ministreth vnto vs two helps Phil. 3.21 1 The likliehoode of christ 2 Cor. 4.10 the one is in the similitude of Christ* the other in the omnipotencie of God* For Christ is the first fruites of the resurrection then they that are Christs euerie one in his owne order * 1 Cor. 15.22 2 The power of God 4 Paul saith breiflie concerninge the power of God that he may make saith he our vile bodies like to his glorious body accordinge to the working of his power whereby he is able to subdue all things to his self Ph. 3.20 Therfore let vs with Paul triumph amidst the fight because he is able who hath promised vs the lyfe to come Comfort to keepe that which is committed to him so let vs reioice that the crown of righteousnes is laid vp for vs 2 Cor. 4.8 which the iust iudge shall geue vs* Beastlie blockishnes Mat. 12.18 Luk. 20.27 5 But this brutish blockishnes hath reigned during all ages which the Sadducees did openlie professe that there is no resurrection yea that the soules are mortall* Wherof as of an opinion generallie receiued Salomon speaketh when he saith that a liuing dog is better then a lion that is dead Eccle. 9.4 * and in an other place Who knoweth whether mans soule goeth vpward the soule of a beast discend downeward Eclec 3. ◠21 * But the whole Scripture doth crye that there shall be none ende neither of the blessednes of the elect neither of the punishment of the reprobate Obiect The kingdome of Christ endureth but a thousand yeeres* Chiliasts Apoc. 20.4 An. This is a childish surmize for he speaketh not in that place of the eternall blessednesse of the churche but of diuers troubles which were prepared for the Church when she was as yet vpon the earth Obiect It were too great crueltie in God if the wicked should be punished eternallie An. God is not iniurious if he depriue them of his kingdome who made them selues vnworthie thereof through their vnthankfulnesse Obiect But their sinnes last but for a time Why the punishment of sinne is eternal An. But the maiestie of God which they haue offended by sinning is eternall Therefore it is for iust causes that the remembrance of their iniquitie doth not perish Obiect Then their punishment shall bee greater then their offence An. It is vntollerable blasphemie when as the maiestie of God is so lightlie esteemed when as there is no greater account made of the contempt thereof then of the destruction of one soule The soule doth not die 6 Obiect The whole man shall die therefore the soules shall rise againe with the bodies An. This is a beastlie error to make a vanishing blast of the spirite created according to the image of God and to bring to nothing the temple of the holie ghost finallie to robbe that part of vs wherein the Godhead shineth most of this gift so that the state of the bodie shoulde bee better then the state of the soule Quest What midle state of the soules is there An. It is neither lawful nor expedient to enquire curiously Luk. 23.43 Act. 7.59 Mat. 5 8. Ioh. 12.32 It was said to the theef this day thou shalt be with me in Paradise* Let vs cōmend our soules to Christ as did Stephen* The soules of the reprobate suffer such torments as they haue deserued* Quest Where shall they be Abrahames bosome An. There is not that demension of the soule which is of the body The gathering together of the holy spirits is called Abrahams bosome it is enough Iude assigneth the same lot and portion to the reprobate which he allotteth to the diuels* Iud. 6 Manicheus 7 Obiect The immortall soules shall be cloathed with new bodies For it is not likely that flesh which is vncleane shall rise againe An. As if there were none vncleannesse of the soules neither could that be purged by God which is infected defiled with the blot of sin Euery one saith Paul 2 Cor. 6.10 Death accidentall shal receiue by his body whether good or euil And this doth plaine reason tel vs. For if death which hath his beginning frō the fal of man be accidentall the restoring which Christ brought appertaineth to the same body which began to bee mortall Moreouer if we must haue new bodies giuen vs where is the likelihood of the head and members 8 Therfore the spirit of God doth euerie where in the scripture exhort vs to hope for the resurrection of our flesh* Gen. 13.4 Baptisme Coll. 2.12 And baptisme is vnto vs a seale of the resurrection to come* To the same end tendeth the word Sleeping which gaue also the name to church yards Therfore we shall rise againe in the same flesh which we beare as touching the substāce but the qualitie shal be changed and the estate shall be farre more excellent for the corruptible bodie shall put on incorruption* Also we must note a difference betweene those which died long agoe and those whom that day shal finde liuing remaining For as Paul witnesseth* we shall not all sleepe 1 Cor. 15.29 but we shall be all changed Neither shall those which then are aliue preuent the dead 1 Cor. 15.51 but rather they shall rise againe first which haue slept in Christ* Obiect It is appointed for all mortall men once to die* Thes 4.15 Heb. 9.27 An. Where the state of nature is changed it is a kinde of death 9 Quest By what right is the resurrection common to the wicked and to those which are accursed of God which is a singular benefice of Christ The resurrection of the wicked An. Those thinges which are proper to Christ his members flowe ouer vnto the wicked also not that they may lawfullie possesse them but that they may be made more inexcuseable Mat. 5.48 A similitude So the Sun riseth vpon the good and the bad* Obiect The resurrection is not fitly compared to fraile benefites An. So soone as the Diuels were estranged from God the fountaine of life they deserued destruction whereby they shoulde be vtterlie abolished yet through the wonderfull counsell of God there was found a midle estate that with out life they shoulde liue in death It ought to seeme more absurd To liue in death if the resurrection be accidental to the wicked which draweth them before the iudgement seate of Christ against their will whom now they refuse to heare as their teacher 10 And because the prophesie of death swallowed vp in victorie* shall then bee fulfilled The resurrectiō is accidentall to the wicked Ose 13.14 Eternall felicity 1. Ioh. 3.2 let vs alwaies remember eternall felicitie the end of the resurrection We know that we are the children of God* but it hath not yet appeared but when wee shall be like to him wee shall see him euen as he is Furthermore as God distributing his giftes to
power in all his creatures as in mirrours we may not onlie lightly and glauncingly runne ouer them but stay long in that cogitation ponder the same earnestly and faithfully in our minds and oftentimes call the same to remembrance 22 There remaineth the other part which commeth nearer vnto faith that when we consider that God hath appointed all things to our good and faluation All thinges are created to saluation and when we do also feele and perceaue in ourselues in so great good things which he hath bestowed vpon vs his power and grace we do thēce and thereby rouze vp our selues to trust in him to call vpon him to praise him and to loue him CHAP. XV. Of the creation of man 1 NOw must we speake of the creation of mā The knowledge of man is double because as we sayd in the beginning we cānot knowe God as we ought to knowe him vnlesse we do also on the other side knowe our selues And the same is double to wit that we knowe what manner persons we were created in the beginning and in what state we began to stand after the fal of Adam Thereby it shall appeare what we owe to God and also what we are able to do 2 Furthermore it is out of question that man consisteth vpon soule and bodie The diuision of man And we vnderstād that the essence of the soule which is the more excellent part of man is immortall and yet created Obiect Of the soule The soule or spirit of man is only a breath or power inspired or poured into the bodie which notwithstanding is without essence An. That the soule hath a true essence Seeing that so manie excellent gifts wherin mans mind excelleth do cry that some diuine thing is therein ingrauen there be so manie testimonies not of a vanishing breath but of an immortall essence To what end should Paul exhort the faithfull to cleanse thēselues from all filthinesse of the flesh and of the spirit vnlesse he did make two partes wherein the filthinesse of sinne doth rest* 2. Cor. 7.1 And also to what ende should Peter call Christ the pastor of soules * 1. Pet. 2.15 3 Why is man sayde to be created after the image of God Though in the outward man appeareth the glorie of God yet the proper place of his image is in the soule Ob. The Father Osiander Sonne holy Ghost did place their image in mā bicause thogh Adā had remained in his first estate yet should Christ haue become man An. I graunt that in the person of the Mediator shineth the glorie of the godhead but howe shall the eternall Word be called the image of the Spirit before whom he goeth in order And forasmuch as that speech Let vs make man after our own image or similitude is cōmon to the person of the Sonne it should follow that he is the image of him selfe Obiect Man was created onely after the forme and figure of Christ as he was man so that that forme out of which Adam was taken was Christ An. But the Scripture doth teach that man was created in the image of God Obiect Adam was created in the image of God because he was like to Christ who is the only image of God How the image of God is in man An. That is subtilly to play the philosophers about words In the thing there is no doutfulnes but that man is called the image of God because he is like to God Obiect Not a part of man nor the soule with her giftes is the image of God but the whole Adam which had his name giuen him of the earth from whence he was taken An. This is friuolous For when the whole man is called mortall the soule is not therefore subiect to death neither where he is called a reasonable creature it is thereby meant that the bodie hath reason Therefore though the soule be not man yet is it no absurd thing that he should be called the image of God in respect of his soule Although the image of God do appertaine vnto the whole excellencie wherein mans nature excelleth all liuing creatures The image of God Furthermore by this worde is signified that perfection of integritie wherin man was created Repayring of nature 4 That may be more easilie knowen by the reparatiō of corrupt nature which we haue by Christ who is for this cause called the second Adam * 1. Cor. 15.45 Why Christ is called the second Adam The end of regeneration because he hath restored vs to true and perfect integritie For the ende of regeneration is that Christ may fashion vs againe to the image of God which is that we may bear the image of God in true godlinesse righteousnesse purenesse and knowledge Obiect The similitude of God consisteth in the gouernment giuen to man because he was made heire and possessor of all things An. The image of God must be sought properly within him and not without him yea it is an inward good thing of the soule Obiect The Manichees Seruetus God breathed into the face of man the breath of life* whēce we must gather that the soule did conuey into man the substance of God An. If that were true it should followe that the nature of God is not onely subiect to chaunge and passions but also to ignorance Whether the soule doe conueye into man the substance of God to euill concupiscēce and to all manner vices then which nothing can be more absurd Obiect An absurditie Paull saith that we be the generation of God * Act. 17.28 An. In qualitie not in substance to wit inasmuch as he hath indued vs with diuine gifts For the creation is not a pouring of one substance into another but the beginning of an essence of nothing Obiect The soule is giuen by God Creation Osiander and when it departeth out of the flesh it returneth to him therfore it was taken out of his substance An. As if God were not able to make vs like to himselfe by the vnestimable power of his Spirite vnlesse Christ should poure out him self substantially into vs. What the soule is 6 And it appeareth by the Scripture that the soule is nothing else but a substance without bodie and yet put into a bodie and that it dwelleth there as in an house not onely that it may geue life to all parts of the bodie and make the organes or instruments fit and profitable for their actions but also that it may beare the chief sway in gouerning mans life and not only touching the offices of the earthly life but also that it may raise vs vp to worshippe God The partes of the soule 7 And it hath two partes vnderstanding and will vnderstanding discerneth betwene obiects or things set before it as ech of them shall seeme meet to be allowed or disalowed Will chuseth and followeth after that which the vnderstanding sayth is good
because there is an end made of that true rest which the old Sabboth did shadow in the resurrection of Christ and therein is it fulfilled 5. Commandement 35 Because the obseruing of that order which the Lord hath appointed doth please him the degrees of honour appointed by him We must not resist or diminish the dignitie of our superiours ought not to be taken away or resisted by vs. Whereupon it doth follow that it is forbidden that we doe not diminish anie whit the dignitie of superiours either through contempt or stubbornnesse or vnthankfulnes And the most amiable superioritie is set before vs for an example 3 Partes of honour Exod. 21.17 Leuit. 20 9 that we may more readilie bende our mindes vnto the custome of submission 36 But by diuers appurtenances of the law it appeareth that there bee three parts of honour reuerence * Deut. 21 18 19.20 Mat. 15.4 obedience * thankfulnes * The promise of long life is not alwayes fulfilled 37 There is a promise added which doth better admonish vs how acceptable that submission is to God which is commaunded vs in this place Obiect But the promise is not alwaies fulfilled Because manie godly men do die before they come to ripe age An. That turneth to the good of the godlie for long life is promised so farre as it is a blessing How farre we must obey 38 Furthermore we must note that this submissiō is a degree or step toward the honoring of that soueraigne father Therefore if they prouoke vs to transgresse the lawe then they ought worthilie to be accounted not our parentes but straungers The same respect must we haue of other superiours Act. 5.39 6 Commmandement 39 The end of the cōmandement is because the Lorde hath knit togeather mankinde by a certaine vnitie the saftie of all ought to be committed to euerie one Therefore all violence and iniurie wherby the bodie of our neighbour is hurt is forbidden vs 1 Ioh. 3.15 Mat. 5.22 Hatred why we must doe good to our neighbour yea he is called a manslear which hateth his brother * 40 Therefore let vs not doe that to our neighbour which we would not haue done to our selues because man is both the image of God and also our flesh 7 Commandement Vncleānes forbidden 41 The ende of this because God loueth purenesse let vs abandon all vncleannesse yea let vs moderate and order all parts of our life chastlie continentlie Let him that cānot contain marry a wife * 42 Obiect Virginite is an excellent vertue Cor. 7.29 Virginitie is an excellent vertue An. It is denied to some it is graunted to other some for a time Quest Being holpen by the helpe of God wee can doe all things 43 An. The Lorde helpeth those onelie which walke in his waies Therefore let no man contemne matrimonie as a thing vnprofitable and superfluous for him Let no man desire otherwise to leade a single life then if he can want a wife 44 Therefore when he forbiddeth adulterie Wanton behauiour of the bodie is forbidden he requireth integritie both of spirit and bodie he forbiddeth laying in wait for the chastitie of another both by wanton behauiour of the bodie and impure and filthie gestures and speeches 8 Commandement 45 The end because god abhorreth vnrighteousnesse that euerie man may haue his own The kindes of theft And there be manie kinds of theft one is in violence another in malicious cosonage another in close deceite in flatterie c. Therefore all crafts whereby the goods of our neighbours are conueighed to vs are to bee counted thefts 46 Therefore wee shall rightlie obey this commandement if being content with our estate wee seeke to get no gaine but that which is honest and on the otherside if we faithfullie help with our coūcell and helpe all men so farre as wee can to keepe that which is theirs 9 Commandement 47 The end thereof is because God who is truth hateth lying that wee must vse truth among our selues Therefore the summe shall bee that wee neither hurt anie mans good name by false slanders or that we do not hinder him in his goods by falshood but that we employ our faithfull indeuour for euerie man so much as wee can in defending truth to maintaine the integritie both of his name and also of his goods 48 Quest If wee discouer the faultes of other men and lie not shall we be giltie of that commandement An. He which forbiddeth the name of thy brother to be defiled by lying will also haue the same preserued vntouched 10 Commandement 49 The end is because God will haue the whole minde possessed with the affection of loue all lust that is contrarie to loue must be driuen out of the minde Therefore the summe shall be that no cogitation creepe into our mindes which may moue them with hurtfull concupiscence and such as may turne to another mans hinderance Whether the tenth commādement of the law be superfluous Obiect This commaundement is superfluous because vnder theft and whoredome is contained and forbidden the purpose to doe hurt An. The purpose is one thing the cōcupiscence or desire is an other thing the other commaundements consider the deliberate consent of the wil vnto euill but this the desire euen without such both assenting and also deliberation What phantasies are condēned 50 Obiect Shall fantasies which are rashlie tossed in the minde and doe at length vanish away be condemned for concupiscences whose place is in the heart An. No but such as bite and strike the minde with lust They which seeke two commandements in the forbidding of cōcupiscence The error of the Papistes they rent in peeces by a peruerse mangling that which was one 51 Furthermore the perfection of that holinesse consisteth in those two points which we haue alreadie rehearsed The summe of the lawe Deut. 6.5 11 13. that we loue the Lord God with our whole hearte with our whole soule with all our strength and our neighbour as our selfe * 52 Obiect Christe and his disciples when they rehearse the summe of the lawe Why Christ doth somtimes make mention of the latter table only they omit the first table An. They do it for this cause because the studie of righteousnesse and integritie doth more appeare in the second then in the first 53 Obiect Therefore it is more worth to the summe of righteousnesse to liue innocentlie with men then to honour God with godlines An. No trulie but because no man doth truly obserue and keep loue in all pointes vnlesse he feare God Eph. 1.4 the approuing of godlinesse is taken thence also * Col. 3.14 54 Therefore our life shal be best framed according to the will of God and the prescript of the law when it shall be most fruitfull to our brethren in all points so that we liue rather to our neighbors then to our selues Obiect Loue beginneth with it selfe An.
the verie kinde of death is not without an excellent mysterie We must consider two thinges in the death of Christ Ioh. 10.15 Ios 53.7 Mat. 72.11 The manner of his death must be noted Deut. 21.23 Gal. 3.13 The fruites of Christes death and buriall is double The crosse was accursed not onlie in mans opinion but also by the decree of the lawe of God * Therefore when hee was hanged vpon it he made himselfe subiect to the curse And it was meet that it should be so that we might be deliuered from all curse which did lie vpon vs by reason of our iniquitie whiles that it is conueighed vnto him 7 It followeth in the creede that hee was dead buried where we may see againe how hee put himselfe in our steed to pay the price of our redemptioÌ„ Thence we gather a double fruite the first is because by dying he brought to passe that we shall not die Viuification Mortification he ouerthrew death which did hang ouer our heads and did nowe triumphe ouer vs keeping vs downe He did also destroy the Diuell who had power ouer death and he deliuered those which were his bondslaues during their whole life* Another fruite is that by enterparting of him Heb. 29.15 Rom. 6.5 Gal. 2.2 hee mortifieth our members that they may not hereafter exercise their owne actions The resurrection of Christ 8 The historie of the resurrection is of no small importance to the effect of our redemption For it signifieth that Christ did both appease Gods wrath and also ouercome the sorrowes of death Obiect Hell is often red in the scriptures for the sepulchre or graue Hell An. But not in this place otherwise it should be to declare that which is obscure by that which is obscurer neither is it like to be true that such a superfluous repetition could creep into this short summe 9 Therefore neither the graue ne yet the limbe of the papists is handled in this place Quest What must wee then vnderstand by the gates of brasse the yron barres which were broken Psal 10.16 also that hee deliuered those that were bounde out of the pit where was no water* that he preached to the spirits which were in prison* zach 19.11 An. The Psalme foretelleth the deliueraunce of those who being captiues in farre countries are cast into bands 1 Pet. 3.19 Zacharias speaketh of the captiuitie of Babilon Peter teacheth that Christe was preached to those which were dead The soule of Christ did suffer 19 Therefore Christe did not onlie suffer bodily death but he felt euen in his soule the sharpenesse of Gods vengeance that he might both appease his wrath satisfie his iust iudgemeÌ„t For which cause also it behoued him to wrastle as it were hande to hand with the armies of hel with the horror of eternall death 11 Obiect Then it seemeth that God was either his sonnes aduersarie or els that hee was angrie with him An. No trulie for he was his welbeloued sonne he could not haue beene appeased by one with whoÌ„ he was offended But wee say that he suffered the greeuousnesse of Gods seueritie because being striken with the hand of God he tried all the signes of God being angrie and punishing For which cause being inforced by distresse he cried out My God Psal 22.2 Mat. 27.46 my God why hast thou forsaken me 12 Obiect That is to doe iniurie to Christ as if he were afraid of the saluatian of his soule or fell into danger of desperation which is contrary to faith An. But the Euangelists say that he was troubled in spirite full of heauines that he feared vehementlie* Obiect It was feigning Mat. â—6 28 Luk 22.44 An. Surelie vnlesse his soule had been partaker of punishment he should haue byn the redeemer of our bodies onlie Obiect Wee must not attribute corrupt passions to Christ An. The spirit reconcileth these two that Christ was tempted in al things as we are and yet without sinne Obiect Though Christ feared death yet he did not feare the curse and wrath from which he knew he was safe An. He should haue been more faint harted and fearefull then manie theeues which make hast to death But through vehemencie of griefe the drops of blood came trickling downe from his face Obiect He did this to make a showe to others Mat. 26.39 Christs descending into hell An. Yea he directed his gronings to his father in a secret place and the angels did comfort him * Quest Did Christ discend into hell then when he prayed to his father An. This was the beginning therefore the paines which hee suffered for our sake were horrible notwithstanding wee must knowe that his temptation was such as was not contrarie to faith because it was vnpossible that he should be holden of the sorrowes of death Act. 2.24 * 13 Nowe followeth his resurrection from the dead His rising from the dead without which that should be lame nothing worth which hath been spoken touching the crosse his death and burying For Christ is said to be dead for sinne but to haue beene raised againe for our righteousnesse Rom. 4.5 * And by the same we reape a threefold fruite first because as by the death of Christe sinne is purged Three fruits of Christs resurrection so by rising againe he hath purchased life for vs. * Secondly like as the mortificatioÌ„ of our flesh depeÌ„deth vpoÌ„ the partaking of his crosse so being now partakers of his resurrectioÌ„ we walk in newnesse of life 2. Cor. 13.4 * Phil. 3.10 Last of all hauing as it were receiued earnest wee are assured of our resurrection to eternall life * Rom. 6.4 Col. 3.1 2. Cor. 15.20 14 Furthermore though Christ did more fullie declare his glorie by rising againe yet by his ascending into heauen he did trulie begin his kingdome Which the Apostle sheweth when he saith Christs ascension that hee ascended that he might fulfill all thinges * For hee powred out then greater aboundance of his spirit * he did more gloriouslie aduance his kingdome Eph. 4.10 and shewed greater power both in helping those that were his Ioh. 16.7 and also in throwing downe his enemies 15 Wherefore it is added immediatlie that hee sitteth at the right hand of the father which is spoken by the way of similitude taken from princes Sitting at the right hande A similitude which haue their sitters by to whom they commit their office of gouerning coÌ„manding So Christ in whoÌ„ the father will be exalted by whose hand he wil raign is said to be receiued to his right hand as if hee should be said to haue been installed in the kingdome of heauen and earth Eph. 1.20 Phil. 2.9 Eph. 4.15 Act. 2.3 3.21 to haue taken solemne possession of the gouernment committed to him and to continue in the same vntill hee come to iudgement * 16 Our
persons be deriued from one essence An. We doe not draw the persons from the essence but though they remaine in it we put in a difference Otherwise there should be a trinitie of gods not of persons Ob. Therfore the Trinitie shal be without God An. No because vnlesse the father were God he should not be the father and the sonne is no otherwise the sonne but because he is God Obiect So three things meete togeather the essence the sonne and the spirite An. Yea by this meanes the essence of the sonne of the holy ghost should be destroied which cannot be 26 Obiect If Christ be God he shall not be the sonne of God An. There is a comparison made betweene the persons neither is the name of God taken indefinitelie but it is restrained vnto the father inasmuch as he is the beginning of the Godhead Quest What in making of essence An. No but in respect of order 27 Obiect S. Ireneus doth affirm that the father of Christ is the onlie eternall God of Israel An. Hee had to deale with mad fellowes which did denie that the father of Christe was that God that spake in times past by Moses the prophetes but I wote not what ghoste brought out of the corruption of the world Therfore he standeth wholie vpō this to make it plain that there is no other god set forth in the scripture but the father of Christ Obiect Ireneus thinketh that the father alone is the God of Israel An The same writer doth plainelie teach * Lib. 3. chap. 18 that Christ is all one and the same as also he referreth vnto him the prophesie of Abacuck Hab. 3.3 God shall come from the South 28 Obiect Tertullian saith that the sonne is the second or next to his father An. That he may distinguish the persons Obiect He saith that the sonne is visible An. It is true in asmuch as he is man but he is inuisible inasmuch as he is the word Obiect He calleth the word and the spirite the portion of the whole An. That is not referred vnto the substance but vnto the distinction of persons 29 Obiect S. Hillarie teacheth that eternitie is in the father An. Doth he it to this end that he may take the essence of God from the sonne Therfore let vs conclude that there were frō euerlasting three persons in God CHAP. XIIII That in the verie creation of the worlde and of al things the scripture doth distinguish by certaine markes the true God from false Gods 1 ALSO God woulde haue the historie of the creation to be extant that the faith of his Church might rest therupon not seek any other God but him who is set foorth by Moses to bee the Creator and maker of the world And because our nature is too much inclined to vanitie first the time is set downe that by the continuall course of yeares the faithfull might come to the first beginning of mankinde and of all things Time of the creation Quest Why did it not come into Gods mind before to create heauen and earth Curiositie but being idle did suffer that to passe an infinite space which he could haue done many thousand yeeres before An. It is neither lawefull to enquire after that neither yet expedient because if mans minde striue to pearce so farre it shall faint by the way Quest What did God before the creation An. He made hel saith a certain godlie old man A curious question for curious men 2 For like reason is it that Moses declareth Goodnes of God that the work of God was not finished in a moment but in sixe dayes For euen by this circumstance we gather how fatherly the loue of God was towarde mankind in that he did not create Adam before he had inriched the worlde with all plentie of good things 3 But before I come to speake more fullie of the nature of man I must first say somthing of the angels Of Angells Ob. Moses made no mention of Angels among things created Why Moses made no mention of Angels among thinges created An. Because he applied himself to the rudenesse of the cōmon people he reciteth none other works of God in the history of the creation but such as we see with our eies and yet afterward he bringeth in the angels as the ministers of God Obiect There be two beginners God of good things the diuell of euill thinges An. Nothing is more proper to God then eternitie which whosoeuer doth attribute to the diuell they giue him the title of the Godhead And thereupon it might also be concluded that God is not almightie which is absurd Obiect There is none euill nature in the world It is wickednesse to ascribe the creation of anie euill thing to a good God An. That doth not hurt the true sounde faith which doth not admit that there is anie euill nature in the world Quest Then whence came the frowardnes and wickednesse of men and of the diuell An Not from nature but from the corruption of nature 4 Quest When were the angels created A curious question An. Such a question is curious And we must beware that we do neither speake or think or desire to know any thing concerning obscure things but that which shal be taught vs in the word of God Moses saith that the earth was finished and the heauens were finished with all the hoast of them Gen. 2.1 * to what end is it to enquire vpō what day besides the starres planets other heauēly bodies began also to be 5 We read euery where in the scripture that the angels are heauenly spirites whose ministerie God vseth to execute all things which he hath decreed The ministery of Angelles Psal 103.20 Thence cōmeth their name they are called hoasts * Col. 1.16 powers * Col. 1.16 principalities * Col. 1.16 dominions * Col. 1.16 Thrones * Col. 1.16 because after a sort the glorie of God resteth in them * Luke 2.13 * Dan. 7.10 6 But the scripture standeth chieflie vppon that point which may mak most to our consolation and the confirmatiō of our faith to wit that the Angels are stewards ministers of Gods bountifulnesse toward vs. * 7. Quest Hath euerie one of the faithfull a particular angell Psal 91.11 34.8 An. * Gen. 16.6 c. Surelie whē Daniel maketh mētiō of the angel of the Persiās Greciās he signifieth that there are certain particular angels appointed to realms prouinces as gouernors Dan. 10.13 * Mat. 18.14 Christ saith the angels of childrē do alwaies behold the face of the father * So it is sayde of the Angell of Peter * Act. 12.15 But we must holde this as vndoubtedly true that not onely one Angell taketh care for euery particular person but that they al with one cōsent do watch for our safty* 8 But as touching
his Saints in this world The glorie of the Saintes vnequall Thesa 2.19 doth vnequallie cast his beams vpon them so the maner of their glorie shall be vnequall in the heauens where God shall crowne his gifts* 11 Quest What distance shall there be between the Prophets and Apostles betweene the married and virgins c. A Curious question An. This is a curious question and without the bounds of scripture Quest To what end serueth the repairing of the world seeing the children of God shal want nothing but shall be as angels* Mat. 22.30 An. In the verie beholding and sight of God there shall be so great pleasantnesse that this felicitie shall farre exceede all helps wherewith wee now are helped* 1 Cor. 13.12 12 Furthermore because no discription can match the greatnesse of Gods vengeance against the reprobate The torments of the wicked Mat. 8.12 22 13. 3.1.12 Mar. 9.43 Ies 66.24 30.33 their torments and vexations are figured to vs by bodilie thinges namely by darknesse weeping gnashing of teeth vnquenchable fire the worme gnawing the heart without end Wherby as we ought to be holpen to conceiue after a sort the state of the wretched so we ought principally to fasten our cogitatiō in that what a miserable thing it is to be estraunged frō all fellowship with God and not so onlie but to feele the maiestie of God so set against thee that thou canst no way escape but thou shalt be vrged and pressed by it THE FOVRTH BOOKE OF CHRISTIAN INSTITVTION Of the outward meanes or helpes whereby God allureth vs to the fellowship of Christ and retaineth vs in it CHAP. I. Of the true Churche with which wee ought to keepe vnitie 1 WE haue taught that Christe is made ours by the faith of the gospel But because our rudenes is great faith needeth outwarde helpes wherby it may both be ingendered in vs and also increased Therfore he hath appointed Pastours and Doctours* to teach vs with mouth Eph. 4.21 and confirme vs by the administration of the sacraments Wherefore order of teaching doth require that we intreat now of the church to which God hath committed this treasure and also of the gouernment orders and power therof also of the sacraments and last of all The diuision of the booke of politike order What it is to beleue the church 2 In the Creede where wee professe that wee beleeue the Church that is referred not only vnto the visible Church whereof we now speake but also vnto the inuisible We beleeue because oftentimes there is no difference between the children of god and profane men Againe it doth somtimes not appeare in the eies of men but as wheat comes are hid vnder an heape of chaffe so is it onlie knowen to God alone ◠Kin. 19.16 That hapned in the time of Elias* But we do not say In the church as in God because our confidence resteth in him which should not so agree to the church It is called catholike or vniuersall because as there is but one head The Catholike Church Christe so also there is but one bodie whereof there be many mēbers liuing together by one faith hope loue and through one spirite of God Vnder the Catholike Church the visible is comprehended 3 Vnder the catholike and vniuersall churche we comprehend the visible church The communion of saints is added better to expresse the qualitie of the church as if it were said that they are gathered togeather vnto the fellowship of Christ vppon this condition Act. 4.32 Eph. 4.4 that they may mutuallie impart whatsoeuer benefites God bestoweth vppon them* From thence we haue manie fruites For vpon this condition we beleeue the church that we may be assuredlie perswaded that we are members thereof Saluation is sure because election is sure So long as our saluation hath such a stay it shall neuer fall down For it standeth with Gods election eternal prouidence Secondly it is ioyned with the firmenes and certaintie of Christ who is neuer pluckt from the members of his bodie Moreouer we know that the truth shall neuer faile vs. Psal 46.6 Ioel. 2.32 Abd. 17. Finallie the promises appertaine vnto vs For there shall bee saluation in Sion* Also there is great argument of consolation in the verie imparting of good thinges For wee knowe that all that appertaineth vnto vs Consolation drawen from the cōmunicating of ecclesiasticall goodes whatsoeuer the Lorde bestoweth vppon his members and ours 4 But because we are now purposed to intreat of the visible church let vs learne euen by this one title of mother how necessarie the knowledge therof is seeing there is none entrance into life A similitude vnlesse she conceiue vs in her wombe vnlesse she bring vs forth vnlesse she nourish vs with her breasts That done vnlesse she defend vs vnder her custodie gouernment vntill hauing put of this mortall flesh Mat. 22.30 Iesa 37.32 Ioel. 2.32 wee be like to angels* Moreouer there is no saluation to be hoped for without her bosome* 5 And to the ende wee may be nourished and kept in the Church God hath giuen vs pastours* Pastours Eph. 4.11 Assemblies to whom is committed the preaching of the heauēlie doctrine For this purpose woulde he haue onlie assemblies to be kept that doctrine might nourishe the consent of faith Obiect The beholding of a mortall man doth debase the word of God A similitude An. An vnestimable treasure must not therfore be cast away because it is brought vnto vs in earthlie vessels For by this meanes our obedience is tried our infirmitie is prouided 6 Obiect That is falslie translated to mortall man which is proper to the spirit An. God who is the authour of preaching ioyning his spirit with it promiseth fruite therof* Mal. 4.6 Ioh. 15.16 or againe when he seperateth himselfe from outwarde helpes he challendgeth to him selfe alone as well the beginninges of faith as the whole course therof * 1 Cor. 3.7 1. Cor. 15.10 7 Furthermore in the visible Churche there be manie hypocrites intermingled who haue nothing of Christ besides the onlie title who are suffered for a time * 1 Cor. 3.7 1 Cor. 15.10 Why the wicked are suffered in the Church either because they cannot lawfully be conuict by iust iudgement or els because there is not alwaies suche sharpe discipline vsed as ought to be 8 Therefore the Lord hath set it out vnto vs by certaine markes so farre as was expedient for vs to know it 9 Namelie by the ministerie of the worde the administration of the sacraments The markes of the true Church 10 For wheresoeuer the preaching of the gospel is reuerentlie heard and the sacraments are not neglected there appeareth neither deceitful ne yet a doubtfull face of the church whose authoritie no man may despice nor yet refuse her admonitions for it is the piller and strong stay
For vnlesse the Apostles had remembred that the bread was figuratiuely called his bodie they should haue bene troubled with a thing so strange or monstrous that Christ should sit at table in their sight should be included in the bread being inuisible 24 Obiect The infinite power of God must not be made subiect to the lawes of nature The power of God An. The question is not what God could do but what he would do And it pleased God that Christ should haue a true bodie 25 Obiect We haue the word wherein the will of God is made manifest The will of God must be ioyned with his power An. The gift of interpretation must not be banished out of the Church which bringeth light to the word Obiect We haue the word An. Such as the Anthropomorphits had in times past when they made God to haue a bodie The error of the Anthropomorphits Mat. 28.20 26 Obiect Christ sayde Behold I am with you vntill the end of the world* An. He sayd in another place Mat. 26.11 Me shall you not haue alwayes with you* For he is present euerie where by his diuine maiestie whereas in bodie he is at the right hand of the Father Quest Shall we then appoint Christ some certaine countrey of heauen An. This is a curious question we beleeue that he is in heauen it is enough 27 These words shewe the same to go away to ascend to be lifted vp on high whiles the Disciples did behold* Act. 1.9 Mar. 16.9 Luk. 24.51 And Paule likewise affirmeth* that we must looke for him from heauen 28 Obiect Augustine saith that the bodie and bloud of Christ are distributed in the Supper * Phil. 3.20 Epist 23. ad Bonifa An. He expoundeth him selfe when he saith that the Sacraments take ther names of the likelihoode of the things which they signifie Take away sayth he spaces from the bodies and they shall be no where and because they shall be no where they shall not be at all Seruetus 29 Obiect The bodie of Christ is in it selfe visible in heauen but in the Supper it is inuisible by dispensation An. Yea Peter saith that the heauen must containe Christ vntill he come againe* Act. 3.21 Obiect His bodie was swallowed vp of his godhead after his ascension An. There should remaine no difference betwene his diuinitie and his humanitie A glorified bodie Obiect His bodie is glorified An. It is not therefore infinite Because Christ sayd Luk. 24.39 See and grope* Obiect Stephen saw him after his ascension * Act. 7.55 An. It was not needfull for Christ to change his place who could make the eyes of his seruaunt so quicke of sight as that they should pearce into the heauens Act. 9.4 Mat. 28.6 Ioh. 20.19 The same must we also say of Paule* Obiect Christ came out of the graue when it was shut* and he came in to his Disciples when the doores were shut* An. As Christ walked vppon the water euen as vpon an hard pauement The miraculous comming out of the graue Luk. 24.31 so no maruell if the hardnesse of the stone did yeeld when he came against it Obiect Christ vanished away suddenly out of his Disciples sight as they went to Emaus* An. He became not inuisible that he might take away the sight of him selfe from them but he did onely go out of sight as before he had holden their eyes that he might not be knowen* Ibid. 16. 30 Obiect Where soeuer the godhead of Christ shall be there shall his bodie be also An. The one onely person of Christ doth so consist vpon two natures that yet notwithstanding either of them hath still her owne properties remayning Obiect No man ascendeth into heauen but he which came downe from heauen the Sonne of man which is in heauen* Ioh. 3.13 Cōmunicating of properties An. We must not despise the communicating of properties Christ was in heauen as he was God vpon earth as he was man 31 Obiect There shall be no presence of Christ in the Supper vnlesse it be in the bread How we enioy the presence of Christ An. As if if Christ lift vs vp vnto him self by his Spirit we do not as well enioy his presence 32 Christ pronounceth that his flesh is the meat of the soule his bloud the drinke of the soule He commandeth vs to take I doubt not but he doth indeed reach it I do receaue it It is an higher mysterie then that it can be vttered in words Obiect Then there shall be a mixture of the flesh of Christ with our soule A powring out or a pouring out therof into the same An. No trulie But let it be sufficient that Christ doth breath out life into our soule frō the substance of his flesh How our soules are nourished by the bodie of Christ yea that he doth poure out into vs his owne life though the verie flesh of Christ do not enter into vs. 33 Obiect This doctrine is contrarie to the true and reall eating The true eating An. The true eating is spirituall Obiect So then we touch only the frute or effect of the flesh of Christ Christ is the matter of the Supper An. Christ is the matter of the Supper therupon followeth the effect the purging of our sinnes Obiect Who so euer are made partakers of the Sacramental eating they are made partakers of the bodie and bloud of Christ The vnbeeleuing receaue onlie the signe An. The vnbeleeuers receaue the signes not the thing signified Obiect Mans vnthankfulnesse can not diminish the faithfulnesse of Gods promises An. I graunt but some receaue the spirituall meate when it is offred them some reprochfully refuse it which are destitute of faith Obiect Hereby the word is diminished This is my body if the wicked receaue nothing but corruptible bread An. God will not be knowne to be true in the verie receauing but in the constancy of his goodnesse Quest How shal Christ come to the condēnation of certaine 1 Cor. 11.29 vnlesse they receaue him vnworthely* An. Men do not purchase to thē selues death by receauing Christ vnworthely but by refusing him Homil. in Ioh. 59 34 Therfore Augustine saith that the rest of the Disciples did eat the bread the Lord but Iudas did eat the bread of the Lord where he doth plainely exclude the vnbeleeuing from partaking of the bodie and bloud of Christ 35 This knowledge will likewise easily draw vs away frō carnall worshipping Carnall worshipping which some haue erected in the Sacrament through peruerse rashnesse Obiect If it be the bodie then the soule and the godhead must be together with the bodie Therfore we must worship Christ An. It is a false accōpanying Accompanying For the body of Christ is not Christ Again the body is in heauen not in the supper Therfor the Apostles did not worship it prostrating thēselues but they tooke it