that in this place this worde spirite doeth signifie wynde or breath But I do denye that this place doth make any thyng to the confirmatiō of their errour For by thys maner of speache the prophete woulde expresse the fragilitye of oure estate and condition and the shortenes of mannes lyfe It is sayed in the hystorye of Iob that man is as a flour sprynging out of the earth whyche in continente wythereth and as a shadowe passeth awaye ☞ Esaias commaundeth all preachers to crye that all fleshe is but grasse If the Anabaptistes do oute of thys conclude that the soule wythereth away they do se more clearlye then dyd Saynte Peter whyche proueth that the soules of the fayethfull are immortall bycause the Prophete immediatlye addeth that the word of God abideth for euer There is a lyke reason in thys whyche is spokē in an other Psalme As a father hath pitye of hys chyldren euen so hath the Lorde had pitye of hys seruauntes For he knoweeth whereof we are made He doeth remembre that wee be duste that oure dayes be as grasse wherof the floures doth quykcly wyther awaye That the spirite passeth in vs and tarieth not and knoweth no more hys place In all these sentences let vs note that man is admonished of hys frayltye chyeflye when God wythdraweth hys hande and hys vertue from hym that he should knowe that he is nothynge and lesse then nothyng if that God do not kepe and preserue him bi hys grace And in dede when we saye that the soules are immortal We intende not by that sayinge to derogate anye thynge frome Goddes title the whyche as Saynt Paule sayeth is onelye immortall But we rather thynke it a blasphemy so to attribute immortalitie vnto the soule as if she by hyr propre vertue dyd subsyst But in the meane whyle we muste consider what propertye and nature God hathe geuen to the soules and that is by hys hande to subsiste for to be in beatitude immortall or in malediction ☞ But they thynke that they haue a verye stronge weapen of thys whych is spoken in an other Psalme wilte thou do a miracle in raysynge vp the deade that they may praysethe Shall any man in the graue shew forth thy mercye or thy ryghtuousnes in the Land of forgetfulnes Agayne the dead prayse not the oh Lord neyther yet all they that do discende into the graue But we that lyue shal prayse God Agayne what profit shal there be in my bloud when I shall descend into corruption Shal the duste prayse the or shall it shewe forthe thy veritye Also that whyche Ezechyas saieth in hys songe The graue shal not praysethe and the death shall not geue glorye to the They whyche discende downe shall not loke for thy verity The lyuynge the lyuynge shal confesse The father shall declare vnto hys sonne thy veritye For solution hereof there are two thynges to be noted the one is that by deathe we maye not symple vnderstande the commune death by whyche we muste all passe but a death whyche is a punishemente expressed and signe of the wrathe of God whych doeth emporte a reiection of men for destroye them vtterlye The seconde where it is sayed that the dead shall not prayse the it is mente of that prayse of God whych is done among those men whych haue felte his grace As touchynge the fyrste it is true that this worde hell doeth often times signify a graue as we haue also translated it But they whiche are exercised in the scripture are not ignoraunte but that whyche I haue sayed is signified by these wordes deathe and graue And that chyefly in the Psalmes Therefore those whom God hath reiecte and whom he chasteth in hys wrath not onelye touchynge theyr bodyes but muche more touching their soules are called deade and the angwyshe whyche they fele is called a graue as when it is sayed Let the deathe come vpon theym and let theym descende a lyue into the graue Againe Lorde God if thou cease to helpe me I shall be lyke vnto them that go downe into the graue Agayne Lorde thou hast drawne my soule out of the graue and hast deliuered me from them whyche are layed in the graue Againe let synners be caste into the graue and all people whyche forget God Agayne if God had not holpen me my soule hadde dwelled in the graue Againe oure bones were scatered nere to the graue Agayne he hath placed me in an obscure place like the deade As contrarye wyse it is sayed they lyue to whom God sheweth hys mercye The Lord sayth Dauid in an other place hath ordeyned benediction and euerlastynge lyfe amonge hys people Agayne deliueryng theyr soules from death and nourishyng thē in tyme of famine Agayne God shall plucke the frome thy tabernacle and thy rote frome the Lande of the lyuynge Agayne I shall please the Lord in the Lande of the lyuynge But ther is one text among the rest whych doeth so well expresse boeth meaninges that it shall suffice vs for altogyther Shall man paye a pryce for hys Soule that he may lyue euer Shall he not se death seynge that wise men do dye Foles and wyse menne saye I shall dye togyther they shall be layed in graue lyke shepe and death shall deuour thē but the ryghtuouse shall haue rule ouer them in the mornynge theyr strength shall peryshe in the Sepulchre and theyr glorye shal vade and the Lorde shall drawe my soule from the power of the graue The some of thys Phalme is that al such as putte truste in theyr rychesse or strengthe shall all dye as well the poore as the ryche as well the fole as the wyse but he that trusteth in God shall be delyuered frome the graue These thyngs wel marked we haue a solution for all the places whyche the Anabaptistes do alledge ☞ It is is therefore declared howe the Sayntes beyng astonished for the apprehention of deathe do desyre God to wythdrawe theym Howe commeth it that they haue suche an horrous Let vs beholde al the ensamples of the fayethfull we Reade not that they dyd make any greate complayntes or lamentations when the tyme was come that they should dye but dyd submit them selues to the good wyll of God in patiēce I saye also Dauid and Ezechyas Wherefore then haue they vsed suche complaintes in the places aboue aledged But onely bycause in death they dyd conceyue the wrath and seueryte of God the whyche dyd astonyshe theym and not wythout a cause Nowe there is no doubte but that the man whyche fealeth the rygour of God and is persecuted by hys vengeaunce canne not prayse him for as muche as we can not geue hym herty thankes except we fele his goodnes Secondelye where it is sayed in these places that the dead do not prayse God that is not mente that they do not prayse hym in in theyr mynde but is ment that they cannot tel hys praises vnto other Which thyng the wordes whiche are there put
vs. Who is he that is so vertuous whyche doeth not sometyme declyne thoughe he be warned of God and haue the testimonye of hys conscience to drawe hym in to the ryght waye They aledge that al synne agaynst the holye Gooste is vnforgeuable I confesse the same But it is verye muche to saye that all voluntarye synne is agaynste the holy Gost For he resisteth the holy Goste whyche opeÌ„ly repugneth agaynst the veritie of God and by dispite enforsâ—th hym selfe as much as he can to ouerthrowe it Now a man may syn wyllyngly and yet be not in wyl to warre agaynst God or to blaspheme his holy word But we shal haue a shorte solution of this question if we do remit the discresion therof vnto God that is to saye if we agre to that whiche he hath pronounced as reason wold we shoulde for seynge that to hym onelye is reserued the authoritie to pardon synnes it pertayneth to hym also to determine whiche synnes are remissible and whyche not Now froÌ„ the first beginning he hath ordeyned amoÌ„g the people of Israel that there should be two kyndes of daylye sacrifices The one for voluntarye synnes the other for those whyche were done by ignoraunce â–ª adding a promise to forgeue the one as well as the other What wyll these poore phantasticals saye vnto thys The Lorde hathe sayed that he wyll forgeue the voluntarye synnes of the fayethfull for the sacrifices were done for those whyche were alreadye membres of the churche and these men wyll bynde the handes of God and wythstande hym that he shall shewe no such mercy if they reply that thys thyng was done in the olde law that the reson is otherwise in our time thys cauelation is to folishe For we knowe that the infinite goodnes of God is not restrayned by the comminge of the Lorde Iesus but rather inlarged More ouer we knowe that the auncieÌ„t sacrifices were but figures of those thynges whyche should be fulfilled in Christ Iesus Seynge nowe that remission of voluntarye synnes is represented in the aunciente sacrifices and is promysed to be done vnto them that are of the houshold of faith It is a playne and euidente testimonye that the fayethfull obtayne by the meanes of Iesus Christ remission not onely of their ignoraunces but also of theyr offences whyche they haue done willyngly And to say troth we haue so mani exemples that it is a shamlesse boldenes for any maÌ„ to bryng the thing in doubte If we take the olde testament the Patriarkes when they conspired their brothers death were not ignoraunt that it was euil done Ruben did not defile his fathers bedde thorow simplicitie Iuda knew well that whordome was a thynge displeasaunte to God yet he did not forsake the doyng of it Dauid which daily punished his subiects for euyl doyng could not coÌ„mit the adultery which he did by simple ignorauÌ„ce The mercy whyche God shewed vnto all these is it spente or dead that he can not as well shewe it nowe a dayes But what nede haue we to borrowe exemples oute of the olde Testamente seynge we haue so many in the newe Saynte Peter before he denyed the Lorde Iesus did he not hear this sentence He that denieth me before meÌ„ him wil I deny before my father Therfor he could not preteÌ„d thexcuse of ignorauÌ„ce And yet the Lord Iesu shewed him mercy S Paul coÌ„plaineth of certen meÌ„ which liued disorderly in Thessalonica yet he hath good hope of theyir saluatioÌ„ so be that thei be corrected brought to repeÌ„tauÌ„ce They whiche in the church at Corinth gaue theÌ„ selues vnto lustes vncleÌ„nes had suche delite in theyr vices that they would herken vnto no exhortation were culpable of voluÌ„tarie synnes And yet the same Apostle ceaseth not to exhorte them to turne agayne froÌ„ theyr vyces alwayes reseruynge for theym a hope to fynde fauoure wyth God if they repente We reade saynte Peter dyd as much vnto Simon Magus What wyl we more Oure Lorde openeth the treasures of hys grace to theym that haue bene ouercome by theyr concupiscences though thei knew that they dyd euyll yet they fell by infyrmitie of the fleshe Who shall shutte the gate agaynst pore synners and wythstaÌ„d that they should receyue the grace whych God doeth offer vnto them We se nowe that there is a deadly poyson hyd in these wordes of the Anabaptistes wher they make none other synnes remissible but those which are done vnaduisedly To make an ende of thys Article it is necessarye that all christiaÌ„s be aduertised what a tayle it draweth after it For thoughe we maye easelye iudge that it is an extreme rygoure not to bear one fault in the church yet at the fyrste syghte we do not so easelye perceyue howe pernitiouse thys opinion is besydes forth excepte we do diligentlye marke the consequent that foloweth therof There haue bene in olde tyme two sectes of heritikes whyche dyd myghtely trouble the churche of whyche the one named them selues in greke Cathares whych is to say pure the other Donatistes after the name of theyr fyrste aucthor and maister These as well the fyrst as the second were in the selfe same phaÌ„tasie that nowe dayes be these pore dremers searche oute a churche in whyche ther should be no faulte founde Therfore dyd they seperate them selues frome all christen men that they myght not be defiled thorow the imperfections of other But what came of thys God hath confounded theym all wyth theyr enterpryse so presumptuous Lette thys then be a warnyng vnto vs that when vnder the colour of a zeale of perfectioÌ„ we caÌ„ beare no imperfection other in the body or in the meÌ„bres of the churche it is the deuyll whyche puffeth vs vp wyth pryde and seduceth vs wyth hypocrisie to make vs forsake Christes flocke thys knowynge that he hath gotten what he desyereth when he hath draweÌ„ vs awaye For seynge that out of the church there is no remission of synnes nor saluatioÌ„ thoughe we haue an apparaunce of holynes more then Angelicall yet if wee do seperate oure selues by such a presumption from the christian companye we are become deuylles The thyrde Article is of the receyuynge of the supper in whyche they can not denye but that we do agree wyth theym as we do preache it daylye That is that none be so hardy to approch to thys holy table whiche is not verely of the bodye of Iesus Christe worshyppynge one God with all fayethfull men and seruynge hym in good lawfull vocatioÌ„ But were they come to make declaration in theyr fourthe Article â–ª howe a mannâ— ought to seperate hym selfe from al pollutions of the world to ioyne hym selfe to God there they begynne to depraue altogythers Though yet in the begynnynge they haue a merely good purpose as in condemninge the popyshe superstions forbyddynge all christenmen to perticipate wyth them Yet in the tayle lyeth al the venim as the prouerbe sayeth For finally they conclude that all vse of the
a vocation if it letted a manne to be the seruaunte of God Saynte Paule exhorteth euery christian man to persiste in that vocation in the whyche he was called All shepeheardes and labourers of the earth all handye craftes and suche lyke oughte to thynke theyr estate holy and that it hyndereth them nothynge towchynge christian perfection Let vs se nowe whyche estate is mooste approued of God of one that keapeth beastes or of one that gouerneth the people whyche is not onelye approued but also praysed as worthye and excellente aboue all other I wyll cease to rehearse a greate meynye testimonies whyche make well for the probation of thys matter onely for breuites sake And also bycause one onely is suffitiente for vs. What greater prayse wyll we haue of anye estate then that by Gods owne mouth it be called diuine If this title be geuen vnto the estate of Prynces who shall dare saye that it is vnmete for a fayethful man Nowe it hath a more large prayse For the Lorde sheweth thys fauoure to Prynces as to call theym Goddes and that not for theyr owne persons sake but in cōsideration of the dignitie wherein they are The Lorde Iesus sheweth the reason why that is bycause god hath committed and ordeyned such a charge vnto theym Me thynke that God canne not geue a more expresse testimonye for the approbation of anye estate then when he communicateth hys name vnto that man which is constitute in the same as if he called hym hys Lieuetenaunt whyche representeth hys person Wherefore I conclude that who so euer despiseth this vocation so muche honored of God doeth blaspheme hys heauenlye maiesty They wyl answer me that to make it inferiour to the christian perfection is not to disprayse it But I replye that they can not speake wyth greater contumelye For in sayinge that it can not stande wyth christianitie they do reiecte it as a prophane thynge I passe not of theyr faire coloure by whyche they couer theyr blasphemye in sayinge that it is an ordinaunce of God For the whole matter standeth in thys whether it be an holy office which may be exercised by the faithfull or whether a man whych commeth therto be thereby polluted Nowe they do saye that who so euer doeth sytte in the seate of iustice can not be reputed a christian manne bycause the office of a swerde hathe no place in Christes churche Though ther were no more but that which saynte Paule sayeth there were inoughe to contente all suche as wyll agree to reason He pronounceth that prynces are ministers of God and that the swerde is geuen theym by God for the cōseruation of the good and puneshemente of the euyll Vpon these wordes these poore frensye menne do make thys glose that it is very true that they be ordeyned of God but yet that it is not lawefull for a fayethfull manne to take it on hym Whyche is as one woulde saye I confesse that thys worke is commaūded of God but there is no man that can do it wyth a good conscience and also who so euer shall do it shall forsake God I praye you is there anye man that hath but oune once of brayne that wyll speake on thys maner I woulde they shoulde answere me in thys one thyng Seynge they put no doubte but that all handye craftes whyche are ordeyned to serue vnto the commune vtilitie of mankynde are lawfull and holye wherefore do they exclud out of thys numbre the vocatiō of prynces whiche doeth excell all the other As for example They denye not but that a christian man maye be a tayloure or a shoomaker And yet these craftes haue no expresse wytnes in the scriptures Wherfore thē do not they as wel permit a christian manne to be a minister of Iustice seynge that that estate hath so large approbation praise of the mouth of God God doth pronounce that Prynces and all Superiours are hys ministers and that he hathe ordeyned theym to be defenders of the good and innocente and to chastyce the wicked and that in doinge thys they do execute hys worcke whych he hathe committed into theyr handes What Deuyll constrayneth these frensye menne to make thys addition that the maMagistrates in seruynge God are shutte oute frome the companye of Christen men Whyche thing is not done to the hangeman for dogges by theyr owne cōfession I wyll aledge one place more and then an ende Saynt Paule perceyuing in his tyme that the most parte of the princes were mortall enemies of the Gospell that this thing myght stomake the faythfull and cause them to beare no good affection towardes theym doth cōmaund Timothe that solēne praiers shoulde be made for theim in the churche addynge for a reason that God would that all should be saued and come to the knowledge of the trueth He meaneth not that God wyll brynge to saluation and by consequence to the knowledge of his gospell all men of the earth frō the fyrst vnto the laste but he meaneth al estates bicause it might appeare that this estate of princes of which he spak was as it were reiecte curssed for asmuch as all dyd persecute the gospel Whiche thing if it had bene true it had bene superfluous foly to pray for them Lette vs now gather out of these wordes of the Apostle that which may playnely be gathered and seduced If god wil bring Princes vnto the knowledge of hys trueth by what authoritye wyll the Anabaptystes thurste theym oute If any man wyll replye that Prynces maye well be conuerted vnto God but that muste be in forsakynge their dignitie That saiyng is to to manifeste agaynste the mynde of Saynte Paule For saynte Paule sayeth not that they sholde forsake theyr Principalities for to become christiās And also the wordes that he vseth cā in no wyse stande wyth suche euasion For if it behoued a prynce to geue ouer hys dignitye to become a christian man it shoulde folowe that that estate shoulde be voyde of the grace of God as vnlawfull reproued But they thynke surely that they haue inuincible obiections to excommunicate oute of the churche and from all hope of saluatiō the estate of Prynces in alledgynge certaine places euyll vnderstanded whych they wrest shamfully to thys purpose Fyrste they aledge that the Lorde Iesus dyd not ordayne that the womanne whyche was taken in adulterye shoulde be stoned to death as the lawe of God required but that he vsed mercye towardes hyr sayinge Go sinne no more Before I answere I wyl are one question of them They saye that in the christian church excommunication doth succede the materiall swerde in suche wise that where as afore tyme a cryme was punished by death nowe the offender oughte to be punished by priuatiō from the companye of the fayethfull Therefore I aske them how they wyll excuse Iesus Christe for that which he hath done For he hathe not obserued theyr rule neyther in condemnynge the woman to be banished from the holy
sayeth saynt Paul the Lorde Iesus is come for to ratifie hys promises made vnto the Iewes and to shedde furthe into all the worlde the mercye of God Yea as it is euident in another texte he hath broken downe the walle whych stode betwene bothe to seperate the one from the other and this hath he doone that there shoulde bee no more difference betwene them but that we al together shoulde haue one maner of priuiledge to be the chyldren of God Wherefore whosoeuer wyll make the grace of God lesse towardes vs our chyldren than it was towardes the people of the Iewes doth great iniury vnto our sauiour Iesus Christ and blasphemeth him But some wyl say that the grace of God is not made lesse towardes vs in that our chyldren are not receyued to Baptisme so that we denye not that God hath shewed vnto them lyke mercy as vnto the chyldren of the Iewes I answer yesse For we must esteme the grace of God pryncipally by the declaratioÌ„ which he hath made vnto vs aswell by hys worde as by his sacramentes Seynge nowe that Baptisme at this daye is ordayned to seale in our bodies the promes of saluation as of olde tyme Circumsicion was vnto the people of the Iewes we shoulde take from the ChristiaÌ„s a synguler consolation if we take from their chyldren that confirmation the whych the faythful haue alwayes had that is a visible sygne by whych our Lord declareth vnto theym that he accepteth their chyldren into the communion of his Church ¶ I knowe the cauillation which the Anabaptistes make in this place takyng the name of chyldren allegoricallie to signifie theym which are childreÌ„ in malisse and not in age And therfore do mocke vs bicause we are so symple to vnderstande this after the lettre But what subtiltie is this I praye you to ouerwhelme those playne and cleare promises where it is saide that God sheddeth out hys mercy vpon the seede of the faythful after their death And on the other syde what better and more certayne exposition of thys thynge can we haue than the holy goost the whych by his apostles hath interpreted that which he had showed before by his prophetes Nowe saynt Peter dooth testifye vnto the Iewes that they are chyldren of the promisses that is to saye heyres forasmuche as they become of Abrahams stocke And saynt Paul though of a deliberat purpose he fighteth agaynst the foolyshe presumption of the Iewes whych they had in their carnall parentage yet dooth he not denye but that the stocke of Abraham is specially sanctified bycause and throughe the vertue of the couenaunt whyche GOD had made wyth hym It is verie trewe that whan the chyldren of the faythfull shall come vnto the age of discretion they maye alienate them selues from GOD and adinchillate the vertue of Baptisme Yet maye we not therefore saye that our Lorde hath not chosen theym and seperated theym from other for to present vnto them hys saluation Otherwise it shoulde be in vayne that saint Paule sayeth That a chylde hauynge father or mother fayethfull is sanctified whyche should be vncleane if he were begotten and discended of infidels Seynge nowe that the holye goste authore and fountayne of all sanctification doth testifie that the childâ—en of christen meÌ„ are holy may we exclude them from so great a benefite Now if in them be the verity of baptisme howe can we depryue them of the sygne whyche is lesse inferiour But they reply that the custome and practyse of the Apostles is contrarie For it is sayed that Paule and Silas preached the worde of the Lorde vnto the gealer or keper of the pryson and to hys housholde before that they baptysed them I haue already geuen solution vnto this wheÌ„ I shewed howe that to a man whyche is a straunger frome the church the doctrine ought to precede the sacrament but after that God hath receiued hym into the communion of hys fayethfull the promise of lyfe is made vnto hym as wel for hys chyldren as for hym selfe But they thynke in the .xix. of the Actes to fynde in theyr fauoure a more expresse scripture where it is sayd that S. Paule hauing founde certayne disciples whyche had not yet receyued the holye Gooste dyd Baptise them anewe Nowe is it very certayne that saint Luke in that place speaketh of the visible graces of the holye Gooste For other wyse that whych he sayth could not stand togither that is that these of whome he spake whyche were Iewes dyd answere that they knewe not whether the holy Goste were geuen Nowe they could not be ignoraunt that God doeth sanctifie hys seruauntes by hys spirite seynge that ther is so often made meÌ„tion therof in the prophetes But they knew not whether these graces wherof S. Paule spake were geuen vnto the christian church Nowe seynge they be called disciples they are not so ignoraunte that they shoulde not at all knowe God and Iesus Christe as it were a simple christian of the commune people but they lacked thys thynge that they had not receyued the visible graces whyche God then shedde forth vpon his seruauntes These same were conferred vnto theym by the imposition of saynte Paules handes For it is no newe thynge that the name of baptisme shoulde be taken in suche significacion as we haue an example where it is sayed that the Apostles called to remeÌ„brauÌ„ce the wordes of our Sauioure that Iohn dyd baptyse in water but that he would baptyse wyth the spirit It is also an accustomed vse of the scripture to expound one word or sentence by an other It is sayed then that saint Paul did baptise theÌ„ in the name of Christ and then to expound what is ment therby it is added that he put his hands on them â–ª and that the holy Goste discended on them It is theÌ„ but one only thing expressed tws waies accordynge vnto the vse of the scripture as wâ—â—â—â—e sayed Notwythstandinge let vs graunt them their askynge to se what they wyll or can inferre vpon it Truelye they can saye none other thynge but that saynct Paule baptised these disciples because of their ignoraunce Nowe if baptime ought to be reiterat for this cause whye war not the Apostles rebaptised which three yeres after their baptyme had so many errours and folyshe opinions as to thyncke that the kyngedome of Iesus Christe was earthlye and vnderstode nothynge touchyng his death and passion and manye other such lyke Truely suche rudnes woulde well haue required a seconde baptyme if an ignorante maÌ„ ought to be rebaptysed And as touchyng vs we had nede alwayes to haue a lake or riuer at our backes if it should be nedeful for vs to be rebaptised as often as oure lord doth pourge vs of any errour that was in vs. On the other syde it is sayed that Sainct Paule dyd baptise those men of whome we nowe speake before he layed hys handes on them Whiche were a verye shreude order if that thynge be true whiche these
that in thys worlde she shal be cleane from all spottes But rather she beleueth and goeth forwarde in good worckes daye by day stretchynge hyr selfe fourth vnto that ende vnto whych she shal not attayne in thys worlde Furthermore the church is spotted wyth vices two waies For ther is no membre of the same so pure nor so perfite whyche is not alwayes compassed inuironed wyth many imperfections Therefore all faythfull men as longe as they be conuersaunte in thys worlde haue alwayes some vncleannes remaynynge in theyr fleshe as all holye scripture doeth testifye and principally S. Paul in the seuenth to the Romayns Touchinge thys fourme of vncleannes though we had a church in the best gouernaunce that might be in thys world yet could we neuer auoide thys that we should not haue nede to be washed dayly by oure Lorde in forgeuynge vs our synnes thorow hys mercye The seconde maner or waye whereby the churche is spotted is by the wycked hypocrites whyche are alwayes amonge the stocke of the good to infect the hole coÌ„pany with their fylthines SuÌ„time ther be conteÌ„pners of dissolute slaunderous lyfe whych though they kepe in theyr wyckednes for fear of rebuke before meÌ„ yet in the meane while they declare that they haue neyther feare nor reuereÌ„ce of God This polution ought to be taken awaye by the discipline of excommunication and to trauel diligentlye therin that it maye be done in dede But there be many churches whyche do not theyr indeuour to caste out suche filthines Other ther be whiche do take greate paine and diligence and yet do not come to suche perfection but that ther do remaine alwaies a greate numbre of wyked men vnpunished and that bycause the malice of hypocrites is so hyd or at the leaste wise not so discouered that sentence maye be geuen againste it Let vs for a conclusion take thys to be true whyche our Lorde hath sayed that we muste vnto the ende of the worlde suffer many euil herbes leaste whyle we go aboute to plucke them al vp we destroye the good corne with al. What wyll we haue more Our Lord to proue his hath made his churche subiecte to thys miserye that she shal be alwayes myngled wyth good and euyll We muste therefore be content therwyth And to saye trouth we haue good occasion so to do For we ought to beare thys honoure vnto the holy worde of God and hys Sacramentes that where so euer we se thys worde preached and that accordynge vnto the rule whych is geuen vnto vs god is ther purely honoured wythout superstition and the sacramentes there ministred we ought to conclude wythoute anye doubte that there is the churche What shoulde it else be Shall the wyckednes of hypocrites or of the contempners of God abolyshe the dignitie and vertue of the worde of God and his Sacramentes Now I confesse that the discipline is also of the substaunce of the churche and that it ought to be established in good ordre And when good policie or order wanteth in any place as if excommunication be not in vse that then the true fourme of the churche is disfigured Yet may we not therfore saye that she is wholy distroyed and no building there seynge that she retayneth that doctrine vpon whyche the churche is founded I saye further that if we shoulde hade none other considerations then to esteme the churche by the men and theyr maners we shoulde many tymes be deceyued and cast oute some company not estemynge them for the church bycause of theyr imperfection whyche notwythstandynge be in verye dede the churche For it myght so come to passe that we shold do iniury to manye good holy personages whiche amonge the wycked be vnknowen hid as the good corne vnder the chaffe Furthermore we ought to think that ther be many whych are oppressed wyth vices and yet do take greate dispeasure wyth theym selues for theim and wyth true repentaunce do desyre to wythdrawe theim selues from them that they myght serue God more entierly It is also a very rygoriouse thynge to excoÌ„municate a manne for one faulte On the other syde our natureis so inclined vnto malignitie that it suspecteth and geueth rashe iudgmente before the thynge be well and ryghtly knowen vnto vs. Therefore oughte we to take the greater hede leaste we declyne into that parte But as I haue sayed we shoulde do peruersly if we should onely haue respect vnto men For the maiestye of Gods worde and of hys sacramentes ought to be in such reputation among vs that wher so euer we se them we shoulde be certayne that there is the churche notwythstandyng the vices and spottes whyche be there communelye in the lyfe of the people In somma when the question is which is the church the iudgemente of god ought to be preferred before ours Now the Anabaptistes wil not stay theÌ„ selues at Gods iudgemeÌ„te as we haue shewed The seconde questian vpon thys Article is when the order of excoÌ„munication is not vsed in the church or that it be not ther practised as it ought to be whyther for thys default we oughte to seperate oure selues and that it shoulde not be lawefull for vs ther to receyue the supper of the Lords The Anabaptistes do saye that whersoeuer the wycked be not excluded from the communion of the sacramente ther the christeÌ„ man is polluted if he do communicate We coÌ„trary wyse saye that a christeÌ„ man oughte to to be verye sory when he seeth the holy supper polluted thorowe the receiuinge of it by wycked and vnworthi people ought as much as in him is procure that it shold not be so done And also he knoweth that it is not for al that lawful for to wythdrawe hym selfe frome that communion exempt him selfe from the supper but that he oughte styll to perseuer in the worshyppynge of God wyth other hearyng hys worde and receyuynge the supper so longe as he dwelleth in that place Let the Anabaptistes brynge forthe theyr Aucthor to approue theyr sayinge As for vs we saye nothynge but that whyche is approued by oure Sauioure Iesus Christe and all the Prophetes and Apostles We se what vyces the Prophetes rebuked in the Iewes churche or rather the abhominations agaynste whyche they cryed oute And that was not vpon one estate but they saye from the rulers boeth spirituall and teÌ„porall vnto the common people all was so corrupted that skante was there one whole membre Dyd they for all thys cease to come and asseÌ„ble with the people so peruerse and wicked to worshâ—p God to do sacrifices to heare the doctrine of the lawe Dyd they builde an aultare or temple to theim selues that they myghte haue a pure churche If a faythfull manne be poluted in companiynge wyth the wicked when he praieth and receiueth the doctrine and Sacramentes of oure Lorde then were all the Prophetes poluted and he capitaynes to leade vs all into perdition thorowe theyr ensample Lette vs come to our sauioure Iesus
felynge after death of good nor euyll what shoulde thys narracion of the Lorde be but a fable and as a tale of the boke of Mellusine Therefore thys tergiuersation of the Anabaptistes is a blasphemye which dishonoreth the Lord Iesus as thoughe he had told vs a vayne tale to no purpose Besides this it is a folyshe imaginacion repugnaunte to humayne sence as lyttell chyldren maye perceyue ☞ And thys is the promes whyche was made vnto the poore theife whan he axed mercy on the crosse For the Lord Iesus answered hym This daye shalt thou be wyth me in paradice By thys word paradice we nede not to imagen that he woulde specifye a certayne place but onely the Ioye and felicitie which they haue that liue with him This is plaine that Iesus Christe doeth not sende thys poer synner to the daye of resurrection but doeth assigne him the selfe same daye to liue eternallye in his companye The Anabaptistes to trifel out thys place do alledge that whiche is sayed in a nother place that a thousande yeres are as one day before the Lorde Whiche thinge we graunt vnto them but thys muste we consider that when God speaketh vnto men he frameth hys speache accordynge vnto their capiacitye In suche wyse that you shall neuer finde in the scripture that God hath at any time sayed I wyll thys daye do thys meanynge that he wyll do it a thousande yeres after In suche maner whan Ionas shewed the Niniuites that after fortye dayes their Citye shoulde perishe it hadde bene greate folye for them to haue vnderstanded fortye thousand yeres Lykewyse whan the Lorde sayde that he woulde ryse agayne the thyrde daye we knowe he speake after the common maner of menne But I wyll sease from thys matter for as muche as all men do see howe muche the Anabaptistes haue bene begyled in vsynge of suche euasions They haue yet a nother cauilation To daye doeth signifye the tyme of the newe testamente And to proue thys they abuse thys sentâ—nce whyche is in the Epâ—stell to the Ebrues that Iesus Christe whyche was yester daye is to daye and shal be for euer But they se not that if we shoulde so expound the word thys day the word yester day shoulde signifye the tyme of the olde Testament and so shoulde it folowe that the Lord Iesus dyd begyn to be whych were a great absurdite for as much as we knowe that he is our eternall God and also touchynge his humanitie he is called the Lambe sacrificed from the begynnyng of the worlde Moreouer after theyr sayinge we myghte conclude that they whole sinnes Iesus Christ hath forgeuen ought to enter into heaueÌ„ before the daye of the resurrection For the Apostle speaketh of thre tymes of the whyche the one as I thynke sygnifieth the daye of the olde testamente and the other signifieth the tyme whyche shal be from the renewynge of the worlde Therefore it resteth that thys word to daye must signifye the tyme in whych we be whych is betwen the death of Iesus Christe hys last commyng And that they may the better knowe theyr beastlynes If Iesus Christ had promised heauen vnto the these for the day of IudgemeÌ„t he ought to haue sayd in the worlde to come and not thys daye For that is the scriptures maner of speakynge Who thinketh them not ouercome by thys cleare reason Yet is theyr impudency suche that they brynge yet an other replycation whyche is that heauen is promised vnto the thefe in lyke sorte as deathe was pronouÌ„ced to Adam and Eua in what daye so euer they shoulde eate of the fruyte whyche was forbydden theym Nowe is it certayne that they dyed not the same day but longe time after I answere that in the same instaunce that Adam traunsgressed the commaundement of God he dyed as touchynge the soule For as muche as he was alienate whyche was hys verye lyfe and was made subiecte to bodily death And thus thoughe we shoulde receyue theyr glose yet spyte of theyr teathe shall we haue wonne this much of them that in the selfe same daye the thiefe was deliuered from the misery in whych Adam was fallen by hys offence In summâ— we conclude that euen as deathe beganne to raygne in Adam froÌ„ the daye of hys traunsgression euen so the thyefe the same daye in whyche the promise was made vnto him beganne to be restored into the beatitude of heauen We se that S Paule liued in this hope wheÌ„ he sayed that he desyered to be losed to lyue wyth Christe Fyrst he vseth an apte speach in sayinge that the fayethfull man thorowe deathe is deliuered frome the bandes of hys bodye as in an other place he doeth more clearlye expresse it Further he addeth that his desyre is to be with the Lord Christ wheÌ„ hys soule shall be seperated from the bodye And in dede if it be not thys these wordes whiche he speaketh in an other place can not be true that there is neyther lyfe nor deathe whyche can seperate vs from the â—oue whyche God hath vnto vs. For if we perishe by death or that oure soule lese hyr lyfe howe canne the loue of God consist towardes vs but thys is more playnelye deduced in an other place where he sayeth We knowe that if our earthly house of the tabernacle of our bodye were destroyed we haue a buildynge in heauen by God whych is not made with handes Therefore beynge in thys tabernacle we morne as beyng greaued not that we desyre to be vnclothed but clothed agayne that our mortalitie myght be swallowed vp of lyfe Notwythstandynge we be alwayes of good courage knowinge that whylse we be in our bodyes we be as straungers frome God bycause we walke by fayeth and not by syghte ¶ But we haue thys confidence and desyre to be seperat from the body and to be present wyth God bycause there is made mention there of the daye of iudgemente The Anabaptistes do theyr indeuoure to wrape vp al there that they myght drawe all the wordes of the Apostle vnto that daye But they can not do so muche but that the trueth wyll be yet more stroÌ„ger to maintain it selfe against theyr false accusations For the Apostle doth saye expresly that the fayethfull man departynge frome hys bodye goeth to God from whom he was absent in thys worlde After that he addeth that as well absente as present we do our indeuour to please God bycause we muâ—â—e al come before hys iudgement seate That man is very obstinate and more then hardened agaynste all reason whyche wyll not consente vnto these wordes Nowe is it so that the Anabaptistes in place where saynte Paule sayeth that by death we approche to God do make vs beleue that wee retule and be further of then in thys presente lyfe ☞ That so it is it is wrytten that he whiche beleueth in the sonne of God shall not come into coÌ„demnation but is already gone from death vnto lyfe If lyfe euerlastyng be alreadye