wtdrawe him selfe after the exemple of hys maister ¶ The answere I am almoste ashamed to rehearse such vayne things But for asmuch as I do perceyue that the symple and rude are seduced by suche I am cōstrained to aduertise them how they may auoyde them Euery manne knoweth the folyshe fantasye which the Iewes had of Messias That is they thought that he should haue his kyngedome florishing in this world to make them liue in this worlde at theyr case and in good rest and to make thē triumphe In so muche that the very Apostles tyl after hys resurrection had also thys fantasye in theyr heades as S. Luke declareth in the .i. of the Actes This moued the people to make Christ a king perforce that they might therby be made fre frō the subiection of the romayns Therefore it is no wonder if the Lorde hid him selfe for asmuch as this proceaded from an euil and peruerse errour drew with it a very perniciouse cōsequēce It is certen that his kingedome is not carnal nor of the world but spiritual and whiche doeth consiste in thynges that do not appeare vpon the earth Nowe what kyngdome would mē giue him Therfore if he hadde cōsented vnto the foly of the people shoulde he not haue cōfyrmed that erroure whiche was alreadye to muche roted shoulde not he also by that meanes haue buried his grace and his veritie for as muche as men shoulde haue imagined nothynge of hym but carnal Besides this he should haue bene ordeined king by seditiō and by thē by whom it appertayneth not For seynge that Iury was in subiection vnto the Romayne Empyre the people had none authoritie to chose a newe kynge at their pleasure Thus for these causes Iesus Christe refused to be king and not to reproue the estate as wicked or repugnaunte to a christen life But in the meane while it is sayede Prouer. vii that it is by hym that Kinges do raygne that it is he whyche doth giue grace to the ministers of iustice to make lawes and statutes and to gouerne the people in equitie What will we haue more Iesus Christ is not a king in his persō but he is the protectour of al kingdoms euē as he hath foūded instituted thē But these fātasticals do replye that he hath also cōmaūded vs to do the like saying to his apostles The kinges of the natiōs haue dominiō ouer thē but it shal not be so amōg you I graunt vnto thē that the office of the Apostles of the worldely principalities be not both one and that in their office is no dominatiō Now Iesu Christ wold ther none other thīge but decerne betwen the one the other For the occasiō of those words of our sauiour came of that the Apostles had alredy cōtētion amōg thē selues who should be the chieffest as it were gouerner of the rest in the kingdome of Iesu Christ To take away such ambitiō he declareth vnto thē that his kingdome is spirituall therfore that it doth not stāde in worldly dignitie pompe lordship but that all the preheminēce whiche his ministers officers should haue shold be in seruice Seynge then that this place doeth not make mētiō whether kings may be christē mē or no but only sheweth that the Apostles ministers of the churche shal not be as kings to haue dominiō it is a very beastlines to infer out of this the Christ hath forbidē vs al superioriti It is asmuch as one wold say It is not lawful for a king to do the office of a minister vnto whiche he is not called ergo the estate of a minister is an yl vnlawful thing I pray you doth the destinctiō differēce of estates make that the one shold be cōdēned bicause the other is praised Let kings therfore cōteine thē selues within their limets likewise let the spiritual shep perdes be contented to exercise there offyce wythout vsurpation of that whiche apertaineth not vnto them and then al shall go wel ▪ And the Lorde Iesus wyll alowe the one and the other Therefore these power phantasticalles do euilly expoūd thys place to say that in place the power of the swerd is forbobdē ☞ To make vp a greate healpe of witnesses they do also alledge that Sainct Paule doeth saye that those whiche God knewe before he hath preordeyned to be made lyke vnto the exemple of hys sonne I graunt vnto them that folowynge the exhortacion which Saincte Paule maketh in that place behoueth vs to beare the mortification of Iesus Christ in our bodyes and indewer those tribulations and miseries by which God wyll trye vs. But doeth it folowe of this that a fayethful man maye not gouerne the people whiche are committed vnto hym They saye ye because that Iesus Christ dyd suffer and not rule As touchynge the fyrste that he dyd suffer I saye so did Dauid in whose person the passions and sufferynges of hym were prefigured And yet that notwythstandynge we cannot saye that he dyd not gouerne Therefore of ther owne hede they do ad this seconde parte vnto the text of Sainct Peter mischeuously falsefyeng it to disceiue the power simple people For in there boke they go aboute to perswade that Saynct Peter speketh after that manner whan it is nothynge so Behold nowe Dauid which was a Kynge administerynge the power of the swerde and yet that hindered hym not to suffer that he myghte be made lyke vnto the Image of Iesus Christe yea euen so muche that he dyd represent hym Saincte Phillip folowyng thys whan he shoulde baptise the Eunuichus whyche was one of the gouernours that of kyngdome of Ethiopia dyd not laye vnto hym thys condicion that he should no more be a ruler but onelye axid of hym if he beleued wyth hys whole herte in Iesus Christe and so lefte hym in hys estate as he was And truelye if to haue dominion be a thyng contraye to a Christen man that same shoulde as well be true ouer one man as ouer a communaltie Nowe is it true that S Paulle doeth permit Christen men to haue superioritie and dominion ouer ther seruauntes which in those dayes were vnto them as bonde men and slaues and doeth not commaunde them to set them at libertie but only to vse them gentelye and frendelye wyth humanitie Moreouer he suffered Philemon whome he calleth hys companion to kepe hys bondman in hys authoritie onely he requireth that he shoulde order hym gentelye We se than that thoughe it were expreslye sayd that Iesus Christ did not gouern how folishe a thynge it is thus to resonne Iesus Christe hath suffered and not ruled therfore al dominion is reproued For it is as muche as who woulde saye That Iesus Christe hadde not aplace to laye hys heade one as hym selfe wytnesseth therefore it is euyll done whan a Christen man doeth posses other housse or garden or heritage Howe much thys argumente goeth from reson euery man seyeth ☞ Last of al lyke as a
be gonne in vs what absurditye is it to saye that in death there is interruption If we be already entred into the kyngdome of God for what cause shoulde we be made go oute agayne by death or at the leste made go backewarde as the sea Crabbes The kyngedome of God is in you sayeth the Lorde Iesus what meaneth thys but that we haue already the rote of lyfe whyche can not be extynguyshed And that is it whiche in an other place he sayeth Thys is the wyll of my father that whosoeuer doeth beleue in the sonne shall not peryshe but hathe euerlastynge lyfe and I wyll rayse hym vp the laste daye ☞ Also who so euer eateth my fleshe and drynketh my bloude hathe euerlastynge lyfe and I wyll rayse hym vp at the laste daye Note thys that he doth promise vnto vs .ii. thynges euerlastynge lyfe and resurrection The Anabaptistes do take the one of these membres leaue the other as if they mighte be deuided He speaketh yet more playnely in an other place sayinge I am the resurrection lyfe he that beleueth in me though he were dead he shall lyue and who so euer lyueth and beleueth in me he shall neuer dye Also who so euer kepeth my word shal neuer se deth I prai you is it possible to speke more playnly thē thys And shuld a christē man desyre more stronger testimonies to settle hys conscience wyth Peraduenture some man wyll obiecte that thys is not true but onelye of faythfull men I graunte that and for my parte it sufficeth me to instructe the chyldrē of God what shall be theyr condition after death Howe be it hereafter wyl I speake of the reprobate But here we se what Iesus Christe doth promise vnto vs if we be his That in the middell of death our spirituall lyfe shall not be interrupted But that more is saint Paul declareth that it is euen then that it begynneth to be in hys moste strength As our outwarde man sayeth he is corrupted so is the inwarde man renued from daye to daye By these wordes he declareth that as thys present lyfe doeth declyne and become corruptible so the lyfe of the soule increaceth and is fortified more and more Therfore it is contrary to this sentence to esteme that the soule is quēched whē the corporal lyfe taketh end I wyll yet deduce this argumente further We must daylye encrease and profite in the Lorde auauncynge oure soules alwayes to approche vnto hym as if we stepped thys daye one pace and to morowe an other Or as if we dyd ascende by steppes Nowe is it sayed for thys presente tyme that we do walke in the bryghtnesse of hys face Also that hys spirite doeth beare vs recorde that we be hys chyldren If it so be that in death we do lese thys bryghtnes and confidence whyche the holy Gost geueth vnto vs howe shall we then aduaunce oure selues Lykewyse Saynte Paule sayeth that thought we haue oure conuersation in thys worlde yet is our habitation in heauen Let vs se if death maye dryue vs out of the kyngedome of God wherein we had oure abydyng before thorowe hope It is true that thys mortall bodye is to vs as a pryson to thruste downe oure soule so lowe as captiue to earthly thynges ☞ Therefore is it mete that when she is gone forth of suche a seruitude into libertye that she be more disposed to contēplate God more familiarly And when she is lyghtened of suche a burthen that she be more chereful to lifte hyr selfe vp vnto God It is therfore to greate a beastelynes to laye theym downe softe as do the Anabaptistes to make them slepe vnto the day of the resurrection Howbeit theyr erroure is yet better conuinced by that the scripture doeth declare touchynge our regeneration For when it pleaseth God to call vs into the participation of hys grace he sayth that he maketh vs newe creatures How is that In that by the vertue of hys worde and of hys spirite he mortifyeth the corruption of oure nature makynge vs to be borne agayne to liue in hys kyngdome Let vs nowe heart what is the operation of the one and the other in vs. Saynt Paule goynge aboute to conforte vs sayeth that though the bodye he deade bycause of synne yet the spirite of the Lorde Iesus dwellinge in vs is lyfe bicause of reghtuousnes I knowe that thys lyfe is neuer perfitte whylse we are in thys world but seyng that the spirit of God is a sparke of lyfe whyche is geuen vnto vs to quicken vs more and more tyll we come vnto perfection it foloweth that oure lyfe can neuer be quenched ☞ As touchynge the worde Saynte Peter speaketh yet more clearlye sayinge that it is a sede of immortalitye yea an incorruptible sede whyche God hathe put into vs to exempte vs from that condition wherein we be by nature whyche is as Esaias sayeth that all fleshe is haye and all the glory of mā is as the floure of the grasse bycause that when the spirite of God doth blowe on mā he is by and by wythered and dryed and falleth wholy downe Nowe after that the Prophete had thus spoken of vs he added by and by the contrarye that the worde of God abideth for euer Saynte Peter doeth aledge thys place and sheweth that thys eternitie of the worde of God is shewed in vs bycause that by the same we are borne agayne hauinge it in our soules for an incorruptible seede the whyche neuer rolleth nor withereth What is it that maye be replyed agaynste thys whyche shall not be thynges apparant and already resolued for we beinge regenerate by the grace of God are broughte into hys kyngedome to lyue in cleauynge to hym wythout ende To resolue thys matter there is nothinge more mete not more certayne then to consider what coniunctiō vnitie we haue with our Sauioure Iesus Fyrste we knowe that in Baptisme we be entexed into hys bodye to be verily hys membres and to fele in vs such an effect of hys vertue as the braunches of a tre do of theyr rote For we are so vnited vnto hym that we are made one self substaūce And we nede not aledge any other probatiō then that whyche he hathe spoken wyth hys owne mouth As I lyue sayeth he so shall you lyue Now we knowe that the lyfe of Iesus Christe is not temporall nor yet by interposition of tyme. Therefore if we lyue as he liueth it foloweth that it muste be wythout ende For it was necessarye that he shoulde dye wyth vs. And thys is it that he spake before He that eateth my flesh drinketh my bloud he dwelleth in me I in hym If Iesus Christ dwel in vs it foloweth that forthwith lyfe dwelleth in vs accordyng to the which he spake before as the father hathe lyfe in hym selfe so hath he geuē vnto his son to haue life in him selfe It is easy to se that the Anabaptistes neuer tasted howe wee be ioyned to oure Lorde
A short instruction for to arme all good Christian people agaynst the pestiferous errours of the common secte of Anabaptistes ¶ Compyled by Mayster Iohn Caluine ¶ The contentes of thys boke ☞ In this boke are first reproued fiue articles cōtayned in one resolution composed by the patriarches of that secte which articles are common to them all that is to saye Of the baptisme of infantes Of excommunicacion Of the ryghte or authoritie to beare armore Of the power of princes Of sweringe Also two other articles Of the incarnacion of Iesus Christe Of the life and condicion of the folles betwene death the daye of the laste resurrection ¶ Iohn Caluine to the ministers of the churches in the countie of Newecastel IF anye man maruell my dere brethren and companions in the worcke of the Lorde that I wyll occupie my selfe to answere vnto a boke whyche is vnworthy to be spokē of or to be made mencion of seinge that I maye occupye my selfe as men thincke in beter thynges and thynges of more frute it shal be sufficiente excuse for me to alledge that I haue done it at the request and instaunce of manye good fayethful men wyth sente the boke to me from far countries which testimonie that it was verye nedefull for the helth of many soules that I shoulde take it in hand For I thincke verelye that this should be sufficient to contente them that be resonable that my intente was to obtayne as well to the iudgementes as to the desires of them whiche I knewe to be zelous for the glory of God and the edification of his people But yet haue I an other answere for to excuse me by to them which may thinke that it is foly in me to occupie my selfe in a thyng so barren and trifelynge as is thys little boke which apereth to be made by ignoraunte people which is that we haue no greater priuyledge than had the prophetes of God and that oure payne is no more preciouse than was theirs Nowe we se that Ezechiel was constrayned to speake and write not only agaynst disceiuers which were ignoraunte and of no reputacion but also agaynste women which woulde be prophetesses Seynge the prophet spared not to dispute agaynste women ye and that it was commaunded hym by God so to do because thorow their leasynges they led the people to supersticiō and erroure and letted the veritie of his course it should be a presūption to vs not to wytsafe to do the lyke It is trewe that thys boke whiche I am desired and exhorted to confute hath no nede of resolution towardes them that haue learnynge and vnderstandynge for as muche as of it selfe it is sufficientelye reproued in that it is so vnlearnedly folishly written But for as much as it hath a certayne coloure to abuse and circumuente the simple which haue not the iudgemente to discerne oure dutye is to helpe them and aduertise thē of the malicious subtelties of sathan to the intente that they be not thorow imprudence disceiued we are dettours to one and other sayeth sanicte Paule Therefore we muste do seruice vnto all as muche as in vs is specially whan necessitye requireth it I protest therfore that myne entencion is onlye in shorte or fewe wordes to shewe vnto all fayethfull christen men which be rude and vnlerned what and how daūgerous a poyson thys doctrine of the Anabaptistes is and also arme them by the word of God agaynste the same to the ende that they be not disceyued or if ther be any which all redy be wrapped in their snares that they may be brought agayne vnto the ryght way Wherefore I beseche all them whiche desire to continew in the pure knowledge of Iesus Christe and in the obedience of his Gospel to take paynes to rede attentiuely thys little boke euen as I haue dedicated it vnto them and also take the paynes well to peyse the resonnes whiche I do alledge vnto them that they maye abyde in the trueth whan it is declared vnto them Therefore reason whyche moued me to dedicate this presēt treatise vnto you is double Fyrste bycause it shoulde be a publyke testimonie of the coniunction whiche I haue and desier alwayes to haue wyth you and that al menne myghte knowe howe we are vnited as wel in doctrine as in affection of herte The seconde is to the ende that the redynge thereof myghte be the better commended and receyued of all them ouer whom you haue charge to bere the worde of Iesus Christe in suche sorte that the churches ouer whych the prynce of pastours hath made your ministers maye be intertayned in pure doctrine and preserued from al peruerse opinions contrarying the truth of the gospel It is true that you myght right well my dere brethren haue discharged me of thys payne And also alredye oure brother M. Wyllyam Farell accordynge vnto the grace whyche God hathe geuē him and the exersies whiche he hath of longe tyme had and continual custume in fyghtyng astaynste the ennemyes of the trueth and resistynge all false doctrines for to mayntayne Christes kyngedome hath well satisfied you in parte in that thynge whyche you nowe require of me As I haue sene by the actes of a disputatiō done in the good towne In such sorte that of those Articles whyche are there treated no man can desyre a more suffitiente declaration to satisfy hys conscience then is ther geuen But bycause they vnto whome I desyre and am bound to do seruice do make me beleue that it is necessarie that I take thys charge vpon me I wyll consent vnto theyr request without makynge any longer excuses The Lord Iesus Christe haue you alwayes in hys holye protection and hys churches whiche he hathe committed vnto you and leade you by hys holye spirite alwayes for to serue hym with youre ministerye vnto hys honoure and vnto the healthe of hys pore people Amen ☞ From Geneua the fyrst of Iune Anno Domini M. D.xl.iiii Of the Anabaptistes TO write against al the false opinions errours of the Anabaptistes shoulde be a thing to lōg such a botōles pit as I could not wel come out of For this cāker differeth in thys thinge frō al other sectes of heretikes that she hath not erred only in certain points but she hath ingēdred a hole sea as it were of folish salse opinions In such wise that skant shal a man find one Anabaptist which hath not some phātasy singular which his felowes haue not So that if we wold plucke out or reherse al their wicked doctrines we should neuer make an end But nowe at lenght they become vnto two principal sectes whereof that on though she be ful of wicked pernicius erroures yet doth she abide in much more simpliciti For she yet receiueth the holy scripture as we do And if men do dispute with those that be of the secte it shal be perceiued wher in they dissēt frō vs they wil expresse thermeaning in cōclusiō