¶ Of Predestination, and Reprobation.

I Will harden Pharaos harte, & mul­tiplie [...]odus. 7. [...]. 3. my miracles, and wonders in the lande of Egypt.

I will shewe mercie, to whom IChap. 33. 19. will shewe mercie, and I will haue compassion, on whom I will haue compassion.

The Lorde hath made all thingesProuer. 16. 4. for his owne sake: yea, euen the wic­ked for the daie of euill.

Behold, before I formed thee in the wombe, I knewe thée,Ieremiah. 1. 5. and before thou camest out of the wombe, I sanctified thee, and ordeined thee to be a Prophete vnto the nations.

Enter in at the streicte gate, for it is the wide gate, andMatth. 7. 13▪ broade waie, that leadeth to destruction, and many there bee, whiche goe in thereat.

Because the gate is streicte, and the waie narrowe, that14. leadeth vnto life: and fewe there be that finde it.

And then I will professe to theim, I neuer knewe you: de­parte23. from me, ye that worke iniquitie.Chap. 20. 16.

Many are called, but fewe are chosen.Luke. 10. 20.

In this reioyce not, that spirites are subdued vnto you: but rather reioyce, because your names are written in t [...]e booke of life.Math. 24. 22.

But for the electes sake, those daies shalbe shortened.Chap. 25. 34.

Come ye blessed of my father: inherite ye the kyngdome prepared for you from the foundations of the worlde.

Therefore could thei not beleue, because that Esa [...]as saiethIho [...]. 12, 39. againe.

[Page]He hath blinded their eyes, and hardened their harte, that40. thei should not sée with their eyes, nor vnderstand with their harte, and should be conuerted, and I should heale them.

Ye haue not chosen me, but I haue chosen you, and ordei­nedChapit. 15. 16. you, that ye go and bryng forthe, that your fruicte remain.

I praie for them: I praie not for the worlde, but for theim,Chapite. 17. 9. whiche thou haste giuen me: for thei are thyne.

Those that thou gauest me, haue I kept, and none of them12. is loste, but the childe of perdition, that the scripture might be fulfilled.

And when the Gentiles heard it, thei were glad, and glori­fiedActes. 13. 48. the worde of the Lorde, and as many as were predestina­ted vnto eternall life, beleeued.

Those whiche he knewe before, he also predestinated, to beRoma. 8. 29. made like to the Image of his sonne, that he might be the first borne among many brethren.

Moreouer, whom he hath predestinated, theim also he cal­led,30. and whom he called, theim also he iustified, and whom he iustified, them also he glorified.

For ere the children were borne, and when thei had nei­therChapiter. 9. 11. dooen good, nor euill (that the purpose of God might re­maine, accordyng to election, not by workes, but by hym that calleth).

It was saied vnto her, the elder shall serue the yonger.12.

As it is written, I haue loued Iacob, and haue hated Esau. 13.

What shall wee saie then? Is there vnrighteousnes with14. God? God forbidde.

O man, what art thou that pleadest against God? shall the20. thyng formed, saie to hym that formed it, why hast thou made me thus?

Hath not the Potter power of the claye, to make of the21. same lompe, one vessell to honor, and an other vnto dishonor.

What if God would shewe his wrath, and to make his po­wer22. knowen, suffered with long pacience the vessels of wrath prepared to destruction.

And that he might declare the riches of his glorie, vpon the23. vessels of mercie, whiche he hath prepared vnto glorie.

[Page 2]What then? Israell hath not obteined that he sought, butChapit. 11. 7. the election hath obteined it, and the rest hath been hardeined.

As it is written: God hath giuen theim the spirite of slom­ber:8. eyes that thei should not see: and eares that thei should not heare, vnto this daie.

Let their eyes bee darkened, that thei see not, and bowe10. downe their backes alwaies.

We speake the wisedome of God in a misterie, euen thei. Corin. 2. 7. hid wisedome, whiche God hath determiued before the world vnto glorie.

He hath chosen vs in hym, before the foundation of theEphesians. 1. 4. worlde, that wee should bee holie, and without blame before hym in loue.

Who hath predestinated vs, to bee adopted through Iesus5. a. Christ vnto himself, according to the good pleasure of his will.

In whom also we are chosen, when we were predestinate,n. b. accordyng to the purpose of hym, whiche worketh all thinges after the counsaill of his owne will.

We are his workemanship erected in Christe Iesus, vntoChapit. 2. 10. good workes, which God hath ordained, that we should walke in theim.

Who hath saued vs, and called vs, with an holie callyng,ii. Timo. 1. 9. not accordyng to our workes, but accordyng to his owne pur­pose, and grace, whiche was giuen to vs through Iesus Christ before the worlde was.

The foundation of God remaineth sure, and hath the seale,Chapite. 2. 19. the Lorde knoweth who are his, and let euery one that cal­leth on the name of Christ, departe from iniquitie.

Notwithstandyng, in a greate house are not onely vessels20. of golde, and siluer, but also of woode, and of earth, and some for honour, and some for dishonour.

Electe, accordyng to the foreknowledge of GOD the fa­ther,i. Peter. 1. 2. vnto sanctification of the spirite, through obedience, and sprinkelyng of the bloud of Iesus Christe, grace, and peace bée multiplied.

A stone to stomble at, and a rocke of offence, euen to them,Chapiter. 2. [...]. whiche stomble at the woorde beyng disobediente, vnto the [Page] whiche thyng thei were ordeined.

Wherefore brethren giue rather diligence, to make your2. Peter. 1. 10. callyng and election sure, for if ye dooe these thynges, ye shall neuer fall.

Thei went from vs, but thei were not of vs: for if thei had [...]. Ihon. 2. 1 [...]. been of vs, thei would haue continued with vs: but this com­meth to passe that it might appeare, that thei are not of vs.

All that dwell vpon the earth, shall worshippe hym (mea­nyngReu [...]lati. 13. the beaste) whose names are not written in the booke of the lambe, whiche was slaine frō the beginnyng of the world.

¶ The consent of the fathers, and doctours.

THose whom he foreknewe, and predestinated, toOrigene in his first boke vpō the Romanes. be made to the Image of the soonnes of God, eui­dently, & manifestly appeareth, that those whiche God knewe before, should bee suche as he would conforme himself in Christes passions, those shal­bee conformed, and made like to the Image of his glorie, that he hath predestinated.

If Esau and Iacob, whiche was not yet borne, nor had doen [...]erom in the 10. question of Hebdia [...], the. 4▪ Tome. good, nor euill, that their mought deserue, or els, offende God, that their election, and reprobatiō was, not in respecte of their deseruynges, but that the will of the choser and refuser might bee manifested and shewed, what shall wee saie therefore, is God vnrighteous? Accordyng to the example in the whiche he spake to Moises, I will haue mercie, on whom I will haue mercie: Sithe it is thus, as he saieth: we muste graunte, that God dooeth what so euer he will. And without any merites, and woorkes, he doeth either predestinate, and electe: Or els condemne some. Therefore, it is not in the will of the runner, but in the mercie of God. But specially in that same scripture that is, where the same God speaketh to Pharao, for this pur­pose haue I stirred thee vp, that I maie declare my power v­pon thee, and that my name maie be shewed in all the earth.

Sithe it is thus, that for his owne sake, he sheweth mercie vnto Israell, and hardeineth Pharao, therefore in vain doeth he seeke the cause, why he doeth not make vs good: or why he [Page 3] doeth make vs euill, when it is in his owne power and will, without good or ill workes: either to chose or electe any, espe­cially, when this fraile weakenes of our willes, cannot resist it. The heate of the Sunne is one, and yet by his power, he susteineth and hardeneth, looseth and bindeth, some thynges, it melteth waxe, it hardeneth the claie, and yet the heate is not diuerse in nature. So is the goodnesse and mercie of God: The vessells of wrathe, whiche are apte to death and destruc­tion (that is) the people of Israell he dooeth harden. And the vessells of mercie, whiche he hath prepared to glorie, dooeth call them (that is) vs.

Thei whiche doe assigne, attribute, and ascribe the electionAmbrose in his. i. boke. xi. Chapiter of the callyng of the Genules. of God, vnto the meritcs of men, are wiser then it behoueth.

All those of the whiche wée now speake, before their vse of vnderstandyng, before their freewill, the regenerate, passeth to life, and others not regenerate, passeth to destruction.In the 5. chapi­ter of the same booke.

It is a thyng to bee wondered at, or rather, that we should be astonied at, that election doeth adopte suche, as abdication or reiection doeth reproue.In his seconde booke and, 7. chapiter.

This onely difference is betwene, Grace, and predestina­tion: predestination is a preparation to grace, but grace is theAugustine in his x. booke of the predestina­on of saincte [...] ▪ verie gifte it self. Therefore, this that he saieth, not of woor­kes, leaste any manne should boaste hymself, for, wee are his workemanship, created in Christe Iesu vnto good workes, is grace, but that, that followeth, whiche God prepared before hand, that we should walke in them, is predestination: which cannot bée without a foreknowledge, although the foreknow­ledge maie be without predestinatiō, for by predestinatiō God knewe before hande the thynges that he hymself would doe.

Wherfore, the predestination of God (whiche is to our be­nefite, and comforte) is (as I saied) the preparation afore▪ and to grace: but grace is the'ffect of the same predestination. This promise, was not grounded vpon the power of mans will, but vpon the predestination of god, for he promised not that what men, but that what he hymself should bryng to passe.

This is the immou [...]ble truthe of predestination, and grace.In the. xviii. Chapiter of the same booke. For what meaueth that the Apostle saieth, as he chose vs in [Page] him, before the worlde was made. Certainly, if this be there­fore spoken, because God knewe afore hande, that thei would beleue: the sonne speaketh against this forknowledge, saiyng. you haue not chosen me, but I haue chosen you.

Seeyng that God did rather knowe afore hande this, that thei should chose hym, that thei might deserue to bée chosen of him. Thei are therefore chosen, before the worlde was made, in that predestination, in the whiche God knewe afore hande his owne workes, that were to come: But their are chosen frō the worlde by that callyng, by the whiche, God hath fulfilled that, whiche he did predestinate. For, whom he hath predesti­nate, theim hath he called, that is to saie, with that callyng, that is accordyng to purpose: he hath not then called any other but those whom he hath predestinate, theim hath he also cal­led: Neither hath he iustified any other, but them whom he so called, them hath he also iustified: Neither hath he glorified a­ny other, but theim whom he hath predestinate, called, iusti­fied, theim hath he also glorified, with that ende, whiche hath no ende.

God then hath chosen the faithfull: but that thei might bee made faithfull. The Apostle Iames saieth, hath not God cho­sen the poore in this worlde, riche in faithe, and heires of the kingdome, whiche God hath promised to thē that beleue him?

By election therefore, he maketh bothe riche in faithe, and heires of the kingdome, whom I praie you, hearyng the lorde saiyng, you haue not chosen me, but I haue chosen you. Dare bee so bolde, as to saie, that men are chosen through beliefe: whereas rather thei are chosen, that thei maie beleue, leaste that thei should bee founde, to haue chosen Christe firste, con­trary to the sentence of the truthe, vnto whom Christ saieth: you haue not chosen me, but I haue chosen you.

Wherefore of twoo infantes, that are bothe faste wrappedIn his booke of the goodnes of perseuerāce, and. 8. Chapit. together, in the bandes of originall synne, why this is taken, and he forsaken: And of twoo vngodlie persones, that bee now of age, and discretion, why this is called after suche a maner, that he maie followe the caller, but the other is not called at al, or at the leaste wise, is not called after suche a sorte, that he [Page 4] maie followe the caller: the iudgementes of God are vnsear­chable.

Notwithstandyng, this ought to bee moste certaine to the faithfull, that the one is of the nomber of the predestinate, but th'other is not: For if thei had been of vs (saieth one of the pre­destinate, whiche out of the Lordes breaste, did sucke this se­crete) thei had vndoubtedly continued with vs. What mea­neth this I praie you, thei were not of vs, for if thei had béen of vs, thei had certainly continued with vs? Were thei not both created of God: bothe borne in Adam: bothe made of the earth, and of hym whiche saied, I haue made all breathe: did thei not bothe receiue soules of one, and the self same nature? Laste of all, were thei not bothe called, and followed the caller, bothe of vngodlie, iustified, and bothe renewed by the fountaine of regeneration? But if he (whiche certainly knewe what he saied) should heare this, he might aunswere, and saie: These are true, and accordyng to all these thynges, thei were of vs: Neuerehelesse, by a certaine other difference, thei were not of vs, for if thei had been of vs, thei should vndoubtedly, haue cō ­tinewed with vs, but in conclusion, what is this difference?

Gods bokes are open, let vs not tourne awaie our face, the diuine scripture doeth crie, lette vs therefore giue eare: Thei were not of them, because thei were not called, accordyng to purpose: thei were not electe in Christ, before the makyng of the world: thei were not made heires through hym: thei were not predestinate, accordyng to the purpose of hym that woor­keth all thynges.

But thei saie, that the difinition, and determination of pre­destination,In the 14. cha. of the sam [...] booke. is contrary to profitable preachyng, as though it had hindered the preachyng of the Apostle, did not that tea­cher of the Gentiles in faithe and truthe, many tymes com­mende predestination, and neuerthelesse, ceased not to preach the worde of God? because he saied, it is God that woorketh in vs, bothe to will and worke, euen of good will.

Shall we not speake, that whiche we are able to speake byIn the. xvi. ch [...] ­piter of the same booke. the authoritie of the scriptures? For we are afraied for [...]oothe, leaste (if we should speake) that he would hée offended, whiche [Page] cannot awaie with the truthe: and are wée not afraied leaste by holdyng our peace he should bee deceiued with falshoode, whiche cannot vnderstande the truthe? For either must pre­destination bee preached after suche maner, as the holie scrip­ture doeth manifestly teache it, that the giftes and callyng of God in the predestinate bee suche, that it cannot repente hym of them, or els wée muste confesse, that the grace of God is gi­uen accordyng to our merites, accordyng to the opinion and heresie of the Pelagians.

This is certainly to predestinate, and none other thyng,In the. xvii. chapiter of the [...]ame booke. but onely to ordaine in his owne foreknowledge (whiche can neither be chaunged, nor deceiued) his owne workes that are to come.

By the preachyng of predestination, he is not onely not hindered from this worke, but also he is this farre furthered, that when he doeth glory, he might glorie in the lorde. I leaue it rather to be iudged of theim selues, that thei maie perceiue what maner a thyng that is, wherein thei haue pe [...]waded theim selues, that by preachyng of predestination, the people are rather brought into desperatiō, then exhorted to liue god­ly. This is euen as muche to saie, as if thei should saie, that a man muste then despaire of his saluation, when he hath lear­ned to put his hope, not in hym self, but in God, when as yet the Prophet crieth: cursed is euery one that putteth his trust in man.

It is therefore a poincte of to greate contention, either toIn the. xxi. chapiter of the same booke. gaine saie predestination, or to doubt of the same.

I praie you, if after the hearyng of this doctrine, many beeIn the. xv. cha­piter of the same booke. tourned vnto slothfulnesse and negligence, and beyng readie from labour, to luste, doe followe their owne concupiscences: should it be therfore thought, that, that were false, which was spoken of the foreknowledge of God? Shall not thei bee good (how vngodly now so euer thei liue) which God knewe afore­hande should be good: but if he knewe them aforehande to bee euill, shall thei not be euill, how godlie soeuer thei seme now to be? There was one in our Monasterie, whiche beyng rebu­ [...]ed of the brethren, because he did certain thynges that ought [Page 5] not to be doen, and omitted certain thynges, whiche he should haue doen, made aunswere and saied, what soeuer I am now, I shalbe suche a one, as God knewe afore hande that I should be. Whiche vndoubtedly saied the truthe, and yet by this true speakyng, did not profite in goodnesse: but fell so farre vnto wickednsse, that he (leauing the felowship of the Monasterie) became a dogge retourned to his vomete: And neuerthelesse, what he yet shall bee, it is vncertaine. Should those thynges therefore, whiche are spoken of the true fore knowledge of God, be either denied, or kepte vnder silence for suche occasi­ons, namely then, when if thei were not spoken, men doe fall into other errours?

In giuyng that vnto some, whiche thei doe not deserue, heIn the. xii. cha­piter of the same booke. doeth shewe his free mercie & grace, but in not giuyng it to all men, he doeth declare what all did deserue, he is good in shew­yng mercie to some, he is iuste in punishyng the reste.

But for asmuche as the will of some, is prepared of theIn his booke of the predesti­nation of sain­ctes, the 6. cha. Lorde to beleue, and of other some it is not: we must put a dif­ference betwene that, that commeth of his mercie, and that, that commeth of his iudgement.

God did before the beginnyng of the worlde, chose theseIn his. xx. boke and. 7. chapiter of the citie of God. nations, that he might deliuer theim, out of the power of dar­kenesse, and translate them into the kingdome of the sonne of his owne brightnes, as the Apostle saieth. For, what faithfull knoweth not, that the deuill doeth euen now, seduce nations, and drawe theim with hymself into euerlastyng paine. But not those natiōs which are predestinated into euerlasting life.

That nomber therefore of the righteous, whiche are cal­ledIn his. v. book [...] of Baptisme the. 27. chapit [...] accordyng to Gods purpose, concernyng whiche is saied, that the Lorde knoweth, who thei be, that bee his, is the fen­sed garden, the sealed fountaine, the pitte of springyng water, and the paradise full of the fruite of Apples. Of this nomber there bee some, that are spirituall, and walke in the excellent waie of charitie, and when thei doe in the spirite of lenitie, in­structe a man that is ouertaken with any faulte, thei doe take good hede, least thei them selues be tempted also, and when it happeneth that any of them be ouertaken, the affection of loue [Page] is some thyng repressed in thiem, but it is not vtterly quen­ched, and when it riseth again, and waxeth feruent, it is resto­red againe to his old course or rase, for, these men can saie, my soule did slomber for verie wearinesse, dooe thou make me strong in thy wordes.

There be also some of that nomber, whiche dooe yet liue wickedly, either doe lye in heresies, or in the superstitions of the Heathen: And yet the lorde doeth euen there knowe, who be his. For in that vnspeakeable fore knowledge of God: ma­ny that seme to bee without, are within: and many that seme to bee within, are without. That enclosed garden therefore, that sealed fountaine, that pitte of springyng water, and that Paradise of the fruicte of apples, doeth consiste of al those, that be in wardly and secretely within, if I maie so speake.

And his Sheepe heare his voice, and he calleth his owneIn his. 45. trea [...]ise vpon Ihon. Shepe by name: for he hath their names written in the booke of life: He calleth his owne Shéepe by name, hereof commeth it that the Apostle saieth, the Lorde knoweth who thei bee, that be his.

I haue kepte those that thou haste giuen me, and none ofIn his. 107. treatise vpon Ihon. theim is perished, saue onely the childe of perdition, that the scripture might be fulfilled. He that betraied Christe, is called the child of perdition, because he was predestinated to destruc­tion, accordyng to the scripture, whiche in the. 108. Psalme chiefly is prophe [...]ied of hym.

The cause maie be secrete, but it cānot be vniuste. Is thereIn his. 59. epi­stle to Paulinꝰ. any iniquitie with God? God forbid.

When we were not, God predestinated vs, whē we wereVpō the wor­des of the Apo­stle in his. 16. Sermon. tourned backe, he called vs, when we were synners, he iusti­fied vs, when we were mortall, he glorified vs, wherefore, he tha [...] will fight against vs, he raiseth warre againste God, and kicketh against the pricke.

Wherefore is that man, and that man, and wherefore isIn the same booke, and. 7. Sermon. not that man, and that man, predestinated? aske not of me: I am a man, I tourne me to the deepth of the crosse, I dooe not enter farre in, I am afraied, I am no searcher in, his iudgemē ­tes are vnsearcheable, thou art a mā, I am a mā, it was a man [Page 6] that saied, O man who art thou, that desputest with God?

But thou wilt saie, wherefore made he me to honour, andIn the same booke, and▪ [...] Sermon. an other to dishonour? What shall I aunswere? Wilte thou heare Augustine, that wilte not heare the Apostle, saiyng: O man, what art thou, that desputest with God? There are two little children borne, if thou sekest a due, or a right, bothe are made of one lompe of perdition. But wherefore the mother beareth one, to grace, and the other choketh, beyng a slepe? What wilte thou saie vnto me, what did he deserue, that was choked vp by his mother in slepyng: bothe of them deserued no good? But the Potter hath power ouer the claye, of the same lompe, to make one vessell to honour, and an other to disho­nour, wilte thou dispute with me: rather wilte thou woonder and crie out with me: O the greate deepth of his riches, let vs agree together in feare: least we perishe in errour.

He is willyng, that all men should bee saued, that thereby,In his booke of rebukyng grace and the 14. chapiter. all that bee predestinated might bee vnderstanded. For, that emong them are men of all sortes: as it was saied to the Pha­riseis, ye doe paie the tenth of euery garden hearbe, where we maie not vnderstande, moe then all that thei had, for thei did not giue the tēth, of all the hearbes that be in the whole citie.

The electes cannot perishe, because that all thynges, withIn Soliloquio, chapiter. 28. them doe frame to good, yea, their synnes also.

By these and suche like testimonies of holie Scripture,In his booke of grace, and freewill, the 21. chapiter▪ whereof it were to longe to make a whole recitall, it is (as I suppose) sufficiently shewed, that God dooeth woorke in the hartes of men, to encline their willes, whither it pleaseth hym, whether it be to good thynges, accordyng to his mercie, either to euill thynges accordyng to their merites, and accor­dyng to his owne iudgemente, whiche is sometyme open, and sometyme secrete, but alwaies iuste. For, this perswasion ought to bee fixed, and vnmoueable in our hartes: that there is none iniquitie with God. And hereby, when ye reade in the writynges of the truthe, that God doeth leade men out of the waie, or that he doeth dull, or harden their hartes: doe ye not doubt, but that their euill deseruynges went before, that thei might iustly suffer these thynges, leaste ye should runne into [Page] that Prouerbe of Salomon, the foolishnesse of a man, doeth de­file his waies, but in his harte, he laieth the blame to God.

God therefore hath not predestinated any suche thyngesIn the. xi. arti­cle vvhiche are falsly imposed vpon Saiucte Augustine. to be doen, neither hath he prepared that soule to liue filthily, and wickedly, of purpose that it should so liue but he was not ignoraunte that it would proue suche a one, and he knewe be­fore hande, that he hymself should execute iuste iudgement v­pon suche a one. And so nothyng maie bee referred to the pre­destination of God, more then that, whiche appertaineth to the due rewarde of iustice, or to the vndeserued gifte of grace, or mercie.

That many doeth perishe, it is the merite of them that pe­rishe,In his. 2. aun­svvere, to the articles, vvhich are falsely im­posed vpon S. Augustine. that many are saued, it is the gifte of sauyng. That the guiltie shalbe damned, the iustice of God is vnmoueable, that the guiltie shalbe iustified, it is the greate goodnesse and grace of God.

Goddes predestination, is neuer without goodnesse, nene [...] In the. x. article of the same booke. without iustice.

The predestinatiē of God, by no meanes, doeth make that the children of God, should be mad [...], the children of the deuill,In the. xi. arti­cle of the same booke. or of the Temple of the holie ghoste, the temple of deuills, or of the members of Christe, the members of an harlotte? But rather predestination doeth make, that of the children of the deuill, are made the children of God, or of the temple of deuils are made the temple of the holie ghoste, or of the members of an harlotte, are made, the members of Christ because he hath bounde the strong man, and spoiled his armour &c.

None of those that are predestinated, shall perishe withIn his. 13. boke of the Trinitie and. 16. chapi. the deuill, none of them shall remaine vnder the power of the deuill, vnto death.

Surely doe thou holde this, and in nowise doubt, that GodIn the. 35. cha­piter of faithe [...] Peter. hath made before the foundation, or beginning of the worlde, all that are the vessells of mercie, into the adoption of the son­nes of God, predestinated of God, neither can any of them pe­rishe, whom God hath predestinated to the kyngdome of hea­uen, neither can any of theim, whom he hath not predestina­ [...], come to [...], and be saued, by [...] meanes.

[Page 7]God is saied to harden, whom he will not make softe, GodIn his booke of predestination and grace, [...] 4. chapiter. is saied to blinde, whom he will not illuminate, God is saied to caste a waie or repell, whom he will not call. These whom he hath predestinate, he calleth theim, and iustifieth theim, he giueth that we be, and he giueth that we maie be good.

He foreknoweth by his Godhead: he maketh by his wise­dome:In the. v. chapi­ter of the same booke. he damneth by his iustice the saueth by his grace.

God is euerlastyng: and foreknowledge: he is iuste, and good: he exerciseth due punishemente, and giueth vndeserued goodnesse. And hath power in creatyng, and electyng men, as the Potter hath power vpon the claie, to make some vessells to honour, and some to dishonour and contumely, before he made vs, he foreknewe vs, and in the same foreknowledge, whē as yet he made vs not, he choosed vs, but by whō mought this bee, but of hym that calleth all thynges that are not, as though thei were (as the Apostle saieth) whiche predestinated vs before the foundation of the worlde. In the worlde we are made and created: but before the worlde, we were elected and predestinated.

Where doeth the counsaill of the Lorde remaine foreuer,Vpon the 32. Psalme. but emong vs, whom he foreknowe, and predestinated? Who doeth extoll and magnifie the predestination of God? He sawe vs, he made vs, he holpe vs, he sende to vs, he redemed vs, be­fore the worlde was made and created, this his counsaill ta­rieth foreuer, this his thought doeth remain foreuer worlde without ende.

GOD might tourne the will of the wicked into good, be­causeIn his booke de Genesim [...]. x [...] that he is almightie, plainly, he could doe it, wherefore then doeth he if not? Because that he will not, why he will not, that doe we leaue vnto him, for we ought not to be [...] then it [...].

For this cause also, it is saied, all, and all: for not the sameIn his booke of the remissio and forgiue­nes of synne [...]s. 15. chapiter all that are begotten by Adam, are by Christe regenerated. But this is well saied: that euen as the carnall generation of [...] man, is otherwise then by Adam: So is the spirituallgene­ [...] of no man, otherwise then by Christ. For if there might bee some men begotten in the [...], and not by Adam, and [Page] some men regenerated in the spirite, and not by Christe: wee might not saie plainly, all, either in the one place, or in the o­ther. And afterwarde he doeth saie, that the same, all, are ma­ny: for in some certain thing, those whiche are but fewe, maie be all. But the carnall generation, hath many: and the spiritu­all, hath many also. Although this spirituall hath not so many as the carnall. But yet for all that, euen as that hath all men: So hath this all iuste men. For, as without that, no man is a man: euen so without this, no man is a iuste man, and in eche of these are many.

Who will haue all men to bee saued, not that there is noIn his Enchiri­dion to Law­rence, the. 103. chapiter. man, whō he will not haue to be saued: who would not worke the vertues of his miracles emongest theim, who (he saieth) would haue repented, if he had doen it, but that by all men, we should haue vnderstanded all sortes, and degrees of men, be­yng deuided, into certaine orders: kynges, subiectes, noble mē, men of the common sorte, high and lowe, poore and riche.

As this, where it is saied, all shall bee viuified and quicke­nedIn his. 107. E­pistle to Vitalis in Christe, where as yet many are damned, with eternall and euerlastyng death, is therefore spoken, because that as many as dooe receiue life euerlastyng, thei doe not receiue it, but in Christ, or through Christ, euen so where it is saied, that God will haue all men to be saued, where as there bee so ma­ny, whom he will not haue to be saued, it is therefore spoken, because that thei whiche be saued, are onely saued in hym, be­yng willyng to saue them.

God did not promise all thynges, whiche he foretolde, al­thoughFulgentius to Monimus in his first booke. he foretolde all thynges, whiche he promised, as he did not predestinate all thynges whiche he foreknewe, although [...]e foreknewe all thinges he predestinated. He foreknewe the willes of men, good and badde, but, he did not predestinate the naughtie willes, but the good.

The kyngdome of God, is giuen, is promised, is declared,Bernarde vpon the woordes of the booke of wisedome. is receiued: It is giuen, in predestination: It is promised, in callyng: It is declared, in iustification: It is receiued, in glori­fication. Therefore that is saied, come ye blessed of my father, receiue the kyngdome prepared for you: So doeth the Apostle [Page 8] saie, those whom he predestinated, he calleth, whom he cal­leth, he iustifieth, and them he glorifieth. In predestination, is grace: In callyng, is power: In iustification, is ioyfulnesse: In glorification, is glorie, and praise.

¶ All thynges commeth to passe by Gods proui­dence, and not by fortune, and destenie.

GOD sente me before you, to preserue yourGenesis: 45. 7. posteritie in this lande, and to saue you a­liue, by a greate deliueraunce.

Now then, you sent not me hether, but8. GOD, who hath made me a father vnto Pharao, and lorde of all his house, and ruler through all the lande of Egipte.

Feare not: for am I not vnder God▪ 50 chapit. 19.

When ye thought euill against me, God disposed it to good,20. that he might bryng to passe, as it is this daie, and saue muche people a liue.

And if a man hath not laied waite, but God hath deliueredExodu. 21. 13. hym into his hande, then I will appoincte thee a place to flee.

I kill, and I giue life, I wound, and I make whole, neitherDeute. 32. 3 [...]. is there any that can deliuer out of my hande.

And the wrathe of the Lorde was kindeled against Israel,ii. Samu. 24. [...] and he moued Dauid againste theim, in that he saied, goe, and nomber Israell and Iuda.

Then saied Abishay vnto the kyng, why doeth this deadeii. Samu. 16. 9. dogge curse my lorde, the kyng? lette me goe, I praie thee, an [...] take awaie his heade.

But the kyng saied, what haue I to dooe with you, ye son­nes10. of Zeruiah: for he curseth, euen because the Lorde hath bidden hym curse Dauid, who then dare saie, wherefore haste thou doen so?

Thus saieth the lorde, beholde, I will raise vp euill againstii. Sam. 12. [...] thee, out of thyne owne house, and will take thy wiues be­fore [Page] thyne eyes, and giue theim vnto thy neighbours, and he shall lye with thy wiues, in the sight of this sonne.

For thou diddest it secretly, but I will doe this thing open­ly22. before all Israell, and before the sonne.

Now therefore beholde, the Lorde hath put a liyng spirite [...]. Kyng. 22. 23 in the mouthe of all these thy Prophetes, and the Lorde hath appoincted euill against thee.

Are not his daies determined? the nomber of his monethesIob. 14, 5▪ are with thée: thou hast appoincted his boundes, whiche he can not passe.

I forme the light, and create darkenesse: I make peace, andEsay. 45. 7. create euill: I the Lorde doe all these thynges.

The lotte is caste into the lappe: but the whole dispositionProuerbes, 16. 33. thereof, is of the Lorde.

Who is he then that saieth, and it commeth to passe, andLament. 3. 37. the Lorde commaundeth it not?

And if the Prophete bee deceiued, when he hath spoken aEzechiel. 14. 9. thyng, I the Lorde haue deceiued that Prophete, and I will stretche out my hande vpon hym, and will destroye hym from the middes of my people.

Then the lorde said vnto Satan, lo, al that he hath is in thyIob. 1. 12. hande: [...] vpon hym self shalte thou not stretche out thyne hande. [...] Satan departed from the presence of the Lorde.

Shall a Trumpet be blowen in the citie, and the people beAmo [...]. 3. 6. not afraied? or shall there be euill in a citie, and the lorde hath not doen it?

Thy prouidence, O father, gouerneth it, for thou hast madeWisedo. 14. 3. a waie, euen in the sea, and a sure pathe emong the waues.

Declaryng thereby, that thou haste power to helpe in all [...]4. thynges, yea, though a man went by the sea without meanes.

Then was Iesus ledde a side of the spirite into the wilder­nesse,Matth. 4. 1. to be tempted of the deuill.

Beholde the foules of the heauen: for thei sowe not, nei­therMatth. 6. 26. reape, nor carrie into the barnes: yet your heauenly fa­ther feedeth them, are ye not muche better then thei?

And the Deuils besought hym, saiyng, if thou caste vs out,Matth. 8. 31. suffer vs to goe into the heard of swine.

[Page 9]And he saied vnto them, goe: so thei went out, and departed32. into the heard of swine.

Are not twoo Sparrowes solde for a farthyng? and one ofMath. 10. 29. them shall not fall on the grounde, without your father.

Yea, all the heares of your heade are nombred.30.

Feare ye not therefore, ye are of more valeure then many31. Sparrowes.

Ye shall bée betraied also of your parentes, and of your bre­thren,Luke. 21. 1 [...]. and kinsmen, and friendes, and some of you shall thei put to death.

And ye shall be hated of all men, for my names sake.17.

Yet there shall not one heare of your heades perishe, by18. your pacience possesse your soules.

Maister, the Iewes lately sought to stone thee, and dooestIhon, 11. 8. thou goe thither againe?

Iesus aunswered, are not there twelue houres in the daie?9.

Pilate saied vnto hym, speakest thou not vnto me? Kno­westIhon. 19. 10. thou not that I haue power to crucifie thee, and haue po­wer to lose thee?

Iesus aunswered: Thou couldest haue no power at all a­gainst11. me, excepte it were giuen thee from aboue.

Hym I saie, haue ye taken, by the handes of the wicked,Actes, 2. 23. beyng deliuered by the determinate counsaill, and foreknow­ledge of God, and haue crucified and slaine.

For doubtles, against thy holie sonne Iesus, whom thouActes. 4. 27. haddest anointed, bothe Herode, and Pontius Pilate, with the Gentiles and the people of Israell, gathered theim selues to­gether.

To doe whatsoeuer thy hande, and thy counsaill had deter­mined28. before to be doen.

In hym we liue, and moue, and haue our beyng.Actes. 17. 2 [...]

Caste all your care on hym, for he careth for you.1. Peter. 5. [...].

¶ The agreement of the Doctours.

WHen thou doest see the vngodly made rich,Easile in the 48. Psalme & 13. sermon. and the godlie lacke, and haue neede, dooe not feare in thy self, neither doubte in thy mynde, as though the prouidence of God were not certain, whiche beholdeth al our thynges.

All thynges are gouerned by Gods pro­uidence:Hierome vpon Ezechiell. and those thynges that are thought for punishemen­tes, are medicines.

No good nor euill, dooeth happen without a cause. Or byHierom. fortune, without Gods prouidence, but all thinges doeth hap­pen after his iudgement.

Wherefore, that necessitie is not to bee feared, the feareAugustine in his. [...] ▪ booke and. 10. Chap. of the citie of God. wherof causeth the Stoikes so to deuide the causes of thinges, that thei pulled awaie some thynges frō necessitie, and thrust some thynges vnder it: and emong those thynges, that thei would not suffer to bee vnder necessitie, thei haue places our willes, least thei should not bee free, if thei should bee [...] vnto necessitie.

The kyngdomes of thi [...] worlde, are altogether ordeinedIn the. 5. chap. of the same booke. by the prouidence of God: whiche if any man haue giuen vnto destinie, because he doeth call the will, or power of God it self, by the name of destinie: let the same [...] in his [...] but let hym reforme his tongue. For [...] he [...] the first saie that, whiche afterwarde he will saie, wh [...]n [...] shall aske hym, what he dooeth call destinie? For, when men doe heare that thyng: thei doe not by the common manner of speache, vnderstande any other thing, then the force of the po­sition of the starres, as the same is, when any is borne, or con­cesued: whiche some men doe separate from the will of God; and some doeth proue that the one doeth hang vpon the other.

Thei doe attribute to the power, and will of God, that or­der,In the. [...]. cap. of the same booke. and certaine knittyng together of causes, whiche is verie well and truely thought, to knowe all thynges before thei come to passe, and to leaue nothyng vnordered, of whom all powers haue their beyng.

Let Cicero therefore striue with them that saie, that thisIn the. [...]. cha­ter of the same booke. [Page 10] order of causes is fatall, or rather that doe giue it the name of destinie, whiche thyng we doe abhorre, chiefly for the name, whiche is not accustomed to bee vnderstanded, in the thyng it self. But where as he doeth denye, that the order of all causes is moste certaine, and knowen to the prescience of God: wee doe detest hym more then the Stoikes did: for, either he doeth denie that there is a God, whiche thyng in his bookes, concer­nyng the nature of the Goddes, he doth vnder an other mans persone endeuour to doe: or els if he doe confesse that there is a God, whō he denieth to knowe, of thynges before thei come to passe, euen so saiyng, he dooeth none other thyng, then did that foolishe man, whiche saied in his harte, there is no God. For, he that dooeth not knowe aforehande, all thynges that are to come, doubtlesse the same is not God.

We saie not that all thinges do come to passe by destinie: yea, we saie that nothing is doen by destinie. For, we do plain­ly shewe, that the name of destinie, is of no value, in the place, where men vse to place it in speakyng, that is ut the constitu­tion of the heauenly signes, wherein euery man is conceiued and borne, because the thyng it self is vainly affirmed. As for the order of causes, wherein the will of God is of greate force and power: we dooe neither denie, nor call it by the name of destinie, excepte it be so as we maie vnderstande, fatum, to be deriued of the woorde, for faris, that is, of speakyng. For, wee cannot denie, but it is written in the holie scriptures: GOD spake ones, these twoo saiynges: I my self heard it: that po­wer belongeth vnto God: And vnto thée (O Lorde) belongeth mercie: for thou wilt giue to euery man, according to his wor­kes. And where as it is saied, he spake ones: wee vnderstande that he spake vnmoutablie, that is vnchaungeablie, euen as he did vnchaungeably knowe all thynges that are to come, and that he hymself will dooe. After this sorte therefore, wee maie saie, fatum, or destinie is deriued; a fando, or speakyng, if this name had not now been accustomed, to bee vnderstanded of an other matter, wherunto we are not willyng, that mensIn the. 10. cha­piter of the same. 5. boke. hartes should be enclined.

The life of man is euill, when his belief concernyng God, [Page] is not good. Wherefore be it farre from vs, that we, to thende that we our selues would be free, should denie the prouidence of hym, by whom we are, or shalbe free. Therefore lawes, re­prehensions, exhortations, commaundementes, and sharpe rebukes, are not in vain: because that bothe he did knowe be­fore hande, that the [...] should come to passe, and also thei are of greate force, euen of as greate force, as he did foreknowe that thei should be. And iust rewardes are appointed for good wor­kes, and punishmentes for synnes. Neither doeth man sinne, because God did foreknowe before, that he should synne, yea, rather it is therefore out of doubte, that he doeth synne, when he doeth synne: because he, whose foreknowledge, cannot bee deceiued, did knowe before, that it was not destinie, nor for­tune, or any other thyng, that should synne, but he hym self. Whiche if he be not willyng: he synneth not at all. But if he should not bee willyng to synne: God did also knowe that be­fore.

These are the greate workes of God, sought out, accordingIn his Enchiri­dion to Law▪ rence. 100. chapiter. to all his willes: and yet wisely sought out, so that when the nature bothe of Angelles, and man had synned, that is, had doen, not the thyng that he willed, but that it self willed, euen by the same will of the creature, whereby that thyng was doen, that the creatour was not willyng should bee dooen, heNo [...] fulfilled that whiche he would haue dooen, euen as he that is beste of all, vsyng well, euen those thynges that are euill, to the condempnation of those, whom he hath iustely prede [...]i­nated to paine: And to the saluation of those, whom he hath louyngly predestinated to free mercie.

As touchyng theim selues, thei did that God was not wil­lyng thei shoule doe: But as touchyng the almightie power of God, thei were by no meanes able to bryng that to passe. For euen in the very same thyng, that thei did contrary to the will of God: his will was wrought vpon theim. For that cause therefore, the woorkes of the Lorde are greate, and searched out accordyng to his willes.

So that after a meruailous and vnspeakeable maner, thatNo [...] ▪ thyng that is dooen, euen contrary to his will: should not bee [Page 11] dooen without his will▪ For if he would not suffer it, it should not be dooen: neither doeth he suffer it beyng vnwillyng, but willyng: neither would he that is good, suffer a thyng to bee euill dooen: excepte the same beyng almightie, were also able to woorke a good effecte of thynges, that [...] euill.

It is not to be doubted, that God doeth well, yea, when heIn the same booke and. 96 Chapiter. suffereth to be doen, what soeuer thynges are euill dooen, for he doeth not suffer this, otherwise then by iust iudgemēt. And surely all that is iuste, is good, although therefore those thyn­ges that be euill, in as muche as thei bée euill, bée not good: yet it is good, that there should be [...] thynges, not onely that are good, but also that are euill. For excepte it were good, that there should be thynges that are euill: the almightie goodnes would by no meanes suffer them to be. To whom no doubte, it is as easie a thyng, not to suffer that thyng to bée, whiche he would not should be: As it is [...]o do [...] that, whiche he is willyng to doe. Except we beleue this, the very beginnyng of the con­fession of our faithe, wherein we doe confesse, that we beleue in God [...] father almightie, is in daunger and li [...]e to bee vn­true. For, he is not truel [...] [...]alled almightie, for any other cause, but for that he is able to doe what he will, and the ffect [...] of his will being, almightie, is not by the will of any creature letted.

What soeuer is passe, is not now, what soeuer is to come,In his booke of diuers questiōs 83. 15. 16. 17. is not yet. Therefore, what soeuer is paste, or to come, is wa­ [...]yng, but with God there is nothing wantyng. There is with God, therefore nothyng past, or to come, but all present.

I doe repent, that I haue so named fortune there, becauseIn his firste booke and. 1. chapiter of Re­tractations. I see, that men haue in a very euill custome to saie, this was Fortunes will, where thei ought to saie, this was Gods will.

And this dooeth he declare to haue happened by Gods pro­uidence,In his booke of the [...] ­nation of [...] ­ctes the 16. Chapiter. whiche can vse well, euen thinges that are euill. Not that the vessells of wrathe should profite hym: but that thei might (through his well vsyng of them) profite the vessells of mercie. For, what could bee spoken more plainly, then that was [...], a [...] concernyng the Gosp [...]ll, thei are enemies for your [...] ▪ It is then in the power of the euill to synne: but [Page] that by synnyng, thei should through their malice dooe either this, or that, it is not in their power, but in the power of God, that deuideth the darkenes, and desposeth the same, so that for this cause, euen in that, that thei doe, against the will of God, there is nothyng fulfilled, but the will of God.

¶ Of mans freewill before his fall.

GOD saied, let [...] make man in our o [...]neGene. 1. 26. Image, accordyng to our likenesse, and let them rule [...]uer the fish [...] of the sea▪ [...].

And GOD saws all that he had made,31. and we, it was very good.

Then the lorde tooke the man, and putGene. [...]. 15. hym into the gardē of [...]en, that he might dresse it, and [...]pe [...]f.

God made man from the beginn [...]ng▪ and lefte [...] in th [...] Eccl [...]. 15. 14. hande of hi [...] [...], and [...] hym his commaundementes, and preceptes.

If thou wilte, thou shalte obserue the commaundementes,15. and testifie thy good will.

He hath set water and fire before thee: stretche out thyne16. hande vnto whiche thou wilt.

Before man, is life and death, good and euill, what hym li­keth,17. it shalbe giuen hym.

The Doctours.

ALL men, in the first man, were created withoutAmbrose in his 1. boke and 3. chap. of the [...]llyng of the Gentiles. vice or faulte, and all our nature was sound, and in healthe [...] and by the synne of the same ma [...] we haue loste it

Freewill before the fall was an vpright free­will, before whiche, fire and water was laied of God, and theAugustine in in the booke of the nevve song the [...]. chapiter. first man did reache his hand to wh [...]he he would, he did [...] [Page 12] fire, and forsooke water. See the righteous iudge, the same, whiche man beyng free did choose, he did receiue, he would haue euill, and the same old folowe hym.

I saie that freewill was in that ma [...], whiche [...] In his. 11. di­sputation a­gainst fortu­ [...]. firste, for he was so made, that nothyng could withstande his will, if he would haue kept Gods commaundementes, but af­ter that he had synned through fréewill, he did caste vs all that come of his stocke, into necessitie.

It is true that man, when he was made, did receiue greatIn his. 2. ser­mon vpon the vvordes of the Apostle. strength of freewill, but he did loose it through synne.

The firste man was created in nature without blame, in nature without fault▪ he was created vpright, he did not makeIn the same booke and. 11. Sermon. hymself vpright: It is knowen what he made hymself, falling out of the hande of the Potter, he was broken, for he that made hym, did gouerne hym, but he wa [...] willyng to [...], [...] hym that had made hym, and God suffered [...] so to [...], as [...] were saiyng thus: Let hym forsake me▪ that he maie [...] self, and that he maie by his miserie proue, that without me, he can dooe nothyng. By this mea [...]e therefore, wou [...]d God she we vnto ma [...]: what freewill is able to doe without God.

Holde this for certaintie, and doubte of it by no meanes,Vnto Peter the Deacon. 25. Chapiter. that the first [...] man Ada [...] and Cua, was treated go [...]d, [...]uste, and without synne, with free will, by the whiche the [...] might▪ In his [...] of nature and grace, against the Pelagians▪ Chapter. 43. if thei would: ser [...] [...], wi [...]h [...] and good will, and by the s [...]me fréewill; also might if thei would, to synne by their owne proper will.

Who knoweth not, that man was made sounde, and blamelesse, and with freewill to liue godl [...], and was ordei­ned,In his booke against the Ie▪ wes, Paganer, and Arians▪ [...] Chapiter. with a [...]; an [...] [...] to [...] righte [...]usly.

The firste ma [...] was [...] of the [...] of the [...] th [...] Image of GOD [...] was nacked with shamefastnesse, he was prepared with temperaunce, he was compassed a [...]oute, withIn his 22. [...] and. 30. Chap. of the Citie of God▪ 1. [...] ▪ lo [...]e, he was [...] with immortalitie.

Freewill was giuen to man, when he was [...], by the whiche, he might [...] chosen, tither to [...], [...] to [...] ▪ In hi [...]. [...] ▪ [...] and. 18. Chap. of freevvill.

When we speake of the will that is [...]ree, to doe [...] [Page] speake of that will, wherein man was made and created.

Wee saie truely, that the firste man, onely could fulfillIn his 3. booke againste the Arians. that he would, when as yet, his will of free choyse was sounde and whole before the faulte,

All men, before synne, had freewill, either to followe theChrisostome in his sermon of the cōmyng of our lorde, in his. 36. [...]. deuill or not.

¶ Of mans freewill after his fall.

THE Lorde sawe, that the wickednesse ofGenesis. 6. 5. man was greate in the earth, and all the imaginations of the thoughtes of his hart, were onely euill continually.

And the Lorde saied in his harte, I willGenesis. 8. 21. hence for the curse the grounde no more for mans cause: for, the imagination of mans harte is euill, euen from his youth.Genesis. 20. 6.

And God saied vnto hym by a dreame, I knowe that thou diddest this with an vpright mynde, and that kepte thee also that thou shouldest not synne againste me: therefore suffered I thee not to touche her. [...] 29. 2.

Ye haue seen all that the Lorde did before your [...]yes, in the lande of Egipte vnto Pharao, [...]nd vnto all his seruauntes, and vnto all his lande.

The greate tēptations, whiche thyne eyes haue seen, those3. greate miracles and wonders.

Yet the lorde hath not giuen you an harte to perceiue, and4. eyes to sée, and eares to heare, vnto thi [...] daie.

All are gone out of the waie, thei are all corrupte, there isPsalme. 14. 3. none that doeth good; no not one.

Man is in honour, and vnderstandeth not: he is like to bea­stesPsalm. 49. 20 that perishe.

I saied in my feare, all men are liers.Psalm. 115. 11.

The preparatiōs of the harte are in man: but the aunswerProue [...]b. 10. 1. of the tongue, is of the Lord [...].

[Page 13]The harte of man purposeth his waie: but the Lorde doeth9. directe his steppes.

Who can saie, I haue made myne harte cleane, I am clen­sedProueb, 20. 9. from synne?

The steppes of man are ruled by the lorde, how can a man24. then vnderstande his owne waies?

The kynges harte is in the hande of the Lorde, as the Ri­uersProuerb. 21. 1. of waters, he tourneth it where soeuer it pleaseth hym.

O Lorde, why hast thou made vs to erre frō thy waies? andEsay. 63. 17. hardened our harte from thy feare? Returne for thy seruaun­tes sake. &c.

O Lorde I knowe, that the waie of man, is not in hymself,Ieremi. 10. 23. neither is it in man to walke, and to directe his steppes.

I will giue thē an harte to knowe me, that I am the lorde,Ieremi. 24. 7. and thei shalbe my people, and I will be their God. &c.

Conuerte thou me, and I shall bee conuerted: for thou artIeremi. 31. 18. the Lorde my God.

A newe harte also will I giue you, and a newe spirite willEzechi. 36. 26. I put within you, and I will take awaie the stonie harte out of your bodie, and I will giue you a harte of fleshe.

And I will putte my spirite within you, and cause you to27. walke in my statutes, and ye shall keepe my iudgementes to doe them.

It is not ye that speake, but that spirite of your father,Matth. 10. 20▪ whiche speaketh in you.

Those thynges whiche proceade out of the mouthe, comeMatth 15. 1 [...]. from the harte, and thei defile the man.

For out of the harte come euill thoughtes, murders, adul­teries,19. fornications, theftes, false testimonies, sclaunders, these are the thynges, whiche defile the man.

Fleshe and bloud hath not reueiled it vnto thee, but my fa­therMatth. 16. 17▪ whiche is in heauen.

I saie vnto thee, arise, and take vp thy bedde, and get theeMarke. 2. 11. hence into thyne owne house.

And by and by he arose, and tooke vp his bedde, and wente12. forthe before them all, in so muche that thei were all amased, and glorified God.

[Page]As many as receiued him, to them he gaue power to be the [...]. 1. 10. sonnes of God, euen to them that beleue in his name.

Whiche are borne, not of bloud▪ nor of the will of the fleshe,13. nor of the will of man, but of God.

Uerely, verely, I saie vnto thee, excepte that a man beeIohn. [...]. 5. borne of water, and the spirite, he cannot enter into the king­dome of God.

That whiche is borne of the fleshe, is fleshe, and that, that6. is borne of the spirite, is spirite.

A man can receiue nothyng, excepte it bee giuen hym from27. heauen.

No man can come to me, excepte the father, whiche hathIohn. 6. 44. sent me, drawe hym: and I will raise hym vp at the last daie.

Euery man therefore, that hath heard, and hath learned of45. the father, commeth vnto me.

I am the vine, ye are the braunches: he that abideth in me▪ Ioh [...]. 15. 5. and I in hym, the same bryngeth forthe muche fruict: for with out me can ye doe nothyng, for we knowe the lawe is spiritu­all,Roma. 7. 14. but I am carnall, solde vnder synne.

For, I allowe not that whiche I dooe: for what I would,15. that doe I not: but what I hate, that doe I.18.

I knowe that in me, that is, in my fleshe, dwelleth no good thyng: for to will is presente with me: but I finde no meanes to performe that whiche is good.

I see an other lawe in my members, rebellyng against the [...]3. lawe of my mynde, and leadyng ine captiue vnto the lawe of synne, whiche is in my members.

The wisedome of the fleshe is death, but the wisedome ofRoma. 8. 6. the spirite, is life and peace.

Because the wisedome of the fleshe, is enemitie againste7. God, for it is not subiecte to the lawe of God, neither in deede can bee.

We knowe not what to praie as we ought, what hast thou26. that thou haste not receiued? If thou haste receiued it, why re­ioycest1. Cor. 4. 7. thou, as though thou haddest not receiued it?

Suche truste haue we through Christ to God, not that wée [...] Cor. 3. 4. 5. are sufficiente of our selues, to thinke any thyng, as of our sel­ues: [Page 14] but our sufficiencie is of God.

It is God whiche woorketh in you, bothe the will and thePhilippi. 2. 13▪ deede, euen of his good pleasure.

Euery good giuing, and euery perfecte gifte, is from aboue,Iame [...]. 1. 17. and commeth downe from the father of lightes, with whom is no variablenesse, neither shadowyng by tournyng.

¶ The Doctours.

IT is God that worketh in vs, bothe to will, andAugustine in his booke of perseuerance vnto the ende the. 13. chapi. also to worke, euen of good will. We will then, but it is God that worketh in vs also to will: we worke thā, but it is God that doth also worke in vs, the worke euen of good will. It is expedient for vs, both to beleue this, and also to confesse this, this is god­ly, this is true, that our confession maie be humble and sowe­ly, and that all maie bee ascribed vnto God. We thinkyng be­leue, thinkyng wee speake, thinkyng we doe what soeuer wée dooe: But as touchyng that, that appertaineth vnto the waie of godlines, and true worship of God, we are not able to think any thyng as of our selues, but our ablenesse commeth of god. For, our owne hartes, and our owne thoughtes, are not in our owne powers. Therefore, that whiche is spoken in the Sacramentes of the faithfull, that we should lifte vp our har­tes vnto the Lorde, is the gifte of the Lorde.

We doe then liue in moste sauegarde, if we ascribe all vn­toIn the. 6. chap. of the same booke. God. But we doe not commit our selues partly to him, and partely to our selues.

Man misusyng his freewill, loste bothe hym self, and hisIn his Enchiri­dion to Lavv­rence the. 30. Chapiter. Ibidem. will.

No man can beleue, hope, or loue, vnlesse he will, but euen the self same will, to beleue, hope, and loue, commeth not, but from God.In his boke of nature and grace the. 53. chapiter.

What doe men so muche presume of the possibilitie of na­ture, it is wounded, it is mangled, it is troubled, it is loste. It behoueth vs rather truely to confesse it, then falsely to de­fende it.To Bonifaciu [...] in his. 3. booke and. 8. chap.

Freewill ones made thrall, auaileth nothyng now but to [Page] synne.

That we liue well, that we vnderstande a right, we haueVpō the vvor­des of the Apo­stle in the. 10. sermon. it of God. Of our selues wee haue nothyng, but onely synne, that is within vs.

O, euill is freewill, without God.In the. 11. ser­mon of the same booke.

He that made thee without thee, dooeth not iustifie thee without thee, therefore he made thee: when thou knewest not: but he doeth iustifie thee, beyng willyng.In his. 15. ser­mon of the same booke.

The firste man was created in nature without blame, in nature without fault, he was created vpright, he did not makeIn his. 11. ser­mon of the same booke. hym self vpright. It is knowen what he made hym self. Fal­lyng out of the hande of the Potter, he was broken. For he that made hym, did gouerne hym, but he was willyng to for­sake hym that made hym. And God suffered hym so to doe, as it were saiyng thus: Let hym forsake me, that he maie finde hym self, and that he maie by his miserie proue, that without me he can doe nothyng. By this meane therefore would God shewe vnto man: what freewill is able to doe without God.

When we fight in this battaile, we haue God to beholde,In his. 13. ser­mon of the same booke. and loke vpon vs: when we are in daunger in thi [...] battaill, we dooe praie vnto God to helpe vs. But if he doe not helpe vs, I saie not, that we shall not ouercome, but that we shall not be able so muche as to fight.

Why dare miserable, and wretched men bee proude, orIn his booke of the spirit & the letter the. 29. Chapiter. boaste them selues, either of freewill, afore that thei bee deli­uered: or of their owne strength, if thei be alreadie deliuered? And doe not marke that in the very name of freewill, libertie or freedome is signified.

After that (man) had synned with his freewill, wee wereAgainst For­ [...]unatus in the [...]. disputation. caste headlong downe into necessitie, as many as euer came of his stocke.

Let no man slatter hym self: for of his owne, he is a verieIn his 4 9. trea­tise vpon Iohn. Satan, he hath that of God onely, whereby he is blessed. For, what haste thou of thine owne, but synne? Take awaie sinne from thee, whiche is thyne owne: for righteousnes is of God.In his boke of the nevve song the. 8. Chapter.

It was shewed in Adam, what freewill can dooe without helpe, it is able enough of it self to euill, but not vnto good­nes, [Page 15] except it be holpen of God.In his boke of the doctrine of the churche the 27. Chapiter.

God doeth so woorke in the hartes of men, and in the free­will it self, that euery good thought, Godlie counsaile, and all good motion of the will or mynde, is of God.

It belongeth to a man to prepare the harte, and the aun­swereAgainst the. 2. Epistles of Pe­lagius vnto Bonifacius in hi [...]. booke & 8. Chapiter. of the tongue, is of God. Some not vnderstandyng this wel, are deceiued, in somuche that thei beleue, that to prepare the harte, that is to begin goodnesse, without the helpe of the grace of God, pertaineth vnto man. God forbid that the chil­dren of promise so vnderstande it, as though thei would cōfute the lorde, wheras thei haue heard him, saiyng: without me ye can doe nothyng, and saie: beholde, we are able of our selues to prepare our harte, and by that to thinke some goodnes. Who can with a good thought, prepare his harte vnto goodnesse?

God forbidde that any man should vnderstande it so, saue the proude defendours of their will. Therefore it is written, it is the mans parte to prepare the harte, and the aunswere of the tongue is of the Lorde, because the man prepareth the harte, yet for all that, not without the helpe of God.

It is saied also after this maner: open my mouthe, and I shall fulfill it. For although we can not open our mouthes, ex­cepte he helpe vs, without whom we can doe nothing, yet we open by his helpe and woorkyng, and he fulfilleth that thyng, either with our worke, or without our worke. For, what is it to prepare the harte, and to open the mouthe, but to prepare the will. And yet for all that, it is read in the same letters: the will is prepared, and made readie before of God, and I shall o­pen thy mouthe, and I shal teache thée what good thinges thou oughtest to speake. Wherefore, God doeth many good thinges in a man, that man doeth not, but a man doeth no good thyn­ges, whiche God hath not doen, that a man should doe:

Not euery one that trusteth in his owne strength, and po­wer,In hi [...] 9. [...] stle. but he that calleth vpon the name of God, shalbe saued.

No man can bee continente, excepte the Lorde giueth it,In the same 89. Epistle. therefore God commaundeth continence, and he giueth conti­nence: he commaundeth by the lawe, he giueth by grace: he commaundeth by the letter, he giueth by the spirite.

[Page]Therefore, that we should beleue in God, and liue godlie,In his. 107. E­pistle to vitalis. it lieth not in the will, or runnyng of man, but in the mercie of God: not, that we ought not bothe to wil and to runne. But because that he hym self doeth worke in vs, bothe to will, and also to runne.

The lawe is giuen, that grace should bée sought for: GraceIn his boke of true innocen­cie the. 44. chapiter. is giuen, that the lawe should bee fulfilled: It is not through the fault of the lawe, that it was not fulfilled: but through the wisedome of the fleshe: whiche faulte is declared by the lawe, that by grace it might be healed.In his boke of correction and grace the. 3. chapiter.

O man, knowe in the commaundementes what thou art bounde to doe: in rebukyng, learne that through thyne owne fault, thou haste it not, and in praier learne whence thou must receiue that thyng that thou wilte haue.

The firste man had not this grace, whereby he should ne­uerIn the same booke and. 11. chapiter. bee willyng to be euill: but yet he had that grace, whereby he might haue been alwaies preserued from euill, if he would haue continued therein. And without whiche also he could not by freewill bee good, but yet he was able, by freewill to for­sake it.

GOD therefore would not haue hym to bee without his grace, whom he had left in his owne freewill. For, freewill is able enough to dooe euill, but to dooe good it hath no power at all, except it be holpen by the almightie goodnes, whiche help, if that man had not by freewill forsaken, he should haue been good for euer: but he did forsake, and was forsaken. For the helpe was suche, that he might forsake it, when he would, not such wherby it might come to passe, that he should be willing.

Did not he giue that thou mightest fight, a good fight? I [...] In his 50. boke of Homilies the. 14. Homi­lie. he hym self did not giue, what was it, that thou saiest in an o­ther place? I laboured more then all thei, yet not I, but the grace of God within me? Behold thou saiest, I haue ended my course. Did not he also giue vnto thee, that thou shouldest fi­nishe thy course? If he gaue not vnto thee, that thou shouldest finishe thy course, what is it that thou saiest in an other place: that it lieth not in the willer, nor in the runner, but in GOD that sheweth mercie? I haue kepte the faithe, I acknowledge [Page 16] and allowe it, I confesse and graunt, thou hast kepte the faith. But except the lorde doeth kepe the citie, he watcheth in vain that doeth kepe it. Pardone me, O Apostle, I knowe nothyng of thyne owne but euill, pardon vs, O Apostle, wee saie so, be­cause thou hast taught vs.

The Pelagian heretiques, thinketh that thei haue greateIn his booke of grace and free­will the. 4. chapiter. knowledge, when thei saie: God would not commaunde, that he knoweth man is not able to dooe: who knoweth not this? But therefore he, dooeth commaunde some thynges, whiche we be not able to doe, that wee maie knowe what to aske of hym. That is the same faithe, whiche by praier we obtaine: that the lawe doeth commaunde.

Man is able of hymself to synne: that he should be iustifiedVpon the. 98. Psalme. is not able of hymself: but onely by hym that dooeth iustifie, whiche onely is iuste.

Man is apte and able to wounde hym self, but he is not apt and able to heale hym self: when he will, he maie be sicke: not when he will, he maie rise.

O loue, whiche doest euer burne, and art neuer quenched,In his 10. boke of confessions and. 29. chapi. O my louyng God, kindle in me, and inflame me, thou com­maundest continence: giue me, that thou commaundeste, and commaunde what thou wilte.

Lorde I graunte, as thou haste taught me, I am nothyngIn his boke of contemplatiōs the. 15. Chapi. els but al whole together vanitie, a shadowe of death, a darke bottomelesse pitte, and a barren, and a voide grounde, whiche without thy blessyng, bryngeth for the nothyng, and beareth no fruicte, but confusion, synne, and death, if I haue had any goodnes, I receiue it of thee: what soeuer goodnes I had, it is thyne, for I haue it of thee, if I did stande at any tyme, I stode through thee. But when I fell, I did fall by my self. And I had lien alwaies still in the myre, if thou haddest not lifte me vp, and I had been alwaies blinde, if thou haddest not giuen me light, when I fell, I had neuer risen againe: if thou haddest not reached me thy hande. Yea, after that thou diddest lifte me vp, I had alwaies fallen, if thou haddest not staied me, and holden me vp. I had oftentymes perished if thou haddest not gouer­ned me.

[Page]So alwaies, O Lorde, thy grace and thy mercie preuen­ted me, deliueryng me from all euills, sauyng me from theim that bee paste, stirryng me vp from them that be presente, de­fendyng me from theim that bee to come, cuttyng awaie the snares of synnes before me, takyng awaie the occasiō and cau­ses. For, if thou haddest not doen this vnto me, I had doen all the synnes in the worlde, because Lorde, I knowe, that there is neuer any sinne that any man hath doen, but an other man maie doe the same, if his God be not with hym, whiche made hym.

But thou broughtest it to passe, that I did them not, thou commaundest that I should abstaine, and thou pourest in me thy grace, that I might beleue. Thou Lorde diddest rule me, to thee, thou diddest keepe me, to thee, and thou hast giuen vn­to me, grace and light, that I should not commit adultrie, and all suche other synnes.

What other thyng is declared, in the loste Sheepe, of anIn his. 3. booke against the Pe­lagians. hundred, but freewill, of possibilitie in good thinges, was loste by the faulte and transgression of the firste man, and did erre from the companie of the righteous, neither could he returne by hym self, without the vndeserued grace, by the good will of his good pastour Christe, wanderyng in the wildernesse of his freewill, in the workes of the deuill, he called hym again, and put hym vpon his shoulders.

All men in the firste man was created without any faulteAmbrose in his boke of the callyng of the Gentiles, the. 3. Chapiter. or vice, and all our natures were in health, but by the trans­gression of the same man, we haue loste it: there hence is dra­wen mortalitie, there hence are so many corruptions of the minde, there hence is ignoraunce, and difficultie, vnprofitable cares, and vnlawfull concupiscence. &c.

These therefore an other euils brake into our nature, by loste faieth, forsaken hope, blinde wisdome, and bond will, no man doeth finde in hym selfe wherwith he maie bée repaired, or amended. &c.

That nature was good, was made euill by qualitie, (man) may not therfore trust in his owne strength, for when it was whole and sounde, did not stande, but muste séeke victorie by [Page 17] hym whiche can not be ouercomme, but doeth ouercomme all thinges.

That the turnyng of the harte to God, is of God, the lordeIn the. 9. chap. of the same booke. him selfe testifieth, saiyng, and I shall geue theim a harte that they shall knowe me that I am the Lorde, and thei shal be my people, and I wilbe their God, bicause they shalbe turned vn­to me with all their hartes.

Not in our will, but in the Lorde wee must truste, whereHie [...]me in the. 9. chapi. of Ieremy. are thei then, whiche dooe saie, that man can rule hymselfe by his fréewill, and so doth giue power of fréewill, that the mer­cie, and iustice of God is taken awaie.

Wee will goe after our owne thoughtes: where then isVpon the. 18. chapiter of Ie­remy. the power of fréewil, without the grace of god? And the iudge­mente a of mans owne will? when as it is a greate offence to God, for a man to followe his owne thoughtes, and to doe the will of his wicked harte.

Therefore, the Heretiques be wont to promise felicitie,Vpon the. 23. chapiter of Ie­remy. and to open vnto sinners, the kyngdome of heauen, saiyng: thou maist followe the maiestie of god, and be without sinne, sithe that thou haste receiued the power and strenght of free­will, and the vnderstandyng of the lawe, wherby thou arte a­ble to obtaine what so euer thou wilt. And so the Heretiques doe deceiue the poore, simple, and ignorant persons, and speci­ally women: whiche beyng loden with sinnes, are led to and fro with euery winde of doctrine, deceiuyng by their flatterie all theim that giue eares vnto them.

Wee alwaies praie in vaine, if it be in our owne fréewillIn his. 1. booke against the pe­lagians. to dooe what we will.

Doest thou heare so manifolde mercies, & doest thou dare to trust in thine owne strength and power?In his. 2. boke against the Pelagians.

Neither in our owne wisedomes, neither in any of our strengthes, we ought to trust, but onely in the lorde, who dothIn his. 3. booke against the Pe­lagians. direct the steppes of men, when he saieth, no man can come to me: he breaketh the pryde of fréewill: if he would goe foor the to Christe: yet he doeth but in vaine endeuour it, vnlesse that be dooen that followeth: excepte my father of heauen drawe hym: also this must be considered: that thing that is drawen [Page] doeth not come willingly: but being slowe or drawing backe, is led against his will.

He that cannot come to Christe by his owne strength andVpō the vvor­des of Christe, those whom thou hast gi­uen me. &c. labour: how can he auoide all sinnes?

Where there is mercie and grace: fréewill muste cease of his parte.

What dooe they praie vnto God: that haue the power ofChrisostome of the [...] ­myng of our lorde, in his 36. Homilie. fréewill?

He saieth not, I haue giuen theim power of fréewill, that thei by their owne labour should saue theimselues: but I haue kepte them, I haue saued them, I haue preserued them.

We had fréewill before sinne, to woorke well, but after sinne, wee had none, bicause we were not able, by our owne power and strength after sinne, to escape, from the power of the Deuill, but as a Shippe when the sterne is broken, is dri­uen hither and thither where the tempest will: So by the Deuill we are driuen from one sinne to another, neither hi­therto can do any thing, but euen as the Deuill will, and ex­cept God doth deliuer vs, with his strong hande of his mercie, we shal remaine in the bondes & chaines of sinnes, vnto death.

When man deliuered himself by sinnyng, vnder the king­domeIn the same Homilie. of Sathan: nowe is not able of his owne power and strength to come out. So the first will is now turned into ne­cessitie. Therefore by our owne wils, and negligence we are bound, but by the mercies of god, we are loosed & set at libertie.

When we speake of the will that is frée to dooe well, wéeAugustine in his. 3. booke. & 18. chapiter of freewill. speake of that will wherein man was made.

If the Apostle did meane none other thing, but that it doth not onely lye in the will of ronnyng of man, excepte the mer­cifullIn his Enchiri­dion to Lavv­rence, the. 31. chapiter. lorde doeth helpe, we may also saie on the otherside, that it lieth not onely in the mercie of God, without the will and ronnyng of man. But sithe that were a plaine vngodlines so to saie, let vs not doubte, but that the Apostle did attribute all thinges vnto the mercie of God: and that he did leaue no ma­ner of thing vnto our owne will and endeuours.In his. 3. boke against the Pe­lagians.

Man therfore of hymselfe, coulde make his fall bicause he woulde. But yet as he fell of hymselfe, so was hee not able [Page 18] straight waies of hym selfe, that is by his proper will to rise from falling, excepte by the most mercifull hande of the lorde, when it pleased his heauenly goodnes he had raised hym vp.

Euery good worke then, whiche we doe worke in God, theFulgentius to Monymus in his. 1. booke. same doeth GOD woorke in vs, for all thinges are of hym, through hym, and in him, both our good will then, and also our good workes be of hym, which the doctour of the gentiles affir­meth, with these wordes, it is God that worketh in vs both the will and the déede, euen of his owne good will & pleasure.

Naturall fréewill, we do beleeue is of no more valewe, butMaxentius in his. 1. booke of faith. onely for carnall, or worldly desires, or discernynges, whiche possible maie séeme glorious emong men, but not with God. But those thinges, whiche belongeth to euerlastyng life, can neither thinke, neither wil, neither desire, neither performe, excepte it bee by the infusion and operation of the holy ghoste.

God doeth preuent vs with his grace, that we maie be wil­lyng,Gregory in his 9 Homil. & 1. booke vpon Ezechiell. Vpon the. 63. Psalme. and with his helpyng hand he doeth folowe vs, least we should will in vaine.

Sith that fréewill hath been corrupte in our firste father, we are not able to will a good thing, excepte we be holpen by the grace of God.

Holy men doe knowe that after the fall of the first father,In his. 22. booke of Mo­rales and. 10. chapiter. they be borne of a corruptible stocke, and that they be not by their owne vertue, but by the heauenly grace that doeth pre­uent them, tourned vnto better desires or workes: And what euill soeuer thei knowe to be in theimselues, thei féele that is deserued, and come of their mortall kynd: But what good soe­uer they see to be in theim selues, they acknowledge to be the gifte of the immortall grace: And for this gifte that they haue receiued, they be debitours vnto hym, whiche by preuentyng theim, did giue vnto theim that they shoulde will that good thyng, whiche thei would not, and by folowyng did graunte, that thei should be able to do that good thing, that thei would.

What then? Is this therefore the whole woorke of free­will?Barnarde in his booke of grace and free­will. Is this the onely merite of it, that it doeth consente and agree? Truely it is, not that the consent, wherein all the me­rite doeth consiste, doeth come, or is of it: Sithe that we be not [Page] of our selues, as of our selues able to thinke any thing, whiche is lesse then to consent or agree. These be not my wordes, but the wordes of the Apostle, whiche doeth attribute vnto God, and not vnto his freewill, all that bee good, that is to saie, to thinke and to will, and not to performe, accordyng to his good will and pleasure.

Let vs bee chaunged into the same likenesse, from cleare­nesse to clearnesse, as it were with the spirite of God. There­fore, if it bee with the spirite of God, then it is not with free­will. Therefore, let no man thinke that it is named freewill, because it is occupied with equall might and power, betwéene good and badde, seyng that by it self it can fall, but not rise a­gaine, but through the spirite of the Lorde.

Thei that are wise in deede, will confesse, three workyn­ges, not of freewill, but of the diuine grace, in hym. Firste, is creation: seconde reformation: the thirde endyng. In the firste we were created in Christ, into the libertie of will. In the se­conde, we are reformed by Christe, into the spirite of libertie: In the third, we shall in thende raigne eternally with Christ.

What haste thou, that thou haste not receiued? Thou art created, thou art healed, thou art saued. To thée I saie, O thou man, whiche of these, haste thou of thy self? Thou that wast not: could not create, when thou wast a synner: thou couldest not iustifie: when thou wast deade, thou couldest not raise thy self vp againe, besides other thynges, either are necessarie for them that healed: or laied vp for them that shalbe saued.

Three blessynges there are, whiche are necessarie to vs,In his. 39. ser­mon of his li­tle sermons. first is preuentyng: seconde is, helpyng: thirde is endyng: first is of mercie: seconde is, of grace: thirde is of glorie: he dooeth preuente our conuersion by his mercie: he helpeth our conuer­sion by his grace: he doeth accomplishe our endyng with glo­rie: vnlesse the Lorde dooeth giue these three blessynges, our bodies can giue for the no fruite. Neither can we beginne any good thyng, before we bee preuented by mercie: or to doe any good thyng, vntill we be holpen, by grace, or that we can ende in goodnesse, vntill we be filled with glorie.

The soule is in suche maner, let downe into the bodie, as [...] [Page 19] if a man should fall into a myrie, [...]epe, and stonie place, andParisiensis, in his boke of the somme of vi­ces and vertue▪ so should bothe be drowned, bée araied with myre, and also bée hurte. So by originall sinne, we are drowned in the darkenes of ignoraunce: wee are defiled with lustes and concupiscence: and we are wounded, as touchyng the powers, and faculties of the mynde.

Item, if any man doe contende, that in the purgyng of ourThe seconde co [...] [...]ll of A­rovvsicane the 4. chapiter. synnes, God doeth tarrie and abide for our will, but dooe not consesse, that the will also to be purged from sinne, is wrought in vs, by the infusion and operation of the holie ghost: he doeth resiste the self same holie ghoste, speakyng by Salomon, theProuerb. 16. 1 [...] and. 20. 24. Philip. 2. 13. will is prepared of the Lorde, and he doeth also resiste the A­postle holsomely preachyng, it is God that doeth bothe worke in vs the will, and also the performaunce of the deede, euen of good will.

Item, if any man dooe affire, that as well the encrease, asIn the. 5. chapi▪ of the same counsell. also the beginnyng of faithe, the self same affection to beleue, whereby wee beleue in hym that iustifieth the vngodlie, and wherby we come to the newe birthe of baptisme, is in vs na­turally, and not by the gifte of grace, that is to saie, by the in­spiration of the holie ghoste, that redresseth our will from in­fidelitie to faithe. From vngodlinesse, to godlinesse, is an ad­uersarie to the doctrine of the Apostle: for as muche as blessed Paule saieth, we truste that he, whiche hath begunne in youPhil. 1. 6. a good woorke, shall performe it vntill the daie of our Lorde29. Iesus Christe. And this: vnto you is giuen for Christes sake, not onely that you maie beleue in hym, but also that ye maieEphes. 2. 8. suffer for hym. And again, ye are saued by grace through faith, and that not of your selues, for it is the gifte of God.

Item, if any man doe affirme, that vnto vs, beleuyng, wil­lyng,In the. 6. chap. of the same counsell▪ desiryng, endeuouryng, labouryng, watchyng, studiyng, askyng, sekyng, knockyng, mercie is giuen without the grace of God: but also dooe not confesse, that it is wrought in vs of God, by the infusion and inspiration of the holie ghost, that we maie beleue, will, or bee able to doe all these thynges, as it be­houeth, or doe put the helpe of grace vnder mans humilitie, or mans obedience, neither consenteth that the gift of obedience, [Page] and humilitie, dooe appert [...]ne to the self grace, resisteth the1. Cor. 4. 7. Apostle, whiche saieth, what hast thou, that thou hast not re­ceiued?1. Cor. 15. 10. And againe, by the grace of God, I am that I am.

It is agreed, that whosoeuer shall saie, that therefore theThe counsell of Myluent the. 5. Chap. grace of iustification is giuen vnto vs, that we maie through grace fulfil that more easely, which we are cōmaūded to doe, by frée choise: As though if grace also were not giuē, although not easely, yet neuerthelesse wee might also without grace, fulfill Gods commaundementes, let hym be accursed. For the Lorde did speake of the fruictes of his commaundementes, where as he saied not, without me ye can doe them very har­dely: [...]on. 15. 5. but he saied, without me ye can doe nothyng.

¶ It is impossible for vs to fulfill the lawe.

WHy tempt ye God, to laye a yoke on the di­sciplesActes. 15. 10. neckes, which neither our fathers, nor we were able to beare?

I see an other lawe in my members, re­bellyngRom. 7. 93. againste the lawe of my mynde, and leadyng me captiue vnto the lawe of synne, whiche is in my members.

O wretched man that I am, who shal deliuer me from the24. bodie of this death?

I thanke God, through Iesus Christ our Lorde. &c.25.

For (that was impossible to the lawe, in as muche as it wasRom. 8. 3. was weake, because of the fleshe) GOD sendyng his owne soonne, in the similitude of synfull fleshe, and for synne, con­demned synne in the fleshe.

¶ The Doctors.

THE Pelagians thinke theim selues cunnyng men,Augustine in his boke of grace and free­vvill, the. 4. chapite [...] ▪ when thei saie GOD would not commaunde that thyng, that he knoweth a man is not able to dooe, and who is there that knoweth not this? But ther­fore [Page 20] God commaundeth vs to doe some thynges, that wee are not able to doe: that we maie vnderstande, what wée ought to craue of hym.

Sette not thy face againste heauen, to mocke fooles earesIn his. 1. booke against the Pe­lagians. with these wordes, be, and can be. For, who will graunte you, that a man can dooe that thyng, that no man euer was able to doe?

I saied, it is possible, that a man maie be without synne, ifIn [...]is boke of the [...]pirite, and the letter, the 1. chapiter. he wante not will, the power of God assistyng hym: and yet I saied, that besides onely Christ, in whom all men shalbe quic­kened to life, there was neuer man, nor neuer shalbe, who be­yng in this life, shall haue this perfection.

The vertue that is now in a iuste man, so farre forthe isIn his. 3. boke and. 7. chap. to Bonifacius. called perfecte, that it pertaineth to the perfection thereof, bothe in truthe to knowe, and in humilitie to confesse, that it is vnperfecte.

To this purpose was the Lawe giuen, that of greate, itVpon the 118. Psalme. might make the little, that it mighte shewe vnto thee, that thou hast no strength of thy self to doe the lawe. And so beyng needie, vnworthie, and poore, mighteste flee vnto grace, and crie: haue mercie on me, O God, for I am weake.

All the commaundementes of God, are accoumpted to béeIn his. 1. book [...] of retractions and. 19. Chap. doen, when that thyng, that is not doen, is forgiuen.

He hath muche profited in this life, that by his prof [...]tyngIn his boke of the spirite an [...] letter. 35. chap. hath learned, howe farre he is from the perfection of righte­ousnesse.

Our very righteousnesse it self is so greate in this life, thatIn his 19. boke and. 27. Chap. of the Citie of God. it standeth rather in forgiuenesse of our synnes, then in per­fection of righteousnesse.

The Lorde hath giuen a iuste lawe, to vniuste menne, toIn his preface▪ to the Galath. make manifest their synnes, and not to take them awaie. For it taketh not awaie synnes, but by grace of faithe. &c.H [...]erome to Ctesiphontus against the Pe­lagians.

Ye saie Gods commaundementes bée easie: and yet ye are not able to shewe vs no man, that euer fulfilled theim all to­gether.In his. 1. boke against the Pe­lagians.

What then doe wee thinke, or what ought we to thynke, that [...]e not perfecte? We ought to confesse, that we are vnpe [...] ­fecte, [Page] and that we haue not yet gotten, nor taken, that is requi­red. This is the true wisedome of man, to knowe hym self to bee vnperfecte. And, as I might saie, the perfection of all iuste men liuyng, in the fleshe is vnperfecte.

¶ All sortes of people ought to knowe, and reade the Scriptures.

THese woordes whiche I commaunde theeDeut. 6. 6. this daie, shall be in thyne harte.

And thou shalt rehearse theim continu­ally vnto thy children, and shalte talke of7. them when thou tarriest in thy house, and as thou walkest by the waie, and when thou liest downe, and when thou risest vp.

And thou shalte binde theim for a signe vpon thyne hande,8. and thei shalbe as frontlettes, betweene thyne eyes.

Also thou shalt write them vpon the postes of thyne house,9. and vpon thy gates.

But Moises saied vnto hym, enuiest thou for my sake? yeaNomb 11. 29. would God that all the Lordes people were Prophetes, and that the Lorde would put his spirite vpon them.

Let not the booke of the lawe departe out of thy mouthe,Iosua. 1. [...]. but meditate therein daie and night, that thou maiest obserue and doe, accordyng to all that is written therein.

But his delite is in the Lawe of the Lorde, and in his lawePsalme. 1. 2. doeth he meditate daie and night.

Be wise now therefore, O ye kynges: be learned ye iudgesPsalm. 2. 10. of the earth.

The lawe of the Lorde is perfecte, conuertyng the soule.Psalm. 19. 7. The testimonie of the lorde is sure, and giueth wisedome vn­to the simple.

The statutes of the Lorde are right, and reioyce the harte.8. The commaundementes of the lorde is pure, and giueth light vnto the eyes.

[Page 21]And more to bee desired then golde, yea, then muche [...]ine10. golde: sweeter also then honie, and the honie combe.

Moreouer, by them is thy seruaunte made circumspect, and11. in kepyng of them is greate rewarde.

Wherwith shall a yong man redresse his waie? in takingPsalm. 119. 9. heede thereto accordyng to thy worde.

I will delite in thy statutes, and I will not forgette thy16. worde.

Thy worde is a Lanterne vnto my feete, and a light vnto105. my path.

Euery woorde of God is pure: he is a shielde to those thatProuerb. 30. 5. trust in hym.

Wo be to you, enterpreters of the lawe, for ye haue takenLuke. 11. 52. awaie the Keye of knowledge: ye enter not in your selues, and them that came in, ye forbade. Searche the Scriptures:Iohn. 5. 39. for in theim ye thinke to haue eternall life, and they are they whiche testifie of me.

These were also more noble men then they whiche wereActes. 17. 11. at Thessalonica, whiche receiued the worde with all redines, and searched the Scriptures dailie, whether those thinges were so.

And a certaine Iewe named Apollos, came to Ephesus, anActes. 12. 24. eloquent man, mightie in the scriptures.

Whatsoeuer thinges are written afore tyme, are writ­tenRom. 15. 4▪ for our learnyng, that we through patience, and comforte of the Scriptures, might haue hope.

Let the word of Christe dwell in you plentifully, teachingColloss. 3. 16. and admonishyng your selues. &c.

Till I come giue attendaunce to readyng, to exhortation,1. Tim. 4. 13. and to doctrine.

Thou haste knowen the holy Scriptures of a childe, which2. Tim. 3. 15. are able to make thee wise vnto saluation through the faithe whiche is in Christ Iesu.

For the whole Scripture is giuen by inspiracion of God,16. and is profitable to teache, to improue, to corecte, and to in­structe in righteousnes.

And he saied vnto me, seale not the wordes of the prophe­cieReuel. 22. 10. [Page] of this booke: for the tyme is at hande.

¶ The Doctours.

WE may become like vnto God, as far [...]orth as theBasile in his boke of the holy ghoste 1. chapiter. weake nature of man can beare. But the like­nesse cannot be without knowledge, neither is knowledge without doctrine, and the beginnyng of doctrine is speache: and the partes of speache, be wordes and sillables.

Would God we would all doe: accordyng as it is written,Origen in his [...]. Homilie [...]pon Esaie. Ambrose vpon [...]he. 118. Pl [...]l. searche the scriptures.

The worde of God is the liuely meate of our soules, with the which it is nourished, fed: and gouerned, neither is there any thyng els, that maketh a reasonable soule to liue, but the w [...]de of God.

Yong men that vse to rea [...]e Gods woorde, afterwarde be­comeCyrill against Iulianus, in his 7. booke. most vertuous and godly.

Here we are faught, that euen the laye men ought to haueHierome vpon [...]he Epistle to the Colloss. the 3. chap. vpon these wordes, let the word of God dvvell plentifully in you. the worde of God, not onely sufficiently, but also aboundant­ly: and one to instructe, and to warne an other.

Both maried men, and Monkes, and wiues, commonly haue this contention emong theim selues, who maie learne most scriptures.

The Lorde hath spoken by his Gospell: not that a fewe should vnderstande hym, but that all.

All that euer we speake, we ought to proue it by the scrip­tures.Vpon the. 133. Psalme.

We must reade the scriptures with all diligence, that asVpon the. 86. Psalme. beyng good exchaungers, we maie knowe the lawfull coyne from the Copper.In his. 3. booke and. 4. chap. v­po [...] the Epistle to the Ephe.

In all these bookes (of the scripture) they that feare God and are tamed through Godlinesse, dooe searche the will of GOD. The firste note of whiche labour and trauell (as weeAugustine, in his. 2. booke & 9. chap. of the christian do­ [...], saied) is to knowe these bokes, and if as yet we cannot vnder­stande them, yet lette vs all by readyng of theim, gette them in memory, or not to bee altogether ignora [...]e of theim, fur­thermore those thinges whiche bee planly conteined therein, [Page 22] whether they be preceptes of liuyng, or els of beleeuyng, are earnestly and diligently to be searched: whiche how many the more euery man findeth, so muche the more is he apte in hys vnderstandyng.

Gette ye to the hills of the scriptures, there be the pleasu­resIn his boke of Pastours. of your hartes, there is no noysome, hurtful, or venemous thynges, no inco [...]ueniente thyng, there be moste plentifull pastures.

It is not sufficient, that ye heare the diuine Scriptures inIn his. 55. ser­mon. the Churche: But also in your houses, either reade them your selues, or els desire some others to reade them, and giue you diligent eare to it.

Here mée ye men of the world, get ye the Bible, that mostChrisos [...]ome vpon the Col­loss. in his. 9. Homilie. holsome remedy for the soule: if ye will nothyng els, yet at the least, get the newe Testament. S. Paules Epistles, and the Actes, that may be your continuall, and earnest teachers.

Let one of you take in hande the holy Bible, and let hymIn Genesis in his 6. Homile. call his neighbours about hym▪ and by the heauenly wordes, let hym water and refreshe bothe their myndes, and also his owne.

Beyng at home, wee maie bothe before, and after meate,In his. 10. Ho­mily vpon Ge­nesis. take the holie bookes in hande, and thereof receiue greate pro­fite, and minister spirituall foode vnto our soules.

Euen when wée [...] home, lette vs bestowe our tyme inIn his. 29. Ho­milie vpon Genesis. readyng the scriptures.

Hearken not hereto onely in the churche; but also at home, let the husbande with the wife: let the father with the childe,In his. 2. Ho­mily vpō Iohn and in his. 78. Homily vpon Matthevve. talke together of these matters, and bothe to and fro, let them enquire, and giue their iudgementes. And would GOD thei would begi [...]ne this good custome.

Then let theim that bee in [...], [...]ee into th [...] mountai­nes,In his. 49. Ho­mily vpon Matthevve. that is [...]o saie: let them that be in Christ [...]s [...], flee to the [...]. The scriptures of [...]he Apostles, and Prophe­ [...]es, bee the mountaines. &c. Our Lorde knowyng that there should be such confusion in the last daies, therfore commaun­deth, that [...], that [...] in Christ, willyng to [...]aue an assuraunce of the [...] ▪ [...]ould haue recourse [...]o [Page] nothyng els, but vnto the scriptures. Otherwise, if thei haue regarde to any other thyng, thei shalbe offended, and perishe, not vnderstandyng, what is the true Churche, and by the meane whereof, thei shall fall into the abomination of deso­lation.

This is it, that as it were with a Pestilence, infecteth allIn his. 3. Ho­mily vpon Matthevve. thynges, that ye thinke the readyng of the scriptures, pertai­neth onely vnto Monkes: where as it is muche more necessa­rie for you then for theim: It is more wickednesse to thynke Gods lawe is superfluous, then if he should neuer reade it, for these be the wordes, that come from the studie of the deuill.

Ye maie commonly see, that our doctrine is knowen, notTheodoretus in his. 5. booke of the nature of man. onely of theim that are the doctours of the Churche, and mai­sters of the people, but also euen of the Tailers, and Smithes, and weauers, and of all artificers: yea, and further also of wo­men, and that not onely of them that bee learned, but also of labouryng women, and Sewsters, and seruauntes, and hand­maides. Neither onely the citezens, but also the countrie fol­ [...]es, doe very well vnderstande the same. Ye maie finde, yea, euen the very Dichers, and Deluers, and Cowheardes, an [...] Gardiners; disputing of the holy Trinitie, and of the creation of all thynges.

¶ That the [...] are easie to be vn­derstanded of the simple people.

I Will bee with thy mouthe, and with hisExodus. 4. 15. mouthe, and will teache you what ye ought to doe.

This commaundement, [...] I com­maundeDeut. 30. 11. thee this daie, is not hidde from thee, neither is it farre of.

It is not in heauen, that thou shouldest [...] [...]. [...]

[Page 23]Neither is it beyonde the sea, that thou shouldest saie, who13. shall goe ouer the sea for vs, and bryng it vs, and cause vs to heare it, that we maie doe it?

But the worde is verie nere vnto thee: euen in thy mouth14. and in thy harte for to doe it.

The enteraunce into thy wordes sheweth light, and giuethPsal. 119. 130. vnderstandyng to the simple.

The lawe of the Lorde is perfecte, conuertyng the soule:Psalme 197. the testimonie of the Lorde is sure, and giueth wisedome vn­to the simple.

Knowledge is easie, to hym that will vnderstande.Prouer. 14. 6.

And all thy children shalbe taught of the Lorde, and mucheEsaie. 54. 13. peace shalbe to thy children.

Thei shall all knowe me, from the least of theim, vnto theIerem. 31. 34. greatest of them (saieth the Lorde).

And the Lorde aunswered me, and saied, write the vision,Habac. 2. 2. and make it plaine vpon the tables, that he maie runne that readeth it.

The earth shal bee filled with the knowledge of the glorie14. of the Lorde, as the waters couer the sea.

O father, I giue theo thankes, because thou haste hid theseMatth. 11. 25. thynges from the wise, and men of vnderstandyng, and haste opened them vnto babes.

It is giuen vnto you, to knowe the secretes of the kyng­domeMatth. 13. 11. of heauen, but to them it is not giuen.

When he is come whiche is the spirite of truthe: he willIohn. 16. 13. leade you into all truthe: for he shal not speake of hym self, but what soeuer he shall heare, shall he speake, and he will shewe you the thynges to come.

And it shall bee in the laste daies, saieth God, I will powreActes. 2. 17. out of my spirite vpon all fleshe, and your sonnes, and your daughters shall prophecie, and your yonge men shall see visi­ons, and your olde men shall dreame dreames.

And on my seruauntes, and off my handemaides, I will18. powre out of my spirit in those daies, and thei shall prophecie.

The thynges whiche eye hath not seen, neither eare hath1. Cor. 2. 9. heard, neither came into mans [...], are, whiche God hath [Page] prepared for them that loue hym.

But God hath reueiled them vnto vs by his spirite: for the10. spirite searcheth all thynges, yea, the deepe thynges of God.

He hath made his worde manifest in due time, through theTitus. 1. 3. preachyng, whiche is committed vnto me.

So that we first knowe this, that no prophecie in the scrip­tures,2. Peter. 1. 22. is of any priuate motion.

The Doctours.

THe scriptures are plaine, and without doubtful­nes,Ireneus in. 1. boke and. 31. chapiter. and maie be heard indifferently of all men.

The fewer places, must be expoundes by the moe places.Tertullian a­gainst Prapeas.

Marueile not: for the woorde of God is calledOrigen vpon the. 15. chap. of Exodus, the. 7. Homily. bothe fleshe, and bread, and milke, and hearbes: and accordyng to the measure of the beleuers, and possibilitie of the receiuers is diuersly named.

I demaunde not, what these greate learned PhilosophersAmbrose is his 1. boke and 5. chap. to Gra­tianus of faith. saie, but what thei dooe, thei are forsaken, and lefte alone in their schooles: beholde howe muche more weight there is in faithe, then in argumentes. Thei, with their profounde rea­sons, are daiely forsaken of their fellowes. These with their simple faithe, goe forwarde, and encrease daiely, men beleue not the learned Philosophers: thei beleue vnlearned fishers.

The simple plaine faithe of fishers, confoundeth the wor­desIn his booke of the incarnatiō of our Lorde, the. 9. chap. of the learned Philosophers.

It pleased not GOD by Logique to saue his people. The kingdome of God is in the simplicitie of faithe, not in the con­tentionIn his. 1. booke and. 3. chap. of faith. of woordes.

It maie bee saied, the Scriptures are heard, yet, that not­withstanding, if thou reade them, thei shall doe thée good. For,Origen in his 20. Homilie vopon Iosua. the Lorde Iesus Christe, if he finde vs occupied in the scriptu­res, and exercised in the studie thereof, not onely vouchsafeth hym self to bee refreshed, and fedde in vs, but also seyng suche a banquet prepared, bryngeth with hym his father vnto vs.

These thynges haue I saied, that wee lothe not to heare and reade the scriptures, although we vnderstande them not.

[Page 24]Euen thei bee saued that folowe the letter, that is to saie,In his. 26. trea­tise vpō Math. the plaine storie of the Gospell. For onely the simple storie is sufficient vnto the saluation of the simple.

The wisemen of this worlde, seyng the walles of the gos­pell,In his. 4. Ho­milie vpon the Canticles. to rise vp without Grammer, and profounde knowledge in Philosophie, saie scornefully emong them selues, that all this by subtiltie of speache, and craftie shiftes, and Logicall argumentes, maie full easely be shaken downe.

It is the order of the Scriptures, after heard thynges, toHierome vpon the. 19. of Esay Vpon the. 3. cha. of Nahum. ioyne other thynges that be plaine.

At the commyng of Messias, the people shalbee lifted vp, and shall prophecie, that before laye a sleepe vnder their mai­sters: and thei shall goe vnto the mountaines of the Scriptu­res: and there shall thei finde mountaines, Moises, and Iosua the soonne of Nun, the mountaines of the Prophetes, the mountaines of the newe Testament, the Apostles, and Euā ­gelistes. And when thei shall flee to suche mountaines, and shalbe occupied in the readyng thereof, if thei finde not one to teache them, yet shall their endeuour and good will, be alowed, for that thei haue fledde vnto the mountaines.

The scriptures are easie to the slaue, to the husbandman,Chrisostome in his. 1. Ho­milie vpon Mathevve. to the widowe, to the child, and to hym that maie seeme to be verie simple of vnderstandyng.

It cannot possible be, that he, that with earnest studie, andIn his. 36. Ho­mily vpon Ge­nesis. feruent desire readeth the scriptures, should euermore be for­saken, for although we wante the instruction of man, yet God hym self from aboue, entryng into our hartes, lighteneth our mynde: powreth his beames into our wittes, openeth thyn­ges that were hidden: and becommeth vnto vs a schoolemai­ster, of that we knowe not: onely if we will doe so muche as sieth in vs.

The holie scriptures expoundeth it self, and suffereth notIn his. 12. Ho­mily vpon Ge­nesis. the reader to erre.

Neither hath the scripture of God, any néede of mans wise­dome, that it maie be vnderstanded, but the reuelation of the holy ghoste: that the true meanyng beyng sucked there out, greate aduauntage maie growe to vs thereby.

[Page]Wee by our selues without a maister, shalbée able to vn­derstandeIn his preface to the Romai­nes, the thinges, whiche are there entreated of. So that we doe occupie our selues in these Epistles, daie and night, for we doe not, by the sharpenesse of witte, and vnderstandyng, perse vnto all those thinges whiche we vnderstande, for euen thei also, whiche are of more dull wittes, dooe by continuall studie, attaine to harde thynges: Euen as the cogitations and senses of man, are moste harde to bee knowen, yet notwith­standyng, our friendes, whom wee feruently loue, and with whom we are continually conuersante, doe often times, euen by a becke, open vnto vs the cogitations, and senses of their myndes, without any token of woordes, and speache by them spoken. So shall it come to passe in these Epistles (of holy scri­ptures) so that a man loue theim, and bee continually conuer­sant in them, he whiche asketh, receiueth: he whiche seeketh, findeth: vnto hym that knocketh, it shalbe opened.

The Manichies, and all heresies deceiue the simple. ButIn his 8. Ho­milie vpon the Hebrevves. if we haue the senses of our myndes practised to discerne good, and ill, we maie bee able to discerne them. But how maie our senses become practised? By the vse of the scriptures, and of­ten hearyng.

Wée neede no Sillogismes, or knowledge of Logique, toIn his. 1. homi­lie vpon math. vnderstande Gods woorde: Husbandmen, and olde women doe vnderstande it.

Ye enlarge, and laye out with many woordes, how hardeAugustine in his. 5. booke a­gainst Iulia­nus. a matter the knowledge of the Scripture is, and méete onely for a fewe learned men.

The phrase or maner of speache, wherein the ScripturesIn his. 3. Epi­stle to Volusiā. are written. &c. speaketh without coloure, as a familiar frend, vnto the harte, as well of the vnlearned, as of the learned.In his. 83. boke the. 69. que­stion.

The circumstaunce of the scriptures is wont to giue light, and open the meanyng.

Darcke places are to be expounded by more plaine places,In his. 3. boke and. 26. chap. of christian doctrine. that is the surest waie of declaryng the scriptures: to expound one scripture by an other.

Who so loueth the lawe of GOD, honoureth in it, euenVpon the. 119. Psalme. that thyng that he vnderstandeth not.

[Page 25]The scripture of God is like an Apothecaries shoppe, fullBasile vpon the first Psalme. of medicines of sondrie sortes, that euery manne maie there choose a conuenient remedie for his disease.

Onely to the children of the holy ghoste, all the holy scrip­turesEpiphanius in his. 2. booke. are plaine and cleare.

Christe vnto the strong, is strong meate: vnto the weakeGregorie Nis­senus in his [...] [...]f the life of Moyses. sorte, he is herabes: and vnto infantes, he is milke.

In the worde of God is plētie, for the strong man to eate, there is enough for the childe to sucke: there is also milke toFulgentius in his Sermon of the Cōfessours. drincke, wherewith the tender infancie of the faithfull maie bée nourished: And strong meate, wherewith the lustie youth of them that bee perfecte, maie receiue the spirituall increase­mentes of holy vertue.

Nothyng can deceiue theim that searche the holy scriptu­res,Theophilactus of Lazarus. for that is the candle, whereby the thief is espied.

The scriptures, is a floud, wherein the little Lambe maieGregorie in his Epistle to Leo­narde. wade: and the greate Elephante maie swimme.

¶ Ignoraunce of the scriptures is verie daungerous.

THE nations whiche thou haste remoued,2. Kynges. 17. 26. and placed in the cities of Samaria, knowe not the maner of the God of the land: ther­fore he hath sent Lyons emong theim, and beholde, thei slea thē, because thei are igno­raunte of the God of the lande.

Fourtie yeres haue I contēded with thisPsalm. 95. 10. generation, and saied: thei are a people that erre in harte, for thei haue not knowen my waies, wherefore I sware in my wrathe, saiyng: surely thei shall not enter into my reste.

Then shall thei call vpon me, but I will not aunswere, theiProuerb. 1. 2 [...]. shall seeke me earely, but thei shall not finde me.

Because thei hated knowledge, and did not choose the feare29. of the Lorde.

[Page]The Oxe knoweth his owner, and the Asse his maistersEsaie. 1. 3. cryb, but Israell hath not knowen, my people hath not vnder­standed.

A synfull nation, a people laden with iniquitie, a seede of4. the wicked, corrupte children: thei haue forsaken the Lorde.

Therefore my people is gone into captiuitie, because theiEsaie. 5. 13. had no knowledge.

Wée haue erred from the waie of truthe, and the sonne ofVvisedome. 5. 6 vnderstandyng rose vp againste vs.

Wee haue wearied our selues in the waie of wickednesse,7. an ddestruction: But wee haue not knowen the waie of the Lorde.

Whereas thei liued in greate warres of ignoraunce, thoseVvisedome 14. 21. so greate plagues called thei peace.

In no wise speake against the worde of truthe, but be asha­medEccle. 4. 25. of the lyes of thyne owne ignoraunce.

Thei be blinde leaders of the blinde, and if the blinde leadeMath. 15. 14. the blinde, bothe shall fall into the ditche.

Ye are deceiued, not knowyng the Scriptures, nor the po­werMatth. 22. 29. of God.

This is condemnation, that light is come into the worlde,Ihon. 3. 19. and men loued darkenesse more then light.

He that walketh in the darcke, knoweth not whither heIhon. 21. 35. goeth.

For as thei regarded not to knowe God, euen so God deli­ueredRom. 1. 28. them vp vnto a reprobate mynde, to doe those thynges whiche are not conuenient.

I beare theim recorde, that thei haue a zeale, but not accor­dyngRom. 8. 2. to knowledge.

For thei being ignoraunte of the righteousnes of God, and3. goyng aboute to stablishe their owne righteousnes, haue not submitted them selues to the righteousnes of God.

If any man be ignoraunte, let hym be ignoraunte.1. Cor. 14. 38.

Some haue not the knowledge of GOD, I speake this to1. Cor. 15. 34. your shame.

None of the Princes of this world hath knowen: For had1. Cor. 2. 8. thei knowen it, thei would not haue crucified the Lorde of [Page 26] glorie.

I would not brethren haue you ignoraunte, conceruyng1. Thess. 4. 13. theim whiche are a sleepe, that ye sorowe not, euen as other whiche haue no hope.

¶ The Doctours.

SAncte Paule saieth, knowledge puffeth vp theIreneus in his 2. [...], and 45. chapiter. mynde, not, for that he founde faulte with the knowledge of God, otherwise he should firste of all others, haue reproued hym self.

Unto the deuill it is a torment aboue all tor­mentes,Origene in his 27. Homily vpon the boke of Nombers. and a paine aboue all paines, if thei see any man rea­dyng the woorde of God, and with feruente studie, searchyng the knowledge of Gods lawe, and the misteries, and secretes of the scriptures: herein standeth all the flame of the deuilles: in this fire thei are tormented: for the are seased, and possessed of all them that remaine in ignoraunce.

Consider in what daunger thei bee, that haue no care toIn his 10. boke and. 16. chap. vpon the. Ro. reade the holie scriptures, for by the same scriptures onely, the iudgement of this triall must be allowed.

Giuyng them selues to slepe, and slouthfulnes, thei thinkeHierome vpon the. 1. Chap. to Titus. it synne to reade the scriptures: and suche as bothe daie and night, are studious in the Lawe of God, thei despise, as prate­lers, and vaine men.

It was not lawful for any one of all the sisters, to be igno­raunteVpon the Epi­taphe of Paula. of the Psalmes, nor to passe ouer any daie, without learnyng some part of the scripture.

If ye haue, or knowe not, what waie to goe, what shall itAugustine in his. 11. boke of God, and. 2. Chap. profite you to knowe, whither to goe?

Ignorance in theim that would not vnderstande, without doubte is synne: But in theim that could not vnderstande, itIn his senten­ces, exceplis. pag. 1067. is the punishment of synne. Therefore neither of theim both hath good excuse: but either of theim hath iust damnation.

There be certaine men, that when they heare, they mustVpon the. 131. Psalme. be humble, abase theimselues, and will learne nothyng: fea­ryng that if thei attaine to any knowledge, thei shalbe proud: and so they remaine still onely in milke, but the scripture of [Page] God reproueth theim.

There was in theim the kyngdome of ignoraunce: that isVpon the. 33. Psalme. to saie, the kyngdome of errour.

Ignoraunce is the horrible depth, out of the whiche all er­roursIn his. 22. boke and. 22. chap▪ of the Ci­tie of God. doeth arise vp, and spring forth.

Thou wilt saie I am no Monke, I haue wife and children, and charge of housholde, this is it, that as it were with a Pe­stilenceChrisostome in his. 2. [...] milie vpon Matthevve. infecteth altogether, that ye thinke the readyng of ho­ly scriptures belongeth onely vnto Monkes.

The fault is greater, and more gréeuous, to thinke Gods lawes is superfluous (and not needefull for thee) then to bee ignoraunt whether there be any suche lawe, or no: for these wordes come euen from the perswasion of the Deuill.

This is the workyng of the Deuills inspiration, he would not suffer vs to see the treasure, leaste we should haue the ri­ches. Therefore he counselleth vs, that it vtterly auaileth no­thyng to heare the lawes of God: least vpon the hearyng, he may see our doynges followe.

Thou wilt saie, I haue not read the scriptures, that is noIn his. 17. Ho­milie to the Hebrevves. excuse, but a synne.

The readyng of the scriptures is more necessary for you,In his. 3. Ho­mily vpon Matthevve. then it is for Monkes.

Sainct Paule saieth, let the word of God dwell in you a­boundantly, but what will these fooles saie hereunto. O, saieIn his. 16. Ho­mily vpon Iohn. they, blessed is the simple soule: and he that walketh simplie, walketh surely. This is the very cause of all mischief, that in cases of necessitie, there be not many able to alleage the scrip­res. For a simple man, in that place maie not bee taken for a foole, or a man that knoweth nothing: but for a man that mea­neth no ill: or woorketh no fraude, for if it were to be taken soe: it had been in vaine for Christ to saie, be ye wise as Ser­pentes.

This is the cause of all euill, that the Scriptures are notIn his. 9. Ho­mily vpon the Colloss. knowen.

The readyng of the Scriptures is a greate fence againsteIo his. 3. ser­mon of Laza­rus. synne: And the ignoraunce of the scriptures is a daungerous dounefall, and a greate Dungeo [...]. To knowe nothing of gods [Page 27] lawes, is the losse of saluation, ignoraunce hath brought in he­risies, and vicious life, ignorance hath tourned all thinges vp­side doune.

It is a greate sinne deare bretheren, to be ignoraunt of theIn his. 42. Ho­milie. holy scriptures.

Euen as if a man walke without this visible light, he mustIn his preface to the Roma. needes stumble in the darcke, and so often tymes fall. So he whiche turneth not the eyes of his minde to the light of the scriptures, muste needes of force synne.

Who so knoweth not the thynges that partaine vnto theGregorie in his 1. boke and. 1. Chapiter of a Pastour. lorde, be not knowen of the lorde.

If we either reade not the scriptures our selues, or bée not desirous to heare others reade them, then are our medicinesAugustine in his. 55. Sermon of tyme. tourned into woundes: And then, where we might haue had remedie, we shall haue iudgement.

Ignoraunce is the mother of all errours.In the Counsel of Toledo, in Spaine. 4. Can. 24.

The ignorance of the scriptures: is the ignorance of christ.

¶ The worde of God written in the Canon of the Bible, conteineth in it self fully, all thinges neede­full for our saluation.

THE Messias shall come, whiche isIohn. 4. 25. called Christe: when he is come, he will tell vs all thynges.

Searche the Scriptures, for inIohn. 5. 39. theym ye thinke to haue eternall life, and they are they whiche testi­fie of me.

All thynges that I haue harde ofIohn. 15. 15. my father, haue I made knowen vnto you.

When he is come, whiche is the spirite of trueth, he willIohn. 16. 1 [...]. leade you into all trueth.

Many other signes also did Iesus in the presence of his dis­ciples,Iohn. 20. 30. [Page] whiche are not written in this booke.

But these thinges are written, that we might beleue that13. Iesus is the Christe the sonne of God, and that in beleuing, ye might haue life through his name.

I haue made the former treatise, O Theophilus, of all thatActes. 1. 1. Iesus began to dooe, and teache.

Untill the daie that he was taken vp, after that he through2. the holy ghoste, had giuen commaundementes vnto the Apo­stles, whom he had chosen.

I haue kepte nothyng backe, but haue shewed you all theActes. 20. 27. counsell of God.

I obtained helpe of God, and continue vnto this daie, wit­nessyngActes. 26. 22. both to small and greate, saiyng none other thynges, then those whiche the Prophetes, and Moyses did saie should come.

Iam not ashamed of the Gospell of Christ: for it is the po­werRom. 1. 16. of God, vnto saluation to euery one that beleueth, to the Iewe firste, and also to the Gentile.

Whatsoeuer thinges are written afore time, are written [...]om. 15. 4. for our learnyng, that we through patience and cōforte of the scriptures might haue hope.

Thou hast knowen the holy scriptures of a childe, whiche [...]. Timo. 3. 15. are able to make thee wise vnto saluation, through the faith whiche is in Christe Iesu.

For, the whole scripture is giuen by inspiration of GOD,16. and is profitable to teache, to improue, to correcte and to in­structe in righteousnes.

That the man of God may be absolute, beyng made per­fecte17. vnto all good workes.

The preachyng of the Crosse, is to them that perishe, foo­lishnes:1. Cor. 1. 18. but vnto vs whiche are saued, it is the power of God.

Beyng borne a newe, not of mortall séede, but of immor­tall,1. Peter. 1. 23. by the worde of God, who liueth and endureth for euer.

The worde of the Lorde endureth for euer, and this is the25. worde, whiche is preached emong you.

The prophecie came not in olde tyme by the will of man: [...]. peter. 1. 21. but holy men of GOD, spake as thei were moued by the holy [Page 28] ghoste.

The worde of the lorde is liuely in operation, and sharperHebrevves, 4. 1 [...]. then any two edged sworde, and entreth through, euen vnto the deuidyng a sonder of the Soule, and the Spirite, and of the ioyntes, and the marie, and is a discerner of the thoughtes and intentes of the harte.

¶ The Doctours.

THE holy scriptures, beyng inspired from GOD,Athanasius a­gainst the Gen tiles. are sufficient to all instructions of truthe.

Let vs whiche will haue any thyng obseruedIsychius in his 5. boke &. 16. chap. vpon Le­uiticus. of God, searche no more but that, whiche the gos­pell doeth giue vnto vs.

For as muche as thou deniestthe thynges that bee writ­ten, what remaineth there, but that thou muste allowe theHillary in his 9. boke of the Trinitie. thynges, that be not written.

This very woorde, substaunce, is not plainly expressed,Epiphanius in his. 3. boke and 73. heresie. neither in the newe, nor olde Testamente, but the sense and meanyng of that worde, is euery where.

Reade the holie scriptures, wherein ye shall finde fullieAugustine to the brethren in the vvildernes. In his 4 9. trea­tise vpon Ihon. what is to be followed, and what to be auoided.

Not all thinges, that the Lorde Iesus did, are written, as the same Euangelist witnesseth: for, the Lorde bothe did and saied many thynges, that are not written: but thynges were choosen out to be written, which seemed sufficient for the sal­uation of the beleuers.

For as muche as Christe hym self hath not reueiled theseIn his 96. tre [...] tise vpon Iohn. thynges, whiche of vs will saie, thei bee these, or these? For who is there, either so vaine, or so rashe, who, notwithstan­dyng he speaketh the truthe, to whom he listeth, and what he listeth, will affirme without any testimonie of the scriptures, that these be the thynges that the lorde then would not open.

How muche lesse the aboundaunce of golde, siluer, and clo­thing,In his. 3. boke of christian doctrine and last chapiter. whiche that people brought with them forthe of Egipt, is in comparison of the riches, whiche afterwarde thei had at Ierusalem, whiche aboue all other, was shewed in kyng Sa­lomon: So lette all knowledge (whiche is gathered out of the [Page] bookes of the Gentiles) bee suche, if it bee compared to the knowledge of Gods scriptures. For, what soeuer man lear­neth without them, if it be euill, there it is condemned: if it be profitable, there it is founde. And seyng then euery man shall finde all thynges there, whiche he hath profitably learned o­therwhere: muche more aboundantly shal he finde those thin­ges there, whiche can no where at all els bée learned: but one­ly in the merueilous déepenesse, and wonderfull humilitie of those scriptures.

In these therefore, whiche are euidently conteined in theIn his. 2. boke and. 3. Chap. of christian do­ctrine. Scriptures, are founde all thynges whiche containe faithe, maners of liuyng, hope, and loue.

Lette vs séeke no farther then is written of God our saui­our,In his. 198. E­pistle to For­tunatus. leaste a man would knowe more, then the Scriptures witnesse.

What so euer is required for our saluation, is all readieChrisostome in his. 19. Ho­mily vpon Matthevve. contained in the holy scriptures, he that is ignoraunte, shall finde there what he maie learne, he that is stubborne, and a synner, maie sinde there scourges of the iudgemētes to come, the which he maie feare: He that is troubled, maie find there the ioyes and promises of euerlastyng life, through the behol­dyng of the whiche, he maie be stirred to good workes.

All thynges bee plaine, and cleare in the scriptures, andVpon the. 2. to the Thess. 2. Chapiter. what thynges soeuer be needefull, be manifest there.

If there be any thyng néedefull to be knowen, or not to beVpon the. 2. to Timoth. the 3. Chapiter. knowen, wée shall learne it by the holy scriptures: if wée shall néede to reproue a falsehoode, wée shall fetche it from thence: if to be corrected, to be chastened, to be exhorted, or comforted, to be shorte, if ought lacke that ought to be taught, or learned, we shall also learne it out of the same scriptures.

But why did not the Apostles write all thynges? Chiefly,In his. 89 Ho­mily vpon the [...]0. of Iohn. because of the multitude of them. Moreouer thei did consider, that he, which would not beleue these, would not beleue more: but he that beleueth these, néede no more to attaine faithe.

In the woorde of God is plentie: for the strong manne toFulgentius in his Sermon of the Confes­sou [...] eate: there is enough for the child to sucke: there is also milke to drinke, wherwith the tender infancie of the faithfull maie [Page 29] be nourished, and strong meate, wherewith the lustie youthe of them that be perfecte, maie receiue the spirituall encrease­mēt of holy vertue: There prouision is made for the saluation of all men, whom the Lorde doeth vouchsafe to saue: there is also that, whiche is meate for all estates. There we learne the commaundementes, whiche we ought to do: there we knowe the rewardes whiche we hope for.

Like as in a marchauntes Shippe, are carried diuers thyn­gesLyi [...] vpon the last chap. of the Prouerbes. necessarie for mans life: So in the scripture are contained all thynges néedefull to saluation.

Doubtlesse, the holy scriptures are able to instructe thee toEruno vpō the seconde Epistle to Timothie. saluation. For, euery scripture beyng inspired from God (that is to saie) spiritually vnderstanded, after the will of GOD, is profitable to teache them that be ignoraunt: to reproue, (that is to saie) to conuince theim that speake againste the faithe: to correct synners, suche as denye not them selues to be synners: to instructe those that bee yet rude and simple, to instructe (I saie) in righteousnesse, that thei maie bee made righteous, by puttyng awaie their instructions of infidelitie: that he maie be so taught, that, as muche as in the teacher lieth, he that is taught, maie be the perfects man of God: so perfecte, that he maie be instructed to doe euery good worke.

¶ Nothyng ought to be put to, or taken awaie from the woorde of God.

Y [...] shall put nothing vnto the worde whichDeut. 5. [...]. I commaunde you, neither shall ye take ought there from, that ye maie keepe the commaundementes of the lorde your god, whiche I commaunde you.

What so euer I commaunde you, takeDeut. 12. 3 [...]. heede you dooe it, thou shalte put nothyng thereto, nor take ought there from.

Be thou strong, and of a moste valiante courage, that thouIosua. 1. 7. [Page] maiest obserue and doe, according to all the lawe whiche Mo­ses my seruant hath commaunded thee: thou shalt not turne awaie from it, to the right hande, nor to the lefte, that thou maiest prosper where so euer thou goest.

Euery woorde of GOD is pure: he is a shielde to those thatProuer. 30. 5. trust in hym.

Put nothyng vnto his woordes, leaste he reproue thee, and6. thou be sounde a lyer.

Teachyng theim to obserue all thynges, what so euer IMatth. 28. 20. haue commaunded you.

Brethren, though it be a mans couenant, when it is confir­med,Galath. 3. 15. yet no man doth abrogate it, or addeth any thyng therto.

I protest vnto euery man y^t heareth the wordes of the pro­phecieReuel. 22. 18. of this boke, if any man shal adde vnto these things, god shall adde vnto hym the plagues that are writtē in this boke.

And if any man shall diminish of the wordes of the booke of19. this prophecie, God shall take awaie his part out of the booke of life, and out of the holy Citie, and from those thinges which are written in this booke.

¶ The Doctours.

IT is aduouterous, it is wicked, it is abhominable,Cyprian in his 1. boke and. 8. Epistle. what soeuer is ordered by the rashenes of man, that Gods order should be broken.

We iustely doe condempne al new thinges whichAmbrose is his 3. boke and. 1. chap. of virgi­nitie. Christ hath not taught: for Christ is the waie to the faithfull. If therefore wee our selues preache any thyng that Christe hath not taught, iudge that detestable, and abhominable.

By that which Eua added to the worde of God (thou shaltAmbrose in his boke of pa­radise the. 12. chapiter. not touche. &c.) We doe learne how much this presente lesson putteth vs in remembraunce, that wée ought to adde nothyng to the worde of God, yea, though it be for a good purpose. For, if thou putte to, or take awaie any thyng, it appeareth to bée a transgression of the commaundementes: For there ought no­thyng to be added, although it séeme good.

Neither (saieth the Apostle) if thei preache contrary: but ifVpon the Epi­stle to the Ga­lath. 1. chap. thei preache any thyng besides that, that wee haue preached, that is, if thei adde any thyng to it at all, holde theim accursed: [Page 30] Neither doe I except my self, if I put to any thyng, beside that whiche was preached before.

Ye see therfore this is your drift, that all aucthoritie of theAugu. against [...]austus in his 30. boke and 18. chapiter. scriptures bee remoued, that eche man maie bee ledde by his owne phantasie, what he list, either to allowe in the holy scri­ptures, or to disalowe: that is to saie, that he submit not hym self, touchyng his faith, to the aucthoritie of the scriptures: but that he make the scriptures subiect vnto hym, not that he will alowe any thyng, because it is written in that high aucthoritie of the scriptures: But that he will thinke it well written, be­cause he aloweth it.

Sittyng vpon the chaire of Moises, thei teache the lawe ofIn his 46. trea­tise vpon Iohn. God: therefore God teacheth by them. But if thei will teache their owne, heare theim not, doe not after theim: For truely suche men searche their owne: but not those thynges whiche are Iesus Christe.

I maie faine vnto you, and hastely I shall bée no sure Ste­ward,Vpon the. 29. Psalme. but a foolishe fabler. Beholde, to faine without the gos­pell, is to fable.

Who so forbiddeth vs to dooe that God commaundeth: orBasile in his morals. 14. chapiter. commaundeth vs to doe that God forbiddeth, is accursed vnto all them that loue the Lorde.

Euery preacher is a seruaunte of the lawe, whiche maieChrisostome of the vnper­fecte vvoorke vpon Math. 7. chapiter. neither adde any thyng aboue the lawe, of his owne mynde: nor withdrawe any thyng after his owne vnderstandyng, but preache that thyng onely, that is had in the lawe, as Salomon saieth, thou shalt adde nothyng to the woorde of God, nor take ought there from.

Like as the Bedell crieth openly to all them that be in theIn his first Ho­milie vpō Ti­tus. Courte, so doe wée preache openly: but on that condition that we adde nothyng, but preache onely that thyng that we haue heard, for the office of a Crier is, to speake out those thynges that be committed vnto him, and not to adde, chaunge, or take awaie any thyng.

All other thinges which thei séeke out, and inuent at theirVpon the first cap. of Aggeus. owne pleasure, without the aucthoritie and testimonie of the scriptures (as though thei were the traditiōs of the Apostles) [Page] the sworde of God cutteth of.

If any thyng bee brought vnto vs vnder the name of theIn his boke of the holy ghost. holy ghoste, besides the Gospell, lette vs not beleue it. For, as Christe is the fulfillyng of the lawe and the Prophetes: So is the holy ghoste the fulfillyng of the Gospell.

The fruictes of a man is, the confession of his faithe, andIn his. 9. Ho­mily vpon the 7. of Matth. the woorkes of his conuersation. If thou therefore shalt see a Christian man, forthwith consider, if his confession agree with the scriptures, he is a true Christian: but if not, he is (as Christe saied) false, for so Ihon wrote in his Epistle of the he­retiques: said not, if any come vnto you, not hauyng the name of Christe, bidde hym GOD spéede: But if any bryng not this doctrine. &c.

There bee twoo offices of a Bishop, to learne the scriptu­resSiryll in his. 6. boke vpon Le­uitic [...]s. of God, and by oft readyng, to digeste the same, or els to teache the people, but let hym teache those thynges, which he hath learned of GOD, and not of his owne harte, or by mans vnderstandyng: but those thynges whiche the holie Ghoste teacheth.

If any man speake, let hym speake as the wordes of God,Beda in the. 1. Epistle of Peter and. 5. chapter. fearyng least he saie, or commaunde any thyng besides the wil of God, or besides that, whiche is manifestly commaunded in the holy scriptures, and bée founde as a false witnesse of God, or a committer of Sacrilege, or a brynger in of any straunge thyng from the lordes doctrine, or leaue out, or passe ouer any thyng, that pleaseth God: seyng that Christe commaundeth the preachers of the truthe, concernyng them whom thei had taught, saiyng, teache theim to keepe all thynges that I haue commaunded you. Yea, euen the same whiche he had com­maunded, and none other: and he commaunded his preachers, to cōmaunde their hearers to kepe, not some of these, but all.

¶ The scriptures are sufficient to d [...] ­bate, and deside all doubte [...] and controuersies.

THy woorde is a Lanterne vnto my feete,Psal. 119. 105 and a light vnto my pathes.

He sheweth his woorde vnto Iacob, hisPsal. 147. 20. statutes and ordinaunces vnto Israell.

He hath not dealt so with euery nation,21. neither haue thei knowē his iudgemētes.

The woorde of God moste high, is thewisedome 1. 5. fountaine of wisedome, and the euerlastyng commaundemē ­tes, are an entraunce vnto her.

If thou bee the sonne of God, commaunde that these stonesMatth. 4. 3. be made bread.

He aunswered and saied, it is written, man shall not liue4. by bread onely, but by euery worde that proceadeth out of theDeut. 8. 3. mouthe of God.

It is written again, thou shalt not tempt the lorde thy God.Psalm. 92. 11.

Auoide Satan, for it is written, thou shalte worshippe the10. Lorde thy God, and hym onely shalt thou serue.Deut 6. 13. and 10. 20.

Goe ye and learne what this is, I will haue mercie, and notMatth. 9. 13. Hosea. 6. 7. Sacrifice: for I am not come to call the righteous, but sinners to repentaunce.

Haue ye not read what Dauid did, when he was an hunge­red,Matth. 12. 3. and thei that were with hym?

How he entered into the house of God, and eate the shewe4. bread, whiche was not lawfull for hym to eate. &c.1. Sam. 21. 6.

Or haue ye not reade in the lawe, how on the Sabboth daie5. the priest in the Temple, brake the Sabboth, and are blame­lesse.Leuit. 8. 31. Exod. 29. 33. Nomb. 28. 9. Matth 12. 40. Ionas. 2. 8.

As Ionas was three daies and three nightes in the Wha­les bellie: so shall the sonne of man bee three daies and three nightes in the harte of the earth.

O hypocrites, Esaias prophecied well of you, saiyng: ThisMatth. 15. 7. 8. people draweth nere vnto me with their mouthe, and honou­reth me with their lippes, but their harte is farre of from me.Esaie. 29. 12. Matth. 16. 4.

The wicked generation, and adulterous seketh a signe, and there shall no signe be giuen it, but the signe of the Prophete Ionas.

And concernyng the resurrection of the deade, haue ye notMatth. 22. 31. [Page] read what is spoken vnto you of God, saiyng.

I am the GOD of Abraham, and the God of Isaac, and the32. God of Iacob? God is not the god of the dead, but of the liuyng. [...]. 3. 6.

Maister, whiche is the great commaundement in the lawe?36. Iesus saied to hym, thou shalte loue the Lorde thy God withDeut. 6. 5. all thyne harte. &c.37.

Then the Pharisées came and asked hym if it were lawfulMark. 10. 2. for a man to put awaie his wife, and tempte hym.6.

At the beginnyng of creation, God made them male and fe­male.

For this cause shal man leaue his father and mother, andGene. 1. 27. cleaue vnto his wife.7.

Ought not Christe to haue suffered these thynges, and toGen. 19. 4. Luke. 24. 26. enter into his glory?

And he began at Moises, and at all the Prophetes, and in­terpreted27. vnto them in all the scriptures, the thinges whiche were written of hym.

Thei haue Moises and the prophetes: let them heare them.Luk. 16. 29.

It is written, mine house is the house of praier, but ye haueLuke. 19. 46. Icremy. 7. 1. made it a denne of théeues.

Is it not written in your lawe? I saied ye are Goddes.Iohn. 10. 34.

But this is that, whiche was spoken by the Prophete Ioel.Psal. 82. 6.

And it shall bee in the laste daies, saieth God, I will powreActes 2. 16. Ioel. 2. 28. out of my spirite vpon all fleshe. &c.

To hym also giue all the Prophetes witnesse, that through17. his name all that beleeue in hym, shall receiue remission ofActes. 10. 43. Ierem. 31. 34. synnes.Micah. 7. 11. Chap. 15. 9. Actes. 18. 28.

For, mightily he confuted publikely the Iewes with greate vehemencie, shewyng by the Scriptures, that Iesus was Christe.Rom. 3. 10.

As it is written: There is none righteous, no not one.

There is none that vnderstandeth: there is none that see­keth11. Psalme. 14. [...]. Rom. 4. 3. God. &c.

For, what saieth the scripture? Abraham beleued God, andGen. 15. 6. Rom. 9. 12. it was compted to hym for righteousnes.

It was saied vnto her, the elder shall serue the yonger.Gene. 25. 23.

As it is written, I haue loued Iacob, and haue hated Esau.13. Mala [...]. [...]. 2.

[Page 32]For he saieth to Moises, I will haue mercie on him, to whō 15. I will shewe mercie: and will haue compassion on hym, onExod. 33. 19. whom I will haue compassion.

The weapons of our warfare are not carnall, but mightie2. Cor. 10. 4. through God, to cast downe holdes.

[...]astyng downe the immaginations, and euery high thyng5. that is exalted againste the knowledge of God, and bryngyng into captiuitie euery thought, to the obedience of Christ.1. Cor. 11. 23.

For, I haue receiued of the Lorde, that whiche I also haue deliuered vnto you, to witte, that the Lorde Iesus in the night that he was betraied, tooke bread. &c.

The whole scripture is giuen by inspiration of God, and is2. Tim. 3. 16. profitable to teache, to improue, to correcte, and to instructe in righteousnesse.

The worde of God is liuely, and mightie in operation, andHebre. 4. sharper then any twoo edged sworde, and entreth through, euen vnto the diuidyng a sonder of the soule and the spirite, and of the ioyntes, and the marie, and is a discerner of the thoughtes, and the intentes of the harte.

¶ The Doctors.

THE verie doctrine of the heretiques, comparedTertullian of the prescriptiō of Heretiques. with the Apostles doctrine, by the diuersitie and contrarietie that is betwene that, and th [...]other, wil soone pronounce sentence of it self, that nei­ther Apostle, nor Apostolique man, was auc­thour of it.

The holie Scriptures will easely bewraie and confoundeIn his boke of the Trinitie. the guiles and theaftes of heretiques.

Cōsider in what daunger thei be, that haue no care to readeOrigene in his 10. boke and 16. chap. to the Romaines. the holy scriptures, For by the same scriptures onely, the iud­gement of this triall must be allowed.

We muste néedes call to witnesse the holy scriptures: forIn his. 1. Ho­mily vpon I [...] ­remy. our iudgementes and expositions without those witnesses, thei carrie no credits.

As what soeuer golde is without the Temple, is not sanc­tified,In his. 25. Ho­mily vpon Matth. so what soeuer sense is without the holie scripture: al­though [Page] vnto some it seeme wonderfull, yet it is not holy, be­cause it is not conteined in the sense of the scripture.

Neuer moue question hereof: but onely learne of the holieAt [...]anasius to Serapion, that the holy ghost is no creature. scriptures. For, the onely proofes that ye shall there finde, are sufficient (to proue the Godhead of the holy ghost.)

By openyng and expoundyng the holy scriptures, often ti­mesSocrates in his first booke and 16. [...]. we ouerthrowe them (that were the Arrian heretiques.)

If we retourne to the heade, and beginnyng of our Lordes tradition, all errour of man must needes giue place.Cyprion to Pompeius.

This is the verie order of the Apostles doctrine in the Go­spell, to preache God out of the lawe and the Prophetes.Hilarie vpon the 65. Psalm.

In matters touchyng God, there is no speache lefte vntoIn his. 7. boke of the trinitie. men, but onely the woorde of God. All other aucthorities bee shorte, and narrowe, and darke, and troublesome.

The sworde of Gods woorde is laied vpon the mountai­nes,Hierom vpon the. 1. Chap. of Aggeus. that lifte them selues vp againste the knowledge of God.

All that euer wee speake, wee ought to proue it by the scriptures.Vpon the. 98. Psalme.

We must reade the scriptures with all diligence and mustIn his. 3. booke and. 5. chap. to the Ephesians. be occupied in the lawe of the lorde, bothe daie and night: that we maie become pefecte exchaungers, and bee able rightly to discerne what money is lawfull, and what is counterfecte.

Thou that art a mainteiner of newe doctrine, whatsoeuerTo Pamma­chius. thou be, I praie thee spare thy Romaine eares, spare the faith that is commended by the Apostles mouthe, why goest thou aboute nowe after fower hundred yeres, to teache vs that faithe whiche before wee neuer knewe? Why bryngest thou vs forthe that thinges, that Peter and Paule neuer vttered? Euermore vntill this daie, the Christian worlde hath been without this doctrine.

Neither will I alledge the Coūsaile of Nice against thee:Augustine in his. 3. boke and 14. chapiter against Maxi­minus. nor shall you alledge the Counsaile of Arimiminum againste me. By the aucthoritie of the scriptures, let vs weigh matter with matter: cause with cause: reason with reason.

Haue awaie al those aucthorities, that either of vs alledgethIn the. 3. cap. of his [...]oke of the against the other: sauing such only, as be taken out of the hea­uenly canonicall scriptures. But perhaps, some will aske me, [Page 33] wherfore would ye haue al such other aucthorities put awaie? I aunswere, bicause I would haue theholy churche to be pro­ued, not by the doctrines of men, but by the worde of God.

Lette vs yeelde and consent to the holy scriptures, whicheIn his. 1. booke and. 22. chap. of remission of sinnes. can neither deceiue, nor be deceiued.

Accordyng to those bokes of the scriptures, we iudge fran­kely of all other writynges, whether thei be of the faithfull,In his. 2. boke and. [...]9. chap. against Cres­conius the Grammarian. or of the vnfaithfull.

Where as the Lorde hym selfe hath not spoken, who of vs can saie, it is this, or that? or if he dare saie soe, howe can hee proue it?In his. 96. trea­tise vpon Iohn.

I require the voice of the Shephearde: reade mée this mat­ter out of the Prophetes: reade mée out of the Psalmes: readeIn his booke of pastours the 14. Chapiter. it out of the Lawe: reade it out of the Gospell: reade it out of the Apostles.

I owe my consent without gainsaiyng, onely vnto the ca­nonicallIn his boke of nature and grace the 61. chapiter. scriptures.

I maie saine vnto you, and hastely I shall be no sure Ste­warde: but a foolishe fabler. Behold, to faine without the Go­spell,Vpon the. 93. Psalme. is to fable.

Yea, if they saie that Christe hath appeared in the verieChrisostome in the vnper­fect vvorke the 49. Homily. true church of God, yet beleeue theim not, for this is no wor­thy or sufficient knowledge of my godhead. By this he shew­eth that out of the very true churches, oftentimes come forth deceiuers. Therefore we maie not beléeue, no not theim, vn­lesse thei speake and doe suche thynges as are agréeable to the Scriptures.

I beseche you all, weigh not what this man, or that manIn his. 3. Ho­mily vpon the 2. to the. Cor. thinketh: but touching all these thinges, search the scriptures.

Whosoeuer vseth not the holy scriptures, but commeth inIn his. 58. Ho­mily vpon Iohn. another waie, that is not lawfull, he is not the Shephearde of the flocke: he is the thief.

The Euangeliste and Apostles writinges, and the saiyngsTheodoretus in his. 1. booke and. 7. chap. of the olde Prophetes dooe clearely instruct vs, what iudge­mente we ought to haue of the meanyng and will of GOD.Tripertite hi­storie. 2. boke an l. 5. Chap. Therefore laiyng a side all contentions, out of those heauen­ly Oracles let vs séeke for the assoilyng of our questions.

[Page]Let vs take the resolution of our questions, out of the wor­des of the holy ghoste, in our disputations of godly matters, we haue laide before vs, the doctrine of the Gospell.

Let our iudgement stande a parte: and let vs aske saincteAmbrose to Gratianus the Emperour in 1. boke. 7. cap. Paule the question.

Wee reioyce together, eche of vs in others behalfe, for the faithe both of our churches, and also of yours, is agréeable bothEuagrius in his. 3. booke & 18 chap. vnto the heauenly inspired Scriptures, and also to the tradi­tion, and exposition of our fathers.

We know that these godly fathers concluded this matter, by suche wordes as the Euangelistes and Apostles haue vtte­red of our Lorde.

¶ The Churche is knowen by the worde of God.

WHO soeuer heareth of mée these woordes▪ Matth. 7. 2. and doeth the same, I will liken hym to a wise man, which hath builded his house on a Rocke.

Whom doe men saie that I the sonne ofMatth. 16. 13. man am?

And thei said, Some saie, Iohn Baptist,14. and some Elias, others, Ieremias, or one of the Prophetes.

He saide vnto theim, But whom doe ye saie that I am?15.

Then Simon Peter aunswered and saide, thou art Christ16. the sonne of the liuyng God.

I saie also to thee, thou art Peter, and vpon this Rocke I17. will builde my Churche, and the gates of Hell shall not ouer­come it.

To whom shall wee goe? thou hast the wordes of eternallIhon. 6. 68. life.

He that is of God, heareth Gods wordes: ye therfore heareIohn. 8. 47. them not, bicause ye are not of God.

My Shéepe heare my voice, and I knowe theim, and theyIohn. 10. 27. [Page 34] followe mee.

Searche the Scriptures: for in theim ye thinke to haueIhon. 5. 39. eternall life, and they are they whiche testifie of mee.

And they continued in the Apostles doctrine, and felow­ship,Actes. 2. 42. and breakyng of breade, and praiers.

Faithe is by hearyng, and hearyng by the worde of God.Rom. 10. 17.

Other foundation can no man laie, then that whiche is1. Cor. 3. 11. laied, whiche is Iesus Christe.

And if any man builde on this foundation, Golde, Siluer,12. or precious stones, Timber, Haie, or Stubble.

Euery mans worke shall bée made manifest: for the daie13. shall declare it, bicause it shalbe reueiled by the fire: and the fire shall trie euerie mans worke, of what sorte it is.

Husbandes loue your wiues, euen as Christe loued theEphe. 5. 25. Churche, and gaue hym selfe for it.

That he might sanctifie it, and cleanse it by the washyng26. of water through the worde.

If I tarie long, thou maiest knowe yet, how thou oughtestTimoth. 3. 15. to behaue thy selfe in the house of God, whiche is the Piller and grounde of trueth.

¶ The Doctours.

THE Piller and Butteresse of the Churche, isIreneus in his 3. booke &. 11. Chapiter. the Gospell and the spirite of life.

Heretikes when they bee reproued by theIn his. 3. booke and. 2. Chap. scriptures, thei fall to the accusing of the scri­ptures, as though either thei were not well and perfecte, or wanted aucthoritie, or were doubtfullie vttered: or that they that knowe not the tradi­tion, were neuer able by the scriptures to finde out the truth.Augustine in his boke of the vnitie of the Churche the. 3. Chapiter.

There be certaine bokes of our Lorde, vnto the aucthoritie whereof eche parte agreeth, there let vs séeke for the Church: therby let vs trie and examine our matters.

I will, ye shewe mée the holy Churche, not by the decrées of men: but by the worde of God.In the. 16. cap of the same boke.

Whether they haue the Churche, or no, let theim shewe [Page] by the Canonicall bookes of the holy Scriptures, wee muste knowe the churche of Christe, euen like as we knowe christe, which is the heade of the churche, in the holy Canonicall scri­ptures.

The question or doubte is, where the Churche shoulde be,In the. 2. chap. of the same booke. what then shall we doe? Whether shall we séeke the churche in our owne wordes, or in the wordes of her heade, whiche is our Lorde Iesus Christ? In my iudgement, we ought rather to seeke the churche in his woordes: for that he is the trueth, and best knoweth his owne body.

Let vs not heare these wordes: this saie I, this saiest thou:In the. 3. chap. of the same booke. But these wordes let vs heare, thus saieth the lorde: there let vs seeke the churche: there let vs discusse our cause.

Whether of vs be Schismatikes, we, or you, aske you notIn his. 2. boke and. 85. chap. against the letters of Peti­lian. mée, I will not aske you: Let Christe be asked: that he maie shewe vs his owne churche.

The holy Scriptures sheweth the Churche, without any doubtefulnes.In his. 1. booke and. 33. chap. against Cres­conius the Grammarian. Chrisostome in his. 49. Ho­mily of the vn­perfecte worke vpon Matth.

When you shall see the abhomination of desolation stande in the holie place, that is, when you shall see vngodlie heresie (whiche is the army of Antichrist) stande in the holy places of the churche, in that time let theim which are in Iurie, flie vn­to the Hilles (that is) let theim that be in christendome, resort vnto the scriptures.

For like as the true Iewe is a christian (as the Apostle saieth, he is not a Iewe, whiche is outwarde. &c.) In like ma­ner, the very Iewry is christianitie, the Hilles are the scrip­tures of the Apostles and prophetes.

And why doeth he commaunde all christians at that tyme to resorte to the Scriptures? For in this tyme, since Heresie hath preuailed in the churche, there can be no other proofe of true christianitie, neither can there be any other refuge for christian men (willing to knowe the trueth of the right faith) but onely vnto the holy Scriptures. Before tyme, it was she­wed by many other meanes, whiche was the true Churche of Christe, and whiche Gentilitie: But nowe there is no other waie to know it. And why? For all those thinges which per­tains [Page 35] to Christe in déede, haue the Heretiques in their Schis­mes: likewise churches: likewise the Scriptures of GOD: likewise Bishops, and other orders of Clarkes: and likewise Baptisme: and the Sacramente of thankesgiuyng, and (to conclude) Christe hym selfe.

Wherefore, he that will knowe whiche is the true church of Christ, in this so greate a confusion of thinges, being so like: howe shall he knowe it, but onely by the scriptures?

It was also knowen which was the true church of christe, by their maners, when the conuersation of christian men (ei­ther of al, or many) was holy, which was not among the hea­then.

But nowe, Christian men are become like, or worse then the Gentiles or Heretiques: yea, and there is more continen­cie founde amongest theim, then among christians.

Therfore, he that will knowe which is the true churche of Christ, wherby shal he knowe it, but onely by the scriptures.

The Lorde therefore knowyng that so greate a confusion of thinges should come in the later tyme, commaundeth that christian men, that be willyng to know the right faith, should flee to none other thinges, but onely to the Scriptures: for if they looke vpon any other thyng, but onely the scriptures, thei will be offended and perishe, not perceiuyng which is the true churche: And so to fall into the abhomination of desolation, whiche standeth in the holy places of the churche.

¶ What credite Doctours and Counsels are of theim selues, without the worde of God.

IF there arise among you a Prophete, or a drea­merDeut. 13. [...]. of dreames (and giue thee a signe or wonder.

And the signe and wonder which he hath tolde2. thee, come to passe) saiyng, let vs goe after other Gods, which thou hast not knowen, & let vs serue [Page] theim.

Thou shalt not hearken vnto the wordes of the prophete,3. or vnto the dreamer of dreames.

Heare not the woordes of the Prophetes, that prophecieIerem. 23. 16. vnto you, and teache you vanitie: they speake the vision of their owne harte, and not out of the mouth of the Lorde.

Let hym speake my wordes faithfully: what is Chaffe to28. the Wheate, saieth the Lorde?

Saie thou vnto theim that prophecie out of their hartes,Ezechiel. 13. 2. heare the worde of the lorde.

Wo vnto the foolishe prophetes, that followe their owne3. spirite, and haue seen nothyng.

Whosoeuer therefore shall breake one of these least com­maundementes,Math. 5. 19. and teache men so, he shall be called the least in the kyngdome of heauen.

In vaine they worship mee, teachyng for doctrines, mensMatth. 15. 9. preceptes.

Nowe this I saie, that euery one of you saieth, I am1. Cor. 1. 12. Paules, I am Apollos, and I am Cephas, and I am Christes.

Is Christe deuided? Was Paule crucified for you? Either13. were ye baptised in the name of Paule?

Let no man reioyce in men.1. Cor. 3. 21.

Who is Paule then? And who is Apollos? but the mini­sters [...]. Cor. 3. 5. by whō ye beleued, and as the lorde gaue to euerie man.

I haue planted, Apollos watred, but god gaue the encrease.6.

So then, neither is he that planteth, any thyng, neither hee7. that wattereth, but God gaue the encrease.

I beséeche you bretheren, marke theim diligentlie whicheRom. 16. 7. cause diuision and offences, contrary to the doctrine whiche ys haue learned, auoide theim.

Though that we, or an Augell from heauen, preache vntoGala. 1. 8. you otherwise then that whiche we haue preached vnto you, let hym be accursed.

Dearely beloued, beleue not euery spirite, but trie the spi­rites [...]. Iohn. 4. 1. whether they are of God: for many false prophetes are gone out into the worlde.

Whosoeuer transgresseth, and abideth not in the doctrine [...]. Iohn. 1. 9. [Page 36] of christe, hath not God.

He that continueth in the doctrine of christe, he hath both10. the father, and the sonne, if there come any vnto you, and bryng not this doctrine, receiue hym not to house, neither byd hym god speede,

For he that biddeth hym god spéede, is partaker of his euill11. deedes.

My bretheren, haue not the faithe of our glorious lorde Ie­susIan. [...]. 2. 1. christe, in respect of persons.

For if there come into your company, a man with a golde2. Kyng, and in goodlie apparell, and there come i [...] also a poore man in vile raiment.

And ye haue respecte to hym that weareth the gaie clo­thyng,3. and saie vnto hym, sit thou here in a good place, and saie vnto the poore, stande thou there: or sit here vnder my footestoole.

Are ye not partiall in your selues, and are become iudges4. of euill thoughtes?

¶ The Doctours.

AMong you, the right of God is weighed byTertullian in Apologetico. the iudgement of men.

It is not lawfull for vs to flatter our sel­ues,His prescriptiō against the he­retiques. with any thynge of our iudgemente and discretion, nor to choose that which any man hath brought in of his owne head, wee haue the paterns of the Apostles for vs: whiche tooke nothyng to bryng in after their owne pleasure, but faithfully assigned to the Nations, the doctrine that they had receiued of Christe.

Whosoeuer speaketh any thyng more then is written, al­thoughIgnatius in his Epistle to Hier. he bee worthy credite, although he faste, although he kéepe his virginity, although he do myracles, although he pro­phicie, yet let him séeme to thée a woolfe in the flocke of shéepe.

After the Apostles of christe, notwithstandyng some manHierom. vpon the. 86. Psalm be holy, notwithstandyng he be eloquent, yet he wanteth au­cthoritie.

[Page]I thinke that the auncient father Origene, in respect of hisIn his secon [...] Tome to Tran quillinus. learnyng, maie be read some tymes, as Tertullian, Nouatus, Arnobius, Appollinarius, and sundrie other Ecclesiasticall writers, as well Gréekes, as Latines: that in theim we maie take the good, and flee the contrarie.

Truely, wheresoeuer I expounde not the Scriptures, butIn his seconde Tome against Iouinia [...] freely speake of my owne selfe: let any man that liste reproue mee.

We must be partakers of other mens saiyngs, wholy afterEasile. the maner of the Bées: for thei flee not a like vnto all flowers: nor where they sit, they croppe them quite awaie: But snat­chyng so muche as shall suffice for their honie makyng, take their leaue of the rest, euen so we, if we be wise, hauyng gotte of other so muche as is sounde, and agreeable to trueth, will leape ouer the rest.

I woulde not ye shoulde beleue vs: but reade the sciptures:Ambrose in his kooke of the incarnatiō of our Lorde the. 3. chapiter. Augustine in his. 2. booke of onely Bap­tisme. I saie not of myselfe, in the beginnyng was the worde: but I heare it, (I make it not) but I reade it.

We maie argue, and doubte of the writynges of any Bis­shop, whosoeuer he be: But we maie not so doo of the holy scri­pture.

We receiue not the disputations or writinges of any men, be thei neuer so catholique, or praise worthy, as wee receiue the canonicall scriptures: But that, sauing the reuerence dueIn his. 198. E­pistle vnto Fortunatianus. vnto theim, we maie well reproue or refuse some thynges in their writinges, if it happen wee finde they haue otherwise thought, then the trueth maie beare theim. Such am I in the writinges of others: and suche would I wishe others to be in mine.

I recken not, my brethren, that ye woulde haue vs so toIn his. 19. Epi­stle to Hierom. reade your bookes, as if thei were written by the Apostles, or Prophetes.

Other writers or Fathers I reade in this sorte, that bee their learnyng or holinesse neuer so greate, I will not thinke it true, bicause thei thought soe: but bicause they are able to perswade me so, either by other Canonicall writers, or ells by some like reason.

[Page 37]Heare this the lorde saieth: heare not this Donatus saieth,In his. 4 [...]. Epi­stle. Rogatus saieth, Vincentius saieth, Hilarius saieth, Ambrose saieth, Augustine saieth, but hearken to this: the lorde saieth.

In steede of all these learned Fathers, or rather aboueIn his. 19. Epi­stle. theim all, Paule the Apostle commeth to my minde, to him I runne: to hym, I appeale from all maner writers that thinke otherwise.

The Iudges or Doctours of the Churche, as beyng men,In h [...] [...] boke and. 21. Chap. against Cre­sconius. are often deceiued.

The verie generall councels are often corrected, the for­mer by the later, as often as by trial and experience the thingIn his. 2. booke and. 3. Chap. a­gainst the Do­natistes. is opened, that before was shutte.

This kinde of writinges must be read, not with necessitie to beleue eche thyng, but with libertie to iudge eche thyng.

We may not consent vnto the Bishops. notwithstandingIn his. 11. boke and. 5. Chap. against Fau­stus. they be catholique, if thei iudge contrarie to the holy Canoni­call scriptures.

Whether it be of christe or of his churche, or of anythyngIn the. 10. cap. of his booke, of the vnitie of the Churche. els whatsoeuer perteinyng either to our life, or to our faithe, I will not saie, if I my self, but if an Angell from heauen shall teache vs otherwise, then we haue receiued in the bookes of the lawe, and in the gospell, hold hym accursed.In his. 3. boke and. 6. Chap. against the let­ters of Petilian. Vpō the. 103. Psalme.

Thei shal bring forth thy voice from the middes of stones. If that I should saie now vnto you, beleue mée, for Tully saide this Plato said this, Pithagoras saied this, which of you would not mocke mee? For I shall be a byrde which bring not foorth my voice from the stone, what ought euery one of you saie vnto mee? if any man bryng any glad tidynges besides it that ye haue receiued, accursed be he. Wherefore speake ye to mée of Tully, Plato, & Virgill? Thou haste before thée the stones of the mountaines, bryng forth thy voice out from the middes ofIn his. 2. boke and. 29. Chap. against Cre­sconius the grammarian. the stones, for christe was the stone.

We offer no wrong to sainct Ciprian, when we seuer anie his letters, or writinges, from the Canonicall aucthoritie of the holy scriptures.In his Pro­heme of his. 3. boke of the Trinitie.

Be not bounde vnto my writinges, as vnto the canonicall scriptures: But when thou shalt finde in the scriptures that [Page] whiche thou diddest not beleue, beleue it without any doub­tyngIn his. 7. Epist. or delaie, but when thou findest that in my writynges, whiche thou diddest not knowe certainly before, excepte thou shalt certainly vnderstande it, do not stiffely affirme it.

There is extante with vs the aucthority of holy scripture,In his. 3. boke and. 11. Chap. of the Trinity. from the whiche our mynde ought not to swarne, nor leauyng the substanciall grounde of Gods worde, run headlong on the perils of our owne surmises, where wee haue neither sence of body to rule vs, nor apparant reasons of trueth to direct vs.

It had been greate folly for Saincte Paule, hauyng recei­uedChrisostome vpon the. 1. Chap. to the Galath. his doctrine from God hymselfe: afterwardes to conferre thereof with men.

I beseeche you all, weigh not what this man, or that manIn his. 3. Ho­mily vpon the 2. to the Cor. thinketh: but touching al these thinges, search the scriptures.

Wee maie not beleue Paule hymselfe, if hee speake anie thyng of his owne, or o [...] worldly reasons: But wee must be­lei [...] In his. 2. Ho­mily vpon the 2. Epistle to Timoth. the Apostle, bearyng aboute Christe speakyng with in hym▪

For as much as the worde it self, is come to vs from hea­uen,Clemens Ale­xādrinus in his oration to the people. wee maie not nowe any more séeke vnto the doctrine of man.

We are not bounde vpon the necessitie of saluation, to be­léeue,Thomas of A­quincin quod­libet. 9. & laste Article. not onely the Doctours of the churche, as Hierome, or Augustine: but also, neither the churche it selfe.

We ought to geue more credite to one priuate laye man, then to the whole counsell, and to the Pope, if he bryng betterAbbas panor­mitane, de ele­ctio. Chap. Si­gnificasti. aucthoritie and more reason.

Wee ought rather beléeue the saiyng of any teacher, ar­med with the Canonical scriptures, then the Popes determi­nation. More credite is to bee geuen to a man that is singu­larlyGersone. learned in the Scriptures, bringyng foorthe catholique aucthoritie, then to the generall counsels.Pycus Myran­dula in the question wher the Pope be a­boue the Coū ­sell

Naie, we ought to beleue a simple plaine husbandeman, or a childe, or an olde woman, rather then the Pope, and a thousande Bishoppes, if the Pope and the Bishoppes speake against the gospell, and the others with the gospell.

Pope Pius the second saieth, we are bounde to withstandeAbbas Vsper­gensis. pagina 443. [Page 38] any man to the face, be it Peter, be it Paule, if he walke not to the trueth of the gospell.

¶ Faithe onely iustifieth.

ABraham beléeued the Lorde, and he coun­tedGene [...]. 6. that to hym for righteousnes.

The iuste shall liue by his faithe.Habac. 2. 4.

Iesus turned him aboute, and séeing her,Mat. 9. 22. did saie, daughter be of good comforte: thy faithe hath made thee whole.

Be not afraide, beleeue onely.Marke. 5. 36.

And he saide to the woman, thy faith hath saued thee, goeLuke. 7. 50. in peace.

To him also giue all the prophetes witnesse, that throughActes. 10. 43. his name, all that beleeue in hym, shall receiue remission of synnes.

And put no difference betwéene vs and them, after that byActes. 15. 9. faithe he had purified their hartes.

There is no difference: for all haue synned, and are depri­uedRom. 3. 23. of the glorie of God.

And are iustified freely by his grace, through the redemp­tion24. that is in Christe Iesus.

Therefore wee conclude that a man is iustified by faithe:28. without the workes of the lawe.

But to hym that worketh not, but beleeueth in hym thatChap. 4. 5. iustifieth the vngodly, his faith is counted for righteousnes.

We beyng iustified by faithe, we haue peace towarde godChap. 5. 1. through Iesus christe.

Know that a man is not iustified by the works of the law,Galath. 2. 16. but by the faithe of Iesus christe: euen we, I saie, haue bele­ued in Iesus christe, that we might be iustified by the faith of Iesus christe, and not by the workes of the lawe, bicause that by the workes of the lawe, no fleshe shalbe iustified.

If righteousnes be by the lawe, then christ died without a21. [Page] cause.

And that no man is iustified by the lawe, in the sight of god,Chap. 3. 11. it is euident: for the iust shall liue by faith.

The scripture hath included all vnder synne, that the pro­mise22. by the faithe of Iesus Christe, should bée giuen to them that beleue.

By grace, are ye saued through faithe, and that not of yourEphe. 2. 8. selues: it is the gifte of God.

¶ The Doctours.

PAule by these wordes: we suppose therefore thatOrigene in his 3. boke and. 3. Chapiter to the Romaines. man is iustified by faith without the woorkes of the lawe, affirmeth that the iustification: solius fi­dei, of faithe onely, is sufficient, so that any man beleuyng onely, can be iustified, although no ma­ner of worke hath been fulfilled or dooen by hym. And if wee require an example, who was iustified (sola fide) by faith onely without workes, I suppose that the same thief doth suffice, who, when he was crucified with Christe, did crie vnto hym from the crosse: Lorde Iesu, remember me when thou com­mest into thy kingdome. Neither any other good worke of his is described or set foorth vnto vs in the Gospels. But for (ha [...] sola fide) this faith onely. Iesus sayde vnto him: Ueryly I say vnto thee, this daie thou shalt be with me in Paradise.

This thief then was iustified by faith without the workes of the lawe. For, the lorde did not vpon this require what hee had wrought before, neither did he loke what worke he should doo after he did beleue, but beeyng readie to enter into Para­dise, hee tooke hym for his waityng man: beeyng iustified by that confession onely.

The grace of God is geuen only of mercie, and fauour: andHesichius in his. 4. boke & 14. Chap. vpon Leuiticus. is imbraced and receiued (sola fide) by onely faith.

Thei not knowyng that GOD iustifieth (sola fide) by faithe only, & suppose theimselues to be iust by the works of the law,Hierome vpon the x. Chap. to the Romaines. whiche they neuer obserued, thei would not submit theimsel­ues vnto the remission of synnes, least they shoulde séeme to [Page 39] haue been synners.

It moueth the Scribes that synne was forgeuen by man,Hyllary in the 9. Canon vpon the. 8. of Math. for thei did onely behold man in christ Iesu, and that to be for­geuen of hym, whiche the lawe could not release (fides enim sola iuctificat) for, faith onely iustifieth.

That at length is a perfecte and founde reioysing in God,Basile in his Homili of hu­militie. when a man doth not brag or boast of his owne righteousnes, he is iustified (sola fide) by faith onely in christe.

Thei were iustified freely: for thei workyng nothyng, norAmbrose vpon the. 4. Chap. to the Romaines. makyng any recompence, they were iustified (sola fide) by faith onely, by the gifte of God.

He saieth that it was so decreed of God, that the lawe bée­yng at an ende, the grace of God should require (solam fidem) faith alone, or faith onely vnto saluation.

He dooth strengthen or fense this, by the example of the Prophete, he saieth that the same man hath blessedfulnes: or that blessedfulnes pertained and belongeth to that man, vnto whom God imputeth righteousnes without workes, hee cal­leth theim blessed vnto whom God had made this decree, that without labour, and without any obseruation, thei should (so­la In the. 9. chap. of the Rom. August. in the 83. questions, question. 76. Glosla ordina­ria. fide) by faith onely, be iustified before God.

(Sola fides) faith onely is laide or appointed vnto saluation.

Abraham was iustified by faithe, without workes, it is to be vnderstanded of the woorkes that did goe before. For hee was not righteous through the worke which he had doen be­fore, (sed sola fide) but by faith onely.Chrisostome in his. 7. Ho­mily vpon the Romaines.

He sheweth the vertue and power of God, howe that hee did not onely saue, but also iustifie, vsing no woorkes vnto it, but requiryng (fidem tantum) faith onely.

Thei saide, who so staieth hymself (sola fide) by faith onely,In his Homily vpon the. 3. Chapiter to the Galath. is accursed: Contrariwise sainct Paule proueth, who so staieth hym selfe (sola fide) by faith onely, is blessed.

Not by any woorkes of ours, but (per solam fidem) by onelyTheodoretus in his. 7 booke of the nature of man. faith, we haue gotten the misticall good thinges.

(Sola fides) onely faithe purifieth the hartes, and maketh theim meete to receiue the secretes and priuities of heauenlyErasmus vpon the. 3. of Iohn. Philosophie.

[Page]Bicause no man is iustified by the lawe. &c. Now he doethTheophilacte vpon the. 3. Chap to the Galath. plainly she we that (fidem ipsam, vel solam) faith it self, yea, euen alone, hath power to iustifie.

¶ Against mens merites and righteousnes.

SAie not thou in thy harte (after that theDeut. 9. 4. Lorde thy God hath cast theim out before thée) saiyng, for my righteousnes the lorde hath brought mee in: to possesse this lande.

For thou enterest not to inherite their5. lande for thy righteousnes, or for thy vp­right harte: but for the wickednes of those nations, the lorde thy God doth cast theim out before thée. &c.

If he would dispute with him, he could not aunswere hymIob. 9. 3. one thyng of a thousande.

If I would iustifie myselfe, myne owne mouth shall con­deinne20. mee, if I would be perfect, he shall iudge mee wicked.

We haue all been as an vncleane thing, and all our righte­ousnesEsaie. 64. 6. is as filthy clowtes.

Likewise ye, when ye haue doen all those thynges whicheLuke. 17. 10. are commaunded you, saie, we are vnprofitable seruauntes: we haue doen that whiche was our duety to doo.

There is none righteous, no not one.Rom. 3. 10.

There is none that dothe good, no not one.12.

By the workes of the lawe, shal no fleshe be iustified in his20. [...]ight.

If Abraham were iustified by workes, he hath wherein toRom. 4. 2. reioyce: but not with God.

The wages of synne is death: but the gifte of God is eter­nallRom. 6. 23. life through Iesus Christe our lorde.

Euen so then at this present tyme, is there a remnaunteRom. 11. 5. through the election of grace.

And if it be of grace, it is nowe no more of woorkes, or els6. [Page 40] were grace no more grace: but if it be of workes, it is no more grace: or els were worke no more worke.

Who hath giuen to hym first, and he shalbe recompensed?35.

For of hym, and through hym, and for hym, are all thinges,36. to hym be glory for euer, Amen.

I knowe nothyng by my self, yet I am not thereby iusti­fied:1. Cor. 4. 4. but he that iudgeth me is the lorde.

Who separateth thee? And what hast thou, that thou hast7. not receiued? if thou hast receiued it, why reioy [...]est thou, as though thou haddest not receiued it?

By grace are ye saued through faithe, and that not of yourEphe. 2. 8. selues: it is the gifte of God.

Not of workes, lest any man should boaste hymselfe.9.

Who hath saued vs, and called vs with an holy calling, not2. Timo. 1. 9. accordyng to our workes: but accordyng to hys owne purpose and grace, whiche was geuen to vs through Iesus christe, be­fore the worlde was.

Not by the workes of righteousnes whiche we had dooen:Titus. 3. [...]. but accordyng to his mercie, he saued vs by the washing of the newe birth, and the renuyng of the holy ghoste.

That wee beyng iustified by his grace, should be made hei­res7. accordyng to the hope of eternall life.

(Enter not into iudgement with thy seruaunt: for in thyPsalm. 143. [...]. sight shall none that liueth be iustified.)

Herein is loue, not that wee loued God: but that he loued1. Iohn. 4. 10. vs, and sent his sonne to be a reconciliation for our synnes.

We loue hym, bicause he loued vs first.19.

I will giue to hym that is a thirst, of the well of the waterReuela. 21. 6. of life freely.

¶ The Doctours.

IDOE scarsely beleeue that there can bee anieOrigene in his 4. boke. &. 4. Chap. worke, that maie of duetie require a rewarde.

Saie ye that ye bée vnprofitable seruauntes.In his. 8. trea­tise vpō Mat. For not withstandyng we haue dooen all thin­ges that are cōmaunded, yet haue we doen na good thing, for if our doings were good in deede, then were we [Page] not vnprofitable. But any good deede of ours is called good, not rightly, or duely, but by abuse of speache.

For as muche as all men are shut vppe and closed vnderIn his. 9. boke and. 12. Chap. vpon the Rom. sinne, nowe the saluation of man standeth not in mans meri­tes: but in Gods mercies.

He that trusteth not to his owne deedes: nor hopeth to beBafile vpon the 32. Psalme. iustified by his workes, hath the onely hope of hys saluation in the mercies of God.

No man can bée founde pure and cleane from all filth, noVpon the. 31. Psalme. though he be but one daie olde.

This is our full and perfects reioysing in God, when weeIn his boke of humilitie. acknowledge that wee are voide of any oure owne righteous­nes, and are Iustified by onely faith in Christe.

If we faste once, we thinke we haue satisfied: if out of theHilary vpon the. 118. Psalme. Barnes of our houshold store, we giue somwhat to the poore, we beleue we haue fulfilled the measure of righteousnes.

But the Prophete hopeth all of God: and truiteth all of his mercie.

If we beholde our owne merites, wee muste be driuen toHierome vpon the. 64. Chap. of Esaie. desperation.

In Christ Iesu our Lorde, in whom we haue boldnes andVpon the. 3. Chap. to the E­phesians. libertie to come and trust, and affiaunce by the faith of hym: not through our righteousnesse, but through hym, in whose name our synnes be forgeuen.

Did not he giue, that thou mightest fight a good fight? IfAugust. in his 50. booke of Homilies, the 14. Homilie. he hymselfe did not giue, what was it, that thou saiest in ano­ther place: I laboured more then all they, yet not I, but the grace of God within mee? Beholde, thou saiest I haue ended my course. Did not he also giue vnto thee that thou shouldest finishe thy course? If he gaue not vnto thée that thou shouldest finishe thy course, what is it, that thou saiest in another place: It lieth not in the willer, nor in the runner, but in God that sheweth mercie? I haue kepte the faithe: I acknowledge and allow it, I confesse and graunte, that thou hast kept the faith.

But except the Lorde doth kepe the Citie, he watcheth in vaine that doth kepe it.

Pardon me, O Apostle, I knowe nothing of thine owne, [Page 41] but euyll. Pardon vs, O Apostle, we say so, bicause thou hast taught vs. Therfore whē he crowneth thy merites, he crow­neth nothing but his owne giftes,

I say not vnto the Lorde: Despise not the workes of myIn his booke v­pon. 117. Psal. handes. I haue sought the Lorde with my handes, and I was not deceyued. But I do not praise or commende the workes of my handes, for I am afrayde least when thou lokest vpon them, thou findest more sinnes then merites. This onely I say, this I pray, this I couet, despise not the workes of thine handes, see thine owne worke in me, and not mine: for, if thou séest mine, thou doest condemne, if thou seest thine, thou crow­nest. For, all the good workes that I haue, they are of thée.

O God, he lesse loueth thee, that loueth any other thyngIn his boke of Confessions. besides thee.

O lord enter not into iudgement with thy seruaunt, whatIn his. 49. ser­mon of tyme. meaneth that, enter not into iudgement with thy seruaunte? Thus muche it meaneth: stande not with mee in iudgement, requiryng of mee all that thou haste commaunded, for if thou enter into iudgement with mee, thou shalt finde inee guiltie. I haue neede therefore, not of thy vpright iudgement, but of thy mercie.

What be the merites of any men? For Christ that cameIn his. 52. Epi­stle to Mace­donius. not with his due rewarde, but with hys grace that was not due, founde all men sinners, beyng hym selfe onely frée from synne, and a deliuerer of synners.

God crowneth with fauour and mercie, that shalbe dooenIn his booke of the spirite and the letter. in the last iudgement: wheras when the iuste Kyng shall sit in his throne, to render to euery man accordyng to his woor­kes,33. Chapiter. who shall boaste that he is cleane from synne? Or who shall boast that his harte is chaste? Therfore it was needefull to make mention of the pitie and mercie of our Lorde.

If thou wilt be a straunger from the grace of God, boasteVpon the. 31. Psalme. thou of thine owne merites.

If God woulde deale with vs accordyng to that wee haueVpon the. 94. Psalme. deserued, he should finde nothyng but that he might cōdemne.

Woe be to all our righteousnes, if it be iudged: mercie bee­yngIn his. 9. boke of consessions. taken awaie, or set a side.

[Page]God in the ende of the world, will crowne vs with fauourIn his. 105. E­pistle to Sixtu [...] and mercie.

For nothyng thou shalte saue theim: what is meante byOf the wordes of the Apostle the. 15. [...]. these wordes: for nothing thou shalt saue theim? Thou findest nothyng in theim wherefore thou shouldest saue theim: and yet thou sauest theim, thou findest nothyng wherefore thou shouldest saue theim: but thou findest muche wherefore thou shouldest condemne theim.

Deserued paine would all men into death, vnlesse the vn­deseruedIn his 14. boke and. 1. Chap. of the city of god. grace of God deliuered some from it.

I acknowledge nothyng of mine owne, I shall be minde­ful of thy mercies, of thée I haue whatsoeuer goodnes I haue,Vpon the. 70. Psalme. whatsoeuer euill I haue, I haue it of my selfe: thou hast not rendered punishement for my merites: but thou hast giuen mee freely thy grace.

Thou art nothyng of thy selfe, call vpon God, thy synnes are thine owne: merites are of God, punishement is due vnto thee, and when the rewarde shall come, he will crowne his owne giftes, not thy merites.

He wil not crowne our merites in vs, but his owne giftes.Vpon the. 98. Psalme.

God will not render to thee thy deserued paine, but willVpon the. 31. Psalme. giue to thee vndeserued grace.

I doo confesse, that I am greeued that there is no place gi­uenIn his booke of predestination of sainctes the 1. Chapiter. to so many and manifest aucthorities of Gods woorde, wherby the grace of God is commended (whiche is vtterly no grace) if it be giuen for our merites.

But that godly doctour (I meane the blessed Cyprian) wasIn the. 3. Chap. of the same booke. not of this iudgement: whiche he saide that we ought to glorie in nothyng, forasmuche as nothyng is our owne.

They whiche glory, should not glory in their owne meri­tes [...]n the. 9. chap. of the same booke. (whiche thei perceiue to be like vnto the merites of theim that are damned) but shoulde glorie in the lorde.

Bicause from hym, and by hym, and in hym, are all things:Vpon the. 31. Psalme the. 2. exposition. Therefore we haue not giuen any thyng vnto hym, and hold hym as a debtour, where is he our debtour: Euen bicause hee hath promised. We saie not vnto God: Lord, giue againe that thou hast receiued, but giue vnto vs, that thou hast promised.

[Page 42]Sée the goodnes of God, it is not saide, see thy merites andChrisostome vpon the. 11. to the Romaines. thy labours: for it commeth all whole of grace from aboue.

If thou be a bond slaue, then feare the wippe: if thou bee aGregory Na­zyanzene in his boke of ho­ly Baptisme. hirelyng, then looke onely for thy rewarde. But ouer and bee­side these, if thou be a childe, then reuerence GOD as thy fa­ther. Doo well, bicause it is good to obey thy father, yea, and al­though thou shalt haue nothyng els, yet euen this shalbe thy rewarde, that thou hast been obedient to thy father.

First of all thou must beléeue, that thou canst not haue re­missionBernarde in a sermon of the anunciation of the Virgine Marie. of synnes, but through pardon and forgiuenes of God, and then next, that thou canst haue no good worke, excepte he giue it thee, and last of all, that euerlastyng life can not be de­serued with any woorkes, excepte it be giuen vnto thee also fréely.

My merite, is the mercie of God, so long as God is not pooreVpon the Psal. qui habitat. of mercie, so long can not I be poore of merites. If his mercies be greate, then am I greate in merites. This is the wholeVpon the can­ticle the. 61. Sermon. merite of man, if he put his whole affiaunce in the lorde.

What can all our righteousnes beè before God? shall it notIn his. 1. sermō vpon the feaste of all Sainctes. according to the prophet, be counted as a filthy blooddy cloute? And if it be streictly iudged, shall not all our righteousnes bee sound vnrighteousnes, and hauyng lesse then it ought to haue? What shall then become of our synnes, if our righteousnes cannot aunswere by it self? Therefore criyng earnestly with the prophete: enter not into iudgement O lorde, with thy ser­uaunte, for in thy sight no man liuyng shalbe iustified, lette vs with all humility haue our recourse vnto mercie, which alone is able to saue our soules.

There is no meanes for grace to enter, where merite kee­pethIn his. 67. Ser­mon vpon the Canticles. place.

What haste thou, that thou hast not receiued? Thou arteIn his boke of freewill and grace. created, thou art healed, thou art saued. To thee I saie: O thou man, which of these hast thou of thy self? Thou that was not, coulde not create: when thou wast a synner, thou couldest not iustifie: whē thou wast dead, thou couldest not rise vp thy self againe: beside other thynges, either are necessarie for theym that healed, or laide vp for theim that shalbe saued.

[Page]What worthy thing doe wee, that wee may be founde inwaldensis in his boke a­gunst wicleffe. the felowship of the heauenly spirites? The Apostle saieth, I iudge that the afflictions of this tyme, are not worthy of that glorie that shalbe reueiled in vs: Therfore I take hym to bee the sounder diuine, the faithfuller catholique, and more agreeable to the holy scriptures, that vtterly denieth all suche kyndes of merites.

We are iustified fréely without workes, that may deserueD. [...] in his boke a de­tection of sun­drie foule er­rours, lies. &c. in folio. 357. the grace that God geueth.

¶ What is not doen of faith, is synne.

EIther make the Trée good, and hys fruicteMatth. 12. 33. good: or els make the tree euill, and his fruicte euill: for the Trée is knowen by the fruicte.

O generation of Uipers, howe can ye34. speake good thinges, when ye are euill?

Howe shall they call on hym, in whomRoma. 10. 14. they haue not beléeued? Howe shall they beleeue in hym, of whom thei haue not hearde? And how shall they heare, with­out a preacher?

Whatsoeuer is not of faith, is synne.Chap. 14. 23.

Without faithe, it is vnpossible to please God.Hebre. 11. 6.

¶ The Doctors.

WIthout the worshippyng of the true GOD, theAmbrose in his boke of the callyng of the gentiles. 3. cap. thynges that seeme to be vertues, are synnes.

That it is therefore synne, for that he (whiche is an infidell) doeth soe godly a worke (as to cloth the naked) glorieth of his worke, for he doeth notAugust. in his 4. boke and. 3. Chapiter againste Iulia­ [...]us. by faithe acknowledge either god or Christ, nor thinketh that he hath receiued the same at his hande.

To auoide the nature of synne, it is not enough that a good [Page 43] thyng be doen: but also that it bee well and vprightly dooen. Shall we then saie that an infidell hath dooen a good woorke, and wrought vprightly? if we graunt not this, then must we confesse that he sinned: but if we graunt it, then must we con­fesse the fruicte to be good, not withstandyng, an infidell with­out christe, is an euill Trée? So shall we graunte, that an euill Trée, can bryng forth good fruict: which yet Christ expressedly denieth.

Cornelius when he praied, was holpen by his owne faith,In his boke a­gainst the Do­natistes. and not by the faith of others that stoode by.

A good intent maketh the worke good: but that intent isIn his boke v­pon the. 31. Psalme. directed by faithe: wherfore, consider not what a man doeth: but what he hath a regarde vnto, whilest he is in doyng.

I praise the building of worke: but I see the foundation of faith: I praise the fruicte of good workes: but I acknowledge the roote in faith.

If Abraham (in offeryng vp his sonne) had not doen it in a true faithe, it had little or nothyng profited hym, whatsoeuer worke that shoulde haue been.

Those which are saide to be workes before faith: although they seeme neuer so laudable to men, they are vaine and no­thyng.

Where faithe is not, good woorkes is not: the intent ma­keth a good worke: but faith directeth that intent.

Many dothe glory of woorkes. And thou shalt finde many Paganes doe the same: but thei are not therfore made christi­stians: as though their good life were sufficient to theim, they saie, I haue doen no murther, nor thefte, nor haue taken anie woman, he hath to glorie: but not with God.

Our religion doth not discerne the righteous from the vn­righteous,In his. 3. booke and. 5. Chap. to Bonifacius. by the lawe of woorkes: but by the lawe of faithe: without the whiche, yea, those workes that seeme good woor­kes, are turned into synnes.

Before workes, muste faithe be first brought in, I can notChrisostome of faith, and the law of na [...]ure, and the holy ghoste. proue that he was a liue, which worketh of righteousnes with out faith. But I can shewe you a faithfull man, without wor­kes, and that he liued, and obtained the kyngdome of heauen, [Page] there hath none had life without faith. But the thief beleued onely, and was made righteous of the most mercifull God.

And here leste thou saie vnto mee, that he wanted tyme, wherin that he might liue iustely and doe good workes: About this I will not contende and striue.

But this will I holde and saie, that onely faithe by it selfe did saue hym. But this is nowe asked, and is in hande to be in­treated, that faith by it selfe hath saued: And that woorkes by theim selues, did neuer iustifie or make righteous any wor­kers. Wilt thou see plainely that workes without faith doth not quicken and giue life? Cornelius had a good testimonie and reporte for his almes and praiers: But he knewe not christe: yet beleeuyng that there was a God, and was not taught the worde of God. And bicause the workes was good and wonder­full, thei pleased God, the rewarder and louer of goodnesse and trueth (I meane) the righteous iudge, whiche is not partiall, and regardeth not one more thē another, did sée the good wor­kes (I graunte) but deade and without life, bicause they had not faith, he sendeth his diuine Angell ministring, to gette re­wardes to his workes, that in fightyng well, he maie be re­warded for his faith, whiche saieth vnto him, Cornelius, Thy praiers hath ascended. &c. And therfore workes could not saue, for if he bee saued and all his house, with those thynges that Peter preached, Cornelius had not at that time saluatiō of his woorkes, till that faith offered a rewarde to be obtained vnto his workes. &c. Therefore faith muste shine before woorkes, and workes must bee hand maides, and waiters of faith, and folowe her.

Not by vertues, we come to faithe: but by faith, vertuesGregorie in his [...]9. Hornily v­pon E [...]echiell. come, faith is the entire wherby we come to good workes: but not contrariwise, that by good works we can come vnto faith.

Cornelius coulde doe no good, except he had beleeued firste, for it is written, it is vnpossible to please God without faithe: Therefore he had faithe, that his praiers and almes coulde please, he commeth to good worke by faith.

¶ The certainetie of our faith and saluation

LO, though he slaie mée, yet will I trust inIob. 1 [...] ▪ 15. hym, and I will reproue my waies in hys sight.

He shall be my saluation also: for the Hi­pocrite16. shall not come before hym.

I am sure that my redéemer liueth, andChap. 19. 25. he shall stande the last on the earth.

And though after my skinne, wormes destroie this my26. bodie, yet shall I sée God in my fleshe.

Whom I myselfe shall sée, and mine eies shal behold, and27. none other for me, though my raines are cōsumed within me.

In thée O Lorde I trust: I will neuer be confounded.Psalm. 71. [...].

I giue vnto theim eternall life, and they shall neuer pe­rishe,Iohn. 10. 28. neither shall any plucke theim out of my hande.

My father whiche gaue theim mée, is greater then all, and29. none is able to take theim out of my fathers hande.

Now there is noe damnation to theym that are in ChristRom. 8. 1. Iesus, whiche walke not after the fleshe, but after the spirite.

The same spirite beareth witnesse with our spirite, that16. we are the children of God.

If we be children, wee are also heires, euen the heires of17. God, and heires annexed with Christe, if so be that we suffer with hym, that we maie also be glorified with hym.

For I am perswaded, that neither death, nor life, nor An­gels,38. nor principalities, nor powers, nor thynges present, nor thynges to come,

Nor height, nor deapth, nor any other creature, shall be39▪ able to seperate vs from the loue of God, whiche is in Christe Iesu our Lorde.

Bicause ye are sonnes, God hath sent foorth the spirite ofGalath. 4. 5. his sonne into our hartes, whiche crieth, Abba, father.

[Page]Let vs drawe néere with a true hart, in assurance of saith.Hebre. 10. 22.

Lette vs keepe the profession of our hope, without waue­ryng23. (for he is faithfull that promised.)

Faithe is the ground of thynges whiche are hoped for, andChapiter. 11. 1. the euidence of thynges whiche are not seen.

Let him aske in faith, & wauer not: for he that wauereth, isIames. 1. 6. like a waue of the Sea, toste of the wind, and caried awaie.

A waueryng minded man, is vnstable in all his waies.8.

¶ The Doctours.

THat wée might be certified that wee be the chil­drenTertullian in his. 5. boke a­gainst Mar­cion. of God, he hath sent the holy ghost into our hartes, criyng, Abba, father.

And dooest thou stagger and stande in doubteCyprian is his 4. sermon of mortalitie. (of thy saluation)? that were as muche as with the sinne of vnbelief, to offende christ the maister of beleuers, that were as muche as beyng in the Churche, in the house of faith, to haue no faith.

Paule boasteth and presumeth of the contempte of hysBasile in his boke of humi­litie. owne righteousnes.

I will not glory, for that I am a iuste man: But for that IAmbrose of Iacob and a blessed life. am redeemed, therefore will I glory: not for that I am voide of synne: but that my synnes are forgiuen me: I will not glo­rie, for that I haue doen good to any man, nor for that any hath doen good vnto me: But for that Christes blood was shed for mée.Augustine in his. 28. ser­mon of the vvordes of the Apostle.

Presume thou not of thine owne working: but of the grace of god: for the Apostle saieth: ye are saued by grace: here ther­fore is not presumtion: but faith, to proclaime that thou haste receiued, it is no pride, it is deuotion.In his. 22. trea­tise vpon Iohn. In his. 11. boke and. 7. Chap. of confessions.

It is not of my presumption: but of his promise, that I shall not come into iudgement.

What shall I render vnto our Lorde, for that I call to re­membraunce all these my synnes, and yet therof my Soule is not afraied?Prosper, of the promises of God, par. 16. Cap.

Thei vnto whom the worlde is crucified, and are crucified vnto the worlde, waite for the daie of iudgemente without [Page 45] feare.

In deede hope is, as it were the blood of faith, in which faithClemens. Alexandrino in Paelagogo in his. 1. booke and. 6. Chap. Barnarde in his 61. sermon v­pon [...] Canti­cles. hope is contained, euen as faithe is conteined in the Soule. And when hope is gone, then is all the liuely power of faith dissolued, as if the blood were shed out of the body.

What safe reast or suertie can the weake Soule finde, but in the woundes of our sauiour? as hee is mightier to saue, so dwell I there with more safetie. &c. I haue committed a great synne, my conscience is troubled: yet shall it not bee shaken downe: bicause I will remember my Lordes woundes: for he was wounded for our synnes.Antonius Ma­rinarius in the Counsell of Trident the. 1. Acte. Anno. 1546.

If the Heauen should fall, if the earth should vanishe, if the whole world should come downe headlong, yet would I stand preste, and bolde before god. If an Angell from heauen would [...]ell mée otherwise, I woulde accurse hym, O the blessed trust and certaintie of a christian harte.

¶ It belongeth onely vnto God to forgiue sinnes.

SAluation belongeth vnto the lorde:Psalme 3. 8. and thy blessyng is vpon thy people. Selah.

Shewe thy merueilous mercies:Psalm. 17. 7. thou that arte the sauiour of theym that trust in thee.

Blessed is he whose wickednes isPsalme. 32. 1. forgiuen: & whose synne is couered.

Blessed is the man: vnto whom2. the Lorde imputeth not iniquitie.

Thou O lorde, forgauest the punishment of my sinne. Selah. 5.

A man can by no meanes redéeme his brother: hee can notPsal. 49. 7. giue his Raunsome to GOD.

So precious is the redemption of their soules, and the con­tinuaunce8. for euer.

[Page]Deliuer mée from blood, O God, whiche arte the God of myPsalm. 51. 14. saluation.

Helpe vs God of our saluation, for the glory of thy name:Psalme. 79. 9. and deliuer vs, and bee mercifull to our synnes for thy names sake.

O lorde, vnto vs appertaineth open shame, bicause we haueDaniel. 9. 8. synned against thee.

Yet compassion and forgiuenesse is in the Lorde our God:9. albeit we haue rebelled agaist hym.

I, euen I, am hee that putteth awaie thine iniquities forEsaie. 43. 25. mine owne sake: and will not remember thy synnes.

The whole seede of Israell shall bee iustified, and glory inChap. 45. 29. the Lorde.

I, euen I, am he that comforte you.Chap. 51. 12.

And she shall bryng foorth a sonne, and thou shalte call hysMath. 1. 21. name Iesus: for he shall saue his people from their synnes.

Thou shalt goe before the face of the Lorde, to prepare hysLuke. 1. 76. waies.

And to geue knowledge of saluation vnto his people, by the77. remission of their synnes.

Through the tender mercie of our GOD, mine eyes haueChap. 2. 30. seene thy saluation.

Which thou hast prepared, before the face of all people.31.

Who can forgiue synnes, but God onely.Chap. 5. 21.

And that repentaunce and remission of synnes, should beeChap. 22. 47. preached in his name among all nations.

The next daie Iohn séeth Iesus commyng vnto hym, andIohn. 1. 29. saieth, beholde the Lambe of GOD, whiche taketh awaie the synne of the worlde.

Neither is there saluation in any other: for among menActes. 4. 12. there is geuen none other name vnder heauen whereby wee must be saued.

This is a true saiyng, and by all meanes worthy to be re­ceiued,1. Timo. 1. 15. that Christe Iesus came into the worlde to saue syn­ners, of whom I am chief.

The blood of Iesus christ his sonne, clenseth vs frō all sinne. [...]. Iohn. 1. 7.

If we acknowledge our synnes, he is faithfull and iuste, to9. [Page 46] forgiue vs our sinnes, and to cleanse vs from all vnrighteous­nesse.

Little Children, I write vnto you, bicause your sinnes areChap. 2. 12. forgiuen you, for his names sake.

¶ The Doctours.

IT is our parte to remooue the Stone from theAmbrose in his. 2. Booke & 7. Chap. of re­pentance. Graue: but it is the lordes worke to raise vp the deade: It is the lordes worke to bryng him from the Pit.

It is not the Ambassadour: It is not the mes­senger:In his. 9. boke and. 76. Epist. but the lorde hymselfe that hath saued his people.

The Lorde remaineth alone. For, no man can be partner with God in forgiuing of synnes, this is Christes onely office, that hath taken awaie the synnes of the worlde.

It parteineth only to God to forgiue sinnes, and to giue theVpon the. 2. [...] the Cor. and 12 Chap. holy ghoste, he alone forgiueth synnes, whiche alone died for our synnes.

As my father hath sente mée, so I sende you, when hee hadAugustine in his. 2. boke & 11. Chapter against the E­pistle of Par­menianus. saide that, he breathed in theim, and saide: take ye the holy ghost, and if ye forgiue any men their synnes thei shall be for­giuen. And if ye holde any mans synnes, they shall be holden. It were against vs, if that we should be compelled to graunte that this thyng were doen of mē: but not thorowe or by men, if after that he saide (and I sende you) he had immediatly said: if ye forgiue any his synnes, they shall be forgiuen: and if ye holde any mans synnes, they shall be holden. But séeyng that it is put betwéene (when he had saide this, he blewe on them, and saide vnto theim: take ye the holy ghoste: and afterwarde it was brought in, that by theim the remission and holdyng of synnes were doen) it is sufficiently shewed that they dooe it not: but the holy ghost thorowe them: as it is saide in another place, ye are not they that speake, but the holy ghoste whicheIn a sermon of the remission of sinnes, and 1. question. [...]. Canon. Chap. vt euidenter. is in you.

That the Lorde might euidently shewe that sinnes be for­giuen by the holy ghoste (whom he hath giuen vnto hys faith­full, and not by the merites of men) hee saieth in a certaine [Page] place: take ye the holy ghoste, and streight waie after he put that, he saide this saiyng, if ye forgiue any man his sinnes, thei are forgiuen: that is, the holy ghost forgiueth, and not you.

Our lorde hath graunted the office of Baptisyng vnto ma­nie:Of the Ladders of Paradise. But the power and aucthoritie in Baptisme to forgiue synnes, he hath reserued onely to hym selfe.

Hereof grewe Schismes and diuisions in the church, whenIn his boke of faith an [...] vor­kes the. 14. Chapiter. men say: we sanctifie the vncleane: we iustifie the wicked: we desire: we obtaine.

My brethren, we haue Iesus Christ the righteous, our ad­uocateIn his. 1. trea­tise vpon the Epistle of S. Iohn. with the father; he is the propitiation or pardon for our synnes: He that helde this, neuer made heresie: He that helde this, neuer made Schisme. For, wherof doe Schismes come? hereof they come, when men saie, we are righteous: we doe make holy the vnholy: we doe iustifie the wicked: we do pray, we doe obtaine.

In whose name are synnes forgeuen? In the name of Au­gustine: In his. 2. trea­tise vpon the Epistle of Iohn. or of Donatus? Ye see what Augustine is, or what Donatus is? Neither in the name of Paule, nor of Peter▪ but he calleth theim to the loue of the name of Iesus Christe.)

Of a suertie it belongeth to the vertue of Christe, to deli­uerChrisostome, in his. 15. Ho­mily vpon the 5. of Matth. men from the filthines of synnes, but that they fall not a­gaine of freshe into them, it dooeth appertaine vnto the cure and labour of the Apostles.

The bondage of synne is moste gréeuous, and from it onelyIn his. 53. Ho­mily vpon the [...]. of Math. God can deliuer vs: for no man hath power to forgiue synnes saue onely God.

It is the office of God onely to quicken within, and to takeCyril in his. 7. boke and. 23. Chap. vpon the 11. of Iohn. away synne, which saieth by the Prophete, I am he that put­teth awaie your iniquities and synnes.

Doubtles, it belongeth only vnto GOD, to be able to looseIn his. 12. boke and. 56. Chap. men from synnes, for, to what other man is it lawfull to deli­uer and quite the breakers of the lawe from sinne, but to hym that is the authour of the Lawe. &c. For, when they forgiue, and holde, the spirite whiche dwelleth in them, forgiueth, and holdeth.

Christe coulde not haue been knowen any other waie, butTheophilactus vpon the. 1. Chap. of Luke. [Page 47] by forgiuyng the people their synnes, for it is the office of God to forgiue synnes.

For, to forgiue synnes pertaineth onely vnto God, there­fore,In his booke vpon the. 8. of Ihon. euery man that synneth, is the seruaunt of synne, there ye are seruauntes and bondmen of synne, bicause ye are syn­ners. Moreouer, bicause it was likely that they shauld saie, for all that we be vnder such bondage, yet we haue sacrifices, and Priestes, whiche will make vs cleane of our synnes. He saith that euen they also be seruauntes and bondes: for al men haue synned, and wanteth the glorie of God.

And your Priestes, bicause euen they be bondes, hath not authoritie to forgeue other men their synnes. The whiche thyng Paule sheweth more plainly, saiyng: the Prieste hath neede to offer for hym selfe, as well as for the people, for he is also subdued and in daunger of infirmity. The seruaunt saith, he abideth not in the house, that is, hath no power to expende and paie forth, bicause he is not the goodman of the house, that is the lorde of the house, but the sonne is the lord of the house, and abideth in the house. He meaneth by the house, power: as in another place, he meaneth by it, rule and dominion: saiyng: in my fathers house, are many Mansions.

Therefore your Priestes, bicause they are bondes and ser­uauntes, hath not authoritie to forgiue and release synne.

The word of God forgiueth sinnes, the prieste is the iudge,First distinctiō verbum dei. the Prieste executeth his office: But he exerciseth the right of no power (to forgiue synne.)

¶ Of Confession

WHo can vnderstande his faultes? clense mée fromPsal. 19. 1 [...] ▪ secrete faultes.

Remember not the synnes of my youth, norPsalme. 2 [...]. 7. my rebellions: but accordyng to thy kyndnesse remember thou mee, euen for thy goodnes sake, O Lorde.

[Page]Then I acknowledged my synne vnto thee: neither hid IPsalme. 32. 5. mine iniquitie: for I thought, I will confesse against my selfe my wickednesse vnto the Lorde: and thou forgauest the pu­nishementes of my synne. Selah.

Therefore I saide, Lorde haue mercie vpon mee: heale myPsal. 41. 4. soule, for I haue synned against thee.

I knowe mine iniquities: and my synne is euer before me.Psal. 51. 3.

He that hideth his sinnes, shall not prosper: but he that con­fesseth,Prouer. [...]. 13. and forsaketh them, shall haue mercie.

Be not ashamed to confesse thy synnes.Eccle. 4. 26.

And I praied vnto the lorde my God, and made my confes­sion,Daniell. 9. 4. saiyng, oh lorde God, which arte greate and fearefull. &c.

We haue synned, and haue committed iniquitie, and dooen5. wickedly. &c.

I will rise and goe to my father, and saie vnto hym, father,Luke. 15. 18. I haue synned against heauen, and before thee.

And am no more worthy to be called thy sonne, make mee19. as one of thy hired seruauntes.

But the Publicane standyng a farre of, woulde not lifte vpChap. 17. 13. his eyes to heauen: but smote his breaste, saiyng, O GOD be mercifull to mee a synner.

And they were baptized of hym in Iordan, confessyng theirMath. 3. 6. synnes.

If we confesse our synnes, he is faithfull and iuste to forgiue1. Iohn. i. ix. vs our synnes, and to cleanse vs from all vnrighteousnesse.

Acknowledge your faultes one to another, and praie oneIames. v. xvi. for another, that ye maie be healed.

¶ The Doctours.

PEter mourned and wepte, hee praied nothyngAmbrose in his. 4. 6. sermō of Peters re­pentaunce. with his mouthe, I finde that he wepte, I finde not what hee saide, I reade of hys teares, but I reade not of his satisfaction.

Therfore Peter vsed not speach: by the which he was deceiued: by the whiche he synned: by the which he de­nied the faith: neither woulde he speake by that, whiche was [Page 48] vsed to denie. So he woulde rather weepe for his faulte then speake. And that he denied in voice, he confessed by teares vn­to God.

Goe and shew thee to a prieste. &c. Who is the true priest,In his. 3. ser­mon vpon. Beati imma­culati. but he that is a Prieste for euer? after the order of Melchi­ [...]idech.

Thou muste needes humble thy selfe, and desire manie to entreate for thee. Let the Church thy mother weepe for thée,In his. [...] booke and. x. Chap. of repentaunce. and let her washe thyne offences with her teares.

How knowe they when thei heare mee speake of my self,Augustine in his. x. booke. 3. Chapiter of Confessions. whether I saie trueth or noe,

We speake in your eares: but howe knowe we, what is wrought in your hartes? howe be it, whatsoeuer is wrought within you, it is wrought, not by vs, but by God. God there­foreVpon the. 101. Psalme. hath looked forth, to loose the children of theim that were appointed to death.

What haue I to doe with men, that they should heare myIn his. x. booke of Confessions and third Cap. confessions, as though they should heale all my viseases? here is a curious and a busie kinde of men, to know an other mans life, and a slowe sorte to amende their owne, wherfore seeke they to heare of mee what man I am, whiche will not heare what they be.

All euill vices ought to bee farre awaie from vs whilesIn his booke of holsome tea­chyng. Christ will be our heritage. Therfore, bicause that we be vn­certaine of suche thinges, let vs fall downe lowly in the sight of our holy father, and let vs bryng foorth our synnes roundly at once, that our heauenly father maie take them awaie. And when wee haue confessed vs, let vs not iustifie oure selues in our praier, lest we go awaie condemned as the Pharesie did. Let vs remember the Publicane, and let vs praie so that we may deserue to get forgiuenesse of our synnes, let the criyng of our hart beate and ascende vnto the eares of almightie god, for with a pure minde he will be pleased in the time of praier.

Uerely I saie vnto you, that what so euer ye shal bind vponIn his. xvi. ser­mon of the wordes of the Lorde, vpon Math. earth, it shal be bound also in heauen: and what soeuer ye shal loose vpon earth, it shall be loosed in heauen. Thou haste begon to take thy brother as a publicane, thou bindest hym in earth, [Page] but take heede thou binde hym iustely, for iustice breaketh vniuste bondes: but when thou doest amend hym, and agreest with thy brother, thou hast loosed him in earth, and when thou haste loosed hym in earth, he is also loosed in heauen.

Hereof growe Schismes and deuisions in the Churche,In his boke of faith and wor­kes the. 14. Chapi [...] ▪ when men saie, we sanctifie the vncleane: we iustifie the wic­ked: we desire: we obtaine.

Doe penaunce, suche as is dooen in the Churche, that theIn his boke of [...]0. Homilies the. 49. Ho­milie. Churche may praie for you: Iob saieth, I was not ashamed in the sight of all the people, to confesse my sinnes: Therfore god would that Theodosius should doe penaunce, euen in the pre­sence of all the people, ye wiues suffer not your husbandes to liue in fornication, come before the congregation, and crie a­gainst them.

He that hath offended, commeth foorth into the middes ofOrigene vpon the. 37. Psalm. the people, and maketh his confession.

To thée shal I giue the keies of the kingdome of heauen. &c.Hierome vpon the. 16. of Math. This place, the Bishops and priestes not vnderstanding, take vnto theym some parte of the prowde lookes of the Phari­sies: thinkyng themselues able either to condemne the inno­cent, or to absolue the guiltie, whereas in deede, it is not the absolution of the Prieste: but the life of the synner, that is weighed before God.

The Bishops, or Priestes, neither bindeth the innocent, nor loose the guiltie: But accordyng to hys office, when he hath hearde the diuersitie of synnes, he knoweth who ought to bee bounde, who ought to be loosed.

I will thee not to confesse thy synnes vnto the PriesteChrisostome in his. 2. Ho­mily vpon the 50. Psalme. that is thy fellowe seruant: confesse them vnto God that may heale them.

Here is a place of medicine, and not of iudgement: rende­ryngIn his. 9. Ho­mily of repen­taunce. not punishment, but remission of synnes, open thyne of­fences to God onely.

I saie not vnto thee, that thou shouldest bewraie thy selfeIn his. 3. Ho­mily vpon the 12. to the He­brewes. abroade openly, neither yet accuse thy selfe before other. But I will that thou obeie the Prophete, whiche saieth: shewe vn­to the Lorde thy waie (that is, thy maner of liuyng) therefore [Page 49] confesse thy synnes before God, confesse thy synnes before the true iudge with praier, for the wrong that thou haste dooen, not with thy tongue, but with the memory of thy conscience.

And then at the last, beleeue, that thou maiest get mercy: if thou haue them continually in thy minde, thou shalte neuer kéepe any euill in thy harte against thy neighbour.

It is not nowe necessarie to confesse, other beyng presenteIn a Sermon of conf [...]ion and repentance. which might heare our confessions, let the seekyng out of thy synnes be in thy thought: let thys iudgement be without the presence of any body: let onely God see the makyng of thy con­fession. God which doeth not vpbraide thee for thy sinnes, and cast them in thy téeth, but looseth them for thy confession.

Confesse thy synnes that thou be cleansed of them, if thouIn his. 2. Ho­milie vpon the 50. Psalme. be ashamed to tell any man thy synnes, tell them daily in thy soule: I saie not vnto thee that thou shouldest confesse them to thy fellowe seruaunt, that he might rebuke thee for them, tell thy sinnes vnto God which healeth them. And if thou doe not tell them, is God ignorant of them? will he knowe them of thée? when thou diddest them, he was by, when thou wilte hide them, he knoweth. Thou arte not ashamed to synne, and yet arte thou ashamed to confesse thy synnes? tell them in this life, that thou maiest haue reaste in the life to come.

I desire and praie you moste deare brethren, confesse youIn his. 5. Ho­mily of the in­comprehensi­ble nature of God. often vnto the immortall God, and after that ye haue recke­ned▪ vp your synnes, aske forgiuenesse, and that the godhead will be mercifull. I doe not leade thee into the common Hall of thy fellowe seruaunts, I compelle thee not to open thy tre­spasses vnto men, rehearse thy conscience before God, declare and open thy selfe, shewe thy woundes vnto the moste excel­lent phisitian, and aske of hym a medicine, shewe vnto hym that will vpbraide thee of nothing, but wil most gentlie heale thee.

Beware thou tell any man thy synnes, least he cast themIn his. 4. Ser­mon of Laza­rus. in thy teeth, and reuile thee for them: Neither doe thou con­fesse thee vnto thy fellowe seruaunte that hee might tell thy faultes abroade, but to hym whiche is the lorde and maister, whiche also careth for thee, to hym that is kinde and gentle, [Page] and thou shewest thy woundes vnto hym, whiche is a Phi­sitian.

God will that thou shouldest tell, not that thou shouldest be punished, but be released and iustified.

Thei that haue offended fal downe flat, with wéepyng andSozomenus in his 7. booke. & 16. Chapiter. lamentations, to the grounde, the Bishop cōmeth to him with teares, and hymselfe likewise falleth downe: And the whole multitude of the church is powred ouer and ouer with teares.

Uerely I saie vnto you, whatsoeuer ye shall binde vponTheophilacte vpon the. 18. Chap. of Math. earth. &c. If thou when thou hast a displeasure doen vnto thée: takest hym that hath doen thee the displeasure and wrong, as a Publicane and an heathen man, he shall euen so bee in Hea­uen. But if thou wilte loose hym, that is to saie, if thou wilte forgiue hym, he shall be forgiuen also in heauen. For, not one­lie those thynges be loosed which the Priestes loose: but what­soeuer thynges we (when we be hurte and haue wrong doen vnto vs) loose or binde, are also loosed and bounde.

It appeareth that in the tyme of S. Hierome (whiche wasErasmus in his brief expositiō vpon the Epi­taphe of [...]y­biola. 400. yeres after Christe) secret confession of synnes, was not yet ordeined: which notwithstandyng, was afterwardes hol­somly, and profitably appointed by the Churche, so that it bee wel vsed, as wel by the Priestes, as by the people. But herein certaine Deuines, not consideryng aduisedly what they saie, are muche deceiued: For, whatsoeuer the auncient fathers write of generall and open confession, they wreast and drawe the same to this priuie and secret kynde, whiche is farre of anOf Penaunce the. 1. distin­ction, Conuer­ [...]mini. other sorte.

Peter Lōbard 4. sentence. & 18. distinctiō, Ne [...] ideo. God hath giuen to Priestes, power to bynde and to loose, that is to saie, to declare vnto men, that the penitentes be ei­ther bounde or loosed.Peter Lōbarde. 4. Sentence 17. distinction Quid ergo.

The sinner is made cleane, not by iudgement of the Prie­stes: but by the abundaunce of the heauenly grace.

We may safely say, that without confession of the mouth,Beatus Rhena­n [...] vpon the argument of Tertullians boke of repen­taunce. and absolution of the outwarde paine, synnes be forgiuen by the contrition and humilitie of the harte.

Tertullian of this priuie cōfession of sinnes, saith nothyng: neither doe we reade that the same kynde of priuie confession [Page 50] in olde tymes was euer commaunded.

Before wee open our mouthe vnto the Prieste, that is toGratian of pe­naunce. 1. di­stinction, con­uertimini. [...]ais, before we make confession of our synnes, the leprosie of our synne is made cleane.

Confession was appointed by some tradition of the vni­uersallIn the Glose of repentance in the. 5. di­stinc [...], i [...] penitentia. Churche, then by any aucthoritie or commaundement of the newe or olde testament.

Perhaps then in the tyme of saincte Ambrose (which was 400. yeres after Christe) the maner of confession that nowe is vsed, was not appoincted.In the Glose▪ the. 1. distin­ction. De peni­tentia.

In the Churche nowe at this daie, the Bishops and Mini­sters hath aucthoritie to discerne betweene good and bad, that those whom they see humble to confesse and weepe for theirHaymo in his Homily vpon the feaste of Peter & Paule▪ sinnes, thei maie loose them from their synnes: Those whom they see to remaine and abide in their synnes, they may sende them away bounde: bicause in the sight of God almighty, thei are bounde, notwithstandyng they haue not power, of theym that be no Lepers, that is to saie, to make the righteous lepe­rous synners: or els shoulde make of sinners righteous men▪ without confessyng and repentyng their synnes.

Whatsoeuer thou bynde on earth. &c. That is, by thy sen­tence in earth, I shall confirme it in heauen. The bishops bin­deth men when he separateth theym from the societie of the Churche, and kéepe hym from receiuyng the body and blood of christe: He looseth them when as after repentaunce made, re­ceiueth hym againe into the felowshippe of the congregation, and admit hym to the Lordes table.

¶ The Apostles receiued the Keyes as farre forth as Pe­ter, and are equall with hym in aucthoritie.

VErelie, verelie, I saie vnto you, what soeuer yeMath. 1 [...]. 1 [...] ▪ bynde on earth, shall be bounde in heauen: and what ye loose in earth, shall be loosed in heauen.

And hee saide vnto theim, goe ye into all theMarke. 14. 1 [...] ▪ world, and preache the gospell to euery creature.

[Page]And there arose a strife among them, which of them shouldLuke. 22. 24. séeme to be the greatest.

The Kynges of the Gentiles, reigne ouer them, and they25. that beare rule ouer them, are called gracious lordes.

But ye shal not be so: but let the greatest among you, be as26. the least: and the chifest, as he that serueth.

Whosoeuers synnes ye remitte, they are remitted vntoIohn. 20. 23. them: and whosoeuers synnes ye retaine, they are retained.

Thou arte Peter, and vpon this Rocke I will builde myMath. 16. 18. Churche: and the gates of Hell shall not ouercome it.

Féede the flocke of God. &c.1. Peter. 5. 2.

Not as though ye were Lordes ouer Gods heritage, but3. that ye maie be ensamples to the flocke.

To thée I wil giue the keies of the kingdome of heauen. &c

¶ The Doctours.

THis saiyng, to thee I will giue the Keyes of theOrigene in his 1. treatise vpon Matth. kingdome of heauen, is common to the reast of the Apostles: and the words that folowe, as spo­ken vnto Peter, are common vnto all.

Shall wee dare to saie, that the Gates of Hell shall not ouercome only Peter? And that the same gates shall preuaile against all other the Apostles.

If we speake the same, that Peter spake, wee are made Peter, and vnto vs it shall be saide, thou arte Peter. For he [...] is the Rocke, that is the disciple of Christe.

If thou thinke that the whole Churche was builded onely vpon Peter: what wilt thou then saie of Iohn the sonne of Thunder, and of euery of the Apostles?

And I will giue to thee the keyes of the kingdome of hea­uen.Cyprian of the simplicitie of Prelates. &c. In the person of one man, the Lorde did giue the keies vnto al the Apostles, for to signifie the vnity of them all. For, truelie the other Apostles were euen the same that Peter was, they were endued with like felowshippe of honour and power. But he did begin with vnitie, that is to saie, with one, that thereby it might be signified that there is but one church [Page 51] of Christe.

Christ gaue to all his Apostles, like and equall power and aucthoritie.

Notwithstandyng we be many shepheardes, yet we feedeIn his. 3. booke and. 13. Epist. but one flocke: And wee are all bounde to gather vp, and to nourishe all the sheepe, that Christ hath wonne with his blood and passion.

Peter neither reuenged hym selfe, nor tooke any thyngTo [...] ▪ proudly vpon hym, as to saie, that he had the primacie, or that others that were but Nouices, and aftercommers ought to be obedient vnto hym.

Our lorde saide vnto Peter, féede my shéepe, which shéepeAmbrose of the dignitie of Priesthoode. 2. Chap. and flocke not only Peter then receiued, but he receiueth the same together with vs: And all we haue receiued the same to­gether with hym.

Ye will saie: the Churche is founded vpon Peter, not­withstandyng,Hierom in his 1. boke against Iouinianus. in another place the same thyng is doen vpon all the Apostles: And all receiue the keyes of the kyngdome of heauen, and the strength of the Church is founded equally vpon them all.

Let Bishops vnderstande, that they are aboue the Prie­stesVpon the Eipi­stle to Titus the. 1. Chap. rather of custome, then of any trueth or right of Christes institution: And that they ought to rule the Churche altoge­ther.

What doth a Bishop, sauyng onely the orderyng of Mini­sters,To Euagrius. but a Prieste maie dooe the same? Neither maie wee thinke that the Churche of Rome is one, and the Churche of all the world beside another▪ Fraunce, England, Aphrica, Per­sia, Leuante, India, and all the barbarous nations, worship one Christe, and kéepe one rule of the trueth. If wee séeke for au­cthoritie, the whole world is greater then the Citie of Rome, whersoeuer there be a Bishoppe, bee it at Eugubium, be it at Rome, be it at Constantinople, be it at Rhegium, be it at Ale­xandria, bee it at Tanaies, they are all of one worthines, they are all of one Bishopprike. The power of the richesse, and the basenesse of pouerty maketh not a Bishoppe either higher or [...]wer, for they are all the Apostles successours, what bryng [Page] you mée the custome of Rome, beyng but one Citie?

The Lorde shall take awaie the name of vaine glory, andVpon the Pro­phete Sophony the. 1. Chap. of fained wondryng whiche are in the Churche: yea, he shall take away both the names of those priestes and the Priestes withall, whiche vaunt theimselues in the dignitie of Bishop­prike and Priesthoode, but not in labour.

And to thee shall I giue the keyes of heauen. &c. The Bi­shopsVpon the 1 [...]. Chap. o [...] ▪ [...]ath. and Priestes not vnderstandyng this place, haue taken vnto them some thyng of the arrogant pride of the Pharisies, in so muche that they beleeue that they maie condemne inno­centes, and quite and loose theim that be guiltie.

This is the onely blessed Rocke of faithe, that Peter con­fessedHylla. his in. 6. booke of the Trinitie. with his mouth.

Christ said vnto Peter, louest thou mee? feede my shéepe.Basile in his boke of a soli­tarie life the 23. Chapiter. And in like sorte vnto all Pastours and Doctours he gaue the same power: A token wherof is this, that all others bynde and loose equally, as well as Peter.

When they were all asked, Peter alone doth make an an­swere,Augustine in his. 124. trea­tise vpon Iohn. and it is saide vnto hym: and I will giue thee the keyes of heauen, although he alone had receiued aucthoritie to binde and to loose, wheras he had spoken that for them all, and recei­ued this (as bearyng in hym selfe the persone of vnitie.

If there were not a misterie of the Churche in Peter, theIn his. 50. trea­tise vpon Iohn. Lorde woulde not haue saide, I will giue to thee the keyes of heauen: if this was saide onely to Peter, then the Churche hath them not, if the Churche hath them, then when he recei­ued the keies, he signified the whole Church.

In the persone of Peter the good Churche is signified: In the persone of Iudas, the cursed and euill Church is signified.

Thou art Peter, and vpon this Rocke whiche thou confes­sest:In his. 13. Ser­mon vpon Math. of the wordes the of Lorde. vpon this Rocke which thou acknowledgest, saiyng: thou art Christ the sonne of the liuing God, I wil build my church, that is, vpon my selfe being the sonne of the liuing God. I wil buide my church. I wil builde thée vpon mée, and not mée vpon thée: for, men willing to builde vpon men, said, I am of Paule, I am of a Apollo, and I holde of Cephas side, whiche is Peter: But others that woulde not builde vpon Peter, but vpon the [Page 52] Rocke, saide, I holde of Christe.

The wordes of Christe, louest thou mee? féede my shéepe:In his boke of the troubles of the Christians the 3. Chap. when they are spoken vnto Peter, they are spoken vnto all Priestes and Ministers.

Therfore wretched men, while in Peter thei vnderstandIn the same boke. 31. chap. not Christ that is the Rocke, and while thei will not beleeue that the keyes of the kyngdome of heauen are giuen vnto the Churche, they haue quite lost the keyes out of their handes.

Did Christe praie but for Peter, and not for Iames andIn his. 1. booke of his questiōs vpon the olde and newe Te­stament the 75. question. Iohn? it is manifest and cleare that all they were meante in Peter: bicause in another place he saieth: O father, I praie for them whom thou haste giuen mée: And I will where that I am thei may be with mée.

The keie is the knowledge of the worde of the scriptures,Chrisostome in his. 44. ho­mily vpon the 23. of Math. whereby the Gate of the trueth is opened vnto men. And the keepers of the keyes, are the Ministers, vnto whom charge is giuen to expounde and declare the Scriptures.

Paule had no maner of lacke of Peter: nor stoode in néedeVpon the Epi­stle to the Gal. 2. Chapter of hys voice or allowance: but in honour was his felowe. For I will here saie no more.

Euery Christian man that receiueth the worde of Peter,In his. 33. Ho­milie vpon Mathewe. is made Peters Chaire: and sainct Peter resteth in hym.

The office of a Bishop is a boue the office of a Priest afterAugust in his [...]9. Epistle. the names of honour, whiche the custome of the Church hath nowe obtained.

A priest and a Bishop are both one thyng: And before thatHierome vpon the Epistle to Titus. 1. Chap. by the enflamyng of the deuill, partes were taken in religion, and these wordes were vttered among the people: I holde of Paule, I holde of Apollo, I holde of Peter: the churches were gouerned by the common aduise of the Priestes.

The titles, and dignities, and rightes of honour geuen toNicephorus i [...] his 12. boke & 13. Chapiter. the Bishop of Rome, and to the bishop of Constantinople, are one and equall.

This communication doth gender & importe some higherCyrill in his 12. boke vpo [...] Iohn, the. 64▪ Chapiter. matter, for bicause Peter beyng enobled of Christ hym selfe, with the name of the Apostleship with other, did thrise denie Christe in the tyme of hys passion. Nowe by right is required [Page] of hym, three confessions of his loue: that the three denialles might be counteruailed and recompensed with equal nomber of confessyng. So that, that is committed in wordes, is cured with woordes: Christe asked of hym whether heé loued hym more then another? for he whiche experted greater clemencie of the lorde towardes hym: ought of right to be affected with greater loue.

For although generally all the disciples were striken with greate feare, when the Lorde was betraied: yet the faulte of Peter was greater, whiche denied Christ in so short a tyme. Bicause therefore he obtained remission of synnes by greater clemencie of the Sauiour: greate loue of right is required of hym. For he to whom more is forgiuen, ought more to loue.

Therefore, by the three confessions of Peter, the crime of the three denials was made voide, and put awaie. And where Christ saide, feede my sheepe, renued that dignitie of the Apo­stleship by humaine infirmitie, he shoulde seeme to be abased and made weake.

For this, as I iudge, Peter receiued this commaundementBernarde of the resurrection of our Lorde, in his first Sermō. of the lorde, thrise to feede his flocke, feede (saieth he) with thy minde: feede with thy mouth: feede with thy worke: feede thou with praier of thy minde: with exhortation of the word, and with example of exhibition.

Hierome seemeth to matche all Bishoppes together, as ifErasmus in his brief expositiō vpō the Epistle to Euagrius. they were all equally the Apostles successours. And he thin­keth not any bishop to be lesse then other, for that he is poorer, or greater then other, or for that he is richer. For he maketh the Bishop of Eugubium equal with the Bishop of Rome. And farther, he thinketh that a bishop is no better then any priest, sauyng that the Bishop hath aucthoritie to order Ministers.

I merueile of some men, whiche doo wrest this place (vponIn his Annota­tions vpon the 16. of Matth. this Rocke I will builde my Church) to the Bishop of Rome, sith it is meant, not vpon Peter: but vpon all christian people.

None of my predecessours Bishops of Rome, euer consen­tedGregorie in his 4. booke. and 3 [...]. & 36. Epi­stle. to vse this vngodly name. No Bishop of Rome euer tooke vpon him this name of singularity: we the Bishops of Rome, will not receiue this honour beyng offered vnto vs.

[Page 53]What aunswere wilt thou make vnto Christ (meanyngIn the. 3 [...]. Epi­stle of the same boke. Iohn the Bishop of Constantinople, the firste vsurper of that title) the head of the vniuersal church, when thou shalt be exa­mined at the laste iudgement, that thus goest aboute by the name of vniuersall Bishop, to make all his members subiecte vnto thee?

Your holines (that is, Eulogius the Patriarke of Alexan­dria)In the. [...]0. Epi­stle o [...] [...]e same boke. saith thus vnto mée: as you haue cōmaunded: haue awaie this worde, commaundyng from my hearyng. I beseeche you, I commaund you not: but that I toke to be the best, I thought good to she we you.

I speake it boldely, whosoeuer calleth himselfe vniuersall Bishop, or desireth so to be called, is in his pryde the forerun­ner of Antichrist: bicause in his pryde he setteth hym selfe be­fore others.

Beholde euen the title of your letter (meanyng Eulogius)In his. 7. boke and. 30. Epist. ye haue written the prowde posie, naming mée the vniuersall Pope: notwithstandyng I haue forbidden it, I besech your ho­linesse to dooe so no more: for whatsoeuer is giuen vnto any other aboue reason, the same is taken from your selues.

The power of bindyng and loosyng, notwithstandyng itBeda vpon the 16. of math. what doe men saie that I am, in his homily. séeme to be giuen onely vnto Peter: yet without all doubte we must vnderstande, that it was giuen also to the rest of the Apostles.

Thou art Peter, and vpon this Rocke whiche thou hasteVpon the. 1. to the Corin. the 1. Chapiter. confessed: vpon this Rocke whiche thou hast knowen, saiyng, Thou art Christ the sonne of the liuing God, will I builde my church, that is to saie, I will builde my churche vpon my self, beyng the sonne of God. I will builde thée vpon mée: & not mée vpon thée. For men beyng desirous to bee builded vpon men, did saie: I holde of Paule: some, I holde of Apollo: and other, I holde of Cephas (the same is Peter) but other that would not be builded vpon Peter, but vpon the Rocke, did saie: I holde of Christe.

Wee decrée, that the Sée of Constantinople shall haueThe counsell of constanti­nople. 2. Chap. 36. Rightes and priuileges equally with the Sée of olde Rome.

Whosoeuer desireth primacie in earth, in heauen he shall [Page] finde confusion: neither shall he be accoumpted among the ser­uauntesChrisostome, the. 40. distin­ction. Qui­cunque. of Christ, that will once intreate of primacie.

Bicause thou hast professed mée truely, to be the sonne of the liuing God: vpon this Rocke, that is, vpon me whom thouHaymo in his Homilie vpon the feast of Pe­ter and Paule. confessest to be the sonne of the liuyng God: I will builde my churche. To thee will I giue the Keyes of the kyngdome of heauen: by the keyes we muste vnderstande, knowledge, and power, to discerne betweene good and bad, that those whom thou séest to abide in the true faithe, thou shalte iudge theim worthy of Heauen▪ those whom thou seest departe from the trueth, thou shalt iudge theim worthy of hell fire.

This aucthoritie the Lorde gaue, not onely vnto Peter, but also to all the Apostles: bicause Peter expressed the faithe of al the Apostles, saiyng, thou arte christe, the sonne of the li­uyng God.

So that, that the Lorde saide vnto Peter, he saide vnto al his Apostles, as it appeareth in Iohn, whose synnes ye remit, they are remitted. &c.

The Bishop of Rome hym selfe may not be called the vni­uersallGratian in the 99. distinctiō. Prime sedis. Bishop.

Pope Bonifacius the third obteined of the Emperour Pho­cas (that Rome shoulde be called the head of all churches) butPlatina of Bo­nifacius. 3. with greate contention and much a doo.

It was decréed in the counsel of Nyce, that in Alexandria, Ruffinus in his. 1. boke and 6. Chap. of the historie of the Churche. and in Rome, the olde custome shoulde be kept: that the Bis­shop of Alexandria shoulde rule ouer Egipte: And the Bishop of Rome, ouer the churche of his Suburbes.

That it may the more plainly appeare that the Pope hathNylus in his boke of the su­premicie of the Bishops of Rome. no gouernement ouer al other Bishops, reade the sixt Canon of the councel of Nyce: there it is expressedly cōmaunded, that the Bishoppe of Alexandria, shall haue the rule ouer certaine churches: And the Bishop of Rome ouer certaine: And the Bi­shoppe of Antioche likewise ouer certaine. And that it be not lawful for any one of theim to inuade an others iurisdiction, if any one not contented with hys owne, craue dominion ouer others, he ought to bee called a breaker of the custo­mes, and also of the holy Canons.

[Page 54]Séeyng there be certaine countries appoincted out for the Bishop of Rome: Certaine for the Bishop of Alexandria▪ And certaine for the Bishop of Constantinople: they are nowe no more subiect vnto hym, then he vnto them.

The Pope is the greatest Bishop: although not in vertue,Codrus [...] in his. 1. Ser­mon. yet at least in monie.

¶ Against praiyng for the dead.

WHile the childe was yet a liue, I fasted and2. Sam. 12. 22. wepte: for I saide, who can tell whether God wil haue mercie on mée, that the child maie liue?

But now beyng dead, wherefore should23. I now faste? can I bryng hym againe any more? I shall go to hym, but he shall not retourne to mée.

A man can by no meanes redeeme his brother: he can notPsalm. 4 [...]. 7. giue his ransome to God.

So precious is the redemption of their soules, and the con­tinuance8. for euer.

The dead knowe nothyng at all: neither haue they anyEccle. 9. [...]. more rewarde: for their remembraunce is forgotten.

And they haue no more portion for euer, in all that is dooen6. vnder the Sunne.

All that thyne hande shall finde to doe, doe it with all thy10. power, for there is neither worke, nor inuention, nor know­ledge, nor wisedome in the graue whither thou goest.

And the foolishe Uirgines saide to the wise: giue vs of ourMath. 25. [...]. Oyle, for our Lampes are out.

But the wise aunswered saiyng, we feare least there will9. not be enough for vs and you, but goe ye rather to theym that sell, and bye for your selues.

What shall it profit a man, though he shoulde winne theMarke. 8. 36. whole world, if he loose his soule?

Or what shall a man giue for recompence of his soule?37.

[Page]Then Diues saide, I praie thee therfore Father, that thouLuke. 16. 27. He saith not that thei should pray, or cause Masses, or diriges to be doen for hym. wouldest sende him to my Fathers house (for I haue fiue bre­thren) that he may testifie vnto theim, least thei also come in­to this place of torment.

I woulde (not bretheren) haue you ignoraunte concernyng theym whiche are a sléepe, that ye sorowe not euen as other whiche haue no hope.1. Thes▪ 4. 13.

For if we beleeue that Iesus is dead, and is risen, euen so14. them whiche sleepe in Iesus will God bryng with hym.

Wherefore, comforte your selues one an other with these18. wordes.

¶ The Doctours.

MY Doue, come vnto the herbour of the Rocke,Epiphanius in his. 2. boke & 1. Homilie a­gainst herisies, the. 50. heresie, vpon the Bal­lets or Canti­cles of Salo­mon, 2. that toucheth the wall, vnto the benignitie and goodnesse of Christe, and vnto the mercie of the lorde. The same is the herbour of the Rocke, the herbour of faithe, of hope, and of the trueth tou­chyng the wall, or which toucheth the wall, that is to saie, a fore the gate be shut, a fore the Kyng beyng within the walls, will receiue no more, after our departyng hence, after the death when the gates touche no more the wall, but are shut vp, so that we be no more able to amende: There is neither fasting, nor almes déedes, nor repentaunce, nor righteousnes, nor good, nor euill, that can either profite or hurte after our death.

For there the Lazarus commeth not vnto the Riche, nor the Rich vnto Lazarus: the riche receiueth not the thyng that he doeth aske, though he doeth aske it with earnest praiers of the merciful Abraham, for the Garners and Sollors be made faste, the tyme is accomplished and past, the battaile is fough­ten, and the place therof emptie and voide, the Crownes are giuen: thei that haue foughten are at rest, thei that haue not preuented or come before, are gone, thei that haue not fough­ten, be no more there, and they that haue been ouercome are driuen out.

[Page 55]For al things are plainely consummated and ended, by and by after the departyng out of this worlde: but whiles thei be yet all in the conflicte or battaile, there is a rising againe, after the fall, there is yet hope, there is a medicine and confession. And although these thinges be not in all men most perfect, yet the saluation of other is not without hope.

Séeyng that we knowe that our brethren whiche be deli­ueredCiprian in his [...] of mortalitie. out of this worlde, by the hande and calling of the lorde, are not loste: but sente before, we muste not here take on vs blacke gownes, sith that thei haue already there put on white garmentes, we muste not giue occasion vnto the Panymes, that they may deseruingly and by good right blame vs, or laye to our charge, that we doe lament and be waile them as peri­shed and lost: whom we doe affirme to liue with God. And so reproue with the testimony of our harte and breast the same faith, that we doo professe and set forth by our communication and talke.

When we be once departed out of this life, there is no moreIn his first trea­tise against Demetriu [...]. place of repentaunce, there is no more effect or workyng of sa­tisfaction: life is here either loste or wonne: euerlastyng salua­tion is here prouided for, by the due worshippyng of God, and the fruictes of faith.

Then he shall bee without the fruicte of repentaunce, and grief of paine: in vaine shall wéepyng be, and praier shall be of no force nor effecte.

Therefore all these thynges, that is to witte, the lookyngAugustine in his firste boke. and. 12. Chap. of the Citie of God. vnto the Corps, or caryng for it, the condition of the buriyng, and the pompe of the Funerals, are rather for the comforte of the liuyng, then for the aide and helpe of the dead.

If costely and precious buriyng doeth profite the vngodly: vile buriyng or none at all shall hurte and hinder the godly. The multitude of Seruauntes did in the sight of men, make excellent and gorgious Funeralles vnto that riche man that was all clothed in Purple: but the ministerie of Angels made much more excellent and noble Funerall in the sight of God, vnto the poore seely creature that was full of scabbes, pockes, and sores, for thei did not laie hym in a Tombe of Marble, but [Page] did carie hym into the bosome of Abraham.

We knowe that in this worlde, we can be helped one of aHierome in his. 13. questiō and. 2. Chap. nother, either with praiers, or with counsell: but after we be come once before the iudgement seate of Christ: neither Iob, nor Daniell, nor Noah, be able to praie for any body, but euery man shall beare his owne burthen.

When thou doest heare that our Lorde did rise againe na­ked,Chrisostome in his. [...] Ho­milie vpon the 20. of Iohn. ceasse I praie thée, from the mad expence of the buriyng. What meaneth this superfluitie and vnprofitable dispence, whiche vnto theim that make it, bringeth hurte, and no pro­fite vnto the dead, but rather harme?

We doe bidde and commaunde, that they whiche departeThe counsel of Toledo. 3. cap. 22. 23. qu. 2. chap. Qui diui. out of this life, by the deuine callyng of the Lorde, be caried forth to their Graues, onely with Psalmes. For, we doo alto­gether forbid the same praier of funeralles, that thei be wont to sing commonly for the dead.

He that praieth for a Martyre: doth wrong vnto the Mar­tyre.Sentence. 4. distinctiō. 45. Neque.

¶ Against Purgatory and Pardons.

COme and now let vs reason together, saithEsaie. 1. 18. the Lorde, though youre synnes were as Crimsin, they shall bee made white as Snowe, though they were red like Scar­let, thei shall be as Weell.

No man vnderstandeth that the righte­ousChap. 57. 1. is taken away from the euill to come.

Peace shall come: they shall rest in their beddes, euerie2. one that walketh before hym.

I, euen I, am he that putteth awaie thine iniquities, forChap. 43. 25. mine owne sake, and will not remember thy sinnes.

Pourge me with Isope, and I shall be cleane: washe mée,Psal. 51. 7. and I shall be whiter then Snowe.

As high as the heauen is aboue the earth, so greate is hysPsal. 103. 11. mercie towarde theim that feare hym.

[Page 56]As farre as the East is from the Weast, so farre hath he re­moued12. our synnes from vs.

When the wicked turneth awaie from hys wickednesEzechi. 1 [...]. 27. that he hath committed, and doeth that whiche is lawfull and right, he shall saue his soule aliue.

Bicause he considereth, and turneth awaie from all hys28. transgressions that he hath committed, hee shall surely liue, and shall not die.

I will redéeme them from the power of the Graue: I willHosea. 13. 1 [...]. deliuer them frō death: O death, I will be thy death: O graue, I will be thy destruction: repentaunce is hid from mine eies.

The liuyng knowe that thei shall die, but the dead knoweEccle. 9. 5. nothyng at all: neither haue they any more rewarde, for their remembraunce is forgotten.

Also their loue, and their hatred, and their enuie is nowe6. perished, and they haue no more portion for euer, in all that is doen vnder the Sunne.

And if the Tree doeth fall towarde the South, or towardeChap. 11. 3. the North, in the place that the Trée falleth, there shall it be.

The Soules of the righteous are in the hande of God, andwisedom. 3. [...]. no torment shall touche them.

In the sight of the vnwise they appeared to die, and their2. ende was thought gréeuous.

And their departyng from vs, destruction, but they are in3. peace.

Defraude not thy selfe of the good daie, and let not the por­tionEccle. 14. 14. of the good desires ouerpasse thee.

Giue and take & sanctifie thy soule, worke thou righteous­nesse16. before thy death, for in the hel there is no meate to finde.

Commaunde therefore that I may be dissolued out of thisToby. 3. 6. distresse, and goe into the euerlastyng place.

Enter in at the streicte Gate: for it is the wide gate, andMath. 7. 13. br [...]ade waie that leadeth to destruction.

Bicause the Gate is streicte and the waie narrowe, that14. leadeth vnto life, and fewe there be that finde it.

He that blasphemeth against the holy ghoste, shall neuerMarke. 3. 29. haue forgiuenesse, but is culpable of eternall damnation.

[Page]And these shall goe into euerlastyng paine, and the righte­ousMath. 25. 46. into life euerlastyng.

And beyng in Hell tormentes, he lifte vp his eyes, and sawLuke. 16. 23. Abraham a farre of, and Lazarus in his bosome.

Besides all this, betweene you and vs there is a greate26. Gulfe set, so that they whiche woulde goe from hence to you, can not, neither can thei come from thence to vs.

And he saied vnto Iesus, Lorde remember mée, when thouChap. [...]. 42. commest into thy kingdome.

Then Iesus saide vnto him, verely I saie vnto thee, to daie43. shalte thou be with mee in Paradise.

And Iesus cried with a lowde voice, and saied, father into46. thy handes I commende my spirite, and when he had thus saied, he gaue vp the ghoste.

He that beleeueth in hym, shall not be condemned: but heIohn. 3. 1 [...]. that beleueth not, is condemned already, bicause he beleeueth not in the name of the onely begotten sonne of God.

He that beleeueth in the sonne, hath euerlastyng life, and36. he that obeyeth not the sonne, shall not see life, but the wrath of God abideth on hym.

Uerely verely, I saie vnto you, he that heareth my words,Chap. 5. 24. and beleueth in hym that sent mee, hath euerlastyng life, and shall not come into condemnation, but hath passed from death to life.

Thei shall come foorth that haue doen good, vnto the resur­rection29. of life: but they that haue doen euill, vnto the resurre­ction of condemnation.

Father, I will that they whiche thou hast giuen mee, beeChap. 17. 24. with mee euen where I am, that thei may beholde my glory whiche thou haste giuen mee: for thou louest mee before the foundation of the worlde.

And thei stoned Stephen, who called on God, and said, lordeActes. 7. 59. Iesus, receiue my spirite.

Now there is no damnation to theim that are in ChristeRom. 8. 1. Iesus, whiche walke not after the fleshe, but after the spirite.

While we haue therfore tyme, let vs doo good vnto al men.Galath. 6. 10.

Christe is to mee both in life and in death aduantage.Philip. 1. 21.

[Page 57]Desiryng to be loosed and to be with Christe whiche is best22. of all.

I would not brethren, haue you ignoraunte, concernyng1. Thess. 4. 13. theim whiche are a sleepe, that ye sorowe not, euen as other which haue no hope.

I haue fought the good fight, and haue finished my course, I2. Timo. 4. 7. haue kept the faith.

From henceforth is laied vp for mee the crowne of righte­ousnes,8. and not to mée onely, but vnto all theim also that loue his appearyng.

How muche more the blood of Christe, whiche through theHebre. 9. 14. eternall spirite offred hymself without spot to God, to pourge your consciences from dead workes, to serue the liuyng God.

It is appoincted vnto men, that they shall once die, and af­ter27. that commeth the iudgement.

The blood of Iesus Christe his sonne, pourgeth vs from all1. Iohn. 1. 7. our synnes.

I harde a voice from heauen, saiyng vnto mée, write: Bles­sedReuel. 14. 13. are the dead which hereafter die in the Lorde, e [...]en so saith the spirite: for they rest from their labours, and their workes followe theim.

¶ The Doctours.

ALwaies reason requireth, that whiles we haueIgnatius in hi [...] 6. Epistle. space and tyme, shoulde amend and correcte our faultes, whiles in this life wee haue occasion gi­uen of repentaunce, for it is truely saied, after death there is no place, nor tyme to confesse our synnes.

Thy blood, O Lorde séeketh no reuenge: thy blood washethCyprian of Christes passiō. our synnes, and pardoneth our trespasses.

After we be once departed out of this life, there is no moreIn his first treatise againt Demetrian. place of repentaunce, there is no more effecte or workyng of satisfaction, life is here either loste or wonne: euerlastyng sal­uation is here prouided for, by the due worshippyng of God, and the fruictes of faith.

No man is letted either by sinnes, or by yeres to come to [Page] the obteinyng of saluation, as long as a man is yet abidyng or remainyng in this world, no repentaunce is to late.

The Gate is open vnto pardon and forgiuenesse, and they that séeke the trueth, shall haue an easie accesse vnto it.

Although thou dooest at thy very departyng out of thys world, and goyng downe of this temporall life, praie vnto god for thy synnes, who is the true and onely God, callyng vpon hym with a faithfull confession and acknowledgyng bothe of thine offences, and of his truth: thus confessyng and beleeuing, thou haste frée pardon and forgiuenesse, giuen and graunted vnto thée, of the mere goodnesse and mercie of God. And in the very death, euen as soone as thou hast giuen vp thy ghost, thou passest vnto immortalitie.

In that verie moment of tyme: euen when the soule is rea­dieIn his sermon of the Lordes Supper. to departe awaie from the bodie, is euen at the lippes of the partie to yeld vp the spirite, the goodnesse of our most mer­ciful God refuseth not repentaunce. And whatsoeuer is truely doen, is neuer to late doen.

He that here in this life, receiueth not remission of synnes,Ambrose of good death. shall not be there (in the life to come.)

Dauid as a Pilgrime and straunger, made haste vnto theIn the. 2. chap. of the same boke. common countrie of all sainctes, desiryng for the filthy infe­ctiō of his tariyng here, to haue his synnes forgiuen vnto hym afore he should go out of this life. For he that doth not receiue here forgiuenesse of his synnes, shall not be there, but he shall not be there that cannot come vnto life euerlastyng. For, life euerlastyng is the remission and forgiuenes of synnes.

Hym shall the daie of the Lorde finde vnprouided, whomAugustine in his. 80. Epistle. the last daie of this life findeth vnprouided.

Untill thou paie the last Farthyng: I merueile, but thatIn his first bok of the L. Sermō in the mounte. he meaneth that paine, whiche is called euerlastyng.

What meanes this is, and what sinnes these be, whiche so let a man from comyng vnto the kyngdome of God, that theiIn his. 21. boke and. 27. Chap. of the Citie of God. maie notwithstandyng obteine pardon by the merites of holy frendes, it is very harde to finde: and very daungerous to de­termine. Certainly I my self, notwithstanding greate studie and trauell taken in that behalfe, coulde neuer attaine to the [Page 58] knowledge of it.

The soules of the godly beyng separated from their bodies,In his. 13. boke and▪ [...]. Chap. of the city of god. are in reaste: and the soules of the vngodly doe suffer punishe­ment, vntill the bodies of those doe rise againe vnto life euer­lastyng, and the bodies of those vnto eternall death, whiche is also called the seconde death.

Let onely the price of the blood of my lorde, auaile mée vntoIn his booke vpon [...]. 25. Psalme. the perfection of my deliuery.

Whensoeuer any man turneth hymselfe vnto GOD, allIn his. 59. Ser­mon of the▪ wordes of the Lorde. thinges vtterly are forgiuen hym, let no man be doubtefull, least anie thyng happely be not forgiuen.

Be ye folowers of mee as I am of Christ? &c. he neuer dared to saie, be ye iustified of mée, as I am of Christ: for no man isIn his. 1. booke and. 14. Chap. of remission of synnes, iust, but Christ iustifiyng: whosoeuer is so bolde to saie, I doe iustifie thée, it foloweth also that he shoulde saie, I beléeue in thee, whiche ought to be dooen to none of the holy ones: but to the holiest of all.

The first place the catholike faith, by Gods aucthoritie be­léeuethIn his. 5. booke Hipognosti­chon. to be the kyngdome of heauen: from whence whosoe­uer is not baptized, is excluded. The second place, the same ca­tholique faith beléeueth to be hell, where all Runnagates, and whosoeuer is without the faith of Christe, shall taste euerla­styng punishment. As for any thirde place, we vtterly knowe none, neither shall we finde in the holy Sciptures that there is any suche.In his. 80. Epi­stle to Hesi­chius.

In what state his owne last day shal finde eche man, in the same state the last daie of the world shall finde him: for such as euery man in the same daie shall die: euen suche in that daieIn the. 11. Ho­mily in the A­pocalips. shall he be iudged.

Who so in this life shall not please God, shall not in the lifeTo Peter the Deacon. 3. Cap. In his. 49. treatise vpon Iohn. to come haue repētaunce for his sinnes: but pardō in the sight of God he shall not finde, for although there shal be the pricke of repentaunce, yet there shall be no amendement of the wil.

Euery man shall die with his owne cause, and rise againe with his owne cause.In his. 18. Ser­mon of the wordes of the Apostle.

There be twoo habitations or dwellyng places: the one in the fyre euerlastyng: and the other in the kyngdome that [Page] neuer shall haue ende.

There is none other place to correct our maners and condi­tions,In his. 54. Epi­stle to Maci­donius. but onely in this life: for after this life, euery man shal haue that, that he hath purchased vnto hymselfe here in thys world.

The victory is gotten in his name, that hath taken man v­ponIn his. x. booke and. xxii. chap. of the [...]ie of God. hym, and hath liued without synne, that in hym, and through hym, beyng the Priest and the sacrifice, remission and forgiuenesse of synnes shoulde be obtained and giuen, that is to saie, by the mediatour of GOD and man, that man Iesus christ, by whom the purging of our sinnes being made, we are reconciled vnto god. For, men be not separated from God, but by synnes, wherof the purgyng is not made, or which are not purged in this life by our owne vertue and strength, but by the mercie of god: by his pardon and clemeneie, and not by our owne power. For, the same smale vertue and strength, that is called ours, is graunted and giuen vnto vs by his goodnes.

My brethren, we haue Iesus Christ the righteous, our ad­uocateIn his. 1 trea­tise vpon the Epistle of Iohn with the father, he is the propitiation or pardon for our synnes, he that helde this, neuer made heresie: He that helde this, neuer made Schisme: For, whereof doe Schismes come? Hereof thei come, when men say, we are righteous: we doe make holy the vnholy: we doe iustifie the wicked: we doe praie, we doe obtaine.

O vanitie, sellyng vanitie, to theim that will heare vanitie:In his booke of 50. Homilies, the. 63. Homi­lie. and vaine are they that will beléeue it.

Thou shalte not go thenee, vntill thou haue paied the laste farthyng: Christes meanyng is, that he shall neuer come out:Hierom in his 1. boke and. 1. Chap. vpon the lamentation of Ierimie. for that he must euer more paie the laste farthyng, whiles he suffereth euerlastyng punishement for his synnes committed in this worlde.

He that doeth not obtaine forgiuenesse of his sinnes whilesIn his boke vpon the. 95. of Esaie. he yet liueth in the bodie, doeth perishe to God, and ceasseth to be, but he doeth remaine or abyde to hym selfe, vnto euer­lastyng tormentes.

The dead hath no parte in this worlde, nor in any woorkeIn his boke vpon the. 9. of Ecclesiastes. vnder the Sunne. &c. The dead can adde nothyng vnto that, [Page 59] whiche thei haue taken with them out of this life, for, thei can neither doe good, nor synne, neither encrease in vertue, nor vice.

A synner yet liuyng maie be better, then a righteous man that is dead, if he will followe his vertues. And wherfore? for they that be aliue, may for feare of death doe yet good deedes: but they that be dead, are able to adde nothyng vnto that, whiche thei haue once borne awaie out of this life with them.

The thief on the Crosse néeded not so muche as one daie, toChrisostome in his. 27. Ho­mily vpon Ge­nesis. repente hymselfe: what speake I of one daie? No, he néeded not one houre: So greate is the mercie of God towardes vs.

This thing onely I require of a sinner (saieth God) that heIn his. 44. ho­mily vpon Ge­nesis. confesse hys synnes, and leaue the same: afterwarde I laie no more punishement vpon his synnes.

Prepare thy workes against the ende, make thy selfe rea­dieIn his. 2. Ser­mon of Laza­rus. to the waie: If thou hast taken awaie any thyng from anie man, restore it againe, and saie with Zacheus: if I haue taken away any thing from any man, I do giue it him againe foure­folde: if thou be made an enimy to any man, be reconciled vnto hym againe, before ye come before the iudge. Paie all thy de­btes here, that thou maiest without any feare or trouble of conscience sée that dreadfull iudgemente seate: whiles we be yet here we haue a godly hope: but as soone as we be once de­parted hence, it lieth no more in vs for to repente, nor for to washe awaie our synnes.

This is a plaine and a manifest doctrine of Lazarus andIustinus. Q. 60. to Ortho­dosius. Diues, by which is taught, that after the departing of the soule from the bodie, men cannot by any meanes, or prouisions, or by any policies, bryng profit or commoditie to them.

It is most certaine, that the soules of the righteous, beingGregory in his 4. boke of dia­loges and. 25. Chapiter. loosed from the fleshe, are receiued into the heauenly seates. And that the verie trueth it selfe testifieth, saiyng, where the Corps is, there the Egles will resorte.Olimpiodo­ [...]us in the. 9. Chapiter of Ecclesiastes.

In what place, or state soeuer a man shall be founde when he dieth: in the same state and degree, he shall remaine for euer.De. B. Philo­gonio.

I will stande bounde in Gods behalfe, if any of vs forsake [Page] his synnes, with all his harte, and make true promise vnto God, that he will no more returne vnto theim, that then God shall require nothyng els vnto satisfaction.

No Catholiqueman now doubteth of purgatorie: whereofPolidorus of the inuentions of thinges, in his. 8. boke and. 1. [...]hap. notwithstandyng, among the auncient fathers there is either no mention at all, or very seldome, yea, euen vntill this daie the Grecians beléeue it not: for, as long as there was no care for purgatory, no man sought after Pardons.

Pardons are not knowen vnto vs by the aucthoritie ofSyluester Prie­rias in his boke against Luther the Scriptures: but by the aucthority of the Church of Rome, and of the Popes, which is greater then the aucthoritie of the Scriptures (O blasphemous mouth so to saie.)

Thus I aunswere: It cannot well appeare from whomRoffensis in his booke a­gainst Luther. Pardones first begunne. Emong the olde Doctours, and Fa­thers of the Churche, there was either no talke at all, or very litle talke of purgatorie: but as long as purgatorie was not cared for, there was no man that sought for Pardons. For the whole price of Pardons hangeth of purgatory, take away purgatorie, and what shall wee néede of Pardons? Pardons beganne, when folke were a litle affraied with the paines of purgatorie.

Of Pardons litle maie be saied of certaintie: for the Scri­ptureIohn. Maior vpon the. 4. Sent. and. 20. distinction Quest. 2. expressely saith nothyng of them, touchyng that Christ saied vnto Peter: vnto thée wil I giue the keies. &c. We must vnderstande this aucthoritie with a corne of Salte: (therefore certaine of the Popes Pardones that promise twentie thou­sande yeres, are foolishe, and superstitious.)

There is nothyng in the Scriptures lesse opened, orAlphonsus de Castro, in his 8. boke of par­don. whereof the olde learned Fathers haue lesse written, then Pardons▪ of Pardons there is no mention.

In many of their bookes, there are cōteined so many daiesIn the Triparte worke, that is ioyned with the Counsell of Lateran, the. 3. boke &. 8. cap. Bernarde of Clunyce in Sa­ [...]yra. and yeres of Pardon, that good men marueile that they could euer come out: by the consent, either of the Pope, or of any o­ther good man.

Rome giueth all thynges to them, that giue all thinges: all thynges at Rome will passe for monie.

The deuisyng of Pardons, is a Godly guile, a hurtlesse [Page 60] deceipte, to the intent that by a deuoute kinde of errour, the people may be drawen to Godlines.

Emonges vs in Rome, Churches, Priestes, Altars, Mas­ses,Veselus a Scho­le Doctour. Crownes, Fire, Incense, Praiers, and Heauen are set toBaptista Man­tuanus. sale: yea, God hymself amonges vs may be had for money.

The Popes Canons séeme not now, to guide mens liues:Budaeus in Pandec [...]s. but if I may so saie, thei serue rather to make a banke and to get monie.

Rome our mother is become an harlot, and for monie, andThomas Bec­ket in his Epi­stle to the. B. of Menze. rewarde, laieth her selfe to sale.

If Caput come of capio, whiche signifieth to take: then may Rome well be called so, whiche doeth nothyng forsake.

If you decline capio capis, and to the groundes come. HerB. in. R. Nettes are lardge and can not misse, to catche both all and some.

¶ Against Aparitions of Soules, after they departe from the bodie.

IN the sweate of thy face shalte thouGenesis. 3. 19. eate bread, till thou returne to the earth: for out of it was thou taken, bicause thou arte duste, and to duste shalt thou returne.

Lette none be founde among you,Deut. 18. 10. that maketh his sonne or hys dough­ter, to goe through the fire, or that vseth witchcrafte, or a regarder of times, or a marker of the fliyng of Foules, or a Sorcerer,

Or a Charmer, or that counselleth with spirites, or a sooth­saier,11. or that asketh counsell at the dead.

Nowe beyng dead, wherefore should I faste, can I bryng1. Sam. 12. 23. hym againe any more? I shall goe to hym: but he shall not re­turne to me.

Are not [...]nry daies fewe? lette hym ceasse, and leaue of fromIob. 10. 20. [Page] mée, that I maie take a little comforte,

Before I goe, and shall not returne, euen to the lande of21. darknes and shadowe of death.

So man sleepeth and riseth not, for hée shall not wake a­gaineChap. 14. 12. nor be raised from his sléepe, till the heauen be no more.

And he knoweth not if his sonne shalbe honourable, nei­ther13. shall hee vnderstande concernyng theim, whether they shall be of lowe degrée.

Thei shall goe downe into the bottome of the Pit: surelieChap. 17. 19. it shall lie together in the dust.

As the Cloude vanisheth and goeth away, so he that goethChap. 7. 6. downe to the graue, shall come vp no more.

He shall returne no more to his house, neither shall his10. place knowe hym any more.

The daies of man are as grasse: as a flower of the fielde, soPsal. 103. 15. florishe ye.

For the winde goeth ouer it, and it is gone, and the place16. therof shall knowe it no more.

And when they shall saie vnto you, enquire at theym thatEsaie. 8. 19. haue a spirite of diuination, and at the Southsaiers, whiche whisper and murmure, shoulde not a people enquire at their God? from the liuyng to the dead?

To the lawe, and to the testimony. &c.20.

A people that prouoke mée euer vnto my face, that sacri­ficethChap. 65. 3. in Gardens, and burneth incense vpon Brickes.

Whiche remaine among the graues, and lodge in the de­sertes.4. &c.

Our life is shorte and tedious: and in the death of a manWisdom. 2. 1. there is no recouery, neither was any knowen, that hath re­turned from the graue.

The Soules of the righteous are in the handes of GOD,Chap. 3. 1. and no tormente shall touche theim.

Take no heauines to harte: driue it awaie and rememberEccle. 38. 20. the last ende.

Forget it not: for there is no turnyng againe, thou shalte21. doe hym no good, but hurte thy selfe.

Seyng the dead is at rest, let his remembraunce rest, and23. [Page 61] comforte thy selfe againe for hym, when his spirite is depar­ted from hym.

But God saide vnto him, O foole, this night will thei fetcheLuke. 12. 20. awaie thy soule from thée.

And hee saide, nay father Abraham, but if one come vntoChap. 16. 30. theim from the dead, thei will amende their liues.

Then he saied vnto hym, if thei heare not Moyses, and the31. Prophetes, neither will they be perswaded, though one rise from the dead againe.

And thei stoned Stephen, who called on God and said, LordeActos. 7. 59. Iesus, receiue my spirite.

And no marueile: for Sathan hymselfe is transformed into2. Cor. 11. 14. an Angell of light.

I woulde not, brethren haue you ignoraunt, concernyng1. Thess. 4. 13. theim whiche are a sléepe, that ye sorowe not, euen as other whiche haue no hope.

And when he was come out of the Ship, there met hym in­continentlyMarke. 5. 2. out of Graues, a man whiche had an vncleane spirite.

Who had his abiding among the graues, and no man coulde3. binde hym, no not with chaines.

¶ The Doctours.

GOD forbid, that we should beléeue, that the souleTertullian in his boke of the soule. of any sainct, much lesse of a Prophete, haue béene fetched vp by the deuil, being taught that Sathan hymselfe is transformed into an Angell of light, muche more into a man of light: and that he shall also affirme himself to be God, and worke wonderfull signes, for to subuerte euen the very electe, if it were possible.

But although the vertue of god, hath called againe certaine soules into their bodies, for to teache vs that he might do it by his owne right: It shall not therefore bee communicated, or graunted vnto the confidence and boldenes of Magicians or Sorcerers, and vnto the deceiptefulnesse of Dreames and li­ynges of Poetes: but when in the examples of the resurre­ction, [Page] the vertue or power of God doth bryng againe the verie soules into their bodies. It is shewed with a whole and full trueth, and which can be touched and handeled, that is a shape or forme of veritie, or that it is a true, and an vnfaigned shape or forme: so that thou maiest iudge, that all fetchyng vp, and appearyng of the dead, without bodies, is méere illusion and deceiptefulnesse.

The spirite of Samuell, which the woman Sorcerer raisedAugustine to Symplician. 3. question. vp to Saule, was not the soule of Samuell, but the deuill, which appeared in Samuels likenes, for to deceiue Saule.

You ought to knowe this, that euery nation asketh coun­sellHierome vpon the. 8. Chap. of Ieremy. at their owne Gods, and enquireth of the dead, for the helth of the quicke: but God hath giuen you the lawe for your helpe.

The Soule that is departed from the bodie, can not wan­derChrisostome in his. 29. Homily vpon the 8. of Math. in this countries or regions. For, the soules of the righte­ous are in the handes of God, and also the Soules of the chil­dren, for thei haue not synned. And that the Soules of sinners are streight wayes after their departure, led awaie, it is made manifest, by the riche man, and Lazarus.

But the lorde doth also saie in another place: this daie will thei fetche awaie againe thy Soule from thée. Therefore the Soule, after that it is once gone from the body, cannot wan­der here amonges vs, and not without a good cause, for, if they that goe in a iorney, if thei chaunce to come into some vnkno­wen countries, can not tell whither to goe, excepte they haue a guide: how muche more shall the soule beyng departed from the bodie, when she entereth into a life and waie that is alto­gether newe vnto her, be vncertaine and ignoraunt, whether she maie goe, excepte she got a guide:

It maie bee proued by manie places of Scripture, that the Soules of the righteous men doe not wander here after their death. For Stephen saieth: lorde receiue my spirite: and Paule did desire to be loosed, and to be with Christe. The Scripture also doth saie of the Patriarch, and he was laied to his fathers, beyng dead in good age. And that the soules of synners can not abide here, neither heare the riche what he saieth, marke and [Page 62] weigh what he doeth aske and not obteine. If the Soules of men might be conuersante here, he would haue come hymsef, as his desire was, and certifie his brethren of the tormentes of Hell.

By the which place of the Scripture, this is also most ma­nifest and plaine, that the soules, after the be gone out of their bodies, are ledde into a certaine place, from whence thei come not againe at their owne will and pleasure, but do tarie there for the dreadfull daie of iudgement.

How shall thei perswade mée, or make mée to beléeue that the soules of vnspotted men, dooe woorke with them? shall it be, bicause that thou hast some times harde theim, that be pos­sessed with deuilles, crie out and saie, I am the soule of suche a one? but this saiyng doth also procéede and come of the fraude and deceiptefulnes of the Deuill. For, it is not the soule of the head that speaketh suche thynges: but the Deuill doeth faine and counterfaict them, that he may deceiue and beguile them that heare.

These ought to be taken as olde wiues Fables, the words ofliers, and fraie bugges of children: neither can the soule, be­yng departed from the bodie, walke in the earth.

That thou maiest also aboundantly and fully knowe thatIn his. 4. Ser­mon of Diues and Lazarus. the doctrine of the scriptures, and of the Prophets, is of more weight and aucthoritie, than if thei that be raised againe from death, shoulde shewe any thyng: consider this with thy selfe, that whosoeuer is dead, is a seruaunt: but whatsoeuer the scri­pture doeth speake, the lorde hath spoken it. Therfore though a dead man should rise againe, or an Angel come downe from heauen: wee muste chiefly and aboue all thynges beléeue the Scriptures. For, the maister of the Angels, and the Lorde, both of the liuyng and of the dead, hath made them.

And if god had knowen that the dead, beyng raised againe▪ might haue profited the liuyng: he that hath doen all thynges for our profite, woulde not haue left the same vndoone. And if it were, that the dead should often tymes rise againe, men would also despise the same, and set naught by it nowe adaies.

Lette vs not seeke to heare those of the dead, that the holy [Page] Scriptures doe teache vs most plainely, least by the processe of tyme, the deuill should haue set forth pernitious doctrines, and also least the worde of God, shoulde haue come into con­tempte. For in stéede of good spirites, the Deuill woulde haue appeared for euery trifle vnto men, and woulde haue tras­formed hymselfe into the soules departed: for to bryng eue­rie daie newe reuelations, or he should haue made as though he had raised some of the dead by false and deceiptfull iullusi­ons, or he should haue turned awaie some men from the true faith, whiche would haue made folke to beléeue, that they had béene dead and raised vp againe, and so he woulde haue made them to saie, whatsoeuer it had pleased hym.

Wherby it should haue come to passe, that the holy Scri­ptures shoulde haue béen vtterly despised, and that men would onely haue giuen credit to fuche reuelatious as we doe see by experience now at this daie And so men could not haue deserned or knowen the true reuelations of God, from the re­uelations of the Deuill.

And therfore, God would not teache vs by the dead, but by his holy Scriptures, and by the ministerie of liuyng men: of whom also he had vs to beware, that thei doo not set forth vn­to vs one thyng for an other, and deceiue vs.

Lette Iulianus shewe and proue, where the holy ApostlesSyrill in his. 10. booke a­gainst Iulianus haue taught vs, that we muste lie aboute the Sepulchr [...]s or Graues, and séeke for the visions or appearinges of the dead, that is to saie, dreames.

But he can not dooe it, for he is deceiued and sedu [...]ed in it, yea, the good man did not perceiue nor vnderstande that hee did in this thing, rather condempne the abhominable supersti­tion of the Greekes, then any superstition that he can finde in vs. For, neither the Iewes, nor we after them, folowyng the sacred and holy lawes, be wonte to enquire and seeke for visi­ons by dreames, nor to take pleasure, as little infantes with sondry and diuers appearinges: but contrariwise, we doe hate theim, that teache suche thyngs: for the lawe of God speaketh of them in Deuteronomy. 13. Chap. after this maner, if there rise among you, a Prophete or a dreamer of dreames, &c. We [Page 63] haue then a commaundement to withdrawe our selues from dreames: but these thinges are pleasaunt and acceptable vnto theim that serue Deuilles, and seeme vnto theim both greate and worthy to be obserued with all diligence.

It is moste certaine, that when thei gaue themselues to serue Deuilles, then thei did sléepe in the Graues, and wente after dreames, and southsaiyng, behauyng themselues after the maner of Sorcerers.

The rude ignoraunte people thinketh, that mens soulesLactantius in his. 2. booke. and. 2. Chap. of his institu­tions. walke aboute the Graues, and reliques of their bodies.

Theophilacte vpon the. 16. of Luke. There be suche now a daies, which are wonte to saie: who hath séene what is doen in Hell? who euer came to bring vs worde? But let theim heare what Abraham saieth: For if we doo not beleeue the scriptures, we would not beléeue them, nei­ther that should come frō hell. The Iewes haue wel declared the same: which bicause that thei beléeued not the Scriptures, would in no wise beleeue them that were raised againe from the dead: but woulde haue slaine Lazarus, that was raised a­gaine. And although many were raised againe from death, af­ter that Christe was crucified: yet did thei not let therfore to persecute most cruelly the Apostles afterwarde.

We must not then séeke after the dead, for to haue instru­ction by them. For, first and foremost, God doth not by death separate the soule from the bodie, for to suffre the spirites and soules of the dead to wander here vpon earth: but he maketh this separation for to satisfie vnto his ordinaunce, wherby he hath ordeined and appointed, that this earthly bodie, which is of earth and dust, should returne into the earth, and into the dust wherof it was taken, and that it should rest in the same, as in his bedde, vntill that daie, that he shall make it to rise againe, and that he shall fashion and shapen it a newe, by the resurrection and glorifiyng of the same, whiche he hath promi­sed vnto it: for as he hath formed and fashioned it by creation: so hath he determined to shapen it againe by resurrection.

And as he hath appointed of the bodie, so hath he ordeined, that the soule and the spirite that he hath giuen vnto man, and whiche is partaker of a spirituall substaunce, shoulde re­turne [Page] vnto hym that hath giuen it, and that it should goe vp againe vnto the place, that is conuenient and meete for his na­ture: As the bodie goeth downe vnto the place that it is par­taker of.

Bicause of his nature and weight, vntill the Lorde do come againe, to vnite the soule with the bodie. And as a man might saie, to ioyne heauen with earth, that is to say, the deuine and heauenly parte, with the humaine and earthly parte, by the resurrection, whiche is a newe regeneration, and as it were a seconde creation: as he did in the beginnyng, by the first crea­tion, when he did ioyne the soule, whiche is a spirituall sub­staunce, with the bodie that is made of earth.

If it had been profitable for the faith, that the dead had of­tentymes appeared vnto the liuyng, the Lorde woulde haue doen it often. But nowe there is nothyng so profitable, as the diligent searchyng out of the scriptures. The Deuill can also counterfaict falsely and in out warde apperaunce, the resurre­ction of the dead, for to seduce and deceiue the ignoraunte and foolishe, and for to sowe pernitious and deuillishe doctrines ac­cordyng to his malice.

But thei can haue no illusions that searche the scriptures, as it behoueth, for thei be the Candle, whiche if it shineth and giue light once, the thief is taken and manifested. We muste then beleeue the Scriptures, and not care for the raisyng, or wandryng vp againe of the dead soules.

¶ Christ is onely our mediatour and inter­cessour, to God the father.

COme vnto mée, all that are wearie, and laden,Mat. 11. [...]8. and I will ease you.

And there was a voice from heauen, saiyng,Luke. 3. 22. thou art my beloued sonne, in thee I am pleased.

Uerely, verely, I saie vnto you, he that entrethIohn. 10. 1. not in by the doore into the sheepefolde, but climeth vp an o­ther waie, he is a thief and a robber.

[Page 64]I am the doore: by mée if any man enter in, he shal be saued,9. and shall goe in and out, and finde pasture.

Iesus saide vnto hym, I am the waie, and the trueth, andChap. 14. 6. the life. No man commeth vnto the father but by mée, verely, verely, I saie vnto you: whatsoeuer ye shall aske the father inChap. 16. 23. my name, he will giue it you.

If God be on our [...]ide, who can be against vs? Who sparedRom▪ [...] 33, not his owne sonne, but gaue hym for vs all to death, how shal he not with hym giue vs all thynges also?

Who shall condemne? it is Christ whiche is dead, yea ra­ther,34. whiche is risen againe, who is also at the right hande of God, and maketh request and intercession for vs.

Whosoeuer shall call on the name of the Lorde, shall beeChap. 10. 13. saued.

Ye are of hym in Christe Iesus, who of God is made vnto1. Cor. 1. 30. vs, wisedome, and righteousnes, and sanctification, and redem­ption.

There is one God, and one mediatour, betweene God and1. Timo. 2. 5. man, whiche is the man Christ Iesus.

This man, bicause he endureth for euer, hath an euerla­styngHob. 7. 24. Priesthoode.

Wherfore he is able also perfectly to saue theim that come25 vnto God by hym, seeyng he euer liueth, to make intercession for theim.

My Babes, these thynges write I vnto you, that ye synne1. Iohn. 2. 1. not: And if any man sinne, we haue an aduocate with the fa­ther, Iesus Christ the iuste,

And he is the reconsiliation for our sinnes: and not for ours2. onely, but also for the synnes of the whole worlde.

¶ The Doctours.

CHriste is our mouth whereby we speake vnto the fa­ther,Ambrose in his boke of Isaac and of the soule. our eyes whereby wee sée the father, our right hande, whereby we offer our selues vnto the father, without whose intercession neither wee, nor all the Sainctes, haue ought to doe with God.

In his booke vpon the first Chap. to the Romaines. Men through shame, vse accustomably euery where this [Page] miserable excuse, why they neglect to come vnto God, saiyng, that by them we goe vnto God, as by the noble men we come vnto a Kyng. Well saide: is there any man so mad, or so vn­myndefull of his health, to giue vnto a noble man the honour due vnto the kyng onely? for that if any in suche sorte behaue them selues, they are iustly condemned as guiltie of treason. And shall these men not thinke them guiltie, whiche giue the honour of the name of God vnto a creature? and forsake their Lorde, doe worship their fellow seruauntes: as though there were any thyng greater then God, to whom a man might do seruice.

For therefore also dooe we goe vnto a Kyng by Tribunes and noble men, bicause the Kyng is also a man, and knoweth not to whom to commit the publique weale. But to obtaine Gods fauour, from whom vndoubtedly nothyng is hidden (for he knoweth what is méete for euery man to haue) we haue no néede of an Aduocate, or spokesman, but a deuoute mynde. For, wheresoeuer suche a one speaketh vnto God, God will aunswere hym.

We haue all thinges in Christ, if thou desire to be cured ofIn his. 4. boke vpon Luke. thy woundes, he is thy Phisician: if thou be greeued with thy synnes, he is thy righteousnesse, if thou lacke helpe, he is thy strength, if thou feare death, he is thy life, if thou be in darke­nes, he is thy light, if thou wilte goe to heauen, he is thy waie, if thou seeke meate, he is thy nourishement.

He beeyng suche a man did not saie, ye haue an AduocateAugustine in his. 1. treatise, vpon the Epi­stle of Iohn. with the father: but if any doe synne, wee haue an Aduocate with the father, he saide not, ye haue mee for our Aduocate: But bretheren wee haue an Aduocate with the father, Iesus Christ the righteous, and he is the satisfaction for our sinnes.

He that hath holden this, hath committed no heresie: hee that hath holden thys, hath committed no Schisme.

He saide not, ye haue, neither ye haue mée, neither said he, ye haue Christe: but he put Christe, and not hym selfe, and saide, we haue, not ye haue, he had rather put hymselfe in the nomber of synners, that he might haue Christe his Aduocate, then put hymselfe an Aduocate: wheras Christ should be the [Page 65] Aduocate. And to be founde among the prowde men, whiche shalbe damned.In his enchiri­dion vnto Lau­rence the. 3 2. Chap.

We are reconciled and brought in fauour againe with god, through Christe which is the mediatour, that of enimies we might be made sonnes.

Neither should we be deliuered thorowe hym, as onely theIn the. 11 9. Cha [...] [...] the same boke. mediatour of God and man Christe Iesus, if he were not also GOD. But when Adam was made, that is to witte, a right man, he néeded no mediatour: but when as synnes did sepa­rate & sunder mankinde, farre from God, we must be brought in fauour againe with GOD, by a mediatour, and a meane, whiche was onely borne without sinne, liued and was slaine, vnto the risyng againe of the fleshe, and to euerlastyng life.

If thou desirest for the priest, he is aboue in heauen, whereVpon the. 9 4. Psalme. he maketh intercession for thée, which vpon the earth died for thee.

We are not commaunded to goe vnto the creatures thatIn his. 3. booke of freevvill. we maie be blessed, or obtaine blesfulnes: but vnto the crea­tour, of whom, if we be otherwise perswaded then the mat­ter is, or then it behoueth, we are deceiued, with a most per­nicious errour.

Christian men dooe praie one for another in their praiers:In his seconde boke and eight Chap. against Parmenian. but he for whom no man doeth praie: but he for all men, is the onely and true mediatour.

Is he farre from thée, that thou néedest to goe to some place?Chrisostome in his. 12. Ho­mily of the woman of Canane. God is not shut vp in a place, but is alwaies at hande, and he that is not included and sparred vp in a place, is holden with faithe. For if thou wilte aske a man any thing, thou dooest enquire what he doth, and he hearyng, pretendeth sleepe, or is not at leasure, or surely the seruaunt will not aunswere. But with God thou needest none of all these: but whersoeuer thou arte, or callest for helpe of hym, he will heare thee. Thou nee­dest no Porter, no Mediatour or goer betweene, or seruaunt: but saie, God haue mercie vpon mée.

Tell mée O woman, sith that thou arte a wicked and a sin­full woman, howe durste thou goe vnto him? I knowe (saieth she) what I doo: beholde the wisedome of the woman, she prai­eth [Page] not vnto Iames, she entreateth not Iohn, she goeth not vnto Peter, she did not getter her selfe to the companie of the Apostles, she sought for no Mediatour: but for al these things, she tooke repentaunce for her companion, whiche did fulfill the rowme and place of an Aduocate, and so she did goe to the highest fountaine.

We haue no néede of Aduocates with God, nor of any run­nyngIn his [...]mily of goyng for­warde of the Gospell. or gaddyng aboute, for to speake faire vnto other. For, although thou be alone, and without any Aduocate, and praie vnto God by thy selfe, thou shalt obtaine thy petitions. For, God doth not so easily heare vs, when other praieth for vs, as when we praie our selues, although we be full of muche euill, and vnrighteousnes.

Thou séest howe that Christe denied and put her backe, when other men praied for her: but as soone as she praiyng, cried for her bone, and gifte, he graunted it.

Christe is made vnto thee all thynges, he is thy table, thyIn his. 2. Ho­mily to the people of An­tioche. clothyng, thy house, thy head, thy roote, and thy mouth.

Cyrill in his 11. boke. vpon Iohn. He put to it (in my name) to shewe that hee was a Media­tour, and a graunter, and a giuer with God: for there is none that can come vnto the father, but through the sonne: by whō we haue leadyng to the father in spirite, as it is written, ther­fore he calleth himselfe the hauen, and the waie, for he saieth, no man cometh vnto the father, but thorowe mee.

We must praie in the name of our Sauiour, if we will beIn his kooke vpon the. 1. of Esaie. harde of the father.

The sonne of God praieth for vs, praieth in vs, & is praiedBeda vpon the Epistle to the Ephe. 2. Chap. of vs: he praieth for vs as an Aduocate, and euerlasting priest, he praieth in vs, as our head, he is praied of vs, as our God.

¶ Against praiyng to Sainctes.

THy righteousnes is like the mightie Mountai­nes,Psalme. 36. 6. thy iudgements, are like a greate déepe thou Lorde doest saue man, and beaste.

The lorde is néere vnto all that call vpon him:Psal. 145. 18. yea, to all that call vpon hym faithfully.

[Page 66]Put not your trust in Princes, nor in the sonne of man,Psal. 146. 3. for there is no helpe in theym.

Giue vs helpe against trouble O Lorde, for vaine is thePsal. 60. 11. helpe of man.

The dead praise not the lorde, neither any that goodownePsal. 115. 17. into the place of silence.

Doubtles thou arte our father: Though Abraham be igno­rauntEsaie. [...]. 16. of vs, and Israell knowe vs not: yet thou O Lorde arte our father, and our Redeemer: thy name is for euer.

Though Moyses and Samuell stoode before mee, yet myneIeremy. 15. 1. affection could not be towardes this people.

Thus saieth the Lorde cursed be the man, that trusteth inChap. 17. 5. man: and maketh fleshe his arme, and withdraweth his harte from the Lorde.

Though these three men, Noah, Daniell, and Iob, were a­mongEzechi. 14. 14. them, thei should deliuer but their owne soules, by their righteousnes, saith the Lorde.

Yet I am the Lorde thy God from the lande of Egipte, andHosea. 1 [...]. 4. thou shalt knowe no God but mée, for there is no Sauiour be­sides mee.

O my Lorde, thou onely arte our King: helpe mée desolateEsther. 14. 3. woman, whiche haue no helper but thee.

Come vnto mée all ye that are weary and laden, and I wilMath. 11. 2 [...]. [...]ase you.

Iesus saied, I am the waie, and the trueth, and the life, noIohn. 14. 6. man commeth vnto the father, but by mee.

Neither is there saluation in any other: for among menActes. 4. 12. there is giuen none other name vnder heauen, whereby wee must he saued.

How shal thei call on him, in whom thei haue not beleued?Roma. 10. 4.

If any of you lacke wisedome, let hym aske of God, whichIames. 1. 5. geueth to all men liberally.

Euery good giuyng, and euery perfect gifte, is from aboue,17. and commeth downe from the father of lightes.

¶ The Doctours.

PAule maketh not himself a mediatour, betwéeneAugustine in his. 2. boke & 8. Cha. against the Epistle of Permenian. God and the people: but requireth that thei pray all one for another, beeyng all the members of Christe. If saincte Iohn woulde saie, this haue I written vnto you, that ye synne not: and if ye synne, ye haue mee your mediatour before God, and I wil en­treate for your synnes. As Permenian (the Heretique) in a cer­taine place made the Bishop a mediatour betweene God and the people, what good and faithfull christian man could abide hym.

Who would looke vpon hym, as the Apostle of Christ, and not rather thinke hym to be Antichriste.

All praier that is not made vnto God by Christe, not onlyVpon the. 108 Psalme. doth not put awaie synne, but also is turned into synne.

Wee are not commaunded to goe to any creature that weIn his. 3. booke of freewill▪ maie be made blessed: but to the creatour and maker of all thynges, of whom if wee bee perswaded otherwise then the trueth is, we are deceiued with a damnable errour.

The soules of theim that are dead, are there where thei doIn his boke of the spirite and the soule. [...] 9. [...] Chap. not see, neither heare what thynges are dooen, or chaunceth in this life: Suche is their care for the liuyng: that they know not what they doo, euen as our care is for the dead, that wee knowe not what they doe.

My Mother whom ye haue called blessed, therefore is bles­sed,In his. 10. trea­tise▪ vpon Iohn▪ bicause she hath kepte the worde of God: not bicause in her the worde was made fleshe.

The Apostle saide truely, be ye folowers of me, as I am ofIn his boke of the remission of synnes, the 14. Chap. Christ, he neuer durst saie, be ye iustified of mée, as I am iusti­fied of Christe, none is iuste but Christe iustifiyng: therefore he saide, he that beleeueth in hym that iustifieth the vngodly, his faith is coumpted for righteousnes. Whosoeuer is so bold to saie, therefore I doe iustifie thee, he sho [...]de saie also, I be­léeue in thee, whiche maie not be saied of the sainctes: but of the holy of holiest, that saide, beléeue in God, and beleue in me.

Here hence commeth Schismes, when men saye, wee areIn his. 1▪ trea­tise vpon the Epistle of Iohn In his. 4. boke and. 2 2. Chap. of the Citie of God. [Page 67] righteous, we make holy the vnholy, we dooe iustifie the wic­ked, we doe praie, we doe obtaine.

Varro saieth, the knowledge of Gods is profitable, if a man vnderstande, what power and aucthoritie eche God hath in euery thing: for so saith he, we may knowe whom to cal vpon, and whom to praie vnto, lest happely we doe, as certaine, Mi­mi, are wont to doe: that is to saie, left of Bacchus, the God of Wine, we begge water, or of, Lymphe, the Goddesse of water, we begge Wine.

But to obteine Gods fauour, from whom nothyng is se­cret,Ambrose vpon the. 1. Chap. of the Romaines. as knowyng what euery man is méete to haue: we néede no spokesman, but a deuoute mynde, for whersoeuer suche a one speaketh vnto God, God will aunswere hym.

Tell mée woman, sith thou arte a wicked and a sinfull wo­man,Chrisostome in his 12. Ho­mily of the vvoman of Ca­nane. how durst thou goe vnto hym? I knowe saieth she what I doe, beholde the wisedome of the woman, she praieth not vnto Iames, she entreateth not Iohn, she goeth not vnto Pe­ter, she did not get her selfe to the cōpanie of the Apostles, she sought for no mediatour: but for all these thinges, she toke re­pentaunce for her companion, whiche did fulfill the rowme and place of an Aduocate: and so she did goe to the high foun­taine.

There is no néede of a Porter, of a Mediatour, or Minister:In his Sermon of goyng for­vvarde of the Gospell. saie onely, Lorde haue mercie vpon mee, we haue no neede of Aduocates with God, nor of any runnyng or gaddyng aboute, for to speake faire vnto other, for although thou be alone, and without an Aduocate, and praie vnto GOD by thy selfe, thou shalt obtaine thy petitions.

He was taken vp into heauen, but as God he is shewed toCyrill in his boke of righ [...] faith. graunte the petitions of theim that worship him, if thei make their praiers in his name, for whom is it more meete to ge [...]s Sainctes their asking, and graunte theim their petitions, then for hym whiche is onely by his owne nature, and truely God.

Furthermore, they that be sanctified and made holy by theIn his. 4. boke and. 1. Chap. of the treasure. partakyng of Gods holines, keepe their gifte, and obserue the commaundement. But thei cannot sanctifie or make holy any other men▪ For, there is no man which is made holy, with the [Page] partaking of the holy ghost, that can giue by his owne power, and will, that holines vnto other men. For, onely the well of holines can graunte of his owne self, to whō soeuer he list, ho­lines. We see that the Angels be holy by partakyng, & grace, and yet wee can neuer finde that they gaue any holines vnto men. Blessed Moyses, gaue not his owne self vnto the seuen­tie elders, whiche were made rulers, the spirite: but God toke it (asit is written, from the spirite which was in Moyses, and gaue it vnto theim.)

Therefore the Sainctes, through grace, and partakyng, doubtlesse their selues hath receiued the gift: but they can not giue it at their will vnto other. But the sonne of God is not so: but as the well of holines, of his owne power maketh his disciples holy, saiyng, take ye the holy ghoste.

If any man lacke wisdome, let hym aske it of God, and notErasmns in his boke called the Preacher. of the sainctes.

¶ Against Praier and seruice in [...] straunge tongue.

IF I praie in a straunge tongue, my spirite [...]. Cor. 14. 14. praieth: but mine vnderstandyng, is with­out fruicte.

What is it then? I will praie with the15. spirite, but I will praie with the vnder­standyng also: I will sing with the Spirit, but I will sing with the vnderstandyng also.

Else when thou blessest with the spirite, howe shall he that16. occupieth the rowme of the vnlearned, saie. Amen, at the ge­uyng of thankes, séeyng he knoweth not what thou saiest.

For thou verely giuest thankes well, but the other is not17. edified.

I thanke my God, I speake languages more then thei all.18.

Yet had I rather in the Churche, to speake fiue woordes19. with mine vnderstandyng, that I might also instruct others, [Page 68] then ten thousande wordes in a straunge tongue.

Therfore when the whole Church is come together in one,23. and all speake straunge tongues, there come in they, that are vnlearned, or thei, whiche beléeue not, will they not saie, that ye are out of your wittes.

When ye come together, accordyng as euery one of you26. hath a Psalme, or hath a doctrine, or hath a tongue, or hath re­uelation, or hath interpretation, let all thynges bee doen to edifiyng.

¶ The Doctours.

THe Greekes, name God in the gréeke tongue: and theOrigene in his his. 8. booke against Celsus. Latines, in the latine tongue: & all seuerall nations, praie vnto God, and praise hym in their owne na­tural, and mother tongue. For, he that is the Lorde of al tongues, heareth men praiyng in al tongues, none other­wise, then if it were one voice, pronounced by diuers tongues. For, GOD that ruleth the whole worlde, is not as some one man, that hath gotten the Greeke, or Latine tongue, and kno­weth none other.

Let thy tongue sing: but let thy minde searche out the mea­nyngBasile vpon the 28. Psalme. of the thynges, that thou speakest, that thou maiest sing with the spirite, and sing also with thy mynde.

The Priest before praier, prepareth the mindes of his bre­thren,Cyprian vpon the Lordes praier. saiyng thus, lift vp your hartes, to the entent they may be put in mynde they ought to thynke on nothyng els, but of the Lorde, for not the sounde of voice, but the mynde and vn­derstandyng, muste praie vnto the Lorde with pure inten­tion.

It is synne to praie any otherwise then Christe hath ordei­ned.

The ignoraunte knoweth not the ende of the praier, andAmbrose vpon the. 1. to the Cor. the. 14. Chap. aunswereth not, Amen, that is to saie, so be it, that the bles­sing may be confirmed. For thereby the confirmation of the praier is fulfilled, when Amen is aunswered, and all the wor­des that be spoken by the testimony of the thyng it selfe, are confirmed in the myndes of the hearers.

[Page]What profite is there in speache, be it neuer so perfecte, ifAugustine in his. 4. booke & 10. Chap. of christian do­ctrine. the vnderstandyng of the hearer can not attains it? for there is no cause, why we shoulde speake at all, if they vnderstande not what we speake. For whose sake we speake, that they maie vnderstande vs.In his. 14. boke &. 16. ca. of the [...] [...]inity.

My minde is without fruicte: this the Apostle sainct Paule saieth, when the thyng that is spoken, is not perceiued.

Set a parte the vnderstandyng of the minde: and no manIn his. 11. boke and. 8. Chap. de Gene. ad Li­teram. hath fruicte, or profit of that thyng, that he perceiueth not.

Vpon the. 99. Psalme. Vpon the. 18. Psalme. What needeth vs to sing, if we vnderstande not what we sing, to sing with our voice, and not with our harte? for vnder­standyng is the sounde, or voice of the harte.

We that haue learned to sing in the Churche, the heauen­ly wordes of God, must also endeuour to be that thing that is written, blessed are they that vnderstandeth what they sing. Therefore déerely beloued, that we haue song together, with tunable voice, we ought also to knowe, & see with pure harte.

What is the Quéenes apparell? it is precious and full ofVpon the. 44. Psalme. varietie the misteries of doctrine in al sundry tongues: There is one tongue of Aphrica, an other of Siria: an other Greeke: an other Hebrewe, an other this, an other that. These tongues make vp the varietie of the Quéenes apparell.

But as all the varietie of colours in the apparell agréeth in vnitie: euen so all tongues agrée in one faith, let there be va­rietie in the apparell: but rent, or cut there maie not be. Be­holde by the varietie wee vnderstande the diuersitie of ton­gues, and by the apparell, we vnderstande the vnitie.

The Quéene stoode at thy right hande, apparelled in clothIn his. 4. Ora­tion against the Ievves. of Golde, adourned with varietie. Hereby is signified the di­uersitie of tongues, in all nations, the faith wherof, that lieth within, is one and simple.

The people, vnto the thyng that thei plainly vnderstande,De catechizan­dis rudibus. Cap. 9. maie saie, Amen.

We ought to vnderstande what it is that we sing, or pray,Vpon the. 18. Psalme. and so sing with mans reason, not with voice, as Birdes doe, Ouselles, Popiniayes, Rauens, and Pies, and such like, ofte­tymes be taught of men to sounde they knowe not what.

[Page 69]To sing with vnderstandyng, is graunted through Gods will, vnto the nature of man.

If Moyses should speake vnto mee in the hebrewe tongue,In his. 11. boke of Consessions and. 3. Chap. be should beate my sense in vaine, neither should there any thyng thereof enter into my minde.

Howe can he sing duely or deuoutly vnto God, that know­ethIn his Prolo­gue vpon the Psalmes. not what he singeth.

In the gathe­ringes of Bed [...] vpon the 1. Cor. 14. No man is edified or made the better by the hearyng of it whiche he doth not vnderstande.

Chrisostome in his. 18. Ho­mily vpon the 2. Cor. Not onely the Priest geueth thankes to God, but also all the people: and what doest thou marueile, to see the Priest, and the people in the praiers talke together.

In his. 35. ho­mily vpon the 1. Cor. &. 14. Chap. Unlesse I speake that you maie plainly and clearely vnder­stande, but only shewe my selfe to haue the giftes of tongues, ye shall departe awaie hauyng no fruict of those thynges, that ye vnderstande not. For of a voice that ye knowe not, what profit can ye haue?

And you, vnlesse ye vtter a sounde with vnderstandyng, ye shall speake to the winde, that is to saie, ye shall speake to no bodie.

Some enteryng into the Church, stretcheth forth and dra­wethIn his. 12. Ho­mily of the vvoman Ca­nane. at length their praier, till they haue saide a thousande verses, as though the great nomber of wordes were néedefull before GOD, as though he knewe not what thou doest aske, which knoweth before thou thinke, euen they wot not what they saie. Their lippes only moueth, and their minde is with­out fruicte, and his eares are vnto them deafe. Thou hearest not (that is, vnderstandest not) & takest no héede of thy praier, and yet thou wilt that God should heare thy praier.

We commaunde all Bishops and Priestes, to minister theIustinian the Emperour in his. 123. Con­stitution. holy oblation, and the praier at the holy Baptisme not vnder silence: but with suche a voice as maie be harde of the faithful people: to thentent that therof the hartes of the hearers may be sturred to more deuotion, and honour giuen to god the lord. For, so the holy Apostle teacheth, saiyng in the first to the Cor. for if thou blessest with the spirite onely, how shal he that supplieth the roume of the ignoraunt saie, Amen, (to God) at [Page] thy thankes giuyng? for he knoweth not what thou saiest, thou giuest thankes well, but the other is not edified.

For these causes therfore it behoueth, that the praier of the holy oblation, & also other praiers, be offered with loude voice of the holy bishops, and priestes, vnto our Lorde Iesus Christ, with the father, and the holy ghost. And let the holy Priestes vnderstande, that if thei neglect any of these thyngs, thei shall make aunswere therefore at the dreadfull iudgement of the greate God, and our sauiour Iesus Christe. And yet neuerthe­lesse, we vnderstandyng the same, will not passe it ouer, nor leaue it vnpunished.Isidorus of the order of the Churche the 10. Chap.

When thei sing, thei must sing altogether, when thei praie they must praie altogether. And when the Lesson is read, si­lence beyng commaunded, they must heare altogether.

Therfore trustie silence, and secresie was appointed by sub­tillLactantius in his. 5. boke and 20. Chap. and false Faytours, that the people shoulde neuer knowe what they worshipped.Nicholas Lyra vpon the. 1. Cor. 14. Chap.

If thou beyng a Priest, doe blesse with the spirite, that is to saie, if the people vnderstande thee not, what profite hath the simple people thereby, not vnderstandyng thee?

For so muche as in many places within one Citie, and onePope Innocen­tius the thirde, extra de officio Iudicis ordina­ [...]ij. Diocesse, there be nations mingled together of many ton­gues, hauyng diuers orders and customs vnder one faith. We doe therefore streictly commaunde, that the Bishop of suche Cities, or Diocesse, prouide meete men to minister the holie seruice, according to the diuersitie of their māners & tongues.

It was forbidden in the Primatiue Churche, that no manIohn Billet in summa de di­uinis officijs. shoulde speake with tongues, vnlesse there were some to ex­pounde it, for what should speakyng auaile without vnder­standyng? And hereof grewe a laudable custome, that after the Gospell was read literally, it should streight waie be ex­pounded in the vulgare tongue. But what shall we doe in our daies, when as there is either none at all, or very seldome that readeth, or heareth, and vnderstandeth? It seemeth it were better nowe to holde their peace, then so to praie or syng.

Uerely in the Primatiue church this was necessary, whenD. Hardyng in his aunswere to M. Ievvell. Folio. 69. the faithe was a learnyng. And therefore the praiers were [Page 70] made then, in a common tongue, knowen to the people, for cause of their further instruction.

¶ Against the honouryng and wor­shippyng of Sainctes.

MAnoah then saide vnto the Angell of theIudge [...] [...]3. 15. Lorde, I praie thée, let vs retaine thée, vn­till we haue made ready a kyd for thée.

And the Angell of the Lorde saide vnto16. Manoah, though thou make mee abide, I will not eate of thy bread: And if thou wilt make a burnt offring, offer it vnto the lord.

Geue vnto the Lorde ye sonnes of the mightie, geue vntoPsalme. 29. 1. the Lorde glory and strength.

Not vnto vs, O lorde, not vnto vs, but vnto thy name giuePsal. 115. 1. the glory, for louyng mercie, and for thy true thes sake.

Let there be no straunge God in thée: neither worship thouPsalme. 81. 9▪ any straunge God.

I am the Lorde, that is my name, and my glory will I notEsaie. 42. 8. giue vnto another, neither my praise to grauen Images.

I would haue béene content with good will for the saluationEsth. xiij. xiij▪ of Israell, to haue kiste the sole of (Aman) his feete.

But I did it not, bicause I would not preferre the honour14. of a man, aboue the glorie of God, and would not worship any but onely thee, my Lorde.

Thou shalt worship the Lorde thy God, and him only shaltMath. iiii. x. thou serue.

And it came to passe as Peter came in, that Cornelius metActes. x. xxv. hym, and fell downe at his feete, and worshipped hym.

But Peter tooke hym vp, saiyng, stande vp: for euen I my26. selfe am a man.

When the people sawe what Paule had done, they lift vpChap. xiiii. xi▪ their voices, saiyng in the speache of Lycaonia, Gods are come downe to vs, in the likenes of men.

And they called Barnabas Iupiter, and Paule Mercurius, 12. bicause he was the chief speaker.

[Page]Then Iupiters Priestes, whiche was before their Citie,13. brought Bulles with Garlands vnto the Gates, and woulde haue sacrificed, with the people.

But when the Apostles, Barnabas, and Paule, harde it,14. they rent their clothes, and ran in among the people, criyng,

And saiyng, O men, why dooe ye these thynges? wee are15 euen men subiecte to the like passions that ye be, and preache vnto you, that ye should turne from these vaine Idols, vnto the liuyng God.

Nowe this I saie, that euery one of you saith, I am Pauls, 1. Cor. 1. 12. and I am Apollos, and I am Cephas, and I am Christes, is Christe deuided? was Paule Crucified for you? either were ye baptized into the name of Paule?

Who is Paule then? and who is Apollos but the ministersChap. 3. 5. by whom ye beléeued, and as the Lorde gaue to euery man?

I haue planted, Apollos watred, but God gaue the en­crease.6.

And I am Iohn, whiche sawe and harde these thynges, andReuela. 22. [...]. when I had harde and séene, I fell downe to worship before the feete of the Angell, whiche shewed me these thynges.

But he saide vnto mée, sée thou doe it not: for I am thy fel­lowe9. seruaunte, and of thy brethren the Prophetes, and of them whiche kéepe the wordes of this booke: worship God.

¶ The Doctours.

LET no man eate of this errour, touchyng saincteEpiphanius in his. 3. boke a­gainst heresies, the. 59. heresie. Marie, for, though the trée be faire, yet is not this fruicte to be eaten: although Mary be beautifull, and holie, and honourable, yet is she not to be ad­ored and worshipped: but these women worship­pyng sainct Mary, renewe againe the sacrifice of wine minge­led in the honour of the Goddesse, Fortuna, and prepare a ta­ble for the deuill, and not for God: As it is written in the scri­ptures, thei are fed with the meate of wickednes: and againe, their women boulte flower: and their children gather stickes to make fine cakes, in the honour of the Queene of heauen, [Page 71] therefore let suche women be rebuked by the Prophete Iere­mie: And then no more trouble the worlde, and let theim not saie, we worship the Queene of heauen.

Christe saied vnto his mother, woman, what haue I to doeIn the same boke against one Colliridiā. with thee? My houre is not yet come, leaste any man should thinke, our Ladie was of greater excellēcie, he called her wo­man: as it were, prophesiyng of the kyndes and sectes of here­sies that were to come in the world, least any man hauyng too greate opinon of that holy saincte, should fall into this heresie, and into the dotage of the same. For in deede, the whole mat­ter is but a mockery, and an olde wiues tale: and soothly to say, nothyng els, but the handlyng of an heresie.

Neither Helias is to be worshipped, although he bee yet aIn the same. 3. boke. 2. Tome and. 29. here­sie. liue: Nor yet is Iohn to be worshipped, although by his owne praiers, he made his sleepe wonderfull. Naie, rather he recei­ued grace from God. But neither Tecla, nor any saincte is to bee worshipped, for, that olde errour shall not rule in vs, that we should forsake the liuyng God, and worshippe those thyn­ges that were made by him. For thei haue honored and wor­shipped the creature, besides the creatour, and thei became fooles. For if he will not haue the Angels to be worshipped, how muche lesse, that whiche was borne of Anna, whiche by Ioachim beyng giuen to Anna, whiche by praiers and all dili­gence was giuen according to promise, to the father and mo­ther? Notwithstanding, was not borne otherwise besides the nature of men, but like as all men, of the séede of the man, and the wombe of the woman.

My mother whom ye haue called blessed, therefore is bles­sed,Angustine in his. 10. treatise vpon the Epi­stle of Iohn. bicause she hath kepte the worde of GOD: not bicause in her the worde was made fleshe.

Mary was more blessed, in that she receiued the faithe ofIn his boke of holy virginity, the. 3. Chap. Christe, then in that she conceiued the fleshe of Christe, mo­therly kindred could haue doone Mary no good, vnlesse she had borne Christe more blessedly in her harte, then she bare hym in her fleshe.

Let not the worshippyng of dead men, be counted holinesIn his booke of true religion, the. 55. Chap. among vs, for if they haue liued godly, thei be not so, that thei [Page] will séeke suche honours: but they will that he be worshipped of vs, the whiche giuyng light, thei be glad that we be fellowe seruauntes of their merite: Therefore sainctes ought to be ho­noured for imitation, in followyng of their liuing: And not for religion: that thyng that the highest Angel worshippeth: must also the lowest man worship.

Let vs beléeue this, that the best Angels, and the most ex­cellent Ministers, would that we should worship one GOD with them, by whose contemplation and lookyng vpon, they are blessed.

Wherfore, we worship them with charitie, and loue, that we beare vnto them, and not with bondage, nor builde we to them any Temples, for they will not so bee worshipped and honoured of vs, for they knowe that when we be good, we are the Temples and Churches of the most highest God.

Therefore it was wel and rightely written, that the man was forbidden of the Angell to worshippe hym, but that he should worship God.

There is no man that dare be so bolde, as to saie that sacri­ficeIn his. x. booke of the Citie of God, and. iiii. Chap. ought to be giuen vnto any, but onely vnto God.

In the. viii. boke and. xvii. Chap. of the Citie of God. Wee offer not vnto our Martyrs, sacrifices, for it is vnsee­mely, not due vnto them, and vnlawfull: and onely due vnto God.

In the. xxii. boke and. x. Chap. of the Citie of God. We builde no Aulters wheron we may sacrifice vnto our Martyrs: but offer vp vnto GOD both ours, and the Martyrs sacrifice, at the which sacrifice, the Martyrs as the men of god, which hath ouercommed the worlde in the confession of God, are named in their place and order: yet for all that, the Priest that doth sacrifice, doth not call for the helpe of them.

Whiche of the faithfull hath harde the Priest at the Aul­ter,In his. 8. boke and. 27. Chap. of the Citie of God. yea vpon the holy bodie of the Martyr, made for the ho­nour and worshippe of God, saie at any tyme in his praiers: I offer a sacrifice to thee O Peter, or Paule, or Cyprian. &c.

The verie Sainctes theim selues, whether they bee deadIn his. xx. boke and. xxi. Chap. against Pau­stus. men or Angels, will not haue honour giuen vnto them, which onely is due vnto GOD. This appeared in Paule and Bar­nabas, when the men of Licaonia, astonied at their mira­cles, [Page 72] would haue doone sacrifice vnto them, as if they had béen Gods. For they rentyng their garmentes, confessyng and per­swadyng them, that they were not Gods, forbade suche thyn­ges to be doen vnto theym. This appeared also in the Angels, as we reade in the Apocalips. The Angell forbiddyng him self to be worshipped, and saiyng to hym that worshipped hym: I am thy fellowe seruaunte of thee, and thy brethren.

No man was made priuie to Moyses graue: lest if the peo­pleIn his. 1. boke and last Chap. of the wonders of the holy Scriptures. had knowen where his body had been, they would adore and worship it.

In his his booke of the maners of the Churche, and Manichies, the 34. Chapiter. I knowe many worshippers of Graues and Images, that drinke and quaffe disorderly ouer the dead, and offer meate vnto their Carcasses, and burie them selues ouer the buried, and make accoumpte, that euen their very dronkennesse and glottony is a religion that pleaseth God.

In his boke of the worke of the Monkes Chap. 28. Some there be that carie about Martyrs bones to sale, and yet it maie well be doubted, whether euer they were Martirs or no.

In his. 1. boke and. xviii. Cap. of the consent of the Gospell. Euery GOD ought so to bee worshipped, as he hath com­maunded to be worshipped.

In his. i. boke against Maxi­minus, the A­ryan Bishop. If we should make a Temple of wood and stone, for any ho­ly Angell, yea, though he were the most excellent of all, should we not be accursed from the trueth of Christe, and from the Church of God, bicause we exhibite that seruice to a creature, whiche is due to God alone. Therfore, if we should offende in Sacrilege, by buildyng a Churche to any creature, how can it be, but he is the true God, to whom wee make no Temple, but our selues are Temples.

The Martyrs are not glad when they are worshippedChrisostome vpon the. 23. of Math. with that monie, for the whiche poore men weepe.

What vertue of righteousnesse is that, to rewarde dend men, and to robbe theim that bee aliue? To take the blood of wretches and sorowfull persons, and offer it vp to God? That is not to offer to God, but to be willyng to make God partner of their violence, that if he receiue gladly the offered monie of synne: may consent to the synne.

Wilte thou builde the house of God? giue vnto faithfull [Page] poore men, wherwith thei maie liue, and thou hast builded the reasonable house of God. Men doe dwell in houses, but GOD dwelleth in holy men. Then what vnkind men be thei, which robbe men, and maketh Martyrs houses, and maketh houses for men, and casteth downe the Mansion and dwellyng place of God?

Euen as, not al that saie, Lorde, Lorde, are the Lordes, butIn his. Ho­mily vpon the 23. of Math. they that doe the Lordes will: so not all they that praise and magnifie the Apostles, Prophetes, and Martyrs, in places, be their worshippers: but they whiche folowe their workes, and resemble their faith.

A Creature is to adore and worshippe, and it belongeth toIn his. 32. Ho­mily vpon the 4. of Iohn. the Creatour to be worshipped.

Ioseph liyng in his death bed, saied vnto his Children andIn his. 67. Ho­mily vpon Ge­nesis. Neuewes, ye shall cary my bones with you foorth out of Egypte: lest the Egiptians remembryng the good thynges he had doone, shoulde vse that good mans body to an occasion of wickednes, and Idolatrie.

Suche sleightes of huntyng hath the Deuill, vnder the co­lourIn his. 49. Ho­mily vpon the Actes. of holines he hideth his snares.

Let vs learne to worship Christ, of his owne will, he thatIn his. 51. ho­mily vpon Math. is honoured, is best pleased with that honour whiche he hynt selfe will: and not that we doe deuise or wishe.

As for the holy Martyrs, wee neither saie that they areCyrill in his 6. boke against Iulianus. Gods, neither haue been accustomed to worshippe them. But we praise them rather with greate honour, bicause they haue valiantly striuen for the trueth, and haue mainteined the sin­ceritie of faithe, in so muche as they haue despised their owne life: and not regarded the terrours of death, haue preuailed in very great daungers, and were of so great strength, as though they would raise vp Images to themselues of their owne life.

No man is ignoraunt, that adoration and worship in theIn his. 4. boke and. 1. Chap. of the treasure. Scripture is attributed to no kinde of nature, saue only to the nature of God.

The christian men asked the Carcas and dead bodie of Po­lycarpus: Eusebius in his 4. boke and 15. Cap. histor. Eccle. but the Iewes did greatly withstande that thyng, as though the christian men had asked it, to worship it: but they [Page 73] knowe not most wretches, that we can neither at any tyme, leaue and forsake Christe, whiche suffered death for the salua­tion of all the worlde, neither worshipped any other, bicause we knowe the true God whiche is onely to be worshipped.

It is reported that with Procession they furnishe vp theirPope Gelasius in the. 2. Ca­non. D [...]onse­cratione dist. 1. Chap. placuit. Churches, builte in the name of dead men, and the same for ought that I can learne, while thei were aliue, not altogether good faithfull men.

The Sainctes haue receiued them selues, and not giuenIn the booke of the counsel [...], in the Epistle of Leo the Pope. Crownes: And they are made examples of strength, and pati­ence of the faithfull, and not giftes of righteousnes.

Sulpitius of the life of sainct Martin. Sainct Martin on a tyme came to a Chappell, built in the name of a holy Martyr: but afterwarde he learned by reue­lation: that the same Martyr had been some tyme a common thief, and for robbery had been put to death, and by errour of the people, was honoured and worshipped for a Sainct.

I denie not, but that if there be suche excessiue speache asD. Hardyng in his boke, a de­tection of son­drie foule er­rours, lies. &c. Fol. 366. séeme to attribute to our Lady, or to any Saincte, that which is proper, and belongeth to Christ onely: they ought by a con­uenient interpretation, and vnderstandyng, be drawen vnto such a sense, and meaning, as is agréeable vnto the Scriptures of God.

¶ Against Images.

THOU shalte make thée no grauenExodus. 20. 4. Image, neither anie similitude of thinges that are in heauen abone, neither that are in the earth be­neath, neither that are in the wa­ters vnder the earth.

Thou shalte not bowe downe to5. them, neither serue them, for I am the Lorde thy God a ielous God. &c. Ye shall not turns vnto Idols, nor make you molten gods.Leuiti. 19. 4.

[Page]Ye shall driue out all the inhabitantes of the Lande beforeNomb. 33. [...]2. you. And destroie al your Pictures, & breake a sunder all their Images of Mettall, and plucke downe all their hie places.

Take therefore good heede vnto your selues: for ye saweDeut. 4. 15. no Image in the daie that the Lorde spake vnto you in Horeb out of the middes of the fire.

That ye corrupte not your selues, and make you a grauen16. Image or representation of any figure: whether it be the li­kenes of Male or Female.

Cursed be the man that shall make any earned or moultenChap. 27. 15. Image, whiche is an abomination vnto the Lorde, the worke of the handes of the Craftes man, and putteth it in a secrete place.

Their Idols are Siluer and Gold, euen the worke of mansPsalm. 115. 4. handes.

They haue a mouth and speake not, they haue eyes and sée5. not.

They haue eares and heare not: they haue noses and smell6. not.

They haue handes and touche not: they haue séete & walke7. not.

They that make them are like vnto them: so are all they8. that trust in them.

The Idols of the heathen, are Siluer and Golde, euen thePsalm. 135. 15. worke of mans hande.

To whom then will ye liken God▪ or what similitude willEsaie. 40. 18. ye set vp vnto hym?

The workeman melteth an Image, or the Goldsmith bea­teth [...]9. it out in Golde, or the Goldsmith maketh Siluer plates.

Doth not the poore choose out a trée that will not rotte, for20. an oblation? he seeketh also vnto hym a cunnyng workeman to prepare an Image, that shall not be moued.

I am the Lorde, this is my name, and my glory will I notCha. 42. 8. giue to another, neither my praise to grauen Images.

All they that make an Image, are vanitie, and their dele­ctableChap. 44. 9. thynges, shall nothyng profit, and they are their owne witnesses, that they sée not, nor knowe, therefore they shalbe [Page 74] confounded.

Who hath made a God? or moulten an Image, that is pro­fitable10. for nothyng?

Beholde, all that are of the felowship thereof shalbe con­founded:11. for the workemen themselues are but men. &c.

The Smith taketh an instrument, and worketh in the co­les,12. and fashioneth it with Hammers, and woorketh it with the strength of his armes. &c.

The Carpenter stretcheth out a line: he fashioneth it with13. a red threede, he planeth it, and purtreieth it with the Com­passe, and maketh it after the figure of a man, and accordyng to the beautie of a man, that it maie remaine in an house.

He will hewe hym downe Ceders, and take the Pine tree,14. and the oke, & taketh courage among the trees of the forest. &c.

And man burneth thereof: for hee will take thereof, and15. warme hym self: he also kyndleth it, and baketh breade, yet he maketh a God, and worshippeth it: he maketh it an Idole, and boweth vnto it.

He burneth the half thereof in fire, and vpon the half ther­of16. he eateth his meate: he rosteth his roste, and is satisfied: also he warmeth hym self, and saieth, a ha, I am warme, I haue been at the fire.

And the residue thereof he maketh a God, euen his Idole:17. he boweth vnto it, and worshippeth, and praieth vnto it and saieth, deliuer me: for thou art my God.

Thei haue not knowen, nor vnderstande, for GOD hath18. shutte their eyes that thei can not see, and their hartes, that thei can not vnderstande.

And none considereth in his harte, neither is there knowe­ledge,19. nor vnderstandyng, to saie, I haue burnte halfe of it in the fire, I haue baked breade vpon the coales thereof, I haue rosted fleshe, and eaten it, and shall I make the residue there­of an abhomination, shall I bowe to the stocke of a tree?

Their Idoles stande vp as the Palme tree, but speake not,Ierem, 10. 5. thei are borne, bicause thei cannot go, feare them not, for thei can not doe euill, neither can thei doe good.

Altogether they dote, and are foolishe: for the stocke is a8. [Page] doctrine of vanitie.

In al your dwellyng places, the Cities shalbe desolate, andEzechiel. 6. 6. the high places shalbe laied waste, so that your Aulters shalbe made waste, and desolate: And your Idols shalbe broken, and your Images of the same shall bee cutte in péeces, and your workes shalbe abolished.

What profiteth the Image? For the maker thereof hathHabac [...] ▪ 1 [...]. made it an Image, and a teacher of lyes, though he that made it, truste therein, when he maketh dumbe Idols.

Woe vnto hym that saieth to the wood, awake, and to the19. dumbe stone, rise vp, it shall teache thee: beholde, it is laied o­uer with golde and siluer, and there is no breath in it.

Miserable are thei, and among the deade is their hope, thatwisedome. 13. 10. call them Gods, whiche are the works of mens handes, gold, and siluer, and the thyng that is inuented, by arte. &c.

He calleth on hym that is weake, for health: he praieth vn­to18. hym that is deade: for life, he requireth hym of helpe, that hath no experience at all.

And for his iourney, hym that is not able to goe, and for19. gaine, and worke, and successe of his affaires, he requireth fur­theraunce of hym that hath no maner of power.

The inuentyng of Idolles, was the beginnyng of whore­dome,Chap. 14. 11. and the findyng of them, is the corruption of life.

For thei were not from the beginnyng, neither shall they12. continue for euer.

The vaine glorie of men, brought theim into the worlde,13. therefore shall thei come shortly to an ende.

When a father mourned greeuously for his sonne that14. was taken awaie sodainly, he made an Image for hym, that was once dead, whom now he worshippeth as a God, and or­deined to his seruauntes, Ceremonies, and Sacrifices.

Thus by proces of tyme, this wicked custome preuailed,15. and was kepte as a lawe, and Idols were worshipped by the commaundement of Tyrantes.

Thei decke these Gods of siluer, and Gods of golde, and ofBaruch. 6. 10. wood, with garmentes like men.

Yet cannot thei be preserued from ruste, and wormes.11.

[Page 75]One holdeth a scepter, as though he were a certaine Iudge13. of the countrie: yet cannot he slea suche as offende hym.

An other hath a dagger, or an axe in his right hande: yet is14. he not able to defende hym self from battaile, nor from thie­ues, so then it is euident, that thei be no Gods.

Thei light vp candels before them: yea, more thē for them18. selues, whereof thei cannot see one: for thei are but as one of the postes of the temple.

The Owles, Swallowes, and Birdes, flie vpon their bo­dies,21. and vpon their heades, yea, and the Cattes also.

Thei can saue no man frō death: neither deliuer the weake35. from the mightie.

Thei cannot restore a blinde man to his sight, nor helpe a­ny36. man at his neede.

Thei can shewe no mercie to the widowe, nor doe good to37. the fatherlesse.

Their Gods of wood, golde, and siluer, are as stones, that38. be hewen out of the mountaine, and thei that worship theim shalbe confounded.

The moste high God dwelleth not in Temples made withActes. 17. 42. handes, as saieth the Prophete.

Abstaine ye from thynges offered to Idols, and bloud, thatChap. 15. 29. is strangled, and from fornication.

For as muche then, as wée are the generation of God, wéeChap. 17. 29. ought not to thinke, that the godhead is like vnto golde, or sil­uer, or stone grauen by arte, and the inuention of man.

Thei tourned the glorie of the incorruptible God, to the si­militudeRom. 1. 23. of the Image of a corruptible man. &c.

Whiche turned the truthe of God vnto a lye, and worship­ped,25. and serued the creature, aboue the Creatour, whiche is blessed for euer. Amen.

But now I haue written vnto you, that ye companie not1. Cor. 5. [...]1. together, if any that is called a brother, bee a fornicator, or co­netous, or an Idolater. &c. with suche a one eate not.

Wherefore my beloued, flee from Idolatrie.Chap. 10. 14.

What agrement hath the temple of God with Idols? for2. Cor. 6. 6. ye are the temple of the liuyng God.

[Page]The woorkes of the fleshe are manifeste, whiche are adul­terie,Galath. 5. 19. fornication, vncleannesse, wantonnesse,

Idolatrie, witchcrafte, hatered, emulations, wrathe, con­tentious,20. seditions, heresies.

Babes, kepe your selues, from Idoles.1. Iohn. 1. 21.

Amen.

¶ The Doctours.

GOd hath forbidden an Image, as well to be madeTertullian in his boke of Idolatrie. as to bee worshipped. As farre as makyng goeth before worshippyng, so farre is it before, that the thing be not made, that maie not be worshipped. Some man will saie, I make it, but I worship it not: As though he durst not to worship it for any other cause, but onely for the same cause, for whiche he ought not to make it: I meane bothe waies, for Gods displeasure. Naie, rather thou worshippest the Image, that giuest the cause for other to worship it.

Some one or other that maintain Idolatrie▪ will saie: and why then did Moises make the Image of the brasen Serpent in the wildernesse? The olde Idolaters founde out, and vsed the same aboue fourtene hundred yeres agee, well, and good­one and the same God, bothe by his generall lawe, forbade a­ny Image to be made: And also by his extraordinarie, and spe­ciall commaundement, an Image of a serpent to bee made: If thou bee obedient to the same God, thou haste his lawe, make thou no Image: But if thou haue a regarde to the Image of the Serpent, that was made afterwarde by Moyses▪ then doe thou as Moyses did: Make not any Image againste the lawe­vnlesse God commaunde thee, as he did Moyses.

We make no Image of God, as knowyng hym to bée in­uisible,Origene in his 7. boke against Celsus. and without bodie.

The mynde of the lawe was this, that thei should in allIn his. 4. boke against Celsus. thynges, so behaue theim selues, as the truthe required, nor that thei should beside the truthe counterfeite any thyng, re­presentyng the shape of a man, or woman.

Images were first drawen, thereby to kepe the counte­naunceCyprian in his boke of the va­nitie of Idols. of the deade in remembraunce, vpon occasion where­of, [Page 76] thynges grewe at length vnto holinesse, that at the firste were taken onely for solace.

What, doest thou bowe thy captiue bodie, before foolisheIn his. 1. trea­tise against Demetrian. Images, and yearthly counterfeites? God hath made the vp­right, and whereas all other beastes of the earth, are depreas­sed in shape, bendyng downe to the ground warde: thou haste a loftie state, to heauen, and to thy God thy countenance is e­rected: then looke vp thither, thither caste vp thyne eyes, seke God aboue, that hell thou maiest lacke, lifte vp thy doubtfull harte, to high and heauenly thynges: what doest thou throwe thy self with the deuill whom thou seruest, into the pitte of death?

The deuill by the mouthe of other, is wont to bryng forthClement Re­cog. to Iames the brother of our Lorde, in his. 5. boke. suche wordes. Wée, to the worship of the inuisible God, wor­ship the visible Images, and this is moste certaine false: for if you will truely worship Goddes Image, ye should by beyng beneficiall vnto man, worship the true Image of God in him.

What honour of God is this, to runne about the counter­faicte [...] of timber, and of stone, and to worship the shapes that are without soule, and despise man, in whom the true shape of God is?

Wee neither worship, nor wishe for crosses, you that con­secrateArnobius in his. 8. boke a­gainst the Gentiles. woodden Goddes, peraduenture worship the woodden Crosses, as partes of your Goddes.

If you had not this Image, should Christ be ignorant that he were serued of you? Will he thinke that there is no honour doen hym? Then doeth he receiue your seruynges, and wor­shippynges by certaine traines, by other put in truste, and be­fore he, to whom the obsequie is due, haue any feelyng of the matter, ye doe your Sacrifice vnto the Image, and sende hym but the strappes from an other mans boorde.

And what can bee deuised, more iniurious, sclaunderous,In his. 6. boke against the Gentiles. vncourteous, then to acknowledge one God, and make thy sute vnto an other thing? To hope for helpe of God, and poure out thy praiers to a senselesse Image? Is not this (as the Pro­uerbe hath) to haue a quarell to Rowlande, and fight with O­liuer? And where thou se [...]est for aduise of men, to aske the [Page] sentence first of Porklynges, and of Asses?

Is not this an errour? Is it not (to speake properly) a mad­nes, in tremblyng wise, to make thy humble sute to a thyng, that thou madest thy self? And whereas thou doest knowe, and art assured, that it is thyne owne workemanshippe, the fruite of thyne owne fingers, to fall grouelyng vpon thy face before it?

Augustine de side, & Sym­bolo. Chap. 7. To deuise an Image for God, it is abhominable.

In his booke against Ady­mantus the 13. Chap. Thei would seeme to fauour Images, which thyng thei doe, to the intent to make the Heathens to thinke the better of their moste miserable, and lewde secte.

In his. 4. booke and. 31. Chap. of the Citie of God. Thei that first erected the Images of the Gods, vnto the people, tooke awaie feare, and religion, and increased errour vnto their cities, bicause the people in the foly of Images, may soone be deceiued.

In his booke vpon the. 113. Uery children knowe, that these Images haue eyes and see not: mouthe and speake not. Wherefore then doeth the holie ghoste so often teache vs, and admonishe vs▪ the same thyng in the Scriptures, as if wee knewe it not. For that the verie shape, and proportion of a man sette a loft, after it once beginneth to bee adored and honoured of the multitude, it breedeth in euery man, that most vile affection of errour, that although he finde there no naturall mouyng, or token of life, yet he thinketh some God, or godlie thyng is within it: and so beyng deceiued, partly by the forme that he seeth, and partly by the aucthoritie and credite of the aucthours, and makers of it, whom thei take to be wise, and partly also by the example, and deuotion of the people, whō thei see obedient to the same, he thinketh that the Image, beyng so like a liuyng bodie, can­not be without some liuyng thyng vnderneath it.

Who soeuer adoreth, or maketh his praier, beholdyng an Image, he is so mooued in his mynde, that he thinketh the I­mage heareth hym, and hopeth it will performe his praier.

After that Images be once set vp in these places, in honou­rableIn his. 49. Epi­stle. height, that thei that praie, or sacrifice, maie looke vpon them, although thei haue neither sence, nor soule, yet thei so strike, and amase the weake myndes of the people, euen with [Page 77] the verie proportion of liuyng members, and sences, that thei seeme to haue life, and to drawe breathe.

Let no man saie vnto me, the Image, is no diuine power:In his. vi. Ser­mon of the wordes of the Lord, in Math. It is no God: I would to God thei so knewe it, as we knowe it. But what thei haue, and in what sorte thei haue it, and what thei doe aboute it, the aulter beareth witnesse.

Let vs not coumpte it a religion, to worship the workes ofIn his [...]ke of true religion 55. Chap. mens handes: For the craftes maisters theim selues, whiche make suche thynges are better, whom notwithstandyng, wee ought not to worship: let vs not make it a religion to worship bruite beastes, for the basest sorte of men that bee, bee better then thei, whom notwithstandyng, we ought not to worship. Let vs not make it religion, to worship dead men, bicause thei haue liued godly: for thei were neuer coumpted to seeke such honours, but they would haue hym to bée worshipped of vs, who alluminyng them, doe reioyce.

So they were worthie to be deceiued, that sought ChristeIn his. i. booke and. x. Chap. of the Agreement of the Gospell. and his Apostles, not in the bookes of holie▪ Scripture, but in painted walles, neither maie wee marueile, if fayners, by Painters, were deceiued.

He adourneth his Image with siluer, and gold, that by theHierome in his. ii. boke & x. Chap. vpon Ieremy. shine, and glitteryng of both these mettalles, he maie deceiue the simple: whiche errour doubtlesse is now cropen in emon­gest vs, so that now we thinke, our religion stādeth in riches.

The Heathens worshipped wood, as the Image of God.Ambrose vpon the. 118. Psal. Chrisostome in his. 1. Tome 51. Homily.

What if thou shouldest see a manne almoste frosen with colde, and wouldest prepare no necessarie [...]imentes for hym: but sette vp golden Images, in the honour of hym, shouldeste thou not séem to cōte [...]pne him? So it behoueth thée to thinke in Christ. When he goeth aboute wanderyng, as a straunger, lackyng harbour, then thou doest not receiue hym, and in the meane season, thou doest tri [...]me the paintynges of churches. Thou makest vp costly walles, thou settest vp gorgious hea­des of pillars, thou cause stelampes to hange downe from gol­den seelynges, and in the meane season, thou doest not visite hym beyng in prisone. No man was euer blamed or accused▪ bicause he had not builded vp costely Temples, or Churches, [Page] and Images. But euerlastyng fire of hell (the punishement of the deuills) doe hange ouer vs, excepte we doe the other thyn­ges diligently.Lactantius in his. 2. booke & 19. Chap. In the▪ 2. chap. of the [...]me boke.

Out of all doubt, there is no religion, where soeuer there is an Image.

Thei are afraied leaste their religion be voyde, and to no purpose, if thei see nothyng presently, that thei maie worship. And therefore thei make counterfaictes, whiche bicause the [...] are Images of the deade, are like to the deade, for thei be with out sense: but the Image of God, who liueth for euer, must bée liuely and sensible.

To contemne and despise the earth, is nothyng els, but not to worship Images, whiche are made of earth.

What madnesse is this, either to frame those thynges, whiche thei maie after feare, or feare th [...]se thynges, whiche thei haue framed? No forsoothe (saie thei) we feare not that: but them after whose Image thei bee made, and to whose na­mes thei be consecrated: for then ye feare them, bicause ye sup pose them to be in heauen, for if thei be Gods, it cannot other­wise be chosen. But why doe you not lift vp your eyes to hea­uen, and callyng vpon the Gods by name, doe your Sacrifice openly? Why doe you rather looke to the walles, to the stoc­kes, and stones▪ then to that place where you beleue thei are?

If a liuyng man cannot teache thee to knowe GOD, howAthanasius against the Gentiles. Epiphanius to Iohn, Patriarke of Ierusalem in the seconde Tome of Hie­rome. shall a carued stocke and stone doe it, that is deade?

In that, I heard certaine did grudge againste me, for that when we wente together to the holie place, whiche is called Bethell, to make a gatheryng there with me, according to the maner of the Churche: and came to a village called A [...]abla▪ tha, and as I passed, sawe a Candle burnyng, and asked what place it was, and▪ when I had learned that it was a Churche, and had entred in to make my p [...]iers, I founde there a vaile hangyng, at the entrie of the Churche, stained, and painted, and hauyng the Image, as it were of Christ, or of some sainct, for whose picture it was in déede, I doe not remember. There­fore, when I sawe the Image of a man, to hang in the churche of Christ, contrary to the commaundement of the scriptures, [Page 78] I tare and rente it in sunder: and gaue counsaile to the War­dens of that Churche, that thei wrappe, and burie some poore bodie in it?

I beseche you, charge the Priestes of that place, that thei commaunde that suche vailes, or clothes hanged, as be con­trary to our religion: be no more hanged vp in the Churche of christ. It behoueth your reuerence to haue care hereof, this is superstition, vnmeete for the Church of Christ, and vnmeete for the people (to thée committed) and therfore to be remoued.

The Deuill enteryng into the minde of men, alwaies vn­derIn hi [...]. [...]. booke 2. Tome, a­gainst heresies, the. 79. heresie, against the Colliridians. pretence of iustice, aduauncing in the eies of men, the mor­tall nature, to the degree of God, hath expressed thorowe va­rietie of cunnyng, Images, presentyng the counterfeites of men. And they that are worshipped in deede, be dead. And the Images whiche neuer liued, they bring in to be worshipped: the minde thereby committyng fornication, and estraun­gyng it self, from the one and onely God, as it were an harlot▪ departyng filthily her body vnto many, and as one that had worne awaie the sober vse of lawfull company with one hus­bande.

The olde errour shall not preuaile ouer vs, to leaue the li­uyng, and worship those thinges which are made of hym. For they haue worshipped and adored the creature, more then the Creatour, and became fooles.

My deare children, bee ye myndefull, that ye bryng no I­mages into the Churches, and that ye erecte vp none at the burialles of the sainctes: but euermore cary God in your har­tes. Naie, suffer not Images to bée, no, not in your houses: for it is not lawfull, to leade a Christian man by his eyes, but ra­ther by the studie, or exercise of his mynde.

Numa, in aunswere vnto Iulian (as the enemie hymselfCyrill in his. [...]. boke against Iulianu [...] ▪ affirmeth) was honest and good, and indued with notable vn­derstandyng, made many lawes for Priestes, let vs inquire therefore diligently, what maner of seruice he had: Dionise of Halicarnassus, whiche wrote well the historie of the Romai­nes, reporteth that he made Temples, and Oratories, but there was no Image in the worlde in theim, for bicause he [Page] commended the wisedome of Pythagoras, whose doctrine also he folowed, he knewe that God was destitute of suche forme and shape: and affirmed that he tooke pleasure in the sacrifices of the mynde, and not of the fleshe. Therefore the Temples that he builded, he called the Temples of faithe: by whiche, onely GOD is seen of men, so farre as thei are able to reache vnto his sight: and he commaunded his subiectes to take their othe by faithe.

It is no maru [...]ile that the Heathens, receiuyng suche be­nefitesEusebius in his 7. boke and 18. Chap. of our Sauiour, did these thynges: For, we haue seen the Image of Paule, of Peter, of Christ, drawen in coloures, and preserued. And it maie well bee thought, that men in olde tymes, beyng not yet remoued from the superstition of their fathers, vsed after this sorte to worship theim, by an Heathe­nishe custome, as their Sauiours.

An vnhappie memory is that, which to remember Christ,Charles the greate in his 4. boke and 2. Chap. of Ima­ges. who neuer ought to departe out of the harte of the iuste man, standeth in neede of a sightfull conceipte, nor otherwise can haue the presence of Christe within hym, vnlesse he haue his Image painted on the wall, or expressed in some other mat­ter, for suche a memorie as is nourished, and kept by Images, proceadeth not of hartie loue: but necessitie of eye sight.

Muste madnesse it is, that our myndes, by the meane of materiall Images, muste be put in remembraunce, leaste w [...] fall to forget hym, whereas this is the faulte of infirmitie, no signe of libertie.

We praise it well that you had a zeale, that nothing madeGregorie Pope first, in his. 7. boke of his Epistles, the 109. Chap. vn­to Serenus. B. of Massilia. with hande should bee worshipped: And againe, you ought to haue forbidden the people from the worshipping of them: and thirdlie, that the people should not offende in adoration or worshippyng of a picture, or Image.

In the second Counsell of Nyce, Actes. 6. (Theodorus bishop of Ancyra saieth) we thinke it not con­uenient to painte the Images of Sainctes, with materiall or earthly colours, for it is euident, that this is a vaine imagina­tion, and the procurement of the deceiptfulnesse of the deuill.

Heathens was the first deuiser, and heade of Images.

We thinke [...] good, there bee no picture in the Churches▪ In the Counsel at Eliberis Cā ­non. 36. [Page 79] l [...]aste the thyng that is honoured, or adoured, bee painted on the walles.

For as muche as wée haue a diligente care in all thynges,In the Counsel at Constanti­nople, Peter Crinite, the. 9. boke &. 9. cap. to maintaine the Religion of the moste high God, therefore we suffer no man to fashion, to graue, or to painte the Image of our Sauiour Christ, either in colours, or in stone, or in any other kynde of mettall, or matter: But where soeuer any such Image shall be founde, we commaunde it to be taken downe, assuryng our subiectes, that we will most straitly punishe all suche as shall presume to attempte any thyng, contrary to our decree and commaundement.

Be thei not monstruous, that worship stones?Clement of Alexandria in his oration to the Gentiles. a Polidorus virgill in his. 6. boke and. 13. Chap. of the inuentions of thynges. Erasmus in his thirde boke of the Churche.

Nowe lette vs intreate of the worshippyng of Images, whiche not onely the Heathens, that were voide of our Reli­gion: but also as saincte Hierome saieth, all the olde godly fa­thers condemned, for feare of Idolatrie.

The worlde is come to suche outrage, and mere madnesse herein, that this parte of holinesse differeth nowe, very little from open wickednesse.

Some doe moue affectes by Images, or the wyng of sainc­tes Reliques, whereof neither agreeth to the grauitie of the place, that a Preacher standeth in: for we reade not, that euer any suche thyng was doen of Christe, or his Apostles.

¶ Against Transubstantiation.

AND as thei did ente, Iesus tooke breade,Math. 26. 2 [...] ▪ and when he had giuen thankes, he brake it, and gaue it to the Disciples, and saied: Take, eate, this is my bodie.

Also he tooke the Cuppe, and when he27. had giuen thankes, he gaue it to theim, sai­yng, Drinke ye all of it.

For this is the bloud of the newe Testamente, that is shed28▪ for many▪ for the remission of synnes.

[Page]I saie vnto you, that I will not drincke hence for the of this29. fruite of the vine, vntill that daie, whē I shall drinke it newe with you in my fathers kyngdome.

He tooke breade, and when he had giuen thankes, he brakeLuk [...] xxij. xix. it, and gaue it to them, saiyng: this is my bodie, which is giuen for you, doe this in remembraunce of me.

Likewise after supper he tooke the Cup, saiyng: this cuppe20. is the newe Testament in my bloud, whiche is shed for you.

It is the spirite that quickeneth: the fleshe profiteth no­thyng:Iohn. vi. lxiij. the wordes that I speake vnto you, are spirite, and life.

The Cuppe of thankes giuyng▪ whiche wee blesse (or pre­pare)i. Cor. x. xvi. is it not the communion of the bloud of Christe?

The breade whiche we breake: is it not the communion of the bodie of Christe?

For we that are many, are one bread, and one body, bicause17. we all are partakers of one bread.

As ofte as [...]e shall eate of this breade, and drinke of thisChap. xi. xxvi. cuppe, ye shall shewe the Lordes death till he come.

Wherefore, who so euer shall eate this breade, and drinke27. this Cuppe of the Lorde vnworthyly, shalbe guiltie of the bo­die and bloud of the Lorde.

¶ The Doctours.

THE bread, water, and wine, in this Sacrament,Iustinus in his [...]. Apologie. are not to bee taken, as other common meates, and drinkes be, but thei be meates ordeined, pur­posely to giue thankes to God, and therefore bée called, Eucharistia, and be called also the body and bloud of Christ▪ And yet the same meate and drinke is chaun­ged into our fleshe and bloud, and nourisheth our bodies.

The bread wherin we giue thankes vnto God, although itIreneus in his 4. boke & 34. Chap. againste Valentius. be of the earth, yet when the name of god is called vpon it, it is not then common bread, but the bread of thankes giuyng: ha­uyng twoo thynges in it, one earthly, and the other heauenly.

Christe confessed, bread, whiche is a creature, to be his bo­die,In his. 32. 34. and. 57. Chap. of the same. 4. booke. and the cuppe to be his bloud.

The bread wherein the thankes bee giuen, is the bodie of [Page 80] the Lorde.

Christ takyng bread of the same sorte that our bread is of, confessed that it was his bodie. And that the thyng, whiche was tempered in the Chalice, was his bloud.

The matter of the breade, auaileth nothyng but goethOrigene vpon the. 1 [...]. of Math. downe into the bellie, & is auoided into the place of easement: but the word of god spoken vpon the bread, is it that auaileth.

For as muche as Christe saied, I am a true Uine, there­foreCiprian in his 2. boke, and. 3. Epistle to Ce­cilius. the bloud of Christe is not water, but wine, nor in it can be thought, that his bloud (wherby we be redeemed, and haue life) is in the cuppe, when wine is not in the cuppe, whereby the bloud of Christ is shewed.

Christ takyng the cuppe, blessed it, and gaue it to his disci­ples, saiyng: drinke ye al of this. &c. by these wordes of Christ, we perceiue, that the cuppe whiche the lorde offered, was not onely water, but also wine: and that it was wine, that Christ called his bloud, whereby it is cleare, that Christes bloud is not offered, if there be no wine in the Chalice. How shall wée drinke with Christ newe wine, of the creature of the Uine, if in the Sacrifice of God the father, and of Christe, we doe not offer wine?

The Lorde called bread made of many graines, knedde to­gether,In his. 1. booke of his Epistles. his bodie: And called wine made of many Grapes, his bloudde.

Bicause bread confirmeth the harte of the bodie, thereforeIn his Sermon of the Lordes Supper. it is conueniently called the bodie of Christ. And bicause wine woorketh bloud in the fleshe, therefore it hath relation to the bloud of Christe.

Christ hauyng taken the bread, and hauyng deliuered theTertullian in his. 4. boke. a­gainst Mer­cian. same to his disciples, made it his bodie, saiyng, this is my bo­die, that is to saie, this is a figure of my bodie.

Christ called bread his bodie.Against the Ie­vves.

It is not to bee beleued, bicause God can doe all thynges, that therefore he hath doen all thynges: But we must searcheAgainst Pra­xeas. and see, where he hath doen them.

Christe speakyng of a loafe, whiche is rounde in fashion,Epiphanius i [...] Aucorat [...]. and cannot see, nor feele, saied of it: This is my bodie.

[Page]Unto how many men could Christes bodie haue suffice [...] Athanasius in that Gospell, who so euer speaketh a word against. &c. for meate, that he should be the foode of all the worlde? Ther­fore he made mention of his Ascention into heauen: that he might withdrawe them from corporall and fleashly vnder­standyng.

Let vs marke that the bread whiche the Lorde brake, andHierome to Hede [...] [...]. gaue to his disciples, was the bodie of our Sauiour Christe, as he saied vnto them: Take, and eate, this is my bodie.

Thei remaine the same that thei were▪ and are chaungedAmbrose in his 4. boke. &. 4. Chap. of Sacra­mentes. into an other thyng.

Augustine vpon the. 98. Psalme. Christes wordes were not harde▪ Christe instructed them that remained, and saied vnto theim, it is the spirite that gi­ueth life, the fleshe profiteth nothyng. The woordes that I haue spoken, are spirite and life: Understande ye spiritually, that I haue spoken. Ye shall not eate this bodie that ye see: neither shall ye drinke that bloud that they shall sheede, that crucifie me: I haue recommended vnto you a certaine Sacra­ment, beyng spiritually vnderstanded, it will giue you life.

That whiche you see vpon the Table, is breade, and thatIn his Sermon made to the Infantes and Children. whiche is set before your eyes▪ is the cuppe: but touchyng that wherein your faithe desireth to be instructed, the bread is the bodie of Christe, and the cuppe his bloud.

Iesus called meate his bodie, and drinke his bloud.In his. 2. sermō of the words of the Apostle. In his. 3. booke and. 4. Chap. of the Trinitie.

Although we maie set for the Christe by mouthe, by wri­tyng, and by the Sacramente of his body and bloud, yet wee call, neither our tongue, nor woordes, nor ynke, letters, nor paper, the bodie and bloud of Christ: but that we call the body and bloud of Christ, whiche is taken of the fruite of the earth, and consecrated by misticall praier.

If we were bodilesse, GOD would giue vs these thyngesChrisostome in his. 60. Ho­mily to the people of An­tioche. bare and bodilesse: but for as muche as we haue soules, faste­ned vnto our bodies, therefore God giueth vs thynges spiritu­all, vnder thynges visible and naturall.

Christe, myndyng to plucke vp that heresie by the rootes,In his. [...]3. Ho­milie vpon the [...]6. of Math. vsed wine as well before his resurrection when he gaue the Sacramente, as after at his Table without misteries, for he saieth, of the fruite of the Uine, whiche surely bryngeth no [Page 81] water, but wine.

The bread, before it be sainctified, is called bread, but whē Ad Caesarium Mon. chum. it is sanctified, by the meanes of the Prieste, it is deliuered frō the name of breade, and is exalted to the name of the Lordes bodie: although the nature of bread still remaine.In his. 11. Ho­mily vpon Math. [...] Cirill in his. 4. boke, and. 14. vpon Iohn.

The very bodie of Christe it self, is not in the holy vessels: but the misterie, or Sacramente thereof is there conteined.

Christ gaue vnto his disciples, peeces of bread, saiyng: take eate, this is my bodie.

Emissenus, of consecration, the. 2. Distin­ction. If thou wilte knowe, how it ought not to seeme to thee a newe thing, and impossible, that earthly and corruptible thin­ges, be tourned into the substaunce of Christe, looke vpon thy self, whiche art made newe in Baptisme, when thou wast farre from life, and banished from mercie as a straunger, and from the waie of saluation, and inwardly was deade, yet so­dainly thou beganst an other life in Christe, and wast made newe by wholsome misteries, thou visibly diddeste remaine in the same measure, that thou haddest before, but inuisiblie thou wast made greater, without any increase of the bodie: thou wast the selfe same persone, and yet by the increase of faithe, thou wast made an other man: outwardly nothyng was added, but all the chaunge was inwardly. So likewise when thou doest goe vp to the reuerent Table, to feede vpon spirituall meates, in thy faithe, looke vpon the bodie and bloud of hym that is thy GOD: honour hym, touche hym, with thy mynde: take hym in thy hande of thy harte: and chiefly drinke hym, with the draught of thy inwarde man.

He would that thei, whiche be partakers of the godly Sa­cramentes,Theodorete in his. 1. dialogue should not set to their myndes, vpon the nature of the thynges, whiche thei see: but by the chaungyng of the na­mes, should beleue the thynges, whiche be wrought in theim by grace: for he that called that, whiche is his naturall bodie, corne, and bread, and also called hym self, a Uine: he did honor the visible tokens and signes, with the names of his bodie, and bloud, not chaungyng the nature, but addyng grace to nature.

The Sacramentall signes, goe not from their owne na­ture,In his. 2. Dia­logue. after the sanctification▪ but continue in their former sub­staunce, [Page] forme, and figure, and maie bee seen and touched, as well as before: yet in our myndes we doe consider, what thei be made, and doe repute and esteeme them, and haue them in reuerēce, according to the same thinges, that thei be taken for.

These wordes of Christe, in the sixte of Ihon, directly per­tainethNicolas Lita vpon the. 110. Psalme. nothyng to the Sacramentall, or corporall eatyng: for these wordes, were spoken long before the Sacramente was ordained. Therefore of this place, there can bee made no good sufficient argument, touchyng the Sacramentall communiō.

The creature, of bread, and wine, by the vnspeakable sanc­tificationBeda in octa­uis Epiphaniae. of the holie ghoste, is chaunged into the Sacrament of the bodie, and bloud of Christe.

There leaueth not to be the substance of bread, and wine,Gelasius Pope against the he­retique Euti­ches. or the nature of wine. And in deede the Image, or representa­tion, and likenesse of the bodie, and bloud of Christe, is publi­shed in the ministration of the misteries.

The Sacrament, by the workyng of the holie ghost, pass [...] into a diuine substaunce: yet notwithstandyng, thei remaine still in the propertie of their owne nature.

Christ as he now tourneth, the bread, into his bodie, euenBertrame vpon the Euchariste. so then in like sorte, the Manna that fell from heauen, inuisi­bly made his bodie.

Some men iudge thus, some saie thus, some haue writtenPeter Lombard Senten. 4. dist. 11. Si autem. thus, some graunt thus: some others haue thought thus, that the very substaunce of the bread and wine, remaine still.

If a question were moued, what maner of conuersion, or chaunge this is: whether it be in forme, or in substaunce, or of some other sorte, I am not able to discusse it.

How the bodie of Christ is there, whether it bee by chaun­gyngGabriell vpon the canon, lect. 40. of some thyng into it, or Christes bodie beginne to bee there, together with the breade, bothe the substaunce, and the accidentes of the bread, remainyng still without chaungyng, it is not founde expreste in the Canon of the Bible.

Of the maner and meane, how this might be (whether byTonstall in his 3. boke of the Sacrament Page. 46. transubstanciation) perhaps it had been better to leaue euery man, that would bee curious, to his owne coniecture: as before the Counsaile of Laterans, it was lefte at libertie.

[Page 82]No man shall proue by the verie bare woordes of the Gos­pell,Iohn Fisher B. of Rochester, against the ca­ptiuitie of Ba­bilon, made by Martin Luther that any Prieste in these our daies, doeth consecrate, the very bodie, and bloud of Christ.

Thus muche of Matthewe, who doeth also onely speake of the newe Testament. Nor there is no woorde founde here, to proue that there is the true presence of Christes fleshe, & bloud in our Masse: for albeit that Christe made his fleshe of bread, and bloud of wine, it foloweth not therefore, that we shall also doe the same, as often as we will attempte it, by the vertue of any worde that is there.

It cannot therefore be proued by any scripture, that either a laye man, or a priest, as often as he shall goe about that mat­ter, to make likewise breade, and wine, the bodie and bloud of Christe, as Christe hym self did, seyng that this is not compri­sed, nor contained in the scriptures.

By this I thinke, euery man vnderstandeth, that the cer­taintie of this matter, dependeth not so muche vpon the Gos­pell, as it doeth vpon the vse and custome, whiche is recom­mended vnto vs in so many hundred yeres, from the very first fathers. Thus farre of Fishers fishyng, for Crabbes.

The vtter barke of the Sacramente, is not receiued, withBarnarde in his. 33. Sermō vpon the Can­ticles. like pleasure, as the fatnesse of the Corne, faithe and shape, memorie and presence, eternitie and tyme, the countenance and the glasse, the Image of GOD, and the fashion of a ser­uaunte. &c. (By whiche woordes he dooeth so deuide remem­braunce,Nota. from presence, that he doeth attribute the one, to the life wherein we be, and the other to the life to come.)

¶ This is my bodie, is a figuratiue speache, and signes and figu­res haue their names of the thynges whiche thei signifie.

THis is my couenaunt, which ye shall kéepe betweneGene. 17. 1 [...]. me and you, and thy seede after thee, let euery man childe among you be Circumcised.

That is, ye shall circumcise the foreskinne of your11. fleshe, and it shall bee a signe of the couenaunte betwene me and you▪

[Page]And he set vp there an alter, and called it, the mightie GodChap. 33. 20. of Israell.

Thus shall ye eate it, your loynes girded, your shoes onExod. 12. 11. your feete, and your staues in your handes, and ye shall eate it in haste: for it is the Lordes Passeouer.

When all Israell shall come to appeare, before the Lorde,Deut. 31. 11. in the place whiche he shall choose, thou shalt reade this lawe before all Israell, that thei maie heare it.

Iesus tooke the breade, and when he had giuen thankes, heMath. 26. 26. brake it, and gaue it to the disciples, and saied: Take, eate: this is my bodie.

Likewise also after supper, he tooke the cuppe, saiyng: thisLuke. 22. 20. Cuppe is the newe Testament in my bloud, whiche is shed for you.

After he receiued the signe of Circumcision, as the zeale ofRoma. 4. 11. the righteousnesse of faithe, whiche he had, when he was vn­circumcised. &c.

GOD calleth those thynges whiche be not, as though thei17. were.

And did all drinke the same spiritual drinke: (for thei drank1. Cor. 10. 4. of the same spiritual rocke that folowed them, and that rocke was Christe.)

The cuppe of blessyng whiche we blesse, is it not the Com­munion16. of the bloud of Christ? The bread whiche we breake, is it not the communion of the bodie of Christ?

Accordyng to his mercie he saued vs, by the washyng of theTitus. 3. 5. newe birthe.

¶ The Doctours.

EXcepte ye eate my fleshe, and drincke my bloud,Tertullian in his. 7. Homilie vpon Leuiticus this letter killeth, wilte thou that I bryng an o­ther letter that killeth, out of the newe Testa­mente? He that hath no knife (saieth he) let hym fell his coate and buye one. Loe, this letter is the Gospell, and yet it killeth: but if thou take it spiritually, it kil­leth not: but in it is a quickenyng spirite. Therefore, vnder­stande spiritually those thynges whiche are spoken, whither [Page 83] it be in the lawe, or in the Gospell. For a spirituall man dis­cusse thall thynges, and is iudged of no man.

Christ did not reproue bread, whereby he did represent hisIn his. 4. boke against Mer­cion the Here­tique. very bodie.

Iesus tooke breade, and giuyng it amonges his Disciples, made it his bodie, saiyng: This is my bodie, that is to saie, a fi­gure of my bodie: But a figure it could not bee, vnlesse there were a bodie of a truthe, and in deede.

Christe called breade his bodie, and wine his bloud, bicause that in the olde Testamente, bread and wine were figures of his bodie and bloud.

Excepte ye eate my fleshe, and drinke my bloud, you shallOrigene in his 7. Homilie vpon leuiticus. not haue life in you. Consider that these thynges, written in Gods bookes, are figures, and therefore examine and vnder­stand them as spirituall, and not as carnall men: for if you vn­derstande theim as carnall men, thei hurte you, and feede you not: for euen in the Gospell is there founde a letter that kil­leth. And not onely in the old Testament: but also in the new Testament is there founde letters, that flaieth hym, that spi­ritually doeth not vnderstande whiche is spoken. For if thou folowe the letter, or wordes, of this that Christ saied, excepte you eate my fleshe, and drinke my bloud, this letter killeth.In his. 4. boke and. 4. Chap. to the Rom. Ciprian in his 2. boke and 3. Epistle.

He called Circumcision rightly a signe, for that in it one thyng was seene, and an other was vnderstanded.

Christes bloud is shewed in the wine, and the people in the water that is mixte with the wine: so that the mixture of the water to the wine, signifieth the spirituall commixtion, and ioynyng of vs vnto Christ.In his sermon of the Lordes Supper.

The weakenesse of our faithe, is taught by the vnderstan­dyng of the Sacramentes.

What profite haue these wordes? Uerely, that we eatyngBasill of Bap­tisme. and drinkyng, maie euermore bee myndfull of hym, that died for vs, and rose againe.Hierom. vpon the. 26. of Math.

Christe tooke bread, whiche comforteth mans harte, that he might represent thereby, his very bodie and bloud.

Before consecration, an other kynde is named: But afterAmbrose in his boke, of those thinges, that are decla­red by the mi­steries, the last Chapter. the consecration the bodie of Christe is signified. Christ saied, [Page] his blo [...]d: before the consecration it is called an other thyng, but after the consecration, is signified the bloud of Christ.

As thou hast in baptisme, receiued the similitude of death, so likewise dooest thou in this Sacramente, drinke the simili­tudeIn his. 4. boke and. 4. Chap. In the. 5. Chap. of the same boke or Sacra­mentes. of Christes bloud.

The Prieste saieth, make vnto vs this oblation to bee ac­ceptable, whiche is the figure of the bodie and bloud of our Lorde Iesu Christe.

Thou doest receiue the Sacrament for a similitude, of theIn his. 6. booke and. 1. Chap. of the Sacramen­tes. fleshe and bloud of Christe, but thou dooest obtaine the grace and vertue of his true nature: and receiuyng the bread, in that foode thou art made partaker of his godly substaunce.

In eatyng and drinkyng the bread and [...], we doe signi­fieIn his boke vpon the. 1. Cor. 11. Chap. the fleshe and bloud, whiche were offered for vs. And the olde Testamente was instituted in bloud, bicause that bloud was a witnesse of Gods benefite, in signification and figure, whereof we take the misticall cup of his bloud, to the tuition of our bodie and soule.

Let the newe Christened man be taught, that Sacramen­tesAugustine of teachyng the ignoraunt people, the. 26. Chap. bée visible signes, of heauenly thynges, and that the thyn­ges them selues, that he séeth not, must bée honoured in them. And that the same kynde and element, is not so to be taken, as it is in daiely vse: Let hym also bee taught, what the woordes meane, that he hath heard: Moreouer vpon occasion hereof, he must bée taught, that if he heare any thyng, euen in the scrip­tures, that sounde carnally, let hym thinke, that there is some spirituall thyng meante by it.In his boke of the profite of repentaunce.

As many as in Manna vnderstoode Christe, thei did eate the same spirituall meate, that we doe eate.

It is a daungerous matter, and a seruitude of the soule, toIn his. 3. boke of christian doctrine. take the signe, in steade of the thyng that it signified.

Seldome is any difficultie in proper woordes: But either the circumstaunce of the place, or the conferryng of diuerse translations, or els the original tongue, wherein it was writ­ten, will make the sence plaine: But in woordes that bée alte­red from their proper signification, there is greate diligence, and heede to bee taken. And especially we muste beware, that [Page 84] wee take not literally any thyng that is spoken figuratiuely: nor contrarywise, wee muste not take for a figure, any thyng that is spoken properly. Therefore must bée declared the ma­ner, how to descerne a proper speache, frō a figuratiue, wher­in must be obserued this rule.

If the thyng whiche is spoken, bee to the furtheraunce of charitie, then it is a proper speache, and no figure. So that if it bee a commaundemente, that forbiddeth any euill or wicked thyng, or commaundeth any thyng that is good, or beneficiall, then it is no figure: But if it commaunde any euill, or wicked thyng, or forbiddeth any thyng that is good and beneficiall, then it is a figuratiue speache. Now this saiyng of Christe (ex­cept ye eate the fleshe of the sonne man, and drinke his bloud, you shall haue no life in you) seemeth to cōmaunde an hainouls and a wicked thyng, therefore it is a figure, commaundyng vs to be partakers of Christes passion, keepyng in our myndes, in our greate comforte and profite, that his fleshe was crucified, and wounded for vs.

Our lorde doubted not to saie: This is my bodie, when heIn his booke against Adi­mantus the 12. Chap. gaue a signe of his bodie.

In his. 10. boke and. 5. Chap. of the Citie of God. Signes when thei be applied vnto godlie thynges, are cal­led Sacramentes.

In his. 2. boke of christiā doctrine. 1. ca. Reasonyng of signes, I saie thus: Lette no man consider in theim, that thei bee: but rather that thei bee signes, that is to saie, that thei doe signifie.

In his 46. treatise &. 26. treatise vpon. Iohn. In Sacramentes wee see one thyng, and wée vnderstande an other thyng.

The Sacramentes is one thyng, the thyng of the Sacra­ment is an other thyng.

In his. 3. boke and. 22. Chap. against Maximinus. In Sacramentes is to be séene, not what thei be, but what thei signifie.

In his Serm & to the Infantes. Christe did carrie vp his bodie, from whence he shall come to iudge the quicke and the deade. There he is now, fittyng on the right hande of the father. How can therefore the bread bée his bodie, and the cuppe, or that whiche is in the cuppe, bee his bloud? These thynges brethren, are therefore called Sacra­mentes, bicause that in them, one thyng is séene, and an other [Page] thyng vnderstanded. That whiche is séene, hath a visible ap­pearaunce or forme: But that whiche is vnderstanded hath a spirituall vtilitie and profite.

A daie or twoo before good Fridaie, wee vse in commonIn his. 23. Epi­stle to Bonifa­cius. speache, to saie thus: To morowe, or this daie twoo daies, Christe suffered his passion, where in very déede he neuer suf­fered his passion but once, and that was many yeres passed.

Likewise, vpon Easter daie we saie, this daie Christe rose from death: where in very deede, it is many hundred yeres sithens he rose frō death: Why then, doe not men reprooue vs as lyars, when wée speake in this sorte? But bicause wee call these daies so, by a similitude of those daies, wherin those thin­ges were doen in deede. And so it is called that daie, whiche is not that daie in deede: but by the course of the yere, it is a like daie. And suche thynges bée saied to bée doen that daie, for the solemne celebration of the Sacramentes, whiche thynges in déede were not doen that daie, but long before. Was christ of­fered any more but once? And he offered hym self: And yet in a sacrament or representation, not onely euery solemne feast, of Easter: but euery daie he is offered to the people, so that he doeth not lye, that saieth, he is euery daie offered.

For if Sacramentes, had not some similitude, or likenesse of those thynges, whereof thei be Sacramentes: and for their similitude and likenesse, commonly thei haue the name of the thynges, whereof thei be Sacramentes. Therefore, as after a certaine maner of speache, the Sacramente of Christes bo­die, is Christes bodie: the Sacramente of Christes bloud, is Christes bloud: So likewise the Sacrament of faithe, is faith: And therefore, when we aunswere for yong children in their Baptisme, that thei beleue, whiche haue not yet the minde to beleue, wée aunswere, that thei haue faithe, bicause thei haue the Sacramente of faithe. And wee saie also that thei tourne vnto God, bicause of the Sacrament of conuersion vnto God: for the aunswere pertaineth to the celebration of the Sacra­mente.

And likewise speaketh the Apostle, of Baptisme, saiyng: that by Baptisme we be buried with hym into death, he saith [Page 85] not, that we signifie buriall: But he saieth plainly, that we be buried. So that the Sacramente of so greate a thyng, is not called: but by the name of thyng it self.In his. 57. que­stion. vpon Le­uiticus.

A thyng which signifieth, is wont to be called by the name of the thyng, whiche it signifieth, as it is written in the scrip­ture: the seuen eares, be seuen yeres, the seuen kine, be seuen yeres, & many other like. And so said S. Paule. that the rocke was Christ, and not that it signified Christ: but euen as it had been in deede: whiche neuerthelesse, was not Christe, by sub­staunce: But by signification. Euen so, bicause the bloud signi­fieth and representeth the soule, therefore, in a Sacramente, or signification, it is called the soule.In his booke against Adi­mantus the 12. Chap.

For truely, so the bloud is the soule, as Christe was the stone, and yet the Apostle saieth not, that the stone signified Christe: but saieth it was Christ. And this sentence, bloud is the soule, maie be vnderstanded to bee spoken, in a signe or fi­gure, for Christ did not sticke to saie, This is my bodie, when he gaue the signe of his bodie.In his preface vpon the. 3. Psalme.

Christ admitted (Iudas) vnto the banquet, when he did be­take, and deliuer vnto his disciples, the figure of his bodie.

Uisible Sacramentes are ordeined for carnall men, thatIn his questiōs vpon the olde Testament. by the Steppes of Sacramentes, wee maie bee led from the thynges, that we see with the eye, vnto the thynges that wée vnderstande.In his. 9. boke and. 14. Chap. against Fau­stus.

The Sacramentes of the olde Lawe, were promises of thynges to bee performed: Our Sacramentes are tokens of thynges, that alreadie be performed.

The Sacraments of the Iewes, in outward tokens, wereIn his. 26. trea­tise vpon Iohn. diuerse from ours: But in the thynges signified, they were equall, and one with ours.In his. 3. booke and. 10. Chap. against the Donatistes.

If wee beholde the visible creatures, wherein the Sacra­mentes are ministered, who seeth not, that thei bée corrupte? But if wee consider the thynges, that are wrought thereby, who seeth not, that thei cannot be corrupted.

All signes, or tokens, séeme in a maner to beare the perso­nesIn his. 18. boke and. 48. Chap. of the Citie of God. of the thynges them selues, that thei signifie. So the Apostle saieth, the rocke was Christ, for that the rocke, wher­of [Page] it was spoken, signified Christ.Hierome vpon the. 1. to the Galath.

Let vs not thinke, that the Gospell standeth in the woor­des of the Scripture, but in the meanyng.

Christe in his laste supper, gaue to his Apostles, with hisCaprian de vn­ctione Chris­matis. owne handes, bread and wine, whiche he called his fleshe, and bloud: But on the crosse he gaue his very bodie, to be wounded with the handes of the souldiours, that the Apostles might de­clare to the worlde, how, and in what maner, bread and wine, maie bee the fleshe and bloud of Christe. And the maner hee straight waies declareth thus: That those thynges which doe signifie, and those thynges whiche bee signified by them, maie be bothe called by one name.

If any man vnderstande the woordes of Christ, carnally,Chrisostome in his. 46. Ho­mily vpon Iohn. he shall surely profite nothing thereby: for what meane these woordes, the fleshe auaileth nothyng? He meante not of his fleshe (God forbid) but he meante of them that fleshely, and carnally vnderstoode those thynges that Christe spake: But what is carnall vnderstanding? To vnderstande the woordes simply, as thei be spoken, and nothyng els, for we ought not so to vnderstande the thynges, whiche we see: But all misteries muste be considered with inwarde eyes, that is, spiritually to vnderstande them.

We offer in deede: but in remembraunce of his death, thisIn his. 17. Ho­mily vpon the Hebrevves. Sacrifice is a token, or figure of that sacrifice: The thyng that we doe, is doen in the remembraunce of that thing that was doen before, we offer alwaie the same thyng. Naie, rather we woorke the remembraunce of that Sacrifice.

Christe ordeined the table of his holy supper, for this pur­pose,Vpon the. 22. Psaline. that in that Sacrament, he should daiely showe vnto vs, bread, and wine, for a similitude of his bodie.

God will not, that we should vnderstande the woordes ofIn his. 14. Ho­mily vpon Iohn. the holy scriptures, simply, and plainly, as thei lye: But with greate wisedome and discretion.In his. 11. Ho­mily vpon Math.

In the Sanctified vesselles, there is not the very bodie of Christ in deede: But a misterie of that bodie is contained.

If Christe died not, whose signe, and whose token, is thisIn his. 83. Ho­mily vpon Math. Sacramente▪

[Page 86]Christe lefte vnto vs his laste remembraunce, as if a manIn his. 61. Ho­mily to the people of An­tioche. goyng a farre iourney, leaue a token with his freinde, to the ende that he seyng the same, maie remember his benefites, and his freendship: which token that freinde, if he loue vnfei­nedly, can not see without greate motion of his mynde, and without teares.Fulgent [...] in his booke to kyng Thrasi­mundus.

This cuppe or chalice, is the newe Testamente, that is to saie, this cuppe or chalice, whiche I deliuered vnto you, dooeth signifie the newe Testament.

Our Sauiour without doubte chaunged the names, andTheodorete in his his. 1. Dia­logue. gaue to the bod ie the name of the signe or token, and to the token he gaue the name of the bodie. And so when he called hym self a Uine, he called bloud that, whiche was a token of bloud.

The cause is manifeste, why the names were chaunged, for he would that thei whiche bee partakers of the godly Sa­cramentes, should not sette their myndes, vpon the nature of the thynges, whiche thei see, but by the chaungyng of the na­mes, should beleue the thynges, whiche be wrought in theim by grace, for he that called that, whiche is his naturall bodie, corne, and bread, and also called hym self a vine, he did honour the visible tokens and signes, with the names of his bodie and bloud, not chaungyng the nature: but addyng grace to nature.

It is cleare, that it is the figure of those thynges, whereof it beareth the name.

Peter Lom­barde. 4. di­stinction. A Sacrament, is a signe of a holy thyng.

In the. 2. di­stinct. qui manducat. Therefore it is called a Sacrament, for bicause one thing shall appeare, and an other thyng is vnderstanded and eaten.

In the. 2. di­stinction of Consecration, hoe est quod. It is called the bodie of Christe: But improperly, the mea­nyng of it maie bee thus. It is called the bodie Christe, that is to saie, it signifieth the bodie of Christe.Clements Ale­zander in Pe­dagogo. 1. boke &. 6. cap.

Eate my fleshe, and drinke my bloud: meaning hereby vn­der an allegorie, or by waie of a figure, the meate, and drinke, that is of faithe and promise.

It is to be noted, that the Sacrament is called a figuratiueD. Hardyng in his booke of a detection. &c. folio. 353. bodie: bicause it is made present for a figuratiue purpose, that is to saie, to the ende the death of the same bodie (which death [Page] is now past and absent) maie be remembred most effectually.

Some time the Sacramēt is taken for the forme of breadPolio. 334. and wine, and that in deede is not our Lorde.

I graunte the Sacrament to bée a misticall figure, of Chri­stesPolio. 339. death, and of his visible bodie.

¶ We eate the bodie and blood of Christ, onely by faith.

VErelie, verelie, I saie vnto you, héeIohn. 6. 47. that beléeueth in mée, hath euerla­styng life.48.

I am the breade of life.50.

This is the breade, whiche com­meth downe from heauen, that hée whiche eateth of it, should not [...]ie.

I am the liuing bread, which came51. doune from heauen: if any man eate of this bread, he shall liue for euer: And the bread that I will giue, is my fleshe, which I will giue for the life of the worlde.

Uerelie, verely, I saie vnto you, excepte ye eate the fleshe53. of the sonne of man, and drinke his blood, ye haue no life in you.

Whosoeuer eateth my fleshe, and drinketh my blood, hath54. eternall life, and I will raise hym vp at the last daie.

For my fleshe is meate in déede, and my blood is drinke in55. déede.

He that eateth my fleshe, and drinketh my blood, dwelleth56. in mée, and I in hym.

As the liuyng father hath sent mée, so liue I by the father,57. and he that eateth mée, euen he shall liue by mée.

This is the bread whiche came downe from heauen: not58. as your fathers haue eaten Manna, and are dead, he that ea­teth of this bread shall liue for euer.

Who soeuer liueth, and beléeueth in mée, shall neuer die.Chap. 11. 26.

I am the Uine: ye are the Braunches: he that abideth inChap. 15. 5. [Page 87] mee, and I in hym, the same bringeth foorth muche fruicte, for without mée ye can doe nothyng.

Brethren, I would not that ye should be ignoraunt, that1. Cor. 10. 1. all our fathers were vnder the Cloude, and all passed through the Sea.

And did all eate the same spirituall meate.3.

And did al drinke the same spiritual drinke, for thei drank4. of the spirituall Rocke that folowed them: and the rocke was Christe.

That Christe maie dwell in your hartes by faith, that yeEphe. 3. 17. beyng rooted and grounded in loue. &c.

¶ The Doctours.

THE same worde, Christe called his fleshe: forTertullian of resurrection of our bodies. the worde was made fleshe: therfore, he must be receiued in cause of life: he must bée deuou­red, by hearyng: he must be chewed by vnder­standyng, he must be digested by faith.

He was wounded: whose blood wee drinke,Origene in his 16. Homily vpō Nombers. Cyprian in his Sermon of the Lordes Suppe [...]. that is to saie, the wordes of whose doctrine we receiue.

He that drinketh of the holy Cuppe, remembryng the be­nefite of God, is more thirstie then he was before, and liftyng vp his harte vnto the liuyng God, is taken with suche a singu­ler hunger & appetite, that he abhorreth all gaully and bitter drinks of sinne: and al fauour of carnall pleasures is to him as it were sharpe and sower Uineger. And the sinner beyng con­uerted, receiuyng the holy Misteries of the Lordes Supper, giueth thankes vnto God, and boweth doune his head, know­yng that his synnes bee forgiuen, and that he is made cleane and perfecte, and his soule (whiche God hath sanctified) he ren­dereth to God again as a faithfull pledge, and then he glorieth with Paule, saiyng, now it is not I that liue: but it is Christe that liueth in me.

These thynges bee practised and vsed among the faithfull people, and to pure myndes, the eatyng of his fleshe, is no hor­rour, but honour: And the spirite deliteth in the drinkyng of the holy & sainctified bloud: and doyng this, we whette not our [Page] teeth to bite: But with pure faithe we breake the holy bread.

The aucthour of this tradition saied, that excepte we eate his fleshe, and drinke his bloud, we shall haue no life in vs: in­structyng vs with a spirituall lesson, & openyng to vs a waie, to vnderstande so priuie a thyng, that wee should knowe, that the eatyng is our dwellyng in hym, and our drinkyng is as it were an incorporation in hym: beyng subiecte vnto hym, in o­bedience: ioyned vnto him, in our willes: and vnited in our af­fections. The eatyng therefore of this fleshe, is a certain hun­ger, and desire to dwell in hym.

As meate is to the fleshe: so is faithe vnto the soule.

We eate Christes fleshe, & drinke his bloud, beyng made, [...]asile in his 141. Epistle. by his incarnation, and sensible life, partakers of his woords and wisedome. For his fleshe and blood, he called al his misti­call conuersation here in his fleshe, and in his doctrine, consi­styng, of his whole life, pertainyng both to his humanitie and diuinitie, whereby the soule is nourished, and brought to the contemplation of thynges eternall.

Ambrose in his. 2. boke of Virgins. In our myndes Christe is daiely offered, for the redemp­tion of the bodie.

In his. 19. Sermon. Stephen beyng in earth, touched Christe beyng in hea­uen, by faithe.

In his. x. boke and. 24. in Chap. Luke. We touche not Christ by bodily touching: but we touche hym by faithe.

In his 6. boke and. 8. Chap. in Luke. By faithe Christ is touched: By faithe Christe is seene. He is not touched with our bodies: he is not holden with our eyes (but with faithe.)

In his boke of those thinges that are decla­red by the Mi­steries the. 3. Chap. That thing is better seen, that is not seen with our eyes.

August. vpon the. 75. Psal. When wee forgette not the giftes of our Sauiour, is not Christe offered vnto vs euery daie? Of the very remnauntes of our thoughtes, that is to saie, of our very memorie, Christe is so daiely offred vnto vs, as though he renued vs euery daie.

Of thynges that be absente, faithe is presente: of thyngesIn his. 13. boke and. 1. Chap. of the Trinitie. that bee without, faithe is within: and of thynges that bee not seene, faithe is seene.

From whence hath the water, this greate power, that itIn his 80. trea­tise vpon Iohn. toucheth the bodie, and washeth the harte, sauing by the wor­kyng [Page 88] of the woorde? Not for that it is spoken: But for that it is beléeued.

Who soeuer thou bee, that with faithe, and feare, hearestIn his. 141. Sermon on the 2. holp daie af­ter Easter. the woorde of God, the breakyng of bread doeth comfort thee, the absence of our Lorde, is not absence: haue thou faithe, and he, whom thou seest not, is with thee. Therefore our Lorde as touching his body, hath absented him self from all his churche, and is ascended into heauen, that our faithe maie be edified.

How shall I hold Christ beyng absent? How shall I thrustIn his. 50. trea­tise vpon Iohn. my hande into heauen, that I maie holde hym sittyng there? Sende vp thy faithe and thou holdest hym. Thy fathers helde hym in fleshe, holde hym thou in thy harte: for Christe beyng absente, is also present: vnlesse he were present, wée could not holde hym. But for as muche as it is true, that he faieth, be­holde, I am with you vntill the ende of the worlde. Therefore he is gone, and yet is here, he cōmeth againe, and hath not for­saken vs, for he hath aduaunced his bodie into heauen: But he hath not withdrawen his maiestie from the worlde.

Our Lorde called hym self the bread, that came from hea­uen,In his. 26. trea­tise vpon Iohn. exhortyng vs to beleeue in hym. For to beleeue in hym, that is, to eate the breade of life. He eateth, that beleueth in hym. He is fedde inuisibly, bicause he is newe borne inuisibly. Inwardly he is an infante: Inwardly he is newe. Where he is renued, there is he filled.

Christe hym self is our meate, then whiche, nothyng isIn his. 7. trea­tise vpon Iohn. more sauery: so that a man hath a sounde taste in his harte.

The Lorde comforteth vs that can not now touche hymIn his. 1. trea­tise vpon the Epistle of Iohn. with hande, sittyng in heauen: But by faithe we maie touche hym.

When ye shall see the sonne of man ascendyng vp, whereIn his. 27. treatise vpon Iohn. he was before, then shall ye see, that he giueth not his bodie, in suche sorte, as you imagine: then shall ye vnderstande, that his grace is not consumed by morsells.

He that eateth Christes bodie inwardly, not that eatethIn his. 26. trea­tise vpon Iohn. outwardly: he that eateth the bodie of Christ it self, in harte, not that presseth with his teeth. To beleue in Christe, that is the eatyng of the breade of life: prepare not your mouthes, [Page] prepare your hartes.

To beleue in hym, is to eate hym, that drinkyng of hym, what is it els: but to liue by hym.

Why doest thou prepare thy bellie, and thy teethe? Be­leue,In his. 25. trea­tise vpon Iohn. and thou hast eaten.

Come vnto me and receiue the light: what is, come vntoIn his booke against the Iewes▪ 9. chap. hym: But beleue in hym?

Your wakyng shall not bee painfull to you: for there yeIn his boke of nature & grace the. 69. Chap. come to hym, where ye beleue in hym.

There be certaine spirituall handes in the harte,

The Preachers deliuer Christe vnto their auditours, andIn his. 4. boke and. 16. Chap. of christian doctrine. Vpon the. 46. Psalme. learners.

Beholde Christe ascendyng: beleue in Christe beyng ab­sente: truste in Christe that shall come againe: And yet by his priuie mercie, feele hym present.

This is therefore, to eate that meate, and to drinke thatIn his. 26. trea­tise vpon Iohn. drinke, to dwell in Christe, and to haue Christe dwellyng in hym.

What other thyng here, is it to drinke, but to liue? EateIn his. 2. Ser­mon of the wordes of the Apostle. life, drinke life, and thou shalte haue life, and yet thy life is whole.

The thynges that wee vnderstande (by faithe) are moreIn his. 117. Epistle. Of the wordes of our lorde in Luke. Chrisostome in his. 16. Ho­mily vpon Math. certaine, then the thynges, that we see with our eyes.

Not that is seen: but that is beleued doeth feede vs.

All Misteries or Sacramentes, must be considered with inward eyes, that is to saie, spiritually. For the inwarde eyes as soone as thei doe see the bread, doe passe ouer the creatures, and thinke not of that breade, whiche is baken of the Baker: But of hym that calleth hym self the breade of life, whiche is signified by the misticall or Sacramentall bread.

Where as the carrion is, there are the Eagles. The car­ [...]ionIn his. 24. Ho­mily vpon the 1. Cor. is the bodie of Christe, in respecte of his death: But he na­meth Eagles, to shewe, that who so will approche to this bo­die, must mounte a lofte, and haue no dealyng with the earth, nor be drawen and creepe downe warde: But must euermore fleed [...], and beholde the sonne of Iustice, and haue the eye of his mynde quicke and sharpe. For, this is a Table of Eagles, [Page 89] that flee on high: not of Iayes that creepe beneath.

Christe is thy bankette, Christe is thy thought, Christe isHierome of the. 7. orders of the Churche. De Grad [...]. 7. Hierome vpon the boke of the Preache [...]. thy ioye, Christe is thy desire, Christe is thy readyng, Christe is thy reste.

The fleshe of the lorde is very meate, and the bloud of the Lorde is very drynke, wee haue this good profite onely in this worlde, that we maie eate his fleshe, and drinke his bloud, not onely in a misterie: But also in the readyng of the scriptures. For it is very meate and drinke, whiche is taken out of Gods woorde: by the knowledge of the Scriptures.

Unto whom Christ was painted out, and crucified among you before your eyes, yet was not Christ crucified in Galatia: but at Ierusalem: how then saieth sainct Paule vnto the Ga­lathians, Christe was crucified amongest you? His meanyngChrisostome vpon the Epist. to the Galath. the. 3. Chap. was, to shewe the strengthe of faithe, whiche is hable to see thynges, though thei bee farre awaie, and that by the eyes of faithe, sawe the death of Christe more plainly, and perfectly, then many that were presente at his death, and sawe all that was doen.

Christ was the very true Manna: whom vnder the figureCirill in his. 3. boke and. 34. Chap. vpon Iohn. of Manna, God gaue vnto the fathers of the olde lawe.

Christs is the beginnyng, and foundation vnto holinesse, and righteousnesse: I meane by faithe, and none otherwise,Cirill in his. 4. boke and. 39. Chap. vpon Iohn. Christe dwelleth in vs.

Thei were vnder the cloude, & were drinched with Christ, the rocke giuyng them water.Hillary vpon the. 67. Psalm. Beda vpon the 1. Cor. 10. cap.

No man maie doubt: but euery faithfull man is then made partaker of the bodie and bloud of Christe, when in Baptisme he is made the member of Christe.

What is it to eate his fleshe, and to drinke his blood, but toBernarde in hi [...] 3. Sermon vpō the Psalme. Qui habitat. bee partakers of his passion, and to folowe that conuersation, whiche he did vse here in the fleshe? Whiche thing that moste holy Sacramente, in the whiche wee receiue the bodie of the Lorde, doeth signifie, that is to saie, that as the forme of bread is seene to enter into vs, so must we knowe, that by that con­uersation, whiche he did vse in the earth, he entereth into vs to dwell, through faithe in our hartes.

[Page]He that eateth my fleshe, and drinketh my bloud, hath e­ternallIn [...] Sermon of the louyng of God. life, that is to saie, he that is myndfull, or doeth remē ­ber my pretious death, and by myne example dooeth mortifie his members, whiche are vpō the earth, hath euerlasting life.

Wée maie not looke barely vpon those thynges (of breadeEuthinius vpō the. 9. Chap. of Iohn. and wine) but muste thereof imagine some other matter, and behold the same with our inward spirituall eies: as it is méete to beholde misteries.

Inwardly he beholdeth Christe, whom by meditation heGregorie vpon the. 1. Kynges a. Chap. and 2. boke. beareth in his harte.

In his. 29. boke and. 16. Chap. of Iob. Ihon Baptiste by poinctyng with his finger: Esaias by Prophesiyng, Abell by offeryng, spake all three of one lambe. And Abell by signifiyng, helde the same Christ in his handes, whom Ihon helde by poinctyng, and whom Esaias helde by Prophesiyng.

This is the drinkyng of the blood of Iesus, to be made par­takerClemens Ale­xander in his a boke and. 2. Chap. in Paeda­gogo. of his immortalitie.

In the decrees of penaunce the. 2. distinct. This is to eate that liuely bread, to beleue in Christ, that is to saie, with loue to sticke faste vnto Christe,

Leo Pope in his. 3. Sermon of the birthe of of our Lorde. The Sacramentes by reason of the tyme were diuerset whē as the faith, by the which we liue, was in no age diuerie.

¶ The wicked eateth not the body of Christe.

GIue not that whiche is holie to Dog­ges,Math. 7. 6. neither, cast ye your pearles be­fore Swine, leaste thei treade thein [...] vnder féete, and tournyng againe, all to rent you.

Euery braunche that beareth notIohn. 15. 2. fr [...]icte in me, he taketh awaie.

If any man abide not in me, he is6. caste foorthe as a braunche, and wi­thereth: and men gather them, and caste them into the fire.

If any mā hath not the spirit of Christ, the same is not his.Rom. 8. 9.

[Page 90]Wherefore, who soeuer shall eate this breade, and drinke1. Cor. 11. 29. the cuppe of the Lorde vnworthely, shalbe guiltie of the bodie and bloud of the Lorde.

For he that eateth and drinketh vnworthely, eateth and29. drinketh his owne dampnation, bicause he discerneth not the Lordes bodie.

¶ The Doctors.

THE woorde was made fleshe, and very meate,Origene vpon Math. whiche, who so eateth, shall surely liue for euer, whiche no euill and wicked man can eate, for if it could bee, that he that continueth euill, might eate the worde made fleshe, seyng that he is the worde, and bread of life, it should not haue been written: who so euer eateth of this bread, shall liue for euer.

Iesus is the bread, whiche is the Sainctes, and he that ta­kethAmbrose of the Patriarkes blessyng, the. 6. Chap. this bread, dooeth not dye a synners death, for this bread is the remission of synnes.

This breade that goeth into the bodie, is not so greedelyIn his boke vpon the Sacra­mentes. sought of vs, but the breade of euerlastyng life, whiche vphol­deth the substaunce of the soule. For he that disagreeth from Christe, d [...]oeth not eate his fleshe, nor drinke his bloud, al­though he receiueth the Sacramente of so high a thyng, to his vtter damnation and vndoyng.

Neither heretiques, nor suche as professe a true faithe inAugustine in his. 21. booke and. 25. Chap. of the Citie of God. their mouthes, and in their liuyng shewe the contrary, haue neither a true faithe (whiche woorketh by charitie, and doeth not euill) are to be coumpted among the members of Christe. For thei can not be, bothe members of Christ, and members of the deuill. Therefore it maie not be saied, that any of them eate the body of Christe. For when Christe saieth, he that ea­teth my fleshe, and drinketh my bloud, dwelleth in me, and I in hym. He sheweth what it is, to eate his bodie, and drinke his bloud: whiche is, when a man dwelleth so in Christe, that Christe dwelleth in hym. For Christe spake those woordes, as if he should saie: he that dwelleth not in me, and in whom I dwell not, let hym not saie or thinke, that he eateth my bo­die, [Page] or drinke my bloud.

He that dooeth not eate his fleshe, and drinke his bloud,In his. 26. trea­tise vpon Iohn. hath not in hym euerlastyng life. And he that eateth his fleshe and drinketh his bloud, hath euerlastyng life: but it is not so iu those meates, which then we take to sustaine our bodies. For, although without them we cannot liue, yet, it is not necessa­rie, that whosoeuer receiueth theim, shall liue, for thei maie dye for age, sickenesse, or otherwaies.

But in this meate and drinke of the bodie and bloud of our Lorde, it is other wise, for bothe thei that eate and drinke theim not, haue not euerlastyng life, and contrarywise, who so euer eate and drinke, thei haue euerlastyng life.

The Sacrament of the vnitie of Christes body and bloud, is taken in the Lordes table, of some men to life, and of some men to death: but the thyng it self is taken of all men to life, and of no man to death. This is to eate that meate, and drinke that drinke: to dwell in Christe, and to haue Christe dwell in hym. And for that cause, he that dwelleth not in Christ, and in whom Christe dwelleth not, without doubt he eateth not spi­ritually his flesh, nor drinke his bloud: although carnally and visibly with his teeth, he bite the Sacrament of his bodie and bloud.

The disciples did eate the bread, whiche is the Lorde: butIn his. 59. trea­tise vpon Iohn. Iudas did eate the breade of the Lorde, againste the Lorde, to them it was life: but to hym, it was paine and death.

In his. 53. Sermon of the wordes of the Lorde. Many dooe receiue the Sacramente of his bodie: but thei shall not all that receiue it, haue the place with hym, whiche is promised vnto his members.

Chrisostom. Saincta, sainctis: holy thynges, for holy men.

Hiero. vpon the. 6 [...]. Chap. of Esaie. All that loue pleasure more then god, eate not the fleshe of Iesu, nor drinke his bloud, of the which hym self saieth: he that eateth my fleshe, and drinketh my bloud, hath euerlasting life.

In his booke vpon Ierimie▪ Heretiques doeth not eate and drinke the bodie, and bloud of the Lorde,

In his booke vpon the. 8. of Oseas. Heretiques eate not the fleshe of Iesu, whose fleshe is the meate of faithfull men.

Hillary in his [...]. booke. of the Trinitie. The bread that came downe from heauen, is not receiued [Page 91] but of hym, that hath our lorde, and is the member of Christ.

He that agreeth not with Christe, dooeth neither eate hisProsper in his boke of Sen­tences, taken out of Augu. workes, the. 339. Ser▪ [...] bodie, nor drinke his bloud, although to the condempnation of his presumption, he receiue euery daie, the Sacramente of so high a matter.

Barnarde in his 26. Sermon vpon the Can­ticles. Christe is touched, with affection, not with the hand: with desire, not with the eye: with faithe, not with the sences.

D. Hardyng in his boke, a detection of foule errours, lyes. &c. folio. 346. Iudas is saied to haue eaten the bread of our lorde against our lorde, bicause he did eate the Sacrament vnworthely, and so he did not eate our lorde, as he is bread, that is to saie, as he feedeth: but as he is a Iudge, and as he condempneth the vn­worthy eater, to euerlastyng paine.

¶ What it is to be guiltie of the bodie and bloud of the Lorde.

GEue ye not that whiche is holy to dogges,Math. 7. 6. neither cast ye your Pearles before swine, lest they treade them vnder their feete.

Who soeuer shall eate this bread, and1. Cor. 11. 27. drinke this Cup of the Lorde vnworthe­lie, shalbe guiltie of the bodie and bloud of the Lorde.

For he that eateth and drinketh vnworthelie, eateth and29. drinketh his owne damnation, bicause he discerneth not the Lordes bodie.

¶ The Doctours.a [...] Ciprian of the washing of the Apostles feete.

THE wicked haue no gaine by the death of Christe: but the benefites that they haue despised, doe most iustly condemne them.

Athanasius of the passion and Crosse of our Lorde. Worshippyng our Lorde, and not liuyng so as [...]s méete for our Lorde, they feele not, that thereby they are made guiltie of our Lordes death.c Ambrose vpō the▪ 1. Cor. 11. Chap.

He is vnworthy of the Lord, that doth otherwise celebrate [Page] the Misteries, then it was deliuered of the Lorde, for he can­not be deuoute, that taketh it otherwise, then it was giuen of the Authour.

Outwardly they haue the Sacramente of Christes bodie:Augustine in his. 50. Epistle [...]o Bonifacius. Ioh [...] [...]0. Ser­mon of tyme. but the thyng it selfe, inwardly in their hartes they haue not. And therefore, they eate, and drinke their owne iudgemente. He is guiltie of no smale price: but euen of the blood of christ, that defileth his owne soule, that was made cleane by the Passion and bloud of Christe.

The aduouterer is giltie of euerlastyng death, bicause heIn his. 120. Sermon in the same boke. Hierome vpon the. 1. of Mala­ [...]hy. despised in hym selfe, the bloud of our Sauiour.

When the Sacramentes are abused: then he, whose Sa­cramentes they are, is saide to be abused.

¶ The Laye people ought to receiue the Cuppe of the Lorde, as wel as the Bread.

ALso he tooke the Cuppe, and when he hadMath. 26. 27. giuen thankes, hee gaue it them, saiyng, drinke ye all of it.

For this is the bloud of the newe Testa­ment,28. that is shed for manie, for the remis­sion of synnes.

Also he tooke the Cuppe, and when heeMark. 14. 23. had giuen thankes, gaue it to them: and they all dranke of it.

And he tooke the Cuppe and gaue thankes, and saide, takeLuke. 22. 17. this and deuide among you.

The cuppe of blessyng, or thankesgeuyng, which we blesse,1. Cor. 10. 16. is it not the Communion of the bloud of Christe?

I haue receiued of the Lorde, that whiche I also haue deli­uered1. Cor. 11. 23. vnto you, to wit. &c.

After the same manner also he tooke the Cuppe, when hée25. had supped, saiyng, This Cuppe is the newe testament in my blood: this doo as ofte as ye drinke it, in remembraunce of mée.

For as often as ye shall eate this breade, and drinke this26. [Page 92] Cuppe, ye shewe the Lordes death till he come.

¶ The Doctours.

ONE Cuppe is deuided, vnto the wholeIgnatius to Philadelphes. Churche.

How shall we teache, exhorte, andCyprian in his 2. Epist▪ to Cornelius. the Pope. prouoke them to shed their bloud, for the confession of the name of Christe, if wee dooe denie, or will not geue vnto them the bloud of Christe, when they shoulde fight and stande manfullie in the quarell of their maister, and Lorde Christe?

Or how shall we make theym apte to drinke the cuppe of Martyrdome, if we doe not permit nor suffer them, to drinke the cuppe of the Lorde in the Churche, by the right that they haue to communicate with vs.

Chrisostome in his. xxvii. Homily in the 1. Cor. Christe both in the bread, and also in the cuppe, saide, dooe this in remembraunce of mee.

In his. [...]8. Homily in the 2. Cor. In the receiuyng of the holy Misteries, there is no diffe­rence betweene Priest and people.

Dionisius Hiera. 3. Chap. The vnitie of the cuppe, is deuided vnto all people.

Beda in his. 6▪ boke vpon the xxii. of Luke. The breade in misticall maner, hath relation to the bodie of Christe: the wine hath relation vnto his bloud.

Haimo vpon the. i. Co. xi. ca. The Cup is called the communication, bicause of the par­ticipation, for that euery man receiueth of it.

Theophilact: in the. i. Cor. xi▪ Chap. The reuerende cup, is in equall maner deliuered vnto al.

Paschasius. Drinke ye all of this: as well the ministers, as the reste of the faithfull.

Augustine of Consecratiō the. ii. distin­ction quia pas­sus. We receiue together: we drinke together: bicause we liue together.

Gelasius Pope, of conse­cration, the. ii▪ distinction. Cap. comperi­mus. We haue vnderstanded, that some hauyng onely receiued the holy portion of the bodie, doe abstaine from the cup of the holy bloud: but sith that thei are moued by a fonde superstiti­on, whiche I knowe not, thus to abstaine, either let theim re­ceiue the whole Sacrament, or bée put from all together▪ For there can bée no diuision of this one Sacrament, and high mi­sterie, without greate Sacrilege.

[Page]It is not without a iuste and necessarie cause, that the Sa­cramentThe Close vpon the same Canon. is taken vnder bothe kindes. For the kinde or forme of breade, is referred to the fleshe: and the kinde or forme of wine, to the soule.

It is taken and receiued vnder bothe kindes, for to signifie that Christ did take vpon hym, both a humaine bodie, and an humaine soule. And also for to signifie that the receiuyng of this Sacramente, is auaileable bothe to the fleshe, and also to the soule, for if it were onely receiued, vnder one kynde, it should bee signified that it is auaileable onely, for the vnition and sauegarde of the one.

Where as for the accomplishement of the Communion,Leo Pope, of Consecration the. 2. Distin­stinction, cum omne. thei dippe the Sacrament, and deliuer it vnto the people, thei haue not receined this witnesse of the Gospell, for the deliue­ry of the bread, and the deliuery of the Cuppe, are mentioned a sunder.

Thei be false catholikes, that are not ashamed by all mea­nes,Gerardus Lo [...]i­chius. in the. 7. parte of the Canon. to hinder the reformation of the Churche. Thei to the in­tent the other kinde of the Sacramente maie not bée restored vnto the laye people, spare no kynde of blasphemies, for thei saie, that Christe saied onely vnto his Apostles, drinke ye all of this: but the woordes of the Canon bee these: take and eate ye all of this: Here I beseche them, let them tell me, whether thei will haue these woordes also, onely to pertaine vnto the Apostles. Then must the laye people, abstaine from the other kynde of the bread also, whiche thyng to saie, is an heresie, and a pestilente, and a detestable blasphemie. Wherefore it follo­weth, that eche of these wordes was spoken vnto the people, and to the whole Churche.

Whole Christ is not conteined vnder eche kynde, by waieAlexander of Hales▪ 4. q. 40. m. 3. Article. 2. Ibidem. of Sacrament: but the fleshe onely vnder the forme of bread, and the bloud vnder the forme of wine.

The receiuyng vnder bothe kyndes, which order the lorde deliuered, is of greater strength, and of greater fulnesse.4. Q. 53. M. 1.

Consideration had vnto the Sacramente, and to the per­fectionRuardus Tap­per, Cassander, de vtra (que) specie Pag. 29. of the same, it were more conueniente, that the Com­munion were ministered vnder bothe kindes, then vnder one [Page 93] alone. For this were more agreable to the institution, and fulnes thereof, yea, and to the example bothe of Christe, and also of the fathers, and of the primatiue Churche.

¶ Against reseruation of the Sacrament.

EAte not thereof rawe, boiled, nor sodden inExodus. 1 [...]. 9. water, but rosted with fire, bothe his head, his feete, and his purtenaunces.

And ye shall reserue nothyng of it vnto10. the mornyng: but that whiche remaineth of it vnto the morowe, shall ye burne with fire.

Moises then saied vnto theim, lette no man reserue therofChap. 16. 19. till mornyng.

¶ The Doctours.

THis bread is receiued, and not shut vp.Ciprian of the Lordes Supper. Clemens in his 2. Epistle.

Let there be so many hostes, or so muche bread offered at the aultar, as maie bee sufficiente for the people. If any thyng remaine, let it not bee kepte vntill the mornyng.

Augustine in his. 3. booke & x. Chap. of the Trinitie. The bread made to this purpose: is spent in receiuyng the Sacrament.

Hierome in the. 1. Cor. 11. Chap. After the Communion was doen, what so euer portion of the Sacrifices remained, thei spente it there together in the Churche, eatyng their common supper.

Cirill in his v. homily vpon Leuiticus. The bread that our Lorde gaue vnto his disciples, he lyn­gred it not, nor bad it to be kept vntill the mornyng (for that Christe saied not) take and kepe, but take and eate.

Hesichius in his▪ ii. boke. & 8. ca. vpon Le. The remanentes of the Sacramente were burnt, imme­diately in the fire.

Nicephorus in his. 17. boke and. xxv. chap. The same remanentes, in some places were giuen to chil­dren that wente to schoole, to bee eaten by them presently in the Churche.

Gabriel Biell in his. 26. L [...] ­ction. Christ gaue not (the Sacrament) to his disciples that they [Page] should reuerently reserue it: but he gaue it for their vse, sai­yng: Take, and eate.

¶ Wee are not saued by the outwarde Ceremonies of the Sacrament.

ASke nowe the Priestes concernyng theAggeus. 2. 12. lawe, and saie. If one beare holy fleshe in13. the skirte of his garmente, and with his skirte doe touche the bread, or the potage, or the wine, or oyle, or any meate, shall it be holy? And the Prieste aunswered and saied, no.

In deede I baptise you with water, to amendement of life:Math. 3. 11. but he that cōmeth after me, is mightier then I: he will Bap­tize you with the holy ghoste, and with fire.

Uerely, verely I saic vnto thee, except that a man be borneIohn. 3. 5. of water and the spirite, he can not enter into the kyngdome of God.

Now are ye cleane through the worde, whiche I haue spo­kenChap. 15. 3. vnto you.

Faithe was imputed vnto Abraham for righteousnes.Rom. 4. 9.

How was it then imputed? When he was Circumcised, or10. vncircumcised? Not when he was Circumcised, but when he was vncircumeised.

After he receiued the signe of Circumcision, as the seale of11. the righteousnesse of faithe, whiche he had when he was vn­circumcised. &c.

Moreouer brethren, I would not that ye should bee igno­raunt, [...]. Cor. 10. 1. that all our fathers were vnder the cloude, and all pas­sed through the sea.

And were all Baptized vnto Moises, in the cloude, and in2 the sea.

But with many of them GOD was not pleased: for they5 were ouerthrowen in the wildernesse.

[Page 94]Husbandes, loue you your wiues, euen as Christe louedEphe. 5. 25. the Churche, and gaue hym self for it.

That he might sanctifie it, and cleanse it, by the wasshyng26 of water, through the woorde.

To the whiche also the figure that nowe saueth vs, euen1. Peter▪ 3. 21. Baptisme agreeth (not the puttyng awaie of the filthe of the fleshe: but in that a good conscience maketh requeste to God) by the resurrection of Iesus Christ.

¶ The Doctours.

IN Baptisme we are wasshed with the PassionTertullian of Baptisme. Origene vpon the. 15. of Math. of Christe Iesu.

The thyng, that is sanctified by the woorde of God, and praier, sanctifieth not hym that vseth it, by the nature of itself.

The remission of synne, whether it be giuen by baptisme,Ciprian of Christes Bap­tisme. or by any other sacrament, is in deede of the holy ghost, and to the same holy ghoste, onely the priuilege of this woorke doeth appertaine. The solemnitie of the woordes, and the inuocati­on of Gods holy name, and the outward signes appoincted by the ministerie of the priest, by the institution of the Apostles, woorke the visible outwarde Sacramente: but touchyng the substaunce thereof, it is the holy ghost, that woorketh it.

It is not nature, that giueth effecte, or force vnto the ele­mentesIn his Sermon de vnctione Chrismatis. beyng sanctified: but the diuine power worketh more mightely.

If there be any grace in the water, it is not of the natureBasile, of the holy Ghost in the. xv. Chap. Ambrose in i. boke of Sa­cramentes, the 5. Chap. Augustine in his. 80. treatise vpon Iohn. of the water: but of the presence of the spirite.

The element is one thyng, and consecratiō an other. The woorke is one thyng, and operation an other. The water hea­leth not, vnlesse the holy ghoste discende, and consecrate that water.

Now are ye cleane, bicause of the woorde, that I haue spo­ken to you: but why saieth he not, now ye are cleane because of the Baptisme, wherewith ye are wasshed, sauyng that, bi­cause in the water it is the woorde, that maketh cleane? take awaie the woorde, and what is the water, more then water. [Page] Whence is all this so greate vertue, or power of the water, that it toucheth the bodie, and washeth the hart: but by the workyng of the woorde? Not for that it is spoken: but for that it is beleued.

The Infidell when he heareth of the water of Baptisme,Chrisostome vpon the Cor. [...]. [...]. thinketh it to be only plaine water: but I that beleue in christ doe not onely see water, but also the cleansyng of the soule, by the spirite of God. I consider Christes buriall, his refurrecti­on, our sanctification, righteousnes, and the fulnesse of the spi­rite: the thing that I sée, I iudge not with my bodily eyes: but with the eyes of my mynde.

Is it not a man that Baptizeth? Man stretcheth forth hisIn his. xxvii. Homily of his retourne from Asia to Con­stantinople. right hande: but God gouerneth his hande: doubte not of the grace of God, for it is the gifte of God.

In baptisme, the paper, is the conscience, the tongue of the Priest is the penne, the hande is the grace of the holy ghoste.

Seest thou the water? Consider the diuine power thatThe Counsell of Nyce. lieth hid in the water. Imagine that the water is full of hea­uenly fire.

The minister beyng a man, giueth onely the water: butHierome vpon the. 4. Chap. of Esaie. God giueth the holy ghoste, whereby the synnes bee washte awaie.

If any man hauyng receiued onely the bodily wasshyng ofIn his booke vpon the. 3. Chap. to the Galathians. water, that is outwardly seen with the eye, he hath not put on our Lorde Iesus Christ, although Symon Magus in the Actes of the Apostles, receiued the Baptisme of water, yet bicause he had not the holy ghost, he put not on Christ.

True Baptisme standeth not so muche in wasshyng of theOf Consecra­tion in the. 4. Distintion Cap. verus. bodie, as the faithe of the harte, as the doctrine of the Apostle hath taught vs, saiyng, by faithe purifiyng their hartes, and in an other place, Baptisme maketh vs safe: Not the puttyng a­waie of the filthe of the fleshe: but the examinyng of a good conscience before God, by the resurrection of Iesu Christ.

We maie not in any wise say, that the grace of God is con­teinedBonauentura in the. 4. Sen­tence. 1. distin­ction, and. 3. Question. substancially, and verely in the Sacramentes, as wa­ter is conteined in the vessell, or a medicine in the boxe. For so to say it were erronious: but we saie the Sacramentes con­taine [Page 95] the grace of God: bicause thei signifie the grace of God.

The grace of god is not in the visible signes, but in the soule.

To the obiection, that is made, that the remission of sinnes is hidde in Baptisme: we must aunswere thus, that it must be taken of the thing signified: yet not to containe verely, and sub­stantially in it self: but that the grace, that is signified thereby is conteined in the soule:

The Sacrament iustifieth no man, nor maketh him faith­full:Luther in his Homily vpon the feaste of Corpus Christi daie. but requireth that thou bee faithfull, and iustified, before thou come to it.

¶ Christes body is but in one place at once, and not in many places.

IF any shal saie vnto you, loe, here is christ,Math. 24. 23. or there, beleeue it not.

Ye haue the poore alwaies with you, butChap. 26. 11. mee shall ye not haue alwaies.

After the Lorde had spoken vnto them, heMarke. 16. 19. was receiued into heauen, and sate at the right hande of God.

And they founde the Stone rolled awaie from the Se­pulchre,Luke. 24. 2.

And went in, but founde not the bodie of the Lorde Iesus.3

He is not here, but is risen.6.

And it came to passe, that as he blessed them, he departed51. from them, and was caried vp into heauen.

I leaue the worlde, and goe to the Father.Iohn. 16. 28.

And when he had spoken these thinges, while thei beheld,Actes. 1. 9. he was taken vp: for a Cloude tooke hym vp out of their sight.

Ye men of Galilee, why stande ye gasing into heauen? this11. Iesus which is taken vp from you into heauen, shall so come, as ye haue seene hym goe into Heauen.

And he shall sende Iesus Christe, which before was prea­thedChap. 3. 20. vnto you.

[Page]Whom the Heauens muste conteine vntill the tyme that21. all thynges be restored: which God hath spoken by the mouth of his holy Prophetes since the worlde began.

Beholde, I see the Heauens open, and the Sonne of manChap. 7. 56. standyng at the right hande of God.

Though we had knowen Christe after the fleshe, yet now2. Cor. 5. 16. henceforth, know we hym no more.

If ye then be risen with Christ, seeke those thynges whichCollos. 3. 1. are aboue, where Christe sitteth at the right hand of God.

Our cōuersation is in heauen, from whence also, we lookePhilip. 3. 20. for the Sauiour, euen the Lorde Iesus Christe.

Wee haue suche an high Prieste, that sitteth at the rightHebrewes. 8. 1: hande of the throne of the maiestie in Heauen.

This man, after he had offered one sacrifice for synnes, sit­tethChap. x. xii. for euer at the right hand of God.

¶ The Doctours.

IF he be here among vs still, how can he be goneOrigene in his 33. Homilie vpon Math. hence as a staunger departed into another coun­trie? Christe is both GOD and man, hauyng in hym two natures. And as a man hee is not with vs vnto the worldes ende, nor is present with all his faithfull, that be gathered together in his name: but his di­uine power and spirite is euer with vs. Paule was absent frō the Corinthians in his body, when he was present with them in his spirite: Soe is Christe gone hence, and absent in his hu­manitie, whiche in his diuine nature is euery where. And in this saiyng we deuide not his humanitie (for sainct Iohn wry­teth, that no spirite that deuideth Iesus can be of god) but we reserue to both his natures, their owne properties.

It is not christ as being man, is whersoeuer two or thrée beIn his. 23. trea­tise vpon Math gathered together in his name: neither Christ as beyng man is with vs, al daies vnto the worldes ende, nor christ as being man, is present with the faithfull euery where gathered to­gether: but the diuine power, or nature that was in Christe.Epiphanius in his. 3. boke of his shorte de­claration of the christian faith.

He sitteth at his fathers right hande in glorie, not puttyng awaie his bodie: but ioynyng to the same in spirituall condi­tion in the perfection of one Godhead, euen as our bodies, that [Page 96] nowe are sowen accordyng to the fleshe, shall be raised [...]eror­dyng to the spirite.

Before Praier, the Priest with a Preface, prepareth theCyprian vpon the Lordes praier. hartes of the bretheren, saiyng vnto them, lifte vp your har­tes: that when the people aunswereth, we lifte them vp vnto the Lorde, thei maie be put in minde to thinke of nothing els, but of the lorde.

The Angell whiche was with Cornelius, was not at theBasile of the holy ghost the xxii. Chap. same tyme with Philip, nor the Angell whiche spake to Za­charie in the Alter, was not the same time in his proper place in heauen: but the holy ghoste was at one tyme in Abacucke, and in Daniell in Babilon, and with Hierome in Prison, and with Ezechiell in Chober, and therefore he is God.

Seeke the things that be aboue, not the things that be vponAmbrose in his x. boke and xxiiii. Chap. of Luke. the earth. Therfore we must not séeke Christ vpon earth: nor in earth: nor accordyng to the fleshe, if wee list to finde hym.

Marie coulde not touche Christe, bicause she sought hym vpon the earth: but Stephen touched hym, bicause he sought hym in heauen.

Doubt not but Iesus Christ, as concernyng the nature ofAugustine in his. 57. Epistle vnto Darda­nus. his manhood, is now there, from whence he shall come. And re­member well, and beléeue the profession of a Christian man, that he rose from death, ascended into heauen, sitteth at the right hand of his father, and from that place, and none other, shall hee come to iudge the quicke and the dead, and he shall come (as the Angell saide) as he was séene to goe into heauen, that is to saie, in the same forme & substaunce, vnto the which he gaue immortalitie: but chaunged not nature. After this forme, we maie not thinke that he is euerie where. For, wee must beware, that we doe not so stablishe his diuinitie, that we take awaie the veritie of his bodie.

The Lorde Iesus, as God, is euery where, and as man, is in heauen.

Doubte not but our Lorde Iesus Christe, is euery where as God, and as a dweller he is in man, that is the Temple of god, and he is in a certaine place in heauen, bicause of the mea­sure of a verie bodie.

[Page]Take awaie from bodies limitation of place, and the bo­dies will be no where, and bicause they be no where, they will be nothyng: take awaie from bodies the qualities of bodies, there will be no place for them to be in, and therfore the same bodies must needes be no where.

Our sauiour Iesus Christe, is aboue: but yet his trueth isIn his. 30. trea­tise vpon Iohn. here, his body wherin he rose, can be but in one place: but his trueth is spread euery where.

You shall haue the poore alwaies with you: but mée youIn his. 50. trea­tise vpon Iohn. shall not euer haue: Christ spake these wordes of the presence of his bodie. For, as concernyng his diuine maiestie, as concer­nyng his prouidence, as concerning his infallible and inuisible grace: these wordes be fulfilled whiche he spake: I am with you vnto the worldes ende: But as concernyng the fleshe whiche he tooke in his incarnation, as concerning that whiche was borne of the Uirgine, as concernyng that which was ap­prehended by the Iewes, and crucified vpon a Trée, and taken downe from the Crosse, lapped in Linnen clothes, and buried, and rose againe, and appeared after his resurrection, as con­cernyng the fleshe, he saide: you shall not haue mee euer with you.

Wherefore, séeyng that as concernyng his fleshe, he was conuersaunt with his disciples fortie daies, and thei accompa­niyng, seeyng, and folowyng hym, he wente vp into heauen, Both he is not here (for he sitteth at the right hand of his Fa­ther) and yet he is here, for he departed not hence, as concer­nyng the presence of his diuine maiestie, we haue Christ euer with vs: but as concernyng the presence of his fleshe, he saide truely to his disciples: ye shall not euer haue mee with you. For, as concernyng the presence of his fleshe, the Church ha [...] Christe but a fewe daies, yet now it holdeth hym fast by faith, though it sée hym not with eyes.

Christe, as man, accordyng to his body, is in heauen, andIn his. [...]1. trea­tise vpon Iohn. passeth from place to place: and, when he commeth to another place, he is not in the other place, from whence he came.

We must beléeue, and confesse, that the sonne of God (asIn his boke, de [...]ssentia diui­nitatis. concernyng his diuinitie) is inuisible without a bodie, immor­tall, [Page 97] and incircumscriptible: but as concernyng his humanitie, we ought to beléeue and confesse, that he is visible, hath a bo­die, and is conteined in a certaine place, and hath truely all the members of a man.In his. xx. boke and xi. Chap. again [...]au­stus.

Christe, as concernyng the presence of his bodie, he coulde not be together at one tyme, in the Sunne, in the Moone, and vpon the Crosse.

These wordes spoken, he ascended into heauen. Hereby heIn his boke of the vnitie of the Churche, the. x. chapter. gaue our eares a premunire against them whiche he foretold vs, would rise in processe of tyme, and saie: Beholde, here is Christe: beholde there is Christe, vnto whom he willed vs we should geue no credit, neither haue we nowe any manner excuse, if we beleue them against the voice of our sheepheard, beyng so cleare, so open, and so plaine, that no man, be he ne­uer so heauie, or dull of harte, can iustely saie, I vnderstande hym not.

Christe by his Godhead is euer with vs: but vnlesse he hadIn his. [...]0. Ser­mon in Iohn. vpon the wor­des of our lord. Hierome in the explication of Damasus Creede the. 4. Tome. departed awaie bodily from vs, we shoulde euermore carnal­ly see his body.

Christe ascended into heauen, sitteth at the right hande of the Father, the same nature of fleshe wherein he was borne, and suffred, and rose againe, remainyng still: for the substance of his humane nature was not doone awaie: but glorified.

Although Christe tooke awaie from hence the presence ofCirill in his. 6. boke and. 14. chap. vpon Iohn. his body, yet in his maiestie of his godhead, he is euer here, as he promised to his Disciples at his departyng, saiyng: I am with you euer vnto the worldes ende.

Christian people must beleeue, that although Christ be ab­senteIn his. 9. boke and xxi. Chap vpon Iohn. from vs, as concernyng his body, yet by his power he gouerneth vs, and all thynges, and is present with all them that loue hym: Therefore he saide, verely, verely, I saie vnto you, wheresoeuer there be twoo or three gathered together in my name, there am I in the middes of them.

For like as when hee was conuersante here in earth as a man, yet then he filled heauen, and did not leaue the companie of Angels: Euen so beyng now in heauen with his fleshe, yet he filleth the earth, and is in them that loue hym. And it is to [Page] be marked, that although Christe should goe awaie onely as concernyng his fleshe (for he is euer present in the power of his diuinity) yet for a little time he saide he would be with his disciples.

Although I shall be absente with my bodie: yet I will beeIn his. x. booke and. 7. chap. vpon. [...]n. In his. ii. booke of the Trinity. present with you as I am God.

If the nature of the Godhead were a body, it must néedes be in a place, and haue quantitie, greatnes, and circumscrip­tion.

Christ could not be conuersant with his Apostles in fleshe,In his. xi. boke and iii. chap. vpon Iohn. Didimus in his. i. boke and i. chap of the holie Ghoste. after that he had ascended vnto his father.

All creatures, visible and inuisible, bee circumscribed and inuironed either within one place, or within the propertie of their owne substaunce: so that no Angell can be at one tyme in twoo places: And for as muche as the holy ghoste, is in many men at one time, therfore the holy ghost must needes be God.

One and the self Christe, of mankinde, was made a man,Fulgentius in his v. booke to Kyng Thrasi­mundus. compassed in a place, who of his father is God, without mea­sure or place, one and the self same persone. As concernyng his mans substaunce was not in heauen, when he was in earth, and forsooke the earth, when he ascended into heauen: But as concernng his godly substaunce (which is aboue all measure) he neither left heauen, when he came from heauen, nor he left not the earth, when he ascended into heauen, whiche maie bee knowen by the moste certaine woorde of Christe hym self: who, to shewe the placyng of his humanitie, saied to his disci­ples, I ascende vp to my father, and your father, to my God, and your God. Also when he had saied of Lazarus, that he was dead, he added, saiyng: I am glad for your sakes, that you maie beleue, that I was not there: but to shewe the vnmeasurable compasse of his diuinitie, he saied to his disciples: Beholde, I am with you alwaies, vnto the worldes ende.

Nowe, how did he goe vp into heauen: but bicause he is a very man, cōteined within a place? Or how is he present with faithfull people: but bicause he is very GOD, beyng without measure.

Vigil. in his i. boke against Eutiches. Christe saied to his disciples: if you loued me, you would [Page 98] be glad, for I goe vnto my father. And again he saied: It is ex­pedient for you that I goe, for if I goe not, the comforter shall not come to you: and yet surely, the eternall worde of God, the vertue of God, the wisedome of God, was euer with his fa­ther, and in his father: yea, euen at the same tyme when he was with vs, and in vs. For, when he did mercifully dwell in this worlde, he left not his habitation in heauen, for he is eue­ry where whole with his father, equall in diuinitie, whom no place can containe, for the sonne filleth all thynges, and there is no place, that lacketh the presence of his diuinitie.

From whence then, and whither did he saie, that he would goe? Or how did he saie, that he went to his father, frō whom doubtlesse he neuer departed? But that, to goe to his father, and from vs, was taken from this worlde that nature, whiche he receiued of vs. Thou séest therefore, that it was the proper­tie of that nature, to bée taken awaie, and goe from vs, whiche in the ende of the worlde, shall be rendered againe to vs, as the Angels witnessed, saiyng: This Iesus, whiche is taken from you, shall come again, like as you sawe him goyng vp into hea­uen. For looke vnto the miracle, looke vpon the misterie of bothe the natures. The sonne of God, as concernyng his hu­manitie, wente from vs, as concernyng his diuinitie, he saied vnto vs: Beholde, I am with you all the daies, vnto the worl­des ende.

He is with vs, and not with vs, for those whom he left and went from, as concernyng his humanitie: Those he lefte not, nor forsooke theim not, as touchyng his diuinitie: For as tou­chyng the forme of a seruaunte (whiche he tooke awaie from vs into heauen) he is absent from vs: But by the forme of God (which goeth not from vs,) he is present with vs in earth, and neuerthelesse, bothe present and absent, he is all one Christe.

If the woorde and thè fleshe, were bothe of one nature, se­yng that the worde is euerywhere, why is not the fleshe then euery where? For when it was in earth, then verely it was not in heauen. And now when it is in heauen, it is not surely in earth. And it is so sure, that it is not in earth, that as concer­nyng it, we looke for hym to come from heauen, when as con­cernyng [Page] his eternall worde, we beleue to be with vs in earth: Therefore by your doctrine, either the woorde is conteined in a place with his fleshe, or els the fleshe is euery where with the woorde. For, one nature cannot receiue in it self, twoo di­uers and contrary thynges: but these twoo thynges, be diuers and farre vnlike, that is to saie, to bee contained in a place, and to bee euery where. Therefore, in as muche as the woorde is euery where, and the fleshe is not euery where, it appeareth plainly▪ that one Christe hymself, hath in hym twoo natures: And that by his diuine nature, he is euery where: And by his humaine nature, hee is contained in a place. That he is created: and hath no beginning: that he is subiecte to death, and can not dye. Wherof, one he hath by nature of his worde, (wherby he is God) and the other he hath by the nature of his fleshe, wherby the same God is man also.

Therefore one sonne of God, the selfe same was made the sonne of man, and he hath a beginnyng, by the nature of his fleshe: And no beginnyng by the nature of his Godhead: he is created by the nature of his fleshe: not created by the nature of his godhead: he is comprehended in a place, by the nature of his flesh: And not cōprehended in a place, by the nature of his Godhead. He is inferiour to Angels in the nature of his fleshe: And equall to his father in the nature of his Godhead. He died by the nature of his fleshe: And died not by the nature of his Godhead.

This is the faithe and catholique confession, whiche the A­postles taught, the Martyrs haue confirmed, and the faithfull keepe vnto this daie.Theodoret in in his. ii. dialo­gue.

The body of Christe, therefore did rise againe, quit Cleane from all corruption and death, and is impossible, immortall, glorified with the glorie of god, and is honoured of the powers of heauen, and yet is a bodie, and the same bignesse, that it had before.

To sit in the Throne of glorie, and to set his Lambes vpon his right hande, and the Goates vpon the left hand, signifieth a thyng that hath quantitie and bignesse.

Christes body hath his former fashion, figure, and bignesse, [Page 99] and to speake at one worde, the same substaunce of his bodie.Gregorie in his xxi. Homilie vpon Easter daie.

He is risen, he is not here: christ is not here by the presence of his fleshe: And yet he is absent no where by the presence of his diuine maiestie.Gregorie Na­zyanzene a­gainst Apolli­narius.

Christe, accordyng to his bodie, is within the limitation of place: accordyng to his spirite and Godhead, he is without the limitation of any place.

¶ Along custome must not be folowed: but the trueth of God.Exod. xxiii. ii.

THou shalte not followe a multitude to doe euil, neither agrée to a contro­uersie, to decline after manie, and o­uer throwe the trueth.

Therfore shall ye kéepe myne or­dinaunces,Leuiti. 18. 30. that ye doe not any of ab­hominable customes, whiche haue béene dooen before you, that you de­file not your selues therein: for I am the Lorde your God.

Whatsoeuer I commaunde you, take héede you dooe if,Deu. xii. xxxii. thou shalt not put nothing therto, nor take ought therefrom.

Feare the Lorde your God, and he will deliuer you out ofii. Kinges. xvii. xxxix. the handes of all your enimies.

Howbeit thei obeied not: but did after their olde custome.40.

Thus by processe of tyme, this wicked custome preuailedWisdom. xiiii. xv. and was kepte as a Lawe, and Idols were worshipped by the commaundementes of Tyrantes.

In vaine they worship me, teachyng for doctrines, mensMath. xv. ix. preceptes.

Ye laie the commaundementes of god a parte, and obserueMarke. vii. viii [...]. the tradition of men, as the washing of pottes and of cuppes, and many other suche like thynges ye doe.

Well, ye reiect the commaundement of God, that ye maie9▪ obserue your owne tradition.

[Page]But if any man lust to contentions, wée haue no suche cu­stome,i. Cor. xi. xvi. neither the Churche of God.

¶ The Doctours.

CUstome, either of simplicitie, or of ignoraunce,Tertullian in his boke of Virgins. gettyng once an entrie, is inured and hardned by succession, and then is defended against the truth: But Christ our Lorde called hym self the truth, and not custome. Let them take héede therefore, vnto whom the thyng séemeth newe, that in hymselfe is olde. It is not so muche the noueltie of the matter, as the trueth that reproueth an heresie, whatsoeuer sauoureth against the trueth, it is an heresie, hée the custome therof neuer so olde.Ignatius vnto Philadelphen. Ciprian in his ii. boke of his Epistles, vnto Cicilius the. iii. Epistle.

My antiquitie, is Christe Iesus.

That Christe ought onely to be harde: Euen the Father witnesseth from heauen, saiyng: This is my dearely beloued sonne, in whom I am pleased, heare hym: wherfore, if Christ ought only to be hearde, we ought not to take héede, what any man hath thought good to bee doen before vs: but what Christ whiche was before all men, hath dooen before. For, we muste not folowe the custome of man: but the truthe of God, bicause God speaketh by Esaie the Prophete, and saieth, thei worship me in vain, teachyng commaundementes & doctrines of men.

Certaine men, which be ouercome with reason, doe aledgeVnto Iulianus of Baptizing of Heretiques. and laye for theim, againste vs all in vaine, the custome, as though custome were a greater thyng then the truthe, as though in spirituall thynges, wée ought not to folowe the bet­ter thyng alwaies, whiche is shewed by the holy ghoste.Vnto Pom­peius, againste the Epistle of Stephen.

Custome without truth, is the mother of all errour, wher­fore, let vs leaue the errour, and followe the truthe.

Not the aunciencie of yeres: but of maners is commenda­ble, no shame it is to passe to better.Ambrose in his Epistle to Theodosius the Emperour. In his. 4. boke of Virgins.

Wee dooe rightly condempne all newe thynges, whiche Christ hath not taught, bicause Christ is the way to the faith­full. If therefore wee teache that, whiche Christe hath not taught, we iudge it detestable.

[Page 100]We must not alwaies imitate or allowe, what so euer al­lowedAugustine in his. ii. booke Gaudentius Epistle. persones haue doen: but laye the iudgement of scriptu­res to it, whether thei allowe the doyng of it.

When the trueth is knowen, let custome giue place to theIn his. ii. boke of only Baptis­me. truthe, for there is none that will doubt: but that custome gi­ueth place to the manifeste truthe. Also, no man should sette more by custome, then by reason and by truthe, for reason and truthe alwaies excludeth the custome.

He that despiseth the truthe, and presumeth to followeIn his booke of baptizing litle ones, and in the. viii. di­stinction Ca­non. Qui con­tempta. the custome, either he is enuious to his brother, and froward, and iniurious to theim, vnto whom the truthe is opened, or els vnkinde towarde God, by whose inspiration the congrega­tion or churche, is instructe and armed.

For, the Lorde saieth in the Gospell, I am the truthe, he saied not, I am the custome: Therefore, when the truthe is knowen, let custome giue place to truthe, bicause also Peter whiche did Circumcise, gaue place to Paule, preachyng the truthe. Therefore, seyng that Christe is the truthe, we ought rather to followe the truthe, then custome, bicause reason and truthe, alwaies excludeth custome.

We loue not those sightes that be subiect to the eye, leastIn his boke of true religion i. To me and last Chap. swaruyng from the truthe, and louyng shadowes, we be caste into darkenesse. Let not our religion consiste in our phanises, for any truthe what soeuer it bee, is better then any thyng, that can of our owne heade be deuised of vs.

It is not true that is saied, a thyng that was once wellIn his. [...]. Epistle to Marcellinus▪ dooen, muste in no wise bee altered, for when the cause of the tyme is chaunged, good reason dooeth require, the well dooen thyng before, so to be chaunged nowe. That where thei saie, it cannot be well, if it bee chaunged▪ the truthe on the other side crieth out, that it cannot bee well, if it bee not chaunged. For, that which maie chaunce at one tyme, in diuersitie of persons, that one maie doe a thyng without offence, whiche an other maie not, not that the matter is of it self vnlikely: but the par­tie that doeth it. So in respect of diuerse times, of the self same persone, now maie a thyng bee doen, and now maie it not bee doen, not that he is different from hym self that doeth it: But [Page] the tyme, when he doeth it.

The Heathens saie, the religion that was first, can not béeIn his questiōs vpon the olde and newe Te­stament, the 114. question. false: as though antiquitie, and olde custome, could preuaile a­gainst the truthe.

In his▪ x boke and [...]. chap. of the Citie of God. Neither maie we saie, why commeth it now? Why com­meth it so late? For the counsaile of GOD that sent it, is vn­searcheable to the wisedome of man.

Hillary in his 8. boke. of the Trinitie. Many there are whiche [...]ainyng of faithe, are not subiecte to faithe, and rather dooe appoincte them selues a faithe, then receiue it, puffed vp with the sence of mans vanitie, whiles thei vnderstande those thynges that thei luste: But will not vnderstande those thynges that be true.

I call it noueltie, bicause of the tongues of wicked men [...] Bernarde in his boke of a soli­tarie life. who beyng not hable to shadowe the manifeste light of the truthe, finde cauillations vpon the only name, noueltie: But this noueltie is no newe vanitie, for it is a matter of olde reli­gion: of perfecte godlines founded in Christe.

Gregorie to william Auer­sane. B [...]in the 2. distinct. Ca­non. Si con­suetudo. If perhaps thou settest against it the custome, thou muste take héede of it that the lorde saieth, I am the waie, the truth, and life, he saied not, I am the custome: but the truthe.

I allowe the custome, whiche notwithstandyng, is kno­wenAugustine, the xi. distinction. Cap. consuetu­dinem. to vsurpe nothyng against the catholique faithe.

Arnobius in his. ii. boke againste the Gentiles. The aucthoritie of religion muste be weighed by God, and not by tyme: It behoueth vs to consider, not vpon what daie: but what thyng we beganne to worshippe. The thyng that is true, is neuer to late.

Augustine, the. 8. distin­ction. The Lorde in the Gospell saied, I am the truthe, he saied not, I am custome.

Pope Felix. Euripides. No man ought to preferre custome, before truthe and rea­son: for bicause reason and truthe, alwaies excludeth custome.

¶ The mariage of Priestes is lawfull.

TO auoide fornication, let euery man haue1. Cor. 7. 2. his wife, and lette euery woman haue her owne husbande.

If thei cannot abstain, let them marrie,9. for it is better to marrie, then to burne.

Haue wee not power to leade aboute aChap. 9. 5. a wife beyng a sister, as well as the reste of the Apostles, and as the brethren of the Lorde, and Cephas.

I beseeche thee faithfull yoke fellowe, helpe those women,Philip. 4. 3. whiche laboured with me in the Gospell.

A Bishop therefore must bee vnreproueable, the husbande1. Timo. 3. 2. of one wife.

Hauyng children vnder obedience, with all honestie.4.

For if any can not rule his owne house, how shall he care5. for the Churche of God.

Mariage is honourable among all, and the bedde vndefi­led:Hebre. 13. 4. but whore mongers and adulterers, God will iudge.1. Timo. 4. 1.

Now the spirite speaketh euidently, that in the latter ty­mes, some shall departe from the faithe, and shall giue héede vnto spirites of errour, and doctrines of deuils.

Forbiddyng to marrie, and commaundyng to abstain from3. meates, which God hath created to be receiued, with thankes giuyng of them, whiche beleue and knowe the truthe.

¶ The Doctors.

NOt onely thei dooe not, that thei teache: but alsoOrigene in his 24. treatise vpon Math. cruelly and without mercie, thei commaunde o­thers to doe, that thei bee not able, not conside­ryng or weighyng eche mans strength. Suche be thei that forbidde men to marrie, and from that thyng that is lawfull, driue, and force men to an immoderate kinde of cleanesse.

If thei either cannot, or will not continue, better it is toCiprian in his 1. booke and xi. Epistle vnto Pomponeus of virgines. Ambrose in his. 3. booke of virginitie. In his booke vpon [...]. 1. to the Cor. 7 cap. In his boke vpon the. 2. to the Cor. 11. Chap. [Page] marie, then to fall into the fire▪ with their pleasures, at the least let them breede no sclaūder to their brothers and sisters.

Good are the [...]andes of Matrimonie, yet are thei bandes: And although thei be bandes, yet are thei bandes of Charitie: wedlocke is good, that it shalbe no hinderaunce to perfect life.

We see bothe virgines carefull for the worlde: and mar­ried men carefull for the woorkes of the Lorde.

All the Apostles had wiues, onely Ihon, and Paule excep­ted.

Augustine in his boke of the goodnes of mariage, Di­stinction. 27. Quidam. Some men there bee, that saie, thei bee adulterers that marrie after that thei haue made a vowe: but I tell you, that thei synne greeuously, that put such a sunder.

Many of theim are kepte from marriage, not for loue of their goodly purpose of virginitie: but for feare of open shame, whiche shame also procedeth of pride, for that thei are more a­fraied to displease men, then God. They will not marie, bi­cause thei cannot without rebuke: yet better were it for themIn his boke of holy virginitie the. 34. Chap. to marrie, then to burne, that is to saie, then with the flame of their concupiscense in their owne conscience to bee wasted, thei are sory of their profession, and yet it greeueth theim to confesse it.

Thei that sai [...], the marriage of suche men, or women (asIn his boke of the goodnes of widowhod, Cap. [...]. haue vowed) is no marriage: but rather adulterie, seeme vn­to me not to consider discretly and wisely, what thei saie.

It cōmeth to passe by this vnaduised opinion, that where­as thei will remoue these women that so haue vowed, from their husbandes, and force theim to continue in their single life, thei make the husbandes of them adulterers in deede, in case thei marrie againe, their owne wiues beyng still aliue.the.

The defraudyng of their purpose, and the breache of theirIn the. 9. chap. of the same boke. vowe is blamed. Suche are blamed, not for that thei haue en­tered into the faithe of Matrimonie: But for that thei haue broken their firste faithe, or promise of continent life.

Whereas saincte Paule saieth, she that is vnmaried, thin­kethIn his. 1. boke of the goodnes of mariage & 1 [...]. Chap. of the thynges that pertain vnto the lorde, that she maie be holy, bothe in bodie, and in spirite, it maie not so bee taken, as though we should so thinke, a Christian wife liuyng chaste­ly [Page 102] with her husbande, is not holy in bodie. For it is general­ly saied vnto all faithfull, knowe ye not, that your bodies bee the Temple of the holy ghost? Therefore if the man, and wife kéepe their faith bothe betwéene them selues, and to the lorde, their bodies are holy.In his questiōs of the [...] and newe Testa­mēt the. 127. Question.

Moste holy Samuell begatte children: and yet nothyng a­bated the merites of his righteousnesse. Zacharias the Priest in his olde age begatte a childe, wherefore then is that thyng accused, that is proued to doe no maner hurte.

The housbande of one wife, sainct Paule writeth not thisChrisostome in his. 10. Ho­milie vpon Timothie. as makyng a lawe, as if it were not lawfull, for a man to bee made a Bishop without a wife: but he appoincted an order in that behalfe. For it was lawfull for the Iewes, to be coupled in the seconde Matrimonie, and to haue twoo wiues at one tyme. Notwithstandyng, marriage haue muche trouble in it self, yet maie it so bee taken, that it shall be no hinderaunce to perfecte life.

Marriage, not onely hindereth nothyng, towardes theIn his. [...]1. Ho­milie vpon Gene. knowledge and seruice of GOD, if we will bee sober: but also bryngeth vs greate comfort, for it oppresseth the ragyng furie of nature, and suffereth vs not to bee dashte, and toste, as the waues of the sea: but causeth that our shippe maie luckely ar­riue into the hauen. And for that cause hath GOD giuen this comfort vnto mankinde.In his. 7. Ho­milie vpon the Hebre.

So pretious a thyng is Matrimonie, that with the same thou maiest be promoted, euen vnto the Bishoppes chaire, vse marriage with discretion, and thou shalte bee the chief in the kyngdome of heauen.

The name of certaine virgines, not well behauyng theimHierome ad virginem De­metriadem. selues, defameth and shameth the holy purpose of virgines, and the glory of the heauenly and Angelicall familie, whom we must plainly charge, that either thei marrie, if thei cannot conteine: or that thei conteine, if thei will not marrie.

Touchyng this place some men thinke thus: by custome ofIn his booke vpon the. 1. chap. to Titus. the Iewes, it was lawfull for a man, to haue twoo wiues, or m [...] at once. And this thei take to bee the Apostles commaun­demente, that he, that is to bee chosen a Bishoppe, haue not [Page] twoo wiues, or mo together at one tyme.Vpon the. 1. Epistle to Ti­moth. and 3. Chap.

Let the Deacons bee the husbande of one wife, not that thei should needes marrie a wife, if thei haue none: but that they should not haue twoo wiues together.

And if Samuel, whiche was brought vp in the tabernacle,In his. 1 booke against loui­nia [...]. married a wife, what maketh that againste virginitie? As though that many Priestes had not wiues also nowe a daies, and that the Apostle describeth a Bishop to bée the husbande of one wife, hauyng children in all chastitie.

Let the Bishops and pristes reade this, which teache theirIn his boke vpon the Ephe. the. 37. distin­ction. Canon Legant. sonnes secular learnyng, and maketh them reade Comedies, and sing writynges, after that they bee brought vp, by the charge and coste of the congregation.

If any man call lawfull copulation, and begettyng of chil­dren,Ignatius vnto Philadelphen. corruption and filthines, he hath the deuil, that fell from God, dwellyng within hym.

We must haue consideration of men, and measure our do­ctrineCiril in his. 16. boke vpon Le­uiticus. accordyng to euery mans abilitie: and vnto suche men, as can not take the worde of chastity, we ought to graunt ma­riage.

If any man consider that his owne virgine, that is to saie,Hierom. in his 1. boke against Iouinian. his owne fleshe, groweth proude, and boyleth vnto lust, and cannot staie it, there is laide vpon hym a double necessitie, ei­ther to take a wife, or to fall.

Let them studie to kéepe and continue the chastitie of theirIfidorus, the distinctiō. 23. Hic igitur. body vndefiled: or els, let theim be coupled with the bande of one mariage.

Excuse not thy selfe by thy mariage, thy lorde was at theChrisostome in his. 3. Tome against the Ie­wes, Gentiles & Heretiques. Pag. 363. mariage feast, and honoured mariage with his presence, and yet doest thou blame marriage? And saiest thou that marriage is an hinderaunce vnto godlinesse? I tell thee, marriage is no maner hinderaunce vnto godlines? wilt thou knowe that it hindereth not to haue a wife, and children? had not Moyses wife and children? Beholde Peter a Piller of the Churche: he had a wife, therefore finde no faulte with marriage.

Who speaketh these wordes? Esaias the beholder of theIn his. 4. Ho­mily and. 1. celestiall Seraphius: who, not withstandyng he had companie [Page 103] with his wife, yet he quenched not the grace of God.Tome in Esay vpon these wordes. I haue seene the lord.

Esaie had a sonne, and a wife, that thou maiest vnderstand that mariage is not ill: but fornication is ill.

What? did marriage hinder thée? no, thy wife is giuen to thee to be thy helper, and not to deceiue thee.

Many of the Bishoppes haue not married, contrariwise,Athanasius to Dracon [...] ▪ Monkes haue become fathers of children.

At that tyme they saie, Eupsichius the Bishop of Caesaria Cassiodorus in his. 6. boke. & 14. Chap. died in Martyrdome, hauyng married a wife a little before, beyng as yet in maner a newe married man.

Clement in deede, writyng against theim whiche despiseEusebius in his 3. boke, and 30. Chap. mariage, beside many other, saieth also these wordes: Do thei disalowe the Apostles also? For Peter and Philip had wiues, and married their daughters vnto men: but euen likewise, Paule the Apostle is not ashamed in a certaine Epistle of hys, to make mention, or to salute his companion & yoke fellowe, the whiche woman he saide that he led not aboute with hym, for this intente, that he might more easely and without lesse cumber preache the Gospell.

I also Policrates, the least of you all, obserue and kéepe af­terIn his. 5. booke and. 24. Chap. the tradition of my fathers, & of them onely whom I haue followed from the beginnyng, for seuen of my forefathers eche one after other in order, were Bishoppes (and I am the eight) whiche hath kept this daie.

My Mother beyng giuen to my Father of GOD, becameGregorie Na­zianzene, vpon the Epitaphe of his father. Bi­shop of Nazi­anzene. not onely his helper, for that had [...] no greate wounder: but also was his leader, and Capitaine, both by worde and by déede, trainyng him vp vnto the best. And albeit in other thin­ges, it were best for her to be subiect vnto her husbande for the right of marriage, yet in religion, and godlines, she doubted not to become his maistres.

Neither of these twoo, matrimony, nor single life, dotheVpon the Epi­taphe of Gor­gonia. either ioine vs to God, or to the world, or withdrawe vs from God, or from the world: that the one ought to be refused, and the other absolutely, and of it selfe ought to be praised, it is the minde that ruleth, both marriage and virginitie.

There be some that saie, that marriage must bee brokenGregorie Pope in the. 27. Di­stinction, and 2. question. Canon. Sunt qui. [Page] for religions sake and holines: but this is to be knowne, that if the lawe of man graunt this, the lawe of God forbiddeth it, for the trueth by him selfe saith: those that God hath coupled, man can not parte a sunder.

If any man make difference of a married Priest, as if heeIn the Counsel of Gangra. cap. 4. maie not minister the oblation, bicause of his marriage, and abstaineth from his oblation, accursed be he.

If any man contrarie to the Apostles Canons, presume toIn the Counsel at Constanti­nople, distin­ction. 31. Quoniam. remoue either Priest, or Deacon, from the vse and companie of his lawfull wife, let hym be depriued. And in like manner let the Priest or Deacon be excommunicate, that putteth a­waie his wife, vnder the colour of religion.

Deacons, as many as be ordered, if at the tyme of recei­uyngIn the counsell of Ancyra, Ca­non. 9. orders, thei made protestation, and said, that thei would marrie, for that they finde not themselues able so to continue without marriage, if they afterwarde marrie, let them con­tinue in the ministerie, for as much as the Bishop hath giuen them licence.

A vowe, ill and vnaduisedly promised, ought not to beeIn the Counsel of Tolete. 8. Canon. 2. The Counsell of Nyce, hol­den in the yere of our Lorde. 313. Distincti­on. 31. Chap. Nycena. kepte.

The Scene whiche was gathered together at Nyce, wil­lyng to redresse the life of Churchemen, did set them certaine lawes, whiche doe call Canons or Rules.

In the treatyng whereof it was thought good to some, to bryng in a lawe, that Bishops, Priestes, Deacons, and Sub­deacons, should lie no more with their wiues, whiche thei had married, before their consecration: But the holy confessour Paphuntius rose vp and did resiste theim, saiyng, and prote­styng, that marriage was honourable, and that it was chasti­tie for a man to lye with his owne wife. And so he aduised the Counsaill, that thei should not make any suche lawe, assuring them, that the matter was greate, and might bee an occasion of fornication, either vnto them, or vnto their wiues. And thus Paphuntius did set for the the matter (all bée it he were vnma­ried hym self.) And the whole Counsaile and Synode, com­mended his opinion, and decreed nothyng in this matter, and lefte it to euery mans will, and not to be of any necessitie.

[Page 104]It maie happen that in some case, a vowe maie bee eitherThomas of A­quine. 22. q. 88. Arti. 10. vtterly ill, or vnprofitable, or an hinderance vnto some other good thynges of more weight. And therefore it muste of ne­cessitie be determined, that in suche a case a vow ought not to be kepte.

If any man haue vowed, and cannot conteine, and hauyngAlphonsus de Castro, Philip­pica. 19. assaied al meanes, yet be neuer the nerer, I would aduise him, that he should prouide for the safetie of his soule by marriage.

It cannot be proued, neither by reason, nor by aucthoritie,Cardinall Ca­ietanus in Quodlibetis, against Luther. speakyng absolutely, that a Prieste synneth in marriyng a wife, for neither the order of Priesthoode, in that it is order, nor the same order, in that it is holy, is any hinderaūce to ma­trimonie. For Priesthoode breaketh not marriage, whether it be contracted before Priesthoode, or afterwarde, settyng all Ecclesiasticall lawes a parte, and standyng onely vnto those thynges, that we haue of Christe, and his Apostles.

All the Epistles of the Apostles, whiche teache sobrietie,Clement Ale­xandrinus in his. 5. boke, Stroma [...]. and continente life, where as thei containe innumerable pre­ceptes, touchyng Matrimonie, bryngyng vp of children, and gouernment of house, yet thei neuer forbadde honeste, and so­ber marriage.

Thei saie that in olde tymes, before Pope Siricius, it wasIn the. 8. Di­stinction cum in piaeterito, in the Glose. lawfull for Priestes to marrie (this was foure hundred ye­res after Christe.)

In an euill promise, breake thy faithe: In an vnhonesteIn the decrees. 22. Question. 4. chap. malis. vowe, chaunge thy purpose, that thou haste vnaduisedly vo­wed, see thou dooe it not. It is an euill promise, that is kepte with wickednesse.

Pelagius Pope, did create the Bishop of Siracusa, who hadOut of the 28. Distinction. wife and children, at that tyme.

Pope Siluerius: Pope Densdedit: Pope Adriane. 2. PopeDamasous Pope, Distin­ction. 56. Cap. Sed hoc. Ihon. 15. Pope Felix. 3. Pope Osius: Pope Agapetus: Pope Ge­latius: Pope Bonifacius: Pope Ihon. 10. Pope Theodorus. &c. were all Popes, Bishoppes, and Priestes, with many other more that are founde, beyng Priestes sonnes, ruled the Apo­stolique See of Rome.

I recken that there was neuer more pure, and honesteErasmus in his aunsvvere to Iodocus Clito­ucus. [Page] Priestes in the Churche, then there was then, when the help of marriage was open to euery man, Clytoueus saieth, that the misteries and secretes of the aulter, be higher in dignitie, then that thei maie be occupied of married men. Then saincte Paule did wrong, and farre a misse, whiche alloweth and ad­mitteth not onely Deacons: but also Bishops, and Priestes, whiche hath wiues, to the misteries of the Aulter. I will not speake now of Peter, whiche was married, and Philippe the Deacon. Belike the Churche of Christe was in greate blinde­nesse, which then could not spie, that the misterie of the aulter should not bee committed vnto married men, what thinketh and iudgeth that Counsaill, whiche pronounceth them accur­sed, which refused to be at the Communion of a Priest, which hath a wife.

A greate parte of the Priestes liueth in greate infamie,In his Epistle to Christopher [...]. of Basile. and with a sore wounded conscience and an vnquiete, hande­leth the holy Sacramentes. And for the moste parte, thei left all their labours, and the fruict that should come of them, bi­cause their teachyng is despised, and set at naught, for their shamefull liuynges.

There is nothyng more to bee desired, then that a Priest might liue frée from marriage, and might wholy serue the lorde: but after that he hath assaied all remedies, and is neuer the better, and the rebellion of the fleshe cannot be ouercom­med, this then is nexte to be doen, lette hym liue chastly with one, not for pleasure: but for a remedie, hauyng his wife al­waies, endeuouring him self with all his power, that he which hath a wise graunted hym, fill vp and recompence the weake­nesse of the fleshe, with other good liuing beside, and with holy study, for by this meanes euery man shall knowe, that he hath taken a wife for neede, and not for pleasure.

And I doubte not: but there is many Bishops, whiche per­ceiueth that it is euen so as we saie: but here I am afraied, that lucre and aduantage stoppe vs, that we followe not it whiche we knowe is beste. If the Bishoppes would assaie to chaunge the single liuyng into marriage, peraduenture the Officialles and Commissaries would repine, whiche doeth perceiue more [Page 105] aduauntage of priestes Concubines, then thei should haue by Priostes wiues, if thei had them.

Take awaie from the Churche honourable marriage, andBarnarde in his 66. Sermon v­pon the Canri­cles. the bedde vndefiled, shal [...]e thou not replenishe it with Concu­binaries, with incestious persones, Sodomiticall vires, and fi­nally, with all kinde of beastly filthiness [...].

In those daies Priestes commonly had wiues, as otherAuentious in Histor. Boioris. Christian men had, and had children also, as maie appeare by auncient instrumentes, and deedes of giftes, whiche were gi­uen then to churches, to the Cleargie, and to religious houses, in the which instrumentes both the priestes, and their wiues also with them, whiche there be called Praesbyterissae.

These glorious braggers doe vaunte them selues, to be theClement Ale­xanden his. 5. boke Strom. 7. This Clemont wrote. 200. yeres aftor, Christe. followers of the lorde, who neither had wife, nor yet possessed any thyng here in the worlde. &c. To these the Scriptures ma­keth aunswere: GOD with standeth the proude, and giueth grace to the humble. Againe, thei consider not the cause, why the Lord tooke no wife. First, he had his owne peculiar spouse, whiche is the Churche. Moreouer, neither was he a common man, that he should stande insuche neede of a helper, after the fleshe. &c.

There be some whiche take Gregory for a maintainer ofHulderichus Bishop of Au­gusta, to Pope Nicholas. their sect, whose temeritie I laugh at, whose ignoraunce I la­mente, for thei doe not knowe that the perilous decree of this heresie, established of Gregorie, was afterward pourged of hym, with the worthie fruicte of repentaunce, when as vpon a daie, out of his pondes was drawen sixe thousande childrensBeholde the fruictes of Po­pishe Chastiry. heades: when he sawe it, he vtterly condempnyng his decree, did praise the counsaile of Paule: Melius est nubere quam vri, addyng of his owne, Mclius est nubere quam mortis occasio­nem [...].

If it happen that a priest be seene to imbrace, or cull a wo­manThe. 11. cause 3. Question in the Glose, in the Chap. absit. Polidorus vir­gill [...]o his. 6. boke of the hi­storie of En­glande and in his. 5. booke of the inuention of thinges. (in his armes) it shall bee iudged and interpresed, that he doeth it to blesse her. (Beholde Popishe blessynges).

The restraints of priestes marriage, was firste attempted in Englande, in the [...]ere of our lorde. 970. And the same after­wardes was concluded in the Weste Churche, in the yere of [Page] our Lorde, noo, and neuer before.

[...]abran in his Chro [...]icle in the pag. 293. Priestes liued a thousande yeres together with their wi­ues: no lawe beyng to the contrary.

In the 31. di­stinction Cap. Quoniam. The Grekes muke no promise of continent, or single life, neither secretly, nor expressedly.

D. Har ling in his boke a de­rection of sun­drie foule e [...] ­rours. &c. folio 80. Now as we doe not condempne marriage: neither denye: but that married men in the Primatiue Churche, and before the Gospell was so generally receiued, as it was at lengthe, were, and might be called to the dignitie of Bishoppricke.

¶ Of choise and difference of mea [...]es.

THat whiche goeth into the mouthe, defl­lethMath. 15. 11. not the man: but that which commeth out of the mouthe, that defileth the man.

And there came a voice to hym, ariseActes. 10. 13. Peter, kill, and eate.

But Peter saied, not so, Lorde: For I14 haue neuer eaten any thyng that is pollu­ted, or vncleane.

And the voice spake vnto hym again, the seconde tyme, the15 thynges that God hath purified, pollute thou not.

I knowe, and am perswaded through the lorde Iesus, thatRom. 14. 14. there is nothyng vncleane of it self: but vnto him that iudgeth any thyng to be vneleane, to hym it is vncleane.

The kyngdome of God is not meate and drinke: But righ­teousnesse,17 and peace, and ioye in the holy ghost.

Meate maketh not vs acceptable in God: for neither if wée1. Cor. 3. 8. eate, haue we the more: neither if wee eate not, haue wee the lesse.

What sa [...]uer insolde in the shambles, eate [...] and aske noCap. 10. 25. question for conscience sake.

For the earth is the Lordes, and all that there in is.26

Let no man condemne you in meate & drinke, or in respecteCollos. a. 16. of au holy daie, of the newe [...] ▪ or of the [...],

[Page 106]Whiche are but a shadowe of thynges to come [...] but the bo­die17 is in Christe.

Now the spirite speaketh euidently, that in the latter ty­mes,1. Timo. 4. 1. some shall departe from the faithe, and shall giue heede to spirites of errour, and doctrine of deuills,

For biddyng to marrie, and commaundyng to abstaine frō 3 meates, whiche God hath created to be receiued with giuyng thankes, of them whiche beleue, and knowe the truthe.

For euery creature of GOD is good, and nothyng ought to4 be refused, if it be receiued with thankes giuyng.

For it is sanctified by the worde of God, and praier.5

Unto the pure, are all thynges pure.Titus. 1. 15. Hebre. 13. 9.

It is a good thyng, that the harte bée stablished with grace, and not with meates, whiche haue not profited thē, that haue been occupied in them.

¶ The Doctours.

GOD is not honoured with the beallie: no [...] Tertullian in his Epistle of the leweshe meates. with meates, whiche the Lorde Christe saieth, doe perishe, and are pourged in con­ueyaunce by naturall order, for who so by meates, honoureth the lorde, in a maner maketh his beally to be his God.

Wheras thou wrote vnto me that thereAugustine in his. 119. Epists to lanuarius. were certaine brethren, whiche did so abstaine front the ea­tyng of fleshe, that thei iudged them vncleane that rate fleshe [...] it is plaine against the faithe, and holsome doctriue.

It maketh no matter at all, what nourishement or meateIn his boke of questions of the Gospell. thou takest, that thou maiest succour, and helpe the necessitie of the bodie, so that thou doest agree with them, that thou li­uest with all.

And to beleue that meates are euill, or causeth euill, orIn his. 1. booke and. 66. chap. of the doctri­nes and opini­ons of the Churche. synne to theim that receiue theim, is the proportie, not of the Christian men: but peculiarly of the Hierarchies, and Mani­chees, whiche were heretiques.

If there hée a man (as it is pouible) so spare of diet, and pro­sitable with all, that he will take but twise in [...] rulingIn his boke of the maners the Churche, & of the Mani­ches. [Page] and temperyng with that abstinēce, the appetite of his throte and beally. And be it also, that there bee sette at supper before this man, a fewe hearbes, and a little Bacon, sodden with the same hearbes, so much in [...]uantitie, as maie suffice to putte a­waie his hunger, and that the same man quenche his thirste, with three or fower draughtes of pure wine, that is vnmyng­led with water. And that this be his daiely diet.

And againe on the other side, if there be one that tasteth no fleshe, nor drinke wine: but straunge kinde of dishes, made of séedes and fruictes, with a boundaunce of Pepper cast vpon it, wherof he eateth plentifully at nine of the clocke in the mor­nyng, and at supper, and also drinketh of the water, wherwith the huskes of Grapes be washed after the pressyng. &c. Whe­ther of these twaine iudge you, as touching meate and drinke, doe liue in more abstinence? I thinke ye be not so blinde: but that ye will preferre the man, whiche liueth with the litle Bacon and wine, to the other glutton, for the trueth it selfe doth driue you to this annswere.

But you Heretiques bee of the contrarie opinion, for by your opinion, if this seconde man should sup with the first, but one night, and shoulde but touche his lippes, and smell of his Bacon, though it were restie, ye woulde streight waie con­demne hym to bell [...], as a breaker of your seale, (that is) of [...]our religion.I [...] his 30. boke and. 5. Chap. againste Fau­stus.

In the [...] season all men for the most part absteine, not onely from [...]: but also from certaine fruictes, as euerie man either will, or is able to doe, more or lesse.

Heretiques liue by drie bread: but what profit is there inHillarie vpon the. 64. Psalm. this idle purpose? It is altogether vaine, and foolishe, and in respecte of the causes of their superstition, it is also miserable.Cassidorus in his. 5. boke and 38. Chap.

Some men eate only fishe, others vse both fishe and fleshe too: Some others when they [...]aue faste doon [...] thrée of the clocke in the after noone, after warde thei refresh their bodies, without difference or choise of meates: I thinke the Apostles lefte this matter to euery mans discretion, that [...]iery man maie doe good without [...] or superstition, or nere [...].

It is good to [...] the [...] with [...], [...] not withTheophilact [Page 107] meates, whiche did not profite them that was occupied with them. Here he blameth them that brought in the Iewish cu­stomevpon the 13. Chapter to the Hebrewes. and abstinence from meates. Therfore this faith is ne­cessary, and not the accustoming and vsing of certaine meates: For they that afore hande did forbeare from meates, that is, they that alwaies looke on suche kéepyng and vsing of mea­tes plainely hath profited nothing, as men which wander out beyonde the true bonds of saith.

Appolonius wrote a booke against Montanus the Hereti­que,Eusebius in his 5. boke, and 18. Chap. and his secte, and this Montanus was he that taught that marriage might bée dissolued and broken. And this is hee that first of al other did ordaine the lawes of fasting, and laid them on mens shoulders.

Bicause we finde nothyng concernyng this matter (of theSocrates in his 9. boke, and 38. Cap. of the Tripertite Hi­storie. keepyng of Lent) in olde and auncient writyng, I thinke that the Apostles left it to the iudgement of euery man, that euery man should neither for feare, nor compulsion worke it that is good.

What maner of man Spiridion was, as concernyng recei­uingSozomenus in his. 1. booke, & 10. Chap. of the tripertite historie. of straungers & waifaring men, by this it doth euidently appeare. A certaine man in the tyme of Lent iourneiyng, came vnto him, who was without meate fiue daies, Spiridion séeyng the straunger verie weake, saide to his daughter, goe and wash the straungers féete, and set meate before him. And when the virgine had saide, that there was neither bread nor meate in the house (of the which then he was wont to haue no stoore, by reason of the fast) Spiridion first praiyng and asking pardon, commaunded his daughter, to sée the porke, whiche he had in his house salted, which being sodde, he sittyng with the straunger, did eate of the fleshe set before hym, and requested, that the straunger would eate with hym, who refusing, and professyng hym self to be a christian, for that same (saieth Spi­ridion) thou oughtest not to refuse it, for to the cleane all thin­ges are cleane, as the wordes of God hath taught vs.The Counsell of Martine, Pope, distincti­on. 30. Cahoh. Si quis.

If any man abstaine, and for be are from fleshe, not for ab­stinence: but bicause he defieth and abhor [...]eth that meate, it [...]ath pleased the holy counsail, that he should aforehand taste, [Page] and eate of it, and if he will abstaine, let hym abstaine: but if he despise and refuse it, so that he will not eate, and taste the potage that is sodden with the fleshe, let this man bicause he is disobedient, and will not deliuer hym self from suspition of heresie, be deposed from the degree, and order of the Cleargie.Erasmus in his [...] set be­fore the. 1. Epi­to the Cor.

I thinke it more pure Religion, and more agreyng with the learnyng of the Gospell, and the Apostles, if no certaine kinde of meate were prescribed and appointed: But that all men should be warned, that euery man accordyng to the dis­position, and complexion of his bodie, should eate those thyn­ges, whiche bee moste profitable for good health, not to vse ex­cesse: but sobernesse, with giuyng thankes, and the desire of a good mynde.

I allowe and approue it that ye saied: the meate makethIn his booke vpon the. 8. Chap. the. 1. of the Cor. vs not in fauour with God, seyng that GOD hath created all thynges for the vse of man, and requireth nothyng of vs, but holinesse: what forceth he whether we eate fleshe of fower fo­ted beastes, or of fishes, or of birdes that flie? There is none of all these, that either maketh, or marreth holinesse, neither putteth any thyng to it, or taketh any thyng frō it. The choise of these, and the puttyng difference betweene one & an other, maie make a man superstitious, and to haue vaine Religion: but it cannot make a man holie. Christe taught no difference of these thynges.

Therefore it were greate rashenesse, if a wretched man should goe about to burthen and charge any man with suche ordinaunces, let euery man eate what he list, as his bodie re­quireth, so it be doen soberly, measurably, and for all thynges geue thankes vnto God.

But now a daies of what thinges riseth offences? euen ofIn his boke of the choise of meates to Christopher, B. of Basile. those thinges whose vse the Gospell doeth not forbid: naie, whose forbidders the learning of the Apostles doth condemne, for biddyng meates whiche God hath created to be eaten, and for biddyng to marrie.

There is more supersition herein among christians, thenIn his annota­tions, vpon the 14. to the Ro­maines. euer was amongest the Iewes.

¶ Of fastyng.

BEholde, ye fast to strife and debate,Esaie. 58 and to smite with the fiste of wic­kednes: ye shall not fast as ye dóo to day, to make your voice to be heard aboue.

Is it suche a faste, that I haue5 chosen, that a man should afflict his Soule for a daie?

Is not this the fastyng that I6 haue chosen, to loose the bandes of wickednes?

Is it not to deale thy bread to the hungrie, and that thou7 bryng the poore that wandereth, vnto thine house?

Execute true iudgement, and shewe mercie and compassi­on,Zacha. 7. 9 [...] euery man to his brother.

Oppresse not the widowe, nor the fatherlesse, the straun­ger10 nor the poore: and let none of you imagine euill against his brother in his harte.

That whiche goeth into the mouth, defileth not the man:Math. 15. 11.

But those thinges which proceade out of the mouth, come18 from the harte, and they defile the man.

For out of your hartes, come euill thoughtes, murders,19 adulteries, fornications, theftes, false testimonies, flaunders.

These are the thynges whiche defile the man: but to cate20 with vnwashen handes, defileth not the man.

The Pharesey stoode and praied thus with hymselfe, OLuke. 18. 11. God, I thanke thée that I am not as other men, extorsioners, vniust, adulterers, or euen as this Publicane.

I faste twise in the wéeke: I giue Tithe of all that euer I12 possesse.

But the Publicane standyng a farre of, would not lifte vp so muche as his eyes to heatren: but smote his brest, saiyng, O God, be mercifull to me a synner.13

[Page]I tell you, this man departed to his house iustified, rather14. then the other.

Take héede to your selues, lest at any tyme your hartes beChap. 21. 34. oppressed with surfettyng and drunkennes, and cares of this life, and lest that daie come on you at vnwares.

When ye fast, looke not sowre as the Hipocrites, for theyMath. 6. 16. disfigure their faces, that they might séeme vnto men howe they faste, verelie, I saye vnto you, they haue their re­warde.

When thou fastest, anointe thine head, and wash thy face.17.

That thou seeme not vnto men to faste: but vnto God thy18. father whiche is in secrete.

So that we walke honestly, as in the daie: not in gluttonie,Rom. 13. 13. and drunkennes, neither in chambering and wantonnes, nor in strife and enuiyng.

But put ye on the Lord Iesus Christ, and take no thought14 for the fleshe, to fulfill the lustes of it.

They that are Christes, haue crucified the fleshe, with the [...]alath. 5. 24. affections and the lustes.

Many walke of whom I haue tolde you often, and now tellPhilip. 3. 18. you wéeping, that thei are the enimies of the Crosse of Christ.

Whose ende is damnation, whose God is their belly, and19 whose glory is to their shame, whiche minde earthly thinges.

The bodily exercise profiteth li [...]le: but godlines is profita­ble1. Timo. 4. 8. vnto all thynges, whiche hath the promise of the life pre­sent, and of that, that is to come.

Wherfore, girde vp the loynes of your minde, be sobre, and1. Peter. 1. 13. truste perfectly on the grace that is brought vnto you by the reuelation of Iesus Christ.

As obedient children, not fashionyng your selues, vnto the14 former lustes of your ignoraunce.

But as he whiche hath called you, is holy, so be ye holy in all15 maner of conuersation.

Bicause it is written, be ye holy, for I am holy.16

Mortifie therfore your members whiche are on the earth,Colos. 3. 5. fornication, vncleannes, the inordinate affection, euill concu­piscence, and couetousnes, whiche is id [...]latrie.

[Page 109]Now put you awaie al these thynges, wrath, anger, malici­ousnes,8 cursed speaking, filthy speaking out of your mouthes.

Now therefore as the electe of God, holy and beloued, put12 on tender mercies, kindenes, humblenes of mynde, méeke­nes, long sufferyng.

For bearing one another, and forgeuing one another, if any13 man haue a quarell to another: euen as Christe forgaue you, euen so doe ye.

And aboue all thynges put on loue, whiche is the bonde of14 perfectnes.

Therefore giue euen all diligence thereunto: ioyne more­ouer2. Peter. 1. 5. vertue with your faithe, and with vertue, knowledge.

And with knowledge, temperaūce: and with temperaunce,6 patience: and with patience, godlines.

And with godlines, brotherly kindnes: and with brotherly7 kindnes, loue.

For if these thynges be among you, and abound, they will8 make you, that ye neuer shall be idle, nor vnfruictefull in the knowledge of our lorde Iesus Christe.

All that is in the worlde (as the luste of the fleshe, the luste1. Ihon. 2. 16 of the eyes, and the pride of life) is not of the father, but is of the worlde.

¶ The Doctours.

HEnceforth we must faste without compulsion, ofTertullian in his boke a­gainst Phisicos of fastyng. free will, not by commaundement of this newe discipline, accordingly as euery man shall see tyme, and cause: for so it appeareth, the Apostles kepte it, laiyng on none other yoke of certaine appointed fastes, to bee obserued in common of all men toge­ther.

GOD is not honoured with the belly, nor with meates,In his Epistle, of the Iewishe meate. whiche the Lorde Christe saith, doe perishe, and are purged in conueiaunce by naturall order, for who so by meates honou­reth the Lorde, in a maner maketh his belly to be his Lorde.Origene in his 10 Homilie and. 16. Chap.

If thou wilt faste after Christe, and bring lowe thy Soule, [Page] all tymes of the whole yere are méete for thee: Naie, rather take all the tyme of thy life, to make lowly thy Soule: if thou haste learned of the Lorde our sauiour, whiche is meeke and lowly in barte.

Therfore if thou wilt fast, fast after the commaundement of the gospell, and kéepe in thy fastyng, the rules of the gospel, wherein Christ biddeth vs to doe after this maner in fasting: but thou when thou fastest, annointe thy head, and washe thy face. &c. Wilte thou yet that I tell thee what manner a faste thou must faste: Fast from all sinne, take no meate of mal [...]cet take nomeates of pleasure: be not who [...] with the wine of ex­cesse: Faste from euill [...]eedes: forbe are from euill thoughtes: touche not the stollen breade of wrong and peruerse doctrine: luste not after the deceiuyng meates of Philosophie, whiche maie leade thee awaie from the truthe.

Suche a faste pleaseth God: but to abstaine from meates whiche God hath created to be receiued of the faithfull men, with thankes geuyng▪ and to dooe this same with them that crucified Christe, can not be alowed and accepted, of Christe.

This is a healthful fast, when as we kéepe our bodies fromAmbrose in his. 33. sermon. surfetyng, and our soules from synne and vice.

I consideryng in my minde, dooe finde that faste was com­maundedAugustine in 86. Epistle to Casulanus the elder. in the letters of the Gospell, and Apostles, and throughout the booke, whiche is called the newe Testament: but I finde not determined and appointed by the commaun­dement of the Lorde, or the Apostles, what daies we muste faste, and what daies we must not.

In the Lent season, all men for the moste parte, abstaine,I [...] his. 30. boke and. [...]. chap. a­gainst Faustus. In his boke of the Citie of God. not onely from fleshe: but also from certaine fruictes, as euery man either will, or is able to doe, more or lesse.

Porphirius taught: that abstinence from fleshe, and grosse meates, dooeth purifie the myndes of men, whereby thei are made the more prompte to thynges diuine, and to familiaritie with good spirites.

If we will faste well from meates: before all thynges, [...] In his. 64. ser­mon of Time. vs faste frō vices, and sinnes. What auaileth it, to emptie ou [...] bodies from meate, and our soules is filled with synne [...] What [Page 110] [...]uaileth to bée pale and wanne, with fastyng, if thou bee replenished with hatered and enuie? What anayleth, not to drinke wine, and to bee drunke with the poyson of displeasure and wrathe? What auaileth to abstaine from fleshe created to bee eaten: and with euill slaunderynges and backbitynges, doe rent and teare in sunder the members of thy brethren? What auaileth if wée abstaine from those thynges whiche are lawe­full: and do those thynges whiche are not lawfull? God doeth loue and fauour them that doe flee vnlawfull thinges. There­fore as I haue saied, let vs fast from meates: but muche more let vs fast from sinne and wickednesse.

Then are our fastinges acceptable to our God: if they that fast through neede and necessitie, are refreshed of vs.

It is good my brethren, to fast: but better to giue almes, ifIn his. 62. Ser­mon of time. any can do both, it is two good thinges, if thou canst not, it is better to giue almes. Almes is sufficient without fasting: but fasting is not sufficient without almes.

The fastes of Christians are to be obserued more spiritu­ally,In his. 172. sermon of tyme. then carnally: therfore let vs chiefely fast from sinnes: lest our fastes be reiected of the Lorde, as the Iewes were.

Wherefore doest thou punishe thy body with hunger, & fa­mine? which thou doest flatter or deceyue with filthy sinnes.

The sicke man doth fast, that he may haue health, the epi­cure,In his. 41. Ser­mon to the bretheren in the wildernes. that he maye haue a more desire to eate, the couetous man, that he may spare and saue his meate and drinke, the hypocrite, that he may be seene of men, to haue a praise.

Then he that taketh meate, and can not fast, let him giueChrisostome in his. x. Ho­milie vpon the i. Chap. of Gen. more large almes: and be more feruent and earnest in pray­er. &c. He that doth those thinges, shall fast the true fast that the Lorde requireth of vs.

I call the right life, not the labour of fasting, nor the bed ofIn his. 47. ho­milie vpon the xiii. of Math. héere and ashes: but if thou order thy money none otherwise then thou oughtest to do, and burne in charitie, and such other, he saith not that his fast is to be folowed, although he might set foorth the. 40. dayes: but he saith: learne of me, for I am méeke and lowly in heart. Nay, Paul saith the co [...]trarie, eate whatsoeuer is set before you: but he commaunded straitly, a [...] [Page] concerning money, saying, Possesse neither golde, nor siluer, nor brasse in your girdles. I haue not sayde these thinges, be­cause I like not fasting, which I vse greatly to extoll and com­mende: but because I am sory that we reckē fasting is inough to saue vs, despising other thinges, the which fast hath the last place in the companie of vertues.

Tell not me they fast: but shewe me that they fast accor­dingIn [...] [...]homi­lie of the le­wishe faste. to the will of God, which if they do not, then is their fast more wicked then any drunkennesse.

The honour of fasting, is not the abstinence of meates: butIn his. iii. Ho­milie vpon Math. the fléeing from sinnes.

What profite is it, if we absteyne from birdes fleshe, and fishe: when as we eate and deuour our brothers fleshe?

Not thy mouth only shoulde fast: but thy eyes, thy eares, thy féete, and handes, and all the members of our body, thy handes from stealing. &c.

Let vs bridle the wantonnesse of our fleshe, and we shallIn his. 8. Ho­mily vpon Ge­nesis. kepe the true fast. I say, fast and absteyne from vices, therfore is the abstinence of meates vsed, that it may bridle and tame the force and strength of the fleshe.

What auayleth it to eate no oyle, and with payne & muchHierome to Nepotianus. a doe curiously to seke for meates, Figges, Pepper, Nuttes, Dates, fine white bread, Hony, and Pistacia? Besides this, I heare say, there be some, which contrary to the common or­der and nature of men, will neither drinke water, nor eate bread: but seke for delicate suppinges, and hearbes shribde to­gither, and the iuice of Béetes, and receyue the same, not out of a cup: but out of a [...]hell. Fie for shame, do we not blushe at such foolishnesse? are we not wéery of such foolishnesse? And yet besides all this, liuing in such curious dilicacie are we not wée­ry of suche super [...]tition? we loke to be praysed for our fasting.

No man is aduaunced for his fasting: neither is abstinenceHiero me to Marcella. praysed, nor sober refreshyng condemned. Gehe man either standeth, or falleth to his Lorde. No man iudgeth other, least of the Lorde he himselfe be indged.

Here [...]kes liue by drie bread: but what profite is there in [...]illarie vpon [...], 64. Psal. this idle p [...]rpose: It is altogither vayne, and foolishe, and in [Page 111] respect of the causes of their superstition, it is also miserable.

Some thinke, they ought to fast only one daie, others, twoEusebius in his 5. boke, and. 6. Chap. dayes, others mo. Some others. 40. whole houres, both night and day togither.

Whersoeuer in the holy Scriptures is founde affliction ofAben. Ezra. the soule, there is vnderstanded fasting.

Shauing and clipping doth remaine, the rule of fasting isBernarde. [...] his 2. Sermon in Lent. kept: he doth sing at houres appoynted: but his heart is farre from me saith the Lorde.

We ought a great deale rather to fast from sinnes & vices,Bernarde in his 3. Sermon in Lent. then from meates. Let thine eyes fast: let thine eare fast: let thy tongue fast: let thine hands fast: and let also thy soule fast.

Let thy eye fast from all vayne and wanton lookes: let thy eare fast from filthy and naughtie tales, and rumours: let thy tongue fast from backbityng, slaunderyng, and murmuryng, and from vnprofitable, vaine, and filthy wordes: let thy hands fast from vayne fignes, and from workes whatsoeuer are not commaunded: but much rather, let thy soule fast from vices, and from his owne desire: truely without this fast, the others shalbe reprooued of the Lorde. Surely we must vnderstande, our Lent is not for fortie dayes onely: but continually, all the daye of this miserable life.

But the great and generall fast, is to absteyne from vn­righteousnes,Distinction. v [...]. cap. Ieiunium. and from the vnlawfull pleasures of the world, the which is a perfect fast in this worlde: we kepe as it were a Lent of abstinence, when we liue well, and when we for­beare from wickednesse, and vnlawfull pleasures.

¶ Of traditions and ceremonies of men.

TAke héede therefore, that ye do as the Lorde yourDeut. 5. 32. God hath commaunded you: turne not a side to the right hande, nor to the left.

But walke in all the wayes which the Lorde33. your God hath commaunded you, that ye maye liue, and that it may go well with you.

Ye shall not do after all these things that we do heare thisChap. xii. viii. [Page] daie: that is, euerye man whatsoeuer séemeth him good in his owne eyes.

Nadab and Abihu, the sonnes of Aaron, toke either of themLeuit. x. i. his Censor, and put fire therein, and put insence there vppon, and offered straunge fire before the Lorde, whiche he had not commaunded them.

Therefore a fire went out from the Lorde, and deuoured2 them: so they dyed before the Lorde.

And Samuell sayde: hath the Lorde as great pleasure ini. Samuell. xv. xxii. burnt offeringes and sacrifices, as when the voyce of the Lord is obeyed? beholde, to obey is better then sacrifice, and to hear­ken is better then the fat of Rammes.

For rebellion is as the sinne of witchcraft, and transgressi­on23 is wickednesse and idolatrie: because thou hast cast away the worde of the Lorde, therefore hath he cast away thée from thy kingdome.

When ye come to appeare before mee, who required thisEsaie. i. xii. [...] of your handes to treade in my Courtes?

My soule hateth your new Moones, & your appoincted fea­stes,14 thei are a burthen vnto mée, I am wearie to beare them.

He that killeth a bullocke, is as if he slewe a man: he thatChap 66. 3. sacrificeth a shéepe, as if he cut of a dogges necke: he that offe­reth an oblation, as if he offered swines blood: he that remem­breth incense, as if he blessed an Idoll: yea, they haue chosen their owne waies, and their soule deliteth in their abhomina­tions.

Therfore with ioye ye shall drawe waters out of the wel­lesCap. xii. iii. of saluation.

The Prophetes prophecie lies, and the Priestes receiueIerem. v. xxxi. giftes in their handes, and my people delite therein.

My people hath committed twoo euils: they haue forsakenCap. [...]. xiii. mée the fountaine of liuyng waters, to dig them pittes, euen broken pittes, that cannot hold water.

Heare not the words of the Prophetes that prophecie vn­toCap. xxiii. xvi. you, and teache you vanitie, they speake the vision of their owne harte, and not of the mouth of the Lorde.

What is Chaffe to the Wheate, saieth the Lorde.28.

[Page 112]The worde that thou haste spoken vnto vs in the name ofCap. xliiii. xvi. the Lorde, we will not heare it of thee.

But will dooe whatsoeuer thyng goeth out of our owne17 mouth, as to burne incense to the Quéene of heauen. &c.

The lord coulde no longer forbeare, bicause of the wicked­nes22 of your inuentions, and bicause of the abhominations whiche ye haue committed: therfore is your lande desolate. &c.

For the wickednes of their inuentions, I will cast theymHosea. ix. xv. out of mine house: I will loue them no more, all their princes are rebels.

Let all thynges be doone to the highest God, accordyng toi. Esdras. viii. xxii. the lawe of God, with diligence.

I haue hated theim that giue themselues to deceiptfull va­nities:Psalm. xxxi. [...] for I truste in the Lorde.

I hate vaine inuentions: but thy lawe doe I loue.Psal. 119. 113. Prou. xvi. xxv.

There is a waie that seemeth right vnto man: But the is­sue thereof are the waies of death.

Why doo ye also transgresse the commaundement of god,Math. xv. iii. by your tradition?

In vaine they worship me, teachyng for doctrines, mens9 preceptes.

Euerie plante whiche my heauenly father hath not plan­ted,13 shall be rooted vp.

Thei binde heauy burthens, and gréeuous to be borne, andCap. xxiii. iiii. laie them on mens shoulders: but they them selues will not moue them with one of their fingers.

Ye laie the commaundementes of god aparte, and obserueMarke. vii. viii. the tradition of men, as the washyng of pottes. &c.

Ye reiecte the commaundement of God, that ye maie ob­serue9 your owne tradition.

Why tempte ye God, to laie a Yoke on the disciples nec­kes,Actes. xv. x. whiche neither our fathers, nor we were able to beare?

Beware leste there bee any man that spoyle you throughColos. ii. viii. Philosophie, and vaine disceipte, throughe the traditions of men, accordyng to the rudimentes of the world, and not after Christe.

If ye bee dead with Christe from the ordinaunces of the20 [Page] worlde, why as though ye liued in the worlde, are ye burthe­ned with traditions?

As touche not, taste not, handle not.21

Which all perish with the vsing, and after the commaun­dementes22 and doctrines of men.

Wherfore rebuke them sharpely, that thei may be soundTitus. i. xiii. in the faith.

And not takyng heede to Iewishe fables, and commaun­dementes14 of men, that turne from the truthe.

If any speake, let hym talke as the wordes of God. If anyi. Peter. iiii. xi. man minister, let hym doe it as of the abilitie whiche God mi­nistreth, that God in all thynges maie be glorified.

If there come any vnto you, and bryng not this doctrine,ii. Iohn. x. receiue hym not to house, neither bid hym god spéede.

For he that biddeth him god spéede, is partaker of his euill11 déedes.

¶ The Doctours.

BY a like kynde of madnes they confesse, thatTertullian of prescription a­gainst Hereti­ques. the Apostles in deede were ignoraunt of no­thing: nor taught any cōtrary doctrine among them selues: but they saie, the Apostles reue­led not all thynges to all men: but shewed cer­taine thynges openly, and to all: and other certaine thynges secretly, and vnto a fewe.

Howe doest thou breake marriage, neither couplyng theIn his. 4. boke against Marti­o [...]. man and the woman together, nor beyng coupled, otherwise admittyng them to the Sacramentes of baptisme, and than­kesgeuyng (note how he striketh awaie fiue of the Popishe sa­cramentes that of their owne heades, they haue deuised.)

We must examine what is meant by this that followeth:Origene in his 3. Homily vpō ler [...]mie. leaue her no manner of remnaunt. The meanyng is this, abo­lish not certaine of the superstitions of the Chaldees, reseruing certaine: therefore he commaundeth that nothing be leafte in her, be it neuer so litle.

He rebuketh suche teachers, which not only do not as theyIn his. 25. Ho­milie vpon Math. saie: but also cruelly and vnmercifully, without any considera­tion [Page 113] of the strength of their disciples and hearers, enioyneth vnto them greater thynges then they maie [...]: As they that forbid to marrie, and compelleth and driueth them from it that is so conuenient, vnto vnmeasurable vncleannesse.

They also that teach to absteine from meates, and suche other thinges, to the which they ought not to compell faithful men, kinde by the worde of their exposition, heauie burdens, with­out the will of Christ, whiche saieth, my yoke is easie, and my burden is light.

The sonnes of Aaron that put fire vpon the aulter, whichCiprian in the treatise of sim­plicitie of pre­lat [...]s. god commaunded them not, by and by were slaine in the sight of the Lord, which toke a vengeaunce vpon them. The which sonnes, thei re [...]emble and folowe, which despised the tradition of God, and desireth other straunge doctrines: And bryngeth in the au [...]thoritie of mans ordinaunces, the whiche men the Lorde blameth, and rebuketh in his Gospell, saiyng, ye caste awaie the commaundement of God, that ye maie [...]stablishe your traditions.

That Christ ought only to be heard: euen the father brin­gethIn his. 2. Roke and. 3. Epistle vnto Cecilius. witnes from heauen, saiyng: This is my dearely beloued son, in whō I am well pleased, heare hym. Wherfore, if christ ought onely to be [...]earde, we ought not to take heede what a­ny mā hath thought good to be done before vs: but what christ, which was before all men hath done before. For we must not followe the custome of a man: but the truth of GOD, bicause God speaketh by Esaie the prophete, and saieth, Thei worship mée in vaine, teachyng Commaundementes and doctrines of men.

From whence haue we this tradition? whether commeth:Vnto Pom­peius against the Epistle of Stephen. it from the au [...]thoritie of our Lorde, or of the Gospell, or els from the Commaundementes, and Epistles of the Apostles? Therefore, if it be either commaunded in the Gospell, or con­teyned in the Epistles or Actes of the Apostles, let vs kepe the same tradition.

It is adulterous, it is wicked, it is abominable, whatsoeuerIn his. [...]. booke▪ and. 8. Epistle. is ordered by the rashnesse of man, that Gods order should be broken.

[Page]If we returne to the head, and beginning of our Lordes tra­dition,To Pompeius. all errour of man must needes giue place.

This thing is plainely against the tradition of healthfullBa [...]ile in his boke of the holie Ghost. baptisme, our baptisme according to the lordes tradition, is in the name of the father, of the sonne, and of the holy ghost: by the verie tradition of baptisme, we haue the cōfession of faith.

Who so for biddeth the thing that God commaundeth: andIn [...] Morals Summa. Chap 14. commaundeth the thing that God forbiddeth, is to be holden accursed of all them that loue the Lorde.

Therefore, those that are bought of God, ought not to beAmbrose vpon the. 1. Cor. 7. Cap. bondmen of men. They are the bondmen of men, that make themselues subiect vnto mens superstition.

We by good right do [...] all newe thiges that ChristIn his. 4. boke of Virgins. hath not taught, for Christ is the [...] vnto the faithful men, for if Christe hath not taught it, that we teache, euen that we do iudge detestable and to be defied.

The Scribes (saith [...]e) and the Pharisees sitteth in theAugustine in his. 46. treatise vpon Iohn. chaire of Moises, do as thei bid you: but do not as thei do, Inst [...] ­tyng in the chaire of M [...]yses, they teache the lawe of God, therfore God teacheth by them: but if they teach their owne traditions, heare them not, do not after them, for surely suche seketh for their owne aduantage, and not the glory of Iesu.

When the Lorde Iesus had done many thinges, all thingsIn his. 49. treatise vpon Iohn. were not written, as the same Euangelist testifieth that the Lorde Iesus did and sayde many thinges which was thought sufficient for the saluation of them that beléeue.

Therefore let no man iudge you (saith he) in meate, asIn his. 59. Epi­stle vnto Pau­linus. therefore he had sayde, all those thinges, for these men were seduced and beguiled, and [...]ed away from the trueth, whereby they were frée, by such obseruaunces and traditions, of the which trueth, it is sayde in the Gospell, the trueth shall make you frée.

It is a shamefull, and too much a great deale vnséeming, and contrary to the noblenesse of your libertie, that ye (seing ye be the body of Christ) shoulde be deceyued with shadowes, and thinke that ye be sinners, when ye care not to breake these.In his. 86. Epi­stle.

Upon what dayes we ought not to fast, and vppon what [Page 114] dayes we ought to fast, I finde it not appointed or limi [...]ted by any commaundement, either of our Lorde, or of the Apostles.

All the most pée [...]ishe heretiques, that [...]ayne woulde be cal­ledIn his. 97. trea­tise vpon Iohn. Christians, go about to colour the bolde vanities of their inuentions, which the very sence and reason of man doth most abhorre, with the pretence of this saying in the Gospel, wher­as our Lorde sayd thus, I haue many thinges to [...]ay vnto you: but as nowe ye are not able to beare them.

For as much as Christe himselfe hath not [...]eueyled theseIn his. 49. treatise vpon Iohn. [...], which of vs will say, they be these or these? Or if he so say, howe can [...]e proue it? for who is there, either so vayne, or so rashe, who notwithstandyng he speake the trueth to whom he [...], and what he listeth, wyll affirme without any [...] of the Scriptures, that these be the thinges that the Lorde then woulde not open.

This thing [...] me, that so many thinges wholsome­lyeIn his. 119. Epistlē. comm [...]unded in the holy scriptures, are not regarded: and all thinges are full of so many [...] that he is more sharply punished, which with his [...]are foote doeth touche the earth in the Octauas, then he that burneth his mynde with drunkennesse, or be drunke.

All be it these be not against the faith, yet with feruiles bur­dens they so oppresse our very religion, which God of his mer­cie woulde haue to be frée, vnder very fewe, and most many­fest sacramentes of diuine seruice, that the state of the Iewes is much more tollerable: for the Iewes, not with standing thei knewe not the tyme of libertie, yet were they subiect to the packes and burdens of the laws of God, and not vnto the de­uises and presumptions of men.

All such thinges in my iudgement, ought to be cut of, as soone as iust occasion, or power is giuen, without any maner of [...].In his booke of only baptisme against Peti­lian. Cap. 9. Of Christes▪ Serm [...]n. vpon the mounte.

The most true and inuiolable rule of trueth, doth shewe, that in all [...], that thing is to be improued and amended, which is false and vicious, that is to be acknowledged and [...] which [...] true [...].

[...] or [...] o [...] [...] ▪ is the more daunge­rous, [Page] for that it de [...]eiueth vs vnder the name of Gods seruice.

Our Lorde hath not burdened vs with signes: but ChristIn his. 3. booke of christian do­ctrine, and. 9. Chap. and his Apostles haue deliuered vnto vs a fewe sacramentes in stéede of many, and the same in doyng most easie, in signifi­cation most excellent, in obseruation most reuerende: as is the Sacrament of Baptisme, and the celebration of the body and blood of our Lorde.

Such sleyghtes of huntyng hath the deuyll, vnder the co­lourChrisostome in his. 49. ho­mily vpon the Actes. of holinesse he hideth his snares.

Let [...] to honour Christ according to his owne will, for he that is honoured, is best pleased with that honour whichIn his. 51. Ho­milie vpon Math. he wyll, and not that we wyll deuise.

Tell not me they fast: but shewe me that they fast accor­dyng to the will of God, which if they do not, then is their fastIn his. 1. Ho­milie of the Iewishe fast. more wicked then any drunkennesse.

The [...] sayde not vnto Christe, wherefore do thyIn his. 52. Ho­milie vpon Math. disciples be [...]ake the laws of Moyses▪ but, wherefor [...] do they breake the traditions of the [...] wherby it appeareth that they had alterod many thinges: whereas God had comma [...]n­ded that they shoulde neither [...]dde nor diminishe: but fearing least they shoulde loose their aucthoritie, as if they had bene lawe [...], to the ende they might séeme the greater, they altered much, which thing god we [...] a wickednesse, that thei kept their owne commaundementes indre then the com­maundementes of God.

To bowe to the left hande, is to abstayne from meatesHierome vpon the. 2. Chap. of Malachie. which God hath created to be receyued, and to condemne ma­riage, it is to [...]unne into this whiche is written in an other place, Be not much righteous▪ To turne to the left hande, is when any man giueth himselfe to excesse and [...], and maketh many [...] in the laws.

Holde the traditions which ye haue learned, either by ourIn his booke vpon the. 2. to the Thessal. 2. epistle, or by our worde; whereas saint Paule wyll haue his owne thinges to be kept, he wyll haue no straung [...] thinges there is added.

They bragge not of their sh [...] [...] single life, [...] Vnto Mercella that he would go to Bethlem is, who [...] be most [...], [...],coun­ted [Page 115] first. There is neither difference, nor wondring in appa­rell, howsoeuer it pleaseth a man to go, he is neither slaunde­red for it, nor commended.

The Pharisées woulde that men should receyue and mag­nifieCitill in his boke, and. 1. cap. vpon▪ Iohn their doctrine, and the traditions of their fathers, there­fore, howe manye soeuer faithfull came vnto Christe, they thought so many were lost from them.

He saith, that euery plantyng that is not of the father, shal­beHillarie vpon Mat. Canon. 4. pulled vp by the roote, that is, the tradition of man shalbe taken away, by whose fauour and meanes they haue broken the preceptes of the lawe.

Then the Apostles preache the Gospell, and afterwardeIreneus in his 3. boke, and. 1. Chap. by Gods wyll, they deliuered the same to vs in writing, to be a foundation and a pyller vnto our faith.

Policarpus, when he had receyued these thinges of themEusebius in his. 5. boke and 20. Chap. that had seene the life of the worde, vttered and shewed the same, being all agreeable vnto the Scriptures.

The Gospell hath layde vpon vs no yoke of bondage: butSocrates in his 5. boke and 22. Chap. men themselues in the countreys where they dwelt, for re­lease of labour, and the remembraunce of the passion of christ, of a certayne custome, kept the Easter, and other holy dayes, eche man as he woulde. For neither our Sauiour, nor the A­postles by any lawe commaunded these thinges.

It seemeth vnto me, that many thinges haue beel [...]e recey­ued by custome, nowe in one countrey, and nowe in another.

Ueryly, to speake vniuersally, in all maner of obseruati­ons, or formes of common prayer, there cannot two churches be founde, that agreeth throughly betweene them selues.

They take fornication or whordome, to be a thing indiffe­rent: but they fight for the keping of their holy dayes, as for their soules.

Paul, what thinges being present, he had playnely taughtNicephorus in his. 2. booke & 34. Chap. by mouth, the same thynges afterwardes beyng absent, he shortly called to their remembraunce, by writing of an epistle.

Saint Matthewe departing, recompenced his absence byIn the. 45. cap. present writyng.Theophilact vpon the. 1. Cor. 7. Chap.

Therefore the Apostle hath prouided very well in both [Page] causes (to witte) first, [...] vnder the pretence of Gods ser­uice, seruauntes shoulde depart from their maisters, in whose power their bodyes are: Secondly, l [...]st they should fall from God, when as they wyll serue their bodyly maister, further then becommeth, or they ought to [...].

What needeth it to beleue that thing, that neither theLeo [...], in his [...]. Epistle and. 12. Cap. lawe hath taught, nor the prophetes haue spoken, nor the gos­pell hath preached, nor the Apostle hath deliuered?

Howe are these newe deuises brought in, that our fathersIn his. 97. Epi­stle, and. 3. cap. neuer knewe?

If sundry of our predecessours or elders haue done certaineStephen Pope, in the. 63. di­stinction. Quia sancta. things, which at that tyme might well be done without hurt, and afterwarde are turned into errour and superstition, without any staggering and with great aucthoritie, let them be destrayed and abolished by the successours. [...], of the supper of the Lorde. Bessarion of the Sacrament of the Euchari­stia.

These be the Sacramentes of Christe in the Catholique Churche: Baptisme, and the body and blood of our Lorde.

We reade that these onely two Sacramentes were deli­uered to vs playnely in the Scriptures.

In deede Paul hath commaunded vs to submit our vnder­standing: but vnto the obedience of Christ, not vnto the obe­dienceAlphonsus de Castro in his 1. boke and. 7. Chap against herefies. of men.

In proper speache, those we call Sacramentes which are promised with signes annexed, the rest that haue no signes, are bare promises, wherefore speaking hereof precisely andLuther, in his boke of the ba­bilonicall cap­tiuitie. straytly, there are two Sacramentes in the Church of God: Baptisme, and the Bread, for as much as in these onely we finde both the signe ordeyned of God, and also the promise of remission of sinnes.

Surely saint Peter in the actes of the Apostles, doth open­lyeErasmus in his annotations v­pon the. xi. of Math. call the lawe of Moyses (which is layde for a tyme, vpon the rebellious people of the Iewes) an harde and a heauy bur­den, whiche neither we, nor our fathers were able to beare: neither can any man doubt it, that it is trueth which the truth hath pronounced. The yoke of Christ is in very deede plea­saunt, and his burden is light, so that no mens traditions, be layde vppon mens shoulders, beside or more then that thing▪ [Page 116] which he hath already appointed: And he hath commaunded nothing else, but that one shoulde loue another, and there is nothing so bittere but that charitie will season, & make sweete.

Euen as the ordinaunce of men, did make heauie the lawe, being by it selfe greeuous inough for the Iewes, which ordi­naunces so at the first crept in, as though they were small and ought not to be cared for, or regarded, or else, they beyng com­mended with the shewe of godlynesse, be gladly receyued of them that are more simple, then foresighted.

Those that are once receyued by peecemeale, do growe and encrease, vnto a huge quantitie, and do oppresse downe, and ouerthrowe men, whether they wyll or no, either by the help of custome (whose violence is a certaine tyranny) or else, by the aucthoritie of princes, whiche holde stifly, it that is rashlie receiued, abusing it for their profite and gaine.

There are some that knit togither either a colde sylogisme of a peece of Scripture, which they do not vnderstande, or else make an article of faith, of a mans ordinaunces, and of suche men are we iudged to be christians, or no christians, which ap­pertayne nothing at all to christian religion.

Some wrest this place so farre, as men ought to obey allIn the same boke vpon this 23. of Matth. maner of thinges: whatsoeuer the Bishops, Presidentes, or rulers commaunde, although they be vngodlye, and that for their aucthorities sake: whē as christ did speake only of them, which did teache rightly the law of Moyses, and not of such as did snare men with their ordinaunces & constitutions. Nowe peraduenture after the same maner a Bishop might be heard, which preacheth truely the Gospell, although he [...] but [...] ­tle according to the same.

But who can abyde that they shoulde [...] an open ty­rannye agaynst Christes doctrine, and make lawes for their owne aduauntage, measuryng all thinges according to their gayne, and glorious maiesties. They that snare the people with rites and ordinaunces, deuised for their owne profite, and to fulfyll their tyranny, do not sit in the chaire of the Gos­pell: but in the ch [...]ire of Simon Magus, and Caiaphas.

¶ Sacrifices of the newe Testament.

OFter the sacrifices of righteousnes, andPsalm. 4. 5. trust in the Lorde.

The sacrifices of God are a contritePsalm. 51. 17. spirite, and a broken harte, O Lorde, thou shalt not despise.

Then thou shalt accept the sacrifices19 of righteousnesse, euen the burnt offe­ryng and oblation: then shall they offer Calues vpon thyne aulter.

He that offereth praise, shall glorifie mée: and to hym thatPsalm. 50. 23. disposeth his waie a right, will I shewe the saluation of God.

Let my praier bee directed in thy fight as incense, and thePsalm. 141. 2. liftyng vp of my handes as an euenyng sacrifice.

He hath shewed thee, O man, what is good, and what theMicha. 6. 8. lorde requireth of thee: surely to doe iustly, and to loue mercie, and to humble thy selfe to walke with God.

From the rising of the Sunne vnto the goyng doune of theMalach. 1. 11. same, my name is greate among the Gentiles, and in euerie plate incense shall be offered vnto my name, and a pure offe­ryng: for my name in greate among the heathen, saieth the Lorde of Hoastes.

I will haue mercie, and not sacrifices.Math. 12. 7.

I beséeche you therefore brethren, by the mercies of God▪ Rom. 12. 1. that [...] vp your bodies a liuyng sacrifice, holy, acceptable vnto God, whiche is your reasonable seruyng of God.

I was euen [...] that I had receiued of the Epaphro­ditus Philip. 4. 18. that which [...] [...] from you, an odoure that smelleth swéete, a sacrifice acceptable and pleasaunt to God.

Let vs therfore by hym offer the sacrifice of praise alwaiesHebre. 13. 15. to GOD, that is, the [...] of the lippes, whiche confesse his [...].

To doe good and to distribute, forget not: for with suche sa­crifices16 God is pleased.

[Page 117]Ye as liuely stones, be made a spirituall house, & holy priest­boode,1. Peter. 2. 5. to offer vp spirituall sacrifices acceptable to God by Ie­sus Christe.

He made vs Kynges, and Priestes vnto God euen his fa­ther,Reuelatiō. 1. 6. to hym be glory and dominion for euermore.

Amen.

¶ The Doctors.

EUen so hath god willed vs daylie to offer vp ourIreneus in his 4. boke, and 34. Chap. sacrifice at the aulter without ceasyng.

The Church offereth vp vnto God, a naturall thyng of Gods creation: neither is our Aulter here in earth: but in heauen, thither out praiers, and sacrifice [...] be directed.

The sacrifice doeth not sanctifie the man: but the conscience of the offerer, beyng pure, sanctifieth the sacrifice.

And we that be laie men, are we not priestes? truely christTertullian in his exhortatiō vnto chastitie. had made euen vs a kyngdome, and Priestes vnto his father.

In his booke against the Ie­wes. The pure sacrifice, that Malachie speaketh of, that shoulde be offered vp in euerie place, is the preachyng of the Gospell vntill the ende of the worlde.

In his. 4. boke against Marcion. The sacrifice that Malachie meant, is a deuoute praier pro­céedyng from a pure conscience.

In his booke vnto Scapu­las. We make sacrifice vnto our god, for the safetie of our Em­perour, with a pure praier.

Origene in his. x. booke v­pon the Rom. It is a worke of sacrifice, to preache the Gospell.

In his. 9. Ho­mily vpon Le­uiticus. All that are bathed with the holy Oyntmente, are made priestes, euen as Peter saieth, vnto the whole Churche, you are the chosen stocke, and the kingly priesthoode.

Epiphanius in his. 2. booke of Melchisedech. Christe is our sacrifice, our Prieste, our aulter, God, man, Kyng, Bishop, Shéepe, Lambe made for our [...], all in all.

Iustinus▪ Martir in dia­logis cum Tri­phone. Esaias promiseth not the restoring of blooddy sacrifices: but the true, and spirituall oblations of praises, and tha [...]sgiuing.

Ambrose in his. 2 booke of Virgins. I maie boldly saie, your hartes bee aulters, vpon whiche hartes Christ is daiely offered for the redemption of the body.

In his. 5. boke vpō the 6. cap. of Luke.All the children of the Churche, be Priestes.

Augustine in [...] [...]ooke of faith. to Peter [...]ie Deacon. 19. chap.In those fleshely sacrifices, there was a figure of the fleshe of Christe, whiche he woulde afterwarde offer for vs, and of [Page] the blood, which he would afterwarde shed for the remission of synnes: but in this sacrified, there is a thankesgeuyng, and a remembraunce of the fleshe, whiche he hath alreadie offered for vs: and of the bloud, whiche he beyng God, hath alreadie shed for vs. In those sacrifices it was represented vnto [...] [...] ­der a figure, what thing should be giuen vnto vs: but in this sacrifiee is plainelie set foorth, what things is already giuen for vs: In those sacrifi [...]es it is plainely preached vnto vs, that the same sonne of God hath alreadie deene [...]laint for the wicked.

The fleshe, and bloud of this sacrifice, before the commingIn his. xx. boke and xxi. chap. against Fortu­natu [...]. of Christe, was promised by sacrifices of resemblaunce. The same in his [...], was giuen in truth, and in deede: but after his ascension it is solempnized by a Sacramente of remem­braunce.In his. [...]. booke and. v. Chap. of the citie of god

The thyng that of all men is called a sacrifice, is a token, or a signe of the true sacrifice.

In his. xx. boke and. x. Cap. of the Ci­tie of God. Therefore our aulter is in heauen▪ for thither our praier [...] and oblations are directed.

All be priestes, bicause thei are the members of one priest.

Vpon the 71. Psalme. When we beléeue in Christ, euen of the verie [...] of our cogitation, Christe is sacrificed vnto vs euerydaie.

In his Que­stions vpon the Gospell, the. 1. booke. Then is Christe flaine to euery man, when he beleeueth that Christe was slaine.

In the begin­ning of his ex­position vpon the Romaines. The sacrifice of our Lordes passion, euery man then offe [...] reth for hymselfe, when he is confirmed in the faithe of his passion.

In his. 125. sermon of Tyme. The sacrifice of the newe Testamente is, when we offer vp the aulters of our pure hartes, and cleane in the sight of the diuine maiestie.

Chrisostome in his. 29. Ho­mily vpon the Romaines. My whole priesthoode is, to teache, and to preache the Gos­pell, that is my oblation: this is my sacrifice.

[...]o his iii. boke against the leyyes. It is called a newe sacrifice, bicause it proceedeth from a new minde and is offered not by fire, and smoke: but by grace, and by the spirite of God.

In his. 18. homilie vpon 2. Cor.In the holy misteries, the Priest differeth nothyng from the people.

In his. 3. Ho­mily vpon the 2. Cor.Euen thou in thy Baptisme art made both a Kyng, and a [Page 118] Prieste, and a Prophete.

[...] vnctione [...] ­matis. All that of Christe be called christians, offer vp vnto God the dayly sacrifice, being ordeined of god, priestes of holinesse.

Hierom vpon the. 1. of Malachie. The Prophet Malachie meaneth hereby, that the praiers of holy people should bee offered vnto God, not only in Iew­rie, that was but one prouince of the worlde: but also in all places.

In his boke vpon the. 147. Psalme. When we heare the worde of the lorde, the fleshe of christ and his bloud is powred out into our eares.

In his. 2. boke. and. 8. Chap. vpon Zacharie. A pure sacrifice is offered vnto mee in euerie place, not in the oblations of the olde Testament: in the holines of the pu­ritie of the Gospell.

Vpon the. 2 [...] Psalme. Euerie holy man hath in hymself the aulter of God, which is faithe.

Vpon Mala­chie. 1. Chap. All we are the princely and kyngly kinred, that beyng ba­ptized in Christe, are called christians, by the name of Christ.

Eusebi. in his 1. boke, and. x. Cap. De Mon­stra. We sacrifice, and offer vp vnto God, the remembraunce of that greate sacrifice, vsing the holy misteries, accordynglie, as Christe hath deliuered them, and giuyng God thankes for our saluation.

In the. vi. Chap. of the same boke. We burne the incense of praier, and we offer vp the sacri­fice, that is called pure, not by sheddyng of bleed, but by pure and godly doynges.

In his. 2. boke de Demon. Thei shall offer vnto hym reasonable and vnbloodie obla­tions, the sacrifices of praise.

Cirill in his x. boke against Iutianus. We hauing left the grosse ministerie of the Iowes, haue a commaundement, to make a fine, thin, and spirituall sacri­fice. And therfore we offer vnto God all maner vertues, faith, hope, charitie, as most sweete sauours.

Chris. against the Ievves in his. 3. orat. We make our sacrifices, not by smokes, smell, and bloud: but by the grace of the holy spirite, and he that ad [...]ureth hym, must ado [...]re inspirite and trueth.

In the booke of consecration the. 2. distinct. Cap. Hoc est. The sacrifice that is wrought by the haudes of the Priest, is called the Passion, the death, the crucifiyng of Christ: not in deede: but by a misterie signifiyng.

In the Canon of the Masse. boke. Remember, O Lorde, thy seruauntes, and all them that stande [...], for whom we offer vnto thee, or else, which doe [Page] offer vnto thée, this sacrifice of praises.

¶ Princes ought to [...] in mat­ters of religion.

THou shalt séeke and make searche,Deu [...]. 13. 14. and enquire diligently: and if it be true, and the thing certaine that such abomination is wrought among you. Thou shalt [...] the [...] of15 that citie with y^e edge of the sworde: destroye it vtterlye, and all that is therein. &c.

And when he shall sit vppon theChap. 17. 18. throne of his kingdome, then shall he write him this lawe re­peated in a booke by the priestes of the Leuites.

And it shalbe with him, and he shall reade therein all the19 dayes of his life, that he may learne to feare the Lord his God, and to kepe all the wordes of this lawe, and these [...] ­ces, for to do them.

Also Iosua spake vnto the priestes, saying, Take vp theIosua. 3. 6. Arke of the couenaunt, and go ouer before the people, and so they to [...]e vp the Arke of the couenaunt, and went before the people.

Then Iosua the sonne of Nun called the priestes, and saydeChap. [...]. 6. vnto them, Take vp the Arke of the couenaunt, and let seuen priestes beare seuen Trumpettes of Rammes hornes before the Arke of the Lorde.

The king also and his men went to [...]ierusalem vnto the [...]. Sam [...]. 5. 6. Iebusites, the inhabitauntes of the lande: who spake vnto Da­uid, saying, Except thou take away the By blinde and lame is meant the I­dols, so the Godly [...] them. blinde and the lame, thou shal [...] not come in hither.

And there they left their images, and Dauid and his men burnt them.

And Dauid councelled with the [...] of shoulandes,1. Chron 13. 1. and of hundredes, and with all the gouernours.

[Page 119]And Dauid sayde to all the congregation of Israell, If it2 seeme good to you, and that it procéedeth of the Lorde our God, we will sende to and [...] vnto our brethren, that are left in all the lande of Israell, (for with them are the Priestes and the Leuites in their cities and in their Suburbes) that they may assemble themselues vnto vs.

And we wyll bring agayne the Arke of our God to vs: for3 we sought not vnto it in the dayes of Saul.

And Dauid made him a house in the citie of Dauid, andChap. 15. [...]. prepared a place for the Arke of God, and pitched for it a tent.

And Dauid called Zadock and Abyathar the priestes, and11 of the Leuites. &c.

And he sayde vnto them▪ Ye are the cheefe fathers of the12 Leuites, sanctifie your selues and your brethren, and bring vp the Arke of the Lorde God of Israell vnto the place that I haue prepared for it.

And [...] it spake vnto the chéefe of the Leuites, [...] they16 should [...] appoint certaine of their [...] to sing with instru­mentes of musick, with Uials, and Harpes, and Cymbales, that they might make a sounde, & lift vp their voyce with ioy.

And he appoynted certayne of the Leuites to minister be­foreChap. 16. 4. the Arks of the Lorde, and to rehearse and to thanke and prayse the Lorde God of Israell▪

And he set [...] of the priestes to their offices, a [...]cording2. Chron. 8. to the [...]rder of Dauid his father, and the Leuites in their14. watches, for to prayse and minister before the priestes euery day, and the Porters by their courses at euery gate.

And they declined not from the commaundement of the15 king, concernyng the Priestes and the Leuites touchyng all thinges.

And Iehosaphat lift [...] his heart vnto the wayes of theChap. 17. 6. Lorde, and he toke away moreouer the high places, and the groues out of Iudah.

And in the thirde yere of his raigne he sent his Princes,7. Benhol, and Obadiah, and Zachariah, and Nathaneel, and My­chaah, that they shoulde [...]eache in the cities of [...]udah.

And with them Leuites, [...], and Nethaniah, and8 [Page] Z [...]badiah, and Asahell. &c. And with them Elishama, and Ieho­ [...]am priestes.

And thei taught in Iudah, and had the booke of the lawe of9 the Lorde with theim, and went aboute through all the cities of Iudah, and taught the people.

Moreouer, in Ierusalem did Iehosaphat sette Leuites, and [...]. xix. viii. of the Priestes, and of the chief of the families of Israell, for the iudgement and cause of the Lorde.

And Iehosaphat feared, and set hym self to seke the Lorde,Chap. 20. 3. and proclaimed a faste through all Iudah.

And the [...]yng set Zadock the Priest, in the roome of Abia­thar. 1. Kyng. 2. 35.

Behold, I purpose to builde an house vnto the name of theChap 5. 5. Lorde my God. &c.

And Hezechiah tooke [...] the high places, and brake the [...]. King. 18. 4. Images, and cutte downe the Groues, and brak [...] i [...] [...] the [...] Serpent, that Moises had [...] For vnto those [...], the children of Israell [...]id burne Ince [...]se to i [...], [...] he [...] it, Nehushtan, [...]s a peece of Brasse, thus he c [...]lleth it in contempt. Chap. 23. 4. Nehu [...]htan.

Then kyng Iosiah commaunded Hilkial the high Prieste, and the Priestes of the seconde order, and the keepers of the doore, to bryng out of the Temple of the Lorde, all the vessel [...] that were made for Baall, and for the [...] ▪ and for all the [...]oste of heauen, and he [...] to them with out Ierusalem.

He brake the Images in [...], and c [...]tte downe the Gro­ues,14 and filled their places with the bones of men.

Then the kyng commaunded all the people, saiyng: kéepe2 [...] the Passeouer vnto the lorde your God, as it is written in the booke of the couenaunt.

And Hezechiah opened the doores of the house of the lorde, [...]. Chro. 29. 3. in the first yere, and in the first monethe of his raigne, and re­paired them.

And he saied vnto theim, Heare me, ye Leuites, sanctifie5 now your selues, and sanctifie the house of the Lorde God of your fathers, and carry for the the f [...]lthinesse out of the San [...] ­tuarie.

And they gathered their brethren, and sanctified theym1 [...] [Page 120] selues, and came according to the cōmaundement of the kyng▪ and by the woord [...]s of the Lorde, for to cle [...]se the house of the Lorde.

Then thei went in to Hezechiah the kyng, and faied, wee [...]8 haue clensed all the house of the Lorde, and the aulter of burnt offeryng, with all the vesselles thereof, and the showe bread table, withall the vessells thereof.

And Hezechiah sent to al Israell, and Iudah, and also wroteChap. [...]0. 1. letters to Ephraim, and Manasseh, that thei should come to the house of the Lorde at Ierusalem, to keepe the Passeouer vnto the Lorde God of Israell [...] ▪

And the King and his princes, and all the congregation had2 taken counsell in Ierusalem to kéepe the Passeouer in the se­conde moneth.

Be wise nowe therfore, ye kinges: be learned ye Iudges ofPsalm. 2. 10. the earth.

Kynges shall be thy noursing fathers, and Quéenes shal [...]eEsaie. 49. 23. thy [...]ources.

Giue to Caesar, the thinges which are Caesars, and giue, vn­toMath. 22. 2 [...]. God, those thyn [...]es whiche are Gods.

Iesus suns were [...] theim, is it not written in your lawe, IIohn. x. xxxiiii [...]aide ye are Gods?

Lette euerie soule bee subiecte vnto the higher powers, forRom. xiii. i. there is no powre but of God: And the powers that be, are or­de [...]ned of God.

I exhorte therefore, that first of all, supplications, praiers,i. Timoth. ii. i. intercessions, and giuyng of thankes be made for all men.

For ki [...]ges, and for all that are in au [...]thoritie, that we may2 leade a quiet and a peaceable life, in all godlines, and honestie.

Submit your selues vnto al publique gouernement for thei. Peter. ii. xiii. lordes sake, whether it bee vnto the kyng, as vnto the superi­our.

Or vnto gouernours, as vnto them that are sent of hym,14 for the punishment of euill doers, and for praise of them that [...]oe well▪

¶ The Doctours.

WE are mette together at Aquileia, by the com­maundementAmbrose of the counsell of Aquileia. Tertullian to Scapula [...]. of the Emperour.

We honour the Emperours maiestie, as a man nexte vnto God. For so is the Emperour grea­ter then all men, [...] he is lesse then onely the true God.

When the Emperour holdeth the trueth, and by force ofAugu [...]tine in his. 116. epistle to Donatus. the same trueth geueth out lawes, & proclamation against er­rour, whosoeuer despiseth the same, procureth iudgement against hym selfe, for he shall be punished before men, and be­fore God he shall haue no face, that refused to doe that thyng, that the trueth it selfe, through the harte of the Prince, hath commaunded.

Is it not lawful for the Emperour, or his Deputie, to geueIn his. 1. booke against the [...] ­pistle of Per­ [...] ▪ sentence in a matter of religion? Wherefore then went your Ambassadours to the Emperour? why made they hym the iudge of their cause▪

Kynges in the worlde serue Christe, in that thei makeIn his. 48. E­pistle. lawes for Christe.

How doe the kynges serue the Lorde with reuerence: butIn his. 50. Epi­stle to [...]. in for biddyng and punishyng with a religious seueritie, suche thinges as are doen against the Lordes commaundementes. For a kyng serueth one wa [...]e in that he is a man, and another waie, in that he is a kyng. B [...]cause in respecte that he is but a man, he serueth the Lorde in liuyng faithfullie: but in that he is also a king, he lerueth in making lawes of conuenient force, to commaunde good thynges, and to forbid the contrarie. So Ezechias serued God, in destroiyng the Temples of Idols, and those high places, whiche were builded contrary to the com­maundement of God. &c.

In this therfore kynges serue the lorde, when thoi do those thynges to serue hym, which they coulde not doe, were they not kinges. &c. But after that this began to be fulfilled which is written: and all the kynges of the earth shall worship him, all the nations shall serue hym, what man beyng in his right wittes, maie saie to kynges? care not you, in your kingdomes, who defendeth or oppugneth the Churche of your Lorde? Let [Page 121] it not appertaine, or be any parte of your care, who is religi­ous in your kyngdome, or a wicked deprauer of religion. &c.

Now if the christian kynges, and Emperours doe knowe, that Nabuchodonozor made this decrée against the blasphe­mers of God, surely they caste in their mindes, what they are bounde to decree in their kyngdome, to witte, that the selfe same God, and his sacramentes, be not lightlie set by and con­temned.

I haue already heretofore made it manifest, that it apper­teinethIn his. ii. boke. and. xxvi. Cap. against the E­pistle of [...]au­dentius. to the kynges charge, that the Niniuites shoulde paci­fie gods wrath, which the prophete had denounced vnto them. The kinges which are of Christes Churche, do iudge most rightly, that it apperteyneth vnto their cure, that you (Dona­tistes) rebell not without punishment against the same.

This wyll cause Princes to bee blessed, if that they makeIn his. 5. boke. and. 24. Cap. of the Citie of God. their power which they haue, a serunant vnto gods maiestie, to enlarge most wyde, his worship, seruice, or religion.

That is, in this kinges (as it is commaunded them of God)In his. 3. booke and. 51. Chap. against Cres­conius. do serue God as kings, if in their kingdome, they commaunde good, and forbyd euyll thinges, not onely those thinges whiche parteyne to humayne societie, or ciuyll order: but also to gods religion.

The Emperours writtes caused the Bisshoppes, as wellHierome in Epitaphio Paulae. Chrisostome in his Epistle to innocentius Cirill, in his 17. Epistle, & 4 Tome, to Theodosius. of the Easte, as of the Weste, to drawe to Rome.

We went in, and humbly besought the moste Christian prince, to call a Counsaile.

The suretie of our common weale, dependeth vpon gods Religion, and there is greater kindred and societie betwixte these twaine, for thei cleaue together, and the one groweth with the increase of the other, in suche sorte, that true Reli­gion, holpen with the indeuoure of Iustice, and the common weale, holpen of them bothe, florisheth. Seyng therefore, that we are constituted of God to be the kynges, and are the knit­ [...]yng together, or ioynture of godlinesse, and prosperitie in the subiectes, wee keepe the societie of these twaine, neuer to bee sundered, and so farre foorthe as by our foresight, we procure peace vnto our subiectes, wée minister vnto the augmentyng [Page] of the common weale: but as we might saie, being seruauntes to our subiectes in all thynges, that thei maie liue Godlie, and bee of a religious conuersation, as it becommeth godlie ones, we garnishe the common weale with honour, hauing care, as it is conueniente for them both (for it can not bee that dili­gently prouidyng for the one, we should not care in like sorte also for the other.

But wee trauell earnestly in this thyng, aboue the reste, that the Ecclesiasticall estate maie remaine sure, both in such sorte, as is seemely for Gods honour, and [...] for our tymes, that it maie continue in tranquilitie by common cō [...]ent, with­out variaunce, that it maie be quiet through agréement in Ec­clesiasticall matters, that the godlie religion maie bee preser­ued vnreprou [...]able, and that the life of suche as are chosen in­to the Cleargie, and the greate Priesthoode, maie bee cleare from all faulte.

This is a Copie of the Emperours writte, whereby heTheodo [...]etus in his. [...]. boke, and. 9. Chap. In his. 1. booke and. 17. Chap. commaunded a counsaile to be kept in Rome.

But Iulius (Pope) excused his absènce, bicause of his age.

Constantine saieth, if the Bisshoppe moue trouble, by my hande he shall be punished: for my hande is the hande of GodsIn the. 20. cap. of the same boke. minister.

If we haue (saieth Constantine, writyng to the Nichome­dians) chaste Bisshoppes of right opinion, of courteous beha­uiour,In the▪ 19. cap. of the same bo [...]e. we reioyce: but if any bee inflamed to continue the me­morie of those pestilent heresies, his [...]oule hardie presumpti [...] shall forthwith bee corrected, and kepte vnder my correction, whiche am Gods minister.

Constantine gaue also Iniunctions to the chief ministers of the Churches, that thei should make speciall supplication to GOD for hym. He inioyned all his subiectes, that thei should kepe holy certaine daies, dedicated to Christe, and the Satur­daie, he gaue a lawe vnto the rulers of the Nations, that the [...] should celebrate the Sundaie in like sorte, after the appoinct­ment of the Emperour. &c.

We haue also herein comprised the Emperours liues, forSocrates in his [...]. boke in proaemio. that, sithence the Emperours were Christened, the affaires [Page 122] of the Churche haue hanged of them. And the greatest Coun­sailes, bothe haue been, and are kept by their affaires.

I caused a greate companie of Bisshopps to come to Nice: In his. 1. booke and. 9. Chap. of Constantine. with whom together I tooke in hande the examination of the truthe, beyng my self one of you, and muche desiryng to bee therein your felowe seruaunt.

Thei whiche beyng within the Churche, offende againsteIsidorus in his boke of the aucthority, and care of kinges. faith and discipline, let them be feared with the rigour of pri [...] ­ces, and lette the principall power laie that discipline, whiche the humilitie of the Churche is not hable to execute, vpon the neckes of the proude.

The Emperour Constantinus sente out his letters, vntoZozomenus in 1. boke, &, 17. Chap. all his rulers of the Churches, that thei should all meete at Nice vpon a daie: vnto the Bisshoppes of the Apostolique sees: vnto Macarius the Bisshoppe of Ierusalem: and vnto Iulius the Bisshoppe of Rome. &c.

The Emperour Constantine commaunded, that ten Bis­shoppesIn his. 4. boke and. 16. Chap. of the Easte, and ten of the West, should be chosen by the Counsaile, that his maiestie might consider, whether thei were agreed, accordyng to the Scriptures, and that he might further determine, and conclude, what were before beste to bee doen.

Constantine the Emperour was a mooste cleare preacherEusebius of the life of constan­tine, orat. 1. of God, and as it were, the sauiour, and Phisicion of soules.

The Emperour, as hauyng inkindeled a great flame, looktIn his. 3. orat. well aboute with his princely eye, that no priuie remnauntes of e [...]rour should reste behinde.

Yea, he hym self with his publique Proclamations, did ex­horteIn his. 3. booke of the life of Constant. and allure his subiectes to the Christian faithe, he cau­sed the Idolatrous religion to be suppressed, and vtterly bani­shed, and the true knowledge and Religion of Christe, to bee brought in, and planted among his people.

He made many wholsome lawes, and godlie constitutiōs,In his. [...]. bok [...] wher with he restrained the people with threates, forbiddyng them the Sacrifi [...]yng to Idolles: to seeke after the deuillishe and superstitious soothsaiynges: to set vp Images, that they should not make any priuie Sacrifice: and to be shorte, he re­formed [Page] all maner of abuses aboute gods seruice, and prouided4. booke. that the Churche should be fedde with Gods woorde.

I haue iudged (saith Constantine) this ought before allIn his. 3. boke. other things, to be the ende & indeuour, or purpose, whervnto I should addresse my power and aucthoritie in gouernement, that the vnitie of faith, pure loue, and agreement of religion, toward the almightie God, might bee kepte and mainteined amongest all congregations of the catholique Churche.

Your maiestie is the capitaine of the profession of our faith:Nicepho [...]us in his preface to Emmanuell the Emperour. your Maiestie hath restored the Catholique, and vniuersall Churche: your Maiestie hath reformed the Temple of GOD from marchauntes, and exchaungers of the heauenly doctine, and from heretiques, by the woorde of truthe.Theophilact vpon the. 13. to the Rom. Carolus Ma­gnus in his. 6. [...]oke, &. 162. Chap.

Paule teacheth all men, whether he bee Prieste, Monke, or Apostle, that thei submit them selues to Princes.

Carolus Magnus commaundeth, that nothyng should bee reade openly in the Churche, sauyng onely the Canonicall bookes of the holie Scriptures, and that the faithfull people should receiue the holie Communion euery Sundaie.

Iustinian the Emperour, commaundeth, that the PriesteAuthentiques Constitut. Titu. 123. or Bishoppe, in pronouncyng the publique praiers, and in the ministration of the Sacramentes, lifte vp his voyce, & speake aloude, that the people maie saie, Amen. And bee sturred to more deuotion, and let the Priestes vnderstande, that if thei neglecte any of these thynges, thei shall make aunswere be­fore God: and yet we our selues vnderstandyng thereof, will not passe it ouer, nor leaue it vnpunished.

Wée commaunde (saieth Iustinian) the moste holy Arche­bishoppes,Authen, cola. 9 Titu. 15▪ and Patriarkes of Rome, of Constantinople, of A­lexandria, of Antioche, and of Ierusalem. &c.Authen Titu. 133.

Iustinian commaundeth, that al Monkes, either bée driuen to studie the scriptures, or els to be forced to bodily labour.Leo Pope, in his. 23. Epistle to the cleargie and all the people of Cō ­stantinople. The Counsell of Chalcedon▪ the. 1. Act. and 748. Page. Pope Leo, vnto Theodosius the Emperour in his. 24. Epi.

Make sute with all discretion, and humble praier, that our moste gracious Emperour, would vouchsaue to graunte our requestes, in that we haue desired a generall counsaile.

By order of the same writte, our mooste holy Pope Leo, ruler of the Churche of Rome, was called to the Counsaile, by [Page 123] the moste godly, and moste Christian Emperour.

All our Churches, and all our Priestes moste humbly be­seche your maiestie with sobbes, and teares, that ye will com­maunde a generall Counsaile to be holden within Italie.

[...] of Chalcedon the 3. Act. Pag. 804. Martianus the Emperour saied: we confirme the reuerēde Counsaile, by the holy Edicte of our maiestie.

Cōcil. Tom. 2. of the life of Vigilius. Franciscus Z [...] ­rabella, de Schematae & Consilio. Aneas Siluius. ali. Pope Pius, 2. of the coun­sell of Basill in his. 1. boke. The Emperour (Iustinian) demaunded of his capitaine Belisarius, how he had doen with the Romaines: and how he had deposed Pope Siluerius, and placed Vigilius in his steede, vpon his aunswere, both the Emperour, and the Empresse gaue hym thankes.

The Pope in any notorious crime, maie be accused before the Emperour: and the Emperour maie require the Pope, to yeelde a reckenyng of his faithe.

By these aucthorities they thinke them selues armed that saie, no counsel may be kept without the consent of the Pope: Whose iudgement if it shoulde stande, as they would haue it, would drawe with it the decaie, and ruine of the Church, for what remedie were there thē, if the Pope himselfe were vi­tious, destroyed soules, ouerthrewe the people with euill ex­amples, taught doctrine contrarie to the faith, and filled his subiectes full of heresie? should wee suffer all to goe to the de­uill? Uerely when I reade the olde stories, and consider the Actes of the Apostles, I finde no such order in those daies, that only the Pope should summone Counsels, and afterwarde in the tyme of Constantine the greate, and of other Emperours, when counsels should be called, there was no greate account to be made of the Popes consent.Herneus of the aucthoritie of the Pope. 18. Chap.

In the olde lawe, the Bishops, that annoincted the kynges, out of doubte were subiect vnto the kynges.

To saie that the Prince cannot, either make or vse his la­wes, before the Pope haue allowed them, it is plainely false.In the. 17. cap.

Pope Bonefacius the thirde, obteined of the EmperourIn the. 13. cap. Phocas, that the Churche of Rome, shoulde be the head of all Churches, whereof wee maie in like case gather an argu­ment, that it belongeth to the Emperour, to translate the pri­ [...]acie of the churche, and to take order for the Churches.

[Page]Let euerie soule be subiect to the higher powers: if euerieBernarde in his 42. Epistle to the Archebis­shop of Syuo­ne [...]s. soule, then is your soule subiect, as well as others, for yet who hath excepted you from this generalitie? He that woulde ex­cepte you from the obedience of the Prince, seeketh to deceiue you, giue no eare to their counsels. For, notwithstanding thei be christians, yet thei thinke it a shame, either to followe chri­stes deedes, or to obey Christes wordes. They vse to saie vnto you, O sir, maintaine the honour of your See. &c. Are you not so good as your predecessours? if your Sée bée not auaunced by you, yet let it not be abased by you. Thus saie they: but Christ hath both taught vs, and wrought farre otherwise. For, hee saith, geue to Caesar that belongeth to Caesar, and geue to god, that belongeth to God.

The Popes Legate came into England, and made a coun­sellPolichronicon [...]abian. by the assent of kyng William the conquerour.

And in the counsell at Winchester, were put downe many Bishops, Abbottes, and Priours, by the meanes and procure­ment of the kyng. The kyng gaue to Laufracke the Archebi­shopprike of Canterburie, and on our Lady daie the assump­sion, made him Archebishop, on Whit Sundaie, he gaue the Archbishoppricke of Yorke, vnto Thomas a canon of Beyon.

Within a while, strief and contention fell betwéene kyng William, and Anselme, for Anselme might not cal his Sinode nor correcte the Bisshoppes: but as the kyng would, the kyng also chalenged the inues [...]ure of Bisshops. This kyng for bade the paiyng of any money or tribute to Rome.The Counsell at London, vnder Henrie the. 1. Fabian. Polidorus. The Counsell at Salisburie, Nauclerius Polidorus. Abbas v [...]sper­gensis.

The Spiritualtie condescended, that the kynges officers should punishe priestes for whoredome. In the whiche Coun­saile also, the kyng prouided many thynges to bee enacted, whiche should greatly helpe to leade a Godlie and blessed life.

At whiche Counsaile the kyng called thither, so well the chief of the Cleargie, as the people, and sware them vnto him and vnto William his sonne. And not onely the kyng did make Bisshoppes and Abbottes (whiche he calleth holy Ri­tes, lawes of religion, and Churche Ceremonies) but also the princes of euery nation beganne euery where, to claime this right vnto theim selues, of namyng and denouncyng of Bis­shoppes, [Page 124] the whiche to this daie, thei holde faste with toothe and naile.

Henry the seconde, made Thomas Becket ArchebishoppeHenrie. [...]. Math. Paris. Polichron. of Cantorburie, who thereat was sworne to the Kyng, and to his lawes, and to his sonne.

In the ninth yere of his reigne, he called a Parliamente as Northhampton, where he reformed many priuiledges, that the Cleargie had, (although Thomas Becket, like a periured traitor, resisted hym.)

In the seuenteene yere of his reigne, he made a iourney in­toFabian. Irelande, where, with greate trauell he subdued the Irish: he reformed Churche matters there, as that of the ruling and orderyng of the Churche by the Curates, how thei should or­der their seruice, and minister the Sacramentes, as it was in Englande. How the people should behaue them selues towar­des their curates: how thei should paie their tithes, and make their Testamentes.

He made the statute of Northhampton, so that, after thatEdwarde the firste. Polichronicon Fabian Polidorus. Richarde the seconde, Polidorus. tyme no man should giue, neither sell, nor bequeath, neither [...]haunge, neither buye title, assigne landes, tenementes, nei­ther rentes, to any man of religiō, without the kynges leaue.

Called a counsaile at Westminster, wherin was thought good to the kyng, and the princes, for the weale of the realme of Englande, if a part of the Popes aucthoritie, were bounded within the limites of the Occean Sea: wherefore it was de­creed, that hereafter it should bee lawfull to no man, to trie a­ny cause before the Bisshoppe of Rome: nor that any man bee publikely pronounced wicked, or enimy of religion, that is to witte, as the common people tearme it, be excommunicate by the Popes aucthoritie: Nor that if any man haue any suche commaundemente from hym, thei execute the same, vpon paine to forfaicte all their goodes, and to be caste into perpetu­all prison.

Made lawes, that there should bee no marchaundise, noCanutus king. huntyng, no worldly businesse dooen vpon the Sabboth daie. And that euery man should communicate, at the leaste thrise in the yere. Also, if any woman committed adultery, her nose, [Page] and eare should be cut of.

Made lawes, that the Tithes should bee kepte holie, fromEdga [...]us king, nine a clocke at night, on the Saterdaie, vntill the daie light of the Mondaie folowyng.

Gathered a Counsaile at London about Easter, at whichEdmundus kyng Odo, and VVolstan the Archbishop were present, where he made lawes, that who soeuer committed whoredome with a Nunne, should dye as a murtherer. And that all periurers, should be separated from the companie of God for euer.

Made a lawe, that if any seruaunt shoulde worke vpon the [...] kyng, Sundaie, by his maisters commaundement, should bee made free. Also that children shoulde bee Baptized within thirtie nightes, vnder paine of thirtie shillynges. Also if any did fight in the Churche, he should paie sixe poundes.

Made lawes, if any forsooke his faith, he shoulde dye. AndAluredusking, if any minister should deny Baptisme, to any that néede ther­of, he should dye for it.

Made a lawe, that if any within his palaice did sweare, heeHenry 5. king, should be taxed: If he were a Duke, he should paie. xl. s̄. to the helpe of the poore: If hee were a Lorde. xx. s̄. If he were a Knight. x. s̄. If he were a Yeoman. xl. d. If he were a Lackey,E [...]combert kyng of Kent. Foxe. Ethelbaldus Kyng of Mer­cia, Foxe. Elutherius Pope, wrote to Lucius. Kyng. or a slaue, to be whipt.

First commaunded Lent to be fasted in all his dominions.

He made a lawe, that all Churches shoulde be frée from all exactions, and publique charges.

Let the seculer princes knowe, that they ought to giue an account to God for the Church, which they haue receyued of God to be defended.

Ye haue required of vs (saith Elutherius Pope) to sende the Romayne and Imperiall lawes vnto you, to vse the same inIn the aunci­ent records of London, re­mainyng in the Guildhall. your Realme of England: we may alwayes reiect the lawes of Rome, and lawes of the Emperour: but so can we not the Lawe of GOD, for ye haue receyued (through the mercie of God) the lawe and faith of Christe into your kingdome, you haue both Testamentes in your Realme, take out of them by the grace of GOD, and aduise of your subiectes, a lawe, and by that lawe, through Gods sufferaunce, rule your Realme: [Page 125] but be you Gods Uicar in that kingdome.

Dauid is set before al (in the Genealogie of Christ) for thatHugo Cardi­nalis, vpon the [...]. cap. of Math. the dignitie of a king is chéefe and greatest.

¶ The Pope is antechriste.

IF any shal say vnto you, lo, here is Christ,Math. 24. 24. or there, beléeue it not.

For there shall arise false christes, and25 false prophetes, & shall shewe great signes, and wonders, so that if it were possible, they shoulde deceyue the very elect.

Babes, it is the last tyme, and as ye haue1. Iohn. 2. 18. hearde, that antechrist shall come, euen nowe are there many antechristes: whereby we knowe that it is the last tyme.

Who is a lyer, but he that denieth that Iesus is Christ?22 the same is the antechriste that denieth the father and the sonne.

But this is the Spirite of Antichriste, of whom ye haueChap. 4. 3. heard, howe that he should come, and nowe alreadie he is in the worlde.

For many deceiuers are entered into the worlde, whiche2. Iohn. 1. 7. confesse not that Iesus Christ is come in the fleshe, he that is suche a one, is a deceiuer, and an antichriste.

Let no man deceiue you by any meanes: for that [...] shall2. Thessal. 2. 3. come, except there come a departyng first, and that, that man of synne be disclosed, euen the sonne of perdition.

Whiche is an aduersarie, and exalteth hym self against all4 that is called God, or that is worshipped, so that he sit as God in the temple of God, shewyng hym self that he is God.

¶ The Doctours.

ANtichriste, notwithstandyng he be but a sclaue,Ireneus in his. 5. boke, and last Chap▪ saue one. yet he will bee worshipped, as if he were God, and published and proclaimed as a kyng.

Antichriste shall come in the desolation of theGregorie Na­zianzenus in [...], Anselmus in the. 2. Thesa. 2. worlde▪ for he is the abomination of desolation.

[Page]Antichriste shall faine hym self to bee holy, that he maie deceiue men, vnder the colour of holinesse. Yea, and he shall call hym self God, and shall cause hym self to bee worshipped: and shall promise the kyngdome of heauen.

The abhomination of desolation, is the cursed commyngAmbrose in his. 10. boke and [...] Chap. vpon Luke. [...] Augustine in the. 9. Psalme. of antichriste.

For that we beléeue, that antichrist shall come vnto suche a height of vaine glory, it shall bee lefull for hym to doe suche thynges, bothe towardes all men, and also towardes the sain­ctes of God, that many weake men shall thinke, GOD hath forsaken the care of the worlde.Hierome to Algasia.

Antichriste shall cause all Religion, to bee subiecte to his power.

By the abhomination of desolation, wee maie vnderstandeIn his booke vpon the. 24. of Math. any maner of peruerse, and false doctrine.

The abhomination of desolation, shal stande in the church, vntill the consummation, or ende of time, and shewe hymself as God.Hillarie in Math. 25. Ca­non.

When ye shall see the abhomination of desolation, stan­dyng in the holie place: Christ spake these wordes of the tyme of antichriste.In his boke a­gainst Auxen­tius.

One thyng I reade you: Beware of antichriste, for it is not well, that we should be thus in loue with walles: It is not well, that ye should honour the Churche in houses, and buil­dinges. Is there any doubt: but Antichrist shall sit in the same.

He is antichriste, that shall claime to be called the vniuer­sallGregorie in his 4. boke, &. 38. Epistle. Bishop: and shall haue a garde of Priestes to attende vp­pon hym.

I speake it boldely: who soeuer calleth hym self, the vni­uersallIn his. 6. boke &. 30. Epistle. Prieste, or desireth so to bee called in the pride of hisIn his. 34. Epi­stle. harte, he is the forerunner of antichriste.

By this pride of his, what thing els is signified: but that theIn his. 25. boke vpon the. 34. & [...]4. c [...]p. of Iob. Chrisostome in his. 49. Ho­ [...] of the vnperfect worke. In his. 4. Ho­mily vpon the 2. Thes. 2. cap. tyme of antichriste is euen at ha [...]de?

Whereas he is a damned man, and not a spirite, by liuyng he faineth hym self to be God.

This antichriste is called the abhomination of desolation: for that he shall cause the soules of many Christians to be de­solate, [Page 126] and forsaken of God.

As longe as the Emperour shall bee had in awe, no man shall streight waie submitte hym self to antichriste: but after that the Emperour shalbe dissolued, antichriste shall inuade the state of the Empire standing voide: and shal labour to pull vnto hymselfe the Empire bothe of man, and God.

This is a token that thei hate God, for that thei will haueEusebi [...] [...] his 7. boke of pre­paration. Bernarde in his 125. Epistle Pag. 1316. them selues called by the name of God.

That beaste that is spoken of in the booke of Reuelations, vnto whiche [...] is giuen a mouthe to speake blasphemies, and to kéepe warre against the sainctes of God, is now gotten into Peters chaire, as a Lyon prepared to his praie.

What thinke you, reuerende fathers, of this man (theArnulphus in the Counsell of Remes, amōgs the workes of Barnarde. Pope) sittyng on high in his throne, glitteryng in Purple, and clothe of golde? What thinke you hym to be? Uerely if he bee voide of [...]haritie, and bee blowen vp, and aduaunced onely with knowledge, then is he antichriste, sittyng in the Tem­ple of God▪ and shewyng out hym self, as if he were a God.

Thei haue brought to passe, that Godlinesse is tourned in­toCornelius [...] ­tonto in the Chap. of [...]. Hypocrisie: and that the sauour of life, is tourned into the [...]auour of death. Would God thei were not gone wholie with generall consent, from Religion to Superstition: from faithe to infidelitie, from Christe, to antichriste: From God to Epi­cure: saiyng with wicked harte, and filthy mouthe, there is no God, neither hath there been this greate while any pastoure, or Pope, that regarded these thinges. For thei al sought their owne, and not so much as one of theim sought for the thinges that pertaine to Iesus Christe.

Antichriste is [...] the [...] borne in Rome, and yet shallIoachini Ab­bas. be higher auaunced in the Apostolique See.

Hildebrande Pope, vnder a colour of holinesse, hath laiedAuentinus Franciscus in [...]he Counsel a [...] Reinspurge. Petrarcha in his. 20. Epistle. the foundation for antichriste.

Rome, the whore of Babilon: the mother of all Idolatrie, and for [...]ication: the Sanctuarie of heresie, and the Schoole of errour.

¶ Against Usurie and Interest.

IF thou lende money to my people,Exod. 22. 25. that is, to the poore with thee, thou shalt not be as an vsurer vnto hym: ye shall not oppresse hym with v­surie.Leuit. 25. 3 [...].

If thy brother bee impouerished, and fallen in decaie with thee, thou shalt reléeue hym.

Thou shalt take no vsurie of him,26 nor vantage, but thou shulte feare thy God, that thy brother maie liue with thee.

Thou shalte not giue hym thy money to vsurie, [...] 27 hym thy victualles for increase.

Thou shalte not giue to vsurie to thy brother: as vsurie ofDeut. 23. 19. money, vsurie of meate, vsurie of anythyng that is putte to vsurie.

Unto a straunger thou [...] le [...]de vpon vsurie, but thou20 [...] not lende vpon vsurie vnto thy brother, that the LordeThose straun­gers (saieth Ambrose) wer suche as the Ie­wes might lawfullie kill and destroie. a. Exo. 20. 17. thy God maie blesse thee, in all that thou [...]ettest thyne hande to, in the lande whither thou goest to possesse it.

Thou shalte not co [...]et thy neighbours house, neither shalt [...] thy neigbours wife, nor his man seruaunt, nor his maide, nor his Ore, [...] his Asse, neither any thing that is thy neighbours.

Now there was a [...] crie of the people, and of theirNehe. 5. [...]. wiues, against their brethren the Iewes.

For there were that saied, we, our sonnes, and our daugh­ters2 are many, therfore we take vp Corne, that we may eate and liue.

And there were that saied, wée muste gage our landes, and3 our vineyardes, and our houses, and take vp corne for the [...].

There were also that saied, wee haue borowed money for4 [Page 127] the kynges tribute vpon our landes, and our vineyardes.

And now our fleshe is as the fleshe of our brethren, and our5 sonnes as their sonnes: and loe, wee bryng into subiection our sonnes and our daughters, as seruauntes, and there be of our daughters nowe in subiection, and there is no power in our handes: for other men haue our landes, and our vineyardes.

Then was I verie angrie, when I heard their crye, and6 these woordes.

I saied also, that whiche ye dooe, is not good. Ought ye not9 to walke in the feare of our God, for the reproche of the Hea­then our enemies?

For euen I, my brethren, and my seruauntes dooe lende10 theim money and corne: I praie you let vs leaue of this vsu­rie, or burden.

Restore, I praie you, vnto them this daie their landes, their▪ 11 Uineyardes, their Oliues, and their houses, and remitte the hundred parte of the siluer, and of the corne, and of the wine, and of the oyle, that ye exact of them.

Then saied thei, we will restore it, and will not require it12 of them: we will doe as thou hast saied.

Lorde, who shall dwell in thy Tabernacle▪ Who shall restPsalme. 15. 1. in thyne holy Mountaine?

He that giueth not his money vnto vsurie, nor taketh re­ward5 against the innocent.

He that increaseth his riches by vsurie, and interest, gathe­rethProuer. 28. 8. God will take awaie the wic­ked Vsurer, & giue his goods to hym that shall bestowe▪ them well. them for hym that will be mercifull vnto the poore.

Eze. 18. 13. He that hath giuen foorthe vpon vsurie, or hath taken in­crease, shall he liue? He shall not liue: seyng he hath dooen all these abominations, he shall dye the death, and his bloud shall be vpon hym.

Cap. 22. 12. In thee haue thei taken giftes to shedde blood: thou haste taken vsurie, and the increase, and thou haste defrauded thy neighbours by extortion, and haste forgotten me, saieth the Lorde God.

Whatsoeuer ye would that men should doe to you, euen soMath. 7. 12. doe ye to them: for this is the Lawe and the Prophetes.

If ye loude to theim, of whom ye hope to receiue, whatLuke. 6. 34. [Page] thanke shall ye haue? For euen synners lende to synners, to receiue the like.

Wherfore, loue ye your your enemies, & doe good, and lend,35 lookyng for nothyng againe, and your rewarde shalbe greate. And ye shall be the children of the moste high.

¶ The Doctours.

MAny fliyng the preceptes of the law, whenAmbrose wri­tyng of Na­both. thei haue deliuered their money vnto mar­chaunte men (or occupiers) doe not exacte vsurie in money, but in wares. Therfore, let theim heare what the lawe saieth, nei­ther shalt thou take vsurie of meate [...], nor of any other thing. So that a dishe of meat is vsurie: and what soeuer is aboue the principall, is vsurie: yea, what soeuer name thou guiest vnto it: it is vsurie.

Usurie will swallowe vp all mens gooddes, landes, [...] In his booke vpon Tobiah 13. Chapiter. large patrimonie, as it were a Sea: and yet this sea it self [...]an neuer be filled. The seas, for the moste parte are vsed for pro­fite and gaine: but the vsurer no man can vse, but to his owne harme and hinderaunce. There is profite of many thynges: but with the vsurer, is shipwracke of all thynges.

If thou le [...]de for aduauntage to a man (that is) thou len­destAugustine writyng vpon the. 56. Psalme. thy money to hym, of whom thou hopest to receiue more then thou didst deliuer, not money onely, but any thyng more then thou didst deliuer, whether it be wheate, or wine, or oile or any other thyng, if thou lookest to receiue more then thou haste deliuered, thou art an vsurer, and in this not to bée pra [...] ­sed, but dispraised.

The vsurer dareth speake on this sorte: I haue none otherAlso Writyng vpon the. 128. Psalme. thyng whereby to liue. So maie the theife saie, beyng taken in the deede doyng, or house robber, beyng founde breakyng vp the wall: or the Bawde buiyng maides for the Stewes: And also the witche and Sorcerer, maie saie so vnto m [...] in the s [...]le of their mali [...]ious inchauntementes. So that when wee shall forbidde suche thynges, thei all maie aunswere▪ we haue not wherewithall to liue, and finde our selues, as though thei [Page 128] were not worthie to bee punished for it. For that they haue chosen to liue by naughtie meanes.

Some men thinke vsurie to bee onely in money, whicheHierom. in his 6. boke vpon [...]. thing the holy scripture fore séeyng, doeth take away the ouer­plus in all thynges, so that thou shalte receiue no more then thou didst deliuer.

Others for money lent vpon vsurie, doe vse to take giftes of diuers kindes, and doe not vnderstande, that the scriptures call the same vsury and ouerplus▪

There is nothing more filthier of this worlde then vsurie,Chrisostome vpon the. 1. of Math. in hi [...]. 5. Homilie. nothing crueller. Truely y^e vsurer doth increase his substance, by the hurte of an other. He taketh or getteth his greate gai­nes, by the miserie of his friende. Further, he doeth desir [...] the praise of bountefulnesse, fearyng lest he shoulde seeme vn­mercifull.

What is the excuse of many vsurers? I am a vsurer (saieIn his. 57. Ho­milie. thei) but I haue been very helpefull to the poore. These are good woordes, but with suche Sacrifice the Lorde is not plea­sed. Mocke not with the lawe. It is muche better, not to giue to the poore, then to giue after this maner.

The lo [...]e of money vpon vsurie, is like the poison of anVpon the. 5. chap. of Math. Aspe. Who so euer is stroken, or stonge of the Aspe, he falleth into a pleasaunt swéete sléepe, and so by the swéetenesse of that dead sleepe, dieth. For then the venenious poison, disperseth into euery member.

So he that doeth begin vnder vsurie, thinketh for a tyme, that it is a greate benefite and profite, but vsurie runneth throughe all his riches, and conuerteth all that he hath into debte.

When soeuer thou borowest vpon vsurie, thou shalte ne­uerBasile vpon the. 14. Psalm. ware riche; and thou shalt be spoiled from libertie.

Noman cureth one wounde with an other wounde, nei­ther healeth one euill with an other euill, neither helpeth or amendeth he his pouertie and néede with vsurie.

Dogges in receiuyng thynges, doe become gentle, but for vsurers the more thei receiue: the more cruell thei be.

What thyng is vsurie? A poison of patrimonie: what isB [...]rnarde. [Page] suche vsurie as is permitted by Lawe? A théefe that before hande giueth warnyng what he myndeth to doe.

Doe any slauerie, rather then sell thy patrimonie: but yet rather sell thy patrimonie: then borowe vpon vsurie.

If it be proued that any laieman doe take vsurie, and vponThe Counsel of Elibertine. correction, promiseth afterward neuer to exacte any more, let hym be pardoned. But if he shall continue in the same iniqui­tie and mischeefe, lette hym well vnderstande, that he shall be caste out, and excommunicated from the Churche.

Usurie is, where more is required then was deliuered, orIn the decrees the. 14. cause, and 3. questiō. Capite v [...]ura. giuen, as if thou deliuerest tenne shillynges, and sekest more. Or if thou deliuer a busshell of Wheate: and receiuest aboue that, that is vsurie.

No clarke shall take any more then he lendeth: If he lendeIn the same place, Capite nullus. money: he shall receiue money: the same that he gaue, he shall receiue, or what soeuer other thyng, as muche as he gaue, he shall receiue.

Whosoeuer taketh vsurie: committeth robberie: he oughtIn the same place, Capite Si quis. not to liue.

Who soeuer in the tyme of Harueste, doe buye or prouideIn the same place, capite Quicunque. virtualles or Wine, not for his necessitie, but for couetous­nesse: and buieth one busshell for twoo pence, and keepeth it vntill it be solde for fower pence, and more: this we saie is fil­thie gaine.

Usurie is iustly to bee had in hatred, and contempte, forAristotle in his first booke of cōmon wealth bicause it is vsed as marchaundise, or chaffer, and of that, that by nature bryngeth forthe no fruite, he gathereth fruite. But money was made for the cause of exchaunge, one thyng for an other. It is greatly therefore against nature, to make money, a marchaundise, or chaffer.

Caro was asked what it was to lende vpon vsurie: aun­sweredCicero in his. 2 booke of Offi­ces. interogatiuely: Quid hominem [...] What is it to kill a man?

Alphonsus kyng of Aragon was wont to saie, vsurie see­methDe reb. gest. Alphonsi. to me nothyng els then the death of life.

He that boroweth vpon vsurie, shall not be compelled toPlato in his 5. boke of La­wes. render againe neither the vsurie, neither the stocke▪

[Page 129]Banished out of Sparta all Usurie, and takyng of ouerplusLicurgus. for lone.

Pourged Asia of this wicked trade of Usurie, whiche wasLucullus. almoste drowned therein.

Cato saied, that Usurers are to bee punished fower folde,Cato. therefore he draue them out of Scicilia.

Agesilaus Capitaine of the Lacedemonians, perswaded A­gis Agesilaus. (who was kyng before hym of the same people) that al the reckenyng bookes of the Usurers, might be burnt. And so en­tryng their houses, tooke their bookes, and burnte them in the open market place, before the vsurers faces. Agesilaus laugh­yngly at their sorowes, saied: That he neuer sawe puriorem ignem, a more purer fier.

Claudius, and after hym Vespasian, and after hym A­lexanderClaudius. Ves­pasian.Seuerus, made sharpe lawes against vsurers, whichAlexander Se­uerus. were put in execution with all diligence, and seueritie.

A Usurer is worse then all all synners. He is worse thenIn a boke cal­led sermones discipuli, in the 114. Sermon. a thief: a thief robbeth but in the night, but the Usurer rob­beth daie and night.

He is worse then hell, for in hell onely the wicked shall be punished: but the Usurer punisheth, and spoileth bothe good and badde, and spareth neither holy, nor vnholy.

He is worse then a Iewe, for one Iewe will not take vsu­rie of an other: but the Usurer will take vsurie of his Chri­stian brethren.

He is worse then death, for death killeth but the bodie, but the Usurer killeth bodie and soule.

He is worse then Iudas, for Iudas solde Christe but once for thirtie pence, but thei sell Christe continually, as ofte as thei take vsurie. Iudas restored the money againe, but the Usurers neuer restore the money againe, that thei vniuste­ly haue taken.

A Usurer is like a Pigge, for while he liueth, he is goodIn a boke cal­led dieta salu­tis. fol. 11▪ and profitable for nothyng, for he will be euer rootyng vp the earth, runnyng through, and tearyng of headges, eatyng and deuouryng vp good Corne, Beanes, and Peason, so likewise doeth the wicked swinishe Usurer whilest he liueth: but whē [Page] the Pigge is deade, then there commeth profite by hym to many. So the Usurer when death taketh hym, then the poore maie haue some profite. &c.

A Usurer is like an earthen boxe that is close, with a hole in the vpper parte, wherein money is putte, so that a man can not haue the money within, vnlesse the boxe be broken. So likewise, a man can neuer haue any money out of the Usurers bagges and Coffers, vntill death breake his life. &c.