THE SVMME OF the principall pointes of the Christian faith and Religion, and of the abuses and errors contrary to the same.
Hovve nedefull it is, that all Christians doe vvell knovv vvhat faith is, vvherby they are made Christians, & vvhat things she doth comprehend. Chap. 1.
WHOSOEVER dothe beléeue the testimonie whiche God in his word doth yelde of his will, holdeth alreadie for certaine, that the saluation of men, by the which God will be glorified in them, resteth in the only faith in Iesus Christe,Rom. 3. d. Rom. 10. b. Ephe. 2. b and that from the heart men beleue to iustification, & with the mouthe men make confession wherby they are saued. Wherfore séeing it is so, it is néedfull, not only that euery true Christian do well vnderstand what is the nature of the true faith, and which are the principall pointes that [Page 2] she conteineth (without the which she cannot be a true and perfecte faithe) but also that he be wel resolued in them. For faith can not be a true faithe, without the true knowledge of the things that she beléeueth, so farre as God hath reuealed by his worde, and is requisite for euery man to knowe for his saluation. Wherefore they which know not, nor do vnderstand at all that whiche they say they do beléeue, haue no faith at al, but by imagination and fantasie, whatsoeuer they doe persuade themselues to haue.
Of the summaries of the faith of the christian Churche named Symboles. Chap 2.
FOr that cause the ancient Church hath comprehended all the poyntes of the Christian faith in certaine Summaries, whiche are called commonly, the Nicene Créede, the Créede of Athanase, and that of the Apostles. This name of Symbole was giuen vnto them, as well for that they did conteyne in summe the principal pointes and foundations of the Christian [Page 3] doctrine, whyche are more at large expounded in the holye Scriptures: as also for that they are the true markes and tokens of a Christian man, in euery one that beléeueth, and confesseth the doctrine conteyned in them. Wherefore it is requisite, that euery one knowe at the least that same whiche is commonly called, the Créede of the Apostles, which is the most cōmon and most short of them all, according to the which, the Church doth daily make publique confession of hir fayth, as followeth.
I beleeue in GOD the Father Almightie, maker of heauen and earth: And in Iesus Christe hys onely Sonne oure Lorde: Whiche was conceyued by the holie Ghoste: borne of the virgin Marie: suffered vnder Ponce Pylate: was crucified, dead, and buried: he descended into hell: The third day he rose from the dead: he is gone vp into heauen, and sitteth on the ryght hande of God the Father almyghtie: From thence shall hée come to iudge bothe the lyuyng and the dead.
I beléeue in the holy Ghoste: The holy vniuersall Church: The communion [Page 4] of Saintes: The forgiuenesse of sinnes: The resurrection of the bodie: The lyfe eternall. Sobeit.
Of the vnderstanding of the matters conteyned in these Summaries, and howe necessarie it is. Chap. 3.
NOwe forsomuche as it is a hard matter to be briefe and playne bothe at once, it is certain that the matters conteined in these Summaries, are so briefly comprehended in them, that euery man can not easily vnderstand and comprehēd what they doo import, sauing only such as are wel exercised in the holy Scriptures: And beside that, that ther are few among the common people that knowe the sayde Symboles, vnlesse it be this, which is the shortest of the thrée, whiche the Christian Church doth hold. There is yet this euil, that many haue not learned it, but in an vnknowne toung: wherefore it profiteth them euen as much as if they had not lerned it at al, séeing they do no more vnderstand it, than if they had neuer heard speking of it. And as touching these that haue [Page 5] learned it in their vulgar toung, there are also many of them, that haue onely learned to pronounce it by mouthe, withoute any vnderstanding of it, as do little children, or birdes that are taught to speake: not vnderstanding what they say. Therefore it is more than necessarie, that that whiche the principall pointes conteyned in the same do import in substance, be expounded somewhat more familiarly and playnly, to the ende that men may the better know, how euery one doth vnderstād them, and whether the faith of the heart do agrée with the confession of the mouth. For manye whiche make that confession by mouth, do oftentymes folow doctrines and religions clean contrarie to that whiche they confesse. Wherein they do belye themselues, denying by their works, that whiche they confesse by worde.
Of the principall pointes wherevppon the true Christian faythe is buylded: and first of the vnitie of God. Chap. 4.
NOwe the first grounde worke and the first article of the faith of a ChristianDeutero. 6. a Iohn. 4. c &. 17. a [Page 6] man is,Esay. 40.9. Apocalip. 1. d 1. Timo. 1. d Genes. 1. Psalme. 86. e &. 103. a Exod. 34. a Matth. 28. d that he beléeue, that there is one only true God, whiche is a spirite inuisible and eternall, without beginning and withoute ende, almyghtie, all wyse, all good, all luste, all mercyfull, and all perfect, maker of all creatures.
Of the Trinitie of persons, in the vnitie of the diuine essence, and of their proprieties, and of the creation of the worlde. Chap. 5.
FVrther, albeit that there is but one only God, in one only diuine essence, this notwithstanding,Genes. 1. Iohn. 1. a. b Iohn. 1. 1. Iohn. 1. Colloss. 1 c Hebr. 1. a Iohn. 14. b d g. &. 15. d &. 16. b Act. 1. a &. 2. a the Christian faith doth acknowledge in that diuine essence, the Father, the Son, and the holy Ghoste, accordingly, as God hath declared himselfe in his worde, the whiche albeit he be distinguished in thrée persons, yet notwithstāding those thrée diuine persons are but one only God, in one selfe same essence: in the which, the faith doth cōsider ye father, as the fountayn of all diuinitie, and the Creator of all things, visible and inuisible: and the Son as the eternal word and wisedom of him, by the whiche all things ar made, ordeined and placed as they are: [Page 7] and the holy Ghost, as his infinite power, by the which he doth susteyn and gouerne them, accordyng to hys eternall prouidence.
Of the prouidence of God. Chap. 6.
NOwe this prouidence of GOD is so conioyned wyth the creation of the worlde, that it can not be separated. For he may not be Creator, but he muste also be the guyder and the directer. For euen as none other was able to make suche a woorke but onely hée, Euen so none other is able to guyde and gouerne the same, but onely hée, whiche is the woorker and maker.Iohn. 5. e Hebr. 1. a Ephe. 4. a Psalme. 8. a Matth. 10. d Then this Prouidence importeth, that nothing is done at aduenture: To wit, without the most iust ordinance of God. For his prouidence extendeth both in generall and particular, to all things, that are as well in Heauen, as in earthe, in suche sorte, that he hath a care for man, whome hée hathe in speciall recommendation amongest all his creatures, euen vntoo one verye haire [Page 8] of his heade, euen as Iesus Chryste doth witnesse.
Of the eternall Predestination of God, and of the manifesting of the same, and where wee ought to seeke it. Chapter. 7.
Prouer. 16. a Roman. 8. f & 9. b. c Ephes. 1. a Rom. 11. d Esay. 4. c Rom. 10. c Iohn. 6. e &. 17. bTHerfore euen as he hath created all to serue to his glorie, euen so hath he ordeyned of all men, in his eternal counsel, that whiche hath bene his pleasure to doo, and forthwith the meanes by the whiche he woulde be glorified in them, as wel in his mercie, as in his iust iudgemente, the whiche iudgement can neuer be but iust, although it be incomprehensible to man: and howe he doth manifest this eternall counsell to his chosen in Iesus Christ his sonne, by the preaching of his Gospell, which he setteth forth vnto vs, as the true booke and register of the eternall election of God. Also he giueth them the grace by the very same meanes to vnderstande the same, and to receiue it thorowe true and liuely faith.
Of the author of sinne, and of the incomprehensible wisedome of God, which is in his eternal ordinance. Chap. 8.
ANd albéeit that nothing may be done neyther in heauen, nor in the earthe,Psalme 115. e Amos. 3 b Lamentation of Hiere. 3. e without the most iust ordinance, and the holie will of God, or otherwyse he should not be God almightie: yet notwithstanding, this ordinance and will carieth with it no constraint to the will of man, in sort that they neuer offend, but willingly, thorough their own malice. Wherfore what soeuer maye happen in the worlde, God may not be holden for author of sin, nor of any euill what so euer: but the diuell only, and the naughtie wil of man, which is alyed with the diuel. Then it followeth that whosoeuer maketh God authour of synne and wickednesse, in so muche as it is sinne and wickednesse, dothe attribute to God that which is propre to the diuell, and dothe blaspheme God horriblye, not putting any difference betwéene his workes and those of the diuell. For God hath so well prouided for the order of the causes ordeined by him, the which he would should serue to his glorie, that he can not [Page 10] ordeyne nor do but iustly, whatsoeuer he ordeyneth or doth, howe wickedly or vniustely soeuer the diuell or man doe. For he is so excellente a worker, that he can very well drawe good out of the euill that the diuell and man doe, and that by hys incomprehensible wisedome, and by his infinite power and goodnesse, to be glorified in the same: and in the iuste condemnation of those that shall do the euill whiche he hath forbidden, and doe not liue in his obedience, walkyng in the vocation that he hath called them vnto.
Of man, and of the creation and fall of him by sinne. Chap 9.
Gene. 1. d 1. Corin. 11. b Genes. 3. a Rom. 5 b Iohn. 8 d Roma. 6. c Psalme. 43. a Roma. 3. b &. 5 c.AS for man, the Christian faythe holdeth, that he was created to the image of God, in the estate of innocencie, truth, and iustice: and that he béeing fallen from that estate, by his owne sin, and thorough his owne fault, folowing the counsel of ye diuell, he hath yelded himselfe in such sort slaue of sin, by the which he hath deserued eternall death and damnation, by the iust iudgement of God, that he can not of himselfe [Page 11] but sinne, and daily to prouoke more and more the wrathe and cursse of God vppon him.
Of the redemption and restoring of man, and of the only mediator Iesus Christe. Chap. 10.
THerfore,Iohn. 3. b 1. Iohn. 2. a & 4. b c &. 9. b 1. Timo 2. b Rom. 8. g &. 5. b 2. Timo. 1. e T [...]e. 3. b Esay. 43. b &. 44. a Ierem. 17. a Exod. 30. a Deutero. 6. c &. 10. d Matth. 4. b Luke 4. b. 1. Timo. 2 b Ioh. 14. & 15. a God his creator hauing pitie on him, hath so loued the worlde, that he hath giuen his only son Iesus Christe, for mediator, patron, aduocate, and intercessour betwéene him and man, to reconcile them to him, euen when they were his enimies. Wherfore it followeth, that he hath done this, not hauing regarde to any deseruing of man, who neyther had nor could deserue but only eternal death, but hath only regarded his own goodnesse and mercie. Wherfore as there is but one only God, creator, gouerner & conseruer of all things, nor any other sauiour than he, nor in whom man may trust, nor worship, nor inuocate: no more is there lykewise but one only mediator Iesus Christ, by whom man may haue accesse to God, and finde fauour in his sight, and recouer that whiche thorowe his owne faulse hee hath lost.
Of the true inuocation and prayer towardes God. Chapter. 11.
Matth 6. b Luke 11. a. Iohn. 4. c Esay. 29. d Matth. 15. aANd for so muche as the inuocation is an honour which belongeth to GOD onely, and can not be giuen to any creature whatsoeuer, howe excellent so euer he be, withoute idolatrie, sacriledge, and blasphemie agaynst God our Lord Iesus Christe, himself hath giuen to his church a forme of prayer, the which he hath willed to be obserued in the same, and by the whiche, he hathe willed all prayers and supplications to be ruled and measured. And hathe doone it, to the ende that in steade of honouring of God by them, hée should not be dishonoured, thorow default of praying vnto him, and inuocating his name, in suche sorte as he requireth, willing to be honoured in spirite and veritie not only with lippes and with hipocrisie, and with outwarde shewe.
Of the order of prayer whiche Iesus gaue to his Church. Chap. 12.
THat order of Prayer whiche he gaue to hys Churche, is written in these [Page 13] wordes in the Gospell of S. Mathew. 6. chap. and that of S. Luke. 11. chap.
Our father whiche art in heauen, halowed bee thy name. Thy kingdome come. Thy will be doone in earth as it is in heauen. Giue vs this day our daily bread. And forgiue vs our offences as we forgiue them that offende vs. And leade vs not into temptation. But deliuer vs from the euill. For thyne is the kingdome, the power, and the glorie thorow out all ages Sobeit.
Of the principall faultes whiche wee must auoyde when we pray. Chap. 13.
SEing then that our Lorde Iesus Christ hath giuen this rule to Christians, who soeuer demaūdeth of God any other thinges than are conteyned in that order of prayer, and by any other meane, and to any other ende than that whiche Iesus Christ hath set forth vnto vs in the same, can make no acceptable prayer to God, but is to him turned into sinne. The lyke is of those whiche pray in an vnknowne toung, not knowing what they saye. For first it is certaine, that their prayer can [Page 14] not please God, but so farre foorth as it is made in true faith. On the other side, true faith is not without vnderstanding what it is that she demaundeth of God: séeing it is so, then it foloweth wel, that he prayeth without faith, that praieth, not vnderstanding what he prayeth, and by consequent doth mocke and dishonor God.
Of the meane by the which men may bee heard of God in their prayers. Chapter. 14.
FVrther, as our Lorde Iesus dothe not teache vs by his doctrine, to adresse our prayers to any other than to God his father,Ephes. 1. a Iohn 1. b Ephes. 2. d Hebr. 4. d Rom. 8. g euen so we can not assure our selues by true faith, yt he is our father, & that he wil hear vs as his children, but only by ye meane of Iesus Christe, his well beloued son. For it is only he, by whō we ar made ye children of God, by his only grace, wher as of our own nature we are the children of wrath: for that same cause we haue accesse to the Father, by ye same very mean, as by our true Mediator & aduocate, thorow whom it must come to passe that we and our prayers may be agreeable to God the father.
Of the nature of the true mediator, and of the vnion of God and man in him, in one selfe person. Chap. 15.
ANd forsomuche as it is necessary, that the mediator by whome it must come to passe, that this agréemēt be made, haue of the nature of both the parties, whiche are to be agréed, & that he haue agréement wt both the parties, or otherwise he shuld haue no meane to agrée them: None may be sufficient to such an office, except he be very God & very man, in the which the diuine nature may be vnited with the humain nature in one selfe person, without confusion or chaunge, eyther of the one, or of the other.
Of the diuine and humaine nature of Iesus Christe, and of the sanctification made by him. Chap. 16.
THerfore Iesus Christe being the very sonne of God, and very God eternall,Iohn. 1. a 1. Iohn. 1. a &. 5. b Esay. 7. c Matth. 1. d and of the same essēce with the father, as concerning his diuine nature, hath taken humain flesh, in the tyme ordeined by the [Page 16] father in the wombe of the virgin Marie,Luke 1. d Esay 53. b. c 1. Petr. 2. d &. 3 d Galath. 3. b Roman. 3. b Hebr. 9. d Matth. 3. d &. 17. a by the worke of the holye Ghoste: in the whiche flesh and humaine nature he hath born our sinnes, and the wrath and curse of God, the which we haue deserued, and he hath borne it to deliuer vs from it, by the merite of his only death and passion: by the which he hath satisfied for vs, as the only welbeloued sonne, who only was able to doe it as he in whome onely the father hath set his whole delight.
Of the errour touching the inuocation of Sainctes Chap. 17.
FOr so muche then as there is none other, but that only Iesus Christe, who hath suffred and endured for our sinnes, it followeth wel, that there is none other but he alone, by whome we maye be saued, and that is sufficient for that office, and by the whiche we may haue accesse to the Father. If it be so, it is then fully apparant, that none may also take, neyther angell, nor man sainct, nor woman saint, (no not the very virgin Marie, mother of Iesus) for mediatours, patrons, and aduocates [Page 17] towardes God, nor haue recourse vnto them by praying, or inuocatyng of them, or by making any vowes vnto thē, or to their reliques and images, withoute plainly renouncing Iesus Christ, & without greatly dishonouring, not onely God, but also the virgin Marie,Act. 3. c. 20. d 14. c Apocal. 19. b & al the saintes also in stead of honoring them. For if in their lyfe tyme they haue refused such honour, and haue confessed and testified by their death, that this honour doth belong to none, but to Iesus Christe only, howe shoulde they approue it after their death, contrarie to their proper testimonie and doctrine, whiche they haue sealed wyth their bloud?
Of the vertue of the death and passion of of Iesus Christe, and of the true purgatorie of the Christians. Chap. 18.
BY lyke reason,1. Corin. 6. c 1 Iohn. 1. d Hebr. 5. c & 7. d. 9. d. & 10. d the christian faith doth also holde, that the only bloud of Iesus Christ, and the sacrifice that he hath done vpon the crosse for poore sinners, is so sufficiēt to satisfie the iudgemēt of God, and to clense man of his sinne, that there néedeth [Page 18] none other Purgatorie for them: as in déede ther is none other to clense them, neyther by fyre, nor by water, nor by any other meane, neyther in thys world, nor in the other. In lyke sorte, there is none other raunsome nor satisfaction towarde God, but onely his. Therfore hée that séeketh satisfaction any where else, be it in his owne workes, or those of other men, or in any kinde of creature, & that in all, or in part, the same he or she refuseth wholly the raunsom and satisfaction made by Iesus Christe.
Of the Purgatorie and satisfaction of the Papistes. Chap. 19.
THen it followeth, that all the doctrine of the Papists concerning Purgatorie and their satisfactions which they seeke in themselues, & in their workes, or in those of their Priests and Monkes, and in their offrings and suffrages, as well for the liuing, as for the dead, are mans inuentiōs, full of blasphemies, and wholly contrary to the worde of God: wherby as much as in them is, they make of none effecte, the [Page 19] merite and benefite of the death & passion of Iesus Christ, and doe openly renounce the same.
Of the cōmunication in the benefites of Iesus Christ. Chap. 20.
NOw euē as no mā may fynde saluation, nor life in any but in Iesus Christ only, and by his meane, no more is it also sufficiēt, that he be only presented to mē, if they haue not forthwith true communication with him, to be partakers of him.
Of the faith in Iesus Christ. Chap. 21.
THe only meane to attayn to this communication,Roma. 3. [...]. 4. a c. 5. a Galath. 2. d Roma. 8. c 1. Cor. 12. a Act. 15. b Ephe. 2. b is thorough faith only in Iesus Christ, the which is the instrument by the whiche man receyueth the grace that God offereth vnto hym in his sonne Iesus Christe, by the vertue of his holie Spirite, by the whiche hée woorketh in the heartes of men, making them cleane, by the meane of that Faythe, the whiche is a pure gifte of God, propre to his true elected.
Of the iustification by faith. Chapter. 22.
Tite. 1. a Roma. 3. d. & 5. a 1. Iohn. 1. c Ephe. 2. a Philip. 3. b Ephes. 4. c Galath. 3. d Psalme. 32. a Roma. 4. aIT is also the cause why Faith is playnly called by Sainct Paule, the fayth of the chosen, and for the whiche Iustification is attributed vnto it: that honour is giuen vnto it, for so muche as man doth acknowledge himselfe by the same, such as he is of his owne nature: To wit, a poore and miserable sinner, the chyld of wrath, subiect to death and eternall damnation: Therfore spoyling himselfe of his owne iustice, and of all trust in his owne workes and merites, he dothe imbrace Iesus Christe, to be cladde with his iustice, to the ende that by it his sinnes maye be couered, in sorte, that they come not in coumpt at the iudgement of God, and so that the poore sinner be reputed iuste, as though he had neuer offended: and that bicause the Iustice of Christe is allowed vnto him by faith, as thoughe the same iustice were propre to the man to whome it is allowed.
Of the meane by the whiche God giueth faith to men, and of the manifestation of the word of God, and of the true vse of the same. Chap. 23.
SEing then that faith is the only meane ordeyned by GOD to obtaine these so greate benefites,Iohn. 17. a Rom. 10. c. 6. a Matth. 28. d &. 15. b Marke. 16 c Galath. 3. d Esay. 29. c Deutero. 4. a &. 12. d Prouer. 30. a as he onely hath giuen the same to those that he hath chosen thervnto, euen so hathe he him selfe ordeyned the meane to come to the same: that mean is the preachyng and manifestyng of the woorde, by hearing whereof, he bringeth his chosen to his knowledge: And as they obtaine eternall lyfe by that knowledge, euen so do they learne by the same, being regenerate by his spirite, to serue and honoure him, accordyng to hys holie wyll, accordyng to the whyche he will bée serued and honoured, and not after the will and fantasie of men: for the whiche cause he condemneth all seruice and all religion, that is founded vpon any other foundation, than vpon the only & pure worde: in the which he maketh plain declaration of his good will, wherfore he willeth that all men yeld true obedience to the same.
Of the declaration of the will of God by the lawe, the whiche he hath giuen to men concerning the obedience and the seruice that he requireth of them. Chapter. 24.
THerfore to the end that men shuld enterprise nothing of their owne head, in such matter, he himself wold giue them a law & rule, by the whiche he hath shewed them, howe they should rule and gouerne all their affections, and all their wordes, and all their works, to frame them all to his obedience. For the same cause he hath declared vnto them in that lawe what things were good or euill, and how much they did eyther please or displease hym, and howe he mought be eyther honoured or dishonored in them.
Of the lawe of God conteyning a summarie of the declaration of his will. Chapter. 25.
ANd to the end that euery mā mought the better comprehende all these thinges, and imprinte them the more easily in his memorie, he hath giuen a summarie [Page 23] declaration by the Law whiche he gaue to the Church of Israell, by his seruant Moyses, in suche woordes.
Hearken Israell,Exod 20. a Deute. 5 a. b. c. I am the Eternall thy GOD, who hath drawne thée out of the lande of Egypt, out of the house of bondage.
The first commaundement.
Thou shalt haue none other Gods before mée.
The seconde
Thou shalte make thée no cut image, nor likelynesse what soeuer of things that are there in heauen aboue, nor here in earth beneath, nor in the waters vnder the earth, Thou shalt not bow down thy selfe to them, and thou shalt not serue thē. For I am the Eternall thy God, mightie, iealous, visiting the iniquitie of the fathers vppon the children, euen into the third and fourth generation of them that hate me: and shewing mercie in a thousand generations to those that loue mée, and kéepe my commaundements.
The thirde.
Thou shalt not take the name of the Eternal thy God in vaine: for the Eternal [Page 24] will not holde him innocente that shall take his name in vayne.
The fourth.
Remember to kéep holie the Sabboth day, sixe dayes shalt thou labour, and doe all thy worke, but the seauenth day is the rest of the Eternal thy God: Thou shalt do no worke in the same, neyther thou, nor thy sonne, nor thy daughter, neyther thy manseruant, nor thy woman seruant, nor thy cattell, nor the straunger that is within thy gates: for in sixe dayes the Eternall made the heauen and the earth, and the sea, and all the things that are in them, and he rested the seuenth day. And therfore the Eternall blessed the daye of rest, and sanctified it.
The second Table.
Honour thy father and thy mother, to the ende that thy dayes may be prolonged vpon the earth, the which the Eternal thy God giueth thée.
The sixth
Thou shalte not kill.
The seuenth.
Thou shalte not committe whooredome.
The eyght.
Thou shalte not steale.
The nynth.
Thou shalt not beare false witnesse agaynst thy neyghbour.
The tenth.
Thou shalt not couet thy neyghbours house, nor his wyfe, neyther his manseruant, nor his woman seruaunt, nor hys oxe, ne yet his asse, neyther any thyng that is his.
Behold, these ar the very words which Moyses receyued of the Lorde, ingraued in two Tables of stone: in the fulfilling wherof, he doth not regarde the outward worke onely, but chiefly the affection of the heart, according to the whiche he iudgeth of the works, be they good or euill.
Of the Summarie that Iesus Christe hathe made of the law of God. Chap. 25.
ANd bicause that God hath bréefly cō prehended in the firste Table of the law, those things whiche he requireth of men, towardes his owne person: and in the seconde, that which he requireth also [Page 26] of them, towardes their neighboures, for his sake:Matth. 22. d. Marke. 12. c. Luke. 10. e. our Lord Iesus hath made an other Summarie yet more bréefe, in the whiche he comprehendeth in two points: all that whiche is conteyned in these two tables, in manner folowing, being taken out of the bookes of Moyses.
Hearken O Israell: The Eternal thy God is one God only: Thou shalte loue the Eternall thy God with all thy heart, with all thy soule, and with al thy vnderstanding and mynde. It is the firste and greate commaundement. And the second is like to the same.Deutero. 6. a Leuit. 16 d. Matth. 9. c. Thou shalt loue thy neyghbour as thy self. Of these two commaundementes depende all the lawe and the Prophetes. And all that whiche you woulde that men shoulde doe to you, the lyke do you to them.
Of the true fulfilling of the lawe of God. Chap. 27.
BVt euen as no man can serue God a ryght, according to his will, excepte he be well instructed first in his lawe, and in his worde, euen so it is not sufficiente to [Page 27] haue bene well instructed, if it be not put in vse. And therefore, the knowledge of the same serueth but to greater condemnation, if there be nothing else. And bycause that man of his nature is so corrupted thorowe synne, that not onely he can not of himselfe accomplishe perfectly any one of the commaundements of God, but on the contrary, can doe nothing else but continually resist his holy will: Therfore he hath néede of Iesus Chryst, chiefly for two causes. The fyrste to satisfye for man, in that wherein he is not able, to the ende that Iesus Chryst thorowe his obedience,Rom. 5. b. f. 1. Corin. 15. mought recompence the fault that is in man, thoroughe his rebellion. The seconde is, to the ende that manne béeing Iustifyed thorough Faythe in Iesus Chryste, as is alreadye sayde, and so foorthewyth regenerated by hys Spirite, and refourmed to the very image of GOD, moughte bee the better disposed to obey his holie will,Rom. 6. c. Galath. 5. c. d to dedicate and consecrate hymselfe wholly to his seruice.
Of good works which are the frutes of true fayth. Chap. 28.
IT is then easy to iudge by these things if they be well vnderstode, that so much is wanting, that the faith in Iesus Christ and the iustification that men obtayne by the same, without their workes, doe abolishe good workes, and the affection of the true and faithfull to the same, that there is nothyng that dothe more establyshe and confirme them, and that dothe more enflame men to do them.Matth. 12 c Iames. 2. c For as the soule can not be without life, nor the fire without heate and light, nor the good trée without bringing forth good frute: euen so faith can not be a true faithe, if she be not a lyuing faith: and she can not be liuing, but is dead if she be without good works, whiche are the true frutes and the true signes of faith. But to the end that none may be deceyued in the matter of good woorkes, he must vnderstande, that God dothe not estéeme, nor doth allowe for suche, any other than those whiche are commaunded by him in his worde.
Of the principall pointes conteined in the holie Scriptures, whiche doe summarily comprehend all that which is required in the true seruice of God. Chapter. 29.
THen if we shall speake of the true seruice of God,Psalme. 59. c Exod. 20. a 1. Samu. 16. [...] we may reduce into foure pointes, all that whiche he requireth in the same, according to the declaratiō whiche he hath made in his holy Scriptures. The firste is, that man put all his whole truste in him alone, awayting for all his saluation of him alone, thorowe Iesus Christe. The seconde, that he call vppon him in all his necessities, for all things as well corporall as spirituall, according to the rule which he himself gaue vnto him. The third is, yt he render graces & thanks to him for al the benefites that he hath receiued, & that he doth daily receue of him. The fourth, that he yelde himselfe obedient vnto him, in all thyngs that he shall commaunde him, as well in respect of his owne person, as in respect of his neighbor.
Of the true seruice of God whiche is spirituall. Chap. 30.
Iohn. 4 c Exod. 20. a Deuter. 5. a 1. Iohn. 1.bANd for so muche as it concerneth the substance of the true seruice of God, séeing that he is a spirite, he requireth also to be serued and honored in spirite and veritie, and not in visible things, such as are material and corruptible, as are images, alters, temples, pilgrimages, and other suche lyke superstitions and idolatries inuēted by man. For if his good pleasure were, that the auncient ceremonies of the lawe should be abolished in the cō ming of Iesus Christ, of whom they were figures to bring men to this true spirituall seruice, it is easy thē to iudge how he mought endure that men shuld forge new ceremonies, thorow great presumption, according to their owne fantasie, to serue hym after their pleasure, and not after his.
Of the ministerie of the Gospell, and of the principall partes of the same, and of the true vse of the sacraments. Chapter. 31.
Matth. 28. d Mark. 16. cFOr that cause he hath ordeyned the ministerie of the Gospell in hys Churche [Page 31] to teache all men according to that doctrine,Luke. 24. g. Matth. 26. c Mark. 14. c Luke. 22 b 1. Cor. 10. d thoroughe the preachyng of the same. Wherevnto hée hath adoyned his holye Sacramentes for many causes.
The fyrste is, that they shoulde be vnto vs for greater confirmation of the doctrine, (of the whiche, they are as the seales) and in lyke sorte of the sayth which procéedeth of the same. The seconde cause is, to the ende that they may serue vs for aduertisementes, to bring vs to acknowledge the benefites the whyche we haue receiued of him in Iesus Christ, and to communicate dayely in the same more and more, and to yelde him thankes, by the meanes of hys holy Sacramentes, euen as he hathe commaunded. Fynally, hée hathe also ordeyned them to separate vs, in matter of Relygion, from euery assemblie, and from all persons, whiche followe any doctrine or relygion contrarye to hys, and to make common and solemne profession and protestation of the Fayth that wée haue in hym, and of the doctrine and Religion whiche wée follow.
Of the obedience that all men doe owe to the ministerie of the Gospel: and of those whiche doe despise it, and of the protestation and profession of the christian doctrine, whervnto euery one is bound. Chap. 32.
Iohn. 8. f &. 17. d Matth. 26. c 2. Cor. 11. cFOrsomuche as it is so, it is certain, that God hath bounde all men to that ministerie, wherfore all they that will be accompted for true Christians, are bounde to yelde themselues obedient to the same, chiefly in thrée thyngs. The firste is, in hearing the doctrine which is sette foorth to the Churche by the meane of that holye Ministerie. The seconde is, in making cōfession and profession of the same, by the Communion of the sacramentes, whiche are as dependaunces and as the markes of Christians, when they are administred, according to the order after the whiche they were ordeyned by the Lorde. The thirde is in submitting him selfe to the christian discipline, the which the Lorde hathe ordeyned for the policie, according to whiche he wil that his churche be gouerned, not after the lawes and [Page 33] traditions of men, but according to hys pure word. The which discipline and pollicie is so necessarie, that without it the ministerie of the Church can not be honored and mainteyned as is requisite, but that of necessitie all must be there in confusion. Wherefore all those that will not be subiecte to those thinges, declare them selues to be rebells to god, & to his church, and vnworthie to be accōpted true members of the same, and true Christians.
Of the number of Sacraments of the true Christian Church. Chap. 33.
AS concerning Sacramentes,Matth. 36. & 28. c. 1. Cor. 11. e. whiche oughte to be holden properly for lawfull sacraments, he hath ordeyned two in the Christian Churche, the firste, is Baptisme, the other is the supper. The others that haue bene added to these, by the Papistes, may not be accompted for true and lawfull Sacraments, for so much as they haue no certayne foundation in the word of God, without the which no Sacrament is lawfull.
Of baptisme, and of the true vse of the same. Chap. 34
AS for baptisme, it is a sacramente, in the which the lord doth represent vnto vs our regeneratiō.Matth. 3 b. Whereof the baptisme is as the seale, and as a visible testimonie, whereby he testifieth vnto vs, first, that he receyueth vs into his house, which is his Church, and that he doth aduowe vs to be his children, and to be heires of his kingdome.Galath. 3. d Rom. 6. a Ephes. 5. e. f [...]. Peter. 3. d 1. Timo 3. d 1. Iohn. 1. c. d Apoc. 1. b Hebr 9 d 2. Corin. 6. b. After that he doth testifie to vs also that he hath purged and clensed vs from our sinnes, by the bloud of his owne Sonne, and that he hath regenerated vs as newe creatures, by his holy spirite, as the water, which is the signe of this holy sacrament, doth testifie and represente in dede. For that representation is not vaine, withoute the truth & true communication of the things spirituall, whiche it doth represente, towards those that be faithfull, which haue the instrumente to receiue them, to wit, faith, without the which we may haue no communication with Iesus Christ.
Of the baptisme of yong children. Chap. 35.
ANd albeit that the little children can not haue faith by the hearing of the word of God, as the great may, yet notwithstanding, this sacramente doth not apperteyne only to those that are of years and are capable of the preaching of the Gospell, and haue alredy made profession of their faith, or are in age to do it, but it belongeth also to their children, bicause they be comprised in the aliāce,Genes. 17. a. b the which their parents haue with God, thorough the vertue of the promise that he hath made them. Wherefore the Catabaptists and all others that reiecte litle children from baptisme, do them wrong, and do frustrate in that respecte the vertue of God his aliance, for the Children of the Christians are in no worse case thā were those of the Iewes, whome God woulde not haue shut forth from circumcision, in steade whereof the Christian Churche hath now baptisme.
Of the children that are borne dead, and of the true foundation of the saluatiō of all men. Chap. 36.
ANd although that this sacrament bée ordeyned to that end, it followeth not for all that, that we must thinke, that the little children whyche dye by the will of God, before they can receyue this outewarde Baptisme, be in any daunger of their saluation, only for want of this baptisme, forsomuche as it hapneth not thorowe contempt of this holy Sacramente. For their saluation,1. Corin 13. b. Ephes. 1. a nor that of any man whatsoeuer, is not tyed to the visible signes of baptisme, nor of the Supper, but dependeth of the onely election and grace of God, by meane of the benefite of Iesus Chryst, and of the vertue of his holie spirite: and then he communicateth this benefite to his electe, in suche tyme, and by suche meanes as please him, and worketh in them at all tymes,Luke. 1. b. Ieremie. 1. b according to his good pleasure. For he may sanctifie them euen in their mothers bellie, as he hathe done many, whereof wée haue apparant witnesse in the holy Scriptures.
Of the administration of the Sacraments and to whom it belongeth. Cha. 37.
ANd séeing that the Lorde hathe giuen the charge of administration of the Sacraments, euen vnto those selfe same to whome he hath committed the administration of his worde, then is it not lawfull for any to administer them, but for suche only, to whom that charge is giuen by iust and lawfull vocation of God, and of his Churche, in the which it is not lauful for any man, to take in hand any thing without lawfull vocation.
Of the Baptisme administred by women, and of the errour that therein is. Chapter. 38.
WHerfore they are greatly to be blamed, and chiefly women, whiche take in hande to baptise children. For the baptism whiche they take in hande to administer, hathe none other foundation but onely vppon the ignorance that is in them, of the true vse of Baptisme, and vppon the superstition wherein they [Page 38] haue ben nourished. For according to the doctrine of the Papistes, men haue thoughte that the saluation of little children hath ben tied and knit to the outward and visible Baptisme, and not to the inuisible & inward baptisme of the holy ghost, whiche inward baptisme is the true substance of the true baptisme, wherof the outward signe is a figure and representation.
Of the Supper of our Lorde, and of the true vse thereof. Chap. 39.
Mark. 14. c Matth. 26. c Iohn. 9. 1. Cor 11. c 1. Corin. 14. dAS for the Supper, it is also ordeined, first to confirme vs, and as it were to seale vs in the same the remission of sins, the which we obtain by faith in the death and passion of Iesus Christe, and the true and spirituall cōmunion that we haue by the same, with all the giftes and graces of the same. The second is, to yelde thankes vnto him, and to giue testimonie of oure faith towards him, & of our charitie which we haue towards our brethrē, and of the vnion with his Church. The third, to represente to vs by the breade and wyne, whyche are there distributed, the whole and perfecte spirituall nouriture, whiche [Page 39] wée haue by the meane of the bodie, flesh, and bloud of Iesus Christ, to the end that we maye be spiritually nourished into eternall lyfe, according to the benefit whiche we haue already receyued by our regeneration, whereof the Baptisme is to vs as a Sacramente: in the whiche wée haue in the Supper as it were a guage of oure resurrection, the whiche wée doe beleeue and wayte for. Wherfore euen as the breade and wyne be there giuen to vs visibly and bodily, euen so are the bodie and bloud of Iesus gyuen to vs in déed but inuisibly and spiritually, by the mean of faith, & by the vertue of the holy Ghost, for he is the meane by whiche wée haue true Cōmunion, and true vnion with Iesus Christ, and all hys Church, the which is his bodye, whereof all true Christians are membres.
Of the signification of the signes of bread and wyne in the Supper, and of the agreemente and difference of them, with the things that they signifie, and of the error of the popish transubstantiation. Chap. 40.
Colloss. 1. d 1. Corin. 13. d. Ephes. 1. dWE then take the breade & the wyne, not for the propre body and bloud of Iesus Christe, and the very naturall substance of them, as if the breade and wyne were transubstantiate and conuerted into that very bodie and bloud, to eate and drinke them bodyly and carnally, or to worship them as Idols, in steade of Iesus Christ, as the Papists doe: no more do wée take them only as common breade and wyne, but we holde them as very signes of that body and bloud, which were giuen for vs to death, and of the whiche we are spiritually made partakers in dede,Example. according to the testimonie which Iesus Christ yeldeth vnto vs by his word, in this holy Sacramēt: in the meane while the bread and the wine do no more chaunge substance nor qualitie in the same, thā doth the water in baptisme, or the waxe wherein the seale of the Prince is imprinted: also as the body and bloud of Iesus Christe are not naturally nor bodily conioyned with them, but only in manner whiche is proper to sacraments, that manner is such, that albeit the signe be not ye thing it selfe, which it doth signifie, yet is it not without [Page 41] the same, whiche is communicated to the faithful, spiritually in this Sacramente, euen as the signe is administred vnto thē corporally, by the meane which hath bene aboue spoken of.
Of the commemoration of the sacrifice of Iesus Christ in the Supper. Chap. 41.
ON the contrary,1. Cor. 11. e Matth. 26. c Ephes. 5. e Hebr. 5. b 7. d g, d 2. 10. b. Act. 3. d. 7. g. Ephes. 1. d. Colloss 3. a we oughte to be assured, that this holy Sacramente was not ordeyned, to make a Sacrifice, in the which Iesus Christe should be offered againe, for the redemption of soules, as well liuing as dead, but to make commemoration of the sacrifice the which Iesus Christe himselfe hath made once, of hys owne body and bloud, by the whiche he hath once bought and sanctified for euer all the children of God. Wherefore he hath ordeyned this holy sacrament, to refresh our memorie, and to sturre vs vp by this, meane to acknowledge him, and to render him immortall thanks, in waiting that in his last cōming, he may appeare from heauen, where he now sitteth at the right hande of God, vntill the last day.
Of the Supper, and of the Masse of the Papistes, and of the principall pointes wherin it is different and contrary to the true Supper. Chap. 42.
SEing then that the institution of the holy Supper of the Lorde, and the ende for the whiche it was ordeined, is wholly ouerthrown in the Masse & supper of the Papists, it is plain, yt neither the one nor the other, not only can not be accōpted for the Supper of the Lorde, nor celebrated to suche an ende: But ouer and aboue that, who soeuer will be accompted a christian, and a partaker of the true table of the Lorde, maye in no wyse communicate nor assist, neyther at the Masse, nor Supper of the Papistes, if hée wyll not communicate at the Lordes table,1. Cor. 11. e. Luke. 22. b and at the diuels table altogether. For fyrste, where Saincte Paule sayeth playnelye, that wee must shewe the Lordes death, in his Supper, and that nothing be declared nor sayde in the Churche, but in suche a toung as all men may vnderstand. All is sayde in the Masse and supper of the Papiste, in a toung which the poore people [Page 43] vnderstande not: And they doe not declare vnto them the Institution of the holye Supper of the Lorde. The whyche thyng is euen of as greate effecte, as yf there were no worde of God at all, séeing it is not vnderstoode: Without whyche woorde, the Supper can not bée the Supper. Moreouer, the signes are there so confounded with the things which they signifie, that they be all one thing: wherefore that is as much as to haue sacramēts without signes. Thirdly, the bread & wine are there worshipped as Idols, and as Gods newly made, wherein there is not one idoll onely, but two, as if the bloude were separate from the body. Fourthly, they be there also offered in steade of Iesus Chryste, in suche sorte as the masse is holden for a Sacrifice made for the redemption of soules: It is holden also for a meritorious woorke, whyche bryngeth Saluation vnto men, as doth the Deathe and Passion of Chryste.
Fyfthely is, that albéeit there be a certayne kynde of Communyon in the common Supper of the people, yet in their Masses there is none at all: For [Page 44] so much as the Préest whiche saith it, maketh his supper all alone, not admitting any one therevnto. Wherefore such a supper may better be called an Excommunication, than a communication. For there is no communication nor communion where nothing is common, and where one man alone taketh all that whiche should be distributed to al men in common. Now then if there were none other faulte in the masse but only these fiue, so muche lacketh it to be accompted the Supper of the Lorde, that not only all the true vse of the same is there wholy ouerthrowen, but also Iesus Christe is therein fully renounced, by those whiche communicate there, or beleue it. And by the same meane the vertue & efficacie of the death and passion of Christe, is there vtterly of none effecte and abolished.
Of the proofe that euery man oughte to make of him selfe, to communicate worthily at the supper, and of the things required in the same. Chap. 43.
FVrder seing that the holy supper is ordeyned to suche an ende, as hath bene [Page 45] alredy declared, none may communicate in the same, but to his condemnation,3. Thing [...]. which cōmeth not with these thrée things following. The first is, a true acknowledging and sorowfulnesse for his sinnes towards God, whiche can not be withoute true confession of the same towards god. The second is a stedfast beliefe of the forgiuenesse of his sinnes by Iesus Christe, and a true assurance of saluation through him. The thirde is a true and perfecte charitie towardes our neybor.1. Iohn. 1. b 1. Corin. 10. d. &. 12. f. For this holy Sacramēt requireth all these things for so much as it is the sacramente of the agréemēt and vnion that we haue wyth God by Iesus Christe, and with all hys Church and all the true members of the same. Wherefore it must be of necessitie, that euery mā examine him selfe in these points, that he may go to it worthily, and not to his condemnation, according to the doctrine of Sainct Paule to that purpose.
Of the penance and sanctification of the Christians, and of the true originall of the same, & of al good works. Chap. 44.
AS concerning the repentance and pē nance which is required of euery christian, the holy Scripture vnderstandeth not thereby, that whiche improperly the Papists call pennance. For they through greate abuse and ignoraunce of the language, do call penance, their satisfactions, by the whiche they thinke to satisfie God, by their owne works, and by their Ceremonies and superstitions. But the worde of God taketh pennance and repentance, for a true acknowledging and sorowe for sinne, the which true acknowledging and true displeasure do procéede of the true feare of God, and of a true reuerence and loue towardes him, conioyned with a certayne assurance of his goodnesse and mercie, and with a true amendmente of life, by the whiche a christian man doth dedicate him selfe to the seruice of God, as in time before he was dedicated to the seruice of the Deuill, to the end he may serue to iustice and holynesse, where before he serued sinne & iniquitie.Gala. 5 For in this lyeth the sanctification of man, the which sanctificatiō is the very frute of true faith, which worketh thorough charitie, as she is the [Page 47] originall of euery good worke.
Of the true and Christian confession and absolution, and of the remission of sinnes. Chap. 45.
AS concerning confession and absolution, the worde of God doth not acknowlege or receiue any such, as the Papists do make in the eare of their préests,Esay 4.3 d Psalm 32. b & 103. b. to haue absolution and remission of theyr sinnes by them. For the holy Scriptures shewe vs none other that can pardon sins, but only God. And by consequent they appoint vs none other, to whom we must make confession, for to obteyne absolution and pardon. In like sorte we haue no example in all the true seruantes of God, of any other confession and absolution for the remission of sinnes towardes God, the which he giueth not but in his Churche, and to the true members of the same.
Of the power of ministers of the Church, to pardon or reteyne sinnes. Chap. 46
AS for the ministers of the Churche, they haue none other power to pardon or reteyne them, but so farre as they vse the keyes whiche the Lorde hath [Page 48] committed vnto them, as to the ministers of his Churche, to whome he hath giuen them, and in so doing they do declare by his worde, howe the sinnes be forgiuen to those that beléeue, and reteyned to the vnbeleuing. This is the true absolution of the Christian Churche, by the which God doth ratifie, and binde or vnbinde in heauen, that which they declare and do binde or lose vppon earth by his worde, and in his name. For this power is giuen vnto them,Matth. 10. b bicause he speaketh by their mouth, and it is he himselfe that bindeth and looseth, and that dothe pardon and retayne sinnes, by that same very worde, whereof they are but ministers. This is the true and lawfull vse of the keyes, the whiche the Lorde hath giuen to his Church: the execution whereof the Churche hath since committed to the ministers, the whiche she hath chosen therevnto by lawfull vocation.
Of brotherly reconciliation. Chap. 47.
Matth. 18.MOreouer, euen as God woulde that euery man should confesse his faults, [Page 49] to obteine forgiuenesse, euen so he would that suche as haue offended,Matth. 5 d. Iames. 5. d. either the Churche in generall, or any of the members of the same and of their brethren in particuler, should acknowledge and confesse their faulte, so farre forth as the true discipline of the Churche and Christian Charitie do require, and that they reconcile themselues with those whome they haue offended, and haue done wrong vnto. For such thing is required, to repaire the slander and offence which they haue made, & to entertain the peace, the vnion, and the Christian charitie in the Church.
Of the satisfaction towarde our neighboure. Chap. 48.
THis reconciliation bringeth with it also satisfactiō of that wherin euery mā is bounde to his brother, so farre forth as he shall be able to do by Christian charitie. For albeit, that there is none other but the satisfaction of Iesus Christe only, that may satisfie for vs at the iudgement of God, yet for all that the same doth not abolish this satisfaction, which is to satisfie [Page 50] vnto men, for so much as it is a frute of the true repentance and of the true iustification and sanctification of a Chrstian man. For it is not a signe that a mā doth in dede repente him of his faulte, and of the wrong that he hath done to his brother, so long as he shall not recompence him according to the meanes that God shall giue him.
Of the Churche and of the foundation of the same, and of hir head. Chap. 49.
THis faith and doctrine, is the true faith and doctrine of ye true Christiā church, vppon the whiche she is builded, and by the which she doth communicate of al the benefites of Iesus Christe, of whiche we haue spoken heretofore.a. Cor. 12. d. Ephes. 1. d Galath. 1. d For we vnderstande by the Churche, the felowship and cōmunaltie of all the true faithful, which are the members of the body of Iesus Christe, whiche do acknowledge him for their only head, and none other whatsoeuer: but do condemne the Pope whiche maketh himselfe the head, as very Antichriste. And in like sorte they do also accompt the Church the which acknowledgeth him for hir head, not for a true christian [Page 51] Churche, but for a Sinagogue of Sathan.
Of the markes whereby to knovve in thys world, which is the true Church, and who are to be accoumpted for true members of the same. Chap. 50.
THe marks whereby men may knowe in this world which is the true church of Iesus Christ, are these, to wit, the lawfull administration of the pure worde of God, and of his holy Sacraments, and the allowing of the same, with true obedience towards the ministerie the whiche the Lorde hath therin ordeyned. I do comprehende vnder this alowing and obedience, the submission and the discipline, the which Iesus Christ hath ordeyned in his Church, and the pure and full obseruation of the same, as it hath bin obserued and practised in the ancient Churche, ruled by the doctrine of the Apostles. On the contrary, the marks of the Sinagoge of Sathā, and of the members of the same are the cōtempt & reiectiō of ye holy word, [Page 52] and of the true vsage of the Sacraments, and of the lawful discipline, which ought to serue as Christiā pollicie, in the church of the Lorde.
Of the Magistrate. Chap. 51.
ANd as the true Church doth acknowledge the ministers of the Gospell, as the true ministers of God, ordeyned by him. For the administration of spirituall things, euen so doth she acknowledge the magistrates as ministers of his Iustice, ordeyned by him for the conseruation of the publique peace,Rom. 13. a. b 1. Peter. 2. c. 1. Timo. 3. a. and therefore she doth willingly submit hir selfe to them, in all thinges for God. For she knoweth very well that God wold, that euery mā shuld be subiecte vnto them, in all things which are of their charge, and that they whiche resiste the same, resist the ordinance of God, & do set vp themselues against him.
Of Mariage. 52.
AS concernyng Mariage, albeit to speake properlye, the Christian [Page 53] Churche accoumpteth it not for a Sacrament, as doe the Papists, and in suche sort, as they hold for sacraments baptisme and the Supper: yet notwithstandyng, she accompteth it a holy ordinance ordeyned of God, and not of men, and for the lawfull coniunction of the man and of the woman, whereby God hath willed, that mankinde shoulde be conserued and multiplied. And therfore she doth allowe and aduowe it for an honorable estate vnto al men, of what estate or condition so euer they be, & accompteth the bed vnspotted, and the remedie the which God hathe ordeyned againste the incontinencie of all those which haue not the gift. Contrarily, she accompteth for vnlawful coniunction, and for abhominable whooredom and pollution condemned of God, all other coniunction betwéene man and woman, and dothe condemne as false Prophetes, and Apostates of the faithe, and ministers of Antichriste, all those whiche forbidde any manner of persone to marrie, that is capable, and in what place or tyme so euer it bée.
Of the doctrine of the Churche, and of mans traditions, and of those whiche she doth acknowledge for true or false ministers. Cha. 53.
FOr final conclusion, as the Church holdeth, receyueth and alloweth for heauenly and diuine doctrine, all the doctrine conteyned in the Canonicall bookes of the holy Bible, as well of the olde as of the newe Testament, and taketh it for the true foundation of hir Faythe: On the contrarie, shée dothe reiect and condemne all doctrine that is contrarie to the same, as diuellishe doctrine, and all traditions of men, whereby they will honour him according to their owne fantasie: For the Churche knoweth by the very testimonie of GOD,Esay. 29. d Matth 15. a Marke. 7. b that hée is serued in vain with the traditions of men: And therfore she can not acknowledge any for true ministers of the Lorde, but suche as bryng his pure worde, but dothe reiect all those whiche in steade thereof, doe bring to hir the doctrine of men.
The ende.
THE SVMMArie of the christian doctrine, set foorthe in forme of Dialogue and of Cathechisme. Of the principall cause and ende of the creation of man.
Demaunde.
WHat is the principal cause why God created man to his image and likenesse?Prouer. 16. a Esay. 43. a
Answere.
To bée honoured and serued by hin.
Of the true seruice of God.
D.
Wherin lyeth the honour and seruice that he requireth of man?
A.
In the true obedience towardes his holie will.
D.
By what meane maye wée knowe what hys will is?
A.
By the declaration whiche hée him selfe hathe made in his woorde the whiche is sette foorth to vs in the holie Scriptures.
Of the principall points wherevnto men may applie all the doctrine conteyned in the holy scriptures.
D.
Whiche are the principall pointes whereby God declareth vnto vs his will, in the holy Scriptures?
An.
We may bring them generally into two.
De.
Which is the first?
An.
The law.
D.
And the second?
An.
The Gospell.
Of the difference that is betweene the lawe and the Gospell.
D.
What difference dost thou put betwéene the lawe and the Gospell?
An.
I take the lawe,Exod 20. a b. c. Rom. 3. c. d. a. Corin. 5. d for that doctrine by the whiche God doth teache vs wherein we are bound to him, to witte, whiche is the euill that we oughte to flée, and the good which we ought to folowe to please hym according to his holy will.
De.
And by the Gospell, what dost thou vnderstand?
An.
The doctrine by the whiche God doth teach vs, by what meane we may satisfie that whiche he requireth of vs in hys lawe, and obteyne pardō and forgiuenesse [Page 57] of the offences which we shall haue committed, contrary to his holy will.
The lawe of God.
D.
What doth that lawe first conteyne, wherof thou hast made mentiō?
An.
Harken O Israell: It is I that am the Eternall thy God which haue drawen thée out of the lande of Egipte, from the house of bondage.
The first commaundement.
Thou shalte haue no strange Gods in my sight.
The seconde.
Thou shalte not make thée any image, nor likelynesse of any thinges that are aboue in the heauen, or here belowe in the earth, nor in the waters vnder the earth, Thou shalte do them no reuerence, and thou shalte not serue them: For I, I am the Eternall thy God, mightie & ielouse, whiche do reuenge me of the iniquitie of the fathers vppon the children, and vpon the children of their children, yea euen to the thirde and fourth line of those same which hate me, and do shewe mercie in a [Page 58] thousande generations to those that loue mée, and do keepe my commaundements.
The thirde.
Thou shalt not take in vaine the name of the Eternal thy God: for the Lord God will not accompte him guiltlesse which shall take his name in vaine.
The fourth.
Remember thée to kéepe holy the daye of rest. Thou shalt labor sixe days, & shalt doe all thy labours, but the seuenth daye is the rest of the Eternal thy God: In it thou shalt do no labour, neyther thou, nor thy sonne nor thy daughter, nor thy manseruant, nor thy woman seruant, nor thy cattell, nor the straunger whiche taryeth with thee: For in sixe dayes the Eternall made the heauen and the earthe, and the sea, and all that whiche is in them, and he rested him the seuenth day. And therfore the eternall hath blessed the daye of rest, and halowed it.
The fifthe.
Honoure thy father and thy mother, to the ende that thy dayes may be long vpon the earth which the Eternall thy GOD doth giue thée.
The sixth.
Thou shalt not kill.
The seuenth.
Thou shalt not committe whoordome.
The eyght.
Thou shalt not steale.
The nynthe.
Thou shalt not beare false witnesse against thy neighbour.
The tenth.
Thou shalte not couet thy neyghbours house, nor his wyfe, nor his manseruant, nor his woman seruant, nor his oxe, nor his asse, nor any thing that is his.
Of the summe of the lawe.
D.
What doth it in effect comprehende?
A.
That which Iesus Christ did comprehende in the summarie that he hath made.
D.
What summarie is that?
A.
Hearken Israel: The Eternal thy God is God only, Thou shalt loue the eternall thy God with al thy heart, and with all thy soule, and with all thy vnderstanding. This is the first & the great comaundement: And the secōd which is like to ye same, is: Thou [Page 60] shalt loue thy neyghbour as thy selfe. On these two commaundementes depend the whole lawe and the Prophetes. Al suche things then as you would that men shuld doe to you, do you euen the lyke to them. For it is the lawe and the Prophetes.
Of the corruption of man, and howe harde it is for him to do well.
D.
Is man able by his owne vertue and power to fulfill this lawe?
An.
He is so farre from it, that there is nothing so contrarie as is his will to the will of God, whilest he dwelleth in his nature corrupted with sin.Roma. 8. b 1. Cor. 2. d Rom. 6. d.
De.
What is the cause hereof?
An.
Sinne, to whome hée is become subiect thorough his owne faulte, and the natural corruption that he hath gotten by meane of the same.
D.
What may he then deserue towards God, by all that euer he may think, say, or do of himself?
A.
Death and the eternall curse of God.
Of the redemption of man.
De
Rom. 8. b. Galath. 3. dAnd is there no meane to deliuer him?
An.
There is none other but that [Page 61] same whiche is declared by the doctrine of the Gospel, of the which we haue euen now spoken, to ye which the law doth send vs.
De.
And what meane doth the Gospel sette foorth to vs, whereby to obtayne so great a benefite?Rom. 4. d 2. Cor. 5. d
An.
It is Iesus Christe the very sonne of God.
D.
How is he deliuered by Iesus Christ?
A.
By the satisfaction that he hathe made for man, in the sacrifice of his deathe and passion, and by the perfecte Iustice that he hathe wonne to him.
Of the communication or partaking of the benefite of Christ.
D.
But is that sufficiēt that Iesus Christ dyed for the sinne of man?
A.
Forsomuch as he hath satisfied the iudgement of God for them, it is requisite that the same satisfaction bée applyed and communicated,Rom. 3. d Galath. 3. b to all those that would obteyne saluation by the same.
D.
By what meane maye this same be applyed and communicated vnto them?
A.
By the only faith in Iesus Christe, whiche onely may make a christian man.
Of the Faith.
De.
What vnderstandest thou by that faith?
An.
A true and certayne trust in the mercie of god, by Iesus Christ.
D.
Which be the principall pointes that it doth conteyne?
An.
They are bréefely comprehended in this little summarie, called ye Simbole or gathering of the Apostles, by the which the faithfull do dayly make confession of their faith in the Churche.
De.
Which is this summarie?
The Simbole of the Apostles.
An.
I beleue in God the father almightie maker of Heauen and Earth, and in Iesus Christ his only Sonne our Lorde, which was conceiued by the holy Ghost, borne of the virgin Marie, hath suffered vnder Ponce Pylate, was crucified, dead, & buried, he descended into Hel, the third day he arose from the dead: he is gone vp into the heauens, he fitteth at the righte hand of God the father almightie: & from thence shall he come to iudge the liuing & the dead: I beleue in the holy Ghost, I beleue the holy vniuersal Church, the communiō of Saincts, ye forgiuenesse of sins, [Page 63] the rising againe of the flesh and the eternall life.
Diuision of the matters conteyned in the Simbole of the Apostles.
De.
What doth it comprehende in substance?
An.
We may bring the whole into two principall points.
De.
What doth the first conteyne?
An.
That whiche we beleue of God.
De.
And the seconde?
An.
That which we beleue of his Churche.
Of the fayth towards God.
De
What must we beleue of God?
An.
There are two thinges to consider.
De.
Which is the first?
An.
The deuine nature of him.
De.
And the second?
An
The works whereby he hath declared himselfe to men.
Of the vnitie and Trinitie in the diuine essence.
De.
What haue we to consider of the firste pointe touching the deuine nature?
A.
There are againe two pointes to note.
De.
Whiche is the firste?
An.
The [Page 64] vnitie whiche is in the being of God.
D.
Whiche is the second?
A.
The Trinitie of persons which is in ye same.
D.
What doest thou vnderstande by that vnitie and Trinitie in the diuine essence?
A.
I vnderstande that there is but one only God in the vnitie, of the which I acknowledge the father,Deuter. 6. a m. 28. d the sonne, and the holy Ghost, as he hath declared himselfe in hys holie woorde.
Of the principall workes of God, by the whiche he hath declared himselfe to men.
D.
And as touchyng the workes, by the whiche he hathe declared him selfe, what canst thou say?
A.
There are thrée principall, vnto whiche wée maye reduce all the rest.3. Principall works of God.
D.
Whiche is the first?
A.
The worke of the creation.
D.
Whiche is the seconde?
A.
The worke of the redemption.
D.
Whiche is the thirde?
A.
The worke of viuification and sanctification.
Of the creation of the worlde, and of the Prouidence of God.
D.
[Page 65]What doest thou vnderstande by the worke of creation?Gene. 1. Act. 17. f Psalm. 147. b. c. d. Matth 7 c. d &. 10. e
A.
I do not vnderstād only that same worde, by ye which he hath made and created all things, but also his eternall prouidence, by the which he doth direct and gouerne them, as wel in generall as in particular.
D.
Doe you meane by this, that he whiche is the Creator, is also the directer?
A.
It can not otherwise bée, but that the worlde must incontinent perish if he had left it forsakē one minute of tyme, without dealing with it.
Of Predestination.
D.
Doest thou comprehende vnder thys name of Prouidēce, none other thing but that which thou hast already declared?
A.
I do comprehend also vnder the same, the eternall predestination of God.
D.
What dost thou vnderstande by that predestination?
A.
The eternall ordinance of God by the whiche according to his good will and pleasure, he hath ordeyned before the creation of ye world, al that which it hath pleased him to doe with mankynde, to be glorified in them.
D.
What dothe thys [Page 66] ordinance comprehende?
A.
The election of the chosen, and the refusall of the reprobate.
D.
What dost thou vnderstād by the election of the chosen?
A.
The ordinance by the whiche God hath chosen those in whome it hath pleased him to be glorified through his mercie in his Sonne Iesus Christ.
D.
What vnderstandest thou by the reprobation?
A.
The ordinance by the which he hath ordeyned to leaue in theyr iust condemnation, those same in whome it hath pleased him to be glorified through his iust iudgement.
Of the incarnation of Iesus Christ and of the redemption had by hym.
D.
Matth. 1. d. Luke. 1. c. Iohn. 1. [...]. b. Roma. 8. [...]. 2. Cor. 5. d. 1. Peter. 1. c. d. 1. Peter. 2. dWhat comprehendeth the works of redemption?
A
The Incarnation of the sonne of God, and all that whiche he hath done for the saluation of man, in his humaine nature.
D.
What vnderstandest thou by the Incarnation of the Sonne of God?
A.
That Iesus Christe being very God eternall was also made man, and hath satisfied the iudgemente of God for vs, in our flesh and nature, vnited with the diuine nature.
Of the vnion of the diuine and humaine nature, in the person of Iesus Christ, and of his office.
D.
Wilt thou then say, that Iesus Christ,Iohn. 1. a. b. Rom. 9. b. Psalm. 146. 2. Iere. 17. a. is very God and very man, in one selfe person?
A.
If he were not so, he could not be our sauioure, redéemer, mediatoure and Aduocate as he is, nor yet the true Christ and anointed of the Lorde.
Of the vvorks of viuification and sanctification.
D.
What dost thou vnderstande by the works of sanctification and viuification?Rom. 8. f. Ephes. 1. a. Tit. 2. d.
A
I take it here in generall, for that worke whereby God doth viuifie and regenerate into newe life, and doth sanctifie and consecrate his electe to him selfe and his seruice, bestowing vppon them the benefites of his sonne Iesus Christ, by the vertue of the holy Ghost.
D.
Dost thou meane, that God doth presente vnto vs, his gifts and graces, by his Son Iesus Christ, and that he maketh vs partakers & capable of thē, by his holy spirit.
A.
Euen so do I meane,Rom. 5. a 1 Cor. 12. a. b. Tit. 3. b. and that he is the only meane, by ye which we may haue vniō & cōmunion with him.
Of the Churche.
D.
For so muche as wée haue spoken of God, and of his workes, there remaineth yet, that thou tell me what thou haste to say concerning the Church?Ephe. 5. f. g
A.
I vnderstand the Churche to be the companie of all those whiche are vnited and ioyned to Iesus Christe, thorowe true faith in him, as membres of his body, by the vertue of the holy Ghost, whiche is the true and very bande of that vnion and cōiunction.
D.
Vnderstandest thou that they be the true Church which are sanctified and consecrated to God by true faith, in suche sorte as thou hast euen now sayd? That is the very cause, for the whiche she is called holye and the communion of Saintes.
Of the things whiche we ought to beleeue of the Churche.
D.
Which be the principall poyntes that we ought to beléeue concerning ye church?2. Cor. 10. d &. 12. b Ephes. 1. d.
A.
We may well bring them into two.
D.
Which is the first?
A.
It is that there is a Churche, that is to say, one such companie and communaltie as I haue euen [Page 69] nowe spoken of, vnited by the spirite of God, of the whiche all the faithful, which are thorow out the world, are true membres.
D.
And the second?
A.
It is touching the benefites of Iesus Christ, whiche are communicated to this holy companie, by the vertue of the holy Ghost.
Of the benefites of Iesus Christe towardes his Churche.
D.
Whiche be these benefites?Rom. 8. c Ephes. [...] b. Colloss. 3. a. Tite. [...]. d.
A.
Wée maye againe consider them in two sorts.
D.
Howe may that be?
A.
The firste is in the possession of the same, into the whiche we doe enter, being euen here in this worlde.
D.
And the seconde?
A.
In the full enioying and consummation that we shall haue in the other lyfe.
Of the possession of the benefites of Iesus Christ in the church during this lyfe.
D.
What vnderstandest thou by the possessiō that we haue alredie in this world?Ioell. 2. [...] Rom. 1. b 10. b.
A.
That euen as ther is no saluatiō out of the Church, so al they that are true members of the same, do there find perfect saluation, [Page 70] the which we do fully comprehende in the Simbole of the Apostles, vnder the remission of sinnes.
D.
For what cause is that done?2. Cori. 5. d 1. Iohn. 2. a.
A.
Bycause it comprehendith the agrement which we haue with God, and the iustification, by the which we are holden for iust in his sight, from whence then afterwarde procéede the other benefites, whiche are also communicate vnto vs by Iesus Christ.
Of the consummation of the benefits of Iesus Christe.
D.
What vnderstandest thou by the consummation of these benefites?Matth. 25. d 1. Cor. 15. g.
A.
That same eternal and blessed life, in the which we shall liue eternally with him, in the kingdome of God in body and soule, being fully regenerate and reformed to the Image and likenesse of him.
Of the frutes and effects of the lawe, and of good vvorks.
D.
Act. 13. f. 15. & 26. d. Rom. 3. d. 4.Now that we haue spoken of faith, and of the principall points to whiche she hath regard, tell me if this faith be sufficiente, [Page 71] to saue vs?
A.
Yea in dede, if it be true,Galath. 5. a Esay. 64. c. Ephes. 2 a. Luke. 17. a Deute. 27. d. Rom. 1. a. 1. Peter. 1. [...]. Psal. 143. Rom. 3. c. d. Philli. 1. d Act. 26. d and not fayned.
D.
Nede we then not to do good works to be saued?
A.
Albeit that we can do no workes, of our selues, by the which we may deserue any thing other thā eternall damnation, it followeth not for all that, but that we be bounde to do the good works whiche God requireth of vs.
D.
Thou art not then of minde that faith doth abolish good workes?
A.
So farre of is it from abolishing them, that on the cō trary, there is nothing that doth more establish them, but not to séeke mans saluation in them.Iohn. 1 b. Ephes. 2. b
D.
Howe vnderstandest thou this?
A.
Euen as faith, which is a very gifte of God, is giuen vs, to obtayne by the same, remission of all our sinnes by Iesus christ, she hath also this vertue, that through hir, man is regenerate and made like to the image of God,Tite. 2. d. 1. Pet. 1. a. to obey him according to his lawe, where before he hath bin a rebell against him.
D.
Wilte thou then saye that faith is not true faith, if she be not declared by works which God requireth of vs in his lawe?
A.
It is fayth,Iames. 1. [...]. as the fire that is without heat and light, is fire.
Of the good workes which God requireth of the faithfull.
D.
Séeing the matter is so, tell mée then in bréefe what works god requireth of vs in his law, to testifie of our fayth, as well towards him, as towards men?
A.
Wée may comprehend them all summarily in two points.
D.
Which is the first?
A.
The inuocation of the name of god.
D.
The secōd?
A
The charitie towards our neybor.
Of the inuocation of the name of God.
D
What things comprehendest thou vnder the inuocation of the name of God?
A.
I do comprehende thrée, in taking it generally as I take it here.Psal. 50. c. &. c Ephes. 5. d Hebr. 13. c Rom. 10. d 1. Cori. 10. d
D.
Whiche is the firste?
A.
The supplication and prayer: whereby we haue recourse to God in all our necessities.
D.
The second?
A.
It is thankesgiuing, wherby we acknowledge the goodnesse that wée haue receyued of him.
D.
The thirde?
A.
It is the profession and confession of our faith and religiō, by the which he wil be aduowed and glorified in vs towards al men, as our God.
Of the sum of the first table of the law.
De.
[Page 73]It semeth to me that these thre points conteyne as it were a sūme of all the first Table of the lawe.Roma. 10. [...]
A.
If we adde therevnto faith which is the true fountaine of all these things,1. Corin. 6. [...] this summarie shalbe full and perfecte.
D.
How so?
A.
For that that it shall comprehende the manner, how God will be serued and honored of vs, as well in harte as in word and in outward works.
Of the summe of the second Table.
D.
What doth the charitie towarde our neighboure comprehende?
A.
We may in like sorte bring it all into two pointes.
D.
Which is the firste?Exod. 20. Ephes. 6. a. 1. Peter. 2. a 1. Cor. 13. b Leuit. 19. c. Matth. 7. b.
A.
The honor and obedience whiche we owe to all those that the Lorde hath appointed superiors and gouernours ouer vs.
De.
The other?
An.
The care whiche we should haue both in generall and especiall the one of the others, as of our selues.
D.
What dost thou vnderstande by this care?
A.
That we oughte with all our power to procure the honoure and profite of all men, and to let their dishonour and hurte, as wel in soule [Page 74] as in body, and goodes, and name.
D.
It seemeth to mée that thou haste agayn here made a little Summarie of all the commaundementes comprehended in the second table of the lawe.
A.
It is euen so.
Of Prayer.
D
Folowing on the same which we haue sayde of Faithe, and of the workes and frutes of the same, I haue yet to demaūd thée one thing concernyng the inuocation of the name of God.
A.
What is it?
D.
It is concerning prayer, and the manner howe to pray, which things we must vse.
A
We can not followe a more certaine rule in that respect that that which Iesus Christe himselfe hath giuen vs.Matth. 6. b Luke. 11. a.
The forme of Prayer giuen by Iesus Christe.
D.
Whiche is the forme of Prayer?
A.
Our father whiche arte in heauen: Thy name be halowed: Thy kingdom come: Thy will be done in earth as in heauen: Giue vs thys day our dayly bread: Pardon vs all our offences, euen as we forgiue [Page 75] them that haue offended against vs: And leade vs not into temptation, but deliuer vs from the euill. For thyne is the kingdome, power and glorie for euer and ouer. Sobeit.
Diuision of the matters conteyned in the Lordes Prayer.
D.
What doth this forme of prayer comprehende in summe?
A.
We may diuide the whole in two partes.
D.
Whiche is the first?
A.
The preface of the same.
D.
And whiche is the seconde?
A.
The requestes therin made.
Of the addresse of the Christians in their prayers, and of their true aduocate in the same.
D.
What dothe he teache vs in that preface?Psal. 50. c.
An.
To whome we ought to direct all oure Prayers, and by what mediator and aduocate.
D.
To whom must wée make our prayers?
A.
To God only,Iohn. 14. b. 16. c. as to our very heauenly father, vnto whom onely that honoure is reserued, and is due.
De.
And whome shall wée take for [Page 76] aduocate and mediatoure towards him.
An.
Him only by whome he is made our father,Rom. 8. g. 1. Timo 2. b 1. Iohn. 2. a. and through whome we may call vppon him as vpon our father.
D.
Which is he?
A.
Iesus Christe, his well beloued Sonne, by whome only we are made the children of God, where as naturally we were the children of wrath.
VVhat thinges vve ought to demande of God, in our prayers.
D.
What saist thou touching the request made in that forme of prayer?
A.
That it is not lawfull for any man, to desire or demaunde of God, any other thing than that which is conteyned in them.
D.
What is it that is comprehended in them?
A.
All that which man may iustly desire and demaunde, as well for the glory of God, as for his owne saluatiō & all his necessities.
A diuision of the requests conteyned in the Lorde his prayer.
D.
Howe many requestes be there in the whole?
An.
Sixe.
De.
By what order are [Page 77] they disposed?
A.
The thrée firste haue regarde chiefly to that which concerneth the glory of God.
D.
And the other thrée?
A.
To that whiche is necessary for man, as well for this corporall life, as for his eternall saluation.
D.
Wherefore did our Lord Iesus Christ in this matter obserue this order.
A.
To teach vs,Matth. 7. d 1. Corin. 10. g how we ought to frame all oure desires to the glory of God, and that we ought to haue the same in most speciall recommendation, and to submitte vnto the same all those thinges which we require of him for vs.
Of the ministerie of the Church, and of the vse of the same.
D.
Now seing that true faith, is the very foundation of our saluation, and the true fountaine of all good works, tel me nowe, how we may obtayne the same.
A.
Thou moughtest already vnderstande it, by that whiche we haue sayde, of the viuification and sanctification of the faithfull, by the holy Ghost.
D.
I vnderstande wel that it is a gifte of God, whiche is giuen to vs by the holy Ghost, but God is the meane by [Page 78] the whiche the holy Ghoste is serued in this woorke?
A.
The ministerye of the worde of God, whiche hée hathe ordeyned in his Churche to that ende.
Of the partes of the ministerie of the Churche.
D.
Mat. 18. b. c.What conteyneth this ministerie?
A.
We may make thrée parts of it.
D.
Whiche is the first?1. Corin. 1. b.
A.
The administration of the pure worde of God.
D.
The second?
A.
The administration of the sacramentes ordeyned in the same.
D.
The thirde?
A.
The conseruation of the discipline of the Churche.
Of the discipline of the Churche.
De.
What meanest thou by that discipline?
A
The pollicie which ought to be had in the Churche, to keepe all things in good order in the same, according to the worde of God.
D.
To what ende serueth that policie?
A.
It is so necessary in the Church, that without the same, the admistration of the word & of the sacraments, can not there be entertayned & conserued in his right & authoritie, as is requisite.
Of the Sacraments that are in Christes Church, and of the things that ar to be considereed in them.
D.
What callest thou sacramentes?
A.
The signes taken of visible thyngs: the whiche Iesus Chryste hath ioyned to his promises,Mat. 26. [...] 28. d. euen as it were to seale vnto vs the truth of them, and to confirme the same vnto vs.
Dem.
What thinges are there to be considered in them?
A.
There are thrée things principall.
D.
Which is the first?
A.
The worde of God,1. Cor. 11. c. Rom. 4. b. which is the very foundation.
D.
The second?
A.
The visible signes whiche are as seales.
D.
The third?
A.
The things signified as well by the worde as by the signes.
Of the things that are to be considered in the woorde.
D.
What is there to be considered in the worde?
A.
Two things.
D.
Whiche is the first?
A.
The cōmandement of God, by the whiche we are bounde to his holy Sacraments.
D.
The second?
A.
It is the promise by the which he doth aduertise vs of the grace that he doth offer and bestow vpon vs in them.
Of the vse of the signes.
D.
To what purpose serue the signes?
A.
To represente to the eyes, and to the other corporall senses, the things that are signified by the worde.
D.
What profite commeth of this?
A.
It serueth for greater declaration of them, and for a more greater confirmation of the faith.
D.
Do they serue to any other purpose than this.
A.
As God by them on his parte declareth, his good affection toward vs, aduertising vs of the good that he will do to vs. We also of our parte, do set forth and declare our faith,1. Cor. 11. e. 1. Peter. 3. d. and our harte and affection towards him by them.
D.
The sacraments then by this accoumpte, are as witnesses and solemne othes, by whome wede as it were homage to God, and do make profession of our faith and Religion.
A.
It is euen so.
Of the number of Sacraments vvhich are in the Chucrhe of Christ.
D.
How many Sacramentes are there in Christ his Church?
A.
There are but two whiche may be properly accoumpted for [Page 81] true Sacraments.
D.
Which is the firste?Matth. 28. d Matth 26. c 1. Cor. 11. e.
A.
That of baptisme.
D.
And the seconde?
A.
The supper.
Of Baptisme.
D.
What is baptisme?Tite. 3. b Ephes. 5 e. f. Galath. [...]. d Rom. 6. a.
A.
It is a sacramēt by the which Iesus Christ doth offer vnto vs the remission of our sinnes, and our regeneration, vnder the figure of the water, as he doth in déede communicate the same vnto vs by his holy spirite.
D.
Doth it any thing else?
A.
In like sorte it testifieth to vs that he receyueth vs into his Churche, as true members of the same.
D.
And of our parte, what do we?
A.
We testifie in lyke sorte, that we acknowledge him for suche an one as he declareth himselfe towardes vs, and that we beleue that he maketh vs partakers of all his great riches.
Of the Supper.
D.
What is the supper?
A.
It is a Sacrament by the which Iesus Christ doth present vnto vs vnder the signes of bread and wine, the communion that we haue with him, and with his Church.
D.
Is there nothing [Page 82] else represented vnto vs in it?
A.
The spirituall nouriture that we haue by faith in his flesh and in his bloud, whiche haue ben giuen for vs.
D
And as touching the rest, do we not there make the same profession of our faith that we do in baptisme.
A.
It must be so vnderstood, for so muche as such is the nature of all Sacraments, and one of the principall ends and purposes for the which they are ordeyned of God.
To vvitte vvhether the bread & the wine be conuerted into the body and bloud of Iesus Christ in the Supper.
D.
Dost thou thinke that this bread and this wine that are giuen for signes in the Sacramente, be the very naturall body and bloud of Iesus Christ?
A.
If they were his very naturall bodie and bloud, they could then not be the signes of it.
D.
Why not?
A.
For so much as if it were so, there should be no difference betwene the signes and the things whiche they signifie.
D.
Is there none other inconuenient?
A.
There is also this inconuenient, that if it were so this doctrine shoulde be wholly contrary to the articles of oure faith, and namely [Page 83] to that of the ascention of Iesus Christ into heauen.
Of the coniunction of the signes in the supper, vvith the thinges that they signifie.
D.
Dost thou then thinke that the body and bloud are vnited and ioyned togither naturally and corporally, with the bread and the wine?
A.
No, especially for two causes.
D.
Whiche is the firste?
A.
Seing there is question of spirituall nouriture, in this holy Table, we may not imagine here a materiall meate, which is eaten on the same table, as is bodily meate.
D.
Which is the second?
A.
It is that we shal fall into the same inconuenient, whereof we haue euen now spoken, touching the articles of our faith.
D.
Do we then receiue ther nothing els but material bread and wine?
A.
Yes that we do.
D.
What is it?
A.
The very body and bloud of Iesus Christ, signified to vs by them.
Of the presence of the body and bloud of Iesus Christ in the Supper.
D.
How may we receiue them, if they be not there, euen as thou saist?
A.
I sayd not but that they were in dede in the supper, [Page 84] or otherwise it should not be the true supper of Iesus Christ.
D.
How dost thou thē vnderstande it?
A.
Albeit that I denie the bodie and the bloud to be there naturally and carnally, I denie not therefore but that they be there giuen and receyued spiritually in déede, euen as that sacramente witnesseth it vnto vs.
D.
Thou doest not then denie the presence of the very body and very bloud of Iesus Christ in the supper?
A.
No.
D.
What wilte thou then say for full resolution?
A.
I will only say, that the manner of that presence, is not carnall and materiall, but spirituall and diuine.
Of them to vvhome the communion of Sacramentes doth belong.
D.
Seing then we vnderstande what the true nature of Sacraments is, shewe me now which they be to whome they oughte to be administred.
A.
It is easie to vnderstand by that which hath alredy bin said of the nature of them.
D.
How dost thou vnderstand it?
A.
Seing they be as seales of the worde of God, and of the alliance that he hath made with his people, and as [Page 85] a protestation of our faith towarde the same, the matter is very playne,Rom. 4. b that they belōg but only to those which vouch that doctrine and aliance, and are comprised in the same.
Of the proofe that is required of euery man in the Supper.
D.
Bycause that the supper is not administred but to such as are alredy at ye age of discretion,1. Cor. 11. f. shew me how euery man ought to prepare himself for to receiue the same?
A.
Sainct Paule giueth the rule when he admonisheth euery mā to proue himselfe.
D.
What meaneth he by that proofe of himselfe?
A.
That euery man do diligently examine him selfe, whether he haue in him the things without the which he may not worthyly communicate at the holy Sacramente.
Of the principall points vppon the which euery man ought to examine and proue himselfe.
D.
Whiche be those things?
A.
There be chiefly thrée, as men maye iudge, by the matters that we haue handled heretofore.
De.
[Page 86]Whiche is the first?
An.
It is true repentaunce, and a true acknowledging of his offences and sinnes, for the whiche Iesus Christe dyed, as he declareth vnto vs by the same holy sacrament.
D.
Whiche is the second?Marke. 1. b
A.
True faith in the onely grace and mercie of God, whiche is offered and graunted vnto vs in Iesus Chryst, and by Iesus Chryst, as that Sacrament also testifyeth.
De.
The thirde?2. Cor. 10. d
An.
True charitie and vnion towarde all the membres of Iesus Christ, as it is represented vnto vs, in that wée there eate all of one self bread, and drink all of one selfe cuppe.
Of the ministers of the Churche, and of Magistrates.
D.
There resteth nowe but one pointe, it is to witte, by whome these sacramentes ought to be administred.Matth. 28. d 16. d
A.
By those same ministers, to whome the charge to administer the worde of God, hath bene committed by lawfull order, as he hathe ordeyned in his Churche.
De.
Is it lawfull then for none other?
An.
As GOD [Page 87] hath ordeyned that there should be in the common wealth certain Magistrates and officers, for the administration of ciuile and earthlye matters, to the ende there shoulde be no confusion: euen so hathe he willed his Churche to haue hir ministers chosen by lawfull vocation, as his officers for the administration of Ecclesiasticall and spirituall matters,Ephe. 4. b. to the ende that euery thing bée there handled and gouerned by good order.
THE ENDE.
The Exposition of the Preface of the Law, set foorth by maister Peter Viret, Minister of Gods worde.
I Am the Eternal thy God, which haue brought thée out of the land of Egypt, from the house of bondage.
Questions concerning the presence of God in the mountayn of Synai, and of his voyce, and of the lawe giuen by the Angelles.
TIMOTHE, DANIEL.
BEfore that we enter into the Exposition of the Cō maundements conteined in the Law, according to our agréement, I woulde gladly vnderstande two litle poyntes of thée, which Moyses maketh mention of.Iere. 23. Exod. 19. Iohn. 4. Luke. 24.
Daniel.
What are those pointes?
Timothie.
The first is, howe that God whiche is in all places, and doth fil both heauen and earth, and is infinite, [Page 418] did descende into the mountayne of Synai: for was he not there before? The other, howe he spake in proper person, for somuche as he hathe neyther bodye, mouth, nor voyce like vnto mans voyce, if we doe consider him in his béeing and diuinitie.Act. 7. Gal. 3. On the other syde, S. Paule, and S. Stephen doe playnly testifie, that the lawe was giuen by the Angels.
Of the presence of God in general, which is common to all men and creatures, and of his speciall presence towardes his seruantes.
D.
THere is no greate difficultie in these questions. For albéeit God doth fill bothe heauen and earth through his diuinitie, yet notwithstanding for so muche as he doth not alway declare his maiestie, his power, his wisedome, and goodnesse so manifestly and familiarly in one place as in an other, the holie scripture, to condescend and agrée to our grosnesse, doth oftentimes attribute that vnto God whiche is proper to man, to declare vnto vs the more plainly and familiarly his presence and assistance. There is no dout but that God was alreadie in [Page 419] the mount Sinai, before the time that he gaue his lawe, as he was throughout the whole worlde, and euen as he is at this day: but he did not shew him selfe in such sorte as he did then there shewe him selfe to his people,Genes. 18. wherefore the Scripture sayth, bicause of such a shewyng of his presence, that he did there descend.
Of the voice of God vvhich vvas heard by men, and of his lavve giuen by the Angels.
T.
ANd what sayest thou concernyng the other pointes?
D.
Albeit that God haue no body as concernyng his diuine essence or beyng, nor voice like vnto the voyce of man, so is it (notwithstanding) an easie matter for him, to whome nothing is impossible, to make him selfe a voyce, and to take such forme and likenesse as pleaseth him, to cause him to be heard and knowen,Math. 19. Luc. 18. so farre sorth as is méete for the saluation of man, & the infirmitie of mā may endure. And also there is no inconuenient, to say that the lawe which God gaue, was giuen by Angels, for so much as God was serued by their [Page 420] ministerie in the giuing of it, and that his maiestie was not there shewed, but being accompanied with his Angels,Hebr. 1. Psalm. 96. which are alwaies prepared & ready to serue him, wherefore both the one and the other is true, to wéet, that God himself did speake & giue his lawe, and that it was giuen by the ministerie of his Angels.
Of the preface of God in his Lavve, and of the titles vvhich he giueth to himself in the same: and of the poynt that is chiefly required in that Lavve.
T.
BEfore that God did take in hand to giue his cōmaundements, he doth first vse a Preface, whiche semeth to belong onely to the children or people of Israel, as though he gaue his lawe but to them onely: the whiche notwithstanding (euen as it hath bene sayde heretofore) doth no lesse belōg to vs than to that people. Wherfore I would gladly vnderstād the meaning of it, and the causes and reasons for the which God did so set it forth, & wherein it belongeth to vs.
D.
You doe [Page 421] know well that when Kinges & Princes make any Lawes, and doe cause any statutes or ordinaunces to be published in their name, they doe accustome to put some preface to it, cōtayning their name, and the titles wherby they declare what their Maiestie, Lordship, & power is.1. Tim. 6. Seing then that God, whiche is the chiefe King & Prince of al creatures, would publishe his Lawe, was it not then méete that he shoulde declare that he was the Lawmaker, and what was his maiestie & power. And therefore did he say,Prouer. 25. Genes. 21. Exod. 20. Deut. 5. I am the lorde thy God whiche haue brought thee out of the lande of Egipte, from the house of bondage. Then is it requisite before all other things, to knowe in this lawe who is the true God, and by what meanes he may be knowen and discerned and seperated from false Goddes, & that this knowledge goe before all the cōmandements folowing. For who shall call vpon God, who shall feare him, who shall loue him, who shal put his truste in him, if that first he do not know him? and not in such sorte as the heathen doe, who although they had a certayne opinion [Page 422] that there was a God vpon whome it behoued them to call, to feare, to loue, and to honour: yet for all that they did not know who he was, nor where to finde him. And for so much as wée can not sée him, nor discerne him with eyes, nor with any other corporal sense, yet notwithstanding wée must beholde him, embrase him, and speake vnto him from the harte and frō the spirite.
Of the name Eternal vvhich is Jehoua in Hebrevve, giuen to God.
T.
WHerefore dothe he first call him selfe the Eternal?
D.
He dothe declare in the Hebrewe tongue, in the which Moyses hath writtē these things,Genes. 1. by the woorde of Iehoua the which we do so translate, what is his beyng & his nature, & that he is the Creatour of al creatures,Iohn. 1. the first & the last, without beginning and without end, and hath his being of none other but of him self: & of him all things haue their beyng,Act. 14. Esaie. 44. Apoc. 1.22. Act. 17. Exod. 3.7.23. & are come from him, and doe returne into him. It is he by whom we liue, moue, & are. Thē may he lawfully say, I am, the whiche none els may iustly say. Wherefore, seyng that he [Page 423] is our Creatour,Gen. [...]. 28.35 Esaie. 47. Exod. 3.13. 1. Cor. 4. Deut. 6. Math. 22. Gene. 2. & so by consequent our guide & gouerner, & that we haue of him our soule, body, and goodes: is it not méete that we doe acknowledge him to be our King, Prince & Lord, & render to him the homage of soule, of body & goodes, & of all things els that we haue receyued of him, to yelde vnto him perfect obedience? For this cause ye holy Scripture putteth vs in minde oftētimes of these things, & giueth to God the title of maker of heauen and earth. Wherfore it must néedes be graū ted that none other be our God but onely he vnto whom this name and title belongeth, which is that Eternall essence that can doe all things, and is the beginning, the conseruation, & the end of all things.
In vvhat sorte God is generally called the God of all men, and chiefely the God of his chosen people.
T.
WHerefore doth he also say beside that, Thy God? Apoc 10. Ionas. 1. Ezech. 18.
D.
Bicause that this first benefite is cōmon to all men, & to al creatures according to their nature, in as much as he is creatour of thē all, he addeth vnto it also this title, to make him more amiable and fauourable vnto vs: to [Page 424] the end that by that meane he may make his doctrine more acceptable vnto vs, & that he may make vs ye more willing to receyue it as the doctrine of our father,1. Tim. 2. who by the same procureth nothing but onely our cōmoditie and saluation. And therefore he doth not onely say God, but thy God: which is a maner of speach, that according to the phrase of the holy Scripture, carieth with it fauour & grace. For first, the name of God, the which Moyses here doth vse, doth signifie in Hebrewe, force, & forces, to declare vnto vs that he hath the power to aide and helpe vs, and that he is not onely God for him selfe, to witte, that he will kéepe in him selfe the good things that in him are, and not to bestow & distribute them: but that his very office is to bestow thē vpō men, to shewe him self gratious & fauourable towardes thē. When he doth ye contrary, being prouoked thereunto by their frowardnesse & wickednesse, he doth by his prophets call that worke,Esaie. 28. a straūge worke. Wherefore when he calleth him selfe the God of any people, he declareth therby that he is not only their God, as he is generally ye God [Page 425] of all creatures, as Creatour of them: but yt he is their God, not seuere & rigorous, as a iudge toward euill doers: but curteous, louing, fauourable & merciful, as a good father to his childrē. When then he sayeth, Thy God, he doth then put thē in minde of that which he spake before, that he had chosen this people as his own enheritance, & as a precious Iewell among all the rest.Exod. 34. Num. 1. Psalm. 12.10 Gene. 25. And therefore it is not without cause sayd by the Prophete, he hath done so to none other nation. And therefore he sayth by Esaie, And now saith the Lord thus, which hath created thée Iacob, & who hath fashioned thée Israell, feare not, for I haue bought thée,Deut. 4. Exod. 19. Psalm. 147. Esaie. 4.23. I haue named thy name, Thou art mine. When yu shalt passe by water, I will be with thee, & the floudes shall not swallow thée vp: When thou shalt passe through ye fire, thou shalt not be burnt: For I am ye Lord thy God, the holy one of Israell, thy Sauiour, &c.
T.
There is a goodly declaration of that which thou hast now spoken, and a very apparant testimonie.
D.
It is euen so. For thou séest that after that he calleth him self the God & the maker & fashioner [Page 426] of Israell, & the Eternall, he addeth vnto it immediatly, Thy Sauiour, whiche haue redéemed thée.
For vvhat cause God doth make expresse mention in the preface of his Lavve, of the deliuerance of Israell out of Egipte.
T.
ANd why doeth he adde yet, which haue brought thée out of the lande of Egipt?
D.
To put thē in minde of the great benefite, the which not long before they had receiued of him, and whereby he had plainely declared vnto them, that he was their God,Deut. 7.14. Math. 19. and that he esteemed them for his people, in an other sorte than he did the Egiptians, wherefore they had good occasion to thinke that so good a God and so louing a father would not set forth vnto thē any doctrine, but such as should be greatly for their profite, and that they ought most willingly to receyue and embrace the same, as well for the great good will and frendship that God did beare towarde them, and had declared vnto them, as for the right of Lordship which he had double ouer them: of their owne parte, [Page 427] bicause of their creation: on thother, bicause of the deliuerance, which was as a newe conquest, by the which he had as it were conquered them a new, deliuering them from the subiection of a most cruell tyraunt, to make them a well beloued people to him selfe, and as the first borne of all people. And therfore he doth plainly say, which haue brought thee out, Osce. 11. Exod. 4. Deut. 9. and none other, by my only power & strēgth, and not by thine owne, nor of any creature else, and to make them yet more willing, as of right they ought, not béeing contente to haue made mention of the countrey of Egypte, but he addeth vnto it, from the house of bondage, Exod. 5. to put them in minde of the great trauels wherwith they were oppressed, and to giue them to vnderstande that they had béen holden as a slaue in harde and cruell bondage, liuing in the bitter and tyrannous subiection of an other, without hauing any shewe or fashion of a people, in respect of yt which was afterward giuen thē by the lawe and pollicie which the Lorde gaue vnto them.
T.
That is worthy to be noted.
Hovv that this remembraunce of the going foorth out of Egypte, is a marke to separate the true God from the false Goddes.
D.
ON the other side, this remēbrance of the going foorth of the people out of the lande of Egypt, doth comprehende not onely the benefites which this nation did at that time receiue at the hād of God, when they were brought out of Egypt by his power and vertue: but also all the other works and wonders which he did among them, and by the which he did declare and shewe him selfe not only to be the true God, but also to be the guid and gouernour of this people. And therefore, for so muche as he can not be séene nor vnderstoode by any bodily sense, it pleased him to giue these visible witnesses and testimonies of him selfe, wherby he may be certenly séene in spirite and fayth, and discerned from false Gods: and chéefly in Iesus Christ our Lord, in whō he hath yet more familiarly and plainly shewed him selfe. Wherefore we are assured, that when we direct our selues to this God, which brought the people of [Page 429] Israell out of Egypte, which is also the very same which hath shewed him selfe in Christe,Num. 14.23. Psal. 78.106. we do not direct our selues to any Idoll, nor yet to a false God, but to the true God, who hath so declared hym selfe by his works. For what people is it that may say of the Goddes which they worship, that which we may say in déede of our God, the true God of Israell, and father of oure Lorde Iesus Christe? And for so muche as men be so vnkinde towarde God, and that there is nothing more ready and common among them, than to forgette his graces and benefites, as the spirite of God doth oftentimes lay to the charge of this people,The paschall lambe, the s [...]pper, all one in effect. he gaue vnto Israell the sacramente of the Paschall Lambe, and vnto vs that of his supper, to make vs mindefull.
Of the sundry tytles which haue bene giuen to God in the holy scriptures, as well before the going foorth out of Egypt, as after, and cheefly sithe the comming of Christe in the fleshe, and for vvhat causes they haue bene giuen.
T.
[Page 430]THis poynt that maketh mention of the going foorth out of Egypte, is euen the most harde of all the Preface. Wherfore I would gladly vnderstande for what cause God did so expresly take to him selfe this title, and that he did not rather take some other which was more common to all nations,Galath. 3. séeing that that lawe should serue vnto all.
D.
God might well haue taken greater & more redoubted titles, but it pleased him rather to vse those that were more fauourable and lesse fearfull,Mark. 13. which do set him foorth to vs more gracious and mercyfull, than sharpe and rigorous: to the ende that he would not make vs to flée from him, fearing vs with the greatnesse of his maiestie, but rather that he would drawe vs vnto him by the swéetenesse of his mercy.Exod. 19. Deut. 32. On the other side, he hath also taken the names and titles, according to the tyme, the places, and people, vnto whom he shewed him selfe, and according to the maners and fashiōs that he vsed: and bicause that he would declare him selfe more familiarly, he did take those titles that were moste speciall, to make him selfe [Page 431] the better knowen vnto vs, to the ende we should not be ouermuch discouraged, if he had left vs in an ouer-large contemplation of him selfe, without giuing any terme or ende to our spirite, to cause him selfe to be knowne to it by some benefite more particular, and more worthy of his louing kindnesse.Exod. 3. Before that departure Iacob, bicause of the promise and aliance the God of Abraham, of Isahac, and of out of Egypt, he was oftentimes called made with them: wheras before he was commonly called the maker of heauen and earth. And from the departure out of Egypte, he hath taken this title, euen to the comming of Chryst, of whom it was sayde by the Prophets, that he should no more be called, the God whiche hath brought vs out of Egypt, but, the Lorde which hath drawen vs out from al parts and countreys wherein we were dispersed,Ephe. 1. euen from the time that he was called God, Father of Iesus Christe, who hath blessed vs with all spirituall blessing and heauenly things in Christ, and hath redéemed and deliuered vs from all euill: which thing was not done without good [Page 432] and iust cause. And also we muste beside all this consider that which hath bene already spoken, to wit, that that cōmemoration of the deliuery out of Egypt, is taken for a rememberaunce of all the benefites of God towarde his people, bicause that it was the beginning, wherby he did more excellently and more apparantly declare what care he had for hys people, & dothe helpe them in a more authorised and authentike maner than he did before, and afterwarde he hath alwayes continued his mercy vpon them, and vpon all those which by Christ haue ben woon & ioined to this people. Wherin Moyses did vse a maner of speach which was very cōmō to him, which was to signifie & cōprehēd ye whole by a part therof.
Of the true knovvledge and manifestatiō of God, and to vvhat ende the titles serue vvhich are giuen to him to guyde and leade vs to the same.
T.
DEclare this to me more plainly.
D.
Thou must know that it is not sufficient for a man to haue a certen generall conceite or imagination, or opinion and knowledge of God in his vnderstanding, [Page 433] but it is méete that he do know him to be such a one as he hath declared him selfe by his word, & chéefly in Iesus christ his sonne: or else he shall wander in the vanitie of his imaginations, & shal be wt out God. For séeing that God can not be knowen nor comprehended in his diuine essence, nor in his maiestie, if we will haue such knowledge as is necessarie to our saluation, it is requisite that we goe and séeke him, & behold him there where it hath pleased him to declare and reueale him selfe vnto vs, and that by those meanes which he hath giuen vs. For if we do otherwyse, we do then forge him to be suche a one as the vanitie of our vnderstanding may imagine him and from thence it shall come to passe, that in the steade of him we shall make vnto oure selues straunge gods, which shall be no gods, but thinking to serue God, we shall serue ye diuell. Wherfore it is not inough that we beléeue that there are gods, but that there is one only god. And yet for al that this is not inough so to do, but yt also we do beleue yt this god, which is the only true god, is maker of heauē & of earth, [Page 434] and of all creatures visible and inuisible: which thing all those that do beléeue that there are Goddes, do not beléeue at all. Moreouer, for so muche as man is fallen through sinne, and that he hath néede to be restored, it behoueth vs to know also how that same God which hath created vs, is also the very same God that hath restored & saued vs, and by what meane he hath done the same, to the ende that we shoulde acknowledge him to be our onely maker and leader, father, sauiour, and redéemer, and none else: and that we should acknowledge in him the benefite of our creation, which signifieth also his prouidence, and our restoring and redēption. It is then the very cause why he hath chosen to him selfe a certen people, vnto whom he would declare him selfe in the shape of man, in his sonne Iesus Christe, to open his knowledge throughout all the worlde. Wherfore whosoeuer doth know the God of Abraham, of Isahac and of Iacob, and the God which hath brought the people of Israell out of the lande of Egypt, he knoweth God the father of our Lorde Iesus Christe, and is a [Page 435] true Israelite,Rom. 4. & the very sonne of Abraham the father of all beleuers, put in and ioyned to the true people of God.
How the deliueraunce of the people of Israel out of Egipt, was a shadow and figure of the deliuerance which is made by christ Iesus, and howe the Christian people are comprehended in the people of Israel, and their deliueraunce also in the deliueraunce of that people.
T.
BY this meane the Christians shall then be one people with the people of Israell.
D.
There is no doubt therof, for séeing that people was chosen of God to bée as the keeper and treasurer of hys worde & of his promisses, to the ende that by that same meane they shold come euē to vs, and be fulfilled in vs, & that it was the shadow & figure of true things which were brought vnto vs by Iesus Christ, there is no doubt but that wée are comprehended in the same. And séeyng that this delyueraunce from the tyranny of Egypte was a figure of thys other and great deliuerāce which wée haue through [Page 436] Iesus Christ our Lorde: there can be no mention made of the firste, but that wée ought to haue the second in remēbrance, and to giue vs to vnderstande, that if the people of Israell had great occasion to embrace the lawe whych was gyuen to them by God, and to endeuor them to obey him accordyng to the same, for the causes heretofore alleged: for one occasiō that they had so to doe, wée haue a thousand, for so much as GOD hath shewed himselfe by thys delyuerance, which he hath wrought for vs by his Sonne Iesus Chryst our God, muche more fauorable without comparison, than euer hée dyd shew himselfe to the Israelites. For albeit that both they and wée haue but one Christ Iesus, and one verye meane of saluation through hym, yet for al that, thys saluatyon hath beene muche more playnely declared vnto vs, and muche more excellentlye wythoute shadowes and fygures, and muche more familiarly and in farre greater power of the spirite of GOD than euer it was to them. Wherefore séeing the spirituall Israelites, and the true Chrystians are but [Page 437] one people, wée muste knowe that that whych hath regarde and pertayneth vnto the one, hath regard and doth pertaine to the other, in that which doth concerne the true spirituall seruice of GOD, the which God requireth, as well of the one as of the other.
Of the order and meane that God dyd kepe in gyuing of his law, and of the great doctrine contained therein: and what agrement it hath with the forme of prayer which was gyuen by Iesus Christ.
T.
I Am wel satisfied in thys poynt, and of all that which is conteyned in this preface. Wherefore let vs nowe come to the declaration of the commaundementes gyuen in the lawe.
D.
Before wée doe procéede anye further, it shall be well done that wée doe consyder what manner and order GOD dyd vse in giuing of these commaundementes, for he hath done nothyng wythoute good and iust cause, the which being knowen, shal greatly helpe vs toward ye vnderstāding [Page 438] of the matters that wée haue to entreate.
T.
I would gladly vnderstand it.
D.
God hath in thys done in manner the verye lyke, in giuyng of thys lawe by his seruaunte Moyses, that hée dyd by his sonne Iesus Christ, when he gaue vnto vs the forme and order of prayer.
T.
How so?
D.
The forme and order of prayer the whych wée haue receyued of our Lorde Iesus Chryste, doth it not séeme to thée very shorte?
T.
In déede it is not verye long.
D.
Yet notwithstandyng in thys briefenesse of woordes, our Lorde Iesus Christ hath comprehended al the vowes, all the wyshes and desyres, and all the demaundes and iust and reasonable requestes that man maye make to God, the which doe belong aswell to his glorye, as to the profite and saluation of man: and forthwith doth teach vs of whō we ought to demaunde them, & how and to what ende, and by what meanes wée may obtaine them.
T.
There is very good doctrine and in few wordes.
D.
So much the greater and more maruellous is the wysedome of our sauiour Iesus Christe declared. And besyde that, in setting [Page 439] forth these thinges, hée hath deuided thys whole forme of prayer, into two partes, whych doe euery of them contayne thrée demaundes or peticions, whych are syxe in the whole, the two partes beyng put together: of the whych the thrée that are conteyned in the firste parte, are as it were the foundation and rule of the other thrée folowyng, & doe shew to what ende they oughte to tende. For in the fyrst place hée hath set those which haue regarde directlye to the glorye of God, wythoute anye speciall consyderation of oure selues, or of anye other creature: and afterwarde hée addeth vnto them, those whych doe concerne more specially oure persons: the whych hée wyll also that wée doe direct to God for the obtaynyng of the thynges that are contayned in them, so farre forthe as shal be requisite to make them to serue to that which is conteined in the first: god hath done euē the like, when he gaue that lawe which is called by ye Hebrewes, the ten words,Deu. 4.10. folowyng the Phrase of the speache of Moyses, whych dyd so name it, bycause that it dyd contayne in summe ten commaundementes, [Page 440] which ought to serue vs in this respect, as ye ten predicaments do serue ye Logiciens, for their part. Wherfore it is not so requisite that the scholers which studie Logique, should knowe at the fingers endes their predicaments, as it is requisite that all those which wil bée accompted of the number of the people of God, doe knowe this lawe, and the commaundementes conteyned in the same. For that same very cause is it also called by the Gréekes the Decalogue, and by vs ye ten commaundements of the law. For first, it doth containe in fewe wordes all that euer man is able to doe, say, or think either of good or euyll, and all that doth please or displease him, and that he doth alow or disalow in all ye thoughtes, affections, words and workes of men: and also al that, which not only al the lawes of man & al the volumes of ye philosophers, Poetes and Orators doe contayne, concerning the manner howe to lyue well: but also all that is contayned as well in the bookes of the prophetes as of the Euangelistes and Apostles, concerning ye seruice of God, & the good manners, & the [Page 441] order howe to rule & leade his lyfe according to his will. Wherefore, the bookes of all the Prophetes, Euangelistes and Apostles, are in a manner as commentaries and expositions of that law, as well to declare vnto vs the doctrine contained in the same, as to make vs to knowe him to whom this law will direct vs through the knowledge of our owne infirmitie, to finde in him the fulfilling of the same.
T.
That lawe is then vnto vs an eternall and vnchangeable rule, to know the difference that is betwene good and euyll, and betwéene that which oughte to bee done, or left vndone, in all things.
Of the testimonyes that God in his lawe gyueth vnto vs of himself, and of his nature, and of the nature of man, and of the redemption of him.
D.
BEside al that, thou oughtest to note that God in the same doth gyue vs a certayne testimony, that he is one true God, and that he is wise, good, iuste, true, sound & perfect. For it is manyfest, that [Page 442] the order which hée hath set forthe vnto vs in that lawe, and that the difference yt is set forth thereby betwéene the good & the euill, the vertues and the vices, are not done at aduenture, but by a certayne counsell & prouidence of God. Afterward, he declareth vnto vs also that he is a iust Iudge, which will not suffer the iuste to bée ouerthrowē, nor the wicked to be vnpunnished, and that he will no iniquitie. Moreouer, in declaring vnto vs by hys law what an one he is, he doth also shew vnto vs what mans nature ought to be, and to what end it was created, and how much it is fallen away from that perfection wherin it was first created, and how farre of it is from the will of God, to the which it ought to be agréeable, and to answere and serue to that ende for ye which it was created of GOD. On the other side, hée doth playnely gyue vs to vnderstande by that same meane, of the saluation whych he hathe prepared for vs in Iesus Chryste by the meane of the Gospell. For as hée hathe not created mankinde, to dampne them all in generall: no more hath hée gyuen that [Page 443] law in vaine, but only to condemne man, as in déede it shoulde haue come to passe, if hée had not ordeyned an other meane for their saluation.
Hovv that the lavve of God conteyneth much more in substance than the wordes seeme to signifie at the first sight, and hovv they ought to be vnderstood according to the nature of the Lavv maker
T.
IT must néeds bée then, that the wordes conteyned therin, do import and declare muche more than they séeme to shewe at the firste.
D.
They do conteyne as muche as I haue sayd.
T.
There are then many whiche doe not know nor vnderstand them so well as they think that they doe.
D.
But I thinke for my parte that there be none other but such as thou speakest of: For they that mought well vnderstande and knowe them, moughte also vnderstande and knowe all the writings of the prophets and Apostles. The matter that is spoken of in the law, may not be measured, according to the shortenesse of the wordes, by the whiche it is set foorth and declared, but according to [Page 444] the substance that is therin conteined, and the nature and maiestie of him that speaketh and setteth foorth the thing. For séeing that it is God, wée maye well knowe that his spéeche and phrase is framed in a maruellous high knowledge and wisdom, and that there is no woorde nor syllable, but that it is of greate weyght and effecte, and doth importe very muche. And further, séeing that God is a spirite, and a spirituall and eternall essence, without beginning and ending, and will bée serued in spirite and in veritie, with such seruice as is agréeable with his nature and maiestie, wee may then well know, that there is great difference betwéen the nature of hys law, whych is diuyne, & that of mans lawes: and that hée is not contented to haue it in suche sort obserued, as men are contented to haue theyrs obserued.
Of the difference that is betvveene the lawe of God and the lawes of man, and the things required in these same and of the iudgement of God, and the iudgemēt of men concernyng the same.
T.
[Page 445]SHew me then what is the difference.
D.
Men are contented, if that by outwarde workes their commaundementes bée obserued, and that there appeare vnto them nothing to be done against them: but they can not deale with the iudgement of the heartes, of the affections and thoughtes, bicause they are vnknowne to them, sauing in as muche as they be declared outewardely. On the other syde, albéeit that they are declared outwardely, yet notwithstanding, they doe not condemne them and punish them cōtinually, nor many outward works also, although they be very wicked.
T.
Howe maye that bée?
D.
As well bycause that men for the moste parte, are contented to entertayne the societie of man in a certaine worldly peace and tranquilitie, as also that they thynke not oftentymes that to be euyll which is euil: or yf they estéeme it to be euyll, they think it not to be so great as it is: or if they thynk it to be great, they do mainteyn it.
T.
And from whence cōmeth thys fault?
Daniell.
It dothe partely procéede of Ignoraunce and blyndenesse that synne hathe engendred in the vnderstandyng [Page 446] of man, which is the cause that he cannot so well discerne the good from the euill, nor iudge of the one and the other, as he should haue done, if he had continued in the state of innocencie and grace, in the whiche he was created: beside that, there is this other greate mischiefe, that man doth willingly supporte that wherin hee would himselfe be supported, and that he neuer hath so great care for that which concerneth the honoure of God, as for that whiche concerneth his owne bodie: It is the cause why men doe rather punishe, yea and that more gréeuousely, those faultes whiche touche their honor or dishonor, or their profit or hindrance, than they doe those whiche make warres directly against the honour and maiestie of God: but it is not so with God: for he is not contented with the only work that appeareth outwardly, but he requireth the hearte, and beholdeth the fountayne from whence the woork springeth: which can not please him, howe faire a shewe so euer it haue, but only so farre foorth as it procéedeth from the heart, and that the heart doe please him: the whiche in déede [Page 447] can in no wise please him, but so farforth as he doth drawe néere to his nature, and that he is reformed and made new lyke to his image, and regenerate by his holy spirite: For there is no worke good nor pleasant to God, but that whiche procéedeth from him, and that he himself doth:Matth. 1 [...]. Iames. 4. Iohn. 4. for euen as there is none good but onely he, so is ther no good thing but that which procedeth frō him alone therfore ye work which procéedeth from vs, can not please him, but so farre as hée worketh in vs by his holy spirite, and that our spirite is gouerned by his: For he whiche is a spirite, is then serued by his like.
In vvhat sorte the vvordes of the lavve of God ought to be vnderstode: and hovve that God dothe not onely beholde the outvvarde vvorkes, but the origiginal of them also, & vvhat be the things that God doth allovv or cōdemne in man.
T.
SO farre foorth as I may vnderstand by thy woordes, that lawe doth well deserue to be otherwyse weyed and considered of, than it is,
D.
It is euen so. For when God dothe require of vs a thing [Page 448] that séemeth to belong to the outewarde woorke, wée oughte to vnderstande the whole by a parte: and the cause by the effecte: and the roote, and the whole herbe by the fruict: and the woorkeman by the woorke: and all the circumstaunces and dependances of the one and the other.Note. And when he forbiddeth a thyng, we muste also knowe that he commaundeth his contrarie: and likewise when he commaundeth, hée forbiddeth the contrarie of that whiche he commaundeth. For he beholdeth man thorowly, both endlong and ouerthwarte, and dothe sounde the hearte and all the thoughts and affections of him, and alloweth nothyng in hym, but that whiche he fyndeth to bée his, and hathe himselfe commaunded: and disalloweth nothing but that which man hath receiued of others than of him, & that which he hath forbidden him: Wherfore he doth not only condemne that worke whiche séemeth outwardly to bée euill, but also the spring from whence the same procedeth: & doth not onely condemne it when his frute is come to light, but he doth alwais condemn it, albeit that it doe continually lie hidde [Page 449] in secrete in the darke bottomlesse pittes of ignoraunce of the hearte of man,Psalm. 13 [...]. vnsearcheable to man, but knowne and open to GOD. Therfore Dauid sayeth, thou haste proued and knowne mée: thou haste knowne mée sitting and standing, going and commyng, within and without. For howe may it be that the workeman which made man shoulde not know him, whiche did know him before he was begotten and made? Shall not the workman know his worke?
T.
Who shoulde then know him, if he should not?
Of the consideration of those things which in dede displease God in man, and first of all in his vvorke: and in vvhat sort it ought to be cōsidered, as commaunded or forbidden by God.
D.
SEeing then that hée whyche is the workeman, and hath framed & made the substance it selfe wherof he is fashioned, and that he him selfe is the giuer of the fashion, it is not to bee doubted but that hée doothe verye well knowe all that euer is in hym, and that whyche hée hath of his owne put into hym, [Page 450] and what man hath of others to destroy his worke. Wée must therfore note here that there are in vs foure things that can not please God, and euery of them dothe in his behalfe deserue death and eternal damnation. Nowe if any one of them being taken aparte (if it were possible to separate them the one from the other) be so abhominable of his owne nature, and worthye of so gréeuous punyshemente, what may it then be when they are all ioyned togither?
T.
There must néedes be muche filthinesse: but which be these things?Foure horrible things in man.
D.
First there is concupiscence: for the seconde, the affection begotten of him: for the third, the consent of the wil to this affection: for the fourthe, the execution of the same by déede. But I will begin my declaration by this last, which is to say, by the work that apeareth outwardly, to the ende that by the same wée maye haue the better vnderstanding of the other thynges that doe goe before, which are more hidden and more secret. In this poynt I will begin by the moste apparaunt and open frute, whereby wée easily iudge of the nature of all trées.
[Page 451]For in setting foorthe firste the worke, the workeman shal not only be knowne therby, but also the forge and shoppe wherein that worke hath bin wrought. As concerning the worke, we oughte to consider it first two wais. The one as commaunded of God: the other as forbidden by hym. That which is commaunded by God, can neuer be euill, being vnderstoode in that sense and meaning that he hath cōmaunded it, and being applyed to that end that it oughte to bée. On the other side, that which he hath forbidden, being weyed in the same sorte, may neuer in any wise be good.
By what rule the vvorks of men ought to be examined, and hovv daungerous a thing it is to follovve the iudgemente of mans reason.
T.
WE ought then to be well aduised and to take good héede how we do establish iudgement vppon mans reason, and vpon the opinions of men in such matters.
D.
It is very true. For it is often times séene that men iudge that good [Page 452] which is euil, and do disalowe that which God aloweth, and alowe that whiche he disaloweth, for the causes before mentioned. For in the iudgement of god the sentence shall not be giuen according to the iudgement of mans reason, and of the opinions of men: but according to the pronuntiation whiche God hath alredy pronounced by his worde and by his lawe, which shall be the weights, the ballaunce and the rule, wherein and whereby al the thoughts, words and works of men shall be weyed and measured,
Hovv that the lavv of god is transgressed not only in doing that vvhich is forbidden by it, but also in leuing that vndone vvhiche is therin commaunded, and hovv that those good vvorks which vve do, are not able to satisfie for them vvhich vve ought to do, and do not, ne yet for those vvhich vve do against the vvill of God.
T.
THen doth it follow that whosoeuer shall do that whiche shall be forbidden of God, or shall leaue vndone that [Page 453] which he doth commaund him, the same deserueth condemnation. On the other side, he that shall absteyne frō that which he hath forbidden, and shall do that which he hath cōmanded, the same shall receiue the prayse and commendation of a good & faithfull seruaunt.Two pointes of great effecte.
D.
These two pointes that thou touchest, are right well worthy to be noted. For there be some that thinke that they haue sufficiently fulfilled the lawe of God, if that they haue refrayned frō those things which are therein forbidden, yea and if it haue bin don but only in outward apparance, withoute laying of handes with a prompte courage to those thinges whiche are commaunded them. On the other side, there be others whiche think that they may ye more lawfully dispense wt thēselues to do many things that be forbiddē in the law, whē they haue don some litle porcion of those whiche are commaunded, and thinke these to be a recōpēce for the others. But we must nedes walke in all other manner of simplicitie before god, & must put in vse yt which Iesus christ hath said: it behoueth to do this, [Page 454] and not to leaue the other vndone,Matth. 23. Note this place. for here it ought to haue better place, than in any where else. It behoueth to do that whiche is commaunded, and to refrayne from that which is forbidden. For he that commaundeth and he that forbiddeth, is alway one Lord, who will not suffer hys maiestie to be more dishonored of the one parte than of the other. Therefore, when thou dost some part of that which is commaunded thée, thinke not by that litle wel doing whiche thou hast done on the one side, to haue recompenced the greate euill whiche thou hast committed on the other side. For if thou haue don any thing wel, thou hast done thy dutie, and hast done nothing else, yea and that which more is, thou hast not done all that: howe mayest thou thē recompence the euill which thou hast committed, in doing that which was forbiddē thée, by this litle good which thou hast done, when that same it selfe is not sufficient to satisfie for the faultes whiche thou haste committed, in the leauing of that vndone which thou oughtest to haue done?
T.
I do know that very well.
Hovv that it is not sufficient to do outvvardly the vvorks vvhich God commaundeth, if that they be not done to the intent and to the very same purpose for the vvhich God doth commaund them, & hovv greatly hypocrisie displeaseth God.
D.
ON the other parte,Note this counsell thorough out. when thou doest the worke which god commandeth, thou must take good héede to what ende thou doest it, and with what minde. For if thou do it more for thine own glory and profite, & for thine owne behoofe, than thou doest for the honoure of God, and for the loue thou bearest to him, or to thy neyghboure for his sake: thou makest of a good worke an euill worke, and doest greatly offend him thorough thy hypocrisie, abusing his name, & making a maske of his lawe, to serue thée and thy wicked affections. And therefore such a worke is no more a worke of the spirite of God: for so muche as it is not done in truth, but in lies. For al hypocrisie is lyes, for somuch as it is nothing else but falshod, fayning, [Page 456] and dissimulation, whiche hath an other shewe outwardly, than the troth of the thing hath inwardly. Now al lyes procéed from the deuill. The worke then which is done in lyes, is of the deuill, and not of God. Wherefore it cannot muche better please God, than doth the troth which the deuill speaketh to couer his lies with, and to transfigure himselfe into an Angell of light: and that all the works do that euer he doth, howe faire a shewe so euer they haue, although God do make them serue to his glory. For his intente is alwayes wicked, forsomuch as he neuer doth thing but for himselfe, and hath regard neyther to the honour of God nor to the profite of any creature, wherfore he is neuer more perilous, than when he hath the greatest shew of well doing, for then it is that hée doth most dishonor god, and doth greatest hurt to men, bycause he is more couered and disguised, & more harde to be knowne and to be taken vpō the sudden: wherfore those whiche call this deuill that is so disguised, a white deuill, are not voyd of reason. Therefore the false Prophets are neuer [Page 457] more dangerous, than whē they haue the greatest shewe of holynesse, & do most counterfaite the true seruauntes of God: the like is of al hypocrites. The good work whiche he semeth to doe,Math. 23. [...] Luke. 10. is often tymes worse than thogh it were set forth plainly suche as it is. It is the very cause why Christe did condemne the almes, prayers and fastings of the Scribes and Pharisies, and all their other works, forsomuch as they did them only to be séene of men.
VVhat good or hurte the vvorke doth that is outvvardly done, & not vvith a good hart, & vvhat it may bring to the vvorker of the same, & also to others, and vvhether it be better that it be done or vndone.
T.
IF the matter be such that the worke it selfe which God commaundeth cā not please him, if it do not procéede from such a harte as he requireth, but doth rather displease him, it followeth then, that if a man haue not such an harte, he dothe not onely léese his time in doing of suche a worke, but he doth also purchace to [Page 458] himselfe a more greater iudgemente.
D.
There are also two pointes to be considered in this matter: if that the man that doth this worke, doth it thoroughly of a very malice and to suche ende as the Deuil doth his, to witte, to dishonor God, and to deceiue mē, and to hurte his neyghbor, it were much better that he did nothing at all, for his worke can do but hurte, and more to himselfe than to any other: if hée do it not in déede for so euil a purpose, but onely to haue some worldlye honoure or profite, the worke is then yet somewhat more profitable in sundry sortes, as well to himselfe as to others, according to the circumstaunces of the same, than if it had not bin done at all, or else if he had done those works whiche God hath forbidden. For first of al, those that sée such a worke, are edified, in somuch as they sée it to bée good of his owne nature, and doe thinke, that it procéedeth from such an harte as it sheweth for outwardly: on the other side, if it be a worke whereby thy neyghboure receyueth any comforte or helpe in hys person, it is then so muche the more profitable. [Page 459] Wherefore, albeit that the worke be not such as God requireth: yet forsomuch as it serueth somewhat to the glory of God, and to the edification of our neyboure, God is so good that he will not suffer it to be vnrecompenced.
T.
What recompence will he then giue him?
D.
That whiche the worker requireth: he desireth glory among men, and his particular cō moditie, which things he doth often times receiue for his hire, which extend no further than his life: for he hathe no further regard at all.Matth. 6.
T.
By this accoumpte then thou wouldest conclude that it were better yet that a man should assist the worde of god and his Church, and also the poore, and that he should do such like works, although that his harte were not throughly such as it ought to be, rather thā to do nothing at all, or to the contrary, so that he do it not in any wise to the intente to dishonor God, and of a determinate purpose, or else rather to hurte his neyghbor, than to profite him.
D.
It is true, for we haue in the holy Scriptures many examples, whiche declare that God hath often [Page 460] times in this worlde done greate good to many that haue not had suche hartes as they ought to haue had, bycause that their workes did serue somewhat to his glory, and to the reléefe of his people.
In vvhat sorte the harte of man maye fulfill the lavve of God or no, and may be condemned, or absolued by the same, vvithout the vvorks which god requireth of him in the same.
T.
SEing that the worke which séemeth to be good, cannot please God, but so farre foorth as the hart from whence they do procéede doth please him, and that the harte doth make the worke to be accepted or refused at his hande:Foure demaunds. I do firste aske thée, if GOD can contente him selfe without the worke with the harte alone? The other is, if the worke which of him selfe is euill, may please him, or else may be suffered by him, when he that doth it, doth it not for any euill purpose, but doth it of force against his harte, or else bicause [Page 461] he thinketh it not to be euill? The thirde, to know in déede if GOD do condemne the wicked thoughte, although it be not put in execution, and whether it doe as muche displease him as if the effect were ioyned with it.
D.
As touching the firste, it is sure that if God haue the harte of man, he hath the whole, therefore it cannot be but that the harte doth offer and presente vnto him the worke that he requireth of hym, wherefore the worke may not be separated from the harte, no more than the frute from the trée:Psalme. 1. Matth. 12. for euē so as the good trée neuer fayleth, to bring foorthe hys frute in his due time and season, so doth the good harte at all times and in all seasons that GOD requireth it, if he do it not, the cause is for that hée wanteth meane to do it, and also power, or else that he hath not a will to do it, if he haue a will, and haue no power and meanes to do it, that wyll béeing good, God dothe accepte, and estéemeth it as well as if the facte were done. The lyke dothe hée also, if the wyll be wicked, [Page 462] albeit that it haue not ye power to put his wicked thought in execution. Wherfore the wicked worke doth not only displease God, but also the wicked will and affection, in sorte that if it do procéede so farre that it is not long of hir that she doth not execute hir euill purpose, and that there is nothing doth hinder it, but want of power, there is no doubte but that God accompteth the wickednesse done. For that cause our Lord Iesus Christ, and Sainte Iohn following his doctrine,1. Iohn. 3. Matth. 5. doth compare to a murtherer him that hateth hys brother, and estéemeth him an adulterer that behouldeth an other mans wife, coueting hir. We must vnderstand the like of all other vices, according to the interpretation that oure Lorde Iesus Christe himselfe, and after him his Apostles, gaue vs of the lawe of God: but if the hart had the meane & the power to do that whiche was commaunded him to do, and hathe not only lefte it vndone, but hath also not employed him selfe by al meanes possible to vse those occasions wherby he mought do them, it is a certaine testimonie and an [Page 463] assured signe that it is not good, and that there is no good will in it: for if it were good, & that the will were such as it ought to be, it should not be more desirous of any thing, than to yeld vnto God that obedience, honoure and seruice, which is due vnto him, and that he requireth of hym, wherefore God cannot be pleased wyth such an hart, for it is fayned and vntrue.
Hovve that men do glory in vayne of their good harte and of their faithe, if their vvorkes beare not vvitnesse of it, and for vvhat cause the iudgement shal be giuen by God according to theyr vvorks, and vvhy the Prophets do so ernestly require them, exhorting the people of God to repentaunce.
T.
WE do then in vayne glory of the hart, if the worke beare not good witnesse of the same.Iames. 2. Here must be greate iudgemente vsed.
D.
Yea as well as of the faithe. Wherefore we may well here saye with Saincte Iames: shewe me thy harte and thy faith, by thy workes, for as the faith that is without works is not a [Page 464] true faith, but onely a vayne and fayned faith, and dead, and a false shewe of faith, hauing nothing of true faith sauing only the name without the effect: no more doth the harte liue to God, nor is dedicated vnto him, that doth not declare himselfe by good works. For the fire, how litle soeuer it be, cannot be without light & without heate, and at the least without some litle smoke, for this cause, in the manner of Gods iudgement, which is set foorth to vs by our Lord Iesus Christ, there is in manner no mention made, but onely of works by the which euery man is iudged forsomuch as they shall beare witnesse of the harte and faith of euery man. Likewise when the Prophets exhorte men to true repentaunce, they doe euer prayse works, and namely suche as do concerne our neyghboure, forsomuche as hipocrisie may least be therein cloked, and that mā doth declare by that whiche he doth concerning the commaundements of the second table, and toward his neyghboure, what harte he beareth toward God, and in what reuerence he hath the commandements [Page 465] of the first table, for it is an easie matter for a man to boast himselfe to haue a sound and perfecte harte towarde God, and to make a shew by the obseruation of the outward ceremonies, but whē he must in déede lay hande to the worke, which is to say, to the true charitie, which is the ende and fulfilling of the lawe,Timo. 1. and to the workes of the same, whiche are the chiefe that god requireth:1. Ioh. 3.4 thē is the hypocrisy of the hart séen. For that very cause S. Iohn saith, yt mā which hath the goods of this world, & shal sée his brother in néed & shal shut vp the bowels of his cōpassion frō him, howe dwelleth the loue of god in him? And agayn, if any say, I loue God, & yet doth hate his brother, the the same is a lier: for he yt loueth not his brother whom he hath séen, how may he loue god whom he hath not séen? And we haue this commādemēt of him yt he which loueth god do loue also his brother. S. Iohn doth declare plainly by these words, that a mā may in no wise better know of what affectiō the hart of mā is toward god, thā by ye which he sheweth toward his neybor & brother, which is ye child of god & bereth his image [Page 466] as he doth, and that there is not a meane more méete to discouer the hypocrisie and dissimulation of mans harte, than it. For a man may by the good will that is borne to the father, iudge what good will there is borne to the sonne. And therefore, the Prophets do often times vse these arguments, to vanquish the wicked hipocrits: and also our Lorde Iesus Christe, in that forme of iudgemente, whereof we haue alredy spoken, declareth that he estéemeth all that to be done to himselfe, that hathe bin don to his, be it good, or be it euill. And by this maner of procéeding, he doth right well declare that whereof we haue alredy spoken, for when he doth rebuke and reproue the hypocrites & the reprobates,Matth. 25. that he hath bin forsaken and euill handled by them, they answere forthwith, and aske when that was done, as though they did not know of it: Wherein they do plainely declare that they wold haue the name to beare a great good will to Iesus Christ, and to do their duty toward him: but he doth vanquish them of the contrary, by the tokens which they haue shewed [Page 467] towarde his poore members, in whose person he complayneth to haue bene forsaken and euill handled: as he doth complayne that he was persecuted by Saule,Actes. 9. in the persecution which he vsed agaynst the Christians.
Hovv that the dissimulation and fayning of mans harte is declared by the transgression of the Lavve of God: and hovv there is neither ignorance, nor constraint, nor any reason, vvhat so euer it be,No [...]. that can excuse him.
T.
I Thinke also that this be one of the principall causes why God doth set foorth rather the worke than any other thing in that lawe, to the ende that we should not be deceiued vnder the cloke of our heart.
D.
The matter is playne. For as the heart can not be boasted of to bée good, excepte the mouth confesse it, and that he do declare by works the faith and charitie whereof he will so glory, it can not be execused, but that it is wicked and by consequent displeaseth God, when he doth a wicked worke that is forbidden [Page 468] by God, for either he doth it through ignorance, or else of a certen knowledge: if he do it through ignoraunce, it is an assured signe that the heart of his owne nature is wicked: For if it were not wicked, it could not beare suche fruite by any meanes, nor also could it by by any meanes ignoraunt of the will of God, for the ignorance is a witnesse of the darknesse which sinne hath engendred in the vnderstanding of man, and of the contempt of god, and what negligence there is in man in searching to know the wil of God, as it hath bene alredy more largely touched in an other place. If he haue done it of knowledge, what can he alleage? May he alleage that he was enforced to do it, and that he did it by compulsion? But by what compulsion? If this reason were sufficient to excuse the sinne of man, there should be no sinne but should séeme worthy of excuse: for so muche as it séemeth that there is none but it is cōmitted by constrainte, considering that man is so corrupted by the meanes of sinne, and so made subiecte to the diuell through the same, that of his nature he can do nothing but sinne. Wherefore sainct Paule [Page 469] dothe say,Rom. 7. that he can not do the good whiche he woulde doe, but he dothe the euyll which he woulde not doe, bicause he is a sinner, and slaue to sinne, and solde vnder the same, which doth engēder in his members a lawe, repugnant to the law of god. For the like also sayeth our Lorde Iesus Christe, he that sinneth,Iohn. 8. is seruaunte to sinne.
Hovv sinne can not be but voluntary, and hovv difference must be put in this matter, betvveene constraint and necessitie, and in vvhat signification they ought to be taken in this case.
T.
BY this accompte sinne shoulde then be no sinne, for it should not then be voluntarie. And it is commonly saide, that euery sinne is voluntary, or otherwyse it séemeth that it shoulde deserue no punishmente.
D.
There are many thinges to be considered in this matter. The first is, that it behoueth to put difference betwéene necessitie and constraint. For by wanting this distinction, many doe very filthily erre in the matter of frée will, and of predestination, and in the consideration of the nature of sin. For to speke properly, [Page 470] we may say that we do all sinne of necessitie and not by constraynt.
T.
What difference puttest thou then betwene necessitie and constraynt? for they séeme to me to be both one.
D.
Yea, but there is notwithstanding great difference, but it is requisite for the better vnderstanding of it, that we doe firste well consider in what meaning and in what signification these words ought to be taken. First of al, this worde of necessitie, is commonly for want of some thing whereof we haue néede, in such sort that we do oftentimes take it for lacke, pouertie and miserie, but we do not properly take it in that sense, when we do speake of the necessitie whereby man is brought to sinne by meane of the naturall corruption that is in him: but so farre foorth as we may say that he sinneth by necessity, that is to say through defaulte and lacke of goodnesse, iustice, innocencie, holinesse, and other vertues and giftes and graces of God, wherof he hath ben spoyled through sin, vnto whom he was made subiect.
T.
In what signification doste thou then take this worde in this matter?
D.
I do take [Page 471] it for a necessarie consequent which followeth of causes that are ioyned togither with their effectes, which can not be others, but such as are agreable to the nature of the causes and things which are so ioyned togither, and do depend the one of the other.
T.
Giue me an example of this that thou speakest of.
D.
Behold the Sunne, his nature is to shine, and by his light to make the day for vs, I say then, the sunne shineth, it is therefore day of necessitie, that is to say, it must néedes be day, and it can not be otherwise, for such is his nature, and therfore of necessitie he muste bring foorth suche an effecte of his owne nature, without any constraynt or violence at all, bicause that he hath that cause naturall in him selfe. But there where constraynt is, there is some force and vnolence that commeth from else where, than from the thing that is enforced and constrayned: as if a woman be violated by force, she ought not to be accounted a whore, in suche sorte as we doe accounte hir, who willingly consenteth to the whore master: we doe then sinne all necessarily and of necessitie, in [Page 472] so muche as it is not possible that of our nature it shoulde doe otherwyse, it beeing corrupted as it is, and béeing not regenerate by the spirite of God: and that by meane of the naturall corruption which sinne hath engendred in all mankinde. And yet for al that, none constraineth vs but onely our owne malice and wycked will, which béeing wicked, can applie it selfe to nothing but to euill. Therefore it is not without cause saide:Osee. 13. thy perdition is of thy selfe, O Israell, but thy saluation is onely by me. It dothe then followe that our wicked will dothe euill of necessitie, for so muche as it is of a wicked nature, that can doe none otherwise, as we say, that an euil trée doth necessarily bring foorth euill fruite, bicause that his nature is suche.Matt. 7.12. For as it is written: that which is borne of the fleshe, is fleshe, and that whiche is borne of the spirite, is spirite. But nowe the will should not be a will, if it did not willingly,Iohn. 3. and not by constraynt, for will and constraint are contraries, wherfore wil ceaseth where constraint hath place: yea and it is not possible that will may be constrayned: it [Page 473] may in déede be corrupted and chaunged from good into euill, or else from euill to good. Wherefore euen as a good will dothe necessarily that which is good, bycause it can not otherwyse doe, béeing good, as the good trée of necessitie bringeth foorthe good fruite, and yet doth she it not by constrainte, but voluntarily: euen so dothe the wicked will, for so muche as it is wicked, necessarilie the euill, bicause that his nature is suche as can not otherwyse doe, and yet dothe it not at all by constraynt, but voluntarily, for there is no force nor violence from any where else that dothe constrayne hir agaynst hir owne disposition or inclination, but onely in so much as she hath in hir the spring and the cause from the which the euill which she dothe, procéedeth.
Examples and similitudes for declaration of the difference that is put betweene Necessitie and Constraint.
T.
[Page 474]I Can not yet throughly well vnderstand that difference.
D.
I wil make the matter more playne vnto thée by examples and comparisons. The fire doth necessarily warme and giue light, bicause that it can not otherwise do, in so muche as the nature of it is suche: and yet is it not constrayned so to do. The water on the contrary, abiding in his natural, doth refresh and make moyst. By the like reason, a liuing body hath breathing and respiration, mouing and féeling, and can not otherwise be. On the contrary, a dead body is depriued from all these things, and may necessarily engender nothing but corruption: and yet for all that is there no constraint, neither in the one nor in the other, onlesse we do cal the nature of any thing constraint.
T.
For so much as in maner all these similitudes are giuen of things that haue no will, shewe me some others more méete for our purpose.
D.
I will so do. We may not doubt but that God is necessarily good, iuste, wise, holy, almightie and perfecte, for he can be none other, nor do any thing but that which is godly, iustly, wisely and [Page 475] holily done, and yet can he in nowise be constrained. In like sorte the Angels, for so much as they be Angels, and doe continue still in that nature, wherein they were created of God, they can not necessarily doe any other thing, but prayse God, and serue to his glory: for if they did the contrary, they should be no more Angels, such as they were created by God, but they should be Diuels, like vnto their felowes, which are fallen from their first state: And further, if they did that which they do by constraint and not willingly, thē should they haue no praise with God, nor should be any more accepted, than is the Deuill, for the good which he is constrained to doe, for so much as God dothe turne will he nill he, his wicked will, & also his wicked workes, making them to serue to his glory: on the other side, the Deuill being suche as he is now at this present, fallen from the Angelicall state, wherein he was created of God, can necessarily doe nothing but euill, and dishonour God, for if he should doe otherwise, he should be no more a Deuill, and yet surely he doth not that which he doth of [Page 476] cōstraint, but volūtarily: For who should constraine him to do euill? should God so doe, who hath forbidden & condemned it, & can doe nothing but that which is good? it is very true that there is none other cō straint, but only of his owne wicked wil, whiche hath as great delight in doing euill, as that of the Angels of heauen hath in doing well: But the like is not in the doing of the good that he doth: for in that he doth nothing but by cōstraint, and that whiche is alwaies euill, in so much as it procéedeth frō him: & cā not be good, but so farre forth as God through his power & infinite goodnesse, will he or will he not, doth draw out goodnesse of it, & maketh it to serue to an other end, thā to that whervnto the Deuill did pretēd.
T.
I do now begin already to discerne more perfectly in this matter, than I did before.
Of the free necessitie to do vvell, that vvas in man before sinne: and of the necessitie to doe euill, vnconstrayned notvvithstanding, into the vvhich he is fallen through the same, and in vvhat meaning this vvord of necessitie ought to be taken, vvhen it hath regard to good things.
D.
[Page 477]WE may easily vnderstād by these exāples, what we may iudge of mā, cōcerning this matter wherof we doe now intreat. For after yt mā was created by God, in so much as he was created of God, good, iust, & holy, he did necessarily & willingly all yt wherfore God had created him: For seing yt God had created him good, as he did all his other creatures, it was naturall for him to do well, & continuing in the same, being ioined to God: & hearing his voyce, he coulde none otherwise do. For in as much as his will was good, he could not will, nor yet do, folowing that good will, but yt which was good: but when he once gaue eare to the coūsel of ye deuill, & chaūging both his will & nature, by folowing of him is fallen into an other necessitie wholy cōtrary to ye first: For in the stead yt before he did necessarily good, & was wholy giuen to God, for that of his nature he coulde not then will nor do otherwise, through constraint, hauing changed both nature & will, he can not but folow his nature: wherefore this necessitie of wel doing, did not procéede of any wāt yt was in him, as it séemeth vnto [Page 478] vs that the woorde doth signifie, for when wée speake of good things, we doe not in that behalfe take necessitie, for néede or lacks, but for a dispositiō of things which cā not be other but such as she is hir self, according to the declaration that hath bene already made: if wée speake of euill, wée may well then say that the necessitie whereof wée speake, is ioyned with lacke of goodnesse, contrarie to this euill. For the euill which man doth, is not done but for wante of goodnesse which ought to be in him in the steade of the euill into the which the good was chaunged: the which euill of his nature engēdreth euill, where as the good engendreth good: Wée sée the like againe of this in some other thing, as in the darkenesses whiche the night doth bring vnto vs, & in that which foloweth: for what is the cause of the night, but only the shadow of the earth whiche taketh from vs the light of the sunne, & bringeth vnto vs darknesses, cōtrary to that light? by meanes whereof we haue the day turned into night, and then when we are couered all ouer with the night, we can not doe that which we doe in the day, nor go [Page 479] forth right but clean contrarie: and that, bicause that wée haue darknesse in the steade of light, without the which we can not walke directly, & yet all this while, is the necessitie without constraint: For albeit that the lacke which may be in a mā (the which we cal necessitie) be by chaūce an occasion to make him to steale, yet notwithstāding he cannot iustly say that he was constrained to steale, for if he had bene an honest man, and not a théefe, he would rather haue endured all kinde of miseries & necessities, than to haue stolen: but for so much as he had rather liue at his ease, than he would endure paine & misery according to the will of God, he had rather steale than to obey God.
Hovv that the necessitie that is here spoken of, is free and commendable in good things: and hovv it ought to be othervvise considered in God than in Creatures.
T.
THen by as much as I can vnderstand of such matters, if this necessitie be sound in a good thing, it is cōmendable [Page 480] & ioined with great libertie.
D.
We doe sée it in the nature of God, as it hath bene already touched. For yt which God can not bée necessarily but all mighty, all wise, all iust, all good, & al perfect, infinite, eternal & immortall, doth not carrie with it a necessitie of lacke, nor constraint, nor yet doth in any respect diminish ye power, the glory, & maiestie of him, but on the cō trary it doth magnifie & declare the great excellencie & perfection of his nature. For it is not a true libertie & cōmendation to be able to sinne & to doe euill: but it is a token of an excellent nature to be so perfect in goodnesse, that it doth holde in it cō tinually that goodnesse which it naturally hath, in such sorte that it cā not by any accident whatsoeuer it be, be chaunged, diminished or abolished, it is as if we shold say, that it is impossible that God should not be God, & good, and iuste. Who would not cōclude thē by that same, that God is not all mighty, & that there is something impossible to him. Are we more stronge than he, bicause we may be wicked, vntrue, vniust, & liers, ye which he cā not be? For goodnes is in him a thing which hath [Page 481] subiect & substāce, & the accidēts agreable to the same, as we do sée in the sunne & in his light, which doth light all the world: for the euil is nothing els, but a priuatiō, lacke & want of ye good which ought to be, euen as the darkenesses are nothing els than priuation & lacke of light. Or if thou haddest rather to haue it spoken in other termes: it is nothing but a corrupted qualitie & a vicious accident, which are come vpō a good substance & creature of God, & haue corrupted it: the faute whereof may not be sought in God, albeit that nothing cā come to passe without his prouidence & his eternal counsell: but it must be sought in causes more neare vnto vs, leauing a parte the secrete counselles & iudgments of God, which is in such sorte the cause of causes, yt no fault may be imputed vnto him, or that he cā do any thing other than iustly. For he hath in such sort disposed ye secōd causes, that when ye euil is a doing, the wicked will either of the Deuill or man, cōmeth betwéene, in such sorte that that fault resteth in thē, albeit that God doth cause their wicked worke and will to serue him, and make the worker good, [Page 482] in so much as God is serued therewith. As touching the reste, thou oughtest to note, that there is none which of his own nature is of such an vnchaungeable and infinite goodnesse, but God only, which is onely vnchangeable, and the most frée of all others, and doth giue a law to al creatures, & is aboue all lawes, himselfe being a lawe to all creatures. For the same cause our Lorde Iesus Christe hath saide that none is good,Matth. 19. but the onely God: bicause that goodnesse is to him naturall, essentiall and substantiall, and it is inseparable with him, and not accidentall and separable, which may be ioyned vnto him, or taken away from him by any manner of meanes: But the like is not of creatures how excellent so euer they be: as we may sée first in the Angels, and afterwarde in man.
T.
I shall also very gladly vnderstand this point.
Of the creation and fall of the Angels, and hovv that God in the same hath declared the difference that is betvveene the Creator and the Creature, and hovv it is onely he that is perfect and vnchaungeable.
D.
[Page 483]WHen he did create the Angells he created them all good: for he could make them none other, for somuch as he is in suche sorte good, that he can do nothing but well: otherwyse he shoulde not be God. Wherfore we may not imagine two Gods, with the Manichees, the one good, and the author and Creator of good things, and the other euill, and the author and creator of euill: For the euill can not bée God, nor any other than the deuill himselfe, which is a creature, and not a Creator, although he be the author of all euill: who notwithstandyng was not created suche an one of God, but is become suche of his owne malice, when he turned away from God, and renounced the goodnesse that he receyued of him. Wherin he hathe shewed the difference that is betwéene the creator and the creature, and betwéene the nature and goodnesse of the one and the other. For if God had created the Angels of such perfection as he is, and of a goodnesse so vnchangeable of his nature, that it coulde neuer haue ben changed into malice, no more thā his own nature & goodnesse mought, [Page 484] what difference should there be betwéen God & his angels? The creature by this mean should be no more a creature, if his nature wer such as is ye nature of his creator, but he should be very God, which it can not be. For ther is nothing yt may be both maker & creature, vnles we will attribute ye same to our lord Iesus Chryst, who béeing very God & very man in one only person is both maker & creature togither:Iohn. 1. Luke. 1.2. Matth. 1. Maker, inasmuch as he is God eternal: & creature, in that yt he is mā, which was cōceiued in ye wombe of the virgin, & born in his time ordeined by god: but this belōgeth vnto him by sundry respects, by meane of the two diuers natures yt ar ioyned togither in one person in him. Wherfore, although he be both the one & the other in one very person, yet is he not so in one nature, but creator, by reason of the one: & creature by mean of the other: but ye like is not of angels: for as they haue but only one nature, so may they be therein but very creatures, greatly differēt from their creator, as the fall of those yt are fallen, hath plainly declared: For in falling frō the state wherin they wer, they haue [Page 485] shewed in déed that they were not such of themselues, nor Gods vnchaungeable of their owne nature, & that they could not so continue of their owne power.
Of the maruelous counsel of God vvhich was declared in the fal of the angels, which are fallen from their first estate: and in the preseruation of those which did continue firme and stedfast, and how he hath declared the iustice of his iudgement towards the one sort, & the riches of his grace towards the others.
T.
IF the men which ar so troubled with the doctrine of Predestination, did well consider that which thou sayst, they should not haue, in my opinion, occasion so to trouble themselues▪ for these things wherof thou speakest, did not come to passe withoute the knowledge, counsell, foresyghte, and ordinaunce of GOD. What wil mans reason say then therof, wil it say, that God hath done wrong to those that are falne, bicause that he did not sustain & confirm thē as he did the others? but if that had bin done, this wherof thou [Page 486] speakest, had not ben so manifestly declared, nor yet the nature and the maiestie and the excellencie that he hath ouer all creatures, yea the most noble and moste excellent that are, shoulde not haue ben so well set foorth.
D.
It is very true: On the other syde, if they had all fallen indifferently, the excellencie of the nature wherin god had created them, nor yet the power wherby god did make them, shold not haue ben so well knowne, nor yet his grace toward them, as it is knowne. For in considering the difference that is betwéen the diuels & the Angels of heauen, we sée how excellent the nature of Angels is, & also that which they haue receiued of God in his creation: we see on the other side in the deuils what it is that the creature can do of himself, how excellent soeuer it be, except it be preserued by god, who hath created it: on the contrary, wée sée in the other angels, the double grace that God hath bestowed vpon them. The first in their creation which they had cō mon with the rest that are fallen, before they did fal. The second is, in the conseruation of the nature whiche was first giuen [Page 487] vnto them, & in the confirmation in the same through his grace, which the others wanted: which is the very cause of the diuersitie that now is betwéen them: which diuersitie doth not let notwithstā ding but that the diuels do continue still angels in the same substaunce that they were created in: but the difference is great in the qualitie, that is to say, in that that the one sort are not only angels, but are good angels, perseuering in the firste goodnesse that they receiued of God in the beginning, in their creatiō: frō which notwithstanding, they mought as well haue fallen as ye others, if yt God by his special grace had not sustained them, & had not otherwise disposed & ordeined: Wherfore it is not writtē without cause,Ephe. 3. Colloss. 1. yt all is restored by Iesus Chryste, aswel in heauē as in earth, & that all consist by him & in him. The other on ye other side are called not only angels, but wicked angels & deuils, bicause that they did not perseuere in ye first goodnes, wherin they were created, but turning from him frō whence ye same proceeded, they were put frō it: & in the stead of the same, malice & wickednes [Page 488] is come in place, whiche is nothing else but lack & priuation of goodnes, which is changed into an euil qualitie, which doth corrupt the creature yt was created good, & maketh the natures contrary, which wer before like.Iohn. 8. For ye same cause Iesus christ hath sayd, that the diuel is a lier from the beginning: that is to say, euē frō the time that he was first a diuel, and not fom the time yt he was first made an angel, & that when he doth speak lies, he speaketh that which is his own. And therfore he addeth vnto it, that he did not abyde still in the truth: for he hath nothing of God which is truth, but that whiche he now hath of euill, is of himselfe.
Howe that the diuel may not impute the fault and fall of his damnation but to him selfe, and how it is manifest by that fal that ther is no vnchangeable veritie nor constancie but in the nature of God.
T.
THen is there no faulte that procéedeth from God in the fall of the angels, nor any thing therof which is apparant [Page 489] to men, out of his eternall coūsel: but that when the diuel wold turne from him of his own proper motion, God who had not created him vnchaungeable, did suffer him to change & to folow his wil, and permitted him to fall, & did not let him, hold him, nor pluck him back: which thing not withstanding he could wel haue done, if his good will and pleasure had ben suche, and that hée had not otherwise determined in his eternall counsel, for good & iust causes, for the which he is not bounde to giue vs an accompte, the which he dothe know better than we doe: But he hathe not thrust him forward, nor constrayned him of force so to do, albeeit that it is not done without his prouidence and eternal ordinaunce. Wherfore he may not attribute the faulte of his euill acte to any other than to himselfe, whiche thyng wée must séeke (as thou haste alreadie sayd) in the seconde and nearest causes, leauing the iudgement & consideration of the first to the secrete counsell of God, whiche is to vs vnknowne.
Dan.
It is true. And to come againe to oure purpose, the Diuell bi [...]ing depriued from thys goodnesse, the [Page 500] which he hath lost, can be none other thā he is, nor haue any other wil thā wicked: But yet notwithstanding, it is stil a wil: & that which he doth, is doon voluntarily. Ther is no difference in this matter, but in stead that before his wil was good, and did willingly that which was good, by the same: now is it euil, & doth willingly that which is euill, & that which he can not otherwise doe, procéedeth not but onely of that that he can haue of himselfe none other wil but that which is wicked: ye fault whereof maye be imputed to none other but to him: For if he haue bin vnthākful toward God, & hath through his vnkindnesse and pride contemned that which he hath receyued of him, God is not bounde to giue him that whiche he thorough his own fault and vnkindnesse hath lost: neither doth he him any wrong to leaue him in yt state, into the which he hath brought himself: for if he were not bound neither to create the Angels, nor yet to preserue & to confirme thē in their estate, but hath done what he hath don, of his méere goodnesse & liberalitie, what dutie oweth hée else to repaire & restore those yt are falne, [Page 501] vnlesse it please him, and except he think and know it to be agréeable to his glory & maiestie, which he declareth in shewing himselfe a iust iudge, in punnishing so greuously such a pride, and such an arrogancie and ingratitude: and likewise hée doth shewe his great glorye and power, declaring in a creature so excellently by him created, what difference there is betwene him that is the Creator, and the creature: and betwene dwelling in hym and abandoning or leauing of him. And by the same meane he doth also giue vs the better to knowe the great grace that he hath bestowed vpon the other Angels the which hée conserueth in their fyrste estate. For they may vnderstande by that which happened to their felowes, that which mought also haue happened to thē, if that God of speciall grace had not holden them vp and conserued them: considering that they were created of one very nature, which is now of an vnchangeable goodnesse, through his grace, without the which it mought be chaungeable, as well as that of the others. And therfore it is not without cause writtē in the booke [Page 492] of Iob, that God hath founde no prayse nor perfection in his very Angels. For if we shuld compare God, and ye perfection of him with yt of his Angels, it shuld fare as it doth wyth the starres, whych loose their light in the presence of the sunne: or as it doth with a candle that is lighted at a faire noone tyde. On the other syde, we may not properly call true, firme and constant any: but only he that hath hys being of himselfe,Exod. 3. & may say, I am: to wit God vnto whom this same belongeth.
Of the comparison and agreement of the first estate, and of the fal of man, with that of the Angels, and their first estate: and in to what necessitie man hath brought himselfe throughe his sinne.
T.
J Vnderstand wel by that which thou hast said, what the nature & wyll of man should haue byn, if he had continued in the first estate in which God did create him. For as concerning his wil, it should necessarily haue byn ruled by the will of god, as that of the Angels which haue remained [Page 493] stedfast, is at this pesent: in such sort that he shold haue byn no more able to sinne than they: and so should not at al haue loste the libertye of his wyll, nor done anye thyng by constrainte. And euen so shoulde hée haue béene in a good necessitye, whych shoulde haue procéeded from the riches of the goodnesse and grace wherewith GOD had endued him and made him a part taker of it. But when he turned from this way, it came to passe wyth hym as it dyd wyth the Angels, when they turned from GOD, and hath declared thereby, that hee was in suche sorte created of GOD, good and iuste, and of a good and holy will, and yet was he notwythstandyng not so created that he shoulde or mought bée vnchangeable of hys own nature and force, for the causes which haue bene already alleged, which in their behalfe doe as much pertayne to man as to the Angels. Wherefore séeyng that manne throughe the intycing and counsell of the Deuil, which was the fyrste trangessor, is turned awaye from the wyll and obedyence of GOD hys Creatour, and dyd make [Page 504] an aliance with the firste offender, who made himself enimy to God through his pride and ingratitude, he hath ben parte taker of his iniquitie, with whome hée made an aliance. From whence it foloweth, that his good and holye nature & will hath bene corrupted and peruerted, and made like to the same, of him to whō he hath ioined himself, & that he hath takē hym not onely for his felow, but for his guide, his leader, his maister, & his Lord. Wherfore, euen as before, abiding vnited and ioyned to God, and hauing God in him, and being gouerned by hys holie spirit, he could do nothing but good, and yt without enforcemēt or constraint: euē so by ye contrarie being separated frō god, & ioyned with the deuill, being lead and gouerned by him, he can doe nothing but euill, and doth it of his owne wyll, without conconstraint of any but only of him selfe, onely bycause his nature is such, by reason whereof he taketh as great pleasure in doyng of euill, as he did in well doing, when he was in his firste state of innocency. Now this necessity is greatly different from the first. For in steade that [Page 505] the first did procéede from the aboundant riches of the grace of god, this other procéedeth from the lacke and faulte of the same. Wherefore that is as wicked, as ye firste is blessed. It séemeth to me that I haue touched the very same thing yt thou woldest haue concluded vpō.
D.
Yet shalt thou more plainly vnderstande it by the comparison of a whole man, and a sicke man. Note well a man that is whole of body and minde, bicause that he hath his appetite sound, and not corrupted by any naughty humors, he doth couet nor desire to eate & drinke any thing but that which is good, and agréeable to hys nature and health, and in such qualitie and quantitie as his nature and health doth require, bycause he is so disposed. Consider againe the same being sicke, he will do al things contrary to that which he did being hole, bycause he is wholly otherwise disposed: That will he moste couet and desyre which is most contrary to him, and can not refraine from the vse of it, and the more the thing shalbe contrary and hurtfull for him, and the more straitly that he shall be forbiddē it, the more earnestly [Page 496] shal he desire it. And yet may he not complaine and saye that he was constrained so to doe, either by the phisition, or others which haue forbidden him the same, and that his will was inforced by anye other than by himself which perisheth willinglye, for that he is so delicate, that he cannot vanquishe his affections, & his corrupted nature.
T.
The matter is plaine.
Of the maruellous counsel of God which is declared in the fall and the restoring of man: and wherin it is different, or like to that which he hath declared in the fall of the euill Angels, and in the conseruation of the good.
D.
THat which thou saiest is true: and there is no doubt but yt man shold haue bene euen like vnto the deuill, vnto whom he did ioyne himselfe, if God had cleane left him and forsaken him in that estate, wherevnto throughe hys ingratitude and rebellion hée had brought hymselfe, as he dyd leaue and forsake the deuell. But GOD hath agayne in thys [Page 497] vsed a maruellous counsell and meane, he dyd not suffer in the nature of Angels that he had created, that al should fall, but dyd preserue a parte, in suche sorte that they dyd not part take of the transgression and corruption of the others. And as hee doth so conserue those which doe contynue in their fyrste estate, that they can not fall: euen so hathe hée in suche sorte lefte the others which are fallen, that neuer after they were able to rise agayne, nor neuer shall.1. Peter. 2. Mat. 26. Rom. 5. 2. cor. 15. On the other syde, he hath suffered all mankynde to fall and bée corrupted, and all the nature of man in the firste man that hée made, which is to saye in the spring of the same. But on the other side, hée hath vsed such moderation, that hée hath not willed not withstanding that all those whych were comprehended in this fall, shoulde perishe eternallye as shall hée that was the firste cause thereof, to witte the Deuill, who dyd drawe the fyrste manne into suche perdition wyth hym. But as soone as the faulte was commytted, throughe the Deuylles intycing, God foorthe wyth dydde fynde remedye for [Page 508] this great mischiefe, and a meane to repare his worke and his creature, which his aduersarie had destroyed The which remedy he had already prepared through the eternall counsell and firme purpose of his election, through the which he dyd chose & prepare in his sonne Iesus Christ the vessels of mercie, not onely before ye wounde was giuen to the whole bodye & person of all mankinde, but also before the creation of the worlde: wherein hée sitteth forth the iustice of his iudgement, and his grace and mercy together, & how that he is the author of all goodnes, euen as his aduersarie is author of al euil. For if God shoulde haue restored the nature of the Angels whiche was fallen, as hee did repare the nature of man, it mought haue bene thought yt the Angels which were fallen, had raised vp themselues againe: or els that their fall had not ben so great and horrible as it is, nor the offence so odiouse and so detestable before God. Also his iustice, his grace and his mercy had not bene so wel declared. For it was requisite that the Angels which dyd offend, should carry vpon them a perpetual [Page 499] testimonie, of their transgression and rebellion, and that they shoulde know howe good a thing it was to dwell vnited with God, and how euill to be separated from him. Afterwarde man maye iudge what force and power he may haue of himselfe to raise vp himselfe, and to saue himselfe, cōsidering what the burthen of the wrath of God is, that the Deuills beare. For if these creatures which were created so excellent, cannot beare such a burthen, nor of themselues discharge them of it, but that they must be swallowed vp euen into hell, how shall man then beare it that is but a worme of the earth,2. Peter. 3. and how shal he deliuer himselfe? Further if that God haue not spared that Angelicall nature, and those heauenly creatures, how doth he thinke to escape his iudgement, if it be not only through his grace and mercie? On the contrary, if he had as well suffered the one sorte as the other to fall, and had lefte them all in like damnation, his grace, his power, and his mercie shoulde not haue bin so knowne as it is, and if he shoulde haue restored the one sorte and [Page 500] lefte the other, it moughte haue séemed that he had wanted power to conserue his creatures in that estate wherein he had created them: or else that he had not had so great a care for them, that he would so do, if he should haue done the like in man: it shuld haue séemed on the other side, that it had not bin in his power, or else that he had not had the care and the will to repare the creature that should haue offended, but only to haue cōserued and mainteyned him in his first estate so long as he should perseuer in the same. But he hath declared by the meane that he hath obserued, all these things togither. The firste, that there is no creature whatsoeuer he be that can of himselfe be mainteyned, how excellēt so euer he be. Further, that he hath alway power to preserue them al in their estate, if it please him, and to restore them althogh they had offended and transgressed, the whiche can be done by none other meane, but by his only power and grace. Then, euen as mā may be recouered and restored to his firste estate, through his grace and mercie, euen so on [Page 501] the contrary, abiding still in his nature, suche as it is at this presente, he may by meane of his wicked will do nothing else but euill withoute any constrainte, other than of his owne malice.
Hovv that al that vvhich hath bin don as vvell in the fall and conseruation of the Angells, as in the fall and restoring of man, tendeth to the glory of God, and hovv that same only reason ought to content vs in the doctrine of predestination.
T.
BY that whiche I may vnderstande, all that which was done in all these thinges, tendeth still to the glory of God, to the whiche we must referre all the ordinaunces of his prouidence, as to ye principal end, whervnto he hath chiefe regard aboue al, in all his works, & wherevnto it behoueth to frame all other purposes.
D.
Thou hast wel vnderstood it & wel cōcluded. Therfore it is writē, yt the Lord hath made all thing for himselfe, yea ye wicked for the euil day: & S. Paule speaking of ye eternall election of God, saith,Proue. 16 Ephe. 1. who hathe before ordeyned vs for to be adopted vnto [Page 502] himselfe through Iesus Christ, according to the good pleasure of his will, to ye praise of the glory of his grace, wherewith he hath made vs accepted in the beloued. Seing it is so, what iust occasion maye men haue of offence in the doctrine of predestination, for ought not the glory of God to be preferred to all creatures? And if that al the creatures should perish, wherefore should we thinke it straunge, if god were glorified in their perdition, and that it did so please him?
T.
No man ought to finde that straunge, excepte he do more estéeme the creature than the Creator.
D.
Therefore it is playne that this offence whiche many giue vnto themselues in the matter of reprobation of the reprobates, procedeth not but from a maruellous greate pride and arrogancie of the flesh, whiche estemeth itselfe more than it ought to do, for if it had so small an estimation of it selfe as the worthynesse therof requireth, and did estéeme God & his glory so muche as it ought to do, he should not onely not finde it straunge to knowe that god hath ordeyned to be glorified in the damnation [Page 503] of some: no, although it should be done with his owne person, he shoulde glorifie God in his iust iudgement, he would not murmure against him to wage the lawe with him, and to play the lawyer, and to pleade againste him, to mainteyne the cause of the reprobates, accusing hym as though he should do them wrong: but rather, he would desire himselfe to be damned, as Saincte Paule desired for his bretherne the Israelites, if it were possible,Rom. 9. that it moughte be done, and that God mought be the more magnified and glorified therein. From whēce then come these cōtrary thoughts, but only of the horrible pride that is in our corrupted nature? for what are we? from whence came we? what wrong may God do vnto vs? wherin are we able to accuse him, or attribute vnto him the faulte of our offences, and of oure damnation, and to set him in the place of the Deuill author of sinne, considering that what determination so euer he haue made of vs, we cānot complaine that we haue any other force, violence, & constrainte to do euill, but onely of oure [Page 504] owne wicked concupiscence, vnlesse that happily we would complayne in that that he hath not made vs suche as coulde not sinne, or else hauing sinned, that he dothe not bestow vppon all like grace, and that he dothe not saue all, forsomuche as he moughte if that he woulde, otherwise he shoulde not be God, nor almightie: but it hath pleased him, & that not without good and iust cause, the whiche is continually such, albeit that we cannot vnderstand it. Therefore we must continually say with the Prophete, that oure damnation is of our selues,Os [...]e 13. Rom. 9. and our saluation of God only, and say with S. Paule. But o thou mā what arte thou that pleadest against god, shall the thing that is fashioned say vnto him that fashioned it, why hast thou shaped and made me thus? The potter hathe he not power of the clay to make of one very lumpe, one vessel to honoure, and an other to dishonor? And what if God wold to shewe his wrath, and to make his power knowne, suffer with great pacience the vessells of wrath prepared to perdition? and to shewe the riches of his glory [Page 505] vppon the vessells of his mercie,Rom. [...]1. which he hath prepared to glorye? and agayne. O ye déepenesse of the riches of the wisedome and knowledge of God: his iudgementes are not to be searched out, and his wayes are impossible to be found.Esay. 40. For who is he that hath knowne the Lordes intente? or who hath bin his counsellor? or who is he that gaue to him firste, and he shalbe recompenced.
Hovve that the vvill of man cannot by any meanes be constrayned, no, not by the deuill himselfe, but only of his ovvne vvickednes.
T.
FOr my parte I graunte to all that which thou hast sayde, but yet canst thou not denye, but that mā is yet oftentimes constrained to sinne by meane of ye temptacion and soliciting of the deuill.
D.
This constraint wherof thou speakest, is cōstraint without cōstraint, for it is not in the power of al the deuils nor of al ye creatures that are, to constraine the will of one mā. Wherfore, what temptatiō or solicitatiō so euer happē vnto him, if he did [Page 506] not willingly consent therevnto, he could not be induced to do any kinde of thyng against his will. But it fareth with hym as it doth with a harlot: for if she be solicited by bawdes and whoremasters, she will giue ouer hir selfe vnto them, which thing an honest woman will not do, but will resist all suche temptations and procurements, & wil ouercome them. Therfore albeit that the harlot may impute some parte of the cause of the offēce that she hath committed, to those that did entise hir and procure hir therevnto, yet notwithstanding she may not say that she hath bin constrayned so to do, nor may by that meane excuse hir selfe, for if she had not agréed therevnto of hir owne will, she had not at all playde the harlot, but bycause that she was already naturally thervnto enclyned, these procuremēts did serue hir as it were matches, oyle & wood throwne into the fire, which would kindle nor slame neuer the sooner nor the more, if it were not naturally enclyned and prompte therevnto. In like sorte is man broughte to euill thorough his owne concupiscence, [Page 507] the which being wakened and sturred vp by the diuell,Iames. 1. dothe the more declare it selfe, and sheweth more plainely what his nature is: wherfore thou séest here howe that man dothe continually sinne of his owne will, and if he will saye that he hath bin constrayned to do any kind of worke the which he knoweth manifestly to be against the will of God, it must be considered wherein he hath bin enforced and cōstrayned, if he haue in any wise bin enforced by ye force of others, so that he could not be in any wise master of his members, although he did resist it by all the meanes that he coulde, and dyd declare by his wordes and actes that hys harte and will did in no wise consente thervnto, he may be excused as an honest womā may that hath bin takē of force, the which notwithstanding hath cried and resisted by all meanes possible against the whoremaster, and hath bin as willing to lose hir life as hir chastitie: but if thou doest an euill worke, either to please men, or else for feare that thou shouldest fall into their displeasure or indignation, and receyue [Page 508] any dishonor or wordly hindrance, thou maist in suche a case alledge none other constrainte but only that of thy wicked wil: no more than Pilate might whē he condemned Iesus Christe,Matth. 27. Iohn. 29. enforced by the constrainte of the Iewes. For if thou didst loue God with al thy harte, and better than thy selfe, and didst more estéeme his glory than thine owne, and thy soule, than thy body, and the heauen more than thou doest the earth, thou moughtest be frée from losing, that whiche thou fearest to lose,Matth. 10. Iohn. 13. and shouldest not lose it at all, but shouldest gaine it double. For as Iesus Christ saith, he that shall loose his life for my sake, the same shall finde it, and he that feareth to loose it, the same shal loose it, and therefore thou wouldest not leaue God for any creature, nor woldest change the inheritaunce whiche is prepared for thée in heauen, for no earthly inheritance, nor the blessing of God thy father, for a messe of potage,Genes. 2.25 Hebr. 11. as did Esau, but woldest rather loose thy life which ought not to be so deare vnto thée as the honoure of God, and the saluation of thy soule.
Of the contrarietie vvhich semeth somtime to be among the commaundements of God, and vvhat consideration is required in the same, and of the deuision of the vvhole lavve into tvvo tables, and of the order of the matters that are disposed & cōteined in thē.
T.
I Do knowe righte well now by that whiche thou saist, that all suche clokings cannot excuse vs before God: but from whence commeth it, that God somtimes dothe allow workes, whiche he seemeth to haue forbidden? he commaundeth to honoure father and mother, and to obey the magistrates, and yet notwithstāding he doth often times greatly commend those which do not obey thē at all. He forbiddeth murther, and yet sometime he commendeth those that do committe it.
D.
That diuersitie cōmeth of the nature of the commandementes of God, and of the order whereby he hathe disposed them in his Lawe, for he hathe broughte and deuided the whole into two Tables, in which he hath written & disposed [Page 510] his commaundementes, according to the order & worthynesse of the thing that euery one of them cōteyneth.
T.
Declare that order vnto me.
D.
In the first he hath written foure, which do properly and directly concerne his glory without speciall consideration of any other than of him, as the three first requests which are written in the prayer of our Lorde Iesus Christe. The second conteyneth sixe, which do concerne those things that do belong to oure neyghboure, which must be measured by the first foure, of which they do depende, and to whose ende they oughte alway to haue regard: as the thrée last requestes of ye prayer of our Lord Iesus Christ,A lesson of gret weght ought alway to be referred to that ende wherevnto the thrée first do pretend, wherefore, if any thing do happen, for the which any commaundement of the firste table must be broken, to accomplish any of the secōd, it behoueth them in suche a case that the seconde giue place to the firste, and that it haue recourse vnto the same, to haue the true vnderstanding and the true vsage of that which it doth conteyne.
Of the manner hovv to accord and agre the passages and sentences of the lavve and of the holy Scriptures, vvhich seme to disagree, set foorthe vppon the commaundement giuen to honoure father and mother, and vvhat loue or hatred he vvould that we shuld beare them.
T
HOw may this be? hath God giuen a lawe which is contrary to it selfe and doth conteyne commaundements which cannot be obserued without transgression of others?
D.
No, if the lawe bée well vnderstoode in that meaning & sense, for the whiche it was giuen by God, and for the better vnderstanding of all thys difficultie. I will declare it vnto thée by certayne examples which are very familiar: God commaundeth me to honoure my father: to what ende is this commanded me? To the ende that God moughte be honoured, in the honoure that we giue to our fathers, acknowledging the goodnesse that we haue receyued of him by them, who haue bin the instruments and ministers of his louing kindnesse toward [Page 512] vs.
D.
Thou hast well aunswered: thou doest then see here howe that this commaundement hath his foundation in the firste table, in such sorte that if thou dishonor thy father, thou doest not only dishonor that man which is thy carnall father, but in him doest thou dishonor God thy eternall father, of whome the carnall father is nothing else but an Image or instrumente, towarde whome thou declarest of what affection thou arte towards him whome he representeth, and the more neare that this image is to thée, and the more neare thou drawest to the nature of it, and that God doth more familiarly and more plenteously communicate vnto thee his louing kindnesse by this instrument, and the more that he maketh his image to shyne in him, so muche the more is thy wickednesse & iniquitie the greater, but if it should so come to passe that thy father shuld be vntrue toward god, & should require of thée a thing, wherin thou couldest not obey him, vnlesse thou shouldest disobey God, thou arte not at all in any thing bound vnto him in such a case, for in such [Page 513] a case thou arte dispensed with in the first table, & by the interpretation & true meaning of the same. For seing that the honor which thou owest to thy father, dothe comprehend the honor of god, & is grounded vpō the same, it is certayne that if god be dishonored in that which thy father requireth of thée, thou doest not honour him at al in such sorte as thou arte commāded by god to honour him, if thou do it in such sorte as thy father requireth thée to do, for thy father cannot be truly honoured, in yt wherin god is dishonored, but is dishonored in that wherein god is dishonored, although that men cannot alwayes vnderstand & know it. Therefore when thy father doth commaund thée any thing, thou oughtest to haue good regard to ye nature of the thing whiche he commaundeth thée to doe, if it be a thing that thou maist doe without offence towarde God and thyne owne conscience, séeke by all meanes possible to please him, for the honoure of him that dothe so commaunde thée, howe harde soeuer it be to doe: if it bée otherwise, in suche a case acknowledge [Page 514] him not at all for thy father, bycause that the deuill doth require by him that thou shouldest yelde him in thy father that honoure which thou owest to thy only God, and that he will make thy father his instrumente, but leaue that Sathan transfigured into the likenesse of thy father, and say vnto him that thou hast no father for whome thou mayst refuse and leaue God thy heauenly and eternall father. For if a father should require his daughter to giue ouer hir selfe vnto him, that he mought make hir a harlot, or else that he himselfe moughte abuse hir, or otherwise that he shoulde deliuer hir to anye whoremaster, ought she to acknowledge suche a father for hir father? and were she bound to obey him in suche a matter?
T.
There is no man if he haue so muche as one sparke of good iudgement, but would iudge hir worthy of greate blame if she should do it: and worthy of great prayse, if she did rather choose to die than to please hir father in such wickednesse, for by such meanes she should not obey to hir father, but to a bawde, a whoremaster and an [Page 515] horrible incest, and to a very Deuill.
D.
Thou hast saide well. Then if it be not lawfull for a daughter to giue ouer hir body to hir owne father, to abuse it in any kinde of villanie, how much lesse lawfull is it then for the soule, whiche is much more precious than the body, to giue ouer it selfe to any creature whatsoeuer he be, whereby it may be ioyned to the Deuill? Then if thy father will be an idolater, and will haue thée to be such an one with him, and will haue thée to leaue Iesus Christ to please him, thou oughtest than to haue recourse to the interpretation that Iesus Christe dothe make of this cōmaundement, of the honor whiche is due to father and mother, founded in the first Table: as it shalbe more amply declared when wée shall come to the exposition of the fifte commaundement.
T.
Of what interpretatiō meanest thou?
D.
Of that where he saithe:Luc. 14. Matth. 10. Whosoeuer doth not hate his father and his mother for my sake: whiche is to say (as he doth expounde it by an other Euangelist) he that shall loue them better than me, is not worthy of me, nor may be my disciple: [Page 516] beholde this interpretation is very plaine, whiche declareth vnto vs that it is a great vertue, and worthie of commendation, to contemne father and mother in time and place, which is to say, in such like cases as wée haue already spoken of: for such a contempt of them, is not a contempt, to speake properly, but onely in the iudgement of man, no more than the hatered whiche Iesus Christe willeth vs to beare them for his sake, is a hatered, but a very true loue, founded in the loue of GOD. For wée must rather iudge of thinges according to their effectes, than according to the affections of men, in whom we doe consider them, as in diuers other like passages of the Scripture: It is written in the Prouerbes, in the which Salomon speaketh in the person of wisedome:Prouerb. 8. All those that hate me, loue death. There is none but he hateth and abhorreth death: and yet for all that, seyng that he whiche despiseth and hateth wisedome, doth purchase his owne death, and ruine, doth it not then seeme that he loueth it, and that he desireth it? and what coulde he more doe [Page 517] if that he desired it? It is also written,Prou. 29. he that dothe take parte with the théefe hateth his soule: Moreouer,Prouerb. 13. he that spareth the rodde hateth his childe, yet notwithstanding there is no man that both this for any hatered that he beareth either to his soule▪ and his life, or to his childe, but rather for loue, if wée doe consider the affection of the person: yet notwithstanding the truth is euen suche as the spirite of GOD hath spoken in déede, as the effect dothe right well declare. Then, as he hateth in deede, whiche dothe folishly loue, and otherwise than he ought to doe: euen so dothe he truly loue, whiche hateth as he ought to hate, and that same whiche he ought to hate. The like is of the honour and dishonour: but it is not néedefull here to speake any more of this matter, considering that it shall haue more apte place in the exposition of the Cōmaundement of the which wée haue now spoken. Therefore I haue spoken this but onely for an example.
An example to the like purpose, vpon the commaundement giuen of the obedience due to Princes, and vpon the commaundement giuen against murder.
T.
WE also may in mine opiniō, say the like of Princes & Lords.
D.
S. Peter & S. Iohn doe teach vs by their example what we ought to thinke therein: For did they transgresse the commaūdement which cōmaundeth to yelde obedience vnto Princes & Magistrates,Actes. 3.4.5. when they did contemne the forbidding of the counsell of Ierusalem, which was contrary to the commaundement of God: and did answere them, that it was better to obey God than man?
T.
No, but did much better fulfill it than if they had otherwise done, and did truly declare it.
D.
Numbr. 25.Phinees in like sorte was greatly cō mēded by God, for the whore & the whore master which he did slea, and was not rebuked as a murderer, for so much as he did it not of hatred, nor of any blouddie affection, but onely for the dutie and obedience whiche he ought to God, who had bene greatly dishonored, if that suche a [Page 519] villany had not bene punished & reuenged by him with such a zeale. Thou maist thē know by al these examples, how that the worke whiche may seeme vnto men to haue some shew of wickednesse, and to be contrary to the cōmaundements of God, is not at all wicked in ye sight of God, nor in the iudgmēt of those which take ye law of God in his true meaning, & doe know how to rule the secōd Table by the first, but is pleasant & agreable to his will.
Of the hidden sinnes that are in the conscience and vvicked vvil of man and hovv that concupiscence is a sinne vvorthy of damnation in the sight of God, and hovv greatly it doth displease him, and for vvhat cause.
T.
IT séemeth to me that this matter of workes hath bene sufficiently, fully, and familiarly entreated of: wherefore let vs procéede to the rest.
D.
If that which hath bene sayd of workes be well vnderstoode, the reste shalbe easie inough vnto vs: for wee may by the very same meane, iudge of the wil, & of the affectiōs, [Page 520] according to which God doth iudge of the worke. If then thou be stirred vp to euill, by any wicked affection, & thy will doth consent and agrée therevnto, in such sorte that there wanteth nothing but the onely meane to execute it: Behold the wickednesse is already accōplished before God, thou knowest by that which hath bene already spoken, how God will iudge. If on the contrary; there be any resistance in thee, & that thy spirite & thy wil in no case will agrée to that cōcupiscence which cō tinually doth procure thee, but dee resist and repulse it as farre from them as they may, it is certaine that the iniquitie is not so great: albeit that such a concupiscēce, what resistance soeuer there be, can not be without sinne, by reason of the corrupted and wicked spring frō whence it procéedeth. For that is a sure testimonie, that there is much poison and corruption there, where such fruite doth budde forth: although that it finde hinderances which will not permitte and suffer their buddes and fruites to come to their ripenesse. Now such a corruption can not be but very displeasant to God, considering [Page 521] that it doth procéede from his aduersarie, and that it is contrary to his holy maiestie: as wée sée it proued and euident in litle children: yea euen in those whiche are not onely not in age to put any euill acte in execution, but also haue not discretion to iudge neither of good nor euill,Rom. 5. wée see how death hath power ouer them, and taketh them out of the worlde: which he could not do except that there were sinne in them. For seyng that sinne did begette death, and that it is a frute of his curse, it is a thing certaine, that there where sinne doth not raigne, death also can haue no power, as S. Paule doth very well conclude.
Hovv that by reason of that concupiscence vvee are iustly vvorthy of death and damnation, euen from our mothers vvombe.
T.
WHat sinne is that then in little children, that doth so displease God, that it doth not make thē only subiect to bodily death, but also to eternall death, and maketh them the children of [Page 522] wrath and of the curse, euen before they haue the vse of reason: to know & discerne either good or euill.
D.
It is that naturall corruptiō whereof Dauid speaketh, saying:Psalm. 51. I was conceyued in sinne, & my mother did beare me in sinne: nowe if wée would haue the meaning of the words of Dauid expressed according to the signification that they haue in the Hebrew, we must thē say: And my mother hath warmed me in sinne, or with sinne, whereby he giueth to vnderstād that he hath bene begotten, conceiued, and nourished, in his mothers wombe, with the sinne, euen as if he & sinne were brothers, twinnes, begotten, conceyued & nourished togither in the wombe of one very mother: it is then easie to vnderstand how natural sinne is now to man, being in this corrupted nature, wherevnto he is fallen by meane of his transgression: for that whiche Dauid speaketh of himselfe, doth appertaine to the whole race of man. Wherefore that conception whereof he speaketh in this passage, is common to vs all. Then euen so as a litle Serpent doth offend vs, not only as sone as he is brought or hatched, [Page 523] but béeing in his egge, or in the belly of his dame: euen so do we in déede displease God from our very mothers womb. And what is the cause that this little serpent doth so muche offende vs? by meanes of the venemous nature that is in him. For all be it that he haue not yet shewed it, yet notwithstanding it is still abiding in him, and doth not let to shewe it, but only bicause it wanteth the meane: but it shall be sufficiently shewed in his tyme.
T.
Is it the like of man?
D.
There is no doubt of it, for experience doth so plainly declare it: for sith the time that our first father was poysoned with the venime of the olde serpent, he coulde beget no children but suche like as he him selfe was, and little serpēts of the same nature that he was, and infected with the same venime, the which albeit that it doth abyde hidden for a certen time in vs, doth not let for all that to shewe it selfe foorthwith at the first occasion that it may finde. This is the first spring, the first foundation, and the first cause, as muche as doth pertayne to man, of all the sinnes that he may cōmit. Nowe if that wicked spring, [Page 524] how secret or couert soeuer it be, dothe so muche displease God, that it hath already deserued eternall damnation, before that it hath so muche as once budded foorthe: howe muche more shall it displease him with his buddes, his braunches, and the whole trée and his fruit?
T.
That is very easie to iudge.
D.
So easie as nothing is more easie.
Of diuers degrees of sin, and of the roote and fruites, and of their begetting and consummation.
T.
IT séemeth to me that we may easily discerne and extinguishe by the deductiō which thou makest, all the degrées of sin.
D.
It is easie to do. This same first spring & natural corruption, with that inclination & nature which is alway giuen to euill, is the same which we do properly call originall sinne, which of it selfe is wholly damnable, & can not be ouercome by man, but only in that that he is deliuered, and that he is regenerate by the only grace and spirite of God. Afterward, that same concupiscence which watcheth continually in man, and procureth him to euill, [Page 525] is as it were, the budde of that rotten roote, and of that cursed spring, which is neuer without casting foorth some suche bud, how generate soeuer a man be, during the time that he is in this worlde wrapped in this body of sinne, and in his outwarde man, and in his olde Adam. Therefore it followeth that there is no man liuing, howe holy so euer he be,1. Iohn. 2. but that he is a great sinner before God, yea although he had no more faulte but thys same, and hath good occasion to say continually wyth the whole Churche: And forgiue vs our offences. But if this budde come once to determination,Math. [...]. Luke. 1 [...]. and to bring foorth the consent of the wyll, then dothe the rebellion continually declare it selfe to be the more great, and the sinne dothe growe one degree more, and is more encreased than before. Nowe when manne is come to this degree of wickednesse, and doth acknowledge hys fault, and before he procéede any further, he refrayneth from it, and asketh pardon of God, he dothe lesse offende, than he that proceedeth to the putting of his wicked purpose in execution, or bothe [Page 526] perseuer in the same, although he haue not meane to accomplishe it, beeing sory that he can not put it in execution. And he that doth finde ready resistance in his cō science, agaynst the euill that doth continually prouoke him, and notwithstanding despiseth the admonitiōs which God giueth him in his owne conscience, and of a set purpose doth followe his wicked affection, the same is muche more faultie, than he that hath bene taken sodenly, either through ignorance or weaknesse.
Of the names of sinnes, according to their degrees and proper kinds, vvith their generation.
T.
WHat names may wée giue to these sorts and sundry degrees of sinnes, to distinguish them from the same first spring which thou hast called originall sinne?
D.
Albeit that we doe commonly call those actuall, whiche come to the acte and outwarde execution, yet notwithstanding we may well call by the same name the other degrees, for so much as all the fault that proceedeth from that wicked originall spring, proceedeth foorth [Page 527] to the acte and effect, although not in the sighte of men, yet in the sighte of God. There is no differēce but only of more or of lesse, which doth either aggrauate or diminishe the sinne, or the heinousnesse therof, according to the degrées whereby it proceedeth, from whence it commeth to passe that the one sorte are accompted veniall, and the others mortal, according to the disposition of the persons towards God, concerning their fayth or vnfaythfulnesse.
Of deadly and veniall sinnes, and of the difference of them: and in vvhat meaning vvee oughte to vnderstande the sinnes to be veniall or mortall.
T.
THou hast nowe touched one point the which I would gladly vnderstande: which is to say, what sins they be that be veniall, and which they be that be mortall: and what is the cause of that difference. If thou wilte consider sinne in his owne nature, there is no sinne but it is deadly, to witte, it bringeth with it death, not onely corporall, but also eternall, [Page 528] and doth right well deserue it. For if this naturall corruption whereof we haue already spoken, be in the fighte of God worthy of such punishment, if there were no other thing in man, we may wel thinke what it is that the other sortes do deserue, which do daily aggrauate ye euill and encrease it more continually. Wherfore this originall sinne ought not to be estéemed a smal sin, no more ought these buddes of concupiscence, and the wicked affections, as many do accompt them, and chéefly the Papistes. For the maiestie of God is so great, that there is no rebellion what soeuer it be, nor roote of rebellion & wickednesse, but it is a crime of treason agaynst the maiestie of God. For God hath not only forbidden the act & consent to euill, but also the very concupiscence it self, although that it do not procéede so far as to the consent: as it appeareth by that which he sayd, thou shalt not couet, which shal be more plainly declared in his place. Now it is méete that ye punishmēt be giuē according to the nature of ye sinne, wherfore seing yt God, against whose maiestie the fault is cōmitted, is eternal, it is certē [Page 529] that there is no pain whatsoeuer it be that is sufficient for the punishmēt of an offēce cōmitted against the maiestie of suche a prince, nor may satisfie for ye dishonoring of the same: for the case stādeth not with god, as it doth wt mā, for so much as mā is mortal, how gret a prince soeuer he be, he may stretch & extend his auctoritie no further thā vpō the earthly goods, or body of the offender: and according to ye faulte by him cōmitted, he taketh either his goods or his body: & if the worst fal, he can take frō him but his body & temporall life, for so muche as his power extendeth no further but to this life, and that ye fault touching either his person or his office, is but temporall as he is: but God hath a reigne & power which stretcheth further, for it is eternall as he is. And therfore the faults which are cōmitted against him, are worthy of eternall punishment. And therfore our sauiour Iesus Christ sayth, that God hath not only power to sley the body, as men haue: but he is able also to sley both body and soule, and then to cast bothe the one and the other into euerlasting fire, which is ordeyned for eternall punishments.
Of the opinion of those which say, that none shall be damned: and of the abuse of the mercy of god, and of the greatnesse of sinne, and of the paine due to the same, and of the wrath of God against it, declared in the death of Iesus Christe, and of the meane whereby to be deiluered from it, and in what meaning we ought to vnderstand that God hath made no man to destroy or damne him.
T.
THat which thou sayest is farre off from the opinion of suche as say that none shal be dāned, and that in very déed the diuels shal once be saued.
D.
The worde of God shall then be false, whiche speaketh the cleane contrary.
T.
They do ground them selues vpon the mercies of God, saying that God hath created no man to destruction, and that it shall be a great crueltie in him, and contrary to his mercifull nature, to punish so gréeuously a temporall sinne, to witte, with euerlasting payne.
D.
Suche men doe greatly abuse them selues, and doe declare plainly that they knowe neither the nature of sinne, nor yet the maiestie of him against [Page 531] whome it is cōmitted. For do they thinke the contempte of such a maiesty ro be nothing, according to ye which the greatnesse of the sinne must be measured, & not only according to the thing wherin it hath bin committed: wherfore if that god shuld punish with eternall death all the men that euer were, are, & shalbe, he shuld do them no wrong, but should do them iustice and right. Therefore in yt that he saueth those which haue recourse to his mercie, ye same commeth of his méere grace, wherein in déed he declareth vnto vs what punishmēt we haue deserued. For seing that it was expediēt that his owne sonne shuld beare the payne which was due to the sinnes of them vnto whome he would shew mercie in him & by him, he hath right wel declared by the same, that there was no payne whatsoeuer it was, that was able to satisfie his iudgemente, but that of his sonne, who by reason of his great innocencie & perfect obedience, was only sufficient for such a satisfaction. For if man could suffer any paine, whereby he mought satisfie the eternall iustice of God, there should then [Page 532] be no hell, nor eternall damnation, for the paines should once haue ende. But forsomuche as they do neuer ende, they do declare thereby that they are not sufficiente for such satisfaction: and on the other side, that it must néedes be, bycause that they may in no wise be sufficient, that they be eternall, sauing only to suche as haue rereyued Iesus Christe by faith, who hathe borne the wrath of God, and the paynes due to their sinnes, to deliuer them, as it is written:Iohn. 3. he that beloueth in the sonne of God, the same hathe eternall lyfe: He that beléeueth not in the Sonne of God, the wrathe of God abideth still vpon him. And as concerning that which thou hast said, that God hath made no man to be damned, I do cōfesse it, if it be well vnderstood, but not in that sense that they do take it which aledge that texte or passage of the scripture to abuse the grace & goodnesse of God.Prouer. 16. It is very true that God hath made no creature to that only ende that he should be damned, for he hath created all thinges for his glory, & hath minde all for him selfe, yea the wicked for the euill [Page 533] day. That is the principall ende of all his works, notwithstāding he leaueth not to punishe and to damne with eternall death those which contemne his law, and his holy word, forsomuch as their damnation doth serue to his glory, for the which they were created. For his glory doth not only consist in that that he sheweth mercie to his, but also in that that he executeth iugemēt, and doth declare his iustice vppon his enimies. Let vs therefore take héede that we mocke not with him, nor seduce oure selues: for albeit that by hys great power and wisedome he can drawe goodnesse out of the euil which the wicked committe, and can tourne it and make it to serue to his honoure and glory, and to the health of his chosen people, whereas the wicked ones do tourne his good creatures and his good works into euil, he leaueth not for al that to hate still that which is euill, in somuche as it is euill, and the abuse of his creatures and of his giftes and graces, and to condemne and punish those whiche committe suche offences, if they haue not forgiuenesse by his grace & mercie in Iesus Christ.
Hovve that euery sinne is of his ovvne nature damnable, and hovv that notvvithstanding, it is not able to damne the faythfull.
T.
SO farre forthe as I maye iudge by thy words, it semeth to me that thou concludest that euery sinne is mortall, which is to say damnable, t [...] al ye vnfaithfull and reprobates, and that they are venial, to witte pardonable, to the chosen & faithful peple of god
D.
If thou do vnderstand by damnable, sufficient to damne, & by venial, worthy of pardon: it is certaine that there is no sinne of his owne nature worthy of pardon, but is able to damne. But if thou vnderstand by damnable, the sinne that damneth, and by venial, that whiche receyueth pardon, it is very certaine yt in this meaning there is no sinne that may damne the elect and faithful, but it is pardoned vnto them by reason of the merite and satisfaction of Iesus Christe,Rom [...]. for the whiche cause S. Paule saith, that there is no condemnation to those that be [Page 535] in Iesus Christe, which do not walke after the flesh, but after the spirite.
T.
Then are they happie whiche beleue in Iesus Christ.
D.
There are none else blessed but they only. Therfore Dauid saith:Psalme. 32. Rom. 4. Blessed are they whose offences are pardoned, & whose sinnes are couered, Blessed is the mā to whom god imputeth not his sinne: he doth not say blessed is the mā that is or shalbe foūd without sin, for there is none such, nor neuer was, nor neuer shalbe, but only Iesus Christ very god and very mā. But he calleth that man blessed, who notwithstanding that he be a sinner, he hathe yet found grace and pardon for his sinnes in the sight of God. In the meane while, we must take good héed, if we will be partakers of this blessednesse, that we do not abuse that grace of God which is giuē vs in Iesus Christe, least that where oure sinnes should be but venial, we cause thē to be twice mortall.
VVhat meane it behoueth to kepe to fight against sinne and to resist it, and to be deliuered from it, and how euery mā ought to feare least he shuld be hardned therin, and should fight against his ovvne conscience, to the ende that sinne be not to death.
T.
SHewe me thē what remedy we may finde to auoide this great mischiefe.
D.
If we do walke acording to the spirite, and not according to the flesh, immediatly as soone as our cōcupiscence doth pricke vs, we must resist it by the spirite of God, if we do not resist it, it is a token that the spirite of God dwelleth not in vs, which is a sure token of the vnfaithfull who folow their concupiscence withoute any lette, without any feare of God at all, if we do resist it, and that oure concupiscence and infirmitie doth ouercome vs, the next remedy is not to suffer the wicked will to procéede any further: if that the violence of the wicked wil and our infirmitie be so great, that it breake foorth to the outward worke, the other nearest remedy is, not to [...]ake an occupation of it, nor to retourne [Page 537] any more to it, nor to continue any lōger therein, but by true repentaunce, to correcte all suche faults, as well inwarde as outward, and to lead a good life. If it happē vs to fall againe into any at any time, let vs take heede that we sléepe not in it, nor yet perseuer in it, least that God doe leaue vs, and do harden our hartes, & cast vs off into a reprobat sense, to punish our vnkindnesse and frowardnesse in suche sort, that in the ende we come to resist the spirite of God,Rom. 1.9. Matth. 12. 1. Iohn. 5. 1. Cor. 12. Rom. 8. Genes. 3.9 Exod. 88. Rom. 9. 1. Sam. 15. Matth. 26. Psalm. 51. Luk. 7. Actes. 9. 1. Timo. 1 & being vanquished by him in our owne harts, we come to blaspheme him, as it doth often times happē to those which do contemne the admonitions that are given vnto them, and the remorse of their cōsciences, & do assure them in their wickednesse, for such a sinne is without remission, & is called by S. Iohn, the sinne vnto death. For somuch as he yt sinneth against the holy Ghoste, dothe cast of him without whome he can neyther aske nor obtayne pardon, nor be partaker of Iesus christ, which only is our way & our helth. Let vs then take héed yt we folow not the example of Caine, of Pharao, of Saule, [Page 538] of Iudas, of the Scribes, of the Pharises, who abode still hardned and obstinate in their sinnes, but let vs folow the example of Dauid, of the woman sinner, of S. Peter, of S. Paule, and such like seruants of God, who haue acknowledged and forsaken their faultes, and retourned to God with all their whole harte.
T.
This declaration and admonition is very well worthy to be noted. Now I am very well cō tented and satisfied in all those matters that haue bin handled betwene vs, whereby I do know the differences of sinnes, and how God doth iudge, & how we ought to vnderstand his law, and that by our frée wil we may be well lost and damned, & that there is none but God only which can saue vs thorow his grace & mercie.
FINIS.