shall preach any other Gospel c. 559. 898 2 I liue yet not I but Christe liueth in mée and the life whiche I nowe line in the fleshe I liue by the faith of the sonne of God c. 454 763 825 2 If righteousnesse come by the lawe then Christ died in vaine c. 771 2 Titus being a Gréeke was not circumcised because of incommers being false c. 451 2 Wee knowe that man is not iustified by the woorkes of the Lawe c. 49 3 The séede of Abraham wherein we haue obteined blessing is Christ Iesus c. 687 3 All ye that are baptised haue puâ— on Christ c. 1061 3 If there had béene a lawe giuen which could haue giuen life then no doubt c. 40â— 3 For it is written Cursed is euery one that continueth not in all thinges which c. 407 3 The Lawe was our Scholemaster vnto Christ that wée should c. 1001 3 There is neither Iewe noâ— Greeke neither bond man nor frée c. 813 3 O foolish Galathians who hath beewitched you that yee should not beléeue the trueth c. 1020 3 The same oure father Abraham was not iustified by the Lawe c. 51 4 The sonne of God is made of a woman to witt according to mans nature c. 688 4 After that ye haue knowen God howe chaunceth it that ye returne againe to weake and beggerly elements c. 1142 4 Because ye are sonnes GOD hath sent the spirite of his sonne into your heartes c. 719 4 He feygneth that there are twoe mothers the one wherof doeth gender to boundage c. 437 4 God sent his sonne made of a woman that we by adoption might receiue the right of sonnes c. 448. 629. 4 Ye despised not neither abhorred my triall which was in the 〈◊〉 c. 876 4 Hierusalem whiche is aboue is frée which is the mother of vs all c. 827. 868 5 Brethren ye haue béene called vnto libertie onely let not libertie be an occasion c. 448 5 Loe I Paule say vnto you that if ye be circumcised Christ shal profite you nothing c. 419 5 The flesh lusteth contrary to the spirite and the spirite contrarie to the flesh c. 594. 718 5 The fruite of the spirite is loue ioy peace long suffering gentlenes goodnes c. 729 6 While wee haue time let vs worke good to all men c. 95. 289. 1125 6 Brethren if a man be preuented in any fault ye whiche are spirituall restoare such c. 574 ¶ Out of the Epistle of S. Paule to the Ephesians 〈◊〉 YE are sealed with the holy spirite of promise whiche is the â—arnest of our inheritance c. 727. â—016 〈◊〉 God hath chosen vs in Christe 〈◊〉 efore the foundations of the world were layde c. 643 〈◊〉 God raised Christ from the dead â—nd sâ—t him on his right hand in â—â—auenly places c. 701. 865 〈◊〉 Christe dwelleth in oure heartes â—hrough faith c. 825 〈◊〉 Now therefore ye are no more â—â—raungers and forteners but 〈…〉 ns c. 862 〈◊〉 Wherefore remember that ye â—eing in time passed Gentiles in â—â—e flesh c. 1021 〈◊〉 Wée were by nature the sonnes wrath euen as other c. 501 〈◊〉 Wée are created in Christ Iesus â—â—to good workes whiche GOD 〈…〉 th before c. 473 〈◊〉 By grace are ye saued throughe 〈…〉 th and that not of your selues c 2 Christ is our peace which hath made both one and hath broken downe c. 413 4 Christ gaue some Apostles some Prophets some pastours c. 41 828. 877. 3 By Christe wee haue bouldnesse and entraunce with confidence by faith c. 921 3 God by reuelation shewed the mysterie vnto mée as I wrote c. 18. 4 There is one body and one spirite euen as you are called in one hope of your vocâ—tion c. 841 2 Christ is the head of the church and the same is the Sauiour c. 865 4 Hee instituted ministers for the gathering together of the Sainctes for the worke c. 875 4 Bee ye tenned in the spirite of your minde and put on that newe man c. 490 4 Layinglies a side speake ye euery man the truth to his brother for we are members c. 273 4 One Lord one faith one baptisme one GOD and father of all which is aboue all c. 624. 1033 4 This I saye and testifie in the Lord that ye henceforth walke not as other Gentiles walke c. 503. 592 4 Be angrie and sinne not Let not the Sinne set vpon c. 164 4 Let no filthie communication procéede out of your mouth c. 238 4 Gréeue not the holy Spirite of God by whome ye are sealed vnto the day of redemption c. 1016 5 Christ is the head of the church and he it is that giueth saluation to the bodie c. 702 5 So must husbandes loue their wiues euen as their owne bodies c. 230 5 Neither whoremongers nor adulterers shal inherite the kingdom of God c. 235 5 Christe loued the Churche and gaue himselfe for it c. 80. 973 1061 5 Bée not drinken with wine wherein is excesse but be full-filled c. 933 5 Let not fornication or any vncleannesse or couetousnesse be once named c. 238 5 Giue thanckes alwayes for all thinges vnto GOD and the father c. 952 6 Children obey your parents for this is right Honour thy father c. 158 6 Fathers prouoke not your children to anger c. 161 6 Brethren be strong in the Lord and in the power of his might Put on c. 594 6 Take vnto you the whole armour of GOD that ye may be able to resist in the euill day c. 754 ¶ Out of the Epistle of S. Paule to the Philippians 1 I Desire to be dissolued and to be with Christ c. 767. 777. 1 To you it is giuen for Christe not onely to beléeue in him but also to suffer for him c. 455. 591 2 When Christe was in the fourme of GOD he made himselfe of no reputation c. 63 689 2 There is a name giuen vnto Christe which is aboue all names that in the name of IESVS euery knée should bow c. 689 2 God worketh in vs both to wil and to doe euen of his good pleasure c. 591. 646 2 An exhortation to loue If therefore there bee any consolation in Christ c. 99 3 Christ shall transforme this vile body of oures to make it conformable c. 85. 88 3 Our conuersation is in heauen from whence wee loke for a Sauiour the Lord Iesus Christ c. 71. 87. 690. 4 Let your requests be shewed vnto God in prayer and supplication c. 914 4 Wée haue learned in what estate so euer we are therewith to be content c. 312 ¶ Out of the Epistle of S. Paule to the Colossians 1 IT pleased the father that all fullnesse should dwell
weales or CongregatioÌ„s yea and that more is the most flourishing Kingdomes in all the world vnder their authoritie All the wysemen in the whole worlde I meane â—hose whiche liued in his time did reuerence Solomon a King and so great a Prophet and came vnto him from the very vtmoste endes of the worlde Daniel also had the preeminence among the wisemen at Babilon being then the moste renoumed Monarchie in all the worlde He was moreouer in great estimation with Darius Medus the Sonne of Astyages or Assuerus and also with Cyrus that moste excellent king And here it lyketh me well to speake somewhat of that diuine foreknowledge in our Prophets and moste assured foreshewing of things which were to come after many yeares passed And now to say nothing of others did not Esaias most truly foretell those things which were afterward fulfilled by the Iewes in our Lord Christ Not in vaine did he séeme to them of olde time to be rather an Euangelist then a Prophete foretelling thinges to come He did openly tel the name of king Cyrus one hundred and thréescore yeares at the least before that Cyrus was borne Daniel also was called of them in the olde time by the name of one whiche knewe muche For he did foretell those things whiche are and haue béen done in al the kingdomes of the world almost and among the people of God from his owne time vntil the time of Christ and further vntill the last day of Iudgement so plainely that hee may séeme to haue compiled an hystorie of those thinges whiche then were already gone and past Al these things I say doe very euidently proue that the Doctrine and writings of the Prophetes are the very word of God with whiche name and title they are set fooâ—the in sundrie places of the Scriptures Verily Peter the Apostle saithe The prophecie came not in old time by the wil of man but holy men of God spake as they were moued by the holy Ghoste And although God did largely clearly plainely and simply reueale his woâ—d to the world by the Patriarchs by Mâ—ses by the Priestes and Prophetes yet did he in the laste times of all by his Sonne set it forth moste clearely simply and aboundantly to al the worlde For the very and onely begotten Sonne of God the father as the Prophetes had foretolde descending from Heauen doth fulfill al what soeuer they foretolde and by the space almoste of thrée yeares dothe teach all pointes of Godlinesse For saith Iohn No man at any time hath seene God the only begotten Sonne which is in the bosome of the Father he hathe declared him The Lord himselfe moreouer saith to his Disciples Al things which I haue herd of my Father haue I made knowne to you And again he saith I am the light of the world whosoeuer doth followe me doth not walke in darkenes but shall haue the light of life Our Lord also did teache that to him whiche would enter into Heauen and be saued the heauenly regeneration was néedeful bicause in the first byrth man is borne to death in the second to life But that that regeneration is made perfect in vs by the spirit of God whiche instrueteth our hartes in faith I say in faith in Christ who died for our sinnes rose againe for our iustification He taught that by that faith they whiche beleeue are iustified that out of the same faith doe growe sundrie fruites of charitie and innocencie to the bringing foorthe wherof he did most earnestly exhorte them He taught furthermore that he was the fulfilling or fulnes of the law and the Prophets and did also approue and expound the doctrine of Moses and the Prophetes To doctrine he ioyned diuerse miracles and benefites wherby he declared that he him selfe was that light of the world and the mightie bountifull redéemer of the world And to the intent that his doctrine and benefites might be knowne to all the worlde he chose to himselfe witnesses whome he called Apostles bicause he purposed to sende them to Preache throughout the world Those witnesses were simple men innocentes iust tellers of trueth without deceipt or subtilties and in all pointes holy and good whose names it is very profitable often to repeate in the Congregation The names of the Apostles are these Peter and Andrewe Iames and Iohn Philippe and Bartholomevve Thomas Mathevv Iames the soÌ„ne of Alphe Iudas his brother vvhose surname vvas Thaddaeus Simon and Iudas Iscariot into whose roome because he had betraied the Lord came Saint Matthias These had he by the space almoste of thrée yeares hearers of his heauenly doctrine and beholders of his diuine workes These after his ascension in to the Heauens did he by the holy ghost send downe from Heauen instruct with all kinde of faculties For as they were in the Scriptures passing skilful so were they not vnskilfull or wanting eloquence in any tongue And being once after this manner instructed they depart out of the Citie of Ierusalem and passe through the compasse of the earthe preaching to all people and Nations that which they had receiued to preach of the sauiour of the world the Lord Iesus Christ And when for certaine yeares they had preached by woord of mouth then did they also set downe in writing that whiche they had preached For some verily writ an hystorie of the words and deeds of Christ and some of the wordes and déedes of the Apostles Other some sent sondrie Epistles to diuers Nations In all which to confirme the trueth they vse the Scripture of the lawe and the Prophetes euen as we reade that the Lorde oftentimes did Moreouer to the twelue Apostles are ioyned two greate lightes of the world Iohn Baptiste then whom there was neuer any more holy borne of women and the chosen vessel Paule the greate teacher of the Gentiles Neither is it to be merueiled at that the forerunner and Apostles of Christ had always very great dignity and authoritie in the Churche For euen as they were the embassadours of the eternall King of all ages and of the whole worlde so being indued with the spirit of God they did nothing according to the iudgement of theyr owne mindes And the Lord by theyr ministerie wrought great myracles thereby to garnishe the ministerie of them and to commend their doctrine vnto vs And what may be thought of that moreouer that by that woorde of God they did conuert the whole world gathering together laying the foundations of notable Churches through out the compasse of the world which verely by mans counsell and wordes they had neuer béene able to haue brought to passe To this is further added that they whiche once leaned to this doctrine as a doctrine giuing life did not refuse to die Besides that how many soeuer had their beliefe in the doctrine of the Gospell they were not afraide through water fire swordes to cutte of this life and
but through one For he saith not And to the seedes as though he spake of many but as speaking of one he saith And to thy seede that is Christ Therefore it is a detestable thing to augment or diminishe any thing in this testament of God Christ alone is the only sauiour stil men can neither saue them selues nor other Againe in the same Epistle to the Galathians he saith We knowe that man is not iustified by the workes of the lawe but by faith in Iesus Christ in so much as no flesh shal◠be iustified by the workes of the lawe This is nowe the thirde time that Paul saith that men are not iustified by the workes of the lawe In whiche clause he comprehendeth all maner of works of what sorte soeuer So then no kinde of workes do iustifie But what is it then that iustifieth Faith in Christe and that verily alone For what else can these wordes import We knowe that man is not iustified but by fayth in Christe For the force of these two speaches is all one Faith alone dothe iustifie And it is certaine that we are not iustified but by faythe in Iesus Christ He addeth the example of the Apostles And we haue beleued in Iesus Christ that we might be iustified by sayth in Iesus Christe and not by the workes of the law In like maner also Peter argueth by an example in the Acts of the Apostles and saith We beleeue that through the grace of our Lord Iesus Christe we shall be saued euen as they Acts. 15. Moreouer in the very same chapter to the Gala. he saith I despise not the grace of God for if righteousnesse come of the law then Christ is deade in vaine For if we in our selues had had any thing whereby we might be saued what néeded the sonne of God to take our flesh to suffer and to dy But for bycause the sonne of God being incarnate did suffer and die and died not in vaine therefore in our fleshe there was nothing that could obtaine saluation for mankinde Wherfore the only sonne of God is our Sauiour for euer and by true faith maketh vs partakers of his saluation Paule in the very beginning of his Epistle to the Rom. doth proue that al men are sinners that in men there remaineth no strength for them to be saued by and that the lawe of God it selfe doth dig vp the knowledge of offences that is doth apply them bring them to light and make them manifest but doth not take them away blot them out or vtterly extinguish them and that therefore God for his owne goodnes sake to the end that the work that he hath made shoulde not altogether perishe doth iustifie the faithfull fréely by faith in Iesus Christ I will rehearse a fewe of the Apostles owne wordes The righteousnesse of God saith he is declared without the law being witnessed notwithstanding by the law and the Prophets the righteousnesse of God I say commeth by faith in Iesus Christ vnto all and vpō all them that beleeue For there is no difference For all haue sinned haue neede of the glory of God but are iustified freely by his grace through the redemptiō that is in Christ Iesu whō God hath set forth to be a propitiatiō thrugh faith in his blud These words of the Apostle I suppose are most manifest to them that beleeue He plucketh iustification from our owne merites strength and attributeth it to grace wherby the sonne of God is giuē to the worlde vnto the punishment of the crosse that al they that beleue that they are redéemed by the bloud of the sonne of God may be iustified Againe the Apostle immediatly after addeth Therfore we hold that man is iustified by faith without the workes of the law Vpon the necke of this againe he argueth thus Is he the God of the Iewes only Is he not also of the gentils Yes euen of the Gentiles also For it is one God that shall iustifie Circumcision by faith and vncircumcision through faith To be God is nothing else but to be life saluation But God is the God of the Gentiles also not of the Iewes alone therefore God is the life saluation of the Gentiles This life saluation he doth communicate to vs not by the law or through circūcision but by faith in Christ Therfore fayth alone doth iustifie This may be proued by the example of Cornelius the Centurion who as soone as S. Peter had preched vnto him and he once beleued was by and by iustified when as yet he had not receiued circumcisiō or the law when as yet he had not sacrificed nor merited righteousnesse by any work that he did For he was fréely iustified in faith thrugh Iesu Christ For Peter concluded his Sermon to him in these words To this Christ do all the Prophetes giue witnesse that thrugh his name whosoeuer beleueth in him shal receiue remissiō of sinnes After all this the Apostle Paul bringeth in that notable and singular example of our father Abraham teching by what meanes our father Abrahā was iustified For this being once truly declared it can not chose but be plaine manifest to euery one by what means Gods wil is to iustifie al men For the sonnes can not be iustified any other way then the father before them was iustified Abraham therefore was not iustified by circūcision or receiuing of the sacrament For it is saide that he was iustified before he was circumcised Afterward was added the signe of circumcision as the seale of the righteousnesse of faithe that is the signe or sealing that al the séede of Abraham is iustified by faith The same our father Abrahā was not iustified by the lawe For the lawe was 430. yeres added to the promise not to take away sinne or to worke iustification but to make sin appeare to make vs altogether emptie when we are once made emptie to send as it were compell vs to flye to Christ Againe Abraham was not iustified by his works And yet in that most excellent Patriarch are found to be good works yea those too good workes of true faith which are both notable and many in number suche and so many as you shall scarcely finde in any other Neuerthelesse yet the Apostle saith What shall we say then that Abrahā our father as pertaining to the flesh who I say is oure father touching the flesh did merit or find for both those significations hath the Greeke worde 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 For if Abraham were iustified by works thē hath he to boste but not before god For God is only iust and he that only iustifieth Al mē are corrupt yea euen Abraham is a sinner and euery man standeth in néed of the glory of god For which cause also the Prophet did plainely forbid to boast in any thing but in the mercy of god Wherefore Abraham boasted not againste God he acknowledged him selfe to be a
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
Wherevppon wée doe fréely confesse that the lawe doeth properly make manifeste our infirmitie but that the Gospel giueth a medicine a remedie to that which was almost past hope And now here we must thinke that our holy ancestors had not the lawe alone to conuince them of sinne nor Moses to doe nothing else but kill and slay nor that Moses was giuen to wound them but to heale them that not by his owne power or vertue but by the guiding of them to him that chéerisheth the contrite in heart and healeth all their sorrowes that is Christ Iesus who also wrought by the ministerie of Moses For we must not thincke from the beginning of the world nor from Moses his time till the comming of Christe that the bare letter was preached onely and that the grace and spirite of God was idle wrought not in the mindes of the faithfull For in that the law doth shewe vs and inuincibly proue to vs that in vs I meane in our flesh y perfection is not which the most holy and perfecte God doth in his lawe require of vs it doeth therein reuoke and pull backe mankinde not by the vertue of it selfe but by the power of the quickening spirite of Christ from confidence of the fleshe as that wherin there is no health nor iote of perfection and so coÌ„sequently doeth giue vs occasion to turne our selues to Christ our mediatour who is alone our sanctification perfection And so for this occasion the law is a path and readie way and as it were a scholemaster giuen by God to vs men to drawe vs from all confidence in our owne strengths from all hope of our owne merites and from y trust in any kinde of creatures and to lead vs directly by faith to Christ who was made by God as I said eueÌ„ now our righteousnesse sanctification and redemptioÌ„ without whom there is no saluation vnder the sunne Therefore Moses did not onely vrge the lawe but did also preach Christ life in Christ For the Lord in the Gospel saith to the Iewes Thinke not that I will accuse you to my father There is one that accuseth you euen Moses in whome ye trust For if ye had beleued Moses ye would vndoubtedly haue beleued mee For he wrote of mee And Paule to the Galathians saith If there had beene a law giuen which could haue giuen life then no doubt righteousnesse should haue beene by the lawe but the Scripture hath concluded all vnder sinne that the promise by the faith of Iesus Christ should bee giuen vnto them that beleeue But before faith came wee were kept vnder the lawe and were shut vp into the faith which should afterward be reuealed Wherefore the lawe was our scholemaster vnto Christ that we should be iustified by faith Loe what could bée said more plainly then that the lawe hath concluded all vnder sinne But to what end That the promise by the faith of Christ Iesus should bée giuen vnto them that do beléeue And againe Before faith came that is before he came to whom our faith is directed and vppon whoÌ„ it is grounded we were kept vnder the lawe How forsooth being shut vp vnto the faith that was to bee reuealed Therefore our fathers were shut vpin the law that they should not breake out at any time séeke for life and saluation any where else but in Christ alone Wherefore the lawe did lead vs by faith directly vnto Christe And yet more plainly hée saith The lawe was oure scholemaister vnto Christ Loe here againe the law doth bring vs to Christ And againe he addeth That we should bee iustified by faith Therefore the lawe setteth forward the true doctrine of iustification teaching plainly that we are iustified by faith in Christ and not by the merits of our owne workes In whiche point it is opeÌ„ly like vnto the Gospel and taketh to it selfe the office of the Gospell and no meruaile since to many men through their owne fault the Gospell doth become and is made the letter Furthermore the same Apostle doth in an other place say that in sacrifices they called their sinnes to remeÌ„brance we knowe that in them was prefigured the purging of sinns Therfore eueÌ„ the ceremonial lawes also led them to Christ testifying teaching them that he alone doth clense vs from all our sinnes Whervpon I conclude that the office of Moses and of the lawe both was is to opeÌ„ to vs our sinne iudgment yet not to condemne vs only but also by occasion to lead vs to Christ By which we learne also that the law doth not only teach vs the first principles and rudimentes of righteousnesse but the very true absolute righteousnesse For Moses doth expresly say that he taught a most perfecte absolute kind of doctrine as that wher in both life and death doth wholie consist And the Apostle saith that the law leadeth vs by the hand to Christ that we should be iustified by faith Now the righteousnesse of faith is the most perfect righteousnesse Therfore wher as the precepts of the law are in some places called the rudimeÌ„ts of the world that is for two especiall causes The first wherof is because the lawe is as it were the first instructioÌ„s or elemeÌ„ts which when the doctrine of the Gospel commeth is finished and giueth place to it as to more absolute principles The latter cause is because ceremonies are taught vnder outward thinges or signes when as in those outward things they do prefigure and set forth to be séen y inward things euen Christ himselfe his holy mysteries And out of that which I haue hetherto said we may also learne that the ancient saints which liued vnder the old testament did not séeke for righteousnesse saluation in the workes of the lawe but in him which is the perfectnesse end of the law euen Christ Iesus therfore that they vsed the law the ceremonies as a guide and scholemistresse to lead them by the hande to Christe their sauiour For so often as they heard that the lawe required perfect righteousnesse at their hands they did by faith through grace vnderstand y in the lawe Christ was set forth to be the most absolute righteousnesse to whom all men ought to flie for â—he obtâ—ining of righteousnesse So often as they mette together in the holy congregation to behold the holy Ceremonies which God had ordeined they did not looke vppon the bare figures only nor thincke that they did please God and were purged from their sinnes by that externall kinde of worshipp but they did cast the eyes of their minds of faith vppon the Messiah to come who was prefigured in al the Ceremonies and ordinaunces of the lawe They therefore did abuse the lawe who thoughte that they were acceptable to God and that they serued him as they should because they were busie in those Ceremoniall workes For those thoughtes and persuasions the Prophets
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
sinne whiche is in my members And at the last he concludeth and saith So then with the minde I me selfe serue the lawe of God but with the flesh the law of sin Nowe some there are which thincke y Paule spake these wordes not of himselfe but of the person of others which were carnal men and not as yet regenerate But the very words of the Apostle doe enforce the reader whether he wil or no to confesse that the words recited may be applied eueÌ„ to the man that is most spiritual Augustine 1. lib. Retractat cap. 23. saith that he himselfe was sometime of opinion that those woords of the Apostle ought to be expounded of the man which was vnder the lawe and not vnder grace but hée confesseth that he was compelled by the authoritie of others writings treatises to thincke that the Apostle spake them of such men as were most spirituall of his owne person as he doth at large declare in his books against the Pelagians Euen S. Hierome also who is said to haue thundered out a most horrible curse against them that taught that the law did commaund things vnpossible doth expressly write to Rusticus that Paul in this place speaketh of his owne person But if the flesh and the corrupte disposition thereof remaine wherby it doth vncessaÌ„tly striue with the spirite then verily that heauenly perfectnâ—s is neuer perfecte in vs so longe as we liue so consequently so longe as we liue none of vs fulfilleth the law Here also is to be inserted that disputation of Paul where he proueth that no mortall maÌ„ is iustified by the workes of the lawe his meaning is not that no man is iustified by the very works of the law but that no man is iustified by the workes of our corrupt nature which doth not performe that whiche the lawe of God requireth For as the same Apostle saith it is not able to performe it And very well truly saith he We knowe that a man is not iustified by the deedes of the lawe but by the faith of Iesus Christ and we haue beleued in Iesus Christ that we might be iustified by the faith of Christ and not by the deeds of the lawe because by the deeds of the law no flesh shal be iustified Neither must we by the déedes of the lawe vnderstand the Ceremonies onely For euen as the Ceremonies do not so likewise do not the morals iustifie vs men The Apostle speaketh of the morals when he speaketh of the déeds of the law For in the 3. Chap. to the Romans the same Apostle saith By the deedes of the lawe there shall no flesh be iustified in his sight And immediately after he addeth the reason why saying For by the lawe coÌ„meth the knowledge of sinne But in the 7. cap. he sheweth by what lawe to wit the morall lawe For the moral law saith Thou shalt not lust But the Apostle saith I knew not sinne but by the law For I had not known coÌ„cupiscence if the lawe had not said thou shalt not lust In his Epistle to the Ephesians he speaketh to the Gentiles and saith simplie that workes do not iustifie But speaking to the Gentiles he could not meane it of the ceremoniall lawes but of the very morall vertues that is all kinds of workes y séemed to be good To the Galathians he saith As many as are of the deedes of the law are vnder the curse And to proue that he addeth For it is writteÌ„ Cursed is euery one that continueth not in all things which are written in the booke of the lawe to do theÌ„ Now vnlesse we do by the déeds of the lawe vnderstand the morals as wel as the ceremonials I doe not sée howe his proofe can hange to that which went before For he saith expressely In all things which are writteÌ„ in the booke of the lawe to do them Nowe who knoweth not that the ceremonials were not written alone but that the morals were written also And S. Augustine in his booke De spiritu litera Cap. 8. doth by many argumentes proue that Paule by the déeds of the lawe did vnderstand the morals also Nowe that wée may conclude this place I will héere recite the words of the Apostle in the 8. to the Romanes saying What the lawe could not doe in as much as it was weake thorough the flesh that God performed by sending his owne sonne in the similitude of sinnefull flesh and by sinne condemned 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 The Apostle in these words teacheth vs two things First that the law neither can now nor neuer could iustifie vs men The fault of this weakenesse or lacke of abilitie he casteth not vpon the law which is of it selfe good and effectual is the doctrine of most absolute righteousnesse but he layeth the fault therof vpon our corrupt flesh Our flesh neither could nor can performe that whiche is required of vs by the law of god Whereupon S. Peter in the counsell held at HierusaleÌ„ is read to haue said Now therfore why tempt ye God to put on the disciples neckes the yoke which neither our fathers nor wee were able to beare The latter is inferred vpon the first to wit when the lawe could not giue vs life nor wée were able to do y which the law required at our hands theÌ„ God who is rich in mercie and goodnesse sent his sonne into the world that he being incarnate should die for vs and so take away the sinne of our imperfection bestow on vs his perfectnesse in faith being himselfe the perfectnes and fulnesse of the law By this therfore it is manifest y Christ hath fulfilled the lawe that he is the perfectnes of al the faithful in the world But here this place requireth a more ful exposition how Christ hath fulfilled the law how he is made our perfectnesse First of all whatsoeuer things are promised and prefigured in the lawe the Prophets all those hath Christ our lord fulfilled For those promises The seede of the woman shall crush the Serpents head In thee shall all the kindreds of the earth bee blessed other more innumerable like to these did our Lord fulfil wheÌ„ he being borne into this world made an attonement for vs brought backe life to vs againe In like maner he fulfilled all the ceremonials while he himselfe being both priest and sacrifice did offer vpp himselfe is now euer an effectuall and euerlasting sacrifice an eternall highe priest making intercession alwayes at the right hand of the father for all faithful beléeuers He also doth spiritually circuÌ„cise the faithful and hath giuen them in stéed of circumcision the sacrameÌ„t of baptisme He is our Passouer who in stéed of the Paschal lamb hath ordeined the Eucharist or supper of the lord Finally hee is the fulfilling and perfectnes of
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
c. 980 10 Arise I also myselfe am a man c. 654. 890 10 That which God hath cleansed call not thou common or vncleane c. 226. 1055 10 Thy prayers and thine almes déedes are hadde in remembraunce c. 924 11 Agabus foretolde Saint Paule the famine which was to come c. 878 12 Herode put Peter in pryson Peter slept betwéene two souldiers c. 735 12 It is the voyce of God and not of man c. 890 13 The Churches by the commandemente of the Apostles ordeyned doctours c. 837 13 Be it knowne vnto you men brethren that through this Lorde c. 45. 408 13 The Iewes being filled with indignation spake against those thinges c. 903 13 The word of God ought first to be preached vnto you but bycause you reiect it and iudge your c. 1107 14 The apostles returned strengthened the disciples soules againe c. 1016 14 God left not him selfe without witnesse in that he shewed his benefites from heauen c. 638 15 Dissention kindled by Paule and Barnabas againste them that taught circumcision c. 1001 15 Paule preaching the worde of God among the Gentiles went into the Synagogues c. 1114 15 We beléeue that through the grace of our Lord Iesus c. 50 15 Fornication forbidden by the Apostles in that Synodal Epistle which they sent froÌ„ Ierusalem c. 234 15 Bloud and strangled forbidden by the apostles in that Synodal Epistle which they sent from Ierusalem c. 421 16 Beléeue in the Lord Iesus and thou shalt be saued and thy whole c. 903 17 By God we liue and moue and haue our being c. 638. 685 17 God is not farre from euerie one of vs For by him wee liue wee moue and haue our being c. 610 17 God that made the worlde and all that therein is c. 126. 1004 17 Feare not Paule thou must be brought before Caesar and lo God hath giuen thée all them that sayle with thée c. 740 18 The Apostle shooke his raymeÌ„t and sayd your bloud be vppon your c. 903 19 The sonns of Sceâ—a the priest were sayd to be exorcistes c. 884 972 19 The holy ghost came vpon theÌ„ and they spake with tongues and prophecied c. 1032 19 When they heard these things they were baptised in the name of the Lord Iesus c. 1060 19 Iohn baptised with the baptisme of repentance saying vnto the people that they should beléeue c. 1031 20 God hath purchased to him selfe a church with his owne bloud c. 695 20 Take héede vnto your selues to the whole flocke whereof c. 866. 878. 901 20 I knowe this that after my departing shall grieuous wolues enter in c. 829. 887 20 Paule preached brake breade at Troas c. 1069 21 Paule being oppressed of the Iewes in the Temple of Hierusalem is rescued c. 832 22 I receiued authoritie from the high Priestes to binde al those that call c. 812 22 Paule being borne frée in the citie of Tharsus traueled to HierusaleÌ„ vnto Gamaliels féete c. 1115 22 Arise and be baptised washe away thy sinnes by calling on the name c. 989. 1061 23 Atroupe of horsemen and a certein companie of footmen sent with the Apostle Paule c. 832 23 As thou hast borne witnesse of me at Hierusalem so must thou beare record of me at Rome c. 640 23 The Saduceis say that there is no resurrection neyther Angel nor spirite c. 731 24 I beléeue all that is written in the Lawe and the Prophets c. 89 26 Paul wisheth that king Agrippa were suche an one as him selfe except his bandes c. 872 26 I send thée vnto the Gentiles to open their eyes that they may be c. 871 27 Sâ—rs I exhort you to be of good cheare for there shall be no losse of any mans life c. 640 27 There sâ—oode by me this night the Angel of God whose I am c. 743 Out of the Epistle of S. Paule to the Romanes 1 APpointed to preache the Gospel of God which he promised afore by his Prophetes c. 629 693 838 1 His inuisible thinges being vnderstanded by his workes through the creation c. 620 1 God verily promised the Gospel of God afore by his Prophets c. 429 1 What so euer may be knowne of God is manifest c. 102 1 God gaue them vp vnto a reprobate sense c. 492 1 The wrath of God is reuealed from heauen against al vngodlines c. 520 2 There are two sorts of Circumcisions the one of the letter in the flesh c. 361 2 The circumcision of the heart is the circumcision which consisteth in the spirite c. 715 2 What doest thou despise the riches of Gods goodnes c. 125. 522 2 When the Gentiles which haue not the lawe do of nature c. 101 3 Doe we then destroye the lawe through fayth God forbid c. 553 3 The righteousnesse of GOD by fayth in Iesus Christe conuneth vnto all c. 546 3 Is he the God of the Iewes only Is he not also of the Gentiles c. 553 3 Where is the boasting it is excluded By what lawe Of works 552 3 All haue sinned and are destitute or haue néede of the Grace of God c. 501 3 If our vnrighteousnesse setteth foorth the righteousnesse of GOD what c. 482 3 Shall their vnbeliefe make the fayth of God without effect God forbid c. 1027 3 We doe therefore hold that a maÌ„ is iustified withoute the workes of the lawe c. 553 4 To him that worketh not but beléeuâ—th in him that iustifieth the vngodly c. 555 4 To him that worketh is the reward not reckoned of Grace but of duetie c. 554 4 What shal we say theÌ„ that Abraham our father as apperteyning to the flesh c. 51 4 If Abraham were iustified by workes c. Abraham beléeued God and it was counted for righteousnesse c. 51. 457 554 4 Where no lawe is there is no transgression c. 502 4 Therefore by fayth is the inheritaunce giuen that it might be by grace c. 52 5 Euen as by one man sinne entâ—red into the worlde and death by sinne c. 45. 482. 496. 502. 645. 1052. 5 Being iustified by the bloude of Christe we shall be saued c. 45. 54 5 We reioice also in tribulations knowing that tribulation worketh patience c. 294 5 The loue of God is poured oute into our hearts c. 92 5 Therefore being iustified by faith we are at peace with GOD c. 1002 5 Christe when as yet we were sinners dyed for vs muche more therefore nowe being iustified c. 662 5 Knowe ye not that all we which haue bin baptised into Iesus Christ haue bene baptised into his death c. 444. 709. 1025 7 Sinne withoute the lawe was once deade and I once
liued without lawe c. 502 7 O wretched man that I am who shall deliuer me from the body of this death c. 409 7 With the mynde the same I or euen I doe serue the Lawe of God c. 515 7 Wee knowe that the lawe is spirituall but I am carnall solde vnder sinne c. 405. 496 7 I knowe that in me that is in my flesh there is no good c. 482 589. 594. 7 I knewe not sinne but by the lawe for I had not knowne lust except the lawe c. 325. 401 7 I finde when I would doe good that euill is present with by and in me c. 515 8 Those which he knewe before he did also predestinate that they should be like c. 894 8 It is God that iustifieth who is he that can condemne c. 662 8 Who spared not his sonne but gaue him for vs all howe can it be that he shoulde not also with him giue vs allthings c. 644 8 You haue not receiued againe the spirite of bondage vnto feare but you haue receiued the spirite of adoption c. 565. 660 8 If any haue not the spirite of Christ the same is none of his c. 660. 925. 1055 8 As many as are led by the spirite of GOD they are the sonnes of God c. 718 8 They that are in the fleshe can not please God c 728 8 Bâ—cause ye are sonnes GOD hath sent the spirite of his sonne into your hearts c. 723 8 Who shall separate vs from the loue of GOD shall tribulation c. 93. 311 8 The affection of the flesh is death but the affection of the spirit is life c. 325 8 The lawe of the spirite of life through Christe Iesus hath made mée frée c. 446 8 Wée are saued by hope but hope that is séene is no hope For howe can a man c. 305 8 What the Lawe could not do in as much as it was weake through the flesh c. 407 8 We sufferwith Christ that with him we may be glorified For I am c. 310 9 It is not in him that willeth nor in him that runneth but in God that sheweth mercie c. 644 9 They are not all Israelits whiche came of Israel neither are they c. 820 9 Which is God in all thinges to be praised for euer c. 685 10 Faith coÌ„meth by hearing and hearing commeth by the woord of god c. 827 10 With the heart man beléeueth vnto righteousnesse and with the mouth c. 974 10 But how shall they call vppon him in whome they haue not beléeued c. 660 10 If thou shalt knowledge with thy mouth the Lord Iesus and shalt beléeue in thine heart c. 1007 10 The same Lord ouer all is rich to all them that call vppon him c. 546. 11 Wée say that faith was imputed to Abraham for righteousnesse c. 1011 11 I haue left vnto me selfe 7000 men in Israel who haue neuer bowed c. 855 11 O the depth of the riches of the wisedome and knowledge of God c. 642 12 I beséeche you brethren by the mercies of god that ye giue vp your bodies a liuely sacrifice c. 668 12 Dearely beloued reuenge not your selues but rather giue place vn to wrath c. 197 12 For as we haue manâ— meÌ„bers in one body and all members haue not c. 826 13 Owe nothing to any man c. for he that loueth another hath fulfilled the Lawe c. 98 13 The magistrate is Gods minister giue therefore to all men honour to whome honour belongeth c. 650 13 Wée must not obey the magistrate for anger onely but for â—onscience sake c. 220 13 Let euery soule be subiect to the higher powers c. 170. 755 14 Let vs followe the things that make for peace and al things wherby we may one edifie c. 426 14 Him that is weake in faith receiue ye not to strifes of disputations c. 451 14 All thinges are lawfull for mée but all thinges are not expedient c. 449 14 The kingdom of GOD is not meate and drinke but righteousnes and peace c. 699 16 Phebe a woman deacon of the Church of Cencrea c. 879 ¶ Out of the first Epistle of S. Paule to the Corinthians 1 THe Lord sent me to preache the Gospel and not to baâ—tise c. 1055 1 Were ye baptised in the name of Paule c. 627 1 I thancke God that I baptised none of you but Crispus and Gaius c. 1033 1 Nowe we sée in a glasse euen in a darcke speaking but then we shall sée face to face c. 608 1 After that in the wisedome of God the world through their wisedome knewe not God c. 619 2 God hath reuealed them vnto vs by his spirite For the spirite searcheth all thinges c. 728 2 Had they knowen it they would not haue crucified the Lord of glorie c. 695 2 My preaching was not in the enticeing words of mans wisedom but in the shewing of the spirite c. 603. 825 2 I was among you CorinthiaÌ„s in weakenesse and in feare and in much trembling c. 831 2 The natural man perceiueth not the thinges of the spirite of GOD c. 500. 589 3 As a skilfull buildes I haue laid the foundation c. 860 3 For wee together are Gods labourers ye are gods husbandrie c. 860 3 Other foundation can no man lay than that which is layed which is c. 861. 862 3 He which watereth is nothing nor he which planteth c. 20. 3 Who is Paul And who is Apollos but the ministers by whom ye beléeued c. 860. 873 983. 1137 3 Know ye not that ye are the temple of God that the spirit of God dwelleth in you c. 717. 723. 861 3 Not that we are sufficient of our selues to thinke any thing as of our selues c. 646 3. 4. Ministers are fellowe labourers with God and disposers of the secretes c. 873 4 Let a man so estéeme of vs as the ministers of Christ and disposers c. 881 4 For it is required in the disposers that a man be found faithfull c. 895 4 I begat you in Christe Iesu thorough the Gospell c. 827 5 God was in Christ reconciling the world vnto himselfe not imputing their sinnes vnto them c. 555. 569. 5 If any man that is called a brother be a théefe or a whoremonger c. 819. 1131 5 Therefore let vs kéepe the feast not in the old leauen nor in the leauen of malice c. 367 6 Yee are bought with a price become therefore the seruants c. 60 446. 1138 6 The holy and pure vse of the body seuearely requâ—red without all fâ—lthy and vncleane c. 426 6 Knowe ye not that your bodies are the members of Christe c. 235 6 Knowe ye not that your bodies are the temple
God is reuealed in what manner it is to be hearde and what the force thereof is or the effect Our God is the God of all men and nations who according to the saying of the Apostle woulde haue all men to be saued and to come to the knowledge of the trueth and therfore hath he for the benefite life and saluation of all men reuealed his worde that so in déede there might be a rule and certaine waye to leade men by the pathe of iustice into life euerlasting God verily in the olde time did shewe him selfe to the Israelites his holy and peculiar people more familiarly then to other nations as the Prophete sayth To Iacob hath he declared his statutes and his iudgementes to Israel he hath not dealt so with any nation neyther hath he shewed them his iudgementes and yet he hath not altogether bene carelesse of the Gentiles For as to the Niniuites he sent Ionas so Esaias Ieremias Daniell and the other Prophetes bestowed muche labour in teaching and admonishing the Gentiles And those moste auncient Fathers Noe Abraham and the rest did not onely instruct the Iewish people which descended of them but taught their other sonnes also the iudgementes of god Our Lorde Iesus Christe verily laying open the whole world before his disciples sayd Teach all nations Preache the Gospell to all creatures And when as Sainte Peter did not yet fully vnderstande that the Gentiles also did appertaine to the fellowship of the Churche of Christe and that to the Gentiles also did belong the preaching of the glad tydings of saluation purchased by Christe for the faythfull the Lord doth instruct him by a heauenly vision by speaking to him out of heauen and by the message which came from Cornelius as you knowe dearely beloued by the hystorie of the Actes of the Apostles Let vs therfore thinke my brethren that the worde of God and the holy Scriptures are reuealed to all men to all ages kindes degrées and states throughout the worlde For the Apostle Paule also confirming the same sayth Whatsoeuer things are written are written for our learning that through patience and comfort of the Scriptures we may haue hope Let none of vs therefore hereafter say what néede I to care what is written to the Iewes in the olde Testament or what the apostles haue written to the Romanes to the Corinthians and to other nations I am a Christian The Prophets to the men of their time and the Apostles to those that liued in the same age with them did both preach and write For if we thinke vprightly of the matter we shall sée that the Scriptures of the olde and newe Testamentes ought therefore to be receiued of vs euen bicause we are Christians For Christ our Sauiour and maister did referre vs to the written bookes of Moses and the Prophets Saint Paule the very elect instrument of Christ doth apply to vs the Sacramentes and examples of the olde Fathers that is to say Circumcision in baptisme Coloss 2. and the Paschall lambe in the Supper or Sacrament 1. Cor. 5. In the tenth Chapter of the same Epistle he applyeth sundry examples of the Fathers to vs And in the fourth to the Romans where he reasoneth of fayth whiche iustifieth without the helpe of works and the lawe he bringeth in the example of Abraham And therewithall addeth Neuerthelesse it is not written for Abraham alone that fayth was reckoned vnto him for righteousnesse but also for vs to whome it shal be reckoned if we beleeue c. By that meanes say some we shal againe be wrapped in the lawe we shall be inforced to be circumcised to sacrifice fleshe and bloud of beastes to admit againe the priesthood of Aaron together with the temple and the other ceremonies There shall againe be allowed the byll of diuorcement or putting away of a mans wife together with sufferaunce to marrie many wiues To these I aunswere that in the olde Testament we muste consider that some thinges there are whiche are for euer to be obserued and some thinges whiche are ceremoniall and suffered onely till time of amendement That time of amendment is the time of Christe who fulfilled the lawe and tooke awaye the curse of the lawe The same Christe chaunged Circumcision into Baptisme He with his owne only sacrifice made an end of all sacrifices so that nowe in steade of all sacrifices there is lefte to vs that onely sacrifice of Christe wherein also we learne to offer our own very bodies and prayers together with good déedes as spirituall sacrifices vnto god Christ changed the Priesthood of Aaron for his owne and the Priesthoode of al Christians The Temple of God are we in whom god by his spirit doth dwell All ceremonies did Christ make voide who also in the nineteene of Mathewe did abrogate the bill of diuorcement together with the marriage of many wiues But althoughe these Ceremonies and some externall actions were abrogated and cleane taken away by Christ that we should not be bound vnto them yet notwithstanding the Scripture whiche was published touching them was not taken awaye or else made voide by Christ For there must for euer be in the Churche of Christ a certaine testimoniall wherby we may learne what manner of worshippings and figures of Christ they of the olde time had Those worshippiÌ„gs figures of Christ must we at this day interprete to the Churche spiritually and out of them we muste no lesse then out of the writinges of the newe Testament preach Christ forgiuenes of sinnes and repentance So then to all Christians are the writinges of the olde Testament giuen by God in like manner as the Apostles writ to all Churches those thinges which bore the name or title of some particular Congregations And to this end is the woord of God reuealed to men that it may teache them what and what maÌ„ner one God is towardes men that he would haue them to be saued aâ—d that by faithe in Christ what Christ is and by what meanes saluation commeth what becommeth the true worshipers of God what they ought to flie and what to ensue Neither is it sufficient to know the wil of God vnlesse we do the same and be saued And for that cause sayde Moses Heare Israell the statutes and iudgements whiche I teache you that ye may doe them and liue And the Lorde in the Gospell confirming the same cryeth Blessed are they whiche heare the worde of God and keepe it And here is to be praysed the excéeding great goodnesse of God whiche would haue nothing hid froÌ„ vs whiche maketh any whit to liue rightly well and holily The wise and learned of this world doe for the most part beare enuy or grudge that other shoulde attaine vnto the true wisedome But our Lorde doth gently and of his own accorde offer to vs the whole knowledge of heauenly things and is desirous that we goe forward therein yea and that more is he doth further our
writings alledge out of the prophets The same Paul also saith The life which now I liue in fleshe I liue by faith in the son of god who loued me and gaue him self for me Faith ioyneth vs to the eternal chief goodnesse so maketh vs to inioy the chief goodnes that god may dwell in vs we in god For the Lorde Iesus him self in the Gospel saith He which eateth my flesh drinketh my bloud dwelleth in me I in him As the louing father sēt me so also I liue by the father he that eteth me shal liue by me But to eate drink the Lord is to be léeue in the Lord the he hath giuē him self to death for vs Whervpon Iohn the Apostle saith We haue seene do witnesse that the father hath sent the son the sauiour of the world Whosoeuer shal confesse that Iesus is the sonne of God God dwelleth in him and he in God. Wherfore also Paul saide I liue now not I but Christ liueth in me Moreouer faythe dothe iustifie But for bycause the treatise thereof can not be fitlye and fullye made an ende of this houre I meane to deferre it till the next Sermon that shall be At this present dearely beloued ye must remember that there is but one true fayth that is the Christian fayth For although there be said to be many fayths that is religions yet notwithstanding there is onely but one true and vndoubted fayth And that dothe increase and againe decrease in some men As for those in whom it is rightly and godly obserued in them it sheweth foorthe sundry vertues For it bringeth with it true wisedome finally it quickneth and maketh vs blessed and happy in déede To God the father the authour of all goodnesse and of our felicitie be all prayse and glory throughe Iesus Christ our Lorde for euer and euer Amen That the faithfull are iustified by fayth with out the lawe and workes ¶ The sixte Sermon BEing readye here dearely beloued to speake vnto you of fayth whiche without workes dothe iustifie them that beléeue I call vpon the Father whiche is in heauen through his onely begotten sonne Iesus Christe our Lorde beséeching him to open my mouth and lippes to the setting foorthe of his prayse and to illuminate your hearts that ye acknowledging the great benefite of God may become thankfull for it and holy in déede And first of all I will speake certaine things chiefly necessarie to this argument or treatise touching this terme of iustification The terme of iustifying very vsuall and common among the Hebrues and of a large signification is not at this day so wel vnderstoode of all men as it ought to be To iustifie is as muche to say as to quite from iudgement and from the denounced and vttered sentence of condemnation It signifieth to remit offences to cleanse to sanctifie ▪ and to giue vtterance of life euerlasting For it is a lawe terme belonging to courts where iudgement is exercised Imagine therefore that man is set before the iudgement seate of God and that there he is pleaded guiltie to wit that he is accused and conuinced of hainous offences and therefore sued to punishment or to the sentence of condēnation Imagine also that the sonne of God maketh intercession and commeth in as a meane desiring that vpon him may be layde the whole fault and punishment due vnto vs men that he by his death may cleanse them and take them away setting vs frée from death and giuing vs life euerlasting Imagine too that God the most highe and iust iudge receiueth the offer and trāslatet◠〈◊〉 punishment together with the fault from vs vnto the necke of his sonne making therwithall a statute that whosoeuer beléeueth that the son of God suffered for the sinnes of the world brake the power of death and deliuered vs from damnation shoulde be cleansed from his sinnes and made heire of life euerlasting Who therefore can be so dull of vnderstanding but maye perceiu◠that mankinde is iustified by fayth But that there may be no cause of doubt or darkenesse left in the mynde of any man that which I haue already spokē generally by the parable and similitude fetched from oure common lawe I will here particularly bring into certaine partes confirming and manifestly prouing euery one of them seuerally out of the holy Scriptures so that euen to the stoutest wittes the power of fayth and worke of iustification may be most euident And first I will shew vnto you that this terme of iustification is taken in this present treatise for the absolution and remission of sinnes for sanctification and adoption into the number of the sonnes of god In the .xiij. of the Actes the Apostle Paule sayth Be it knowne vnto you men and brethren that through this Lord Iesus Christ is preached vnto you the forgiunesse of sinnes and by him all that beleeue are iustified frō al things from which they could not be iustified by the law of Moses Sée in Christe is preached vnto vs the forgiuenesse of sinnes and he that beleueth that Christ preched forgiueth sinnes is also iustified It followeth therefore that iustification is the remission of sinnes In the fifth Chapter to the Romanes saythe the same Apostle Being iustified by the bloud of Christ we shall be saued from wrath through him But the bloud of Christ washeth away sinnes Iustification therefore is the washing away or forgiunesse of sinnes And againe in the same Chapter saythe he more plainly Iudgement entred by one offence vnto condemnation but the gifte of many sinnes vnto iustification He maketh iustification the contrarie to condemnation therfore iustification is the absolution and deliuerie from condemnation What say ye to this moreouer that he dothe plainely call iustification a gifte that is the forgiuenes of sinnes Herevnto also belong those words of his Euen as by the sinne of one condemnation came on all men so by the righteousnesse of one good came vpon all men to the iustification of life Here again is the iustification of life made the contrarie of condemnation vnto death set as a peine vpon our heads bycause of the transgression iustification of life therefore is an absolution from sinnes a deliuerie from death a quickning or translating from death to life For in the fourth to the Romanes the same Apostle expoundeth iustification by sanctification and sanctification by the remission of sinnes For intreating of fayth whereby we are iustified or whiche God imputeth to vs for righteousnesse without workes he sayth Euen as Dauid also dothe expounde the blessednesse of that man to whome the Lord imputeth righteousnesse without workes saying Blessed are they whose iniquities are forgiuē and whose sinnes are couered What coulde be more plainely spoken then this For he doth euidently expounde iustification by sanctification and sanctification by the remission of sinnes Furthermore what else is sanctification but the adoption whereby we are receiued into the grace and number of the
sinner and that he was to be iustified fréely and not for his owne merites sake The Apostle goeth foorth and sayth For what sayth the Scripture Abraham beleeued in God and it was reckoned vnto him for righteousnesse Two thinges are here affirmed Firste that Abraham beléeued in God Secondly that that was imputed to him for righteousnesse By this it followeth that Abraham was iustified by faythe and not by workes And that doth the Apostle proue after this manner To him that by works doth merite righteousnesse righteousnesse is not imputed But to Abraham is righteousnesse imputed therefore he merited not righteousnesse by workes Againe To him verily that woorketh not but beleeueth hys faithe is counted for righteousnesse But Abraham beleeued in God therfore his faith was reckoned for righteousnesse In the same chapter the same Apostle bringeth foorth other arguments altogether as strong as these to proue that faith iustifieth without workes If they saith he which are of the law be heires then is faith but vaine and the promise made of none effect They are of the lawe whiche séeke to be iustified by the workes of the lawe But fayth resteth vpon the mercy of god What place then shall grace and the mercy of god haue left vnto them if we by workes doe merite iustification What shall I néede to beléeue that by the bloude of Christe I shall be iustified if God by my workes be at one with me againe who for my sinnes was angrie with me Finally saluation and righteousnesse are promised of god But then the promise endeth when oure owne merites beginne to come in place For the Apostle to the Galathians saythe If the inheritaunce be of the lawe then is it not nowe of the promise But God gaue the inheritaunce to Abraham by promise therefore that the promise might remaine stable faythe iustifieth and not merites Againe in the fourth Chapter to the Romanes he sayth Therefore by fayth is the inheritaunce giuen that it might be by grace that the promise might be sure to all the seede not to that onely that is of the lawe but to that also that is of the faith of Abraham He rehearseth here two causes for whiche he attributeth iustification to fayth and not to workes The first is that iustification may be of frée gifte and that the grace of God may be praysed The latter is that the promise and saluation maye remain stedfast and that it may come vpon the Gentiles also But it should not be giuen to the Gentiles if it were due onely to the law and CircuÌ„cision bycause the gentiles lacke them both Finally the hope of our saluatioÌ„ ought to be stedfastly established But it should neuer be surely grounded or safely preserued if it were attributed to our owne works or merites For in them is alwayes something wanting But in God and in the merite of the sonne of God can nothing be lacking Therfore our saluation is surely confirmed not to be doubted of and assuredly certaine if that we séeke for it by faith in the sonne of God who is oure righteousnesse and saluation To all these I will yet adde an other testimonie out of Sainte Paule whiche is in déede both moste euident and easie to be perceiued In his Epistle to the Ephestans he sayth By grace are ye saued through faith and that not of your selues it is the gift of God not of workes leaste any man shoulde boaste him selfe For we are the workemanship of God created in Christe Iesus into good workes whiche God hath before ordained that we shoulde walke in them More then this I will not say neyther will I at large expounde the wordes of Paule For these testimonies are more cleare then the noone daye and doe most euidently testifie that we are iustified by faythe and not by anye workes But reuerende brethren in the Lorde good workes here come into no ieopardie to be little set by bycause of this doctrine whiche teacheth that fayth alone doth iustifie Thus did the Apostles of Christe teach why then shoulde not we teache so too As for them that thinke this doctrine wherby we do constantly affirme that fayth alone without workes doth iustifie to be contrarie to religion let theÌ„ blame the Apostles of Christ not find fault with vs Moreouer whereas we say that the faithfull are iustified by fayth alone or else by fayth without workes we doe not say as many thinke we doe that fayth is poaste alone or vtterly destitute of good workes For where soeuer faith is there also it sheweth it selfe by good workes Bycause the righteous can not but worke righteousnesse But before he doth worke righteousnesse that is to say good workes he must of necessitie be righteous therefore the righteous doth not attain to righteousnesse that goeth before by workes that followe after Wherefore that righteousnesse is attributed to grace For the faythfull are fréely by grace iustified in fayth according to that saying The iust shall liue by his fayth and after that they are iustified they beginne to bring foorth the workes of righteousnesse Therefore in this discourse I meane not to ouerthrow good works which haue their due place and dignitie in the Church among the faythfull before the face of God but my mynde is by all the meanes I may to proue that the grace of God and increase of the sonne of God is ouerthrowne and trode vnder foote when we ioyne our merites and workes to the merite of Christe and to faith by which we take holde on Christe For what can be more manifest then this saying of the blessed Apostle If we be saued by grace then not now workes For then grace is no more grace But if we be saued by workes then is it nowe no grace for the work is no more work Româ—n Wherfore these two grace and merite or worke can not stand together Therefore least we should ouerthrowe the grace of God and wickedly denie the fruite of Christe his passion we doe attribute iustification vnto fayth onely bycause that fay the attributeth it to the méere grace of God in the deathe of the Sonne of God. And yet for all this we acknowledge that we are created accordinge to the doctrine of Paule vnto good workes to those good workes I say whiche God hath before ordained whiche he in his worde hath appointed and dothe require vs to walke in the same In which although we walke and are become riche in good works yet notwithstanding we do not attribute to them our iustification but according to the doctrine of the Gospel we humble our selues vnder the hande of him that sayth So ye also when ye haue done all things that are commaunded you yet say we are vnprofitable seruants We haue done no more then we ought to doe So then as often as the godly doth reade that our owne workes doe iustifie vs that our owne workes are called righteousnesse that vnto oure owne workes is giuen a rewarde and life
to all other nations we should séeme to shew our selues more than halfe madde And to what end should wée bring backe and set vppe againe among the people of God the ofscouringes of the heathen that were cast out a great while agoe The Aposiles of our lord Iesus Christ did binde or burden no man with the lawes of Moses they neuer condemned good lawes of the heathens nor commēded to any man naughtie lawes of the Gentiles but left the lawes with the vse and free choice of them for the Saintes to vse as they thought good But therewithall they ceassed not most diligently to beate into all menns heades the feare of God faith charitie iustice and temperaunce because they knew that they in whose heartes those vertues were settled can either easilie make good lawes themselues or picke and choose out the beste of those which other men make For it maketh no mattter whether the magistrate pick out of Moses Iewish lawes or out of the alloweable lawes of the heathen sufficient lawes for him and his countriemen or else doe kéepe still the old and accustomed lawes which haue before béene vsed in his countrie so that hée haue an eye to cutte off such wicked vniust and lawelesse lawes as are found to be thrust in among the better sort For I suppose that vpright magistrats ought to take off curiositie and new inuented nouelties Seeldom saith the Prouerbe is the Crowes eye pickte out without troublesome stirres and curious mens new lawes are for the most part worse than the old that are broken by them and vtterlie abolished Furthermore al lawes are giuen for ordering of religion or outward worship of God or else for the outward conuersation of life and ciuil behauiour Touching the lawes of religion I haue spoken of them before For ciuil and politique lawes I adde thus much and say that those séeme to bée the best lawes which according to the circumstaunce of euerie place person state and time doe come néerest vnto the preceptes of the tenne commaundements and the rule of charitie not hauing in them any spot of iniquitie licentious libertie or shamelesse dishonestie Let them moreouer be briefe and shorte not stretched out beyonde measure and wrapped in with many expositions let them haue a full respecte to the matter whereto they are directed and not be friuolous and of no effect Now marke that politique lawes doe for the most part consist in thrée especiall and principall pointes honestie iustice and peace Let lawes therefore tend to this end that discipline and honestie may bee planted and mainteyned in the cōmon weale and that no vnséemelie licentious and filthie act bee therein committed Let lawe forbidde all vncleannesse wantonnesse lightnesse sensualitie and riottousnesse in apparell in building in bibbing and banquetting Let wedlocke bee commaunded by lawe to bee kept holie Let stewes and brothell houses bée banished the Realme Let adulteries whoredomes rapes and incestes bée put to exile Let moderate feastinges be allowed and admitted Let thriftines be vsed which is the greatest reuenue that a man can inioye Brieflie whatsoeuer is contrarie to honestie and séemelines let it by lawe bée driuen out and reiected Let iustice by lawes be strongly fortified Let it by lawes be prouided that neither citizen nor forrenner be hurt or hindered in fame in goods in bodie or life Let vpright lawes be made for the obteyning of legacies and inheritaunces for the perfourming of contractes bargaines for couenaunts agréements for suretieshipps for buying and selling for weightes and measures for leasses and things let to hyre for lending and borrowing for pawnes in morgage for vse commoditie and vsurie of money Let order be taken for maintenaunce of peace betwéene the father and his children betwixte man and wife betwixt the maister and the seruaunte and to bee shorte that euerie man may haue his owne For my meaning is not here to recken vppe particularlie euerie seuerall point and title of the lawe Lastlie meanes must bee made by giuing of lawes that peace may bee established wherby euerie man may enioye his owne All violent robberies and iniuries must bee expelled priuie grudges and close conspiracies must not bee thought off And warre must be quieted by wisedome or else vndertaken and finished with manlie fortitude But that wée may haue such a magistrate and such a life the Apostle commaunded vs earnestlie to pray where hée saith I exhort you that first of all prayers supplications intercessions and giuing of thankes bee made for all men for kinges and for all that are in authoritie that wee may liue a quiet and peaceable life in all godlines and honestie I am now againe compelled to end my Sermon before the matter be finished That which remayneth I will adde tomorrow Make ye your earnest prayers with your mindes lift vppe into heauen c. ⸫ ¶ Of Iudgement and the office of the Iudge That Christians are not forbidden to iudge Of reuengement and punishment Whether it be lawfull for a magistrate to kill the guiltie Wherefore when how and what the magistrate must punish Whether hee may punish offenders in Religion or no. ¶ The eight Sermon I SPAKE yesterday derely beloued of the magistrats ordinaunce there are yet behinde other two partes of his office and duetie that is Iudgement and Punishment of both which by the helpe of God I meane to speake as brieflie as may bee giue yee atttentiue eare and pray yée to the Lord to giue mée grace to speake the trueth Iudgement is taken in diuers significations but in this present treatise it importeth the sentence of Iudges brought in betwixte men at variaunce which sentence is deriued out of the lawes according to right and equitie as the case put foorth of the parties required and is pronounced to the intente to take vppe the strife betwixt them at variaunce and to giue to euerie manne his owne For at Sessions or Assises parties appeare and sue one an other for some inheritaunce or possession which either partie affirmeth to bée his by lawe layinge for themselues whatsoeuer they canne to proue and shew what right and title they haue to the thing All which the Iudges doe diligently heare and perfectly noate then they conferre the one with the other lay them with the lawe lastly they pronounce sentence whereby they giue the possession to the one partie and take it from the other The like reason is also in other cases and matters And this is iudgmente yea this I say is the execution of iustice But this kind of quieting and setting parties at one is verie myld in comparison of reuengement and punishment which is not executed with words and sentences but with swords and bitter stripes And good cause whie it should bée so since there be diuers causes whereof some cannot bée ended but with the sword and some more gentilie with iudgement in words But herein consisteth the health and safegard of the kingdom or
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
be conueyed ouer and giuen to the daughters or at leaste wise to those that were néerest of affinitie And thereunto belongeth the lawe of raysing séede vnto the deceased brother and the whole 26 Chapter almost of the booke of Numbers Vpon this lawe also doeth hang the right which commeth by adoption Furthermore of whoredomes adulteries and the rauishing of virgins there are many profitable honest and hoalsome lawes In the thirtéenth of Deuteronomie it is saide There shal be no whore of the daughters of Israel nor whoremonger of the sonnes of Israel And in the same placâ— he forbiddeth to bring oblations which are the price of an harlots hire In Leuiticus charge is giuen saying Set not out thy daughter for hyre to make her playe the harlot least the lande be defiled and filled with sinne Therefore in the 22 of Deuteronomie the mayde that was deflowred and yet feigned her selfe to bée a virgin still when shée was giuen to an husbande was commaunded to be stoned to death before the dores of her fathers house to the end that parents beeing terrified with so grieuous a thing might be stired vp to looke more warely vnto their children In the 22 of Exodus this lawe is giuen If a man entice a maide that is not betrothed and lye with her hee shall endowe her and take her to his wife There are moste sharp lawes against whoredomes and adulteries Deuterâ—nomie 22. For there adulterers are punished with death The same punishement was appointed for him that did by violence rauish a virgin For suspicions and ielousie there are rules giuen in the fifth Chapter of Numeri Against detestable vnlawfull and altogether diuelish lustes there are moste seuere and yet moste iust lawes expressed as against moste silthie incest abhominable Sodomie horrible and vnnaturall buggarie and such sinnes as God hath cursed and are not once worthie to be named among men Leuit 8. 20. Chapter Diuorcementes and separations were permitted by the lawe in the 24 of Deuteronomie for nothing else but for the hardnesse of the Iewishe peoples heartes and for the auoiding of some greater inconuenience to wite least peraduenture any man shoulde poyson strangle or otherwise kill the woman his wife which he hated when hee coulde by none other meanes ridde his handes of her And they that were in that maner diuorced might at their pleasures be married to others Moreouer that iustice might bée mainteined and that euery man might inioye his owne in the lawe there was charge verie diligently giuen for the diuision of thinges for the partition of the lande of promise by equall portions and for the peculiar possession of proper goods that to euery tribe possessions might bee giuen by lott and that no man should by any meanes make awaye the possessions which were giuen him For hereunto belongeth that whiche is spoken by Moses in the 32. 33. 34. Chapters of the booke of Numbers and often times in other places also And yet notwithstanding this law was nothing preiudiciall to traffique by exchaunge For there were many and verie vpright lawes published for buying and selling for letting and hiring for borrowing and lending for vsurie and thinges leafte in custodie Whosoeuer desireth to see the places in the lawe he shal haue them in the 25 of Leuiticus in the 22. of Exodus and in the fiftéenth and twentie thrée Chapter of Deuteronomium And I suppose that to this is to bée referred the lawe which is giuen coÌ„cerning pawnes or pledges If thou hast taken thy neighbours garment to pledge thou shalt restore it him againe before the Sunne be sett For that is his onely couering that is it is the garment wherewith he couereth his fleashe and wherein he sléepeth For it shal come to passe that if he crie to mee I will heare him because I am mercifull Againe Thou shalt not take the neather or vpper milstone to pledge for he hath layde that whereon he liueth to pledge to thee The lawes for thinges leaft in custodie or committed to the credite of another man and for takeinge of ohters commaundeth euery man to make true restitution of the thinge which was giuen vnto him to kéepe But if it were stolen awaye from him to whome the custodie of it was committed then he that kept it ought to purge him selfe by an othe before a Magistrate to shewe that he consented not to the conueying of the thinge away The same order is commaunded to bee obserued in thinges borrowed that are lost or otherwise broken as is to be séene in the 22 Chapter of Exodus And for because it is manifest that no small parte of the goods of the auncient Israelites did consist in the multitude of bondmen therefore the law of God doth sticke long vppon the discourse of bondage and bonomen and of the bynding and manumission of them And yet it doth diligently commaund to handle bondmen mercifully like men and euery sixte yeare to set them frée from slauerie But if it so fell out that at the sixte yeares end any bondman were desirous to staye still in his maisters house hee was permitted so to do vppon condition that his voluntarie bondage should be coÌ„firmed by the ceremonie of Mancipation to wite that the bondman beeinge brought before the Iudges shoulde there testifie that hee woulde serue in bondage voluntarily and thereuppon the nether lap of his care should be boared with an aule and fastened to the dore And that was the signe or token of faith and obedience For Dauid alluding therevnto did saye that the Lorde had boared through his eare that is that by faith hee had bound him to obedience Moreouer the Lorde did in these lawes limitt out the time of bondmeÌ„s manumission because the Lordes of bondmen shoulde not vse them ouer cruelly for their gaine and commodities sake al which are at ful set down in the 21 Chapter of Exodus we must also referre that to the clemencie that ought to be shewed to seruants wheras in the 23 Chapter of Deuterono it it saide Thou shalt not deliuer vnto his maister the seruaunt which is escaped from his maister vnto thee but let him dwell in any place wherunto he is fledd And yet manstealing is moste sharpely forbidden Now they committ the offence called Plagium the is to saye manstealing whosoeuer do entice other mennes bondmen to runne from their maisters or which do by theft or robberie steale other mennes seruaunts whom they do either kéepe to them selues or else sel to others Against such this lawe is giuen Whosoeuer stealeth a man and selleth him if he be conuinced of the crime let him dye the death And the same lawe is againe repeated in the 24 of Deuteronomium Of frée men little is saide in the lawe but they were exempted from bearing office in the common wealth which were knowen to be harlots children whose fathers no man knowe Straungers also as the Amonites Moabites were
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
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
of the Gospell which Paule hath hitherto preached with vs is sufficient to the obteining of life and saluation We intend not to laye any greater burthen vpon you than the doctrine of the Gospell and abstinence from those fewe things In which sentence they séeme to haue had an eye to the opinion of Sainct Peter who in the counsell saide Ye knowe that I beeing called by God did go to the Gentiles and did preach to them saluatiō through the Gospel Ye know that to the Gētiles being neither circumcised nor keeping the lawe while I preached to them faith in Christ Iesus the holie Ghoste was giuen from aboue so that their hearts wer purified of God him selfe by faith not by the lawe that they were made heires of eternal life And vppon this he inferreth Now therefore why tempt ye God to laye vppon the disciples neckes a yoke which neither wee nor our fathers were able to beare But wee beleeue that through the grace of the Lorde Iesus Christ we shal be saued euen as they Sée here Sainct Peter called the lawe a burthen and a yoke and therfore where the Apostles saye that they will not laye vpō the church any greater burthen they do thereby signifie that the lawe is flatly abrogated They do therefore set the church frée from the burthen of the lawe and do acquite it from all burthens like to y lawe We nowe do gather by those woordes of the Apostles that those burthensome and innumerable ceremonies which the church hath receiued by counsels Synodes since the time of the Apostles were vniustly against the Apostolique spirite then layde vppon the churche and at this daye wickedly reteined and defended in the churche For they in expresse wordes saide It seemed good to the holye Ghoste and to vs to burthen you with no more then these thinges necessarie But if any man obiect and saye that those ceremonies were for the rudenesse of the people layde vpon the churches neckes as a rule or instruction to guide or teache them by Mine aunswere is that that kinde of instruction is cleane taken awaye which whosoeuer goeth about to reduce hee desireth nothing else but to bring in Iudaisme againe God knew verie well what kinde of churche that would be which hee purposed to gather together of Iewes and Gentiles and yet he abolished those external ceremonies Nowe who doth better knowe than God what is expedient or not expedient for his church therefore the things that he abolished were not expedient for the faithfull whereupon the Apostles did rightly verie wel pronounce It seemed good to the holie ghoste and vs not to laye vppon you any greater burthen Let them therefore be ashamed of their doinges which lay so great a burthen vppon the shoulders of the church that otherwise ought to be most free Nowe also heere is added the conclusion of the sentence Than these necessarie things that is to say that ye abstaine from things offered to Idols c. In these wordes they had an eye vnto the sentence of sainct Iames the Apostle and brother of the Lorde for he confirminge and allowing of Sainct Peters opinion touchinge iustification by faith and the not laying of the lawe vpon the Gentiles neckes doth alledge a testimonie of scripture out of Amose who did foretell that the Iewes shoulde bee cut off because of their sinnes and that in their steeds the Gentiles should be taken amonge whome the true church of God should be which was prefigured by the ruine and reparatiō of Dauids tabernacle The same Prophet did also foretell a reason how and a cause why the Gentiles should be receiued into the church not for Circumcisions sake nor yet by the helpe of the lawe but by grace through fayth For he saith The remnaunte of the men shal seeke after the Lorde and all the heathen vpon whome my name is called saith the Lorde which doth all this all these workes of God are knowen to him from before the world beganne Loe here they shall seeke the Lorde and shal be receyued into his fellowship vpon whome his name shal be called This phrase of speech doeth signifie that they whiche are electe shal be the sonnes of god For vpon them the name of the Lord is called which are named the sonnes of God and are his elect Nowe the whole scripture attributeth that to faith By fayth therfore we are made the members of the church and sonnes and heires to God our maker But if any man doe murmur against the counsell of God and say why doth God so Let him thinke that this déede is the déede and worke of God whome it is not lawfull for man to gaynsaye and all whose workes are knowen from the beginninge of the worlde to haue beene donne in iudgement and righteousnesse whervpon it doth consequently follow that this counsell of his is good and righteous whereby he doth through faith in Christ ioyne to himselfe and sanctifie the heathen nations Nowe vppon these wordes of the prophet Saincte Iames subscribing as it were to Sainct Peters opinion doth gather and inferre Wherefore my sentence is that wee trouble not them which from among the Gentiles are turned to God That is to say I thinke that they are not to bee molested or charged with the obseruation of the law But least the Gentiles once hearing y the lawe was abolished should thereby thinke that they might freely doe whatsoeuer they would and so by that meanes abuse their libertie and also against all charitie despise giue offence vnto the Iewishe brethren therefore Iames addeth But I think it best for vs to write vnto them that they absteine from filthines of idols For there were at that time certeine conuerts of the Gentiles who thought it lawfull for them to enter into idol Temples and be partakers of things offered to idols because an idol is nothing since there is but one onely God alone whereuppon they gathered that those sacrifices were nothing that they did neither good nor harme and therefore that Christians might with a safe conscience be partakers of them But sainct Iames and Paule also 1. Cor. 8. 9. 10. wil haue the heathen conuerts to absteine vtterly frō the worship of Idols that is from the idols them selues and from those things which are in the idol temples offered to false and fained Gods. Moreouer he addeth Let them beware of fornication The Gentiles verily did by good lawes forbidde the adulteries and defilings of virgins matrones with verie sharpe punishments suppressing the violent deflowrers of honest women but they thought it a verie light and in a manner no fault at all for such to committ whoredome as did of their owne accordes set their chastitie to sale or if an vnwedded man should haue to doe with a single woman and therefore the Apostle Iames euen as Paule also 1. Cor. 6. and 1. Thessa. 4. doeth verie seuerely require the holy pure vse of the bodie
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 strict kéeping of Moses lawe This rule must alwayes be kept obserued Sainct Peter doth simply commaunde and saye Submitt your selues to all manner ordinaunce of man for the Lordes sake whether it be vnto the king as hauing the preeminence or vnto rulers as vnto them that are sent of him for the punishement of euil doers but for the laude of them do well And yet the same Apostle affirmeth that we ought rather to obey God than men so often as men do publish lawes against true religion iustice and equitie concerning which I spake in the exposition of the commoÌ„ place of the magistrate And so thus much I thought good to saye touching the abrogatioÌ„ of the Iudiciall lawes Now if euery one of you do throughly ponder with him selfe the things y I haue hithereto saide touching the lawe of God the partes of the lawe the vse or effect the fulfilling and abrogating of the same it will be a thing of no difficultie to determin what euery one ought to think concerning that point or title of this treatise wherof I promised in the beginning of this sermon that I woulde speake somewhat towarde the ende to witte that the testament of the olde and new church is all one and that there is but one way of true saluation to all that eyther are or haue bene saued in this worlde and also wherein the newe testament dothe differ from the olde For since I haue alredie shewed that all the pointes of the lawe haue a respect and a kinde of Relation vnto Christ and that hee was in the lawe preached to the fathers to be the onely Sauiour in whome alone they were to be saued who is it which cannot perceiue that they had none other but the verie same manner and way to be saued which we at this day doe enioy by Christ Iesus And yet that this may appeare more euident I wil not stick to bestowe some paines to make this matter more manifest vnto you with as plaine a demonstration as possible may be although a playner cannot likely be than that which I haue alredie shewed you Verily there is no difference of the people of the testament of the church or of the manner of saluation betwixt them among whom there is found to be one and the same doctrin the same faith the same spirite the same hope the same inheritance the same expectation the same inuocation and the same sacraments If therefore I shal be able to proue that all these thinges were indifferently common to them of the olde church as wel vnto vs then haue I obteined that which I shott at to wite that in respect of the substance there neither was nor is any more than one testament that the olde fathers are one and the same people that we are liuing in the same church and communion and saued not in any other but in Christe alone the sonne of God in whome also wee looke for saluation That they and wee haue all one and the same doctrine I proue thus Our doctrine is the doctrine of the gospel But that the fathers were not without the sanâ—e doctrine it is euident by Sainct Paule who testifieth saying God verily promised the Gospel of God afore by his prophets in the holie Scriptures of his sonne which was made of the seede of Dauid after the fleash and hath been declared to bee the sonne of God with power by the spirite c. What could be saide more plainly The Gospell which is at this day preathed was of olde promised by the prophets in the holie scriptures to wite that the sonne of God should come into the worlde to saue all faithfull beleuers This Gospell also teacheth that the faithful are not iustified by the works of the lawe but freely by grace through faith in Christe Sainct Paule saith By the deedes of the law there shal no fleash be iustified in his sight For by the lawe coÌ„meth the knowledge of sinne But now is the righteousnesse of god declared without the law being witnessed by the testimonie of the lawe and the prophets the righteousnesse of God coÌ„meth by the faith of Christ Iesus vnto all and vpoÌ„ all them that beleeue With Paule S. Peter also doth fully agrée where in the Synod helde at Hierusalem he saith Neither we nor our fathers were able to beare the yoke of the lawe but do beleeue euen as they to be saued through the grace of our Lorde Christ Iesus And so consequently in all other substanciall and material poynctes there is no difference in doctrine betwixt vs and them To procéede nowe they whose doctrine is al one must of necessitie haue all one faith For faith commeth by hearing and hearing by the worde of god What doeth that argue that Abraham the rest of the holie fathers are set before our eyes as examples of faith for vs to followe wee sée that it is so in the holie Gospel of the Lord the sacred writings of the Apostles But who would giue vs such forreine examples to imitate as doe not concerne the thing for which they are giuen Paule in many places but especially in the fourth Chapter to the Romanes sheweth that faith must bée imputed to vs for righteousnesse as we reade that it was imputed vnto Abraham nowe that faith of his was not another but the vâ—rie same faith with ours which restâ—th vppon the promise of God and the blessed séede For he calleth Abraham the father not of these onely which are borne of the circumcision but of those also which walke in the stâ—ppes of the faith which was in Abraham before hee was circumcised Besides that also the confirmation of the Christian rule I meane the Apostles Creede or articles of our beleefe is fetched out of the Scriptures of the fathers of the olde testament which is vndoubtedly a moste manifeste argument that their faith and ours is the verie same faith They did beléeue in the Messiah that was then to come and wee beléeue y he is alreadie come and do more fully perceiue neerely see all that which was spoken of before in the prophets as I will anon declare when I come to shewe the difference betwixte the two testaments That all one and the same spirite did gouerne our forefathers and the people of the newe couenaunt who can doubt considering that the spirit of God is one alone and that Sainct Peter doth in expresse wordes testifie that the spirite of Christe was in the Prophets And Sainct Paule also saith Since we haue the same spirite of faith according to that which is written I beleeued and therefore I spake and we beleeue and therefore do we speake Therefore although the same apostle doth in another place saye that the faithfull haue not receiued againe the spirite of bondage vnto feare but the spirite of adoptioÌ„ whereby they crie Abba father Yet doth he not denie but that the faithful fathers had the same spirite that wée
doe notwithstanding behold him but in a myste in comparison of the brightnesse wherein hée shall appeare For wée shall hereafter sée him face to face in the glorie of his maiestie yet notwithstanding euen this sighte of him which now we haue is sufficient to saluation Therefore it is a very fine similitude preatily said of them which say Althoughe at day breake the brightnesse of the Sunne is not so great as it is at noone day yet wayfarers or trauellers doe not stay till the Sunne be at the highest but take the morning before them to goe their iourney in and haue light enough to see the way For in like manner they thincke that to oure forefathers euen that little portion of light which was in the morning was sufficient by the leading of saith to bring them through all impâ—dimentes to eternall felicitie In the meane time we haue great cause to reioyce that Christ the very Sunne and light of righteousnes doth after the maystie light of the daye starre of the lawe shine forth to vs in the newe testament Moreouer the forefathers in the old testament had types shadowes and figures of things to come but we haue nowe receiued the very thinge it selfe which was to them prefigured Therfore the thinge which God did promise to them he hath performed and giuen to vs They verilie did beleeue that Christ should come and deliuer all the faithfull from their sinnes and we beléene that he is alreadie come that hée hath redéemed vs and hath fulfilled all that the prophets foretold of him Therfore the Lord in the Gospell said The Prophets the lawe prophecied vnto Iohn since that time the kingdom of God is preached suffereth violence of euerie man. Whereuppon it is gathered when the thinge prefigured is come and present that then the figures and shadowes which did foreshewe the thinges to come do come to an end and vanishe away Therefore the yoke and burthen whiche our fathers did beare is thereby taken from our neckes The worshipping of God which they did vse externally was very busie and burthensome as the Aaronicall priesthoode the tabernacle or temple that was to be throughly furnished with most exquisite things and instruments their sundrie sorts of sacrifices many moe Ceremonies like vnto these Nowe from all this coste and businesse wée which be the people of the newe couenaunte are fréely disburthened and set at libertie And hée by whom wée are disburthened is Iesus Christ in whom alone we haue all things necessarie to life and saluation For it pleased God the father to recapitulate in him and as S. Paul saith to bring into a summe all thinges requisite to life and saluation that the thinges which séemed before to be dispersed here and there should in Christ alone be fullie exhibited and broughte vnto vs For Christ is the fulfilling of all the types Ceremonies by whose spirite since wée doe nowe possesse the thing prefigured wée haue no longer néede of the representing types and shadowes The external thinges that Christe hath ordeined are very fewe and of very small coste Therefore the people of the newe testament doth enioye a passing great ample libertie To this I suppose doeth belonge that excellent place of S. Paul which is to be séene in the 4. to the Galathians where in handling this matter diligently hée fayneth that there are two mothers the one whereof doth gender to bondage the other vnto libertie and that he doeth vnder the type of Agar and Sara By whiche hée noteth the two doctrines that of the law and that of the Gospell That of the lawe gendreth to bondage but that of the Gospell doth gender vnto libertie Therefore the lawe did gender the holie fathers and the prophets vnto bondage not that they should abide bondslaues for euer but that it might keepe them vnder discipline yea that it mighte lead them vnto Christ the full perfection of the lawe The libertie of the fathers was by the weight and heape of Ceremonies so oppressed and couered that althoughe they were frée in spirite before the Lord yet notwithstanding they did in outward shewe differ little or nothing from very boÌ„dslaues by reason of the burthen of the lawe that laye vppon their shoulders For in so much as the lawe was not as yet abrogated they were compelled precisely to obserue it But when Christe was come and had fulfilled all thinges then did the shadowes vanish away and that heauie yoke was taken from the necke of vs Christians So by this meanes our mother Sara gendreth vs vnto libertie She is the mother of vs all Of y mother whiche is also called the holy mother Church wée haue the séede of life shée hath fashioned vs and brought vs forth into the light shée colleth vs in her bosome wherein shée carrieth both milke and meate I meane the word of God to nourish saue and bring vs vpp Nowe the bonds being caucelled and y middle wal which was a stopp being broken downe God doeth more liberally rule his Church and not reteine it any longer vnder so streite a custodie For neither is the people of God conteined within the boundes of the land of promise For they are dispersed to y ends of the world neither are the circumcised those that kéepe the lawe his people now although it is not to be doubted but that eueÌ„ then when Circumcision was of force hee had some that were his people amoÌ„ge the GeÌ„tiles as Iob other mo which he himselfe did knowe but those are his people whiche doe acknowledge Christ although they be neither circuÌ„cised nor busied with the lawe This is a new people gathered together out of all the world by faith and the holie Ghoste To this new testament hath Christ giuen his owne name wherin the Iewes haue none inheritance vnlesse they forsake their stubborne opinion of the lawe and cleane to Christ alone without affiaunce in the lawe All the bookes of the Prophets are fullie fraughted with testimonies touching the calling of the Gentiles vnto the communion fellowship of God and also touching the reprobation of the Iewes who for their vnreclaymeable affiaunce in the lawe are vtterly reiected Furthermore the Apostle Paule putteth an other difference betwixte the two testamentes alluding to the Prophecie of Ieremie as is to be sene in the eighth Chapiter of his Epistle to the Hebrues For he attributeth to the people of the new testament certaine excellent gifts to witt absolute full remission of their sinnes For he saith Because I wil be merciful to their vnrighteousnesses I will no more remember their sinnes and iniquities Hée doeth also attribute to the people of the newe testament a most exquisite reformation and absolute illumination of their minds For he saith I wil plant my lawes in their mindes and write them in their heartes and then shall no maÌ„ teach his neighbour or his brother saying Knowe the Lord for
they shall all knowe mee from the little vnto the greate But of the law it is written that it was grauen in tables of stone Yet for all this let no man thinke that the fathers obteined no remission of their sinnes For as they by faith had frée forgiuenesse of their sinnes so did God both write his lawe and powre his spirite into their heartes For which of vs at this day can saye that wée excell in knowledge and in faith either Abraham Moses Samuel Dauid Esaie Daniel or Zacharias So then the difference is not in that the fathers of the old testamente were without the remission of sinnes and the illumination of the holie Ghoste and that wée alone which are the people of the newe testament haue obteined them but the difference doeth consiste in the greatnesse amplenesse largenesse and plentifulnesse of the giftes to witt because they are more liberallie bestowed and more plentifully powred out vppon more nowe than they were of old For all nations being called doe not by dropmeale but by whole handfulls drawe the water of life The Lord doth powre out his spirite vppon all fleshe Of old God was knowen in Iurie onely but nowe since Christe is come into the world his disciples are gone thoroughe all the corners of the earth teach all kingdomes to knowe the Lord. Of old the worthie men and Prophets were not so many but that they might bée numbred because the land of promise in a maner alone did bréed such good and holy men But who is at this day able to reckon all that kings Princes noble men Prophets Bishops doctours Martyrs excellent persons of euery sexe estate and age whiche haue beene and are at this day bred not onely in Iurie but also in Arabia Idumea Phenicia Mesopotamia Persia Asia Aegypt Africa Gréece Italie the Easte the South the Weste and the North Frée remission of sinnes is preached to all countries and kingdomes All the faithfull in euerie nation vnder heauen are throughe Christ receiued into the grace and fauour of God the father All haue receiued in great abundaunce the gift of the holy Ghoste All haue prophecied All haue knowen the lord Finallie the lawe maketh no man perfecte The Gospell simplie maketh perfect and doth directly without any stopp lead vs to Christe and causeth vs to rest and to content oure selues in him alone Last of all I will not slippe ouer this difference althoughe it be of little weight and such an one as other like vnto it may be easilie obserued that the lawe appointing out a certeine land peculiarly separated from other nations did promise to the old fathers the possession of the same so long as they did kéep the law but if they did transgresse the lawe then did it threaten that they should be rooted vpp and vtterly cast out of that good land But to vs no one limited lande is expressely promised For the earth is the Lords and the fulnesse thereof the rounde world and all that therein is But althoughe hée doeth not héere assigne to vs as hée did to oure forefathers of olde any certeine or peculiar thinge yet doeth hée not at any time neglecte vs For hée féedeth blesseth and preserueth vs in euery land and nation Therfore the promises which were of old made to oure forefathers concerning the land of promise being come to an end are vtterly vanished away so that they which for an age or two agoe did incite many nations to arme themselues for the recouerie of the holy land doe seeme to haue béene besides their witts Christ by his comming into the world hath sanctified all the earth For there are in euerie nation of the world some sonnes and heires of God and his kingdome Touching the likenesse and agréement the vnlikenesse and difference of both I meane the old and newe testaments or people I haue therfore spoken the more briefely béecause I haue in the first Sermon of the first Decade and in the sixte Sermon of this third Decade alreadie hādled the selfe same matter Finallie I haue but shortly touched the abrogation of the law because I did a good while ago set foorth two treatises y one of the Auncient Faith the other of the Only and eternall Couenaunt of God whiche treatises I knowe to bée familiar amonge you I will not héere in the conclusion recapitulate vnto you y special points of this Sermon partly because I haue alreadie béene somewhat to long and partly because I haue as I hope vsed so plaine an order that euery point is indifferently well settled in euery manns memorie Thus haue I by Gods grace and sufferance made an end to treate of Gods holy law wherin I haue béene occupied a good sort of dayes by seuerall Sermons Blessed bée God and oure heauenly father world without end whome I beséech to blesse vs all thorough Iesus Christ our Lord and Sauiour Amen ¶ Of Christian libertie and of offences Of good workes and the reward thereof ¶ The ninthe Sermon I HAVE alreadie through many sermons discoursed longe vppon Gods lawe nowe therefore because vppon the consideration handling of the lawe there doe arise certaine pointes not to bee omitted which doe depend vppon and are annexed hand in hand vnto the lawe of which sort are Christian libertie good woorkes the reward of good woorkes sinne and the reward or punishment of sinne I wil speake of them in order as God shall put into my mouth whō I shall desire you to praye vnto with mée beséeching him not to suffer me to speake in these or other points of holy doctrine the thing that shall sounde against his holy will. Vppon the abrogation of the lawe doeth Christian libertie depende and follow as the effecte of the abrogating of the lawe which libertie doth minister vs occasion to speake of offences Nowe concerning Christian libertie the most holy Apostle of Christ Sainct Paule hath reasoned verie diligently and largely whereby we may gather that the consideration of Christian libertie is neither of no weighte nor yet of little profite But the treatise therof is especially necessarie to vs of this age amonge whom there are no small number of men which doe either not vnderstand what Christian libertie is or else if they knowe it do foulie abuse it thereby to fulfill the lustes of the flesh I will therefore tell you who is the deliuerer that setteth vs at libertie who they are that he setteth at libertie and wherein and howe farre forth he setteth them at libertie whiche things being once knowen it wil be an easie matter to perceiue what Christian libertie is what the propertie or disposition of those is which are so set at libertie and howe farre forth they must beware from giuing office to any man and from abusing their graunted libertie There is none other deliuerer promised giuen and preached vnto vs than Christ Iesus the Sonne of god For he which doth deliuer other men must be himselfe frée from the
spéeche the fruites of the spirite and of faith both are notwithstanding and are also sayde to bee ours that is to saye the woorkes of faithfull men partely because God worketh them by vs and vseth our ministerie in the dooing of the same and partely because wee are by faith the sonnes of God and are therefore made the brethren and ioyntheires with Iesus Christ For by this right of inheritaunce all the workes of God which are in vs Gods giftes do beginne to be not anothers but our owne and proper woorkes Yea the verie Scripture doeth attribute them to vs as vnto sonnes and fréeborne children For the Lorde in the Gospell saith The seruaunt abideth not in the house for euer the sonne abideth for euer Therefore as all thinges in the fathers house do by right of inheritance and title of proprietie come to the sonne although the sonne hath not gotten them by his owne industrie nor gathered them by his owne labour but hath receiued them by the liberalitie of his parents euen so the workes of God which he doth woorke in vs and by vs which are Gods gifts bestowed vppon vs both are and are saide to be our owne because we are the sonnes of the houshold as it were by adoption and therefore are the lawful heires Wherefore it were the signe of a verie vnthankfull minde for an adopted sonne beeing forgetfull of his fathers beneficence liberalitie to make his bragges that all those goods which hee enioyeth by right of inheritaunce were gotten come by through his owne labour and trauaile Whereuppon Paule saide verie religiously What hast thou that thou hast not receiued if thou hast then receiued it why doest thou yet boast as though thou receiuedst it not Verie well thought the holy martyre of Christe Sainct Cyprian who was wont to saye We should boast of no thing because wee haue nothinge of our owne And to this place belongeth that saying of the Prophet Esaie Shall the axe boast against him that heweth with it or shal the sawe brag against him that draweth it We verily are the instrumentes or tooles of God by which he woorketh For the Apostle saith We are ioyntworkers with God ye are Gods husbandrie ye are Gods building according to the grace which God hath giuen me Therefore according to the meaning of the Apostles writing Sainct Augustine lib. de Gratia et libero arb in the sixte Chapter doth saye When grace is giuen then doe our merites begin to be good and that through grace For if grace bee taken awaye then man doth fall not being set vp but cast downe headlong by free wil. Wherefore when man beginneth to haue good workes hee must not attribute them to him selfe but vnto God to whome it is saide in the Psalme Be thou my helper oh forsake mee not In saying forsake mee not he sheweth that if he bee forsaken he is able to do no good of him selfe So then in these woordes sainct Augustine doeth plainly enough declare that good workes are oures after that sorte that yet notwithstanding they ceasse not to be the workes of God yea that they ought neuerthelesse to bee ascribed to the grace of God that worketh in vs. Nowe by this which wee haue hitherto alledged out of the scriptures touchinge the true originall cause of good workes wee may easily vnderstande howe and after what manner the Scripture doeth attribute righteousnesse vnto oure merites For I haue in another place sufficiently declared and will againe saye somewhat when I come to the treatise of the Gospel that faith not woorkes doeth iustifie vs in the sight of God which is the especiall point and chiefe foundation of the Euangelical and Apostolicall doctrine All our workes generally are either the works of nature or the fleshe or else the workes of the lawe or else the workes of faith or grace Nowe the workes of nature or the fleshe do not iustifie but cōdemne vs Because that which is borne of fleshe is fleshe But the luste of the fleshe is death and enimitie against God. What the Apostle thought and saide touching the woorkes of the lawe I did declare to you in my former sermon By the woorkes of the lawe saith he shal no fleshe be iustified But if we beat out and examin the workes of grace and of faith wee shal finde that they both are and haue béene done by faithfull and iust men Whereupon it is manifest that iustification did alwayes goe beefore the workes of righteousnesse For the iust man doth worke righteousnesse so the righteousnesse is the fruite that the iust do bring forth Man verily is iustified freely by grace and not by woorkes which followe after iustification What may be saide to that where the Scripture saith that euen Abraham the father of all that beléeue was not iustified by the woorkes of grace and of faith He liued 430 yeres before the lawe he beléeued in God and by true faith did most excellent workes and yet by those his woorkes of faith hee was not iustified For Paule doth plainly argue thus If Abraham were iustified by workes than hath he wherein to boast but not before god For what saith the Scripture Abraham beleeued God and it was counted vnto him for righteousnesse To him that worketh is the rewarde not reckoned of grace but of dutie But to him that worketh not but beleeueth on him that iustifieth the vngodly his faith is counted for righteousnesse Nowe whereas wee conclude that we also shal bee iustified according to the example of Abraham by faith and not by workes wee ground that conclusion not vppon our owne mindes but vppon the Apostles doctrine who saith Neuerthelesse it was not written for him onely that faith was imputed to him for righteousnesse but it was written for vs also to whome it shal be reckoned if wee beleeue in Christ Touching this matter I haue alreadie disputed in the sixte sermon of the first Decade I verily am persuaded that this doctrine of the Apostles and Euangelistes ought to bee laide vp in the bottome of euery faithfull heart that wee are iustified by the grace of God not by merites through faith not through workes But while wee vrge and repeate this doctrine vnto the people we are saide of many to be the patrones of all naughtinesse and vtter enimies to al good workes and vertues But wee by this our preaching and doctrine of faith which doeth only iustifie do not contemne good woorkes nor thinke them to be superfluous Wee do not saye that they are not good but do cry out vppon the abuse of good woorkes and the corrupt doctrin of good works which is defiled with the leauen of the Phariseis For we teache to do good woorkes but wee will not haue them to be set to sale to be bought I cannot tell in what order of bargaining we wil not haue any man to put confidence in them wee will not haue any man to boast of the giftes of God wee
Iesus said vnto him Verilie I say vnto thee this day thou shalt bee with mee in Paradise Therefore this théefe was thoroughe faith iustified without the workes of the lawe For after this request and prayer of his the Lord made no inquisition what his woorkes were all his life longe neither did hee looke what workes hée would doe after this faith and beleeuing but did immediatly vppon his confession both iustifie and take him as a companion to goe with him to Paradise Moreouer to the woman of whom mention is made in the Gospell after Sainct Luke not for any worke of the lawe but for faith onely hee said Thy sinnes are forgiuen thee And againe Go in peace thy faith hath made thee safe Furthermore in many places of the Gospell wée finde that our Sauiour vsed the like kinde of speach making faith alwayes to bee the cause of mens saluation And a little while after the same Apostle saith God forbid that I should glorie in any thing but in the crosse of our Lord Iesus Christ by whome the world is crucified to mee and I to the world Thou séest héere that the Apostle glorieth not of his owne righteousnesse or chastitie or wisedome or other workes or vertues of his owne but doth most plainly pronounce and say Let him that glorieth glorie in the Lord and so by that meanes all boasting is excluded And so forth with many other sayings tending to this purpose S. AMBROSE in his exposition of Paule his Epistle vnto the Romanes vppon the third and fourth Chapiters doeth saye They are fréelie iustified sayth Sainct Paule beecause when they woorke nothing nor doe any thing for GOD againe they are yet thorough faith onely iustified by the gift of God. According to the purpose of Gods grace sayeth Paule it was so ordeined of God that laying the law aside the grace of God should require faith onely vnto saluation This doeth by the example of the Prophete confirme the blessednesse of the man to whom the Lord imputeth righteousnesse without woorkes hée calleth them blessed with whome the Lord hath couenaunted that without labour and kéeping of the lawe they should bee iustified before their maker S. IOHN Chrysostome treating of faith of the lawe of nature and of the holie Ghost doth expressely saye I cannot proue that hee whiche woorketh the woorkes of righteousnesse without faith doeth enioye eternall life But I can by good proofe shewe that hée which beleeued without works did both liue and obteine the kingdome of heauen No man without faith hath obteined life But the théefe beléeued onely and for his faith was iustified by the most mercifull god And whereas here peraduenture thou wilt obiecte that hee wanted time to liue iustly and to doe good woorkes I aunsweare that I doe not greatly striue about that but this onelye I sticke to that faith alone did iustifie saue him For if he had liued any longer and had neglected faith and workes hée had vndoubtedly fallen from saluation But the onely end and argument whereat I now shoote is that faith of it selfe doth bring saluation and that workes of themselues did neuer saue any workers that wrought them As Chrysostome doth at large declare by the example of the Capitaine Cornelius These testimonies I suppose are sufficient to wittes that will bee aunsweared and doe not stand obstinateâ—â— in quarellinges and ianglings Otheâ—wise I could alledge a great 〈◊〉 But I will not bee ouer tedâ—ors vnto you deerely beloued nor same to bee endlesse in an euident matter But nowe because to this treatise of the righteousnesse of woorkes there is a questioÌ„ annexed touching the merits of good woorkes I will therefore summarilie say somewhat of merits or rather of the hire and reward of good woorkes To this ende especiallie least any man thincking irreligiouâ—ly of the merits of good workes do therby winne to himselfe not good but euill workes The name of Merits is an vnaâ—quainted terme not vsed in the Scriptures For in that signification wherin our Merite woorkers vse it to wit for meritorious woorkes for that I meane wherevnto both life and the grace of GOD is of duetie giuen as debt that is due in that signification I saye it doeth obscure the Grace of God and maketh man too proude and arrogant What I pray you can our woorkes deserue since none of the Sainctes durst bée so bold as to plead their merites before the Lord Iob cryeth If I wil iustifie mee selfe mine owne mouthe shall condemne mee If I will goe about to shewe mee selfe to bee an innocent hee shall proue mee a wicked doer If I washe mee selfe with snowe water and make my handes neuer so cleane at the wel yet shalt thou dippe me in the myre and mine owne garmentes shall defile mee Dauid crieth Enter not into iudgment with thy seruaunt for in thy sighte shall no man liuing bee iustified Christ oure Lord in the Gospell saith When ye haue done all thinges that are commaunded you then say wee are vnprofitable seruauntes wee haue done that wee oughte to doe But a little before oure Lord saide Doeth the maister thancke the seruaunt whiche doeth the thinges that are commaunded him to doe The holy Apostle Sainct Paule also cryeth I doe not despise the Grace of god For if righteousnesse bee of the Lawe then did Christe die in vaine Againe in the Gospell after Sainct Luke the Phariscie is greatly blamed which could not be content to put confidence in his owne righteousnesse but would néedes boaste of his merits also And Nabuchodonosor fealt no little plague for saying that the kingdome of Babylon did come vnto him by his owne arte industrie power and vertue By how muche a greater punishement therefore shall wée thincke them to be worthie off which are persuaded make their bragges that they by their merits haue deserued or earned the kingdome of heauen And yet all this doth not tend to y making void of the stipend of good woror to the denying of the reward that is prepared for vertues For he is true which promised and what hee promised he will performe Now he promised rewards to them that worke righteousnesse euen as also according to his iustice and trueth hée hath threatened terrible punishments to wicked impenitent sinners But the promises of God are of two sortes to witt they lay before oure eyes the giftes and rewards of this present life and of the life to come For the Lord in the Gospell after S. Marke doth say Verilie I saye vnto you there is no man that hath forsaken house or brethren or landes for my sake and the Gospels but he shall receiue an hundreth fold now at this present with persecutioÌ„s and in the world to come life euerlasting And Paul saith Godlinesse is profitable to all thinges hauing promise of the life that is nowe of that which is to come This is a sure saying and by all meanes worthie to bee receiued For therefore wee
both labour and suffer rebuke because wee haue oure hope settled in the liuing God c. And here it will do well to reckon vp and cite the testimonies of Scripture which doe concerne the reward of good woorkes I wil therefore recite a fewe but such as shal be euident and perteyning to the matter The Lord in Esaie crieth Say to the iuste that it shall goe well with him for he shall eate the fruite of his studie or trauaile And wo to the wicked sinner for he shal be rewarded according to the workes of his hands In Ieremie we read Leaue off from weping for thy labour shal be rewarded thee And in the Gospel the Lord saith Blessed are ye when men speake all euill sayinges against you lying for my sake Reioyce ye and be glad for great is your reward in heauen The Apostle Paule also saith Glorie honour and peace to euery one that worketh good to the Iewe first and also to the Gentile Againe Wee must all appeare before the Iudgement seate of Christ that euerie one may beare the deedes of his bodie according to that whiche hee hath done whether it bee good or badd And againe Euery one shall receiue a reward according to his labour Now let vs remember that the reward is promised and great gifts are prepared for them that labour manfullie To sluggardes and slowebacks are imminent the euils of this present life and also of the life to come To them that striue lawfully the garland is due But if it happen that the reward be defferred and that they whiche striue receiue not the promises by and by out of hand yet let the afflicted thincke that their afflictions tend to their commoditie and that they are layd vpon them by their heauenly father Let not their courage therefore faile them but let them shew themselues men in the fight and call to God for ayd For whosoeuer perseueareth vnto the end he shal be saued Let euerie one call to his remembrance the old examples of the holy fathers to whome many promises were made the fruite whereof they did not reape till many a day were come and gone wherein they stroue against and did ouercome full many a sharpe temptation The Apostle Paul cryeth I haue fought a good fight I haue fulfilled my course I haue kept the faith Hēce foorthe there is layde vpp for mee a crowne of righteousnesse which the Lord the righteous Iudge shall giue mee in that day not to mee only but to them also that haue loued his appearing They must lay before their eyes the truth of God who saith Heauen earth shal passe but my word shall not passe The Israelites verily were a longe time holden captiue in Aegypt but the Lord did not forgett his promise For in a fit and conuenient time he set them out at libertie with abundant ioy glorie for the triumph gotten ouer their oppressours The Amalechites and Chanaanites did a great while I confesse exalte themselues in sinne and wickednesse But when the measure of their iniquitie was fully filled then were they thoroughly recompenced for their paines by him that is the seuere reuenger of vnrepented wickednesse The Scripture therefore exhorteth all men to haue sure hope perseuearing patiēce and constancie inuincible Of which I spake in the third Sermon of this third Decade To this place doe béelong as I suppose those excellent wordes of S. Paule where hee saith It is a faithfull saying For if wee bee dead with him we shall also liue with him if wee be patient wee shall also reigne with him if we denie him he also shall denie vs if wee be vnfaithfull hée abideth faithfull hee cannot denie himselfe And againe Cast not awaye your confidence whiche hath great recompence of reward For ye haue neede of patience that after ye haue done the wil of God ye may receiue the promise For yet a verie little while and he that shall come will come and will not tarie And the iust shal liue by faith and if he withdraw himselfe my soule shall haue no pleasure in him But wee are not of them that withdrawe our selues vnto perdition but we pertaine to faith to the winning of the soule Yet for all this we must not abuse these such like testimonies touching the reward of woorkes nor the very name of merites where it is found to be vsed of the fathers neither must we wreste it against the doctrine of méere Grace and the merits of Christe oure Sauiour Wée must thincke that the kingdome of heauen the other special gifts of God are not as the hire that is due to seruaunts but as the inheritaunce of the sonnes of god For although in the last day of iudgment the iudge shall reckon vpp many workes for which hee shall séeme as it were to recompence the elect with eternal life yet before that recital of good workes he shall say Come ye blessed of my father possesse the kingdome prepared for you since the beginning of the world Now if thou demaundest why he shall in the day of iudgement make mētion rather of works than of faith Mine aunswere is that it is a point or vsuall custome in the lawe for iudgement not onely to be iuste but also by the iudges pronunciation to haue the cause made manifest to al men wherfore it is iust And God doeth deale with vs after the order of men Wherefore he doth not onely giue iust iudgement but will also be knowen of all men to be a iust and vpright Iudge But we are not able to looke into the faith of other men which doth cōsist in the mind and therfore we iudge by their words and déeds Honest words and works beare witnesse of a faithfull hearte whereas vnhonest prankes and speaches doe bewray a kinde of vnbeliefe The workes of charitie and humanitie doe declare that wee haue faith in déed whereas the lacke of them do argue the contrarie And therefore the Scripture admonisheth vs that the iudgement shal be according to oure workes To this sense agréeth that in the 12. of Matthew where it is said By thy deedes thou shalt be iustified and by the same thou shalt be condemned To Abraham after he had determined to offer his sonne Isaac it was said Because thou hast done this thing and hast not spared thine onely begotten sonne I wil blesse thee and multiplie thee exceedingly c. But it is manifest that God made that promise to Abraham before Isaac was borne yea hée made it as soone as Abraham was brought out of his countrie therefore the promise was not nowe first of all annexed as a reward vnto the works of Abraham c. Therefore God examineth oure workes according to his owne fauourable mercie and not with the extremitie and rigour of lawe and doth reward them with infinite benefits because they procéed from faith in Christ albeit that for the sinne which abideth in vs they be vnpure nothing meritorious
bee Christ tell vs plainely Iesus aunsweared them I told you and ye beleeue not the workes that I do in my fathers name these beare witnesse of mee But ye beleeue not because ye are not of my sheepe And presently after hée addeth Ye say that I blaspheme because I said I am the sonne of god If I doe not the woorkes of my father beleeue mee not but if I doe and if ye beleeue not mee beleeue my woorkes that ye maye knowe and beleeue that the father is in mee and I in him In the seuenth of Iohn wee read They that beleeued in him said Will Christe when hee commeth shewe more signes than this man hath shewed that is to say Admit we graunt that there is an other Christ to bee looked-for yet this is most sure that the other Messiah cannot doe more and greater miracles than this man doth Let vs therefore beléeue that this is the true Messiah Before Caiaphas the highe priest and the whole counsel of the Péeres of Israel also before Pontius Pilate in the iudgemente hall of the Romane Empire oure Lord Christ did openly in expresse woordes confesse that hee is that true and looked-for Messiah Hée verilie as the Prophets foretolde of him did of his owne accord die for sinners the third daye after that hee roase againe from the dead hee ascended into heauen and sitteth on the right hand of God the father And the Euangelistes reciting faithfully the words and déedes of Christ doe to the most notable ones alwayes add All this was done or saide that it mighte be fulfilled which was spoken by the Prophete Wherefore it were not worthe the labour heere to gather together the prophecies of the Prophetes by them to examine the woordes and deeds of Christ and by the manifest agréement betwixte them for to conclude That GOD hath perfourmed to vs that which he promised vnto our fathers in giuing to vs his onely begotten Sonne Christ Iesus whiche is the true and looked-for Messiah For this haue the Euangelistes alreadie done and that too with so great faith and diligence that for the plainenesse of the thing it cannot bee bettered To this place nowe ye maye referre all that I haue in my former Sermons saide touching the signification or mysteries fulfilling and abrogating of the Lawe And to content oure selues with a smaller number of testimones might not this one which is read in the fourth of Sainct Iohn bee in steede of many thousand confirmations The woman of Samaria sayeth to the Lord I knowe that the Messiah shall come whiche is called Christe therefore when hee commeth hee shall tell vs all thinges Iesus aunsweared her I am hee that speake to thee Loe what could be said more plainely I sayth hee am the Messiah euen I I say that doe euen now speake to thée and did at the first saye If thou knewest the gifte of God and whoe it is that sayth to thee Giue me to drinke thou wouldest haue asked of him and hee would haue giuen thee water of life For whosoeuer shall drincke of the water that I shall giue him hee shall neuer bee more a thirste but the water that I shall giue him shal be in him a well of water springing vp into eternall life They therefore are the most thirstie and vnfortunate of all men whiche longe-for and looke after an other Messiah beside our Lord and Sauiour Christe Iesus The Apostle Saincte Peter in a méetely longe Oration well grounded and confirmed with Scripture and stronge reasons in the second of the Actes doeth shewe that oure Lord Iesus is that true Messiah For with this sentence he shutteth vp his Sermon Therefore let all the house of Israel surely knowe that GOD hath made both Lorde and Christ this Iesus whome ye haue crucified To the same marcke tendeth that large and learned Oration of the first martyre S. Steuen which is extant to be séene in the seuenth Cap. of the Actes Philip doeth out of Esaies Prophecie declare to the Eunuche of Aâ—thiope that Iesus is Christ Sainct Paule in al the Iewishe Synagogues putteth forth none other proposition to preach on but this Iesus is Christ that is Iesus is the king the bishoppe and the Sauiour of the faithfull And in the thirtéenthe Chapiter hée doeth at large declare and proue that proposition true So nowe these most euident and cleare testimonies of holie Scripture cannot choose but suffice such heades as are not of purpose sett to cauill and wrangle I will not at this present too busilie and curiouslye dispute against the ouerthwarte Iewes who looke for an other Messiah and doe denie that oure Lord Iesus the sonne of God and the Virgin Marie is the true Messiah The wretches feele that to be true which the Lord in the Gospel did foretell them saying When ye shall see the abhomination of desolation spoken of by Daniel the Prophete standing in the holy place let him that readeth vnderstand Then let them that are in Iurie flee to the mounteynes But woe to them that are with childe and giue sucke in those dayes For great shall the affliction bee And againe speaking of the Citie of Hierusalem hee sayeth The dayes shall come vppon thee that thine enimies shall compasse thee with a trenche and hemme thee in and lay seege to thee on euerie side and shall make thee eauen with the grounde and thy sonnes that are within thee And they shall not leaue in thee one stone standing vppon an other beecause thou knowest not the time of thy visitation And againe There shal be wrathe vppon this people and they shal fall with the edge of the sword and shall be ledde captiue into al nations And Hierusalem shal be trode vnder foote of the Gentiles vntill the times of the Gentiles bee fulfilled Nowe since they feele these thinges to bee so finished as they were by Christ foretold in the Gospell why doe not the wretches giue God the glorie and in other thinges beléeue the Gospell acknowledging Iesus Christe the Sonne of God and the Virgin Marie our Lord and Sauiour to bee the true and looked-for Messiah What haue they wherewith to cloake their stubborne incredulitie They haue nowe by the space of more than a thousand and fiue hundreth yeares béene without their Countrie I meane the land of promise that flowed with milke and honie they haue wanted their Prophets and lacked the solemne seruice and Ceremoniall rites For where is their temple where is the highe prieste where is the altar where are the holy instrumentes where be the sacrifices that ought to bee offered according to the Lawe All the glorie of Gods people is nowe translated vnto the Christians They ioy to bee called the sonnes of the faithfull Abraham they enioye the promises made vnto the fathers they talke and make mention of the fathers they iudge rightly of the lawe and couenaunt of the Lord they haue the holy Scriptures and in expounding them they haue great dexteritie they haue the
hereafter speake in a seueral sermon by it selfe In this place I will onely touche summarily such poynts of repentance as séeme to make for the demonstration of the Gospell Our Lorde Christe Iesus doth in the preaching of the Gospell require faith and repentaunce neither did he him selfe when hee preached the Gospell procéede any other waye For Marke hath Iesus came into Galile preaching the Gospell of the kingdom of God and saying the time is fulfilled and the kingdome of God is at hand repent and beleeue the Gospell Neither did he otherwise instructe his disciples when he sent them to preache the Gospell vnto all nations For S. Luke saith Christ saide to his disciples so it is written and so it behoued Christ to suffer and to rise againe the thirde daye from the dead and that in his name should be preached repētance and the forgiuenesse of sinnes vnto all nations Sainct Paule like a good scholer following his maister in the Actes of the Apostles saith Ye knowe that I haue helde backe nothing that was profitable vnto you but haue shewed you haue taught you openly and throughout euery house witnessing both to the Iewes and also to the Greekes the repentance that is towarde god and the faith that is towarde our Lorde Iesus Christe In his Epistle to the Romanes where he doth compendiousely handle the Gospel he taketh occasion to beginne the preaching thereof at sinne conuincing both Iewes and Gentiles to be subiect therevnto Nowe hee beginneth at sinne to this ende and purpose that euery one descending into him selfe may sée and acknowledge that in him selfe he hath no righteousnesse but that by nature he is the sonne of wrath death and damnation not that suche acknowledging of sinnes doth of it selfe make vs acceptable vnto God or else deserue remission of sinnes and life euerlasting but that after a sorte it doth prepare a waye in the mindes of men to receiue faith in Christe Iesus and so by that meanes to embrace Christ Iesus him selfe who is our only and absolute righteousnesse For the hoale néede not the Physician but suche as are sicke and diseased They therefore whiche thinke them selues to be cleare without sinnes and righteous of them selues do vtterly reiect Christ and make his death of none effect but on the other side they that féele the diseases of the mynde and do from the bottome of their heartes confesse that they are sinners and vnrighteous not putting any trust in their owne strength and merites doe euen pant for the haste that they make to Christ which when they do then Christe doeth offer him selfe in the Gospell promisinge vnto them remission of sinns and life euerlasting as he that came to heale the sicke and to saue repentant sinners But the promise is receiued by faith and not by woorkes therefore the Gospell and Christ in the Gospel are receiued by faith For wee must diligently distinguishe betwirte the precepts and the promises The promises are receiued by faith the preceptes are accomplished by workes Wherevppon Paule is read to haue saide If the inheritaunce be of the lawe then is it not nowe of promise But god gaue Abraham the inheritaunce by promise The same Apostle to the Romans conferring the lawe and the Gospell together doth saye The righteousenesse which is of the lawe doth say whosoeuer doeth these thinges shall liue by them But the righteousenesse of faith doth saiye if thou beleeuest thou shalt be saued The lawe therefore is grounded vppon workes wherevnto it séemeth to atttribute righteousnesse But because no man doth in woorkes fulfill the lawe therefore is no man iustified by works or by the lawe The Gospell is not grounded vpon works For sinners acknowledge nothing in them selues but sinne and wickednesse For they féele in them selues that they are wholie corrupted and therefore they flée to the mercie of god in whose promises they put their trust hoaping verily that they shall freely obteine remission of their sinnes and that for Christ his sake they are receiued into the number of the sonnes of God. I would speake more in this place concerning faith in Iesus Christ the remission of sinnes and the inheritannce of life euerlasting if I had not alreadie in the sirste Decade declared them at large Here by the way ye haue to remember that the Gospell is not sincerely preached when ye are taught that we are made partakers of the life of Christe for our owne desertes and meritorious woorkes For wee are fréely saued without respect of any workes of ours either first or last And although I haue oftener than once handeled this argument in these Sermons of mine yet beecause it is the hooke wherevpon the hindge of the Euangelicall doctrine whiche is the doore to Christe doth hang and that this doctrine to wite That Christe is receiued by faith and not by workes is of many men verie greatly resisted I will for the declaration and confirmation sake thereof produce here two places onely but suche as be apparant enough and euident to prooue and confirm it by the one out of the Gospell of Christ our Lorde the other out of Paules Epistles Our Lorde Iesus Christ being about to teache briefely the waye to txue saluation that is to preach the gladd tydinges of life vnto Nichodemus in the Gospell after Saincte Iohn doth firste of all beginne at repentaunce and doth wholie take Nichodemus from him selfe leauinge him no merites of his owne wherein to put his trust For while hee doeth vtterly condemne the firste birth of man as that which is nothing auailable to obteine eternall life what doeth hee I beeséech you leaue to Nicodemus wherin he may bragge or make his boaste For he doth expressely saye Verily verily I say vnto thee vnlesse a man bee borne from aboue he cannot see the kingdome of god If the firste birth and the giftes thereof were able to promote a man to the kingdome of God what neede then shoulde he haue to bee borne the seconde time The seconde byrth is wrought by the meanes of the holye Ghoste which beeing from heauen powred into oure heartes doth bring vs to the knowledge of our selues so that wee may easily perceiue assuredly knowe and sensibly féele that in our fleshe there is no life or righteousenesse at all and so consequently that no man is saued by his owne strength or merits What then The Spirite forsooth doth inwardly teache vs that which the sounde of the Gospell doeth outwardly tell vs that We are saued by the merite of the sonne of God. For the Lorde in the Gospel saith No man ascendeth into heauen but hee that descended from heauen the sonne of man that is in heauen For in an other place he doth more plainely saye No man commeth to the father but by mee And againe to Nicodemus he saith As Moses did lift vpp the Serpent in the Wildernesse so muste the sonne of man be lift vp that euerie one which beleeueth in him shuld
not perish but haue eternall life Nowe Moses did hang vp the brasen Serpent for the health and recouerie of them that were poysoned by the bytings of the Serpents For they died presently that were stung with the Serpents vnlesse they did immediately looke vp to the brasen Serpent for at the verie sight thereof the poysoned sting did loose all force and the person enuenomed was out of hande restored and cured againe Neither was there in the host of the Israelites any other medicine but that alone which whosoeuer despised he died without remedie For the force of the poyson was not expelled the life of the infected was not preserued either by the power of prayers or the multitude of Sacrifices or medicinable hearbes or any kinde of Physicke or other meanes of mannes inuention If any woulde escape the peril of death it behoued him to beholde the brasen serpent aloft Nowe that brasen Serpent was a type or figure of Christe our Lorde who being lifte vp vppon the Crosse is ordeined of God to be the onely saluation But nowe to whome doeth that sauing health befall To them forsooth that do beholde him beeing so lift vp The Lorde him selfe telleth vs what to beholde doth signifie and in stéede thereof doth put to beleeue Therefore no woorkes none other meanes nor merites of ours do saue vs from eternall death and from the force of sinne that is the poyson wher with we are all infected by the olde Serpent our aduersarie Satan Faith alone whereby wée beléeue in Christ who was lift vp for the remission of our sinnes and in whome alone our life and sure saluation doeth assuredly consist is the onely thinge that quickeneth vs which are alreadie dying by the enuenomed sting of Satan which is sinne Heare moreouer what the Lorde doth adde instructing Nicodemus yet more fully in the true faith and making the onely cause of our saluation to be the meere onely grace of God which is receiued by faith in Christ For so saith he GOD loued the worlde that he gaue his onely begotten sonne that euery one which beeleeueth in him should not perish but haue eternall life For God sent not his sonne to condemne the world but that the worlde might bee saued by him He that beleeueth in him is not condemned but hee that beleeueth not in him is alreadie condemned be cause he beleeueth not in the name of the onely begotten sonne of God. Loe what coulde bee spoken more plainely By faith we are made partakers of Christe By repeatinge faith so often his meaning was so to beate it into our heades that no man shoulde hereafter do once so muche as doubte of so manifest and euident a péece of doctrine But if here nowe thou doest little set by the authoritie of Christ then whose authoritie wilte thou estéeme But thou wilt not I knowe reiect his testimonie Yet albeit that his warrant is sufficient giue eare notwithstandinge to that disciple whome the Lorde loued who in his Epistle expounding as it were the wordes of the Lorde and by the way of exposition repeating and beating them into all mennes mindes doth strongly cry out If wee receiue the witnesse of men the witnesse of God is greater for this is the witnesse of God which he testified of his sonn he that beleeueth in the sonne hath the testimonie in him selfe Hee that beleeueth not God doth make him a lyar because lie beleeued not the recorde that he gaue of his sonne And this is the recorde that God hath giuen vs eternall life and this life is in his sonne He that hath the sonne hath life and hee that hath not the sonne of God hath not life But what else is it to haue the sonne of god than to beléeue in him For this sense is gathered by that which went before beeing of it selfe so euident that for mée to add any thing vnto it is to do nothing else but as it were to goe about with a tallowe candell to help or adlight the Sunne at his rising Nowe are we come to the place of Sainct Paule which is to be séene in the third and fourth Chapters of his Epistle to the Romanes The rightousenesse of God saith hee without the lawe is made manifest being witnessed by the testimonie of the lawe and the Prophets Paul in this place doth preache the Gospell most euidētly For I knowe not any other place wherein he doeth it more plainly Hee teacheth herein howe we are iustified before God what is the true righteousenesse and saluation of mankinde and by what meanes it commeth vnto vs. He saith that the righteousnesse of God that is to saye the righteousenesse which God bestoweth or whiche doth preuaile before God is reuealed without the lawe that is to say doeth come vnto vs without the helpe of the lawe to wite without the ayde merites of the workes of the lawe For touching the testimonie of the lawē the Prophets they witnesse both together that they which beleeue are iustified by the righteousnesse of god Now what that righteousenesse is he doth immediately declare saying The righteousenesse of God commeth by the faith of Iesus Christ vnto all and vppon all them that beleeue The righteousenesse saith he whereof wee speake is not humane or of mortall man but altogether diuine or of God him selfe For as God alone is onely iust so the righteousenesse of God is the true and onely righteousenesse of God that saueth vs Which righteousenesse God maketh vs to be partakers of by the faith of Iesus Christe to wite if wee beléeue in Christe and hope in him for to bee saued Neither is there here any man excluded from righteousnesse and saluation For Paule doeth plainely say Vnto all and vpon all that doe beleeue Wherefore God doeth repute and estéeme all them to be righteous which do beléeue in Iesus Christe his onely sonne our Lorde and Sauiour Now he doth presently annex the cause why he attributeth saluation vnto the righteousnesse of God and not of man or why the Gospell commendeth to vs the righteousenesse of God saying For there is no difference al haue sinned and haue neede of the glorie of God For because all men of their owne nature are destitute of the glorie of God that is since they are without the true image of God to the likenesse whereof they were created in the beginning therefore all men verily are vnrighteous and sinners wherevppon it followeth that in them there is no righteousnesse and that they haue nothing wherein to boast before the righteous God. For what else I beseech you doe sinners carrie from the iudgement seate of God but confusion and ignominie And for because all men are such and in that case therefore the Apostle doth verie wisely add but they are iustified freely by his grace thorough the redemption in Christe Iesus whome God hath sett foorth to bee a propitiation or reconciliation through faith in his bloud Whiche is all one as
if he had saide men are iustified for Christ his sake by the méere grace or mercie of God without anye helpe or merite of their owne If so be they do but beléeue that God hath giuen his sonne to the worlde to shedd his bloud and to reconcile the purified sinners vnto his father in heauen In which wordes there are moste fully and plainly declared the whole manner and order of sanctifying purifying and iustifying of sinners But it is good here to repeate the Apostles woordes and more nerely to examine and deepely to consider them They are saith hee freely iustified But wherefore freely because forsooth they are iustified by the meere grace of God without the helpe of their owne workes or merites For all men are sinners and therefore they haue nothinge of them selues to alledge for their iustification wherevppon it followeth that since some are iustified they are iustified freely by the grace of god For the same Apostle in the eleuenth to the Romanes saith If wee bee saued by grace then nowe not of woorkes for then grace is no more grace but if by workes then is it nowe no grace But there followeth in Paule immediately that which doth yet make that argument more manifest which is notwithstanding verie manifest alreadie through the redemption saith he that is in Christe Our righteousenesse and saluation is the worke of méere grace because we are redéemed For in respecte of our selues our workes and merites wee were the seruaunts of death and the diuell in so muche as wee were sinners and subiecte to sinne But God by sending his sonne redeemed vs when as yet beeinge his enimies wee were bounde to the diuell his open aduersarie Therefore hee did fréely redéeme vs as Esaye the Prophet did in his 52. Chapter plainly foretell that it should come to passe But true saluation is not in any other whatsoeuer he bee saue in Christ alone oure true Lorde and Sauiour For the heauenly father did by his eternall counsell set forth his sonne our Lorde Iesus Christe to bee our propitiation to wite that hee might bee our reconciliation for whose sake onely the father being pacified adopteâ—h vs into the number of the sonnes of GOD which is accomplished by none other way but through faith in his bloud that is if wee beléeue that the sonne being sent of the father did shedde his bloud thereby to set vs cleansed iustified and sanctified before his heauenly father Wherin we sée againe that our saluation doth freely consiste in faith in Iesus Christ These poyntes beeing thus vnfolded the Apostle procéedinge to shewe howe farre the benefite of redemption and iustification doth stretche doth immediately adde To declare his righteousnes by the forgiuenesse of the sinnes that are past which GOD did suffer to shewe at this time his righteousenesse God saith he hath set forth Christ to be the onely propitiation that hee might shewe that there is but one and the same righteousenesse of all ages Christ I saye him selfe who is the righteousenesse of all that beleeue Nowe heere hee maketh mention of two seuerall times that auncieÌ„t age of the fathers and this present tyme wherein wee nowe liue The auncient age is that which went before the comming of Christ This latter age of ours is that which beginneth at Christe is nowe at this present and shal bee extended to the ende of the worlde And God verily did of his long sufferaunce beare with and suffer the sinnes of that olde age for Christe his sake by whome and for whome hee hath forgiuen them Neither doeth he set beefore vs at this daye any other righteousenesse saue Christe alone to be receiued and embraced by faith For the Apostle doeth not obscurely afterwarde adde That he might be iust and the iustifier of them that beleeue on Iesus As if he should haue saide nowe the meaninge of all this is that we should vnderstand that all men are vnrighteous and altogether sinners but that God alone is righteous without whome there is no righteousenesse at all and that hee doeth communicate his righteousenesse to all them that do beléeue in Cstriste to wite which do beléeue that for Christ his sake the father is pleased and recoÌ„ciled vnto vs and that for him we are reputed both iust and holie By these woordes of the Apostle there are two verie wicked and blasphemous errours of certeine fellowes notably refuted The one of the twaine is the errour of them whiche saye that oure fathers were iustified not by faith in Christ but by the law and their owne merites affirminge that Christ suffred not for the fathers but for them alone that liued when he was vppon the earth and for them that followed after his death The other errour is theirs which saye that Christ offered vp his bodie for the fathers for originall sinne onely not for vs and all our sinnes and therefore that wee must make satisfaction for our owne sinnes But the Apostle Paule doeth in this place condemne both these opinions And the holie Euangelist Iohn agréeing with Paule doth saye The bloud of the sonne of GOD doeth cleanse vs from all sinne for he is the propitiation for our sinnes not for our sinnes onely but for the sinnes of all the worlde Therefore the merite of Christ his redemption doth extende it selfe to all the faithfull of both the testaments The Apostle Paul procéedeth vpon that which he had saide hee inferreth Where is the boasting it is excluded By what lawe Of woorkes Naye but by the lawe of faith He gathereth by the Euangelicall doctrine hetherto taught that all the boasting of euery mannes owne righteousenesse and all the bragginge of euerye ones merites is vtterly taken away altogether exempted and vanished Not by the lawe of woorkes that is not by the doctrine concerning works which is wont for the moste parte to puffe men vpp and make them swel but by the lawe of faith that is by the doctrine concerning faith which doth emptie and leaue in vs nothinge but an humble confession and acknowledging of our owne lacke of merites attributing all oure helpe to grace in Christ Iesus And at the last gathering the cheefe proposition hee sayth We do therefore holde that a man is iustified without the woorkes of the lawe This is the summe and breuiarie of the whole Gospell that wee are iustified that is to saye absolued from sinnes from the definitiue sentence of death and damnation and sanctified and adopted into the number of the sonnes of God by faith that is by an assured confidence in the name of Christe which is giuen by the father to be our onely Sauiour And here are workes by name excluded to the ende there should be giuen to vs no occasion to entangle faith with workes or to attribute to workes the glorie title due to faith alone or rather to Christe vppon whome our faith is grounded and vphelde This proposition beeing once put foorth he doth presently after coÌ„firme with argumentes shewing withall
that this saluation is common both to the Iewes and Gentiles saying Is he the God of the Iewes onely Is hee not also of the Gentiles yes euen also of the Gentiles For it is one God that shal iustifie the circumcision by faith the vncircumcision through faith Hee fetcheth the confirmation of that which he saide from the nature of god There is but one God who is of his owne nature both life righteousenesse And he is the God bothe of the Iewes and the Gentiles therefore he is the life and righteousenesse of both the people which righteousenesse hee bestoweth on them by faith therefore faith doeth iustifie or make them both righteous This is declared by the example of Cornelius the Centurion For he is iustified or as I should rather saye being once iustified hee is declared to be acceptable to God by the sendinge downe of the holie Ghoste in a visible fourme vppon him when as hee neither was circumcised nor yet had kept the lawe but had onely heard y preaching of the Gospell and had beléeued in Iesus Christ Nowe GOD did not iustifie Cornelius so alone but wil also iustifie all other nations by faith euen as hee wil not by anye other meanes than by faith alone iustifie the Iewes It followeth in Paule Doe wee then destroy the lawe through faith God forbidde but we rather mainteine the lawe For the defenders or the disputers in the defence of works or rather of iustification by workes are wont to obiecte if faith alone in Christ doth iustifie then is the lawe or doctrine of the lawe altogether vnprofitable For to what ende are wee commaunded to doe good woorkes if good workes do not iustifie The Apostle aunswereth that the lawe is not abolished by faith but rather mainteined For since faith doeth directly tende to Christe in whome alone it doth séeke and finde all fullnesse and that the lawe it selfe is the scholemystresse vnto Christ and doth shut vpp all vnder sinne so that iustification is by faith giuen to the faithfull it is moste euident that the lawe is not destroyed or darkened but confirmed and made lighte by the doctrine of faith The Apostle goeth on in his confirmation and saith What shal wee saye then that Abraham oure father as pertaining to the fleshe did finde For if Abraham were iustified by woorkes then hath hee wherein to boast but not before god For what saith the Scripture AbrahaÌ„ beleeued God and it was counted vnto him for righteousenesse There are verily many examples of the holy fathers but among all the rest the Apostle chose out this of Abraham to handle it at large For he in the Scriptures is called the father of them that do beléeue Wherevppon it is assuredly certeine that the children shal be iustified after the same sorte that theire father was as the Apostle hath in expresse woordes taught in the latter ende of the fourth Chapter Moreouer Abraham was famous for good workes aboue all the rest of the holie fathers therfore if any other could haue beene iustified by his good woorkes or merites much more might Abraham before all the rest But forbecause he was iustified by faith and not by workes it is manifest therefore that all the Sainctes also both haue béene and are iustified by faith and not by workes Furthermore Abraham liued 430 yeres before the lawe was reuealed by Moses wherevppon it followeth that his woorkes cannot be called the workes of the lawe by them that are the denyers of the iustificatioÌ„ by faith without the lawe Therefore the workes that hee did hee did them of faith and his woorkes were the works of faith and yet was he not iustified by them but by faith Therefore the â—lorie of the iustification of faith remaineth sounde vnspotted and vnmingled with any thing else What saith he shal we saye that oure father Abraham founde concerninge the fleshe to wite so farre forth as he is a man and we also men of him What I saye shal wee saye that hee deserued To this demaunde this answere must be added hee founde nothing and by his woorkes hee deserued nothing For the proofe followeth if by his workes he deserued any thing or was by his merits iustified then hath he wherein to boaste But he hath nothing wherin to boast therfore is he not iustified by his workes For God alone is righteous and kéepeth this his glorie vnto him selfe alone without any partener or ioyntpossessour with him freely iustifying them that are of the faith of Iesus Christe to the end that his grace may be alwayes praised But Paule him selfe by bringing in a place of Scripture doeth shewe that Abraham had nothinge wherein to make his boast For what saith he doth the Scripture say Abraham beleeued God and it was counted vn to him for righteousenesse Lo here the Scripture doth moste plainly say that Abraham was iustified by faith or rather that faith was imputed to him for righteousenesse and therefore that Abraham was for his faith counted righteous before the moste iuste and righteous God. But let vs heare Paule howe he applyeth this place of Scripture vnto his purpose It followeth then To him that worketh is the reward not reckoned of Grace but of duetie But to him that worketh not but beleeueth in him that iustifieth the vngodly his faith is counted for righteousenesse Which woordes verily maye bee briefely reduced into this kinde of argument Who soeuer doeth with his woorkes deserue anye thing to him the rewarde is giuen as a thing of duetie due vnto him and not imputed freely as though it were no debte But faith is imputed to Abraham vnto righteousenesse therefore he receiued righteousenesse not as a rewarde of duetie ought vnto him but as a gifte not due but freely giuen him And againe To him that worketh not but beleeueth in him that iustifieth the vngodly his faith is reckoned for righteousenesse But to Abraham faith was imputed vnto righteousenesse therefore he obteined righteousenesse by faith and not by workes Nowe there is an Emphasis in that he fayth But beleeueth in him that iustifieth the vngodly For therby is signified that he which is to be iustified doth bring nothing with him but the onely acknowledginge of his owne miserie and vngodlynesse to séeke for mercie at the hande of the Lorde For he vnderstandeth that he is destitute of good workes and such as may abide the tryall of Gods iust iudgement He doth therefore flye to the mercie of God presuming for a certeintie that the righteousenesse of faith is the ayde or helpe of the sinner that must be freely saued by the grace of God. Here by the way ye must note that Christians righteousenesse both is is saide to be imputatiue righteousenesse Which thing alone is able to breake the necke of all our boastinge for imputation is the contrarie vnto debte God is not of duetie bound to vs either for our owne sakes or for our woorkes sakes but so farre forth as hee
to be loued and followed and according to desert and order that is to bee exhibited vnto them whiche agreeth and is fit for them For it is written Thou shalt worship the Lorde thy God and him onely shalt thou serue These be Saint Augustines words And thus farre haue we intreated of one only liuing true and euerlasting God to be serued Moreouer whosoeuer cleaue vnto God with a sincere fayth and worship call vpon and serue one GOD lawfully they are rightly named religious their studie and action is true religion Some will haue Religion to be deriued a Relinquendo bicause therby we leaue or forsake false gods all errours and earthly desires and séeke after the true God after truth and heauenly things Massurius Sabinus sayth That is religious which for some holinesse sake wee put by and seuerally set aside The worde Religion hath his name a Relinquendo as Ceremoniae a Carendo But M. Cicero supposeth that Religio is so called a Relegendo of selecting or putting apart bicause they that be religious do carefully choose all thing◠which seeme to belong to the seruice of the Gods. But he is confuted in many wordes of Lactantius Firmianus an ancient writer of the church Lib. Instit 4. cap. 28. where among other things he sayth On this condition we are borne that being borne wee might doe to God iust and due seruice that wee should knowe him alone and that him wee shoulde followe With this bond of godlinesse we are streightly bound and tied vnto God whervppon religion it selfe tooke her name And anon after Wee sayde that the name of religion was deriued from the bonde of godlinesse bycause GOD hath tyed and bounde man vnto him selfe in godlinesse for that is needefull that wee serue him as a Lorde and obey him as a father Other Ecclesiasticall writers also following him as Hierome and Augustine deriued Religion a Religando of tying or binding For Hierome in his Commentarie vpon the ninth chapter of Amos sayth This bundle tyed vp with the religion of the lord which is one Religion therfore tooke her name a Religando of tying together and binding into the lords bundle And Augustine in his booke De quantitate animae chapter 36. sayth True religion is whereby the soule tyeth her selfe through reconciliatiō to one God from whome through sinne she had as it were brokē away The same Augustine in his booke De vera religione and last chapter sayth Let religion tye vs vnto one God almightie whereof it is beleeued to bee named religion We say therefore y true religion is none other thing thā a friendship a knitting a vnitie or league with the true liuing and euerlasting God vnto whome we being lincked by a true faith doe worship call vppon and serue him alone vpon whome we do wholy depend liuing in all thinges according to his will or according to the prescript rule lawe of his word Therefore most rightly is the whole matter of saluatiō and faith comprised in this one word Religion which elsewhere is called in scripture a league and couenaunt and elsewhere againe marriage or wedlocke For as they which be confederate are vnited and made one by a league so God and man are knit together by religion And as by marriage the husbande and the wife are made one body so by religion we are knit into a spirituall body with God as with our husbande and with the very sonne of God as with our bridegrome and our heade Hetherto therfore doth belong what so euer things are vttered in the scriptures touching the kéeping of the league or couenaunt and the faith of marriage Truce-breakers are they disloyall and infamous through their adulterie who so euer being not knit to one God by fayth worship him alone call vpon him through Christe and serue him also as he him selfe hath sayde in his worde he woulde be serued The very same are also called superstitious For superstition is false religion which doth not serue God but somewhat else for God or not God alone or not rightly or lawfully This worde superstition stretcheth it selfe euen to olde wiues tales and doting errors For in Dutche we call superstition Aberglouben mis glouben vnd mis brijth But Lactantius reasoning most exactly of this worde in his fourth booke of Institutions and 28. chapter writeth in this sort Religion is the seruice of the true God superstition of the false They are said to be superstitious not that wish their children to out-liue them for that we doe al wish but eyther they that reuerence the memorie remayning of the deade or else they that whiles their parents were aliue worshipped their images within their houses like housholde Gods. For those whiche did take vnto them selues newe rites to the intent they might in stead of Gods honour the deade whome they thought were taken from among men and receiued into heauen those I say they called superstitious but those that worshipped and serued publique and ancient Gods they named religious Wherevpon sayth Virgil. Vaine superstition ignorante Of th' olde and auncient Gods. But seeing wee doe finde that our auncients haue beene in semblable manner consecrated Gods after their death they therfore which serue many and false Gods are superstitious but we are religious which pray and make our supplications to one God being the true God c. Superstition consisteth chiefly in these pointes Eyther when the Lord is not serued but other Gods in his steade the onely one true and liuing God being left and forsaken Or else when the Lorde is serued but not alone but other together with him or else when he is serued but not with his lawfull seruice In the first kynde of superstition did the Gentiles in a manner offende who knewe not the true God in so muche that they in stead of the true God worshipped false feigned or straunge Gods. And that the Israelites also Gods people were sicke of the same madnesse the holy prophet Ieremie is a witnesse who expostulating and reasoning the matter with the people sayeth Heare ye the word of the Lord O house of Iacob and all the families of the house of Israel Thus sayeth the Lord What iniquitie haue your fathers founde in mee that they are gon farre from me haue walked after vanitie and are beecome vaine For they sayed not Where is the Lord that brought vs vpp out of the land of Aegypt that led vs thorough the wildernesse thorough a desort wast land throughe a drie land and by the shadowe of death by a land that no man passed thorough and where no man dwelt And I brought you into a plentifull countrie to eate the fruite therof and the cōmodities of the same but when ye entred ye defiled my land made mine heritage an abhomination The priestes said not Where is the Lord they that should minister the law knewe mee not the pastours also offended against mee and the prophets prophecied in Baal
whereas the sacramentes were common to all yet grace was not common to all which is the pithe of the sacramentes As euen now at this daye faith is reuealed which then was hid the founteine of regeneration is common to all whiche are baptised in the name of the father and of the sonne and of the holy Ghoste but the inward grace whereof they are sacramentes wherby the members of Christe with their head are borne a new is not common to all Thus farr Augustine who teacheth that their signes or sacraments are not vnequall or bulike whiche haue the same faith and religion but that all the difference that is resteth in the diuersitie of the time otherwise they differ not Nowe that I haue made an ende of the similitude and difference of the Sacramentes of the old and newe testament and that by occasion of a receiued opinion that the sacraments of the newe lawe doe conferre or giue grace of themselues let vs also consider what manner of thinge the same is And first touching the word Grace I will giue you these fewe thinges to note Grace is the fauour and good will of GOD wherewith God the father imbraceth vs for Christes sake purifyeth iustifieth and endueth vs with his good giftes and saueth vs. For the writinges of the Apostles doe plainely call that Grace whereby wée are saued and iustified or made righteous by faith in Iesus Christ Of this Grace it is written I make not the Grace of God of no effecte For if righteousnes come by the Lawe then Christ died in vaine Of this Grace it is written Christ vnto vs is beecome vnprofitable as many as are iustified by the lawe are fallen from Grace Of this Grace it is written If it come of grace then is it not of woorkes for else grace now is no more grace What is not the sonne of GOD himselfe called The Grace and gift of GOD Iohn 4. Titus 2. Cap. Nowe to conferre Grace what is it else than to giue or franckely and fréelye to bestowe some thinge on a man which he had not before Therefore if the Sacramentes doe giue Grace to the receyuers of them then truely they giue those thinges whiche they signifie to them whiche had them not I meane Christe with all his giftes that is to saye they make them pleasaunt and acceptable vnto GOD they iustifie and saue yea and that of them-selues insomuche as they are said to haue receiued vertue to sanctifie from the passion of Christe and not to signifie onely or to helpe to commende or to further Yea and they also attribute the receyuing of Grace to our worke wherby we receiue the Sacrament But howe contrarie this doctrine is to the trueth of the holye Prophetes and Apostles I will now declare It was an old errour amonge the Iewes that Sacramentes did iustifie Hereof commeth it that the holy Prophetes of GOD reasoning and rebuking the people of God committed to their charge yet sauouring of false opinions cryed That their labour whiche they bestowed vppon their Ceremonies and sacrifices was in vaine And that GOD is delighted with faithfull obedience with fayth I say charitie innocencie and also with true godlines Amonge whome Ieremie sayeth Thus sayeth the Lord of hoastes the GOD of Israel Heape vpp your burnte offeringes with your sacrifices and eate the fleshe For when I brought your fathers out of Aegypt I spake no word vnto them of burnt offeringes and sacrifices but this I commaunded them saying Hearken and obeye my voyce and I will bee your GOD and yee shall bee my people so that yee walke in all the wayes whiche I haue cōmaunded you that ye may prosper The like place is in Esaie the first Chapiter The Lord hath not despised neither haue his holy Prophets contemned all sacrifices in generall since hée him selfe instituted them by Moses but they sought to suppresse beate downe that false opinion and vaine confidence whiche they had in sacrifices It is a vaine confidence and a false opinion to beléeue and thincke that sacrifices of themselues and for our workes sake doe make vs acceptable vnto god For faith maketh vs acceptable vnto God by the Messias And the Lord did not institute sacramentes or sacrifices that beeing offered they might giue grace or iustifie vs but to be witnesses of the grace of God that by them his people might be kept drawne in due order from idols and heathenish worshippings and ledd to Christ the highe priest and onely sacrifice or oblation for the whole world For they were certeine scholinges or exercises as Paule proueth saying The law was our scholemaister vnto Christe that wee should bee iustified throughe faith but after that faith is come wee are no longer vnder a scholemaister Therefore the sacrifices of the old lawe did not giue grace to them that sacrificed neither wrought they their iustification but were tokens and testimonies that God doth sanctifie and iustifie by and through the sacrifice appointed before all worldes the Messias I mean◠to faith in whome they did as it were a certeine scholemaister by guiding vs bring vs. And truly when the Apostles preached the pure and sound doctrine of the Gospell that By the onely grace of God in Christ the faithfull are saued this auncient errour of their elders had taken such déep roote in the minds of the Iewes that euen they whiche had receiued Christe stoode neuerthelesse in cōtention y Christ was not able fully to sanctifie iustifie without the helpe of the Iewishe sacrifices Against whome the Apostles disputing with great grauitie and inumcible power of y spirite did plainely proue that a Christian without any obseruations of the ceremoniall lawe or helpe of any woorkes euen by the only méere and frée grace and mercie of God in Christ is sanctified purified iustified and saued Whiche vndoubtedly is the healme as commonly is said and stearne of the Euangelists and Apostles doctrine whiche who so denieth he hath no part doubtlesse in the inheritance of Christ and his Gospell Neither is it obscure or doubtful whiche euen nowe I haue set forth in these fewe wordes For who is ignorant of that memorable dissention betwéene the chiefe Apostles of Christe Paul and Barnabas kindled against those which taught Except the Christians were circumcised after the maner of Moses they could in no wise be saued Against whome Peter maketh this conclusion That our hearts are purified by faith that wee whiche beleeue shal be saued by the grace of our Lord Iesus Christ True it is that the aduersaries would bring backe againe that which the Apostles abrogated and toke away but in the meane while this is also vndoubtedly true that the Apostles with no other forceable engine more strongly battered as it were and beate downe flat to ground their aduersaries bulworke in defence of sacraments y purifie thā with this That we which beleeue shal be saued by the grace of our Lorde
Israel with him c. 284. 8 And they drewe out the staues that the endes of them mighte appeare c. 340. 341 11 Ahia the Silonite saith to Ieroboam Thus saith the Lord thou shalt reigne c. And if thou hearken vnto al that I coÌ„maund thée c. 185 12 Ieroboam sacrificed vnto God but because he sacrificed not lawfully he was c. 676. 824 12 In the kingdom of Israel king Ieroboam thrust out of their offices the teachers and preachers of the Lawe of the Lord c. 854 16 And Achab serued Baal and worshipped him c. 667 18 How long do you halt on both partes If the Lord be God follow him c. 653 19 I haue béene very iealous for the Lord God of hoasts for that the c. 855 19 I haue left vnto me selfe seuen thousand men in Israel c. 855 ¶ Out of the second booke of Kinges 5 NAaman the Syrian was coÌ„maunded to washe himselfe seuen times c. 972 5 Heliseus by most wholesome counsel refused the reward of Naaman c. 888 5 Am I a God that I should be able to kill and to giue life c. 658 6 Feare not for they that be with vs are moâ— than they that bee with them c. 741 6 Lord I beséeche thée open his eyes that he may sée and the Lord opened his eyes c. 741 17 Israel walked in the ordinances or ceremonies which they theÌ„selues had made c. 329 17 And yet they serued the Lord and they appointed out priests eueÌ„ of the basest vnto themselues for the high places c. 675 16 Achas king of Iuda shutvp the temple of the Lord and toke away the holy altar c. 854 21 Vnder Manasses the nephue of king Achas true doctrine and administration of the sacrameÌ„ts was banished except onely circumcision c. 854 21 This is the house of the Lord God and this altar is for the sacrifice c. 344 ¶ Out of the first booke of Chronicles 15 THe Lord hath chosen the Leuites c. Therefore sée that ye be holy that ye may c. 997 15 The priestes and Leuites sanctified themselues to fetch the arke c. 997 ¶ Out of the second booke of Chronicles 1 ANd Solomon with all the coÌ„gregation went to the high place that was at Gabaon c. 343 8 And Solomon sett the sortes or priestes to their offices as Dauid his father c. 182 11 Ieroboam thruste the teachers and preachers of the Lawe of the Lord out of their offices c. 954 19 Take héede what ye do For ye execute not the iudgements of man c. 194 28 Achas king of Iuda shutt vp the temple of the Lord c. 854 29 The Leuites did sing and that at the commaundement of God c. 932 29 Be yee sanctified and sanctifie ye the house of the Lord oure God c. 182 33. 34. Vnder Manasses the nephue of king Achas true doctrine was banished c. 854 36 The Lord God of their fathers sent to you by his ministers rising vp betimes c. 154. 155 ¶ Out of Nehemias 5 A Notable example in Nehemias suppressing the couetousnesse crueltie c. of vsurers c. 276 8 Esdras the priest brought the Lawe the booke of Moses c. 24 8 Touching the solemne celebrating of the feast of Tabernacles or seuenth moneth c. 353 8 And Esdras with the Leuites saide to all the people which was sad and sorrowfull c. 284. 285 ¶ Out of the booke of Iob. 1 SAthan came and shewed himselfe among the children or seruauntes of God speaking with the Lord c. 747 1 Naked came I out of my mothers womb and naked shal I turne to the earth againe c. 312 4 Behold he found no trueth in his seruauntes and in his angels there was follie c. 745 9 If I will iustifie my selfe mine owne mouth will condemne mée c. 467 9 If I haue any righteousnesse I will not aunsweare but humbly beséeâ—h my Iudge c. 560 10 Thy hands O God haue made me and fashioned me round about c. 760 10 Thou hast giuen me life and grace and thy visitation hath presenued my spirite c. 760 14 Who can make or bring forth a pure or cleane thing of that whiche is vncleane c. 496 19 I knowe that my redéemer liueth and that in the last day c. 86 25 I know verily that a man compared to God cannot be iustified c 401 26 His spirite hath garnished the heauens c 716 31 If mine heart haue béene deceiued by a womaÌ„ or if I haue laid waâ—te c. 232 33 The spirite of God hath made me and the breath of the Almightie hath giuen me life c. 716 34 Nothing is more contrary to the nature of God than sinne and naughtinesse c. 482 ¶ Out of the Psalmes 2 BE wise O ye kinges be learned ye that are Iudges of the earth c. 699 5 The vnrighteous shal not stand in thy sight O Lord thou hatest c. Thou shalt destroy al them that speake lyes c. 129 5 Thou art the God that hast no pleasure in wickednes neither shal c. 482 8 O Lord our gouernour how excellent is thy name in al the world For thy glorie c 637. 952 9 The heauens are thine O God and the earth is thine thou hast laid the foundation c. 637 10 The Lord loueth the iust c. Vppon the vngodly he shall raine snares c. 520 14 The foole hath said in his hart There is no God c. 605 15 Lord who shall dwell in thy tabernacle c. Euen he that walketh c. 669 16 The Lord is alwayes at my right hand Therefore my heart is glad c. 433 18 Who is God besids the Lord and who is mightie or a rock saue our God c. 658 18 The way of God is vncorrupt the word of the Lord is tryed c. 861 18 He bowed the heauens and came downe and there was barckenesse vnder his féete c. 738 19 The law of the Lord is perfect conuerting the soule c. 21 19 The heauens declare the glorie of God and the firmament sheweth forth the workes of his hands c. 620 19 Who knoweth his sinnes Clense me from my hidden faultes c. 578 22 Thou art he that toke mée out of my mothers wombe thou wast my hope c. 306 22 Our fathers hoped in thée they hoped in thée and thou didst deliuer them c. 306. 657 27 In my trouble I will call vppon the Lord and I will crie vnto my God c. 657 27 Because my father my mother haue left or forsaken mée the Lord hath taken mée vp c. 660 31 I haue hoped in thée O Lord I haue said Thou art my GOD c. 640 32 I haue made my fault knowen vnto thée and mine vnrighteousnes haue I not hidden c. 572
so haue we the most lightsom testimonies sentences examples decrees of the most excelleÌ„t ancient holy wise greatest meÌ„ of al the world touching all things which séeme to appertaine to true godlynesse the way how to liue wel holily These bookes therefore founde a ready prepared entraunce of beliefe among all the poâ—â—eritie as bookes which are authentical and which of them selues haue authoritie sufficient and which without gainsaying ought to be beléeued of all the world Yea and that more is our Lord Iesus Christe the only begotten sonne of God doth referre the faithfull to the reading of Moses yea and that in déede in the chiefest pointes of our saluation The places are to be séene Iohn 5. Luke 16. In the. 5. of Mathew he saythe Doe not thinke that I am come to destroy the law and the prophetes sor I am not come to destroy them but to fulfill them For verily I say vnto you though heauen and earth doe passe one iot or title of the lawe shall not passe till all be fulfilled Who so euer therefore shall vndoe one of the leaste of these commaundementes and shall teache men so he shall be called the leaste in the kingdome of heauen There haue verily some bene founde that haue spoaken against Moses the seruant of God But God hath imputed that gainsaying as done against his diuine Maiestie and punished it most sharply The proofes hereof are to be séene in Exodus 16. and Numerie the. 12. And first of the people murmuring against Moses theÌ„ of Marie Moses sister speaking against her brother But to the people it was sayde Not against the Ministers but against the Lorde are your complaintes As for Marie she was horribly strucken with a Leprofie Theotectus was strucken blinde Theopompus fel to be madde bicause he had vnreuerently touched the word of god For althoughe the worde of God â—e reueled spoken and written by men yet doth it not therefore cease to be that whiche in deede it is neyther dothe it therefore beginne to be the worde of men bicause it is preached and heard of men no more then the King his commandement whiche is proclaimed by the Criar is said to be the commaundement of the criar He despiseth God with God al the holy Patriarchs whosoeuer doth coÌ„temne Moses by whom God speaketh vnto vs and at whose hands we haue receiued those things which the Patriarches from the beginning of the world by tradition deliuered to the posteritie There is no difference betwéene the woord of God whiche is taught by the liuely expressed voyce of man and that whiche is written by the penne of man but so farre foorthe as the liuely voice and wryting doe differ betwéene themselues the matter vndoubtedly the sense and meaning in the one and the other is al one By this dearely beloued you haue perceiued the certaine hystorie of the beginning of the word of God. Now let vs go forward to the rest that is to adde the hystorie of the procéeding of the word of God by what meanes it shined euer and anon very cleare and brightly vnto the world By and by after the departure of the holy man Moses out of this world into heauen the Lord of his bountifulnesse gaue moste excellent Prophetes vnto his Churche whiche he had chosen to the intent that by it he might reueale his word vnto the whole world And the Prophetes were to them of the olde time as at this day amongst vs are Prophetes Priestes wisemen Preachers Pastours Bishops Doctors or Diuines most skilfull in Heauenly thinges and giuen by God to guide the people in the faith And he whosoeuer shall read the holy hystorie will confesse that there flourished of this sorte no small number and those not obscure euen vntill the captiuitie at Babilon Amongst whom are rekoned these singular and excellent men Phinées Samuel Helias Heliseus Esaias and Ieremias Dauid Solomon were both Kings and Prophets In time of the captiuitie at Babilon Daniel Ezechiel were notably knowen After the captiuitie flourished among the rest Zacharias the sonne of Barachias Here haue I reckoned vp a few amoÌ„g many who although they florished at sundrie times and that the one a greate while after the other yet did they all with one consent acknowledge that God spake to the world by Moses who God so appointing it left to the Churche in the world a breuiarie of true diuinitie and a most absolute Summe of the word of God conteined in writing All these Priestes Diuines and prophets in al that they did had an especiall eye to the doctrine of Moses They did also refer all men in cases of faith and religion to the bookes of Moses The lawe of Moses which is in déede the Lawe of God is moste properly called Thora as it were the guide and rule of faith and life they did diligently beate into the mindes of all men This did they according to the time persons and place expound to al men For al the Priests and Prophets before the incarnation of Christ did by word of mouth teache the men of their time godlines and true religion Neither did they teache any other thing then that whiche the Fathers had receiued of God which Moses had receiued of God and the fathers and straight wayes after committing it to writing did set it out to all vs which folow euen vntill the end of the world so that now in the Prophets we haue the doctrine of Moses and tradition of the Fathers and them in all and euery point more fully and plainely expounded and polished being moreouer to the places times and persâ—ns very fitly applyed Furthermore the Doctrine and writings of the Prophetes haue alwayes béen of great authoritie among all wise men throughout the whole world For it is well perceiued by many argumeÌ„ts that they tooke not their beginning of the prophets theÌ„selues as chief Authours but were inspired froÌ„ God out of heaueÌ„ by the holy spirit of god For it is God which dwelling by his spirite in the mindes of the Prophets speaketh to vs by their monthes And for that cause haue they a most large testimonie at the hands of Christ his elect Apostles What say ye to this moreouer that God by their ministerie hathe wrought miracles and wonders to be marueiled at and those not a fewe That at the least by mightie signes we might learne that it is God by whose inspiration the Prophetes doe teach and write whatsoeuer they left for vs to remember Furthermore so many common weales and congregations gathered together and gouerned by the Prophetes according to the worde of God doe shewe moste euident testimonies of God his trueth in the Prophets Plato Zeno Aristotle and other Philosophers of the Gentiles are praised as excelleÌ„t men But whiche of them could euer yet gather a Churche to liue according to their ordinances And yet our Prophetes haue had the moste excellent and renowmed common
Fayth in them that hearde it For they dyed in the desarte And immediately after he sayth Let vs therefore doe our best to enter into that reste so that no man dye in the same example of vnbeliefe If therefore that the worde of God doe sounde in oure eares and therewithall the spirite of God doe shewe foorth his power in our harts and that we in fayth doe truly receiue the word of God then hath the worde of God a mighty sorce and wonderful effect in vs For it driueth away the misty darknesse of errors it openeth our eyes it conuerteth and inlighteneth our mindes and instructeth vs most fully and absolutely in truth and godlines For the Prophet Dauid in his Psalmes beareth witnes sayth The law of the Lord is perfect conuerting the soule the testimony of God is true and geueth wisedome vn to the simple The commaundement of the Lord is pure and geueth light vnto the eies Furthermore the word of God doth féede strengthen confirm and comfort our soules it doth regenerate clense make ioyfull and ioyne vs to god yea and obtaineth al things for vs at Gods handes setting vs in a most happy state in so much that no goods or treasure of the whole worlde are to be compared with the worde of god And thus much do we attribute to the worde of God not without the testimony of Gods worde For the Lord by the prophet Amos doth threa ten hunger thirst not to eate bread and to drinke water but to heare the worde of God. For in the olde new testaments it is sayd that man doth not liue by bread onely but by euery worde that proceedeth out of the mouth of god And the Apostle Paul saith that all things in the scriptures are written for our learning that by patiēce and comfort of the scriptures we might haue hope Also Peter saith ye are born a new not of corruptible seede but of incorruptible by the word of god which liueth lasteth for euer And this is the worde which by the gospell was preached vnto you The Lorde also in the gospell beareth witnesse to the same and sayth Now are ye cleane by the worde which I haue spoken vnto you Againe in the gospell he crieth saying If any man loueth me he will keepe my saying and my father will loue him and we will come into him and make our dwelling place in him Ieremie saith also Thy word became my comfort And the Prophet Dauid saith The statutes of the Lorde are right and reioyce the hart Wherunto adde that saying of the Lordes in the gospell If ye remaine in me and my wordes remaine in you aske what ye will and it shal be done for you In an other place also the Prophet crieth saying If ye be willing and will hearken ye shall eate the good of the land but if ye wil not heare my word the sword shall deuoure you Moreouer Moses doth very often and largely reckon vp the good thinges that shall happen to them which obey the worde of God Leuiticus 26. Deutero 28. Wherefore Dauid durst boldly preferre the word of God before all the pleasures and treasures of this world The feare of the Lorde is cleane and endureth for euer the iudgementes of the Lord are true and righteous altogether more to be desired are they thē gold yea then much fine golde sweeter also then hony and the dropping hony combes For by them thy seruaunt is plainely taught and in keeping of them there is great aduantage Therfore is the lawe of thy mouth more precious vnto me then thousands of siluer and golde Vnlesse my delight had been in thy lawe I had perished in my miserie To this now doth appertaine that parable in the gospell of him which bought the precious pearle and of him also which solde all that he had and bought the grounde wherin he knewe that treasure was hidde For that precious pearle and that treasure are the gospell or worde of God which for the excellencie of it is in the scriptures called a light a fire a Sworde a Maule which breaketh stones a Buckler and by many other names like vnto these Dearely beloued this howre ye haue heard our bountifull Lorde and God who would haue all men saued and to come to the knowledge of the truth how he hath reuealed his word to al men throughout the whole world to the intent that all men in al places of what kinde age or degrée so euer they be may know the trueth and be instructed in the true saluation and may learne a perfect way how to liue rightly well and holily so that the mā of God may be perfect instructed to all good workes For the Lorde in the worde of trueth hath deliuered to his Church all that is requisite to true godlinesse and saluation Whatsoeuer thinges are necessary to be knowne touching God the works iudgments will and commaundements of God touching Christe our faith in Christe and the duties of an holy life all those thinges I say are fully taught in the worde of god Neither néedeth the Church to craue of any other or else with mens supplies to patch vp that which seemeth to be wantinge in the worde of the Lorde For the Lord did not onely by the liuely expressed voice of the Apostles teach our fathers the whole summe of godlinesse and saluation but did prouide also that it by the meanes of the same Apostles shoulde be set down in writing And that doth manifestly appéere that it was done for the posterities sake that is for vs and our successours to the intent that none of vs nor ours should be seduced nor that false traditiōs should be popt into any of our mouthes in stéede of the truth We must all therfore beware we must all watch and sticke fast vnto the worde of God which is left to vs in the scriptures by the Prophetes and Apostles Finally let our care be wholy bent with faith and profite to heare whatsoeuer the Lord declareth vnto vs Let vs cast out and treade vnder foote whatsoeuer by our flesh the world or the deuill is obiected to be a let to godlines We know what the diseases plagues of the séede of Gods worde sowed in the hartes of the faithful are We know how great the power of Gods worde is in them which heare it deuoutly Let vs therfore beséech our Lorde God to powre into our mindes his holy spirite by whose vertue the séede of Gods word may be quickened in our harts to the bringing forth of much fruite to the saluation of our soules and the glory of God our father To whom be glory for euer Of the sense and right exposition of the worde of God and by what maner of meanes it may be expounded ¶ The thirde Sermon DEarly beloued brethren I doe vnderstande that by meanes of my doctrine of the worde of God ther are risen sūdry thoughts in the hartes of many men yea and that of some there
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
the Virgin Marie by Iosephe or by any seede of man but by the holie ghoste not that the holy ghoste was in place of the seede For nothinge is begotten of the spirite but what is spirituall Neyther hath our Lorde a phantasticall but a very true body and of the same substance with vs So then our Lord was conceiued in the wombe of the Virgin by the holie ghost For the holie ghost by his eternall power did bring to passe that the virginitie of the Virgine mother beinge vncorrupted shee I say being made with child cōceiued of her owne bloud and gaue a pure and verye humane bodie to the sonne of god As is declared at large by the Angell Gabriel in the first cap. after S. Luk. Of which place because I meane to speake else where more largely I do now passe it ouer vntouched God himselfe streight wayes after the verie beginninge of the worlde did foretel that such should be the manner of that cōception For he said not the seede of the man shal tread downe the Serpents heade but the seede of the woman Moreouer the Lord by the Prophets sayth I will rayse vp seede to Dauid But Moses law for the raysinge vp of seede to the brother departed is wel knowne For if the brother died without issue of Children his brother remayning aliue was compelled to marrie the deceassed brothers wife and of her to beget childrē which were called and counted not by the name of him that was liuinge but of the deade brother Wherefore when there was not to be found amā of Dauids lyne that was sufficientlie meete to begett on the Virgin the sonne of God the fauiour of the world God himself raiseth vp seede to Dauid and by his holy spirite maketh the Virgin with childe who although she were not with child by a man of Dauids lyne yet because shée was a daughter of Dauids stock and because God so workinge shée of her owne substaunce gaue substaunce to the sonne of God this her childe Christe both is and is called the sonne of Dauid What doth that argue moreouer that Dauid in the 110. Psalme sayth In the mightie power of holines the deaw of thy birth is to thee of the wombe of the morning Or the deaw of thy birth is to thee of the wōbe of the morninge in the mightie power of holines That is to say By a certaine mightie power of holines meruaylous meanes shalte thou bee borne For thy birth shal be like vnto the ingendring of the deaw which cōmeth of the pure morning as it were a child borne of the wombe For as in the day time the Sūne draweth out of the earth a vapour which by reason of the smallnes of the heat which draweth it vpwarde is by the coldnesse of the tēperat night or euenings drawn downe againe and resolued into water So God the is the Sunne of righteousnes tooke blood of the earth that is of the bodie of the vntouched Virgine Marie and by a wonderfull meanes did holilie and purely bring to passe that of her vnipotted wombe shoulde be borne and conceiued the most holie sonne of God. The causes whie this conception of the sonne of God in the wombe of the holie Virgine is most pure are these Hée that is conceiued in the wombe of a Virgin is God but God is a consuming fire which cannot take or suffer any vncleannesse in it self An other cause is this God came to cleanse our vncleannesse that is the vncleannesse of vs men hée himselfe verilie oughte to be exempte from all originall spots in all pointes most holie to the ende that being the onely vnspotted Sacrifice offered vp for the sinnes of all the world he might cleane take away all the sinnes of the world For that which is it selfe defiled cannot cleanse the thing that is defiled but rather the spot or filthines doth double his vncleannesse by the comminge too of that other vncleane thing The seconde member of this thirde Article is Hée was borne of the Virgin Marie The Lord was borne of Marie his mother and yet shée a Virgine still Hec is therefore very man which is borne of Woman Moreouer his byrth is pure For hee was borne of the Virgine so that together shée was a mother and yet a Virgine too For Esaias sayth Beholde a Virgine shall conceiue and bringe forth a sonne A Virgine sayth hee shall do both Conceiue and bringe foorth so that neuerthelesse shée may remaine a Virgine still The birthe therefore of the sonne of God is moste pure Also his birthe is a true birth verilie and in deede For hee taketh fleshe of the substaunce wombe of the Virgin. In which signification also our Lorde Iesus Christe is called the sonne of Dauid Hee coulde not bee called Dauids sonne vnlesse hée had taken verie humane substaunce of Marie a mayde or daughter of the stocke of Dauid Which that the Apostle Iohn mighte most properly signifie and expresse he sayth The Woord was made fleshe And the Apostle Paul sayth He doth no where take on him the Angells but the seede of Abraham And in the same place againe he affirmeth That the Lorde was made like to his bretheren in al things sinne excepted To the Philippians hee saith When hee was equall with God hee made himselfe of no reputation taking on him the forme of a seruaunte and made in the likenesse of men and founde in figure as a mā Againe the Apostle Iohn beareth witnesse sayth Euerie spirite that confesseth that Iesus Christe is come in the flesh is of God and euerie spirite which confesseth not that Iesus Christ is com in the flesh is not of God. Luke in his 2. Cap. hath at large set forth the manner of his Natiuitie And I do meane elsewhere to speake of it at the full Let vs therefore confesse that Iesus Christe was conceiued by the holie ghoste and borne of the Virgin Marie The fourth article of Christiā faith is this Hee suffered vnder Pōtius Pilate was crucified dead buried hee descended into hel In this fouth article is declared the end vse chiefeste comodity of the Lord his incarnation For he became man that he might suffer and dye and by dying suffering might redéeme vs from eternal death the torments of hell make vs beinge once clensed heyres of life euerlasting For this is the end of the Lorde his death as I will by by shew you and as Paule doth at large declare in the 9. chapter to the Hebrewes This article also is diuided into his partes First wée confesse that oure Lord suffered in very deede not phātastically to the appearaunce onelye that he suffered verily the calamities and myseries of this world and after that againe the tormēts of the slaughtermen and death it selfe in most bitter panges Hée suffered therfore both in soulde and bodye yea and that too in many facions For Esaias sayth He is a man of sorrowes
and comfort imprisoned captiues Herevnto Lactantius lib. Institut 6. cap. 12. hath an eye where he sayth The chiefest vertue is to keepe hospitalitie and to feede the poore To redeeme captiues also is a greate and excellent worke of righteousnes And as great a work of iustice is it to saue and defend the fatherlesse widowes the desolate helplesse whiche the law of God doth euery where coÌ„maund It is also a part of the chiefest humanitie and a great good deed to take in hand to heale and chearish the sicke that haue no body to helpe them Finally that last and greatest duetie of pietie is the buriall of strangers and of the poore Thus muche hitherto touching the duetie of ciuil humanitie which true loue sheweth to his neighbour in necessitie But it is not inough my brethren to vnderstande how we ought to loue our neighbour though we ought often to repeate it but rather we must loue him excéedingly and aboue that that I am able to say Let vs heare the Apostle who with a wonderful goodly grace of spéech with a most excelleÌ„t exquisite holy example of Christe doth exhort vs all to the shewing of charitie to our neighbour and sayth If therefore there bee any consolation in Christe if any comfort of loue if any fellowship of the spirite if any compassion mercie fulfill ye my ioye that ye be like minded hauing the same loue being of one accorde and minde let nothing be done through strife or vaine glory but in meekenesse let euery man esteeme one the other better then him selfe looke ye not euery man on his owne thinges but euery man also on the thinges of others For let the same minde be in you that was in Christ Iesus who being in the fourme of God thought it no robberie to be equall with God but made him selfe of no reputation taking on him the forme of a seruant and made in the likenesse of men and found in figure as a man he humbled him selfe made obedient vnto death euen the death of the crosse Wherefore God also hath lightly exalted him and giuen him a name which is aboue euery name that in the name of Iesus euery knee shoulde bow of things in heauen and things in earth and things vnder the earth and that euery tongue shoulde confesse that the Lorde Iesus Christe is the glory of God the father To him alone be honor power for euer euer Amen The end of the first Decade of Sermons The Second Decade of Sermons writen by Henrie Bullinger Of lawes and first of the lawe of Nature then of the lawes of men ¶ The first Sermon THE summe of all lawes is the loue of GOD and our neighbour of which and euery parte whereof bycause I haue already spokeÌ„ in my last Sermon the next is that nowe also I make a particular discourse of lawes and euery part and kinde thereof Let vs therefore call to God who is the cause and beginning of lawes that he through our Lorde Iesus Christe will vouchsafe with his spirite alwayes to direct vs in the waye of trueth and righteousnesse A heathen writer no base authour ywis made this definition of lawe that it is an especiall reason placed in nature coÌ„mauÌ„ding what is to be done and fordidding the contrarie And verily the lawe is nothing but a declaration of Gods will appointing what thou hast to do and what thou oughtest to leaue vndone The beginning and cause of lawes is God him selfe who is the fountaine of all goodnesse equitie trueth and righteousnesse Therefore all good and iust lawes come from God him selfe althoughe they be for the most parte published and brought to light by men Touching the lawes of men we muste haue a peculiar consideratioÌ„ of theÌ„ by theÌ„ selues For of lawes some are of God some of Nature some of Men. As concerning Gods law I wil speak of it in my seconde Sermon at this present I will touch first the lawe of Nature and then the lawe of Men. The law of Nature is an instruction of the conscience and as it were a certaine direction placed by God him self in the mindes and hearts of men to teach them what they haue to doe and what to eschue And the conscience verily is the knowledge iudgement and reason of a man whereby euery man in him selfe and in his owne minde being made priuie to euery thing that he eyther hath committed or not committed doth eyther condemne or else acquite him self And this reason procéedeth from God who both prompteth and writeth his iudgementes in the hearts and mindes of men Moreouer that which we call Nature is the proper disposition or inclination of euery thing But the disposition of mankind being flatly corrupted by sinne as it is blinde so also is it in all pointes euill and naughtie It knoweth not God it worshippeth not God neyther doth it loue the neighbour but rather is affected with selfe loue towarde it selfe and séeketh still for the owne aduauntage For whiche cause the Apostle sayde That we by nature are the children of wrath Wherefore the lawe of nature is not called the lawe of nature bicause in the nature disposition of maÌ„ there is of or by it selfe that reason of light exhorting to the best things and that holy working but for bycause God hath imprinted or ingrauen in our myndes some knowledge and certaine generall principles of religion iustice and goodnesse which bycause they be grafted in vs and borne together with vs do therefore séeme to be naturally in vs. Let vs heare the Apostle Paule who beareth witnesse to this saith When the Gentiles whiche haue not the lawe do of nature the things conteined in the law they hauing not the law are a law vnto themselues which shew the workes of the lawe written in their hearts their conscience bearing theÌ„ witnesse and their thoughts accusing one another or excusing in that same day when the Lorde shall iudge the secrets of meÌ„ by Iesus Christ according to my Gospel By two arguments here doth the apostle very euidently proue that the gentiles are sinners For first of all least peraduenture they might make this excuse and say that they haue no law he sheweth that they haue a law and that bicause they transgresse this law they are become sinners For although they had not the written law of Moses yet notwithstanding they did by nature the things coÌ„teined in the law The office of the law is to disclose the wil of God and to teache thée what thou haste to do and what to leaue vndone This haue thei by nature that is this know they by the lawe of nature For that whiche followeth maketh this more plaine They when they haue no law are to them selues a law That is they haue in theÌ„ selues that which is written in the law But in what sort haue they it in them selues This againe is maâ—e manifest by that which followeth For they
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
carie no burthen vpon you on the Sabboth day to bring it through the gates of Ierusalem and that ye beare no burthen out of your houses on the Sabboth day looke that ye do no labour therin but keepe holy the Sabboth day as I cōmanded your fathers Howbeit they obeied me not neither hearkned they vnto me but were obstinate and stubborne and would not receiue my correction Neuerthelesse if ye wil heare me saith the Lord and beare no burthen through this gate vpō the Sabboth but hallow the sabboth so that ye doe no worke therin then shall there go through the gates of this citie Kings and Princes that shall sit vpon the throne of Dauid they shall be carried vpon chariots ride vpon horses both they and their Princes there shall come men from the cities of Iuda and the land of Beniamin which shal bring sacrifices and shall offer incense and thanksgiuing in the house of the lord But if ye wil not be obedient vnto me to hallowe the sabboth so that ye wil beare your burthens through the gates vpō the sabboth day thē wil I set fire vpō the gates of Ierusalē which shal burne vp the great houses therof shal not be quenched Verie iustly therfore did the deuout Princes Leo and Anthemius writing to Arsemius their Lieftenant in these words giue charge That the holy dayes ordeined in honour of the high Gods maiestie shuld not be spent in any voluptuous pleasures nor be vnhallowed wyth troublesome exactions We therefore do decree and ordein that the Lords day or sunday as it hath always ben accoūted wel of so it shall stil be had in estimation so that vpon that day no office of the lawe shal be executed no man shal be summoned no man arested for suretiship no man attached no pleading shal be heard nor any iudgement pronounced c. And by by after again Neyther doe we in giuing this rest of the holy day suffer any mā to wallow in any kind of wanton pleasures at al. For on that day stage playes are not admitted nor fencers prises nor beare baitings yea to if it happē that the solemnising of our byrth day fal vpō the Sunday then shal it be diferred til the next day after And we haue determined that he shal sustein the losse of his dignitie and haue his patrimonie confiscate whosoeuer shall on the Sabboth day be present at any sight or playe or what sommoner soeuer of any iudge whatsoeuer shal vnder the pretence of any businesse either publique or priuate do any thing to infringe the statutes in this law enacted And yet neuerthelesse they that are Christians do not forget the words of Christ in the Gospell where he saith The sabboth was made for man and not man for the sabboth and that the sonne of man too is Lorde of the sabboth The godly do very well knowe that God ordeined the sabboth for the preseruation and not for the destruction of mankind and that therfore he doth dispence with vs for the sabboth as often as any vrgent necessitie or sauing of a man shall séeme to require it Touching which matter our Sauiour Christ him selfe hath fully satisfied the faithful in the 12. of Matthew the 6. 13. chap. after S. Luke In such things verily Christians may vse their libertie to occupy them selues in on the sabboth day Since the priestes Leuites are held excused which do in the temple openly both kill fley burne boil beasts in making their sacrifices so that they are not thought to breake that Sabboth day bycause they may without offence to God euen on the sabbothes dresse make ready the thinges seruing to that outward worship of the Lord so likewise may we on the sabboth dresse make ready meate other necessaries which our bodies cānot lack We may also minister physicke to the sick visite the weak help the néedy that so we maye preserue y creature of god Herein did our sauiour giue vs an example to follow who did on that sabboth worke y déeds of charitie mercy we haue more then one example of his to be séene in the Gospell but especially in Luke 6. 13. Iohn the. 5. chap. If thē on the sabboth day it be lawful to draw out of a pit a shéep or an oxe in danger of drowning why shuld it not be lawfull likewise on that sabboth to vnderset with props a ruinous house that is redy to fal why should it not be lawful on the sabboth day to gather in kéep from spoyling y hay or corne which by reason of vnseasonable wether hath lain too long abroad likely to be worse if it stay any longer The holy Emperor Cōstantine writing to Elpidius saith Let all iudges in courts of law citizens of all occupations rest vpon the Sunday kepe it holy with reuerēce and deuotion But they that inhabite the contrie may freely and at libertie attend on their tillage vpon the sabboth day For often times it falleth out that they can not vpon an other day so commodiously sow their seed or plant their vines and so by letting passe the opportunitie of a litletime they may hap to loose the profite giuen of GOD for oure prouision Thus sayth the Emperour Now we must consider that he doth not licence husbandmen by al kinde of toyle continually to defile the sabboth day For of the countrimen as well as of the townesmen are looked for due honour done to GOD and the kéeping of the fourth commaundement onely this must be remembred that libertie is graunted in causes of necessitie But a godly mynde and charitie shall be excellent dispensors and mistresses to leade vs in such cases as these leaste vnder the coloured pretence of libertie and necessitie we doo déedes not to be borne withall on the sabboth day exercise the works of gréedie couetousnesse and not of sincere holynesse And thus much had I to say touching the second vse of the sabboth day Thirdly the sabboth hath a verie ample or large signification For it is a perpetual signe that god alone is he that sanctifieth those that worship his name For thus saith the Lord to Moses Ye shall keepe my sabbothes bicause it is a signe betwixt me and you to thē that come after you to knowe that I am the Lorde which sanctifie you And so foorth as it is to be seene in the. 31. of Exodus and is againe repeated in the. 20. of Ezechiel And to this end doth the Lord mutually apply him selfe as is before sayde in the declaration of the sabbothes second vse and signification For God doth by his holy spirite sanctifie his faithful folke and constant beléeuers which he declareth vnto the Church by the preaching of the Gospell bearing witnesse thervnto and sealing it with his Sacraments so that he commaundeth vs with continuall prayers incessantly to craue of him that glorious sanctification All whiche things verily
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
without any trouble at all Plato also in his lawes thinketh That he hath a great treasure in his house whosoeuer doth nourishe at home in his house his father or mother or any of their pareÌ„ts in their impotent olde age and doth suppose that he needeth no other picture of any of the Gods to reuerence in his house bicause he shuld turneal his care and diligence to honour his parents And againe in another place Let vs pay sayth he to our parentes while they are aliue the oldest firste and greatest debts that we owe them for our being and bringing vp For euery one must thinke that al which he hath is theirs who did beget and bring him vp so that according to his abilitie he must supply and minister to them al that he doth possesse first of all the externall goods of fortune then of the body and lastly those that do belong vnto the minde therby restoring all that he borrowed and recompencing them in their olde age for al their old cares and griefe susteined for him It is seemely also and requisite that euen in wordes so long as we liue we shuld shew reuerence vnto our parentes For after light and foolishe wordes vsed to them doth commonly come a terrible plague For before euery man doth Nemesis the executrice of iudgment stande and doth throughly thinke vpon all their offences Wee must therefore giue place to oure Parentes when they be angrie without a cause or doe what they liste whether it bee by worde or deede knowing alwayes that the father is rightfully angrie with his son though he be angrie for nothing else but by cause hee thinkes that his sonne hath done to him the thing that he should not Let vs therefore erect to oure parents euen when they be dead monuments seemely for their estate whyle they were aliue which if we shal do then shal we vndoutedly be worthily rewarded at the hands of the gods Thus much hath Plato Saint Hierome saith Pay to mothers the reuerence that ye owe them who seruing you with the paine of their owne wombs doe beare the weight of your bodies and carrying about the infant vnknowne do as it were become seruants to them that shall be borne At that time the mother hungreth not to the filling of her owne bellie neyther doth she alone digest and feede vpon the meate that she eateth With the mothers meate is the babe nourished that lyeth within her his members are fed with another bodies eating so that the man that shall be is filled with the morsels that the mother swalloweth What should I rehearse the nurishment that they giue to their children and the sweete iniuries of way warde infancie that they take and put vp by meanes of their little ones Why shoulde I speake of the meate digested of the mother whiche comming from the other parts of hir body into hir paps is turned there into milke and moysture to fill the weake and tender iawes with thinne and liquide foode for nourishment By nature the infantes are compelled to take of their mothers that which they drinke and when as yet their toothlesse gummes are not able to byte then doe they with the labouring of their lippes drawe that from their mothers breasts that they neede not to chewe The mothers dugge doth serue the childe and still attendeth vppon the swathled babe her hands to hold and her back to bend are readie still to dandle the sucklings limmes that she loues full well God wot The mother desireth often and earnestly to haue her yongling grow and wisheth full many a time to see him a man For these so many and so great good deedes ought the childe once come to age to apply him selfe to doe her seruice with a good and readie minde and heart Let natures debt be paide let them that followe haue their due Pay childe that which thou owest and shewe thy bounden dutie by all manner of seruice what soeuer it be Bycause no man is able to pay to his parentes so much as he oweth them Thus farre out of Hierome Now touching the countrie wherin euery one is borne and brought vp euery man doth wel estéeme of it loue it and wish to aduance it euery man doth decke it with his vertue and prowesse euery one doth helpe it with all sortes of benefites stoutly defending it and valiantly fighting for it if néede be to saue it from violent robbers What is I pray you more to be delighted in then the good platforme of a well ordered citie wherin there is as one did say the church wel grounded wherein God is rightly worshipped and wherein the word of God in faith and charitie is duely obeyed so farre foorth as it pleaseth God to giue the gift of grace wherein also the Magistrate doth defende good discipline and vpright lawes wherein the citizens are obedient and at vnitie among theÌ„ selues hauing their assemblies for true religion and matters of iustice wherein they vse to haue honest méetings in the Church in the Court and places of common exercise wherein they apply them selues to vertue and the studie of learning séeking an honest liuing by suche sciences as mans life hath néede of by tillage by merchandize and other handie occupations wherein children are honestly trayned vp parents recompenâ—ed for their paines â—he poore mainteined of aâ—mes and straungers harboured in their distresse There are therefore in this common weale virgins married women children olde men matrons widowes and fatherlesse children If any by the naughtie disposition of nature transgresse the lawes they are worthily punished the guiltlesse are defended peace iustice and ciuilitie doth flourish and is vphelde Now what is he that can abide to beholde such a common weale the countrey wherein he is borne and bred vp to be troubled vexed torne and pulled in péeces eyther byseditious citizens or ferreine enimies In ciuil seditions forreine warres all vertue and honestie is vtterly ouerthrowne virgins defiled matrones vnciuily dealt withall olde men derided and religion destroyed Wherefore the valiant captain Ioab being redie to fight against the Syrians in defence of his country speaketh to his brother Abisai saying If the Syrians be stronger than I theÌ„ shalt thou helpe me but if the sonnes of Ammon be to strong for thee then will I come and ayde thee Be couragious therefore and let vs fight lustily for our people and for the cities of our god And let the Lorde doe the thing that is good in his owne eyes Moreouer Iudas Machabeus a man among the Israelites worthily estéemed and a famous warrier being singularly affected toward his countrie encouraging his souldiers and countrimen against their enimies sayde They come vpon vs wrongfully in hope of their force to spoile make hauocke of vs with oure wiues and children but we fight for our liues libertie of our lawes and the Lorde will destroye them before our faces The people also among them selues exhorting one another doe cry out
as feare God speakers of truth and haters of couetousnes make them rulers ouer thousandes rulers of hundreds rulers of fifties and rulers of tennes to iudge the people at all seasons Foure thinges the Lord requireth in a good gouernour First that he be a man of courage of streÌ„gth or force that is which hath abilitie to doe the thing whereunto he is appointed That abilitie consisteth in mind rather than in body For it is required that hée be not a foole but wise skilfull in that which hée hath to doe because the office of a Capitaine is to know how to set his armie in order of battaile rather than to fight himself as also the duetie of a Surueyor of woorkes is to know how buildinges must be erected rather than to worke himselfe or as a Chariot man ought rather to know how to guide his Carte in driuing than to drawe it himselfe And therewithal too there is demaunded a boldnesse of stomach to dare to doe the thing that hée alreadie knoweth For constancie and sufferaunce are very néedefull in euerie Capitaine In the second place that is set downe which in déede is the first Let him feare God let him be religious and not superstitious No idolatrer preserueth the common weale but rather destroyeth it and a wicked man defendeth not truth and true Religion but persecuteth and driueth them oute of his iurisdiction Let this magistrate of ours therefore bée of the right Religion sound in fayth beléeuing the woord of GOD and knowing that God is present amonge men and doth repaye to whom hée liste according to their desartes And for that cause Iustinian the Emperour in Nouellis Constitutionib 109. doth fréely confesse that al his helpe is of God and that therefore it is conuenient that the making of all lawes should depend vppon him alone Immediately after he saith It is knowen verie well to all men that they in whose handes the Empire was before it came to vs and especially that Leo of worthie memorie and the most sacred prince Iustine our father did in their constitutions flatly forbid al heretiques to be admitted souldiers in any warfare or dealers in matters concerniÌ„g the coÌ„mon weale that the lesse occasioÌ„ might be giuen by receiuing them into the fellowship of warre or handling of publique affayres for any to thincke that they corrupt the members of Gods holy Catholique and Apostolique Church And this decree do we establish Thus saith the Emperour And the godly man verilie prayeth to God and receiueth wisedome at the Lords hand And where the Princes are Gods friends and haue often conferrence with God there is hope that those common weales shall prosper and flourish But on the other side there must néeds be feared an vnhappie end of that common weale wher the enimies of God haue the preeminence Thirdly there is required of him which must be chosen and called to be magistrate that he be true in word and déede so that hée be not found to be an hypocrite a lyar a deceiuer a turnecoate nor one which out of one mouth doth blowe both hoat and cold but faithfull simple a plaine dealer and blamelesse Hée must not be more liberal in promising than in performing Hée must not be one that setteth light by an othe not a false swearer nor a periured man Fourthly because many that are in office desyre riches â—éeke to increase their wealth by bribes the Lord remoueth such from the magistracie forbiddeth good magistrates to be couetous Yea he doth expressely charge them to hate and abhorre it As hée doth also in an other place not onely forbid them to take bribes but also commaund them to shake off and rid their hands of all rewards Couetousnes and gréedie desire of bribes are the verie plagues that choake good magistrates By couetous men and takers of bribes law iudgmeÌ„t libertie iustice and the countrie it selfe is set to sale and sould to the diuell for money And now though in this place the Lord hath named onely the most pestilent mischiefe of all other yet there is no doubt but that hée doth inclusiuely debarre all other vices and euils of that sort commaunding them to be straunge and farre off from the good magistrate and godly gouernour Those vices are Pride Enuie Anger Diceing Surfetting Dronkennesse Whoredom Adulterie and whatsoeuer else is like to these This place is made more manifest by conferring it with other places in the lawe of god Moses in Deuteronomie sayth to the people Bring men of wisedome of vnderstanding and of an honest life according to your Tribes Thrée thinges here againe doth the wise man Moses require in them that are to be appointed magistrates in his common weale First sayth hée let them be wise But the beginning of wisedome is the feare of the lord Let them therefore be ordeined magistrates that are friendes to God and true religion let them bée wise and not foolish idiots Secondarilie they must be men of vnderstaÌ„ding that is men of experience who by long and continual exercise in handling of matters are able at the first brunt to deale in all cases according to the law Lastly they must be men of honest report whose lyfe and sound conuersation are by their déedes perfectly tried and sufficiently witnessed off vnto the people and finally they must be such as may beare authoritie and not be despised as rascall and vile knaues In the booke of Numbers also Moses saith Let the God of the spirits of all flesh set a man ouer the congregation which may go in and out before them lead them in and out that the Congregation of the Lord be not as sheepe without a shepheard By these words of the holie Prophet we learne who are to be choseÌ„ how they are to be chosen into the office of magistrates Moses praied to the Lord for a fit and a conuenient man and wée therefore must pray to God who searcheth all mens hearts that he wil vouchsafe to send such men to be our magistrates as are méete for that roome calling The outward shew doth many times deceiue vs and wée iudge him to be a good and godly man who is in déede a notable hypocrite God alone doth know the mind wée must beseech him therefore that he suffer vs not in our choice to erre or chose amisse Let him be thought the best and méetest for that purpose who is instructed with the holie spirite of god Furthermore hée that is appointed to that office must stil be the first the last and alwayes at one end in all matters of weight publique affayres Some vnprofitable and idle droanes there are that driue other forward after the first onset do themselues take their ease And some wicked felowes there are which wil appoint other what to do but will themselues do nothing of that which by right belonges to their office The guide of the people must be a man of choice elected to
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
vnto saluation For if the wicked do acknowledge his fault repent himself of his ill déede and beléeue in Christ with al his heart his sinne is forgiuen him bée is saued as wée haue an euident example in the thiefe that was crucified whose punishment was an occasion of his saluation But from the other this saluation was farre off because he did not belieue in Christ and would not be warned by the paine y he felt for his offence to repent for his sinnes and to call to God for mercie Furthermore by publique iudgment and open execution all other men may take example to learne to beware of like offences vnlesse they will suffer like horrour of torments But let not the magistrate execute any man vntil he know first perfectly whether hée that is to be punished hath deserued that punishment that the iudges determine and whether God hath commaunded to punish that offence that is whether by Gods lawe that is condemned which is to be punished The trueth therof shal be manifestly knowne either by the proper and frée confession of the man accused or by the probable testimonies broght in and gathered against the deâ—endant or by conferring y lawes with the offences of him that is to be punished So then the magistrate may not punish vertue true religioÌ„ nor good honest godly men For he is ordeyned of God to terrifie not the good but offenders Now touching the maner and facion of punishment I think it not best ouer curiousâ—ie to dispute Let euerie nation or citie reteine stil their penalties and order of punishing vnlesse peraduenture their countrie custome smack somewhat of rigour extreme crueltie For no wise man denieth but that the kinde of punishment must be tempered according to the rule of iustice equitie The kindes of punishment are exile or banishment boÌ„dage losse of goods imprisonment fetters scourges markes with burning iroÌ„s losse of limms lastly death it self by killing w the sword by burning hanging drowning other such meanes as euerie natioÌ„ vseth of custome Neither is the scripture without a pitiful beadrowe of miserable torments For in y booke of Esdras we read And who soeuer wil not do the lawe of thy god Esdras and the lawe of the king let iudgment streightwayes passe vppon him whether it be to death or banishment or losse of goods or imprisonmeÌ„t This do I ad not vnaduisedly because of them the are of opinion y such tormentes ought not so much as once to be named amonge christian people But measure and discretion must be vsed of the iudges in punishing offenders so the heynous faults may be plagued with greuous punishmeÌ„t lesser crimes may be nipped with smaller penalties and the smallest light offences punished more lightly That sentence in Gods law ought to be remeÌ„bred According to the fault so shall the punishment bee Where also the iudge must haue a consideration of his clemencie pitie Oftentimes y kinde and age excuseth the partie accused The circuÌ„stances being rightly weighed do somtime excuse the déedes that otherwise are of themselues not all of the best The iudge also must inquire after diligentlie consider the former life of the man accused for which if it fal out to haue bene good and honest than doth he deserue some fauour and mercie vnlesse the offence for which be is troubled be so heynous y it can admit no sparkle of pitie But godlines or y feare of god with powring out of prayers vnto the Lord and a diligent and lawful examinatioÌ„ of y déede or word that is of the fault committed is the best rule for the iudge to followe in choosing his time when to vse pitie and when to deale with extreme rigour For otherwise decent clemeÌ„cie is most praise worthie before God and men I haue shewed you déerlie beloued that the magistrate both may and of duetie ought to punish offenders then for what causes y Lord wil haue them to be punished and lastlie how when how much they are to be punished It remayneth now for mée to declare wherfore and for what offences they are to be punished Which I meane to lay downe in one word and briefly too All words and déeds which are coÌ„trarie to the lawes of God and the magistrate that is all things that are done mischiefouslie against the lawes are to be punished but lawes are made either for religion or politique gouernment and politique gouernment consisteth in honestie iustice and peace Therfore the magistrate must punish and kéepe vnder al them which do disturbe afflict trouble destroy or ouerthrow honestie iustice publique peace or priuate tranquillite betwixt man man Let him punish dishonestie ribauldrie filthie lust whordome fornication adulterie inceste sodomie riottousnes dronkennesse gluttonie couetousnesse coosening cutting vsurie treason murder slaughter of parents sedition and whatsoeuer is like to these The lawe of the Lord published by the ministerie of Moses doth in the 18. and 20. of Leuiticus reckon vppe a beadrowe long enough of such offences as are to be punished And least perhappes any man may thinke that at this day that which Moses hath rehearsed is vtterly abolished let him giue eare to S. Paul who saith To the iust the lawe is not giuen but to the vniust and to sinners to vnholie and vncleane to murderers of fathers and murtherers of mothers to manslears to whoremongers to them that defile themselues with mankinde to manstealers to lyars to periured men and if there be any other thing contrarie to sounde doctrine But Apostates idolatrers blasphemers here tiques false teachers and mockers at religion doe offend against the lawes of religion and therefore ought they to be punished by the magistrates authoritie But the question hath béene and is yet at this day in controuersie whether it be lawefull sor a magistrate to punish any man in his iurisdiction for the contempt of religion or blaspheming of the same The Maniches and Donatistes were of opinion that no man ought to be compelled much lesse to be killed for any religion but that euerie man ought to bee left to his owne minde and iudgement And yet the Scripture doth expresselie coÌ„maund the magistrate not to spare false Prophetes yea rebells against God are commaunded by holie lawes and iudges to be killed without mercie The places are extant to be séene in the holie Scriptures the one in the 13. of Deut. the other in the 17. of the same booke In Exodus this same is set downe for a rule Whosoeuer sacrificeth to any God but to the Lord alone let him bee rooted out In Leuiticus the blasphemer is slaine euerwhelmed with stones In the booke of Numbers the man is slaine that did vnhallow the Sabboth day And how many I pray you did Gods reuenging sword destroy of that caluish people that did erecte and worship the calfe in the wildernesse Helias at mount Carmel killed whole hundreds of false
Prophets in a solemne set and appointed Sacrifice Eliseus at the Lords commaundemente annointed Iehu king to the end that hée might roote out the house of Achab and kill at once all Baals priestes Ioiada the priest slue Athalia And good king Iosias destroyed together the wicked stubborne priestes of all high places S. Augustine Tractatu in Ioan. 11. disputing against the Donatistes doth proue by the example of Nabuchodonosor that Christian Princes do iustlie punishe the Donatistes for despising Christ and his Euangelicall doctrine Among other thinges he saith If king Nabuchodonosor did glorifie God for deliuering three childreÌ„ out of the fyâ—e yea and glorified him so much that he made a decree throughout his kingdom for his honour and worship whie should not the kinges of our dayes be moued so to do which see not three children saued from the flame alone but themselues also deliuered from the fire of hell when they behold Christ by whom they are deliuered burnt vpp in Christian men and when to a Christian they heare it said Say thou that thou art no Christian This they wil doe and yet this they wil not suffer For marcke what they doe and see what they suffer They kill soules they are afflicted in bodie They kill other eternallie and doe complaine that they themselues doe suffer a temporall death Thus much hath Augustine In that new testament we haue most euideÌ„t examples of Peter Paul Christ his greatest Apostles The one wherof sâ—ue Ananias and Saphyra for their lying hypocrisie and feined religion The other strucke Elymas the Sorcerer blinde bereft him of his eyes Neither is there one hayres difference to choose whether a maÌ„ be killed with a sword or with a word For to kill is to kill by what meanes or with what instrument soeuer it be done God wrought that by his Apostles and doth the like by the magistrate also For vengeaunce is Gods who giueth it to the magistrate and chiefe men to bée put in vre and execution vpon wicked offenders There are to be séene many lawes made by holie Christian princes for the state of religion which giue an especiall charge to kill idolatrers apostataes heretiques and godlesse people I will recite vnto you déerely beloued one lawe among many made by the holie Emperour CoÌ„staÌ„tine the great For in an epistle intituled ad Taurum P. P. hée saith It pleaseth vs that in al places throghout euerie citie the temples be out of hand shut vpp and libertie denied to wicked men to haue accesse thether to commit idolatrie Wee will also and commaund all men to bee restrained from making of sacrifice And if so be it happen that they offend herein our pleasure is that they be slain with the sword and the slaine mans goods to be confiscate And wee haue decreed that the rulers of the prouinces shall suffer like punishment if they neglect to punish the offenders The verie same almost do Theodosius and Valentinianus by proclaimed edicts commaund In Codice Theodosiano tit 2. And Valentinianus and Martianus in Codice Iustiniano tit 11. lib. 1. Lastlie without al controuersie adulterers murderers rebells deceiuers and blasphemers are rightlie punished and not against religion Wherfore it followeth consequentlie that false Prophets and heretiques are by good right slaine For they are deceiuers blasphemers and manquellers But in the execution of this punishment there must a great consideratibe had and obserued First of the persons then of the errours and lastly of the penalties For in persons there is great diuersitie because there are some standard bearers and headie graund capitaines which are stoute hypocrites and full of tongue therfore y aptest for to seduce who falling headlong without ameÌ„dment to their owne destruction do with themselues draw other into daunger They must by al meanes be brideled and kept vnder as plagues to the Church least like a cancker they spread all ouer Againe there are some sillie seduced soules made fooles by other men which erre not of malice nor stubborne stomach but doe repente and amend in time These the magistrate must not streightway condemne but pray to the Lord and beare with their error and teach them in the spirit of gentlenesse vntill they be brought to a better minde Moreouer in erronious doctrines som are more intollerable than other some are Some there be so wicked blasphemous that they are vnworthie to bée heard much lesse to bee done Some there are which do directly and openly tend to the ouerthrow of the common weal vnlesse they be in time appensed and resisted But those crimes that are brought in and accused ought first to be by the Scripture and manifest truth coÌ„uinced to be such as they are said to be When the truth is knowen and manifest proofes of scripture alledged then is it lawfull most sharpely to punish those blasphemers of God and ouerthrowers of the Church and common weale But a light and easier penaltie must be set on the heads of them whose offence consisteth in light and smaller errors For some doe erre so that by their error God is not blasphemed that Church not subuerted nor the common weale in any daunger at all Where by the way euerie one must thincke of that saying of the Apostle Beare ye one an others burthen And againe The weake in faith receiue yee not to the doubtfulnes of questions Furthermore in punishment and penalties there is a great difference They that erre stubbornely and doe their indeuour to drawe in and kéepe other men in their errours blasphemers troublers and subuerters of Churches maye by lawe bee put to death But it followeth not therevppon that euery one which erreth must therefore by and by suffer losse of his life The things that by threates and faultfinding may bée remedied and amended must not be punished with sharper correction A meane in euerie thing is alwayes the best There is a penaltie by paiment of money There are prisons for them to be shut vppe into which are corrupted with the poison of false doctrine and lacke of beliefe least peraduenture they infecte others with their contagious disease There are also other meanes to punish the bodie whereby to kéepe them vnder that erre from the trueth to kéepe them from marring those that are sounde and to preserue them selues that they perish not vtterlie but that through repentaunce they may fall to amendment But the feare of God iustice and the Iudges wisedom shal by the circumstaunces make him perceiue how hée ought to punish the naughtie doctrine and stubborne rebellion of malicious seducers and howe to beare with the foolishe lighte beliefe of sillie seduced men grounded vppon simplicitie and not enuenomed rancour Earnest and diligent admonition is giuen to late when the fault is allreadie committed and is so detestable that it ought streight waye to be plagued with the sword Let the magistrate therefore alwayes haue an eye to admonish them in time that are to be warned
souldiers to wicked couetous and blaspheming warrious to riottous knaues and vnconstant traytours by whose cowardise gluttonie lust and vnnaturall treason excellent kingdomes doe come to nought and flourishing common weales are quite ouerthrowen is reproch and infamie worthilie due for God himself hath cursed such knaues for euermore Therfore it is not lawful to make any warre vnlesse it be against open enimies and wicked men that are incurable The warres are vniust that men doe make vppon their owne fellowes against innocente persons or people in whom there is hope of amendmente Those warres also are vniust that are not begunne by lawfull meanes for matters of weighte All thinges must first be assayed before it com to be tryed out by batteile Other mens territories must not bée desired the libertie of other people or thine owne subiectes must not be repressed thou must not followe any affection which may withdrawe or seduce thy minde of which sort are desire of rule couetousnesse gréedinesse of giftes enuie other affections like vnto these Warre is to common weales a remedie in déede but perillous and daungerous euen as launcinge or cuttinge is to the meâ—â—ers The hand is poysoned and the arme in danger to be enuenomed too whereby the whoale man perhapps may be cast awaye but yet thou cuttest not off thy hande vntill when thou hast tried all other medicines thou doest plainly perceiue that no other means can remedie the soare but cutting off alone Likewise when al helpes faile then at the last let warre béeginne so yet neuerthelesse that the Prince doe remember to béeginne with warre before all helpe and hope of recouerie be vtterly paste For the word of God is so farre off from finding fault with warre begun vppon a iust quarell that it doth both make lawes of warre and sheweth a number of exaÌ„ples of vpright warrs of wise and worthie warriours The lawes of warre are recited in the 20. Chapiter of Deuteronomie both profitable and necessarie and there withalso euident that they néede no words of mine to expound them Moreouer in euerie place of the scripture these lawes of warre are still bidden to bée kept First of al the chiefe and vppermost place must be giuen to religion in euerie campe and garrison For the Lord himselfe hath appointed priestes and ministers of true religion to attend and serue in warres Secondarilie let vprighte lawes bée of force in campes abroade as wel as in cities at hoame let souldiers liue honestly instly and rightly as order and discipline are wonte to require when as they are in the citie at home For that sayinge commeth not of God but of the diuell which is commonly spred abroade Let lawes in warre bee huisht and still Thirdly let him that is chosen to be guide and general of the warre be godly 〈◊〉 holy valiaunt wise and fortunate as among them of old were Iosue Dauid Iudas Machabeus Constantine Theodosius and many moe To al this there must be added a chosen band of tried men For choice of souldiers must bée made vnlesse perhappes the armie do consist in a troope of dastards and vnskilful men of periurd and blaspheming knaues of cut-throates and rakehells of dronkards and gluttons and a beastly droaue of filthy swine Victorie consisteth not in the multitude of men but in the grace of God and a chosen band The prouerbe is common which saith Where a multitude is there is confusion Great and innumerable armies are a lette to them selues verye greatly as wée doe learne by daily experience and as examples of euerie age doe testifie to vs Moreouer loyterers in campes are alwayes reproued Let the Christian souldiour therefore bee idle at no time let him euer be busie and still doinge some thinge let him bée couragious faithfull to his countrie readie to take paines obediente to his Capitaynes fitte to take time when occasion is offered and euermore occupied in warlike discipline no effeminate misksoppe but of manlye stomache not cruell and mercilesse but seuere and pitifull as time requireth What hée may preserue that let him not destroy But aboue all things let him not forget or thinke scorne both in perill and out of perill euermore to make his prayers and supplications to God his sauiour In Gods name let him begin all thinges without God let him attempte nothing In aduersitie and when he hath the ouerthrowe let not his courage quaile nor his heart and hope for sake him in prosperitie let him not be puffed vppe with pride and arrogancie but let him giue the thankes to God and vse the conqueste like a mercifull victour let him whoalie depend vpon Gods helpinge hande and desire nothing rather than the defence of the coÌ„mon weale lawes religion iustice and guiltlesse people Many I knowe wil marueile to see mée require at the handes of a souldier the thinges that seeme to be enoughe as the common sayinge is to be looked for of a righte good and godly maÌ„ as though in deede that none could be souldiers but irreligious and naughtie men Souldiers I confesse are for the most parte such kinde of fellowes but what fruite I pray you reape wée at this day of so ceuill séede The Turkes ouerrunne and spoile vs wée are to all th heathen a iesting stocke to laugh at kingdomes decaye and are made subiecte to diuellish Mahometisme and euerie day we are wrapped in more miseries than other But what kinde of souldiers they of old were which wente to the warre from out of the Church or congregation of the Christians wée may easilte gather euen by that one historie worthie the remembraunce which Tertullian to Scapula setteth downe thus Marcus Aurelius also in his warres with the Germanes by the prayers which Christian souldiers made vnto God obteyned showers of raine in that great drought At what time haue not droughts beene turned awaye by oure prayers and fastinges Then the people crying out for ioy to the God of Gods and the Emperour himselfe vnder the name of Iupiter confessed the wonderful working of our God. Thus much Tertullian But Eusebius in his Ecclesiasticall historie hath more largelie and fullie set downe the same historie and saith Histories report that Marcus Aurelius brother to Antoninus Caesar making warre vppon the Germanes and Sarmatians when his armie was in daunger to be loste with drought being at his wittes ende because he knew not what way to seeke for remedie in that distresse did at the last light vpon a certaine legioÌ„ wherin Christian souldiers were whose prayers God heard when they as the maner of our men is had vppon their knees cried out vnto him so that on a soudeine when no man looked for it with the powringe downe of sufficient showers the thirste of the armie that then was in daunger for which the Christians had made supplications was presently queÌ„ched but their enimies that hoouered there to haue bene their destruction were stricken and scattered with thunder and fyre in lightening from
profitable and moderate magistrates Both in peace and warre agréement and concord are much more auayleable than money vniustly gotten and stronger is that kingdome and firmer that coÌ„mon weale which is vphelde by the loue and agréement of the prince and cominaltie although the common treasure there be verie smal than that countrie or citie which hath innumerable riches heaped vpp together and wrouÌ„g out of the citizeÌ„s entrailes when as continuall grudge and ill wil makes the Prince and people at continuall variaunce I say no more here than the verie truth is experience of all ages is a witnesse that it is so Thus much hether to haue I laide downe before your eyes déerely beloued as briefly as I could touchinge the magistrate taking occasion vppon the sixte comaundement Thou shalt not kill and declaring to what ende and purpose God did ordeine him what his dutie is toward his subiects and what his subiects dutie is toward him New let vs pray and beseech the Lord that hée will graunt both to magistrates and subiectes to walke worthilie in their vocaticus ¶ Of the third precept of the second table which is in order the seuenth of the 10. commaundementes Thou shalt not commit adulterie Of wedlocke against all intemperancie of continencie ¶ The tenth Sermon THE néerest to our life and body is euerie ones seuerall mate in wedlocke For by wedlocke two bodies are ioyned together and are made one For the Lord said And two shal be one flesh In this thirde precept therefore which is next after the forbidding of murther commaundement is giuen for the holie kéepinge of honourable wedlocke and for the true sanctifying of the body against adulteries wandering lustes and al incontinencie Wedlocke is prepared to this end and purpose that honestie chastitie may flourish among good meÌ„ and children may be brought vp in the feare of the lord This commaundement againe is briefly expressed in as fewe words as may bée Thou shalt not commit adulterie In the exposition of this commaundemente by the helpe of Gods good spirite I will first speake of holy matrimonie then of adulterie thirdly I wil shew you what is conteyned vnder the name of adulterie and lastlie I will make an end with a treatise of continencie Wedlock which is also called matrimonie is an alliaunce or holy ioyning together of man and womaÌ„ coupled and brought into one by mutuall coÌ„sent of them both to the intent that they vsing all thinges in common betwixte themselues may liue in chastitie and traine vp their children in the feare of the lord The Gospel verilie calleth wedlocke a ioyning together which god hath made For Christ said What God hath ioyned together let no man separate Neither is it lawful to make any other the author of matrimonie than God himselfe God did by the meane and ministerie of his Angells and chosen men appointe other good and necessarie ordinaunces for mankinds commoditie but he himself did immediately without the ministerie of any person ordeine matrimonie hée himselfe did establish and ratifie it with lawes for the purpose he himself did couple the first married folks and hée being the true high priest in déede did himselfe blesse the couple then whom hée did so ioyne together By this wée may easilie gather the excellent dignitie of marriage or matrimonie For God did ordeine it yea hée ordeyned it in Paradise when maÌ„ as yet was frée from all kinde of calamities Adam when hée was in the great felicitie of Paradise seemed not yet to liue commodiously nor sweetly enough excepte a wife were giuen to be ioyned vnto him It is not good saith God for man to be alone I will make him a helper to tarrie or dwell with him For God brought to Adam al lyuing creatures which he had created for him to name them but among them all there was nothing that Adam had lust vnto his minde and nature did vtterly abhorre to be coupled with any of them God therefore casting Adam into a dead sléepe doth out of his side as hée slepte frame vpp a woman which so soone as Adam set his eye vppon when she was brought vnto him by God who had made her hee streightway crieth that this was such a one as he desiâ—ed that this was such a one as hée could loue and wher with his nature could verie well agree This now saith hee is bone of my bones and flesh of my flesh I haue found saith hée I haue found an helpe fitte for mee which hath part of my flesh of my bloud and my verie substance From hence riseth and yet remayneth that naturall pronenesse of men toward women when on the otherside ouerthwarte minglinge and medlinge of cursed men with beastes contrarie to mans nature was longe agoe destroyed by fyre which shewed that God did abhorte it The Lord moreouer said A man shall forsake his father and his mother and cleaue to his wife and two shal be one flesh But in the exposition of the fifte commauÌ„dement wée perceiued how much God doth set by the loue and goodwill of children to their parents and what a charge hée giueth to children to honour them It must néedes bée therefore that wedlocke is a most heauenly ordinaunce since it is preferred before the honouringe of parentes and yet neuerthelesse it is so preferred as that by the lawe of matrimonie the precept for the honour due to parents may not bée abolished but that thereby married folkes may know to behaue themselues so if their parentes goe about to bréede discorde betwixte them and their spouses that then they suffer not themselues for their parentes woordes to be seuered but in all things else to honour them as they should The holie Patriarches kepte the lawe of matrimonie and reuerenced wedlocke verie deuontely For no small parcell of the first and most excellent booke of the Bible called Genesis is spent in rehearceing the marriages of holie men Neither is Moses the péerelesse seruaunte of God ashamed to make mention of the busines and woorkes of wedlocke as pure and excellent which séeme to many at this day to bée foule and filthie Christe himselfe who being the verie naturall sonne of God was himselfe borne in wedlocke although of a pure and vncorrupted Virgine did honour and commend the knotte of matrimonie while hée did vouchsafe to shewe his first miracle at a wedding which was such a myracle as did declare that the Lord is able to make the bitternesse of marriage swéete and the scarcitie thereof to abound with plentie As the Apostles were married men according to the examples of the patriarches kinges princes priestes and prophetes So Paul the chiefe of all the Apostles crieth out and saith Wedlocke is honourable among all and the bedde vndefiled But whoremongers and adulterers God will iudge Hée saith that wedlocke is honourable amonge all hée meaneth all nations For verie fewe people shall you finde that doe not greatly coÌ„mend the state of mariage Xenophon thinketh that amonge
men that wittingly and willingly without all shame commit adulterie To Abimelech king of the Philiftines the Lord doth saye Loe thou shalt die because of the woman which thou hast taken away from hir husband And yet this king also had taken away Sara not knowing that shée was Abrahams wife Ioseph being prouoked to adulterie by his maisters wife doth simplie saye How should I doe this great wickednesse and sinne against God Euery word here doth beare some weight For adulterie is an heynous sinne Wherevpon in the booke of Iob we find these woords of Iob himselfe If mine heart haue bene deceiued by a woman or if I haue layde waite at my neighbours doore then let my wife bee an other mans harlot and let other men haue to doe with her For this is a wickednesse and sinne that is worthie to bee iudged to death Yea it is a fire that vtterlie should consume and roote oute all mine increase Iob sayth that hée hath not onely not committed adulterie but that hée hath not so much at any time as once giuen the attempt to defile an other mans wife Hée confesseth that adulterie is a sinne and so greeuous an offence that it doth deserue to haue the adulterers wife to be defiled with adulterie He addeth that adulterie is a fire that vtterly consumeth and deuoureth all thinges and lastly that it is a sinne to bée iudged and punished by death Moreouer Solomon the wisest of all men saith May a man take fire in his bosome and his cloathes not be brent Or can one go vppon hoat coales and his feete not be brent Euen so he that goeth in to his neighbours wife and toucheth hir cannot be vnguiltie Men doe not vtterly despise a theefe that stealeth to satisfie his soule when hee is hungrie But if he may be gotten hee restoreth againe seuen times as much or else he maketh recompence with all the substaunce of his house But whoso committeth adulterie with a woman hee lacketh vnderstanding and hee that doth it destroyeth his owne soule He getteth himselfe a plague and dishonour and his reproch shall neuer bee put out For the iealosie and wrath of the man will not be intreated neither accepteth he the person of any mediatour nor receiueth any giftes howe great soeuer they bee In these words of Solomon many thinges are to bée noted First as it cannot otherwyse bée but that fire must burne the garment wherein it is carried so no man can cōmit adulterie without damage and daunger of further punishmente Secondarilie comparison is made betwirte a théefe and an adulterer not that theft is thereby defended but because théeues although they be infamous doe seeme yet to sinne a greate deale lesse than adulterers doe For a théefe may make satisfaction by restoring the worth of the thing that hée stoale to him from whole hée stoale it away but for adulterie no amendes can bee made And what is hée that would not rather wish to haue théeues ransacke his chest and take away his substaunce than to haue his wife his dearling defiled with adulterie Moreouer Solomon calleth the adulterer madde and without vnderstanding Adulterie is iudged to be a sinne worthie of death endlesse infamie For the Lord in the lawe doth not say onely Thou shalt not commit adulterie But in an other place also goeth on addeth And he that cōmitteth adulterie with an other mans wife euē hee that cōmitteth adulterie with his neighbours wife let both the adulterer and the adultresse bee slaine Leuit 20. And this punishment of adulterie by death was not abrogated or chaunged by the very Gentiles For the Romane lawe called Lex Iulia is very well knowne how it commaunded adulterers to bee put to death Which lawe was of force in the time of S. Hierome as wée may gather by the Historie which hée wrate of an adultresse at the chopping off of whose head seuen stroakes were giuē Neither is it meruaile vndoubtedly that adulterie was amonge them of olde and is yet at this day according to the lawes to be punished by death For vppon that one many sinnes do depēd First of al the adulterer is a periured man For hée hath broaken and violated the faith which he gaue openly before God and the face of the congregation by calling to witnesse the most holie and reuerend Trinitie when the minister of Christe did solemnise the marriage and couple him to his wife by geuing hand in hand Secondarily the adulterer hath committed thefte and robberie For whē the adultresse doth make her body common to an other man then doth shée set to sale defile and marre not her owne but her husbandes body Thirdly bastardes borne in adulterie doe often times enioy an equall parte of inheritaunce with that right begottē children Which cannot be without great wrong done to the lawfull heyres and legitimate ofspring For they are against al right robbed of their due inheritance wher of an equall portion is giuen to him to whom by lawe no parcel is due Lastly beside all these innumerable mischiefes doe spring of adulterie Since therefore that it is a serpente with so many heades both the lawes of God and men do rightly punish adulterers with losse of life But some iollie fellowes there are forsooth that of adulterie do make but a sport They are persuaded that Dauids adulterie doeth make on their side and that place of scripture where wée read that the Lord was fauourable to the adultresse that was taken euen as the déede was in doing Whie doe not these merrie conceipted men cōsider how seuerely the Lord did punish Dauid for that offēce The bloudie house of Dauid was immediately after defiled with filthie inceste For Amnon doth perforce defloure his sister Thamar And streightway vppon the necke of that againe his house is defamed by most cruell parricide while Absalom in a banquet murdered his brother Amnon The verie same Absalom also Dauids sonne defileth or deflowreth his fathers wyues and that openly too laying al feare of God and shame aside Hée driueth his father out of his kingdome and hasteneth on to shorten his dayes Al which calamities Dauid confesseth that hee doth worthily susteine for the adulterie and murther by him committed Lastly many thousands of his people are slaine in the batteile Dauid himself is hardly and with much adoe restoared to his kingdome and afterward being restored hée repented his sinne all dayes of his life Nowe it is meruaile if adulterers consideringe these punishments will goe on yet to alledge the example of Dauid in defence of their naughtinesse Our sauiour did not come into the world to be a iudge but a Sauiour neither did he in any place vsurpe take to himself the right of the sword Who therfore will make any meruayle at it to sée the adultresse not to be condemned by him to be stoned to death Yet hée said Hath no man condemned thee as if he minded not to haue resisted the lawe
there are which affirme and vpholde the fastes of Lent the Embring dayes and such other to be the fastes which God hath appointed There are that say thou hast not fasted if by any meanes thou tast any flesh And there are which prescribe and appointe some certaine houres to faste in But I for my part sée not any such doctrines to be taught vs in that Scriptures For the Lord in the Gospell kepte not anye of their deuised fastes when hée fasted fourtie dayes but did altogether absteine from all kindes of meate euen as Moses and Helias had also done wherefore hée by that déede of his did not giue vs any lawe to faste so Moreouer the lord in the Gospell doeth euidently teach that the thing which entreth in by the mouth doth not defile the man but that which issueth out from his heart To the pure are all thinges pure And Paul saith I know and am persuaded through the Lord Iesus Christe that nothing is common of it selfe but to him that thincketh that any thing is common to him is it cōmon Againe Let not him which eateth despise him which eateth not nor let him which eateth not iudge him which eateth ▪ for him that eateth the Lord hath taken Moreouer the place is euident which the same Paul writeth in the fourth Chapiter of his Epistle to Timothie where he affirmeth that the forbidding of meates is a doctrine of diuels Neither néedeth any manne here to tel vs any whit of the Tacians and Encratites for they did slaunder the good creatures of god Paul speaketh of them who although they doe not vtterly condemne meate and mariage doe yet notwithstanding forbid the vse of meate Furthermore we do not read that any lawes were ordeyned in that age which followed nexte after the preaching of the Apostles which did commaund and prescribe any time and order of fasting or choice of meates I wil rehearse vnto you dearely beloued the woordes of Irenaeus the martyre which in the Ecclesiasticall historie of Eusebius are to be found woord for woord as they are here set downe The controuersie is not onely touchinge Easter day but also touchinge the manner of fasting For some doe thinke that the faste ought to be kept but one day onely other two other more and some whoale 40. dayes so that counting the houres of the night and day they make a day Which difference of obseruing the times is not now first of al in our age begon but was brought in a great while ago as I suppose of them which did not simplie keepe that which was taught frō the beginning but eyther by negligence or vnskilfulnes fell afterward into a worser vse and custome And yet notwithstanding al these though they iarred in the obseruation of times were neuerthelesse and are agreable with vs neither hath the discord about fasting broake our concord in faith Thus much Irenaeus Moreouer Socrates Cōstantinopolitanus in the 9. booke and 18. Chapter of his tripartite historie witnesseth that about the yeare of oure Lord 453. in the reigne of Theodosius the younger y same diuersitie was in the Church and setteth it downe in these woordes following Furthermore they haue not the same kind of abstinence from meate For some doe altogether absteine from lyuing creatures some amonge lyuing creatures doe eate fish onlie some with fish do feede on foules also sayinge that they as Moses saith haue their substaunce of water Some are knowne to absteme from Hearbes and egges some do feede of drie breade onely some not so much as that some fasting nine houres doe then without difference vse any kind of meate and innumerable customes are found among sondrie men Now the verie same Socrates shewing his opinion vpon that diuersitie doth say And forbecause no auncient writing is found touching this thing I think that the Apostles left it free to euerie mans iudgement that euery one may woorke not by feare or necessitie the thing that is good Thus farre Socrates The fastes of Christians therfore ought to be frée and not bound to lawes Apollinus a certaine auncient and Ecclesiasticall writer disputing against Montanus the heretique saith This is hee which taught that marriages are vndone which first of all hath appointed lawes for men to faste by And verilie to goe about to set downe to all men and nations one maner of fasting in one appointed time one prescribed order and choice of meate is a méere follie a braine-sicke kinde of madnesse For according to the choice of ayre so are mens bodies of sondrie temperatures and one kinde of meate doth not stirre men of sondrie complexions to one kinde of affection The most godly way therefore profitable order for the Church is that all pastors in euerie congregation should teach sobrietie temperancie and the true faste in déede not presuming to prescribe any lawes for the choice of meats or times but leauing that frée to euery man and natiō who vndoubtedly wil haue an especial eye to temper themselues from the things by which they perceiue that their health wil be indaungered but most of all in the time when the flesh beginneth to waxe ouerwāton or when some great peril hangeth ouer their head For the time of fastinge is not proroged til an appointed number of yeares or dayes be expired but till the loosenes or wātonnesse of the fleash temptations or motions be vtterly brideled Fastings being so ordered as they be the exercises of godlines obteine great praise in déede in the Church of the Lord. Thus much hetherto touching fasting Nowe to shut vpp this seuenth precepte I say it forbideeth al intemperauncie it commaundeth holines and the cleane and laweful vse of all the members of the whoale body and therefore in this shorte precept there is conteyned a good part of the doctrine of Christ and his Apostles For Paul to the Thessalonians saith Wee beseech you bretherne and exhort you by the Lord Iesus that yee increase more and more as yee haue receiued of vs how yee ought to walke and to please god For ye know what commaundementes wee gaue you by the Lord Iesus For this is the wil of God euen your holines that ye should absteine from fornication that euerie one of you should know how to possesse his vessel in holinesse honour not in the luste of concupiscence as the Gentiles which knewe not god God is a reuenger of all such as wee haue forewarned you and testified For God hath not called vs vnto vncleannesse but vnto holinesse And streight way after againe The God of peace sanctifie you throughout that your whoale spirite and soule bodie may bee preserued blamelesse in the comminge of oure Lord Iesus Christe I haue againe my brethen passed beyond the appointed time of an ordinarie sermon staying you longer than I am wont to doe Pardon this fault for I hope I haue not troubled you almost two whoale houres without profiting you any whit at all Make your prayers
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
the most vnfortunate For in so much as hee forsâ—â—ke the lawe of the Lord his God the Lord deliuered both him and his people first into the hands of the king of Syrians and afterward into the hands of the Israelites who in one day â—lew one hundred and twentie thousand Iewes and tooke captine away with them two hundreth thousand women and children So Achaz himselfe and all that were his by feeling had proofe of all kinde of calamities beeing made an example to terrifie all other that doe gaiâ—â—say the woorde of god The good and godly king Ezechias succeeded his vngodly father in the seate and kingdome Of him wee haue this testimonie in the holie Scripture Hee did that which was right in the sight of the Lord according to all that his father Dauid did Hee put away the high places and brake the images and cut downe the groaues and all to brake the brasen Serpent which Moses had made For vnto those dayes the children of Israell burnt sacrifice to it Hee trusted in the Lord God of Israell For hee claue to the Lord and departed not from him but kept his commaundements which the Lord commaunded Moses And now let vs heare what followed vppon this obedience and faith of his The Scripture goeth forward and sayth And the Lord was with him so that hee prospered in all thinges that hee tooke in hand While hee did reigne the most auncient and puissant Monarchie of the Assyrians was broken and diminished For when Senachâ—rib king of Assyria besieged the citie of Ierusalem the Angell of the Lord in one night â—lue in the Assyrian campe one hundred fourescore and fiue thousand souldiours And the king of Babylon also did verie honourably by his ambassadours send prince like giftes vnto Ezechias desiring earnestly his amitie and friendshipp For the glorie of that most godly king was blowen abroade and knowen in all the world Againe when his sonne Manasses a verie wicked man did not treade the pathe and expresse the deedes of his most holy father but being made king in the twelfth yeare of his age did of purpose crosse the word of God and brought in againe all the superstition which his father had abolished hee was taken captiue and carried away to Babylon and although by the goodnesse and mercie of God hee was restoared to his seate againe yet when he died hee left a maymed and a trouble some kingdome vnto his sonne Ammon who also for his rebellion against the word of God as a most vnfortunate man reigned but two yeares onely and was at the last wretchedly slaine by his owne houshold seruaunts In place of his murdered father was his sonne Iosias settled in the kingdome being when hee was crowned a child but eight yeares old Of all the kinges of Iuda he was the floure and especiall crowne Hee reigned quietly and in all pointes most happilie by the space of one and thirtie yeares Now the Scripture which cannot lye doth paint out to our eyes the fayth and obedience which hee did deuoutly shewe to the woord of God for which that felicitie did accompanie his kingdome Hee was nothing moued with the admonitions of his father Ammons counsellours But so soone as hee had heard the woords of the lawe read out of the booke which Helkia the high priest found in the temple at Hierusalem hee streight way committed himselfe whoaly to God and his woorde Neither stayed hee to looke for the mindes and reformations of other kinges and kingdomes but quickly forecasting the best for his people hee beganne to reforme the corrupted religion which hee did especially in the eightenth yeare of his age And in that reformation hee had a regard alwayes to followe the meaning of the holie scripture alone and not to giue eare to the deedes of his predecessours to the prescribed order of longe continuaunce noâ— to the common voyces of the greatest multitude For he assembled his people together before whome hee layde open the booke of Gods lawâ— and appointed all thinges to be ordered according to the rule of his written word And therevppon it commeth which wee finde written that hee spared not the auncient temples longe accustomed rites which Solomon and Ieroboam had erected and ordeyned against the word of god To be short this king Iosias pulled downe and ouerthrew whatsoeuer was set vpp in the Church or kingdome of Iuda against the woorde of god And least peraduenture any one should cauill and say that hee was ouer hardie and too roughe in his dealinges the Scripture giueth this testimonie of him and sayth Like vnto him was there no king before him which turned to the Lord with all his heart with all his soule and all his might according to all the lawe of Moses neither after him arose there any such as hee Whereas wee read therefore that this so commended and most fortunate king was ouercome and slaine in a foughten battaile that death of his is to be compted part of his felicitie not of his miserie For the Lord himselfe said to Iosias I will gather thee vnto thy fathers and in peace shalte thou bee buried that thine eyes may not see all the euill which I will bring vppon this place For there is no greater argument that the people and verie princes of the kingdome vnder that most holie king were meere hypocrites and idolaters than for beecause next immediately after his death both his sonnes and Peeres reiecting the word of God did bring in againe all superstition and blasphemous wickednesse Whereuppon wee reade that for the whoale 22. yeares wherein the kinges of Iudâ— did reigne after the death of Iosias there was no peace or quietnesse in Hierusalem but perpetuall seditions and most bloudie murders Next after Iosias reigned his sonne Ioachas but within three monethes after he was taken bound and ledd captiue away into the land of Aegypt After the leading away of Ioachas his brother Ioachim ware the crowne whom in the eleuenth yeare of his reigne being bound in chaynes was slaine by Nabuchodonosor and lastly as Ieremie saith was buried in the sepulcre of an Asse In Ioachims steede was his sonne Iechonias set vpp but about three monethes after hee with his Princes and substaunce was taken captiue and ledd away to Babylon After him the kingdome was giuen to Zedechias the sonne of Iosias but because hee would not obey the word of God preached by the Prophete Ieremie he looseth both his life and kingdome in the eleuenth yere of his reigne In whose time also the temple is set on fire Hierusalem is sacked and the people slaine for the most part or led away captiue Thus much hetherto touching the kinges of Iuda For in Zedechias both the kingdome and maiestie or dignitie thereof did fayle and make an ende To these if wee add the endes and destinies of the kinges of Israell we shal againe be compelled to confesse that all felicitie of kinges and kingdomes doe
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
more wickedly digestinge the thing that before was naughtily come by Let them put no trust or cōfidence in their ill gotten riches neither let them giue them selues to ydlenesse but still be busie in some honest thing But yet most commonly it commeth to passe that yll gottē goods are spent very lewdly The best way therefore is either to bee heire to a good iust and liberall man or else to seeke meanes by their owne toyle and trauaile to haue of thine owne wherewithall to susteine both thine owne life and the liues of thy familie But many men make a doubte here call it into question first whether bargaining and buying and selling be lawfull or no and then what one occupation it is among all other that doth best beseeme a godly man Them which stick vpon these doubts I wishe to consider these reasons that followe First it is manifest that cōtractes are for the moste parte voluntarie and that bargaines are made with the mutuall consent of the buyer and seller so that each one maye take deliberation and make choice of that which he woulde haue to see whether it be best for his purpose or no. Of this sorte are the exchaunge of thinges suretiship letting hiring morgaging borrowing lending couenanting buying selling and other mo like vnto these These things as experience doth proue euen the holiest men cannot be without so long as they lyue in this fraile world Neither doth the Lorde of the lawe in any place forbidde these kinde of contractes but planteth them rather in his common weale of Israell that the people might knowe acknowledge them to be the ordinaunces of God the abuse deceipt guyle confidence in them is flatly forbidden by the worde of the Lorde If therfore any man do vse thē moderately not staying him selfe wholy vpon them nor reposing his trust in them in so vsing them he sinneth not And here againe let vs heare the wordes of the Apostle who saith Let them which haue wiues be as though they had none and them which wepe as though they wept not and them which reioyce as though they reioyced not and them which buy as though they possessed not and them which vse this world as though they vsed it not For the facion of this world doth passe away In like maner we do in no place reade that iust and lawfull gaines haue beene at any time forbidden yea the Lorde doth blesse the labour and trauaile of his seruaunts which loue him that euen as in vertue so also thei may increase in richesse and substance This do the examples of Abraham Isaac Iacob euidently testifie And the verie Apostles bidde vs not to looke after no gaine but charge vs onely to keepe our selues from gaping after filthie gayne There are among men many and diuers occupations And the state conditions wherin men are do stand in néede of many and sundry thinges There is an occupation or 〈◊〉 kinde of labour which is put in practise by force of hand and strength of bodie rather then by arte althoughe it wanteth not altogether witt and discretion There is also a more fine and subtile labour of the witt which although it be not done without the bodie and strength of man is yet notwithstanding accomplished by the witt rather then by the bodily force of him which laboureth Of the firste sorte are all those occupations or sciences which are commonly called handicraftes and in that number we reckon also merchaundising husbandrie and grasing of cattell Of the latter sorte are the studie of tongues of Physicke of lawe of Diuinitie especiallie and of Philosophie and lastly the gouerning of a common weale The Patriarches verilie who were most innocent and excellent men did for the most parte either exercise husbandrie or else bréede and feede vpp cattel to increase There are many examples of Abell Noe Abraham Isaac Iacob Iob and other more The Leuites and Prophets lyued by their studye and ecclesiasticall ministerie The feate of merchandising is no where condemned throughout the holye Scriptures but those merchauntes are condemned which neither feare nor seeke after God but vse odde shiftes and subtile sleightes to deceiue and coosen their brethren neighbours For Iames the Apostle of Christ our Lorde saith Go to now ye that saye to daye and to morrow let vs go into such a citie and continue there a yere and buy and sell winne and yet cannot tel what shall happen on the morrowe for what is your life it is euen a vapour that continueth for a little time and then vanisheth away For that ye ought to saye If the Lorde will and if wee liue let vs do this or that Neither is Lydia the seller of purple founde fault withall in the Actes of the Apostles for that shée did sell purple For Solomon where he setteth forth the praise of a good huswife doth commend her greatly for exercising merchaundise All notable kinges haue liued by gouerning of their common wealthes euen as Ioseph the preseruer of Aegypt and Daniel the chiefe next to the king in Babylon and Media did in like sort For as in mannes bodie there are many members and sundrie vses whereunto they are applyed when as notwithstanding they do all agrée in one and tende together to the preseruation and safegarde of the bodie euen so God hath ordeyned diuers artes and occupations for mē to labour in so yet neuerthelesse that he would haue them al to serue to the common weales commoditie But nowe it is not for mée definitiuely to pronounce which of al these occupations a godly man ought chiefly first to choose then to put in practise Let euery man weigh with him selfe the things that hetherto I haue alledged then let him searche make triall of him selfe to what kinde of life and occupation his minde is most willing and whereunto he him selfe is most fitt and profitable let him also haue a diligent regarde to consider what arts they are that be most simple and agréeable to nature and what occupations haue lest néede of crafte and deceipte and lastly what sciences do least of all drawe vs from God and iust dealing And when this is scande then let euery man choose to him selfe that whiche he taketh to bée best conuenyent and moste whoalesome bothe for his soule and also his bodie We cannot all of vs manure the ground neither are all heades apte to take learning a fewe among many do gouerne the common weale and all are not fitt to be handicraftes men Euery one hath his sundry disposition euery one is inspired by God euery one hath the ayde and counsell of his friendes and welwillers euery one hath sundry occasions and euery one hath the rule of Gods worde let him be content with and staye him selfe vppon them so yet that Gods comaundements may still haue the preeminence But for him that laboureth and taketh paines in his occupation these rules of admonition which followe
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
mortall men which maketh vndoeth and euery day deuiseth new lawes and ordinaunces Therefore GOD in these kinde of lawes doeth commende to his people faithfull obedience to bée shewed vnto him euen as in the beginning hee commaunded Adam not to taste of the trée of knowledge of good and euill requiring thereby faithfull obedience to be shewed vnto him Verily the obedience and faith which was in the Machabées in old Eleazar and in certaine other Godly men that stoode against kinge Antiochus euen to the shedding of their bloud and suffering of most bitter death did please the Lord excéedingly Other more absteyned from swines flesh whereby they obteyned neither praise nor glorie amonge wicked men When the woord of GOD saith that a thing is holy it is holy in déede and that because hée is holy that commaundeth it When God saith that any thing is vncleane it is vncleane in déede so that to eate any thinge against the word of God is to defile the eater Ye nowe sayth the Lord in the Gospell are cleane beecause of the woord which I said vnto you It is needefull therefore that wee beleeue the woord of God and that obedience goe before faith and then it cannot be but that the deede or woorke that is of faith as Eleazars was who would not taste the swines fleshe must needs be acceptable vnto God with whom whatsoeuer is not of faith is sinne and wickednesse Moreouer the Lord in these lawes of his touching the absteyning from the flesh of certaine liuing creatures had a great respect vnto the health and soundnesse of mortall mens bodies For some of those which he forbiddeth to be eaten are by Physicians scarcely thought to be hoalesome for our bodies And thereuppon the Sainctes do gather this syllogisme If God hath care for the health of oure bodies hee is farre more carefull verily for the preseruation of our soules What may be thought of this that many nations haue tempered themselues from the eating and touching of some liuing creatures Therefore that the people of Israel who of themselues were sufficiently superstitious and curious enoughe should not be their owne caruers and inuent such toyes as they thought beste God gaue them such lawes for choice of their meate as did conteine hidden mysteries in them thereby to drawe them from their owne deuises and to seuer them from al other nations as Moses testifieth in the foureteenth Chapiter of Deuteronomium saying Thou art an holy people vnto the Lord thy God and the Lord thy GOD hath chosen thee from amonge all the nations vppon the face of the whole earth to bee a peculiar people vnto himselfe To Sainct Peter in the Actes of the Aposties a vision is shewed wherein by the vncleane beastes are ment the Gentiles Lastly God would haue the nature and disposition of the beastes that hee forâ—ad to be eaten to be thoroughly scanned For in their diet at the table hee did by figures lay before their eyes the heauenly Philosophie giueing them occasion euen in their meate to thincke and speake of the true holinesse of the minde to the ende that men should not bee filthie impudent foule and vncleane And therefore is this clause so many times repeated I the Lord your God am holie As if hee should say All these Ceremonies tende to this ende that yee may giue your selues to holinesse Wherefore in those figures hee taught the godly what to follow and what to flie from Nowe in the lawe of the cleane and vncleane hee doth first of all put certaine generalities then he descendeth by specialities and doeth in a beadrowe reckon vpp certaine particular things in a very natural course and order The place is at the full set out in the eleuenth Chapiter of Leuiticus the fourtéenth of Deuteronomium Those beastes were allowed to be eaten which cleaue the hoofe and chawe the cudd Here are two thinges set downe in whiche the duetie of a good man is notablie conteyned For if wée will be cleane wee must diuide the hoofe and also chawe the cudd Our affection is the foote of oure mindes which affection must not be followed We must haue discretion in al things to iudge betwixt affections And as in a cleaft there be two partes or sides the right the left so a good man chooseth the good and flyeth from the euill Chawing of the cudd is our iudgment For wee must not admit euery thing whiche wée heare and sée but those thinges only which we haue examined exactly found to be contrary neither to God nor to his lawe There are then repeated many liuing things particularly which were not lawefull to be eaten amonge the people of the lord Those were either fourefooted beastes vppon the earth or fishes or birds or such as créepe vppon the ground Of fourefooted beasts foure by name wee are especially forbidden The Camel whose longe and loftie necke doeth teach vs that pride and arrogancie must bee eschewed The Connie or the mountaine mouse for God doeth vtterly mislike the men that are altogether ouerwhelmed like Connies in the earth and neuer lifte vpp their mindes vnto heauen The Hare a fearefull beast whiche doeth warne vs to shake off all cowardly fearefulnesse euen as also the Hogge doth put vs in minde to auoyde al vncleannesse For a Hogge is the very type and picture of nastie filthinesse and of it doeth the byword rise to call an vncleanly person a beastly swine And of Circe the fable goeth that shee with her inchantments did turne Vlysses his men into a sort of loathly Hogges Furthermore of fishes so much was allowed for meate as was found to haue finnes and scales vpon them if they lacked either of them they were forbidden as the Eele which thoughe it hath finnes yet lacketh it scales and therefore was not to be eaten For as the bodies of fishes are ruled with the finnes so must the whole man be gouerned by hope The scales are hard and couer the body and wée vnlesse we be constant patient in the Lords woorke are worthie to bee abhorred of the Lorde our maker Of birdes those are forbidden which are the gretest raueners deuourers which loue and liue by vncleane meates whiche flye abroad at owlelight at midnight and in the darke and such as are craftie vnstable and nothing chéerefull Herein therefore is commended vnto vs well dooing abstinence temperance simplicitie light constancie chéerefulnesse soundnesse and purenesse of liueing Lastly of suche as créepe by the grounde no small number are noted For menne altogether wrapped in worldly mucke doe vtterly displease the Lorde I haue of purpose not reckoned vp all the names of the forbidden creatures partly because it wold haue béene too tedious vnto you and partly because the interpreters of the Bible do wonderfully sticke in the interpretation of their names so that I can neuer meruaile ynough at the extréeme blinde stubbernenesse of the Iewish people in kéepinge so strictly the choice of their meates when their owne
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
precept is giuen Thou shalt not go vp downe with tales among thy people neither shalt thou hate thy brother in thine heart but shalt rebuke him and tell him thy minde plainely Also in the 22 of Exodus it is saide thou shalt not raile vpō the Gods or Iudges nor blaspheme the ruler of thy people Moreouer there are sundrie kinds of murther wherof some are greater or smaller then other The moste detestable murther of all is parricidie when one killeth his father or his kinnesman vnder which wee do cōprchend the euil intreating or currishe handling of parentes by their children Whosoeuer striketh father or mother or curseth them saith the lawe let him die the death Againe they are bidden to kill the rebell that dareth stande vpp to resist the vpright decrées and holie ordinances of the elders Deuteronomium 17. And also in the 21 of Deuteronomie we finde If any man haue a stubborne a froward and rebellious sonne that will not harken to the voice of his father and the voice of his mother they haue chastened him and hee woulde not hearken vnto them Then shall his father and his mother take him bring him out vnto the elders of that citie and to the gate of that place and saye vnto the elders of the citie this our sonne is stubborne and disobedient wil not hearken to our voice he is a riottour and a drunkard and straightway all the men of that citie shal stone him with stones vntil hee die and thou shalt put euil frō thee and all Israel shal heare and feare Furthermore murther is either committed willingly or else vnwillingly Of murther vnwillingly cōmitted there is an example in the 19 Chapter of Deuteronomie where the case is put as followeth two friends go to the wood to hewe wood together and as the one fetcheth his stroke the head of the are falleth from the helue and striketh the other so that he dyeth vppon it This déede the Lorde doeth neither impute nor would haue it to be imputed to the man but to him selfe And therefore he giueth licence to the man to flye vnto the Sanctuarie For his minde was that the sanctuaries should be a safegarde to suche kinde of people as killed men vnwillingly and not to bladers and cutters not to them that poyson or otherwise kill their neighbours of a set pretence or purpose Of which there is much to be séene in the 35 of Numeri the fourth the ninetéenth Chapters of Deuteronomie To the lawe for murther vnwillingly committed doth the case belong that is thus put forth Two men fight together and in their fight they strike a woman with childe so that either shée falleth in trauaile before her time or else doth presently die out of hande In such a case what is to be done the Lord did teach in the 21 of Exodus where the lawe of like for like is also set downe An eye for an eye a toothe for a toothe a hand for a hand c. In the same place also is putt an other kinde of murther which is committed either by thy beast as by thine Oxe that pussheth with his hornes or by thy Wolfe or by thy dogge that thou kéepest in thine house or else by some instrument or buylding that is in thy possession Nowe thou diddest either knowe or not knowe the fiercenesse of thy beast the perill in thine instrument or the rottennesse of thy buylding If thou knewest it not thou wast then excused But if thou knewest it and didst not séeke a way to preuent the mischiefe the Lorde gaue charge that thou shouldest dye for it But if of clemencie it were graunted thee to redéeme thy life thou shouldest not refuse to paye any summe of money howe greate so euer it were Nowe wilfull murther committed vppon pretended malice is vtterly vnpardonable in the lawe of god Such an one saith the lawe thou shalt pull from mine altar that he may bee killed In this case redemption of life is not permitted but the bloud of the murtherer is streightly required Many causes of this seueritie and many other thinges tending to this ende are to be read in the 35 Chapter of Numbers and the seconde of Exodus In the 21 of Deuteronomie is described the action partely ceremoniall and partly Iudiciall which was solemnized when any man was found to be slayne and no man knewe who was the murtherer Where also the manner is prescribed howe to make an attonemēt for the murther whereby we may gather howe horrible a sinne murther is in the sight of God the Catholique church Lastly the lawe doth not leaue the order of warre vntouched For it giueth precepts concerning the beginning the making and the endinge of warre which are to bee read in the twentieth Chapter of Deuteronomie Moreouer in the law there are set out the examples of terrible warres as that with the Amalechites in the seuenth of Exodus and that with the Madianites in the 31 of the booke of Numbers where somewhat also is sayed touching the diuision of spoyles gotten in the warres I knowe my brethren that I haue béene somewhat tedious vnto you in makinge this rehearsall of the lawes vnto you but for because the moste wise and mightie God doth nothinge without especiall causes and the euident profite of mankinde I coulde not therefore suffer this parte of the lawe to passe mée vntouched considering that I sée it so diligently taught by God him selfe and that it maketh much to the opening and mainteining of the morall lawe Our good God who knoweth all thinges doeth also knowe the dullnesse and ouerthwarte slacknesse of mannes witt and howe it requireth to be driuen perforce many times to do good and eschue euill And therefore the holie Lorde hath in these Iudiciall lawes added an holy kinde of compulsion to driue men on withall In the Morals hee frameth our manners and teacheth vs what to doe and what to leaue vndone With the ceremonials he helpeth forwarde the morals and doth vnder types and figures laye before the eyes of our bodie and mynde the mysteries of God and his heauenly kingdome And lastly by the Iudicials he compelleth vs to the kéepinge of the lawes and doth preserue the integritie of the same Nowe all these together doe tende to this end only that man may be saued that he may worship God aright and liue according to the will of the Lorde Thus much haue I spoken hitherto by the helpe of God concerninge his holie lawes Nowe let vs prayse the goodnesse of the Lorde who doeth not suffer his people to lacke any thing that is necessarie for their commoditie and doth euen at this day instruct vs with these lawes to the glory of his name and health of our soules ¶ Of the vse or effect of the lawe of God and of the fullfilling and abrogating of the same of the likenesse difference of both the testaments people the olde the newe
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
oure forefathers did not pray to any other but God alone the onely creatour of all thinges and did bâ—leeue verilie that hée would be mercifull vnto mankinde for the blessed séedes sake And although they did not so vsuallie call vppon God as wée at this day doe thorough the mediatour and intercessour Christe Iesus euen as the Lord in the Gospel did himselfe testifie and say Hetherto haue ye not asked any thinge in my name aske and ye shall receiue yet were they not vtterly ignoraunt of the mediatour for whose sake they were heard of the lord Daniel in the ninthe Chapiter of his Prophecie maketh his prayer and desireth to be heard of God for the Lords sake that is for the promised Christ his sake Finallie so often as the holy Saincts did in their prayers say Remember Lord thy seruaunts Abraham Isaac and Iacob they did not looke backe to the persons or soules of the deceased Patriarches but to the promise that was made to the Patriarches Now since that promise is In thy seede shal all the kinreds of the earth be blessed and since Paule doeth testifie that Christ is that blessed seed it followeth consequently that the holy fathers in their prayers had an eye to the blessed seede and that they did desire God to heare them for Christ his sake For in one place also the Lord promiseth deliueraunce to king Ezechias saying I will defend this citie for mine owne sake and for my seruaunt Dauids sake But in the 7. and 28. Chapter of Esaies Prophecie it is manifest that the citie was spared for Christe his sake the sonne of the Virgin whiche is the foundation placed in Sion whome Ezechiel in the 34. Chapiter calleth by the name of Dauid and the Gospell calleth Dauids sonne Last of all the Apostle Paule doth shewe that the auncient fathers had amongest them the very same Sacramentes which wee nowe haue as hee doth in other places also make vs partakers and applie to vs both circumcision and the Passeouer the Sacramentes whiche were giuen to them of old as doeth appeare in the second to the Colâ—ssians 1. Cor. the fifth cap. In the tenthe Chapiter he threateneth gréeuous punishment to the Corinthians at the handes of God vnlesse they absteine from thinges offered to idols and from all heathenishe sensualitie And thereuppon he bringeth in the example of the Israelites which he doth after this manner applie to his purpose I would not brethren that ye should be ignoraunt that our fathers were the Church of God and that they had the same sacraments which we at this day haue For they were all baptised vnto Moses that is by Moses or by the ministerie of Moses in the cloude and in the sea For the cloude and the sea were figures of baptisme And they did also eate of the same spirituall meate and did drincke of the same spirituall drincke And immediately after hée interpreteth his owne meaning and saith For they drancke of the spirituall rocke that followed them which rocke was Christ Mannaverily and the Rocke did typicallie represent the spirituall foode wherewith Christ refresheth both vs them who is himselfe the bread and drincke of eternall life But although they did bodilie outwardly visiblie receiue these SacrameÌ„ts yet for because they were destitute of faith and the holie Ghost because they were defiled with the worshipping of idols with surfetting and fornication they displeased God were by him destroyed in the desarte And therefore vnlesse ye also absteine from those filthie vices neither shall baptisme nor the sacrament of the Lords supper auaile you but ye shall vndoubtedly bée destroyed of the lord Since therefore it is by most euident proofes of Scripture declared that the old fathers had the same SacrameÌ„ts the same inuocation of God the same hope expectation and inheritance the same spirite the same faith and the same doctrine which we at this day haue the marcke I hope whereat I shot is fullie hit and I haue I trust sufficiently proued that the faithfull fathers of the old testament and wée the beléeuers of the newe couenaunt are one Church and one people which are all saued vnder one congregation vnder one only testament and by one and the same manner of meanes to wit by faith in Christ Iesu Thus much haue I hetherto said touching the likenesse the agréement and the vnitie betwixt the old newe testament or people of god I wil now add somewhat touching the diuersitie betwixt them and the thinges wherin they differ In the verie substaunce truly thou canst find no diuersitie the difference which is betwixt them doth consist in the maner of administration in a fâ—w accidents and certeine circumstaÌ„ces For to the promise or doctrine of faith and to the chiefe and principall lawes there were annexed certeine external thinges whiche were added vntill the time of amendment so that the whole Ecclesiasticall regiment the manner of teaching the doctrine of Godlinesse and the outward worship of God was amonge the old fathers of one sort and is amonge vs of an other But the especiall things wherin they differ may be rehearsed and sett downe in thefe fewe principall poinctes First and foremost all things of the newe couenaunt are more cleare and manifest thaÌ„ those of the old testamâ—t The preaching of the old couenaunt had alwayes in it for the most parte some mystie or cloudie thing and was still couered and wrapped vpp in shadowes and dimme shâ—wes But the publishing of the newe testament is cleare and manifest so that it is called the light which is without all mystes and darckenesse Moses did with a vayle couer his face neither could the children of Israel behold his countenance but wée beholding not only the countenance of Moses which is nowe vncouered but the pleasant and amiable face of Christ himselfe doe greatly reioyce to see our saluation openly reuealed before our eyes In that sense 〈…〉 say that his disciples were happâ—â— where hée brake out into these wâ—â—ds Happie are the eyes which see the thinges that ye see For I say vnto you that many Prophets and kinges desired to see the thinges that ye see and sawe them not and to heare the thinges that ye heare and heard them not The iust man Simeon did in this sense call himselfe as happie a man as liued and did thereupon promise that hee was willing to die saying Lord now lettest thou thy seruaunt depart in peace according to thy woord For mine eyes haue seene thy saluation which thou hast prepared before the face of al people to be a light to lighten the Gentiles and to be the glorie of thy people Israel But althoughe our forefathers had not so much light as doeth shine to vs in Christe since his comming in the fleshe yet was that little light whiche they had sufficieÌ„t to the getting of saluation by faith in Christ Eâ—en wée our selues although wée sée him farre more clearelie than oure forefathers did
he saith not Let not sinne be in you or in your mortall body but he saith Let not sinne reigne in you or in your mortall bodie But when reigneth sinne Forsoothe sinne reigneth then when wée obey it thorough the lusts thereof that is when we resiste not but doe fulfill the lustes of the fleshe Sinne therefore doth not reigne in our mortall bodie so longe as it is but fealt in the bodie and not obeyed or permitted to rule but rather resisted and trode vnder foote This same sentence doth he expound by an other somwhat more easie to be vnderstood I would not haue you to permit your members to sinne as to a tyraunt to vse them as instrumentes to woorke all vnrighteousnesse I rather require you to giue your selues to bée ruled and gouerned by god For since hée hath set you frée from death brought you to life againe it is requisite that ye should giue your members to God as liuely instrumentes to woorke all righteousnesse And that shall ye bée easilie able to doe because ye are not vnder the lawe but vnder grace Vppon this doth all the rest of that Chapiter depend vnto the end What then saith hée shall we sinne because wee are not vnder the lawe but vnder grace God forbidde Knowe ye not how that to whomsoeuer ye commit your selues as seruauntes to obey his seruauntes ye are to whome ye obey whether it be of sinne vnto death or of obedience vnto righteousnesse But God be thanked that ye were the seruants of sinne but ye haue obeyed with heart the fourme of doctrine into the which ye are brought vnto Being then made free from sinne ye are become the seruauntes of righteousnesse And yet he sheweth that the fréemen of Christ do not abuse their libertie and giue themselues againe to be gouerned by their old tyrannous maister Sinne. For he maketh Sinne and Righteousnesse to bée as it were two maisters and addeth to eche of them the hire or reward that they giue to their seruauntes the one Life the other Death Lastly he saith generallie that we are his seruaunts to whome wée giue our selues to obey Vppon which hée inferreth Being redeemed by the grace of God from the bondage of sinne and from death whiche is the rewarde of sinne we are translated into the bondage of righteousnesse whose reward is life that thereby we may liue For he doth more significantly expresse his meaning in that which followeth saying I speake after the manner of men because of the infirmitie of your flesh As ye haue giuen your mēbers seruaunts to vncleannesse and iniquitie vnto iniquitie euen so now giue your members seruauntes to righteousnesse vnto holinesse For when ye were the seruauntes of sinne ye were free from righteousnesse What fruite had ye then in those thinges whereof ye are nowe ashamed For the end of those thinges is death But nowe ye being made free from sinne made the seruants of God haue your fruit vnto holinesse and the ende euerlasting life For the reward of sinne is death but the gift of God is eternall life thoroughe Iesus Christe oure lord All this is so plaine and euident that it néedeth no larger exposition of mine And yet in the seuenth Chapiter next following hee doeth by comparison in a parable more fullie expounde all that hée said before The woman saith hée whiche is in subiection to the man is by the lawe bound to the man as longe as hée liueth If while the man liueth shée goe a side to an other she is counted an adultresse But if the man be dead shée may couple her selfe with an other man Euen so I saye wée are dead to the lawe For Christ died for vs and was in his bodie offered vpp to be a sacrifice or oblation to cleanse and purge oure sinnes that we might thenceforth bée vnited and coupled to him and that wée being conceiued and made with childe with his holy spirite maye trauaile bring foorth and be deliuered of an excellent issue holie fruite of good works euen as while we serued sinne were subiecte vnto it as to oure maister wee brought foorth an ill fauoured babe of death I meane iniquitie and wickednesse for the punishing whereof death is appointed and ordeined But let vs now heare the verie woords of the holie and blessed Apostle saying Euen so my brethren wee also are deade concerning the Lawe by the bodie of Christe that wee should bee coupled to an other who is raysed from the dead that wee should bring forth fruite vnto god For when we were in the flesh the lustes of sinne which were by the lawe wrought in oure members to bring forth fruite vnto death But no we are wee deliuered from the law and dead vnto it wherunto wee were in bondage that wee may serue in newenesse of spirite and not in the oldnesse of the letter That place in the eighth Chapiter to the Romanes is vnknowen to no man where he saith The lawe of the spirite of life thorough Christ Iesus hath made mee free from the lawe of sinne and death The manner of this deliueraunce hée doeth immediately after add saying For what the lawe could not doe that GOD did by sending his owne sonne And so forth as followeth For the woordes are sufficiently plaine and vnderstoode of all men In the seuenth Chapiter of the first Epistle to the Corinthians hee saith Yee are bought with a price doe not ye become the seruauntes of men In these woordes the holy Apostle exhorteth seruauntes vnder the colour or pretence of worldly bondage not to committ anye thinge for their earthly maisters pleasure whiche soundeth against sinceritie and is repugnant to pure religion to witt althoughe they bee called by the name of seruauntes yet that they should not obey the wicked lawes and vngodly ordinaunces of mortall men The cause that oughte to pull and draw vs from it is Because we are redeemed and set at libertie by the price of Christes his bloud It would therefore be to to bad and vnwoorthie a thinge if wée contrarie to the effecte of oure libertie should obey the naughtie lawes and ordinaunces of man. This also is extended stretcheth oute to the lawes of men whiche are made in matters of religion For in the fiftéenth Chapiter of the holy Gospell written by the Euāgelist S. Matthewe the Lord and Sauiour sayeth In vaine doe they worship mee teaching doctrines the precepts of men And Let them alone they are blinde leaders of the blinde And the Apostle S. Paul saith If ye be dead with Christe from the rudimentes of the world why as yet liuing in the world are ye ledd with traditions Touche not Taste not Handle not Which all doe perishe in abusing after the commaundementes and doctrines of men which thinges haue a shewe of wisedome in superstition and humblenesse of minde and in neglecting of the body not in any honour to the satisfying of the flesh First of all hee sheweth that the faithfull ones
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
intricate places of the holie scripturs which it is hard to coÌ„prehend or define in any certeine order both that many things are vnknowen without the perill of Christian faith and also that in some points men do erre with out any crime of hereticall doctrine But concerning the two men by the one of whoÌ„ wee are sold vnder sinne by the other redeemed from sinne by one we are cast headlong into death by the other wee are made free vnto life because that man did in himselfâ— destroye vs by doing his owne will and not the will of him that madâ— him but this man hath in himselfe saued vs by doing not his owne wil but the will of him that sent him Therfore in the coÌ„sideration of these two men Christian faith doeth properly consist For there is one God and one mediatour of God and man the man Christ Iesus Because there is none other name vnder Heauen giuen vnto men in which they must be saued in him hath God appointed all men to trust raysing him vp from death to life Therefore Christian veritie doubteth not but that without this faith that is without the faith of the only mediatour of God and man the man Christ Iesus without the beliefe I say of his resurrection whiche God hath prescribed to men whiche cannot be truly beleeued without the beleefe of his incarnation and death without the faith therefore of the incarnation death and resurrection of Christ none of the auncient iust men could be clâ—nsed and iustified of God from their sinnes whether they were in the number of those iuste men whome the holy Scripture mentioneth or in the number of those iuste men whom the Scripture nameth yet are to bee beleeued to haue beene either before the deluge or betwixte the deluge and the lawe or in the verie time of the lawe not onely among the children of Israel as the Prophets were but also without that people as Iob was For euen their harts were cleÌ„sed by the same faith of the mediatour and charitie was powred into them by the same holy spirite which breatheth where he listeth not following after merits but euen working the verie merits themselues For Gods grace will not bee by any meanes vnlesse it be free by al meanes Although therefore death reigned from Adam vnto Moses because the law giuen by Moses could not ouercome it For there was no such law giuen as could quicken but such a lawe as whose office was to shewe that the dead to the quickening of whome grace was necessarie were not only ouerthrowen by the propagation and dominion of sinne but were also condemned by the hidden transgression of the verie law it selfe not that euery one should perish that did then vnderstand it in the mercie of God but that euery one being through the dominioÌ„ of death appointed vnto punishment and detected to himselfe by the transgression of the lawe should seeke for the helpe of God that where sinne abouÌ„ded grace might more abound which alone doth deliuer from the body of this death Although therefore the lawe giuen by Moses could not ridd any maÌ„ from the kingdome of death yet in the very time of the lawe were the men of God not vnder the terrifying conuinceing punishing law but vnder the delectable sauing and deliuering grace There were among them some which said In iniquitie was I conceiued and in sinne hath my mother fedd mee in her wombe And so forth For hetherto I haue cited the very words of S. Augustine I haue thus farre spoken of originall sinne of the natiue and hereditarie corruption of our nature which is the first part in the definition of sinne here followeth nowe the latter part to witt the very Action which ariseth of that corruption the actual sinne I say which is so called Ab actu that is an acte or a déede doing For in so much as that corruption whiche is borne together with and is hereditarie in vs doeth not alwayes lye hidd but woorketh outwardly and sheweth forth it selfe doth at last bring forth an imp of her owne kinde and nature which impe is actuall sinne therefore we define actuall sinne to bee an action or woorke or fruite of oure corrupte and naughtie nature expressing it selfe in thoughts words and workes against the lawe of God and therby deseruing the wrath of God. So then by this the cause of actuall sinne is knowen to be the very corruption of mankind which sheweth forth it selfe through concupiscence and euil affections affections intice the will wil being helped with the other faculties in man that worke together with it doth finish actual sinne And that ye may more clearely perceiue that whiche I saye I wish you to note that our minde hath two partes The vnderstanding or reason or iudgement and the will or appetite In the reason are the lawes of nature whereunto must be added the preaching or reading or knowledge of Gods word And nowe as of good woorkes in man there are two especiall causes to witt sound iudgement well framed by the woord of God and a will consenting and obeying therevnto and yet notwithstanding there is principallie to be required the comming to of the holye Ghoste from heauen to illuminate the minde and moue forward the will euen so we may most properly say that actuall sinne is finished when any thinge is of set purpose with aduised iudgement and the consent of our wil committed against the lawe of god And yet to these there doe many times happen other outward causes both visible and inuisible For euill spirites moue men and euill men moue men and other infinite examples of corruption that are in the world Hope seare and weakenesse doe also moue men Augustine Quaest in Exodum 29. sayeth The beginning of vice is in the will of man but the heartes of men are moued by sundrie accidental causes now this now that sometimes the causes are all one the difference is in the manner and order according to euery ones proper qualities which doe arise of euerie seuerall will. Againe in the 79. Psalme he sayeth Two things there are that woorke all sinnes in mortall men desire and feare Consider examine aske your heartes search your consciences and see if any sinnes can be but by desiring or else by fearing Thou aâ—t promised if thou wilt sinne to haue such a reward giueÌ„ thee as thou doest delight in and for desire of the gifte thou crackest thy conscience doest commit sinne And againe on the other side though peraduenture thou wilt not be seduced with giftes yet being terrified with threatnings thou doest for dread of that whiche thou fearest coÌ„mit the iniquitie that other wise thou wouldest not As for example Some one man or other would with giftes corrupte thee to beare false witnesse Thou presently hast turned thee selfe to God and hast said in thy heart what doth it aduantage a man if hee gaine the whole world suffer the losse
of his owne soule I will not be hired with giftes to loose my soule for the gaine of monie therevpon hee which before enticed thee doeth now turne himselfe to terrifie thee for because his gifts did faile to hire thee he beginneth to threaten vnto thee damage banishment woundes and death In suche a case now if greedinesse could not yet feare perhappes mighte cause thee to sinne The same Augustine againe in his booke De Sermone Domini in moÌ„te sayeth Three thinges there bee by which sinne is accomplished suggestion delectation and consent Suggestion whether it bee wrought by the memorie or senses of the bodie as when we see heare smel tast or touch any thing Nowe if we be delighted to haue it that vnlawful delight must be restrained As for example when wee faste if at the sight of meate our appetite do arise it is not done without delectation but wee must not giue our consent to that delectation but suppresse it with the power of reason For if the consent bee giuen then is the sinne accomplished These three things are correspondent to the circumstances of the historie that is written in Genesis so that of the serpent was made that suggestioÌ„ in the carnall appetite as in Eua was the delectation and in reason as in Adam did the full consent appeare whiche being finished man is expelled as it were out of Paradise that is out of the blessed light of righteousnes into death and damnation Thus much sayeth Augustine touching the cause of sinne But héere we must especiallie note in the definition of actual sinne the verie propertie or difference whereby this action is discerned from all other actions and whereby the most proper note of sinne is made manifest This action therefore euen as all sinns else doe doth directly tende against Gods lawe But what the lawe of God is I haue in my former sermons at large declared Verilie it is none other but the verie wil of god Now the will of God is that man should be like vnto his image that is that hee should bée holie innocent and so consequently saued This will of his did God expresse first by the lawe of nature then by the lawe which hée writt in two tables of stone lastly by the preaching of the holie Gospell Nowe those thrée tend all to one end to witt that man should be holie innocent and so consequently saued And whatsoeuer things are done of men either in thought word or déed against that holy lawe of God they both are and are called actuall sinnes Therefore in the iudging or estéeming of mens sinnes the lawe of God must be onely looked vnto For the thinges that are not contrarie to Gods lawe are not sinnes Neither hath any man authoritie to make new lawes for the traÌ„sgressing wherof men should bee counted sinners That glorie belongeth to God alone to whome Dauid crieth To thee alone haue I sinned and against thee haue I wrought wickednesse Neither is it any part of our office to take vppon vs by oure owne iudgementes to determine whiche be the smallest and which the greatest sinnes For which of vs would thinke that it were sinne to say to his brother Thou foole And yet the Lord in the Gospell pronounceth it to be a sinne who in the same Gospell also affirmeth that wée shal giue accompt for euery idle word at the latter day of Iudgement Verie rightly therfore sayeth Sainct Augustine in his second booke De Bapt. Contra Donatistas Capit. 6. In esteming of sinnes let vs not bring in deceiptfull balances wherein to weighe both what wee liste and as wee liste â–ª after our owne minde and phantasie â–ª saying This is heauie and that is light but let vs bring in the weights of Gods holie Scriptures as out of the secrete treasuries of the Lord and thereby let vs weighe what is heauie and what is light naye rather let not vs weigh them but acknowledge so accepte them as they are weighed by the Lord. And although this might séeme to be sufficient as that whiche hath sufficiently declared the nature of actuall sinne yet will wée more at large consider the sundrie sortes or kindes and differences of sinnes The Stoikes were of opinion that all sinnes were equall whome perhappes Iouinian followinge as the Patriarchs of heresies are by Tertullian said to bée Philosophers is written to haue affirmed the verie same with them as is extant in S. Augustines Catalogue of heretiques The holie Scripture teacheth vs that God is iust wherevppon we doe conclude that all sinnes therefore are not equall For wée sée that God as hée is a iust Iudge doeth punish some sinnes more sharpely than otherseme For in the Gospell the Lord sayeth Wo to you Scribes and Pharisers hypocrits which deuour widowes houses vnder the pretence of longe prayer therefore shal ye receiue the greater damnation And againe It shal be easier sayeth the Lord for the land of Sodom in the day of Iudgement than for the citie that reiecteth the preaching of the Gospell Likewise in the eleuenth of Matthewe hee sayeth It shal be easier for Tyre and Sidon in the day of Iudgement than for you To Pilate also hee said The man that deliuered mee to thee hath the more sinne Againe The seruaunt that knewe his maisters will and prepared not himselfe neither did according to his will shal be beaten with many stripes But hee that knewe not and did commit thinges worthie of stripes shal be beaten with fewe stripes To procéede nowe sinnes doe arise by steppes and increase by circumstances For first there is a hidden sinne conteined in the very affection or desire of man But I haue alreadie told you that affections and desires are of two sortes to witt naturall affections whiche are not repugnaunt to the lawe of God of whiche sort are the loue of children parentes and wife and the desire of meate drincke and sléepe although I know and doe not denie but that sometimes those affections are defiled with the originall spott Againe there are carnall desires or affections in men directly contrarie to the will of god Those affections are nourished and do increase by vaine thoughtes and carnall delightes increasing in thy bosome and at last they breake out into the sinne of the month yea and after that to the déede dooing or actuall sinne it selfe As for example Thou â—ustest after an other mans wife and â—ettlest the luste in the bottome of thy â—eart still delighting thée selfe with vaine cogitations while thou callest to minde her passing beautie and lineaments of bodie and doest by thy often and vehement imagination both delight and set thée selfe on sire And not being content herewithall alone thou ceassest not to lie at her whome thou louest with words and writings to spott her chastitie and if occasion serue thée thou doest by the déed doing defile her and also doest reiterate the sinne which thou hast once coÌ„mitted and lastly laying aside the feare
our Lord declared and expounded by the same Apostle Paule Nowe Abraham and Dauid were alwayes men of chiefe accompt in the Church of god With whiche twaine the whole companye of the Prophets doe wholie agree For the Apostle Peter saith All the Prophets bare wittnesse to Christe that by his name euery one whiche doeth beleeue in him shoulde receiue remission of his sinnes And euen nowe by the mouth of Paule wee hearde saye that by the testimonies of the lawe and the Prophetes it is proued That the righteousenesse of God is freely bestowed by faith with out the Lawe We haue also the verie sonne of God Iesus Christe our Lorde whose authoritie excelling farre all y worldes beside may confirme vs well enough in this péece of doctrine For he as it were in certeine assembled counsels did determine and decree that which we in this place do counsell al men to reteine For hauing gathered togeather his disciples at Caesarea Philippi he demaunded of them what men did thinke of him Nowe when they answered diuersly according to the diuersitie of opinions that the common people had of him hee inquired of theÌ„ what they them selues thought of him Then Peter in the name of all the rest saide Thou art that Christe the sonne of the liuing God. To whome the Lorde replyed Happie art thou Simon Bar Iona for flesh and bloud hath not reuealed this to thee but my father which is in heauen In these woordes hee concludeth two seuerall thinges First that true faith doeth make vs happie Neither is it to be doubted but that to make happie is vsed here in that signification which ye hearde out of Paule euen nowe that Dauid vsed it in Lastly that that sanctifying faith is not the woorke of oure owne nature but the heauenly gifte of god And then also he taketh occasion vppon that notable confession of true faith to giue a newe name to Simon Peter for the eternall memorie of the thinge and for the imprintinge of the signification of that mysterie in all mennes mindes Peter confessed that Christ was a stone or rocke Therefore Christe syrnameth Peter a Petra that is a stone as if one shoulde call him a liuinge stone layde vppon a liuing stone or of Christe a Christian Yea and leaste peraduenture any man shoulde tye the thinge vniuersally beelonginge to the whole churche vnto Peter alone the Lorde him selfe doth apply it vnto all the Churche and saith And vpon this stone will I buylde my churche and the gates of hell shal not preuaile against it As if he should haue sayd that which nowe is done in thee Peter shall hereafter bee done in all the faithfull Thou by faith art layde vpon me which am the stone and arte made a member of the Church I therefore do ordeine that whosoeuer confesseth mee to be the stone shal be a member of the Churche sanctified iustified and deliuered from the diuell and the power of death Thy confession that is I Christe the sonne of God whome thou confessest shal be the foundation of the Churche vppon whiche foundation whosoeuer are layde they shal be iustified and fréely saued For Paule also saide An other foundation cannot be layd than that that is alreadie layde which is Christ Iesus And the Apostle Iohn saith This is the victorie that hath ouercome the worlde euen your faith Nowe least Peter and his other fellowe disciples shoulde not knowe the waye howe other men shoulde be admitted into the fellowship of the Churche and receiued into the communion of Christe he addeth immediately And I will giue thee the keyes of the kingdome of heauen and whatsoeuer thou loosest in earth shal bee loosed in heauen c. He gaue the keyes when hee sent the Apostles to preache the Gospell Therefore by the preaching of the Gospell which is the keye of the kingdome of heauen is heauen opened and the waye poynted out howe we being graffed in Christe the church may bee made the heires of eternall life to wite through faith in Christe which wee are taught by the Gospell of Christe Thus much touching the counsell wherof Christ himself was PresideÌ„t helde at Caesarea Philippi There is extant in Iohn an other counsell held at Capernaum both famous and ful of people For in a greate multitude of his Disciples and other men hee doeth determine that eternall life is gotten by faith in Christe and that there is none other waye for vs to come to life than this To eate his fleshe and to drinke his bloud that is to beléeue in him And when amongâ— the audience there was a Schisme by reason that many reuolted from Christe hee demaunded of them that were his neerest disciples whether they also woulde forsake him then Pâ—ter in the name of all the rest did aunswere since in thee O Christe there is life and saluation if wee departe from thee wee cannot bee partakers of lifâ— and therefore by faith wee will â—â—rmely sticke and cleaue close to thee for euer Moreouer here are to be reckoned two counsels also that were helde by the Apostles The one of whiche no man can denye to bee verie generall or vniuersall For in it there were dâ—uout men of euery nation vnder heauen In that counsell did Peter the Apostle in expresse wordes teache that Christe is the Sauiour of the worlde whome whosoeuer beléeueth hee shall haue life euerlasting The place is knowen in the Actes of the Apostles the second Chapter Before the chiefe of the Iewes the same Apostle declareth that there is saluation in none other than in Christ alone The place is extante in the Actes of the Apostles the thirde Chapter The like hee doeth to the firste fruites of the Gentiles Cornelius and his housholde in the tenth Chapter The seconde counsell which was famous also and passingly adorned with all good giftes is described in the fiftéenth Chapter of the Actes in whichâ— Counsell this proposition was allowed That faith without woorkes doth iustifie freely Touching which matter I haue spoken at large in an other place Nowe by all this I woulde haue it proued that the doctrine of Faith that iustifieth without woorkes ought to bée reteined vnmingled and vncorrupte in the Churche because as I maye so saye it is moste Catholique and altogether vnreproueable to the breache whereof this cuâ—sse or Anathematisme of the Apostle is added sayinge If wee or an Angel from Heauen shall preache to you anye other Gospell than that whiche we haue preached let him bee accursed The seconde cause why it is expedient that this doctrine bee kepte sincere in the Churche is because if it bee once put out of ioynte the glorie of Christe shall bee in daunger of wracke and in ieopardie For the glorie of Christe is darkened and corrupted in the myndes of men althoughe of it selfe it remaineth alwayes sounde and cleare if wee beginne to diuide the righteousenesse whereby wee stande and appeare before GOD attributing it to oure owne merites and good woorkes of
the man of God may be perfecte instructed vnto all good workes What now I pray you is omitted in these woords that may seeme to apperteine to a most absolute reformation What I beseech you haue those impudent fellowes to say against this Proceed therefore proceed most holy king to imatate the most godly princes and the infallible rule of the holy Scripture proceed I say without staying for mans authoritie by the most true and absolute instrument of trueth the booke of Gods most holy word to reforme the Church of Christ in thy most happie England The Lord Iesus the head and mightie Prince of his Church presirue and lead thee his most faithfull worshipper in the way of his trueth vntill the end to the glorie of his name the good estate and welfare of the whole Christian Church At Tigure in the moneth of August the yeare of our Lord 1550. Your Royall Maiesties most duetifully bounden Henrie Bullinger minister of the Church at Tigure in Swicerland The other eight Sermons of the fourth Decade written by Henrie Bullinger ¶ Of God of the true knowledge of God and of the diuerse wayes howe to knowe him That God is one in substaunce and three in persons ¶ The thirde Sermon I Haue hetherto in 32. sermōs discoursed vpon the word of God and the lawful exposition of the same vppon Christian faith the loue of God and our neighbour I haue also spoken of the law of Nature of mans lawe Gods lawe and of the parts of Gods lawe namely y Morall the Ceremoniall the Iudiciall lawes Of the vse of the lawe of the fulfilling abrogatiō of the same of the likenes difference betwirt the two testamēts and people the old and the newe Of Christian libertie of offences of the effecte merites of Good woorkes Of sinne and the sundrie sorts thereof also of the Grace of God or the Gospel of Iesu Christe in whome oure heauenly father hath giuen vs all thinges belonging to life and eternal saluation finally I haue treated of Repentaunce and of the thinges that doe especially seeme to belonge therevnto And forbecause oure purpose is to dispute discretly vpon the principal points of Christian religion that in the premisses wee haue heard often mention made of God of the knowledge worship of God of Iesus Christ of the holy Chost of good euil spirits of the church of Prayer of the Sacraments such like holy thinges since wee are now come to an end of those former points necessitie it selfe doeth here require that we should speake somewhat now of al euery one of these latter principles according to the holy Scripture so farre forth as the Lord shall giue me grace and abilitie to do the same Concerning God there were of old many erronious opinions not among the ruder sort of people only but euen in the whole packe of Philosophers conuenticles of false Christians As touching the Philosophers that auncient learned writer Tertullian was wont to say that Philosophers are the patriarchs of heretiques and touching false Christians the Apostle Iohn said They wente out from vs but they were not of vs for if they had beene of vs they would haue remained with vs. Neither doe I sée what gaine you should gett by it if I should procéede to reckon vp vnto you all their opinions It is good perhaps to know wherin they erred least we also do strike vpon the same rock that they did Therfore if any y haue a desire vnto it doe wish to sée the opinions of the heathen sort and of heretiques cōcerning God let them search Plutarch in his Placitis Philoso lib. ◠Cap. 7. Or in other heathen writers Or in Cyrils first booke Contra Iulianum and in the 4. Chapter Dogmatum vel de finitionum Ecclesiast I will at this time trouble the attentiue eares and minds of the godly hearers with that burthen That diuersitie of opinions is deriued from none other founteine than from the boldnesse vnskilfulnesse of men which are not ashamed of their owne deuice and braine to add and applie to God the thinges from which he is most farre frée And now that héere I may not sticke long in declareing the narrowe streightnesse and mistie darcknesse of mans wit who I pray you is able with his vnderstāding to conceiue the Béeing of God when as in déede no man did euer fully vnderstand of what fashion the soule of man is of what sort many other thinges are y be in mans body and of what maner substaunce the Sunne Moone are made There are giuen many reasons of naturall Philosophie but the woorke of God doeth still abide more great and wonderfull than that the witt or speach of man is able to comprehend or expresse it Let no man therefore that goeth about to knowe any certeintie of God descend into himself to search him out with thoughts of his owne neither let him ground his opinion vppon mens determinations and weake definitions For otherwise hee shall alwayes worshipp the inuention of his owne heart méere follie trifles and foolishe fantasies But on the other side againe the man cānot choose but thinke rightly iudge truely and speake well of God that attributeth nothing to himselfe deuiseth nothing of his owne braine nor followeth y toyes of other mens inuenting but in all thinges giueth eare to the word of God and followeth alwayes his holy reuelation Therfore let this stand as it were for a continuall rule that God cannot bée rightly knowen but by his word and that God is to be receiued beléeued to be such an one as he reuealeth himselfe vnto vs in his holy word For no creature verily can better tell what and what kinde of one God is than God him selfe Nowe since this God doeth in his word by the woorkemanshipp of the world by the holy Scriptures and by his oracles vttered by the mouth of the Patriarchs Prophetes and Apostles yea in the very minds and consciences of men testifie That He Is therefore did the kingly Prophete Dauid say The foole hath said in his heart there is no God. For he must néeds be an asse or a foole whiche denieth the thing that is euident to all men in the world which are not beside their wits namely That there is a God considering that euen Cicero an heathen authoure in his booke De natura Deorum doth say It is bred borne together with men and graffed in their hearts to thincke That there is a God. Truly they that denie God doe denie him whome neuerthelesse they feare and therefore by that feare they confesse y he Is by that meanes conuinceing them selues of lying and falsehoode Againe this is to bée noted that in demaunding who and what God is although that question is made doth arise euen by the beating out and discussing of the Scriptures yet a measure is to be kept and in any case
omnipotent must be present with all men in all places The sonne of God therfore is true and verie God bycause he is the Messias Furthermore what is more manifest and lesse called in controuersie than that God only forgiueth sinnes It must needes be therefore that nothing is more euident and lesse doutfull than that we beléeue Christ to be true and verie God bycause He is the Lambe of God that taketh away the sinnes of the world Againe whereas Paule truly calleth Christ Our hope for Esay foretolde In him shal the Gentiles trust And wheras Ieremie cryeth Curssed be the man that putteth his trust in man but blessed is the man that putteth his truste in GOD we muste necessarily confesse that Christe is god For in Iohn he oftentimes repeateth Verily I say vnto you he that beleueth in me hath euerlasting life I coulde bring innumerable examples of this kynd out of the scriptures which witnesse that the sonne of God our Lord Iesus Christe is of one and the selfe same nature with the father and therefore is verie God of verie God but I trust that to holie hearers and not giuen to contention those whiche I haue alreadie cited will suffice It remaineth that we declare vnto you that the sonne of God was incarnate for vs and was borne verie man of the Virgine Marie consubstantiall or of the selfe same substaunce with vs in all pointes sinne excepted The Lawe the Prophetes and the Apostles shewe vnto vs most manifest arguments of the true flesh or humanitie of the sonne of god For in the lawe the Lorde saith The seede of the woman shall crushe the serpents head But who knoweth not that the heade of the serpent is the kingdome force or power of the diuell And that Iesus Christe brake this power the whole scripture doth witnesse And here he is called the séede of the woman And truely he is called séed to verifie his true humane nature and he is termed the séede of the woman not of the man bycause of his conception by the holy Ghoste and his byrthe of the Virgine Marie And bicause she was the daughter of Dauid of Abraham and Adam it followeth that the sonne of Marie was verie man For as we haue heard it sayd to Adam The seede of the woman shall bruise the serpents heade so also we read that the same promise was renued and repeated to Abrahā in these wordes In thy seede shall al the nations of the world be blessed And Paule to the Galat. manifestly sayth that this séede of Abrahā wherin we haue obteined blessing is Christ Iesus The same Apostle sayth For in no sorte tooke he the Angels but he tooke the seede of Abraham By Angels doubtlesse excluding all manner of spirituall substaunces by the séede of Abraham vnderstanding the verie substance it selfe of the fleshe of man. For he addeth Wherefore in all things it became him to be made like vnto his brethren And bicause they be partakers of flesh and bloud he also him selfe likewise tooke part with them of the same Verily the Scripture draweth the lineall descent of Christe most diligently from the loynes of Abraham vnto Iacob and frō him againe to Iudas and from him in like sort to Dauid To him againe the promises of the incarnation of the sonne of God are remied For Nathan sayth to Dauid Thus sayth the Lorde When thy dayes bee fulfilled thou shalt sleepe with thy fathers I will set vp thy seede after thee which shal procede out of thy body and will stablish his kingdome he shall build a house for my name and I wil stablish the throne of his kingdome for euer Neyther is there any cause why any mā shuld interpret this of Solomon For he was borne while his father Dauid liued his kingdome quickely decayed But Nathan speaketh of a sonne which should be borne to Dauid after his death When thou shalt sleepe with thy fathers sayth he I wil set vp thy seede after thee And what maner of séede this should be he most euidently declareth and sayth Whiche shall proceede out of thy bodie For in the 132. Psalme we reade Of the fruite of thy body will I set vpon thy seate Furthermore Marie the virgine descende lineally of the séed of Dauid of whome Christ our lorde was begotten and borne of whome the Angel speaking and expounding those olde and auncient prophecies sayth vnto the Virgine And the lord God shall giue vnto him the seate of his father Dauid and he shall reigne ouer the house of Iacob for euer and of his kingdome there shall be none ende Herevnto also belongeth that which Elizabeth sayth to the virgine which came out of Galilée into the hil countrie of Iuda And whence commeth this to me that the mother of my Lorde should come to mee Blessed art thou among womē and blessed is the fruite of thy wombe Truly Matthewe and Luke drawe the lineall descent of Christe from the loynes as it were of Dauid euen vnto the virgine Marie whiche conceiueth by the holy Ghoste that is the holy Ghoste making her fruitfull She when the moneths were fulfiled that she shoulde bee deliuered brought foorth a sonne and he which is borne in all respectes appeareth to be true and verie man he is layde in a manger wrapped in swathling cloutes he grewe in stature and increased in yeares according to the manner of mans body he is wearied he is refreshed he is glad he is sad he is hungrie he is thirstie he eateth he drinketh he feareth to be short he dyeth Whiche the trueth of the historie of the Gospel in many words declareth Neyther is the Scripture it selfe ashamed to call Marie the mother of our Lorde not the putatiue or supposed but the true and natural mother whiche of the substaunce of her owne body gaue true fleshe and substaunce of man to the sonne of God the Angel of God so witnessing with Esaie and saying A virgine shall conceiue in her wombe and shall bring foorth a sonne Loe he sayth In her wombe And againe in Matthewe the selfe same Angel saith That which is conceiued in her is of the holy Ghoste Wherevppon the Apostle vnto the Galathians sayth that The sonne of God is made of a woman to wit according to mans nature For Christe is the fruite of the body of Dauid and of the virgine Marie begotten and borne of the loynes of Dauid and Iohn also the Apostle and Euangelist saithe The worde was made fleshe and dwelt among vs. In calling God fleshe doubtlesse he calleth him verie man For the same Apostle in an other place fayth Euerie spirite that confesseth that Iesus Christe is come in the fleshe is of God And euerie spirit which cōfesseth not that Iesus Christe is come in the flesh is not of God. Therfore we fréely pronounce that Valentinus Marcion Apolles and Manichęus denying the true and very flesh
with the holy ghost signifying doubtlesse the operation or working of the holy ghost of whiche they were signes and assuraunces For he instructeth exhorteth and cōforteth the faithfull neither doeth he arme his faithful Apostles with colde tongues but fierie tongues The Apostles when they preached the gospel séemed not to speake but to lighten and to thunder wherevpon also certeine of them were called of our Sauiour the sonnes of thunder Furthermore the holy ghoste appeareth in the likenesse of a Doue vpon the sonne of God euen then whē he was baptised of Iohn Baptiste For a Doue is milde gentle without malice or harme Wherof sprong the prouerbe Manners like a Doue Doue-like simplicitie And More gentle than a Doue For a Doue is among birdes as a shéepe among foure footed beastes which thinketh no hurt to any liuing creature Wherevpon Christe is also called a Shéepe or a Lambe Of the spirite of God therefore the wise man saieth verie well The spirite of wisedome is holie one onely manifolde subtile quicke mouing cleare vndefiled plaine sweete louing the thing that is good sharp which cannot be letted doing good kinde to man stedfast sure free from care hauing all power circumspecte in all things and passing through al vnderstanding and cleane yea most subtile spirites Againe they that are indued with the holy ghost are called the annoynted of the Lorde For the holy Ghoste is called both oyle and annoynting for vnlesse we be watered of the holie Ghost we waxe barren and waste away For we are voyde of liuely and heauenly moysture and of our owne nature alwayes wyther and waxe drie And of this annoynting there went a notable figure before in the ceremoniall annoynting of Kinges and priestes S. Iohn sayth And the annoynting whiche ye haue receiued of him dwelleth in you ye neede not that any mā teach you but as the same annoynting teacheth you of all thinges and it is true and not lying and as it taught you abide in it For the Lord also sayth in Ieremie This shal be the couenant that I will make with the house of Israel after those dayes I will plant my lawe in the inwarde partes of them and write it in their heartes and will be their God and they shall bee my people And from henceforth shall no man teach his neighbour or his brother saying Knowe the Lorde for they shall all knowe me from the lowest vnto the highest saith the lord For I wil forgiue their misdeedes and will neuer remember their sinnes any more But we shewed a little before that the holy Ghoste is the vniuersall teacher of all trueth Hitherto that séemeth to belong which S. Paule saith It is God which hath annoynted vs whiche hath also sealed vs and hath giuen the earnest of the spirit in our heartes For nowe the holy Ghost is not onely called annoynting but also the sealing vp or earnest of our saluation For 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is a part of payment which maketh assurance of the whole summe to be payde to wit a pledge And surely the holie Ghost doth nowe testifie yea it dothe seale and assure vs that we are the sonnes of god and that when time is we shall be receiued into the euerlasting inheritaunce Paule againe sayth Ye are sealed with the holy spirit of promise which is the earnest of our inheritaunce vnto the redemption of the purchased possession vnto the prayse of his glory Ephes 1. That assuraunce doth maruellously confirme and comforte the mindes of the faythfull in temptations encourageth them besides that to patience in aduersitie and to holinesse of life For herevpon sayde S. Iohn Little children ye are of God and haue ouercome them for greater is he that is in you than he that is in the world And againe Nowe are we the sonnes of God and yet it doth not appeare what he shall be but we know that when wee shall appeare we shall bee like vnto him for we shall see him as he is And euery man that hath this hope in him purgeth him selfe euen as he also is pure And as the holy ghost is an vnspeakable knitting together wherby the three persons are inseparably coupled one with an other in euerlasting loue concord euen so the same coupleth the spouse of Christ with his spouse with a knot y can not be loosed and ioyneth together betwéene them selues all the members of his mystical body in an euerlasting couenaunt For as the members of oure body are ioyned together whole and sound by the benefite and enioying of life so the mysticall body of Christe is vnited together by the holy Ghoste Therefore it is no maruell that he is called or noted with the name of loue which poureth loue into our heartes And albeit by these names of the holie Ghost his operation may be vnderstoode yet will I adde certeine testimonies of Scripture out of whiche his power or effect especially in vs maye be more fully vnderstoode Esaie almost in the beginning of his prophecie describing the person of the King our Messias among other things sayth The spirite of the Lord shal rest vpon him the spirite of wisdome and vnderstanding the spirite of counsel and strength the spirite of knowledge and of the feare of the Lorde and shall make him of deepe iudgement in the feare of GOD. Though he declared manye yet hath he not reckoned vp all the powers of the spirite Therefore it is not for vs to bring into a streight and with the common sorte to comprise in a narrowe number of seuen the powers of the spirite For we haue heard hetherto that there is the spirite of promise of doctrine of humilitie and gentlenesse c. To whiche beside these there are reckoned vp very many together For he is the spirite of wisedome But howe great this is and howe farre it reacheth it is manifest euen in the words of Solomon To wisedome is ioyned vnderstanding which is sayde to be the action and applying of wisedome ordered or framed to things places times and persons Counsel is required and giuen in doutfull matters and sheweth what we may most conueniently doe Strength ministreth sufficient force and constancie to execute and perfourme yea and patiently to beare what so euer by counsel we haue learned eyther to be done or to be suffered And nowe knowledge is an experience obteined and gotten by long time and vse Vnto these is feare added that is to say godlinesse and true religion wherevnto vnlesse we referre all oure sayings and doings wisedome vnderstanding coūsel strength and knowledge shal nothing profite vs. To be short who so euer is indued with the spirit of God whatsoeuer he shal either do or say wil sauour of the feare of god finally he shal say do al things vnto the glory of god al these things truly are fréely
And where the spirite of the Lord is there is libertie This is he which by water woorketh the second byrth or regeneration being a certeine seede of heauenly generation and he that consecrateth the heauenly natiuitie being a pledge of the promised inheritance and as it were a certein hand writing of euerlasting saluation who maketh vs the temple of God and bringeth to passe that wee be his dwelling house who perfourmeth the office of an Aduocate maketh intercessioÌ„ for vs in the hearing of God with sighes that can not be vttered And pouring foorth his gifts of defence is giuen to be a dweller in our hearts and a worker of holinesse who exercising that in vs bringeth oure bodies vnto euerlastingnesse and vnto the resurrection of immortalitie while hee accustometh them to bee partakers in him of his heauenly power and to bee coupled with the heauenly eternitie of the holy Ghost For our bodies are trayned vp in him by him to proceede to immortalitie whilest they learne to behaue them selues moderately according to his ordinaunces For it is he that lusteth contrarie to the flesh bycause the fleshe fighteth against him It is he which bridleth insatiable lustes which tameth immoderate coÌ„cupiscences which quencheth vnlawful desires which vaÌ„quisheth flaming affections whiche abhorreth drâ—nkennesse whiche banisheth 〈◊〉 which abandoneth 〈◊〉 bâ—nkettings which knitteth the knot of loue and charitie which subdueth the affections driueth awaye sectes sheweth the rule of truth conuinceth heretiques casteth out the wicked is a dâ—fence to the gospell Of him the apostle also saith For we haue not receiued the spirite of the world but the spirit which is of god Of this spirit he triumpheth saith And I thinke verily that I haue the spirite of god Of him he saith And the spirite of the prophets is subiect to the prophetes Of him he saith againe Nowe the spirit speaketh euidently that in the latter times some shal depart froÌ„ the faith giuing hede vnto spirits of error and doctrines of diuels which speake false in hypocrisie hauing their conscience scared with an hote yron No man beeing guided by this spirit calleth Iesus execrable no man denyeth that Christe is the sonne of God or forsaketh god the Creator no man vttereth any of his own words against the scriptures neither doth any maÌ„ establish other wicked decrees no man coÌ„mandeth contrarie lawes Whosoeuer blasphemeth against this spirite shall neuer haue forgiunes neither in this world nor in the world to come It is he that in the Apostles beareth witnesse to Christ that sheweth constant faith of religioÌ„ in martirs that planteth maruelous continencie of assured loue in virgines that kepeth the lawes of the Lords doctrine vncorrupted and vndefiled in others that confoundeth heretikes reformeth the froward reproueth the vnfaithful reuealeth dissemblers and punisheth the wicked and preserueth the church chaste and vnstained in purenesse of perpetuall virginitie and holinesse of trueth Thus farre Tertul. Thus farre not without trembling we haue intreted of the moste holie mysterie of the reuerend Trinitie the father the sonne and the holie ghoste which we haue learned out of the scriptures and here nowe we will stay humbly worshipping this vnitie in trinitie and trinitie in vnitie And let vs kéepe in mind and acknowledge this distinction or diuision most manifestly declared in the scriptures and the vnitie also coÌ„mended vnto vs with excéeding great diligence For in the scripture the beginning of doing and the flowing founteine and welspring of al things is attributed to the father wisedome counsel the verie dispensatioÌ„ in doing things is ascribed to the sonne y force effectual power of working is assigned to the holy ghost Howbeit let vs take heede least through the distinction we separate the vnitie of the substaunce of god For there is but one God in whome those properties are It is but one fire thoughe there be thrée things séene in it light brightnesse and heate For these rise together and cease all at once The light goeth not before the brightnes 〈◊〉 that the 〈◊〉 before the heate And though onâ— thing â—e â—â—â—â—â—buted to â—he light an other thing to the brightnesse and a third thing to the heate yet they worke vnseparably Therefore when we reade that God created the worlde we vnderstande that the father from whome are all things by the sonne by whom are all thinges in the holy ghoste in whome are all thinges created the worlds And when we read that the sonne became flesh suffered died and rose againe for our saluation we beleue that the father and the holy ghost though they were not partakers of his incarnation and passion yet notwithstanding that they wrought that our saluation by the sonne whom we beléeue neuer to haue bene separated from them And when sinnes are said to be forgiuen in the holy ghoste we beléeue that this benefite and all other benefites of our blessednesse are vnseparably giuen and bestowed vpon vs from one onely true liuing and euerlasting God who is the father the sonne and the holie ghoste To whome be peayse and thankesgiuing for euer and euer Amen Of good and euill spirites that is of the holie Angels of God and of diuels or euill spirits and of their operations The ninth Sermon NExt vnto this sermon of the holie Ghost I will adde a treatise of good and euill spirites that is of the holie Angels of god and of diuels or wicked spirites and of their operations Of whome since the holy scripture deliuereth vs an assured doctrine and in all pointes profitable it séemeth that we ought not lightly to regard it but with as much faith and diligence as we can to bring it vnto light It were a foule fault in him that studieth after godlinesse to be ignorant of the dispositions of good and euill angels of whome so often mention is made in the holy scriptures yea it were a thing most dangerous not to know what maner of creatures the diuels are which vnder that 〈…〉 spoyle vs â–ª But firâ—â— we will speake of holy angels and then 〈…〉 The worde Angel some sâ—y to â—e a name of office not of 〈…〉 common to the 〈◊〉 and Gréeks of whome it is borrowed and it signifieth an embassadour or legate and therefore it hath a larger signification For the preachers of the truth are called Angels as in Malachie and in the Apostle Paule For they are the embassadours or messingers of the Lord of hoastes S. Peter also calleth euill spirites Angels as Paule also doth saying that the faithful shal one day iudge the Angels and that the Angel or messinger of Sathan was sent vnto him howbeit the scripture peculiarly calleth Angels the blessed spirites of God Ministers and messingers and heauenly armies But the Saduceis denied that there be angels For Luke in the Actes of the Apostles sayth The Saduceis say that there is no resurrection neyther Angel nor spirite but the
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
is of no force hee can make to bee of force Because in those thinges with him what he willeth his will is in steed of reason Neither is there any may saye vnto him why doest thou so For hee can dispense aboue the lawe of vnrighteousnes make righteousnes correcting and chaunging lawes For hee hath the fulnes of power Thus farre he But who heareth these thigs without horror both of bodie mind Who vnder stādeth not that the saying of Daniel is fulfilled He shal think that he may change times lawes Who vnderstandeth not that y saying of Paul is fulfilled who sayth I know this that after my departing shal greuous wolues enter in among you not spareing the flock also of your owne selues shal mē arise speaking peruers things to draw away disciples after them For frō bishops from them the aduance bishops came forth this man of sinne who placeth himselfe in the throne of the lambe and challengeth those thinges to him selfe whiche are proper onely to the lambe of which sort are the supreme gouernement priesthood lordship and full power in the churche Wherof I haue spoken inough in the former sermons Whom doeth it now not moue to thinke that that saying of Paule is fulfilled The aduersarie or enimie of Christ shal be reuealed shal be exalted aboue all that is called God or that is worshipped so that he as God sitteth in the temple of God shewing himself that he is God. But the Popes chāpions dispute that it is for the profite saluation yea necessary for the church to haue some one bishop to haue preeminēce ouer the other both indignitie power But let thē dispute set forth this their idol as they please they which will simplie confesse the truth must néeds fréely acknowledge that the Pope is antichriste For that whiche these men babble of the supremacie of the 〈◊〉 is flatly 〈◊〉 to the doctrine of the Gospel and of the Apostles For what more euident thinge can be alledged against their disputations than that whiche the Lord said to his disciples when they striued for souercigntie The kinges of the Gentiles reigne ouer them and they that beare rule ouer them are called Gratious Lords But ye shall not bee so but let the greatest among you be as the least the chiefest as he that serueth For who is greater hee that sitteth at table or he that serueth is not hee that sitteth at table And I am amonge you as he that serueth This place I alledged and discussed briefly also in my former Sermon This simple and plaine trueth shall continue inuincible against al the disputations of these Harpyes The most holy Apostles of our Lord Christ will not be Lords ouer any mā vnder pretence of religiō yea S. Peter in plaine words forbiddeth lordship ouer Gods heretage cōmaundeth bishops to be exāples to the flock Wheras they obiect y Christ said to Peter thou art Peter vpon this rock I will build my churche I wil giue vnto thee the keyes of the kingdome of heauen c. And Feede my sheepe And therevpon that S. Peter was appointed ouer all the Apostles and in them ouer all priests ministers and bishops the chiefe and prince yea and the monarche of the whole world it maketh nothing at all to establishe their dominion or Lordship Wée willingly graunt that S. Peter is the chiefe of the Apostles wée also our selues doe willingly call S. Peter the prince of the Apostles but in that sense that we call Moses Dauid Helias or Esaie the chiefe or Princes of the prophets that is to say such as haue obteyned farre more excellent giftes than the rest But that Peter was the chiefe or prince after that sort that these men wil haue him we denie and denie againe most constantly And therewithall wee defend S. Peter and cleare him from those spotts wherewithall these men striue to defile him euen being dead He had not remayned faithfull towardes his maister if he had taken to himself rule or dominion In all places wee read that Peter was equall with the other disciples but in no place in the scripture that he was their master And S. Paule in the beginning of his epistle to the Galathians sheweth in many woordes that he in Apostleship is nothing inferiour to Peter Neither when hee came to Hierusalem came he to that end he might kisse his féete or to professe subiection but that by their méeting and friendly conference together euery one throughout all churches might vnderstand there was perfecte consent in opinions betwéene Peter and Paul and that as touching Apostleshipp their authoritie was equal In the same place Paule calleth Iames Peter and Iohn pillers He doeth not attribute that prerogatiue to Peter alone whiche notwithstanding he had rightly done if hee had receiued supremacie atthe hands of the Lord as these men doe affirme How commeth it that Peter doeth nothing of his owne head but referreth ecclesiastical matters to the rest of the disciples as to his fellowes in authoritie whiche thinge we may sée in the Actes In another place he calleth himselfe a fellowe elder not the prince of priestes When he was sent by the Apostles with Iohn into Samaria he requireth not another to be sent least his supremacie shuld séeme to be diminished but willingly obeyeth But if we shuld graūt that Peter was chiefe of the Apostles after the sort as these men do affirme would it thervpon follow that the pope is the prince of the whole church yea of the whole world For as the pope is not Peter so the 12. or 11. apostles are not the whole world Moreouer Peter could not giue that he had not he had not an empire ouer the whole world therefore he gaue it not But Constantine gaue it to Syluester say they But if we neuer so perfectly agréed that the donation of Constantine were true not feigned or forged which yet the best learned mē do affirme yet would not Syluester himself haue receiued an imperie or dominion though it had bin offered him For the voice of the high and heauēly prince Christ had béen of more authoritie with him The kinges of the nations beare rule ouer thē but it shal not be so with you thā the foolish affection of an earthly emperor Shal wee beléeue the Peter would haue receiued secular power with imperial gouernmēt if the emperor Nero had profered it him No in no wise For this word of the Lord toke déep roote in his inward bowels But it shall not bee so with you Before he had receiued the holye ghost wādring in blindnes with the rest of the multitude of Iewes he imagined that the kingdom of Christ in earth shuld be an earthly kingdome But after he receiued the holy ghost he vnderstood that the throne of Christe the chiefe king emperor was not on the earth but situated in heauē He knew that Christ our
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
Gentiles Againe when the same Paule at Corinthe had preached Christe to the Iewes and they resisted and reuiled The Apostle shooke his rayment and sayde Your bloude be vppon your owne heades I am cleane from hencefoorth I will goe vnto the Gentiles And so he did â—â—nd the vnbeléeuers And God confirmed the preaching of Paule bycause it procéeded from God him selfe And vnlesse you put the proper and true keye into the locke you shall neuer open it The true and right keye is the pure worde of God the counterfet and théeuishe key is a doctrine and tradition of man estraunged from the worde of god I thinke I haue sufficiently proued by euident testimonies of the scripture that the keys giuen to the Apostles and Pastours of the Churche and so to the Churche it selfe are nothing else than the ministerie of teaching the Church For by the doctrine of the Gospell as it were with certeine keyes the gate of the kingdome of heauen is opened when a sure and readie meane and waye is shewed to come to atteine vnto the participation of Christe and the ioyes of euerlasting life by true fayth To the testimonie of God mans recorde agréeth For Sainte Iohn Chrysostome vpon Matthewe chapter 23. The keye saythe he is the word of the knowledge of the scriptures by whiche the gate of truthe is opened to men And the key-bearers are the Priests to whom is committed the worde of teaching and interpreting the scriptures Other testimonies of olde interpreters of the Scriptures differing nothing from these of oures for that I am desirous to be briefe I do not bring Since these thinges are thus brethren and are deliuered vnto vs in the expresse Scriptures we will not therefore greatly passe what the Papistes babble touching the power of the keyes and what offices dignities preferments and I knowe not what other thing and what authoritie of Priestes they deriue from thence We haue learned not out of the wordes or opinions of men but out of the manifest worde of GOD that the keys are the ministerie of the preaching of the worde of GOD and that the keyes are giuen to the Apostles and to their successours that is to say the office of preaching remission of sinnes repentaunce and life euerlasting is coÌ„mitted to them Wherevpon we nowe conclude this that the chiefe office of a Pastour of the church is to vse those very keyes whiche the Lorde hath deliuered to his Apostles and no other that is to preache the onely and pureworde of GOD and not to fetche any doctrine from any other place than out of the verie worde of god For there is a perpetuall and inuiolable lawe at this day also layde vpon our Pastours which we reade was layd vpon the most auncient gouernours of the Churche the Lorde him selfe witnessing in Malachie and saying My couenaunt was with Leuie of life and peace and I gaue him feare and he feared me and was afrayde before my name The lawe of truth was in his mouth and there was no iniquitie found in his lippes he walked with me in peace and equitie and turned many from their iniquitie For the Priestes lippes shoulde preserue knowledge and they shoulde seeke the lawe at his mouth for hee is the messinger of the Lorde of hoastes Againe the Lord sayth to Ezechiel Thou shalt heare the word at my mouth and giue them warning from me In Ieremie the Lorde sayth The Prophete that hath a dreame let him tell a dreame and hee that hath my woorde let him speake my woorde faythfully He expressely puts a difference betwéene heauenly things and earthly thinges betwéene those thinges whiche are of the word of GOD and those that are feigned and chosen by man whiche hée willeth to let passe as vncerteine thinges and as dreames For he immediately addeth Is not my worde as fire sayth the Lorde and like a hammer that breaketh the harde stone And againe Heare not the wordes of the Prophetes that preache vnto you and deceiue you truly they teache you vanitie for they speake the meaning of their owne hearte and not out of the mouth of the lord Therefore all the true Prophetes of GOD haue this continually in their mouth Thus sayth the Lorde The mouth of the Lorde hath spoken it And therefore they deliuered vnto the people nothing contrarie vnto the worde of god The olde people had also the Scripture And the Prophetes were nothing else but interpreters of the Lawe applying the same to the place time matters and persons Also oure Lorde Iesus Christe sayth oftentimes that his doctrine is not his owne but the fathers Whiche thing if you vnderstande literally and according to his words I knowe not whether any thing can be spoken more absurde Therefore the Lorde meaneth that his doctrine is not of man but of god Doth not he sende vs continually to the writinges of the Lawe and the Prophetes and confirmeth his owne sayinges by them But Christe is the onely teacher of religion and maister of lyfe appoynted vnto the vniuersall Churche by GOD the father To this Churche he himselfe also sending teachers and shewing them what they shoulde deliuer fayth Teach them to obserue those thinges which I haue commaunded you Also Goe into the whole worlde and preache the Gospell to all creatures But the Apostle Paule witnesseth that the Gospel was promised by the Prophetes of God in the holy Scriptures And this doctrine receiued of Christe the Apostles deliuered to the nations adding nothing vnto it taking nothing from it and there withall also they expounding the auncient writings of the Prophetes yet neyther in this matter trusting any thing to their owne wit nor being ruled by their owne iudgement For the Apostle Peter saith As euery man hath receiued the gift euen so minister the same one to an other as good stewardes of the manifold graces of god If any man speak let him talke as the words of god Tertullian also in his booke intituled De Praescript haeret which I haue also elswhere rehearsed expresly saith It is not lawful for vs in any thing to rest vpoÌ„ our owne fancie or iudgemeÌ„t neither yet to be negligent markers what any other man bringeth foorth of his owne braine We haue the Apostles of the Lord for authours for not they them selues did choose any thing whiche they might establish after their own fancie and the doctrine whiche they receiued of Christe they faythfully deliuered to the nations And therefore if euen an Angel from heauen should preach any otherwise he shal be accurssed at our hands Thus farre he We haue moreouer shewed in our sermons of faith and of the churche that faith dependeth vpon the only worde of God and that it wholy stayeth vpon the onely word of God also that the churches of god are builded and preserued by the worde of God and not by mans doctrine all whiche séeme to apperteine to this matter Neyther is it leâ—t to the byshops
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
behauiour is to be vsed in the church The place is to be séene in the 11. cha of the first Epistle to the Cor. That which remaineth of this matter the blessed martyr of Christ Cyprian cōprehendeth in these wordes Let the wordes prayers of such as pray be orderly gouerned keeping modestie shamfastnesse Let vs thinke we stande in the sight of god God his eyes must be delighted bothe in the gesture of our bodie and manner of our wordes for as it is the part of an impudēt person to vse clamorous shoutes in praying so cōtrariwise it besemes a shamfast persō to pray with modest prayers Some foolishly imagine y prayer is made either better or worse by the gesture of our bodies Therfore let them heare S. August lib. 2. ad Simplicianum Quaest 4. saying It skilleth not after what sort our bodies be placed ▪ so that the minde beeing presente with God doe bring her purpose to passe For we both pray standing as it is written The Publicane stoode a farre off and knéeling as we reade in the Actes of the Apostles and sitting as did Dauid and Helias And vnlesse we might pray lying it shuld not haue bin writen in the Psalmes Euerie night wash I my bedde For when any man seeketh to pray he placeth the members of his bodie after such a maner as it shal séeme most meete to him for the time to stirre vp his deuotion But when prayer is not sought but an appetite or desire to pray is offered when any thing commeth on the soudeine into our minde whereby wee are deuoutly moued to pray with sighes that can not be vttered after what manner soeuer it findeth a man doubtlesse prayer is not to be deferred vntill we haue sought in what place we may sitt or where we may stande or knéele downe Tertullian making mention of the behauiour of the Christians of his time whē they prayed in his Apologie against the Gentiles saith We Christians are al of vs euermore praying for al men looking vppe into heauen with our handes spread abroade because we are harmlesse we are bare headed because wee are not ashamed to bee shorte wee neede none to put vs in remembraunce because wee pray from the harte Where notwithstanding we must chefely haue in our remembrance the doctrine of our Sauiour in the Gospell saying When thou prayest thou shalt not bee as the hypocrites are for they loue to pray standing in the Synagogues and in the corners of the streets that they may be seene of men verily I say vnto you they haue their reward For aboue all thinges we must beware that we neither pray priuately nor publiquely to this end neither yet fashion the gesture of our bodie to get the vaine prayse of the people that we may séeme to be renowmed and accounted holie before men It sufficeth that wee please GOD and be allowed by his iudgement In the discourse of prayer no man will say that it is the smallest thing to knowe what you ought to pray what thing you should aske of God or for whome you should pray Here are to be considered the persons and thinges persons are either publique or priuate Publique persons are Bishops Teachers Magistrates and all set in authoritie For these men the writinges of the Prophetes Euangelistes and Apostles giue commandement to pray Paule more than once requireth intercessions to be made by the Churche vnto the Lorde for him that he might be deliuered from disordered froward men and that he might fréely preach the Gospell as it becamme him to preache it The same Paule commaundeth vs to pray for al those that be set in authoritie that we may lead a quiet and peaceable life in all godlinesse and honestie Priuate persons are our parents wife children kinsfolk allies neighbours citizens friends enimies sick persons captiues such as ar afflicted to be short all that are nigh about vs whose helth and safetie nature and Christian charitie willeth by prayers to commend vnto God and whereof there are also testimonies and examples in the Scripture But the thinges we shoulde pray for are those good things that are to be desired wherof some are heauenly spirituall or eternall and other earthly corporall or temporall Moreouer some thinges verilie are common othersome againe are priuate those things that are common pertaine to the whole church common wealth neither belonge they to a fewe as do priuate things And spirituall things are chiefly reckoned to be these faith hope charitie perseuerāce and that whole companie of all manner vertues the profite and safetie of the Church forgiuenesse of sinnes and life euerlasting Among the whiche not vnfitly are reckoned the giftes of vnderstandinge the liberall Sciences well ordered Scholes faithfull teachers godlie Magistrates vpright lawes Corporall things are a peaceable common wealth strong and valiant armies for warre helth strength and comlinesse of bodie abundance or sufficient wealth the safe prosperitie of wife and children the protection defence of fréendes and Citizens peace a good name and otherthings which are of this kinde But no man is ignorant that we ought to haue a greater care of spirituall things than corporall thinges and principally to desire heauenlie things And in corporall things there is also a choyce to be vsed that the profit of the common wealth be preferred before our own priuate gain For the common wealth continuing in safetie the Citizens may also be safe And so long as scholes and Vniuersities or places of learning be mainteyned there is hope that the common wealth shall neuer be destitute of wise vpright gouernours There are also in temporall goods some better than other some those thinges that are beste therefore the Saincts or godly men doe chiefely require of the Lord and neuerthelesse those whiche are of lesse value they vnderstand to come from him and therefore they aske them also of the Lorde They that are but meanely exercised in the Scriptures affirme that it is not lawful in prayer to aske corporall goods of the lord But they are cōfuted by many examples of the Scripture For not onely the Patriarches and Prophets but also the Apostles of Christe asked temporall goods of the Lord as defence against their enimies a good reporte and other things necessary for the bodie Which thing we shall lerne anon by the fourme of prayer which the lord him selfe hath taught vs diligently shewing vs what we should aske This also commeth in question in what toung prayer must be made They that affirme that priuatly and publiquely wee muste praye in Latine séeme in my iudgement to be out of their wits vnlesse they speake of suche as are skilfull in the Latine tounge For since wee must pray not onely with mouth and voice but also with hart minde how I pray you shall he praye with hearte and minde who vseth a language he vnderstandeth not Indéede he vttereth godlie wordes but he knoweth not what he sayeth For
reached farre Many thinges are sounge in the seruice of the papistes at the time of Easter and Whitsuntide which are not vnderstoode but by this lawe and custome At the lengthe it grewe out of vse and the faithfull were baptised as occasion and opportunitie firste serued This is also in controuersie Who ought to baptise what the baptiser worketh Of the last I wil speake first The baptiser giueth visiblie the sacrament of regeneration and a testimonie of the remission of sinnes but the Lorde by his spirite doth inuisibly regenerate and forgiueth sinnes and sealeth the regeneration Iohn and the Apostles baptise with water Christe baptiseth with the holy Ghost not onely with the visible signe of fire and the gyfte of tounges but euen he onely giueth all spiritual giftes Which thing the auncient fathers that they might expressely declare did diligently distinguishe betwéene power and ministerie For August tract in Ioh. 5. sayth It is one thing to baptise in way of ministerie another thing to baptise by power Our Lorde Iesus Christe coulde if he had would haue giuen power to any one seruaunt to giue his baptisme as in his steede could translate or remoue frō himself power to baptise and place it in one of his seruauntes and giue as greate force to baptisme being translated or remoued into his seruant as it should haue being giuē by the lord He wold not doe so for this purpose that the hope of thē which wer baptised shuld hang on him of whom they acknowledge them selues to be baptised He would not therefore that a seruaunte shoulde settle his hope in a seruaunt And therefore cryed the Apostle when hee sawe men willinge to putte their hope and truste in him Was Paule crucified for you Or were yee baptised in the name of Paule Paule therefore baptised as a minister not as the power it selfe but the Lorde baptised as the power And againe Iohn Baptist learned by the doue Vppon whomesoeuer thou shalt see the spirite descending like vnto a doue and tariestil vpon him the same is he whiche baptiseth with the holy ghost Therefore O doue let not deceiuers seduce thee which say Wee baptise O doue acknowlege what the doue taught The same is he which baptiseth with the holy Ghost By the doue it is knowen that it is hee doest thou thinke that thou arte baptised by his power by whose ministerie thou art baptised If thou bee of that minde thou art not yet in the bodie of the doue and if thou bee not in the bodie of the doue it is no maruel because thou hast not simplicitie For simplicitie especially is figured by the doue Iohn learned by the simplicitie of the doue that this is hee which baptiseth with the holy ghost Thus farre he Furthermore the minister of the Church being lawfully ordeined ought to baptise The Donatistes contende that none can baptise but he whiche is pure holy They boldly auouched that the baptisme was fruitelesse and voide of effecte which a lewde liuing minister or defiled with wicked vices did administer Against these Augustine grauely disputed and conuinced thē by the trueth of the scripture He in his 166. Epistle saith See howe peruersely and wickedly that is spoken which ye are wont to say Because if he be a good man he sanctifieth him whom he baptiseth but if he be an euill man and he not know so muche which is baptised then God sanctifieth him If this be true then men ought rather to wishe to be baptised of minsters vnknown to be euil then of them whiche are knowen to bee good that they may rather be sanctified of God than of man But farre from vs be this madnesse Why then doe wee not speake trueth and are rightly wise Because that grace belongeth alway to GOD and the Sacramente is his and the ministerie onely committed vnto man who if he be good he cleaueth to God and worketh with God but if he be euil GOD woorketh by him the visible fourme of the sacrament but he himselfe giueth the inuisible grace Herein let vs al be wise and let there bee no schismes or diuisions among vs. The same Augustine in his thirde booke Contra literas Petiliani ca. 49. doeth plentifully sette forth the same mattter And because wee haue also handled the same thinge in the ende of our former sermon nexte before this it is néedelesse to speake one thing twise Here is a question obiected vnto vs touching the baptisme of Middewiues Whether women Midwiues vppon the point of necessitie that is when the Infante is in ieopardie to die before hee come to bee baptised at the handes of the Ecclesiasticall minister ought and may babtise We answer that baptisme is a sacrament of the Churche that women are forbidden to minister in the Church therfore that they neither can nor ought to baptise as they are by no meanes permitted to teache The lawes of the Apostle are well known But I suffer not a womā saith Paule to teache neither to vsurpe authoritie ouer the man but to bee in silence The same lawe is repeated of the same Apostle 1. Cor. 14. is cōfirmed by Gods law Mans testimonies agrée with gods For Tertulliin his booke De Velandis Virginibus sayeth It is not permitted vnto a woman to speake in the Churche muche lesse to teache or to babtise nor to offer neither to take to her self the execution of any mannes office muche lesse the priestes This also is read repeated in the fourth counsel of Carthage where also Aurelius Augustine is said to haue béene present Epiphanius Bishop of Salome in Cypres disputing againste diuerse heresies and confuting Marciō saith He also giueth women leaue licēce to baptise He saith as muche of the Quintilian and Peputian heretiques He also reasoning against the heretiques Collyridiani sayeth If women were cōmanded to sacrifice vnto God or to execute any regular thing in the churche then Marie ought rather to do sacrifice in the new Testament whiche was made worthie to carrie in her owne armes the king of al kings the heauenly God the sonne of God whose wombe was made a temple and dwelling for the dispensation of the Lord in the flesh being prepared for that purpose throughe the bountifulnes and maruelous mysterie of god But it did not so please god But neither was it committed or graunted vnto her to baptise Otherwise her sonne might haue bin rather baptised of her thā of Iohn The same author addeth And truly there is in the Church an order of women ministers called women-deacons but not permitted to sacrifice neither to attempt any thing but for reuerence sake of women-kind or for the houre of bathing or visiting or for affection and trauel Whereas they obiecte the example of Sephora the Madianite wife of Moses whiche circumcised her sonne in the time of necessitie that doeth establishe no common lawe as the particular example of Delbora maketh not all women Iudges For there are
exâ—â—sition of the scripture 〈◊〉 not be câ—â—trary to the artiâ—â—â— of our beliefe The expositioÌ„ must not be repugnant to the loue of God and our neighbour 〈◊〉 expounâ—â—â—g the â—â—â—â—ptures â—e must â—â—rk that â—â—at goeth â—â—fore and â—â—lloweth â—â—â—er and 〈◊〉 the circumstaÌ„â—es The exposition of gâ—ds word â—â—st be maâ—â— by 〈◊〉 layinâ—â—â—geâ—her of â—iuers places 2. Pet. 1. The scriâ—tures mâ—â— be expoâ—â—ded wiâ—â— zealous â— hertafâ—â— earnest prayer The deâ—nitions 〈◊〉 faith The description of true fayth The begiâ—ning and cause of faith Faith is planted by the worde of God. We muste â—raye for â—rue fayth That faith is an vndoubted persuasion of the minde Faith beleueth not euerithing what soeuer Examples â—f vndoubâ—ed saith â—herunto â—aith leaâ—eth and what the â—biect or â—oundation of faith 〈◊〉 Two chief â—â—inâ—s of â—aith True faiâ—â— seeketh aâ—â— good thiâ—ges in 〈◊〉 through Christ â—rue faith â—eleeueth 〈◊〉 holy â—â—riptures Fayth is â—ue alone 〈…〉 religions but no more theâ— one true fayth Faith doâ—â— encrease and decrease Generall and particular faith Faith inspâ—red and Faith gotten 〈…〉 mall 〈…〉 The power and efâ—ecte of faith Faith is the true knowledge that maketh men wise How man may attaine to â—he chiefe goodnesse Faith maketh happy Faith quickneth Faith ioyneth to god Faith iâ—stifieth Iustification What it is â—o iustifie â—hriâ—t hath 〈◊〉 on â—im self 〈…〉 sinnes The 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of since â—re takeâ— away by Chriâ—â— The death â—f Christ a â—â—ll satisâ—â—ction for â—ur sinnes Howe punishment is laide on vs. God hath â—ppointed â—â—at he â—hat beleeâ—eth shuld â—aue eternall life and be iustified Men are â—ustified â—y faith â—lone Christ coÌ„pared with Adam Gods Testament We are not iustified by the workes oâ— the Lawâ— but by Faith Christ died not in vaine All men are sinnerâ— God iuâ—â—â—fieth as 〈◊〉 the Gentiles as 〈◊〉 Iewes by faith By what meanes â—ur father â—braham was iustiâ—â—ed Neither is â—aith nor the promis of none effect â—ustification of free gift Faith sheweth foorth and expresseth it selfe by good workes Faith onely iustifieth Of good workes Faith the â—oore of al good â—oâ—kes Faith the victorie 〈◊〉 al Christians The Apoâ—tles 〈◊〉 The partition of the Apostles Creede God is one in suâ—stance anâ— three in persons I beleeue in God God is called a father God is called Almighty â—od is the mâ—ker of heauen â—nd earth The secoÌ„d article of our belief To belieue in the Sonnâ— of God. Who the Sonne of God is Consubstantial â—oesseÌ„tiall The onely Sonne Iesus Christe Christe is our Lord. The 3. Article of our bâ—lieâ— The causes of the Lord his incarnatioÌ„ Immanuel A mediatour Tâ—e manner of 〈◊〉 his â—â—nceptioÌ„ The causes why Christ hiâ— conceptioÌ„ is pure Of the birth of Christ The fourth Article of our belief â—â—â—ist did 〈◊〉 Christ sufered vnâ—er Pâ—ntiâ—s Pilate Our Lord was buried He descended into Hell. The fift article of ouâ— belief The glorious resurrection of Christe What a resurrection â—s Out of from the dead He was â—rucified dead tokeÌ„ downe and laid â—â— his granâ— vpon 〈◊〉 Friday where his body â—ay â–ª Saturday that is Eâ—â—er eueâ— and one Sunday which is Easter day in the morning he rose againe froÌ„ death to life The sixte article of our belief The glorious ascension of Christ The forâ— of Christ his ascension into heauen He ascenâ—ed into â—eauen He sitteth at the right hand of God the father Almighty The definition of gods right hand take here for the places name To sit is to be at rest and enioy felicitie Gods right hand the name of his power and in this signification to sit is to reign Saint Hierom of the â—ight haÌ„d of the faâ—her Saint Augustine of the right hand of 〈◊〉 father â—â—int Fulgentius His humanitie iâ— lâ—cal that is â—â—â—teined iâ— space of â—lace but â—â—s Godhead incoÌ„preheÌ„sible as that that is euery where 〈…〉 not 〈◊〉 in any place Saint vigilius The seuenth Article Christ a Iudge To Iudgâ— what it 〈◊〉 The picâ—ure of â—he laste â—â—dgemeÌ„t The quick and dead are iudged The reward and punishment is moste certaine the eighth article of our faith The father in Christ hath fully giuen vs all heauenly treasures The ninth â—rticle of â—ur belief â—ee must â—ot in our â—onfession â—y I beâ—â—eue in â—he church Cyprian Augustine Paschasius â—â—int Greâ—orie â—homas â—quine Pope Leo. The Catholike Church The true Churche Wee beleeue the Church to be holy How the Church 〈◊〉 holy The coâ—munion of 〈◊〉 The tenth â—rticle of our belief The acknowledging and confessing of our sinnes Oâ—r sins arâ— forgiâ—eÌ„ of god 〈◊〉 for â—ur owne merits but for Christ his sake All sinnes are forgeuen God alone and not man forgeueth sinns Howe sins are forgeuen We make not satisfaction for punishmeÌ„t The eleâ—enth artiâ—le of our â—aith The resurrection of the flesh Whether the same bodies that do â—utâ—ifie rise again Testimoniâ—s of the true resurrection In what sort our bodies shal rise again Of what facion our bodies shal be in the resurrection A glorious body What a glorious â—â—dy is Glorious bodies rest free from vilenesse The natural and spiâ—â—tuall body Fleshe and â—â—oud â—hal not be 〈◊〉 heauen Sâ—â—su aniâ—â—li Animalis The bodies of thâ— wicked shall also rise agaâ—n The tâ—elfth article of our belief Lyfe eueâ—lasting The face of God. Loue and câ—antie Loue froÌ„ whence it is Double charitie The leâ— of God â–ª By the loue of God all euilles are ouercome The loue â—f God faâ—oneth vs 〈◊〉 the will 〈◊〉 pleaâ—â—re of â—od The manner how to loue God. Gâ—d alone to be loued Who is our neighbour The 〈…〉 â—ny one â—hat is a â—â—an as wel 〈◊〉 we An order â—nd meaâ—â—re in 〈◊〉 Howe our neighbour must be loued The loue of our neighbour must bee sincere We must loue our neighbour as our self We must loue ouâ— neighboâ—â— as Chrisâ—â— hath loue vs. Howe we ought to stand our nâ—ighbour in steede The pith of Charity Loue the fulfilling of the laâ— Workes of mercie An exhortation to Loue What law is The diuision of â—awes The laâ— of natuâ—â— ConscieÌ„câ— Nature Two especial points of the law of nature The Genâ—â—lâ—s knew God. Friendship societâ—â— of men tâ— be preseâ—ued The Lawe of nature answerable to the written Lawe 1 Of God. The Ethnickes sentâ—nces are in some plâ—ces maâ—â—â—ed 2 The Gentiles against idoles 3 The name â—f God â—ighly esâ—eemed 4 The Genâ—â—les keeâ—ers of reâ—â—gion 5 The honoâ—ring of parentes 6 Murder adulterie 8 Theft 9 Lies False witnesses A hill in Rome Cataâ—a a Towne in Sicilie 10 Concupiscence Nature without grace of none effect â—awes of â—en â—awes of â—licie Ecclesiasâ—â—cal Laâ—â— Superstitious lawâ—â— Mens â—â—â—ditions What the Lawe of God is The moâ—all lawe The Ceremoniall Lawe The Iudiciall Lawe The Law was euen before Moses time The Patriarches before Moses had the Ceremoniall and iudiciall Lawes The Moâ—al Lawe endureâ— still The maâ—estie and â—ignitie of â—he moral â—awe 〈…〉 the â—â—st holy 〈◊〉 in 〈…〉 of 〈◊〉 Two Tables
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
and him that is in prisoÌ„n and forsaken in Israel and will take away the remnaunte of the house of Ieroboam as one carieth away dunge till all be gone And al these thinges were fulfilled according to the saying of the Lord as the Scripture witnesseth in these words WheÌ„ Baasa was king he smote all the house of Ieroboam and left nothing that breathed of that that was Ieroboams But the very same king being nothing the better or wiser by an others mishap miserable example of his predecessour sticketh not to continue to teach the people to publish and defend the straung and forreine religion contrarie to the woord of God which Ieroboam had begunne But what followed thereuppon Forsothe the Lord by the preaching of Hanani the Prophete doth say vnto him Forasmuch as I exalted the out of the dust and made thee prince ouer my people Israell and thou hast walked in the way of Ieroboam and hast made my people Israell to sinne to anger mee with their sinnes behold I will roote out the posteritie of Baasa and the posteritie of his house and will make thy house like the house of Ieroboam Which was perfourmed as the scripture saith by Simâ—â— capitaine of the hoaste of Israel For he destroyed king Hela the sonne of Baasa when he was drunken and all his posteritie Amri succeeded in the kingdome who was the father of Achab that mischesous cutthroate whom the Syrians siue in fighting a battaile Aâ—ter him reigned his sonnes Ochosias and Ioram But when they left the religion taught in the woord of God to follow the new tradition of king Ieroboam and had thereunto added the worshipping of the shamefull idole Baal they were vtterly at last destroyed by the meanes of Iehu a very iust although a rigorous prince The ofspring of Amri reigned about the space of 40. yeares not without the sheading of much innocent bloud but it was at last destroyed when that measure of iniquitie was fulfilled was vtterly plucked vp at the rootes by the iust iudgment of Almightie god Let al Princes and magistrates therfore learne by these wonderfull and terrible examples to take héede to themselues how they deuise any new religioÌ„ or alter the lawful auncient maner of worshipping which God himselfe hath ordeined alreadie Our faithfull Lord is our good God who hath fullie simplie and absolutely set downe in his word his true religion lawfull kind of worshippe which hee hath taught all mâ—n to kéepe alone for euermore Let all men therefore cleaue fast vnto it and let them die in defence thereof that meane to liue eternallie They are punished from aboue whosoeuer doe adde too or take away any thing from the religion and kind of worshippe first ordeined and appointed of god Marcke this ye great men and Princes of authoritie For the kéeping or not héeping of true religion is the roote from whence aboundant fruite of felicitie or else vtter vnhappinesse doth spring and bud out Hee therefore that hath eares to heare let him heare Let no man suffer himselfe to bee seduced and caried away with any coloured intent how gooâ—ly to the eye secuer it bee which is in deede a meere vanitie and detestable iniquitie To God obedience is much more acceptable than sacrifices are Neither doe the decrees of the highest néede any whit at al our fond additions Here followeth now the second part of the magistrates ordinaunce which consisteth in making good lawes for the preseruation of honestie iustice and publique peace Which is likewise accomplished in good and vpright lawes But some there are who think it meere tyrannie to lay lawes on frée mens backs as it were a yoake vppon necks not vsed to labour supposing that euerie one ought rather to be left to his owne wil and discretion The Apostle in dede did say The lawe is not giuen for the iust but for the vniust But the cause whie the lawe is not giuen to the iust is because hée is iust For the iust worketh iustice and doth of his owne accord the thing which the lawe exacteth of euerie mortall man Wherefore the lawe is not troublesome to the iuste man because it is agréeable to the mind and thoughts of vpright liuers who doe imbrace it with all their hearts But the vniust desireth nothing more than to liue as hée iusteth hée is not conformable in any point to the lawe and therefore must hée by the lawe be kept vnder and brideled from marring himselfe and hurting other So then since to good men the lawes are no troublesome burden but an acceptable pleasure which are also necessarie for the vniuste as ordeined for the brideling of lawlesse and vnrulie people it followeth consequently that they are good and profitable for all men and not to bee reiected of any man What may bee said of that moreouer that God himselfe who did foresée the disposition of vs men what wee would bee and hath still fauoured the true libertie which hée desired alwayes to haue preserued amonge his people as one that euer meant them good and neuer did ordeine the thing that should tourne to their hinderaunce or discommoditie that God himselfe I say was their lawegiuer and hath not suffered any age at any time to liue as people without all lawe Yea too those common weales haue beene happie alwayes that haue admitted lawes and submitted themselues to be gouerned by lawes When as contrarilie those kingdomes haue of all other beene most miserable and torne in peeces by ciuil dissentions forreigne enimies which hauing banished vpright lawes did striue to mainteine their owne kind of fréedome their vncomptrolled dealing and licentious libertie that is their beastly luste and vnciuil rudenesse Good lawes therefore are for the health and preseruation of the people and necessarie for the peace and safegard of common weales and kingdomes Wherefore it is a wonder to see the follie of â—ome Christians since the verie Heathens haue giuen so honest report of lawes and lawegiuers They tooke their lawegiuers for Gods confessing therby that good lawes are the gift of god But the gift of God cannot be superfluous and vnprofitable Plutarch called lawes the life of cities Demosthenes did expressely confesse that lawes are the giftes of god Cicero named lawes the bondes of the citie because without lawes it is loosed dispersed the foundation of libertie and the wellspring of iustice and perfect honestie For lawes vndoubtedly are the strongest sinewes of the coÌ„mon weale life of the magistrates so that neither the magistrates can without the lawes conueniently liue and rule the weale publique nor the lawes without the magistrates shew forth their strength and liuely force The magistrate therefore is the liuing lawe and the lawe is the dumbe magistrate By executing and applying the lawe the lawe is made to liue and speake Which those Princes do not consider that are wont to say Wir sind das racht wée are the right wée are the lawe For they suppose
they were simple and yet they pearce to the inward partes of the heart When hee speaketh softly beleeue him not for there are seuen mischiefes in his hart And therefore in Ecclesiastes it is very well sayd It is better to heare the rebuke of a wise man than the songe of a foole That is of a flatterer And yet althoughe flatterie bée so great an euill it is notwithstanding fauoured of all men so that as an infecting plague it is crepte into the Church into Princes Palaces into Iudges Courtes and euerie priuate house For like an alluring Mermayde it hath a songe that doeth delight our flesh For wée like fooles are blinded with selfe loue and doe not marke that flatteries and allurementes doe breede oure destruction Ezeâ—hiel blameth greatly all flattering Preachers and sayeth Woe vnto them that lay to the people peace people peace peace when there is no peace which dawbe with vntempered morter which sowe entising pillowes vnder euerie elbowe and put alluting kercheifes vpon euery head to hunt after catch soules Of such kinde of teachers that delight more in lyes and flatterie than in syncere veritie the Apostle Paule saith The time shall come that they shall not abide to heare sounde doctrine but they whose eares do ytche shall gett them teachers according to their lustes and shall turne their eares from the truth and shal be turned vnto fables And Dauid praying against this plague as the thing that is most pernicious to all kinges and Princes in authoritie doeth say The righteous shall smite mee friendly but the precious baulmes of the wicked shal not annoynt my head And againe Lord deliuer mee from lying lippes and a deceiptful tongue Thus much haue I hetherto said for the exposition of the ninth commaundement Now followeth the tenth and last commaundement which word for word is expressed thus Thou shalt not couet thy neighbours house thou shalt not couet thy neighbours wife nor his manseruaunt nor his maydseruaunt nor his oxe nor his asse nor any thing that is thy neighbours Which words the Lord in the fifte of Deut â–ª doth lay downe in this maner and order Thou shalt not couet thy neighbours wife thou shalt not couet thy neighbours house nor his field nor his manseruaunt nor his maydseruaunt nor his oxe nor his asse nor any thing that is thy neighbours Neither is there any difference or contrarietie in the thing it selfe although in Exod. Thy neighbours house and in Deuteronomie Thy neighbours wife be set first in order Now this maketh somewhat against them that diuide this laste precept into two commaundements which is in deede but one as it may be partly gathered by this order thus inuerted in the setting of it downe in two sundrie places In this precept coueting is especially forbidden I meane euill longing and corrupt desiring For coueting is a word indifferently vsed as well in the better as the worse signification For Dauid affirmeth that he did long after God and his lawe I haue wished for saith hee O Lord thy saluation And I haue longed after thy commaundementes Psal. 119. Wée must here therfore be able with discretion to iudge betwixt that good affection which God did first create in man and that other motion the roote of euill that groweth in our nature by the discent of corruptioÌ„ from our first father Adam There was in Adam before his fall a certaine good appetite with pleasure and delight He was not so hungrie that huÌ„ger did pain his emptie bowels whiche is in déede a plague for sinne but he did eate with a certaine swéet and delectable appetite Hee was delighted with the pleasures of Paradise Hee did with a certaine holy desire both loue and long after the woman which God had brought and placed before him And this good appetite or desire procéeded from God himselfe who made both Adam and all his affections good at the first Yea and at this day also there are in men certaine naturall affections and desires as to eate to drink to sléepe and such like belonging to the preseruation of mans life which of themselues are not to be accompted among the number of sinnes vnlesse by corruption of originall vice they passe the bounds for which they are ordeyned But in this treatise vpon the tenth commaundement desire is vsed in the worser part and is taken for the concupiscence or coueting of euil things This concupiscence being translated from Adam into vs al is the fruite of our corrupt nature or ofspring of original sinne whose seate is in the hart of man and is the fountaine and he adspring of all sinne and wickednesse that is to bee found in mortall men For the Lord in the Gospell doeth expressely say whatsoeuer entreth in by the mouth goeth into the bellie and is caste out into the draught but the things that come out of the mouth proceede froÌ„ the heart and those defile the man For out of the heart doe come euill thoughts murders adulteries whordomes theft false witnesse bearinges despiteful speakig these be they that do defile the maÌ„ And the Apostle Iames speaking altogether as plainely in an other place doeth say Let no man when he is tempted say that he is tempted of god For euery one is tempted while he is drawen away entised with the baite of his owne concupiscence then when lust hath conceiued it bringeth â—oorth sinne and sinne when it is finished bringeth forth death Concupiscence therfore is a moti-on or affection of the minde which of our corâ—upt nature doth lust against God and his lawe and sâ—â—rreth vs vp to wickednesse although the consent or déed it selfe doth not presently followe vppon our conceipt For if the deede do follow the lust then doth the sinne increase by stepps and degrées For first wée must consider the very blotting out or corrupting of the Image of God in vs Originall sinne and that disease that lyeth hidd in our members which is by vse called euill affections Secondarilie wee must consider that it increaseth by our delight and pleasure therein Thirdly it is augmented if wee consent and séeke after counsell to commit the crime and lastly if the consent breake forth to the déede doing than is it greater and greater according to the qualities of accidentes or circumstances Now al these are reckoned in the number of sinnes thoughe by degrées the one of them is greater thaÌ„ the other touching which I will by Gods sufferaÌ„ce speake somewhat more largely when I come to the treatise of sinne Wherefore that euill and vnlawfull affection which is of our naturall corruption and lyeth hidd in our nature but bewrayeth it selfe in our hartes against the purenesse of Gods lawe and maiestie is that very sinne which is in this lawe condemned For although there be some which thinke that such motions diseases blemishes and affections of the mind are no sinnes yet God by forbidding them in this lawe doeth flatly condemne them But if any man doubt
from al sinne Therefore the moste proper phrase of speech is to saye that we are sanctified through faith by the bloud of Christe who saide I sanctifie my selfe from them that they also may bee sanctified through the trueth The latter is that they which are sanctified by the bloud of Christe through faith doe day by day sanctifie them selues and giue their mindes to holynesse To y doing and studie whereof the Apostles doe moste earnestly exhorte the Sainctes For Peter saith As hee which called you is holie so be ye also holie in your conuersation because it is written Bee ye holie for I am holie Sainct Paule saith This is the will of God euen your holinesse c. 1. Thessal 4. Sainct Iohn saith Nowe are wee the sonnes of God yet it doth not appeare what we shal be but wee knowe that when he shal appeare we shal be like him for wee shal see him as he is And euery one that hath this hope in him purifieth him selfe euen as he also is pure Nowe this purging or purification which is made by our care and industrie is called by the name of sanctification not because it is made by vs as of our selues but because it is made of them that are sanctified by the bloud of Christe in respecte of Christe his bloud For vnlesse that sanctification which is the verie true and onely sanctification in déede do goe before our sanctification I meane that whiche we worke is none at all But if that go before then is this of oures imputed for sanctification although in the meane while the spottes of sinne remaining in vs doe defile it and that we do put no confidence in it Therefore so often as thou shalt reade in the holy scriptures that righteousnesse is attributed to our good woorkes thou shalt thinke streightwayes that it is done for none other causes than those which I haue hitherto alreadie declared vnto thee For the Apostolical spirite cannot be repugnant or contrarie to it selfe This wil yet be made a great deale more manifest if we call to remembraunce and doe consider that the Apostles had to deale with two kindes of men the one sorte whereof did affirme that they were sufficiently able of their owne strength to satisfie or fulfill the lawe and that they coulde by their desertes and good woorkes merite eternall life yea they affirmed that the merite of Christe was not sufficient enoughe to the gettting of saluation vnlesse the righteousnesse of men were added therevnto Against these Paule disputed verie constantly and pithiely in all his Epistles For they made Christe and the grace of God of none effect The other sorte of men were such as abusing the doctrine of grace and faith did wallowe like swine in all filthie sinnes beecause they thought that it was sufficient vnto saluation if they did saye that they beléeued But they neuer declared their faith or beléefe by any good woorkes although occasion therevnto were giuen them Against these did S. Peter very well and wisely dispute in the 1. Chap. of his 2. Epistle and S. Iames in the 2. Chap. of his Epistle For hée affirmeth that Abraham was not iustified by faith onely but by workes that is to say that he was not iustified by a vaine opinion but by faith which bare and was full of good woorks For Iames doeth vse the names of Faith and iustification in one sense Paule in another Paul putteth faith for an assured confidence in the merite of Christ and hée vseth Iustification for absolution and remission of sinnes for adoptioÌ„ into the number of the sonnes of God and lastly for the imputing of Christ his righteousnes vnto vs But in Iames faith doth signifie a vaine opinion and iustification doth import not the imputing of righteousnesse but the declaring of righteousnesse adoption For it is vndoubtedly true that the holy Apostles of Christ S. Peter and S. Iames would not by their writinges make voyde the grace and merite of Christ to aduaunce the merites of mortall men but rather to withstand the vnpurenesse of them which put the faith of Christ in perill of disgracing to the offence of all good men liuing in the meane while most wickedly in detestable sinnes without repentaunce Therefore the Apostles of Christ requiring good workes at the handes of the faithfull doe first of all require a true and liuelie faith and doe referre them both vnto the grace of God. Let vs therefore most firmely hold that the Apostles doe attribute iustification life and saluation to good workes improperly to true faith properly but most properly to Christ who is the subiecte foundation of true faith For although true faith is not without good woorkes yet doeth it iustifie without good works by it selfe alone For it is most certaine that life and saluatioÌ„ are bestowed on vs after the same maner that health and life was giuen to the children of Israel whiche in the wildernesse were poysoned of the Serpents They had their health restored them not by any workes but by the onely beholding and loking vppon the brasen Serpent therfore we also are made partakers of eternall life by faith alone which is the true be holding and looking vp to Christ As Moses saith our Sauiour did lift vpp the SerpeÌ„t in the wildernesse so must the sonne of man be lifted vp that euerie one whiche beleeueth in him should not perishe but haue eternall life And the Apostle Paule saith Yee are saued by grace through faith not of yourselues it is the gift of God not of works least any man should boast c. With this doctrine of the Euangelistes and Apostles doe the testimonies of certaine doctors of the Church agrée Some of whiche I will recite vnto you déerely beloued not because these testimonies of the Scripture are not sufficient but because we wil not séeme to be the beginners bringers in of newe doctrines although in very déed that cannot be newe which is deriued out of the Euangelicall and Apostolicall doctrine albeit that all the doctors of the Church should gainesay or denie it Now therefore giue eare how some euen of the best of them do not in words onely say and write but also by proofes shewe that faith alone doth iustifie ORIGEN a very ancient writer vppon the 3. Chap. of the Epistle of Sainct Paul to the Romanes doth say Paul saith that the iustificatioÌ„ of faith alone is sufficient for a man so that euery one that doeth beléeue onely is iustified although no workes are once wrought by him Now if we require an example where any was euer iustified by faith alone without good workes that théefe I suppose is example good enough who being crucified with Christ did crie from the Crosse â—ord Iesu remember mee when thou commest into thy kingdome In the writinges of the Euangelistes there is mention made of no good worke whiche hee in his life time did and yet because of this his faith onely
that wheresoeuer an image is there is no religion For if religion consist in diuine thinges and that nothinge is diuine vnlesse it be amonge heauenly thinges than doe images lacke religion Because in that which is made of earth there can bee no heauenly thing Whiche matter euen by the very name it selfe may appeare bee manifest to a wise man For whatsoeuer is counterfecte that must néeds be false neither can that which hath a representation or glose of truth at any time take vnto it the name of truth If then not euery representation or coūterfect be not a thing in earnest but as it were a toy a sport religion is not in images but there is lesse religion where they bée That whiche is true therefore is to be preferred before all things that are false Earthly thinges must bee troden vnder foote that we maye get or obteine heauenly thinges These words not vnaduisedly haue wee cited hetherto out of Lactantius We returne nowe to our purpose But because the outward gesture or habite of the bodie is commonly framed according to the inward qualitie of the minde and the outwarde habite of his body which adoreth submitteth yealdeth and maketh subiect him that worshippeth to him whiche is worshipped therefore adoration is translated likewise to the inner man so that to adore is to reuerence and respecte God to bequeath oure selues wholie vnto him and to cleaue inseparably vnto him vppon him only and alone to hange in all thinges and to haue recourse vnto him in all our necessities whatsoeuer Furthermore the outward adoration doth immediatly when it is néedfull and abilitie graunted followe a minde rightly indued with true faith and holy feare of god For adoration is two-fould or of two sortes one of the minde or spirite which is inward sound sincere and true another of the bodie whiche is outward vnsounde counterfecte and false whiche maye procéede from him in whome there is no sparckle of religion True adoration is the fruite of true faith and holy feare of God namely a lowly or suppliant yéelding and humble consecrating whereby we bequeath oure selues yeald and submitt oure selues vnto our God whome as wee vnderstand to be our best and most merciful father so to be our most highe and Almightie God vppon him therefore alone we do wholie depend and to him onely wee haue respecte whiche also forthwith so soone as occasion is ministred vnto vs wée expresse and testifie by outward adoration All this wée shall the better vnderstand by these testimonies of Scripture following Dauid sayth O come let vs singe vnto the Lord let vs hartily reioyce in God our saluation Let vs come before his presence with thanckesgiuing and shewe our selues ioyfull in him with Psalmes For the Lord is a great GOD and a great king aboue all Gods because in his hand are the corners of the earthe and the highte of the hilles are his For the sea is his and he made it and his hands fastened the drie land O come let vs adore or worship and fall downe and kneele before the Lord that hath made vs Beecause hee is the Lord our GOD and we are the people of his pasture and the sheepe of his handes Thou perceiuest therfore that we must adore or worship God and that wee must cleaue vnto him and singe praises to his name because hee is the most mightie GOD creatour of all thinges yea our creatour our father and our shéepeheard Likewise in the Gospell according to Matthewe adoration doeth followe faith and doeth as it were growe out of it and by it is nourished For after that the disciples béeing taughte by myracle beléeued that Iesus was Christ they came sayeth Matthewe and adored or worshipped him saying Thou art truely the sonne of God. Againe thou readest in Iohn that the Lord asked the blinde man that was excommunicate or caft out of the Synagogue whome he restored to his sight saying Doest thou beleeue in the sonne of God And that the blinde man aunswered Who is hee Lord that I might beleeue in him And that Iesus aunsweared and sayde Thou hast both seene him and hee it is that talketh with thee Moreouer vppon this by and by followeth in the historie But hee said I beleeue Lord and he worshipped him Hetherto nowe belongeth that whiche the Lord sayed to the Samaritane in the Gospell The true worshippers shall worship the father in spirite and in trueth For the Lord doth allowe spirituall and inward adoration or worshipping not that outward counterfecte or hypocriticall worshipping but that whiche procéedeth from a minde regenerated by fayth through the holy Ghost and that tendeth sincerely towardes one god For wee read in the historie of the old testament that those princes worshipped in trueth whiche consecrated and made holy themselues vnto one God with their whole heart and on him onely depended againe that they worshipped not the Lord with their whole heart which beeing destitute and voide of sincere faith depended also vppon creatures Nowe a reason of this adoration or worshipping the Lord adioyneth in the Gospel Worshipp sayeth he ought in all poincts to agree with him that is worshipped But God that is worshipped is spirite and trueth and is delighted with spirituall worshipp and vnfeigned fayth in spirite and trueth therefore hée must bée worshipped Wherefore the Sainctes haue a speciall care and regard that the inward worship of the minde be sound and that first of all they worshippe in heart and truely with a sincere faith and a reuerence of Gods Maiestie and whiles they are inwardly so occupied they doe no lesse outwardly falling on their faces with humilitie and doe worship in Gods presence For the outward worship is a companion of the inward and followeth it Hypocrites also worshippe God in body suppliantly and lowly enoughe but because their mindes goe a woll-gathering and neither with faith nor reuerence cleaue vnto the Lord they heare this spoken of the Lord by the Prophete This people honoureth mee with their lippes but their heart is farre from mee but in vaine doe they worship me teaching doctrines precepts of mē And this verily is the counterfecte and false worshipping And that worshipping also is false nay it is most wicked and abhominable wherwith the creatures are worshipped either with GOD or for God or without god And to saye sooth they doe not worship God at all whiche neither feare God neither beléeue in God nor yet depend or hange onely vppon God. All men truely confesse that God must bee worshipped but euery one doeth not surely acknowledge and cōfesse that God onely and alone is to bee worshipped It remayneth therefore to be declared that God only and alone is to be worshipped of men Adoration or worshipping is ioyned with true faith and perfecte or sincere reuerence of Gods maiestie whiche séeing they are due to GOD alone it followeth that god alone is to be worshipped and therefore is
this saying so often cited and beaten vppon in the Lawe and the Prophets Thou shalt worship the Lord thy GOD and a strange God thou shalt not worship Now a straunge God is whatsoeuer without and beside the onely liuing true and euerlasting God thou choosest vnto thée selfe to bee worshipped the onely and alone true liuing and euerlasting GOD therefore is to bée worshipped In the historie of the Gospell wée read that the diuel tempted our Lord Christe and hauing ledd him vpp into an high mounteine shewed him from thence all the kingdomes of the world and the glorie of them and said All these will I giue thee if thou falling downe wilt worship mee and that the Lord made aunswere Auoyd Sathan for it is written Thou shalt worship the Lord thy God and him onely shalt thou serue And surely worshipping and seruing are lincked mutually the one with the other that they cannot bee seuered or put a sunder Wherevppon it followeth that séeing the Lord requireth onely and alone to bee serued hée will doubtlesse in like maner only and alone be worshipped And Helie the great prophete of God teaching that God can in no case abide to haue one ioyned vnto him in worship cryeth out vnto the people worshipping God and with him their God Baal How long sayth hée do you halt on both partes If the Lord be God follow him If Baal bee God goe after him As if he should haue said You cannot worship God and Baal at once No man can â—erue two maisters For the Lord our God requireth not a péece but our whole heart our whole minde and soule Hée leaueth nothing therfore for vs to bestowe vppon any other In the Epistle to the Hebrues Paule sheweth that Christ is more excellent than Angels because the Angels adore or worship Christe but they againe are not worshipped If then the Angels are not worshipped whome shall wee graunt beside the liuing true and euerlasting God that deserueth to bée worshipped God therefore onely and alone is to be worshipped For in the Reuelation of Iesus Christ made vnto the blessed Apostle and Euangeliste Iohn thus we reade written And I sawe another Angel fleeing throughe the middest of heauen haueing the euerlasting Gospel to preache vnto them that dwell vppoÌ„ the earth to all nations kinreds and tongues people saying with a lowde voyce Feare God and giue him honour beecause the houre of his iudgement iâ— come and worship him that hath made heauen and earth the sea and founteynes of waters And againe in the same booke we read And I fell downe before the feete of the Angel to worshipp him And he said vnto mee See thou doest it not I am thy fellow seruant and of thy brethren hauing the testimonie of Iesu worship God. Againe in the ende of the same booke thou dost read And after I had heard and seene I fel downe to worshippe before the feete of the Angel whiche shewed mee these thinges And hee said vnto mee See thou doest it not for I am thy fellowe seruaunt and of thy brethren the Prophets and of them that keepe the wordes of this booke With this thing the saying and doing of S. Peter doth not greatly disagrée at whose féete when Cornelius the Centurion fell downe and worshipped Peter said Arise I also mee selfe am a man and therewithall laying his hand on him which lay a long did lift him vpp and set him on his féete Right religiously therefore wrote Augustine touching True religion saying Let not religion be vnto vs the worshipping of mans handie woorke For better are the workemen themselues which make such whome notwithstanding we ought not to worship Let not religion be to vs the worshipping of mortall men beecause if they haue liued godlily they are not to be estéemed as those that would séeke such honours but their will it is that hee should bee worshipped of vs who inlightening them they reioyce that wee are made fellow partakers of his merite They are to be honoured therefore for imitation or following sake not to bee worshipped for religions sake And if they haue liued ill they are not to bée worshipped wheresoeuer they bee The same Augustine in his first booke De consensu Euangelistarum of the consent of the Euangelistes and eightéenth chap. reasoning why the Romanes neuer receiued both the God the worship of the God of the Hebrues considering that they receiued y gods almost of all the Gentiles to bee worshipped And hee aunswereth That that came to passe by none other occasion than because the God of the Hebrues would onely and alone be worshipped without a mate or partener If any require his words they are these There resteth nothing for them to say why they haue not receiued the holy rites and worshipp of this God saue onely because hee would be worshipped alone and hath forbidden them to worshipp the Gods of the Gentiles whome neuerthelesse these people did worship For the sentence or opinion of Socrates who as by Oracle it was ratified was the wisest of all men is that euery God ought in such sort to be worshipped as he himselfe hath giuen coÌ„mandement he would be worshipped Therfore were the Romans of very necessitie forced not to worship the God of the Hebrues Because if they would worship him after another fashion than he himselfe said hee would bee worshipped they should not then worshipp him but that whiche they themselues had deuised made And if they would in that maner worship him as hee himselfe prescribed than they sawe that they were debarred from worshipping other Gods whom hée forbad to be worshipped And vppon this they refused the worshipp of the onely true God to the intent they might not offend many counterfecte false Gods thincking that the anger of them would rather be more to their disprofite than the goodwill of him to their benefite Thus saith Augustine And althoughe these thinges are written concerning the worship and seruice of God and that we dispute of adoring Gods Maiestie yet notwithstanding they are not impertinent or beside our purpose For the worshipping and seruing of GOD are inseparably lincked and knitt together Of this seruing of God we will speake more hereafter But by the woordes cited before wée doe gather that onely and alone the true liuing and euerlasting God is to bée worshipped according to that commonly-knowne sentence of the lawe Thou shalt worship the Lord thy GOD him shalt thou feare and him onely shalt thou serue To him shalt thou cleaue and in his name shalt thou sweare Furthermore God from the beginning hath promised and perfourmed yea and will performe whiles this world standeth great rewards to his true woorshippers Contrarywise wée beléeue that great mischiefes or punishments are prepared for those which either doe not at all worshippe God or else in stéed of the true GOD doe worshippe straunge Gods. The Lord in his Reuelation