caught into the ayre there to méete Christ that they may for euer be with the lord For then doe the soules returne out of Heauen euery one to his owne body that the whole perfect ful maÌ„ may liue for euer both in soule and body For the soule of Christ dying on the Crosse did out of hande departe into Paradise and the thirde day after returned to the body whiche rose againe and ascended into heauen Euen as therefore eternall life came to the heade Christ so shal it also come to all and euery member of Christ Now whereas Paule citing Esai sayth What the eye hath not seene nor the eaâ—e hearde nor hath at any time come into the heart of man that hath the Lord prepared for them that loue him I suppose verily if all were sayd touching eternall life that might be spoken by all the men of all ages that euer were or shall be yet that scarcely the very leaste part thereof hath or shall be throughly touched For how so euer the Scripture dothe with eloquent and figuratiue speches with allusions and harde Sentences most plainly shew the shadowe of that lyfe and those ioyes yet notwithstanding all that is little or nothing in comparison to speake of vntill that day do come wherein we shall with vnspeakable ioy beholde God him selfe the creator of al things in his glory Christ our sauiour in his Maiestie and finally all the blessed soules Angelles Patriarches Prophetes Apostles Martyrs our Fathers all nations all the hâ—ast of Heauen and lastly the whole diuine and heauenly glorye Moste truely therefore sayde Aurelius Augustine Lib. de Ciuitat Dei. 22. Cap. 29. When it is demaunded of me what the Saintes shall doe in that spirituall bodye I aunswere not that which I nowe see but that that I beleeue I say therefore that they shall see God in that spirituall body And againe If I shoulde say the trueth I knowe not in what sort that action quietnesse and rest shall be For the peace of God doth passe all vnderstanding To be short we shall sée God face to face we shall be filled with the companie of God and yet be neuer wéerie of him And the face of God is not that countenaunce that appeareth in vs but is a most delectable reuealing and inioying of God whiche no mortall tongue can worthily declare Goe to then dearely beloued brethren let vs beléeue and liue that when we shall departe from hence we may in very déede haue tryall of those vnspeakable ioyes of the eternal life to come which nowe we doe beléeue Hytherto haue I throughout the foure laste Articles declared vnto you the fruite and ende of Christian fayth Fayth leaneth vpon one God the Father the Sonne and the holy Ghoste which saÌ„ctifieth the faithful purgeth and halloweth a Churche to him selfe whiche Churche hath a communion with God and all Saintes All the offences of which Church God pardoneth and forgiueth And dothe preserue it both soule and body For as the Saintes Soules can not dye so God rayseth vp their bodies againe and maketh them glorious and euerlasting to the end that the whole man may for euer liue in heauen with the Lorde To whome be prayse and glory world without end AmeÌ„ Of the loue of God and our Neighbour ¶ The tenth Sermon IT remaineth since I haue in some sermons discoursed of true faythe that I do nowe also adde one Sermon touching loue towards God and our neyghbour For in my fourth Sermon I promised so soone as I should haue done with the exposition of fayth that then I would speake of loue towarde God and our neighbour bycause the exposition of the Scriptures ought not to goe awrye out of faythe and charitie whiche are as it were the right and holy markes for it to drawe vnto Ye as hitherto ye haue done so cease not yet to pray that this wholesome doctrine maye be by me taught as it shoulde be and by you receiued with much increase and profite And first of all I will not curiously put any difference betwene Charitie and loue I will vse them both in one and the same sense S. Augustine De doctrina Christiana saith I cal Chatitie a motion of the minde to delight in God for his owne sake and to delight in himselfe and his neighbour for Gods sake And therfore I cal loue a gifte giuen to man from Heauen wherby with his hart he loueth God before and aboue all thinges and his neighbour as him selfe Loue therfore springeth from Heauen from whence it is powred into our hartes But it is inlarged and augmented partly by the remembrance and consideration of Gods benefits partly by often prayer and also by the hearing frequenting of the worde of Christ Which things them selues also are the giftes of the spirite For the Apostle Paule saith The loue of God is powred out into our hartes by the holy Ghoste which is giuen vs. For verily the loue of God wherwith he loueth vs is the foundation cause of our loue wherewith we loue him and of both these iointly consisteth the loue of our neighbour For the Apostle saith We loue him bicause he first loued vs. And againe Euery one that loueth him which begot loueth him also that is borne of him Hereby we gather againe that this gifte of loue can not be diuided or seuered although it be double For he that loueth God truly hateth not his neighbour and yet neuerthelesse this loue bicause of the double respect that it hath to God and our neighbour staÌ„deth of two partes And bicause of this double Charitie the tables of Gods law are diuided into twaine the first wherof conteineth foure commaundeâ—â—nts touching the loue of God the seconde comprehendeth sixe precepts touching the loue of our neighbour Of which I will speake in their owne place But at this time bicause the loue of God and of our neighbour are twaine I will first speake of the loue of God and then of the loue of our neighbour In these two commaundements saith the Lord hang the law and the Prophetes With that which wee call the loue of God we loue God entirely wel we cleaue to God as the onely chiefe and eternal goodnesse in him we do delight our selues and are well pleased and frame our selues to his wil and pleasure hauing euermore a regarde and desire of him that we loue With loue wée loue God most hartelie But wee doe hartelie loue the thinges that are deare vnto vs and the things that to vs séeme worthie to be desired and we loue them entirely in deede not so much for our coÌ„modity as for because wée do desire to ioyne and as it were for euer to giue and dedicate our selues whoalie to the thing that wée so dearelie loue So verilie wee desyre for euer to be ioyned with God are in charitie fast lincked vnto him as the Apostle sayth God is charitie and he that dwelleth in charitie dwelleth
againe in the Gospell he sayth No man hath greater loue then this that a man bestowe his life for his friend So then suche must the manner of our loue toward our neighbour be as that we shal not doubt to giue our life for our neighbour And iâ— so it be then â–ª that for our neighbours sake we owe the losse of our life there is nothing verily that we owe him not considering that to a man nothing is more deare theÌ„ life For sooner will he loose all that he hath theÌ„ once to put his life in ieopardie Whervpon the Apostle Iohn cryeth out and sayth Hereby perceiue we loue bycause he layde downe his life for vs and we ought to lay down our liues for the brethren This is easie to be vnderstood by reason of the most euident example Let vs praye earnestly and continuaâ—ly to the Lorâ— stande by the worde of God least peraduenture the same Apostle condemn vs who sayeth Who so hath this worldes good and seeth his brother haue neede and shutteth vp his compassion from him howe dwelleth the loue of God in him And now let vs also declare that fourth last manner how we ought to stand our neighbour in stéede and how to do him good in shewing our dutifull loue and ciuil humanitie That hath the Lord already very finely set out in the very same parable wherin he taught vs who is our neighbour For he hath briefly and yet very euidently touched all the points of the loue that we owe to our neighbour First the Samaritane at the sight of the wouÌ„ded man was moued with pitie There is therefore required of vs a mercifull motion of pitie so to regard other mens calamities as thoughe they were our owne it is looked for at our handes that we shoulde be as sorrowfull mynded for another mans trouble as he that féeleth the miserie according to that saying of the Apostle Be mindfull of them that are in bondes as bound with them and of them whiche suffer aduersitie as thoughe ye your selues also being in the body suffered aduersitie Secondarily the Samaritane passeth not by but commeth vnto him he doth not with sorrowefull words wish health to the wounded and so letting him lye depart to dispatche his owne affaires For Iames the Apostle saith If a brother or sister be naked and destitute of dayly foode and one of you say vnto them depart in peace be ye warmed and filled and yet notwithstanding giue them not those things that are needefull to the bodie what shall it profite The Samaritane therefore conuneth vnto him setteth to his hande and sheweth the skyll that he hath whiche was not muche ywis to heale the sillie maÌ„gled man He doth not loath and turne his face from the yllfauoured colour bloudy matter corrupted filth and stenche of his woundes but bindeth them vp him selfe not letting them alone for another to doe He maketh not his excuse that he is no Physician but dothe what he can in that necessitie vsing suche medicine as for the time present he had in a readinesse til more conueniently he might come by better Wine and Oyle he had taken with him when he beganne his iourney which in that necessitie he doth vse and that not very inconueniently bycause wine purgeth woundes and oyle doth make them supple Moreouer whatsoeuer he hath that dothe he employ to the silly mans behoofe and to doe him ease doth euen disease him selfe For he alighteth from the backe of the beast whereon he rode and maketh him to serue the maimed mans necessitie He also with his owne hands lifteth vp from the grounde the man that was too weake to stande and setteth him on the beast And lastly he him selfe becommeth his guide to leade the way not suffring any other to take charge ouer him For when as he could not readily bring him to his owne house yet did he conueigh him into a coÌ„mon Inne Where againe he spareth not for any cost or paines taking For he him selfe taketh charge of the miserable man bycause in common Innes sicke folks for the most part are slenderly looked vnto But when his earnest businesse calleth on to make hast in his iourney he taketh out so much money as he doth thinke to be sufficient till his returne and giueth it to the Inkéeper And not being therewithall content he giueth to his hoast an especiall charge of the sicke man and also bindeth him self for him saying whatsoeuer more then this thou shalt lay out about things necessarie for his recouerie thou shalt not loose one myte For at my returne I will pay thée all againe to the vttermost farthing So then he promiseth to returne and therwithall declareth that he shall not be quiet vntill he sée him thorowly healed of all his woundes Ye haue here dearely beloued in this the Lorde his parable a moste goodly and absolute example of loue For the Samaritane doth liberally and willingly imploy his whole seruice vpon his néedie neighbours necessitie We therefore owe our selues wholy and all that we haue to our neighbours behoofe which if we bestowe on him then doe we fulfill the dueties of loue and ciuil humanitie To this we will yet adde some testimonies of the Scripture that therby we may more fully vnderstande the very innermost pith of loue if yet peraduenture any thing may séeme to be wanting in that which hitherto I haue alledged Paule therefore writing to the Corinthians sayth Loue suffereth wrong and is curteous loue enuieth not loue doth not frowardly loue swelleth not dealeth not dishonestly seeketh not hir owne is not prouoked to anger thinketh not euill reioyceth not in iniquitie but reioyceth in the trueth suffereth all things beleeueth all things hopeth all things indureth all things And againe the same Apostle in his Epistle to the Romanes saith Loue striueth to goe before in giuing honour to othâ—r loue distributeth to the Saintes necessitie is giuen to hospitalitie speaketh well of her persecuters and curseth not them that persecute her loue reioyceth with them that do reioyce and weepeth with them that weepe and applyeth it selfe to the weaker sortes infirmitie And againe Owe nothing to any man but to loue one another For he that loueth another hath fulfilled the lawe For this Thou shalt not commit adultrie Thou shalt not steale Thou shalte not kill Thou shalte not beare false witnesse Thou shalt not lust and if there be any other commaundement it is compreheÌ„ded briefly in this saying namely Thou shalte loue thy neighbour as thee selfe Loue worketh no yll to his neighbour therefore the fulfilling of the lawe is loue or charitie Hitherto also pertaineth the workes of mercy which as they flowe out of loue so are they rehearsed of the Lorde in the Gospell after Mathew and are especially these that followe To féede the hungrie To giue drinke to the thirstie To harbour the harbourlesse and strangers To couer or cloathe the naked To visite the sicke and to sée
Sichem Abraham in taking an othe vsed alwayes a reuerend feare and a spiced conscience whereby it followeth that to him the name of the Lorde was holy and not lightly taken All the holy fathers did both diligently and deuoutly solemnize and obserue holy rites and sacrifices Chā hath his fathers curse bycause he did vnreuerently behaue him self toward his father Cain is reproued for murdering his brother Noe giueth commaundement not to shead bloud Ioseph is highly commended for refusing to lye with another mans wife I meane the wife of his maister Ruben is rebuked bycause he did with incest defile his fathers bed Iacob was not angrie without a cause with Laban his father in Law when he suspected him of theft All the Patriarchs haue vtterly condemned lyars false witnesses as wel as euil lusts concupiscence Wherfore the patriarchs euer from the beginning of the world euen vntill Moses time were not without the preceptes of the ten commaundements although they had them not grauen in tables or written in parchments For the Lord with his finger writ them in their hearts whiche the liuely tradition of the fathers did exquisitely garnish reuerently teach The lawe is euerie where the same and the will of God is alwayes one bycause God is but one and is neuer chaunged Neuerthelesse the commaundements were firste of all set downe in tables by God who was the beginner and writer of them and after that againe were written into bookes by Moses Likewise also the olde and holy Patriarches that were before Moses did not want the ceremoniall and iudiciall lawes For they had their Priestes I say their fathers of euery kindred or houshold they had their ceremonies their altars and sacrifices they had their solemne assemblies and purifications They had their lawes for succession in heritage for the diuision and possession of goods for bargayning and contractes and for the punishing of euill doers All which Moses gathered together into a certaine number of decréed lawes setting downe many thinges more plainely then they were before and ordeining many thinges which the Patriarches were eyther altogether without or else had vsed in another order Of which sorte were the Tabernacle the holy vessels the Arke of the couenaunt the table the Candlesticke the Altar for burnt offerings and for incense the Leuiticall Priesthoode the holy vestments with the feastes and holy dayes and what so euer else is like to this all which verily are abrogated by Christe as in place conuenient I meane to declare But for bycause manners can not consist if the tenne Commaundements be broken therefore the Morall lawe although it haue properly the name of a lawe is notwithstanding not abrogated or broken For the tenne Commaundementes are the very absolute and euerlasting rule of true righteousnesse and all vertues set downe for al places men and ages to frame themselues by For the summe of the ten Commaundements is this To shewe our loue to God and one loue another and this doth the Lorde require at all times and euery where of all kynde of men Moreouer this is to be noted touching the dignitie of the Morall lawe conteined in the tenne Commaundements that whereas all the Ceremoniall and Iudiciall lawes were reuealed of God to Moses by the Angels and by Moses to the people and that againe by Moses at Gods commaundement they were inserted into written bookes yet notwithstanding the Morall lawe of the tonne Commaundements was not reuealed by man or any meanes of man but by God him selfe at the Mount Sina who there among other mightie and maruellous wonders did openly in a publique and innumerable assembly of men and Angels rehearse them word for word as they are now to be séene Furthermore they were written not by the hande of Moses but with the finger of God in tables not made of matter easie to be dissolued but made of stone to indure for euer Those tables also were kept as the most precious treasure in that Arke which of the tables of the couenant conteining in thē the chiefe articles of the eternal league was named the Arke of the couenant Which Arke againe was layde vp in the holy of holiest All which circumstances tend to nothing else but to cōmend vnto vs the excellencie of the. 10 Cōmaundements and to warne vs to reuerence that God which published this Moral law as him that is the Lord of heauen and earth and which at his owne wil and pleasure doth order the disposition of all the elements against disobedient rebels these circūstances also do admonish vs that euen now in our time also we haue to estéeme of the ten Commaundements as of the déerest iuels to be found in al the world For the holy reliques the are remaining in the church of Christ are the 10. Commandements the Apostles Créed the Lordes prayer lastly the whole contents of the sacred Bible Touching the proclamation or first edition of the. 10 Cōmandements we haue a wonderful large discourse of Moses Exo. 19 Deut. 4. 5. chap. Now the tables wherinto the. 10. Cōmaundements of Gods law be disposed are in number two Whereof the first conteineth 4. Cōmaundements the latter 6. For the last commaundement which some diuide into twaine is in very déed but one alone and vndiuided For first the Lord doth generally commaund say Thou shalt not couet thē he descendeth particularly doth by enumeration reckon vp that things that we must not couet to wit our neighbours wife his house his landes his cattell his substance Beside that too this doth argue that it is so bicause according to that Hebrue diposition this commaundement is altogether one whole verse not diuided into twaine With this diuision of ours agrée Ioseph Antiqui li. 6. ca. 3. Origenes in Exod. Homelia 8. Ambros in 6. cap. Epist ad Ephe. But the maister of sentences hauing diuided this last comaundement into twaine doth therefore place in that first table 3. comaundements no more He did peraduēture folow Augustine herein who Questio in Exo. 71. Epistola ad Ianuarium 119 dothe also reckon vp but thrée Commaundements of the first table alone which he did in respect of the mystical Trinitie And yet this notwithstanding he dothe not ouerslippe the commaundement for abandoning and not worshipping of images for vndoutedly he had alwayes in his mynde those wordes of the Lorde in the Gospell where he saith Verily I say vnto you though heauen and earth doe passe one iote or title of the lawe shall not passe till all be fulfilled Whosoeuer therefore shall breake one of the least of these commaundements and shall teach men so hee shall bee called the least in the kingdome of heauen The same Augustine againe in Questionibus veteris et noui testamenti lib. 1. cap. 7. maketh foure cōmaundements of the first table and sixe of the second And againe he differeth not much from the same order in his thirde
The eighth Sermon ALthough I haue hitherto in large Sermons layed foorth the lawe of God by seuerall partes yet mée thinketh I haue not sayde all that should be sayde nor made an ende as I should doe vnlesse I adde nowe a treatise of the vse effect fulfilling and abrogating of the lawe of God albeit I haue here and there in my Sermons touched the same argument Nowe by this discourse or treatise dearely beloued ye shal vnderstand that the testamēt of the olde and newe church of God is all one and that there is but one meanes of true saluation for all them that either haue or else at this present are saued in the worlde ye shall also perceiue wherein the olde testament doth differ from the newe Moreouer this treatise wil bee necessarie and verie profitable both to the vnderstanding of many places in the holy Scripture and also to the easie perceiuing and moste hoalesome vse of those thinges which I haue saide hitherto touching the lawe God who is the author the wisedome and the perfect fulnesse of the lawe giue mée grace to speake those thinges that are to the setting foorth of his glorie and profitable for the health of your soules The vse of Gods lawe is manifolde and of sundrie sortes and yet it may be called backe to thrée especiall poyntes and wee may saye that the vse therof is thréefold or of thrée sorts For firste of all the chiefe and proper office of the lawe is to conuince all men to be guiltie of sinne and by their owne fault to be the children of death For the lawe of God setteth foorth to vs the holie will of God and in the setting forth thereof requireth of vs a moste perfecte and absolute kinde of righteousnesse And for that cause the lawe is wont to be called the testimonie of Gods will and the moste perfect exampler of his diuine purenesse And hereunto belong those wordes of the Lord in the Gospell where he recitinge shortly the summe of Gods cōmaundements doth say The firste of all the commaundements is Heare O Israel the Lorde our God is one Lorde and thou shalt loue the Lorde thy God with all thy heart and with all thy soule and with all thy minde and with all thy strength This is the firste commandement and the seconde like to this thou shalt loue thy neighbour as thy selfe There is none other commaundement greater then these Therefore to this doeth also apperteine that sayinge of the Apostle Paule The end of the commaundement is charitie out of a pure heart and a good conscience and faith vnfeigned But since the law doth require at all our handes most absolute righteousnesse charitie and a pure heart it doth condemne all men of sinne vnrighteousnesse and death For in the lawe of God it is expressely said Cursed is euery one whiche abideth not in all that is writtē in the booke of the lawe to doe it But what one of vs fulfilleth all the pointes of the lawe what mā I pray either heretofore hath had or at this day hath a pure heart within him What man hath euer loued or doeth now loue God with all his heart with all his soule and with all his minde What man is he that did neuer luste after euill Or who is it now y lusteth not euery day Therefore imperfection and sinne is by the lawe or by the bewraying of the lawe reuealed in mankinde What shall we say to this where I pray you doth there appeare in any man that diuine and most absolute righteousnesse whiche the lawe requireth Iob crieth I knowe verilie that a man compared to God cannot be iustified Or How shall a man be found righteous if hee be compared to God If he wil argue with him he shall not be able to aunswere one for a thousand If I haue any righteousnes in me I will not answere him but I will beseech my Iudge Like to these are the words of the Apostle Iohn who saith If wee say wee haue no sinne we deceiue our selues and the truth is not in vs. Againe If we say we haue not sinned we make him a lyar and his word is not in vs. Therefore by this meanes the lawe is a certaine looking glasse wherein we behold our owne corruption frailnesse imbecillitie imperfection oure iudgement that is our iust and deserued damnation For the Apostle doth expressely say that the law was giuen to the end that it might make manifest mens trāsgressions and by that meanes driue them to the acknowledging of their imperfection and guilt in sinning For none of vs doth looke into his owne boosome nor into the secrets of his owne breast but wee do all flatter our selues and will not be persuaded that our thoughts and deedes are so corrupt as they bee in very deede and therefore doth the lawe creepe in and lay open the secrets of our hearts and bringeth to lighte oure sinne and corruption Before the lawe saith the Apostle although sinne were in the world yet was it not imputed The same Apostle also saith The lawe worketh wrath for where there is no lawe there is no transgression And againe By the lawe cōmeth the knowledge of sinne For in the 7. to the Romans the same Apostle doth say more fully I knew not sin but by the lawe For I had not knowen luste excepte the law had said Thou shalt not lust But sinne taking occasion by the cōmaundement wrought in me al maner of concupiscence For without the lawe sin was dead I once liued without lawe but when the commaundement came sinne reuiued and I was dead And it was found that the same commaundement which was ordeyned vnto life was vnto me an occasion of death c. For a good part of that Chapiter is spent in that matter Therefore the proper office of Moses and the principal vse and effecte of the lawe is to shew to man his sinne and imperfection As for those which staye heere and goe no further to make any other vse and effecte of the lawe but as thoughe Moses did nothing but kill the lawe nothing but slay they are diuersly and that not lightly deceiued I do here againe repeate it and tel them that the very proper office of the lawe is to make sinne manifest also that Moses his chiefe office is to teach vs what wée haue to doe with threateninges and cursings to vrge it especially whē the law is compared with the Gospel For in the third Chapter of the 2. Epistle to the Corinthians Paul calleth the law the letter and immediately after the ministration of death then againe hée calleth it a doctrine written in letters and incke and figured in tables of stone which should not endure but perish and decay The same Apostle on the otherside againe doeth call the Gospel the ministration or doctrine of the spirite which endureth decayeth not which is written in mens hearts giueth life to the beléeuers
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
thou and doe the like As if he should haue said like as the Samaritane iudged euen his enimie to be his neighbour and dealt friendly with him when he stood in neede of his friendship so sée that thou take euery one that néedeth thy helpe to be thy neighbour and do him good Aurelius Augustine therfore according to the right sense of the scripture sayde we take him to be our neighbour to whome we shewe mercy when néede requireth or to whome we should shew mercy if at any time he shoulde néede We Suitzers doe most properly expresse it when we cal our neighbour Den nachsten menschen tâ—at is any man without difference whosoeuer by hap shall light into our company Moreouer in our couÌ„trey speache we will call our neyghbour Der abenmensch namlich ein yeder der so wol ein mensch ist al 's wir Meaning thereby any man what soeuer whether he be our friende or enimie Herevnto belongeth that saying of Lactantius in the eleuenthe Chapter of his sixte booke Why makest thou choice of persons why lookest thou so narrowly on the limmes Thou muste take him to be a man whosoeuer beseecheth thee therefore that he may thinke thee to be a man Giue to the blinde to the impotent to the lame to the comfortlesse to whome vnlesse thou be liberall thou shalt dye vndoubtedly Againe he saith If so be we will rightly be called by the name of men then must we in any case keepe the lawe of ciuill humanitie And what else I pray you is it to keepe humanitie but therfore to loue a man bycause he is a man and the very same that we our selues are The Lord in the Gospel verily speaking of the loue of our neighbour saith Loue your enimies blesse them that curse you doe good to them that hate you pray for them that hurt you And againe Giue to euery one that asketh of thee And if you loue theÌ„ that loue you what thanke is that to you For sinners also loue them of whome they are loued So then euery man who so euer standeth in néede of our ayde both is and is to be counted our neighbour And yet all this notwithstanding there is no cause but that there ought to be an order a measure and decent regard in loue and well doing For rightly sayde Saint Augustine in the 27. Chapter of his booke De doctrina Christiana No sinner in that he is a sinner is to be loued And in the. 28. Chapter All men are to be loued alike but since thou canst not do good to all men therfore thou must especially doe good to them to whom thou art as it were by lot more neerely ioyned by opportunitie eyther of time of place or of any other thing what soeuer And this did Paul before Augustine teach where he sayth Who soeuer worketh not let him not eate And againe While we haue time let vs worke good to all men but specially to them of the houshold of fayth And in another place he commandeth vs not to bestowe on others to lacke our selues at home But rather he chargeth euery one to haue a godly care of his owne house The place is knowne in the fift Chapter of the first Epistle to Timothie Nowe since I haue declared who is our neighbor let vs see also in what sort this neighbour of ours ought to be loued Our neighbour must be loued simply without any coloured deceipt with the very selfe same loue wherwith we loue our selues or that wherwith Christe hath loued vs For in al things we must stand our neighbour in stéede and doe him pleasure so farre as the lawe of humanitie shall be founde to require In this declaration there are foure things more fully to be noted Firste that loue of our neighbour that is looked for at our handes ought to be so sincere as that it be without all manner guile deceipt and coloured craft For there are many to be fouÌ„d that haue the skill to talke to their neighbours with sugred tongues and to make a face as thoughe they loued them when as in déede they do vtterly hate them meaning nothing else but with fauning wordes to beguile them that thereby they may worke the thinges that they desire Paule and Iohn therefore the Apostles of Christe goe about earnestly to seuer hypocrisie from loue For Paul saith Let not your loue be fayned Againe The ende of the commaundement is loue of a pure heart and a good conscience and fayth not fayned On the other side Iohn cryeth out saying My babes let vs not loue in worde nor in tongue but in deede and in veritie Moreouer in this sinceritie we conteine a frée willing mery chearfulnesse that nothing may séeme to be done vnwillingly or by compulsion For Paule sayth Let euery man doe with a good purpose of mynd not of trouble or necessitie For God requireth a chearefull giuer Secondarily it is to be looked for of vs that we should loue our neighbor as our selues For the Lorde hath sayde Loue thy neighbour as thy selâ— that is most intirely and as dearely as by any meanes thou mayst For there is not any affection that is of more force or vehemencie then selfe loue is Neyther was it the Lord his minde that the loue of our neighbour should be any whit lesser theÌ„ the loue that we beare to our selues but rather by this he gaue vs to vnderstand that we ought to bestowe on others as ardent loue as may be to wit the very same affection that we beare to our selues and our owne estate and that we ought to be readie to do good to other or to kéepe them from harme with the same care fayth and diligence with the same zeale goodwil wherewith we prouide for our selues or our owne safetie Wherevpon the Lorde in another place sayth What soeuer thou wouldest haue done to thee selfe that doe thou to another And what so euer thou wouldest not haue done to thy self do not thou the same to another And herein doth the lord require two things at our haÌ„ds not to hurt to do good For it is not inough not to hurt a maÌ„ but also to do him good so much as lyeth in vs to do For we our selues desire not onely to kéepe our selues from hurt but to do our selues good also But if so it be dearely beloued that ye doe not yet sufficiently understand the manner howe we ought to loue our neighbour then marke I beséeche you the thirde part of my description of this loue where I sayde That we ought to loue our neighbor with that same loue wherwith the Lord Christ loued vs For in the Gospell after S. Iohn the Lord saith This is my commaundement that ye loue one another as I haue loued you So then here ye haue the manner of our loue we must loue our neighbours as Christe hath loued vs But in what sort hath Christe loued vs Here
still the later coÌ„mandements haue a relation to those that went before In the secoÌ„d coÌ„maundement we learned that God wold visit the sinnes of the fathers in the children therfore children ought not to obey their parents if they coÌ„maund any thing contrarie to god or preiudiciall to his lawe Ionathan obeyed not his father Sauls coÌ„mandement who charged him to persecute Dauid and therfore is he worthily coÌ„mended in the holy scriptures The thrée coÌ„panions of Daniel obeyed Nabuchodonosor in al that he sayd they loued him reuerenced him as a most mightie puissaÌ„t bountifull king but so soone once as he charged them to fall to Idolatrie they set not a button by his coÌ„mauÌ„dement And S. Peter who taught vs that honor obedience that we owe to our parents magistrates when he was coÌ„mauÌ„ded by y princes fathers of the people not to preache Christe crucified to the people any more did answere them that we ought to obey God more theÌ„ men But what néede I thus to stand reckoning vp this when the Lord him self in one short sentence hath knit vp this al other like to this If any man saith he coÌ„meth to me hateth not his father mother his wife his children his brethren and sisters yea and his owne life he can not be my disciple Furthermore thou dost honor thy parents when thou dost not coÌ„temptuously 〈◊〉 theÌ„ vnthankfully neglect 〈…〉 thinke scorne of theÌ„ if peraduenture they happen to fal into aduersitie Thou honorest thy parents when with thine help couÌ„sel thou aydest theÌ„ in their old age vnweildie crookednesie when thou easest theÌ„ in time of their neede or succourest theÌ„ otherwise in any case else For that in déed is the true and proper honor due to our parents the Lord him self bearing witnes thervnto in the 15. of Mat. coÌ„cluding that we ought to prouide haue a care for our parents to saue defend them wholy to giue our selues hazard our liues in their behalf And now that this that I haue said may be more easily euidently vnderstood I wil confer apply this honor to those 7. seueral kinds of meÌ„ which we do coÌ„prehend vnder the name of parents that thereby euery one may sée what and how much honor he ought to bestow vpoÌ„ his pareÌ„ts his cuÌ„try the magistrats therin those sorts of people that are afore named Wheras of dutie we ought to honor our pareÌ„ts that dutie is paid if we do so worshipfully estéeme of theÌ„ as to think that they are giuen to vs of God to y end that we shuld reuerence loue always haue an eye to them although for nothing else yet only for the Lords sake who is and doth thinke him selfe despised so long as we go on to contemne our parents and to thinke vilely of them Neither doth it make any matter to vs whether they be worthy or vnworthy whom the lord coÌ„maundeth vs to honor For be they as they may be yet notwithstanding they did not without the prouideÌ„ce of god chaÌ„ce to be our parentes in respect of which parentage the lawgiuer him self will haue theÌ„ to be honored Whatsoeuer therfore children shal haue occasion to speake to their parents let it alwayes sauour of humble reuerence childely affection and let theÌ„ with such affection reuerence obey their parents If they séeme to vs to be somwhat bitter vngentle yet let vs wisely winke at it not séeme to knowe it by litle litle stil declining from the euill which by force they séeme to compell vs vnto let vs so discretely handle the matter that we may giue them as smal occasion as may be to be offended at vs We haue Ionathas y sonne of Saul to be an example to vs of a godly obedieÌ„t child He did with great griefe trouble of mind behold his fathers madnesse vpon Dauid wrongful dealing against him self yet did he for the presit discréetly sustain wisely dissemble it finding occasion at another time and in a place coÌ„uenient to tel him of it he neuer ayded his father in any conceiued mischief he claue alway to the iust man righteous causes he bewayled his fathers stubbornesse sought not ouer boldly to resist him and striue against him wheÌ„ he offered to deale by violeÌ„t extremitie with him but saued him self by fléeing away yet for all this he loued his father neuer the worse but praied still to God for his helth welfare shewing him selfe in al things an obedient sonne to his crabbed father This verily is the duetie of a godly son This ought euery one of vs most diligently to folow in doing our dutie and huÌ„ble obeisance vnto our pareÌ„ts how froward or crooked soeuer they be Let none giue a rough answere stubbornly yea let none so much as muÌ„ble an answere or mutter against his pareÌ„ts Let none curse or speake euil of his father or mother vnlesse he wil perforce séeke the way means to make highe mightie Gods curse hang ouer light vpon his pate If haply our parents be poore if mishapen in limmes or otherwise diseased with any infirmitie let none of vs therfore in mockerie floute at or disdaynefully despise them Let vs not shew our selues vnthankfull to them to whome for their good déedes to vs warde we are of duetie bound for euer Let vs nourish chearishe and ayde them in all their necessities yea let vs wholy bestowe our selues and all that we haue to doe them good withall For all that we possesse vndoubtedly is theirs and all that we haue we inioy by them for if they were not then should not we be Let vs here call to remembrance the charge that the Lorde in Matthe we giueth vs touching this commaundement Let vs consider what is ment by the Gentiles 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which is to requite one good turne with another and especially to nourishe and chearishe them by whome thou thée selfe in thy youth wast brought vp and tendered There is among the Gentiles a lawe extant worthy to be called the mistresse of pietie whereby it is enacted that the children should eyther nourishe their parents or else lye faste fettered in pryson This lawe many men doe carelesly neglect which the Storke alone among all lyning creatures doth kéepe most precisely For other creatures doe harde and searcely know or looke vpon their parents if peraduenture they néede their ayde to nourish them whereas the Storke doth mutually nourishe them being strucâ—en in age and beare them on her shoulders when for feeblenesse they cannot flee There are to be séene among the Gentiles very religious and excellent sentences touching the honour due vnto parents Isocrates sayth Shew thee self such an one to thy parents as thou wouldest wish to haue thy children shewe them selues to thee Anaâ—imenes sayde He loueth his father exceedingly well which doth his indeuour to make him ioyfull
that they at their pleasure may cōmaund what they liste and that all men by and by must take it for lawe But that kind of ruling without al doubt is extreme tyrannie The saying of the Poet is verie well knowen which representeth the verie words of a tyraunt I say it and it shal be so my lust shal be the lawe The Prince in déede is y liuing lawe if his mind obey the written lawes and square not from the lawe of nature Power and authoritie therefore is subiecte vnto lawes For vnlesse the Prince in his heart agree with the law in his brest doe write the law and in his woords and déedes expresse the law he is not worthie to be called a good mā much lesse a Prince Againe a good Prince and magistrate hath power ouer the Lawe is maister of the lawes not that they may tourne put out vndoe make and vnmake them as they liste at their pleasure but because hée may put them in practise among the people applie them to the necessitie of the state and attemper their interpretation to the meaning of the maker They therefore are deceyued as farre as heauen is wide which thinck for a few priuileges of Emperours kinges graunted to the magistrate to adde diminish or chaunge some point of the lawe that therefore they may vtterly abolish good lawes and liue against all lawe and séemelinesse For as no Emperours or kinges are permitted to graunt any priuileges contrarie to iustice goodnesse and honestie so if they do graunt any such privilege it ought not to be receiued or taken of good subiects for a good tourn or benefite but to be counted rather as it is in déede their vtter destruction and cleane ouerthrowe Among all men at all times and of all ages the meaning substaunce of the lawes touching honestie iustice publique peace is kept vnuiolable if chaūge be made it is in circumstances and the law is interpreted as the case requireth according to iustice and a good end The law sayth Let no man kill an other let him that killeth an other be killed himself That law remayneth for euer vnchaungeable neither is it lawfull for any man at any time to put it out or wipe it away And yet the rigour of the law may be diminished and the law it selfe fauourablie interpreted as for example If a man kill one whom hee loueth entirely well and kill him by chaunce not of set purpose or pretended malice so that when hee hath done hee is soarie for it at the verie hart would if it were possible buye his life again with what soeuer hée hath to giue for it in such a case the killer ought not to be killed and therin the magistrate may dispence with the rigour of the lawe An other beareth a deadly and continuall grudge to one whom hee killeth and goeth about to colour the matter vnder the pretence of happe misfortune For hée sought occasion that hée might for himself haue a shew of chauncemedley In such a case as this the magistrate cannot chaung any iote of the law but must néedes kil him whom the meaning of the law commaundeth to kill I could alledge more examples like vnto these but my care is of purpose somuch as I may not to bee too tedious vnto you with too a long a discourse By this that I haue spoken it is apparauntly euident that lawes are good and not to be broken how farre forth they doe admit the Princes 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is the Princes moderation interpretation limitation or dispensation least peraduēture that old and accustomed Prouerbe bée rightly applied vnto them Lawe with extremitie is extreme iniurie Hetherto I haue declared that lawes are good profitable necessarie and not to bee broken it remaineth now to tell what and what kind of lawes the magistrate ought most chieflie to vse for the ordering and mainteyning of honestie iustice publique peace according to his office Some there are whose opinion is that the magistrate ought not to vse any written lawes but that hée should rather giue sentence as hée thought best according to naturall equitie as the circumstances of place time persons and cases doe séeme to require Other some there are that do their indeuour to thrust into all kingdomes and common weales the Iudiciall lawes of Moses And some there are which hauing once reiected the lawe of Moses wil haue no iudgement giuen in law but what is deriued out of the lawes of heathen Princes But since they that haue the preeminence and magistrates autoritie are men either good or bad and since that euen in the best men courtousnes anger hatred fauour griefe feare and other affectiōs are rife to be found to whom I pray you haue they committed the common weale which reiecting all written statuts and certein lawes would haue euerie man that is a magistrate to giue iudgment as hée himself thinketh best Haue they not committed their common weale to the rule of a beast But what shal I say then of euill men that are in authoritie since in the best men thnges are so amisse As good were a kingdome subiecte to the furies of hel as bound to the iudgments of naughtie men But wée will say they haue them giue iudgement according to the equitie of natures lawe and not after the luste of their corrupt affection Mine aunswere is to that that they will giue iudgement as affection leadeth them without controllment and say that they iudged by naturall equitie They cannot they wil say iudge otherwise nor otherwise vnderstand the pith of the matter They thincke that beste which they haue determined and nothing is done contrarie to conscience and thou for thy labour shalt be called Coram nobis for daring find fault with their sentence in iudgment And so shal the iust man perish barbarous affections shall haue the vpper hand and naughtie men rule all the roste Yea and admitte wée graunt all men are good that are called to be magistrates yet diuersitie of opinions that will rise in giuing of iudgement will stirre vp among them endlesse braules and continuall troubles If all thinges therefore be well considered the best way by a great deale is to put written lawes in vre Let vs learne this by the example of our eternall wise excellent and mightie God who gaue to the Iewes his peculiar people such lawes as at his cōmaundement were set downe in writing The magistrate hath otherwise busines enough to iudge that is to applie and conferre the causes with the lawes to sée how farre and wherein they agrée or disagrée and to iudge who hath offended against the law and who haue not transgressed the lawe Now it is to be marked that in Moses Iudiciall lawe there are many things proper and peculiar to the Iewish Nation and so ordeyned according to the state of the place time and persons that if wée should goe about to thrust on and applie them
farre aboue all earthly richesse Thus much haue I said hetherto touching restitution of which other men haue left very ample discourses I for my part do see that to a godly minde this worke of restitution is short and plaine enough and therefore haue I spoken of it so shortly as I haue For a godly and well disposed man doeth with al his hart desire and seeke to obey the lawe of God and therefore by calling to God for ayde he shall easilie finde a way to woorke iustice equitie As for those whose desire is rather to seme iust men than to be iust in deede and do loue this world more than it becommeth them to doe they with their ouer many questions and innumerable Perchaunces and Put cases do make the treatise of restitution so tedious and intricate that no man shall euer bee able to make it so plaine that they will vnderstand it I wil not therefore aunsweare them any more but onely warne them to examine their owne conscience see what that doth bidde them doe Now I would haue that cōscience of theirs to be settled in and be mindfull of the generall lawe which saith Whatsoeuer thou wouldest haue done to thee selfe that doe thou to another and whatsoeuer thou wouldest not haue done to the selfe that doe not thou to an other After this now I will somewhat freely discourse vppon the iust possessing vsing or disposing of well gotten earthly substance First of all no man must put any confidence in richesse which are in deede things transitorie and doe quickly decay wee must not settle our minds vpon nor be in loue with them but by all meanes take heede that they driue vs not to idolatrie nor hinder the course that we haue to passe Heauen is the goale wherat we runne Here againe we must all giue eare to the diuine and heauenly woords vttered by the Prophete Dauid who said Put your trust in God alwayes powre out your heartes before him for God is our refuge As for the children of men they be but vaine the children of mē are deceitfull vppon the weightes they are altogether lighter than vanitie it selfe Truste not in wronge and robberie giue not your selues to vanitie if riches increase set not your hartes vppon them The Apostle Paule beeing indued with the same spirite biddeth vs to vse the world and worldly thinges as though we vsed them not Againe hee calleth couetousnesse the worshipping of idolls and chargeth rich men not to put their trust in vncertaine riches but in the lyuing god who ministreth to all creatures lyuing sufficiently enough And therefore the Lord in the Gospell forbiddeth to heape vpp treasures vppon earth Now on the other side we are not bidden by the Apostles to spend oure goods prodigallie in riot and wantonnesse For wee may not abuse the wealth that the Lord hath lent vs in pride and luxurie as many doe who lash out al in dieing sumptuous building straung clothiong excessiue drinking and ouer deyntie banquetting The end and destruction of such kind of people the Lord doeth verie finely though not without terrour to them that heare it set downe in the parable of the rich glutton who after his delicate fare coastly apparell was after this life tormented in hell with vnspeakeable thirste toasted there with vnquencheable fire Therefore these temporall goods must be rightly holilie and moderately vsed without excesse Euerie man must acknowledge these terrestriall goods to be the meere and free giftes of our bountifull and heauenly father and not to be giuen for our deserts or gottē by our might For wee haue of Gods liberalitie all thinges necessarie to mainteyne oure liues It is the Lord which blesseth and doth prosper our labour Finallie they are not euil but the good gifts of God which he giueth for the maintenaunce of our liues and not to our destruction the fault is in our selues that riches are a snare to bring many men to euill ends Moreouer the Lord himselfe requireth and in his woord commaundeth vs to be thanckful vnto him for his good benefits bestowed on vs to vse them with thankes giuing to praise his name for al things and to reioyce in his fatherly goodnes shewed vnto vs For thus doth Moses the seruaunt of God in Deuteronomie charge the Israelites When thou hast eaten therefore and filled thee selfe then thancke the Lord thy God in that good land which hee hath giuen thee Beware that thou forgett not the Lord thy God that thou wouldest not keepe his commaundementes his lawes and ordinances which I commaund thee this day yea and when thou hast eaten filled thee selfe and hast built goodly houses and dwellest therein and when thy beastes and thy sheepe are waxen many and thy siluer and thy gold is multiplied and al that thou hast is increased then beware least thine heart rise and thou forgett the Lord thy God which brought thee out of the land of Aegypt and from the house of bondage Say not then in thine heart my power and the might of mine owne hand hath prepared mee this aboundance Remember the Lord thy GOD for it is hee that giueth thee power to gett substance c. Moreouer Paule the Apostle saith that al the creatures of God are good created to the good and preseruation of vs men and biddeth vs vse them with the feare of God and giuing of thanckes And againe Whether yee eate or drincke or whatsoeuer ye do do all to the glorie of God. And in another place Let your maners bee farre from couetousnes and bee content with the thinges that yee haue For he hath said I do not forsake nor leaue thee so that we may boldly say the Lord is my helper I wil not feare what man can doe vnto mee Let earthly goodes also serue our necessitie Nowe necessitie requireth a commodious dwelling place so much victualls as are sufficiente comely apparell and honeste company keeping wyth oure neighbours and equalls Let euery man measure and esteeme these circumstaunces first by his owne personne then by his familie or household For an householder must warely prouide and foresee that no necessarie thinge be wanting in his familie Of this care of the househoulder there are sundrye testimonies of Scripture extant but especiallie that of Saint Paule in the fifth Chapiter of his first Epistle to Timothie And here note that by necessitie all thinges are mente which the body or life of man doth necessarily require and stand in néede of and finally whatsoeuer the honestie and beséeming of euery man doth craue or demaunde And thus farre verily and to this ende or purpose it is lawfull for any man to lay somewhat vp in stoare against yeares to come The man whose charge is much in keping a great house hath néede of the more to maintayne it withall and hée whose familie is not so bigge néedeth so much the lesse as his house is the smaller And one
the law and the Prophets Moreouer oure Lord fulfilled the lawe in that he did most absolutely in all poinctes satisfie the will of God being himselfe the holiest of all in whome there is no spot no euill concupiscence nor any sinne in him is the loue of God most perfecte righteousnesse altogether absolute which righteousnesse he doth fréely coÌ„municate to vs that are most vnperfect if wee beléeue and haue oure hope fast settled in him For hée forgiueth vs our sinnes being made a cleansing Sacrifice for vs and maketh vs partakers of his owne righteousnesse which is for that cause called Imputed righteousnesse Whereunto the testimonies of the Apostle do apperteine God saith Paul was in Christ recoÌ„ciling the world vnto himselfe not imputing their sinnes vnto them For him which knew not sinne he made sinne for vs that we might bee made the righteousnesse of God by him Againe Abraham beleeued God and it was imputed to him for righteousnesse without workes So also if wee beleeue in God throughe Christ our faith shal be imputed to vs for righteousnesse For by faith we lay hold on Christ whom we beleue to haue made most absolute satisfaction to God for vs and so consequently that God for Christ his sake is pleased with vs and that the righteousnesse is imputed to vs as our owne and is in déed by gift our owne because wee are nowe the sonnes of God. These things being diligently weyyed it shal be easie for vs to aunswere them whiche make this question and doe demaunde since no mortall man doth of himself exactly satisfie the law Howe then is righteousnesse life and saluatioÌ„ promised to them that do obserue the lawe Our aunswere is forsoothe that that promise hath a respect to the perfect righteousnesse of Christ which is imputed vnto vs Otherwise it is assuredly certaine that the holy Scripture doth not so much as in one iote disagrée or square in any pointe from it selfe The Apostle doth plainly say If there had a lawe beene giuen which could haue giuen life then had righteousnesse beene of the lawe but now the Scripture hath shutt vpp all vnder sinne that the promise might be giuen by faith to them that do beleeue Wherefore he kéepeth or doeth fulfil the lawe euen of the tenne commaundements who doth the thing for which the lawe was chiefly ordeyned But the lawe was chiefly ordeyned as I did declare a little before to the ende that it might conuince vs all of sinne and damnation and so by that meanes send vs from our selues and lead vs by the hand to Christe who is the fulfilling of the lawe vnto iustification to euery one that doeth beléeue And therefore hée doth fulfil and kéepe the lawe who hath no confidence in himselfe and his owne woorkes but committing himselfe to the very grace of God doth séeke all righteousnesse in the faith of Christ Whereuppon now it is euident that these two sentences of Christ oure Lord are of one sense meaning Whosoeuer beleeueth in mee he hath life euerlasting And If thou wilt enter into life keepe the commaundements For Paule also in the 13. Chapiter of the Actes saith Be it knowen vnto you brethren that thorough Christe is preached to you the forgiuenesse of sinnes by him all that beleeue are iustified from all the thinges from which he could not be iustified by the lawe of Moses And to this place nowe belongeth all the woorke of iustification of whiche I haue at large disputed in an other place Now that faith wherewith we beleeue that Christ hath satisfied the law and that he is oure righteousnesse and our perfection is neither of our owne nature nor of our owne merits but is by the grace of God powred into vs through the holy spirit which is giuen into our hearts This spirite abiding in our heartes doth inflame our breastes with the loue and desire of Gods lawe to doe oure endeuoure to the expressing and shewing of the lawe in al our workes and conuersation Which desire and endeuour although they be neuer fully accomplished by reason of the sâ—eashes frailetie or weakenesse of mans nature which remayneth in vs euen till the last gaspe and end of our life is notwithstanding acceptable to God by grace for Christe his sake alone neither doeth anye Godly man put any confidence in this other but in the first fulfilling of the lawe as that which is onely absolute and perfecte For Paule in his Epistle to the Romans crieth out O wretched man that I am who shall deliuer me from the bodie of this death And yet immediatly after he answereth I thanke God. to wit because he hath redéemed me from death through Iesus Christ our lord So then I me selfe with the minde serue the law of God but with the fleshe the lawe of sinne There is then no damnation to them whiche are graffed in Christ Iesu which walk not after the fleshe but after the spirite c. Wherfore since we are in Christ we are in grace and therefore is God pleased with oure woorkes which being giuen to vs by faith and by the liberal spirite do procéede from an hart that loueth God the giuer of them all For Iohn saide This is the loue of God that we keepe his commaundementes And his commaundementes are not greeuous Hée addeth also the reason thereof and saith For al that is borne of God ouercoÌ„meth the world nowe euerie one is borne of God that doth beléeue as is declared in the first of Iohn By whiche it is easie to reconcile these 2. places which séeme at a blushe to iarre one with an other The lawes of God are heauie which neither we nor oure fathers were able to beare And The lawes of God are not greeuous or heauie to be borne For they are not heauie to the faithfull whiche are in Christ and to those which haue the gift of Gods spirite that is to those that are reconciled to God by Christe their Lord and Sauiour Without Christ faith in Christe they are most gréeuous and heauie to be borne of euery vnbeléeuer So the faithfull béeing stirred vpp by the spirite of God doth voluntarilie and of his owne accord do good to all men so farre as his abilitie doeth suffer him will not in any case do hurt to any man not forbecause hee feareth the punishment that in the law is appointed for the disobedient vniuste and wrongfull dealers but forbecause he loueth god And so also he fulfilleth the Iudicial lawe Here I know full well the thou wilt make this obiection and say if the law be fulfilled that the fulfilling thereof hath a place in the Sainctes faithful ones what néeded then I pray you the abrogating of the lawe What néeded Paule and all the best diuines to dispute so largely of the abrogation of the same I wil therefore say somewhat of the abrogation of the law first generallie then by partes peculiarly But first of all
he was conceiued by the holy ghost and borne of the virgin he tooke vpon him flesh and soule and sense that is he tooke on him very man neither lost he what he was but began to be what he was not so yet that in respect of his owne properties he is perfect God and in respect of ours he is verie man For he which was God is borne man and he which is borne man doth woorke myracles as God and he that woorketh myracles as God doeth die as a man and hee that dieth as man doeth rise againe as god Who in the same flesh wherein he was borne and suffered and died and roase againe did ascende to the father and sitteth at his right hande in the glorie which he alwayes had and yet stil hath By whose death and bloud we beleeue that we are clensed and that at the latter day we shall be raised vp againe by him in this flesh wherein we now liue And we hope that we shall obteine a reward for our good deedes or else the paine of euerlastinge punishment for our sinnes Reade this beleeue this holde this submit thy soule to this faith and thou shalt obteine life and a rewarde at Christ his hande S. Peter Bishop of Alexandria taught and beleeued the verie same with the blessed Athanasius and Damasus as it may be gathered out of the 37. chapter of the 7. booke and the 14. chapter of the 8. booke of the Tripartite historie The Jmperiall decree for the Catholique faith taken out of the Tripartite historie lib. 9. cap. 7. THE noble Emperours Gratian Valentinian and Theodosius to the people of the citie of Constantinople We will all people whom the royall authoritie of our clemencie doth rule to be of that religion which the religion brought in by Peter him selfe doeth at this time declare that S. Peter the Apostle did teach to the Romanes and which it is euident that byshop Damasus and Peter the byshop of Alexandria a man of Apostolicall holinesse do followe that is that according to the discipline of the Apostles and doctrine of the Euangelistes in the equalitie of the maiestie and in the holy Trinitie we beleeue that there is but one godhead of the father of the sonne and of the holy ghoste Those which keepe this lawe we commaunde to haue the name of catholique Christians But for the other whom we iudge to be madde out of their wits we wil that they susteining the infamie of hereticall doctrine be punished firste by Gods vengeaunce and after that by punishment according to the motion of our mindes which we by the will of God shall thinke best of Giuen the thirde of the Calendes of March at Thessalonica Gratian the fifte Valentinian andTheodosius Aug. Coss FINIS THE FIRST TABLE CONTEYning the arguments and summe of euery Sermon as they follow one an other in euerie Decade throughout the body of the whole booke The first number is referred to the Sermon the second to the Page where it beginneth The first Tome and first the summe or contentes of the tenne Sermons of the first Decade 1 OF the worde of God the cause of it and howe and by whome it was reuealed to the world Page 1. 2 Of the worde of God to whome and to what end it was reuealed also in what maner it is to be hearde and that it doth fully teache the whole doctrine of godlinesse 14 3 Of the sense and right exposition of the worde of God by what manner of meanes it may be expounded 23 4 Of true fayth from whēce it commeth that it is an assured beliefe of the mynde whose only stay is vpon GOD and his worde 30 5 That there is one onely true fayth and what the vertue thereof is 40 6 That the faythfull are iustified by fayth without the law and workes 44 7 Of the first articles of the Christian faith conscined in the Apostles Creede 55 8 Of the latter Articles of the Christian faith conteyned in the Apostles Creede 67 9 Of the latter Articles of the Christian fayth conteyned in the Apostles Creede 77 10 Of the loue of God and our neighbour 91 ¶ The summe or contents of the tenne Sermons of the second Decade 1 OF lawes and first of the lawes of Nature then of the lawes of men 100 2 Of Gods lawe and of the two first commaundements of the first table 109 3 Of the third precept of the tenne commaundements and of Swearing 126 4 Of the fourthe precept of the first table that is of the order and keeping of the Sabboth day 136 5 Of the first precept of the second table which is in order the fift of the tenne commaundementes touching the honour due to parents 144 6 Of the seconde precept of the second table which is in order the sixte of the tenne Commaundements Thou shalt not kill And of the magistrate 163 7 Of the office of the Magistrate whether the care of religion apperteineth to him or no whether he may make lawes and ordinaunces in cases of religion 177 8 Of iudgement and the office of the Iudge That Christians are not forbidē to iudge Of reuengement and punishment Whether it be lawfull for a magistrate to kill the guiltie Wherefore when howe what the magistrate muste punishe Whether he may punish offenders in religion or no. 191 9 Of warre whether it bee lawful for a magistrate to make warre What the scripture teacheth touching warr Whether a Christian man may beare the office of a magistrate And of the dutie of subiectes 207 10 Of the thirde precept of the second table which is in order the seuenth of the ten Commaundements Thou shalt not commit adulterie Of wedlock Against al intemperancie Of Continencie 222 The second Tome and firste the summe or contentes of the tenne Sermons of the thirde Decade 1 OF the fourth precept of the second table whiche is in order the eighth of the ten commandements Thou shalt not steale Of the owing and possessing of proper goodes and of the right and lawfull getting of the same Against sundry kinds of theft 259 2 Of the lawfull vse of earthly goods that is how we may rightly possesse and lawfully spende the wealth that is rightly and iustly gotten Of restitution almes deeds 279 3 Of the patient bearing and abiding of sundrie calamities miseries and also of the hope and manifold consolation of the faithfull 270 4 Of the fift sixt preceptes of the second table which are in order the ninth and tenth of the tenne Commaundements that is Thou shalt not speake false witnesse against thy neighbour And Thou shalt not couet thy neighbours house c. 318 5 Of the Ceremonial lawes of GOD but especially of the Priesthoode time and place appointed for the Ceremonies 327 6 Of the Sacraments of the Iewes of their sundry sorts of sacrifices and certeine other things perteyning to their Ceremoniall lawe 354 7 Of the Iudicial lawes of God. 387 8 Of
to lay hand on the life to come The faithfull Saints could in no wise haue don these things vnlesse the doctrine whiche they beléeued had béene of god Although therefore that the Apostles were men yet their doctrine first of all taught by a liuely expressed voyce and after that set downe in writing with penne and yncke is the doctrine of God and the very true word of god For therefore the Apostle left this saying in writing When ye did receaue the woord of God whiche ye heard of vs ye receiued it not as the word of men but as it is in deede the word of God which effectually worketh in you that beleeue But nowe the matter it selfe and place require that I gather also and plainely reckon vp those bookes wherin is conteined the very word of God first of all declared of the Fathers of Christ himselfe and the Apostles by-word of mouth after that also written into Bookes by the Prophetes and Apostles And in the first place verely are set the fiue bookes of Moses Then follow the bookes of Iosua of Iudges of Ruth two bookes of Samuel two of Kinges two of Chronicles of Esdras Nehemias and Hester one a piece After these come Iob Dauid or the booke of Psalmes Prouerbes Ecclesiastes and Cantica With them are numbered the foure greater Prophets Esaias Ieremias Ezechiel and Daniel then the twelue lesser Prophetes whose names are very well knowne With these bookes the olde Testament ended The Newe Testament hathe in the beginning the Euangelicall hystorie of Christ the Lord written by foure Authors that is by two Apostles Mathewe and Iohn and by two Disciples Marke and Luke who compiled a wonderfull goodly and profitable booke of the Actes of the Apostles Paule to sundrie Churches and persons published 14. Epistles The other Apostles wrote 7. whiche are called both Canonical and Catholique And the books of the new Testament are ended with the reuelation of Iesus Christ whiche he opened to the Disciple whome he loued Iohn the Euangelist and Apostle shewing vnto him and so to the whole church the ordinaunce of God touching the Churche euen vntil the day of iudgement Therefore in these fewe and meane not vnmeasurable in these plaine and simple not darke and vnkemmed books is coōprehended the ful doctrine of godlynes whiche is the very word of the true liuing and eternall God. Also the bookes of Moses and the Prophetes through so many ages perils and captiuities came sound and vncorruptted euen vntill the time of Christ and his Apostles For the Lord Iesus the Apostles vsed those bookes as true copies and authentical which vndoubtedly they neither would nor could haue done if so be that eyther they had béen corrupted or altogether perished The bookes also whiche the Apostles of Christ haue added were throughout all persecutions kept in the Church safe and vncorrupted and are come sound and vncorrupted into our handes vpon whome the endes of the world are falne For by the vigilāt care vnspeakable goodnes of God our Father it is brought to passe that no age at any time either hathe or shal want so great a treasure Thus muche hitherto haue I declared vnto you derely beloued what the word of God is what the beginning of it in the Churche was what procéeding dignitie and certaintie it had The word of God is the speache of God that is to say the reuealing of his good will to mankinde whiche frō the beginning one while by his owne mouthe and an other whyle by the speache of Angels he did open to those first ancient and most holy Fathers who againe by tradition did faithfully deliuer it to their posteritie Here are to be remembred those great lightes of the world Adam Seth Methusalem Noe Sem Abraham Isaac Iaacob Amram and his Sonne Moses who at Gods commaundement did in writing comprehend the hystorie and traditiōs of the holy Fathers whervnto he ioyned the written lawe and exposition of the lawe togeather with a large and lightsome hystorie of his owne lyfe time After Moses God gaue to his Churche moste excellent men Prophets and Priestes who also by worde of mouthe and wrytings did deliuer to their posterity that whiche they had learned of the Lord After them came the Onely begotten Sonne of God himselfe downe from heauen into the world and fulfilled all whatsoeuer was found to be written of himselfe in the Lawe and the Prophetes The same also taught a moste absolute meane howe to liue well and holily He made the Apostles his witnesses Which witnesses did afterwardes first of all with a liuely expressed voice preach al things which the Lord had taught them and then to the intent that they should not be corrupted or clean taken out of mans remembraunce they did commit it to writing so that nowe we haue from the Fathers the Prophetes and Apostles the word of God as it was preached and written These thinges had their beginning of one the same spirite of God and do tende to one end that is To teach vs men how to liue well and holily He that beléeueth not these men namely the only begotten Sonne of God whom I pray you will he beleeue We haue here the moste holie innocent vpright liuing most praise worthie most iust moste ancient most wise and most diuine men of the whole world and compasse of the earth and briefly suche men as are by all meanes without comparison All the worlde cannot shew vs the like againe although it shuld wholy a thousand times be assembled in Counsels The holy Emperour Constantine gathered a generall counsell out of al the compasse of the earthe thether came there together out of all the worlde thrée hundred and eightéene moste excellent Fathers But they that are of the wisest sorte will say that these are not so muche as shadowes to be compared to them of whome we haue receiued the worde of god Let vs therefore in all thinges beléeue the worde of God deliuered to vs by the Scriptures Let vs thinke that the Lorde him selfe whiche is the very liuing and eternall God dothe speake to vs by the Scriptures Let vs for euermore prayse the name and goodnesse of him who hath vouched safe so faythfully fully and plainely to open to vs miserable mortall men all the meanes howe to liue well and holyly To him be prayse honour and glory for euermore Amen Of the worde of God to whom and to what end it was reuealed also in what maner it is to be hearde and that it doth fully teache the whole doctrine of godlinesse ¶ The seconde Sermon DEarely beloued in the laste Sermon you learned what the worde of God is from whence it came by whome it was chiefly reuealed what procéedings it had and of what dignitie and certaintie it is Now am I come againe and by Gods fauour and the helpe of your prayers I will declare vnto you beloued to whome and to what ende the worde of
are sowen abrode very vngodly spéeches For some there are which do suppose that the scriptures that is the very worde of God is of it selfe so darke that it cannot be read with any profite at al. And again some other affirme that the worde plainly deliuered by God to mankind doth stande in néede of no exposition And therefore say they that the scriptures ought in déede to be read of all men but so that euery man may lawfully inuent and choose to himself such a sense as euery one shal be persuaded in him selfe to be most conuenient These fellowes doe altogether condemne the order receiued of the Churches wherby the minister of the church doth expounde the Scriptures to the congregatioÌ„ But I déerely beloued if as ye haue begoon so ye will go forwarde to pray to the Lorde do truste by the hope that I haue in gods goodnesse that I am able plainely to declare that to the godly the scripture is nothing darke at al that the lord his will is altogether to haue vs vnderstande it Then that the Scriptures ought alwayes to be expouÌ„ded Wher also I will teach you the maner and some ready wayes how to interprete the scriptures The handling of these pointes shall take away the impediments which driue men from the reading of the word of god and shal cause the reading hearing of the worde of God to be both wholesome fruitful And firste of all that Gods will is to haue his worde vnderstoode of man kinde we may thereby gather especially bicause that in speaking to his seruaunts he vsed a most common kind of speach wherwithall euen the very idiotes were acquainted Neither do we reade that the Prophets and Apostles the seruaunts of God and interpreters of his high and euerlastinge wisedome did vse any straunge kinde of speach so that in the whole packe of writers none can be founde to excell them in a more plaine and easy phrase of writing Their writings are full of common prouerbes similitudes parables comparisons deuised narrations examples and such other like maner of spéeches then which ther is nothing that doth more moue plainely teach the common sorte of wittes amonge mortall men There ariseth I confesse some darknesse in the scriptures by reason of the naturall propertie figuratiue ornaments and the vnacquainted vse of the tongues But that difficulty may easily be helped by studie diligence faith and the meanes of skilfull interpreters I know that the Apostle Peter saith in the epistles of Paul Many thinges are harde to be vnderstoode But immediatly he addeth which the vnlearned and those that are vnperfect or vnstable peruert as they doe the other scriptures also vnto their owne destruction Wherby we gather that the scripture is difficulte or obscure to the vnlearned vnskilfull vnexercised and malicious or corrupted willes and not to the zealous and godly Readers or Hearers therof Therefore when S. Paule sayth If as yet our gospell be hidde from them it is hid which perish in whom the Prince of this worlde hath blinded the vnderstanding of the vnbeleeuers that to them there shoulde not shine the light of the gospell of the glory of Christ who is the image of God. He doth not lay the blame of this difficultie on the word of God but vpon the vnprofitable hearers Whosoeuer we are therefore that do desire rightly to vnderstand the word of God our care must be that Satan possesse not our mindes and close vp our eyes For our Sauiour also in the gospell sayde This is damnation because the light came into the world and men loued darknesse rather than light Besides that the holy Prophetes of God and the Apostles did not call the worde of God or the scriptures darkenesse obscurenesse or mistinesse but a certaine brightnesse and lightsomnesse Dauid saith Thy word is a Lanterne vnto my feete and a light vnto my pathes And what I praye you is more euident than that which in makinge doubtfull and obscure thinges manifest no man doth referre to darkenesse and vncertainties Things vncertaine doubtful and obscure are made manifest by those things that are more certain sure and euident But as often as any question or controuersie doth happen in matters of fayth do not all men agree that it ought to be ended and determined by the scriptures it must therfore needes be that the scriptures are euident plaine and most assuredly certaine But though the scripture be manifest and the worde of God be euident yet notwithstanding it refuseth not a godly or holy exposition but rather an holy exposition doth giue a setting out to the worde of God bringeth forth much fruite in the godly hearer And for bicause many do deny that the scriptures ought to haue any exposition I will shew by examples which can not be gainsaide that they ought altogether to be expounded For God him selfe hauing often coÌ„munication with Moses by the space of fortie dayes and as many yeares did by Moses expouÌ„d to the Church the wordes of the law which he spake in Mount Sina to the whole congregation of Israeâ—l writing them in two tables which Moses left to vs the Deuteronomie and certaine other bookes as commentaries vpon Gods commaundements After that immediatly followed the Prophetes who interpreting the lawe of Moses did apply it to the times places and men of their age and left to vs that fellow their sermons as plain expositions of Gods law In the eight Chapiter of Nehemias we reade these wordes Esdras the Priest brought the Lawe the booke of Moses and stoode vpon a turret made of wood that is in the holy pulpet And Esdras opened the booke before the congregation of men and women who soeuer else had any vnderstanding And the Leuits stode with him so that he read out of the booke and the leuits instructed the people in the law the people stode in their place And they reade in the booke of the lawe distinctly expounding the sense and causing them to vnderstande the reading Thus muche in the booke of Nehemias Marke here by the waye my brethren that the lawfull and holy ministers of the Churche of God did not onely reade the worde of God but did also expounde it This manner of reading and expounding the Scriptures or worde of God oure Lorde Iesu Christe did neyther abrogate nor contemne when comming in the fleshe he did as a true Prophete and heauenly maister instructe the people of his Churche in the doctrine of the Newe Testament For entring into the Synagogue at Nazareth he stoode vp to reade and there was deliuered to him the booke of the Prophete Esay So he opened the booke and read a certaine notable place out of the .lxj. Chapter Then shutting the booke he gaue it to the Minister againe and expounded that which he had read declaring how that in him selfe nowe that prophesie was fulfilled Moreouer after that he was risen from death he ioyned him self in companie
loased If sayth the Lorde in Ieremie ye can vndoe the league that I haue taken with the day or the couenant that I haue made with the night so that it neyther be day nor night at the appointed time then may my couenant be of none effect which I haue made with Dauid But not the whole worlde laying all their strengthes together is able to make it day when it is once Night nor cause the Daye to breake one howre sooner then the course of Heauen doth commaunde Therefore not all this worlde with all the powre and pompe therof shall be able once to weaken or breake to chaunge or abolish so much as one tittle in the word of God and the trueth of Godds worde Faith therefore which resteth vpon a thing most firme or sure can not choose but be an vndoubted certification And since Gods worde is the foundacion of Fayth Fayth can not wander to and fro and leane to euery worde whatsoeuer For euery opinion conceiued without the worde of God or against Gods word cannot be called true faith And for that cause S. Paule the Apostle of Christ would not ground the true or Christian faith vpon any carnall proppes or opinions of men but vpon the truth and power of god With his wordes will I conclude this place Fayth sayth he commeth of hearing and hearing by the worde of God. By the worde of God he saith and not by the worde of man Againe to the Corinthians My preaching saith he was not in entising wordes of mans wisedome but in the shewing forth of the spirite and of powre that your faith should not be in the wisedome of man but in the power of God. Whereby also we learne that some there are which against all reason require fayth at our handes that is they would haue vs to beléeue that which they are not able to shewe out of Gods worde or that which is cleane contrary to the word of god To the better declaring of this that I haue saide auaileth that short abridgement of Gods word and of fayth which we in the definition of fayth haue closely knitte vp together There are there rehearsed two chiefe â—oints of fayth and of the worde And first of al that God in Christ doth fréely promise life and euery good thinge For God who is the obiect or marke and foundation of fayth beinge of his owne proper nature euerliuing euerlasting good doth of himself from before al beginning beget the son like to himself in al points who bicause he is of the same substance with the father is himselfe also by nature life and all goodnesse And to the ende he might communicate to vs his Sonnes and brethren both life and all goodnesse he became man and being conuersant very God and man among men he testified that God the Father through the Sonne doeth powre himselfe wholly with all good things into the faithfull whom he quickneth and filleth with all goodnesse and last of all doeth take them vppe to himselfe into the blessed place of euerlasting life And that he doth frankly and fréely bestow this benefite to the ende that the glory of his grace may in all thinges be praysed This doth true fayth beleeue and herevnto belonge no small part of the scriptures which testifie that God in Christ doth communicate to the faithful life and al goodnes Iohn the Apostle cryeth out and sayth In the beginning was the word and the word was with God God was the word And the word became flesh dwelt amonge vs And we saw the glorie of God as the glory of the onely begotten sonne of the Father full of grace and truth And of his fulnesse haue all we receiued c. For the Lorde him selfe in the Gospell after Saint Iohn sayde Verily I say vnto you whatsoeuer things the Father doth the same also doth the Sonne For euen as the Father doth raise the deade to life and quickneth theÌ„ so also doth the sonne quicken whom he will for neyther iudgeth the father any man but hath coÌ„mitted all iudgement to the sonne that all men may honour the sonne euen as they honour the father He that honoureth not the sonne the same honoureth not the father which hath sent him Verily verily I say vnto you he that heareth my word and beleeueth on him that sente me hath life euerlasting and shal not come into iudgemente but is escaped from death vnto life With these woordes of the Gospell agreeth that sayinge of S. Paule In Christe are layde vp all the treasures of wysedome and knowledge Because in him dwelleth all fulnesse of the Godheade bodily and yee in him are fullyfilled But that these great benefits of God are freelie bestowed vppon the faithful Paule that Vessell of election declareth in these woords Blessed be God who hath chosen vs in Christe before the foundations of the world were layd and hath predestinated vs into the adoption of children through Iesus Christ vnto himselfe accordinge to the good pleasure of his will to the prayse of the glorie of his grace wherein he hath made vs accepted in the beloued throughe whom wee haue redemption in his bloud c. And againe All haue sinned and haue neede of Gods glorie but are iustifyed freely throughe his grace by the redemption which is in Christe And so forward True fayth therefore doth beleeue that life and euery good thinge doth freely come to it from God through Christe which is the chiefe Article of our fayth as in the Articles of the beliefe is more largly layde forth The second principal point of Gods word and fayth is that in the word of God there is set downe all truth necessary to be beleeued and that true fayth doth beleeue all that is declared in the Scriptures For it telleth vs that God is what maner one hee is what Gods works are what his iudgments his wil his commaundements his promises what his threatnings are finally what soeuer is profitable or necessary to be beleeued that doth Gods worde who lie set downe vnto vs and that doth true fayth receiue beleeuing all thinges that are written in the Lawe and the Prophets in the Gospell and wrytinges of the Apostles But whatsoeuer caÌ„not be fetched or proued out of those writinges or whatsoeuer is contrary vnto them that do the faithful not beleeue at all â–ª For the very nature of true fayth is not to beleue that which squareth froÌ„ the worde of god Whosoeuer therefore beleeueth not the fables and opinions of men he alone beleeueth as he should for he dependeth onely vppon the worde of God and so vppon God himselfe the onely fountayne of all truth The matter the argumente and the whole summe of fayth is brieflye set oute vnto vs in the Articles of the Christian fayth whereof I will speake at another time I haue this houre declared vnto you decrely beloued and reuerende brethren in the Lorde the definition of faith which to the ende that
euerlasting he doth not by and by swell with pryde nor yet forget the merite of Christe but setting a godly and apte interpretation vpon suche like places he dothe consider that all thinges are of the grace of God and that so great things are attributed to the workes of men bycause they are receiued into grace and are nowe become the sonnes of God for Christ his sake so that at the last all things may be turned vpon Christe him selfe for whose sakes the godly knowe that they and all theirs are in fauour and accepted of God the Father In this that I haue sayde whiche is a little in déede in respecte of the largenesse of the matter but sufficiently long inoughe in respecte of one houres space appointed me to speake in I haue declared vnto you dearely beloued the great effect of fayth that is to say that it iustifieth the faithfull where by the way I haue rather briefly touched then at large discoursed vpon the whole worke of iustification both profitable and necessarie for all men to knowe Nowe therefore I passe ouer this and come to the rest True faythe is the welspring and roote of all vertues and good workes and firste of all it satisâ—ieth the minde and desire of man and maketh it quiet and ioyfull For the Lorde in the Gospel saith I am the breade of lyfe he that commeth to me shall not hunger and he that beleeueth in me shall not thirste at any time For what can he desire more whiche dothe already féele that by true fayth he possesseth the verie sonne of God in whome are all the heauenly treasures and in whome is all fulnesse and grace Our consciences are made cleare and quiet so soone as we perceiue that by true fayth Christe the Sonne of God is altogether oures that he hath appeased the father in our behalfe that he dothe nowe stande in the presence of the father and maketh intercession to him for vs And for that cause sayth Paul. Beeing iustified by sayth we haue peace with God through our Lorde Iesus Christe Throughe the same Christe also by faythe we haue a frée passage vnto the Father Wherefore we praye to the Father in his Sonnes name and at his hande we oâ—taine al things that are auayleable to oure behoofe Very well therefore sayde the Apostle Iohn And this is the confidence that we haue in him that if we aske any thing according to his will he heareth vs. And if we knowe that he heareth vs whatsoeuer we aske we knowe also that we haue the petitions that we requested at his handes They that want fayth doe neither praye to God nor yet receiue of him the thinges that are for their welfare Moreouer fayth maketh vs acceptable to God and doth commaund vs to haue an eye to the well vsing of Gods good giftes Fayth causeth vs not to faynte in tribulations yea also by faythe we ouercome the worlde the fleshe the Deuill and all aduersities As the Apostle Iohn sayth For all that is borne of God ouercommeth the worlde And this is the victorie that vanquisheth the worlde euen your sayth Who is hee that ouercommeth the worlde but he that beleeueth that Iesus is the Sonne of God Paule sayth Some were racked not caring by faythe to be set at libertie that they might obtaine a better Resurrection Other some were tryed with mockes and stripes with fetters and imprisonmentes were stoned were hewed in peeces were slaine with the edge of the sworde they wandred in sheepes skinnes and goates skinnes comfortlesse oppressed afflicted of whome the worlde was not worthy wandring in desertes and mountaines and in the dennes and caues of the earth For the Lord him selfe in the Gospell sayde This spake I vnto you that ye might haue peace in me In the worlde ye haue affliction but be of good confidence I haue ouercome the worlde Fayth therefore both shall be and is the force and strength of patience Patience is the proppe vplifting and preseruation of hope Of fayth springeth charitie Charitie is the fulfilling of the lawe whiche containeth in it the summe of all good workes But vnlesse we haue a true fayth in God there is no charitie in vs Euery one that loueth him that begatte saythe Iohn the apostle loueth him also that is borne of him The houre is paste a good while since and no man is able in many houres so substancially as it requireth to declare the whole effecte of fayth Ye haue hearde dearely beloued that true fayth is the iustification of the Church or faythfull of God that it is I say the forgiunesse of all sinnes a receiuing into the grace of God a taking by adoption into the number of the Sonnes of God an assured and blessed sanctification and finally the welspring of all good workes Let vs therefore in true fayth praye to God the father in the name of our Lord Iesus Christ that he will vouchsafe to fill our hartes with this true faith that in this present world being ioyned to him in fayth we may serue him as we ought and after our departure out of this life we maye for euer liue with him in whome we beléeue To him be prayse and glory for euer Amen Of the firste Articles of the Christian fayth contained in the Apostles Creede ¶ The seuenth Sermon IN my two last sermons I intreated of true fayth the effectes therof and among the reste in one place I sayde that the Articles of the Christian faith are as it were a briefe Summarie of true fayth nowe therefore I thinke it to be not beside the purpose and parte of my duetie to lay before you those twelue Articles of our belief For they are the substaÌ„ce and matter of true faithe wherein fayth is exercised whiche bycause it is the grounde of thinges hoped for here is plainely and briefly declared in these Articles what thinges those are that are to be hoped for But let no man at this present looke for at my hande the busie and full discourse of the Articles of our fayth I will but briefly goe through them touching only the moste necessarie pointes They are in another place handled more at large by seuerall partes Pray ye with me to the Lord that he will vouchsafe to shewe to vs his waies to guide and preserue vs in them to the glorie of his owne name and the euerlasting saluation of our soules First I haue to say somewhat touching the common name wherby the articles of our faith are vsually called the Symbole or Créede of the Apostles A Symbele is as much to say as a coÌ„ferring together or els a badge The articles are called a conferring together bicause by the laying together of the Apostles doctrine they were made and written to be a rule and an abridgement of the saith preached by the Apostles and receiued of the Catholique or vniuersal Churche But what he was that first did thus dispose and write these articles it is not
shew the worke of the lawe written in their hearts But who is he that writeth in their hearts but God alone who is the searcher of all harts And what I pray you writeth he there The lawe of nature forsooth the lawe I saye it selfe commaunding good and forbidding euill so that without the written lawe by the instruction of nature that is by the knowledge imprinted of God in nature they may vnderstand what is good and what is euill what is to be desired and what is to be shunned By these wordes of the Apostle we doe vnderstande that the lawe of nature is set against the written law of God and that therefore it is called the lawe of nature bycause it séemeth to be as it were placed or grafted in nature We vnderstande that the lawe of nature not the written lawe but that which is grafted in man hath the same office that the written lawe hath I meane to direct men and to teach thē and also to discerne betwixte good and euill and to be able to iudge of sinne We vnderstande that the beginning of this lawe is not of the corrupt disposition of mankinde but of God him selfe who with his finger writeth in our harts fasteneth in our nature and planteth in vs a rule to knowe iustice equitie and goodnesse Then also the Apostle maketh his seconde argument wherby he proueth the Gentiles to be guiltie of sinne and this argument he fetcheth from the witnesse bearing of their conscience For the conscience being instructed by the lawe of nature doth accuse and condemne the euill committed bycause this conscience onely and alone is in stéede of a thousande witnesses And againe it excuseth that is it absolueth and acquiteth them if nothing be committed contrarie to the lawe But although in this present life we doe set light by the iudgement of our conscience yet verily we may not thē despise or lightly passe ouer the consciences accusations when the Lorde shall come with iustice and equitie to iudge the world So then by all this it followeth that all nations are sinners whome vnlesse the Sonne of God the common and onely Sauiour and deliuerer of all the worlde doe cleanse from their offences it can not be but that all nations must néedes perish in their sinnes But nowe we come againe to the lawe of Nature of whiche there are two pointes especially for you to be put in mynde of The firste is Acknowledge God and worship him The seconde is Kéepe or mainteine societie friendship among mē Touching the first we haue these wordes of Christ his Apostle Whatsoeuer may be knowne of God is manifest among them to wit among the Gentiles for God hath shewed it to thē For his inuisible thinges being vnderstoode by his workes throughe the creation of the worlde are seene that is both his eternall power and Godhead so that they are without excuse bicause that when they knew God notwithstāding they glorified him not as God neyther were thankfull c. So then the Gentiles knewe God yea they knewe what so euer might be knowne of god But what teacher had they or what maister They had God to their maister In what order taught he them or out of what booke Not out of the written bookes of Moses or the Prophetes but out of that great and large booke of Nature For the thinges that are not séene of God in whiche sorte are his euerlasting eternitie his vertue power maiestie goodnesse and Godhead those he woulde haue to be estéemed of according to the visible things that is the thinges whiche he hath created For Gods eternall Godheade is knowne by mans creation by the continuall mouing of Heauen and the perpetuall course of riuers For it muste néedes be that he is moste mightie whiche susteineth all these thinges whiche moueth strengtheneth and kéepeth all thinges from decay and which with his becke shakes the whole worlde Finally who doth not sée the goodnesse of him whiche suffereth the Sunne to rise vpon the good and the euill But to what intent reuealeth he these thinges to the Gentiles To the intent forsoothe that they may acknowledge him to be God that they maye glorifie and worship him as God and be thankfull to suche a benefactour When therfore they doe not this they are inexcusable and perishe deseruedly for their vnbeliefe and vnthankfulnesse sake So then it is manifest that the lawe of Nature doth expresly teache that there is a God which is to be acknowledged and reuerently worshipped Touching the latter of these two especiall pointes that is for the preseruing of friendship and societie among men the Lorde in the Gospell sayth What so euer ye woulde that men shoulde doe to you doe ye the same to them This sentence did Alexander Seuerus the Emperour turne and expresse thus What soeuer thou wouldest not haue done to thee selfe that doe not thou to another Whiche saying he loued so well that he commaunded it to be written vp in his Palace and common houses of office Moreouer to that generall lawe belong these that followe Liue honestly Hurt not another Giue euery man his owne Prouide thinges necessarie for life and kéepe it from distresse But nowe bycause the lawe of Nature is made opposite to the written lawe of God it is requisite that it be aunswerable also to the lawe of God let vs therefore sée what the wise men and law giuers of the Gentiles haue left in writing to counteruaile the tenne Commaundementes and how farre their writings are answerable to the law of God. Pythagoras in S. Cyrils first booke Contra Iulianum writeth thus of god God verily is one and he too is not as some doe imagine without the gouernement of the worlde but being wholy in euery place of it doth view al the generations in the whole compasse thereof and is him selfe the moderation of all ages the light of his owne vertues the beginning of all works the light in heauen the father of all things the life and quickening of all thinges and lastly the mouing of al the circles Sée here Pythagoras confesseth that there is but one God who is the maker preseruer and gouernour of all things the father of al and the light and life of al things Zaleucus in the Preface of his lawes writeth as followeth It is necessarie that all men which inhabite any citie or region what soeuer be throughly persuaded that there are Gods which is euident to be seene by the contemplation of heauen and all the world and by the goodly disposition and order of that that is therein For it is not conuenient to thinke that these are the workes of Fortune or mans abilitie Then also the Gods must be worshipped and honoured as they that are the causes of all good thinges that are done to vs by any manner of meanes Euery one therefore must do his best to haue his mind purely clensed from all euill For God is not honored of a
earthly Gods he shall not doo amisse considering that for the nighe affinitie betwixt vs thei ought to be if it be lawful so to say more to be honored of vs thē the Gods thē selues And it is necessarie to be persuaded that we must with a continuall readinesse of minde doe our indeuour to repay the benefites receiued at their handes with the like again And although we shal do very much for them yet notwithstanding all will be too litle in comparison of that we ought to doe And so foorth as followeth For sooner will the time faile me then that I can conueniently rehearse this and the like belonging herevnto out of heathen writers neyther did I purpose to reckon vp all Against murder wrong and iniurie very seuere lawes haue ben made by the Gentiles From them also came the lawe called Lex Iulia against adulterie and detestable buggerie They ordained excellent lawes for the contracting obseruing of Matrimonie And the worde of truth doth expresly declare that the Chananites were wiped away bycause of their incest in marriage and horrible lustes Leuit. 8 Lycurgus also Solon and the Romans did publishe lawes for the restraint of outragious expences in riotous persons And here of purpose I ouerpasse that which is naturally ingraffed in all men the begetting I meane and nourishing of their issue and ofspring Against thefte deceipt and vsurie for the lawfull getting and possessing of goods for the distributing of riches and for bargaining the Gentiles haue very commendable lawes That saying of Ausonius is notably knowne If greedie gaping after gaine to get another groate Makes vsurie dispatch apace to cut the poore mans throate All the Gentiles in their writings do worthily commend the truth and do by all meanes they can crie out on and condemne lying slaundering and all such kinde of knauerie The lawe of the twelue tables is that a false witnesse shoulde be cast headlong downe from the top of Tarpey Charondas Catanaeus among other excellent sayings of his owne hath this also Let euery one saith he loue honestie and truth and hate dishonestie and lying For they are the markes wherby vertue is knowne from vice We must therfore beginne with children while as yet they are litle ones inure our selues to chastise them if they delight to lye and to make muche of thē for telling the truth that thereby the best and fruitfullest braunche of vertue may be graffed in euery seuerall mynde so be turned as it were into their nature The wiser sorte of the Gentiles doe vtterly condemne concupiscence and euill affections whiche the Poet in his Satyres blameth as the root of all mischiefe where he saith Frō thence almost comes euerie cause of mischief for no vice That reigns in man so many times could franticke heades intice To mingle poyson priuily to stop anothers breath Or else in armour openly to worke his riuals death As beastly raging lust hath done So then by all this we may easily gather that euen in the Gentiles mindes also were grauen a certaine knowledge of God and some precepts whereby they knewe what to desire and what to eschue whiche notwithstanding they did corrupt and make somewhat mystie with the euill affections and corrupt iudgements of the flesh For whiche cause God also beside the lawe of nature did ordeine other meanes to declare his will I meane the liuely tradition of the Fathers the aunsweres of Angels the voices of Prophets wonderfull miracles and written lawes which he published by wise and very deuout Patriarches All these did God ordeine to be a helpe to the law of nature What soeuer therefore is to be found among the Gentiles agréeable to trueth and honestie that is to be referred to God the author of all goodnesse and on the other side whatsoeuer is contrarie to the trueth that must be attributed to the corrupt nature and euil affections of mankinde In all this that I haue sayde ye haue to note especially that here I speake of knowledge and not of abilitie The knowledge of the lawe is after a sorte manifest in the Gentiles but the consent the will and abilitie to fulfill the law is weake and not easie to be foūd in them Wherefore as we affirme that the vnderstanding of the law must be inspired from heauen so also we say that abilitie to fulfill the lawe muste of necessitie be giuen of God aboue Nature without grace is herein without force and effect But whereas some of the Gentiles beare the name and praise of righteousnesse as Melchizedech Iob Iethro other more they haue that not of their own abilitie but of the grace of God as by the hystorie of Iob we may euidently gather by probable argumentes Wherefore if any of the Gentiles be saued then are they saued not by the workes of nature or their owne desertes but by the mercy of God in our Lorde Iesus Christe Moreouer the lawe of nature is not graffed of God in man to the intent that it without grace and Christ should worke mans saluation but rather to teache vs what is good and what is euill thereby to conuince vs to be sinners and without excuse before the Lorde Paule verily prouing that the Gentiles by the lawe of nature are guiltie of sinne as well as the Iewes by Moses lawe doth shew that in Christ alone the sonne of God is iustification life and all good else Thus farre touching the law of nature The lawes of men for my promise was that in my seconde part I would speake of them are those which are by men ordeined published to the preseruation of the common weale and Church of god Touching these they are of diuers kindes For there are politique lawes there are ecclesiasticall lawes and mens traditions Politique lawes are those which the magistrate according to the state of times places and persons doth ordeine for the preseruing of publike peace and ciuilitie Of this sorte there are an innumerable company of examples in the ciuil lawe and constitutions of the Emperours especially of Iustinian All which ought to come as neare as may be to the lawes of God and Nature and not to be contrarie to them or to haue any smacke of impietie or cruell tyrannie To such lawes Saint Peter willeth vs to obey where he sayth Submit your selues vnto al maner ordinaunce of man for the Lords sake whether it be to the king as hauing the preeminence or vnto rulers as they that are sent by him for the punishment of euill doers but for the praise of them that doe well For although the Apostle by ordinaunces or mens constitutions doth inclusiuely meane the kings and magistrates them selues as in the seconde clause of the sentence he doth immediately declare yet notwithstanding he doth bid vs therefore obeye good lawes and iust bycause by them the Magistrates support and rule the common weale Moreouer iust and honest politike lawes are an helpe to loue and
tranquilitie doe preserue fellowly societie among men doe defend the good bring inordinate persons into better order and lastly doe not make a little onely to the setting for warde of religion but doe also abrogate euill customes and vtterly bannish vnlawfull mischiefes Hereof we haue examples in the déedes of Nabuchodonosor Cyrus Darius Artaxerxes and other Princes more But touching the Magistrates power his lawes and office I will speake of them in an other place Ecclesiasticall lawes are those which being taken out of the worde of God and applyed to the state of men times and places are receiued haue authoritie in the church among the people of god I call these ecclesiasticall lawes and not traditions of men bycause being takeÌ„ out of the holy scriptures and not inuented or brought to light by the wit of man they are vsed of that Churche which heareth the voyce of the shéepehearde alone and knoweth not a straungers tong The congregation commeth together to heare the word of God and vnto common prayers at Morning at Euening and at such appointed houres as are moste conuenient for euery place and euerie people and that the church holdeth as a lawe The Church hath solemne prayer times holy dayes and fasting dayes which it doth kéepe by certaine lawes The Church at certaine times in a certaine place and appointed order dothe celebrate the Sacraments according to the lawes and receiued custome of the Church The Churche baptiseth infantes it forbiddeth not women to come to the Lordes Supper and that it holdeth as a lawe The Churche by Iudges conueniently appointed doth iudge in causes of matrimonie and hath certaine lawes to direct them in such cases But it deriueth these and al other like to these out of the Scriptures and doth for edification apply them to the estate of men times and places so that in diuers Churches ye may sée some diuersitie in déede but no discord or repugnancie at all Furthermore Ecclesiasticall lawes haue their measure certain marks beyond which they may not passe to wit that nothing be done or receiued contrarie or differing in any iote from the worde of God sounding againste charitie and comelinesse either in little or muche that lastly this rule of the Apostle may be effectually obserued Let all thinges be done decently according vnto order and to the edification of the Church If therefore any man shall goe about vnder a coloured pretence of ecclesiastical lawes tobring in and pop into the mouthes of the godly any superstitious busie and vnseemely traditions of men whiche withal do differ from the Scriptures their part shall be first to trie that deceipt of theirs by the rule of Gods worde and then to reiect it There remaine nowe the traditions of men whiche haue their beginning are made and inuented of men at their owne choyce of some foolishe intent or some fonde affection of mankinde contrarie or without the holy Scriptures of which sorte you shall finde an infinite number of examples I meane the sectes the dominion and single life of spirituall men the rites and sundry fashioned customes vsed in their Church Touching all which the Lorde in the Gospell citing the Prophet Esaie sayth Why transgresse ye the Lords commaundement for your own traditioÌ„ ye hypocrites rightly did Esaias prophesie of you where he saith This people commeth nigh vnto me with their mouth and with their lippes they honour me but their heart is farre from me but they worship me in vaine teaching doctrines the precepts of men The blessed Martyr Cyprian alluding to these wordes of Christ Epistolarum lib. 1. epi. 8. saith It is corrupt wicked and robberie to the glory of God what soeuer is ordeyned by the giddie madnesse of mens heads to the violating of Gods disposition Depart as farre as may be from the infectiue contagiousnes of such fellowes and seeke by flight to shunne their talke as warely as an eating cancker or infecting pestilence for the Lorde forewarneth and telleth you that they are blinde leaders of the blinde Paule also in his Epistle to Titus sayth Rebuke them sharply that they may be sound in the fayth not taking heede to Iewishe fables and commaundements of men turning from the trueth I doe of purpose here let passe the words of Paul in his second chapter to the Colossians bycause the place is knowne of all men I will not trouble you dearely beued with too large and busie an exposition hereof For I suppose that this little that I haue sayde touching the lawes of nature and of men I meane lawes politique Ecclesiasticall and méere traditions of men are sufficient to the attentiue and faythful hearers who at their comming home do more diligently thinke of euery point by theÌ„ selues and also reade the places of Scripture often cited by me and deuoutly expounded The Lord for his mercy graunt that we doe neuer despise the admonitions of natures lawe graffed in our heartes nor yet be intangled in mens traditions but that we in walking lawfully in vpright politique lawes and holy Ecclesiasticall ordinaunces maye serue the Lord To whom be all glory honour and dominion for euer and euer Amen Of Gods lawe and of the two first commaundements of the first Table ¶ The second Sermon THE lawe of God openly published proclaimed by the Lord our God him self setteth downe ordinarie rules for vs to knowe what we haue to doe and what to leaue vndone requiring obedience and threatning vtter destruction to disobedient rebels This lawe is diuided into the Morall Ceremoniall and Iudiciall lawes All whiche partes and euery point whereof Moses hath very exquisitely written and diligently expounded The Morall lawe is that which teacheth men manners and layeth downe before vs the shape of vertue declaring therewithall howe great righteousnesse godlinesse obedience and perfectnesse God looketh for at the handes of vs mortall men The Ceremoniall lawes are they whiche are giuen concerning the order of holy and Ecclesiasticall rites and ceremonies and also touching the ministers and things assigned to the ministerie and other holy vses Last of all the Iudiciall lawes giue rules concerning matters to be iudged of betwéen man and man for the preseruation of publique peace equitie and ciuil honestie Touching the two latter of these I will speake of them in place conuenient At this time I meane to discourse vpon the Morall lawe First of all therefore let no man thinke that before Moses time there was no lawe and that the lawe was by Moses firste of all published For the selfe same especiall pointes of the Morall lawe whiche Moses setteth down in the ten Commaundements were very well knowne to the Patriarches euen from the beginning of the world For they worshipped the one â—rue God alone for their God whome they reuerenced and called vpon him Iacob tooke away with him the Syrian Idolles of Laban out of his house and hid them in Bethel vnder an oke or Terebinth trée which was nigh to
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
are practised and put in vre vpon the sabboth dayes especially to the intent that we may be sanctified of god who is the only sanctifier of vs all Hitherto haue I declared vnto you dearly beloued as briefly as I could the first table of Gods commaundements wherein we haue very exquisitely layd downe before vs the worship due to the name of god But for bycause they are not the children of God which know his mynde but they that doe it let vs beséech our heauenly father so to illuminate our myndes that we may faithfully and in déede worship our Lord and God who is to be praised world without end Amen Of the fift precept of the second table which is in order the fifte of the tenne Commaundements touching the honour due to parents ¶ The fifte Sermon NOwe followeth the second table of Gods lawe which by the good helpe of Gods holy spirite I will declare as briefly vnto you as I haue already gone through the first And as the first conteined the loue of God so doth the second teach vs the charitie due to our neighbour instructing all men what they owe euerie one to his neighbor and howe we may in this world liue honestly ciuily and in quiet peace among our selues For our good God woulde haue vs to liue well and quietly But we that will not knowe how to liue well nor yet obey his good commaundements doe with our sinnes and iniquities neuer cease to heap vpon our own pates an infinite multitude of miserable calamities This table conteineth sire coÌ„maundemeÌ„ts the first whereof is Honour thy father and thy mother that thy dayes may be long in the lande which the Lord thy God shall giue thee Very well and rightly doth the Lorde beginne the second table with the honoring of our parents For after our dutie to God the next is the reuerende loue that we owe to our parentes of whome next after God we haue our life and by whom we are from our infancie brought vp with incredible care and excéeding great labour Now the very order of nature doth require that the most excellent and dearest things should alwayes haue the firste and chiefest place And that this commaundement may the more easily be vnderstood I mean to diuide my treatise therof into thrée parts In the first whereof I will declare what degrées and kindes of men are comprehended vnder y name of parents Secondarily I will search out what kinde of honour that is and howe farre it extendeth which the Lorde commaundeth to giue to our parents And lastly I will both touche the promise made to godly children and therevpon coniecture gather the punishment appointed for the vngodly and disobedient ofspring There is none so ignoraunt but knoweth what parents are The Lord our God hath giuen vs them for vs to take of them our beginning of life that they might nourish and bring vs vp and that of rude almost brutish things they might make vs veâ—â—e men Greater are the good turnes that parents do for their children greater is the cost labour that they bestowe on them greater is the care grief trouble which they take for them thaÌ„ any man how eloquent soeuer he be is able to expresse And here is not the name of the father only but also the name of the mother in expresse words set downe in the law least she peraduenture should séeme be contemptible without any offence to God bycause of the weaknes of her fraile sexe The godly vertuous mothers doe feele abide more pain grief in the bearing bringing vp nourishing of their children than the fathers do For no smal cause therfore haue we the name of the mother precisely expressed in this coÌ„maundemeÌ„t We do also comprehend herein the grandfather and grandmother the great grandsire great grand-dame all other like to these In the second place we do contein euery maÌ„s countrie wherin he was borne which fed fostered adourned defended him Thirdly we take Princes and Magistrates into the name title For the Senators and Princes are in the holy scriptures called the fathers and pastors of the people XenophoÌ„ was persuaded that a good Prince did differ nothing from a good father Fourthly ther are to be reckoned vnder the name of parents those gardians which are vsually called ouerséers of fatherlesse children or orphans For they supply the place of departed parents taking vpon theÌ„ the charge defence of their children whom they must for that affection ought to be in them bring vp defend aduance euen as they would do to their owne those that they theÌ„selues did once beget Among whome also we must make account of suche masters and workmen as teach them an Art or occupation For of theÌ„ yong men and striplings learne some honest science for euery one to get his liuing honestly and by them they are taught good manners being thereby after a certaine sort out of rude vnpolished stuffe made perfect séemely meÌ„ Fiftly the ministers doctors pastors of the Churches are taken for parents whom Paule him selfe did call by the name of fathers not so much for the care loue wherwith they are affected toward the disciples shéepe of Christ his flocke as for bicause we are by theÌ„ through the gospel begotten in Christ In the sixte place we must thinke of our cousins and kinsfolkes brother sister nephues and néeces mother in lawe and daughter in lawe father in lawe and sonne in law who are by alliance knit together as the members of the body are fastned with sinewes Finally in the last place olde folkes widowes fatherlesse children and impotent weake persons must be reputed among our parents whose cause and tuition the Lorde hath in more places then one commended vnto vs So then my brethren here ye haue hearde who they be that in this firste precept of the second table we haue to take for our parentes and who and howe many are comprehended and commended to vs vnder that name and nowe shall ye heare what honour we owe to them and what the honour is that we shuld attribute vnto them To honour in the scriptures is diuersly taken but in this treatise it signifieth to magnifie to worship to esteeme well and to do reuerence as to a thing ordeined by god and also to acknowlege to loue and to giue praise as for a benefit receiued at Gods haÌ„d and as for a thing giuen from heauen that is both holy profitable and necessarie To honour is to be dutifull to obey so to obey as if it were to God him self by whom we knowe that our obedience is coÌ„maunded and to whom we are sure that our seruice is acceptable Otherwise we haue not in any case to obey either our parents or magistrates if they theÌ„ selues shall do or else coÌ„maund vs to do the things that are wicked and vniust For
god Because man is created to the similitude and likenesse of god If a man should of purpose deface the image of the King or Prince set vp at their commaundement hée should be accused of treason committed in how great daunger is he then that doth destroy a man which is the reasonable liuely and very picture of God himselfe Wée read that Theodosius the Emperour did determine to destroy a great number of the Citizens of Antioch for none other cause but for ouerthrowing that Image that was set vp for the honour of Placilla Augusta But thereunto is added that one Macedonius an Heremite came to the Emperours messingers said O my friends goe say to the Emperour Thou art not an Emperour only but also a man Do not thou cruellie destroy the image of god Thou angrest thy maker when thou killest his image Consider with thee selfe that thou art soaâ—ie for an image of brasse Now it is euideÌ„t to al meÌ„ what difference there is betwixt a thing that is dead and that which hath life and a reasonable soule Moreouer it is an easie matter in steede of one brasen image to set vp more but it is vnpossible to restore one haire to them that once are slaine Finally murder is clean contrary to the nature of man For man chéerisheth himselfe and flesh destroyeth not it selfe but preserueth and nourisheth it selfe so much as it may But al wée men as many as liue are of one lumpe and of the same substantiall flesh to kill a man therefore is against mans nature Furthermore al men are the children of one father of one stocke of the same progenie murder therefore is directly against ciuil humanitie and is a plague that reigns amoÌ„g men And doth not the Lord our redéemer also require charitie of all men which must so abound that wée may not sticke to die for our neighbour To kill our neighbour therefore is flatly repugnaunt to Christian religion And take this by the way too that the bloud of man shedde by murder crieth out of the earth to heauen for reuengment For to Cain when he had slaine his brother it was said The voyce of thy brothers bloud crieth out of the earth and is come vp to mee For bloudshedde verilie polluteth and maketh the ground accursed whereon it is shedde and is not cleansed againe nor easilie appeased vntill it doe also 〈◊〉 the giltie bloud of them which spilte before the giltlesse bloud of innocentes Lastly murders procure marke y conutters thereof with endlesse spots of reprochfull infamie and that which is worst of all it bringeth vnto them euerlasting damnation Wherefore Salomon in his Prouerbes sayth My sonne if sinners entice thee consent not vnto them If they say Com with vs we will lay waite for bloud wil lurk priuily for the innocent without a cause Wee will swallow them vp like the graue quicke and whole as those that goe downe into the pitte Wee shall find all maner of costly riches and fil our houses with the pray Cast in thy lot among vs wee wil all haue one purse My sonne walke not thou with them but rather pull back thy foot from their wayes For their feete runne to euill and are hastie to shead bloud Now Dauid sayth that The bloudthirstie man and the hypocrite are abhominable to the Lord. From this law is exempted the Magistrate ordeyned by God whom God commaundeth to vse authoritie and to kill threatening to punish him most sharpely if hée neglect to kill the men whom God commaundeth to be killed This sixt commaundement of the Law therefore doth flatly forbid vppon priuate authoritie to kill any man But the magistrate killeth at Gods commaundement when hée putteth to death those which are by law condemned for their offences or when in defence of his people he doth iustly and necessarilie arme himself to the battell And yet the magistrates may offend in these two pointes two sundry wayes For either they do by law that is vnder the coloured pretence of law sâ—ay y giltlesse to satisfie their own lust hatred or couetousnes As wée read that Iesabell slew y iuste man Naboth with the Lords Prophets Or else by peeuish pitie and foolish clemencie do let them escape skotte frée whom the Lord commaunded them to kill as Saul Achab are reported to haue sinned in letting go the blouddie kings whom God commaunded to be slaine And Salomon in the 17. of his Prouerbes doth testifie that the Lord doth as greatly hate the magistrate that acquiteth a wicked person as him that condemneth an innocent man The magistrates also in making or else repelling warre do offend two wayes in this sort For either they doe vniustly themselues make warre vppon other men and intangle their people therein Or else they suffer forreigne enimies to rob and spoile the people committed to their charge do not with such force as they may kéepe off and defend that open wrong and manifest iniurie Both these offences are of sundrie sorts and therewithall so great that they can hardly be purged Thou readest therefore that the holie kings of Israell did neuer make warre vppon any body vnlesse the Lord commaunded them And they againe fought for their people suffered them not to be led away captiue as miserable bondslaues For so did the blessed Patriarch Abraham follow vpon pursue those foure kinges nay rather cutthroate robbers of the East and recouered by force of armes Lot Lots substaunce and the people of Sodom that were carried away And such warres as these are taken in hand either for the recouerie or else for the confirmation of peace so that the magistrates that make warre in such a cause are rightly and in déede the children of God because they are peacemakers For all peace makers are the children of God. And now this place and argument doe require that I speake somewhat touching the office or authoritie of the magistrate which by Gods helpe I will assay to doe not that I meane or can alledge all that may be sayd therof but that which shal séeme most properly to declare the meaning of it and is most necessarie for this presente treatise Magistratus which woord we vse for the roome wherein the magistrate is doth take the name A magistris populi designandis of assigning the masters guiders and captaines of the people That roome place is called by the name of power or authoritie by reason of the power that is giuen to it of god It is called by the name of Domination for the dominion that the Lord doth graunt it vpon that earth They are called Princes that haue that Dominion for they haue a preeminence aboue the people They are called Consules of Counseling And kinges of Commaunding ruling and gouerning the people So then the Magistracie that I may henceforward vse this word for the magistrates power and place is an office and an action in the executing of the same Aristotle defineth the
punishment of sinne and wickednesse which the Lord hath appointed to be executed as hée himselfe sayth I will giue them children to bee their kings and infants shall rule them because their toÌ„gue and hart hath bene against the Lord. Likewyse the Lord stirred vp the cruell kinges of Assyria and Babylon against his Citie and owne peculiar people whose liuing was not agréeable to their profession But now how and after what sort subiects ought to be affected toward such hard cruel and tyrannical Princes wée learne partly by the example of Dauid and partly by the doctrine of Ieremie and the Apostles Dauid was not ignorant what kind of man Saul was a wicked mercilesse fellowe yet notwithstanding he fledd to escape his hands and when he had occasion giuen him once or twice to kill him he slue him not but spared the tyraunt and reuerenced him as though hee had béene his father Ieremias prayed for Ioachim Zedechias wicked kinges both and obeyed them vntill they came to matters flatly contrary to Gods religion For where I spake touching the honour due to parents there did I by the scriptures proue that wée ought not to obey the wicked commaundements of godlesse magistrates Because it is not permitted to magistrates to ordeine or appoint any thing contrary to Gods lawe or the lawe of Nature Now the Actes of the Apostles teach vs in what sort the Apostles did behaue themselues in dealing with tyrannical magistrates Let them therfore that are vexed with tyrantes and oppressed with wicked magistrates take this aduice to follow in that perplexitie First let them call to remembraunce and consider what and how great their sinnes of idolatrie and vncleannesse are which haue alreadie deserued the reuenging anger of their iealous God and then let them thinck that God wil not withdraw his scourge vnlesse hée sée that they redresse their corrupt maners and euill religion So then first they must goe about and bring to passe a full reformation of matters in religion perfect amendment of maners amisse Then must they pray continually that God will vouchsafe to pul and draw his oppressed people out of the myre of mischiefe wherein they sticke fast For that counsell did the Lord himselfe in the 18. after Luke giue to those that are oppressed promising therewithall assured ayde and present delyuerie But what how the oppressed must pray there are examples extant in the 9. of Daniel and in the 18. Chapiter of the Actes of the Apostles Let them also whose minds are vexed call to remembrance the sayings of Peter and Paule the chiefe of the Apostles The Lord saith Peter knoweth how to deliuer his from temptation as he deliuered Lot. Paul saith God is faithfull wil not suffer his to be tempted aboue their strength yea hee will turne their temptatioÌ„s vnto the best Let them cal to mind the captiuitie of Israel wherin Gods people were deteined at Babylon by the space of 70. yeares and therewithal let them thincke vppon the goodly comfort of the captiues which Esaie hath expressed from his 40. chapiter vnto his 49. Let vs persuade our selues that God is good merciful and omnipotent so that hée can when he will at ease deliuer vs Hee hath many wayes and meanes to set vs at libertie Let vs haue a regard onely that our impenitent filthie and wicked life do not pronoke the Lord to augment and prolong the tyrauntes crueltie The Lord is able vppon the sodeyne to chaung the harts of Princes for the hearts of kings are in the hands of the Lord as the riuers of water to tourne them which way hee will and to make them which haue béene hitherto most cruellie set against vs to bee our friends and fauourable to vs and them which haue heretofore most blouddilie persecuted the true religion to imbrace the same most ardently and with a burning zeale to promote it so farre as they may Wée haue euident examples hereof in the bookes of the kings of Esdras and Nehemias and in the volume of Daniels Prophecie Nabuchodonosor whose purpose was to toast with fire and vtterly to destroy the martyres of God for true religion was immediately after compelled to praise God because hée sawe the martyres preserued and hée himself doth by Edictes giuen out publickly proclaime and set forth the onely true God and his true religion Darius the sonne of Assuerus suffereth Daniel to be cast into the Lyons denne but straightway hée draweth him cut againe and shutteth vp Daniels enimies in the same dâ—nne to be torne in péeces by the famished beastes Cyrus the puissaunt king of Persia aduaunceth true religion Darius sonne of Hystaspes whose surname was Artaxerxes did by all meanes possible ayde and set forward the godly intent of Gods people in building vp againe their citie temple Let vs not doubt therfore of Gods ayde helping hand For God sometime doth vtterly destroy and sometime he chasteneth vntoward tyraunts with some horrible and sodeine disease as it is euident that it happened to Antiochus Herod the great to his nephue Herod Agrippa to Maxentius also and other enimies of God and tyraunts ouer men Sometime hée stirreth vp noble capitaines and valiaunt men to displace tyraunts set Gods people at libertie as wee sée many examples thereof in the bookes of Iudges kings But least any man doe fall to abuse those examples let him consider their calling by god Which calling if hée haue not or else do preuent hée is so farre froÌ„ doing good in killing the tyraunt that it is to be feared least hée doe make the euill double so much as it was before Thus much hetherto Now I returne to that which by my digression remayneth yet vnspoken of Here I haue to speake somewhat touching the election of magistrates and first to whom the choice and ordering of the magistrate doth belong Secondarilie whom and what kind of men it is best to choose to be magistrates and lastly the maner and order of consecrating those which once are chosen Touching the election of magistrats to whom that office shold béelong no one certaine rule can be prescribed For in som places that whole communaltie doth choose their péeres In other places the Péeres do choose the magistrates And in other places Princes come to it by succession and birth In discussing which of these orders shold be the best it were but follie to make much adoe For to euery kingdome euerie citie is worthilie left their countrie facion vnlesse it be altogether too too corrupt not to be borne withall But where Princes come to it by birth there earnest prayer must bée made to the Lord that hee wil graunt them to be good Now for the good election of magistrates the Lord himselfe declareth whom and what kind of men hée will haue to be choseÌ„ in these verie words Looke ouer all the people consider them diligently and choose from amonge them men of courage such
doubt whether any more greate and mightie did reigne in the world publisheth a decrée that hée should be torne in péeces his house made a iakes whosoeuer spake reprochfullie against the true God which made both heauen and earth The place is extant in the third Chapiter of Daniels prophecie Darius Medus the sonne of Assuerus king Cyrus his vncle saith I haue decreed that all men in the whole dominion of my kingdome doe feare the God ofDaniel as is to be séene in the sixte of Daniel Cyrus king of Persia looseth the Iewes from bondage and giueth them in charge to repaire the temple and restore their holie rites againe Darius Persa the sonne of Hystaspes saith I haue decreed for euerie man which chauÌ„geth any thing of my determination touching the reparation of the temple and the restoring of the worship of god that a beame be takeÌ„ out of his house set vp and he hanged theron and his house to be made a iakes The verie same Darius again who was also called Artaxerxes saith Whosoeuer will not doe the lawe of thy God Esdras and the law of the king let iudgemeÌ„t straight way passe vpon him either to death or to vtter rooting out or to confiscation of his goods or imprisonment All this we find in the booke of Esdras The men which are persuaded that the care and ordering of religion doth belong to bishopps alone do make an obiection and say that these examples which I haue alledged do nothing apperteine to vs which are Christians because they are examples of the Iewish people To whom mine aunsweare is The men of this opinion ought to proue that the Lord Iesus his Apostles did translate the care of religion from the magistrate vnto bishops alone which they shal neuer be able to doe But wée on the other side will briefly shew that these auncient princes of Gods people Iosue Dauid and the rest were Christians verilie in deede and that therefore the examples which are deriued from them applied to Christian princes both are and ought to bée of force and effect among vs at this day I wil in the end adde also the prophecie of the Prophet Esai wherby it may appere that euen now also kings haue in the Church at this day the same office that those ancient kings had in that Congregation which they call the Iewish Church There is no doubt but that they ought to be accoÌ„pted true Christians which being annoynted with the spirite of Christ do belieue in Christ and are in the Sacramentes made partakers of Christ For Christ if ye interprete the verie word is as much to say as annointed Christians therefore according to the Etymologie of their name are annoynted That annointing according to the Apostles interpretation is the spirite of God or the gift of the holie ghoste But S. Peter testifieth that the spirit of Christ was in the kinges Prophets And Paul affirmeth flatly that wee haue the verie same spirite of faith that they of old had And doth moreouer communicate our Sacraments with them where hee saith that they were baptised vnder the cloud and that they all dranke of the spirituall rocke that followed them which rock was Christe Since then the case is so the examples truly which are deriued froÌ„ the words and woorkes of those auncient kinges for the confirmation of faith and charitie both are and ought to be of force with vs And yet I know that euerie thing doth not consequently folow vppon the gathering of examples But here wée haue for the making good of our argument an euident prophecie of Esai who foretelleth that kinges princes after the times of Christ and the reuealing of the Gospell should haue a diligent care of the Church should by that meanes become the féeders and nourices of the faithfull Now it is euident what it is to feede to nourish for it is al one as if he shold haue said that they sâ—ould be the fathers mothers of the Church But hée could not haue said that rightly if the care of religion did not belong to Princes but to Bishops alone The words of Esaie are these Behold I wil stretch out my hand vnto the Gentiles and set vp my token to the people they shal bring thee thy sonnes in their lappes and thy daughters on their shoulders And kinges shal be thy nourcing fathers Queenes thy nurcing mothers they shal fal before thee with their faces flatte vppon the earth and licke vp the duste of thy feete c. Shal not wée say that all this is fullie performed in some Christian princes Among whom the first was the holie Emperour CoÌ„stantine who by calling a generall counsell did determine to establish true sincere doctrine in the Church of Christe with a settled purpose vtterly to roote out all false and hereticall phantasies and opinions And when the bishopps did not go rightly to worke by the true rule and touchstone of the Gospel and of charitie hée blamed them vpbrayding them with tyrannicall crueltie and declaring therwithal what peace the Lord had grauÌ„ted by his meanes to the Churches Adding moreouer that it were a detestable thing if the bishopps forgetting to thancke God for his gift of peace should goe on amonge themselues to baite one an other with mutuall reproches taunting libells thereby giuing occasion of delight and laughter to wicked idolatrers when as of dutie they ought rather to handle and treat of matters of religion For sayth hée the bookes of the Euangelistes Apostles and Oracles of the auncient Prophetes are they which must instruct vs to the vnderstanding of Gods holie lawe Let vs expell therefore this quarelling strife and thincke vppon the questions proposed to resolue them by the woordes of Scripture inspired from aboue After him againe the holie Emperours Gratian Valentinian Theodosius make a decrée and giue out the edicte in these verie woords Wée wil and coÌ„maund all people that are subiecte to our gratious Empire to be of that religion which the verie religion taught conueighed from Peter till now doth declare that the holie Apostle Peter did teach to the Romanes And so forward By this derely beloued ye perceiue how kings and Princes amonge the people of the new Testament haue béen the foster fathers and nourices of the Church being persuaded that the care of religion did first of all and especially belong to themselues The second obiection that they make is the leprosie of Osias king of Iuda which hée gatt by challenging to himselfe the office of the Priest while hée presumed to burne incense on the incense altar They obiect the Lords commaundement who badd Iosue stand before Eleazar the Prieste and gaue the king in charge to receiue the booke of the law at the Leuites haÌ„ds But our disputation tendeth not to that confounding of the offices and duties of the magistrate and ministers of the Church as that wée would
words of my gainsayers but with the examples of those which shewed the contrarie For first mine owne citie Hippone was obiected against mee which wheÌ„ as sometime it held wholie with Donatus was by the feare of the imperiall lawes conuerted to the Catholique vnitie and at this day we see it so greatly to detest the naughtinesse of your herâ—ticall stomaches that it is thought verilie that your heresie was neuer within it And many more places by name were reckoned vppe vnto mee that by the effect of the thing it selfe I might confesse that in such a case as this that may be rightly vnderstoode where it is written Giue a wise man occasion and he wil be the wiser And againe not euerie one that spareth is a friend nor euerie one that striketh is an enimie Better are the stripes of a friend than the voluntarie kisses of an enimie It is better to loue with seueritie than to deceiue with lenitie Hee that byndeth a phrensie man and waketh him that is sick of the lethargie doth trouble them both yet hee loueth them both Who can loue vs more than God himselfe doth and yet as he teacheth vs mildely so hee ceaseth not to terrifie vs to our health Thinckest thou that no man ought to bee compelled to righteousnesse when thou readest that the goodmaÌ„ of the house said to his seruauntes Whomsoeuer yee finde compell them to come in When thou readest that hee that was first called Saul and afterward Paule was constrayned by the violent force of Christe which compelled him to know and keepe fast the trueth of the Gospell And the same Augustine againe In Epist ad Bonifacium comitem 59. saith Where is that now that they were wont to crie and say that it is at euerie ones free choice to belieue or not to belieue Whom did Christ constreine whom did hee compell Loe here they haue the Apostle Paul for an example let them confesse in him that Christ first compelled him than taught him first struck him and afterward comforted him And it is wonderfull how he which by the punishment of his bodie was compelled to the Gospel did after his entring in labour more in the Gospell than all they that were called by word alone and whom the greater feare compelled to charitie his charitie once perfect did caste out al feare Whie then should not the Church therfore compell her lost children to returne since the lost children haue compelled other to their destruction Againe in the same epistle the same Augustine saith Wheras some which would not haue vpright lawes ordeined against their vngodlines do say that the Apostles did neuer require any such thinges of the kinges of the earth they doe not consider that that was an other time not like to this that all thinges are done in their due time and season For what Emperour did at that time belieue in Christe to serue him by making lawes in defeÌ„ce of religion against vngodlines WheÌ„ as yet that Prophecie was in fulfilling Whie did the heathen rage and the people imagine a vain thing The kinges of the earth stoode vppe and the rulers toke counsell against God and against his Christ For as yet that was not begunne which followeth in the Psalme where it is said And now vnderstand ye kinges and be ye learned ye that iudge the earth serue him in feare and reioyce in trembling But how doe kinges serue God in feare but by forbidding punishing with deuout seueritie those thinges which are done against Gods commaundements For in that hee is a man hee serueth him one way but in that he is a king he serueth him an other way Because in that hee is a man hee serueth him by liuing faithfullie but in that hee is a kinge hee serueth him by establishing conuenient lawes to coÌ„maund that which is iust and to forbid the contrarie As Ezechias serued him by destroying the groaues and temples of idols and those highe places that were erected against the Lords commaundement As Iosias serued him by doing the like As the king of Niniuie serued him by compelling the whoale citie to please and appease the anger of the lord As Darius serued him by geuinge the idole into Daniells power to bee broken in peeces and by casting his enimies in amonge the Lyons As Nabuch odonosor serued him by a terrible proclamation which forbadde all men within his Dominion to blaspheme the true and verie god In this therefore should kinges serue God in that that they are kinges by doinge those things which none can doe but kinges Wherefore when as in the Apostles times the kings did not as yet serue the Lord but imagined a vaine thinge against the Lord and against his Christe that the Prophets sayings might bee fulfilled there could not as then I say any lawes bee made to forbid vngodlines but counsell be rather taken to put vngodlines in practise For so the course of times did turne that both the Iewes should kil the Preachers of Christe thinckinge that thereby they did God good seruice that the Gentiles also should freat and rage against the Christians and make the Martyrs constancie ouercome the flames of fyre But afterward when that beganne to be fulfilled which is written And all the kinges of the earth shall worshippe him all nations shall serue him what maÌ„ that were wel in his wittes would say to kinges Tush take yee no care how or by whom the Church of your Lord is defended or defaced within your kingdom let it not trouble you to marke who will be honest who dishonest within your Dominion For since God hath giuen man free will whie should adulterie bee punished and sacrilege left vntouched Is it a lighter matter for the Soule to breake promise with God than a woman with a man Or forbecause those thinges which are not committed by contempte but by ignoraunce of religion are to bee more mildely punished are they therefore to be vtterly neglected It is better who doubteth for men to bee brought to the worshipping of God by teaching rather than for to be compelled to it by feare or griefe of punishmente But because these are the better they which are not such are not therefore to bee neglected For it hath profited many men as wee see by experience first to haue beene compelled with feare and griefe that afterwarde they might either bee taughte or followe that in deede which they had learned in woordes Hetherto I haue rehearsed the words of S. Augustines aunswere to the obiections of them which are of opinion that by no lawe disobedient rebells seduced people and deceiuers ought to be punished in cases of religion I sée my hope doth faile mée wherin I thought that I could haue béene able in this Sermon to haue made an ende of all that I had to say touchinge the magistrate But I perceiue that héere I must staye vnlesse I shoulde goe on déerely beloued and bée too tedious vnto you all I meane to
now depart in peace By the helpe and will of God I will within these few dayes adde the rest of the tenne commaundementes The grace of our Lord and sauiour Iesus Christ be with you all Amen THE ende of the first Tome conteining two DECADES THE THIRDE AND fourth Decade of Sermons VVRITTEN TO THE most renowmed King of England Edward the sixt by Henrie Bullinger The second Tome IESVS This is my beloued sonne in whome I am well pleased Heare him Matth. 17. TO THE MOST RENOVMED Prince Edward the sixt King of England and Fraunce Lord of Jreland Prince of Wales and Cornewall defender of the Christian faith Grace and peace from God the father through our Lord Iesus Christ YOur maiestie would I knowe righte well most royall king admitt a straunger to talke with your Grace if any newe guest should come and promise that hee would briefly out of the sentences and iudgementes of the wisest men declare the very truest causes of the felicitie and vnhappie state of euery king kingdome and therefore I hope that I shall not be excluded from the speach of your maiestie because I do assuredly promise briefly to lay downe the very causes of the felicity and lamentable calamities of kinges and their kingdomes so clearely and euidently that the hearer shall not neede to trouble himselfe with ouer busie diligence to seeke out my meaning but onely to giue attentiue eare to that which is spoken For by the helpe of God I will make this treatise not to be perceiued only by the wit and deepe iudgement of learned heades but also to be seene as it were with the eyes and handled as it were with the hands of very ideots vnlearned hearers that too not out of the doubtfull decrees and deuises of men but out of the assured word of the most true god Euen the wisest men do very often deceiue vs with their counsels and greatly endamage the followers thereof But God which is the light and eternall wisedome cannot at any time either erre or conceiue any false opinions or repugning counsells much lesse teach others any thing but trueth or seduce any man out of the right way The wisedome of the father doth in the holy Gospell crie out and say I am the light of the world hee that followeth mee shall not walke in darkenesse but shall haue the light of life This eternall wisedome of God as it doth not disorderedly wrap things vp together and make them intricate but layetb downe in order and teaceth them plainly so it doth not onely minister whoalsome counsells but bringeth them to the effect which they wish that obey her Oftentimes verily men do giue counsells that are not vnwhoalsome but yet in their counsells that is altogether omitted which should haue beene first and especially mencioned All the wise men almost of the world haue beene of opinion that kings and kingdoms should be most happie if the king of the countrie be a wise man if hee haue many wise aged faithfull and skilfull counsellours if his Captaines be valiaunt warlike and fortunate in battaile if he abound with substaunce if his kingdome bee on euery side surely fortified and lastly if his people bee of one minde and obedient All this I confesse is truly rightly and very wisely spoken but yet there is another singular and most excellent thing which is not her◠〈◊〉 â—monge these necessaries without which no true felicitie can bee attayned vnto 〈…〉 ing once gotten can safely be kept when as contrarily where that one thing is present all those other necessaries do of their owne accord fall vnto meÌ„ as they themselues can best wish or deuise The Lord our God therfore who is the onely giuer of wyse perfect counselles doth farre more briefly and better knit vpp all shortly and say in the Gospell But seeke ye first rather the kingdome of God and the righteousnesse thereof and â—ll 〈◊〉 thinges shall easily be giuen vnto you Againe Blessed are the eyes 〈…〉 that ye see For I say vnto you that many kings and Prophets haue 〈…〉 to sâ—e the thinges that ye see and to heare the thinges that ye heare 〈…〉 neither heard nor seene them And againe Nay rather blessed are they that heare the word of God and keepe it And this one thing aboue allotâ—â—r is verâ—e necessarie Marie hath chosen the good part which sâ—all not be taken from her Hauing my warrant therefore out of the worde of God I dare bouldly anowe That those kinges shal flourish and be in an happie case which whoalie giue and submit themselues and their kingdomes to Iesus Christ the onely begotten sonne of God being kinge of kinges and Lord of Lords acknowledging him to be the mightiest Prince and Monarch of all and themselues his vassalls subiectes and seruauntes which finally doe not followe in all their affaires their owne minde and iudgement the lawes of men that are contrarie to Gods commaundementes or the good intentes of mortall men but doe both themselues followe the verie lawes of the mightiest king and eternall Monarch and also cause them to be followed throughout all their kingdome reforming both themselues and all theirs at and by the rule of Gods holy word For in so doing the kingdomes shall flourish in peace and tranquillitie and the kinges thereof shall be most wealthie victorious long lyued and happie For thus speaketh the mouth of the Lord which cannot possibly lye When the king sitteth vppon the seate of his kingdome he shall take the booke of the lawe of God that hee may reade in it all dayes of his life that hee may do it and not decline froÌ„ it either to the right hand or to the left but that he may prolong the dayes in his kingdome both of his owne life of his children And againe Let not the booke of this law depart out of thy mouth Iosue or thou whatsoeuer thou art that hast a kingdome but occupie thy minde therein day and night that thou mayst obserue doe according to all that is written therin for then shalt thou make thy way prosperous and then shalt thou be happie It is assuredly true therfore confirmed by the testimonie of the most true God in expresse words pronounced that the prosperitie of kinges and kingdomes consisteth in true faith diligent hearing and faithfull obeying the word or lawe of God whereas their calamitie and vtter ouerthrowe doth followe the contrarie This wil I make as my promise is in this annexed demonstration both euident to the eyes and as it were palpable to the verie handes by the examples of most mightie kinges not taken out of Herodotus or any prophane author but out of the infallible historie of the most sacred Scriptures Saule the first king of Israell was both most fortunate victorious so long as hee did in all things followe the word of God but when hee once gaue place to his owne good intentes and meanings
being vtterly forsaken of the Lord he heareth Samuel say to his face Thou hast refused and cast off the word of the Lord therefore hath God also cast thee away that thou shalt not be king of Israell I will not here stand ouer largely to declare the miseries and calamities wherein he was wrapped from that time forward For as he himselfe was horriblie haunted and vexed with the euill spirite so did he not ceasse to vexe and torment his people and kingdome vntill hee had brought them all into extreeme daunger where hee and some of his were slaine put to the worste by the heathen their enimyes leauing nothing behind him but a perpetuall shame and endlesse ignominie Next after Saule doth Dauid succeede in the seate and kingdome who without all controuersie was the most happiest of all other kinges and Princes But what stoare he did set by the word of the Lord it is euident to bee seene by many notable actes of his and especially in that Alphabeticall Psalme which in order and number is the hundreth and nintenth For therin he setteth forth the praise of Gods word the whoalsom vertue wherof he doth at large wonderfully expound in teaching what great desire zeale we ought to haue thereto For he was scholed had learned before by priuate mishaps and shameful deeds lastly by the vnhappie seditioÌ„ of his graceles sonne Absalom what an euill it is to decline froÌ„ the word of the lord SolomoÌ„ the sonne of Dauid the wisest most coÌ„mended king of all the world did so long enioy prosperitie praise at the mouth of the Lord as he did not neglect with reuerence to obey his word But when once he had transgressed the Lords commaundement streight way the Lord did say vnto him For as much as this is done of thee and that thou hast not kept mine ordinaunces and my statutes which I commaunded thee I will rent thy kingdome from thee and will giue it to thy seruaunt And nowe marke that according to that saying immediately after Solomons death the kingdome was rent into two partes and that 10. Tribes followed Ieroboam the seruaunt of Solomon Two tribes claue still to Roboam Solomons sonne Hee for neglecting the word of the Lord following after straunge Gods is ouerwhelmed with an infinite number of wofull miseries For the Scripture testifieth that the Aegyptians came vpp against Hierusalem and did destroy the Citie Palace and temple of the lord Abia the sonne of Roboam ouercame the host of Israell and bare away a triumphant victorie when hee had wounded and slaine fiue hundred thousand men of the 10. Tribes of Israell And of this so great a victorie no other cause is mencioned but because hee beleeued the word of the lord Next after Abia did his sonne Asa a renowmed and most puissaunt king reigne in his steede of whom the holy Scripture testifieth that hee abolished all superstition and did restoare sincere religion according to the word of God whereby hee obteyned a most flourishing kingdome in peace and quietnesse by the space of fourtie yeares Againe of Iosaphat Asa his sonne wee read The Lord was with Iosaphat because he walked in the former wayes of his father Dauid sought not Baalim but sought the God of his father and walked in his commaundement And therefore for his princelike wealth and famous victories he was renowmed through all the world But to his sonne Ioram who forsooke the word of God Helias the Prophete said Because thou hast not walked in the wayes of Iosaphat thy father and in the wayes of king Asa but hast walked the wayes of the kings of Israell behold with a great plague wil the Lord smite thy folke thy children thy wiues and all thy goods And thou shalt suffer great paine euen a disease of the bowells vntill thy guttes fall out And whatsoeuer the Lord threatened to bring vppon him by the mouth of the Prophet that did the vnhappie king feele with vnspeakeable tormentes to his great reproche being made an example of wretchâ—dnesse miserie which doth light on all the pates of them that do forsake the word of god Neither was the happ of Ochosias sonne to king Ioram and Athalia in any point better For at the commaundement of Iehu hee was stabbed in and slaine wretchedly bâ—câ—usâ— hee chose rather to followe the lawes and rites of the kinges of Israell than the verie true lawes of the Lord his god Moreouer Ioas a child yet but seuen yeares old being by the labour fayth and diligence of the faithfull priest Ioiada restoared to and settled in the place of his father who was slaine before him reigned after the wicked Athalia was put to death most happilie and in a prosperous state so longe as Ioiada the priest did line But when the high priest was once departed out of this world vnto the Lord the king being immediately seduced by the malice and wilinesse of his wicked counsellours left off to follow the word of the lord And as hee ceassed to followe the lord so did felicitie and glorie forsake to followe him For the Syrians comming on with a verie small power of armed men doe destroy and put to flight an insinite hoast of Iewish people they put to the sword all Ioas his counsellours and make a spoile of all his kingdome And Ioas for reiecting the Lord deserued with excessiue griefe first to behold this miserie than to 〈◊〉 away with a long consuming sicknesse and lastly vppon his bedd to haue his throate cruellte cutt of his owne houshold scruaunts Amasias the sonne of Ioas is renoâ—med for a â—amous victorie which he obteyned vppon the Idumitâ—s for no other cause but for obeying the word of the lord But afterward when hee began to rebell against God and his Prophets he is in battaile vanquished by Ioas king of Israell by whom when be was spoyled and compelled to see the ouerthrowe of a great part of the walles of Hierusalem he was himselfe at the last by conspiratours entrâ—pped and miserablie murdered Next after him succeeded his sonne Osias who also as well as his father enioyed a singular felicitie and most happie life so longe as he gainsayed not the mouth of God but when hee would vsurpe and take vppon him that office which God had properly appointed to the Leuits alone directly opposing himselfe against the word of the Lord he was striken with a leprosie and for his vncleannesse was compelled seuerallie to dwell â—loofe in banishmeÌ„t from the companie of men euen vntil his last and dying day Iothan also the sonne of Osias is reported to haue beene wealthie and victorious in his warres the cause of this felicitie the Scripture dâ—th briefly add and say Iothan became mightie because he directed his wayes before the Lord his God. But contrarily Achaz the some of Iothan as hee was of all the Iewishe kinges almost the wickeddest so was hee in his life
lawe sinne grace the Gospell and repentaunce Neither doe I as I thinke handle them irreligiously For I vse to conferre one Scripture with an other than which there is no way better and safer to follow in the handling of matters touching our religion And forbecause you are the true defender of the Christian fayth it cannot bee but well vndoubtedly to haue Christian Sermons come abroad vnder the defence of your Maiesties name My minde was according to mine abilitie and the measure of fayth which is in mee to further the cause of true religion which now beginneth to budd in England to the great reioysing of all good people I haue therefore written these Sermons at large and handled the matter so that of one many more may bee gotten Wherein the Pastors discretion shall easily discerne what is most auayleable and profitable for euery seuerall Church And the Pastors duetie verily is rightly to moawe the word of truth and aptly to giue the fodder of life vnto the Lords flocke They will not thinke much I hope because in these Sermons I doe vse the same matter the same arguments and the very same words that other before mee both auncient and late writers whom I haue iudged to followe the Scriptures haue vsed yer nowe or which I my selfe haue else wher alledged in other bookes of mine heretofore published For as this doctrine at all times in all pointes agreeable to it selfe is safest to be followed so hath it alwayes beene worthily praised of all good and godly people If the Lord graunt me life leysure strength I will shortly add the other eight Sermons of the fourth Decade which as yet are behinde And all that I say heere I speake it still without all preiudice to the iudgement of the right and true Church Our Lord Iesus the king of kinges and Lord of Lords lead you with his spirite and defend you to the glorie of his name and safetie of all your Realme At Tigure in the moneth of March the yeare of our Lord. 1550. Your Maiesties duetifullie bounden and daily Oratour Henrie Bullinger minister of the Church at Tigure in Swicerland THE THIRD DECADE of Sermons written by Henrie Bullinger Of the fourth precept of the second Table which is in order the 8. of the 10. Commaundementes Thou shalt not steale Of the owning and possessing of proper goods and of the right and lawfull getting of the same against sundrie kinds of theft ¶ The first Sermon FOR the susteyning and nourishing of oure liues families wee men haue néede of earthly riches Nexte therefore after the comaundements touching the preseruation of mans life and the holy kéeping of wedlocks knot in this fourth commaundement a lawe is giuen for the true getting possessing vsing and bestowing of wealth and worldly substance to the ende that wée should not get them by theft or euill meanes that we should not possesse them vniustly nor vse or spend them vnlawfully Iustice requireth to vse riches wel and to giue to euery man that which is his now since the lawes of God bee the lawes of Iustice they do verie necessarilie by way of comaundement say Thou shalt not steale These words againe in number are fewe but in sense of ample signification For in this precept theft it self is vtterly forbidden all shifting subtilties are flatly prohibited deceipt and guile is banished al cousening fetches are cleane cutt off couetousnes idlenes prodigalitie or lauishe spending and all vniuste dealing is herein debarred Moreouer charge is here giuen for mainteining of iustice and that especially in contractes and bargaynes Wonderfull turmoyles verily are raysed vpp and begonne amonge men of this world about the getting possessing and spēding of temporall riches it was expedient therefore that God in his lawe which he ordeyneth for the health cōmeditie and peace of vs men should appoint a state and prescribe an order for earthly goods as in this lawe hee hath most excellently done And that yee maye the better vnderstand it I wil at this present by the help of Gods holy spirite discourse vppon the proper owning and vpright gettinge of worldly riches in which treatise the whoale consideration of theft in all his kinds shal be plainly declared For the proper owning and possessing of goods is not by this precept prohibited but wée are forbidden to gett them vniustly to possesse them vnlawfully and to spend them wickedly yea by this commaundement the proper owning of peculiar substance is lawfully ordeined firmely established The Lord forbiddeth theft therefore hee ordeineth confirmeth the proper owning of worldly riches For what canst thou steale if all things be common to all men For thou hast stollen thine owne and not another mans if thou takest from an other that which hée hath But God forbiddeth thefte and therefore by the making of this lawe hée confirmeth the proper possession of peculiar goods But because there is no small number of that furious secte of Anabaptistes which denie this proprietie of seuerall possessions I will by some euident testimonies of Scripture declare that it is both allowed and ratified of old Of Abraham who in the Scripture is called the father of faith Eliezer his seruaunt saith God hath blessed my maister merueylously that hee is become great hath giuen him sheepe and Oxen siluer and gold men seruaunts and mayde seruaunts camels and asses and to his sonne hath he giuen all that he hath Loe then Abraham was wealthie did possesse by the right of proprietie al those things which God had giuen him and he left them all by the title of inheritaunce as peculiar and proper goods vnto his sonne Isaac Isaac therefore and Iacob possessed their owne and proper goods Moreouer God by the hand of Moses brought the Israelites his people into the land of promise the groūds whereof he did by lot diuide vnto the tribes of Iosue his seruaunt appointing to euery one a particular portion to possesse and did by lawes prouide that those inheritaunces should not be mingled and confounded together In Solomon and the Prophets there are very many preceptes and sentences tending to this purpose But I knowe verie well that these troublesome wranglers do make this obiection and say That Christian men are not bound to these proofes that are fetched out of the old Testament And although I could confute that obiection and proue that those places of the old Testament doe in this case binde vs to marke and followe them yet wil I rather for shortnesse sake alledge some proofes out of the Scriptures of the newe testamēt to stop their mouthes withall Our Lord Iesus Christ doth greatly commend in his disciples the woorkes of mercie which doe consiste in feedinge the hungrie in giuing drincke to the thirstie in cloathing the naked in visiting prisoners and those that be sick and in harbouring strangers and banished men Hée therefore graunteth to his disciples a proprietie and possession of peculiar goodes wherewith they may frankly
Ghostes meaning is not to haue such an order of life obserued as these people do deuise but that euery man should gouerne well his owne house and familie relieue the brethrens necessitie according as his abilitie will suffer and beare To this end also do other places belong 1. Timothe 5. Titus 2. 1. Thessal 4. 2. Thessal 3. And when in all his Epistles almost he prescribeth to parents and children to housbands and wiues to maisters and seruauntes their office and dueties what doth he else but teach how to order our houses families thus much thus farre What may be saide of that more ouer that many wealthie men in the Gospell are reported to haue béene worshippers of God Ioseph of Arimathea which buried the Lord after hée was crucified is said to haue bene a wealthie man a disciple of Christ also The women were welthie which folowed the Lord from Galile and ministred to him and his disciples of their goods substance The gelded treasorer of Quéene Candace was a welthie man Tabitha of Ioppa whoÌ„ Peter raysed from death to life was rich and spent her substance fréely vppon poore and néedie people Lydia the seller of purple was wealthie too and innumerable more who were both godly and faithful people Wheras the Lord therefore did say to the younge man If thou wilt be perfect goe and sell that which thou hast and giue to the poore and thou shalt haue treasure in heauen and come and folowe mee that is no generall lawe or simple doctrine belonging to all men but is a demonstration onely to shew that the yonge man to whom he spake had not yet so perfectly fulfilled the lawe as he thought verily that he had dâ—n for hee thought hée had done all and that nothing was wanting For the younge man sett more by his goods then hée did by God and the voyce of Gods commaundement For he departed sadly and did not as the Lord had bidden him and thereby declared that hée had not yet fulfilled the lawe Moreouer wée may out of other places gather that the Lord did not casâ—e downe his disciples to miserie and beggarie Neither was Paul the Apostle ashamed to make lawes for riche men and to prescribe an order howe they ought to behaue themselues To them that be riche sayth he â–ª in this world giue charge that they bee not highe minded nor trust in vncertaine riches but in the lyuing God which giueth vs abundantly al thinges to enioy that they do good that they bee riche in good woorkes that they be ready to giue glad to distribute laying vp in stoare for them selues a good foundation against the time to come that they may lay hold vppon eternall life Hereunto belong the admonitions of our Sauiour who sayth Yee cannot serue God mammon at once Againe Riches are thornes that choake the seede of the word of God. And againe Verilie I say vnto you a riche man shal hardly enter into the kingdome of heauen It is easier for a Camel to goe throughe the eye of a needle than for a rich maÌ„ to enter into the kingdome of God. And as the mindes of wealthie men are not vtterly to be discouraged and driuen to desperation as thoughe it were impossible for them to be saued so are they to be admonished of the imminente perills least peraduenture they sléepe securely ouer their riches beeing seduced by Satan to abuse their wealthe when as in déede they ought rather to vse it after the rule of the Apostle which I did euen nowe recite The Gangresian Synode a verie auncient Counsell verily condemned them which taughte That faithfull riche men could haue no hope to bee saued by the Lord vnlesse they did renounce and forsake all the good that they did possesse S. Augustine enrolleth and reckoneth the Apostoliques in his Catologue or beadrowe of heretiques They taking arrogantly this name to themselues did not admitte into their companie any of them which vsed the fellowshipp of their owne wiues or had in 〈◊〉 any proper substaunce â–ª 〈…〉 they therfâ—â—e 〈…〉 because seperating themselues from the Church they thincke that they haue no hope to be saued which vse and enioy the things that they themselues lacke They are like vnto the Encratites and are called also by the name of Apotactites Touching riches they of themselues verily are not euill but the good giftes of God It is the abuse that makes them euil But for the vse of them I wil speake hereafter Here followeth nowe the treatise of the getting of wealth and riches which bée necessarie for the maintenance of our liues and families Touching the getting whereof there is a large discourse among our Lawyers For they say that goods are gotten by the lawe of Nations and by the peculiar lawe of euery particular countrie By the lawe of Nations as by Preuention in possession by captiuitie by finding by byrth by casting vp of water by chaunging the kinde by increase in bondage by mixture by building planting sowing tilling in a ground frée from possession and by deliuerie By the peculiar lawe of euery particular countrie as by continuaunce of possession by prescription by giuing by will by legacie by feoffment by succession by challenge by purchase of all which particularly to speake it would bée a labour too tedious and for you to heare dearely beloued litle profitable That therefore which wée are to saye wée will frame to the manners and customes of oure age and wée will vtter that which shall tend to our auaile Principally and before all thinges wee must close and shutt vpp an euill eye least wee bee carried away with too much concupiscence and desire The light of the body saith oure Sauiour Christe in the Gospell is the eye If therefore thine eye be single thine whoale body shal be lightened but if thine eye bee euill thy body shal bee all darcke The minde of man béeing indued with faith and not infected with concupiscences and naughtie lustes doth giue light to all thinges that hée shall take in hand goe about and doe but if his mind bée corrupt and vncleane then shall his déedes sauour also of corruption and vncleannesse Wherfore faith and an vpright conscience must subdue and beate downe too muche concupiscence and couetousnesse which take their originall and roote from distruste making vnholie and vncleane al the counsells of man all his thoughtes all his woordes and déedes And that wée may be able and of force sufficieÌ„t to captiuate bring them into subiection necessarie it is that the Grace of Christe assiste vs which euery godly minded man and woman doeth aske of God with godly and faithfull prayers Béehoofull it is that wée alwayes set before our eyes and haue déepely grauen in our heartes the doctrine of our Sauiour Christ touching these and the instruction also of his holie Apostles which is not so much but it may bée well borne away Wée will therefore rehearse vnto
are as necessarie as those which are alreadie rehearsed For first of all euery one must take héede of prodigalitie or ryot in meate drinke apparaile nice pranking of the bodie and gorgeous buyldings needlesse expences must alwayes be spared For the Lords will is that euery man should kéepe not lashe out the wealthe that he hath where no néede requireth it for the Lorde doth hate and detest riott and néedelesse cost to mainteine pride withall Moreouer the man that is prodigall of that which is his owne is for the most parte desirous of other mennes goods from whence arise innumerable mischiefs theafts conspiracies downright deceipte shamelesse shiftes murders and seditions Secondarily let him which laboureth in his vocation be prompt and actiue let him be watchefull and able to abide labour he must be no litherbacke vnapt or slouthfull fellowe Whatsoeuer he doth that let him do with faith and diligence Slouth and sluggishnesse do displease God vtterly The Lorde mislikes the yawning mouth and folded armes the signes of sleepe which commonly followe the carelesse man who doth neglect the state and condition of his house and familie But on the other side the Scripture commendeth highly faithfull labourers and good and painefull people in woorke Let vs heare I beséech you the golden woordes of Solomon the wisest among all men who where he blameth sluggardes saith Go to the Emmet thou sluggarde consider her wayes and learne to be wise She hath no guyde nor ouerseer nor ruler yet in the Summer she prouideth her meate and gathereth her foode in the haruest Howe long wilt thou sleepe thou sluggarde when wilte thou arise out of thy sleepe yea sleepe on still a little slumber a little folde thine handes together yet a little and take thine ease and in the meane while shall pouertie come vpon thee like a traueyler and necessitie like a weaponed man. Againe Dauid in the Psalmes cryeth saying The labours of thine handes shalt thou eate O well is thee and happie shalt thou be What may be thought of that moreouer that the Lorde God would not haue Adam to liue ydlely in Paradise that happie place for his state and condition for he inioyned him the tending and dressing of that goodly garden Idle people therefore are the moste vnhappie of all mortall men and slouthfull drousieheades are nothing else but an vnprofitable lumpe of vnoccupyed earth Lastely let the artificer haue a regarde that he hurte no man by his arte or occupation And let this be the rule for him to keepe his eye vpon in all businesse affaires of his science Whatso euer thou wouldest haue done to thy self the same do thou to another and what soeuer thou wouldest not haue done to thy selfe that do not thou to another Moreouer thou doest hurte to another man two sundrye wayes that is by kéeping backe and taking awaye as for example if thou withholdest that which thou oweste and is not thine owne or if thou takest awaye that whiche is another mans and that which he doeth not owe vnto thee But of the hurt done in withholding and taking away I will at this present speake somewhat largely that thereby ye may the better vnderstande the Lordes commaundement Thou shalt not steale and more perfectly perceiue what kindes and sortes of theaft there be Theaft they saye is a deceiptfull fingering of another mannes goodes moueable and bodily which is done against the owners will to the intent to make gaine either of the thing it selfe or of the vse of the thing or of the possession of the same Therefore they say that a madde man doth not committe theafte because in him there can no endeuour of craft or deceipte be possibly found Neither can saye they the man be argued of theaft which by mistakinge and not of sett malice did take away another mans good in steede of his owne But he alone is not called a deceiptfull fingerer which layeth hande vppon the thing but he who by any maner of meanes conueyeth it from the possession of the true owner Nowe they say that it is done against the owners will not onely if it be perforce violently taken from him but also if he knowe not of the taking it awaye or if he do knowe yet if he cannot forbidde them or if he can forbid them yet if for some certeine causes he will not Neither is it added without a cause that theaft is committed for gaine and profites sake For if one in ieast or for some other honest cause take any thing awaye he doth not thereby deserue to be called a theefe But of theaft they make two sortes the manifest theaft as that wherewith the theefe is taken the theaft not manifest as when after the deed one is conuinced of theaft Of these there is a large discourse Digestorum lib. 47. tit 2. Let vs returne to the further opening of our presēt propositiō Thy withholding doth hurte another man when thou in buying and selling dost vse false measure or false weightes To this rule is referred vniust and false exchaunge I meane exchaunge of money in banke Touching these pointes we will recite the commaundements and sentences only of the Lorde our God who in Leuiticus setteth this for a lawe Ye shall do no vnrighteousnesse in iudgement in meteyard in weight or in measure true ballaunces true weightes a true Epha that is a busshell or a pecke in measure of drye things a true Hin that is in measure of liquide thinges a pinte and an half or the twelfth parte of a pinte an halfe shall ye haue I am the Lorde your God which brought you out of the lande of Aegypt In Deuteronomie we read Thou shalt not haue in thy bagge two maner of weightes a greate and a small Neither shalt thou haue in thy house diuers measures a great and a small to the ende that in receiuing or buying thou maist vse the greater and in laying out or selling thou maist vse the lesser but thou shalt haue a iust and right weight and a iust and right measure shalt thou haue that thy dayes may be prolonged vppon the land which the Lorde thy God giueth thee For all that do such thinges and all that do vnrightly are abhominable vnto the Lord thy God. Hereunto appertaineth that sentence of Salomons in the Prouerbes where he saith Two manner of weightes and two maner of measures both these are abhominable vnto the Lord. But what can be heard or thought of more grieuous and horrible then a man to be abhominable in the sight of his God In the sixth Chapter of Micheas also the Lorde doth threaten diuers and grieuous punishementes which he myndeth to lay vppon the neckes of them that vse not iustice in weightes and measures Why therefore do we not rather flye from doing wrong and vnrighteousnesse choosing sooner to be happie than vnhappie and hearken vnto the Lorde who saith good measure and pressed downe and shaken together and
of this exposition let him heare the woordes of the Apostle who saith I knew not sinne but by the lawe for I had not knowen luste except the lawe had said Thou shalt not luste Without the lawe sinne was dead I once liued without lawe but when the commaundement came sinne reuiued and I was dead And againe The affection of the fleshe is death but the affection of the spirite is life peace Because the affection of the â—leshe is enimitie against God for it is not obedient to the lawe of God neither can be So then they that are in the flesh cannot please God. The affection of concupiscence therefore doth condemne vs or as I should rather say wée are worthily condemned by the iuste iudgment of God for our coÌ„cupiscence which doth euery houre and moment bewray it selfe in the thoughts of our harts There are I confesse sundrie fantasies and many thoughts in the minds of men which while they tend not to the offence of God or our neighbour nor do coÌ„tâ—ine any vncleannesse or selfeloue are not to be counted in the number of sinns as I did immâ—diately after the beginning declare vnto you So hetherto verilie God hath forbidden the grosser sinnes which man doeth daily commit against him and now at last hee commeth to the concupiscence corrupte nature of man the welspring of al euil which in this precept he goeth about to stop vp and cause to sléepe or as I should rather say to detect to the eyes of all men the infirmitie and weakenesse of mankinde For what is he that hath not some whiles felt concupiscence yea what is he that is not euery houre moment pricked with the stinge of fleshly concupiscence What man is there I pray you that is not diseased with the naturall sicknesse common to vs al and spotied with the blemish of originall guiltinesse Being therefore coÌ„uinced of sinne before the lord wee are not able to excuse our fault nor escape the sentence of the Iudge that doth condemne all flesh For the iust Lord doeth expressely condemne our naturall corruption and wicked inclination which is a continual turning from God and rebellion against the sinceritie which hee requireth at our handes For they are called happie that are cleane in heart because they shall sée god They therefore whose hartes are wrapped in lustes diseased with concupiscence and spotted with the poyson of original guilt shall not sée god But such are al we that are the sonnes of Adam And therefore this lawe doth conuince vs all of sinne infirmitie naturall corruption of damnation which followeth vpon the neck of our corruptioÌ„ Moreouer god in his law doth not only require the outward cleannesse of the body but the inward purenesse also of the minde the soule and al our affections and giueth charge that all whatsoeuer wee thincke determine goe about or doe should tende to the health and profite of oure neighbour This coÌ„maundement therefore may be referred to all the other that went before For the Lord himself expounding this coÌ„mandement Thou shalt not coÌ„mit murder addeth Whosoeuer is angrie with his brother shal be in danger of iudgment c. Matt. 5. and againe in expouÌ„ding this precept Thou shalt not coÌ„mitadulterie hée addeth Whosoeuer looketh on an other manns wife to lust after her hee hath committed adulterie alreadie with her in his hart And here he doth exactly rehearse the things which we do couet and in longing after which we are wont to sin Now our couetousnes consisteth in the desire either of things or persoÌ„s The thinges that we couet are either immoueable or moueable as we Germans do vsually say Der gueteren sind etliche ligende etliche furende The immoueable things are houses farmes lands vineyards woods medows pastures fishpooles such like Things moueable are monie cattell honour office and dignities The persons are wife childreÌ„ manseruants maidseruants These and such like which our neighbor hath in possessioÌ„ none of vs ought to couet to his hurt or hinderance or if any man happen to couet them yet let him not consent to y concupiscence nor take delite therin let him not séek to obteine the thing that he so desireth nor suffer his ill conceiued purpose to break out to y deed doing in taking from his neighbour his things or persoÌ„s for god requireth at the hands of those y worship him such kind of righteousnes as is altogether sound and absolutely perfecte not in the outward déede alone but also in the inward mind settled purpose of the hart Wherupon the lord in the gospel saith Vnlesse your righteousnes exceede the righteousnes of the Scribes Phariseis ye shal not enter into the kingdome of God. But touching the maner how Gods comaundements are fulfilled that faith is the absolute righteousnes I will hereafter in an other sermon tell you as I haue alreadie said somewhat in the sermon that I made vpon true faith Hetherto in twelue Sermons I haue runne through and declared the tenne preceptes of the morall lawe in which I told you that the forme of vertue is layd before our eyes therby to frame our maners according to the wil of god God himself hath diuided al the branches of his moral law into two tables The first doth shew the dutie of vs meÌ„ to our creator teacheth how to worship aright our God gouernor The secoÌ„d table in sixe whole precepts doth declare what and how much euery man is bound to owe to his neighbour how we may al liue both quietly well ciuilie one with another It comaundeth vs to honor our parents al those which god hath ordeyned in stéed of our parents It forbiddeth murder or doing iniury to any man in his life and body It forbiddeth whordom adultrie wicked lustes comending wedlock cleannes a continent life It forbiddeth lyes false witnesse bearinges and euil desires biddeth vs to loue our neighbours with al our harts being ready at all times with al our power to doe them good To God our Lord and most prudent lawgiuer be praise and thankes for euer and euer Amen Of the Ceremonial lawes of God but especially of the priesthood time and place appointed for the Ceremonies ¶ The fifth Sermon IN the partition of gods lawes next after the moral lawe we placed the Ceremoniall lawe and therfore since the morall lawe is alreadie expounded I haue now next by the help of God to treate of the law of Ceremonies And that I may not hide any thing from you note this by the way that some write Ceremoniae and some Cerimoniae which two words are vsed for Ceremonies considering y sundrie men haue sundrie opinions touching y word froÌ„ whence it should come For some after the opinion of Seruius Sulpitius do thinke that they are called Ceremoniae a Carendo But Festus affirmeth that Ceremonies did first take their name of the towne CÄ™res or CÄ™rete For Liuie in his fifte
festiuall or holy day which by Gods appointment is holy to the Lord was kept for the deuoute exercising of Gods outward worship Therefore those dayes are not holie nor those feasts lawful which are not held to the one onely God IEHOVAH neither are those holy dayes lawfull in which the lawfull seruice of God is not lawfully exercised And for those causes the Sabbothes festiuall dayes of the Israelites are in the Prophetes many times reiected because they were vnlawfully solemnized without pure faith and sincere affections Nowe all holy dayes had one common name were called Sabbothes feastes holy dayes méetinges and assemblies All holy dayes what name soeuer they were called by were ordeined to God alone not to creatures not for surfetting and wanton chambering All holy dayes were inuented for the health profite and recreation of mankinde For holy dayes are no burden but the easing of our burdens Prophane workes I confesse are profitable but ease is also necessarie sor without rest labour cannot continue The Lords will therefore is to giue man a time of recreation and biddeth his seruaunts to be merrie on the holy dayes in holinesse and modestie so that their ease maye be an honest recreation and not reprochfull sensualitie Againe ease of it selfe is not good but in respecte of an other thing it is good God biddeth to cease froÌ„ worke but yet hée setteth vs on woorke another way hée willeth vs to cease from bodily labour and begin to woorke in hart and mind and wholie applie our selues to his holie seruice And therefore it is néedefull to haue holy assemblies the reading of the holy Scriptures publique prayers sacrifices for it is prescribed in the 28. and 29. Chap. of the booke of Numbers what they ought to offer at euery feast and holy day the celebration of the Sacraments and whatsoeuer else the Lord hath commaunded to be done at festiuall dayes and solemne seasons For that one thing is here required especially which Marie found as shée sate at the féete of Iesus and heard his word Moreouer all feastes generally doe conteine the memorie and put vs in the remembraunce of notable things euery feast according to the name The Sabboth did put them in minde of Gods good benefite in creating the world for the behoofe and profite of vs men It was also as Moses witnesseth Exod. 31. a signe of the true sanctification which God alone bestoweth vppon the people that call vppon his name The other holy dayes did beate into them the memorie of the other benefites that God had shewed them and had as I will anon declare their seuerall significations Nowe there was a measure and certaine number of holy dayes which were distinguished and very wisely ordered first into seuen nights wherof euerie one had in it one Sabboth that was the seuenth day then into monethes For the first day of euery moneth was holy to the Lord was called the feast of the New moone and lastly they were diuided into yearely feastes which returned once euery yeare at an appointed season of that sort of feasts there were thrée in number The Passeouer Pentecoste and the feast of Tabernacles Besides these there were also other made holie dayes which God had not commaunded but were receiued by the Church to the glorie of God the remembrance of his great benefites For the feast of Lotts which they called Purim was brought in by Mardocheus was receiued of all the Church as is to be séene in the 9. of Esther The feast of dedication was ordeined by Iudas Machabeus with y consent of all the Church in memorie that the temple was restoared and the people deliuered from the tyrannie of king Antiochus as is to be read in the 4. Chapter of the first booke of Machabees And Christ our Lord did honour that feast of dedication with an holy Sermon Moreouer there were solemne fastinges appointed to be kept amonge the people of God as in the fift moneth wherin the citie was set on fire in the seuenth moneth wherin Godolias was slaine and in the tenth moneth wherin Hierusalem was besieged Of which fastinges the Prophete Zacharie speaketh in his 7. and 8. Chapiters and in the time of Esther a fast was ordeined in the moneth Adar for a remembraunce of the calamitie whiche was wrought or rather purposed against the Iewes by the wicked Aman. Of the Sabboth and the signification therof I spake a little aboue and in an other place also where I expouÌ„ded the tenne commaundements The Sabboth was obserued by a naturall and diuine lawe euer from the first creation of the world and is the chiefe of all other holy dayes For it was not then first ordeined by Moses when the tenne commaundementes were giuen by God from heauen For the kéeping of the Sabboth was receiued of the sainctes immediatly from the beginning of the world And therfore we read that the Lord in the commaundementes did say Remember that thou kepe holy the Sabboth day And before the lawe was giuen there is euident mention made of the Sabboth in the 16. of Exod. the 2. of Gen. The second kind of holy dayes was the New moones which were solemnized in the beginning of euery moneth Mention is made of them in the 10. 28. Chap. of the booke of Numbers Samuel 20. Psal. 81. Ezech. 46. and 2. of Chro. 2. That solemnization is reported to haue béene ordeined in remembraunce of the light created to admonish the people not to ascribe the monethes to Ianus or Mars or any other planet but to the one onely God the maker gouernour ruler of al things and seasons Moreouer it was a signe of the reparation or renuing of faithful minds by the heauenly illumination that we Christians may truly and in déed solemnize the new moone wheÌ„ being brought forth of darcknesse into light by the sonne of God we walk as becoÌ„meth the children of light reiect the works of the diuel and darknesse The third kinde of holy dayes doth conteine the feastes y returne once euery yere of which I find to be thrée The Passeouer the Pentecoste the feast of tabernacles Now the Lords will was that in these thrée feasts there should be generall assemblies and solemne meetinges in the holy place to wit at the tabernacle and after the tabernacle at Solomons temple For thus saith Moses in Deut. Thrice in the yeare shal euery male appeare before the Lord thy God in the place whiche hee hath chosen that is in the feast of sweete bread in the feaste of weekes and in the feast of tabernacles Neither shall hee appeare emptie in the sight of the lord Euery one according to the gift of his hand and according to the blessing of the Lord thy God which hee hath giuen thee that is to say Euery man shall ofâ—â—r to the Lord according as he can and according to the measure of riches which the Lord hath
giuen him Now those three solemne feastes were diuided into three seuerall monethes most apt to iourney and to trauel in In the spring time was the Passeouer holdeÌ„ when first the corne began to spindle or turne into eares About baruest when the first worke beloÌ„ging to husbandrie was done and finished they kept the feast of Pentecost And lastly when all their fruits were in they went vpp to the feast of tabernacles And so many went to it as possiblie could goe Some are of opinion that they which had once in the yeare appeared before the Lorde were dispensed withall and might lawfully tarrie at home at the other two feast times But I thinke verily that religious men did séeldome times vse such dispensations The Lord in one place promiseth that hée will defend kéepe the boundes and substance of them that trauell to séeke his name Howsoeuer those dispensations were admitted yet this is most sure as appeareth by all histories that at those feastes were very great assemblies Nowe the feast of Passeouer was called by many names but especially it was termed the feast of swéete or vnleauened bread For by the space of seuen whole dayes they fedd vpon vnleauened bread The Ceremonies of that feast with the sacrifices that were to be offered thereat are at large described in the 12. of Exodus and 23. of Leuiticus In that feast was eaten the Pascall Lambe in no other place but at the tabernacle or afterward at the temple Deut. 16. for a remeÌ„brance of that notable deliuerance of Israel and al the faithfull out of the Aegyptian seruitude and slauerie In that feast God would haue the first fruits of their land offered vnto him in token of the Manna wherwith he fedd their fathers Moreouer that feast did signifie the passing ouer and deliuering of the faithfull which in the sâ—eading of bloud was accomplished by Christ Whereuppon the Apostle said Christ our Passeouer is offered vp 1. Cor. 4. But of the Passeouer I will speake more in my next Sermon The Pentecost was also called the feast of wéekes and newe corne For at that feast was set foorth Shewe bread made of the new yeares corne They reckoned from the next day after the Passeouer seuen wéekes that is fiftie dayes and vppon the fiftéeth day they did celebrate the memorie of the lawe of God reuealed and giuen by God himselfe from heauen vnto his people Israell For the fiftéeth day of their departure out of Aegypt wée read that the Lord himselfe spake to them at the mount Sinai and gaue to them the lawe of the ten commaundements so that the Pentecost was a memoriall that as then the Church was illuminated with the very word of god And â—hat old Pentecost was a figure of the day wherein Christe the Lorde beeinge the ende of the lawe did sende the holie Ghoste vpon his disciples and did illuminate his spouse the churche The ceremonies belonging to this feaste are expressed by Moses in the 23. Chapter of Leuiticus They kept the feast of Tabernacles in the seuenth moneth as Moses commanded in Deuteronomium saying When thou hast gathered in the croppe of thy lande and vineyardes then shalt thou keepe the feast of Tabernacles by the space of seuen dayes and thou shalt be merrie in thy holie daye thou and thy sonne and thy daughter thy man seruaunt and thy maide seruaunt the Leuite the straunger the father lesse and the widdowe that are within thy gates Seuen dayes shalt thou keepe holie vnto the Lorde thy God in the place which the Lord hath chosen to him selfe because the Lord thy God hath giuen thee happie successe in all thy fruites and in all the woorke of thy handes See therefore that thou reioyce Moreouer the manner of this feast solemnely celebrated is to be reade in the 8. Chapter of Nehemias where whosoeuer looketh hee shall finde it described at the full Nowe this feast of Tabernacles of the seuenth moneth was diuided into foure solemnities For the first daye of the moneth was y feast of Trumpets or sounding of TruÌ„pets which was a memoriall of those troublesom warres which the people did happely atchiue by the helpe and ayde of God against the Amalechites and all other their heathen enimies And by that feast was signified that the whole life of man vppon the earth is a continuall warrefare Vpon the tenth daye of the same moneth was helde the feast of cleansing In that feast the Prieste in a solemne fourme of wordes beganne to confesse aloud the peoples sinnes and euery man quietly following in the same words did recite them priuately to him selfe in his minde did quietly speake vnto the Lorde To those confessions was added the ceremonie vsed with the scape goate and the sacrifice whiche is at large set downe in the 16. Chapter of Leuiticus And so were the sinnes of the people cleansed which was a type of the cleansing that should be through Christ who beeing once offered did with the onely sacrifice of his bodie take away the sinnes of all the worlde It did also conteine the doctrine of true repentance Vpon the fiftéenth daye beganne the feast of Tabernacles For by the space of seuen whole dayes that is from the fiftéenth to the 22. the people dwelte in Tabernacles The ende of this ceremonie the Scripture doth declare to be that the posteritie should know that the Lorde did place their forefathers in Tabernacles whereby they were put in minde of the good that he did to them while they were in the wildernesse For they were kepte fourtie yeres in the wildernesse so that they lacked neither victuals nor cloathing And by that feast wee are warned that the life of this worlde is but as a stage and that wee haue no abyding place to staye for euer but are still looking for the worlde to come as the Apostle taught vs 2. Cor. 5. Heb. 13. The fourth feast of this moneth was held vpon the 22. daye and was called the Congregation or assemblie Vppon that daye was gathered the offering and stipeÌ„d giuen to the ministerie for reparations of the temple for the cost of Sacrifices and maintenaunce of the ministerie It is thought that in the feast was song the Psalme How pleasant are thy Tabernacles c. and certeine other Psalmes called Torculares Psalmi which they did vse Thus much hitherto concerning the feastes that fall out once in euery yere Here also I thinke it necessarie to make mention of the yeare of Iubilie Nowe this yeare of Iubilie was euery fiftéeth as it fell by course which is at large described with all the ceremonies belonging thereunto in the 25. of Leuiticus It was declared to all the people in the lande of promise by the sound of a trumpet made of a Rammes horne with a proclamation of fréedome to all them that were wrapped in seruitude or bondage In that Iubilie was coÌ„teined verie euidently the mysterie of Christe our Lorde
firste begotten or auncient of euery housholde did circumcise before the lawe which office was turned to the priestes when once the lawe was giuen It is a singular example and no more to be found like vnto it that Zippora the wife of Moses did circumcise her sonne Exod. 4. Chap. Nowe also the time of circumcision is set downe to wite the eighth day when the newe borne childe beganne to be of a little more strength And we gather out of the fifte Chapter of the booke of Iosue that they did circumcise them not with kniues of yron but of stone for in that Chapter the Lorde doth in expresse wordes commaund to circumcise the sonnes of Israel with kniues of stone But it is manifest by the rites of the sacraments that God doth alter nothinge in the ceremonies of the sacraments and therefore we coniecture and gather that Abraham vsed none other but kniues of stone especially since we read that Zippora Moses his wife did circumcise her sonne with a stone The rest of the Iewishe trifles which they sowe abrode touching the ceremonies of cicumcision I do of purpose here let passe For they are vtterly vnworthie to be heard and haue no mysteries conteined in them But the knife of stone is of force in the exposition of the mysterie of circūcision For circumcision had a mysterie and a moste certeine meaning hidden within it For firste circumcision did signifie that the whole nature of man is vncleane and corrupt and therfore that all men haue neede of cutting and regeneration And for that cause that cuttinge was made in the member wherewith man is begotten For we are all begotten and borne the sonnes of wrath in originall sinne Neither doth any man deliuer vs from that damnation but he alone that is without sinne to wite the blessed séede Iesus Christ our Lord who was conceiued by the holy Ghost and borne of the virgin Marie who with the shedding of his bloud which was prefigured in the bloud shed in circumcision doth cleanse vs from sinne and make vs heires of life euerlasting And now this circumcision maketh sorely against them that denye original sinne and putteth them to their shiftes that attribute iustification and saluation to our owne strength and vertue For if we were cleane if we by our owne power could get saluation what néeded our fathers to bee cutt in that sorte The things that are cutt off are either vnpure or else superfluous But God made nothing vnpure or superfluous Nowe hee made the flesh of the foreskinne If the fleshe of the foreskinne had béene euill God had not made man with the fleshe of the foreskinne The skinne therefore is not euill of it selfe nor yet superfluous but the cuttinge of the foreskinne doth rather serue to teache vs to vnderstande that by our birth and nature wée are corrupt and that wée cannot be cleansed of that corruption but by the knife of stone And for that cause verily was circumcision giuen in that member and in none other I will anon adde another cause out of Lactantius why it was giuen in the priuities and in none other parte of all the bodye Moreouer circumcision did signifie testifie that God almightie of his méere grace and goodnesse is ioyned with an indissoluble bond of couenant vnto vs men whome his will is first to sanctifie then to iustifie and lastly to inriche with all heauenly treasures through Christe our Lorde and reconciler For that was the meaninge of the stoanie knife Because Christ the blessed séede is the rocke of stone out of which doe flowe moste pure and cleansing waters and he by his spirite doth cutt from vs whatsoeuer thinges doe hinder the mutuall league and amitie betwixt God and vs he also doth giue and increase in vs both hope and charitie in faith so that wee may be knitt and ioyned to God in life euerlasting which is the blessed and happie life in déede Nowe here it is expedient to heare the testimonies of the lawe and the Apostles In the 30. of Deuteron Moses saith The Lord thy God shall circumcise thy harte and the harte of thy seede that thou maist loue the Lorde thy God. Now the outward visible cutting was a signe of this inwarde circumcision And Paule also speakinge of Abraham saith And he receiued the signe of circumcision as the seale of the righteousnesse of faith which he had being yet vncircūcised that he should be the father of all them that beleeue though they were not circūcised that righteousnesse might bee imputed to them also c. Lo here Abrahams circumcision was a signe y God by his grace had iustified Abraham which iustificatiō he receiued by faith before his circumcision which is an argument that they which beléeue though they be not circumcised are neuerthelesse iustified with faithfull Abraham and againe that the Iewes which are circumcised are iustified of God by faith And for that cause was circumcision giuen in the verie bodie of man that he might beare in his bodie the league of God and be thereby admonished that hee is iustified by grace through faith Whereby wee gather also that the grace of God and the iustification of the godly is not tyed to the signe For if it had then had not Abraham béene iustified before his circumcision but euen in his circumcision Furthermore if it had béene so then the Lord whose wil is to haue mankind saued would not haue giuen commaundement to haue them circumcised vpon the eighth day For many children died before the eighth daye and neuer came to circumcision and yet they were not damned To which wee may adde that Sara Rebecca Rahel Iochabeth and Marie Moses sister with innumerable mo matrones and holie virgines could not be circumcised and yet they were saued by the grace of God through faith in the Messiah that was to come The grace of God therefore was not tyed to the sacrament of circumcision but yet it was not despised and neglected of the holy sainctes of the olde church but vsed to the end for which it was ordeined that is to be a testimonie and a seale of frée iustification in Christ who circumciseth vs spiritually without handes by the working of the holie Ghoste Furthermore God by the outwarde and visible signe did gather into one church them which were circumcised in which number those which he had chosen before hee did ioyne to him selfe with the bonde of his spirite For sainct Paule for the verie same cause did call the people of one religiō the circumcision as is euident by the 15. Chapter to the Romanes and the third to the Philippians Therefore by circumcision God did separate his people from the vnbeléeuing nations Whereupon it came that to be called vncircumcised was as great reproache among them as to be called dogge is nowe adayes among vs For an vncircumcised person was reputed for an vncleane prophane man and for such an one as had no parte
the space of certaine dayes or monethes These Nazarits did absteine according to the commaundement of the law from certaine things from which they were not barred by any other lawe and which were not vnlawfull for other men to vse whiche were without the necessitie of that vowe First of all they absteyned from wine from all thinges that the vine brought forth and whatsoeuer else did make men drunken But it is manifest that as wine is the good creature of God so no drincke is forbidden by the law Yet forbecause the Nazarits were consecrated to the Lord and sanctified by a certaine peculiar kinde of lyuing and for because wine is the meanes that leadeth to drunken nes which is the gulfe of al sinne and filthinesse therefore did the Nazarits not without a cause absteine from wine They did also take héede of idlenesse the mother of mischiefe and vtterly despised all worldly pleasures Furthermore so longe as the time of their vowe endured they did not clipp their haire but let their lockes growe out a length And thereuppon as some doe thincke they toke their names and were called Nazarits For in so much as Nazer signifieth haire they suppose that they were called Nazarites as who should say longe locked or shagge haired people But the Apostle Paule biddeth the woman to pray or to come into the Cōgregation to heare a Sermon with her head couered for none other cause but for that shée is not in her owne power but subiecte to an other that is to her husband And therfore the Nazarits did let their haire growe because by the vow which they had made to God they were no longer in their owne power but were wholie yéelded into the power of god And the head which is the tower of the bodie and the most excellent parte thereof being couered with a bush of haire was a token that the whole man was by vowe giuen to the Lord to whome alone he ought to haue an eye vpon whome alone hee ought wholie to depend Moreouer it was required at the hands of the Nazarite that he should not defile himself with the contagious companie of wicked naughtie persons Whereunto also belongeth the commaundement which charged the Nazarite not to be presēt at the death or buriall of his parentes or children or wife or brethrene or sisters For he ought to settle the eyes of his minde vppon God alone and in comparison of him to set lighte by and loathe the things which were most déere precious vnto him But if it so fell out that at vnawares hee were defiled by séeing of a dead body hee was not therefore acquited of his vowe as one whose former life had béene sufficient for the performaunce of the same For hee was commaunded to sanctifie himself the seuenth day then to vndertake the kéeping of his vowe againe By all this wee maye plainely perceiue what and howe great the sinne of Samson was who was a Nazarite to the lord For because hee did not onely lurke in the brothell house with the harlot but did also bewray the secrete of GOD vnto her and cast behinde him the couenaunt made with God whereof his haire was a sure testimonie therfore did the Lord forsake him and that wonderfull strengthe which he had from heauen was cleane taken from him For the strength of Samson lay not in his haire so that by the cutting of his haire his strengthe was cutt away also but it laye in the spirite of the Lord which was giuen him from God aboue And therfore do wée finde this sentence so often in the scripture And the spirite of the Lord came vppon Samson Therfore when the spirite of God departed his strēgth departed also but it departed from him when he being wholie ioyned vnto the harlot was made one soule with her and did preferre her before God his commaundement so that he suffered his haire to be polled and vtterly reuolted from the ordinaunce of the lord For by that meanes did the spirite of God forsake him Whereupon immediately after he was brought into the hands of his enimies the Philistines where when he was miserably vexed and when he heard the name of God euill spoken of and blasphemed because of his captiuitie hée repented hartilie and called vppon the name of the Lord wherby it came to passe that when his haire grew forth againe his strength returned that is the spirite of the Lord came vppon him againe being brought vnto him not by the growing of his haires but by his repentance earnest calling vppon the lord Neither did Samson desire to reuenge his owne priuate iniurie so much as to suppresse the blasphemous mouthes and to deliuer the people of God from feare and slauerie The strength of God therefore returned againe wherwith hée bending the pillers of the Theater was himselfe slaine with the fall of the palace and at his death slue many mo than hée had killed in all his life time before But nowe wée returne againe to the purpose to add the other Ceremonies that do belonge to the full exposition of the vowe of the Nazarites When the time was expired therefore whiche the Nazarite had taken vppon him for to obserue hée came to the tabernacle of the Lord and offered the sacrifices that are prescribed in the Lawe whereby hée testified that hée was a sinner and plainely confessed that al goodnesse and vertue that was to be found in him was giuen and bestowed from God aboue And therefore hée polled his head and caste his haire into the fire wherein the peace offering was a burning At last when all this was in this maner accomplished it was lawfull for the Nazarite as one loosed of his bonds to returne vnto his old life againe Thus much hetherto touching the discipline of the Nazarites Nowe touching the cleane and vncleane there is a longe discourse in the lawe of Moses I in my former treatise did lightly touche and passe ouer some certaine thinges but now at the last for héere I meane to make an ende to speake of Ceremonial lawes I will adde somewhat touching the choice of meates I meane of cleane and vncleane meates God verily in the beginning created all things and he so created them that as the Creator is good euen so all his creatures euen at this day are good also neither doth hee gainesay himselfe now whē he forbiddeth certaine mears as though somewhat of it selfe were vncleane There are other mysteries that lye hidden vnder this doctrine of the choice of meates The lawes whiche are giuen touchinge meates and victuals séeme to be smal and of little valure but it pleased the Lord in a small thing to admonishe vs what wée haue to doe in a greater and that euen in the smallest thinges the authoritie of his Godhead ought to be regarded For the authoritie of the lawe dependeth vppon God God is the lawegiuer and the lawe is his inuention This suppresseth the malapertnesse of
sorte whiche are called the Iudiciall lawes of which I will intreate dearely beloued as briefely as I can so farre foorth as I shal be persuaded to be expedient for your edification This treatise wil not be vnplesant nor vnprofitable to euery zealous hearer although it doeth specially belong to courtes of lawe where iudgement is exercised For the Iudiciall lawes were with wonderfull faith and diligence set out of God by the ministerie of his seruaunt Moses and God is not wont to reueale anye thinge to mankinde with so precise and exquisite diligence vnlesse it doe directly tende to mankindes greate commoditie Nowe although these Iudiciall lawes are verie fewe in number and not to be compared in multitude with the huge volumes of the lawes and decrées of Emperours Kinges and wisest Sages yet do they in their short breuiarie conteine the chiefe poyntes of iudgement and iustice in effect as muche almost as is conteined in the bookes of the lawes and constitutions of the Emperours and ciuil lawyers The good Lorde would not by too long and burdensome a packe of lawes be too burdenous and troublesome vnto his people neither was it néedefull ouer curiously to sticke vppon euery seuerall thought of yll disposed persons it is sufficient for all wise men people and nations if euery one haue so muche lawe as is sufficient for the conseruation of peace ciuil honestie and publique tranquillitie as all the holie Scripture witnesseth that the people of Israel had Nowe these Iudiciall lawes are the moste auncient and verie founteines of all other good lawes which are to bee founde all moste in all the worlde Moses was before all other lawegiuers that were of name and authoritie among whome Mercurius Trismegistus Rhadamanthus y Lâ—cian are thought to be the eldest The Aegyptians called their Mercurius by the name of Thoth who as Lactantius affirmeth slue Argus that had so many eyes and vpon the murther flead into Aegypt Nowe Argus and Atlas liued about the time of Cecrops Diphyes And Cecrops is reported to haue béene in the same time that Moses was Radamanthus also is supposed to haue liued after the dayes of Iosue Moses his seruaunt and successour But the moste famous lawegiuers of the gretest and most auncieÌ„t natioÌ„s did follow long after the death of Moses Draco and Solon among the Atheniens Minos with the Cretians Charondas of the Tyrians Phoronaeus to the Argiues Lycurgus to the Lacedaeinonians Pythagoras to the Italians Romulus and Numa vnto the Romanes Plato writt of lawes a little before the reigne of Philipp king of Macedon and father to Alexander the greate And Cicero 2. lib. de legibus saith I see therefore that the opinion of the wisest sorte was that lawe was neither inuented by mennes wittes nor yet was the decree or ordinance of people but a certein eternal thing ruling the whole world with discretion to commaund or for bidd to do or leaue vndone So they saide that that chiefe and highest law is the wisedome of God which commaundeth or forbiddeth all things by reason Whereupon that law which the Gods haue giuen to mankinde is rightly commended for it is the reason and discretion of the wise whiche is able either to commaund or else forbidd and so foorth Therefore the Iudicial lawes of God are commended vnto vs not so much for their antiquitie as for the authoritie whiche they haue of God. Nowe that wee may plainly and distinctly discourse vpon this matter ye haue to marke that to iudge is an action and in this treatise is taken for an action done in the courtes of iudgement for it signifieth to take vp and determine of matters betwixt such as be at variance or else vppon the bearing of a cause to giue seÌ„tence or iudgement Finally to iudge doth signifie to deliuer them that be in daunger to relieue the oppressed to defend the afflicted and with punishement to kéepe vnder mischiefous offendours Iudgement therefore is not the sitting or méeting of Iudges in Assises or Sessions but is rather the very diligent discussing of causes the giuing of sentence accordinge to right and equitie by the lawes of God and also the assertion and defence whereby the good are deliuered and the punishmeÌ„t that is executed vppon the yll disposed and wicked offendours The Iudges are the ouerséers of iudgement iustice I meane such as doe iustly according to the lawes giue sentence be twixt them that are at discorde which do defende and deliuer the good and punish and brydle the wicked And so the Iudicial lawes are those which informe the Iudges howe to determine of controuersies and questions howe to Iudge iustly how to punishe the wicked and howe to defend the good that peace honestie iustice and publique tranquillitie may be among all men which is the ende and marke alone whereto both the Iudge and all the Iudiciall lawes do tende and are directed For God our good Lord and lawegiuer would haue it to go well with man that we may liue happily ciuilie and in tranquillitie And therfore we do not in this treatise exclude the care and defence of pure religion but do make it one of the especiall poynts which the Iudiciall lawes do looke vnto And now euen as the ceremoniall lawes so also are the Iudiciall lawes added by God vnto the ten coÌ„mandements to expounde confirme them therewithall For the precepts of the ten commaundements are the chiefe principall preceptes whereunto wée must referre all lawes as to the eternall minde or will of god I think I néede not to stande and shewe you dearely beloued to what precepts of the ten commaundements euery seueral Iudiciall lawe is to be referred For that is verie plaine and euident to euery one that will take but small paynes to conferre and laye them together For the Iudiciall lawes that are set out against murther and iniurie are apperteining to this precept Thou shalt doe no murther And whatsoeuer is spoken against adulterie fornication and filthie lustes are added to the commaundement Thou shalt not committ adulterie Likewise whatsoeuer is saide in the Iudiciall lawes against deceipts shiftes cousinings and vsurie doe belong to the commandement Thou shalt not steale Lastly all the lawes touching the brideling of heretikes and suppressing of Apostataes by force are set downe to make plaine the first seconde thirde and fourth coÌ„maundements of the firste table For some lawes may be applyed to more precepts than one of the ten coÌ„maundements But this is easie and plaine to be perceiued of euery man therefore I will not stande any longer about it Nowe for because the Iudiciall lawes do first of all require Iudges such I meane as should mainteine put the lawes in execution for the lawes without executours séeme to be dead and on the other side are aliue vnder a iust magistrate who is for y cause called the liuing lawe therefore before all other lawes are placed those Iudicial lawes which were
giuen by God touching the magistrate or Iudges with their office and election Of their election thus we reade Bring ye saith Moses to the people men of wisedome and of vnderstanding and expert according to your tribes and I will make them rulers ouer you Againe I will make thee rulers and Iudges to iudge the people according to thy tribes in all thy cities which the Lorde thy God giueth thee And yet againe more plainly Seeke saith Iethâ—o being inspired from aboue vnto Moses out of all the people men of courage and suche as feare God true men hating couetousnesse to wite such as hate to take money and bribes â–ª and make of them ouer the people rulers of thousands rulers of hundredes rulers of fifties and rulers of tennes and let them iudge the people at all seasons Which if thou doest thou shalt both keep the ordinances of God and the people in peace and safetie To this doth beloÌ„g that which we reade in the booke of NuÌ„bers where Moses prayed saying Let the God of the spirits of al fleashe set a man ouer this congregation which may go out and in before theÌ„ that the congregation of the Lord be not as sheepe without a shepehearde Herein Moses hath leaft an example for vs to imitate in making our prayers to God for the election of our Iudges For often times our opinions or iudgements of men do vtterly deceiue vs But the God of spirites doth behold the mindes and heartes kneweth what euery one is in thoughtes and inward meaning He therefore must be besought to giue and shewe to vs not hypocrites to be our Iudges but men of trueth and vertue In the same place doth Moses leaue to vs the description of consecrating newe chosen Iudges For they were set before the Lorde and handes were laide vpon them with making of prayers supplications Moreouer the office of Iudges is verie briefely but yet in moste effectuall and absolute sentences described of the Lord by the mouth of Moses in these wordes Heare the causes of your brethren and iudge righteousely betwixt euery man and his brother and the straunger that is with him Ye shal haue no respect of any person in iugement but heare the small and the greate alike and feare not the face of any man for the iudgement is Gods. Againe Iudge the people with iust iudgement Decline not in iudgement haue no respect of persons neither take thou any bribes for rewardes do blinde the eyes of the wise and doeth peruert iust causes Doe iudgement with iustice that thou mayst liue possesse the land which the Lorde thy God shal giue thee And againe Do no vniust thing in iudgement accept not the face of the poore neither feare thou the face of the mightie but iudge thou iustly vnto thy neighbor Againe Thou shalt not haue to doe with a false reporte thou shalt not followe a multitude to doe euil neither shalt thou speake in a matter of iustice according to the greater number for to peruert iudgement that is if thou séest an innocent to be condemned of the multitude do not thou therfore condemne him because the multitude hath condemned him but iudge thou iustly and committ not euil because of the many voices of the multitude Thou shalte not esteeme a poore man in his cause neither shalt thou hinder the poore of his right in his suite Keep thee farre from a false matter and the innocent and righteous see that thou slaye not Thou shalt not oppresse the straunger seeing ye your selues were straungers in the â—and of Aegypt And God verily when he had deliuered the people from the tyrannie of the kings of Aegypt did not putt them in subiection to kinges againe nor burden them with the tributes which kings are wont to exact of their subiects for he made them a common weale or an Aristocracie which was the moste excellent kind of regiment wherein the choicest men in all the multitude were piked out to beare that swaye and to rule the rest but yet because hee was not ignorant of his peoples foolishenesse and that they being wearie of their libertie woulde craue a king which thing he did afterward also disuade them from by his seruaunt Samuel he made lawes for a king also that hee might vnderstand that he was to liue vnder the lawes and to giue iudgement according to the lawes The discipline or institution of a king is thus expressed in the 17 Chapter of Deuteronomium WheÌ„ thou art come into the land which the lord thy God giueth thee and shalte saye I wil set a king ouer mee like as all the nations that are about me then thou shalt make him king ouer thee whome the Lord thy God shall choose One from among the middest of thy brethren shalte thou make king ouer thee and thou mayest not set a straunger ouer thee which is not of thy brethren But he shall not gather many horses vnto him selfe nor bring the people back againe into Aegypt to increase the number of horses that is to get him selfe a strong troope of horse men for as much as the Lorde hath saide ye shall hencefoorth go no more againe that waye Also let him not take many wiues to him selfe least his heart turne awaye neither let him gather too much siluer and golde And when he is sett vppon the seate of his kingdome he shall write him out a copie of this law in a booke according to the copie of the booke which the priestes the Leuites do vse and it shal bee with him he ought to reade therein all the dayes of his life that hee may learne to feare the Lorde his God and to keepe all the woordes of this lawe and these ordinaunces for to do them And let not his hart arise aboue his brethren neither let him turne from the commandement either to the right hand or to the leaft that hee may prolong his dayes in his kingdome both hee and his sonnes in the middest of Israel Thus much hitherto of the magistrates of Iudges and of kinges Nowe I suppose that in this institution of a kinge all thinges are conteined which are moste largely set out by other authors touching the discipline and education of a Prince And by the waye this is especially to bée noted that Kinges are not set as Lordes and rulers ouer the worde and lawes of God but are as subiectes to bee iudged of God by the worde as they that ought to rule and gouerne all thinges according to the rule of his worde and commaundements And here I haue to rehearsâ— vnto you some of the Iudiciall lawes I meane not all and euery seueral one but those alone which are the chiefe choicest to be noted by which ye may consider of the rest and plainly perceiue that the people of Israel were not destitute of anye lawe which was necessarie and profitable for their good state and welfare I will recite them vnto you as briefely as may bee
in their SermoÌ„s did sharply accuse and euermore crie out vpon And in that sense and for that cause the people of Israel is many times called a carnall people not that all the Patriarchs and fathers before the comming of Christ were carnal or fleshly but for because they did as yet liue theÌ„ vnder those externall shadowes and outward figures and for because there were peraduenture amonge the people some that did not perceiue the spirituall thinges shadowed vnder those external figures and did thincke perhaps that they were acceptable to God for the woorking and doing of that externall woorke The second vse and an other office of the lawe is to teache them that are iustified in faith by Christ what to followe and what to eschue and how the godly and faithful sort should worship god For the lawe of God doth comprehend a most absolute doctrine both of faith in GOD and also of all good woorks For in the first vse of the lawe I declared how the Morall and Ceremoniall lawe doth teache vs faith in God and Christ his sonne and howe it bringeth man to the knowledge of himselfe that he may vnderstand how that in himselfe that is in the nature of man there is no good thing nor any life but that all the gifts of life of vertues and saluation are of God the father the onely wellspring of all goodnesse through Christ his sonne our sauiour In this second argument of the ende the vse or office of the lawe of GOD we must acknowledge all the formes of vertues and the treasure of all goodnesse to be set foorth vnto vs in the lawe of the Lord and that the Apostle applieth the precepts of the law to exhortation and consolation The first of the two tables of the Morall lawe doth teache vs what wee owe to God and how hee will be worshipped of vs The second table frameth the offices of life and teacheth vs howe to behaue our selues toward our neighbour The Ceremonies also doe beelonge to religion And the Iudicialls teach the gouernement of an house or a common weale so that by them wee may liue honestly amonge our selues and holilie to Godwards Therefore the lawe doth teach all iustice temperance fortitude and wisedome and in structeth a Godly man in euery good woorke wherin it is necessarie that an holy woorshipper of God should be instructed Wherfore so often as the holy Prophets of God would set vpp againe and restore the worship of God and true religion that was decayed so often as they would crie out vppon and rebuke the faultes and errours of men and lastly wheÌ„ they would teach them to doe those good woorkes which are good woorks in déed they led them alwayes vnto the lawe and cited all their testimonies out of the lawe Whereof we haue euident examples in the 15. Psalme of Dauid and in the first and 33. Chapiter of Esaies Prophecie and in the 18. of Ezechiel also Paule in the 13. to the Romans referreth all the offices of our life to y lawe of charitie For the Lord himselfe before Paule had done the same in the Gospell Moreouer the Prophete Dauid in the 94. Psalme crieth Blessed is the man O Lord whome thou instructest in thy lawe And in the 78. Psalme Hee made a couenaunt to Iacob and gaue a lawe in Israel that the posteritie might knowe it and put their trust in the Lord not forgett the woorkes of God but keepe his commaundements Againe in the 19. Psalme he saith The law of the Lord is an vndefiled lawe conuerting the soule the testimonie of the Lord is sure and giueth wisedome vnto the simple the statues of the Lord are right and reioyce the heart the commaundement of the Lord is pure and giueth light vnto the eyes The feare of the Lord is holy and endureth for euer the iudgements of the Lord are true and righteous altogether more to bee desired are they than gold and pretious stone sweeter than honie and the honie combe And to this end tendeth the sense of all the Alphabetical Psalme which is in order of number the 119. The third vse or office of the lawe is to represse the vnrulie and those whome no reason can moue to orderlinesse the lawe commaundeth to constraine with punishment that honestie peace and publique tranquillitie may be mainteyned in ChristiaÌ„ common weales For some there are and that no small number of people which doe refraine from doing euill and liue somewhat tollerablie not so much for the loue of vertue as for the feare of punishment that will ensue their inordinate liuing Therfore it pleased the goodnesse of God by giuing the lawe to put in a caueat and to make a prouiso for the tranquillitie of mankind And to this it séemeth that the Apostle had an eye when he said Wee knowe that the lawe was not giuen to the iust but to the vniust to the lawelesse and disobedient to the vngodly and to sinners to vnholie vncleane to murderers of fathers and murderers of mothers to manslears to whoremongers to them that defile themselues with mankind to mansâ—ealers to lyers to periured and if there bee any other thing that is coÌ„trarie to hoalsome doctrine c. After the declaration of the vse the end and the office of the lawe I haue next to teache you howe and by what meanes the lawe of God is fulfilled It is vnpossible for any man of his owne strength to fulfill the lawe and fully to satisfie the will of God in all pointes For it is manifest that in the lawe there is not required the outward woorke onely but also the purenesse of the inward affections and as it were as I said euen nowe a certaine heauenly and absolute perfectnesse For the Lord himselfe in one place crieth Be ye perfect eueÌ„ as your father whiche is in heauen is perfecte But so absolute a perfectnesse is not found in vs so longe as wée liue in this fleshe For the fleshe euen to the very last ende of our life doth kéepe still her corrupt disposition and although it doth many times receiue an ouerthrow by the spirite that striueth against it yet doeth it still renue the fight so that in vs there is not found nor in our strength there doth remaine that heauenly and most absolute perfectnesse But let vs heare the testimonie of the holy Apostle Paul touching this matter who saith Wee knowe that the lawe is spiritual but I am carnall solde vnder sinne For that which I doe I allowe not For what I would that doe I not but what I hate that doe I. And againe I know that in me that is in my flesh dwelleth no good thing For to wil is present with me but I finde no meanes to performe that which is good Againe I delight in the lawe of God after the inward man but I see an other law in my members rebelling against the lawe of my mind and subduing me vnto the law of
these woords of the Lord in the Gospel must be beateÌ„ inâ—o the head of euery godly hearer Think not saith hee that I am come to destroy the lawe or the Prophets yea I came not to destroy but to fulfil theÌ„ Verilie I say vnto you heauen and earth shall passe but one iote or title of the lawe shall not passe till all bee fulfilled Whosoeuer therefore shall loose one of the smallest of these coÌ„mandements and shall teach men so he shal be called the least in the kingdome of heauen But whosoeuer shal doe and teach them hee shal be called great in the kingdome of heauen Let euery one therefore bée assuredly persuaded that the lawe of God whiche is the most excellent and perfecte will of God is for euer eternall and cannot be at any time disolued either by men or Angels or any other creatures Let euery man thinke that the lawe so farre as it is the rule howe to liue well and happilie so farre as it is the bridle wherewith wée are kept in the feare of the Lord so farre as it is a pricke to awake the dullnesse of oure flesh and so farre as it is giuen to instructe correcte and rebuke vs men that so farr I say it doth remaine vnabrogated and hath euen at this day her commoditie in the Church of God and therefore the abrogating of the lawe consisteth in this that followeth I told you that Gods commaundementes require the whole man and a very heauenly kinde of perfectnesse which whosoeuer performeth not hée is accursed and condemned by the law Nowe no man doth fulfill that righteousnesse therefore are wée all accursed by the law But this curse is taken awaye and most absolute righteousnesse is fréely bestowed on vs through Christ Iesus For Christ redéemed vs from the curse of the law being made the curse righteousnesse and sanctification for vs men And so in this sense the law is abrogated that is the curse of the lawe is thorough Christe taken from the faithfull and true righteousnesse is bestowed vppon vs thorough grace by faith in the same Christ Iesus For he is that blessed seede in whoÌ„ all the kinreds of the earth are blessed Hée is our righteousnesse For Paule saith By him euerie one that beleeueth is iustified from all things from which ye could not bee iustified by the lawe of Moses Therefore the law is put for the curse of the lawe or else the law of God is taken for that whiche is bewrayed or made manifest by the lawe that is to say it is taken for sinne For by the lawe commeth the knowledge of sinne Therefore the lawe is abrogated that is sinne is taken away not that it should not be or not shewe it selfe in vs but that it should not be imputed vnto vs and coÌ„demne vs For there is no damnatioÌ„ to them that are in Christ Iesu Moreouer the lawe is taken for the vigeance or punishment which is by the law appointed for transgressours Therefore the lawe is abrogated because the punishment appointed by the lawe is taken from the neckes of the faithfull beléeuers For the law is not giuen to the righteous man. For Christ deliuered the faithfull from eternall punishments whiles hée being guiltlesse did suffer afflictions for wicked sinners Furthermore the Apostle saith The fleshly mind is enimitie against God for it is not obedieÌ„t to the law of god nether can be But now this hatred or enimitie of Gods law is by faith pulled out of the harts of the faithful in stéed of it is graffed in the loue of gods most holy wil so that in this sense also the lawe is said to be abrogated beecause the hatred of the lawe is taken away And therefore the Apostle compareth them that are vnder the lawe to bondslaues and them that are frée from the lawe to sonnes and children to whome also hée attributeth the spirite not of bondage but of adoption For forbecause ye are sonnes sayth he God hath sent the spirite of his sonne into your heartes which crieth Abba father c. To these may be added that the lawe of God hath types and shadowes and that the Ceremonies are verie burthensome euen as also the whole lawe is called a yoke But nowe the sonne of God came into this world who fulfilling the figures shewed to vs the verie truth and did abolish those types and shadowes so that nowe no man can condemne vs for neglecting or passing ouer those Ceremonies or figures so againe in that sense the lawe of God is abrogated y is to say that kinde of gouernement whiche Moses ordeined did come to nought when Christ did come and his Apostles began to teach For they without regarde of the Ecclesiasticall regiment appointed by Moses did congregate Churches to whiche they taught not that kind of regiment which Moses had ordeined For they did coÌ„stantly reiecte the priesthoode of Aaron the sacramentes the sacrifices and choice of dayes of meates and of apparell which Moses had taught their elders And in stéed of al those rites they preached Christ alone and his two Sacraments c. This haue I said hetherto generally touching the abrogation of the law and now againe I will more largely expound the same by seuerall partes The whole lawe is diuided into the Moral the Ceremonial and the Iudicial lawes The Moral lawe nowe is conteyned in the tenne commaundements the first precept whereof doeth teach vs to honour and worshipp one God alone not to match any strange gods with him This coÌ„maundement did oure Lord Iesus in the Gospell so earnestly vrge and diligently teach that wée may perceiue very well that in it nothing is altered The second precept forbiddeth idolatrie that is the worshipping and honouring of al maner images whether they be the images of GOD himself or of any of his creatures But it is knowen that the Apostles in the doctrine of the Gospell did vse all meanes that they could to banishe and driue away all kinde of idolatrie Paule Iohn crie Flee from idolatrie And wheras Christ and his Apostles doe most diligently teach vs to sanctifie glorifie Gods holy name they doe thereby giue their consent to the establishing of the third coÌ„mandement which doth forbid to defile Gods name by taking it in vaine The 4. alone of all the commaundements concerning the sanctifying of the sabboth day is of S. Augustine called Ceremoniall But it must not be simplie vnderstoode to be Ceremoniall For so farre forth as the outward worship of God requireth a certeine appointed time to be exercised in carrieth with it the sacrifices of the lawe so farre I say it is ceremoniall but in respecte that it teacheth to méete in holy assemblies to worship God to pray to preache to be partakers of the sacraments and to offer spiritual sacrifices therein it is eternall not ceremonial As I haue before declared in the exposition of the Sabboth The fifte precept touching
the honour due to parents the Lord himself doth ratifie in the 15. cap. of Matthews Gospel Euen as he doth also very diligently teache the sixte against murther the seuenth against adulterie in the 5. Cap. of y same Gospel The eighth which is against theft is renued by the Apostle whoe giueth charge that no man deceiue his brother and that no mā steale any more but that euery one should labour with his handes that he may haue thinges necessarie for himselfe and be able to giue to him that wanteth The ninthe precepte which is for the brideling of the tongue so that no lye be made nor false witnesse borne against our neighbour is by Christ himselfe and his Apostles cōfirmed so often as they giue rules for the ordering of the tongue and charge euery man to speake the trueth to his neighbour And they also doe condemne euill lustes and affections wherby they do not abrogate but repaire the tenthe commaundement which doth forbid all maner of concupiscence Therefore the whole abrogation of the tenne cōmaundements so farre foorth as they are abrogated doth consist in those points whereof I spake euen now to wit that Christ in faith is our perfecte absolute righteousnesse c. The Apostle bearing witnesse thereunto and saying What the lawe could not doe in as much as it was weak through the flesh God hauing sent his owne sonne in the similitude of sinnefull flesh euen by sinne cōdemned sinne in the flesh that the righteousnesse of the lawe might bee fulfilled in vs which walke not after the flesh but after the spirite As is to be séene in the 8. to the Romans I haue therfore discoursed the brieflier of this matter in this place because I haue at the full spoken of it in the treatise of the tenne commaundements I am nowe come to speake of the Ceremonials These Ceremonials were giuen and graunted vntill the time of amendement to witt vntill Messiah should come Messiah is alreadie come therefore all the Ceremonies euen to the comming death resurrection and ascension of Christ our Lord into the heauens are come to an end and haue no place any longer in the Church of the Christians And yet héere wee must and doe make a difference betwixte the writinges concerning the Ceremonies and the verie things of the Ceremonies that are set downe in writing I meane the very Ceremonies themselues or actions y were vsed For the writings cōcerning the Ceremonies which were set forth by the spirite of God are not taken away from Christians nor abrogated so that they may not be read reteyned or vsed in the Church as I declared in the 2. Sermon of the first Decade For they are effectuall to instructe vs in Christ Iesu while in them we doe behold the maner how Christ was preached and prefigured to the auncient Church of the holy fathers Paul verilie did most significātly preach Christ out of the ceremonies which no man will denie that readeth diligently his Epistle to the Hebrues For hee doeth wōderfully in that Epistle lay Christ and all his gifts before the eyes of all the Church Therfore the Ceremonials both may and ought to be read in the church so yet that in them Christ may be sought and whē he is found be aptly preached And for that cause in the 5. 6. Sermons of this Decade where I handled the Ceremonials I annered vnto them certaine notes of their significations that I might open away for the students of the scriptures and louers of Christ to goe forward procéede in that hind of argument Now the Ceremoniall things or stuffe of the ceremonies of which sort are the priesthoode the place the time the sacrifice whatsoeuer else is like to these are vtterly abrogated so y henceforth they are neither vsed nor haue any place in the Church of Christ This did Ieremie foretel in the 3. Chap. of his prophecie saying In those daies they shal make no more boaste of the arcke of the Lords couenaunt no man shall thincke vppon it neither shall any man make mention of it for from thenceforth it shall neither bee visited neither shall such things be done any more By the arke the Prophete meaneth those poinctes of the lawe which are abolished by the cōming of Christ S. Paule in his Epistle to the Hebrues by the promise that GOD made to Ieremie saying That hee would make a newe couenaunt doeth gather this obseruation In that hee saith a new couenant he hath worne out the first For that which is worne out and waxed old is readie to vanish away The same Apostle to the Ephesians saith Christ is our peace which hath made both one and hath broken downe the middle wall that was a stop betweene vs taking away in his flesh the hatred euen the lawe of cōmaundements cōteyned in ordinances for to make of twaine one newe man in himselfe So making peace Ephes 2. God verily seuered the Iewes from the Gentiles while he chose and consecrated them to be a peculiar people vnto himselfe not by the calling of the woord onely but also by the sacraments For there were ceremonies prescribed and giuē which as a middle wall betwixte the Iewes and the Gentiles should compasse in and conteine the heritage of the Lord so that in the ceremonies the note of difference did consiste wherby the Iewes were knowen to bee the lawefull heires of Gods good promises wherof the Gentiles had no part or portiō But Christ came into the world to the intent that of two people the Iewes the Gentiles he might make one Church and therefore did hée breake downe the middle wall that parted them that is hée did cleane take away the Ceremoniall ordinances which were a stopp betwixt them For Christ in that case did the same that Princes are wont to doe whoe when they goe about to bring two nations that are at variaunce into one kingdome and vnder one authoritie doe first take away the diuersitie of armes which are the cognizaunces of their auncient hatred that when the cause of the remembraunce of the grudge is taken from their eyes they maye the better agrée betwixt themselues in minde and behauiour For euen so did Christ take awaye Circumcision the Sacrifices and all the Ceremonies to the ende that of the Iewes and Gentiles hée mighte make one Church and fellowship Paule to the Colossians compareth the Ceremonies to an obligation or handwriting wherby God hath vs bound as it were so that wée cannot denie the guilt But he saith that wee were so deliuered by Christe from the guilt that the obligation or handwriting was cancelled or torne in péeces But by the cancelling of the handwriting the debitor is acquieted set at libertie And therefore wée read that at the death of our Lord the vaile of the temple was torne in peeces from the bottome vppe to the very toppe that thereby all people might vnderstand both that sinnes
longer any sacrifice for sinne But in the newe testament there is a ful remission of sinns therefore in the newe testament there is no longer any sacrifice offered for sinnes For Christ is onely and alone in stéede of all the sacrifices For hee was once offered vpp and after that is offered no more who by the once offering vp of him selfe hath founde eternall redemption so that all which be sanctified are sanctified by none other oblation but that of Christ vpon the crosse made once for all Wherefore Christ being once offered vppon the crosse for the sinnes of all the world is the burnt offering of the catholique church he is also the meate offeringe which feedeth vs with his fleashe offered vpon the crosse vnto eternal life if wee receiue and feede on him by faith Moreouer he is the drink offering of the churche which with his bloud doth quench the thirste of the faithfull vnto life euerlasting He is the purging and daily sacrifice of the church because he is the lambe of God that taketh away the sinnes of the worlde His death and passion cleanseth all men from their sinnes their errours and iniquities Finally he is y churches sacrifice of thankesgiuinge because by Christ we offer praise to god and by Christe we render thanks vnto the Lorde To conclude the onely supper of the Lorde which wee call the Eucharist conteineth in it all the kindes of auncient sacrifices which are in effect but of two sortes to wite of purging and of attonement as those which were offered for sinne or else of thankesgiuing as those which rendered thankes and offered prayse vnto the Lorde Nowe the supper is a testimonie a sacrament and a remembraunce of the bodie of Christe which was giuen for vs and of his blood that was shedd for the remission of our sinnes For the bodie bloude of our Lord which were but once offered vpon the crosse and neither can nor ought to bee offered any more of men are not sacrificed a freash in the celebration of the supper but in the celebrating of it there is reiterated a remembrance of the thing I meane of the oblation which was but once made and in once offering was sufficient Againe in the supper we render thankes to God for our redemption for which also the vniuersal church doth offer praise vnto his name Wherefore the supper of the Lorde doth comprehend the whole substance and matter which was prefigured in those auncient sacrifices so that in y poynt the church is not destitute of any good or necessarie thing although it doth no longer retaine those sacrifices of the elder church Yea they ought not any longer to be solemnized in the church because when they were nothing else but the figures types and sacraments of Christe to come the church doeth nowe beléeue and that rightly too y Christ is alreadie come and that he hath fulfilled and accomplished all thinges as wée read that he him selfe did testifie when on the crosse he cryed saying It is finished Moreouer all vowes are come to an end because all sacrifices wherin the vowes consisted are vanished gone Likewise the discipline of the Nazarites is nowe decayed because the temple with al the ceremonies belonging thereunto is vaded away There remaineth stil in the church a Christian moderate discipline but not that which is described in y lawe And the Sainctes do perfourme to God the vowes which they haue made in the church not contrary to faith and godlynesse But they are sparing warie and verie religious in making vowes For what haue we to giue to God which we haue not firste receiued at his handes and to the perfourming of which wee were not bounde before in baptisme Christe doth not so distinguish betwixt cleane and vncleane in the Gospel as Moses doth in the lawe That saith hee which entreth into the mouth defileth not the man but that which commeth out of the mouth And the apostle Paule doth flatly say that to the cleane all things are clean And like to this he speaketh muche in the fourteenth to the Romanes and in other places mo In his Epistle to the Colossians hee saith If ye bee dead with Christe from the rudimentes of the world why as liuing in the world are ye led with traditions touch not taste not handle not all which doe perishe in abusing And so forth To Peter also it is said What God hath sanctified that call not thou vnclean Therefore whereas in the Synodall Epistle set forth by the Apostles in the fiftéenth of the Actes both bloud and strangled is forbidden and exempted from the meate of menne that commaundement was not perpetuall but momentanie for a time onely For it pleased the Apostles for charities sake to beare therein with the Iewish nation who otherwise would haue been too stubborne and selfewilled The Iewes at that time did euery daye so rifely heare the reading of the lawe which did expressely forbidde to eate bloud and strangled as if the preaching of the Gospell had not begonne to be sowed among them and therefore they could not but bee greatly offended to sée the Gentiles so lauishly to vse the thinges prohibited Wherefore the Apostles would haue the Gentiles for a time to absteine from the thinges that otherwise were lawful ynough to sée if peraduenture by that meanes they might winne the Iewes to the faith of Christ For the Epistles which Paule wrote a fewe yeares after the counsell at Hierusalem do sufficiently argue that the decree of the Apostles against bloud strangled was not perpetuall But the commaundementes giuen againste thinges offered to idols and against fornication in vsing whereof the Gentiles thought that they did not greately offende are perpetuall because they be morals and of the number of the tenne commaundements But of that matter I haue spokén in another place And nowe because I am come to make mention of the Synodall decree ordeined by the Apostles and elders of the counsell at Hierusalem I thinke it not amisse to recite vnto you dearely beloued as a conclusion to this place the whole Epistle sent by the Synode because it doth beare an euident full and briefe testimonie that the lawe is abrogated after that manner which I haue declared Now this is their Epistle or constitution The Apostles and elders and brethren sende greetings vnto the brethren which are of the Gentiles that are in Antiochia Syria and Cilicia For as much as we haue heard that certeine which departed from vs haue troubled you with wordes and cumbred your myndes saying ye must be circumcised keepe the lawe to whō we gaue no such commaundement it seemed good therefore to vs when we were come together with one accorde to send chosen men vnto you with our beloued Paule and Barnabas men that haue ieoparded their liues for the name of our Lorde Iesus Christ We haue sent therefore Iudas and Silas which shal also tell you the same things by
mouth For it seemed good to the holie Ghoste and to vs to charge you with no more than these necessarie things that is to say that ye absteine from thinges offered to idols and from bloude and from strangled and from fornication frō which if ye keepe your selues ye shal do wel So fare ye wel This is word for worde the Catholique the Synodall Apostolique and Ecclesiasticall Epistle of the counsell helde at Hierusalem both briefe and easie for as the spéeche of trueth is simple so also may true religion and Christian faith be easily layde downe in verie fewe euident wordes Immediately in the beginning after their accustomed manner of subscribing and inscribing their Epistle they do out of hand fall too and touche the false apostles with whom Paule and Barnabas were in controuersie and do declare what kind of doctrine that of the false prophets was which they had til then preached vnto y churches as the catholique true and apostolique doctrine to wite that they which wil be saued must bee circumcised and keepe the lawe of Moses For they thought not that faith in Christe without the helpe of the lawe was sufficient ynough to full and absolute iustification They made their bostes that they were sent from Hierusalem by the Apostles and disciples of the Lord who did all with one consent teach the same doctrine that they did preache and they saide that Paul with his companion Barnabas alone did schismatiquelike sowe in the churches a certein doctrine peculiar to him selfe touching faith which iustifieth without the woorkes of the lawe Wherfore the Apostles streight ways after the beginning of their Epistle do declare what they thinke of such false teachers and their vnwarranted doctrine Wee confesse saye they that those false teachers went from hence out of Hierusalem but we deny that they were either sent or instructed by vs For we gaue no commandement to any such And so they do testifie y it is vtterly false which those fellowes taught to wite that the Apostles and Disciples of the Lorde did preach That the lawe is requisite to full iustification Yea they do yet go on more plainly to declare what the doctrine of those false Apostles was They trouble you saye they with wordes and cumber your mindes cōmaunding you to be circumcised to keepe the lawe The summe therfore of their doctrine was y vnlesse a man were circumcised did kéepe the lawe he could not be saued Whereby they did ascribe saluation to y kéepinge of the lawe or to the merite of their workes Vnto this doctrine the Apostles do attribute two perillous effectes The first is They trouble you with wordes They be woordes saye they which do rather amaze then appease cōfort or pacifie your minds yea they doe trouble you so that ye can not tell what to beléeue or whereto to trust do moreouer stirre vp strifes discordes and iarrings amonge you To these wordes of the Apostles doeth Paule séeme to haue alluded in his Epistle to the Galathians saying I marueile that ye are so soone turned from Christ which called you by grace vnto another gospel which is not an other gospel in deede but that there besome which trouble you and intēd to peruert the gospel of Christ The latter effect is They cūber or weaken your mindes For they which leane to the lawe to woorkes haue nothinge stable or stedfast in their mindes For since the lawe requireth a moste exact absolute righteousnesse doth thereby kill because such righteousnesse is not found in vs therfore those minds are weakened subuerted that are taught to leane to the woorkes of the lawe which lawe no man doth kéepe as of right he ought to do Therefore Paule to the Romanes saith If they that do belong vnto the lawe are heires then is faith vaine and the promise made of none effect And immediately after againe Therefore the heritage is giuē by faith as according to grace that the promise may be sure to all the seede c. The false apostles therefore did subuerte and weaken mindes by teachinge that saluation is gotten by the lawe which verily is a grieuous iudgement againste those which with them do teache the like Then also they do with like libertie goe on to the other side to shewe their opinion of Paule and Barnabas yea they doe adourne them as their messingers with a moste holie testimoniall to the ende that they maye amonge all men haue the more authoritie and that all men may vnderstand that betwixt them twaine and the other Apostles there was a ful agréement and consent of doctrine religion Wee being gathered together with one accorde saye they haue sent messingers vnto you Lo here of the false apostles they testified that they sent them not nor gaue them any commaundement but these men they sende and doe with one accorde giue them a commaundement But who be they whome they sende Our beloued Paule and Barnabas which haue ieoparded their liues for the name of Christe Iesus These twaine are most choice Apostles and holie glorious martyrs our dearely beloued brethren beeing of the same religion and doctrine with vs who haue declared what their liues and doctrine is by their manifolde vertues and manfull suffering of perill and daungers But for because Paule and Barnabas were them selues no small doers in that controuersie and disputation there were ioyned to them two other chosen men Iudas and Silas to the ende that they might indifferently without suspicion declare the thinges which in the counsell were alledged for both sides as I meane to shewe you in the exposition of the general decrée For now they do in fewe words cōprehēd y verie decrée of y who le vniuersal synode in the laying down wherof they do first of al name the author of the decrée saying It seemed good to the holy ghost to vs. They first set the holy Ghost and then them selues making him to be the author of truth and them selues to be the instruments by which he worketh For hee worketh in the Churche by the ministerie of men But mens authoritie without the inspiration of the holie Ghoste is none at all Therfore do the Apostles verie significantly say It seemed good to the holie Ghost and to vs. That is after that we were assembled in the Synode to treate of the matter of iustification and of the lawe about which thinges Paule and his aduersaries did stand in controuersie wee followed not our owne iudgements neither did wee vse proofes of our owne inuentions but searching out hearing the doctrine of the holie Ghoste we do vppon his warrant write this vnto you In the seconde place they do set downe the summe of the decrée saying That wee might not charge you with greater burthens than these necessarie thinges that is to say that ye absteine from thinges offered to idols and from bloud and from strāgled and from fornication Therefore saye they the doctrine
without all filthie vncleane beastlynesse Last of all hee willeth the Gentiles to be restrayned of eating bloud and strangled He addeth the cause why and saith For Moses of olde time hath in euery citie them that preache him in the Synagogues where hee is read euery Sabboth daye Of which constitution touching bloud and strangled I spake somewhat before that I made this same digression Nowe therefore since the matter is at that pointe it is euident that they are without a cause offended with Sainct Iames which thinke that he did without all right and reason make and publishe this decree and that the fruite of that Synode was verie perillous nothing healesome and flatly contrary to Christian libertie For it is assuredly certeine that the meaning of Iames did in no poynte differ from the minde of Sainct Paule who neuerthelesse did verie well and praisworthily saye Let vs followe the things that make for peace and thinges wherewith we may one edifie an other Destroy not the work of God for meates sake All thinges are pure but it is euil for that man that eateth with offence It is good neither to eate flesh nor to drinke wine nor any thing whereby thy brother stumbleth or falleth or is made weake c. Romanes 14. It is also moste certeine that Sainct Paule who was so sharpely set to defend the Christian libertie that hee withstood Peter openly at Antioche would not haue beene behinde hand to resist Sainct Iames if he had thought that this constitution either had béen or should bée preiudiciall to Christian libertie Verily hee woulde neither haue preached nor yet commended this tredition of y Apostles to the churches of the Gentiles if hee had not thoughte that it had béene both hoalesome and profitable for them all to embrace But he did preache and commende it vnto the churches as is to be séene in the sixtéenth of the Actes and therfore is sainct Iames without a cause murmured against of some because hee for badd to eate bloud and strangled Finally the conclusion of their Epistle is From which if ye keep your selues ye do well So fare ye well They praise that abstinence and teach it as a good woorke because it is also commended to vs in all the Scriptures Thus haue I digressed not farre I trust from our purpose to speake of the decrée of the apostolique Synode helde at Hierusalem and thus muche at this time touching the abrogation of the ceremoniall lawes It remaineth here for mée to saye somewhat concerning the abrogation of the Iudiciall lawes Nowe therefore the Iudiciall lawes doe séeme to be abrogated in this sense because no Christian common weale no citie or kingdome is compelled to be bound to receiue those verie same lawes which were by Moses in that nation according to the time place state published and set out of olde Therefore euery countrie hath frée libertie to vse such lawes as are best and most requisite for the estate and necessitie of euery place and of euery time and persons so yet that the substance of Gods lawes be not reiected troden downe and vtterly neglected For the things which are agréeable to the lawe of nature and the tenne commaundements and whatsoeuer else God hath commaunded to bee punished must not in anye case bee either cleane forgotten or lightly regarded Nowe the ende whereunto all these lawes do tende is that honestie maye flourish peace and publique tranquillitie be firmely mainteined iudgement and iustice be rightly executed Of which because I haue at large disputed in the exposition of the precept Thou shalt doe no murther I will here be coÌ„tent to be so much the briefer The holie Apostle Paule commaundeth to obey the magistrate he aloweth of the authoritie of the sword which he confesseth that the magistrate hath not in vaine receiued at the hande of god And therefore he did not dissallowe or finde faulte with the election of the magistrate the vse of the sworde the execution of the iudgement and iustice nor with vpright ciuil lawes Now whosoeuer doth conferre the lawes and constitutions of Princes kings Emperours or Christian magistrates which are to be found either in the Code in the booke of Digestes or Pandectes in the volume of newe Constitutions or else in anye other bookes of good lawes of sundrie nations with these Iudiciall lawes of God he must néedes confesse that they drawe verie néere in likenesse and do verie well agrée one with an other Iustinian the Emperour forbad by law either to sel or otherwise to make awaye the possessions of the church things consecrated vnto god For the sincere confessing and pure mainteining of the catholique faith the Emperours Gratian Valentinian Theodosius did make a moste excellent holie law Constantine the great gaue charge to Taurus one of his lieuetenauntes to shutte the idol temples and with the sworde to destroye suche rebeiles as went about to sett them open and to do sacrifice in them That lawes were made for the reliefe of the poore and that kinges and emperours had a care ouer them it is to be séene in more places than one of the Emperours lawes and constitutions It is verie certeine y whosoeuer readeth the Code lib. 1. tit 2. he shal finde much matter belonging to this argument For the honest trayning vp of children and the liberal susteining of aged parents there are verie commeÌ„dable lawes in the bookes of the heathens Concerning the authoritie y parentes haue ouer their childreÌ„ there is mâ—châ— many things to be found in writingâ— likewise of wedlock of incâ—st 〈◊〉 marriages Honoriê° Aâ—cadiê° many other princes haue made verie tollerable laudable decrées where they speake also verie well and wisely of the lawe of diuorcement But if I go on to add or oppose to euery seuerall title of the Iudiciall lawes conteined in this sermon sundrie and peculiar lawes out of the decrées of Christian Princes I shall I knowe be too tedious vnto your patience For then would this treatise passe the time of an ordinarie sermon Let it therefore suffice vs at this time by the declaration of these notes to haue opened and made a way to the diligeÌ„t louers of the truth to come to the vnderstanding of other things which we haue here omitted and that they may beléeue that the substance of Gods Iudiciall lawes is not taken awaye or abolished but that the ordering and limitation of them is placed in the will and arbitrement of good Christian princes so yet that they ordeine and appoinct that which is iuste and equall as the estate of the time place and persons shall best require that honestie and publique peace may be thereby preserued and god the father duely honoured through his onely begotten sonne Christe Iesus to whome all praise is due for euer For we do sée that the Apostles of Christe did neither require nor coÌ„maunde any nation in the administration of politique affaires to binde them selues to
the first precept thou shalt referre the feare the faith loue of God with assured hope perseuearing patience constancie inuincible in trouble and afflictions To the second belongeth the true and sincere worship wherwith God is pleased with the vtter refusall of all superstition and peruerse religion Vppon the third doeth depende the reuerence of Gods Maiestie the frée confession of his might the holie inuocation of his name and the sanctification of the same In the fourth is comprehended the moderate conseruation of the Ecclesiasticall Ceremonies y preaching of Gods word publique prayers whatsoeuer else doeth belonge to the outward seruice or externall worship due to god To the fifte thou mayest annexe the naturall loue of children toward their parents of men toward their countrie kinese-folkes the due obedience that we owe to the magistrates and all in authoritie and lastly the offices of ciuil humanitie To the sixte thou shalt ioyne iustice and iudgement the protection of widowes orphanes the deliuering of the oppressed and afflicted weldoing to all men and doing hurt to no man To the seuenth thou shalt add the faith of wedded couples the offices of marriage the honest and Godly bringing vp of childrē with the studie of chastitie temperance and sobrietie To the eighth is to bee reckoned vpright dealing in cōtracts liberalitie bountifulnesse and hospitalitie Vnder y ninthe is couched the studie of trueth through al our life time faith in words déeds with decēt honest profitable speach In the tenth and last thou mayest remember good affections holie wishes with all holy and honest thoughts And so this is the compendious platforme of good workes Nowe if thou desire to haue it more briefly expressed than this that thou séest then turne thee selfe hearken to the wordes of Christ our Lord who gathereth these 10. into two principall points saith Thou shalt loue the Lord thy God with all thy heart with al thy soul with al thy mind thy neighbour as thy selfe Whatsoeuer therefore yee would that men shuld do to you euen so do ye to thē Vppon these precepts of the Lord let all the faithful which desire to doe good works most surely fixe their eyes and minds that too so much the more diligently and constantly as they doe more surely and euidently perceiue see that God in the lawe the prophets doeth require nothing else nor any other works at the hands of his electe chosen seruants Go to now therefore let vs heare out of the holy Prophets some such euidēt testimonies touching good woorks as do consent wholie agree with the lawe of the lord Moses in Deut. crieth And now Israel what doeth the Lord thy God require of thee but to feare the Lord thy God to walk in al his wayes to loue him to serue the Lord thy God with all thy hart and with all thy soule That thou keepe the cōmandements of the Lord and his ordinances which I cōmaund thee this day And the kinglye Prophete Dauid in the 15. Psalme asketh this questiō Lord who shal dwel in thy tabernacle And presently answereth it himselfe saying Euen hee that walketh vprightly doeth the thing that is iust right And so forth as is conteined in the 10. cōmaundemēts Esaie also in his 33. cap. moueth the same question and answereth it euen so as Dauid had done before him Ieremie in the 21. chap. doth vrge and reiterate these woords to the Iewes Thus the Lord cōmaundeth Keepe equitie and righteousnes deliuer the oppressed from the power of the violent do not greeue nor oppresse the strāger the fatherles nor the widow and shedd no innocent bloud in this place And Ezechiel in his 18. cap. knitteth vp a beadrowe of good workes in no point vnlike to these sauing only y it is somewhat more largly amplified In Osée the Lord saith I desire mercie more than sacrifice the knowledge of God more than whole burnt offerings Micheas doth diligently inquire what the worshipper of God should do to please him with all what workes he should doe to delight the Lord and immediatly by the inspiration of the holy Ghoste he maketh aunswere saying I will shewe thee O man what is good and what the Lord requireth of thee namely to doe iustly to loue mercie and with reuerence to walke before thy God. In like maner the Prophete Zacharie to them that demaunded of him certaine questions touching vertues such good woorkes as please the Lord gaue this answere saying Thus sayeth the Lord of hostes Execute true iudgement shewe mercie and louing kindenesse euerie man to his brother doe the widowe the fatherlesse the straunger and the poore no wronge Let no man imagine euill in his heart against his brother neither bee ye louers of false othes for these are the thinges which I do hate sayeth the Lord. With this doctrine of the Prophets doth the preaching of the Euangelists and Apostles fullie agrée teaching in euerie place that charitie righteousnesse and innocencie are the scoape summe of all good woorkes The Apostle Iames sayeth Pure religion and vndefiled before God and the father is this To visite the father lesse and widowes in their aduersitie to kepe himself vnspotted of the world It remayneth now for me to drawe to an end and in the rest that is yet be hind to be spoken touching the descriptiō of good works to confer places of the Scripture for the confirmation plaine exposition of the same Now therfore we said y good works in déed are wrought by them that are regenerate to the glorie of God the ornamēt of our life and the profite of our neighbour For the Lord in the Gospell prescribeth this end to good works where he saith Let your lighte so shine before men that they may see your good workes and glorifie your father whiche is in heauen The Apostle Paul also oftener than once exhorting vs to good woorks doth as a most effectuall cause to sett them forward add That by those workes of ours we may adorne the doctrine of oure Lord and Sauiour Christ Iesus And euen as a comelie and cleanely garment adorneth a man so doe good workes in déede set foorth the life of Christian people For herevppon it riseth that the Apostles of Christe did so often persuade vs to put off the old man and put on the newe which is created to the similitude and likenesse of god For thereby wee obteine both honour and glorie We both are and are called the seruaunts yea and the sonnes of oure Lord and God whose propertie and vertue shineth in vs to the glorie and praise of his holy name And as hée doth require good works at our hands so if we do them we on the one side do please and delight him and hee on the other doeth honour vs againe as may bee proued by many testimonies of the holy Scripture But the thing it selfe is so plaine
consequently to euerie signe his seuerall limins S. Augustine In opusculo S 2. quaestionuÌ„ Quist 45. confuting soundly the destinies of Planets amonge other his reasons sayeth The conceyuing of twinns in the mothers woÌ„be because it is made in one and the same acte as the Physicians testifie whose discipline is farre more certeine and manifest than that of the Astrologers doeth happen in so small a moment of time thaâ— there is not so much time as two minuts of a minute betwixt the conceyuing of the one and the other How therfore commeth it that in twinnes of one burden there is so great a diuersitie of deâ—des wills and chaunces considering that they of necessitie must neds haue one and the same planet in their conception and that the Mathematicals do giue the constellation of them both as if it were but of one man To these woordes of S. Augustine great light maye bee added if you annexe to them and examine narrowely the example of Esau and Iacobs birth and sundrie dispositions The same Augustine writing to Boniface against two epistles of the Pelagians Lib. 2. cap. 6. sayeth They which affirme that destinie doeth rule will haue not onely our deeds and euents but also our very wils to depend vpon the placeing of the starres at the time wherin euerie man is either conceyued or borne whiche placeings they are wonte to call Constellations But the grace of God doth not onely goe aboue all starres and heauens but also aboue the verie Angels them selues Moreouer these disputers for destinie do attribute to destinie both the good and euil that happen to men But God in the euils that fall vppon men doth duely and worthily recompence them for their ill desertes but the good which they haue he doth bestowe vppon them not for their merites but of his owne fauour mercifull goodnesse through grace that cannot be looked for of duetie laying both good and euil vppon vs men not through the temporall course of planets but by the déepe and eternall counsell of his seueritie and goodnes So then wée sée that neither the fallinge out of good or euill hath any relation vnto y planets Therefore this place may be concluded with the wordes of the Lorde in the Prophet Ieremie saying Thus saith the Lorde ye shal not learne after the manner of the heathen and ye shall not be atraide for the tokens of heauen for the heathen are afraide of such yea all the obseruations of the Gentiles are vanitie For the planets haue no force to doe either good or euill And therefore the blame of sinnes is not to bee imputed therevnto I haue now to proue vnto you that God is not the cause of sinne or the author of euill God saye they would haue it so For if he would not haue had it so I had not sinned For who may resist his power Againe since he could haue letted it and would not he is the author of my sinne and wickednesse As though wee knewe not the craftie quarels and subtile shiftes of mortal men Whâ— I pray you knoweth not that God doth not deale with vs by his absolute power but by an appointed lawe and ordinance I meane by commodious meanes a probable order God could I know by his absolute power kéepe off all euil but yet he neither can nor wil either corrupt or marre his creature excellent order Hee dealeth with vs men therefore after the manner of men he appointeth vs lawes and layeth before vs rewardes punishements he commaundeth to imbrace the good and eschue the euill to the perfourming whereof he doth neither denye vs his grace without which we can do nothing neither doeth he despise our diligent good wil and earnest trauaile Herein if man bee slacke the negligence and fault is imputed to man him selfe and not to God although he could haue kept off the sinne and did not for it was not his duetie to kéepe it off least peraduenture hee should disturbe the order and destroy the work which he him self had made and ordeined Therefore God is not the author of sinne or naughtinesse Touching which matter I will firste adde some testimonies of the holie Scripture then aunswere to sundry obiections of the aduersaries of this doctrine and lastly declare the originall cause or headspring of sinne and wickednesse The testimonies which teach that God is not the author of sinne or naughtinesse are many in number but among the rest this is an argument of greatest force and probabilitie because God is saide to be good naturally and that all which he created were made good in their creation Whervppon it is that Solomon saith God hath not made death neither hath he delight in the destruction of the liuing for he created all thinges that they might haue their being and the beginnings of the world were health full there is no poyson of destruction in them nor the kingdome of hell vppon the earth for righteousenesse is immortall but vnrighteousnesse bringeth death and the vngodly call it to them both with wordes and woorkes and thereby come to nought And so forth as is to be séen in the firste Chapter of the booke of wisedome which wordes do passingly agrée with y firste Chapters of that most excellent prophet Moses In the fifth Psalme Dauid saith Thou art the God that hast no pleasure in wickednesse neither shal any euil dwell with thee the vniust shall not stande in thy sight for thou hatest all them that woorke iniquitie thou shalt destroy them that speake leasing the Lord doth abhorre both the bloudthirstie deceiptful man. Lo thou canst deuise nothing more contrarie to the nature of God than sinne nauâ—htinesse as thou mayest more at large perceiue in the 34 Chapter of the booke of Iob. The wiseman saith God created man good but they sought out many inuentions of their owne And therefore the Apostle Paule deriueth sinne damnation and death not from God but from Adam and from God he fetcheth grace forgiuenesse life through the mediatour Iesus Christe That place of Paule is farre more manifest than that it néedeth any large exposition let it onely bee considered and diligently weighed of the Readers and hearers whome I woulde wishe alwayes to beare in mouth and mynde the verie wordes meaning of this notable sentence Euen as by one man sinne entred into the worlde and death by sinne And so foorth as followeth The same Apostle in the seuenth to the Romanes doeth euidently declare that the lawe is holie the commaundement good and iust and therby he doth insinuate that in God or in his will there is not and in his lawe which is the will of God there springeth not any spott or blurre of sinne or naughtinesse In our fleash saith he the euil lurketh and out of vs iniquitie ariseth I knowe saith hee that in mee that is in my fleshe there is no good In that Chapter there are many sentences to be founde which doe
God created Adam and so consequently created sinne in Adam To this wee aunswere that sinne is the corruption of the good nature made by God and not a creature created by God either in or with man God created man good but man beeing left to his owne counsell did through the persuasion of Satan by his owne action and depraued will corrupte the goodnesse that God created in him so nowe that sinne is proper to man I meane mannes corrupt action against the lawe of God and not a creature created in him of god To this they replie but the will and abilitie that was in Adam was it from else where than from God him selfe vndoubtedly no it was from god Therefore saye they sinne is of GOD. I denye it for God gaue not to Adam will and power of working to the ende that he should worke euil For by expresse commaundement he forbadd him to do wickednesse Therfore Adam him selfe did naughtily applye the will and power which he receiued of God by vsing them vntowardly The prodigall sonne receiued money at his fathers hand whose meaning was not that he shuld waste it prodigally with riottous lyuing but that hee might haue wherevppon to liue and supplye the want of his necessities Wherefore when he had lauishly lasht it out and vtterly vndone him selfe the fault was in him selfe for abusing it and not in his father for giuing it vnto him Furthermore to haue the power to doe good and euill as Adam had of God is of it selfe a thing without fault euen as also to haue poyson to beare a weapon or weare a swoorde is a thing that no man can worthily blame They haue in them a force to doe good or harme They are not naught vnlesse they be abused And hee that giueth thee them doeth leaue to thee the vse thereof If hee bee a iust man hee putteth them into thy hande not to abuse but to vse as equitie and right requireth Wherefore if thou abusest them the faulte is imputed to thee selfe and not to him that gaue thée them Nowe since God which gaue Adam that will and power is of him selfe moste absolutely iust it followeth consequently that hee gaue them to Adam not to doe euil but good why then is the moste iuste God blamed in such a case as sinfull man is without all blame in Wee do therfore conclude because affection in Adam beeing moued by sense and egged on by the serpent did persuade him to eate of the forbidden fruite when neuerthelesse his vnderstanding did yet holde the worde of God which forbadde him to eate and that his will was at free choyce and libertie to incline to whether parte it pleased him he did notwithstanding will and choose that which God had forbidden him wee do therefore I saye conclude that sinne is properly to be imputed to man which willingly transgressed and not to God which charged him that hee shoulde not sinne Here againe the aduersaries aske this question why did God create man so fraile that he of his owne will might incline to euill why did hee not rather confirme in him the goodnesse and perfecte soundnesse of nature that he could not haue fallen or sinned To this the Scripture aunsweareth saying What art thou that disputest with God woe to him that striueth with his maker Wo to him that saith to the father why begottest thou and to the mother why broughtest thou foorth Vnlesse God had made man fallable there had béene no praise of his workes or vertue For hee coulde neither haue willed nor choosed but of necessitie haue béene good Yea what if man ought altogether to be made fall-able For so did the counsell of God require him to bee God giueth not his owne glorie to any creature Adam was a man and not a god But to be good of necessitie is the proper glorie of God and of none but god And as God is bountifull and liberall so also is he iust He doth good to men but will therewithall that men acknowledge him and his benefites and that they obey him and bee thankfull for the same He had bestowed innumerable benefites vppon Adam there lacked nothing therefore but to giue him an occasion to declare shewe his thankfulnesse and obedience to his good God and benefactour Which occasion hee offered him by the making of the lawe or giuing his commandement We sée therefore that God ordeined not that lawe to bee a stumblinge blocke in Adams waye but rather to bee a staffe to staye him from falling For in the lawe he declareth what he would haue him to doe He sheweth that he wisheth not the death or destruction of Adam he teacheth him what to do that he may escape death and liue in felicitie perfect happinesse For which cause also hee prouided that the lawe should be a plaine and easie commandement Of the tree of knowledge of good and euil thou shalt not eat saith the Lorde for if thou doest thou shalt dye the death but of any other tree in the garden thou shalt eate What else was this than as if hee shoulde haue saide thou shalt in all thinges haue an eye to mée thou shalt stick to mee obey mee be subiect vnto mee and serue mee neither shalt thou frō elsewhere ferche the formes of good euil than of mee and in so dding thou shalt shewe thy self obedient thankfull vnto mee thy maker Did God in this desire any vniust thinge or more than he should at the hands of Adam He shewed him the trée as a sacramēt or signe of that which he inioyned him by the giuing of the law to wite that the trée might be a token to put him in memorie that he ought to obey the Lord alone as a wise bountiful excellent and greatest God and maker And what difficultie I pray you or darknesse was there herein Sainct Augustine is of the same opinion with vs who in his booke De natura boni aduersus Manichaeos Cap. 35. saith He did therefore forbidd it that hee might shewe that the nature of the reasonable soule ought to be not in mannes owne power but in subiection vnto God and that by obedience it keepeth the order of her saluation which by disobedience it doeth corrupt and marre And herevppon it commeth that he called the trée which he forbadd by the name of the trée of knowledge of good and euil because Adam if hee touched it against the Lordes commaundement shoulde by tryall feele the punishmēt of his sinne and by that meanes knowe what difference there was betwixt the good y followeth obedience the euil which ensueth the sinne of disobediēce Now therefore when the Serpēt was crept in and beganne to tell man of other fourmes of good and euil directly contrary to the lawe of God and that mā had once receiued them as thinges both true and credible hee did disloyally reuolt from God and by his owne fault through disobedience hee wrought his owne destruction Therefore
resist or gainesay them when wée may The Apostle Paul forbiddeth Timothie to lay hands on any man hastilie nor to communicate with other mens sinnes Therefore to giue an vnfitt man orders and to place him in the Ecclesiasticall ministerie is that kind of sinne which wée doe call an Others sinne For to thée is worthilie imputed what vnséeméelinesse soeuer is committed against God his Church by the ignoraunce of the man whome thou hast so ordeined They sinne an Others sinne whiche offer violence and doe by tormentes and threatenings compell men to denie the truth or to commit some heynous offence For the deniall of the trueth is Peccatum alienum an Others sinne to him whiche compelleth the denier to renounce it and therwithall to the same man his Owne sinne in respecte of himselfe is impietie tyrannie sacrilege and murther for causing the other to renounce the trueth Where by the way wée are well admonished that of sinnes some are wilfull and some vnwilfull or inforced They call that the vnwillfull sinne whiche is committed either by an other mans inforceing or else by oure owne ignoraunce Therefore that whiche is done neither by compulsion nor by ignoraunce is concluded to bee the voluntarie or willfull sinne Againe of inforced sinne they make two sortes whereof they call one absolute the other conditionall Nowe they thincke that the absolute violent sinne is when it lyeth not in vs either to do or not to doe but when it commeth from some other man without the consent of him to whome the violence is offered Euen as if the wind should driue vs to any place vnlooked for Or if the kinges officers doe perforce compell thy handes to offer incense to idols while thou to thy power resistest and doest denie it so farre as thou canst In such a case they acquite the man so compelled from all blame punishment and reproche Nowe touching the seconde kinde of violent sinne whiche they call conditional they thincke that it riseth vppon sundrie causes But that wee maye not sticke to longe vppon this pointe wée doe simplie saye The vnwilfull or violent sinne either hath or hath not the consent of him whiche is compelled If hee giue his consent as for example either to the renouncing of the Euangelicall trueth whiche hée hath hetherto professed or to the cōmitting of other gréeuous and horrible crimes then is not the man compelled voyde of blame For neither can the feare of death nor torments be an excuse for him Choose death rather than to denie the trueth to committ anye heynous crime or to bée compelled to consent to a wicked and horrible sinne If thou shalt rather choose to die than to doe a filthie déede the tyraunt shall not inforce or compell thée against thy will. Hee maye in déede kill thee but to compell thée to doe euill againste thy will hee is not able For by dyinge thou confesseste the trueth and by dyinge thou declarest that thou wilt not doe that whiche while thou lyueste they doe exacte of thée And by that meanes they neyther ouercome nor compell thée but are themselues ouercome and compelled to sée and haue triall of that which gréeueth them full soare Antiochus Epiphanes did what hee mighte to haue polluted the holie bodies of the Machabees with the vse of vncleane and forbidden meate But they choosinge ratherto die than by liuing to bée defiled did by dyinge ouercome the tyraunte and could not bée compelled And verilie it is a thing receiued and approued amonge all professours of sounde Religion that death and all extremities whatsoeuer must sooner bée tasted than any thing committed which is by Nature filthie and repugnaunt to religion To procéede nowe if consent bée not giuen but méere and vnauoydable violence is offered to a godly man for héere wée make a difference béetwixte him that vppon compulsion doeth yéeld to doe wickednesse and him whiche by compulsion cannot bée broughte vnto it that violence spotteth not his vncorrupt and holy mind As for example if a Godly man hauing his feete bound and armes fast pynnioned bée perforce brought into an idole Temple and there compelled to be present at their detestable sacrifice or if an vnspotted virgin or honest matrone bée in the warres or barbarous broiles villanousiye abused without their consent to the déede doing and cannot haue leaue rather to die vntouched then so to bee vndecently handled shée is assure your selues vnspotted before the face of god For verie wisely said Saincte Augustine Not to suffer vniustly but to doe vniustlie is sinne before GOD Lib. de Libero arbitrio 3. Capit. 16. Againe De Mendacio ad Consentium Capit. 7. hee sayeth That whiche the bodie where luste went not before doeth violently suffer ought rather to bee called vexation than corruption Or if all vexation bee corruption yet all corruption is not filthie but that corruption onely whiche luste hath procured or wherevnto lust hath consented Againe in his first booke De Ciuitate Dei Capit. 18. hee sayeth Where the purpose of the minde remayneth cōstant by which the bodie is sanctified there the offered violence of an others luste taketh not from the bodie the purposed holinesse which the constant perseuearance of the parties owne chastitie doeth still reteine Much more like to this hath hée in the same place and also in the sixtéenthe ninetéenth and twentie eighth Chapiters of the same booke c. So also wée must thincke the best of the vnwillfull death of men beside their wittes that in their maddnesse kill them selues For otherwise it can not bee founde in the Canonicall books of holie Scripture that GOD did either giue leaue or commaundement to vs mortall men to kill oure selues thereby the sooner to obteine immortalitie or to auoyd some imminent euill For it must be vnderstoode that wée are forbidden so to doe by the lawe whiche sayeth Thou shalt not kill namely since hée addeth not Thy neighbour as hée did in the other precept where he forbiddeth to beare false witnesse For béecause he nameth not thy neighbour hée doeth in that precepte include thée selfe also Therefore is the doctrine of Seneca to be vtterly condemned whiche counselleth men in miserie to dispatche themselues that by death their miserie maye be ended And Saincte Augustine disputing against them that doe therefore murther themselues béecause they wil not bée subiecte to other mens filthie lustes doeth saye If it bee a detestable crime and a damnable sinne for a man to murther himselfe as the truth doeth manifestly crie that it is who is so madd to saye Let vs sinne now least peraduenture hereafter we happen to sinne Let vs nowe committ murther least hereafter perhappes wee fall into adulterie If iniquitie haue so farre the vpper hande that not innocencie but mischiefe is most set bye is it not better by liuinge to hazard the chaunce of an vncerteine deflouration in time to come than by dying to commit a certaine murther in the
appointed keeping still the prescribed course to the ende also that man might bee so much the more readie to keepe Gods Lawes when hee perceiued that euen the very elements did obserue keepe them Last of all hee setteth man to bee Lord ouer the world whome he made to the likenesse and Image of GOD to whome hee gaue reason witt and wisedome that hee mighte imitate God whose bodie althoughe it were made of earth was yet-not-withstanding inspired with the substaunce of the heauenly breathe and Spirite of god To whome when hee had put all thinges in subiection he would haue him alone to bee free without subiection And least that libertie beeing let loose at randon might come into perill againe hee gaue a commaundement by the meanes of whiche commaundement it could not be said that euill was out of hande or by-and-by present in the fruite but should then be in it when once he perceiued in the will of man the contempt of that commaundemente For both hee ought to bee free least the Image of GOD should seeme to bee bonde bond vndecently and also a lawe was to bee giuen least at any time the vnbrideled libertie shuld breake out to the contempt of him that gaue the libertie that he might consequently receiue either due rewards of obedience or merites of punishment for disobedieÌ„ce hauing that giuen him to whether part he was willing by the motion of the minde for to incline whereby the enuie of mortalitie doth returne to him who when by obedience he might haue escaped it did yet runne headlonge into it while hee made too much hast to become a god c. The same add in the partes aboue the firmament whiche are not now to be beheld of our mortal eyes that first there were ordeined Angels then there were ordered spirituall vertues then there were placed thrones and powers and many other vnmeasurable spaces of the heauens and that many works of holie things were there created c. Thus farre Tertullian Now the summe of all this is God did by his power create of nothinge heauen earth and the sea whiche hee did immediately adorne and enriche with all kindes of good thinges And into this world which taketh y name of the furniture that is in it as in a most sumptuous palace well furnished with all sort of excellent necessaries it pleased him to bring man to whome he did put all thinges in subiection as Dauid doeth with wondering merueyling set it forth where he sayth O Lord our gouernour how excellâ—t is thy name in all the world For thy glorie is lifte vpp aboue the heauens Out of the mouthes of verie babes and sucklinges hast thou ordeined strength beecause of thine enimies that thou mayest destroy the enimie and the auenger For I will consider the heauens euen the works of thy fingers the moone and the starres whiche thou hast ordeined What is man that thou art so mindefull of him or the sonne of man that thou hast care ouer him Thou madest him somewhat lower than the Angels or than God thou crownest him with glorie and honour thou madest him to haue dominion of the workes of thy handes Thou hast put all thinges in subiection vnder his feete sheepe and oxen and the beastes of the field the foules of the ayre and the fishes of the sea which walke thoroughe the pathes of the sea O Lord our gouernour howe excellent is thy name in all the world Psalme 8. The same againe in an other place doeth say The heauens are thine O God the earth is thine thou hast layed the foundation of the rounde world and all that therein is The day is thine and the night is thine thou hast ordeined the lights and the Sunne thou layedst al the borders of th' earth thou hast made both Summer and winter Nowe who is so very a sot as that he doeth not by these proofes easilie gather howe great our GOD is howe great the power of God is how good riche and liberall to man who neuer deserued any such thinge at his hand our GOD is whiche hath created so great riches so exquisite delights and such furniture as caÌ„not be sufficiently praised for man alone and hath made them all subiecte and will haue them all to obey man as their Lord and maister But héere by the waye in the creation of the world we haue to consider the preseruation and gouernement of the whole by the same GOD. For neither doeth the worlde stand and endure by any power of it owne neither doe those things moue and stirre of their owne accord or as wee saye at all aduentures whiche are stirred or moued howe so-euer For the Lord in the Gospell sayeth My father woorketh hetherto and I woorke And Paule sayeth God by his sonne hath made the worlds and doeth rule and vphold them with the word of his power And againe By God we liue and moue and haue our being And againe God left not himself without witnes in that he shewed his benefites from heauen giuing vs raine and fruitefull seasons filling our hearts with foode and gladnesse And Theodorete De prouideÌ„tia sayeth It is a most absurd thinge to saye that God hath created all thinges but that hee hath no care of the thinges which he hath made that his creature as a boate destitute of a steirsemaÌ„ is with coÌ„trarie winds tossed to fro and knockt crackt vppon shelues and rocks Therfore in this place we haue to say somewhat of Gods prouidence and gouernment which all the wicked together with the Epicures doe at this daye denie saying in their hearts Is it likely that he that dwelleth in heauen shuld regard the things on earth And doth the Almightie obserue and marcke the very smallest of our words and works He hath giuen to all creatures a certeine inclination and nature which he hath made their owne and so leaueth them now in the hand of their owne counsell that they of their owne nature maye moue increase perish and do euen what they lust Tush God neither knoweth nor doeth greatly trouble himselfe about these toyes Thus do the wicked reason very wickedly but the Scripture dothe expressely in many places pronounce proue that God by his prouidence doeth care for and regard the state of mortall men of all the thinges that hee hath made for the vse of mortall men And therefore here it is profitable and necessarie to cite some testimonies out of the holy scriptures for the proofe of this argument Dauid in his Psalmes sayth The Lord shal reigne for euer and his kingdome is a kingdome of al ages and his dominion froÌ„ generation to generation Loe The kingdome of God sayeth he is a kingdome of all ages and his dominion throughout all generations Therfore God hath not onelye created the world and all thinges that are in the world but doth also gouerne and preserue them at this daye and shall
God in whome God might dwel and reigne and that he should therefore acknowledge God reuerence adore call vppon and worship and also be ioyned vnto God and liue with him eternally And first of all I will speake of adoreing God nexte of calling vppon God lastly of seruing god Wherevpon we shall perceiue without any trouble at all whiche is the true religion or which is the false The places truly propounded are verie plentiful but in fewe wordes I will comprehend what the scripture doth teach vs concerning them howbeit not euerie one particularly but the chiefest and so muche as séemeth sufficient for our saluation and sound knowledge To adore or worship in the holie scriptures doeth signifie for honours sake to vncouer the heade to bend the body to incline or bowe the knée or with the whole body to lye prostrate vpon the grounde to fall flat on the face at ones féete after the fashion of suppliants or petitioners in token of humilitie submission and obedience and it is referred chiefly to the gesture or habite of the body The Hebricians vse one only word Schahah whiche all interpreters haue expounded by this word Adorare to adore bende bowe and lye along with the face downward The Grecians haue expounded it by the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is I bowe the knées I vncouer or make bare the head I humbly beséech or adore And 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 adoration is so called either of kissing or of mouing the hat For 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 signifieth I kisse And that a kisse was sometimes a signe of worshipping reuerencing or adoreing it is to be gathered out of the 31. of Iob. What and is it not a fashion verie much vsed euen at this day for honour and reuerence sake to kisse the hand Againe 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 signifieth a hat a bonâ—et or a cap so that to adore is to make bare and vncouer the heade for reuerence sake The Latinistes also peraduenture had an eye to the habite of the bodie For Orare to pray signifieth both as well to craue as to speake a thing He therefore doth adore that casting his countenaunce vpon a man doeth craue somthing suppliantly Likely it is that the Germanes also had a respect herevnto For they turne Adorare to adore by this word Anbatten Whiche might moreouer haue ben turned Zu fussen fallen In the ninth of Matthewe thou doest reade Beholde a certeine ruler came to Iesus and worshipped or adored him But Marke writing the same historie And beholde saith he there came one of the Princes of the Synagogue whose name was Iairus and when he sawe him he fel downe at his feete and besought him instantly or muche thus expounding to vs what to adore is to wit to fall downe at ones féete and to submit and beséeche like a suppliant For so we reade in the olde testament of Iacob Israel our father And he going before them bowed him selfe to the ground seuen times vntill his brother Esau approched and drewe neare Of Dauid and Abigael thus we reade in Samuel When Abigael sawe Dauid she hasted and lighted off her Asse and fel before Dauid on her face and worshipped gâ—ound she â—ell 〈◊〉 his â—â—ete saying Let that iniquitie bee counted mine my Lord c. Likewise of Nathan the Prophete it is 〈◊〉 thus written And wheÌ„ he was 〈◊〉 in â—o the king he worshipped or made obeysaunce vppon his face on the ground For GOD communicating this honour doeth allowe the same vnto men either for their old age their authoritie or worthinesse sake For man is the liuely image of God. And it pleaseth God himselfe to call men that excell other in authoritie Gods. Wherevppon the Apostles of Christe Peter and Paule instructing the people of God taught them Hee verily Feare God honour the king and This the magistrate is Gods minister Giue therfore to all men honour to whom honour belongeth feare to whome feare is due In the lawe the Lord sayeth In presence of a hoare head rise vp And Honour thy parents In consideration of this commaundement of God y godly do reuerence the aged their parentes and magistrats and please God also with faithful obedience But to adore worship or honour images what representation or likenesse soeuer they beare the Lord doeth no where like or allowe For hee sayeth in the Lawe Thou shalt not bow downe nor worshippe them And by his Prophete Isaie None sayeth he considereth with him selfe of this matter and sayeth One peece of the woode I haue burnte in the fire I haue baked bread with the coales thereof I haue roasted fleshe therewithall and eaten it should I now of the residue make an abhominable idole and fall downe and worship a rotten peece of wood In the same Prophete thou readest with muche indignation pronounced Their land is fâ—l of vaine Gods or idols before the woorkes of their hands haue they bowed themselues and adored it yea euen before the thing that their owne fingers haue made There kneeleth the man there falleth the man downe before them therfore forgiue them not Therefore that auncient writer Lactantius inspired with a propheticall spirite disputing against the Gentiles hath thus lefte it written The images themselues whiche are worshipped are representations or counterfects of dead men And it is a peruerse and an absurde thinge that the image of a man should bee worshipped of the image of GOD to witt man For he worshippeth the thing that is worser and weaker Besides that the very images ofsainctes whiche most vaine men doe serue are voyde of all sense and féeling béecause they are earth And where is hee that vnderstandeth not that it is a wicked and sinnefull acte for an vprighte and streight creature to be bowed downe and to adore and worship earth whiche to that end is vnder our féete that it should be troden vppon and not adored of vs who therefore are made to goe vppright and looke vppward that wee should not lye groueling downeward that wée should not cast this heauenly countenaunce to the earth but thither looke and directe our eyes whither the coÌ„dition of their nature hath guided them Whosoeuer therfore endeuoureth to mainteine the mysterie of mans creation and to hold the reason of his nature let him raise vp himselfe from the ground and with a raised minde bende his eyes vnto heauen Let him not séeke a God vnder his féete nor digge from vnder his footesteps that which hee may adore or worship Beecause whatsoeuer lyeth vnder or is subiect to man the same must néedes be inferiour vnto man But let him séeke aloft let him séeke in the highest place because nothing can be greater than man but that which is aboue man But God is greater than man hee is therefore aboue not beneathe neither is he rather to be sought in the lowest but in the highest region or roome Wherefore there is no doubt but
word Colere is in Latine of large signification For we say Colere amicitiam to mainteine frendship Colere literaruÌ„ studia to loue learning Colere arua to till or husband our lands and Colere senes to reuerence olde men We in this place vse Colere for Seruire that is in all pointes like a seruant to be dutifull and to shewe him selfe obedient to reuerence or haue in veneration and to â—e worshippe The Hebricians vse their worde Abad which the Latine interpretour translateth Seruiuit coluit or sacrificauit that is he serued worshipped or sacrificed In the booke of Kings thou dost reade And Achab serued Baal worshipped him The GreciaÌ„s cal this seruice either 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The one is taken for the other though in déede Seruire to serue be more than Colere to worshippe For thou canst abide without any adoe to worship some man but to serue the same thou canst not so well away withall We say therefore that the seruice of God is a seruice whereby men submit them selues reuerently vnto God and obey him and according to his will worship him They therefore serue God which serue him earnestly behaue them selues duetifully in obeying him seruing him inwardly and outwardly as he hath appointed For the seruice of God is two-fold or of two sortes The true and the false TheÌ„ true is called true religion true fayth and godlinesse The false is called superstition idolatrie and vngodlinesse For that is the true seruice of God which springeth from the true feare of God from a sincere fayth whiche submitteth it selfe to God alone and applyeth it selfe in all things to the will of god The false seruice consisteth in the contrarie Touching the whiche we will say more when we come to speake of superstition The true seruice of God is diuided againe for perspicuitie or plainenesse sake into the inward seruice of God and the outward The inwarde seruice is knowne to God alone who is the searcher of heartes For it is occupyed in the feare of God and perfect obedience in fayth hope and charitie from whence doe spring the worshipping of God the calling vpon him thankesgiuing patience perseueraunce chastitie innocencie weldoing and the rest of the fruites of the spirite For with these giftes of God and spirituall thinges God who is a spirite is truly serued Without these no seruice is allowed of God howe so euer in the sight of men it séeme gay glorious and pure This seruice of god hath testimonies both diuine and humane but firste of all of the Lawe the Prophetes and the Apostles For in the lawe Moses sayth And nowe Israel what doth the Lorde thy God require of thee but that thou shouldest feare the Lorde thy God and walke in all his wayes that thou shouldest loue him and that thou shouldest serue the Lord thy God with all thy hart and with all thy soul that thou shouldest keepe the commaundements of the Lord and his ordinaunces whiche I coÌ„mand thee this day for thy welth Micheas the Prophet bringeth in one asking questions concerning the true seruice of God in what thinges the same consisteth and he maketh answere I will shewe thee O man what is good and what the lord doth require of thee surely to do iustly or iudgement to loue mercy and to huÌ„ble thy selfe to walke with thy God. S. Paule the Apostle sayth I besech you brethren by the mercies of god that ye giue vp youre bodies a liuing sacrifice holy acceptable vnto God whiche is your reasonable seruing of god And fashion not your selues like vnto this world but be ye chaunged by the renuing of youre minde that ye may proue what is the wil of god and what is good and acceptable and perfect The same Apostle comprehending in few words the true seruice of God to be a turning from Idols vnto God and the fayth of Iesus Christ sayth They of Macedonia and other nations or quarters shewe of you how you are turned to God from Idols that ye might serue the liuing and true god and loke for his sonne from heauen whom he raysed from the dead euen Iesus who deliuereth vs from the wrath to come Moreouer S. Iames the Apostle saith Pure religion and vndefiled before God the father is this to visite the fatherlesse or orphanes and widowes in their aduersitie and to kepe him selfe vnspotted of the worlde These diuine and euident testimonies of holy scripture declare plentifully enough dearely beloued which is the true inward seruice of god Humane testimonies neuertheles nothing disagréeing from diuine verie many and euery where found in Ecclesiasticall writers Lactantius lib. Institut 6. cap. 9. sayth Therefore the knowledge of God and his seruice is all in all In this consisteth all the hope and saluation of man this is the first step or degrée of wisedome that we shoulde knowe who is oure true father that we should reuerence him alone with due godlinesse that wee should obey him and most deuoutly serue him and to obteyne his fauour let all labour care and industrie be bestowed Of this kinde the same authour citeth other testimonies also largely in the tenth chapter of the same booke and in the firste chapter of his booke De vero Dei cultu he giueth vs manifest But in stead of many we like well the citing of that one testimonie touching the true seruice of God fréely vttered by the mouth of a Romane martyr before iudge Asclepiades at y Romane Consistorie For after he had both couragiously and religiously tolde what God was in person and what in substance he addeth Thou knowest God nowe vnderstand as well The fourme and man-ner how he serued is What kynd of Church it is where he doth dwell What gifts to giue he thought it not amisse What vowes he askes whome he beside all this Will haue his priestes and in his Church like-wise What he commaundes to bring for sacrifice Vnto him selfe euen in the minde of man A Church he hath vouchsafed vp to reare A liuely feeling breathing Church which can Not sundered be faire beautifull and cleare And neuer like destructions dint to feare With loftie top and painted pleasantlie With coloures fresh of great diuersitie At th' holy porch a priest is standing there And keepes the doores before the Church which beene Fayth is her name a virgine chast and cleare Her haire tyed vp with fillets like a Queene For sacrifices simple pure and cleene And which she knowes are pleasing bids this priest Offer to God and to his deare sonne Christ A shamefast looke a meeke and harmelesse hart The rest of Peace a body pure and chaste The feare of GOD which sinners doth conuart The rule like-wise of knowledge truly plaste A sober fast from all excessiue waste Of Gluttonie an hope which doth not faint A liberall hand which giues without restraint From these oblations a vapour doth
his confession and the keyes of giuing of sentence iudgement or of opening shutting vpp of heauen of forgiuing or reteyning of sinnes They say that this power was promised to Peter in Matthew the Lord saying Vnto thee wil I giue the keyes of the kingdome of heauen but that it was giuen to all the disciples in Iohn Christe saying Whose sinnes soeuer ye forgiue they are forgiueÌ„ to theÌ„ And in these dayes is giuen to the priests by the bishop in their consecration laying their hands on the priests at the giuing of them their orders sayinge Receiue ye the holy Ghost whose sinns soeuer ye forgiue they are forgiuen them They call the power of placing ministers of the Church Ecclesiasticall iurisdiction to consist in a certeine prelacie and the fulnesse of it to rest onely in the Pope hauing respecte to the whole vniuersall Church For it belongeth onelie to the Pope to appoint rulers and prelats in the Ecclesiastical Hierarchie because it was said to him Feede my sheepe Moreouer they say that all iurisdiction ecclesiasticall doth come from the Pope to inferiour rulers either mediatlie or immediatlie in which thinges authoritie is limitted at his pleasure that hath the fulnesse of power For a bishop hath authoritie onelie in his diâ—cese and a curate in his parish c. Power of Apostleship or preaching the word of God they call the authoritie of preaching which the Lord had giuen to his disciples saying Go ye into all the world preaching the gospel to all creatures But doctours in these dayes affirme y none ought to be sent out to preach but onely by Peter that is his successour mediatly or immediatly c. They say that the power of iudiciall correction was giuen to Peter by God to whome he said If thy brother shall offend or trespasse against thee c. For the words of the Lord are knowen wel enough in S. Matth. cap. 18. They say therfore that God gaue authoritie vnto priestes not onely of excoÌ„municating but also of determining iudging and establishing commandements lawes and canons because in that place it is said Whatsoeuer ye bind vppon earth it shal be bound in heauen To conclude they saye that the power and authoritie to receiue thinges necessarie for this life in reward of their spirituall labours was giuen by these woordes of the Lord Eatinge and drincking suche as they haue These thinges do these men teach concerning Ecclesiasticall power not onelie foolishlie but also falslie Of the power of consecration sacrificing howe vaine and foolish it is wee haue oftentimes said in other places and perhaps will say more if God grauÌ„t life in conuenient place and time Of the power of the keyes we wil dispute God willing about the end of the next sermon And something we brought when we disputed of penance auricular confession But they are foolish shameles trifles which they babble of ecclesiasticall iurisdiction of the fulnesse of the high power that is to saye of the bishop of Rome whiche I doubt not are knowen well enough to the whole world longe agoe and of that matter there shall follow hereafter some arguments for the confutation therof in these our sermoÌ„s Wheras they vsurpe vnto themselues the office of teaching and crie out that no man can lawfullie preach but such as are ordeined by them they thereby séeke the ouerthrowe of Gods word the defence assertion of their owne errors whiche shall also be intreated of in his due place The power of excommunicating they haue so filthilie shamefullie abused that the Church through their negligence and wicked presuÌ„ption hath not only lost true discipline but also excommunication it selfe hath béene a great many yeares nought else with the bishops of Rome but fire sword wherewith they first raged against the true professours of Gods word and persecuted the innocent worshippers of Christ Moreouer that there is no power giuen of God to the ministers of the Church to make new lawes we wil shew in place coÌ„uenient The authoritie and power to receiue wherewith to liue haue they put in execution to the vttermost but in recompence of their temporall haruest they haue not soawen spirituall thinges but rather being a sléepe they haue suffered him that is oure enimie to soaw cockle in the lords field and that not by any other but by their owne meanes For haue not they not being contented with thinges necessarie for this life vnder that colour subtilely inuaded kingdomes and most shamefully cruelly possessed them Wherfore he that seeth not that ecclesiastical authoritie as it is by these men affirmed and also by them put in practise is but a méere tyrannie ouer simple soules it is plaine hee séeth nothing at all Wée wil nowe herevnto ioyne a true simple plaine manifest doctrine concerning ecclesiasticall iurisdiction Power is defined to be a right which men haue to doe some thing by It is called in Gréeke 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 wherof the first word signifieth right and power the second abilitie to execute power or authoritie For oftentimes it commeth to passe that a man shall haue authoritie to doe a thinge but is destitute of abilitie to performe it But God can do both and hath giuen them both vnto the Apostles against those the were possessed with diuels as Luke witnesseth saying 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Hee gaue them power and authoritie ouer all diuels c. And there is also one sort of power whiche is free and absolute an other sort of power whiche is limitted whiche is also called ministeriall Absolute power is that which is altogether frée and is neither gouerned or restreyned by the lawe or will of any other Of which sort is the power of Christ which he speaketh of in the Gospell saying All power is giuen vnto me in heauen in earth goe therefore and teache all nations baptising them c. Hee speaking againe of this power in the Reuelation shewed vnto S. Iohn the Apostle sayeth Feare not I am the first the last and I am aliue but was dead and behold I am aliue for euermore And I haue the keyes of hell and of death And againe These thinges sayeth he that is holie and true which hath the keye of Dauid whiche openeth and no man shutteth and shutteth no man openeth The power whiche is limitted is not frée but subiecte to an absolute or greater power of another whiche cannot of it selfe doe euerye thinge but that onelye that the absolute absolute power or greater authoritie doth suffer to be done and suffereth it vnder certeine conditions Of whiche sort surely is the Ecclesiasticall iurisdiction and which may rightly be called the ministeriall power For the Church of God vseth her authoritie committed vnto her for this purpose by her ministers S. Augustine acknowledging this distinction speaking of Baptisme in his fifte treatise vppon Iohn sayeth
Paule baptised as a minister not as one that had power of himselfe but the Lord baptised as he that had power of himselfe Behold if it had pleased him he could haue giueÌ„ this power to his seruants but he would not For if hee should haue giuen this power vnto his seruaunts that it should also haue beene theirs which was the lords then there should haue beene as many sundrie baptismes as seruaunts c. In the Church Christ reserueth that absolute power to himselfe For he continueth the head king bishop of the Church for euer neither is that head whiche giueth life separated from his body at any time But that limitted power he hath giuen vnto the Church Whiche thing it ought to acknowledge to wit an Ecclesiastical iurisdiction hemmed in with certeine lawes whiche procéedeth from God and for that cause it is effectuall and therefore in all thinges ought to haue chiefe regard vnto God and that Ecclesiasticall iurisdiction is for that purpose giuen vnto the church that it might be put in practise for the profite of the Church For S. Paule sayth The Lord hath giuen vs power to the intent we should edifie not for the destruction of the Church And therefore that power whiche tendeth to the hinderance and destruction of the Church is a diuelish tyrannie and not an ecclesiasticall power procéeding from god And it behoueth vs diligently to marke and reteine this ende of Ecclesiasticall power But the limitted power of the church consisteth verie néere in these points to witt in ordeyning of the ministers of the Church in doctrine and in the discerning betwéene doctrines and finally in the ordering of Ecclesiasticall matters Of euery one of which pointes in their order we will speake a litle declaring what manner of authoritie the Church hath and howe farre it is limitted in euery part thereof The Lord himselfe appointed the chiefe doctours of the Church whiche were the Apostles that all men might vnderstand that the Ecclesiastical ministerie is the diuine institution of God himselfe and not a tradition deuised by men And therfore after that the Lord was ascended into heauen S. Peter calling the Church together speaketh out of the scriptures of placing an other Apostle in the stéed of the traytour Iudas by that very facte shewing that power was giuen vnto the Church by God to electe ministers or teachers The same Church also not longe after by the persuasion of Peter and the Apostles so persuading vndoubtedly by the inspiration of the holy Ghost choose seuen deacons The Church of Antioche being manifestly instructed by the holy Ghoste doeth ordeine and sende Paule and Barnabas althoughe they were longe before that time assigned to the ministerie It is read also in the Actes of the Apostles that the churches by the commaundement of the Apostles did ordeine doctours for the holy ministerie as often as néede required And yet notwithstanding they did not ordeine euery one without choice but such onely as were fitt for that office that is to say such as afterward by expresse lawes they themselues did describe to witt If any man were faultles the husband of one wife watchfull sober c. The rule set downe by the Apostle is sufficiently knowen as appeareth in the 1. to Tim. 3. Cap. But as touching the ordeyning of ministers God willing wee will speake in the third sermon of this Decade But if the Church haue receiued power to appoint fitt ministers for the Church I thincke no man will denie that the Church hath authoritie to depose the vnworthie wicked deceiuers and also to correct and amende those thinges whiche being lacking may séeme necessarie for this order And forasmuch as ministers are chosen chiefly to teach it must follow that the Church hath power to teach to exhort to comfort and such like by her lawfull ministers and yet no power to teach euery thing but that onely which she receiued being deliuered vnto her from the Lord by the doctrine of the Prophets and Apostles Teach them sayeth the Lord that whiche I commaunded you Go ye and preach the Gospell to all creatures And S. Paul sayth I am put a part to preach the Gospell of God which he promised before by his Prophets in the holy Scriptures But this ministerie office of preaching is nothing else but the power of the keyes whiche the Church hath receiued The office I saye of binding and loosing of opening shutting heauen In another place also the apostles receiued power from the Lord ouer all ouer all I say not absolutely but ouer all diuels and not ouer all Angels and men and yet that authoritie and power they receiued ouer diuels they receiued it not absolutely for it is added vnto it that they should expell and cast them out And therefore they could not deale with diúels after their owne fancie but that onely so farre forth as he would haue them to dâ—e who hath absolute power ouer all diuels and that they might cast diuels out of men but not to sende them into men thoughe they would haue desired it neuer so much And so also as touching diseases they could not doe what they would else would not S. Paule haue left Trophimos sicke at Miletum who might so greatly haue béene profitable vnto him in the holy ministerie The two disciples if they had béen able to haue done what they would would haue commanded fire from heauen to haue fallen downe vppon Samaria and so would haue taken vengeaunce of the vncourteous and barbarous people of Samaria for that they denied to harbour the Lord Christ In like manner those same Apostles receiued keyes that is to saye power to binde and to lose to open and shutt heauen to forgiue and to reteine sinnes but perfectly limitted For they could not lose y which was bound in hell neither bind them that were liuing in heauen For he said not What soeuer ye binde in heauen but whatsoeuer ye binde vppon earth Neither said he Whatsoeuer ye lose in hell but what soeuer ye lose vppon earth Againe they were not able eyther to binde or lose whom they would not so much as vpon earth For they were not able to lose that is to say to pronounce a maÌ„ frée from sinne that was without faith Againe they could not binde that is say pronounce condemned him that was lightened with faith was truely penitent And surely such as teach other doctrine than this touching the power of the keyes deceiue the whole world of whiche wee will more largly intreat in place conuenient Likewise the Church hath receiued power from Christ to administer the sacraments by ministers but not according to her owne will and pleasure but according to Gods will and the forme and manner sett downe by the Lord himselfe The Church cannot institute sacraments neither yet alter the ends vse of the sacraments Finallie that the Church hath
lord the Pope I will persecute and to my abilitie fight against Since these men are sworne thus after this manner who I praye you that is a faithfull louer of Iesus Christ of his churche of true faith yea and adde therevnto of the common wealth can abide to be ordeined by such There is no talke in their othe of the gospel neither of our Lord Iesu Christe him selfe There is no mention of the holy scriptures but of the rules and ordinaunces of the fathers there is most diligent mētion Peter is named but not that Apostle of Christe saying Siluer and golde haue I none but an other I knowe not who hauing kingly dignitie In déede the Apostolique churche is named but by and by by interpretation they adde what manner of churche they would haue vnderstood and call it the Papaltie This Papaltie not the churche of God I say the Papaltie and the honours priuileges and rightes of the Popedome against all men beholde they promise they will defend this against al men For they acknowledge the Pope to be their Lord against whom they wil haue nothing to be imagined yea if they may knowe that other do deuise any thing against the pope and popedome they promise discouerie thereof and faithfull helpe But I thinke not that any man can binde him selfe more streightly to one Neyther is it vnknowne that those whome they call Heretiques are not enimies to the Christian faith nor teachers of opinions contrarie to the Scriptures but rebelles to the Pope they are I say they who as they neglect the decrées and lawes of the Pope and preache the Scriptures onely so they giue all the glorie vnto Christe as to the onely heade and high priest of the Church and therefore they teach that the Pope is neither the heade neyther the highe priest of the Churche But who louing true godlinesse can bind him selfe with such an oth Who will renounce and forsake the friendship of Christe and humble him selfe to become the bondslaue and footestoole of the Pope of Rome To be short who will desire to be ordeyned a minister of Christ and of his church at the handes of those that haue done after this manner Here may be added that in the consistorie of Rome all thinges as touching holie orders are most corrupt in so much as scarse any small tokens of Christes institution do appeare I will not rehearse at this present that there are many newe constitutions of men ioyned vnto them that in a manner there remaineth no voyce of the Churche in the ordination of pastours that there is no choice made of such as the churche deputeth there aboutes For the right of presentation collation and confirmation being dispersed among many with some is become euen an heritage so as both dawes and halfe fooles may be made ministers or byshoppes and neyther can I let this thing passe that with them is lost that true examination and sharpe pastorall discipline In déede there remayneth examination but altogether childish in the which lightly they that are ordeined are asked that whiche scholers in common scholes are wont to be demaunded whether one can reade well construe well sing and be cunning in their numbers They can not denie this thing neyther also this that Priestes are ordeined more to reade to sing and saye masse than to gouerne the Churche with the worde of god Whereby the more regarde is had of the voice that it be apt for singing than of skilfulnes or experience in the holie scriptures But they thinke the matter is cunningly handled if some skilfull lawyer be preferred to the office of a Pastour For it séemeth for the most parte to be more profitable to pleade cunningly in the courte for the increase maintenaunce of riches than to preach well in the Churche for the winning of soules What do not we sée men sent from the lawe and out of the courtes of Kings and Princes to possesse Churches fitter for any thing else than to gouerne the Churches of GOD for ecclesiastical offices are begunne to be counted as Princes Donatiues wherevpon they are also called Benefices The Byshops of Rome them selues haue bestowed Priesthoodes vpon their cookes rauenous souldiers barbars and muletors and this was farre more honestly than when they bestowed them vppon bawdes A greate many of Priestes thrust them selues into the holy ministerie by violence and symonie which office neuerthelesse he neyther coulde nor would execute well And they that are receiued by an honester title are receiued through commendation and fauour Herein auayleth much either affinitie or kinred and consanguinitie In all these there is a greater regard had of the bellie than of the ministerie they prouide better for those whiche are accounted Priestes and are no Priestes than for the Churche of God and saluation of soules But by this meanes all things go to wracke in the Churche and the flocke of God is oppressed with the weight and ruine of the shepeheards Herevnto perteyneth the pluralitie as they call it of benefices Some one either souldier or curtisan oftentimes rakes to him selfe the Pope offering it to him halfe a dozen benefices or moe of whiche benefices they take no further care but to receiue the gaine For he neuer teacheth nay he is verie sildome at his flocke vnlesse it be when he sheareth them In the meane time the Lordes flocke is neglected and perisheth For the vicars which are set ouer the flocke by them for the most part are vnlearned and hirelings He that is content with least wages is placed ouer the flocke what manner of one so euer he be And he séemes to haue learning enough if he can read sing say masse heare confessions annoynt and reade the Gospell out of the booke vpon the Sunday That whiche remayneth moreouer to be done séemeth to them to be small matters I am ashamed and sorie to rehearse what a censure for reformation of manners remayneth in the Church The thing it selfe cryeth and experiēce witnesseth that vnworthy persons are not shut out from this holy ministerie For without difference al are admitted and as yet whoremongers drunkards dice-players and men defiled yea ouerwhelmed with diuers haynous crimes are suffered in the ministerie But least they should séeme to do nothing herein the bishop asketh at giuing of orders Who are worthy of honour and his Chauncellour or the Archdeacon foorthwith answereth the bishoppe who before that time neuer sawe or heard what manner of men they are of whome he beareth witnesse They are worthy Moreouer they vse so many and such kyndes of ceremonies in their consecration that he that is studious of the truth of the Gospell can not receiue them with a safe conscience These causes and other not vnlike make vs that we can somuch lesse abide to be ordeined of the ordinaries or bishops of the Romish church The last point remaineth whiche I purposed to declare in the beginning of this treatise what is the office
of the church of Christe as the Popish pastors do falsely boast to ordeine new lawes and to broach new opinions For the doctrine whiche was deliuered to the apostls of Christ is simply to be receiued of the church and simply and purely to be deliuered of the pastours to the church whiche is the congregation of such as beléeue the word of Christe And who knoweth not that it is sayde by the Prophete All men are lyars God only is true And the church is the piller and ground of truth bycause as it stayeth vpon the truth of the Scriptures euen so it publisheth none other doctrine than is deliuered in the scriptures neither receiueth it being published And who is he that will challenge to him selfe the glorie due vnto God onely God is the onely lawegiuer to all mankinde especially in those thinges which perteine to religion and a blessed life For Esaie sayth The Lorde is our iudge the Lord is our lawegiuer the Lorde is our king and he him selfe shal be our Sauiour And S. Iames also saythe There is one lawgiuer which is able to saue and to destroy God challengeth this thing as proper to him selfe to rule those that are his with the lawes of his word ouer whome he only hath authoritie of life and death Moreouer those lawes can not be godly whiche presume to prescribe and teache fayth and the seruice of God after their owne fancie The doctrine concerning fayth and the worship of God vnlesse it be heauenly is nothing lesse than that which it is sayd to be God only teacheth vs what is true fayth and what worship he delighteth in And therefore in Matthewe the sonne of God pronounceth out of Esaie In vayne doe they worship me teaching for doctrines the commaundementes of men Ioyne herevnto also that from the newe constitutions of men there springeth alwayes vp a wonderfull neglecting yea and contempt of the word of God and of heauenly lawes For through our owne traditions as the Lorde also sayth in the Gospell we goe astraye and despise the commaundements of God. Nowe since it is manifest from whence the Pastour or doctour must fetche his doctrine to wit from no other place than out of the Scripture of the old and new Testament which is the infallible and vndoubted word of God and that therefore this doctrine is certeine and immutable There remaineth nowe also something to be spoken of the manner of teaching which the teacher or pastor of the Churche ought to followe And here I will onely briefly touche the shorte summe or effect of matters Afore all other thinges therefore it is required of Pastours that continually they account that to be spoken vnto them whiche the Apostle commanded to be often tolde to Archippus Take heede to the ministerie that thou haste receiued in the Lord that thou fulfill it And moreouer 〈◊〉 they neuer turne away their eies from that liuely picture of a good and euill shepehearde whiche Ezechiel that famous Prophete setteth out after this manner Thus sayth the Lorde God woe be vnto the shepeheardes of Israel that feede them selues shoulde not the shepeheards feede the flocks ye eate the fat ye cloath you with the wooll ye kill them that are fed but ye feed not the shepe the weak haue ye not strengthened the sicke haue ye not healed neither haue ye bound vp the broken nor brought againe that whiche was driuen away neyther haue ye sought that whiche was lost but with crueltie and with rigour haue ye ruled them And againe I will feede my sheepe sayth the Lord God I will seeke that whiche was lost and bring againe that whiche was driuen away and will binde vp that which was broken and will strengthen the weake but I will destroy the fat and the strong and I will feede them with iudgement Hereby we gather that it is the duetie of a good Pastour or shepeheard to féde and not to deuour the flocke to minister not to exercise dominion to séeke the safetie of his shéepe not his priuate gaine and also to séeke out againe the lost shéepe that is to say to bring again such as can not abide the truth and wander in the darkenesse of errous home to the church and vnto the light of the trueth and to restore and bring back againe the shéep that is driuen or chased away to wit such as are separated from the felowship of the Saintes or godly for some priuate affections sake to heale or binde vp such as are broken For he meaneth the wounds of sinnes whiche Ieremie also commaundeth to heale and to be short to strengthen the weake and féeble shéep and not altogether to treade them vnder foote and to bridle such shéepe as be strong that is to say men flourishing in vertues least they be proude and puffed vp with the giftes of God and so fall away But let him thinke that these thinges can not be perfourmed but through sounde and continuall teaching deriued oute of GOD his worde The manner of teaching extendeth it selfe to publique and priuate doctrines By publique doctrine the Pastour eyther catechiseth that is to say instructeth them that be younglings in religion or other whiche are grounded therein To the younglings or ignoraunt sorte he openeth the principles of true religion For Catechesis or the fourme of Catechising comprehendeth the groundes or principles of fayth and Christian doctrine to wit the chiefe pointes of the couenaunt the tenne commaundements the Articles of fayth or Apostles Créede the Lordes prayer and a briefe exposition of the Sacramentes The auncient churches had Catechisers appoynted properly to this charge And the Lorde commendeth vnto vs bothe in the olde Testament and in the newe with great earnestnesse the charge of the youth commaunding vs to instruct them both betimes and also diligently in true religion Moreouer he setteth out great rewardes and grieuous punishments in that behalfe Assuredly no profite or fruite is to bee looked for in the Churche of those hearers that are not perfectly instructed in the principles of religion by Catechising for they knowe not of what thing the Pastor in the Churche speaketh when they heare the couenaunt the commaundement the lawe grace fayth prayer and the sacraments to be named Therefore if in any thing then in this ought greatest diligence to be vsed The doctrine whiche apperteyneth to the perfecter sorte is specially occupyed in the exposition of holy Scripture It may appeare out of the writings of the old bishops that it was the custome in that happie and most holie primitiue churche to expounde vnto the Churches not certeine parcels of the Canonicall bookes neyther some chosen places out of them but the whole bookes as well of the newe Testament as the olde And in so doing there came no small fruite vnto the Churches As at this day also we sée by experience that Churches can not be better instructed nor more vehemently stirred vppe
the first to the Corinthians the sixtéenth Chapiter in the second to the Corinthians the eight and ninthe Chapiters And to the Galathians While wee haue time sayth he let vs do good towardes all men especially towardes the household of faith In the first epistle to Timothie hee warneth that there be consideration had who should be holpen and who not be holpen In the same epistle he giueth charge to Timothie and to all the bishopps howe to deale with the richer sort in the Church saying CoÌ„maund them that are riche in this world that they be not high minded neither put their trust in vncerteine riches but in the liuing GOD who giueth vs all things abundantly to enioy that they may do good that they may bee riche in good workes that they may be readie to giue bestowe willingly laying vp vnto themselues a good foundation against the time to come that they maye take hold of life euerlasting Also vnto the Hebrues To doe good and to distribute forget not for with such sacrifice God is pleased Wherfore riches were gathered eueÌ„ in the time of the Apostles to succour the necessitie of the poore withall Deacons were appointed by the church as prouiders and stewards amonge whom those first Deacons were most famous of whome the Actes of the Apostles make mention and also the noble martyre of Christ Laurence And the writinges of the auncient fathers doe testifie that with those ecclesiasticall goodes prisoners were redéemed out of captiuitie poore maydeÌ„s of lawfull yeares married finally hospitals almeries spittels harbours hostles and nourceries were builded namely to interteine poore trauellers for the maintenaunce of the poore that were borne in that countrie for the reliefe of the sick and diseased for the necessitie of old men and for the honest bringing vp of pupils orphans Concerning these matters there are yet extant certaine imperiall lawes Wherefore in refourming of Churches very diligent héed must be taken that there be no offence committed in this behalfe thoroughe ouersight or of purpose that the poore be not defrauded and that in taking away one abuse we bring not in many If there be plentie of goodes let them be kept if there be none let them be gathered of the rich Then let the state of the poore be searched and what euery maÌ„ néedeth most or howe prouision maye best be made for euery one Whiche being knowen let that which is méete and necessarie for euerie one be done spéedily gently and diligently If then any of the coÌ„mon goods remaine let them be kept against such calamities as may ensue Let nothing be coÌ„sumed vnprofitably or vngodlily Againe let not the treasure of the poore vnhappily be deteined from them by fraude and to the increasing of their pouertie For there maye be like offence committed on both sides For on eche side the poore are defrauded of their goods Touching liberalitie wée haue entreated in another place in these our Decades and of prouiding for the poore in other of our woorkes And Lewis Vines hath written very well of relieuing the poore The fourth last part o◠〈…〉 of the Church 〈…〉 holy buildinges as Churches scholes and houses â—â—longing to Churches and scholes 〈◊〉 which because of the companies gathered together in them are also called congregations are the houses of the Lord oure god Not that God whome the wide compasse of the heauens cannot comprehend doeth dwell in such manner of houses but béecause the congregation and people of GOD méete together in those houses to worshipp and performe due honour vnto God to heare the word of God to receiue the Lords sacramentes and to praye for the assistance presence of god Churches therefore are very necessarie for the Church and people of god Touching holy assemblies I haue said somwhat in the disputation of prayer And althoughe that at the commaundement of God Moses builded a moueable Church and afterward the most wise king Solomon founded a standing Churche not without great cost notwithstanding wee must not thincke therfore that God liketh of such great charges after that hée had sent Christ and fulfilled the figures For as before the lawe was made it is not to bee found that the Patriarches did euer build any Ministers or great churches euen so after the disanulling of the law in the Church of Christe a meane and sparing clenlinesse pleaseth God best For God misliketh that foolish madd kinde of buildinges not much vnlike to that vnwise building of Babylon enterprising to sett vp the topp of the tower aboue the cloudes For God liketh not the riotousnes of Churches who without all riot doeth gather his Church together from out all the parts of the 〈◊〉 whiche Churche also be hâ—th taught both sparingnes and thâ— contempt of all riot A church is large and bigge enough if it be sufficient to receiue al that belong vnto it For the place is prouided for men and not for god But aboue all thinges let that place be cleane and holy A Churche is hallowed or consecrated not as some doe superstiously thincke with the rehearsing of certeine woordes or making signes and Characters or with oyle or purging fire but with the will of GOD and his commaundement bidding vs to assemble and come together promising his presence amongst vs and also it is hallowed by the holy vse of it For in the temple y holy Church of God is gathered together the true and most blessed word of God is also declared in the temple the holy sacraments of God are receiued in the temple and also in the temple prayers are powred forth to God whiche are most acceptable vnto him Verily the place of it selfe is nothing holy but because these holy thinges are done in that place in respecte that they are done there the place it selfe is called holy Therefore not without great cause ought all prophanation filthines be farre from the holy temple of the lord The Senatours court or seate of iudgement is accounted so holy a thing that whosoeuer either in woord or déede vsed himselfe vnreuerently towardes it should be accused of treason And yet in this Courte the Senatours only are gathered and assembled together to heare the matters of suiters in thinges transitorie that shall passe away and perish By howe much the more then ought reuerence to bee giuen vnto temples into the which the children of God do come to worshipp him to heare the true word of God and to receiue his holy sacraments And therefore as we hate and abandon all superstition in temples so wee loue not the prophanation of them yea rather I say wée cannot abide it Neither haue we leysure at this time about the consideration of temples to rehearse and searche out open and plaine superstitions Of whiche matter wee haue spoken in an other place I finde it a matter of controuersie amonge the fathers of old time to what part of the world wee ought to
certeine matters concerning the same elsewhere I will for this time make an ende of speaking thereof I would also now intreate of the holy time which treatise is altogether like that of the Holie place whereof wée disputed els-where vnlesse we had also discoursed thereof in the expounding of the tenne commaundements This onely I add as for this present time that there ought to be no odious contention in the Church concerning that matter but that in this and other such like cases discipline with charitie is constantly to be obserued For it behoueth vs to be mindefull of the most pernicious contention about the kéeping of Easter which with much danger and great detriment much and long time troubled the churches of the East and West and beware in any case that through contention there bée not a gapp left open vnto Sathan to enter in It were profitable in mine opinion both in this case and in such like to remember the counsell whiche S. Augustine giueth That that which is enioyned vs and is neither against faith nor good manners is to bee accounted indifferent and to be obserued according to the focietie of them with whom we liue In the 118. epistle to Ianuarius Vnto the holy ministerie belongeth also discipline and correction of the ministers Howe necessarie this is it may be gathered by these woordes of our Lord Christe You are the salt of the earth If the salt haue lost her saltnesse what shal bee salted therewith It is good for nothing else but to bee throwne out of the doores and to bee troden vppon by men I know there be some that doe boast themselues of certaine priuileges whereby they are exempted from all discipline But they are deceiued For the Lord hath made all the ministers of his Churche subiect vnto discipline Whose therefore wil be exempted from discipline are not Christes ministers Or who I pray you will say that he is frée from discipline whome the Lord would haue altogether subiect and bound vnto it Against the commaundement of God there is no Popes lawe no priuilege of king or Emperour of force For no man can abrogate the decrée of the high god And the lord commaundeth vs to warne and correcte euery brother that doth amisse therefore would hee haue vs also sharpely to admonish the ministers of the Churches that are negligent and goe astray Truely hee himselfe did often and very sharpely reprone the whole order of the priests of the church of Hierusalem Helie the lords priest is yll reported of in the holy historie for that he restreyned not his sonnes being priestes with sharper discipline Wée read howe the prophets of the lord blamed very bitterly all the colledges of priestes and the high priests also Examples are to be found in euerie place throughout the holy hystorie and in the writings of the Prophets Yea S. Paule reproued the moste holy Apostle S. Peter at Antioch in Syria in the sight of the whole congregation for that he taught not directly according to the prescript rule of the Gospel And to be shorte Christ himself in the reuelatioÌ„ which was made to S. Iohn the Apostle doth verie sharply admonish reprone the Angels that is to say the ministers of the Churches Againe S. Paule the Apostle sayeth Against an Elder receiue no accusation but vnder two or three witnesses But those that do offend reproue before the whole congregation that the other may stand in feare There are extant also in the scriptures many notable examples of most holy Princes who by their Lawes haue restrained euen the chiefest ministers of the Churches and haue thruste downe from their chaires degrée suche as did not wel discharge their duties Yea verie necessitie it self and the good estate of the people of God requireth that the naughtie ministers of Churches bee deposed And better it were that a fewe euill ministers were troubled than so many congregations brought into daunger of bodie and soule For the Churches and congregations are vtterly destroyed through the negligence and vngodlines of wicked pastours Therefore let them be deposed with spéed But to the end that the ministers of Churches might the better and the more easily be kept in their function calling the auncient fathers in the old time solemnely held conuocations of the Clergie once or twice in a yere applying the same as remedies to the diseases of the ministers And that I may not bring any thing here farre fette I wil recite vnto you Déerely beloued what is read in the Imperial constitutions of the Emperour Iustinian commanding after this maner The auncient Fathers solemnely helde conuocations of the Cleargie twise a yeare in euerie Prouincet hat such things as are grown vp may there be examined ameÌ„ded by competent correctioÌ„ Which hitherto not being obserued it seemeth now to beneedful to bring it to the rightway And for as muche as we our selues by reason of this negligence haue founde many to bee intrapped with sundrie errours and sinnes wee commaunde them all that in all prouinces euerie yere either in the moneths of Iulie or September one Synode be holden that the priests meete together either at the patriarches or the bishops and that there matters of faith be handled also of canonical questions of the administratioÌ„ of Ecclesiastical things or of reproueable life or other matters which require correctioÌ„ These things beeing thus obserued the layitie also shal reape muche profite concerning the true faith honest life amendment of them selues to the better Immediatly after he addeth these words Moreouer we commaund the Lieutenants of the prouinces if they seé this to be negligently looked vnto that they vrge the Bishops to assemble synodes But if they perceiue them to seeke delayes to be negligent herein let them certifie vs there of that we may proceede with due correction against suche lingerers Thus muche haue I reported out of the Caesarial decrée Therfore let bishops take héede that in this behalfe there be no faulte committed through their negligence and if they forget their duetie let the magistrate beware that hee winâ—e not at their sluggishnes to the destruction of the whole Churche and all the ministers of Christ There créepe in continually many vices for that the dispositioÌ„ of the flesh is very corrupt Vnlesse therfore therebe admonitioÌ„ in the Churche and correction continually put in vse those things which we thinke to be most firme shall fall to decay perish sooner than we suppose Like as the Lord would haue the transgressing ministers of the Churches priuately to be admonished and corrected so doth he extend the coÌ„moditie of the same admonition and correction to the whole Churche And therefore the auncient Churche had an holy Senate of elders which diligently warned them that transgressed in the Churche corrected them sharply yea and excluded them out of the Ecclesiasticall fellowship namely if they perceiued that there was no hope of amendement
be â—ray their â—haltitie Thei were â—aten of vormes aliue and â—â—aâ—cke so horribly that no man could abide theÌ„ The conclusion The nintâ— commauâ—demente The â—ounge Of bearing witnesse 〈…〉 A lye 〈◊〉 the 〈◊〉 of lyes Carying of 〈◊〉 a 〈…〉 to 〈…〉 〈…〉 as 〈…〉 an 〈◊〉 in 〈…〉 the 〈…〉 to 〈…〉 to the 〈…〉 of theâ— whoÌ„ 〈…〉 writiâ—â— by the 〈…〉 〈…〉 Backbyting is 〈◊〉 Flatteriâ— The tenth commaundemente of God. 〈…〉 Concupiscence Man is coÌ„uinced of sinne What 〈…〉 God 〈…〉 What 〈◊〉 that 〈◊〉 must 〈◊〉 courâ— Ceremonies gene rally what they are Humane ceremonies Diuine â—eremonies The ende whereto ceremonies were ordeined The woshippe oâ— God â–ª 1. Cor. 10. WheÌ„ God liketh and when he mislyketh Ceremonies The knowledge of the ceremonies is not vnprofitable 〈…〉 The priesthoode The beginning of Priesthood I thinke â—is meaning was to haue â—ide Esau â—nd Iacob â—n steede of Caine â—nd Abell Christ the first begotâ—en The Leuites chosen to be the priests Exod. 32. Num. 3. Certaine degrees among the Priestes Among the Leuits 〈…〉 〈…〉 The priests rayment Breeches The close frocke or â—â—ssocke The girdle The 〈◊〉 or 〈◊〉 The Ephod The Megil The brestlappe or highe priestes Ephod The brestlappe of â—udgemeÌ„t Vrim 〈◊〉 Thummim 〈…〉 That name was Iehouah whiche wheresoeuer the Israelites did â—inde it written they did not cal Iehouah but expressed it by the worde Adonai which signifieth Lorde so greatly did they reuerence the maiestical name of God. The meaning of the Priests apparell The Priestes office Let Priests teache Let 〈◊〉 blesse Num. â— Sacrifices and ministring of the sacramentes was commaunded the priests The priests carried the tabernacle vessels of the Lord. 〈…〉 Truâ—peteâ—s 〈…〉 serues warre 〈…〉 〈…〉 A thousaÌ„d cubites geometrical make one myle thre quarters of a mile and â—00 paceâ— reckoning fiue feete to euery pace A Synagogue was a place for people to assemble themselues togeather in to heare the woord or lawe of the Lorde The holy place The fashion of the tabernacle Whâ—â— thingeâ— were 〈◊〉 in the 〈…〉 The Latin copie here doth square from the words of the 26. of Erodus where wee finde as I haue turned it that the table stoode on the North side wheras the Latine copie saith on the South-side and calleth it pars Australis The meaning of the Tabernacle Heb. 9. 〈…〉 God The historie of the Lords Tabernacle Of Solomons temple 1. Chro. 21 The 〈◊〉 of thâ—â— that sâ—â—â—â—fice 〈◊〉 high pâ—â—ces The signification misterie of the Arke Area is an arke or a coffer and what was layed therein Christe his priesthood compared to Aarons rod. The â—â—cy 〈◊〉 Thâ—â— abuseâ— the 〈◊〉 â–ª The goldeÌ„ table The shewe breade The goldeÌ„ caÌ„dlestick The incense altar Th◠〈◊〉 of 〈…〉 The braseÌ„ lauer The holie time What an holiday is To what end the holy dayes were ordeined 〈…〉 A 〈…〉 holy 〈…〉 Solemne fastings The Sabboth The newe Moone The three yeares metings or asseÌ„blies of the Iewes Passeouer 〈◊〉 The feaste of the seuenth moneth or of the tabernacles The feaste of trumpets The feaste of cleanâ—ing The feaste of tabernacles The congregation The yeare of Iubilie Two Sacraments of the Synagogue Circumcision what it is The originall or beginning of Circumcision Of the league of God and man. 〈…〉 The 〈◊〉 how 〈◊〉 this 〈◊〉 shuld 〈◊〉 The 〈◊〉 of 〈◊〉 league 〈…〉 God is all an al to his coÌ„federats What is râ—quired of men in the league CircumcisioÌ„ was the signe or zeale annexed â—o the league 〈…〉 and 〈◊〉 â—f Cirâ—â—â—cision The mysterie and â—ening of Circumcision The grace â—f God is not tied to â—â—rcumciâ—iâ—n Colos â— By circumâ—isâ—on the circumciâ—ed are gathered 〈◊〉 to one 〈◊〉 1 Sam. â—â— Actes â— Circumâ—â—sioÌ„ 〈◊〉 a man 〈◊〉 myndeâ— his 〈◊〉 Two CircuÌ„cisions one of the spirite the other of the letter Lactantius touching Circumcision The summe of Circumcision Of the Paschal lamb Wâ—at 〈◊〉 Passeâ—â—â—â— was The 〈◊〉 authoâ—â—â— the 〈…〉 time 〈…〉 The Equiâ—octiall is when the day and â—ight is both of on â—ength commeth twice in a â—eare to â—it the 8. â—f April 〈◊〉 8. of October The lewes â—egan to â—ckon froÌ„ 〈◊〉 to 12. 〈◊〉 we beâ—in to reckon from 7. in the morning till 6. at night so it was that our three a clocke was nine a clocke to theÌ„ ouâ— fiue eleuen to them The ninth houre of the Iewes is three a clocke in the afternoone to vs. The place appointed for the eating of the Passeouer Who were the guests at the eating of the lambe The manner or â—itâ— of eating the Passeouer The ende whereto this ceremonie tended The Lords benefite was kept in memorie by the eating of the Passeouer The 〈…〉 GODâ— good◠〈◊〉 his 〈◊〉 The Lamb was the type of Christ of his passion redemption The 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 of 〈◊〉 At the 〈…〉 first 〈…〉 the 〈◊〉 The 〈…〉 did 〈◊〉 the coÌ„mâ—icants of their duty Of Sacrifices and their first begiÌ„nings Sacrifices haue some things coÌ„mon and somthings peculiar The â—estal virgins were Nunnes consecrated to the Goddesse Vesta Holoâ—â—â—â—tum the burâ—◠〈◊〉 The daily sacrifice The meate offering The 〈…〉 The sinne offering The verly sacrifice 〈…〉 Heb. 9. The onely sacrifice of Christ is sufficient for all the world This waâ—er was al â—o called â—he water of 〈…〉 they 〈…〉 was 〈…〉 from 〈◊〉 rest of 〈…〉 by 〈…〉 were 〈◊〉 The 〈…〉 Sacrifices â—or the defilings of the body The Sacrifice of â—â—alousie The Sacrifice of thankes giuing Thruma and Thnupha The free will offeâ—â—ng Of vowes 〈…〉 Samson a Nazarite to the lord how greatly he sinned 〈…〉 〈…〉 The constant obedience of certain holiemen who abstaiâ—ed from things vncleane The eating of bloude and strangâ—ed is forbidden Tâ—e toucâ—ing of â—n cleane things The Iudiciall lawes are profitable Most auncient laws He was called Diphyes that is Geminus or duplicis naturae bicause hee first ordeined matrimonie among the Graecians His image was made with two faces or two heads The latine copie hath mentem Dei for the whiche I call the wisedome of God. To â—udge a â—udg◠〈◊〉 and the 〈…〉 what 〈◊〉 be The Iudiâ—iall lawes belong to the tenne commaundements The lawes 〈◊〉 iâ—dges The 〈…〉 King 〈◊〉 of 〈◊〉 1. Sam. â— Holy thinges â—dolatâ—ie The poore â—â—tnesse 〈◊〉 wiâ—nes â—â—â—rings 〈…〉 〈◊〉 Parents children Of the power and authoritie of fathers Disinheriâ—ing Inheritaunce Whoredomes adulteries Diuorcements The diuisâ—on of goods Buying selling â–ª 〈…〉 pledges Thinges left in câ—stodie Bondage Mancipation Manumissâ—â—n â–ª Plagium Bastardes Theft and deceit â–ª RestitutioÌ„ Sacrilege The hirelings wages The doing and receyuing of damage Weight measure The punishment of the guiltie Wiâ—ches soothsayers Heretikes and false prophetes Rebels slauÌ„derers Murther The sanctuarie Warie ConclusioÌ„ Of the vse and effecte of Gods lawe Absol 〈…〉 perfecâ—â—â— is reqâ—â—â—â—â— of vs 〈◊〉 the laâ—â— No man liuing is perfect and vn spotted The lawe doth make 〈◊〉 sinnes manifest 〈◊〉 bring ouâ— misery to light Moses doth not only slay
nor the lawe only kill 2. 〈◊〉 Moses doth 〈◊〉 deade to Christ 〈◊〉 lawe â—â—cheth 〈◊〉 riâ—â—tâ—ousâ—â—se The precepts of the law are the rudiments of the world The kinde of righteousnesse which was in the people of the old auncient world A carnall of fleshly people The lawe frameth the life of man. The lawe â—â—idleth the 〈◊〉 It is vnpossible for vs of our own strength to fulfil the lawe Paul spake in the 7. cha to the Romanes of his own person 〈…〉 the 〈◊〉 of the. The 〈…〉 Christ hath fulfilled the law is the perfectnes of the faythfull Life is promised to them that keepe the lawâ— Howe 〈◊〉 may 〈◊〉 the 〈◊〉 Howe wee may keepe the lawe Gods commaundements are not heauie to be born Of the abrogation of the law 1 3 4 The 〈◊〉 is 〈…〉 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 How farre â—oorth the ceremonials are abrogated Heb. 1. Ceremonies the niddle wal or patition Ceremonies of hand writing The citie and teÌ„ple of Ierusâ—leâ— destroyed â—ani 9. Num. 24. 〈…〉 they 〈…〉 or 〈◊〉 The priesthood abrogated 1. Cor. 9. Math. 10. The place â—or to worship God in is free â—or euery man to choose where hee listeth and the congregation liketh To 〈…〉 places The holy 〈…〉 The Romish Iubilie 1 2 〈…〉 2 The 〈…〉 the 〈◊〉 is to 〈…〉 〈…〉 〈◊〉 choice of meates abrogated 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 â—â—â—bidden of the 〈◊〉 The decree of the Synode held at IerusaleÌ„ The false Apostles doctrine They subscribe their owne names and inscribe the names of them to whom the the Epistle is sent â— Gal. 〈◊〉 his 〈◊〉 it 〈◊〉 Spanâ— to the 〈◊〉 The exposition of the generall decree of the Synode held at IerusaleÌ„ 1 Act. 10. Men 〈…〉 the 〈◊〉 of 〈…〉 S. Iames alloweth of S. 〈◊〉 opinioÌ„ From som certaine thinges must the Saintes abstaine S. Iames defended The abrogace of â—he Iudiciall lawes The 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 of the 〈…〉 peoplâ— The 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 are all 〈◊〉 churâ—â—e and â—eople of 〈◊〉 and â—he same 〈◊〉 That the Fathers 〈◊〉 haue al 〈…〉 The Fathers and we haue al one faith The Fathers and we haue al one spirit Exod. â— Deut. 〈◊〉 The Fathers had the same hope and â—nheritaÌ„ce that we â—aue That Saluation was not promised onely but also performed vnto the fathers Ad inferos Ad inferos 1. Pet. 4. The Fathers and we haue al one maÌ„â—er of inuâ—cation 〈…〉 Of the difference of the olde newe testament and people Al thingâ—â— more â—â—ident in the newe people or couenant thaÌ„â—ere in the 〈◊〉 〈…〉 christ hath taken all burthens from our shoulders The bondage of the law in the old testament The people of the new testament are newe and without al number So that the people of this testament are after the name of Christ called Christians The giftes of the new testament are most ample and manifold The newe 〈…〉 no promise of 〈…〉 Of Christian libertie Who 〈◊〉 our 〈◊〉 Who 〈◊〉 â—e thaâ— Christe doth 〈…〉 What bondage is 〈◊〉 sorts 〈◊〉 bonâ—â—ge 〈…〉 A Paradox of libertie 2. Cor. 11. Spiriâ—â—â—l â—ondagâ— Abortion is made â—hen a woman is before her time deliuered of her childe The spirituâ—l libertie how farre forth we are made free by Christ Christian libertie Testimonies to proue christian libertie by Free froâ— the lawes and ordinances of men 〈…〉 The care of the body The 〈…〉 or 〈◊〉 them 〈◊〉 are 〈…〉 Christ The 〈◊〉 of 〈…〉 Licentiousnesse Of offencâ—â— Howe and by what meanes an offence is giuen Weklings 〈…〉 An offence giuen and an offence taken To giue offence is a great sin Offences 〈◊〉 not of the Gospel out of the 〈◊〉 of 〈◊〉 gospel Of good â—oorkes What worâ—â—s do 〈◊〉 in the 〈◊〉 Good workes what they are The originall cause of good workes 〈…〉 No works do iustifie 1 2 3 Good workes aâ— no◠〈…〉 their 〈◊〉 is by 〈…〉 In what sense the scripture doth attribute iustification vnto good workes The 〈◊〉 of theâ— whic◠〈…〉 â—nto wâ—â—kes 〈…〉 to them that speake against the 〈◊〉 An other obiection The places â—f faith works that â—eeme at a 〈◊〉 to â—â—sigree 〈◊〉 here 〈…〉 1 2 The 〈…〉 the 〈…〉 The â—â—â—stles â—gainsâ— abuseâ— graceâ— faith â–ª 〈…〉 Origen in 3. cap. ad Roma Ambrose Chrysosâ—â—â—◠〈…〉 of 〈…〉 〈…〉 A rewarde is giuen to good workes To 〈◊〉 the 〈◊〉 are 〈◊〉 〈…〉 these places whiche confirme the reward of good workes Hire is due but heritage proceedeth of the parents good will. How or in what sensâ— God is said to giue a reward vnto oure good workes 1 â— S. 〈…〉 the 〈…〉 Good workes muste be done according to the rule of the worde of God. Good workes indeed 1 â— The tenne commandements are a platforme of good workes 〈◊〉 be 〈…〉 to 〈…〉 of 〈…〉 To what end good workes must be done Rom. 2. 〈◊〉 came 〈…〉 The definition of sinne 〈…〉 The nature of maÌ„ is not the cause of sinne The diuel alone is not the cause of sinne That destinie is not the cause of sinne 〈…〉 〈◊〉 is not 〈…〉 God being good himselfe created all thinges good whiche be created 〈…〉 Sin 〈…〉 of 〈◊〉 diuels 〈…〉 our corrupt 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 8. Obiections are aâ—swered Why God created maÌ„ so fickle that hee should fall To what eâ—d God gaue the lawe to Adam There was 〈◊〉 corrupâ—â—â—â— or inâ—â—â—mâ—tie in â—dam beâ—â—re his fal 〈◊〉 image 〈◊〉 God. 〈…〉 An obiection How 〈◊〉 giueth ouer 〈…〉 〈…〉 〈…〉 câ—p 〈…〉 To harden God hardned Pharaoâ—s hart Amos 〈◊〉 How 〈◊〉 is 〈…〉 euilâ— Noâ—e here 〈◊〉 first 〈◊〉 is the 〈◊〉 the 〈◊〉 the 〈…〉 euil 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 thinges 〈◊〉 of god 〈◊〉 Go◠〈◊〉 God. The differences of sinne Originall sinne Originall sinne what it is The begining 〈…〉 The Pelagians 〈…〉 in 〈…〉 man. Voluntary sinne The sonne shall not beare the iniquitie of the father To bee borne oâ— holâ— parâ—nts 〈…〉 Al the auâ—cient doctours or fâ—thers of the church confesse with one assent originall sin The East and west churches That is he taught held oriâ—â—nall sinne What 〈◊〉 how 〈◊〉 the 〈◊〉 of 〈◊〉 nature 〈◊〉 Our deprauation is the blotting out of the Image of God in vs. Originall sinne condemneth 1 â— â—â—iginall 〈…〉 to all Where there is no lawe there is no transgression Rom. 7. Vldericke Zuinglius of original sinne Original 〈…〉 〈…〉 Christian faith consisteth in the consideratioÌ„ of two men Some were saued beside Israel but not without Christe The 〈◊〉 of 〈◊〉 sinne Sinne is repugnant to the law of God. The 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 of 〈◊〉 That k 〈…〉 and 〈◊〉 of ◠〈…〉 by 〈◊〉 〈…〉 Scelera delicta Peccata clamantia The 7. principal vices coÌ„monly called the 7. deadly sinnes Pecâ—atum alienum an otheâ—â— sin is 〈◊〉 an other made to sin by 〈◊〉 meaâ—es 〈◊〉 ye shall hereafteâ— perceiue â–ª The 〈◊〉 of ignorance Peccata aliena Others sinnes Both thesâ— sinnes an referred tâ— the compeller the one in respect of the man compelled the other in respect of the compeller