Skip to main content

Full text of "The decades of Henry Bullinger"

See other formats 


6129 22820 92! ς 





31109 3:|:10λλὴ 


The Parker Society. 


Dustituted 2D. M.BCCC.NH. 





























For the Publication of the Corks of the Fathers 
and Carly G@iriters of the Reformed 
Lnglish Church, 


THE DECADES 


HENRY BULLINGER, 


TRANSLATED BY H. I. 





THE FIRST AND SECOND DECADES. 


EDITED FOR 


The Parker Society, 


BY THE 


REV. THOMAS HARDING, A.M., 


OF WORCESTER COLLEGE, OXFORD, AND VICAR OF BEXLEY, IN KENT, 





CAMBRIDGE: 


PRINTED AT 


THE UNIVERSITY PRESS. 


M.DCCC.XLIX. 





Πρ 6 Joe 


CONTENTS. 


PAGE 


ADVERTISEMENT. : : : : : ems 
The Preface. : : : : ; : : . 8 
Of the Four General Synods or Councils . Σ : : 12 


ΤῊΕ First DECADE. 


The First Sermon . : : : : : SG 
The Second Sermon . ; : ; : : 57 
The Third Sermon : : , : : 70 
The Fourth Sermon. : : : : : 81 
The Fifth Sermon . . : : : : et Yl 
The Sixth Sermon : : : : : 2 104 
The Seventh Sermon : ᾿ : : : - 122 
The Eighth Sermon. : : : . 140 
The Ninth Sermon ; : : : : : 167 
The Tenth Sermon : ; : : : ; 180 


ΤῊΝ SEconD DECADE. 


The First Sermon . : : ; : Ε = 193 
The Second Sermon . Ε : : : 209 
The Third Sermon - : : ; : : AYE 
The Fourth Sermon : , : : : : 253 
The Fifth Sermon . : ; : : ; . 267 
The Sixth Sermon : , Ἢ : : 208 
The Seventh Sermon : : : : : 895 
The Eighth Sermon. : : : ; : 84 
The Ninth Sermon . : : : : , SY AN, 
The Tenth Sermon : : : ; : 393 


ERRATA and ADDENDA : é : 436 




















a ee re 












ADVERTISEMENT. 


One of the Parker Society’s objects, as stated in the 
first of its Laws, is “the printing, as may appear desirable, 
of some of the Early English translations of the Foreign 
Reformers.” Accordingly, the re-publishing of the English 
Version of the Decades of Bullinger was announced, as in 
the contemplation of the Council of the Society, in a List 
which was appended to the Second Annual Report; and the 
first volume is now, at length, presented to the subscribers. 
The edition, which is here reprinted, is that of 1587, which 
scarcely differs at all, in any material respects, from the 
former edition of 1584, and very little from that of 1577; 
but any important variations between the translation and the 
original Latin are carefully specified in the notes. The Ver- 
sion was made, as stated in the title-page, “by Η. 1. Student 
in Divinitie,’—“a person,” according to Strype’s testimony, 
“of eminency in the Church!.” 

These Decades, it is conceived, possess a peculiar claim 
on the regard of the members of the Church of England. 
For not only was Bullinger “ well-deserving of this nation for 
his kind entertainment and harbour of our divines and scho- 
lars that fled abroad in Queen Mary’s reign, and of note 
for that friendship and correspondence ever after maintained 
between him and them?;” but several of his writings, as they 
became known here, were eminently appreciated by our theo- 
logians and religious persons of the era of the Reformation’. 


1 Strype, Ann. book π. chap. 10, p. 145, Vol. u. part 2. ed. Oxf. 
1824. : 

2 Strype, Ann. ibid. p. 144. See also Strype, Mem. 1. 1, pp. 
531, 532, and Zurich Letters, Parker Soc. ed. pp. 41, 111, 127, 205, 
&c. 2nd ed. 

3 See Original Letters, Parker Soc. ed. pp. 5, 9, 54, 70, 618, 
620, &c. Zurich Letters, 2nd ed. pp. 39, 110, 205, 468. Strype, Ann. 
chap. 21, p. 383, Vol. 1. part 1, and part 2. chap. 46, p. 195, and 
chap. 48, p. 221. Jewel styled Bullinger, “ oraculum ecclesiarwm.” 
Zurich Letters, No. uxx. 1st series, p.156. The University of Oxford, 
also, selected Bullinger’s Catechism, as one of those books which the 
Tutors there were required to use, for the purpose of imparting sound 
religious principles to their pupils: —“ad informandum in vera reli- 


Vill ADVERTISEMENT. 


And, above all, in the Convocation of the province of Canter- 
bury, held in 1586, among the “ Orders for the better increase 
of learning in the inferior Ministers,” introduced by Whitgift, 
Archbishop of Canterbury, the following direction stands fore- 
most :—-‘‘ Every minister having cure, and being under the 
degrees of master of arts, and batchelors of law, and not 
licensed to be a public preacher, shall before the second day 
of February next provide a Bible, and Bullinger’s Decads in 
Latin or English, and a paper book, and shall every day read 
over one chapter of the Holy Scriptures, and note the prin- 
cipal contentes thereof briefly in his paper booke, and shall 
every weeke read over one Sermon in the said Decads, and 
note likewise the chief matters therein contained in the said 
paper; and shall once in every quarter (viz. within a fort- 
night before or after the end of the quarter) shewe his said 
note to some preacher nere adjoyninge to be assigned for that 
purpose!.” And, agreebly with this order, it is recorded 
by Strype, Dr. Theophilus Aylmer, Archdeacon of London, 
acted in his visitation in the early part of the year 1587,— 
“the Bishop’s pious and painful son?.” 

Although a Memoir of Bullinger (together with indexes to 
the whole work) will be given in the last volume, it may be 
useful here to state briefly, that he was born at Bremgarten, 
near Zurich, on July 18, 1504; commenced his studies at 
the University of Cologne in 1519; began to unite himself to 
the divines of the Reformation in the course of 1524; was 
chosen pastor of Zurich, on the decease of C&colampadius, in 
the close of 1531; dedicated to Rodolph Gualter and others 
his first volume of the Decades, March 1, 1549; and died 
September 17, 1575, in the 71st year of his age®. 


N.B. The editing of these Decades having been com- 
menced by the Rev. Srevartr A. Pears, the notes which 
have the initial (P) affixed to them, are due to his research. 


gione juventutem.” Wood. Hist. et Ant. Univ. Oxon. Lib. 1. p. 296. 
quoted in Preface, p. iv. to “Sermons on the Sacraments by Henry 
Bullinger.” Cambridge, 1840. 

1 Cardwell’s Synodalia, Vol. u. p. 562. Oxf. 1842.  Strype’s 
Whitgift, Vol. m1. p. 194. App. No. 32. Oxf. ed. 

2 Strype’s Aylmer, p. 83. Oxf. ed. 

3 See Adami Vit. Germ. Theol. in vita Bullingeri; and “Bullinger,” 
in Chalmers’ Biograph. Dict. 


FIFTY SERMONS 


DIVIDED INTO 


FIVE DECADES. 


[ BULLINGER. | 


ἘΠῚ ΠῚ καὶ 
GODLIE AND LEARNED 


SERMONS, DIVIDED INTO 
FIVE DECADES CONTAINING THE 
chiefe and principall points of Christian Religi- 

on, written in three severall Tomes or Sections, 
by Henrie Bviincer Minister 
of the Church of TyGvrE in 
Swicerland. 
WHEREVNTO ARE ADDED CER- 
TAINE EPISTLES OF THE SAME 


Author concerning the Apparell of 
Ministers and other indiffe- 
rent things. 


WITH A TRIPLE OR THREE-FOLD 
Table verie fruitfull and ne- 
cessarie}, 


Translated out of Latine into English, by 
H. I. Student in Diuinitie. 





MATTHEW. 17. 


This is my beloued Sonne in whom I am well pleased: Heare him. 


Imprinted at London by Ralph Newberie, dwelling 


in Fleete street a little aboue the Conduit, 
Cum gratia & priuilegio Regie Maiestatis. 
1587. 


[ ΝΒ. Notwithstanding what is here stated, the edition of 1587 
has not this Table prefixed to it.] 


A PREFACE 


TO THE MINISTRY OF THE CHURCH OF ENGLAND, AND 
TO OTHER WELL DISPOSED READERS OF 
GOD’S WORD. 





Tuat just cause there is that all spiritual shepherds, and 
specially these of our time, should see carefully to the feeding 
of the flocks committed to their charge, may easily appear to 
him that shall but a little stay his consideration upon this 
matter. For first, the commandments of the Almighty touch- 
ing this thing are very earnest, the authority of which should 
greatly enforce. Secondly, the rewards which he proposeth 
to vigilant and careful pastors are large and bountiful, the 
sweetness of which should much allure. Thirdly, the plagues 
and heavy judgments, which he denounceth against slothful 
and careless shepherds, are grievous and importable!, the 
terror whereof should make afraid. Then the nature and 
condition of the sheep over whom they watch, the vigilancy 
of the wolf against whom they watch, the conscience in taking 
the fleece for which they watch, and this time and age 
wherein they watch, being rightly considered, will give them 
to understand sufficiently, that they have good occasion to 
watch. 

How earnestly God commandeth, appeareth, Esay lviii. 
where he saith, “ Cry aloud, spare not, lift up thy voice like 
a trumpet, shew my people their transgressions, and _ the Isai. wii 
house of Jacob their sins.” And Esay lxii. “I have set 
watchmen upon thy walls, O Hierusalem, which all the day sai. 1xii. 
and all the night continually shall not cease: ye that are 
mindful of the Lord, keep not silence.” And John xxi. “Feed 
my lambs, feed my sheep, and if ye love me, feed.” And Jonn xxi. 
2 Tim. iv. “ Preach the word: be instant in season, out of 
season, improve”, rebuke, exhort, &c.” How sweetly with 21im. iv. 
rewards he allureth, doth appear in the xii. of Daniel: “They 
that be wise shall shine as the brightness of the firmament, pan xii 


[ i.e. unsupportable: “ importable power.”—Spenser. P.] 
[2 i. e. reprove. ] 
1—2 


1 Tim. iv. 


Ezek. iti. 


Jer. i. 


1 Cor. ix. 


4 THE PREFACE. 


and they that turn many to righteousness shall shine as the 
stars for ever and ever.” And 1 Tim, iv. “Take heed to 
thyself and to doctrine; in them occupy thyself continually. 
For in so doing thou shalt save thyself and them which hear 
thee.” How fiercely also he urgeth and driveth on the 
sluggish and careless shepherds with terrible plagues and 
whips threatened unto them, appeareth, Ezechiel 111., where 
he saith, “Son of man, I have made thee a watchman unto 
the house of Israel: therefore hear the word of my mouth, 
and give them warning from me: when I shall say unto the 
wicked, thou shalt surely die, and thou givest him not warn- 
ing, nor speakest to admonish the wicked of his wicked way 
that he may live; the same wicked man shall die in his ini- 
quity, but his blood will I require at thy hand.” And 
Ieremie i. ver. 17: “ Thou therefore, truss up thy loins, and 
arise, and speak unto them all that I command thee: be not 
afraid of their faces, lest I destroy thee before them.” And 
1 Cor. ix. ver. 16: “Though I preach the gospel, I have 
nothing to rejoice of!; for necessity is laid upon me, and woe 
is unto me, if I preach not the gospel: for if I do it willingly, 
I have a reward: but if I do it against τὰν tie notwithstand- 
ing the dispensation is committed unto me.’ 

Now the sheep, whereof spiritual shepherds have under- 
taken charge, are not beasts, but men: the very images of 
God himself endued with everliving souls, citizens with the 
saints and blessed angels, clothed with God’s livery, beautified 
with his cognizance and all the badges of salvation, admitted 
to his table, and to no meaner dishes than the body and blood 
of the undefiled Lamb Christ Jesus ; bought also and redeemed 
out of the wolf’s chawes? with no less price than of that same 
blood more precious than any gold or silver. Sheep also of 
that nature they are, that, being carefully fed and discreetly 
ordered, they prove gentle and loving towards their shepherds, 
and serviceable towards the chief Shepherd Jesus Christ: but 
being neglected and left to themselves, they degenerate into 
bloody wolves, watching ever opportunity when they may 
rent in pieces their shepherds, and all other sheep which are 
not degenerated into their wolfish nature. 

As for the spiritual wolf, against whom they watch, which 


[1 So Tyndale’s Versions, and Cranmer’s Bible, 1539. ] 
[2 Chewes: jaws. P.] 








THE PREFACE. 5 


is Satan, “He,” as the apostle Peter witnesseth, 1 Epistle, 
cap. v. “never resteth, but as a roaring lion walketh about, 
seeking ever whom he may devour.” And for that cause also 
is he called, Apoc. xx. ver. 2, “a dragon,” which beast is 
naturally very malicious crafty, and watchful : so then, if the 
spiritual shepherd must watch whiles the spiritual wolf doth 
wake, he can promise unto himself no one moment of security, 
wherein he may be careless. 

God by his prophet Ezechiel, cap. xxxiv. saith: ‘ Woe 
be unto the shepherds of Israel that feed themselves: should 
not the shepherds feed the flocks? Ye eat the fat, and ye 
clothe you with the wool; ye kill them that are fed, but ye 
feed not the sheep.” This sentence should awake the sleepy 
and careless consciences of many shepherds. For as the priest 
that serveth the altar is worthy to live upon the offerings, 
and the soldier that ventureth is worthy his wages, and the 
husbandman that toileth is worthy the harvest, and the 
shepherd that feedeth the flock is worthy to be fed with 
the milk, and clothed with the wool; so, questionless, the 
priest that serveth not is worthy no offerings, the soldier 
that fighteth not is worthy no wages, the husbandman that 
loitereth is worthy of weeds, and the shepherd that feedeth 
not can with no good conscience require either the milk or 
the fleece : but his due reward and just recompence is punish- 
ment, for that through his default the sheep are hunger- 
starved and destroyed of the wolf. 

But let the ministers of our time well weigh the condition 
and manner of the time; and then, no doubt, they shall see 
that it is high time to bestir them to the doing of their 
duties. This time succeedeth a time, wherein was extreme 
famine of all spiritual food, so that the sheep of this time can 
never recover themselves of that feebleness whereinto they 
were brought, but by some great and extraordinary diligence. 
This time succeedeth a time, wherein the multitude of wolves 
and ravenous beasts was so great, and their rage and fury so 
fell in every sheepfold, that the good shepherds were either 
‘ put to flight, or pitifully murdered; so that the sheep, being 
committed to wolves, did either perish, or degenerate into 
wolves: so that to regenerate them again into sheep requireth 
no small labour. The church in this time is like land that 
hath lain, time out of mind, unmanured, uncompassed, untilled; 


I Pet. v: 


Rev. xx. 


Ezek. xxxiv. 


0 THE PREFACE, 


by reason whereof it is so out of heart, that it requireth 
arms of iron and legs of brass to recover it again: or like a 
ship so worn with winds and tempests, so rent with rocks, so 
crackt and utterly decayed, that it seemeth a rare piece of 
cunning to make her take the seas again. 

No remedy, then, but the ministry of this time, if there 
be any love or fear of God in them, if they would not have 
all things run to ruin, if they regard either God, themselves, 
or their brethren, must forthwith, without further delay, set 
themselves to feed their flocks, to teach, to exhort, to 
strengthen, to bind up, to build, to plant, to water, to set, 
to graff, to leave nothing undone that appertaineth to the 
feeding and fatting of the Lord’s flocks, to the planting of the 
Lord’s paradise, tilling of the Lord’s husbandry, dressing of 
the Lord’s vineyard, raising and rearing up of the Lord’s 
temple. What great want there is in many to discharge 
their duties in this behalf, is very lamentable, and by some 
means (as much as is possible) to be supplied and remedied, 
rather than to be made a common theme and argument of 
railing, which at this day many do: wherein they shew 
themselves like unto those which find fault at other men’s 
garments, not for that they love them, or mind to give them 
better, but for that they are proud of their own, and would 
scornfully shame and vex other. The cause of this great 
want needs not here to be disputed: but in very deed, any 
man may judge how unpossible it was for so populous a king- 
dom, abounding with so many several congregations, to be all 
furnished with fit and able pastors ; and that, immediately after 
such a general corruption and apostasy from the truth. For 
unless they should have suddenly come from heaven, or been 
raised up miraculously, they could not have been. For the 
ancient preachers of king Edward’s time, some of them died 
in prison, many perished by fire, many otherwise; many also 
fled into other countries, of whom some there died, and a few 
returned, which were but as an handful to furnish this whole 
realm. The universities were also at the first so infected, 
that many wolves and foxes crept out, who detested the mi- 
nistry, and wrought the contempt of it everywhere: but very 
few good shepherds came abroad!. And whereas, since that 


[' See Zurich Letters, reign of Q. Elizabeth, 2nd ed. Parker Soe. 
pages 24, 38, 42, 55, 61, 101, 104, 115, 427.] 








THE PREFACE. 7 


time, now eighteen years, the universities being well purged, 
there was good hope, that all the land should have been over- 
spread and replenished with able and learned pastors; the 
devil and corrupt patrons have taken such order, that much 
of that hope is cut off: for patrons now-a-days search not the 
universities for a most fit pastor; but they post up and down 
the country for a most gainful chapman. He that hath the 
biggest purse to pay largely, not he that hath the best gifts 
to preach learnedly, is presented. The bishops bear great 
blame for this matter, and they admit (say they) unworthy 
men. See the craft of Satan, falsely to charge the worthiest 
pillars of the church with the ruin of the church, to the end 
that all church-robbers, and caterpillars of the Lord’s vine- 
yard, may lie unespied. There is nothing that procureth the 
bishops of our time more trouble and displeasure, than that 
they zealously withstand the covetousness of patrons in re- 
jecting their unsufficient clerks. For it standeth them upon 
of all other, that the church of God doth prosper, in the decay 
and fall whereof they cannot stand, but perish. But howsoever 
it cometh to pass, certain it is, that many are far behind in 
those gifts which are necessary for their function; and small 
likelihood is there yet that the church shall be served with 
better, but rather with worse: for it seemeth not that patrons 
hereafter will bate one penny, but rather more and more raise 
the market. 

The case standing thus, their labour surely is not worst 
bestowed, neither do they promote the glory of God or profit 
the church least, which to that end apply their endeavour, 
that the ministry which now is in place may come forward, 
and be better able to do their duties: I mean such as either 
set forth godly and learned treatises, or expositions of the 
holy scriptures, compiled by themselves in our mother tongue; 
or else such as translate the worthy works of the famous 
divines of our time. Both these sorts of men, no doubt, do 
much edify the godly, and do greatly help forward all those 
ministers which either not at all, or very meanly, understand 
the Latin tongue: so that amongst them are found many, 
which, by painful industry and diligent reading of such books, 
do God good service in the church; and so might all the rest 
of them do also, if sloth and worldly affairs did not hinder 
them. Some of that sort complain, that Calvin’s manner of 


8 THE PREFACE. 


writing in his Institutions! is over deep and profound for 
them: Musculus also, in his Common Places, is very scholas- 
tical; the Commentaries of Marlorat? upon John, of Peter 
Martyr upon the Judges, of Gualter upon the small Prophets, 
and other many are translated and extant®; which altogether 
do handle most points of christian doctrine excellently well : 
but this sort of ministers for the most part are so bare bitten 
of their patrons‘, that to buy them all would deeply charge 
them. Therefore, questionless, no writer yet in the hands of 
men can fit them better than master Bullinger in these his 
Decades; who in them amendeth much Calvin’s obscurity 
with singular perspicuity, and Musculus’ scholastical subtlety 
with great plainness and even popular facility. And all those 
points of christian doctrine, which are not to be found in one, 
but handled in all, Bullinger packeth up all, and that in good 
order, in this one book of small quantity. And whereas 
divers of the ministry which lack knowledge, and some also 
which have knowledge but yet lack order, discretion, memory, 
or audacity, cannot, by reason of their wants, either expound, 
or exhort, or otherwise preach, but only read the order of 
service; the Decades of master Bullinger in this respect may 
do more good than shall perhaps at the first be conceived. 
For in very deed this book is a book of sermons ; sermons 
im name, and in nature ; fit to be read out of the pulpit unto 
the simplest and rudest people of this land: the doctrine of 
them very plain, without ostentation, curiosity, perplexity, 
vanity, or superfluity; very sound also, without popery, Ana- 


{1 An English translation of this work, The Institution of the Chris- 
tian Religion, appeared for the first time in 1561. See Introductory 
Notice to Calvin’s Institutes, ed. Caly. Soe. p. lii.] 

[? Marlorat was a Protestant minister born in Lorraine: he wrote 
commentaries on Genesis, Psalms, Isaiah, and the New Testament, and 
was executed at Rouen by order of the Duke of Guise in 1562.—Mo- 
rer, P.] 

[3 Cf. Zurich Letters, Second Series, Parker Soc. ed. p. 148.] 

[* “ Burton similarly complained, in his odd way, that if our 
greedy patrons hold us to such hard conditions as commonly they 
do, they will make most of us work at some trade, as Paul did; at 
last turn taskers, maltsters, costermongers, grasiers, sell ale, as some 
have done, or worse.”—Anatomy of Melancholy, Preface, quoted in 
Sermons on the Sacraments, by Henry Bullinger, Preface, p. y. note 6. 
Cambridge, 1840. } 








THE PREFACE. 9 


baptism, Servetianism5, or any other heresy; and in number 
fifty, every Decade containing (as the word importeth) ten ; 
so that they may easily be so divided as there may be for 
every Sunday in the year one. Neither is it material what 
those fanatical fellows say, which can away with no homilies 
or sermons, be they never so sound, pithy, and effectual, to 
be read in churches. They are like physicians which forbid 
their patients all those meats which they may have and would 
do them good; and appoint them only such, as by no means 
they can obtain: for it will not yet be, that every parish 
shall have a learned able preacher resident and abiding in it. 
And in the mean time it cannot be denied, but that an homily 
or sermon, penned by some excellent clerk, being read plainly, 
orderly, and distinctly, doth much move the hearers, doth — 
teach, confirm, confute, comfort, persuade, even as the same 
pronounced without the book doth. 

Perhaps some hearers, which delight more to have their 
eyes fed with the preacher’s action, than their hearts edified 
with his sermon, are more moved with a sermon not read: 
but to a good christian hearer, whose mind is most occupied 
on the matter, there is small odds. Better is a good sermon 
read than none at all. But nothing (say they) must be read 
in the open congregation, but the very canonical scriptures®, 
That rule is somewhat strait and precise. Then may not 
either the creed, called the Apostles’ creed, or the Nicene 
creed, or the creed called Athanasius’ creed, or any prayers 
which are not word for word contained in the canon of the 
scriptures, nor any contents of chapters, be read in the con- 
gregation. The church and congregation of the Colossians 
were enjoined by St Paul, Col. iv. ver. 16, to read amongst 
them the epistle written from Laodicea; which epistle (as 
Calvin thinketh’) was not written by Paul, but by the church 
of Laodicea, and sent to Paul, and is not contained in the 
canon of the scriptures. The church of Corinth also, and 
other churches of the godly, soon after the apostles’ times (as 


[5 Michael Servetus published his heretical work on the Trinity in 
1531; he was burnt at Geneva in 1553. P.] 

[6 See Hooker’s Eccles. Pol. book v. § 20.] 

[7 Falso putarunt a Paulo scriptam esse. Non dubito quin epis- 
tola fuerit ad Paulum missa.—Calvin. Comment. in loc. ] 


10 THE PREFACE. 


appeareth out of Eusebius, Lib. rv. cap. 231, and the writers 
of the Centuries?, Cent. 1. cap. 10) did use to read openly, 
for admonition sake, certain epistles of Clement, and of Dio- 
nysius, bishop of Corinth. Master Bucer, in his Notes upon 
the Communion Book in king Edward’s time, writeth thus: 
“It is better, that where there lacks to expound the serip- 
tures unto the people, there should be godly and learned 
homilies read unto them, rather than they should have no 
exhortation at all in the administration of the supper®.” And 
a little after he saith: ‘“‘There be too few homilies, and too 
few points of religion taught in them: when, therefore, the 
Lord shall bless this kingdom with some excellent preachers, 
let them be commanded to make more homilies of the prin- 
cipal points of religion, which may be read to the people by 
those pastors that cannot make better themselves*.” And 
that worthy martyr, doctor Ridley, bishop of London, speak- 
ing of the church of England that was in the reign of king 
Edward (as he is reported by master Foxe, in his book of 
Acts and Mon., To. τ᾿. page 1940) saith thus>: “It had also 
holy and wholesome homilies in commendation of the prin- 
cipal virtues which are commended in scripture, and likewise 
other homilies against the most pernicious and capital vices 
that use, alas! to reign in this church® of England.” So long, 


[1 Ἐν αὐτῇ δὲ ταύτῃ (ἐπιστολῇ) καὶ τῆς Κλήμεντος πρὸς Κορινθίους 
μέμνηται (Διονύσιος) ἐπιστολῆς, δηλών ἀνέκαθεν ἐξ ἀρχαίου ἔθους ἐπὶ τῆς 
ἐκκλησίας τὴν ἀνάγνωσιν αὐτῆς ποιεῖσθαι. Λέγει γοῦν: Τὴν σήμερον οὖν 
κυριακὴν ἁγίαν ἡμέραν διηγάγομεν, ἐν 7 ἀνέγνωμεν ὑμῶν τὴν ἐπιστολήν. 
—Euseb. Hist. Eccles. Lib. 1v. cap. 23. ed. Burton. ] 

[2 Hee in multis etiam ecclesiis palam ac publice jam olim, et 
apud nos quoque legi cognovimus.—Cent. 1. Lib. π. 10, This is given 
as a quotation from Eusebius, Lib. ur. cap. 16.] 

[8 Preestat quidem, dum desunt qui scripturas populo viva voce rite 
explicent, recitari populis pias et doctas homilias, quam ut nulla οἱ 
doctrina atque exhortatio in administranda 8. ceena exhibeatur.—Bu- 
cer. Script. Anglic. Bas. 1577, p. 465. ] 

[6 Est etiam nimis exiguus homiliarum numerus, paucique loci reli- 
gionis nostree his docentur. Cum itaque Dominus regnum hoc donarit 
aliquot pereximiis concionatoribus, demandandum illis esset, ut Homi- 
lias plures, atque de preecipue necessariis locis componerent, que po- 
pulis ab iis recitarentur pastoribus, qui ipsi meliores non possent 
afferre.—Ibid. p. 466. ] 

[5 Vol. vir. 554, ed. 1838. ] 

[6 realm, Foxe. ] 








THE PREFACE. ig! 


therefore, as none are read in the church but such as are 
sound, godly, and learned, and fit for the capacity of the 
people; and whiles they are not thrust into the church for 
canonical scriptures, but are read as godly expositions and 
interpretations of the same; and whiles they occupy no more 
time in the church than that which is usually left and spared, 
after the reading of the canonical scriptures, to preaching and 
exhortation; and whiles they are used, not to the contempt, 
derogation, or abandoning of preaching, but only to supply 
the want of it; no good man can mislike the use of them, 
but such contentious persons as defy all things which they 
devise not themselves, 

And if it be said, there be already good homilies, and 
those also authorised, and likewise wholesome expositions of 
sundry parts of scripture to the same purpose: I grant there 
be so. But store is no sore. And as in meats, which are 
most dainty, if they come often to the table, we care not for 
them; so in sermons which are most excellent, if the same 
come often to the pulpit, they oftentimes please not: others 
are desired. 

But, to end: these sermons of master Bullinger’s are such 
as, whether they be used privately or read publicly, whether 
of ministers of the word or other God’s children, certainly there 
will be found in them such light and instruction for the igno- 
rant, such sweetness and spiritual comfort for consciences, such 
heavenly delights for souls, that as perfumes, the more they 
are chafed, the better they smell; and as golden mines, the 
deeper ye dig them, the more riches they shew; so these: the 
more diligently ye peruse them, the more delightfully they 

will please; and the deeper ye dig with daily study 

in their mines, the more golden matter they 
will deliver forth to the glory of 
God: to whom only be praise, 
for ever and ever. 
Amen. 





The Nicene 
council, 


OF THE 


FOUR GENERAL SYNODS OR COUNCILS'. 


Srvce the time of the apostles, many councils have been 
celebrated in sundry provinces. Those (councils) then were 
synods or assemblies of bishops and holy men, meeting to- 
gether to consult for keeping the soundness of faith, the 
unity of doctrine, and the discipline and peace of the churches. 
Some of which sort the epistles of the blessed martyr Cyprian 
have made us acquainted withal?. 

The first general or universal synod, therefore, is reported 
to have been called by that most holy emperor Constantine 
in the city of Nice, the year of our Lord 324°, against Arius 
and his partners, which denied the natural deity of our Lord 
Jesus Christ. And thither came there out of all nations under 
heaven two hundred and eighteen* bishops and excellent 
learned men, who wrote the Creed commonly called "" 
Nicene Creed. 

Hitherto the creed of the Apostles sufficed, and had 
been sufficient to the church of Christ even in the time of 
Constantine: for all men confess that all the churches used 
no other creed than that of the Apostles (which we have 
made mention of and expounded in the first Decade), where- 
with they were’ content throughout the whole world. But 


[ In his Latin Preface, Bullinger states that he prefixed to his 
Decades these Creeds of the most ancient councils and orthodox 
Fathers, that it might manifestly appear that the doctrine and faith of 
the Protestant churches, which was by many ill-reported of and most 
undeservedly condemned as heretical, was perfectly agreeable with the 
teaching of the apostles and of the primitive church. ] 

[2 viz. Councils at Rome and Carthage principally, in the matters of 
Novatus and Novatian, and concerning receiving back the lapsed into 
the communion of the church, and the validity of baptism by heretics. ] 

[3 More correctly, a. Ὁ. 325.—Mosheim, Eccles. Hist. Vol. 1. p. 386, 
n. 1. ed. Soames, 1845. ] 

[1 The number should be 318: see Mosheim, ibid.; and Grier’s 
Epit. of Gen. Councils, p. 33.] 





OF THE FOUR GENERAL SYNODS OR COUNCILS. 13 


for because in the days of Constantine the Great that wicked 
blasphemer Arius sprang up, corrupting the pureness of 
christian faith, and perverting the simple truth of doctrine 
taught by the apostles; the ministers of the churches were 
compelled of very necessity to set themselves against that 
deceiver, and in publishing a creed to shew forth and de- 
clare out of the canonical scriptures the true and ancient® 
confession of faith, condemning those novelties brought in of 
Arius. For in the creeds set forth by the other three ge- 
neral councils presently following neither was any thing 
changed in the doctrine of the apostles, neither was there 
any new thing added, which the churches of Christ had not 
before taken and believed out of the holy scripture: but the 
ancient truth, being wisely made manifest by confessions made 
of faith, was profitably and godly set against the new cor- 
ruptions of heretics. Yet were the writings of the prophets 
and apostles the spring, the guide, the rule, and judge in all 
these councils; neither did the fathers suffer any thing to be 
done there according to their own minds®. And yet I speak 
not of every constitution and canon, but namely’ of those 
ancient confessions alone, to which we do attribute so much 
as is permitted by the canonical scripture, which we confess 
to be the only rule how to judge, to speak, and do. 

The second general council was held in the royal city 
Constantinople, under Gratian the emperor, in the year of 
our Lord 384. There were assembled in that synod (as 
witnesseth Prosperus Aquitanicus*) one hundred and eighty 
fathers or bishops, which condemned Macedonius and Eu- 
doxius denying the Holy Ghost to be God. 

And about the year of our Lord 434, in the very same 


[5 Veram, id est veterem.—Lat. ] 

[6 See Goode’s Divine Rule of Faith and Practice, Vol. 1. pp. 141- 
156, and Vol. π. pp. 327-360.] 

[7 specially; Lat. significanter. ] 

[8 Synodus Patrum CLXXX apud Constantinopolim celebrata est 
contra Macedonium, Spiritum-sanctum Deum esse negantem.—Pros- 
per. Aquit. Chron. Opp. Par. 1711, col 735.] 

[9 This Second General Council was assembled, a.p. 381, by the 
Emperor Theodosius the Elder, and was attended by 150 bishops, &c. 
—Mosheim, Eccles. Hist. Vol. 1. p. 404. For the heresies of Macedo- 
nius and Eudoxius, see Routh, Scrip. Eccles. Opuscul. Vol. 1. p. 417, 
&c.; and Hammond’s Canons of the Church, p. 53.] 


The council 
of Constan- 
tinople. 


The council 
of Ephesus. 


The council 
of Calcedon. 


14 OF THE FOUR GENERAL SYNODS OF COUNCILS. 


year that the blessed father Augustine died, when that godly 
prince Theodosius the Great was emperor, there came toge- 
ther at Ephesus the third synod, of two hundred priests or 
thereabouts, against Nestorius!, which tare the mystery of 
the incarnation and taught that there were two Sons, the 
one of God, the other of man: whom this council condemned, 
together with the Pelagians’, helpers of this doctrine as 
cousin to their own. 

The fourth general council was assembled at Chalcedon, in 
the year of our Lord 454, under the emperor Martian; where 
six hundred and thirty fathers were gathered together, who 
according to the scriptures condemned Eutyches, which con- 
founded the natures in Christ for the unity of the person®. 

Beda de ratione temporum*, and many other writers, do 
join with these four universal councils two general synods 
more, the fifth and the sixth, celebrated at Constantinople. For 
the fifth was gathered together when Justinian was emperor, 
against Theodorus and all heretics, about the year of our 
Lord 552%. The sixth came together under Constantine the 
son of Constantius, in the year of our Lord 682. And there 
were assembled two hundred and eighty-nine bishops® against 
the Monothelites. But there was nothing determined in these 
synods, but what is to be found in the four first councils: 
wherefore I have noted nothing out of them. 


[! This council of Ephesus was held, a.p. 431, under Theodosius 
the Younger (not the Great).—Mosheim, Vol. 1. p. 472; Grier, p. 74. 
For the heresy of Nestorius, see Hooker’s Eccles. Pol. Book v. § 52. 
Augustine died August 28, 430.—Mosheim, Vol. 1. p. 338, Soames’ 
note. | 

[3 una cum multis Pelagianis.—Lat.] 

[3 The year of the assembling of this council was 451.—Mosheim, 
Vol. 1. p. 481. For the heresy of Eutyches, see Hooker, Book νυ. § 
52-54. ] 

[4 Beds de Sex Aitatibus Mundi, sive Chronicon, libellus. Opp. 
Tom. m1. p. 116. Col. Agrip. 1612. ] 

[5 The year was 553.—Mosheim, Vol. τι. p. 45; Hammond’s Canons 
of the church, p. 113. “Contra Theodorum, et omnes heereticos,” are 
the words of Bede. ] 

[6 This council was held a. Ὁ. 680, under the Emperor Constantine 
Pogonatus. The number of attending bishops increased to near 200. 
—Mosheim, Vol. 11. p. 101; Hammond’s Canons, p. 125.] 





OF THE FOUR GENERAL SYNODS OR COUNCILS. 15 


THE NICENE CREED TAKEN OUT OF THE ECCLESI- 
ASTICAL AND TRIPARTITE HISTORY. 


WE believe in one God, the Father Almighty, maker of 
of all things visible and invisible. And in one Lord Jesus 
Christ, the Son of God, the only-begotten Son of the Father, 
that is, of the substance of the Father; God of God, light of 
light, very God of very God; begotten, not made, being of 
the same essence and substance with the Father; by whom 
all things were made, which are in heaven, and which are in 
earth: who for us men and for our salvation came down, 
was incarnate and manned (was made man). He suffered, and 
rose again the third day, he ascended into heaven, and shall 
come to judge the quick and the dead. And (we believe) in 
the Holy Ghost. As for those that say, it was sometime 
when he was not, and before he was born he was not; and 
which say, because he was made of things not being (of 
nothing) or of another substance, that therefore the Son of 
God is either created, or turned, or changed, them doth the 
holy catholic and apostolic church curse or excommunicate®. 


᾿ μὰ , , , aA 
[Πιστεύομεν εἰς ἕνα Θεὸν, Πατέρα παντοκράτορα, πάντων ὁρατῶν 
A > , , Ν 2 A , > * \ A ec. 
τε καὶ ἀοράτων ποιητὴν. Kai εἰς eva Kuptov Inoovy Χριστὸν, τὸν Υἱὸν 
a A “a lal 4 a 
Tod Θεοῦ, γεννηθέντα ἐκ τοῦ ἸΤατρὸς, μονογενῆ, τουτέστιν ἐκ τῆς οὐσίας 
~ a ~ Ε ~ 
rod Πατρός: Θεὸν ἐκ Θεοῦ, φῶς ἐκ φωτὸς, Θεὸν ἀληθινὸν ἐκ Θεοῦ ἀλη- 
θινοῦ: γεννηθέντα, οὐ ποιηθέντα' ὁμοούσιον τῷ Πατρί: δ οὗ τὰ πάντα 
ἐγένετο, τά τε ἐν τῷ οὐρανῷ, καὶ τὰ ἐν τῇ γῇ" τὸν δ ἡμᾶς τοὺς ἀν- 
θρώπους καὶ διὰ τὴν ἡμετέραν σωτηρίαν κατελθόντα, καὶ σαρκωθέντα, ἐναν- 
, lod , > 
θρωπήσαντα, παθόντα καὶ ἀναστάντα τῇ τρίτῃ ἡμέρᾳ, ἀνελθόντα eis τοὺς 
’ “ an 7 a 
οὐρανούς: ἐρχόμενον κρῖναι ζῶντας καὶ νεκρούς. Καὶ eis τὸ Πνεῦμα τὸ 
σ΄͵ \ s 4 3᾽ ν 2 > κα x > = \ “ 
Ἅγιον. Τοὺς δὲ λέγοντας ἦν ποτὲ ὅτε οὐκ ἦν, ἢ οὐκ ἦν πρὶν γεννηθῆναι, 
x bY > a A x > ff €, ’ x aay: , 
ἢ ἐξ οὐκ ὄντων ἐγένετο, ἢ ἐξ ἑτέρας ὑποστάσεως ἢ οὐσίας φάσκοντας 
> a hee Nees oa: \ A «ιν ~ ~ , > 
εἶναι, ἢ κτιστὸν, ἢ τρεπτὸν ἢ ἀλλοιωτὸν, τὸν Yidv τοῦ Θεοῦ, τούτους ἀνα- 
θεματίζει ἡ καθολικὴ καὶ ἀποστολικὴ τοῦ Θεοῦ "ExkAnoia.—Socr. Hist. 
Eccl. Lib. 1. 6. 8. ed. Reading. Cantab. 1720. P.] 


16 OF THE FOUR GENERAL SYNODS OR COUNCILS. 


THE CREED OF THE COUNCIL HELD AT CONSTANTIN- 
OPLE, TAKEN OUT OF A CERTAIN COPY WRITTEN 
IN GREEK! AND LATIN? 


I BeLieve® in one God, the Father Almighty, maker of 
heaven and earth, and of all things visible and invisible. And 
in one Lord Jesus Christ, the only-begotten Son of God, 
born of his Father before all worlds, light of light, very 
God of very God, begotten, not made, being of the same sub- 


[1 Πιστεύομεν εἰς ἕνα Θεὸν, Πατέρα παντοκράτορα, ποιητὴν οὐρανοῦ 
καὶ γῆς, ὁρατῶν τε πάντων καὶ ἀοράτων. Καὶ εἰς ἕνα Κύριον ᾿Ιησοῦν 
Χριστὸν, τὸν Ὑἱὸν τοῦ Θεοῦ τὸν μονογενῆ, τὸν ἐκ τοῦ Πατρὸς γεννηθέντα 
πρὸ πάντων τῶν αἰώνων: φῶς ἐκ φωτὸς, Θεὸν ἀληθινὸν ἐκ Θεοῦ ἀληθι- 
νοῦ" γεννηθέντα οὐ ποιηθέντα, ὁμοούσιον τῷ Πατρί' δι’ οὗ τὰ πάντα ἐγέ- 
vero’ τὸν δ ἡμᾶς τοὺς ἀνθρώπους καὶ διὰ τὴν ἡμετέραν σωτηρίαν 
κατελθόντα ἐκ τῶν οὐρανῶν, καὶ σαρκωθέντα ἐκ Πνεύματος Ἁγίου, καὶ 
Μαρίας τῆς παρθένου, καὶ ἐνανθρωπήσαντα: σταυρωθέντα τε ὑπὲρ ἡμῶν 
> eas, § , , ‘ , Ν 4 A > , ΄ , 
ἐπὶ Ποντίου Πιλάτου, καὶ παθόντα, καὶ ταφέντα, καὶ ἀναστάντα τῇ τρίτῃ 
c ΄ A x , \ > , > A > \ . , 
ἡμέρᾳ κατὰ τὰς γραφάς" καὶ ἀνελθόντα eis τοὺς οὐρανοὺς, καὶ καθεζόμενον 
> a a , \ , > , \ , a a 
ex δεξιῶν τοῦ Πατρός: καὶ πάλιν ἐρχόμενον μετὰ δόξης κρῖναι ζῶντας 

‘ ΄ 2 n , > ” , N > ΗΠ an \ 
καὶ νεκρούς: ov τῆς βασιλείας οὐκ ἔσται τέλος. Kai εἰς τὸ Πνεῦμα τὸ 
σ΄, ‘ ᾿,’ x A \ ἦ > a“ A > , \ 
Ἅγιον, τὸ Κύριον, καὶ τὸ ζωοποιὸν, τὸ ἐκ Tov Πατρὸς ἐκπορευόμενον, τὸ 

, 3 οἿ eA rd Ν , A n 
σὺν Πατρὶ καὶ Ὑἱῷ συμπροσκυνούμενον, καὶ συνδοξαζόμενον, τὸ λαλῆσαν 
διὰ τῶν προφητῶν: εἰς μίαν ἁγίαν καθολικὴν καὶ ἀποστολικὴν ἐκκλησίαν" 
ὁμολογοῦμεν ἕν βαπτίσμα εἰς ἄφεσιν ἁμαρτιῶν: προσδοκῶμεν ἀνάστασιν 

a ἧς \ a , Sa > , 
νεκρῶν, καὶ ζωὴν τοῦ μέλλοντος αἰῶνος. Ἀμήν. P.] 

[2 Credimus in unum Deum Patrem omnipotentem, factorem cceli 
et terree, visibilium omnium et invisibilium: Et in unum Dominum 
Jesum Christum, Filium Dei, natum ex Patre ante omnia secula, Deum 
verum de Deo vero, natum, non factum, consubstantialem Patri: per 
quem omnia facta sunt, qui propter nos homines et salutem nostram 
descendit de ccelis, et incarnatus est de Spiritu Sancto ex Maria vir- 
gine, et inhumanatus est, et crucifixus est pro nobis sub Pontio Pilato, 
et sepultus est, et resurrexit tertia die, ascendit in ccelos, sedet ad dex- 
teram Patris, iterum venturus est cum gloria judicare vivos et mortuos, 
cujus regni non erit finis: Et in Spiritum Sanctum, Dominum et vi- 
vificantem, ex Patre procedentem, cum Patre et Filio adorandum et 
conglorificandum, qui loquutus est per sanctos prophetas: Et unam 
sanctam catholicam et apostolicam ecclesiam: confitemur unum bap- 
tisma in remissionem peccatorum; exspectamus resurrectionem mortuo- 
rum, vitam futuri seculi, Amen.—Routh, Scriptor. Eccles. Opuscul. 
Vol. 1. pp. 398, 9. Oxon. 1840.] 

[3 Bullinger’s copy reads Credo; confiteor ; and exspecto; and Spi- 
ritum Sanctum Dominum vivificatorem.] 








ΟΕ THE FOUR GENERAL SYNODS OR COUNCILS. 17 


stance with the Father, by whom all things were made: who 
for us men, and for our salvation, came down from heaven, 
and was incarnate by the Holy Ghost and the virgin Mary, 
and was made man. He was also crucified for us under 
Pontius Pilate. He suffered and was buried: and he rose 
the third day, according to the scriptures. And he ascended 
into heaven, and sitteth on the right hand of God the Father: 
and he shall come again with glory to judge the quick and 
the dead; whose kingdom shall have no end. And (I believe) 
in the Holy Ghost, the Lord and giver of life, who, proceed- 
ing from the Father, is to be worshipped and glorified to- 
gether with the Father and the Son; who spake by the 
prophets: in one catholic and apostolic church. I confess one 
baptism for the remission of sins. I look for the resurrection 
of the dead; and the life of the world to come. 


THE CONFESSION OF FAITH MADE BY THE SYNOD 
AT EPHESUS. 


Inasmucu as because here I note all things briefly, I 
could not in writing place with these that large synodal 
epistle written by St Cyril to Nestorius*, wherein is contained 
the full consent of the general council held at Ephesus. 1 
have therefore rather chosen out of the 28th epistle of the 
same Cyril a short confession sent to the synod, and allowed 
by the whole council. Before the confession are set these 
words: “ Even as in the beginning we have heard out of the 
divine scriptures, and the tradition’ of the holy fathers; so 
will we briefly speak, not adding any thing at all to the 
faith set forth by the holy fathers in Nice. For that doth 
suffice as well to all knowledge of godliness, as also to the 
utter forsaking of any heretical overthwartness.” 

And a little after this, the confession is set down in these 
words: “We acknowledge our Lord Jesus Christ, the only- 
begotten Son of God, to be perfect God and perfect man, of 
a reasonable soul and body; born of the Father according to 
his Godhead before the worlds, and the very same according 
to his humanity born in the latter times of the virgin Mary 


[4 See Routh, Scriptor. Eccles. Opusc. Vol. u. p. 17, ἅς. The 
epistle was written A.D. 430. ] 


Ὁ 
[BULLINGER. | 


18 OF THE FOUR GENERAL SYNODS OR COUNCILS, 


for us, and for our salvation: for there was made an uniting 
of the two natures. Wherefore we confess both one Christ, 
one Son, and one Lord. And according to this understanding 
of the unconfounded unity, we acknowledge the holy virgin 
to be the mother of God, because that God the Word was 
incarnate and made man, and by the very conception ga- 
thered to himself a body taken of her. But for the speeches 
uttered by the evangelists and apostles touching the Lord, 
we know that the divines do by reason of the two natures 
divide them, so yet as that they belong to one person; and 
that they do refer them, some, because they are more agree- 
able to the Divinity, to the Godhead of Christ, and other 
some, (because they are) base, to his humanity.” 

To this confession Cyril addeth these words: “‘ When we 
had read these holy words of yours (even in the synod to 
which the confession was sent), and did perceive that we our- 
selves were of the same opinion (for there is one Lord, one 
faith, and one baptism), we glorified God the Saviour of all 
(men), rejoicing together in ourselves, for that the churches 
both ours and yours do believe agreeably to the scriptures of 
God and tradition of the holy fathers!.” 


1 « ” » κ , a » “ , 
[..-.. ὡς ἄνωθεν ἔκ τε τῶν θείων γραφῶν ἔκ τε τῆς παραδόσεως 
΄ € , ὯΝ ra > , A »Ἥ > A > ‘ 
τῶν ἁγίων πατέρων παρειληφότες ἐσχήκαμεν, διὰ βραχέων ἐροῦμεν, οὐδὲν 
τὸ συνόλον προστιθέντες τῇ τῶν ἁγίων πατέρων τῶν ἐν Νικαίᾳ ἐκτεθείσῃ 
lg ¢ \ » > , εἶ a > - ‘ > , 
πίστει: ὡς yap ἔφθημεν εἰρηκότες, πρὸς πᾶσαν ἐξαρκεῖ καὶ εὐσεβείας 
“ Lod > ~ 
γνῶσιν, πάσης καὶ αἱρετικῆς κακοδοξίας ἀποκήρυξιν... .. “Ομολογοῦμεν τοι- 
aA , € ΄“΄ > a A A 
γαροῦν τὸν Κύριον ἡμῶν ᾿Ιησοῦν Χριστὸν, τὸν Υἱὸν τοῦ Θεοῦ τὸν povo- 
“ nN , Ae, Ls > o = x ΄ 
γενῆ, Θεὸν τέλειον καὶ ἄνθρωπον τέλειον ἐκ Ψυχῆς λογικῆς καὶ σώματος" 
πρὸ αἰώνων μὲν ἐκ τοῦ Πατρὸς γεννηθέντα κατὰ τὴν Θεότητα, ἐπ᾽ ἐσχάτων 
δὲ τῶν ἡμερῶν τὸν αὐτὸν δ ἡμᾶς καὶ διὰ τὴν ἡμετέραν σωτηρίαν ἐκ 
, εκ Ψ κ᾿ A > , ς ΄ κ N \ 
Μαρίας τῆς παρθένου κατὰ τὴν ἀνθρωπότητα: ὁμοούσιον τῷ Πατρὶ τὸν 
‘ A cn 
αὐτὸν κατὰ τὴν Θεότητα, καὶ ὁμοούσιον ἡμῖν κατὰ τὴν ἀνθρωπότητα" δύο 
A re oa 4 \ o A og εν σ Δ ς 
γὰρ φύσεων ἕνωσις γέγονε": διὸ ἕνα Χριστὸν, ἕνα Υἱὸν, ἕνα Κύριον ὁμο- 
λογοῦμεν. Κατὰ ταύτην τὴν τῆς ἀσυγχύτου ἑνώσεως ἔννοιαν, ὁμολογοῦ- 
A < , £: , x A A A / lad 
μεν τὴν ἁγίαν παρθένον Θεοτόκον, διὰ τὸ τὸν Θεὸν Λόγον σαρκωθῆναι, 
κα a ee) Sw a ΄ en ε x ‘ > 
καὶ ἐνανθρωπῆσαι, καὶ ἐξ αὐτῆς τῆς συλλήψεως ἑνῶσαι ἑαυτῷ τὸν ἐξ 
“ a ~ 
αὐτῆς ληφθέντα ναόν. Tas δὲ εὐαγγελικὰς καὶ ἀποστολικὰς περὶ τοῦ Κυ- 
¢ A w" A cA ‘ ‘ ΄“ 
ρίου φωνὰς, ἴσμεν τοὺς θεολόγους ἄνδρας τὰς μὲν κοινοποιοῦντας, ὡς 
» > C ee. Y , A ‘ ~ « Ὄπ A fl Ν A ‘ 
ep ἑνὸς προσώπου, tas δὲ διαιροῦντας ὡς ἐπὶ δύο φύσεων": καὶ τὰς μὲν 
θεοπρεπεῖς κατὰ τὴν Θεότητα τοῦ Χριστοῦ, τὰς δὲ ταπεινὰς κατὰ τὴν 
5 - a 5 ΄ 
ἀνθρωπότητα αὐτοῦ παραδίδοντας..---- Ταύταις ὑμῶν ἐντυχόντες ταῖς ἱεραῖς 
΄“ -΄ a 
φωναῖς, οὕτω τε καὶ ἑαυτοὺς φρονοῦντας εὑρίσκοντες, (εἷς yap Κύριος, 
᾿ , a , “ “ 
μία πίστις, ἕν βάπτισμα,) ἐδοξάσαμεν τὸν τῶν ὅλων Σωτῆρα Θεόν' ἀλ- 








OF THE FOUR GENERAL SYNODS OR COUNCILS. 19 


A CONFESSION OF FAITH MADE BY THE COUNCIL OF 
CHALCEDON, TAKEN OUT OF THE BOOK OF 
ISIDORE. 


Arter the rehearsal of the creeds set forth by the 
synods of Nice and Constantinople, with a few words put 
between, straightway the holy council of Chalcedon doth pre- 
scribe (their confession) in these words”. 

“We therefore, agreeing with the holy fathers, do with 
one accord teach to confess one and the same Son, our Lord 
Jesus Christ, and him (to be) perfect God in the Deity, and 
the same also very man of a reasonable soul and body: 
touching his Godhead (being) of one nature with his Father ; 
and the same, as touching his manhood, of one nature with 
us, like to us in all things except sin: touching his Godhead, 
born of his Father before the worlds; and the same in the 
latter days made man for us and for our salvation. (We 
teach) to consider, that he is one and the same Christ, the 
Son, (our) Lord, the only-begotten Son, in two natures, neither 


, , ¢ ἃς ΄ ἮΝ ᾿ a ἢ 
λήλοις συγχαίροντες, ὅτι ταῖς θεοπνεύστοις γραφαῖς καὶ τῇ παραδόσει 
΄“ lal a ΄σ 
τῶν ἁγίων ἡμῶν πατέρων συμβαίνουσαν ἔχουσι πίστιν αἵ τε παρὰ ἡμῖν 
καὶ ai παρὰ ὑμῖν éxkAnoiat.—Cyril. Alex. Opp. Par. 1638, Tom. v. P. 
2, p. 106.) 
2 c re 4 ΄“- | ee 4 , ΄ A A + ee} © rv a“ 
[2 “Ἑπόμενοι τοίνυν τοῖς ἁγίοις πατράσιν, ἕνα καὶ τὸν αὐτὸν ὁμολογεῖν 
ει \ ’, ¢ “ > a \ ΄ og > ὃ δά 
υἱὸν τὸν Κύριον ἡμῶν ᾿Ιησοῦν Χριστὸν συμφώνως ἅπαντες ἐκδιδάσκομεν, 
΄ \ ae 2 , ‘ , \ > eg ἢ > > 6 ΄ \ 
τέλειον τὸν αὐτὸν ἐν Θεότητι, καὶ τέλειον τὸν αὐτὸν ἐν ἀνθρωπότητι, Θεὸν 
“ lol col “ , e 
ἀληθῶς καὶ ἄνθρωπον ἀληθῶς τὸν αὐτὸν ἐκ ψυχῆς λογικῆς καὶ σώματος 
ὁμοούσιον τῷ Πατρὶ κατὰ τὴν Θεότητα, καὶ ὁμοούσιον τὸν αὐτὸν ἡμῖν κατὰ 
΄“΄ / 
τὴν ἀνθρωπότητα, κατὰ πάντα ὅμοιον ἡμῖν, χωρὶς ἁμαρτίας: mpd αἰώνων 
a > , ν lol 
μὲν ἐκ τοῦ Πατρὸς γεννηθέντα κατὰ τὴν Θεότητα, ἐπ᾽ ἐσχάτων δὲ τῶν 
ἡμερῶν τὸν αὐτὸν δ᾽ ἡμᾶς καὶ διὰ τὴν ἡμετέραν σωτηρίαν ἐκ Μαρίας 
΄“ rad > 
τῆς παρθένου τῆς Θεοτόκου κατὰ τὴν ἀνθρωπότητα, ἕνα Kai τὸν αὐτὸν 
a (4 > i: > ra 
Χριστὸν, Υἱὸν, Κύριον, μονογενῆ, ἐκ δύο φύσεων ἀσυγχύτως, ἀτρέπτως, 
“ “ a“ -. ΄“΄ 
ἀδιαιρέτως, ἀχωρίστως γνωριζόμενον" οὐδαμοῦ τῆς τῶν φύσεων διαφορᾶς 
> , ᾿ ᾿ σ ΄ δὲ αλλ “ ἰδ Pd - 4 
ἀνηρημένης Sia τὴν ἕνωσιν, σωζομένης δὲ μᾶλλον τῆς ἰδιότητος ἑκατέρας 
A > > 
φύσεως, καὶ εἰς ἕν πρόσωπον καὶ μίαν ὑπόστασιν συντρεχούσης, οὐκ εἰς 
A i ΄ x , 2x ae 4 \ 28 Vis 
δύο πρόσωπα μεριζόμενον ἢ διαιρούμενον, ἀλλ᾽ ἕνα καὶ τὸν αὐτὸν Yiov 
- - , »" 
καὶ μονογενῆ, Θεὸν, Adyov, Κύριον ᾿Ιησοῦν Χριστόν: καθάπερ ἄνωθεν οἱ 
“ “ “ , “ | > , 
προφῆται περὶ αὐτοῦ, καὶ αὐτὸς ἡμᾶς ὁ Κύριος ᾿Ιησοῦς Χριστὸς ἐξεπαί- 
fod “ Yd tA , 
Sevoe, καὶ τὸ τῶν Πατέρων ἡμῖν παραδέδωκε σύμβολον. Τούτων τοίνυν 
> c “ 
μετὰ πάσης πανταχόθεν ἀκριβείας τε καὶ ἐμμελείας παρ’ ἡμῶν διατυπω- 
ΝΣ ta 
θέντων, ὥρισεν ἡ ἁγία καὶ οἰκουμενικὴ σύνοδος, ἑτέραν πίστιν μηδενὶ ἐξεῖναι 
: a BN κ x , ς 2 
προφέρειν, ἢ γοῦν συγγράφειν, ἢ συντιθέναι, ἢ φρονεῖν, ἢ διδάσκειν ἑτέροις. 
—Labb. Conc. Par. 1671. Tom. ty. fol. ὅ66, 7. P.] me 
2—2 


20 OF THE FOUR GENERAL SYNODS OR COUNCILS. 


confounded, nor changed, nor divided, nor separated ; and 
that the difference of the natures is not to be taken away 
because of the unity, but rather, the property of both (his) 
natures remaining whole and meeting together in one person 
and one substance, that he is not parted or divided into two 
persons, but is one and the same Son, the only-begotten Son, 
God, the Word, (our) Lord Jesus Christ : even as the prophets 
from the beginning (have witnessed) of him, as he himself hath 
instructed us, and the confession of the fathers hath taught us. 
These things therefore being ordered by us with all care and 
diligence, the holy and universal synod doth determine, that 
it should not be lawful for any man to profess any other 
faith, or else to write, to teach, or speak to the contrary.” 


THAT THE DECREE OF THE SYNOD OF CHALCEDON 
IS NOT CONTRARY TO THE DOCTRINE OF THE 
BLESSED BISHOP CYRIL, TAKEN OUT OF THE 
FIFTH BOOK OF THE HOLY MARTYR VIGILIUS 
AGAINST EUTYCHES}. 


Bur now let us consider the last article in the decree 
of the synod of Chalcedon : “ We confess that Christ our Lord, 


[ Sed jam ultimum decreti capitulum videamus ex decreto synodi 
Chalcedonensis: “Unum eundemque Christum Dominum unigenitum 
(confitemur) in duabus naturis inconfuse, inconvertibiliter, indivise, in- 
separabiliter cognoscendum, nusquam duarum naturarum diversitate 
evacuata propter unionem, salva magis proprietate utriusque nature, — 
in unam personam atque substantiam convenientibus, non ut in duas 
personas divisum aut segregatum, sed unum eundemque unigenitum 
Filium Deum Verbum Dominum Jesum Christum.” In hoe capitulo 
hoc eis displicet, cur dixerint, “Salva proprietate utriusque nature ;” vel, 
* Non evacuata naturarum differentia :” que ut firma esse perdoceant, 
consueta verborum prolixitate et inani assertione utentes, multa de 
Cyrilli capitulis interponunt testimonia, quibus ille non duas in Christo — 
negat naturas, sed unam docet esse personam. Ne igitur soli eos 
nostra disputatione refutemus, Cyrilli etiam nos verba ponamus; ut 
quomodo Cyrillo teste nituntur, Cyrillo teste vincantur. Ex synodicis © 
Cyrilli ad Nestorium literis hee sunt: “Non enim dicimus,” inquit, “quod — 
divina natura conversa vel immutata facta sit caro, nec quod in totum 
hominem, quod ex anima est et corpore, transformata sit; sed illud 
magis, quod carnem animatam rationabile sibi copulaverit Verbum sub- 
stantialiter, ineffabiliter et indeprehensibiliter factus sit homo, et nun- 
cupatus sit etiam Filius hominis, non nude tantummodo voluntatis, sed 








OF THE FOUR GENERAL SYNODS OR COUNCILS. 21 


the only-begotten Son, is to be understood to be one and the 
self-same in (his) two natures, neither confounded, nor changed, 
nor divided, nor separated, not making void the difference of 
the two natures because of the unity, but keeping sound the 
property of both natures coming together into one person 
and substance, not as being divided or separated, but (as 
being) one and the same only-begotten Son, God, the Word, 
(our) Lord Jesus.” 

In this article this displeaseth them, because they said, 
“The property of both natures remaining sound ; or, “The 
difference of the natures not being made void.” And that they 
may persuade us that those things (which they mislike) are 
assuredly so, they, using their accustomed largeness of words 
and vain assertions, do bring in many testimonies out of the 
articles of Cyril, wherein he denieth not the two natures in 
Christ, but teacheth that there is but one person. To the 
intent therefore that we may not confute them with our dis- 
putation alone, let us set down also the words of Cyril, that 
even as they lean to the testimony of Cyril, so by the tes- 
timony of Cyril they may be overcome. In the synodal 
epistles of Cyril to Nestorius thus it is (written): “For we 
do not affirm,” saith he, “that the divine nature is turned or 
changed into flesh, nor yet that it is transformed into the 


nec assumptione sola persons, sed quod diversee et quodammodo 
naturee in unum conyenerint. Unus tamen ex ambabus Christus et 
Filius, non evacuata aut sublata diversitate naturarum per conjunc- 
tionem; sed quia simul nobis effecerunt unum Dominum et Christum 
et Filium, id est, Divinitas et Humanitas per arcanam illam ineffabi- 
lemque copulationem ad unitatem.” Quid hoc manifestius? quid clarius 
ad consonantiam synodici decreti Chalcedonensis ex literis Cyrilli 
potuit demonstrari? Ecce nec dicta dictis, nec sententiz sententiis 
adversantur; sed sicut uno fidei sensu, ita iisdem pene usi sunt verbis. 
Dixit sancta synodus, Nusquam duarum naturarum diversitate eva- 
cuata: dixit beatus Cyrillus, Non evacuata aut sublata diversitate 
naturarum per conjunctionem. Dixit sancta synodus, Utrisque naturis 
in una persona convenientibus: dixit beatus Cyrillus, Non nude tan- 
tummodo yoluntatis, sed nec assumptione sola persone, sed quod diver- 
se quodammodo nature in unum convenerint. Dixit sancta synodus, 
Non in duas personas divisum, sed unum eundemque Christum: dixit 
beatus Cyrillus, Unus tamen ex ambabus, id est, naturis Christus Filius. 
Et iterum, Sed quia simul nobis effecerunt unum Dominum Christum 
et Filium, id est, Divinitas et Humanitas, &c.—Vigilius contra Euty- 
ehen. Tigur. 1539. p. 97.] 


About the 
year of our 
Lord 400. 


22 OF THE FOUR GENERAL SYNODS OR COUNCILS. 


whole man, which consisteth of the body and soul; but we say 
rather, that the reasonable soul hath coupled to itself the 
substance of living flesh, that it is unspeakably and uncon- 
ceivably made man, and is also called the Son of man, not of 
bare will alone, nor by the only taking on of the person, but 
because the two natures do after a certain manner come toge- 
ther in one, so that there is one Christ, and one Son of both 
(tke natures) by joming them in one, not in making void or 
taking away the difference of the natures, but because they, 
that is, the Godhead and the manhood together, by that 
hidden and unspeakable knitting to the unity, have made to 
us one Lord, and (one) Christ, and (one) Son.” What could 
be spoken more plainly than this? What could be shewed 
more clearly out of the epistles of Cyril to agree with the 
determination of the council of Chalcedon? For see, neither 
are words to words, nor sentence to sentence any thing con- 
trary: but even as they had one meaning of faith, so use 
they in a manner the self-same words. 

The holy synod said, “The difference of the two natures 
being no where made void ;” St Cyril said, “‘ The difference of 
the natures not being made void, or taken away, by joining 
them together.” The holy synod said, “ Both the natures 
meeting together in one person;” St Cyril saith, “Not of a 
bare will only, nor yet by the only taking on of a person, 
but because the two natures after a sort do meet together in 
one.” The holy synod said, “Not being divided into two 
persons, but being one and the same Christ ;” St Cyril said, 
“So that of two, that is to say (of two) natures in one Christ 
the Son;” and again, “Because they, that is, the Godhead and 
the manhood together, have made to us one Lord, (one) Christ, 
and (one) Son,” &c. 


THE CREED OF THE FIRST COUNCIL HELD AT TOLEDO, 
WHEN HONORIUS AND ARCADIUS WERE EMPERORS, 
TAKEN OUT OF THE BOOK OF ISIDORE}. 


We believe in one very God, the Father Almighty, and 
the Son, and the Holy Ghost, maker of things visible and 


[1 Credimus in unum Deum Patrem, et Filium et Spiritum Sanc- 
tum, visibilium et invisibilium factorem, per quem creata sunt omnia in 








OF THE FOUR GENERAL SYNODS OR COUNCILS. 23 


invisible, by whom all things were made in heaven and in 
earth. We believe, that there is one God and one Trinity 
of the divine substance. And that the Father himself is not 
the Son, but that he hath a Son, which is not the Father. 
That the Son is not the Father, but that the Son of God is 
of the nature of the Father. And also that the Holy Ghost 
is the Comforter, which neither is the Father himself, nor the 
Son, but proceeding from the Father and the Son. The 
Father therefore is unbegotten, the Son begotten, the Com- 
forter not begotten but proceeding from the Father and the 
Son. The Father is he from whom this voice was heard out 
of heaven, “This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well 
pleased: hear him.” The Son is he which said, “I went 
out from the Father, and came from God into the world.” 
The Comforter is the Holy Ghost, of whom the Son said, 
“Unless I go away to the Father, the Comforter shall not 


ceelo et in terra: hunc unum Deum et hanc unam esse divine sub- 
stantiz Trinitatem: Patrem autem non esse ipsum Filium, sed habere 
Filium qui Pater non sit: Filium non esse Patrem, sed Filium Dei de 
Patris esse natura: Spiritum quoque Paracletum esse, qui nec Pater 
sit ipse nec Filius, sed a Patre Filioque procedens. Est ergo ingenitus 
Pater, genitus Filius, non genitus Paracletus sed a Patre Filioque pro- 
cedens. Pater est, cujus vox hee est audita de ccelis, Hic est Filius 
meus, in quo mihi bene complacui: ipsum audite. Filius est qui ait, go 
a Patre exivi, et a Deo veni in hune mundum.  Paracletus Spiritus est, 
de quo Filius ait, Nisi abiero ego ad Patrem, Paracletus non veniet ad 
vos. Hane Trinitatem personis distinctam, substantia unitam, virtute 
et potestate et majestate indivisibilem, indifferentem; preter hanc 
nullam credimus divinam esse naturam, vel angeli, vel spiritus vel 
virtutis alicujus, que Deus esse credatur. Hune igitur Filium Dei, 
Deum natum a Patre ante omne omnino principium, sanctificasse 
uterum Marie Virginis, atque ex ea verum hominem sine virili gene- 
ratum semine suscepisse, duabus duntaxat naturis, id est, Deitatis et 
carnis, in unam convenientibus omnino personam, id est, Dominum 
nostrum Jesum Christum: nec imaginarium corpus aut phantasmatis 
alicujus in eo fuisse, sed solidum atque verum: hunc et esurisse et sitisse 
et doluisse et flevisse et omnes corporis injurias pertulisse: postremo a 
Judeeis crucifixum et sepultum tertia die resurrexisse: conversatum 
postmodum eum discipulis suis, et quadragesima post resurrectionem 
die ad ccelum ascendisse. Hunc Filium hominis etiam Dei Filium dici. 
Filium autem Dei Dominum Filium hominis appellamus. Resurrectio- 
nem vero futuram humane credimus carnis, animam autem hominis non 
divinam esse substantiam, aut Dei parem, sed creaturam dicimus divina 
voluntate creatam.—Labb. Concil. Par. 1671. Tom. 1. col, 1227. P.] 


24 OF THE FOUR GENERAL SYNODS OR COUNCILS. 


come.” We believe in this Trinity differing in persons (but) 
all one in substance, not divided nor differing in strength, 
power and majesty ; (and) we believe, that beside this there 
is no divine nature, either of angel, or of spirit, or any power, 
which may be believed to be God. 

We therefore believe, that this Son of God, being God 
begotten of his Father altogether before all beginning, did 
sanctify the womb of the virgin Mary, and that of her he 
took upon him very man, begotten without the seed of man, 
the two natures only, that is, of the Godhead and manhood, 
coming together into one person only, that is, our Lord Jesus 
Christ. Neither (do we believe) that there was in him an 
imagined or any phantastical body, but a sound and very 
(body), and that he both hungered, and thirsted, and taught’, 
and wept, and suffered all the damages of the body: last of 
all, that he was crucified of the Jews, and was buried, and 
rose again the third day, and afterward was conversant with 
his disciples, and the fortieth day after his resurrection as- 
cended into heaven. This Son of man, and also the Son of 
God, we call both the Son of God and the Son of man. 

We believe verily, that there shall be a resurrection of 
the flesh of mankind; and that the soul of man is not of the 
divine substance, or of God the Father, but is a creature 
created by the will of God. 


THE CREED OF THE FOURTH COUNCIL KEPT AT TOLEDO, 
TAKEN OUT OF THE BOOK OF ISIDORE?. 


As we have learned of the holy fathers, that the Father, 
and the Son, and the Holy Ghost are of one Godhead and 


[1 “Docuisse” for “doluisse” is read in the Latin of Bullinger, by 
mistake: it ought to be “sorrowed.”’] 

[2 Secundum divinas scripturas, doctrinam quam a sanctis patribus 
accepimus, Patrem et Filium et Spiritum Sanctum unius Deitatis atque 
substantize confitemur: in personarum diversitate Trinitatem creden- 
tes, in Divinitate unitatem predicantes: nec personas confundimus, 
nec substantiam separamus. Patrem a nullo factum vel genitum dici- 
mus: Filium a Patre non factum sed genitum asserimus: Spiritum 
vero Sanctum non creatum, nec genitum, sed procedentem ex Patre et 
Filio profitemur. Ipsum autem Dominum nostrum Jesum Christum, 
Dei Filium et Creatorem omnium, ex substantia Patris ante secula 








OF THE FOUR GENERAL SYNODS OR COUNCILS. 20 


substance, (so) is our confession, believing the Trinity in the 
difference of persons, and openly professing the unity in the 
Godhead; neither confound we the persons, nor divide the 
substance. We say, that the Father is made or begotten of 
none: we affirm, that the Son is not made, but begotten of 
the Father: and we profess that the Holy Ghost is neither 
created nor begotten, but proceeding from the Father and 
the Son. And (we confess) that the Lord himself Jesus Christ 
the Son of God, and the maker of all things, begotten of the 
substance of his Father before all the worlds, came down 
from his Father in the latter times for the redemption of the 
world, who (nevertheless) never ceased to be with the Father. 
For he was incarnate by the Holy Ghost and the glorious 
virgin Mary the holy mother of God, and of her was born 
alone the same Lord Jesus Christ, one in the Trinity, being 
perfect (man) in soul and body, taking on man without sin, 
being still what he was, taking to him what he was not: 
touching his Godhead equal with the Father, (and) inferior 
to his Father touching his manhood, having in one person 
the property of two natures. For (there are) in him two 
natures, God and man: and yet not two Sons or two Gods, 
but the same (God and man) one person in both natures, who 


genitum, descendisse ultimo tempore pro redemptione mundi a Patre, 
qui nunquam desiit esse cum Patre. Incarnatus est enim ex Spiritu 
Sancto, et sancta gloriosa Dei genitrice Virgine Maria, et natus ex 
ipsa, solus autem Dominus Jesus Christus; unus de sancta Trinitate, 
anima et carne perfectum sine peccato suscipiens hominem, manens 
quod erat, assumens quod non erat: equalis Patri secundum Divini- 
tatem, minor Patre secundum humanitatem: habens in una Persona 
duarum naturarum proprietatem: nature enim in illo due, Deus et 
homo, non autem duo Filii et Dei duo, sed idem una Persona in utra- 
que natura, perferens passionem et mortem pro nostra salute, non in 
virtute Divinitatis, sed infirmitate humanitatis. Descendit ad inferos, 
ut sanctos qui ibidem tenebantur erueret: devictoque mortis imperio 
resurrexit: assumptus deinde in ccelum, venturus est in futurum ad 
judicium vivorum et mortuorum: cujus nos morte et sanguine mun- 
dati remissionem peccatorum consecuti sumus: resuscitandi ab eo in 
die novissima in ea qua nunc vivimus carne: et in ea qua resurrexit 
idem Dominus forma percepturi ab ipso, alii pro justitize meritis vitam 
_eeternam, alii pro peccatis supplicii eterni sententiam. Hee est 
catholicee ecclesie fides: hane confessionem conservamus atque tene- 
mus: quam quisquis firmissime custodierit, perpetuam salutem habebit. 
—Labb. Concil. Par. 1671. Tom. v. 1703. P.] 


About the 
ear of our 
ord 185. 


26 OF THE FOUR GENERAL SYNODS OR COUNCILS. 


suffered grief and death for our salvation, not in the power 
of his Godhead, but in the infirmity of his manhood. He 
descended to them below to draw out by force the saints 
which were held there. And he rose again, the power of 
death being overcome. He was taken up into the heavens, 
from whence he shall come to judge the quick and the dead. 
By whose death and blood we being made clean have ob- 
tained forgiveness of (our) sins, and shall be raised up again 
by him in the last day in the same flesh wherein we now 
live, (and) in that manner wherein the same (our) Lord did rise 
again, (and) shall receive of him, some in reward of their well- 
doing life everlasting, and some for their sins the judgment of 
everlasting punishment. This is the faith of the catholic 
church, this confession we keep and hold, which whosoever 
shall keep stedfastly, he shall have everlasting salvation. 


A DECLARATION OF THE FAITH OR PREACHING OF 
THE EVANGELICAL AND APOSTOLICAL TRUTH, BY 
THE BLESSED MARTYR IRENAZUS, TAKEN OUT OF 
THE THIRD CHAPTER OF HIS FIRST BOOK “CON- 
TRA VALENT.” 


Tue church, dispersed through the whole world even to 
the ends of the earth, hath of the apostles and their disciples 
received the belief, which is in one God the Father Almighty, 
which made heaven and earth, the sea, and all that in them 
is. And in one Jesus Christ the Son of God, (who was) incar- 
nate for our salvation. And in the Holy Ghost, who by the 
prophets preached the mystery of the dispensation, and the 
coming of the beloved Jesus Christ our Lord, with his nativity 
of the virgin, and his passion, and resurrection from the dead, 
and his ascension in the flesh into the heavens, and his coming 
again out of the heavens in the glory of the Father to restore 
all things, and to raise up again all flesh of mankind: so that 
to Christ Jesus our Lord, both God, and Saviour, and King, 
according to the will of the invisible Father, every knee may 
bow, of things in heaven, and things in earth, and things 
under the earth, and that every tongue may praise him, and 
that he may judge rightly in all things, and that he may 
cast the spirits of naughtiness, with the angels which trans- 
gressed and became rebels, and wicked, unjust, mischievous, 








OF THE FOUR GENERAL SYNODS OR COUNCILS. Zr 


and blasphemous men, into eternal fire: and that to the just 
and holy ones, and such as have kept his commandments and 
remained in the love of him, partly from the beginning and 
partly by repentance, he may grant life, bestow immortality, 
and give glory everlasting. The church, although it be dis- 
persed throughout the whole world, having obtained, as I 
have said, this confession and this faith, doth, as it were 
dwelling together in one house, diligently keep them, and 
likewise believe them, even as if it had one soul and the 
same heart; and doth preach, teach, and agreeably deliver 
these things, even as if it had all one mouth. For in the 
world the tongues are unlike, but the force of teaching is 
one and the same. Neither do the churches, whose foundation 
is laid in Germany, believe otherwise, or teach to the con- 
trary: neither those in Spain, nor those in France, nor those 
in the east, nor those in Egypt, nor those in Libya, nor those 
which are in the world (beside): but even as the sun, (which 
is) the creature of God, is one and the self-same in all the 
world ; so also the preaching of the truth shineth every where, 
and giveth light to all men, which are willing to come to the 
knowledge of the truth. And neither shall he, which among 
the chief overseers of the church is able to say much, speak 
contrary to this; for no man is above his master: neither 
shall he, which is able to say little, diminish this doctrine any 
whit at all. For seeing that faith is all one and the same, 
neither doth he, which is able to say much of it, say more 
than should be said: neither doth he, which saith little, make 
it ever a whit the lesser}. 


3 | « 4 4 > , , θ᾽ ὅλ a ἢ ,’ 9 , 

[1 Ἢ μὲν yap ἐκκλησία, καίπερ καθ᾽ ὅλης τῆς οἰκουμένης ἕως περάτων 
col “ ΄ A cal ~ “ 

τῆς γῆς διεσπαρμένη, παρὰ δὲ τῶν ἀποστόλων καὶ τῶν ἐκείνων μαθητῶν πα- 

~ A > σ A ,΄ , p , A > 
ραλαβοῦσα τὴν εἰς ἕνα Θεὸν Πατέρα παντοκράτορα, τὸν πεποιηκότα τὸν ov- 
“ A , , A ΄“ 

ρανὸν, καὶ τὴν γῆν, καὶ τὰς θαλάσσας, καὶ πάντα τὰ ἐν αὐτοῖς, πίστιν: καὶ 
ιν \ > a \ CN a σι \ ΄, CSS a ς 

εἰς ἕνα Χριστὸν Ἰησοῦν, τὸν Υἱὸν τοῦ Θεοῦ, τὸν σαρκωθέντα ὑπὲρ τῆς ἡμε- 

a σ΄“, \ an a 
τέρας σωτηρίας" καὶ eis Πνεῦμα Ἅγιον, τὸ διὰ τῶν προφητῶν κεκηρυχὸς τὰς 
iS ’, , ΄ 

οἰκονομίας, καὶ τὰς ἐλεύσεις, καὶ τὴν ἐκ παρθένου γέννησιν, καὶ τὸ πάθος, καὶ 
‘ ~ > , ~ 

τὴν ἔγερσιν ἐκ νεκρῶν, καὶ τὴν ἔνσαρκον εἰς τοὺς οὐρανοὺς ἀνάληψιν τοῦ 

na “- “ c “ lod ΄σ “ 

ἠγαπημένου Χριστοῦ ᾿Ιησοῦ τοῦ Κυρίου ἡμῶν, καὶ τὴν ἐκ τῶν οὐρανῶν ἐν τῇ 
, a \ , > tase v3: , 4 , ΗΜ 

δόξῃ τοῦ Πατρὸς παρουσίαν αὐτοῦ, ἐπὶ τὸ ἀνακεφαλαιώσασθαι τὰ πάντα, καὶ 
, fed “ , , > z σ a > a “ , 

ἀναστῆσαι πᾶσαν σάρκα πάσης ἀνθρωπότητος, iva Χριστῷ ᾿Ιησοῦ τῷ Κυρίῳ 
ς Led Ν ~ \ Led Ν ΦῈ A ν 3 , “A A ~ 

ἡμῶν, καὶ Θεῷ, kal Σωτῆρι, καὶ Βασιλεῖ, κατὰ τὴν εὐδοκίαν τοῦ Πατρὸς τοῦ 

ἀοράτου, πᾶν γόνυ κάμψῃ ἐπουρανίων καὶ ἐπιγείων καὶ καταχθονίων, καὶ 
col , , ΄ ΄“΄ ΄ 

πᾶσα γλώσσα ἐξομολογήσηται αὐτῷ, καὶ κρίσιν δικαίαν ἐν τοῖς πᾶσι ποιή- 


About the 
ear of our 
ord 210. 


28 OF THE FOUR GENERAL SYNODS OR COUNCILS. 


Read further in the fourth chapter of his third book 
Contra Valent. and you shall perceive that by the term of 
apostolical tradition he meaneth the Creed of the Apostles, 


A RULE OF FAITH, AFTER TERTULLIAN, TAKEN OUT 
OF HIS BOOK “DE PRASCRIPTIONIBUS HARETI- 
CORUM}.” 


Tue rule of faith is, that we out of hand profess openly 
what our belief is; which is that indeed whereby we believe 


onrat: τὰ μὲν πνευματικὰ τῆς πονηρίας, Kal ἀγγέλους παραβεβηκότας καὶ 
ἐν ἀποστασίᾳ γεγονότας, καὶ τοὺς ἀσεβεῖς, καὶ ἀδίκους, καὶ ἀνόμους, καὶ 
βλασφήμους τῶν ἀνθρώπων εἰς τὸ αἰώνιον πῦρ πέμψῃ" τοῖς δὲ δικαίοις, 
καὶ ὁσίοις, καὶ τὰς ἐντολὰς αὐτοῦ τετηρηκόσι, καὶ ἐν τῇ ἀγάπῃ αὐτοῦ δια- 
μεμενηκόσι, τοῖς ἀπ᾽ ἀρχῆς, τοῖς δὲ ἐκ μετανοίας, ζωὴν χαρισάμενος ἀφθαρ- 
σίαν δωρήσηται, καὶ δόξαν αἰωνίαν περιποιήσῃ. Τοῦτο τὸ κήρυγμα παρει- 
ληφυῖα, καὶ ταύτην τὴν πίστιν, ὡς προέφαμεν, ἡ ἐκκλησία, καίπερ ἐν ὅλῳ 
τῷ κόσμῳ διεσπαρμένη, ἐπιμελῶς φυλάσσει, ὡς ἕνα οἶκον οἰκοῦσα" καὶ 
ὁμοίως πιστεύει τούτοις, ὡς μίαν ψυχὴν καὶ τὴν αὐτὴν ἔχουσα καρδίαν, καὶ 
συμφώνως ταῦτα κηρύσσει, καὶ διδάσκει, καὶ παραδίδωσιν, ὡς ἕν στόμα 
κεκτημένη: καὶ γὰρ αἱ κατὰ τὸν κόσμον διάλεκτοι ἀνόμοιαι, ἀλλ᾽ ἡ δύναμις 
τῆς παραδόσεως μία καὶ ἡ αὐτή" καὶ οὔτε αἱ ἐν Τερμανίαις ἱδρυμέναι ἐκ- 
κλησίαι ἄλλως πεπιστεύκασιν, ἢ ἄλλως παραδιδόασιν, οὔτε ἐν ταῖς ᾿Ιβηρίαις, 
οὔτε ἐν Κελτοῖς, οὔτε κατὰ τὰς ἀνατολὰς, οὔτε ἐν Αἰγύπτῳ, οὔτε ἐν Λιβύῃ, 
οὔτε αἱ κατὰ μέσα τοῦ κόσμου ἱδρυμέναι" GAN ὥσπερ ὁ ἥλιος τὸ κτίσμα τοῦ 
Θεοῦ ἐν ὅλῳ τῷ κόσμῳ εἷς καὶ ὁ αὐτὸς, οὕτω καὶ τὸ κήρυγμα τῆς ἀληθείας 
πανταχῇ φαΐνει, καὶ φωτίζει πάντας ἀνθρώπους τοὺς βουλομένους εἰς ἐπί- 
γνωσιν ἀληθείας ἐλθεῖν. Καὶ οὔτε ὁ πάνυ δυνατὸς ἐν λόγῳ τῶν ἐν ταῖς 
ἐκκλησίαις προεστώτων ἕτερα τούτων ἐρεῖ: (οὐδεὶς γὰρ ὑπὲρ τὸν διδάσκα- 
λον") οὔτε ὁ ἀσθενὴς ἐν τῷ λόγῳ ἐλαττώσει τὴν παράδοσιν: μιᾶς γὰρ καὶ 
τῆς αὐτῆς πίστεως οὔσης, οὔτε ὁ πολὺ περὶ αὐτῆς δυνάμενος εἰπεῖν ἐπλεό- 
νασεν, οὔτε ὁ τὸ ὀλίγον HAatTévnoe.—lIren. adv. Heres. Lib. 1. cap. 8. 
ed. Grabe. Oxon. 1702.] 

(1 Regula est autem fidei, ut jam hinc, quid defendamus, profitea- 
mur, illa scilicet qua creditur: Unum omnino Deum esse, nec alium 
preter mundi conditorem, qui universa de nihilo produxerit per Verbum 
suum primo omnium emissum. Id Verbum Filius ejus appellatum, in 
nomine Dei, varie visum patriarchis, in prophetis semper auditum, 
postremo delatum ex Spiritu Patris Dei et virtute in Virginem Mariam, 
carnem factum in utero ejus, et ex ea natum, egisse Jesum Christum : 
exinde predicasse novam legem, et novam promissionem regni ce- 
lorum: virtutes fecisse: fixum cruci: tertia die resurrexisse: in ccelos 
ereptum sedere ad dexteram Patris: misisse vicariam vim Spiritus 
Sancti, qui credentes agat: venturum cum claritate ad sumendos 
sanctos in vite eterne et promissorum ccelestium fructum, et ad pro- 








OF THE FOUR GENERAL SYNODS OR COUNCILS. 29 


that there is one God only, and not any other beside the 
maker of the world, which by his Word, sent out first of all, 
brought forth all things of nothing. That Word, being called 
his Son, being seen after sundry sorts of the patriarchs, being 
always heard in the prophets, and lastly by the Spirit and 
power of God the Father being brought into the virgin Mary, 
being made flesh in that womb and born of her, became Jesus 
Christ, (which) afterward preached the new law and the new 
promise of the kingdom of heaven, wrought miracles, sat at 
the right hand of the Father, was ‘nailed to the cross, rose 
again the third day, was taken into the heavens, sitteth at 
the right hand of the Father, sent the power of the Holy 
Ghost to govern the believers in his own stead, shall come 
with glory to take the saints into the joy of eternal life and 
heavenly promises, and to condemn the wicked to everlasting 
fire, when both the parties are raised up and have their flesh 
restored again. 

This rule, as it shall be proved, being ordained by Christ, 
hath among us no doubts at all, but those which heresies 
bring in, and which make men become heretics. 


THE CREED OF THE BLESSED ATHANASIUS, BISHOP OF 
ALEXANDRIA, TAKEN OUT OF HIS BOOKS2., 


WuosorEVeEr will be saved: before all things it is neces- 
sary that he hold the catholic faith. 


fanos judicandos igni perpetuo, facta utriusque partis resuscitatione 
cum carnis restitutione. Hee regula, a Christo, ut probabitur, insti- 
tuta, nullas habet apud nos queestiones, nisi quas hzereses inferunt, et 
quee heereticos faciunt.—Tertul. Opp. de Presc. Her. cap. 13. ed. 
Semler. Tom. 11. p. 13.] 

[2 The best and latest critics, who have examined the thing most 
exactly, make no question but that this creed is to be ascribed to a 
Latin author, Vigilius Tapsensis, an African bishop, who lived in the 
latter end of the fifth century, in the time of the Vandalic Arian 
persecution: first, because this creed is wanting in almost all the 
manuscripts of Athanasius’s works: secondly, because the style and con- 
texture of it does not bespeak a Greek, but a Latin, author: thirdly, 
because neither Cyril of Alexandria, nor the council of Ephesus, nor 
pope Leo, nor the council of Chalcedon, have ever so much as mention- 
ed it in all that they say against the Nestorian or Eutychian heresies: 
fourthly, because this Vigilius Tapsensis is known to have published 


About the 
ear of our 
ord 333. 


90 OF THE FOUR GENERAL SYNODS OR COUNCILS. 


Which faith except every one do keep holy! and unde- 
filed : without doubt he shall perish everlastingly. 

And the catholic faith is this: that we worship one God 
in Trinity, and Trinity in Unity. 

Neither confounding the persons: nor dividing the sub- 
stance. 

For there is one person of the Father, another of the 
Son, and another of the Holy Ghost. 

But the Godhead of the Father, of the Son, and of the 
Holy Ghost, is all one: the glory equal, the majesty co- 
eternal. 

Such as the Father is, such is the Son: and such is the 
Holy Ghost. 

The Father uncreate, the Son uncreate: and the Holy 
Ghost uncreate. 

The Father incomprehensible, the Son fe Doge ie 
and the Holy Ghost incomprehensible. 

The Father eternal, the Son eternal: and the Holy 
Ghost eternal. 

And yet there are not three eternals: but one eternal. 

As also there be not three incomprehensibles, nor three 
uncreated: but one uncreated, and one incomprehensible. 

So likewise the Father is almighty, the Son is almighty : 
and the Holy Ghost almighty. 

And yet are they not three almighties: but one almighty. 

So the Father is God, the Son is God: and the Holy 
Ghost is God. 

And yet they are not three Gods: but one God. 

So likewise the Father is Lord, the Son Lord: and the 
Holy Ghost Lord. 

And yet not three Lords: but one Lord. 

For like as we be compelled by the christian verity: to 
acknowledge every person by himself to be God and Lord. 

So are we forbidden by the catholic religion: to say 
there be three Gods or three Lords. 


several other of his writings under the borrowed name of Athanasius, 
—with which this creed is commonly joined.—Bingham’s Antiquities, 
ed. 1840. Vol. 11. 372. See also, for a full discussion of the question, 
Waterland’s works. P.] 

[? So also in the two Liturgies of Edward VI. See Parker Society’s 
edition, pages 38 and 229. The Latin is integram.] 








OF THE FOUR GENERAL SYNODS OR COUNCILS. bs 


The Father is made of none: neither created, nor be- 
gotten. 

The Son is of the Father alone: not made, nor created, 
but begotten. 

The Holy Ghost is of the Father and of the Son: neither 
made, nor created, nor begotten, but proceeding. 

So there is one Father, not three Fathers: one Son, not 
three Sons: one Holy Ghost, not three Holy Ghosts. 

And in this Trinity none is afore or after other: none is 
greater or less than other. 

But the whole three persons be coeternal together: and 
coequal. 

So that in all things, as is aforesaid: the Unity in Trinity, 
and the Trinity in Unity is to be worshipped. 

He therefore that will be saved, must thus think of the 
Trinity. 

Furthermore it is necessary to everlasting salvation: that 
he also believe rightly? in the incarnation of our Lord Jesus 
Christ. 

For the right faith is, that we believe and confess: that 
our Lord Jesus Christ, the Son of God, is God and man. 

God of the substance of the Father, begotten before the 
worlds: and man of the substance of his mother born in the 
world. 

Perfect God and perfect man: of a reasonable soul, and 
human flesh subsisting. 

Equal to the Father as touching his Godhead: and infe- 
rior to the Father touching his manhood. 

Who although he be God and man: yet he is not two, 
but one Christ. 

One, not by the conversion of the Godhead into flesh : 
but by taking of the manhood into God. 

One altogether, not by confusion of substance: but by 
unity of person. 

For as the reasonable soul and flesh is one man: so God 
and man is one Christ. 

Who suffered for our salvation, descended into hell, rose 
again the third day from the dead. 

He ascended into heaven, he sitteth on the right hand of 


‘ 


[2 fideliter, Lat. ] 


32 OF THE FOUR GENERAL SYNODS OR COUNCILS. 


the Father, God Almighty: from whence he shall come to 
judge the quick and the dead. 

At whose coming all men shall rise again with their 
bodies: and shall give account for their own works. 

And they that have done good, shall go into life ever- 
lasting: and they that have done evil, into everlasting fire. 

This is the catholic faith: which except a man believe 
faithfully!, he cannot be saved. 


THE CREED OF THE BLESSED DAMASUS, BISHOP OF 
ROME, TAKEN OUT OF THE SECOND TOME OF 5. 
HIEROME HIS WORKS}. 


About the WE believe in one God the Father Almighty, and in one 


Lord 376. Jesus Christ our Lord the Son of God, and in the Holy Ghost. 


[1 fideliter firmiterque, Lat.] 

[2 Credimus in unum Deum, Patrem omnipotentem, et in unum 
Dominum nostrum Jesum Christum, Filium Dei, et in Spiritum Sanc- 
tum. Deum, non tres Deos; sed Patrem, et Filium, et Spiritum 
Sanctum, unum Deum colimus et confitemur: non sic unum Deum, 
quasi solitarium; nec eundem, qui ipse sibi Pater sit, ipse et Filius: sed 
Patrem esse qui genuit, et Filium esse qui genitus sit: Spiritum vero 
Sanctum non genitum neque ingenitum, non creatum neque factum, 
sed de Patre Filioque procedentem, Patri et Filio coeternum et co- 
zequalem et cooperatorem: quia scriptum est, Verbo Domini cceli fir- 
mati sunt, id est, a Filio Dei, et spiritu oris ejus omnis virtus eorum. 
Et alibi: Emitte spiritum tuum, et creabuntur, et renovabis faciem 
terre. Ideoque in nomine Patris et Filii et Spiritus Sancti unum 
confitemur Deum, quod nomen est potestatis, non proprietatis. Pro- 
prium nomen est Patri Pater; et proprium nomen est Filio Filius; et 
proprium nomen Spiritui Sancto Spiritus Sanctus. In hac Trinitate 
unum Deum colimus, quia ex uno Patre quod est unius cum Patre 
naturee est, unius substantize, et unius potestatis. Pater Filium genuit, 
non yoluntate, nec necessitate, sed natura. Filius ultimo tempore ad 
nos salvandos et ad implendas scripturas descendit a Patre, qui nun- 
quam desiit esse cum Patre. Et conceptus est de Spiritu Sancto, et 
natus ex virgine: carnem et animam et sensum, hoc est, perfectum 
suscepit hominem; nec amisit quod erat, sed coepit esse quod non erat; 
ita tamen, ut perfectus in suis sit, et verus in nostris. Nam qui Deus 
erat, homo natus est; et qui homo natus est, operatur ut Deus; et qui 
operatur ut Deus, ut homo moritur; et qui ut homo moritur, ut Deus 
resurgit. Qui, devicto mortis imperio, cum ea carne, qua natus et 
passus et mortuus fuerat, et resurrexit, ascendit ad Patrem, sedetque 








OF THE FOUR GENERAL SYNODS OR COUNCILS. 33 


We worship and confess God, not three Gods, but the Father, 
the Son, and the Holy Ghost, one God: one God, not so as 
though he were alone, nor as one which is himself Father to 
himself, and Son himself also ; but him to be the Father which 
begot, and (him) to be the Son which was begotten; but the 
Holy Ghost to be neither begotten, nor created, nor made, but 
proceeding from the Father and the Son, co-eternal, co-equal, 
and working together with the Father and the Son: because 
it is written, “ By the word of the Lord the heavens were 
established,” that is, by the Son of God, “and by the breath 
of his mouth all the powers thereof ;” and in another place, 
“Send forth thy breath, and they shall be created, and thou 
shalt renew the face of the earth.” And therefore under the 
name of the Father, of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost, we 
confess one God, which is the name of the power, and not of 
the property. The proper name of the Father is the Father : 
and the proper name of the Son is the Son: and the proper 
name of the Holy Ghost is the Holy Ghost. In this Trinity 
of persons we worship one God (in substance), because that 
which is of one father is of one nature with the father, of 
one substance, and one power. The Father begat the Son, 
not by will or necessity, but by nature. 

The Son in the last time came down from the Father to 
save us and to fulfil the scriptures, who (nevertheless) never 
ceased to be with the Father. And he was conceived by the 
Holy Ghost, and born of the virgin: he took upon him flesh, 
and soul, and sense; that is, he took on him very man, nei- 
ther lost he what he was, but began to be what he was not; 
so yet that, in respect of his own properties, he is perfect God ; 
and in respect of ours, he is very man. For he which was 
God is born man; and he which is born man, doth work mi- 
racles as God; and he that worketh miracles as God, doth 
die as a man; and he that dieth as man, doth rise again as 
God: who in the same flesh, wherein he was born and suf- 


ad dexteram ejus in gloria, quam semper habuit et habet. In hujus 
morte et sanguine credimus emundatos nos; et ab eo resuscitandos 
die novissimo in hac carne qua nunc vivyimus. Et habemus spem nos 
consecuturos premium boni meriti, aut poenam pro peccatis eeterni 
supplicii. Heec lege, hee crede, hee retine; huic fidei animam tuam 
) subjuga; et vitam consequeris et premium a Christo.—Hieronym. 
Opp. ed. Par. 1693-1706. Tom. v. col. 122.] 


[BULLINGER. ] 


Peter, bishop 
of Alexan- 
dria. 


Catholics. 


Hereticks. 


34 OF THE FOUR GENERAL SYNODS OR COUNCILS. 


fered and died and rose again, did ascend to the Father, and 
sitteth at his right hand in the glory which he always had, 
and yet still hath. By whose death and blood we believe 
that we are cleansed; and that at the latter day we shall be 
raised up again by him in this flesh wherein we now live. 
And we hope that we shall obtain a reward for our good 
deeds; or else the pain of everlasting punishment for our 
sins. Read this, believe this, hold this, submit thy soul to 
this faith, and thou shalt obtain life and a reward at Christ’s 
hand. 

St Peter, bishop of Alexandria, taught and believed the 
very same with the blessed Athanasius and Damasus, as it 
may be gathered out of the thirty-seventh chapter of the 
seventh book, and the fourteenth chapter of the eighth book, 
of the Tripartite history}. 


THE IMPERIAL DECREE FOR THE CATHOLIC FAITH?, 
TAKEN OUT OF THE TRIPARTITE HISTORY. Lib. 1x. 
Cap. 7. 


Tue noble emperors, Gratian, Valentinian, and Theodo- — 
sius, to the people of the city of Constantinople. We will © 
all people, whom the royal authority of our clemency doth 
rule, to be of that religion, which the religion brought in 
by (Peter) himself doth at this time declare that St Peter 
the apostle did teach to the Romans, and which it is evident 
that bishop Damasus, and Peter the bishop of Alexandria, 
a man ‘of apostolical holiness, do follow: that is, that, accord- 
ing to the discipline of the apostles and doctrine of the — 
evangelists, in the equality of the majesty and in the holy 
Trinity we believe that there is (but) one Godhead of the 
Father, of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost. Those which 
keep this law, we command to have the name of catholic 
Christians: but for the other, whom we judge to be mad and 
out of their wits, (we will) that they, sustaining the infamy — 


{1 Is (Petrus) Athanasii sudoribus particeps fuit.—Hist. Eccles. 
Tripart. Lib. vil. cap. 37, p. 817. Petro revertente de Roma cum 
literis Damasi Romane urbis Antistitis, confirmantis consubstantia- 
litatis fidem, et Petri Episcopi roborantis ordinationem.—Ibid. Lib. 
vi. cap. 14. Cassiodor. Opp. p. 329. Rotomag. 1679. ] 

[2 circa annum Domini, 382, Lat.] 








OF THE FOUR GENERAL SYNODS OR COUNCILS. 35 


of heretical doctrine, be punished first by God’s vengeance, 
and after that by punishment according to the motion of 


our minds, which we, by the will of God, shall think 
best. of. 


Given the third of the Calends of March, 
at Thessalonica; Gratian the Fifth, 
Valentinian, and Theo- 
dosius, Aug. 


Coss3. 
FINIS, 


[8 Impp. Gratianus, Valentinianus, et Theodosius, Augg. ad popu- 
lum urbis Constantinopolitanse. Cunctos populos, quos Clementize 
nostre regit temperamentum, in tali yolumus religione versari, quam 
divinum Petrum apostolum tradidisse Romanis religio usque nunc ab 
ipso insinuata declarat; quamque Pontificem Damasum sequi claret, 
et Petrum Alexandriz episcopum, virum apostolice sanctitatis: hoc 
est, ut secundum apostolicam disciplinam evangelicamque doctrinam, 
Patris et Filii et Spiritus Sancti unam Deitatem sub pari majestate et 
sub pia Trinitate credamus. Hance legem sequentes, Christianorum 
catholicorum nomen jubemus amplecti: reliquos vero, dementes vesa- 
nosque judicantes, heretici dogmatis infamiam sustinere, divina pri- 
mum vindicta, post etiam motus nostri, quem ex ccelesti arbitrio sump- 
serimus, ultione plectendos. Data m1. Kalend. Martias. Thessalonice. 
Gratiano quinto et Theodosio Augg. Coss.—Hist. Eccles. Tripart. Lib. 
Ix. cap. 7. ap. Cassiodor. Opp. Rotomag. 1679. p. 334. ] 





[SERM. 


THE 


FIRST DECADE OF SERMONS, 


WRITTEN BY 


HENRY BULLINGER. 





OF THE WORD OF GOD; THE CAUSE OF IT; AND HOW, 
AND BY WHOM, IT WAS REVEALED TO THE WORLD. 


THE FIRST SERMON. 


Aut the decrees of Christian faith, with every way how 
to live rightly, well, and holily, and finally, all true and 
heavenly wisdom, have always been fetched out of the tes- 
timonies, or determinate judgments, of the word of God; 
neither! can they, by those which are wise men indeed, or 
by the faithful and those which are called by God to the 
ministry of the churches, be drawn, taught, or, last of all, 
soundly confirmed from elsewhere, than out of the word of 
God. Therefore, whosoever is ignorant what the word of 
God, and the meaning of the word of God is, he seemeth to 
be as one blind, deaf, and without wit, in the temple of the 
Lord, in the school of Christ, and lastly, in the reading of 
the very sacred scriptures. But whereas? some are nothing 
zealous, but very hardly drawn to the hearing of sermons in 
the church; that springeth out of no other fountain than this, 
which is, because they do neither rightly understand, nor 
diligently enough weigh, the virtue and true force of the 
word of God. That nothing therefore may cause the zealous 
desirers of the truth and the word of God to stay on this 
point?; but rather that that estimation of God’s word, 
which is due unto it, may be laid up in all men’s hearts; I 
will (by God’s help) lay forth unto you, dearly beloved, those 
things which a godly man ought to think and hold, as con- 
cerning the word of God. And pray ye earnestly and con- 
tinually to our bountiful God, that it may please him to give 


[1 hodie, Lat.; at this time of day.] 
[2 imo quod, Lat.; Yea, and that.] 
[3 Ne quid remoretur, Lat.] 





1.] THE WORD OF 60}. 37 


to me his holy and effectual power to speak, and to you the 
opening of your ears and minds, so that in all that I shall 
say the Lord’s name may be praised, and your souls be pro- 
fited abundantly. 

First, I have to declare what the word of God is. Verb- yen. 
wm in the scriptures, and according to the very property of 
the Hebrew tongue, is diversely taken. For it signifieth 
what thing soever a man will; even as among the Germans 
the word ding is most largely used. In St Luke, the angel m ae 
of God saith to the blessed virgin: ‘ With God shall no 
word be unpossible ;” which is all one as if he had said, all 
things are possible to God, or to God is nothing unpossible. 
Verbum also signifieth a word uttered by the mouth of man. 
Sometime it is used for a charge, sometime for a whole sen- 
tence, or speech, or prophecy: whereof in the scriptures 
there are many examples. But when verbum is joined with 
any thing else, as in this place we call it verbum Dei, then® 
is it not used in the same signification. For verbum Dei, The word 
“the word of God,” doth signify the virtue and power of itis.’ 
God: it is also put for the Son of God, which is the second 
person in the most reverend Trinity. For that saying of the 
holy evangelist is evident to all men, ‘The word was made 
flesh®.”” But in this treatise of ours, the word of God doth 
properly signify the speech of God, and the revealing of 
God’s will; first of all uttered in a lively-expressed voice by 
the mouth of Christ, the prophets and apostles; and after that 
again registered in writings, which are rightly called “holy 
and divine scriptures.” The word doth shew the mind of 
him out of whom it cometh: therefore the word of God doth 
make declaration of God. But God of himself naturally 
speaketh truth; he is just, good, pure, immortal, eternal: 
therefore it followeth that the word of God also, which cometh 
out of the mouth of God, is true, just, without deceit and 
guile, without error or evil affection, holy, pure, good, im- 
mortal, and everlasting. For in the gospel saith the Lord, 
“Thy word is truth’.” And the apostle Paul saith, “The 
word of God is not tied®.” Again, the scripture everywhere 
) erieth: “ The word of the Lord endureth for ever®.” And 








[4 πᾶν ῥῆμα.----Τ ΚΟ i. 37. omne verbum, Lat. and Vulg.] 
[5 etiam sic, Lat.] 

| [6 John i. 14.] (7 John xvii. 17.] 

| [8 2 Tim. ii. 9.] [9 Isai. xl. 8; 1 Pet. i. 25.] 





38 THE FIRST DECADE. [SERM. 


Salomon saith: “Every word of God is purely cleansed. 
Add thou nothing to his words, lest peradventure he reprove 
thee, and thou be found a liar'.” David also saith: ‘“ The 
sayings of the Lord are pure sayings, even as it were silver 
cleansed in the fire, and seven times fined from the earth®.” 
61 sure This you shall more fully perceive, dearly beloved, if I 
nings of the’ sneak somewhat more largely of the cause or beginning, and 
certainty, of the word of God. The word of God is truth: 
but God is the only well-spring of truth: therefore God is the 
beginning and cause of the word of God. And here indeed 
God, since he hath not members like to mortal men, wanteth 
also a bodily mouth: yet nevertheless, because the mouth is 
the instrument of the voice, to God is a mouth attributed. 
For he spake to men in the voice of a man, that is, in a 
voice easily understood of men, and fashioned according to 
the speech usually spoken among men. This is evidently to 
be seen in the things wherein he dealt with the holy fathers, 
with whom, as with our parents Adam and Eva, Noe, and 
the rest of the fathers, he is read to have talked many and 
oftentimes. In the mount Sina the Lord himself preached to 
the great congregation of Israel, rehearsing so plainly, that 
they might understand those ten commandments, wherein is 
contained every point of godliness. For in the fifth of Deu- 
teronomy thus we read: “These words,” meaning the ten 
commandments, “spake the Lord with a loud voice, from out 
of the midst of the fire, to the whole congregation®.” And 
in the fourth chapter: “A voice of words you heard, but no 
similitude did you see beside the voice4.” God verily used 
oftentimes the means of angels, by whose ministry he talked 
with mortal men. And it is very well known to all men, 
that the Son of God the Father, being incarnate, walked | 
about in the earth; and, being very God and man, taught 
the people of Israel almost for the space of three years®. But 
in times past, and before that the Son of God was born in 
the world, God, by little and little, made himself acquainted 
with the hearts® of the holy fathers, and after that with the 


[1 Prov. xxx. 5, 6.] [2 Psalm xii. 6.] 

[? Deut. v. 22.] [4 Deut. iv. 8.] 

[5 The duration of our Lord’s ministry is now usually admitted to 
have been three years and a half.—See Greswell’s Harmon. Evang., 
and Dr Robinson’s Harmony of the Gospels. ] 

[0 insinuavit se Deus animis, Lat. ] 











1 THE WORD OF GOD, 39 


minds of the holy prophets; and last of all, by their preach- 
ing and writings, he taught the whole world. So also Christ 
our Lord sent the Holy Ghost, which is of the Father and 
the Son, into the apostles, by whose mouths, words, and 
writings he was known to all the world. And all these ser- the word of 
vants of God, as it were the elect vessels of God, having with ro the world 
sincere hearts received the revelation of God from God him- 
self, first of all, in a lively expressed voice delivered to the 
world the oracles and word of God which they before had 
learned; and afterward, when the world drew more to an 
end, some of them did put them in writing for a memorial to 
the posterity. And it is good to know how, and by whom, 
all this was done: for by this narration the true cause, 
certainty, and dignity of the word of God doth plainly 
appear. 

There are not extant to be seen the writings of any man, 
from the beginning of the world, until the time of Moses, 
which are come to our knowledge; although it be likely that 
that same ancient and first world was not altogether without 
all writings. For by St Jude, the apostle, and brother of St 
James, is cited the written prophecy of our holy father Enoch, 
which is read to have been the seventh from our father 
Adam’. Furthermore, the writing, or history, of Job 
seemeth to have been set forth a great while before. But 
howsoever it is, all the saints in the church of God give to 
Moses, the faithful servant of God, the first place among the 
holy writers. 

From the beginning therefore of the world, God, by his How ana by 


whom the 


Spirit and the ministry of angels, spake to the holy fathers ; word of Goa 


hath been re- 


and they by word of mouth taught their children, and chil- yealedtrom 
dren’s children, and all their posterity, that which they had ning pf the 
learned at the mouth of God; when they verily had heard it, 

not to the intent to keep it close to themselves, but also to 

make their posterity partakers of the same. For God often- 

times witnesseth, that “he will be the God of the fathers 

and of their seed for evermore’.” This is most plainly to be 

seen in the history of Adam, Noe, and Abraham, the first 

and great grandfathers®. In the eighteenth of Genesis, verily, 

we read, that the angel of God, yea, and that more is, that 

(7 Jude, 14,15.] - [8 Gen. xvii. 7.] 

[9 genearcharum, Lat. ] 


40 THE FIRST DECADE. [SERM. 


Abraham. even the Lord himself, did say to Abraham: “ And shall I 
hide from Abraham what I mind to do? since of Abraham 
shall come a great and mighty people, and all the nations of 
the earth shall be blessed in him? And this I know, that 
he will command his children and his posterity after him, to 
keep the way of the Lord, and to do justice, judgment',” and 
the rest. Abraham therefore, a faithful and zealous wor- 
shipper of God, did not (even as also those old fathers of the 
first world did not) wax negligent at all herein, but did dili- 
gently teach men the will and judgments of God: whereupon 
of Moses, yea, and of God himself, he is called a prophet?. 
That devout and lively tradition of the fathers, from hand to 
hand, was had in use continually, even from the beginning of 
the world until the time of Moses. | 

Moreover, God of his goodness did provide that no age at 
any time should be without most excellent lights, to be wit- 

The clearest NESSES of the undoubted faith, and fathers of great authority. 

first world. For the world before the deluge had in it nine most excellent, 
most holy, and wise men; Adam, Seth, Enos, Kenam, Malaleel, 

Adam and Jared, Enoch, Methusalem, and Lamech. The chief of these, 
Adam and Methusalem, do begin and make an end of all the 
sixteen hundred and fifty-six years*® of the world before the 
deluge. For Adam lived nine hundred and thirty years‘: he 
dieth therefore the seven hundred and twenty-sixth year before 
the flood. And Methusalem lived nine hundred and sixty- 
nine years®: he dieth in the very same year that the flood did 
overflow ; and he lived together with Adam two hundred and 
forty-three years, so that of Adam he might be abundantly 
enough instructed as concerning the beginning of things, as con- 
cerning God, the falling and restoring again of mankind, and all 
things else belonging to religion, even as he was taught of God 
himself. These two fathers, with the rest above named, were 
able sufficiently enough to instruct the whole age in the true 
salvation and right ways of the Lord. 

After the deluge God gave to the world again excellent 
men, and very great lights. The names of them are Noe, Sem, 
Arphaxad, Sale, Heber, Palec, Reu, Saruch, Nachor, Thare, 


[} Gen. xviii. 17-19.] [2 Gen. xx. 7.] 

[3 Cf. Bullinger’s Treatise, The Old Faith, translated in Coverdale’s 
writings, &c. Parker Soe. ed. pp. 32, 36.] 

[* Gen. v. 5.] > Gen: y..27.1 








a . THE WORD OF GOD. 41 


Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. Here have we thirteen most ex- 
cellent patriarchs, among whom the first two, Noe and Sem, are 
the chief; next to whom Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, were more 
notable than the rest. Noe lived nine hundred and fifty years 
in all. He was six hundred years old when the flood drowned 
the world®. He therefore saw and heard all the holy fathers of 
the first world before the deluge, three only excepted, Adam, 
Seth, and Enos. And also he lived many years together with 
the other, which had both seen and heard them; so that he 
could be ignorant in no point of those things which Adam had 
taught. Noe dieth (which is marvel to be told, and yet very 
true) in the forty-ninth year of Abraham’s age’. Sem, the 
son of Noah, lived many years with his father; for he lived 
in all six hundred years. He was born to Noah about ninety- 
six years before the deluge. He saw and heard, therefore, 
not only his father Noe and his grandfather Lamech, but also 
his great grandsire Methusalem, with whom he lived those 
ninety-six years before the deluge. Of him he might be in- 
formed of all those things which Methusalem had heard and 
learned of Adam and the other patriarchs. Sem dieth, after 
the death of Abraham, in the fifty-second year of Jacob, which 
was thirty-seven years after the death of Abraham, in the 
year one hundred and twelve of Isaac’s age: so that Jacob, 
the patriarch, might very well learn all the true divinity of 
Sem himself, even as he had heard it of Methusalem, who was 
the third witness and teacher from Adam. Furthermore, 
Jacob the patriarch delivered to his children that which he 
received of God* to teach to his posterity. In Mesopotamia 
there is born to Jacob his son Levi, and to him again is born 
Kahad°, which both saw and heard Jacob. For Kahad 
lived no small number of years with his grandfather Jacob ; 
for he is rehearsed in the roll of them which went with 
Jacob down into Egypt!®: but Jacob lived seventeen years 
with his children in Egypt. This Kahad is the grandfather 

[6 Gen. vii. 6.] 

[7 There is some great miscalculation here; for Abraham, if born 
at all before Noah’s death, could only have been in his infancy. Yet 
Calvin also says, that “ Abraham was nearly fifty years old, when his 
ancestor Noe died.”—-Comment. in Gen. cap. ix. 28. But see note, p. 42. ] 

[8 a Deo per patres accepit.—Lat. ] 

[9 Kohath.—Vulg. Caath. ] 

[19 Gen. xlvi. 11.] 


Noe. 


Jacob. 


Kahad. 
Amram. 
Moses. 


The chief 
contents of 
the holy 
fathers’ livel 
tradition. 


42 THE FIRST DECADE. [SERM. 


of Moses, the father of Amram, from whom Moses did per- 
fectly draw that full and certain tradition by hand, as con- 
cerning the will, commandments, and judgments of God, even 
as Amram his father had learned them of his father Kahad, 
Kahad of Jacob, Jacob of Sem, Sem of Methusalem and of 
Adam the first father of us all: so now that Moses is from 
Adam the seventh witness in the world. And from the be- 
ginning of the world to the birth of Moses are fully complete 
two thousand three hundred and sixty-eight years of the 
world, And whosoever shall diligently reckon the years, not 
in vain set down by Moses in Genesis and Exodus, he shall 
find this account to be true and right}. 

Now also it behoveth us to know those chief principles of 
, that lively tradition, delivered by the holy fathers at the ap- 
ἢ pointment of God, as it were from hand to hand, to all the 
posterity. The fathers taught their children that God, of 
his natural goodness, wishing well to mankind, would have all 
men to come to the knowledge of the truth, and to be like in 
nature to God himself, holy, happy, and absolutely blessed : 
and therefore that God, in the beginning, did create man to 
his own similitude and likeness, to the intent that he should 
be good, holy, immortal, blessed, and partaker of all the good 
gifts of God; but that man continued not in that dignity and 
happy state; but by the means of the devil, and his own 
proper fault, fell into sin, misery, and death, changing his 
likeness to God into the similitude of the devil. Moreover, 
that God here again, as it were, of fresh began the work of 
salvation, whereby mankind, being restored and set free from 
all evil, might once again be made like unto God; and that 
he meant to bring this mighty and divine work to pass by 
a certain middle mean, that is, by the Word incarnate. For 
as, by this taking of flesh, he joined man to God; so, by dying 
in the flesh, with sacrifice he cleansed, sanctified, and delivered 


[1 It is scarcely necessary to observe that the system of chronology 
here used differs considerably from the received system according to 
Usher. Bullinger followed the vulgar Jewish chronology, upon which 
the arrangements of Scaliger, Petavius, and Usher were afterwards 
founded. See Hales’s Chronology, Vol. 1. The difference does not 
materially affect the argument. P.—The line of the patriarchal tra- 
dition may be seen traced in Gray’s Key to the Old Testament, pp. 
80, 81. ed. 1797. Lond.] 





1.] THE WORD OF GOD. : 43 


mankind; and, by giving him his Holy Spirit, he made him 
like again in nature to God, that is, immortal, and absolutely 
blessed. And last of all, he worketh in us a willing endeavour 
aptly to resemble the property and conditions of him to whose 
likeness we are created, so that we may be holy both body 
and soul. They added moreover, that the Word should be in- 
carnate in his due time and appointed age; and also, that 
there did remain a great day for judgment, wherein, though 
all men were gathered together, yet the righteous only should 
receive that reward of heavenly immortality. 

So then, this is the brief sum of the holy fathers’ tradition, 
which it is best to untwist more largely, and to speak of it more 
diligently, as it were by parts. First, therefore, the fathers 
taught, that the Father, the Son, and the Holy Ghost are one Goa. 
God in the most reverend Trinity, the maker and governor of 
heaven and earth and all things which are therein; by whom 
man was made, and who for man did make all things, and put Creation of 
all things under mankind, to minister unto him things neces- 
sary, as a loving Father and most bountiful Lord. Then they 
taught, that man consisted of soul and body, and that he in- 
deed was made good according to the image and likeness of 
God; but that by his own fault, and egging forward of the sin ana 
devil, falling into sin, he brought into the world death and 
damnation, together with a web of miseries, out of which it 
cannot rid itself: so that now all the children of Adam, even 
from Adam, are born the sons of wrath and wretchedness ; 
but that God, whose mercy aboundeth, according to his in- 
comprehensible goodness, taking pity on the misery of man- Grace, yee 
kind, did, even of his mere grace, grant? pardon for the tion by 
offence, and did lay the weight of the punishment upon ἫΝ 
only Son, to the intent that he, when his heel was crushed 
by the serpent, might himself break the serpent’s head?: 
that is to say, God doth make a promise of seed, that is, of 
a Son, who, taking flesh of a peerless woman, (I mean, that 
virgin most worthy of commendations,) should by his death 
vanquish death and Satan, the author of death; and should 
bring the faithful sons of Adam out of bondage; yea, and 
that more is, should by adoption make them the sons of God, 
and heirs of life everlasting. The holy fathers, therefore, 








[2 promisisse, Lat.] [83 Gen. iii. 15.] 


44 THE FIRST DECADE, [SERM. 


Faith. taught to believe in God, and in his Son, the redeemer of the 
whole world ; when in their very sacrifices they did present his 
death, as it were an unspotted sacrifice, wherewith he meant 
to wipe away and cleanse the sins of all the world. 

The lines! And therefore had they a most diligent eye to the stock 

Messias. and lineal descent of the Messias. For it is brought down, as 
it were by a line, from Adam to Noe, and from Noe by Sem 
even to Abraham himself: and to him again it was said, “ In 
thy seed shall all the nations of the earth be blessed!:”’ in 
which words the promise once made to Adam, as touching 
Christ the redeemer and changer of God’s curse into blessing, 
is renewed and repeated again. The same line is brought 
down from Abraham by Isaac unto Jacob*; and Jacob, being 
full of the Spirit of God, pointed out his son Juda to be the 
root? of the blessed Seed, as it is to be seen in the forty-ninth 
of Genesis. Lastly, in the tribe of Juda the house of David 
was noted, out of which that seed and branch of life should 
come. 

Moreover, the holy fathers taught, that God by a cer- 

The league of tain league hath joined himself to mankind, and that he hath 
most straitly bound himself to the faithful, and the faithful 
likewise to himself again. Whereupon they did teach to be 

are worship faithful to God-ward, to honour God, to hate false gods, 
to call upon the only God, and to worship him devoutly. 
Furthermore, they taught, that the worship of God did con- 
sist in things spiritual, as faith, hope, charity, obedience, up- 
right dealing, holiness, innocency, patience, truth, judgment, 
and godliness. And therefore did they reprehend naughti- 
ness and sin, falsehood, lack of belief, desperation, disobedi- 
ence, unpatientness, lying, hypocrisy, hatred, despiteful taunts, 
violence, wrong, unrighteous dealing, uncleanness, riotousness, 
surfeiting, whoredom, unrighteousness, and ungodliness. They 
taught, that God was a rewarder of good, but a punisher and 

peal Tevenger of evil. They taught, that the souls of men were 

of judgment. jmmortal, and that the bodies should rise again in the day of 

judgment: therefore they exhorted us all so to live in this 
temporal life, that we do not leese* the life eternal. 

This is the sum of the word of God revealed to the 

fathers, and by them delivered to their posterity. This is 


(} Gen. xxii. 18.] [2 per Isaacum et Jacobum, Lat. P.] 
[8 genearcham, Lat. ] [4 leese: lose. ] 








1. | THE WORD OF GOD. 45 


the tradition of the holy fathers, which comprehendeth all The true 


religion. Finally, this is the true, ancient, undoubted, au- narration ᾿ 
thentical, and catholic® faith of the fathers. ee 

Besides this, the holy fathers taught their children, and ae 
children’s children, the account of the years from the begin- 
ning of the world, and also the true historical course, as well 
profitable as necessary, of things from the creation of the 
world even unto their own times; lest peradventure their 
children should be ignorant of the beginning and succession of 
worldly things, and also of the judgments of God, and ex- 
amples of them which lived as well godly as ungodly. 

I could declare unto you all this evidently, and in very 
good order, out of the first book of Moses, called Genesis, if it 
were not that thereby the sermon should be drawn out some- 
what longer than the use is. But I suppose that there are 
few, or rather none at all, here present, which do not perceive 
_that I have rehearsed this that I have said, touching the tra- 

dition of the ancient fathers, as it were word for word, out of 
the book of Genesis; so that now I may very well go forward 
in the narration which I have begun. 

So then, whatsoever hitherto was of the fathers delivered Moses in an 
to the world by word of mouth, and as it were from hand to pilsth the | 
hand, that was first of all put into writing by the holy man ‘* ‘he 
Moses, together with those things which were done in all the 
time of Moses’ life, by the space of one hundred and twenty 
years. And that his estimation might be the greater through- 
out all the world, among all men, and in all ages; and that 
none should but know, that the writings of Moses were the 
very word of God itself; Moses was furnished, and as it were 
consecrated by God, with signs and wonders to be marvelled 
at indeed, which the almighty by the hand, that is, by the 
ministry of Moses, did bring to pass: and verily, he wrought 
them not in any corner of the world, or place unknown, but 
in Egypt, the most flourishing and renowned kingdom of 
that age. 

Those miracles were greater and far more by many, than 
that they can be here rehearsed in few words: neither is it 
needful to repeat them, because you, dearly beloved, are not 
unskilful or ignorant of them at all. After that also, God by 


[> authentica, orthodoxa, et catholica, Lat. P.] 


46 THE FIRST DECADE. [SERM. 


other means procured authority to Moses. For many and 
oftentimes God had communication with Moses; and amongst 
the rest of his talk said he: ‘“ Behold, I will come to thee in 
a thick cloud, that the people may hear me talking with thee, 
and may believe thee for evermore'.” 

Neither was the Lord therewith content, but commanded 
Moses to call together all the people, six hundred thousand 
men, I say, with their wives and children. They are called 
out to the mount Sina, where God appeareth in a wonderful and 
terrible fashion ; and he himself, preaching to the congregation, 
doth rehearse unto them the ten commandments. But the 
people, being terrified with the majesty of God, doth pray 
and beseech, that God himself would no more afterward 
preach to the congregation with his own mouth, saying, that 
it were enough, if he would use Moses as an interpreter to 
them, and by him speak to the church®% The most high 
God did like the offer; and, after that, he spake to the 
people by Moses whatsoever he would have done. And for 
because that the people was a stiff-necked people, and by keep- 
ing company with idolaters in Egypt was not a little corrupted, 
Moses now began to set down in writing those things which 
the holy fathers by tradition had taught, and the things also 
which the Lord had revealed unto him. The cause why he 
- wrote them was, lest peradventure by oblivion, by continuance 
of time, and obstinacy of a people so slow to believe, they 
might either perish, or else be corrupted. The Lord also 
set Moses an example to follow. For whatsoever God had 
spoken to the church in mount Sina, the same did he straight- 
way after write with his own finger in two tables of stone, as 
he had with his finger from the beginning of the world 
written the same in the hearts of the fathers*. Afterward 
also, in plain words, he commanded Moses to write whatsoever 
the Lord had revealed. Moses obeyed the Lord’s command- 
ment, and wrote them. The Holy Ghost, which was wholly 
in the mind of Moses, directed his hand as he writ. There 
was no ability wanting in Moses, that was necessary for a 
most absolute writer. He was abundantly instructed by his 


[1 Exod. xix. 9.] 
[3 Exod, xx. 19.] 


[3 See Bullinger’s treatise, The Old Faith, in Works of Bp. Cover- 
dale, Parker Soc. Ed. pp. 27, 40.] 














1.] THE WORD OF GOD. 47 


ancestors: for he was born of the holiest progeny of those 
fathers, whom God appointed to be witnesses of his will, com- 
mandments, and judgments; suppose* Amram, Kahad, Jacob, 
Sem, Methusalem and Adam. He was able, therefore, to 
write a true and certain history, from the beginning of the 
world even until his own time. Whereunto he added those 
things which were done among the people of God in his own 
life-time, whereof he was a very true witness, as one that 
saw and heard them, Yea, and that more is, whatsoever he 
did set forth in his books, that did he read to his people, 
and amongst so many thousands was there not one found 
which gainsayed that which he rehearsed: so that the whole 
consent and witness-bearing of the great congregation did 
bring no small authority to the writings of Moses. 

Moses therefore contained in the five books, called the rpg 
five books of Moses, an history from the beginning of the s+ 
world, even unto his own death, by the space of two thousand 
four hundred and eighty-eight years: in which he declared 
most largely the revelation of the word of God made unto men, 
and whatsoever the word of God doth contain and teach: in 
which, as we have the manifold oracles of God himself, so we 
have most lightsome® testimonies, sentences, examples, and 
decrees of the most excellent, ancient, holy, wise, and greatest 
men of the world, touching all things which seem to appertain 
to true godliness, and the way how to live well and holily. 
These books therefore found a ready prepared entrance of 
belief among all the posterity, as books which are authentical, 
and which of themselves have authority sufficient, and which, 
without gainsaying, ought to be believed of all the world. 
Yea, and that more is, our Lord Jesus Christ, the only-be- 
gotten Son of God, doth refer the faithful to the reading of 
Moses; yea, and that indeed in the chiefest points of our 
salvation: the places are to be seen, John v. Luke xvi, 
In the fifth of Matthew he saith: “Do not think that I am 
come to destroy the law and the prophets; for I am not come 
to destroy them, but to fulfil them. For, verily, I say unto 
you, though® heaven and earth do pass, one jot or tittle of 
the law shall not pass, till all be fulfilled. Whosoever, there- 
fore, shall undo one of the least of these commandments, and 


[4 puto autem, Lat. ] 
[5 clarissimorum, Lat. ] 
[6 donec preectereat.—Lat. as in Eng. Ver.] 


48 THE FIRST DECADE. [SERM. 


shall teach men so, he shall be called the least in the kingdom 
of heaven'.” 

There have verily some been found, that have spoken 
against Moses, the servant of God. But God hath im- 
puted that gainsaying as done against his divine majesty, 
and punished it most sharply. The proofs hereof are to be 
seen in Exod. xvi. and Numeri the xii. And first, of the 
people murmuring against Moses; then of Mary, Moses’s 
sister, speaking against her brother. But to the people it was 
said: “Not against the ministers, but against the Lord, are 
your complaints.” As for Mary, she was horribly stricken 
with a leprosy*. Theotectus was stricken blind, and Theo- 
pompus fell to be mad, because he had unreverently touched 
the word of God‘. For, although the word of God be revealed, 
spoken, and written by men, yet doth it not therefore cease 
to be that which indeed it is; neither doth it therefore begin 
to be the word of men, because it is preached and heard of 
men: no more than the king’s commandment, which is pro- 
claimed by the crier, is said to be the commandment of the 
crier. He despiseth God, and with God all the holy patri- 
archs, whosoever doth contemn Moses, by whom God speaketh 
unto us, and at whose hand we have received those things 
which the patriarchs from the beginning of the world by tra- 
dition delivered to the posterity. There is no difference 
between the word of God, which is taught by the lively ex- 
pressed voice of man, and that which is written by the pen of 
man, but so far forth as the lively voice and writing do differ 
between themselves: the matter undoubtedly, the sense, and 
meaning, in the one and the other is all one. By this, dearly 
beloved, you have perceived the certain history of the begin- 
ning of the word of God. 


[ Matth. v. 17-19. Quisquis autem fecerit et docuerit, hic mag- 
nus yocabitur in regno ccelorum, Lat.; omitted by the translator. ] 

[2 Exod. xvi. 8.] 

[3 Num. xii. 10. Miriam: Vulg. Maria.] 

[¢ Theotectus trageediarum scriptor, Lat. Theodectes, according 
to Suidas and Gellius x. 18, was a tragedian, and contemporary with 
Theopompus, who was an orator and historian, a pupil of Isocrates. 
Josephus, Lib. x. cap. 2. Antiq. Jud., and Aristeas de LXX. Interp. re- 
late the story referred to ;—namely, that each of these writers was pre- 
paring to put forth a part of the scriptures, as their own composition, 
when they were visited, the former with blindness, the latter with 
madness, which lasted thirty days.—Ger. Vossius. Lib. 1. 6. 7. P.] 











1. ] ; THE WORD OF GOD. 49 


Now let us go forward to the rest; that is, to add the 
history of the proceeding of the word of God, and by what Wes 
means it shined ever and anon very clear and brightly unto word of God, 
the world. By and by, after the departure of the holy man 
Moses out of this world into heaven, the Lord of his bounti- 
fulness gave most excellent prophets unto his church, which he 
had chosen to the intent that by it he might reveal his word 
unto the whole world. And the prophets were to them of Theprophets. 
the old time, as at this day amongst us are prophets, priests, 
wise men, preachers, pastors, bishops, doctors or divines, most 
skilful in heavenly things, and given by God to guide the 
people in the faith. And he, whosoever shall read the holy 
history, will confess that there flourished® of this sort no small 
number, and those not obscure, even till the captivity of Ba- 
bylon. Amongst whom are reckoned these singular and ex- 
cellent men, Phinees, Samuel, Helias, Heliseus, Esaias, and 
Jeremias. David and Salomon were both kings and prophets. 

In time of the captivity at Babylon, Daniel and Ezechiel were 
notably known. After the captivity flourished, among the 
rest, Zacharias the son of Barachias. Here have I reckoned 
up a few among many: who, although they flourished at 
sundry times, and that the one a great while after the other, 
yet did they all, with one consent, acknowledge that God 
spake to the world by Moses, who (God so appointed it) left 
to the church in the world a breviary® of true divinity, and a 
most absolute sum of the word of God contained in writing. 
All these priests, divines, and prophets, in all that they did, 
had an especial eye to the doctrine of Moses. They did also 
refer all men, in cases of faith and religion, to the book’ of 
Moses. The law of Moses, which is indeed the law of God, The law. 
and is most properly called Thora’, as it were the guide and 
rule of faith and life, they did diligently beat into the minds 


_of all men. This did they, according to the time, persons, 


and place, expound to all men. For all the priests and pro- 


[5 in populo sive ecclesia Dei, Lat.; in the people, or church, of 
God, omitted by the translator. ] 

[6 compendium, Lat. ] (7 libros, Lat. ] 

[8 MIA, a verbo fy, instituere, docere.—Foster, Lex. Heb. P.— 
NN, quam Legem yulgo vertimus, Hebreeis ab indicando docendo- 
que dicitur.—Bucer. in Psalm. ii. ed. Steph. 1554. p. 16. See also 
Hooper’s Early Writings, p. 88, Parker Soc. Ed.] 


4 
[ BULLINGER. | 


50 THE FIRST DECADE. [SERM. 


phets, before the incarnation of Christ, did by word of mouth 
teach the men of their time godliness and true religion. 
Neither did they teach any other thing than that which the 
fathers had received of God, and which Moses had received of 
God and the fathers; and straightways after committing it to 
writing, did set it out to all us which follow, even unto the 
end of the world: so that now in the prophets we have the 
doctrine of Moses and tradition of the fathers, and them in 
all and every point more fully and plainly expounded and 
polished, being moreover to the places, times, and persons very 
fitly applied. 
ees Furthermore, the doctrine and writings of the prophets 
prophets was have always been of great authority among all wise men 
throughout the whole world. For it is well perceived by 
many arguments, that they took not their beginning of the 
prophets themselves, as chief authors; but were inspired from 
God out of heaven by the Holy Spirit of God: for it is God, 
which, dwelling by his Spirit in the minds of the prophets, 
speaketh to us by their mouths. And for that cause have 
they a most large testimony at the hands of Christ}, and his 
elect apostles. What say ye to this moreover, that God by 
their ministry hath wrought miracles and wonders to be mar- 
velled at, and those not a few; that at the least by mighty signs 
we might learn that it is God, by whose inspiration the prophets 
do teach and write whatsoever they left for us to remember ? 
Furthermore, so many commonweals and congregations 
gathered together, and governed by the prophets according 
to the word of God, do shew most evident testimonies of 
God’s truth in the prophets. Plato, Zeno, Aristotle, and other 
philosophers of the gentiles, are praised as excellent men. 
But which of them could ever yet gather a church to live 
according to their ordinances? And yet our prophets have 
had the most excellent and renowned commonweals or congre- 
gations, yea, and that more is, the most flourishing kingdoms 
in all the world under their authority. All the wise men in 
the whole world (I mean those which lived in his time) did 
reverence” Salomon, a king and so great a prophet, and came 
unto him from the very outmost ends of the world. Daniel 
also had the preeminence among the wise men at Babylon, 
[} Dei Filio, Lat.; omitted. ] 
[? tantum non adorarunt, Lat.; almost worshipped.] 





I. | THE WORD OF GOD. 51 


being then the most renowned monarchy in all the world. He 
was moreover in great estimation with Darius Medus, the son 
of Astyages® or Assuerus, and also with Cyrus that most ex- 
cellent king. And here it liketh me well to speak somewhat 
of that divine foreknowledge in our prophets, and most assured 
foreshewing of things which were to come after many years 
passed. And now, to say nothing of others, did not Hsaias 
most truly foretell those things, which were afterward fulfilled 
by the Jews in our Lord Christ? Not in vain did he seem 
to them of old time to be rather an evangelist than a prophet* 
foretelling things to come. He did openly tell the name of 
king Cyrus one hundred and threescore years, at the least, 
before that Cyrus was born®. Daniel also was called® of them polynistor. 
in the old time by the name of one which knew much’. For 
he did foretell those things which are and have been done in 
all the kingdoms of the world almost, and among the people 
of God, from his own time until the time of Christ, and 
further until the last day of judgment, so plainly, that he may 
seem to have compiled a history of those things which then 
were already gone and past. All these things, I say, do very 
evidently prove, that the doctrine and writings of the prophets 
are the very word of God: with which name and title they 
are set forth in sundry places of the scriptures. Verily, Peter 
the apostle saith, “The prophecy came not in old time by 
the will of man: but holy men of God spake as they were 
moved by the Holy Ghost.” 
And although God did largely, clearly, plainly, and dot eat 


of God 


[3 That Astyages, son of Cyaxares the first, is the Ahasuerus, and 
Cyaxares the second, Astyages’ son, the Darius the Mede, of scripture, 
see Prideaux’s Connect. Vol. 1. pp. 72, 104, 120, ed. M°Caul, Lond. 
1845.] 

[4 Ita ut a quibusdam evangelista quam propheta potius diceretur 
(Esaias).—Augustin. de Ciy. Dei. Lib. xvi. cap. 29. Par. 1531. Tom. v. 
Deinde etiam hoc adjiciendum, quod non tam propheta, quam evan- 
gelista, dicendus sit (Isaias).—Hieron. Preef. in lib. Isai. Ed. Par. 
1693-1706. Tom. 1, col. 473. See also Bullinger’s treatise, The Old 
Faith, ap. Works of Bp. Coverdale, Parker Soc. ed. p. 66.] 

[5 Is. xliv. 28; xly. 1.] 

[6 recte appellatus est, Lat. ] 

' ΠΤ Quartus vero (Daniel), qui et extremus inter quatuor prophetas, 
temporum conscius, et totius mundi philoistoros, &c.—Hieron. Ep. L. 
Secund. ad Paulinum. Ed. Par. 1706. Tom. ty. par. 2. col. 573.] 
| 4—2 


| 
εἰ 








52 THE FIRST DECADE. [SERM. 


simply reveal his word to the world by the patriarchs, by 
Moses, by the priests and prophets; yet did he, in the last 
times of all, by his Son set it forth most clearly, simply, 
and abundantly to all the world. For the very and only- 
begotten Son of God the Father, as the prophets had foretold, 
descending from heaven, doth fulfil all whatsoever they fore- 
told, and by the space almost of three years doth teach all 
points of godliness. For saith John: “ No man at any time 
hath seen God; the only-begotten Son, which is in the bosom 
of the Father, he hath declared him’.” The Lord himself, 
moreover, saith to his disciples: ‘All things which I have 
heard of my Father have I made known to you”.” And 
again he saith: “I am the light of the world: whosoever 
doth follow me doth not walk in darkness, but shall have the 
The chief light of life” Our Lord also did teach, that to him, which 
Chris's’ would enter into heaven and be saved, the heavenly regenera- 
tion was needful‘, because in the first birth man is born to 
death, in the second to life; but that that regeneration is 
made perfect in us by the Spirit of God, which instructeth our 
hearts in faith, I say, in faith in Christ, who died for our sins, 
and rose again for our justification’. He taught that by that 
faith they which believe are justified; and that out of the 
same faith do grow sundry fruits of charity and innocency, to 
the bringing forth whereof he did most earnestly exhort them. 
He taught furthermore, that he was the fulfilling, or fulness, 
of the law and the prophets; and did also approve and ex- 
pound the doctrine of Moses and the prophets. To doctrine 
he joined divers miracles and benefits, whereby he declared, 
that he himself was that light of the world, and the mighty 
and bountiful Redeemer of the world. And, to the intent 
that his doctrine and benefits might be known to all the world, 
The apostles he chose to himself witnesses, whom he called apostles, because 
he purposed to send them to preach throughout the world. 
Those witnesses were simple men, innocents, just, tellers of 
truth, without deceit or subtilties, and in all points holy and 
good ; whose names it is very profitable often to repeat in 
the congregation. The names of the apostles are these: 
Peter and Andrew, James and John, Philip and Bartholomew, 


{! John i. 18.] [2 John xv. 15.] 
[3 John viii. 12.] [4 John iii. 5.] 
[5 Rom. iy. 25.] 





1. | THE WORD OF GOD. 53 
Thomas and Matthew, James the son of Alphe, and Judas his 
brother, whose surname was Thaddeus, Simon and Judas 
Iscariot, into whose room (because he had betrayed the Lord) 
came St Matthias®, These had he, by the space almost of 
three years, hearers of his heavenly doctrine, and beholders of 
his divine works. These, after his ascension into the heavens, 
did he, by the Holy Ghost sent down from heaven, instruct with 
all kind of faculties. For, as they were in the scriptures 
passing skilful, so were they not unskilful, or wanting eloquence, 
in any tongue. And, being once after this manner instructed, 
they depart out of the city of Jerusalem, and pass through the 
compass of the earth, preaching to all people and nations that 
which they had received to preach of the Saviour of the 
world and the Lord Jesus Christ. And when for certain 
years they had preached by word of mouth, then did they 
also set down in writing that which they had preached. For 
some, verily, writ an history of the words and deeds of 
Christ, and some of the words and deeds of the apostles. 
Other some sent sundry epistles to divers nations. In all 
which, to confirm the truth, they use the scripture of the 
law and the prophets, even as we read that the Lord often- 
_ times did. Moreover, to the twelve apostles are joined two 
great lights of the world; John Baptist, than whom there John Baptist 
| was never any more holy to of women’; and the chosen 
_ vessel® Paul, the great teacher of the Gentiles®. 

Neither is it to be marvelled at, that the forerunner and eed oifel 
apostles of Christ had always very great dignity and autho- very sreat. 
rity in the church. For, even as they were the embassadors 
of the eternal King of all ages and of the whole world; so, 
being endued with the Spirit of God, they did nothing ac- 
| cording to the judgment of their own minds. And the Lord 
| by their ministry wrought great miracles, thereby to garnish 
the ministry of them, and to commend their doctrine unto 
us. And what may be thought of that, moreover, that by 
that word of God they did convert the whole world; gather- 
ing together, and laying the foundations of, notable churches 
| Ponca one the compass of the world? Which verily by 
man’s counsel and words they had never been able to have 





[6 Matth. x. 2-4; Acts i. 26.] 
(7 Matth. xi. 11.] [8 Acts ix. 15.] 
[9 1 ean, 11.7: Ὁ Lime t, 11:] 





~ ἢ Thess. ii. 


The roll of 
the books of 
the divine 
scriptures. 


54 THE FIRST DECADE. [SERM. 


brought to pass. To this is further added, that they which 
once leaned to this doctrine, as a doctrine giving life, did not 
refuse to die: besides that, how many soever had their belief 
in the doctrine of the gospel, they were not afraid, through 
water, fire, and swords, to cut off this life, and to lay hand on 
the life to come. The faithful saints could in no wise have 
done these things, unless the doctrine which they believed had 
been of God. 

Although therefore that the apostles were men, yet their 
doctrine, first of all taught by a lively expressed voice, and 
after that set down in writing with pen and ink, is the 
doctrine of God and the very true word of God. For there- 
fore the apostle left this saying in writing: “ When ye did 
receive the word of God which ye heard of us, ye received 
it not as the word of men, but, as it is indeed, the word of 
God, which effectually worketh in you that believe!.” 

But now the matter itself and place require, that I 
gather also and plainly reckon up those books, wherein is 
contained the very word of God, first of all declared of the 
fathers, of Christ himself, and the apostles by word of mouth; 
and after that also written into books by the prophets and 
apostles. And in the first place verily are set the five books 
of Moses. Then follow the books of Josue, of Judges, of 
Ruth, two books of Samuel, two of Kings, two of Chroni- 
cles; of Esdras, Nehemias, and Hester one a-piece. After 
these come Job, David or the book of Psalms?, Proverbs, 
Ecclesiastes, and Cantica. With them are numbered the four 
greater prophets, Esaias, Jeremias, Ezechiel, and Daniel: 
then the twelve lesser prophets, whose names are very well 
known: with these books the old Testament ended. The 
new Testament hath in the beginning the evangelical history 
of Christ the Lord, written by four authors, that is, by two 
apostles, Matthew and John; and by two disciples, Mark 
and Luke, who compiled a wonderful goodly and profitable 
book of the Acts of the Apostles. Paul to sundry churches 
and persons published fourteen epistles. The other apostles 
wrote seven which are called both canonical and catholic. 
And the books of the new Testament are ended with the 


[ 1 Thess. ii. 13. Sermonem,—quo Deum discebatis, Lat.; and 
Erasmus’ rendering. ] 


[2 Solomonis libelli tres, Lat. ; omitted by the translator. ] 








1.| THE WORD OF GOD. 55 


Revelation of Jesus Christ, which he opened to the disciple 
whom he loved, John the evangelist and apostle; shewing 
unto him, and so to the whole church, the ordinance of God 
touching the church’, even until the day of judgment. There- 
fore in these few and mean*, not unmeasurable, in these plain 
and simple, not dark and unkemmed® books, is comprehended 
the full doctrine of godliness, which is the very word of the 
true, living, and eternal God®. 

Also the books of Moses and the prophets through 50 The seripture 
many ages, perils, and captivities, came sound and uncorrupted ¥ncortupted. 
even until the time of Christ and his apostles. For the Lord 
Jesus and the apostles used those books as true copies and 
authentical ; which undoubtedly they neither would, nor could, 
have done, if so be that either they had been corrupted, or 
altogether perished. The books also, which the apostles of 
Christ have added’, were throughout all persecutions kept in 
the church safe and uncorrupted, and are come sound and 
uncorrupted into our hands, upon whom the ends of the world 
are fallen. For by the vigilant care and unspeakable good- 
ness of God, our Father, it is brought to pass, that no age 
at any time either hath or shall want so great a treasure. 


Thus much hitherto have I declared unto you, dearly 
beloved, what the word of God is, what the beginning of it 
in the church was, and what proceeding, dignity, and certainty 
it had. The word of God is the speech of God, that is to 
say, the revealing of his good will to mankind, which from 
the beginning, one while by his own mouth, and another while 
by the speech of angels, he did open to those first, ancient, 
and most holy fathers; who again by tradition did faithfully 
deliver it to their posterity. Here are to be remembered 
those great lights of the world, Adam, Seth, Methusalem, 


[3 fata ecclesize, Lat. ] [4 sobriis, Lat. ] 

[5 unkemmed or unkempt: uncombed; impexis. —Lat. P.] 

[6 The canon of Scripture received by the church of Rome, con- 
taining most of those books which we call apocryphal, was first set 
forth by the council of Trent; and afterwards confirmed by the bull 
of pope Pius IV. a.p. 1564. On this subject see Burnet on the 6th 
Article, with the notes in Page’s Ed. 1839; and Bishop Cosin’s 
“ Scholastical History of the Canon of Scripture.” P. ] 

[7 una cum lege et prophetis, Lat.; omitted. ] 


56 THE FIRST DECADE. [SERM. 


Noe, Sem, Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, Amram, and his son Moses, 
who, at God’s commandment, did in writing comprehend the 
history and traditions of the holy fathers, whereunto he 
joined the written law, and exposition of the law, together 
with a large and lightsome' history of his own lifetime. After 
Moses, God gave to his church most excellent men, prophets 
and priests; who also, by word of mouth and writings, did 
deliver to their posterity that which they had learned of the 
Lord. After them came the only-begotten Son of God him- 
self down from heaven into the world, and fulfilled all, what- 
soever was found to be written of himself in the law and the 
prophets. The same also taught a most absolute mean how 
to live well and holily: he made the apostles his witnesses: 
which witnesses did afterwards first of all with a lively ex- 
pressed voice preach all things which the Lord had taught 
them; and then, to the intent that they should not be cor- 
rupted, or clean taken out of man’s remembrance, they did 
commit it to writing: so that now we have from the fathers, 
the prophets, and apostles, the word of God as it was preached 
and written. 

These things had their beginning of one and the same 
Spirit of God, and do tend to one end, that is, to teach us 
men how to live well and holily. He that believeth not 
these men, and namely? the only-begotten Son of God, whom, 
I pray you, will he believe? We have here the most holy, 
innocent, upright-living, most praiseworthy, most just, most 
ancient, most wise, and most divine men of the whole world 
and compass of the earth, and briefly, such men as are by all 
means without comparison. All the world cannot shew us 
the like again, although it should wholly a thousand times 
be assembled in councils. The holy emperor Constantine 
gathered a general council out of all the compass of the 
earth; thither came there together, out of all the world, 
three hundred and eighteen most excellent fathers?: but 
they that are of the wisest sort will say, that these are not 
so much as shadows, to be compared to them, of whom we 
have received the word of God. Let us therefore in all things 
believe the word of God delivered to us by the scriptures. 


[1 luculenta, Lat.] 
[? namely: especially; presertim. P.] 
[3 See before, page 12, where the number is inaccurately stated. ] 








π.7 THE WORD OF GOD. 57 


Let us think that the Lord himself, which is the very living 
and eternal God, doth speak to us by the scriptures. Let us 
for evermore praise the name and goodness of him, who hath 
vouchedsafe so faithfully, fully, and plainly to open to us, 
miserable mortal men, all the means how to live well and 
holily. 

To him be praise, honour, and glory for evermore. 
Amen. 





OF THE WORD OF GOD; TO WHOM, AND TO WHAT 
END, IT WAS REVEALED; ALSO IN WHAT MANNER 
IT IS TO BE HEARD; AND THAT IT DOTH FULLY 
TEACH THE WHOLE DOCTRINE OF GODLINESS. 


THE SECOND SERMON. 


Dear y beloved, in the last sermon you learned what the 
word of God is; from whence it came; by whom it was chiefly 
revealed ; what proceedings‘ it had; and of what dignity and 
certainty it is. 

Now am I come again, and, by God’s favour and the 
help of your prayers, I will declare unto you, beloved, to 
whom, and to what end, the word of God is revealed; in 
what manner it is to be heard; and what the force thereof 
is, or the effect. 

Our God is the God of all men and nations, who, accord- τὸ whom the 
ing to the saying of the apostle, “would have all men to be isteveated." 
saved, and to come to the knowledge of the truth ὃ: and there- 
fore hath he, for the benefit, life, and salvation of all men, 
revealed his word, that so indeed there might be a rule and 
certain way to lead men by the path of justice into life ever- 
lasting. God verily, in the old time, did shew himself to the 
Israelites, his holy and peculiar people, more familiarly than 
to other nations, as the prophet saith: “To Jacob hath he 
declared his statutes, and his judgments to Israel: he hath 
not dealt so with any nation, neither hath he shewed them 
his judgments®:” and yet he hath not altogether been care- 

[4 progressus, Lat. ] {> 1 kam, τἴ. 58} 
[6 Psal. exlvii. 19, 20.] 


δ8 THE FIRST DECADE. [SERM. 


less of the Gentiles. For as to the Ninivites he sent Jonas; 
so Esaias, Jeremias, Daniel, and the other prophets bestowed 
much labour in teaching and admonishing the Gentiles. And 
those most ancient fathers, Noe, Abraham, and the rest, did 
not only instruct the Jewish people which descended of 
them, but taught their other sons also the judgments of God. 
Our Lord Jesus Christ verily, laying open the whole world 
before his disciples, said: “Teach all nations: preach the 
gospel to all creatures’.” And when as St Peter did not yet 
fully understand, that the Gentiles also did appertain to the 
fellowship of the church of Christ, and that to the Gentiles 
also did belong the preaching of the glad tidings of salvation, 
purchased by Christ for the faithful; the Lord doth instruct 
him by a heavenly vision, by speaking to him out of heaven, 
and by the message which came from Cornelius, as you know, 
dearly beloved, by the history of the Acts of the Apostles®. 
Let us therefore think, my brethren, that the word of God 
and the holy scriptures are revealed to all men, to all ages, 
kinds*, degrees and states, throughout the world. For the 
apostle Paul, also confirming the same, saith: ‘ Whatsoever 
things are written, are written for our learning, that through 
patience, and comfort of the scriptures, we may have hope*.” 

Let none of us therefore hereafter say, “What need I 
to care what is written to the Jews in the old Testament, or 
what the apostles have written to the Romans, to the Corin- 
thians, and to other nations? Iam a Christian. The pro- 
phets to the men of their time, and the apostles to those that 
lived in the same age with them, did both preach and write.” 
For if we think uprightly of the matter, we shall see that the 
scriptures of the old and new Testaments ought therefore to 
be received of us, even because we are Christians. For Christ, 
our Saviour and Master, did refer us to the written books of 
Moses and the prophets. Saint Paul, the very elect instru- 
ment of Christ, doth apply to us the sacraments and examples 
of the old fathers, that is to say, circumcision in baptism, 
Coloss. ii.; and the paschal lamb in the supper or sacra- 
ment, 1 Cor. v. In the tenth chapter of the same epistle 
he applieth sundry examples of the fathers to us. And in 


[: Matt. xxviii. 19. Mark xvi. 15.] 
[2 Acts x.] [3 Sexubus, Lat. ] 
[4 Rom. xv. 4.] 








1: THE WORD OF GOD. 59 


the fourth to the Romans, where he reasoneth of faith, which 
justifieth without the help of works and the law, he bring- 
eth in the example of Abraham; and therewithal addeth : 
“ Nevertheless it is not written for Abraham alone, that faith 
was reckoned unto him for righteousness, but also for us, to 
whom it shall be reckoned if we believe5,” &c. 

“By that means,” say some, “ we shall again be wrapped 
in the law; we shall be enforced to be circumcised, to sacri- 
fice flesh and blood of beasts, to admit again the priesthood 
of Aaron, together with the temple and the other ceremonies. 
There shall again be allowed the bill of divorcement, or putting 
away of a man’s wife, together with sufferance to marry many 
wives.” To these I answer: that in the old Testament we 
must consider that some things there are which are for ever 
to be observed, and some things which are ceremonial and 
suffered only till time of amendment®. That time of amend- 
ment is the time of Christ, who fulfilled the law, and took 
away the curse of the law. The same Christ changed cir- 
cumcision into baptism. He with his own only sacrifice made 
an end of all sacrifices; so that now, instead of all sacrifices, 
there is left to us that only sacrifice of Christ, wherein also we 
learn to offer our own very bodies and prayers, together with 
good deeds, as spiritual sacrifices unto God. Christ changed 
the priesthood of Aaron for his own and the priesthood of all 
Christians. The temple of God are we, in whom God by his 
Spirit doth dwell. All ceremonies did Christ make void, who 
also in the nineteenth of Matthew did abrogate the bill of 
divorcement, together with the marriage of many wives. But 
although these ceremonies and some external actions were ab- 
rogated and clean taken away by Christ, that we should not 
be bound unto them; yet notwithstanding, the scripture, 
which was published touching them, was not taken away, or 
else? made void, by Christ. For there must for ever be in 
the church of Christ a certain® testimonial, whereby we may 
learn what manner of worshippings and figures of Christ they 
of the old time had. Those worshippings and figures of Christ 
must we at this day interpret to the church specially®; and 


[8 Rom. iv. 23, 24.] 

[6 Heb. ix. 10. tempus correctionis, Lat. So Vulgate. ] 

[7 ive. or; vel, Lat.] [8 i.e. asure; certum, Lat.] 
[9 spiritually, ed. 1577; spiritualiter, Lat. P.] 


The writings 
of the old 
Testament 
are also given 
to Christians. 


To what end 
the word of 
God is re- 
vealed. 


God’s good- 
ness to be 
praised for 
teaching us. 


60 THE FIRST DECADE. [SERM. 


out of them we must, no less than out of the writings of the 
new Testament, preach Christ, forgiveness of sins, and re- 
pentance. So then, to all Christians are the writings of the 
old Testament given by God; in like manner as the apostle! 
writ to all churches those things which bore the name or title 
of some particular congregations. 

And to this end is the word of God revealed to men, 
that it may teach them? what, and what manner one God? 
is towards men; that he would have them to be saved; and 
that, by faith in Christ: what Christ is, and by what means 
salvation cometh: what becometh the true worshippers of 
God, what they ought to fly, and what to ensue. Neither is 
it sufficient to know the will of God, unless we do the same 
and be saved*. And for that cause said Moses: “ Hear, 
Israel, the statutes and judgments which I teach you, that ye 
may do them and live’.” And the Lord in the gospel, con- 
firming the same, crieth: “ Blessed are they which hear the 
word of God and keep it®%.” 

And here is to be praised the exceeding great goodness 
of God, which would have nothing hid from us which maketh 
any whit to live rightly, well, and holily. The wise and 
learned of this world do for the most part bear envy or 
grudge, that other should attain unto the true wisdom: but 
our Lord doth gently, and of his own accord, offer to us the 
whole knowledge of heavenly things, and is desirous that we 
go forward therein; yea, and that more is, he doth further 
our labour and bring it to an end. For “whosoever hath,” 
saith the Lord himself in the gospel, “to him shall be given, 
that he may have the more abundance’.” <“ And every one 
that asketh receiveth, and he that seeketh findeth, and to 
him that knocketh it shall be opened®.” Whereupon St 
James the apostle saith: “If any of you lack wisdom, let 
him ask of God, which giveth to all men liberally,” that is, 
willingly, not with grudging, “neither casteth any man in the 


[1 apostles, 1577; apostoli, Lat. ] 

[? De Deo et voluntate ejus, Lat. Omitted by the translator: 
concerning God and his will.] 

[3 What manner one; qualis, Lat. P.] 

[4 ut salvi fiamus, Lat. ] [5 Deut. v. 1.] 

[6 Luke xi. 28.] [7 Matt. xiii. 12.] 

[8 Luke xi. 10.] 

















u. | THE WORD OF GOD. 61 


teeth, and it shall be given him’.” Where, by the way, 
we see our duty; which is, in reading and hearing the word 
of God, to pray earnestly and zealously that we may come 
to that end, for the which the word of God was given and 
revealed unto us. But as touching that matter, we will say 
somewhat more, when we come to declare in what manner of 
sort the word of God ought to be heard. 

Now, because I have said that the word of God is 
revealed, to the intent that it may fully instruct us in the 
ways of God and our salvation; I will in few words declare 
unto you, dearly beloved, that in the word of God, delivered 
to us by the prophets and apostles, is abundantly contained 
the whole effect of godliness!®, and what things soever are 
available to the leading of our lives rightly, well, and holily. 
For, verily, it must needs be, that that doctrine is full, and in 
all points perfect, to which nothing ought either to be added, 
or else to be taken away. But such a doctrine is the doc- 
trine taught in the word of God, as witnesseth Moses, Deut. 
iv. and xii. and Salomon, Proverb xxx.!! What is he, there- 
fore, that doth not confess that all points of true piety are 
taught us in the sacred scriptures? Furthermore, no man 
can deny that to be a most absolute doctrine, by which a 
man is so fully made perfect, that in this world he may be 
taken for a just man, and in the world to come be called for 
ever to the company of God. But he that believeth the 
word of God uttered to the world by the prophets and 
apostles, and liveth thereafter, is called a just man, and heir 
of life everlasting. That doctrine therefore is an absolute 
doctrine. For Paul also, declaring more largely and fully 
the same matter, saith: ‘All scripture, given by inspiration 
of God, is profitable to doctrine, to reproof, to correction, to 
instruction which is in righteousness, that the man of God 
may be perfect, instructed to all good works!” 

Ye have, brethren, an evident testimony of the fulness 
of the word of God. Ye have a doctrine absolutely perfect 
in all points’. Ye have a most perfect effect of the word of 
God, because by this doctrine the man of God, that is, the 


[9 James i. 5.] [10 pietatis rationem, Lat. ] 
[41 Deut. iv. 2; xii. 32. Prov. xxx. 6.] 

(2 2 Tim. iii. 16, 17.] 

(13 Habetis omnes partes absolutze doctrine, Lat. ] 


All points of 
true godli- 
ness are 
taught us in 
the holy 
scriptures. 


62 THE FIRST DECADE. [SERM. 


godly and devout worshipper of God, is perfect, being in- 
structed, not to a certain few good works, but unto all and 
every good work. Wherein therefore canst thou find any 
want? I do not think that any one is such a sot, as to inter- 
pret these words of Paul to be spoken only touching the old 
Testament; seeing it is more manifest than the day-light, 
that Paul applied them to his scholar Timothy, who preached 
the gospel, and was a minister of the new Testament. If so 
be then, that the doctrine of the old Testament be of itself 
full; by how much more shall it be the fuller, if the volume 
of the new Testament be added thereunto! I am not so igno- 
The Lora rant, but that I know that the Lord Jesus both did and spake 


and did many many things which were not written by the apostles. But 


are not it followeth not therefore, that the doctrine of the word of 
God, taught by the apostles, is not absolutely perfect. For 
John, the apostle and evangelist, doth freely confess that the 
Lord did many other things also, “which were not written in 
his book ;” but immediately he addeth this, and saith: “But 
these are written, that ye might believe that Jesus is Christ 
the Son of God and that in believing ye might have life 
through his name.” He affirmeth by this doctrine, which 
he contained in writing, that faith is fully taught, and that 
through faith there is granted by God everlasting life. But the 
end of absolute doctrine is to be happy and perfectly blessed. 
Since then that cometh to man by the written doctrine of the 
gospel; undoubtedly that doctrine of the gospel is most abso- 
lutely perfect. 

I know, that the Lord in the gospel said, “1 have many 
things to tell you; but at this time you cannot bear them :” 
but therewithal I know too, that he immediately added this 
saying: “ But when the Spirit of truth shall come, he shall 
lead you into all truth” 1 know furthermore, that the 
Spirit of truth did come upon his disciples; and therefore I 
believe, that they, according to the true promise of Christ, 
were led into all truth, so that it is most assuredly certain, 
that nothing was wanting in them. 


[1 John xx. 30, 31.] 

[? John xvi. 12,13. For this and the other texts, by which the 
Romanists maintain patristical and ecclesiastical tradition, see the 
treatise “Of Unwritten Verities” in Remains of Abp. Cranmer, Parker 
Soc. ed. chap. 1x.] 








τ. THE WORD OF GOD. 63 


But some there are, which, when they cannot deny this, The apostles 
set down in 


do turn themselves and say, that “ the apostles indeed knew writing the 
all things, but yet taught them not but by word of mouth tincof 


godliness. 








“τες ee Eee πὰς τ 








Hon nN a EE NNN ic ὁ κάσος τ eon = 








only, not setting down in writing all those things which do 
appertain to true godliness’.” As though it were likely that 
Christ’s most faithful apostles would, upon spite, have kept 
back any thing from their posterity. As though indeed he 
had lied which said, “ These things are written, that in be- 
lieving ye might have life everlasting.” John therefore did 
let pass nothing which belongeth to our full instructing in the 
faith. Luke did omit nothing. Neither did the rest of the 
apostles and disciples of our Lord Jesus Christ suffer any 
thing to overslip them. Paul also wrote fourteen sundry 
epistles: but yet the most of them contained one and the 
selfsame matter. Whereby we may very well conjecture, 
that in them is wholly comprehended the absolute doctrine of 
godliness. For he would not have repeated one and the 
selfsame thing so often, to so many sundry men, if there had 
yet been any thing else necessary more fully to be taught 
for the obtaining of salvation. Those things undoubtedly 
would he have taught, and not have rehearsed one and the 
same thing so many times. Verily, in the third chapter of 
his epistle to the Ephesians he doth affirm, that in the two 
first chapters of the same his epistle he did declare his know- 
ledge in the gospel of Christ. ‘‘God,” saith he, “by revelation 
shewed the mystery unto me, as I wrote before in few words ; 
whereby when ye read ye may understand my knowledge in 
the mystery of Christ+.” And this spake he touching that 
one and only epistle, yea, and that too touching the two first 
chapters of that one epistle. Whereunto when the most large 
and lightsome letters or epistles of St Paul himself, and also 
of the other apostles, are added, who, I pray you, unless he 
be altogether without sense, will once think, that the apostles 
have left in writing to us, their posterity, a doctrine not abso- 
lutely perfect ? 


[83 Ex quibus omnibus... evidens (est)...quod non omnia, quee ad 
religionem nostram pertinent, auctore Christo apostolorum ministerio 
consignata ecclesie,...in scripturis explicata sint.—Albert. Pigh. 
Controversiarum precipuarum, ὅσο. Explicatio. Par. 1549. fol. 95. Ὁ. 
Controv. 3. de Ecclesia. } 

[4 Ephes. iii. 3, 4.] 


Against the 
lively and 
unfeigned! 
traditions of 
the apostles. 


How the 
word of God 
is to be 
heard. 


64 THE FIRST DECADE. [SERM. 


As for those which do earnestly affirm, that all points of 
godliness were taught by the apostles to the posterity by 
word of mouth, and not by writing, their purpose is to set to 
sale their own, that is, men’s ordinances instead of the word 
of God. 

But against this poison, my brethren, take this unto you 
for a medicine to expel it. Confer the things, which these 
fellows set to sale under the colour of the apostles’ traditions, 
taught by word of mouth and not by writing, with the 
manifest writings of the apostles; and if in any place you 
shall perceive those traditions to disagree with the scriptures, 
then gather by and by, that it is the forged invention of men, 
and not the apostles’ tradition. For they, which had one 
and the same Spirit of truth, left not unto us one thing in 
writing, and taught another thing by word of mouth. Fur- 
thermore, we must diligently search, whether those traditions 
do set forward the glory of God, rather than of men; or the 
safety of the faithful, rather than the private advantage of 
the priests. And we must take heed of men’s traditions, 
especially since the Lord saith, “In vain do they worship me, 
teaching doctrines the precepts of men*.” So that now the 
surest way is, to cleave to the word of the Lord left to us in 
the scriptures, which teacheth abundantly all things that 
belong to true godliness. 

It remaineth now for me to tell, in what manner of sort 
this perfect doctrine of godliness and salvation, I mean, the 
very word of God, ought to be heard of the faithful, to the 
intent it may be heard with some fruit to profit them abun- 
dantly. I will in few words contain? it. Let the word of 
God be heard with great reverence, which of right is due to 
God himself and godly things. Let it be heard very atten- 
tively ; with continual prayers between, and earnest requests. 
Let it be heard soberly to our profit, that by it we may be- 
come the better, that God by us may be glorified, and not 
that we go curiously about to search out the hidden counsels 
of God, or desire to be counted skilful and expert in many 
matters. Let true faith, the glory of God, and our sal- 
vation be appointed as the measure and certain end of our 
hearing and reading. For in Exodus Moses, the holy servant 

() fained, 1577; confictas, Lat. ] 
[? comprehendam, Lat. ] 














II. | THE WORD OF GOD. 65 


of God, is commanded to sanctify the people, and make them 
in a readiness to hear the sacred sermon, which God _ himself 
did mind to make the next day after. Moses therefore 
cometh, and demandeth of the whole people due obedience to 
be shewed, as well to God, as to his ministers. Then com- 
mandeth he them to wash their garments, to abstain from 
their wives. After that he appointeth certain limits, beyond 
which it was not lawful upon pain of death for them to pass%. 
By this we plainly learn, that the Lord doth require such to 
be his disciples, to hear him, as do specially shew obedience 
and reverence to him in all things. For he, being God, 
speaketh to us men: all we men owe unto God honour and 
fear. A man, unless he become lowly, humble, and obedient 
to God, is altogether godless. Then is it required at the 
hands of those, which are meet hearers of the word of God, 
that they lay apart worldly affairs, which are signified by 
the garments ; to tread under foot all filthiness and unclean- 
ness of soul and body; to refrain for a season even from 
those pleasures which are lawful unto us. The Holy Ghost 
doth love the minds that are purely cleansed; which yet not- 
withstanding are not cleansed but by the Spirit of God. 
Needful it is to have a sincere belief in God, and a ready 
good-will and desire to live according to that which is com- 
manded in the word of God. Moreover, we must be wise to 
sobriety *. Over curious questions must be set aside. Let 
things profitable to salvation only be learned. Last of all, 
let especial heed be taken in hearing and learning. For 
saith Salomon : “ If thou wilt seek after wisdom as after gold, 
thou shalt obtain it’.” Again he saith: “ The searcher out 
of God’s majesty shall be overwhelmed by his wonderful 
glory®.” And again he saith: “Seek not things too high 
for thee, neither go about to search out things above thy 
strength; but what God hath commanded thee, that think 

[83 Exod. xix. 10—15.] 

[* Rom. xii. 8. Sapere ad sobrietatem: to think soberly, to 
sobriety, marg. Author. Ver. ] 

(5 Prov. ii. 4, 5.] 

[6 Prov. xxv. 27, according to the Vulgate version, which is: 
“ Qui scrutator est majestatis, opprimetur a gloria.” “He that is a 
searcher of majesty (viz. of God), shall be overwhelmed by glory.”— 
|| Douay Version. Calvin uses the text in the same sense, Instit. Lib. 
| MI. cap. 21. §. 2.] 


5 
[ BULLINGER. | 


The diseases 
and plagues 
of the hear- 
ers of God’s 
word. 


What the 
power and 
εἴποι of God’s 
word is, 


66 THE FIRST DECADE. [SERM. 


thou always on: and be not over curious to know his infinite 
works; for it is not expedient for thee to see his hidden 
secrets with thine eyes’.” Whereupon the apostle Paul 
saith: “ Let no man think arrogantly of himself, but so think 
that he may be modest and sober, according as God to every 
one hath given the measure of faith®.” And hereto belongeth 
that which the same apostle saith: “ Knowledge puffeth up, 
and charity doth edify*.” 

But chiefly we must beware of those plagues, which 
choke the seed of the word of God, and quench it without 
any fruit at all in the hearts of the hearers. Those plagues 
and diseases hath the Lord rehearsed, or reckoned up, in the 
parable of the sower’. For first of all, wanton and vain 
cogitations, which always lie wide open to the inspirations of 
Satan and talk of naughty men, are plagues to the word of 
God. Also voluptuous and dainty lovers of this world, who 
cannot abide to suffer any affliction for Christ and his gospel, 
do without any fruit at all hear God’s word, although they 
seem to give ear unto it very joyfully. Furthermore, “ the 
eare of this world, and the deceit of riches,” are most pes- 
tilent diseases in the hearers of the word of God. For they 
do not only hinder the seed, that it cannot bring forth fruit 
in their hearts; but also they do stir up and egg men for- 
ward to gainsay the word of God, and to aftlict the earnest 
desirers of God’s word. Here therefore we must take heed 
diligently, lest, being infected with these diseases, we become 
vain and unthankful hearers of the word of God. 

We must pray continually, that the bountiful and liberal 
Lord will vouchsafe to bestow on us his Spirit, that by it 
the seed of God’s word may be quickened in our hearts, and 
that we, as holy and right hearers of his word, may bear 
fruit abundantly to the glory of God, and the everlasting 
salvation of our own souls. For what will it avail to hear 
the word of God without faith, and without the Holy Spirit 
of God to work or stir inwardly in our hearts? The apostle 
Paul saith: “ He which watereth is nothing, nor he which 
planteth ; but it is God which giveth increase®.” We have 
need therefore of God’s watering, that the word of God may 

[1 Ecclesiast. iii. 21—23. ] [2 Rom. xii. 3.] 


[3 1 Cor. viii. 1.] [4 Matt. xiii. 1—23.] 
[51 Cor 11.7) 

















11. | THE WORD OF GOD. 67 


grow to a perfect age, may receive increase, yea, and may 
come also to the bringing forth of ripe fruit within our 
minds. The same apostle Paul saith: “To us also is the 
word of God declared, even as unto our fathers. But it 
availed them nothing to hear the word, because it was not 
joined with faith in them that heard it: for they died in the 
desert.” And immediately after he saith: “Let us there- 
fore do our best to enter into that rest, so that no man die in 
the same example of unbelief®.” If therefore that the word of 
God do sound in our ears, and therewithal the Spirit of God 
do shew forth his power in our hearts, and that we in faith 
do truly receive the word of God, then hath the word of God 
a mighty force and wonderful effect in us. For it driveth 
away the misty darkness of errors, it openeth our eyes, it 
converteth and enlighteneth our minds, and instructeth us 
most fully and absolutely in truth and godliness. For the 
prophet David in his Psalms beareth witness, and saith: “The 
law of the Lord is perfect, converting the soul; the testimony 
of God is true, and giveth wisdom unto the simple; the com- 
mandment of the Lord is pure, and giveth light unto the 
eyes’.” Furthermore, the word of God doth feed, strengthen, 
confirm, and comfort our souls; it doth regenerate, cleanse, 
make joyful, and join us to God; yea, and obtaineth all 
things for us at God’s hands, setting us in a most happy 
state: insomuch that no goods or treasure of the whole 
world are to be compared with the word of God. 

And thus much do we attribute to the word of God, not with- 
out the testimony of God’s word. For the Lord by the prophet 
Amos doth threaten hunger and thirst, “not to eat bread and 
to drink water, but to hear the word of God®.” For in the 
old and new Testaments it is said, “that man doth not live by 
bread only, but by every word that proceedeth out of the 
mouth of God®.” And the apostle Paul saith, that “all things 
in the scriptures are written for our learning, that by patience 
and comfort of the scriptures we might have hope™.” Also 
Peter saith: “Ye are born anew, not of corruptible seed, but 
of incorruptible, by the word of God which liveth and lasteth 


[6 Heb. iii. 17, and iv. 2,11.] 
Wht Paalexix7;/8:] 
[8 Amos viii. 11.] 
[9 Deut. viii. 3; Matt. iv. 4.] [19 Rom. xv. 4.] 
5—2 


68 THE FIRST DECADE. [SERM. 


for ever. And this is the word which by the gospel was 
preached unto you'.” The Lord also in the gospel beareth 
witness to the same, and saith: “Now are ye clean by the 
word which I have spoken unto you.” Again in the gospel 
he crieth, saying: “If any man loveth me, he will keep my 
saying, and my Father will love him, and we will come into 
him, and make our dwelling-place in δια" Jeremy saith 
also: “ Thy word became my comfort*.” And the prophet 
David saith: “The statutes of the Lord are right, and 
rejoice the heart®.” Whereunto add that saying of the 
Lord’s in the gospel: “If ye remain in me, and my words 
remain in you, ask what ye will, and it shall be done for 
you®’.” In another place also the prophet crieth, saying: 
“Tf ye be willing and will hearken, ye shall eat the good of 
the land; but if ye will not hear my word, the sword shall 
devour you’.” Moreover Moses doth very often and largely 
reckon up the good things that shall happen to them which 
obey the word of God; Leviticus xxvi., Deut. xxviii. 
Wherefore David durst boldly prefer the word of God before 
all the pleasures and treasures of this world. ‘The fear of 
the Lord is clean, and endureth for ever; the judgments of 
the Lord are true, and righteous altogether: more to be 
desired are they than gold, yea, than much fine gold; 
sweeter also than honey, and the dropping honeycombs, 
For by them thy servant is plainly taught, and in keeping of 
them there is a great advantage. Therefore is the law of 
thy mouth more precious unto me than thousands of silver 
and gold. Unless my delight had been in thy law, I had 
perished in my misery®.” ΤῸ this now doth appertain that 
parable in the gospel, of him which bought the precious 
pearl; and of him also which sold all that he had, and 
bought the ground wherein he knew that treasure was hid. 
For that precious pearl, and that treasure, are the gospel or 
word of God: which, for the excellency of it, is in the scrip- 
tures called a light, a fire, a sword, a maul which breaketh 


(1 1 Pet. i. 23, 25.] [2 John xv. 3.] 
[83 John xiv. 23.] (4 Jer. xv. 16.] 
(5 Psal. xix. 8.] [6 John xv. 7.]} 


(7 Isai. i. 19, 20.] 
[8 Psal. xix. 9—11, and cxix. 72, 92.] 
[9 Matt. xiii. 44—46.] 

















1.7 THE WORD OF GOD. 69 


stones, a buckler!, and by many other names like unto 
these. 

Dearly beloved, this hour ye have heard our bountiful 
Lord and God, “‘who would have all men saved and to come 
to the knowledge of the truth,” how he hath revealed his 
word to all men throughout the whole world, to the intent, 
that all men in all places, of what kind", age, or degree 
soever they be, may know the truth, and be instructed in the 
true salvation; and may learn a perfect way how to live 
rightly, well, and holily, so that the man of God may be 
perfect, instructed to all good works. For the Lord in the 
word of truth hath delivered to his church all that is requisite 
to true godliness and salvation. Whatsoever things are 
necessary to be known touching God, the works, judgments, 
will and commandments of God, touching Christ, our faith in 
Christ, and the duties of an holy life; all those things, I say, 
are fully taught in the word of God. Neither needeth the 
church to crave of any other, or else with men’s supplies to 
patch up that which seemeth to be wanting in the word of 
the Lord. For the Lord did not only, by the lively ex- 
pressed voice of the apostles, teach our fathers the whole sum 
of godliness and salvation; but did provide also, that it, by 
the means of the same apostles, should be set down in 
writing. And that doth manifestly appear, that it was done 
for the posterity’s sake, that is, for us and our successors, to 
the intent that none of us nor ours should be seduced, nor 
that false traditions should be popped into any of our mouths 
instead of the truth. We must all therefore beware, we must 
all watch, and stick fast unto the word of God, which is left 
to us in the scriptures by the prophets and apostles. 

Finally, let our care be wholly bent, with faith and profit 
to hear whatsoever the Lord declareth unto us: let us cast out 
and tread under foot whatsoever, by our flesh, the world, or 
the devil, is objected to be a let to godliness. We know what 
the diseases and plagues of the seed of God’s word, sowed in 
the hearts of the faithful, are. We know how great the 
power of God’s word is in them which hear it devoutly. Let 
us therefore beseech our Lord God to pour into our minds 


[10 Psal. cxix. 105; Jer. xxiii. 29; Ephes. vi. 17; Psal. xci. 4.] 
[11 sexus, Lat. ] 


70 THE FIRST DECADE. [SERM. 


his holy Spirit, by whose virtue the seed of God’s word 
may be quickened in our hearts, to the bringing forth of 
much fruit to the salvation of our souls, and the glory of 
God our Father. To whom be glory for ever. 





OF THE SENSE AND RIGHT EXPOSITION OF THE WORD 
OF GOD, AND BY WHAT MANNER OF MEANS IT 
MAY BE EXPOUNDED. 


THE THIRD SERMON. 


Dearty beloved brethren, I do understand that, by means 
of my doctrine of the word of God, there are risen sundry 
thoughts in the hearts of many men, yea, and that of some 
there are sown abroad very ungodly speeches. For some 
there are which do suppose that the scriptures, that is, the 
very word of God, is of itself so dark, that it cannot be read 
with any profit at 411}. And again some other affirm, that the 
word plainly delivered by God to mankind doth stand in need 
of no exposition. And therefore say they, that the scriptures 
ought indeed to be read of all men, but so that every man 
may lawfully invent and choose to himself such a sense as 
every one shall be persuaded in himself to be most conve- 
nient?, These fellows do altogether condemn the order re- 
ceived of the churches, whereby the minister of the church 
doth expound the scriptures to the congregation. But I, 
dearly beloved, if, as ye have begun, so ye will go forward, to 
pray to the Lord, do trust, by the hope that I have in God’s 
goodness, that I am able plainly to declare, that to the godly 
the scripture is nothing dark at all, and that the Lord’s will is 
altogether to have us understand it: then, that the scriptures 


[! Scripture plurimum frequenter obscuritatis habent, et se trahi 
accommodarique in diversam sententiam et eludi cauta expositione 
facile permittunt, etiam quantumvis clare evidentesque appareant: 
adeo ut, nisi aptentur ad—ecclesiasticam—traditionis communem 
sententiam—fiant nobis in laqueum, etc.—Albert. Pigh. Controy. 
Precip. Explicatio. Par. 1549. fol. 93. Controy. 3. de Ecclesia. ] 

[2 Hooker’s Preface to Eccles. Pol. Vol. 1. p. 180. ed. Oxf. 1820.] 














III. | THE EXPOSITION OF GOD’S WORD. Tk 


ought always to be expounded. Where also I will teach you 
the manner, and some ready ways, how to interpret the scrip- 
tures. The handling of these points shall take away the 
impediments which drive men from the reading of the word 
of God, and shall cause the reading and hearing of the word 
of God to be both wholesome and fruitful. 

And first of all, that God’s will is to have his word un- God's witt is 
derstood of mankind, we may thereby gather especially, be- word under- 
cause that in speaking to his servants he used a most common 
kind of speech, wherewithal even the very idiots were ac- 
quainted. Neither do we read that the prophets and apostles, 
the servants of God and interpreters of his high and everlast- 
ing wisdom, did use any strange kind of speech: so that in 
the whole pack of writers none can be found to excel them in 
a more plain and easy phrase of writing. Their writings are 
full of common proverbs, similitudes, parables, comparisons, 
devised narrations, examples, and such other like manner of 
speeches, than which there is nothing that doth more move 
and plainly teach the common sorts of wits among mortal 
men. ‘There ariseth, I confess, some darkness in the scrip- 
tures, by reason of the natural property‘, figurative orna- 
ments, and the unacquainted use of the tongues. But that pimcutty in 
difficulty may easily be helped by study, diligence, faith, and tures.” 
the means of skilful interpreters. I know that the apostle 
Peter saith, in the epistles of Paul “many things are hard 
to be understood®:” but immediately he addeth, ‘“ which the 
unlearned, and those that are unperfect, or unstable, pervert, 
as they do the other scriptures also, unto their own destruc- 
tion.” Whereby we gather, that the scripture is difficult or 
obscure to the unlearned, unskilful, unexercised, and malicious 
or corrupted wills, and not to the zealous and godly readers or 
hearers thereof. Therefore, when St Paul saith, “If as yet 
our gospel be hid, from them it is hid which perish, in whom 
the prince of this world hath blinded the understanding of the 
unbelievers, that to them there should not shine the light of 
the gospel of the glory of Christ, who is the image of God®;” 


[3 Idiot: an uneducated person, ἰδιώτης, P.] 

{4 ex idiomate, Lat. ] 

[5 2 Pet. iii. 16.] 

[6 2 Cor. iv. 3,4. “Lest the light of the gospel of the glory of 
Christ.”——Cranmer’s Bible, 1539.] 


The word of 
God requir- 
eth an ex- 
position. 


A solemn ex- 


position of 
God’s word, 


72 THE FIRST DECADE. [SERM. 


he doth not lay the blame of this difficulty on the word of 
God, but upon the unprofitable hearers. Whosoever we are, 
therefore, that do desire rightly to understand the word of 
God, our care must be that Satan possess not our minds, and 
close up our eyes. For our Saviour also in the gospel said : 
“‘ This is damnation, because the light came into the world, and 
men loved darkness rather than light!.” Besides that, the holy 
prophets of God, and the apostles, did not call the word of 
God, or the scriptures, darkness, obscureness, or mistiness, but 
a certain brightness and lightsomeness. David saith: “Thy 
word is a lantern unto my feet, and a light unto my paths.” 
And what, I pray you, is more evident, than that, in making 
doubtful and obscure things manifest, no man doth refer to 
darkness and uncertainties? Things uncertain, doubtful, and 
obscure, are made manifest by those things that are more 
certain, sure, and evident. But, as often as any question or 
controversy doth happen in matters of faith, do not all men 
agree, that it ought to be ended and determined by the scrip- 
tures? It must therefore needs be, that the scriptures are 
evident, plain, and most assuredly certain. 

But, though the scripture be manifest and the word of 
God be evident, yet, notwithstanding, it refuseth not a godly 
or holy exposition; but rather an holy exposition doth give 
a setting out to the word of God, and bringeth forth much 
fruit in the godly hearer. And for because many do deny 
that the scriptures ought to have any exposition, I will shew 
by examples (which cannot be gainsaid) that they ought alto- 
gether to be expounded. For God himself, having often 
communication with Moses by the space of forty days, and as 
many years, did by Moses expound to the church the words 
of the law, which he spake in Mount Sina to the whole con- 
gregation of Israel, writing them in two tables: which Moses 
left to us the Deuteronomy, and certain other books, as com- 
mentaries upon God’s commandments. After that, imme- 
diately followed the prophets, who, interpreting the law of 
Moses, did apply it to the times, places, and men of their age; 
and left to us, that follow, their sermons as plain expositions of 
God’s law. In the eighth chapter of Nehemias we read these 
words: “ Esdras the priest brought in the law, the book of 
Moses, and stood upon a turret made of wood, (that is, in the 

{! John iii. 19.] (2 Ps. exix. 105.] 

















Ul. | THE EXPOSITION OF GOD’S WORD. 73 


holy pulpit.) And Esdras opened the book before the con- 
gregation of men and women, and whosoever else had any 
understanding. And the Levites stood with him, so that he 
read out of the book, and the Levites instructed the people in 
the law, and the people stood in their place, and they read in 
the book of the law distinctly, expounding the sense, and 
causing them to understand the reading*.” Thus much in 
the book of Nehemias. Mark here by the way, my brethren, 
that the lawful and holy ministers of the church of God did 
not only read the word of God, but did also expound it. 

This manner of reading and expounding the scriptures, or 
word of God, our Lord Jesus Christ did neither abrogate nor 
contemn, when, coming in the flesh, he did as a true prophet 
and heavenly master* instruct the people of his church in 
the doctrine of the new Testament. For entering into the 
synagogue at Nazareth, he stood up to read; and there was 
delivered to him the book of the prophet Esay. So he 
opened the book, and read a certain notable place out of the 
sixty-first chapter. Then, shutting the book, he gave it to 
the minister again, and expounded that which he had read, 
declaring how that in himself now that prophecy was fulfilled®. 
Moreover, after that he was risen from death, he joined him- 
self in company to the two disciples, which went to Emaus; 
with whom he talked of sundry matters: but at length, 
“beginning at Moses and all the prophets, he expounded to 
them whatsoever was written of himself throughout all the 
scriptures®.” The apostles, following this example of the Lord, 
did themselves also expound the word of God. For Peter, 


in the second chapter of the Acts of the Apostles, doth 


expound the sixteenth Psalm of Christ’s resurrection from 
the dead’. And Philip also doth plainly expound to the 
nobleman of Ethiope the prophecy of Esay, whereby he 
bringeth him to the faith of Christ and fellowship of the 
church’. Whosoever doth say, that Paul doth not every 
where interpret the holy scripture, he hath neither read nor 


[3 Nehem. viii. 2—8.] 

{4 Adeoque novi Testamenti aut christianse ecclesize doctor :—Lat. 
omitted by the translator: and so a teacher of the new Testament, 
or of the christian church. } 

[5 Luke iv. 16—21.] [6 Luke xxiv. 15—27.] 

[7 Acts ii. 25—31.] [8 Acts viii. 30—38.] 


What their 
meaning is 
that will not 
have the 
scriptures 
expounded. 


The scrip- 
tures are not 
to be cor- 
rupted with 
foreign ex- 
positions, 


74 THE FIRST DECADE. [SERM. 


seen the deeds nor writings of Paul. Thus have I, I hope, 
both plainly and substantially shewed, that the word of God 
ought to be expounded. 

And for those which cry out against the exposition of the 
scriptures, and would not have the ministers of the word and 
churches to declare the scriptures in open and solemn audience, 
neither to apply them to the places, times, states, and persons, 
their fetch! is to seek somewhat else than the honour due 
unto God. They lead their lives far otherwise than is comely 
for godly men. Their talk is wicked, unseemly, and dishonest. 
Their deeds are mischievous and heinous offences. And this 
would they do without punishment, and therefore desire to 
have the exposition of the scriptures to be taken clean away. 
For if a man do read the words of the scripture only, not ap- 
plying it to the states, places, times, and persons, it seemeth 
that he hath not greatly touched their ungodly and wicked 
life. Therefore, when they cry that sermons and expositions 
of the scriptures ought to be taken away from among men, 
and that the scriptures ought to be read simply without any 
addition ; they mind nothing else but to cast behind them the 
law of God, to tread under foot all discipline and rebuking of 
sin, and so to offend freely without punishment: which sort of 
men the righteous Lord will in his appointed time punish so 
much the more grievously, as they do more boldly rebel 
against their God. 

In the mean season, all the ministers of the church must 
beware, that they follow not herein their own affections any 
whit at all, or else corrupt the scriptures by their wrong 
interpretations ; and so by that means set forth to the church 
their own inventions, and not the word of God. Some such 
like offence it seemeth that the teacherg of the ancient people 
in old time did commit, because the Lord in Ezechiel accuseth 
them, saying: “Seemeth it a small thing to you to have 
eaten up the good pasture, but that ye must also tread the 
residue of your pasture under your feet? and to drink the 
clearer water, but that ye must trouble the rest with your 
feet? Thus my sheep must be fain to eat the thing that is 
trodden down with your feet, and to drink that which ye 
with your feet have defiled®.”’ A sore offence is this, which 
the Lord according to his justice punisheth most sharply. We 

[1 queerunt, Lat.] [2 Ezek. xxxiv. 18, 19.] 











II. | THE EXPOSITION OF GOD’S WORD, 75 


therefore, the interpreters of God’s holy word, and faithful 
ministers of the church of Christ, must have a diligent re- 
gard to keep the scriptures sound and perfect, and to teach 
the people of Christ the word of God sincerely; made plain, I 
mean, and not corrupted or darkened by foolish and wrong 
expositions of our own invention. 

And now, dearly beloved, the place and time require us 
to say somewhat unto you touching the interpretation of the 
holy scriptures, or the exposition of the word of God. Wherein 
I will not speak any thing particularly of the skilful know- 
ledge of tongues, or the liberal sciences, which are things 
requisite in a good interpreter; but will briefly touch the 
generalities alone. And first of all ye must understand, that 
some things in the scriptures, or word of God, are so plainly 
set forth, that they have need of no interpretation, neither 
will admit any exposition: which if any man go about with 
his own expositions to make more manifest, he may seem 
to do as wittily as he, which with fagot-light and torches 
would help the sun at his rising to give more light unto the 
world. As for those things which are so set down, that they 
seem to require our help to expound them, they must not be 
interpreted after our own fantasies, but according to the mind 
and meaning of him, by whom the scriptures were revealed. 
For St Peter saith: “The prophecy came not in old time 
by the will of man; but holy men of God spake as they were 
moved by the Holy Ghost’.” Therefore the true and proper 
sense of God’s word must be taken out of the scriptures them- 
selves, and not be forcibly thrust upon the scriptures, as we 
ourselves lust. And therewithal ye must mark a few certain 
rules, which I mean briefly to touch and to shew unto you, in 
those few words which I have yet to speak. 

First, since the apostle Paul would have the exposition 
of the scriptures to agree fitly, and in every point proportion- 
ally with our faith; as it is to be seen in the twelfth to the 
Romans‘: and because again in the latter epistle to the 
Corinthians he saith, “Seeing then that we have the same 
spirit of faith (according as it is written, I believed, and there- 


[3 2 Pet. i. 20,21. The translator has here omitted, “omnis scrip- 
tura prophetica non est private interpretationis.” “No prophecy of 
scripture is of any private interpretation.” P.] 

[4 Rom. xii. 6. Respondere proportioni fidei, Lat. ] 


The holy 
scriptures are 
not to be 
expounded 
according to 
men’s fanta- 
5168. 


The exposi- 
tion of the 
scripture 
must not be 
contrary to 
the articles 
of our belief. 


The exposi- 


tion must not 
be repugnant 
to the love of 
God and our 


neighbour. 


76 THE FIRST DECADE. [SERM. 


fore have I spoken), we also believe, and therefore do we 
speak!:” let it therefore be taken for a point of catholic re- 
ligion, not to bring in or admit any thing in our expositions 
which others have alleged against the received articles of our 
faith, contained in the Apostles’ Creed and other confessions 
of the ancient fathers. For saith the apostle: “In defence 
of the truth we can say somewhat, but against the truth we 
are able to say nothing.” When therefore in the gospel 
after St John we read the saying of the Lord, “ The Father 
is greater than 13,” we must think, that it is against the 
articles of our faith to make or admit any inequality in the 
Godhead betwixt the Father and the Son; and therefore, that 
the Lord’s meaning was otherwise than the very words at 
the first blush do seem to import. Again, when we read this 
saying of the apostle, “It cannot be that they which were 
once illuminated, if they fall away, should be renewed again 
into repentance‘ ;” let us not believe that repentance is to be 
denied to them that fall: for the catholic faith is this, that 
in every place, at every season, so long as we live on this 
earth, a full pardon of all sins is promised to all men which 
turn to the Lord. In like manner, when we read that the 
Lord took bread, and said of the bread, “ This is my body®;” 
let us presently remember, that the articles of our faith do 
attribute to our Lord the very body of a man, which ascended 
into heaven, and sitteth at the right hand of the Father, from 
whence it shall come to judge the quick and the dead; and 
let us think, that the Lord, speaking of the sacrament, would 
have us to expound the words of the sacrament sacramentally, 
and not transubstantially. Also in reading that saying of the 
apostle, ‘Flesh and blood cannot inherit the kingdom of 
God®;” let us not by and by upon these words take it simply 
as the words do seem to signify, but sticking to the article of 
our faith, “1 believe the resurrection of the body’,” let us 
understand, that by flesh and blood are meant the affections 
and infirmities, not the nature and substance, of our bodies. 
Furthermore, we read in the gospel, that the Lord doth 
gather a sum of the law and the prophets, saying: “ Thou 


[} 2 Cor. iv. 13.] [2 2 Cor. xiii. 8.] 
[8 John xiv. 28.] [4 Heb. vi. 4—6.] 
[5 Matt. xxvi. 26.] [61 Cor. xv. 50.] 


[7 hujus carnis, Lat. Of this body. See below, page 168. ] 























ul. | THE EXPOSITION OF GOD’S WORD. 77 


shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, with all thy 
soul, and with all thy mind: this is the chief and great com- 
mandment. And the second is like unto it: Thou shalt love 


thy neighbour as thyself. In these two commandments . 


hangeth the whole law and the prophets®.” Matt. xxii, Upon 
these words of the Lord that holy man Aurelius Augustinus, 
in the thirty-sixth chapter of his first book De Doctrina 
Christi, saith: ‘‘ Whosoever doth seem to himself to under- 
stand the holy scriptures, or any part thereof, so that [with] 
that understanding he doth not work these two points of 
charity towards God and his neighbour, he yet doth not un- 
derstand the scriptures perfectly. But whosoever shall take 
out of them such an opinion as is profitable to the working of 
this charity, and yet shall not say the self-same thing which 
shall be proved that he did mean whom he readeth in that 
place; that man doth not err to his own destruction, nor doth 
altogether by lying deceive other men®.” Thus much writ 
Augustine. We must therefore, by all means possible, take 
heed that our interpretations do not tend to the overthrow of 
charity, but to the furtherance and commendation of it to all 
men. The Lord saith: “ Strive not with the wicked.” But 
if we affirm that he spake this to the magistrates also, then 
shall charity towards our neighbours, the safety of them that 
are in jeopardy, and defence of the oppressed, be broken and 
clean taken away. For thieves and unruly persons, robbers, 
and naughty fellows, will oppress the widows, the fatherless, 
and the poor, so that all iniquity shall reign and have the 
upper hand. But in a matter so manifestly known I suppose 
it is not needful to use many examples. 

Moreover, it is requisite in expounding the scriptures, and 
searching out the true sense of God’s word, that we mark 
upon what occasion every thing is spoken, what goeth before, 


[8 Matt. xxii. 37—40.] 

[9 Quisquis igitur scripturas divinas, vel quamlibet earum partem, 
intellexisse sibi videtur, ita ut eo intellectu non eedificet istam gemi- 
nam caritatem Dei et proximi, nondum intellexit. Quisquis vero 
talem inde sententiam duxerit, ut huic eedificande caritati sit utilis, 
nec tamen hoc dixerit, quod ille, quem legit, eo loco sensisse probatur ; 
non perniciose fallitur, nec omnino mentitur.—Aug. de Doct. Christ. 
I. 36. Par. 1531. Tom. πὶ. fol. 5. P.] 

[1° ne restiteritis malo, Lat. Matt. v. 39.] 


In expound- 
ing the scrip- 
tures, we 
must mark 
that that 


goeth pascal 
and followet 
after, and 
also the cir- 
cumstances. 


The exposi- 
tion of Gods 
word must 
be made by 
the laying 
together of 
divers places. 


2) Pets:i. 


78 THE FIRST DECADE. ‘ [sERM, 


what followeth after, at what season, in what order, and of 
” what person any thing is spoken. By the occasion, and the 
sentences going before and coming after, are examples and 
parables for the most part expomdcd Also, unless a man do 
always mark the manner of speaking throughout the whole 
scriptures, and that very diligently too, he cannot choose in 
his expositions but err very much out of the right way. 
St Paul, observing the circumstance of the time, did thereby 
conclude that Abraham was justified, neither by circumcision, 
nor yet by the law. The places are to be seen in the fourth 
to the Romans and the third to the Galatians. Again, when 
it is said to Peter, ‘Put up thy sword into thy sheath: he 
that taketh the sword shall perish with the sword!;” we must 
consider, that Peter bare the personage of an apostle, and not 
of a magistrate: for of the magistrate we read, that to him 
is given the sword to revengement?.—But it would be over 
tedious and too troublesome to rehearse more examples of 
every particular place. 

There is also, beside these, another manner of interpreting 
the word of God; that is, by conferring together the places 
which are like or unlike, and by expounding the darker by 
the more evident, and the fewer by the more in number. 
Whereas therefore the Lord saith, “The Father is greater 
than I;” we must consider, that the same Lord in another 
place saith, “ My Father and I are all one*.” And whereas 
James the apostle saith, that Abraham and we are justified 
by works‘, there are many places in St Paul to be set 
against that one. And this manner of interpreting did Peter 
the apostle allow, where he saith: “ We have a right sure 
word of prophecy, whereunto if ye attend, as unto a light 
that shineth in a dark place, ye do well, until the day dawn, 
and the day-star arise in your hearts.” 

That ancient writer Tertullian affirmeth, that “they are 
heretics, and not men of the right faith, which draw some odd 
things out of the scriptures to their own purpose, not having 
any respect to the rest; but do by that means pick out unto 
themselves a certain few testimonies, which they would have 
altogether to be believed, the whole scripture in the mean 

[1 Matt. xxvi. 52.] [2 Rom. xiii. 4.] 


[3 John xiy. 28, and x. 30.] 
[4 James ii. 21, 24.] 








BSA a igh = a ee ἀσοιν 








111. | THE EXPOSITION OF GOD’S WORD. 79 


season gainsaying it: because indeed the fewer places must be 
understood according to the meaning of the more in number?.” 
And finally, the most effectual rule of all, whereby to The scrip. 
ures must be 


expound the word of God, is an heart that loveth God and expounded 


with a zea- 


his glory, not puffed up with pride, not desirous of vain- lousheart οι 
glory, not corrupted with heresies and evil affections; but Ῥιάγετ. 
which doth continually pray to God for his holy Spirit, that, 
as by it the scripture was revealed and inspired, so also by 
the same Spirit it may be expounded to the glory of God 
and safeguard of the faithful. Let the mind of the inter- 
preter be set on fire with zeal to advance virtue, and with 
hatred of wickedness, even to the suppressing thereof. Let 
not the heart of such an expositor call to counsel that subtle 
sophister the devil, lest peradventure now also he do corrupt 
the sense of God’s word, as heretofore he did in paradise. 
Let him not abide to hear man’s wisdom argue directly 
against the word of God. This if the good and faithful 
expositor of God’s word shall do, then, although in some 
points he do not (as the proverb saith) hit the very head of 
the nail® in the darker sense of the scripture; yet notwith- 
standing that error ought not to be condemned for an heresy 
in the author, nor judged hurtful unto the hearer. And 
whosoever shall bring the darker and more proper meaning 
of the scripture to light, he shall not by and by condemn 
the unperfect exposition of that other: no more than he 
which is author of the unperfect exposition shall reject the 
more proper sense of the better expositor, but by acknow- 
ledging it shall receive it with thanksgiving. 


Thus much hitherto have I said touching the sense and 
exposition of God’s word: which, as God revealed it to men, 
so also he would have them in any case to understand it. 
Wherefore there is no cause for any man, by reason of a 
few difficulties, to despair to attain to the true understanding 
of the scriptures. The scripture doth admit a godly and 
religious interpretation. The word of God is a rule for all 


[5 De scripturis ad sententiam suam excerpent, cetera nolentes 
intueri.... cum oporteat secundum plura intelligi pauciora. Sed 
proprium hoc est omnium hereticorum.— Tertull. adv. Praxeam, 
cap. 20. Opp. ed. Semler. Tom. 1. p. 183. Hal. Mag. 1828. ] 

[6 The proverb which Bullinger has adopted is “acu rem tetigisti.”] 


80 THE FIRST DECADE. [SERM. 


men and ages to lead their lives by: therefore ought it 
by interpretation to be applied to all ages and men of all 
sorts. For even our God himself did by Moses in many 
words expound and apply to his people the law, which he 
gave and published in Mount Sina. Furthermore, it was 
a solemn use among the ancient prophets first to read, and 
then by expositions to apply, God’s law to the people. Our 
Lord Jesus Christ himself expounded the scriptures. The 
same did the apostles also. The word of God therefore 
ought to be expounded. As for those which would not have 
it expounded, their meaning is, because they would sin freely, 
without controlling or punishment. But whereas the scrip- 
ture doth admit an exposition, it doth not yet admit any 
exposition whatsoever: for that which savoureth of man’s 
imagination it utterly rejecteth. For as by the Spirit of 
God the scripture was revealed, so by the same Spirit it is 
requisite to expound it. There are therefore certain rules 
to expound the word of God religiously by the very word 
of God itself: that is, so to expound it, that the exposition 
disagree not with the articles of our faith, nor be contrary 
to charity towards God and our neighbour; but that it be 
thoroughly surveyed, and grounded upon that which went 
before and followeth after, by diligent weighing of all the 
circumstances, and laying together of the places. And chiefly 
it is requisite, that the heart of the interpreter be godly bent, 
willing to plant virtue and pluck up vice by the roots, and 
finally, always ready evermore to pray to the Lord, that he 
will vouchsafe to illuminate our minds, that God’s name may 
in all things be glorified. For his is the glory, honour, and 
dominion, for ever and ever. Amen. 























ιν. TRUE FAITH. 81 


OF TRUE FAITH; FROM WHENCE IT COMETH; THAT 
IT IS AN ASSURED BELIEF OF THE MIND, WHOSE 
ONLY STAY IS UPON GOD AND HIS WORD. 


THE FOURTH SERMON, 


In my last sermon I declared unto you, how that the 
perfect exposition of God’s word doth differ nothing from the 
rule of true faith and the love of God and our neighbour. 
For undoubtedly that sense of scripture is corrupted, which 
doth square! from faith and the two points of charity. I 
have now therefore next to treat of true faith and charity 
towards God and our neighbour; to the intent, that no man 
may find lack of any thing herein. And first, therefore, by 
God’s help, and the good means of your prayers, I will speak 
of true faith. 

This word “faith,” or “belief,” is diversly used in the com- 
mon talk of men. For it is taken for any kind of religion or 
honour done to God: as we say, the Christian faith, the 
Jewish faith, and the Turkish faith. Faith, or belief, also is 
taken for a conceived opinion of any thing that is told us: as 
when we hear any thing rehearsed unto us out of the Indian 
or Ethiopian history, we by and by say that we believe it; 
and yet notwithstanding we put no confidence in it, nor hope 
to have any commodity thereby at all. This is that faith 
wherewith St James saith that the devil believeth and trem- 
bleth®?. Last of all, faith is commonly put for an assured 
and undoubted confidence in God and his word. Among the 
Hebrews faith taketh her name of truth, certainty, and assured 
constancy. The Latins call that faith, when that is done* 
which is said. Whereupon one saith, “I demand of thee 
whether thou believest or no?” Thou answerest: “I believe.” 
* Do then that which thou sayest, and it is faith.” Therefore, 


[} cum fide pugnat.] [2 James ii. 19.] 

[3 TSR Jaithfulness, from JON to prop, stay, support, to be firm. 
ἸῸΝ Saithfulness, truth. See the Lexicons.] 

{4 Fides, quod fiat, quod dicitur, Lat. “Credamus, quia fiat 


| | ica dictum est, appellatam fidem.”—Cic. de Off. 1. 7.] 


[ BULLINGER. ] 


The defini- 
tions of 
faith. 


82 THE FIRST DECADE. [SERM. 


in this treatise of ours, Faith is an undoubted belief, most 
firmly grounded in the mind. 

This faith, which is a settled and undoubted persuasion 
or belief leaning upon God and his word, is diversly defined 
by the perfecter divines. St Paul saith: ‘ Faith is the sub- 
stance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen’.” 
The substance, or hypostasis?, is the foundation, or the un- 
moveable prop, which upholdeth us, and whereon we lean and 
lie without peril or danger. The things hoped for are things 
celestial, eternal, and invisible. And therefore Paul saith: 
Faith is an unmoveable foundation, and a most assured con- 
fidence of God’s promises, that is, of life everlasting and all 
his good benefits. Moreover Paul himself, making an expo- 
sition of that which he had spoken, immediately after saith : 
“Faith is the argument of things not seen.” An argument 
or proof is an evident demonstration, whereby we manifestly 
prove that which otherwise should be doubtful, so that in him, 
whom we undertook to instruct, there may remain no doubt 
at all. 

But now, touching the mysteries of God revealed in God’s 
word, in themselves, or in their own nature, they cannot be 
seen with bodily eyes; and therefore are called things not 
seen. But this faith, by giving light to the mind, doth in 
heart perceive them, even as they are set forth in the word of 
God. Faith, therefore, according to the definition of Paul, 
is in the mind a most evident seeing, and in the heart a most 
certain perceiving* of things invisible, that is, of things eter- 
nal; of God, I say, and all those things which he in his word 
setteth forth unto us concerning spiritual things. 

To this definition of Paul’s they had an eye which de- 
fined faith in this sort: ‘“ Faith is a grounded persuasion of 
heavenly things, in the meditation whereof we ought so to 
occupy ourselves for the assured truth’s sake of God’s word, 
that we may believe, that in mind we do see those things as 
well, as with our eyes we do behold things sensibly perceived 


[1 Heb. xi. 1.] 

[3 ὑπόστασις, proprie, fundamentum, fulcrum, &c. Schleusner Lex. 
in voc. In this exposition of Heb. xi. 1, Bullinger and Calvin agree, in 
several parts, word for word. See Cally. Instit. Lib. m1. cap. 2. §. 41.] 

[9 saying, ed. 1587, Lat. evidentissima mentis visio. ] 

[2 Comprehensio, Lat. ] 

















. st 





tani 


SS 9- τάμα ττι 








| Colon. 1554. ] 


Iv. | TRUE FAITH, 83 


and easy to be seen®.” This description doth not greatly 
differ from this definition of another godly and learned man, 
who saith: “Faith is a stedfast persuasion of the mind, 
whereby we do fully decree with ourselves that God’s truth 
is so sure, that he can neither will, nor choose, but perform 
that which he in his word hath promised to fulfil®”” Again: 
“Faith is a stedfast assuredness of conscience, which doth 
embrace Christ in the same sort wherein he is offered unto 
us by the gospel’.” Another there is which after the same 
manner almost defineth faith in this sort: “Faith is a gift 
inspired by God into the mind of man, whereby, without 
any doubting at all, he doth believe that to be most true 
whatsoever God hath either taught or promised in the books 
of both the testaments*.” The very same author of this 
definition, therefore, doth extend faith to three terms of 
time: to the time past, the time present, and the time to 
come. Tor he teacheth to believe that the world was made 
by God, and whatsoever the holy scriptures do declare to 
have been done in the old world; also that Christ dying for 
us is the only salvation of them which believe: and that 


[6 The editor has not succeeded in tracing this definition to its 
source. The original Latin gives the definition thus: Fides est re- 
rum divinarum persuasio, quarum cogitationi ita incumbere debemus, 
propter oraculorum fidem, ut non minus ea cernere animo credamus, 
quam oculis res sensu perceptas et aspectabiles cernimus. ] 

[6 This definition is thus given in the original Latin: Fides est 
firma animi persuasio, qua nobiscum statuimus tam certam esse Dei 
veritatem, ut non possit non prestare quod se facturum sancto suo 
verbo recipit.—The editor has not been able to discover these exact 
words in Calvin’s writings; but similar definitions are found in his In- 
stitutes, Lib. mr. cap. 2. § 42, and Vera Eccles. Reform. Ratio. Tom, 
vil. p. 275, ed. Amstel.] 

(7 Fides, inquam, firma est conscientie certitudo, que Christum 
amplectitur, qualis nobis per evangelium offertur.—Calvin. Vera Ec- 
cles. Reform. Ratio. Opp. Tom. vu. p. 275. a.] 

[8 A definition of Faith, almost the same as this, is found in Grop- 
per’s Enchiridion, attached to the edition of 1538 of the Canons of a 
synod of the province of Cologne, and is as follows: Fides est donum 
menti hominis divinitus infusum, quo citra ullam hesitantiam credit 
esse verissima, queecunque divina eloquia docuerunt.—In Symbol. 


| Apost. fol. 49. Colon. In a later work, also, Gropper says: Fides 


est preeteritorum, presentium, et futurorum.—Instit. Cathol. p. 232, 


6—2 


The descrip- 
tion of true 
faith. 


84 THE FIRST DECADE. [SERM, 


by the same God, at this day also, the world and church 
are governed or preserved, and that in Christ the faithful 
are saved: last of all, that that shall most assuredly light 
upon the ungodly and the godly, whatsoever the holy scrip- 
tures do either threaten or promise. 

Out of all these definitions, therefore, being diligently 
considered, we may, according to the scriptures, make this 
description of faith: Faith is a gift of God, poured into 
man from heaven, whereby he is taught with an undoubted 
persuasion wholly to lean to God and his word; in which 


- word God doth freely promise life and all good things in 


The begin- 
ning and 
cause of 
faith. 


Faith is 
planted by 
the word of 
God. 


Christ, and wherein all truth necessary to be believed is 
plainly declared. Which description of faith I will, by God’s 
help, in this that followeth unfold into parts, and by assertion 
of places out of the scriptures will both confirm and make 
manifest unto you. Ye, as hitherto ye have done, so still 
give diligent ear, and in your hearts pray earnestly to God. 

First of all, the cause or beginning of faith cometh not of 
any man, or any strength of man, but of God himself, who 
by his Holy Spirit inspireth faith into our hearts. For in 
the gospel the Lord saith: “No man cometh to me unless 
my Father draw him!” And again: “ Flesh and blood,” 
saith the Lord to Peter, confessing Christ in true faith, “hath 
not revealed this to thee, but my Father which is in heaven®.” 
Whereunto the apostle Paul alludeth when he saith: “ We 
are not able of ourselves to think anything as of ourselves, 
but all our ability is of God%.” And in another place: “To 
you it is given for Christ, not only to believe in him, but 
also to suffer for his sake*.” Faith therefore is poured into 
our hearts by God, who is the well-spring and cause of all 
goodness. 

And yet we have to consider here, that God, in giving 
and inspiring faith, doth not use his absolute power, or mira- 
cles, in working; but a certain ordinary means agreeable to 
man’s capacity: although he can indeed give faith without 
those means, to whom, when, and how it pleaseth him. But 
we read, that the Lord hath used this ordinary means even 
from the first creation of all things. Whom he meaneth to 
bestow knowledge and faith on, to them he sendeth teachers, 

{1 John vi. 44.] [2 Matt. xvi. 17.] 
(3 2 Cor. iii. 5.] {4 Phil. i. 29.] 





r¥. | TRUE FAITH. 85 


by the word of God to preach true faith unto them. Not 
because it licth in man’s power, will, or ministry, to give faith; 
nor because the outward word spoken by man’s mouth-is able 
of itself to bring faith : but the voice of man, and the preach- 
ing of God’s word, do teach us what true faith is, or what 
God doth will and command us to believe. For God himself 
alone, by sending his Holy Spirit into the hearts and minds of 
men, doth open our hearts, persuade our minds, and cause us 
with all our heart to believe that which we by his word and 
teaching have learned to believe. The Lord could by miracle 
from heaven, without any preaching at all, have bestowed 
faith in Christ upon Cornelius the Centurion at Cesaria®: but 
yet by an angel he doth send him to the preaching of Peter; 
and while Peter preacheth, God by his Holy Spirit worketh 
in the heart of Cornelius, causing him to believe his preach- 
ing. Verily St Paul saith: “ How shall they believe in him 
of whom they have not heard? How shall they hear with- 
out a preacher? And how shall they preach if they be not 
sent? So then, faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by 
the word of God®.””’ In another place also, “ Who is Paul,” 
saith he, “or what is Apollos, but ministers, by whom ye 
have believed, according as God hath given to every one? 
I have planted, Apollos watered, but God hath given increase. 
| So then he that planteth is nothing, nor he that watereth, 
| but God that giveth increase’.” With this doctrine of St Peter 
) and St Paul doth that agree which Augustine writeth in the 
preface of his book of Christian Doctrine, where he saith: 
| “That which we have to learn at man’s hand, let every one 
ΤΟ learn at man’s hand without disdain. And let us not go 


| about to tempt him in whom we believe; neither, being de- 





ceived, let us think scorn to go to church, to hear or learn 
out of books, looking still when we shall be rapt up into the 
third heaven. Let us take heed of such like temptations of 
pride, and let us rather have this in our minds, that even the 
Τ᾿ apostle Paul himself, although he were cast prostrate, and in- 
᾿ structed by the calling of God from heaven, was nevertheless 
) sent to a man to be taught the will of God: and that Corne- 


[5 Apud Czesaream Stratonis, Lat. Strato’s Tower was the 
earlier name of Ceesarea Palestina.—-Relandi Paleestin. Ilustr. Lib. m1. 
in voc. Cesarea. ] 

(6 Rom. x. 14, 15, 17.] [ΠΌΤ ity. 67.) 


86 THE FIRST DECADE. [SERM. 


lius, although God had heard his prayers, was committed to 
Peter to be instructed; by whom he should not only receive 
the sacraments, but should also hear what he ought to believe, 
what to hope for, and what to love: all which things not- 
withstanding might have been done by the angel,” &c.! The 
same Augustine also, in his Epistle to the Circenses, saith: 
«Even he worketh conversion and bringeth it to pass, who 
by his ministers doth warn us outwardly with the signs of 
things, but inwardly doth by himself teach us with the very 
things themselves?.” Also in his treatise, the xxvi. upon John: 
“What do men” (saith he) “when they preach outwardly ? 
What do I now while I speak? I drive into your ears a 
noise of words: but unless he which is within do reveal it, 
what say I, or what speak 1? He that is without doth hus- 
band the tree, but he within is the creator of 103, &c. This 
said he. 

We must But, even as the Lord his desire is, to have us believe his 

pay A true 

[1 Quod per hominem discendum est, sine superbia discat; et per 
quem docetur alius, sine invidia tradat quod accepit. Neque tente- 
mus eum cui credidimus, ne talibus inimici versutiis et perversitate 
decepti, ad ipsum quoque evangelium audiendum atque discendum 
nolimus ire in ecclesias, aut codicem legere, aut legentem preedican- 
temque hominem audire, et exspectemus rapi usque in tertium coelum, 
sive in corpore, sive extra corpus, sicut dicit Apostolus, et ibi audire 
ineffabilia verba, quee non licet homini loqui, aut ibi videre Dominum 
Jesum Christum, et ab illo potius quam ab hominibus audire evan- 
gelium. Caveamus tales tentationes superbissimas et periculosissimas, 
magisque cogitemus et ipsum Apostolum Paulum, licet divina et 
ceelesti voce prostratum et instructum, ad hominem tamen missum 
esse ut sacramenta perciperet atque copularetur ecclesiz; et centu- 
rionem Cornelium, quamyis exauditas orationes ejus eleemosynasque 
respectas ei angelus nunciaverit, Petro tamen traditum imbuendum, 
per quem non solum sacramenta perciperet, sed etiam quid creden- 
dum, quid sperandum, quid diligendum esse audiret. Et poterant 
utique omnia per angelum fieri.—August. ex Pref. in Lib. de Doctr. 
Christiana, Par. 1531. Tom. mz. fol. 2.] 

[2 Hoe agit ille et efficit, qui per ministros suos rerum signis extrin- 
secus admonet, rebus autem ipsis per seipsum intrinsecus docet.—Ad 
Circenses. Ep. exxx. Tom. 1. fol. 124.] 

[3 Quid faciunt homines forinsecus annunciantes? Quid facio 
modo ego, cum loquor? Strepitum verborum ingero auribus vestris. 
Nisi ergo revelet ille qui intus est, quid dico, aut quid loquor? Exte- 


rior cultor arboris: interior est creator.—In Joh. cap. vi. Tract. 26. 
Tom, 1x. fol. 47.] 


—— 





Iv. | TRUE FAITH. 87 


word, (for the prophet crieth out and saith, “To-day if ye 
will hear his voice, harden not your hearts;4”) so in like 
manner he doth require of us all, which hear his word, that 
we be not slack in praying. For, in hearing the word of 
God, we must pray for the gift of faith, that the Lord may 
open our hearts, convert our souls, break and beat down the 
hardness of our minds, and increase the measure of faith be- 
stowed upon us. Of this order of prayer there are many 
examples in the holy scriptures. When the Lord in the 
gospel said to one, “ Canst thou believe ? to him that believeth 
all things are possible ;” he made answer, saying, “I believe, 
Lord, help thou mine unbelief®.” .The apostles also cry to 
the Lord, and say: “Ὁ Lord, increase our faith®.” Moreover, 
this prayer, wherein we desire to have faith poured into us, 
is of the grace and gift of God, and not of our own righteous- 
ness, which before God is none at all. This therefore is left 
unto us for a thing most certain and undoubtedly true, that 
true faith is the mere gift of God, which is by the Holy 
Ghost from heaven bestowed upon our minds, and is declared 
unto us in the word of truth by teachers sent of God, and is 
obtained by earnest prayers which cannot be tired. Whereby 
we learn, that we ought often and attentively to hear the 
word of God, and never cease to pray to God for the obtain- 
ing of true faith. 

But that this faith, inspired from heaven, and learned out that faith is 
of the word of truth, doth put into man’s mind an undoubted persuasion of 
persuasion ; that is, that whatsoever we believe in the word of 
God, we do believe it most assuredly, without wavering or 
doubting, being altogether as sure to have the thing, as faith 
doth believe to have it (for I use this word persuasion, not as 
it is commonly taken, but for a firm assent of mind, inspired 
and persuaded by the Holy Ghost ;) that this faith, I say, doth 
put into man’s mind this undoubted persuasion, I mean to 
declare by the example of Abraham’s faith, which Paul in the 
fourth chapter to the Romans describeth in these words: 
“ Abraham, contrary to hope, believed in hope: and he fainted 
not in faith, neither considered he his own body now dead, 
when he was almost an hundred years old, nor the deadness 
of Sarae’s womb; he stackered’? not at the promise of God 

[4 Psal. σου. 7, 8.] [ὃ Mark ix. 23, 24. ] [6 Luke xvii. 5.] 

[7 So in Tyndale’s and Cranmer’s Versions. ] 





88 THE FIRST DECADE. [SERM. 


through unbelief, but became strong in faith, and gave the 
glory to God, having a sure persuasion, that he, which had 
promised, was able also to perform!.” 

In these words of the apostle there are certain notes to be 
observed, which do prove to us that faith doth bring an 
assured persuasion into the mind and heart of man; and so, 
that faith is an undoubted confidence of things believed, 
whereto the heart is made privy; that is, that true faith doth 
not fly to and fro from place to place in the heart of man, 
but that, being deeply rooted in Christ, it sticketh in the 
heart which is enlightened. First, saith the apostle, “ Abra- 
ham, contrary to hope, believed in hope:” that is to say, 
there he had a constant hope, where notwithstanding he had 
nothing to hope after, if all things had been weighed accord- 
ing to the manner of this world. But hope is a most firm 
and undoubted looking after those things which we believe: 
so that we see that the apostle did make faith manifest by 
hope, and by the certainty of hope did declare the assured 
constancy of faith. After that saith he, “ Abraham fainted 
not in faith, nor stackered at the promise of God through 
unbelief, but was strong in faith.” There are two kinds of 
stackerings in mankind?: the one is that, which, being over- 
come by evil temptations, doth bend to desperation, and the 
despising of God’s promises. Such was the stackering of 
those ten spies of the holy land, of whom mention is made in 
the thirteenth and fourteenth chapters of Numbers. The other 
stackering is rather to be called a weak infirmity of faith, 
which also is tempted itself; that now I may not make re- 
hearsal to you, how that in us all, by the spot of original sin, 
is naturally grafted a certain kind of unbelief, and that man’s 
mind is at no time so enlightened or confirmed, but that 
cloudy mists of ignorance and doubtings do sometimes arise: 


[1 Rom. iv. 18—21.] 

[2 Bullinger’s words here are very much akin to Calvin’s, who 
writes on Rom. iy. 19, as follows: Duplex enim est fidei debilitas: 
una, que tentationibus adversis succumbendo, excidere nos a Dei 
virtute facit: altera, que ex imperfectione quidem nascitur, non 
tamen fidem ipsam extinguit. Nam nec mens unquam sic illuminata 
est, quin maneant multz ignorantiz reliquie: nunquam sic est ani- 
mus stabilitus, quin multum hereat dubitationis.—Comment. in loc. 
Amstel. Tom. vit. p. 29.] 

















Iv. ] TRUE FAITH. 89 


yet notwithstanding, faith yieldeth not to temptation, neither 
is drowned nor sticketh in the mire of stackering ; but, laying 
hold upon the promised word of truth, getteth up again by 
struggling, and is confirmed. So we read, that, at the pro- 
mise of God, this came into Abraham’s mind: ‘“ What, shall 
there a son be born to thee that art an hundred years old*?” 
This was that infirmity, and stackering, or weakness, of faith. 
But here the apostle, commending Abraham’s faith, which 
overcame and yielded not, teaching us also of what sort true 
faith ought to be, that is, a firm and most assured persuasion, 
saith: ‘ Abraham fainted not in faith, neither considered his 
own body dead‘, when he was almost an hundred years old, 
nor the deadness of Sarae’s womb.” Lo, this thought came 
into Abraham’s mind: “ Shall a son be born to me that am 
an hundred years old?” But he fainted not in faith. The 
faith of Abraham began not to droop by reason of this temp- 
tation. For he considered not the weakness that was in him- 
self, nothing answerable to the promise of God. What then? 
He stackered not at the promise of God through unbelief : 
that is, he gave no place to unbelief to be tempted of it; he 
fell not to his own reasons and doubtful inquisitions, as unbe- 
lievers are wont to do. For God’s promise being once set 
before the eyes of his mind, to that, I say, he stuck unmove- 
ably, casting off all doubts and reasons of his own. For 
faith hath no respect at all to the weakness, misery, or lack, 
which is properly in mankind; but setteth her whole stay in 
the power of God. So then, I say, Abraham was strong in 
faith, that is, he prevailed and got the upper hand in his 
temptation. For this is an argument, to shew that he had 
the upper hand>: “He fainted not, nor waxed weak in 
faith.” 

It followeth in the apostle, “Abraham gave God the glory ;” 
to wit, in believing that God wisheth well to mankind, and that 
he is a true God and almighty. For he giveth God his glory, 
which attributeth to God the properties of God, and doth not 
gdinsay the word and promise of God. For John the apostle 


[8 Gen, xvii. 17.] 

[4 Now dead, 1577; jam emortuum, Lat. ] 

[5 Opponitur enim illi superiori, Lat. For there is opposed to that 
which went before. Omitted by the translator. ] 


90 THE FIRST DECADE. [SERM. 


saith: “He that believeth not in God, maketh God a liar!.” 
Abraham therefore believed in God, and in believing gave 
God the glory. The apostle Paul goeth forward and saith: 
“He was throughly persuaded, or certified, that he which 
had promised was able also to perform.” Paul used the 
Greek word πληροφορηθεὶς, which is all one as if you should 
say, being certified. For πληροφορέω doth signify, fully to 
certify: whereupon wAnpodopia is an assured faith given 
unto us, which is made by way of argument, or by the thing 
itself. And they call that πληροῴφόρημα, which we call a 
certification ; as when a thing by persuasions is so beaten into 
our minds, that after that we never doubt any more. There- 
fore faith did certify Abraham, and with undoubted persua- 
sions did bring him to the point never to doubt, but that God 
was able to perform what he had promised: in faith therefore 
he stuck unmoyeable to the promise of God, being assuredly 
certified that he should obtain whatsoever God had promised. 

It is certain therefore, and plainly declared by the words 
of the apostle, that true faith is an undoubted persuasion in 
the mind of the believer, even so to have the thing as his 
belief is, and as he is said to have it in the express word of 


Faith belie God. Whereby also we learn, that faith is not the unstable 


eth not every 


thing what.” and unadvised confidence of him which believeth every great 


soever. 


and unpossible thing. For faith is ruled and bound to the 
word of God; to the word of God, I say, rightly and truly 
understood. The godly and faithful, therefore, do not by 
and bye out of the omnipotency of God gather what they 
list; as though God therefore would do every thing because 
he can do all things, or that faith should therefore believe 
every thing, because it is written, “All things are possible 
to him that believeth.” or his faith is therefore a great 
deal more?, because that which he doth believe is so set 
down and declared in the word of God, as he doth believe. 
Furthermore, where the Lord in the gospel saith, “ All things 
are possible to him that believeth,” we must not take that 
saying to be absolutely spoken, but to be joined to the word, 
will, and glory of God, and the safety of our souls. For all 


[11 John v. 10.] ἡ 
[2 Nam pius ideo credit, quia, &c., Lat. The translator read plus.] 





IV. | TRUE FAITH. 91 


things which God in his word hath promised, all things 
which God will have, and lastly, all things which make to the 
glory of God and the safeguard of our souls, “are possible to 
him that believeth.” And for that cause the apostle both 
openly and plainly said: “ Whatsoever God hath promised, 
that same he is able also to perform.” For whatsoever he 
hath not promised, and whatsoever pleaseth not his divine 
majesty, or is contrary to the will and express word of God, 
that cannot God do; not because he cannot, but because he 
will not®. God could make bread of stones; but we must 
not therefore believe that stones are bread, neither are they 
bread therefore, because God can do all things. This ye 
shall understand better and more fully, where as‘ a little here- 
after I shall shew unto you, that true faith strayeth not nor 
wavereth, wandering to and fro, but cleaveth close and stick- 
eth fast to God and his word. 

In the mean season, because we have shewed out of Paul’s Examples of 
words, by the example of Abraham, that faith is a substance Faith. 
and undoubted persuasion in the heart; and because many 
do stiffly stand in it, that man is not surely certain of his 
salvation®: I will add a few examples out of the gospel, 
whereby they may plainly perceive, that faith is a miost sure 
ground and settled opinion touching God and our salvation. 
And first, verily, the centurion, of whom mention is made in 
the gospel, had conceived a stedfast hope that his servant 
should be healed of the Lord. For he understood how great 
and mighty things he promised to them that believe. He 
gathered also by the works of Christ, that it was an easy 
matter for him to restore his servant to health again. , There- 
fore he cometh to the Lord, and among other talk saith: “It 
is no reason that thou shouldest come under my roof; yea, 
do but say the word, and my servant shall be made whole.” 
These words do testify, that in the heart and mind of the 
centurion there was a sure persuasion of most assured health, 


[3 Non quod non possit omnia, sed quod nolit omnia, Lat.] 

{4 i.e. where, ubi, Lat. ] 

[5 Hujus temporis hereticorum error est, posse fideles eam no- 
titiam habere de sua gratia, ut certa fide statuant sibi remissa esse 
peccata.—Bellarm, de Justif. Lib. mr. cap. 3. p. 949. Colon. Agrip. 
1619.] 





Whereunto 
faith leaneth, 
and what the 
object or 


foundation of 


faith is. 


92 THE FIRST DECADE. [SERM. 


which by a certain comparison he doth make manifest and 
more fully express. ‘For I myself am a man under the 
authority of another; and under me I have soldiers; and I 
say to one, Go, and he goeth; and to another, Come, and he 
cometh ; and to my servant, Do this, and he doeth it.” When 
the Lord perceived this certification of his mind by his words 
most full of faith, he crieth out, “that in all Israel he hath not 
found so great faith!” The same again in the gospel speak- 
eth notably of the woman’s faith which was sorely plagued 
with the bloody flux. And that faith was an undoubted per- 
suasion in her heart once illuminated, we may thereby 
understand, because she (being first indeed stirred up by the 
works and words of the Lord) thought thus within herself: 
“Tf I do but touch his garment, I shall be whole;” and 
therefore, pressing through the thickest of the throng, cometh 
to the Lord?. 

But why heap I together many examples? Doth not 
the only* faith of the Chananitish or Syrophenician woman 
declare more plainly than that it can be denied, how that 
faith is a most assured persuasion of things believed? For 
being over-passed, and, as it were, contemned of the Lord, 
she wavereth not in faith; but following him, and hearing 
also that the Lord was sent to the lost sheep of the house of 
Israel, she goeth on to worship him. Moreover, being put 
back, and, as it were, touched with the foul reproach of a 
dog, she goeth forward yet humbly to cast herself prostrate 
before the Lord, requesting to obtain the thing that she 
desired. She would not have persevered so stiffly, if faith 
had not been a certification in her believing mind and heart. 
Wherefore the Lord, moved with that faith of hers, cried: 
“Woman, great is thy faith; be it done to thee even as thou 
wilt4.” 

It is manifest therefore, by all these testimonies of the 
holy scripture, that faith is a stedfast and undoubted persua- 
sion in the mind and heart of the believer. 

This being now brought to an end, let us see what it is, 
whereupon man’s faith doth lean; and also, how we may clearly 
perceive, that faith is not a vain and unstable opinion (as a 

[1 Matt. viii. 5—10. [2 Matt. ix. 20—22.] 
[3 una, Lat. ] [4 Matt. xv. 22-28; Mark vii. 26.] 











nL ACL OR TS i Mn τ σαύπαω. 








IV. | TRUE FAITH. 93 


little before we were about to say) of any thing whatsoever, 
conceived in the mind of man, but that it is tied up and con- 
tained within bounds, and, as it were, certain conditions. In 
the definition therefore of faith we said, that faith bendeth 
to God-ward, and leaneth on his word. God therefore, and 
the word of God, is the object or foundation of true faith. 
The thing whereon a man may lean safely, surely, and with- 
out all manner doubting, must needs be stedfast and altogether 
unmoveable; which doth give health, which doth preserve, 
and which doth fill up or minister all fulness unto us: for 
this doth faith seek and request. But this is not elsewhere 
than in God. On God alone therefore doth true faith bend 
and lean. God is everlasting, chiefly good, wise, just, mighty, 
and true of word. And that doth he testify by his works 
and word. Wherefore in the prophets he is called a strong 
and unmoyeable rock, a castle, a wall, a tower, an invincible 
fortress, a treasure, and a well that never will be drawn dry®. 
This everlasting God can do all things, knoweth all things, is 
present in all places, loveth mankind exceedingly, doth provide 
for all men, and also governeth or disposeth all things. Faith 
therefore, which is a confidence of God’s good-will and of his 
aid in all necessities, and of the true salvation of mankind, 
bendeth on God alone, and cannot lean to any other creature, 
in whom the things are not that faith requireth. 

And even as God is true of word, and cannot lie, so is his 
word true and deceiveth no man. In the word of God is 
expressed the will and mind of God. To the word of God 
therefore hath faith an eye, and layeth her ground upon God’s 
word; touching which word the Lord in the gospel said: 
* Heaven and earth shall pass, but my word shall not pass®.” 
The word of God here is compared with the most excellent 
elements. Air and water are feeble and unstable elements : 
but heaven, although it turn and move, doth keep yet a 
wonderful and most stedfast course in moving, and stedfast 
are all things therein. The earth is most stable and unmove- 
able. Therefore, if it be easier for these things to be loosed, 
which cannot be undone, than for the word of God to pass; it 
followeth, that God’s word in all points is most stable, un- 

{5 2 Sam. xxii. 2,3; Psal. xxxi. 2,3; Prov. xviii. 10; Isai. xxxiii. 6; 
Jer. xvii. 13.] [6 Mark xiii. 31.] 


94 THE FIRST DECADE. [SERM. 


moveable, and not possible to be loosed. “If” (saith the Lord 
in Jeremy) “ye can undo the league that I have taken with 
the day, or the covenant that I have made with the night, so 
that it neither be day nor night at the appointed time, then 
may my covenant be of none effect which I have made with 
David.” But not the whole world, laying all their strengths 
together, is able to make it day when it is once night, nor 
cause the day to break one hour sooner than the course of 
heaven doth command. Therefore not all this world, with all 
the power and pomp thereof, shall be able once to weaken or 
break, to change or abolish, so much as one tittle in the word 
of God, and the truth of God’s word. Faith therefore, which 
resteth upon a thing most firm or sure, cannot choose but be 
an undoubted certification. And since God’s word is the 
foundation of faith, faith cannot wander to and fro, and lean 
to every word whatsoever: for every opinion conceived 
without the word of God, or against God’s word, cannot be 
called true faith. And for that cause St Paul, the apostle of 
Christ, would not ground the true or christian faith upon any 
carnal props or opinions of men, but upon the truth and power 
of God. With his words will I conclude this place: “ Faith” 
(saith he) “cometh of hearing, and hearing by the word of 
God?.” “By the word of God,” he saith, and not by the word 
of man. Again, to the Corinthians: “ My preaching” (saith 
he) “ was not in enticing words of man’s wisdom, but in the 
shewing forth of the Spirit, and of power; that your faith 
should not be in the wisdom of man, but in the power of 
God*.” Whereby also we learn, that some there are, which 
against all reason require faith at our hands; that is, they 
would have us to believe that which they are not able to shew 
out of God’s word, or that which is clean contrary to the word 
of God. 

To the better declaring of this that I have said availeth 
that short abridgement of God’s word and of faith, which we 
in the definition of faith have closely knit up together. There 
are there rehearsed two chief points of faith and of the word: 

Twochief and first of all, that God in Christ doth freely promise life 


oints of 


aith, and every good thing. For God, who is the object or mark 


[1 Jer. xxxiii. 20, 21.] [2 Rom. x. 17.] 
[3 1 Cor. ii. 4, 5.] 





IV. | : TRUE FAITH. 95 


_ and foundation of faith, being of his own proper nature ever- 
living, everlasting *, and good, doth of himself, from before all 
beginning, beget the Son like to himself in all points; who, 
because he is of the same substance with the Father, is him- 
self also, by nature, life, and all goodness. And to the end he 
might communicate to us, his sons and brethren, both life 
and all goodness, he became man; and being conversant, very 
God and man, among men, he testified that God the Father, True faith 
through the Son, doth pour himself wholly with all good good things 
things into the faithful, whom he quickeneth and filleth with throush 
all goodness, and last of all doth take them up to himself 
into the blessed place of everlasting life; and that he doth 
frankly and freely bestow this benefit, to the end that the 
glory of his grace may in all things be praised. This doth 
true faith believe; and hereunto belong no small part of the 
scriptures, which testify, that God in Christ doth communicate 
to the faithful life and godliness. John the apostle crieth out 
and saith: ‘In the beginning was the Word, and the Word 
was with God, and God was the Word. And the Word became 
flesh, and dwelt among us. And we saw the glory of God, 
as the glory of the only-begotten Son of the Father, full of 
grace and truth. And of his fulness have all we received®,” 
&c. For the Lord himself, in the Gospel after St John, said: 
“ Verily I say unto you, whatsoever things the Father doth, 
the same also doth the Son. For even as the Father doth 
raise the dead to life and quickeneth them, so also doth the 
Son quicken whom he will: for neither judgeth the Father 
any man, but hath committed all judgment to the Son, that 
all men may honour the Son even as they honour the Father. 
He that honoureth not the Son, the same honoureth not the 
Father which hath sent him. Verily, verily, I say unto you, 
he that heareth my word, and believeth on him that sent me, 
hath life everlasting, and shall not come into judgment, but is 
escaped from death unto life®”” With these words of the 
gospel agreeth that saying of St Paul: “In Christ are laid 
up all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge. Because in 
him dwelleth all fulness of the Godhead bodily, and ye in 
him are fulfilled’.” But that these great benefits of God are 





[4 vivus, eternus, Lat. ] 
[5 John i. 1, 14,16. Conspeximus gloriam ejus, Lat.] 
[6 John vy. 19, 21—24.] [7 Col, it. 3, 9.1] 








96 THE FIRST DECADE. ες  [SERM. 


freely bestowed upon the faithful, Paul, that vessel of election, 
declareth in these words: ‘ Blessed be God, who hath chosen 
us in Christ before the foundations of the world were laid, 
and hath predestinated us into the adoption of children 
through Jesus Christ unto himself, according to the good 
pleasure of his will, to the praise of the glory of his grace, 
wherein he hath made us accepted in the beloved; through 
whom we have redemption in his blood!,” &c. And again: 
«All have sinned, and have need of God’s glory, but are 
justified freely through his grace, by the redemption which is 
in Christ?:” and so forward. True faith therefore doth be- 
lieve, that life and every good thing doth freely come to it 
from God through Christ: which is the chief article of our 
faith, as in the articles of the belief is more largely laid 
forth. 
True faith The second principal point of God’s word and faith is, 
vocal somal that in the word of God there is set down all truth neces- 
com sary to be believed; and that true faith doth believe all that 
is declared in the scriptures. For it telleth us, that God is; 
what manner one he is; what God’s works are; what his 
judgments, his will, his commandments, his promises, and 
what his threatenings are; finally, whatsoever is profitable 
or necessary to be believed, that doth God’s word wholly 
set down unto us, and that doth true faith receive, believing 
all things that are written in the law and the prophets, in the 
gospel and writings of the apostles. But whatsoever cannot 
be fetched or proved out of those writings, or whatsoever is 
contrary unto them, that do the faithful not believe at all: 
for the very nature of true faith is, not to believe that 
which squareth from the word of God*. Whosoever therefore 
believeth not the fables and opinions of men, he alone believ- 
eth as he should: for he dependeth only upon the word of 
God, and so upon God himself, the only fountain of all truth. 
The matter, the argument, and the whole sum of faith 
is briefly set out unto us in the articles of the christian 
faith, whereof I will speak at another time. I have this 
hour declared unto you, dearly beloved and reverend‘ bre- 


[: Ephes. i. 3—7. Qua caros nos reddidit per dilectum, Lat. 
and Erasmus’ rendering. } 

[2 Rom. iii. 23, 24.] [3 Quee cum verbo Dei pugnant, Lat.] 

[6 honorandi, Lat. And there is no οὐ (and) in the original.] 











Iv. | TRUE FAITH. 97 


thren in the Lord, the definition of faith ; which to the end 
that I may surely fasten in every one’s mind, and that all 
may understand what faith is, I repeat it here again, and 
therewithal conclude this sermon. Faith is a gift of God, 
poured into man from heaven, whereby he is taught with an 
undoubted persuasion wholly to lean to God and his word; 
in which word God in Christ doth freely promise life and 
every good thing, and wherein all truth necessary to be be- 
lieved is plainly declared. Let us all pray to God our 
Father through his only-begotten Son our Lord Jesus Christ, 
that he will vouchsafe from heaven to bestow true faith upon 
us all, that we, by it knowing him aright, may at the last 
obtain life everlasting. Amen. 





THAT THERE IS ONE ONLY TRUE FAITH, AND WHAT 
THE VIRTUE THEREOF IS. 


THE FIFTH SERMON. 


Bene cut off with the shortness of time, and detained by 
the excellency of the matter, I could not in my last sermon 
make an end of all that I had determined to speak touching 
faith: now therefore, by the grace of the Holy Spirit, I will 
add the rest of the argument which seemeth yet to be be- 
hind. Pray to the Lord that that, which by man’s voice is 
brought to your ears, may by the finger of God be written 
in your hearts. 


True faith is ignorant of all division ; for “there is,” saith Faith is one 


the apostle, “one Lord, one faith, one baptism, [one] God5 and 
Father of 4116. For there remaineth, from the beginning of 
the world even unto the end thereof, one and the same faith 
in all the elect of God. God is one and the same for ever, 
the only Well of all goodness, that can never be drawn dry. 
The truth of God, from the beginning of the world, is one 
and the same, set forth to men in the word of God. There- 
fore the object and foundation of faith, that is, God and the 


[5 unus Deus, Lat.] [6 Ephes. iv. 5, 6.] 
7 


[BULLINGER. | 


There are 
many and 
sundry re- 
ligions, but 
no more than 
one true faith. 


Faith doth 
increase and 
decrease. 


98 THE FIRST DECADE. [SERM. 


word of God, remain for ever one and the self-same. In one 
and the self-same faith with us have all the elect ever since 
the first creation of the world believed, that unto us through 
Christ all good things are freely given, and that all truth 
necessary to be believed is declared in the word of the Lord: 
wherefore the faithful of the old world have always settled 
their faith on God and his word; so that now, without all 
doubt, there cannot be any more than one true faith. 

I know very well, that in the world there are sowed 
many and sundry faiths, that is to say, religions. For 
there is the Indian faith!, the Jewish faith, the faith of the 
Mahometists, and the faith of the Georgians’; and yet not- 
withstanding there is but one true christian faith, the abridge- 
ment whereof is contained in the articles of our belief, and is 
taught at the full in the sacred scriptures of both the Testa- 
ments. I know also that there are sundry beliefs of men, 
resting upon sundry things, and believing that which is con- 
trary to true faith: but yet, nevertheless, there remaineth but 
one true belief in God and his word, (which is) an undoubted 
persuasion and confidence of things most true and assuredly 
certain. 

This confidence doth grow with increase in the minds of 
the faithful, and, contrarily, decreaseth again and utterly faileth. 
And for that cause the apostles besought the Lord, saying: 
‘Lord, increase our faith®,’ And Paul the apostle doth in 
his writings everywhere wish to the faithful the increase of 
the spirit and faith. David also before him prayed, saying: 
“0 God, create a clean heart within me, and take not thy 
Holy Spirit from me*.” For he had seen how that from Saul, 
whom he succeeded in the kingdom, the good Spirit of God 
was departed, and that instead thereof the wicked spirit had 
entered into his mind, which tormented him very pitifully. 
Hereunto belongeth that saying in the gospel: “To every 
one that hath shall be given, and from him that hath not 


[1 Indiana fides, Lat. ] 

[2 fides Georgiana, Lat. The Georgians are a branch of the 
Greek Church. Mosheim’s Eccles. Hist. Book 1v. Cent. 16. Sect. 3, 
Ch. 2. ὁ 10. 64. Soames. Smith and Dwight’s Missionary Researches 
in Armenia, Letter 8.] 

[3 Luke xvii. 5.] 

[4 Ps. li. 10, 11.] 














v.| THE FORCE OF FAITH. 99 


shall be taken away that which he hath not,” or that he 
maketh no account of, “and shall be given to him that hath5.” 
Neither was it in vain that the Lord said to Peter, “1 have 
prayed for thee, Peter, that thy faith fail not®” For Paul 
speaketh of some in his time, that “made shipwreck of their 
own faith, and overthrew the faith of other’.” And to what 
end, I pray you, do we daily hear the word of God, and 
make our humble petitions to the Lord, but because we look 
for increase of godliness, and his aid to keep us that we fall 
not from true faith? Verily Paul to the Thessalonians saith : 
“We pray earnestly day and night to see you personally, 
and to supply that which is wanting in your faith®.” And a 
little before he said: “ For this cause I sent Timotheus, that 
I might be certified of your faith, lest by any means the 
tempter had tempted you, and so our labour had been of 
none effect®,” The same apostle also, in his Epistle to the 
Ephesians, saith : ‘‘ Christ gave some apostles, some prophets, 
some pastors and teachers, to the restoring of the saints, unto 
the building of the body of Christ, until we all meet together in 
the unity of faith, and the acknowledging of the Son of God, 
unto a perfect man, unto the measure of age of the fulness of 
Christ, so that now we be no longer children.” There- 
fore, so long as we live, we learn, that our faith may be per- 
fect!'; and if so be at any time it shall be weakened by 
temptations, that then it may be repaired, and again con- 
firmed. And in this diversity, (I mean) in this increase and 
weakness of faith, there is no partition or division; for the 
self!? root and substance of faith doth always remain, although 
it be at some time more, and at some time less. In like man- Seeman 
ner, faith is not therefore changed or cut in sunder, because *th. 
one is called general faith, and another particular’ faith, 


[5 Luke xix. 26, where the reading of the copies is either that which 
he hath, or, that which he seemeth to have.] 

[6 Luke xxii. 32.] 

{7 1 Tim. i. 19; 2 Tim. ii. 18.] 

[81 Thess. iii. 10.] 

[91 Thess. iii. 5.] 

[19 Ephes. iv. 11—14.] 

[11 may not be perfect, 1587; ut perficiatur fides nostra, Lat. ] 

[12 self-same, 1577.] 

[13 specialis, Lat.] 

7—2 


Faith in- 
spired and 
faith gotten. 


Formal faith. 


100 THE FIRST DECADE. [SERM. 


For gencral faith is no other than that which believeth that all 
the words of God are true, and that God hath a good-will to 
mankind: particular faith believeth nothing contrary to this; 
only that, which is common to all, the faithful applieth parti- 
cularly to himself, believing that God is not well minded to- 
ward others alone, but even unto him also. So then it 
bringeth the whole into parts, and that which is general into 
particularities. For whereas by general faith he believeth 
that all the words of God are true; in the same sort by par- 
ticular faith he doth believe that the soul is immortal, that 
our bodies rise again, that the faithful shall be saved, the 
unbelievers destroyed, and whatsoever else is of this sort 
taught to be believed in the word of God. 

Moreover, the disputation touching faith poured into us, 
and faith that we ourselves get; touching formal faith, and 
faith without fashion!; I leave to be beaten out of them which 
of themselves do bring these new disputations into the church. 
True faith is obtained by no strength or merit of man, but is 
poured into him of God, as I declared in my last sermon: 
and though man obtain it by hearkening unto the word of 
God, yet nevertheless it is wholly imputed to the grace of 
God; for unless this grace do work inwardly in the heart of 
the hearer, the preacher that laboureth outwardly doth bring 
no profit at all. We read in the third chapter of St Au- 
gustin’s book De Predestinatione Sanctorum, that once he 
was in an error, because he thought that that faith, where- 
with we believe in God, is not the gift of God, but that it 
was in us as of ourselves, and that by it we do obtain the 
gifts of God, whereby we may in this world live rightly and 
holily?.. But this he confuteth in that book at large, and 
that substantially. So then true faith, which bendeth on 
God alone%, and is directed by the word of God, is formal 


[1 de fide infusa et acquisita, de fide informi et formata, Lat. 
The reader who is so disposed may find these points stated in Andr. 
Vega. de Justificat. Colon. 1572. Quest. 1. pp. 727, 728.] 

(2 Cum similiter errarem, putans fidem, qua in Deum credimus, 
non esse donum Dei, sed a nobis esse in nobis, et per illam nos im- 
petrare Dei dona, quibus temperanter et juste et pie vivamus in hoe 
seculo.—August. de Preed. Sanct. c. 3. Par. 1531. Tom. vu. fol. 253.] 

[3 in unum Deum tendit, Lat. ] 





v. | THE FORCE OF FAITH. 101 


enough, or sufficiently in fashion‘. Verily, the form of faith 
is engraven in the heart of the faithful by the Holy Ghost. 
_ And although it be small, and doth not grow up to the highest 
| degree, yet notwithstanding it is true faith, having force in it 
as it were a grain of mustard-seed. The thief, that was 
crucified with our Lord, believed in the Lord Jesus, and was 
saved, although the force of faith was strong in him but a 
very small season, and brought not forth any great store of 
fruit of good works: finally, that faith of the thief was not 
any whit diverse or contrary from the faith of St Peter and 
St Paul, but was altogether the very same with theirs, 
although their faith brought forth somewhat more abundantly 
| the fruit of good works. Peter and Paul were frankly and 
| freely justified, although they had many good works: freely 
| was the thief justified, although his good works were very 
) few or none at all. Let us hold therefore, that true faith is 
one alone, which notwithstanding doth increase and is aug- 
mented, and, again, may decrease and be extinguished. 
| There remaineth now for me to declare the virtue and te power 
| effect of true faith. This hath the holy apostle Paul done? of faith. 
very excellently well, yea, and that most absolutely too. But 
alfhough, in the eleventh chapter to the Hebrews, he had said 
very much, he is compelled notwithstanding to confess that 
he cannot reckon up all: therefore at this time I mean to 
| rehearse a few virtues of faith, leaving the rest, dearly be- 
loved, to be sought out and considered of yourselves. 
True faith before all things bringeth with it true know- Faith is the 


true know- 


ledge, and maketh us wise indeed. For by faith we know ledgethat 
God, and judge aright of the judgments and works of God, of “** 
virtues and vices. The wisdom that it bringeth with it is 
without doubt the true wisdom. Many men hope that they 
can attain to true wisdom by the study of philosophy: but 
they are deceived as far as heaven is broad®. For philosophy 
doth falsely judge and faultily teach many things touching 
God, the works of God, the chief goodness, the end of good 
and evil, and touching things to be desired and eschewed. 
But the very same things are rightly and truly taught in the 
word of God, and understood and perceived by faith. Faith 
therefore is the true wisdom, and maketh us wise indeed. For 














[4 Satis est formalis aut formata, Lat. ] 
[5 ante me, Lat.; done before me. ] [6 toto ccelo, Lat.] 





102 THE FIRST DECADE. [SERM. 


Jeremy also saith: “ Behold, they have cast away the word 
of the Lord; what wisdom therefore can there be left in 
them!?” The wisdom of Salomon is worshipfully thought of 
throughout the whole compass of the world; and yet we 
read that the Lord, in the gospel after St Matthew, uttered 
this sentence against the Jews: ‘“ The queen of the south 
shall rise in judgment with this generation and shall condemn 
it; because she came from the ends of the world to hear the 
wisdom of Salomon: and behold, there is one in this place 
greater than Salomon’.” Christ is preferred before Salomon, 
and the wisdom of Christ before the wisdom of Salomon. 
But it is well known, that the wisdom of Christ, the Son of 
God, cannot be attained to without faith. Faith therefore 
bringeth with it the most excellent wisdom. But herein 
this wisdom of ours deserveth a singular praise, because they 
that desire it are not sent to foreign nations, with great cost 
and labour, to learn it; as to the priests of Egypt, the gym- 
nosophists of India, the philosophers of Greece, or to the 
rabbins of the Jews. God hath dispersed the word of God 
throughout the whole world, so that now the word of faith is 
in the hearts of all the faithful. For Paul the apostle saith: 
« Thus saith the justice that is of faith, Say not in thy heart, 
Who shall ascend into heaven? that is, to fetch Christ down 
from above. Or, Who shall descend into the deep? that is, 
to bring Christ from the dead again. But what saith he? 
The word is nigh unto thee, even in thy heart: this same is 
the word of faith, which we preach; for if thou confess with 
thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and dost believe with thy heart that 
God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved+4.” 
Faith therefore doth not only make us wise, but happy 
also; the Lord himself bearing witness thereunto, and saying to 
his disciples: “‘ Happy are the eyes that see the things that 
ye see. For I say unto you, that many prophets and kings 
have desired to see the things that ye see>, and to hear the 


[Σ Jer. viii. 9.] [2 Matt. xii. 42.] 

[3 Gymnosophist, Lat. A sect of Indian philosophers, who wore 
no clothing, and practised the severities of standing alternately on one 
foot, and of fixing their eyes on the sun.—Plin. H. N. vu. 2. med. § 2. 
Schelleri Lex. totius Latin. sub voc.] 

{4 Rom. x. 6—9.] 

[5 et non yviderunt, Lat. and have not seen them: omitted.] 








v. | THE FORCE OF FAITH. 103 


things that ye hear, and heard them not®.” We shall there- How man. 
fore find in faith a most certain determination of the most ‘ tothe chiet 
notable question stirred in, since the beginning of the world, » 

of learned and most excellent wits; which is, by what means 

aman may live, be happy, attain to the chief goodness, be 

joined to the chief goodness, and so be justified ? There have 

been, yea, and yet are, divers opinions touching this matter, 
contrary the one to the other. But we do briefly and truly 

affirm, that by true faith a man doth live, is happy, attaineth 

to the chief goodness, is conjoined to the chief goodness, 

and also justified: so that God dwelleth in us, and we in 

him; and that by faith we are both happy and blessed. 
What, I pray you, could have been spoken more excellently, 
worthily, or divinely, touching true faith? For see; faith 
quickeneth us, maketh us happy, joineth us to the chief 
goodness, so that he’ in us and we in him may live; and 

faith doth also fully justify us. 

But now it is best to hear the testimonies out of the 
scriptures. Faith maketh us happy. For to St Peter, con- Faithmaketn 
fessing the Lord Jesus by true faith, it is said: ‘ Happy art 
thou, Simon, the son of Jonas. Flesh and blood hath not 
revealed this to thee, but my Father which is in heaven®.” 

St Paul, for the proof of faith, bringeth in that sentence of 
David: “ Happy are they whose iniquities are forgiven, and 
whose sins are covered. Blessed is the man to whom the 
Lord shall impute no sin®*” Faith quickeneth or maketh Faith quick 
alive. For “the just liveth by faith’®.” This doth Paul very 
often in his writings allege out of the prophets. The same 
Paul also saith: “The life which now I live in flesh, I live 
by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself 
for me!!.” Faith jometh us to the eternal and chief goodness, Faith joineth 
and so maketh us to enjoy the chief goodness, that God may 
dwell in us and we in God. For the Lord Jesus himself in 
the gospel saith: “He which eateth my flesh, and drinketh 
my blood, dwelleth in me, and 1 in him. As the living Father 
sent me, so also I live by the Father, and he that eateth me 
shall live by me!®.” But to eat and drink the Lord is to 


[6 Luke x. 23, 24.] [7 Deus, Lat.] 

[8 Matt. xvi. 17.] [9 Rom. iv. 7, 8; Ps. xxxii. 1, 2.] 
[10 Gal. iii. 11; Heb. x. 38.] [11 Gal. ii. 20.] 

[12 John vi. 56, 57.) 


Faith justi- 
fieth. 


Justification. 


104 THE FIRST DECADE. [SERM. 


believe in the Lord, that he hath given himself to death for 
us. Whereupon John the apostle saith: ‘‘ We have seen and 
do witness, that the Father hath sent the Son the Saviour of 
the world. Whosoever shall confess that Jesus is the Son of 
God, God dwelleth in him and he in God!.” Wherefore also 
Paul said: “I live now; not I, but Christ liveth in me?.” 
Moreover faith doth justify. But for because the treatise 
thereof cannot be fitly and fully made an end of this hour, 
I mean to defer it till the next sermon that shall be. 

At this present, dearly beloved, ye must remember, that 
there is but one true faith, that is, the christian faith. For 
although there be said to be many faiths, that is, religions ; 
yet notwithstanding there is only but one true and undoubted 
faith. And that doth increase, and again decrease, in some 
men. As for those in whom it is rightly and godly observed, 
in them it sheweth forth sundry virtues. For it bringeth with 
it true wisdom; finally, it quickeneth, and maketh us blessed 
and happy indeed. To God, the Father, the author of all 
goodness and of our felicity, be all praise and glory, through 
Jesus Christ our Lord, for ever and ever. Amen. 





THAT THE FAITHFUL ARE JUSTIFIED BY FAITH 
WITHOUT THE LAW AND WORKS. 


THE SIXTH SERMON. 


Brine ready here, dearly beloved, to speak unto you of 
faith, which without works doth justify them that believe, 
I call upon the Father, which is in heaven, through his only- 
begotten Son Jesus Christ our Lord, beseeching him to open 
my mouth and lips to the setting forth of his praise, and to 
illuminate your hearts, that ye, acknowledging the great 
benefit of God, may become thankful for it, and holy indeed. 

And first of all, I will speak certain things, chiefly neces- 
sary to this argument or treatise, touching this term of justifi- 
cation. The term of justifying, very usual and common 


[11 John iy. 14, 15.] [2 Gal. ii. 20.] 











νι. JUSTIFICATION BY FAITH. 105 


among the Hebrews, and of a large signification, is not at 
this day so well understood of all men as it ought to be. 
To justify is as much to say as to quit from judgment and 
from the denounced and uttered sentence of condemnation. It 
signifieth to remit offences, to cleanse, to sanctify, and to give 
inheritance’ of life everlasting. For it is a law term belong- 
ing to courts where judgment is exercised. Imagine there- 
fore, that man is set before the judgment-seat of God, and 
that there he is pleaded guilty; to wit, that he is accused and 
convinced of heinous offences, and therefore sued to punish- 
ment or to the sentence of condemnation. Imagine also, that 
the Son of God maketh intercession, and cometh in as a mean, 
desiring that upon him may be laid the whole fault and 
punishment? due unto us men, that he by his death may 
cleanse them and take them away, setting us free from death, 
and giving us life everlasting. Imagine too, that God, the 
most high and just judge, receiveth the offer, and translateth 
the punishment together with the fault from us unto the neck 
of his Son; making therewithal a statute, that whosoever 
believeth that the Son of God suffered for the sins of the 
world, brake the power of death, and delivered us from dam- 
nation, should be cleansed from his sins and made heir of life 
everlasting. Who therefore can be so dull of understanding, 
but may perceive that mankind is justified by faith ? 

But that there may be no cause of doubt or darkness 
left in the mind of any man; that which I have already 
spoken generally, by the parable and similitude fetched from 
our common law, I will here particularly bring into certain 
parts, confirming and manifestly proving every one of them 
severally out of the holy scriptures, so that even to the 
slowest® wits the power of faith and work of justification may 
be most evident. 


And first, I will shew unto you, that this term of justifi- Mba 


cation is taken in this present treatise for the absolution and 
remission of sins, for sanctification, and adoption into the 
number of the sons of God. In the thirteenth of the Acts, 
the apostle Paul saith: “Be it known unto you, men and 
brethren, that through this Lord Jesus Christ is preached 


[3 heeredem constituere, Lat. ] 
[4 omnis culpa et poena, Lat. ] 
[5 vel tardis ingeniis, Lat. ] 


106 THE FIRST DECADE. [SERM. 


unto you the forgiveness of sins; and by him all that believe 
are justified from all things, from which they could not be 
justified by the law of Moses*.” See, in Christ is preached 
unto us the forgiveness of sins; and he that believeth that 
Christ preached forgiveth sins? is also justified. It follow- 
eth therefore, that justification is the remission of sins. In 
the fifth chapter to the Romans saith the same apostle: 
“ Being justified by the blood of Christ, we shall be saved 
from wrath through him%.” But the blood of Christ washeth 
away sins. Justification, therefore, is the washing away or 
forgiveness of sins. And again, in the same chapter, saith 
he more plainly: “Judgment entered by one offence unto 
condemnation, but the gift of many sins unto justification *.” 
He maketh justification the contrary to condemnation: there- 
fore, justification is the absolution and delivery from condem- 
nation. What say ye to this moreover, that he doth plainly 
call justification a gift, that is, the forgiveness of sins? Here- 
unto also belong those words of his: ‘‘Even as by the sin 
of one condemnation came on all men; so by the righteous- 
ness of one good came upon all men to the justification of 
1165, Here again is the justification of life made the con- 
trary of condemnation unto death set as a pain upon our 
heads because of the transgression: justification of life there- 
fore is an absolution from sins, a delivery from death, a quick- 
ening or translating from death to life. For in the fourth to 
the Romans the same apostle expoundeth justification by 
sanctification®, and sanctification by the remission of sins. For 
in treating of faith, whereby we are justified, or which God 
imputeth to us for righteousness without works, he saith: 
“Even as David also doth expound the blessedness of that 
man, to whom the Lord imputeth righteousness without works, 
saying: Blessed are they whose iniquities are forgiven, and 
whose sins are covered’.” What could be more plainly spoken 

(2 Acts xiii. 38, 39.] 

[? qui credit annunciato Christo, remittenti peccata, Lat.] 

[3 Rom. v. 9.] [4 Rom. v. 16.] [5 v. 18.] 

[6 beatificationem, Lat. This is the term which Bullinger employs 
in this Treatise of Justification, and which the translator, rather un- 
happily, has rendered sanctification. The idea intended by Bullinger 
is expressed in Rom. iv. 7, which he quotes. — Cf. Calvin, Instit. 


Lib. ui. cap. 11. § 4. & 22.] 
[7 Rom. iv. 7.] 





γι. JUSTIFICATION BY FAITH. 107 


than this? For he doth evidently expound justification by 
sanctification, and sanctification by remission of sins. Further- 
more, what else is sanctification but the adoption whereby we 
are received into the grace and number of the sons of God? 
What is he therefore that seeth not, that in this treatise of 
St Paul justification is taken for adoption? especially, since 
in the very same fourth chapter to the Romans he goeth 
about to prove that an inheritance is due to faith, whereunto 
also he doth attribute justification. By all this it is made 
manifest, that the question of justification containeth nothing 
else but the manner and reason of sanctification; that is to 
say, whereby and how men have their sins forgiven, and are 
received into the grace and number of the sons of God, and, 
being justified, are made heirs of the kingdom of God. 
And now, let us try whether that which we have said christ hath 


taken on him- 


be taught in the scriptures: that Christ before the judgment- selfand κι 
seat of God, when sentence of condemnation was to be pro- *™* 
nounced against us for our offences, took our sins upon his 
own neck, and purged them by the sacrifice of his death upon 
the cross; and that God also laid upon Christ our fault and 
punishment, so that Christ alone is the only satisfaction and 
purging of the faithful. This doth the apostle Paul teach 
most expressly, where he saith: ‘ Who shall lay anything to 
the charge of God’s elect? It is God that justifieth, Who 
shall condemn? | It is Christ that died; yea rather, it is he 
which is raised up, and is at the right hand of the Father, 
making intercession for us®.” And again he saith: “ Christ 
redeemed us from the curse of the law, while he was made 
the curse for us; (for it is written, Cursed be every one that 
hangeth on the tree;) that upon the gentiles might come the 
blessing of Abraham through Jesus Christ®,” &c. This did the 
apostle teach out of the writings of Moses. And Moses in his 
books doth oftentimes make mention, that the sins are laid 
upon the heads of the beasts which were sacrificed. But those 
sacrifices bare the type or figure of the death and sacrifice of 
Christ. Esaias also in his fifty-third chapter saith expressly : 
“ He verily hath taken on him our infirmities, and borne our 
pains. He was wounded for our iniquities, and smitten for 
our sins. For the pain of our punishment was laid upon him, 
and with his stripes are we healed. We all went astray like 


[8 Rom. viii. 33, 34.] [9 Gal. iii. 13, 14.] 








The pain and 
offence of sin 
are ii 
away by 
Christ. 


108 THE FIRST DECADE. | [sERM. 


sheep, every one turned his own way; but the Lord hath 
thrown upon him all our sins.” And immediately after: “ He 
hath taken away the sins of the multitude, and made inter- 
cession for the transgressors!.” Than these words, I think, 
nothing can be brought more to the matter, or more fit for 
our present purpose. To this alludeth St Peter when he 
saith: ‘The Lord himself bare our sins in his body upon the 
cross, that we, being dead to sin, may live to righteousness ; 
by the sign of whose stripes we are made whole?.” Hereunto 
alluded St John, the forerunner of the Lord, when he said: 
“ Behold the Lamb of God, that taketh away the sins of the 
world*.” Moreover, the apostle Paul beareth witness hereto, 
saying: ‘“ Him that knew not sin he made sin for us, that 
we through him might be made the righteousness of God‘.” 
Also in his epistle to the Colossians he saith: ‘It pleased the 
Father, that in Christ all fulness should dwell; and by him 
to reconcile all things unto himself, having set peace through 
the blood of his cross by him, both things in earth and things 
in heaven®.” These, I suppose, are testimonies sufficiently 
evident to prove, that upon Christ are laid our sins, with the 
curse or condemnation due unto our offences; and that Christ 
by his blood hath cleansed our sins, and by his death hath 
vanquished death and the devil, the author of death, and 
taken away the punishment due unto us. 

Yet because there be some, and those not a few, which 
deny that Christ by his death hath taken from us sinners 
both fault and punishment®, and that he became the only 
satisfaction of the whole world; I will therefore now allege 
certain other testimonies, and repeat somewhat of that that I 
have before recited, thereby to make it manifest, that Christ, 
the only satisfaction of the world, hath made satisfaction both 
for our fault and punishment. Lsaias verily witnessed, that 


[1 Isai. lili. 4—6, 12.] 

[31 Pet. ii. 24. Cujus ejusdem vibice, Lat.] 

(3 John i. 29.] [4 2 Cor. vy. 21.] [5 Col. i. 19, 20.] 

[Ὁ poenam et culpam, Lat. Fingunt sibi (Romanenses theologi) 
distinctionem poense et culpze: culpam remitti fatentur Dei miseri- 
cordia; sed culpa remissa penam restare, quam persolvi Dei justitia 
postulat.— Calvin, Instit. Lib. m. cap. 4. ὁ 29. See also Burnet’s 
Expos. of the Thirty-nine Articles, ed. Page. Art. xxii. p. 285, and 
Palmer’s Letters to Dr Wiseman, Let. IT.] 


























YE} JUSTIFICATION BY FAITH. 109 


both the fault of our offence and the punishment were taken 
away, when he saith: “He bare our infirmities, and was 
wounded for our iniquities :” finally, “the discipline of peace” 
(that is, the discipline, or chastising, or punishment, bringing 
peace; or the penalty of our correction, that is, the punish- 
ment due to us for our offences,) ‘“ was laid on his neck.” Mark 
also what followeth: “and with the blueness of his stripes? 
are we healed’.” This doth evidently teach, that by the 
pain of Christ our punishment is taken away. For look 
what pain, penalty, punishment, or correction was due to us, 
and the same was laid on the Lord himself: and for that 
cause was the Lord wounded, and received stripes; and with 
them he healed us. But he had not yet healed us at all, if 
we should yet look for wounds, stripes, and strokes, that is to 
say, punishment for our sins. The death of Christ, therefore, 
is a full satisfaction for our sins. But what, I pray you, 
should Christ avail us, if yet we should be punished for our 
offences? Therefore, when we say, that he did bear all our 
sins in his body upon the cross, what else do we mean, I pray 
you, but that the Lord by death, that was not due unto him, 
took from us God’s vengeance, that it might not light on us 
to our punishment? Paul, as often as he maketh mention of 
our redemption made by Christ, is wont to name it ἀπολύ- 
τρωσινϑ; by which word he understandeth not, as the com- 
mon sort do, redemption barely and simply, but the very 
price and satisfaction of redemption. Wherefore also he 
writeth, that Christ himself did give himself to be the ἀντί- 
AuTpov! for us; that is to say, the price wherewith captives 
are redeemed from their enemies in the war. For that which 
we do commonly call ransoms, the Greeks do name λύτρα. 
So then that is ἀντίλυτρον, when man for man, and life for 
life, is redeemed. But upon them, that are thus ransomed and 


[7 livore ejus, Lat. and Vulg.] 

[8 Isai. liii. 4, 5.] [9 Rom. iii. 24; Eph. i. 7.] 

[191 Tim. ii. 6. This passage is almost word for word Calvin’s, as 
follows: “Ac quoties de redemptione per eum facta meminit Paulus, 
vocare solet ἀπολύτρωσιν, quo non simpliciter redemptionem indicat, 
qaliter vulgo intelligitur; sed pretiwm ipsum et satisfactionem re- 
demptionis,” (the French version adds, que nous appellons Rangon en 
Frangois). “Qua ratione et Christum ipsum se pro nobis ἀντίλυτρον 
dedisse scribit.”—Calvin. Instit. Lib. m. cap. 4. ed. Amstel. and Vol. 
II. p. 221. ed. Calvin Translat. Soc. 1845.] 


How punish- 
ment is laid 
on us. 


God hath ap- 
ointed that 
e that be- 

lieveth 

should have 
eternal life 
and be justi- 
fied. 


110 THE FIRST DECADE. [SERM. 


set at liberty, there is no punishment afterward laid, by reason 
of the translation thereof from one to another. Furthermore, 
this is the new covenant that God in his Christ hath made 
with us, “that he will not remember our iniquities!.” But 
how could he choose but remember our iniquities, if he ceased 
not to punish them? So then, this remaineth not to be 
doubted of, that Christ our Lord is the full propitiation?, 
satisfaction, oblation, and sacrifice for the sins, I say, for the 
punishment and the fault, of all the world: yea, and by 
himself alone; for in none other is any salvation: “ neither 
is there any other name given unto men whereby they 
must be saved®.” 

I deny not, but that because of discipline, chastisement, 
and exercise, divers sorts of punishments are laid upon men’s 
necks, and that they are diversely afflicted and vexed because 
of their offences. But those afflictions, howsoever they be 
patiently suffered of the faithful, do not yet wash sins away, 
nor make satisfaction for misdeeds. St Peter saith: ‘“ Marvel 
not that ye are tried by fire, which thing is done for your 
trial‘, as if any new thing should happen unto you; yea, rather 
rejoice herein, that ye are partakers of the afflictions of Christ, 
that in the revelation also of his glory ye may rejoice and be 
glad5.” This, I say, is the end and use of afflictions. And by 
this means the glory of Christ endureth pure and uncorrupted. 

It remaineth now for me to prove out of the holy scrip- 
tures, that God the Father hath ordained, that he, whosoever 
doth believe in the only-begotten Son of God, shall be made 
partaker of Christ his righteousness; that is, shall be justified 
by him, be absolved from his sins, and be made heir of life 
everlasting. Esaias therefore saith: “In the acknowledging 
of him, or in his knowledge, shall my righteous servant justify 
the multitude, whose sins he himself shall bear®.’” But what 


[1 Heb. viii. 12.] 

[2 propitiationem, Lat. portion, ed. 1587.] 

[3 Acts iv. 12.] 

[4 This is Erasmus’ rendering, which Bullinger adopts: Ne mire- 
mini, dum per ignem exploramini, que res ad experimentum vestri 
fit, perinde quasi, &c. The Vulgate is different. ] 

[5 1 Pet. iv. 12, 13.] 

[6 ch. lili, 2. Potest hic tam active quam passive legi dictio Nyy, 
id est, cognitio vel scientia.—Caly. Comment. in loc. Jesai. Accord- 








VI. | JUSTIFICATION BY FAITH. 111 


else is the acknowledging or knowledge of Christ, but true 
faith? Moreover, the Lord Jesus himself in the gospel after 
St John saith: “And as Moses lift up the serpent in the 
wilderness, even so must the Son of man be lift up; that who- 
soever believeth in him should not perish, but have life ever- 
lasting’.” There was none other remedy in the desert against 
the envenomed bitings of the serpents, but the contemplation 
or beholding of the serpent lift up and hanged aloft. No 
plaster did cure them that were poisoned’, no oblation made 
to God, not prayer itself offered to God, not any work, nor 
any way else: the only beholding of the serpent made the 
poison harmless that then had crept into all their limbs. In 
like manner, nothing at all doth save us from death but only 
faith in Christ: for by faith we behold and see Christ lifted 
up upon the stake of the cross, as it is to be seen in the sixth 
chapter of John. It followeth in the words of our Saviour: 
“God so loved the world, that he gave his only-begotten Son; 
that whosoever believeth should not perish, but have life ever- 
lasting. For God sent not his Son into the world to condemn 
the world, but that the world through him might be saved. 
He that believeth on him is not condemned: but he that 
believeth not is condemned already, because he believeth not 
in the name of the only-begotten Son of God®.” By these 
words now the third time is faith beaten into our heads, by 
which we are made partakers of the Son of God, of his life, 
salvation, redemption, and all good things beside. In the 
sixth chapter of the Gospel after John our Lord again saith: 
“This is the will of the Father which sent me, that every 
one that seeth the Son, and believeth in him, should have 
life everlasting, and I will raise him up at the last day.” 
Nothing can be alleged to make more for our present argu- 
ment than these words of his. For he saith plainly, that 
the will of God the Father is, that we should believe in the 
Son, and by this belief have our salvation. Whereupon John, 
the evangelist and apostle, in his canonical epistle dareth 
burst forth into these words: ‘He that believeth not God 
maketh him a liar, because he believed not the record that 


ingly, Bullinger introduces here Calvin’s two renderings, cognitione 
sui, vel in scientia sua. The latter is the rendering of the Vulgate. ] 
[7 ch. iii. 14, 15.] [8 Wisd. xvi. 12.] 
[9 John iii. 16—18.] [10 John vi. 40. ] 


112 THE FIRST DECADE. [SERM. 


God gave of his Son. And this is the record, that God hath 
given unto us eternal life, and this life is in his Son. He that 
hath the Son hath life: and he that hath not the Son of 
God hath not life!” Dearly beloved, note this. The eternal 
and unchangeable will of God is, that he will give eternal life 
unto the world. But he will give the life through Christ, who 
is naturally life itself, and can give life. The very same God 
also will that we obtain and have life in us, and that we have 
it no other ways than by faith. For the apostle Paul taught, 
that Christ doth dwell in our hearts by faith?. Moreover, 
the Lord himself also witnesseth, and saith, “ He that eateth 
me shall live by me*.” But ye know, dearly beloved, that to 
eat Christ is to believe in him. And therefore we knit up 
this place with these words of St Peter: “To this Christ do 
all the prophets bear witness, that whosoever believeth in him 
shall receive forgiveness of sins through his name‘.” 

We have in these a most ample testimony of the whole 
sacred scriptures. By these I have evidently enough declared, 
that God hath appointed, that whosoever doth believe in 
Christ, being cleansed from his sins, shall be made heir of 
life everlasting. 

This will I make more evident yet, by declaring how that 


Men arejus- faith alone, that is, that faith for itself, and not for any works 


tified by faith 


alone. 


of ours, doth justify the faithful. For itself I say, not in 
respect that it is in us a quality of the mind, or our own 
work in ourselves; but in respect that faith is the gift of 
God’s grace, having in it a promise of righteousness and life ; 
and in respect that, naturally, of itself, it is a certain and un- 
doubted persuasion resting upon God, and believing that God, 
being pacified by Christ, hath through Christ bestowed life 
and all good things on us. Therefore faith for Christ, and by 
the grace and promise of God, doth justify : and so faith, that 
is, that which we believe, and wherein our confidence is settled, 
God, I say, himself by the grace of God® doth justify us 
through our redemption in Christ: so that now our own works 
or merits have no place left to them at all, I mean, in justi- 


[1 1 John v. 10—12.] 

[2 Ephes. iii. 17.] 

[3 John vi. 57.] 

[4 Acts x. 43.] 

[5 ipse inquam Deus, ipsa Dei gratia, Lat. ] 








v1. | JUSTIFICATION BY FAITH. 119 


fication: for otherwise good works have their place in the 
faithful, as we in place convenient do mean to shew. For Christ com- 
Paul, the teacher of the Gentiles, doth in the way of opposition Adan. 
compare Christ with Adam, and sheweth that of Adam, and 

so of our own nature and strength, we have nothing but sin, 

the wrath of God, and death. And this doth he shew under 

the name of Adam, to the intent that no man should seek for 
righteousness and life in the flesh. And again, on the other 

side, he declareth that we by Christ have righteousness, the 
grace of God, life, and the forgiveness of all our sins. In this 
opposition, he doth earnestly urge and often repeat this word, 

“of one®,” to no other end verily, but that we should under- 
stand, that faith alone doth justify. 

To the Galatians he doth very evidently use this kind of God's testa- 
argument. “ΤῸ the last will and testament of a man, if it” 
once be proved, nobody doth add or take any thing away.” 
Reason therefore doth rightly require, that no man put to 
or take away any thing from the testament of God. But this 
is the testament which God confirmed ; that his will is, to be- 
stow the blessing upon Abraham’s seed, not in many, or by 
many, but through one. “For he saith not, And to the seeds, 
as though he spake of many; but as speaking of one he saith, 

And to thy seed, that is, Christ’.” Therefore, it is a detestable 
thing to augment or diminish any thing in this testament of 
God. Christ alone is the only Saviour still: men can neither 
save themselves nor other. 
Again, in the same epistle to the Galatians he saith: ‘ We Weare not 


justified 
know that man is not justified by the works of the law, but the works of 


by faith in Jesus Christ®; insomuch as no flesh shall be jus- by faith 
tified by the works of the law®.” This is now the third time 
that Paul saith, that men are not justified by the works of the 

law: in the which clause he comprehendeth all manner of 

works of what sort soever. So then, no kind of works do 

justify. But what is it then that justifieth ? Faith in Christ, 

and that verily alone. For what else can those words im- 

port, “We know that man is not justified but by faith in 


[6 Rom. v. 12, &c.] 
[7 Gal. iii. 16. im semine tuo, Lat.] 
[8 Et nos in Jesum Christum credidimus, ut justificaremur ex fide 
Christi, et non ex operibus legis, Lat. Omitted by the translator. ] 
[9 Galat. ii. 16.] 
8 


[ BULLINGER. | 


Christ died 
not in vain. 


All men are 
sinners. 


114 THE FIRST DECADE. [SERM. 


Christ?” For the force of these two speeches is all one, 
“Faith alone doth justify ;” and, “It is certain that we are 
not justified but by faith in Jesus Christ!” He addeth the 
example of the apostles: “ And we have believed in Jesus 
Christ, that we might be justified by faith in Jesus Christ, 
and not by the works of the law.” In like manner also 
Peter argueth by an example in the Acts of the Apostles, and 
saith: ‘“ We believe that through the grace of our Lord Jesus 
Christ we shall be saved, even as they.” Acts xv. 

Moreover, in the very same chapter to the Galatians he 
saith: “I despise not the grace of God; for if righteousness 
come of the law, then Christ is dead in vain.” For, if we in 
ourselves had had any thing whereby we might be saved, 
what needed the Son of God to take our flesh, to suffer, and 
to die? But for because the Son of God, being incarnate, did 
suffer and die, and died not in vain; therefore in our flesh 
there was nothing that could obtain salvation for mankind. 
Wherefore the only Son of God is our Saviour for ever, and 
by true faith maketh us partakers of his salvation. 

Paul in the very beginning of his epistle to the Romans 
doth prove that all men are sinners; that in men there re- 
maineth no strength for them to be saved by; and that the 
law of God itself doth dig up? the knowledge of offences, that 
is, doth apply them, bring them to light, and make them mani- 
fest, but doth not take them away, blot them out, or utterly 
extinguish them; and that therefore God, for his own good- 
ness’ sake, to the end that the work that he hath made should 
not altogether perish, doth justify the faithful freely by faith 
in Jesus Christ. I will rehearse a few of the apostle’s own 
words. “The righteousness of God,” saith he, “is de- 
clared without the law, being witnessed notwithstanding by 
the law and the prophets; the righteousness of God, I say, 
cometh by faith in Jesus Christ unto all and upon all them 
that believe. For there is no difference: for all have 
sinned, and have need of the glory of God, but are jus- 
tified freely by his grace through the redemption that 


[1 Cf. Calvin. Comment. in loc. cit. Maneat igitur illud constitu- 
tum: hie propositionem esse exclusivam, Nos non aliter justificari 
quam fide; aut, Non nisi fide justificari: cui ista eequipollet, Nos sola 
fide justificari. ] 

[2 erucre, Lat. ] 








γι.] JUSTIFICATION BY FAITH. 115 


is in Christ Jesu; whom God hath set forth to be a propitia- 
tion through faith in his blood?’ These words of the 
apostle, I suppose, are most manifest to them that believe. 
He plucketh justification from our own merits and strength, 
and attributeth it to grace, whereby the Son of God is given 
to the world unto the punishment of the cross, that all they 
that believe that they are redeemed by the blood of the Son 
of God may be justified. Again the apostle immediately 
after addeth: ‘Therefore we hold, that man is justified by 
faith without the works of the law.” Upon the neck of this 
again he argueth thus: “Is he the God of the Jews only ? Is 
he not also of the Gentiles? Yes, even of the Gentiles also. 
For it is one God that shall justify circumcision by faith, and God justifieth 
uncireumcision through faith’.” To be God, is nothing else os 
but to be life and salvation. But God is the God of the Gen- faith. 
tiles also, and not of the Jews alone: therefore God is the 
life and salvation of the Gentiles. This life and salvation he 
doth communicate to us, not by the law or through circum- 
cision, but by faith in Christ; therefore faith alone doth 
justify. This may be proved by the example of Cornelius the 
centurion, who, as soon as St Peter had preached unto him, 
and he once believed, was by and by justified, when as yet he 
had not received circumcision, or the law; when as yet he had 
not sacrificed, nor merited righteousness by any work that he 
did: for he was freely justified in faith through Jesus Christ. 
For Peter concluded his sermon to him in these words: “To 
this Christ do all the prophets give witness, that through his 
name whosoever believeth in him shall receive remission of 
sins5,” 
After all this, the apostle Paul bringeth forth that notable By wnat 


means our 


and singular example of our father Abraham, teaching by father Abra- 
what means our father Abraham was justified. For, this being jstifed. 
once truly declared, it cannot choose but be plain and mani- 

fest to every one; by. what means God’s will is to justify all 

men: for the sons cannot be justified any other way than 

the father before them was justified. Abraham therefore was 

not justified by circumcision, or receiving of the sacrament ; 


for it is said that he was justified before he was circumcised. 


[8 Rom. iii. 21—25.] [4 Ibid. v. 28—30. ] 
[5 Acts x. 43.] 
8—2 


116 THE FIRST DECADE, [SERM. 


Afterward was added the sign of circumcision, as “the seal of 
the righteousness of faith,” that is, the sign or sealing that all 
the seed of Abraham is justified by faith’. The same our 
father Abraham was not justified by the law: for the law 
was four hundred and thirty years? added to the promise, not 
to take away sin or to work justification, but to make sin ap- 
pear, and to make us altogether empty; and, when we are 
once made empty, to send, and as it were compel us to fly, to 
Christ. Again, Abraham was not justified by his works: and 
yet, in that most excellent patriarch are found to be good 
works; yea, and those too good works of true faith, which 
are both notable and many in number, such and so many as 
you shall scarcely find in any other. Nevertheless, yet the 
apostle saith: ‘ What shall we say then that Abraham our 
father as pertaining to the flesh (who, I say, is our father 
touching the flesh) did merit or find ?”——for both those signifi- 
cations hath the Greek word εὑρηκέναι, For, “if Abraham 
were justified by works, then hath he to boast; but not before 
God.” For God is only just, and he that only justifieth: all 
men are corrupt; yea, even Abraham is a sinner, and every 
man standeth in need of the glory of God. For which cause 
also the prophet did plainly forbid to boast in any thing, but 
in the mercy of God. Wherefore Abraham boasted not against 
God; he acknowledged himself to be a sinner, and that he 
was to be justified freely, and not for his own merits’ sake. 
The apostle goeth forth and saith: “ For what saith the scrip- 
ture? Abraham believed in God, and it was reckoned unto 
him for righteousness.” Two things are here affirmed : first, 
that Abraham believed in God; secondly, that that was im- 
puted to him for righteousness. By this it followeth, that 
Abraham was justified by faith, and not by works. And that 
doth the apostle prove after this manner: “To him that by 
works doth merit righteousness righteousness is not imputed. 
But to Abraham is righteousness imputed: therefore he 
merited not righteousness by works.” Again: “To him verily 
that worketh not, but believeth, his faith is counted for 


[1 Rom. iv. 10—12.] 

[3 Galat. iii. 17. post annos, Lat.] 

[3 εὑρηκέναι, quod invenisse reddunt, significat, teste Budeeo, me- 
reri.—Bucer. Enarr. Epist. ad Rom. in loc. cit. p. 226, Basil. 1562.) 





vi. | JUSTIFICATION BY FAITH. 117 


righteousness. But Abraham believed in God; therefore his 
faith was reckoned for righteousness‘.” 

In the same chapter the same apostle bringeth forth other Neither is 
arguments, altogether as strong as these, to prove that faith promise of 
justifieth without works. “If they,” saith he, “ which are of 
the law be heirs, then is faith but vain, and the promise made 
of none effect®.” They are of the law, which seek to be justi- 
fied by the works of the law. But faith resteth upon the 
mercy of God. What place then shall grace and the mercy 
of God have left unto them, if we by works do merit justifi- 
cation? What shall I need to believe, that by the blood of 
Christ I shall be justified, if God by my works be at one with 
me again, who for my sins was angry with me? Finally, 
salvation and righteousness are promised of God. But then 
the promise endeth, when our own merits begin to come in 
place. For the apostle to the Galatians saith: “ If inheritance 
be of the law, then is it not now of the promise. But God gave 
the inheritance to Abraham by promise®.” Therefore that the 
promise might remain stable, faith justifieth, and not merits. 

Again, in the fourth chapter to the Romans he saith: 
« Therefore by faith is the inheritance given, that it might be 
by grace, that the promise might be sure to all the seed ; not 
to that only that is of the law, but to that also that is of the 
faith of Abraham.” He rehearseth here two causes, for 
which he attributeth justification to faith, and not to works. 
The first is, that justification may be of free gift, and that the Justification 
grace of God may be praised. The latter is, that the promise ° 
and salvation may remain stedfast, and that it may come upon 
the Gentiles also: but it should not be given to the Gentiles, 
if it were due only to the law and circumcision, because the 
Gentiles lack them both. Finally, the hope of our salvation 
ought to be stedfastly established: but it should never be 
surely grounded, or safely preserved, if it were attributed to 
our own works or merits; for in them is always something 
wanting. But in God and in the merit of the Son of God 
ean nothing be lacking. Therefore our salvation is surely 
confirmed, not to be doubted of, and assuredly certain, if that 
we seek for it by faith in the Son of God, who is our righte- 
ousness and salvation. 

[4 Rom. iv. 1—5.] (5 Ibid. v. 14.] 
[6 Gal. iii. 18, 22.] 


118 THE FIRST DECADE. [SERM. 


To all these I will yet add another testimony out of St 
Paul, which is indeed both most evident and easy to be per- 
ceived. In his epistle to the Ephesians he saith: “ By grace 
are ye saved through faith, and that not of yourselves; it is 
the gift of God: not of works, lest any man should boast 
himself. For we are the workmanship of God, created in 
Christ Jesus into good works, which God hath before ordained 
that we should walk in them'.” 

More than this I will not say, neither will I at large ex- 
pound the words of Paul. For these testimonies are more 
clear than the noon-day, and do most evidently testify, that 
we are justified by faith, and not by any works. 

Faith shew: | But, reverend? brethren in the Lord, good works here 
expresseth come into no jeopardy to be little set by, because of this 
works, doctrine, which teacheth that faith alone doth justify. Thus 
did the apostles of Christ teach ; why then should we not teach 
so too? As for them that think this doctrine, whereby we 
do constantly affirm that faith alone without works doth jus- 
tify, to be contrary to religion, let them blame the apostles of 
Christ, and not find fault with us. Moreover, whereas we 
Faithonly say, that the faithful are justified by faith alone, or else by 
faith without works, we do not say, as many think we do, 
that faith is post alone’, or utterly destitute of good works: 
for wheresoever faith is, there also it sheweth itself by good 
works; because the righteous cannot but work righteousness. 
But before he doth work righteousness, that is to say, good 
works, he must of necessity be righteous: therefore the 
righteous doth not attain to righteousness that goeth before 
by works that follow after. Wherefore that righteousness is 
attributed to grace: for the faithful are freely by grace 
justified in faith, according to that saying, “ The just shall 
live by his faith;” and after that they are justified, they 
begin to bring forth the works of righteousness. Therefore, 
in this discourse I mean not to overthrow good works, which 
have their due place and dignity in the church among the 
faithful before the face of God: but my mind is, by all the 
means I may, to prove that the grace of God, and increase* 
of the Son of God, is overthrown and trodden under foot, 
when we join our merits and works to the merit of Christ, 


[1 Ephes. ii. S—10.] [3 honorandi, Lat. ] 
[3 fidem esse solam, Lat.] [4 meritum, Lat.] 





VI. | JUSTIFICATION BY FAITH. 119 


and to faith, by which we take hold on Christ. For what 
can be more manifest than this saying of the blessed apostle ? 
“If we be saved by grace, then not now works®; for then 
grace is no more grace. But if we be saved by works, then 
is it now no grace®; for the work is no more work.” Rom. xi. 
Wherefore these two, grace and merit or work, cannot stand 
together. Therefore, lest we should overthrow the grace of 
God, and wickedly deny the fruit of Christ his passion, we do 
attribute justification unto faith only, because that faith attri- 
buteth it to the mere grace of God in the death of the Son of 
God. 

And yet for all this we acknowledge that we are created, Of good 
according to the doctrine of Paul, unto good works; to those peice 
good works, I say, which God hath before ordained’, which 
he in his word hath appointed, and doth require us to walk 
in the same: in which although we walk, and are become 
rich in good works, yet notwithstanding we do not attribute 
to them our justification ; but, according to the doctrine of the 
gospel, we humble ourselves under the hand of him that saith: 
“So ye also, when ye have done all things that are com- 
manded you, yet say, We are unprofitable servants; we have 
done no more than we ought to do®*.” So then, as often as 
the godly doth read, that our own works do justify us, that 
our own works are called righteousness, that unto our own 
works is given a reward and life everlasting; he doth not by 
and by swell with pride, nor yet forget the merit of Christ: 
but, setting a godly and apt interpretation upon such-like 
places, he doth consider that all things are of the grace of 
God, and that so great things are attributed to the works of 
men, because they are received into grace, and are now be- 
come the sons of God for Christ his sake; so that at the last, 
all things may be turned upon Christ himself, for whose sake 
the godly know that they and all theirs are in favour and 
accepted of God the Father. 

In this that I have said (which is a little indeed in respect 
of the largeness of the matter, but sufficiently long enough in 
respect of one hour’s space appointed me to speak in,) I have 
declared unto you, dearly beloved, the great effect of faith ; 
that is to say, that it justifieth the faithful ; where, by the way, 

[5 ex operibus, Lat. ] [Ὁ jam non ex gratia, Lat.] 

[7 Ephes. ii, 10.] [8 Luke xvii. 10.] 


120 THE FIRST DECADE. [SERM. 


I have rather briefly touched, than at large discoursed upon, 
the whole work of justification, both profitable and necessary 
for all men to know. Now, therefore, I pass over this, and 
come to the rest. 
Faith the True faith is the well-spring and root of all virtues and 
good works. good works: and first of all, it satisfieth the mind and desire 
of man, and maketh it quiet and joyful. For the Lord in the 
gospel saith: “I am the bread of life: he that cometh to me 
shall not hunger; and he that believeth in me shall not thirst 
at any time!.” For what can he desire more, which doth 
already feel, that by true faith he possesseth the very Son of 
God, in whom are all the heavenly treasures, and in whom is 
all fulness and grace? Our consciences are made clear and 
quiet, so soon as we perceive that by true faith Christ, the 
Son of God, is altogether ours; that he hath appeased the 
Father in our behalf; that he doth now stand in the presence 
of the Father, and maketh intercession to him for us. And 
for that cause saith Paul: “ Being justified by faith, we have 
peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ®.” Through 
the same Christ, also, by faith we have a free passage unto 
the Father*. Wherefore we pray to the Father in his Son’s 
name, and at his hand we obtain all things that are available 
to our behoof. Very well therefore said the apostle John: 
“ς And this is the confidence that we have in him, that, if we 
ask any thing according to his will, he heareth us. And if 
we know that he heareth us, whatsoever we ask, we know 
also that we have the petitions that we requested at his 
hands‘.” They that want faith do neither pray to God, nor 
yet receive of him the things that are for their welfare. 
Moreover, faith maketh us acceptable to God, and doth com- 
mand us to have an eye to the well using of God’s good gifts. 
Faith the. ἢ Faith causeth us not to faint in tribulations: yea also, by 
Christians. faith we overcome the world, the flesh, the devil, and all ad- 
versities ; as the apostle John saith: “For all that is born 
of God overcometh the world: and this is the victory that 
vanquisheth the world, even your faith. Who is he that 
overcometh the world, but he that believeth that Jesus is the 
Son of God>?” Paul saith: ‘ Some were racked, not caring, 


[1 John vi. 35.]_ - [2 Rom. v. 1.] 
[3 Ephes. ii. 18.] [4 1 John v. 14, 15.] 
[51 John vy. 4, 5.] 








vi. ] JUSTIFICATION BY FAITH. 121 


by faith, to be set at liberty, that they might obtain a better 
resurrection. Other some were tried with mocks and stripes, 
with fetters and imprisonments; were stoned, were hewed in 
pieces, were slain with the edge of the sword: they wandered 
in sheep-skins and goat-skins, comfortless, oppressed, afflicted, 
(of whom the world was not worthy,) wandering in deserts and 
mountains, and in the dens and caves of the earth®.” For the 
Lord himself in the gospel said: ‘“ This spake I unto you, 
that ye might have peace in me. In the world ye have 
affliction; but be of good confidence, I have overcome the 
world’.” Faith therefore both shall be, and is, the force and 
strength of patience. Patience is the prop®, uplifting, and 
preservation of hope. Of faith springeth charity. Charity “is 
the fulfilling of the law®,” which containeth in it the sum of all 
good works. But unless we have a true faith in God, there 
is no charity in us, “ Every one that loveth him that begat,” 
saith John the apostle, “ loveth him also that is born of him!.” 

The hour is past a good while since, and no man is able 
in many hours, so substantially as it requireth, to declare 
the whole effect of faith. 

Ye have heard, dearly beloved, that true faith is the 
justification of the church or faithful of God; that it is, I say, 
the forgiveness of all sins, a receiving into the grace of God, 
a taking by adoption into the number of the sons of God, an 
assured and blessed sanctification", and finally, the well-spring 
of all good works. Let us therefore in true faith pray to 
God the Father, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that 
he will vouchsafe to fill our hearts with this true faith; that 
in this present world, being joined to him in faith, we may 
serve him as we ought; and, after our departure out of this 
life, we may for ever live with him in whom we believe. To 
him be praise and glory for ever. Amen. 


[6 Heb. xi. 35—38.] 

[7 John xvi. 33.] 

[8 Hee fulcit, &c., Lat. This (faith) is the prop, &c.] 
[9 Rom. xiii. 10.] [10 1 John vy. 1.] 
[11 beatificationem, Lat. ] 





The Apostles’ 
Creed. 


122 THE FIRST DECADE. [SERM. 


OF THE FIRST ARTICLES OF THE CHRISTIAN FAITH 
CONTAINED IN THE APOSTLES’ CREED. 


THE SEVENTH SERMON. 


In my two last sermons I entreated of true faith and the 
effects thereof; and among the rest in one place I said, that 
the articles of the christian faith are, as it were, a brief 
summary of true faith: now therefore I think it to be not 
beside the purpose, and part of my duty, to lay before you 
those twelve articles of our belief. For they are the sub- 
stance and matter of true faith, wherein faith is exercised : 
which because it is the ground! of things hoped for, here is 
plainly and briefly declared in these articles what things 
those are that are to be hoped for. But let no man at this 
present look for at my hand the busy? and full discourse of 
the articles of our faith: I will but briefly go through them, 
touching only the most necessary points. They are in another 
place handled more at large by several parts. Pray ye with 
me to the Lord, that he will vouchsafe to shew to us his 
ways, to guide and preserve us in them, to the glory of his 
own name, and the everlasting salvation of our souls. 

First, I have to say somewhat touching the common 
name, whereby the articles of our faith are usually called 
the Symbol or Creed of the Apostles. A symbol is as much 
to say as a conferring together, or else a badge®. The 
articles are called a conferring together, because, by the 
laying together of the apostles’ doctrine, they were made and 
written to be a rule and an abridgement of the faith preached 
by the apostles, and received of the catholic or universal 
church. But what he was that first did thus dispose and write 
these articles, it is not known, nor left in writing of the holy 
scriptures. Some there are that do attribute it to the apostles 
themselves, and therefore do call it by the name of the Apostles’ 
Creed. St Cyprian, the martyr, in his exposition of the 
Apostles’ Creed, saith: ‘Our ancestors have a saying, that 
after the Lord’s ascension, when by the coming of the Holy 
Ghost the fiery tongues sat upon every one of the apostles, so 


[1 substantia, Lat.] [2 operosam, Lat.] 
[3 et collatio, et indicium, Lat.] 








vil. | THE APOSTLES’ CREED. 123 


that they spake both divers and sundry languages, whereby 
there was no foreign nation nor barbarous tongue to which they 
seemed not sufficiently prepared to pass by the way; they hada 
commandment from the Lord, to go unto all nations to preach 
the word of God. When therefore they were in a readiness 
to depart, they laid down among themselves a platform of 
preaching for them all to follow, lest peradventure, being 
severed one from another, they should preach divers things 
to them that were converted to the faith of Christ. Wherefore 
being there all together, and replenished with the Holy Ghost, 
they gathered one every one’s several sentence, and made 
that breviary (as I said) to be a pattern for all their preach- 
ings to be framed by, appointing it for a rule to be given to 
them that should believe+.” This saith Cyprian. But whether 
they were of the apostles’ own making or no, or else that 
other, the apostles’ disciples, made them, yet this is very well 
known, that the very doctrine of the apostles is purely con- 
tained and taught in them. These twelve articles are called 
also a badge, because by that sign, as it were by a badge, 
true Christians are discerned from false. 

Now I will declare what order I will use in expounding 7h¢paitition 
them unto you. This whole breviary, or abridgement of faith, “Se 
may be divided into four parts; so that the three first parts 
may make manifest the mysteries of the three Persons in one 
Godhead ; and that the fourth may lay forth the fruits of 
faith, that is to say, what good things we look for by faith, 
and what good things God bestoweth on them that put their 
trust in him. And yet, this notwithstanding, I will proceed 


[4 Tradunt majores nostri, quod post ascensionem Domini, cum 
per adventum sancti Spiritus super singulos quosque apostolos ig- 
nez linguz sedissent, ut loquelis diversis variisque loquerentur, per 
quod eis nulla gens extera, nulla linguee barbaries inaccessa videretur 
et inyia, preeceptum eis a Domino datum, ob predicandum Dei ver- 
bum, ad singulas quemque proficisci nationes. Discessuri itaque ab 
invicem normam prius futuree sibi preedicationis in commune consti- 
tuunt, ne forte alius ab alio abducti diversum aliquid his, qui ad fidem 
Christi invitabantur, exponerent. Omnes ergo in uno positi, et 
Spiritu sancto repleti, breve istud future sibi (ut diximus) preedica- 
tionis indicium, conferendo in unum quod sentiebat unusquisque, com- 
ponunt, atque hance credentibus dandam esse regulam statuunt.— 
Cypr. Expos. in Symb. Apost. in init. ed. Oxon. 1682. This tract is 
not Cyprian’s, but was written by Ruffinus. ] 


124 THE FIRST DECADE. [SERM. 


herein even orderly so as the twelve articles are placed or 
set down. 

The first article of christian faith is this: “1 believe in 
God, the Father Almighty, maker of heaven and earth.” 
And this first article of the Creed containeth two especial 
points: for first we say generally, I believe in God; then 
we descend particularly to the distinction of the Persons, and 

Godisone add, the Father Almighty. For God is one in substance, 

and three in. and three in Persons. Wherefore, understanding the unity 

ow of the substance, we say plainly, I believe in God: and 
again, keeping and not confounding the Persons, we add, In 
the Father Almighty, In Jesus Christ his only Son, and in 
the Holy Ghost. Let us therefore believe that God is one, 
not many, and pure in substance; but three in Persons, the 
Father, the Son, and the Holy Ghost. For in the law it is 
written: “ Hearken, Israel: The Lord our God is one Lord?!.” 
And again, in the gospel we read that the Lord saith: 
“ Baptize them in the name of the Father, of the Son, and of 
the Holy Ghost®.” 

me By the way, this is singularly to be marked of us; that, 

a when we pray, we say, “Our Father which art in heaven, 
give us this day our daily bread ;” but that, when we make 
confession of our belief, we say not, We believe, but, “I be- 
lieve.” For faith is required of every one of us, for every 
particular man to have without dissimulation in his heart, and 
without double meaning to profess it with his mouth. It was 
not enough for Abraham to have faith for all his seed; neither 
will it avail thee any thing for another to believe, if thou thy- 
self art without faith: for the Lord requireth faith of every 
particular man for himself. Wherefore, so oft as we confess 
our faith, every one of us by himself doth say, “I believe.” 
But what it is to believe, I have declared already in my fourth 
sermon. 

It followeth in the confession, “1 believe in God.” God 
is the object and foundation of our faith, as he that is the 
everlasting and chief goodness, never weary, but alway ready 
at our need. We therefore believe in God; that is to say, we 
put our whole hope, all our safety, and ourselves wholly into 
his hands, as unto him that is able to preserve and bestow on 
us all things that are requisite for our behoof. 

[} Deut. vi. 4.] [3 Matt. xxviii. 19.] 








VII. | THE APOSTLES’ CREED. 125 


Now it followeth that that God, in whom we rest, and God is called 
unto whose tuition we do all commit ourselves, is ‘the Father : 
Almighty.” Our God is therefore called Father, because from 
before all beginning he begat the Son like to himself. For 
the scripture calleth God “the Father of our Lord Jesus 
Christ.” ‘“ He,” saith the apostle, “is the brightness of the 
glory of God, and the lively image? of the substance of the 
Father: to whom he said, Thou art my Son, this day have I 
begotten thee.” And again: “I will be his Father, and he 
shall be my Son‘.” Also God is called Father in respect of 
the likeness that he hath with our earthly father; to wit, 
because of our creation, the favour, love, good-will, and care- 
fulness wherewith he is affected towards us. For God hath 
created us, God loveth us, God regardeth our affairs, and is 
careful for us; yea, and that more exceedingly too than any 
earthly father is. For saith David: “ Even as the father pitieth 
his children, so doth the Lord pity them that fear him: for 
he knoweth our estate, remembering that we are but dust5.” 
Esaias also in his 49th chapter saith: “Can a woman forget 
her own infant, and not pity and be fain over® the son of her 
own womb? But admit she do forget; yet will not I forget 
thee.” In this is declared God’s good-will to us-ward: and 
we, confessing that God is our Father, do also profess that 
God to us is both gentle, liberal, and merciful, who wisheth 
us all things that are available to our health, and purposeth 
nothing to us-ward but that which is good and wholesome ; 
and, last of all, that at his hand we receive what good soever 
we have, either bodily or ghostly. 

God is called Almighty, because by his might he can do God is called 
all things; because he is Lord of all things, and hath all mete 
things subject to his commandment. For the same cause also 
is he called the Lord of hosts. Heaven, earth, and whatso- 
ever is therein, stars, all elements, men, angels, devils, all 
living creatures, all things created, are in the power of the 
most high and everlasting God. Whatsoever he commandeth, 
that they do: nothing is able to withstand his will. What he 


[3 expressa imago, Lat.; Erasmus’ rendering. The Vulgate has 
only figura. 

{4 Heb. i. 3, 5.] 

[5 Psal. ciii. 13, 14.] 

[6 eximie afliciatur erga, Lat.] 


God is the 
maker of 
heaven and 
earth. 


126 THE FIRST DECADE, [SERM. 


will, that must of necessity be done: and also these things he 
useth even as his own will and pleasure is, and as his justice 
and man’s salvation do require. First we confessed, that God 
doth will us well; and now we acknowledge, that whatsoever 
he will, that he is able to bring to pass. For we say that 
God is Almighty, that is, that there is nothing but he can do 
it, which is profitable and necessary for us men, as he that is 
Lord of all, and our strong helper. 

But that God is our good Father, liberal, gentle, merciful, 
strong, almighty, Lord of all, and our defender and deliverer, 
it is to be seen by his wonderful works. For he is the 
“maker of heaven and earth.” And in the making of heaven 
and earth he hath declared the great love that he beareth to 
mankind. For when as yet they were not, neither were able 
with deserts and good turns to provoke God to do them any 
good; then God first of his own mere and natural goodness 
made heaven and earth, a most excellent and beautiful palace, 
and gave it them to dwell in, putting under man’s dominion all 
the creatures of this whole world. But how great power he 
shewed in the making of all these things, it is evident by this, 
that “he spake the word, and they were made; he commanded, 
and they were created}.” Which if thou bring into parts, and 
severally examine what he made in those six days, in what 
order, with what beauty, to how great commodity of man- 
kind, and finally how almost with no labour at all he brought 
them all forth, as it is at large written by Moses in the first 
of Genesis, thou shalt be compelled to be amazed at the good- 
will and power of God. And yet, by the way, we must think 
the Creator of all things to be such an one, as by his Son, 
that is, by his eternal Wisdom, hath created all things both 
visible and invisible; yea, and that of nothing too: and doth 
moreover at this very present sustain, nourish, rule, and 
preserve all things by his everlasting Spirit, without which 
every thing would presently fall to ruin, and come to nought. 
We do herein therefore confess also the providence of our 
eternal God, and his exceeding wise government. 

And thus in this first part I have declared unto you that 
which is proper to the Father. For he is a Father; yea, he 
is the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, and our Father also, 


() Psal. xxxiii. 9, and exlviii. 5.] 











VIL. | THE APOSTLES CREED. 127 


being Lord of all things, maker of heaven and earth, go- 
vernor and preserver of all things, by whom all things are, 
and in whom all things consist; who from before all begin- 
ning begot the eternal Son, equal with the Father, being of 
one substance, power, and glory with the Father, by whom 
also he made the world. From both them proceedeth the Holy 
Ghost, as David witnesseth, and saith: “‘ By the word of the 
Lord the heavens were made, and by the breath of his mouth 
all the host thereof ?,” 

Now followeth the second part, wherein are contained all the secona 
the mysteries of Jesus Christ, our Lord, the Son of God. belie. °°” 
For the second article of the christian faith is thus word for 
word: “And in Jesus Christ, his only Son, our Lord.” This 
article also comprehendeth two things: the first is, that we 
believe in the Son of God; the second, what the Son of God 
is. For we confess that we believe, that is, that we put our 
whole hope and confidence of life and salvation, as well in the 
Son as in the Father. And therefore we say plainly, “I believe 7opetieve in 
in Jesus Christ,” even as before we said, “I believe in God,” Goa” 
ὅθ. For the Lord Jesus himself, in the fourteenth chapter 
of John, saith: “ Let not your heart be troubled: ye believe 
in God, believe also in me.” Again: “This is the work of 
God, that ye believe in him whom he hath sent.” And 
again: “ This is eternal life, to know thee, the true God only, 
and him whom thou hast sent, Christ Jesus*.” Moreover, in 
the gospel after St John we read, that the Lord, speaking to 
the blind whose eyes he opened, said : ‘‘ Dost thou believe in the 
Son of God?” and that the blind, having received his sight, 
answered: ‘ Who is he, Lord, that I may believe in him?” 
Whereunto the Lord replied : “ Thou hast seen him, and he it 
is that talketh with thee.” And that then again the blind 
said, “I believe, Lord ;” and therewithal he worshipped him®. 
Therefore let us also believe and worship; let us believe that 
Jesus is the very Son of God the Father, being of one power 
with the Father, although in Person he differ from the Father : 
which David testifying saith, “The Lorp said to my Lord, 

Sit thou at my right hand,” &c.® 


But if we declare at large, who that Son of God is, in who tne 
Son of God 
[2 Psal. xxxiii. 6.] [3 John vi. 29.] a 
[4 John xvii. 3.] [5 John ix. 35—38.] 


(6 Psal. cx. 1.] 


Consubstan- 
tial and co- 
essential. 
The only 
Son. 


Jesus. 


128 THE FIRST DECADE. [SERM. 


whom we believe, then must we note three things especially. 
The first is, that he is called the only Son. If he be the Son, 
yea, and that too the Son of God, then is his nature and sub- 
stance a divine nature and substance. For in this signification 
doth the apostle call him “ the brightness of the glory of the 
Father, and the lively image of his substance.” Very well 
therefore do the holy fathers say, that the Son is of the same 
substance and being with! the Father. Whereunto belongeth 
that, that he is called the only Son; and in another place, 
the only-begotten and first-begotten Son. or we also are 
called sons, not by participation of nature, or likeness of sub- 
stance, or naturally, but by adoption. And therefore the 
Jews were not offended, because he called himself the Son of 
God, in that sense that all the faithful are called, and are, 
the sons of God; but because they did perceive, that he did 
more extol himself in saying that he is the natural Son of 
God, equal to God, and God himself. For thus we read in 
the fifth of John: “Therefore the Jews sought the more to 
kill Jesus; not only because he had broken the sabbath, but 
said also that God was his Father, and made himself equal 
with God.” Again, where the Lord in the tenth chapter 
said, “I and my Father are one; then the Jews took up 
stones to stone him withal: but Jesus answered, Many good 
works have I done unto you; for which of them do ye stone 
me?” To which the Jews replied: “For thy good works’ 
sake we stone thee not, but for thy blasphemy, and because 
thou, being a man, makest thyself God.” These are most 
evident testimonies of the natural Godhead of Christ, which 
whosoever believeth not, he hath not the Father®. For he that 
honoureth the Son, honoureth the Father; and he that is 
without the Son hath not the Father: and unless the Son 
were God by nature, he could not be the Saviour of the 
world. 

Now the second thing that is to be marked is, that the 
name of the only-begotten Son of God is opened, and he is 
called “Jesus Christ.” The name is expressly set down, that we 
may know who it is in whom we believe, lest peradventure we 
might be deceived in the person. It is Jesus: which name 
was given unto him by God’s appointment from heaven, even 


[1 consubstantialis et coessentialis, Lat.] 
[2 1 John ii. 23.) 








“πὴ: scree 








Vit. | THE APOSTLES’ CREED. 129 


as also it was prefigured in duke Josue and in Jesus the high 
priest. The angel, in the gospel after St Matthew, instructing 
Joseph, saith: ‘Mary shall bring forth a son, and thou shalt 
call his name Jesus. For he shall save his people from their 
sins?,” 

So then this Son of God, Jesus, is the Saviour of the 
world, who forgiveth sins, and setteth us free from all the 
power of our adversary the devil: which verily he could not 
do, unless he were very God. He is also called Christ, chris. 
which is all one as if you say, Anointed. The Jews call 
him Messias; which word is a title proper to a kingdom or 
priesthood*. For they of old were wont to anoint their kings 
and priests: they were anointed with external or figurative 
ointment or oil. But very Christ was anointed with the 
very true ointment, that is, with the fulness of the Holy 
Ghost: as is to be seen in the first and third chapters after 
St John. Most properly therefore is this name Christ attri- 
buted to our Lord. For, first, he is both King and Priest of 
the people of God. Then the Holy Ghost is poured fully by 
all means and abundantly into Jesus, from whom, as it were 
by a lively fountain, it floweth into all the members of Christ. 
For this is that Aaron, upon whose head the oil was poured, 
“which ran down to his beard, and the nethermost skirts of 
his garment®:” for “ of his fulness we have all received ®.” 

The last thing that is to be noted now in this second 
article is, that we call the Son of God “our Lord.” The Son Christ is our 
of God verily is for two causes properly called our Lord: 
first, in respect of the mystery of our redemption. For 
Christ is the Lord of all the elect, whom he hath delivered 
from the power and dominion of Satan, sin, and death, and 
hath made them a people of his own getting for himself’. 
This similitude is taken of lords, which with their money buy 
slaves for their use, or else which in wars reserve captives, 
whom they might have slain, or which deliver men condemned 
from present death. So then by this, lords are, as it were, 
deliverers, redeemers, or saviours®, Hereunto verily alludeth 


[3 ch. i. 21.] [4 tam regni, quam sacerdotii, Lat.] 

[5 Psal. exxxiii. 2.] [6 John i. 16.] 

[7 populum acquisitionis, Lat. 1 Pet. ii. 9.] 

[8 Dominus redemptoris et assertoris vocabulum est.—Erasm. 
Colloq. Inquisit. de Fide. Opp. Lugd. Bat. 1703. Tom. 1. col. 729.] 


[ BULLINGER. | ; 


The third 
article of our 
belief. 


The causes 
of the Lord 
his inecarna- 
tion. 


Immanuel. 


A mediator. 


130 THE FIRST DECADE. [SERM. 


Paul, where he saith: “ Ye are bought with a price: become 
not (therefore) the servants of men!.” And St Peter saith: 
“Ye are redeemed, not with gold and silver, but with the 
precious blood of the unspotted Lamb?” Moreover, Christ 
is called Lord in respect of his divine power and nature, by 
which all things are in subjection to the Son of God. And 
for because this word “Lord” is of a very ample signification, 
as that which containeth both the divine nature and majesty, 
we see that the apostles in their writings use it very willingly. 
Paul to the Corinthians saith: “ Although there be many 
lords, yet have we but one Lord Jesus Christ, by whom all 
things are, and we by him®.” 

Now the third article of christian faith is this: “ Which 
was conceived by the Holy Ghost; born of the virgin Mary.” 
In the second article we have confessed, that we believe in 
Jesus Christ, the Son of God, our Lord: wherein we have, 
as it were in a shadow, confessed, that we believe assuredly, 
that God, the Father, hath for us and our salvation given to 
the world his Son, to be a Saviour and Redeemer ; for hitherto 
belong those names, Jesus, and Lord. Now therefore -in this 
third article I have to declare the manner and order how he 
came into the world; to wit, by incarnation. This article 
containeth two things; the conception of Christ, and his nati- 
vity: of both which I will orderly speak, after that I have 
briefly declared unto you the causes of the Lord his incarna- 
tion. 

Men were in a miserable taking, and all mankind should 
utterly have perished for sin, which we have all drawn from 
the first man Adam: for the reward of sin is death. And 
for that cause we, that were to be cast into hell, could not 
enter into heaven, unless the Son of God had descended unto 
us, and, becoming God with us‘, had with himself drawn us 
into heaven. Therefore the chief cause of his incarnation is, 
to be a Mediator betwixt God and men, and by intercession 
to join, or bring into one, them that were severed. For 
where a mediator is, there also must needs be discord and 
parties. The parties are God and men: the cause of dis- 
cord is sin. Now the office of the mediator is to bring to 


[11 Cor. vii. 23.] [2 1 Pet. i. 18, 19.] 
(8 1 Cor. viii. 5, 6.] 
{4 Immanuel, Lat. ] 














vit. | THE APOSTLES’ CREED. 191] 


agreement the parties disagreeing: which verily cannot be 
done, unless that sin, the cause of this variance, be taken 
clean away. But sin is neither cleansed nor taken away, 
except that blood be shed, and death do follow. This wit- 
nesseth Paul in his ninth chapter to the Hebrews. The me- 
diator ought therefore to take on him our flesh and blood, 
that he might both die and shed his blood. Furthermore it 
is needful, that this advocate, or mediator, be indifferently 
common to both the parties, whom he hath to reconcile: 
wherefore our Lord Christ ought to be very God and very 
man. If he had been God alone, then should he have been 
terrible to men, and have stood them in little stead: if he 
had been mere man, then could he not have had access to 
God, which is a consuming fire. Wherefore our Lord Jesus 
Christ, being both God and man, was a fit Mediator for both 
the parties. Which thing the apostle witnessing saith: “One 
God, and one Mediator of God and men, the man Christ 
Jesus, who gave himself the price of redemption for all5.” 
The same apostle, in the second and ninth chapters to the He- 
brews, speaketh many things belonging to this place. And 
in the second chapter, rehearsing another cause of Christ his 
incarnation, he saith: “It became him in all things to be 
made like unto his brethren, that he might be merciful and a 
faithful High Priest in things concerning God, for to purge the 
people’s sins. or in that he himself was tempted, he is able 
to succour them that are tempted.” Another cause, where- 
fore our Lord was incarnate, was, that he might instruct us 
men in all godliness and righteousness; and finally, that he 
might be the light of the world, and an ensample of holy 
life. For Paul saith: “The grace of God that bringeth 
salvation hath appeared unto us, teaching us to renounce un- 
godliness, and to live holily®”” To conclude: he therefore 
became one with us by the participation of nature, that is to 
say, it pleased him to be incarnate for this cause, that he 
might join us again to God, who for sin were separated from 
God; and receive us into the fellowship of himself, and all 
other his goodness beside. 

The next is for us to declare the manner of his incarnation. 
This article of faith standeth on two members. The first is, 

(5 1 Tim. ii. 5, 6.] 
[ὁ Tit. ii, 11, 12.] 
9—2 


The manner 
of Christ his 
conception. 


132 THE FIRST DECADE. [SERM. 


“He was conceived by the Holy Ghost.” All we men, 
Christ excepted, are conceived by the seed of man, which of 
itself is unclean; and therefore we are born sinners; and 
Paul saith, ‘‘We are born the sons of wrath!” But the 
body of Christ, I say, our Lord, was not conceived in the 
virgin Mary by Joseph, or by any seed of man, but by the 
Holy Ghost: not that the Holy Ghost was in place of the 
seed; for nothing is begotten of the Spirit, but what is 
spiritual. Neither hath our Lord a phantastical?, but a very 
true body, and of the same substance with us. So then 
our Lord was conceived in the womb of the virgin by the 
Holy Ghost. For the Holy Ghost by his eternal power did 
bring to pass, that, the virginity of the mother being uncor- 
rupted, she, I say, being made with child, conceived of her 
blood, and gave a pure and very human body to the Son of 
God; as is declared at large by the angel Gabriel in the 
first chapter of St Luke: of which place I mean to speak 
elsewhere more largely: I do now pass it over untouched. 
God himself straightways after the beginning of the world 
did foretell, that such should be the manner of that concep- 
tion. For he said not, The seed of the man shall tread down 
the serpent’s head, but “the seed of the woman*.” Moreover 
the Lord by the prophets saith: “I will raise up seed to 
David.” But Moses’ law for the raising up of seed to the 
brother departed is well known: for if the brother died 
without issue of children, his brother remaining alive was 
compelled to marry the deceased brother’s wife, and of her to 
beget children, which were called and counted, not by the 
name of him that was living, but of the dead brother‘. 
Wherefore, when there was not to be found a man of David’s 
line, that was sufficiently meet to beget on the virgin the Son 
of God, the Saviour of the world, God himself raiseth up 
seed to David, and by his Holy Spirit maketh the virgin with 
child; who, although she were not with child by a man of 


[1 Ephes. ii. 3.] 

[2 The Docetze, an early heretical sect, maintained, that the incar- 
nation and sufferings of our Lord were not real, but phantastical._— 
See Routh’s Reliq. Sacr. Tom. 1. p. 461. ed. Oxon. 1846; also Calvin. 
Instit. Lib. π΄. cap. 13.] 

{3 Gen. iii. 15.] 

[4 Deut. xxv. 5, 6.] 


— 











vil. | THE APOSTLES’ CREED. 199 


David’s line, yet because she was a daughter of αν] 5 
stock, and because, God so working, she of her own sub- 
stance gave substance to the Son of God, this her child 
Christ both is, and is called, the Son of David. What doth 
that argue moreover, that David in the 110th Psalm saith, 
“Τὴ the mighty power of holiness the dew of thy birth is to 
thee of the womb of the morning;” or, “The dew of thy 
birth is to thee of the womb of the morning in the mighty 
power of holiness?” That is to say, By a certain mighty 
power of holiness, and marvellous means, shalt thou be born. 
For thy birth shall be like unto the engendering of the dew, 
which cometh of the pure morning, as it were a child born 
of the womb. For as in the day-time the sun draweth out 
of the earth a vapour, which, by reason of the smallness of 
the heat which draweth it upward, is by the coldness of the 
temperate night-evenings drawn down again, and resolved 
into water; so God, that is the Sun of righteousness, took 
blood of the earth, that is, of the body of the untouched 
virgin Mary, and by a wonderful means did holily and purely 
bring to pass, that of her unspotted womb should be born 
and conceived the most holy Son of God. 

The causes, why this conception of the Son of God in the The causes 
womb of the holy virgin is most pure, are these. He that regen 
is conceived in the womb of a virgin is God; but God is 
a consuming fire, which cannot take or suffer any unclean- 
ness in itself. Another cause is this: God came to cleanse 
our uncleanness, that is, the uncleanness of us men. He 
himself verily ought to be exempt from all original spots, and 
in all points most holy, to the end that, being the only un- 
spotted sacrifice offered up for the sins of all the world, he 
might clean take away all the sins of the world. For that 
which is itself defiled cannot cleanse the thing that is defiled ; 
but rather the spot or filthiness doth double his uncleanness 
by the coming to of that other unclean thing. 

The second member of this third article is: He was “ born 
of the virgin Mary. ” The Lord was born of Mary his mother, ofthe vin 
yet she a virgin still. He is therefore very man, which is 
born of woman. Moreover his birth is pure: for he was 
born of the virgin, so that together she was a mother, and 
yet a virgin too, For Esaias saith: ‘Behold, a virgin shall 


134 THE FIRST DECADE. [SERM. 


conceive, and bring forth a son!.” <A virgin, saith he, shall do 
both, conceive and bring forth; so that nevertheless she may 
remain a virgin still. The birth, therefore, of the Son of 
God is most pure. Also his birth is a true birth, verily and 
indeed. For he taketh flesh of the substance and womb of 
the virgin: in which signification also our Lord Jesus Christ 
is called the Son of David. He could not be called David’s 
son, unless he had taken very human substance of Mary, a 
maid or daughter of the stock of David. Which that the 
apostle John might most properly signify and express, he 
saith: “The Word was made flesh?.” And the apostle Paul 
saith: ‘He doth nowhere take on him the angels, but the 
seed of Abraham’.” And in the same place again he affirmeth, 
that the Lord “was made like to his brethren in all things, 
sin excepted.” To the Philippians he saith: ‘ When he was 
equal with God, he made himself of no reputation, taking on 
him the form of a servant, and made in the likeness of men, 
and found in figure as a man‘.” Again, the apostle John 
beareth witness, and saith: “Every spirit, that confesseth 
that Jesus Christ is come in the flesh, is of God; and every 
spirit, which confesseth not that Jesus Christ is come in the 
flesh, is not of God*.” Luke, in his second chapter, hath at 
large set forth the manner of his nativity; and I do mean 
elsewhere to speak of it at the full. Let us therefore confess, 
that Jesus Christ was “ conceived by the Holy Ghost, and 
born of the virgin Mary.” 


The fourth The fourth article of christian faith is this: ‘ He suffered 
belies °°” under Pontius Pilate, was crucified, dead, and buried: he de- 


scended into hell.” In this fourth article is declared the end, 
use, and chiefest commodity of the Lord his incarnation. For 
he became man, that he might suffer and die, and, by dying 
and suffering, might redeem us from eternal death and the 
torments of hell, and make us (being once cleansed) heirs of 
life everlasting. For this is the end of the Lord his death, 
as I will by and by shew you, and as Paul doth at large de- 
clare in the ninth chapter to the Hebrews. 


[} Isai. vii. 14.] [2 John i. 14.] 

[3 Heb. ii. 16, 17. assumit, Lat.; Erasmus’rendering. The Vul- 
gate has apprehendit. } 

[4 11.68. ] [5 1 John iv. 2, 3.] 





| 





vil. | THE APOSTLES’ CREED, 135 


This article also is divided into his parts. First, we con- 
fess that our Lord suffered in very deed, and not phantastically 
to the appearance only°; and that he suffered verily the 
calamities and miseries of this world, and after that again the 
torments of the slaughter-men, and death itself in most bitter 
pangs. He suffered therefore both in soul and body; yea, 
and that too in many fashions. For Esaias saith: ‘“ He is a 
man of sorrows, and hath felt calamities. He beareth our in- 
firmities, and hath carried our sorrows’.” For the Lord him- 
self also in the gospel said: “My soul is heavy, even unto the 
death®,” But verily he suffered all this for us; for in him 
was neither sin, nor any cause else why he should suffer. 

Secondarily, in this article is noted the time, and Pontius 
Pilate the judge under whom the Lord died, and redeemed 
the world from sin, death, the devil, and hell. He suffered 
therefore in the monarchy of the Romans, under the emperor 
Tiberius, when as now, according to the prophecy of Jacob, 
father of Israel9, the Jewish people obeyed foreign kings, be- 
cause there were no more kings or captains of the stock of 
Judah to have the rule over them: for he foretold, that 
then the Messias should come. What may be thought of 
that moreover, that the Lord himself, oftener than once in 
the gospel, did foreshew that he should be delivered into the 
hands of the Gentiles, and by them be put to death? 

In the third point of this article we do expressly declare 
the manner of his death; for we add: ‘He was crucified,” and 
died on the cross. But the death of the cross, as it was most 
reproachful, so also was it most bitter or sharp to be suffered ; 
yet took he that kind of death upon him, that he might make 
satisfaction for the world, and fulfil that which from the 
beginning was prefigured, that he should be hanged on the 
tree. Isaac was laid on the pile of wood to be offered up in 
sacrifice. Moses also stuck the serpent on the stake of wood, 
and lift it up to be beheld. And the Lord himself said: “1, 
when 1 shall be lift up from the earth, will draw all men unto 
me!!,” Finally, he died on the cross, giving up his ghost to 
God. For he died verily and indeed, as you shall straight- 
way perceive: where I have briefly to declare unto you, 

[ὁ non putative. ] {7 Isai. liii. 3, 4.] 


[8 Mark xiv. 34.] [9 Jacobi Israelis, Lat. ] 
[10 Gen. xlix. 10.] [11 John xii 32 ] 


Christ did 
suffer. 


Christ suffer- 
ed under 
Pontius 
Pilate. 


136 THE FIRST DECADE. .  [SERM. 


what the fruit of Christ his death is. First, we were accursed 
because of sin: he therefore took our curse upon himself, 
being lift up upon the cross, to the end he might take our 
curse away, and that we might be blessed in him. Then also, 
the heritage bequeathed to us by will could not come unto us, 
unless he which bequeathed it did die. But God bequeathed 
it: who, that he might die, became man, and died according 
to his human nature, to the end that we might receive the 
heritage of life. In another place again Paul saith: ‘ Him 
that knew not sin did God make sin for us, that we by him 
might be made the righteousness of God!.” Our Lord there- 
fore became man, by the sacrifice of himself to make satisfac- 
tion for us; on whom, as it were upon a goat for sin- 
offering, when all the sins of the whole world were gathered 
together and laid, he by his death took away and purged 
them all: so that now the only sacrifice of Christ hath satis- 
fied for the sins of the whole world. And this verily is the 
greatest commodity of Christ his death taught everywhere by 
the apostles of Christ. Next after that, also, the death of 
Christ doth teach us patience and the mortification of our 
flesh: yea, Christ, by the participation of himself, doth by 
his Spirit work in us, that sin may not reign in us. Touching 
which thing the apostle Paul teacheth many things in the 
sixth chapter to the Romans. The Lord in the gospel saith : 
“Tf any man will follow me, let him deny himself, and take 
up his cross, and follow me2.” These, and a few more, are 
the fruits of the Lord his passion, or the death of Christ. 
Our Lord Fourthly, in this article is added: “He was buried.” 
’ For our Lord died verily and indeed upon the cross. The 
very truth of his death was proved by the soldier, which 
thrust him through the side. After that, he was taken down 
from the cross, and laid in a sepulchre. In the gospel are 
expressed the names of them that buried him, Joseph and 
Nicodemus. There is also shewed the manner how they 
buried him. The fruit of this his burial the Saviour himself 
hath taught in these words: “ Verily, verily, I say unto you, 
unless the seed of corn cast into the earth do die, it remaineth 
alone; but if it die, it bringeth forth much fruit.” Where- 
upon the apostle exhorteth us to be buried with Christ in his 


[1 2 Cor. v. 21.] [2 Matt. xvi. 24.] 
[3 John xii, 24.] 














vil. | THE APOSTLES’ CREED. 157 


death, that we may rise again in the newness of life*; yea, 
that we may live and reign with him for evermore. If, there- 
fore, our bodies also be buried at any time, let us not there- 
fore be troubled in mind; for the faithful are buried, that 
they may rise with Christ again. 

The fifth part of this fourth article some do put severally 
by itself, for the fifth article of our faith, I for my part do 
see no cause why it should be plucked from that that goeth 
before; nor why it should make by itself a peculiar article of 
our faith. The words are these: ‘He descended into hell.” 
Touching this there are sundry opinions among the expositors 
of the holy scriptures. Augustine, in his book De Fide et 
Symbolo®, doth neither place these words in the rule of belief, 
nor yet expound them. Cyprian saith thus: “It is to be 
known verily, that in the creed of the Latin church this is 
not added, ‘He descended into hell;’ nor yet is this clause 
received in the churches of the east: but yet the sense of 
that clause seemeth to be all one with that, where it is said, 
‘He was buried.’®” This saith he. So then Cyprian’s opi- 
nion seemeth to be, that to descend into hell is nothing else 
but to be laid in the grave, according to that saying of 
Jacob: “ Ye will bring my grey hairs with sorrow to hell, 
or the grave’.” 

But there are some that think this assertion to be without 
lawful proof. For it is not likely that they would wrap a 
thing once already plainly spoken immediately after in a 
darker kind of speech. Nay rather, so often as two sen- 
tences are joined together that signify both one thing, the 
latter is always an exposition of the first®. But in these two 


[4 Rom. vi. 4.] 

[6 August. Opp. Par. 1531. Tom. mr. p. 31. “The descent into 
hell is not in the creed expounded by St Augustine, De Fide et Sym- 
bolo.”—Pearson on the Creed. Oxf. ed. 1820. Vol. 1. p. 278.] 

[6 Sciendum sane est, quod in ecclesiz Romanz symbolo non ha- 
betur additum, Descendit ad inferna; sed neque in orientis ecclesiis 
habetur hic sermo: vis tamen verbi eadem videtur esse in eo quod 
sepultus dicitur.—Cypr. Expos. in Symb. in loc. p. 22. ed. Oxon. 
1682. } 

[7 Gen. xlii. 38. ad inferos, Lat. and Vulgate. Ainsworth trans- 
lates the passage: Ye shall bring down my grey hairs with sorrow 
unto hell. See also Hutchinson’s Works, p. 57. Parker Soc. ed.] 

{8 Bullinger here, almost word for word, adopts Calvin’s argument, 


He descended 
into hell. 


198 THE FIRST DECADE. [sERM. 


speeches, “‘ He was buried,” and “He descended into hell,” the 
first is the plainer, and the latter the more intricate. Augustine, 
in his ninety-ninth epistle to Evodius, turmoileth himself piti- 
fully in this matter’. To Dardanus, de Dei Presentia, he 
writeth, that the Lord went into hell, but that he felt no tor- 
ment*. We shall more agreeably to the truth seem to under- 
stand this article, if we shall think that the virtue of Christ 
his death did flow even to them that were dead, and profited 
them too: that is to say, that all the patriarchs and holy 
men, that died before the coming of Christ, were for the 
death of Christ preserved from death everlasting; as St Peter 
also maketh mention, “that the Lord went in the Spirit, 
and preached unto the spirits that were in prison®” For 
verily they by the death of Christ were made to know the 
sentence of condemnation justly pronounced against them, 
because, when they lived, they believed not with Noe and 
them that were with him in the Saviour that was to come. 
Or else otherwise, by the lower parts, or by hell, we under- 
stand not the place of punishment appointed for the wicked, 
but the faithful that are departed, even as also by the higher 
parts* we understand them that yet are remaining alive. 
Wherefore the soul of Christ descended into hell, that is to 
say, it was carried into Abraham’s bosom, wherein all the 


which is: Nam quoties loquutiones due rem eandem exprimentes 
simul connectuntur, posteriorem esse prioris exegesin convenit.— 
Calvin. Instit. Lib. m. cap. 16. ὁ 8.] 

[1 Opp. Par. 1531. Tom. τι. fol. 86.] 

Γ2 This statement seems to be gathered out of the following pas- 
sage in the Epistle of Augustine referred to: Non enim facile alicubi 
scripturarum inferorum nomen positum invenitur pro bono. Unde 
etiam queeri solet, Si non nisi pcenalia recte intelliguntur inferna, quo- 
modo animam Domini Christi pie credamus fuisse in inferno. Sed 
bene respondetur, ideo descendisse ut quibus oportuit subveniret. 
Unde beatus Petrus eum dicit solvisse dolores inferni, in quibus impos- 
sibile erat teneri eum. Porro si utraque regis et dolentium et requies- 
centium * * * in inferno esse credenda est, quis audeat dicere Do- 
minum Jesum ad peenales inferni partes venisse tantummodo, nee 
fuisse apud eos qui in Abrahe sinu requiescunt? ubi si fuit, ipse est 
intelligendus paradisus, quem lationis anime illo die dignatus est 
polliceri. Que si ita sunt, generale paradisi nomen est, ubi feliciter 
vivitur.— August. Epist. 57. Tom. τι. ed. Par. 1531.] 

[3 1 Pet. iii. 19. inobedientibus ac in carcere detentis, Lat. ] 

[2 per superos, Lat. ] 














VII. | THE APOSTLES CREED. 139 


faithful already departed were gathered together. Therefore, 
when he said to the thief that was crucified with him, “This 
day shalt thou be with me in paradise,” he promised him 
the fellowship of life and of the blessed souls. Touching 
Abraham’s bosom, our Lord spake at large in the sixteenth 
chapter of the gospel after St Luke. For whereas the Lord 
is said to have descended, that cometh to pass by the manner 
of speaking: for otherwise it is evident by Luke, that 
Abraham’s bosom is a place severed a great way from hell, 
and placed up aloft. But to inquire or reason over curiously 
of these things is rather the point of a curious fool than of a 
godly-minded man. We confess in this article, that the souls 
are immortal, and that they immediately after the bodily 
death do pass to life, and that all the saints from the begin- 
ning of the world, being sanctified by faith through Christ, 
do in Christ and by Christ receive the inheritance of life 
everlasting. 

I would add to these the fifth article, but that the hour 
is now already spent. We will therefore defer it unto the 
next sewnon. And now let us all together pray to God, our 
Father which is in heaven, that he will vouchsafe us his Spirit 
to inspire us with that true and quickening faith which is in 
the Father and Son: in the Father, as the maker of all 
things; in the Son, as the Saviour of the whole world, who 
therefore came down from heaven, and was incarnate in the 
womb of the most holy virgin Mary, to the end he might be 
the Mediator betwixt God and men, and reconcile or make 
them at one again betwixt themselves; and that he might 
have wherewithal to make an oblation to appease God’s jus- 
tice, and to purge our sins which he bare on his body, yea, 
which he took away, and made all the faithful heirs of life 
everlasting. 

Let us now give praise to the grace of God, and thanks 
to the Son of God: to whom alone all honour and glory is 
due for ever and ever. Amen. 





140 THE FIRST DECADE. [SERM. 


OF THE LATTER ARTICLES OF CHRISTIAN FAITH CON- 
TAINED IN THE APOSTLES’ CREED. 


THE EIGHTH SERMON. 


Ler us first of all pray to our God, that he will vouch- 
safe to grant us an happy, speedy, and very fruitful proceed- 
ing in the declaration of the other articles of christian belief. 

Theft ‘The fifth article of our belief is: “The third day he rose 
belief. again from the dead.” And this article, verily, of our belief is 
in a manner the chief of all the rest. Neither are the apos- 
tles so busily occupied in declaring and confirming the other, 
The glorious as they are in this one. For it had not been enough, if our 
ofChrist. Lord had died only, unless he had also risen from the dead 
again. For if he had not risen from the dead, but had re- 
mained still in death, who should have persuaded us men, that 
sin was purged by the death of Christ, that death was van- 
quished, Satan overcome, and hell broken up for the faithful 
by the death of Christ? Yea verily, we have foolish fellows! 
that would never cease to blaspheme the very God, to make 
a mock of our hope, and to say: “Tush, who did ever return 
from the dead, to tell us whether there be a life in another 
world after this or no, and what kind of life it is? Because 
therefore we cannot find, that any man did ever return from 
the dead, that is to be doubted of, which these babblers? do 
tattle touching the life of the world to come.” That the 
Lord therefore might declare to the whole world, that after 
this life there is another, and that the soul dieth not with the 
body, but remaineth alive; he? returned the third day alive 
again to his disciples: and at that instant shewed them, that 
sin was purged, death disarmed, the devil vanquished, and 
hell destroyed. For the sting of death is sin: or the re- 
ward of sin is death: the devil hath the power of death‘, 
and shutteth in hell for sins. Now therefore, in that Christ 
riseth alive again from the dead, death could have no domi- 


{} absurdi nostri homines, Lat. ] 

[2 spermologi, Lat.; Erasmus’ rendering, not the Vulgate’s, in 
Acts xvii. 18.] 

(3 Dominus noster, Lat.] 

[61 Cor. xv. 56; Rom. vi. 23; Heb. ii. 14.] 








VIII. | THE APOSTLES’ CREED. 141 


nion over him: and because death, by suffering the Lord to 
pass, is broken, it must needs follow, that the devil and hell 
are vanquished by Christ; and lastly, that sin, the strength 
and power of them all, is purely purged. It is evident, there- 
fore, that the resurrection of our Lord Jesus Christ doth, as it 
were, certify and by seal assure us of our salvation and re- 
demption, so that now we cannot any longer doubt of it. 

We confess, therefore, in this article, that our Lord Jesus 
Christ is risen again, and that he is risen again for our be- 
hoof; that is to say, that he hath wiped away our sins, and 
that for us he hath conquered death, the devil, and hell, 
according to the saying of the apostle: “God hath saved 
us, and hath called us with an holy calling, not according 
to our works, but according to his own purpose and favour, 
which was given unto us through Jesus Christ before all 
beginning, but is declared openly now by the appearing of 
our Saviour Jesus Christ, who hath verily put out death, and 
brought forth life, light, and immortality by the gospel®” 
There are many more like this in the fourth of his epistle to 
the Romans, and in the fifteenth of his first to the Corinthians. 
For the Lord also in the gospel after St John saith: “I am 
the resurrection and the life: he that believeth in me, although 
he be dead, shall live ; and every one that liveth and believeth 

_in me shall not die for ever®.” 

Now also let us throughly consider every word of this 
article severally by itself. We confess the Lord his resurrec- 
tion. But a resurrection is to rise again. That riseth which Whatare 
falleth. The body of Christ fell, therefore the body of Christ 
riseth ; yea, it riseth again, that is to say, the very same 
body of Christ, which before it fell did both live and stir, 
doth now rise again; it doth, I say, both live and stir again. 
For truly said Tertullian of the resurrection of the flesh, 
that “this word resurrection is not properly spoken of any 
thing, save of that which first fell, For nothing can rise 
again but that that fell. For by rising again, because it fell, 
we say the resurrection is made; because this syllable ‘re’ 
is never added but when a thing is done again’.” Wherefore 





[5 2Tim. i. 9,10. ante tempora eterna, Lat.; Erasmus’ render- 
ing; the Vulgate has, tempora secularia. ] 

[6 John xi. 25, 26.] 

{Π Resurrectionis yocabulum non aliam rem vindicat, quam que 








Out of or 
from the 
dead. 


He was cru- 
cified, dead, 
taken down 
and laid in 
his grave 
upon Good 
Friday, 
where his 
body lay all 
Saturday, 
that is, 
Easter-even, 
and on Sun- 
day, which 
is Easter-day, 
in the morn- 
ing he rose 
again from 
death to 

life. 


142 THE FIRST DECADE. [SERM. 


the women in the gospel, when they went to anoint the body 
of the Lord, which hung upon the cross, did hear the angel 
of the Lord say: ‘“‘ Why seek ye the living among the dead? 
He is not here, but is risen!,” &c. This history of the Lord’s 
resurrection is set forth in the twenty-fourth after Luke, and 
the sixteenth after Mark. Peter the apostle also, in the second 
of the Acts, affirming the Lord’s resurrection by the testimony 
of David?, doth expressly shew that the Lord is verily risen 
again. 

After this we say again, that he is risen out of or from 
the dead: which member doth express the truth both of 
his death and resurrection. For the body or flesh dieth, or is 
destroyed; but, being dead, is raised up again: this body, 
therefore, or flesh, is raised up again; as though he that 
maketh confession of his belief should say, Our Lord died 
even in the very same condition of nature that other mortal 
men do die in; but he tarried not, nor yet stuck fast among 
the dead. For the very same mortal flesh, which he had 
taken unto him, and by dying had laid aside, he now taketh 
again immortal; as David had foretold before, saying: 
“Because thou shalt not leave my soul in hell, nor suffer 
thy Holy One to see corruption®.” For Christ is the first- 
begotten of them that rise again, in whom, as in the head, ~ 
there ought to be declared in what sort the resurrection of 
all Christ his members shall be in the day of judgment. 

And we confess that this resurrection was made the third 
day; I mean the third day after his death. For upon the 
day of preparation* he is taken down from the cross and 
carried into a sepulchre, where his body resteth the whole 
sabbath-day ; and about the beginning of the first day of 
sabbaths®, which, I say, is the first day of the week, and 


cecidit. Surgere enim potest dici et quod omnino non cecidit; quod 
semper retro jacuit: resurgere autem non est nisi ejus quod cecidit. 
Iterum enim surgendo, quia cecidit, resurgere dicitur: re enim syllaba 
iterationi semper adhibetur.—Tertul. Ady. Marcion. Lib. v. cap. 9. ed. 
Semler. Tom. 1. p. 347.] 

(1 Luke xxiv. 5, 6.] 

[? in prima illa concione sua, Lat. Omitted by the translator: in 
that his first sermon. ] 

[3 Psal. xvi. 10. ] 

[4 in die parasceves, Lat. Mark xv. 42.] 

[5 John xx. 1. diei primi sabbatorum, Lat.; Erasmus’ render- 














VILL. | THE APOSTLES’ CREED. 143 


among us at this day is called Sunday®, in the morning he 
arose again from the dead. Whereas therefore in the twelfth 
chapter of the gospel after St Matthew we read that the Lord 
said, ‘As Jonas was three days and three nights in the 
belly of the whale, so shall the Son of man be in the heart 
of the earth three days and three nights;” yet notwithstand- 
ing, in the sixteenth and twentieth chapters, expounding him- 
self as having spoken that by synecdoche, he saith: “I must 
go to Hierusalem, and suffer many things of the scribes and 
elders, and be killed, and raised up again the third day’.” 

The sixth article of our faith is: ‘He ascended into The sixth 
heaven, and sitteth at the right hand of God, the Father ovr beliet. 
Almighty.” That body, which is of the same substance with 
our bodies, taken out of the virgin Mary, and taken verily of 
the substance of the virgin, which hung upon the cross, and 
died, and was buried, and rose again; the very same body, I 
say, ascended into the heavens, and sitteth at the right hand 
of God the Father. For after that by the space of forty 
days our Lord had abundantly enough instructed his disciples 
touching the truth of his resurrection and the kingdom of 
God, he was taken up into heaven. 

By that ascension of his he declareth to the whole compass The glorious 
of the earth, that he is Lord of all things, and that to him hmst."° 
are subject all things that are in heaven and in earth; that 
he is our strength, the power of the faithful, and he of whom 
they have to boast against the gates of hell. For he, ascend- 
ing into heaven, hath led captivity captive; and, by spoiling 
his enemies, hath enriched his people, on whom he daily 
heapeth his spiritual gifts. For he sitteth above, that, by 
pouring his virtue from thence into us, he may quicken us 
with the spiritual life, and deck us with sundry gifts and 
graces, and, lastly, defend the church against all evils. For 
God is our Saviour, King, and Bishop’. Whereupon, when 
as once the Capernaites were offended, because the Lord had 
called himself the bread of life that came down from heaven 
to give life unto the world, he saith: “ Doth this offend you ? 


ing, not the Vulgate’s. The first day of the sabbaths, Cranmer’s 
Bible. ] 

[6 dominica, Lat. ] 

(7 ch. xvi. 21, and xx. 18, 19.] 

[8 pontifex, Lat. ] 


The force of 
Christ his 
ascension 
into heaven. 


144 THE FIRST DECADE. [SERM. 


What therefore if you shall see the Son of man ascend thither 
where he was before!?” As if he should say: Then verily ye 
will gather, by my quickening, resurrection, and glorious 
ascension into the heavens, that I am the bread of life, brought 
down from heaven, and now again taken up into the heavens, 
there to remain the Saviour, Life, and Lord of heaven and 
earth. Moreover, St Peter the apostle in the Acts saith: 
“ Let all the house of Israel know for a surety, that God 
hath made the same Jesus, whom ye have crucified, Lord and 
Christ.” 

Furthermore, he did not only rise again from death, and 
come to his disciples, but also ascended into heaven as they 
beheld and looked on him, to the end that we thereby might 
be assuredly certified of eternal salvation. For by ascending 
he prepared a place for us, he made ready the way; that is, 
he opened the very heavens to the faithful. God hath placed 
in heaven the very humanity that he took of us: which is 
indeed a lively and unreproveable testimony, that all man- 
kind? shall at the last be translated into heaven also. For 
the members must needs be made conformable to the head. 
Christ, our Head, is risen again from the dead; therefore we, 
his members, shall also rise again. And even as a cloud took 
away the Lord from the sight of his disciples; so shall we that 
believe be carried in the clouds to meet the Lord, and shall 
wholly in soul and body be, and for ever dwell, in heaven 
with our Head and Lord, Christ Jesus. And this doth John 
evidently teach him that readeth his fourteenth chapter, where 
the Lord saith: “1 go to prepare a place for you, and will 
come again to you, and take you unto myself, that whereso- 
ever I am, ye may also be.” Paul the apostle also witness- 
eth, and saith: ‘ We that live, and shall be remaining in the 
coming of the Lord, shall be carried in the clouds together 
with them that are raised up from the dead, to meet the Lord 
in the air‘.” 

We confess therefore in this article, that Jesus Christ, 


being taken up into heaven, is Lord of all things, the 


King and Bishop, the deliverer and Saviour of all the faithful 


{! John vi. 61, 62.] 

[2 ch. ii. 36. hune Jesum, Lat.] 

[3 rather, “our whole manhood.” totum hominem, Lat. | 
[4 1 Thess. iv. 17.] 














γὙ1:.7 THE APOSTLES CREED. 145 


in the whole world. We confess, that in Christ, and for 
Christ, we believe the life everlasting, which we shall have in 
this body at the end of the world, and in soul so soon as we 
are once departed out of this world. 

But now, by the way, we must weigh the very words of 
this article. “ He ascended,” we say. Who ascended, I pray 
you? He that was born of the virgin Mary, that was cru- 
cified, dead, and buried, that rose again from the dead: he (I 
say) ascended verily both body and soul. But whither 
ascended he ? Into heaven. Heaven in the scriptures is not 
taken always in one signification. First, it is put for the 
firmament, and that large compass® that is over our heads, 
wherein the birds fly to and fro, and in which the stars are 
placed, that are called the furniture and host of heaven. For 
saith David: ‘“ God is clothed with light, as. with a garment : 
he spreadeth forth the heaven as it were a curtain.” He 
saith also: “I shall see thy heavens, the work of thy fingers, 
and the moon and stars which thou hast laid.” And again: 
** Which covereth the heaven with clouds, and prepareth rain 
for the earth.” And again: “The heavens declare the 
glory of God, and the firmament sheweth forth the works of 
his hands®.” Then also, heaven is taken for the throne and 
habitation of God: and lastly, for the place, seat, and re- 
ceptacle of them that are saved, where God giveth himself to 
be seen and enjoyed of them that be his. For David, witnessing 
again, saith: “The Lord hath prepared his seat in heaven’.” 
Whereupon the Lord in the gospel saith: “Swear not by 
heaven; for it is God’s seat®.” And the apostle Paul saith: 
“We know, if our earthly mansion of this tabernacle be 
destroyed, that we have a dwelling-place for ever in heaven, 
builded by God, not made by hands®.” And therefore, in this 
signification, heaven is called the kingdom of God, the king- 
dom of the Father, joy, happiness, and felicity, eternal life, 
peace and quietness. And although God indeed be not shut up 


᾿ in any place, (for he saith, “ Heaven is my seat, and the earth 
| the footstool of my feet!’;)” yet, because the glory of God 


doth most of all shine in the heavens, and because that in 
heaven he giveth himself to be seen and enjoyed of them 


[5 extentione, Lat. ] [δ΄ Psal. civ. 2. viii. 3. exlvii. 8. xix. 1.] 
[7 Psal. ciii. 19.] [8 Matt. v. 34.] 
[90 Cor. y. 1.] [10 Isai. xvi. 1.] . 


[BULLINGER. | τ 


146 THE FIRST DECADE. [SERM. 


that are his, (according to that saying, “ We shall see him 
even as he is';” and again, “No man shall see me,” saith 
the Lord, ‘“‘and live?;”) therefore God is said to dwell in 
heaven. Moreover Christ our Lord, touching his divinity, is 
not shut up in any place; but, according to his humanity 
once taken, which he drew up into heaven, he is in the very 
local place of heaven; neither is he in the meantime here in 
earth and every where bodily, but, being severed from us in 
body, remaineth in heaven. For he ascendeth, which, leaving 
that which is below, doth go to that above. Christ therefore, 
leaving the earth, hath placed a seat for his body above all 
heavens. Not that he is carried up beyond all heavens; but 
because, ascending up above all the circles? into the utmost 
and highest heaven, he is taken, I say, into the place ap- 
pointed for those that are saved. For Paul the apostle, 
speaking plainly enough to be understood, saith: ‘ Our con- 
versation is in heaven, from whence we look for the Saviour 
to come,” &c. In the same manner also Luke the evan- 
gelist saith: ‘And blessing them, he departed from them, 
and was carried into heaven.” 
But why do I make so much ado about expounding that 
which is most evidently declared in the very Creed by that 
He sitteth at which followeth? For the next is: “He sitteth at the right 


the right 


hand of God hand of God, the Father Almighty.” For by this we under- 

Almighty. stand what kind of place heaven is, and what our Lord doth 
in heaven. It is not surely for our frailty over-narrowly to 
seek out or discuss the secrets of heaven; and yet it is not 
against religion to inquire after that that is taught us in the 
scriptures, and so perfectly to remember it as it is taught 
us. Our Lord is simply said to sit; and that too to sit 
at the right hand of the Father Almighty. Let us there- 
fore see® what the right hand of the Father is, and what it 
is to sit at the right hand of the Father. 

The defini- The right hand of the Father in the scripture hath two 


tion of God’s 


righthand significations. First, the right hand of God is the place ap- 


taken here 
forthe place's Hointed for them that are saved, and the everlasting felicity in 


[1 1 John iii. 2.] 

[2 Exod. xxxiii. 20.] [3 supra omnes orbes, Lat. ] 

[+ Phil, ur, 20;| [5 ch. xxiv. 51.] 

[° ex scripture testimoniis, Lat. Omitted by the translator: From 
the testimonies of scripture. ] 








VIII. | THE APOSTLES’ CREED. 147 


heaven. This did St Augustine set down to be marked long 
before us; who, in the twenty and sixth chapter of his book 
de Agone Christiano, writeth, that “the right hand of the 
Father is the everlasting felicity given to the saints; even as 
also the left hand is most rightly called the continual misery 
allotted to the ungodly: not so that by this means, that I 
have said, the right or left hand is to be understood in respect 
of God himself, but in respect of his creatures’ capacity’.” And 
this did St Augustine speak according to the scriptures. For 
David saith: “The path of life shalt thou make known to me: 
the fulness of joys is in thy sight; and at thy right hand is 
gladness for ever®.” What else is this, than if he had said; 
Thou shalt bring me into life, I say, into the very heavens, 
where I shall be filled with joys, both by seeing and beholding 
thee, and also by enjoying thee: at thy right hand in eternal 
blessedness are joys everlasting? In the gospel also we read, 
that the sheep are placed by the Judge at the right hand, and 
the goats at the left®. And when the right hand is taken in 
this sense, then “to sit” doth signify to rest from all labours, To sit is to 
and to live quietly and in happy state. For that saying in and ¢ enjoy 
the prophet is very well known, “ A man shall sit under his 
vine! ;” as if he should have said, All things shall be at peace, 
in safety, and at quiet. So then this that I have said is 
meant by the right hand of the Father: and where we con- 
fess, that the Son doth sit at the right hand of the Father Al- 
mighty, we do acknowledge, that our Lord, being delivered 
from all trouble and mortal infirmities, doth now in his 
humanity both rest and rejoice in the very local place of 
heaven, where we believe that both our souls and bodies 
shall be and live for ever. For the Lord himself in the 
gospel witnesseth, that in his Father’s house there are many 
mansions, which he goeth to prepare, that they may have 
a place; and although he did depart, yet that he would re- 
turn to them again, and take them unto himself, that where 








[7 Dextera Patris est beatitudo perpetua, que sanctis datur; sicut 
sinistra ejus rectissime dicitur miseria perpetua, que impiis datur: ut 
non in ipso Deo, sed in creaturis, hoc modo, quo diximus, intelligatur 
dextera et sinistra.—August. de Agon. Christ. cap. xxvi. Op. Tom. I. 
fol. 164. Par. 1531.] 

[8 Psal. xvi. 11.] [9 Matt. xxv. 33.] 

{10 Micah iy. 4.] 

10—2 








God’s right 
hand the 
name of his 

wer; and 
1n this signi- 
fication to sit 
is to reign. 


148 THE FIRST DECADE, [SERM. 


he is, they also might be in the same place with him’. Where- 
fore we believe, that Christ is at rest in heaven, where he hath 
prepared a place of rest for us also, to remain in joys ever- 
lasting. And for because our bodies shall not be every where 
in felicity, but in the only appointed place; therefore saith 
St Augustine truly, that “Christ our Lord, according to the 
measure of his very body, is in some one place of heaven*.” 
And St Cyprian saith: “To sit at the right hand of the 
Father is the mystery of his flesh taken up into heaven®.” 
Secondarily, the right hand of God is put for the virtue, 
kingdom, protection, deliverance, and power of God. For 
David saith: “The Lord’s right hand is high: the Lord’s 
right hand doth mighty things’.” And Moses said: ‘ Thy 
right hand, O Lord, is magnified in power: thy right hand, O 
Lord, hath broken the enemy®.” And when the right hand is 
put in this sense, then “to sit” doth signify to reign, to 
deliver, to use power, and do the office of a prince. For 
saith David: ‘“ The Lorp said unto my Lord, Sit thou at my 
right hand, till I make thine enemies thy footstool®.” And 
the prophet Zachary saith: “ Behold the man that is called 
the Branch: he shall bud out of his place, and build the tem- 
ple of the Lord, and sit and rule upon his throne, and be a 
priest upon his seat.” In this sense the right hand of God 
is infinite, and contained in no measure of place. Whereas® we 
confess, that our Lord doth “sit” at the right hand of the 
Father, we do profess, that the Son is exalted above all 
things, having all things subject under himself, as Paul, 
in his first chapter to the Ephesians, saith; and finally, that 
the Son, being so exalted, can do all things, doth reign in 
the universal church, doth deliver them that are his, doth 
make intercession to the Father in heaven, and in the 
power of his Godhead is present in all places. For there- 
fore did the Creed add almightiness to this sitting of his, 


[1 John xiv. 2, 3.] 

[2 Non dubites (Christum esse) in loco aliquo cceli propter veri 
corporis modum.—August. Op. Par. 1679—1700. Lib. ad Dardan. 
Tom. 11. col. 692.] 

(3 Sedere ad dexteram Patris carnis assumptz mysterium est.— 
Cypr. (Ruffin.) Expos. in Symb. fol. 25. Oxon. 1682.] 

[4 Psal. exviii. 16. ] [5 Exod. xv. 6.] 

[6 Psal. ex. 1.] [7 ch. vi. 12, 13.] 

[8 et cum, Lat. And whereas, 1577.] 








VIII. | THE APOSTLES’ CREED. 149 


where it is said, “He sitteth at the right hand of the Father 
Almighty.” And in St Matthew the Lord saith: “To me is 
given all might in heaven and in earth: go therefore, and 
bring all nations unto me’®.” 

So then I suppose that briefly thus I have well declared 
what manner of place heaven is; to wit, a place of quietness, 
joy, and everlasting felicity, wherein the Son of God doth sit, 
doth dwell, and is in his humanity, as we also, that are the 
members of Christ, shall be in the very same place without 
all dolour and grief in joy for evermore. And although our 
Lord be delivered from all grievous business, yet we mean not 
that he sitteth idly leaning on his elbows’. For he is a King, 
a Priest, and very God in the very temple of God: he cannot 
choose therefore, of his natural property and office, but work 
salvation in the elect, and do all things that lie God, a king, 
and priest, in hand to do. So then now we all know what 
our Lord doth, as he sitteth in heaven. Neither is it any 


trouble to him at all to do and work that which he doth; 


for he worketh not of compulsion, but naturally, and of his 
own accord. 





Thus, and no otherwise, did the ancient interpreters of St Herome 
the holy scriptures handle this article of our belief; some of panier tte 
whose testimonies I will here allege. St Hierome, in his 
exposition of Paul’s first chapter to the Ephesians, saith: 
“He hath declared the power of God by the similitude of a 
man: not because a seat is placed, and God the Father sitteth 
thereon, having his Son sitting there with him; but because 
we cannot otherwise conceive how the Son doth judge and 
reign, but by such words applied to our capacity. As there- 
fore to be next to God, or to depart far from him, is not to be 
understood according to the distance of places, but after men’s 
merits, because the saints are heard by him, but the sinners 
(of whom the prophet saith, ‘ Behold, they that get themselves 
from thee shall perish,’) are removed far enough from coming 
near him at all; even so likewise, to be either at the right 
or left hand of God is to be taken so, that the saints are at 
his right hand, and sinners at his left. As our Saviour himself 
also in the gospel, affirming the same, doth say, that at the 
right hand are the sheep, and the goats at the left. More- 

[9 ch. xxviii. 18, 19.] 
[° non otiosum desidere, Lat. ] 


St Augus- 
tine of the 
right hand 

of the Father. 


150 THE FIRST DECADE. [SERM. 


over, this very word ‘to sit’ doth argue the power of a king- 
dom, by which God is beneficial to them on whom he doth 
vouchsafe to sit; insomuch as verily he doth rule them, and 
hath them always in his guiding, and doth turn to his own 
beck or government the necks of them that before ran out of 
way at random and at liberty.” 

St Augustine, in his book de Fide et Symbolo, saith: 
“We believe that he sitteth at the right hand of God the 
Father. Yet not so therefore, as though we should think 
that God the Father is comprehended within the limits of a 
man’s body; so that they that think of him should imagine, 
that he hath both a right and a left side: and whereas it is 
said, that the Father sitteth, we must not suppose that he 
doth sit with bended hams; lest peradventure we fall into 
the same sacrilege, for which the apostle accurseth them that 
have changed the glory of the incorruptible God into the 
similitude of a corruptible man. For a detestable thing it is 
to place God in such a likeness in a christian church: and 
much more wicked is it to place it in the heart, where the 
temple of God is verily and indeed, if it be cleansed from 
earthly desires and error. We must therefore understand, 
that ‘at the right hand’ is as much to say as in greatest hap- 
piness, where righteousness and peace and gladness is: even 
as also the goats are placed at the left hand, that is, in misery 
for their iniquities to their pain and torment. Whereas God 
therefore is said to sit, thereby is not meant the placing of 
his limbs, but his judicial power, which his majesty never 

(1 Per humanam similitudinem Dei potentiam demonstravit: non 
quo solium ponatur, et Deus Pater in eo sedeat, secumque Filium habeat 
residentem ; sed quo nos aliter judicantem atque regnantem nisi per 
nostra verba intelligere nequeamus. Sicut ergo proximum esse Deo, 
vel ab eo procul recedere, non secundum locorum spatia, sed juxta 
merita, sentiendum est; quod sancti juxta eum sint, peccatores vero 
(de quibus ait propheta, dicens, Ecce qui elongant se a te peribunt) ab 
omni ejus vicinia submoveantur; sic et in dextris vel in sinistris Dei 
esse accipiendum est, quod sancti a dextris ejus sint, peccatores vero 
a sinistris: Salvatore quoque id ipsum in eyangelio comprobante, 
quum oves ἃ dextris, heedos esse memoret a sinistris. Sed et ipsum 
verbum, sedere, regni significat potestatem, per quam beneficium ejus 
Deus tribuit, super quibus sedere dignatur; quod scilicet regat eos, et 
in curru suo habeat, et ad nutum proprium vaga prius et libera colla 


convertat.—Hieron. Comment. in Ep. ad Ephes. cap. 1. Par. 1706. 
Tom. tv. par. 1, col. 335. ] 

















VILL. | THE APOSTLES’ CREED, 151 


wanteth in bestowing worthy rewards on those that are 
worthy of them’.” And so forth. 
The blessed bishop Fulgentius, in his second book to king $Fulgentius. 


© His human- 
ity is local, 


Trasimundus, saith: “The Lord, to shew that his humanity ἐπα ν οού- 


tained in 


is local, saith to his disciples, ‘I ascend to my Father and to spaceof __ 
your Father, my God and your God.” And by and by Goahead in 


comprehen- 


after: ‘ Declaring the incomprehensibility of his Godhead, he sible, as that 


t is every 


saith to his disciples, ‘Behold, I am with you always, even where, and 


is not con- 


unto the end of the world%,’ ” cogs in any 


The blessed martyr and bishop of Trent, Vigilius, in his st Vigitius. 
first book against heresies, saith: “This was to go to the 
Father, and to depart from us; to take away out of this 
world the nature which he took of us. Thou seest therefore, 
that it was proper to the same nature to be taken away, and 
to depart from us; according to the words of the angels which 
said, ‘This Jesus, who is taken up from you, shall come 
again, even as ye see him go into heaven.’ For see the 
miracle, see the mystery of both his properties: the Son of 
God in his humanity is departed from us; according to his 
divinity he saith to us, ‘ Behold, I am with you always, even 
unto the end of the world.’ If he be with us, how saith he, 


[2 Credimus etiam quod sedet ad dexteram Dei Patris: nec ideo 
tamen quasi humana forma circumscriptum esse Deum Patrem arbi- 
trandum est, ut de illo cogitantibus dextrum aut sinistrum latus animo 
occurrat: aut id ipsum quod sedere Pater dicitur, flexis poplitibus 
fieri putandum est; ne illud incidamus sacrilegium quo execratur 
apostolus eos qui commutaverunt gloriam incorruptibilis Dei in simi- 
litudinem corruptibilis hominis. Tale enim simulacrum Deo nefas est 
Christiano in templo collocare; multo magis in corde nefarium est, ubi 
vere est templum Dei, si a terrena cupiditate atque errore mundetur. 
‘ Ad dexteram’ ergo intelligendum est dictum esse in summa beatitudine, 
ubi justitia et pax et gaudium est: sicut ad sinistram heedi constituun- 
tur, id est, in miseria propter iniquitates, et labores atque cruciatus. 
Sedere ergo quod dicitur Deus, non membrorum positionem, sed judi- 
ciariam significat potestatem, qua illa majestas nunquam caret semper 
digna dignis tribuendo,—De Fide et Symb. c. 7. Par. 1531. Tom. m1. 
fol. 31.] 

[8 (Dominus) ut localem ostenderet humanitatem suam, dicit dis- 
cipulis suis: Ascendo ad Patrem meum et ad Patrem vestrum, Deum 
meum et Deum vestrum.—Immensitatem vero suze divinitatis osten- 
dens discipulis dicit: Ecce ego vobiscum sum omnibus diebus, usque 
ad consummationem seculi.—Fulgent. Op. Venet. 1742. ad Trasimund. 
Lib. π. cap. xvii. p. 50.] 


The seventh 
article. 
Christ a 
Judge. 


To judge, 
what it is. 


152 THE FIRST DECADE. [SERM. 


‘ The time shall come, when ye shall desire to see one of the 
days of the Son of man, and ye shall not see it?’ Both he 
is with us, and not with us; because them, whom he hath 
left and departed from in his manhood!, he hath not left nor 
forsaken in his Godhead!.”2 This saith he. 


The seventh article of our faith is this: “ From thence 
he shall come to judge the quick and the dead.” In the 
former articles there is set forth and confessed the divine 
goodness, bountifulness, and grace in Christ: now also shall 
be declared the divine justice, severity, and vengeance that is 
in him. For there are two comings of our Lord Jesus Christ. 
First he came basely in the flesh, to be the Redeemer and 
Saviour of the world: at the second time he shall come 
gloriously to judgment, to be a judge and revenger that will 
not be entreated against all unrepentant sinners and wicked 
doers. And he shall come out of heaven, from the right 
hand of the Father, in his visible and very human body, to 
be seen of all flesh, with the incomprehensible power of his 
Godhead, and being attended on by all the angels. For the 
Lord himself in the gospel saith: “ They shall see the Son 
man coming in the clouds of heaven with great power and 
glory, and he shall send his angels with the great sound of a 
trump’,” &c. 

But now, to “judge” is to sit in the tribunal-seat, to hear 
and discuss matters, to take up strifes, to determine and give 


[! The words manhood and Godhead are transposed in ed. 1577.] 

[2 Hoc erat ire ad Patrem et recedere a nobis, auferre de hoc 
mundo naturam, quam susceperat ex nobis. Vides ergo eidem nature 
proprium fuisse ut auferretur et abiret a nobis, que in fine temporum 
reddenda est nobis, secundum attestantium vocem angelorum, Hic 
Jesus qui receptus est a vobis, sic veniet, quemadmodum vidistis eum 
euntem in celum. Nam vide miraculum, vide utriusque proprietatis 
mysterium: Dei Filius secundum humanitatem suam recessit a nobis ; 
secundum divinitatem suam ait nobis, Ecce ego vobiscum sum omnibus 
diebus usque ad consummationem seculi. Si nobiscum est, quomodo 
ait, Venient dies quando desideretis diem unum Filii hominis, et non 
videbitis ? Sed et nobiscum est, et non est nobiscum; quia quos re- 
liquit et a quibus discessit humanitate sua, non reliquit nec deseruit 
divinitate sua.—Vigil. adv. Eutych. in Cassandr. Op. Par. 1616. Lib. 1. 
p- 518.] 

[3 Matt. xxiv. 30, 31.] 














VII. | THE APOSTLES’ CREED. 153 


sentence, and lastly, to defend and deliver, and again, to chastise 
and punish, and by that means to keep under and suppress 
injury and malice. We believe therefore, that our Lord Jesus 
Christ in that day shall deliver all the godly, and destroy all 
the wicked; according to the words of the apostle, who 
saith: “Our Lord shall be revealed from heaven with the 
angels of his power, with a burning flame, and shall lay 
vengeance on them that have not known God‘;” and again, 
“ The same just Judge shall give a crown of righteousness to 
all them that love his coming *.” 

The manner of this judgment the writings of the evan- The picture 
gelists and apostles do tell us shall be in this sort. When sudgment. 
once the wickedness of this world shall come to the full, and 
that antichrist shall have deceived the world, so that there is 
but little faith remaining, and that the wicked shall say, Peace 
and quietness; then shall a sudden destruction come. For our 
Lord, the Judge, shall send his archangel, to blow the trump, 
and to gather together from the four winds all flesh to judg- 
ment: by and by after shall the Judge himself, our Lord 
Jesus Christ, follow with all the host of heaven: and he shall 
descend out of heaven into the clouds: and, sitting aloft in 
the clouds as in a judgment-seat, shall be easily seen of all 
flesh. For they that shall be then living at the day of 
judgment, shall in a very prick® of time be changed, and 
stand before the Judge; and all the dead shall in a moment 
rise up again. Then shall the Judge divide the sheep from 
the goats, and, according to justice shall give judgment with 
the sheep’ and against the goats, saying, “‘Come, ye blessed,” 
&c., and, ‘Go, ye cursed,” &c. Presently after shall follow 
execution. For the sheep shall by and by be caught up into 
the clouds to meet the Lord in the air, and shall ascend with 
him joyfully into heaven to the right hand of God the Father, 
there to live for ever in glory and gladness. The bottom of 
the earth shall gape 8 for the wicked, and shall suck them all 
up horribly, and send them down to hell, there to be tor- 
mented for ever with Satan and his angels. All this shall be 


[* 2 Thess. i. 7, 8.] [5 2 Tim. iv. 8.] 

[6 in puncto, Lat. 1 Cor. xv. 52. Erasmus, in puncto temporis. 
Vulgate, in momento. } 

[7 pro ovibus, Lat. ] 

[8 dehiscet ima tellus, Lat. ] 


The quick 
and dead are 
judged. 


The reward 
and punish- 
ment is most 
certain. 


154 THE FIRST DECADE. [SERM. 


done, not by any long, troublesome, or changeable process, 
as is used in our courts of law, but even in the twinkling of 
an eye. For then shall all men’s hearts be laid open, and 
every man’s own conscience shall accuse himself. This is 
more at large set out in Matt. xxiv. and xxv., Wisd. 111, and 
v., 1 Cor. xv., 2 Cor. v., 1 Thess. iv., v., Rom. ii, 2 Pet. iii. 
&e. 

Now we do simply confess, that the quick and the dead 
shall be judged. This do some expound of the godly and 
ungodly. But the Symbol or Creed was ordained for the 
most simple of understanding; and simple things are fittest 
for to teach simple men. Therefore we say simply, that the 
dead are all they, that from the beginning of the world even 
until the last day are departed out of this mortal life: and 
the living are they, which at that day shall be alive in this 
world. For the apostle saith: “ Behold, I tell you a mystery; 
we shall not all sleep, but we shall all be changed by the last 
trump, in a moment of time, and in the twinkling of an eye. 
For the trump shall sound, and the dead shall rise again in- 
corruptible, and we shall be changed!.” And again, in another 
place, the same apostle saith: “This I say unto you in the 
word of the Lord, that we, which shall live and be remaining 
at the coming of the Lord, shall not prevent them which are 
asleep. Because the Lord himself shall come down out of 
heaven with a great noise, and the voice of an archangel, 
and the trump of God: and first shall the dead in Christ rise 
up again; then shall we, which shall be alive and be remaining, 
be caught up together with them in the clouds into the air to 
meet the Lord: and so shall we be with the Lord for ever- 
more?,” 

We confess therefore in this seventh article, that we 
believe there shall be an end of all things in this world, and 
that the felicity of the wicked shall not endure for ever. For 
we believe that God is a just God, who hath given all judg- 
ment unto his Son, to repay to every one in that day accord- 
ing to his works, pains to the wicked that never shall be 
ended, and to the godly joys everlasting. And so in this 
article we profess, that we look for a deliverance, a ceasing 


[' 1 Cor. xv. 51, 52. per extremam tubam, Lat. and Erasmus. The 
Vulgate has, in novissima tuba. ] 
[2 1 Thess. iv. 15—17.] 

















VIL. | THE APOSTLES’ CREED. 155 


from troubles, and the reward of life everlasting. For how 
should he destroy them that believe in him, his people and 
his servants, who in the most true gospel saith, “ Verily, 
I say unto you, that ye, which have followed me, in the re- 
generation, when the Son of man shall sit on the seat of his 
majesty, ye also shall sit upon twelve seats judging the twelve 
tribes of Israel??” There are most certain rewards and pe- 
nalties appointed for the godly and ungodly in the word of 
truth. He cannot lie that said to Esay: “Say to the 
righteous, that it shall go well with him; for he shall enjoy 
the fruit of his study. But woe be to the wicked : it shall be 
evil with him; for he shall be rewarded according to the 
works of his own hands‘.” And thus much touching the 
second part of the Creed, Now are we come to the third 
part. 


The eighth article of our belief is this: “I believe in theeighth — 
the Holy Ghost.” This third part of the Creed containeth faith. 
the property of the third Person in the reverend Trinity. 
And we do rightly believe in the Holy Ghost, as well as 
in the Father and the Son. For the Holy Ghost is one 
God with the Father and the Son: and rightly is faith in 
the Holy Ghost joined to faith in the Father and the Son. 
For by him the fruit of God’s salvation, fulfilled in the Son, 
is sealed to us, and our sanctification and cleansing is bestowed 
on us, and derived from him to us, by the Holy Ghost. For 
the apostle saith: ‘God, which anointed us, is he also which 
hath sealed us, and hath given the earnest of the Spirit in 
our hearts®,” And again: “ Ye were indeed defiled with 
naughtiness; but now ye are cleansed,’ and sanctified, and 
lastly justified, through the name of the Lord Jesus, and by 
the Spirit of our God®.” The Father indeed doth sanctify 
too, but by the blood of Jesus Christ, and poureth the same 
sanctification out of him into us by the Holy Ghost: so that 
it is, as it were, the property of the Holy Ghost to sanctify ; 
whereupon he is called Holy or the Sanctifier. Therefore, so 
often as we hear the Holy Ghost named, we must by and by 
think of the power in working, which the scripture attributeth 

[3 Matt. xix. 28.] (4 ch. iii. 10, 11.] 
[5 2 Cor. i. 21, 22.] [6 1 Cor. vi. 11.] 


The Father in 
Christ hath 
fully given 
us all heaven- 
ly treasures. 


156 THE FIRST DECADE. [SERM. 


to him, and we must look after the benefits that from him do 
flow to us. For the power, operation, or action of the Spirit 
is that, whatsoever the grace of God doth work in us through 
the Son: so that of necessity we must believe in the Holy 
Ghost. And in this eighth article we do profess, that we do 
verily believe, that all the faithful are cleansed, washed, re- 
generated, sanctified, enlightened, and enriched of God with 
divers gifts of grace for Christ his sake, but yet through the 
Holy Ghost. For without him there is no true sanctification : 
wherefore we ought not to attribute these gifts of grace to 
any other means; this glory belongeth to the Holy Ghost 
only. Of whom I will more largely and fully discourse in 
my other sermons. 

The hour is spent, which warneth me to wrap up briefly 
and make an end; therefore I exhort you all to have your 
faith religiously bent upon the Lord Jesus: for him hath the 
heavenly Father sent to us, in him hath he wholly expressed 
and shewed himself to us, and him doth the Holy Ghost print 
in our hearts and keep in our minds. And in Christ is all 
man’s salvation and every part thereof contained ; wherefore we 
must beware that we derive it not from any thing else. “1 
pleased the Father,” saith the apostle, “that all fulness should 
dwell in the Son,” and in him to recapitulate, and as it were, 
to bring into a sum, all points of salvation, that in him all the 
faithful may be fulfilled’, For if salvation be sought, then 
even by his very name are we taught that salvation is in his 
power: for he is called Jesus, that is, a Saviour. If we de- 
sire the Holy Spirit of God and his sundry gifts, we shall find 
them also in the anointing of Christ: for he is called Christ, 
the Anointed, I say, the Holy of holies, and the sanctifier, or 
else the anointer of us with his Spirit. If any man have need 
of strength and might, of power and deliverance, well, he hath 
to look for it in Christ his dominion: for Christ is Lord of 
all. In the same Christ we find redemption: for he hath 
redeemed us that were sold under Satan’s yoke. In his con- 
ception we have purity; in his nativity we have sufferance?: 
for he became like to us, that he might suffer grief as well as 

[1 Col. i. 19; Ephes. i. 10. ἀνακεφαλαιώσασθαι, id est, recapitulari. 
—Erasm. Annot. in loc. cit.] 
[2 indulgentiam, Lat. ] 








——EE————————————eE 








VILL. | THE APOSTLES’ CREED. 157 


we*, For in his passion we have forgiveness of sins, in his 
condemnation we have absolution, satisfaction i in his offering or 
cleansing‘ sacrifice, cleansing in his’ blood, and an universal 
reconciliation in his descending into hell. In his burial we 
have the mortification of our flesh, the newness of life; yea 
rather, the immortality of the soul, and resurrection of our 
bodies in his glorious resurrection. We have also the in- 
heritance of the heavenly kingdom, with the assured sealing 
thereof, in his ascension and sitting at the right hand of the 
Father. And there is he our Mediator, Priest, and King, our 
safeguard and our head, our defender and most sure rest’. 
From thence he poureth into us his Holy Spirit, the fulness of 
all good things; and doth communicate himself wholly to us, 
joining us unto himself with an indissoluble knot. From thence 
we do with confidence and joy look for him to be our Judge, 
to be, I say, our patron and deliverer, which shall condemn 
and send down headlong into hell all our enemies with Satan; 
but shall take us and all the faithful of every age up into 
heaven with himself, there to sing a new song, and to rejoice 
in him for ever. To him be glory for ever. Amen. 





OF THE LATTER ARTICLES OF CHRISTIAN FAITH CON- 
TAINED IN THE APOSTLES’ CREED. 


THE NINTH SERMON. 


Ler us call to our Father in heaven, through our Lord 
Jesus Christ, that he will vouchsafe to pour his grace into us, 
that we may to our no small profit dispatch and expound the 
last part of the articles of christian belief. 


The ninth article of faith is this: “The holy catholic The ninth 
church, the communion of saints.” After the confession of our our belief. 


belief in the holy Trinity, and in the mystery of the Son of 
God, our Lord Jesus Christ, and lastly in the Holy Ghost, the 
sanctifier and restorer of all; now, in the fourth part, is 
reckoned up the fruit and power, the effect and end, of faith, 
and what doth come to, and is bestowed on, the faithful. 
There cometh to them communion of God and all saints, sanc- 


[8 condolere nobis, Lat. ] [4 expiatorio, Lat. ] 
[5 securitas, Lat. ] 


158 THE FIRST DECADE. [SERM. 


tification, remission of sins, the resurrection of the flesh, and 
life everlasting. Of which I will speak in order as they lie, so 
far forth as the bountiful Lord shall give me ability. 

Now then here we have to rehearse’ out of the eighth 
article this word, “I believe :” we must (I mean) say, “I be- 


We must not lieve the holy catholic church.” Some unlearned there are, 


in our con- 
fession say, 
I believe in 


the church. 


Cyprian. 


which hold opinion, that in this point of our confession we 
should say, “1 believe in the holy church.” The reason that 
leads them so to think is this; because they find written in 
the Constantinopolitan Creed, “And in the Holy Ghost, the 
Lord that giveth life, who proceedeth from the Father and 
the Son, who together with the Father and the Son is to be 
worshipped and glorified, who spake by the prophets in one 
catholic and apostolic church?.” For these words they do so 
distinguish, that, as they do repeat out of the premisses these 
words, “I believe,” and make this the sense, “I believe in the 
Holy Ghost, the Lord;” even so here again they do repeat 
these words, “1 believe,” making this to be the sense, “I be- 
lieve in one catholic and apostolic church*.” But this is more 
than needeth, yea, and against all godliness do they wrest these 
words of the Creed: for this, “In one catholic and apostolic 
church,” is not referred to the verb, “1 believe,” but to the 
Holy Ghost, because he spake by the prophets in one catholic 
and apostolic church. For our meaning is, and we confess, 
that one and the same Spirit did all things in both Testaments, 
contrary to the opinion of them which imagined, that there 
were two spirits contrary the one to the other. 

Moreover St Cyprian, in his exposition of the Apostles’ 
Creed, saith: ‘ He said not, In the holy church, nor, In the 
remission of sins, nor, In the resurrection of the body. For if 
he had added the preposition ‘in,’ then had the force of those 
clauses been all one with the force of that that went before. 
For in those words wherein our belief touching the Godhead 
is set down, we say, ‘In God the Father, in Jesus Christ his 
Son, and in the Holy Ghost:’ but in the rest, where the 


[1 repetendum est, Lat.] 

[? locutus est per prophetas in unam catholicam, &c., Lat. ] 

[3 All this is comprised in that principle, I believe the catholic 
church. And therefore the council of Nice said, I believe in the 
church (πιστεύω εἰς τὴν ἐκκλησίαν), that is, I believe and trust the 
same in all things.—Annot. of Rhiems Test. in 1 Tim. iii. 15.] 

















Ix. | THE APOSTLES’ CREED. 159 


speech is not of the Godhead, but touching the creatures or 
mysteries, the preposition ‘in’ is not added, that we may say, 
‘In the holy church;? but that the holy church is to be believed, 
not as we believe in God, but as a congregation gathered 
together to God; and that the forgiveness of sins is to be be- 
lieved, not that we ought to believe in the forgiveness of sins ; 
and that the resurrection of the flesh is to be believed, not 
that we ought to believe in the resurrection of the flesh. So 
then, by this syllable ‘in’ the Creator is discerned from the 
creatures, and that that is God’s from that that is man’s‘.” 
This saith Cyprian. 

St Augustine, in his book de Fide et Symbolo, hath: “I 
believe the holy church,” not, “I believe in the holy church.” 
There are alleged also his words in his epistle ad Neophytos, 
touching consecration, Distinct. 4, cap. 1: ‘“ We said not, 
that ye had to believe in the church, as in God; but under- 
stand how we said, that ye, being conversant in the holy 
catholic church, should believe in God®,” 

Much more evidently doth Paschasius, in the first chapter 
of his first book de Spiritu Sancto, say: “ We believe the 
church, as the mother of regeneration; we do not believe in 
the church, as the author of salvation. He that believeth in 


[2 Non dixit, in sanctam ecclesiam, nec in remissionem pecca- 
torum, nec in carnis resurrectionem. Si enim addidisset In preeposi- 
tionem, una eademque vis fuisset cum superioribus. Nunc autem in 
illis quidem vocabulis, ubi de divinitate fides ordinatur, in Deum 
Patrem dicitur, et in Jesum Christum Filium ejus, et in Spiritum sanc- 
tum: in ceteris vero, ubi non de divinitate, sed de creaturis ac mys- 
teriis sermo est, IN preepositio non additur, ut dicatur, in sanctam 
ecclesiam, sed sanctam ecclesiam credendam esse, non ut in Deum, sed 
ut ecclesiam Deo congregatam; et remissionem peccatorum credendam 
esse, non in remissionem peccatorum; et resurrectionem carnis, non 
in resurrectionem carnis. Hac itaque prepositionis syllaba Creator a 
creaturis secernitur, et divina separantur ab humanis.—Cypr. (Ruflin.) 
Expos. in Symb. Apost. fol. 26. Oxon. 1682. ] 

[5 Credimus et sanctam ecclesiam, utique catholicam.—August. de 
Fid. et Symb. ed. Par. 1531. Tom. m1. fol. 32.] 

[6 Non ergo diximus, ut in ecclesiam, quasi in Deum crederetis: 
sed intelligite nos dicere, et dixisse, ut in ecclesia sancta catholica 
conversantes in Deum crederetis. —Gratian. Decret. Par. ur. de 
Consecr. Distinct. 4. can. 73. The Sermo ad Neophytos, which is 
quoted from, is not Augustine’s. August. Opp. Tom. σι. Append. 
p. 290.] 


Augustine, 


Paschasius. 


St Gregory. 


Thomas 
Aquine. 


Pope Leo. 


160 THE FIRST DECADE. [sERM. 


the church, believeth in man: for man hath not his being 
of the church, but the church began by man. Leave off 
therefore this blasphemous persuasion, to think that thou 
hast to believe in any worldly creature ; since thou mayest 
not believe neither in angel nor archangel. The unskilfulness 
of some have drawn and taken the preposition ‘in’ from the 
sentence that goeth next before, and put it to that that fol- 
loweth, adding thereto also too too shamelessly somewhat 
more than needed!.” This hath Paschasius in that book of 
his, which St Gregory the Great, bishop of Rome, liked very 
well οἵ, 

What say ye to that moreover, that Thomas of Aquine, 
reasoning of faith, in the second book, Part. mu. Artic. ix. 
Quest. 1, saith? “If we say, ‘I believe in the holy church,’ 
we must understand, that our faith is referred to the Holy 
Ghost, which sanctifieth the church; and so make the sense 
to be thus: ‘I believe in the Holy Spirit, that sanctifieth the 
church.” But it is better, and according to the common use, 
not to add at all the syllable ‘in,’ but simply to say, the holy 
catholic church: even as also pope Leo saith*.” This hath 
Thomas. 


{1 Credimus ecclesiam quasi regenerationis matrem ; non in eccle- 
siam credimus quasi in salutis auctorem. Qui in ecclesiam credit, in 
hominem credit: nam non homo ex ecclesia, sed ecclesia esse ccepit 
ex homine. Recede itaque ex hac blasphemiz persuasione, ut in 
aliquam humanam te estimes debere credere creaturam; cum omnino 
nec in angelum nec in archangelum sit credendum. Nonnullorum 
imperitia, In, preepositionem hance, velut de proxima vicinaque senten- 
tia, in consequentem traxit ac rapuit, et ex superfluo imprudenter ap- 
posuit.—Paschas. de Spiritu Sancto, Lib. 1. cap. i. in Biblioth. Patr. 
Par. 1624. Tom. 1x. col. 180.] 

[2 Quod Paschasius hujus apostolice sedis diaconus, cujus apud 
nos rectissimi et luculenti de sancto Spiritu libri extant, mire sancti- 
tatis vir fuerit, eleemosynarum maxime operibus vacans, cultor pau- 
perum et contemptor sui.—S. Gregorii Dialog. Iv. 40. Rom. 1613. 
ἯΠ. 926: ῬῚ] 

[35 Si dicatur, In sanctam ecclesiam catholicam, hoc est intelligen- 
dum, quod fides nostra refertur ad Spiritum sanctum qui sanctificat 
ecclesiam, ut sit sensus: Credo in Spiritum sanctum sanctificantem 
ecclesiam. Sed melius est, et secundum communiorem usum, ut non 
ponatur ibi, In, sed simpliciter dicatur, sanctam ecclesiam catholi- 
cam; sicut etiam Leo Papa dicit.—Aquin. Sum. Tot. Theol. par. 11. 
Quest. 1. Art. 9, p. 7, Tom. 11. Venet. 1594.] 




















Ix. ] THE APOSTLES’ CREED. 161 


So now ye have heard the opinions of the ancient doc- 
tors of the church, Cyprian, Augustine, Gregory, Pascha- 
sius, pope Leo; and also of Thomas of Aquine, which taught 


‘now in the latter times. And, dearly beloved, ye do under- 


stand, by proofs taken out of the canonical scripture, that we 
must acknowledge and confess the holy catholic church, but 
not believe in the holy catholic church. 

And now we have to see, what that is that is called the 
church, and what is called the catholic church. Ecclesia, 
which word we use for the church, is properly an assembly ; 
it is, I say, where the people are called out, or gathered 
together, to hear somewhat touching the affairs of the com- 
monweal. In this present treatise it is the company, com- 
munion, congregation, multitude, or fellowship of all that 
profess the name of Christ. Catholic is as much to say as 
this fellowship is universal, as that that is extended through 
all places and ages*. For the church of Christ is not 
restrained into any corner among the Donatists in Africa’: 
it stretcheth out itself through the compass of the world, 
and unto all ages, and doth contain all the faithful from the 
first Adam even unto the very last saint that shall be remain- 
ing before the end of the world. This universal church hath 
her particular churches; I mean, the church of Adam and of 
the patriarchs, the church of Moses and of the prophets before 
the birth of Christ, the christian church, which is so named 
of Christ himself, and the apostolical church gathered toge- 
ther by the apostles’ doctrine in the name of Christ. And 
finally, it containeth these particular churches, as the church 
of Jerusalem, of Antioch, of Alexandria, of Rome, of Asia, of 
Africa, of Europe, of the east, of the west, &c. And yet all 
these churches, as it were members of one body under the 
only head Christ, (for Christ alone is the head of his church, 


[4 Here the translator has omitted: “For all saints are united, just 
as the members in one body, which depend on one head. Therefore 
the aggregate and whole multitude of the faithful is called the church.” 
Sancti enim omnes ita uniuntur, ut membra in uno corpore, que ab 
uno dependent capite. Ergo universitas totaque multitudo fidelium 
dicitur ecclesia. ] 

[5 For their own body, on account of the sanctity of its bishops, 
they (the Donatists) claimed exclusively the name of a true, pure, and 
holy church. This pestilence scarcely extended beyond Africa.— 
Mosheim, Eccles. Hist. Cent. rv. Book 11. part 2, chap. 5.] 


[BULLINGER. ] ΤΙ 


The catholice 
church. 


The true 
ehurch. 


We believe 
the church to 
be holy. 


How the 
church is 
holy. 


162 THE FIRST DECADE. [SERM. 


not only triumphant, but militant also,) do make one only 
catholic church ; in which there are not to be found either 
heresies or schisms: and for that cause it is called the true? 
church, to wit, of the right and true opinion, judgment, faith, 
and doctrine. For in the church only is true faith, and 
without the church of God is neither any truth, nor yet 
salvation. 

So then in this article we confess, that all the faithful 
dispersed throughout the whole compass of the earth, and 
they also that at this time live in heaven, as many, I say, as 
are already saved, or shall even until the very end of the 
world be born to be saved, are one body, having gotten 
fellowship and participation with God and a mutual commu- 
nion among themselves. And for because no man can be 
made one with God, unless he also be holy and pure even as 
God is holy and pure; therefore we believe that the church 
is holy, that is, that it is sanctified by God the Father in the 
blood of the Son and the gift of the Holy Ghost. We have 
heard testimonies enough in the former sermons; therefore 
this one of Paul shall be sufficient, which he writeth to the 
Ephesians : “Christ loved the church, and gave himself for 
it, to sanctify and to cleanse it in the fountain of water 
through the word, to make it unto himself a glorious church, 
not having spot or wrinkle*,” &c. By which words we under- 
stand, that the church is called undefiled and altogether clean, 
not in respect of itself, but because of Christ. For the church 
of Christ is so far forth holy, as that yet every day it doth 
go forward in profiting, and is never perfect so long as it 
liveth on the earth. And yet notwithstanding, the holiness 
of it is most absolutely perfect in Christ. Whereunto verily 
belongeth that notable saying of the Lord: “He that is 
washed hath no need but to wash his feet only, for he is 
wholly clean’.” For the faithful are purely cleansed by 


Christ, who washeth them with his blood; but yet, because _ 


the flesh doth strive with the spirit so long as life remaineth 
on the earth, therefore the godly have need with faith and 
the Holy Ghost to wash and wipe their feet, that is, the 


{2 orthodoxa, Lat. ] 

[2 ch. v. 25—27. mundatam lavacro aquee, Lat. Erasmus’ ren- 
dering. ] 

[3 John xiii. 10.] 








1x. | THE APOSTLES CREED. 163 


reliques and spots wherewith they are distained by their daily 
conversation in this world. 

But now, whereunto belongeth this that is added, ‘The The commu- 
communion of saints?” These words are neither read in saints. 
Cyprian, nor Augustine, nor yet by them expounded‘. 
Wherefore it is likely, that they were added for the better 
understanding of that which went before: for, that it might 
appear that the catholic church is the fellowship or company 
of the faithful, he added, ‘“‘ The communion of saints;” as if 
he should have said, which church is a communion of saints. 
Paul called them saints, which for their faith are sanctified by 
the blood and Spirit of God. Also this word “communion” is 

very evident and comfortable. For first, the meaning thereof 
is, that betwixt God and us there is a communion, that is, a 
᾿ς fellowship and participation, and so, consequently, a parting 
betwixt us of all good and heavenly things. And then also 
we understand, that we are fellows and partakers with all the 
| saints that are living either in heaven or on earth: for we 
_ are members of them under one head, Christ. For the apostle 
_ John saith: “That which we have seen and heard we declare 
_ unto you, that ye also may have fellowship with us, and that 
_ your fellowship may be with the Father, and his Son Jesus 
_ Christ®.” Hereunto appertaineth that trim® similitude of 
i the body and members under one head, which the apostle 
_ Paul handleth at large in deed. But what is he, that can 
 worthily enough set forth the great goodness of God’s gift 
and benefit, in that we are made fellow-partners of God, with 
| whom we are most nearly conjoined, and have a part in all 
i his good and heavenly things? What can be more delightful 
, to our ears, than to hear, that all the saints, as well in heaven 
_ as in earth, are our brethren, and that we again are mem- 
bers, partners, and fellows with them? Blessed be God, 
| which hath so liberally bestowed his blessing on us in Christ 


To this place belongeth the discourse upon the sacraments ; 
_, of which, and of the church, I mean at another time more fully 
to entreat. This for the present time is sufficient. For this 


{4 See Pearson on the Creed, Oxf. ed. 1820. Vol. 1. p. 427.] 
[δ 1 Johni. 3. societas vestra, Lat. But the Vulgate and Erasmus 
have nostra, as the Greek. ] 
[8 elegans, Lat. ] 
11—2 


The tenth 
article of our 
behef, 


The acknow- 
ledging and 
confessing of 
our sins. 


Our sins are 
forgiven of 
God, not for 
our merits, 
but for Christ 
his sake. 


164 THE FIRST DECADE. [SERM. 


that I have said doth abundantly enough express and set out 
the fruit of faith in the Father, the Son, and the holy Ghost ; 
to wit, that we have participation with God and all the saints, 
and that in this fellowship we are sanctified from all filth or 
uncleanness, being cleansed and holy in Christ our Lord. 

Now followeth the tenth article of our belief; which is, 
“The forgiveness of sins.” The second fruit or commodity of 
our belief in God, the Father, the Son, and the Holy Ghost, 
is here set forth, that is, the remission of sins; which, although 
it be contained in sanctification spoken of in the last article, is 
in this place notwithstanding more lively expressed. Without 
the church, as it were without the ark of Noe, is no salvation: 
but in the church, I mean, in the fellowship of Christ and the 
saints, is full! forgiveness of all offences. That this may be the 
better understood, I will divide it into some parts. 

First of all, it is needful to acknowledge and confess, that 
we are sinners, and that by nature and our own proper merits 
we are the children of wrath and damnation. For St John 
doth not in vain nor without a cause call every one a liar, 
that saith he hath no sin®% And God, which knoweth the 
hearts of men, hath commanded us even till the last gasp to 
pray, saying: “ Forgive us our debts.” Moreover, in the 
gospel we have two excellent examples of men openly confessing 
their sins to God; the prodigal son, I say, and the publican in 
St Luke®. Let us therefore think, that we are all sinners, as 
Paul also taught ; yea, as he hath evidently proved in the first 
chapter to the Romans; and let us freely confess to God our 
sins with David in the 32nd and 51st Psalms, saying: “My sin 
have I made known to thee, and mine iniquity I have not hid. 
I have said, I will confess mine unrighteousness against myself ; 
and thou hast forgiven the iniquity of mine offence.” “Have 
mercy on me, O God, according to thy great mercy,” &c. 
The Psalm is known. 

Secondarily, let us believe, that all these sins of ours are 
pardoned and forgiven of God, not for the acknowledging and ' 
confessing of our sins, but for the merit and blood of the Son | 
of God; not for our own works or merits, but for the truth 
and mercy, or grace, of God. For we do plainly profess, ἢ 


[1 plenaria, Lat. ] 
[21 Johni. 8.] 
(3 ch. xy. 21, and xviii. 13.] 














1x. | THE APOSTLES’ CREED. 165 


saying: “I believe the forgiveness of sins.” We say not, I buy, 
or by gifts do get, or by works obtain, the forgiveness of sins; 
but, “I believe the forgiveness of sins.” And the word “remis- 
sion” or “forgiveness” doth signify a free pardoning, by a meta- 
phor taken of creditors and debtors. For the creditor forgiveth 
the debtor, when he is not able to pay: therefore remission is 
a forgiving‘, according to the saying of our Saviour in the 
Gospel: “A certain lender had two debtors; and when they 
were not able to pay, he forgave them both®.” Hereunto 
belongeth that also in the Lord’s prayer: ‘And forgive us our 
debts ;” for our debts are our sins: them do we request to be 
remitted, that is, to be forgiven us. In this sense also saith St 
Paul: ‘Tohim that worketh is the reward reckoned not of grace, 
but of due debt; but to him that worketh not, but believeth on 
him that justifieth the ungodly, his faith is counted for right- 
eousness: even as David describeth the blessedness of that 
man, unto whom God imputeth righteousness without works, 
saying, Blessed are they whose unrighteousnesses are forgiven, 
and whose sins are covered. Blessed is that man to whom the 
Lord will not impute sin®.” Wherefore, in respect of us 
which have not wherewithal to repay, our sins are freely for- 
given; but in respect of God’s justice, they are forgiven for 
the merit and satisfaction of Christ. 

Moreover, it is not the sins of a few men, of one or two 
ages, or a few and certain number of sins, are forgiven only ; 
but the sins of all men, of all ages, the whole multitude of sins, 
whatsoever is and is called sin, whether it be original, or 
actual, or any other else’; to be short, all sins are forgiven us. 
Which we ἀφ hereby learn, because the only sacrifice of Christ 
is effectual enough to wash away all the offences of all sinners, 
which by faith come to the mercy-seat of God’s grace®. And 
yet by this we do not teach men to sin, because the Lord hath 
long since made satisfaction for sins: but if any man do sin, 
we teach him to hope well, and not to despair, but to flee to 
the throne of grace; for there we say that Christ, sitting at 
the right hand of the Father, is “the Lamb of God that taketh 
away the sins of the world.” And in the Creed verily it is 


[4 remissio est donatio, Lat.] - 

(5 Luke vii. 41, 42.] [6 Rom. iv. 4—8.] 
(7 sive alienum sit, Lat.] 

[8 ad thronum gratia, Lat. Heb. iv. 16.] 


All sins are 
forgiven. 


God alone, 
and not man, 
forgiveth 
sins, 


166 THE FIRST DECADE. [SERM. 


expressly said, “I believe the forgiveness of sins,” and not of sin. 
For when we say “Οὔ sins,” we acknowledge that God forgiveth 
all sins. For to let pass the proofs hereof out of the 3rd and 
5th of Paul to the Romans, those out of St John, the apostle and 
evangelist, shall be sufficient, who in his epistle testifieth, and 
saith: “The blood of Jesus Christ cleanseth us from every sin!.” 
Lo, he saith from every sin. He,I say, that saith from every 
one, excepteth none, unless it be that which the Lord himself 
excepted; I mean, the sin against the Holy Ghost; for which 
the very same St John forbiddeth us to pray®. Again also he 
saith: “If we acknowledge our sins, God is faithful and just 
to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all our unright- 
eousness*.” The apostle thought it not enough to say barely, 
‘To forgive us our sins;” but, that he might declare the thing 
as it is indeed so plainly that it might easily be understood, he 
addeth moreover this saying : “And to cleanse us from all our 
unrighteousness.” Lo, here he saith again, “from all un- 
righteousness.” And for because some cayiller might perad- 
venture make this objection, and say, This kind of doctrine 
maketh men sluggish and slow to amendment; for men under 
the pretence of God’s grace will not cease to sin: therefore 
John in his 2nd chapter answereth their objection, and saith : 
“Babes, these things write I to you, that ye sin not: and if © 
any man sin, we have an advocate with the Father, Jesus 
Christ the righteous. And-he is the atonement for our sins: 
and not for our sins only, but also for the sins of all the 
world*.” Wherefore it is assuredly true, that by the death 
of Christ all sins are forgiven them that believe. 

Moreover, the Lord alone forgiveth sins, For it is the 
glory of God alone to forgive sins, and of unrighteous to 
make men righteous. Therefore, whereas men are said to 
forgive sins, that is to be understood of their ministery, and 
not of their power. The minister pronounceth to the people, 
that for Christ his sake their sins are forgiven: and in so 
saying he deceiveth them not; for God indeed forgiveth the 
sins of them that believe, according to that saying: “‘ Whose 
sins ye forgive, they are forgiven them®.” And this is done 
so often as the word of the gospel is preached; so that there 
be no need to feign, that auricular confession and private ab- 


[11 Johni. 7.] ' [2 1 John v. 16.] [81 John i. 9.) 
[4 1 John ii. 1, 2.] [5 John xx, 23.] 








1Χ.} THE APOSTLES’ CREED. 167 


solution at the priest’s hand is necessary for the remission of 
sins. For as auricular confession was not in use among the 
saints before the coming of Christ, so we read not that the 
apostles heard private confession, or used private absolution 
in the church of Christ. It is enough for us to confess our 
sins to God, who, because he seeth our hearts, ought there- 
fore most rightly to hear our confessions. It is enough, if we, 
as St James teacheth us, do one to another betwixt ourselves 
confess our faults and offences®; and so, after pardon asked, 
return into mutual favour again. It is enough for us to hear 
the gospel, promising the forgiveness of our sins through 
Christ, if we believe. Let us therefore believe the forgive- 
ness of sins, and pray to the Lord that he will vouchsafe to 
give and increase in us this same belief. These things were 
of old and in the primitive church effectual enough to obtain 
pardon and full remission of sins: and as they were, so are 
they undoubtedly at this day sufficient too. 

Furthermore, the Lord doth so pardon our sins, not that 
they should not be any more in us, nor leave their reliques be- 
hind them, as a sting in our flesh, but that they should not be 
imputed to us to our damnation. Concupiscence sticketh fast 
and sheweth itself in our flesh, striving still with the good 
Spirit of God, even in the holy ones, so long as life lasteth on 
this earth. Here therefore we have need of long watching 
and much fasting, to draw from the flesh the nourishment of 
evil, and often prayers to call to God for aid, that we be not 
overcome of the evil. And if any man shall hap to fail for 
feebleness, and be subdued of temptation, let him not yield 
himself, by lying still, to be caught in the devil’s net: let him 
rise up again by repentance, and run to Christ, believing that 
by the death of Christ this fall of his shall be forgiven him. 
And so often shall he have recourse to him, as he shall be 
vanquished by concupiscence and sin. For to this end shoot 
all the exhortations of the prophets and apostles, calling on 
still to return to the Lord. 


Finally, the Lord doth so forgive our sins, that he will We makenot 
never once remember them again. For so he foretold us by ‘or punish- 
Jeremiah, in his 31st chapter. He therefore doth not punish 
us. For he hath not only forgiven the fault, but also the 
punishment due for the sin. Now then, whereas the Lord 


[6 James v. 16.] 


The eleventh 
article of our 
faith. 


The resur- 
rection of 
our flesh. 


168 THE FIRST DECADE. [SERM. 


sometime doth whip us with his scourges, and whippeth us for 
our sins indeed (as the holy scripture doth plainly declare), he 
doth it not to the intent, that with our affliction we should 
make satisfaction for the sins we have committed; for then 
should the death of Christ be of none effect: but the Lord 
with whipping doth chastise us, and by whipping us doth let 
us understand, that he liketh not of the sins, which we have 
committed, and he doth freely forgive: by whipping us also 
he maketh us examples to other, lest they sin too; and cutteth 
from us all occasion of sinning; and by the cross doth keep 
our patience in ure!, This thus far, touching the forgiveness 
of sins. Of which I have said somewhat in my sermon of faith 
that justifieth?, and elsewhere. 

The eleventh article is this: “The resurrection of the 
flesh.” These two articles, this and the twelfth, shut up, as 
briefly as may be, the most excellent fruit of faith, and sum 
of all perfection; they wrap up, I say, the end of faith, in 
confessing life everlasting, and the full and perfect salvation of 
the whole man. For the whole man? shall be saved, as well 
in soul as body. For as man by sin did perish both in body 
and soul, so ought he to be restored again both bodily and 
ghostly: and as he ought, so was he by Christ restored 
again. The soul of man verily is a spirit, and dieth not at 
all: the body is earthly, and therefore dieth and rotteth. For 
which cause many hold opinion, that the bodies die, never to 
be made partakers of joy or pain in the world to come. But 
we in this article profess the contrary, acknowledging that 
those our bodies, and so that flesh of ours, shall rise again, 
and enter into life everlasting. 

Of this word “ resurrection,” or rising again, I have spoken 
in the exposition of that article, “The third day he rose 
again from the dead.” But now this word “flesh” doth a great 
deal more significantly express the resurrection of this flesh* 
than if we should say the resurrection of the body. Verily 
Cyprian saith, that in some churches of the east this article 
was thus pronounced: “I believe the resurrection of this 
flesh®.” And Augustine also, in the tenth chapter of his book 


[1 i.e. in exercise and practice. exercet, Lat.] 

[2 See above, page 109.] [3 See above, page 144.] 
[4 hujus nostre carnis, Lat.] 

[5 Satis cauta et provida adjectione fidem symboli ecclesia nostra 














1Χ.} THE APOSTLES’ CREED. 169 


de Fide et Symbolo, saith: “ We must without doubting be- 
lieve, that this visible, which is properly called flesh, shall 
rise again. The apostle Paul doth seem, as it were, with 
his finger to point at this flesh, when he saith, ‘This cor- 
ruptible must put on incorruption.? When he saith ‘this,’ 
he doth, as it were, put out his finger unto this flesh®.”” This 
hath Augustine. Moreover, St Hierome compelleth John, 
bishop of Hierusalem, openly to confess the resurrection of the 
flesh, not of the body only. “Flesh,” saith he, “hath one 
definition, and the body another. All flesh is a body; but 
every body is not flesh. That is flesh properly, which is 
compact of blood, veins, bones, and sinews. <A body, although 
it be called flesh, yet sometimes is said to be of like substance 
to the firmament, or to the air, which is not subject to touch- 
ing or seeing; and oftentimes too may be both touched and 
seen. A wall is a body, but it is not flesh’.” Thus much out 
of Hierome. Let us therefore believe, that men’s bodies, 
which are taken of the earth, and which living men bear 
about, wherein they live, and are, which also die and turn 
into dust and ashes, that those bodies, I say, are quickened 
and live again. 
But thou demandest, how this flesh, being once resolved whether the 


same bodies, 


into dust and ashes, and so into nothing, can rise again in that do 
putrefy, rise 


the former shape and substance: as when it is torn with the #8. 
teeth of beasts, or consumed to nothing with the flame of fire, 
and when in the grave® there is to be found but a small and 


docet, quee in eo quod a ceteris traditur ‘carnis resurrectionem,’ uno 
addito pronomine tradit, ‘Hujus carnis resurrectionem.’—Cypr. Expos. 
in Symb. Apost. fol. 28. Oxon. 1682. See also Becon’s Works, Parker 
Soe. ed. Vol. 11. page 49.] 

[ὁ Hee ergo visibilis, quee caro proprie dicitur, sine dubitatione cre- 
denda est resurgere. Videtur enim Paulus apostolus eam tanquam 
digito suo ostendere, cum dicit, “ Oportet corruptibile hoc induere in- 
corruptionem.” Cum enim dicit Hoc, in eam quasi digitum intendit.— 
Opp. Par. 1531. Tom. 11. fol. 32.] 

{7 Alia enim carnis, alia corporis definitio est. Omnis caro est 
corpus ; non omne corpus est caro. Caro est proprie, que sanguine, 
venis, ossibus, nervisque constringitur: corpus quamquam et caro 
dicatur, interdum tamen ethereum vel aérium nominatur, quod tactui 
visuique non subjacet; sed plerunque visibile est atque tangibile. 
Paries est corpus, sed non caro, &c.—Hieron. Ep. xxxviii. ad Pam. 
adv. Error. Johan. Jerosol. ed. Par. Tom. tv. par. 2. col. 322.] 

[8 in monumentis, Lat.] 


170 THE FIRST DECADE. [SERM. 


little quantity of dusty powder? I refer thee to the omni- 
potency of God, which the apostle spake of where he saith: 
«Christ hath transformed this vile body of ours, to make it 
conformable to his glorious body, by the power wherein he 
can make all things subject to himself!” Wherefore he that 
in the beginning, when as yet there was not a man in the 
world, could bring forth man out of the dust of the earth, 
although the same man be again resolved into that out of 
which he was taken, I mean, into earth, as the saying is, 
“Dust thou art, and into dust shalt thou return again?;” yet 
notwithstanding, the same God again, at the end of the 
world, is able to raise man out of the earth. For the Lord 
in the gospel saith plainly: ‘The hour shall come, wherein 
all they that are in the graves shall hear the voice of the 
Son of God, and shall come forth; they that have done good 
to the resurrection of life, and they that have done evil to 
the resurrection of judgment*.” And now by faith we are 
throughly persuaded, as the apostle saith, “that he that 
hath promised is able also to perform*.” There are more- 
over lively examples of this matter, and most evident testi- 
monies of the holy scripture. Jonas is swallowed up of the 
whale in the Syrian® sea, but the third day after he is cast 
up again alive upon the shore out of the beast’s entrails; 
which is a token, that the flesh shall verily rise again. 
Wherefore, that is not hard to be believed that in the 
Apocalypse® is said, that “the sea casteth up her dead.” 


[1 Phil. iii. 21. Erasmus, whose rendering Bullinger adopts, has 
transfiguravit. ] 

[2 Gen. iii. 19.] 

[3 John v. 28, 29.] 

[4 Rom. iv. 21.] 

[5 The Syrian Sea is that part of the Mediterranean about 
Czsarea.—Relandi Palestina, Lib. m1. p. 675, ed. Traject. ad Rhen. 
1714. in voc. Cesarea. Cf. Calvin. Comm. in Jon. i. 3, p. 253, ed. 
Amstel. 1667.] 

[6 in theologia Domini, Lat. The sense, in which Bullinger gives 
this name to the Apocalypse, is, not only because it is in some copies 
called the Revelation of John the Divine (see Horne’s Introduction, 
Vol. tv. part 2, chap. 5, §. 1), but because (as he writes in his Com- 
ment. in Apocalyps. p. 1. Basil. 1570), est doctrina de rebus ecclesia 
Christi revelata ccelitus a Christo in gloria, et compendium totius 
pietatis, et prophetarum explicatio et summarium. ] 

















1x.] THE APOSTLES’ CREED. 171 


The force of fire had no force to hurt the three companions 
of Daniel: yea, the rage of wild beasts (contrary to nature) 
abstained from biting Daniel himself: what marvel is it there- 
fore, if at this day neither the force of fire, nor rage of wild 
beasts, is able to resist the power of God, being disposed to 
raise his creatures up again’? Did not our Lord Christ 
raise up Lazarus, when he had lien three days in the grave, 
yea, and stank too, to life again? Did not he himself, 
having once broken the tyranny of death, rise up again the 
third day from the dead? Did he not rise again in the same 
substance of flesh and form of body, wherein he hanged on 
the cross, and, being taken down from the cross, was buried ? 
Not without good cause do we look back to Christ, which is 
called the first-begotten among the dead*, so often as we 
think in what manner the resurrection of our flesh shall be. 
For the members shall rise again in the same order that 
the Head is risen up before them in: we verily shall not rise 
again the third day after our death; but in our manner and 
order shall we rise at the last day; yea, and that too in the 
very same body wherein now we live. 


I will add a few testimonies to prove the resurrection of Testim 
our flesh. Job, confessing his faith touching the resurrection rswtecton. 


of the dead, in his great weakness, affliction, and sickness, 
saith: ‘I know that my Redeemer liveth, and that in the 
last day I shall rise out of the earth, and shall be clad again 
with my skin, and in my flesh I shall see God: whom even 
I myself shall see, and my eyes shall behold, and none other. 
This hope is laid up in my bosom®.” This testimony is so 
evident as that it needeth no larger an exposition. 

No less evident are those testimonies out of Esay, chap. 
xxvi.; Ezech. xxxvii.; Psalm xvi.; Matt. xxii.; John v. vi. xi. 
Throughout the Acts in every place is often repeated the 
resurrection of the dead. St Paul, in the fifteenth chapter of his 
first epistle to the Corinthians, doth make a full discourse of 
this resurrection. In the fourth chapter of his second epistle 
he saith : “‘ We which live are always delivered to death for 


(7 Cf. Works of Bp. Jewel, Parker Soc. ed. Vol. 1. p. 867.] 

[§ Coloss. i. 18. Rev. i. 5. primogenitus ex mortuis, Lat.] 

[9 Job xix. 25—27. The last sentence of v. 27 is in the Vulgate as 
in Bullinger’s Latin, “ reposita est heec spes mea in sinu meo:” and in 
the Douay Version, “ This my hope is laid up in my bosom.” ] 


In what sort 
our bodies 
shall rise 
again. 


Of what 
fashion our 
bodies shall 
be in the 
resurrection. 


172 THE FIRST DECADE. [SERM. 


Jesus’ sake, that the life of Jesus also might appear in our 
mortal flesh!.”” See now, what could be spoken more plainly, 
than that the life of Christ shall be made to appear in this 
mortal flesh of ours? For by and by after he saith: “ We 
know that he, that raised up the Lord Jesus, shall raise us 
up also by the means of Jesus®.” And in the fifth chapter 
again: “We must all appear before the judgment-seat of 
Christ,” saith he, “that every man may receive the works of 
his body, according to that he hath done, whether it be good 
or evil’.” Therefore these very bodies of ours shall rise 
again in the day of judgment. 

And now, dearly beloved, I have to declare unto you in 
what manner our bodies shall rise again, and of what sort 
they shall be in the resurrection. In the shutting up and 
end of all ages, or of this world, our Lord Jesus Christ shall 
come to judgment with great majesty; and then, whomsoever 
that day shall find alive, they shall in a moment of time be 
changed ; and first (I say) shall all they that died, from the 
first Adam to the last that shall die, rise up again, and in 
their own flesh stand among the living that are changed, 
before the tribunal-seat of Christ, looking for that last pro- 
nounced ‘sentence in judgment. This doth Paul set down in 
these words: “Lo, I tell you a mystery; We shall not all 
verily sleep, but we shall all be changed in a moment of time, 
in the twinkling of an eye, at the sound of the last trump: 
for it shall sound, and the dead shall rise again incorruptibly, 
and we shall be changed. For this corruptible must put on 
incorruption, and this mortal must put on immortality +.” 

By this evident testimony of the apostle we may gather 
in what fashion our bodies shall be in that resurrection. Verily, 
our bodies shall be none other in the resurrection than now 
they be; this only excepted, that they shall be clean without 
all corruption and corruptible affection. For the apostle saith, 
“The dead shall rise again ;” and, “We shall be changed.” 
And again, pointing expressly and precisely to these very 
bodies which here we bear about, he saith, ‘This corruptible, 
this mortal, yea, this body, I say, and no other,” as Job also 
witnessed, shall rise again: and that shall rise again incorrup- 
tible, which was corruptible; that shall rise again immortal, 


[1 2 Cor. iv. 11.] [2 ibid. v. 14.] 
[3 verse 10.] [4 1 Cor. xv. 5{—53.] 











ιχ.] THE APOSTLES’ CREED. 173 


which before the resurrection was mortal. So then this body 
of ours in the resurrection shall be set free from all evil affec- 
tions and passions, from all corruption; but the substance 
thereof shall not be brought to nought, it shall not be changed 
into a spirit, it shall not lose the own and proper shape. 
And this body verily because of that purification and cleansing 
from those dregs, yea, and rather because of these heavenly 
and divine gifts, is called both a spiritual body, and also a A storious 
glorious and purified body. ᾿ 

For Paul, in the third to the Philippians, saith: “Our 
conversation is in heaven, from whence we look for the 
Saviour, the Lord Jesus Christ, who shall change our vile 
body, that it may be made like unto his glorious body.” See 
here, the apostle calleth not our resurrection from the dead a 
transubstantiation, or loss of the substance of our body, but a 
changing : then also, shewing what kind of body that changed 
body is, he calleth it a glorious body, not without all shape 
and void of fashion, but augmented in glory: yea, he setteth 
before us the very body of our Lord Jesus Christ, wherein 
he sheweth us what fashion our bodies shall have, being in 
glory. For in plain words he saith: “He shall make our vile 
body like to his glorious body.” Let us therefore see what 
kind of body our Lord had after his resurrection. It was 
neither turned into a ghost, nor brought to nothing, nor yet 
not able to be known by the shape and figure; for, shewing 
them his hands and feet, that were easily known by the print 
of the nails wherewith he was crucified, he said, ‘“‘See, for I 
am even he5,” to wit, clad again with the same body wherein 
I hung upon the cross. For, speaking yet more plainly, and 
proving that that body of his was not a spiritual substance, 
he said: “A spirit hath not flesh and bones, as ye see that I 
have.” He hath therefore a purified body, flesh and bones, 
and the very same members which he had when as yet his 
body was not purified. And for this cause did the same Lord 
offer to Thomas his side®, and the scars of his five wounds, to 
be felt and handled; to the end that we should not doubt but 
that his very body was raised up again. He did both eat and 
drink with his disciples, as Peter in the Acts’ witnesseth before 
Cornelius, that all men might know, that the very self-same 
body that died rose from death again. 

[5 Luke xxiv. 39.] [6 John xx. 27.] (7 ch. x. 41.] 








What a 
lorious 
ody is. 


174 THE FIRST DECADE. [SERM. 


Now, although this body be comprehended within a certain 
limited place, not dispersed all over and every where; although 
it have a just quantity, figure, or shape, and a just weight, 
with the own kind and nature!; yet notwithstanding it is free 
from every passion, corruption, and infirmity. For the body 
of the Lord once raised up was in the garden, and not in the 
sepulchre, when the women came to anoint it ; it meeteth them 
by the way as they return from the sepulchre, and offereth 
itself to be seen of Magdalene in the garden; it goeth in com- 
pany? to Emaus with the two disciples that journeyed to 
Emaus: in the mean time, while he was with them in 
body, he was not among the other disciples; when they twain 
are returned to the eleven, the Lord himself at evening is 
present with them: he goeth before his disciples into Galilee : 
presently after he cometh into Jury again, where his body 
was taken up from mount Olivet into heaven. All this doth 
prove the certain verity of Christ his body. But because this 
body (although it be a true and very body, of the own proper 
kind’, place, disposition, and of the own proper shape and 
nature) is called a glorified and glorious body, I will say 
somewhat of that glory, which verily is incident to the true 
shape and substance of the body once raised up again. 

First, glory in this sense is used for a lightsomeness and 
shining brightness. For Paul saith, that the children of Israel, 
for the glory of Moses’ countenance, could not behold with 
their eyes the face of Moses*: so then a glorious body is a 
bright and shining body. A very good proof of this did our 
Lord shew, even a little before his resurrection, when it pleased 
him to give to his disciples a small taste of the glory to come; 
and for that cause took aside certain, whom he had chosen, 
into the top of a certain hill, where he was transfigured before 
them, so that the fashion of his countenance did shine as the 
sun, and his clothes were white and glistered as the light , 
The Lord verily had still the same bodily substance, and the 
same members of the body, but they were transfigured. But 
it is manifest, that that transfiguration was in the accidents. 
For light and brightness was added, so that, the shape and 
substance of the countenance and body remaining as it was, 


[1 sexum et suam naturam, Lat.] 
[2 eequis passibus, Lat.] [3 sui sexus, Lat. ] 
(4-2 Cor, 1.1.1 [6 Matt. xvii, 2.] 














ES 


—— 





--"α» 


Ix. ] THE APOSTLES’ CREED. 175 


the countenance and body did glister as the sun and the light. 
And although we read not that the body of the Lord did 
within those forty days, wherein he shewed himself alive again 
to his disciples, make manifest and spread abroad the bright- 
ness which it had, and that by reason of the dispensation, 
whereby also he did eat with his disciples, notwithstanding 
that clarified bodies need not food or nourishment at all; yet 
nevertheless his body shineth now in heaven, as John in the 
first of the Apocalypse witnesseth: and the sacred scriptures 
lay an assured hope before us, that even our bodies also shall 
in the resurrection be likewise clarified. For the Lord him- 
self in the gospel, alleging the words of Daniel, saith: “Then 
shall the righteous shine as the sun in his Father’s kingdom®,” 
For this cause the glorious bodies are called also clarified, of 
the clearness of that heavenly brightness wherewith they 
glister and are adorned. 

Secondarily, glory and vileness are made contraries. Glorious 
For Paul saith: “He shall change our vile body, to make it free from 
in fashion like to his glorious body’.” In these words vileness 
and glory are set the one against the other. Vileness com- 
prehendeth the whole pack of miseries and infirmities, passions 
and affections, which for sin was laid upon the body: from 
all which our bodies are purged in the resurrection of life; so 
that then the glorious bodies are bodies drained from the 
dregs of all corruption, passions, and infirmities, and clad with 
eternity, heavenly feeling, and glory. For the apostle saith: 
“It is sown in corruption; it riseth in incorruption: it is sown 
in dishonour; it riseth in glory: it is sown in infirmity; it riseth 
in power: it is sown a natural body; it riseth a spiritual body °.” 
The gifts therefore of the glorious and clarified bodies are 
very great and many, as incorruption, glory, power, and the 
quickening Spirit. For the apostle himself, shewing what he 
meant by the natural? and spiritual body, addeth this imme- 
diately, and saith: “There is a natural body, and there is a 
spiritual body; as it is written, The first man Adam was made 
a living soul; and the last Adam was made a quickening spirit.” 
And yet again more plainly he saith: “Howbeit, that is not 
first which is spiritual, but that which is natural, and then that 


[6 Matt. xiii. 43; Dan. xii. 3.] [7 Phil. iii, 21.] 
[8.1 Cor, xv. 42—44.] 
[9 animale, Lat.] 


The natural 
and spiritual 
body. 


Flesh and 
blood shall 
not be in 
heaven. 


Sensu ani- 
mali. 
Animalis. 


176 THE FIRST DECADE. [SERM. 


which is spiritual. The first man is of the earth, earthy : the 
second man is the Lord from heaven. As is the earthy, such 
are they that are earthy: and as is the heavenly, such are 
they also that are heavenly. And as we have borne the 
image of the earthy, so shall we bear the image of the hea- 
venly.” So then Paul calleth that natural body an earthy 
body, which we have of our first father Adam, whose quick- 
ening is of the soul, and by it doth live. And he calleth the 
spiritual body an heavenly body, which we have of Christ, 
and made to the likeness of the body of Christ; which 
although it be a very body indeed, and the flesh thereof be 
very flesh indeed, yet notwithstanding it is quickened and 
preserved by the Spirit of Christ, and needeth not any power 
vegetative. 
Although therefore these very bodies and members, which 
now we bear, shall after the resurrection be in heaven; yet 
nevertheless, because they are clarified and cleansed from all 
corruption and feeling of the natural body, there shall not be 
verily any natural or corruptible sense or affection, nor use 
of the carnal body and members. And this doth the Lord 
affirm against the Sadducees (that dreamt of marriages in 
heaven, or rather by that absurdity made a mock of the 
resurrection), where he saith: “ The sons of this world marry 
wives, and give in marriage; but they that shall be thought 
worthy of that world and of the resurrection from the dead, 
do neither marry wives, nor give in marriage; neither can 
they die any more. For they are equal to the angels, and 
are the sons of God, as soon as they be the sons of resur- 
rection.” To which effect also Paul saith: “Flesh and 
blood cannot inherit the kingdom of God.” And lest perad- 
venture any man should mistake his words, and think that 
he spake of the substance of the flesh, he addeth immedi- 
ately this for interpretation thereof, and saith: “ Neither shall 
corruption inherit incorruption®.” Wherefore flesh and blood, 
that is to say, the affections and lusts of the flesh, shall not 
be in the elect that live in heaven. For the joys of heaven 
do differ a great deal from the joys of the earth, and are so 
far forth of another condition, that they cannot admit such 
corrupt creatures to be inheritors of them; and for that cause 


[1 Luke xx. 34—-36. cum sint, Lat.] 
[2 1 Cor. xv. 50.] 








| 
| 
| 
| 
| 


Ix. ] THE APOSTLES’ CREED. 177 


the corruptible bodies must first be purged from all corrup- 
tion, and by that means purely clarified. The Turks there- 
fore are deceived, that look for earthly joys®. 

Moreover, the bodies of the wicked shall also rise again. 
For Paul, in the Acts, saith: “1 believe all that is written in 
the law and the prophets, hoping in God that the resurrec- 
tion of the dead, which they themselves look for also, shall 
be both of the just and unjust” See here, the apostle saith 
of the unjust also. But in this resurrection there shall not 
be taken out of their bodies the infirmity, corruption, disho- 
nour, and misery ; for even then that very body, rising again 
in dishonour, shall by the judgment and power of God be 
surely shut in dishonour and corruption, and so be condemned 
for ever to bear endless torments, and in death and corrup- 
tion shall neither die nor yet corrupt: that even as on earth 
are found certain bodies that do endure even in the fire, so 
the cursed bodies of the wicked shall not be worn out, nor 
broken with any torments whatsoever ; for every minute they 
shall receive new strength to suffer, and so by continual 
suffering shall abide their deserved punishments for ever and 


_ ever and without all end. For the Lord in the gospel saith, 


! 
Ϊ 
| 
| 
] 
| 
ἢ 


| 
! 





| 














i 


Ὶ 
| 
’ ἐς Iv.] 


“They that have done evil shall rise again to the resurrec- 
tion of damnation’ ;” that is, to an enduring and everlasting 
damnation. And Daniel before him said: “ And the multi- 
tude of them that sleep in the dust of the earth shall awake, 
some to everlasting life, and some to shame and perpetual 
contempt®.” And in the gospel, again, the Lord saith: 
“Their worm dieth not, and their fire is not quenched.” And 
the very same words used Esay before him in his 66th 
chapter’. We must always therefore have that saying of 
the Lord in our hearts: “ Fear him that can destroy both 
the body and the soul in hell®.” Thus much hitherto touching 
the resurrection of the flesh. 

The last article of our belief, which with good luck shut- 


|\teth up the rest, is this: “And life everlasting.” We have 


heard and understood, that the souls of men are immortal, 


[3 See Sale’s Prelim. Discourse to his translation of the Koran, 


[4 ch. xxiv. 15.] 

[6 John συ. 29.] [ὃ Dan. xii. 2.] 

(7 Mark ix. 44; Isai. lxvi. 24.] (8 Matt. x. 28.] 
12 


[BULLINGER. ] 


The bodies 
of the wicked 
shall also 

rise again. 


The twelfth 
article of our 
belief. 


Life ever- 
lasting. 


178 THE FIRST DECADE. [SERM. 


and that our bodies do rise again in the end of the world. 
We have confessed that this is our belief. It followeth now, 
in the latter end of the Creed, whither it is that the immortal 
soul and body raised up again shall come. Therefore in our 
confession we say, “‘ And life everlasting ;” that is, I believe 
that I shall have life, and live for ever, both in body and 
soul. And that everlastingness verily is perpetual and hath 
no end, as a little before is proved out of the holy scriptures. 

Moreover, the souls are made partakers of this eternal 
life immediately after they are departed out of the bodies, as 
the Lord himself witnesseth, saying: ‘“ He that believeth in 
the Son of God shall not come into judgment, but hath 
escaped from death to 116. As for the bodies, they are 
buried and do putrefy; and yet so, notwithstanding, that they 
shall not be without life for ever: but they shall then at 
length be received into eternal life, when, being raised up, 
they shall after the time of judgment be caught into the air, 
there to meet Christ, that they may for ever be with the 
Lord. For then do the souls return out of heaven, every 
one to his own body, that the whole, perfect, and full man 
may live for ever both in soul and body. For the soul of 
Christ dying on the cross did out of hand depart into para- 
dise, and the third day after returned to the body, which 
rose again and ascended into heaven. Even as, therefore, 
eternal life came to the Head Christ, so shall it also come 
to all and every member of Christ. 

Now, whereas Paul, citing Esay, saith, ‘ What the eye 
hath not seen, nor the ear heard, nor hath at any time come 
into the heart of man, that hath the Lord prepared for them 
that love him?;” I suppose verily, if all were said touching 
eternal life, that might be spoken by all the men of all ages that 
ever were or shall be, yet that scarcely the very least part 
thereof hath or shall be throughly touched. For howsoever 
the scripture doth with eloquent and figurative speeches, with 
allusions and hard sentences*, most plainly shew the shadow of 
that life and those joys; yet, notwithstanding, all that is 
little or nothing in comparison to speak of, until that day do 
come wherein we shall with unspeakable joy behold God him- 
self, the Creator of all things, in his glory; Christ our Savi- 


{1 John v. 24.] [2 1 Cor. ii. 9; Is. lxiv. 4.] 
[3 eenigmatibus, Lat.] 





isa, THE APOSTLES’ CREED. 179 


our in his majesty ; and finally, all the blessed souls, angels, 
patriarchs, prophets, apostles, martyrs, our fathers, all na- 
tions‘, all the host of heaven, and lastly, the whole divine and 
heavenly glory. Most truly therefore said Aurelius Augus- 
tine, Lib. de Civitat. Dei, xxu. cap. 29: “ When it is de- 
manded of me, what the saints shall do in that spiritual 
body; I answer, not that which I now see, but that that I 
believe. I say therefore, that they shall see God in that 
spiritual body.” And again: “If I should say the truth, I 
know not in what sort that action, quietness, and rest shall 
be. For the peace of God doth pass all understanding®.” 
To be short, we shall see God face to face, we shall be filled 
with the company of God, and yet be never weary of him. 
And the face of God is not that countenantve that appeareth the faceor 
in us; but is a most delectable revealing and enjoying οὐ 
God, which no mortal tongue can worthily declare. Go to 
then, dearly beloved brethren; let us believe and live, that 
when we shall depart from hence we may in very deed have 
trial® of those unspeakable joys of the eternal life to come, 
which now we do believe. 

Hitherto have I, throughout the four last articles, de- 
clared unto you the fruit and end of christian faith. Faith 
leaneth upon one God, the Father, the Son, and the Holy 
Ghost, which sanctifieth the faithful, and purgeth and halloweth 
a church to himself: which church hath a communion with 
God and all saints; all the offences of which church God 
| pardoneth and forgiveth; and doth preserve it both soul and 
_ body. For as the saints’ souls cannot die, so God raiseth up 
their bodies again, and maketh them glorious and everlasting, 
_ to the end that the whole man may for ever live in heaven 
with the Lord: to whom be praise and glory world without 
end. Amen. 

[4 et omnem gentem nostram, Lat. And all our race. ] 

[6 Cum ex me queritur, quid acturi sint sancti in illo corpore 
spiritali ; non dico quod jam video, sed dico quod credo. Dico itaque, 
quod visuri sint Deum in ipso corpore... 

Illa quidem actio, vel potius quies, atque otium quale futurum sit, 
si verum yelim dicere, nescio.—Ibi est enim pax Dei, que, sicut ait 
apostolus, superat omnem intellectum.—Opp. Par. 1531, Tom. v. 
fol. 310.] 

{6 experiamur, Lat. ] 





123 





Love and 
charity. 


Love, from 
whence it is. 


180 THE FIRST DECADE. [SERM. 


OF THE LOVE OF GOD AND OUR NEIGHBOUR. 


THE TENTH SERMON. 


Ir remaineth, since I have in some sermons discoursed of 
true faith, that I do now also add one sermon touching love 
towards God and our neighbour. For in my fourth sermon 
I promised, so soon as I should have done with the exposition 
of faith, that then I would speak of love toward God and our 
neighbour ; because the exposition of the scriptures ought not 
to go awry out of faith and charity, which are, as it were, the 
right and holy marks for it to draw unto. Ye, as hitherto ye 
have done, so cease not yet to pray, that this wholesome doc- 
trine may be by me taught as it should be, and by you re- 
ceived with much increase and profit. 

And, first of all, I will not curiously put any difference 
between charity and love. I will use them both in one and 
the same sense. St Augustine, De Doctrina Christiana, saith: 
“1 call charity a motion of the mind to delight in God for his 
own sake, and to delight in himself and his neighbour for 
God’s sake!” And therefore I call love a gift given to man 
from heaven, whereby with his heart he loveth God before 
and above all things, and his neighbour as himself. Love 
therefore springeth from heaven, from whence it is poured 
into our hearts. But it is enlarged and augmented, partly by 
the remembrance and consideration of God’s benefits, partly 
by often prayer, and also by the hearing and frequenting of 
the word of Christ. Which things themselves also are the gifts 
of the Spirit. For the apostle Paul saith: “ The love of God 
is poured out into our hearts by the Holy Ghost which is 
given us.” For verily the love of God, wherewith he loveth 
us, is the foundation and cause of our love wherewith we love 
him; and of both these jointly consisteth the love of our 
neighbour. For the apostle saith: ‘“‘ We love him because he 
first loved us.” And again: “Every one that loveth him 
which begot, loveth him also that is born of him%.” 


[1 Caritatem voco motum animi ad fruendum Deo propter ipsum, 
et se atque proximo propter Deum.—De Doct. Christ. Lib. 111. cap. 10, 
Vol. 11. fol, 11.) 


[3 Rom. y. δι] [31 John iv. 19; νυ. 1.] 








Χο] OF THE LOVE OF GOD AND OUR NEIGHBOUR. 181 


Hereby we gather again, that this gift of love cannot be 
divided or severed, although it be double. For he that loveth 
God truly, hateth not his neighbour: and yet, nevertheless, 
this love, because of the double respect that it hath to God 
and our neighbour, standeth of two parts. And because of 
this double charity the tables of God’s law are divided into 
twain : the first whereof containeth four commandments touch- 
ing the love of God, the second comprehendeth six precepts 
touching the love of our neighbour. Of which I will speak in 
their own place. But at this time, because the love of God 
and of our neighbour are twain, I will first speak of the love 
of God, and then of the love of our neighbour. “In these two 
commandments,” saith the Lord, “ hang the law and the pro- 
phets*.” 

With that which we call the love of God, we love God 
entirely well; we cleave to God as the only, chief, and eternal 
goodness ; in him we do delight ourselves and are well pleased; 
and frame ourselves to his will and pleasure, having evermore 
a regard and desire of him that we love’. With love we love 
God most heartily. But we do heartily love the things that 
are dear unto us, and the things that to us seem worthy to be 
desired ; and we love them entirely indeed, not so much for 
our commodity, as for because we do desire to join, and, as it 
were, for ever to give and dedicate ourselves wholly to the 
thing that we so dearly love. So verily we desire for ever to 
be joined with God, and are in charity fast linked unto him ; 
as the apostle saith: ‘God is charity; and he that dwelleth in 
charity dwelleth in God, and God in him®.” And that is the 
way whereby we cleave to God, as to the only chief and eternal 
goodness, in whom also we are delighted, and that not a little. 
On him we rest, thinking assuredly that without him there is 
no good at all; and again, that in him there is to be found all 
manner of goodness. Wherefore our hearty love is set on no 
good thing but God: and in comparison of him whom we love, 
we do lightly? loathe and tread under foot all things else that 


(4 Matt. xxii. 40.] 

(5 “Here be many propositions together, which we will explain 
singly and one by one a little more fully :” omitted. P.—Plurima hic 
simul sunt proposita, que sigillatim et per partes copiosius paulo 


exponemus. ] 
[61 John iv. 16.] (7 facile, Lat. ] 


Double’ 
charity. 


The love of 
God. 


182 THE FIRST DECADE. [SERM. 


seem to be good in the whole world; yea, verily, the love of 
By thelove God in us doth overcome all the evils which otherwise seem 
evilsare. invincible. Let us hear Paul with a vehement motion pro- 
claiming this, and saying: “ Who shall separate us from the 
love of God? shall tribulation, or anguish, or persecution, 
or hunger, or nakedness, or peril, or sword? (As it is written, 
For thy sake are we killed all the day long, and are counted 
as sheep for the slaughter.) Nevertheless in all these things 
we overcome through him that loved us. For I am sure that 
neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor rule, nor power, nor 
things present, nor things to come, nor height, nor depth, nor 
any other creature shall be able to separate us from the love 
of God which is in Christ Jesu our Lord.” Hitherto have I 
recited the words of Paul. 
The love of The love of God worketh in us a will to frame ourselves 
ethustothe wholly to the will and ordinances of him whom we do heartily 
peasreof love. Yea, it is pleasant and sweet to him that loveth God to 
do the thing that he perceiveth is acceptable to God, if it be 
done. He that loveth doth in mind reverence him whom he 
loveth. His eye is never off him whom he loveth. He doth 
always, and in all things, wish for his dearling whom he loveth. 
His only joy is, as oft as may be, to talk with God, and again 
to hear the words of God speaking in the scripture. For the 
Lord in the gospel saith: “If any man love me, he will keep 
my word: he that loveth me not doth not keep my words.” 
Again: “ Abide ye in my love. If ye keep my command- 
ments, ye shall abide in my love, even as I also have kept my 
Father’s commandments, and do abide in his love.” And 
again: “If any man love me, he will keep my word; and my 
Father will love him, and we will come to him, and make our 
dwelling in him?.” - 
whe manner But now let us hear Moses, the servant of God, declaring 
God. “and teaching us the way and manner how to love God; to 
wit, how great love ought to be in the elect. ‘Thou shalt,” 
saith he, “love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, with 
all thy soul, and with all thy strength*.” The very same 
words, in a manner, did our Lord in the gospel repeat, and 
said: “Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, 


[1 Rom. viii. 35—39.] [2 John xiv. 23, 24; xv. 9, 10.] 
[3 Deut. vi. 5.] 





ΧΗ] OF THE LOVE OF GOD AND OUR NEIGHBOUR. 183 


with all thy soul, with all thy strength, and with all thy 
mind‘.” By this we understand, that the greatest love that 
may be is required at our hands to God-ward ; as that which 
challengeth man wholly, how big soever he be, and all the 
parts of man, as peculiar unto itself. In the mind is man’s 
understanding. In the heart is the seat of his affections and 
will. The strength of man containeth all man’s ability, as his 
very words, deeds, counsel, riches, and his whole substance. 
Finally, the soul is the life of man. And we verily are com- 
manded to employ all these upon the love of God, when we 
are bidden to love God with all our soul, with all our strength, 
with our whole mind, and our whole heart. Nothing is over- 
slipped, but all is contained in this. We are God’s wholly and 
altogether; let us altogether therefore and wholly love God. 
Let nothing in all the world be dearer to us than God: let us 
not spare for God’s sake any thing of all that which we 
possess, how dear to us or good soever it be; but let us for- 
sake, spend, and give it for God’s sake, and as the Lord by 
his word appointeth: for in doing so we love God before and 
above all things. 

We are also commanded to stick to God only, and to 
embrace him alone. For to whom we do wholly owe all 
that we have, to him is all the whole sincerely, simply, and 
fully to be given. Here are they condemned, whosoever 
will at once love God and the world together. The Lord 
requireth the whole heart, the whole mind, the whole soul, 
and all the strength; finally, he requireth all whatsoever we 
are, or have in possession: he leaveth nothing therefore for 
thee to bestow on other. By what right then wilt thou give 
to the flesh, the devil, to other gods, or to the world, the 
things that properly are God’s own? And God verily alone 
is the chiefest, eternal, greatest, mightiest creator, deliverer, 
preserver, most gentle, most just, and best of all. He alone 
doth give, hath given, and is able to give to man all that is 
expedient for the safeguard of his body and soul. God alone 
doth minister to man ability to live well and blessedly : and 
therefore God deserveth to be loved alone, and that too be- 
fore and above all other things. This love of God doth bless 
all the haps and chances of men, and turneth them to their 
profit, according to that saying: “To them that love God all 

[4 Matt. xxii. 37.] 


God alone to 
be loved. 


Who is our 
neighbour. 


184 THE FIRST DECADE. [SERM. 


things work for the best}. This love of God also containeth 
this; that it suffereth us not to honour, worship, reverence, 
fear, or call upon any, neither to trust in, obey, or stick to any 
other, but to the one and only God, to whom all glory is due. 
But now, before we speak of the love of our neighbour, it 
is requisite that we first shew who it is that is our neighbour ; 
touching which I see some men to doubt and stick uncertainly. 
For some there are, that take their kinsfolks to be their 
neighbours: other some there are, that think that their 
benefactors are their neighbours, and judge them strangers 
that do them any harm. But our Lord Jesus Christ telleth 
us, that every one, yea, though he be our enemy, is neverthe- 
less our neighbour, if he stand in need of our aid or counsel. 
For he imagineth that a Jew, lighting among thieves, and 
lying on the high-way half dead, and covered with wounds 
and swelling dry blows’, was not regarded of his own country- 
men, a Levite and a priest, that passed by him; but at last 
was taken up and healed by a Samaritan. Now there was 
a deadly enmity between the Jews and the Samaritans; yet 
notwithstanding, this Samaritan doth good to the Jew, because 
he saw that the case and necessity of the afflicted man did so 
require. Now therefore the Lord, applying this to his own 
purpose, demanded of him that desired to learn who was his 
neighbour, and saith, ‘“ Which of these three seemeth to 
thee to have been this man’s neighbour? He answered, 
He that shewed mercy. Then said the Lord, Go thou, 
and do the like’.” As if he should have said: Like as the 
Samaritan judged even his enemy to be his neighbour, and 
dealt friendly with him, when he stood in need of his friend- 
ship; so see that thou take every one that needeth thy help 
to be thy neighbour, and do him good. Aurelius Augustine 
therefore, according to the right sense of the scripture, said: 
“We take him to be our neighbour, to whom we shew mercy 
when need requireth; or to whom we should shew mercy, if 
at any time he should need‘.” We Switzers do most pro- 
perly express it, when we call our neighbour Den nachsten 


[1 Rom. viii. 28.] [3 tuberibusque, Lat.] [8 Luke x. 29—37.] 

[4 Ut videlicet eum esse proximum intelligamus, cui vel exhiben- 
dum est officium misericordie si indiget, vel exhibendum esset si indi- 
geret.—August. de Doct. Christ. Lib. 1. cap. 30, Par. 1531, Tom. 111. 
col. 4.] 








a OF THE LOVE OF GOD AND OUR NEIGHBOUR. 185 


menschen; that is, any man, without difference, whosoever by The man 
hap shall light into our company. Moreover, in our country ee 
speech we wall call our neighbour, Der abenmensch, namlich Any ote 
ein yeder der so wol ein Weheeh ist als wir : meaning thereby "ells 
any man whatsoever, whether he be our friend or enemy. 
Hereunto belongeth that saying of Lactantius, in the eleventh 
chapter of his sixth book: ‘‘ Why makest thou choice of per- 
sons? why lookest thou so narrowly on the limbs? Thou 

must take him to be a man, whosoever beseecheth thee there- 

fore, that he may think thee to bea man. Give to the blind, to 

the impotent, to the lame, to the comfortless ; to whom unless 

thou be liberal, thou shalt die undoubtedly ®.” Again he saith : 

“If so be we will rightly be called by the name of men, then 

must we in any case keep the law of civil humanity. And what 

else I pray you is it to keep humanity, but therefore to love 

a man because he is a man, and the very same that we our- 
selves are®?” The Lord in the gospel verily, speaking of the 

love cf our neighbour, saith: “ Love your enemies, bless 

them that curse you, do good to them that hate you, pray 

for them that hurt you’.” And again: “Give to every one 

that asketh of thee. And if you love them that love you, what 
thank is that to you? For sinners also love them of whom 

they are loved®.” So then every man, whosoever standeth in 

need of our aid, both is and is to be counted our neighbour. 

And yet, all this notwithstanding, there is no cause but an order 
that there ought to be an order, a measure, and decent regard ite 
in love and well-doing. For rightly said St Augustine, in the 
twenty-seventh chapter of his book de Doctrina Christiana : 

“ΝΟ sinner, in that he is a sinner, is to be loved®.” And in 
the twenty-eighth chapter: “All men are to be loved alike; 
but since thou canst not do good to all men, therefore thou 


(5 Quid personas eligis? quid membra inspicis? Pro homine tibi 
habendus est, quisquis ideo precatur, quia te hominem putet. ... Largire 
ceecis, debilibus, claudis, destitutis: quibus, nisi largiare, moriendum 
est.—Lactant. Div. Inst. vr. 11, Lugd. Bat. 1660. p. 583. More cor- 
rectly translated, “to whom unless thou be liberal, they must die.” P.] 

[6 Conservanda est igitur humanitas, si homines recte dici velimus. 
Id autem ipsum, conservare humanitatem, quid aliud est, quam diligere 
hominem, quia homo sit et idem quod nos sumus ?—Ibid. p. 581.] 

[7 Matt. v. 44.] [8 Luke vi. 30, 32.] 

[9 Omnis peccator, in quantum peccator est, non est diligendus.—De 
Doct. Christ. 1. 27, Opp. Tom. m1. fol. 4.] 


How our 
neighbour 
must be 
loved. 


The love of 
our neigh- 
bour must 
be sincere. 


186 THE FIRST DECADE. [SERM. 


must especially do good to them, to whom thou art, as it 
were by lot, more nearly joined, by opportunity either of 
time, of place, or of any other thing whatsoever’.” And this 
did Paul, before Augustine, teach, where he saith: ‘ Whoso- 
ever worketh not, let him not eat?” And again: “ While 
we have time, let us work good to all men; but specially to 
them of the household of faith*.’ And in another place he 
commandeth us not to bestow unto others, and to lack our- 
selves at home; but rather he chargeth every one to have 
a godly care of his own house. The place is known in the 
fifth chapter of the first epistle to Timothy. 

Now since I have declared who is our neighbour, let us 
see also in what sort this neighbour of ours ought to be loved. 
Our neighbour must be loved simply, without any coloured 
deceit, with the very self-same love wherewith we love our- 
selves, or that wherewith Christ hath loved us. For in all 
things we must stand our neighbour in stead, and do him 
pleasure, so far as the law of humanity shall be found to re- 
quire. In this declaration there are four things more fully 
to be noted. 

First, that love of our neighbour that is looked for at our 
hands ought to be so sincere, as that it be without all manner 
guile, deceit, and coloured craft. For there are many to be 
found, that have the skill to talk to their neighbours with 
sugared tongues, and to make a face as though they loved 
them, when as indeed they do utterly hate them, meaning 
nothing else but with fawning words to beguile them, that 
thereby they may work the things that they desire. Paul 
and John, therefore, the apostles of Christ, go about earnestly 
to sever hypocrisy from love. For Paul saith: ‘ Let not 
your love be feigned.” Again: “The end of the command- 
ment is love of a pure heart, and a good conscience, and faith 
not feigned*.” On the other side, John crieth out, saying : 
“My babes, let us not love in word, nor in tongue, but 
in deed and in verity®.’ Moreover, in this sincerity we 


[1 Omnes autem homines eeque diligendi sunt. Sed cum omnibus 
prodesse non possis, his potissimum consulendum est, qui pro locorum 
et temporum vel quarumlibet rerum opportunitatibus constrictius tibi 
quasi quadam sorte junguntur.—c. 28, ib.] 

{2 2 Thess. iii. 10.] [8 Gal. vi. 10.] 

[* Rom. xii. 9; 1 Tim. i. 5.] [51 John iii. 18.] 








x. | OF THE LOVE OF GOD AND OUR NEIGHBOUR. 187 


contain a free, willing, and merry cheerfulness, that nothing 
may seem to be done unwillingly or by compulsion. For 
Paul saith: “Let every man do with a good purpose of 


mind, not of trouble or necessity ; for God requireth a cheer- 
ful giver®.” 


Secondarily, it is to be looked for of us, that we should we must 


ove our 


love our neighbour as ourselves, For the Lord hath said, 
“Love thy neighbour as thyself’;” that is, most entirely, and 
as dearly as by any means thou mayest. For there is not 
any affection that is of more force or vehemency than self- 
love is. Neither was it the Lord his mind, that the love of 
our neighbour should be any whit lesser than the love that 
we bear to ourselves: but rather by this he gave us to un- 
derstand, that we ought to bestow on others as ardent love 
as may be, to wit, the very same affection that we bear to 
ourselves and our own estate; and that we ought to be ready 
to do good to other, or to keep them from harm, with the 
same care, faith, and diligence, with the same zeal and good- 
will, wherewith we provide for ourselves or our own safety. 
Whereupon tlie Lord in another place saith: “ Whatsoever 
thou wouldest have done to thyself, that do thou to another. 
And whatsoever thou wouldest not have done to thyself, do 
not thou the same to another®.” And herein doth the Lord 
require two things at our hands; not to hurt, and to do good. 
For it is not enough not to hurt a man, but also to do him 
good, so much as lieth in us todo. For we ourselves desire 
not only to keep ourselves from hurt, but to do ourselves good 
also. 

But if so it be, dearly beloved, that ye do not yet sufficiently 
understand the manner how we ought to love our neighbour ; 


1 
neighbo' 
as ourse 


ur 
lf. 


We must 
love our 


neighbo 
Christ 


ur as 
hath 


then mark, I beseech you, the third part of my description of loved us. 


this love, where I said, that we ought to love our neighbour 
with that same love wherewith the Lord Christ loved us. For 
in the gospel after St John the Lord saith: “This is my 
commandment, That ye love one another, as I have loved 
you’.” So then, here ye have the manner of our love: we 
must love our neighbours as Christ hath loved us. But in 


[6 2 Cor. ix. 7. non ex molestia, Lat. and Erasmus; Vulgate, 
ex tristitia.] 

[7 Matt. xxii. 39.] [8 Matt. vii. 12.] 

[9 ch. xv. 12.] 


188 THE FIRST DECADE. [SERM. 


what sort hath Christ loved us? Here again in the gospel 
he saith: “No man hath greater love than this, that a man 
bestow his life for his friends.” So then, such must the 
manner of our love toward our neighbour be, as that we shall 
not doubt to give our life for our neighbour. And if so it 
be then, that for our neighbour’s sake we owe the loss of our 
life, there is nothing verily that we owe him not, considering 
that to a man nothing is more dear than life: for sooner will 
he lose all that he hath than once to put his life in jeopardy. 
Whereupon the apostle John crieth out, and saith: “ Hereby 
perceive we love, because he laid down his life for us: and 
we ought to lay down our lives for the brethren?.” This is 
easy to be understood by reason of the most evident example. 
Let us pray earnestly and continually to the Lord, that we 
may indeed fulfil the thing that we do manifestly understand 
by the word of God, lest peradventure the same apostle con- 
demn us, who saith: “ Whoso hath this world’s good, and 
seeth his brother have need, and shutteth up his compassion 
from him, how dwelleth the love of God in him??” 

How we And now let us also declare the fourth and last manner, - 

stand our how we ought to stand our neighbour in stead, and how to do 

instead. == him good in shewing our dutiful love and civil humanity. 
That hath the Lord already very finely? set out in the very 
same parable wherein he taught us who is our neighbour: 
for he hath briefly, and yet very evidently, touched all the 
points of the love that we owe to our neighbour. First, the 
Samaritan, at the sight of the wounded man, was moved with 
pity. There is therefore required of us a merciful motion of 
pity, so to regard other men’s calamities as though they were 
our own: it is looked for at our hands, that we should be as 
sorrowful-minded for another man’s trouble, as he that feeleth 
the misery, according to that saying of the apostle: “Be 
mindful of them that are in bonds, as bound with them; and 
of them which suffer adversity, as though ye yourselves also, 
being in the body, suffered adversity*.” Secondarily, the 
Samaritan passeth not by, but cometh unto him; he doth not 


Bi tbid: v.13.) [21 John iii. 16, 17.] 

[3 eleganter, Lat. ] 

[4 Heb. xiii. 8. velut ipsi quoque versantes in corpore, Lat. and 
Erasmus. The Genevan Testament renders: As if ye were afflicted in 
the body. ] 











Χο] OF THE LOVE OF GOD AND OUR NEIGHBOUR. 189 


with sorrowful words wish health to the wounded, and so, let- 
ting him lie, depart to dispatch his own affairs: for James the 
apostle saith : “Ifa brother or sister be naked, and destitute 
of daily food, and one of you say unto them, Depart in peace, 
be ye warmed and filled; and yet notwithstanding give them 
not those things that are needful to the body, what shall it 
profit®?” The Samaritan therefore cometh unto him, setteth 
to his hand, and sheweth the skill that he hath (which was 
not much, I wis*) to heal the seely? mangled man. He doth 
not loathe and turn his face from the ill-favoured colour, bloody 
matter, corrupted filth and stench of his wounds; he bindeth 
them up himself, not letting them alone for another to do. 
He maketh not his excuse, that he is no physician; but doth 
what he can in that necessity, using such medicine as for the 
time present he had in a readiness, till more conveniently he 
might come by better. Wine and oil he had taken with him 
when he began his journey, which in that necessity he 
doth use; and that not very inconveniently, because wine 
purgeth wounds, and oil doth make them supple. Moreover, 
whatsoever he hath, that doth he employ to the seely man’s 
behoof, and to do him ease doth even disease himself®: for 
he alighteth from the back of the beast whereon he rode, and 
maketh him to serve the maimed man’s necessity. He also 
with his own hands lifteth up from the ground the man that 
was too weak to stand, and setteth him on the beast. And 
lastly, he himself becometh his guide to lead the way, not 
suffering any other to take charge over him, For when as 
he could not readily bring him to his own house, yet did he 
convey him into a common inn: where again he spareth not 
for any cost or pains-taking ; for he himself taketh charge of 
the miserable man, because in common inns sick folks, for the 
most part, are slenderly looked unto. But when his earnest 
business calleth on to make haste in his journey, he taketh 
out so much money as he doth think to be sufficient till his 
return, and giveth it to the inn-keeper®. And not being 
therewithal content, he giveth to his host an especial charge 


[5 James ii. 15, 16.] 

[6 quando meliorem (artem) non didicerat, Lat. ] 
[7 Seely, i. e. weak. } 

(8 suum etiam genium defraudans, Lat. } 

(9 hospiti meritorio, Lat. ] 


The pith of 
charity. 


Love the ful- 
filling of the 
law. 


Works of 
mercy. 


190 THE FIRST DECADE. [SERM. 


of the sick man; and also bindeth himself for him, saying: 
Whatsoever more than this thou shalt lay out about things 
necessary for his recovery, thou shalt not lose one mite; for 
at my return I will pay thee all again to the uttermost 
farthing. So then he promiseth to return, and therewithal 
declareth that he shall not be quiet until he see him thoroughly 
healed of all his wounds. Ye have here, dearly beloved, in 
this the Lord’s parable, a most godly and absolute example of 
love: for the Samaritan doth liberally and willingly employ 
his whole service upon his needy neighbour’s necessity. We 
therefore owe ourselves wholly and all that we have to our 
neighbour’s behoof; which if we bestow on him, then do we 
fulfil the duties of love and civil humanity. 

To this we will yet add some testimonies of the scripture, 
that thereby we may more fully understand the very inner- 
most pith of love; if yet peradventure any thing may seem to 
be wanting in that which hitherto I have alleged. Paul there- 
fore, writing to the Corinthians, saith: “ Love suffereth wrong, 
and is courteous; love envieth not; love doth not frowardly ; 
love swelleth not, dealeth not dishonestly, seeketh not her 
own, is not provoked to anger, thinketh not evil, rejoiceth 
not in iniquity, but rejoiceth in the truth, suffereth all things, 
believeth all things, hopeth all things, endureth all things.” 
And again, the same apostle in his epistle to the Romans 
saith: ‘“ Love striveth to go before in giving honour to other; 
love distributeth to the saints’ necessity ; is given to hospi- 
tality, speaketh well of her persecutors, and curseth not them 
that persecute her; love rejoiceth with them that do rejoice, 
and weepeth with them that weep, and applieth itself to the 
weaker sort’s infirmity.” And again: “ Owe nothing to any 
man, but to love one another. For he that loveth another 
hath fulfilled the law. For this, Thou shalt not commit adul- 
tery, Thou shalt not steal, Thou shalt not kill, Thou shalt 
not bear false witness, Thou shalt not lust, and if there be 
any other commandment, it is comprehended briefly in this 
saying, namely, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself. 
Love worketh no ill to his neighbour; therefore the fulfilling 
of the law is love or charity*.” 

Hitherto also pertaineth the works of mercy, which as they 


[11 Cor. xiii. 4—7. patiens est, Lat. ] 
[2 Rom. xii. 10, 13—16. ] [3 Rom xiii. 8—10. | 








x] OF THE LOVE OF GOD AND OUR NEIGHBOUR. 191 


flow out of love, so are they rehearsed of the Lord in the 
gospel after Matthew, and are especially these that follow: To 
feed the hungry, to give drink to the thirsty, to harbour the 
harbourless* and strangers, to cover or clothe the naked, to 
visit the sick, and to see and comfort imprisoned captives’. 
Hereunto Lactantius, Lib. Institut. vt. cap. 12, hath an eye, 
where he saith: “The chiefest virtue is to keep hospitality, 
and to feed the poor: to redeem captives also is a great and 
excellent work of righteousness: and as great a work of 
justice is it, to save and defend the fatherless and widows, the 
desolate and helpless, which the law of God doth every where 
command, It is also a part of the chiefest humanity and a 
great good deed, to take in hand to heal and cherish the sick, 
that have nobody to help them. Finally, that last and 
greatest duty of piety is the burial of strangers and of the 
poor’.” Thus much hitherto touching the duty of civil huma- 
nity, which true love sheweth to his neighbour in necessity. 
But it is not enough, my brethren, to understand how we An exhorta- 

ought to love our neighbour (though we ought often to repeat 
it), but rather we must love him exceedingly, and above that 
that I am able to say. Let us hear the apostle, who with a 
wonderful goodly grace of speech, with a most excellent, ex- 
quisite, and holy example of Christ doth exhort us all to the 
shewing of charity to our neighbour, and saith: “ If therefore 
there be any consolation in Christ, if any comfort of love, if 
any fellowship of the Spirit, if any compassion and mercy, 
fulfil ye my joy, that ye be like-minded, having the same 
love, being of one accord and mind: let nothing be done 
through strife or vain-glory, but in meekness let every man 
esteem one the other better than himself; look ye not every 
man on his own things, but every man also on the things of 
others. For let the same mind be in you that was in Christ 


[4 colligere vagos, Lat. ] [5 Matth. xxv. 35, 36.] 

[ὁ Preecipua virtus est hospitalitas, &c. Captivorum redemptio 
magnum atque preeclarum justitize munus est.... Non minus magnum 
justitise opus est, pupillos et viduas, destitutos et auxilio indigentes, 
tueri atque defendere: quod adeo universis divina lex illa preescribit. 
Aigros quoque, Fuibus defuerit qui assistat, curandos fovendosque 
suscipere, summz humanitatis et magne operationis est.... Ultimum 
illud et maximum pietatis officium est peregrinorum et pauperum 
sepultura.—Lactant. Div. Instit. Lib. vi. cap. 12, Opp. Lugd. Bat. 
1660. pp. 585—588. | 


192 THE FIRST DECADE. [SERM. x 


Jesus; who, being in the form of God, thought it no robbery 
to be equal with God, but made himself of no reputation, 
taking on him the form of a servant; and made in the like- 
ness of men, and found in figure as a man, he humbled him- 
self, made obedient unto death, even the death of the cross. 
Wherefore God also hath highly exalted him, and given 
him a name which is above every name, that in the name of 
Jesus every knee should bow, of things in heaven, and things 
in earth, and things under the earth, and that every tongue 
should confess, that the Lord Jesus Christ is the glory of God 
the !1Father?.” To him alone be honour and power for ever 
and ever. Amen. 


[1 quod Dominus sit Jesus Christus ad gloriam Dei Patris, Lat. | 
[? Phil. ii. 1—11.] 


THE END OF THE FIRST DECADE OF SERMONS, 








THE 


SECOND DECADE OF SERMONS, 


WRITTEN BY 


HENRY BULLINGER. 





OF LAWS, AND OF THE LAW OF NATURE, THEN OF 
THE LAWS OF MEN. 


THE FIRST SERMON. 


Tue sum of all laws is the love of God and our neigh- 
bour; of which and every part whereof because I have 
already spoken in my last sermon, the next is, that now also 
I make a particular discourse of laws, and every part and 
kind thereof. Let us therefore call to God, who is the cause 
and beginning of laws, that he through our Lord Jesus 
Christ will vouchsafe with his Spirit always to direct us in 
the way of truth and righteousness. 

A heathen writer, no base? author, I wis, made this defi- 
nition of law ; that it is an especial reason, placed in nature, 
commanding what is to be done, and forbidding the contrary‘. 
And verily the law is nothing but a declaration of God’s will, 
appointing what thou hast to do, and what thou oughtest to 
leave undone. The beginning and cause of laws is God him- 
self, who is the fountain of all goodness, equity, truth, and 
righteousness. Therefore all good and just laws come from 
God himself, although they be, for the most part, published 
and brought to light by men. Touching the laws of men, we 
must have a peculiar consideration of them by themselves. 

For of laws, some are of God, some of nature, and some 
of men. As concerning God’s law, I will speak of it in my 
second sermon: at this present I will. touch first the law of 
nature, and. then the law of men. 


[3 non obscurus, Lat. ] 
[4 Lex est ratio summa, insita in natura, quee jubet ea quae facienda 


sunt, prohibetque contraria.—Cicero, de Leg. 1. 6.] 
13 


[BULLINGER. ] 


What law is. 


The division 
of laws. 


The law of 
nature. 


Conscience. 


Nature. 


194 THE SECOND DECADE. [SERM. 


The law of nature is an instruction of the conscience, and, 
as it were, a certain direction placed by God himself in the 
minds and hearts of men, to teach them what they have to do 
and what to eschew. And the conscience, verily, is the know- 
ledge, judgment, and reason of a man, whereby every man in 
himself, and in his own mind, being made privy to every 
thing that he either hath committed or not committed, doth 
either condemn or else acquit himself. And this reason pro- 
ceedeth from God, who both prompteth and writeth his 
judgments in the hearts and minds of men. Moreover, that 
which we call nature is the proper disposition or inclination 
of every thing. But the disposition of mankind being flatly 
corrupted by sin, as it is blind, so also is it in all points 
evil and naughty. It knoweth not God, it worshippeth not 
God, neither doth it love the neighbour; but rather is af- 
fected with self-love toward itself, and seeketh still for its 
own advantage. For which cause the apostle said, “that we 
by nature are the children of wrath.” Wherefore the law of 
nature is not called the law of nature, because in the nature 
and disposition of man there is of or by itself that reason of 
light exhorting to the best things, and that holy working ; 
but for because God hath imprinted or engraven in our minds 
some knowledge, and certain general principles of religion, 
justice, and goodness, which, because they be grafted in us 
and born together with us, do therefore seem to be naturally 
in us. 

Let us hear the apostle Paul, who beareth witness to 
this, and saith: “ When the Gentiles, which have not the 
law, do of nature the things contained in the law; they, 
having not the law, are a law unto themselves; which shew 
the works of the law! written in their hearts, their conscience 
bearing them witness, and their thoughts accusing one an- 
other, or excusing, in that same day, when the Lord shall 
judge the secrets of men by Jesus Christ according to my 
gospel?” By two arguments here doth the apostle very 
evidently prove, that the Gentiles are sinners. For first of 
all (lest peradventure they might make this excuse, and 
say, that they have no law) he sheweth, that they have a 
law; and that, because they transgress this law, they are 
become sinners. For, although they had not the written law 

[1 opus legis, Lat.] [2 Rom. ii, 14—16.] 








1 OF THE LAW OF NATURE AND OF ΜΕΝ. 195 


of Moses, yet notwithstanding they did “ by nature the things 
contained in the law.” The office of the law is to disclose the 
will of God, and to teach thee what thou hast to do and 
what to leave undone. This have they by nature; that is, 
this know they by the law of nature. For that which follow- 
eth maketh this more plain: “ They, when they have no law, 
are to themselves a law:” that is, they have in themselves 
that which is written in the law. But in what sort have 
they it in themselves? This again is made manifest by that 
which followeth: “For they shew the work of the law 
written in their hearts.” But who is he that writeth in their 
hearts, but God alone, who is the searcher of all hearts ? 
And what, I pray you, writeth he there? The law of nature, 
forsooth; the law, I say, itself, commanding good and forbid- 
ding evil, so that without the written law, by the instruction 
of nature, that is, by the knowledge imprinted of God in 
nature, they may understand what is good and what is evil, 
what is to be desired and what is to be shunned. By these 
words of the apostle we do understand, that the law of nature 
is set against the written law of God; and that therefore it is 
called the law of nature, because it seemeth to be, as it were, 
placed or graffed? in nature. We understand, that the law of 
nature, not the written law, but that which is graffed? in man, 
hath the same office that the written law hath; I mean, to 
direct men, and to teach them, and also to discern betwixt 
good and evil, and to be able to judge of sin. We under- 
stand, that the beginning of this law is not of the corrupt 
disposition of mankind, but of God himself, who with his 
finger writeth in our hearts, fasteneth in our nature, and 
planteth in us a rule to know justice, equity, and goodness. 
Then also the apostle maketh his second argument, where- 
by he proveth the Gentiles to be guilty of sin; and this argu- 
ment he fetcheth from the witness-bearing of their conscience. 
For the conscience, being instructed by the law of nature, 
doth accuse and condemn the evil committed; because this 
conscience only and alone is instead of a thousand witnesses. 
And again, it excuseth, that is, it absolveth and acquitteth 
them, if nothing be committed contrary to the law. But 
although in this present life we do set light by the judg- 
ment of our conscience; yet verily we may not then despise 


[8 grafted, 1577.] 
13—2 


Two espe- 
cial points of 
the law of 
nature. 


The Gentiles 
knew God. 


196 THE SECOND DECADE. [SERM. 


or lightly pass over the conscience’s accusations, when the 
Lord shall come with justice and equity to judge the world. 
So then by all this it followeth, that all nations are sinners; 
whom unless the Son of God, the common and only Saviour 
and deliverer of all the world, do cleanse from their offences, 
it cannot be but that all nations must needs perish in their 
sins. 

But now we come again to the law of nature, of which 
there are two points especially for you to be put in mind of. 
The first is, Acknowledge God, and worship him: the second 
is, Keep or maintain society and friendship among men. 
Touching the first, we have these words of Christ his apostle: 
“Whatsoever may be known of God is manifest among them” 
(to wit, among the Gentiles); “for God hath shewed it to 
them. For his invisible things, being understood by his 
works, through the creation of the world are seen; that is, 
both his eternal power and Godhead: so that they are with- 
out excuse ; because that, when they knew God, (notwithstand- 
ing) they glorified him not as God, neither were thankful!,” 
&c. So then, the Gentiles knew God; yea, they knew what- 
soever might be known of God. But what teacher had they, 
or what master? They had God to their master. In what 
order taught he them, or out of what book ? Not out of the 
written books of Moses, or the prophets; but out of that 
great and large book of nature. For the things that are not 
seen of God (in which sort are his everlasting eternity, his 
virtue, power, majesty, goodness, and Godhead), those he 
would have to be esteemed of according to the visible things, 
that is, the things which he hath created. For God’s eternal 
Godhead is known by man’s creation, by the continual moving 
of heaven, and the perpetual course of rivers: for it must 
needs be, that he is most mighty which sustaineth all these 
things, which moveth, strengtheneth, and keepeth all things 
from decay, and which with his beck shakes the whole world. 
Finally, who doth not see the goodness of him which suffereth 
the sun to rise upon the good and the evil? But to what 
intent revealeth he these things to the Gentiles? To the 
intent, forsooth, that they may acknowledge him to be God, 
that they may glorify and worship him as God, and be 
thankful to such a benefactor. When therefore they do not 

[1 Rom. i. 19—21.] 





aT 








1 OF THE LAW OF NATURE AND OF MEN. 197 


this, they are inexcusable, and perish deservedly for their 

unbelief and unthankfulness’ sake. So then it is manifest, 

that the law of nature doth expressly teach, that there is a 

God which is to be acknowledged and reverently worshipped. 
Touching the latter of these two especial points (that is, Friendship 


and society 


for the preserving of friendship and society among men) the fee 
Lord in the Gospel saith: “ Whatsoever ye would that men 
should do to you, do ye the same to them?.” This sentence 
did Alexander Severus the Emperor turn and express thus: 
* Whatsoever thou wouldest not have done to thyself, that do 
not thou to another.” Which saying he loved so well, that 
he commanded it to be written up in his palace and common 
houses of office*, Moreover, to that general law belong these 
that follow: “Live honestly: hurt not another: give every man 
his own‘: provide things necessary for life, and keep it from 
distress.” 
But now, because the law of nature is made opposite to The law of 


Nature an- 


the written law of God, it is requisite that it be answerable swerabie to 
also to the law of God: let us therefore see what the wise 2: 
men and lawgivers of the Gentiles have left in writing to 
countervail the ten commandments ®, and how far their writ- 

ings are answerable to the law of God. 

Pythagoras, in St Cyril’s first book contra Julianum, 1. 
writeth thus of God: ‘“ God verily is one; and he too is not, of Goa. 
as some do imagine, without the government of the world; 
but, being wholly in every place of it, doth view all the gene- 
rations in the whole compass thereof, and is himself the mode- 
ration of all ages, the light of his own virtues, the beginning 
of all works, the light in heaven, the father of all things, the 
life and quickening of all things, and lastly, the moving of all 
the circles®.” See, here Pythagoras confesseth that there is 


[2 Matt. vii. 12.] 

[3 Clamabat (Alexander) seepius quod a quibusdam sive Judzis 
sive Christianis audierat, et tenebat; idque per preconem, cum 
aliquem emendaret, dici jubebat, Quod tibi fieri non vis, alteri ne feceris. 
Quam sententiam usque adeo dilexit, ut et in palatio et in publicis 
operibus prescribi juberet.—/Zl. Lamprid. in Vit. Alexandri Severi 
apud Hist. August. Scriptores. Hanoy. 1611. pp. 352, 3.] 

[4 Honeste vivito; Alterum ne ledito; Suum cuique tribuito. Lat. 
See Early Writings of Hooper, Parker Soc. ed. page 275, note 2.] 

[5 quod respondeat Decalogo, Lat.] 

[6 Πυθαγόρας γοῦν φησὶν, Ὃ μὲν Θεὸς εἷς" αὐτὸς δὲ οὐχ, ὥς τινες 


198 THE SECOND DECADE. [SERM. 


but one God, who is the maker, preserver, and governor of 
all things, the father of all, and the light and life of all 
things. Zaleucus, in the preface of his laws, writeth as fol- 
loweth : “It is necessary that all men, which inhabit any city 
or region whatsoever, be throughly persuaded that there are 
gods; which is evident to be seen by the contemplation of 
heaven and all the world, and by the goodly disposition and 
order of that that is therein: for it is not convenient to 
think that these are the works of fortune or man’s ability. 
Then also the gods must be worshipped and honoured, as 
they that are the causes of all good things that are done to 
us by any manner of means. Every one, therefore, must do 
his best to have his mind purely cleansed from all evil. For 
God is not honoured of a wicked man; he is not worshipped 
with sumptuous cost, neither is he delighted with the sight 
of solemn tragedies, as a wicked man is; but his delight is in 
virtue, and in a mind that purposeth to do good works and 
righteousness. Wherefore every one must endeavour himself, 
as much as he may, both to do well and will well, if he desire 
to have God to his friend,” &c. Cicero, in his second book 
de Natura Deorum, saith: “The best worshipping of the 
gods, and the most holy and pure religion is, always to 
honour them with a pure, perfect, and uncorrupted mind 
and voice?.” 


ὑπονοοῦσιν, ἐκτὸς Tas διακοσμήσιος" ἀλλ᾽ ἐν αὐτῷ ὅλος ἐν ὅλῳ, τῷ κύκλῳ 
ἐπισκοπῶν πάσας γενεάς" ἔστι κράσις ὧν τῶν ὅλων αἰώνων, καὶ φῶς τῶν 
αὐτοῦ δυνάμεων καὶ ἔργων, ἀρχὰ πάντων, ἐν οὐρανῷ φωστὴρ, καὶ πάντων 
πατὴρ, νοῦς καὶ ψύχωσις τῶν ὅλων κύκλων, πάντων κίνασις.---- ΟΥΥΊ]. 
Alexandr. Contra Julian. Lib. 1. Tom. v1. p. 80, ed. Paris. 1638. See 
also Early Writings of Bp Hooper, Parker Soc. ed. p. 285.] 

[1 Τοὺς κατοικοῦντας τὴν πόλιν καὶ τὴν χώραν πάντας πρῶτον πεπεῖσθαι 
χρὴ καὶ νομίζειν θεοὺς εἶναι, καὶ ἀναβλέποντας ἐς οὐρανὸν καὶ τὸν κόσμον 
καὶ τὴν ἐν αὐτοῖς διακόσμησιν καὶ τάξιν: οὐ γὰρ τύχης οὐδ᾽ ἀνθρώπων 
εἶναι δημιουργήματα: σέβεσθαι δὲ τούτους καὶ τιμᾷν, ὡς αἰτίους ὄντας 
ἁπάντων ἡμῖν ἀγαθῶν, τῶν κατὰ λόγον γιγνομένων. Ἕκαστον οὖν ἔχειν καὶ 
παρασκευάζειν δεῖ τὴν αὑτοῦ ψυχὴν πάντων τῶν κακῶν καθαράν: ὡς οὐ 
τιμᾶται θεὸς in’ ἀνθρώπου φαύλου, οὐδὲ θεραπεύεται δαπάναις οὐδὲ τραγῳ- 
δίαις τῶν ἁλισκομένων, καθάπερ μοχθηρὸς ἄνθρωπος GAN ἀρετῇ καὶ προαιρέ- 
σει τῶν καλῶν ἔργων καὶ δικαίων. Διὸ ἕκαστον δεῖ εἰς δύναμιν ἀγαθὸν 
εἶναι, καὶ πράξει καὶ προαιρέσει, τὸν μέλλοντα ἔσεσθαι θεοφιλῆ.---Ζα]Θου8 
ap. Stobei Florileg. ed. Gaisford. Oxon. 1822. Vol. 1. pp. 197, 8.] 

(? Cultus autem Deorum est optimus, idemque castissimus atque 
sanctissimus, plenissimusque pietatis, ut eos semper pura, integra, 








1.1 OF THE LAW OF NATURE AND OF ΜΕΝ. 199 


Seneca also, in his fifth book ad Lucil. saith: “Our 
usual custom is to teach men how the gods are to be wor- 
shipped. Let us give commandment, that on holy days 
no man set perchers* or taper light before the gods; for 
they are as much delighted with lights, as men half smoul- 
dered have pleasure in smoke. Let us forbid these morning 
greetings, and solemn kneelings at the temple-doors. This 
more than needing fiddle-faddle smacks somewhat of ambition. 
He worshippeth God that knoweth God. Let us forbid to 
bring napkins and rubbers to Jupiter, and to hold a looking- 
glass to Juno. God seeketh not such service. Why so? 
Because he himself, forsooth, doth serve and supply all men’s 
necessities. He is present every where, and at hand with all 
men. Let every man hear therefore how he ought to wor- 
ship God as he should. He shall never verily be sufficiently 
clear from troublesome superstitions, unless he in his mind 
think of God as he should do; that is, that he hath all things, 
that he giveth all things, and that he bestoweth benefits 
freely, not looking for any recompence at all. What is the 
cause that the gods do good? Their nature, forsooth. He is 
deceived, whosoever thinketh that they either will or possibly 
can do harm: they can neither take wrong nor yet do wrong: 
for to do harm and to suffer harm are coupled together. 
The chiefest and most excellent nature of all is the nature of 
them which are themselves exempt from peril, and are not by 
nature hurtful to others. The first point of worship due to 
the gods, is to believe that there are gods; then to give 
them the majesty due unto them, and to ascribe to them 
their goodness, without the which their majesty is none at 
all; to confess that they are they that govern the world, 
that they rule all things as their own, that they do generally 
look to the safeguards of all mankind, and sometime too are 
careful for peculiar men. They neither do nor have any evil 
at all. But some they chastise, keep under, and punish some- 
time by whipping, in hope to make them good. Wilt thou 
please the gods, and make them thy friends? Be good thy- 


incorrupta et mente et voce veneremur.—Cic. de Nat. Deor. Lib. 
i. 28.] 

[3 The larger sort of wax candles, which were usually set upon the 
altar.—Bailey apud Johnson in voc. See also Calfhill’s Answer to 
Martiall, Parker Soc. ed. p. 300.] 


200 THE SECOND DECADE. [SerM. 


self then. He hath sufficiently worshipped them, whosoever 
hath imitated them in goodness.” 

The éthnics’ In these words of Seneca, although notable indeed, and 

ἘΠ της agreeable to true religion, I find default notwithstanding of 

διαί, two things. The first is, because not so seldom as once? he 
maketh mention of gods, when as nevertheless in another 
place he doth frankly confess, that God is one in substance 
and no more®. Neither dare I undertake for him, that he 
spake after the manner of the scripture, which calleth God 
Elohim, as if you should say “ gods,” because of the mystery 


of the most reverend Trinity’. _And yet I know very well, 


[1 Quomodo sint Dii colendi solet precipi. Accendere aliquem lucer- 
nam Sabbatis prohibeamus, quoniam nec lumine Dii egent, et ne 
homines quidem delectantur fuligine. Vetemus salutationibus matutinis 
fungi, et foribus assidere templorum. Humana ambitio istis officiis 
capitur: Deum colit qui novit. Vetemus lintea et strigiles Jovi ferre, et 
speculum tenere Junoni. Non querit ministros Deus. Quidni? Ipse 
generi humano ministrat. Ubique et omnibus presto est. Audiat 
licet quemadmodum se gerere in sacrificiis debeat, quam procul resilire 
a molestiis ac superstitionibus, nunquam satis profectum erit, nisi 
qualem debet Deum mente conceperit, omnia habentem, omnia tribu- 
entem, beneficia gratis dantem. Que causa est Diis benefaciendi? 
Natura. Errat si quis putat illos nocere velle ; non possunt: nec acci- 
pere injuriam queunt nec facere: ledere enim ledique conjunctum 
est. Summa illa ac pulcherrima omnium natura, quos periculo exemit, 
nec periculosos quidem fecit. Primus est Deorum cultus Deos cre- 
dere: deinde reddere illis majestatem suam, reddere bonitatem, sine 
qua nulla majestas est; scire illos esse qui preesident mundo; qui 
universa vi sua temperant, qui humani generis tutelam gerunt, inter- 
dum curiosi singulorum. Hi nec dant malum, nec habent. Ceterum 
castigant quosdam, et coercent, et irrogant pcenas, et aliquando specie 
[Bulling. text. spe] boni puniunt. Vis Deos propitiare? Bonus esto. 
Satis illos coluit, quisquis imitatus est.—Senec. Opp. Par. 1607. 
Epist. ad Lucil. 95, p. 427.] 

[3 Subinde, Lat. ] 

[5 Bullinger quotes the passsge (from de Benef. lib. rv. cap. 8) in 
his treatise de Origine Erroris, cap. vit. p. 36. Tigur. 1539.] 

[4 Hoc ipsum nomen (Elohim) non semel in sacris jungitur verbis 
singularibus, quemadmodum mox ab ipso Genesis initio legis, In 
principio creavit Dii coelum et terram. Nam 53, Bara, creavit, 
singulare est, oye, Elohim, plurale ; notaturque Trinitatis mysterium: 
ut sit sensus, Deus ille trinus in principio creayit ccelum et terram. 
Verum hac de re docte disputavit Petrus Galatinus.—Bullinger. de Orig. 
Error. Tigur. 1539, cap. i. p. 5.] 








1 OF THE LAW OF NATURE AND OF MEN. 201 


that learned men of our religion have gone about to prove, 
even by the testimonies of the Gentiles, that the Gentiles also 
did acknowledge the mystery of the Trinity. The second is, 
that (for as much as I can see) Seneca, with the other wise men 
of the Gentiles, doth not expressly set down and teach the 
sound trust and confidence that should be had in God. 

Moreover, there was not among the Romans any image 
of God in any temple that they had for the space of one 
hundred and seventy years after Rome was builded. For 
Plutarch, in the life of Numa Pompilius, saith: “ As for the 
decrees that Numa made touching images of the immortal 
gods, how like are they almost in every point to the doctrine 
of Pythagoras! Pythagoras thought that that first beginning 
(he meaneth God) is not subject to sense or any troublesome 
affection, but is an invisible and uncreated Spirit. And on the 
other side, Numa forbade the Romans to think that the shape 
of God hath the likeness of a man, or else the figure or simi- 
litude of any living thing. Neither was there among them 
of the old time any painted or fashioned image of God: but in 
the first hundred and seventy years they builded temples, and 
set up houses for service to be done in unto the gods, but 
bodily similitudes they did not make; even as if it were a 
detestable thing to liken the better unto the worse, and as 
though God could not otherwise be perceived, but by reason 
and knowledge only’.” The very same doth Marcus Varro 
testify touching the Romans, in the thirty-first chapter of 
Augustine’s book de Civitate Dei. For he saith, that “ the 
Romans worshipped the gods a hundred and seventy years 
without any images at all;” and going further he addeth this ; 
“Which if it had endured till now, the gods verily should 
have been more purely reverenced. Neither doubteth he 
to conclude that place with these words, and to say, that 

[5 Ἔστι δὲ καὶ τὰ περὶ τῶν ἀφιδρυμάτων νομοθετήματα παντάπασιν 
ἀδελφὰ τῶν Πυθαγόρου δογμάτων. Οὔτε γὰρ ἐκεῖνος αἰσθητὸν, ἢ παθητὸν, 
ἀόρατον δὲ καὶ ἀκήρατον καὶ νοητὸν ὑπελάμβανεν εἶναι τὸ πρῶτον" οὗτός τε 
διεκώλυσεν ἀνθρωποειδῆ καὶ ζωόμορφον εἰκόνα θεοῦ Ῥωμαίους νομίζειν. Οὐδ᾽ 
ἦν παρ᾽ αὐτοῖς οὔτε γραπτὸν οὔτε πλαστὸν εἶδος θεοῦ πρότερον: ἀλλ᾽ ἐν 
ἑκατὸν ἑβδομήκοντα τοῖς πρώτοις ἔτεσι ναοὺς μὲν οἰκοδομούμενοι, καὶ 
καλιάδας ἱερὰς ἱστῶντες, ἄγαλμα δ᾽ οὐδὲν ἔμμορφον ποιούμενοι διετέλουν" 
ὡς οὔτε ὅσιον ἀφομοιοῦν τὰ βελτίονα τοῖς χείροσιν, οὔτ᾽ ἐφάπτεσθαι θεοῦ 
δυνατὸν ἄλλως ἢ vonoet.—Plutarch. in Vit. Numee. Lond. 1729. Tom. 1. 
p. 141.] 


a 
The Gentiles 
against idols. 


3. 
The name of 
God highly 
esteemed. 


4, 
The Gentiles 
keepers of 
religion. 


5. 
The honour- 
ing of pa- 
rents. 


202 THE SECOND DECADE. [SERM. 


they which first brought in images among the people, dimi- 
nished devout fear, and augmented foolish error, in the cities 
where they governed; wisely judging thereby that the gods 
may easily be despised under the fondness of imagined like- 
nesses!,” &c. 

Now, as concerning the name of God, how much the 
Gentiles did set by it, it is evident to be seen by the great 
religion that they had in taking or giving an oath. There 
is extant to be seen a notable discourse of this in the eighteenth 
chapter of the seventh book of Gellius; where among the 
rest this is to be found written: “ An oath among the Romans 
hath been had and kept holy and uncorrupted: which is de- 
clared by many laws and customs’.” And if so be that among 
the Gentiles any man should speak opprobriously against 
God, he was reputed faulty, most sharply to be punished. 

Furthermore, the Gentiles had their religion®, their fes- 
tival-days, ceremonies, and priests of their religion. Melchi- 
zedech and Jethro were notable priests of the Gentiles. And 
although Paul doth flatly say, that ‘the things which the 
Gentiles offered were not offered to God, but to devils*;” yet 
notwithstanding, because they had in reverence religion and 
holy ceremonies, they did thereby declare, that God had 
printed in the minds of men a familiar knowledge of rever- 
ence® and religion, which afterward is corrupted by false 
doctrine and wrong opinions touching God and his holy 
service. : 

For the honouring of parents and magistrates, for the 
bringing up of children, and touching the duty of children, 
there are excellent precepts and sentences of the wiser sort 
of Gentiles. Hierocles, among his other writings, saith: “ If 


[1 Dicit (Varro) etiam, antiquos Romanos plusquam annos centum 
et septuaginta Deos ine simulacro coluisse. Quod si adhuc, inquit, 
mansisset, castius Dii observarentur.—Nec dubitat eum locum ita con- 
cludere, ut dicat, Qui primi simulacra Deorum populis posuerunt, eos 
civitatibus suis et metum dempsisse et errorem addidisse, prudenter 
existimans Deos facile posse in simulacrorum stoliditate contemni. 
—Augustin. Opp. Par. 1531. Tom. v. fol. 57.] 

[2 Jusjurandum apud Romanos inviolate sancteque habitum ser- 
vatumque. Id et moribus legibusque multis ostenditur.—Aul. Gell. 
Noct. Attic. Lib. vir. cap. 18. init.] 

[3 sua sacra, Lat. ] {4 1 Cor. x. 20.] 

[6 cultus, Lat.] 





1.} OF THE LAW OF NATURE AND OF MEN. 203 


any man shall call his parents certain second or earthly gods, 
he shall not do amiss; considering that, for the nigh affinity 
betwixt us, they ought to be (if it be lawful so to say) more 
to be honoured of us than the gods themselves. And it is 
necessary to be persuaded, that we must with a continual 
readiness of mind do our endeavour to repay the benefits re- 
ceived at their hands with the like again. And although we 
shall do very much for them, yet notwithstanding all will be 
too little in comparison of that we ought to do®” And so 
forth as followeth. For sooner will the time fail me, than 
that I can conveniently rehearse this, and the like belonging 
hereunto, out of heathen writers: neither did I purpose to 
reckon up all. 

Against murder, wrong, and injury, very severe laws have 
been made by the Gentiles. From them also came the law 
called Lea Julia, against adultery and detestable lusts’, They 
ordained excellent laws for the contracting and observing of 
matrimony. And the word of truth doth expressly declare, 
that the Chananites were wiped away because of their incest 
in marriage and horrible lusts. Levit. viii. Lycurgus also, 
Solon, and the Romans, did publish laws for the restraint of 
outrageous expenses in riotous persons®. And here, of pur- 
pose, I overpass that which is naturally engraffed in all men, 
the begetting (I mean) and nourishing of their issue and 
offspring. 

Against theft, deceit, and usury, for the lawful getting 
and possessing of goods, for the distributing of riches, and 


[6 Λεκτέον περὶ τούτων (i. 6. γονέων), obs δευτέρους καὶ ἐπιγείους τινὰς 
θεοὺς εἰπὼν οὐχ ἁμάρτοι τὶς ἕνεκά γε τῆς ἐγγύτητος, εἰ θέμις εἰπεῖν, καὶ 
θεῶν ἡμῖν τιμιωτέρους. Προλαβεῖν δὲ ἀναγκαῖόν ἐστι, ὡς μόνον μέτρον 
τῆς πρὸς αὐτοὺς εὐχαριστίας ἡ διηνεκὴς καὶ ἀνένδοτος προθυμία πρὸς τὸ 
ἀμείβεσθαι τὰς εὐεργεσίας αὐτῶν" ἐπείτοι γε πολὺ καταδεέστερα, κἂν πάνυ 
πολλὰ πράξωμεν ὑπὲρ αὐτῶν.---- ἨΊΟΓΟΟΙ. ap. Stobeei Floril. ed, Gaisford. 
Oxon. 1822. Vol. m1. p. 125.] 

[7 This word is substituted for that used by the translator.—In 
the time of Augustus a lex was enacted (probably about B.c. 17) 
entitled Lea Julia de adulteriis coercendis. The chief provisions of 
this law may be collected from the Digest (48 tit. 5), and from Paulus 
(Sentent. Recept. ii. tit. 26. ed. Schultius). Smith’s Dict. of Gr. and 
Rom. Antiq. sub voc. Adulterium.| 

[8 See Smith’s Dict. of Greek and Rom. Antiq. sub voc. Sum- 
tuarice leges; and Plutarch’s lives of Lycurgus and Solon. ] 


6. 
Murder and 
adultery. 


8, 
Theft. 


9. 
Lies. 
False wit- 
nesses, 


A hill in 
me. 
Catana, a 
town in 

Sicily. 


10. 
Concupis- 
cence, 


204 THE SECOND DECADE. [SERM. 


for bargaining, the Gentiles have very commendable laws. 
That saying of Ausonius is notably known: 


If greedy gaping after gain 
To get another groat 
Makes usury dispatch apace 
To cut the poor man’s throat}. 


All the Gentiles in their writings do worthily commend 
the truth; and do, by all means they can, cry out on and 
condemn lying, slandering, and all such kind of knavery. 
The law of the twelve tables is, that a false witness should be 
cast headlong down from the top of Tarpey*. Charondas 
Cataneeus, among other excellent sayings of his own, hath 
this also: ‘Let every one,” saith he, “love honesty and 
truth, and hate dishonesty and lying; for they are the 
marks whereby virtue is known from vice. We must there- 
fore begin with children, while as yet they are little ones, 
and inure ourselves to chastise them if they delight to lie, 
and to make much of them for telling the truth; that thereby 
the best and fruitfullest branch of virtue may be graffed in 
every several mind, and so be turned as it were into their 
nature,” 

The wiser sort of the Gentiles do utterly condemn con- 
cupiscence and evil affections: which the poet in his satires 
blameth as the root of all mischief, where he saith: 


From thence almost comes every cause 
Of mischief; for no vice, 

That reigns in man, so many times 
Could frantic heads entice 

To mingle poison privily 
To stop another’s breath, 


(2 si turpia lucra 
Feenoris, et velox inopes usura trucidat. 
Auson. Idyll. xv. ed. Lond. 1823. Vol. m. p. 593. P.] 

[2 Si falsum testimonium dicassit, saxo dejicitor.—See also A. 
Gellius, Noct. Attic. Lib. xx. 1, 14; and Works of Becon, Parker Soe. 
ed, Vol. 1 Ὁ. 991.} 

[8 Τιμάτω δὲ ἕκαστος τὸ καλὸν καὶ τὸ ἀληθὲς, καὶ μισείτω τὸ αἰσχρὸν 
καὶ τὸ ψεῦδος " ταῦτα γὰρ ἀρετῆς σημεῖα καὶ κακίας. Διὸ χρὴ συνεθίζειν 
ἐκ παίδων, κολάζοντας μὲν τοὺς φιλοψευδεῖς, φιλοῦντας δὲ τοὺς φιλαλήθεις, 
iv’ ἐμφυσιῶται ἑκάστῳ τὸ κάλλιστον καὶ σπερματωδέστατον τῆς ἀρετῆς. 
—Charondas ap. Stobei Florileg. Vol. π. p. 220.] 





1.} OF THE LAW OF NATURE AND OF ΜΕΝ. 205 


Or else in armour openly 
To work his rival’s death, 
As beastly raging lust hath done‘. 

So then by all this we may easily gather, that even in 
the Gentiles’ minds also were graven a certain knowledge of 
God, and some precepts whereby they knew what to desire, 
and what to eschew: which notwithstanding they did corrupt, 
and make somewhat misty, with the evil affections and corrupt 
judgments of the flesh. For which cause God also, beside the 
law of nature, did ordain other means to declare his will; I 
mean, the lively tradition of the fathers, the answers of angels, 
the voices of prophets®, wonderful miracles, and written laws 
which he published by wise and very devout patriarchs®, 
All these did God ordain to be a help to the law of nature. 
Whatsoever therefore is to be found among the Gentiles agree- 
able to truth and honesty, that is to be referred to God, the 
author of all goodness: and on the other side, whatsoever is 
contrary to the truth, that must be attributed to the corrupt 
nature and evil affections of mankind. 

In all this that I have said ye have to note especially, 
that here I speak of knowledge, and not of ability. The 
knowledge of the law is, after a sort, manifest in the Gentiles ; 
but the consent, the will, and ability to fulfil the law is weak, 
and not easy to be found in them’, Wherefore, as we affirm 
that the understanding of the law must be inspired from 
heaven ; so also we say that ability to fulfil the law must of 
necessity be given of God above. Nature without grace is Nature, with- 
herein without force and effect. But whereas some of the none effect. 
Gentiles bear the name and praise of righteousness (as Mel- 
chizedech, Job, Jethro, and other more), they have that not 
of their own ability, but of the grace of God: as by the his- 
tory of Job we may evidently gather by probable arguments. 
Wherefore, if any of the Gentiles be saved, then are they 


(4 Inde fere scelerum causze, nec plura venena 
Miscuit, aut ferro grassatur seepius ullum 
Human mentis vitium, quam seva cupido 


Immodici census. 
Juvenal. Sat. xiv. 173—6.] 


[5 Oracula is Bullinger’s one word, which the translator has ren- 
dered, the voices of prophets. 

(6 per homines sapientissimos et religiosissimos, Lat. ] 

(7 et infirma est et implicatissima, Lat. ] 


Laws of 
men. 


Laws of 
policy. 


206 THE SECOND DECADE. [SERM. 


saved, not by the works of nature, or their own deserts, but 
by the merey of God in our Lord Jesus Christ. 

Moreover, the law of nature is not graffed of God in man 
to the intent that it, without grace and Christ, should work 
man’s salvation; but rather, to teach us what is good and what 
is evil, thereby to convince us to be sinners, and without ex- 
cuse before the Lord. Paul verily, proving that the Gentiles 
by the law of nature are guilty of sin, as well as the Jews by 
Moses’ law, doth shew that in Christ alone, the Son of God, 
is justification, life, and all good else. Thus far touching the 
law of nature. 


The laws of men (for my promise was, that in my second 
part I would speak of them) are those which are by men 
ordained and published to the preservation of the common- 
weal and! church of God. Touching these they are of divers 
kinds. For there are politic laws, there are ecclesiastical 
laws, and men’s traditions. Politic laws are those which the 
magistrate, according to the state of times, places, and per- 
sons, doth ordain for the preserving of public peace and civi- 
lity. Of this sort there are an innumerable company of 
examples in the civil law and constitutions of the emperors, 
especially of Justinian. All which ought to come as near as 
may be to the laws of God and nature, and not to be con- 
trary to them, or to have any smack of impiety or cruel 
tyranny. To such laws St Peter willeth us to obey, where 
he saith: “Submit yourselves unto all manner ordinance of 
man for the Lord’s sake; whether it be to the king, as having 
the pre-eminence, or unto rulers, as they that are sent by 
him for the punishment of evil doers, but for the praise of 
them that do well.” For although the apostle by ordinances?, 
or men’s constitutions, doth inclusively mean the kings and 
magistrates themselves, as in the second clause of the sentence 
he doth immediately declare; yet, notwithstanding, he doth 
bid us therefore obey good laws and just, because by them 
the magistrates support and rule the commonweal. More- 
over, just and honest politic laws are an help to love and 
tranquillity; do preserve fellowly society among men; do 


[1 vel, Lat. or.] 
[2 See Schleusner, Lex. N. T. in voc. κτίσις. §. 5.] 
[3 hominum societatem, Lat. ] 





1.7 OF THE LAW OF NATURE AND OF ΜΕΝ. 207 


defend the good, bring inordinate persons into better order ; 
and lastly, do not make a little only to the setting forward 
of religion, but do also abrogate evil customs, and utterly 
banish unlawful mischiefs. Hereof we have examples in the 
deeds of Nabuchodonosor, Cyrus, Darius, Artaxerxes, and 
other princes more. But touching the magistrate’s power, 
his laws, and office, I will speak of them in another place. 

Ecclesiastical laws are those which, being taken out of the xeclesiastical 
word of God, and applied to the state of men, times, and places, a 
are received and have authority in the church among the 
people of God. I call these ecclesiastical laws, and not tra- 
ditions of men, because, being taken out of the holy scriptures, 
and not invented or brought to light by the wit of man, they 
are used of that church which heareth the voice of the Shep- 
herd alone, and knoweth not a stranger’s tongue. The con- 
gregation cometh together to hear the word of God, and unto 
common prayers, at morning, at evening, and at such appointed 
hours as are most convenient for every place and every 
people; and that the church holdeth as a law. The church 
hath solemn prayer times‘, holy days, and fasting days, 
which it doth keep by certain laws. The church, at certain 
times, in a certain place and appointed order, doth celebrate 
the sacraments according to the laws and received custom of 
the church. The church baptizeth infants; it forbiddeth not 
women to come to the Lord’s supper: and that it holdeth as 
a law. The church, by judges conveniently appointed, doth 
judge in causes of matrimony, and hath certain laws to direct 
them in such cases. But it deriveth these, and all other like 
to these, out of the scriptures; and doth for edification apply 
them to the estate of men, times, and places: so that in divers 
churches ye may see some diversity indeed, but no discord or 
repugnancy δὖ all. 

Furthermore, ecclesiastical laws have their measure and 
certain marks, beyond which they may not pass; to wit, that 
nothing be done or received contrary or differing in any jot 
from the word of God, sounding against charity and comeli- 
ness, either in little or much; that lastly, this rule of the 
apostle may be effectually observed, “ Let all things be done 
decently, according unto order, and to the edification of the 
church®.” If therefore any man shall go about, under a superstitious 

[4 supplicationes, Lat.] [5 1 Cor. xiv. 3, 40.] 


Men’s tradi- 
tions. 


208 THE SECOND DECADE. [SERM. 


coloured pretence of ecclesiastical laws, to bring in, and pop 
into the mouths of the godly!, any superstitious, busy*, and 
unseemly traditions of men, which withal do differ from the 
scriptures ; their part shall be, first to try that deceit of theirs 
by the rule of God’s word, and then to reject it. 

There remain now the traditions of men, which have 
their beginning, are made and invented, of men, at their own 
choice; of some foolish intent, or some fond affection of man- 
kind; contrary or without the holy scriptures: of which sort 
you shall find an infinite number of examples; I mean, the 
sects, the dominion’, and single life of spiritual men, the 
rites and sundry fashioned customs used in their church. 
Touching all which the Lord in the gospel, citing the pro- 
phet Esay, saith: ‘ Why transgress ye the Lord’s command- 
ment for your own tradition? Ye hypocrites, rightly did 
Esaias prophesy of you, where he saith, This people cometh 
nigh unto me with their mouth, and with their lips they 
honour me, but their heart is far from me: but they worship 
me in vain, teaching doctrines the precepts of men*.” The 
blessed martyr Cyprian, alluding to these words of Christ, 
Epistolarum, Lib. 1. Ep. 8, saith: “It is corrupt, wicked, 
and robbery to the glory of God, whatsoever is ordained by 
the giddy madness of men’s heads, to the violating of God’s 
disposition. Depart as far as may be from the infective con- 
tagiousness of such fellows, and seek by flight to shun their 
talk, as warily as an eating canker or infecting pestilence ; 
for the Lord forewarneth and telleth you, that they are blind 
leaders of the blind®.” Paul also in his epistle to Titus saith : 
“Rebuke them sharply, that they may be sound in the faith; 
not taking heed to Jewish fables, and commandments of men 
turning from the truth.” I do of purpose here let pass the 
words of Paul in his second chapter to the Colossians, because 
the place is known of all men. . 

{1 piis obtrudere, Lat. ] [2 operosas, Lat. ] 

[? regnum, Lat. ] 

[4 Matt. xv. 7—9. docentes doctrinas preecepta hominum, Lat. 
Erasmus’, not the Vulgate, rendering. ] 

(6 Adulterum est, impium est, sacrilegum est, quodcunque humano 
furore instituitur, ut dispositio divina violetur. Procul ab hujusmodi 
hominum contagione discedite, et sermones eorum yelut cancer et 
pestem fugiendo vitate, premonente Domino et dicente: Ceci sunt 
duces ceecorum.—Cypr. Opp. Ep. 43, pag. 83, Oxon. 1682. ] 





1] OF THE LAW OF NATURE AND OF ΜΕΝ. 209 


I will not trouble you, dearly beloved, with too large and 
busy® an exposition hereof. For I suppose that this little 
that I have said, touching the laws of nature and of men, (I 
mean laws politic, ecclesiastical, and mere traditions of men,) 
are sufficient to the attentive and faithful hearers, who at 
their coming home do more diligently think of every point 
by themselves, and also read the places of scripture often 
cited by me, and devoutly expounded’. The Lord for his 
mercy grant, that we do never despise the admonitions of 
nature’s law graffed in our hearts, nor yet be entangled in 
men’s traditions; but that we, in walking lawfully in upright 
politic laws and holy ecclesiastical ordinances, may serve the 
Lord: to whom be all glory, honour and dominion, for ever 
and ever Amen. 





OF GOD’S LAW, AND OF THE TWO FIRST COMMAND- 
MENTS OF THE FIRST TABLES. 


THE SECOND SERMON. 


Tux law of God, openly published and proclaimed by the Whatthe | 
Lord our God himself, setteth down ordinary rules for us to 5 
know what we have to do, and what to leave undone, requir- 
ing obedience, and threatening utter destruction to disobedient 
rebels. This law is divided into the moral, ceremonial, and 
judicial laws: all which parts, and every point whereof, Moses 
hath very exquisitely written, and diligently expounded. The the moral 
moral law is that which teacheth men manners, and layeth Ὁ 
down before us the shape of virtue®; declaring therewithal 
how great righteousness, godliness, obedience, and perfectness 
God looketh for at the hands of us mortal men. The cere- The ceremo- 


nial law. 


monial laws are they which are given concerning the order 


[6 operosiore, Lat. ] 

[7 ac religiose excussis, Lat. This refers to the hearers, and not 
to the preacher. The words should be rendered,—and devoutly 
weigh and test them.] 

[8 seu Decalogi, Lat. omitted.] 

[? virtutum formas, Lat. ] 


14 
[BULLINGER. | 


The judicial 
law. 


The law was 
even before 
Moses’ time. 


210 THE SECOND DECADE. [SERM. 


of holy and ecclesiastical rites and ceremonies, and also touch- 
ing the ministers and things assigned to the ministery and 
other holy uses. Last of all, the judicial laws give rules con- 
cerning matters to be judged of between man and man, for 
the preservation of public peace, equity, and civil honesty. 
Touching the two latter of these, I will speak of them in 
place convenient. At this time I mean to discourse upon the 
moral law. 

First of all, therefore, let no man think, that before Moses’ 
time there was no law, and that the law was by Moses first 
of all published. or the self-same especial points of the 
moral law, which Moses setteth down in the ten command- 
ments, were very well known to the patriarchs, even from 
the beginning of the world. For they worshipped the one 
true God alone for their God, whom they reverenced, and 
called upon him. Jacob took away with him the Syrian idols 
of Laban out of his house!, and hid them in Bethel under an 
oak or terebinth tree, which was nigh to Sichem* Abra- 
ham, in taking an oath, used always a reverend fear, and a 
spiced conscience*; whereby it followeth, that to him the name 
of the Lord was holy, and not lightly taken*. All the holy 
fathers did both diligently and devoutly solemnize and ob- 
serve holy rites and sacrifices. Cham hath his father’s curse, 
because he did unreverently behave himself toward his father. 
Cain is reproved for murdering his brother. Noe giveth 
commandment not to shed blood. Joseph is highly com- 
mended for refusing to lie with another man’s wife; I mean, 
the wife of his master. Ruben is rebuked, because he did 
with incest defile his father’s bed. Jacob was not angry 
without a cause with Laban his father-in-law, when he sus- 
pected him of theft. All the patriarchs have utterly con- 
demned liars and false witnesses, as well as evil lusts and 
concupiscence. Wherefore the patriarchs ever, from the be- 
ginning of the world even until Moses’ time, were not without 
the precepts of the ten commandments, although they had 
them not graven in tables or written in parchments. For the 


{i aufert e sua familia, Lat. The translator misrepresents Bul- 
linger’s meaning by rendering,—took away with him.] 

[2 Gen. χχχυ. 4.] 

[3 sacrosancta erat jurisjurandi religio Abrahamo, Lat.] 

[4 celebre, Lat. ] 








1 Ist AND 2ND PRECEPTS OF THE TEN COMMANDMENTs, 21] 


Lord with his finger writ them in their hearts®, which the 
lively tradition of the fathers did exquisitely garnish and re- 
verently teach. The law is every where the same, and the 
will of God is always one, because God is but one and is 
never changed. Nevertheless, the commandments were first 
of all set down in tables by God, who was the beginner and 
writer of them; and after that again were written into books 
by Moses. 
Likewise also the old and holy patriarchs, that were The patri. 


before Moses, did not want the ceremonial and judicial laws, Moses had 


e ceremo- 


For they had their priests, I say, their fathers of every pale 
kindred or household; they had their ceremonies, their altars *"* 
and sacrifices; they had their solemn assemblies, and purifi- 
cations. They had their laws for succession in heritage, for 
the division and possession of goods, for bargaining and con- 
tracts, and for the punishing of evil doers. ΑἸ] which Moses 
gathered together into a certain number of decreed laws; 
setting down many things more plainly than they were before, 
and ordaining many things which the patriarchs were either 
altogether without, or else had used in another order: of 
which sort were the tabernacle, the holy vessels, the ark of 
the covenant, the table, the candlestick, the altar for burnt- 
offerings and for incense, the Levitical priesthood, the holy 
vestments, with the feasts and holy-days, and whatsoever else 

is like to this: all which verily are abrogated by Christ, as 

in place convenient I mean to declare. But for because The moral 
manners cannot consist, if the ten commandments be broken, still. 
therefore the moral law, although it have properly the name 

of a law, is notwithstanding not abrogated or broken®. For 
the ten commandments are the very absolute and everlasting 
rule of true righteousness and all virtues, set down for all 
places, men, and ages, to frame themselves by. For the sum 

of the ten commandments is this, to shew our love to God, 
and one love another; and this doth the Lord require at all 
times, and every where, of all kind of men’, 


[5 See above, page 46.] 

[ὁ ut proprie legis nomen obtinuit, ita nunquam abrogatur, Lat.] 

[7 Porro Decalogus significat librum seu expositionem et volumen 
decem capitum preceptorum vel articulorum, Lat. omitted by the 
translator. Moreover the Decalogue means a book, or exposition and 
collection, of commandments under ten chief heads. ] 


142 


The majesty 
and dignity 
of the moral 
law. 


Sanctum 
sauctorum, 
the most 

holy place 

in the temple 
of God. 


Two tables of 


God’s law. 


212 THE SECOND DECADE. [SERM. 


Moreover, this is to be noted touching the dignity of the 
moral law contained in the ten commandments; that, whereas 
all the ceremonial and judicial laws were revealed of God to 
Moses by the angels, and by Moses to the people; and that 
again by Moses, at God’s commandment, they were inserted 
into written books; yet notwithstanding the moral law of the 
ten commandments was not revealed by man, or any means 
of man, but by God himself at the Mount Sina: who there, 
among other mighty and marvellous wonders, did openly, in a 
public and innumerable assembly of men and angels, rehearse 
them word for word, as they are now to be seen. Further- 
more, they were written not by the hand of Moses, but with 
the finger of God, in tables, not made of matter easy to be 
dissolved!, but made of stone to endure for ever. Those 
tables also were kept, as the most precious treasure, in that 
ark, which of the tables of the covenant (containing in them 
the chief articles of the eternal league) was named the ark of 
the covenant: which ark again was laid up in the holy of 
holiest. All which circumstances tend to nothing else, but to 
commend unto us the excellency of the ten commandments, and 
to warn us to reverence that God which published this moral 
law, as him that is the Lord of heaven and earth, and which 
at his own will and pleasure doth order the disposition of 
all the elements against disobedient rebels. These circum- 
stances also do admonish us, that even now, in our time also, 
we have to esteem of the ten commandments, as of the 
dearest jewels to be found in all the world. For the holy 
reliques, that are remaining in the church of Christ, are the 
ten commandments, the apostles’ creed, the Lord’s prayer, 
and lastly, the whole contents of the sacred bible. Touching 
the proclamation or first edition of the ten commandments, we 
have a wonderful large discourse of Moses, Exod. xix. and 
Deut. iv. and v. chap. 

Now the tables, whereinto the ten commandments of God’s 
law be disposed, are in number two; whereof the first con- 
taineth four commandments, and the latter six. For the last 
commandment, which some divide into twain, is in very deed 


[1 non cereas, Lat. not of wax.] 

[23 Cf. Bullinger’s Comment. in 2 Epist. Petri, cap. i. 12—15. p. 
59. (published 1534) and Argument. Epist. ad Galat. ad finem. p. 340. 
(published a 








ΠῚ 151 AND 2ND PRECEPTS OF THE TEN COMMANDMENTS. 213 


but one alone and undivided’. For first the Lord doth 
generally command and say, “Thou shalt not covet:” and 
then he descendeth particularly, and doth by enumeration 
reckon up the things that we must not covet; to wit, our 
neighbour’s wife, his house, his lands, his cattle, and his sub- 
stance. Beside that too, this doth argue that it is so, because, 
according to the Hebrew disposition, this commandment is 
altogether one whole verse, not divided into twain’. With 
this division of ours agree Joseph. Antig. Lib. m1. cap. 55; 
Origenes in Exod. Hom. 8°; Ambros. in vi. cap. Epist. ad 
Ephes.” But the Master of Sentences, having divided this last He putteth 


ree in the 


commandment into twain, doth therefore place in the first firsttable,and 


seven in the 


table three commandments and no more®. He did, perad- !#st, which 
added toge- 


ther do make 
up ten. 


(3 Cf. Calvin. Instit. Lib. m. cap. 8, §. 12. Becon’s Works, Parker 
Soc. ed. Vol. π. pp. 59, 60.] 

{4 Exod. xx. 17.] 

[5 Μωῦσῆς (τοὺς λόγους τοῦ Θεοῦ) ἐν ταῖς δύο πλαξὶν γεγραμμένους 
κατέλιπεν .. «««. Διδάσκει μὲν οὖν ἡμᾶς ὁ πρῶτος λόγος, ὅτι Θεός ἐστιν εἷς, 
καὶ τοῦτον δεῖ σέβεσθαι μόνον: ὁ δὲ δεύτερος κελεύει, μηδενὸς εἰκόνα ζώου 
ποιήσαντας προσκυνεῖν᾽ ὁ τρίτος δὲ, ἐπὶ μηδενὶ φαύλῳ τὸν Θεὸν ὀμνύναι" ὁ δὲ 
τέταρτος, παρατηρεῖν τὰς ἑβδομάδας, ἀναπαυομένους ἀπὸ παντὸς ἔργον" ὁ δὲ 
πέμπτος, γονεῖς τιμᾷν: ὁ δὲ ἕκτος, ἀποσχέσθαι φόνου" ὁ δὲ ἕβδομος, μὴ 
μοιχεύειν: ὁ δὲ ὄγδοος, μὴ κλοπὴν δρᾷν: ὁ δὲ ἔνατος, μὴ ψευδομαρτυρεῖν" 
ὁ δὲ δέκατος, μηδενὸς ἀλλοτρίου ἐπιθυμίαν apBavev.—Joseph. Antiq. 
Jud. Lib. ur. capp. 4 and 5, Amst. 1726, Tom. 1. p. 129.] 

[6 Heee omnia simul nonnulli putant unum esse mandatum. Quod 
si ita putetur, non complebitur decem numerus mandatorum....... 
Est ergo primum mandatum, Non erunt tibi Dei alii preter me. 
Secundum vero, Non facies tibi idolum, &c.—Origen. Opp. ed. Bene- 
dict. Par. 1733. Tom. 1. p. 157.] 

(7 Quia prima quatuor mandata ad Deum pertinent, hee in prima 
tabula contineri subintelliguntur; cetera ad hominem....... Heec 
sex mandata in secunda tabula videntur scripta, quorum primum est, 
Honora patrem et matrem, &c.—Ambros. Opp. ed. Bened. Par. 1690. 
Tom. u. Append. p. 249. Comment. in Ep. ad Ephes. cap. vi. verse 
3.—But these Commentaries are generally admitted not to be the 
work of Ambrose. See James, on the Corruption of Scripture, Coun- 
cils, and Fathers, Lond. 1843. p. 26.] 

[8 Habet decalogus decem precepta... que sic sunt distributa, ut 
tria que sunt in prima tabula pertineant ad Deum...... septem que 
sunt in secunda tabula ad dilectionem proximi. Primum in prima 
tabula est, Non habebis deos alienos. Non facies tibi sculptile, &c. 
Hee Origenes dicit esse duo mandata, sed Augustinus unum.—Pet. 
Lombard. Lib. m1. Distinct. 37. Par. 1575. fol. 293.—The title of 


What the 
two tables of 
the law do 
contain. 


214 THE SECOND DECADE. [SERM. 


venture, follow Augustine herein, who, Quest. in Exod. 71: 
and Epistola ad Januarium 1191, doth also reckon up but 
three commandments of the first table alone; which he did in 
respect of the mystical Trinity. And yet, this notwithstanding, 
he doth not overslip the commandment for abandoning and not 
worshipping of images; for, undoubtedly, he had always in 
his mind those words of the Lord in the gospel, where he 
saith: “Verily I say unto you, though heaven and earth do 
pass, one jot or tittle of the law shall not pass, till all be ful- 
filled. Whosoever, therefore, shall break one of the least of 
these commandments, and shall teach men so, he shall be 
called the least in the kingdom of heaven.” The same Au- 
gustine again, in Queestionibus Veteris et Novi Testamentt, 
Lib. 1. cap. 7, maketh four commandments of the first table, 
and six of the second? And again, he differeth not much 
from the same order in his third book ad Bonifacium, 8.3 
Now touching these commandments, the Lord hath divided 
them into two several orders or tables because of the several 
difference of matters handled in either of them. For the first 
of the two appertaineth to God, the second unto man. The first 
teacheth us what we have to think concerning God, and the 


Distinct. 40 is, De sexto et septimo preecepto secundz tabule; and 
there the sizth commandment is, Non desiderabis uxorem proximi tui ; 
and the seventh, Non concupisces domum proximi tui, &c. fol. 300.] 

[2 Queritur, decem preecepta legis quemadmodum dividenda sint. 
... Mihi tamen videntur congruentius accipi tria illa, et ista septem, 
quoniam Trinitatem videntur illa, que ad Deum pertinent, insi- 
nuare diligentius intuentibus.—August. Queest. super Exod. Opp. ed, 
Par. 1531. Tom. tv. col. 32.—Hinc est quod etiam in tribus primis 
preeceptis decalogi, que ad Deum pertinent (cetera enim septem ad 
proximum pertinent, id est, ad hominem, quia in duobus preceptis 
tota lex pendet), tertium ibi de observatione Sabbati positum est: ut 
in primo precepto Patrem intelligamus, ubi prohibetur coli aliqua in 
figmentis hominum Dei similitudo...ne quisquam Filium Dei ver- 
bum... putaret esse creaturam, sequitur aliud preeceptum, Non acci- 
pies in vanum nomen Dei tui. Spiritus autem sanctus, in quo nobis 
illa requies tribuitur, &c.—Id. Ep. Januar. 119. Tom. τι. col. 110.] 

[2 Heee quatuor verba sunt de decem; ista ad Deum proprie perti- 
nent. Heec sunt in prima tabula scripta: deinde in secunda tabula 
hee (6) continentur.—Tom. tv. fol. 150.] 

[3 Tom. vu. fol. 185. On this subject of the division of the Deca- 
logue, see also Early Writings of Hooper, Parker Soc. ed. pages 349— 
351; and Calvin. Instit. Lib. 1. cap. 8. §. 12.] 








11.} Ist AND 2ND PRECEPTS OF THE TEN COMMANDMENTS, 215 


worship due unto him; that is, it teacheth us the perfect way 
to live uprightly and holily in the sight of God. The second 
is the rule whereby we have to learn our duty toward our 
neighbour; which also teacheth us humanity, directing us in 
the way to live peaceably and civilly one with another. And 
in these two tables are so nearly contained all and every duty 
looked for at men’s hands, that there cannot so much as one 
jot be added more by all the wise men of the world, con- 
cerning a godly life and civil behaviour, which is not contained 
in these ten commandments. 
The first commandment of the ten hath the Lord himself tte first 


expressly spoken in these very words that follow: “1 am the ment. 
Lord thy God, which brought thee out of the land of Egypt, 
out of the house of bondage: thou shalt have none other gods 
before me.” This commandment standeth of two branches; 
the very first whereof also containeth divers matters. For 
first of all, God doth simply offer himself to us, and precisely 
set down what he will be to us-ward, thereby declaring what 
he is to all men*. Whereupon we again do gather what he, 
on the other side, doth look for at our hands, and what our 
duty is to him. Thirdly and last of all, he addeth an evident 
proof of that, where he said that he is our God. 
In the beginning he crieth out and saith: “I am the 
Lord thy God.” Wherein he declareth what he is, and what 
he will be unto all men. These words are like to the words 
of the covenant which God made with Abraham, and in 
Abraham with all faithful believers: “1 am,” saith the Lord, The sense is 


his, lama 


a Ys God, 
“a strong God, and I am Schaddai;” as who should say, strong God 


Saturnus a saturando®, which is, “ to fill.’ For God is the τοῖν οὔ 


abundant fulness® that satisfieth all men and all things: he 


[4 exponit nobis qualis sit erga homines, imo qualis erga nos esse 
velit, Lat. Yea, what he desires to be to us.] 

(5 Appellatur (Dominus) etiam Saturnus, quia omnes suas creatu- 
ras exsaturat.—Bullinger. de Origine Erroris, cap. vil. p. 36. Tigure 
1539. Saturnus autem est appellatus, quod saturetur annis,—Cic. de 
Nat. Deor. Lib. 11.] : 

[6 Copiz cornu, Lat. On this Divine name “JW, Bullinger thus 
gives his opinion in his book, De Origine Erroris, cap. 1. p. 5: Magis 
mihi placet Rabbi Mosis Maimonis filii sententia, quam Petrus Gala- 
tinus hisce ferme verbis exponit: Nomen Schaddai compositum est 
ex verbis J Daii, quod est, suficit; et ex litera wy, que idem pollet 
quod WN, gui: ut Schaddai idem sit quod, qui suficit, vel qui suffi- 


216 THE SECOND DECADE. [SERM. 


is the everlasting well of all good things, which never is 
drawn dry. And that doth Jeremy declare at large in the 
second chapter of his prophecy. All which verily God in 
effect comprehendeth in these few words: “I am the Lord 
thy God.” ‘I, I say, which speak to thee from within the 
fire, I, and none other.’ Here is expressly meant the unity 
of God. We are here taught to acknowledge one God, and 
no more; to stick to one, and not to suffer our hearts fantas-_ 
tically to dream of many!. “I am thy Lord, I am thy God.” 
He is a Lord, because he alone hath the rule over all creatures; 
all things are subject to him as to their Lord; all things do 
bend and obey him, if once he do but beck. He, as Lord 
alone, doth govern and uphold all things that are*. So then 
in this one word is contained the wisdom of God, his virtue, 
his power, and infinite majesty. Deus, which word we use 
for “God,” is, peradventure, derived of the Hebrew word 
Daii, which signifieth sufficiency or full ability®, For God 
alone, of himself, is unto himself most perfect blessedness and 
absolute felicity: he is also sufficiently able to minister all 
things most abundantly to all them that seek after him in 
truth sincerely, being of himself most liberally wealthy to all 
that call upon his name. Therefore in this branch the suf- 
ficient and full ability, the liberality, the goodness and mercy 
of God, are to be noted: but most especially in this that he 
saith, “Iam thy God; thy God, I say.” For God is not 
good to himself alone, but even unto us also. He desireth to 


ciens aut sufficientia est. Heee Galat. Poterit itaque Deus appellari 
Saturnus. Ut enim a die fit diurnus, sic a saturando dicitur Saturnus. 
ce Itaque licebit nunc summam illam yim ipsum Deum appellare 
et Schaddai et Saturnum et Copiz cornu. See also Early Writings of 
Bp. Hooper, ed. Parker Soc. p. 293.] 

[᾿ non corda pluribus dividere, Lat.] 

[3 Est enim cceli et terree et omnium que in eis sunt Conditor, 
Rector, Conservator, Rex et Princeps summus et maximus, Lat. omitted 
by the translator. For he is of heaven and earth, and of all things 
which are therein, the Creator, Ruler, Preserver, and supreme and 
highest King and Prince. ] 

[8 A Greeco vocabulo defiexa ac transumpta est forte et Latinorum 
vox Deus; nisi cui verisimilius videatur tractam esse ab Hebraica %7, 
Daii.—Bullinger. de Orig. Error. cap. 1. p. 5. From Heb. ‘7 (enough, 
sufliciency,) the Greeks likewise derived their Als, Gen. Διὸς, &c. (whence 
Lat. Deus, dius, divus.)—Parkhurst, Heb. Lex. in voce. %.] 








1.7 lst AND 2ND PRECEPTS OF THE TEN COMMANDMENTS, 217 


pour and bestow himself wholly, with all his goodness and gifts 
of grace, upon the faithful and sincere believers. He is no nig- 
gard, he is not envious, he rejoiceth and is glad to bestow and 
divide himself among us abundantly, and to our comfort; to 
fill us with the enjoying of himself at all times and seasons, 
but especially in time of our necessity. And God verily saith 
expressly “thy God,” and not your God, that thereby every 
one of us may understand, that the eternal, most mighty, and 
holy God both is and will be the God and Lord of every 
particular man; that is, that he is and will be the keeper, 
deliverer, redeemer, the unmeasurable mountain and bottom- 
less sea‘ of all good gifts of body and soul, to all them that 
either are or else ever shall be. 

By this now, in the second place, we have to gather what What this 
the good and gracious Lord requireth again at our hands, and mene 
what our duty to him both is and ought to be. For this, 
where he saith “thy God,” betokeneth an evident relation. 
For if he will be mine, then I again of duty must be his. 
He will be my Lord and my God; therefore must I again of 
duty make account of, and worship him, as my Lord and my 
God. Wherefore in this commandment there is required at 
our hands, that we do not only acknowledge the true God to 
be the true God, and so to stay there; but also, that we do 
take and account him for our God, our Lord, our King, our 
Creator, our Preserver, and our Father; and that we do 
attribute to him his property, to wit, that he is one alone, 
the only fountain and giver of all good things, that he liveth, 
and is eternal, righteous, true, holy®, happy, merciful, mighty, 
most excellent and chief of all. Let us therefore stick to 
him alone, let us obey him in all things, let us put our trust 
in him, let us call on him alone, let us repute him to be the 
giver of all good things, and crave all good gifts of him; let 
us thank him for all benefits whatsoever we receive, let us re- 
verence him, and lastly, honour him in fear sincerely, in love 
most ardently, and in hope as constantly as may be. For 
hereunto belong those sentences in the books of Moses and 
the holy gospel: “ Thou shalt honour the Lord thy God, and 
him alone shalt thou βουνοῦ And again: “ Follow ye the 

[4 acervum et mare, Lat. ] 


[5 beatus, Lat. ] 
[ὁ Deut. vi. 13; Matt. iv. 10.] 


218 THE SECOND DECADE. [SERM. 


Lord your God, fear him, keep his commandments, hearken 
to his voice, serve him, and stick to him!” The Lord himself 
also in the Psalm crieth out and saith: “Offer to the Lord 
the sacrifice of praise, and pay thy vows unto the Highest. 
And call upon me in the day of trouble?,” &c. 

The true God And now, touching the demonstration, whereby he de- 
clareth that he hath been, is, and will be the God and Lord 
of us all, of our fathers, and of our children that come after 
us; the proof thereof is most evident by our? delivery out of 
Egypt. Therein are contained all the virtues of God; his 
wisdom, his goodness, his righteousness, his truth, his power, 
and what not? He declareth that he is the Lord in heaven 
and in earth, in all elements and all creatures. His people 
the Israelites doth he graciously deliver, defend, with sundry 
gifts adorn, and mightily preserve, even in despite and maugre 
all the heads of the whole Egyptian kingdom*. And on the 
other side, he doth by sundry means very terribly, yet not- 
withstanding justly, punish the Egyptians; and last of all, 
together with their king, he overwhelmeth them in the Red 
Sea. By this one miracle of the Lord’s the Israelites might 
have gathered, as God is almighty and the mightiest of all, 
so also that he would be their God, as heretofore he had been 
the God of their fathers. For by this wonder he did declare 
what he was then, and of how great power and goodness he 
is even at this day among us, and also what he will be in all 
ages, even unto the end. To us that live in these days the 
deliverance, which we have obtained by Jesus Christ our 
Lord, is far more fresh in memory; who hath not delivered 
us from the bondage of any Egyptian kingdom, nor from the 
tyrannous hands of any earthly Pharao, but hath set us free 
from the power of darkness, of sin, death, and the devil. 
Whereby we gather, that as the eternal, true, excellent, high, 
and holy God is most mighty, so also he is our God; that he 
wisheth well to us, and that he careth for and loveth us, 
according to that saying of the apostle: ‘“ Who spared not 
his own Son, but gave him for us all, how can it be but that 

ofourte with him he will give us all things?” Verily, the mystery 

: (1 Deut. xiii. 4.] [3 Psal. 1. 14, 15.] 
[3 our is not in the original Latin. ] 
[* vel invito et fremente toto regno gypti, Lat.] 
[5 Rom. viii. 32.) 








11.} 187 AND 2ND PRECEPTS OF THE TEN COMMANDMENTS, 219 


of our redemption by our Lord Jesus Christ is manifestly ὃν cnrist 


it is evident, that the Israelites’ free departure out of Egypt 
was a type or figure of the delivery of the whole compass of 
the earth, and of all the kingdoms of the world, which should 
be wrought by Christ our Lord, who hath now already set 
all the world free from the bondage of sin and hell, But if 
any man doubt of this, let him diligently consider with himself 
the meaning of the ceremony and sacrament of that bodily 
deliverance, I mean, the very passover. For what is he that 
knoweth not that the paschal lamb did in a figure represent 
Christ our Redeemer? Are Paul’s words unknown, who saith, 
“Christ our passover is offered up®?” Have not all the 
apostles and John Baptist called our Lord “the Lamb of 
God which taketh away the sins of the world’?” The words 
of the prophet Esay also, in his fifty-second chapter, are ap- 
parently known; where he compareth the delivery of Israel 
out of Egypt with the redemption of all the world wrought 
by Christ from the slavery of sin. Wherefore, in this first 
precept of the ten commandments is contained the mystery of 
Christ our Lord, and our salvation: so that, as often as those 
words of God shall be recited in our ears, we ought not so 
much to set our eyes and minds upon the ancient delivery of 
Israel out of Egypt, as upon the new and latter redemption, 
which we have by Christ Jesus, thereby to quicken our hope, 
and not to despair, but that the most excellent and mighty 
God both is and will be our God, as heretofore he hath 
been theirs. 


contained in the first precept of the ten commandments. For the first com 
man 


dment. 


rst com- 


The latter branch of this first commandment flatly forbid- strange goas 


is, it taketh from us all extraordinary means to seek the 
safeguard of our lives, where the working finger of God is 
not, and whatsoever else may be either devilishly devised or 
unadvisedly chosen beside the very word of God. And there- 
fore the Lord useth a most vehement or earnest kind of 
speaking : for saith he, “ Thou shalt not have any other gods 
before me’.” See, he saith, Thou shalt not have, and thou 
shalt not have before me, or before my face, or with me, or 


[61 Cor. ¥.. 7.) 
[1 John i. 29; Acts viii. 32; 1 Pet. i. 19; Rev. vy. 6.] 
[$ coram me, Lat.] 


are forbid- 


deth us, and every one of us, to have any strange gods; that den. 


920 THE SECOND DECADE. [SERM. 


by me. We Germans say, Zu mir; oder nabend mir ; oder 
lass michs nit sahen vor meinen augen. For so do fathers 
speak in their anger, when they do earnestly forbid a wicked 
and heinous thing. See, say they, that thou do it not before 
mine eyes for me to see it. But now God is present every 
where; God seeth all things; yea, he beholdeth our hearts, 
and hidden secrets of our hearts. We must not therefore in 
any case, either openly or privily, have any strange gods: 
that is, none of us must make account of any creature, either 
in heaven or earth, as of our God; none of us must attribute 
God’s properties to his creatures, nor yet the things which 
we of duty do owe to God himself. The properties of God 
are these; to be all over! and every where, to see all, to 
know all, to be able to do all, to give life, to deliver, and 
cleanse from sins, to save, preserve, to justify, to sanctify, and 
whatsoever else is like to these. On the other side, our duty 
to him is, to reverence God, to call on God, to fear God, to 
worship God, to hope in God, to stick to God, to hear God, 
to believe God, and to obey God. 


sen The strange god therefore is that which is not God pro- 
are. perly and by nature; yea, it is whatsoever we do make to 


ourselves to be our God beside the very living and eternal 
God, wherein we trust, wherein we hope, whereon we call, 
which we do love and fear, whereon we settle and fasten our 
minds, whereupon we do depend, whereof we make account as 
of our treasure, help, and safeguard, both in prosperity and 
our adversity. When Rahel asketh children of Jacob, she 
hath this answer at his hand: “ Am I God, which have made 
thee barren??” And again, when Joram king of Israel had 
by Naaman received letters from Benhadad, king of Syria, 
requesting to cleanse the leprosy, he rent his clothes for anger, 
and cried out, saying: “Am I God, that I can kill, and re- 
store to life again? ?” Let God alone, therefore, be our God, 
that is, our life and safeguard, our help and refuge, our pro- 
tection and deliverance, our hope and love, our fear, our 
dread, our trembling, and all. These if we do attribute to 
others, and not to God alone, then shall we make other gods 
to ourselves. Moreover, whatsoever is not ordained by God 


[1 ubique, Lat. ] 


[2 Gen. xxx. 2. Num pro Deo sum, Lat. and Vulgate. ] 
[3 2 Kings v. 7.] 





11. | 1st AND 2ND PRECEPTS OF THE TEN COMMANDMENTS, 221 


himself, that is in the scriptures many times called strange, 
or other. In that sense it is said, that strange fire was car- 
ried into the tabernacle‘; to wit, not that fire which God had 
commanded for to kindle. In the Proverbs she is called a 
strange woman®, whose company the Lord hath not allowed 
thee to use. They therefore are strange gods, whom we 
have made to ourselves to hang on, and to seek aid of, when 
God, notwithstanding, hath not appointed them to have the 
charge over us. Wherefore the very saints themselves, 
triumphant now in heaven with Christ our King, shall be re- 
puted for strange gods; the saints themselves, I say, not in 
respect of themselves, but to us they shall be strange gods in 
respect of us, which judge very fondly of them, and bestow on 
them the honour due to God, in worshipping and calling upon 
them, as we should worship and call upon our tutors and 
defenders®, The very devils and devilish men shall be strange 
gods, if we for fear shall stand in awe of them more than of 
God, to whom indeed our fear is due. The stars, the planets, 
and signs in the firmament shall be strange gods, if we, 
being deceived with the mathematicals’, shall wholly hang on 
them, and in all our doings evermore have regard to the im- 
pressions of the sky, directing every minute of our lives to 
the course of the stars. Likewise, if we shall honour and 
love money or men with honour or love due unto God, then 
shall this money and men of ours be imputed to us for strange 
gods. King Asa is blamed (2 Paral. xvi.§) for putting too 
much confidence in physic and physicians: physic® and phy- 
sicians therefore may be abused, and made strange gods. The 
Jews are rebuked by the Lord in Esay, chap. xxx. for trust- 
ing too much in the Egyptians, their confederates: confederates 


[6 Levit. x. 1.] 

[5 ch. ii. 16.] 

[6 pro tutelaribus. See Becon’s Works, Parker Soc. ed. Vol. 1. 
pp. 138, 9; Calfhill’s Answer to Martiall, pp. 19, 20; and Works of Bp. 
Jewel, Vol. 11. pp. 922, 3.] 

[7 i.e. astrologers. Sequitur lauta illa Astrologia seu Mathematica, 
&c.—Luther. in Decem Precepta. Opp. Witeb. 1582. Tom. 1. p. 3. 
Olim Genethliaci et similes pro Mathematicis se venditarunt.—Calvin. 
Opp. Amstel. Tom. 1. p. 353. See also Early Writings of Bp. Hooper, 
Parker Soc. ed. p. 330; Bingham. Orig. Eccles. Book xvi. chap. 5. §. 1.] 

[8 2 Chron. xvi. 12.] 

[9 Herbee, Lat. ] 


Conjurors 
and witches, 


The second 
command- 
ment of God. 


The end of 
the com- 
mandment 
is to draw us 
from strange 
and foreign 
worship- 
pings. 


222 THE SECOND DECADE. [SERM. 


therefore may be abused, and made strange gods. But most 
of all are condemned here the leagues and covenants made 
with the devil by witchcraft, to have him at commandment. 
Those blessings also which of right ought rather to be called 
cursings, I mean, superstitious exorcisms or conjurations, are 
utterly to be rejected; wherein also this is blameworthy, that 
the name of the most high God is horribly abused and taken 
in vain. But what is he, that can exactly reckon up every 
particular thing wherein this first commandment is trans- 
gressed, considering that in it is taught the perfect rule of 
godliness, which is the inward worship done to God; to wit, 
to acknowledge God, to believe him, to think rightly of him, 
to call upon him, to cleave unto him, and in all things to obey 
him ? 

The second precept of the ten commandments is: “ Thou 
shalt not make to thyself any graven image, nor any likeness 
of those things which are in heaven above, or in the earth 
beneath, or in the water under the earth; thou shalt not bow 
down to them, nor worship them: I am the Lord thy God, 
strong, and jealous, visiting the fathers’ sins in the children 
unto the third and fourth generation of them that hate me, 
and shewing mercy unto thousands to them that love me, and 
keep my commandments.” In the first commandment the 
Lord did teach and draw out before our eyes the pattern of 
his inward worship and religion: now here, in the second, he 
amendeth that which might be amiss in the outward rites and 
ceremonies. If we could have rightly judged of God, and 
have kept (as devoutly as we should) the first commandment, 
then should there have been no need of the second: but, be- 
cause God knew our disposition and nature, he doth therefore 
expressly forbid the thing that otherwise we would have done. 
For many there are which think, that God ought to be pour- 
trayed in some similitude or likeness, and to be worshipped 
with some bodily or visible reverence, in offering gold, silver, 
pearls, ivory, and precious things of price. Wherefore the 
general end of this commandment is, to draw them from 
those gross imaginations and carnal worshippings of God, who 
as he is an incomprehensible power and an eternal spirit, so 
can he not be resembled to any corruptible similitude: he 
will be worshipped in spirit and holiness. Under the name 
of the idol, or imagined likeness, is contained all the outward 





1.1 Ist AND 2ND PRECEPTS OF THE TEN COMMANDMENTS, 223 


reverence done thereunto: when therefore the idols are for- 
bidden, together with them is also forbidden all outward 
honour irreligiously exhibited to the true and very God. For 
wheresoever an idol is, there must the idolaters set him up a 
pillar’, place him in a seat, erect him an altar, and build him 
a temple. And all these again require keepers and overseers, 
ministers or priests, sacrifices and offerings, ceremonies, fur- 
nitures, holy-days, cost and labour that will never be ended. 
In this sense did the prophets say, that idolatrous images were 
endless labours and infinite miseries?: for after images are 
once received, there is no end or measure of expenses and 
toil. This doth experience teach to be true. 

Now to proceed: this commandment standeth of three 
several parts. For first of all, God flatly forbiddeth to make 
a graven image, or other kind of idol; that is, God doth 
utterly forbid to set up or hallow to him any image, of 
what shape or substance soever it be. For as God will 
not, so indeed he cannot, be expressly represented in any 
manner of likeness. Now, in this commandment are reckoned 
up in a manner all the similitudes of those things, whereunto 
we are wont in pourtraying to liken our pictures. Thou 
shalt not, saith he, fashion like unto God any shape or figure 
of those things which are in heaven; which are, I say, above 
us. Above us are the celestial bodies, the sun, the moon, the 
planets, the stars, and divers birds of sundry fashions: in all 
which figures and shapes almost no small number of the 
Gentiles did solemnly honour and reverently worship the 
name of God. Thou shalt not liken unto God, saith he, any 
shape or fashion of those things that are in the earth. In 
the earth are men, beasts, herbs, shrubs, trees, and such-like. 
Now it is manifest that the Gentiles worshipped God under 
the likeness of men and beasts. Cornelius Tacitus, writing 
of the Germans, saith: “ But by the greatness of the visible 


[1 basim, Lat. ] 

[2 Bullinger refers to the word ΣΝ, which signifies both trouble and 
an idol. And in Psal. xvi. 4, the word ONM)I¥yp is rendered by the 
Chaldee Paraphrast and others, their idols, and by the English version 
and others, their sorrows. And Bucer remarks in loc. VAY moles- 
tias significat; at DXIXY pro idolis sepissime usurpatur.—See also 
Calvin. Comment. in loc. cit. ed. Calvin. Translat. Soc. Vol. 1. note 1; 
and Hooper’s Early Writings, p. 43, Parker Soc. ed. 


- 


God forbid- 
deth a graven 
image. 


That ic, the 
sun, moon, 
and stars. 


ill 
apheder aris 


to any thing. 


224 THE SECOND DECADE. [SERM. 


celestial bodies they do conjecture and verily think, that the 
gods are neither inclosed in walls, nor yet in favour resem- 
bling men’s visages ; and therefore do they hallow woods and 
groves, calling that hidden mystery by the name of the gods, 
which with outward eyes they see not, but with inward re- 
verence alone!.” Lo, here, our ancestors worshipped God in 
the likeness of trees and woods: which, nevertheless, men are 
forbidden here to do, even as also we are prohibited to wor- 
ship our God in the likeness of any thing that is in or under 
the water. The Philistines worshipped God in the image of 
a fish; for Dagon their God bare the shape of a fish? 
Egypt honoured God in the similitude of serpents*. All 
which, and many other, Paul knitteth up together in the 
first to the Romans, where he argueth against the Gentiles, 
and saith: “Their foolish heart was blinded: when they 
counted themselves wise, they became fools, and turned the 
glory of the incorruptible God unto the likeness, not only of 
a mortal man, but also of birds, and of four-footed beasts, 
and of creeping beasts.” Against this madness is the first 
part of the law directly given. 

But now, the cause why God will not be represented in 
any visible or sensible image is this*. God is a spirit; God 
is unmeasurable, incomprehensible®, unspeakable, all over and 
every where, filling heaven and earth, eternal, living, giving 
life unto and preserving all things; and lastly, of a glorious 
majesty exalted above the heavens, But what is he that can 
pourtray a spirit in any image or substance ? God is an incom- 
prehensible® power, quickening and preserving all and every 


[1 De Mor. Germ. c. ix. Ceterum nec cohibere parietibus 4608, 
neque in ullam humanioris speciem adsimulare, ex magnitudine cceles- 
tium arbitrantur: lucos ac nemora consecrant, deorumque nominibus 
appellant secretum illud, quod sola reverentia vident. They think it 
not consistent with the greatness of celestial beings, &c.] 

[2 Marinum (i.e. piscis) ei (Dagoni) corpus; humana vero facies, 
manus, item et pedes.—Selden de Dis Syris, Syntag. τι. cap. 3. et 
add. ] 

[3 The worship of the serpent was in her (Egypt’s) early history an 
important and conspicuous part of her idolatry.—Deane, on the Wor- 
ship of the Serpent, chap. 2. §. 1.] 

[4 in promptu causa est, Lat.] 

[> incireumscriptibilis, Lat. ] 

[6 immensa potentia, Lat. ] 








I1. | Ist AND 2ND PRECEPTS OF THE TEN COMMANDMENTS, 225 


thing. But David, describing images, saith: “The idols of 
the heathen are silver and gold, the works of men’s hands. 
They have ears, and hear not; noses have they, and smell 
not. They have hands, and handle not; feet have they, and 
walk not; neither is there any voice in the throat of them?.” 
Wherefore, if these be compared to God, how like, I beseech 
you, are they unto him? To go about, therefore, to express 
God in any visible likeness is the next way to dishonour God, 
and to bring him into contempt. God’s eye beholdeth all 
things; idols see nothing. God’s ears hear all things; idols 
hear nothing. By God all things live, move, and are pre- 
served; the idols themselves neither live, nor move, and, 
unless they be upheld by the men that make them, they fall 
and are dashed in pieces. An idol breatheth not; God giveth 

to other’ a breathing spirit. How then, and wherein, are 
these twain alike? In substance, or in shape? If ye say, 

in substance; I answer, Is God then of gold, of silver, or of 
wood? If in shape; mine answer is, Hath the invisible power 

of God then put on visible and mortal members? How whey yee 
greatly therefore did the Anthropomorphites® offend herein ? firming, that 
If then there be no similitude of God, how cometh it to pass, members like 
I beseech you, that images and idols be called the likeness ™™ 
and pictures of God? Among us he that calleth another an 
idol or an image, doth seem to have spoken it too too despite- 
fully 19. in reproach of the other: for we know that idols are 
counterfeits of men!, and not men indeed; and therefore do 

we call him an image, that is a sot, a fool, a dolt, an idiot, and 
one that hath no wit, nor knoweth any more than he heareth 

of other. Why then henceforward should we any more call 
images the likeness of God? God is living: images are 
monuments of dead men; as Salomon!?, the author of the 
book of Wisdom, saith: “God is glorious, and heaven and 
earth are full of the glory of his majesty ; but idols are with- 


[1 Ps. exv. 4—7.] 

[8 omnibus, Lat. ] 

[9 For traces of these heretics, see Mosheim’s Eccles. Hist. Cent. 4. 
book 2. part 2. ch. 5. §. 23; and Cent. 5. book 2. part 2. ch. 2. §. 10. 
note 9; and ch. 5. §. 20. ed. Soames, 1845. ] 

[19 magna affecisse contumelia, Lat. } 

[11 speciem falsam hominis referre, Lat. ] 

[12 The name, Solomon, is not in the original Latin. ] i 

9 
[BULLINGER. ] 


226 THE SECOND DECADE. [SERM. 


out all glory, and subject to the scoffs and mocks of men!.” 
Images are tokens of absent friends: but God is present 
always and everywhere. And the signs or tokens, which 
God did of old ordain and give to his people, were not simply 
the signs and images of God, but tokens of God’s presence, 
signifying that God, who by nature is a spirit, and invisible, 
incomprehensible, and unmeasurable, is present still among 
them. Such a token was the cloud, the smoke, the fire, and 
finally, the very ark of the covenant, which also the cherubin 
did cover with their wings, signifying thereby that no mortal 
man could look God in the face; and that therefore the soul, 
and the mind, and the spirit, ought by contemplation to be 
lifted up into heaven, there to behold him. For to Moses, 
who notwithstanding is said to have seen God face to face, it 
was said, ‘No man shall see me and live?” When once we 
are deceased, then shall we see him as he is, according to the 
sayings of the blessed evangelist John*. So then these, I 
say, are the causes, why the Lord will not have himself re- 
presented or pourtrayed in any matter or likeness. 

Hereunto now do appertain the places of scripture, and 
testimonies of the men that are the chiefest pillars of true 
religion and godliness, of Moses, Esay, and Paul. Moses in 
Deuteronomy saith: “The Lord spake unto you from the midst 
of the fire: and a voice of words ye heard, but likeness saw 
ye none, but heard the voice only. Take good heed therefore 
unto yourselves, as pertaining unto your souls (for ye saw no 
manner of image in that day), lest ye mar yourselves by 
making you a graven image, the likeness of any manner of 
figure, whether it be the picture of man or woman; the like- 
ness of any manner of beast that is on the earth; or the 
likeness of any manner of feathered fowl that flieth in the air ; 
or the likeness of any manner of worm that creepeth on the 
earth; or the likeness of any manner of fish that is in the 
waters beneath the earth: yea, and lest thou lift up thine 
eyes unto heaven, and when thou seest the sun, the moon, 
and the stars, with all the host of heaven, thou shouldest 
begin to worship them and reverence them, and shouldest 
worship and serve the things which the Lord thy God hath 
made to serve all nations under the whole heaven. Take 

[1 Wisd. xiv. 15.] 
[3 Ex. xxxiii. 20.] [31 John iii. 2.] 





11. lst AND 2ND PRECEPTS OF THE TEN COMMANDMENTS, 997 


heed, therefore, that ye forget not the appointment‘ of the 
Lord your God, which he hath made with you, and that ye 
make you no graven image, nor the likeness of any thing that 
the Lord thy God hath forbidden thee®.” This hath Moses 
thus far. 

Esaias also, in his fortieth chapter, saith: ‘ Behold, all 
people” (to wit, compared to God) “are in comparison of him 
as a drop of a bucketful, and are counted as a little dust stick- 
ing on the balance, and weighing nothing at all. Yea, the 
isles are to him as a very little thing. Libanus is not suffi- 
- cient to minister fire to his offering, and all the beasts thereof 
are not enough for one sacrifice. All people in comparison 
of God are reckoned as nothing; in respect of him they are 
less than nothing, and as that that is not. To whom then 
will ye liken God? or what similitude will ye set up to him? 
Shall the carver make him an image? and shall the gold- 
smith cover it with gold, or cast it into a form of silver plates? 
Moreover, shall® the poor man, that he may have somewhat 
to set up, choose a tree that is not rotten, and seek out a 
cunning workman to carve thereout an image, that moveth’? 
not? Know ye not this? heard ye never of it?” And 
again: “It is he that sitteth upon the circle of the world, 
whose inhabiters are, in comparison of him, but as grasshop- 
pers. It is he that spreadeth out the heavens like a curtain; 
he stretcheth them out as a tent to dwell in. [ᾧ is he that 
bringeth princes to nothing, and maketh the judges of the 
earth as though they were not. To whom now will ye liken 
me, and to whom shall I be like? saith the Holy One. Lift 
up your eyes on high, and consider who hath made those 
things, which come out by so great heaps, and he calleth 
them all by their names.” And so forth. Thus much out 
of Esaias®. 

Moreover, Paul, the apostle of Christ, disputing at Athens 
of true religion, saith: “God that made the world and all 
that therein is, seeing that he is Lord of heaven and earth, 


[4 foederis, Lat. ] [6 Deut. iv. 12, 15—19, 23.] 

[ὁ In the original Latin the verbs in these three sentences are not 
in the future tense, nor are the sentences interrogatory. But the two 
former are interrogatory in the Vulgate. ] 

[7 ne moveatur loco, Lat. ] 


[8 Isai. xl. 15—23, 25, 26.] 
15—2 


228 THE SECOND DECADE. [SERM. 


dwelleth not in temples made with hands, neither is worshipped 
with men’s hands, as though he needed any thing; since he 
himself giveth life and breath to all and everywhere, and 
hath made of one blood all nations of men, to dwell on all 
the face of the earth, and hath determined the times before 
appointed, and also the limits of their habitation, that they 
should seek the Lord, if perhaps they might have felt, and 
found him; though he be not far from every one of us: for 
by him we live, and move, and have our being; as certain of 
your own poets have said, For we are also his offspring. For- 
asmuch then as we are the offspring of God, we ought not to 
think that the Godhead is like to gold, or silver, or stone, 
graven by art or man’s device!.” 

- These testimonies are so evident, and do so plainly declare 
that which I purposed, that I need not for the further ex- 
position of them to say any more. They were great causes, 
therefore, that moved St Augustine precisely to pronounce it 
to be horrible sacrilege for any man to place in the church 
the image of God the Father, sitting in a throne with bended 
hams; because it is detestable for a man so much as to con- 
ceive such a likeness in his mind. His very words I have 
rehearsed in the eighth Sermon of my first Decade’, where I 
had occasion to speak of the right hand of the Father, and to 
teach you what it is to sit at the Father’s right hand. 

pu cde Now, touching other images also, which men erect to crea- 
forbidden ~_ tures or to the heathen gods, they are no less forbidden than 
shipped. the pictures of God himself. For if we may not hallow an 
image to the true and very God, much less shall it be lawful 
for us to erect or consecrate an idol to a strange or foreign 
god. Man in his mind doth choose himself a god, and of 
his own invention deviseth a shape or figure for it, which 
lastly he frameth with the workmanship of his hands: so 
that it may truly be said, that the mind conceiveth an idol, 
and the hand doth bring it forth. But the Lord, in the first 
commandment, forbad us to have any strange gods. Now, he 
that neither hath, nor chooseth to himself, any strange or 
foreign gods, doth not in his imagination devise any shape 
for them, and so consequently erecteth no images. For he 
thinketh it a detestable thing to make an image to the true 
and very God; he is persuaded that it is a wicked thing to 


[1 Acts xvii. 24—29.] [? See page 150. ] 





II. | Ist AND 2ND PRECEPTS OF THE TEN COMMANDMENTS. 229 


choose himself a foreign god; and therefore he judgeth it to 
be most abominable to place the picture of a foreign god in 
the church or temple of the true and very God. And that is 
the cause that in the church before Christ his time we do 
not read, that any images were erected to any saints, whereof 
at that time there were a great number, (suppose) of patriarchs, 
judges, kings, priests, prophets, and whole troops of martyrs, 
matrons, and modest widows. The primitive church also of 
Christ his apostles had no images, either of Christ himself, or 
of other saints, set up in their places of public prayer, nor in 
their churches. The deed of Epiphanius is very well known, 
which he committed at Anablatha in Syria. It is written in 
Greek in an epistle to John Bishop of Jerusalem, and trans- 
lated into Latin by St Hierome. He rent the vail that hung 
in the temple, bearing in it the image of Christ or some other 
saint; testifying therewithal, that it is against christian reli- 
gion, for the picture of a man to hang in the church of God’. 
St Augustine in Catalogo Heresewn maketh mention of one 
Marcella, a follower of Carpocrates his sect, which worshipped 
the images of Jesu, Paul, Homer, and Pythagoras, with falling 
down prostrate before them, and offering incense unto them‘. 
Very well and wisely, therefore, did Erasmus of Roterodame, 
being deeply seen in the works of ecclesiastical writers, when 
he had wittily spoken many things touching the use of images 
in churches, at the last also add this, and say: “There is 
no decree, no not so much as of men, which commandeth that 
images should be in churches. For as it is more easy, 80 is 
it less perilous, to take all images quite and clean out of the 
churches, than to be able to bring to pass that, in keeping 
them still, measure should not be exceeded, nor superstition 
covertly cloked. For admit that (as some say) the mind be 
clean from all superstition; yet notwithstanding it is not 

[3 Quando—venissem ad villam que dicitur Anablatha,—inveni 
velum pendens in foribus—ecclesiz, tinctum atque depictum, et ha- 
bens imaginem, quasi Christi, vel sancti cujusdam.—Cum ergo hoc 
vidissem, in ecclesia Christi contra auctoritatem scripturarum hominis 
pendere imaginem, scidi illud.—Epiphan. Opp. Par. 1622. Tom, πὶ. 
fol. 317.] 

[4 Secte ipsius (i.e. Carpocratianorum) fuisse traditur socia quee- 
dam Marcellina, que colebat imagines Jesu et Pauli et Homeri et 
Pythagore, adorando incensumque ponendo.—August. Opp. Par. 1531. 
Tom. vi. fol. 3.] 


290 THE SECOND DECADE. [SERM. 


without a shew of superstition, for him that prayeth to fall 
down prostrate before a wooden idol, to have his eyes sted- 
fastly bent upon that alone, to speak to that, to kiss that, and 
not to pray at all but before an idol. And this I add, that 
whosoever do imagine God to be any other than indeed he 
is, they, contrary to this precept, do worship graven images'.” 
And again, in the same catechism, he saith: “ Even until the 
time of Hierome there were men of sound religion, which 
suffered not in the church any image to stand, neither painted, 
nor graven, nor woven; no, not so much as of Christ, because 
(as I suppose) of the Anthropomorphites. But afterward the 
use of images by little and little crept up and came into the 
churches®.” This hath Erasmus. 

No image | Furthermore, for Christ, our Lord and very God, though 

for Christ. he have taken on him the nature of us men, yet, that notwith- 
standing, there ought no image to be erected. For he did 
not become man to that intent; but he drew up his humanity 
into heaven, and therewithal gave us a charge, that, so often 
as we pray, we should lift up the eyes of our minds and 
bodies into heaven above. Moreover, being once ascended, 
he sent his Spirit instead of himself unto the church, wherein 
he hath a spiritual kingdom, and needeth not any bodily or 
corruptible things. For he commanded that, if we would 
bestow any thing on him or for his sake, we should bestow it 
on the poor, and not on his picture or image. And now 
since, without all controversy, our Christ is the very true 
God, and that the very true God doth forbid to hallow to 
him any likeness of man, that is, to represent God in the 


[1 Ut imagines sint in templis, nulla preecipit vel humana consti- 
tutio. Et ut facilius, ita tutius quoque est, omnes imagines e templis 
submovere, quam impetrare, ut nec modus preetereatur, nec admiscea- 
tur superstitio. Jam ut animus sit ab omni superstitione purus, tamen 
non caret superstitionis specie, orantem ad ligneum simulacrum pro- 
cumbere, in hoc intentos habere oculos, ad hoe verba facere, huic 
oscula figere, nec orare prorsus nisi coram imagine. TIllud addam, qui- 
cunque sibi aliusmodi fingunt Deum quam est, contra preeceptum hoc 
colunt sculptilia.—Erasm. Symbol. Catec. vi. col. 1188. Opp. Lugd. 
Bat. Tom. v.] 

[3 Usque ad eetatem Hieronymi erant probatee religionis viri, qui 
in templis nullam ferebant imaginem, nec pictam, nec sculptam, nec 
textam; ac ne Christi quidem, ut opinor, propter Anthropomorphitas. 
Paulatim autem imaginum usus irrepsit in templa.—Ibid. col. 1187.] 








11 Ist AND 2ND PRECEPTS OF THE TEN COMMANDMENTS, 231 


shape of a man; it followeth consequently, that to Christ no 
image is to be dedicated, because he is the true and very 
God and life everlasting. 

In the second part of this commandment we are taught, How farforth 
how far forth it is unlawful for us to make any image of God, fulto make 
or else of feigned gods; and, if so it be that any make or ᾿ 
cause them to be made, how and after what sort then we 
ought to behave ourselves toward them. Images ought not 
in any case to be made for men to worship, or otherwise to 
use as means or instruments to worship God in. But if so it 
happen, that any man make them to the intent to have them 
worshipped ; then must the zealous and godly disposed despise, 
neglect, not worship nor honour them, nor yet by any means 
be brought to do them service. For in this precept are two 
things set down especially to be noted. The first is, “ Thou 
shalt not bow down to them.” To bow down is to cap and To bow 
to knee, to duck with the head and bend the body, to fall ry aaa 
down, to honour, to worship, and to reverence. The saints 
of old did use to bow down (that is, to bend the knee, to 
uncover the head, and to fall down) to the magistrates, the 
prophets, the princes, and teachers of the people, and unto all 
sorts of reverend men. And that they did partly because 
God had so commanded, who useth their ministery to common 
men’s commodity; and partly again, because men are the 
lively image of God himself. But deaf, dumb, and blind 
idols are wood and stone, whereunto we are forbidden to bend 
or bow down, howsoever we are made to believe that they do 
bear the likeness of God. The latter is, ‘‘ Thou shalt not wor- 
ship them,” or else, Thou shalt not do any service unto them. 

In this clause is forbidden all the outward and unlawful honour 
done to God, or to the gods, in the way of religion, nay rather, 
in the way of superstition, and devilish hallowing of churches, 
reliques, holy-days, and such-like trash and trumpery*. For toserve, 
to serve is to worship, to reverence, to attribute some majesty : 
and divine authority to that which we do worship, to have 
affiance in, to burn incense, to offer gifts, and to shew our- 
selves dutifully serviceable to that which we worship. There 
is no man that knoweth not what it is to serve, and what is 
meant by service, in matters of religion. We are forbidden, 


[3 superstitione et cultu templorum, sacrorum, feriarum, omnium- 
que rerum similium, Lat.] 


Idols teach 
not. 


We have no 
cause to 
choose 
strange gods. 


O37 THE SECOND DECADE. [SERM. 


therefore, to run in pilgrimage to idols, yea, though they be 
the images of God himself. We are forbidden to do them 
any service, in offering gifts, or attributing unto them any 
one jot of God’s pre-eminence, thereby to bind ourselves to 
maintain and uphold their unlawful honour, in mingling such 
superstitions with better points of true religion. This there- 
fore considered (since we may not attribute to images any 
serviceable honour!), I do not see how we can ascribe to them 
the office of teaching, admonishing, and exhorting, which are 
the offices and benefits of God’s Holy Spirit and word: for 
Abacuck the prophet, of whose writings Paul did make no 
small account, hath left in writing words worth remembering. 
“What profiteth” (says he) “the image? for the maker of it 
hath made it: an image and a teacher of lies, though he that 
made it trusteth therein, when he maketh dumb idols? Woe 
unto him that saith to the wood, Awake; and to the senseless 
stone, Arise! Should that teach thee? Behold, it is covered 
with gold and silver, and there is no breath in it. But the 
Lord is in his holy temple; let all the earth keep silence before 
him?.” What could be said more plainly and agreeable to 
the truth? Images (saith he) are mere and very lies. But 
how can that teach the truth, which of itself is nought else 
but a lie? There is no moving, there is no life, there is no 
breath in a picture or image. But the Lord sitteth in his 
holy temple, where he reigneth, and teacheth, by inspiration 
and the preaching of his word, the sum of godliness, and 
where he liveth for ever in the hearts of all his saints and 
servants. Let therefore all the tongues in the whole world 
be stopped of them that go about to maintain and uphold 
superstitious idolatry against the true and living God. 

Now again in the third part of this commandment the 
Lord doth briefly knit up the pithy handling of sundry things. 
For, first, he sheweth that men have no just or lawful cause 
in turning from God, either to make them strange gods, or 
else to worship God otherwise than they ought to do. “I am” 
(saith he) “the Lord thy God,” a strong God. If I be the Lord, 
then shouldest thou of duty serve me, honour me, obey me, 
and worship me, so as thou dost understand that I do desire 
to be worshipped and honoured. If I be God, then am I of 


[1 cultum latrice, Lat. ] [? Haben. 1820] 





1 151 AND 2ND PRECEPTS OF THE TEN COMMANDMENTS. 233 


sufficient ability to minister to all men whatsoever they lack*. 
What canst thou want, therefore, that thou mayest not find in 
me? why then shouldest thou turn to strange gods? Thou 
hast no cause at all, undoubtedly, to turn from me. I am, 
moreover, a strong God, a mighty, yea, an almighty God and 
Lord. Thou hast no cause to seek a mightier or wealthier 
prince than me, by him to be delivered out of my hands, and 
by his liberality to be farther enriched than thou shalt be by 
my good gifts and blessings. For I am that true and eternal 
God, the invincible and almighty Prince of the world, the 
true and only helper and deliverer, the liberal and bountiful 
giver of all good gifts or benefits. I am also thy Lord and 
thy God. Those goods of mine are thine. For I am thine: 
yea, I am thy helper and deliverer out of all adversities and 
afflictions. Thou art mine: I have created thee: I live in 
thee, I do preserve thee. Why then shouldest thou turn 
away from me, and seek after any strange god whatsoever ? 
What needest thou any more hereafter to hunt after senseless 
idols? Thou art the church and temple of God. Dost thou 
not feel and perceive within thyself, that I do dwell in thee, 
and have thine heart in possession? And what, I pray thee, 
hath the temple of God to do with godless images ? 

Then also he descendeth, and doth very severely, yet God sufteretn 
notwithstanding justly, threaten extreme and terrible revenge- 
ment. “I am” (saith he) “a jealous God.” This may be 
taken two ways very well, and not amiss. For, first, the sense 
may be thus: I will not have thee to seek any other gods but 
me, neither will I have thee admit or receive any foreign or 
unlawful worshipping of me. The cause is, I am a jealous God, 
envious against my rival, not suffering mine equal, nor by 
any means abiding to have a mate. I alone will be loved, I 
alone will be worshipped ; and that too, not after any other 
fashion than I myself have appointed to be observed. For 
no man is so ignorant but that he knoweth how God in the 
scripture doth, by the parable of wedlock‘, figuratively set 
down the assurance and bond wherein by faith we are bound 
to God’, God is our husband and bridegroom: we are his 


(3 omnisufficientia sum, Lat. ] 

[6 humani conjugii, Lat. ] 

[5 religamur Deo (unde et religionis nomen est), Lat. omitted; 
from which binding the name, religion, is derived. So Augustine: Ad 


994. THE SECOND DECADE. [SERM. 


wife and chosen spouse. A chaste and faithful wife giveth ear 
alone to her husband’s voice; him alone she loveth, him alone 
she doth obey, and, him excepted, she loveth no man at all. 
Again, on the other side, a shameless, faithless adulteress and 
whorish strumpet, not worthy to be called a wife, seemeth 
outwardly to stick and cleave to her husband; but privily she 
maketh her body common to many men, and loveth other 
more than her husband, and for the most part burneth on 
them, being cold enough to him-ward. But God is a jealous 
God, and will be loved and worshipped alone, without any 
partner to rob him thereof. That is spiritual adultery and 
whore-hunting, when men do partly love and worship God, 
and yet notwithstanding do therewithal give reverence to 
strange and other gods. Against this faithless and double 
dealing all the prophets cry out most vehemently with words 
that represent a tyrannous and cruel revengement!: for of 
all other sins that is most detestable. I would to God at 
this day so many were not persuaded, that this kind of 
honour is the worship that God maketh most account of ! 

Or else otherwise the sense of those words may be thus: I 
will not have thee to seek any other gods but me; I will not 
have thee worship me according to thine own inventions. The 
cause is, 1 am a jealous God; that is, I am easy to be pro- 
voked, and will not suffer myself and mine honour to be re- 
jected without due punishment for the contempt. And to this 
sense he seemeth to draw, where he goeth forward, and doth 
at large expound how he is jealous: for “I visit,” saith he, 
“the fathers’ iniquity in the children unto the third and fourth 
generation of them that hate me.” God therefore is a sharp 
revenger and a just judge against them that follow after 
strange gods, or serve God unlawfully or irreligiously, and 
also against all them that swerve from the law of God. For 
he thundereth out this bitter punishment, especially against 
idolaters; but therewithal inclusively he threateneth it to 
them which break the rest of his commandments. For that 
which the Lord uttereth here is generally spoken, and is of 
force and effect against all impiety and unrighteousness of all 
mankind. But for because God’s case is far more excellent 


unum Deum tendentes, et ei uni religantes animas nostras, unde religio 
dicta creditur, &c.—De Ver. Relig. cap. 55.] 
[1 plane tragicis vocibus, Lat.] 


II. | Ist AND 2ND PRECEPTS OF THE TEN COMMANDMENTS. 235 


than man’s, they therefore do more heinously offend which 
break the first table, than they that sin against the second ; 
and thereby do deserve a far more grievous pain and heavy 
punishment. 

Now, whereas we see that the Lord saith, that he will 
visit, and by inquisition punish, the sins of the fathers in the 
children unto the third and fourth generation; we must not 
by and by think that God is unjust, and punisheth another 
man’s fault in afflicting the innocent, that is, in whipping him 
that did not offend: as the Jews in Ezechiel did wickedly 
taunt and cavil with God, saying, “The fathers have eaten 
sour grapes, and the children’s teeth are set on edge.” But 
it is not so. ‘For every man shall bear his own offences ; 
neither shall the son bear or abide the father’s sin, nor the 
father the son’s iniquity.” This doth the most true God 
very often and earnestly beat into our heads throughout 
Ezechiel, and the whole scripture beside. If therefore the 
children, or childer’s children, shall abide in the crooked 
steps of their fathers, and shall, as their fathers did, do 
service to idols, and shall think that they shall be safe and 
remain unpunished because they learned it of their fathers, 
even as their fathers also were idolaters, and yet flourished in 
wealth and prosperity ; then, I say, I will punish the sin of 
the fathers in the children: that is, I will sharply revenge 
the sin that the children have learned of the fathers, and 
wherein they stiffly stand and abide, being encouraged there- 
unto by their fathers’ example and good fortune; although 
for the very same sin I did not once touch their fathers before 
them. And for that cause is this expressly added, “ of them 
that hate me.” Hereof have we very many and very evident 
examples in the books of Kings, The house of Jeroboam is 
utterly destroyed, because Jeroboam did erect in Israel idol- 
atry and superstition’, Immediately after, the whole stock 
of king Baasa is clean cut off: and Achab’s house is pulled 
up by the roots. At length, the Israelites are made slaves‘ 
to serve the Assyrians. Solomon, the most mighty, wealthy, 
wise, and happy king of Juda, because of his idolatry and 
strange superstition, is of a sudden made a wretch of all 


[2 Ezek. xviii. 2, 20.] 
[3 peregrinos cultus, Lat. ] 
[6 captivi abducuntur in Assyriorum regna, Lat. ] 


How God 
doth visit the 
fathers’ sins 
in the 
children. 


A most large 
promise is 
made to the 
godly wor- 
appa of 


the 


ord, 


290 THE SECOND DECADE. [SERM. 


other. There is none, unless he never read the holy scrip- 
tures, but doth know what happened to his son Roboam, to 
Joram the son of Josaphat, to Achas, Manasses, Jehoiachim 
and Zedechias, because of idolatry and foreign worshipping 
of God. 

Let us therefore firmly hold and believe, that the 
threatenings of God are true in effect, and that God is both 
a severe and just revenger and punisher of idolaters and 
wicked superstitious men, and finally, of all and every wicked 
act done by every man. Although God do sundry times 
seem to wicked men to slumber, and not to see them, yet 
notwithstanding he doth awake when he thinks good’, and 
payeth home the wicked for all their offences done and past. 
Although he be long-suffering, yet the righteous Lord doth 
not always neglect the godly and oppressed, neither doth he 
always wink at ungodliness, and let the wicked be unpunished 
for ever: but he giveth them time to repent in, which who- 
soever do neglect, they do at length feel the greater pains 
and sharper punishment, according to the saying of the 
apostle: “ What, dost thou despise the riches of God's good- 
ness, suffering’, and gentleness, not knowing that God’s good- 
ness calleth thee to repentance? But, according to thy 
hardness and heart that cannot repent, thou heapest up to 
thyself wrath against the day of wrath, wherein shall be 
made manifest the just judgment of God, who shall repay to 
every one according to his deeds%,” &c. 

Again, the bountiful Lord promiseth great and large re- 
wards to them that worship him, and stedfastly persevere in 
true godliness and perfect religion. “I am God,” saith he, 
“shewing mercy, or giving bountifully, unto thousands.” Here 
note, that his mercy is greater than his vengeance: for 
where he is angry, there he punisheth unto the third and 
fourth generation; but where he is mercifully liberal, there 
he is bountiful unto many thousands. For of his goodness 
and benefits there is no measure or end; and the mercy of 
God is far above all his works. Here yet again he addeth 
two things more: ‘To them,” saith he, “that love me, and keep 
my commandments.” Ilere, I say, he requireth two things at 
their hands that are his. The first is, that they love God, 


{1 justo tempore, Lat. ] [2 tolerantize, Lat. ] 
[3 Rom. ii. 4—6. Bullinger has used Erasmus’ rendering. ] 








u.] lst AND 2ND PRECEPTS OF THE TEN COMMANDMENTS. 237 


and make account of and take him to be their God: which if 
they do, then shall there no room be left in the godly for 
strange or foreign gods. The second is, that they obey God, 
and walk in his commandments: which if they do, then are all 
idols and strange worshippings utterly at an end; then doth 
the Lord by his word reign in the heart of every godly man, 
whom the bountiful Lord doth liberally bless with all kind 
of blessings and good gifts. And this clause verily doth 
especially belong to this commandment, but inclusively also it 
is referred to all the rest, as by the very words of God we 
may easily gather. Let us hold and verily think therefore, 
that the infinite and unspeakable benefits of God are prepared 
for them that walk in the law of the Lord. 

Thus much had I to speak of these two commandments of 
the first table, which I cannot now again recapitulate, because 
an hour and a half is already spent, and for that I hope that 
I have so orderly proceeded in every point, and taught every 
thing so evidently and plainly, that there is nothing which ye 
do not very well perceive and understand. Let us now praise 
the Lord, and thank him for his goodness, for shewing us his 
ways; and let us pray that we, walking rightly in them, may 
at the last come to his eternal‘ joys. Amen. 





OF THE THIRD PRECEPT OF THE TEN COMMAND- 
MENTS, AND OF SWEARING. 


THE THIRD SERMON. 


Tue third commandment of the first table® is thus word for The third 
word: “ Thou shalt not take the name of the Lord thy God ment of God. 
in vain; because the Lord will not let him go unpunished 
that taketh the name of the Lord his God in vain.” In the 
second commandment the Lord did set down the worship that 
he would not have, that he misliked of, and did flatly forbid ; 


to wit, a worldly, earthly, and carnal kind of honour, a base 


[4 coelestia, Lat.] 
[5 prime tabule, seu Decalogi, Lat. ] 
[6 sive Decalogi, Lat. omitted.] 


238 THE SECOND DECADE, [sERM. 


and vile kind of worship, a service that is directly contrary to 
the spirit, nature, and majesty of God; that is, to think that 
God will in shape resemble a man, or any other creature 
made of earth or corruptible stuff or matter; and then again, 
to worship him under those shapes and figures with corrupti- 
ble things, that were first ordained and created for the use and 
behoof of men, and not of God. For God is an eternal Spirit, 
which goeth all over! and preserveth every thing; whom all the 
most excellent creatures of the whole world, if they were joined 
together in one, are not able to resemble, nor yet to represent 
the least jot of excellency in the living God. God is so far 
from lacking any corruptible things, that he himself supplieth 
the want of all our necessities. It is a mere folly therefore to 
set up a percher, a taper, or a smoky torch before the maker 
and giver of light. It is a very toy to offer flesh of beasts 
to that eternal Spirit, who in the Psalms saith: “ All the 
beasts of the wood are mine, and the cattle in a thousand hills. 
I know all birds upon the mountains, and in my power are all 
the beasts of the field. If I be hungry, I need not to tell thee, 
since the world is mine, and all that is therein?.” 

Now, therefore, in this third commandment the Lord doth 
very exquisitely, although very briefly, declare the manner how 
he will be worshipped, that is, in holy reverencing of his holy 
name. The names whereby God is called are God, God’s ma- 
jesty, God’s truth, God’s power, and God’s justice. Now the 
charge of this commandment is, not to abuse the name of God, 
and not to use it in light and trifling matters; but to speak, to 
think, and judge honourably, reverently, holily, and purely of 
God and godly things. But the pith and effect almost of the 
whole lieth herein, that he saith, “ the name of the Lord thy 
God;” to wit, which is thy chief goodness and felicity, thy 
Creator, thy Redeemer, and thy tender Father. Now note, 
that the Lord doth not barely forbid to use his name; but he 
chargeth not to use it lightly or in vain, that is, beyond neces- 
sary use or our behoof, and beside the honour and glory of 
God. Let us see, therefore, how we ought to sanctify the Lord’s 
name, and how we may devoutly use the name of God, and, last 
of all, so worship him as he himself hath appointed us to do. 

How the First of all, we have to think of God as of the chief feli- 


Lord’s name 
is sanctified, 1 5 
{1 omnia permeans, Lat. ] 


[2 See page 199.] [3 Ps. 1. 10—12.] 








IL. | THE THIRD PRECEPT OF THE TEN COMMANDMENTS. 239 


city and infinite treasure of all good things, who loveth us 
exceedingly with a fatherly affection, always wishing and 
by all means desiring to have us men saved, and to come to 
the perfect knowledge of the very truth; whose judgments 
are true and just, whose works for their excellency are won- 
derful, and whose words are most true, and truth itself. Then 
must this holy name of God continually be called upon in 
prayers, need, and requests: by that alone we must look to 
obtain whatsoever is needful for our bodies or souls. We must 
never cease to give thanks to that for all the good benefits 
that we do or shall receive; for what good soever men have 
and enjoy, that have they not from elsewhere than from God, 
the fountain and giver of all. This glory must ever be given 
to God. If we be nipped with any adversity, let us not by 
and by murmur against God’s good pleasure and his secret 
judgments; but rather, suffering and submitting ourselves 
under his mighty and fatherly hand, let us say with the pro- 
phet David: “It is good for me, Lord, that thou hast chast- 
ened me*.” Let not us appoint God what he shall do, but 
wholly and always submit ourselves to his good will and holy 
pleasure®. Let us in all things give God the glory, in prais- 
ing openly and plainly professing his name and doctrine before 
kings and princes, yea, and in sight of all the world, so often 
as occasion shall be given, and the glory of God shall seem to 
require. Let us not be ashamed of God our Father, of his 
truth and true religion. Let us not be ashamed of Christ our 
Redeemer, nor yet of his cross. But let us be ashamed of 
errors, idolatry, of the world and vanity, of lies and iniquity. 
Let us holily, reverently, and devoutly, both speak and think of 
God, his works, and his word. Let the law of God be holy to 
us, let his gospel be reverend in our eyes; and let the doctrine 
of the patriarchs, prophets, and apostles be esteemed of us as 
that which came from God himself. Let us not take the name 
of the Lord our God into our mouths, unless it be in a matter 
of weight. Let us not blaspheme, curse, nor lie in the name of 
the Lord. Let us not use, nay, rather abuse, the name or 
word of God in conjuring, juggling, or sorcery®: for in these 
things the name of God is most of all abused. Let us 


[4 Ps. cxix. 71, as in Vulgate.] 
[6 bonee, sanctee et juste ejus yoluntati, Lat. | 
[6 ad res magicas, ad circulatoriam, ad incantamenta, Lat. ] 


How the 
name of God 
is abused. 


240 THE SECOND DECADE. [SERM. 


precisely and holily keep the oath which we have made by 
the name of the living and eternal God. Let us in all things 
tell truth, and lie not; that when this world, that will not see, 
shall be enforced to see so great a reverence and devotion in 
us to the name of our God, it may be compelled thereby to 
glorify our Father which is in heaven, And this verily is 
the godly using of the Lord’s name, and the religion! wherein 
our God is very well pleased. 

Now note by the way, that there are sundry ways 
whereby we abuse the name of God; and first of all, we abuse 
it as often as our hearts are without all reverence to God 
himself; when we do unreverently, filthily?, wickedly, and 
blasphemously speak of God, of his judgments, of his word, 
and of his laws; when we do with scoffing allusions apply 
God’s words to light matters and trifles, by that means turn- 
ing and drawing the scriptures into a profane and unhonest 
meaning. Moreover, we do disgrace the name of the Lord 
our God, when we call not upon his name, but turn ourselves 
rather to 1 know not what sort of gods, to man’s skill and 
succour, to things forbidden, to idols, and conjurors*; which 
we fall a-doing then especially, when, being wrapped in 
misery and calamities, either for our sins, or else because God 
will try us, we do presently begin to murmur against God, 
and to accuse his judgments, hardly abstaining from open 
blasphemy, in grudging to bear the things that for our 
deserts we do worthily suffer. Hereunto belongeth the abuse 
of beastly knaves, which do not stick to use the holy name of 
God in obtaining their filthy lusts, which they call love; and 
also the naughtiness of them that thereby seek to find and 
recover the things that are lost, or else are stolen from them. 
We do unhallow the name of the Lord our God, when we 
give not to him all honour and glory. We shall, perad- 
venture, do some good deed; there is, perhaps, in us some- 
thing worthy to be praised: if we, therefore, shall challenge 
the praise thereof to ourselves, or, at the least, shall pare out 
a piece of that glory for our own share, and give the rest to 
God, not referring it all and whole to God the author of all, 
then do we therein defile the name of God, which ought 
alone to be praised for ever and ever. 


[1 cultus, Lat. ] [2 petulanter, Lat. ] 
[3 ad magicas artes, Lat.] 





1.1 THE THIRD PRECEPT OF THE TEN COMMANDMENTS. 241 


Furthermore, if we deny the Lord, or blush at and be 
ashamed of his holy gospel, because of this wicked world and 
the naughty men therein; if also we do spot ourselves with a 
filthy and unclean life, which is to the slander of God’s name 
and the offence of our neighbour; then do we take the Lord’s 
name in vain; yea, we abuse it to his dishonour and reproach. 
We do abuse the name of the Lord, if we take a solemn oath 
in a trifle or matter of no effect, or if we do not keep and per- 
form the oath that we have sworn. In our daily talk very 
often, and almost about godless matters, we are wont to call, 
and take to witness, the dreadful name of God, having learned 
it of an ill continuance and custom, or else being stirred up by 
some evil motion of our naughty mind: we have an innume- 
rable sort of deep and terrible oaths, as wounds, blood, cross, 
and passion of the Lord, heaven, earth, sacraments, every 
saint in heaven, and all the devils of hell*. Beside all this, we 
abuse the name of God also sundry and divers ways in telling 
of lies. The preacher or teacher of the church lieth, when he 
crieth, “ Thus saith the Lord;” whereas the Lord indeed saith 
nothing so. He maketh the name of God a cloke and a 
colour to hide his deceit, and doth beguile poor simple souls. 
The magistrate crieth out, ‘“ All power is of God*;” and so, 
under pretence of God’s name, doth his subjects injury in 
playing the tyrant and not the magistrate. The common 
people deceive one another, under the name of the Lord, in 
contracts and bargaining. And the sturdy rogue, unworthy 
of alms, will not stickle to stand and make God’s name an 
idle occupation for to get a penny. But who can reckon up 
all the things, wherein God’s name is foully abused? We 
must all therefore have an eye, that we defile not the name 
of God, but rather bless it, and holily worship it. 

For it followeth in the words of the Lord, what punish- 
ment abideth for them that so disgrace his name: “ Because,” 
saith he, “the Lord will not let him go unpunished, that 
taketh his name in vain.” And although this commination of 
the Lord is very horrible indeed, and of itself effectual 
enough to make the godly sort afraid to pollute the name of 
God; yet nevertheless I will add one example or twain of 


[4 Cf. Becon’s Works, Parker Soc. ed. Vol. 1. page 359; Latimer, 
Vol. 1. page 231; Hutchinson’s Works, page 20. ] 
[5 Rom. xiii. 1.] 
16 


[ BULLINGER. | 


The punish- 
ment of thein 
that abuse 
God's name. 


A pain for 
blasphemers 
decreed by 
an emperor. 


242 THE SECOND DECADE. [SERM. 


them whom the Lord hath punished for defiling his name. 
David crieth out, and saith: “The unrighteous shall not 
stand in thy sight, O Lord: thou hatest them that work 
iniquity : thou shalt destroy all them that speak 1105}. But 
how much more likely is it, that the Lord will destroy all 
them that speak blasphemy, and abuse his holy name! Saul, 
verily, because he called not upon the Lord in his extreme 
necessity, but asked counsel of the pythonisse®, was compelled 
to kill himself with his own hand, after he had seen his 
people downright slain by the Philistines, his enemies, and his 
sons lie dead in the midst of the people. Ananias lieth to 
the Holy Ghost, and defileth the name of the Lord; and, fall- 
ing down suddenly dead to the ground, down he goeth with 
shame enough to the devil of hell’. Sanherib blasphemeth 
the name of the eternal God before the walls of Jerusalem ; 
but anon after he is for his labour bereft of his puissant 
army, and in his own god’s temple is shot through* by his 
own sons. Jehoiachim and Zedechias, both kings of Juda 
and blasphemers of God’s name, are taken captives and slain 
by Nabuchodonosor, king of Babylon’. Achab, Jezebel, and 
the priests of Baal are utterly wiped out by king Jehu, be- 
cause they, under the colour of God and godliness, blas- 
phemed the name of God, and persecuted the true religion®. 
In the twenty-fourth of Leviticus, he that blasphemed the 
name of God was overwhelmed with stones to death. 

And therefore the emperor Justinian, In Novellis constitu. 
77,-writing to the citizens of Constantinople, saith: “ More- 
over, because, besides unspeakable lusts, some men lash out 
cursings and oaths of God, thereby provoking him to anger; 
we therefore exhort them to abstain from cursings and oaths 
by his hair and head, and such other words like unto these. 
For if reproaches done unto men are not left unrevenged, 

[1 Psal. v. 5, 6.] 

[? Saul pythonissam consulit; head-note of Vulgate in 1 Reg. 
xxviii. ] 

[3 migrat ad inferos, Lat. ] 

[* sagittis configitur, Lat.; with the sword, 2 Kings xix. 37; cum 
gladio, Vulg.] 

[5 2 Chron. xxxvi. 6; 2 Kings xxv. 7. It is not recorded in scrip- 
ture, although it may be inferred; that these two kings were brought 
to death by Nebuchadnezzar’s treatment of them.] 

[61 Kings xxii.; 2 Kings ix. and x.] 








Il. | THE THIRD PRECEPT OF THE TEN COMMANDMENTS, 243 


much more is he worthy to be punished, that stirreth God to 
anger with his villany. And for such offences as these do so 
many dearths, earthquakes, and plagues come unto men. We 
therefore admonish them to abstain from those crimes: for 
whosoever, after this admonition of ours, shall be found faulty 
therein, they shall first shew themselves unworthy to be 
beloved of men, and, after that too, suffer such punishment as 
the law shall appoint. For we have given in charge to 
the right honourable the lieutenant of our royal city to 
apprehend the guilty, and to punish them extremely: lest 
peradventure at length for such sinners’ contempt, and such 
heinous offences, not only this city, but also the whole com- 
-monweal, be justly destroyed by God’s just vengeance7.” 
Thus much writeth he. Now by this we may gather, that 
not the least part of our calamities at these days do happen 
unto us because of our detestable cursings and horrible blas- 
phemies, which very few magistrates, or none almost at all, 
do go about to redress, or punish as they should do. The 
name of the living God is blasphemed with passing deep and 
horrible oaths, of all sorts, of all kinds’, and all ages; so that 
I think verily, that from the beginning of the world there 
never was such a blasphemous people as are in this cursed 
age of ours. And therefore are we vexed with unspeakable 
and endless calamities. For God is true, and cannot lie, 


[7 ᾿Ἐπειδὴ δέ τινες----καὶ βλάσφημα ῥήματα καὶ ὅρκους περὶ Θεοῦ 
. “ > 
ὀμνύουσι, τὸν Θεὸν παροργίζοντες " καὶ τούτοις ὁμοίως παρεγγνῶμεν ἀπο- 
΄σ - A 
σχέσθαι τῶν τοιούτων βλασφήμων ῥημάτων, καὶ τοῦ ὀμνύναι κατὰ τριχός 
a rn re > 
τε καὶ κεφαλῆς καὶ τῶν τούτοις παραπλησίων ῥημάτων" εἰ yap αἱ Kat 
ἀνθρώπων γινόμεναι βλασφημίαι ἀνεκδίκητοι οὐ καταλιμπάνονται, πολλῷ 
ρ γινόμ ne η μ ᾿ ; 
ce ΄ lol ς - 
μᾶλλον ὁ εἰς αὐτὸ τὸ θεῖον βλασφημῶν ἄξιος ἐστὶ τιμωρίας ὑποστῆναι.----- 
Διὰ γὰρ τὰ τοιαῦτα πλημμελήματα καὶ λιμοὶ καὶ σεισμοὶ καὶ λοιμοὶ γίγνον- 
“ col ΄ Ψ' ΄“΄ la 
ται. Καὶ διὰ τοῦτο παραινοῦμεν τοῖς τοιούτοις ἀποσχέσθαι τῶν εἰρημένων 
ἀτοπημάτων---εἰ γὰρ καὶ μετὰ τὴν τοιαύτην ἡμῶν νομοθεσίαν εὑρεθῶσι τινὲς 
“ cal c A 
τοῖς αὐτοῖς ἐπιμένοντες πλημμελήμασι, πρότερον μὲν ἀναξίους ἑαυτοὺς 
“ lol na a “ , 
ποιοῦσι τῆς τοῦ Θεοῦ φιλανθρωπίας, ἔπειτα δὲ καὶ τὰς ἐκ τῶν νόμων ὑποστή- 
, > 4 \ ~ 3 δ / > , Led rid a 
σονται τιμωρίας. ᾿Ἐπετρέψαμεν yap τῷ ἐνδοξοτάτῳ ἐπάρχῳ τῆς βασιλίδος 
“ 4 
πόλεως τοὺς ἐπιμένοντας ταῖς εἰρημέναις ἀτόποις καὶ ἀσεβέσι πράξεσι---- 
5 og” a [4 
συνέχειν, καὶ ταῖς ἐσχάταις ὑποβάλλειν τιμωρίαις" ἵνα μὴ, ἐκ τοῦ παραβλέ- 
a , ‘ - 
πεῖν τὰς τοιαύτας ἁμαρτίας, εὑρεθῇ καὶ ἡ πόλις Kal ἡ πολιτεία διὰ τῶν 
τοιούτων ἀσεβῶν πράξεων adicovpevn.—Justin. Auth. Collat. vi. tit. 6: 
Novell. 77. cap. 1, p. 323. Gotting. 1797.] 
[8 Sexuum, Lat. ] 


105: 9 


Of an oath. 


Whether it 
be lawful to 
Swear. 


214 THE SECOND DECADE. [serM. 


which saith, that they shall not scape scot free that take his 
name in vain. The men of our time do not only take it in 
vain, but do of malice also blasphemously defile it. I would 
to God the magistrates would more sincerely set forth the 
worship of God among the people: or else, if this may not 
be obtained at their hands, yet then at least that they would 
be no worse nor godless than Caiphas, who, when he heard 
(as he thought) blasphemy against the name of God, did rent 
his clothes!, and cry, that the blasphemer was worthy to die. 
For surely, unless our christian magistrates do become more 
sharp and severe against blaspheming villanies, I do not see 
but that they must needs be a great deal worse than the 
wicked knaye Caiphas. Undoubtedly the Lord is true (as 
every one of you must severally think within yourselves), 
and he verily will punish in all men the defiling of his name, 
but much more the malicious blaspheming of the Same. 

This very matter and place do now require, that I also 
speak somewhat here of taking an oath, or swearing, which 
is done by calling and taking to witness of God’s name. Now, 
in the handling of this matter, many things are to be thought 
of and considered. For first of all, 1 see that some there 
are, which doubt whether it be lawful to take an oath or no, 
because in Matthew the Lord hath said: “Ye have heard 
what was said of old, Thou shalt not forswear thyself, but 
shalt perform thine oaths unto the Lord; but I say unto you, 
Swear not at all, &c.2” But the Lord’s mind in Matthew 
was not to take clean away the true and ancient law, but 
to interpret it, and to bring it to a sounder sense, because it 
was before corrupted and marred by divers forged and coun- 
terfeit glosses of the Pharisees. For the people, being taught 
by them, had evermore an eye to keep their mouths from 
perjury ; but touching superfiuous, unprofitable, and needless 
oaths, they had no care at all, not thinking that it was amiss 
to swear by heaven and by earth: wherefore the Lord, ex- 
pounding his Father’s law, saith, that all oaths generally are 
forbidden, to wit, those wherein the name of the Lord is taken 
in vain, and whereby we swear when there is no need at all. 
In the meanwhile, he neither condemned, nor yet took clean 


(} Matt. xxvi. 65, 66.] 
[3 Matt. v. 33, 34.] 








11} THE THIRD PRECEPT OF THE TEN COMMANDMENTS. 245 


away, the solemn and lawful oath. Now there is great differ- 
ence between a solemn oath and our daily oaths, which are 
nothing else but deep swearings, not only needless, but also 
hurtful. But a solemn oath is both profitable and needful. 
The law of God and words of Christ do not forbid things pro- 
fitable and needful, and therefore they condemn not a solemn 
and lawful oath. Yea, in the law too is permitted a solemn 
oath, where there is forbidden alone the unprofitable using of 
the Lord’s name. And Christ, our Lord, came not to break 
the law, but to fulfil the law. And therefore he, in St 
Matthew, did not condemn an oath: unless a man should go 
about to prove that the Son taught a doctrine clean contrary 
to the doctrine of his heavenly Father ; which is a blasphemy 
against the Father and the Son not to be suffered. Moreover, 
God himself also sweareth; which undoubtedly he would not 
do, if an oath could not be taken without any sin. Tor, after 


a long exposition of the law, he saith: “Be ye holy, for I. 


am holy; be ye perfect, even as your heavenly Father is per- 
fect?.” We read also, that the holiest men of both the Testa- 
ments, by calling and taking to witness the name of God in 
matters of weight, did swear, and that they sware without 
any sin. An oath therefore in the law of Christ is not for- 
bidden; and it is lawful for a christian man both to exact and 
also to take an oath. I rather, verily, do not see how that 
man is worthy to be called a Christian, which, being law- 
fully required to swear, will seem to refuse it. But of this 
I have more fully disputed in another place against the 
Anabaptists‘. 

Secondarily, we have to consider for what causes we ought 
to swear. In many commonweals it is an usual and received 
custom to take an oath upon every light occasion; and for 
that cause we see that an oath is lightly set by and very 
little esteemed. For what is this but to take the name of 
God in vain? Let magistrates therefore learn and know, that 
an oath ought not to be required but in earnest affairs: as 
when it standeth for the glory of God, for the safety of our 


[3 Levit. xix. 2; Matt. v. 48.] 

[4 See H. Bullingeri adversus Anabaptistas Libri vi. nunc primum e 
Germanico sermone in Latinum conversi per Josiam Simlerum, Tigu- 
rinum, Lib. v. cap. 11, pp. 197 —202. Tiguri. 1560. ] 


For what 
causes we 
ought to 
swear. 


What an 
oath is. 


246 THE SECOND DECADE. [SERM. 


neighbour, and for the public weal. We must mark there- 
fore, when, and why, the people of God have sworn in the 
scriptures. Abraham sware, when he made the league and 
confederacy with Abimelech!, The people of God doth very 
often swear under their kings, in making a covenant with God 
for the keeping of true religion®% They of old time did clear 
themselves of heinous suspicions by taking of an oath. In 
Exodus we read: “If any man shall give to his neighbour a 
beast to keep, and it shall die, or be stolen away, no man 
seeing it, then shall an oath by the Lord go betwixt them 
twain, that he hath not laid his hand on his neighbour’s thing : 
which oath the owner of the thing shall take, and the other 
shall not restore 108, For Paul, in the sixth to the Hebrews, 
saith: ‘Men verily swear by the greater; and an oath for 
confirmation is to them an end of all strife.’ To this end, 
therefore, let magistrates apply the use of an oath; and let 
them have an especial regard, in giving an oath, to do it 
reverently : let the peers of the people* keep inviolably that 
which they swear; and let them take heed that they do not 
rashly require an oath of light-headed fellows: let them not 
compare any thing, or think any thing to be equal, to an oath; 
but let them reverently, and last of all, have their recourse to 
that, as to the utmost remedy to find out the truth; and 
therewithal let them use sharp punishment against perjured 
persons®, But woe to the people’s princes, if through their 
wicked negligence an oath be not esteemed! For he, without 
doubt, will punish them sharply for it, who saith: “ Because 
I will not suffer him to go unpunished that taketh the Lord’s 
name in vain,” 

Thirdly, I will tell you what an oath is, and what it is to 
swear. An oath is the calling or taking to witness of God’s 
name, to confirm the truth of that we say. There is differ- 
ence betwixt an oath, and that deep kind of swearing, whereby 


[ Gen. xxi. 24.] 

[3 2 Kings xxiii. 3; 2 Chron. xv. 12—15; Jer. xxxivy. 8—10.] 

[3 Exod. xxii. 10, 11.] 

[4 proceres populi, Lat.] 

[5 Ita minus vilescet in popularium animis juramenti religio, Lat. 
omitted by the translator. By these means reverence for an oath will 
not be so much weakened in the minds of their people. ] 








11. } THE THIRD PRECEPT OF THE TEN COMMANDMENTS. 247 


God is blasphemed and torn in pieces, There is difference, 
too, betwixt an oath and those bitter speeches wherewith we 
use to curse and ban our neighbours: they are not worthy, 
doubtless, to be called oaths. But, for because this word 
juramentum is over largely used for any kind of oath, as well 
in the worse as better part; therefore the godly and lawful 
oaths are wisely called by the name of jusjurandum®. For 
by adding jus, which signifieth the law, we are admonished 
that that kind of oath is lawful and righteous. Now this 
taking of God’s name to witness hath joined to it a calling on, 
and avowing ourselves to, God’s curse and vengeance. For 
this is the manner of an oath and order of swearing: I will 
say, or do, it truly indeed and without deceit, so God may 
help me. Therefore we put ourselves in danger of God’s 
wrath and vengeance, unless we do truly and indeed both 
speak and do the thing that we promised to do or speak. A 
very deep and solemn promise-making is this, than the which 
verily there is not a greater to be found in the world. Here 
also must be considered the circumstances and ceremonies in 
swearing. For our ancesters of old were wont to lift their 
hand up unto heaven, and to swear by the name of the Lord. 
The Lord our God dwelleth in heaven. We therefore do 
manifestly declare, that, as in the judges’ eyes we lift our 
hand to heaven, even so in our minds we do ascend, and 
swear in the presence and sight of God; yea, we give our 
hand, and plight our faith, to God there, in taking an oath by 
the name of God. This ceremony used Abraham, the singular 
friend of God, and father of the faithful’, when he was wont 
to swear. 

I need not therefore to proceed any further, for to de- 
clare whether we ought to swear by the name of God alone, 
or else by the names of saints, or else by laying the hand 
upon the holy Gospel. For it is manifest, that the faith- 
ful must swear by the only eternal and most high God: 
touching which thing we have most evident precepts, com- 
manding us to swear by the name of the Lord, and again, 
forbidding us to swear by the names of strange gods. Of 
the first sort are these: “Thou shalt fear the Lord thy 


[ὃ Jusjurandum est affirmatio religiosa.—Cic. de Offic. Lib. m.] 
[7 pater fidei, Lat.—See Gen. xiv. 22.] 


Cireum- 

stances and 
ceremonies 
in swearing. 


How we 
ought to 
swear. 


An oath is 

the special 

honour done 
God. 


248 ; THE SECOND DECADE. [SERM. 


God, thou shalt serve him, and swear by his name.” 
Deut. sixth and tenth chapter. Also the Lord himself in 
Esay saith: “ To me shall every knee bend, and by me shall 
every tongue swear!.” And again, in the sixty-fifth chapter, 
the same prophet saith: “He that will bless himself shall 
bless in the Lord, and he that will swear shall swear by the 
true and very God.” Of the latter sort too are these testi- 
monies of the holy scriptures: Exod. xxiii., “ All that I have 
said keep ye, and do ye not once so much as think of the 
names of strange gods, neither let them be heard out of your 
mouth.” And Josue, in the twenty-third chapter, saith: ‘‘ When 
ye shall come in among these nations, see that ye swear not by 
the name of their gods, and look that ye neither worship nor 
yet bow down unto them.” In the fifth of Jeremy the Lord 
saith : ‘ Thy sons have forsaken me, and sworn by other gods, 
which are no gods indeed: I have filled them, and they have 
gone a whoring,” &c. Moreover, the prophet Sophony 
bringeth in the Lord speaking and saying: “1 will cut off 
those that worship and swear by the Lord, and swear by 
Malchom?,” that is, by their king and defender. And no 
marvel though he do threaten destruction to them that swear 
by the names of creatures: for an oath is the chief and 
especial honour done to God, which therefore cannot be divided 
to other. For we swear by the highest, whom we believe 
to be the chiefest goodness, the giver of all good things, 
and the punishing revenger of every evil deed. But and 
if we swear by the names of other gods, then verily shall 
we make them equal to God himself, and attribute to them 
the honour due to him. And for this cause the blessed 
martyr of Christ, Polycarpus, chose rather the flames of fire 
than to swear by the power and estate of Caesar. The 
story is to be seen in the fourth book and fifteenth chapter 
of Eusebius*. 

[1 Isai. xly. 23.] 

[2 Zephan. i. 4, 5.—Malkom regem significat. Propheta usurpavit 
pro divo aliquo sive patrono deoque tutelari.—Bullinger de Origine 
Erroris, cap. xii. p. 54, Tigur. 1539.] 

[3 ᾿Επιμένοντος δὲ πάλιν αὐτοῦ (rod ἡγουμένου) καὶ λέγοντος, Ὄμοσον 
τὴν Καίσαρος τύχην, ὁ Πολύκαρπος, El κενοδοξεῖς, φησὶν, ἵνα ὀμόσω τὴν 
Καίσαρος τύχην, ὡς λέγεις προσποιούμενος ἀγνοεῖν ὅς τις εἰμὶ, μετὰ παῤῥησίας 
ἄκουε: Χριστιανὸς eiul.—Euseb. Hist. Eccles. Lib. rv. cap. 15. See 
also Early Writings of Hooper, Parker Soc. ed. page 478.] 








1Π.7 THE THIRD PRECEPT OF THE TEN COMMANDMENTS. 249 


Fourthly, we have to consider how we ought to swear, 
and what the conditions of a just, a lawful, and an honest 
oath are. Jeremy therefore saith: ‘Thou shalt swear, The the condi- 
Lord liveth, in truth, in judgment, and righteousness: and holy oath. 
the nations shall bless themselves in him, and in him shall 
they glory.” There are therefore four conditions of a just 
and a lawful oath. The first is, Thou shalt swear, “ The Lord 
liveth.” Here now again is repeated that which hath so many 
times been beaten into our heads, that we ought to swear by 
the name of the living God. The pattern of our ancestors’ 
oath was this, “The Lord liveth;” as it is evident by the 
writings of the prophets. Let us not swear therefore by any 
other but by God. The second condition is: ‘ Thou shalt 
swear in truth.” So then it is required, that not only the 
tongue, but also the mind, should swear; lest haply we say, 
The tongue indeed did swear, but the mind sware not at all® 
Let us be true and faithful therefore, without deceit or guile ; 
let us not lie, nor go about with subtilty to shift off the oath 
that once we have made. We Germans express this well, 
when we say, On alle gfard®, or else, On gfard; that is, I 
will not use any double dealing, but will simply and in good 
faith perform that I promise. There is an excellent pattern 
of a false and a deceitful oath in Auli Gelliit Noct. Att. Lib. 
vit. cap. 18.7 The third condition is: “Thou shalt swear in,” 
or with, “judgment ;” that is, advisedly, with great discretion, 
not rashly nor lightly, but with consideration of every thing 
and circumstance, in great necessity, and cases of public com- 
modity. The fourth condition is : “Thou shalt swear in justice,” 
or righteousness ; lest peradventure our oath be against right 
and equity, that is, lest we sin against righteousness or justice, 
which attributeth that which is theirs both to God and man; 


[4 Jer. iv. 22] 

[5 Reference is here made to the well-known line of Euripides, 
Hippolyt. 608. ἡ γλῶσσ᾽ ὀμώμοχ᾽, ἡ δὲ φρὴν ἀνώμοτος :—and Bullinger 
uses the words of Cicero’s version: Jurayi lingua, mentem injuratam 
gero.—De Offic. Lib. m1. cap. 29.] 

[6 ohne alle gefahrde. ] 

[7 The case referred to by A. Gellius is that of the ten prisoners 
sent by Hannibal to Rome, after the battle of Cann; two of whom 
evaded their oath, and remained in Rome. P.—See also Cic. de Offic. 
Lib. 1. cap. 13, and Lib. m1. cap. 32.] 


Whether 
wicked oaths 
must be per- 
formed. 


It is best to 
break an ill 
oath. 


250 THE SECOND DECADE. [SERM. 


so that our oath do not directly tend against the love of God 
and our neighbour. 

Here, dearly beloved, ye have heard me express in few 
words (which God himself hath also taught us), how we must 
swear, of what sort and fashion our lawful and allowable 
oaths ought to be, and under what conditions they are con- 
tained. But now, if we shall swear against these conditions 
appointed us by God, then shall our oaths and swearings 
be altogether unlawful: and furthermore, if we shall go 
about to perform those unlawful and unallowable oaths, then 
shall we therewithal purchase and incur the heavy wrath 
of the revenging Lord. 

Now, in these days it is usually of custom demanded, 
whether we ought to keep or perform wicked or ungodly, 
unjust or evil vows, or oaths; as if, for example, thy oath or 
vow should directly tend against God, against true religion, 
against the word of God, or the health of thy neighbour ? 

I will here allege and rehearse the usual accustomed an- 
swer, which notwithstanding is very true, and grounded upon 
examples of holy scriptures, as that that squareth not from 
the truth the narrow breadth of one small hair!, The answer 
therefore is this: If any man shall swear against the faith and 
charity, so that the keeping of his oath may tend to the worse, 
then it is better for him to change his oath than to fulfil it. 
Whereupon Saint Ambrose saith: “It is sometime contrary 
to a man’s duty to perform the oath that he hath promised, 
as Herod 4143, Isidore also saith: “In evil promises break 
thine oath; in a naughty vow change thy purpose. The 
thing thou hast unadvisedly vowed, do not perform. The 
promise is wicked that is finished with mischief*.” And 
again, “ That oath must not be kept, whereby any evil is 
unwarily promised. ΑΒ if, for example, one should give his 


[1 veritatique per omnia consentaneam, Lat.] 

[2 Est etiam contra officium nonnunquam solvere promissum, 
sacramentum custodire: ut Herodes, &c.—Ambros. de Offic. apud 
Gratian. Decret. Par. 1583. Decr. sec. par. caus. xxii. Quest. 4. can. 2. 
col. 1574.] 

(8 In malis promissis rescinde fidem: in turpi voto muta decretum: 
quod incaute vovisti, ne facias. Impia enim est promissio, que scelere 
adimpletur.—Isidor. in Synon. Lib..11. ap. Gratian. Decret. ibid. can. 
4. col. 1575. See also Becon’s Works, Parker Soc. ed. Vol. 1. p. 372.] 








Il.] THE THIRD PRECEPT OF THE TEN COMMANDMENTS. 251 


faith to an adulteress to abide in naughtiness with her for 
ever: undoubtedly it is more tolerable not to keep promise, 
than to remain in whoredom still#.” Beda moreover saith: 
“If it shall happen, that we at unawares shall with an oath 
promise anything, and that the keeping of that oath shall be 
the cause of further evil, then let us think it best upon better 
advice to change our oath without hurt to our conscience; and 
that it is better, upon such a necessity, for us to be forsworn, 
than, for avoiding of perjury, to fall into another sin ten times 
worse than that. David sware by God, that he would kill 
the foolish fellow Nabal; but at the first intercession that his 
wife Abigal, wiser than himself, did make, he ceased to 
threaten him, he sheathed his sword again, and did not find 
himself any whit grieved for breaking his hasty oath5.” 
Augustine also saith: “ Whereas David did not by shedding of 
blood perform his promise bound with an oath, therein his 
godliness was the greater®.” ‘ David sware rashly, but, upon 
better and godly advice, he performed not the thing he had 
sworn’.” By this and the like it is declared, that many oaths 
are not to be observed. Now he that sweareth so doth 
sin: but in changing his oath he doth very well. He that 
changeth not such an oath, committeth a double sin; first, for 
swearing as he ought not, and then for doing that he should 


{4 Non est observandum juramentum, quo malum incaute promit- 
titur: veluti si quispiam adulteree perpetuam cum ea permanendi 
fidem polliceatur. Tolerabilius est enim non implere sacramentum, 
quam permanere in stupri flagitio.—Isidor. ap. Gratian. Decret. ibid. 
can. 13. col. 1576.]} 

[5 Si aliquid forte nos incautius jurasse contigerit, quod obser- 
yatum pejorem vergat in exitum, libere illud consilio salubriore mu- 
tandum noverimus, ac magis instante necessitate pejerandum nobis, 
quam pro vitando perjurio in aliud crimen gravius esse divertendum. 
Denique juravit David per Dominum occidere Nabal, virum stultum et 
impium—sed ad primam intercessionem Abigail feminze prudentis 
mox remisit minas; revocavit ensem in vaginam; neque aliquid culpz 
se tali perjurio contraxisse doluit.—Beda in Homil. xliv. in natal. 
decoll. S. Joan. ap. Gratian. Decret. ibid. can. 6. col. 1575.] 

[6 Quod David juramentum per sanguinis effusionem non implevit, 
major pietas fuit.—Augustin. ap. Gratian. Decret. ibid. can. 3. col. 
1574. See Becon, Vol. 1. p. 374.] 

[7 Juravit temere, sed non implevit jurationem majore pietate.— 
Gratian. ibid. can. 4. col. 1575, and August. Serm. Opp. Par. 1531. 
Tom. x. fol. 304.] 


Monastical 
vows. 


How religi- 
ously we 


252 THE SECOND DECADE. [SERM. 


not. Thus much hitherto have I rehearsed of other men’s 
words, which all men verily acknowledge to be true and so 
indeed. Now by this ye do easily understand, dearly beloved, 
what ye have to think of those monastical vows and priests’ 
oaths, which promise chastity, (no farther, I wis, by their 
leave, than man’s frail weakness will suffer them.) “For it 
is better,” saith the apostle, “to marry than to burn!” And 
more commendable is it not to perform those foolish, hurtful, 
and unpure promises, that drive them perforce to filthy un- 
cleanness, than, under the colour of keeping an oath truly, to 
lie and to live unchastely, God wot? 

Fifthly and lastly, I have briefly to put you in mind, that 


ought tokeep ye endeavour yourselves, by all the means ye may, devoutly 


our Oaths. 


to keep that which ye swear; and therewithal, in few words, 
to let you understand what reward is prepared for them that 
do religiously and holily keep and observe the holy oath once 
solemnly taken. If we love God, if we desire to sanctify his 
name, if we take the true God for the very true God, and for 
our God; if we will have him to be gentle and merciful to 
us-ward, and to be our present deliverer and aider at all 
assays; then will we have a most diligent care to swear with 
fear devoutly, and holily to keep and perform the oath that 
we devoutly make. But unless we do this, then terrible 
threatenings and sharp revengement of God’s just judgment 
are thundered from heaven against us transgressors. The 
very heathens shall rise up and condemn us in the day of 
judgment. For the Saguntines, the Numantines, and they of 
Petilia, chose rather to die with fire and famine, than to break 
or violate their promise once bound with an oath. Moreover, 
the laws of all wise and civil princes and people do adjudge 
perjured persons to die the death. How great offences, how 
great corruptions, how great and many mischiefs, I pray you, 
do rise through perjuries! They entangle, trouble, disgrace, 
mar, and overthrow the estates, both civil and ecclesiastical. 
Whosoever, therefore, doth love the commonweal and safe- 
guard of his country; whosoever doth love the church and 


[11 Cor. vii. 9.] [2 parum pudice vivere, Lat.] 

[ἢ Liv. Lib. xxx. cap. 14, and xxi. capp. 20, 30; Florus, Lib. m. 
cap. 18; Valer. Max. Lib. vir. cap. 6. See also early writings of 
Hooper, Parker Soc. ed. page 336, and Augustin. de Civit. Dei. Lib. 
lr. cap. 20.] 








iL. | THE THIRD PRECEPT OF THE TEN COMMANDMENTS. 253 


good estate thereof; he will, above all things, have an especial 


regard to keep religiously the promise of his oath. Now to A large 
those that holily do keep their oaths, the Lord doth promise ὩΣ Α το 


a large reward. For Jeremy saith: ‘“ And the nations shall thei oaths. 
bless themselves in him, and in him shall they glory4.” As if 
he should say: If the people of Juda shall swear holily and 
keep their oaths, then will the Lord pour out upon them so great 
felicity and abundant plenty of all good things, that, when as 
hereafter one-shall bless or wish well to another, he shall say, 
“The Lord shew thee his blessing, as of old he did to the 
Jews.” And whosoever shall praise another, he shall say 
that “he is like to the Israelites.” It is therefore assuredly 
certain, that they shall be enriched with all good things, and 
worthy of all manner praise, whosoever shall inviolably keep 
their oaths and promises. 

Let us endeavour ourselves, my brethren, I beseech you, 
to sanctify the Lord’s name, and to add to this third com- 
mandment your earnest and continual prayers, saying, as our 
Lord Jesus hath taught us, O heavenly Father, hallowed be 
thy name; or, let thy name be holily worshipped. To him be 
glory for ever and ever. Amen. 


OF THE FOURTH PRECEPT OF THE FIRST TABLE, THAT 
IS, OF THE ORDER AND KEEPING OF THE 
SABBATH-DAY. 


THE FOURTH SERMON. 


Tue fourth commandment of the first table is word for The fourth 
word as followeth: ‘Remember that thou keep holy the sages 
sabbath-day. Six days thou shalt labour, and do all thy 
works ; but on the seventh day is the sabbath of the Lord 
thy God, in which thou shalt not do any manner of work, 
neither thou, nor thy son, nor thy daughter, nor thy man- 
servant, nor thy maid-servant, nor thy cattle, nor thy stranger 
which is within thy gates. Because in six days the Lord 


[4 Jer. iv. 2.] [5 seu Decalogi, Lat. omitted. ] 


The order of 
the Lord’s 
command- 
ments. 


The sabbath. 


The sabbath 
is spiritual. 


254 THE SECOND DECADE. [SERM. 


made heaven and earth, the sea, and all that is therein; and 
rested the seventh day : therefore the Lord blessed the sabbath- 
day, and hallowed it.” 

The order, which the Lord useth in giving these com- 
mandments, is natural and very excellent. In the first pre- 
cept the Lord did teach us faith and love to God-ward. In 
the second he removed from us idols and all foreign kind of 
worship. In the third he began to instruct us in the true 
and lawful worship of God: which worship standeth in the 
sanctifying of his holy name, for us to call thereon, and holily 
and freely to praise it, and to think and speak of it as re- 
ligiously as he shall give us grace’. The fourth command- 
ment teacheth us also the worship due to God, and the hallow- 
ing of his holy name; but yet it bendeth somewhat to the 
outward honour, although, nevertheless, it frameth to the in- 
ward religion. For the sabbath doth belong both to the 
inward and outward service of God. Let us see, therefore, 
what we have to think that the sabbath is, how far forth the 
use thereof extendeth, and after what sort we have to worship 
our God in observing the sabbath. Sabbath doth signify rest 
and ceasing from servile work?. And this here I think worthy 
to be noted, that the Lord saith not simply, “ Sanctify the 
sabbath ;” but, ‘‘ Remember that thou keep holy the sabbath- 
day ;” meaning thereby, that the sabbath was of old ordained, 
and given first of all to the ancient fathers, and then again 
renewed by the Lord, and beaten into the memory of the 
people of Israel. But the sum of the whole commandment is, 
Keep holy the sabbath-day. This sum doth the Lord by and 
by more largely amplify, by reckoning up the very days, 
and particular rehearsing the whole household, to whom 
the keeping of the sabbath is given in charge?, 

The sabbath itself hath sundry significations. For first 
of all, the scripture maketh mention of a certain spiritual 
and continual sabbath. In this sabbath we rest from servile 
work, in abstaining from sin, and doing our best not to have 


[1 “as he shall give us grace,” not in the original. ] 
[2 MAW a cessation, rest.—Lee’s Hebr. Lex. in voc.] 
Si 


[3 Postremo adjicitur exemplum quoque ipsius Dei quiescentis et 
sanctificantis sabbatum. “Lastly is added also the example of God 
himself resting on the Sabbath-day and sanctifying it.” Omitted by 
the translator. P.] 








ιν. THE FOURTH PRECEPT OF THE TEN COMMANDMENTS. 255 


our own will found in ourselves, or to work our own works; 
but, in ceasing from these, to suffer God to work in us, and 
wholly to submit our bodies to the government of his good 
Spirit. After this sabbath followeth that eternal sabbath 
and everlasting rest, of which Esay, in his 58th and 66th 
chapters, speaketh very much, and Paul also, in the fourth to 
the Hebrews. But God is truly worshipped, when we, 
ceasing from evil, and obeying God’s holy Spirit, do exercise 
ourselves in the study of good works. At this time I have 
no leisure, neither do I think that it is greatly profitable for 
me, to reason, as largely or as exquisitely as I could, of the 
allegorical sabbath, or spiritual rest. Let us rather, my 
brethren, in these our mortal bodies, do our endeavour, with 
an unwearied good-will of holiness, to sanctify the sabbath, 
that pleaseth the Lord so well. 

Secondly, the sabbath is the outward institution of our 
religion. For it pleased the Lord, in this commandment, to 
teach us an outward religion and kind of worship, wherein 
he would have us all to be exercised. Now, for because the 
worshipping of God cannot be without a time, therefore hath 
the Lord appointed a certain time, wherein we should abstain 
from outward or bodily works; but so yet that we should 
have leisure to attend unto our spiritual business. For for 
that cause is the outward rest commanded, that the spiritual 
work should not be hindered by the bodily business. More- 
over, that spiritual labour among our fathers was chiefly spent 
about four things; to wit, about public reading and expound- 
ing of the scriptures, and so consequently, about the hearing 
of the same; about public prayers and common petitions; 
about sacrifices, or the administration of the sacraments; and 
lastly, about the gathering of every man’s benevolence. In 
these consisted the outward religion of the sabbath. For 
the people kept holy day, and met together in holy assem- 
blies; where the prophets read to them the word of the 
Lord, expounding it, and instructing the hearers in the true 
religion. Then did the faithful jointly make their common 
prayers and supplications for all things necessary for their 
behoof. They praised the name of the Lord, and gave him 
thanks for all his good benefits bestowed upon them. Fur- 
thermore, they did offer sacrifices, as the Lord commanded 
them, celebrating the mysteries and sacraments of Christ 


The sabbath 
is the out- 


ward institu- 
ti 


ion of 
religion. 


256 THE SECOND DECADE. [SERM. 


their Redeemer, and keeping their faith exercised and in 
ure: they were joined in one with these sacraments, and 
also warned of their duty, which is, to offer themselves a 
lively sacrifice to the Lord their God. Lastly, they did in 
the congregation liberally bestow the gifts of their good-will 
to the use of the church: they gathered every man’s bene- 
yolence, therewith to supply the church’s necessity, to main- 
tain the ministers, and to relieve the poor and needy. These 
were the holy works of God, which while they, having their 
hearts instructed in faith and love, did fulfil, they did therein 
rightly sanctify the sabbath and the name of the Lord; that 
is, they did on the sabbath those kind [of] works!, which do 
both sanctify the name of God, become his worshippers, and 
also are the works indeed that are holy and pleasing in the 
sight of God. If any man require a substantial and evident 
example of the sabbath or holy day thus holily celebrated, 
he shall find it in the eighth chapter of the book of Nehe- 
mias: for there the priests do read and expound the word 
of God, they praise the name of the Lord, they pray with 
the people, they offer sacrifice, they shew their liberality, 
and do in all points behave themselves holily and devoutly as 
they should. 

Thereis Now, lest any peradventure might make this objection 

allowed to and say, Ease breedeth vice?; or else, I must labour with my 
hands to get my living, lest I die with hunger, and my 
family perish; he answereth, The Lord alloweth thee time 
sufficient for thy labour, for thee to work in to get a living 
for thyself and thy household: for six days thou mayest 
work, but the seventh day doth the Lord challenge and re- 
quire to be consecrated to him and his holy rest. Every 
week hath seven days: but of those seven the Lord requireth 
but one for himself. Who then can rightly complain, I be- 
seech you, or say that he hath injury done unto him? 
More time is allowed to work in, than to keep holy the 
sabbath: and he that requireth to have this sabbath kept 
is God, the maker, the father, and Lord of all mankind. 

The master Furthermore, the Lord doth precisely command and give 


he hou : . . : ou Levene 
must teach 8, charge to plant and bring in this holy rest, this discipline 


all his family Ε x 
the keepmg and outward worship, into the whole family of every several 


bath-day. house. Whereby we gather, what the duty of a good house- 


{1 ea operabantur opera, Lat.] [2 otia dant vitia, Lat.] 








1.7 THE FOURTH PRECEPT OF THE TEN COMMANDMENTS. 257 


holder is; to wit, to have a care to see all his family keep 
holy the sabbath-day; that is, to do on the sabbath-day 
those good works which I have before rehearsed. And for 
because the Lord doth know that man’s natural disposition 
is, where it hath the mastery, there for the most part to rule 
and reign over-haughtily and too too princelike; therefore, 
lest peradventure the fathers or masters should deal too 
hardly or rigorously with their households, or hinder them 
in observing of the sabbath, he doth in express words and 
exquisite steps of enumeration command them to allow their 
family, and every one in their family, a resting time to ac- 
complish his holy service. He doth not exempt or except 
so much as the stranger. He will not suffer nor allow among 
them the example of such dullheads? as say: “ Let faith and 
religion be free to all; let no man be compelled to any re- 
ligion.” For he commandeth to bind the stranger within the 
gates of God’s people, that is, the stranger that dwelleth in 
their jurisdiction, to the holy observing of the sabbath-day. 
Now, this ease or rest is not commanded in respect of Ease or rest. 

itself, (for idleness always hath been found fault withal,) but it 
is ordained for the aforesaid especial causes. God’s pleasure is, 
that there should be a place and time reserved for religion : 
which time and place are not open to them that are busy 
about bodily and outward works. He is not conversant in 
the congregation, he heareth not the word of God, he prayeth 
not with the church, neither is he partaker of the sacraments, 
which at his master’s commandment taketh a journey, or in 
the market selleth his wares, or in the barn doth thrash or 
winnow his corn, or in the field doth hedge or ditch, or doth 
stand at home beating the anvil, or else sitteth still sewing 
shoes or hosen*, Faith, therefore, and religion bid thee to 
give rest to thy servants and family; yea, they command 
thee to egg and compel them, if they be slow, to the holy 
and profitable work of the Lord. Moreover, the Lord’s 
mind is, that they which labour should also refresh and re- 
create themselves : 


For things that lack a resting time 
Can never long endure. 


[3 segnium, Lat. ] [4 caligas, Lat. ] 
[5 Quod caret alterna requie durabile non est, Lat.—Ovid. Ep. 
Iv. 89.] 
17 


[ BULLINGER. ] 


The Lord did 
keep the 
sabbath-day. 


958 THE SECOND DECADE. [SERM. 


Wherefore the bountiful Lord, whose mind is to preserve his 
creatures, doth teach a way to keep them, and doth diligently 
provide, that his creatures be not too much afflicted by the 
hard handling or covetousness of their owners. Moses in 
Deuteronomy addeth the pitiful affection of mercy, saying: 
«Remember, that once thou thyself wast a servant in the 
land of Egypt!.” Charity, therefore, and civil humanity do 
crave a measure to be kept, so that we do not with endless 
labours overlade and weary our household servants. Moreover, 
it is manifest, that the good man of the house?, by planting 
godliness in his family, doth not a little advance and set for- 
ward his private profit and own commodity: for wicked 
servants are for the most part pickers® and deceitful; where- 
as, on the other side, the godly are faithful, whom in his 
absence he may trust to govern his house. In the reckoning 
up of the household also is mention made of beasts and 
cattle; which is done, not so much because their owner is a 
man and ought therefore to use them remissly and mode- 
rately, as for because beasts cannot be laboured without the 
working hand of man to guide them: so then men are 
drawn from the solemnizing of the sabbath-day by helping 
their cattle. Wherefore, to the intent that they should not 
be drawn aside, we are here precisely commanded to allow 
our cattle that resting time. 

Last of all, the Lord doth add his own example, whereby 
he teacheth us to keep holy the sabbath-day. ‘“ Because,” 
saith he, “in six days the Lord made heaven and earth, the 
sea, and all that in them is, and rested the seventh day: 
therefore the Lord blessed the seventh day, and hallowed it.” 
The Lord our God wrought six days in creating heaven and 
earth, the sea, and all that in them is; and the seventh day 
he rested, and ordained that to be an appointed time for us 
to rest in. On the seventh day we must think of the works 
that God did in the six days: the children of God must call to 
remembrance what and how great benefits they have received 
the whole week, for which they must thank God, for which 
they must praise God, and by which they must learn God. We 


[1 Deut. v. 15.] 

[? paterfamilias, Lat.; an old term for the master of the house.— 
Toone’s Glossary. Cf. Matt. xxiv. 43.] 

[2 furaces, Lat. ] 











IV. | THE FOURTH PRECEPT OF THE TEN COMMANDMENTS, 259 


must then dedicate to him our whole body and soul; we must 
consecrate to him all our words and our deeds. As that day 

the Lord did rest from creating, but he ceased not still to 
preserve; so we upon that day must rest from handy and 
bodily works, but we must not cease from the works of well 

doing and worshipping of God. Furthermore, the heavenly 4 

rest was no prejudice at all to the things created: neither 

shall the holy day, or sabbath, spent in God’s service, be any 

let or hinderance to our affairs or business. For the Lord the Lord | 
blessed the sabbath-day ; and therefore shall he bless thee sabbath-day. 
and thy house, all thy affairs and business, if he shall see 

thee to have a care to sanctify his sabbath; that is, to do 

those works which he hath commanded to be done on the 
sabbath-day. They therefore do err from the truth as far as 
heaven is wide, whosoever do despise the religion and holy 

rest of the sabbath-day, calling it an idle ease, and do labour 

on the sabbath-day, as they do on working days, under the 
pretence of care for their family and necessity’s sake. 

For all these things must we apply to ourselves and our The Christian 
churches. It is most sure, that to Christians the spiritual pee 
sabbath is given in charge especially and above all things. 
Neither is it to be doubted, but that the good Lord’s will is, 
that even in our churches at this day, as well as of the Jews 
of old, there should be kept and appointed order in all things, 
but especially in the exercising of outward religion. We 
know that the sabbath is ceremonial, so far forth as it is 
joined to sacrifices and other Jewish ceremonies, and so far 
forth as it is tied to a certain time: but in respect that on 
the sabbath-day religion and true godliness are exercised 
and published, that a just and seemly order is kept in the 
church, and that the love of our neighbour is thereby pre- 
served, therein, I say, it is perpetual, and not ceremonial. 
Even at this day, verily, we must ease and bear with our 
family; and even at this day we must instruct our family in 
the true religion and fear of God. Christ our Lord did 
no where scatter abroad the holy congregations, but did, as 
much as he could, gather them together. Now, as there 
ought to be an appointed place, so likewise must there be a 
prescribed time, for the outward exercise of religion, and so, The Sunday. 
consequently, an holy rest. They of the primitive church, 

[4 quies divina, Lat.] [5 parci familiz, ἘΣ 
1-- 


200 THE SECOND DECADE, [SERM. 


therefore, did change the sabbath-day, lest, peradventure, 
they should have seemed to have imitated the Jews, and still 
to have retained their order and ceremonies!; and made 
their assemblies and holy restings to be on the first day of 
sabbaths2, which John calleth Sunday%, or the Lord’s day‘, 
because of the Lord’s glorious resurrection upon that day. 
And although we do not in any part of the apostles’ writings 
find any mention made that this Sunday was commanded us 
to be kept holy; yet, for because, in this fourth precept of 
the first table, we are commanded to have a care of religion 
and the exercising of outward godliness, it would be against all 
godliness and christian charity, if we should deny to sanctify the 
Sunday : especially, since the outward worship of God cannot 
consist without an appointed time and space of holy rest. 
I suppose also, that we ought to think the same of those 
few feasts and holy days, which we keep holy to Christ our 
Christmas Lord, in memory of his nativity or incarnation, of his cir- 


day, New- 


Acre Oa : ; 2 : 
years day, cumcision, of his passion, of the resurrection and ascension 


reeersay of Jesus Christ our Lord into heaven, and of his sending of 


Ascension 
Siiay"* the Holy Ghost upon his disciples®. For christian liberty is 


not a licentious power and dissolving of godly ecclesiastical 
ordinances, which advance and set forward the glory of God 
and love of our neighbour. But for because the Lord will 
have holy days to be solemnized and kept to himself alone, I 
do not therefore like of the festival days that are held in 
honour of any creatures. This glory and worship is due to 
God alone. Paul saith: “I would not that any man should 
judge you in part of an holy day, or of the sabbaths, which 
are a shadow of things to come®.” And again: ‘“ Ye observe 
days, and months, and years, and times; I fear lest I have 
Jaboured in you in vain’.” And therefore we at this day, 


[ See Ignatii, Epist. ad Magnes. cap. 8 and 9.] 

[2 prima sabbati, Lat. ] [3 Rey. i. 10.] 

{4 haud dubie, Lat. ; omitted.] 

[5 Nostra ecclesia ante annos, ni fallor, 12, plura habuit festa: sed 
abrogatis his solum retinuit diem Dominicam, et festa Christi, Nativi- 
tatis videlicet, Circumcisionis et Ascensionis D. Adjecit et missionem 
Spiritus Sancti superioribus propter celebrationem coense D.—Bullin- 
ger. Ep. ad Calvin. in Calvy. Opp. Tom. 1x. p. 63. Ed. Amstel. dat. 
Tigur. 29 August. MDLI.] 

[6 Coloss. ii. 16,17. See authorised version, marginal reading. ] 

[7 Galat. iv. 10, 11.] 











ry | THE FOURTH PRECEPT OF THE TEN COMMANDMENTS. 96] 


that are in the church of Christ, have nothing to do with the 
Jewish observation; we have only to wish and endeavour to 
have the christian observation and exercise of christian reli- 
gion to be freely kept and observed. 

And yet, as the hallowing of the Jewish sabbath, so also The saneti- 
the sanctifying or exercise of our Sunday, must be spent and Sse 
occupied about four things, which ought to be found in the 
holy congregation of Christians, if their Sunday be truly 
sanctified and kept holy as it should be. First, let all the 
godly saints assemble themselves together in the congrega- 
tion. Let there in that congregation so assembled be 
preached the word of God; let the Gospel there be read, that 
the hearers may learn thereby what they have to think of 
God, what the duty and office is of them that worship God, 
and how they ought to sanctify the name of the Lord. Then 
let there in that congregation be made prayers and suppli- 
cations for all the necessities of all people. Let the Lord be 
praised for his goodness, and thanked for his inestimable 
benefits which he daily bestoweth. Then, if time, occasion, 
and custom of the church do so require, let the sacraments of 
the church be religiously ministered. For nothing is more 
required in this fourth commandment than that we should 
holily observe, and devoutly exercise, the sacraments, and 
holy, lawful, profitable, and necessary rites and ceremonies of 
the church. Last of all, let entire humanity and liberality 
have a place in the saints’ assembly ; let all learn to give alms 
privately, and relieve the poor daily, and to do it frankly 
and openly, so often as opportunity of time and causes of need 
shall so require. And these are the duties, wherein the 
Lord’s sabbath is kept holy even in the church of Christians ; 
and so much the rather, if to these be added an earnest good 
will to do no evil all the day long. 

This discipline now must be brought in and established pla: 
by every householder in all our several houses, with as great householder. 
diligence as it was with the Jews. Touching which thing I 
have nothing to say here, since I have before so plainly 
handled this point, as that ye perceive that it agreeth even to 
the church of us that are Christians. This one thing I add more ; 
that it is the duty of a christian magistrate, or at leastwise 
of a good householder, to compel to amendment the breakers 
and contemners of God’s sabbath and worship. The peers of Numb. xv. 


The abuses of 


the sabbath- 
day. 


262 THE SECOND DECADE. [SERM. 


Israel, and all the people of God, did stone to death (as the 
Lord commanded them) the man that disobediently did gather 
sticks on the sabbath-day'. Why then should it not be 
lawful for a christian magistrate to punish by bodily imprison- 
ment, by loss of goods, or by death, the despisers of religion, 
of the true and lawful worship done to God, and of the 
sabbath-day ? Verily, though the foolish and indiscreet 
magistrate? in this corrupted age do slackly look to his office 
and duty; yet notwithstanding, let every householder do his 
endeavour to keep his several family from that ungodly 
naughtiness; let him punish them of his household by such 
means as he lawfully may. For if any one householder 
dwell among idolaters, which neither have, nor yet desire to 
have or frequent, the christian or lawful congregations ; then 
may he in his own several house gather a peculiar assembly 
to praise the Lord, as it is manifest that Lot did among the 
Sodomites ; Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, in the land of Canaan, 
and in Egypt. But it is a heinous sin and a detestable 
schism, if the congregation be assembled, either in cities or 
villages, for thee then to seek out byways to hide thyself, 
and not to come there, but to contemn the church of God 
and assembly of saints: as the Anabaptists have taken an use 
to do. 

Here therefore I have to reckon? up the abuses of the 
sabbath-day, or the sins committed against this command- 
ment. They transgress this commandment, that cease not 
from evil works, but* abuse the sabbath’s rest to the pro- 
voking of fleshly pleasures. For they keep the sabbath to 
God, but work to the devil, in dicing, in drinking, in dancing, 
and feeding their humours with the vanities of this world, 
whereby we are not only drawn from the company of the 
holy congregation, but do also defile our bodies, which we 
ought rather to sanctify and keep holy. They sin against 
this precept, which either exercise any handy occupation on 
the sabbath-day, or else lie wrapt in bed and fast asleep till 
the day be almost spent, not once thinking to make one of 
God’s congregation. They offend in this precept, that awe 
their servants to work, and by appointing them to other 


{1 Numb. xv. 32—36.] 
[3 si cesset demens et ebrius magistratus, Lat. ] 
[8 paucis recensendi, Lat.] [4 imo, Lat. ] 











IV. | THE FOURTH PRECEPT OF THE TEN COMMANDMENTS. 263 


business do draw them from the worship of God, preferring 
other stinking things® before the honour due to God. And 
they, above all other, offend herein, which do not only not 
keep holy the sabbath-day themselves, but do also, with their 
ungodly scoffs and evil examples, cause other to despise and 
set light by religion ; when they do disdain and mock at the 
holy rites and ceremonies, at the ministery, ministers, sacred 
churches®, and godly exercises. And herein, too, do both 
the good-men and good-wives offend, if they be slack in their 
own houses to call upon and to see their families keep holy 
the sabbath-day. Whosoever do contemn the holiness of the 
sabbath-day, they give a flat and evident testimony of their 
ungodliness and light regard of God’s mighty power. 
Furthermore, the keeping or despising of the sabbath doth rile ρος 
always carry with it either ample rewards or terrible threats. Seat ae. 
For the proof whereof, I will recite unto you, dearly beloved, 
the words of Jeremy, in his seventeenth chapter. ‘Thus hath 
the Lord said unto me,” saith he; “ Go, and stand under the 
gate of the sons of the people, through which the kings of 
Juda go in and out, and under all the gates of Jerusalem, and 
say unto them: Take heed for your lives, that ye carry no 
burthen upon you on the sabbath-day, to bring it through the 
gates of Jerusalem, and that ye bear no burthen out of your 
houses on the sabbath-day: look that ye do no labour 
therein; but keep holy the sabbath-day, as I commanded 
your fathers. Howbeit, they obeyed me not, neither heark- 
ened they unto me, but were obstinate and stubborn, and 
would not receive any correction. Nevertheless, if ye will 
hear me, saith the Lord, and bear no burthen through this 
gate upon the sabbath, but hallow the sabbath, so that ye do 
no work therein; then shall there go through the gates of 
this city kings and princes that shall sit upon the throne of 
David; they shall be carried upon chariots, and ride upon 
horses, both they and their princes: there shall come men 
from the cities of Juda and the land of Benjamin, which shall 
bring sacrifices, and shall offer incense and thanksgiving in the 
house of the Lord. But if ye will not be obedient unto me 
to hallow the sabbath, so that ye will bear your burthens 
through the gates upon the sabbath-day; then will I set fire 
upon the gates of Jerusalem, which shall burn up the great 
[5 res putidas, Lat.] [6 scholas sacras, Lat. ] 


264 THE SECOND DECADE. [SERM. 


The empe- houses thereof, and shall not be quenched.” Very justly, 
the keeping therefore, did the devout princes, Leo and Anthemius, writing 
to Arsemius, their lieutenant, in these words give charge: 
“That the holy days, ordained in honour of the high God’s 
majesty, should not be spent in any voluptuous pleasures, 
nor be unhallowed with troublesome exactions. We there- 
fore do decree and ordain, that the Lord’s day, or Sun- 
day, as it hath always been accounted well of, so it shall 
still be had in estimation; so that upon that day no office of 
the law shall be executed, no man shall be summoned, no man 
arrested for suretyship, no man attached, no pleading shall be 
heard, nor any judgment pronounced,” &c. And by and by 
after again: “ Neither do we, in giving this rest of the holy 
day, suffer any man to wallow in any kind of wanton pleasures 
at all. For on that day stage-plays are not admitted, nor 
fencers’ prizes, nor bear-baitings; yea too, and if it happen 
that the solemnizing of our birth-day fall upon the Sunday, 
then shall it be deferred till the next day after. And we 
have determined, that he shall sustain the loss of his dignity, 
and have his patrimony confiscate, whosoever shall on the sab- 
bath-day be present at any sight or play, or what summoner 
soever of any judge whatsoever shall, under the pretence of 
any business, either public or private, do anything to infringe 
the statutes in this law enacted!.” 
And yet, nevertheless, they that are Christians do not for- 


[1 Impp. Leo et Anthemius. A. A. Armasio. P. P. x.—Dies festos, 
majestati altissime dedicatos, nullis volumus voluptatibus occupari, 
nec ullis exactionum vexationibus profanari. Dominicum itaque 
diem semper honorabilem decernimus venerandum, ut a cunctis exe- 
cutionibus excusetur; nulla quenquam urgeat admonitio; nulla fidei- 
jussionis flagitetur exactio; taceat apparitio; advocatio delitescat; sit 
ille dies a cognitionibus alienus, &c.—Nec hujus tamen religiosi diei 
otia relaxantes, obsccenis quibuslibet patimur voluptatibus detineri. 
Nihil eodem die vindicet sibi scena theatralis, aut Circense certamen, 
aut ferarum lacrymosa spectacula: etiam si in nostro ortu aut natali 
celebranda solennitas inciderit, differatur. Amissionem militiz pro- 
scriptionemaue patrimonii sustinebit, si quis unquam hoc die festo 
spectaculis interesse, vel cujuscunque judicis apparitor, preetextu ne- 
gotii publici seu privati, heee, que lege hac statuta sunt, crediderit 
temeranda.—D. Id. Decembr. Constantinop. Zenone et Martiano 


Coss.—Justin. Cod. Lib. ur. tit. 22. de feriis. p. 411. Tom. 1. Lugd. 
1551.] 











ay THE FOURTH PRECEPT OF THE TEN COMMANDMENTS. 265 


get the words of Christ in the gospel, where he saith: ‘ The the sabbath 


made for 


sabbath was made for man, and not man for the sabbath; and man, ἢ, and ee 
that? the Son of man too is Lord of the sabbath3,” The sabbath 
godly do very well know that God ordained the sabbath for 
the preservation, and not for the destruction, of mankind ; and 
that therefore he doth dispense with us for the sabbath, as 
often as any urgent necessity or saving of a man shall seem 
to require it. Touching which matter our Saviour Christ 
himself hath fully satisfied the faithful in the 12th of Matthew, 
and the 6th and 13th chapters after St Luke. In such things, 
verily, Christians may use their liberty to occupy themselves 
in on the sabbath-day*. Since the priests and Levites are 
held excused, which do in the temple openly both kill, slay, 
burn, and boil beasts, in making their sacrifices, so that they 
are not thought to break the sabbath-day, because they may 
without offence to God, even on the sabbaths, dress and make 
ready the things serving to the outward worship of the Lord ; 
so likewise may we on the sabbath dress and make ready meat 
and other necessaries which our bodies cannot lack. We may 
also minister physic to the sick, visit the weak, and help the 
needy, that so we may preserve the creature of God. Herein 
did our Saviour give us an example to follow, who did on the 
sabbath work the deeds of charity and mercy. We have more 
than one example of his to be seen in the gospel, but especially 
in Luke vi. and xiii. and John, the fifth chapter. If then on 
the sabbath-day it be lawful to draw out of a pit a sheep or 
an ox in danger of drowning, why should it not be lawful 
likewise on the sabbath to underset with props a ruinous house 
that is ready to fall? Why should it not be lawful on the 
sabbath-day to gather in, and keep from spoiling, the hay or 
corn, which, by reason of unseasonable weather, hath lain too 
long abroad, and likely to be worse if it stay any longer ? 
The holy emperor Constantine, writing to Elpidius, saith : 
“Let all judges in courts of law, and citizens of all occupa- 
tions, rest upon the Sunday, and keep it holy with reverence 
and devotion. But they that inhabit the country may freely To plough 
and at liberty attend on their tillage upon the sabbath-day, sabbath-day. 
For oftentimes it falleth out, that they cannot upon another 
day so commodiously sow their seed, or plant their vines; and 

[3 proinde, Lat. ] [3 Mark ii. 27, 28.] 

[4 Certe in his versatur libertas Christiana, Lat.] 


266 THE SECOND DECADE. [SERM. 


so, by letting pass the opportunity of a little time, they may 
hap to lose the profit given of God for our provision!” Thus 
saith the emperor. Now we must consider, that he doth not 
license husbandmen by all kind of toil continually to defile the 
sabbath-day. For of the countrymen, as well as of the towns- 
men, are looked for due honour done to God, and the keeping 
of the fourth commandment: only this must be remembered, 
that liberty is granted in causes of necessity. But a godly 
mind and charity shall be excellent dispensers and mistresses 
to lead us in such cases as these, lest, under the coloured pre- 
tence of liberty and necessity, we do deeds not to be borne 
withal on the sabbath-day, and exercise the works of greedy 
covetousness, and not of sincere holiness. And thus much had 
I to say touching the second use of the sabbath-day. 
Godot Thirdly, the sabbath hath a very ample or large significa- 
makeholy. tion. For it is a perpetual sign that God alone is he that 
sanctifieth those that worship his name. For thus saith the » 
Lord to Moses: “ Ye shall keep my sabbaths, because it is a 
sign betwixt me and you to them that come after you, to 
know that Iam the Lord which sanctify you;” and so forth, 
as it is to be seen in the 31st of Exodus, and is again repeated 
in the 20th of Ezechiel?. And to this end doth the Lord 
mutually apply himself%, as is before said in the declaration of 
the sabbath’s second use and signification. For God doth by 
his Holy Spirit sanctify his faithful folk and constant believers: 
which he declareth unto the church by the preaching of the 
gospel, bearing witness thereunto and sealing it with his 
sacraments; so that he commandeth us with continual prayers 
incessantly to crave of him that glorious sanctification. All 
which things, verily, are practised and put in use upon the 
sabbath-days especially, to the intent that we may be sancti- 
fied of God, who is the only sanctifier of us all. 
Hitherto have I declared unto you, dearly beloved, as 
[} Imp. Constantinus. A. Elpidio. III.—Omnes judices urbaneeque 
plebes, et cunctarum artium officia, venerabili die solis quiescant. 
Ruri tamen positi agrorum culture libere licenterque inserviant : quo- 
niam frequenter evenit ut non alio die aptius frumenta sulcis et vinese 
scrobibus commendentur ; et ne occasione momenti pereat commo- 
ditas coelesti provisione concessa.—D. Non. Mart. Crispo II. et Con- 
stantino II. Coss.—Cod. Just. Lib. m1. tit. 12. de feriis. p. 409.] 
(2 Exod. xxxi. 13; Ezek. xx. 12.] 
[8 mutuam operam confert, Lat.] 











ἵν] THE FOURTH PRECEPT OF THE TEN COMMANDMENTS, 267 


briefly as I could, the first table of God’s commandments, 
wherein we have very exquisitely laid down before us the 
worship due to the name of God. But for because they are 
not the children of God, which know his mind, but they that 
do it, let us beseech our heavenly Father so to illuminate our 
minds, that we may faithfully and indeed worship our Lord 
and God, who is to be praised world without end. Amen. 





OF THE FIRST PRECEPT OF THE SECOND TABLE, WHICH 
IS IN ORDER THE FIFTH OF THE TEN COM- 
MANDMENTS, TOUCHING THE HONOUR 
DUE TO PARENTS. 


THE FIFTH SERMON. 


Now followeth the second table of God’s law, which (by 
the help of God’s Holy Spirit) I will declare as briefly unto 
you as I have already gone through the first. And as the 
first contained the love of God, so doth the second teach us 
the charity due to our neighbour; instructing all men what 
they owe every one to his neighbour, and how we may in this 
world live honestly, civilly, and in quiet peace among our- 
selves. For our good God would have us to live well and 
quietly. But we that will not know how to live well, nor yet 
obey his good commandments, do with our sins and iniquities 
never cease to heap upon our own pates an infinite multitude 
of miserable calamities. 

This table containeth six commandments; the first where- 
of is, ‘‘ Honour thy father and thy mother, that thy days resin 
may be long in the land which the Lord thy God shall give” 
thee.” Very well and rightly doth the Lord begin the second 
table with the honouring of our parents. For after our duty 
to God, the next is the reverent love that we owe to our 
parents, of whom, next after God, we have our life, and by 
whom we are from our infancy brought up with incredible 
care and exceeding great labour. Now the very order of 
nature doth require, that the most excellent and dearest 
things should always have the first and chiefest place. 

And that this commandment may the more easily be un- 


What is 
meant by the 
name of 
parents. 


Our native 
country. 


Magistrates 
or rulers. 


Guardians 
or overseers 
of fatherless 
children. 


268 THE SECOND DECADE. [SERM. 


derstood, I mean to divide my treatise thereof into three parts: 
In the first whereof I will declare what degrees and kinds of 
men are comprehended under the name of parents: second- 
arily, I will search out what kind of honour that is, and how 
far it extendeth, which the Lord commandeth to give to our 
parents: and lastly, I will both touch the promise made to 
godly children, and thereupon conjecture and gather the punish- 
ment appointed for the ungodly and disobedient offspring. 
There is none so ignorant but knoweth what parents are. 
The Lord our God hath given us them for us to take of them 
our beginning of life, that they might nourish and bring us up, 
and that of rude and almost brutish things they might make 
us very men. Greater are the good turns that parents do for 
their children, greater is the cost and labour that they bestow 
on them, and greater is the care, grief, and trouble which 
they take for them, than any man, however eloquent soever 
he be, is able to express. And here is not the name of the 
father only, but also the name of the mother in express words 
set down in the law, lest she peradventure should seem and 
be contemptible without any offence to God, because of the 
weakness of her frail sex. The godly and virtuous mothers 
do feel and abide more pain and grief in the bearing, bringing 
up, and nourishing of their children, than the fathers do. For 
no small cause therefore have we the name of the mother 
precisely expressed in this commandment, We do also com- 
prehend herein the grandfather and grandmother, the great 
grandsire and great granddame, and all other like to these. 
In the second place we do contain every man’s country wherein 
he was born, which fed, fostered, adorned, and defended him. 
Thirdly, we take princes and magistrates into the name and 
title: for the senators and princes are in the holy scriptures 
called the fathers and pastors of the people'. Xenophon was 
persuaded, that a good prince did differ nothing from a good 
father*. Fourthly, there are to be reckoned under the name 
of parents those guardians, which are usually called overseers 
of fatherless children or orphans: for they supply the place 
of departed parents, taking upon them the charge and defence 


[1 2 Kings v. 13; Isai. xxii. 21, and xliv. 28; Jer. xii. 10, and xxv. 
84: Micah νυ. 5.] 
[2 Ἀλλὰ πολλάκις μὲν δὴ, ὦ ἄνδρες, καὶ ἄλλοτε κατενόησα, ὅτι ἄρχων 


ἀγαθὸς οὐδὲν διαφέρει πατρὸς dyabov.—Xenoph. Cyrop. Lib. νπ.] 


᾿᾽ 











ν.] THE FIFTH PRECEPT OF THE TEN COMMANDMENTS, 209 


of their children, whom they must (for that affection ought to 
be in them) bring up, defend, and advance, even as they would 
do to their own and those that they themselves did once beget. 
Among whom also we must make account of such masters and 
workmen, as teach them an art or occupation: for of them 
young men and striplings learn some honest science, for every 
one to get his living honestly ; and by them they are taught 
good manners, being thereby, after a certain sort, out of 
rude unpolished stuff made perfect seemly men.  Fifthly, Ministers and 
the ministers, doctors, and pastors of the churches, are taken church, 
for parents, whom Paul himself did call by the name of 
fathers, not so much for the care and love wherewith they 
are affected toward the disciples and sheep of Christ his flock, 
as for because we are by them through the gospel begotten in 
Christ. In the sixth place, we must think of our cousins and Cousins and 
kinsfolks, brother and sister, nephews and nieces, mother-in- 
law and daughter-in-law, father-in-law and son-in-law, who 
are by alliance knit together’, as the members of the body 
are fastened with sinews. Finally, in the last place, old Aged persons 
folks and widows, fatherless children and impotent weak per- 
sons, must be reputed among our parents: whose cause and 
tuition the Lord hath in more places than one commended 
unto us. So then, my brethren, here ye have heard who 
they be, that in this first precept of the second table we 
have to take for our parents, and who and how many are 
comprehended and commended to us under that name: and 
now shall ye hear what honour we owe to them, and what 
the honour is that we should attribute unto them. 

To honour, in the scriptures, is diversely taken; but in Τὸ To honour, 
this treatise it signifieth to magnify, to worship, to esteem — 
well, and to do reverence as to a thing ordained by God; 
and also to acknowledge, to love, and to give praise as for a 
benefit received at God’s hand, and as for a thing given from 
heaven, that is both holy, profitable, and necessary. To 
honour is to be dutiful and to obey; and so to obey, as if it 
were to God himself, by whom we know that our obedience 
is commanded, and to whom we are sure that our service is 
acceptable. Otherwise we have not in any cause to obey ΠΕ 
either our parents or magistrates, if they themselves shall a always be- 
do, or else command us to do, the things that are wicked and 


[3 et conservantur, Lat.; omitted.] 


210 THE SECOND DECADE. [SERM. 


unjust. For still the latter commandments have a relation to 
those that went before. In the second commandment we 
learned, that God would visit the sins of the fathers in the 
children; and therefore children ought not to obey their 
parents, if they command anything contrary to God, or pre- 
judicial to his law. Jonathan obeyed not his father Saul’s 
commandment, who charged him to persecute David: and 
therefore is he worthily commended in the holy scriptures. 
The three companions of Daniel obeyed Nabuchodonosor in 
all that he said, they loved him, and reverenced him as a 
most mighty, puissant, and bountiful king; but, so soon once 
as he charged them to fall to idolatry, they set not a button 
by his commandment!. And St Peter, who taught us the 
honour and obedience that we owe to our parents and magis- 
trates, when he was commanded by the princes and fathers 
of the people not to preach Christ crucified to the people any 
more, did answer them, that “ we ought to obey God more 
than men*.” But what need I thus to stand reckoning up 
this, when the Lord himself in one short sentence hath knit 
up this, and all other like to this? “If any man,” saith he, 
“cometh to me, and hateth not his father and mother, his 
wife, his children, his brethren and sisters, yea, and his own 
life, he cannot be my disciple*.” Furthermore, thou dost 
honour thy parents, when thou dost not contemptuously 
despise them, unthankfully neglect them, nor shamefully think 
scorn of them, if peradventure they happen to fall into ad- 
versity. Thou honourest thy parents, when with thine help 
and counsel thou aidest them in their old age and unwieldy 
crookedness‘; when thou easest them in time of their need, 
or succourest them otherwise in any case else. For that in- 
deed is the true and proper honour due to our parents, the 
Lord himself bearing witness thereunto in the 15th of Mat- 
thew, and concluding that we ought to provide and have a 
care for our parents, to save and defend them, and wholly to 
give ourselves and hazard our lives in their behalf. 

And now, that this that I have said may be more easily 
and evidently understood, I will confer and apply this honour 
to those seven several kinds of men which we do comprehend 


{1 tantum non contempserunt, Lat. Dan. i. and iii.] 
[2 Acts v. 29.] [3 Luke xiv. 26.] 
[4 confectos diuturna eetate, Lat. ] 








v.] THE FIFTH PRECEPT OF THE TEN COMMANDMENTS. 27] 


under the name of parents; that thereby every one may see 
what, and how much, honour he ought to bestow upon his 
parents, his country, the magistrates therein, and those sorts 
of people that are afore named. 

Whereas of duty we ought to honour our parents, that Ἐπ ange 
duty is paid, if we do so worshipfully esteem of them, as to "ets : 
think that they are given to us of God to the end that we 
should reverence, love, and always have an eye to them, 
although for nothing else, yet only for the Lord’s sake; who 
is and doth think himself despised, so long as we go on to 
contemn our parents and to think vilely of them. Neither 
doth it make any matter to us, whether they be worthy or 
unworthy, whom the Lord commandeth us to honour. For 
be they as they may be, yet notwithstanding they did not, 
without the providence of God, chance to be our parents; 
in respect of which parentage the lawgiver himself will have 
them to be honoured. Whatsoever therefore children shall 
have occasion to speak to their parents, let it always savour 
of humble reverence and childly affection; and let them with 
such affection and reverence obey their parents. If they 
seem to us to be somewhat bitter and ungentle, yet let us 
wisely wink at, and not seem to know it, by little and little 
still declining from the evil, which by force they seem to 
compel us unto; and let us so discreetly handle the matter, 
that we may give them as small occasion as may be to be 
offended at us. We have Jonathas, the son of Saul, to be an 
example to us of a godly and obedient child. He did with 
great grief and trouble of mind behold his father’s madness 
upon David, and wrongful dealing against himself; yet did 
he for that present discreetly sustain and wisely dissemble it, 
finding occasion at another time, and in a place convenient, to 
tell him of it: he never aided his father in any conceived 
mischief; he clave alway to the just man and righteous 
causes; he bewailed his father’s stubbornness, and sought not 
over boldly to resist him and strive against him, when he 
offered to deal by violent extremity with him, but saved him- 
self by flyg away; and yet, for all this, he loved his father 
never the worse, but prayed still to God for his health and 
welfare, shewing himself in all things an obedient son to his 
crabbed father. This verily is the duty of a godly son. 
This ought every one of us most diligently to follow, in doing 
our duty and humble obeisance unto our parents, how froward 


Matt. xv. 


The stork the 
ensign of na- 
tural love. 


272 THE SECOND DECADE. [SERM. 


or crooked soever they be. Let none give a rough answer 
stubbornly ; yea, let none so much as mumble an answer or 
mutter against his parents. Let none curse, or speak evil of, 
his father or mother, unless he will perforce seek the way and 
means to make the high and mighty! God’s curse hang over 
and light upon his pate. If haply our parents be poor, if 
misshapen in limbs, or otherwise diseased with any infirmity ; 
let none of us therefore in mockery flout at or disdainfully 
despise them. Let us not shew ourselves unthankful to them, 
to whom, for their good deeds to us-ward, we are of duty 
bound for ever. Let us nourish, cherish, and aid them in all 
their necessities: yea, let us wholly bestow ourselves, and all 
that we have, to do them good withal. For all that we 
possess undoubtedly is theirs; and all that we have we enjoy 
by them; for if they were not, then should not we be. 

Let us here call to remembrance the charge that the Lord, 
in Matthew, giveth us touching this commandment” Let us 
consider what is meant by the Gentiles’ ἀντιπελαργεῖν 3, which 
is, to requite one good turn with another; and especially to 
nourish and cherish them, by whom thou thyself in thy 
youth wast brought up, and tendered‘. There is, among the 
Gentiles, a law extant, worthy to be called the mistress of 
piety, whereby it is enacted, that the children should either 
nourish their parents, or else lie fast fettered in prison®. This 
law many men do carelessly neglect, which the stork alone, 
among all living creatures, doth keep most precisely. For 
other creatures do hard and scarcely know or look upon 
their parents, if peradventure they need their aid to nourish 
them; whereas the stork doth mutually nourish them, being 


[1 justissimi, Lat.] 

[2 Inspiciatur cap. 15, Lat.; omitted.] 

[32 ἀντιπελαργέω, to cherish in turn. Liddell and Scott’s Greek 
and Eng. Lex. 2nd ed. Oxf. 1845, from πελαργός, a stork. Metaphora a 
ciconiis, que parentes senio jam confectos nutrire, et fessos ad terga 
recipere, dicuntur ab Aristotl. Scapula. in voc. See also, Calvin. Opp. 
ed. Amstel. Tom. 1. p. 496, and Tom. 11. p. 608. Early Writings of 
Hooper, Parker Soc. ed. page 359, and Erasm. Adag. Chil. p. 282. 
Han. 1617.] 

[4 ut cum liberi parentes etate fessos vicissim alunt foventque, 
Lat.; omitted: as when children requite their aged parents by nou- 
rishing and cherishing them. ] 

[5 See Potter’s Archzol. Greece. Book 1. chap. 26. Vol. 1. p. 181. 
Lond. 1813.] 














v.] THE FIFTH PRECEPT OF THE TEN COMMANDMENTS, 273 


stricken in age, and bear them on her shoulders, when for 


feebleness they cannot fly. 
There are to be seen among the Gentiles very religious τὶ The Gentiles’ 


ntences 


and excellent sentences touching the honour due unto parents. touching 
Isocrates saith: “ Shew thyself such an one to thy parents, [9 parents. 
as thou wouldest wish to have thy children shew themselves ~ 
to thee®.” Anaximenes said: “ He loveth his father exceed- 
ingly well, which doth his endeavour to make him joyful 
without any trouble at 4111, Plato also, in his Laws, think- 
eth, that “he hath a great treasure in his house, whosoever 
doth nourish at home in his house his father or mother, or 
any of their parents, in their impotent old ages” and doth 
suppose that he needeth “no other picture of any of the gods 
to reverence in his house, because he should turn all his care 
and diligence to honour his parents®’.” And again, in another 
place: “ Let us pay,” saith he, “to our parents, while they 
are alive, the oldest, first, and greatest debts, that we owe 
them for our being and bringing up. For every one must 
think, that all which he hath is theirs, who did beget and 
bring him up; so that, according to his ability, he must sup- 
ply and minister to them all that he doth possess: first of 
all, the external goods of fortune; then, of the body; and 
lastly, those that do belong unto the mind ; thereby restoring 
all that he borrowed, and recompensing them in their old age 
for all their old cares and grief sustained for him. It is 
seemly also and requisite, that even in words, so long as we 
live, we should shew reverence unto our parents: for after 
light and foolish words used to them doth commonly come a 
terrible plague. For before every man doth Nemesis (the 
executrice of judgment) stand, and doth throughly think 
upon all their offences. We must therefore give place to our 


[6 Τοιοῦτος γίγνου περὶ τοὺς γονεῖς, οἵους ἂν εὔξαιο περὶ σεαυτὸν 
yeverOa τοὺς σεαυτοῦ raidas.—Isocrat. Orat. ad Demonicum. ap. Stobsei 
Floril. ed. Gaisford. Oxon. 1822. Vol. mr. p. 118.] 

[7 Οὗτος yap μάλιστα πάντων φιλοπάτωρ ἐστὶν, ὅστις ζητεῖ δι’ οὗ 
μηδὲν λυπήσας τὸν πατέρα πλεῖστ᾽. αὐτὸν εὐφράναιτ᾽ av.—Anaximenes, 
1014.] 

[8 Πατὴρ οὖν ὅτῳ καὶ μήτηρ ἢ τούτων πατέρες ἢ μητέρες ἐν οἰκίᾳ κεῖνται 
κειμήλιοι ἀπειρηκότες γήρᾳ, μηδεὶς διανοηθήτω ποτὲ ἄγαλμα αὑτῷ, τοιοῦ- 
τον ἐφέστιον ἵδρυμα ἐν οἰκίᾳ ἔχων, μᾶλλον κύριον ἔσεσθαι: ἐὰν δὴ κατὰ 
τρόπον γε ὀρθῶς αὐτὸ θεραπεύῃ ὁ Kextnyevos.—Plato de Legib. Lib. 
x1. et ap. Stobei Floril. ubi supra. ] 


18 
[BULLINGER. | 


The pains. 
and travails 
of mothers 


in childbirth. 


274 THE SECOND DECADE. [SERM. 


parents, when they be angry without a cause, or do what 
they list, whether it be by word or deed; knowing always, 
that the father is rightfully angry with his son, though he be 
angry for nothing else but because he thinks that his son 
hath done to him the thing that he should not. Let us, 
therefore, erect to our parents, even when they be dead, 
monuments seemly for their estate while they were alive: 
which if we shall do, then shall we undoubtedly be worthily 
rewarded at the hands of the gods” Thus much hath 
Plato. St Hierome saith: “ Pay to mothers the reverence 
that ye owe them, who, serving you with the pain of their 
own wombs, do bear the weight of your bodies; and, carrying 
about the infant unknown, do, as it were, become servants to 
them that shall be born. At that time the mother hungereth, 
not to the filling of her own belly, neither doth she alone 
digest and feed upon the meat that she eateth: with the 
mother’s meat is the babe nourished that lieth within her; 
his members are fed with another body’s eating; so that the 
man that shall be is filled with the morsels that the mother 
swalloweth. What should I rehearse the nourishment that 
they give to their children, and the sweet injuries of wayward 
infancy, that they take and put up by means of their little 
ones? Why should I speak of the meat digested of the 
mother, which, coming from the other parts of her body into 


[} Τονέων δὲ μετὰ ταῦτα τιμαὶ ζώντων, ὡς θέμις ὀφείλοντα ἀποτίνειν 
τὰ πρῶτά τε καὶ μέγιστα ὀφειλήματα, χρεῶν πάντων πρεσβύυτατα: νομί- 
ζειν δὲ, ἃ κέκτηται καὶ ἔχει, πάντα εἶναι τῶν em δαΡοων καὶ θρεψαμέ- 
νων πρὸς τὸ παρέχειν αὐτὰ εἰς ὑπηρεσίαν ἐκείνοις κατὰ δύναμιν πᾶσαν, 
ἀρχόμενον ἀπὸ τῆς οὐσίας, δεύτερα τὰ τοῦ σώματος, τρίτα τὰ τῆς ψυχῆς, 
ἀποτίνοντα δανείσματα ἐπιμελείας τε καὶ ὑπερπονούντων ὠδῖνας παλαιὰς 
ἐπὶ νέοις δανεισθείσας, ἀποδιδόντα δὲ παλαιοῖς ἐν τῷ γήρᾳ σφόδρα κε- 
χρημένοις. Παρὰ δὲ πάντα τὸν βίον ἔχειν τε καὶ ἐσχηκέναι χρὴ πρὸς αὑτοῦ 
γονέας εὐφημίαν διαφερόντως, διότι κούφων καὶ πτηνῶν λόγων βαρυτάτη 
ζημία" πᾶσι γὰρ ἐπίσκοπος τοῖς περὶ τὰ τοιαῦτα ἐτάχθη Δίκης Νέμεσις 
ἄγγελος. Θυμουμένοις τε οὖν ὑπείκειν δεῖ καὶ ἀποπιμπλᾶσι τὸν θυμὸν, 
ἐάν τ᾽ ἐν λόγοις ἐάν τ᾽ ἐν ἔργοις δρῶσι τὸ τοιοῦτον, ξυγγιγνώσκοντα ὡς 
εἰκότως μάλιστα πατὴρ υἱεῖ δοξάζων ἀδικεῖσθαι θυμοῖτ᾽ ἂν διαφερόντως. 
Τελευτησάντων δὲ γονέων ταφὴ μὲν ἡ σωφρονεστάτη καλλίστη, μήθ᾽ 
ὑπεραίροντα τῶν εἰθισμένων ὄγκων μήτ᾽ ἐλλείποντα ὧν οἱ προπάτορες 
τοὺς ἑαυτῶν γεννήτας ἐτίθεσαν... Ταῦτ᾽ ἂν ποιοῦντες καὶ κατὰ ταῦτα 
ζῶντες ἑκάστοτε ἕκαστοι τὴν ἀξίαν ἂν παρὰ θεῶν καὶ ὅσοι κρείττονες 
ἡμῶν κομιζοίμεθα.----ῬἸ]αίο de Legib. Lib. 1v. et ἂρ. Stobeei Floril. 
Vol. ur. p. 116.] 








v.] THE FIFTH PRECEPT OF THE TEN COMMANDMENTS, 275 


her paps, is turned there into milk and moisture, to fill the 
weak and tender jaws with thin and liquid food for nourish- 
ment? By nature the infants are compelled to take of their 
mothers that which they drink; and when as yet their tooth- 
less gums are not able to bite, then do they with the labour- 
ing of their lips draw that from their mother’s breasts that 
they need not to chew. The mother’s dug doth serve the 
child, and still attendeth upon the swathled babe; her hands 
to hold, and her back to bend, are ready still to dandle the 
suckling’s limbs, that she loves full well, God wot. The 
mother desireth often and earnestly to have her youngling 
grow, and wisheth full many a time to see him aman. For 
these so many and so great good deeds ought the child, once 
come to age, to apply himself to do her service with a good 
and ready mind and heart. Let nature’s debt be paid; let 
them that follow have their due. Pay, child, that which 
thou owest, and shew thy bounden duty by all manner of 
service, whatsoever it be; because no man is able to pay to 
his parents so much as he oweth them.” Thus far out of 
Hierome. 

Now touching the country wherein every one is born and 
brought up; every man doth well esteem of it, love it, and 


[2 Matribus quoque debitam impendite reverentiam, que, vobis 
uteri labore servientes, pondus vestri corporis tolerant; atque ignotam 
portantes infantiam, famulatum quendam exhibent nascituris. Illo 
tempore non sibi tantum mater esurit, nec acceptos sola digerit cibos. 
Materno victu alitur et ille qui latet, ejusque membra alterius comes- 
tione pascuntur; ut homo futurus alienis morsibus saturetur. Quid 
ipsa memorem nutrimenta, et tenere infantiz dulces injurias, quas 
nutritoris affectus de suis parvulis sumit? Quid cibos in matre con- 
fectos, qui foemineis manantes ex membris lacteum solvuntur in succum, 
et fauces invalidas liquido sapore perfundunt? Cogente natura su- 
munt infantes de matre quod bibant, et dente non nato hoe sibi curren- 
tibus labris eliciunt, quod non sit necesse mordere. Serviunt materna 
posteris pectora, serviunt ipsis incunabulis, manus et terga membris 
devota lactentium gratos artus accipiunt. Optat mater parvulum 
crescere ; optat cito videre majorem..... His tot tantisque praeceden- 
tibus factis—matri tota debet alacritate serviri. Reddatur nature 
debitum; reddatur et posteris quod debetur. Exsolve, fili, quod 
debes, et officia debita qualicunque exhibe famulatu, quia parentibus 
nemo potest reddere quod debetur.—Hicron. Opp. Par. 1706. Tom. 
v. p. 97. Epist. de Honorandis Parentibus. The Benedictine editors 
consider that this treatise is not Jerome’s. ] 


18—2 


For the ho- 
nouring of 
our country. 


A ile in 
defence of 
our country. 


276 THE SECOND DECADE. [SERM. 


wish to advance it; every man doth deck it with his virtue 
and prowess; every one doth help it with all sorts of benefits, 
stoutly defending it, and valiantly fighting for it, if need be, 
to save it from violent robbers. What is, I pray you, more 
to be delighted in, than the good platform of a well ordered 
city, wherein there is (as one did say) the church well 
grounded ; wherein God is rightly worshipped ; and wherein 
the word of God in faith and charity is duly obeyed, so far 
forth as it pleaseth God to give the gift of grace; wherein 
also the magistrate doth defend good discipline and upright 
laws; wherein the citizens are obedient and at unity among 
themselves, having their assemblies for true religion and mat- 
ters of justice; wherein they use to have honest meetings in 
the church, in the court, and places of common exercise ; 
wherein they apply themselves to virtue and the study of 
learning, seeking an honest living by such sciences as man’s 
life hath need of, by tillage, by merchandise, and other handy 
occupations ; wherein children are honestly trained up, parents 
recompensed for their pains, the poor maintained of alms, and 
strangers harboured in their distress? There are therefore 
in this commonweal virgins, married women, children, old 
men, matrons, widows, and fatherless children. If any (by 
the naughty disposition of nature) transgress the laws, they 
are worthily punished; the guiltless are defended; peace, 
Justice, and civility doth flourish, and is upheld. Now what 
is he, that can abide to behold! such a commonweal, the 
country where he is born and bred up, to be troubled, vexed, 
torn, and pulled in pieces, either by seditious citizens or 
foreign enemies? In civil seditions and foreign wars all 
virtue and honesty is utterly overthrown, virgins defiled, 
matrons uncivilly dealt withal, old men derided, and religion 
destroyed. Wherefore the valiant captain Joab, being ready 
to fight against the Syrians in defence of his country, speak- 
eth to his brother Abisai, saying : “ If the Syrians be stronger 
than I, then shalt thou help me; but if the sons of Ammon 
be too strong for thee, then will I come and aid thee. Be 
courageous therefore, and let us fight lustily for our people, 


_and for the cities of our God: and let the Lord do the thing 


that is good in his own eyes.” Moreover Judas Machabeus, 


[1 sequis et patientibus oculis videat, Lat. ] 
(2 2 Sam. x. 11, .12.] 











v. | THE FIFTH PRECEPT OF THE TEN COMMANDMENTS. it 


a man among the Israelites worthily esteemed, and a famous 
warrior, and singularly affected toward his country, encourag- 
ing his soldiers and countrymen against their enemies, said: 
‘They come upon us wrongfully in hope of their force, to 
spoil and make havoc of us, with our wives and children; 
but we fight for our lives and liberty of our laws, and the 
Lord will destroy them before our faces.” The people also 
among themselves, exhorting one another, do cry out and 
say: “ Let us take this affliction from our people, and let us 
fight for our nation and our religion®,” 

Let not any man make an objection here, and say: 
“Tush, these are works pertaining to the law, which we, 
that are of the church of Christ, have nothing to do with- 
al.” For the apostle Paul, speaking to the Hebrews, as 
concerning christian faith, doth say: “ These through faith Heb. xi. 
did subdue kingdoms, wrought righteousness, were valiant 
in fight, and turned to flight the armies of aliants‘.” Now, 
since our faith is all one, and the very same with theirs, 3 σον. iv. 
it is lawful for us, as well as for them, in a rightful quarrel 
by war to defend our country and religion, our virgins and 
old men, our wives and children, our liberty and possessions. 
They are flatly unnatural to their country and countrymen, 
and do transgress this fifth commandment, whosoever do 
(under the pretence of religion) forsake their country afflicted 
with war, not endeavouring to deliver it from barbarous 
soldiers and foreign nations, even by offering their lives to 
the push and prick of present death for the safeguard thereof. 
St John saith: “ By this we know his love, because he gave 1 Jobn iii 
his life for us; and we ought to give our lives for the bre- 
thren.” The hired soldiers®, who fight unlawful battles for pay 
of wages, and sell their bodies for greediness of money, shall 
judge the men that leave their country in peril and danger. 
For the one put loss of life and limbs in adventure for gain of a 
few odd crowns; whereas the other dainty fools and effeminate 


[3 1 Mace. iii. 20—22, 43.] 

[4 Hebr. xi. 33, 34.] 

[5 “In 1549, he (Bullinger) by his influence hindered the Swiss 
from renewing their league with Henry II. of France, representing to 
them, that it was neither just nor lawful for a man to suffer himself to 
be hired to shed another man’s blood, from whom himself had never 
received any injury.”—Chalmers’ Biogr. Dict. Vol. vit. p. 280.] 


Lovers of 
their coun- 
try. 


278 THE SECOND DECADE. [SERM. 


hearts will not hazard the loss of a limb for their religion, ma- 
gistrates, wives, children, and all their possessions. What, I 
beseech you, shall those traitors to their country say in that 
day, wherein the Lord shall reward the lovers and the unnatural 
traitors of their country and countrymen; when before their 
eyes they shall see the Gentiles to excel them in virtue and 
love to their country-people!? Publii Decii, the father and 
the son, gave their lives freely for the safeguard of the com- 
monweal, and died willingly for the love of their country? 
Codrus, the natural and loving king of the Athenians, when he 
understood by the oracle of Apollo that Athens could not be 
saved but by the king’s death, and that therefore the enemies 
had given commandment that no man should wound the king; 
this Codrus laid aside his kinglike furniture, and, clothing him- 
self in base apparel, rushed into the thickest of his enemies, 
and found the means by egging to provoke one of them perforce 
to kill him’. The two brethren, called Phileni, chose rather to 
lengthen their country with a mile of ground than to prolong 
their lives with many days; and therefore did they suffer 
themselves to be buried alive*. But what suffer we for the 
health and safeguard of our country? Hierocles saith: “ Our 
country is as it were a certain other god, and our first and 
chiefest parent. Wherefore he, that first called our country 
by the name of patria, did not unadvisedly give it that name, 
but called it so in respect of the thing which it was indeed ; 
for patria, ‘our country,’ is derived of pater, ‘a father,’ 
and hath his ending or termination in the feminine gender, 
thereby declaring, that it taketh the name of both the parents. 
And this reason doth covertly lead us to think that our coun- 
try, which is but one, ought to be reverenced and loved as well 
as both our parents, jointly knitting them together, to make 
them equal in honour.” 


[ Curtius Romanus adolescens nobilissimus in hiatum fori ingen- 
tem sese preecipitem dedit, ut sua morte spontanea servaret patriam, 
Lat.; omitted by the translator. Curtius, a most noble Roman youth, 
cast himself headlong into a vast gulph in the forum, that by his 
voluntary death he might preserve his country.—Liy. Lib. vu. cap. 6.] 

[3 Liv. Lib. vit. cap. 9, and Lib. x. cap. 28.] 

[8 Justin. Lib. m. cap. 6. Vell. Patercul. Hist. Rom. Lib. 1. cap. 2. 
Valer. Max. Lib. v. cap. 6.] 

[6 Sallust. de Bell. Jug. p. 333. Lugd. Bat. 1654.] 

[5 Ἔστι yap ὡσανεὶ δεύτερός tis θεὸς αὕτη (i.e. ἡ πατρὶς) νὴ Δία, 











v.] THE FIFTH PRECEPT OF THE TEN COMMANDMENTS. 279 


Furthermore, we must make our earnest prayer for the i ae 
safeguard of our country. Babylon was not the country of country. 
the Jews; but yet, for because the Jews for their sins were 
banished by God to Babylon for the space of seventy years, 
Babylon was counted to them instead of their country. And 
therefore saith the prophet Jeremy: “ Build up houses, and 
dwell therein; plant gardens, and eat the fruit thereof; marry 
wives, and beget sons and daughters, and give them in mar- 
riage, that they may get children. Seek the peace of that city 
to which I do carry you, and pray to the Lord for it; be- 
cause your peace and safeguard is joined to the peace thereof.” 
Chapter twenty and nine. Traitors to their country therefore 
sin exceedingly, whom the laws of the realm do command for 
their foul offence to be hanged and quartered. 

Touching the magistrate and his office, I mean to speak of Geers 
them in another place: so much as it is necessarily requisite to magis- 
for this present time St Peter uttereth, where he saith, “ Fear 
God, honour the king®.”’ Let us therefore acknowledge and 
confess, that the magistrate’s office is ordained of God for men’s 
commodity, and that God by the magistrate doth frankly be- 
stow on us very many and great commodities. The peers? do 
watch for the common people, if they do rightly discharge 
their office, not shewing themselves to be detestable tyrants ; 
they judge the people, they take up controversies, they keep 
justice in punishing the guilty and defending innocents, and, 
lastly, they fight for the people. And for the excellency of 
their office, which is both the chiefest and the most necessary, 

God doth attribute to the magistrate the use of his own name, 
and calleth the princes and senators of the people gods®, 
to the intent that they by the very name should be put in 
mind of their duty, and that the subjects might thereby learn 
to have them in reverence. God is just, good, righteous, and 
one which hath no respect of persons: and such an one 


πρῶτος καὶ μείζων γονεύς" map’ ὃ δὴ καὶ ὁ τοὔνομα τῷ πράγματι τιθέ- 
μενος οὐκ ἀνεντρεχὲς ἔθετο, παρασχηματίσας μὲν τῷ πατρὶ, θηλυκῶς δ᾽ 
ἐξενεγκὼν, ἵν᾿ οἷον μίγμα τυγχάνοι, τῆς τε τοῦ πατρὸς καὶ τῆς μητρώας. 
Καὶ δὴ οὗτος μὲν ὁ λόγος ὑπαγορεύει πατρίδα τιμᾷν, ἐπίσης τοῖς δυσὶ 
γονεῦσι τὴν piav.—Hierocles ap. Stobei Floril. ed. Gaisford. Vol. π. 
pp. 75, 76.] ; 

[6 1 Pet. ii. 17.] (7 principes, Lat. ] 

[8 Psal. lxxxii. 1,6; John x. 34, 35.] 


Against 
Ἐπ ποῦς 


rebels. 


280 THE SECOND DECADE. [SERM. 


ought the good judge or magistrate to be. Monks and 
heremites! do praise their profession or solitary life, extolling 
it above the skies; but I think verily, that there is more true 
virtue in one politic man, who governeth the commonweal and 
doth his duty truly, than in many thousands of monks and here- 
mites!, who have not so much as one word expressed in the holy 
scriptures for the defence of their vocation and vowed order 
of living: yea, I am ashamed that I have compared the holy 
office of magistrates with that kind of people, in whom there 
is nothing found worthy to be compared with them, insomuch 
as they fly from the labour and ordinance that God hath made 
profitable for their people and countrymen. Truly, if the 
prince do faithfully discharge his office in the commonweal, he 
heapeth up to himself a number of very good works and 
praise that never shall be ended. Therefore the magistrate 
must be obeyed, and all his good and upright laws. No 
sedition or conspiracies ought in any case to be moved against 
him. We must not curse or speak evil of the magistrate. 
For God himself in his law doth charge us, saying: ‘“ Thou 
shalt not speak evil of the gods, nor curse the prince of the 
people?.” If he chance at any time to sin, let us behave our- 
selves toward him as to our father; of whom I have spoken 
a little before. 

It happeneth oftentimes, that magistrates have a good 
mind to promote religion, to advance common justice, to de- 
fend the laws, and to favour honesty ; and yet notwithstand- 
ing, they are troubled with their infirmities, yea, sometime 
with grievous offences: howbeit, the people ought not there- 
fore to despise them and thrust them beside their dignity. 
David had his infirmities, albeit otherwise a very good 
prince. By his adultery he endamaged much his people and 
kingdom: and, for to make his trouble the more, Absolon 
sinned grievously, and went about to put him beside his 
crown and kingdom. So likewise in other princes there are no 
small number of vices, which nevertheless neither move nor 
ought to move godly people to rebellious sedition, so long as 
justice is maintained and good laws and public peace defended. 


{1 Anachoretee, Lat. ] [2 Ex. xxii. 28.] 


[3 Peccavit tamen graviter Absolon, qui, &c., Lat. Yet Absalom 
sinned, &c. 


v.] THE FIFTH PRECEPT OF THE TEN COMMANDMENTS. 281 


We ought to pray earnestly and continually for the magis- 
trate’s welfare. We must aid him with our help and counsel, 
so oft as need shall serve and occasion be given. We must 
not deny him our riches or bodies to assist him withal. The 
saints did gather their substance in common to help the magis- 
trate, so oft as public safeguard did so require. The Israelites 
of all ages did always fight for their judges, for their kings 
and other magistrates; and so did all other people upon 
good advice taken: and likewise, on the other side, did the 
princes fight for the people. I would therefore that those 
offices of godly naturalness were of force and did flourish 
even at this day in all kingdoms, cities, and commonweals. 
᾿ Let every nation give to his magistrate that which by 
law, or by custom, or by necessity, it oweth him. For 
Paul the apostle saith: ‘Give to every one that which ye 
owe; tribute to whom tribute belongeth, custom to whom 
custom, fear to whom fear, and honour to whom honour is 
due.” Rom, xiii. 

Now, for because the guardians or overseers of orphans Thehonour 


due to guar- 


do supply the room of parents, and execute the offices of dians and 
deceased parents to the children that remain, they do worthily occupations. 
deserve to have the reward that is due to parents, whether it 

be love, reverence, thanks, or obedience. The same also do 

I judge touching workmen and masters of sciences, who, for 

the fatherly affection, love, good-will, faith, and diligence 
shewed to their scholar or apprentice, ought mutually of their 
scholars to be regarded as a master; to be reverenced, feared, 

and hearkened unto, as a loving father. But in these un- 

happy days of ours it is abominable to see the negligence of 

masters in teaching their scholars, and intolerable to behold The office or 
the peevish rudeness of untoward scholars. Let masters ters sand 
therefore learn here to shew themselves to be fathers, not 
being otherwise affected toward their scholars than toward 
their own children. Let them teach their apprentices their 
science or occupation, and train them up in manners and all 
points of civility, with the very same care and diligence that 

they use in bringing up their own. On the other side, let 
youths learn to break their natural ingraffed rudeness, and 

to bridle their youthful lusts; let them learn to be humble 

and subject, to keep silence, to reverence, to fear, to love, and 
obey their masters. Let them always remember, that their 











282 THE SECOND DECADE. [SERM. 


masters are given them of God, and therefore that God is 
despised in their contemned masters. Let them be diligent, 
earnest, and trusty in their work. Let them give their 
masters cause to perceive their earnest desire and ready 
good-will, that they bear to him, their occupation, and princi- 
ples of their science. Let every one think upon, and dili- 
gently practise indeed, the things that their master teacheth 
by word of mouth. Let them not grudge to watch and 
take pains. Let not the masters be grieved, so often as they 
be asked how to do a thing, to shew it readily in every 
point as it should be done’. Unthankfulness and lack of 
diligence in the scholar doth many times make the master 
unwilling and negligent to teach him. Observe this, and, in 
the rest, fear God, and have an eye to sound religion. When 
thou art abroad, come not in company of blasphemous and 
riotous toss-pots?; behave thyself honestly, provoke no man 
to anger, despise no man, speak ill of no man, desire peace 
and quietness, honour all men, and strive to do good to every 
one. When thou art at home, help forward thy master’s 
commodity; do not endamage him nor his affairs; if any man 
either hurt, or doth go about to hinder him, give him warn- 
ing of it betimes; seek to appease, and hide as much as thou 
canst, all occasions of falling out and chidings; whatsoever 
thou hearest at home, do not blab it abroad, and make no 
tales at home of that that thou hearest abroad. Be silent, 
quiet, chaste, continent, temperant, trusty in deeds, true in 
words, and willing to do any honest and household business, 
Beware of them by whom evil suspicions and offences may 
chance to arise. Do not over-boldly dally with thy master’s 
wife or daughters, nor yet with his maidens; do not stand 
familiarly talking with them in sight or secretly. Imagine 
thou (as it is indeed) that thy master’s wife is thy mother, 
his daughters thy sisters; whom to defile, it is a filthy and 
villanous offence. Let every young man be neat, not nasty ; 
gentle, just, content with a mean diet, not licorice-lipped nor 


[1 The translator seems here to have missed Bullinger’s meaning. 
The Latin is: Sit gratus fideliter docenti magistro, ut seepius roganti 
de modo agendi dignetur fideliter indicare omnia. Bullinger still 
declares the duty of the apprentice to his master, and not of the 
masters to their apprentices. ] 

[3 luxuriosorum, Lat. ] [3 pacificus, justus, Lat. ] 











V.| THE FIFTH PRECEPT OF THE TEN COMMANDMENTS. 288 


dainty-toothed*#. But why stay I hereabout so long? Let 
every young man be persuaded and keep in memory, that 
his duty is to keep himself chaste from filthy defilings, to 
obey and not to rule, to serve all men, to learn always, to 
speak very little, not to brag of any thing over arrogantly, 
not to answer tip for tap®, but to suffer much and wink 
thereat. 
For the honouring of ministers of the churches, which The honour 


ue to minis 


are the pastors, teachers, and fathers of christian people, ters of the 
many things are wont to be alleged by them who covet 
rather to reign as lords, than to serve as ministers, in the 
church of Christ. But we, which are not of that aspiring 
mind, do acknowledge, that they are given us by the Lord, 
and that the Lord by them doth speak to us. I speak here 
of those ministers which tell us not a headless tale of their 
own dreams®, but preach to us the word of truth: for of 
them the Lord in the gospel saith, ‘He that heareth you 
heareth me, and he that despiseth you despiseth me’.” 
Wherefore the ministery is of the Lord, and through it he 
worketh our salvation. And therefore must we obey the 
ministers which do rightly execute their office and ministery ; 
we must think well of them; we must love them and con- 
tinually pray for them; and since they sow to us their hea- 
venly things, we must not deny them the reaping of our 
bodily and temporal things. “For the labourer is worthy of 1 Cor. ix. 
his reward.” And since the Roman president among the 
Jews did not deny it, but aided the apostle Paul against the 
pretended® murder and open wrong of the Jewish nation ; a Acts xxiii 
christian magistrate, verily, ought not to deny his assistance 
and defence to the godly ministers of Christ and the churches. 
Hereunto belong the testimonies of St Paul, that may be 
alleged. In the last chapter of his first epistle to the Thes- 
salonians he saith: “We beseech you, brethren, to know 
them which labour among you, and have the oversight of 
you in the Lord, and admonish you; that ye may have them 


(4 non palato delicato et moroso, Lat. ] 

[> non responsare, Lat. Shakspeare has tap for tap. King Henry 
IV. Part 2. Act II. Scene 1.—Tip, to strike lightly. Wilson’s Dict.] 

[ὁ qui non sua nobis adferunt somnia, Lat. ] 

(7 Luke x. 16.] 

[8 conceptum, Lat.] 


284 THE SECOND DECADE. [SERM. 


in reputation through love for their work, and be at peace 
with them!” Again, to the Hebrews he saith: ‘ Obey them 
that have the rule over you, and give place unto them; for 
they watch for your souls, as they that shall give account 
for them, that they may do it in joy, and not in trembling ; 
for that is unprofitable for you®.” For how many and _ great 
calamities have fallen upon kingdoms and peoples for the 

Thecontempt contempt of God’s word and his ministers, many examples 

ters of God's can teach us; but that especially, which in the last chapter 
of the second book of Chronicles is set down in these words: 
“The Lord God of their fathers sent to them by his messen- 
gers, rising up betimes, and sending; for he had compassion 
on his people, and on his dwelling-place. But they mocked 
the messengers of God, and despised his words, and jested at 
his prophets, until the wrath of God arose against his people, 
and till there was no remedy.” 

Like unto this are the words of the Lord in the gospel, 
where he saith: “1 send unto you prophets and wise men, 
some of whom ye shall scourge and kill, that all the righteous 
blood may light upon you, which hath been shed upon the 
earth; from the blood of the righteous Abel, unto the blood 
of Zacharias, the son of Barachias, whom ye slew between 
the temple and the altar;” and so forth: for the place is 
known to you all, dearly beloved, and is to be seen in the 
twenty-third chapter after St Matthew. We must beware 
therefore, in any case, that we do not despise God, who 
speaketh to us in his word by his servants the prophets. 

The honour We owe, by the force of this commandment, all love, 
kinsfolks. reverence, help, comfort, and humanity to our kinsfolks and 
alliance. In this commandment? are they condemned that 
shew themselves to be ἄστοργοι“, that is to say, men without 
all natural affection and friendly love to their own blood and 
kinsfolks. There is a certain natural affection, good-will, love, 
and pitiful mercy (which the scripture calleth the “ bowels of 


(! chap. v. 12, 13. pacem habete cum illis, Lat., Erasmus’ version. 
“And be at peace with them,” Tyndale’s Test. 1525, and Cranmer, 
1539. ] 

(2 Hebr. xiii. 17.] 

(8 sicut et Apostolicis scriptis, Lat.; omitted by the translator. As 
also in the Apostolical writings. ] 

{4 Rom. i. 31.] 











y.] THE FIFTH PRECEPT OF THE TEN COMMANDMENTS. 285 


mercy’) in the father and mother toward their children, in 
brother toward brother, and in cousins toward kinsfolks and 
friends of their alliance. We have notable examples hereof set 
down in the scriptures, of Abraham’s love toward his son 
Isaac, and of Joseph’s affection toward his father Jacob and his 
brethren, but especially toward Benjamin his brother by one 
mother. Mothers and daughters-in-law have a notable example 
to follow in Noemi and Ruth. Mothers and daughters-in- law 
(for the most part) do bear a deadly hate the one to the other, 
which is the cause of much mischief in the houses where they 
be. Let them learn therefore by this pretty example® how 
to behave themselves on both parts. Let the mother-in-law 
think the daughter-in-law to be her own daughter; and let 
the daughter-in-law honour and reverence her mother-in-law, 
even as if she were her own mother. Many things must be 
winked at on both sides, many things must be taken in good 
part, and many things put up with a quiet mind. Many 
things must be forgiven; and they must both have their ears 
stopped against tattling tale-bearers and wrongful suspicions. 
Concord in every house is the greatest treasure that may be, 
and discord at home is the most perilous and endless mischief 
that can be invented. Paul his words, touching good turns 
and honour to be given to our kinsfolks, are very well known, 
and extant to be seen in the fifth chapter of his first epistle 
to Timothy. 

Last of all also, there is to be found in the word of God 
a peculiar law for the honouring of old men, which biddeth 
us to rise before the hoary and grey-haired head’. Old men 
therefore are to be honoured, whom we must worthily magnify, 
and in whom we must acknowledge the singular grace of God 
in giving them long life, and that by long and continual ex- 
perience of all things they have attained to much wit or 
wisdom, whereby they are able to help us with their counsel. 
They therefore ought to be praised, that all men may under- 
stand’, that grey hairs are a crown of glory®. Moreover, if 
aged impotent persons are driven into need, then must our 
abundance supply their necessity. To be short, we must not 


[5 quee seriptura viscera vocat, Lat. See Gen. xliii. 30; 1 Kings 
iii. 26: 2 Cor. vii. 15, marg.] 

[6 lepido exemplo, Lat. ] [7 Levit. xix. 32.] 

[8 et preedicent, Lat. ; omitted. ] (9 Prov. xvi. 31.] 


For the ho- 
nour due to 
old men. 


286 THE SECOND DECADE. [SERM. 


deny to old men any duty of humanity wherewith we may 
pleasure them. In the same sort, also, there are here com- 
mended unto us widows, orphans, wards, poor men, strangers, 
sick and miserable people. And for that cause did the de- 
vout and good men of old bestow their goods liberally to the 
refreshing of old men, widows, fatherless children, and poor 

church silly! creatures. Those goods at this day are called church 

7 goods, or ecclesiastical contributions?: which, undoubtedly, 
are very well bestowed, if they be laid out on them for whom 
they were given. In the emperor’s constitutions we may see 
that there were common houses and substance builded and 
appointed for all sorts of needy people: for there is mention 
made of houses for fatherless children, of hospitals for old 
men, of spittles for beggars, of places for sick men, and 
nurseries for children’. Among us, at these days, there are 
hospitals and monasteries, very many whereof have several 
places appointed for orphans, old men, poor people, impotent 
creatures, sick persons, and infants. They therefore do com- 
mit an unappeasable offence, whosoever bestow to other uses 
the substance and places ordained for old and poor people, 
and lash out (they care not how prodigally) in riot and lus- 
tiness the alms bestowed upon poor silly souls. 

And now hitherto have I declared how our parents ought 
to be honoured, and they which are contained under the 
name of parents. 

The promise There is now remaining the third and last part of our 


made to those 


that worship present treatise, wherein we have to see what God promiseth 


their parents, 


and threaten to them that honour their parents religiously; whereby we 


ings against 
such as de- 


speether have to gather, what peril hangs over the heads of them that 
paren wickedly neglect and irreligiously despise their parents. The 
Lord in the law therefore saith: ‘That thy days may be 
long in the land which the Lord thy God shall give thee.” 
The meaning of which saying is: Honour thy father and thy 
mother, that thou mayest for many days enjoy the possession 
of the land which thou shalt have in testimony of my favour 


[} silly, 1. 6. weak.] [2 facultates ecclesiastics, Lat. ] 

[3 Orphanotrophiorum, Gerontocomiorum, Ptochotrophiorum, No- 
socomiorum, et Brephotrophiorum, Lat. See also Bucer’s Script. 
Anglic. de Regno Christi, p. 82. Basil. 1577. These are often men- 
tioned in Novell. Justinian. ] 

[4 Coenobia et Hospitalia, Lat. ] 











v.] THE FIFTH PRECEPT OF THE TEN COMMANDMENTS, 287 


to thee-ward. These words do properly belong to the Jews. 
But very well and truly doth a godly minister of Christ, 
writing upon this place, say: “ Because the whole earth is 
blessed to the faithful, we do nothing amiss, when we reckon 
this present life among the blessings of God. Wherefore this 
promise appertaineth as well to us as to the Jews, because the 
prolonging of this present life is a testimony of God’s especial 
favour®.” He promiseth assuredly to them that do religiously 
honour their parents, in what land soever they dwell, all 
kind of blessings, felicity, and store of temporal things, with 
a sweet prolonging of this present life. For Paul, interpret- 
ing this in the sixth chapter of his epistle to the Ephesians, 
saith : “ That it may go well with thee, and that thou mayest 
live long upon the earth:’ meaning any land whatsoever, 
and promising a temporal blessing of the Lord. 

We therefore gather hereupon, that the contrary is threat- 
ened and set as a penalty upon the heads of those that dis- 
obediently despise their parents. By examples, and other 
places of the scripture, this shall be made more manifest. 
Cham is cursed of his father Noe for behaving himself un- 
reverently toward him, even in his drunkenness®. Joseph is 
exalted to the chiefest dignity in Egypt, because from his 
childhood he honoured God and reverenced his father Jacob. 
Solomon, in the seventeenth chapter of his Proverbs, saith: 
“Whosoever rewardeth evil for good, evil shall not depart from 
his house.” Again: “ He that despitefully taunteth his father, 
and despiseth the old age of his mother, shall be confounded 
and left in reproach,” ‘“ The son that leaveth to keep the dis- 
cipline of his father, shall think of talk of wickedness.” ‘ Whoso 
curseth his father or mother, his light shall be put out, and 
the balls of his eyes shall see nought but darkness.” For 
they are monsters and no men, that are unnatural toward 
their parents; and especially they which do not only neglect 
and despise them, but also beat and uncourteously handle 
them. Such fellows doth the Lord command to be slain, as 


[5 Quia tota terra fidelibus benedicta est, pressentem vitam inter 
Dei benedictiones merito reponimus. Quare ad nos similiter spectat 
ἰδίῳ promissio, quatenus scilicet divinze benevolentie documentum 
nobis est presentis vite duratio.—Calvin. Instit. Lib. 1. cap. 8. § 87. 
Tom. 1x. p. 101. Amst. 1667. ] 

[6 Gen. ix. 25.] 


288 THE SECOND DECADE. [SERM. 


people unworthy to see the light, because they forget and will 
not acknowledge, that by the means of their parents they 
came into the world. ‘He that curseth father or mother,” 
saith the Lord, “let him die the death.” And again: “ He 
that striketh his father or mother, let him die the death’.” 
There is none of you which knoweth not the law, called Lex 
Pompeia®, against such as kill their parents. It is not amiss 
here to hear what the gentile writers say touching this 
matter. Homer saith: 


He did not nourish as he should 
His aged parents dear; 

Therefore the gods did from his youth 
Cut off the jolliest year3. 


And the ancient poet Orpheus saith: 


God sits above, and sees the sons 
That do themselves apply 

To do their fathers’ hests, and those 
That shamelessly deny 


Them to obey; and as he doth 
Bless th’ one with sundry gifts, 

So, for to vex the other, he doth 
Devise a thousand drifts: 


For though despised parents die, 
Yet do their ghosts remain, 
And are of force upon the earth, 
To put their sons to pain‘, 


(1 Ex. xxi. 15, 17.] 

[2 Lex Pompeia de Parricidiis; passed in the time of Cn. Pom- 
peius: “He who killed a father or mother, grandfather or grandmo- 
ther, was whipped till he bled, sewn up in a sack with a dog, cock, 
viper, and ape, and thrown into the sea,” &c.—See Smith’s Dict. 
of Gr. and Rom. Antiquities, 286, a. P.; and Early Writings of 
Bp. Hooper, Parker Soc. ed. p. 368.) 


[2 οὐδὲ τοκεῦσι 

θρέπτρα φίλοις ἀπέδωκε, μινυνθάδιος δέ οἱ αἰὼν 

ἔπλεθ)᾽. Hom. Il. Lib. xv. 301. Ρ.] 
[4 Ζεὺς δ᾽ ἐφορᾷ γονέων ὁπόσοι τίουσι θέμιστας, 


ἠδ᾽ ὅσοι οὐκ ἀλέγουσιν ἀναιδέα θυμὸν ἔχοντες. 

καὶ τοῖς μὲν πρόφρων τε καὶ ἤπιος ἐσθλὰ δίδωσι, 
τοῖς δὲ κακὰ φρονέων νεμεσίζεται ἐμμενὲς ἀεί: 
δειναὶ γὰρ κατὰ γαῖαν ἐριννύες εἰσὶ τοκήων. 


Orpheus ap. Stobsi Floril. ed. Gaisford. Vol. 11. pp. 111, 112.] 





»- 2B HM 


v.] THE FIFTH PRECEPT OF THE TEN COMMANDMENTS. 289 


Moreover, the tragical poet, Euripides, hath : 
To him, that while he lives doth love 
His parents to ober, 
Whether he live, or else do die, 
God is a friend alway. 
And Menander, the comical poet, saith: 
The wretch is worse than mad, that with 
His parents falls at odds: 


For wise men greatly reverence them, 
And honour them as gods’. 


Virgil also, among other horrible vices which are pun- 
ished in hell with eternal and unspeakable pains, doth say : 
Here they that did their brethren hate, 

While life on earth did st, 
Or beat their parents, &c. 
And immediately after: 
He did his country sell for gold, 
And made a tyrant king; 
Fer bribes he made and marrd his coun- 
try’s laws and every thing *. 


And Horace in his Odes sath: 


Tt is a sweet and seemly thing, 
Im country’s cause to die 3. 
And Silmes Italicus hath : 
Doubt not of this; forget it not, 
But keep it in thy mind: 
It is a detestable thing 
To shew thyself unkind 


[3 Ses δὲ τοὺς eee ἐν fe oa, 
ὧδ᾽ ἐστὶ καὶ ζῶν καὶ θανὼν Θεοῖς φίλος. 
Eurip. Heracl ap. Stobsei Ἐοτῖ. Val. mz p. 101} 
[® Δύκας γραφόμενος apis γονεῖς pap, Taker—Menand. ap. Sto- 
οὶ Floril. Vol. m. p. 119} 
[τ Θεοὶ μέγεστοι τοῖς φρανοῖσων οἱ yorus.—Menand. Sentent. Mo- 
ral. Lagd. 1817.] 
he Hie, quibus invisi fratres, dum vita manehbai, 
Pulsatusve parens, dc. 
Vendidit hic auro pairiam, dominumgne potentem 
Imposuit, fixit leges pretio δύο refixit. 
Virg. En. τι. 608, 9. 21, 59} 
P Dalee δὲ decorum est pro pairia mor. 
Her. Od. Lib. uz 2, 13] 


19 
[BULLINGER. ] 


Exod. xxii. 


Eph. vi. 


290 THE SECOND DECADE. [SERM. 


Unto thy native country soil; 
For no such sin remains 
In hell to be tormented there 
With utter endless pains, 
As that: so doth experience teach!. 


These testimonies have I cited to this end and purpose, 
that by these, dearly beloved, ye may gather the heinousness 
of this offence, which the very Gentiles themselves do so 
grievously cry out against and utterly condemn. Cain slew 
his brother Abel, but thereby he gat his reward; to be 
marked with a perpetual blot of ignominy and reproach. 
Semei did intolerably rail upon David, his ordinary magis- 
trate; and therefore was he punished according to his de- 
serts?. Absalom rebelled unnaturally against his father 
David; but, being wrapped by the hair to a tree, and hang- 
ing betwixt heaven and earth, he is horribly thrust through 
with a javelin’, The Lord called them that slew the pro- 
phets by the name of adders’ brood and sons of the devil‘. 
As for them that have reproachfully dealt with old men, or 
troubled widows, they have not gone unpunished. For the 
Lord in the law saith: “ Thou shalt not afflict the widows 
nor fatherless children: but if ye do go on to afflict them, 
they shall undoubtedly cry to me, and I will hear them; and 
my wrath shall wax hot, and I will slay you with the sword, 
and your wives shall be widows, and your children father- 
less.” Thus much hitherto. 

St Paul, alleging this law in his epistle to the Ephesians, 
doth very aptly apply it to our learning and comfort. For 
he saith: “Children, obey your parents, for this is right; 
honour thy father and mother, which is the first command- 
ment in promise, that thou mayest prosper and live long on 
earth. Fathers, provoke not your children to wrath, but 


[1 Jamque hoe (ne dubites) longeyvi, nate, parentis 
Accipe, et eterno fixum sub pectore serva: 
Succensere nefas patrie ; nec foedior ulla 
Culpa sub extremas fertur mortalibus umbras. 
Sic docuere senes. 
Sil. Ital. Punic. Lib. vir. 553.] 
[2 2 Sam. xvi. 5—8; 1 Kings ii. 8, 9, 36—46.] 
(3 2 Sam. xy. and xviii. 14.] 
[* Matt. xxiii. 33; John viii. 38—44.] 





γ.7 | THE FIFTH PRECEPT OF THE TEN COMMANDMENTS, 291 


bring them up in instruction and information of the Lord.” 

In these words he telleth the parents their duty, as well as 

the children. Three things he doth require at the hand of ee 
the parents; that is, to bring up their children, to instruct their eile 
them, and to correct them. For it is the parents’ office to 
nourish, to feed, and bring them up, till they be grown 

to age, that, being once dispatched from hanging on their 
parents any longer, they may get their livings with their 

own labour and travail. It is the parents’ office to teach and 
instruct their children. That teaching or instructing consist- 

eth in three things,—in religion, in manners, and skill of an 
occupation. 

Now touching religion, it hath certain principles, rudi- Children are 
ments, I say, and catechisms to teach by: secondly, it hath styctedm 
the scriptures setting out the word of God, with a full expo- 
sition of all things belonging to God: it hath also mysteries, 
holy signs and sacraments, to teach and to learn by. If the 
householder be conversant among a people which honoureth 
the true religion, and hath received the lawful worship of 
God, with true, faithful, and godly ministers and teachers of 
Christ his church, let him give charge and see that his chil- 
dren go to the holy congregation, there to be instructed in 
religion by the public preacher. Yet nevertheless, let the 
father at home examine his children, and know what they 
have learned by hearing the sermon. Let both the father 
and mother also at home privately do their endeavour to 
teach their children the ten commandments, the Apostles’ 
Creed, and the Lord’s prayer; and let them teach them a 
brief and ready rule out of the scriptures for the under- 
standing of the sacraments. Let them often and many times 
cause them to repeat the catechism, and beat into their heads 
such sentences as are most necessary to put them in memory 
of their faith and duty of life. But if so it be, that the Counselana 
householder have his dwelling with a people that persecuteth {house 
the christian faith and doctrine, which hateth the true and “ΡΠ: 
lawful worship of God’s name, and cannot abide the congre- 
gation and ministers of Christ, (as it happeneth in the Turkish 
captivities and troublesome persecutions of our days;) then 
shall he take heed and keep himself from idolatry: neither 
shall he in his own person go, nor suffer his family to come, 

19-—2 











292 THE SECOND DECADE. [SERM. 


to those ungodly assemblies, but shall rather in his own house 
at home instruct them in true religion, first in the catechism, 
and then in deeper divinity. Moreover, so oft as the case 
and necessity shall require, he must freely and openly profess 
Christ and his gospel. For it is apparently evident by the 
epistles of Paul and other histories, that such churches were 
in private houses of great cities in the time of the apostles 
and thickest of those hot and ancient persecutions!, Neither 
is it likely that the Jews in their captivity at Babylon, al- 
though they lacked the outward use of sacrifices, were alto- 
gether without all worship of God. Although Daniel did 
not sacrifice, yet did he at certain hours in the day-time 
worship God in his own house?, The house of Cornelius at 
Cesarea was the church, wherein Peter preached in a very 
good and ecclesiastical assembly or congregation; and he, 
because Joppe had no church for him to pray in, went up to 
the higher part of the house to make his prayers there’. 
Neither is it to be doubted, but that the eunuch of queen 
Candace’s nobility, of whom mention is made in the Acts of 
the Apostles, did ordain a church in thiopia‘. And let 
them be persuaded, which are without the public and lawful 
use of the sacraments, that that shall not be imputed to their 
default, which is committed, not by them, but by another’s 
offence. For even in such a case can the Lord work well 
by his Spirit in the minds of his people. But where as5, by 
the grace of God, liberty is given for the congregation to 
assemble, and to hear the free, sincere, and true preaching 
of the gospel, and lastly, to celebrate the sacraments, there 
must those private and domestical churches be broken up and 
come to an end: not for because the house of a godly house- 
holder is not, nor remaineth still, a church; but for because 
the hearing of God’s word, prayer, and the celebrating of the 
sacraments, ought to be public and common to all the saints. 


[1 Rom. xvi. 5; 1 Cor. xvi. 19; Coloss. iv. 15; Philem. 2. Bing- 
ham, Orig. Eccles. Book vit. cap. 1. §. 13, and 14; Staveley’s Hist. of 
Churches, chap. 3. pp. 26—34. Lond. 1712 ] 

(2 Dan. vi. 10.] [3 Acts x.] 

{* Acts viii. 27, &c., and Euseb. Eccles. Hist. Lib. 1. cap. 1. Vol. 
I. p. 85. ed. Burton. Oxon. 1838.] 

[5 i.e. where: ubi, Lat.] 











ν.7 THE FIFTH PRECEPT OF THE TEN COMMANDMENTS. 298 


For those assemblies by stealth, which the Anabaptists use, 
and all other sectaries, are both worthily and utterly con- 
demned. 

And now let us hear the testimonies of scripture, which Precepts for 


command all householders to instruct holily their family in ing of our 


the true religion, and to declare to their children the meaning family. 
of the sacraments. Moses in the sixth of Deuteronomy 
saith: ‘Hear, Israel, the Lord our God is Lord only®: 
therefore shalt thou love the Lord thy God with all thy 
heart, with all thy soul, and with all thy might. And these 
words, which I command thee this day, shall be in thy heart. 
And thou shalt shew them unto thy children, and shalt talk 
of them when thou art at home in thine house, and as thou 
walkest by the way, and when thou liest down, and when 
thou risest up. And thou shalt bind them for a sign upon 
thy hand, and they shall be as frontlets between thine eyes’.” 
And again: “ When thy son asketh thee in time to come, 
saying, What mean these testimonies, ordinances, and laws, 
which the Lord our God hath commanded us? Then thou 
shalt say unto thy son: We were Pharaoh’s bondmen in 
Egypt, and the Lord brought us out with a mighty hand, 
and shewed signs and mighty wonders before our eyes; and 
brought us out from thence, and gave us all these precepts 
and statutes to do and to fear the Lord our God.” Here- 
unto belongeth a great part of the seventy-eighth Psalm. 
And in the thirteenth of Exodus the Lord doth say again: 
“ Sanctify to me all the first-born. And when thy son shall 
ask thee in time to come, saying, What is this? Thou shalt 
say to him, The Lord slew all the first-born of Egypt, and 
therefore I sacrifice unto the Lord all the males that open 
the matrix.” Also in the twelfth chapter God, or Moses 
in God’s name, expounding the mystery or sacrament of the 
passover, said’: “" When your children ask you, saying, What 
manner of service is this that ye do? ye shall say, It is the 
sacrifice of the Lord’s passover, which passed over the houses 


[8 unus est, Lat. ] 

[7 Scribes quoque ea super postes domus tuze et in portis tuis, Lat. 
omitted by the translator. “And thou shalt write them upon the 
posts of thy house, and on thy gates.” ] 

[8 inter alia, Lat.] 


The child 
must be 
taught 
manners. 


Children 
must learn 


an oecupa- 


tion. 


294 THE SECOND DECADE. [SERM. 


of the children of Israel,” &c. These testimonies are suffi- 
ciently evident, and need no further exposition. I will now, 
therefore, add to these the other things, which parents have 
to teach their children. 

Let the father instruct his children in manners. We all 
from our birth are clownish and rude; and all children have 
unseemly and uncivil manners: which evil is made double as 
much by evil custom and clownish company. Let the parents, 
therefore, teach their children manners betimes, which may 
adorn them at home, and become them abroad. Let him 
instruct him how to behave himself decently in his going and 
gesture of his body ; how in the church, how in the market, 
how at the table, how in men’s companies, and in all other 
places of company. There are excellent pretty books set out 
for that purpose, so that I need not stand to discuss to you 
the particularities thereof. 

Lastly, let the father place his children with expert and 
cunning! workmen, to teach them some handycraft whereby 
to get their living another day. But first, he must make 
trial of their wits, to see whereunto every one is best apt, 
and wherein he doth most delight. For “cunning will never 
be come by, where good will is wanting in him that must 
learn 105. If thou hast any fit for learning, thou shalt do a 
good and godly deed, to train them up to the ministery of the 
church, or some other office that standeth by learning. But 
of all other those parents are to be found fault withal, that 
bring up their children in lazy idleness. For, although there 
be left unto them huge heaps of treasure, yet in three or four 
odd hours all may be wasted and come to nought. Where- 
unto, then, shall your dainty idle gentleman trust, what shall 
he do, when there is nothing ieft but his bare carcass, that is 
a lump of clay not good for any thing*? The inhabiters of 
Massilia would not admit any into the number of citizens, but 
such as had learned an occupation to live by*. For to a city 
there is no greater a plague than an unprofitable citizen. But 
who, I pray you, may be thought to be a worse citizen than 


[1 fidis et peritis, Lat.] 

[2 Invita Minerva nihil feliciter perfeceris, Lat.—P.] 

[ Quo tune confugiet miser tellurisque inutile pondus? Lat.] 
[4 Valer. Max. Lib. π᾿. cap. 6. § 7.] 











v.] THE FIFTH PRECEPT OF THE TEN COMMANDMENTS. 295 


he that, being accustomed to ease and delicateness, and of a 
sudden by some mishap or else by prodigal riotousness being 
deprived of them both, and driven to extreme poverty, is com- 
pelled, perforce, to seek out unlawful® shifts to get more 
wealth again? Furthermore, they of old had a proverb 
worthy to be remembered of us® at this time: “ Every land 
maintaineth art’.” “ΒΥ this sentence they meant, that learn- 
ing and science is the surest preparation for every journey. 
For they cannot be taken away by thieves, but whithersoever 
thou goest, they bear thee company, and are no burden for 
thee to bear’.” If therefore mishap do spoil thy children of 
the wealth that thou leavest them; if thou hast taught them 
an occupation, it is enough for them to live by. Kings are 
deprived of their prince-like dignity, and put beside their 
exceeding riches; so that it is no marvel though kings’ in- 
feriors be spoiled of their wealth, and banished their countries. 
Dionysius of Syracuse is reported for his tyranny to have 
been thrust beside his seat: but, having lost his kingdom, 
he departed to Corinth, where he set up a school, and taught 
children their grammar and music, whereby in that necessity 
he got his living’. He had been hard bested verily, and in 
a miserable taking, if he had never learned any thing, but 
had settled his hope upon dignity and riches: vain hope had 
been his destruction; for he had died in extreme beggary. 
Thus much touching the bringing up of children in learning 
or knowledge of some occupation. 

I have, in that which is behind, to speak somewhat of corree- 
touching the correction of those that are contained under the 
name of children. This correction consisteth partly in words, 
and partly in stripes. In both there must be had a middle- 
mean and measure, that nothing be done outrageously”. Let 
not the admonition that is given in words be bitterer than the 
fault deserves. Let it nip for the time present; but, being 


[5 injustissimas planeque seditiosas rationes, Lat. ] 

[ὁ omnibus parentibus, Lat. ] 

{7 Artem queevis alit terra, Lat.—Erasmi. Adag. Hanoy. 1617. col. 
368, a.] 

[8 The quotation is from Erasmus’ Adag. in loc. cit.] 

[9 Erasmi Adag. in loc. cit. ; Justin. Lib. xx1. cap. 5; Cic. Tuse. 
Quest. 11.12.) | 

[10 ne quid nimis, Lat. ] 


206 THE SECOND DECADE. [SERM. 


past, let it be spoken of no more. Continual chiding breeds 
contempt. Thou shalt find some children also, with whom 
gentle dealing will somewhat prevail’. And, unless thou do 
sometime praise them and speak well of that which they do, 
although peradventure not so well done as thou wouldest 
require, thou shalt perceive that utter desperation will take 
away hope and courage clean from them. I think it not 
good with too heavy a burden to overawe such children as 
are willing to bear. Stripes must not be bestowed but for 
some great offence, and that too, not in the father’s anger, 
but moderately ; not to mar, but to amend them. Let the 
parents always remember that golden saying of St Paul, 
“Fathers, provoke not your children to anger’.” For the 
best wits are hurt by too much rigorousness. Salomon, where 
he speaketh of moderate correction, saith: “The rod and 
correction giveth wisdom; but the child that runneth at ran- 
dom bringeth his mother to shame.” Again: “ Chastise thy 
son, and thou shalt be at quiet, and he shall bring pleasure 
unto thy soul’.” These words of his do utterly condemn the 
Cockering of father’s cockering*, and the mother’s pampering, which is the 
eo marring of very many children. For the parents offend God 
as much in too much cockering their children, as they do in 
overmuch punishing of them. Heli in the scriptures is ill re- 
ported of for doting over his children; he himself dieth 
miserably, and bringeth the shameless wicked knaves, his 
sons, to a shameful ending®. What is to be thought of that 
moreover, that in the twenty-first of Deuteronomy the parents 
themselves are commanded to bring their disobedient children 
before the judge, and there, by complaint, to sue them to 
death? By this example, which may otherwise seem to be 
somewhat too sharp, it pleased God to put other men in 
remembrance to keep their children in awe and obedience. 
For God is a God of salvation, and not of destruction; so 
that, when disobedient rebels and godless people perish 
through their own default, he turneth that destruction of theirs 
to the safeguard of his obedient servants. Let parents there- 
fore always remember this saying in the gospel: “It is not 


[) plus efficias, Lat. ] [? Eph. vi. 4.] 
[8 Prov. xxix. 15, 17.] 
[* indulgentiam, Lat. ] 
[51 Sam. ii. 29. & iv.] 














ve] THE FIFTH PRECEPT OF THE TEN COMMANDMENTS. 297 


the will of your heavenly Father, that one of these little ones 
should perish. Whosoever offendeth such an one, it were 
better for him that a millstone were hanged about his neck, 
and that he were drowned in the depth of the sea®,.” 

Now, touching the duty of children, I have spoken of it The duty of 
before in the place where I taught, how and after what sort’ 
parents ought to be honoured. Paul, as it were in one word, 
knitteth up much matter, and saith: “ Children, obey your 
parents in the Lord.” He telleth the reason why: “ For 
that,” saith he, “is righteous.” And again he addeth the 
cause, saying: “ For God hath commanded it’.” Let children 
therefore consider and think upon the nightly watchings and 
continual labour that their parents took in bringing them 
up, and let them learn to be thankful for it, and content 
with their present estate. When their parents instruct them, 
let them learn attentively, and shew themselves like to godly 
Jacob rather than to godless Esau. Let them learn to ac- 
custom themselves to good and honest manners. Let them 
willingly learn the art or occupation whereunto they are 
set. Let them yield and submit themselves to their parents’ 
correction. Let them not stir up or provoke their parents to 
anger. Let them choose to learn wit, and obey their parents, 
of their own mind and accord, rather than to be driven to it 
by beating and brawling. If parents at their departure leave 
little behind them for their children to inherit, let not the 
good children therefore speak ill by the dead. If thy father 
hath taught thee any art or occupation, he leaveth for thee a 
sufficient inheritance. Thriftiness, also, and moderate spend- 
ing, 15. a very great revenue®. If thy father hath well and 
honestly taught thee good manners, and trained thee up in 
the true wisdom and perfect religion, then hath he bequeathed 
thee a patrimony sufficient for to maintain thee. For what 
else are exceeding great riches, left to a fool or irreligious 
fellow, but a sword in a madman’s hand? Thou art left 
wealthy enough by thy father’s legacy, if that thou art 
godly, painful, heedful, and honest. For goods gotten by 
the sweat of our own brows do for the most part continue 


[8 Matt. xviii. 14, 6.] 

[7 Ephes. vi. 1, 2.] 

[8 Frugalitas ac parsimonia magnum est vectigal, Lat. Cf. Erasm. 
Adag. Chiliad. fol. 269.4. Parsimonia summum vectigal.] 


The sixth 
precept. 


298 THE SECOND DECADE. [SERM. 


longer, and prosper better with us, than those which other 
leave unto us. 

We have again, dearly beloved, spent an hour and a half 
in handling this matter touching the honour due unto parents. 
I have stayed you longer than of right I should have done, 
but ye shall impute it to the love and good will I bear to the 
matter. I am not ignorant how necessary this argument is, 
almost to all men: and therefore stick I the longer upon it. 
For I endeavour myself, not only to teach you things pro- 
fitable and necessary, but also to beat them into your memories 
so much as I may, to the end that ye never forget them. 
God grant you all a fruitful increase of his holy word, which 
is the seed that is sown in your hearts. Let us pray, &c. 





OF THE SECOND PRECEPT OF THE SECOND TABLE, 
WHICH IS IN ORDER THE SIXTH OF THE TEN 
COMMANDMENTS, THOU SHALT NOT KILL: 

AND OF THE MAGISTRATE. 


THE SIXTH SERMON. 


Justice and innocency are very well joined to’ the 
higher power and magistrate’s authority ; and in this sixth 
precept both public and private peace and tranquillity are 
hedged in and inclosed against open tumults and secret dis- 
cords. And since the life of man is the most excellent thing 
in the world, whereupon all other things, of how great price 
soever they be, do wait and attend; and finally, since the 
body of man is more worth than all other gifts whatsoever ; 
the very natural order doth seem to require, that the sixth 
commandment should be placed next, which God himself 
hath plainly expressed in these few words, “Thou shalt not 
kill?” For in this precept justice and innocency are com- 
manded and commended unto us, wherein also it is provided, 
that no man hurt another’s life or body; and so in this pre- 

[1 subjungitur, Lat. ] 
[2 Exod. xx. 13.—duabas duntaxat vocibus proditum, Non occides, 
Lat. ] 














Υ1.7 THE SIXTH PRECEPT OF THE TEN COMMANDMENTS. 299 


cept charge is given to every one to maintain peace and 
quietness. 

Now here are to be observed the steps that lead to 
murder; wherein we must consider the kinds and causes 
of hurting and annoying. For the Lord doth not simply 
forbid murder, but all things else whereon murder doth con- 
sist. All egging on, therefore, and provoking to anger is 
utterly forbidden; slanderous taunts and brawling speeches 
are flatly prohibited; strife, wrath, and envy, are plainly 
commanded to be suppressed. And in this sense we have 
Christ our Lord himself interpreting this law, where in the 
Gospel after Matthew he saith: “Ye have heard it said of 
old, Thou shalt not kill; whosoever killeth shall be in danger 
of judgment. But I say unto you, that whosoever is angry 
with his brother unadvisedly shall be in danger of judgment. 
And whosoever shall say unto his brother, Racha, shall be in 
danger of a council. But whosoever shall say, Thou fool, 
shall be in danger of hell fire.” Thou seest here, therefore, 
that anger, slander, brawling, and all other tokens of a mind 
moved to utter ill words, are flatly forbidden. What then 
must thou do? Thou must, forsooth, come into charity 
again with him whom thou hast offended; thou must lay 
aside all wrath and envy, unless thou hadst rather have all 
the honour that thou dost to God* be imputed for sin unto 
thee, and that, peradventure, thou wouldest choose rather 
utterly to be condemned. For our Lord goeth on in the 
gospel, and saith: “If therefore thou bring thy gift unto 
the altar, and there rememberest that thy brother have any 
thing against thee, leave there thy gift before the altar,” (he 
speaketh to them, who as then had their temple standing, 
their altar remaining, and burnt-offerings in use; we, at this 
day, have another manner of worshipping God,) “and go thy 
way; first be reconciled to thy brother, and then come and 
offer thy gift.” And again: ‘Agree with thine adversary 
quickly, whiles thou art in the way with him; lest at any 
time the adversary deliver thee to the judge, and the judge 
deliver thee to the minister, and thou be cast into prison. 
Verily, I say unto thee, thou shalt not depart from thence 
until thou hast paid the utmost farthing*.” But for because 


[5 cultum, quem Deo exhibes. ] 
[4 Matt. v. 23—26.] 


Of anger. 


800 THE SECOND DECADE. [SERM, 


so few of us obey this sound and wholesome doctrine of the 
Lord’s, thereby it cometh to pass, that so many great and 
troublesome tumults happen among men. For small is the 
substance of them that obey the word of God, but great is 
the rest and quietness of their consciences. And what plea- 
sure, I pray you, do infinite riches bring to man, since with 
them a man cannot likely be without troublesome cares of 
mind, great turmoils and lack of a quiet life? This law there- 
fore, which tends to no other end, but to teach man the way 
to lead a sweet and pleasant life, doth wholly take from the 
mind of man such immoderate affections as anger and envy 
are, two the most pestilent evils that reign among men. 

As concerning anger, I mean not at this present to speak 
over busily, even as also I have determined to be brief touch- 
ing envy. Of anger many men have uttered many profitable 
sentences: and yet there is an holy kind of anger, which 
the scripture disalloweth not; so that, unless a man be angry 
in that sort, he shall never be a good and godly man. For a 
good man hath a zeal of God, and in that godly zeal he is 
angry at the iniquity and naughtiness of mankind; whereof 
there are many examples to be seen in the scriptures: and 
this anger doth stomach the sin committed, rather than the 
person who doth commit the sin. For the good servant of 
God hateth nothing in the wicked man’s person, but his very 
sin; so that, if the wicked cease once to sin, he will leave to 
hate or be angry therewithal any longer. This anger is 
utterly condemned then, when it springs of evil and corrupt 
affections ; when no just cause is given, but that he, which is 
offended, doth in his anger either fulfil his affection, or else 
hurt or determine to hurt him with whom he is angry. A 
great evil it is, and a fruit, which when it is sown doth yield 
and bring forth one mischief upon another’s neck. And 
therefore doth the apostle of Christ counsel all men not to 
give any place to anger; and if so be it happen that it enter 
into our minds, and stick there awhile, yet that we suffer it 
not to catch fast hold, or take deep root therein. “ Be angry,” 
saith he, “and sin not. Let not the sun set upon your anger, 
and give no place to the devil!” For this is the apostle’s 
meaning: if so it happen, that ye be angry, yet sin not; 
that is, yet bridle your anger. Neither doth the apostle bid 

(1 Eph. iv. 26, 27.] 











vi. | THE SIXTH PRECEPT OF THE TEN COMMANDMENTS. 801 


us to be angry, but willeth us not to let our anger to continue 
long, nor to break out to the working of injury. And παρορ- 
ισμὸς (which word Paul useth) signifieth anger indeed, but 
yet, more rightly, the stirring or provoking to anger ; so that 
thereby we have to understand, that to him, which is by 
injury provoked to anger, although he be somewhat grieved 
and touched at the quick, that grief ought to be but of short 
continuance: neither must we in any case suffer our adver- 
sary”, the devil, to fasten his foot in our hearts, who doth 
through anger by little and little creep into our minds, and 
by continual wrath doth work out envy, by which he doth 
captivate and pervert the whole man, with all his senses, 
words, and works. 

For envy is anger grown into custom by long continu- ofenvy. 
ance, which doth for the most part vex, burn, and (mangle 
him that doth*) envy, more than the party which is envied; 
although the envious doth never cease to devise mischief 
against the man whom he doth envy. It is an endless evil, 
which doth not admit any remedy to take it away. And 
therefore did the Gentiles bait and canvass it to and fro with 
wonderful pretty quips and pithy sentences‘; some of which I 
will not be ashamed here to rehearse, to the intent that coun- 
terfeit Christians, addicted to envy, may be ashamed of it, if 
peradventure they will learn to blush, when they find them- 
selves touched by heathens and paynims. 

Virgil saith: 

In heart, where envy’s seed takes root, 
There grows a poisoned grain, 

Which dries and drinks from every limb 
The blood of every vein; 

And sucks and soaks the marrow bones, 
Until they feeble wax; 

(Such is th’ envenom’d poison’s force,) 
And yet no bone it cracks®. 


[2 calumniator, Lat. This exposition of St Paul’s words is taken 
almost verbatim from Erasmus’ Annot. in loc.] 
[3 invidentem fere torquet, urit, et excarnificat, Lat. The words 
between brackets are accidentally omitted in the translation.] 
[4 Gentes id exagitarunt miris modis, Lat. ] 
[5΄. Livor tabificum malis venenum 
Intactis vorat ossibus medullas, 
Et totum bibit artubus cruorem. 
Fpigr. de Livore. Virgil. Opp. Basil. 1613, p. 1981.] 


302 THE SECOND DECADE. [SERM. 


And therefore saith Horace: 


The Sicil tyrants never found 
A more tormenting hell, 
Than envy was, &c.! 


Silius Italicus crieth out: 


Ill-favour’d envy, ugly hag, 
And dogged end 

Of mortal men, that never could’st 
Abide to lend 

One word to praise praise-worthy deeds, 
But swell’st to see 

Small things increase, and low things grow 
To high degree?. 


Ovid, speaking of envy, describeth it thus: 


Within did devilish envy sit, 
And eat the flesh of snakes, 

To feed the humour of her vice 
With such kind loathly cates: 

With face of tallow-caked hue, 
And body lean like death, 

With squint eyes turn’d nine sundry ways, 
With rusty stinking teeth. 

Her bitter breast was overspread 
With gaid? as green as grass; 

Her tongue, that ceas’d not to say ill, 
With venom poison’d was. 

She never laugh’d, unless it were 
When grief made others weep; 

And fretting care within her heart 
Did keep her eyes from sleep. 

She sees, and pines away to see, 
The good success and state 

Of men that prosper on the earth: 
And so her deadly hate 

Is to herself a deadly plague. 


[i Invidia Siculi non invenere tyranni 
Majus tormentum. 
Hor. Ep. 1. 2, 58.] 
(2 O dirum exitium mortalibus! O nihil unquam 
Crescere, nec magnas patiens exsurgere laudes, 
Invidia ! 
Sil. Ital. Punic. Lib. xvi. 188.] 
[3 Gaid, withes. Shaw’s Gaelic and English Dict. in voc. ] 





ΥἹ.7 THE SIXTH PRECEPT OF THE TEN COMMANDMENTS. 303 


Where as she goes, she mars the corn 
That grows upon the ground; 

She makes on trees that blossoms bear 
There can no fruit be found; 

And with her breath she doth infect 
Whole houses, realms, and towns‘. 


Since, therefore, that envy is so great an evil, and that 
the Lord commandeth to keep ourselves from it, therein doth 
appear the Lord’s goodness to us-ward; and thereby we may 
gather how good and profitable his law is, which tendeth, and 
is given, to none other end, but to set us at liberty from so 
great a mischief. And here, by the way, we do perceive, 
that our fault, and not the waywardness of God, is the cause, 
why many in this world are never at peace and quietness, but 
are exceedingly vexed with continual torments. For as they 
cease not to envy the estate of other, so with their anger they 
disquiet more than themselves, and do at last duly aby® and 
worthily suffer the deserved punishment of their wicked deeds. 

And this law doth not only forbid and restrain the mo- Al hurting 
tions and evil affections of the mind by wrath, anger, and 
envy; but doth also give commandment against all manner 
hurt that riseth by them. Harm and hurt is done by sundry 
means; by beating, by violent thrusting, by overthrowing, by 
pulling, and troubling, although in doing so thou dost not 
wound thy neighbour. But thy sin is the greater, if thou 


{4 


is forbidden. 


videt intus edentem 
Vipereas carnes, vitiorum alimenta suorum, 
Invidiam.-— 
Pallor in ore sedet, macies in corpore toto: 
Nusquam recta acies: livent rubigine dentes ; 
Pectora felle virent: lingua est suffusa veneno; 
Risus abest, nisi quem visi movere dolores. 
Nec fruitur somno, vigilacibus excita curis: 
Sed videt ingratos, intabescitque videndo, 
Successus hominum: carpitque et carpitur una; 
Suppliciumque suum est.— 
Quacumque ingreditur, florentia proterit arva, 
Exuritque herbas, et summa cacumina carpit; 
Afflatuque suo populos, urbesque, domosque 
Polluit. 

Ovid. Met. Lib. 11. 768, &c. 


[5 luunt peenas, Lat. ] 


The law of 
like for like. 


The manners 
of killing. 


The causes 
of murder. 


904 THE SECOND DECADE. [SERM. 


givest him a wound after what sort soever, either with wea- 
pon, or by any means else. And again, thou sinnest yet 
more grievously, if thou dost quite cut off, or otherwise break, 
any limb of his body; if thou puttest out his eyes, or dashest 
a tooth out of his head. So then the better that the limb is 
that thou cuttest off, or puttest out of joint, the greater is the 
sin, and more grievous thine offence. From whence, without 
doubt, the law called lex talionis! took the beginning, which 
commandeth to cut off the hand of him, which did cut off 
another’s hand; and to pluck out the eye of him, which did 
put out another man’s eye. 

Now also, the manner of killing must not be overpassed. 
The Lord saith, ‘Thou shalt not kill” We kill divers 
ways: either we ourselves do the deed, or else we use the 
help of other to strike the stroke; it is done either privily or 
openly. And in this sort again there are very many fashions: 
for we commit murder sometime by holding our peace, some- 
time by dissembling, by giving ill counsel, by consenting, by aid- 
ing, or egging forward to evil. Another peradventure would 
not do the thing that he doeth, but because he seeth that 
thou hastenest him on; but because he knoweth he shall 
please thee thereby ; and because he perceiveth that thy help 
upholdeth him. Although, therefore, that thou with thine 
own hand strike not the stroke, yet the murder, that another 
eommitteth by thy setting on, shall be imputed to thee as 
well as if thou thyself hadst killed the man. And no marvel, 
since John, the apostle and evangelist, calleth hatred man- 
slaughter”. 

Moreover, here are to be touched the causes of murder, 
or doing of mischief. For hereupon standeth, and from 
hence cometh, the mischievous deed and foul offence. Mur- 
der is committed, and the neighbour endamaged, either un- 
wittingly, or else upon pretended? malice. It is done un- 
wittingly, where as, when a man purposeth another thing, by 
ill hap, or, as I should rather say, by the providence of God, 
murder doth ensue. As for example; when my mind is to 
discharge a gun against a buck, meaning to kill the beast, by 


[1 See Smith’s Dict. of Greek and Rom. Antiq. sub voc. talio. 
Arnold’s Hist. of Rome. Chap. xiy. § 2. Vol. 1. p. 286. Lond. 1840.] 

(2 1 John iii. 15.] 

[3 i.e. designed, premeditated. ] 











v1. | THE SIXTH PRECEPT OF THE TEN COMMANDMENTS. 908 


hap I strike a man, who unawares to me was in the same 
wood, cutting timber: or else where as upon simplicity I give 
my friend a draught of poison, where mine intent was to have 
given him a medicine to recover his health. For such chances 
as these hath the Lord in the law‘, and among all nations, 
prepared sanctuaries for men to flee to, as places of refuge. 
Murders proceed of pretended malice, when I, being blinded 
with private greediness, do go about to take from another 
man that which is his, and for resistance do kill him, if he 
yield it not to me. Of that sort are many wars and foughten 
battles now-a-days; and of that sort are robberies and mur- 
ders committed by the highways’ side. That also is pre- 
tended murder, when I, for injury that another man doth me, 
do revenge myself by killing him; or else, when I, being 
mad with anger, or overcome with wine, do murder the man, 
whom otherwise, if 1 were not in that ill-favoured taking, I 
would make much of and love very heartily. 

But now, how foul and detestable an offence murder is, 
that proceedeth of malice, I think it expedient for me to 
declare to you, and you to mark in this that followeth. For 
the consideration thereof, being throughly scanned, must 
needs undoubtedly work so in the hearts of men, that fewer 
murders shall be committed, and that every one shall endea- 
vour himself the more, by suppressing anger, to preserve 
mankind, who is the holy similitude of God himself. The 
very deed of murder itself fighteth directly and disobediently 
against the eternal God, who is the life and salvation of the 
world. For murder destroyeth the very image of God; 
because man is created to the similitude and likeness of God. 
If a man should of purpose deface’ the image of the king or 
prince, set up at their commandment, he should be accused of 
treason committed : in how great danger is he then, that doth 
destroy a man, which is the reasonable, lively, and very pic- 
ture of God himself! We read that Theodosius the emperor did 
determine to destroy a great number of the citizens of Anti- 
och, for none other cause but for overthrowing of the image 
that was set up for the honour of Placilla Augusta. But 
thereunto is added, that one Macedonius, an hermit, came to 
the emperor’s messengers, and said: “Ὁ my friends, go say to 
the emperor, Thou art not an emperor only, but also a man, 
[4 Numb. xxxy. 11, &c.] [5 everteret in foro, Lat. } 


20 





| [ BULLINGER. | 


Sanctuaries. 


How great 
an offence 
murder is. 


206 THE SECOND DECADE. [SERM, 


Do not thou cruelly destroy the image of God. Thou angerest 
thy Maker, when thou killest his image. Consider with thy- 
self, that thou art sorry for an image of brass. Now it is 
evident to all men what difference there is betwixt a thing 
that is dead, and that which hath life and a reasonable soul. 
Moreover, it is an easy matter instead of one brasen image to 
set up more: but it is unpossible to restore one hair to them 
that once are slain!.” Finally, murder is clean contrary to 
the nature of man. For man cherisheth himself, and flesh 
destroyeth not itself, but preserveth and nourisheth itself so 
much as it may. But all we men, as many as live, are of 
one lump, and of the same substantial flesh : and to kill a man 
therefore is against man’s nature. Furthermore, all men are 
the children of one father, of one stock, and of the same pro- 
geny: murder therefore is directly against civil humanity, and 
is a plague that reigns among men. And doth not the Lord 
our Redeemer also require charity of all men, which must so 
abound, that we may not stick to die for our neighbour? To 
kill our neighbour, therefore, is flatly repugnant to christian 
religion, And take this by the way too; that the blood of 
man, shed by murder, crieth out of the earth to heaven for 
revengement: for to Cain, when he had slain his brother, it 
was said, ‘The voice of thy brother’s blood crieth out of the 


[1 Ὃ δῆμος (τῆς ᾿Αντιόχου πόλεως) τὴν χαλκῆν εἰκόνα τῆς πανευφήμου 
Πλακίλλης ... κατήνεγκέ τε καὶ ἐπὶ πολὺ τῆς πόλεως κατέσυρε μέρος. Ταῦτα 


‘ 
πυθόμενος ὁ βασιλεὺς, καὶ χαλεπήνας... ἐμπρήσειν ἠπείλει καὶ καταλύσειν 
XN > , 4 a , , a 3 , > 
kal εἰς κώμην TO ἄστυ μετασκευάσειν. Μακεδόνιος δὲ ὁ θειότατος ... ἐν 
΄ ΄ > ~ - “ ~ 
ταῖς τῶν ὀρῶν κορυφαῖς διαιτώμενος... THs χλανίδος θατέρου (τῶν ἀποστα- 


λέντων ἀπὸ τοῦ βασίλεως) λαβόμενος, ἀμφοτέρους ἐκ τῶν ἵππων καταβῆναι 
κελεύει. ‘O δὲ, της θείας σοφίας ἐμφορηθεὶς, τοιοῖσδε πρὸς αὐτοὺς ἐχρήσατο 
λόγοις" Ἐἴπατε, ὦ φίλοι ἄνδρες, τῷ βασιλεῖ: οὐ βασιλεὺς εἰ μόνον, ἀλλὰ 
καὶ ἄνθρωπος: μὴ τοίνυν μόνην ὅρα τὴν βασιλείαν, ἀλλὰ καὶ τὴν φύσιν 
λογίζου: ἄνθρωπος γὰρ ὧν, ὁμοφυῶν βασιλεύεις. Kar εἰκόνα δὲ θείαν καὶ 


ς , «ε ~ > 6 4 ὃ ὃ ’, , A , σός 4 ‘ 
OLOL@M@OLY ἢ Τῶν αν βρώπων OE ημιουργῆται φύσις" μὴ TOLVUY ὥμως OUT@S Καὶ 


ἀπηνῶς τοῦ Θεοῦ τὴν εἰκόνα κατασφαγῆναι κελεύσῃς" παροξυνεῖς γὰρ τὸν 
δημιουργὸν, τὴν ἐκείνου κολάζων εἰκόνα. Σκόπησον yap, ὡς καὶ σὺ χαλκῆς 
ἕνεκα δυσχεραίνων εἰκόνος ταῦτα ποιεῖς. Ὅσον δὲ τῆς ἀψύχου διαφέρει ἡ 
ἔμψυχός τε καὶ ζῶσα καὶ λογικὴ, δῆλον ἅπασι τοῖς γε νοῦν ἔχουσι. Πρὸς 
δὲ τούτοις λογισάσθω κἀκεῖνα, ὡς ἡμῖν μὲν ῥάδιον ἀντὶ τῆς μιᾶς εἰκόνος 
πολλὰς δημιουργῆσαι χαλκᾶς: αὐτῷ δὲ πάμπαν ἀδύνατον μίαν γοῦν τῶν 
ἀναιρεθέντων δημιουργῆσαι tpixa.—Theodorit. Eccles. Hist. Lib. γ. cap. 
20. Ed. Reading. Cantab. 1720, pp. 219, 220. See also Calfhill’s 
Answ. to Martiall. Parker Soc. ed. p. 22.] 


oe κυ, πὸ - ἃ 








vi.| THE SIXTH PRECEPT OF THE TEN COMMANDMENTS, 307 


earth, and is come up to me.” For bloodshed verily pol- 
luteth and maketh the ground accursed whereon it is shed, 
and is not cleansed again, nor easily appeased, until it do also 
drink the guilty blood of them which spilt before the guiltless 
blood of innocents. Lastly, murders procure and mark the 
committers thereof with endless spots of reproachful infamy ; 
and, that which is worst of all, it bringeth unto them 
everlasting damnation. Wherefore Salomon in his proverbs 
saith: ‘My son, if sinners entice thee, consent not unto 
them. If they say, Come with us, we will lay wait for blood, 
and will lurk privily for the innocent without a cause; We 
will swallow them up like the grave quick, and whole as 
those that go down into the pit; We shall find all manner of 
costly riches, and fill our houses with the prey ; Cast in thy 
lot among us; we will all have one purse: My son, walk 
not thou with them, but rather pull back thy foot from their 
ways. For their feet run to evil, and are hasty to shed 
blood?.” Now David saith, that “the blood-thirsty man, 
and the hypocrite, are abominable to the Lord*.” 

From this law is exempted the magistrate ordained by ide a 
God, whom God commandeth to use authority and to kill, ΕἸ. 
threatening to punish him most sharply, if he neglect to kill 
the men whom God commandeth to be killed. This sixth 
commandment of the law, therefore, doth flatly forbid upon 
private authority to kill any man: but the magistrate killeth 
at God’s commandment, when he putteth to death those 
which are by law condemned for their offences, or when in 
defence of his people he doth justly and necessarily arm him- 
self to the battle. And yet the magistrates may offend in 
those two points two sundry ways. For either they do by 
law, that is, under the coloured pretence of law, slay the 
guiltless, to satisfy their own lust, hatred, or covetousness ; 
as we read, that Jezebel slew the just man Naboth, with the 
Lord’s prophets*: or else by peevish pity and foolish cle- 
mency do let them escape scot-free, whom the Lord com- 
manded them to kill; as Saul and Achab are reported to 
have sinned in letting go the bloody kings whom God com- 
manded to be slain’. And Salomon, in the seventeenth of his 








[2 Prov. i. 10—16.] [3 Psal. v. 6.] 

‘li (4 1 Sam. xv; 1 Kings xx. 42.] 

[5 1 Kings xxi. & xviii. 13. Hooper’s Early Writ. ed. Park. Soc. p. 475.] 
20—2 





What πθ΄ 
magistrate is. 


308 THE SECOND DECADE. [SERM. 


Proverbs, doth testify, that the Lord doth as greatly hate the 
magistrate that acquitteth a wicked person, as him that con- 
demneth an innocent man!. The magistrates also in making 
or else repelling war do offend two ways in this sort: for 
either they do unjustly themselves make war upon other men, 
and entangle their people therein; or else they suffer foreign 
enemies to rob and spoil the people committed to their charge, 
and do not with such force as they may keep off and defend? 
that open wrong and manifest injury. Both these offences 
are of sundry sorts, and therewithal so great that they can 
hardly be purged. Thou readest therefore, that the holy 
kings of Israel did never make war upon anybody, unless the 
Lord commanded them. And they again fought for their 
people, and suffered them not to be led away captive, as 
miserable bond-slaves. For so did the blessed patriarch Abra- 
ham follow upon and pursue those four kings, nay, rather 
cutthroat robbers of the east, and recovered by force of 
arms Lot, Lot’s substance, and the people of Sodom that were 
carried away*, And such wars as these are taken in hand, 
either for the recovery, or else for the confirmation, of peace: 
so that the magistrates that make war in such a cause are 
rightly and indeed the children of God, because they are 
peace-makers; for all peace-makers are the children of 
God. 

And now this place and argument do require, that I 
speak somewhat touching the office or authority of the magis- 
trate: which (by God’s help) I will assay to do, not that I 
mean or can allege all that may be said thereof, but that 
which shall seem most properly to declare the meaning of it, 
and is most necessary for this present treatise‘. 


[1 Prov. xvii. 15.] 

[2 i.e. repel, keep off.—Johnson. So in Early Writings of Hooper, 
Parker Soc. ed. p. 107.] 

(8 Gen. xiv. 14—16.] 

[4 The mischievous tenets of the Anabaptists rendered so necessary 
in the age of Bullinger the setting forth of the true doctrine concern- 
ing civil magistracy. A summary proof of this necessity is thus given 
by Melancthon: Szpe et olim et recens fuerunt hypocrite supersti- 
tiosi et fanatici, qui... magistratuum functiones, judicia, leges forenses, 
legitimas pcenas, imperia, bella legitima, militiam damnaverunt. Tales 
furores olim sparserunt Marcion et Manichzei ;—circumtulerunt et simi- 
les errores ante trecentos annos Flagelliferi, ut vocabantur; et hoc 





v1. | THE SIXTH PRECEPT OF THE TEN COMMANDMENTS. 309 


Magistratus (which word we use for the room wherein Magistratus, 
the magistrate is) doth take the name a magistris populi ἡ 
desgnanches, “οὗ assigning the masters, guiders, and captains 
of the people.” That room and place is called by the name of 
“power” or “authority,” by reason of the power that is given 
to it of God. It is called by the name of “domination,” for 
the dominion that the Lord doth grant it upon the earth. 
They are called princes that have that dominion: for they 
have a pre-eminence above the people. They are called con- 
suls, of counselling; and kings, of commanding, ruling, and 
governing the people. So, then, the magistracy (that I may 
henceforward use this word of the magistrate’s power and 
place) is an office, and an action in executing of the same. 
Aristotle defineth a magistrate to be a keeper of laws‘. 
Plutarch, in that book wherein he sheweth that learning is 
required to be in a king, among other things saith: ‘ Princes 
are the ministers of God for the oversight and safeguard of 
mortal men, to the end that they may partly distribute, and 
partly keep, the good things that he doth liberally give, and 
frankly bestow upon them®.” The magistracy, by the serip- 
tures, may be defined to bea divine ordinance or action, where- 
by the good being defended by the prince’s aid, and the evil 
suppressed by the same authority, godliness, justice, honesty, 
peace, and tranquillity, both public and private, are safely 
preserved. Whereby we gather, that to govern a common- 
weal, and to execute the office of a magistrate, is a worship 
and service to God himself. God verily is delighted therein. 
For the office of a magistrate is a thing most excellent, and 
abounding with all good works, as in my former sermon I 
have declared. 

Now there are three kinds of magistracies or governments Three kinds 


magis- 


trat 
of commonweals; the monarchy, the aristocracy, and the re 





nostro tempore Anabaptiste passim vagantes adhuc circumferunt hos 
errores.—Melanc. Loc. Com. Erlang. 1838. Vol. 1. pars 2. p. 138.] 

[ὅ Ἔστι δὲ ὁ ἄρχων φύλαξ τοῦ Sikaiov.—Aristot. Eth. Lib. v. cap. 6. 
1 | In Polit. mz. 6. 16, Aristotle calls magistrates, νομοφύλακας καὶ ὑπηρέτας 
ti | τοῖς vdpors.] 
δ, [6 Ἀληθέστερον δ᾽ ἄν τις εἴποι τοὺς ἄρχοντας ὑπηρετεῖν Θεῷ πρὸς ἀν: 
Ὁ ἢ θρώπων ἐπιμέλειαν καὶ σωτηρίαν, ὅπως, ὧν Θεὸς δίδωσιν ἀνθρώποις καλῶν 
ii | καὶ ἀγαθῶν, τὰ μὲν νέμωσι, τὰ δὲ Pvddrrwow.—Plutarch ad Princip. 
i ἢ Indoct. ]} 








Tyranny. 


Aristocracy. 


Oligarchy. 


Democracy. 


310 THE SECOND DECADE. [SERM. 


democracy'. We may call the monarchy a kingdom, wherein 
one alone doth by just and upright laws rule all things and 
causes in the commonweal. For if that justice and equity 
be once neglected, and that this one doth against all right 
and reason rule all the roost, then is he a tyrant, and his 
power is tyranny, that is to say, wrong and injury; which is 
a disease of that troubled kingdom, and a vice that is, as it 
were, set opposite to be the destruction of that commonweal. 
The aristocracy is the superior power of a few peers, where 
a certain number of holy and upright men are chosen to be 
the guides and rulers of the people. And this did first begin 
by the fall of tyranny: for when men perceived how dan- 
gerous it was to commit the rule of their whole state into one 
man’s hand, they altered the order, and gave the charge 
thereof to an appointed number of chosen men, who did excel 
the common sort in power and authority. But if these chief 
or head men use evil means to come to authority, and, neg- 
lecting the commonweal, do hunt after their own advantage; 
then is their government not to be called an aristocracy, but 
an oligarchy, that is, the violent lust of a few, and not the 
good and upright government of chosen peers. So then these 
few violent rulers are the contrary to the estate, where up- 
right headmen have the pre-eminence. The democracy may 
be called a commonweal, wherein all the people together bear 
the whole sway and absolute authority. And this democracy 
began first by the fall of the oligarchy. For when the 
people saw that their headmen did abuse their power, and 
waxed violent rulers, they displaced them, and kept the au- 
thority to themselves, meaning that every man should freely 
give his voice in matters touching the commonweal. This 
kind of government breaketh out commonly into outrageous 
tumults2, I mean, into seditions and conspiracies: for no man 
will suffer himself to be corrected, while every man will 
challenge to himself full and absolute authority to do what 
he lusteth, because, forsooth, he is one and a member of the 
people, in whose hands the whole authority doth consist. 


[ On this subject of the various forms of governments and their 
abuses, Bullinger seems to haye borrowed from Aristot. Ethic. Lib. 
vin. cap. 10.] 


[2 Systremma, Lat. σύστρεμμα, tumultus e concursu hominum.— 
Hederic. Lex. ] 











V1. | THE SIXTH PRECEPT OF THE TEN COMMANDMENTS. 3811 


Now touching the excellency of these forms or kinds of 
government, it maketh not greatly to my purpose to dispute 
which ought to be preferred before other. Many have pre- 
ferred the monarchy before the rest: but therewithal they 
added, “If he which holdeth the monarchy be a good and 
upright prince.” Which, nevertheless, is rare to be found. 
They also, which were of that opinion, did themselves live 
under princes in monarchies, “ But it is dangerous to speak 4 prover, 


signifying 


against Jupiter.” Among many kings of Judah and Israel thatitis 


perilous for 


thou shalt find a very few geod, or at least wise tolerable and a subject 10 


indifferent, princes ; ; whereby we may perceive that the Lord Bs prince, 
did not in vain, by the mouth of Samuel, persuade his people ii esting τ 
to keep their aristocracy, and to be ruled by their priests and “"“"** 
elders, as God, by Moses and Jethro, the wisest in the world, 

had ordained.long before. And yet none can deny, but that 

great perils and infinite discommodities are in the aristocracy, 

but far more many in the democracy. But such is the con- 

dition of mortal men in this corruptible flesh, that nothing 
among them is absolutely and on every side happy*; and 
therefore that seemeth to them to be most excellent, which, 
although it be not altogether without inconveniences and some 

kind of vices, doth nevertheless, in comparison of other, bring 

fewer perils and lesser annoyance. But howsoever that case 

doth stand, the apostles of Christ do command us to obey the The magix 
magistrate, whether he be king, or senate of chosen men. For "δ ovevet- 
Paul in his epistle to Titus saith: “Warn them to be subject Tt iit 
to rule and power, and to obey magistrates®.” For to the 
Romans he saith: “Let every soul be subject to the higher 
powers: for no power is but of God, and those powers that 

are are ordained by God®.” Again, to Timothy he saith: 

“1 exhort you that prayers be made for kings, and for all 

that are in authority’.” If therefore any man live in a 
monarchy, let him obey the king: if in a commonweal of 

what title soever, let him be ruled by the consuls, tribunes, 


[3 The proverb most like this occurs in Ray, as the Italian form of 
our English one, “No jesting with edge tools, or with bell-ropes :” viz. 
“ Tresca con i fanti, et lascia star i santi; i.e. Play with children, and 
let the saints alone.”——Ray’s Proverbs, p. 124.] 

[4 Nihil est ab omni parte beatum. Quoted from Hor. Od. Lib. τ. 
16. 27.) 

(5 Titus iii. 1.] [6 Rom. xiii. 1.] [1 1 Tim; 4.4.) 


The causes of 
magistrates, 


312 THE SECOND DECADE. [SERM. 


headmen, and elders of the people. For we ought rather to 
obey the ordinance of God, than over curiously to dispute of the 
kinds of governments, which is the better or worse than other. 

And in all cases truly, the magistrate is very necessary, 


and their be- and cannot be missing among men; yea, he is so necessary, 


ginning. 


that without the magistrate’s help the state of men can 
hardly prosper, or easily stand. Neither dost thou read, that 
the state and commonweal of the Israelites was ever at any 
time in greater danger and peril of undoing, than it was in the 
middle time betwixt Sampson and Heli, when they were go- 
verned by no magistrates, but did every man what he thought 
good himself!. For all men even from their birth are blindly 
led with self-love, and therefore they seek their own adyan- 
tage; nothing pleaseth them but what they do themselves, 
they utterly mislike the deeds and words of other men: yea, 
such is our fond affection and opinionative sense, that how 
evil soever our causes are, yet we will not stick to face them 
out with a card of ten?, and to colour them with law and 
equity. He that will stand in denial hereof, did never con- 
sider man’s disposition. The people of Israel, at their delivery 
out of Egypt, saw wonderful signs; they were marvellously 
fed from heaven in the desert, and did every day behold new 
miracles. But yet, hearken, my brethren, and consider, what 
Moses, the meekest and gentlest man that ever was, doth say 
touching this holy people, this people of God, whom God 
had chosen to be a peculiar people unto himself: “ How 
shall I alone,” saith he to the people, “bear your trouble, 
your burden, and the strifes that are among you°?” What 

[1 Judg. xvii. 6.] 

[2 Causis nostris licet pessimis jus preetexamus et justitiam, Lat. 
The proverbial expression used by the translator occurs in Shakspeare’s 
Taming of the Shrew, Act mu. Scene 1. ad fin. and, earlier still, in 
Skelton: 

Fyrste pycke a quarell, and fall out with him then, 
And so outface hym with a carde of ten.— 
The Bouge of Courte. 
The phrase of a card of ten was possibly derived, by a jocular allusion, 
from that of a hart of ten, in hunting, which meant a full-grown deer ; 
one past six years of age. Nares’s Glossary, in voc. Card. I con- 
ceive the force of the phrase to have expressed originally the confidence 
or impudence of one who with a ten, as at brag, faced, or out-faced 
one who had really a faced card against him.—Ibid. in voc. to face it.] 
[39 Deut. i. 12.] 











γι. THE SIXTH PRECEPT OF THE TEN COMMANDMENTS. 313 


may be thought of that moreover, that in the most sure 
fellowship of the ancient and apostolic church, yea, in those 
very vessels which were regenerate, the wrangling disposition 
of flesh did shew itself? For the Greeks murmured against 
the Hebrews, because their widows in the daily ministry 
were little regarded*. The Corinthians also go to law before 
heathen judges; and therefore doth Paul very sharply rebuke 
them, and chargeth them to appoint honest judges among 
themselves to take up matters betwixt them that were at 
variance®, Let no man therefore make this objection, and 
say, that the old people of Israel were a carnal pecple and . 
not regenerate. For we see, that even in the regenerate 
the relics of flesh remain, which ever and anon, when occasion 
is offered, do shew forth themselves, and trouble the quiet 
state of everything. For I will not now say that the greater 
sort of men do rather follow the flesh than the spirit. And 
for that cause God, who loveth man, who keepeth and _ pre- 
serveth civility, peace, and human society, hath prepared and 
applied a medicine against those grievous diseases of men; 
he hath appointed the magistrate, I say, to step betwixt them 
that strive with the authority of law and equity, to judge 
and discuss matters betwixt them that are at variance, to 
bridle and suppress wrong and affections, and lastly, to save 
the guiltless and innocents. Whosoever subverteth this or- 
dinance of God, till such time as men do leave their wayward 
disposition®, he bringeth utter confusion to every state, and 
aideth wrongful dealers and violent robbers to oppress and 
root out the best sort of people. By this verily, which The magis 


rate or- 


hitherto we have alleged, it is manifestly apparent, that the dained by | 
magistrate is ordained by God for the safeguard of the good, 604 of men 
and punishment of the evil; I mean, for the good and quiet 
state of mortal men.’ Wherefore we read, that from the 
beginning there have been magistrates in the world. 

Hereunto do appertain these testimonies of the holy serip- 
ture. Moses in the law calleth the judges Gods, and this “ judg- 
ment,” saith he, ‘is God’s’.” From whence also Josaphat 
borrowed that saying, which he spake to the judges, where 
he saith: “See what ye do: for ye judge not to man, but 


[4 Acts vi. 1.] (5 1 Cor. vi. 1—4.] 
[6 priusquam homines angelicum recipiant ingenium, Lat. ] 
(7 Exod. xxii. 28; Deut. i. 17.) 


A good ma- 
gistrate and 
a bad. 


Whether an 
evil magis- 
trate be of 
God or no. 


814 THE SECOND DECADE, [SERM. 


to the Lord, which is with you in the causes which ye 
judge: let the fear of God therefore be in your hearts'.” 
St Peter saith, that we must “obey the magistrate for the 
Lord’s sake, by whom he is ordained to the praise of the 
good, and terrifying of the evil?” And Paul, the teacher 
of the Gentiles, saith: ‘There is no power but of God, and 
the powers that are are ordained by God: and whosoever 
resisteth the power, resisteth the ordinance of God; and he 
that resisteth shall receive to himself damnation. For rulers 
are not fearful to them that do well, but to the evil. For he 
is the minister of God, revenger of wrath on him that doth 
evil’.” The magistrate therefore is of God; his office is good, 
holy, pleasing God, just, profitable, and necessary for men: 
and the rulers, which do rightly execute their office, are the 
friends and worshippers of God; they are his elect instru- 
ments, by whom he worketh man’s health and safeguard. 
We have examples hereof in Adam, all the patriarchs, our 
father Noe, Joseph, Moses, Josue, Gedeon, Samuel, David, 
Josaphat, Ezechias, Josias, Daniel, and many other after the 
time of Christ, who rightly executed the office of magistrates. 

Now many there are which will have the magistrate to 
be of two sorts, to wit, either good or bad. The good 
magistrate is he who, being lawfully ordained, doth lawfully 
execute his office and duty. The evil magistrate is he which, 
when he hath by evil means got the authority, doth turn and 
dispose it as himself lusteth. And hereupon the question is 
wont to be demanded : Whether an evil, that is, a tyrannical, 
magistrate, be of God or no? To this I answer, that God 
is the author of good, and not of evil. For God by nature 
is good, and all his purposes are good, being directed to the 
health and preservation, not to the destruction, of us men. 
Therefore the good and healthful ordaining of the magistrate, 
without all doubt, is of God himself, who is the author of 
all goodness. 

But here it is requisite, that we make a difference betwixt 
the office which is the good ordinance of God, and the evil 
person that doth not rightly execute that good office. If 
therefore in the magistrate evil be found, and not the good 
for which he was ordained, that cometh of other causes, and 


[1 2 Chron. xix. 6, 7.] [2 1 Pet. ii. 14.] 
[3 Rom. xiii, 1—4.] 











VI. | THE SIXTH PRECEPT OF THE TEN COMMANDMENTS, 3815 


the fault thereof is in the men and persons, which neglect 
God and corrupt the ordinance of God, and not in God, nor 
in his ordinance: for either the evil prince, seduced by the 
devil, corrupteth the ways of God, and by his own fault and 
naughtiness transgresseth God’s ordinance, so far, that he 
doth worthily deserve the name of devilish power, and not 
divine authority ;—(we have an example hereof in the magis- 
trate of Jerusalem: for although he were able to refer the 
beginning of his power by degrees unto Moses, and so unto 
God himself who did ordain it; yet, for because he taketh 
the Saviour in the garden and bindeth him, to his servants it 
is said, “‘ Ye are come out as it were to a thief with swords 
and staves; when I was daily with you in the temple, ye 
stretched not forth your hands against me; but this is even 
your hour, and the power of darkness*.” Lo, here he calleth 
the ordinary magistrate the power of the devil, when he 
abuseth his power. What could be more evidently spoken ? 
But here ye must mark, that the reproach was in the person, 
and not in the office. Likewise also the Roman empire was 
ordained by God, as by the visions of Daniel it is clearly 
evident: and yet, when Nero, not without God’s ordinance, 
bare the sway in the empire, whatsoever he did as king and 
emperor, contrary to the office of a good king, that did he 
not of God, but of the devil: for whereas he hung up and 
beheaded the apostles of Christ®, moving a bloody persecution 
against the church, that sprang not from elsewhere than from 
the devil, the father of murder. So then, verily, we ought 
not at any time to defend the tyrannical power, and say that 
it is of God: for tyranny is not a divine, but a devilish, 
kind of government; and tyrants themselves are properly 
the servants of the devil, and not of God:) or else otherwise, 
some people do deserve by their wicked deeds to have, not 
a king, but a tyrant. So then the people’s sin is another 
cause that evil magistrates are found in commonweals, In the 
meanwhile, the king is of the Lord, and sometimes he makes 
an hypocrite reign. Wherefore the evil magistrate is of God, 
even as also seditions, wars, plagues, hail, frost, and other 
miseries of mankind come from the Lord, as punishment of 


(4 Luke xxii. 52, 53.] 
[5 Paul is said to have been beheaded, and Peter crucified, at Rome, 
under Nero.—Euseb. Hist. Eccles. Lib. πα. cap. 25.] 


316 THE SECOND DECADE. [SERM. 


sin and wickedness, which the Lord hath appointed to be 
executed, as he himself saith: “I will give them children to 
be their kings, and infants shall rule them; because their 
tongue and heart hath been against the Lord}.” Likewise 
the Lord stirred up the cruel kings of Assyria and Babylon 
against his city and own peculiar people, whose living was not 
agreeable to their profession. 

How the op- But now, how and after what sort subjects ought to be 


d st . 2 
behave them- affected toward such hard, cruel, and tyrannical princes, we 


tyrannical learn partly by the example of David, and partly by the doc- 
ete trine of Jeremy and the apostles. David was not ignorant 
what kind of man Saul was, a wicked and merciless fellow: 
yet, notwithstanding, he fled to escape his hands; and when he 
had occasion given him once or twice to kill him, he slew him 
not, but spared the tyrant and reverenced him as though he 
had been his father®, Jeremias prayed for Joachim and Zede- 
chias, wicked kings both, and obeyed them until they came to 
matters flatly contrary to God’s religion®, For where I 
spake touching the honour due to parents, there did I by the 
scriptures prove, that we ought not to obey the wicked com- 
mandments of godless magistrates, because it is not permitted 
to magistrates to ordain or appoint any thing contrary to 
God’s law, or the law of nature. Now the Acts of the Apo- 
stles teach us in what sort the apostles did behave themselves 
in dealing with tyrannical magistrates, Let them, therefore, 
that are vexed with tyrants, and oppressed with wicked ma- 
gistrates, take this advice to follow in that perplexity. First, 
let them call to remembrance, and consider, what and how 
great their sins of idolatry and uncleanness are, which have 
already deserved the revenging anger of their jealous God: 
and then let them think, that God will not withdraw his 
scourge, unless he see that they redress their corrupt manners 
and evil religion. So then first, they must go about and 
bring to pass a full reformation of matters in religion, and per- 
fect amendment of manners amiss: then must they pray con- 
tinually that God will vouchsafe to pull and draw his oppressed 
people out of the mire of mischief, wherein they stick fast. 
For that counsel did the Lord himself, in the eighteenth after 


(1 Isai. iii. 4, 8.] 
[21 Sam. xxiv. and xxvi.] 
[3 Jer. vii. 16, and xiv.] 








v1. | THE SIXTH PRECEPT OF THE TEN COMMANDMENTS. 317 


Luke, give to those that are oppressed, promising therewithal 
assured aid and present delivery. But what and how the 
oppressed must pray, there are examples extant in the ninth 
of Daniel, and in the fourth chapter of the Acts of the Apo- 
stles. Let them also, whose minds are vexed, call to remem- 
brance the sayings of Peter and Paul, the chief of the apostles. 
“The Lord,” saith Peter, ‘“‘ knoweth how to deliver his from 2 pet.ii. 
temptation, as he delivered Lot.” Paul saith: “ God is faith- 1 cor. x. 
ful, and will not suffer his to be tempted above their strength; 
yea, he will turn their temptations unto the best.” Let them 
call to mind the captivity of Israel, wherein God’s people were 
detained at Babylon by the space of seventy years: and 
therewithal let them think upon the goodly comfort of the 
captives, which Esay hath expressed from his fortieth chapter 
unto his forty-ninth. Let us persuade ourselves, that God is 
good, merciful, and omnipotent, so that he can, when he will, 
at ease deliver us. He hath many ways and means to set us 
at liberty. Let us have a regard only, that our impenitent, 
filthy, and wicked life do not provoke the Lord to augment 
and prolong the tyrants’ cruelty. The Lord is able, upon the 
sudden, to change the hearts of princes (for “the hearts of 
kings are in the hands of the Lord, as the rivers of water, to 
turn them which way he will®’’), and to make them, which have 
been hitherto most cruelly set against us, to be our friends 
and favourable to us; and them which have heretofore most 
bloodily persecuted the true religion, to embrace the same most 
ardently, and with a burning zeal to promote it so far as they 
may. We have evident examples hereof in the books of the 
Kings, of Esdras, and Nehemias, and in the volume of Daniel’s 
prophecy. Nabuchodonosor, whose purpose was to toast with 
fire and utterly to destroy the martyrs of God for true religion, 
was immediately after compelled to praise God, because he saw 
the martyrs preserved: and he himself doth by edicts given 
out publicly proclaim and set forth the only true God and his 
true religion®, Darius, the son of Assuerus’, suffereth Daniel 


[4 imo tentationibus etiam felicem concedet eventum, Lat. 1 Cor. 
x. 13. So Erasmus expounds; dabit et exitum bonum.—Annotat. in 
loc. cit.] 

[5 Prov. xxi. 1.] [6 Dan. iii.] 

[7 See Prideaux. Connect. Vol. 1. pp. 72, 104, 122, ed. Μ΄ Caul. 
1845. See also above, page 51, note 3.] 


Killing of 
tyrants. 


The election 


of magis- 
trates. 


Who oughtto 
choose them. 


318 THE SECOND DECADE. [SERM. 


to be cast into the lions’ den: but straightway he draweth him 
out again, and shutteth up Daniel’s enemies in the same den, 
to be torn in pieces by the famishing beasts. Cyrus, the puis- 
sant king of Persia, advanceth true religion: Darius, son of 
Hystaspes, whose surname was Artaxerxes', did by all means 
possible aid and set forward the godly intent of God’s people 
in building up again their city and temple. Let us not doubt 
therefore of God’s aid and helping hand. For God sometime 
doth utterly destroy, and sometime he chasteneth, untoward 
tyrants with some horrible and sudden disease: as it is evi- 
dent that it happened to Antiochus”, Herod the Great*, and 
to his nephew, Herod Agrippa‘, to Maxentius® also, and other 
enemies of God and tyrants over men®. Sometime he stirreth 
up noble captains and valiant men to displace tyrants, and set 
God’s people at liberty ; as we see many examples thereof in 
the books of Judges and Kings. But lest any man do fall to 
abuse those examples, let him consider their calling by God: 
which calling if he have not, or else do prevent, he is so far 
from doing good in killing the tyrant, that it is to be feared 
lest he do make the evil double so much as it was before. 
Thus much hitherto. Now I return to that which by my 
digression remaineth yet unspoken of. 

Here I have to speak somewhat touching the election of 
magistrates: and first, to whom the choice and ordering of 
the magistrate doth belong; secondarily, whom and what 
kind of men it is best to choose to be magistrates ; and lastly, 
the manner and order of consecrating those which once are 
chosen. 

Touching the election of magistrates, to whom that office 
should belong, no one and certain rule can be prescribed. 


[ The Artaxerxes, who so much befriended the Jews in the days 
of Ezra and Nehemiah, and whom, no doubt, Bullinger means, was 
Artaxerxes Longimanus. Yet the Jewish tradition makes Darius 
Hystaspis to be Artaxerxes, and Bullinger, perhaps, followed it.— 
See Prideaux. Con. Vol. 1. pp. 201, 244. ed. M° Caul, 1845.] 

(2 Prideaux’s Connect. Vol. π. p. 189.] 

[3 Ibid. p. 613. Euseb. Eccl. Hist. Lib. 1. cap. 8.] 

(4 Acts xii. 21—23, grandson of Herod the Great ;—nepoti, Lat.— 
Euseb. Eccles. Hist. Lib. 11. cap. 10.] 

[5 Gibbon’s Decline and Fall, &c. Vol. π. chap. xiv. p. 232. ed. 
1820. Euseb. Eccles. Hist. Lib. 1x. cap. 9.] 

[6 See Jewel’s Works.—Parker Soc, ed. pp. 977—8.] 





VI. | THE SIXTH PRECEPT OF THE TEN COMMANDMENTS. 319 


For in some places the whole commonalty doth choose their 
peers’; in other places the peers do choose the magistrates ; 
and in other places princes come to it by succession and birth. 
In discussing which of these orders should be the best, it were 
but folly to make much ado. For to every kingdom and every 
city is worthily left their country fashion, unless it be altogether 
too too corrupt, and not to be borne withal. But where princes 
come to it by birth, their earnest prayer must be made to the 
Lord, that he will grant them to be good. 
Now for the good election of magistrates, the Lord him- whatkind of 
self declareth whom and what kind of men he will have to be chosen to” 
be chosen, in these very words: “ Look over all the people, tates, and 


the descrip- 


consider them diligently, and choose from among them men of {ion efa good 
courage, such as fear God, speakers of truth, and haters of 
covetousness, and make them rulers over thousands, rulers of 
hundreds, rulers of fifties, and rulers of tens, to judge the peo- 

ple at all seasons®.” Four things the Lord requireth in a good 
governour. First, that he be a man of courage, of strength 

or force, that is, which hath ability to do the thing whereunto 

he is appointed. That ability consisteth in mind rather than 

in body. For it is required, that he be not a fool, but wise 

and skilful in that which he hath to do: because the office of 

a captain is to know how to set his army in order of battle, 

rather than to fight himself; as also the duty of a surveyor of 

works is to know how buildings must be erected, rather than 

to work himself; or as a chariot-man ought rather to know 

how to guide his cart in driving, than to draw it himself. And 
therewithal too, there is demanded a boldness of stomach to 

dare to do the thing that he already knoweth; for constancy 

and sufferance are very needful in every captain. In the 

second place that is set down, which indeed is the first; let 

him fear God, let him be religious, and not superstitious. No 
idolater preserveth the commonweal, but rather destroyeth it; 

and a wicked man defendeth not truth and true religion, but re magis- 
persecuteth and driveth them out of his jurisdiction. Let this sound in 
magistrate of ours therefore be of the right religion, sound in a 
faith, believing the word of God, and knowing that God is 
present among men and doth repay to whom he list according 

to their deserts. And for that cause Justinian, the emperor, 

in Novellis Constitutionib. 109, doth freely confess that all 


[7 optimates, Lat.] [8 Exod. xviii. 21.] 


820 THE SECOND DECADE. } [SERM. 


his help is of God; and that therefore it is convenient, that 
the making of all laws should depend upon him alone. Imme- 
diately after he saith: ‘It is known very well to all men, that 
they in whose hands the empire was before it came to us, and 
especially that Leo of worthy memory, and the most sacred 
prince Justin our father, did in their constitutions flatly forbid 
all heretics to be admitted soldiers in any warfare, or dealers 
in matters concerning the commonwealth, that the less occa- 
sion might be given, by receiving them into the fellowship 
of war or handling of public affairs, for any to think that 
they corrupt the members of God’s holy catholic and apostolic 
Church. And this decree do we establish!.” Thus saith the 
emperor. And the godly man verily prayeth to God, and re- 
ceiveth wisdom at the Lord’s hand. And where the princes 
are God’s friends, and have often conference with God, there 
is hope that those commonweals shall prosper and flourish. 
But, on the other side, there must needs be feared an unhappy 
end of that commonweal, where the enemies of God have the 
pre-eminence. Thirdly, there is required of him, which must 
be chosen and called to be magistrate, that he be true in word 
and deed, so that he be not found to be an hypocrite, a liar, a 
deceiver, a turncoat, nor one which out of one mouth doth 
blow both hot and cold; but faithful, simple, a plain dealer, 
and blameless. He must not be more liberal in promising 
than in performing. He must not be one that setteth light by 
an oath, not a false swearer, nor a perjured man. Fourthly, 
because many that are in office desire riches, and seek to in- 
crease their wealth by bribes, the Lord removeth such from 
the magistracy, and forbiddeth good magistrates to be covet- 
ous: yea, he doth expressly charge them to hate and abhor 


, Coa Ὁ “ “ : 
[1 Μίαν ἡμῖν εἶναι βοήθειαν ἐπὶ παντὶ τῷ τῆς ἡμετέρας πολιτείας τε καὶ 
/ a a 
βασιλείας βίῳ τὴν εἰς Θεὸν ἐλπίδα πιστεύομεν: εἰδότες ὅτι τοῦτο ἡμῖν καὶ 
\ a a \ ᾿ a , , , a “ " \ 
τὴν τῆς ψυχῆς καὶ τὴν τῆς βασιλείας δίδωσι owrnpiav’ ὥστε καὶ τὰς 
,ὔ A «ς rd ΄σ lol 
νομοθεσίας τὰς ἡμετέρας ἐκεῖθεν ἠρτῆσθαι προσήκει .... Ἴσασι τοίνυν 
“ ¢ € se eT , \ , ΄ ς a > a 
ἅπαντες, ὡς οἱ πρὸ ἡμῶν βεβασιλευκότες, καὶ μάλιστα Λέων 6 τῆς εὐσεβοῦς 
μνήμης, καὶ Ἰουστῖνος 6 τῆς θείας λήξεως ἡμῶν πατὴρ, ἐν ταῖς ἑαυτῶν 
i ΑΝ ~ a 
διατάξεσι, τοῖς αἱρετικοῖς ἅπασιν ἀπηγόρευσαν ὥστε μηδεμίαν αὐτοὺς μετ- 
΄ , ia ~ 
ἱέναι στρατείαν, μήτε δὲ τὴν οἱανοῦν ἐπὶ δημοσίαις φροντίσι μετουσίαν 
» a a \ ’, a ae a 
ἔχειν" ὅπως ἄν μὴ προφάσει τῶν στρατεῖων τῶν τε δημοσίων ἐπιταγμάτων 
ΜΝ a c , “A a a“ fod σ΄ 
τῷ τῆς ἁγίας τοῦ Θεοῦ καθολικῆς καὶ ἀποστολικῆς ἐκκλησίας μέρει φανεῖεν 
, < “ na . 
λυμαινόμενοι" καὶ ἡμεῖς δὲ αὐτὸ τοῦτο wempdyapev.—Justin. Anth. Collat 
vul. tit. 9. Novell. 109. Preefat. p. 431. Gotting. 1797.] 








vi. THE SIXTH PRECEPT OF THE TEN COMMANDMENTS. 3821 


it; as he doth also, in another place, not only forbid them to 
take bribes, but also command them to shake off and rid 
their hands of all rewards?. Covetousness and greedy desire 
of bribes are the very plagues that choke good magistrates. 
By covetous men and takers of bribes law, judgment, liberty, 
justice, and the country itself, is set to sale and sold to the 
devil for money. And now, though in this place the Lord 
hath named only the most pestilent mischief of all other, yet 
there is no doubt but that he doth inclusively debar all other 
vices and evils of that sort, commanding them to be strange 
and far off from the good magistrate and godly governor. 
Those vices are pride, envy, anger, dicing, surfeiting, drunk- 
enness, whoredom, adultery, and whatsoever else is like to 
these. 

This place is made more manifest by conferring it with 
other places in the law of God. Moses, in Deuteronomy, saith 
to the people: ‘“ Bring men of wisdom, of understanding, and Deut. . 
of an honest life, according to your tribes*.” Three things 
here again doth the wise man, Moses, require in them that are 
to be appointed magistrates in his commonweal. First, saith 
he, let them be wise. But the beginning of wisdom is the 
fear of the Lord. Let them therefore be ordained magistrates, 
that are friends to God and true religion; let them be wise, 
and not foolish idiots. Secondarily, they must be men of un- 
derstanding ; that is, men of experience, who by long and 
continual exercise in handling of matters are able at the first 
brunt to deal in all cases according to the law. Lastly, they 
must be men of honest report, whose life and sound conversa- 
tion are by their deeds perfectly tried and sufficiently witnessed 
of unto the people: and finally, they must be such as bear 
authority, and not be despised as rascal and vile knaves. 

In the book of Numbers also Moses saith: ‘“ Let the God Numb. xxvii. 
of the spirits of all flesh set a man over the congregation, 
which may go in and out before them, and lead them in and 
out, that the congregation of the Lord be not as sheep with- 
out a shepherd4.” By these words of the holy prophet we 
learn who are to be chosen, and how they are to be chosen, 
into the office of magistrates. Moses prayed to the Lord for 
a fit and a convenient man: and we therefore must pray to 

[2 Isai. xxxiii. 15.] [? Deut. i. 13.] 
[4 Numb. xxvii. 16, 17.] 


[ BULLINGER. ] 


322 THE SECOND DECADE. [SERM. 


God, who searcheth all men’s hearts, that he will vouchsafe to 
send such men to be our magistrates as are meet for that 
room and calling. The outward shew doth many times de- 
ceive us, and we judge him to be a good and godly man who 
is indeed a notable hypocrite. God alone doth know the 
mind: we must beseech him, therefore, that he suffer us not 
in our choice to err or choose amiss. Let him be thought 
the best and meetest for the purpose, who is instructed with 
the Holy Spirit of God. Furthermore, he that is appointed 
to that office must still be the first and the last, and always 
at one end in all matters of weight and public affairs. Some 
unprofitable and idle drones there are, that drive other for- 
ward, and after the first onset do themselves take their ease. 
And some wicked fellows there are, which will appoint other 
what to do, but will themselves do nothing of that which by 
right belongs unto their office. The guide of the people must 
be a man of choice elected to be magistrate, whose care is 
day and night to have an eye that the flock of the Lord be 
not scattered, endangered, nor utterly destroyed. And thus 
have I hitherto told you what kind of men they ought to 
be, to whom the charge is to be committed over the Lord’s 


people. 
The manner Last of all, touching the manner of consecrating magis- 
of conse- oe : 
crating trates, sundry cities and countries have sundry customs. Let 
magistrates. 


every country freely retain their own usual order. I for my 
part think best of that manner of consecrating, wherein sump- 
tuous pomp is little or none, but what reason and decency 
seem to allow. The best and most profitable way is, in con- 
secrating them that are once chosen, to use a certain moderate 
ceremony, and that too in the face of all the people, that 
every one may know who they be that are the fathers of the 
people, to whom they owe honour, whom they ought to obey, 
and for whose health and welfare they ought to pray. The 
people of God had a certain prescribed ceremony, which we 
read that they used in consecrating their kings and magis- 
trates: and it is certain that it was profitably and for good 
causes first invented, and then commanded by God himself}. 

The rest that is yet behind to be spoken touching the 
magistrate I mean to defer until to-morrow. And now to end 
with thanksgiving, let us praise the Lord, &c. 


[1 a Deo inventum atque traditum, Lat.] 








Vil.] THE SIXTH PRECEPT OF THE TEN COMMANDMENTS. 929 


OF THE OFFICE OF THE MAGISTRATE?, WHETHER THE 
CARE OF RELIGION APPERTAIN TO HIM OR NO, 
AND WHETHER HE MAY MAKE LAWS AND 
ORDINANCES IN CASES OF RELIGION. 


THE SEVENTH SERMON. 


Tue first and greatest thing, that chiefly ought to be in 
a magistrate, is easily perceived by the declaration of his 
office and duty. In my yesterday’s sermon I shewed you 
what the magistrate is, how many kinds of magistrates there 
are, of whom the magistrate had his beginning, for what 
causes he was ordained, the manner and order how to choose 
peers’, and what kind of men should be called to be magis- 
trates. To this let us now add what the office and duty of a 
magistrate properly is. 

The whole office of a magistrate seemeth to consist in the magi is 
these three points; to order, “to judge, and to punish: FY date ats 
every one whereof I mean to speak severally in order as 
they lie. The ordinance of the magistrate is a decree made 
by him for maintaining of religion, honesty, justice, and public 
peace: and it consisteth on two points; in ordering rightly 
matters of religion, and making good laws for the preservation 
of honesty, justice, and common peace. But before I come 
to the determining and ordering of religion, I will briefly, and 
in few words, handle their question which demand, whether 
the care of religion do appertain to the magistrate as part of 
his office or no? For I see many that are of opinion, that 
the care and ordering of religion doth belong to bishops alone’, 
and that kings, princes, and senators ought not to meddle 
therewith. 

But the catholic verity teacheth, that the care of religion Whether the 
doth especially belong to the magistrate ; and that it is not in Tgtont Ses 
his power only, but his office and duty also, to dispose and trate 


[2 que ordinet, Lat.; omitted. What he may regulate. ] 

[3 proceres, Lat.] 

[4 Cf. Becon’s Works, Vol. 1. p. 303. Parker Soc. ed. The Ro- 
mish arguments on this topic are alleged and discussed by Melancthon. 
—Corp. Reform. Tom. m1. No. 1520. pp. 240—658.] 


21—2 


324 THE SECOND DECADE. | SERM. 


advance religion. For among them of old their kings were 
priests; I mean, masters and overseers of religion. Mel- 
chizedech, that holy and wise prince of the Canaanitish people, 
who bare the type or figure of Christ our Lord, is wonder- 
fully commended in the holy scriptures: now he was both 
king and priest together. Moreover, in the book of Num- 
bers, to Josue, newly ordained and lately consecrated, are the 
laws belonging to religion given up and delivered. The kings 
of Juda also, and the elect people of God, have for the well 
ordering of religion (as I will by examples anon declare unto 
you) obtained very great praise: and again, as many as were 
slack in looking to religion are noted with the mark of 
perpetual reproach. Who is ignorant, that the magistrate’s 
especial care ought to be to keep the commonweal in safe- 
guard and prosperity ? Which undoubtedly he cannot do, 
unless he provide to have the word of God preached to his 
people, and cause them to be taught the true worship of God, 
by that means making himself, as it were, the minister of 
true religion. In Leviticus and Deuteronomy the Lord doth 
largely set down the good prepared for men that are religious 
and zealous indeed; and reckoneth up, on the other side, the 
evil appointed for the contemners of true religion. But the 
good magistrate is commanded to retain and keep prosperity 
among his people, and to repel all kind of adversity. Let us 
hear also what the wise man, Salomon, saith in his Proverbs: 
‘Godliness and truth preserve the king, and in godliness his 
seat is holden up.” ‘When the just are multiplied, the 
people rejoice; and when the wicked ruleth, the people la- 
menteth. The king by judgment stablisheth his dominion, 
but a tyrant overthroweth it. When the wicked increase, 
iniquity is multiplied, and the just shall see their decay. 
Where the word of God is not preached!, the people decay ; 
but happy is he that keepeth the law.” Whereby we gather, 
that they, which would not have the care of religion to apper- 
tain to princes, do seek and bring in the confusion of all 
things, the dissolution of princes and their people, and lastly, 
the neglecting and oppression of the poor. 

Furthermore, the Lord commandeth the magistrate to make 
trial of doctrines, and to kill those that do stubbornly teach — 


[1 quando non est visio, Lat.; cum prophetia defecerit, Vulg.] 
[3 Prov, xx. 28; xxix, 2, 4, 16, 18.] 


























Vil.] THE SIXTH PRECEPT OF THE TEN COMMANDMENTS. 3825 


against the scriptures, and draw the people from the true God. 
The place is to be seen in the thirteenth of Deut. God also 
forbade the magistrate to plant groves, or erect images: as is 
to be seen in the seventeenth of Deut. And by those particu- 
larities he did insinuate things general; forbidding to ordain, to 
nourish, and set forth superstition or idolatry ; wherefore he 
commanded to advance true religion: and so consequently it 
followeth, that the care of religion belongeth to the magistrate. 
What may be thought of that moreover, that the most excel- 
lent princes and friends of God among God’s people did 
challenge to themselves the care of religion as belonging to 
themselves; insomuch that they exercised and took the 
charge thereof, even as if they had been ministers of the 
holy things? Josue in the mount Hebal caused an altar 
to be builded, and fulfilled all the worship of God, as it 
was commanded of God by the mouth of Moses%. David, 
in bringing in and bestowing the ark of God in his place, 
and in ordering the worship of God, was so diligent, that it 
is wonder to tell. So likewise was Salomon, David’s son. 
Neither do I think that any man knoweth not how much 
Abia‘, Josaphat, Ezechias, and Josias, laboured in the refor- 
mation of religion, which in their times was corrupted and 
utterly defaced. The very heathen kings and princes are 
praised, because, when they knew the truth, they gave out 
edicts for the confirmation of true religion against blasphemous 
mouths. Nabuchodonozor, the Chaldean, the most mighty 
monarch of all the world, than who I doubt whether any 
more great and mighty did reign in the world, publisheth a 
decree, that he should be torn in pieces, and his house made 
a jakes, whosoever spake reproachfully against the true God 
which made both heaven and earth. The place is extant in 
the third chapter of Daniel’s prophecy. Darius Medus, the 
son of Assuerus, king Cyrus his uncle, saith: “I have 
decreed that all men in the whole dominion of my kingdom 
do fear the God of Daniel : as is to be seen in the sixth of 
Daniel. Cyrus, king of Persia, looseth the Jews from bond- 
age, and giveth them in charge to repair the temple, and 
restore their holy rites again’, Darius Persa, the son of Hy- 
staspes, saith: “1 have decreed for every man which changeth 
[3 Josh. viii. 30, &c.] (4 Asa, in the Latin original.] 
[5 Ezra i.) 


An answer to 
an objection. 


1 John ii. 


826 THE SECOND DECADE. [SERM. 


any thing of my determination touching the reparation of the 
temple, and the restoring of the worship of God, that a beam 
be taken out of his house, and set up, and he hanged thereon, 
and his house to be made a jakes!.” The very same Darius? 
again, who was also called Artaxerxes, saith : ‘* Whosoever 
will not do the law of thy God (Esdras), and the law of the 
king, let judgment straightway pass upon him, either to death, 
or to utter rooting out, or to confiscation of his goods, or im- 
prisonment®.” All this we find in the book of Esdras. 

The men, which are persuaded that the care and ordering 
of religion doth belong to bishops alone, do make an objec- 
tion, and say, that these examples, which I have alleged, do 
nothing appertain to us which are Christians, because they 
are examples of the Jewish people. To whom mine answer 
is: The men of this opinion ought to prove, that the Lord 
Jesus and his apostles did translate the care of religion from 
the magistrate unto bishops alone: which they shall never be 
able to do. But we, on the other side, will briefly shew, that 
those ancient princes of God’s people, Josue, David, and the 
rest, were Christians verily and indeed; and that therefore 
the examples which are derived from them and applied to 
christian princes, both are and ought to be of force and effect 
among us at this day. I will in the end add also the pro- 
phecy of the prophet Esay, whereby it may appear, that even 
now also kings have in the church at this day the same office 
that those ancient kings had in that congregation which they 
call the Jewish church. There is no doubt but that they ought 
to be accounted true Christians, which, being anointed with 
the Spirit of Christ, do believe in Christ, and are in the sacra- 
ments made partakers of Christ. For Christ (if ye interpret 
the very word) is as much to say as “anointed.” Christians 
therefore, according to the etymology of their name, are 
anointed. That anointing, according to the apostle’s inter- 
pretation‘, is the Spirit of God, or the gift of the Holy Ghost. 
But St Peter testifieth, that the Spirit of Christ was in the 


[1 Ezra vi. 11.] 

(? This is not Darius Hystaspis, but Artaxerxes Longimanus.— Pri- 
deaux. Connect. Vol. 1. p. 249. ed. M°Caul. 1845. But, by some 
writers, Artaxerxes Longimanus is called also Darius.—See Works of 
Bp. Pilkington, Parker Soc. ed. p. 14.] 

[8 Ezra vii. 26.) [4 1 John ii. 20, 27.] 








vil.] THE SIXTH PRECEPT OF THE TEN COMMANDMENTS. 327 


kings and prophets®. And Paul affirmeth flatly, that we have 
the very same Spirit of faith® that they of old had; and doth 
moreover communicate our sacraments with them, where he 
saith, that they were baptized under the cloud, and that they 
all drank of the spiritual rock that followed them, which rock 
was Christ’. 

Since then the case is so, the examples, truly, which 
are derived from the words and works of those ancient kings, 
for the confirmation of faith and charity, both are and ought 
to be of force with us. And yet I know that every thing 
doth not consequently follow upon the gathering of ex- 
amples. But here we have, for the making good of our 
argument, an evident prophecy of Esay, who foretelleth that 
kings and princes, after the times of Christ and the revealing 
of the gospel, should have a diligent care of the church, and 
should by that means become the feeders and nurses of the 
faithful. Now it is evident what it is to feed and to nourish ; 
for it is all one as if he should have said, that they should be 
the fathers and mothers of the church. But he could not 
have said that rightly, if the care of religion did not belong to 
princes, but to bishops alone. The words of Esay are these: 
“ Behold, I will stretch out my hand unto the Gentiles, and Isai. xix. 
set up my token to the people; and they shall bring thee thy 
sons in their laps*, and thy daughters on their shoulders. 
And kings shall be thy nursing fathers, and queens thy nurs- 
ing mothers; they shall fall before thee with their faces flat 
upon the earth, and lick up the dust of thy feet,” &c. Shall 
not we say, that all this is fully performed in some christian 
princes? Among whom the first was the holy emperor Con- Constantine 
stantine, who, by calling a general council, did determine to pide 
establish true and sincere doctrine in the church of Christ, 
with a settled purpose utterly to root out all false and heretical 
phantasies and opinions. And when the bishops did not go 
rightly to work by the true rule and touchstone of the gospel 
and of charity, he blamed them, upbraiding them with tyran- 
nical cruelty, and declaring therewithal what peace the Lord 
had granted by his means to the churches: adding moreover, 
that it were a detestable thing, if the bishops, forgetting to 
thank God for his gifts of peace, should go on among them- 


[5 1 Pet. i. 11.) [6 2 Cor. iv. 13.] 
17-1 Cor, x. 2—4.] [8 in gremio, Lat.] 


Gratian, Va- 
Jentinian, and 


Theodosius. 


Osias the 
leper. 


328 THE SECOND DECADE. [SERM. 


selves to bait one another with mutual reproaches and taunting 
libels, thereby giving occasion of delight and laughter to wicked 
idolaters; when as of duty they ought rather to handle and 
treat of matters of religion. For (saith he) the books of the 
evangelists, apostles, and oracles of the ancient prophets, are 
they which must instruct us in the understanding of God’s holy 
law. Let us expel, therefore, this quarrelling strife, and 
think upon the questions proposed, to resolve them by the 
words of scripture inspired from above’. After him again, 
the holy emperors, Gratian, Valentinian, and Theodosius, make 
a decree, and give out the edict in these very words: “ We 
will and command all people, that are subject to our gracious 
empire, to be of that religion, which the very religion, taught 
and conveyed from Peter till now, doth declare that the holy 
apostle Peter did teach to the Romans?.” And so forward. 

By this, dearly beloved, ye perceive how kings and 
princes, among the people of the new Testament, have been 
the foster-fathers and nourishers of the church; being per- 
suaded that the care of religion did first of all and especially 
belong to themselves. 

The second objection that they make is the leprosy of 
Osias king of Juda, which he gat by challenging to himself 
the office of the priest, while he presumed to burn incense on 
the incense-altar®. They object the Lord’s commandment, who 
bad Josue stand before Eleazar the priest, and gave the king 


[1 Βασιλεὺς ὁ πανεύφημος τοὺς περὶ τῆς ὁμονοίας τε καὶ συμφωνίας 
προσενήνοχε λόγους, τῆς τε τῶν τυράννων ἐκείνων ἀναμιμνήσκων ὠμότητος, 
καὶ τῆς ἐπ᾿ αὐτοῦ θεόθεν παρασχεθείσης ἐντιμοτάτης εἰρήνης - καὶ ὡς δεινὸν 
εἴη καὶ ἄγαν δεινὸν, τῶν πολεμίων καταλυθέντων καὶ μηδενὸς ἀντιτείνειν 
τολμῶντος, ἀλλήλους βάλλειν, καὶ τοῖς δυσμενέσιν ἡδονὴν καὶ γέλωτα προ- 
ξενεῖν, ἄλλως τε καὶ περὶ θείων διαλεγομένους πραγμάτων, καὶ τοῦ παναγίου 
πνεύματος τὴν διδασκαλίαν ἀνάγραπτον ἔχοντας" εὐαγγελικαὶ γάρ, φησι, 
βίβλοι καὶ ἀποστολικαὶ, καὶ τῶν παλαιῶν προφήτων τὰ θεσπίσματα, σαφῶς 
ἡμᾶς ἃ χρὴ περὶ τοῦ θείου φρονεῖν ἐκπαιδεύουσι. Τὴν πολεμοποιὸν οὖν᾽ 
ἀπελάσαντες ἔριν, ἐκ τῶν θεοπνεύστων λόγων λάβωμεν τῶν ζητουμένων τὴν 
Avow.—Theodorit. Eccles. Hist. Lib. 1. cap. vii. Ed. Reading. Cantab. 
1720. pp. 26, 27.] 

[2 Cunctos populos, quos clementiz nostree regit imperium, in tali 
volumus religione versari, quam divinum Petrum apostolum tradidisse 
Romanis religio usque ad hunc ab ipso insinuata declarat, &c.— 
Grat. Valent. et Theod. Edict. in Corp. Jur. Civil. a Gothof. Amst. 
1663. Cod. Lib. 1. Tit. i. 1. Tom. m. p.1. See also, page 34 above.] 

[3 2 Chron. xxvi. 18, 19.] 








Vil. | THE SIXTH PRECEPT OF THE TEN COMMANDMENTS. 329 


in charge to receive the book of the law at the Levites’ hands‘. 
But our disputation tendeth not to the confounding of the 
offices and duties of the magistrate and ministers of the church, The several 


ffices of the 


as that we would have the king to preach, to baptize, and to magistrates 
of the 


minister the Lord’s supper; or the priest, on the other side, ministers 
to sit in the judgment-seat, and give judgment against a confounde 
murderer, or by pronouncing sentence to take up matters in 
strife. The church of Christ hath, and retaineth, several and 
distinguished offices’; and God is the God of order, and not 
of confusion. Hereunto tendeth our discourse, by demon- 
stration to prove to all men, that the magistrate of duty 
ought to have a care of religion, either in ruin to restore it, 
or in soundness to preserve it; and still to see that it proceed 
according to the rule of the word of God. For to that end 
was the law of God given into the king’s hands by the priests, 
that he should not be ignorant of God’s will touching matters 
ecclesiastical and political, by which law he had to govern the 
whole estate of all his realm. Josue, the captain of God’s 
people, is set before Eleazar indeed; but yet he hath autho- 
rity to command the priests, and, being a politic governor, is 
joined as it were in one body with the ecclesiastical ministers. 
The politic magistrate is commanded to give ear to the eccle- 
siastical ruler, and the ecclesiastical minister must obey the 
politic governor in all things which the law commandeth. 
So then the magistrate is not made subject by God to the 
priests as to lords, but as to the ministers of the Lord: the 
subjection and duty which they owe is to the Lord himself 
and to his law, to which the priests themselves also ought to 
be obedient, as well as the princes. If the lips of the priest 
err from the truth, and speak not the word of God, there is 
no cause why any of the common sort, much less the prince, 
should either hearken unto, or in one tittle reverence the 
priest. ‘The lips of the priest,” saith Malachi, “ keep know- 
ledge, and they seek the law at his mouth; because he is the 
messenger of the Lord of hosts®.” To refuse to hear such 
priests is to repel God himself. Such priests as these the 
godly princes of Israel did always aid and assist ; false priests 
they did disgrade; those which neglected their offices they 


[6 Numb. xxvii. 22; Deut. xvii. 18.] 
[5 officia distincta, Lat. ] 
[6 Mal. ii. 7.] 


Princes have 
done and 
dealt in re- 
ligion. 
2Chron. viii. 


330 THE SECOND DECADE. [SERM. 


rebuked sharply; and made decrees for the executing and 
right administering of every office. 

Of Salomon we read, that he put Abiathar beside the 
priesthood of the Lord! (that he might fulfil the word of the 
Lord, which he spake to Heli in Silo), and made Zadok priest 
in Abiathar’s stead. In the second book of Chronicles it is 
said: “And Salomon set the sorts of priests to their offices, 
as David his father had ordered them, and the Levites in their 
watches, for to praise and minister before the priests day by 
day, as their course did require®.” In the same book again, 
Joiada® the priest doth indeed anoint Joas king; but, never- 
theless, the king doth call the priest, and give him a com- 
mandment to gather money to repair the temple. Moreover, 
that religious and excellent prince, Ezechias, called the priests 
and Levites, and said unto them: “ Be ye sanctified, and 
sanctify ye the house of the Lord our God, and suffer no 
uncleanness to remain in the sanctuary. My sons, be not 
slack now, because the Lord hath chosen you to minister unto 
himself *.” 5He did also appoint singers in the house of the 
Lord, and those that should play on musical instruments in 
the Lord’s temple. Furthermore, king Ezechias ordained 
sundry companies of priests and Levites, according to their 
sundry offices, every one according to his own ministery. 
What may be said of that too, that even he did divide to 
the priests their portions and stipends throughout the priest- 
hood? The same king gave charge to all the people to keep 
holy the feast of passover, writing to them all such letters as 
priests are wont to write, to put them in mind of religion and 
hearty repentance. And after all this there is added: “ And 
the king wrought that which was good, right, and just before 
the Lord his God*®.” When princes therefore do order re- 
ligion according to the word of God, they do the thing that 
pleaseth the Lord. This and the like is spoken again by’? the 
godly prince Josias. Who therefore will hereafter say, that 
the care of religion belongeth unto bishops alone ? 


[} 1 Kings ii. 27.] {2 2 Chron. viii. 14.] 

[3 2 Chron. xxiv. ] [4 2 Chron. xxix. 5, 11.] 

[5 Idem rex mox jubet sacerdotes sacrificare Domino, Lat. ; omit- 
ted. “The same king presently commandeth the priests to sacrifice to 
the Lord.” P.] 


[5.2 Chron. xxxi. 20.] [Π by, i.e. concerning; de, Lat. ] 








VII. | THE SIXTH PRECEPT OF THE TEN COMMANDMENTS. 331 


The christian emperors, following the example of the an- princes have 
cient kings as of their fathers, did with great care provide for onters for 
the state of true religion in the church of Christ. Arcadius” τ 
and Honorius did determine that, so often as matters of re- 
ligion were called in question, the bishops should be summoned 
to assemble a council®. And before them again, the emperors 
Gratian, Valentinian, and Theodosius, established a law, 
wherein they declared to the world what faith and religion 
they would have all men to recéive and retain, to wit, the 
faith and doctrine of St Peter: in which edict, also, they 
proclaimed all them to be heretics which thought or taught 
the contrary; allowing them alone to be called catholics, 
which did persevere in St Peter’s faith®. By this we gather, 
that the proper office of the priests is to determine of religion 
by proofs out of the word of God, and that the prince’s duty 
is to aid the priests in advancement and defence of true re- 
ligion. But if it happen at any time that the priests be slack 
in doing their duty, then is it the prince’s office by compul- 
sion to enforce the priests to live orderly according to their 
profession, and to determine in religion according to the word 
of God. The emperor Justinian, in Novellis Constitut. 3, 
writing to Epiphanius, archbishop of Constantinople”, saith : 
“We have, most reverend patriarch, assigned to your holiness 
the disposition of all things that are honest, seemly, and 
agreeable to the rule of holy scriptures, touching the appoint- 
ing and ordering of sacred bishops and reverend clerks".” 

And in the seventeenth constitution he saith: “ We give 
charge and commandment, that no bishop haverlicence to sell 
or make away any immovables, whether it be in houses or 


[8 Episcopos convenit agitare, Lat.—Impp. Arcad. et Honor. A. A. 
Apollodoro Proc. Afric.—Quotiens de religione agitur, episcopos con- 
venit judicare, &c.—Dat. 13 Kal. Septemb. Patavi. Theodoro. V. C. 
Cons.—Cod. Theodos. de religione. Lib. xvi. Tit. 11. p. 527. Par. 
1607.] 

[9 See above, page 35.] 

[1° regise urbis archiepiscopum, Lat. ] 

[11 "Hdy μὲν κοινῷ τε καὶ ἡγεμονικῷ νόμῳ, πρός τε τὴν μακαριότητα τὴν 
σὴν πρός τε τοὺς λοιποὺς ἁγιωτάτους πατριάρχας γεγραμμένῳ, τὰ περὶ τῆς 
χειροτονίας τῶν εὐαγῶν ἐπισκόπων καὶ εὐλαβεστάτων κληρικῶν - -. διετυ- 
πώσαμεν ἅπερ ἡμῖν ἐδόκει καλῶς τε καὶ προσηκόντως ἔχειν, καὶ τῶν ἱερῶν 
κανόνων aéios.—Justin. Auth. Collat. 1. Tit. 3. Novell. 8. p. 18. Preefat. 
Gotting. 1797.] 


992 THE SECOND DECADE. [SERM. 


lands, belonging to the churches!.” Again, in the fifty-seventh 
constitution, he forbiddeth to celebrate the holy mysteries in 
private houses?. He addeth the penalty, and saith: “ For 
the houses, wherein it is done, shall be confiscate and sold for 
money, which shall be brought into the emperor’s exchequer®.” 
In the sixty-seventh constitution, he chargeth all bishops not 
to be absent from their churches: but if they be absent, he 
willeth that they should receive no commodity or stipend of 
the provincial stewards, but that their revenue should be 
employed on the church’s necessities’. In the hundred and 
twenty-third constitution, the lieutenants of every province 
are commanded to assemble a council for the use and defence 
of ecclesiastical laws, if the bishops be slack to look there- 
unto’, And immediately after he saith: “We do utterly 
forbid all bishops, prelates, and clerks, of what degree soever, 
to play at tables, to keep company with dice-players, to be 
lookers on upon gamesters, or to run to gaze upon may-games 
or pageants®.” I do not allege all this as canonical scriptures, 
but as proofs to declare, that princes in the primitive church 
had power, official authority, and a usual custom, granted by 
God, (as Esay did prophesy,) and derived from the examples 


[1 Ἡμεῖς οὖν ... θεσπίζομεν ... μήτε ἄλλον μηδένα πανταχοῦ μήτε 
πατριάρχην μήτε ἐπίσκοπον ... ἄδειαν ἔχειν ἐκποιεῖν πρᾶγμα ἀκίνητον ἐν 
οἰκίαις ἢ ἐν aypois.—Justin. Auth. Collat. m. Tit. 1. Novell. 7. cap. 1.] 

(? Justin. Auth. Collat. v. Tit. 12. Novell. 58. p. 269.—zepi τοῦ ἐν 
ἰδιωτικοῖς οἴκοις ἱερὰν μυσταγωγίαν μὴ γίνεσθαι. | 

(3... πρὸς τῷ καὶ τὴν οἰκίαν αὐτὴν τὴν ἐν ἧ τοιοῦτό τι πράττεται γί- 
νεσθαι δημοσίαν,“καὶ ὑπὸ τὸ ἱερώτατον ἔρχεσθαι ταμεῖον.----ΤΌ14. p. 270. | 

[4 Κἀκεῖνό γε μὴν θεσπίζομεν, ὥστε κατὰ τὸν ἤδη παρ᾽ ἡμῶν φοιτήσαντα 
νόμον τοὺς θεοφιλεστάτους ἐπισκόπους ταῖς ἑαυτῶν ἐκκλησίαις προσκαρτε- 
pew... εἴπερ ἀπολειφθείη 6 θεοφιλέστατος ἐπίσκοπος τῆς ἐκκλησίας τῆς 
αὑτοῦ πλείονα χρόνον, μηδεμίαν αὐτῷ στέλλεσθαι δαπάνην ἐκ τῆς χώρας, 
ἀλλ᾽ ἐκείνην μὲν περὶ πράξεις εὐσεβεῖς καὶ περὶ τὴν ἁγιωτάτην ἐκκλησίαν 
daravacOa.—Justin. Auth. Collat. v. Tit. 22. Novell. 67. cap. 8. p. 
294.] 

[5 ... προνοούντων τοῦ τοιούτου οὐ μόνον τῶν κατὰ τόπον ὁσιωτάτων 
ἐπισκόπων καὶ τῶν ὑπ᾽ αὐτοὺς κληρικῶν, ἀλλὰ καὶ τῶν πολιτικῶν καὶ τῶν 
στρατιωτικῶν ἀρχόντων, καὶ τῶν ὑπ᾽ αὐτοὺς τάξεων, καὶ τῶν κατὰ τόπον 
éxdixov-—Justin. Auth. Collat. rx. Tit. 6. Novell. 123. cap. 44. p. 512.] 

[6 ... ἀπαγορεύομεν δὲ τοῖς ὁσιωτάτοις ἐπισκόποις καὶ πρεσβυτέροις... 
καὶ παντὶ ἄλλῳ οἱουδήποτε εὐαγοῦς τάγματος ἢ σχήματος καθεστώτι ταβλί- 
ζειν, ἢ τῶν τὰ τοιαῦτα παιζόντων κοινωνοὺς ἢ θεωρητὰς γίνεσθαι, ἢ εἰς 
οἱανδήποτε θέαν τοῦ θεωρῆσαι χάριν mapayiverOa.—Ibid. cap. 10. p. 496.] 








VII.] THE SIXTH PRECEPT OF THE TEN COMMANDMENTS, 333 


of ancient kings, to command bishops, and to determine of 
religion in the church of Christ. 

As for them which object the church’s privilege, let them rectesiastical 
know, that it is not permitted to any prince, nor any mortal eae 
man, to grant privileges contrary to the express command- 
ments and very truth of God’s word. St Paul affirmed that 
he had power given him to edify, but not to destroy’. I am 
the briefer, because I will not stand to prove that they are. 
unworthy of indifferent® privileges, which are not such as® 
priests and Christ his ministers should be, but are soldiers 
rather and wicked knaves, full of all kind of mischief. Among 
other things in the canon law, Distinct. 40, we find this 
written: “ See to yourselves, brethren, how ye sit upon the 
seat: for the seat maketh not the priest, but the priest the 
seat: the place sanctifieth not the man, but the man the 
place. Every priest is not a holy man, but every holy man 
is a priest. He that sitteth well upon the seat, receiveth the 
honour of the seat: but he that sitteth ill upon the seat, doth 
injury unto the seat. Therefore an evil priest getteth blame 
by his priesthood, and not any dignity!” And thus much 
thus far touching this matter. 

Since now that I have declared unto you, dearly beloved, 
that the care of religion doth belong to the magistrate too, 
and not to the bishops alone, and that the magistrate may 
make laws also in cases of religion; it is requisite, that I 
inquire what kind of laws those are that the magistrates What laws 
may make in matters of religion. ‘There is no cause why trates ought 
the king or magistrate should suppose, that power is given to concerning 
him to make new laws touching God, the worship of God, or 
his holy mysteries; or to appoint a new kind of true justice 


[7 2 Cor. xiii. 10.] 

[8 Aquis, Lat.] 

[9 non sunt hoc quod audiunt, Lat.; are not that which they are 
called. | 

[19 Videte ergo quomodo sedetis super cathedram : quia non cathe- 
dra facit sacerdotem, sed sacerdos cathedram; non locus sanctificat 
hominem, sed homo locum; non omnis sacerdos sanctus, sed omnis 
sanctus sacerdos. Qui bene sederit super cathedram, honorem accipit 
ab illa; qui male sederit, injuriam facit cathedree: ideoque malus 
sacerdos de sacerdotio suo crimen acquirit, non dignitatem.—Corp. 
Jur. Can. Decret. 1. Pars. Distinct. 40. xii. Joan. Chrysost. id est, 
Autor. Op. Imperf. in Matt. Hom. 43. ad c, 23. ed. Par. 1687. p. 54. ] 


Echools, 


334 THE SECOND DECADE. [SERM. 


and goodness. For as every magistrate is ordained of God, 
and is God’s minister, so must he be ruled by God, and be 
obedient to God’s holy word and commandment, having ever- 
more an eye unto that, and depending still upon that alone. 
The scripture, which is the word of God, doth abundantly 
enough set down all that which is proper to true religion: 
yea, the Lord doth flatly forbid to add to or take anything 
from his holy word. The magistrate therefore maketh no 
new laws touching God, and the honour to be given to God; 
but doth religiously receive and keep, doth put in ure and 
publish, those ancient laws in that kingdom which God hath 
allotted him unto. For hereunto appertaineth the giving of 
the book of God’s law unto the kings of Israel!, that they 
might learn thereby the way to do the things which they of 
duty ought to see done. To Josue the Lord doth say : “ See 
that thou dost observe and do according to all the law that 
Moses my servant commanded thee: thou shalt not turn 
from it either to the right hand or to the left. Neither shall 
the book of this law depart out of thy mouth, but occupy thy 
mind therein day and night, that thou mayest observe and do 
according to all that is written therein. For then thou shalt 
make thy way prosperous, and then thou shalt do wisely ?.” 
Devout and holy princes therefore did do their faithful and 
diligent endeavour to cause the word of God to be preached 
to the people, to retain and preserve among the people the 
laws, ceremonies, and statutes of God; yea, they did their 
best to spread it to all men as far as they could, and, as time 
and place required, to apply it holily to the states and per- 
sons: on the other side, they were not slack to banish and 
drive away false doctrine, profane worshippings of God, and 
blasphemies of his name, but settled themselves utterly to 
overthrow and root it out for ever. In this sort (I say) godly 
magistrates did make and ordain devout laws for the mainte- 
nance of religion. In this sort they bore a godly and devout 
care for matters of religion. 

The cities which the Levites had to possess were of old 
their schools of Israel. Now Josue did appoint those cities 
for studies’ sake, and the cause of godliness*. King Ezechias 
was no less careful for the sure payment and revenue of the 

[1 See Deut. xvii. 18, 19; 2 Kings xi. 12.] 
[2 Josh. i. 7, 8.] [8 Josh. xxi.] 








vil. | THE SIXTH PRECEPT OF THE TEN COMMANDMENTS, 335 


ministers’ stipends than he was for the restoring and renewing 
of every office4. For honour and advancement maketh learn- 
ing to flourish, when need and necessity is driven to seek out 
sundry shifts: beggary setteth religion to sale, much more the 
invented lies of men’s own mouths. Josaphat sendeth senators 
and other officers with the priests and teachers through all his 
kingdom’: for his desire was by all means possible to have 
God’s word preached with authority and certain majesty, and, 
being preached, to have it defended and put in ure to the 
bringing forth of good works. King Josias doth, together 
with idolatry and profane worshippings of God, destroy-the 
false priests that were to be found, setting up in their steads 
the true teachers of God’s word, and restoring again sincere 
religion®; even as also king Joas, having rebuked the Levites, 
did repair the decayed buildings of the holy temple’. I am 
not able to run through all the scriptures, and rehearse all 
the examples in them expressed: let the godly prince or 
magistrate learn by these few what and how he ought to 
determine touching laws for religion. 

On the other side, Ahia, the Silonite, saith to Jeroboam: Devisers of 
« Thus saith the Lord: Thou shalt reign according to all that worships are 
thy soul desireth, and shalt be king over Israel. And if thou %¢- 
hearken unto all that I command thee, and wilt walk in my 
ways, and do that is right in my sight, that thou keep my 
statutes and my commandments, as David my servant did; 
then will I be with thee, and build thee a sure house®.” But 
the wretch despised those large promises, and rejecting God’s 
word, his temple at Jerusalem, and his lawful worship, refusing 
also the Levites, he made him priests of the dregs and rascal 
sort of people; he built himself new temples, which he decked, 
nay, rather disgraced, with images and idols, ordaining and 
offering sacrifices not taught in God’s word, by that means 
inventing a certain new kind of worshipping God and a new 
manner of religion, And although his desire was to seem to 
be willing to worship God, yet is he by God condemned for 
a wicked man. Hearken, I pray, the sentence of the Lord, 
which he denounceth against him: ‘“ Thou hast done evil,” 
saith Ahia, as the Lord had taught him, “ above all that were 


[4 2 Chron. xxxi.] [5 2 Chron. xvii. 7—9.] 
[6 2 Kings xxiii. ] [7 2 Kings xii.] 
(8 1 Kings xi. 38.] 


336 THE SECOND DECADE. [SERM. 


before thee. For thou hast gone and made thee other gods 
and molten images, to provoke me, and hast cast me behind 
thy back. Therefore I will bring evil upon the house of 
Jeroboam, and will root out from Jeroboam even him that 
pisseth against the wall, and him that is in prison and forsaken 
in Israel, and will take away the remnant of the house of 
Jeroboam, as one carrieth away dung till all be gone.” And 
all these things were fulfilled according to the saying of the 
Lord, as the scripture witnesseth in these words: ‘“ When 
Baasa was king, he smote all the house of Jeroboam, and left 
nothing that breathed of that that was Jeroboam’s.” But the 
very same king, being nothing the better or wiser by another’s 
mishap and miserable example of his predecessor, sticketh not 
to continue to teach the people, to publish and defend the 
strange and foreign religion, contrary to the word of God, 
which Jeroboam had begun. But what followed thereupon ? 
Forsooth, the Lord by the preaching of Hanani the prophet 
doth say unto him: “ Forasmuch as I exalted thee out of the 
dust, and made thee prince over my people Israel, and thou 
hast walked in the way of Jeroboam, and hast made my 
people Israel to sin, to anger me with their sins; behold, 
I will root out the posterity of Baasa, and the posterity of his 
house, and will make thy house like the house of Jeroboam.” 
Which was performed (as the scripture saith) by Simri, captain 
of the host of Israel: for he destroyed king Hela, the son of 
Baasa, when he was drunken, and all his posterity’, Amri 
succeeded in the kingdom, who was the father of Achab, that 
mischievous cut-throat, whom the Syrians slew in fighting 
a battle’. After him reigned his sons Ochosias and Joram. 
But when they left the religion taught in the word of God to 
follow the new tradition of king Jeroboam, and had thereunto 
added the worshipping of the shameful idol Baal, they were 
utterly (at last) destroyed by the means of Jehu, a very just, 
although a rigorous prince*, The offspring of Amri reigned 
about the space of forty years, not without the shedding of 
much innocent blood; but it was at last destroyed, when the 
measure of iniquity was fulfilled, and was utterly plucked up 
at the roots by the just judgment of Almighty God‘. 


(1 1 Kings xiv. 9,10; xv. 29; xvi. 2, 3, 9—13.] 
[2 1 Kings xxii. 34.] [3 2 Kings ix. and x. ] 
[4 The reigns of Ahab, Ahaziah, and Jehoram take up 37 years. ] 








Vit. | THE SIXTH PRECEPT OF THE TEN COMMANDMENTS. 997 


Let all princes and magistrates therefore learn by these 
wonderful and terrible examples to take heed to themselves 
how they devise any new religion, or alter the lawful and 
ancient manner of worshipping, which God himself hath or- 
dained already. Our faithful Lord is our good God, who 
hath fully, simply, and absolutely set down in his word his 
true religion and lawful kind of worship, which he hath taught 
all men to keep alone and for evermore: let all men therefore 
cleave fast unto it, and let them die in defence thereof, that 
mean to live eternally. They are punished from above, who- 
soever do add to, or take away anything from, the religion 
and kind of worship first ordained and appointed of God. 
Mark this, ye great men and princes of authority. For the 
keeping or not keeping of true religion is the root from whence 
abundant fruit of felicity, or else utter unhappiness, doth spring 
and bud out. He therefore that hath ears to hear, let him 
hear. Let no man suffer himself to be seduced and carried 
away with any coloured intent, how goodly to the eye soever 
it be, which is indeed a mere vanity and detestable iniquity. 

To God obedience is much more acceptable than sacrifices are. 
Neither do the decrees of the Highest need any whit at all 
our fond additions®, 

Here followeth now the second part of the magistrates’ Laws are 
ordinance, which consisteth in making good laws for the pre- king, 
servation of honesty, justice, and public peace ; which is like- ἢ requisite for 
wise accomplished in good and upright laws. But some there wealths. 
are who think it mere tyranny to lay laws on free men’s 
backs, as it were a yoke upon necks not used to labour; sup- 
posing that every one ought rather to be left to his own will 
and discretion. The apostle indeed did say, “ The law is not 
given for the just, but for the unjust®:” but the cause, why 
the law is not given to the just, is because he is just; for the 
just worketh justice, and doth of his own accord the thing 
which the law exacteth of every mortal man. Wherefore the 
law is not troublesome to the just man, because it is agreeable 
to the mind and thoughts of upright livers, who do embrace 
it with all their hearts. But the unjust desireth nothing more 
than to live as he lusteth: he is not conformable in any point 
to the law, and therefore must he by the law be kept under, 


[5 emblematis, 1 at. ] 
(6 1 Tim. i. 9.] 
22 
[BULLINGER. | 


998 THE SECOND DECADE. [SERM. 


and bridled from marring himself and hurting other. So then, 
since to good men the laws are no troublesome burden but an 
acceptable pleasure, which are also necessary for the unjust, 
as ordained for the bridling of lawless and unruly people; it 
followeth consequently, that they are good and profitable for all 
men, and not to be rejected of any man. What may be said 
of that, moreover, that God himself, who did foresee the dis- 
position of us men, what we would be, and hath still favoured 
the true liberty which he desired always to have preserved 
among his people, as one that ever meant them good, and 
never did ordain the thing that should turn to their hinderance 
or discommodity ; that God himself (I say) was their lawgiver, 
and hath not suffered any age at any time to live as people 
without a law? Yea too, those commonweals have been happy 
always, that have admitted laws, and submitted themselves to 
be governed by laws; when as, contrarily, those kingdoms 
have of all other been most miserable, and torn in pieces 
by civil dissensions and foreign enemies, which, having banished 
upright laws, did strive to maintain their own kind of freedom, 
their uncontrolled dealing and licentious liberty, that is, their 
beastly lust and uncivil rudeness. Good laws therefore are for 
the health and preservation of the people, and necessary for 
the peace and safeguard of commonweals and kingdoms. 
Wherefore it is a wonder to see the folly of some Christians, 
since the very heathens have given so honest report of laws 
and lawgivers. They took their lawgivers for gods, confess- 
ing thereby that good laws are the gift of God!. But the gift 
of God cannot be superfluous and unprofitable. Plutarch 
called laws the life of cities. Demosthenes did expressly con- 
fess that laws are the gifts of God’. Cicero named laws the 
bonds of the city (because without laws it is loosed and 





i a ... 


dispersed), the foundation of liberty, and the well-spring of | 


justice and perfect honesty‘. For laws undoubtedly are the 


[ AO. Θεὸς ἤ τις ἀνθρώπων ὑμῖν, ὦ ξένοι, εἴληφε τὴν αἰτίαν τῆς τῶν 
νόμων διαθέσεως; ΚΛ. Θεὸς, ὦ ξένε, θεὸς, ὥς γε τὸ δικαιότατον εἰπεῖν.----- 
Plato de Legib. Lib. 1. in init.] 

[3 Εἴπερ οὖν of νόμους καὶ πολιτείας ἀναιροῦντες τὸν βίον ἀναιροῦσι τὸν 
ἀνθρώπινον, &c.—Plutarch. adv. Colot. in fin.] 

[5 Πᾶς ἐστὶ νόμος εὕρημα μὲν καὶ δῶρον 6edv.—Demosth. Orat. adv. 
Aristog.] 

{* Hoc enim yinculum est hujus dignitatis, qua fruimur in repub- 








Vil.] THE SIXTH PRECEPT OF THE TEN COMMANDMENTS. 999 


strongest sinews of the commonweal, and life of the magis- 
trates: so that neither the magistrates can without the laws 
conveniently live and rule the weal public, nor the laws with- 
out the magistrates shew forth their strength and lively force. 
The magistrate therefore is the living law, and the law is the The magis- | 
dumb magistrate’, By executing and applying the law, the endued with 
law is made to live and speak: which those princes do not 
consider that are wont to say, Wir sind das recht, “We 
are the right, we are the law.” For they suppose that they 
at their pleasure may command what they list, and that 
all men by and by must take it for law. But that kind of 
ruling, without all doubt, is extreme tyranny. The saying of 
the poet is very well known, which representeth the very 
words of a tyrant: 

I say, and it shall be so; 

My lust shall be the law®. 
The prince, indeed, is the living law, if his mind obey the 
written laws, and square not from the law of nature. Power 
and authority, therefore, is subject unto laws; for unless the 
prince in his heart agree with the law, in his breast do write 
the law, and in his words and deeds express the law, he is not 
worthy to be called a good man, much less a prince. Again, 
a good prince and magistrate hath power over the law, and is 
master of the laws, not that they may turn, put out, undo, 
make and unmake, them as they list at their pleasure; but 
because he may put them in practice among the people, apply 
them to the necessity of the state, and attemper their interpre- 
tation to the meaning of the maker. 

They therefore are deceived as far as heaven is wide, To put toand 
which think for a few privileges, of emperors and kings /2¥s. 
granted to the magistrate to add, diminish, or change some 
point of the law, that therefore they may utterly abolish good 
laws, and live against all law and seemliness. For, as no 


lica; hoc fundamentum libertatis; hic fons squitatis: mens, et 
animus, et consilium, et senteutia civitatis posita est in legibus.—Cic. 
Orat. pro A. Cluent.] 

[5 Referring to that saying of Cicero’s, (de Legg. Lib. m1. cap. 1.) 
Magistratum legem esse loquentem, legem autem mutum magistratum. ] 

[ὁ Hoe volo, sic jubeo; sit pro ratione voluntas.—Juy. Sat. v1. 
993 P| 

22—2 


940 THE SECOND DECADE. [SERM. 


emperors or kings are permitted to grant any privileges con- 
trary to justice, goodness, and honesty; so, if they do grant 
any such privilege, it ought not to be received or taken of 
good subjects for a good turn or benefit, but to be counted 
rather (as it is indeed) their utter destruction and clean over- 
throw. Among all men, at all times and of all ages, the 
meaning and substance of the laws touching honesty, justice, 
and public peace, is kept inviolable: if change be made, it is 
in circumstances, and the law is interpreted as the case re- 
quireth, according to justice and a good end. The law saith, 
“Let no man kill another: let him that killeth another be 
killed himself.” That law remaineth for ever unchangeable, 
neither is it lawful for any man at any time to put it out 
or wipe it away. And yet the rigour of the law may be 
diminished, and the law itself favourably interpreted: as, for 
example, if a man kill one whom he loveth entirely well, 
and kill him by chance, and not of set purpose or pretended 
malice, so that, when he hath done, he is sorry for it at the 
very heart, and would (if it were possible) buy his life again 
with whatsoever he hath to give for it; in such a case the killer 
ought not to be killed, and therein the magistrate may dispense 
with the rigour of the law. Another beareth a deadly and 
continual grudge! to one, whom he killeth, and goeth about to 
colour the matter under the pretence of hap and misfortune: 
for he sought occasion, that he might for himself have a shew 
of chance-medley?. In such a case as this the magistrate 
cannot change any jot of the law, but must needs kill him 
whom the meaning of the law commandeth to kill. I could allege 
more examples like unto these; but my care is, of purpose, so 
_ much as I may, not to be too tedious unto you with too long a 
discourse. By this that I have spoken it is apparently evident, 
that laws are good and not to be broken, and how far forth 
they do admit the prince’s ἐπιείκειαν, that is, the prince’s 
moderation, interpretation, limitation, or dispensation, lest per- 


[1 Vatiniano odio, Lat. Vatinius, in quem acerrime M. Tullius 
invectus est, in tantum odium populi Romani pervenerat, jam detectis 
illius flagitiis, ut in proverbium cesserit, Odium Vatinianum.—Erasm. 
Adag. Chiliad. Hanov. 1617. p. 551. Odium.] 

[3 casus fortuiti, Lat. ] 

[8 ef. Aristot. Ethic. Lib. v. cap. 10.] 








VIL. | THE SIXTH PRECEPT OF THE TEN COMMANDMENTS. 341 


adventure that old and accustomed proverb be rightly applied 
unto them, ‘ Law with extremity is extreme injury 4.” 


Hitherto I have declared that laws are good, profitable, What man- 


er of laws 
necessary, and not to be broken: it remaineth now to tell the magi 


what and what kind of laws the magistrate ought most chiefly ‘ 
to use for the ordering and maintaining of honesty, justice, 
and public peace, according to his office. Some there are 
whose opinion is, that the magistrate ought not to use any 
written laws, but that he should rather give sentence as 
he thought best according to natural equity, as the circum- 
stances of place, time, persons, and cases do seem to require. 
Other some there are that do their endeavour to thrust into 
all kingdoms and commonweals the judicial laws of Moses. 
And some there are which, having once rejected the law 
of Moses, will have no judgment given in law, but what 
is derived out of the laws of heathen princes. But since they 
that have the pre-eminence and magistrate’s authority are men 
either good or bad; and since that, even in the best men, 
covetousness, anger, hatred, favour, grief, fear, and other 
affections, are rife to be found; to whom, I pray you, have 
they committed the commonweal, which, rejecting all written written laws 
statutes and certain laws, would have every man that is a” a 
magistrate to give judgment as he himself thinketh best? Have 
they not committed their commonweal to the rule of a beast ? 
But what shall I say then of evil men that are in authority, 
since in the best men things are so amiss? As good were a 
kingdom subject to the furies of hell, as bound to the judg- 
ments of naughty men. But we will (say they) have them 
give judgment according to the equity of nature’s law, and not 
after the lust of their corrupt affection. Mine answer is to that; 
that they will give judgment as affection leadeth them without 
controlment, and say that they judged by natural equity. 
They cannot, they will say, judge otherwise, nor otherwise 
understand the pith of the matter. They think that best 
which they have determined, and nothing is done contrary to 
conscience; and thou for thy labour shalt be called Coram nobis® 


[4 Summum jus summa injuria, Lat.—Erasm. Adag. Chiliad. 
p. 619. Rigor.) 

[5 te in jus vocabunt, Lat. The colloquial phrase of the translator 
occurs in Latimer’s Works, Parker Soc. ed. Vol. τι. p. 348, and com- 
monly in Foxe: see Acts and Monuments, Vol. v. pp. 291, 537. ed. 1838.] 


342 THE SECOND DECADE. [SERM. 


for daring find fault with their sentence in judgment. And so 
shall the just man perish, barbarous affections shall have the 
upper hand, and naughty men rule all the roost. Yea, and 
admit we grant all men are good that are called to be magis- 
trates; yet diversity of opinions, that will rise in giving of 
judgment, will stir up among them endless brawls and continual 
troubles. If all things therefore be well considered, the best 
way by a great deal is to put written laws in ure. 

Let us learn this by the example of our eternal, wise, 
excellent, and mighty God, who gave to the Jews, his peculiar 
people, such laws as at his commandment were set down in 
writing. The magistrate hath otherwise business enough to 
judge, that is, to apply and confer the causes with the laws; 
to see how far and wherein they agree or disagree; and to 
judge who hath offended against the law, and who have not 
transgressed the law. ~ 

The law of Now it is to be marked, that in Moses’ judicial law 


Moses is not 


tobcenforeed there are many things proper and peculiar to the Jewish 
domsand nation, and so ordained, according to the state of the place, 
time, and persons, that, if we should go about to thrust on and 
apply them all to other nations, we should seem to shew our- 
selves more than half mad. And to what end should we bring 
back and set up again among the people of God! the offscour- 
ings of the heathen that were cast out a great while ago? 
The apostles of our Lord Jesus Christ did bind or burden no 
man with the laws of Moses; they never condemned good laws 
of the heathens, nor commended to any man naughty laws of 
the Gentiles; but left the laws, with the use and free choice 
of them, for the saints to use as they thought good. But 
therewithal they ceased not most diligently to beat into all 
men’s heads the fear of God, faith, charity, justice, and tem- 
perance; because they knew that they, in whose hearts those 
virtues were settled, can either easily make good laws them- 
selves, or pick and choose out the best of those which other 
men make. For it maketh no matter whether the magistrate 
pick out of Moses’ Jewish laws, or out of the allowable laws of 
the heathen, sufficient laws for him and his countrymen, or 
else do keep still the old and accustomed laws which have 
before been used in his country, so that he have an eye to cut 
off such wicked, unjust, and lawless laws, as are found to 
be thrust in among the better sort. For I suppose that 


[1 in forum populi Dei, Lat.] 








Vil.] THE SIXTH PRECEPT OF THE TEN COMMANDMENTS. 848 


upright magistrates ought to take off curiosity and new 
invented novelties. ‘Seldom,’ saith the proverb, ‘is the aera 


crow’s eye picked out without troublesome stirs! :” and curious patel απ 


men’s new laws are for the most part worse than the old, that bint at 


were before 


are broken by them and utterly abolished. annie 
Furthermore, all laws are given for ordering of religion or men have 
outward worship of God, or else for the outward conversation 
of life and civil behaviour. Touching the laws of religion, 
I have spoken of them before. For ἐπὶ and politic laws, I Civil laws; ς 
add thus much, and say, that those seem to be the best laws, of Tas they 
which, according to the circumstance of every place, person, 
state, and time, do come nearest unto the precepts of the 
ten commandments and the rule of charity, not having in them 
any spot of iniquity, licentious liberty, or shameless dishonesty. 
Let them, moreover, be brief and short, not stretched out 
beyond measure, and wrapped in with many expositions: let 
them have a full respect to the matter whereto they are 
directed, and not be frivolous and of no effect. 
Now mark, that politic laws do for the most part consist 
in three especial and principal points—honesty, justice, and 
peace. Let laws therefore tend to this end, that discipline Laws ot 
and honesty may be planted and maintained in the common- aig 
weal, and that no unseemly, licentious, and filthy act be therein 
committed. Let law forbid all uncleanness, wantonness, light- 
ness, sensuality, and riotousness, in apparel, in building, in 
bibbing and banquetting. Let wedlock be commanded by law 
to be kept holy. Let stews and brothel-houses be banished 
the realm. Let adulteries, whoredoms, rapes, and incests, be 
put to exile. Let moderate feastings be allowed and admitted. 
Let thriftiness be used, which is the greatest revenue that a 
man can enjoy®. Briefly, whatsoever is contrary to honesty 
and seemliness, let it by law be driven out and rejected. 
Let justice by laws be strongly fortified. Let it by laws be Laws ofjus- 
provided, that neither citizen nor foreigner be hurt or hindered eat. 
in fame, in goods, in body, or life’. Let upright laws be made 


[1 Undecunque fluxerit, perinde valere videtur, Cornicwm oculos 
configere, quasi dicas, novo quodam invento veterum eruditionem ob- 
scurare.—Erasm. Adag. Chiliad. p. 504. Mira nova.] 

[2 See above, page 297, note 8.] 

[3 Leedens alium violenter vel insidiose puniatur secundum leges, 
Lat. ; omitted by the translator. Whoever injures another by violence 
or treacherously, let him be punished according to law. } 


344 THE SECOND DECADE. [SERM. 


for the obtaining of legacies and inheritances, for the perform- 
ing of contracts and bargains, for covenants and agreements, for 
suretiships, for buying and selling, for weights and measures, 
for leases and things let to hire, for lending and borrowing, 
for pawns in mortgage, for use, commodity, and usury of 
money. Let order be taken for maintenance of peace between 
the father and his children, betwixt man and wife, betwixt the 
master and the servant; and, to be short, that every man may 
have his own. For my meaning is not here to reckon up 
particularly every several point and tittle of the law. 

Laws of Lastly, means must be made by giving of laws, that peace 

peace and ; . ° 

unanimity. may be established, whereby every man may enjoy his own. 
All violent robberies and injuries must be expelled; privy 
grudges and close conspiracies must not be thought of. And 
war must be quieted by wisdom, or else undertaken and finished 
with manly fortitude. 

But, that we may have such a magistrate and such a life, 
the apostle commanded us earnestly to pray, where he saith: 
“1 exhort you that, first of all, prayers, supplications, inter- 
cessions, and giving of thanks, be made for all men; for kings 
and for all that are in authority, that we may live a quiet and 
peaceable life in all godliness and honesty !.” 

I am now again compelled to end my Sermon before the 
matter be finished. That which remaineth I will add to- 
morrow. Make ye your earnest prayers, with your minds 
lift up into heaven, &c. 


ΠῚ Tint, ao 1; 2-1 











Υ111.1} THE SIXTH PRECEPT OF THE TEN COMMANDMENTS, 345 


OF JUDGMENT, AND THE OFFICE OF THE JUDGE; THAT 
CHRISTIANS ARE NOT FORBIDDEN TO JUDGE: OF 
REVENGEMENT AND PUNISHMENT: WHETHER 
IT BE LAWFUL FOR A MAGISTRATE TO KILL 
THE GUILTY: WHEREFORE, WHEN, HOW, 

AND WHAT THE MAGISTRATE MUST 
PUNISH: WHETHER HE MAY 
PUNISH OFFENDERS IN 
RELIGION OR NO. 


THE EIGHTH SERMON. 


I spake yesterday, dearly beloved, of the magistrate’s 
ordinance: there are yet behind other two parts of his office 
and duty, that is, judgment and punishment; of both which, 
by the help of God, I mean to speak as briefly as may be. 
Give ye attentive ear, and pray ye to the Lord to give me 
grace to speak the truth. 

Judgment is taken in divers significations ; but in this pre- what juag- 
sent treatise it importeth the sentence of judges brought in™™” 
betwixt men at variance; which sentence is derived out of the 
laws, according to right and equity, as the case put forth of 
the parties required, and is pronounced to the intent to take 
up? the strife betwixt them at variance, and to give to every 
man his own. For at sessions or assizes parties appear and 
sue one another for some inheritance or possession, which 
either party affirmeth to be his by law, laying for themselves 
whatsoever they can to prove and shew what right and title 
they have to the thing. All which the judges do diligently 
hear and perfectly note; then they confer the one with the 
other, and lay them with the law ; lastly, they pronounce 
sentence, whereby they give the possession to the one party, 
and take it from the other. The like reason is also in other 
cases and matters. And this is judgment; yea, this, I say, is 
the execution of justice. But this kind of quieting and setting 
parties at one is very mild in comparison of revengement and 
punishment, which is not executed with words and sentences, 
but with swords and bitter stripes. And good cause why it 


(2 ut dirimat, Lat. ] 


846 THE SECOND DECADE. [SERM. 


should be so, since there be divers causes, whereof some can- 
not be ended but with the sword, and some more gently with 
judgment in words. But herein consisteth the health and 
safeguard of the kingdom or commonweal. 

Sate Judgment and punishment therefore are in the magistrate 


ment pertain 


tothemagis. the most excellent offices, although peradventure they seem to 
pencing spon be somewhat hard and cruel. But unless this which seemeth to 
be cruelty be put in ure, all ages, states, and sexes shall feel 
the smart of crueller things, and that which is most cruel in- 
deed. For it is not cruelty, but rather just severity, which (as 
the Lord commandeth) is put in ure for the safeguard of the 
guiltless and preservation of peace within the realm and com- 
monweal. Put case there were a commonweal well furnished 
with most absolute laws for politic manners and matters of re- 
ligion : suppose also, that in the same commonweal there were 
no magistrate to execute, and as it were to father! those laws, 
by his authority to bring and reduce all the deeds and sayings 
of men to the trial of those laws; and that therefore every man 
breaketh forth to what kind of life he list himself, and doth 
what he will: tell me, I pray you, what good do those written 
laws to the men of that country? Believe me, forsooth, not 
one halfpenny worth of good?. The best part therefore of the 
magistrate’s duty consisteth in upright judgment and punishing 
revengement. And those two points require a man of courage 
and princely stomach ; whom the Lord in his law describeth 
lively, and telleth what kind of man he would have him to be, 
and what the office is whereto he is called: which description 
I will rehearse and expound, because therein the judge’s per- 
son is chiefly touched. 
The judge's Moses, at the Lord’s commandment, saith to the judges: 
described.  «* Hear the cause of your brethren, and judge righteously be- 
twixt every man and his brother, and the stranger that is with 
him. Ye shall have no respect of any person in judgment, 
but ye shall hear the small as well as the great: ye shall not 
fear the face of any man, for the judgment is the Lord’s%.” 
The holy prophet in these words toucheth two things chiefly: 
he declareth what the judge’s office is; and what vices or 
diseases do infect the judge, that he cannot fulfil his office as 
he ought to do. 
[ qui tueatur, Lat.] [2 nihil prorsus, Lat.] 
[3 Deut. i. 16, 17.] . 








vill. ] THE SIXTH PRECEPT OF THE TEN COMMANDMENTS. 947 


Now touching the office of a good judge, the first point me ofice of 
thereof is, that he repel no man, but hear every one, the isto hear 
small, the great‘, the citizen, the stranger, the known and 
unknown. And he must hear the parties willingly, dili- 
gently, and attentively. Herein there is admitted no slug- 
gishness of the judge, nor a mind busied about other matters. 
Judgment before the matter be decided is utterly excluded, 
because it carrieth away the mind of the judge before 
the matter is known. The thing itself crieth out, that the 
matter must first be heard and well understood, before the 
magistrate proceed to judgment. And the common proverb 
saith, “ Let the other party be heard too’.” Very wisely 
said that judge, which told one that made a complaint, ‘“ That 
with the one ear he heard him, and kept the other ear for 
him upon whom the complaint was τηδ 65, Herein we con- 
tain the perfect knowledge of the judge, and say, that he must 
not make too much haste in cases unknown, since he must judge 
them by the thing itself, and not by the parties, secret tales, 
and privy accusations. Secondarily, let him judge, saith he, The judge 
yea, let him judge uprightly. To judge is to determine and justly. 
pronounce truly and justly, according to the laws, what is 
good, what is evil, what is right, and what is wrong. We 
Switzers say, Urteilen, oder erteilen, oder richten; as if one 
should say, to distinguish a thing throughly considered, and 
to plane and make straight a crooked thing. Parties blinded 
with affections make straight things crooked, which the judge 
by applying the rule of equity and law doth straighten again; 
so that to judge is to straighten and to make plain. More- 
over, to judge is, by defending and punishing, to keep in 
liberty. The magistrate doth judge, therefore, when he de- 
fendeth the innocent, and bridleth the hurtful person. But he 
must judge justly, that is, according to justice, and agreeably 
to the laws, which give to every man that that is his. The 
judge doth judge unjustly, when of a corrupt mind he pro- 
nounceth sentence contrary to all law and equity. 


[4 inquilinum, Lat.; omitted.] 

[5 Audiatur et altera pars, Lat. ] 

[6 Λέγεται δὲ καὶ τὰς δίκας διακρίνων ἐν ἀρχῇ τὰς θανατικὰς, τὴν χεῖρα 
τῶν ὥτων τῷ ἑτέρῳ προστιθέναι τοῦ κατηγόρου λέγοντος, ὅπως τῷ κινδυ- 
νεύοντι καθαρὸν φυλάττηται καὶ ddia3dnrov.—Plutarch. in Vit. Alexandri. 
Lond. 1723. Tom. Iv. p. 60. See also Early Writings of Bp. Hooper, 
Parker Soc. ed. page 408.] 


348 THE SECOND DECADE. [SERM. 


Now therefore we have to consider the vices which 
The faultsof usually are wont to reign in judges. The vices that are 
judges. a . . . . 
in judges be many, and the diseases of their minds are 
sundry: but two special diseases there are, and chief of 
all the rest. The one of these two vices, which so in- 
fecteth the minds of judges that they cannot execute their 
Respect of Office as they should, is the accepting of faces, or respect of 
ee persons; that is, when the judge in giving judgment hath not 
his eye set upon the things themselves, or upon the causes or 
the circumstances of the causes as they are indeed; but hath a 
regard either of dignity, excellency, humility, poverty, kin- 
dred, men of honours, letters!, or some such like stuff. The 
Lord excludeth this evil, and saith: “ Ye shall judge justly; ye 
shall have no respect of any person in judgment; ye shall hear 
Vehement the small as well as the great.” The other disease of these 
atection. . . . 
twain is fear; a very vehement affection of the mind, which 
disturbeth the very best and most excellent counsels, and 
choaketh up virtue before it come to light. Under fear we do 
contain hope also, I mean, of commodity; and so by that 
means by fear we understand the corruption of bribes. The 
judge that stands in fear to lose his life or goods, or is afraid 
to displease a nobleman, or is loath to lose the common peo- 
ple’s good will; he also that taketh bribes, or is in hope to be 
rewarded at one of the parties’ hands, doth pervert equity and 
advance iniquity. The Lord saith therefore, Ye shall not fear 
any mortal man: ye shall not look for any reward at any 
man’s hand. He addeth the reason why: Because the matter 
is not yours, neither were ye called in to do your own business ; 
but the judgment is the Lord’s. The will and law of God 
therefore must be respected. For God is able to defend just 
judges from the unjust hatred of any, whatsoever they be, and 
against all wrong and open violence. Moreover, where it is 
said that the judgment is the Lord’s, thereby are the judges 
warned that they ought to imitate the example of the most 
high God. But what, and of what sort, that example of God 
The good 18, the same Moses, in the first of Deuteronomy’, expresseth and 
folaveGod saith: “God doth accept neither person nor gift; he doth 


before him 


for apattern Justice for the fatherless and widow, and loveth the stranger to 


[᾿ vel clientelam is the Latin, which is here translated, men of 
honours, letters.] 
[3 It is Deut. x. 17—19.] 





¥ 





vill.] THE SIXTH PRECEPT OF THE TEN COMMANDMENTS. 349 


give him meat and clothing ; and therefore shall ye love the 
stranger.” And so must godly judges do in the judgment 
which is God’s. Josaphat, without all doubt a very godly 
prince, speaking to them whom he had made judges, did say : 
“Take heed what ye do; for ye execute not the judgments of 2 chron. xix. 
man, but of God, which is with you in judgment, Let there- 
fore the fear of the Lord be upon you, and take heed, and be 
diligent. For there is no unrighteousness with the Lord our 
God, that he should have any respect of persons, or take any 
reward.” 

To these I will yet add a few places of the holy scripture 
more, which shall partly make manifest those that went before, 
and partly expound and more plainly express the office of the 
judge. In Deuteronomy we read: “The judges shall judge 
the people with equity and justice. Thou shalt not pervert 
judgment, nor have respect of persons, nor take a reward: 
for a reward doth blind the eyes of the wise, and perverteth 
the words of the righteous. Thou shalt do judgment with 
justice, that thou mayest live and possess the land*.” Again, 
in Exodus we find: ‘Thou shalt not follow a multitude to do Exod. xxiii. 
evil, neither shalt thou speak in a matter of justice according 
to the greater number for to pervert judgment. Neither shalt 
thou esteem a poor man in his cause. Keep thee far from 
false matters, and the innocent and righteous see thou slay not; 
for I will not justify the wicked. Thou shalt take no rewards, 
for rewards blind the seeing, and pervert the words of the 
righteous.” In Leviticus also we have this: “Ye shall do Levit xix. 
no unrighteousness in judgment; thou shalt not favour the per- 
son of the poor, nor honour the mighty, but in righteousness 
shalt thou judge thy neighbour.” Again: “ Ye shall do no 
unrighteousness in judgment, in meteyard, in weight, or in mea- 
sure. True balances, true weights, a true epha, and a true 
hin, shall ye have. Iam the Lord your God,” &c. I sup- 
pose verily, and am thus persuaded, that in these few words 
of the Lord our God are comprehended all that which profound 
philosophers and lawyers of great learning do scarcely absolve 
in infinite books and volumes of many leaves. Beside all 
this, the most holy prophet Jeremy crieth to the king, and 
saith : “ Keep equity and righteousness, deliver the oppressed Jer. xxii. 
from the power of the violent; do not grieve nor oppress the 


[3 Deut. xvi. 18—20. ] 


Judgments 

are not abro- 
ated among 
hristians. 


Isai. i. 


Zech. vii. 


350 THE SECOND DECADE. [SERM. 


stranger, the fatherless, or the widow, and shed no innocent 
blood.” Thus much touching the office of judges. 

But in the eyes of some men this our discourse may seem 
yain and fruitless; unless we do also refute their objections, 
whereby they endeavour to prove, that pleadings and law- 
matters are at an end, because the Lord in the gospel saith: 
«To him that will sue thee at the law and take away thy 
coat, let him have thy cloke also.” And again: “While thou 
art yet with thine adversary upon the way, agree with him 
quickly, lest he deliver thee to the tormenter!.” They add, 
moreover, the strifes in the law, which St. Paul the apostle, 
in the sixth chapter of his Epistle to the Corinthians, doth 
flatly condemn. To all which objections mine answer is this: 
As the doctrine of the evangelists and apostles doth not 
abrogate the private ordering of particular houses, so doth 
it not condemn or disannul the public government of common- 
weals. The Lord, in the gospel after St Luke, chideth with 
and repelleth the young man who desired him to speak to 
his brother for an equal division of the inheritance betwixt 
them. He blamed him, not for because he thinketh ill of him 
that claimeth an equal division, or that part of the inheritance 
that is his by right; but because he thought that it was not 
his duty, but the judges’ office, to deal in such cases. The 
words of our Saviour in that place are these: “ Who hath 
appointed me a judge between you, and a divider of land 
and inheritance?” And again, as we read in the gospel, 
“If any man will sue thee at the law, and take away thy 
coat, give him thy cloke also ;” so, on the other side, against 
this doing of injury there is nothing more busily handled and 
required in all the evangelical doctrine than charity and well- 
doing: but a good deed is done in nothing more than in 
judgment and justice. Since, therefore, that judgment was 
invented for the practising and preserving of justice and up- 
right dealing, it is manifest, that to judge in matters of 
controversy is not forbidden in the gospel. The notable 
prophets of the Lord, Esay and Zachary, cry out, and say; 
“Cease to do evil, learn to do good; seek after judgment, 
help the oppressed, and plead the cause of the fatherless and 
widow.” ‘Execute true judgment, shew mercy and loving- 


[ Matt. v. 40. 25.] 
[2 Luke xii. 14.] 











VIII. | THE SIXTH PRECEPT OF THE TEN COMMANDMENTS. 351 


kindness every man to his brother. Do the widow, the father- 
less, the stranger, and poor, no wrong.” They sin, therefore, 
that go on to hinder judgment, and to thrust judges beside 
their seats; for, as they pull away from the true God no 
small part of his worship, so do they open a wide gate to 
wrong, robbery, and oppression of the poor. 

The Lord, I grant, commanded that which our adversaries 
have alleged; meaning thereby to settle quietness among his 
people: but because the malice of men is invincible, and the 
long-suffering of seely * souls makes wicked knaves more mis- 
chievous, therefore the Lord hath not forbidden nor condemned 
the moderate use of judgments in law. Moreover, we read in 
the Acts of the Apostles, that Paul did oftener than once use 
the benefit of judgment, not for money or goods, but for his 
life, which he endeavoured to save and defend from them that 
lay in wait to kill him, Neither consented he to the unjust 
judgment of Festus, the president, but appealed to Cesar‘: 
and yet we know, that Paul did not offend therein against 
the doctrine of the gospel of Christ. The same Paul, in 
his Epistle to the Corinthians, did not absolutely condemn the 
Corinthians for going to law about things belonging to their 
living; but because they sued and troubled one another before 
heathen judges. It is good and seemly, without doubt, to 
suffer wrong with a patient mind; but, because it pleaseth the 
Lord to ordain judgment to be a mean of help and succour to 
them that are oppressed with injury, he sinneth not at all 
that seeks to keep himself from wrong, not by private re- 
vengement, but by the upright sentence of judges in law. 
And therefore did the apostle command the Corinthians to 
choose out to themselves among the faithful such judges as 
might take up temporal matters in controversy betwixt them 
that fell at variance. 

Thus have I declared unto you the second part of the 
magistrate’s office, which consisteth in judgment. I will now Of revenge- 
therefore descend to the exposition of the third and last part, by the mar 

which comprehendeth revengement and punishment. For the ἢ 
magistrate, by his office, beareth the sword; and therefore is 
he commanded by God to take revengement for the wrong 


[3 Seely, meek: innocuorum, Lat. ] 
[2 Acts xxv. 11.] 


352 THE SECOND DECADE. [SERM. 


gheswora. done to the good, and to punish the evil. For the sword is 
God’s vengeance, or instrument, wherewith he strikes the 
stroke to revenge himself upon his enemies for the injury 
done unto him; and is in the scripture generally taken for 
vengeance and punishment. The Lord in Jeremy crieth out, 
and saith: “1 call a sword upon all the dwellers upon earth!.” 
Again, in Ezechiel: ‘ The sword is sharp and ready trimmed 
to kill the sacrifice.” And again: “I will give my sword 
into the hands of the king of Babel®.” The kings of Egypt 
were of their people called Pharaos, as who should say, Re- 
vengers*, But the sword in the magistrate’s hand is to be 
put unto two uses: for either he punisheth offenders there- 
with for doing other men injury, and for other ill deeds; or 
else he doth in war therewith repel the violence of foreign 
enemies abroad, or repress the rebellions of seditious and con- 
tentious citizens at home. 

Whether it But here again another objection is cast in our way by 


be lawful to 


kill and them which say that, according to the doctrine of the gospel, 

eter fio δῆ ought either to kill or to be killed, because the Lord 
hath said, ‘“ Resist not the evil#;” and again to Peter: 
« Put up thy sword into thy sheath. Every one that taketh 
the sword doth perish by the sword®.” My answer to this 
is: that throughout all the scripture private revengement 
is utterly forbidden; but that that is done openly by autho- 
rity of the public magistrate is never found fault withal. But 
that was private and extraordinary vengeance that the apostle 
Peter was about to have taken, considering that he was 
called to be a preacher of the word of God, not to be a 
judge, a captain, or a man of war. And against private 
and extraordinary revengement is that sentence rightly pro- 
nounced: “Every one that taketh the sword shall perish 
by the sword.” 

But that public vengeance and the ordinary use of the 
sword is not prohibited by God in the church of Christ, I prove 
by this testimony of the holy apostle. Paul in the twelfth 
to the Romans hath taught what and how much the perfect- 


(1 Jer. xxv. 29.] [2 Ezek. xxi. 9; xxx. 24.] 


[3 YD “apparently, avenged. Comp. Syr. %:2, retribuit. Judg. 
vy. 2.”——Lee’s Hebr. Lex. in voc. ] 
[4 Matt. v. 39. | [5 Matt. xxvi. 52.] 








Vill.] THE SIXTH PRECEPT OF THE TEN COMMANDMENTS. 353 


ness of the gospel requireth of us, and among the rest thus he 
saith: “ Dearly beloved, revenge not yourselves, but rather 
give place unto wrath: for it is written, Vengeance is mine, 
and I will repay.” But because this might be argued 
against, and this objection cast in his way, Then, by this 
means, the long-suffering of Christians shall minister matter 
enough to murder and manslaughter; he doth therefore 
immediately after in the next chapter add: “The magistrate 
is the minister of God to thy wealth, to terrify the evil doers. 
For he beareth not the sword in vain: for he is God’s 
minister, revenger of wrath to him that doeth evil.” We 
gather therefore by this doctrine of the apostle, that every 
one of us must let God alone with taking of vengeance, and 
that no man is allowed to revenge himself by his own private 
authority. But public revengement, wrought by the ordinary 
magistrate, is nowhere forbidden. For that God which said 
to us, “‘ Vengeance is mine, I will repay,” doth grant to the 
magistrate authority to exercise and put that vengeance in ure, 
which he doth claim as due to himself: so that the magis- 
trate’s duty is to punish with the sword the wrongful dealings 
of wicked men, in the name and at the commandment of 
God himself. Therefore, when the magistrate punisheth, then 
doth God himself, to whom all vengeance belongeth, punish 
by the magistrate, who for that cause is called by the name 
of God. Moreover, it is written: “ Thou shalt not suffer a 
witch to live®.” Again: “A wise king will scatter the wicked, 
and turn the wheel upon them’.” And again: “He that 
justifieth the wicked, and he that condemneth the just, they 
are both abominable in the sight of the Lord®.” 

Neither do we lack examples to prove, that some have Foolish pity. 
incurred the heavy wrath and displeasure of the Lord for their 
foolish pity in sparing them whom the Lord commanded to 
strike with the sword. I speak of Saul and Achab®. Again, 
on the other side, there are innumerable examples of most 
excellent princes, which testify and bear witness of the praise 
that they deserved for punishing of lewd and wicked offenders. 
For the prince sinneth not, nor is blame-worthy any whit at all, 
which killeth or otherwise punisheth the guilty and ungracious 
man: and for that cause we find in the law so often repeated, 

[8 Exod. xxii. 18.] [7 Prov. xx. 26.] 
[8 Prov. xvii. 15.] [9 1 Sam. xv; 1 Kings xx.] 


23 
[BULLINGER. | 


354 THE SECOND DECADE, [sERM. 


«His blood be upon himself.” But if the blood of the guilty 
be not shed, then that is imputed as a fault, and laid to 
the magistrate’s charge; because he, neglecting his office, hath 
pardoned them that were not worthy to be forgiven, and by 
letting them go hath left the innocent unrevenged. For he 
is made partaker of the injury done, and shedding of the 
innocent’s blood, which he leaveth unrevenged, by letting the 
murderer go untouched, on whose neck the Lord gave charge 
oe to let the sword fall. The just severity of the upright 
magistrate in punishing naughty men is not (as it is falsely 
judged) extreme cruelty. But overthwart and peevish pity, 
that spareth offenders which are not worthy to live among 
men, is utter and mere cruelty indeed. For when the ma- 
gistrate letteth them go unpunished and at ease, which with 
their naughty deeds have deserved death, he doth thereby, 
first of all, give occasion and courage to like offenders to go 
on and increase in their mischievous wickedness: for they see 
their own faults borne withal in other men. Secondarily, the 
men that are not as yet altogether drowned in the mire of 
wickedness, but are every hour tempted and provoked to 
naughtiness, will at the last leave to have scruple of conscience, 
and give their consent to yield to mischief: for they see 
that mischievous merchants! are gently dealt withal. Lastly, 
offenders set free without any punishment do for the most 
part become little better: yea, they became twice worse than 
they were before; and the increase of his sin shall at length 
compel thee to kill him for many murders, whom thou 
wouldest not kill for the murder of one, whereby thou 
mightest have saved many guiltless men whom that cut- 
throat, since his first pardon, hath villainously slain. They 
therefore send wolves and bears among the common people, 
that let such rakehells? escape unpunished. 
ἘΠΕ ΒΕΣΕ Since, now, that I have declared the right use of the 
fouilee sword, and proved that the magistrate hath power to revenge 
anid men’s injuries, and to kill heinous offenders; let us go on 
to consider what the causes be for which God commandeth 
to punish transgressors; let us see, also, when they ought to 
be punished; and lastly, what kinds of punishment or penal- 
ties the magistrate must use. 


[1 facinorosos, Lat. ] [3 nebulones nefarios, Lat. ] 





—— 





VIL.] THE SIXTH PRECEPT OF THE TEN COMMANDMENTS. 355 


The especial causes, for which the Lord doth openly com- 
mand to punish offenders, are for the most part these that 
follow. The Lord resisteth force with force, and worketh the 
safeguard and salvation of men; he revengeth them that 
suffer wrong, and restoreth again whatsoever may be restored. 

He declareth his justice also, which rewardeth every one ac- 
cording to his deeds; and therefore he wipeth out reproach- 
ful deeds with a reproachful death. He putteth offenders in 
mind of their crime, and therewithal, for the most part, doth 
give them sense of repentance unto salvation. For if the 
wicked do acknowledge his fault, and repent himself of his 
ill deed, and believe in Christ with all his heart, his sin’ is 
forgiven him and he is saved: as we have an evident example Luke xxiii. 
in the thief that was crucified, whose punishment was an 
occasion of his salvation; but from the other this salvation 
was far off, because he did not believe in Christ, and would 
not be warned by the pain that he felt for his offence to 
repent for his sins, and to call to God for mercy. Further- 
more, by public judgment and open execution all other men 
may take example to learn to beware of like offences, unless 
they will suffer like horror of torments. 

But let not the magistrate execute any man until he tees 
know first perfectly, whether he that is to be punished hath ought to 
deserved that punishment that the judges determine; and fenders. 
whether God hath commanded to punish that offence, that is, 
whether by God’s law that is condemned, which is to be 
punished. The truth thereof shall be nianifestly known, 
either by the proper and free confession of the man accused, 
or by the probable testimonies brought in and gathered 
against the defendant, or by conferring the laws with the 
offences of him that is to be punished. So then the ma- 
gistrate may not punish virtue, true religion, nor good, 
honest, and godly men: for he is ordained of God to terrify, 
not the good, but offenders. 

Now, touching the manner and fashion of punishment, us edi 
I think it not best over curiously to dispute. Let every 
nation or city retain still their penalties and order of punish- 
ing, unless peradventure their country-custom smack somewhat 
of rigour and extreme cruelty. For no wise man denieth but 
that the kind of punishment must be tempered according to 
the rule of justice and equity. The kinds of punishment are 

23—2 


356 THE SECOND DECADE. [SERM. 


Diminutio exile or banishment, bondage}, loss of goods, imprisonment and 


capitis 


Kind of fetters, scourges, marks with burning irons, loss of limbs, and, 
judgment 


whereby one Jastly, death itself, by killing with the sword, by burning, 


is put out of : 
tettcton or Hanging, drowning, and other such means as every nation 


fo bondage, useth of custom. Neither is the scripture without a pitiful 
beadrow? of miserable torments. For in the book of Esdras 
we read: “And whosoever will not do the law of thy God, 
(Esdras), and the law of the king, let judgment straightways 
pass upon him, whether it be to death, or banishment, or loss 
of goods, or imprisonment’,” This do I add not unadvisedly, 
because of them that are of opinion that such torments ought 
not so much as once to be named among christian people. 
Sa μιεροθα But measure and discretion must be used of the judges in 
of thejudge- bunishing offenders, so that heinous faults may be plagued with 
grievous punishment, lesser crimes may be nipped with smaller 
penalties, and the smallest and light offences punished more 
lightly. That sentence in God’s law ought to be remembered, 
*« According to the fault, so shall the punishment be*:” where 
also the judge must have a consideration of his clemency and 
pity. Oftentimes the kind® and age excuseth the party 
accused. The circumstances, being rightly weighed, do some- 
time excuse the deeds that otherwise are of themselves not all 
of the best. The judge also must inquire after and diligently 
consider the former life of the man accused; for which, if it 
fall out to have been good and honest, then doth he deserve 
some favour and mercy, unless the offence for which he is 
troubled be so heinous that it can admit no sparkle of pity. 
But godliness or the fear of God, with pouring out of prayers 
unto the Lord and a diligent and lawful examination of the 
deed or word, that is, of the fault committed, is the best rule 
for the judge to follow in choosing his time when to use pity, 


[1 Diminutio capitis, Lat. “A Roman citizen possessed Libertas, 
civitas, and familia: the loss of all three, or of libertas and civitas (for 
civitas included familia) constituted the maxima capitis diminutio.”— 
Smith’s Dict. of Gr. and Rom. Antiq. voc. caput. ] 

[2 catalogo, Lat.] [3 Ezra vii. 26.] 

[4 Deut. xxv. 2. The last sentence, “ according to his fault, by a 
certain number,” is in the Vulgate, “Pro mensura peccati erit et 
plagarum modus;” which are the words that Bullinger quotes, and 
which are rendered in the Douay Version, “ According to the measure 
of the sin shall the measure also of the stripes be.”’] 

[5 sexus, Lat. ] 








VILL. | THE SIXTH PRECEPT OF THE TEN COMMANDMENTS. 357 


and when to deal with extreme rigour. For otherwise decent 
clemency is most praiseworthy before God and men. 

I have shewed you, dearly beloved, that the magistrate δέος ἡ τὶ 
both may and of duty ought to punish offenders; then, for @ offenders. 
what causes the Lord will have them to be punished; and, 
lastly, how, when, and how much, they are to be punished. 
It remaineth now for me to declare wherefore, and for what 
offences, they are to be punished: which I mean to lay down 
in one word, and briefly too. All words and deeds which are 
contrary to the laws of God and the magistrate, that is, 
all things that are done mischievously against the laws, are to 
be punished: but laws are made either for religion or politic 
government; and politic government consisteth in honesty, 
justice, and peace. Therefore the magistrate must punish and 
keep under all them which do disturb, afflict, trouble, destroy, 
or overthrow honesty, justice, public peace, or private tran- 
quillity betwixt man and man. Let him punish dishonesty, 
ribaldry, filthy lust, whoredom, fornication, adultery, incest, 
sodomy, riotousness, drunkenness, gluttony, covetousness, co- 
zening, cutting usury, treason, murder, slaughter of parents, 
sedition, and whatsoever is like to these. The law of the 
Lord, published by the ministery of Moses, doth in the eight- 
eenth and twentieth of Leviticus reckon up a beadrow® long 
enough of such offences as are to be punished. And lest per- 
haps any man may think, that at this day that which Moses 
hath rehearsed is utterly abolished, let him give ear to St Paul, 
who saith: “To the just the law is not given, but to the 
unjust, and to sinners, to unholy and unclean, to murderers of 
fathers and murderers of mothers, to manslayers, to whore- 
mongers, to them that defile themselves with mankind, to man- 
stealers, to liars, to perjured men, and if there be any other 
thing contrary to sound doctrine’.” But apostates, idolaters, 
blasphemers, heretics, false teachers, and mockers of religion, 
do offend against the laws of religion, (and therefore ought 
they to be punished by the magistrate’s authority 3.) 

But the question hath been, and is yet at this day, in con- whether the 


‘ ᾿ is magistrate 
troversy, whether it be lawful for a magistrate to punish any may punish 


᾿ for the breach 
man in his jurisdiction for the contempt of religion or blas- of religion. 
pheming of the same? The Manichees and Donatists were of 
opinion that no man ought to be compelled, much less to be 
[ὁ catalogum, Lat. ] [7 1 Tim. i. 9, 10.] 
[8 This is added by the Translator. P.] 


858 THE SECOND DECADE. [SERM. 


killed, for any religion; but that every man ought to be left 
to his own mind and judgment. And yet the scripture doth 
expressly command the magistrate not to spare false prophets ; 
yea, rebels against God are commanded by holy laws and 
judges to be killed without mercy. The places are extant to 
be seen in the holy scriptures; the one in the thirteenth of 
Deuteronomy, the other in the seventeenth of the same book. 
In Exodus this same is set down for a rule: “ Whosoever 
sacrificeth to any God, but to the Lord alone, let him be 
rooted out}.” In Leviticus, the blasphemer is slain and over- 
whelmed with stones2. In the book of Numbers, the man 
is slain that did unhallow the sabbath-day®, And how many, 
I pray you, did God’s revenging sword destroy of that calvish 
people that did erect and worship the calf in the wilderness*? 
Helias at mount Carmel killed whole hundreds of false pro- 
phets in a solemn set and appointed sacrifice’, Eliseus, at the 
Lord’s commandment, anointed Jehu king, to the end that he 
might root out the house of Achab, and kill at once all Baal’s 
priests®. Joiada the priest slew Athalia’, and good king Josias 
destroyed together the wicked and stubborn priests of all high 
places®. St Augustine, Zractatu in Joan. 11, disputing against 
the Donatists, doth prove by the example of Nabuchodonozor, 
that Christian princes do justly punish the Donatists for de- 
spising Christ and his evangelical doctrine. Among other 
things he saith: “If king Nabuchodonosor did glorify God 
for delivering three children out of the fire; yea, and glorified 
him so much that he made a decree throughout his kingdom 
for his honour and worship: why should not the kings of our 
days be moved so to do, which see not three children saved 
from the flame alone, but themselves also delivered from 
the fire of hell, when they behold Christ, by whom they are 
delivered, burnt up in Christian men, and when to a Christian 
they hear it said, Say thou that thou art no Christian? This 
they will do, and yet this they will not suffer. For mark 
what they do, and see what they suffer. They kill souls; 
they are afflicted in body. They kill other eternally, and do 
complain that they themselves do suffer a temporal death®.” 


[ Exod. xxii. 20.] [2 Lev. xxiv. 10—16.] 
[3 Numb. xv. 32—36. ] [4 Exod. xxxii. } 

[5 1 Kings xviii. ] [6 2 Kings ix.] 

(7 2 Kings xi.] [8 2 Kings xxiii. 20.] 


[9 Si Nabuchodonozor rex laudavit et predicavit et gloriam dedit 








Vill.] THE SIXTH PRECEPT OF THE TEN COMMANDMENTS. 359 


Thus much hath Augustine. In the new Testament we 
have most evident examples of Peter and Paul, Christ’s great- 
est apostles: the one whereof slew Ananias and Sapphira, for 
their lying hypocrisy and feigned religion; the other struck 
Elymas the sorcerer blind, and bereft him of his eyes". Neither 
is there one hair’s difference to choose, whether a man be 
killed with a sword or with a πον 132, For to kill is to kill, by 
what means or with what instrument soever it be done. God 
wrought that by his apostles, and doth the like by the magis- 
trate also. For vengeance is God’s, who giveth it to the 
magistrate and chief men to be put in ure and execution upon 
wicked offenders. There are to be seen many laws made by 
holy Christian princes for the state of religion, which give 
an especial charge to kill idolaters, apostates, heretics, and 
godless people. I will recite unto you, dearly beloved, one 
law among many, made by the holy emperor, Constantine the 
Great. For in an epistle, intituled ad Taurum P. P., he 
saith: “It pleaseth us that in all places, and throughout every 
city, the temples be out of hand shut up, and liberty denied 
to wicked men to have access thither to commit idolatry. 
We will also and command all men to be restrained from 
making of sacrifice. And if so be it happen that they offend 
herein, our pleasure is that they be slain with the sword, and 
the slain man’s goods to be confiscate. And we have decreed 
that the rulers of the provinces shall suffer like punishment, if 
they neglect to punish the offenders.” The very same almost 


Deo, quia liberavit de igne tres pueros, et tantam gloriam dedit, ut 
decretum mitteret per regnum suum, Quicunque dixerint, &c., quo- 
modo isti reges non moveantur, qui non tres pueros attendunt liberatos 
de flamma, sed seipsos liberatos de Gehenna, quando vident Christum, 
a quo liberati sunt, exsufflari in Christianis, quando audiunt dici Chris- 
tiano, Dic te non esse Christianum? Talia facere volunt, et saltem 
talia pati nolunt. Nam videte qualia faciunt, et qualia patiuntur. 
Occidunt animas, affliguntur in corpore. Sempiternas mortes faciunt, et 
temporales se perpeti conqueruntur.—Opp. Par. 1531. Tom. 1x. fol. 
22.) 

[10 Acts v.} [11 Acts xiii. 11.) 

[12 gladio, poculis, an verbis, Lat.] 

[18 Imp. Constantinus. A. ad Taurum. P. P. 1. Placuit omnibus 
locis atque urbibus universis claudi protinus templa, et accessu vetito 
omnibus licentiam delinquendi perditis abnegari. Volumus etiam 
cunctos sacrificiis abstinere. Quod si aliquid forte hujusmodi perpe- 


860 THE SECOND DECADE. [SERM. 


do Theodosius and Valentinianus by proclaimed edicts com- 
mand in Codice Theodosiano, tit. 2. And Valentinianus and 
Martianus in Codice Justiniano, tit. 2. Lib. 1.1 Lastly, with- 
out all controversy, adulterers, murderers, rebels, deceivers, 
and blasphemers, are rightly punished, and not against religion. 
Wherefore it followeth consequently, that false prophets and 
heretics are by good right slain: for they are deceivers, 
blasphemers, and man-quellers”. 

What moder- But in the execution of this punishment there must a 

ea great consideration be had and observed; first, of the per- 
sons; then, of the errors; and, lastly, of the penalties. For 
in persons there is great diversity: because there are some 
standard-bearers, and heady grand captains, which are stout, 
hypocrites, and full of tongue, and therefore the aptest for to 
seduce; who, falling headlong without amendment to their 
own destruction, do with themselves draw other into danger. 
They must by all means be bridled and kept under, as plagues 
to the church; lest, like a canker, they spread all over. 
Again, there are some silly seduced souls, made fools by other 
men, which err not of malice nor stubborn stomach, but do 
repent and amend in time. These the magistrate must not 
straightway condemn, but pray to the Lord, and bear with 
their error, and teach them in the spirit of gentleness, until 
they be brought to a better mind. 

Moreover, in erroneous doctrines some are more into- 
lerable than other some are. Some there be so wicked and 
blasphemous, that they are unworthy to be heard, much less 
to be done*, Some there are which do directly and openly 
tend to the overthrow of the commonweal, unless they be 
in time appeased and resisted. But those crimes that are 
brought in and accused, ought first to be by the scripture 
and manifest truth convinced to be such as they are said to 


traverint, gladio ultore sternantur, facultates etiam peremti fisco de- 
cernimus vindicari. Et similiter puniri rectores provinciarum, si faci- 
nora vindicare neglexerint.—D. Prid. No. Mar. Arbitrione et Lolliano 
Coss. Justin. Cod. Lib. 1. Tit. ii. p. 100. Lugd. 1551. Tom. 1.] 

[1 Impp. Theod. et Valentin. A. A. Isidoro P. F. P. Cod. Theod. 
Lib. xvi. Tit. x. p. 526. Par. 1607.—Impp. Valentin. et Mart. A. A. 
Palladio. P. P. va. Lib. 1. Tit. 11, Cod. Justin. Tom. 1. Lugd. 1551. 
p. 102.] 

[? homicide, Lat. ] [8 nedum ferri, Lat. ] 








Vill.| THE SIXTH PRECEPT OF THE TEN COMMANDMENTS. 361 


be. When the truth is known, and manifest proofs of scrip- 
ture alleged, then is it lawful most sharply to punish those 
blasphemers of God and overthrowers of the church and 
commonweal, But a light and easier penalty must be set 
on the heads of them whose offence consisteth in light and 
smaller errors: for some do err so, that by their error God 
is not blasphemed, the church not subverted, nor the common- 
weal in any danger at all. Where, by the way, every one 
must think of that saying of the apostle: “Bear ye one 
another’s burden‘.” And again: “ The weak in faith receive 
ye, not to the doubtfulness of questions °.” 

Furthermore, in punishment and penalties there is great. 
difference. They that err stubbornly, and do their endea- 
vour to draw in and keep other men in their errors, blas- 
phemers, troublers, and subverters of churches, may by law 
be put to death. But it followeth not thereupon, that every 
one which erreth must therefore by and by suffer loss of his 
life. The things, that by threats and fault-finding® may be 
remedied and amended, must not be punished with sharper 
correction. A mean in every thing is always the best. There 
is a penalty by payment of money. There are prisons for 
them to be shut up into, which are corrupted with the poison 
of false doctrine and lack of belief, lest peradventure they 
infect others with their contagious disease. There are also 
other means to punish the body, whereby to keep them under 
that err from the truth, to keep them from marring those 
that are sound, and to preserve themselves that they perish 
not utterly, but that through repentance they may fall to 
amendment. But the fear of God, justice, and the judge’s 
wisdom shall by the circumstances make him perceive how he 
ought to punish the naughty doctrine and stubborn rebellion 
of malicious seducers, and how to bear with the foolish, light 
belief of silly seduced men, grounded upon simplicity, and not 
envenomed rancour. 

Earnest and diligent admonition is given too late, when Admonition 
the fault is already committed, and is so detestable that it 'smmen+ 
ought straightway to be plagued with the sword: let the 


(4 Gal. vi. 2.] 

[5 Rom. xiv. 1.—non ad dijudicationes disceptationum, Lat.; Eras~ 
mus’ rendering. ] 

[6 increpationibus, Lat.] 


362 THE SECOND DECADE. [SERM. 


magistrate, therefore, always have an eye to admonish them 
in time, that are to be warned to take heed of a fault. For 
earnest admonitions are earnestly commended to men in autho- 
rity to use to their subjects, when they begin to work any 
broil. Moreover, godly and wise magistrates have many 
times pardoned unwitting offenders, whom they saw ready 
to repent upon giving of warning. The Lord in the gospel 
biddeth us admonish a sinner; then, if he repent, to pardon 
his fault; but if he reject a fair warning once given him, 
then to punish him so much the sharper!'. And Josue, before 
he made open war to be proclaimed upon the children of 
Reuben, did first by embassage command them to dig down the 
altar, which they seemed to have made contrary to the law 
of the Lord% The emperor Justinian also granted pardon 
to them which repented, and turned to a sounder opinion, 
Constitut. 109.3 Moreover, Josias did not utterly kill all them 
that were wrapped in error and idolatry, but those especially 
that were incurable, and would not recant. The magistrate 
therefore must wisely moderate the matter, and be very cir- 
cumspect in punishing offenders. 

ἀρ ωληθοῦε I cannot here wink and slyly pass over the objections, 
that some men make against that which hitherto I have said 
touching punishment; to wit, that the apostle Paul hath not 
commanded to kill or punish an heretic after the first and se- 
cond admonition, but to avoid him‘; again, that faith is the gift 
of God, which cannot be given or engraffed in any man by 
rigour of the sword; also, that no man is to be compelled: he 
that constraineth may make an hypocrite; but a devout and 
zealous man he cannot make: and lastly, that the apostles 
required no aid of kings either to maintain or set out the 
religion of Christ, or else to punish blasphemous railers and 
enemies of God’s word. To all this I answer thus: Paul, 
when he wrote his epistle to Titus, did write to an apostle: in 
that epistle, therefore, he instructeth an apostle how to behave 
himself according to his duty toward an heretic past all reco- 


[1 Matt. xviii. 15—17.] [2 Josh. xxii.] 

[3 Ἔξεστι δὲ αὐταῖς, τῆς βελτίονος γινομέναις γνώμης, καὶ τὴν ὀρθὴν Kat 
ἀληθινὴν ἀσπαζομέναις πίστιν... τῶν τοιούτων ἀπολαύειν δωρεῶν τε καὶ 
mpovopiov.—dJdustin. Auth. Collat. vit. Tit..x. Novell. 109. cap. 2. p.. 
432. Gotting. 1797.] 

(4 Tit. iii. 10.] 








σπι.} THE SIXTH PRECEPT OF THE TEN COMMANDMENTS. 363 


very. If he had written to Sergius Paulus, or any lieutenant’, 
he would undoubtedly have taught him his office. For the 
same Paul, standing before Sergius Paulus, then prince of 
Cyprus, did by his deeds declare unto him the duty of a ma- 
gistrate: for first, he did not only most sharply rebuke the 
false prophet Elymas, then forsake his company, eschew and 
shun him, as the apostle John did Cerinthus®, but strake him 
also with bodily blindness. 

I grant and confess, that faith is God’s gift in the heart of ee 
man, which God alone doth search and know. But men are 
judged by their words and deeds. Admit, therefore, that the 
erroneous opinion of the mind may not be punished; yet not- 
withstanding, wicked and infective profession and doctrine 
must in no wise be suffered. Verily, no man doth in this 
world punish profane and wicked thoughts of the mind: but 
if those thoughts break forth into blasphemous words, then 
are those blaspheming tongues to be punished of good princes. 
And yet by this I say not, that godliness lieth in the magis- 
trate to give and bestow. Justice is the very gift of God, 
which none but God doth give to men: but who is so foolish 
as to gather thereupon, that unjust men, robbers, murderers, 
and witches are not to be punished, because the magistrate by 
punishment cannot bestow righteousness upon unrighteous 
people? We must therefore make a difference betwixt faith, 
as it is the gift of God in the heart of man, and as it is the 
outward profession uttered and declared before the face of 
men. For while false faith doth lurk and lie hid within the 
heart, and infecteth none but the unbeliever, so long the unbe- 
lieving infidel cannot be punished: but if this false and forged 
faith, that so lay hid, do once break forth to blaspheme, to 
the open tearing of God and the infecting of his neighbours, 
then must that blasphemer and seducer be by and by plucked 
under, and kept from creeping to further annoyance. Not to 
suppress such a fellow as this, is to put a sword in a madman’s 
hand to kill unwise and weakly men. 

Faith is the gift of God; but, where he bestoweth faith, 
he useth means to give it by: those means he will not have 
us to neglect. An householder knoweth that faith is the gift 


[5 presidem aliquem, Lat. ] 
[6 Euseb. Eccles. Hist. Lib. 1v. cap. 14. Milner’s Church History, 
Cent. i. chap. 13. Vol. 1. p. 102, ed. 1834.) 


864 THE SECOND DECADE. [SERM. 


of God; and yet notwithstanding, he instructeth his children in 
the word of truth, he chargeth them to go to church, to pray 
for faith, and to learn it at the preacher’s mouth. A good 
father would think much, yea, he would not think well of it, 
if his son should say: Father, I pray you, teach me not, send 
me not so much to church, and beat me not if I be not there; 
for faith is the gift of God, which whipping cannot bring me 
to. Then what man can quietly abide to hear that faith is the 
gift of God, and that therefore no man ought for faith, that is, 
for the corruption of faith and open blasphemy, to suffer any 
punishment ? 

leita And yet Petilian, in the eighty-third chapter of St Augus- 

compelone tine’s second book contra Petiliani literas, crieth out, and 
saith: “God forbid, and far be it from our conscience, to com- 
pel any man to our religion!” Shall we, therefore, go on to 
speak the words of heretics, or to say, that the Lord God in 
the scriptures hath planted hypocrisy, where with threats and 
punishment he hath driven men to goodness? David saith: 
“Tt is good for me, Lord, that thou hast chastised me®.” And 
Jeremy saith: ‘“‘ Thou hast chastised me, O Lord, and I am 
chastised, like an untamed heifer’.” But if no man ought to 
be compelled to goodness, to what intent doth Solomon (the 
wisest of all men) so many times command to chastise chil- 
dren? “ He that spareth the rod hateth the child,” saith he; 
‘*Thou indeed dost strike him, but with the rod thou de- 
liverest his soul from death*.” Daily experience, and the 
disposition of men, do plainly teach, that in men there are 
most vehement affections, which, unless they be remedied and 
bridled betimes, do both destroy them in whom they be, and 
other men too, who at the first might easily with light punish- 
ment have been preserved. Men in their madness despise 
compulsion and chastising punishment; but, when they come 
to themselves again, and see from how great evils they are 
delivered by those that compelled them, then they rejoice 
that to their health they were chastised, and praise the com- 
pulsion which before they despised. 


[1 Augustine says, Noli ergo dicere, Absit, absit a nostra con- 
scientia, ut ad nostram fidem aliquem compellamus. Facitis enim ubi 
potestis.—Opp. Par. 1531. Tom. vu. fol. 29. P.] 

[5 ἘΞ: erik, 210) [3 Jer. xxxi. 18.] 

[3 Prov. xiii. 24; xxii. 14.] 








ΥΠ|.}7 THE SIXTH PRECEPT OF THE TEN COMMANDMENTS. 365 


Let us hear what Augustine doth think and teach hereof, 
whose experience in this matter was very much. In his forty- 
eighth Epist. ad Vincentium contra Donatist. de vi coercendis 
hereticis, he writeth thus: “ My opinion sometime was, that 
no man ought by force to be compelled to the unity of Christ ; 
that we ought to deal by words, fight in disputations, and over- 
come with reason, lest peradventure we should have those to 
counterfeit themselves to be catholics, whom we knew to be 
open heretics. But this opinion of mine was not confuted with 
the words of my gainsayers, but with the examples of those 
which shewed the contrary. For first, mine own city (Hippone) 
was objected against me; which, when as sometime it held 
wholly with Donatus, was by the fear of the imperial laws con- 
verted to the catholic unity; and at this day we see it so greatly 
to detest the naughtiness of your heretical stomachs, that it is 
thought verily that your heresy was never within it. And 
many more places by name were reckoned up unto me, that, 
by the effect of the thing itself, I might confess, that in such 
a case as this that may be rightly understood where it is 
written: ‘Give a wise man occasion, and he will be the wiser 5.’ ” 
And again: “ Not every one that spareth is a friend; nor 
every one that striketh is an enemy. Better are the stripes of 
a friend than the voluntary kisses of an enemy. [ὑ is better 
to love with severity, than to deceive with lenity. He that 
bindeth a frenzy man, and waketh him that is sick of the 
lethargy, doth trouble them both, and yet he loveth them 
both. Who can love us more than God himself doth? and 
yet, as he teacheth us mildly, so he ceaseth not to terrify us 
to our health. Thinkest thou that no man ought to be com- 
pelled to righteousness, when thou readest that the goodman 


[5 Nam mea primitus sententia erat, neminem ad unitatem Christi 
esse cogendum; verbo esse agendum, disputatione pugnandum, ratione 
vincendum, ne fictos catholicos haberemus, quos apertos heereticos 
noveramus. Sed hee opinio mea non contradicentium verbis, sed 
demonstrantium superabatur exemplis: nam primo mihi opponebatur 
civitas mea, quee cum tota esset in parte Donati, ad unitatem catho- 
licam timore legum imperialium conversa est ; quam nunc videmus ita 
hujus vestree animositatis perniciem detestari, ut in ea nunquam fuisse 
credatur: ita alize multe, que mihi nominatim commemorabantur; ut 
ipsis rebus agnoscerem etiam in hac causa recte intelligi posse, quod 
scriptum est, Da sapienti occasionem, et sapientior erit.—Opp. Tom. 
τι: fol. 34. P.] 


866 THE SECOND DECADE. [SERM. 


of the house said to his servants, ‘ Whomsoever ye find, com- 
pel them to come in;”’ when thou readest that he, that was 
first called Saul and afterward Paul, was constrained by the 
violent force of Christ, which compelled him to know and 
keep fast the truth of the gospel!?” And the same Augustine 
again, in Epist. ad Bonifacium comitem 59, saith: “ Where 
is that now that they were wont to cry and say, that it is at 
every one’s free choice to believe, or not to believe? Whom 
did Christ constrain ? whom did he compel? Lo, here they 
have the apostle Paul for an example: let them confess in 
him, that Christ first compelled him, then taught him; first 
struck him, and afterward comforted him. And it is wonder- 
ful how he, which by the punishment of his body was com- 
pelled to the gospel, did after his entering in labour more 
in the gospel than all they that were called by word alone: 
and whom the greater fear compelled to charity, his charity, 
once perfect, did cast out all fear. Why then should not 
the church therefore compel her lost children to return, 
since the lost children have compelled other to their de- 
struction??” 

Again, in the same epistle, the same Augustine saith: 
“Whereas some, which would not have upright laws ordained 


{1} Non omnis qui parcit amicus est, nec omnis qui verberat ini- 
micus. Meliora sunt vulnera amici, quam yoluntaria oscula inimici. 
Melius est cum severitate diligere, quam cum lenitate decipere... Qui 
phreneticum ligat, et qui lethargicum excitat, ambobus molestus, ambos 
amat. Quis nos potest amplius amare quam Deus? Et tamen nos 
non solum docere suayiter, verum etiam salubriter terrere non cessat 
... Putas neminem debere cogi ad justitiam, cum legas patrem familias 
dixisse servis, Quoscunque inveneritis cogite intrare; cum legas etiam 
ipsum primo Saulum, postea Paulum, ad cognoscendam et tenendam 
veritatem magna violentia Christi cogentis esse compulsum?-—Aug. 
Ep. 48. ad Vincentium Opp. Par. 1531. Tom. 1. fol. 33. P.] 

[2 Ubi est quod isti clamare consueverunt, Liberum est credere vel 
non credere? Cui vim Christus intulit? Quem coegit? Ecce habent 
Paulum apostolum: agnoscant in eo prius cogentem Christum et 
postea docentem, prius ferientem et postea consolantem. Mirum est 
autem quomodo ille, qui poena corporis ad evangelium coactus intravit, 
plus illis omnibus qui solo verbo vocati sunt in evangelio laboravit; et 
quem major timor compulit ad caritatem, ejus perfecta caritas foras 
misit timorem. Cur ergo non cogeret ecclesia perditos filios ut 
redirent, si perditi filii coegerunt alios ut perirent ?—Opp. Tom. 1. 
fol. 42. P.] 








γΠ1.7 THE SIXTH PRECEPT OF THE TEN COMMANDMENTS, 367 


against their ungodliness, do say, that the apostles did never The apostles 


required no 


require any such things of the kings of the earth; they do aidofthe 


magistrate 


not consider, that that was another time (not like to this), and fer the main- 


that all things are done in their due time and season. For RA8"ne 
what emperor did at that time believe in Christ, to serve him éfthesme. 
by making laws in defence of religion against ungodliness ? 
when as yet that prophecy was in fulfilling, ‘Why did the 
heathen rage, and the people imagine a vain thing? The 
kings of the earth stood up, and the rulers took counsel 
against God and against his Christ.’ For as yet that was not 
begun which folioweth in the Psalm, where it is said: ‘ And 
now understand, ye kings, and be ye learned, ye that judge 
the earth; serve him in fear and rejoice in trembling.’ But 
how do kings serve God in fear, but by forbidding and pun- 
ishing with devout severity those things which are done 
against God’s commandments? For in that he is a man, 
he serveth him one way; but in that he is a king, he serveth 
him another way: because in that he is a man, he serveth 
him by living faithfully ; but in that he is a king, he serveth 
him by establishing convenient laws to command that which 
is just, and to forbid the contrary :—as Ezechias served him, 
by destroying the groves and temples of idols, and those high 
places that were erected against the Lord’s commandment: 
as Josias served him, by doing the like: as the king of 
Ninivie served him, by compelling the whole city to please 
and appease the anger of the Lord: as Darius served him, 
by giving the idol into Daniel’s power to be broken in pieces, 
and by casting his enemies in among the lions: as Nabu- 
chodonosor served him, by a terrible proclamation, which for- 
bade all men within his dominion to blaspheme the true and 
very God. In this therefore should kings serve God, in that 
that they are kings, by doing those things which none can do 
but kings. Wherefore, when as in the apostles’ times the 
kings did not as yet serve the Lord, but imagined a vain 
thing against the Lord and against his Christ, that the pro- 
phet’s sayings might be fulfilled, there could not as then, 1 
say, any laws be made to forbid ungodliness, but counsel be 
rather taken to put ungodliness in practice. For so the 
course of times did turn, that both the Jews should kill the 
preachers of Christ, thinking that thereby they did God good 
service; and that the Gentiles also should fret and rage 


868 THE SECOND DECADE. [SERM. 


against the Christians, and make the martyrs’ constancy over- 
come the flames of fire. But afterward, when that began to be 
fulfilled which is written, ‘ And all the kings of the earth shall 
worship him, all nations shall serve him ;’ what man that were 
well in his wits would say to kings, ‘ Tush, take ye no care 
how, or by whom, the church of your Lord is defended or 
defaced within your kingdom; let it not trouble you to mark 
who will be honest, and who dishonest within your dominion?’ 
For since God hath given man free will, why should adultery 
be punished, and sacrilege left untouched? Is it a lighter 
matter for the soul to break promise with God, than a woman 
with a man? Or, for because those things which are not 
committed by contempt, but by ignorance of religion, are to be 
more mildly punished, are they therefore to be. utterly neg- 
lected? It is better (who doubteth ?) for men to be brought 
_to the worshipping of God by teaching, rather than for to be 
compelled to it by fear or grief of punishment: but because 
these are the better, they, which are not such, are not there- 
fore to be neglected. For it hath profited many men (as we 
see by experience) first to have been compelled with fear and 
grief, that afterward they might either be taught, or follow 
that in deed which they had learned in words!.” 


[1 Quod enim dicunt qui contra suas impietates leges justas con- 
stitui nolunt, non petisse a regibus terre apostolos talia, non considerant 
aliud fuisse tunc tempus, et omnia suis temporibus agi. Quis enim 
tune in Christum crediderat imperator, qui ei pro pietate contra im- 
pietatem leges ferendo serviret, quando adhuc illud propheticum com- 
plebatur, Quare fremuerunt gentes et populi meditati sunt inania; 
astiterunt reges terre et principes convenerunt in unum adyersus 
Dominum et adversus Christum ejus? Nondum autem agebatur, quod 
paulo post in eodem Psalmo dicitur, Et nune, reges, intelligite, erudimini 
qui judicatis terram: servite Domino in timore, et exultate ei cum 
tremore. Quomodo ergo reges Domino serviunt in timore, nisi ea, 
que contra jussa Domini fiunt, religiosa severitate prohibendo atque 
plectendo? Aliter enim servit quia homo est, aliter quia etiam et rex 
est. Quia homo est, ei servit vivendo fideliter: quia vero etiam rex 
est, servit leges justa preecipientes et contraria prohibentes convenienti 
vigore sanciendo: sicut servivit Ezechias, lucos et templa idolorum, 
et illa excelsa quee contra preecepta Dei fuerant constructa, destruendo: 
sicut servivit Josias, talia et ipse faciendo: sicut servivit rex Ninivi- 
tarum, universam civitatem ad placandum Dominum compellendo: 
sicut servivit Darius, idolum frangendum in potestatem Danieli dando, 
et inimicos ejus leonibus ingerendo: sicut servivit Nabuchodonosor, 











Viti. | THE SIXTH PRECEPT OF THE TEN COMMANDMENTS, 369 


Hitherto I have rehearsed the words of St Augustine’s 
answer to the objections of them which are of opinion, that 
by no law disobedient rebels, seduced people, and deceivers, 
ought to be punished in cases of religion. 

I see my hope doth fail me, wherein I thought that I 
could have been able in this sermon to have made an end of all 
that I had to say touching the magistrate. But I perceive 
that here I must stay, unless I should go on, dearly beloved, 
and be too tedious unto you all. I mean to-morrow, there- 
fore, to add the rest that is yet behind. Make ye your 
humble prayers unto the Lord upon your knees, and then 
depart in peace. 


de quo jam diximus, omnes in regno suo positos a blasphemando Deo 
lege terribili prohibendo. In hoe ergo serviunt Domino reges, in 
quantum sunt reges, cum ea faciunt ad serviendum illi, que non possunt 
facere nisi reges. Cum itaque nondum reges Domino servirent tem- 
poribus apostolorum, sed adhue meditarentur inania adversus eum et 
adversus Christum ejus, ut prophetarum preedicta omnia complerentur, 
non utique tunc possent impietates legibus prohiberi, sed potius exer- 
ceri. Sic enim ordo temporum volvebatur, ut et Judzei occiderent 
preedicatores Christi, putantes se officium Deo facere, sicut preedixerat 
Christus ; et gentes fremerent adversus Christianos, et omnes potentia 
(patientia) martyrum vinceret. Postea vero quam ccepit impleri quod 
scriptum est, Et adorabunt eum omnes reges terre, omnes gentes 
servient illi; quis mente sobrius regibus dicat, ‘ Nolite curare in regno 
vestro a quo tueatur (teneatur) vel oppugnetur ecclesia Domini vestri: 
non ad vos pertineat in regno vestro, quis velit esse sive religiosus 
sive sacrilegus. ... Cur enim, cum datum sit divinitus homini liberum 
arbitrium, adulteria legibus puniantur, et sacrilegia permittantur ? An 
fidem non servare levius est animam Deo, quam foeminam viro? Aut 
si ea, quee non contemptu sed ignorantia religionis committuntur, 
mitius vindicanda, numquid ideo negligenda sunt? Melius est quidem 
(quis dubitaverit?) ad Deum colendum doctrina homines duci, quam 
pens timore vel dolore compelli. Sed non quia isti meliores sunt, 
ideo illi, qui tales non sunt, negligendi sunt. Multis enim profuit, 
quod experimentis probavimus, prius timore vel dolore cogi, ut postea 
possint doceri, aut quod jam verbis didicerant opere sectari.—Opp. 
Tom. u. fol. 42. P.] 





24 
[ BULLINGER. | 





370 THE SECOND DECADE. [SERM. 


OF WAR; WHETHER IT BE LAWFUL FOR A MAGISTRATE 
TO MAKE WAR. WHAT THE SCRIPTURE TEACHETH 
TOUCHING WAR. WHETHER A CHRISTIAN MAN 
MAY BEAR THE OFFICE OF A MAGISTRATE. 

AND OF THE DUTY OF SUBJECTS. 


THE NINTH SERMON. 


To the right of the sword, which God hath given to the 
magistrate, doth war belong: for in my last sermon I taught 
you, that the use of the sword in the magistrate’s hand is 
twofold, or of two sorts. For either he punisheth offenders 
therewith; or else repelleth the enemy that spoileth or would 
spoil his people, or cutteth off the rebellious purposes of his 
own seditious citizens. 

Whether it But many make a doubt whether it be lawful for a magis- 


be lawful for 
a magistrate trate to make war or no}. And it is marvel to see them as 


war. blind as beetles in a matter of itself as plain as may be. For 
if the magistrate doth by God’s law punish offenders, thieves, 
and harmful! persons; and that it maketh no matter whether 
they be few or many in number, as 1 declared in my yester- 
day’s sermon; even by the same law may he persecute, 
repel, and kill rebellious people, seditious citizens, and bar- 
barous soldiers, who, under the pretence of war, do attempt 
that openly which thieves and robbers are wont to do privily. 
The prophet, I confess, did among other things prophesy of 
us Christians, and say: “ They shall turn their swords into 
spades, and their javelins into scythes*:” for Christians have 
peace with all men, and do altogether abstain from armour ; 
for every one doth that to another which he would wish to 
have done to himself. But, for because all are not so minded, 
but that many unruly persons, wicked thieves, and oppressors 
of the poor, do live and dwell among honest and good-mean- 
ing men, as wild beasts among harmless creatures; therefore 
God from heaven hath given the sword into the magistrate’s 
hand, to be a defence for harmless people against unruly 


[1 Of these doctrines of the Anabaptists, Latimer also makes men- 
tion, Parker Soc. ed. Vol. 1. pp. 495, 6. See also Bullinger. ady. Ana- 
baptist. Lib. v. cap. 10.] 

[2 Isai. ii. 4.) 











IX. | THE SIXTH PRECEPT OF THE TEN COMMANDMENTS, 871 


cut-throats. But we read not in any place that we are for- 
bidden to suppress and kill wolves, wild boars, bears, and 
such other beasts that do annoy and prey upon men or cattle. 
What let then should there be why we should not, by lawful 
war begun in a good quarrel, repel the unjust injury of violent 
robbers, since thieves, robbers, barbarous soldiers, and sedi- 
tious citizens, do differ little or nothing from wild beasts? The 
scripture, verily, doth not vouchsafe to call them by any other 
names than by the names of beasts. Hereunto consenteth 
the common sense of nature; and herewithal agreeth the 
doctrine of faith and religion. “If it be possible,” saith the 
apostle, ‘as much as lieth in you, live quietly with all men; 
not revenging yourselves.” See here, “as much as lieth in 
you,” saith he, and, “if it be possible:” otherwise, he addeth 
immediately after: “The magistrate beareth not the sword in 
vain®.” He meaneth, for them that trouble all things, and 
do annoy the men which do desire to live at peace. And this 
is confirmed by the examples of the most holy and excellent 
men that have been in the world, which have taken war in 
hand for the defence of their country and harmless country- 
‘men; as I have already declared out of St Paul’s Epistle to 
the Hebrews, when as in the exposition of the fifth precept 
I shewed what honour every man doth owe to his country ‘+. 

I wiil add to these some reasons of St Augustine, uttered 
contra Faustum Manicheum, Lib. xxu, cap. 74. “ Neither 
let him,” saith he, “ marvel or be astonied at the wars made 
by Moses; for because even in them too he followed God’s 
commandment, not like a tyrant, but like an obedient servant. 
Neither did God rage with cruelty, when he commanded 
those wars; but justly paid home them that deserved it, and 
terrified those that were worthy of it. For what is blame- 
worthy in war? Is it to be blamed that they do die which 
once must die, that they which live may rule in peace? To 
find fault with that is rather a cowardly touch, than the part 
of a religious Christian. Desire to hurt, cruelty in revenging, 
an unappeased stomach, bruteness in rebelling, greediness to 
rule, and whatsoever else is like to these, are the things that 
in war are worthy to be blamed, and by right of law to be 
sharply punished. Against the violence of injurious enemies, 
at the commandment either of God himself or any other lawful 

[3 Rom. xii. 18; xiii. 4.] [4 See before, p. 277.] 
242 . 


372 THE SECOND DECADE. [SERM. 


power, even good men are wont to take war in hand; since 
their state in the world is such, that politic order doth justly 
bind the magistrate in such a case to command it, and the 
subjects to obey it. Otherwise John, when the soldiers came to 
him to be baptized, saying, ‘And what shall we do?’ would have 
answered them, and said: Cast off your armour, forsake your 
soldier’s life, strike, wound, or kill nobody. But, because 
he knew that while they did so, as soldiers in the war, they 
were not man-quellers, but ministers of the law, not revengers 
of their own injuries, but defenders of the commonweal, he 
said unto them, ‘Strike no man, do no man injury; be con- 
tent with your wages.’ But because the Manichees have of 
use blasphemed or spoken against John, let them hear the 
Lord Jesus Christ himself commanding to give to Cesar that 
stipend which John did say the soldier should be content 
withal. ‘Give,’ saith he, ‘to Casar that which is Cesar’s, and 
to God the things that do belong to God. For to this end 
is tribute paid, that the soldier in the war may have his pay 
out of hand for his pain. Very well, therefore, when the 
centurion said, ‘And I am a man set under power, having 
soldiers under me; and I say to one, Go, and he goeth, and to 
another, Come, and he cometh, and to my servant, Do this, and 
he doeth it,—did the Lord commend his faith, and not com- 
mand him to forsake his soldiership!.” Hitherto also apper- 


[1 Nec bella per Moysen gesta miretur aut horreat, quia et in illis 
divina secutus imperia, non szeviens, sed obediens fuit: nec Deus, cum 
jubebat ista, seeviebat, sed digna dignis retribuebat, dignosque terrebat. 
Quid enim culpatur in bello? An quia moriuntur quandoque morituri, 
ut dominentur in pace victuri? Hoc reprehendere timidorum est, non 
religiosorum. Nocendi cupiditas, ulciscendi crudelitas, impacatus atque 
implacabilis animus, feritas rebellandi, libido dominandi, et si qua 
similia, hee sunt que in bellis jure culpantur, que plerumque ita cul- 
pantur ut etiam jure puniantur. Adversus violentiam resistentium, 
sive Deo sive aliquo legitimo imperio jubente, gerenda ipsa bella 
suscipiuntur a bonis, cum in eo rerum humanarum ordine inveniuntur, 
ubi eos vel jubere tale aliquid, vel in talibus obedire juste ordo ipse 
constringit. Alioquin Joannes, cum ad eum baptizandi milites venirent, 
dicentes, Et nos quid faciemus? responderet eis, Arma abjicite, mili- 
tiam istam deserite, neminem percutite, vulnerate, prosternite neminem. 
Sed quia sciebat eos, cum hee militando facerent, non esse homicidas 
sed ministros legis, et non ultores injuriarum suarum sed salutis pub- 
licee defensores, respondit eis, Neminem concusseritis, nulli calumniam 
feceritis, sufficiat vobis stipendium vestrum. Sed quia Manichei 














rx, |- THE SIXTH PRECEPT OF THE TEN COMMANDMENTS, 373 


taineth that which followeth in the same 75th chapter and 
76th next after. But I do of purpose willingly bear somewhat 
with you, not meaning by overlong rehearsing of too many 
sentences to be tedious unto you. 
Thus hitherto I have shewed you that it is lawful for the tet the peo- 


: le obey th 
magistrate for to make war. Where, by the way, also we magistrate 
when 


gather, that the subjects do lawfully, without any offence to comnmandeth 
God, take armour to battle, when they take it in hand at the 
magistrate’s bidding. But if the magistrate’s purpose be to 
kill the guiltless, I declared in my former sermons that then 
his people ought not to obey his wicked commandments. 

Let the magistrate therefore have an eye to himself, that 
he abuse not his lawful authority. And although the magis- 
trate be licensed to make war for just and necessary causes; 
yet, notwithstanding, war is a thing most full of peril, and War, a thing 
draweth with itself an endless troop of mischievous evils. By and danger. 
war the just judgment of God doth plague the men whom his 
fatherly warning could never move; but among them many 
times, too, the guiltless feel the whip. In war, for the most 
part, soldiers misuse themselves, and thereby incur God’s 
heavy displeasure: there is no evil in all the world that war 
upholdeth not. By war both scarcity of every thing and 
dearth do arise: for highways are stopped, corn upon the 
ground is trodden down and marred, whole villages burnt, 
provision goeth to wrack, handicrafts are unoccupied, mer- 
chandise do cease, and all do perish, both rich and poor. The 
valiant strong men are slain in the battle; the cowardly sort 
run away for their lives to hide their heads, reserving them- 
selves to be tormented with more exquisite and terrible kinds 
of cruel punishments: for wicked knaves are promoted to 
dignity, and bear the sway, which abuse mankind like savage 
beasts. Hands are wrung on every side; widows and children 


Joannem aperte blasphemare consueverunt, ipsum Dominum Jesum 
Christum audiant, hoc stipendium jubentem reddi Cesari, quod Joannes 
dicit debere sufficere militi. Reddite, inquit, Ceesari quee Cesaris sunt, 
et Deo que Dei sunt. Ad hoc enim tributa prestantur, ut propter 
bella necessario militi stipendium preebeatur. Merito et illius centu- 
rionis dicentis, Et ego homo sum sub potestate constitutus, habens sub 
me milites, et dico huic, Vade, et vadit; et alii, Veni, et venit ; et servo 
meo, Fac hoe, et facit; fidem laudavit, non illius militiz desertionem 
imperavit.—Opp. Par. 1531, Tom. v1. fol. 89. P.] 


War is the 
scourge of 
God. 


374 THE SECOND DECADE. [SERM. 


cry out and lament; the wealth, that hath been carefully 
gathered to help in want to come, is spoiled and stolen away ; 
cities are rased, virgins and unmarriageable maidens are shame- 
fully deflowered, all honesty is utterly violated, old men are 
handled unreverently, laws are not exercised, religion and 
learning are nothing set by, godless knaves and cut-throats 
have the dominion: and therefore in the scriptures war is 
called the scourge of God. For with war he plagueth incur- 
able idolaters, and those which stubbornly contemn his word ; 
for that was the cause why the city of Jerusalem with the 
whole nation of the Jews was utterly destroyed; ‘ because 
they knew not the day of their visitation” (as the Lord in the 
gospel saith), but went on to kill the Lord’s apostles, bringing 
on upon their own necks “the shedding of all the blood, from 
the righteous Abel unto Zacharias'.” For murder, idolatry, 
incest, and detestable riot, we read that the Canaanites were 
rased out and cut off. The Moabites, as Esay witnesseth, 
were quite overthrown for cruelty, inhumanity, and contempt 
of the poor’, The men of Ninivy did by war unjustly vex 
other nations, making havoc of all, to fill their greedy desire: 
and therefore, saith the prophet Nahum, other men measured 
to them with the same measure that they had measured to 
other before*. Micheas, in his sixth chapter, affirmeth flatly 
that God sendeth war upon unjust men for their covetousness 
and false deceit. In Jeremy arrogancy and pride, in Esay 
riot and drunkenness, are said to be the causes of war. 

But the evil and misery that war bringeth with it sticketh 
so fast to commonweals and kingdoms, where it once hath hold, 
that it cannot be removed, taken away, or shaken off, at our 
will and pleasure, by any worldly wisdom, by any league- 
makings, with any wealth, by any fortifications, by any power 
or manhood ; as it is to be seen in the prophet Abdias®. Our 
sincere turning to God alone is the only way to remedy it, as 
Jeremy testifieth in his fifth chapter. Now this turning to the 
Lord consisteth in free acknowledging and frank confession of 
our sins, in true faith for remission of sins through the grace 
of God and merit of Christ Jesus: secondarily, it consisteth 
in hatred and renouncing of all unrighteousness, in love of 

[1 Luke xix. 44; Matt. xxiii. 34—38.] [2 Lev. xviii. 27, 28.] 
[38 Isai. xvi.] [4 Nahum iii. 19.] 
[5 Jer. xiii. 9; Isai. v.] [6 Obad. 3, 4, 8, 9.] 








IX.] THE SIXTH PRECEPT OF THE TEN COMMANDMENTS. 375 


justice, innocency, charity, and all other virtues; and, last of 
all, in earnest prayers and continual supplications. 

Again, thou mayest see perhaps, that some by war have war for 
no small commodity, profit, and inestimable riches, with very ae 
little loss or no damage at all. Such was the war which the 
Israelites had with the Canaanites under their captain Josue. 

But I would not that gaping after gain should draw any man They that 


ave the 


from right and equity. And many times the magistrates sup- juster quarrel 
pose that their quarrel is good, and that of right they ought of the unjust. 
to make war on others and punish offenders; when as notwith- 
standing the righteous God by that occasion draweth them on 
into peril, that their sins may be punished by the men in 
whom they did purpose to have punished some grievous crime. 
We have evident examples hereof in the scriptures. The eleven 
tribes of Israel in a good quarrel made war on the Benjamites, 
purposing to revenge the detestable crime that a few wicked 
knaves had horribly committed, wherein the whole tribe bare 
them out and upheld them, being partners thereby of their 
heinous offence: but twice the Israelites were put to the 
worse, and the wicked Benjamites had the upper hand in the 
battle’. In the time of Heli the Israelites minded to drive the 
tyrannous rule of the idolatrous Philistines out of their coun- 
try ; but they are slain, the ark of God is taken, and carried 
into the cities of their idolatrous enemies’. Likewise that 
excellent prince Josias is overthrown and slain by the Chaldees, 
because the Lord had purposed to punish and bring evil upon 
the whole people of Israel, which he would not have so holy 
a prince his servant to see with his eyes, to his sorrow and 
grief®. Whereby we have to gather, that the truth of reli- 
gion is not to be esteemed by the victory or overthrow of any 
people, so that that religion should be true and right whose 
favourers have the upper hand, and that again be false and 
untrue whose professors and maintainers are put to the 
worse: for we must distinguish betwixt religion and the men 
or persons that keep that religion, which do for other causes 
suffer the Lord’s visitation. 
But all this admonisheth us, that the magistrate hath need 

of the great fear of God before his eyes, both in making and 

(7 Judg. xx.] [8.1 Sam. iv.] 

[9.2 Kings xxii. 20, and xxiii. 29.—“In his days Pharaoh Necho, 
king of Egypt,” ἕο. P.) 


376 THE SECOND DECADE. [SERM. 


repelling wars, lest while he goeth about to avoid the smould- 
ering coalpit, he hap to fall into the scalding limekiln’; or lest, 
while he supposeth to ease his shoulders of one evil, he doth, 
by the way whereby he sought ease, heap up either more 
or far greater evils. Princes therefore must precisely look 
into, and throughly examine, the cause of wars, before they 

The causes begin or take them in hand. The causes are many, and of 

ae many sorts; but the chief are these that follow. For either 
the magistrate is compelled to send aid and raise the siege of 
his enemy, which doth environ the garrisons that he hath 
appointed for the defence of some of his cities; because it 
were an offence, and part of parricide, to forsake and give 
over, against oath and honesty, his cities and garrisons that 
are in extremity: or else the magistrate of duty is compelled 
to make war upon men which are incurable, whom the very 
judgment of the Lord condemneth and biddeth to kill without 
pity or mercy. Such were the wars as Moses had with the 
Madianites, and Josue? with the Amalechites. Of that sort 
are the wars wherein such men are oppressed, as of invincible 
malice will both perish themselves and draw other to destruc- 
tion as well as themselves, with those also which, rejecting all 
justice and equity, do stubbornly go on to persist in their 
naughtiness. Such were the Benjamites, which were destroyed 
by sword and fire of the other eleven tribes. Such are at this 
day those arrogant and seditious rebels as trouble commonweals 
and kingdoms, as of old Absalom was in Israel, and Seba the 
son of Bochri; of whom mention is made in the second book 
of Samuel’. 


Wars taken Hereunto appertain the wars that are taken in hand for the 
ee defence of true religion against idolaters and enemies of the 
true and catholic faith. They err, that are of opinion that no 
wars may be made in defence of religion. The Lord, indeed, 
blamed Peter for striking with the sword, because he was 
an apostle; but thereby, notwithstanding, he bade not the 
magistrate to be negligent in looking to religion, neither for- 
bad he him to defend and maintain the pureness of faith. 
For if it be lawful for the magistrate to defend with the sword 
the things of account, of which sort are liberty, wealth, chas- 


{1 ne dum vitant carbonariam, incidant in calcariam, Lat.—Cf. 
Erasm. Adag. Chiliad. pp. 493, 4. Hanoy. 1617.] 
[2 a Saule, Lat.—not Joshua. ] [3 2 Sam. xx.] 


1Χ0] THE SIXTH PRECEPT OF THE TEN COMMANDMENTS, 3877 


tity, and his subjects’ bodies; why should he not defend and 
revenge the things of greater account, and those which are of 
greatest weight? But there is nothing of more and greater 
weight than sincere and true religion is. There is, moreover, 
a manifest and flat commandment of God touching this matter 
to be seen in Deuteronomium. For the Lord commandeth 
that every city, within the jurisdiction of every magistrate, 
which departeth from God and the worship of God, should be 
set on with warriors, and utterly rased, if it revolted not from 
idolatry betimes. The place is extant in the thirteenth of 
Deut. But if the magistrate be commanded to punish apo- 
states by war, then is it lawful for him by war to defend the 
Church in danger to be drawn by any barbarous prince from 
true religion unto false idolatry. Josue would by war have 
suppressed the Reubenites with their confederates for building 
an altar against God’s commandment. Judas Machabeus fought 
for the people of God against the people and soldiers of king 
Antiochus, who purposed to tread down the Jewish religion, 
which at that time was the true worship of God, and perforce 
to make all men receive and profess his heathenish super- 
stition. Likewise also Paul commended greatly those Jewish 
captains or judges, which by faith withstood and turned away 
foreign enemies’ invasions. And Paul himself did war in 
Cyprus against Elymas the false prophet, and struck him with 
blindness: he addeth the reason why he struck him blind, which 
he fetcheth from the keeping of religion, and saith: “ Ceasest 
thou not to pervert the right ways of the Lord? &c.” Act. xiii. 
For the same Paul again forty men do lie in wait, supposing, if 
he were once made away, that a good part of the preaching 
of the gospel would then come to an end, and that thereby 
the Jewish religion (which, notwithstanding, was utterly false) 
should have been set up and maintained for truth. But Paul since he 
was not negligent to remedy this case, neither turned he the heathens,” 


he would a 


other cheek to have that stricken too; but earnestly and hum- great deal 


sooner have 


bly requireth delivery and defence, which he requested not of required it 


a christian magistrate (when as yet there was none), but of οἰκῆσαι, 
a Roman centurion: neither did he once gainsay him, when he thaened 
saw that he chose out four hundred footmen and seventy "“"“* 
horsemen, whom he placed in order of battle array, to conduct 

him safely from Hierusalem to Antipatridis: and by that 


means was Paul, the vessel of election, preserved by an armed 








978 THE SECOND DECADE. [SERM. 


band of Italian soldiers!. Of the Armenians, whom Maximi- 
nus the emperor did tyrannously oppress, Eusebius in the ninth 
book and eighth chapter of his Ecclesiastical History saith: 
“The people of Armenia, having been long time both profit- 
able and friends to the people of Rome, being at length com- 
pelled by Maximinus Cesar to change the use of Christian 
religion (whereunto the whole nation was most holily bent) into 
the worship of idols, and to honour devils instead of God, of 
friends became enemies, and of fellows adversaries; and pre- 
paring by force of arms to defend themselves against his 
wicked edicts, do of their own accord make war upon him, and 
put him often to much trouble and business®.” Thus saith he. 
It is lawful, therefore, for the magistrate to defend his people 
and subjects against idolaters, and by war to maintain and 
uphold true religion. 

Like to this there is another cause why the magistrate 
may take war in hand. For either some barbarous enemy 
invadeth the people committed to thy charge, tearing and 
spoiling them most cruelly, like a wolf in a flock of sheep; 
when as notwithstanding thou didst not first provoke him 
thereunto by injury, but also after his causeless beginning 
thou hast offered equal conditions of peace to be made: in 
such a case as this the magistrate is commanded to stand 
forth like a lion, and to defend his subjects against the open 
wrong of merciless cut-throats: (so did Moses, when he fought 
against Arad, Sehon, and Og, kings of the Amorites?: so did 
Josaphat, when he fought against the Ammonites and inhabit- 
ants of mount Seir*: so did David, when he understood® the 
war made on him by the Syrians:) or else the magistrate 
doth aid his confederates (for the magistrate may make league 
with the nations about him, so that thereby nothing be done 
against the word of God), when by tyrants they be wrongfully 
oppressed. For so did Josue deliver the Gabionites from the 

[1 Acts xxiii—Romanorum militum, Lat.] 

[? Τούτοις προσεπανίσταται τῷ τυράννῳ ὁ πρὸς Ἀρμενίους πόλεμος, ἄνδρας 
ἐξ ἀρχαίου φίλους τε καὶ συμμάχους Ῥωμαίων- ods καὶ αὐτοὺς Χριστιανοὺς 
ὄντας, καὶ τὴν εἰς τὸ θεῖον εὐσέβειαν διὰ σπουδῆς ποιουμένους, ὁ θεομισὴς 
εἰδώλοις θύειν καὶ δαίμοσιν ἐπαναγκάσαι πεπειραμένος, ἐχθροὺς ἀντὶ φίλων 
καὶ πολεμίους ἀντὶ συμμάχων Kateornoato.—Euseb. Hist. Eccles. Lib. 1x. 
cap. 8.] 

[3 Numb. xxi.] {4 2 Chron. xx.] 

[5 propellens, Lat.—2 Sam. viii. ] 





1Σ.} THE SIXTH PRECEPT OF THE TEN COMMANDMENTS. 379 


siege of their enemies, and Saul the men of Jabes Galaad, 
figating for them against Nahas, a prince full of tyranny®. In 
such cases as these magistrates and princes do lawfully make 
war, and their soldiers and subjects do rightly obey them; 
yea, they do with great glory die a happy death, that die in 
so just a quarrel, as for the defence of religion, of the laws of 
God, of his country, wife, and children. They therefore that Thecom- 


᾿ 7 κ mendation 
enter into warfare to sustain the troublesome toil of battle, of war and 


must not set their minds upon gain or pleasure, wherein they mee 
look, when peril is past, to lie still and wallow: but justice, 
public peace, defence of truth antl innocency, must be the 
mark for them all to shoot at: to the intent, when the wicked 
are vanquished, the victory obtained, and the enemies put to 
flight, slain out of hand, or brought to better order, that then 
religion may flourish, judgment and justice may be exercised, 
the Church upheld, the ceremonies, rites, ordinances, and 
discipline thereof maintained, study and learning cherished, 
the poor provided for, widows and children defended and 
eared for ; that all sorts may live in quiet peace, that old men 
in reverence, maidens in chastity, and matrons in honesty, 
may serve God, praise God, and worship God, without fear or 
danger. This was the mark whereto our fathers Abraham, 
Moses, Josue, David, and other valiant men of famous memory’, 
did direct the eyes of their bodies and minds: upon this only 
their hearts were settled, so often as they warred and went to 
battle against ungodly tyrants in defence of the church and 
commonweal: to whom, and to all other valiant and godly 
soldiers, eternal praise is duly given of all the church and 
faithful saints. But to fearful and cowardly soldiers, to wicked, 
covetous, and blaspheming warriors, to riotous knaves, and 
unconstant traitors, by whose cowardice, gluttony, lust, and 
unnatural treason, excellent kingdoms do come to nought, 
and flourishing commonweals are quite overthrown, is reproach 
and infamy worthily due: for God himself hath cursed such 
knaves for evermore. 

Therefore it is not lawful to make any war, unless it be unjust wars. 
against open enemies, and wicked men that are incurable. 
The wars are unjust, that men do make upon their own fellows, 

[6 Josh. x.; 1 Sam. xi.] 
[7 denique beatz recordationis patres nostros, Lat. P.] 
[8 hodie, Lat., omitted; at this day.] 


The word of 
God hath 
made laws 
of war. 


380 THE SECOND DECADE. [SERM. 


against innocent persons, or people in whom there is hope of 
amendment. Those wars also are unjust, that are not begun 
by lawful means for matters of weight. All things must first 
be assayed, before it come to be tried out by battle. Other 
men’s territories must not be desired: the liberty of other 
people or thine own subjects must not be repressed: thou must 
not follow any affection, which may withdraw or seduce thy 
mind; of which sort are desire of rule, covetousness, greedi- 
ness of gifts, envy, and other affections like unto these. War 
is to commonweals a remedy indeed, but perilous and danger- 
ous, even as lancing or cutting is to the members. The hand 
is poisoned, and the arm in danger to be envenomed too, 
whereby the whole man perhaps may be cast away: but yet 
thou cuttest not off thy hand until, when thou hast tried all 
other medicines, thou dost plainly perceive that no other 
means can remedy the sore but cutting off alone. Likewise, 
when all helps fail, then at the last let war begin; so yet, 
nevertheless, that the prince do remember to begin with war 
before all help and hope of recovery be utterly past’. 

For the word of God is so far off from finding fault with 
war begun upon a just quarrel, that it doth both make laws 
of war, and sheweth a number of examples of upright wars, 
of wise and worthy warriors. The laws of war are recited 
in the 20th chapter of Deuteronomy, both profitable and 
necessary, and therewithal so evident, that they need no words 
of mine to expound them. Moreover, in every place of the 
scripture these laws of war are still bidden to be kept. First 
of all, the chief and uppermost place must be given to religion 
in every camp and garrison: for the Lord himself hath appoint- 
ed priests and ministers of true religion to attend and serve 
in wars. Secondarily, let upright laws be of force in camps 
abroad, as well as in cities at home: let soldiers live honestly, 
justly, and rightly, as order and discipline are wont to require 
when as they are in the city at home. For that saying 
cometh not of God, but of the devil, which is commonly spread 
abroad, Let laws in war be hushed and still*. Thirdly, let 
him that is chosen to be guide and general of the war be 
godly, just, holy, valiant, wise, and fortunate; as, among them 
of old, were Josue, David, Judas Machabeus, Constantine, 


(1 ut meminerint tamen principes, Ne quid sero nimis, Lat. ] 
[2 Sileant inter arma leges, Lat.—See Cic. pro Mil.] 





See 


1X.] THE SIXTH PRECEPT OF THE TEN COMMANDMENTS. 381 


Theodosius*, and many more. To all this there must be 
added a chosen band of tried men: for choice of soldiers 
must be made, unless perhaps the army do consist in a troop 
of bastards and unskilful men, of perjured and blaspheming 
knaves, of cut-throats and rakehells, of drunkards and glut- 
tons, and a beastly drove of filthy swine. Victory consisteth 
not in the multitude of men, but in the grace of God and 
a chosen band. The proverb is common which saith, “ Where 
a multitude is, there is confusion.” Great and innumerable 
armies are a let to themselves very greatly ; as we do learn 
by daily experience, and as examples of every age do testify 
to us. Moreover, loiterers in camps are always reproved. 
Let the christian soldier, therefore, be idle at no time; let 
him ever be busy, and still doing something: let him be 
courageous, faithful to his country, ready to take pains, obe- 
dient to his captains, fit to take time when occasion is offered, 
and evermore occupied in warlike discipline; no effeminate 


The descrip- 
tion of a 
Christian 
soldier. 


milksop, but of manly stomach; not cruel and merciless, but. 


severe and pitiful, as time requireth. What he may preserve, 
that let him not destroy. But, above all things, let him not 
forget or think scorn, both in peril and out of peril, evermore 
to make his prayers and supplications to God his Saviour. 
In God’s name let him begin all things; without God let him 
attempt nothing: in adversity, and when he hath the overthrow, 
let not his courage quail, nor his heart and hope forsake him ; 
in prosperity let him not be puffed up with pride and arro- 
gancy, but let him give thanks to God, and use the conquest 
like a merciful victor: let him wholly depend upon God’s help- 
ing hand, and desire nothing rather than the defence of the 
commonweal, laws, religion, justice, and guiltless people. 
Many, I know, will marvel to see me require at the 
hands of a soldier the things that seem to be enough, as the 
common saying is, to be looked for of aright good and godly 
man; as though, indeed, that none could be soldiers but irre- 
ligious and naughty men. Soldiers, I confess, are for the 
most part such kind of fellows: but what fruit, I pray you, 
reap we at this day of so evil seed? The Turks overrun 
and spoil us; we are to all the heathen a jesting-stock to 


[3 Mascelzer, Lat. ; omitted by the translator.—See Gibbon, Decl. 
and Fall. chap. xxix.; and Universal Hist. Ancient Hist. Vol. xvi. p. 473. 
Lond. 1748. Book tv. chap. 5.] 


982 THE SECOND DECADE. [SERM. 


laugh at; kingdoms decay and are made subject to devilish 
Mahometism, and every day we are wrapped in more mise- 
What man- yies than other!. But what kind of soldiers they of old were, 


ner of soldiers ἕ 
186 ἀποίθης which went to the war from out of the church or congrega- 


were tion of the Christians, we may easily gather even by that 
one history, worthy the remembrance, which Tertullian to 
Scapula setteth down thus: “Marcus Aurelius also in his 
wars with the Germans, by the prayers which christian sol- 
diers made unto God, obtained showers of rain in that great 
drought. At what time have not droughts been turned away 
by our prayers and fastings? Then the people crying out 
theLatin for joy to the God of gods, and the emperor himself, under 
Seuss the name of J upiter, confessed the wonderful working of our 
Brrehieh X God2.” Thus much Tertullian. But Eusebius, in his Eccle- 
meant the giastical History, hath more largely and fully set down the 
ee game history, and saith: “ Histories report that Marcus Aure- 
lius, brother to Antoninus Cesar, making war upon the Ger- 
mans and Sarmatians, when his army was in danger to be 
lost with drought, being at his wits’ end because he knew not 
what way to seek for remedy in that distress, did at the 
last light upon a certain legion wherein christian soldiers 
were, whose prayers God heard, when they, as the manner 
of our men is, had upon their knees cried out unto him; so 
that on a sudden, when no man looked for it, with the pouring 
down of sufficient showers, the thirst of the army that then 
was in danger, for which the Christians had made supplica- 
tions, was presently quenched; but their enemies, that hovered 
there to have been their destruction, were stricken and scat- 
tered with thunder and fire in lightning from heaven: which 
deed is reported by heathen historiographers ; but that it was 
obtained at the prayers of our men, they do not report: for 
with them the other miracles, which are done by our men, 
have no place of credit. But among our men Tertullian 


[1 See Works of Becon, Parker Soc. ed. Vol. 1. p. 239.] 

[2 Marcus quoque Aurelius in Germanica expeditione christianorum 
militum orationibus ad Deum factis imbres in siti illa impetravit. 
Quando non geniculationibus et jejunationibus nostris etiam siccitates 
sunt depulsee? Tunc et populus adclamans Deo deorum, qui solus 
potens, in Jovis nomine Deo nostro testimonium reddidit.—Tertul. ad 
Scapulam. cap. 4. pag. 162. Tom. 1. ed. Semler. 1829. Bullinger’s 
quotation reads: et qui solus potens.] 





IX. | THE SIXTH PRECEPT OF THE TEN COMMANDMENTS. 383 


maketh mention hereof; and among the Greeks Apollinaris, Legio ful- 
who also affirmeth, that for the miracle of that notable deed» 

that legion’s name was changed by the emperor, and called 

The Legion of Thunder. Tertullian addeth, that the letters of 
Marcus the emperor are yet to be had, wherein the full and 
manifest truth of this matter is plainly declared*.” 

Hitherto Eusebius. Whereby we gather that christian 
soldiers of old were not only given to prayer, but to justice 
also, and holiness of living. For who knoweth not that James 
the apostle said, ‘The earnest prayer of a righteous man avail- 
eth much: Elias was a man under infirmities even as we are, 
and he prayed in his prayer, and the heavens gave rain, and 
the earth brought forth her fruit*?” It is most evident, 
therefore, that soldiers of old were very godly and religious 
men. Our soldiers at these days, because they are far from 
religion, yea, because they are enemies to true religion, do, 
instead of victory, suffer overthrows abroad, and loss and 
destruction of their cities at home. And worthily do common- 
weals suffer such plagues for trusting so much in such wicked 
soldiers. For to trust them is all one as if they should put 

[5 Τούτου δὴ ἀδελφὸν Μάρκον Αὐρήλιον Καίσαρα λόγος ἔχει, Τερμανοῖς 
καὶ Σαρμάταις ἀντιπαραταττόμενον μάχῃ, δίψει πιεζομένης αὐτοῦ τῆς στρατιᾶς, 
ἐν ἀμηχανίᾳ γενέσθαι, τοὺς δὲ ἐπὶ τῆς Μελιτινῆς οὕτω καλουμένης λεγεῶνος 
στρατιώτας, διὰ πίστεως ἐξ ἐκείνου καὶ εἰς δεῦρο συνεστώσης, ἐν τῇ πρὸς 
τοὺς πολεμίους παρατάξει γόνυ θέντας ἐπὶ γῆν, κατὰ τὸ οἰκεῖον ἡμῖν τῶν 
εὐχῶν ἔθος, ἐπὶ τὰς πρὸς τὸν Θεὸν ἱκεσίας τραπέσθαι. Παραδόξου δὲ τοῖς 
πολεμίοις τοῦ τοιούτου δὴ θεάματος φανέντος, ἄλλό τι λόγος ἔχει παραδοξό- 
τερον ἐπικαταλαβεῖν αὐτίκα: σκηπτὸν μὲν εἰς φυγὴν καὶ ἀπώλειαν συνελαύ- 
νοντα τοὺς πολεμίους, ὄμβρον δὲ ἐπὶ τὴν τῶν τὸ θεῖον παρακεκληκότων 
στρατιὰν, πᾶσαν αὐτὴν ἐκ τοῦ δίψους μέλλουσαν ὅσον οὔπω διαφθαρή- 


> , « ae , , Ν Ν A “ »5ς a 
σεσθαι, avaxtopevov. Ἣ δὲ ἱστορία φέρεται μὲν καὶ παρὰ τοῖς πόῤῥω τοῦ 

Coan , a rn \ » « a “ n 
καθ᾽ ἡμᾶς λόγου συγγραφεῦσιν..... Τοῖς μὲν ἔξωθεν ἱστορικοῖς, ἅτε τῆς 


πίστεως ἀνοικείοις, τέθειται μὲν τὸ παράδοξον, οὐ μὴν καὶ ταῖς τῶν ἡμετέρων 
> ΄ ΄ ε ’ ᾽ Cal 4 « ἊΝ -“ > , , 
εὐχαῖς τοῦτο ὡμολογήθη γεγονέναι: τοῖς δέ ye ἡμετέροις, ἅτε ἀληθείας φί- 
λοις, ἁπλῷ καὶ ἀκακοήθει τρόπῳ τὸ πραχθὲν παραδέδοται. Τούτων δ᾽ ἂν 
a , > , > > r , ‘ > > = A , 
εἴη καὶ Ἀπολινάριος, ἐξ ἐκείνου φήσας τὴν δι’ εὐχῆς τὸ παράδοξον πεποιη- 
κυῖαν λεγεῶνα οἰκείαν τῷ γεγονότι πρὸς τοῦ βασιλέως εἰληφέναι προσηγορίαν, 
col Cal ΄“ ’ 

Κεραυνοβόλον τῇ Ῥωμαίων ἐπικληθεῖσαν φωνῇ. Μάρτυς δὲ τούτων γένοιτ᾽ 
ἂν ἀξιόχρεως ὁ Τερτυλλιανός .... Τράφει δ᾽ οὖν καὶ αὐτὸς λέγων, Μάρκου 

“ , , > \ > 7 a , > Φ “ον, 
τοῦ συνετωτάτου βασιλέως ἐπιστολὰς εἰσέτι νῦν φέρεσθαι, ἐν αἷς αὐτὸς 

“ > , σ > , , > A 4 A , 
μαρτυρεῖ ἐν Τερμανίᾳ ὕδατος ἀπορίᾳ μέλλοντα αὐτοῦ τὸν στρατὸν διαφθεί- 
ρεσθαι ταῖς τῶν Χριστιανῶν εὐχαῖς σεσῶσθαι.----Ἐ 500. Hist. Eccles. Lib. 
v. cap. 5.) 
{4 James v, 16—18.] 


Examples of 
war and 
captains 

out of the 
scripture. 


384 THE SECOND DECADE. [SERM, 


confidence in the very devils, whom these soldiers do, for the 
most part, exceed in all kind of filthiness, uncleanness, cruelty, 
and villainy. 

But now the word of God doth set before our eyes an 
innumerable sort of examples almost of holy and upright wars, 
and of excellent kings and captains. Abraham, our father, 
setting forward with a very small army, pursueth the four 
most puissant kings or robbers of the world; he overthroweth 
and putteth them to flight; and, having recovered his people, 
and restored to them their substance again, he giveth the 
thanks to God, as to the author of that unlikely victory!. 
Moses and Josue destroyed about thirty-nine kings; they 
punished severely the unspeakable wickedness of all those 
nations; and planted the people committed to their charge 
in the land which God had promised to give them. The 
Judges of the people of Israel had notable wars against the 
heathens and infidels, whereby they brake the tyranny of 
those wicked men, unlawfully usurped among God’s people, 
restoring them again to their liberty and religion. The pro- 
phet Samuel is here to be numbered among the notable 
captains of God’s people. Jonathas, Saul’s son, was a worthy 
captain, and a singular example of a godly man. Than David 
none was more excellent or worthy to be praised. In war 
he vanquished the Philistines, the Idumites, the Syrians, and 
a good part of the East beside; by war he revenged injuries; 
by war he maintained his liberty, and kept God’s people from 
a number of mischiefs: and yet, notwithstanding, he that 
warred thus is said to be a man according to God’s heart’s 
desire, and the father of our Lord Jesus Christ touching his 
flesh or his humanity*®. In David’s posterity thou mayest 
find many excellent warriors and valiant captains, Abia, Asa, 
Josaphat, Amasia, Osia, Ezechias, and other more. Among 
these Judas Machabeus hath not the last nor least place of 
all, who fought very stoutly for the law, religion, and people 
of God, and died at the last in the midst of the battle, in 
defence of religion and his country quarrel. I will not add 
to these the examples of Constantine, Gratian, Theodosius, and 
other more that were excellent in feats of war. Of these and 
other writeth St Augustine in the end of his fifth book de 


[2 Gen. xiv.] 
[31 Sam. xiii. 14; Rom. i. 3.] 








IX. ] THE SIXTH PRECEPT OF THE TEN COMMANDMENTS. 385 


Civitate Dei?, and Orosius very largely in the seventh book 
of his history unto the end of the 28th chapter *. This is suffi- 
cient for godly magistrates. Hitherto have I discoursed of 
war to be made by the magistrate, and the use of the sword 
in the magistrate’s hand; touching which I gave some notes 
by the way in that sermon wherein I expounded the Fifth 
Commandment. 

This being thus ended, I have now to prove that christian 
men may bear the office of a magistrate; which treatise I mean 
therefore to take in hand, because our mad-headed Anabap- 
tists, and some other builders of a devised commonweal?®, by 
gainsaying that which hitherto we have alleged, do go about 
to prove that a Christian may not bear the office of a magis- 
trate: their reason is, because Christians, as they say, may 
not strive in law, nor kill any man, nor recover by war 
things violently taken away, nor revenge any injury that is 
done unto them. And although these causes of theirs be 
answered every one in his fit and several place; yet will I 
briefly gather here together a few substantial arguments, by 
which a politic and christian man may understand, con- 
trary to the madness and dreams of the Anabaptists, if he 
be called to bear rule and authority, that then he both may, 
and of duty ought, to serve the Lord his God in taking 
upon him and executing the office of a magistrate. Tor, 
whereas they feign that the doctrine of the gospel doth utterly 
cut off all kind of defence, and whatsoever else belongeth to 
the defence of christian men’s goods and bodies, that is 
nothing so, and they are deceived as far as heaven is wide: 
for the truth doth teach us clean contrary. 

For whatsoever things are ordained by God for a means 
of men’s safeguard and good estate, they are so far from 
misbecoming and being unseemly for a christian man, if he 


{8 Chap. xxv. “De prosperitatibus, quas Constantino Imp. Christiano 
Deus contulit,” and xxvi. “de fide et pietate Theodosii Augusti.” Opp. 
Par. 1531. Tom. v. fol. 69. P.] 

[ἃ 28 cap. ad finem usque, Lat.—Pauli Orosii adv. Paganos 
Histor. Libri Septem. Mogunt. 1615. In the chapters of the 7th Book 
from the 28th are related the successes of Constantine, Gratian, Theo- 
dosius, &c. ] 

[5 Utopiane reipublice extructores, Lat.—See Preface of Hooker's 
Eccles. Pol. Vol. 1. p. 183. Oxf. 1820.] 


[BULLINGER | οἷ 


A christian 
man may be 
a magistrate. 


Respublica 
Utopiana, 


Honestus 
senator. 


386 THE SECOND DECADE. [se RM. 


use them and apply himself unto them, that, if he refuse and 
neglect, he cannot rightly be called a true Christian. For 
the first and greatest care of every Christian is, by all means 
that he may, to set forward and maintain the health and safe- 
guard of all sorts of men. But the magistrate is not ordained 
by any man, but by God himself, for the health and wealth of 
all mankind; as it is expressly witnessed by the prophets and 
apostles, but by Paul especially in the 13th to the Romans. 
Who then cannot thereby perceive that a Christian may 
praiseworthily execute a magistrate’s office? 

Furthermore, no man will deny, I know, that a christian 
man’s faith is, not in words only, but in deeds also, to give a 
proof of justice and mercy, by all means to care for public 
peace and tranquillity, to do judgment with justice, to defend 
the fatherless, widows, and children, and to deliver poor 
oppressed people. Neither doth he contemn, flee from, nor 
reject, occasion, places, and means, by which he may put those 
good works in ure. And therefore a Christian refuseth not 
the place or office of a magistrate: for the magistrate’s office 
is to do judgment with justice, and to provide for public peace. 

Moreover, it is undoubtedly true, as before we have 
declared, that Moses, Samuel, Josue, and David, are not 
excluded from the name of Christianity: but since they were 
in authority and bare the names of magistrates, what let is 
there, I pray you, why a true christian man may not’ bear 
the office of a magistrate in his commonweal? What may be 
thought of this, moreover, that in the new Testament certain 
notable men are well reported of, who, when they were in 
authority, were not put beside their offices because they were 
Christians and of a sound religion? Touching Joseph of Ari- 
mathea, thus we read in Luke: “ And, behold, there was a 
man named Joseph, a counsellor,” (Mark saith, “a noble 
senator’), who was a good man and a just; the same had not 
consented to the counsel and deed of them; which was of 
Arimathea, a city of the Jews, which waited also for the 
kingdom of God*.” Mark here, I beseech you, how notable 
a testimony this man hath here. Joseph is a counsellor or 


(1 vel hodie, Lat., omitted; at this day too.] 

[2 The Vulgate has, “nobilis decurio ;’ but “honestus senator,” 
which Bullinger adopts, is the rendering of Erasmus in Mark xv. 43.] 

[3 Luke xxiii. 50, 51; Mark xv. 43.] 





IX.] THE SIXTH PRECEPT OF THE TEN COMMANDMENTS. 987 


senator; yea, and that more is, a noble senator too: he sat 
in the senate, and among those judges which did condemn 
our Saviour Christ; but, because he consented not to their 
deed and judgment, he is acquited as guiltless of that horrible 
murder. The same is said to have been a good man and a 
just, and of the number of-them that look for the kingdom of 
God; that is, of the number of those which of Christ are 
ealled Christians: and yet, nevertheless, he was a counsellor 
or senator, and that too‘ in the city of Jerusalem. A Chris- 
tian therefore may lawfully bear the office of a magistrate. 
Hereunto belong the examples of the Aithiopian treasurer, 
Acts viil.; of Cornelius the centurion, Acts x.; and of Erastus 
the chamberlain® of Corinth, Rom. xvi. 2 Tim. iv. But our 
desire is to have the Anabaptists prove and declare out of 
the scriptures that which they object here, in saying that 
these men, being once converted to the faith, did straightway 
put off their robes of estate, and lay aside their magistrate’s 
sword’, For we have a little before, by the words of St Au- 
gustine upon John Baptist’s answer’, (who did himself also 
preach the gospel,) already proved, that the soldiers that 
were baptized were not put beside their office, nor com- 
manded by John to give over armour and cease to be 
soldiers. 
They object, again, that the Lord conveyed himself pri- the Lora 


conveyeth 


vily away, when the people were minded to have made him a himself 


away, while 


king’: which, say they, he would not have done, but because the people 
8 y ΠΟΥ 


would have 


by his example he would commend humility to all Christian Pgjen™ 
people ; and, as it were, thereby to command them, not to 
suffer the charge to rule any commonweal to be laid on their 
necks. They add, moreover, these sayings of the Lord: 
“My kingdom is not of this world.” Again: “ Kings of 
nations have dominion over them; but ye shall not be 509, 
But they understand not that the cause, why the Lord con- 
veyed himself away, was for the fond purpose of the foolish 


people, which went about, by making him a king, not to do 





{4 et manet, Lat. ] 

[5 queestor eerarius, Lat.—Erasmus’ rendering. ] 
[6 deposuisse trabeam et gladium, Lat.]} 

[7 See page 372.] 

[8 John vi. 15.—creare et salutare regem, Lat.] 
[9 John xviii. 36; Luke xxii. 25.] 





25—2 


My kingdom 
is not cf this 
world. 


But so shall 
not ye. 


388 THE SECOND DECADE. [sERM. 


the will of God, but, being blinded with affections, to seek to 
bring those things to pass that were for the ease and filling 
of their bellies. For insomuch as he had fed them mira- 
culously a little before, therefore they thought that he would 
be a king for their purpose, who was able to give his subjects 
meat without any cost or labour at all. Furthermore, our 
Lord came not to reign on the earth after the manner of this 
world, as the Jews imagined, and as Pilate feared, who 
dreamed the Messias should reign as Salomon did: and for 
that cause the Lord doth rightly say, “My kingdom is not 
of this world.” For he is ascended into heaven, and sitteth 
at the right hand of his Father, having subdued all kings to 
himself, and all the world beside, wherein he reigneth by his 
word and his Spirit, and which he shall come to judge in the 
end of the world. And although Christ denieth that his 
kingdom is of this world, yet, notwithstanding, he never denied 
that kings and princes should come out of the world into the 
church, to serve the Lord therein, not as men alone, but as 
kings and men of authority. But kings cannot otherwise 
serve the Lord as kings, but by doing the things for which 
they are called kings’. And unless that Christians, when 
they are once made kings, should continue in their office and 
govern kingdoms according to the rule and laws of Christ, 
how, I beseech you, should Christ be called “ King of kings, 
and Lord of Lords*?” Therefore, when he said, “ Kings of 
nations have dominion over them, but so shall not ye be;” he 
spake to his apostles, who strove among themselves for the 
chief and highest dignity: as if he should have said, Princes, 
which have dominion in the world, are not by my doctrine 
displaced of their seats, nor put beside their thrones; for the 
magistrate’s authority is of force still in the world, and in the 
church also. The king or magistrate shall reign; but so shall 
not ye: ye shall not reign, ye shall not be princes, but 
teachers of the world and ministers of the churches. Thus 
briefly I have answered to the Anabaptists’ objections, which 
in other places also I have many times confuted somewhat more 
largely. By this that here I have said, I think I have suffi- 
ciently proved, that a christian man can not only, but ought of 
duty also, to take upon him the office of a magistrate, if 
it be lawfully offered unto him. 


[} See page 367.] [2 Rev. xix. 16.] 





IX. | THE SIXTH PRECEPT OF THE TEN COMMANDMENTS. 389 


Now, before I make an end of the discourse of this place, Of the duty 
I will briefly add what the duty of subjects is, and what eats 
every man doth owe to his magistrate. First of all, the sub- 
jects’ duty is, to esteem honestly, reverently, and honour- 
ably, not vilely nor disdainfully, of their magistrates or 
princes. Let them reverence and honour them as the depu- 
ties and ministers of the eternal God. Let them abroad 
also give them the honour that is usually accustomed in every 
kingdom and country. It is a foul thing for subjects to be- 
have themselves undecently towards their lords and men of 
authority. But a false, a light, or ill opinion, once conceived, 
breedeth a contempt of the things and persons, touching whom 
that opinion is once taken up. Some evident testimonies of 
scripture, therefore, must be gathered and graffed in every 
man’s heart, that thereby a just estimation and worthy autho- 
rity of magistrates and officers may be bred and brought up 
in all people’s minds. Here, by the way, let princes and 
magistrates take heed to themselves, that by a spotted and 
unseemly life they make not themselves contemptible and 
laughing-stocks, and so by their own default lose all their 
authority among the common people. The Lord our God, 
verily, vouchethsafe to attribute his own name to the princes 
and magistrates of the people, and to call them gods. Exod. 
xxil.; Psalm Ixxxii. The apouce called them the deputies 
and ministers of God. 1 Peter ii.; Rom. xiii. But who will 
not think well of gods, and them ae are the deputies and 
ministers of God, by whom God worketh the wealth of the 
people? He that despiseth him that is sent, despiseth him 
that sendeth®. He that honoureth the deputy seemeth to 
give more honour to him that appointed the deputy than to 
him that is the deputy. Moreover, Salomon in the sixteenth 
of his Proverbs saith : “ Prophecy is in the lips of the king; 
therefore his heart shall not go wrong in judgment*.” And 
in the eighth of the Preacher: ‘I must keep the king’s com- 
mandment because of the oath that I have made to God for 
the same’.” Again, Proverbs xxiv.: ‘“ My son, fear thou the 
Lord and the king, and keep no company with them that 
[3 Luke x. 16.] 


[4 Prov. xvi. 10.—divinatio, Lat.] 
[5 Eccles. viii. 2.—et rationem habere juramenti Dei, Lat.] 








Obedience 
to magis- 


trates’ laws. 


390 THE SECOND DECADE. [SERM. 


slide back from the fear of them!: for their destruction 
shall rise suddenly.” And Paul said: ‘“ Whosoever resisteth 
the power, resisteth the ordinance of God; but they that re- 
sist shall receive judgment to themselves.” Of this sort I 
have rehearsed certain testimonies in the exposition of the 
fifth precept. 

Secondarily, let subjects pray for their princes and magis- 
trates, that the Lord may give them wisdom, knowledge, 
fortitude, temperance, justice, upright severity, clemency, and 
all other requisite virtues, and that he will vouchsafe to lead 
them in his ways, and to preserve them from all evil; that 
we may live under them in this world in peace and honesty. 
This doth Paul require at the hands of subjects, in the second 
chapter of his first epistle to Timothy, and Jeremy, in the 
twenty and ninth of his prophecy. I have in another place 
recited their very words; therefore at this time I let them 
pass. The minds of many men are herein very slow and 
careless, and that is the cause many times why they feel the 
things that willingly they would not, and bear the burdens, 
with grief enough, that otherwise they should not; and wor- 
thily too: for if they would but do their duty willingly, in 
praying for their magistrate earnestly, their case undoubtedly 
would be far better than it is. But how fervent a desire 
they in the primitive church had to pray for their magistrate, 
we may gather even by these words of Tertullian, in the 
thirtieth chapter of his Apology: ‘‘ We pray always,” saith 
he, ‘for all emperors, desiring God to give them long life, a 
sure reign, a safe house, valiant armies, faithful counsellors, 
honest subjects, a quiet world, and whatsoever else a man or 
emperor may desire®.” 

Let the people also obey the good and upright laws of 
their princes or magistrates; yea, let subjects obey them 
holily, reverently, and with a devout mind; not obeying their 
laws as the laws of men, but as the laws of the ministers and 


[1 Qui defectores sunt, Lat.] [2 Rom. xiii. 2.] 

[8 Precantes sumus omnes semper pro omnibus imperatoribus, 
vitam illis prolixam, imperium securum, domum tutam, exercitus fortes, 
senatum fidelem, populum probum, orbem quietum, et queecunque 
hominis et Ceesaris vota sunt.—Tertul. Apol. cap. xxx. Tom. v. p. 62. 
ed. Semler. ] 











Ix. | THE SIXTH PRECEPT OF THE TEN COMMANDMENTS, 391 


deputies of God himself: for Peter biddeth us obey them 
for the Lord; and Paul saith, “ We must not obey them for 
anger only, but for conscience sake αἰδοῖ; that is, we must 
not obey the magistrate only for fear, lest our contempt and 
disobedience do breed our punishment; but we must obey 
him, lest we sin against God himself, and so our own con- 
science do argue our wickedness. But in the fifth command- 
ment I proved by testimonies and examples out of the scrip- 
tures, that we ought not to obey godless magistrates, so oft 
as they command any wicked thing, which is flatly contrary 
to the word of God. The apostles and faithful men of the 
primitive church did choose rather to be shut up in prison, to 
be sent in exile, to be spoiled of their substance, to be cast to 
wild beasts, to be killed with the sword, to be burnt with fire, 
and to be strangled, than to obey any wicked commandments. 
That blessed martyr, bishop Polycarpus, answered the Roman 
proconsul, and said: “ We are taught to give to princes, and 
to the powers that are of God, such honour as is not contrary 
to true religion.” And St John Chrysostom said to Gaina: 
“Tt is not lawful for a godly emperor to assay any thing 
contrary to God’s commandments δ." 

Lastly, let subjects pay tribute to their magistrates ; yea, 
let them, if necessity so require, not stick to bestow their 
bodies and lives for the preservation of their magistrate and 
country, as I have already taught you in the fifth command- 
ment. The Lord in the gospel doth simply say, “ Give to 
God that which belongeth to God, and to Caesar that which 
belongeth to Cesar ’.” They therefore are worthily blamed, 
that pinch, grudge at, or defraud the magistrate of any part 
of his tribute. Taxes and tributes are due to the magistrate, 
as the hire of his labour, and as it were the sinews of public 
tranquillity and commonweal. For “who goeth to warfare 

[δὲ ἢ 13; Rom, xilt, 81] 

[5 Πολύκαρπος ἔφη ... δεδιδάγμεθα ... ἀρχαῖς καὶ ἐξουσίαις ὑπὸ Θεοῦ 
τεταγμέναις τιμὴν κατὰ τὸ προσῆκον τὴν μὴ βλάπτουσαν ἡμᾶς ἀπονέμειν.---- 
Euseb. Hist. Eccles. Lib. 1v. cap. 15.] 

[6 Ὃ δὲ μέγας "Iwavyns ἀντέλεγε φάσκων, οὐκ ἐξεῖναι βασιλεῖ τῶν θείων 
κατατολμᾷν, εὐσεβεῖν γε προαιρουμένῳ ..---- ΤΠοοαουῦ. Eccles. Hist. Lib. v. 
cap. 32. ed. Reading. Cantab. 1720, p. 232. Bullinger gives the 
history more at length in his treatise de Script. Sac. Author. &c. fol. 


123. Tigur. 1538.] 
[7 Luke xx. 25.] 


Common 
cost or 
treasures. 


392 THE SECOND DECADE. [SERM. 


of his own proper cost!?” Every man liveth by that labour 
wherein he is occupied. The prince taketh pains in govern- 
ing the commonweal, and preserving it in peace; he neglect- 
eth his own private and household business, whereby he should 
live, and provide things necessary for himself and his family, 
by looking and attending on his country’s affairs: it were 
against reason, therefore, but that he should be fed and main- 
tained upon the public treasure and cost of his country. It 
is requisite, also, that kingdoms and commonweals be suffici- 
ently furnished with money and substance to help in distress, 
either of war, famine, fire, and other miseries ?; or else to the 
setting up again of men fallen into poverty, or putting away 
of greater calamities. I say nothing now touching the keep- 
ing in reparation of common buildings, as the city-walls, bul- 
warks, trenches, ditches, gates, bridges, highways, wells, con- 
duits, judgment-halls, and market-places, with many more of 
the same sort. There are also certain common persons, as 
serjeants, watchmen, and such like, which are to be nourished 
and maintained of the common cost and treasury ; and, un- 
less that money be still at hand and in readiness, there can 
no kingdom nor any commonweal stand long in assurance. 
They, therefore, that grudge to pay tribute deny the hire of 
the magistrate’s labour, and go the next way to work to sub- 
vert the commonweal, and to bring it to nought. The men 
that in the commonweal’s affairs (as some of custom be) are 
negligent and careless, sin not against any one lord, but 
against the whole commonweal: and therefore thou mayest 
see that such slothful workmen are seldom times enriched with 
the good blessings of God. 

But now here, by the way, all magistrates and princes 
must be admonished to love the people subject to their 
charge and government, to bear with them bountifully, and 
not to nip them with immoderate exactions: which is easily 
done, if they themselves will be thrifty, and keep themselves 
moderately from riotous gluttony and over sumptuous pride. 
Let a good prince consider what a sin it is to have his 
palace abound in riotousness and surfeiting, while his cities 
and towns are tormented and pined with famine and hunger. 
Let magistrates consider that tributes and subsidies are not 
the private goods of them in authority, but the public sub- 

[1 1 Cor. ix. 7.] [2 calamitatibus publicis, Lat.] 














1s. | THE SIXTH PRECEPT OF THE TEN COMMANDMENTS. 998 


stance of the whole commonweal. God hateth pillers and 
robbers. God abhorreth immoderate exactions. God curseth 
polling tyrants; but blesseth profitable and moderate magis- 
trates. But, in peace and war, agreement and concord are 
much more available than money unjustly gotten; and stronger 
is that kingdom, and firmer that commonweal, which is upheld 
by the love and agreement of the prince and commonalty, 
although the common treasure there be very small, than that 
country or city which hath innumerable riches heaped up 
together and wrung out of the citizens’ entrails, when as 
continual grudge and ill-will makes the prince and people at 
continual variance. I say no more here than the very truth 
is; experience of all ages is a witness that it is so. 

Thus much hitherto have I laid down before your eyes, 
dearly beloved, as briefly as I could, touching the magistrate ; 
taking occasion upon the sixth commandment, ‘“ Thou shalt 
not kill,” and declaring to what end and purpose God did 
ordain him, what his duty is toward his subjects, and what 
his subjects’ duty is toward him. Now let us pray, and be- 
seech the Lord that he will grant both to magistrates and 
subjects to walk worthily in their vocations, 


OF THE THIRD PRECEPT OF THE SECOND TABLE, 
WHICH IS IN ORDER THE SEVENTH OF THE TEN 
COMMANDMENTS: THOU SHALT NOT COMMIT 
ADULTERY OF WEDLOCK; AGAINST ALL 
INTEMPERANCE; OF CONTINENCY. 


THE TENTH SERMON. 


Tue nearest to our life and body is every one’s several 
mate in wedlock; for by wedlock two bodies are joined 
together’, and are made one: for the Lord said, “ And two 
shall be one flesh‘.” In this third precept, therefore, which is 
next after the forbidding of murder, commandment is given 
for the holy keeping of honourable wedlock, and for the true 


[3 conjugio enim conjunguntur, Lat. P.] 
[4 Gen. ii. 24; 1 Cor. vi. 16.] 


The seventh 
precept. 


What wed- 
lock is. 


The excel- 
leney or 
dignity of 
marriage. 


894 THE SECOND DECADE. [ SE ΒΜ. 


sanctifying of the body against adulteries, wandering lusts, 
and all incontinency. Wedlock is prepared to this end and 
purpose, that honesty and chastity may flourish among good 
men, and children may be brought up in the fear of the 
Lord. This commandment again is briefly expressed in as few 
words as may be: “Thou shalt not commit adultery.” In 
the exposition of this commandment, by the help of God’s 
good Spirit, I will first speak of holy matrimony; then, of 
adultery; thirdly, I will shew you what is contained under 
the name of adultery ; and lastly, I will make an end with 
a treatise of continency. 

Wedlock, which is also called matrimony, is an alliance 
or holy joining together of man and woman, coupled and 
brought into one by mutual consent of them both, to the 
intent that they, using all things in common betwixt them- 
selves, may live in chastity, and train up their children in 
the fear of the Lord. The gospel verily calleth wedlock a 
joining together which God hath made: for Christ said, 
“ What God hath joined together, let no man separate®.” 
Neither is it lawful to make any other the author of matri- 
mony than God himself. God did, by the mean and 
ministery of his angels and chosen men, appoint other good 
and necessary ordinances for mankind’s commodity ; but he 
himself did immediately, without the ministery of any person, 
ordain matrimony ; he himself did establish and ratify it with 
laws for the purpose; he himself did couple the first mar- 
ried folks; and he, being the true high priest indeed, did 
himself bless the couple then whom he did join together. 

By this we may easily gather the excellent dignity of 
marriage or matrimony. For God did ordain it; yea, he 
ordained it in paradise, when man as yet was free from all 
kind of calamities. Adam, when he was in the great felicity 
of paradise, seemed not yet to live commodiously nor sweetly 
enough, except a wife were given to be joined unto him. 
“Tt is not good,” saith God, “for man to be alone; I will 
make him a helper to tarry or dwell with him3.” For God 
brought to Adam all living creatures, which he had created, 
for him to name them: but among them all there was no- 


[ Exod. xx. 14.—duobus exprimitur verbis, Non meechaberig, Lat.] 
[2 Matt. xix. 6.] 
[3 Gen. ii. 18.—adjutorium, quod ei cohabitet, Lat.] 











X.] THE SEVENTH PRECEPT OF THE TEN COMMANDMENTS. 395 


thing that Adam had lust unto; his mind and nature did 
utterly abhor to be coupled with any of them. God there- 
fore, casting Adam into a dead sleep, doth out of his side, as 
he slept, frame up a woman; which so soon as Adam set his 
eye upon, when she was brought unto him by God who had 
made her, he straightway crieth, that this was such a one as 
he desired, that this was such a one as he could love, and 
wherewith his nature could very well agree. ‘This now,” 
saith he, “is bone of my bones, and flesh of my flesh.” I 
have found, saith he, I have found an help fit for me, 
which hath part of my flesh, of my blood, and my very sub- 
stance. From hence riseth and yet remaineth that natural 
proneness of men toward women: when, on the other side, 
overthwart mingling and meddling of cursed men with beasts, 
contrary to man’s nature, was long ago destroyed by fire; 
which shewed that God did abhor it. The Lord moreover 
said: “A man shall forsake his father and his mother, and 
cleave to his wife, and two shall be one flesh‘.” But in the 
exposition of the fifth commandment we perceived, how much 
God doth set by the love and good-will of children to their 
parents, and what a charge he giveth to children to honour 
them. It must needs be, therefore, that wedlock is a most 
heavenly ordinance, since it is preferred before the honouring 
of parents: and yet, nevertheless, it is so preferred, as that, 
by the law of matrimony, the precept for the honour due to 
parents may not be abolished; but that thereby married folks 
may know to behave themselves so, if their parents go about 
to breed discord betwixt them and their spouses, that then 
they suffer not themselves for their parents’ words to be se- 
vered, but in all things else to honour them as they should. 
The holy patriarchs kept the law of matrimony, and reve- 
renced wedlock very devoutly®. For no small parcel of the 
first and most excellent book of the bible, called Genesis, is 
spent in rehearsing the marriages of holy men. Neither is 
Moses, the peerless servant of God ashamed to make men- 
tion of the business and works of wedlock as pure and excel- 


[4 Gen. ii. 24; Mark x. 7, 8.] 

[5 Nec puduit sanctum dei Spiritum multis recensere et describere 
matrimonia ipsorum, Lat. Nor was the Holy Spirit of God ashamed 
to recount and describe their marriages in many words.—Omitted by 
the translator. ] 


396 THE SECOND DECADE. [sERM. 


lent, which seem to many at this day to be foul and filthy. 
Christ himself (who, being the very natural Son of God, was 
himself born in wedlock, although of a pure and uncorrupted 
virgin) did honour and commend the knot of matrimony, 
while he did vouchsafe to shew his first miracle at a wedding; 
which was such a miracle, as did declare that the Lord is 
able to make the bitterness of marriage sweet, and the scar- 
city thereof abound with plenty. As the apostles were 
married men, according to the examples of the patriarchs, 
kings, princes, priests, and prophets!; so Paul, the chief of all 
the apostles, crieth out and saith: ‘“‘ Wedlock is honourable 
among all and the bed undefiled: but whoremongers and adul- 
terers God will judge’.” He saith, that wedlock is honourable 
among all men: he meaneth, all nations; for very few people 
shall you find that do not greatly commend the state of 
marriage. Xenophon thinketh, that among all God’s ordi- 
nances scant any one can be found that is more commendable 
or profitable than wedlock 155, Musonius, Hierocles*, and 
other ancient sages think marriage to be so necessary to live 
well and conveniently, that the life of man without marriage 
seemeth to be maimed. Even they (the heathens I mean) do 
make the evils and discommodities of marriage to consist in 
the married folks, and not in marriage. For marriage of 
itself is good; but many use not well the thing that is good, 
and therefore they feel the smart of their foul abuse worthily. 
For who knoweth not, that the fault of drunkenness is not to 
be referred to wine, which is the good and wholesome creature 


[ Bullinger, in his treatise de Scriptur. Authorit. et de Episcop. 
Instit. et Funct. establishes this statement by Euseb. Eccles. Hist. Lib. 
i. cap. 30, and Lib. v. cap. 24, and Lib. vm. cap. 10; and Tripart. 
Hist. Lib. 1. cap. 10, and Lib. 1x. cap. 38. See also Jewel’s Works, 
pp. 882, 3, and Original Letters, Vol. 1. pp. 116, 146, and Becon’s 
Works, Vol. m1. p. 235. Parker Soc. ed.] 

[2 Hebr. xiii. 4.] 

[3 "Epot yap τοι, ἔφη φάναι, καὶ of θεοὶ, ὦ γύναι, δοκοῦσι πολὺ διεσκεμ- 
μένως μάλιστα τὸ ζεῦγος τοῦτο συντεθεικέναι, ὃ καλεῖται θῆλυ καὶ ἄῤῥεν, 
ὅπως ἔτι ὠφελιμώτατον 7 αὐτῷ εἰς τὴν κοινωνίαν.---- ΚΘ ΠΟΡΗ. (Econ. cap. 
vii. p. 39. Tom. v. ed. Schneider. Oxon. 1813.] 

[4 Ὥστε ὁ ἀναιρῶν ἐξ ἀνθρώπων γάμον ἀναιρεῖ μὲν οἶκον, ἀναιρεῖ δὲ 
πόλιν, ἀναιρεῖ δὲ σύμπαν τὸ ἀνθρώπειον γένος. Musonius.—oikds τε 
ἡμιτελὴς μὲν τῷ ὄντι ὁ τοῦ ἀγάμου, &c.—Hierocles ap. Stobei Floril. 
ed. Gaisford. Oxon. 1822. Vol. m1. pp. 8, 10.] 














Χ.7 THE SEVENTH PRECEPT OF THE TEN COMMANDMENTS. 397 


of God, but to the excessive bibbing and over-great greediness of 
man, which abuseth God’s good creature? “That which cometh 
out of the heart of man,” saith the Lord in the gospel, “and 
not that which goeth in by the mouth, defileth the man>.” 
Hereunto belongeth that saying of Paul, the apostle of Christ, 
where he attributeth sanctification to wedlock ; “for the bed,” 
saith he, “is undefiled:” and in another place he testifieth, 
that “the unbelieving husband is sanctified by the believing 
wife’ :” he affirmeth also, that children born in wedlock are 
holy or clean. Moreover, the same Paul maketh Christ an 
example of love betwixt man and wife, and shadoweth the 
mysteries of Christ and the church by the colour of wedlock: 
he figureth, I say, a heavenly thing by an holy type that 
God doth allow’. Whereupon in another place the same 
apostle doth say, that their doctrine is a very “doctrine of 
devils,” which forbid men to marry®. And so, consequently, 
it followeth, that that is an heavenly doctrine, proceeding 
from God, which permitteth marriage freely to all men, and 
doth commend and reverence it. 

The excellency and dignity of matrimony being thus 
understood, let us now seek out and look on the causes for 
which God hath ordained marriage for men to embrace. God, 
according to his natural goodness, directeth all his ordinances 
to the great good and abundant commodity of mortal men: 
and therefore it followeth, that he ordained matrimony for 
the preservation of mankind, to the end that man’s life might 
be pleasant, sweet, and thoroughly furnished with joys suffi- 
cient. But all these causes may be reduced into the number 
of three. First, God himself doth say, “It is not good for 
man to be alone; let us make him an help therefore to be 
before him,” or to dwell with him%. So, then, the first cause 
why wedlock was instituted is man’s commodity, that thereby 
the life of man might be the pleasanter and more commodious; 
for Adam seemed not to live half happily nor sweetly enough, 
unless he had a wife to join himself unto: which wife is not 
in the scriptures called an impediment or necessary evil, as 
certain poets and beastly men who hated women have fool- 


[5 Matt. xv. 11, 17, 18.] 

[6 1 Cor. vii. 14.—intercedente matrimonio, Lat. ; omitted. ] 
[7 Eph. vy. 22, &c.] [8.1 Tim. iy..153.} 

[9 Gen, ii. 18.] 


The causes 
of marriage. 


898 THE SECOND DECADE. [SERM. 


the wifeis ishly jangled; but she is the help or arm of the man. Anti- 
"τὰ pater, an heathen writer, in Sermone de Nuptiis, doth 
wonderfully agree with this saying of the scripture, and 
expresseth plainly what kind of help and what manner of arm 
the wife is to her husband. ‘ Whosoever,” saith he, “ hath 
not had trial of wife and children, he is utterly ignorant of 
true mutual good-will. Love in wedlock is mutually shewed, 
when man and wife do not communicate wealth, children, and 
hearts alone, as friends are wont to do; but have their bodies 
in common also, which friends cannot do. And therefore 
Euripides, laying aside the deadly hate that he bare to 
women, writ these verses in commendation of marriage : 
The wife that gads not, gigglot! wise, 
With every flirting gill?, 
But honestly doth keep at home, 
Not set to gossip still, 
Is to her husband in his cares 
A passing sweet delight; 
She heals his sickness all, and calls 
Again his dying sprite. 
By fawning on his angry looks 
She turns them into smiles; 
And keeps her husband’s secrets close, 
When friends work wily guiles. 


“For like as a man, having one hand or one foot, if by any 
means he get himself another, may thereby the more easily 
lay hold on what he listeth, or go whither he will; even so 
he that hath married a wife shall more easily enjoy the 
healthful pleasures and profitable commodities of this present 
life: for married folks for two eyes have four, and for two 
hands as many more, which being joined together, they may 
the more easily dispatch their handy business. Again, when 
the one’s two hands are wearied, the hands of the other supply 
their room, and keep their work in a forwardness still. 
Marriage therefore, which, instead of one member, is by 
increase compact of twain, is better able to pass through the 
course of this world than the single and unwedded life?.” 


[1 gigglot: a wanton; a lascivious girl—Johnson’s Dict.; Shak- 
speare, Measure for Measure, Act vy. Sc. 1.] 

[3 gill, (from gillian, the old English way of writing Julian, or Ju- 
liana): the appellation of a woman in ludicrous language.—Ibid. } 

[3 Συμβέβηκε δὲ καὶ τὸν μὴ πεῖραν ἐσχηκότα γαμετῆς γυναικὸς καὶ 








Χ.] THE SEVENTH PRECEPT OF THE TEN COMMANDMENTS, 399 


Thus much out of Antipater. THlierocles also in his book 
De Nuptiis saith: “To live with a woman is very profitable, 
even beside the begetting of children: for, first, she doth 
welcome us home, that are tired abroad with labour and 
travail; she entertaineth us serviceably, and doeth all she 
may to recreate our weary minds; she maketh us forget all 
sorrow and sadness: for the troublesome cases of our life, and 
generally of care and business, while we are occupied in 
matters abroad, in bargaining in the country, or among our 
friends, are not easily suffered to be troubled with our 
domestical and household affairs; but when we have dis- 
patched them, and are once returned to our wives at home, 
so that our minds are at quiet, and we restored to our ease 
and liberty, then are our cumbersome businesses well lightened 
and eased, whereby they cease to trouble us any longer. 
Neither is a wife troublesome undoubtedly, but lighteneth 
things that are troublesome to us; for there is nothing so 
heavy that a man and wife, living in concord, are not able to 
bear, especially if they be both willing to do their endeavour +.” 
And so forth. 


, 2 i 2 lol > ᾿ A , > , > A 
τέκνων ἄγευστον εἶναι τῆς ἀληθινωτάτης Kal γνησίου εὐνοίας... Οὐ yap 
μόνον τῆς οὐσίας καὶ τῶν φιλτάτων πᾶσιν ἀνθρώποις τέκνων καὶ τῆς ψυχῆς, 
ἀλλὰ καὶ τῶν σωμάτων οὗτοι μόνοι κοινωνοῦσι... καὶ 6 Ἐὐριπίδης εἰς ταῦτα 
> βλέ A, > θέ, A > ΄“ ip , a> a” ‘ 
ἀποβλέψας, καὶ ἀποθέμενος τὴν ἐν τῷ γράφειν μισογυνίαν, ταῦτ᾽ εἴρηκεν 

Γυνὴ γὰρ ἐν νόσοισι καὶ κακοῖς πόσει 

a , > , > a . aA cal 

ἥδιστόν ἐστι, δώματ᾽ ἢν οἰκῇ καλῶς, 

ὀργήν τε πραὔνουσα καὶ δυσθυμίας 

A »“" > « A A > , 

ψυχὴν μεθιστᾶσ᾽ - ἡδὺ καὶ ἀπάται φίλων. ... 

Ὅ a , > ς » , » a CRE 4 θὲ > 18 
μοιότατον γάρ ἐστιν, ws εἴ τις μίαν ἔχων χεῖρα ἑτέραν ποθὲν προσλάβοι, 

x σ΄ , 4 σ΄ > 4 > , «ε \ κα eer 
ἢ ἕνα πόδα ἔχων ἕτερον ἀλλαχόθεν ἐκτήσατο. ‘Qs yap οὗτος πολὺ ἂν 

“ a ΄“ 
ῥᾷον καὶ βαδίσαι οὗ θέλοι, καὶ προσαγάγοιτο: οὕτως ὁ γυναῖκα εἰσαγόμενος 
ῥᾷον ἀπολήψεται τὰς κατὰ τὸν βίον σωτηρίους καὶ συμφερούσας χρείας. 
> ‘ a , 3 cat a Ld Ν > " , “ 7, 
Ἀντὶ γοῦν δύο ὀφθαλμῶν χρῶνται τέσσαρσι" καὶ ἀντὶ δύο χειρῶν ἑτέραις 
τοσαύταις, αἷς καὶ ἀθρόως πράττοι ἂν ῥᾷον τὸ τῶν χειρῶν ἔργον. Διὸ καὶ 

“ ’ 
ἐὰν αἱ ἕτεραι κάμνοιεν, ταῖς ἑτέραις ἂν θεραπεύοιτο" καὶ τὸ σύνολον δύο 
γεγονὼς ἀνθ᾽ ἑνὸς, μᾶλλον ἂν ἐν τῷ βίῳ xatopOdn.—Antipater ap. Stobei 
Floril. Vol. m1. pp. 17—19.] 

e A 
[4 Ἔπειτα καὶ πρὸ γενέσεως τέκνων λυσιτελὴς ἡ μετὰ γυναικὸς συμβίω- 
σις. Πρῶτον μὲν γὰρ ἀποτετριμμένους τοῖς θυραίοις καμάτοις ὑποδέχεται 
r la , 
θεραπευτικῶς ἀναλαμβάνουσα, καὶ μετ᾽ ἐπιμελείας ἀνακτωμένη πάσης" ἔπειτα 

“ Ε} “ » aA ᾿ 4 nO > (θ᾿ A A 6 A a 

τῶν ὄντων δυσχερῶν ἐν τῇ διανοίᾳ λήθην ἐντίθησι. Τὰ yap σκυθρωπὰ τοῦ 
x x , 
βίου, περὶ μὲν τὴν ἀγορὰν, ἢ τὸ γυμνάσιον, ἢ τὸ χωρίον, ἢ καθόλου πάσης 
, 2 Ἄ ἈΝ ‘ A aN \ 40 ὃ , caw 
μερίμνης ἀσχολίας, καὶ περὶ τοὺς φίλους τε καὶ συνήθεις διατρίβουσιν ἡμῖν, 
a a > κ 
οὐκ ἔστι πρόχειρα τοῖς ἀναγκαίοις ἐπιπροσθούμενα περισπασμοῖς: ἀνεθεῖσι 


400 THE SECOND DECADE. [SERM. 


The second cause why matrimony was ordained is the 
: begetting of children for the preservation of mankind by 
increase, and the bringing of them up in the fear of the Lord: 
for the Lord blessed Adam and Eva, saying, “ Increase and 
multiply, and replenish the earth.” Paul the Apostle in his 
Epistle to Titus saith: “ Speak to the elder women, that they 
may teach honest things, that they may make the younger 
women to be sober-minded, to love their husbands, to love 
their children, to be discreet housekeepers, good, obedient to 
their husbands.” And again, to Timothy: “ Adam was not 
deceived, but the woman was seduced; notwithstanding, 
through bearing of children she shall be saved, if they con- 
tinue in faith, and charity, and holiness with modesty!.” But 
the begetting of children were altogether unprofitable, if they 
were not well brought up; for she that loveth her children 
indeed doth bring them up in the fear of the Lord: which 
bringing up is no small commodity to the commonweal and 
church of God. The glory also and worship of God is greatly 
augmented, when as by wedlock there doth spring up a great 
number of men that acknowledge, call upon, and worship God 
as they ought to do. 

The third cause why matrimony was ordained the 
Apostle Paul expresseth in these words: “To avoid whore- 
dom, let every man have his own wife, and every woman her 
own husband. It were good and expedient for a man not to 
touch a woman,” and to live single*; but because this is “ not 
given to all men,” as the Lord in the gospel testifieth, and 
that concupiscence of the flesh doth, for the most part, burn 
the greatest sort of men, the Lord hath appointed marriage 
to be, as it were, a remedy against that heat; as the Apostle 
in another place witnesseth, saying, “ Let them marry which 


δ᾽ ἐκ τούτων, εἴς τε τὴν οἰκίαν ἐπανελθοῦσι, καὶ οἷον εὐσχόλοις τὴν ψυχὴν 
γενομένοις, ἐμπελάζει καιρῷ χρώμενα τούτῳ τοῦ ἀνιᾷν ἡμᾶς, ὅτ᾽ ἄν γε ἔρημος 
> / Ν td κ , » ‘ ¢ al ‘ o , a , 

εὐνοίας καὶ μονήρης ὁ Bios....O0 yap ἡ γυνὴ, pa Δία, βάρος ἢ φορτίον 
ἐστί... ἀλλ᾽ ἥδε μὲν κἀκ τῶν ἐναντίων κοῦφόν τι καὶ ῥᾷστα φέρεσθαι 

, κ ‘ \ ΄ ” > a \ ΄ , 
δυνάμενον, μᾶλλον δὲ καὶ τῶν ὄντως ἐπαχθῶν καὶ βαρέων κουφιστικόν. 
Οὐδὲν γὰρ οὕτω φορτικόν ἐστι τῶν ὄντων, ὥστε μὴ ῥᾷστον εἶναι συμφρο- 
νοῦσί γε ἀνδρὶ καὶ γυναικὶ, καὶ κοινῇ φέρειν αὐτὸ Bovdopuévors.—Hierocles 
ap. Stobeei Floril. Vol. m1. pp. 12—14.] 

[1 Titus ii. 3—5; 1 Tim. ii. 14, 15.] 

[δε vu. 2, 1.) 

(3 Matth. xix. 11.] 





X.] THE SEVENTH PRECEPT OF THE TEN COMMANDMENTS. 401 


cannot abstain; for it is better to marry than to burn‘.” By 
this we learn, that the natural company of a man with his 
own wife is not reputed for a fault or uncleanness in the 
sight of God. Whoredom is uncleanness in the eyes of the 
Lord, because it is directly contrary to the law of God: but 
God hath allowed wedlock and blessed it; therefore married 
folks are sanctified by the blessing of God through faith and 
obedience. Neither lack we here any evident arguments and 
testimonies of Paul to prove it by; for to the Hebrews he 
said, ““ Wedlock is honourable among all men, and the bed 
᾿ undefiled ; but whoremongers and adulterers God will judge’.” 
The Apostle here spake very reverently ; and by “the bed” 
he understood the natural company of a man with his wife, 
which he saith plainly is undefiled. What God hath made acts x. 
clean who shall call unclean? Who can deny that to the tii. 
clean all things are clean? Paphnutius, therefore, both 
bishop and confessor, judging rightly of this, did in the Nicene 
council say openly, that “the lying of a man with his own 
wife is chastity®.” Neither was the most modest apostle 
ashamed to make laws betwixt a man and his wife; for to the 
Corinthians he saith, “ Let the husband give to the wife due 1 Cor. vii 
benevolence; likewise also the wife to the husband. The wife 
hath not the power of her own body, but the husband; like- 
wise also the husband hath not the power of his own body, 
but the wife. Defraud ye not the one the other, except it be 
with both your consents for a time, that ye may give your- 
selves to fasting and to prayer; and afterward come together 
again, that Satan tempt you not for your incontinency.” 
These words of the Apostle are so evident, that they need no 
exposition at all. In the same Epistle again he saith, “If 
thou marriest a wife, thou sinnest not.” And again, “If a 
virgin marry, she hath not sinned’.” Now what is more 
excellent, pure, and holy, than virginity is? But a virgin 
sinneth not, if she change virginity for holy matrimony. Very 
well therefore doth Chrysostom in a certain homily say, 





[4 1 Cor. vii. 9.] [5 Hebr. xiii. 4.] 
[6 Ἀναστὰς δὲ Παφνούτιος ὁ ὁμολογητὴς ἀντεῖπε" τίμιον δὲ τὸν γάμον 





ἀποκαλῶν, σωφροσύνην δὲ τὴν πρὸς τὰς ἰδίας γυναῖκας συνουσίαν .----ὅὁ2ο- 
men. Eccles. Hist. Lib. 1. cap. 23. See also Early Writings of 
‘|| Hooper, Parker Soc. ed. page 376.] 

[7 1 Cor. vii. 28.] 

26 








[BULLINGER. | 


402 THE SECOND DECADE. [SERM. 


“The first degree of chastity is unspotted virginity; the 
second is faithful wedlock!.” St Augustine also calleth mar- 
riage chastity or continency: the place is to be seen in the 
19th and 20th chapters, de bono conjugali?, and in the 199th 
epistle?. This is the head from whence doth spring the 
greatest part of public honesty; for God alloweth wedlock, 

Honesty. but disalloweth fornication and all kind of uncleanness. It 
pleased him by his ordinance to exclude all uncleanness from 
his believing servants. Let the saints therefore, but magis- 
trates especially, have an especial eye not to be slack in 
promoting holy wedlock, but diligent to punish severely all 
filthy fornication and other uncleanness. 

This have I hitherto rehearsed somewhat largely out of 
the holy scripture, to the intent I might prove to all men, 
that wedlock is holy, and that therefore no man can be 

No man for- defiled with the moderate, holy, and lawful use thereof; and 

marry, so, consequently, that marriage is permitted to all sorts of 
men. For the apostle saith: “ Let a bishop be the husband 
of one wife; let him rule his own house well, and have faith- 
ful children*.” or it is manifest, by the testimonies of 
scripture and ecclesiastical writers, that the apostles of Christ 
and other apostolical teachers of the primitive church were 
married men, and had wives and children®. Neither is there 
anything, next after corrupt doctrine, which doth more infect 
the church of Christ, and subvert all ecclesiastical discipline, 
than if the ministers of the churches, which should be lights 
of the whole congregation, be fornicators or adulterous per- 
sons. That offence especially, above all other, is an hinderance 
and blot to all kind of honesty. But touching this I purpose 
not at this time to discourse so largely and fully as I might. 


[1 Nam primus est gradus castitatis sincera virginitas: secundus 
autem fidele conjugium.—Chrysost. Opus Imperf. in Matt. Hom. 
xxxii. Ὁ. 133. Tom. vi. Par. 1724. But this work is not Chrysos- 
tom’s. } 

[2 Restat ut videamus, utrum saltem continentes nostri conjugatis 
illis patribus comparandi sint, ὅθ. And, Nuptiis sanctorum patrum, 
non quas nuptias, sed quam continentiam comparem quero,” &c.—De 
Bon. Conj. capp. 19, 20. Opp. Par. 1531. Tom. vi. fol. 165. col. 1.] 

[® Tom. τι. fol. 156. col. 3. P.] 

(4 1 Tim. iii. 2,4; Titus i. 6.] 

[5 See Bullinger. de Episcop. Instit. et Funct. fol. 96—8. Tigur. 
1538; and Jewel’s Works, Park. Soc. ed. pp. 882, 3.] 





Χ.7 THE SEVENTH PRECEPT OF THE TEN COMMANDMENTS. 403 


To this I add, that the band of wedlock is indissoluble and the knot of 

everlasting, that is to say, such a knot as never can _ be indissoluble. 
undone. For of two is made one flesh and one body, which 
if you sever, you do utterly mar it. “ What God hath joined 
together, therefore, let not man separate®.” They therefore 
do make a slaughter of this body, that do commit adultery. 
For the laws of God and men admit a divorcement betwixt 
a man and his adulterous wife. And yet, let not any less 
or lighter cause dissolve this knot betwixt man and wife, 
than fornication is. Otherwise God, which in the gospel 
hath permitted the less, doth not forbid the greater, to be 
causes of divorcement. And in the primitive church, the 
epistles and constitutions of christian princes do testify, that 
once committing of fornication was no cause of divorcement. 
Of which I have spoken in another place. 

But that this holy knot may be the surer, it is available, How matri- 
that marriages be made holily, lawfully, and with discretion, be contract 
in the fear of the Lord. Let them not be unwillingly agreed ~ 
unto and made up by compulsion. First, let the good liking 
of their consenting minds be joined in one, whom the open 
profession of mutual consent and outward hand-fasting must 
afterward couple together. Let them be matched together, 
that are not severed by alliance of blood and nighness of 
affinity. Let them be coupled in one, that may marry to- 
gether by the laws of God and their country, with the con- 
sent and counsel of their friends and parents. Let them, 
which mind marriage, have a sincere heart purposely bent to 
seek their own safeguard and continual felicity; that is, to 
respect only the will and pleasure of God, and not admit any 
evil affections as counsellors to make up the marriage betwixt 
them. Hierocles, in his book De nuptiis, saith: ‘“ It is mere 
folly and lack of wit which make those things, that of them- 
selves are easy to be borne, troublesome, and make a wife 
a grievous clog to her husband. For marriage to many men 
hath been intolerable, not because the wedded state is, by 
default of itself or own proper nature, so troublesome or 
cumbrous; but for our matching as we should not, it falleth 
out as we would not, and causeth our marriages to be grievous 
and noisome. To this end, verily, our daily marriages do 
commonly come. For they marry wives usually, not for the 


[6 Matth. xix. 6.] 





26—2 





404 THE SECOND DECADE. [SERM. 


begetting of children or society of life: but some for a great 
dowry, some for a beautiful body; and some, being seduced 
by such kind of causes, as it were men abused by unfaithful 
counsellors, have no regard to the disposition and manners of 
their spouse, but marry at adventures, to their own decay 
and utter destruction!.” Hereunto belongeth Plutarch’s ad- 
monition to parents, in his treatise of bringing up of children, 
where he counselleth men to bestow such wives on their sons 
as are not much wealthier nor mightier than their children. 
For a very pithy saying is that usual proverb, “ Marry a 
wife of thine own degree*.” To be short, let the fear of 
God, the word of God, and earnest prayer poured out to God, 
be always annexed to the beginning of marriages. 
Ἐπ τοῖν But it is not convenient, that in lawful matrimony any 
pos of more should be than two alone, to be joined together under 
one yoke of wedlock. or the use of many wives, which 
our fathers usurped without any blame, may not stablish 
polygamy for a law among us at these days. The time of 
correction® is now come to light, and Messias now is come into 
the world, who teacheth all rightly, and reformeth things 
amiss. He therefore hath reduced wedlock to the first pre- 
scribed rule and law of matrimony. “Two,” saith the Lord, 
“shall be one flesh.” And the apostle saith: “Let every 
man have his own wife, and every woman her own husband4,” 
The multitude of Salomon’s concubines therefore appertain 
[: Βαρὺ δέ ἐστιν ὡς ἀληθῶς ἀφροσύνη καὶ δύσοιστον τοῖς αὐτὴν κεκτη- 
μένοις, ὑφ᾽ ἧς δὴ καὶ τὰ φύσει κοῦφα γίνεται βαρέα, τά τε ἄλλα καὶ nel: 
Τῷ ὄντι yap Kat συχνοῖς δή τισιν ἀφόρητος aoe ὁ γάμος, ἀλλ᾽ οὐχὶ παρ᾽ 
βοῦν, οὐδὲ τῷ φύσει τοιάνδε τὴν ate γυναικὸς εἶναι κοινωνίαν: ἀλλ᾽ ὅτ᾽ 
ἂν γαμῶμεν ἃς μὴ δεῖ, μετὰ τοῦ καὶ αὐτοὶ παντάπασιν ἀπειροβίως διακεῖσθαι 
καὶ ἀπαρασκεύως ἔχειν πρὸς τὸ ἀγαγεῖν ὡς χρὴ τὴν ἐλευθέραν ἄγεσθαι, τὸ 
τηνικαῦτα συμβαίνει χαλεπὴν καὶ ἀφόρητον γίνεσθαι τὴν κοινωνίαν. Ἀμέλει 
καὶ ταύτῃ χωρεῖ τοῖς πολλοῖς 6 γάμος. Οὐ γὰρ ἐπὶ παίδων γένεσιν καὶ 
βίου κοινωνίαν ἄγονται γυναῖκας: ἀλλ᾽ οἱ μὲν διὰ προικὸς ὄγκον, οἱ δὲ δὲ 
ἐξοχὴν μορφῆς; οἱ δὲ δ ἄλλας τινὰς τοιουτοτρόπους αἰτίας, αἷς χρώμενοι 
κακοῖς συμβούλοις, οὐδὲν περὶ τῆς διαθέσεως καὶ τοῦ ἤθους τῆς νύμφης 


πολυπραγμονήσαντες, ὄλεθρον αὐτῶν θύουσι τὸν yayov.—Hierocles ap. 
Stobeei Floril. Vol. π|. p. 15.] 

[2 ᾿Εγγυᾶσθαι δεῖ τοῖς υἱοῖς γυναῖκας μήτε εὐγενεστέρας πολλῷ μήτε 
πλουσιωτέρας" τὸ γὰρ, τὴν κατὰ σαυτὸν ἔλα, copdy.—Plutarch. de Liberis 
Educand. See also Erasm. Adag. Chiliad. Hanoy. 1617. p. 124. col. 2.] 

[8. correctionis tempora, Lat.—Heb. ix. 10.] 

[5 1 Cor. vi. 16, and vii. 2.] 





| THE SEVENTH PRECEPT OF THE TEN COMMANDMENTS. 405 


not to us. We have not to follow the example of Jacob, who The secona 


married two sisters. And yet, notwithstanding, the word of marriages 
truth condemneth not the second, third, or many marriages *t wife. 
which a man maketh, when his wife is deceased. For that 
saying of the apostle is general to all men, and endureth in 
all ages: “Let them marry, that cannot abstain; for it is 
better to marry than to burn’.” Which sentence is taken 
out of these words in the gospel: “ All men cannot receive 
this saying, save they to whom it is given. For there are 
some chaste, which were so born out of their mother’s womb ; 
and there are some chaste, which were made chaste of men; 
and there are some chaste, which have made themselves chaste 
for the kingdom of heaven’s sake. He that is able to receive 
it, let him receive 106, Let him therefore, that cannot re- 
ceive it, marry a wife, so often as necessity compelleth him 


thereunto. 

But now, especially, it standeth us in hand to know, how mre reverend 
married folks must behave themselves, what they must do which 
in wedlock, to what end they must direct their deeds and the estate of 


thoughts, and how they ought to be affected toward that 
holy ordinance of God Almighty. Touching which thing I 
will not speak much, but briefly note out the most necessary 
points, to give all men occasion to think with themselves, and 
call to mind both more and greater matters which I leave 
untouched. 

First of all, let married folks be throughly persuaded and 
assuredly certain, while they live in matrimony, that they 
are in the work of God, that they please God, and do an 
acceptable thing in the sight of the Lord, because of God’s 
word wherein he blessed that kind of life, and sanctified 
all wedded people, which by faith do live in that work and 
ordinance of the living God. Therefore, when married couples 
do patiently suffer the troubles that follow the married life, 
while they labour faithfully, while they do those things de- 
cently which belong to the charge and office of married people; 
as, while the wife doth love her husband, while she doth 
dutifully obey him, while she doth bring forth her children 
with grief and pain, and, when they are brought forth, doth 
diligently nourish them, and labour to bring them up; while 
the husband doth love his wife, while he doth mutually help 


[5 1 Cor. vii. 9.] [6 Matth. xix. 11, 12.] 








Married 
folks must 


be faithful. 


They must 
dwell toge- 
ther with 


knowledge. 


406 THE SECOND DECADE. [SERM. 


her, and faithfully in all things shew himself a careful father 
for his family and household; in doing these things they 
please God no less than they do when they go to church to 
hear the word of God and to worship the Lord. For these 
works of wedlock are reputed for good works, as well as 
giving of alms, justice, and making of peace. Married folks 
therefore have need especially of true faith in God, the author 
of wedlock: for by wedlock in faith they shall please the 
Lord. This our monks! could not abide to hear of, although 
the word of God doth urge it upon them; they ceased not 
to magnify their counterfeit holiness and hypocritical vows. 
Secondarily, it is required at the hands of wedded couples 
to be mindful of the faith which they give and take, that they 
do not falsely deceive one another, but holily keep the promise 
that they make and troth that they plight, and to keep it 
sincerely both in body and mind. Let neither of them lust 
after the body of a stranger, nor conceive an hatred or loath- 
someness of their wedded spouse. And thy body, thou that 
art a married man, is not thy body, but thy wife’s; as also 
thy wife’s body is not thy wife’s, but thine. Thou stealest 
and dost commit a robbery, if thou take away another body’s 
goods; and, when thou hast conveyed it from the proper 
owner, dost give it to another. Let the mind of wedded 
mates be unspotted, and the body untouched. Every one, 
when he first cometh to solemnize wedlock by the holy cere- 
mony ordained for that purpose, doth promise with an oath in 
the name of the Lord before God and the church, that he will 
use the company of no woman but her, that he will cleave to, 
love, and cherish her alone without any other. This faith 
once given whosoever doth violate, he is falsely forsworn, and 
is a breaker of a godly promise and God’s holy truth. 
Neither is it sufficient for thee to be faithful, unless thou 
be courteous or tractable toward thy wife, and dwell with her 
“according to knowledge,” as St. Peter saith® Let the hus- 
band be the head of the wife, to wit, her adviser and counsellor, 
her ruler and guide, her sweet yokefellow and admonisher in 
all her affairs, her assured aid and faithful defender. Let the 
wife be obedient unto her husband, even as we see the members 
obey the head: let her yield herself to her husband to be 


[1 Heec non urserunt monachi, que tamen jubentur urgere, Lat. P.] 
[? 1 Pet. iii. 7.] 














Rar Tae 


X.] THE SEVENTH PRECEPT OF THE TEN COMMANDMENTS. 407 


ruled and governed; let her not despise his honest counsels 
and indifferent commandments*. Let them think that they 
twain are one body, or the members of one body. And there- 
fore let them learn by the government of this mortal body, how 
to behave themselves in the guiding of wedlock. The worthier 
members do not despise the more unworthy limbs, but do 
rather honour them, lighten their labour, and aid and help 
them. Again, the more unworthy limbs are in love with the 
worthier, not envying their pre-eminence any whit at all. One 
member breaketh not or hurteth another; but all do mutually 
cherish themselves, and defend one another from harm and 
injury. Such a mutual knitting together, and working, and 
love, and charity, and good-will, and fellowship, let there be 
betwixt man and wife. For to that end the woman was taken 
out of the man’s body, that the husband should cherish (his 
wife) his own body. And for that cause the apostle saith: 
“So must husbands love their wives, even as their own bodies. 
He that loveth his wife doth love himself; for no man at any 
time hath hated his own flesh, but loveth and cherisheth it, as 
the Lord doth the church.” What may be said to that, 
moreover, that the apostle, in the very same place, hath made 
the Son of God and the holy Church an example for married 
folks to follow in keeping of wedlock; requiring at the hus- 
band’s hand to love his wife, even as Christ hath loved 
the church; and of the wife to reverence her husband and to 
love him again, as the church doth Christ? Than which 
example there is none in the world more holy and effectual. 
For there is no love greater than the love of Christ toward 
his church, neither is there any love more chaste than that 
which the church doth bear to Christ. It is therefore required 
at the hands of wedded mates mutually to bear most ardent 
and holy love the one to the other. Let them use all things 
in common: let them be partakers both of the same prosperity 
and the same adversity. Let them both draw under one yoke, 
and bear betwixt them one another’s burden. Briefly, let 
them twain be the members of one and the very same body. 
I have more at large set down these offices of man and wife 
in my treatise which is called ‘The Institution of Christian 
Matrimony +.” 
[3 equa dogmata, Lat.] 
[4 See Becon’s Works, Parker Soc. ed. Vol. 1. p. 29, n. 2.] 


Ephes. v. 


408 THE SECOND DECADE. [SERM. 


alee Lastly, let them bring up their children in holy discipline 
bringup —_ and. the fear of God, to the health of their own house and the 
whole commonweal. Paul saith: “1 would have the younger 
women marry, to get children, and to govern the house; for 
that is honest and acceptable before God!.” But touching 
the bringing up of children, I have already spoken in the fifth 
Sermon of this Decade. Now, the very begetting of children 
alone is very profitable both to every private or particular 
house, and also to the commonweal: for here I will not stand 
to shew, that the honour and glory of God is very greatly 
augmented, if children be not only begotten, but also brought 
up in the fear of God and knowledge of his word. Hierocles 
saith: ‘I confess that marriage is profitable, especially be- 
cause it bringeth children forth, which is indeed a goodly 
fruit: for they, being of our very blood, do while we are 
in health aid us in all our affairs; and in old age, when years 
come upon us, they succour us well with all that they may: 
they are familiar companions of our joy in prosperity, and in 
adversity are our partners in sorrowing with us for our heavy 
mishaps?.” And so forth. Antipater also saith: ‘ Man, 
which is endued with a civil disposition to maintain society, 
must augment his country and commonwealth with increase of 
children: for cities could not have been preserved by any 
means at all, unless the head men of every city, and the sons 
of noble gentlemen, seeing their ancestors wither and fall 
away like goodly leaves of a fair tree, had married in time 
convenient, and left behind them children as worthy plants, to 
succeed in their country, thereby to make it flourish for ever ; 
doing their best, so far as they could, to keep it from the 
assaults and conquests of enemies and strangers. They there- 
fore, shooting at nothing more than to defend and assist their 
country, both in their lifetime and when they were dead, did 
think it most necessary and especially convenient to marry and 
be married, desiring thereby both to do all things that nature 


[! 1 Tim. ν. 14.] 

[2 Φημὶ τοίνυν καὶ σύμφορον εἶναι τὸν γάμον, πρῶτον μὲν ὅτι θεῖον ὡς 
ἀληθῶς φέρει καρπὸν τὴν παίδων γένεσιν, οἱ παραστάται μὲν ἡμῖν οἷον συμ- 
φυεῖς ἔτι καὶ αὐτοῖς ἐῤῥωμένοις ἐν ἁπάσαις γίγνονται πράξεσιν" ἀγαθοὶ δὲ 
ἐπίκουροι κάμνουσιν ὑφ᾽ ἡλικίας καὶ γήρᾳ πιεζομένοις, οἰκεῖοι μὲν ἐν εὐπρα- 
γίαις εὐφροσύνης κοινωνοὶ, συμπαθεῖς δὲ ἐν τοῖς ἐναντίοις καιροῖς διάδοχοι 
τῶν dviapdv.—Hierocles ap. Stobei Floril. Vol. m. p. 12.] 











Χ.7 THE SEVENTH PRECEPT OF THE TEN COMMANDMENTS. 409 


requireth, and also those that touch the health and increase of 
their country, and most of all the worship of God, &c.°” 

Since therefore that lawful matrimony is of so great Marriages 
effect, and so available to live well and happily, the faithful gun with 
do not without cause begin their marriages with religion and 
religious rites. The Lord, verily, did presently in the be- 
ginning* bless the first marriage of our parents, Adam and 
Kve, and did himself couple them in wedlock. Whereupon 
the church of God hath received a custom, that they which 
join in marriage, before they dwell together, go into the 
temple of the Lord, where, after prayer made in the midst of 
the congregation, they are joined together, and blessed by 
the minister of God in the name of God himself. Wherefore 
in wedlock the first and chiefest things that be required, are 
the earnest and continual prayers of the married folks to God, 
that he will vouchsafe to make the husbands wise, religious, 
modest, gentle, honest, painful sufferers®, and lovers of their 
wives; and that it will please him to make the wives obe- 
dient, meek, chaste, faithful lovers of their husbands and 
children, housewives, and fruitful®. For no one man is able 
to declare all the evils that come even of one corrupt and 
naughty marriage. Through it whole houses are wonder- 
fully disquieted, all wealth and honesty do utterly decay, the 
children are bastards, God is offended and provoked to anger, 
and an endless mischief brought to the whole commonweal. 

God, therefore, must be earnestly beseeched to bless all mar- 
ried people, that both the glory of his holy name, and the 


[3 ... Ταῦτα δὲ δὴ κατανενοηκὼς ὁ εὐγενὴς, καὶ ὡς φύσει πολιτικὸν γε- 
, ’ A , A“ Ν A > xa + ’ ε 
νόμενον, συναύξειν τὴν πατρίδα δεῖ. Καὶ γὰρ οὐκ ἂν ἄλλως δύναιντο αἱ 
re - “ a a 
πόλεις σώζεσθαι, εἰ μὴ of βέλτιστοι ταῖς φύσεσι τῶν πολιτῶν, ἢ τῶν γεν- 
, “ “ LA A ’ A ΄ > 
ναίων παῖδες, τῶν προτέρων καθαπερεὶ φύλλων καλοῦ δένδρου ἀπομαραινο- 
μένων καὶ ἀποῤῥεόντων, οὗτοι καθ᾽ ὥραν γαμοῖεν, καθαπερεί τινας γενναίους 
βλαστοὺς διαδόχους τῇ πατρίδι καταλιπόντες, οἱ θάλλειν αὐτὴν ἀεὶ ποιοῖεν, 
Ν \ > \ > & , ie 219 ce “ δέ > > 16 
καὶ τὴν ἀκμὴν ἀΐδιον φυλάττοιεν, καὶ ὅσον ἐφ᾽ ἑαυτοῖς μηδέποτ᾽ εὐεπίθετον 
τοῖς ἐχθροῖς, στοχαζόμενοι τοῦ καὶ ζῶντες καὶ μεταλλάξαντες ἀμύνειν τῇ 
πατρίδι καὶ βοηθεῖν, τῶν ἀναγκαιοτάτων καὶ πρὸ τῶν καθηκόντων νομίζουσι 
τὸ συγκραθῆναι εἰς γάμον, πᾶν μὲν τὸ τῇ φύσει ἐπιβάλλον σπεύδοντες 
3 a“ A ‘ , L > A a , , \ ΕΝ 
ἐπιτελεῖν, πολὺ δὲ μάλιστα τὸ εἰς τὴν τῆς πατρίδος σωτηρίαν καὶ αὔξησιν 
ἀνῆκον, καὶ ἔτι μᾶλλον εἰς τὴν τῶν θεῶν Tiwnv.—Antipater ap. Stobeei 
Floril. Vol. πι. p. 16.] 
[4 protinus ab initio, Lat. ] [> patientes, Lat.] 
[6 ceconomicas, Lat.] 


Against 
adultery. 


Gen. xii. 


Gen. xx. 


Gen. xxxix. 


Job xxxi. 


410 THE SECOND DECADE. [SERM. 


commonweal’s prosperity, may thereby daily increase more 
and more. 

I am now come to speak of adultery, which is a sin 
whereby the husband goeth to another woman, or the wife 
turneth aside after another man, to whom they make common 
the use of their bodies, which are not their own bodies now, 
but their mates’ in wedlock. Some there are that flatter 
themselves, and are of opinion, that they are not culpable of 
adultery, if they have the company of any unbetrothed maiden, 
or one that is unmarried; or if a woman play the harlot 
with an unwedded man: they will have it (in God’s name!) 
to be fornication, and not adultery. But the scripture teacheth 
the contrary. Thou goest to another woman, thou art an 
adulterer: thou breakest thy faith, thou art forsworn: thy 
body is not thine, but thy wife’s; when therefore thou be- 
stowest thy body on another, thou committest adultery. If 
thou, being wedded, dost lie with a married wife, thou dou- 
blest the sin of thine adultery. This offence was plagued 
with most sharp punishment even in the beginning almost, and 
as soon as the world was created. Pharao, the king of 
Egypt, commanded Sara, Abraham’s wife, to be taken away 
and carried to his palace, that he might use her as his wife; 
thinking verily that she had been Abraham’s sister. But 
the scripture saith, “The Lord vexed Pharaoh and all his 
house with great plagues, because of Sara, Abraham’s wife.” 
Lo, here the king of Egypt is punished with grievous plagues 
for his adultery; and yet he knew not that Sara was Abra- 
ham’s wife: how great plagues therefore are prepared for 
the men that wittingly and willingly, without all shame, com- 
mit adultery! To Abimelech, king of the Philistines, the Lord 
doth say, “Lo, thou shalt die, because of the woman which 
thou hast taken away from her husband.” And yet this 
king also had taken away Sara, not knowing that she was 
Abraham’s wife. Joseph, being provoked to adultery by his 
master’s wife, doth simply say, “ How should I do this great 
wickedness, and sin against God?” Every word doth bear 
some weight: for adultery is an heinous sin. Whereupon in 
the book of Job we find these words of Job himself: “If 
mine heart have been deceived by a woman, or if I have laid 


[1 Not in the original Latin.] 








X.] THE SEVENTH PRECEPT OF THE TEN COMMANDMENTs. 411 


wait at my neighbour’s door?; then let my wife be another 
man’s harlot, and let other men have to do with her. For 
this is a wickedness and sin that is worthy to be judged to 
death: yea, it is a fire that utterly should consume and root 
out all mine increase.” Job saith that he hath not only not 
committed adultery, but that he hath not so much at any time 
as once given the attempt to defile another man’s wife. He 
confesseth that adultery is a sin, and so grievous an offence, 
that it doth deserve to have the adulterer’s wife to be defiled 
with adultery. He addeth, that adultery is a fire that utterly 
consumeth and devoureth all things; and, lastly, that it is a 
sin to be judged, and punished by death. 

Moreover, Salomon, the wisest of all men, saith: “ May 
a man take fire in his bosom, and his clothes not be brent *? 
Or can one go upon hot coals, and his feet not be brent? 
Even so he that goeth in to his neighbour’s wife, and touch- 
eth her, cannot be unguilty. Men do not utterly despise a 
thief that stealeth to satisfy his soul, when he is hungry; 
but if he may be gotten, he restoreth again seven times as 
much, or else he maketh recompence with all the substance 
of his house: but whoso committeth adultery with a woman, he 
lacketh understanding; and he that doeth it, destroyeth his 
own soul. He getteth himself a plague and dishonour, and 
his reproach shall never be put out. For the jealousy and 
wrath of the man will not be entreated; neither accepteth 
he the person of any mediator, nor receiveth any gifts, how 
great soever they be.” In these words of Salomon many 
things are to be noted. First, as it cannot otherwise be, but 
that fire must burn the garment wherein it is carried; so 
no man can commit adultery without damage and danger of 
further punishment. Secondarily, comparison is made betwixt 
a thief and an adulterer: not that theft is thereby defended ; 
but because thieves, although they be infamous, do seem yet 
to sin a great deal less than adulterers do. For a thief may 
make satisfaction by restoring the worth of the thing that he 
stole to him from whom he stole it away; but for adultery 
no amends can be made. And what is he that would not 


[2 nimirum ut corrumperem uxorem ejus, Lat.; omitted by the 
translator: namely, with the intent of corrupting his wife. ] 
[3 brent, i. 6. burnt. ] 


Prov. vi. 


412 THE SECOND DECADE. [SERM. 


rather wish to have thieves ransack his chest, and take away 
his substance, than to have his wife, his darling, defiled with 
adultery? Moreover, Salomon calleth the adulterer mad, and 
without understanding. Adultery is judged to be a sin 
worthy of death and endless infamy. For the Lord in the law 
doth not say only, “ Thou shalt not commit adultery ;” but in 
another place also goeth on, and addeth, “And he that commit- 
teth adultery with another man’s wife, even he that committeth 
adultery with his neighbour’s wife, let both the adulterer and 
the adulteress be slain.” Levit. xx. And this punishment of 
adultery by death was not abrogated or changed by the very 
Gentiles; for the Roman law Lew Julia is very well known, 
how it commanded adulterers to be put to death!: which 
law was of force in the time of St Hierome, as we may gather 
by the history which he wrote of an adulteress, at the chop- 
ping off of whose head seven strokes were given *. 

Neither is it marvel, undoubtedly, that adultery was 
among them of old, and is yet at this day, according to the 
laws, to be punished by death; for upon that one many sins 
do depend. First of all, the adulterer is a perjured man; for 
he hath broken and violated the faith, which he gave openly, 
before God and the face of the congregation, by calling to 
witness the most holy and reverend Trinity, when the minister 
of Christ did solemnise the marriage, and couple him to his 
wife, by giving hand in hand. Secondarily, the adulterer 
hath committed theft and robbery; for when the adulteress 
doth make her body common to another man, then doth she 
set to sale, defile, and mar, not her own, but her husband’s 
body. Thirdly, bastards born in adultery do oftentimes 


[! “The Lex Julia, passed about B. c. 17, did not inflict the punish- 
ment of death on either party; and in those instances under the em- 
perors, in which death was inflicted, it must be considered an extra- 
ordinary punishment, and beyond the provisions of the Julian Law. 
By a constitution of Constantine, confirmed by Justinian, the offence 
in the adulterer was made capital. The Julian Law, however, per- 
mitted the father in certain cases to kill the adulterer and adulteress.”— 
Dict. of Gr. and Lat. Antiq. 5. v. Adulterium. P.] 

[2 Hieron. Epist. xvii. ad Innocentium de muliere septies percussa. 
Par. 1706. Tom. tv. col. 23—26. ] 

[3 See Becon’s Works, Parker Soc. ed. Vol. π. p. 649; and Early 
Writings of Bp. Hooper, p. 376.] 





X.] THE SEVENTH PRECEPT OF THE TEN COMMANDMENTS. 413 


enjoy an equal part of inheritance with the right-begotten 
children; which cannot be without great wrong done to the 
lawful heirs and legitimate offspring: for they are against 
all right robbed of their due inheritance, whereof an equal 
, portion is given to him to whom by law no parcel is due. 
Lastly, beside all these, innumerable mischiefs do spring of 
adultery. Since therefore that it is a serpent with so many 
heads, both the laws of God and men do rightly punish 
adulterers with loss of life. 

But some jolly fellows there are, forsooth*, that of adul- p..;+, 
tery do make but a sport. They are persuaded that David’s ον 
adultery doth make on their side; and that place of scrip- 
ture where we read, that the Lord was favourable to the 
adulteress that was taken even as the deed was in doing. 
Why do not these merry conceited men consider how severely 
the Lord did punish David for that offence? The bloody 
house’ of David was immediately after defiled with filthy 
incest. For Amnon doth perforce deflour his sister Thamar. 

And straightway, upon the neck of that again, his house is 

defamed by most cruel parricide, while Absalom in a banquet 

murdered his brother Amnon. The very same Absalom also, 

David’s son, defileth or defloureth his father’s wives, and that 

openly too, laying all fear of God and shame aside. He 

driveth his father out of his kingdom, and hasteneth on to 

shorten his days. All which calamities David confesseth 

that he doth worthily sustain, for the adultery and murder by 

him committed. Lastly, many thousands of his people were 

slain in the battle ; David himself is hardly and with much 

ado restored to his kingdom; and afterward, being restored, 

he repented his sin all the days of his life’. Now it is 

marvel if adulterers, considering these punishments, will go 

on yet to allege the example of David in defence of their 

naughtiness. Our Saviour did not come into the world to be the Lora 
5 . . : . absolveth 

a judge, but a saviour; neither did he in any place usurp adultery. 

the right of the sword. Who, therefore, will make any 

marvel at it, to see the adulteress not condemned by him to 

be stoned to death? Yet he said: “ Hath no man condemned 

thee 7?” as if he minded not to have resisted the law, if 





[4 Si diis placet, Lat.] [5 funesta domus, Lat. ] 
[6 2 Sam. xi—xix.] {7 John viii. 10.] 





What other 
things are 
forbid under 
the title of 
adultery. 


Fornication. 


Acts xv. 


1 Pet. iv. 


1 Cor. x. 


414 THE SECOND DECADE. [SERM. 


judgment had once passed upon her. For he came not to 
be a patron to adulterers, nor to break the law, but to fulfil 
it. But if it like adulterers well, that the adulteress was not 
condemned of the Lord, then let them also like that sentence, 
wherewith the history is ended, when the Lord saith: “ Go 
thy ways, and sin no more.” Let them, therefore, leave off 
to defile and destroy themselves with filthy adultery. 

The Lord in his law hath expressly named adultery 
alone; but therewithal he doth inclusively understand all 
kinds of lust and luxury, and all things else which do edge 
forward and stir up fire in men to wantonness, which he 
forbiddeth as severely as adultery itself. The Lord in the 
gospel doth not only forbid the outward work of adultery, 
but the very affection also and wanton lust of the heart and 
mind. “Ye have heard,” saith he, “that it was said to 
them of old, Thou shalt not commit adultery. But I say unto 
you, That whosoever looketh on a woman to lust after her, 
hath committed adultery already with her in his heart!.” In 
the same place he teacheth us to pluck out our eyes, and cut 
off our hands, that is, to extinguish unclean affections that 
rise in our minds, while yet they be young and begin to bud, 
lest peradventure they break out from thoughts to deeds. 
So then in this precept every unclean thought, all ribald 
talk, and filthiness of bodily deeds, are utterly forbidden. 

In this precept is forbidden fornication, or that kind of 
whorehunting, which is said to be the meddling of a single 
man with an unmarried woman. This kind of whoredom is 
thought of many either to be a very small offence, or none at 
all. But such kind of men doth the devil hearten on, 
bewitch, and by all those ill thoughts drive on to commit 
that sin ; when as the doctrine of the evangelists and apostles 
doth teach us the contrary. For the apostles, in that synodal 
epistle, which they sent from Hierusalem to all nations, 
do expressly name and forbid fornication. St Peter reckon- 
eth fornication among those filthy sins, from which he would 
have Christians to be most clear. St Paul saith, ‘ Flee 
fornication.” Again, “Let us not be defiled with fornica- 
tion, as some of them committed fornication, and fell in one 
day three and twenty thousand’.” Fornication doth directly 


[1 Matt. v. 27, 28.] [2 1 Cor. vi. 18 and x. 8.] 





X.] THE SEVENTH PRECEPT OF THE TEN COMMANDMENTS. 415 


fight with the covenant of God, whereby he is joined to us, 
and we to him: and whoredom also spoileth God of his glory, 
and doth most filthily pollute the temple of the Lord. Let 
us hear what the apostle Paul saith touching this matter: 1 Cor. vi. 
** Know ye not that your bodies are the members of Christ ? 
shall I therefore take the members of Christ, and make them 
the members of an harlot? God forbid. What, know ye 
not that he that is coupled to an harlot is one body? For 
two, saith he, shall be one flesh. But he that is coupled 
to the Lord, is one spirit. Flee fornication. Every sin that 
a man doeth is without the body; but he that committeth 
fornication sinneth against his own body. What, know ye 
not that your body is the temple of the Holy Ghost which is 
in you, whom ye have of God, and ye are not your own? 
for ye are bought with a price.” Therefore fornication 
shutteth fornicators out of the kingdom of God. For the 
same apostle saith: ‘ Neither whoremongers nor adulterers Ephes. v. 
shall inherit the kingdom of God.” And therefore in an- 
other place he suffereth not fornication to be so much as 
once named among Christians?; so far was he* from admitting 
stews and brothel-houses among God’s people. Moreover, 
whoredom doth fill the whole body with sundry diseases: it 
depriveth whore-haunters of all their goods and substance ; 
it bringeth them to poverty and extreme misery, and driveth 
them at last to utter desperation. It overthroweth their 
fame and good name with shame and ignominy: the view 
whereof is lively expressed in the holy scriptures by the 
example of Samson, the strongest man among all the Israel- 
ites. Salomon, therefore, the most wise of all other, doth very 
fitly, in time and place convenient, admonish all men to fly 
the enticing baits and flattering allurements of whorish 
strumpets. For the end of them is deadly poison, and they 
throw a man down headlong into a bottomless pit of endless 
miseries®. 

By this law also that kind of whoredom is prohibited, Rapes for- 
which consisteth in defloration of virgins, and violent rapes, 
by which children are perforce defiled and carried from their 





[3 Eph. v. 5, 3.] 

[8 servus Jesu Christi. Lat. So far was the servant of Jesus 
Christ, &c.] 

[5 Prov. vii. 23, &c.] 





Asturia, ἃ 
country in 
Spain, be- 
tween Gala- 
tia and Por- 
tugal. 


416 THE SECOND DECADE. [SERM. 


parents. There is difference betwixt a rape perforce, and 
the deflouring of a maid done without violence. Sichem de- 
filed Dina, the daughter of Jacob; and although he desired to 
have the defloured maid to his wife, and to change his 
religion, yet notwithstanding he himself is slain by Levi and 
Simeon, the brethren of Dina; his city is rased and filled with 
the blood of murdered men, whose goods were ransacked and 
laid open to spoil. The history is extant in the thirty-fourth 
chapter of Genesis. For the rape which Roderichus, king of the 
Goths in Spain, committed upon the daughter of Julianus, a 
lieutenant, all Spain in a manner was mingled with fire and 
blood. For Volaterranus, in his second book of his Geogra- 
phy, saith: “Roderichus reigned three years, whose filthy 
lust brought an end, as well to the name, as to the quiet 
kingdom, of the Goths in Spain, by means of the Saracens 
that invaded their land. For when it fell out, that he had 
defloured the daughter of one Julianus, a lieutenant of that 
part of Mauritania that is called Tingitana, private grief did 
prick her father to seek revengement, whereto he used the 
commodity of the place. Wherefore Julianus doth privately 
call the Saracens out of Africa; who, in the year of grace 
714, under the conduct of their captain Muzta, being sent by 
Mirmemolinus their king at that time, entering in through the 
straits of Morocco, did in two years’ space subdue all Spain 
almost, except Asturia: in the space of which time it is re- 
ported that seven hundred thousand men on both sides were 
destroyed by that war; wherein also the king, which had de- 
floured the virgin, with all his nobility, was utterly slain!.” 


[1 Roderychus tres annos regnavit; cujus foeda libido finem attulit 
Gothorum non tam generi quam pacifico imperio, Saracenis super- 
venientibus. Nam cum filiam cujusdam Juliani preefecti, qui Tingi- 
tanam administrabat provinciam, vitiasset, dolor domesticus patrem ad 
ultionem sollicitavit, loci fretum commoditate. Quare Julianus clam 
ex Aphrica Saracenas evocat: qui anno salutis 714 duce Muza, misso 
a Mirammelino eorum tunc rege, per angustias Herculei freti ingresso, 
biennii spatio omnem fere Hispaniam occupant preter Astures. In 
quo temporis spacio dicuntur ad septies centena hominum millia in eo 
bello utrinque absumpta.—Volaterrani Commentar. Urban. Geograph. 
Lib. π. p. 17, Basil. 1559. The author of the modern part of the 
Universal History, (Vol. xvi. p. 87, Lond. 1782) observes on this 
account, in a note: “The reign of Roderic was so short and so full 
of troubles, and his own personal character in other respects so fair, 





Χ.] THE SEVENTH PRECEPT OF THE TEN COMMANDMENTS, 417 


In Israel, for the Levite’s concubine, whom the citizens of 
Gibea of the tribe of Benjamin had violently ravished, were 
twenty-five thousand Benjamites slain, beside them which 
perished from among the other eleven tribes, whose number 
amounted to forty thousand men?. Neither is it unknown to 
any, that the kings were expelled out of the city of Rome, 
and Troy, being wearied with ten years’ war, (which troubled 
both the east and west,) was at the last utterly sacked and 
clean overthrown, because Tarquinius had perforce ravished 
Lucretia, and Alexander Paris had stolen out of Greece Mene- 
laus his Helena, another man’s wife?. Every age almost doth 
minister an innumerable sort of such like examples. For the 
most just God hath always by evident examples declared, 
how greatly he is offended with deflourers of virgins and 
ravishers of women. And for that cause are laws and very 
sharp punishments ordained and appointed for such lascivious 
knaves. Rapes and such villainies committed perforce the laws 
do punish with loss of life; but to him that doth deflour a 
maid not violently the Lord doth say, “ Marry and endow 
her*.” Other laws appoint other penalties: touching which 
more is spoken in the civil law. 

Moreover, incest is especially prohibited. They call in- meest. 
cest an unlawful meddling of a man with a woman against the 
honour of blood and affinity. For “cestus” signifieth the 
marriage-girdle, which the bride did wear, to shew that the 
marriage was just and lawful5. We Germans call this sin by 
the name of “ Bloutschand ;” whereby we signify the sin com- 
mitted in corrupting or defiling our own blood or kindred. In 
Leviticus, after the degrees of blood, in which we are for- 
bidden to marry, the Lord doth presently add: “ In all these 
be not ye defiled: for in all these things are the nations de- 
filed, which I cast out before you. And hereby the land is 
defiled, and I have visited the iniquity thereof upon it, and the 


that nothing can be more improbable with respect to him than this 
imputation.” ] 

[2 Judges xx.] 

[3 See also Early Writings of Hooper, Parker Soe. ed. p. 354.] 

{4 Deut. xxii. 28, 29.] 

[5 ab in priv. et castus. Facciol. Alii ducunt ab in, et cesto, Veneris 
cingulo, quo amor maritalis in legitimis nuptiis conciliari putabatur.— 
Holyoke’s Dict. in voc. 1677.] 2 


[BULLINGER. | 


418 THE SECOND DECADE. [SERM. 


land hath spewed out the inhabitants thereof. Ye shall there- 
fore keep my statutes and mine ordinances, and shall not do 
any of all these abominations. For whosoever shali do so, he 
shall be cut off from among his people'.” And in the twentieth 
chapter of Leviticus he hath appointed death to be the pun- 
ishment of incest; which is not changed by the civil laws or 
imperial constitutions. 

Sodomy. The abominable sin of sodomy, and meddling with beasts, 
also is plainly forbidden: against which we have most evident 
and express laws set down in the eighteenth and twentieth chap- 
ters of Leviticus. We have also a very severe, but yet a most 
just, punishment laid by God himself upon the pates of the de- 
testable Sodomites: for with fire and stinking brimstone sent 
down from heaven he consumed those filthy men to dust and 
ashes ; which ashes he washed away with the waves of the Dead 
Sea, because he would not have so much as the very cinders to 
remain of so wicked men. Moreover, their whole cities and 
fruitful fields were burnt with fire. For it was not requisite? 
that any one jot of the substance of those most wicked men 
should remain undestroyed. The place where those cities some- 
time were situated is at this day overflown with water, and 
called the Dead Sea. Whereby we do consequently gather, 
that the most just God will not spare the Gentiles, entangled 
in the very same sin, although for a time he wink at and dis- 
semble it. Fire shall destroy both them and theirs; and they 
themselves shall for ever burn in hell, where nothing shall 
remain of them but a reproachful memory. For in the Reve- 
lation? of our Lord Jesus Christ to his apostle John we read: 
«And fire came down from God out of heaven, and devoured 
them; and the devil, which deceived them, was cast into a 
lake of fire and brimstone, where the beast and the false 
prophet shall be tormented day and night for evermore.” 
Apoe, xx, 

Allurements Furthermore, all things else are forbidden, that do incite 
or allure us to unlawful lusts; which baits are the over-nice 
pranking and decking the body, evil and wanton company, 
gluttony, surfeiting, and drunkenness. For Ezechiel, among 
the rest of his prophecies, saith: ‘This was the iniquity of 

[1 Ley. xviii. 24—29. ] 
[2 oportebat, Lat. ] 
[8 in Theologia Domini nostri Jesu Christi, Lat. See p. 170, n. 8.1 








X.] THE SEVENTH PRECEPT OF THE TEN COMMANDMENTS. 419 


Sodom, pride, gluttony, abundance of all things, and idle- 
ness‘,” Men are provoked to lust either by hearing or read- 
ing of dishonest ditties and bawdy ballads; or by looking 
on and beholding wanton dances, unseemly sights, ribald talk, 
and filthy examples. They therefore are by this law re- 
proved, which wink at or cherish, which are the bawds or 
bringers together of adulterous persons. Unto the wicked 
the Lord in the Psalms doth say: “ Why dost thou take my 
covenant in thy mouth, whereas thou hatest to be reformed, 
and dost cast my words behind thee? When thou sawest a 
thief, thou consentedst unto him; and hast been partaker with 
the adulterers,” ὅθ. The just Lord therefore doth punish 
all these offences in wicked men, every one according to the 
greatness of the sin. For some sins are far more heinous 
than other some are. He is an adulterer, that in his mind 
doth lust after another man’s wife: but he sinneth more 
grievously, if he endeavour to finish in deed his wicked 
thought; he offendeth yet more deeply, if he do the deed; 
and sinneth most of all, if, after once, he fall unto it again. 
Likewise the adulterer sinneth ; so doth the bawd, and he also 
that upholdeth his adultery. The whoremonger sinneth 
deeply ; but he that defileth himself with incest sinneth more 
grievously ; and he most heinously of all, that in meddling 
with beasts committeth filthy sodomy. So then in this se- 
venth precept charge is given for the maintenance of shame- 
facedness, modesty, sobriety, temperancy, chastity, public 
honesty, and true holiness of soul and body. 

The next is for me to say somewhat now touching conti- 
nency. By abstinence we refrain from other men’s goods, and 
take from no man the thing that is his. Some there are that 
will have temperancy to extend farther than continency ; for 
they will make the one to be but a part of the other’. I, in 
this treatise, do simply make continency the contrary to in- 
temperancy or incontinency. For continency is a virtue or 
power of the mind received from the Spirit of God, which 
suppresseth affections, and doth not in any wise permit un- 
lawful pleasures. This is conversant and doth shew itself in 


[4 Ezek. xvi. 49.] 

[5 Temperantia est rationis in libidinem atque in alios non rectos 
animi impetus firma et moderata dominatio. Ejus partes sunt con- 
tinentia, clementia, modestia.—Cic. de Orat. Lib. 11. cap. 60.] 


27—2 


Psal. 1 


Of conti- 
nency. 


The conti- 
nency or the 
bridling of 
the tongue. 


Granted 


pleasures. 


420 THE SECOND DECADE. [SERM. 


the common and usual talk of men, in pleasures that are 
allowed, in apparel, in buildings and dwelling-houses, in meat 
and drink, and in other things also. I at this present will 
only examine those points of continency which are already 
rehearsed. 

First of all, it is required of us to keep in our tongue, 
and not to let it loose at random to the blaspheming of God’s 
glory or hurt of our neighbour. Let the talk of a christian 
man be honest, profitable, and seasoned with salt; let it be 
unacquainted with scoffing, lightness, lying, ribaldry, and fil- 
thiness. St James in the third chapter of his epistle hath 
spoken sufficiently of the tongue’s properties. In his first 
chapter also he saith: “Let every man be swift to hear, 
slow to speak, and slow to anger.” And Paul saith: “ Let 
no filthy communication proceed out of your mouth, but that 
which is good to edify withal, as oft as need is, that it may 
minister grace unto the hearers; and grieve not the Holy 
Spirit of God, by whom ye are sealed unto the day of re- 
demption'.” And again: “Let not fornication, or any un- 
cleanness, or covetousness, be once named among you, as it 
becometh saints; neither filthiness, nor foolish talking, nei- 
ther jesting, which are not seemly; but rather giving of thanks. 
Let no man deceive you with vain words; for for such things 
cometh the wrath of God upon the children of disobedience.” 
For in another place he citeth this sentence out of Menan- 
der, and saith: “Ill words corrupt good manners*.” More- 
over, a man’s mind is bewrayed by his talk; for “of the 
heart’s abundance the mouth doth speak‘.” If therefore in 
any thing, then in tongue especially, it behoveth Christians to 
be sober and continent. 

The Lord, I confess, hath granted man the use of certain 
pleasures. For he may lawfully, without offence to God, 
clothe his body with garments soberly, thereby to keep his 
limbs from cold. God hath and doth allow the embracings 
of man and wife in holy wedlock. He granteth choice of a 
dwelling-place conveniently situated against the untemperate- 
ness of the air, and biddeth us not to wander, like beasts and 


(1 Eph. iv. 29, 30. quoties opus est, Lat. Erasmus’ rendering. ] 
[3 Eph. v. 3, 4, 6.] 

[81 Cor. xv. 33.] 

[4 Matt. xii. 34.] 








Xe THE SEVENTH PRECEPT OF THE TEN COMMANDMENTS. 421 


cattle, through fields and desolate woods. He hath, for our 
necessity and pleasant feeding, allowed us the use of meat and 
drink. He granteth us quietness, ease, and sleep, which doth 
wonderfully refresh the strength, that is decayed and tired 
with pains. Therefore, so often as a godly man doth enjoy 
them, doth use them, and is delighted with the honest plea- 
sure of them, let him give thanks to God, and use them mo- 
derately in the fear of the Lord. For in so doing he sinneth 
not against the Lord: but by the abuse of those things, by 
unthankfulness for them, and by immoderate using of them, 
he doth offend his God and maker. 

For what is allowed or permitted to married folks I have 
already declared in this very sermon: so that I need not 
here again to repeat it unto you. Solomon saith: “ Be glad 
with the wife of thy youth; let her be as the beloved hind 
and pleasant roe; let her love always refresh thee, and be 
thou still delighted therein’,” &c. In the meantime, let every 
one refrain from all abuse and intemperancy : and, if necessity 
at any time require it, let man and wife lie asunder, as Paul 
doth counsel them®; or else let them give ear to the prophet 
Joel, who saith: “ Proclaim an holy fast, gather the people 
together; let the bridegroom come forth of his chamber, and 
the bride out of her closet’.” 

Our garments must be cleanly and honest, according to Contineney 
our country fashion, to cover and become us, unless our 
country fashion be too far out of order: there must be in 
them no hypocritical sluttishness, beyond-sea gauds, new- 
fangled toys, nor unseemly sights®*. The chief apostles of 1 Pet. i. 
Christ, Peter and Paul, were not ashamed in their epistles Tit. it. 
to write somewhat largely touching the manner and ordering 
of women’s apparel; because that kind of people do most 
of all bend to that foolish bravery. Let every faithful body 
think what is seemly for them to wear, not so much by their 
degree in dignity or condition of riches, as by their religion. 
Excess in every thing is discommended in Christians. And to 
what end do we jag and gash® the garments that are sewed 











(5 Prov. vy. 18, 19.] 

i [8 1 Cor. vii. 5.] 

| [7 Joel ii. 16. de velo suo, Lat. But edit. 1587 reads, his closet. ] 
| [8 nihil peregrinum, leve et indecorum, Lat. 

[9 discindere, Lat. ] 





Continency 
in buildings. 


422 THE SECOND DECADE. [SERM. 


together to cover our bodies, but that thereby we may, as it 
were, by a most fond and ridiculous anatomy, open and lay 
forth to the eyes of all men what kind of people we are in 
our inward hearts, jagged (God wot) and ragged!, vain, light, 
and nothing sound? And a linen or woollen garment doth 
as well cover and become the body, as damasks and velvets?, 
the cost whereof doth overlade thy purse with expenses to 
buy them, and mis-shape thee like an ill-favoured picture, 
when thou wearest them upon thee’. 

In buildings God forbiddeth not cleanliness and necessary 
cost, but sumptuous expense and gorgeous excess, For these 
over-brave buildings are seldomtimes finished without extort- 
ing wrong and over-great injury done to the poor. Jeremy 
bringeth in the Lord speaking against the king of Judah, and 
saying: “ Woe to him that buildeth his house with unrighte- 
ousness, and his parlour with the goods that are wrongfully 
gotten; which never recompenseth his neighbour’s labour, 
nor payeth him his hire; who saith to himself, I will build 
me a wide house and gorgeous parlours; who causeth win- 
dows to be hewn therein, and the ceilings and joists maketh 
he of cedar and painteth them with sinoper*. Thinkest thou 
to reign now that thou hast inclosed theeself with cedar ? 
Did not thy father eat and drink and prosper well, as long as 
he executed justice and equity®?” Let none of us, therefore, 
build sumptuous houses by robbing the poor of their hire for 
their labour. Let every one dwell in a house agreeable to 
his profession, degree, and condition. St Hierome condemn- 
eth sumptuous cost even in churches and temples®. Neither 
do I see what gorgeous buildings bring to a man, but mischief 
and misery. Lord’, how unwillingly do we die and depart 


[1 discissi videlicet, laceri, Lat. ] 

[2 holoserica, Lat.] 

[3 quee te non decent, et luxuriosa sunt, Lat. ] 

[4 Vulg. sinopide; a red stone found in Sinopis in Pontus. —Plin. 
Hist. Nat. Lib. xxxv. cap. 5. ὁ 13. Usus, si lignum colorare libeat.] 

[5 Jer. xxii. 13—16.] 

[6 Hieron. Ep. xxx1v. ad Nep. de Vit. Cler. Par. 1706. Tom. rv. 
col. 263. See Bullinger de Scriptur. Sanct. Authoritate, ὅσο. Lib. 1. 
fol. 115. Tigur. 1538. and de Orig. Error. cap. 21. fol. 102. Tigur. 
1539. ] 

(7 This expression is not in the original Latin. ] 


x} THE SEVENTH PRECEPT OF THE TEN COMMANDMENTS. 423 


from goodly dwellings, whereby we double the fear of death 
and terror of sickness! The patriarchs, verily, did dwell in 
tents, whereby they witnessed that they were pilgrims, and 
sought another country, the heavenly Hierusalem®. 
Continency in meat and drink is not the loathing of wine 
and victuals, but the moderate using of them to supply our 
necessity, and not to cloy us with gluttony. God in the 
scripture doth condemn gluttony, surfeitings, riotous after- 
banquets, and drunkenness, which he forbiddeth most of all: 
for of drunkenness do spring endless miseries and innumerable 
mischiefs, grievous diseases, poverty, and pinching beggary. 
Solomon saith: “Who hath woe? who hath sorrow? who 
hath strife? who hath brawling? who hath wounds without 
a cause? who hath red eyes? even they that follow the wine, 
and seek excess thereof®. Look not thou upon the wine, how 
red it is, and what a colour it giveth in the glass. It goeth 
down sweetly, but at the last it biteth like a serpent, and 
poisoneth like an adder™.” I will not rehearse all which 
I could allege out of heathen writers against surfeiting and 
drunkenness. Solomon alone in that one sentence containeth 
a great deal of matter. Moreover, he that heareth not Christ, 
whom is it likely that he will give ear unto in all the world? 
Now Christ, in the gospel, by the parable of the rich glutton! 
doth marvellous evidently set forth the woeful end of insatiable 
paunches!?, In the same gospel also he taketh occasion to 
touch the surfeitings and drunkenness of our age, (I mean the 
age which is immediately before the judgment-day,) where he 
saith: “As it happened in the days of Noe and Lot; they did 
eat and drink, even until the day that Noe entered into the 
ark, and that Lot departed from among the Sodomites; and 
then incontinently the deluge came, and fire and brimstone 
poured down from heaven, and destroyed them all'*.” Again, 
he addeth: “Take heed to yourselves, lest at any time your 
hearts be overcome with surfeiting and drunkenness and cares 
of this life; and so that day come upon you at unawares. For 


[8 Heb. xi. 9, 10, 13—16.] 

[9 qui veniunt inquisitum ubi misceatur, Lat. ] 
[10 Prov. xxiii, 29—32.] 

[11 Luke xvi. 19, &c.] 

[12 epulones, Lat. ] 

[13 Luke xvii. 26—29.] 


Continency 
in meat and 
drink. 


Christ against 
drunkenness. 


Saint Martin’s 
doctrine of 
continency. 


Some say 
that this 
Martin was 
abbot of 
the monas- 
tery of 
Dumia. 


424 THE SECOND DECADE. [SERM. 


as a snare shall it come upon all them that dwell upon the 
face of the whole earth. Watch ye therefore, at all times 


praying, that ye may escape all these things, and stand before 


the Son of man!.” And I would to God that all men would 
not write this golden, heavenly, and divine admonition of our 
Saviour in their halls and dining-parlours only, but in their 
several hearts also. For since drunkenness hath in these our 
days so good entertainment with all degrees, estates, kinds?, 
and ages, we do daily feel the woeful miseries that God doth 
threaten to drunkards in the fifth and twenty-eighth chapters of 
Esay’s prophecy. And it is to be feared greatly, that the day 
of the Lord shall suddenly light upon an innumerable sort of 
drunkards, to their endless pain and utter destruction. Let 
him hear, therefore, which hath ears to hear. 

Neither can I here refrain, but needs must recite unto you, 
dearly beloved, that which St Martine, the bishop, not of 
Tours in France, but of Dumia [in Germany, ]} who flourished in 
the days of Justinian the emperor, did write to Miro, king of 
Gallicia, touching the ordering and leading a continent life: 
“Tf (saith he) thou dost love continency, cut off superfluity, 
and keep under thine appetite. Consider with thyself, how 
much nature requireth, and not how much lust desireth. 
Bridle thy concupiscence, and east off the alluring baits that 
serve to draw on hidden pleasures. Eat without undigested 
surfeiting, and drink without drunkenness. Neither glut thy- 
self with present delicates, nor long after deintrels* hard to 
be come by. Let thy diet be of cates good-cheap, and sit not 
down for pleasure, but for meat. Let hunger, not sauces, 
provoke thee to eat. Pay but little for pastimes to delight 
thee, because thy only care should be to leave such pleasures, 
that thereby thou, in fashioning thyself to the example of God, 
mayest, as much as thou canst, make haste to reduce thyself 
from the body to the spirit. If thou lovest continency, then 
choose not a pleasant but a wholesome dwellingplace; and 
make not the lord to be known by the gorgeous house, but 
the house by the honest landlord. Boast not thyself of that 
which thou hast not, nor that which thou hast, neither covet 
to seem more than thou art. But rather take heed that thy 
poverty be not uncleanly, nor thy niggishness filthy, nor thy 


[1 Luke xxi. 34—36.] [3 sexus, Lat. ] 
[8 daintrel, a delicacy.— Webster’s Dict. 1831.] 











X.] THE SEVENTH PRECEPT OF THE TEN COMMANDMENTS. 425 


simplicity contemptible, nor thy lenity fearful; and though 
thy estate be poor, yet let it not be in extreme misery. 
Neither be out: of love with thine own degree, nor wish after 
the estate of another man’s life. If thou lovest continency, 
avoid dishonest things before they happen, and fear no man 
above thine own conscience. Think that all things are toler- 
able, dishonesty excepted. Abstain from filthy talk, the liberty 
whereof doth nourish unshamefacedness. Love rather profit- 
able communication than merry conceits and pleasant talk, 
and set more by the blunt-spoken truth than by fair soothing 
speeches. Thou mayest sometime mingle mirth with matters 
of weight ; but it must be done moderately, without the hurt 
or detriment of thine estate and gravity: for laughter is 
blameworthy, if it be immoderately used, childishly squeaked, 
or taken up by fits, as women are wont to do. Esteem not 
saucy scoffing, but civil mirth with courteous humanity. Let 
thy conceits of mirth be without biting, thy sports not without 
profit, thy laughter without unseemly writhing of thy mouth 
and visage, thy voice without shrieking, and thy pace in going 
without hasty shuffling. Let not thy rest be idleness; and 
when other play, take thou some holy and honest thing in 
hand. If thou art continent, take heed of flattery, and let it 
grieve thee as much to be praised of naughty men, as if thou 
were praised for thine own naughty deeds. Be the gladder 
for it, if thou displeasest evil men, and impute the evil opinions 
which naughty men have of thee for the best praise that can 
be given thee. The hardest work of continency is to put 
away the soothing courtesies of dissembling flatterers, whose 
fawning words undo the mind with pleasant sensuality. Pre- 
sume not teo much upon thyself, neither be thou arrogant. 
Submit thyself so far as thou mayest keep thy gravity; and 
yet make not thyself a footstool or cushion for every man to 
lean on. Be told of thy faults willingly, and suffer thyself 
gladly to be reprehended. If any man for a cause be angry 
with and chide thee, acknowledge thy fault, and let his chiding 
profit thee: but if he chide thee without any cause, think 
that thereby he would have profited thee. Fear not sharp, 
but sugared, words. Do thou thyself eschew all sorts of vices, 
and be not an over-busy searcher-out of other men’s faults: 
be thou no sharp fault-finder, but an admonisher without up- 
braiding, so that still thy warning may bear the shew of 


426 THE SECOND DECADE. [SERM. 


cheerful mirth: and condescend easily to pardon the error. 
Neither praise nor dispraise any man overmuch. Be still, and 
give ear to them that speak, and be ready to instruct them 
that do hearken: to him that asketh give a ready answer, to 
him that despiseth thee give place easily, and fall not out 
to chiding and cursing. If thou art continent, have an eye to 
the motions of thy body and mind, that they be not unseemly: 
and set not light by them because nobody seeth them; for it 
maketh no matter if no body see them, so thou thyself dost 
spy and perceive them. Be moveable, not light; constant, 
not stubborn. Be liberal to all men, fawning on no man: 
familiar with few, and upright to every one. Believe not 
lightly every rumour, accusation, or conceived suspicion. De- 
spise vainglory, and be no sharp exactor of the goods that 
thou hast. Use few words thyself, but suffer them that speak. 
Be grave, not rough, nor contemning the merry nature. Be 
desirous and applicable to be taught wisdom: impart what thou 
knowest to him that demandeth without any arrogancy, and 
desire to learn the things that thou knowest not without 
hiding thine ignorance. A wise man will not change his 
common country fashion, nor make the people gaze on him 
with new-found devices!.” 


[1 Continentiam si diligis, circumcide superfiua, et in arctum desi- 
deria tua constringe. Considera tecum quantum natura poscat, et non 
quantum cupiditas expetat. Impone concupiscentize tuse froenum et 
modum, omniaque blandimenta, que occultam voluptatem trahunt, 
rejice. Ede citra cruditatem, bibe citra ebrietatem. Nec presentibus 
deliciis inhzerebis, nec desiderabis absentes. Victus tibi ex facili sit; 
nec ad voluptatem, sed ad cibum accede. Palatum tuum fames ex- 
citet, non sapores. Desideria tua parvo redime, quia hoc tantum curare 
debes, ut desinant; atque, quasi ad exemplar compositus divinum, a 
corpore ad spiritum, quantum potes, te festina reducere. Si continentize 
studes, habita non amecene, sed salubriter: nec dominum esse velis no- 
tum a domo, sed domum a domino. Non tibi ascribas quod non eris, 
nec quod es, nec major quam es videri velis. Hoc magis observa, ne 
paupertas tibi immunda sit, nec parsimonia sordida, nec simplicitas 
neglecta, nec lenitas languida: et si tibi res exiguee sunt, non tamen 
sint angustz. Nec tua defleas, nec mireris aliena. Si continentiam 
diligis, turpia fugito antequam accidant; nec quenquam alium vere- 
beris plusquam te. Omnia tolerabilia preter turpitudinem crede. A 
verbis quoque turpibus abstineto, quia eorum licentia impudentiam 
nutrit. Sermones utiles magis quam facetos et amabiles ama, rectos 
potius quam obsecundantes. Miscebis interdum seriis jocos, sed tem- 








X.] THE SEVENTH PRECEPT OF THE TEN COMMANDMENTS. 427 


Thus much have I hitherto recited touching continency 
out of the writings of the blessed bishop, Martine of Dumia. 
We, for our parts, must pray to the Lord, that he will vouch- 
safe to bestow on us his holy Spirit, by which the force of 
continency in all things may take root in our hearts, to the 
bringing forth of fruit in our deeds, agreeable to the prescript 
rule of this commanded continency. For, unless the Holy 


peratos et sine detrimento dignitatis ac verecundiz. Nam reprehen- 
sibilis risus est, si immodicus, si pueriliter effusus, si muliebriter fractus. 

Non erit tibi scurrilitas, sed grata urbanitas. Sales tui sint sine dente, 
joci non sine utilitate, risus sine cachinno, vox sine clamore, incessus 
sine tumultu. Quies tibi non desidia erit; et cum ab aliis luditur, 
tu sancti aliquid honestique tractabis. Si continens es, adulationes 
evita, sitque tibi tam triste laudari a turpibus, quam si laudaris ob 
turpia. Leetior esto quoties displices malis, et malorum de te existi- 
mationes malas veram tui laudationem ascribe. Difficillimum con- 
tinentize opus est assentationes adulatorum repellere, quorum sermones 
animum voluptate resolvunt. Non eris audax, nec arrogans. Sub- 
mittes te, non projicies, gravitate servata. Admoneberis libenter, et 
reprehenderis patienter. Si merito objurgabit aliquis, scito quia pro- 
fuit: si immerito, scito quia prodesse voluit. Non acerba, sed blanda, 
timebis verba. Esto vitiorum fugax ipse, aliorum vero neque curiosus 

scrutator, neque acerbus reprehensor ; sed sine exprobratione correptor, 

ita ut admonitionem hilaritate preevenias; et errori facile veniam dato. 

Nee extollas quenquam, neque dejicias. Dicentium esto tacitus auditor, 

audientium promptus receptor: requirenti facile responde, contem- 

nenti facile cede, ne in jurgia execrationesque discedas. Si continens 

es, animi tui motus corporisque observa, ne indecori sint; nec illos 

ideo contemnas, quia latent: nam nihil differt, si nemo videat, cum 

tu ipse illos videas. Mobilis esto, non levis; constans, non pertinax. 

Cunctis esto benignus, nemini blandus, paucis familiaris, omnibus 

gequus ; rumoribus, criminibus, suspicionibus minime credulus vel 

malignus. Vanze gloriz contemptor, et bonorum, quibus preditus es, 
non acerbus exactor. Rari sermonis 1086, sed loquentium patiens. 

Severus, non seevus, sed hilarem non aspernans. Sapientize cupidus 

et docilis, quee nosti sine arrogantia postulanti imparties; quse nescis, 
sine occultatione ignorantize tibi postula impartiri. Non conturbabit 
sapiens mores publicos, nec populum in se vitee novitate convertet.— 
D. Martini Episcopi Dumiensis formula honestz vite, sive de quatuor 
virtutibus cardinalibus liber unus, ap. Max. Biblioth. Vet. Patr. Lugd. 

1677. Tom. x. fol. 383.—This Martin, a monk born in Pannonia, be-. 
came abbot and bishop of Dumium, (not in Germany, the transla- 
tor’s mistake,) and finally bishop of Braga in Portugal, a. Ὁ. 563—583. 

—Mosheim’s Eccles. Hist. ed. Soames. Cent. v1. Book 2. part 2. chap. 2. 

p- 37, note 4. Bingham’s Antiq. B. 1x. chap. 6. § 16.] 


Of fasting. 


Two kinds of 


fastings. 


428 THE SECOND DECADE. [SERM. 


Ghost do quicken and inspire us, we do in vain give ear to so 
many and so good commandments ; and, unless we live and 
lead a temperate and a sober life, we are utterly unworthy to 
bear the name of Christians. 

To this place also doth the treatise of fasting belong ; 
which I mean to handle in as few words as conveniently can 
be. Christian fasting is a discipline, ordering, and chastening 
of the body for the present necessity, which we begin and 
keep of our own accord, without compulsion, and wherewith 
we humble ourselves in the sight of God, by drawing from 
the body the matter that setteth the flesh on fire, thereby to 
make it obey the spirit. For so long as we mortal men do 
live in this body, the flesh doth still resist the spirit; and 
most of all rebelleth then, when we with delicates do pamper 
the body. Wherefore fasting doth draw from the body every 
evil which stirreth up and strengtheneth it against the good 
commandments of God’s holy Spirit. 

Now the necessity for which we keep this fasting is of 
two sorts, public and private. We fast for the public or 
common necessity, when some calamity doth either oppress, 
or else hang over the head of the church. Of such a manner 
of fasting we see examples in the second chapter of Joel, and 
in the third of Jonas his prophecy: which very same order 
in fasting was used in the time of our Lord’s apostles, as it 
is evidently extant in the Acts of the Apostles!. And this kind 
of fasting doth seem to have differed very little, among them 
of old, from a general mourning; yea, it seemeth altogether 
to have been nothing else but a kind of lamenting. In the 
scriptures every book is full of examples, which teach and 
instruct us how the holy saints did humble themselves in the 
sight of God with true repentance for their sins and offences. 
Private necessity is that for which every particular man doth 
fast, when he feeleth himself to be vexed with bodily con- 
cupiscence, that thereby he may take from the flesh the flame 
and fuel, lest the body at last be fired and burned. For the 
Lord in the gospel said, that the children of the bride-chamber 
do fast when the bridegroom is taken from them?, that is, in 
a hard and dangerous time. The marriage doth signify the 
bond whereby we are knit to Christ in faith and the Holy 


[1 Acts xiii. 3. and xiv. 23.] 
[2 Mark ii. 19, 20.] 








X.] THE SEVENTH PRECEPT OF THE TEN COMMANDMENTS. 429 


Ghost. This yet notwithstanding, the godly man doth still 
rejoice®, He doth with giving of thanks and temperance 
both eat and drink so much as is sufficient, and is delighted 
also in these external gifts of God: but when he feeleth that 
the bridegroom is ready for to depart, or that he is now 
already almost departed out of his heart; that is, when he 
fecleth that the spirit is extinguished by the flesh’s wanton- 
ness, and that faith doth once begin to be cold; then doth he 
settle himself to prayer, and doth appoint a solemn fasting, 
thereby either to keep the bridegroom still, or else to pull 
him back being ready to depart. 

But neither public nor private fastings can abide to be 
enforced: for they will not be compelled, but desire to 
proceed of a free, cheerful, and voluntary mind. Unwilling 
men do nothing well. God requireth a cheerful giver. 
Moreover, let fastings be moderated according to the quality 
of places, persons, perils, and temptations: if they be not 
continual, yet let them be often, till such time as we be 
delivered and rid utterly of them. Let them be without 
superstition and feigned hypocrisy, as our Lord in the sixth of 
St Matthew’s gospel hath taught us. Herewithal do the 
words of St Hierome agree very well, which he wrote to 
Nepotianus, touching fasting, as followeth : “ Prescribe to thy- 
self so long a time to fast in as thine ability will suffer thee 
to bear. Let thy fastings be pure, uncorrupt, simple, mo- 
derated, and not superstitious. What availeth it to eat no 
oil, and to seek out such seldom fond cates as are hard to be 
come by, as figs, pepper, nuts, dates, pure flour for overfine 
bread, and honey? The gardens, with digging for novelties, 
are turned over and over, because we will not eat common 
cribble* bread; and so, while our dainty mouths seek after 
delicates, our souls are pulled from the kingdom of heaven. 
I hear, moreover, that some men there are, which (contrary 
to nature) refuse to drink water and feed upon bread; 
but suck up and swallow very costly suppings, dainty herb- 
broths, and the juice of beets, not out of a cup, but out of a 
shell. O shame! blush we not at such fond toys, and are 


[3 Hoe integro, perpetuo gaudet pius, Lat. This remaining un- 
broken, the godly man continually rejoices. } 
[4 cribble, coarse flour, or meal.—Webster’s Dict. ] 


Of what 
quality and 
kind our 
fastin, 

must be. 


480 THE SECOND DECADE, [SERM. 


we not ashamed of such superstition! ?’” Thus much saith 
Hierome. And it is evident, that even at this day this vice 
is especially received among our wealthy and religious men, 

The end of But the end of christian fastings are, that the church, or 
sinner, should submit and humble themselves before the Lord, 
that the flesh should be obedient and subject to the spirit, 
that the flesh should not hinder the sinner to work righte- 
ousness, and that the intent and mind of him that prayeth 
should be the more earnestly bent toward God. For fasting 
is of the number of those works which of themselves are not 
absolute and perfect, but have another meaning, for which 
they are ordained to another end and purpose: therefore 
fasting is a certain help to the prayers and virtues of godly 
men. Whereupon in the prophets we find, that the fastings 
of the Jews displeased the Lord: for they did nought else 
but fast alone; that is, they did at a certain and appointed 
time abstain from their usual manner of eating, but they 
restrained not themselves from sin and wickedness, but let 
their flesh have the bridle at will, when as indeed they 
should have ceased to have pampered it, that thereby it being 
the weaker, the spirit might be the stronger to do and fulfil 
all sort of good works. And therefore saith the Lord: “I 
have not chosen such a manner of fasting ;” and the rest, as 
it followeth in the fifty-eighth chapter of Esay, and in the 
seventh and eighth chapters of Zachary’s prophecy. 

ae tee The apostle Paul, verily, doth expressly say, that “ meat 
commendeth us not to God: for neither if we eat, have we 
anything the more; neither if we eat not, have we anything 
the less?.” He therefore doth not fast truly, which doth 


{1 Tantum tibi jejuniorum modum impone, quantum ferre potes. 
Sint tibi pura, casta, simplicia, moderata, et non superstitiosa jejunia. 
Quid prodest oleo non vesci, et molestias quasdam difficultatesque 
ciborum querere, carycas, piper, nuces, palmarum fructus, similam, 
mel, pistacia? Tota hortorum cultura vexatur, ut cibario non ves- 
camur pane; et dum delicias sectamur, a regno ccelorum retrahimur. 
Audio preeterea quosdam, contra rerum hominumque naturam, aquam 
non bibere, nec vesci pane; sed sorbitiunculas delicatas et contrita 
olera, betarumque succum, non calice sorbere, sed concha. Proh pu- 
dor! non erubescimus istiusmodi ineptiis, nec teedet superstitionis ?— 
Hieron. Opp. Par. 1706. Epist. xxx1v. ad Nepot. de Vit. Cler. Tom. 1v. 
pars 2. col. 264.] 

[21 Cor. viii. 8. Erasmus’ rendering. ] 


it i an! 





x THE SEVENTH PRECEPT OF THE TEN COMMANDMENTS. 431 


abstain only, at a certain appointed time, from certain manner 
of meats; but he, which doth therefore refrain from the 
pleasures of the flesh, that thereby he may make it subject 
to the spirit, and do the works of faith and charity, which 
are acceptable in the sight of the Lord. If therefore thou 
dost desire to fast a true fast, eat, drink, and sleep, and take 
heed to thy body, that it wax not insolent; fast from all sin, 
eat not the meat of malice, taste not the juncats® of lust and 
pleasure, and be not set on fire with the wine of wantonness. 
Fast from evil deeds, abstain from evil words, and refrain 
thyself from naughty thoughts. For Basil also saith: “ True 
fasting consisteth in freeness from vices, in continency of 
tongue, in suppressing of anger, in cutting off concupiscence, 
backbiting, lying, and perjury*,’ &c. But even as the good 
works themselves, which are done by faith, do not merit the 
kingdom of heaven (for that glory is due to the merit of 
Christ alone); even so fasting, which is an aid and help 
to good works, doth not meritoriously deserve the kingdom 
of God. 

But now I see a doubtful disputation arise among the most 
divines of this our age, touching the time and manner of fast- 
ings, and also of the choice of meats. Some there are which 
affirm and uphold the fasts of Lent®, and embering days, and 
such other, to be the fasts which God hath appointed. There 
are that say, thou hast not fasted, if by any means thou taste 
any flesh: and there are which prescribe and appoint some 
certain hours to fast in, But I, for my part, see not any 
such doctrines to be taught us in the scriptures. For the 
Lord in the gospel kept not any of their devised fasts, when 
he fasted forty days; but did altogether abstain from all 
kinds of meat, even as Moses and Helias had also done: 
wherefore he by that deed of his did not give us any law to 
fast so. Moreover, the Lord in the gospel doth evidently 
teach, that the thing, which entereth in by the mouth, doth 
not defile the man, but that which issueth out from his heart®. 

[3 epulas, Lat. ] 

[4 ἀληθὴς νηστεία ἡ τοῦ κακοῦ ἀλλοτρίωσις, ἐγκράτεια γλώσσης, θυμοῦ 
ἐποχὴ, ἐπιθυμιῶν χωρισμὸς, καταλαλιᾶς, ψεύδους, ἐπιορκίας. ----Βα511. Hom. 
u. de Jejunio, T. m. p. 15. Paris. 1722.] 

[5 stata jejunia quadragesime, quatuor temporum, Lat. See Bing- 
ham’s Orig. Eccles. Lib. xx1. cap. 1. and cap. 2. § 1.] 

[8 Matt. xv. 11, 18.] 


Of the man- 
ner and time 
of fasting, 
and of the 
choice of 
meats. 


432 THE SECOND DECADE. [SERM. 


«To the pure are all things pure'.” And Paul saith: “I know, 
and am persuaded through the Lord Jesus Christ, that nothing 
is common of itself; but to him that thinketh that any thing 
is common, to him is it common.” Again: “ Let not him 
which eateth despise him which eateth not; nor let him which 
eateth not judge him which eateth: for him that eateth the 
Lord hath taken*®.” Moreover, the place is evident, which the 
same Paul writeth in the fourth chapter of his first epistle to 
Timothy, where he affirmeth, that the forbidding of meats is a 
“doctrine of devils.” Neither needeth any man here to tell us 
any whit of the Tatians and Encratites*; for they did slan- 
der the good creatures of God. Paul speaketh of them who, 
although they do not utterly condemn meat and marriage, do 
yet notwithstanding forbid the use of meat. 
Difference in Furthermore, we do not read that any laws were ordained 
ne in that age which followed next after the preaching of the 
apostles, which did command and prescribe any time and order 
of fasting, or choice of meats. I will rehearse unto you, : 
dearly beloved, the words of Irenzus the martyr, which in 
the Ecclesiastical History of Eusebius are to be found word 
for word, as they are here set down: “The controversy 
is not only touching Easter-day, but also touching the manner 
of fasting. For some do think that the fast ought to be kept 
but one day only, other two, other more, and some whole forty 
days; so that, counting the hours of the night and day, they 
make a day. Which difference of observing the times is not 
now first of all in our age begun, but was brought in a great 
while ago (as I suppose) of them, which did not simply keep 
that which was taught from the beginning, but, either by neg- 
ligence or unskilfulness, fell afterward into a worse use and 
custom. And yet notwithstanding, all these, though they 
jarred in the observation of times, were nevertheless and are 


[1 Titus i. 15.] 

[2 Rom. xiv. 14, 3. 

[3 The Tatiani or Tatianists, who were also called Encratite, or 
abstainers, were the followers of Tatian in the second century of the 
Christian era. They held matter to be the source of all evil, and 
therefore discarded all the external comforts and conveniences of life, 
and fasted rigorously.—Mosheim. Eccles. Hist. Book 1. Cent. 11. part 2. 
chap. 5. § 9. Vol. 1. p. 195. ed. Soames. See also Early Writings of 
Hooper, Parker Soe. ed. p. 375.] 





X.] THE SEVENTH PRECEPT OF THE TEN COMMANDMENTS. 433 


agreeable with us; neither hath the discord about fasting 

broke our concord in faith’ Thus much Ireneus. More- 

over, Socrates Constantinopolitanus in the ninth book and 

thirty-eighth chapter of his® Tripartite History witnesseth, 

that about the year of our Lord 453, in the reign of Theodo- 

sius the younger, the same diversity was in the church, and 

setteth it down in these words following: “ Furthermore, they , 

have not the same kind of abstinence from meat. For some 

do altogether abstain from living creatures; some among liv- 

ing creatures do eat fish only; some with fish do feed on 

fowls also, saying, that they (as Moses saith) have their sub- 

stance of water; some are known to abstain from herbs and The Latin 
copy hath 

eggs; some do feed of dry bread only ; some not so much as ¢ais, which 

that: some, fasting nine hours, do then without difference use herbs; it 


may also be 


any kind of meat: and innumerable customs are found among ‘2¢f2 ἴσ 


sundry men.” Now the very same Socrates, shewing his 
opinion upon that diversity, doth say: “ And for because no 
ancient writing is found touching this thing, I think that the 
apostles left it free to every man’s judgment, that every one 
may work, not by fear or necessity, the thing that is good®.” 
Thus far Socrates. The fasts of Christians, therefore, ought Fastings 


must be 


[4 οὐδὲ yap μόνον περὶ τῆς ἡμέρας ἐστὶν ἡ ἀμφισβήτησις, ἀλλὰ καὶ περὶ 
τοῦ εἴδους αὐτοῦ τῆς νηστείας. Οἱ μὲν γὰρ οἴονται μίαν ἡμέραν δεῖν αὐτοὺς 
νηστεύειν, of δὲ δύο, οἱ δὲ καὶ πλείονας" οἱ δὲ τεσσαράκοντα ὥρας ἡμερινάς 
τε καὶ νυκτερινὰς συμμετροῦσι τὴν ἡμέραν αὐτῶν. Καὶ τοιαύτη μὲν ποικιλία 
τῶν ἐπιτηρούντων οὐ νῦν ἐφ᾽ ἡμῶν γεγονυῖα, ἀλλὰ καὶ πολὺ πρότερον ἐπὶ 
τῶν πρὸ ἡμῶν, τῶν παρὰ τὸ ἀκριβὲς, ὡς εἰκὸς, κρατούντων, τὴν καθ᾽ ἁπλό- 
tyta καὶ ἰδιωτισμὸν συνήθειαν εἰς τὸ μετέπειτα πεποιηκότων. Καὶ οὐδὲν 
ἔλαττον πάντες οὗτοι εἰρήνευσάν τε, καὶ εἰρηνεύομεν πρὸς ἀλλήλους, καὶ ἡ 
διαφωνία τῆς νηστείας τὴν ὁμόνοιαν τῆς πίστεως συνίστησι.---- ΕἸ 560. Histor. 
Eccles. Lib. v. cap. 24. ed. Burton. ] 

[5 Not his, but the history compiled from him and others. ] 

[6 Sed etiam ciborum abstinentiam non similem habent. Nam alii 
omnino ab animatis abstinent: alii ex animantibus pisces solummodo 
comedunt: quidam cum piscibus vescuntur et volatilibus, dicentes hzec 
secundum Mosen ex aqua habere substantiam: alii vero etiam cau- 
libus et ovis abstinere noscuntur: quidam sicco tantummodo pane 
vescuntur: alii neque hoc. Alii, usque ad nonam jejunantes horam, 
sine discretione ciborum reficiuntur. Et innumere consuetudines apud 
diversos reperiuntur. Et quia nulla lectio de hoc invenitur antiqua, 
puto apostolos singulorum hoc reliquisse sententize, ut unusquisque 
operetur non timore, non necessitate, quod bonum est.—Hist. Tripart. 
ap. Cassiodori Opp. Lib. rx. cap. 38. Tom. v. p. 348. Rotomag. 1679.] 


28 
[BULLINGER. | 


484 THE SECOND DECADE. [SERM, 


free, andnot to be free, and not bound to laws. Apollinus, a certain 

laws. ancient and ecclesiastical writer, disputing against Montanus, 
the heretic, saith: “This is he which taught that marriages 
are undone, and which first of all hath appointed laws for 
men to fast by!.” 

And verily, to go about to set down to all men and 
nations one manner of fasting in one appointed time, one 
prescribed order and choice of meat, is a mere folly, and 
a brain-sick kind of madness. For, according to the choice of 
air, so are men’s bodies of sundry temperatures, and one kind 
of meat doth not stir men of sundry complexions to one kind 
of affection. The most godly way, therefore, and profitable 
order for the church is, that all pastors in every congregation 
should teach sobriety, temperancy, and the true fast indeed: 
not presuming to prescribe any laws for the choice of meats or 
times, but leaving that free to every man and nation, who un- 
doubtedly will have an especial eye to temper themselves from 
the things by which they perceive that their health? will be 
endangered ; but most of all in the time when the flesh be- 
ginneth to wax over wanton, or when some great peril hangeth 
over their head. For the time of fasting is not prorogued till 
an appointed number of years or days be expired, but till the 
looseness or wantonness of the flesh, temptations, or motions, 
be utterly bridled. Fastings being so ordered, as they be the 
exercises of godliness, obtain great praise indeed in the church 
of the Lord. 

The sum of Thus much hitherto touching fasting. Now, to shut up 


he seven ‘ : Ξ . . 
presence this seventh precept, I say it forbiddeth all intemperance, it 


ment. commandeth holiness, and the clean and lawful use of all the 
members of the whole body. And therefore in this short 
precept there is contained a good part of the doctrine of 
Christ and his apostles. For Paul to the Thessalonians saith : 
“We beseech you, brethren, and exhort you by the Lord 
Jesus, that ye increase more and more, as ye have received of 


us how ye ought to walk, and to please God. For ye know 


{1 Auctor Euseb. Ecclesiast. Hist. Lib. v. cap. 18, Lat. οὗτός 
ἐστιν ὁ διδάξας λύσεις γάμων, ὁ νηστείας νομοθετήσας.---- 560. Hist. 
Eccles. Lib. v. cap. 18. ed. Burton. The writer is Apollonius.—Routh, 
Reliq. Sacr. Tom. 1. p. 466. Oxon. 1846. See also Calvin. Comment. 
in 1, Ep. ad Tim. cap. rv. v. 3. Tom. vi. p. 455. ed. Amst. ] 

[2 Suze integritati, Lat. } 





X.] THE SEVENTH PRECEPT OF THE TEN COMMANDMENTS. 435 


what commandments we gave you by the Lord Jesus. For 
this is the will of God, even your holiness; that ye should 
abstain from fornication; that every one of you should know 
how to possess his vessel‘ in holiness and honour; not in the 
lust of concupiscence, as the Gentiles, which knew not God. 
God is a revenger of all such, as we have forewarned you and 
testified. For God hath not called us unto uncleanness, but 
unto holiness®.” And straightway after again: “The God 
of peace sanctify you throughout, that your whole spirit, and 
soul, and body, may be preserved blameless in the coming of 
our Lord Jesus Christ®.” 

I have again, my brethren, passed beyond the appointed 
time of an ordinary sermon, staying you longer than I am 
wont to do. Pardon this fault; for, I hope, I have not trou- 
bled you, almost two whole hours, without profiting you any 
whit at all. Make your prayers now, and depart in peace. 
By the help and will of God I will, within these few days, add 
the rest of the ten commandments. The grace of our Lord 
and Saviour Jesus Christ be with you all. Amen. 


[3 Dominum nostrum, Lat. our Lord. | 

[4 suum inquam corpus, Lat. omitted by the translator :—I mean, 
his body. ] 

[5 1 Thess. iv. 1—7. immunditise causa, Lat. Erasmus’ rendering. | 

[6 1 Thess. vy. 23. The rendering in Cranmer’s Bible is more agree- 
able with Bullinger’s text: viz. “So that in nothing ye may be blamed 
in the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ.”] 


PAGE 
10 
138 
202 
15 note 7 
29 line 9 
53 13 
54 33 
64 21 
83 note 5 
9] 3 
112 line 32 
123 note 4 
129 line 22 
154 9 
158 23 
195 36 
212 note 2 
320 line 1 
350 5 


ERRATA. 





NOTE LINE FOR READ 
2 1 hee hane 
2 8 regis regio 
ἜΣ 12 lationis latronis 
1 2 ine sine 
ADDENDA. 


line 8 παθόντα, 
12 ἢ τρεπτὸν, 

“sat at the right hand of God,” should have been noted as an in- 
terpolation of the Translator’s. 

of the Saviour: ab ipso Salvatore, Lat. 

Mark, 

dele’, and insert [Matt. xv. 9.] 

The definition is taken from Budzi Comment. Ling. Gree. p. 103. 

cf. Tertull. adv. Praxean. cap. 10. Tom. II. p. 161. ed. Semler. 
Hal. Mag. 1828, which passage, no doubt, Bullinger had here 
in his mind, as he has referred to it also in his Exposit. Epist. 
ad Roman. iv. 20, 21. p. 47. Tigur. 1537. 

So in his Expos. Epist. ad Rom. iii. 26. p. 35, Bullinger writes : 
Hactenus exposuit (Paulus) fidem, videlicet in Christum, id est, 
ipsum Christum Jesum, Dei filium, cui fidimus, veram esse pii 
hominis justitiam. 

line 13. Of this treatise Bullinger himself says in his Comment. 
in Lucam. Lib. 1. p. 17. Tigur. 1546.—que S. Cyprianus, sive 
is Ruffinus est, scripsit. 

cf. Augustine’s Enarrat. in Psalm. cit. 

See Pearson on the Creed. Art.7. p. 455. Vol. 1. and Vol, 11. 
p-. 365. Oxf. 1820. 

Symbolum secundo conditum disertis verbis in hunc modum con- 
fitendum docet: πιστεύω els τὸ Πνεῦμα τὸ ἅγιον τὸ Κύριον, 
τὸ λαλῆσαν διὰ τῶν προφητῶν εἰς μίαν καθολικὴν καὶ ἀπο- 
στολικὴν ἐκκλησίαν, hoc est, Credo in Spiritum sanctum Do- 
minum, qui loquutus est per prophetas in unam catholicam et 
apostolicam ecclesiam. Audis unum atque eundem esse Spiri- 
tum, qui per prophetas loquator in unam generalem ecclesiam, 
olim quidem a prophetis, nunc ab apostolis, verbo veritatis, qui 
Sancti Spiritus instinctus est, collectam. Bullingeri Comment. 
in 1 Epist. Petri. cap. i. p. 11. 

See Erasmi Adag. Chili. p. 500, conscientia mille testes. 

See an anecdote of Celio Secundo Curio in M‘Crie’s Hist. of 
Reform. in Italy, p. 102. Lond. 1827. 

cf. Bp. Hooper’s Karly Writ. ed. Park. Soc. p. 78. 

These were the Anabaptists’ objections. See Bullinger. adv. 
Anabapt. Lib. v. cap. 4. 








THE 


EIGHTH ANNUAL REPORT 


(FOR THE YEAR 1848.) 
OF 


The Parker Society, 


INSTITUTED A.D. 1840. 


FOR THE PUBLICATION OF 


THE WORKS OF THE FATHERS AND EARLY WRITERS OF THE 
REFORMED ENGLISH CHURCH. 


PRESENTED TO THE GENERAL MEETING, MAY THE 2181, 1849. 


“ He (Archbishop Parker) was a great collector of ancient and modern writings, and took especial 
care of the safe preservation of them for all succeeding times; as foreseeing, undoubtedly, what use 
might be made of them by posterity ; that, by having recourse to such originals and precedents, the true 
knowledge of things might the better appear.” 

“ As he was a great patron and promoter of good learning, so he took care of giving encouragement 
to printing—a great instrument of the increase thereof.” 

Strype’s Life of Archbishop Parker. 








The Council of the Parker Society have to lay before the Members the 
following Report of the proceedings of the past year:— =| 

The total receipts, from all sources, for the year just closed were 
£5983, 16s. Id.; the total payments £6357, 7s. 8d., leaving a balance 
against the Society of £373, 11s. 7d., which comprises several payments for 
books in progress, to appear in future years. 

The books for the year 1848 which have been circulated among the 
Subscribers were four in number :—Ist. A third portion of Bishop Jewel’s 
works; containing his celebrated Apology, both in the original Latin, and in 
Lady Bacon’s English Translation; also, a part of the Defence of the Apology. 

2nd. Doctrinal Treatises of Tyndale, the martyr, and translator of the 
Scriptures. 

3rd. A portion of the Writings of Bradford; containing various Sermons, 
Meditations, and other Tracts, by that honoured martyr. 

4th. Fulke’s Answer to Stapleton, Martiall, and Sanders; being a 
supplement to Calfhill’s work, published in 1846. 

A small edition of the Latin originals of the Letters printed in two parts in 
1846 and 1847, has been issued to those who paid the specified additional 
subscription. 

For the year 1849, the following books are in preparation :— 

Ist. Another portion of Tyndale’s Works. 

2nd. A volume of Bullinger’s Decades, a work of great importance, having 
been prescribed by the Convocation of 1586 as a manual for the clergy. 

3rd. Selections from the Writings of Bishop Bale. 

4th. A translation of Whitaker's valuable Disputation on Holy Scripture. 
These volumes, it is confidently expected, will have been circulated among 
the members before Christmas. 


2 THE EIGHTH REPORT OF THE COUNCIL. 


In reference to future proceedings, the Council feel that they may now speak 
more definitely than they have hitherto ventured to do. A wish has frequently 
been expressed by subscribers, to know how long the series of re-publicatiuns was 
likely to last; but, in the early stages of their progress, the Council could only 
pomt out certain works which they felt it desirable to print, and promise that 
pains should be taken to issue these as speedily as circumstances, with a due 
regard to the creditable editing of them, would allow. Now, however, when 
much has been accomplished, and many volumes have been presented to the 
subscribers, the Council can more easily define what remains to be done. They 
are sure that the members will agree with them in deeming the works of Bishop 
Jewel, and of Archbishop Whitgift, of the highest importance, which it would be 
a discredit to the Society to leave unfinished. To complete Jewel and to publish 
Whitgift must, therefore, be a main object. Simultaneously with these may 
proceed the remaining volumes of Tyndale, Bradford, and Hooper, of which 
portions have already appeared. There are also in forward preparation Archbishop 
Parker’s Correspondence, Rogers on the Articles, the remainder of Bullinger s 
Decades, the Reformatio Legum, Nowel’s Catechisms, with a few other valuable 
treatises and documents. The precise time of completing these must of 
course depend upon the support the Council continue to receive; but it may 
be stated with confidence, that about four years will suffice to place the works 
they have enumerated in the hands of the subscribers, who will then possess a 
series of the most important character. 


If these volumes have been more generally controversial than some 
persons expected, the Council would remind their friends that a peculiar value 
must always attach to them as evidence of the opinions of men to whom, 
under God, we owe the deliverance of our Church from the foreign yoke under 
which she had for centuries laboured, and who compiled and settled those 
formularies which are her present standards of doctrine. On every point 
connected with the doctrine and discipline of the Church the opinions of such 
men must be of ifcalculable interest. They were ner defenders against external 
and internal assailants; they were the expounders of the truths which they 
had contributed to embody. Of course it is not intended to assert that the 
private writings of any divines, however venerable and eminent, can claim a 
public authority; but public standards may indisputably be illustrated by the 
contemporaneous writings of their compilers, and the spirit in which they were 
conceived, and the sense they were designed to convey be hence better understood. 


And it is to be observed, that the writers of the Reformation era demand 
respect, not only for the circumstances under which they wrote, but because 
they were the distinguished men of an age neither unlearned nor un- 
adorned with genius of the highest order; besides, they were men, not only 
of uatural endowments, but of primitive zeal and piety. They, many of 
them, obtained the martyr’s crown, and are, therefore, worthy to be had in 
everlasting remembrance. Their faults, in a great measure, were those of the 
system in which they had been nurtured, or of the period in which they lived ; 
their graces were the peculiar and excellent gift of Him who raises up and 
strengthens His own instruments for the great work He is accomplishing in the 
earth: they were honoured by Him, they should be honoured and esteemed by us 


The Council feel grateful to God that they have been enabled to put forth 
the works of so many of these men, that they have been permitted so far to 
complete their original design ; and they would earnestly solicit from the mem- 
bers sueh continued support, as that they may not have to leave undone that which 
yet remains. 





ΔΛΟΊ SIONVUd 
“TIVNMOd AUNTH 


“το. py 


ῷ Z LSEe9¥ ope ies eee "TBO 


noon an 


© 


Smnmvun ὦ 





προ τοὺ πρυκουν νον 


εἴ 66 sosuadxa (1104 snowwea 
ἃ put ‘sjvoo ‘aSeriuva ‘eSejsod Surpnyour ‘speyuaprout 10,4 


Il 9 Tees Sees SHOOR FUNDY pus ἀχϑποιη81ς OJ 
¢ 9 tarde Foe hee? = Sinaia pus slung (ΟἿ 
ΟἹ Fg tert seecsresece os syas aqajdmos 0} paseyoind syoog 


“Ὁ ‘S19J10g PUB 5. 1910 
ΕἸ 8h | Jo sasv Ay puv *‘Aaeyaioag 10 Arepeg “0110 jo 29} 10] 


εΣ eg dre ang be een SUIMISI}IIAPVW 
Ὗ Joy pus “ΔΒποα. pus syodoy “δι 8} 4 Suyug 10.7 
LU TT 


Z1¢ Merete state IS oily wou oouvansuy 10g 
lL 692 veestrescreecgreesesseeeesggguada BHOUPT 20,3 
gt ΠῚ Terre eeeeeseeceerercoess ΔΎΟ ΤΙ; pus Sulpuig 10g 
Gl 6016 “" SFST 10} Syooq 911 Jo sodvy pu Sunutitg 10} preg 
Cer a ‘dIvg 


ᾧ δι ον ὁ ὃ διῳι φ᾽' δ' δ᾽ δ᾽'δ᾽)᾽ ὁ. ὁ. δ' ὁ ᾧ ὁ ἃ ς 


Areiqvy 


eevee 


ἜΡΒΙ UVAA AHL WO 





8 L Lloegr 





2 11 9616 
Ῥ 2199 
8 929 
9 81 π|9160 
Il Il ¥6 
‘D'S F 


renee eeeeee smog 


Fetes eee seeeecsceeeeeees Jomsealy 09 ὉΠΡ θυ εἰ 

seeeese* gunosoe [ig qanboyoxm “ τ" μὲ 

ΛΎΣΙΣ ΣΦ Σ δ ΦΆΠΟΟΟΌ S[OSUOD UO Ὀϑλιθοϑα JUNOULY 

** savaX snotaoid pue 681] 10} paatooer storydiosqng 

οἷς 0:9 66 8 O60 sR cee ew te oe LFSI wor 2η3ποια oourleg 
“CH AIRZONY 


‘ALAIOOS UAMUVd AHL JO LNQOOOV HSVO AHL JO LOVULSAV 


Soper SS 





4 THE LAWS OF THE PARKER SOCIETY. 


LAWS OF,THE PARKER SOCIETY. 


I.—That the Society shall be called THE PARKER SOCIETY, and that it 
objects shall be—first, the reprinting, without abridgement, alteration, or 
omission, of the best Works of the Fathers and Early Writers of the Reformed 
English Church, published in the period between the accession of King Edward 
VI. and the death of Queen Elizabeth: secondly, the printing of such remains 
of other Writers of the Sixteenth Century as may appear desirable (including, 
under both classes, some of the early English Translations of the Foreign 
Reformers) ; and thirdly, the printing of some manuscripts of the same Authors, 
hitherto unpublished. 

II1.—That the Society shall consist of such a number of members, being 
subscribers of at least One Pound each annually, as the Council may determine; 
the subscription to be considered due on the First day of January in each year, 
in advance, and to be paid on or before such a day as the Council may fix ; 
sufficient notice being given of the day appointed. 

II.—That the Management of the Society shall be vested in a President, 
a Treasurer, a Librarian, and a Council of twenty-four other subscribers, 
being members of the established Church, of whom not less than sixteen 
shall be Clergymen. The Council and Officers to be elected annually by the 
subscribers, at a General Meeting to be held in the month of May; and no 
persons shall then be proposed who are not already members of the Council, or 
Officers, unless their names shall have been transmitted to the Secretaries on 
or before the 15th of April in the current year, by nominations in writing, 
signed by at least five subscribers. And that there be three Secretaries 
appointed by the Council ; also that the Council have power to fill all vacancies 
during the year. 

IV.—That the accounts of the receipt and expenditure of the Society shall 
be examined every year, previously to the General Meeting by four Auditors, 
two of them selected from the Council, and two appointed by the preceeding 
General Meeting. 

V.—That the funds shall be expended in the payment of the expenses 
incurred in producing the works published by the Society, so that every mem- 
ber not in arrear of his or her annual subscription, shall receive a copy of every 
work published by the Society during the year, for each sum of One Pound 
subscribed, without any charge for the same; and that the number of copies 
printed in each year, shall be limited to the quantity required for the number 
actually subscribed for. 

ViI.—That every member of the Society who shall intimate to the Council 
a desire to withdraw, or who shall not pay the subscription by the time ap- 
pointed, shall cease to be a member of the Society ; and no Member shall at 
any time incur any liability beyond the annual subscription. 

VIi.—That, after the commencement of the proceedings, no rule shall be 
made or altered excepting at a General Meeting, and after notice of the same 
has been communicated to the members by circulars, or by advertisement in 
Ἂν London daily newspapers, at least fourteen days before the General 

eeting. 

VIII.—Donations and Legacies will be thankfully received ; the amount 
of which shall be expended by the Council in supplying copies of the publi- 
cations to clerical, or other libraries, destitute of funds to purchase the same, 
and for such other purposes, connected with the objects of the Society, as the 
Council may determine. 








THE MEMBERS OF THE PARKER SOCIETY. ὃ 


THE FOLLOWING NAMES, AMONG OTHERS, ARE IN THE LIST 
OF SUBSCRIBERS TO 


Che Parker Society, 


HER MOST GRACIOUS MAJESTY ADELAIDE, QUEEN DOWAGER. 
HIS ROYAL HIGHNESS THE PRINCE ALBERT. 
HIS MAJESTY THE KING OF PRUSSIA. 
HER ROYAL HIGHNESS THE DUCHESS OF KENT. 


His Grace tHe Lorp ΑΒΟΉΒΙΒΗΟΡ or CanTerBURY.—His Grace 
THE Lorp ARcHBISHOP OF YORK. 

His Grace the Duke of Devonshire.—His Grace the Duke of Manchester. 

—His Grace the Duke of Sutherland.— His Grace the Duke of Roxburghe. 

The most Honourable the Marquesses of Bute, Cholmondeley, Conyngham, 

Downshire, Northampton, Ormonde, and Salisbury. 

The Right Honourable the Earls of Cavan, Chichester, Clancarty, De Grey, 
Essex, Galloway, Howe, Jermyn, Nelson, Rosse, and Spencer. 

The Right Honourable Lord Viscounts Adare, Alford, Campden, De 

Vesci, Fordwich, Hill, and Lorton. 

The Right Honourable and Reverend Lords Charles Thynne, John Thynne, 

Arthur Hervey, Wriothesley Russell, The Right Honourable Lord George 

A. Hill, Lord Lindsay, Lord Henry Cholmondeley, Lord Edward 

- Chichester, &c., &c. 

The Right Honourable and Right Reverend the Lord Bishop of London.— 
The Right Reverend the Lords Bishops of Durham, Winchester, 
Chester, Chichester, Ely, Hereford, Lichfield, Lincoln, Llandaff, 
Manchester, Oxford, Peterborough, Ripon, Rochester, St. Asaph, 
and of Worcester. 

The Right Honourable and Right Reverend the Lords Bishops of Clogher, 
of Meath, and of Killaloe and Clonfert.—The Right Reverend the 
Lords Bishops of Down and Connor, of Ossory and Ferns, and of 
Cashel and Waterford. 

The Right Reverend the Lords Bishops of Australia, Bombay, Calcutta, 
Capetown, Colombo, Guiana, Melbourne, Newcastle, Toronto, and of 
Tasmania. 

The Right Reverend the Bishops of Delaware, Georgia, Maryland, New 
Jersey, Ohio, South Carolina, and of Virginia. 

The Right Honourable the Lords Ashley, (President), Bolton, Calthorpe. 
Farnham, Lindsay, Littleton, Rayleigh, and Teignmouth. 

Her Grace the Duchess Dowager of Argyle-—Right Honourable the 
Countess of Annesley.—Right Honourable Viscountess Valentia.— 
Right Honourable Lady Ward, &c. 


6 MEMBERS OF THE PARKER SOCIETY.’ 


The Right Honourable the Lord Chief Justice of Ireland.—The Right Honour- 
able Lord Justice Clerk, Scotland.—The Honourable Mr. Justice Jackson, 
The Chevalier Bunsen.—The Right Honourable Henry Goulburn, M.P. 
for the University of Cambridge.—The Right Honourable W. E. Gladstone, 
M.P. for the University of Oxford, &c. 


The Very Reverend the Deans of Chester, Durham, Gloucester, Manchester, 
Norwich, Peterborough, Salisbury, and Winchester.—The Deans and 
Chapters of Lichfield, Worcester, Limerick, Raphoe, Tuam, &c. 


The Very Reverend the Deans of Clogher, Cloyne, Connor, Cork, Derry, 
Cashel, Elphin, Emly, St. Patrick, Ossory, Kildare, and Kilmacdaugh. 


The Honourable and Worshipful T. W. Law, Chancellor of Bath and: Wells. 
—The Worshipful H. Raikes, Chancellor of Chester, E. T. M. Phillips, 
Chancellor of Gloucester, F. R. Sandys, Chancellor of Ossory, 
Marsham Argles, Chancellor of Peterborough, and J. N. Woodroffe, - 
Chancellor of Cork. 


The Venerable Archdeacons Berners, Bevan, Brown, Buckle, Davys, Hare, Hill, 
Hodson, Hoare, Law, Mac Donald, Philpot, Spooner, C. Thorp, Henry 
Williams, William Williams of New Zealand, R. J. Wilberforce. 


The Venerable Archdeacons Bell, Beresford, Creery, Digby, Mant, Monsell, 
Oldfield, Power, Stopford, Strean, Stuart, Verschoyle, and St. George. 


Reverend Dr. Plumtre, Master of University Coll., Oxford, and Vice Chancellor 
of the University—Reverend Dr. Phelps, Master of Sidney Sussex Coll. 
Cambridge.—Reverend Dr. Philpot, Master of Catherine Hall, Cambridge. 
—Reverend Dr. Archdall, Master of Emmanuel Coll. Cambridge.— 
Reverend Dr. Tatham, Master of St. John’s Coll. Cambridge.—Reverend 
Dr. Symons, Warden of Wadham Coll. Oxford.—Reverend Dr. Fox, 
Provost of Queen’s Coll. Oxford.—Reverend Dr. Cotton, Provost of 
Worcester Coll. Oxford.—Reverend Dr. Jeune, Master of Pembroke Coll. 
Oxford.—Reverend Dr. Thackeray, Provost of King’s Coll. Cambridge. 
—Reverend Dr. Ainslie, Master of Pembroke Hall, Cambridge.—Reverend 
Dr. French, Master of Jesus Coll. Cambridge.—Dr. King, President 
of Queens’ Coll. Cambridge.—Reverend Dr. Webb, Master of Clare 
Hall, Cambridge.—Reverend Dr. Cramer, Principal of New Inn Hall, 
Oxford.—Reverend E. Cardwell, Principal of St. Alban’s Hall, Oxford. 


The Reverend Dr. Sadleir, Provost of Trinity Coll. Dublin.—The Venerable 
Archdeacon Thorp, Warden of the University of Durham.—The Very 
Reverend Dr. Lee, Principal of the University of Edinburgh.—Reverend 
J. Wheeler, President of the University of Vermont, U.S.—Reverend Dr. 
Hawtrey.—Reverend Dr. Williamson, late Head Master of Westminster 
School.—Reverend Dr. Tait, Head Master of Rugby School, &c., &c. 


LiIBRARIES.—The Royal Library, Berlin.—Balliol Coll. Oxford.—Gonville and 
Caius, Pembroke, and Queens’ Coll. Cambridge.—Wadham, and Worcester 
Coll. Oxford.—Trinity Coll. Dublin.—University of Edinburgh.—King’s 
Coll. London.—Advocates’ Library, and Library of the Writers to the 
Signet, Edinburgh.—St. Bees’ Coll.—Cathedrals of Chester and Cashel.— 
The London Institution.—The London Library.—The Chetham Library, 
Manchester ; and many other Collegiate, Public, and School Libraries, &c. 








THE COUNCIL AND OFFICERS. vi 


THE COUNCIL AND OFFICERS FOR 1849-50. 


President. 
Tue Ricgut HonovuraBie Lorp Asutey, M.P., L.L.D., &c. 


Treasurer. 
Srr Watter R. Farquuar, Bart. 


Council. 

Rev. R. G. Baxer.—Reyv. C. Benson, Canon of Worcester.—Rev. E. 
BIcKERSTETH.—JOHN Briperes, Esa.—Joun Brucr, Esq.—Rev. Guy Bryan.— 
Rev. RicnarRp BurGess.—Rev. T. Townson Cnaurton, Fellow of Brasenose 
College, Oxford.—Hon. Wittiam Cowrer.—Rerv. W. Haywarp Cox, Oxford.— 
Rev. J. W. Cunninguam.—Revy. THomas Date, Canon Residentiary of St. Paul’s. 
—Rev. W. Goopr.—Rev. Joan Harpinc.—Rey. T. H. Horne, Canon of St. 
Paul’s.\—JosEpH Hoare, Esq.—Rev. J. Jackson.—Hon. Artuur KINNAIRD.— 
Rey. Dr. Oxprivant, Regius Professor of Divinity in the University of Cambridge.— 
Henry Pownatr, Esq.—Rev. Jostan Pratr.—Rev. M. M. Preston.—Rev. Dr. 
Rosinson.—ReEv. DanrEL WiLson. 


General Secretary and Librarian. 
Rey. Joun AYRE. 


Editorial Secretary. 
Rey. JaMES SCHOLEFIELD, Regius Professor of Greek in the University of Cambridge. 


Secretary for General Business. , 
Wittiam Tuomas, Esq., at the Office of the Parker Society, 33, Southampton Street, 
Strand, London. 


Auditors. 
Hon, A. Kinnarrp, Rey. R. E. Hankinson, H. Pownatt, Esq., and F. ΤΟΤΕ. Esa 


Bankers. 
Messrs. Herries, Farquyar, and Co., No. 16, St. James’s Street. 





ww 


REGULATIONS FOR DELIVERY OF THE BOOKS PUBLISHED 
BY THE SOCIETY. 


I. They will be delivered, free of expense, at the Oniee, or within three miles of the 
General Post Office, London. 

II, They will be sent to any place in England beyond the distance of three miles from 
the General Post Office, by any conveyance a member may point out. In this 
case the parcels will be booked at the expense of the Soeiety, but the carriage 
must be paid by the members to whom they are sent. 

ITI. They will be delivered, free of expense, at any place in London which a member 
resident in the country may name. 

IV. They may remain at the office of the Society until the members apply for them ; 
but in that case, the Society will not be responsible for any damage which may 
happen from fire, or other accident. 

Vv. They will be sent to any of the Correspondents, or Agents of the Society, each 
member paying the Correspondent or Agent a share of the carriage of the parcel 
in which the books were included. Arrangements are made for the delivery on 
this plan, in many of the cities and large towns where a sufficient number of 
members reside; and it will be esteemed a favour if gentlemen who are willing to 
further the objects of the Parker Society, by taking charge of the books for the 
members in their respective neighbourhoods, will write to the Office on the subject. 

VI. ‘They will be delivered in Edinburgh and Dublin as in London, and forwarded 
from thence to members in other parts of Scotland and Ireland, in the same 
manner as is mentioned above with respect to England. 





IW PLP PLD IPP PDI men 


For 1841. 


For 1842. 


ee 


For 1844. For 1843. 


For 1845. 


For 1847. For 1846. 


For 1848. 


A List of the Works 


ALREADY PUBLISHED BY THE PARKER SOCIETY. 





The Works of Bishop Ridley. 
The Sermons and other Pieces of Archbishop Sandys. 
The Works of Bishop Pilkington. 
The Works of Roger Hutchinson. 
The Examinations and Writings of Archdeacon Philpot. 
Christian Prayers and Meditations. 
Letters of Bishop Jewel, and others, translated from the Originals i in the Archives 
of Zurich (1st Series). 
The Writings of Archbishop Grindal. 
Early Writings of the Rev. T. Becon, Chaplain to Archbishop Cranmer, and 
Prebendary of Canterbury. 


Fulke’s Defence of the English Translation of the Bible. 
Early Writings of Bishop Hooper. 
Writings of Archbishop Cranmer on the Lord’s Supper. 
The Catechism and other pieces of Becon. 
The Liturgies, Primer, and Catechism of the Reign of Edward VI. 
Writings of Bishop Coverdale. 
Sermons of Bishop Latimer. 
The Flower of Godly Prayers, and other pieces of Becon. 


Remains of Bishop Latimer. 
Writings of Bishop Jewel. 
Devotional Poetry of the Reign of Queen Elizabeth. 


Second Series of Letters from the Archives of Zurich. 
Remaining Pertion of Bishop Coverdale’s Writings. 
Original Letters relative to the Reformation. 
Remains of Archbishop Cranmer. 
Calfhill’s Answer to Martiall’s Treatise on the Cross. 

A further Portion of Bishop Jewel’s Works, including the latter part of his Answer 

to Harding, his Exposition on the Epistles to the Thessalonians, and other Pieces. 
Liturgies and Occasional Services of the Reign of Queen Elizabeth. 
The concluding Portion of the Original Letters relative to the Reformation, 
Norden’s Progress of Piety. 


A third Portion of Bishop Jewel’s Works, containing his Apology and the Ist part 
of the Defence. 

A Volume of Bradford. 

A Volume of Tyndale. 

Fulke’s Answer to Martiall and Stapleton. 


The Books preparing for 1849, are :— 


Whitaker’s Disputation on Holy Scripture. 
Bullinger’s Sermons. 

Bishop Bale’s Select Writings. 

Tyndale, 2nd Portion. 








DATE DUE 





APR 1 4 1978 
























































CAT. NO. 1137 























wie Ὰ 






















































































at at 
aia 





































































































































































































esky MeN y er eRe 
CL Lat amen tater 
ah 




























































































, nego 
EBA ee 


pepht τ beter tied Serer atten aed ee ae 














ors: Ne ome pat Ae κα, Sl a et I 
aang eta τ “ deanna 
τὰ μι τ nettle ἀράν pa 
iw ᾿ ne gem 2 












































PLE Plat A Ama, ecto ιπ τ Z 4 Ὁ . past te 
i Tap Raf PsP Ah LR i Nala 9 en ar Ἶ Sikes E ‘oe a : 
iene emery: ν δα ere Ns es homes eaten Rien. τανε 
τ Ys av hes τῇ y 
wayne tr ᾿ ig re aoe 
ξ τῷ δαὶ ? ἀμ Ἢ notes hes 


“Men an OEE ΟΝ 
yn rectal Tae 


τ ὌΝ Sag 
Top Pern taal Pereira Tan Bi