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A14462 The firste parte of the Christian instruction, and generall so[m]me of the doctrine, conteyned in the holy Scriptures wherein the principall pointes of the religion are familiarly handled by dialogues, very necessary to be read of all Christians. Translated into Englishe, by Iohn Shute, accordyng to the late copy set forth, by th'author Maister Peter Viret. 1565. Ouersene and perused, accordyng to the order appointed, by the Queenes maiesties iniunctions.; Instruction chrestienne et somme generale de la doctrine comprinse ès sainctes Escritures. Part 1. English Viret, Pierre, 1511-1571.; Shute, John, fl. 1562-1573. 1565 (1565) STC 24777; ESTC S119198 167,989 225

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T. I Pray thee declare vnto me somwhat particularlye by what meanes he doth this wherof thou speakest D. First he doth it by the firmament and by the earth and by al his creatures which as continuall preachers neuer cease day nor night to preache vnto vs the knowledge maruelous workes of that same great God and prince their creator euen as Dauid and S. Paule do witnesse After that the great Psal 1● Rom. 1. Act. 14. 17. endeuour of so many Patriarches Prophets Apostles and auncient Doctors with a marueilous nūber of other good seruauntes of God who by their pure and holy doctrine good lyfe and conuersation haue filled that whole earth with the knowledge of God and also do teach vs at this present day by their holy writinges But what shall we saye of the very sonne of God who came into the world in proper person to make this publication in the moste solemne maner that euer was made in the world And euen at this present day how many and sundrye meanes hath God geuen vs to be instructed by eyther by the mouth of diuerse which he sendeth vnto vs dayly or els by bookes written in all languages sent forth into the worlde to all nations and regions of the same by his most marueilous prouidence which thing shall make vs all to be vtterly without excuse Wherfore we may well say with the Prophet The people which Ose 4. are ignoraunt shall be beaten and because that thou haste contempned and refused knowledge I wil contempne thée and cast thee from me also ¶ Of those that cloke their rebellion agaynste the vvorde and vvill of God vnder colour of obedience vvhich they ovve to the lavves that theyr princes haue made agaynste the same of such as commit the charge of their consciences to their curates and pastours T. THere are yet others that haue a litle better colour which say that they wil beleue as theyr princes do and that they are bounde to obeye all their lawes and ordinaunces There are also an other sorte which committe them selues wholy into the handes of their Bishops and curates which are their pastours and spirituall fathers and onely those that haue the charge of their soules and consciences and shal render accompt and endure the punishment for them if that through their negligence they be euill instructed D. I feare that it fareth with many of those mē that haue such shyftes as it dyd with the Citizens of Ierusalem which greatly marueiled to see their Lordes and rulers to suffer Iesus Christ without contradiction to teach openly in their temple cons●dering that before that time they sought meanes to put him to death all the while that they thought that their gouernours and pastours condempned both Iesus Christ and his doctrine and that they forbad that any man should speake of him this was a sufficient empeachment to hinder them from cōming to him But afterward when they sawe that they had left of to pursue him and that they wer of the opinion that they had chaunged their purpose and dyd acknowledge Iesus Christ to be the true Christ they did then no more depend vpon the iudgementes and consciences of the rulers and prelates nor would in any wyse followe the opinion that they then knewe that they had of Christ but builded them selues vpō fayre theologie and began to dispute with them selues to be a hindraunce to thē selues saying Iohn 7. we know well from whence this fellowe is But when the Christ shall come no man shall know from whence he is Wherfore do they not now saye we must acknowledge him for such an one for that that our pastours do so We do here sée the nature of man is prompt to followe rather euill examples then good T. It is euen so D. And on the other part I can not say whether that these mē that would haue it seene to the worlde that they haue so good an opinion of their princes and are so readye to obey their lawes and ordinaunces woulde make any great conscience to betraye and sell them euen in their great neede if there were any goodly occasion offered vnto them by other princes better to aduaunce them to honours estates then by their own But I would gladly know whether they do make so great difficultie to violate and breake the good statutes that are made by their princes for the maintenaunce of their common welth and to withholde from them if they might safely do it without daunger of their person any part of the tribute custome that is due vnto them by Gods ordinaunce Rom. 13. Math. 22. as they doe to transgresse those wicked lawes whiche are made contrary to all right equitie for to hinder the course of the Gospell would seeke to vnderstand the wil of God and to know those things that are necessarye for the health of their soules to serue God as he himselfe hath cōmaunded in his law I feare that this great obedience which the greatest number of thē do beare toward their princes and their lawes procedeth rather of rebelliō which they haue in their hartes against God then of the truth good affection whiche they beare toward their prince and his lawes But because they dare not declare opēly the malice that is in ther harts they are very glad to haue this colour would rather haue tyrantes to their princes which shoulde forbyd thē to heare the voyce of the Lord then to haue good Christiā princes which should compell thē to heare serue and honour God ¶ Of those vvhich cōmit idolatries to their princes preferring their lawes before the lawes of God what autoritie Gods word hath ouer all men and ouer all their lawes T. I Feare that there are many such but there are many others that are not the worste people of the world but yet they are idolaters of their princes D. Thou dost rightly terme such men idolaters of their princes for in that they take their princes for their law in matters of religiō conscience and seeke not otherwyse to vnderstande the will of God they make them their Gods and their idoles and doe them great wronge for it apperteyneth to no prince nor to any creature what soeuer or how excellent he be no not to the very Angels of God to geue lawes of religion of the seruice of God but onely to God himselfe vnto whom this seruice the honour of such thinges doth appertaine And therfore S. Paule sayth that if he himself yea if an Angell Galath i. cōming frō heauen shoulde declare any other Gospell then that which he hath taught which is the true Gospell of Christ let the same Angell be a cursed If he make the very Angells subiecte to the word of God how much rather should all men which are but mortall creatures be subiecte to the worde of God For vnto whom doth it belong to geue lawes eyther to the prince or
where that we ought to consider in sundry wyse of y● law of Moyses and that there is greate difference betwene the lawe whereof Moyses was minister and the Gospell which appertayneth properlye to the ministerye of Iesus Christ Men haue accustomed to deuyde the lawe of Moyses into three kindes of the which the first was commonlye called morall the other ceremoniall the other ciuil Thou hast alreadie heard a part of mine opinion and iudgement touching that matter I haue alreadie declared howe that the law of God which we do call morall the which contayneth the declaration of the euerlasting wil of God dyd nothing differ or at the least very smally from that lawe that we call naturall which God hath engrauen in the harts of men and y● that lawe written was geuē but onely to make vs to vnderstand and to restore vnto vs that goodnesse which sinne hath taken from vs and to declare vnto vs how farre a waye it hath caryed from vs the innocencie holynes and perfection which ought to be in vs and should in dede haue bene in vs if sinne had not entred into the worlde and that we had continued still in that estate in the which the fyrste man was created For seing that he was created according to the image of God there is no doubte but that the will of God and that which he requyreth of vs was printed in that image which shoulde alwayes haue gouerned and ruled the will of man and shoulde alwayes haue maintayned it agreable with the will of God and shoulde haue bene vnto vs a lawe for euer And afterwarde I haue also declared how that the lawe ceremoniall and ciuile were nothing els but as dependaunces of that lawe cōmonly called morale and decalogue becau●e that it conteyneth ten commaundementes which are called in the Scripture y● ten wordes to serue to lead men in the keping of that lawe as well concerning those thynges which directlye belonge to God and to his diuine seruice to the which the ceremoniall law hath regard as vnto those thinges which touch our neighbour to the which the ciuile lawes haue their chiefe respect whervpon it hath beene declared in what sorte both the one and the other of these two kinde of lawes mighte be abolyshed put away and what liberty we haue concerning the same through our Lord Iesus Christ ¶ Of the abolishing of the lavve of Moyses and of the olde Testament and of the things vvhich ought to be considered therin T. I Haue well vnderstoode all this but I do thinke that I haue also heard say that the whole law of Moses was abolished And in like sort I haue heard say that we haue now no more to do neither with Moyses his law nor any part of the old Testament but with Iesus Christ his gospel Wherfore I woulde gladly know of thee if this law of decalogue be also abolished or no or whether we be yet subiect vnto it or ells that we be clerely free from it and how we ought to thinke of it And then I do thinke that it shal be more easye for me afterward to vnderstand if the distinction of the law of rigour and of grace of the which we haue lately spoken be any thing meete in such a matter and how we ought to vse both the one and the other D. Beside those things wherof we haue alreadye spoken we muste note if we will well vnderstand thys matter that thys abolyshing must be considered in two sortes The one concerning the transgression the other the fulfillyng of the lawe The transgression Leu. ii Gal. iii. Rom. 3. 11 3. King 4. ● Gal. ●● Ioh. i. iii ● Rom. 8 bryngeth with it the wrath and curse of God vpon that transgressour and maketh euery man subiecte to that curse and wrath The meane to be deliuered is by fayth by the which we embrace Iesus Christ with all the good giftes that are in hym now it is written that he woulde become subiecte to the lawe to deliuer from subiection of the lawe those that be subiecte thereunto and that he being hanged vppon a tree was made accursed for vs bearing vpon himselfe the curse Gal. 4. Gene. 12. ●8 which was due for our transgression to abolyshe the same and to make vs partakers of the blessing of God which was promysed to Abraham and to other holy Patriarches and Prophets through him For it is he that is the true seede of Psal ●● Abraham in through whom that promysed blessing was sprinckled vpon all people and nations ¶ Of the difference that is betvvene the faythfull and the vnfaythful concerning the blessing and the curse of the lavv through Iesus Christ T. VVE may then wel take that which thou sayest for to be the meane whereby the elect and the reprobate the faythful and the vnfaythfull are deuided and sundred the one from the other D. In so doing thou takest it not amisse For as S. Paule witnesseth we are al borne the Ephe. ii Iohn 3. 5. children of wrath But as it is written in S. Iohn he that beleueth in the sonne of God hath eternal lyfe It foloweth then that he is deliuered from that cursse whych bryngeth euerlastinge death And so he is deliuered from the lawe as touching the condemnacion and cursse wherewith she threatneth all transgressors Therfore S. Paule saith that ther is no condemnacion for those that are in Iesus Christ Rom. 8 which liue after the spirite and not after the flesh For Iesus Christ taking vpon him the cursse which they had deserued hath also satisfied the iustice of God for them payde the debt which the law required And the obedience whych Iesus Christ did yeld to God his father and the innocency and the iustice that is in hym is accompted for theirs as though it were their own properly Therefore he esteemeth i. Tim. ii i. Cor. i. ii them for iust And in consideracion of this great benefitte Iesus Christ is called by S. Paule our conuersacion and our iustice and contrarilye according to the testimonye of S. Iohn he that beleueth not in the sonne of God dwelleth vnder the wrath of God in the which he is borne throughe Iohn iii. v which burden he shall be throwen downe in to euerlasting death and into the very hel because he hath no part of this benefit of Iesus Christ with whom we can haue no part taking at al but onely thorow true and lyuely fayth T. I know that very well ¶ Of the benefit of Iesus Christ and of the good thinges that vve receiue by him and vvhat freedome of the lavve he bringeth to the faythfull D. MOreouer the benefyt that we haue in Iesus Christe doth not serue vs onely for the remission of our sins and the absolucion of the same which we haue committed against the law by the which the cursse therof is turned in to blessing o but doth also serue to prepare vs for the
of mouth and doth put vs oftentimes in mynde therof by the ministerie of his worde ¶ VVhat libertie God hath gyuē in the vsage of ceremonies and of the meane that must be kept in the same T. IT shall then accordyng to thy opiniō be lawful for mē to dispense with ceremonies and with ciuile lawes and to chaunge them at their pleasures D. My purpose tendeth not to such an ende For when I do declare for what cause God hath left in this greater libertie vnto men then in the rest wherof we haue spokē I wil not therfore say although it be lawfull for God to chaūge all those thyngs at his pleasure according as he doth know it to be mete for the health of man that man should chalenge to him self such a licēce but contrarily when they haue receiued any ordinaunce of God be it ceremonies or such lyke they ought not at all to chaunge any thyng therof vntill that God him selfe which onely hath libertie so to do do it as we see it hath come to passe by the ceremonies which were obserued in the Church of Israell whiche were abolished by the commynge of our Lord Iesus Christ for that they were not ordained to serue but onely vntil that time Besides this in that in the which God hath gyuen no certaine and expressed ordinaunce but hath left those things in our libertie as indifferent we may vse that libertie whiche he hath left vnto vs gouernyng the same alwayes according to the rule of faith and of charitie If ther be then any questiō as touching the ceremonies ordeined in the law of Moses we must then haue regard vnto that parte of them whiche was abolished by the commyng of Iesus Christ whiche may not now be obserued without renouncyng of Iesus Christe as thoughe men douted whether he had accomplished or no that whiche was figured by them Yf there be any question of Sacramentes ordayned by our Lord Iesus Christe and of the ceremonies and of the discipline whiche he hym selfe hath ordeyned we muste then take good hede that we chaunge no iote thereof or to adde or diminishe in any thing that toucheth the substaūce of such thynges If there be question of mans traditions and of the auncient Canons Decrees it is requisite to cōsider wherin and how they do agree with the word of God also how they may serue to the edification of the Church or how they may hinder the same For there are many I say euen of those whiche are not contrarie to the worde of God whiche were good for a tyme which not onely would not serue at this present but woulde do greate hurte bycause the tyme doth not nowe require that whiche it then dyd when they were decreed And therefore if that of the verye Apostles touchynge the abstinence from bloud and from strangled fleshe whiche was decreed in the Counsell at Ierusalem was abolished in tyme conuenient when the vsage thereof was no more necessarie in the Churche howe muche more reason haue wee to doe the lyke of others that are of suche qualitie when that the tyme and the edification of the Churche shoulde require it T. I agree well to all thys But there is beside these an other sorte of people of whome wee haue not yet spoken whiche seeme to haue more reason then the others of whome wee haue nowe made mention but it maye bee that wee haue spoken ynoughe for one tyme it shall be beste that wee leaue them vntill an other tyme. For I doe not doubte but wee shall haue occasion to discourse sufficientlye of them D. Who are they I beseche thee T. They bee those that wayte for a Councell D. And bycause that we haue happened vppon thys matter of the Councel I am wel content that we put it ouer to an other tyme for it doth well merite that men looke narowly vnto it for so muche as many men depende vpon them ¶ The contentes of the second Dialogue named the waitinge for the Councell or the Nevvtrall Gospellers to vvit suche as vvill deale betvvene the true false Religion doctrine BYcause that the lookynge for a generall Councell to appease the troubles that are in Christendome in causes of Religion doth feede and entertayne many poore ignoraunt men in vayne hope and doth let thē from the diligent searchynge out of those thinges that belong to their saluation I haue determined fully to entreate of the matter in Dialogues folowing in whiche I will playnely declare what hope the Christians may haue of a Coūcel and what they may thinck wil come of it and how hard it wil be to assemble it and what issue or what good or euil we ought to looke for of it and what profite the lawfull Councelles maye bryng to Christiantie and whiche is the true Councell vpon the which the true Christians ought to repose and to instructe theyr consciences And in handling of these matters I wil touch chiefly in this Dialogue what hope wee maye haue in such affaires as wel of their part that are called Prelates of the Church as of the parte of the Christian princes as they haue gyuen vs well and sufficiently to know by examples and by experience that we haue had already of the Councell of Trent And after that there is some thing sayd of the Interim and of such soliciters worckers as will ioyne Iesus Christ Antichriste together in stede of Christiās make Samaritās of the opinion of such as say that the Coūcel cā not erre which is also continued in the other Dialogues folowing in the which I do a little paint set forth the maner of proceding whiche the Papistes obserue in their Councels and I do cōpare it with that whiche God did vse in his Councel that he helde with his people first in the moūt of Synay and after that in the hill of Sion I do shew also what preparatiō ther ought to be for the doctrine of such Councels and how that those two Councels conteine all the doctrine of the old and new Testament how they do so agree together that they both tend to one vpon whō onely it behoueth vs all to stay Wherupon also I make mention of the agrement and difference that may be betwene the old and newe Testamēt betwene Moses and Iesus Christ betwene the law the Gosspell and the law which is called the lawe of grace and the law of rigour of the abolishing also of the vsage of the law of Moses and of the vengeance of God which is prepared agaynst those that will not willingly receyue the Decrees Canons of this great and godly Councel and shall abuse his worde and of the great grace whiche he hath offered to men in his sonne Iesus Christ our Lord which things shal be entreated of euery one in his place And as touching this present Dialogue I haue intituled it the waitynge for the Coūcell or the newtrals in respect of the
with Ma 18. 28 you to the end of the worlde if he promes to be in the myddest of two or three by more apparant reason ought we to beleue that he is in the middest of a whole Councel D. But we must note vpon what conditions he promiseth to bee among them First he sayth that if we do agree together vpō the earth if we be of one accorde of one consent of one hart and of one spirite if we be carefull to kepe vnitie of spirite throughe the band of peace if we be one body and one spirite as we ar called into one hope of our vocation as there Eph. 4. is one Lord one fayth and one Baptisme one God and father of al. And besides this if we be gathered together in his name to wit in his vertue and force and not in the vertue and power of mē for his honor and glori and not for ours neither yet for our ambitiō for the edificatiō of his Churche and the health of poore soules not for our profite aduaūcement but wishing veritie to haue the victorie and not we now let vs see if it be easie to obserue all these condicions what hope we may haue in our tyme of a Councell that shall obserue all these pointes without the whiche in dede he can not be called a Councell but rather a Synagoge of Sathā and can bring no commoditie to Christendome but rather hurte and destruction how is it possible to haue him such an one as he ought to be consideryng that those whiche should procure it feare nothyng more then to haue a Councel such an one as he ought to be T. It is easie to iudge by that that hath ben already sayd ¶ Hovve that the holy Ghost is neither subiect nor bounde to any kinde of person or estate D. THere is yet one thyng more very well worthy to bee noted whiche is that our Lord Iesus Christe did not say when a generall Councell shal be gathered together or all the estates of Christendome or the Pope the Cardinals and Bishops or els a great assemble shall be had I will be in the middest of them but he sayd he would be in the middest of them yea although they wer but two or three so that they were gathered together in his name In the whiche he doth playnly declare that he will be bounde neither to menne yet to estates neither yet to the multitude but how smal so euer the nomber be of what estate so euer the men be he will be in the middest of them prouided that they come together as they ought to do For all though the promesse of Iesus Christ be made to his whole Churche yet doth it appartaine in no wise to hipocrites false Pastors and false Christians whiche are not in any wise true mēbers of the same whiche is the body of Iesus Christ but are members of Sathan and of his Synagoge And therfore onely must it extend to the true members of the Churche among whome these thynges may be practised which S. Paul setteth forth to the Churche of the Corinthes sayng let two or three Prophetes speake and let the rest iudge And if any thyng be reuealed i. Cor. iiii to any other of the assistantes let the first holde hys peace There is no man but may easily vnderstād that this cā not be obserued but in the true Church of Iesus Christ among those that haue the gift of the spirit of God which is not gyuen to carnal men and straungers to Christian doctrine but to such as are spirituall and those whiche call vpō the name of God in truth for the spirituall man may iudge ● Cor. ii of spirituall thynges and not the carnal how is Christ then in the middest of his and doth assiste thē by his holy spirite in so much as they are gathered together in his name other wise he will be in no companie although the whole worlde were gathered together with all her pompe if it be not assēbled in the name of Iesus to such end as hath ben already declared Wee haue a manifest example by the small assemblees of the Apostles and of the primitiue Churche and by those of the great Synagoge of Bishops of Priestes of Scribes and Phariseis and of the Councels of the Iewes for it is written of such It shall be gyuen to euery man that Math. xx● Ose iiii hath and he shal become plentiful but he that hath nothing euen that whiche he hath shall be taken from him And in Ose bycause thou hast refused the knowlege I haue also refused thee to the end thou shouldest not sacrifice to me and bycause thou hast forgoten the law of thy God I will also forget thy children And therfore he sayth yf you abyde still in my worde you shall be my disciples and shall knowe the Iohn xvii● truth Then he promiseth not to be among them whiche by a false title shal be assēbled in his name to gyue new lawes and ordinaunces to the Churche concernyng Religion but to obserue and kepe those whiche he hath gyuen and to vse the keis which she hath receiued of him in such sort as he him selfe hath ordeined For the Church nedeth none other lawes but euen those which she hath receiued of him and therfore math 16. 1● the Councell of Gangers hath accursed all those which continue not in the law of the Lord and do dayly make new ordinaunces T. This is very reasonable and doth well agree with that whiche is written of the Lord happy are those Psalm cxi● whiche continew without spot in the way whiche walke in the law of the Lord happy are they which do enquire of the testimonies of the same D. And therefore Christ doth say searche you the Scriptures yf any man do loue me he will Iohn v Iohn xiiii i. Tim. iiii kepe my worde And S. Paul to Timothe Geue attendance vnto readyng T. These are very good aduertisementes ¶ VVhat assembles the faithfull do make and of the auncient Decrees concernyng the celebration of Councels D. IF there were no question but to holde Councels and Synodes among the faithfull whiche haue professed the Gospell and to gather them together to agree them yf they haue any difference among them as there was in the primitiue Churche in certayne pointes bycause the one did not well vnderstand the other it were but an easie matter as it was for the apostles their disciples but that could not content the world Such meetinges and assembles are very good to entertaine the Churches in peace and in the vnion of the doctrine and of the Christian discipline for that cause it was decreed in the v. Canon of the Councell of Nice that their should be yearely in euery prouince two Councels of Bishops the one a litle before Lent the other about the Autumne which thing is now no more obserued in the Popish Churche then are other good thy
cause of this blasphemie for S. Peter in his i. epistle 3. chap. cōmaundeth vs to be alwayes readye to render reason to all that shall demaund vs of the fayth hope that we haue And again S. Paul Colo. 3. chap. Pro● 10. b let the word of God dwell plenteously in you but what answere make they to that which are more folish then the very fooles in dede Blessed is euery symple one he that walketh surely But that is the cause of all euills for that that many know not how to alledge aptly the testimonies of the scriptures for in this place we may not vnderstād the symple for the foolyshe and for him that vnderstandeth nothing but for him that is not craftye and melicious For if it shoulde be so vnderstode it should be superfluous to say be ye wyse therefore Math. 10. b as serpentes and symple as doues S. Ambrose vpō the 2. epistle to Tymothe 3. chap. sayeth All scripture geuen by inspiration from God c. It is manifest that all Scripture wherof God hath declared himselfe to be author is profitable For it is geuē to that end that it shoulde profite the ignoraūt reforme the deformed drawing the wicked into al good workes for by profiting a litle and litle in newnesse of lyfe it maketh the mā of God c. The law of the Lord is perfect restoring or conuerting soules the testimonye of the Lord is Collo 3. b Psal 19 Psal 119 faythful and sure it geueth wisedome to the ignoraunt The statutes of the eternall are righteous reioysing the hart the cōmaundement of the Lord is pure and doth lighten the eyes And againe Thy word is alampe or lanterne to my fete a light to my steppes The Prophet Esay in his 8. chap. sayth is there any where a people that asketh not councell of hys God Should men turne frō the liuing to the dead If any man want light let him loke vpon the law the testimonie whether they speake after this meaning The lyght of the Ezech 20. c morning shall not be geuen vnto them Moreouer the Prophet sayth Say to the childrē in the desert walke not in the ordinaunces of your fathers obserue not al their statutes be not defyled with their idoles I am the Lord your God walke in my ordinaunces and kepe my statutes and do thē Eccle. 1 a Itē the fountayne of wisedome is the word of the soueraign Lord God the entre into the same are his eternal cōmaūdements And agayn Search the scriptures for in them you thinke you haue eternall life and they bee they which beare Iohn 5 Iohn 20 g witnes of me And Iesus did many other thinges that are not written in this boke in the presence of his disciples but these things ar writtē to the end that you should beleue that Iesus is the annoynted sonne of God that in so beleuing you may haue life thorow his name The holy scriptures are In what recommendacion God hath his Word full of the lyke sayings The auncient fathers are full of the worthines of the scriptures S. Augustine in his 56. sermon made to the brethren that were in solitude sayth he that maketh none accompt of the reading of the holy scriptures sent from heauen ought not onely to feare that peraduenture he shall not receaue euerlasting rewards but also that he shall not escape the euerlasting punyshmentes for it is so daūgerous vnto vs not to read the deuine precepts that the Prophets with great sorrowe exclame cry out for that cause haue Esay 5. c Ose 4. b 1 Cor 14 my people bene brought into captiuitie because they had no knowledge for he that is ignorant shall be ignorant out of all doubt he that in this world maketh none accompt to seke to know God by the holy Scriptures God wil not vouchsafe to know him in the ioyes euerlasting we ought to be a feard to heare after that the gates shall be shut with the folyshe virgins I know you not I haue none acquaintaunce Math 25 ● with you you that worke iniquitie depart you frō me what meaneth this I knowe you not I am not acquainted with you how knoweth he not those that he sendeth to the fyre There is neyther of thē spoken without cause for as it hath bene already sayd suche as woulde not in thys world seeke to knowe hym by reading the Scriptures GOD will not acknowledge them at the day of iudgement We ought also not to heare negligently but with attentiue eare fear that which is written in Salomō he that turneth sayth he his eare Prou 18 ● frō the hearing of the lawe his prayer shal be abhominable wherefore he that will be heard at Gods hand muste fyrste heare God For how woulde he that God shoulde heare him when he doth so dyspyse hym that he maketh none accompte of the readyng of hys commaundementes Saint Hierome in the proeme of his Commentaries vpon Esaye to Eustochius sayth therfore I yelde vnto thee and to hym by thee that whiche I do owe obeyng the commaundement of Iohn 5. f Math. 7 ● Christ who fayth searche diligently the Scriptures Seeke and you shall finde to the end that it be not sayd to me as it was to the Iewes ye erre not knowyng the Scriptures the power of God the wisedom of God and truly after S. Paul if Christ be the power and wisedom of God he that knoweth not the scriptures the same knoweth not y● power of God nor his wisedō To be ignoraūt of the Scriptures is not to know Christ c. S. Chrisostome in the Homelie 29. vpon Benefis sayeth There is neyther griefe of body no● mynde in the nature of man but it may haue medicine of the Scriptures c. These are sayinges of great importance and are true They are no Legend lyes They are confirmed by the word of God whiche is the infallible truth Then if man know not God as he ought to do but by the Scriptures that none can be saued but by the knowledge of God and Christ Thē must it nedes folow that ignoraūce of the Scriptures bryugeth with it damnation I haue alledged here mo sayinges of the fathers then I would haue done nothyng so many in number as I could haue done but bycause the great swarme of aduersaries say that it is not lawfull or expedient that euery man should read the Scriptures but rather that the people should be ignoraunt affirmyng ignoraunce to be the mother of deuotion I could haue aūswered it to the full by the woorde of God alone whiche woorde I thincke to be most sufficient but bycause these kynde of men before named wil not accept Christ to be a true man of hys word except he haue some of the doctors fathers for witnesses Seyng nowe that it hath pleased our good God in mercy so to deale with vs as he hath in these our
dayes gyuyng vs such meanes introductions to the true vnderstādyng of his most sacred worde as he hath not of many ages done to any nation let vs now therfore call vpon the name of our mercifull and mighty God desiring him to strengthē vs to searche out this truth and then in dede to practise the same in our lyues least that he should in his iustice take that excellent Iewell of his worde from vs and gyue it to a nation that shall bryng forth the fruites therof I hūbly beseche that good God in the bowelles of his mercy for hys Christes sake that he will so direct our lyues that by our good example such as he hath not as yet called to the true knowledge of his woorde may embrace and receyue the same and so profite therin that in the ende we may be all of one sheepe folde vnder the charge of our great shephearde Iesus Christe So be it ❧ The content of the first Dialogue Intituled of the holy Inquisition Dependaunces or the Accessories THe principall ende whereunto I tende in this Dialogue is to procure men to searche and to enquyre of the will of God by such meanes as he hath gyuen vs in his holy worde sacred Scriptures to the end the they may know how to frame gouerne them selues according to the same and that they gyue thē selues to that study before all other thinges in the most diligent and earnest wise that shal be possible for them to do without any delay at al And that they do therof very well consider seyng the great mischiefes and inconueniences into the whiche men may fal for not so doyng and the great profite and commoditie that may come vnto them if they do so diligently employe them selues in the studie therof as they ought to do And for so much as the harte of man is so froward that he will in no wise be gouerned accordyng to the rule of the will and worde of God and yet for all that he will in no wise acknowledge and confesse the same openly but searcheth all excuses and colour that may be foūd to couer and hide his hipocrisie and wickednes I do shew playnly a nōber of the principal and chief excuses and coulour that men alledge at this present to hinder and empeach them for cōming to God and to procure their owne health and saluation After that we will speake of such as arme them selues for their defence with their predecessours with antiquitie with the nomber and outward apparance of the world and of those that thinke that their ignoraunce shall excuse thē and of the diuersitie of ignoraunces and of the simplicitie and malice that may be in thē and of their obstinacie and persecutions and of the negligence of all men in matters of Religion I will also speake of those that couer them selues with the obedience that they doe owe to their princes make them their shieldes and their Gods and of the meane that both the princes and people should kepe in suche affaires There shal also be mention made of such as excuse thē selues by meanes of their great busines moreouer of Epicurians and mockers of Gods word Beside these there shal be mention made of suche as are of opinion that all natiōs shal be saued euery one in his law I will also say somwhat of the certayntie of Gods word and of the constancie and assurednes of his will and of the law And afterward in the Dialogues following I wil speake of those that dwel vpon Counsels and wil shewe vpon what Councel we ought to dwell I haue intitled this Dialogue the holy search or enquest bycause that in it mencion is made not onely of that inquisition whiche falsly is called holy the whiche is made by the ministers of Antechrist which wrongfully are called the tryers of the faith and worcke continually against the true Christians that will acknowledge and confesse none other doctrine or Religiō to be Christiā but onely that doctrine whiche Iesus Christe hath taught whiche is the holy enquirie of the knowledge of Gods word necessarie for the soules health of all true Christians It may also be named the Accessories for so muche as I do set forth in this same the shiftes by the whiche men haue bene accustomed to wage the lawe with God and to excuse thē selues and couer their rebellion whiche they haue committed agaynste hys Maiestie The first Dialogue is entituled the holy Inquisition or the Dependaunces Of the blindnesse and disorder that is among men in the matter of Religion and of their Saluation Tymothe Daniell THe more that I do consider the great disorder that is in the world in al estates and chiefly in the matter of Religion the more I do meruell Daniel And truely for my parte I meruell not at all although the disorder be great but I meruell greatly to see that it is no gretter albeit it wer a hard matter to adde any thing therunto Tymothe Why sayest thou so Daniel Bycause that men are so blind and wicked as though they had determinatly conspired agaynst their owne saluation and health and to thrust all euen heauen and earth into disorder confusion ruine they could do no worse then they do Of the Authours and causes of all order and disorder amonge men and of the goodnes of God and of the ingratitude malice of men T. I Would be very glad if thou wouldest declare and opē vnto me somewhat particularly the causes herof D. I first aske thee who is the authour and cause of all good order T. God onely who hath created and made all thinges and hath set an order amongest his creatures suche as he knoweth to be meete for them D. And who is the authour and cause of all disorder T. The deuill aduersarie to God and to all his creatures who continually employeth all his forces to ouerthrow and confound the whole order whiche God hath set amongst his creatures D. Seyng that it is so and that men estraunge them selues from God and flee from his councell as much as in them is and on the contrarie endeuour them withal their power to ioyne them selues to the deuill pleasuryng in nothyng so much as to folowe his councels and therfore doost thou meruell if all be in disorder and extreme confusion Hast thou not rather occasiō much more to wonder at the great goodnes and inestimable suffraunce of God how he can endure so long not onely on so greate an ingratitude but rather so great a furie and rage wherwith men are fylled by the whiche they enforce them by all meanes possible vtterly to destroye them selues and to hasten their destruction and to make it more fearefull and horrible T. It is very true And the whole beyng wel cōsidered it semeth that we haue made a league with Satan our mortal enemy to ayde him to destroy our selues and to hinder the goodnes that God of his grace beyng moued of his owne onely
els to his subiectes T. It is for the prince to geue lawes for the subiectes to receaue obserue the same D. Well then if religion haue none other regard but to the honour seruice of the onely God and that his pleasure is that none shal haue power of the soules consciences of men but onely he himself and that he hath as great authoritie ouer the greatest Monarches Emperours Kings princes lordes as he hath ouer the meanest of their subiectes how great a presumption should this be of them to dare take in hand to geue lawes to their soueraigne prince I saye of those that are but his subiectes vassalles to cōmaund that men shall serue him according to their appoyntment not to his T. That were to be Lord not subiecte maister and not seruant D. Would they them selues endure this at the hands of the greatest of their subiectes And yet is there no suche comparison betwene God them as is betwene them their subiectes For they are mortall men as their subiectes are they maye erre as other men may And fall by the iuste iudgementes of God frō rule into seruitude subiection yea oftentimes into the subiection of their own subiectes as it hath oftētimes happened to many for that they would not obey God but tooke in hand to be aboue him none of these thinges maye happen to God ¶ Of the office of good princes and good subiectes T. IT is not then the office of a good prince to abolishe the orders of religion which God hath geuen or to forbid his subiectes to followe the same eyther els to chaunge thē and to geue and establishe others at his pleasure D. This is easye to vnderstand but in the contrarye his office is to cause his subiectes to obserue them by all meanes possible and he himself to be the fyrst to geue good example that shoulde obserue those lawes which God hath geuen vnto him and to gouerne his people according to the same for he is ordeined of God to be a prince for none other purpose And therfore the Lord did cōmaund that the booke of the law should be red to the king euen as sone as he was chosen to the end Rom. 13. 1. Tim. 1. Deut. 1● he should know how to gouerne both himself and the people cōmitted to his charge according to the doctrine of the same If he be then such an one as he ought to be he will in no wise that his subiectes shal do him that honour which in no wyse appertayneth vnto him but will in any wise haue that reserued to God vnto whō onely it is due He thinketh that his subiectes can do to him no greater honour then to honour God as they ought to do for his honour dependeth vpon the honour of God and he can not misse to be wol honoured and faythfullye serued of his subiectes if that both he and his subiects do truely faithfully serue God Wherfore his subiectes shoulde doe him the greatest wronge and the greatest dishonour that is possible to imagine in geuing to him the honour which is not due vnto him nor ought of him to be accepted for it should be to set him in the place of God and to make him an idole a verye deuill for that it is an honour which the deuill alwaye desireth to be estemed in the place of God D. He hath alway shewed it euen from the beginning ¶ Hovve those men obeye the deuill and not their princes vvhich obey any lavves by the vvhich it is forbidden men truely to serue God T. ANd if a mā should finde any prince of that vnspeakeable pryde as there haue beene heretofore amongest the Emperours Kinges and Heathen princes and as the Pope is at this day in Christendome folowyng their trace and example the subiectes were no more boūd to obey hym in that behalfe then to obey the deuill whiche is in dede a greater prince then all Tyrantes and all such as loke for lyke honors for he is called the God of this worlde the prince of this worlde and the master of all blindenes vnto whome all these litle tyrantes are but subiectes and vassals and as 2. Cori 1. Iohn 12 Ephe. 26 it were of his litle clawes And therfore when subiectes are brought to this extremitie they may lawfully vse not onely the same that the Apostles did who aunswered in the like Act. 5. case it is better to obey God then mā but they may alledge also in their defence these words it is better to obeye God then the Deuell For hee that obeyeth man agaynste the commaundemente of Godde hee obeyeth deuill by whō he is possessed and therfore shall inherito the inheritance with the deuil and with the tyraunts of whom they did stande more in feare then of God ¶ Of the lavvfull lavves and statutes of Christian princes and vvhat men ought to consider in them T. I Do thinke that thy meaning in this is not but that it is lawfull for Christiā princes to gyue such lawes and ordinaunces to their subiectes as are agreable to the worde of God to leade them into true Religion D. Howe should I condempne that for so much as I say it is their onely office and duety for in so doyng they them selues preach the lawe of God but that wherof I spake before I meane of such lawes edictes as are made directly agaynst the worde of God either to abolishe or els to deface the true religion T. Such as do so are very tyrants not princes D. Doubt you not but Nabuchodnesar Darius and Cyrus these heathen Daniel 3. 4. Es●r ● Emperours Kynges that haue made so good lawes for the publishyng of the knowledge of God thorow out their whole Empires and dominiōs and haue also so well ayded the true seruauntes of God but they shall ryse in the iudgement of the Lorde to accuse greuously those princes that haue ben renoumed in the nomber of Christians and haue after so great light of the Gospell letted hindered the preaching of the knowledge of God and his will in the aduauncemēt wherof the afore named haue trauayled ¶ Of such as are vnfaithfull seruauntes in princes Courtes and of their Councels agaynst God and of those princes that do rather fauour such seruauntes then those that are of cōscience vvhole and sounde T. IT maye bee that there are Christian princes whiche make lawes verye contrary to those that they woulde make if they had in their Courtes such Courtiers as was Daniel Es●ras and Nehemie whiche would procure and sturre them vp to glorifie the name of God as did these good seruauntes and holy Prophetes of God amonge the others But in the stede of such they haue oftentymes those that are cleane contrarye who as muche as they may do let them from the hearynge and vnderstandynge of the woorde of God whereby they myght learne trulye to vnderstande theyr office and duety and
they do not let by all meanes possible to procure them to persecute that doctrine whiche they oughte chiefely to aduaunce and mayntayne D. It is not greatly to be maruelled at for suche men often tymes deale with princes as doth the fowler with the byrdes that he setteth for hys stale For they establishe such Religion as pleaseth them and semeth vnto them best for theyr purpose to noryshe and mayntayne theyr ambition and theyr bellyes And bycause they want power to authorise their lawes and ordinaunces whereby to mayntayne their abuse they abuse the power and authoritie of the princes in that behalfe trayning them by their wicked and lend councell to do whatsoeuer pleaseth them And as these men do often tymes abuse the ignoraunces and negligences of princes euen so on the other part princes oftentimes abuse the malitious mindes of such men to serue their ambition tyrannics and wicked enterprises Wherfore they do more esteme them beyng such then if they were more honest for they could not endure them if they were honest and would giue them faythfull councell both for the honour of God and the health both of theyr owne soules and of theyr subiectes also bycause they haue a desire to obey God and to set his people in Christian libertie to serue hym nor yet to reforme the Churche according to his worde but rather to peruert the true religion and to make it serue to their purpose euen as Ieroboam did They had rather to haue such Prophetes Priestes as had Ieroboam Achab Iesabell and such as were the Magitiens of Pharao the more clenly therby to resist gods truth thē to haue the true seruants of God that folow the trace of the true Prophetes Apostles And for so much as both they their people desire such do well deserue to haue such God doth send them euen such as they wish for but it is in his wrath as he threatneth by hys Prophets to the end they may haue the more mete matter dayly to harden theyr hartes more more and more spedyly Esay 3. 29. Ose 5. 7. to hasten theyr destruction ¶ Of the Iudgement of the Christian doctrine and of those by vvhom it must be reported of the princes duety in that behalfe and of the faulte of those that in the same despise the Councell of the seruauntes of God T. I Do feare also that ther be many that trust to much in matters of Religion to those that falsely name themselues to be of the Churche as Prelates and Pastours of the Churche and that it fareth with thē euē as it doth with those that commit wholly their soules and cōsciences into the hands of their Curates and Prelats D. It is certain that in all states there are some that thincke of religion as they do of some sciēce or handy craft Wherfore when there happeneth any controuersie they think that the knowlege therof doth in no wise appartaine to thē but that it is ynough for thē to committe the decidyng of the matter into the handes of the masters of the occupation and thē to giue their sentēce accordyng to the reporte that those men shal make and to esteme done and concluded what soeuer they conclude T. It semeth to me that their opiniō is not very euill For who can better iudge of an art or occupation then the masters therof Wer it not a great presumptiō for any man to take vpon him to iudge of that whiche he neither vnderstandeth nor knoweth D. This that thou sayest is not all together voyde of apparance but here must we take good hede that no man be deceiued for syth that here is the question whether that men of occupation shall iudge of thinges appertaining to their occupation thou must thē vnderstand that ●p man can truly iudge of the Christian doctrine but such as are true Christians for no man can vnderstand the heauenly language and the language of God but onely the children of God and those that are heauenly and not earthly Wherfore I do more esteme the iudgement of a simple laborer being one of the elect of god and regenerate by his holy spirite then that of all the Popes Byshops Priestes Philosophers and Doctours whiche shal be infidels or hipocrites for such are not of the occupatiō wherof we speake And as touching that whiche thou sayest that I do not alowe the councell or acte of a prince if he take in hand to do any thyng of his owne head in matter of Religion without askyng at the mouth of the Lord and takyng aduise coūcell of him by the helpe of those vnto whom he hath gyuen speciall charge to open and make manifeste his will vnto men and to declare his lawe vnto them And for this cause he hath don this honor to his Prophets and true Ministers of his Churche to call them his mouth promising that he will put hie word into their mouth And when the princes or people haue taken in hand any thynge that hath appertained to the honor of God and to their health without enquiring of the Lordes will at the handes of his Prophetes he hath rebuked them bycause they dyd not aske at hys Esay 1. 30. Ose 1. mouth that they haue weaued their cloth but not by his spirite he speaketh to the same purpose by Malachie The lyps of the Prieste do kepe knowledge men shall enquire of Mal● i. the law at his mouth for he is the aungel and messenger of the Lord of hostes ¶ Of the causes vvhy the princes should enquire of the vvill of God at the mouth of his Ministers and of the giftes of God vvith the vvhiche he endueth his Ministers T. IT semeth vnto me that it is very commendable in a prince chiefly when there is question of the reformatiō of the Church to enquire in that behalfe of the will of God at the hands of those that are appointed by God to declare the same vnto hym D. The thyng is not onely honest but so necessarie as nothing is more necessarie For albeit the prince be of the wisest of his Realme yet notwithstanding he can not knowe all thyngs but may oftentymes deceaue him selfe euen in his owne deuises Wherefore if he will at any tyme vse the counsell of his counsellers in matters of lesse importaūce or at the least he is not thought to be wise if that he do contemne it howe much is it more requisite to do it in a matter of so great weight whiche toucheth the honor of God and the health or damnation of euery man and not onely of the person of the prince but also of all hys subiectes T. Suche a matter is well worthy to be considered D. Of the other side it is very lyke that a good Pastour whiche maketh speciall profession of the study of the holy Scriptures and hath commission from God to expoūd them to others is more exercised then others whiche are lesse occupyed in
layde hys hande to the plow and doth looke behynde hym is not meete for the kyngdome of God T. I doe greatlye feare that there are manye Epicurians amonge those hypocrites of whom we haue spoken For although there be manye in the worlde that are taken for hypocrites because they loue not God nor shewe it so to the worlde yet notwithstanding there are some Epicurians the one sorte more couerte then the other There is one sorte which esteeme the whole volume of the sacred Scriptures to be but fables and they turne it all into iestyng and scoffing There is an other sorte which dare not so openlye declare what they thinke yet doe they not muche differ in opinion from those of whom we haue spokē Ther is beside these an other sorte whiche thinke that euerye man shall be saued in his religion what so euer it bee if so be that they serue God in a good intent ¶ Of the testimonyes by the vvhich men declare them selues to be very Epicurians and of the prouidence and iustice of God against their false opinions D. ALl those opinions are wonderfull daungerous and notwithstanding the same the greatest number of Math. xxv Roma ●iii ● Cor. iiii men at this daye declare them selues by their workes to bee of that iudgement For if they beleued assuredly that there were a GOD and an other lyfe and a iudgement to the which euery man shall be called to render a●● accompte and that there were a Paradyse and a h●ll they would neyther speake nor liue in such sorte as they do but would stande in more feare of God and beare greater reuerence to his lawe and worde For if there be a God which no mā can denie vnlesse he be more barbarous then all the barbarous people that euer were in the worlde ye● then barbarousnes it self and more brute and furious thē are all sauage and brute beasts and more deuilish then the deuill himselfe it must nedes be that such thinges are for the one of them can not be without the other God can not be God without his prouidence iustice if he haue his prouidence seinge he hath discerned men from beastes and hath made him a partaker of his godlye nature there is no doubt but that he hath other care of him then of beastes Gene. ii i. Pe. i Psalm v Iohn 5 Roma iii and hath created him to an other ende and to an other lyfe and felicitie then he hath created them If he haue iustice and goodnes in him it is very certayne that the good pleaseth him and the euill displeaseth him and that he will punyshe the one and reward the other And for so much as we do not here playnely see his iudgementes in all things that is vnto vs a most certaine argument that there is an other lyfe in the which God wil make knowen that which is hidden to vs here otherwise he shoulde not be that which he is T. It is very certayne ¶ Of the lighte of Gods vvorde vvhich is geuen to men and of the nature of the same and of the contempte that is among men D. If it be so as in dede euery man that is of good iudgement doth knowe we ought not to thinke that he hath created a Sunne wherby to lighten the eyes of mā and to conducte him and leade him to those thinges that are necessarie for this life and that he which is the very true onely sunne fountaine of all light hath not prepared light for the spirituall eyes of our soule to leade them to those thinges which are necessarye to eternall lyfe For if he haue had so great care for our body which is but earth and corruption and for this present life which is common with the lyfe of other creatures what shall we thinke that he hath of the soule for whose sake he hath made the body and of the immortalitie which he hath prepared for him And it is very true that the true lighte of the soule is that same worde of God by the which God doth instruct vs. Which according to the testimonye of Dauid is that onely lighte which doth lighten our eyes and doth directe our steppes and doth also geue wisedome to them that are ignoraunt wherfore whē psalme cxix we shall haue to do with men to perswade them to rede the holy scriptures and to heare the worde of God and to beholde that light which shyneth vn to vs in the same it is no more in effecte but as we shoulde exhorte men to open their eyes to behold receaue the light of the sunne Should we not thinke it very straunge if we should be enforced daylye to solicite men to this and should he not of right be thought to be very ingrate that had rather to holde hys eyes shutte and to be blinde stil then to beholde this light of the sunne and to be lightened by the same T. Yes truely D. Yet notwithstanding we doe dayly much worse when that we are prouoked to vnderstand and harken to the word of God in sundrye wyse and yet we will not vnderstand of it at all T. Thou sayest very true but men do not see so farre ¶ Of the authoritie of holy Scriptures and in vvhat sort God hath declared his vvill vnto men and hovve much it agreeth vvith his prouidence D. ANd as concerning those that doe not beleue that the holy Scriptures and worde of God are the worde of God they are more voyde of reason then are those y● should saye there is no sunne in the worlde or if there bee one that he shyneth not or els that the lyghte by the which we are lighted is not of the sunne for we oughte not to doubte but Iohn 1. that God who is the perfect and true light hath manifested himselfe vnto men whom he hath created of purpose to haue the fruition and enioying of this diuine lyght and to walke in the same And if it bee so I woulde gladlye knowe of those whiche beare so small reuerence to the holye Scriptures if they knowe anye other more certayne meane more meete and more excellente by the whiche GOD hath declared himselfe vnto men and whether there bee anye other doctryne more worthye of hys maiestie and doth contayne and reuele vnto men thinges more hye more godlye more secreate more vnknowen and incomprehensible to all mennes vnderstandyng more true and more certayne and that doth touche and presse mans harte more and hath in them greater vertue and effecte bee it to humble and beate them downe bee it to releue and comforte them and is in all respectes more meete more profitable and more wholesome for man and better approued and confyrmed by infynite testimonyes of God and that doth better deserue to bee credited then this which hath bene reuealed by the Aungells of heauen who daylye doe see the face of God Also Mat. xviii Heb. i. by the Patriarches Prophettes Apostles and the moste holye and
moste vertuous personages that euer the earth dyd beare and that of so greate an accorde and perpetuall consente and all readye by so longe a tyme euen from the begynnyng of the worlde by continuall succession T. Thou alledgest here great matters of great weighte to approue that whiche thou haste declared D. Yea but I haue not yet touched the principall to witte that the verye Sonne of God whiche is the true woorde the Image the lyghte and bryghtnesse of the Iohn 1. Heb. i. glorye of God hath beene sente vnto vs from the bosome of the Father to declare and confyrme the same the more dwellyng amonge men in the true nature and shape of man Also we haue here no small testimonye that thys doctryne is of God in that the deuill dyd neuer make so longe and cruell warres agaynste any doctryne what so euer it was as hee hath agaynste thys and in that it hath beene alwayes so miraculouslye conserued by the singulare prouidence and power of God agaynste all the assaultes of the deuill and that God hath punyshed wyth horrible plagues those that haue stoode vppe agaynste the same As the examples of all ages doe ryghte well witnesse What shall we also saye in that it hath beene approued and ratifyed so myghtely by so manye signes and myracles which coulde in no wise bee done but by the onely power of God and also by the bloude death and confession of so manye Martyrs and confessours which are in number infinite T. If euer God dyd speake or if euer he dyd shewe himselfe to men to deliuer vnto them anye kinde of doctryne there is none other doctryne that we maye assuredlye beleue to bee of God but onely thys doctryne of the which thou haste nowe spoken And therefore we are fullye resolued that GOD hath shewed himselfe to men and that he hath reuealed vnto them the doctryne of saluation For if the kinges and princes of the earthe yea the moste barbarous brute and cruell men of the earth dyd well knowe that men coulde not lyue wythoute lawes but were constrayned to make lawes and to submitte them selues knowing the same to bee verye necessarye for the conseruation of mankynde and common policie doe wee thincke that GOD the soueraigne kynge and prince of euerye creature who is himselfe the lawe to all would leaue men withoute a lawe and hys people withoute geuyng them an order howe to lyue Hee that hath geuen a lawe to all hys other creatures woulde hee leaue man which is the chiefe of his workes among all the visible creatures and he whom he hath appoynted prince and ruler ouer them to be without lawe and direction D. Who can thinke the contrarye if he be not more beastlye then the very beastes T. Wherfore for my part I do conclude that this same whereof we haue spoken is the true lawe and doctrine of God and that there is none other but that all others must be gouerned by thys onely lawe and to reiecte all such as are not agreing with thys ¶ Of the moste deuely she peruersitie of the Epicurians and hovve they doe agree vvith the doctrine of Mahomet vvho is of opinion that all men shall bee saued in theyr ovvne lavve D. THou doest conclude very wel but the Epicurians of whom we speake will not so easely agree to our sayinges For it is harde to satisfye such as do delyte to mocke God and to make warres agaynst hym and to perswade in matters of religion such as desire to liue without religigion And in deede such swyne are not worthye to be disputed with in such a matter for so muche as in the same they declare them selues to be more beastly then the brute beastes and that they denie the foundation which the deuills them selues are compelled to confesse for they doubte not at all but that there is one God and one Lord Iesus Christ whō they feare and stand in awe of And euen as those reasons which we haue alreadye alledged are sufficient for all such as feare God and are tractable and not contentions euen so are they sufficient to ouerthrowe and treade downe the errour of them that do affyrme that euery man shall be saued in hys owne lawe thys proposition shoulde be true if Iames. ii Met. 8 Mark v euery man dyd embrace the lawe of God this poynte is an article of the lawe of Mahomet because that he doth imagine that God hath geuen diuerse lawes vnto men in diuerse tymes and in diuerse places according to the diuersitie of the people and nations wherefore he doth conclude that euery nation shall bee saued in obseruyng that lawe and forme of religion that he hath receaued of God In the which although he do moste filthilye erre yet notwithstanding he hath more reason then these men of whom we speake whiche accepte for a lawe and religion all that euer any of them doth inuent and imagine of his own braynes ¶ Of mans traditions and of the rule vvhich is set before vs in the holy Scriptures of all religion and doctrine T. THey thinke also because they haue receaued these thinges of their fathers that the same which they followe is the lawe and religion which God hath ordeyned D. Yea but there are of them that doe well knowe the contrary and are well assured that they embrace many things which are inuented by men wherfore if they will attribute so great worthines to the traditions of men as to that law and doctrine which God himselfe hath geuen and reueled by his Patriarches Prophets and Apostles and chiefly by Iesus Christ his onely sonne our Lord we shal neuer haue ende of geuing lawes nor shall we haue any thing whereunto we may assuredly trust There shal bee no difference betwene God and man betwene the maister and the seruaunt for euery man shall be a lawe maker And Sathan may continually by this meanes spread abroad what doctrine so euer shall please him and vouch it to be the doctrine of God And then in vayne hath God geuen hys lawe and word by his Patriarches Prophets and Apostles and especiallye by his owne sonne Iesus Christ In vayne should he haue forbidden to adde anye thing to it or to diminishe it Exod. 20 Heb. 1. Gal iii. Acte vii Deut 4 1● P●o●● xxx or ells to receaue anye other doctrine no although it were brought in dede by the Aungels of heauen Wherefore if he will that we geue suche honour vnto that woorde which hath ben once reuealed by the Patriarches Prophets and Apostles and by Iesus Christe our onely Lorde that the verye doctrince of the Aungells shall bee examined by thys rule doe we then thinke that he will geue more power to man ouer hys worde then to Aungells To what ende doe all the admonitions serue whiche are geuen vs for to beware Deut. xiii Mat. 7. Actes xx Roma xvi i. Iohn iiii of false Prophets to shonne those that ar heretiques and to proue the
spirites whether they bee of God or no if it were all one to followe what lawe a man woulde and that God woulde bee contented to be serued with our good intentes man shoulde neuer haue neded that he shoulde haue geuen hym anye lawe but onely hys owne intention commaundyng hym to doe onely that whiche shoulde come into hys mynde and shoulde seeme good vnto hym Which thing he hath earnestlye forbidden saying honour Deut. 11. not thou the Lorde in that sorte that seemeth good vnto thy selfe but in that sorte onely whicch I doe commaund thee without declyning eyther to the ryghte hand or to the lefte ¶ Hovv vve oughte to iudge of that vvhere God forbyddeth vs to doe that vvhich semeth good in our ovvne opinion and of the assuraunce of our consciences by the vvorde of God vvithout the vvhi●he nothyng can please God that man can doe T. IF he will that we doe not that which we thinke to bee good what shall we then do That which we thinke to be euill D. He doth not at all forbid vs to doe that which we thinke to be good if it be good in deede but for so muche as of our owne nature we are ignoraunce and blinde and that oftentymes we take darkenes for lyghte and lyghte for darkenes the good for euill and the eui●l for good the sweete for soure and the soure for sweete he will not that we gouerne our selues accordyng to our owne fantasyes but hath geuen vs an order to the ende that we myghte perfectlye discerne these thynges and not to take the one for the other which is not possible for vs to doe of our selues without the meane that he hath geuen vs. And for that cause he sayeth thou shalte doe onely that which I doe commaunde thee Wherfore it doth follow that what so euer Deut. ●8 man doth can not please God vnlesse he be assured that GOD hath commaunded and ordayned it and can not doe it without doing great wronge and violating the commaundement of God For fyrst of al none can please hym withoute fayth And secondarilye fayth can not be fayth withoute an vndoubted assurance And certayne assurance can not be but in the word of God For how can I be assured that God alloweth thys and disaloweth that but by the vnderstanding of hys will which I can not haue but by the declaration thereof which he hath by hys word On Heb. 11 the other parte howbeit that that which I should do should not be contrarye to hys will but shoulde be such as he hath expressedlye commaunded yet coulde not my harte bee thorowlye agreable vnto him but should be worthye of greate blame if I did it without this assurance because that I shoulde not beare to the maiestie of God the honour and reuerence which I doe owe vnto the same For I oughte to haue him in that reuerence that if I doubte of the thyng I shoulde fyrst enquyre and bee assured of it to the ende that I shoulde not put my selfe in daunger to offend hym that which we shoulde more feare then death For if I make so small accompte to put my selfe in suche hasarde I doe declare by suche contempt that I doe not so feare God as I oughte to doe nor doe so reuerence his holy name as my duety requireth T. If these kind of mē offēd which do good thinges in doubte howe greuous is then the offence of such as doe those thynges whiche he hath playnelye forbidden and are apparantlye euill D. I committe that to your iudgement ¶ Of the errour of those that thinke that the vvorkes vvhich they do contrary to the vvill of God are yet notvvithstāding agreable to him because that they do them in a good intent T. BUt what wilte thou saye of those that doing thynges contrarye to the wyll of God doe assure them selues that they are agreable to God and ordayned by hym For there are manye of that opinion in manner all suche as are superstitious and idolaters are of that iudgement and almoste all the heritiques which doe all that euer they doe in a good intente if we shall iudge of theyr conscience For if they thought not that their religion dyd please God many woulde refuse it which seeme yet to haue some feare of God D. I aunswere to that that GOD is not subiecte to our fantasyes and that he will iudge nothyng to bee good or euill because it pleaseth or displeaseth vs and because that we doe so iudge of it but because the thyng is so of hys owne nature and that he himselfe hath so iudged of it and hath commaunded or forbidden it or ells all superstition and idolatrye heresye and wickednes shoulde be lawful For there is no wickednes nor abhomination so greate whiche in the opinion of manye is not holden for a good and an honest thyng or at the least not euill But howe manye heritiques people and nations are there which haue esteemed thynges to be good and honest which are the moste straunge and abhominable that maye bee thoughte or imagined How many haue ther bene also that haue had the most vniuste lawes of the whole world which they haue no lesse esteemed then bee the beste and moste iuste that are T. The matter is playne D. Moreouer doe we thinke that GOD will endure at our handes that whiche we oure selues will not endure at the handes of our seruauntes Woulde we bee contented to haue a seruaunte to serue vs after hys owne will and fantasye Wil we not rather be serued accordyng to ours T. If we should not be serued as we do commaunde we shoulde not be maisters but seruauntes and our seruauntes should be the maisters D. And seynge it is so wyll God endure that wee shall serue hym as pleaseth vs and not accordynge to hys wyll and that we shall take vnto our selues suche mastershyp ouer hym doost thou not manifestly see how that all these moste damnable opinions abolishe and deface the lawe and worde of God and consequently God hym selfe whiche can not be knowen for God without these thinges For if these goodlye reasons bee true all these absurdities and blasphemies do folowe and a generall abolishyng of all true Religion and a horrible confusion of all thynges For if thys foundation bee once layde all difference betwene good and euill betwene vertue and vice is cleane wiped away There resteth then no more but euery man to do what lyketh him and so to gyue the head to all his affections whiche is a more perillous matter and much mo●e daungerous then it is to let lose all the wilde beastes of the worlde to go at their owne will amonge men as doth a wolfe lose among shepe in executyng his rage and cruelty agaynst them ¶ To vnderstand vvhether God haue ordeyned sondry Reliligions for men and of the diuersitie of mens lawes accordyng to the diuersitie of nations and countreis T. THere is nothyng more certayne then that which thou sayest
also spoken of the difference agrement y● is betwene the olde new testamēnt the law the Gospel of the ministerye of the one the other of the diuersity and of the vsage of the lawes geuē by Moyses of his office and of Iesus Christ ❧ The fourth Dialogue intitled the resolucion of Councels ¶ Of the charge whiche God gaue to Moyses and of the authority of the lawe by him geuen and of the whole doctrine of the Patriarches and Prophetes Timothe Daniel I Am euen now newlye come from reading the second booke of Moyses in the which he hath written of this matter for the which I doo now come to thee here reasteth no more but that thou instruct me of some principal pointes of the doctrine howe I might make my profit of them and dayly to encrease in the knowledge of the authority of this great and generall Councell to the which thou doest referre me D. All be it that I doubt not at al but that thou hast made praier vnto God before thou cōmest to me to the ende that he might graunt grace both to thee and me so to handle his holy woord that it might be to his honour and glory and to our health as we ought alwayes to do when we take in hand so holy a worke yet for al that it shall be very wel done that we both together doo cal vpon him before that we procede anye further in thys matter T. That is verye reasonable and meete D. The Lord for his mercies sake heare our prayers But to our purpose wherof we spake before thou must first note that God himselfe gaue charge to Moyses to cal the people together of whom he had ordained him Pastor and leader was serued by him in that vocation and ministerye as of his legate and embassadour And albeit that God had alredy sufficiently authorised the ministerye of Moyses by the great tokens and maruels which he had done by his hand in the presence of all the people of Israel as well in Egipt before their comming out of it as in the wyldernes after it Yet notwithstanding it pleased him not to speake at that time vnto them by his owne seruaunt and Embassadour Moyses as before time he was wont to do but would himselfe in proper person speake in the presence of all the people and would that the eares of them al shoulde heare hys voyce by the which he gaue the ordinances determinaciōs decrers and Canons of this great Councell whereof we haue already spoken in the first place For the doctrine of the law is an vnderstanding and knowledge of the will of God which is as it were borne with man in his creation in so muche as God hath printed it in hys hart and hath endued him with that grace as with others wherewith he hath endued him when he did create and make him to hys image and likenes But forsomuch as it hath bene greatly darkened and blotted by meanes of sinne which afterward came into the world we must of force come to the vnderstanding and knowledge of the Gospel which is not natural as is that of the lawe nor of the benefit of our fyrst creation as is this here but of that of the regeneracion redempcion and iustification which is reuealed vnto vs by the sonne of God who brought it vnto vs from the bosome of the father Therfore thou mayest see here playnlye who was the author and President of this Councell and from whō this doctrin which is brought vnto vs to be the rule to try all other doctrine by which should be set foorth vnto vs in the name of God is proceeded For seing that God by this meane did auowe Moyses to be his seruaunt and for his Prophet and lawful Embassadour we maye be out of doubt that that lawe and doctrine whiche he brought is of God wherfore we may assuredly receiue and esteme it not for mans doctrine but for the doctrine of God And for somuch as that doctrine which hath bene authorised and allowed in thys Coūcel by the authority and the very mouth of God is that same doctrine which in time past al the holy Patriarches did holde and obserue euen from the beginning of the world and that veri same also which since hath bene embraced and followed by al the holy Prophetes and true seruantes of God ther is no doubt but that al the doctrine which the Churche of God hath followed euen from the beginning of the world and hath alwaies bene entertayned and continued in the same by the ministerye of the Patriarches and Prophets hath bene by that same meane authorised allowed and ratified T. For so muche as it is one very doctrine ther is no doubt but that the approuing of the one is also the approuing of the other ¶ How that the allovving of the doctrine of the olde Testament is also the allovving of that of the nevv and hovv the nevv expoundeth the old D. ANd albeit that that same whyche our Lorde Iesus Christ hath brought vs from heauē and that it hath bene declared to men as well by the ministerye of him as by that of his Apostles and Disciples and of their successors hath bene agayne authorised and approued in a farre more excellent sort yet standeth it so notwithstanding that the allowing and ratifieng thereof doth agree with that of the doctrine of the Patriarches and Prophets for Christe Roma x. Ephe. ii Act. 2. and hys haue taught nothing contrarye to the same but haue approued and accomplished it For this cause Saynt Paule doth cal Christ the end the performance and fulfylling of the law and the foūdacion or ground worke of the Prophets and Apostles for that cause he speaketh plainly before Agrig●a saying that he hath taught nothing but that whiche Moyses and the Prophetes dyd teache before him Likewise our Lord Iesus Christ did often times refer the Iewes to the testimony of Moyses saying that he had Iohn v witnessed of hym and did send and commende them to the scriptures as it hath bene already declared Moreouer thys agrement of the law of the Prophets with Iesus Christ Math. 17. Luke 1● hath bene declared in his transfiguracion in that that hys Apostles did see hym with Moyses and Elias also when he opened the hartes of his Disciples going to Emans he did alledge the testimonies written of him in the law in the Psalmes and Prophets we may then easelye vnderstande by this that euen as the Prophets which were sent from God after Moyses were as it were expounders of the law and of the doctrine which he had set forth to hys Church as wel by him as by the Patriarches which were before him euen so our Lord Iesus Christ and his Apostles haue bene the very true expositors of all the auncient doctrine those by whom the last determinacion of al the doctrine of saluation hath bene set forth and declared to the Churche
witnesses onely which notwithstanding ought to haue some authority but before the eyes of all the people which were in no small number For before that time in their comming out of Egypt they were about sixe hundred thousand men valiant Exod. xii and able to weare weapons beside the women and children and a great number of other people T. Then was ther a great number of witnesses D. Yea and that of such witnesses as did see the thing with their own eyes and did heare it with their own eares If Moyses had come to the people and should haue sayd that God had spoken to hym and that he had geuen him the lawe which he presented to the people in Gods name ther is no doubt but y● he shoulde haue found mockers and euill speakers and a great number of rebels and Mutiners in so great a people to haue scoffed at Moyses and to haue mutined rebelled against him saying that he had bene a lyar and a craftye and deceitful man which would couer him selfe with the name authority of God to erect a tyrannye ouer that people and to deale with them according to his pleasure T. It is not vnlike by that that happened after that this was done for if Core Dathan and Abiron with their adherentes which Numb xvi were thē selues witnesses of al these maruels by the which God did authorise the ministerye of Moyses durst to conspire and rebell againste Moyses and Aaron and did finde such a number of followers after suche an authorising of their voeation what woulde haue become of them if that God had not so armed them with his authority ¶ Of the declarations and aduertismentes that God did gyue to the people of Israel before he gaue them hys lavv by Moyses D. ANd therfore God did first commaund Moyses to declare vnto the people the workes which he most marueilously had done as well in the lande of Egipt as in the Exod. xix going forth out of the same by the which he did shewe hys great power in ouerthrowing the force of the Egiptians through his wrath and deliuering his people from their tiranny through his mercye to the ende that they might the better vnderstand of what power he was to punishe those whiche shoulde rebell agaynste his lawe and to shewe mercy vnto those that should submit them selues thereunto and how woorthye he was both to be feared and loued and in what reputacion they oughte to haue his seruaunt Moyses by whose hand he had done these greate woorkes and afterward to cause his people the more to loue hym the better to encourage them to heare his woord to obey his law he doth renew the auncient promises which were made to them and to their fathers and more strongly doth confirm and establish them declaring vnto them the great honour the great profyt and the great wealth that should happen vnto them if that they did obey their God serue him according to his wil and lawe After that he had made all these declarations he then gaue them to vnderstande how he was determined to shewe him selfe and to speake vnto them and to geue vnto Moyses in their presence hys law according to the which he will be honored and serued and then he declareth the cause and the reason why he wyl do it To the end sayth he that the people doo heare whilest I speake to thee and also that they beleue thee for euer T. These are godly admonitions ¶ VVhat tokens God gaue of his presence in the mount Synay vvhen he did geue and publish hys lavv D. IT cannot then be sayde hers that these thinges were fayned and that Moyses did vniustlye make them beleue that God did speake vnto him and gaue him that law Exod. xi● whiche he brought to the people and yet that there was no suche thing at all For the people did see the cloude in the which God spake vnto Moyses to declare therby his maiesty To wyt that he is the chiefe King and Prince of heauen and of earth vnto whom al creatures must obey And forsomuch as God doth more manifest his presēce his glory his power and his maiesty in the heauen in the ayre then in any other of his creatures he tooke the cloudes for to declare his maiesty and soueraigntye that he hath ouer al. But he was not yet contented with this but before he would discend into the mount Synay in the thick darck cloude he caused the thunder to burst out in a marueilous sorte in the ayre whose crackes were heard al ouer made a horrible and a fearfull noyse He did also sende foorth the great lightnings in such sorte that at the ayre was lighted and was fylled with great fyres which were sene in al places very terrible On the other syde the people did see all the Mountayne in a smoke as it had bene of a great fyre or of a burning furnace They hearde also the cornet and the trumpet found which did ring with a marueilous violēce made a very feareful noyse in such sort as ther was neither great nor small that was not wonderfully afrayde did not tremble with great horrour and was not as it wer halfe dead for feare All that whyle the whole mountayne was couered with the great cloud in the which God spake with a mighty voice in the hearing of al the people and did pronounce from his own mouth the verye same woordes which he had written with his owne finger in the two tables of stone the which Moyses did afterward bring down from the mountayne of Synay and of the talke whiche he had with God in the same hyll ¶ Of the signification of the signes vvhich God dyd geue in geuing his lavv and of the reasons vvhy and hovv much they are agreable vvith the nature of the lavv T. WHat was the meanyng of al that for it was not done without cause D. It serued for the more strong cōfirmation of the thinges whereof we haue already spoken for there was none of them but that they did knowe ryght well that there was neyther illusion nor enchauntmente in those thinges and that they were done by no power of man but of God wherefore they serued againe as a new seale for the confirmation of the ministerye and vocation of Moyses of the maiesty and power of God to saue hys to destroy his aduersaries for by that he did declare that he was the God of nature and that he did dispose of her euen as it pleased him and that he dyd all that he woulde as well in heauen as in earth And therfore he would him selfe euen from his own mouth preach vnto his people he would also ring to the sermon that he would make vnto them and prepare them and make them hedefull to heare him He had then for his belles for his Musike the Cornet and trumpette to cause them to heare his voyce and to
awaken thē which things did very well agree with the nature of the law For by the same the sentence of the cursse of God is pronoūced Deut. 27 vpon all those that shal not obserue it euen to the vttermost iote ¶ Of the vsage of the lavv to lead men to Iesus Christ by the knovvledge of their synnes T. THen is there none but he is accurssed for how may we obserue and fulfill the law thorowly when we are not able perfectlye to accomplishe the leaste pointe conteyned therin D. All be it that it is euill as thou sayest yet doth it not folow but that it profiteth vs much for it dothe condemne vs and causeth vs to seke our absolutiō hauing recourse to the grace and mercy of hym who condemneth vs by the same to absolue vs afterward and to deliuer vs from the condemnatiō which we haue deserued She declareth vnto vs the cursse to teache vs to knowe the wrath of God against sinne and to stirre vs vp to seeke that seede of Ro. ● 4. 7. Gen. 12. 22 Galat. xxx blessing which is in Iesus Christ by whō that cursse is wiped away T. They haue not a little profited that haue learned this knowledge ¶ Of the cause vvherfore God vvould make the people of Israel afraide by those signes vvhich he gaue in the mounte Synay D. ANd for so much as the hart of man is high proud and stubburne and can not humble himself vnder the mighty hande of God nor acknowledge the power and the Maiesty of him and his wrath against sin how much he is to be feared redoubted his wyll was to declare these things by such tokens For if the sound of the thūder which is called the voyce of God be so horryble and fearefull that there is none but is moued and afrayd with it and if the material lightning be so violent that nothing is able to resyste Pl. 18. 104. it nor to stand before it let vs then thinke how horrible and feareful the voyce of God shall be when he shall speake to the wicked in his anger and in his wrathe and when he shall Mat. 7. 25. say vnto them goe your way and depart from me ye workers of iniquitie goe into euerlasting fire whiche is prepared for the Deuill and his Angels The same shal be a terrible thunder which shal cast so exceding a horrible lightning y● no one of those y● it shall smite shall be able to abide it but that he shal be thrown hedlong into the bottomeles pitte of hell It shall lighten a fyre which neuer shal be quenched for Esay 66. Mar. 9 Deut. 4 Heb. xii Psal xviii Gene. 19 the Lord is a cōsuming fyre which wil burne and consume all those which would not walke in his lighte It is he that casteth the great flames of fyre and the burning coales out of his mouth when he speaketh as those of Sodom and Gomorre haue already proued Then whosoeuer he be that wil not heare his fatherly voyce by the which he declareth vnto vs his wil in so louing a sort he shal be constrained to heare that thundring roaring and firy voyce which maketh the the heauen and earth to ringe and tremble of the which the thunder is but a very litle sound and a very soft expression T. Seyng it is so he is a Lord that speaketh very mightely and is greatly to be feared ¶ Of the trompet vvhich did sound in the mounte Synay of the meanyng therof and of the blessings and cursings of the lavv and of the publishing of the same D. IN like sort this cornette that trompet was a signe and a token of that great trompet which shall sounde at the last day and shall cause the earth to open and shall Math. xxv i. Cor. 15 i. Thes v. Iohn v. come euen to the eares of the deade which are rotten in the dust of the same euen from the beginning of the world and shall call both the quicke and the deade to iudgement For euen as the people were assembled together in the mounte Synay by the trompet that there dyd sound in like sort in the latter day al shal be gathered together by the sounde of Leui. 23 the trumpet of that great God to be iudged according to that law which then he gaue We maye see the like of the cornets and trumpets which they vsed to sounde in Israel in the yeare of Iubile and when they shoulde gather the people together to heare the law of God Then when thys last trumpet shal sound of the which these same haue bene euen as figures euery man shal know of what valewe the blessings are which he hath promised to those which should obey vnto his lawe and also the cursses with the which he threatneth al the rebels and wicked ones For after that he had spoken on the height of the mountayne out of the middest of the smoke and that he had geuen the lawes the determinations the decrees and the canons of thys great councel which he held with hys people He gaue also the order and maner of his blessinges and cursses and maledictions which afterward likewise wer published in great solemnitye and maiestye For he commaunded that the one Deut. 27 part of the twelue tribes of Israel should go vp to an hyll to reherse the blessinges and the other shoulde stande vpon an other to rehearse the cursses and that the whole multitude should be in a valley to subscribe and binde them selues openly and solemnly to the obseruance of the same in the which obligation we al ar cōprehended T. Thys is not an obligation which a man may discharge with a summe of money ¶ Of the last and general iudgement of God and of the sentence that shall be geuen ther vvithout respect of person as vvel vpon the faithful as on the infidels D. THerfore it behoueth vs to haue good regarde to our doings in this behalfe for these are no playes of litle children nor lyghtnynges papall whiche are but in parchment and paper and in yncke and in waxe and in leade There shall bee there an other assistaunce then is that of the Councell of Trente There shall bee there an other kynde of songe and melodye then in the feaste of the Image of Nabuchodonosor and in the Popes sessions the Popes Cardinals Bishops and generals of the Monkes shall not be set there to geue the last sentences nor to pronoūce the condēnations the cursses maledictions against the very disciples of Iesus Christ nor yet the Emperours kings Princes their Embassadours to execute the iudge ments of these here but al these together shal appeare there to be thēselues iudged euery mā according to his workes Gal. vi by the which they haue declared what faithe they haue had in Iesus Christ Iesus the very sonne of God to whom the father hath geuen all power and all iudgement he shall be
Math. 25. 24. Iohn v. there set in the glorious throne of this maiesty with all hys heauenly Angels and all his Patriarckes Prophetes and Apostles to hold a Councel for to heare the last appellatiōs and to reuoke al the vniust sentences that haue bene geuen against his and against his truth which they haue folowed by the wicked decrees and Councels of tyrantes and of his aduersaries and condemne those which haue condemned that innocents and to absolue such as haue bene vniustly condempned It shal be he himself that shal pronounce the sentences the blessings and the cursses by the which the great beast and the great whore sitting vpon the same al those which haue borne the marke of the beast and those whiche haue bene dronken with the wyne of her fornication shall Apo. 17. 18 be condempned and the innocentes deliuered whose bloud she hath shedde through the ayde of the red Dragon in the which she hath died her garmēts of purple and scarlet Thē Apoc. xvii the beast and all his false Prophetes and adherents shal be throwen into the deepe pitte and into the fornace of fyre and brimstone which shall neuer bee quenched which shall greatly differ frō that in the which this cruel beast did roste Apoc. xx and burne the children of God in a fyre which is forthwith consumed into ashes wherefore we haue no occasion so to feare it nor yet the executioners which light it least the thynking to flee it wee fal into that euerlasting fyre and be deliuered into the handes of the hellish tormentors to be tormēted with them and by them euerlastingly and to be shut out from the company of this great kyng Iesus and from all his heauenly Courte to dwel eternally in the kingdome of darkenesse in that hellish Court and company so curssed and execrable ¶ Of the sanctification and preparacion that God did require of hys people vvhen he vvould giue them his lavv of the same that is required of vs to prepare vs to receyue hys vvoord T. SEing that it is so we ought then to geue good eare to vnderstande what is commaunded vs in that law Exo. xix and to heare it with great honour and reuerence D For that cause God before he discended into the mount commaunded that his people shoulde bee sanctified to receiue him and that they should prepare them selues twoo dayes before and that they shoulde washe their clothes and that they shoulde come neare no woman wherein he declared that al vnclēlynes and filthines abhorred him y● to draw neare vnto him and to heare and vnderstand his voyce it was requisite to bring thether a hart and a minde seperated and free from al earthly thinges and wholye dedicated to him and rapte in him For he hath no respecte to apparel but by his outwarde cleanlynes and honestye he would giue vs to vnderstande what the inwarde ought to be and would vs to vnderstand that if a foule and a filthy garmente doo offend and loath a man then by greater reason hath he iust occasion to be offended with our hartes with out filthy souies and consciences being vile and infected with sinne And for so muche as they be suche and that the law was geuen to warne vs thereof and that we ought to seeke for our cleannes in him he commaunded that cere monie In like sorte because that mariage is his ordināce and that it is honorable in al estates and the bed vndefiled we may not therfore thinke that he condemned it when he Gene. 12 Math. xix Heb. xiii i. Cor. vii did forbid the people to be conuersant with their wyues for the space of two daies For if it wer not holy and honest he would no more suffer it in other dayes then in those daies but in shewing vs that it was expedient for vs to abstaine euen from those pleasures which were lawfull and whych he himselfe doth permit vnto vs when we will be occupied in meditaciō and prayer and in the hearing of his word in other holy thinges to the end that we should be wholye voide separate frō al earthly thoughts affectiōs to y● end y● thei might wholy giue them selues vnto him he giueth vs perfectly to vnderstand how much more necessarye it is to abstaine frō al vnlawful pleasures frō al filthynes villany It is also y● cause why that S. Paul doth permit those i. Cor. 7. that are maryed to refrayn from lying together for a certayne time so that it be by the consent of both the parties to exercise them selues in fasting and prayer ¶ Of the fastinges and abstinences and of the differences of daies and meates vvhyche they obserue in the Popish churche and of their originall and foundation and of the defaulte that therin is T. I Do thynke also that for the lyke purpose it was ordayned in the olde tyme to faste the Aduente the Lente the Vigiles and the fowre Imbers and to abstayne from certayne meates the Fridayes and Saterdayes for to dispose and prepare men throughe abstinence the more willinglye to heare the woorde of GOD and to prayer and to the communion of the Sacramentes as well on the Sondayes as on other holye dayes and chiefely on the moste solempne dayes as on Christmas daye Easter and Whitsondaye D. It is lyke to bee true But al beit that it maye bee alledged that thys was ordayned for a good entente yet notwithstandyng there was a greate faulte in so doyng because that those which were Authours of suche traditions were so hardye not onelye to geue suche lawes to the Churche by their owne authoritie wyth oute the expressed woorde of GOD but also to make them perpetual and by them to put difference betwene daye and daye and betwene one meate and the other and to make the Churche subiecte to those obseruations whiche are more then Iewyshe and those whiche haue added vnto it the opinion of deserte and haue bounde them vppon the payne of deadlye synne yea and haue done worse for they haue defaced and blotted the benefytes of Iesus Christ causyng men by these meanes to truste and to put the hope of theyr saluation in meates and dayes and in their workes where they oughte onelye to put it in Iesus Christ ¶ Of the sobrietie abstinence and honestye that is requyred of the Christians in their assembles in the Church T. ANd if that those men haue commytted a faulte on their parte oughte not we also on our syde to take good heede least that we takyng in hande to amend thys faulte shoulde fall into an other extremitye as many do euen at thys day D. You saye verye well for if we thinke the superstitious abstinences of the Papistes worthye of blame let vs not thynke to correcte them by gluttonye and dronkennesse and other dissolutions but let vs endeuoure oure selues to brynge them to a true sobrietie abstinence and Christian chastitie Wherefore at what soeuer tyme
and when wee shall eyther take in oure handes the booke of the holye Scriptures thereby to vnderstand of the wyll of GOD or elles that we come together in the Church to heare hys voyce by the holy Ministery of hys worde or els to communicate and be partakers of hys holy sacraments and of the prayers which are there made we oughte to goe with no lesse reuerence ne yet to prepare oure selues in none other sorte then yf we shoulde heare Actes ii God wyth hys owne mouthe speake out of the cloude and out of the greate smoke whiche was in the Mounte of Synay and that we dyd heare the greate thunders and the lyghtninges that were then sene For euen the same God whiche then dyd there speake is euen he that speaketh at thys present daye in hys Churche and shall iudge vs accordyng to that lawe whiche he hathe published there And albeit that he speaketh vnto vs nowe more familiarly and more louynglye then he then dyd yet notwythstandyng let vs not thyncke that he is of lesse power and force then he then was But in that that he vseth such gentlenes and benignitie towarde vs the punishment shall be so muche the greater vppon vs yf we doo abuse the same Yf we wyll vnderstande howe wee oughte to guide and gouerne oure selues wee muste cleane to the resolution of thys Councell and to the decrees and ordinaunces whyche we haue receyued ¶ Of the Councell that vvas holden in the Mounte Syon and of the conference of the same vvyth that vvhyche vvas holden in the Mounte Synay and of Moyses and of Iesus Christe and of the Ministery of the lavve and of the Gospell T. THys is a goodlye Councell and of greate authoritie but thou saydst that there was yet an other in the lande of Chanaan and of Iudea and in especiall in the Mounte of Syon by the verye Sonne of GOD. I woulde bee verye gladde that thou wouldest declare vnto mee also what that was D. That Councell dothe euen so muche excell the other as Iesus Christ He● iii dothe excell Moyses and the Master of the house the seruaunte For thoughe that GOD hym selfe dyd speake in proper person in bothe yet notwithstandyng he hathe shewed hym selfe this seconde tyme in a sorte muche more authentique and more excellent more amiable and agreable to the weakenesse of mans nature then euer he dyd synce the beginnyng of the worlde For when he shewed himselfe in the mounte Synay the people dyd not see his Deut. 4. Exod. xi● Hebr. ii face nor shape nor dyd see or heare anye thing but suche as were horrible and fearefull It was not lawfull for them to doo so muche as to come to the mountaine or to touche the vttermoste parte thereof wyth out daunger of deathe and to bee stoned or striken thorowe wyth arrowes were it man or beaste Therefore the people beynge greatlye amased and afrayde desired Moyses to be Exod. xx Eeu xxviii as a meane betwene GOD and them and to declare vnto them hys wyll and pleasure as hys Embassadour to that ende that they moughte heare no more that voyce of GOD so horrible and fearefull for they thought that they coulde not heare it agayne but that they shoulde all dye and dyd muche maruell that euer they coulde heare it with oute deathe Wherefore GOD knowyng the weakenesse of hys people dyd promise them to sende them a Prophet euen oute of the middest of their brethern lyke vnto Moyses into whose mouthe he woulde put his worde and by Deut. xviii the same he woulde cause them to heare his voyce This Prophete accordyng to the testimonye of Sain●t Peter is Iesus Christe oure Lorde of whome the Father hymselfe dyd saye This is my welbeloued sonne in whome I Actes iii. Math. 3. 1● haue set my whole delighte heare hym And for that cause the Apostle saythe writyng to the Hebrewes that God hath Heb. i in tyme passed oftentymes and in sundrye sortes spoken to our Fathers by the Prophetes but in these latter dayes he hath spoken to vs by hys own Sonne and making comparison of thys manifestation whiche was made by oure Sauioure Iesus Christe wyth that of the mounte of Synay Truely sayth he you are not come to the mountayn whiche moughte bee touched nor to burnyng fyre nor yet Heb. xi● to darkenesse and myste and vnto tempest neyther vnto the sounde of a trompette and to the voyce of wordes the whiche those whiche dyd heare it refused that the communication should be addressed to thē any more for they could not endure that which was commaunded If a beast touch the mountayne he shall bee stoned or elles stricken thorow wyth a darte And so terrible was the sighte that appeared that Moyses sayde I feare and quake but you are come to the mounte Syon and to the Citie of the lyuyng God the heauenly Ierusalem and to the companye of manye thousandes of Aungels and to the congregation of the firste borne which are written in the heauens and to God which is iudge of all and to the spirites of iust and perfecte men and to Iesus Christ the mediatoure of the newe Testamēt and to the sprinckled bloude of whiche declareth better things then the bloud of Abell See that you despyse not him that speaketh for if they escaped not whiche despysed hym that spake on earth much lesse shall we escape yf we turne away from hym that speaketh from heauen whose voyce then shooke the earth T. It semeth to me that these wordes conteyne a goodly conference of the Ministery of the lawe and of the Gospell and I haue a great desyre to heare it ¶ Of the manifestation of God in Christ D. THen where as the people saw nothing at that tyme but fyre and smoke and greate darcknes whiche letted them from seyng both the Sunne and the Moone Deut. 4. also the heauens God hath shewed himselfe to vs in Iesus Christe his sonne in mans shape in our owne fleshe For it is he that is the very Image of God and that very forme of hys substance the bryghtnes of hys glory It is he that is the true Iohn i ● Tim. iii Seb. i. Mal. iiii Iohn viii Sonne of Iustice and the onely lyghte of the worlde by whome all mystes and darckenesses are chased away euen those whiche let vs to see GOD. And where as then the people durste not come to the foote of the Mountayne howe perfecte and howe well prepared so euer they were to receyue the Lorde wee haue nowe accesse euen to the verye throne of hys Maiestye by Iesus Christ our Lord through whome it is geuen vs not onely to come vnto hym but also Heb. iiii to touche embrace hym for the sanctification which i. Cor. 6 Dan. ix wee haue receyued of hym that is the holye of holye ones is in deede of other vertue and efficacye then was that of Moyses towardes the Israelites In the
steade of that horrible voyce and of the Trompettes and of the thunders whiche dyd shake the heauen and also the earthe whyche made the Mountaynes to tremble and rynge whiche accordyng to the testimonye of Dauid is Psalm xxix of that force that it breaketh and teareth downe the Ceders of Libanus and maketh them to leape lyke Calues and the Mountayne it selfe lyke younge Vnicornes and it maketh the greate floudes of water to come and also to returne and it cutteth a sunder the flames of fyre and launceth them forthe as dartes and maketh the wyldernesses to shake and dothe vnclothe the forrestes and maketh the Mountaynes to breake and the Hyndes to Calue Wee heare that sweete and louynge voyce of the chylde Iesus the Sonne of GOD the true Immanuell Math. 1. 2. Esay vii Luke ii Math. xi by whome we maye lawfullye saye GOD is wyth vs wee heare that amyable voyce whiche saythe Come vnto me all ye that are laden and weeryed and I wyll case you and you shall fynde reste to youre soules Take my yoke vpon you for it is easye and lyght Wee heare that sweete voyce that comforteth all those whyche are poore and myserable whiche come to hym and declareth to all poore and wretched synners the grace Esay 61 Luke 4 Heb. v Mat. 27. and the mercye of GOD and the forgeuynge of synnes whiche prayeth wyth lamentynge and teares for poore synners Yea euen for hys verye ennemyes and is hearde and doth reconcile vs to God It is he that hathe broughte to vs from heauen the resolution of the greate Councell of God to the whiche all the Patriarches Prophetes haue consented and agreed The which he hath confirmed Heb. iii Rom. 3. 5 not only by signes and miracles which were much more excellent then euer were those that were wroughte by the handes of Moyses but also by his deathe by his resurrection and by his ascension and laste of all by the holye Ghost whome he sent to his Apostles and disciples in wonderfull maiestie in the likenes of firy tongues and with a founde from heauen as it had bene of a mightye wynd Mat. 27. 28. Luke 24 ●cte 1. 2. 3. which was sodenly risen but more louyng thē the fire and whirle windes which were perceaued and sene in the Mount of Synay T. The difference is very great ¶ Of the last seale and of the laste declaration and confirmation of the doctrine of God and of the nature and vertue of the holy Ghost D. IT is he that was the great seale of the whole eternal purpose and Councell of God by whom he declared with greater authoritie thē euer he did how he did put his church in lawfull ful possession of his holy spirit with signes and testimonies declaring his nature vertue For it is a wind Iohn iii. whose spring and rising none doth know whose being and nature is vnsearcheable who by his power beateth downe all those that resiste him and pourgeth and refresheth the soules and consciences and geueth life comfort and health to all those which geue ouer thē selues vnto him It is a fire which lighteth which pourgeth which doth warme heate the hartes and the tonges of the chosen of God which proueth the faythful and the vnfaythfull and consumeth al the reprobates wherfore in vayne do the enemies of God conspyre agaynst thys mightie winde in vayne do they kindle their fires and lighten their fornaces to quenche and put out this diuine fyre in vayne doe they holde their Councels to blotte out the decrees of thys eternall Councell of GOD sealed with such a seale For when we haue Iesus Christ the very sonne of God which was sent vnto vs frō Iohn 1. 6. the bosome of the Father we haue hym that bringeth the true seale and printe and the very marke of God with the which he is signed and allowed of the father to witnes vnto vs that he did sende him vnto vs as he vpon whom we ought onely to dwel And euen as he is allowed by God his father as is that which is allowed by the authoritised signe and seale of a prince so doth he also marke with the seale of his holy spirit al those which are marked with the seale of his eternall election which is sure according to the testimonye ii Tim. ii of Saint Paule And therfore he saith that the Lord dothe know all those that are his and that it is he that doth streng then vs and it is he that hath annoynted vs and marked vs and hath geuen vs in our heartes the earnest of the holy Ghoste for the daye of oure redemption Wherfore euen as the children of God be marked with thys marke and seale euen so can they not denye hym whose sygne and seale they ii Cor. i. Ephe. 1. 4. beare but for their parte also do seale and alowe the truthe of God in receiuing hym which he dyd send with his seale Seyng then that it is so we may not alledge the multitude Iohn 3 to take away the authoritie of that smal companye of sixe score personnes in the which the Apostles were who by the vertue of the holy Ghoste whiche they there receyued haue published the determinations of this great Councell For the truth and the Spirit of God ar bound neither to times places nor persons no not in dede vnto them which do possesse the seate of the very seruauntes of God and doo abuse their office and are gouerned by a contrary Spirite For al be it that the Bishoppes the Priestes the Scribes the Pharises the Councel of Ierusalem did occupye the place of the true seruantes of God and had authority ouer the temple and ouer the people and had all the worldly power and pompe on their syde did brag of the promises of the word of God Yet for all that the holye Ghost did neuer preside in their Councel as he dyd in the Councell of this small companie and their decrees agaynst the truth had not so great power to ouerthrowe it as the decrees of this small companye had to establyshe confirme and aduaunce it and to destroye all lyes and vntruth ¶ Of the examination of the true Christian doctrine and of the spring and laste determination of the same and of the curses agaynst those vvhich do falsefye it D. THese be the decrees of y● which it is written in the Prophets The law shall come forth frō Sion the word Es●y ii of God frō Ierusalē it is not sayd The law shal come forth frō that Mount Capitoline or Palatine or Aduētine or from any other of the seuen which are in Rome but frō the mount Sion frō Ierusalem therefore it behoueth vs well to consider whether the doctrine that is set forth vnto vs for Christian be agreable to that law word which came frō Sion Ierusalem and not to that which came forth from Rome frō the Mountaines of