the worsse Ecclesiasticall scholes also degenerated into Abbaies or into Colleges of Canons and Monkes But of all these thinges whereof we haue spoken I thinke it not vnknowne vnto any man that scholes doe principally belong to the preseruation of the Churche and the maintenaunce of the holie ministerie in which scholes good artes might be exercised verie profitable for the furtheraunce of the studie of the holie Scriptures of which sorte chiefest of all are the studies and knowledge of holy tongs of Logicke naturall Philosophie and the Mathematicks and these moderately knowne directed vnto the certeine scope and ende of Godlinesse For a man may sometime finde wittes worne and waxed olde in diuers Artes and disciplines howbeit not once medling or inured with holie exercises and studies But I woulde to God that the wicked being too muche glutted with prophane studie would also leaue to contemne holie Scriptures as thinges playne barbarous A man also may find some wits so busied in the studie of the Mathematickes that they are more méete to be maisters of buildinges than gouernours or pastoures of Churches Yea they are so farre crept into the studie of Astronomie and the Astronomers heauen that they quite forget the blessed heauen which is the seate of the blessed Saintes any thing to perteine vnto them and that they shall be sufficiently happie if they can but once atteine vnto the knowledge of the motion of the visible heauē and to the course of the starres As for those that meddle ouermuch with the studie of Philosophie and the trifles of Logicke and the rules of Khetoricke neuer attaine vnto any ende nor earnestly thinke vpon the bestowing of their trauels to the edifying of the Church commonly they become contentious and brawling disputers for the most parte and arrogant controllers vnto whom nothing sémeth to be neatly and aptly enoughe eyther spoken or done of others but that whiche is tempered and as it were tuned to their great conceiuing heades and so agréeing with prescript rules that they swarne not there from no not so much as a haires bredth These men snarle and intangle all thinges with their doltishe disputations puffing out nothing else but quarelling controuersies taking vpon them moste arrogantly to iudge all mens doings sayings what so euer you though they be good and tollerable they snap at them and maliciously cauill against them being rather vayne babblers than Philosophers yea the verie plagues of scholes and Churches who spitte out the poyson of debates contentions variances strises and diuisions at and into the Church Against these Sainte Paule the Apostle to Timothie séemeth to speake For after he hadde briefly set downe the summe of sounde doctrine he addeth there vpon This teache and exhorte Who so euer teacheth otherwise and holdeth not him selfe contented with the healthfull worde of our Lorde Iesus Christe and the doctrine whiche is according vnto godlinesse he is puffed vp knowing nothing but spending his time aboute questions and contention in wordes whereof groweth hatred strife slander euill suspicions vaine conflictes of men corrupt in hart and destitute of the trueth whiche suppose gayne to bee godlinesse Avoyde the companie of such Truely it neuer went well with the Churche when learned and studious men forsaking the playnenesse and purenesse of the worde of GOD turned their eyes an other way and aymed not at the