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BULLINGER’S DECADES.
The Parker Soctety.
Qustituteds AD. M.DEOCC.ND.
——
Sezer
Hor the Publication of the Corks of the srathers
and Garlp Giriters of the Reformed
English Church,
THE DECADES
OF
HENRY BbUELEING Eh
MINISTER OF THE CHURCH OF ZURICH.
TRANSLATED BY H. I.
THE FOURTH DECADE.
EDITED FOR
Che Parker Soctety,
ΒΥ TEE
REV. THOMAS HARDING, A.M.,
OF WORCESTER COLLEGE, OXFORD, AND VICAR OF BEXLEY, IN KENT.
CAMBRIDGE:
PRINTED AT
ee UN RSE ye oP Ros:
M.DCCC.LI.
CONTENTS:
ADDENDA and Errata
Tur Fourtn Decape.
The First Sermon
The Second Sermon
Dedication to Edward VI. .
The Third Sermon .
The Fourth Sermon
The Fifth Sermon
The Sixth Sermon
The Seventh Sermon
The Eighth Sermon
The Ninth Sermon .
The Tenth Sermon
ADDENDA.
Page 229, line 23. See Bullinger de Orig. Error, Lib. 1. cap. 5. fol. 22. Tigur.
1539.
245, — 37. Owe: own, possess. Shakspeare. Twelfth Night. A.1. Sc. 6.
Ourselves we do not owe.
ERRATA.
Page 73, note 9,2 6 <cahove” read Vol. II.
102, 32:5
185, — 5, for ‘‘ spinosa”’ read spinose.
196, line 33, read, representation or likeness.
209, note 1, for ““ 133” read “132.”
223, line 5, place a comma at obedient.
ae = mg for *‘anime”’ read anime.
304, — 9, place a comma after cwriously.
318, note 1, for “ note 2”’ read nofée 1.
348, dele “‘ note 4”’ and substitute [4 See above, page 329, and Hutchinson’s
Works, ed. Parker Soc. p. 134.]
353, — ‘note 3.”
ὙΠ
ae
oA
i.
ἘΠ
ree
hs
THE
FOURTH DECADE OF SERMONS,
WRITTEN BY
HENRY BULLINGER.
OF THE GOSPEL OF THE GRACE OF GOD, WHO HATH
GIVEN HIS SON UNTO THE WORLD, AND IN
HIM ALL THINGS NECESSARY TO SAL-
VATION}, THAT WE, BELIEVING
IN HIM, MIGHT OBTAIN
ETERNAL LIFE.
THE FIRST SERMON.
AFTER the exposition of the law, and those points of
doctrine that depend upon the law?, I think it best now to
come to the handling of the gospel, which in the exposition
of the law and other places else hath been mentioned often-
times. Now therefore, dearly beloved, as I have been hi-
therto helped with your prayers to God, so here again 1
request your earnest supplications? with me to the Father,
that I by his holy Spirit may speak the truth to your edifi-
cation* in this present argument.
Evangelium is a Greek word; but is received of the rvangetium,
Latins and Germans, and at this day used as a word of their pees:
own. It is compounded of ev, which signifieth good, and
ἀγγέλλω, to tell tidings. For Evangelium signifieth the
telling of good tidings, or happy news: as is wont to be
blown abroad, when, the enemies being put to foil, we raise
the siege of any city, or obtain some notable victory over
our foes. The word is attributed to any joyful and lucky
news concerning any matter luckily accomplished.
[4 verse salutis omnia, Lat.; all things pertaining to true salva-
tion. |
[2 aut legi utcunque adherent, Lat. omitted; or are in some way
connected with the law. ]
[3 Rather, your supplications, and those most earnest. |
[4 with me—edification, the translator’s addition. |
[ BULLINGER, III. |
Tsai. 1xi.
Luke iv.
2 THE FOURTH DECADE. [SERM,
The apostles did willingly use that term; not so much
because the prophets had used it before them!, as for that it
doth wonderfully contain, and doth as it were lay before
our eyes, the manner and work of our salvation accomplished
by Christ, whereunto they have applied the word Evan-
gelium?. The prophet Esay, as Luke interpreteth it, bringeth
in Christ our Lord speaking in this manner: “The Spirit
of the Lord upon me, because he hath anointed me evary-
γελίσασθαι; that is, to preach the gospel hath he sent
me, to heal the broken-hearted, to preach deliverance unto
the captive, and recovering of sight unto the blind, freely
to set at liberty them that are bruised, and to preach the
acceptable year of the Lord.” Lo here, the Saviour of the
world doth in the prophet and the evangelist expound to us
what Evangelium is, and whereunto it tendeth. ‘The Fa-
ther,” saith he, “hath sent me to preach Evangelium, the
gospel, to the poor.” And immediately after, to shew who
those poor should be, he addeth: “which are broken-hearted,
or broken-minded ;” to wit, such as find in themselves no
soundness or health; but, utterly despairing of their own
strength, do wholly depend upon the help of Christ their
cunning and willing physician?, Now the gospel, or good
tidings, which is shewed to the‘ afflicted, is this; that the
Son of God is descended from heaven to heal the sick and
diseased souls. To which also, to make it more evident, he
addeth another cause5, saying, that the Son of God is come
“to preach deliverance unto captives, and the recovering of
sight to the blind,” &c. For all men are held captive in the
bonds of damnation: they do all serve a sorrowful slavery
under their cruel enemy Satan: they are all kept blind in
the darkness of errors; and to them it is that redemption,
deliverance, and the acceptable year® of the Lord, is preached.
Now this joyful tidings is called Evangelium, the gospel.
[1 Bullinger refers to the Hebrew word 4w3, which the LXX.
often render by εὐαγγελίζω. See his Comment. in Matth. fol. 1. Ti-
gur. 1542, whence much also of this definition of the gospel is ex-
tracted. }
[2 whereunto—Evangelium, the translator’s addition. ]
[3 cunning (skilful) and willing, not in Lat. ]
[4 his, Lat.; to these. ] [5 alia, Lat. ; other benefits. ]
[9 verus utique annus jubileus, Lat. |
..4.} OF THE GOSPEL. 3
Therefore the gospel is of all men in a manner after re gosper,
this sort defined: The gospel is a good and a sweet word, το
and an assured testimony of God’s grace to us-ward, exhibited
in Christ unto all believers. Or else: The gospel is the most
evident sentence of the eternal God, brought down from
heaven, absolving all believers from all their sins, and that
too freely, for Christ his sake, with a promise of eternal life.
These definitions are gathered out of the testimonies of the
evangelists and apostles; for St Luke bringeth in the angel
of the Lord speaking to the amazed shepherds, and saying:
“Fear not; for, behold, I bring you good tidings of great
joy, that shall be to all people: for unto you is born this
day in the city of David a Saviour, which is Christ the
Lord.” Lo here, he taketh from the shepherds all manner
of fear with the bringing of good tidings; that is, with the
preaching of health, which is a thing that is full of joy
and always bringeth gladness with it. The tidings are,
that there is born the Saviour of the world, even the Lord
Jesus Christ: he is born; and that too unto and for us; that
is, to the health and salvation of us mortal men. St Paul
saith, that “the gospel was promised afore of God by the [Rom..
prophets in the holy scripture of his Son, which was made’ By
of the seed of David after the flesh ; who hath been declared
to be the Son of God with power, after the Spirit that sanc-
tifieth, by his resurrection from the dead.” And again:
“The gospel is the preaching of Jesus Christ, according to (Rom. xv.
the revelation’, which hath been kept close from before be- ” —
ginnings, but is now made manifest, and by the writings of “
the prophets opened to all nations unto the obedience of faith,
according to the appointment of the eternal God.” And
yet again more briefly he saith: “The gospel is the power [Rom i. 16.)
of God unto salvation to all that do believe;” that is to say,
the gospel is the preaching of God’s power, by which all
they are saved that do believe. But Christ is the power of
God: for he is said to be the arm, the glory, the virtue,
and brightness of the Father. Now Christ bringeth sal-
vation to every one that doth believe: for he is the Saviour
of all. |
Of all this we do now gather this definition of the holy the defini-
gospel: The gospel is the heavenly preaching of God’s grace sospel.
[7 revelationem mysterii, Lat. ]
1—2
That the
gospel is
tidings from
heaven.
[ Heb. i. 1,
2.)
[John i. 18;
iii, 31, 32.)
+ THE FOURTH DECADE. [SERM.
to us-ward, wherein it is declared to all the world, being set
in the wrath and indignation of God, that God the Father
of heaven is pleased in his only-begotten Son, our Lord Christ
Jesus, whom, as he promised of old to the holy fathers, he
hath now in these latter times! exhibited to us, and in him
hath? given us all things belonging to a blessed life and
eternal salvation, as he that for us men was incarnate, dead,
and raised from the dead again, was taken up into heaven,
and is made our only Lord and Saviour, upon condition
that we, acknowledging our sins, do soundly and surely * be-
lieve in him.
This definition, I confess, is somewhat with the longest:
but yet withal I would have you think, that the matter,
which is in this definition described, is itself very large and
ample; which I have therefore in this long definition or
description, with as great light as I could, endeavoured my-
self to make manifest to all men. Wherefore I neither
could nor should have expressed it more briefly. This defi-
nition consisteth of just parts, which being once severally
expounded and throughly opened, every man, I hope, shall
evidently perceive the nature, causes, effects, and whatsoever
else is good to be known, concerning the gospel.
First of all; that the gospel is tidings come from heaven,
and not begun on earth, that doth most of all argue, because
God our heavenly Father did himself first preach that tidings
to our miserable parents after their fall in paradise, pro-
mising his Son, who, being incarnate‘, should crush the ser-
pent’s head. Then again, the apostle Paul doth in express
words say: “God in time past, at sundry times, and in
divers manners, spake unto the fathers by the prophets, and
hath in these last days spoken to us by his Son.” And
John before him is read to have testified, saying: ‘“‘ No man
hath seen God at any time; the only-begotten Son, which
is in the bosom of the Father, he hath declared him.” And
again: ‘‘ He that cometh from on high is above all: he that
is of the earth is earthly, and speaketh of the earth: he that
cometh from heaven is above all. And what he hath seen
[1 now—times, not in Lat. ]
[2 plene, Lat. omitted ; fully. }
[3 modo credamus, Lat.—soundly and surely, not in Lat. |
[4 incarnandus, Lat.; being to be incarnate. ]
I. | OF THE GOSPEL. 5
and heard, that he testifieth.’ To this belongeth, that the
prophets were believed to have prophesied by the inspiration
of the Holy Spirit. Now they did in the holy scriptures
foreshew the gospel: the especial or chief points whereof
. were by angels descending from heaven declared unto men.
For the incarnation of the Son of God is by the archangel
Gabriel told first to the holy virgin, and after that again
to Joseph, the supposed Father of Christ, and tutor® of the
unspotted virgin. The same angel did preach to the shep-
herds the birth of the Son of God. Moreover, to the women
that came to the grave, minding after their country-manner
to anoint the body of the Lord, the angels declared that he
was risen from the dead again. The same angels at the
Lord’s ascension did testify to the apostles, whose eyes were
turned and surely fixed into the clouds, that he was taken
up into heaven, and that from thence he should come again
to judge the quick and the dead. And to all these testimonies
may be added the voice of the eternal Father himself uttered
from heaven upon our Lord and Saviour, saying, ‘This is [Matt δ τὶ
my beloved Son, in whom I am pleased; hear him:” which
testimony of the Father the blessed apostle Peter. doth in
the zeal of the Spirit repeat in the first chapter of his second
epistle. Therefore the preaching of the gospel is a divine
speech, unreprovable, and brought down from heaven : which
whosoever believe, they do believe the word of the eternal
God; and they that believe it not, do despise and reject the
word of God. For it ceaseth not to be the word of God the gospelis
because it is preached by the ministery of men. For of the God,although
it be uttere
apostles we do read that the Lord did say: “It is not ye by the minis
that speak, but the Spirit of my Father which is within you,” (Matt x. 20]
And therefore we read, that they departed not from Hieru-
salem, until they were first instructed from above, and had
received the Holy Ghost. Neither is there any cause why
the word of God should be tied to the apostles only, as
though after the apostles no man did preach the word of
God. For our Lord in St John’s gospel doth plainly say :
“Verily I say unto you, He that receiveth whomsoever I (ohn xit.
send receiveth me; and he that receiveth me receiveth him |
that sent me.” Now our Lord, the high priest and chief
bishop of his catholic church, doth send, not apostles only,
[5 i.e. guardian. |
ae XX.
{ Matt. xviii.
12.2
aury
6 THE FOURTH DECADE. [SERM.
but all them also that are lawfully called and do bring the
word of Christ. Therefore we understand it to be spoken
concerning all the lawful ministers of the church, where the
Lord doth say, “ Whose sins soever ye forgive, they are
forgiven them; and whose sins soever ye retain, they are
retained :” and again, “ Whatsoever thou loosest on earth,
shall be loosed in heaven; and whatsoever thou bindest on
earth, shall be bound in heaven.” For in another place
(Matt. x.15.) the Lord saith: “ Verily I say unto you, It shall be easier
The gospel
preaeheth
grace.
The word,
grace,
for the land of Sodom and Gomorrha in the day of judgment,
than for that city that receiveth you not, and heareth not
your sayings.” Now who knoweth not with how filthy and
horrible sin the men of Sodom did defile themselves; and
that the Lord rained fire, brimstone, and pitch from heaven,
wherewith he burnt up both the city and her inhabitants ?
Who therefore cannot gather thereupon, that rebels and
blasphemers of the gospel of Christ do sin more grievously
than the Sodomites did; and that God, which is a sure re-
venger, will surely plague them for it, either in this life, or
in the world to come, or else in both, with unspeakable
miseries and endless torments? Let us therefore believe
the gospel of the Son of God, first preached to the world by
God the Father, then by the patriarchs, after that of the
prophets, and lastly of the only-begotten Son of God Christ
Jesus, and his apostles; whose heavenly voice doth even at
this day sound to us in the mouths of the ministers, sincerely
preaching the gospel unto us.
Secondarily, we have to consider what it is that the
heavenly preaching of the gospel doth shew unto the world;
to wit, the grace of God our heavenly Father. For the
apostle Paul in the twentieth chapter of the Acts saith,
‘that he received the ministry of the Lord Jesus, to testify
the gospel of the grace of God.” Now therefore I will at
this present say so much of the grace of God as 15 sufficient
for this place.
The word “grace” is diversly used in the holy scrip-
tures, even as it isin profane writings also. For in the Bible
it signifieth thanksgiving, and also a benefit, and alms; as
2 Cor. viii. Moreover, it signifieth praise and recompence, as
in that place where the apostle saith: “If, when ye do well,
ye are afilicted, and yet do bear it; that is praiseworthy
1.7 OF THE GOSPEL. 7
before God!.” It doth also signify faculty or licence; as when
we say, that one hath gotten grace to teach and execute an
office. For the apostle saith that he received grace; and im- [Rom.i. 5.]
mediately, to expound his own meaning, he addeth, to execute
the office of an apostle. Moreover the gifts of God are
called grace, because they are given gratis, and freely be-
stowed without looking for of any recompence. And yet Paul,
in the fifth to the Romans, distinguisheth a gift from grace:
for grace doth signify the favour and good-will of God to-
ward us; but a gift is a thing which God doth give us of that
good-will, such as are faith, constancy, and integrity. They
are said to have found grace with God, whom God doth
dearly love and favour more than other. In that sense Noah
found grace in the eyes of the Lord: Joseph found grace in
the eyes of the lord of the prison: and the holy virgin is read
to have found grace with the Lord, because she was beloved
of God, and very dear unto the Lord, as she whom he had
singularly chosen from among all other women. But in this the grace of
place and present argument “grace” is the favour and itis.
goodness of the eternal Godhead, wherewith he, according to
his incomprehensible goodness, doth gratis, freely, for Christ
his sake embrace, call, justify, and save us mortal men.
Now here methinketh, before we go any further, it is
not amiss to examine and search out the cause of this God’s
love to us exhibited. For we see that there is a certain re-
lation? betwixt the favour of God and us men to whom his
favour is so bent. It is a matter neither hard nor tedious to
be found out. For in us there is nothing wherewith God can the cause of
be in love, or wherewithal he may be moved or stirred up to esi
embrace us: yea, insomuch as we are all unpure® sinners, and
that God is holy, just, and a revenger of iniquities, he hath
matter enough to find in us, for which he may be angry at
and with just revengement plague us. So then the cause of
God’s love to us-wards must of necessity be not in us, nor in
any other thing beside God (considering that nothing is more
excellent than man), but even in God himself*, Moréover the
most true scripture doth teach us, that God is of his own in-
clination naturally good, gentle, and, as Paul calleth him, phil- critusiii. 4.3
[1 gratia apud Deum, Lat.; 1 Pet. ii. 20. Auth. Marg. thank. ]
[2 correlationem, Lat. ] [3 impurissimi, Lat. ]
[4 ejusque natura, Lat. omitted; and in his nature. |
8 THE FOURTH DECADE. [SERM.
anthropon, a lover of us men, who hath sent his own! Son, of
his own nature, into the world for our redemption: whereupon
it doth consequently follow, that God doth freely, of himself
and for his Son’s sake, love man, and not for any other cause.
Whereby immediately all the preparaments, incitaments, and
merits of men, being dissolved by the fire of God’s great love,
do vade and pass away like smoke. For the grace of God is
altogether free; and unless it be so, I cannot see how it can
be called grace. But it behoveth us in a thing so weighty
to cite some evident testimonies of the holy scripture, to con-
firm our minds withal against all sophistical trifles and temp-
[Joho il tations of the devil. Our Lord in the gospel said: “So God
loved the world, that he gave his only-begotten Son for the
world, that every one which believe in him should not perish,
but have life everlasting.” Lo here, this good-will of God,
which is the favour and love wherewith God embraceth us, is
the cause of our salvation. For Christ, having suffered for us,
is our salvation. Now God? of very love hath given Christ
both to us, and for us*. Neither may we think, that God was
first moved by our love to him-ward to shew like mutual love
to us again, and to give his Son for us; for he had deter-
mined, before the beginning of the world, to work our redemp-
tion through Christ his Son. And John the Evangelist in his
[}jemn iv. canonical epistle saith: “Herein is love, not that we loved
God, but that he loved us, and sent his Son to be an atone-
ment for our sins.”
To these testimonies, although sufficiently plain and strong
enough, I will yet add some proofs out of the apostle Paul ;
that so this argument may be more evident, and that the
great agreement may appear which is betwixt evangelists
and apostles in this doctrine of grace‘. Paul therefore saith®:
Rom. - All have sinned, and stand in need of ® the glory of God;
but are justified freely by his grace, through the redemption
that is in Christ Jesu.” Again to the Ephesians he saith :
“Ye are saved through grace by faith, and that not of your-
selves, it is the gift of God: not of works, lest any man
(1 unicum, Lat. ; only.]
[2 Pater Deus, Lat.; God the Father. ]
[3 and for us, not in Lat. | [4 totius doctrine, Lat. |
[5 ad Romanos, Lat. omitted. |
[6 destituuntur, Lat. and Erasmus. |
1] OF THE GOSPEL. 9
should boast’.” Again to Titus: “The grace and love of
God our Saviour towards all men hath appeared, not of the
works of our own righteousness which we did, but according
to his mercy hath he saved us®.” Likewise,'in the second
Epistle to Timothy, the first chapter, he saith: ‘ God hath |
saved us, and hath called us with an holy calling, not accord-
ing to our works, but according to his own purpose and
grace, which was given us in Christ Jesus®.” I think, verily,
that if a man had been set of purpose to have feigned any-
thing for the defence of this matter, he could not have
framed any sentence so fit and evident as these words are.
So now it is manifest, that the grace of God is altogether
free, as that which excludeth all our works and merits; and aie
this free love of God is the only cause and true ΠΕΣ
of the gospel: for which cause Paul calleth the gospel the
, preaching of grace.
But now, although the grace of God doth not depend the working
upon us or our works’, yet doth it not idly abide in God, as grace.
if it were utterly without us and altogether far from us, as
the thing that is neither felt nor yet worketh in us. For
we understood by the cited testimonies, that grace is the
favour of God wherewith he loveth us men; we understood
that men are saved by grace: for since God loveth men,
he would not have them perish; and therefore he hath
through grace sent his Son to deliver them from destruction,
and that in him the justice and mercy of God might be known
to all the world. But none are delivered save those that
believe; therefore grace hath somewhat whereby to work in
man!!; for by the pouring of the Holy Ghost into our
hearts, the understanding and will are instructed in the faith.
To be short, grace (as I have already told you) doth call,
justify, save, or glorify the faithful: so that we must make
our account, that the whole work of our salvation and all
the virtues of the godly do proceed of the only grace of
God alone, whose working we do at all times acknowledge
[7 Eph. ii. 8. 9, gratia per fidem, Lat. |
[8 Titus iii. 4. 5, erga homines, Lat.]
[9 per Christum, Lat. and Erasmus. ]
10 or our works, not in Lat. |
[11 Rather, therefore again grace hath something to work in man. |
(12 in finitione, Lat. omitted ; in the definition. ]
10 THE FOURTH DECADE. [SERM.
and confess!. And that is again proved both by divine and
oe human testimonies. Paul to the Romans saith: “ Those
which he knew before, he also did predestinate: and those
which he did predestinate, he also called: and those whom
he called, he also justified: and those whom he justified, he
also glorified. What shall we then say to these things ?
If God be on our side, who can be against us? Which
spared not his own Son, but gave him for 5, how shall he
not with him also give us all things?” Again, in the first
chapter of his Epistle to the Ephesians, he hath referred the
whole work of election and salvation, with all the parts
thereof, unto the grace of God. Moreover, the holy fathers
in the council Mileventanum, among whom also St Augustine
was present, made this decree touching the grace of God:
“Tf any man say, that mercy is without the grace of God
bestowed from above upon us, believing, willing, desiring, ,
endeavouring, studying, asking, seeking, and striving, (as of
ourselves ;) doth not confess, that even to believe, to will,
and to be able to do all these things as we should do, is
wrought by the pouring in and inspiration of the Holy
Ghost; if he join the humility or obedience of man as an
help unto grace*; and if he doth not consent that it 1s the
very gift of grace, even that we are humble and obedient ;
he is directly contrary to the apostle, who saith, ‘ For what
hast thou that thou hast not received?’ and, ‘By the
grace of God I am that I am‘*’” Thus much say they.
Now these divine and human testimonies being throughly
[1 ubique, Lat.; throughout. | [2 pro nobis omnibus, Lat. |
[3 More correctly, and maketh the help of grace to follow after
either man’s humility or obedience.-—Beveridge on the Thirty-Nine
Articles, Vol. 1. p. 383. Oxf. 1840. |
(4 There is a mistake in the reference: the following is the canon
meant: Si quis sine gratia Dei credentibus, volentibus, conantibus, la-
borantibus, vigilantibus, studentibus, petentibus, queerentibus, pulsan-
tibus nobis misericordiam dicit conferri divinitus; non autem ut
credamus, velimus, vel hec omnia sicut oportet agere valeamus per
infusionem Spiritus Sancti in nobis fieri confitetur ; et aut humilitati
aut obedientix humane subjungit gratiz adjutorium, nec ut obedientes
et humiles simus ipsius gratiee donum esse consentit ; resistit apostolo
dicenti, Quid habes quod non accepisti? et, Gratia Dei sum id quod sum.
—Concil. Arausic. τι. can. 6. Concil. Labb. et Cossart. Tom. Iv. col.
1668. Par. 1671. This second council of Orange was held a.D. 529.
Augustine was dead long before. |
1.7 OF THE GOSPEL. pS ἢ
considered, there is none, I hope, which may not understand
that the grace of God is the same that I told you; to wit,
the favour and good-will of the eternal Godhead, wherewith
he according to his incomprehensible goodness doth embrace,
call, justify, and save men freely for Christ his sake, our
Lord and Saviour.
The blessed man Aurelius Augustine had a sharp conflict The contro-
versy betwixt
with Pelagius the Briton concerning the grace of God. For Avsysine
Pelagius
the heretic did by grace understand nothing but the benefit touching the
of the creation; which as Augustine denied not to be grace,
so did he vehemently urge that the apostle® did especially
speak of that free grace, whereby, without any merit of ours,
we are freely saved for Christ his sake. This did he urge there-
fore the more earnestly, because he saw that® the heretic
affirmed that his own human nature was sufficient unto him’,
not to do only, but also to do perfectly, the commandments
of God by free-will. But of these matters St Augustine
doth very largely and religiously dispute in his ninety-fifth
Epistle, Ad Innocentium®.
Many of the late writers, for teaching’s sake, have di-
vided grace into grace that doth things acceptable, and grace 1. Gratia
gratum
that is gratis or freely given: again, they have divided it into fnciens.
working grace, and joint-working grace: finally, they part "Gratia”
operans, et
it into grace that goeth before, and grace that followeth after. gratia eo
And the very same writers also reckon up the operations 4. Gratia
preveniens,
or effects of grace after this manner almost: grace healeth et gratia
subsequens.
[5 Apostolos, Lat.; the apostles. |
[6 Pelagium, Lat. cadets
[7 Rather, that human nature was sufficient unto itself. ]
[8 Aurelius aliique episcopi, inter quos Augustinus, Innocentio
Papx, de Pelagio quem audierant jam ad presbyterii gradum evec-
tum.—Aug. Ep. 95. (in the Benedictine Edition, 177.) Op. Par. 1531.
Vol. 11. fol. 83. col. 2. In the course of this epistle it is charged
against Pelagius,—illum dicere gratiam, quam etiam cum impiis ha-
bemus, cum quibus homines sumus; negare vero eam qua Christiani
et filii Dei sumus:—and it is replied,—Etsi enim quadam non im-
probanda ratione dicitur gratia Dei, qua creati sumus....quia non
preecedentium aliquorum operum meritis, sed gratuita Dei bonitate
donata est; alia est tamen qua preedestinati vocamur, justificamur,
glorificamur. It is also stated that Pelagius affirmed,—non solum
ad facienda, verum etiam ad perficienda mandata divina per liberum
arbitrium humanam sibi sufficere naturam,—as here alleged by Bul-
linger. |
12 THE FOURTH DECADE. [SERM.
the soul, and maketh it first to will well, and then to work
effectually the thing that it willeth: so it causeth it to per-
severe in goodness, and at length to come to eternal glory.
But I am not so careful to reckon up the sentences of
writers, to shew you every one’s several opinion, (which both
were an excessive labour, and also more than my ability is
to do); as I am willing to cite the places of scripture (which
is the one and only rule how to think, and how to judge
rightly), to shew you thereby what the scripture would have
you think : as I have in my former treatise, Of the grace of
God, both briefly and evidently enough, I hope, declared unto
you. And also the discourse of Christ!, which followeth
hereafter, (through whom the Father hath poured the most
excellent and heavenly grace into us,) shall help to make up
that which seemeth to be wanting here.
Weare But now, before I depart from this argument, I thought
grace. good to admonish you, that the sentences of God’s word do
not jar among themselves, when we do in sundry places read
and hear, first, that we are saved freely or by the grace of
God; then, that we are saved by the love of God; thirdly,
that we are saved through the mercy of God; fourthly, that
we are saved through Christ; fifthly, that we are saved
through the blood, or death, or incarnation of Christ; and
lastly, that we are saved through faith in Christ, or in the
mercy or grace of God. For all these speeches tend to one
and the same end, and do ascribe the whole glory and cause
of man’s salvation unto the very mercy or grace of God.
The pledge of grace, yea, and our only Saviour, is the only-
begotten Son of God betrayed unto death. Sincere faith
layeth hold on mere grace in Christ, and nothing else.
God exhibit- Now therefore, having thus expounded according to my
foun small ability that which I had to speak in general of the
' grace of God, I do here descend to handle that singular or
particular work of God’s grace, which is nothing else but
that the merciful Father hath exhibited to us his Son in that
manner and order as he promised him to us in the old pro-
phets, and that in him he hath fully given us all things
requisite to eternal life? and absolute felicity ; because he is
the Lord and Messiah, or only and true Saviour, which was
[1 disputatio de Christo, Lat. }
[2 salutis, Lat. |
ma OF THE GOSPEL. 13
incarnate, dead, raised to life, and taken up into heaven
for us and our salvation. For Christ is both king and high
priest, that is, our Saviour; he is the mark, the star, and
very sun-light of the preaching of the gospel. Now in ex-
pounding these things particularly I will use this course and
order. First of all, I will out of the law and the prophets
recite unto you some evident promises of Christ® made by God
unto the church; which shall be those especially that the
apostles themselves have already touched and expounded.
Secondly, I will prove unto you that God hath now per-
formed that which he promised so long ago; to wit, that he
hath already exhibited to us his only-begotten Son; and that
he is that true and so long-looked-for Lord and Messiah, which
should come to save the world. Lastly, I will shew you how that
in this Son the Father is pleased and reconciled to the world
again: in whom also he hath fully given us all things requisite
to eternal life and absolute felicity. For he for us and for
our salvation was incarnate, dead, raised to life again, and
taken up into heaven, there to be a Mediator for ever and
advocate unto his Father*. And in these points do lie
the lively veins of the gospel, which flow with wholesome
waters unto eternal life; for in them doth consist the sound
consolation of the faithful, and the enduring tranquillity of a
quiet conscience : without them there is no life or quiet rest.
The promises made by God concerning Christ, which are The promises
uttered in the holy scriptures, are threefold, or of three sorts: Christ ot
I therefore, to make them the plainer unto you, do divide the
promises of one and the same sort according to the times.
The first promises were made to the patriarchs or ancient
fathers before the giving of the law: and these again consist
of two sorts; for one sort of them are plain, uttered evi-
dently in simple words, without all types and figurative
shadows; the other sort are figurative and couched under
types.
The first and most evident promise of all was made by the The firs
very mouth of God unto our first parents, Adam and Evah, ee
being oppressed with death, calamities, and the horrible fear δὰ tidings.
of God’s revenging hand for their transgression; which pro-
[3 eximias promissiones de Christo, Lat. |
[4 there to be—Father, not in the original. ]
[5 of God’s—transgression, not in Lat.]
Ete Xxii.
161
[Gen. xxii.
18.)
14 THE FOURTH DECADE. [ SERM.
mise is, as it were, the pillar and base of all christian religion,
whereupon the preaching of the gospel is altogether founded,
and out of which all the other promises in a manner are
derived. That promise is contained in these words of the
Lord: “1 will put enmity betwixt thee” (meaning the ser-
pent, the devil, I say, in the serpent)! “and the woman?, and
betwixt thy seed and her seed; and it shall tread down thy
head, and thou shalt tread upon his heel.” God in these
words promiseth seed; the seed, I say, not of man, but of
woman; and that too, of the most excellent woman, to wit,
that most holy virgin Mary, the woman that was blessed
among all other women. For she conceived, not by any man,
but by the Holy Ghost; and, being a virgin still, was de-
livered of Christ our Lord: who by dying and rising again
did not only vex or wound, but also crush and tread down,
the head, that is, the kingdom of Satan, to wit, sin, death,
and damnation; taking away and making utterly void all the
power and tyranny of that our enemy and deceiver. In the
meanwhile Satan trod on Christ his heel; that is to say, he,
by his members Caiphas, Pontius Pilate, the Jews and Gentiles,
did with exquisite torments and death vex and kill the flesh,
which was in Christ the lowest part, even as the heel is to the
body*. For the Lord in the Psalms saith: “1 am a worm,
and no man. They have brought my life into the dust.”
But he rose again from the dead. For had he not risen
again, he had not trodden down the serpent’s head. But
now, by his rising, he is become the Saviour of all that do
believe in him. Out of this promise is derived that singular
and notorious one, which the angel of the Lord reciteth unto
our father Abraham in these words following: “In thy seed
shall all the nations of the world be blessed.” But Paul, in
(Gal. iii. 16.] his epistle to the Galatians, doth in express words declare, that
that blessed seed is ours‘, which was promised to Abraham.
Now our Lord is called by the name of seed because of the
first promise made to Adam and Evah, and because he was for
us incarnate and made very man. Neither is this promise re-
[1 in the serpent, not in Lat. ]
(2 et inter illam mulierem, Lat. ]
[3 even as—body, not in Lat.]
(4 Christum illud esse semen benedictum, Lat.; that that blessed
seed is Christ. }
I. | OF THE GOSPEL. 15
pugnant to the first: for although Christ our Lord be here
called the seed, or son, of Abraham; yet is he no other way
referred unto Abraham than by the virgin, which was the
daughter of Abraham and mother of Christ. Now what good
doth the son of Abraham to us by his incarnation? Forsooth,
he blesseth us. But a blessing is the contrary unto a curse.
Therefore what cause®> soever we drew from the sin of Adam,
that doth Christ heal in us, and bless us with all spiritual
blessing. Neither doth he bestow this benefit upon a few
alone, but upon all the nations of the world that do believe in
him.
The patriarch Jacob, being inspired with the Holy Ghost,
foretold the chances that should betide his children®; and at
length when he came to Juda among the rest, he saith:
“The sceptre shall not depart from Juda, and a law-giver? (Gen. xlix.
from between his feet, till Schilo come; and unto him shall
the gathering of the people be.” Lo here, in these words
the Messiah is not only promised, but the very time also
is prescribed, when he should be incarnate, with a declaration
both what and how far forth he should be. The kingdom,
saith he, shall remain under Juda until the coming of the
Saviour®: and albeit that the tribe of Juda shall not always
have kings to govern them, yet shall it not lack nobles,
captains, lawgivers, learned men and sages, to rule the people.
And therefore the evangelical history doth faithfully witness,
that Christ came at that time when all power, authority, and
rule was translated to the Romans, unto whose emperor, Octa-
vius Augustus, the Jews were enforced to pay taxes and tribute.
Now Schilo signifieth felicity, or the author of felicity; it
signifieth plenty, store, and abundance of all excellent things.
For Christ is the treasury of all good things. And the
Chaldee interpreter, where he findeth Schilo, translateth it
Christ. Finally, to him, as to their Saviour, shall all people
be gathered: as the prophets did afterward most plainly
declare, Esay in the second, and Micheas in the fourth chap-
ters of their books or prophecies.
Furthermore, the types and figures of Christ are Noah
[5 A misprint in all the editions for curse: quicquid maledictionis,
Lat. |
[6 et res futuras, Lat. omitted; and things to come. |
[7 vel scriba, Lat. omitted; or a scribe. | [8 Christi, Lat. ]
1-Pet: i:
16 THE FOURTH DECADE. [SERM.
preserved in the ark; for in Christ are the faithful saved ;
as St Peter testifieth, 1 Pet. iii. Abraham offereth up Isaac,
his only-begotten son, upon the top of the same mountain
where many years after the only-begotten Son of God was
offered upon the cross!. Joseph is by his brethren sold to the
heathen, he is cast in prison; but being delivered he doth
become their Saviour, and is of all the people called the pre-
server of the Egyptian kingdom. In all these things was
Christ our Lord prefigured.
The later promises also are of two sorts ; either openly un-
covered, or hidden as it were under a veil or figure. They are
contained in the law and the prophets even till the time of the
captivity of Babylon. The blessed apostle Peter doth in the
third chapter of the Acts cite the prophecy of Moses touching
the coming of the greatest of all prophets. The prefigured
promises? of Christ are the sacrifices, which Paul in his epistle
to the Hebrews doth in a wonderful summary shortly declare.
The same Paul, in the fifth of the first to the Corinthians,
applieth the paschal lamb to Jesus Christ. The like doth
Peter in his first epistle*, Again, the stony rock that was
(1 cor. x. 4.) Struck, and gushed out with water*, St Paul calleth Christ.
john Citi, 14, And Christ himself in the gospel after St John doth say, that
Luke [xxiv.
44.]
he was prefigured in the brasen serpent, which was lift up in
the desert: the mystery whereof I have in another place
more fully declared’, Many more there are like unto these ;
a good part whereof I have already touched, when I had
occasion to treat of the ceremonies and their signification® ;
where he that listeth may read of it at large.
The unfigured and uncovered promises are almost without
number in the Psalms and the prophets. Yea, the Lord him-
self in the gospel after St Luke doth testify, that the descrip-
tion of all his office and business is at large contained in the
law, the prophets, and the Psalms. And when St Peter had
preached the gospel, wherein he promised both Christ and the
full remission of sins to all that believed, he did immediately
[1 See Vol. 1. page 151.]
(2 Rather, the promises in a figure. | (3 in I. capite, Lat. }
[4 Rather, and the water that flowed out. Cf. Bullinger, Comment.
in loc. cit. |
[5 See Vol. 1. p. 339; also, The Old Faith, p. 44.]
[6 See Decade III. Serm. 6.]
1. | OF THE GOSPEL, 17
add: “All the prophets also from Samuel and these that (Actsiii. 24.)
followed in order, as many as have spoken, have likewise
told you of these days.” David verily, in the second, twenty-
second, and hundred and tenth Psalms, hath notably set down
the two natures of Christ, his Godhead and his manhood.
Again, he hath laid before all men’s eyes’ his wholesome®
preaching, his eternal priesthood, his everlasting redemption,
and most bitter® death and passion’, What shall I say of
the prophet Esay ? who was, by no small doctor of the church
of Christ, very worthily called an evangelist! rather than a
prophet: as if he had written a story of things already past
and done by Christ, and not of things that should be done:
so truly did he foretell the state of Christ!2._ Now he maketh!s
Christ to be very God and very man, born after the flesh of
the unspotted virgin; who had to preach the word of life,
like a good shepherd to feed his fearful sheep, to be the light
of the Gentiles unto the utmost parts of the earth, to give
sight to the blind, to heal the lame and diseased; to be be-
trayed by his own, to be spit upon, to be smitten, to be hanged
betwixt thieves, to be offered up a sacrifice for sin, and finally
to make intercession for transgressors, that he himself being
just might justify all that believe in his name. Read Esay,
seventh, eighth, ninth, eleventh, twenty-eighth, fortieth, forty-
ninth, fiftieth, and fifty-third chapters; and also all the last
chapters of all his prophecy, wherein he doth most fully
describe the church or congregation of Christ Immanuel.
Jonas bare the most manifest type of the Lord’s sharp death
and joyful resurrection’, Micheas also doth name Bethlehem (mic. v. 2.)
to be the place wherein Messiah should be born, whose begin-
ning, to wit, of his divine nature, he doth refer to be before
all beginnings!*, He doth also foretell that the preaching of (Mic. iv. 2]
the gospel should from out of Hierusalem be sown abroad
[7 tantum non inspectanda, Lat.; almost so as to be seen. |
[8 salutarem, Lat. |
[9 per mortem, Lat.; through a most bitter death. ]
[10 See The Old Faith, p. 53, &c.]
[11 Augustine. Sce Vol. 1. p. 51.]
[12 so—of Christ, not in Lat. |
[13 proponit, Lat. ]
[44 Immanuel, an addition of the translator’s. |
[15 The epithets are the translator’s. }
[16 refert ad eternitatem, Lat. |
[ BULLINGER, III. |
Cy er. Xxiii,
.
Deus verus
et essentialis.
[Isai. vii. 14.]
[Isai. xxxi.
33, 34.]
Joel [1]. 28—
32.]
John [x.]}
Dan ix:
18 THE FOURTH DECADE. [SERM.
through all the compass of the world. Jeremy saith, that
God would raise up to David a true seed or branch, that 1s,
the looked-for Messiah; and in that prophecy he alluded to
the law concerning the raising up of seed to the deceased
brother. For the virgin, conceiving by the Holy Ghost,
brought forth a Son, whose name is Jehovah, being very
God in very deed, whom Esay calleth Immanuel, and is the
true righteousness of all that do believe in him; for by Christ
are the faithful justified. For the same prophet’ in the
thirty-first chapter doth promise in Christ full or absolute
remission of sins and abundant grace of the Holy Ghost:
which thing Joel also did not conceal. Thus out of many
testimonies I have picked out only these few in number;
for the whole books of the prophets are occupied in the
description of Christ and his offices.
The last promises concerning Christ were by God revealed
to the prophets, and by them declared to the church of God,
even in the very time of the captivity at Babylon, or else
immediately upon their return to Hierusalem®. Ezechiel pro-
phesieth of the shepherd David, and of the sheep receiving
that shepherd: which prophecies the Lord doth in St John’s
gospel expound of himself. The same prophet treateth very
much of grace and frank and full remission of sins through
the Saviour Christ, especially in the thirty-fourth, thirty-sixth
and thirty-seventh chapters of his prophecy. Daniel, verily,
hath visions and many dreams; but in them he doth so set
Christ out unto us, that it is unpossible to have him more
better, more evidently and excellently described. In his
second chapter he teacheth us of his eternal kingdom, and tell-
eth us that Christ should come under the Roman monarchy, at
what time the Roman princes, being by affinity allied together,
should mutually in battle destroy one another: which was
fulfilled when Pompey and Julius Cesar, Antony and Octavius
Augustus, maintained civil war°. Moreover, Daniel’s weeks4
are unknown to no man, wherein he doth as it were with his
finger point® at Christ, the coming® of Christ, and the reproba-
tion of the Jews because of their disloyalty and unbelief.
[1 iterum, Lat. ; again. ]
{2 mox post captivitatem, is Bullinger’s Lat. ]
[3 imperitantibus, Lat. ] [4 in 9 cap. Lat. ]
[5 toti mundo, Lat.; to all the world. ] [6 tempora, Lat. |
I. | OF THE GOSPEL. 19
Haggee‘the prophet foretold the manner howthe temple should
be builded, I mean, the true temple indeed ; to wit, the church
of Christ. Zachary doth excellently paint’ to us many mysteries
of Christ: he layeth before us the kingdom and priesthood of
our Lord and Saviour: he commendeth to us that one and only
eternal sacrifice, which is effectual enough to cleanse the sins
of all the world: Zach. third, ninth, and fourteenth chapters.
Yea, he prophesieth of nothing else but of Christ and his king-
dom. Malachias foresheweth® the forerunner of the Lord, and
handleth no small number of mysteries concerning Christ.
Whereby we do perceive that Paul writ most truly in the
first to the Romans, saying, that God did afore promise the
gospel by his prophets in the holy scriptures.
Now by these holy promises we do gather this also,
that there are not many or divers gospels, (although we
deny not, but that the same gospel! was penned by divers
evangelists ;) but that there is one alone, and that too, as it
were, eternal. For the very same gospel which is at this
day preached to us was at the beginning of the world
preached to our first parents. For it is assuredly certain,
that by the gospel were saved Adam, Evah, Abel, all the
patriarchs, prophets, and faithful people of the old Testa-
ment: which thing we have in another place at large de-
clared 12, ?
We are now come to the second part, where we have to
shew you that God the Father hath faithfully performed to
us that which he promised to our forefathers in giving to
us his only-begotten Son, who is that true and looked-for
Messiah, that is to be blessed? world without end. In making
this matter manifest the evangelists and apostles of our Lord
have taken great pains, and set it forth so well and faith-
fully that it cannot be bettered.
They shew that Christ doth come of the stock of David,
descending lineally of the seed of Abraham: they tell that
[7 chap. ii. 7—9. Haggseus templum extruit, is Bullinger’s phrase. |
[8 tradit, Lat. ] [9 preemittit, Lat. ]
[10 eandem historiam evangelicam, Lat. |
[11 Rather, was from the beginning of the world preached to the
fathers. ]
[12 This is the topic of Bullinger’s treatise, The Old Faith. See also
Vol. 11. page 283.]
[15 benedictus, Lat. ; who is blessed. ]
2—2
Rom. i.
The gospel
is not divers.
God the
Father hath
through
Christ per-
formed to us
that which
he promised
to our fore-
fathers.
{ Luke ii. 30—
32. ]
20 THE FOURTH DECADE. [suRM.
his mother was the virgin, which did conceive by the Holy
Ghost, and, being a virgin still, brought him into the world.
They note the time wherein Christ was revealed, in all points
correspondent to the prophets’ prophecies. They add, that
the place of his nativity was answerable to that which Mi-
cheas foretold. In the East there appeareth a star, which
moveth the princes!, or wise men, to go and salute the new-
born King. They come therefore, and even in Hierusalem?
do openly profess that the Messiah is born, and that they
are come out of the East to worship and honour him. Ac-
cording to their words so were their deeds: for when by
the leading of the star they had once found him, they fall
down before him, and do, by offering to Christ the gifts
that they brought, not obscurely declare how joyful they
were, and how much they set by their Lord and Saviour?.
In the very city of Hierusalem* the most just man Simeon
with great joy of heart and godly gratulation doth in the
temple openly testify, that God according to his eternal
goodness® and constancy had given to the world his only-
begotten Son, whom he had promised unto the fathers;
therewithal protesting that he was willing to die’. He addeth
the cause; “ For that,” saith he, “mine eyes have seen thy
salvation,” to wit, that Schilo, the Saviour’, whom thou, O
God, hast determined to “set before all people, a light to
lighten the Gentiles, and to be the glory of thy people Israel :”
that is, that he, shaking off all darkness, should bring the
light of truth and life unto the Gentiles, to lighten them
withal; and that he should be the glory and life of the people
of Israel. Hereunto also belongeth the testimony of that
notable man Zachary, the holy priest of God, saying:
* Blessed be the Lord God of Israel; for he hath visited
and redeemed his people, and hath raised up a horn of sal-
vation for us in the house of his servant David; as he spake
by the mouth of his holy prophets, which have been since
[1 magos viros primarios et sapientissimos, Lat. |
[2 in urbe Hierosolymorum regia, Lat. ; in the royal city. ]
[3 quanti Christum faciant, Lat. ; how joyful they were, the trans-
lator’s addition. ]
(4 urbe regia, Lat. | [5 veritate, Lat. ; truth. ]
[Ὁ tranquillissimo animo, Lat.; with most peaccful mind. ]
[7 felicitatorem salvatoremque, Lat. ]
I. | OF THE GOSPEL. 2]
the world began:” and so forth, as is to be seen in the
first of Luke’s gospel. Moreover John the son® of this Za-
chary, surnamed the Baptist, than who we read not that
any one more holy was ever born of women, did with his
finger point at Christ Jesus, and openly declare that he is
that looked-for Messiah, whom all the prophets promised 3 Jesus is
Christ, that
and that God, by giving him unto the world, hath done that is that
he promised, and wholly poured himself with all his benefits Messias.
into and upon all faithful believers. ‘And as the people
waited” (saith Luke), “and thought in their hearts of John, » [Luke iit. 15,
whether he were very Christ; John answered, saying to them :
all, Indeed I baptize you with water; but one stronger than
I cometh after me, whose shoe-latchet I am not worthy to
unloose ; he shall baptize you with the Holy Ghost and with
fire.” And in the Gospel after St John we read: “ The ee.
next day John seeth Jesus coming unto him, and saith, Be-
hold the Lamb of God, which taketh away the sin of the
world. This is he of whom I said, After me cometh a man
which is preferred before me%, because he was before me;
and I knew him not: but that he should be declared unto
Israel, therefore am I come baptizing with water.’ And
immediately after he saith: “I saw the Spirit descending
from heaven like unto a dove, and it abode upon him. And
I knew him not: but he that sent me to baptize with water,
the same said unto me, Upon whom thou shalt see the Spirit
descending, and tarrying still on him, the same is he which
baptizeth with the Holy Ghost. And I saw, and bare record
that this is the Son of God.” Again, when the disciples of
John did envy the happy success of Christ, and that it
grieved them to see their master John as it were neglected
in comparison of Christ, John said to his disciples: “Ye your- [Yohn iii, 28
selves are witnesses, that I said, Iam not Christ, but I am sent "°°"
before him, He that hath the bride is the bridegroom; but
the friend of the bridegroom, which standeth and heareth
him, rejoiceth because of the bridegroom!: therefore this
my joy is fulfilled. He must increase, but I must decrease.
The Father loveth the Son, and hath given all things into
[85 filius beatissimus, Lat. ; the most blessed son. |
[9 qui me antecessit, Lat. and Erasmus; qui ante me factus est,
Vulg. ]
[1° gaudio gaudet propter vocem sponsi, Lat. |
22 THE FOURTH DECADE. [SERM.
his hand. He that believeth in the Son hath life everlasting:
he that believeth not in the Son shall not see life, but the
wrath of God abideth upon him.”
These testimonies are firm, clear, and evident enough, and
might suffice for the confirmation of this cause. But let us yet
of a many moe pick out and add a few, which may declare
that Christ is already exhibited unto us. Therefore our Lord
himself, whom we believe to be Messiah, when he had a great
while been very greatly commended by the testimony of John,
doth at length come abroad and preach the word of life.
But it is not read, that in any age, before or since, there was
ever any that taught with so great grace. And therewithal
he shewed almost incredible and wonderful miracles, which do
easily argue who he was, and were sufficient to win such
a man with whom no words might possibly prevail. He was
loving and gentle to sinners, repeating still and beating into
their heads that he was come to save them, and call them to
repentance. Therefore, when the disciples of John did once
[oate xi.3- come unto him, saying, “ Art thou he that should come, or
(Luke iv. 16
— 22.
shall we look for another?” he answered, ‘Go ye and tell
those things to John which ye see and hear: the blind receive
their sight, and the lame walk, the lepers are cleansed, and
the deaf hear, the dead are raised to life, and to the poor is
preached the glad tidings of the gospel.” Now by these, his
doctrine I mean, and his works or miracles, his mind was to
shew, that he was exhibited the true Messiah unto the world,
and that none other is to be looked for. Moreover in the
synagogue at Nazareth, where he read and expounded Esay’s
prophecy of the coming of Messiah, he declared there that
that scripture was in himself! fulfilled. And to the history is
immediately annexed: ‘And all bare record unto him, and
wondered at the gracious sayings that proceeded from his
mouth.” Again, in the tenth chapter of St John his gospel:
“The Jews came round about the Lord, and said, How long
dost thou make us to doubt? If thou be Christ, tell us
plainly. Jesus answered them, I told you, and ye believe
not: the works that I do in my Father’s name, these bear
witness of me. But ye believe not, because ye are not of my
sheep.” And presently after he addeth: “Ye say that I
blaspheme, because I said, I am the Son of God. If I do not
[1 in himself, not in Lat. ]
1. | OF THE GOSPEL. 23
the works of my Father, believe me not: but if I do, and if
ye believe not me, believe my works; that ye may know and
believe that the Father is in me, and I in him.” In the
seventh of John we read: “They that believed in him said,
Will Christ, when he cometh, shew more signs than this man
hath shewed ?” that is to say: Admit we grant that there is
another Christ to be looked for; yet this is most sure, that the
other Messiah cannot do more and greater miracles than this
man doth. Let us therefore believe that this is the true
Messiah. Before Caiaphas, the high priest, and the whole
council of the peers of Israel, also before Pontius Pilate in the
judgment-hall of the Roman empire, our Lord Christ did
openly in express words confess that he is that true and looked-
for Messiah,
He verily, as the prophets foretold of him, did of his
own accord die for sinners; the third day after that he rose
again from the dead; he ascended into heaven, and sitteth on
the right hand of God the Father. And the evangelists,
reciting faithfully the words and deeds of Christ, do to the
most notable ones always add: “All this was done or said,
that it might: be fulfilled which was spoken by the prophet.”
Wherefore it were not worth the labour here to gather
together the prophecies of the prophets, by them to examine
the words and deeds of Christ, and by the manifest agreement
betwixt them for to conclude, That God hath performed to
us that which he promised unto our fathers in giving to us his
only-begotten Son Christ Jesus, which is the true and looked-
for Messiah. For this have the evangelists already done,
and that too with so great faith and diligence, that for the
plainness of the thing it cannot be bettered. To this place
now ye may refer all that I have in my former sermons said
touching the signification, or mysteries, fulfilling and abrogating,
of the law.
And, to content ourselves with a smaller number of testi-
monies, might not this one, which is read in the fourth of St
John, be instead of many thousand confirmations? The
woman of Samaria saith to the Lord: “1 know that the
Messiah shall come, which is called Christ: therefore when
he cometh, he shall tell us all things. Jesus answered her,
I am he that speak to thee.” Lo, what could be had? more
[2 said, edd. 1577 and 1587. dici, Lat. ]
The Jews
deny that
Christ is
come, or
t
hat Jesus
is Christ.
Matt. xxiv.
6,,16,.19, 21.)
24 THE FOURTH DECADE. [SERM.
plainly? “I,” saith he, “am the Messiah; even I, I say,
that do even now speak to thee, and did at the first say,
If thou knewest the gift of God, and who it is that saith
to thee, Give me to drink, thou wouldst have asked of
him, and he would have given thee water of life. For
whosoever shall drink of the water that I shall give him,
he shall never be more athirst: but the water that I shall
give him shall be in him a well of water springing up into
eternal life.’ They therefore are the most thirsty and un-
fortunate! of all men, which long for and look after another
Messiah beside our Lord and Saviour Christ Jesus. The
apostle St Peter in a meetly long oration, well grounded and
confirmed with scripture and strong reasons, in the second of
the Acts, doth shew that our Lord Jesus is that true Messiah:
for with this sentence he shutteth up his sermon: “ Therefore
let all the house of Israel surely know, that God hath made
both Lord and Christ this Jesus, whom ye have crucified.”
To the same mark tendeth that large and learned oration of
the first martyr St Stephen, which is extant to be seen in the
seventh chapter of the Acts?, Philip doth out of Esay’s
prophecy declare to the eunuch of Aithiope that Jesus is
Christ. St Paul in all the Jewish synagogues putteth forth
none other proposition to preach on but this; Jesus is Christ,
that is, Jesus is the king, the bishop, and the Saviour of the
faithful. And in the thirteenth chapter he doth at large
declare and prove that proposition true.
So now these most evident and clear testimonies of holy
scripture cannot choose but suffice such heads as are not of
purpose set to cavil and wrangle. I will not at this present
too busily and curiously dispute against the overthwart Jews,
who look for another Messiah, and do deny that our Lord
Jesus, the Son of God and the virgin Mary, is the true
Messiah. The wretches feel that to be true, which the Lord
in his gospel did foretell them, saying: ‘‘ When ye shall see
the abomination of desolation, spoken of by Daniel the pro-
phet, standing in the holy place, let him that readeth under-
stand. Then let them that are in Jurie flee to the mountains.
But woe to them that are with child and give suck in those
days; for great shall the affliction be.” And again, speaking
[Luke xix of the city of Hierusalem, he saith: “The days shall come
[1 aridissimi, Lat. | [2 in 8 cap. Lat. ]
ΕἾ OF THE GOSPEL. | 25
upon thee, that thine enemies shall compass thee with a
trench, and hem thee in, and lay seige to thee on every side,
and shall make thee even with the ground, and thy sons that
are within thee; and they shall not leave in thee one stone
standing upon another ; because thou knowest not the time of
thy visitation.” And again; “There shall be wrath upon this [Luke xxi
people; and they shall fall with the edge of the sword, and
shall be led captive into all nations; and Hierusalem shall be
trod under foot of the Gentiles, until the times of the Gentiles
be fulfilled.” Now since they feel these things to be so finished?
as they were by Christ foretold in the gospel; why do not
the wretches give God the glory, and in other things believe
the gospel, acknowledging Jesus Christ, the Son of God and the
virgin Mary, our Lord and Saviour, to be* the true and looked-
for Messiah? What have they wherewith to cloak their stub-
born incredulity ? They have now by the space of more than
a thousand and five hundred years been without their® country;
I mean, the land of promise that flowed with milk and honey;
they have wanted their prophets; and lacked their solemn
service and ceremonial rites. For where is their temple?
where is the high priest ? where is the altar? where are the
holy instruments? where be the sacrifices that ought to be
offered according to the law? All the glory of God’s people is
now translated unto the Christians. They joy to be called the
sons of the faithful Abraham; they enjoy the promises made
unto the fathers; they talk and make mention of the fathers;
they judge rightly of the law and covenant of the Lord;
they have the holy scriptures, and in expounding them they
have great dexterity; they have the true temple, the true
high priest, the true altar of incense and burnt-offerings, even
Christ Jesus, the Lord and Saviour; they have the true
worship, which was of old prefigured only in those external
ceremonies: as I have already declared unto you in that
place where I handled the Jewish ceremonies. The Gentiles
are out of every quarter of the world called unto Christ Jesu.
All the promises touching the calling of the Gentiles have
been hitherto most abundantly fulfilled, and are even at this
day. Now are we the chosen flock®, according to the doctrine
[3 ad verbum, Lat.; to the letter. |
[4 venisse, Lat.; to have come. |
[5 the, ed. 1577. patria sua, Lat. ] [ὁ genus, Lat.; nation. |
[1 Pet. ii. 9.]
" Tim. iii.
6; Rom. ix.
Soe
God the Fa-
ther bein
angry wit
the world,
is pleased
with it in
the Son.
(Rom, i. 18.]
26 THE FOURTH DECADE. [SERM.
of St Peter: “We are the royal priesthood, an holy nation, a
peculiar people; being called hereunto, that we should preach
the power of him’ which hath called us out of darkness into
his marvellous light.” Therefore let the unhappy Jews (un-
less perhaps they had rather to be entangled in greater errors,
to be vexed daily with endless calamities, and so at last perish
eternally*) turn unto Christ by faith, and together with us
begin to worship him in whom their fathers hoped, and in
whom alone is life and salvation. For, that I may with the
apostle’s words conclude this place: ‘‘ God is made manifest
in the flesh, justified in the spirit, seen to the angels, preached
to the Gentiles, believed in the world, and received in glory*.
And every one that believeth in him shall live eternally, and
never be confounded.”
We have now behind the last part to expound; the con-
tents whereof are, that God the Father, who before was
angry with the world, is pleased now in his only-begotten Son
Jesus Christ our Lord.
First of all therefore I have to shew you that God was
angry with the world: which is no hard matter to prove.
For God is angry at sins. But the whole world is subject to
sin; therefore it must of necessity be, that the most just God
is mightily angry with all the world. And Paul saith: “The
wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness
and unrighteousness of men.” Again, the same apostle saith,
that ‘all men are subject unto sin.” For confirmation where-
of he citeth these sentences of the holy scriptures, saying :
“There is none righteous, no, not one: there is none that un-
derstandeth, or seeketh after God: they are all gone out of
the way : they are all become unprofitable: there is none that
doth good, no, not one. Their throat is an open sepulchre ;
they have used their tongues for to deceive; the poison of
asps is under their lips: whose mouth is full of cursing and
bitterness: their feet are swift to shed blood. Heart’s grief
and misery are in their ways: and the way of peace have
they not known. There is no fear of God before their eyes.”
[1 ut preedicemus vires illius, Lat.]
[2 juxta Christi Domini comminationem, Lat. omitted; according
to the threatenings of Christ the Lord. ]
[2 in gloria, Lat.; received up in glory. Tyndale 1525, and Cran-
mer 1539. |
1.7 OF THE GOSPEL. 27
Now lest the Israclites should answer, that these things do
not pertain to the people of God, but to the heathen and un-
godly alone, he addeth: “We know that whatsoever the law (Rom. iii. 9
saith, it saith it to them which are under the law; that every ~
mouth may be stopped, and that all the world may be endan-
gered‘ to God.” No man is here excepted. For to the Gala-
tians the same apostle saith: “He hath shut up all under sin, (cal. iii. 22.1
that he may have mercy on all.” It followeth therefore, that
all the world was subject to the wrath or indignation of the
most just and righteous God: as is at large proved in the
second, fourth, and fifth chapters to the Ephesians.
But the heavenly Father is appeased, or reconciled to
this wicked world, through the only-begotten Son our Lord
Jesus Christ. And this I hope I shall abundantly prove by
the only testimony of God himself. For the Father, by
sending down a voice from heaven unto the earth upon Christ,
first ascending newly out of the water after his baptism, and
then again at his transfiguration in the sight of his disciples,
did significantly say: “This is my beloved Son, in whom [ [Matt ii. 17;
am delighted, pleased, or reconciled’; hear him.” ‘This tes-
timony is read to have been foreshewed in the forty-second
chapter of Esay’s prophecy. And Peter the apostle repeat-
eth the same in the first chapter of his second epistle. Paul
also did as it were expound this, and say: “It pleased the Eas
Father that in the Son should dwell all fulness; and by
him to reconcile all things unto himself, since he hath set at
peace through the blood of the cross by him both the things
in earth and the things in heaven.” In heaven is God, and
we men here upon earth. Now Christ is the Mediator, which
goeth betwixt us, and reconcileth us unto his Father, so that
now we are the beloved of the Father in his beloved Son.
For in the epistle to the Ephesians the same apostle saith:
“He hath made us accepted in the beloved ; in whom we have [fpn. i. 6,
redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins, accord- ~
ing to the riches of his grace.” All this shall be more fully
understood by that which followeth.
For now I must prove that God the Father hath in his au things
Son given us all things that are necessary to a happy life and Tite and sal
vation are
eternal salvation, JI name here two things; a happy life, fully given
us in Christ
Jesus,
[4 See Tyndale’s Doct. Treat. ed. Parker Soc. p. 502, n. 1.]
[5 placata, reconciliata vel propitiata est anima mea, Lat. ]
[Matt. xxiii.
8; John viii.
12.
[2 Tim. iii.
> .
[Psal. xvi.
11.]
{1 John iii.
5:
28 THE FOURTH DECADE. [SERM.
and everlasting salvation. By a happy life I understand a
holy and godly life, which we live and lead quietly and
honestly in this present world. Eternal salvation is that
felicity of the life to come, which we with assured hope do
verily look for.
Now we have in Christ a most absolute doctrine of a
happy life taught us by the gospel; wherein also we do com-
prehend the example of Christ, his own trade of life. Verily,
our heavenly Father hath made him our teacher, in saying,
‘Hear him.” And he himself in the gospel after St Matthew
sayeth: ‘Be ye not called masters; for ye have one master,
even Christ;” who in the gospel after St John is called
“The light of the world.” In another place also he testifieth
that his doctrine is contained in the holy scriptures; where-
upon it cometh that he referreth his disciples to the diligent
reading of the holy scriptures: touching which scriptures
Paul, the teacher of the Gentiles and! the universal church of
Christ, doth say : “All scripture is given by inspiration? of God,
and is profitable to doctrine, to reproof, to correction, to in-
struction which is in righteousness ; that the man of God may
be perfect, instructed in all good works.” Wherefore,
although the whole world be mad, and that the obstinate
defenders of the traditions® rather than the scriptures do
whet their teeth for anger; yet, maugre their heads, the word
of the apostle shall abide most firm’, wherein he testifieth that
the doctrine of the scriptures, otherwise called the christian
doctrine, is in all points most absolute and thoroughly perfect.
Touching which matter, because I have already spoken in the
first sermons of the first Decade, I am therefore here a great
deal the briefer.
Now concerning the eternal salvation fully purchased$ for
us by Christ, thus ye must think. Eternal salvation is the see-
ing and enjoying of the eternal God, and so, consequently, an
unseparable joining or knitting unto him. For David saith,
“There is fulness of joys in thy sight; and at thy right hand
are pleasures for evermore:” and St John saith, “‘ Now are
[1 adeoque, Lat.; and so. ]
{2 Omnis scriptura, divinitus inspirata, est utilis, &c. Lat. So
Tyndale and Cranmer. ]
[3 traditionum vivarum, Lat.; of the lively traditions. ]
[4 stat stabitque, Lat.; abides and shall abide. |
[5 paratam sive partam, Lat. ]
1. | OF THE GOSPEL. 29
we the sons of God, and yet it appeareth not what we shall
be; but we know that, when he shall appear, we shall be like
him; for we shall see him as he 13. Moreover the Lord in
the gospel saith, “Blessed are the pure in heart: for they cate. ν. 3
shall see God.” But all men are endued with unpure hearts:
therefore no man shall see God; because no uncleanness
abideth in consuming fire; (and God is a consuming fire®;)
therefore we cannot be partakers of salvation unless we be
purely cleansed. But without the shedding of blood there is
no cleansing or remission of sins: I do not mean the blood of
rams or goats, but of the only-begotten Son of God, our Lord
Christ Jesus. He’ therefore took our flesh and blood ; he came
into the world, died willingly for us, and shed his blood for
the remission of our sins; and so by that means purged the
faithful, so that now, being clean, they may be able to stand
before® the most holy God, who is a consuming fire. To this
may be annexed the consideration of the incarnation of our
Lord Jesu Christ, his death, resurrection, and ascension into
heaven, whereof I did above make mention in the definition of
the gospel; for in those points doth consist the whole mys-
tery of our reconciliation: touching which I do in this
place speak so much the more briefly, because in the exposition
of the apostles’ creed I have handled so much as seemeth to
concern these points of doctrine; which whosoever will know,
may look and find them there.
Now that Christ alone is our most absolute life and sal- christ atone
vation, it may be gathered by that which is already spoken; andsalva-
and yet notwithstanding I will here allege some testimonies ἦς
more, to the end that the verity and sincerity of the evan-
gelical truth may be the more firm and evident to all men.
That in Christ alone our life and salvation doth consist, so
that without Christ there is no life and salvation in any other
creature, the Lord himself doth testify®, saying: “Verily, [John x. 1,
verily, I say unto you, He that entereth not by the door into Ὁ
the sheepfold, but goeth in some other way, he is a thief and
arobber. Verily, verily, I say unto you, I am the door of
the sheep: as many as came before me are thieves and rob-_
bers.” Lo here, there is but one door only, through which
[6 The translator’s addition. |
[7 Dei filius, Lat.; the Son of God.]
[8 habitare cum, Lat. ] [9 in evangelio, Lat.; in the gospel. ]
[John xiv. 6. ]
[ Acts iv. 12.]
oc xiii. 38,
9.1
Christ doth
fully work
our salvation.
30 THE FOURTH DECADE. [SERM.
the way doth lie unto eternal life: and Christ is that door.
They therefore, which do by other means than through Christ
strive to come to life and salvation, are thieves and robbers;
for they steal from Christ his honour and glory, considering
that he both is and abideth the only Saviour: and in so doing
they kill their own souls. The same Saviour in the gospel
saith: “I am the way, the truth, and the life. No man
cometh to the Father but by me.” Hath he not in these few
words rejected and utterly excluded all other means of salva-
tion, making himself alone our life and salvation ? !This phrase
of speech, ‘‘No man cometh to the Father but by me,” is the
same that this is, “Through Christ alone we come unto the
Father.” Moreover the Lord’s apostles have so laid Christ
alone before our eyes, that no man can choose but understand,
that without Christ Jesus there is no life to be found in any
other creature. The holy apostle St Peter in the Acts saith:
‘There is in none other any salvation: for there is none other
name under heaven given among men wherein we must be
saved.” And St Paul, in the fifth chapter to the Romans, doth
oftentimes repeat, that ‘‘by the righteousness of one man,
Jesus Christ, all the faithful are justified.” Again, the same
Paul saith: “Through him is preached to you the remission
of sins; and through him 15 every one that believeth justified
from all the things, from which ye could not be justified by
Moses’ law.” Like to this also he hath other testimonies in
the second chapter of his epistle written to the Galatians. It
is manifest therefore, that through Christ alone the forgive-
ness of sins and life everlasting are freely bestowed upon all
the faithful; which gifts, as they are not without Christ at all,
so are they not bestowed by any other means than through
Christ alone. Concerning the remission of sins, which is the
chief tidings of the gospel, I have at large already discoursed
in the ninth sermon of the first Decade and other places
more.
Now for the proof that our Lord doth fully absolve from
sins, fully remit sins, and fully save repentant sinners’, so
that nothing more can be desired or wished for, and con-
sequently, that the Lord himself is the most absolute fulness
of all the faithful, without whom they that believe neither
[1 Certe, Lat.; Without doubt. ]
[2 repentant sinners, not in Lat. ]
1. | OF THE GOSPEL. 31
do nor can wish for anything else to life, seas and ab-
solute felicity, he doth himself in the gospel say® “ Every
one that drinketh of this water shall thirst again ; “but who-»
soever shall drink of the water which I shall give him, he
shall live eternally.” And again: “1 am the bread of life ;
he that cometh to me shall not hunger, and he that believeth
in me shall never thirst.” The apostles therefore, after
they had eaten this celestial bread, that is, after they had
once believed in Christ*, when many departed and did for-
sake Christ, being demanded whether they also would leave
him, did answer, “ Lord, to whom shall we go? Thou hast
the words of eternal life. And we believe and know that °
thou art Christ, the Son of the living God.” Lo here, they
neither will nor can forsake Christ; because there is none
other to whom they may join themselves: for he alone is
the life and salvation of them that believe; and that too, so
absolute and perfect, that in him alone they may content and
stay themselves. With the writings of the evangelists doth
the doctrine of the apostles fully agree. For Paul to the
Colossians saith: “It pleased the Father that in the Son
should dwell all fulness.” And again: “In the Son doth
dwell all the fulness of the Godhead bodily; and ye are
fulfilled in him.” And in the Epistle to the Hebrews he
affrmeth, that the faithful have full remission of sins, because
sacrifices for sin do cease to be offered; and that God doth
by the prophet Jeremy promise so absolute remission of sins,
that he will not so much as once remember or think on them
hereafter>. To this place belongeth the whole epistle written
to the Hebrews; and the conclusion of the eighth sermon
in the first Decade, wherein I reckoned unto you the trea-
sures that God the Father doth give to us in Christ his Son
our Lord and Saviour.
Upon this now doth follow consequently, that they have
not yet rightly understood the gospel of Christ, nor sincerely in
preached it, whosoever do attribute to Christ Jesu our Lord, ἢ
[3 rursus, Lat. ; again. |
[4 Dei filium, Lat. omitted; the Son of God. ]
[5 Proinde quicunque Christum fide possident, plenissime omnia
vitze et salutis possident, Lat. omitted; And therefore, whosoever has
Christ by faith, has most abundantly all things belonging to life and
salvation. ]
nee iv. 13,
4; vi, 35.]
[John vi. 68,
39. ]
Coloss. [i. 19;
1, 95-1033)
Heb: x.-2;
er. XXXi. 33,
The unsin-
cere preach-
ra or ae
The sum of
the gospel.
Salvation
preached in
the gospel
doth belong
to all.
32 THE FOURTH DECADE, [SERM,
the true Messiah, either not only, or else not fully, all things
requisite to life and salvation. It is a wicked and blasphe-
mous thing to ascribe either to men, or to things inferior
and worse than men, the glory and honour due unto Christ.
The principal exercises of christian religion cannot, by dero-
gating from the glory of Christ!, challenge anything? unto
themselves. or sincere doctrine doth directly lead us unto
Christ. Prayer doth invocate, praise, and give thanks in
the name of Christ. The sacraments do serve to seal and
represent to us the mysteries of Christ. And the works of
faith are done of duty, although also of free accord; be-
cause we are created unto good works. Yea, through
Christ alone they do please and are acceptable to God the
Father; for he is the vine, we are the branches. So all
glory is reserved untouched to Christ alone: which is the
surest note to know the true gospel by.
Thus hitherto we have heard that God, the Father of
mercies, according to his free mercy taking pity upon man-
kind when it stuck fast and was drowned in the mire of hell,
did, as he promised by the prophets, send his only-begotten
Son into the world, that he might draw us out of the mud,
and fully give us all things requisite to life and salvation.
For God the Father was in Christ reconciled unto us, who
for us and our salvation was incarnate, dead, raised from
death to life, and taken up into heaven again.
And although it may by all this be indifferently well
gathered, to whom that salvation doth belong, and to whom
that grace is rightly preached; yet the matter itself doth
seem to require in flat words expressly to shew, that Christ
and the preaching of Christ his grace declared’ in the gospel
doth belong unto all. For we must not imagine that in hea-
ven there are laid two books, in the one whereof the names
of them are written that are to be saved, and so to be saved,
as it were of necessity, that, do what they will against the
word of Christ and commit they never so heinous offences,
they cannot possibly choose but be saved; and that in the
other are contained the names of them which, do what
they can and live they never so holily, yet cannot avoid
(1 by derogating—Christ, not in Lat.]
[2 hujus, Lat. omitted; of this (glory).]
[3 allatam vel annunciatam, Lat. |
ΕΊ OF THE GOSPEL. 33
everlasting damnation. Let us rather hold, that the holy
gospel of Christ doth generally preach to the whole world
the grace of God, the remission of sins, and life everlasting.
And in this belief we must confirm our minds with the word
of God, by gathering together some evident places of the
holy scriptures, which do manifestly prove that it is even so.
Of which sort are these sayings following: “In thy Seed
shall all the nations of the earth be blessed,” Genesis xxii.
“Every one that calleth upon the name of the Lord shall
be saved,” Joel li. “We have all gone astray like sheep;
and God hath laid upon him the iniquity of us all,” Esay
11, “Come to the waters, -all ye that thirst,” Esay lv.
There are of this sort innumerable places in the old Testa-
ment. Now in the gospel the Lord saith: ‘Every one
that asketh receiveth; and he that seeketh findeth,” &c.
Matt. vii. ‘Come to me, all ye that labour and are heavy:
loaden, and I will ease you of your burden,” Matt. xi.
“Teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the
Father,” &c. Matt. xxvili. ‘Go ye into the whole world,
and preach the gospel unto all creatures: whosoever be-
lieveth and is baptized, he shall be saved,” Mark xvi. ‘So
God loved the world, that he gave his only-begotten Son,
that every one which believeth in him should not perish,
but have eternal life,” John iii. Inthe Acts of the Apostles
St Peter saith: “Οὗ a truth I perceive that there is no
respect of persons with God; but in every nation he that
feareth him, and worketh righteousness, is acceptable unto
him,” Acts x. Paul in the third to the Romans saith:
‘‘ The righteousness of God by faith in Jesus Christ cometh
unto all and upon all them that believe.” And in the tenth
chapter he saith: “ The same Lord over all is rich to all them
that call upon him.” In his Epistle to Titus he saith: “‘ There
hath appeared the grace of God that is healthful to all men‘.”
And in the first to Timothy, the second chapter, he saith:
‘God will have all men to be saved, and to come to the know-
ledge of the truth.” These and such like are the manifest tes-
timonies, whereupon all the faithful do firmly stay themselves.
But now if thou demandest, how it happeneth that all
men are not saved, since the Lord would that all should be
saved and come to the knowledge of the truth; the Lord
{4 chap. ii. 11, marg. ]
[BULLINGER, III. | :
Wherefore
all men are
not saved.
oh XX.
Ἢ ohn iii
9
The faithful
are saved.
Sade ἘΝ}
6.)
[ Rom. i,
δ, 16.]
34 THE FOURTH DECADE, [SERM.
in the gospel doth himself answer thee, saying: “ Many
indeed are called, but few are chosen.” | Which sentence
he doth in the fourteenth of St Luke’s gospel more plainly
expound, where he doth in a parable shew the causes why
a great part of mortal men doth not obtain eternal salvation,
while they prefer earthly things and transitory before ce-
lestial or heavenly matters. For every one had a several
excuse to cloke his disobedience withal: one had bought a
farm; another had five yokes of oxen to try; the third
had newly married a wife. And in the gospel after St John
the Lord saith: “This is condemnation, because the light
came into the world, and men loved darkness more than
the light.” With this doctrine of the evangelists doth that
saying of the apostle agree, 2 Cor. iv. And in the first
to Timothy, the fourth chapter, he saith: “ God is the Sa-
viour of all men, especially of those that believe.” Where-
upon we gather, that God, in the preaching of the gospel,
requireth faith in every one of us: and by faith it is manifest
that we are made partakers of all the goodness and gifts of
Christ. And verily there is a relation! betwixt faith and
the gospel; for in the gospel after St Mark the Lord an-
nexed faith to the preaching of the gospel. And Paul
saith, that “to him was committed the preaching of the
gospel, unto the obedience of faith.” Again he saith: “ The
gospel is the power of God unto salvation to all them that
do believe.” And in the tenth chapter to the Romans he
doth by gradation shew that the gospel is received by faith.
But that faith may be rightly planted in the hearts of men,
it is needful that the preaching of repentance do first go
before: for which cause I, in the latter end of the definition
of the gospel, added, “So that we, acknowledging our sins,
may believe in Christ :” that is to say, the Lord will be our
Saviour and give us life everlasting, if we acknowledge our
sins, and do believe in him. And therefore here now may
be annexed the treatises of faith and repentance. ‘Touching
faith, I have already largely spoken in the fourth, fifth, and
sixth sermons of the first Decade. Concerning repentance
I will hereafter speak in a several sermon by itself. In this
place I will only touch summarily such points of repentance*
as seem to make for the demonstration of the gospel.
[1 correlatio, Lat. ] [? of repentance, not in Lat.]
1] OF THE GOSPEL. 35
Our Lord Christ Jesus doth in the preaching of the the gospet
gospel require faith and repentance: neither did he himself, and repent
when he preached the gospel, proceed any other way. For
Mark hath: ‘“ Jesus came into Galilee, preaching the gospel oe
of the kingdom of God, and saying, The time is fulfilled,
and the kingdom of God is at hand; repent, and believe the
gospel.” Neither did he otherwise instruct his disciples,
when he sent them to preach the gospel unto all nations;
for St Luke saith: “Christ said to his disciples, So it is (hukexxv.
written, and so it behoved Christ to suffer, and to rise again
the third day from the dead; and that in his name should
be preached repentance and εἰς forgiveness of sins unto all
nations.” St Paul, like a good scholar following his master,
in the Acts of the Apostles saith: “Ye know that I have [Acts κα,
held back nothing that was profitable unto you, but have
shewed you, and have taught you openly and throughout
every house, witnessing both to the Jews, and also to the
Greeks, the repentance that is toward God, and the faith
that is toward our Lord Jesus Christ.” In his Epistle to
the Romans, where he doth compendiously* handle the gos-
pel, he taketh occasion to begin the preaching thereof at
sin, convincing both Jews and Gentiles to be subject there-
unto. Now he beginneth at sin to this end and purpose,
that every one, descending into himself, may see and ac-
knowledge that in himself he hath no righteousness, but
that by nature’ he is the son of wrath, death, and damnation :
not that such acknowledging of sins doth of itself make us
acceptable unto God, or else deserve remission of sins and
life everlasting ; but that after a sort® it doth prepare a way
in the minds of men to receive faith in Christ Jesus, and so
by that means to embrace Christ Jesus himself, who is our
only and absolute righteousness; for “the whole need not
the physician, but such as are sick and diseased.” They
therefore, which think themselves to be clear without sins
and righteous of themselves, do utterly reject Christ, and
make his death of none effect’: but on the other side, they
that feel the diseases of the mind, and do from the bottom
[3 Certe, Lat. ; Without doubt. | [4 methodice, Lat. }
[5 sua natura, Lat.; by his own nature. |
[6 suo modo, Lat. |
[7 and make—effect ; an addition of the translator’s. |
3—2
How Christ
is received.
36 THE FOURTH DECADE. [sERM.
of their hearts confess that they are sinners and unrighteous,
not putting any trust in their own strength and merits, do
even pant for the haste that they make to Christ; which
when they do, then Christ doth offer himself in the gospel,
promising unto them remission of sins and life everlasting,
as he that came to heal the sick and to save repentant
sinners. But the promise is received by faith, and not by
works: therefore the gospel, and Christ in the gospel, are
received by faith. For we must diligently distinguish be-
twixt the precepts and the promises. The promises are re-
ceived by faith: the precepts are accomplished by works.
(Gal. iii. 18] Whereupon Paul is read to have said: “If the inheritance
[Rom. x. 5—
9.1
be of the law, then is it not now of promise: but God gave
Abraham the inheritance by promise.” The same apostle
to the Romans, conferring the law and the gospel together,
doth say: ‘ The righteousness which is of the law doth say,
Whosoever doth these things shall live by them; but the
righteousness of faith doth say, If thou believest, thou shalt
be saved.” The law therefore is grounded upon works,
whereunto it seemeth to attribute righteousness: but because
no man doth in works fulfil the law, therefore is no man
justified by works, or by the law. The gospel is not grounded
upon works: for sinners acknowledge nothing in themselves
but sin and wickedness; for they feel in themselves that
they are wholly corrupted: and therefore they fly to the
mercy of God, in whose promises they put their trust, hoping
verily that they shall freely obtain remission of their sins,
and that for Christ his sake they are received into the number
of the sons of God.
I would speak more in this place concerning faith in Jesus
Christ, the remission of sins, and the inheritance of life ever-
lasting, if I had not already in the first Decade declared
them at large. Here by the way ye have to remember,
that the gospel is not sincerely preached, when ye are taught
that we are made partakers of the life of Christ for our
own deserts and meritorious works. For we are freely
saved!, without respect of any works of ours, either first or
last?.
And although I have oftener than once handled this
{1 per fidem, Lat. omitted; through faith. ]
[2 operum nostrorum, sive preecedentium, sive sequentium, Lat. ]
I. | OF THE GOSPEL. ol
argument in these sermons of mine; yet because it is the cnristis
hook whereupon the hinge of the evangelical doctrine (which faith, and
is the door to Christ*) doth hang; and that this doctrine ee
(to wit, that Christ is received by faith, and not by works)
is of many men very greatly resisted; I will, for the decla-
ration and confirmation sake thereof, produce here two places
only, but such as be apparent enough and evident to prove
and confirm it by: the one out of the gospel of Christ our
Lord, the other out of Paul’s Epistles.
Our Lord Jesus Christ, being about to teach briefly the coe
way to true salvation, that is, to preach the glad tidings the gospel.
of life unto Nicodemus, in the gospel after St John, doth
first of all begin at repentance, and doth wholly take Nico-
demus from himself, leaving him no merits of his own
wherein to put his trust. For while he doth utterly con-
demn the first birth of man, as that which is nothing avail-
able to obtain eternal life, what doth he, I beseech you, leave
to Nicodemus, wherein he may brag or make his boast ? For
he doth expressly say: “ Verily, verily, I say unto thee, or regenera-
tion more
Unless a man be born from above‘, he cannot see the king- largely is
oken in
dom of God.” If the first birth and the gifts’ thereof were the sermon of
able to promote a man to the kingdom of God, what need
then should he have to be born the second time? The second
birth is wrought by the means of the Holy Ghost, which,
being from heaven poured into our hearts, doth bring us to
the knowledge of ourselves, so that we may easily perceive,
assuredly know, and sensibly feel, that in our flesh there is
no life, no integrity, or righteousness at all; and so conse-
quently, that no man is saved by his own strength or merits.
What then? The Spirit forsooth doth inwardly teach® us
that which the sound of the gospel doth outwardly tell us,
that we are saved by the merit of the Son of God’.
For the Lord in the gospel saith: ‘No man ascendeth into
heaven, but he that descended from heaven, the Son of man Coa
that is in heaven.” For in another place he doth more 15 15:1
plainly say: “No man cometh to the Father but by me.”
And again, to Nicodemus he saith: “As Moses did lift up
the serpent in the wilderness, so must the Son of man be
[3 which—to Christ, not in Lat. ]
[4 So Marg. Auth. Ver. John iii. 3.] [5 facultates, Lat. ]
[6 pergit et docet, Lat. ] [7 fide, Lat. omitted; by faith. ]
38 THE FOURTH DECADE. [SERM.
lift up; that every one which believeth in him should not
perish, but have eternal life.’ Now Moses did hang up the
brasen serpent for the health and recovery of them that
were poisoned! by the bitings of the serpents. For they
died presently that were stung with the serpents?, unless
they did immediately look up to the brasen serpent; for at
the very sight thereof the poisoned sting did lose all force,
and the person envenomed was out of hand restored and
cured again. Neither was there in the host of the Israelites
any other medicine but that alone, which whosoever despised
he died without remedy. For the force of the poison was
not expelled, and the life of the infected was not preserved,
either by the power of prayers, or the multitude of sacri-
fices, or medicinable herbs, or any kind of physic, or other
means of man’s invention*®: if any would escape the peril
of death, it behoved him to behold the brasen serpent aloft.
Now that brasen serpent was a type or figure of Christ our
Lord; who, being lift up upon the cross, is ordained of God
to be the only salvation. But now to whom doth that saving
health befall? ‘To them, forsooth, that do behold him being
so lift up. The Lord himself telleth us what “to behold”
doth signify, and instead thereof doth put “to believe.”
Therefore no works, none other means, nor merits of ours
do save us from eternal death and from the force of sin,
that is, the poison wherewith we are all infected by the old
serpent, our adversary Satan. Faith alone, whereby we be-
lieve in Christ, who was lift up for the remission of our sins,
and in whom alone our life and sure salvation doth assuredly
consist, is the only thing that quickeneth us which are
already dying by the envenomed sting of Satan, which is sin‘,
Hear, moreover, what the Lord doth add, instructing
Nicodemus yet more fully in the true faith, and making the
only cause of our salvation to be the mere and only grace
of God, which is received by faith in Christ. ‘ For so”
(saith he) “ God loved the world, that he gave his only-
begotten Son, that every one which believeth in him should
not perish, but have eternal life. For God sent not his Son®
[1 morientum e veneno, Lat.; that were dying of the poison. ]
[2 dipsades, Lat. | [3 See The Old Faith, p. 44.]
[4 which are—sin; an addition of the translator’s. |
[δ in mundum, Lat. ; into the world. |
I. | OF THE GOSPEL. 39
to condemn the world; but that the world might. be saved
by him. He that believeth in him is not condemned: but
he that believeth not in him is already condemned, because
he believeth not in the name of the only-begotten Son of
God.” Lo, what could be spoken more plainly? By faith
we are made partakers of Christ. By repeating faith so
often his meaning was so to beat it into our heads, that no
man should hereafter do once so much as doubt of so manifest
and evident a piece of doctrine. But if here now thou dost
little set by the authority of Christ, then whose authority
wilt thou esteem? But thou wilt not, I know, reject his
testimony. Yet albeit that his warrant is sufficient, give ear
notwithstanding to that disciple whom the Lord loved, who
in his epistle expounding as it were the words of the Lord,
and by the way of exposition repeating and beating them
into all men’s minds, doth strongly cry out: “If we receive 1Jonny.
the witness of men, the witness of God is greater: for this
is the witness of God which he testified of his Son. He that
believeth in the Son hath the testimony in himself: he that
believeth not God doth make him a liar, because he believed
not the record that he® gave of his Son. And this is the
record, that God hath given 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.” But what else is
it to have the Son of God than to believe in him? For
this sense is gathered by that which went before, being of
itself so evident, that for me to add anything unto it, is to
do nothing else but as it were to go about with a tallow-
candle to help or adlight the sun at his rising.
Now are we come to the place of St Paul, which is to be coe
seen in the third and fourth chapters of his epistle to the the gospel.
Romans. “The righteousness of God,” saith he, “ without
the law is made manifest, being witnessed by the testimony
of the law and the prophets.” Paul in this place doth
preach the gospel most evidently; for I know not any other
place wherein he doth it more plainly. He teacheth herein
how we are justified before God, what is the true righteous-
ness and salvation of mankind, and by what means it cometh
unto us. He saith, that the righteousness of God, that is to
say, the righteousness which God bestoweth, or which doth
[6 Deus, Lat.; God. ]
40 THE FOURTH DECADE. [SERM-
prevail! before God, is revealed without the law; that is to
say, doth come unto us without the help of the law, to wit,
without the aid and merits of the works of the law. For
touching the testimony of the law and the prophets, they
witness both together, that they which believe are justified by
the righteousness of God. Now what that righteousness is,
he doth immediately declare, saying: ‘The righteousness of
God cometh by the faith of Jesus Christ unto all and upon all
them that believe.” The righteousness, saith he, whereof we
speak 2, is not human or of mortal man, but altogether divine,
or of God himself. For as God alone is only just, so the
righteousness of God is the true and only righteousness of
God’ that saveth us: which righteousness God maketh us to
be partakers of by that faith of Jesus Christ, to wit, if we
believe in Christ, and hope in him for to be saved*. Neither
is there here any man excluded from righteousness and salva-
tion; for Paul doth plainly say, “ Unto all and upon all
that do believe.” Wherefore God doth repute and esteem all
them to be righteous, which do believe in Jesus Christ, his
only Son, our Lord and Saviour. Now he doth presently
annex the cause why he attributeth salvation unto the right-
eousness of God, and not of man, or why the gospel com-
mendeth to us the righteousness of God, saying: ‘For there
is no difference; all have sinned and have need of the
glory of God.” For because all men of their own nature are
destitute of the glory of God, that is, since they are without
the true image of God, to the likeness whereof they were
created in the beginning; therefore all men, verily, are un-
righteous and sinners: whereupon it followeth, that in them
there is no righteousness, and that they have nothing wherein
to boast before the righteous God. For what else, I beseech
you, do sinners carry from the judgment-seat of God, but
confusion and ignominy? And for because all men are such
and in that case, therefore the apostle doth very wisely add:
“But they are justified freely by his grace through the re-
demption in Christ Jesus; whom God hath set forth to be a
propitiation, or reconciliation, through faith in his blood.”
[} consistit et valet, Lat. ]
[2 quee justificat et salvat, Lat. omitted; which justifies and saves. |
[3 of God, not in the original. }
(4 and hope—saved, not in Lat. ]
ΓΙ OF THE GOSPEL, 41
Which is all one as if he had said : Men are justified for Christ
his sake by the mere grace or mercy of God, without any
help or merit of their own, if so be they do but believe that
God hath given his Son to the world, to shed his blood, and
to reconcile the purified sinners unto his Father in heaven.
In which words there are most fully and plainly declared the the manner
and order of
whole manner and order of sanctifying, purifying, and justifying our sanctifi-
. cation, puri-
of sinners. fication, and
justification,
But it is good here to repeat the apostle’s words, ails eee
more nearly to examine and deeply to consider them. “They
are,” saith he, “freely justified.’ But wherefore freely ?
Because, forsooth, they are justified by the mere grace of God,
without the help of their own works or merits, For all men are
sinners, and therefore they have nothing of themselves to al-
lege for their justification: whereupon it followeth, that, since
some are justified, they are justified freely by the grace of God.
For the same apostle in the eleventh to the Romans saith: “ If
we be saved by grace, then now not of works; for then grace
is no more grace: but if by works, then is it now no grace.”
But there followeth in Paul immediately that which doth
yet make that argument more manifest, which is notwith-
standing very manifest already; ‘through the redemption,”
saith he, “that is in Christ.” Our righteousness and salvation
is the work of mere grace, because we are redeemed. For
in respect of ourselves, our works, and merits, we were the
servants of death and the devil, insomuch as we were sinners
and subject to sin. But God, by sending his Son, redeemed
us, when as yet, being his enemies, we were bound to the
devil, his open adversary®, Therefore he did freely redeem
us; as Esay the prophet did in his fifty-second chapter
plainly foretell that it should come to pass. But true salva-
tion is not in any other, whatsoever he be, save in Christ
alone, our true Lord and Saviour. For the heavenly Father
did by his eternal counsel set forth his Son, our Lord
Jesus Christ, to be our propitiation, to wit, that he might be
our reconciliation, for whose sake only the Father being
pacified adopteth us into the number of the sons of God:
which is accomplished by none other way but through faith
in his blood; that is, if we believe that the Son, being sent
of the Father, did shed his blood, thereby to set us, cleansed,
(> to the devil, his open adversary ; an addition of the translator’s. ]
42 THE FOURTH DECADE. [SERM.
justified, and sanctified, before his heavenly Father. Wherein
we see again that our salvation doth freely consist in faith in
Jesus Christ.
These points being thus unfelded, the apostle, proceeding
Whotheybe to shew how far the benefit of redemption and justification
rane doth stretch, doth immediately add: “To declare his right-
ousness by’ the forgiveness of the sins that are past, which
God did suffer, to shew at this time his righteousness.” God,
saith he, hath set forth Christ to be the only propitiation,
that he might shew that there is but one and the same right-
eousness of all ages; Christ, I say, himself, who is the right-
eousness of all that believe. Now here he maketh mention of
two several times; that ancient age of the fathers, and this
present time wherein we now live. The ancient age is that
which went before the coming of Christ: this latter age of
ours is that which beginneth at Christ, is now at this present,
and shall be extended to the end of the world. And God
verily did of his long sufferance bear with and suffer the sins
of that old age for Christ his sake, by whom, and for whom,
he hath forgiven them: neither doth he set before us at this
day any other righteousness, save Christ alone, to be received
and embraced by faith.
For the apostle doth not obscurely afterward add: “That
he might be just, and the justifier of them that believe on
Jesus.” As if he should have said: Now the meaning of all
this is, that we should understand that all men are unright-
eous and altogether sinners; but that God alone is righteous,
without whom there is no righteousness at all: and that he
doth communicate his righteousness to all them that do believe
in Christ, to wit, which do believe that for Christ his sake
the Father is pleased and reconciled unto us, and that for him
we are reputed both just and holy.
Errors By these words of the apostle there are two very wicked
and blasphemous errors of certain fellows notably refuted.
The one of the twain is the error of them which say, that our
fathers were justified, not by faith in Christ, but by the law
and their own merits; affirming that Christ suffered not for
the fathers, but for them alone that lived when he was upon
the earth, and for them that followed after his death. The
other error is theirs which say, that Christ offered up his
[1 propter, Lat.; for.]
1. | OF THE GOSPEL. 43
body for the fathers, for original sin only, not for us and all
our sins; and therefore that we must make satisfaction for
our own sins. But the apostle Paul doth in this place con-
demn both these opinions. And the holy evangelist John,
agreeing with Paul, doth say: “ The blood of the Son of God [ Johni.7;
doth cleanse us from all sin. For he is the propitiation for
our sins; not for our sins only, but for the sins of all the
world.” Therefore the merit of Christ his redemption doth
extend itself to all the faithful of both the testaments.
The apostle Paul proceedeth, and upon that which he had
said he inferreth: ‘ Where is the boasting? It is excluded.
By what law? Of works? Nay, but by the law of faith.”
He gathereth by the evangelical doctrine” hitherto taught,
that all the boasting of every man’s own righteousness, and all
the bragging of every one’s merits, is utterly taken away,
altogether exempted, and vanished: not by the law of works;
that is, not by the doctrine concerning works, which is wont
for the most part to puff men up and make them swell; but
by the law of faith; that is, by the doctrine concerning ent,
which doth empty and leave in us nothing but an fable
confession and acknowledging of our own lack of merits, at-
tributing all our help to grace in Christ Jesus. And at the
last, gathering the chief proposition, he saith: “ We do there-
fore hold that a man is justified? without the works of the law.”
This is the sum and breviary of the whole gospel, that
we are justified, that is to say, absolved from sins, from
the definitive sentence of death and damnation, and sanctified
and adopted into the number of the sons of God, by faith,
that is, by an assured confidence in the name of Christ,
which is given by the Father to be our only Saviour.
And here are works by name excluded, to the end there
should be given to us no occasion to entangle faith with
works, or to attribute to works the glory and title due to faith
alone, or rather to Christ, upon whom our faith is grounded
and upheld.
This proposition being once put forth he doth presently
after confirm with arguments, shewing withal that this salva-
tion is common both to the Jews and Gentiles, saying: “Is he
[? de fide justificante, Lat. omitted; concerning the faith that
justifieth. ]
[3 fide, Lat.; by faith.]
How Abra-
ham the
father of the
faithful is |
justified.
44 THE FOURTH DECADE, [SERM.
the God of the Jews only? Is he not also of the Gentiles ?
Yes, even also of the Gentiles: for it is one God that shall
justify the circumcision by faith, and the uncircumcision
through faith.” He fetcheth the confirmation of that which
he said from the nature of God. There is but one God, who
is of his own nature both life and righteousness; and he is the
God both of the Jews and the Gentiles: therefore he is the
life and righteousness of both the people: which righteousness
he bestoweth on them by faith: therefore faith doth justify,
or make them both righteous.
This is declared by the example of Cornelius the centurion.
For he is justified, or, as I should rather say, being once
justified he is declared to be acceptable to God, by the send-
ing down of the Holy Ghost in a visible form upon him, when
as he neither was circumcised, nor yet had kept the law, but
had only heard the preaching of the gospel, and had believed
in Jesus Christ. Now God did not justify Cornelius so alone,
but will also justify all other nations by faith; even as he will
not by any other means than by faith alone justify the
Jews.
It followeth in Paul: “Do we then destroy the law
through faith ? God forbid: but we rather maintain the law.”
Tor the defenders or the disputers in the defence of works,
or rather of justification by works, are wont to object:
If faith alone in Christ doth justify, then is the law, or
doctrine of the law, altogether unprofitable. For to what
end are we commanded to do good works, if good works do
not justify? The apostle answereth, That the law is not
abolished by faith, but rather maintained: for since faith doth
directly tend to Christ, in whom alone it doth seek and find
all fulness; and that the law itself is the school-mistress unto
Christ, and doth shut up all under sin, so that justification is
by faith given to the faithful; it is most evident, that the law
is not destroyed or darkened, but confirmed and made light,
by the doctrine of faith.
The apostle goeth on in his confirmation, and saith:
‘What shall we say then that Abraham our father as per-
taining to the flesh did find? For if Abraham were jus-
tified by works, then hath he wherein to boast; but not
before God. For what saith the scripture? Abraham believed
God, and it was counted unto him for righteousness.” There
I. | OF THE GOSPEL. 45
are verily many examples of the holy fathers: but among
all the rest, the apostle chose out this of Abraham! to handle
it at large. For he in the scriptures is called the father of
them that do believe. Whereupon it is assuredly certain,
that the children shall be justified after the same sort that
their father was; as the apostle hath in express words taught
in the latter end of the fourth chapter. Moreover, Abra-
ham was famous for? good works above all the rest of the
holy fathers: therefore if any other could have been justified
by his good works or merits, much more might Abraham
before all the rest. But for because he was justified by
faith and not by works, it is manifest therefore that all the
saints also both have been, and are, justified by faith and
not by works. Furthermore, Abraham lived 430 years be-
fore the law was revealed by Moyses?: whereupon it followeth,
that his works cannot be called the works of the law by
them that are the deniers of the justification by faith without
the law. Therefore the works that he did, he did them of
faith, and his works were the works of faith; and yet was
he not justified by them, but by faith. Therefore the glory
of the justification of faith remaineth sound, unspotted, and
unmingled with anything else. ‘‘ What,” saith he, “shall
we say that our father Abraham found concerning the flesh ;”
to wit, so far forth as he is a man, and we also men of him ?
What, I say, shall we say that he deserved‘? To this de-
mand this answer must be added: He found nothing, and
by his works he deserved nothing. For the proof followeth :
If by his works he deserved anything, or was by his merits
justified, then hath he wherein to boast. But he hath nothing
wherein to boast: therefore is he not justified by his works.
For God alone is righteous, and keepeth this his glory unto
himself alone without any partner or joint-possessor with
him, freely justifying them that are of the faith of Jesus
Christ, to the end that his grace may be always praised.
But Paul himself, by bringing in a place of scripture,
doth shew that Abraham had nothing wherein to make his
boast. ‘For what,” saith he, “doth the scripture say ?
Abraham believed God, and it was counted unto him for
[1 solius, Lat.; alone. ] [2 multis, Lat.; for many. |
[5 Gal. iii. 17. See Vol. 1. page 180.)
[4 See Vol. 1. p. 116, and note 3. |
The right-
eousness of
Christians is
imputative.
46 THE FOURTH DECADE. [SERM.
righteousness.” Lo here, the scripture doth most plainly
say, that Abraham was justified by faith; or rather, that
faith was imputed to him for righteousness; and therefore
that Abraham was for his faith counted righteous before the
most just and righteous God.
But let us hear Paul, how he applieth this place of
scripture unto his purpose. It followeth then: “To him
that worketh is the reward not reckoned of grace, but of
duty. But to him that worketh not, but believeth in him
that justifieth the ungodly, his faith is counted for righteous-
ness.” Which words, verily, may be briefly reduced into
this kind of argument. Whosoever doth with his works
deserve anything, to him the reward is given as a thing of
duty due unto him, and not imputed freely as though it
were no debt. But faith is imputed to Abraham unto righte-
ousness; therefore he received righteousness, not as a reward
of duty ought! unto him, but as a gift not due but freely
given him. And again: “To him that worketh not, but
believeth in him that justifieth the ungodly, his faith is
reckoned for righteousness.” But to Abraham faith was
imputed unto righteousness: therefore he obtained righteous-
ness by faith, and not by works.
Now there is an emphasis in that he saith, “ But be-
lieveth in him that justifieth the ungodly.” or thereby is
signified, that he which is to be justified doth bring nothing
with him but the only acknowledging of his own misery and
ungodliness, to seek for mercy at the hand of the Lord. For
he understandeth, that he is destitute of good? works, and
such as may abide the trial of God’s just judgment. He
doth therefore fly to the mercy of God, presuming for a
certainty that the righteousness of faith is the aid or help of
the sinner, that must be freely saved by the grace of God.
Here, by the way, ye must note, that Christians’ righte-
ousness both is, and is said to be, imputative righteousness:
which thing alone is able to break the neck of all our
boasting; for imputation is the contrary unto debt. God
is not of duty bound to us, either for our own sakes, or for
our works’ sakes; but so far forth as he hath bound himself
to us of his free grace and goodness: and in us there are
many things that hinder the perfection of righteousness in
[1 i.e. owed. ] [2 perfectis, Lat. ]
1] OF THE GOSPEL. 47
us. Whereupon David cried: “Enter not into judgment Os oes
with thy servant: for in thy sight shall no man living be
justified.” Therefore God doth freely impute to us the
righteousness of faith; that is, he reputeth us for righteous
because we believe him through his Son. So we read that
in the evangelical parable the Lord did say: “ But when (Luke νῇ,
the debtors were not able to pay, he forgave them both the
debt.” For God also forgiveth us our debts or sins, not
reputing them unto us, but counting us for righteous for
Christ his sake, For the same apostle, most evidently testi-
fying the same thing, in the second Epistle to the Corinthians,
saith: “God was in Christ poco nang the world unto him-
self, by not imputing sins to men.” And after that again:
‘‘Him, which knew no sin, he made sin for us, that we might [2 Cor. v. 19,
be the righteousness of God in him.” What canst thou oe
require more evident, than that we are counted righteous
before God, because by Christ his sacrifice our sins are so
purged, that we should hereafter be no longer held with the
guilt of the same ?
We proceed now to reckon up the other arguments of
St Paul, as firm and manifest as these that are already re-
hearsed.
In the same chapter therefore it followeth: “Even as What Davia
David describeth the blessedness of the man, to whom the justification.
Lord 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.” In the beginning he doth with clear
and evident words express the thing that he intendeth to
prove or confirm; to wit, that God imputeth righteousness
to the saints without works. What could be said more
plainly ? And, to prove it to be so, here he inferreth the
testimony of David, which doth in a manner contain threo
sundry members or clauses: first, ‘ Blessed,” saith he,
“are they whose unrighteousnesses are forgiven;” then,
“Blessed are they whose sins are covered;” and lastly,
“Blessed is that man to whom fhe Lord will impute no
sin.”
Now the force of the argument or demonstration doth
consist in the words, Forgive, Cover, and Not impute. The
creditor forgiveth the debtor that which he hath not paid
Jer. xxxi.
Ὧν Hep, αὶ
17).
48 THE FOURTH DECADE. [SERM.
him, whether he be able or not able to pay it him. We in
respect of our sins, which are our debts, are able to pay
nothing to God. Forgiveness therefore of those debts or sins
of ours is the gift of God’s mere grace and liberality. For
the creditor cannot forgive the thing that is already paid unto
him; for when he giveth back the thing that he hath re-
ceived, in so doing he doth not forgive, but give; and that
deed in the scriptures is called Donum, a gift, not Remissio,
a forgiving. Whereupon St Paul saith, God gave to Abra-
ham the inheritance:” therefore Abraham with his works did
not merit the same. Secondarily, some filthy thing that
offendeth the eyes of men is usually wont to be covered; and
yet notwithstanding the filthy thing abideth filthy still},
although it doth not appear outwardly unto the eyes of
men. And our merciful God hath covered our sins, not that
they should not be, but that they should not appear or come
to judgment; which thing is the gift of grace, and not of
merits. For the covering is nothing else than the blood of
the Son of God; for for his blood’s sake we sinners are not
damned. Lastly, God might by right and justice impute
sin unto us; but of his grace he imputeth it not. And all
these laid together do confirm and prove, that righteousness
is freely, by faith, without works, imputed unto us.
This very same place of St Paul taken out of David doth
discuss and make plain unto us other points of doctrine also,
whereof there is some controversy. For we learn that justifica-
tion is nothing else but sanctification?, forgiveness of sins, and
adoption into the number of the children of God. We learn
that St Paul speaketh not only of the ceremonial works of the
law, but also of the saints’ good works of every sort. Iurther-
more we learn, that both sins and iniquities, that is, all man-
ner sins of the faithful, are freely pardoned and utterly
forgiven. Moreover we learn that sins are fully remitted,
not the fault only, but the punishment also: which punishment,
some say, is retained; but God doth not impute sins. In an-
other place he saith, “that he will not have any remembrance
of our sin at all.” Lastly, we learn that the satisfactions
for sin of man’s invention is a most vain lie, and flatly oppo-
site to the apostle’s doctrine.
(1 latet adhuc sub tectorio, Lat. ; lurketh still under the covering. ‘J
[2 beatificatio, Lat. See Vol. 1. page 106, note 6. |
I. | OF THE GOSPEL. 49
I have hitherto alleged two most evident places; the one
out of the gospel of Christ, the other out of St Paul his epistle
written to the Romans: by which I meant to prove, that
Christ, being preached to us by the gospel, is received not
by works but by faith; and I hope I have by divine testi-
monies so declared this matter of importance, that no man
shall need hereafter either to doubt or waver in the same.
To all this now I add this note, still most necessary to be
observed ; that all good and holy men in the church of Christ
must with all their power do their endeavour that this doc-
trine of the gospel may abide sincere and utterly uncorrupted.
For they must in no case admit that justification is partly
attributed to faith and the mercy of God, and partly to the
works of faith and our own merits: for if that be admitted,
then doth the gospel lose all force and virtue. I think there-
fore, that all men must only and incessantly urge this, That
the faithful are justified, saved, or sanctified? by faith, without
works, by the grace and mercy, I say, of God through
Christ alone. And I suppose, verily, that this doctrine of
the gospel must be kept sincere and uncorrupt in the church
for very many causes, but among all other for these especially
which follow hereafter.
First of all, it is manifest, that the often-repeated doctrine Why the
of the grace of God, which in his only Son doth through ΠΡ [τα
without
faith alone work justification, is by so many divine testimonies, τας to
be kept un-
even from the beginning of the world, by so many demonstra- corrupted in
tions, and so many determinations of unreproveable councils, of Christ.
both so plainly declared and throughly inculcated, that the
very consent of all ages in the truth revealed from heaven,
and the authority of the most holy men in all the world, do
sufficiently invite us to retain, maintain, and keep that doc-
trine uncorrupted. We have the justification of our blessed
father Abraham a little above expounded by no obscure
author, but even by Paul, the teacher of the Gentiles and
elected vessel of God himself. We have the doctrine of
justification taught by the most glorious king and prophet®
David, ἃ man even after God’s heart’s desire, the great
grandsire of Christ our Lord, declared and expounded by the
same apostle Paul. Now Abraham and David were always
[3 beati, Lat. ; blessed. |
[4 paucis, Lat. ; in few words. ] [5 and prophet, not in Lat. ]
[BULLINGER, III. |
[Acts x. 43.]
(Matt. xvi.
16, 17.)
50 THE FOURTH DECADE, [SERM.
men of chief account in the church of God. With which twain
the whole company of the prophets do wholly agree; for
the apostle Peter saith: ‘All the prophets bare witness to
Christ, that by his name every one which doth believe in him
should receive remission of his sins.” And even now by
the mouth of Paul we heard say, that by the testimonies of
the law and the prophets it is proved, That the righteous-
ness of God is freely bestowed by faith, without the law.
We have also the very Son of God, Jesus Christ, our
Lord, whose authority, excelling far all the world’s beside!, may
confirm us well enough in this piece of doctrine®. For he, as
it were in certain assembled councils, did determine and decree
that which we in this place do counsel all men to retain. For
having gathered together his disciples at Caesarea Philippi, he
demanded of them, what men did think of him. Now when
they answered diversely, according to the diversity of opinions
that the common people had of him, he inquired of them what
they themselves thought of him’, Then Peter in the name of
all the rest said, ‘Thou art that Christ, the Son of the living
God.” To whom the Lord replied: ‘Happy art thou, Simon
Bar-jona; for flesh and blood hath not revealed this to thee, but
my Father which is in heaven.” In these words he concludeth
two several things: first, that true faith doth make us
happy; neither is it to be doubted but that “to make
happy” is used here in that signification, which ye heard out
of Paul even now that David used it in: lastly, that that
sanctifying* faith is not the work of our own nature, but the
heavenly gift of God. And then also he taketh occasion, upon
that notable confession of true faith, to give a new name to
Simon Peter, for the eternal memory of the thingS, and for
the imprinting of the signification of that mystery in all men’s
minds. Peter confessed that Christ was a stone, or rock;
therefore Christ surnameth Peter a Petra, that is, a stone: as
if one should call him a living stone laid upon a living stone,
or of Christ a Christian. Yea, and lest peradventure any
man should tie the thing, universally belonging to the whole
[1 omnes in mundo prestantissimos, Lat. |
[2 may—doctrine, not in Lat. ]
{3 certam confessionem, Lat. | (4 beatificantem, Lat. ]
(5 ad eeternam rei memoriam,—alluding to the opening phrase of
the decrees and bulls of the popes, &c.]
wl OF THE GOSPEL 51
church, unto Peter alone, the Lord himself doth apply it unto
all the church, and saith: “And upon this stone will I build
my church ; and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it.”
As if he should have said: That which now is done in thee,
Peter, shall hereafter be done in all the faithful. Thou by
faith art laid upon me which am the stone, and art made a
member of the church: I therefore do ordain, that whosoever
confesseth me to be the stone shall be a member of the church,
sanctified®, justified, and delivered from the devil and the
power of death. Thy confession (that is, I, Christ the Son
of God, whom thou confessest,) shall be the foundation of the
church ; upon which foundation whosoever are laid’, they shall
be justified® and freely saved. For Paul also said: “Another (2 Cor. ii
foundation ee be laid than that that is already laid, which
is Christ Jesus.” And the apostle John saith: “This is the [1 sonny. 4.1
victory that hath overcome the world, even your faith.” Now
lest Peter and his other fellow-disciples should not know the
way how other men should be admitted into the fellowship of
the church and received into the communion of Christ, he
addeth immediately : ‘And I will give thee the keys of the
kingdom of heaven; and whatsoever thou loosest in earth,
shall be loosed in heaven,” &c. He gave the keys when he
sent the apostles to preach the gospel. Therefore by the
preaching of the gospel (which is the key of the kingdom of
heaven) is heaven opened, and the way pointed out how we,
being graffed in Christ and the church, may be made the
heirs of eternal life; to wit, through faith in Christ, which we
are taught by the gospel of Christ. Thus much touching the
council whereof Christ himself was president, held at Caesarea
Philippi.
There is extant in John another council, held at Caper-
naum?°, both famous and full of people. For in a great multi-
tude of his disciples and other men he doth determine, that
eternal life is gotten by faith in Christ; and that there is
none other way for us to come to life than this, “to eat his
flesh, and to drink his blood;” that is, to believe in him. And
when among the audience there was a schism by reason that
many revolted from Christ, he demanded of them that were
[6 beatus, Lat. | [7 fide, Lat.; by faith.] [8 beati, Lat. |
[9 Heec de Ceesarien. concilio a ee all that Bullinger says. |
[10 Capernaiticum, Lat. John vi. |
4——2
[Acts iv.]
See the order
of the Acts 2
of the Apos-
tles, and
the eighth
sermon of
the third
decade,
(Gal. i. 8.]
52 THE FOURTH DECADE. [SERM.
his nearest disciples, whether they also would forsake him ?
Then Peter in the name of all the rest did answer: Since in
thee, O Christ, there is life and salvation, if we depart from
thee we cannot be partakers of life; and therefore by faith we
will firmly stick and cleave close to thee for ever.
Moreover here are to be reckoned two councils also
that were held by the apostles; the one of which no man
can deny to be very general or universal’; for in it there
were devout men of every nation under heaven. In that
council did Peter the apostle in express words teach, That
Christ is the Saviour of the world; whom whosoever be-
lieveth, he shall have life everlasting. The place is known
in the Acts of the Apostles, the second chapter. Before the
chief of the Jews the same apostle declareth, that there is
salvation in none other than in Christ alone. The place is
extant in the Acts of the Apostles, the third chapter. The
like he doth to the first-fruits of the Gentiles, Cornelius and
his household, in the tenth chapter. The second council,
which was famous also and passingly adorned with all good
gifts, is described in the fifteenth chapter of the Acts: in
which council this proposition was allowed, That faith
without works doth justify freely. Touching which matter
I have spoken at large in another place.
Now by all this I would have it proved, that the doc-
trine of Faith that justifieth without works ought to be
retained unmingled and uncorrupt in the church, because, as
I may so say, it is most catholic and altogether unreprove-
able: to the breach whereof this curse or anathematism
of the apostle is added, saying: “If we, or an angel from
heaven, shall preach to you any other gospel than that
which we have preached, let him be accursed.”
The second cause, why it is expedient that this doctrine
be kept sincere in the church, is; because if it be once put
out of joint, the glory of Christ shall be in danger of wrack
and in jeopardy. Yor the glory of Christ is darkened and
corrupted in the minds of men (although of itself it remaineth
always sound and clear), if we begin to divide the righte-
ousness whereby we stand and appear before God, attributing
it to our own merits and good works of our own. For
this is the glory of the Son of God, that “under heaven
[1 vere cecumenicum, Lat.] [2 seriem in Act. Lat. ]
I. | OF THE GOSPEL. 53
there is none other name given unto men in which they
must be saved.” Hereupon it is that Paul said: “ Christ is feat
made of none effect to you, whosoever are justified by the
law; ye are fallen from grace.” And again: “I do not
despise the grace of God; for if righteousness be of the law,
then did Christ die in vain.” If he died in vain, then is
the glory of Christ his cross perished.
The third cause is, the certain and assured reason of
our salvation. Our salvation should be utterly uncertain,
if it did depend upon our works and merits; who, because
of our natural corruption, unless we be beside ourselves, do
say or ought to say with Job: “If I have any righteous- Mob ix. 15.]
ness, I will not answer, but humbly beseech my Judge.”
Therefore did Paul very rightly say: ‘If the inheritance Bee
be of the law, then is faith void, and the promise made of
none effect. Therefore is it of faith, as according te grace;
that the promise may be firm to all the seed.”
The fourth cause is; because by this doctrine especially
there is repaired in us the image of God, to the likeness
whereof we were at the first created. For by faith Christ
dwelleth and liveth in us, who is also delighted in our hu-
mility. But then is the image of the devil stirred up in
us, when we begin once to be proud in ourselves, and to
usurp the glory of God; which is done undoubtedly so often
as we do attribute our righteousness and salvation unto our-
selves, as though by our own works or merits we had de-
served the kingdom of God. The devil swelleth with pride,
and doth his endeavour to rob* God of his glory. The
saints do know and acknowledge that they are saved by the
true grace and mercy of God; and do therefore attribute to
him all honour and glory, and to themselves confusion and
ignominy. Whereunto undoubtedly belongeth the parable
in the gospel of the Pharisee boasting in his good works,
and of the publican praying and saying, “ God be merciful [Luke xwiti
to me a sinner :” of which twain the publican is read to have
gone heavy® to his house rather justified than the other.
[3 ut secundum gratiam, Lat. ]
[4 ad se rapere, Lat.; to take to himself. |
[5 descendisse, Lat.; to have gone down. Heavy is doubtless in all
the editions a misprint for home, which Tyndale’s and Cranmer’s
versions have. |
{1 Cor. xi.
16.]
The conclu-
sion and
sum of all.
54 THE FOURTH DECADE. [SERM.
The fifth cause is, the value or estimation of the sin.
For that seemeth to be no great fault, which may by men’s
works be blotted out before God. But the holy scripture
teacheth, that sins could be by none other means cleansed,
but by the death and innocent blood of the! Son of God.
Now by that every man that hath any understanding may
easily gather, that sin in the sight of God is a most abo-
minable and detestable thing: whereupon there doth arise
in the faithful saints a careful and diligent watching against
sin, and a continual bewailing of our miserable condition,
with a passing humility and exquisite modesty. ;
I could yet add to these some causes more, why all men
ought to strive and endeavour to keep this doctrine (that
the catholic church is justified by the grace of God in his
only-begotten Son, through faith, and not through works)
sincere and uncorrupt in the church of Christ: but these I
hope are sufficient for them that are not of purpose set to
quarrel against us. And yet, notwithstanding, there is no
peril why by this doctrine good works should be neglected :
of which I have spoken in place convenient”. But if there
be any that cease not of purpose to cavil against the manifest
truth of the gospel, I object against them that saying of
Paul: that neither we, nor the churches of God, do stand
to wrangle in so manifest a light.
To conclude; the sum of all that which hitherto I have
said touching the gospel is this: That all men that be in the
world are of their own nature the servants of sin, the devil,
and eternal death, and cannot be loosed or set at liberty
by any other means but by the free grace of God, and the
redemption which is in the only-begotten Son of God our
Lord Christ Jesus; of which redemption they only are
made partakers that do believe and trust in him. For who-
soever do by true faith receive Christ Jesus through the
preaching of the gospel, they are therewithal justified; that
is, acquitted from their sins, sanctified, and made heirs of
eternal life: but they that by their unbelief and hardness
of heart do not receive Christ, are given over to the eternal
(John iii, 36.] pains and bonds of hell; for “the wrath of God abideth upon
them.”
Let us therefore give hearty thanks to God our Re-
[1 ipsius, Lat.; of the very. | (2? Vol. 1. p. 118.]
I. | OF THE GOSPEL, 55
deemer, and humbly beseech him to keep and increase us in
the true faith, and lastly to bring us to life everlasting.
Amen.
OF REPENTANCE, AND THE CAUSES THEREOF; OF CON-
FESSION, AND REMISSION OF SINS; OF SATIS-
FACTION AND INDULGENCES; OF THE OLD
AND NEW MAN; OF THE POWER OR
STRENGTH OF MEN, AND THE
OTHER THINGS PERTAINING
TO REPENTANCE.
THE SECOND SERMON.
I PROMISED in my last sermon, that I made of the gospel
of Jesus Christ, to add a discourse of repentance; which by
the help of God and your good prayers I purpose in this
sermon for to perform.
They among the Latins are said to repent, which are To repent.
aggrieved at or ashamed of the thing that they have done.
Thou hast done a good turn, and thinkest him unworthy of
it for whom thou hast done it, and for that cause art sorry
to thyself: that sorrow of thine is repentance. We Germans
0811 it Den reuen. The Greeks do name it Metanwam.
Now they which are skilful of that tongue say, that uera-
νοεῖν signifieth to bethink afterward: so that Metanea is
there properly used, where a man, having once slipped by
doing something foolishly, doth notwithstanding at length
come to himself again, and verily purpose to correct his own
error’, It is therefore referred, not to the thought of the
mind only, but also to the deed done. For he that per-
ceiveth that he hath offended, doth devise with himself how
to amend it. So now the thing beginneth to displease thee,
which before did please thee: so now thou eschewest the
thing that before thou ensuedst*. Moreover the Hebrews
call repentance T'heschubah', that is, a conversion, or returning
to the right way or mind again. The metaphor seemeth to
[85 Bullinger here refers to Erasmus’ annotation on Matth. iii. 2:
μετάνοια dicta est a μετανοεῖν, hoc est, a posterius intelligendo, ubi quis
lapsus, re peracta, tum demum animadyvertit erratum suum. |
[4 cupidissime, Lat. omitted; most eagerly. |
[5 Aw.)
The diverse
use of this
word repen-
tance.
[Jer. xviii.
8.
om xi.
56 THE FOURTH DECADE. [SERM.
be taken of them which once did stray from the right path,
but do again at length return into the way: which word is
translated to the mind, to the manners, and deeds of men.
But now this word is diversely used; for repentance
signifieth the changing of the purpose once conceived, or of
any other thing. For by Jeremy the Lord saith: “If they
turn from evil, I will also repent me of the evil which 1
meant to lay upon them.” Therefore God doth then repent,
when he changeth his purpose: he repenteth not, when he
doth not alter it. Paul saith: “ The gifts and calling of God
[Psal. ex.4.] are without repentance.” And David said: “The Lord hath
Repentance
in God, how
and what it
is.
[Gen. vi. 7.]
sworn, and will not repent.” Elsewhere repentance is figu-
ratively attributed to God, like to the affection of mortal
men: as when he saith, “ I repent’ me that I have made
man.” For God of his own nature doth not repent as men
do, so that he should be touched with grief, and that the
thing should now mislike him which he before did like of;
but he doth barely alter that which he hath done. Among
ecclesiastical writers they are said to repent, which after a
prescribed manner of punishment do penance for their sins
which they have committed. The scripture in another place
doth use it for the whole effect and matter of the gospel :
[Acts xi. 18.) for in the Acts we read, that God gave to the Gentiles re-
What repen-
tance is.
pentance unto life. But we, in this disputation of ours, will
use repentance for a converting or turning to the Lord, for
the acknowledging of sins, for the grief conceived for sins
committed, for mortification, and the beginning to lead
a new life; and finally? for the change, correction, and
amendment of the life from evil to better: that which we
Germans call Bekeerung, Enderung oder Besserung*.
And as diversely too is repentance defined of the eccle-
slastical writers: howbeit all agree that it is a conversion or
turning to the Lord, and an alteration of the former life
and opinion. We therefore do say, that repentance is an
unfeigned turning to God, whereby we, being of a sincere
fear of God once humbled, do acknowledge our sins, and
so, by mortifying our old man, are afresh renewed by the
[1 It repenteth, ed. 1577.]
[2 breviter, Lat.; shortly. ]
[3 bekehrung, conversion; aenderung, changing; besserung, cor-
rection. |
I1. | ΟΕ REPENTANCE, AND THE CAUSES THEREOF, 5%
Spirit of God*, This definition doth consist upon her parts,
which, being somewhat more largely opened and diligently
expounded, will declare unto us and lay before our eyes the
whole nature of repentance.
First we say, that repentance is an unfeigned turning © Conversion
unto God. For I will hereafter shew you, that there are
two sorts of repentance; to wit, feigned and unfeigned. And
the apostle Peter saith: “ Repent, and turn, that your sins [aetsiii. 19.
may be blotted out ;” expounding, as it were, the first by the
last, to wit, repentance by returning; (he meaneth) to him
from whom they had turned themselves away. For there
is a certain relation betwixt turning to and turning fro,
If thou hadst never turned away, then hadst thou had no
need to have turned to again. But we have all turned
away from the true, just, and good God, and from his holy
will, unto the devil and our own corrupt affections, And
therefore must we again turn us from the devil, and from
our old naughty life and will, unto the living God and his
most holy will and pleasure. We do here significantly say,
to God, and not to creatures or any help of man. For the
Lord in Jeremy doth say: “If, Israel, thou wilt return, Ver. iv. 1.1
return to me.” Whosoever therefore do not turn to God,
nor make themselves conformable to his holy will, howsoever
they do turn to creatures and other means of man’s inven-
tion, yet are they not® to be esteemed or counted penitents.
Now there is none so blind but seeth, that for the stir- the doctrine
ring of us up to repentance the preaching or doctrine of the nel to
truth is needful and requisite, to teach us what God is to
whom we must be turned; what the goodness and _ holiness
is, to which we must be turned: who the devil is, and what
the evil and wickedness® is, from which we must be turned ;
and lastly, what the thing is that must be amended in our
mind and life, and also how it must be altered and amended.
Truly the prophets and apostles of the Lord, in exhorting
men unto repentance, do travail much and stick very long
in describing of God’s nature, goodness, righteousness, truth
and mercy; in painting out the laws and offices of the life
of man; and in accusing and heaping up’ the sins of men;
[* spiritualiter. ]
[5 revera, Lat. omitted; in truth. ] [6 falsum, Lat.]
[7 exaggerandis, Lat. ]
58 THE FOURTH DECADE. [SERM.
whereunto they add the grievous and horrible tokens! of
God’s just judgments: as is in every place of the prophets’
writings to be found very rifely. And therefore some there
are which bid us even now to preach the law to those men
whom we would draw unto repentance: which thing as I
do not gainsay, but very well like it, so 401 withal admonish
them, that the preaching of the gospel also doth object to
men their sins, and grievously accuse them. For the Lord
[John xvi. 8, in the gospel saith: “‘ When the Holy Ghost cometh, it shall
argue the world of sin, because they believed not in me.”
Whereupon St Peter, in the Acts of the Apostles, upbraiding
to the Jews their sins committed, and preaching unto them
Christ and faith in Christ, exhorteth them unto repentance.
The places are very well known. Acts ii. and iii. St Paul,
going about to draw the Athenians unto repentance, doth
ee ee God, who hath hitherto winked at the times of this
ignorance, doth now preach to all men everywhere that they
should repent; because he hath appointed a day, in which
he will judge the world with righteousness through Christ.”
Let them therefore, to whom charge is given to draw men?
unto repentance, learn here to use much liberty and wisdom,
that all men may acknowledge their sin and the greatness
of their iniquity. Moreover God doth stir up men to re-
pentance, not by his word only, but also by divers afflictions
and sundry sorts of punishments: yea, all the calamities
that happen in the world are certain sermons, as it were,
persuading and drawing us unto repentance. For, that I
may in silence overpass that which is written in the prophets ;
did not our Lord himself in the gospel, when he heard
tidings of the slaughter which Pontius Pilate had made
upon the Galileans, and the death of the eighteen men upon
[Luke xi. whom the tower in Siloe fell, presently say, ‘Think ye that
they were greater sinners than the rest? No, verily; but
unless ye repent, ye shall all likewise perish.” It is as-
suredly certain therefore, that war, famine, and plagues® do
always invite us unto repentance; that is, they premonish
us, by laying sin aside, to be converted unto God, and wholly
to give ourselves to sincere integrity.
[1 minas graves et horrendas hypotyposes, Lat.]
[2 doctrina, Lat. omitted; by doctrine. ]
[3 pestes omnes, Lat. ; all plagues. |
i. OF REPENTANCE, AND THE CAUSES THEREOF. 59
But in vain is repentance preached unto us, unless by che fear of
fear and trembling conceived in our minds we do reverently Sortentae
dread the wrath and judgment of Almighty God conceived
against us because of our sins and wickednesses. Now this
fear is outwardly stirred in us by the external preaching or
discipline of the minister‘, as I told you before; but that ex-
ternal doctrine availeth nothing alone, unless inwardly, that
is, in our hearts, we be moved by the Holy Spirit of our
heavenly Father. And therefore Jeremy in his Lamentations
crieth: “Turn us, O Lord, and we shall be turned.” And (tam. v. 21.)
in the thirty-first chapter: “Turn thou me, O Lord, and I (er, xx«.
shall be turned; because thou art the Lord my God. And |
after I was turned, it repented me of evil.” We read that
St Peter, being provoked by the words of the damsel that
kept the door, and of the soldiers, did foully deny his master
Christ ; but, being revoked at the cock’s crowing, he repented
his fault or folly from the bottom of his heart. And yet it
was not the crowing of the cock of itself alone, that stirred
that motion in him; but that and the word of Christ together,
who had said unto him: “Verily I say unto thee, the cock
shall not crow till thou hast denied me thrice.” Whereupon
St Matthew saith; “And Peter remembered the words of the ier
Lord, which had said unto him, Before the cock crow, thou
shalt deny me thrice,” &c. With these also is joined a more
secret touching of Peter’s mind; for the good Lord touched
the heart of Peter, as the evangelist testifieth, saying: “ And [uke xxii
the Lord, turning himself about, looked upon Peter.” That
looking back of the Lord made Peter’s heart to melt, and
drew it from the destruction whereinto it was about to fall.
Therefore if our ears be pierced with the word of God, and
our hearts touched with his Holy Spirit, then shall we, like
true penitents, unfeignedly reverence and dread the Lord.
And therewithal, being humbled before the most just and Ourhum.
holy God, whom we with our sins do so much offend and pro- knowledging
voke to wrath and indignation, we confess his judgment to be
just against us, and freely acknowledge all the sins and
iniquities that in the word of God are objected against us,
crying out and saying with the prophets: ‘Thou, verily, Jer. xii. 15
O Lord, art righteous, thou art true, and thy judgments just ; 7s: iat ate
but we are most unrighteous, liars, wicked, and wholly over- 68, 1
[4 of the minister, not in Lat. ]
The fear of
God is of two
sorts.
[Mal. i. 6.]
at Viii.
5.
Sorrow to
God-ward.
F Cor: vii.
0.)
60 THE FOURTH DECADE. [SERM.
whelmed with detestable iniquities. There is nothing sound
or sincere within us. All that we have is corrupt and miser-
able. We have sinned, we have been wicked, we have done
unjustly, we have forsaken thee. We have gainsaid thy ser-
vants the prophets, we have not obeyed the words of thy
mouth. To thee therefore, O God, doth righteousness belong,
and to us wretches shame and confusion.” This humiliation and
free confession of sins doth God require of penitent sinners:
touching which I will hereafter speak somewhat more; for
now I return more fully to expound the fear of the Lord.
At this present I speak of the sincere fear of God: for
we confess that the fear of God is of two sorts, sincere and
unsincere. The sincere fear of God is perceived in the faithful,
and is a godly reverence consisting in the love and honour of
God. For the prophet bringeth in God saying: ‘The son
honoureth the father, and the servant the master: therefore
if I be a father, where is my honour? if a lord, where is my
fear?” And Paul saith: “ Ye have not received the spirit of
bondage again unto fear; but ye have received the spirit of
adoption, by which we ery, Abba, Father.” Therefore the
sincere fear of God in them -that do repent is not the servile
dread of punishment, but a careful study mixt with the love
and honour of God. An honest wife feareth her husband, and a
gracious daughter feareth her father!; and yet each of them
doth therewithal love, the one her father, the other her hus-
band, and doth with an holy love endeavour herself to keep
his favour, and fear lest at any time she should do anything
to lose it. And therefore penitents do not only fear?, because
they know, being taught by the Spirit of God, that they have
committed sins, for which they have deserved to be forsaken
of the Lord; but do also love him as their merciful Father,
and are therefore sorry with all their hearts for their sins
committed; and do above all things most ardently require to
be reconciled again to their merciful God and loving Father.
For with this sincere fear of God is joined the grief or
sorrow, which is conceived by the Spirit of God for our sins
that we commit, St Paul maketh mention of two sorts of sor-
rows. ‘The sorrow that is to God-ward,” saith he, “doth bring
forth repentance*® not to be repented of; but, contrarily, the
[1 parentem, Lat. | [2 Deum, Lat. omitted; God.]
[3 ad salutem, Lat. omitted; to salvation. ]
II. | OF REPENTANCE, AND THE CAUSES THEREOF. 61
sorrow of the world bringeth death.” The king and prophet
David sorrowed to God-ward, when he cried: ““ Thine arrows
stick fast in me, and thy hand doth press me sore. There is
no whole part in my flesh, because of thy displeasure: there
is no rest in my bones by reason of my sin:” and so for-
ward, as is to be seen in the thirty-eighth Psalm; which,
although it were written of his grievous disease or sickness,
doth yet notwithstanding, as it were in a shadow, shew us the
great grief that is in the saints for offending their good and
gracious Father with their continual‘ sins. To God-ward was
the sinful woman sorry in St Luke, who, falling prostrate at (Luke vii
the Lord’s heels, did wash his feet with tears, and wiped them
with her hair. To God-ward was St Peter sorry, and wept [Luke xxii
(as we read) full bitterly for his offence. The godly are”
greatly grieved because they do so oftentimes offend so foully
so good a God and gracious Father. No words, I think, can
possibly express the grief and sorrow that they conceive.
But the prophet Jeremy, describing the contrary affection of
impenitent sinners, doth say: “Do men fall, so that they may Jer. Coit ἀ-
not rise again? Doth any man go so astray, that he may not”
turn again? How doth it happen then that this people of
Hierusalem is turned away so stubbornly? I gave ear and
hearkened, they spake not rightly: there was none that did
repent him of his wickedness, to say, What have I done?
Every one of them turned to his own course, like a fierce
horse headlong to the battle.”
The worldly grief is the sorrow of such men as know not
God, and are without faith and the true love of God; yea,
of such as yield under the burden of sorrow, adversities, and®
very sins. Like to this also, in a manner, is the consideration
of the unsincere fear of God. For the wicked, with their
head the devil, do fear God, not-as a father, whom they are
sorry to offend, and to whom they desire to be reconciled as to
a father; but as a tormentor, because they know that he will
revenge their evil deeds; and therefore with Judas® they
run’ to the rope. There is in them no love of God, no
honour, no good-will, no reverence, but mere hatred 8, horror,
[4 continual, not in Lat.]
[5 adeoque et, Lat.; and so of their sins also. |
[6 Iscariotha, Lat. omitted. ] [7 tandem, Lat. ; at last. |
[8 odium Dei, Lat. }
fi John iv.
8.1
Faith is need-
ful in them
that repent.
62 THE FOURTH DECADE. [SERM,
and utter desperation, But such fear the apostle and evan-
gelist John denied to be in charity, saying that “ perfect
charity casteth out all fear:” I mean not that fear of the
Lord that is the beginning of wisdom; but that of which I
have spoken all this while; the fear, I mean, that is in the
devil and wicked men his members}.
And now by this we gather, that unto penitents faith in
God and the merit of Christ is most of all and especially
needful. In which sense it is, I think, that many have made
faith a part of repentance: which as I do not greatly deny,
so yet do I see that St Paul made as it were a difference
betwixt faith and repentance, when in the twentieth of the
Acts he saith, that “he witnessed both to the Jews and
Gentiles the repentance that is toward God, and the faith in
Jesus Christ.” Therefore repentance and faith seem to be
diverse: not that true repentance can be without faith; but
because they must be distinguished, and not confounded.
We do all know that true faith is not without works,
as that which of necessity sheweth forth good works?;
and yet we make a difference betwixt faith and works, so yet
that we do not separate them or rend the one from the other:
and in like manner we acknowledge that true faith and true
repentance are undividedly knit together, and closely fastened
the one to the other. I will not stand in argument, whether
faith be a part of repentance, or doth by any other means
depend upon it. It seemeth to me a notable point of folly to
go about to tie matters of divinity*® to precepts of logic: for
we learn not that of the Lord’s apostles. I admonished you
before in a sermon of the gospel* (which thing I do here
repeat again), that the acknowledging of sins doth not of itself
obtain grace or forgiveness of sins; even as the bare acknow-
ledging of a disease is not-the remedy for the same: for
even damned men also do acknowledge their sins, and yet are
not therefore healed. The acknowledging of sin is a certain
preparative unto faith; as the acknowledging of a disease
doth minister occasion to think upon a remedy. ‘To this at
this present we add, that not the very fear of God, how
sincere soever it be; not the very sorrow conceived for our
[1 the fear—members, not in Lat. |
[2 lege utique communi, is Bullinger’s parenthesis. }
[3 ubique, Lat. omitted; in all cases. ] [4 See above, p. 35.]
II. | OF REPENTANCE, AND THE CAUSES THEREOF, 63
sins, how great soever it be; nor the very humiliation, how
submiss soever it be, do of themselves make us® acceptable
to God: but rather that they prepare an entrance and make a
way for us unto the knowledge of Christ, and so consequently
do lead us to Christ himself being incarnate and crucified for
us and our redemption, and lay us upon Christ alone, by him
to be quickened and purely cleansed. For he that is truly
converted to God is utterly turned from himself and all hope
of worldly aid. Whoso doth truly fear God and is sorry in
very deed from the bottom of his heart, he doth fear and is
sorry for his sins committed; and not for that alone, but
because he findeth himself to be corrupted wholly, and to
have in himself no soundness or integrity: yea, because he
reverenceth God as his Father, he doth disclose to him his
wounds as to a chirurgeon, desiring instantly to be reconciled
to him as to his loving Father. And whereas here true god-
liness doth cry, that no man can be reconciled to God the
Father but by the only-begotten Son; the penitent doth by
faith lay hold on the Son, and so seek the means of his
reconciliation®. Faith is grounded upon the only grace or
mercy of God exhibited to us in Christ Jesus, and the penitent
believeth that he is accepted of God for Christ his sake alone :
and therefore he maketh his supplications to God, committing
himself wholly unto his mercy; as we read that David, and
the prodigal son in the fifteenth chapter of St Luke’s gospel,
did. To this place might be annexed the doctrine of? the
gospel, of faith in Jesus Christ, and of the remission of sins ;
touching which I have already spoken.
And here I think it not amiss, that the minds of penitents sins are fully
must by all means be confirmed with many and evident places forgiven unto
of scripture plainly uttered concerning the full remission of age’
sins, to the end that hereafter we have no scruple of con-
science to cause us to despair or doubt in our temptations :
wherein notwithstanding I repeat again and again this note
to be throughly marked, for the confirmation of the glory of
the only-begotten Son of God, our Lord Christ Jesus, that
penitent sinners have their sins remitted, not for their repent-
ance, in respect that it is our work or action; but in respect
[5 poenitentes, Lat. |
[6 and so—reconciliation ; an addition of the translator’s. |
(7 de, Lat.; concerning. |
64 THE FOURTH DECADE. [SERM.
that it comprehendeth the renewing of man by the Holy
Ghost, and true faith, which delivereth us to Christ our physi-
cian, that he may heal all our diseases and bind up all our
griefs'. And although this treatise doth properly belong to
the common place of faith and the gospel, of which I have so
briefly as I could already discoursed; yet notwithstanding I
will here recite some evident sentences touching the grace of
God and free remission of our sins.
David in the hundreth and third psalm saith: “ Praise
the Lord, O my soul, and forget not the things that he hath
done for thee: which forgiveth all thy sins, and healeth all
thine infirmities: which saveth thy life from destruction, and
crowneth thee with mercy and loving-kindness. He hath not
dealt with us after our sins, nor rewarded us according to our
wickedness. For look how high the heaven is in comparison
of the earth; so great is his mercy toward them that fear
him. And look how far the east is from the west; so far hath
he set our sins from us. Yea, like as a father pitieth his own
children, so is the Lord merciful to them that fear him. For
he knoweth that we are frail (prone to sin), and doth remember
that we are but dust.”
Esay in the first chapter of his prophecy saith: “Thus
saith the Lord, Though your sins be as red as scarlet, they
shall be made whiter than snow; and though they be red as
purple, they shall be made like undyed? wool.” Again, in the
forty and third chapter, he bringeth in the Lord saying:
“1 am he that blot out the® transgressions, and that for mine
own sake, and I will not remember thy sins.”
In the thirty-first chapter of Jeremy, which saying is
also alleged by Paul in the eighth and tenth chapters to the
Hebrews, the Lord saith: “ This is my covenant that I will
make with them after these days; I will be merciful unto
their iniquities, and not remember their sins any more.”
In the thirty-sixth chapter of Ezechiel the Lord saith:
“J will sprinkle clean water upon you, and ye shall be
cleansed from all your uncleanness. A new heart also will
I give you, and a new spirit will I put within you: as for
that stony heart, I will take it out of your flesh, and give
you a fleshy heart. I will deliver you from all your un-
[1 contritiones, Lat. ] [2 nativa lana, Lat. |
[3 tuas, Lat.; thy.]
I. | OF REPENTANCE, AND THE CAUSES THEREOF. 65
cleannesses. But I will not do this for your sakes, saith the
Lord, be ye sure of it, &c.”
Daniel in his ninth chapter leaveth to us a manifest ex-
ample of confession of sins, and doth in express words say
that by the Messiah sins are forgiven, iniquity purged, and
everlasting righteousness brought in instead of it*, So doth
the prophet Zachary in his third chapter affirm, that the
iniquity of the earth is purged by the only sacrifice of Christ
Jesus.
The Lord, in the gospel after St Matthew, doth say:
“They that are whole need not the physician, but they that ee ae
are sick. Neither did I come to call the righteous, but sinners
to repentance.” And therefore is he called Jesus, that is,
a Saviour: for the angel said, “He shall save his people (Mate. i. 21.)
from their sins.” And St Paul to Timothy saith: “It is ἃ pitimi.is.
sure saying, and worthy by all means to be received, that
Jesus Christ came into the world to save sinners.”
In the same gospel the Lord saith: “Every sin and (Bate. xii.
blasphemy shall be forgiven men; but blasphemy against a
the Holy Ghost shall not be eee men. And whosoever
shall say a word against the Son of man, it shall be forgiven
him: but whosoever speaketh a word against the Holy
Ghost, it shall not be forgiven him, neither in this world,
nor in the world to come.” Concerning sin against the
Holy Ghost I have already spoken in another place’. Now
to this place do belong all the examples of that most liberal
kind of forgiveness, which is expressed in the gospel: as for
example, of the sinful woman, Luke vii.; also John iy.
and Matthew vii.; of Zachee, St Peter, and the thief upon
the cross. But who is able briefly to reckon them all? To
this also do appertain the three parables in the gospel® after
the evangelist St Luke.
In the gospel after St John the forerunner of the Lord (on i
doth cry out, saying: “Behold the Lamb of God, that
taketh away the sins of the world.” And the Lord himself
did say to his disciples: ‘‘ Whose sins soever ye forgive, they
are forgiven.”
Peter the apostle in the Acts doth ery and say: “ All [acts x. 43.]
the prophets bear witness to Christ, that whosoever believeth
[4 instead of it, not in Lat. ]
[5 See Vol. 1. p. 420.] [9 ex 15 cap. Lat. omitted. ]
[ BULLINGER, IIT. ] :
66 THE FOURTH DECADE. [SERM.
in him should by his name receive remission of his sins.”
(1 Pet. 24] The same apostle again in his Epistle saith: “ Christ his
f John 4: 7)
ee]
Against the
Novatians
and Ana-
baptists.
ate xvi.
7.}
[John vi. 67
—69.]
own self bare our sins in his body upon the cross', that we,
being dead to sin, might live to righteousness: by whose
stripes ye are healed.”
The apostle Paul in the fifth chapter of his second
Epistle to the Corinthians saith: “God was in Christ recon-
ciling the world unto himself, not imputing their sins unto
them. For him, that knew not sin, he made sin for us;
that we through him might be made the righteousness of
God.” And in the tenth to the Hebrews he hath: “ Christ,
having offered one sacrifice for sin, is set down at the right
hand of God for ever; from henceforth tarrying till his foes
be made his footstool. For with one offering hath he made
perfect for ever them that are sanctified.”
Moreover the blessed apostle and evangelist John doth
no less truly than evidently testify, saying: ‘‘ The blood of
Jesus Christ the Son of God doth cleanse us from all sin.”
And again: “ And he is the propitiation for our sins; not
for ours only, but for the sins also of the whole world.”
But now most vain and the very messengers of Satan
himself are the Novatians and Anabaptists, which feign that
we are by baptism purged into an angelical life, which is
not polluted with any spots at all: but if it be polluted, then
can he that is so defiled look for no pardon at all*. For,
to pass over many other places of holy scripture, was not
St Peter consecrated to God in baptism? Had he not tasted
of God’s good grace? “After that notable confession which
he made, the Lord said unto him: “ Happy art thou, Simon
Bar-Jona; flesh and blood hath not revealed this unto thee,
but my Father which is in heaven.” Again, when the Lord
demanded of his disciples, saying, “ Will ye depart also ?”
then Peter in the name of them all answered; “ Lord, to
whom shall we go? Thou hast the words of eternal life;
and we believe and know that thou art Christ, the Son of
the living God.” And yet this very same Peter, after his
baptism and tasting of the grace of God, sinned notwith-
[1 super lignum, Lat. ]
[2 See Vol. 1. p. 424. n. 3. and Bullinger, ady. Anabapt. Lib. 1.
cap. 11.]
[3 Certe, Lat. omitted; unquestionably. ]
I. | OF REPENTANCE, AND THE CAUSES THEREOF. 67
standing, and that too not lightly*, in denying and for-
swearing his Lord and Master. Now was he, for this sin of
his, altogether unpardonable? Was his return to God again
stopped up by his stumbling? No, verily. For when he
heard the cock crow, he remembered presently the words of
the Lord, he descended into himself, he considered what he
had done, he wept bitterly and mourned lamentably. And
yet he was not long tormented in that grief without conso-
lation. For the third day after, to the women which came
to the Lord’s sepulchre it was said by the angels: “ Tell
his disciples, and Peter, that he is risen, and goeth before
you into Galilee.” Lo here, the Lord will have it known
to Peter by name, that he was risen. And why to Peter
by name? Because, forsooth, he had sinned more grievously
than the other: not that the Lord did like of Peter’s sin;
but because he would thereby declare to us that penitents
do obtain forgiveness of their sins, so often as they do turn
to the heavenly grace of God again. And not many days
after he restored Peter to the ministry again, commending
to him the charge of his sheep. i
Moreover the Lord in Jeremy speaketh to the people
of Israel, saying: ‘‘ If any man put away his wife, and she? (er. iii-1.]
marry to another man, will her first husband turn to her
again? But is not this land defiled.? Hast thou not com-
mitted fornication with many? Yet turn thee to me again,
saith the Lord.” And the Galatians, being once rightly in-
structed by the apostle Paul, but after that seduced by the
false apostles, revolted from the truth and preaching of the
gospel: yet notwithstanding they obtained pardon. The
Corinthians also, after they had received grace, did wittingly
and willingly sin in many things: but yet upon repentance
the apostle Paul promised them forgiveness of their sins at
the hands of the Lord.
And what is more manifest than this, that all the saints
do daily in earnest and truly, not hypocritically or falsely,
pray saying, “Forgive us our trespasses?” They which pray
thus do plainly confess that they are sinners; and the Lord
promiseth to hear those that pray with faith. Therefore even
those sins are forgiven at the prayers of penitents, which
[* sed gravissime, Lat. omitted; but most heinously. |
[5 ab ipso divertens, Lat. omitted ; turning aside from him. ]
5—2
The sum of
the true
doctrine of
repentance.
68 THE FOURTH DECADE. [SERM.
are committed after the grace of God is once known and
obtained.
Now the places in the epistle to the Hebrews, which the
Novatians allege for the confirmation of their opinion, I have
in another place so thoroughly discussed!, that I need not here
busily to stand long upon them.
But now to gather a sum of those things which I have
hitherto said concerning repentance; let us hold, that repent-
ance is a turning to God, which, although he doth by his
word and other means stir it up in us, is notwithstanding
especially by the Holy Ghost so wrought in us, that with fear
we love and with love we fear our just God and merciful
Lord?, from whom we were turned back, being sorry now with
all our hearts that we with our sins did ever offend so gracious
a Father. For being humbled before his eternal and most
sacred majesty, we acknowledge the sins that are objected
against us by the word of God: yea, we acknowledge that in
us there is no integrity or soundness; but do heartily desire
to be reconciled with God again: and since that reconciliation
cannot be otherwise made than by the only Mediator the
Lord Christ Jesus, we do by faith lay hold on him, by whom
we, being acquitted from all our sins, are reputed of God for
righteous and holy. This benefit whosoever do sincerely
acknowledge, they cannot choose but hate sin and mortify
the old man.
I would therefore now add other members belonging to
this treatise of repentance, to wit, the mortification of the
old man, and the renewing of the spirit, were it not that the
very matter itself doth require to have somewhat said touch-
ing the confession of sins and satisfaction for the same. For
some there are that, when they speak of repentance, do speak
some things contrary to the truth*. To the end therefore,
dearly beloved, that ye be not ignorant what to think of these
points according to the truth, I will not stick to stay somewhile
in the exposition of the same. And I hope ye shall out of
my words gather such fruit as ye shall not hereafter repent
yourselves of.
[! See Vol. m. p. 424. ]
[2 ut revertamur ad ipsum, Deum, inquam, justum, a quo We. Lat. |
[3 de confessione, Lat. But ed. 1587 has forgiveness. |
[4 de his, Lat. omitted; touching these points. ]
U1. | OF REPENTANCE, AND THE CAUSES THEREOF, 69
To confess, or a confession, is in the holy scriptures Of the con-
diversely used. For it signifieth to praise the Lord, and to sins.
give him thanks for the benefits that we receive at his hands ;
and therefore confession is put for praise and thanksgiving.
For the prophet saith: “Ὁ praise the Lord; for he is good,
and his mercy endureth for ever’.” Paul in his epistle to
Titus, speaking of hypocrites, saith: ‘In words they confess®
that they know God, but in their deeds they deny him.”
Here to confess doth signify to say, to profess, or to boast.
In another place it is taken for to trust, to stay upon God’s
goodness, and to testify that confidence as well by words as
deeds: and in that sense did St John use it in the fourth.
chapter of his epistle, and Paul in the tenth to the Romans,
Moreover, to confess is to give glory to God, and freely to
acknowledge thy sin and the judgment which is objected to
thee for thy sin. Salomon in the twenty-eighth chapter of
his Proverbs saith: “‘ Whosoever hideth his iniquities” (or? doth
as it were defend them), “nothing shall go well with him: but
whoso confesseth and forsaketh them, to him shall be shewed
mercy.” The Hebrew tongue useth® the word Jadah for that
which we call, to confess. Now Jadah signifieth to let slack,
or loose®, as when a bow once bended is unbended again. And
Modeh™, which cometh of Jadah, is as if one should say,
confessing, yielding, or granting to be vanquished!!. For God
accuseth us, and pleadeth us guilty of sin and endangered? to
punishment: which our flesh doth presently acknowledge,
but yet standeth stiff like a bended bow, until at length, when
that stiffness is unbended, it doth acknowledge every thing
that God objecteth against us. This acknowledging is called
Modeh, that is, a confession. And we Germans say, Ks hat
[5 Psal. exxxvi. 1. Confitemini Domino. |
[6 Chap. i. 16. they confesse, Tyndale, 1534. Cranmer, 1539.]
[7 imo et, Lat. ; nay also. |
[8 in hac sententia, Lat. omitted; in this sentence. |
[9 projicere vel dimittere, Lat. ]
[29 yy) to cast, cast forth, cast out. pW confessing. Parkhurst,
Heb. Lex. in voc. ]
[11 herbam prebens, Lat. For this proverbial phrase see Erasm.
Adag. Chil. p. 707. col. 1. Hanov. 1617. ]
[12 endangered to. See Tyndale’s Doctr. Treatises, ed. Park. Soc.
pp- 236, 502.]
(13 non protinus, Lat.; doth not presently. |
Confession
of sins or-
dained of
God.
Sey xix.
3—19. }
70 THE FOURTH DECADE. [SERM.
gelassen, Er hat geschnellt, when we mean that anything
hath yielded, or that a man hath at last confessed that
which he did afore either flatly deny or else dissemble.
But now confession of sins is of more sorts than one; for
the one is divine, the other human. I will first speak of the
divine confession, then of the human.
We call that divine, whereof there be evident testimonies
or examples in the holy scriptures, and which is instituted by
God himself. That is a free acknowledging and flat confession
of the sin which God! objecteth against us, whereby we do
attribute all glory to God, and to ourselves shame and confu-
sion; and therewithal do crave pardon of God, and of our
neighbour, against whom we have sinned. Now sin is objected
to us by God himself, who outwardly by the word, or the
ministry of men, and sometimes by signs and wonders, and
inwardly by the secret operation of his Holy Spirit, doth plead
us guilty of sin and endangered to punishment, requiring of
us a free and voluntary confession of our sins. For he liketh
of a free and voluntary, not a feigned or extorted, confession.
Truly, the citizens of Hierusalem and people of the Jewish
religion did of their own accord come to the baptism of John,
confessing their sins which John? in his preaching had objected
against them. And after the ascension of Christ into heaven
St Peter accused the sins’ of the Jews; and immediately upon
the accusation it followeth in the history : “When they heard
this, they were pricked in their hearts, and said to Peter and
the other apostles, Men and brethren, what shall we do ?”—
and so forth, as followeth in the second of the Acts. Likewise
also the keeper of the prison at Philippos‘, feeling the earth-
quake, sprang out, and being instructed with the apostles’
words confessed his sins and was baptized®. And the men of
Ephesus which were given to magical arts, when they heard the
calamity which the devil brought upon the sons of Sceva, their
fellows and practisers in magic and sorcery, did fear exceed-
ingly, and came and did confess their sins. Upon these causes
for the most part doth the confession of sins especially arise.
[1 God, not in the original: quee objicitur nobis, Lat. ]
[2 beatus Joannes, Lat. ]
(3 peceatum, Lat. ]
[4 magister carceris Philippici, Lat. Acts xvi. 26—33.]
[5 and was baptized, not in Lat.]
1. | OF REPENTANCE, AND THE CAUSES THEREOF, 71
Again, of the confession instituted by God there are two rhe contes.
sorts, whereof the one is made to God, the other to our is privately
neighbour. That which is made to God is either private or Goa.
public. We do then make our confession to God privately,
when we disburden our hearts before God, open the secrets
of our hearts to him alone, and, in acknowledging the sins
that are in us, do earnestly beseech him to have mercy upon
us. This confession is necessary to the obtaining of pardon
for our sins: for unless we do acknowledge our own cor-
ruption and unrighteousness, we shall never by true faith
lay hold on Christ, by whom alone we are to be justified.
But here we think not that penitents must hasten to any
other confessor to confess their sins unto, but unto God
alone; for he alone doth forgive and blot out the offences
of penitents®. He is the physician, to whom alone we must
discover and open our wounds. He it is that is offended
with us, and therefore of him we must desire forgiveness?
and reconciliation. He alone doth look into our hearts and
search our reins; to him alone therefore we must disclose our
hearts. He alone calleth sinners unto him: let us therefore
make haste unto him, prostrate ourselves before him, confess
our faults unto him, and crave pardon for them of him.
This confession, if it be made of a zealous mind to God-ward,
although it cannot be made by word of mouth by reason of
some impediment or want of the tongue’, is notwithstanding
acceptable to God®, who doth not so much respect the mouth
as the mind of man. On the other side, if we make confession
with the mouth, and in heart are not thoroughly bent to the
same}, although we make that confession to God or the high-
priest, yet doth not the Lord regard so vain a confession,
Concerning that true confession to God I have already
spoken, where as" in the definition of repentance I said that
penitents do acknowledge their sins: of which the scripture
doth in many places substantially speak. David in the Psalms
[6 of penitents, not in Lat. ]
[7 pax, Lat. Bullinger here borrows largely from Calvin. Instit.
Lib. 11. cap. 4. § 9.]
[8 by reason—tongue, the translator’s addition. ]
[9 cordium inspectore, Lat. ; who looketh at the heart. —who— man,
is the translator’s paraphrase. |
[19 in Deum intenti non simus, Lat. ] [11 cum, Lat.]
Far Hel:
ec. ]
| Psal. xxxii.
5.
oe XViii.
3.J
[1 John i. 8,
9.1
[2 Sam. xii.
13.)
(Luke xix. ]
72 THE FOURTH DECADE. SERM.
doth pray! saying: “Have mercy upon me, O God, according
to the greatness of thy mercy. For I acknowledge my sins,
and my sin is ever before me. To thee alone have I sinned,
and done evil in thy sight.” And so forth. And in another
Psalm: “I have made my fault known unto thee, and mine
unrighteousness have I not hid. I said, I will confess mine
unrighteousness unto thee? against myself*, and thou hast
forgiven the wickedness of my sin.” In the gospel the Lord
teacheth to pray, and in prayer to confess and say: “Forgive
us our debts, as we forgive our debtors.” And, when we
pray so’, he biddeth us to go aside into our chamber, that
our heart and the devotion of our hearts may there appear
unto our heavenly Father alone. The prodigal son doth in
the field, where none but swine alone were to be seen, pri-
vately both make and offer the confession of his sin unto his
father’, And that publican in the gospel, which is compared
with the Pharisee, knocketh his breast, and with a lamentable
voice doth to himself confess and say, “Lord, be merciful to
me a sinner.” Let us now also hear John, the holy apostle
and evangelist, comprehending all that may be truly spoken
touching this confession in this one saying: “If we say that
we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in
us. If we confess our sins, God is faithful and just to forgive
us our sins, and to cleanse us from all iniquity.” With this
private confession, which is made to God, is that voluntary
confession always joined that is made before men. For peni-
tents are humbled so often as the matter, the glory of God,
and safeguard of our neighbour requireth, and do before
men openly testify® that they have sinned unto God. For so
David, when Nathan the prophet told him of his sin, cried
out, saying: “I have sinned to the Lord.” So also Zacheus,
understanding that the Lord was upbraided for receiving
him’, doth openly confess his sin, and promise amendment.
(1 et confitetur, Lat.; and confess. |
[2 Domino, Lat.; unto the Lord. |
[3 confitebor adversus me, Lat.; accuse myself. Coverdale, 1535;
and see Ainsworth in loc. |
(4 confitentesque, Lat. ; and confess. |
[5 Rather, Among the swine frames the confession of his sin, and
offers it to his father alone. Luke xv.]
[6 etiam testantur, Lat. ; also testify. ]
[7 for receiving him, added by the translator. |
11. | OF REPENTANCE, AND THE CAUSES THEREOF. 73
We verily do publicly make our confession to God so as Publie or
I told you a little above; but so much the rather yet, when fession.
after the hearing of the word of truth we do after that public
or solemn manner, either in the church, or otherwise in some
congregation or holy assembly 8, recite our sins committed, and
cry to God for mercy and pardon of the same. Truly, of old
the Lord appointed in our forefathers’ days, that, the priest Levit. xvi.
going before in words premeditated for the purpose, the
whole people should follow him word for word, and openly
confess their sins in the temple®. Whereupon undoubtedly it
is at this day received in the church of the Christians, that, the
pastor or doctor of the church going before in words con-
ceived, at the end of the exposition of the scriptures’, before
the assembly is dismissed, all the people should openly in the
temple confess all their sins against God, and heartily desire
him of his mercy to forgive them the same™. The public
confessions of sins are notably known, which were made
by Daniel, Esdras, and Nehemias. And I say plainly!” that
that was a public confession of sins, which St Matthew in his
third chapter saith that the Jews did make: for all Jewry
came out to John the forerunner of the Lord, “and were bap-
tized ef him in Jordan, confessing their sins.” For when they
did publicly receive baptism, then did they thereby declare
and openly confess their sins. For baptism is the sign of the
cleansing of sins: therefore they that are baptized confess
that they are sinners. They that were not baptized thought
[8 or holy assembly, not in Lat.—coram hominibus, Lat. omitted;
before men. ]
[9 See above, pages 165, 197. |
[10 et paulo antequam, Lat.; and a little before. |
[11 The divines of Cologne, in the Enchiridion appended to the
canons of their provincial Council, 1538, having referred, as Bullinger
here, to Nehemiah iy. and ix., also observe: Hine finita concione,
generalem et publicam confessionem ad populum pronuntiat (sacerdos)
ac monet, ut se pronuntiantem populus eisdem verbis prosequatur.
fol. 140.—In the reformed churches the general confession of the
minister and people was ordinarily placed at the opening of public
worship. Durel’s View of the Government, &c. in Reformed Churches
beyond the seas, p. 35. Lond. 1662. Sect. 1. § 38. But see The -
Order of the Church in Denmark, &c. Works of Bp. Coverdale, ed.
Park. Soe. p. 472. ]
[12 interpretor, Lat. |
Acts xix.
Confession
that is made
to our neigh-
ur.
[James v.
16.]
Sgt v. 23,
4,}
74 THE FOURTH DECADE. [SERM.
themselves to be otherwise purged, and that they need! not
any sanctification. The Ephesians did publicly confess their
sins, when, gathering their books of witchcraft together, they
burned them in the fire: for by the burning of those books
they did confess, that they had committed wickedness that
was to be purged with fire.
Now the confession that is made to our neighbour is of
this sort: Thou hast offended thy brother?, or else he perhaps
hath done thee injury, for which ye are at discord, and do
hate one another: in this case verily ye must think of recon-
ciliation. Let the one therefore go to the other, and confess,
and ask pardon for the fault committed; and let him that is
innocent in the matter? freely forgive him that confesseth his
fault, and so become his friend again. Of this confession the
apostle James spake, saying: ‘Confess your faults one to
another, and pray one for another, that ye may be healed.”
And* our Lord and Saviour did before James teach us, say-
ing: “If thou offerest thy gift at the altar” (for he speaketh
to those among whom at that time the sacrifices of the law
were yet in use), ‘‘and dost remember there that thy brother
hath any thing against thee, leave there thy gift before the
altar, and go thy ways; first be reconciled to thy brother,
and then thou mayest come and offer thy gift.” To this also
doth belong that parable, which the Lord putteth forth and
expoundeth in the eighteenth chapter after St Matthew, of
him that was cast into perpetual prison, because, when he had
found favour at his Lord’s hand, he was over cruel upon his
fellow-servant, to whom he would not forgive so much as a
farthing. For in the sixth chapter after St Matthew the
Lord saith: “If ye forgive men their trespasses, your
heavenly Father will also forgive you. But if ye forgive not
men their trespasses, no more will your Father® forgive you
your trespasses.” Not that for our forgiving of others our
sins are forgiven us; for so the forgiveness of our sins
should not be free, but should come by our merits and as a
recompence of our deserts: but now when our sins are
freely forgiven through faith, verily that unreconcileable and
[1 needed, ed. 1577. (2 proximum, Lat. ; neighbour. }
(3 that is innocent in the matter, not in Lat.]
(4 Quia, Lat.; Because. |
[5 pater ccelestis, Lat. Matth. vi. 14, 15.]
IL. | OF REPENTANCE, AND THE CAUSES THEREOF, 75
hard heart is an assured argument that there is no faith
in a hard, stubborn, and unappeasable man. But where
there is no faith, there is no remission. ‘Therefore volun-
tary forgiveness in a man towards his neighbour is not that®
for which we are forgiven of God our Father, but is an
evident sign and natural fruit of true faith and the grace of
God in us’,
To these two kinds of confession some men add that Consuttation.
whereby they, that are oppressed in conscience with any
grievous sin, doth® consult or ask counsel either of the pastor
of the Lord’s flock, or else of some other that is expert and
skilful in the laws® of God. But that is rather to be termed
a consultation than a confession; and it is in no place either
commanded or forbidden, and therefore left free at every
man’s choice. Wherefore no man ought to be compelled to
this consultation. Butif any brother do demand counsel either
of the minister of the church, or of any other private brother,
then charity commandeth thee to satisfy him, if so be that
thou canst. Yea, if he demandeth not, and thou dost see thy
brother to be in danger, charity again commandeth thee to
admonish him that is so in danger, and to handle him as
a brother. For Paul to the Galatians saith: ‘‘ Brethren, if a (al. vi. 1,
man be prevented in any fault, ye which are spiritual restore ~
such an one in the spirit of meekness, considering theeself
lest thou also be tempted. Bear ye one another’s burden,
and so fulfil the law of Christ.” But this belongeth nothing
to confession; therefore we return to our purpose again.
Thus much have we hitherto said touching the confession Confessions
of sins which God hath instituted. Now we will annex some- dained of
what touching the confession of sins that men have ordained.
That confession also is of two sorts: the one is public, ritual or
ceremonial, which for the most part they call ᾿Εξομολόγησις : Exhomolo-
the other is private or secret, and is called auricular. ae
I call the public confession ritual, not so much because it
is the acknowledging or confession of sin, as for that it is the
penitential action for the sin committed. For Isidore the bishop,
Libro Etymol.!® vi. cap. 18, saith: Exhomologesis “is the
[6 is not that—-but, the translator’s addition. |
(7 within us, ed. 1577. ] [8 do, ed. 1577. ]
(9 law, ed. 1577. legis, Lat. ]
(10 Hispalen. Episcopus, Lat. : Bishop of Seville, a.p. 595. ]
»
76 THE FOURTH DECADE, [sERM.
discipline of prostrating and humbling meu in habit, in living,
to lie in sack and ashes, to deface the body with filth, to
mourn and lament with a sorrowful mind, and through sorrow
to amend that wherein they sinned before!.” These words
of bishop Isidore I would not have recited unto you, dearly
beloved, who is an author not very famous, unless I had seen
the same words in a manner to be read in the book which
Tertullian wrote of repentance?; and unless I had found an
example thereof in Eusebius, who in the fifth book and last
Ifndhim Chapter of his Ecclesiastical History saith: ‘ Natalis the
ealled Nat martyr, being seduced by heretics, and at length understanding
his error, riseth up in the morning, and putting on a sack-
cloth, sprinkling himself with ashes, and with many tears
bewailing his error, casting himself prostrate at the feet of
Zephyrinus the bishop and all other, not clerks only, but
laymen also, with great lamentation and exceeding sorrow
provoked all the congregation with earnest and continual
prayers to request of Christ Jesus to pardon his offence*.”
Touching the rites of repentance I will hereafter speak.
Now this ritual or ceremonial repentance, as it was used
among them of old, appeareth not to have been commanded
of God, that whosoever at this day committeth any sin
should be compelled presently to confess‘ it openly in such
[1 Exomologesis prosternendi et humiliandi hominis disciplina est
habitu, atque victu; sacco et cineri incubare; corpus sordibus obscu-
rare; animum meeroribus dejicere; illa, que peccavit, tristi tractatione
mutare.—Isidor. Opp. Etymolog. Lib. vi. cap. 19. § 79. Tom. m1. p. 292.
Rom. 1798. ]
(2 Tertulliani Opp. de Poenit. cap. 9. Tom. Iv. p. 52. ed. Semler.
Hal. Mag. 1824. |
[8 Confessor quidam erat apud nos, Natalis (Νατάλιος Gr. ed.
Burton) nomine.... Hic, deceptus aliquando ab Asclepiodoto quodam
et Theodoto collectariis,.... adquievit ut....episcopus illius heeresis
nominaretur. ...Ad ultimum a sanctis angelis per totam noctem ver-
beratus,....mane consurgens, cilicio se induit, et cinere conspergit,
ac multis lacrymis errorem suum deflens, ante pedes se Zephyrini
episcopi prosternit, et vestigiis omnium, non modo clericorum, sed
etiam laicorum, multa cum lamentatione provolutus, in lacrymas et
miserationes omnem proyvocavit ecclesiam, ut indulgentiam sibi a
Christo continuis et jugibus pro ipso precibus implorarent.—Euseb.
Eccles. Hist. Lib. v. cap. 28. Ruffinus’ translation, which Bullinger
adopts. Basil. 1539. p. 126.]
[4 poenitere, Lat.]
II. | OF REPENTANCE, AND THE CAUSES THEREOF. 77
sort as they were wont to do it. For where is it read that
such penance was enjoined to the sinful or adulterous woman το vii,
that is mentioned in the gospel? Many other sinners are °°"
received by Christ into the grace of God without such out-
ward penance. For it is very well known how Christ dealt
with Matthew, with Zacheus, with Peter that denied him, and
with many other. Therefore we do not amiss® believe that
the old bishops and priests did invent that public kind of
penance for discipline’s sake, and that they of their times
might have less liberty to sin. Truly Hermius® Sozomenus
Salaminius, that notable writer of the Ecclesiastical History, in
his seventh book and sixteenth chapter saith: “In the begin-
ning it pleased the priests, that as it were in a theatre, where
all the congregation might bear record of the same, the sins
of offenders should be openly punished.” Lo here, he saith,
“Tt pleased the priests.” He addeth also, that there was
a priest appointed, to whom they that sinned should come and an eteer.
confess their sins, and should hear of him the penance, to wit,
what they should do, or how they should aby? for their trans-
gression. Immediately after he describeth the manner of
penance in the Romish church used. And to that again he
addeth, that “in the church at Constantinople there was a
priest appointed to hear penitents; which office remained still,
till at the length a certain gentlewoman, which for the sins
that she had confessed was enjoined by such a penitentiary to
fast, and to pray to God, and thereby having occasion to be
long in the church, was at last bewrayed to have played the
whore with a deacon: for which cause the priests were evil
spoken of. But Nectareus the bishop, devising how it were
best to deal with such a grievous crime, deprived the deacon,
that had done the sin, of his deaconship. And for because
some persuaded them® to leave it free to every one, according
to his own conscience and confidence, to come to the commu-
nion of the mysteries, he did quite take away the office of that
penitentiary priesthood: and ever since that time hath that
counsel given to Nectareus prevailed, and doth even to this
day endure.” And so forth. The same in the beginning of
the chapter saith: ‘‘ Nectareus, the bishop of Constantinople,
did first take out of the church the priest that was appointed
[5 non temere, Lat. ] [6 Hermias. |
[7 quid luendum, Lat. ] [8 him, ed. 1577.]
78 THE FOURTH DECADE. [SERM.
to hear the confession of penitents, whom all the other
bishops did in a manner follow!.” Thus far he.
But the bishop Nectareus would not have abrogated that
Exhomologesis, (being so holy a man as indeed he was,) if
he had understood that it had been instituted by God him-
self: neither had it been lawful for him to have abrogated
it. Therefore he knew, even as Sozomen doth also confess,
that by the counsel of the bishops that order of penance
was usurped in the church. Neither do we read that John
Chrysostom, who succeeded Nectareus*, and was a very di-
ligent and severe bishop, did ever restore that ritual penance
which his predecessor had abrogated before him. For in
John Chry- the thirty-first homily upon St Paul’s Epistle to the Hebrews
sostom’s
doctrine) = he writeth: ‘I bid thee not to bewray theeself openly, nor
concerning
confession. yet to accuse thyself to others; but I will have thee to obey
the holy prophet, who saith, Open thy way unto the Lord.
Therefore confess thy sins before God, the true and upright
Judge, with prayers for the injury committed*: not with thy
tongue, but with the memory of thy conscience. And then
at length believe that thou mayest obtain mercy, if thou
hast it* in thy mind continually®.” And so forth. Again
[1 Ἐν τούτῳ δὲ τὸν ἐπὶ τῶν μετανοούντων τεταγμένον πρεσβύτερον
οὐκέτι συνεχώρησεν εἶναι πρῶτος Νεκτάριος, ὁ τὴν ἐκκλησίαν Κωνσταντι-
νουπόλεως ἐπιτροπεύων" ἐπηκολούθησαν δὲ σχεδὸν οἱ πανταχοῦ ἐπίσκοποι...
φορτικὸν, ὡς εἰκὸς, ἐξ ἀρχῆς τοῖς ἱερεῦσιν ἔδοξεν, ὡς ἐν θεάτρῳ ὑπὸ μάρτυρι
τῷ πλήθει τῆς ἐκκλησίας τὰς ἁμαρτίας ἐξαγγέλλειν. (The Tripartite His-
tory gives these words of Sozomen, as Bullinger also,—but incorrectly—
propterea visum est antiquis pontificibus, ut velut in theatro sub
testimonio ecclesiastici populi delicta pandantur.) πρεσβύτερον δὲ τῶν
ἄριστα πολιτευομένων ἐχέμυθόν Te καὶ ἔμφρονα, ἐπὶ τοῦτο τετάχασιν, ᾧ
δὴ προσιόντες οἱ ἡμαρτηκότες τὰ βεβιωμένα ὡμολόγουν: ὁ δὲ, πρὸς τὴν
ἑκάστου ἁμαρτίαν, 6 τι χρὴ ποιῆσαι ἢ ἐκτίσαι ἐπιτίμιον θεὶς, ἀπέλυε.. ...
Τάδε μὲν ἀρχῆθεν οἱ Ῥωμαίων ἱερεῖς ἄχρι καὶ εἰς ἡμᾶς φυλάττουσιν. Ἔν
δὲ τῇ Κωνσταντινουπόλει ἐκκλησίᾳ, &c.—Sozomen. Hist. Eccles. Lib. vir.
cap. 16, pp. 299, 300. ed. Reading. Cantab. 1720. Tom. 1. See also
Works of Bp. Pilkington. ed. Parker Soe. p. 553.]
[2 Socratis Hist. Eccles. Lib. v1. cap. 2. Sozomen. Hist. Eccles.
Lib. vut. cap. 2.]
[3 Bullinger has here read, delicta pro injuria, for delicta pronuncia,
as this passage is quoted, Lombard. Sentent. Lib. 1v. distinct. 17. c.]
[* it, wanting in ed. 1587. ]
[5 Οὐ λέγω σοι, ἐκπόμπευσον σαυτὸν, οὐδὲ παρὰ τοῖς ἄλλοις κατηγό-
ρῆσον, ἀλλὰ πείθεσθαι συμβουλεύω τῷ προφήτῃ λέγοντι, ᾿ἀποκάλυψον πρὸς
II. | OF REPENTANCE, AND THE CAUSES THEREOF. 79
upon the fiftieth Psalm: “If thou art ashamed to tell thy
sins to any man because thou hast sinned, yet say them daily
in thine own heart. I bid thee not confess them to thy fellow,
that he should upbraid thee: tell them to thy God who doth
regard them. If thou tellest them not, God is not ignorant
of them; for he was at hand when thou didst them®.” And
again in another place he saith: “I bring thee not forth
into the theatre of thy companions: I compel thee not to
discover thy sins unto mortal men. MRehearse thy conscience
before God, and declare it unto him. Shew thy wounds
unto the Lord, thy best physician, and ask of him a salve
for the same’.” Again: “Take heed that thou tell not a
man of thy sins, lest he bewray thee and upbraid thee for
them. For thou needest not to confess them to thy com-
panion, that he should bring them abroad, but to the Lord
which hath the care of thee, who also is a gentle physician :
to him therefore thou shalt shew thy wounds®.” Moreover
he bringeth in the Lord speaking and saying: “I compel
thee not to come into the open theatre, and to make many
privy to thy sins: tell thy sin privately to me alone, that I
may heal thy sore®.” Thus much out of Chrysostom. Now
all this doth manifestly argue, that that ceremonial penance
(as it was once used in the church), not instituted by God,
Κύριον τὴν ὁδόν σου. ᾿Ἐπὶ τοῦ Θεοῦ ταῦτα ὁμολόγησον, ἐπὶ τοῦ δικαστοῦ
ὁμολόγει τα ἁμαρτήματα, εὐχόμενος, εἰ καὶ μὴ τῇ γλώττῃ, ἀλλὰ τῇ μνήμῃ,
καὶ οὕτως ἀξίου ἐλεηθῆναι. “Av ἔχης τὰ ἁμαρτήματα διηνεκῶς ἐν τῇ μνήμῃ,
&c.—Chrysost. Hom. xxx1. in Ep. ad Hebr. cap. 12. Tom. xu. pp.
289, 290. Par. 1718—38. |
[ὁ Ἀλλ᾽ αἰσχύνῃ εἰπεῖν διότι ἥμαρτες ; λέγε αὐτὰ καθ᾽ ἡμέραν ἐν τῇ
εὐχῇ cov. Καὶ τί; μὴ γὰρ λέγω εἰπὲ τῷ συνδούλῳ τῷ ὀνειδίζοντί σε"
εἰπὲ τῷ Θεῷ τῷ θεραπεύοντι αὐτά" οὐ γὰρ, ἐὰν μὴ εἴπῃς, ἀγνοεῖ αὐτὰ ὁ
Θεός. Μὴ γὰρ παρὰ σοῦ βούλεται αὐτὰ μαθεῖν; ὅτε ἔπραττες αὐτὰ, παρῆν.
—Id. Hom. in Psal. 1,. Tom. v. p. 589. But this treatise is spurious. ]
[7 Οὐδὲ yap εἰς θέατρόν σε ἄγω τῶν συνδούλων τῶν σῶν: οὐδὲ ἐκκα-
λύψαι τοῖς ἀνθρώποις ἀναγκάζω τὰ ἁμαρτήματα. Τὸ συνειδὸς ἀνάπτυξον
ἔμπροσθεν τοῦ Θεοῦ, καὶ αὐτῷ δεῖξον τὰ τραύματα, καὶ παρ᾽ αὐτοῦ τὰ φάρ-
μακα airnoov.—lId. de Incomprehens. Dei Nat. Hom. v. Tom. 1. p. 490.]
[8 Μὴ yap ἀνθρώπῳ λέγεις, ἵνα ὀνειδίσῃ σε; μὴ yap συνδούλῳ ὁμολο-
γεῖς, ἵνα ἐκπομπεύσῃ; τῷ δεσπότῃ, τῷ κηδεμόνι, τῷ φιλανθρώπῳ, τῷ ἰατρῷ
τὸ τραῦμα emOeixvvers.—Chrysost. Cone. de Lazaro. 1v. Tom. 1. p. 757.]
[9 Οὐκ ἀναγκάζω, φησὶν, εἰς μέσον ἐλθεῖν σε θέατρον, καὶ μάρτυρας
περιστῆσαι πολλούς: ἐμοὶ τὸ ἁμάρτημα εἰπὲ μόνῳ κατ᾽ ἰδίαν, ἵνα θεραπεύσω
τὸ €Axos.—Ibid. p. 758. See also Calvin. Instit. Lib. m1. cap. 4. ὁ 8.]
Of auricular
confession.
80 THE FOURTH DECADE. [SERM.
was without any injury taken out of the church, and not!
restored again by the bishops that succeeded. They do
not altogether in vain tell us that some relics of that ritual
repentance abided still in the Roman church*®. But what
have we to do what every church hath taken to itself, either
to keep or else to lay away? We rather ought to inquire,
what Christ hath delivered unto us, and what his apostles
have taught us; of whose doctrine I have, I think, spoken
enough already.
The private or secret confession of sins was wont to be
made when none were by but the priests alone. For one
goeth secretly, and whispereth his sins in the ear of the
priest that was appointed to hear those secret confessions ;
and, being by him absolved, doth think that by the recital
of a few ordinary words he is purged from all his sins:
and therefore I call it auricular confession. This was un-
known in the apostles’ times; and although it be now a good
sort of years ago since it first took root, yet notwithstanding
it was free from the beginning. At last we read that it
was commanded and roughly extorted by the bishop of Rome,
when the state of the church was most corrupted, about the
year of grace 1215. And yet it was about eighty years
or more in controversy, before it was by decree laid upon
all men’s necks, “ whether it were enough for a man to con-
fess himself to God alone, or else to a priest also, for the
purging of his sins?” Hugo in his book of the church’s
power to bind and loose doth say: “1 dare boldly say, if
before the priest’s absolution any man do come to the com-
munion of the body and blood of the Lord, that he doth
assuredly eat and drink his own damnation, although he
repent him never so much, and doth never so greatly lament
his offences*.” This did Hugo say boldly without his warrant,
[1 neque mox, Lat. |
[? Credimus hane confessionem—nunquam penitus abolitam fuisse,
non solum in Romana, sed ne in Greeca quidam ecclesia.—Enchirid.
Colon. fol. 145. ]
[3 Audacter dico, si ante sacerdotis absolutionem ad communionem
corporis et sanguinis Christi accesserit, judicium sibi pro certo man-
ducat et bibit, etsi eum peccasse jam multum peeniteat, et vehementer
doleat et ingemiscat.—Ricardi Sancti Victor. Scoti Opp. Colon. Agrip.
1621. Tract. de Potest. Ligandi et Solvendi. cap. ΧΧΙ. p. 519. par. I.—
He died abbot of St Victor, A.p. 1173. Gall. Christ. Tom. vu. p. 669.
II. | OF REPENTANCE, AND THE CAUSES THEREOF. 81
unless the word of God doth instruct us falsely. He lived
about the year of our Lord 1130. Within a little while
after him upstarted Peter Lombard, commonly called the
Master of Sentences, because he gathered together the sen-
tences of the fathers, and laid forth their doctrine as it were
in a summary: of whose work I mean not here to tell my
judgment what I think. It is thought that he flourished about
the year of Christ 11504. He, Sententiarum, Lib. tv. Dist.
17, and 18, doth by the authority of the fathers shew, first,
that it sufficeth to make the confession of sins to God alone:
then he annexeth other sentences which teach the contrary ;
and lastly concludeth of himself and saith: “ΒΥ these it is
undoubtedly proved, that we must offer our confession first to
God, then to the priest, and that otherwise we cannot enter
into paradise, if we may (have a priest).” Again: “ It is cer-
tified that it is not sufficient to confess to God without a
priest; neither is he truly humble and penitent, that doth not
desire the judgment of a priest®.” Gratian, that gathered the
decretals together®, was somewhat honester than Peter Lom-
bard, who lived and flourished at the same time with Lom-
bard. He determineth nothing definitively ; but shewing sen-
tences for either side, both that we must confess our sins to
the priest and not confess them, doth leave it indifferently
unto the reader’s judgment. For thus he concladeth: “ Upon
Watt’s Biblioth. Brit. Mosheim, Eccles. Hist. Vol. 11. p. 439. ed.
Soames, note 7.—Hugo of St Victor, whom Bullinger names by mis-
take, was born A.D. 1096, and died 1140. Mosheim, ibid. note 6. |
{4 He died bishop of Paris, A.p. 1164. Mosheim, Eccles. Hist. Book
ui. cent. 12. part 11. chap. 2. § 23. ed. Soames. Vol. 11. p. 440, note 2. |
[5 The title of Sentent. Lib. 1v. distinct. 17 c. is, Si sufficit soli
Deo confiteri; and there Lombard says, Quibusdam visum est sufficere,
si soli Deo fiat confessio sine judicio sacerdotali et confessione ecclesiz :
p- 340. But the title of the following section is, Quod non sufficit
soli Deo confiteri, si tempus adsit, si tamen homini possit; and then
Lombard concludes in the words quoted by Bullinger: Ex his aliisque
pluribus indubitanter ostenditur, oportere Deo primum, et deinde
sacerdoti offerri confessionem, nec aliter posse perveniri ad ingressum
paradisi, si adsit facultas; p. 341: and in the next section, E. p. 342,
Certificatum est, quod non sufficit confiteri Deo sine sacerdote: nec
est vere humilis et poenitens, si non desiderat et requirit sacerdotis
judicium. |
[6 He completed his Decretum about A.p. 1151. Mosheim, Eccles,
Hist. Vol. 1. p. 411, note 2.]
6
[BULLINGER, II. |
A law made,
wherein au-
ricular con-
fession was
first com-
manded,
The an
copy hat
semel in d
animo;
falsely I
think for
semelin
anno,
82 THE FOURTH DECADE. [SERM.
what authority and reasons both the opinions of confession
and satisfaction are grounded, we have briefly here declared.
But to which of these we ought rather to stick, that is
reserved for the reader to choose; for both parts have wise
and religious men to their fautors and defenders’.” Thus
saith Gratian about the end of the first distinction of pe-
nance.
About fifty years after followed Lotharius Levita?, a
doctor of Paris, the scholar® and earnest follower of Peter
Lombard. He, being once made bishop of Rome and named
Innocent the Third, called together at Rome a general council
called Lateranense*, in which he made a law, which Gregory
the Ninth reciteth in his decretal of penance and remission,
Lib y. chap. 12, almost in these very words: ‘ Let every
person of either sex, after they are come to the years of
discretion, faithfully confess alone, at least once ina year, their
sins unto their own proper priest, and do their endeavour
with their own strength to do the penance that is enjoined
them; receiving reverently at Easter at the least the sacra-
ment of the Eucharist, unless peradventure by the counsel of
their own priest, for some reasonable cause, they think it good
for a time to abstain from receiving it. Otherwise in this
life let them be prohibited to enter into the church; and when
they are dead, to be buried in christian burial®.”
This is that new law which containeth many absurd and
[1 Quibus auctoritatibus vel quibus rationum firmamentis utraque
sententia confessionis et satisfactionis innitatur, in medium breviter
exposuimus. Cui autem harum potius adherendum sit, lectoris judicio
reservatur. Utraque enim fautores habet sapientes et religiosos viros.
—Gratian. Decret. pars 11. caus. 33. quest. 3. de Poenitent. dist. 1.
cap. 89. ad fin. ]
(2 Lothaire Conti, born in A.p. 1160 or 1161, studied in the uni-
versity of Paris, and was elected pope A.p. 1198. Mosheim, Vol. m.
p. 508, note 7. Lotharius Levita, or the Deacon, was the name under
which he wrote before he became pope. Centur. Magd. cent. xu.
Watt’s Biblioth. Brit. ]
(3 the scholar, not in Lat. }
[4 The Fourth Lateran, called by the Romanists the Twelfth
General Council, was held a. ἢ. 1215. Mosheim, Eccles. Hist. Book 111.
cent. 13. part 2. chap. 3. § 2. Vol. π΄. p. 559. n. 2.]
(5 This error is corrected in the London reprint by H. Midleton. P. ]
[6 Omnis utriusque sexus fidelis, postquam ad annos discretionis
pervenerit, omnia sua solus peccata confiteatur fideliter saltem semel
+
il. | OF REPENTANCE, AND THE CAUSES THEREOF, 83
wicked blasphemies, And, to let pass very many of their
absurdities, I will recite unto you not past one or twain of the
foulest of them. Is it not a wicked thing, to send a sinner to
I wot not what kind of priest of his own, when Christ hath
given but ministers and preachers to his church only, being still
himself the universal priest, and proper priest to every one in
the church, even until the end of the world; to whom alone
all the faithful ministers do send sinners from themselves for to
confess their sins to him? For John said: “I am not Christ, [John ii.
but am sent before him to bear record of him.” What may ~
be said to this moreover, that it is a detestable blasphemy to
attribute the remission of sins to our own confession and the
priest’s absolution, as to the works of mortal men? And who, I
pray you, is able to reckon up all his sins unto the priest ?
Doth not Jeremy cry, “The heart of man is evil and un- (er. xvii. 9.
searchable?” Doth not David say, ‘ Who knoweth his eee
sins? Cleanse me from my hidden faults.” It is unpossible
for a man to confess all his sins. While therefore a man,
compelled by the law, doth consider these reasons and ponder
them in himself, he cannot choose but must needs be drowned
in the bottomless depth of desperation: so great a burden is
Jaid upon the free necks of Christ his faithful people, as a
thing so necessary that without it they cannot obtain eternal
salvation, directly contrary to the apostles’ decree that is to
be seen in the fifteenth of the Acts. And lastly, what, I pray
you, is a sinner able to do of his own strength ? What power,
I pray you, have we silly wretches? of ourselves to do good ?
But it grieveth me, and I am ashamed of these men’s auricular
confession
impudency, to see that they will have this their auricular canbe τὸ
confession to be instituted of God, and that they go about to no place
in all th
uphold and confirm it by the scriptures; guilefully® wresting scripture.
in anno proprio sacerdoti; et injunctam sibi pcenitentiam studeat pro
viribus adimplere: suscipiens reverenter ad minus in Pascha eucha-
ristize sacramentum; nisi forte de consilio proprii sacerdotis, ob
aliquam rationabilem causam, ad tempus ab ejus perceptione duxerit
abstinendum: alioquin, et vivens ab ingressu ecclesiz arceatur, et
moriens christiana careat sepultura.—Concil., Lateran. Iv. in Concil.
stud. Labb. et Coss. Tom. x1. par. 1. coll. 172, 3. Lutet. Par. 1671.
See also Decret. Gregor. 1x. Lib. v. tit. 38. fol. 314. col. 4. Lugd.
1510.]
[7 silly (weak) wretches, not in Lat.]
[8 proferunt, Lat. ; guilefully wresting, the translator’s paraphrase. |
6—2
(Matt. viii.
4.]
84 THE FOURTH DECADE. [SERM.
that place in the gospel where the Lord saith to the leper,
“Go thy way, shew thyself to the priest.” Now they do
not impudently wrest this place alone, contrary to the true
sense ; but do also corrupt all the other testimonies of holy
scriptures which they are wont to cite. Among all the rest
I will tell you of this one. Bonaventura, in his Commentaries,
Ad Sententias Magistri, Lib. 1v. Dist. xvii. Quest. 3, ima-
gineth two things to be in confession: the one formal, to
wit, absolution, or the power to heal; and this he saith was
instituted by the Lord at the giving of the keys: the other
is material, to wit, the disclosing of the sin; and this he saith
that the Lord himself did not institute, but only insinuate.
For immediately after he addeth these words: ‘“ And there-
fore confession was insinuated by the Lord, instituted by the
apostles, and openly proclaimed by James the bishop of
Hierusalem. For as he proclaimed the decree of not keeping
the ceremonial laws, Acts xv.; so also he published and
laid upon all them that sin the necessity of confession,
saying, Confess your sins one to another.” Thus much hath
Bonaventura!. But who will not wonder at the blindness of
that age? This writer acknowledgeth that auricular confession
was not instituted by the Lord, but obscurely?, and as it
were by conjectures of the consequents*; that the apostles
expounded the mind of Christ and instituted it; and that St
James in the name of all the apostles did by a decree openly
proclaim it. He addeth, that the words of the proclamation
were, “‘ Confess your sins one to another.” Now what is it
else to wrest the scriptures, if this be not to wrest them?
Even he that is the blindest doth easily see, that these cham-
{1 Dicendum quod duo sunt in confessione: unum formale et com-
pletivum; et hoc est absolutio, sive potestas absolvendi vel medicandi;
et hance Dominus instituit, qui potestatem clavium concessit ; et penes
hos residet virtus. Aliud autem est materiale; ct hoc est detectio pec-
cati sive morbi: et hoc Dominus non instituit in se, sed insinuavit. ...
Et ideo confessio fuit a Domino insinuata, ab apostolis instituta, ab
episcopo Hierosolymitano, scilicet Jacobo, promulgata: sicut enim
sententia de non servandis legalibus promulgata (Actor. xy.) fuit, sic
et confessio omnibus peccantibus indicta et imposita fuit, Confitemini
alterutrum peccata vestra.—Bonavent. Opp. Sent. Lib. rv. dist. 17.
queest. 1. par. 2. art. 1. queest. 3. Tom. v. p. 224. Mogunt. 1609.]
[2 implicite, Lat.]
[3 ex quadam consequentia, Lat. |
II. | OF REPENTANCE, AND THE CAUSES THEREOF. 85
pions are unweaponed in this same combat’, bringing forth a
spear made of a wrapt-up wisp of hay®, which they shake and
keep a coil with®, as if it were the lance-staff of Hector or
Achilles. It is most evident that the apostle speaketh not of
secret and auricular confession, but of that confession which
by a certain reciprocation is made of them that have mutually
offended one another; and now again, freely confessing their-
selves one to another, are mutually reconciled, and pray one
for another again: of which I have said somewhat already
a little before. They do not see that in the apostle’s words
there are two things, which being diligently considered do make
them mere mocking-stocks to them that perceive them. For
first the apostle in that place useth this word ἀλλήλους, which
signifieth mutually, one another, one for one, and as it were
reciprocally. Thereupon we infer thus: If according to the
apostle’s precept we must confess ourselves one to another, and
that ἀλλήλους doth signify mutually or reciprocally, that is,
that we must confess ourselves by turns, as it were first I to him
and then he to me, as it signifieth so in very deed; then must it
needs be, that after the laymen have confessed themselves to the
priests, the priests should again confess themselves unto the
laymen; for that is to make confession one to another: for
we say, φιλοῦσιν ἀλλήλους, that is, they love one another
mutually, he him and he him again. But if this trouble the
priests’, to have their confessions heard of laymen®; let them
then acknowledge that this place of the apostle doth make
nothing for their secret and auricular confession, which they
have devised for their own commodity. Then the apostle
addeth: “And pray ye one for another, that ye may be
healed.” He doth therefore associate, and as it were join
under one yoke, both confession and prayer. And upon that
we do again gather, If we must confess to none but priests,
then must we pray for none but priests®. But we must not
pray for priests alone; ergo, we must not confess to priests
[4 inermes in hac palestra, Lat. ]
[5 telum hujusmodi, non fraxineum, sed prorsus betaceum: made
of beet. ]
[6 coil: noise, tumult, difficulty. Nares’ Gloss. ]
[7 presbyteris, Lat. |
[8 to have—laymen, the translator’s addition. ]
[9 This argument is also Calvin’s, Instit. Lib. m1. cap. 4. § 6.]
Whether
auricular
confession
ought to be
received in
the church
for disci-
pline’s sake
86 THE FOURTH DECADE. [SERM.
alone, but every one one to another. The same place of St
James must not be understood of secret and auricular con-
fession, but of that open or public confession by which they
return into charity again by the mutual confession of their
faults, which had before offended each other with mutual
injuries; and, being now again reconciled, do pray one for
another that they may be saved. We do therefore leave this
for an undoubted truth, that the disputers for auricular con-
fession neither have proved, nor can prove, that it was insti-
tuted and ordained of God.
But when they see that this their confession will to
wrack}, they go about with weak props, God wot?, to stay it
up, and say that that confession is to be retained still in the
church, if it were for nothing else but for discipline’s sake,
to make men blush when their sins come to light; which is
a cause many times that men do sin the seldomer. And also
they say, that it is to be retained for private absolution and
peculiar or singular consolation of the godly. But if auri-
cular confession be so needful and profitable for the church
as they will seem to have it, how chanced it that the church
for the space of a thousand years® after the apostles’ times
was utterly without it? It is marvel then that the apostles
did in no place either use it or command it. And again, it is
manifest that the times which were before the coming of
Christ did not once so much as dream of this confession :
neither did the apostles leave the church of God destitute of
anything necessary unto salvation. Now what discipline this
auricular confession, planted in the church of God, is, the
abominable deeds and wicked acts that ensued it do plainly
declare. For both he that doth confess, and he that heard
the confession, learned horrible wickedness even by the ex-
amination and beating out the circumstances of sins committed.
By that means there were given and taken causes and occa-
sions of whoredoms and adulteries. Under the pretence of
those confessions the chastity of matrons and virgins hath been
assaulted, and also corrupted, oftener times and more sundry
ways than‘ is decent to be named. Those confessors fished
[1 wrack: ruin, destruction. Johnson. ]
[2 quibusdam, Lat. ; God wot, the translator’s phrase. |
[3 amplius mille, Lat.; more than a thousand. |]
(4 quam prosit aut, Lat.; than it is expedient or. |
11. | OF REPENTANCE, AND THE CAUSES THEREOF. 87
out the secrets of every man’s conscience: which thing availed
greatly to the establishing of their tyranny. By those con-
fessions the confessors could cunningly spoil and rob their
shrift-children, as they called them, of their goods and sub-
stance; because they knew what riches every one had, and
how he came by them. And when the peers of every com-
mon-wealth knew that the priests were privy to their faults,
they could not choose but fear the priests: and so it came
to pass, that they did not so strongly as they might set
themselves against the extreme corruption and lust of the
priests, that was otherwise not to be suffered’. They have
been heard to say: “1 have learned by confessions, and know
at my fingers’ ends, what kind of men, of women, and of
maidens are in this city. I know how to handle every one
according to his disposition. They do all fear and stand in
awe of me, because they know that I am privy to their most
secret deeds and thoughts of their minds.” The secrets told
in confession are many times foolishly babbled abroad with
the peril of the silly soul that first confessed them. By the
means of confessions no small and many treasons are hatched
up and put in practice. And surely it is a goodly matter,
when we for the fear or carnal blushing that we have by the
means of one man (I mean, as some term him, of our ghostly
father®) we shall cease to sin, rather than for the sincere fear
that we have of God; when as in deed we do not blush at all
to think that he’ shall be a witness against our conscience, nor
yet do fear the severity of his judgment that shall lighten
upon us. What may be said to this moreover, that by this
auricular confession, once established in the church, nothing
else is wrought, but that the word of God should be the less
regarded through our traditions, and we made the slacker to
confess our sins to him, to whom of right we ought for to
confess them®? For so often as we remember our sins, we do
earnestly? put them off again until the time of confession
come: and when it is come, then who, I pray you, goeth to
it with a cheerful mind? Let wise men therefore judge what
kind of discipline this is, and how well it pleaseth God.
[5 in populo Dei, Lat. omitted; in the people of God. ]
[ὁ confessoris inquam, Lat. | [7 Deum, Lat. ]
[8 to whom—them, the translator’s addition. ]
[9 securi, Lat.; carelessly, 1577. |
[19 Cf. Works of Bp. Pilkington, Parker Soc. ed. p. 554. Remains
Whether
auricular
confession is
to be kept in
the church
for private
absolution’s
sake, or not.
88 THE FOURTH DECADE. [SERM.
That which they allege of private absolution is a mere
device of man’s invention, which hath not in the sacred scrip-
tures any precept or example to back itself withal. For in
very deed none doth absolve us men from sin, blame, and
punishment!, but God alone, to whom alone that glory doth
belong. The minister, by the preaching and consolation of
the gospel, doth pronounce and testify that to the faithful
[Acts ii, 37—
1.]
their sins are forgiven. Therefore this preaching of forgive-
ness, being fetched from out of the mouth or word of God, is
the absolution wherewith the minister absolveth. Neither is
that absolution made any whit the more effectual, if the mi-
nister do privately whisper it into the sinner’sear. The public
preaching of the gospel, as it is instituted by Christ our Lord,
doth satisfy a faithful mind, which doth not so much respect
the demeanour of the minister, as he regardeth the truth
of him in whose name the minister doth it. But if a sinner,
say they, do hear privately said unto him, “I absolve thee
from thy sins,” and that by the virtue of the keys; he doth far
better understand that his sins are remitted than when for-
giveness of sins is generally preached and publicly pronounced.
But we do in this case set against them the apostle’s example ;
whom when the men of Jerusalem had heard to preach, they
were pricked in heart, and said: ‘ Men and brethren, what
shall we do? To whom Peter answered, Repent, and be
baptized every one of you in the name of Christ Jesus unto
the remission of your sins, &c. And there were added to the
church that same day about three thousand souls.” Now
who understandeth not, that? upon so great a multitude
baptism was at once bestowed, and the remission of sins
universally preached unto them all; and not that every one
had this saying or the like whispered severally into his ear,
‘Brother, thy sins are forgiven thee?’ And verily a godly-
minded man may learn true faith in Jesus Christ (through
which his sins are forgiven him) as well by the public preach-
ing of the gospel, as by the private whisperings of privy
penitentiaries and absolving confessors: namely® since that
of Bp. Latimer, Vol. 1. p. 179. Foxe, Monuments, Vol. m1. p. 205;
γ. p. 191. Lond. 1838.]
(1 a poena et culpa, Lat. ]
[2 simul, Lat. omitted ; at one and the same time. |
(3 preesertim, Lat. }
1.7 OF REPENTANCE, AND THE CAUSES THEREOF, 89
public preaching doth contain the commandments of God‘,
when as those whisperings do nothing so; and finally,
since that the public preaching of the gospel doth apply to
every one the grace of God, and that the sacraments do testify
the remission of sins and the heavenly gifts prepared for all
them that do® believe in Jesus Christ. And yet I say not
this because I think it amiss, when occasion serveth so to do,
if the minister do preach privately to one or two the gospel of
our Lord, or else in the words of Christ do promise remission
of sins to him that believeth: but I do here dispute against
them which do suppose that public and general preaching, as
it was used of the apostles, declaring to all and every man®
the remission of sins, is not sufficient, except the sinner, going
to the priest, do confess his sins, and privately ask and receive
private or peculiar absolution of him for the same. For
they think that, for that private absolution’s sake, this private
or auricular confession must be retained in the church.
But we will not, say they, that all and every peculiar sin
with the circumstances thereof should be reckoned up or re-
hearsed. What of that then? Who, I pray you, commanded
us to whisper any sins at all into the priest’s ear? The
primitive church was wont to confess to the priests, neither
few nor many, nor any sins at all. Bonaventura recorded
that before pope Innocent the Third they were not counted
heretics which affirmed, that confession made to God alone,
without any priest, is sufficient to them that do faithfully
believe; but after the decree which he published, touching
confession to be made of every man unto his own priest, they
were judged heretics that taught men to be confessed to God
only’: as though it lay in pope Innocent to make a new
article of faith, which the church was without by more than
the space of twelve hundred years after Christ. There-
fore if all they that lived before Innocent were without
[4 habeat preeceptum, Lat. ]
[5 Rather, testify that remission of sins and heavenly gifts are
theirs who do, &c. ] ὔ
[6 fidelibus, Lat. omitted ; that believe. every several man, ed. 1577. ]
[7 Dicendum quod si quis esset modo hujus opinionis (i. 6. quod
sufficiat si soli Deo fiat confessio), esset heereticus judicandus, quoniam
in concilio generali hoc determinatum est sub Innocentio III. Sed
ante hance determinationem hoc non erat heeresis.—Bon.vent. Opp.
Sentent. Lib. 1v. par. 2. dub. 1. Tom. v. p. 220. Mogunt, 1609. ]
90 THE FOURTH DECADE. [SERM.
suspicion of heresy in that point; and since we read that
Nectarius and the church of Constantinople was not con-
demned of heresy for abrogating and casting out of the
church their exhomologesis, which seemeth to be far better
than this auricular confession; no godly man undoubtedly
shall condemn us, which maintain the confession instituted by
God, that is wont to be made to God and our neighbour, but
do only reject and hiss at that secret and auricular confession,
as that which bringeth more discommodity than honest profit
to the church of God.
Of the satis- And for because I have hitherto said thus much of secret
works. or auricular confession, upon which the treatise of satisfaction
doth depend, I should here even of necessity say somewhat
of satisfaction, had I not sufficiently spoken of it in mine other
sermons of this work; as in the sixth and ninth sermons of the
first Decade, and in the third Decade, where I entreat of the
saints’ affliction; in the tenth sermon of the same Decade, and
also in the fourth Decade, where I spake of the gospel. The
priests and monks do teach that repentance of the sin com-
mitted, and faith in Christ, are not sufficient for the purging
of sins without the satisfaction of our own works and merits’;
which they make to be, wearing of sackcloth, fasting, tears,
prayers, alms-deeds, offerings, sundry afflictions of the
body, pilgrimages, and many other odd knacks? like unto
Note herethe ἐ these. For they affirm, that by these means penalty due to
that they sins (the guilt whereof, they say, is only pardoned) is washed
make betwix
pena and " away, as with a shower of water poured down upon it®, But
culpa pec
ates we already have taught out of the canonical scriptures, that
God doth not only forgive freely the guilt, but also the
penalty of our sins. We have already taught, that men are
not justified by their own works and merits, but by the mere
grace of God through the faith of Christ Jesus: for other-
wise he should in vain have taken our flesh upon him, and in
vain should Christ have given himself unto the most bitter and
reproachful death of the cross. Now we add, If we are not
justified by works, then do we not with our works make
satisfaction for our sins. For in effect (although I acknow-
[1 and merits, not in Lat. ]
[2 odd kuacks, translator’s phrase. ]
[3 See Vol. 1. p. 108, note 6. Lombard. Sent. Lib. rv. distinct. 10.
cap. 10.]
II. | OF REPENTANCE, AND THE CAUSES THEREOF, 91
ledge that there is a difference, and do not confound them)
justification and satisfaction come both to one end. By the
justification of Christ we are absolved: by the satisfaction
of Christ, or rather for his satisfaction’s sake, we are also
absolved. Christ is our righteousness, and therefore also our
satisfaction. The price of our redemption is in Christ, not in
ourselves. If we make satisfaction for ourselves, then is the
price of our redemption in ourselves. And therefore are we
both Christs and Saviours unto ourselves: which thing doth
flatly make Christ of none effect, and therefore is it extreme
blasphemy. Moses in his law doth with little business or
none dissolve all the arguments for satisfaction wrought by
our works. For where he describeth the manner of cleansing
sins, he placeth no jot thereof in the works of men, but shew-
eth that it all consisteth in the ceremonial sacrifices. Now
we do all agree and jointly confess, that in those sacrifices the
only sacrifice of Christ was plainly prefigured. And to that
is added, that that only preaching and promise of the new
testament is this: “I will be appeased upon their unright- (ser. xxxi.
eousness and sins, and will no more remember their iniquities.”
Now where such a remission is, there is no oblation or satis-
faction for sin. And we in the creed verily do believe the
forgiveness of sins. But if the debtor make satisfaction to the
creditor, then what, I pray you, doth the creditor forgive him ?
Therefore this article of our faith, the principal promise
and preaching of the new testament, is utterly subverted, if
we admit the doctrine of the satisfaction of our works for sin.
We do acknowledge that tears, fastings, wearing of sack- cod amict-
cloth, alms-deeds, and the other works of piety, humiliation, whose sins
and charity, have a place‘ in repentance; of which I will forgiven.
speak in place convenient: but we deny® that with them we
make satisfaction for our sins, lest we should make the price
of Christ his redemption of none effect. We acknowledge that
at some times the Lord hath whipped them whose sins he hath
forgiven, as he did to our parents Adam and Evah, and to king
David after his adultery and murder of Urias. But I have
already shewed’ you that those afflictions were not satisfactions
[4 suum locum, Lat.; their own place. |
[5 modis omnibus, Tae omitted; by all means. |
[6 sumpsisse supplicium vel poenam, Lat. |
[7 See Vol. τι. p. 430.]
1 Pet. iv. 8;
rov. xX. 12.)
Many sins be
forgiven her
because she
loved much.
92 THE FOURTH DECADE. [SERM.
for the sins which God had pardoned, but exercises of God’s
discipline and humiliation; which doth by those means
keep his servants in their dutiful obedience, and doth declare
to all men how heartily he hateth sins, although he doth
freely forgive and pardon them. ‘Therefore lest we, because
of that free forgiveness, should be the more inclined and
prone to sin, he punisheth them whom he maketh to be
examples for us to take heed by. ;
Neither do we read that the saints did simply attribute
the benefit of justification or satisfaction unto their afflictions.
I confess that Daniel the prophet gave counsel to the most
mighty king Nabuchodonosor, and said: “Let thy sins be
redeemed in righteousness, and thine iniquities in shewing pity
to the poor':” but in these words the king was taught how
to lead the rest of his life that was yet behind, and how to
rule the state of his kingdom. The king had till then
oppressed many nations, and sinned in merciless cruelty :
whereupon he persuadeth him to change his old kind of life,
to embrace justice, and deal well with all men. Therefore he
speaketh not of the satisfaction of his sins before God, but
before men. For there is salvation in none other than in
Christ alone. But if any man do stubbornly stick upon the
letter, we say, that the righteousness of Christians is faith, by
which their sins are properly cleansed: and that faith is not
without good works and charity’, to which justification is
unproperly ascribed. Of which matter I spake in the treatise
that I made of good works’.
Therefore, when St Peter doth cite that place in Salo-
mon, ‘‘ Charity covereth the multitude of sins;” the word
‘covereth’ is not there used for purging; for by the only
blood of Christ all sins are purged and wiped away: but it is
taken for turning away. For as self-love in a manner is the
root of all sins, so charity is thought to be the driver away
of all mischiefs; for “love doth none ill to his neighbour‘.”
Now whereas they object that sentence of the gospel,
where the Lord saith, ‘‘ Many sins® be forgiven her, because
[1 justitia redimantur, Lat. Dan. iv. 27.]
[2 beneficentia vel caritate, Lat. ] [8 See Vol. τι. p. 327.]
{4 Rom. xiii. 10. Bullinger has here borrowed from his Com-
mentary on St Peter, loc. cit. ]
[5 Luke vii. 47. peccata ejus, Lat. ]
1. | OF REPENTANCE, AND THE CAUSES THEREOF. 93
she loved much:” they do miss herein, because they under-
stand not that the word ὅτι, which is commonly Englished®,
because, or, for that, is here a note of inferring somewhat,
and that no other sense is gathered than this: “ Many sins
be forgiven her, therefore she loved much; or, whereby it
cometh, that she loveth much.” Neither do we here wrest
the words of the gospel to maintain a wrong opinion; for in
the history there goeth before, first, “‘ When they were not
able to pay, he forgave them both.” If he forgave them,
and if they were not able to pay, he did not then forgive
them for their love; for if they had been able to pay, he
would not have forgiven them. Secondarily, there goeth
before, ‘“‘ Whether of these will love him more?” Simon
saith, ‘‘ He to whom he forgave the more.” Therefore the
Lord’s answer could in effect be nothing else but this: “I
have forgiven her’ very much, therefore hath she loved
much.” So then, I say, love is of forgiveness, and not for- -
giveness of love. And then it followeth immediately: “ And
he said to the woman, Thy faith hath saved thee, go in peace.”
We do therefore conclude, that there is but one only satisfac-
tion for the sins of all the world, to wit, Christ once® offered
up for us which are by faith made partakers of him.
But now, as we do not acknowledge or admit the satis- of inau.-
factions that are obtruded unto us in the doctrine of the”
priests and monks, so do we by all means detest the indul-
gences of the bishops of Rome. They called these indul-
gences a beneficial pardoning of crimes, or remission of the
punishment, or of the guilt, or both; to wit, by the power of
the keys bestowed by the Lord; and for the merit of the
martyrs’ blood (for so they say) granted or given to them
that are rightly contrite in heart, and do confess their sins.
For these fathers of indulgences® are wont with their indul-
gences to remit again the rigour and severity of the satisfac-
tion, which lieth in them to order at their discretion’. Truly,
as one said, “ The fathers’ gentle indulgence doth make the
children naught!;” so have their indulgences utterly cor-
rupted true repentance. But thou canst read in no place that
[6 redditur, Lat.; rendered.] [7 huic mulieri, Lat.; this woman. ]
[8 once, not in Lat. ] [9 indulgentes patres, Lat. ]
[1° suo impositam arbitrio, Lat. ]
(1! Blanda patrum segnes facit indulgentia natos.—Joan. Baptist.
Mantuan. Parthen. Lib. 1. 164. Tom. 1. Par. 1531. ]
[ Acts ix. 4.]
94 THE FOURTH DECADE, [SERM,
such power! was given to the popes as they did feign, We
read that to the apostles the keys were given by the Lord:
but those keys were nothing else but the ministry of preach-
ing the gospel; as I in place convenient will shew unto you.
Now the gospel promiseth to us remission both of the guilt
and penalty for Christ his sake and faith in Christ, and doth
admonish us that in the latter times there shall come men
that shail say, We are Christs; that is, which shall attribute
to themselves the things that do properly belong to Christ
alone, such as is especially the forgiveness of sins. But it
commandeth us to fly from them, and by all means to take
heed of them, as of wicked seducers.
The same evangelical truth doth teach, that the faithful
are cleansed by the only blood of the Son of God. Their
indulgences do promise men the cleansing of their sins through
the blood of St Peter, St Paul, and other holy martyrs. And
for that cause are they the profanation of the blood of the
Son of God. The saints do wash their garments in the blood
of the Lamb, not in the pardoning bull, or box of indulgences,
nor in the martyrs’ blood. Yea, Paul himself denieth that
either he, or Peter, or any other of the saints was crucified
for the church of God. And yet their indulgences were so
set forth, as though God were pleased with us for the blood
of the martyrs. Therefore their indulgences are flatly contrary
to the apostles’ doctrine. And I admonished you in my sermon
of good works* in these words of Paul, ‘I fulfil that which is
behind of the afflictions of Christ in my flesh for his body’s
sake, which is the church;” that that fulfilling is not referred
to the work of the purging or propitiation of Christ, which is
consummate, unless Christ at his death did testify falsely,
saying, “It is consummate;” but to those afflictions where-
with the members of Christ, that is, the faithful, are exercised
by the cross so long as they live in this frail flesh. Verily
the Lord maketh account of the afflictions laid upon the faith-
ful, as of his own: for to Paul he said, ‘Saul, Saul, why
persecutest thou me?” Moreover, when he saith, “For the
church,” he meaneth not, for the expiation of the church, but
for the edification and profit of the same*. And Paul sustained
[1 clavium potestatem, Lat.; power of the keys. ]
[2 See Vol. 1. page 333.]
[3 Calvin’s words, Instit. Lib. mi. cap. 5. § 4. Foxe, Acts and Mon.
Vol. y. p. 611. Lond. 1838.]
1. | OF REPENTANCE, AND THE CAUSES THEREOF. 95
grievous afflictions at the hands of the Jews because he
preached the gospel to the Gentiles: and it was expedient
that in him there should be shewed to the church an example
of patience so rare as could not lightly be found again. Yea,
other have oftentimes objected against these indulgence-
defenders this godly saying of the holy man, pope Leo, in his
eighty- first epistle: ‘“ Although the death of many saints is Ee
precious in the sight of the Lord, yet the slaughter of no man in aa
subject to sin is the propitiation for the sins of the world.”
Again, “ The righteous have received, not given, crowns of
glory: and of the manful constancy of the martyrs are
sprung examples of patience, not the gifts of righteousness :
for their deaths were singular; neither did any one by his
ending pay the debt of another, since there is one Lord Jesus
Christ, in whom they are all crucified, dead, buried and raised
up again*.” Thus much out of pope Leo. We have there-
fore by divine and human testimonies evidently proved, that
the indulgences given to sinners by the merit or treasure of
the martyrs’ blood are mere blasphemies against God, and
open injuries against his holy martyrs. |
I have hitherto spoken of those indulgences which were The filthy
of old freely bestowed by the popes of Rome’, although at this indulgences.
day they be few in number and curtailed too: now therefore
I will say somewhat of their indulgences, which they for the
most part do sell and make traffic of. To sell indulgences in
the church of God is a sin so detestable, as that it is hard to
name any one more horrible. And yet it is and hath been a
common practice and merchandise® these many years with the
bishops of Rome and their factors, whom they call apostolics,
not having any word in the scripture wherewith to cloak that
[* Quamyvis enim multorum sanctorum in conspectu Domini pre-
tiosa mors fuerit, nullius tamen insontis (Bullinger has sontis) occisio
propitiatio fuit mundi. Acceperunt justi, non dederunt, coronas: et
de fortitudine fidelium exempla nata sunt patientiz, non dona justitie.
Singulares quippe in singulis mortes fuerunt; nec alterius quispiam
debitum suo fine persolvit, cum inter filios hominum unus solus Domi-
nus noster Jesus Christus extiterit, in quo omnes crucifixi, omnes mor-
tui, omnes sepulti, omnes etiam sunt suscitatii—Leon. Opp. Ep.
LXxx. ad Palest. Episc. p. 152. The same is repeated in Ep.
xcvit. ad Leon. Aug. cap. 2. pp. 171, 172, and Serm. xu. p. ὅθ. Par.
1662.]
[5 of Rome, not in Lat. ] [6 and ‘merchanilise, - not in Lat.]
96 THE FOURTH DECADE, [SERM.
wicked invention. And now, though I slip over and do not
shew how indulgences are nothing but a bare name without
any stuff or matter, and that under that vain name miserable
men and silly souls are foully deceived; yet note, that Christ,
the chief and only high priest of his catholic and holy church,
in the days of his flesh did with a whip drive the buyers and
sellers (as impudent dogs) out of the church! of God: which
(John ii.13- thing he did twice; once at the beginning of his preaching,
xxi. 12,13] and another time a little before his passion?. At the first
[Acts viii.
18—21.]
time he added: “ Away with these things from hence, and
make not my Father’s house an house of merchandise.” At
the latter time he said: “It is written, My house shall be
called the house of prayer; but ye have made it a den of
thieves.” And Simon Magus also, in the Acts of the Apostles,
seeing that by the laying on of the apostles’ hands the Holy
Ghost was given, did offer them money, saying: “Give me
this power also, that on whomsoever I lay my hands, he
may receive the Holy Ghost.” But hearken how Peter
accepteth his petition. ‘Thy money (said he) perish with
thee ; because thou hast thought that the gift of God may be
obtained with money. ‘Thou hast neither part nor fellowship
in this business; for thy heart is not right in the sight of
God.” Lo, the gifts of God are not gotten with money.
Lo, their heart is not right that make merchandise of religion®.
Lo, they have no part or fellowship in the inheritance of the
kingdom of heaven, or in the preaching of the glad tidings*.
Therefore what shall we say now of the indulgences which
the pope’s apostolics do set to sale for money? What shall
we say of the very indulgenciaries, and the pope himself,
whose hirelings they be? We must confess, verily, that they
are the fellows of Simon (not Peter, but) Magus: for Peter
did by the just sentence of God curse such kind of merchants:
“Your money (saith he) perish together with you.” This is
a heavy and terrible, but yet a most just judgment of the
most just God. The same apostle Peter, foreseeing that in
the church there would be many such merchants, doth in his
[2 Pet ii. 1— last epistle say : “There were false prophets among the people,
[1 e templo, Lat. |
[2 Rather, nearly at the end, i. e. of his ministry. ]
[3 in rebus religionis, Lat. |
[4 vel in evangelica ratione, Lat. |
II. | OF REPENTANCE, AND THE CAUSES THEREOF. 97
even as there shall be false teachers among you, which privily ἡ
bring in damnable heresies, even denying the Lord that hath
bought them, and bring upon themselves swift damnation.
And many shall follow their damnable ways, by whom the
way of truth shall be evil spoken of. And with covetousness
through feigned words shall they make merchandise of you.”
For what is it with feigned words through covetousness
to make merchandise® of the miserable idiots®, if this is not,
when they say that they do give full remission of sins unto
all them that are contrite, and do confess their sins? For if
any man do acknowledge his sins, and with a true faith con-
vert? himself to God through Christ, even without their indul-
gences he doth obtain plenary remission of all his sins. Those
foxes therefore make money of smoke, deceiving simple souls§,
and selling for coin the thing which they never had, neither
possibly can be purchased with money.
And thus much hitherto of bought and sold indulgences ;
of which other writers have made very long discourses. 1
suppose that by this little any man may easily understand
how to judge of them aright.
We are now at length come past those rocks and shelves
to which we did of purpose sail, that, when we had viewed the
most perilous places, we might admonish the unskilful passen-
gers to take heed how they strike upon them for making
shipwreck of their souls, by thinking that in these indulgences
doth le the true force of sufficient repentance ; wherein there
is nothing but the utter displeasing of God’s most holy
majesty. Therefore letting that alone as it is, we do now
return to declare the last members of repentance, whereby
we said that penitents do mortify the old man, and are
renewed spiritually.
First of all therefore, it seemeth good to tell, What the old
man is, What the new or regenerated man is, and What the
power or strength of man is: for by the demonstration
thereof we shall the better understand what it is to mortify
the old man, and to be renewed in the spirit.
[5 lucrumque facere, Lat. omitted; and to make gain. ]
[6 ex misera plebecula, Lat. Cf. Vol. 1. p. 71, note 3.]
[7 convertatur, Lat.]
[§ fucum faciunt simplicibus versutissimi, Lat. Cf. Erasm. Chiliad.
Adag. p. 305, imposturee. |
7
[BULLINGER, III. |
The old and
new man,
[John iii. 6.1
The flesh
taken in
scripture
for the old
man.
Of the power
of man.
Understand-
ing.
98 THE FOURTH DECADE. [SERM.
We say that the old man is all that which we have
of nature, or of our first parents, to wit, not the body only or
the flesh, I mean the grosser and substantial part of the body;
but even the very soul, with the strength, the power and
faculties of the same. Therefore, whereas in some places of
the holy scriptures the flesh is put for man, we must not only
understand the massy substance and grosser part of the body;
but the very flesh together with the soul and all the faculties
thereof, that is, the whole man not yet regenerate. For the
Lord in the gospel saith: “That which is born of the flesh is
flesh, and that which is born of the spirit is spirit.” And this
he speaketh concerning regeneration, which is not according
to the flesh (as Nicodemus did falsely imagine), but according
to the spirit. The word “flesh” therefore doth import! the
natural power and faculties? of man; even all that, I mean,
which we have or take of our first grandsire Adam. The
new man is said to be he that is regenerate by the Spirit of
God in Christ, or is renewed according to the image of
Christ, with all the gifts and virtues of the Holy Ghost. And
as the flesh is usually put for the old man, so*is the spirit by
an antithesis commonly used and taken for the new man.
Now here the very place requireth to discourse somewhat
of the power and virtues of man: of which although I have
elsewhere disputed already, as in the sermon of freedom and
bondage, and of sin‘, yet again I will touch such points as 1
think to suffice for this present argument.
There are two parts or faculties of our soul, understand-
ing and will. Understanding doth discern in things object,
what to receive or what to refuse; and is as it were the
light and guide of the soul. Will chooseth, for in it doth lie
both to will and to nill: which are again impelled by other
powers and faculties. Now the understanding is of two
sorts; for we understand either earthly or heavenly things.
I call those earthly things, which do appertain not to the life
to come, but to the life present: whereunto we refer all
liberal arts and handicrafts, the governing of public weals,
[1 comprehendit, Lat. ]
[2 naturalis anime, Lat.; the powers and faculties of the natural
soul. |
(3 and as—so, not in Lat.]
[4 See Sermons 9, 10. of the Third Decade. ]
II. | OF REPENTANCE, AND THE CAUSES THEREOF. 99
and the ruling of private houses. By heavenly things I un-
derstand God himself, eternal felicity, and life everlasting, the
knowledge of God and all kinds of virtues, faith, hope,
charity, righteousness, holiness, and innocency of life.
Now let us see what this understanding of man is able to
do, and what power it hath. The judgment and understand-
ing of man in earthly things is not altogether none at all: but
yet it is weak and very small, God wot. The understanding
therefore that is in man doth come of God: but in that it is
small and weak, that cometh of man’s own fault and corrup-
tion. But the bountiful Lord doth augment in men those
gifts of his; whereby it cometh that man’s wit bringeth
wonderful things to pass. For which cause we read in the
holy scriptures, that the arts and wits of men are in the
hands of God. But in the knowledge or understanding of
_ heavenly matters there is not one small spark of light in man:
his wit of itself is nothing but darkness, which at the begin-
ning was created by God most sharp and lightsome, but was
afterwards by man’s® corruption utterly rebated® and darkened
again. or therefore it is that Christ in the gospel said:
“No man cometh to me, unless my Father draw him.” And (τομὴ vi. 44,
in the Prophets it is written: “All shall be taught by God.” *””
And Paul saith: “‘ The natural man perceiveth not the things cor. 1.14.1
that are of the Spirit of God; for they are foolishness unto
him; neither can know, because they are spiritually dis-
cerned.” The natural man (that is, that old man which is
not yet regenerate by the Holy Ghost) is not a block alto-
gether without all sense or feeling: for if he were utterly
without all the discourses of reason, then how should the
preaching of the gospel seem foolishness unto him? He doth
therefore by the gift of God hear and understand the words
and sense of the holy scripture; but by reason of his natural
corruption he is not touched with them, he doth not rightly
judge of them: they seem mere folly unto him: neither doth
he perceive that they must be discerned spiritually, because
he is not regenerate, and is yet without the true light of
God’s most holy Spirit. For in another place the apostle
saith: “We are not able to think any good’ as of ourselves,
but all our ability is of God.” And therefore it is that we
[5 parentis nostri, Lat. ] [6 rebated: blunted. Johnson. ]
[7 2 Cor. 111, 5; good, not in Lat.]
i—2
eae Vii,
?
19. ]
Of the new
man, and of
regeneration.
100 THE FOURIH DECADE, [SERM.
do so often in the scriptures find mention of enlightening or
illumination: which should without cause be expressed or
named, if so be man’s understanding were clear, and of itself
not dark and misty. There is therefore born together with
all men a blindness of heart and mind, a doubting in the
promises of God, and an unbelief and perverse! judgment in
all heavenly things. For albeit that man hath at God’s
hand received understanding, yet by reason of his own cor-
ruption ignorance is a peculiar and proper heritage belonging
unto him. For he is then in his? kingdom, when he is blind,
when he doth err, when he doth doubt, when he doth not
believe, nor use the gifts that God hath given him rightly, as
he should, that is, to his own salvation and the glory of his
Maker?.
Let us now see what the will of the old man is able to
do. Therefore, since this will doth follow a blind guide, God .
wot, that is to say, corrupt‘ affection, it is unknown to no
man what foolish> choice it maketh, and whereunto it tend-
eth. And although the understanding be never so true and
good, yet is the will like to a ship tossed to and fro with
stormy tempests, that is, of affections. For it walloweth® up
and down with hope, fear, lust, sorrow, and anger, so that it
chooseth and followeth nothing but evil. For the holy apostle
speaking of himself doth say : “1 know that in me, that is, in
my flesh, there dwelleth no good thing. For to will is present
with me, but I find no means to perform that which is good.
For the good that I would, do I not: but the evil which I
would not, that do I.” But now, since the apostle spake this
of himself when he was regenerate, what, I pray you, shall we
say of the will of the old man? The old man willeth all
things which God willeth not, and, breaking into all kind of
wickedness, doth foully fulfil his filthy lusts: that is to say,
he giveth his members servants unto uncleanness and wicked-
ness, from one iniquity unto another. We have of this very
many examples exhibited unto us, both by the holy scriptures
and daily experience.
Let us now against this oppose or set the new man, that
is, the man which is regenerate by the Spirit of God through
[1 perversissimum, Lat. ] [2 suo, Lat.; his own. |
(3 Dei, Lat. ] (4 corruptissimum, Lat. ]
[5 foolish, not in Lat. | [6 raptatur, Lat. |
II. | OF REPENTANCE, AND THE CAUSES THEREOF. 101
the faith of Jesus Christ. Now regeneration is the renewing
of the man, by which through the faith of? Jesus Christ, we,
which were the sons of Adam and of wrath, are born again
the sons of God, and do therefore put off* the old man, and
put on the new, which both in understanding and will doth
freely serve the Lord. This regeneration is the renewing of
the mind, not of the body: as we heard in another place, out
of the third chapter of St John’s gospel®. The author of this
regeneration is the Holy Ghost, which is from heaven given
unto man, I mean, to a faithful man. For the gift of the
Holy Ghost is given for Christ his sake, and that too unto
none but those that do believe in Christ. This Spirit of God (Rom. vil,
doth testify with our spirit that we are the sons of God, and ~~
therefore the heirs of his kingdom. We are therefore a new
creature, repaired now according to the image of God, and
endued with a new nature or disposition: whereby it cometh
to pass, that we do daily put off that old man, and put on
the new: which thing is done when we walk!9, not in concupi-
scence, after the carnal inclination" of the flesh, but in newness
of sense, according to the working of the Holy Ghost by
whom we are regenerate. The same substance and form of
the body abideth still; the mind is changed, the understanding
and will renewed. For by the Spirit of God the understand-
ing is illuminated, faith and the understanding of God and
heavenly things is plenteously bestowed, and by it unbelief and
ignorance, that is, the darkness of the old man, are utterly
expelled, according to that saying of the apostle, “ Through ft Cor δὶ
Christ ye are made rich in all things, in all speech and know- |” ©
ledge:” again, ‘We have not received the spirit of the
world, but the spirit which is of God, to know what things
are given of Christ to us.” And again, “‘ We have (or
know the spirit or)!? mind of Christ.” And again, “Ye have
no need that any man teach you: but as the very anointing
doth instruct you of all things, and is true, abide ye in it}3.”
And in this regeneration of man the will also doth receive
[7 per Spiritum sanctum in fide J. C., Lat. ; through the Holy Spirit
in the faith of. |
8 in diem, Lat. omitted; day by day. |
[9 See above, p. 37.] [10 dum ambulamus, Lat. |
[11 pro ingenio, Lat. |
[12 The parenthesis is the translator’s. |
[13 1 John ii. 27, in ea, Lat. and Erasmus; in it, Marg. Auth. Ver.]
102 THE FOURTH DECADE. [SERM.
an heavenly virtue, to do the good which the understanding
perceived by the Holy Ghost: so that it willeth, chooseth, and
worketh the good that the Lord hath shewed it; and on the
other side nilleth, hateth, and repelleth the evil that the Lord
hath forbidden it. For Paul saith: “I know to be humble,
and I know to exceed. I can do all things through Christ
who strengtheneth me!” And again to the Philippians he
saith: “To you it is given for Christ, not only to believe
in him, but also to suffer for him.” And again yet he doth
more plainly say: “It is God that worketh in you both to
will and to perform, according to the good purpose of the
mind’.” But now note this, that whatsoever they do which
are regenerate by the Spirit of God, they do it freely, not by
compulsion, nor against their wills. For like as God requireth
a cheerful giver; so “where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is
free liberty and hearty good-will’.” And Zachary, the father of
[Luke i. 74, John Baptist, said: ‘That we, being delivered from the hands
of our enemies, might serve him without fear, in holiness and
righteousness before him all the days of our life.” Yea, and
our Lord himself in the gospel saith: “If ye abide in my
sayings, ye shall be my disciples indeed, and ye shall know
the truth, and the truth shall make you free.” And again:
oe. If the Son set you at liberty, or make you free, then shall ye
be free indeed.” Touching this liberty of the sons of God
I have already discoursed in the ninth sermon of my third
Decade.
Whatandof ΤῊ]5 liberty of the sons of God we do willingly acknow-
the liberty is ledge and freely confess: but the arrogant disputations of
ine some blasphemous praters* concerning free-will, as though it
were in our power of ourselves to do any heavenly thing, we
do utterly reject and flatly deny. And yet we do not make
man subject to fatal necessity, nor turn upon God the blame
of iniquity, as we have elsewhere more at large declared®.
And St Augustine in his controversy with the Pelagians did
so attemper his disputation, that he attributed the good to the
grace of God, and the evil unto our nature: so that, the sense
being sound, uncorrupted, and well weighed, he attributeth
[1 Phil. iv. 12. excellere, Lat. and Erasmus; excede, Tyndale, 1534. ]
[2 Phil. i. 29; ii. 13. See above, p. 323, note 6.]
[3 2 Cor. iii. 17, and hearty good-will, not in Lat.]
{4 blasphemous praters, not in Lat.] [5 See Decade m1. Serm. 10. ]
II. | OF REPENTANCE, AND THE CAUSES THEREOF. 103
free-will, which he granteth to be in us, unto the grace that
worketh in us, yea, to the regeneration of the Spirit, rather
than to ourselves or our own power.
I will here cite and rehearse unto you, dearly beloved,
this one testimony only out of all his writings, as it is to be
found in the first chapter of his book De Correptione et
Gratia, where he saith: ‘‘We must confess that we have
free-will to do both evil and good: but in the doing of evil
every one is free from righteousness, and bound to sin; but
in good no man can be free, unless he be made free by him
which said, ‘If the Son make you free, then shall ye be free
indeed.’ And yet not so that, when every one is set free
from the condemnation of sin, he should then no more stand
in need of his deliverer’s aid: but so rather, that, where he
heareth his deliverer say, ‘ Without me ye can do nothing,’ he
should presently say to him again, ‘Be thou my helper; O
forsake me not.’ And verily, I am glad that in our brother
Florus I found this faith, which, without doubt, is the true,
prophetical, and apostolical faith, For here must the grace
of God through Jesus Christ our Lord be needs understood ;
by which alone we men are delivered from evil, and without
which we do no good, either in thought, will, love, or deed:
not only that by the shewing, or teaching of grace, men
should no more but know what is to be done; but also, that
by the very working and performing of grace they should
with love do the thing that they know®.” And so forth. For
I have hitherto rehearsed unto you St Augustine’s opinion
[ὁ Liberum itaque arbitrium et ad malum et ad bonum faciendum
confitendum est nos habere: sed in malo faciendo liber est quisque
justitize, servusque peccati; in bono autem liber esse nullus potest, nisi
fuerit liberatus ab eo qui dixit, Si vos Filius liberaverit, tunc vere liberi
eritis. Nec ita ut cum quisque fuerit a peccati damnatione liberatus,
jam non indigeat sui liberatoris auxilio; sed ita potius ut ab illo audiens,
Sine me nihil potestis facere, dicat ei et ipse, Adjutor meus esto, ne
derelinquas-‘me. Hane fidem, que sine dubio vera et prophetica et
apostolica fides est, etiam in fratre nostro Floro invenisse me gaudeo.
Intelligenda est enim gratia Dei per Jesum Christum Dominum nos-
trum, qua sola homines liberantur a malo, et sine qua nullum prorsus
sive cogitando, sive volendo et amando, sive agendo faciunt bonum:
non solum ut monstrante ipsa quid faciendum sit sciant, verum etiam
ut prestante ipsa faciant cum dilectione quod sciunt.—August. Opp.
Tom. ὙΠ’ fol. 272. col. 2. Par. 1531.]
How the old
man is mor-
tified, and
renewed by
the Spirit.
104 THE FOURTH DECADE, [SERM.
touching free-will, of which this is sufficient for a note by the
way: now I return to my purpose again.
We have heard what the old man is, what the new man
is, and how we are renewed by the Holy Spirit: now there-
fore, when we say that penitents do mortify the old man, and
are renewed by the Spirit, or spiritually, we say nothing else
but that to all penitents the affections, senses or lusts, of the flesh
(I mean, even the very understanding which we have of the old
Adam, together with the will,) are not only suspected, but also
convicted of impiety ; and that therefore! in all their thoughts,
words, and deeds, they do never admit their affections into
their counsel, but do by all means resist them, and continually
study to break the neck of them: and on the other side, in
all our counsels, words, and deeds to admit and receive, yea,
and with prayers to call unto us, that heavenly guide, the
Spirit of Christ, by whose conduct and leading we may per-
ceive, Judge, speak, and work, that is to say, either omit or
do, that which we have learned in our grand pattern Christ,
according to whose likeness we must be reformed, that hence-
forth we may apply ourselves to holiness, righteousness, and
good works to God-ward?.
But now all this we shall understand more rightly and
plainly by the words of the apostle, where he saith: ‘“ This I
say, and testify in the Lord’, that ye henceforth walk not as
other Gentiles walk, in vanity of their mind, darkened in
cogitation, being alienated from the life of God by the ignorance
that is in them, by the blindness of their hearts; which being past
feeling have given themselves over unto wantonness, to work
all uncleanness with greediness. But ye have not so learned
Christ, ifso be ye have heard him, and have been taught in him,
asthe truth is in Jesus; to lay down, according to the former con-
versation, the old man, which is corrupt according to the lusts
of error, but to be renewed in the spirit of your mind; and to
put on that new man, which after God is shapen in righteous-
ness and holiness of truth:” and so forth, as followeth in the
fourth chapter to the Ephesians’. The same apostle in the
third to the Colossians saith: “ Mortify your members which
{1 in gerendis rebus, Lat. omitted; in all their transactions. ]
[2 beneficentizeque, Lat. ; to God-ward, not in Lat. |
[8 per Dominum, Lat. and Erasmus. ]
[4 verses 17—24, holiness of truth, Marg. Auth. Ver. |
II. | OF REPENTANCE, AND THE CAUSES THEREOF. 105
are upon the earth; fornication, uncleanness, inordinate affec-
tion®, evil concupiscence, and covetousness, which is idolatry ;
for which things’ sake the wrath of God cometh upon the
children of disobedience: among whom ye also walked sometime,
when ye lived in them. But now put ye off also all these
things, wrath, fierceness, maliciousness, blasphemy, filthy com-
munication out of your mouth: lie not one to another, seeing
that ye have put off the old man with his works; and have
put on the new man, which is renewed into the knowledge
and image of him that made him. Put on therefore, as the elect
of God, holy and beloved, bowels of mercy, kindness, modesty,
meekness, long-suffering; forbearing one another, and for-
giving one another, if any man have a quarrel against any :”
and so forth. To which if thou addest that which the apostle
hath of the same matter in the sixth chapter to the Romans,
every point will be more express and plain unto the hearer.
Now these words of the apostle do not only teach us
what the old man is, what the new man is, what it is to
mortify the old man, and how penitents are renewed in the
newness of the spirit, or of the mind ; but do also shew what the
fruits be that are worthy of repentance, to wit, those rehearsed
virtues, or those offices of life toward God and our neighbour.
We owe to God fear and® reverence, humbleness of mind, the
knowledge’ of ourselves, faith, hope, the hatred of sin, the
love of righteousness; charity towards our neighbour’, well-
doing towards all men®, and innocency in all things. These
kind of fruits did the holy man John Baptist require of the
Jewish nation, when he said: ‘“ Bring forth fruits that become
repentance.” For in St Luke, being demanded of the people,
of the publicans, and of the mercenary or garrison soldiers’,
what thing they should do worthy of repentance, he prescrib-
eth none other than that which we even now recited. For the
Lord himself by Esay, in the fifth chapter of his prophecy,
rehearsed up none other fruits than those. And in the reve-
[5 mollitiem, Lat. and Erasmus; unnatural lust, Tyndale 1534, and
Cranmer 1539. |
[6 sive, Lat. ; or.] [7 agnitionem, Lat. ]
[8 Rather, to our neighbour (we owe), &c.]
[9 towards all men, not in Lat. ]
[1° a satellitibus vel stipendiariis, Lat. In his Comment. in loc. cit.
Bullinger explains at length what soldiers these were. ]
Of the wor-
thy fruits, or
of the fruits
worthy of
repentance.
{ Luke iii. 10,
ὅσο. }
106 THE FOURTH DECADE. [SERM.
lation' made to St John, speaking to the minister of the
church of Ephesus, he saith: ‘ Remember from whence thou
art fallen, and repent, and do the first works.” Whereunto
agree the words of St Paul, speaking to Agrippa, and saying:
[Acts axvi “I have preached to the Jews and Gentiles, exhorting them
to repent, and to turn to God, and to do such works as
become them that repent.” And again, in the seventh chap-
ἶριν νὴ of the second epistle to the Corinthians, he saith: ‘ Sor-
row which is to God-ward causeth repentance unto salvation
not to be repented of. For, behold, this self-same thing that
ye were made sorry to God-ward, how much carefulness it
hath wrought in you; yea, what clearing of yourselves; yea,
what indignation; yea, what fear; yea, what vehement desire ;
yea, what zeal; yea, what punishment?!” Now this carefulness
is an intentive diligence to correct that which is amiss.
Verily, out of careless looseness doth arise inured custom to
commit sin, and negligent security. Penitents do not stand
in defence of their sins, but make their supplicant apology to
God, to have them remitted. Hypocrites excuse themselves,
and seek out shifts and starting holes, not confessing freely
their sins and offences, nor praying to God to have them for-
given. He which repenteth truly and in very deed is angry
with himself because of his wicked manners and life already
lewdly spent. The punishment which he doth exercise upon
himself? preventeth and turneth away the revenging and im-
minent wrath of God. Moreover with fear he doth take heed
how he sinneth any more: for the contempt of God is the
original of mischiefs, and bond of an impenitent life. Further-
more, he which doth truly repent is ravished with the passing
vehement desire or love of God and heavenly things: he
burneth with zeal, whereby it cometh to pass that he neither
foadeth‘ off from day to day, nor yet doth coldly nor slackly
go about, that which he hath learned by the word of God to
be required at his hand to be done and performed. Briefly,
whatsoever he doth he doth it with all his mind, even from
the very bottom and root of his heart. For so saith the great
(Deut. xxx. prophet of God, the holy man Moses: “ If thou wilt turn to
[1 revelatione sua, Lat.; his revelation. chap. ii. 5. |
[2 So Tyndale 1534, and Cranmer 1539. ]
[3 affligendo semetipsum, Lat. omitted; by afflicting himself.]
[4 foadeth off. See Vol. 11. page 38, note 3.j
II. | OF REPENTANCE, AND THE CAUSES THEREOF. 107
the Lord thy God, and hearken unto his voice, with all thy
heart, and with all thy soul; the Lord thy God also shall
turn ἫΝ captivity, and shew pity upon thee in the bowels of
mercy.” Thus much touching the fruits of repentance.
Now upon all the premises we infer this consequent, that Repentance |
repentance (whose only scope, whereto it tendeth®, is the of a day oF
renovation by the Spirit of Christ of the image of God, which al! our life.
was by Adam’s fall of old defiled) is not a work of a day or
twain, or of a prescribed number of years, but a continual
observance of our whole life, and so consequently a daily
putting off and renewing of the old man for ever®. For they
that are regenerate by the Holy Spirit of God are never so
purged that they feel no motions of the flesh, of sin, and of
carnal affections. There is always object to the eyes of the
faithful this sentence of St Paul, that cannot by any means be [Rom. vi -
plucked out of their minds: “1 know that in me, that is, trapaseres
my flesh, there dwelleth no good thing. For to will is pre-
sent with me, but I find no means to perform that which
is good. For the good, that I would, I do not; but the evil,
that I would not, that do I.” For we bear about the relics
of the flesh through all our life. Whereupon it cometh that
in the saints there is a perpetual and very sharp battle. For
they do partly obey the spirit, and are partly weakened of the
flesh: by the spirit they are lifted up to the contemplation
and desire of heavenly things; but by the flesh they are thrust
down to earthly things, and troubled with the allurements of
this naughty world. For even the apostle, feeling that com-
bat in himself, said: “ The flesh lusteth contrary to the spirit, (cal. v.17.
and the spirit contrary to the flesh, For they are so at
enemity betwixt themselves, that what ye would ye cannot
do.” And in another place he saith: “Even I, the same, do [Rom. vii
in she mind serve the law of God, but in the flesh the law of
sin.” And, to help the matter forward withal, there lacks no
deceit, no craft, and a thousand’ temptations of the subtle
crafts-master, our enemy the devil. Therefore the labour and
peril of the true penitent, that is, of a christian man, is far
greater than that our prayers are comparable unto it.
But now who doth not here perceive how great watching,
[5 in nobis, Lat. omitted; in us. |
[6 adeoque innovationem quotidianam, is all Bullinger says. ]
[7 incessabiles, Lat. omitted; endless. ]
108 THE FOURTH DECADE. [SERM.
What things abstinence, constancy ', fortitude, and patience, are needful for
are necessary
in penitents.
The outward
exercises of
repentance.
Joel [1]. 12—
17.]
those that do repent? what great need they have of earnest
and continual prayers? Let us in this sharp conflict lay
before our eyes the instruction of that valiant champion the
apostle Paul; for that which he saith may be to us instead
of a large and ample commentary. For he will in few words
passingly instruct us how to behave ourselves in this trouble-
some combat, how to vanquish, and how to triumph when the
victory is gotten. In his epistle to the Ephesians thus he
saith: ‘‘ Brethren, be strong in the Lord, and in the power of
his might. Put on all the armour of God, that ye may stand
against the assaults of the devil. For we wrestle not against
flesh and blood only, but against rules, against powers, against
worldly governors? of the darkness of this world, against
spiritual subtilties in heavenly things. Wherefore take unto
you the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to resist
in the evil day, and, having finished all things, to stand fast.
Stand therefore, having your loins girt about with the truth,
and having on the breast-plate of righteousness, and your
feet shod in the preparation of the gospel of peace: above all,
taking the shield of faith, wherewith you may quench all the
fiery darts of the wicked: and take the helmet of salvation,
and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God; pray-
ing always in all prayer and supplication in the Spirit, and
watching for the same with all instance.” And so as follow-
eth in the sixth to the Ephesians.
Here therefore are also to be rehearsed the outward
exercises of repentance or rites of penance, wherewith the
saints do exercise themselves, partly to tame and keep under
the motions of flesh, and partly to testify their repentance
unto the congregation. Those exercises are, carelessness of
the flesh, tears, sighs, sackcloth, fastings, weeping, lamenting,
neglecting and hatred of dainty diet, trimming of the body,
and also of allowable pleasures: which, although they be
done, and yet do not proceed from the very heart and from
true faith, are notwithstanding nothing available to him that
useth them. But it is best here to learn, and as it were in
a painted table to behold them pictured in the word? of God.
The prophet Joel saith: “ Turn ye to me, saith the Lord,
[1 assiduitate, Lat. ] [3 rectores, Lat. omitted; rulers of. ]
[3 in verbo sincero, Lat. |
11. | OF REPENTANCE, AND THE CAUSES THEREOF. 109
with all your hearts, with fasting, with weeping, and with
mourning: and rent your hearts, and not your garments, and
turn to the Lord your God; for he is gracious and merciful,
slow to anger, and of great goodness, and he will repent him
of the evil. Who knoweth whether the Lord‘ will return and
take compassion, and will leave behind him a blessing ?
Blow up a trumpet in Sion, proclaim fast, call an assembly,
sanctify the congregation, gather the people, gather the elders,
assemble the children and sucking babes. Let the bridegroom
come forth of his chamber, and the bride out of her closet.
Let the priests, the Lord’s ministers, weep betwixt the porch
and the altar, and let them say: Spare thy people, O Lord,
and give not over thine heritage unto reproach, that the
heathen should rule over them. Wherefore should they
among the heathen say, Where is their God?” To these
divine and evident precepts let us annex that notable example
of the truly repentant Ninivites out of the holy scriptures ;
of whom the holy prophet Jonas hath left this in writing:
‘The men of Ninive believed God,and proclaimed a fast, and put Jonah (iii.
on sackcloth from the greatest of them unto the least of them.
And word come to the king of Ninive, which arose from his
throne, and put off his robe, and covered himself in sackcloth,
and sat down in the ashes.” Moreover by the king’s com-
mandment proclamation was made throughout the whole city,
saying: ‘ Let neither man nor beast> taste anything, neither
feed, nor yet drink water: but let both man and beast put on
sackcloth, and cry mightily unto God; yea, let every man
turn from his evil way®, and from the wickedness that is in
his hands. Who can tell whether God will turn, and be
moved with repentance, and turn from his fierce wrath, that
we perish not?” And now it is good to hear how effectual
true repentance is in the sight of the Lord. Therefore it
followeth in the same chapter: “ And God saw their works,
that they turned from their evil ways, and he repented of the
evil which he said he would do to them, and did it not.”
And here also, dearly beloved, ye must note, that re- Private and
pentance is of two sorts, to wit, private or secret, and public pentance.
or manifest. Every one doth secretly to himself repent
[4 the Lord, not in Lat. }
[5 neque greges, Lat. omitted ; nor flocks. }
[6 et a violentia et injuria, Lat.]
Repentance
must be
voluntary,
not coacted.
False and
true repen-
tance.
110 THE FOURTH DECADE. | SERM.,
privately, so often as, when he hath sinned against God, he
doth descend into himself, and with the candle of God’s word
doth search all the corners of his heart, and confess to God
all his offences; being grieved that he hath offended hin,
and yet doth turn unto him, believing verily that he will be
reconciled unto him in Christ his Saviour; and for his sake
doth utterly hate sin, and entirely love righteousness and
innocency, in following them so near as he can!. The public
or solemn repentance is used in great calamities, in dearth,
in pestilence and war: and of that repentance it is that the
prophet Joel speaketh, whose words ye heard a little afore.
And yet private repentance is in many points all one with
the public. For Peter weepeth bitterly; and private peni-
tents do fast privately, and abstain severely even from all
allowed pleasures, much more then from the allurements
and baits of the world%. But they that do truly repent
either publicly or privately, both do and must specially hate
coloured hypocrisy and vain ostentation. Moreover, both
kinds of repentance are free and voluntary, not extorted or
coacted, but proceeding of a willing mind. The pastor of
the church and teacher of the truth, T confess, doth severely
call upon all sinners without delay to repent themselves truly
for their sins committed: but yet he doth by express law
lay upon no man’s neck any precise order, prescribing the
time, manner, place, or number; but leaveth it free to every
one’s choice, so that they do the thing that is decent, ac-
cording to the prescript rule in the word of God. But
public repentance is for the most part wont to be proclaimed,
and openly received of the whole congregation, so often as
piety requireth it, and necessity compelleth it; and doth out
of the word of God therewithal declare what and how all
things must be done and decently ordered.
Again, it is manifest that there are two sorts of repent-
ance more: for there is true repentance and false repent-
ance. The true repentance is that which he doth exercise
that is regenerate by the Spirit of God*; and is without all
colour and craft, containing in it all those things that I have
hitherto told you of. The scriptures contained in the old
[᾿ in following—he can, not in Lat.]
[2 carnis ac mundi, Lat. ; of the flesh and of the world. ]
[8 in fide Jesu Christi, Lat. omitted; in the faith of Jesus Christ. ]
Hs OF REPENTANCE, AND THE CAUSES THEREOF. 111
and new Testament do minister to us many examples of true
repentance, which I have at large laid forth unto you in that
that I have already spoken. Those examples are excellent,
which we find of our parents Adam and Evah, of the people
of Israel’s often repenting* in the thirty-third of Exodus, in
the book of Judges, and the books of Kings. Yet more
excellent than the rest is that of David in the twelfth chapter
of the second of Samuel, and 1. Par. 21; and that of Manasses [1 chron.
and Josias, ii, Reg. xxxiii. and xxxiv. In the gospel also ee
we have to see the examples of Matthew, Zacheus, the sinful
woman, and Peter; beside other more that here for shortness’
sake I do wittingly pass over.
But false or counterfeit repentance proceedeth of a feigned
heart: and though at a blush it seem to have the circum-
stances of true repentance, yet for because it wanteth a
turning to God and a sound confidence in him, it is unsincere
and utterly false. For of all other it is most certain, that
the repentance of Judas Iscariot was false and counterfeit:
and yet he confessed his sin, he bare record to the truth,
and did with much anger and sorrow restore to the priests
the price which he took for the innocent blood; but because
he did not wholly turn to Christ and put his whole confi-
dence in his mercy and goodness, all his repentance was
without all fruit. And without all profit do hypocrites, and
those that are without the faith of the gospel, torment them-
selves, and make a shew of outward repentance.
But they are most happy and in an heavenly case®, that True peni-
tents are in
do with all their hearts truly repent with faith unfeigned : an happy
for they receive infinite goodness of their most bountiful and
liberal God, who is at one again with penitents, and doth
now love them that before he did for their sins most heartily,
and yet most justly, hate and abhor. The punishments also,
which he determined to lay upon them, he turneth into
benefits: for he doth fill, and as it were load® penitents
with all manner of good things, both temporal and eternal.
Now ye understand, dearly beloved, by my former sermons,
that God bestoweth so great benefits upon us, not for our
works of repentance, but for Christ his sake, in whom alone
the saints do trust, not putting any confidence in their works
[4 often repenting, not in Lat.]
[5 and in—case, not in Lat.] [ὁ and—load, not in Lat. ]
Unrepen-
tants are
unhappy.
ΓΜ ΙΧ. Ὁ],
&e. |
Matt. xxi.
9, &c.]
112 THE FOURTH DECADE, [SERM.
of repentance, how holy and commendable soever they be.
For insomuch as the Father loveth Christ, and that we by
faith are graffed in him, God doth therefore love us, and
our works do please him; which works of ours when he doth
recompense, he crowneth not our works, as our own works, but
crowneth in us the grace which he himself hath given us’.
Again, it must needs be that unrepentants are most
unhappy. They hear with what sins and transgressions
they have offended God, and provoked his just vengeance
against themselves; but therewithal they think not how to
prevent the wrath of God being readily imminent to take
vengeance of them’*, nor how to obtain his favour again.
What else therefore doth remain behind for them, but a most
certain and just destruction both of body and soul, of all
their goods, and whatsoever things else they do most esteem
in this transitory life? It is good here to call to mind that
notable sentence of the Lord Jesus in the gospel, saying:
‘“Woe be to thee, Chorazin; woe be to thee, Bethsaida: for
if the wonders had been done in the city of Tyre and Sidor,
that have been done in you, they would have repented long
ere this in sackcloth and ashes. But I say unto you, it
shall be easier for Tyre, Sidon, and Sodoma in the day of
judgment, than for you.” The parable® of the unfruitful fig-
tree is known to all men, whereof mention is made in the
gospel, which withered up by the judgment of God, to be an
example to teach and terrify all impenitent sinners. What
shall fall, may we think, upon the men of these days, that
do so boldly despise repentance now so many years so
plainly preached unto them, and beaten into their heads‘?
Some there are, a God’s name’, that will outwardly for a
shew’s sake only seem to be desirous of the evangelical
truth: other are utter enemies, contemners, and persecutors
of the gospel: and an infinite rabble thou shalt find of Lu-
cianists, Epicures, Nullifidians®, and Atheists. Now since all
[1 gratiam suam in nobis coronat, is all Bullinger says. |
[2 sontibus, Lat. omitted; that are guilty. |
[8 The parable, not in Lat. Bullinger says, Notissima est omnibus
arbor ficus infrugifera. ]
[4 and—heads, not in Lat. } [5 a God’s name, not in Lat. ]
[6 Nullifidians, not in Lat. Cf. Becon, ed. Park. Soc. Vol. m1. pp.
401, 503: and for Lucian, see Abp. Grindal’s Works, ed. Parker Soc.
p. 8.]
| OF REPENTANCE, AND THE CAUSES THEREOF. 113
these do equally in a manner sweetly deride, or rather scoff-
ingly mock at, this hearty repentance, we cannot do other-
wise but still expect and look when the terrible judgment of
God’s mighty arm should fall upon such unrepentant sinners.
Let them that wish well to themselves speedily turn to the
Lord, and consider with themselves continually and earnestly
how great the damage is, to keep the transitory Joys of this
present life, and so to lose the eternal joys of the kingdom
of heaven. Let every one make haste to do that which he olson
perceiveth to be done the better by so much, by how much éeferred.
the sooner it is taken in hand.
And yet I would not that any man should despair in his
sins, if so be that he doth not stubbornly despise the remedy
of repentance; nor because of the facility and gentleness of his
heavenly Father doth not maliciously, by the way of contempt,
defer repentance even till the very end. And if any man be
hindered by the flesh, the world, and the devil, so that it be
late or ere he apply his mind to repentance, neither would I
have him to fall to desperation.
But now, because I have somewhat more ΤΣ drawn out
this discourse of repentance than I had thought to have
done, that I may here at last make an end of my sermon,
I will instead of a conclusion recite unto you these golden
words of the holy martyr St Cyprian, bishop of Carthage,
where he writeth against Demetrian to this effect following :
‘ Believe and live; and ye, that now for a time do persecute
us, rejoice with us for ever. When ye are once out of this
life, then is there no place for repentance, nor any effect of
satisfaction. In this world the life is either won or lost. In
this world eternal salvation is provided for by the unfeigned
worshipping of God and the fruits of true faith. Let not any
man, either by his sins or years, be held back from coming to
lay hold upon salvation. So long yet as a man is in this No repen-
world, no late repentance doth come out of season. The too late.
entry is open unto God’s indulgence; and to them that seek
and understand the truth, the path to pardon is passing plain.
Thou, even at the very end and last gasp of this temporal life,
ask pardon for thy sins at the hands of him which is the true
and only God; call to him for the confession and faith of his
knowledge: to him that confesseth pardon is granted, and
to him that believeth salvation is given, and he even pre-
[ BULLINGER, 111. | :
114 THE FOURTH DECADE. [SERM. I.
sently upon his departure doth pass to immortality. This
grace doth Christ communicate: this gift he doth attribute
unto his own mercy, by making death subject unto the
triumph of the cross, by redeeming him that believeth
with the price of his blood, by reconciling man to God the
Father, by quickening the mortal by the heavenly regene-
ration. Let us all, if it be possible, follow him. Let us all
profess his sign and sacrament. He openeth to us the
way of life. He bringeth us to paradise again. He leadeth
us to the kingdom of heaven. With him we shall always
live; and being by him made the sons of God, we shall with
him always rejoice, being restored by the shedding of his
blood. We shall be Christians glorified together with Christ,
blessed in God, rejoicing with perpetual pleasure always in
the sight of God, and evermore giving thanks to God. For
he cannot choose but be merry always and thankful, who,
being once in danger and fear of death, is now made secure
in immortality 1.”
[1 Credite et vivite: et qui nos ad tempus persequimini, in sternum
gaudete nobiscum. Quando istinc excessum fuerit, nullus jam peeni-
tentiz locus est, nullus satisfactionis effectus: hic vita aut amittitur,
aut tenetur; hic saluti sternz cultu Dei et fructu fidei providetur.
Nec quisquam aut peccatis retardetur, aut annis, quo minus veniat ad
consequendam salutem. In isto adhuc mundo manenti peenitentia
nulla sera est. Patet ad indulgentiam Dei aditus, et queerentibus atque
intelligentibus veritatem facilis accessus est. Tu sub ipso licet exitu
et vite temporalis occasu pro delictis roges; et Deum, qui unus et
verus est, confessione et fide agnitionis ejus implores. Venia confitenti
datur, et credenti indulgentia salutaris de divina pietate conceditur ;
et ad immortalitatem sub ipsa morte transitur. Hanc gratiam Christus
impertit, et hoc munus misericordiz sue tribuit, subigendo mortem
tropheo crucis, redimendo credentem pretio sanguinis sui, reconciliando
hominem Deo Patri, vivificando mortalem regeneratione ceelesti. Hunce,
si fieri potest, sequamur omnes; hujus sacramento et signo censea-
mur: hic nobis viam vite aperit, hic ad paradisum reduces facit, hic
ad celorum regna perducet. Cum ipso semper vivemus, facti per
ipsum filii Dei: cum ipso exultabimus semper, ipsius cruore reparati.
Erimus Chiistiani cum Christo simul gloriosi, de Dec Patre beati, de
perpetua voluptate letantes semper in conspectu Dei, et agentes Deo
gratiassemper. Neque enim poterit nisi et letus esse semper et gratus,
qui cum morti fuisset obnoxius, factus est de immortalitate securus.—
Cyprian. Tract. ad Demetrian. fin. p. 196. Oxon. 1682.]
TO? THE MOST RENOWNED? PRINCE
EDWARD THE SIXTH,
KING OF ENGLAND AND FRANCE, LORD OF IRELAND,
PRINCE OF WALES AND CORNWALL, DEFENDER
OF THE CHRISTIAN FAITH,
GRACE AND PEACE FROM GOD THE FATHER, THROUGH
OUR LORD JESUS CHRIST.
THE promise, that not long ago* I made to your most
royal majesty, I do now perform, offering here the other
eight sermons of the fourth Decade, which I dedicate unto
your royal majesty, that of me you may have two decades
of sermons full and wholly finished. In March I sent twelve
sermons unto you, which were favourably accepted of your
royal majesty, as I understand by the letters of that godly
and worthy learned man, Master J. Hooper®, the most vigilant
bishop of Glocester, my brother and reverend fellow-father
in Jesus Christ: who also by the commendation of your royal
majesty’s good will to me-ward hath heartened me on, so that
now, with far more confidence and liberty than before, I
send unto your majesty this other part of my work, en-
treating of most weighty and holy matters. In this my
dedication I respect nothing else but that which I declared
in my former epistle; to wit, that I, according to the gift
' that the Lord hath endued me withal, may help forward and
advance the state of christian religion, now again happily
springing up in the famous realm of England by your royal
majesty’s good beginnings and counsels of your worthy
nobles. All they of every nation that is in Christendom,
which do truly believe in Christ Jesus, do heartily rejoice,
on your majesty’s behalf and the behalf of your most flou-
rishing kingdom, for this renovation of true religion; and
do earnestly pray to Christ the Lord, that he will happily
bring to a good end the thing that you in the fear of him
have happily begun.
Your royal majesty verily hath adventured upon a work
[2 See Orig. Lett. ed. Park. Soc. pp. 671, 673. ]
[3 Serenissimo, Lat. ]| [4 See Vol. τι. p. 16, note 4.]
[5 Orig. Lett. ed. Parker Soc. Vol. 1. p. 88.]
8—2
Whether
they that
mind to
reform the
churches
must stay to
look for the
determi-
nation of a
council.
Matt. xxviii.
Jer. viii.
Luke ix.
What coun-
cils have been
in these later
ages cele-
brated.
116 DEDICATION TO KING EDWARD THE SIXTH.
both very great and full of troubles: but he will never fail
your godly endeavours, that said, “ Behold, I am with you
for ever unto the end of the world.” And now also, even
as it hath been always from the first beginning of the church,
there are many lets and great impediments, that are object
against most holy and wholesome intents, doing what they
can to hinder and trouble the reformation of religion’: and
among other stops this is one of the greatest, that no small
number even of the wisest sort do say, that there ought no
such haste to be made upon private authority, but that the
determination of the general council in controversies of re-
ligion must needs be stayed for, and altogether looked after ;
without the judgment whereof, say they, it is not lawful for
a kingdom’, much less for any other commonweal, to alter
any one point in religion once received and hitherto used.
But the prophets and apostles do not send us to the councils
of priests or elders, but to the word of God: yea, in Jeremy
we read, “ΠΟΥ͂ say ye, We are wise, we have the law of the
Lord among us? Truly, the lying pen of the scribes have
wrote a lie’, The wise have been ashamed, they were afraid
and were taken: for lo, they have cast out the word of the
Lord; what wisdom then can there be among them?” Again,
in the Gospel we read, ‘‘ No man, that layeth his hand to the
plough, and looketh back, is fit for the kingdom of God.”
Therefore the authority of the prophets and evangelists giveth
counsel, fully to absolve and perfectly to end the reformation
of religion once begun with the fear of God, out of or by
the word of God; and not to look for or stay upon councils,
which are directed, not by the word of God, but by the
affections and motions of men.
For the late examples of some ages within the space of
these 400 last years or thereabout do sufficiently teach us
what we may look for by the determination of general coun-
cils. The causes of councils of old were the corruption
either of doctrine or else of the teachers, or else the ruin of
ecclesiastical discipline. And good and zealous men have
strongly cried now by the space of 500 years and more, that
[1 coeptam, Lat. omitted; which is begun. ]
[2 ne regno quidem, Lat.; not even for a kingdom. ]
[3 the false pen of the scribes worketh for falsehood. Marg. Auth.
Ver.]
OF THE REFORMING OF CHURCHES. 11
there are crept into the church superstitions, errors, and
abuses; that the salt of the earth is unsavoury, that is, that
the ministers of the churches are by sloth, ignorance, and
wickedness become unseasonable; and that all discipline in
the church is fallen to ruin. Bernard Clarevallensis*, being
one among many, is a notable witness of the thing® and
condition. And for that cause there have been many councils
of priests celebrated, at the calling together of the bishop of
Rome, together with the mutual aid of many kings and
princes. But what became of them, what was done in them,
and what small amendment or correction of doctrine, teachers,
and discipline there was by them obtained, the thing itself
(the more it is to be lamented) doth plainly declare. For
the more that councils were assembled, the more did super-
stition and error prevail in doctrine, abuse in ceremonial
rites, pride, riot, covetousness, and all kind of corruption in
the teachers or priests, and a foul blurring out of all honest
discipline. For such men were made presidents of the coun-
cils, as had need first of all themselves either to be brought
into a better order, or else to be utterly excommunicate out
of the congregation of the saints; and they being presidents
did in the councils handle causes neither lawful nor lawfully.
For the word-of God had among them neither due authority
nor dignity; neither did they admit to the examination and
discussing of causes those men whom it was decent to have
chiefly admitted, but them whom they themselves did think
good to like of; and in them they sought not the glory of
God and the safeguard of the church, but sought themselves,
that is, the glory and pleasures of this transitory world.
Therefore in the holding of so many general councils we see
no amendment or reformation in the church obtained, but
rather errors, abuses, and the kingdom and tyranny of the
priests confirmed and augmented,
And even at this day, although we would wink and not what
Christians at
see it, yet we cannot choose but even with our hands feel a
what we may look and hope for in a general council. There general
ouncils.
shall at this day no council have any authority, unless it be
[* Bernard largely complains of the pride and corruption of the
clergy, De Offic. Episc. capp. vi. 1x; in Cantic. Serm. x. § 3, Lxxvii.
ee
[5 hujus rei, Lat.; and condition, not in Lat.]
[° See Bullinger Von den Conciliis, Par. 1. cap. 11. Zurich, 1561. ]
118 DEDICATION TO KING EDWARD THE SIXTd,
lawfully (as they expound lawfully) called together. None
seemeth to be lawfully called together but that which the
bishop of Rome doth call together, and that which is holden
according to the ancient! custom and laws received; namely,
that wherein they alone do sit, and have, as they call it,
deciding voices, to whom power is permitted to determine?
and give sentence in the council; and to them who shall
think it an heinous crime, and directly contrary to the oath
that is given them, to do once so much as think, much more
to speak, anything against the bishop and see of Rome,
against the decrees of the fathers, and constitutions of the
councils.
What therefore may you look for in such a council ? That
forsooth which I told you that now by the space of 400
years and more the afflicted church of God, to the detriment
of godliness, hath seen and felt; namely, that the sincere
doctrine of Christ being trode under foot, and holy discipline
utterly oppressed, we see that every day more and more, with
the great and intolerable? tyranny of the see and church of
Rome, there do increase and are confirmed unsound and
faulty doctrine, most filthy abuses, and too too great licentious-
ness and wicked living of the priests. They forsooth do ery,
that it is an heresy to accuse the pope of error, in the chest
of whose breast all heavenly doctrine is laid up and contained.
They cry that all the decrees of the apostolical see must be
received even so as if they were confirmed by the very voice
of Peter himself. They cry that it is a wicked thing to move
any controversy, or to call into doubt the doctrine and cere-
monies received and used in the church of Rome; especially
touching their sacraments, whereof they to their advantage
do make filthy merchandise. They cry that the church of
Rome hath power to judge all men, but that no man hath
any authority to judge of her judgment. There are in the
decretals most evident canons that do set out and urge these
things, as I have told them4, Now what manner reformation
shall we think that they are likely to admit, which stand so
stiffly to the defence of these things? Truly, they would
rather that Christ with his gospel, and the true church his
spouse, should wholly perish, than they would depart one inch
from their decrees, rites, authorities, dignities, wealth, and
[1 hucusque consueto, Lat. | [2 residendi, Lat.]
[3 imo intoleranda, Lat. | [4 as I have told them, not in Lat. ]
OF THE REFORMING OF CHURCHES. 119
pleasures. They verily come into the council, not to be judged
of others, that they may amend those things which even their
own consciences and? all the world do say would be amended;
but they come® to judge and yoke all other men, to keep
still their power and authority, and to overthrow and take
away whatsoever withstandeth their lust and tyranny. Yor
afore, there were sent out horrible thunders against the ac-
cusers or adversaries of the see apostolic; that is, of the
papistical corruption: after, followed the hot bolts of that
thunder, even sentences definitive of excommunication. The
secular power hath now by the space of thirty years and
more been called on, and persecution hath been everywhere
raised up against guiltless Christians’, not for committing
heinous crimes and defending naughtiness, but for inveighing
against mischiefs and mischievous men, and for requiring the
reformation of the church: and yet even at this day most
cruel edicts are out, and cruelty is exercised every day more
and more, against them that confess the name of Christ: yea,
such is their impudency and brasen-faced boldness, they dis-
semble not that the council, if any must be celebrated, shall
be called for the rooting out of heresies; yea, they do openly
profess, that the council, once held at Trent, was to this end
assembled. Now since these things more clearly than the
sun are perceived to be most true, thou shalt, most holy king,
do wisely and religiously, if, without looking for the deter-
mination of a general council, thou shalt proceed to reform
the churches in thy kingdom according to the rule of the
books of both Testaments, which we do rightly believe, being
written by the inspiration of the Holy Ghost, to be the very
word of God.
But now, that it is lawful for every christian church, much 111s !awful
for every
more for every notable christian kingdom, without the advice christian,
of the church of Rome and the members thereof, in matters teform things
of religion depraved by them, wholly to make a reformation
according to the rule of God’s most holy word, it is thereby
manifest, because Christians are the congregation, the church,
or subjects of their king, Christ, to whom they owe by all
means most absolute and perfect obedience. Now the Lord
[5 adeoque, Lat.; and so. ]
[° conabuntur, Lat.; they will use every effort. ]
[7 homines, Lat.; men. The bull of Leo X. against Luther was
issued June 15, 1520. }
120 DEDICATION TO KING EDWARD THE SIXTH.
gave his church a charge of reformation: he commended unto
it the sound doctrine of the gospel, together with the lawful
use of his holy sacraments: he also condemned all false doc-
trine, that I mean that is contrary to the gospel: he damned
the abuse and profanation of the sacraments; and delivered
to us the true worship of God, and proscribed the false. There-
fore Christians, obeying the laws and commandments of their
prince, do utterly remove or take away all superstition, and do
restore, establish, and preserve the true religion, according to
the manner that Christ their prince appointed them. He
verily is a fool or a madman, which saith that the church
of Christ hath none authority to correct such errors, vices,
and abuses as do daily creep into 101, And yet the Romish
tyranny hath so bewitched the eyes of many men, that they
think that they cannot lawfully do any thing? but what it
pleaseth Rome to give them leave to do. The ecclesiastical
histories make mention of provincial synods, held in sundry
provinces, wherein there were handled matters of faith and
the reformation of the churches, and yet no mention once
made of the bishop of Rome. What may be thought of that
moreover, that in certain synods, not heretical but orthodox-
astical and catholic, thou mayest find some that were ex-
communicated for appealing from their own churches unto
the church of Rome?? St Cyprian, writing to Cornelius‘ the
bishop of Rome, doth say: “Since that it is ordained by us all,
and that it is just and right, that every man’s cause should be
heard there where the crime is committed; and that to every
several pastor is appointed a portion of the flock, which every
one must govern, and make account of his doings before the
Lord: it is expedient, verily, that those, over whom we have
the charge, should not gad to and fro, by that means with
their subtle and deceitful petulancy to make the concord of
bishops to be at jar; but to plead their causes there where
they may have their accusers present, and witnesses of their
crime committed.”
[1 as—into it, not in Lat.] [2 hic, Lat. omitted; in this matter. ]
[3 Bingham, Book 1x. chap. 1. § 11; and xvu. chap. 5. § 14.]
[4 beato Cornelio, Lat. |
[5 Nam.cum statutum sit omnibus nobis, et seequum sit pariter ac
justum, ut uniuscujusque causa illic audiatur, ubiest crimen admissum;
et singulis pastoribus portio gregis sit adscripta, quam regat unusquis-
que et gubernet, rationem sui actus Domino redditurus: oportet utique
cos quibus preesumus non circumcursare, nec episcoporum concordiam
OF THE REFORMING OF CHURCHES, 121
But letting pass the testimonies of men, we do now
come to the testimonies in the book of God. The most holy Holy king
. . . Josias.
king Josias, most godly prince, may alone in this case teach
you what to do and how to do, with the warrant and authority
of God himself. He by the diligent reading of the holy book
of God, and by the contemplation of things present, and the
manner of worshipping God that then was used, did under-
stand, that his ancestors did greatly and very far err from
the plain and simple truth; for which cause he calleth together
the princes and other estates of his kingdom, together with
all the priests, to hold and celebrate a council with them. In
that council he standeth not long disputing whether the ex-
amples of the elders ought rather to be followed, or God’s
commandment simply received: whether he ought rather to
believe the church, or the scripture: and whether all the
judgment of religion ought to be referred to the high priest.
For laying abroad the book of the law, he submitteth both
himself and all his unto the sacred scripture. Out of the book
of the law both he himself doth learn, and biddeth all his to
learn, what thing it is that pleaseth God, namely, that which
was commanded and learned in the reading of the law of God.
And presently he gave charge, that all men should do and
execute that, not having any regard to the ancient custom, or
to the church® that was at that time: he made all subject to
the word of God. Which deed of his is so commended, that,
next after David, he is preferred before all the kings of Judah
and Israel.
Now your royal majesty cannot follow any better or safer Faith cannot
counsel than this, considering that it proceedeth from God, but by the
and that it is most fit for the cause which is even now in 04.
hand. The disputation is of the reformation of religion, and
the true faith of Christ. You know that that doth spring
from heaven, namely, that it is taught by the word of God,
and poured into our hearts by the Holy Ghost; for Paul saith:
“Faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the word of Rom.x.
Christ.” Therefore as true faith is not grounded upon the
word of man, so is it not taught or planted by the same. For
in another place the same apostle saith: “ My preaching was 1 cor. ii
coherentem sua subdola et fallaci temeritate collidere; sed agere illic
causam suam, ubi et accusatores habere et testes sui criminis possint.
—Cyprian. Opp. Epist. tix. p. 136. Oxon. 1682. ]
[6 ipsius etiam ecclesize, Lat. ]
The scrip-
tures do suf-
ficiently
minister a
full platform
how to
reform the
church.
2-Tim: ἯΙ,
16: 17.
190 DEDICATION TO KING EDWARD THE SIXTH.
not in the enticing words of man’s wisdom, but in the shewing
of the Spirit and of power; that your faith might not be in the
wisdom of man, but in the power of God.” Not without good
cause, therefore, do we refuse the traditions of men, and turn
only to the doctrine of the word of the Lord, without which it
is assuredly certain that there is no doctrine nor any foun-
dation of true faith.
Neither are they worthy to be heard, who think that the
canonical scriptures are not plain enough, full enough, or
sufficient enough, to minister a perfect platform of reformation.
They blaspheme the Spirit of God, imputing unto it obscure-
ness and imperfection, which faults no profane writer can well
abide to hear of. St Paul in defence of the truth saith:
“ All scripture given by inspiration of God is profitable to
doctrine, to reprove, to correction, to instruction which is in
righteousness; that the man of God may be perfect, instructed
unto all good works.” What now, I pray you, is omitted in
these words, that may seem to appertain to a most absolute
reformation? What, I beseech you, have those impudent
fellows to say against this? Proceed, therefore, proceed,
most holy king, to imitate the most godly princes, and the
infallible rule of the holy scripture: proceed, I say, without
staying for man’s authority, by the most true and absolute
instrument of truth, the book of God’s most holy word, to
reform the church of Christ in thy most happy England’.
The Lord Jesus, the head and mighty prince of this
church, preserve and lead thee his most faithful
worshipper in the way of his truth until
the end, to the glory of his name, and
the good estate and welfare of
the whole christian church.
At Tigure, in the month
of August, the year
of our Lord,
1550.
Your royal majesty’s most dutifully bounden,
Henry BuLuincer,
Minister of the church at
Tigure in Switzerland.
[1 ecclesias Christi Anglicanas, Lat.; most happy, not in Lat.]
[2 his church, ed. 1577; ecclesize suse, Lat. |
THE
OTHER EIGHT SERMONS
OF THE
FOURTH DECADE,
WRITTEN BY
HENRY BULLINGER.
OF GOD; OF THE TRUE KNOWLEDGE OF GOD, AND OF
THE DIVERSE WAYS HOW TO KNOW HIM;
THAT GOD IS ONE IN SUBSTANCE,
AND THREE IN PERSONS.
THE THIRD SERMON.
I nave hitherto in thirty-two sermons discoursed upon the
word of God, and the lawful exposition of the same; upon
christian faith, the love of God and our neighbour. I have
also spoken of the law of nature, of man’s law, and God’s
law, and of the parts of God’s law, namely, the moral, the
ceremonial, and the judicial laws; of the use of the law, and
of the fulfilling and abrogation of the same; of the likeness
and difference betwixt the two testaments and people, the
old and the new; of christian liberty; of offences; of the effect?
and merits of good works; of sin, and the sundry sorts
thereof: and also of the grace of God, or the gospel of
Jesu Christ, in whom our heavenly Father hath given us all
things belonging to life and eternal salvation: finally, I have
treated of repentance, and of the things that do especially
seem to belong thereunto. And for because our purpose is
to dispute discreetly upon the principal points of christian
religion’, and that® in the premises we have heard often
mention made of God, of the knowledge and worship of God,
of Jesus Christ, of the Holy Ghost, of good and evil spirits,
of the church, of prayer, of the sacraments, and such like
holy things; since we are now come to an end of those former
points, necessity itself doth here require, that we should
speak somewhat now of all and every one of these latter
[8 ratione, Lat. | [4 religionis nostra, Lat. ]
[5 preeterea, Lat.; and more especially. ]
Sundry
opinions con-
cerning God.
1 John ii. 19.
Whereupon
the diversity
of opinions
concerning
God do rise,
and from
whence the
true know-
ledge of him
must be
fetched.
124 THE FOURTH DECADE. [SERM.
principles according to the holy scripture, so far forth as the
Lord shall give me grace and ability to do the same.
Concerning God there were of old many erroneous opinions,
not among the ruder sort of people only, but even in the
whole pack of philosophers, and conyenticles of false Chris-
tians. As touching the philosophers, that ancient and learned
writer, Tertullian, was wont to say, that ‘philosophers are
the patriarchs of heretics!:’ and touching false Christians the
apostle John said, ‘“‘ They went out from us, but they were
not of us; for if they had been of us, they would have re-
mained with us.” Neither do I see what gain you should
get by it, if I should proceed to reckon up unto you all their
opinions. It is good perhaps to know wherein they? erred,
lest we also do strike upon the same rock that they did.
Therefore if any that have a desire unto it do wish to see
the opinions of the heathen sort and of heretics? concerning
God, let them search Plutarch in his Placitis Philoso. lib. 1.
cap. 7. or in other heathen writers; or* in Cyril’s first book
Contra Julianum ; and® in the 4. cap. Dogmatum vel defi-
nitionum Ecclesiast.6 I will’ at this time trouble the attentive
ears and minds of the godly hearers with that burden. That
diversity of opinions is derived from none other fountain than
from the boldness and unskilfulness of men, which are not
ashamed of their own device and brain to add and apply® to
God the things from which he is most far and free. And
now, that here I may not stick long in declaring the narrow
straitness and misty darkness of man’s wit; who, I pray you,
is able with his understanding to conceive the being® of God,
when as indeed no man did ever fully understand of what
fashion the soul of man is, of what sort many other things
are that be in man’s body, and of what manner substance!”
the sun and moon are made? There are given many reasons
of natural philosophy ; but the work of God doth still abide
more great and wonderful than that the wit or speech of man
[1 See Vol. 1. p. 407, note 5. ] [2 alii, Lat.; others. |
[3 exercitationes exterorum, et hereticorum sententias, Lat. |
[4 aut etiam, Lat.; or even. | [5 denique, Lat. ; lastly. ]
[° A treatise among the works of Augustine. ]
[7 nolo, Lat.; I will not.]
[8 affingere, Bullinger’s one word. | [9 essentiam, Lat. ]
[10 So ed. 1577; what manner of substance, 1587. |
“τ
~
ILI. | OF GOD, AND THE KNOWLEDGE OF GOD. 125
is able to comprehend or express it. Let no man therefore,
that goeth about to know any certainty of God, descend into
himself to search him out with thoughts of his own"; neither
let him ground his opinion upon men’s determinations and
weak definitions!?: for otherwise he shall always worship the
invention of his own heart, mere folly, trifles and foolish
phantasies. But on the other side again, the man cannot
choose but think rightly, judge truly, and speak well of God,
that attributeth nothing to himself, deviseth nothing of his
own brain, nor followeth the toys of other men’s inventing ;
but in all things giveth ear to the word of God, and follow-
eth always his holy revelation’. Therefore let this stand as
it were for a continual rule, that God cannot be rightly
known but by his word; and that God is to be received and
believed to be such an one as he revealeth himself unto us
in his holy word. For no creature verily can better tell what,
and what kind of one God is, than God himself.
Now since this God doth in his word, by the workman- ‘hat thereis
ship of the world, by the holy scriptures, and by his oracles ~
uttered by the mouth of the patriarchs, prophets, and apostles,
yea, and the very minds'* and consciences of men, testify
that he is, therefore did the kingly prophet David say: “The Psai. xiv.
fool hath said in his heart, There is no God.” For he must needs
be an ass or a fool, which denieth the thing that is evident to
all men in the world which are not beside their wits, namely,
that there is a God: considering that even Cicero, an heathen
author, in his book de Natura Deorum, doth say, “It is
bred and born together with men, and graffed in their hearts,
to think that there is a God!’.” Truly, they that deny God
do deny him whom nevertheless they fear; and therefore by
that fear they confess that he is, by that means convincing
themselves of lying and falsehood.
Again, this is to be noted; that in demanding who and a measure is
what God is, although that question is made and “doth arise demanding
and inquiring
what God is,
[11 to search—his own, the translator’s addition. |
[12 aut humano innitatur judicio, Lat. |
[18 revelationem Dei, Lat. |
[14 in the very minds, ed. 1577 ; in animis denique, Lat. |
(15 merito, Lat.; with good reason, omitted. |
[16 inter alia, Lat.; among other things, omitted. ]
[17 Cic. de Nat. Deor. Lib. 1. cap. 17.]
Prov. xxv.
Exod. xix.
Luke v.
The name of
is un-
speakable
and passeth
mans utter-
ance.
126 THE FOURTH DECADE. | SERM,
even by the beating out and discussing of the scriptures, yet
a measure is to be kept and in any case observed. For to go
about over curiously to inquire after, search out, and seek! the
very eternal being of God, is both perilous and also flatly
forbidden. Salomon crieth, “As it is not good to eat much
honey; so he, that is an over curious searcher out of God’s
majesty, shall be confounded of his glory*®.” Before that sin-
gular and notable communication, wherein our God in the
mount Sinai talked with the whole people of Israel, it is said
to Moses: ‘Set bounds unto the people round about the
mountain, and say unto them, Take heed to yourselves that
ye go not up into the mount, or touch the border of it.
Whosoever toucheth the mount, let him die the death,” &c.
Lo here, it was present death to pass the limits or bounds
prescribed. Therefore our studies are and ought to be defi-
nite, not infinite*. Truly we read in many places of the
holy scriptures, that the most entire and excellent friends of
God stood amazed trembling, so often as God in any outward
shew did of his own accord offer himself unto their eyes.
I need not to busy myself too much in reckoning up examples.
Ye know how Abraham behaved himself in the talk which he
had with God, Gen. xviii. Ye know what the parents of
Gedeon said in the book of the Judges®; and what Helias
spake, 3 Reg. xix. Peter, after that he by the miraculous
taking of the great draught of fishes did understand that Christ
was more than a man, cried out, saying: ‘‘Go out from
me, O Lord, for I am a sinful man.” Therefore the saints, if
in any other matters belonging to God, then in this especially,
are humble, modest, and religious; understanding that his
eternal and incomprehensible power and unspeakable majesty
are altogether uncircumscriptible®, and cannot be compre-
hended in any name whatsoever.
Very eloquently, truly, and godly doth Tertullian in his
book De T'rinitate say: ‘The proper name of God cannot
be uttered, because it cannot be conceived. For that is called
by a name, that is conceived by the condition of its own
[1 inspicere, Lat. ] [2 See Vol. 1. p. 65, note 6. |
[3 congreditur, Lat. ] [4 not infinite, not in Lat. |
[5 So Latin also, Gedeonis, for Samson. Both Gideon and Manoah
expressed the same apprehension. Judg. vi. 22, and xiii. 22.]
[ὁ nulla definitione, Lat.; by any definition. ]
IIL. | OF GOD, AND THE KNOWLEDGE OF GOD. ioe
nature: for a name is the significant notifying of that thing
which may be conceived by the name. But when the thing,
which is handled, is of such sort that it cannot be rightly
conceived by our very senses and understanding, how shall
it be rightly named by an apt term and fit nomination?
which, while it is beyond understanding, must needs also be
above the significancy of the term whereby it is named: so
that when God upon certain causes or occasions doth annex
or declare to us his name in words, we may think and know
that the very property of the name is not expressed so much
in words, as a certain significancy is set down, to which while
men in prayers do run, they may seem to be able by it to
call upon and obtain the mercy of God’.’ And again he
saith: ‘Concerning God and those things that are of him
and in him, neither is the mind of man able to conceive what
they be, how great they be, and of what fashion they be;
neither doth the eloquence of man’s mouth utter in speech
words in any point answerable unto this majesty®. For to
the thinking upon and uttering out of his majesty all elo-
quence is mute and dumb, and the whole mind is too too
little. For it is greater than the mind; neither can it be
conceived how great it is: because, if it can be conceived,
then must it needs be less than man’s mind, wherein it may
be comprehended. It is also greater than all speech, and
cannot be spoken; because if it may be spoken, then is it
lesser than man’s speech, by which, if it be spoken, it may
be compassed and made to be understanded. But whatsoever
may be thought of him shall still be less than he: and what-
soever in speech is shewed of him, being compared with him,
[7 Ex quo effectum est, ut nec nomen Dei proprium possit edici,
quoniam non possit nec concipi. Id enim nomine continetur, quidquid
etiam ex nature sue conditione comprehenditur. Nomen enim signifi-
cantia est ejus rei quee comprehendi potuit ex nomine. At quando id,
de quo agitur, tale est, ut condigne nec ipsis intellectibus colligatur ;
quomodo appellationis digne vyocabulo pronuntiabitur? Quod dum
extra intellectum est, etiam supra appellationis significantiam sit
necesse est: ut merito quando nomen suum Deus ex quibusdam ratio-
nibus et occasionibus adjicit et preefert, non tam legitimam proprietatem
appellationis sciamus esse depromptam, quam significantiam quandam
constitutam, ad quam dum homines decurrunt, Dei misericordiam per
ipsam impetrare posse videantur.—Lib. de Trinitate. cap. rv. Tertull.
Opp. Par. 1664, p. 709.]
[8 his, ed. 1577. ]
128 THE FOURTH DECADE. [SERM.
shall be much less than he. For in silence to ourselves we
may partly perceive him: but as he is, in words to express
him, it is altogether impossible. For if you call him Light,
then do you rather name a creature of his than him, but
him you express not: or if you call him Virtue, then do
you rather name his power than him, but him you declare
not: or if you call him Majesty, then do you rather name
his honour than him, but him you describe not. And why
should I, in running through every several title, prolong the
time? I will at once declare it all. Say all of him what-
soever thou canst, and yet thou shalt still rather name some-
thing of his than himself. For what canst thou fitly speak
or think of him, that is greater than all thy words and
senses? Unless it be, that after one manner, and that too
as we can, as our capacity will serve, and as our under-
standing will let us, we shall in mind conceive what God is,
if we shall think that he is that which cannot be understood,
nor can possibly come into our thought what kind of thing,
and how great it is. For as at the seeing of the brightness
of the sun the sight of our eyes doth so dazzle and wax dim,
that our sight cannot behold the very circle of the same by
reason that it is overcome of the brightness of the beams
that are object against it; even so fareth it with the sight
of our mind in all our thoughts of God; and by how much
more she settleth herself to consider of God, by so much
more is she blinded in the light of her cogitation. For (to
repeat the same thing again) what canst thou fitly think of
him that is above all loftiness, higher than all height, deeper
than all depth, lighter than all light, clearer than all clear-
ness, brighter than all brightness, stronger than all strength,
more virtuous than all virtue, fairer than all fairness, truer
than all truth, greater than all greatness, mightier than all
might, richer than all riches, wiser than all wisdom, more
liberal than all liberality, better than all goodness, juster
than all justice, and gentler than all gentleness? For all
kinds of virtues must needs be less than he that is the
Father and God of all virtues: so that God may truly be
said to be such a certain being as to which nothing may be
compared. For he is above all that may be spoken!” Hi-
therto have I cited the words of Tertullian.
[1 De hoc ergo ac de eis que sunt ipsius et in eo sunt, nec mens
hominis quse sint, quanta sint, et qualia sint, digne concipere potest,
11. | OF GOD, AND THE KNOWLEDGE OF GOD. 129
Although now these things are so, and that no tongue
either of angels or of men can fully express what, who, and
of what manner God is, seeing that his majesty is incom-
prehensible and unspeakable; yet the scripture, which is the
word of God, attempering itself to our imbecility, doth minister
nec eloquentia sermonis humani equabilem majestatis ejus virtutem
sermonis expromit. Ad cogitandam enim et ad eloquendam illius majes-
tatem, et eloquentia omnis merito muta est, et mens omnis exigua est.
Major est enim mente ipsa, nec cogitari possit quantus sit; ne, si
potuerit cogitari, mente humana minor sit, qua concipi possit. Major
est quoque omni sermone, nec edici possit; ne, si potuerit edici, humano
sermone minor sit, quo quum edicitur, et circumiri et colligi possit.
Quidquid enim de illo cogitatum fuerit, minus ipso erit; et quidquid
enuntiatum fuerit, minus illo comparatum circum ipsum erit. Sentire
enim illum taciti aliquatenus possumus; ut autem ipse est, sermone
explicare non possumus. Sive enim illum dixeris lucem, creaturam
ipsius magis quam ipsum dixeris; ipsum non expresseris: sive illum
dixeris virtutem, potentiam ipsius magis quam ipsum dixeris, et de-
prompseris: sive dixeris majestatem, honorem ipsius magis quam illum
ipsum descripseris. Et quid per singula queeque percurrens longum
facio? semel totum explicabo. Quidquid omnino de illo retuleris,
rem aliquam ipsius magis et virtutem quam ipsum explicayveris. Quid
enim de eo condigne aut dicas aut sentias, qui omnibus et sermonibus
et sensibus major est? Nisi quod uno modo, et hoc ipsum quomodo
possumus, quomodo capimus, quomodo intelligere licet, quid sit Deus,
mente capiemus; si cogitaverimus id illum esse, quod quale, et quan-
tum sit non possit intelligi, ne in ipsam quidem cogitationem possit
venire. Nam si ad solis aspectum oculorum nostrorum acies hebescit,
ne orbem ipsum obtusus inspiciat obviorum sibi superatus fulgore
radiorum ; hoc idem mentis acies patitur in cogitatione omni de Deo,
et quanto ad considerandum Deum plus intenditur, tanto magis ipsa
cogitationis suse luce ceecatur. Quid enim de eo (ut iterum repetam)
condigne dicas, qui est sublimitate omni sublimior, et altitudine omni
altior, et profundo omni profundior, et omni luce lucidior, et omni
claritate clarior, omni splendere splendidior, omni robore robustior,
omni virtute viritior, omni pulchritudine pulchrior, veritate omni
verior, et fortitudine omni fortior, et majestate omni major, et omni
potentia potentior, et omnibus divitiis ditior, omni prudentia pruden-
tior, et omni benignitate benignior, omni bonitate melior, omni jus-
titia justior, omni clementia clementior ? Minora enim sint necesse est
omnium genera virtutum eo ipso qui virtutum omnium et Deus et
parens est: ut vere dici possit, id Deus esse, quod ejusmodi est cui
comparari nihil potest. Super omne est enim quod dici potest.—Ibid.
cap. 11. pp. 707, 708. This treatise, de Trinitate, is found among the
works of Tertullian, but is an abridgment of a book of Tertullian’s by
Noyatian. |
[ BULLINGER, III. | Ἵ
The forms
and manners
of knowing
God.
Exod. xxxiii.
1 John iii.
1-Cor, X11,
2
The names of
God.
Jehovah,
130 THE FOURTH DECADE. [SERM.
unto us some means, forms, and phrases of speech, by them
to bring us to some such knowledge of God as may at least-
wise suflice us while we live in this world: so yet notwith-
standing that still we should think that the thing that is
incomprehensible cannot be defined, but that by those phrases
an occasion is only given, by which we are to be brought to
greater things through the illumination of the Spirit; and
that we should in this disputation have still before the eyes
of our mind that true and assured sentence of the eternal
God unto his servant Moses, saying: ‘‘ Thou canst not see
my face; for no man shall see me and live.” For when
we are once departed out of this life, and are unburdened
of this mortality and mortal frailty, then shall we see the
majesty of God; for the apostle St John said: “ We know
that when he appeareth, we shall be like unto him; for we
shall see him as he is.” And to these let us annex the ~
words of the apostle Paul, where he saith: “ΝΟΥ we see in
a glass, even in a dark speaking’; but then we shall see face
to face.” Therefore let no man go beyond the limited bounds,
or prevent the time appointed, nor yet presume by wicked
boldness and curiosity” in this life to behold the face, that
is, the very essence or being, of God. Let that revelation
of God suffice every one which God himself voucheth safe
in his word to open unto us, namely, so much as he of
his goodness thinketh necessary and profitable for us to
know. And I do here with warrant say, that that wisdom is
the true wisdom, which will not in this matter go about to
know or savour more than the eternal wisdom doth teach to
know.
The first and chiefest way to know God is derived out
of the very names of God attributed unto him in the holy
scripture. Those names are many and of sundry sorts,
because his virtue, his wisdom, I mean, his goodness, justice,
and power are altogether infinite. I will reckon up and
expound unto you, according to my skill the most excellent
and usual among the rest.
Among all the names of God that is the most excellent
which they call Tetragrammaton, that is (if we may so say),
the four-lettered name: for it is compounded of the four
[1 ina riddle. Marg. auth. ver. ]
[2 in hac carne et, Lat. omitted; in this flesh and. ]
IIL. | OF GOD, AND THE KNOWLEDGE OF GOD. 131
spiritual’ letters, and is called JEHovan. It 15 derived of
the verb-substantive, Hovah, before which they put Jod and
make it Jehovah, that is to say, Being, or, I am; as he that
is αὐτουσία, a being of himself, having his life and being not
of any other, but of himself; lacking nobody’s aid to make
him to be, but giving to be unto all manner of things; to
wit, eternal God, without beginning and ending, in whom we
live, we move, and have our being. ΤῸ this do those words
especially belong, which we find to have passed betwixt God
and Moses in the third chapter of Exodus: “And Moses said
to God, Behold, when I come unto the children of Israel,
to whom thou dost now send me, and shall say unto them,
The God of your fathers hath sent me unto you; and they
shall ask me, saying, What is his name ? what answer shall
I make them? And God said to Moses, I am that I am; or,
I will be that I will be: and he said, Thus shalt thou say
to the children of Israel, I am, or Being, or I will be, hath
sent me unto you.” That is, I am God that will be, and
he hath sent me who is himself Being, or Essence, and God
everlasting. For their future tense containeth three sundry
times, He that is, He that was, and, He that will be, hath
sentme. ‘Truly the evangelist and apostle John seemeth in
his Revelation to have had an eye to these words of the Lord,
which also he went about to interpret, saying in the person
of God: “1 am Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the end, Rev. i.
or the first and the last, saith the almighty Lord, which is,
and which was, and which shall be.”
Some there are which observe this for a note, that in all
tongues almost, even of the barbarous sort, the name of God
is written with four letters. Concerning his name in Hebrew
it is assuredly so; and in the Greek, Latin, and German cabataisa
tradition of
tongues it is so also. For God in Greek is called Θεὸς, in the Jews, tert
to them by
Latin Deus, and with us Germans he is called Gott. They Moses, not in
writing, but
add moreover, that the Persians call him Yvon, and the Egyp- fromthe |.
tians Owv0, or OevO, and by contraction, Ow. And in the fv wherein
four letters the Cabalists say that there are wonderful mys- Secrets of
. Φ . . . ti > s tk
teries contained: of which as other have written very di- mystical ον
nse
ligently, so I have liefer* here not to stand upon them§, or to included in
: ὃ he words of
trouble your patience with them. re Oly
scripture.
[° spiritalibus literis. ]
[4 liefer, rather. ] [5 his subtilitatibus, Lat. |
9—2
Jah and Hu.
Psal. exi.
ΠΡ xlii. 8.1
Τὰ signifieth
he or this.
Adonai.
132 THE FOURTH DECADE, [SERM.
Like to this also are these names of God, Jah, and Hu.
Whereof the first is oftener found in the Psalms than once:
for David saith, ‘‘ Hallelu-Jah,” that is, “Praise ye the
Lord.” The latter is also mentioned by David, saying, Hu,
that is, “‘he,” I say, God, the Being and creator of all things,
“spake the word and it was done; Hw, he commanded and
it was.” In Esay the Lord saith: “1 am the Lord, Hu is my
name', and my glory will I give unto none other.” Now those
words also are derived of being, and do teach us that God
is always like himself, an essence which is of itself eternally,
and which giveth to be unto all things that are: as he by
whom, in whom, and to whom all things are, being himself a
perpetual and most absolute ἐντελέχεια, or perfit havingness*.
But the Hebrews do not read or express the four-lettered
name of God by calling it Jehovah, but instead of it they
use the word Adonai. For they say that Jehovah must not
be uttered. Now all interpreters in their translations, where
they turn it into Latin, do call it Dominus, that is, Lord :
for God is the Lord of all things, both visible and invisible.
Neither is there in all the world any other Lord but this
one, and he alone, to whom all things in the world are sub-
ject and do obey: for he hath a most mere dominion and
absolute monarchy over all his creatures. And therefore for
plainness sake sometime the word Sabbaoth is annexed to the
The Lord of
Sabbaoth or
of hosts.
Dan. vii.
name of God*; which some translate “the Lord of powers,” and
some “the Lord of hosts.” For God, being almighty, doth
by his power or strength shew forth and in his host declare,
what mighty things he is able to do, and of how great power
and might he is. For since that he is the God of all crea-
tures, and that he doth dispose and use them as a captain
doth his soldiers, to work mighty and marvellous things, he
doth even by small things* declare how great he himself is,
and how great his power is. In the host of God are all the
angels, of whom Daniel said, ‘“ Thousand thousands and hun-
dred thousands did minister unto him:” one of which angels
did in one night kill in the Assyrians’ camp, under the banner
[1 Hu est nomen meum. Bibl. Tigur. Lat. 1544.]
[2 perfectihabia, Lat. ]
[8 Dicitur enim Dominus Sabaoth, Lat. omitted; for he is called
the Lord of Sabaoth. |]
[4 minima, Lat.; the smallest. |
Ul. | OF GOD, AND THE KNOWLEDGE OF GOD. 133
of the most puissant king Senacherib, one hundred four-
score and five thousand soldiers. In the host of God are
all the winds, all the stars, and all the fiery, airy, and watery
impressions. Jn the host of God are all evil spirits, all men,
kings and princes, all the warlike furniture of every nation,
and finally, all creatures, both visible and invisible: and all
these he useth according to his own pleasure, yea, according
to his own good and just will, when, how much, and how
long he listeth, to finish and bring to pass his own will and
judgments. In punishing the first world at the deluge he
used water: in destroying of Sodoma and the cities there-
about he used fire: and in rooting out the Canaanites and
Jews he used the means of mortal men, or soldiers.
Sometimes there is ascribed to the Lord > the word leon, The high
and the Lord is called Zeon‘, that is to say, high. Forin ~
the one hundred and thirteenth psalm we read: ‘The Lord is Psat. exiii.
higher than all nations, and his glory is above the heavens.
Who is like the Lord our God, which setteth himself so high
in his habitation?’ And in the ninety-seventh psalm he
saith: “ Thou, Lord, art higher than all that are in the earth ; Psa. xevii.
thou art exalted far above all gods.”
Again, God is called El, because of his strength. For Εἰ.
what he will, that can he do, and therefore is he called a
strong God, or a giant’. For Jeremy saith: “The Lord ser. xx.
is with me as a strong giant.” Esay saith: “The Lord shall tsai. xii.
come forth like a giant, he shall take stomach unto him§® like
a man of war, he shall roar and overcome his enemies.”
And like to this is the word Eloah, whose plural number is Eloah.
Elohim: That name betokeneth the presence of God, which
never faileth his workmanship and worshippers’. Jeremy
bringeth in God speaking, and saith: “ Am I God, that seeth Jer. xxiii.
but the thing that is nigh at hand only, and not the thing
that is far off!°? may any man hide himself, so that I shall not
[5 additur vocabulo Domini, Lat.; there is added’ to the name of
Lord. |
[6 449 by high in situation or power, the most High. Lee’s Lex. ]
(7 heros vel gigas, Lat. | [8 So Coverdale, 1535. ]
(9 Nam 5y significat ad, cui additur py relativa particula, quod
Deus se referat ad omnia.—Bulling. de Orig. Error. fol. 4.]
(10 Annon Deus de propinquo ego, et non Deus de longinquo? Lat.;
Coverdale, 1535, renders the sentence as the translator here. |
TPsal. exxxix.
Acts xvii.
Deus.
Elohim.
134 THE FOURTH DECADE. [SERM.
see him, saith the Lord? do not I fill heaven and earth ?”
For before him also David said: ‘ Whither shall I go from
the breath of thy mouth!? And whither shall I flee from
thy countenance? If I ascend into heaven, thou art there:
and if I descend into hell, thou art there also. If I take the
wings of the morning, and dwell in the uttermost parts of the
sea, even there thy hand shall rule me, and thy right hand
shall hold me fast.” Therefore the apostle Paul saith: ‘ God
is not far from every one of us. For by him we live, we
move, and have our being.” And for that cause peradventure
God was of the Greeks called Θεὸς, to wit, ἀπὸ θέειν, because
of his readiness and present succour ; because he never faileth
mortal men, but always and in all places doth aid and
relieve them. Likewise Plato in Cratylo, and his interpreter
Proclus, do think that Θεὸς (God) is derived ἀπὸ τοῦ θέειν,
that is, of running: but that course or running is not referred
to the presence or help of God, but to another thing’. For
when men saw the sun, the moon, the stars, and heaven itself
by running still to be turned about, they thought that they
were gods. Some there are that will derive it ἀπὸ τοῦ δέους,
that is to say, of fear or dread: for fear of religion’ believeth
and persuadeth men that there is a God. The Latins perad-
venture framed their Deus (God) of the Greeks’ Θεός. But
some do think rather that Deus is derived a dando, of giving,
because he giveth all things unto all men. For so among the
Hebrews he is called Θεὸς (as I will anon declare), or Schad-
dai, because he is sufficient to himself, he lacketh nothing, but
giveth to all men all good things and necessary®. Some other
will have God in Latin to be called Deus, quod ipsi nihil
deest, that is, because there is nothing wanting in him.
But now the scripture doth attribute the plural number,
Elohim, not to God alone, but also to angels, to judges, and
to men in authority: because God is always present with
them, while they labour in that office which he hath appointed
them unto; and doth by the ministry of them work the things
which he himself will, and which are expedient for the welfare
of mortal men. And although the word Elohim be of the
[1 a Spiritu tuo, Lat.]
[3 Platon. Cratyl. ed. Bekker. Tom. Iv. p. 224. Lond. 1826.]
[8 vel religio, Lat.; or religion. So ed. 1577. |
[4 Hebreeis Dai nuncupatur, Lat.}] [5 See Vol. 1. p. 216, note 3.]
11, | OF GOD, AND THE KNOWLEDGE OF GOD. 135
plural number, yet is it set before verbs in the singular num-
ber; as in. the first of Genesis we find, “ In the beginning,”
Bara Elohim, Creavit Dii, “God created” (for Bara, tis vii im-
porteth as
created, is the singular number) heaven and earth. In that muchasi¢
phrase of speech is shewed unto us the mystery of the say, Gots.
reverend Trinity: for Moses seemeth to have said in effect,
In the beginning that God in the Trinity created heaven and
earth. In the seventh chapter of the second book of Samuel,
Elohim in the plural number is joined with verbs of the plural
number‘, to declare that there is a difference of persons in the
blessed Trinity.
Moreover, in the league which God maketh with our senadaai.
father Abraham God giveth himself another name. For he
saith : “I God am Schaddai,” that is, sufficient, or sufficiency, Gen. xvii.
Therefore God is called Schaddat. Some in their transla-
tions turn it Vastator, a destroyer, as if God should name
himseif a just revenger. But Moses .gyptius’ saith: “ The
noun Schaddai is compounded of the verb Dati (which
signifieth, he suficeth) and the letter Schin, which hath the
same meaning that Ascher hath, and signifieth, he that. So
that Schaddai is as much to say as, “he that sufficeth to
himself, and is the sufficiency or fulness of all things.” Per-
adventure the heathen have upon this occasion derived their
Saturnus, which name they gave to them whom they did Satum.
wickedly take to be gods: for as Diurnus cometh of Dies,
a day; so is Saturnus derived a saturando, of satisfying or
filling®. Therefore God is that He, to whom nothing is lacking,
which in all things and unto all things is sufficient to himself;
who needeth no man’s aid, yea, who alone hath all things which It seemeth
do appertain to the perfect felicity both of this life and of the Bnglishmen
do borrew of
world to come; and which only and alone can fill and suffice fiir ποτα
° . d
all his people and other creatures. For this cause the Germans turn their
. ble T int
call him Gott, as who should say Guot, good, or best®; because, Dainbich we
ie]
as he is full of all goodness, so he doth most liberally bestow anime
upon men all manner of good things. The German word is βορὰ. Ὁ
(6 Verse 23, DTN. ]
[7 Moses Maimonides, a csichrntcd Jewish rabbi, born at Cordova,
in Spain, lived long, and died in Egypt, a.p. 1204. ]
[8 See Vol. 1. p. 215, notes 5, 6.]
[9 das héchste oberist git, German, omitted; the highest good over
all. |
136 THE FOURTH DECADE. [SERM.
not much unlike to the ancient name whereby the Egyptians
called God; for they called God Theuth, or Thoth: now if
we for 7h put G, then is it Goth, and we say, Gott.
The Lord himself, in the sixth chapter of Exodus, putteth
these two names! together, Schaddai and Jehovah, as two
of the most excellent names that he hath, and saith: “I am
Jehovah. And I appeared to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, as
God Schaddai: but in my name Jehovah I was not known
unto them.” Not that the patriarchs had not heard or known
the name? Jehovah: for that name began to be called upon
Gen.iv. in the time of Seth, immediately after the beginning of the
world. Therefore it seemeth that the Lord meant thus in
effect : “1 opened myself unto the patriarchs as God Schaddai,
who am able in all things sufficiently to fill them with all
goodness; and therefore I promised them a land that floweth
with milk and honey: but in my name Jehovah I was not
yet known unto them, that is, I did not perform unto them
that which I promised.” For we have heard already, that
he is called Jehovah of that which he maketh to be; and
therefore he bringeth his promise to performance. ‘ Now
therefore” (saith he) “I will indeed fulfil my promise, and
shew myself to be, not only Deum Schaddai, an all-sufficient
or almighty God%, but also to be Jehovah, an essence or being
eternal, immutable, true, and in all things like myself, or
standing to my promise‘*.”
Last of all we read in the third of Exodus that God
said to Moses: ‘‘ Thus shalt thou say to the children of Is-
TheGoaor 186], The Lord God of our® fathers, the God of Abraham,
Isaac, and the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob, hath sent me unto
you. This is my name for ever, and this is my memorial
from one generation unto another.” So then here now we
have another name of God; for he will be called the God
of Abraham, of Isaac, and of Jacob. ‘ This,” saith he, “shall
be my memorial from one generation unto another; to wit,
wherein I will keep in memory my benefits bestowed upon
those patriarchs, that by them the posterity may know me
and remember me.” For when we hear the names of those
patriarchs, they do put us in mind of all the excellent and
[1 vocabula sua, Lat.; his names. |
[2 nomen Dei, Lat. ] (3 an all—God, not in Lat. ]
[* or—promise, not in Lat. ] (5 vestrorum, Lat. |
I11. | OF GOD, AND THE KNOWLEDGE OF GOD. 137
innumerable benefits which God bestowed on our forefathers®;
which are not in vain with so great diligence peculiarly
reckoned up of Moses in’? his first book called Genesis. For
he will be our God, even as he was theirs, if so be we do
believe in him as they did believe. For to us that believe
he will be both Schaddai and Jehovah, eternal and immutable
truth, being, life, and heaped-up store of all manner good
things. |
And now by the way, it is not without a mystery that,
when he is the God ‘also of other patriarchs, as of Adam,
Seth, Enos, and especially of Enoch and Noah, yet out of
all the number of them he picked those three, Abraham,
Isaac, and Jacob, and to every one of their names prefixed
severally his own name’, saying: “I am the God of Abra- tinity.
ham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob.” For so he
did evidently teach the mystery of the Trinity in the unity
of the divine substance, and that every one of the persons
is of the same divinity, majesty and glory; that is, that the
Father is very God, the Son very God, and the Holy Ghost
very God; and that these three are one God; for he saith,
“Tam God, &c.” Of which I will speak in place convenient,
Thus much hitherto concerning the names of God, out
of which an indifferent knowledge of God may easily be
gathered. I know that one Dionysius® hath made a busy Dionysius, of
commentary upon the names of God: but I know too, that Goa” =
the godly sort, and those that are studious of the apostles’
doctrine do understand, that the disciples of the apostles did
far more simply handle matters belonging unto religion. I
know that other do make account of seventy-two names of
God out of the scriptures and books of the Cabalists, which
as I have in another place rehearsed, so will I hereafter out
of Exodus" repeat to you the chiefest of them.
Secondarily, God is in the word of God exhibited to be visions ana
seen, to be beheld, and to be known by visions and divine graphy of
[ὁ ipsis, Lat. ; on them. |] [7 per, Lat.; throughout: ]
[8 id est, Dei nomen, Lat. omitted; that is, the name of God. }
[9 Dionys. Areop. ad Timoth. episc. Ephes. lib. de div. nom. This
work is spurious: it is supposed to have been written in the fourth
or fifth century. ] -
[10 Bulling. de Orig. Error. cap. 1. fol. 6.]
[11 ex Exodi 34. cap. Lat. ]
138 THE FOURTH DECADE. [SERM.
Proso
παρῆν μα mirrors, as it were in a certain parable, while by Prosopo-
representing graphy, Prosopopeia, or mortal shapes! he is set? before
lineaments, our eyes. And yet we are warned not to stick upon those
Prosopopeia visible things, but to lift up our minds from visible things to
is where
those are 4. things invisible and spiritual. For neither is God bodily in
ΑΝ κα μ 0 his own substance, because he is in visions exhibited to us
in a bodily shape like a man; neither did any of the old
saints before the birth of Christ express God in the shape
and picture of a mortal man, because God had in that shape
exhibited himself to be seen of the patriarchs and prophets.
Anthropo- It is the doating error of the Anthropomorphites* to say, that
God is bodily, and that he hath members like to a mortal
man. And that no man do in this case deceive himself, by
attributing falsely to God the thing that is against his ho-
nour, I will here, instead of a remedy against that poison,
recite unto you, dearly beloved, the words of St Augustine,
which he out of the pure understanding of the holy scrip-
tures and assured testimonies of 4 catholic true doctors writ
to Fortunatus, De Videndo Deo, against the Anthropomor-
nae phites. ‘‘ Concerning the members of God (saith he), which
members are : . .
attributed to the scripture doth in every place make mention of, know
bodiles. this; that, lest any man should believe that, according to the
fashion and figure of this flesh we are like to God, the same
scripture did also say that God hath wings, which it is ma-
nifest that we men have not. Therefore even as, when we
hear wings named, we understand God’s protection and de-
fence; so when we hear of hands, we must understand his
operation; when we hear mention made of feet, we must
understand his present readiness; when we hear the name
of eyes, we must understand his sight, whereby he seeth
and knoweth all things: and when we hear of his face, we
must understand his justice, whereby he is known to all the
world: and whatsoever else like unto this the same scrip-
ture doth make mention of, I believe verily that it must be
understood spiritually. Neither do I alone, or am I the
first, that think thus; but even all they also which even
with a mean understanding of the scriptures do withstand
the opinion of them that are, for that cause, called Anthropo-
[1 aut icones, Lat. ] [2 quasi, Lat. omitted; as it were. ]
[3 See Vol. 1. p. 225, note 9.]
[4 aliorum, Lat. omitted ; of other. ]
111. | OF GOD, AND THE KNOWLEDGE OF GOD. 139
morphites. Out of whose writing because I will not cite over
much, to cause too long a stay, I do here mean to allege
one testimony out of St Hierome. For when that man,
most excellently learned in the holy scriptures, expounded the
Psalm, where it is said, ‘ Understand, ye unwise among the
people; ye fools, at length be wise: he that planted the ear,
shall he not hear; or he that made the eye, shall he not see ?”
[he] did among other things say: ‘This place doth most of all
make against the Anthropomorphites, which say that God
hath members even as we have. As for example, he is said
to have eyes: The eyes of the Lord behold all things; the
hand of the Lord maketh all things. And Adam heard
(saith he) the sound of the feet of the Lord walking in
paradise. They do understand these places simply as the
letter lieth, and do refer mortal weakness to the magnificent
mightiness of the immortal God. But I say that God is all
eye, all hand, and all foot. He is all eye, because he seeth
all things; all hand, because he worketh all things; all
foot, because he is present everywhere. Therefore mark ye
what he saith: ‘ He that planted the ear, shall he not hear?
or he that made the eye, shall he not see?’ He said not,
therefore hath he no eyes? But he said, ‘ He that planted the
ear, shall he not hear; or he that made the eye, shall he not
see?’ He made the members, and gave them the efficient
powers.’” And alittle afterwards the same St Augustine saith:
“Tn all this which I have cited out of the saints and doctors,
Ambrose, Hierome, Athanasius, Gregory (Nazianzene), and
whatsoever else like these of other men’s doings I could
ever read or come by (which I think to be too long here
severally to rehearse), I find that God is not a body, or that
he hath members like to a man; neither that he is divided
by the distance of places, but by nature unchangeably invi-
sible. And I do in the help of God without wavering believe,
and so far as he giveth me grace I do understand, that not
by the same invisible nature and substance, but by a visible
shape taken unto him, he appeared, as it pleased him to
them to whom he did appear, when in the holy scriptures
he is reported to have been seen with corporal eyes.” Thus
much out of Augustine>.
[5 Nam de membris Dei que assidue scriptura commemorat, ne
quisquam secundum carnis hujus formam et figuram nos esse crederet
Psal. xciv.
These words
of Hierome
are taken out
of Tertullian.
140 THE FOURTH DECADE. [sERM.
To these now I will also add the words of Tertullian, a
very ancient ecclesiastical writer, in his excellent book De
Trinitate. ‘By members (saith he), are shewed the efficient
powers of God, not the bodily fashion of God, or corporal —
lineaments. For when the eyes are described, it is set down
because he seeth all things; and when the ear is named, it
is therefore named because he heareth all things; and when
the finger is mentioned, then is there a certain signification
similes Deo, propterea et eadem scriptura et alas habere Deum dixit,
quas nos utique non habemus. Sicut ergo alas cum audimus, pro-
tectionem intelligimus; sic et cum audimus manus, operationem in-
telligere debemus; et cum audimus pedes, preesentationem; et cum
audimus oculos, visionem qua cognoscitur (Bullinger read, cognoscit) ;
et cum audimus faciem, justitiam qua innotescit: et si quid aliud
eadem scriptura tale commemorat, puto spiritaliter intelligendum.
Neque hoc ego tantum, aut ego prior; sed omnes qui qualicunque
spiritali intelligentia resistunt eis qui ob hoc anthropomorphitz nomi-
nantur. Ex quorum literis ne multa commemorando majores moras
faciam, hoc unum sancti Hieronymi interpono...Cum ergo ille vir, in
scripturis doctissimus, psalmum exponeret ubi dictum est, Intelligite
ergo, qui insipientes estis in populo, et stulti aliquando sapite; Qui
plantavit aurem non audiet? aut qui finxit oculum non considerat ?—
inter cetera, Iste locus, inquit, adversus eos maxime facit qui anthro-
pomorphite sunt, qui dicunt Deum habere membra que etiam nos
habemus. Verbi causa, dicitur Deus habere oculos: Oculi Domini
aspiciunt omnia; manus Domini facit omnia: et, Audivit, inquit, Adam
sonum pedum Domini deambulantis in paradiso. Hee simpliciter
audiunt, et humanas imbecillitates ad Dei magnificentiam referunt.
Ego autem dico, quod Deus totus oculus est, totus manus est, totus
pes est: totus oculus est, quia omnia videt; totus manus est, quia
omnia operatur; totus pes est, quia ubique est. Ergo videte quid
dicat: Qui plantavit aurem non audiet? aut qui finxit oculos non
considerat? Et non dixit, Qui plantavit aurem, ergo ipse aurem non
habet ? non dixit, Ergo ipse oculos non habet? Sed quid dixit? Qui
plantavit aurem non audiet? qui finxit oculos non considerat ἢ Mem-
bra tulit, efficientias dedit...Denique in iis omnibus que de opus-
culis sanctorum atque doctorum commemorayi, Ambrosii, Hieronymi,
Athanasii, Gregorii, et si qua aliorum talia legere potui, que com-
memorare longum putayi, Deum non esse corpus, nec forme humanz
habere membra, nec eum esse per locorum spatia divisibilem, et esse
natura incommutabiliter invisibilem; nec per eandem naturam atque
substantiam, sed assumpta visibili specie, sicut voluit, apparuisse iis
quibus apparuit, quando per corporis oculos in scripturis sanctis visus
esse narratur, in adjutorio Domini inconcusse credo, et quantum ipse
donat intelligo.—August. ad Fortunat. Ep. cxt. Opp. Tom, 1. fol.
101. col. 4. Par. 1531.]
It. | OF GOD, AND THE KNOWLEDGE OF GOD. 141
of his mind declared; and when the nose-thrills are spoken
of, the receiving of prayers, as of sweet smells is thereby
notified; and when the hand is talked of, it argueth that
he is the author of all creatures; and when the arm is spe-
cified, thereby is declared that no nature can withstand the
power of God; and when the feet are named, that putteth
us in mind, that God filleth all things, and that there is no-
thing where he is not present. For neither members nor
the offices of members are necessary to him, to whose will
only, without any words, all things obey and are ready at
hand. For why should he require eyes, which is himself
the light? Or why should he seek for feet, which is him-
self present everywhere? Or how should he go in, since
that there is nowhere for him to go out from himself? Or
why should he wish for a hand, whose will without words
doth work all things? Neither doth he need ears, that
knoweth the very secret thoughts. Or wherefore should
he lack a tongue, whose only thinking is a commanding?
For these members were necessary to men, and not to God;
because the counsel of men should be of none effect, unless
the body did fulfil the thoughts: but to God they are not
needful, whose will the very works do not only follow without
all stirring business, but do even immediately with his will
proceed and go forward. But he is all eye, because he
wholly seeth: he is all ear, because he wholly heareth: he
is all hand, because he wholly worketh; and all foot, because
he is wholly everywhere. For whatsoever is simple, that
hath not in itself any diversity of itself. For those things
fall into a diversity of members, whatsoever are born unto
dissolution ; but the things that are not compact together can-
not feel ‘diversity?.” And so as followeth: for all these
hitherto are the words of Tertullian.
(1 In ed. 1577 diversity is placed within brackets. ]
[2 Efficacice igitur 101 divinze per membra monstrantur: non habitus
Dei, nec corporalia lineamenta ponuntur. Nam et cum oculi descri-
buntur, quod omnia videat exprimitur; et quando auris, quod omnia
audiat proponitur; et cum digitus, significantia queedam voluntatis
aperitur; et cum nares, precum quasi odorum perceptio ostenditur;
et cum manus, quod creaturee sit omnis auctor probatur; et quando
brachium, quod nulla natura contra robur ipsius repugnare possit edi-
citur; et quando pedes, quod impleat omnia, nec sit quicquam ubi
non sit Deus, explicatur. Neque enim sunt ei aut membra aut mem;
How the
patriarchs
did see God.
John i.
Tim. vi.
Exod. xxxiii.
142 THE FOURTH DECADE. [SERM.
Therefore when we read that Moses did see God face
to face, and that Jacob, Israel, and the prophets saw God
plainly and not obscurely ; thereby is meant, that to them
was exhibited a vision most manifest, effectual, and very
familiar. For truly said Theodoretus, the bishop of Cyrus:
“‘We say that the fathers did not see the divine nature or
substance, which cannot be circumscribed, comprehended, or
perceived in the mind of man, but doth itself comprehend
all things: but we say that they saw a certain glory and
certain visions, which were answerable to their capacity, and
did not pass the measure of the same!.” For these assured
sentences of the holy scripture do always remain most true:
‘“‘No man did ever see God at any time.” “God dwelleth in
the light that no man can attain unto, whom no man hath
seen nor can see;” and again, ‘“ No man shall see my face,
and live ;” that is, so long as he liveth upon this earth in the
corruption and imperfection of this our flesh no man shall
behold the essence of God, which is eternal and light that
cannot be looked upon. For when we are once delivered
from this corruption and are clarified, then shall we see
brorum officia necessaria, ad cujus solum etiam tacitum arbitrium et
serviunt et adsunt omnia. Cur enim requirat oculos, qui lux est?
Aut cur querat pedes, qui ubique est? cur ingredi velit, cum non sit
quo extra se progredi possit? aut cur manus expetat, cujus mens ad
omnia instituenda artifex est, et silens voluntas? Nec auribus eget,
qui etiam tacitas novit voluntates. Aut propter quam causam linguam
queerat, cui cogitare jussisse est? Necessaria enim hee membra homi-
nibus fuerunt, non Deo; quia inefficax hominis consilium fuisset, nisi
cogitamen corpus implesset: Deo autem non necessaria, cujus volun-
tatem non tantum sine aliqua molitione opera subsequuntur, sed ipsa
statim opera cum yoluntate procedunt. Ceterum ipse totus oculus,
quia totus videt: et totus auris, quia totus audit: et totus manus, quia
totus operatur: et totus pes, quia totus ubique est. Non enim habet
in se diversitatem sui, quicquid est simplex. Ea enim demum in diver-
sitatem membrorum recidunt, que veniunt ex nativitate in dissolu-
tionem. Sed heec, quze concreta non sunt, sentire non possunt.—Novat.
de Trin. Lib. apud Tertull. Opp. Par. 1664, p. 710.]
[1 Ἡμεῖς δὲ καὶ λογισμοῖς εὐσεβέσι χρησάμενοι, καὶ ταῖς ἀποφάσεσι ταῖς
θείαις πιστεύοντες, at βοῶσι διαῤῥήδην, Θεὸν οὐδεὶς ἑώρακε πώποτε, φαμὲν
αὐτοὺς οὐ τὴν θείαν φύσιν ἑωρακέναι, ἀλλ᾽ ὄψεις τινὰς τῇ σφῶν δυνάμει
συμμέτρους... οὕτω τοίνυν καὶ περὶ τῶν ἀγγέλων νοήσομεν.... οὐ γὰρ τὴν
θείαν οὐσίαν ὁρῶσι τὴν ἀπερίγραπτον, τὴν ἀκατάληπτον, τὴν ἀπερινόητον,
τὴν περιληπτικὴν τῶν ὅλων, ἀλλὰ δόξαν τινὰ τῇ αὐτῶν φύσει συμμετρου-
pevnv.—Theodoret. Opp. Dial. 1. p. 15. Tom. 1v. Lut. Par. 1642.]
111. | OF GOD, AND THE KNOWLEDGE OF GOD. 143
him as he is. Therefore God is said to have been seen of
the fathers, not according to the fulness of his divinity, but
according to the capacity of men.
Tertullian thinketh that all things in the old Testament goa dia uo
were done of God the Father by the Son, who, taking upon wih the
him a competent shape, appeared to men and spake unto the his Son.
fathers. Paul in the beginning of his Epistle to the He-
brews doth significantly speak of the Son of God incarnate,
not denying absolutely that the Father did ever any thing
by the Son. Tertullian saith: “To the Son was given all
power in heaven and in earth. But that power could not
be of all things, unless it were of every time. Therefore it
is the Son that always descended to talk with men, from
Adam unto the patriarchs and prophets, in vision, in dream,
in a mirror, and in oracle. So always it pleased God to be
conversant in the earth with men, being none other than the
Word which afterward was to be made flesh. And it pleased
him so to make a way for us to faith, that we might the
more easily perceive that the Son of God descended into the
world, and that we might know that such a thing was done?.”
And so as followeth; for all these are the words of Ter-
tullian. After this premonition we will now add the visions
of God’s majesty exhibited to holy men.
God exhibited to his servants many and sundry visions, God sha-
wherein he after a manner did shadow forth his majesty visions
unto them: all which visions it would be too long a labour
for me to rehearse and expound unto you. Ye shall find
the most notable onés, Exodus xix, Esay vi, Ezechiel i, Da-
niel vii, and in the Apocalypse of the blessed evangelist and
apostle John: it is sufficient to have put you in mind of -
them. But now the most renowned and excellent one of
[2 Omnem dicens potestatem, et omne judicium, et omnia per eum
facta, et omnia tradita in manu ejus, nullam exceptionem temporis
permittit, quia omnia non erunt, si non omnis temporis fuerint. Filius
itaque...ad humana semper colloquia descendit, ab Adam usque ad
patriarchas et prophetas, in visione, in somno, in speculo, in eenig-
mate: ordinem suum preestruens ab initio semper que erat persecuturus
infinita, semper ediscebat, et Deus in terris cum hominibus conversari,
non alius quam Sermo qui caro erat futurus. Ediscebat autem, ut
nobis fidem sterneret, ut facilius crederemus Filium Dei descendisse in
seculum, et retro tale quid gestum cognosceremus.—Tertull. Ady.
Prax. cap. 16. Tom. 11. pp. 176, 177. ed. Semler. ]
144 THE FOURTH DECADE. [SERM.
them all I will here recite and handle at large. It is to be seen
in the thirty-third and thirty-fourth chapters of Exodus.
Moses had trial of the facility and goodness of God,
and that there was nothing which he obtained not at God’s
hand : therefore he taketh upon him boldly to ask this also
Moses of the Lord, to see God in his substance, glory, and majesty ;
see God in. which thing all the true wise men of every age did only
anigiory. wish and long for. For Moses saith: “ Because I understand
that thou, O God, wishest well! unto me, and that thou canst
deny nothing; go to, I beseech thee, shew me thy glory:” that
is, suffer me, I pray thee, to see thee so as thou art in thy
glorious substance and majesty. Now God answering to
this request, which is the greatest of all other, doth say
unto him: “1 will make all my good to pass by before thee,
and I will cry the name of the Lord, or in the name of
the Lord?, before thee.” In which words he promiseth two
things to Moses. The one is, “All my good shall pass by
before thee.” But this chief good of God can be nothing
else than the good and mighty God himself, or rather, the
Word of God, I say, the very beloved Son of God, in whom
we believe that all the treasures of wisdom, divinity, good-
ness, and perfectness are placed and laid up. For he set
before Moses’ eyes the shew of him in a human and visible
shape, such in sight as he in the end of the world should
be incarnate in, The other thing that he promised is, “I will
ery the name of the Lord, or, in the name of the Lord,
before thee;” that is, I will proclaim the names of my glory,
by which thou mayest understand who I am, and see me in
thy mind.
God-giveth But now, that no man should attribute so excellent a
freely with. Vision to the merit of Moses, the Lord doth add this sentence
man's merits. following: ‘This vision doth not happen to thee because of
thine own merit. For without man’s merits I reveal myself
to whom I will, and without respect of persons will have
compassion on whom it pleaseth me;’ which consideration of
the free grace and liberal goodness of God doth greatly
belong to the true knowledge of God. Then the Lord
goeth to again, and doth more significantly declare to Moses
(1 peroptime, Lat. ]
(2 m7 Ow, Exod. xxxiii. 19. in nomine Domini, Vulgate. ]
111. | OF GOD, AND THE KNOWLEDGE OF GOD. 145
in what manner and order he will exhibit or shew himself
unto him. ‘Thou mayest not (saith he) in this life see my
face;” that is, thou mayest not fully see me in my substance ;
for that is reserved for the blessed spirits and clarified
bodies in the world to come. I will therefore in this fashion
shew myself unto thee. Thou shalt go up into the mountain ;
there in a rock I will shew thee a clift, wherein thou shalt
place thyself: and I will lay mine hand upon thee, that is,
a cloud, or some such thing, that, as I come toward thee,
thou mayest not look directly in my face. In that phrase
of speech the Lord doth imitate the fashion of men, whose
order is to spread their hands over the eyes of him whom
they would not have narrowly to behold any thing. The
Lord then addeth: And in the mean while I will pass by;
that is, the image which I take, to wit, the shape of a man,
wherein I will exhibit myself to be seen, shall pass by before
thee. And when I am once past, so that thou canst not see
my face, I will take away the hand wherewith I hid thine
eyes, and then thou shalt behold the back of the figure, or
my hinder parts. Now the hinder parts of God are the
words and deeds of God, which he leaveth behind him that
we by them may learn to know him. Again, the beholding
of Gcd’s face is taken for the most exact and exquisite
knowledge of God; but they that see but the back only do
not know so well as they that see the face. And in the
hinder or latter times of the world God sent his Son into
the world, born of a woman?; whom whosoever do in faith
behold, they do not see the Godhead in his humanity, but
do by his words and deeds know who God is, and so they
see the Father in the Son. For they learn that God is the
chief good, and that the Son of God is God, being co-equal
and of the same substance with the Father.
Now let us see how God (according to his promise made) How God aia
did exhibit himself to be seen of Moses. Moses, rising up to Moses.
betimes, ascendeth up into the mountain cheerfully unto the
rock which the Lord had shewed him, placing himself in
the clift, and looketh greedily for the vision or revelation
of God. At length the Lord descended in a cloud, and
came upon the mountain unto the clift of the rock wherein
Moses stayed for him. And presently, when Moses’ face was
[3 Cf. August. de Trinitate. Lib. τι. cap. 16.]
[BULLINGER, IIL. | a
What God is.
146 THE FOURTH DECADE, [sERM.
hidden, the figure of God, that is, the shape of a man which
God took upon him, did pass by before him: and when as
now the back of the figure was toward Moses, so that he
could no more see the face thereof, the Lord took his hand
away, and Moses beheld the hinder parts of the same}.
Whereby he gathered that God should once, that is to say,
in the hinder times of the world, be incarnate and? revealed
to the world. Of which revelation we will hereafter speak
somewhat more. And when the Lord was once gone past,
he cried, and as his promise was, so in a certain catalogue he
reckoned up his names, whereby, as in a shadow, he did de-
clare his nature. For he said, “‘ Jehovah, Jehovah, God,
merciful and gracious, long-suffering, and abounding in good-
ness and truth; keeping mercy in store for thousands, for-
giving wickedness, transgression, and sin: and yet not suffering
the wicked to escape unpunished, visiting the wickedness of
the fathers upon the children and children’s children, unto the
third and fourth generation.” What else is this than if he
had said ‘I am the uncreated essence, being of myself from
before all beginning, which giveth being to all things, and
keepeth all things in being; I am a strong and almighty
God; Ido not abuse my might, for I am gentle and mer-
ciful; I love my creatures, and man especially, on whom 1
do wholly yearn in the bowels of love and mercy; I am
rich and bountiful, and ready at all times to help my crea-
tures; I do freely, without recompence, give all that I bestow ;
I am long-suffering, and not irritable to anger, and hasty to
revenge, as mankind is; I am no niggard or envious, as wealthy
men in the world are wont to be; I am most liberal and
bountiful, rejoicing to be divided among my people, and to
heap up benefits upon the faithful: Moreover, I am true
and faithful; I deceive no man, I lie in nothing; what I
promise, that I stand to, and faithfully perform it: Neither
do I nor can I so waste my riches’, that all at length is
spent, and I myself drawn dry; for I keep good turns in
store for a thousand generations, so that although the former
age did live never so wealthily with my riches, yet they
that come and are born even until the very end of the
world shall nevertheless find in me so much as shall suffice
[1 Domini, Lat.; of the Lord. ] [3 atque ita, Lat.; and so.]
[3 spargens in homines, Lat. omitted ; scattering them upon men. |
11. | OF GOD, AND THE KNOWLEDGE OF GOD. 147
and satisfy their desire; for I am the well-spring of good
that cannot be drawn dry; and if any man sin against me
and afterward repent him of the same, I am not unappeas-
able; for even of mine own free-will I do forgive errors,
sins, and heinous crimes: and yet let no man therefore
think that I am delighted with sins, or that I am a patron
of wicked doers; for even I, the same, do punish wicked
and impenitent men; and chasten even those that are mine
own, that thereby I may keep them in order and office: but
let no man think that he shall sin and escape unpunished,
because he seeth that his ancestors did sin and were not
punished ; that is, did sin and were not utterly cut off and
wiped out‘; for I reserve revengement till just and full
time, and do so behave myself, that all are compelled to
confess me to be a God of judgment?’ Now when Moses
the servant of God had heard and seen these things, he made
haste, and fell down prostrate to the earth, and worshipped.
Let us also do the same, being surely certified that the Lord
will not vouchsafe, so long as we live in this transitory eoaaotn
world, to reveal himself and his glory any whit more fully « dently open
and brimly®, than in Christ his Son exhibited unto us. Let through
therefore the things that sufficed Moses suffice us also: let
the knowledge of Christ suffice and content us.
For the most evident and excellent way and mean to
know God is laid forth before us in Jesu Christ, the Son of
God incarnate and made man. For therefore we did even
now hear, that before Moses was set the shadow of Christ,
when it pleased God most familiarly to reveal himself unto
him. And the apostle Paul placeth the illumination or ap- cor. iv.
pearing of “the knowledge of the glory of God to be in the
face of Jesus Christ.” And in another place the same Paul
ealleth Christ ‘‘the brightness of his Father’s glory, and the Heb. i.
lively image of his substance.” Truly he himself in the gospel
doth most plainly say, “No man knoweth the Father but Matth. xi.
the Son, and he to whom the Son will reveal him.” For Jonnxiv.
he is the way unto the Father, and the Father is seen and
beheld in him. For we do again in the gospel read, ‘ No Johni.
man hath ever seen God at any time; the only-begotten Son,
[4 protinus, Lat. omitted; immediately. ]
[5 modis omnibus, Lat. omitted; in all respects.]
[6 brim: public.]
10—2
148 THE FOURTH DECADE. [SERM.
which is in the bosom of the Father, he hath revealed him
1Cor.i. unto us.” But again the apostle saith, “ After that in the
wisdom of God the world through their wisdom knew not
God, it pleased God through foolishness of preaching to save
them that believe.” That which he in this place calleth the
wisdom of God is the very creation and workmanship of
the world, and the wonderful works of God, in which God
would be known to the world; and in the beating out and
considering whereof all the wisdom of all the wise men till
then did altogether lie. But for because the consideration
of those things did no good, by reason of man’s wisdom for
the most part referring the causes of things to somewhat
else than to God, the true and only mark whereto they
should be referred; and while men thought themselves wise,
Rom.i. aS the same apostle! teacheth us, even in their own reason-
ings they became fools; it pleased God by another way to be
known to the world, to wit, by the foolish preaching of the
gospel, which is in very deed most absolute and perfect wis-
dom, but to the worldly wisdom of mortal men it seemeth
foolishness. For it seemeth a foolish thing to the men of
this world, that the true and very God, being incarnate or
made man, was conversant with us men here in the earth,
was in poverty, was hungry, did suffer and die. And yet
even this is the way whereby God is most evidently known
to the world, together with his wisdom, goodness, truth,
God'swisdom pighteousness, and power. For the wisdom of God, which
no tongue can utter, doth in the whole ministry and won-
derful dispensation of Christ shine out very brightly; but
far more brimly if we discuss and beat out the causes (of
which I spake elsewhere), and throughly weigh the doctrine
goat's soot of Christ. In the incarnation of the Son of God it appeareth,
a how well God wisheth to the world being sunk and drowned
in sin, as that to which he is bound by an indissoluble league ;
and doth through Christ adopt the sons of death and of the
devil into the sons and heirs of life everlasting. Now
God's auth whereas Christ doth most exactly fulfil all those things which
the prophets by the revelation of God did foretell of him,
and whereas he doth most liberally perform the things which
God the Father did promise of him*; that doth declare how
[1 idem doctor gentium, Lat.; the same teacher of the Gentiles. ]
{2 in ipso, Lat.; in him. ]
ut. | OF GOD, AND THE KNOWLEDGE OF GOD. 149
unchangeable and true the eternal God is. In the deeds or God's power
and long-
miracles of Christ our Lord, in his resurrection, in his glo- sutering αν
rious ascension into heaven, and most plentiful pouring out the world.
of his holy Spirit upon his disciples, but especially in con-
verting the whole world from paganism and judaism to the
evangelical truth, do appear the power, long-suffering, ma-
jesty, and unspeakable goodness of God the Father. In the goa's justice
death of Christ the Son of God doth shine? the great justice 7?"
of God the Father, as that which, being once offended with
our sins, could not be pacified but with such and so great a
sacrifice, Finally, because he spared not his only-begotten Cunee
Son, but gave him for us that are his enemies and wicked
rebels, even therein is that mercy of his made known to the
world, which is very rightly commended above all the works
of God. Therefore in the Son, and by the Son, God doth
most manifestly make himself manifest to the world; so that
whatsoever is needful to be known of God or of his will,
and whatsoever is belonging to heavenly and healthful wis-
dom, that is wholly opened and throughly perceived and
seen in the Son. Therefore, when Philip said* to Christ,
‘Lord, shew us the Father, and it sufficeth us;” we read John xiv.
that the Lord answered, “ Have I been so long with you, and
do ye not yet know’ me? Philip, he that hath seen me hath
seen the Father; and how sayest thou, Shew us the Father?
Dost not thou believe, that I am in the Father, and the
Father in me?” Now herein he calleth back all the faithful
from over-curious searching after God, laying before them
the mystery of the dispensation wherein he would have us
to rest and to content ourselves, namely in that that God was
made man. Therefore whosoever desire to see and know
God truly, let them cast the eyes of their mind upon Christ,
and believe the mystery of him contained in words and deeds,
learning by them what and who God is. For God is such
an one as he exhibiteth himself® to be known in Christ, and
in that very knowledge he doth appoint eternal life to be,
where he saith: “And this is eternal life, that they might sonn xvii,
know thee, the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom thou
hast sent.” Let him that wisheth well to himself take heed
[3 maxime, Lat. omitted ; most especially. |
[6 roganti, Lat.; asked. ] [° cognovistis, Lat. and Vulgate. ]
[6 nobis, Lat. omitted; to us. |
God is known
by his works.
Psal. xix.
Rom. i.
The works of
God are two
ways con-
sidered,
Psal. civ.
150 THE FOURTH DECADE, [SERM.
that he go not about to know any more than God himself
doth teach us in Christ. But whosoever, neglecting Christ,
doth follow the rule and subtilties of man’s wit, he verily
doth come to nought and perish in his thoughts.
The fourth mean to know God by is fetched out of the
contemplation of his works. David saith, “The heavens de-
clare the glory of God, and the firmament sheweth forth the
works of his hands.” And the apostle Paul saith, “ His in-
visible things, being understanded by his works through the
creation of the world, are seen, that is, both his eternal
power and Godhead.” Lo, the power and Godhead of God
are these invisible things of God; and yet they are under-
stood by the consideration of God’s works: therefore even
God himself is known by the works of God. But now the
works of God are doubly considered, or be of two sorts.
For either they are laid before us to be beheld in things
created for the behoof of men, as in heaven and in earth,
and in those things that are in heaven and in earth, and are
governed and preserved by the providence of God; of which
sort are the stars and the motions or courses of the stars,
the influence of heaven, the course! of time, living creatures
of all kinds, trees, plants, fruits of the earth, the sea and
whatsoever is therein, stones, and whatsoever things are hid
within and digged out of the earth for the use of men. Of
these St Basil and St Ambrose have written very learnedly
and godly in their books intituled, ‘‘ The work of six days,”
the which they called Hexaémeron®. Here may be inserted
that history of nature, which the glorious and worthy king
David doth in the Psalms, especially after the hundredth psalm,
most fitly apply to our purpose. But lest we should entangle
and make intricate the course of this present treatise, I will
hereafter speak of the creation of the world, and of God’s
government and providence in the same. At this present it
shall suffice to know, that heaven and earth and all that is
therein do declare to us, and set as it were before our eyes,
an evident argument that God, as he is most wise, is also
most mighty, wonderful, of an infinite majesty, of an incom-
[1 vicissitudo, Lat. |
[2 Basil. Opp. Tom. 1. pp. 1—87. Par. 1721. Ambros. Opp. Tom.
I. pp. 2—142. Par. 1686. ]
[8 agnoscere, Lat. ; to acknowledge. |
IIL. | OF GOD, AND THE KNOWLEDGE OF GOD. 151
prehensible glory, most just, most gracious, and most excel-
lent*. Esay therefore, a faithful teacher of the church,
giving good counsel for the state of mortal men, doth say
unto them: “ Lift up your eyes on high, and consider who ταὶ. χι.
hath made these things that come forth by heaps®, calling
them all by their names; whose strength is so great, that
none of them doth fail.” For although that even from the
beginning the stars have shined to the world, and have in
their course performed that for which they were created ;
yet are they not worn by use, nor by continuance’ con-
sumed away or darkened ought at all; for by the power
of their maker they are preserved whole. Jeremy also
crieth: “O Lord, there is none like unto thee. Thou art Jer.x.
great, and great is thy name with power. Who would not
fear thee, O king of the Gentiles? For thine is the glory:
for among all the wise men of the heathen, and in all their
kingdoms, there is none that may be likened unto thee.” And
immediately after again: “ The Lord God is a true and living
God and king®: if he be wroth, the earth shaketh, neither
can the Gentiles abide his indignation. He made the earth
with his power; with his wisdom doth he order the whole
compass of the world; and with his discretion hath he spread
the heavens out, At his voice the waters gathered together
in the air?; he draweth up the clouds from the uttermost
parts of the earth; he turneth lightning to rain, and bringeth
the winds out of their treasures!°.”
Or else the works of God are set forth for us to behold in
man, the very lord and prince of all creatures: not so much in
the workmanship or making of man, which Lactantius and
Andreas Wesalius" have passingly painted out for all men to
see; as in the works which toward man, or in man, or by man,
[4 maximum, Lat. omitted; most great. |
[5 optime, Lat. omitted; exceeding well. |
[6 producens in numero exercitum eorum, Lat. ; Coverdale’s ren-
dering, 1535, is like the translator’s. |
[7 vetustate, Lat. ] a
[8 Deus et rex sempiternus, Lat.; God and an everlasting king. ]
[9 ingens aquarum vis in aére erit, Lat. |
[19 their treasuries, Coverdale, 1535. his treasures, Auth. Ver. ]
(11 Lactantii de Opificio Dei, capp. 8—19.—Andrew Vesalius, a
celebrated anatomist and physician, born at Brussels about a.p. 1514,
wrote a work, De humani corporis fabrica.]
152 THE FOURTH DECADE, [SERM.
the Lord himself doth finish and bring to pass. For God doth
justly punish some men; and by punishing them he doth declare
that he knoweth the dealings of mortal men, and hateth all
wrong and injury. Upon other he heapeth up very large and
ample benefits; and in being bountiful unto them he declareth
that he is rich, yea, that he is the fountain of goodness that
cannot be drawn dry, that he is bountiful, good, merciful,
gentle, and long-suffering. Hereof there are innumerable
examples in the history of the Bible. Cain, for the murder
committed upon his brother, lived here in earth a miserable
and wretched life: for the just Lord doth revenge the
blood-shed of the innocent. The first world was drowned in
the deluge!; a plague was laid on it for the contempt of
God; but Noah and his were saved in the ark by the mercy
of God. God bringeth Abraham from Ur of the Chaldees,
and placeth him in the land of Canaan, blessing and loading
him with all manner of goods. He doth wonderfully keep
Jacob in all his troubles and infinite calamities. Through
great afflictions he lifteth up Joseph from the prison? unto
the throne of Egypt: he doth grievously plague the Egyp-
tians for the tyranny shewed in oppressing Israel, and for
the contempt of his commandment. But it would be too long
and tedious to make a beadrow of all the examples. Now
by these and such like works of God we learn who, and how
great, our God is, how wise he is, how good, how mighty,
how liberal, how just and rightful; and withal we learn that
we must believe and in all things obey him. For Asaph
Peal. Ixxviii, saith: ‘The things that we have heard and known, and
such as our fathers have told us, those we will not hide from
our sons; but will shew to the generations to come the
praise of the Lord, his mighty and wonderful works which
he hath done: that the children which are born, when they
come to age, may shew their children the same; that they
may put their trust in God, and not forget the works of
God, but keep his commandments.” And so as followeth in
the seventy-eighth Psalm.
Godis io Another way to know God by, next to this, is that
us by com- which is gathered upon comparisons: for the scripture doth
compare all the most excellent things in the world with God,
[1 immisso ccelitus, Lat. omitted ; which was sent from heaven. |
[2 from the prison, not in Lat. ]
ILI. | OF GOD, AND THE KNOWLEDGE OF GOD. 153
whom it preferreth before them all; so that we may thereby
gather, that God is the chief good, and that his majesty is
incomprehensible. This one place of Esay may stand instead
of many, where in the fortieth chapter he saith: “ Who hath tai. x.
measured the waters with his fist? Who hath measured hea-
ven with his span? Who hath held the dust of the earth
betwixt three fingers’, and weighed the mountains‘ and hills
in a balance? Who hath directed the Spirit of the Lord?
Who gave him counsel? Who taught him? Who is of his
counsel, to instruct him? Behold, all people are in compa-
rison of him as a drop of a bucket-full, and counted as the
least thing that the balance weigheth. Yea, he shall cast
out the isles as the smallest crumb of dust. Libanus were
not sufficient to minister him wood to burn, nor the beasts
thereof were enough for one sacrifice unto him.. All people
in comparison of him are reckoned as nothing; and if they
be compared with him, they are counted as less than nothing, 1si. χι.
Understand ye not this? hath it not been preached unto
you since the beginning ? have ye not been taught this by®
. the foundation of the earth? It is he that sitteth upon the
circle of the world, whose inhabiters are (in comparison of
him) but as grasshoppers. He spreadeth out the heavens
as a covering, and stretcheth them out as a tent to dwell in.
He bringeth princes to nothing, and maketh the judges of
the earth as though they were not®.” And so forth. To
this place now do belong the Prosopopeial speeches of God,
of which thou shalt find sundry and many, beside the visions
which we placed in the second way or mean to know God.
But the most excellent are extant in the eighteenth Psalm,
and in the fifth chapter of Salomon’s Ballad’: both which I
pass over untouched, because I mean not to stay you too
long ; for we must descend to the other points.
Last of all, God is known by the sayings or sentences ue
uttered by the mouths of the prophets and apostles; of the sayings
and sentences
which sort is that notable speech of Jeremy’, where he saith: of the pro-
[> So Vulgate and Coverdale, 1535. ]
[4 in statera, Lat. omitted ; in scales. |
[5 a, Lat.; from; since, Coverdale, 1535. ]
[6 ut sint inanes, Lat. |
[7 Salomon’s Balettes, called Cantica Canticorum ; Coverdale, 1535.
See Fulke’s Defence, &c. ed. Parker Soc. pp. 571, 572. ]
[8 beati Jeremiz, Lat. ]
phets and
apostles,
Jer. ix.
God is one in
essence, or
being.
Deut. vi.
Mark xii.
154 THE FOURTH DECADE. [SERM.
“Let not the wise man glory in his wisdom, nor the strong
man in his strength, nor the rich man in his riches’: but
let him that glorieth glory in this, that he understandeth
and knoweth me, that I am the Lord, and do mercy, judg-
ment, and righteousness upon earth: therefore am I delighted
in such things alone, saith the Lord.” Now by the mercy of
God we are saved, and adorned with sundry great benefits ;
by his judgment he punisheth the wicked and disobedient
according to their deserts, and therewithal he keepeth equity :
even as also his righteousness doth truly perform that which
he promiseth. Therefore we say that God is a Saviour, a
liberal giver of all good things, an upright Judge, and as-
sured truth in performing his promises,
And hither now is to be referred the doctrine of the
prophets and apostles, which teacheth that to be the true
knowledge of God, that acknowledgeth God to be one in
essence, and three in persons. Concerning the unity of the
divine essence (by the allegation whereof the plurality of the
heathen gods are utterly rejected and flatly condemned), I
will cite those testimonies out of the holy scripture that seem
to be more evident and excellent than all the other, which
are in number so many that a man can hardly reckon them
all. The notablest is that which is grounded upon the pro-
phetical and evangelical authority, and, being cited out of the
sixth chapter of Deuteronomy, is in the twelfth of Mark set
down in these words: “Jesus said, The first of all the com-
mandments is, Hearken, Israel, the Lord our God is one
Lord. And thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy
heart, with all thy soul, with all thy mind, and with all thy
strength. This is the first commandment. And the second
like this is, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself. There
is none other commandment greater than these.” It followeth
now in the gospel: “And the Scribe said, Well, Master,
thou hast said the truth; that there is one God, and that
there is none other but he; and that to love him with all
the heart, with all the mind, with all the soul, and with all
the strength, and to love a man’s neighbour as himself, is
greater than all the burnt-offerings and sacrifices.” With
this testimony also do all the other notable ones agree, that
[1 neque glorietur, Lat.; repeated in these two sentences, but
omitted by the translator. |
μι. OF GOD, AND THE KNOWLEDGE OF GOD. 155
are in the law. For in the twentieth of Exodus we read, Exoua. xx,
that the Lord himself with his own mouth did in mount
Sina say: “Iam the Lord thy God, which brought thee out
of the land of Egypt, out of the house of bondage; have
thou none other gods but me*.” Again, Moses in the end of
his song bringeth in God saying: “See now how that I, I peut. xxxii.
am God, and there is none other God but I. I kill, and
make alive again: I wound, and I heal, neither is there any
that can deliver out of my hand.” With the testimonies in
the law do those of the prophets also agree. For David in
the eighteenth Psalm saith: ‘The way of God is an undefiled Psal. xviii
way, the word of the Lord also is tried in the fire. He is
the defender of all them that put their trust in him. For
who is God but the Lord? or who hath any strength? except
our God?” There are of this sort many other places in the
volume of the Psalms. The Lord in Esay and by Esay tsa. xii.
crieth and saith: “1 am the Lord, Hu* is my name, and or, thisismy
my glory will I not give unto any other, nor mine honour”
to graven images.” “Iam the first and the last, and beside sai. xiiv.
me there is no God. And who is like tome? (If any be),
let him call forth and openly shew the thing that is past,
and lay before me what hath chanced since I appointed the
people of the world>; and let him tell what shall happen
hereafter, and come to pass.” “I the Lord do all things, I
spread out the heavens alone, and I only have laid forth the
earth by myself. I make the tokens of witches of none
effect, and make the soothsayers fools. As for the wise, I
turn them backward, and make their wisdom foolishness. I
set up the word of my servant, and do fulfil the counsels of
my messengers.” “1 am the Lord, and there is else none ; [5]. xlv.
which createth® light and darkness, and maketh peace and
trouble: yea, even I the Lord do all these things.” To
these testimonies of the prophets we will now add one or
two out of Saint Paul, the great instructor and apostle of
the Gentiles. He in his Epistle to Timothy saith: “ There 1 tim ii.
is one God, and one mediator of God and men, the man
Christ Jesus.” And again he saith: “ One Lord, one faith, Ephes.iv.
[2 coram me, Lat.; before me. |
[3 quis est petra, Lat.; who is a rock, Auth. Ver. |
[* See above, page 132. ] [ὃ populum seculi, Lat. ]
[6 created, ed. 1577.]
1 Cor. viii.
In the one
essence of
God there is
a distinction
of persons.
Noetus is as
much to say,
as amano
under-
standing,
which term
was the
proper name
of a man.
Anoetus
signifieth a
fool, or one
without un-
derstanding.
The gross
error of the
Patris-
passians.
156 THE FOURTH DECADE. [SERM.
one baptism, one God and Father of all, which is above all,
and through all, and in you all.” Again, the same apostle
to the Corinthians saith: ‘‘ There is none other God but one.
And though there be that are called gods, whether in heaven
or in earth, (as there be gods many, and lords many ;) yet
unto us there is but one God, even the Father, of whom are
all things, and we in him; and one Lord Jesus Christ, by
whom are all things, and we by him.” Now I suppose
these divine testimonies are evident enough, and do sufficiently
prove that God in substance is one, of essence incomprehen-
sible, eternal, and spiritual.
But under the one essence of the Godhead the holy
scripture doth shew us a distinction of the Father, of the Son,
and of the Holy Ghost. Now note here, that I call it a dis-
tinction, not a division or a separation. For we adore and
worship no more Gods but one: so yet that we do neither
confound, nor yet deny to take away', the three subsistences
or persons of the divine essence, nor the properties of the
same. Noetus (Anoetus in very deed,) and Sabellius the
Libyan, a godless, bold, and very rude ass, of whom sprang
up the gross heresy of the Patripassians, taught that the
Father, the Son, and the Holy Ghost did import no distinction
in God, but that they were diverse attributes of God. For
they said that God is none otherwise called the Father, the
Son, and the Holy Ghost, than when he is named good, just,
gentle, omnipotent, wise, &c. They said, the Father created
the world; the same in the name of the Son took flesh and
suffered ; and again, in changing his name, he was the Holy
Ghost that came upon the disciples. But the true, propheti-
eal, and apostolical faith doth expressly teach, that the names
of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Ghost do shew to us
what God is in his own proper nature. For naturally and
eternally God is the Father, because he did from before be-
ginnings unspeakably beget the Son. The same God is
naturally the Son, because he was from before beginnings
begotten of the Father. The same God is naturally the Holy
Ghost, because he is the eternal Spirit of them both, preceed-
ing from both’, being one and the same God both with them’,
[1 negantes auferamus, Lat. ; deny or take away, ed. 1577.]
[2 from them both, ed. 1577. ]
[3 An error in all the editions for, with them both. |
Ii. | OF GOD, AND THE KNOWLEDGE OF GOD. 157
And when in the scriptures he is called a gentle, good, wise,
merciful, and just God, it is not thereby so much expressed
what he is in himself, as what a one he doth exhibit himself
to us. The same scripture doth openly say, that the Father
created all things by the Son: and that the Father descended
not into the earth, nor took our flesh upon him, nor suffered
for us; for the Son saith, “I went out from the Father, jonn xvi.
and came into the world; again, I leave the world, and go
unto the Father.” The same Son falling prostrate in the
mount of Olives prayeth, saying, “Father, if it be possible, let mattn. xxvi.
this cup pass from me.” Again, in the gospel he saith, “ I sonn xiv.
will pray to the Father, and he shall give you another Com-
forter*.” Lo, here he saith, the Father shall give you another
Comforter. And yet again, lest by reason of those persons
and properties of those persons we should separate or divide
the divine nature, the Son in the gospel saith, “1 and the Fa- som«x.
ther are one.” For when he saith “one,” he overthroweth them
that separate or rent the divine substance or nature: and when Ηο speaketh
he saith, “‘ We are,” and not “I am,” therein he refuteth them eee
that do confound the subsistences or persons in the Trinity.
Therefore the apostolic and catholic doctrine teacheth and doth
confess, that they are three, distinguished in properties ; and
that of those three there is but one and the same nature, or
essence, the same omnipotency, majesty, goodness, and wisdom.
For although there be an order in the Trinity, yet can there
be no inequality in it at all. None of them is in time before
other, or in dignity worthier than other: but of the three
there is one Godhead, and they three are one and eternal God.
And the primitive church verily under the apostles, and
the times that came next after them, did believe so simply, de-
spising and rejecting curious questions and needless disputa- Α 4isputation
tions. And even then too did arise pestilent men in the church sprung up.
of God, speaking perverse things, whom the apostle doth actsxx.
upon good cause call “ grievous wolves, not sparing the flock.”
They first brought in very strange and dangerous questions,
and sharpened their blasphemous tongues against heaven itself.
For they stood in it, that three persons could not be one nature
or essence; and therefore that, by naming the Trinity, the
Christians worshipped many Gods, even as the heathen do.
[4 alium paracletum vel δΟΠΒΟΙΆΒΟΣΟΩΝ, Lat. ]
[5 contexuerunt, Lat.]
What terms
were usurped
in this dis-
putation.
Essence and
substance or
subsistence.
158 THE FOURTH DECADE. [SeRM.
And again, since there can be but one God, they infer
consequently, that the same God is Father, Son, and Holy
Ghost unto himself. For so it was agreeable that they should
doat in folly, whom the word of God did not lead, but the
gross imagination of mortal flesh: and God did by these means
punish the giant-like boldness of those men, whose minds,
being without all reverence and fear of God, did wickedly
strive to fasten the sight of the eyes of the flesh upon the
very face of God. But the faithful and vigilant overseers and
pastors of the churches were compelled to drive such wolves
from the folds of Christ’s sheep, and valiantly to fight for the
sincere and catholic truth, that is, for the Unity and Trinity,
for the monarchy and mystery of the dispensation. That
strife bred forth divers words, with which it was necessary to
hold and bind those slippery merchants!. Therefore imme-
diately after the beginning there sprang up the terms of
Unity, Trinity, essence, substance, and person. The Greeks
for the most part used ousia, hypostasis, and prosopon? : which
we call essence, subsistence, and person.
Of these again there did in the churches spring up new
and fresh contentions’, They disputed sharply of the essence
and subsistence, whether they are the same or sundry things.
For Ruffinus Aquileiensis, in the twenty-ninth chapter and first
book of his ecclesiastical history, saith: ‘There was moved
a controversy about the difference of substances and sub-
sistences, which the Greeks call οὐσίας and ὑποστάσεις. For
some said that substance and subsistence seem to be all one;
and because we say not that there are three substances in
God, therefore that we ought not to say, that there are three
subsistences in him. But on the other side again, they that
took substance for one thing and subsistence for another did
say, that substance noteth the nature of a thing and the
reason whereupon it standeth; but that the subsistence of every
person doth shew that very thing which doth subsist*.”
[1 homines, Lat. ] [2 οὐσία, ὑπόστασις, πρόσωπον, Lat. |
[8 posterioribus annis, Lat. omitted; in after years. |
[4 Sed et de differentia substantiarum et subsistentiarum sermo cis
per scripturam motus est. Greeci οὐσίας et ὑποστάσεις vocant. Quidam
etenim dicebant substantiam et subsistentiam unum videri; et quia
tres substantias non dicimus in Deo, nec tres subsistentias dicere
debeamus. Alii vero, quibus longe aliud substantia quam subsistentia
π|.} OF GOD, AND THE KNOWLEDGE OF GOD. 159
Basilius Magnus wrote® a learned epistle to his brother Gre-
gory about the difference of essence and subsistence®. And
Hermius Sozomenus, in the twelfth chapter of his fifth book
of Histories, saith: “The bishops of many cities, meeting toge-
ther at Alexandria do, together with Athanasius and Eusebius
Vercellensis, confirm the decrees of Nice, and confess that the
Holy Ghost is co-essential with the Father and the Son, and
name them the Trinity ; and teach that the man, which God
the Word took upon him, is to be accounted perfect man, not
in body only, but in soul also; even as the ancient doctors
of the church did also think. But for because the question
about Ousia and Hypostasis did trouble the churches, and
that there were sundry contentions and disputations concern-
ing the difference betwixt them; they seem to me to have
determined very wisely, that those names should not at the
first presently be used in questions of God; unless it were
that, when a man went about to beat down the opinion of
Sabellius, he were compelled to use them, lest by lack of
words he should seem to call one and the same by three
names, when he should understand every one peculiarly in
that three-fold distinction’.” Socrates in the seventh chapter
and third book of his History addeth: “ But they did not
bring into the church a certain new religion devised of them-
significare videbatur, dicebant, quia substantia ipsa rei alicujus naturam
rationemque qua constat designet; subsistentia autem uniuscujusque
persone hoe ipsum quod exstat et subsistit, ostendat.—Eccles. Hist.
Ruffino autore. Lib. x. cap. 29. ed. Basil. 1539.]
[ὅ scripsit et, Lat.; also wrote. ]
[6 Basil. Opp. Ep. 43. ad Gregorium fratrem de οὐσίας et ὑποστά-
σεως differentia. Tom. 11. p. 28. Basil. 1540. Or Tom. i. p. 115.
Ep. 38. Paris, 1721.]
[7 Ἐν τούτῳ δὲ πολλῶν πόλεων ἐπίσκοποι συνελθόντες els Ἀλεξάνδρειαν
σ > , Ν > , ‘ , > , ’ ς , ,
ἅμα Ἀθανασίῳ καὶ Εὐσεβίῳ τὰ δεδογμένα ἐν Νικαίᾳ κρατύνουσιν: ὁμοούσιόν
τε τῷ Πατρὶ καὶ τῷ Υἱῷ τὸ ἅγιον Πνεῦμα ὡμολόγησαν, καὶ τριάδα ὠνό-
> , , 3 ᾿ \ a , a , »
μασαν" οὐ μόνῳ τε σώματι, ἀλλὰ καὶ ψυχῇ, τέλειον χρῆναι δοξάζειν ἄνθρω-
τ δ \ 4 id 2 4 \ λ a , >
πον, ὃν ὁ Θεὸς Λόγος ἀνέλαβεν, εἰσηγήσαντο, καθὰ καὶ τοῖς πάλαι ἐκκλησια-
a , 5. Ὁ > Ν ν ε x “ Ψ , Ν € U ,
στικοῖς φιλοσόφοις ἐδόκει. ἐπεὶ δὲ ἡ περὶ τῆς οὐσίας καὶ ὑποστάσεως ζήτησις
τὰς ἐκκλησίας ἐτάραττε, καὶ συχναὶ περὶ τούτων ἔριδες καὶ διαλέξεις ἦσαν,
4 , as a ee 4 A 2 > an 3 \ > Ls, “A VA
εὖ μάλα σοφῶς μοι δοκοῦσιν ὁρίσαι, μὴ ἐξ ἀρχῆς εὐθὺς ἐπὶ Θεοῦ τούτοις
χρῆσθαι τοῖς ὀνόμασι, πλὴν ἡνίκα τις τὴν Σαβελλίου δόξαν ἐκβάλλειν πει-
“ a A > ͵ > , eee | , 3 AQ , a
ρῷτο" Wa μὴ ἀπορίᾳ ὀνομάτων ταὐτὸν δόξῃ τὶς τρισὶ mpoonyopias καλεῖν,
ἀλλ᾽ ἕκαστον ἰδίᾳ νοοῖτο tprxj.—Sozomen, H. E. Lib. v. cap. 12. p. 198.
ed. Reading. Cantab. 1720.]
160 THE FOURTH DECADE. [SERM.
selves, but that which from the beginning even till then the
ecclesiastical tradition taught, and prudent Christians did evi-
dently set forth!” And so forth. i
All things Therefore away with the pope’s champions to the place
that are to be
believed of whereof they are worthy, which, when we teach that all
odare fully
contained in| Hoints of true godliness and salvation are fully contained
scriptures: and taught in the canonical scriptures, by the way of objec-
tion do demand; in what place of the scripture we find the -
names of Trinity, person, essence, and substance; and finally,
where we find that Christ hath a reasonable soul? For al-
though those very words consisting in those syllables are not
to be found in the canonical books (which were by the pro-
phets and apostles written in another and not in the Latin
tongue), yet the things, the matter, or substance, which those
words do signify, are most manifestly contained and taught
in those books: which things likewise all and every nation
may in their language express, and for their commodity and
necessity speak and pronounce them. Away also with all
sophisters, which think it a great point of learning to make
the reverend mystery of the sacred Trinity dark and intri-
cate with their strange, their curious, and pernicious ques-
tions. [015 sufficient for the godly, simply, according to the
scriptures and the apostles’ creed to believe and confess, that
there is one divine nature or essence, wherein are the Father,
the Son, and the Holy Ghost. Neither is it greatly material
whether ye call them substances, or subsistences, or persons,
so that ye do plainly express the distinction betwixt them,
and each one’s several properties; confessing so the unity,
that yet ye confound not the Trinity, nor spoil the persons of
their properties.
Testimonies And here now it will do very well? out of the scriptures
Gospel to to cite such evident testimonies as may evidently prove the
nnity. mystery of the Trinity with the distinction and several pro-
perties of the three persons. The Lord in the Gospel after
et aaa St Matthew saith: “All power is given to me in heaven and
9, . διονἉἨ
in earth: go ye therefore and teach all nations, baptizing
[ οὐ γὰρ νεαράν τινα θρησκείαν ἐπινοήσαντες εἰς THY ἐκκλησίαν εἰσήγαγον,
ἀλλὰ ἅπερ ἐξ ἀρχῆς καὶ ἡ ἐκκλησιαστικὴ παράδοσις ἔλεγε, καὶ ἀποδεικτικῶς
παρὰ τοῖς Χριστιανῶν σοφοῖς ἐφιλοσοφεῖτο.--- ϑοογαΐθ5, H. E. Lib. m1. cap.
7. p. 178. ed. Reading. }
(2 preestat, Lat.; it is better. ]
111. | OF GOD, AND THE KNOWLEDGE OF GOD. 161
them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the
Holy Ghost; teaching them to observe all things whatsoever
I have commanded you.” Tertullian, alleging those words Tertuttian
against Praxea, saith: “He did last of all command his dis- Praxeam.
ciples to baptize into the Father, and the Son, and the Haly
Ghost. We are baptized not into one, nor once, but thrice
at every name, into every several person®.” Thus much Ter-
tullian. Now as every several person is severally expressed,
so the divinity of them all is therein singularly taught to be
one and common to them all, because he biddeth to baptize,
not only into the name of the Father, but also of the Son,
and* the Holy Ghost. The apostle and elected vessel, Paul,
doth flatly deny that any man either ought to be, or ever
was, baptized® into the name of any man which is nothing
else but mere man. ‘Were ye,” saith he, “ baptized in the 1 Cor. i.
name of Paul?” So then the Father is God, the Son is —
God, and the Holy Ghost is God, into whose name we are
baptized.
The same Lord in the Gospel after St John saith:
‘When the Comforter cometh, whom I will send unto you Johnxiv. «
from the Father, that is, the Spirit of truth, he will lead you ὁ
into all truth. He shall not speak of himself: but whatso-
ever he shall hear, that shall he speak. He shall glorify
me, for he shall receive of mine, and shall shew unto you.
All things that the Father hath are mine: therefore said I
unto you, that he shall take of mine, and shew unto you.”
In these words of the Lord’s thou hearest mention made of
the person of the Father from whom the Spirit is sent, of
the person of the Son which sendeth him, and of the person
of the Holy Spirit which cometh unto us. Thou hearest also
of the mutual and equal communion of the divinity and all
good things betwixt the three persons. For the Holy Ghost
speaketh not of himself, but that which he heareth. “He
shall,” saith the Son, “take of mine.” And again: “ All
things that the Father hath are mine.” And therefore what
[3 Novissime mandans (Christus) ut tinguerent (discipuli) in Patrem
et Filium et Spiritum Sanctum, non in unum: nam nec semel, sed ter,
ad singula nomina in personas singulas tinguimur.—Tertull. ady. Prax.
cap. xxviI. Tom. 1. p. 199. ed. Semler. ]
{4 and of, ed. 1577.]
[° ab Apostolis, Lat. omitted; by the Apostles. ]
11
[BULLINGER, IIL]
John iii.
[Johni,
32—34. ]
Matth. iii.
& xvii.
John x.
162 THE FOURTH DECADE. [SERM.
things the Son hath, those are the Father’s: and the divinity,
glory, and majesty of them all is co-equal.
With these most evident speeches do these two manifest
testimonies of John! Baptist agree. First he saith: ‘“ He
whom God hath sent doth speak the words of God; for
God giveth not the Spirit by measure unto him. The Father
loveth the Son, and hath given all things into his hand. He
that believeth on the Son hath everlasting life, &c.” Lo,
here again, in the one Godhead thou hearest the three per-
sons distinguished by their properties: for the Father loveth
and sendeth the Son, and giveth all things into his hand;
the Son is sent, and receiveth all things; but the Holy Ghost
is given of the Father, and received of the Son according to
fulness. Then again the same Baptist crieth the second time,
and saith: “I saw the Spirit descending from heaven like
unto a dove, and it abode upon him. And I knew him not:
but he that sent me to baptize with water, the same said
unto me, Upon whomsoever thou shalt see the Spirit descending,
and tarrying still upon him, the same is he which baptizeth
with the Holy Ghost, And I saw, and bare record that this
is the Son of God.” Here again are shewed unto us, as
clearly as the day-light, the three persons distinguished and
not confounded. For he that sendeth John is the Father:
the Holy Ghost is neither the Father, nor the Son, but ap-
peareth upon the head of Christ in the likeness of a dove:
and the Son is the Son, not the Father, and that too the
Son of the Father, upon whose head the Holy Ghost did
abide. And now to this place doth belong the testimony of
the Father, uttered from heaven upon his Son Christ. For
he saith: “This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well
pleased.” But one and the same cannot be both father and
son unto himself. The Father is one, and the Son is one: and
yet not divers things, but one and the same God, of one and
the same nature. For the Son in one place doth most plainly
say: “1 and the Father are one, &c.”
Moreover, what could be more clearly spoken for the
proof of the express distinction and properties of the three
persons in the reverend Trinity, than that where the arch-
angel Gabriel in St Luke, declaring the sacrament? of the
[1 beatissimi Joannis. |
[2 sacrament : mystery. |
IIL. | OF GOD, AND THE KNOWLEDGE OF GOD. 163
Lord’s incarnation, doth evidently say unto the virgin, the
mother of God: “ The Holy Ghost shall come upon thee, Lukei.
and the power of the Highest shall overshadow thee; there-
fore also that holy thing that shall be born shall be called
the Son of God?” What, I pray you, could have possibly
been invented of purpose to be more manifestly spoken for
the proof of this matter, than these words of the angel?
Thou hast here the person of the Highest, that is, of the
Father. For in the words of the angel, a little afore, it is
said: “ He shall be great, and shall be called the Son of
the Highest.” Now the Son is the Son of the Father. We
have also the persons of the Son and of the Holy Ghost
expressed, with their properties, neither mingled nor con-
founded. The Father is not incarnate, nor yet the Holy
Ghost, but the Son. To the Father is born of the virgin a
Son, even he that was the Son by the eternal and unspeak-
able manner of begetting. But the Holy Ghost, which is
the power of the Most Highest, did overshadow the virgin,
and made her with child. And so by this means thou mayest
see here the persons distinguished, not divided; and how they
differ in properties, not in essence of deity, or in nature.
Here now (although these places might seem to suffice The apostles’
testimonies
any reasonable man‘) I will yet add other testimonies of the conceming
holy apostles, and that too of three the most excellent among |
all the apostles. St Peter, preaching the word of the Gospel:
before the church of Israel, as Luke testifieth in the Acts of
the Apostles, doth among other things say: “This Jesus Actsii.
hath God raised up, and exalted him to his right hand; and
he, having received of the Father the promise of the Holy
Ghost, hath shed forth this which ye now see and hear.”
Lo, God the Father raiseth up and doth exalt the Son: the
Son is raised up, exalted, and sitteth at the right hand of
the Father: and the Son, receiving of the Father the Holy
Ghost, doth bestow it upon the apostles. Therefore the
Spirit proceedeth from the Father and the Son, subsisting in
his own person, but being one and the same Spirit of them
both. Moreover, in the sermon made at Ceesarea in the con- Acts x.
gregation of the Gentiles, that is, in the house and family of
Cornelius the centurion, the same apostle doth as plainly
[3 Deiparee, Lat. ]
[4 any reasonable man, not in Lat. ]
11—2
Rom. i.
Gal. iv.
Tit. iii.
Identitas,
1 John ii. '
164 THE FOURTH DECADE. [SERM.
express the person of the I'ather, of the Son, and of the
Holy Ghost; and knitteth the Trinity together into one es-
sence of the divine nature.
St Paul! in the beginning of his Epistle to the Romans
saith, that he was “appointed to preach the gospel of God,
which he had promised afore by his prophets in the holy
scriptures, of his Son; which was made of the seed of David
after the flesh, and hath been declared to be the Son of
God with power after the Spirit that sanctifieth?.” Again,
to the Galatians he saith: “God sent his Son, made of a
woman, that we by adoption might receive the right of sons.
And because ye are sons, God hath sent forth the Spirit of
his Son into your hearts, crying, Abba, Father.” And again,
to Titus he saith: “God according to his mercy hath saved
us by the fountain of regeneration and renewing of the
Holy Ghost, which he shed on us richly through Jesus Christ
our Saviour.” Therefore St Cyril, speaking very truly of
the apostle Paul, Libro in Joan. 1x. cap. 45, doth say:
“That holy man did rightly know the enumeration of the
sacred Trinity : and therefore he teacheth, that every person
doth properly and distinctly subsist; and yet he preacheth
openly the immutable selfsameness of the Trinity*.” Con-
cerning which matter, if any man would gather together
and reckon up all the testimonies that Paul hath for the
proof of it, he must of necessity recite all his epistles.
The blessed apostle and evangelist John doth more strongly
and evidently than the other® affirm and set forth the mystery
of the Trinity, and distinction of the persons, as well in his
evangelical history as in his epistle. Among many this one
at this time shall be sufficient. In his canonical epistle he
saith: ‘Who is a liar but he that denieth that Jesus is Christ?
The same is antichrist, that denieth the Father and the Son.
Whosoever denieth the Son, the same hath not the Father.
[1 Apostolus, Lat. omitted. |
[2 per potentiam et Spiritum sanctificantem, Lat. ]
[8 Per lavacrum regenerationis ac renoyationis, &c.]
[4 οἷδε yap τῆς ἁγίας καὶ ὁμοουσίου τριάδος τὴν ἀπαρίθμησιν, καὶ ἰδίᾳ
μὲν ἕκαστον τῶν σημαινομένων ὑφεστάναι διδάσκει, τό γε μὴν ἐν ἀπαραλλάκτῳ
κεῖσθαι ταυτότητι τὴν ἁγίαν τριάδα διακηρύττει σαφῶς .---ΟὙτ1]. Opp. Lib.
1x. in Joann. Tom. tv. p. 812. Lutet. 1638.]
[5 ceteris, Lat.; the others. }
Il. | OF GOD, AND THE KNOWLEDGE OF GOD. 165
Therefore let that abide in you which you have heard from
the beginning.” And presently after he saith again: “Ye
need not that any man teach you, but as the same anointing
teacheth you of all things, and it is true, and not lying.” In
these words ye hear the Father, ye hear the Son, ye hear the
anointing, that is, the Holy Ghost. The Father is not the
Son; the Son is not the Father; neither is the Holy Ghost the
Father, or the Son: but the Father is the Father of the Son,
the Son is the Son of the Father, and the Holy Ghost® pro-
ceedeth from them both; and yet those persons are so joined
and united, that he which denieth one of them hath in him
none of them. Yea, whosoever denieth this Trinity is pro-
nounced to be antichrist: for he denieth God, which is one
in Trinity and three in Unity ; and so consequently confound-
ing or taking away the properties of God, he denieth God to
be such a one as he 15 in very deed.
Now I suppose that these so many and so manifest testi-
monies do suffice the godly; for they believe the scriptures,
and do not over-curiously pry into the majesty of God, being
content with those things alone wherein it hath pleased God
of his goodness to appear and shine to us mortal men. Some
there are which do their endeavour by certain parables or
similitudes to shadow this matter; that is to say, to shew how
the three persons are said to be distinguished, and yet notwith-
standing to be one God. But in all the things that God hath
made (as I did admonish you in the beginning of this treatise)
there is nothing which can properly be likened to the nature
of God: neither are there any words in the mouth of men
that can properly be spoken of it: neither are there any
similitudes of man’s invention that can rightly and squarely
agree with the divine Essence. And St Basil, disputing
de Ousia et Hypostasi, saith: “It cannot be that the com-
parisons of examples should in all points be like to those
things, to the use whereof the examples do serve’.” Thou
mayest say that injury is done to the majesty of God, if it be
compared with mortal things. But for because the holy scrip-
ture doth not a little condescend and attemper itself to our
[6 unctio autem, Lat.; and the anointing. ]
[7 Οὐ γὰρ δυνατόν ἐστι διὰ πάντων ἐφαρμοσθῆναι τὸ ἐν τοῖς ὑποδείγμασι
θεωρούμενον τοῖς πρὸς ἃ ἡ τῶν ὑποδειγμάτων χρεία mapadapBaverar.—Basil.
Opp. Epist. 38. Tom. m1. p. 169. Paris. 1839.]
The mystery
of the Trinity
is shadowed
by simili-
tudes.
166 THE FOURTH DECADE. [SERM.
infirmity, I will put a similitude, although in very deed much
unlike, which is usually taken and commonly used. Behold
the sun and the beams that come from it, and then the heat
that proceedeth from them both. As the sun is the head-
spring of the light and the heat, so is the Father the head-
spring of the Son, who is light of light: and as of the sun
and the beams together the heat doth come, so of the Father
and the Son together the Holy Ghost proceedeth. But now
put case or imagine that the sun were such as never had
beginning, nor ever shall have ending ; and should not then, I
pray you, the beams of this everlasting sun be everlasting
too? And should not the heat, which proceedeth of them
both, be everlasting, as well as they ? Finally, should not the
sun be one still in essence or substance, and three by reason
Tertullian of the three subsistences or persons? This parable of the sun
Praxeam. id Tertullian use, whose words, which do also contain other
I would wish similitudes, I will not be grieved to recite unto you. “TI will not
the Latin doubt (saith he) to call both the stalk of a root, the brook of a
tongue to
προ ας Spring-head, and a beam of the sun, by the name of a son;
copy for for every original is a parent, and everything that issueth of
t elie .
here trans- that original is a son: much more then the Word of God
ated ad
verbum, yet (may be called a Son), which even properly hath the name of
tongue will Son: and yet neither is the stalk separated from the root, nor
lively asthe the brook from the spring-head, nor the beam from the sun;
no more is the Word separated from God. Therefore accord-
ing to the fashion of these examples I profess that I say there
are two, God and his Word, the Father and his Son. For the
root and the stalk are two things, but joined in one; and
the spring-head and the brook are two kinds, but undivided ;
and the sun and the beams are two forms, but both cleaving
the one to the other. Everything that cometh of anything
must needs be second to that out of which it cometh, and
yet it is not separated from that from which it proceedeth.
But where a second is, there are two; and where a third is,
there are three. For the third is the Spirit of God and the
Son; even as the third from the root is the fruit of the stalk,
the third from the spring-head is the river of the brook, and
the third from the sun is the heat of the beam: yet none of
these is alienated from the matrix, of which they take the
properties that they have. So the Trinity, descending by
annexed and linked degrees from the Father, doth not make
11. | OF GOD, AND THE KNOWLEDGE OF GOD. 167
against the monarchy*, and doth defend the ceconomical state, *or unity.
that is, the mystery of the dispensation. Understand every-
where that I profess this rule, wherein I testify that the
Father, the Son, and the Holy Ghost, are unseparated one
from another; and so thou shalt know how everything is
spoken!” And so forth; for all these are the words of
Tertullian, who flourished in Africa, not long after the age of
the apostles,
But letting pass the parables, similitudes, or comparisons The certainty
of man’s invention, let us stedfastly believe the evident word trne touch-
of God. What man’s capacity cannot attain unto, that let trinity
faith hold fast. What the sacred scriptures declare unto us,
what Christ in his flesh did teach us, what was by so many
miracles confirmed for our sakes?, what the Spirit of God in
the true church doth tell us, that must be thought more true
and certain than that which is proved by a thousand demon-
strations, or that which all thy senses are able to conceive.
Paul denieth that he would hear an angel, if he should speak
anything contrary to the gospel of Christ. Yea surely, it is
a prank of arrogant foolishness, to doubt of the things that
are in the scriptures with so great authority laid forth and
taught us: but it is a greater madness, if a man will not
[1 Nec dubitaverim filium dicere et radicis fruticem, et fontis
fluvium, et solis radium; quia omnis origo parens est, et omne quod
ex origine profertur progenies est: multo magis Sermo Dei, qui etiam
proprie nomen filii accepit: nec frutex tamen a radice, nec fluvius a
fonte, nec radius a sole discernitur, sicut nec a Deo Sermo. Igitur,
secundum horum exemplorum formam, profiteor me duos dicere, Deum
et Sermonem ejus, Patrem et Filium ipsius. Nam et radix et frutex
duze res sunt, sed conjunctze; et fons et flumen duz species sunt, sed
indivise ; et sol et radius due formee sunt, sed cohzerentes. Omne
quod prodit ex aliquo, secundum sit ejus necesse est de quo prodit;
non ideo tamen est separatum. Secundus autem ubi est, duo sunt:
et tertius ubi est, tres sunt. Tertius enim est Spiritus a Deo et Filio,
sicut tertius a radice, fructus ex frutice; et tertius a fonte, rivus ex
flumine; et tertius a sole, apex ex radio; nihil tamen a matrice alie-
natur, a qua proprietates suas ducit. Ita trinitas, per consertos et con-
nexos gradus a Patre decurrens, et monarchize nihil obstrepit, et οἰκονο-
pias statum protegit. Hance me regulam professum, qua inseparatos
ab alterutro Patrem et Filium et Spiritum testor, tene ubique: et ita,
quid quomodo dicatur, agnosces.—Tertull. ady. Prax. capp. 8 and 9,
pp. 157, 158. ]
[2 for our sakes, not in Lat. ]
The sum of
things to be
believed con-
cerning the
Trinity.
168 THE FOURTH DECADE. [SERM.
believe the oracles of God for none other cause but for that
our understanding cannot attain to the knowledge of all
things, when as nevertheless we know that our understanding
is naturally blind and hateth God. Among philosophers he
is counted an impudent fellow which rejecteth the authority
of any notable and approved writer. It was enough to per-
suade the scholars of Pythagoras for a man to say to them,
αὐτὸς ἔφη, “he said it.” And then dareth a Christian seek
starting-holes, and jangle about asking of curious questions,
when it is said unto him, ‘God said it, and taught thee to
believe it?’ No man doubteth of the king’s letters patents,
if so be the seal be acknowledged: therefore what a folly is
it to doubt of the divine testimonies, which are so evident, and
firmly sealed with the Spirit of God!
Wherefore, that I may here recapitulate and briefly express
the principal sum of this our exposition, I will recite unto you,
dearly beloved, the words of the holy father Cyril, which are
to be found Libro in Joan. 1x. cap. 30, in the sense follow-
ing: “True faith is in God the Father, and in the Son, not
simply, but incarnate, and in the Holy Ghost. For the holy
and consubstantial Trinity is distinguished by the differences
of names, that is, by the properties of the persons. For the
Father is the Father, and not the Son: and the Son is the
Son, and not the Father: and the Holy Ghost is the Holy
Spirit proper to the Father and the Son. For the substance
of the Deity is all one, or the same: wherefore we preach
not three, but one God. Therefore we must believe in
God; but, distinctly and more fully expounding our faith, we
must so believe, that we may refer the same glorification to
every person. For there is no difference of faith. For we
ought not to have a greater faith in the Father than in the
Son, and in the Holy Ghost; but the measure and manner of
it must be one and the same, equally consisting in each of the
three persons: so that by this means we may confess the
unity of nature in the trinity of persons. This faith must
firmly be grounded in our minds, which is in the Father, and in
the Son, (and the Son, I say, even after that he was made
man,) and in the Holy Ghost}. Thus much out of Cyril.
[1 Δεῖ yap πιστεύειν τοὺς οἵγε φρονοῦσιν ὀρθῶς, εἴς ye Θεὸν πατέρα,
καὶ οὐχ ἁπλῶς εἰς υἱὸν, ἀλλὰ καὶ ἐνανθρωπήσαντα, καὶ εἰς τὸ πνεῦμα τὸ
ἅγιον. ἡ μὲν γὰρ ἁγία τε καὶ ὁμοούσιος τριὰς καὶ ταῖς τῶν ὀνομάτων δια-
11. | OF GOD, AND THE KNOWLEDGE OF GOD. 169
Now all these points shall be thoroughly confirmed with more
full testimonies, when we come once to prove the divinity of
the Son of God, and of the Holy Ghost; which I mean to
reserve till time convenient.
But let no? man think that this belief of the unity and
trinity of the Godhead was either invented by the fathers
or bishops of the churches, or first of all preached by the
apostles immediately upon Christ his death and ascension®.
For after the same manner that I have hitherto declared
unto you, even from the beginning of the world did all the
holy patriarchs, prophets, and elect people of God believe and
ground their faith. Although I deny not but that the mys-
tery of the Trinity was more clearly expounded to the world
by Christ, yet is it evident by some undoubted testimonies,
which I will add anon, that the mystery of the Trinity was
very well known unto the patriarchs and the prophets. But
first by the way I will admonish you, that the holy patriarchs
and prophets of God did hold themselves content with the
bare revelation and word of God, not raising curious ques-
tions about the unity and trinity of God. They did clearly
understand that there is one God, the Father of all, the only
Saviour and author of all goodness; and that without or beside
him there is none other God at all. And they again did
evidently see, that the Son of God, that promised Seed, hath
all things common with the Father: for they did most plainly
hear that he is called the Saviour, and is the Redeemer,
”~ Ν ” ’ , , iy Wo , ΄ . A ,
φοραῖς καὶ τῶν προσώπων ποιότησί τε καὶ ἰδιότησι διαστέλλεται᾽" πατὴρ yap
ἐστιν ὁ πατὴρ, καὶ οὐχ υἱὸς, καὶ υἱὸς πάλιν ὁ υἱὸς, καὶ οὐ πατὴρ, καὶ πνεῦμα
τὸ πνεῦμα τὸ ἅγιον ἴδιον τῆς θεότητος καὶ εἰς τὸν αὐτὸν τῆς οὐσίας ἀνακε-
φαλαιοῦται λόγον, οὐ τρεῖς ἡμῖν, ἀλλ’ ἕνα Θεὸν ἐπιγράφουσα. πλὴν εὐδια-
στόλως φημὶ δεῖν ἡμᾶς ποιεῖσθαι τὴν πίστιν, οὐχ ἁπλῶς λέγοντας, πιστεύομεν
"5 ‘ > > > a 4 ς ’ f \ ΕΝ, , A . Was
εἰς Θεὸν, ἀλλ᾽ ἐξαπλοῦντας τὴν ὁμολογίαν, καὶ ἑκάστῳ προσώπῳ τὸν αὐτὸν
΄“΄ ’ὔ 3 id , ‘ A! , > , ‘ > ς “ ia
τῆς δόξης ἀνατιθέντας λόγον. διαφορὰ yap πίστεως οὐδεμία μὲν ἐν ἡμῖν
> ‘ , \ > fonnee ς , > Wasa Vaid Ad en KN 5 3 a
ov γὰρ μείζων μὲν ev ἡμῖν ἡ πίστις ἐν πατρὶ, ἐλάττων δὲ ἐν υἱῷ, ἢ Kal ἐν TO
ἘΣ 2 τε ον Ὁ ‘ Sk Ane , ¢ ‘ , \
ἁγίῳ πνεύματι" ἀλλ᾽ εἷς τε καὶ αὐτὸς τῆς ὁμολογίας ὅρος τε καὶ τρόπος διὰ
τριῶν ἐρχόμενος ὀνομάτων ἐν ἴσῳ τῷ μέτρῳ, ἵνα πρὸς ἑνότητα φύσεως καὶ
διὰ τούτων ἰοῦσα φαίνηται πάλιν ἡ ἁγία τριὰς, ἀκατηγόρητός τε παντελῶς ἡ
περὶ αὐτὴν διαλάμπουσα δόξα, καὶ ἐν ταῖς ἡμετέραις ὁρῷτο ψυχαῖς εἰς πατέρα
καὶ εἰς υἱὸν ἡ πίστις, καὶ ὅτε γέγονεν ἄνθρωπος, καὶ εἰς τὸ πνεῦμα τὸ ἅγιον.--
Cyril. Opp. Lib. 1x. in Joann. Tom. tv. p. 762. Lutet. 1638.]
[2 let a man, an error in all the editions. ]
[3 Christi seculo, Lat. |
eee posers
of
Sanity was
very well
known to the
patriarchs
and prophets.
Gen. i.
As who
should say,
Gods created,
respecting
the trinity
of the God-
head.
ae xliv.
4,1
170 THE FOURTH DECADE. [SERM,
from whom all good things do proceed and are bestowed
upon the faithful; whereby now it was easy for them to
gather that the Father and the Son are one God, although
they differ in properties. For insomuch as they were as-
suredly certain that the damnable doctrine of the plurality
of gods did spring from the devil, they did not worship
many but one God, whom notwithstanding they did believe
to consist of a trinity of persons. For Moses, the undoubted !
servant of God, in the very first verse of his first book saith:
“In the beginning (creavit Dii) God created heaven and
earth.” He joineth here a verb of the singular number to
a noun of the plural number, not to make incongruity of
speech, but to note the mystery of the Trinity. For the
sense is as if he should have said, That God? which doth
consist of three persons created heaven and earth. For a
little after God, consulting with himself about the making*
of man, doth say, “Let us make in our image.” Lo, here
he saith, “Let us make,” and not, “ Let me make,” or, “I
will make.” And again he saith, “In our image,” and not,
“In my image.” But lest any man should think that this
consultation was had with the angels, let him hear what God
himself doth say in Esay: “I the Lord,” saith he, “ make
all things, and stretch out the heavens alone of myself,”
(that is, of mine own power, without any help or fellow with
me,) “and set the earth fast.” Therefore the Father consulted
with the Son, by whom also he created the world. And
again, lest any man should think, as the Jews object, that
these things were after the order and custom of men spoken
of God in the plural number for honour’s sake and worship,
thou mayest hear what followeth in the end of the third
chapter : “ Behold, this man is become as one of us, in knowing
good and evil.” Now here, by enallage he putteth these
words, “is become,” for “shall become,” or, ‘shall happen :”
so that his meaning is as if he should have said, “ Behold,
the same shall happen to Adam that shall come to one of us,”
that is, to the Son; to wit, that he should have trial of good
and evil, that is, that he should feel sundry fortunes, namely
sickness, calamities, and death, and (as the proverb is) should
feel both sweet and sour; for that is the lot or condition
(1 eximius, Lat. ] [2 Deus ille trinus, Lat.—P.]
[3 de producendo vel condendo, Lat. ]
11. | OF GOD, AND THE KNOWLEDGE OF GOD. 171
of man. But the Son being incarnate for us, not the Father
nor the Holy Ghost, was found in shape as a man, and had
trial of sundry fortunes and of death: which was foretold to
Adam, as it is manifest, for consolation’s sake, and not in the
way of mockage. For as the good Lord did with a garment
strengthen the body of our first parent* against the unsea-
sonableness of the air, when for his sin he purposed to banish
him out of paradise; so did he comfort and cheer up his
sorrowful mind with a full example of the Son’s incarnation
and suffering. And when he had so armed him in body and
soul, he casteth him out of the garden of felicity into a
careful and miserable exile.
There are in every place many examples of this matter
like unto this. For Abraham saw three; but with them three Gen. xviii.
he talked as with one, and worshipped one. And, “ The Lord
rained upon Sodom and Gomorrha brimstone and fire from Gen. xix.
the Lord out of heaven, and overthrew those cities.” But
lest any man should interpret it and say, The Lord rained
from the Lord, that is, from heaven; he himself doth pre-
sently add, “From heaven.” For as the Father created all
things by the Son, so doth he by him preserve all things,
and doth even still by him work all things.
Next after Moses, the notablest prophet, David, in his
Psalm® doth say: “ΒΥ the word of the Lord were the hea- Psat. xxxiii
vens made, and all the hosts of them by the breath of his
mouth.” So here thou hearest that there is one Lord, in
whom is the Word and the Spirit, both distinguished but not
separated. For the Lord made the heavens, but by the
Word: and the whole furniture of heaven doth stand by the
breath of the mouth of the Lord. The same David saith:
“The Lord said to my Lord, Sit thou on my right hand, Psat. cx.
until I make thine enemies thy footstool.” Note, that in an-
other place the same David doth flatly say, that beside the
Lord there is none other: and yet here again he doth as
plainly say, ‘‘The Lord said to my Lord;” meaning the
Father, who had placed the Son, which was David’s Lord,
at his right hand in heaven.
Out of Esay may be gathered very many testimonies ;
but the notablest of all the rest is that which Matthew the
[4 protoplastorum, Lat. ; parents. |
[5 Psalmis, Lat.; Psalms, ed. 1577. ]
Tsai. xlii.
Matth. xii.
Tsai. Ixi.
Luke iv.
The mystery
of the Tri-
nity must
not be joined
with curious
disputations.
172 THE FOURTH DECADE. [SERM.
apostle citeth in these words: “ Behold, my Son whom I have
chosen; my beloved, in whom my soul is pleased: I will put
my Spirit upon him, &c.” With this agreeth that. which
Luke citeth, saying: “The Spirit of the Lord upon me, be-
cause he hath anointed me, to preach the gospel to the poor
hath he sent me, &c.” In these testimonies here thou hast the
Father, the Son, and the Holy Ghost. A few out of many ;
for I do not covet! to turn over the whole scriptures of the
old Testament.
So then this faith, wherewith we do believe in God, the
Father, the Son, and the Holy Ghost, we have received of
God himself, being delivered unto us by the prophets and
patriarchs, but most evidently of all declared by the Son of
God himself, our Lord Jesus Christ, and his holy apostles :
whereupon now we do easily gather, wherefore it is that all
the sincere bishops or ministers of the churches, together
with the whole church of Christ, have ever since the apostles’
time with so firm a consent maintained and had this faith in
honour. It were verily a detestable impiety to leave this
catholic and true rule of faith, and to choose and follow one
newly invented. There are even at this day extant most
godly and learned books of? ecclesiastical writers, wherein
they have declared and defended this catholic faith by the
holy scriptures against all wicked and blasphemous heretics.
There are extant sundry symbols of faith, but all tending to
one end, set forth and published in many synodal assemblies
of bishops and fathers. There is at this day extant, learned
and rehearsed of the universal Church and all the members
thereof, both learned and unlearned, and of every sex and
age, that creed commonly called the Apostles’ Creed ; wherein
we profess nothing else than that which we have hitherto
declared, namely, that we believe in one God, to wit, the
Father, the Son, and the Holy Ghost. And for because this
consent of all the saints concerning this true faith hath been
ever since the beginning of the world so sure and firm, it
was very well and godly provided of ancient kings and
princes, that no man should once dare be so bold either to
call into doubt, or with curious questions and disputations to
deface or make intricate, this belief concerning the unity and
(1 affectamus, Lat. ]
[2 multorum, Lat.; of many. |
od
III. | OF GOD, AND THE KNOWLEDGE OF GOD. 173
trinity of the almighty God*. He of old among the Israel- gxou. xix.
ites was stricken through and slain, which passed beyond the
bounds that the Lord had limited out: and we also have
certain appointed bounds about the knowledge of God, which
to pass is hurtful unto us; yea, it is punished with assured
death.
God grant that we may truly know, and religiously wor- Thecon.
ship, the high, excellent, and mighty God, even so, and such,
as himself‘ is, For hitherto I have, as simply, sincerely, and
briefly as I could, discoursed of the ways and means how to
know God, which is in substance one, and three in persons:
and yet we acknowledge and do freely confess, that in all
this treatise hitherto there is nothing spoken worthy of or
comparable to his unspeakable majesty. For the eternal,
excellent, and mighty God is greater than all majesty, and
than all the eloquence of all men; so far am I from thinking
that I by my words® do in one jot come near unto his ex-
cellency. But I do humbly beseech the most merciful Lord,
that he will vouchsafe of his inestimable goodness and libe-
rality to enlighten in us all the understanding of our minds
with sufficient knowledge of his name, through Jesus Christ
our Lord and Saviour. Amen.
THAT GOD IS THE CREATOR OF ALL THINGS, AND
GOVERNETH ALL THINGS BY HIS PROVIDENCE :
WHERE MENTION IS ALSO MADE OF THE
GOODWILL OF GOD TO USWARD, AND
OF PREDESTINATION.
THE FOURTH SERMON.
Dear .y beloved, it remaineth now for me in this day’s
sermon, for a conclusion to that which I have hitherto spoken
concerning God, briefly to add somewhat of that creation or
work of God, whereby he, being the maker of all things,
hath to mankind’s commodity wholesomely created all things,
both visible and invisible, and doth now as always most
[3 See Vol. 1. p. 34.] [4 he himself, ed. 1577.]
[5 mea infantia, Lat. ]
Psal. xxxiii
Heb. xi.
The history
of the cre-
ation con-
tained in few
words.
The sky and
stars.
174 THE FOURTH DECADE. [SERM.
wisely govern and order the same. For by so doing we shall
obtain no small knowledge of God; and many things shall be
more openly laid forth unto us, which we in our last treatise
did but touch and away!. In the searching out, considering,
and setting forth of the creation of the whole and the parts
thereof, all the diligence of all wise men? hath been set on
work, doth labour, and shall be troubled so long as this world
endureth. For what is he, though he were the wisest, the cun-
ningest, and diligentest writer of the natural history, that
leaveth not many things untouched for the posterity to labour
in, and beat their brains about? Or what is he at this day,
which, although he use the aid and industry of most learned
writers, is not compelled to wonder at more and greater
things than either they ever did, or he ever shall, attain
unto you? ? The most wise Lord will always have witty men,
that are enriched with heavenly gifts, to be always occupied
and evermore exercised in the searching out and setting forth
the secrets of nature and of the creation. But we do simply
by faith conceive, that the worlds were made of nothing, and
of no heap of matter*, of God through the Word of God; and
that it doth consist by the power of the Holy Ghost, or
Spirit of God. For so did king David, and Paul the teacher
of the Gentiles, both believe and teach. But although the
order of the whole, and the manner of the creation, cannot
be knit up or declared in few words, yet will I do my en-
deavour to utter somewhat, by which the sum of things may
partly appear to the diligent considerer.
And here I choose rather to use another man’s words than
mine own; especially because I suppose this matter cannot be
more lively expressed than Tertullian, in his book De T'rinitate,
setteth it forth as followeth: ‘God hath hung up heaven in
a lofty height; he hath made the earth massive with a low
and pressed down weight; he hath poured out the seas with a
loose and thin liquor ; and hath planted all these, being decked
and full with their proper and fit instruments. For in the
firmament of heaven he hath stirred up the dawning risings
(1 parcius delibavimus, Lat.]
[2 externorum domesticorumque sapientum, Lat.; of wise men
both without and within the church. ]
[8 So in all the editions; assequatur, Lat. ]
[4 preejacente materia, Lat. ]
ιν. OF GOD’S PROVIDENCE. 175
of the sun; he hath filled the circle of the glittering moon for
the comfort of the night with monthly increasings of the world ;
and he lighteneth the beams of the stars with sundry gleams
of the twinkling light” (the night, he meaneth) ; “and he would
that all these should by appointed courses go about the compass
of the world, to make to mankind days, months, years, signs,
times, and commodities. In the earth also he hath lift up
high hills aloft, depressed down the valleys below, laid the
fields out evenly, and profitably ordained flocks of beasts for
sundry services and uses of men. He hath made the massive
oaks of the woods for the behoof of man; he hath brought
forth fruits to feed them® withal; he hath unlocked the mouths
of springs, and poured them into running rivers. After all
which necessary commodities, because he would also procure
somewhat for the delight of the eyes, he clad them all with
sundry colours of goodly flowers, to the pleasure and delight
of those that beheld him®. In the sea also, although for the
greatness and profit thereof it were very wonderful, he framed
many sorts of living creatures; some of a mean, and some
of a monstrous bigness; which do by the variety of the
workmanship give special notes of the workman’s wit. And
yet not being therewithal content, lest peradventure the rage
and course of the waters should with the damage of the
earth’s inhabitants break out and occupy another element,
he closed up the water’s limits within the shores; that thereby,
when the raging waves and foaming water did rise up from
the depth and channel, it might turn into itself again, and
not pass beyond the bounds appointed, keeping still the pre-
scribed course; to the end also that man might be so much
the more ready to keep God’s laws, when he perceived that
The earth.
The sea.
even the very elements did observe and keep them. Last of Man.
all he setteth man to be lord over the world; whom he made
to the likeness and image of God: to whom he gave reason,
wit, and wisdom, that he might imitate God; whose body,
although it were made of earth, was yet notwithstanding in-
spired with the substance of the heavenly breath and Spirit
of God: to whom when he had put all things in subjection,
he would have him alone to be free without subjection. And
lest that liberty, being let loose at random, might come into
[5 So ed. 1584 also: but ed. 1577 has, fruit to feed him. |
[6 them, ed. 1577. ]
176 THE FOURTH DECADE. [SERM.
peril again, he gave a commandment; by the means of which
commandment it could not be said that evil was out of hand
or by and by present in the fruit, but should then be in it,
when once he perceived in the will of man the contempt of
that commandment, Tor both he ought to be free, lest the
image of God should seem to be bound undecently ; and also
a law was to be given, lest at any time the unbridled liberty
should break out to the contempt of him that gave the liberty:
that he might consequently receive either due rewards of
obedience, or merits of punishment for disobedience, having
that given him to whether part he was willing by the motion
of the mind for to incline; whereby the envy of mortality doth
return to him who, when by obedience he might have escaped
it, did yet run headlong into it, while he made too much
haste to become a God,” &c. The same addeth: “In the
parts above the firmament which are not now to be beheld
of our mortal eyes, that first there were ordained angels ;
then there were ordained spiritual virtues; then there were
placed thrones and powers, and many other unmeasurable
spaces of the heavens; and that many works of holy things
were there created!,” &c. Thus far Tertullian.
[1 Regula exigit veritatis, ut primo omnium credamus in Deum
Patrem et Dominum omnipotentem, id est, rerum omnium per-
fectissimum conditorem, qui ccelum alta sublimitate suspenderit,
terram dejecta mole solidaverit, maria soluto liquore diffuderit, et
heee omnia propriis et condignis instrumentis ct ornata et plena diges-
serit. Nam et in solidamento (firmamento) cceli luciferos solis ortus
excitavit, lunze candentem globum ad solatium noctis mensuris (Bul-
linger read, menstruis) incrementis orbis implevit, astrorum etiam
radios variis fulgoribus micantis lucis (noctem) accendit: et hee
omnia legitimis meatibus circumire totum mundi ambitum voluit,
humano generi dies, menses, annos, signa, tempora, utilitatesque fac-
tura. In terris quoque altissimos montes in verticem sustulit, valles
in ima dejecit, campos equaliter stravit, animalium greges ad varias
hominum servitutes utiliter instituit. Sylvarum quoque robora humanis
usibus profutura solidavit, fruges in cibum elicuit, fontium ora resera-
vit et lapsuris fluminibus infudit, Post quee ne non etiam ipsis quoque
deliciis procurasset oculorum, variis florum coloribus ad voluptatem
spectantium cuncta vestivit. In ipso quoque mari, quamvis esset et
magnitudine et utilitate mirabile, multimoda animalia, nunc mediocris
nunc vasti corporis, finxit, ingenium artificis de institutionis varietate
testantia. Quibus non contentus, ne forte fremitus et cursus aquarum
cum dispendio possessoris humani alienum occuparet elementum, fines
Iv. | OF GOD’S PROVIDENCE. 177
Now the sum of all this is: God did by his power create
of nothing heaven, earth, and the sea; which he did im-
mediately adorn and enrich with all kinds of good things.
And into this world, which taketh the name of furniture that
is in it, as ina most sumptuous palace well furnished with all
sort of excellent necessaries, it pleased him to bring man, to
whom he did put all things in subjection: as David doth with David cele-
: . . . brateth the
wondering and marvelling set it forth, where he saith: “ O creation of
the world.
Lord, our governor, how excellent is thy name in all the
world! For thy glory is lift up above the heavens. Out of
the mouths of very babes and sucklings hast thou ordained
strength, because of thine enemies ; that thou mayest destroy
the enemy and the avenger. For I will consider the heavens,
even the works of thy fingers; the moon and the stars, which
thou hast ordained. What is man, that thou art so mindful
of him; or the son of man, that thou hast care over him?
Thou madest him somewhat lower than the angels (or, than
God); thou crownest him with glory and honour, thou madest
him to have dominion over the works of thy hands. Thou
hast put. all things in subjection under his feet; sheep and
oxen, and the beasts of the field, the fowls of the air, and the
litoribus inclusit; quo cum fremens fluctus et ex alto sinu spumans
unda venisset, rursum in se rediret, nec terminos concessos excederet,
servans jura preescripta: ut divinas leges tanto magis homo custodiret,
quanto illas etiam elementa servassent. Post que hominem quoque
mundo preeposuit, et quidem ad imaginem Dei factum: cui mentem et
rationem indidit et prudentiam, ut Deum posset imitari: cujus etsi
corporis terrena primordia, ccelestis tamen et divini halitus inspirata
substantia. Que cum omnia in servitutem illi dedisset, solum liberum
esse voluit. Et ne in periculum cederet rursum soluta libertas, man-
datum posuit, quo tamen non inesse malum in fructu arboris diceretur,
sed futurum si forte in voluntate hominis de contemptu datz legis
premoneretur. Nam et liber esse debuerat, ne incongruenter Dei
imago serviret; et lex addenda, ne usque ad contemptum dantis liber-
tas effreenata prorumperet: ut et preemia condigna et merita penarum
consequenter exciperet, suum jam habens illud, quod motu mentis in
alterutram partem agitare voluisset: ex quo mortalitas, invidia utique
in ipsum redit, qui cum illam de obedientia posset evadere, in eandem
incurrit, dum ex consilio perverso deus esse festinat... Quanquam
etiam superioribus, id est, super ipsum quoque solidamentum, partibus,
que non sunt hodie nostris contemplabiles oculis, angelos prius insti-
tuerit, spiritales virtutes digesserit, thronos potestatesque preefecerit,
et alia multa coelorum immensa spatia et sacramentorum infinita opera
condiderit.—Novatian. de Trin. cap. 1. Tertul. Opp. Par. 1664.p. 707. ]
[BULLINGER, III. | 1
Psal. Ixxxix,
[ Psal. Ixxiv.
16, 17.)
God go-
verneth all
things.
John v.
Heb. i.
Acts xvii.
Acts xiv.
Of God’s
providence.
178 THE FOURTH DECADE. [SERM.
fishes of the sea, which walk through the paths of the sea.
O Lord, our governor, how excellent is thy name in all the
world!” Psalm viii. The same again in another place doth
say: “ The heavens are thine, O God, and the earth is thine;
thou hast laid the foundation of the round world, and all
that therein is.” ‘The day is thine, and the night is thine ;
thou hast ordained the light! and the sun: thou layedst all the
borders of the earth; thou hast made both summer and winter.”
Now who is so very a sot as that he doth not by these
proofs easily gather, how great our God is; how great the
power of God is; how good, rich, and liberal to man, who
never deserved any such thing at his hand, our God is,
which hath created so great riches, so exquisite delights, and
such furniture as cannot be sufficiently praised, for man
alone, and hath made them all subject, and will have them all
to obey man as their lord and master ?
But here by the way, in the creation of the world, we
have to consider the preservation and government of the
whole by the same God. For neither doth the world stand
and endure by any power of its own; neither do those things
move and stir of their own accord, or (as we say) at all adven-
tures, which are stirred or moved howsoever. For the Lord
in the gospel saith: “My Father worketh hitherto, and I
work.” And Paul saith: “God by his Son hath made the
worlds, and doth rule and uphold them with the word of his
power.” And again: “By God we live, and move, and have our
being.” And again: “God left not himself without witness, in
that he shewed his benefits from heaven, giving us rain and
fruitful seasons, filling our hearts with food and gladness.” And
Theodoret, De Providentia, saith: “It is a most absurd
thing to say, that God hath created all things, but that he
hath no care of the things which he hath made; and that his
creature, as a boat destitute of a steersman, is with contrary
winds tossed to and fro, and knocked and cracked upon shelves
and rocks?.” Therefore in this place we have to say some-
[ lights, ed. 1577; luminaria, Lat.]
[2 Τῶν yap ἄγαν ἀτοπωτάτων πεποιηκέναι μὲν αὐτὸν τὰ σύμπαντα λέγειν,
... ἀμελεῖν δὲ ὧν ἐποίησε, καὶ περιορᾷν τὴν κτίσιν, οἷόν τι σκάφος ἀνερμά-
τιστόν τε καὶ ἀκυβέρνητον ὑπὸ τῶν ἐναντίων ἀνέμων τῇδε κἀκεῖσε πεμπόμενον,
καὶ σκοπέλοις καὶ βράχεσι προσρηγνύμενον.---ΓΠοοάογοῦ. Heeret. Fab.
Lib. v. cap. 10. p. 275. Tom. 1γ. Lut. Par. 1642.]
Iv. | OF GOD’S PROVIDENCE, 179
what of God’s providence and government: which all the
wicked, together with the epicures, do at this day? deny,
saying in their hearts: “Is it likely, that he that dwelleth in
heaven should regard the things on earth? And doth the
Almighty observe and mark the very smallest of words* and
works? He hath given to all creatures a certain inclination
and nature, which he hath made their own; and so leaveth
them now in the hand of their own counsel, that they of their
own nature may move, increase, perish, and do even what
they lust. Tush, God neither knoweth, nor doth greatly
trouble himself about these toys.” Thus do the wicked reason
very wickedly: but the scripture doth expressly in many
places pronounce and prove’, that God by his providence doth
care for and regard the state of mortal men and of all the
things that he hath made for the use of mortal men. And
therefore here it is profitable and necessary to cite some testi-
monies out of the holy scriptures for the proof of this argument.
David in his Psalms saith: “The Lord shall reign for Psat exwv.
ever, and his kingdom is a kingdom of all ages, and his
dominion from generation to generation.” Lo, the kingdom
of God (saith he) is a kingdom of all ages, and his dominion
throughout all generations. Therefore God hath not only
created the world and all things that are in the world; but
doth also govern and preserve them at this day, and shall
govern and preserve them even till the end. For the same
kingly prophet, celebrating the providence of God about man
and his estate, doth say: ‘Thou, O Lord, knowest my down- Pasal. exxxix.
sitting and mine uprising; thou spiest out all my ways. For
there is not a word in my tongue, but thou, O Lord, dost
know it altogether. Thou hast fashioned me behind and
before, and laid thine hand upon me;” and so forth, as fol-
loweth in the hundred and thirty-ninth psalm, which psalm
doth wholly make to this purpose. With this doctrine of
David doth the testimony of Salomon agree, where he saith:
“The king’s heart is in the hand of the Lord; like as the Prov. xxi.
rivers of water, he may turn it whithersoever he will. Every
man’s way seemeth right in his own eyes; but the Lord
driveth®, or ruleth, the heart.” And in the gospel the Lord
[5 etiam hodie, Lat. ]
[* our words, ed. 1577; dicta et facta nostra, Lat. ]
[5 imo demonstrat, Lat. ] [6 impellit, Lat.]
12—2
Matth. x.
Dan. ii.
Psal 1xxxix-;
Psal. civ.
Psal. οχὶν.
180 THE FOURTH DECADE. [SERM.
said: ‘“ Are not two little sparrows sold for a farthing? And
one of them shall not light on the ground without your
Father. Yea, even all the hairs of your head are numbered.”
There are besides these other evident testimonies also of the
providence of God. Daniel, the wisest man of all the east, and
the most excellent prophet of God, doth say: ‘‘ Wisdom and
strength are the Lord’s: it is he that changeth the times and
seasons!: he taketh away kings, and setteth up kings: he
giveth wisdom unto the wise, and understanding to those that
understand: he revealeth the deep and secret things: he
knoweth the thing that lieth in darkness; for the light dwelleth
in him.” Moreover, Ethan the Ezrachite saith: ‘ Thou,
Lord, rulest the raging of the sea; thou stillest the waves
thereof, when they arise. Thou hast an almighty arm; thou
strengthenest thy hand, and settest up thy right hand. In
justice and equity is thy royal throne stablished; goodness and
faith do go before thy face.” And David saith: ‘ Of the
fruit of thy works, O God, shall the earth be filled. And he
bringeth forth grass for cattle, and herb for the use of man;
and bread to strengthen the heart of man, and wine to make
him merry.” And immediately after in the same psalm:
“ All things do wait upon thee, that thou mayest give them
their meat in due season. When thou givest it, they gather
it; and when thou openest thine hand, they are filled with
good. If thou hidest thy face, they are troubled; and if thou
takest away their breath, they die, and are turned into their
dust.” Again: “The Lord upholdeth all such as fall, and
lifteth up all those that be down. The Lord looseth men
from their fetters: the Lord giveth sight unto the blind. The
[Psal, exlvi.] Lord keepeth the stranger; he defendeth the fatherless and
Psal. exlvii.
widow ; and the way of the wicked he turneth upside down.”
“Great is our Lord, and great is his power ; and of his wisdom
there is none end. He telleth the number of the stars, and
calleth them all by their names. He covereth the heavens
with clouds, and prepareth rain for the earth. He giveth
fodder unto the cattle, and meat to the young ravens that call
upon him?. He giveth snow as wool, and scattereth the hoar
frost like ashes. He casteth forth his ice like morsels : who shall
abide before the face of his cold ? He shall send out his word,
and melt them; he shall blow with his wind, and the waters
[1 et quee fiunt in tempore, Lat.] [2 upon him, not in Lat. ]
Iv. | OF GOD’S PROVIDENCE. 181
shall flow.” And again: “I know that the Lord is great; and Paal. exxxv.
that he is above all gods. What pleased him, that hath he
done in heaven and earth, and in the sea, and in all deep
places. He lifteth up the clouds from the ends of the world,
and turneth lightning unto rain, and bringeth the winds out
of their treasuries*.” There are many testimonies like to
these to be seen in the thirty-eighth and thirty-ninth chapters of
the book of Job; and rifely* in the Psalms, and books of the
holy prophets: but these that hitherto I have recited are
sufficient enough, testifying abundantly that God by his pro-
vidence doth govern this world and all things that are
therein, and especially man himself the possessor of the world,
for whom all things were made.
We do here attribute nothing to destiny, either stoical or Against
astrological; neither have we anything to do with that eth-
nick fortune, either good or ill. We do utterly detest philoso-
phical disputations in this case, which are contrary to the
truth of the prophets’ writings and doctrine of the apostles.
We content ourselves in the only word of God; and do there-
fore simply believe and teach, that God by his providence doth
govern all things, and that too according to his own good will,
just judgment, and comely order, by means most just and
equal: which means whosoever despiseth, and maketh his
boast only on® the bare name of God’s providence, it cannot
be that he should rightly understand the effect of God’s pro-
vidence. They make this objection: ‘‘ Because all things in
the world are done by God’s providence, therefore we need
not to put in our oar®: we may snort idly and take our ease:
it is sufficient for us to expect the working or impelling of
God; for if he need our aid, he will, whether we will or no,
even ee us to the work which he will have to be wrought
by us.” But the saints in the scripture are laid before us the saints
and shewed to have thought, spoken, and judged more sin- neglect good
cerely of God’s providence. The angel doth in express words
say to Lot: “ Haste thee to Zoar, and save thyself there: Gen. xix.
for I can do nothing until thou art come thither.” Lo, here
by God’s providence Lot with his are saved; the citizens of
[3 his treasuries, Auth. Ver. ]
[4 rifely; passim, Lat. ]
[5 So also ed. 1584: but ed. 1577 has of.]
[6 nostram industriam, Lat. |
Psal, xxxi.
1 Sam. xix.
Acts xxiii.
Acts xxvii.
182 THE FOURTH DECADE. [SERM,
Sodom are destroyed, and of all the cities thereabout: and
yet even in the very work of his preservation Lot’s labour is
required, and he bidden to do his good-will to save himself.
Yea, “I cannot,” saith the Lord, “do anything till thou art
come into Zoar.” The king and prophet David doth plainly
say, ‘I have hoped in thee, O Lord; I have said, Thou art
my God: my days are in thy hand.” And yet even he, —
which did wholly betake himself to the providence of God,
did earnestly consider with himself, how with his diligence
and industry he might deceive and escape from the layings in
wait of Saul his father-in-law. Neither doth he despise the
aid and shifts of his wife! Michol: he doth not reply to her
again and say, ‘‘ All things are done by the providence of God;
therefore there needs no wiles to be wrought. The Almighty
is able to take me out of the hands of our father’s soldiers, or
otherwise to save me by some miraculous means: let us con-
tent ourselves, and suffer God to work his will in us.” He did
not argue thus; but did understand that, as God’s providence
doth proceed ina certain order by middle means, so that it is
his part to apply himself to means in the fear of God, and by
all assays to do his best for his own defence®. St Paul doth
hear the Lord flatly saying: “ As thou hast borne witness of
me at Hierusalem, so must thou bear record of me at Rome.”
And although he did nothing doubt of the truth of God’s
promises, and was not ignorant of the power of God’s provi-
dence; yet notwithstanding he did privily send his sister’s son,
which told him that the Jews had conspired to kill him, unto
the tribune, to desire of him that Paul might not be brought
forth at the Jews’ request. Neither did he shew himself un-
courteous or unthankful to the soldiers that carried him to
Antipatridis, nor to the horsemen that went with him? to
Cxsarea. Again, as he sailed in the Adriatic sea, when he
was in peril of dangerous shipwreck, and that all his company
were stricken with fear, he said: ‘“ Sirs, I exhort you to be of
good cheer ; for there shall be no loss of any man’s life among
you, but* of the ship. For there stood by me this night the
[ dilectze conjugis, Lat. ]
[2 omnemque movere lapidem, Lat. Erasmi Adag. Chiliad. p. 228,
experientice. |
[3 inde, Lat. omitted; thence. ]
(* sed tantum, Lat. ; but only.]
Iv. | OF GOD'S PROVIDENCE, 183
angel of God, whose I am and whom I serve, saying, Fear
not, Paul: thou must be brought before Cesar; and lo, God
hath given thee all them that sail with thee. Wherefore,
sirs, be of good cheer; for I believe God, that it shall be
even as it was told me.” But a while after, when the mariners
went about to leave the ship, the same Paul said to the centu-
rion and to the soldiers: ‘‘ Unless these abide in the ship, ye
cannot be saved.”
Therefore means do belong to the providence of God,
by which he worketh; and therefore are they not to be
neglected. Truly, it is by God’s government or providence,
that we have all these impressions* of what sort soever, «Meteors, im-
either fiery, or airy, or watery. For by the power of God, Appearances
which some
and not by any power of their own, doth the air make times for
their rareness
the earth fruitful, the water® flow and ebb again, and the earth and strange-
ake
doth bring forth her increase. And although the saints think ™ te
verily, that none of all this is done for any sake of theirs’,
because the Saviour himself in the gospel saith, “The Father matt. v.
sendeth rain upon the just and unjust ;” yet for all that they
do never forget the words of the prophet, where he saith,
“Tf ye will be willing and obedient, ye shall eat the good of tsai.i.
the land: but if ye be obstinate and rebellious, ye shall be
devoured with the sword: for the mouth of the Lord hath
spoken it.” For the great prophet Moses, long before Esay,
had said: “If thou shalt hearken diligently unto the voice of peut. xxviii
the Lord thy God, to observe and do all his commandments,
all these blessings shall come upon thee. Thou shalt be
blessed in the city, and blessed in the field. Blessed shall the
fruit of thy body be, and blessed shall the fruit of the ground®
be. The Lord shall open heaven unto thee, and give rain to
thy land in due season. But if thou wilt not hearken unto
the voice of the Lord thy God, to observe and do his com-
mandments, then all these curses shall come upon thee.
- Cursed shalt thou be in the city, and cursed in the field. The
heaven above thy head shall be brass; and the Lord shall
smite thee with many plagues,” &c. And histories bear
record, that all these things happened to the people of God
[5 neque temere, Lat. omitted; nor of chance. |
[6 So also 1584: but ed. 1577, waters, and Lat. aque. |
[7 propter sua merita, Lat. ; for any merits’ sake of theirs, ed. 1577.]
[8 So also ed. 1584: but ed. 1577, thy ground.]
God’s good-
will islearned
by his pro-
vidence.
184 THE FOURTH DECADE. [sERM.
even as they are here foretold; and that too, not without the
providence of the Lord their God. All good successes and
prosperity are the good blessings of God; and on the other
side, all calamities and adversities are the curses of God.
Therefore hereupon the saints do gather, that men’s affairs
and state are wholly governed by God’s providence, so yet
that they must not therefore sit (as we say) with their hands
in their bosoms idly, and neglect good means; but rather
watchfully and diligently walk by the grace of God in the
ways and means, or precepts and ordinances, of the Lord.
For the providence of God doth not disturb the order of
things ; it doth not abrogate the offices of life, nor labour and
industry ; it doth not take [away] a just dispensation! and obe-
dience: but by these things it worketh the health of those
men which do through the help of God religiously apply
themselves to the decrees, purpose, or working of the Lord;
to whom they do rightly ascribe what good soever doth
chance or betide them; imputing to man’s corruption, to our
own unskilfulness, and to our sins, what evil soever doth
happen unto us. Therefore the saints acknowledge, that
although wars, plagues, and divers other calamities do by
God’s providence afilict mortal men, yet notwithstanding that
the causes thereof do arise of nothing else than the sins
of man. For God is good, which wisheth us rather well than
evil: yea, oftentimes he of his goodness turneth our evil
purposes unto good ends; as is to be seen by the history of
Joseph in the book of Genesis.
Truly, upon the earnest consideration of God’s providence
all the godly sort do gather, that their good God wisheth
all well? unto man. For he hath a great care over us, not
in great things only, but also in the smallest. He knoweth
the number of the days of our life. In his sight are all
our members, as well within as without. For the Lord in
the gospel saith, that “all the hairs of our head are num-
bered.” He by his providence defendeth us from all manner
diseases and imminent perils. He feedeth, refresheth, and
preserveth us: for as he made all creatures for man’s health
and behoof, so doth he preserve and apply them to man’s
good and commodity.
[1 ceconomiam, Lat. |
[2 So also ed. 1584: but ed. 1577, wisheth well. ]
IV. | OF .GOD’S PREDESTINATION. 185
The doctrine of the foreknowledge and predestination of OF God’s pre-
God, which hath a certain likeness? with his providence, doth $rforeap-”
no less comfort the godly worshippers of God. They call Ber ne
foreknowledge that knowledge in God, whereby he knoweth
all things before they come to pass, and seeth even present
all things that are, have been, and shall be. For to the
knowledge of God all things are present; nothing is past,
nothing is to come. And the predestination of God is the
eternal decree of God, whereby he hath ordained either to
save or destroy men; a most certain end of life and death
being appointed unto them. Whereupon also it is elsewhere
called a fore-appointment*. Touching these points some have
diversely disputed; and many verily, curiously and conten- :
tiously> enough ; and in such sort surely, that not only the
salvation of souls, but the glory of God also, with the simple
sort is endangered. The religious searchers or interpreters
of the scriptures confess, that here nothing is to be permitted
to man’s wit; but that we must simply and wholly hang upon
whatsoever the scripture hath pronounced®. And therefore
these words of St Paul are continually before their eyes
and in their minds: “Ὁ the depth of the riches of the wisdom Rom. xi.
and knowledge of God! how unsearchable (or incomprehen-
sible) are his judgments, and his ways past finding out!
For who hath known the mind of the Lord? or who was
his counsellor? or who hath given unto him first, and he
shall be recompensed ?” They never forget the admonition
of the most wise man, Jesus Syrach, saying: “Seek not out Eccus. iii.
the things that are too hard for thee; neither search after
things which are too mighty for thee: but what God hath
commanded thee, think thou always thereupon, and be not
too curious in many of his works; for it is not needful for
thee to see with thine eyes the things that be secret.” In
the mean time truly, they do not contemn neither yet neg-
lect those things which it hath pleased God by the open scrip-
tures to reveal to his servants touching this matter.
Of God’s foreknowledge there are many testimonies,
especially in the prophecy of Esay, chap. xli. and in the
[3 cognationem, Lat.] [4 preefinitio, Lat.] [5 spinosa, Lat.]
[Ὁ agnoscunt modum, ut in rebus omnibus, ita in his imprimis, ser-
vandum; Lat. omitted; they acknowledge that, as in all things, so in
these matters especially, moderation is to be kept. ]
Ephes. i.
1 John νυ.
John vi.
186 THE FOURTH DECADE. [SERM.
chapters following ; whereby also the Lord doth declare that
he is the true God. Furthermore, God by his eternal and
unchangeable counsel hath fore-appointed who are! to be
saved, and who are to be condemned. Now the end or the
decree of life and death is short and manifest to all the
godly. The end of predestination, or fore-appointment, is
Christ, the Son of God the Father. For God hath ordained
and decreed to save all, how many soever have communion
and fellowship with Christ, his only-begotten Son; and to
destroy or condemn all, how many soever have no part in
the communion or fellowship of Christ, his only Son. Now
the faithful verily have fellowship with Christ, and the un-
faithful are strangers from Christ. For Paul in his Epistle
to the Ephesians saith: “God hath chosen us in Christ,
before the foundations of the world were laid, that we should
be holy and without blame before him through love: who
hath predestinate us into his sons? through Jesus Christ into
himself, according to the good pleasure of his will; that the
glory of his grace may be praised, wherewith he is pleased
with us? in his beloved.” Lo, God hath chosen us; and he
hath chosen us before the foundations of the world were
laid; yea, he hath chosen us, that we should be without
blame, that is, to be heirs of eternal life: howbeit, in Christ,
by and through‘ Christ hath he chosen us. And yet again
more plainer: he hath “ predestinate us,” saith he, “to adopt
us into his sons,” but by Christ; and that too hath he done
freely, to the intent that to his divine grace glory might be
given. Therefore whosoever are in Christ are chosen and
elected : for John the apostle saith: ‘‘Whoso hath the Son
hath life; whoso hath not the Son of God, hath not life.”
With the doctrine of the apostles agreeth that also of the
gospel. For in the gospel the Lord saith: “This is the
will of him that sent me, the Father; that every one which
seeth the Son, and believeth in him, should have everlasting
life: and I will raise him up in the last day.” Lo, this is the
[1 debeant, Lat. ; who ought. |
[2 ut adoptaret in filios, Lat.]
[8 placatus est nobis, Lat. ἐχαρίτωσεν significat, gratificavit, sibi
caros, gratos, ac dilectos reddidit, adeoque et placatus est. Bulling.
Comment. in Eph. i. 6. See Vol. i. p. 96, note 1.]
(4 per vel propter Christum, Lat.; through or for the sake of
Christ. ]
Iv. | OF GOD’S PREDESTINATION. 187
will or eternal decree of God, saith he, that in the Son by faith
we should be saved. Again, on the contrary part, touching
those that are predestinate to death, the Lord saith: “ He Jonni.
that believeth not is condemned already, because he hath
not believed in the name of the only-begotten Son of God.
And this is the condemnation, that light is come into the
world, and men have loved darkness more than light.” There- whois κι
fore, if thou ask me whether thou art elected to life, or pre- predestinate
destinate to death; that is, whether thou art of the number
of them that are to be damned, or that are to be saved;
I answer simply out of the scripture, both of the evangelists
and the apostles: If thou hast communion or fellowship with
Christ, thou art predestinate to life, and thou art of the
number of the elect and chosen: but if thou be a stranger
from Christ, howsoever otherwise thou seem to flourish in
virtues, thou art predestinate to death, and foreknowledged,
as they say, to damnation. Higher and deeper I will not
creep into the seat of God’s counsel. And here I rehearse
again the former testimonies of scripture: “God hath pre-
destinate us, to adopt us into his sons through Jesus Christ.
This is the will of God, that whoso believeth in the Son
should live; and whoso believeth not should die.” Faith
therefore is a most assured sign that thou art elected; and
whiles thou art called to the communion of Christ, and art
taught faith, the most loving God declareth towards thee his
election and good-will.
The simpler sort, verily, are greatly tempted and exceed- As... in
ingly troubled with the question of election. For the devil ts <*-
goeth about to throw into their minds the hate of God, as
though he envied us our salvation, and had appointed and
ordained us to death. That he may the more easily per-
suade this unto us, he laboureth tooth and nail wickedly to
enfeeble and overthrow our faith; as though our salvation
were doubtful, which leaneth and is stayed upon the uncertain®
election of God. Against these fiery weapons the servants
of God do arm their hearts with cogitations and® comforts
of this sort fetched out of the scripture:
God’s predestination is not stayed or stirred with any
[5 So ed. 1577, rightly; incertze Dei electioni, Lat.; but ed. 1584
and 1587, certain. |
[ὁ adeoque, Lat.; and so with.]
[Ephes. i.
4—6. ]
[Rom. ix.
16.)
Psal. ciii.
Tsai. xlix.
Rom. viii.
Matth. xi.
Mark xvi.
188 THE FOURTH DECADE. [SERM.
worthiness or unworthiness of ours; but of the mere grace and
mercy of God the Father, it respecteth Christ alone. And
because our salvation doth stay only upon him, it cannot but
be most certain. For they are wrong, that think those that
are to be saved to life are predestinate of God for the merit’s
sake, or good works, which God did foresee in them. For
notably saith the apostle Paul: “ He hath chosen us in Christ
into himself, according to the good pleasure of his will, that
the glory of his grace might be praised.’ And again: “It
is not in him that willeth, nor in him that runneth, but in
God that sheweth mercy.” Again: “God hath saved us, and
called us with an holy calling, not according to our works,
but according to his own purpose and grace, which was given
unto us through Christ Jesus before the world was, but is now
made manifest by the appearing of our Lord Jesus Christ.”
Freely therefore, of his mere mercy, not for our deserts, but
for Christ’s sake, and not but in Christ, hath he chosen us,
and for Christ’s sake doth embrace us, because he is our
Father and a lover of men. Of whom also speaketh the
prophet David: “ The Lord is full of compassion and mercy,
slow to anger, and of great kindness. And as a father hath
compassion on his children, so hath the Lord compassion on
them that fear him: for he knoweth whereof we be made,
and remembereth that we are but dust.” Moreover, in the
prophet Esay we read: “ Can a woman forget her child, and
not have compassion on the son of her womb? Though she
should forget, yet will I not forget thee.” Truly, in Christ,
the only-begotten Son of God exhibited unto us, God the
Father hath declared what great store he setteth by us.
Thereupon doth the apostle gather: “ Who spared not his
Son, but gave him for us all, how can it be that he should
not also with him give us all things?” What thing there-
fore should we not reckon upon and promise ourselves from
so beneficial a Father? For thou canst not complain that
he will not give unto thee his Son, or that he is not thine,
who, as the apostle saith, was given for us all. Moreover,
the Lord himself, crying out in the gospel, saith: “ Come
unto me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will
refresh you.” And again to his disciples: “Go ye into all
the world, and preach the gospel to every creature. He
that shall believe, and be baptized, shall be saved.” Where-
Iv. | OF GOD’S PREDESTINATION. 189
upon also Paul saith: “God our Saviour will that all menitm. it
shall be saved, and come unto the knowledge of the truth.”
In old times long ago it was said to Abraham: “In thy Gen. xxii
Seed shall all the tribes (or nations) of the earth be blessed.”
And Joel saith: “ And it shall be, that whosoever shall call Joel ii.
upon the name of the Lord shall be saved.” The which
~ Peter also hath repeated in the Acts, chapter 11. ; and Paul
to the Romans, chapter x. Esay also saith: ‘We have all Isai. tii.
gone astray like sheep; we have turned every one to his
own way: and the Lord hath laid upon him the iniquities of
us all.” And therefore durst St Paul say : “ As by the offence rom. v.
of one the fault came on all men to condemnation; even so
also by the justification of one the benefit abounded! towards
all men, to the justification of life.” Therefore the Lord
is read in the gospel to have received sinners and publicans
with outstretched arms and embracings, adding moreover
these words: “I came to seek that which was lost. Neither Math. ix.
came I to call the righteous, but sinners to repentance.” All
which sayings do hitherto belong, that, being more narrowly
weighed, they might confirm and establish us of God’s good-will
towards us, who in Christ hath chosen us to salvation: which
salvation, truly, cannot but be most certain, and by all means
undoubted ; especially for that the Lord himself in the gospel
saith: ‘ My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they Jon x.
follow me: and I give unto them eternal life; and they shall
never perish, neither shall any pluck them out of my hand,” &e.
I know what here again doth sting and grieve? the minds or tne
of many. ‘The chosen sheep,” say they, “οἵ Christ, do know those that are
Christ’s voice; and, being endued with a stedfast faith, stick tolife.
in Christ inseparably, since they have felt that drawing,
whereof the Lord speaketh in the gospel: ‘No man cometh Jom vi.
to me, unless my Father draw him:’ as for me, as I feel no
such manner of drawing, so do I not with a full and perfect
faith stick in the Son of God.” First of all, verily, true faith
is required of the elect: for the elect are called; and being
called, they receive their calling by faith, and frame themselves
like him that called them*’. ‘He that believeth not is already
[1 propagatur bonum, Lat.; and Bibl. Lat. Tigur. 1544, and Eras-
mus’ version. |
[2 angat, Lat.; Bullinger’s one wor d. |
[3 se accommodant vocanti, Lat. |
1 Tim. iv.
Acts ix.
Rom. x.
Matth. xxv.
Matth. xiii.
190 THE FOURTH DECADE. [SERM.
condemned.” Whereupon also Paul saith: “God is the Saviour
of all men, specially of the faithful.” Furthermore, unless we
be drawn of the heavenly Father, we cannot believe. And we
must be very careful, lest we, conceiving vain opinions of
that divine drawing, neglect the drawing itself. God verily
drew Paul violently, but he doth not draw all unto him by
the hair. There are also other ways of drawing, by which
God draweth man unto him; but he doth not draw him like a
stock or a block. The apostle Paul saith: “Faith cometh by
hearing, and hearing by the word of God.” God therefore
doth then draw thee, when he preacheth unto thee the gospel
by his servants; when he toucheth thy heart; when he stirreth
thee to prayer, whereby thou mayest call and cry for his
grace and assistance, his enlightening and drawing. When thou
feelest these things in thy mind, I would not wish thee to look
for another drawing: despise not thou grace offered, but use it
whiles time present serveth, and pray for the increase of grace.
For to greater and perfecter things thou aspirest godlily
afterwards; in the mean space, there is no cause why thou
shouldest despise the lesser. In the gospel after St Matthew
they receive large! riches, who, having received but a few
talents, occupied the same faithfully: but he that despised
the talent wherewith he was put in credit, and cloaked his
slothfulness with I wot not what care, is greatly accused; yea,
he is spoiled of the money which was once given him, and is
thrown into everlasting torments, being bound with bonds of
condemnation. For the Lord pronounceth generally: “ Who-
soever hath, to him shall be given, and he shall have abun-
dance; but whosoever hath not, from him shall be taken
away even that which he hath.” He hath, who acknowledgeth,
magnifieth, and reverenceth? the grace of God: to this* heap
of graces more is added, so that it is made more abundant.
He hath not, which doth not acknowledge the gifts of God,
and imagineth other, I cannot tell of what kind; in the mean
time he doth not put in ure the grace received, and which is
present. And these are wont to use excuses, that that draw-
ing came not to them as yet; and that it is a matter very
dangerous to use occupying, or to make merchandise, of the
[1 ampliores, Lat.; larger. ]
[2 excolit, Lat. ]
[3 So also ed. 1584: but ed. 1577, to his heap.]
Iv. | OF GOD’S PREDESTINATION. 191
gifts of God. But St Paul, judging far otherwise, saith : “So 2 cor. vi
we as workers together beseech you, that ye receive not the
grace of God in yain.” And to Timothy: “I put thee in re- etimi.
membrance, that thou stir up the gift of God which 1s in thee.”
Not that without God we are able to do any thing of ourselves,
but that the Lord requireth our endeavour, which notwith-
standing is not without his assistance and grace, For truly
saith the selfsame apostle: “God worketh in us both to will ni: ii.
and to do even of his good pleasure.” Again: “Not that we 2 cor. iii
are sufficient of ourselves, to think any thing of* ourselves:
but all our sufficiency is of God.”
Furthermore, I wish not any man to despair, if by and κοτε
by he feel and try® not in his mind a most ripe and perfect ims:
faith. The gospel saith: ‘Of her own accord doth the earth markiv.
bring forth fruit; first the blade, then the ear, and afterwards
full corn in the ear.” For so likewise hath faith her increas-
ings; and therefore did the very apostles of the Lord pray :
“Lord, increase our faith.” Furthermore, in Mark truly a Pel Sees:
woeful man crieth unto our Saviour: “If thou’ canst do any-
thing, Lord, have compassion upon us, and help us.” But he
heard the Lord straightways saying unto him: “If thou
canst believe it, all things are possible to him that believeth.”
And this silly® soul cried out: “1 believe, Lord; help mine
unbelief.” Lo, this woeful wretch believed, feeling in his mind
faith given him of God, which notwithstanding he perceived to
be so weak, that he stood in need of God’s help and aid. He
prayeth therefore, “help mine unbelief,” that is, my faith,
which, if it be compared with an absolute and perfect faith,
may seem but unbelief. But hear, I beseech you, what this
faith, how little soever it was, wrought and brought to pass ;
what an humble mind and hanging upon the only mercy of
God was able todo. For straightways he healed the child of
the woeful father ; and, being restored unto health, and as it
were raised up from the dead, giveth him again to his faith-
ful father. If any therefore doth feel faith in his mind,
let him not despair, although he know that it is weak enough,
God wot’, and feeble: let him cast himself wholly upon God’s
mercy ; let him presume very little, or nothing at all, of his
[4 So also ed. 1584: but ed. 1577, as of.]
[5 experiatur, is Bullinger’s one word. ] [6 miser, Lat. ]
[7 This expression is the translator’s. |
Matth. vii.
Luke xi.
Gen. jii.
192 THE FOURTH DECADE. [SERM.
own merits! ; let him pray incessantly for the increase of faith.
In which purpose verily the? words of our Saviour, very
full of comfort, out of the gospel, may confirm and strengthen
any man most wholesomely : “‘ Ask, and it shall be given you:
seek, and ye shall find: knock, and it shall be opened unto
you. For whosoever asketh, receiveth : and whosoever seeketh,
findeth: and to him that knocketh, it shall be opened. Is
there any man among you, who, if his son ask him bread, will
give him a stone? or, if he ask fish, will give him a serpent ?
If you therefore, which are evil, can give good gifts unto your
children; how much more shall your heavenly Father give
good things, even the Holy Ghost itself, if you shall ask of
him?” These and such like sayings, set forth unto us in the
holy gospel for our consolation, ought more to move and
establish our minds of the good, yea, the right good-will of
God towards us than the eggings of the devil, wherewith he
goeth about not only to overwhelm the hope of our election,
but to make us suspect and doubt of God, as though he had
his creature in hatred, whom he had rather have destroyed
than saved. But he is well enough known to the saints by
his subtilties and trains; for so he deceived our first parents.
Let us keep it deeply printed in our breasts, that God hath
chosen us in Christ, and for Christ his sake predestinate us
to life; and that therefore he giveth and increaseth faith to
Christ-ward in them that ask it; and that it is he that puts it
in our hearts*. For all things that tend to our salvation come
from the grace of God; nothing is ours but reproach and shame.
These things, brethren, thus far have I laid before you
concerning the marvellous and wonderful work of the creation
wrought by the eternal, true, and living God, without any
trouble (doubtless) or pains-taking. ‘ For he spake the word,
and they were made. He commanded, and they were cre-
ated.” <A little we have added touching the most wise and
excellent governing of all things by God’s divine providence,
which is always just and most righteous: likewise of God’s
good-will towards us; of predestination’; and certain other
[1 viribus, Lat. ; strength. |
[2 So also ed. 1584: but ed. 1577, these; heee verba, Lat. ]
[3 eundemque ut petamus inspirare, Lat.; and that it is even he
that puts it into our hearts to ask. |
[4 Cf. Orig. Lett. ed. Parker Soc. cuiv, civ.]
Iv. | OF GOD’S PREDESTINATION. 193
points unto these belonging. All these things truly have we
rehearsed, to beautify the glory and knowledge of God our
creator; to whom both the perpetual and universal course
of nature, as well of things invisible as also visible, beareth
witness; whom the angels worship, the stars wonder at, the
seas bless, the earth reverenceth, and all infernal things be-
hold’; whom the mind of every man feeleth, albeit it doth
not® express him; at whose beck all things are moved,
the springs cast forth their streams, rivers decrease’, the
waves arise aloft, all things bring forth their increase, the
winds are forced to blow, showers to fall, seas to rage, all
things in all places to deliver abroad their fruitfulness ; who
planted a peculiar garden of felicity for our first parents, gave
them a commandment, and pronounced sentence against their
sin; delivered righteous Noe from the dangers of the deluge ;
translated Enoch into the fellowship of his friendship; did
choose Abraham to himself; defended Isaac; increased Jacob ;
appointed Moses the captain over his people; set free from the
yoke of bondage the groaning children of Israel; wrote a
law; brought the offspring of the fathers into the land of
promise; instructed his prophets with his Spirit, and by all
these promised his only-begotten Son again; and at the same
instant that he had promised to give him hath sent him;
through whom also he would be acquainted and come in
knowledge with us; and hath poured forth upon us all his
heavenly graces. And because of himself he is liberal and
bountiful, lest this whole world, being turned away from the
rivers of his grace, should wax dry, he would have apostles to
be sent by his Son as teachers throughout the whole world,
that the state of mankind might acknowledge their Maker® ;
and, if they followed him, might have instead of a God one
whom in their petitions and prayers they might call Father ;
whose providence hath not only extended itself, and is now
extended, not only severally unto men, but algo unto very
towns and cities, the ends of which he foretold by the voices
of his prophets, yea, throughout the whole world; whose
ends, plagues, decays, and punishments for their unbelief he
hath described. And lest any should think, that this in-
[5 suspiciunt, Lat.; look up to. |
[6 So also ed. 1584: but 1577, do not. | (7 labuntur, Lat. ]
{8 institutorem, Lat. ]
[ BULLINGER, III. |
194 THE FOURTH DECADE. [SERM.
fatigable providence of God extended not to everything,
though never so small, the Lord saith: “ Of two sparrows,
the one of them falleth not to the ground without the will of
the Father ;” and, “the hairs of your head are all num-
bered:” whose care also and providence suffered not the
garments of the Israelites to wax old, nor their simple! shoes
on their feet to be worn and torn. And not without good
reason: for if this God comprehendeth that which contain-
eth all things, and all things and the whole doth consist of
parts and particulars; then shall his care reach consequently
even to every part and particular, whose providence hath
reached already to the very whole, whatsoever it is. To this
God be all glory.
OF ADORING OR WORSHIPPING, OF INVOCATING OR
CALLING UPON, AND OF SERVING THE ONLY,
LIVING, TRUE, AND EVERLASTING GOD:
ALSO OF TRUE AND FALSE
. RELIGION.
THE FIFTH SERMON.
Tovcnine God, what he is in person, what in quality,
and what in substance, I have told you already; not as I
ought, but as I was able. I have likewise shadowed out how
good and ready his will is towards man, whom he hath or-
dained to life everlasting in his only-begotten Son; whom also
he hath made Lord of all things in this present world, all
things being brought in subjection unto him.
Now, that man should not be ignorant what he oweth to
so mighty a God, and to a Father so loving and liberal, I
will anon join a disputation touching this living, true, and
everlasting God, of man to be adored, called upon, and wor-
shipped. For man is neither created nor born to behold and
gaze upon the stars, as the philosopher doted*; but that he
should be the image and temple of God, in whom God might
dwell and reign; and that he should therefore acknowledge
God, reverence, adore, call upon, and worship, and also* be
[1 vilissima, Lat. | [2 quantus sit, Lat. ]
[3 Seneca, de otio Sapientis, cap. 32. |
[4 adeoque, Lat.; and so. |
γη OF ADORING THE ONLY TRUE GOD. 195
joined unto God, and live with him eternally. And first of
all I will speak of adoring God; next of calling upon God;
and lastly, of serving God: whereupon we shall perceive
without any trouble at all which is the true religion, or which
is the false. The places truly expounded’ are very plentiful ;
but in few words I will comprehend what the scripture doth
teach us concerning them; howbeit not every one particularly,
but the chiefest, and so much as seemeth sufficient for our
salvation and sound knowledge.
To adore or worship, in the holy scriptures, doth signify, τὸ adore ana
for honour’s sake to uncover the head, to bend the body, to itis”
incline or bow the knee, or with the whole body to lie pros-
trate upon the ground, to fall flat on the face at one’s feet,
after the fashion of suppliants or petitioners, in token of hu-
mility, submission and obedience®; and it is referred chiefly to
the gesture or habit of the body. The Hebricians use one
only word Schahah’, which all interpreters have expounded
by this word adorare, to adore, bend, bow, and lie along
with the face downward. The Grecians have expounded it
by the word προσκυνέω, that is, I bow the knees, I uncover
or make bare the head, I humbly beseech or adore. And
προσκύνησις, adoration, is so called either of kissing, or of
moving the hat; for κυνέω signifieth, I kiss. And that a
kiss was sometimes a sign of worshipping, reverencing, or
adoring, it is to be gathered out of the thirty-first of Job.
What, and is it not a fashion very much used even at this day,
for honour and reverence’ sake to kiss-the hand? Again,
κυνῇ signifieth a hat, a bonnet, or a cap; so that, to adore,
is to make bare and uncover the head for reverence’ sake.
The Latinists also, peradventure, had an eye to the habit of the
body; for orare, to pray, signifieth both as well to crave as
to speak a thing. He therefore doth adore, that, casting his
countenance upon a man, doth crave something suppliantly.
Likely it is that the Germans also had a respect hereunto:
for they turn adorare, to adore, by this word anbatten ;
which might moreover have been turned Zu fussen fallen’,
[5 So also ed. 1584: but ed. 1577 propounded ; propositi, Lat. ]
[6 deditionisque, Lat. ]
{7 More correctly, the Hithpahel form of this verb, viz. ΓΤ
signifies, to worship. | ee
[8 to fall at the feet. ]
13—2
Mark v.
Gen. xxxiii.
1 Sam. xxv.
1 Kings i.
To adore or
worship men,
Psal. 1xxxii.
ToPett:
Rom. xiii.
cots xix:
2
[Etod. xx;
Exod. xx.
Isai. xliv.
196 THE FOURTH DECADE. [SERM.
In the ninth of Matthew thou dost read: ‘ Behold, a certain
ruler came to Jesus, and worshipped (or adored) him.” But
Mark, writing the same history, “ And behold,” saith he,
“there came one of the princes of the synagogue, whose
name was Jairus; and when he saw him, he fell down at his
feet, and besought him instantly (or much;)” thus expounding
to us what to adore is, to wit, to fall down at one’s feet, and
to submit and beseech like a suppliant. For so we read in
the old Testament of Jacob Israel, our father: “And he, going
before them, bowed himself to the ground seven times, until
his brother Esau approached and drew near.” Of David and
Abigael thus we read in Samuel: “When Abigael saw David,
she hasted, and lighted off her ass, and fell before David on
her face, and worshipped on the ground, and she fell at his
feet, saying: Let that iniquity be counted mine, my lord, ὅσο."
Likewise of Nathan the prophet, it is read thus written:
“And when he was come in to the king he worshipped” (or
made obeisance) “upon his face on the ground.” For God,
communicating this honour, doth allow the same unto men,
either for their old age, their authority, or worthiness’ sake :
for man is the lively image of God. And it pleaseth God
himself to call men that excel other in authority, gods.
Whereupon the apostles of Christ, Peter and Paul, instructing
the people of God, taught them, he verily, “Fear God,
honour the king ;” and this, “The magistrate is God’s minis-
ter: give therefore to all men, honour to whom honour be-
longeth; fear to whom fear is due.” In the law the Lord
saith: “In the presence of a hoar head rise up;” and,
‘Honour thy parents.” In consideration of this commandment
of God the godly do reverence the aged, their parents, and
magistrates; and please God also with faithful obedience.
But to adore, worship, or honour images, what representa-
tion likeness soever they bear, the Lord doth nowhere like
or allow; for he saith in the law: “Thou shalt not bow down
nor worship them!.” And by his prophet Isaie, ‘None
(saith he) considereth within himself of this matter, and
saith: One piece of the wood I have burnt in the fire, I have
baked bread with the coals thereof, I have roasted flesh there-
withal, and eaten it; and should I now of the residue make
an abominable idol, and fall down and worship a rotten piece
[ΟΕ 2314
ν. OF ADORING THE ONLY TRUE GOD. 197
of wood??” In the same prophet thou readest with much in-
dignation pronounced: “Their land is full of vain gods (or Isai. ii.
idols;) before the works of their hands have they bowed
themselves and adored it; yea, even before the thing that their
own fingers have made. There kneeleth the man, there
falleth the man down (before them*): therefore forgive them
not.” Therefore that ancient writer, Lactantius, inspired 1 In his second
with a prophetical spirit, disputing against the Gentiles, hath entecnth
thus left it written: “The images themselves which are wor-
shipped are representations or counterfeits of dead men. And
it is a perverse and an absurd thing, that the image of a man
should be worshipped of the image of God, to wit, man; for
he worshippeth the thing that is worser and weaker. Besides
that, the very images of saints, which most vain men do serve,
are void of all sense and feeling, because they be* earth. And
where is he that understandeth not, that it 15 a wicked and
sinful act for an upright and straight creature to be bowed
down, and to adore and worship earth; which to that end is
under our feet, that it should be trodden upon, and not adored
of us; who therefore are made to go upright and look upward,
that we should not lie grovelling downward, that we should
not cast this heavenly countenance to the earth, but thither
look and direct our eyes, whither the condition of their nature
hath guided them? Whosoever therefore endeavoureth to ch. xix
maintain the mystery of man’s creation, and to hold the reason
of his nature; let him raise up himself from the ground, and
with a raised mind bend his eyes unto heaven: let him not
seek a god under his feet, nor dig from under his footsteps that
which he may adore or worship; because whatsoever lieth
under or is subject to man, the same must needs be inferior unto
man. But let him seek aloft, let him seek in the highest place;
because nothing can be greater than man, but that which is
above man. But God is greater than man: he is therefore
above, not beneath; neither is he rather to be sought in the
lowest, but in the highest region or room. Wherefore there
is no doubt, but that wheresoever an image is, there is no
religion, For if religion consist in divine things, and that
nothing is divine unless it be among heavenly things, then do
[2 truncum ligneum, Lat. ]
[3 incurvavit se homo, et humiliatus est vir, Lat. and Vulgate. |
[4 So also ed. 1584: but ed. 1577, they are. ]
Spiritual ado-
ration or
worshipping.
198 THE FOURTH DECADE. [seRM.
images lack religion; because in that which is made of earth
there can be no heavenly thing. Which matter even by the
very name itself may appear and be manifest to a wise man:
for whatsoever is counterfeit, that must needs be false;
neither can that which hath a representation or gloss of truth
at any time take unto it the name of truth. If then not
every representation or counterfeit be, not a thing in earnest,
but as it were a toy and a sport, religion is not in images, but
there is less religion where they be. That which is true
therefore is to be preferred before all things that are false.
Earthly things must be trodden under foot, that we may get
or obtain heavenly things!” These words not unadvisedly
have we cited hitherto out of Lactantius. We return now to
our purpose.
But because the outward gesture or habit of the body is
[1 Simulacra ipsa, que coluntur, effigies (sunt) hominum mortuorum:
est autem perversum et incongruens, ut simulacrum hominis a simula-
cro Dei colatur; colit enim quod est deterius et imbecillius ... Ipsze
imagines sacree, quibus inanissimi homines serviunt, omni sensu carent,
quoniam terra sint. Quis autem non intelligat, nefas esse rectum
animal curvari, ut adoret terram; que idcirco pedibus nostris subjecta
est, ut calcanda nobis, non adoranda, sit; qui sumus ideo excitati...
ut non revolyamur deorsum, ne hunc ccelestem vultum projiciamus ad
terram, sed oculos eo dirigamus, quo illos naturee suze conditio direxit?
... Quicunque igitur sacramentum hominis tueri, rationemque nature
sue nititur obtinere, ipse se ab humo suscitet, et erecta mente oculos
suos tendat in ccelum, non sub pedibus querat Deum; nec a vestigiis
suis eruat quod adoret, (quia quicquid homini subjacet, infra hominem
sit necesse est,) sed querat in sublimi, querat in summo; quia nihil
potest homine majus esse, nisi quod fuerit supra hominem. Deus
autem major est homine: supra ergo, non infra est; nec in ima potius
sed in summa religione (Bullinger read, regione) qusrendus est.
Quare non est dubium, quin religio nulla sit, ubicunque simulacrum
est. Nam si religio ex divinis rebus est, divini autem nihil est nisi in
coelestibus rebus, carent ergo religione simulacra; quia nihil potest esse
coelestis in ea re quee sit ex terra. Quod quidem de nomine ipso appa-
rere sapienti potest: quicquid enim simulatur, id falsum sit necesse
est; nec potest unquam veri nomen accipere, quod veritatem fuco et
imitatione mentitur. Si autem (non, Bullinger’s text) omnis imitatio
non res potissimum seria, sed quasi ludus ac jocus est; non religio in
simulacris, sed mimus (Bullinger read, minus) religionis est. Pre-
ferendum est igitur verum omnibus falsis; calcanda terrena, ut cceles-
tia consequamur.—Lactant. de Orig. Error. Lib. u. capp. 17, 18. pp.
227—230. Lugd. Bat. 1660.]
v. | OF ADORING THE ONLY TRUE GOD. 199
commonly framed according to the inward quality of the
mind, and the outward habit of his body which adoreth sub-
mitteth, yieldeth, and maketh subject him that worshippeth
to him which is worshipped; therefore adoration is translated
likewise to the inner man: so that to adore is to reverence
and respect God, to bequeath ourselves wholly unto him, and
to cleave inseparably unto him, upon him only and alone
to hang in all things, and to have recourse unto him in all our
necessities whatsoever. Furthermore, the outward adoration
doth immediately, when it is needful and ability granted,
follow a mind rightly endued with true faith and holy fear of
God. For adoration is two-fold, or of two sorts: one of the adoration or
mind or spirit, which is inward, sound, sincere and true ; isortvo
another of the body, which is outward, unsound, counterfeit, ὁ
and false, which may proceed from him in whom there is no
sparkle of religion. True adoration is the fruit of true faith
and holy fear of God; namely, a lowly or suppliant yielding
and humble consecrating, whereby we bequeath ourselves,
yield and submit ourselves, unto our God, whom as we under-
stand to be our best and most merciful Father, so to be our
most high and almighty God: upon him therefore alone
we do wholly depend, and to him only we have respect:
which also forthwith, so soon as occasion is ministered unto us,
we express and testify by outward adoration. All this we
shall the better understand by these testimonies of scripture
following. David saith: “O come, let us sing unto the Lord; Psal. xev.
let us heartily rejoice in God our salvation. Let us come
before his presence with thanksgiving, and shew ourselves
joyful in him with psalms. For the Lord is a great God,
and a great king above all gods: because in his hand are the
corners of the earth, and the height of the hills are his. For
the sea is his and he made it, and his hands fastened the dry
land. O come let us adore (or worship) and fall down, and
kneel? before the Lord that hath made us: because he is
the Lord our God; and we are the people of his pasture, and
the sheep of his hands.” Thou perceivest therefore that we
must adore or worship God, and that we must cleave unto
him, and sing praises to his name, because he is the most
mighty God, Creator of all things, yea, our Creator, our
Father, and our Shepherd. Likewise, in the gospel according
[2 ploremus, Lat. ]
Matt. xiv.
John ix.
[John iv.]
In the his-
tory of the
ings.
Truly to
adore and
worship God,
what it is.
200 THE FOURTH DECADE. [SERM.
to Matthew, adoration doth follow faith, and doth as it were
grow out of it, and by it is nourished. For after that the
disciples, being taught by miracles, believed that Jesus was
Christ, they came (saith Matthew) and adored (or worshipped)
him, saying: “ Thou art truly the Son of God.” Again, thou
readest in John that the Lord asked the blind man that was
excommunicate or cast out of the synagogue, whom he re-
stored to his sight, saying, ‘ Dost thou believe in the Son of
God?” and that the blind man answered, ‘‘ Who is he,
Lord, that I might believe in him?” and that Jesus an-
swered, and said: ‘Thou hast both seen him, and he it is that
talketh with thee.” Moreover upon this by and by followeth
in the history: “ But he said, I believe, Lord; and he wor-
shipped him.” Hitherto now belongeth that which the Lord
said to the Samaritan in the gospel: ‘ The true worshippers
shall worship the Father in spirit and in truth.” For the
Lord doth allow spirjtual and inward adoration or worship-
ping; not that outward, counterfeit, or hypocritical worshipping,
but that which proceedeth from a mind regenerated by faith
through the Holy Ghost, and that tendeth sincerely towards
one God. For we read in the history of the old Testament,
that those princes worshipped in truth, which consecrated and
made holy themselves unto one God with their whole heart,
and on him only depended: again, that they worshipped not
the Lord with their whole heart, which, being destitute and
void of sincere faith, depended also upon creatures. Now a
reason of this adoration or worshipping the Lord adjoineth in
the gospel. Worship (saith he) ought in all points to agree
with him that is worshipped. But God that is worshipped is
spirit and truth, and is delighted with spiritual worship and
unfeigned faith. In spirit and truth therefore he must be
worshipped.
Wherefore the saints have a special care and regard that
the inward worship of the mind be sound, and that first of all
they worship in heart, and truly, with a sincere faith and
a reverence of God’s majesty : and whiles they are inwardly so
occupied, they do no less outwardly, falling on their faces with
humility, and do worship in God’s presence. For ‘the outward
worship is a companion of the inward, and followeth it. Hypo-
crites also worship God in body, suppliantly and lowly enough;
but because their minds go a wool-gathering, and neither with
Υ.7 OF ADORING THE ONLY TRUE GOD. 201
faith nor reverence cleave unto the Lord, they hear this
spoken of the Lord by the prophet: “ This people honoureth Tsai. xxix.
me with their lips, but their heart is far from me: but in vain"
do they worship me, teaching doctrines precepts of men.”
And this verily is the counterfeit and false worshipping. And
that worshipping also is false, nay, it is most wicked and
abominable, wherewith the creatures are worshipped, either
with God, or for God, or without God. And, to say sooth, they
do not worship God at all, which neither fear God, neither
believe in God, nor yet depend or hang only upon God.
All men truly confess that God must be worshipped, but that Goa
every one doth not surely! acknowledge and confess that God Stone's to be
only and alone is to be worshipped. It remaineth therefore Ne ee sais
to be declared, that God only and alone is to be worshipped
of men. Adoration or worshipping is joined with true faith
and perfect or sincere reverence of God’s majesty; which
seeing they are due to God alone, it followeth that God alone
is to be worshipped: and therefore is this saying so often cited
and beaten upon in the law and the prophets: ‘“ Thou shalt
worship the Lord thy God, and a strange god thou shalt not
worship.” Now a strange god is whatsoever without and
beside the only, living, true, and everlasting God thou
choosest unto thyself to be worshipped®. The only and alone
true, living, and everlasting God therefore is to be worship-
ped. In the history of the gospel we read, that the devil Matt iv.
tempted our Lord Christ; and, having led him up into an high
mountain, shewed him from thence all the kingdoms of the
world and the glory of them, and said: “All these will I
give thee, if thou, falling down, wilt worship me:” and that
the Lord made answer: “Avoid, Satan; for it is written, Thou
shalt worship the Lord thy God, and him only shalt thou
serve.” And surely worshipping and serving are linked
mutually the one with the other, that they cannot be severed
or put asunder. Whereupon it followeth, that, seeing the
Lord requireth only and alone to be served, he will doubtless
in like manner only and alone be worshipped. And Heli, the
great prophet of God, teaching that God can in no case abide to
have one joined unto him in worship, crieth out unto the people
worshipping God and with him their god Baal: ‘“ How long 1 Kings
(saith he) do you halt on both parts? If the Lord be God,
[1 sincere, Lat. | [* VoL. 1.p. 220.)
Matt. vi.
Heb. i.
[ Rev. xiv.
6, 7.)
Rev. xix.
Rev. xxii.
Acts x.
In his book
intituled De
Vera Re-
ligione, ο. 55.
202 THE FOURTH DECADE. [sERM.
follow him: if Baal be god, go after him.” As if he should have
said, You cannot worship God and Baal at once. ‘No man
can serve two masters.” For the Lord our God requireth, nota
piece, but our whole heart, our whole mind and soul: he leaveth
nothing therefore for us to bestow upon any other. In the epistle
to the Hebrews Paul sheweth, that Christ is more excellent
than angels, because that angels adore or worship Christ, but
they again are not worshipped. If then the angels are not
worshipped, whom shall we grant, beside the living, true, and
everlasting God, that deserveth to be worshipped? God
therefore only and alone is to be worshipped. For in the
revelation of Jesus Christ, made unto the blessed apostle and
evangelist John, thus we read written: ‘And I saw another
angel flying through the midst of heaven, having the everlast-
ing gospel to preach unto them that dwell upon the earth,
and to all nations, and kindreds, and tongues, and people,
saying with a loud voice: Fear God and give him honour,
because the hour of his judgment is come; and worship him
that hath made heaven and earth, the sea, and fountains of
waters.” And again in the same book we read: “ And I fell
down before the feet of the angel, to worship him. And he
said unto me: See thou doest it not; I am thy fellow-servant
and of thy brethren having the testimony of Jesu; worship
God.” Again, in the end of the same book thou dost read:
“And after I had heard and seen, I fell down to worship
before the feet of the angel, which shewed me these things.
And he said unto me, See thou dost it not; for I am thy
fellow-servant, and of thy brethren the prophets, and of them
that keep the words of this book.” With this thing the
saying and doing of St Peter doth not greatly disagree, at
whose feet when Cornelius the centurion fell down and wor-
shipped, Peter said, ‘“ Arise, I also myself am a man;” and
therewithal laying his hand on him, which lay along, did lift
him up, and set him on his feet. Right religiously therefore
wrote Augustine touching true religion, saying: ‘ Let not
religion be unto us the worshipping of man’s handy work. For
better are the workmen themselves, which make such; whom
notwithstanding we ought not to worship. Let not religion
be to us the worshipping of mortal men: because, if they have
lived godlily, they are not to be esteemed as those that
would seek such honours; but their will it is, that he should
v. | OF ADORING THE ONLY TRUE GOD. 203
be worshipped of us, who enlightening them, they rejoice that
we are made fellow-partakers of his merit. They are to be
honoured therefore for imitation or following sake, not to be
worshipped for religion’s sake. And if they have lived ill,
they are not to be worshipped, wheresoever they be'.” The Why the
same Augustine in his first book De consensu Evangelista- never re-
ceived the
rum, of the consent of the evangelists, and eighteenth chapter, God of the
reasoning why the Romans never received both the God worshipped.
and the worship of the God of the Hebrews, considering that
they received the gods almost of all the Gentiles to be wor-
shipped; and he answereth, that that came to pass by none
other occasion, than because the God of the Hebrews would
only and alone be worshipped without a mate or partner.
If any require his words, they are these: “ There resteth
nothing for them to say, why they have not received the holy
rites and worship of this God, save only because he would be
worshipped alone; and hath forbidden them to worship the
gods of the Gentiles, whom nevertheless these people did
worship. For the sentence or opinion of Socrates (who, as by |
oracle it was ratified, was the wisest of all men) is, that every
god ought in such sort to be worshipped, as he himself hath
given commandment he would be worshipped. ‘Therefore
were the Romans of very necessity forced not to worship the
God of the Hebrews; because, if they would worship him
after another fashion than he himself said he would be wor-
shipped, they should not then worship him, but that which
they themselves had devised and made: and if they would
in that manner worship him as he himself prescribed, then
they saw that they were debarred from worshipping other
gods, whom he forbad to be worshipped. And upon this they
refused the worship of the only true God, to the intent they
might not offend many counterfeit and false gods; thinking
that the anger of them would rather be more to their dis-
[1 Non sit nobis religio humanorum operum cultus. Meliores
enim sunt ipsi artifices, qui talia fabricantur, quos tamen colere non
debemus.... Non sit nobis religio cultus hominum mortalium: quia si
pie vixerint, non sic habentur, ut tales querant honores; sed illum a
nobis coli volunt, quo illuminante letantur meriti sui nos esse con-
servos. Honorandi ergo sunt propter imitationem; non adorandi
propter religionem. Si autem male vixerint, ubicunque sint, non sunt
colendi.—August. de Vera Relig. cap. 55. Opp. Tom. 1. fol. 155. col. 4.
fol. 156. col. 1. Par. 1532.]
Deut. x.
Rewards and
punishments
for them that
do and do not
worship God.
Rev. xxi.
To invocate
or call upon,
what it is.
204 THE FOURTH DECADE, [SERM.
profit than the good-will of him to their benefit!.” Thus saith
Augustine. And although these things are written concern-
ing the worship and service of God, and that we dispute of
adoring God’s majesty ; yet notwithstanding they are not im-
pertinent or beside our purpose; for the worshipping and
serving of God are inseparably linked and knit together. Of
this serving of God we will speak more heareafter. But by
the words cited before we do gather, that only and alone the
true, living, and everlasting God is to be worshipped, accord-
ing to that commonly known sentence of the law: “ Thou shalt
worship the Lord thy God; him shalt thou fear, and him only
shalt thou serve: to him shalt thou cleave, and in his name
shalt thou swear.”
Furthermore, God from the beginning hath promised
and performed, yea, and will perform whiles this world
standeth, great rewards to his true worshippers. Contrari-
wise, we believe that great mischiefs or punishments are
prepared for those which either do not at all worship God,
or else instead of the true God do worship strange gods.
The Lord in his Revelation, shewed to John the apostle, saith :
“The fearful, and unbelieving, and the abominable, and mur-
derers, and whoremongers, and sorcerers, and idolaters, and
all liars, shall have their part in the lake that burneth with
fire and brimstone, which is the second death.”
These things have we hitherto spoken of worshipping
God: we will now speak, in the second place, of invocating
[1 Veruntamen diligentius ab istis queerendum est, quemnam putent
esse Deum Israel, cur eum colendum non receperint, sicut aliarum gen-
tium deos quas Romanum subegit imperium, &c.... Nihil ergo restat
ut dicant cur hujus Dei sacra noluerint recipere, nisi quia solum se
coli voluerit; illos autem deos gentium, quos isti jam colebant, coli
prohibuerit. .. . Certe sententia illius eorum philosophi proditur, quem
sapientissimum omnium hominum etiam oraculo fuisse firmarunt.
Socratis enim sententia est, unumquemque deum sic coli oportere,
quomodo se ipse colendum preeceperit. Proinde istis summa neces-
sitas facta est non colendi Deum Hebreeorum, quia si alio modo eum
colere vellent quam se colendum ipse dixisset, non utique illum cole-
rent, sed quod ipsi finxissent. Si autem illo modo vellent quo ipse
diceret, alios sibi colendos non esse cernebant, quos ille coli prohibebat:
ac per hoe respuerunt unius veri Dei cultum, ne multos falsos offen-
derent; magis arbitrantes sibi obfuturam fuisse istorum iracundiam,
quam illius benevolentiam profuturam.—August. de Consensu Eyan-
gelist. Lib. 1. capp. 17, 18. Opp. Tom. tv. fol. 81. col. 3.]
v. | OF ADORING THE ONLY TRUE GOD. 205
or calling upon God, of which point we promised to speak.
To call upon, and calling upon, is diversely taken in the
scriptures. For it signifieth to bring forth as a witness,
or a calling to witness. So Moses calleth heaven and earth Deut. xxxii
to witness against the children of Israel, by the figure Pros-
opopeia. Again, the name of any one to be called upon
over another, is to be called by, or after, his name. ‘“ Let Gen. xviii.
my name” (saith Jacob) “be called upon them,” that is,
upon Ephraim and Manasseh; that is, let them be named by
my name, as if they were my children; and let them be
called, not the sons of Joseph, but the sons of Jacob Israel.
So say the wives to their husbands’, “Let thy name be iv.
called upon us ;” that is, suffer, or give leave, that we may
be named by thy name, and that we may be made thy
wives: for those women, through the knot of wedlock, take
unto them their husbands’ names. After the same manner
do we oftentimes read in the prophets and holy history of
the Bible, “The house upon which thy name is called ;”
that is, the house which is called after thy name, and is
named the Lord’s house. Likewise Joab, general of the
king’s army, saith unto David: “Take thou the city” (Rab- 2Sa™. xii
bah, the chief city or seat royal of the Ammonites), “lest I
take it, and my name be called upon it;” that is, lest I be
called the conqueror of Rabbah. Most ignorant therefore
and unskilful are they of the scriptures and the phrases of
speech used in the scripture, which cite that saying of Jacob,
which even now we declared, in defence and maintenance of
the invocation of saints; as though Jacob would have his
name to be called upon of his posterity and offspring. In
Daniel thou dost read, “ A people upon whom the name of Dan. ix.
God is called :” which signifieth nothing else than, a people
that is called God’s people. Here is no mention of invo-
cating, whereby we ask or desire any thing. Furthermore,
invocation, or calling upon, is taken for religion, For Luke
saith in the Acts: “Saul had power (or authority) to bind actsix.
all those that called upon the name of the Lord.” And Paul
saith: “Let every one that calleth upon the name of the 27. ii
Lord depart from iniquity.” Also, “Seek after peace with
all them that call upon the name of the Lord,” that is, which
[2 So also ed. 1584: but ed. 1577 has rightly, husband; maritum,
Lat. |
Invocation
or calling
upon God,
what it is.
That God is
to be called
upon,
1 Kings viii.
206 THE FOURTH DECADE. [SERM.
are of the true christian religion. Lastly, to invocate or
call upon signifieth, to cry or call for help, and with conti-
nual outcries to crave somewhat.
That invocation therefore or calling upon God, whereof
at this time we entreat, is a lifting up of man’s mind to God
in great necessity or in some desire, and a most ardent
craving of counsel and assistance by faith; and also a be-
queathing or committing of ourselves into the protection of
God, and as it were a betaking of ourselves to his sanctuary
and only safeguard. In invocation therefore (true invocation,
I mean) a faithful mind is first of all required, which doth
acknowledge God to be the author and only giver of all
good gifts; who is willing to hear them that call upon him,
and is able to grant us all our requests and desires whatso-
ever. An uncessant and ardent petition or beseeching is also
required. But of these points more shall be said, when
God shall give us leave, in our sermon of the prayer of the
faithful; for invocation is a kind of prayer.
Now verily I will shew, that in all our desires God is to
be called upon, yea, only and alone to be called upon. Surely
there are express commandments of God, charging us to call
upon the name of the Lord, who promiseth, that for the good-
will and love which he beareth us he will hear our requests
and suits, and largely give unto us things tending to our
health and benefit. Of many I will cite one or two testi-
monies. Salomon, the wisest of all men, doth teach us to
call upon God in all and every one of our necessities, making
a particular rehearsal of men’s special desires, The same
argument doth Salomon’s father, that most holy king David,
handle throughout the whole hundred and seventh Psalm.
He reckoneth up therefore the divers casualties, chances,
and miseries of men, their affliction or oppression, their wan-
derings and dangers in their journey, their bonds and im-
prisonments, their diseases, and the fear of death, which
sometimes is more terrible and hideous than death itself,
their jeopardies on the sea and rough waters}, barrenness,
scarcity, calamities, contempt, shame, and ignominy. ‘Those
crosses,’ saith he, ‘if they light on any man, let him not
ascribe them either to his god to whose defence he hath
committed himself?, or to fortune, or to his constellation and
[1 fluminibus, Lat. ]} [2 deo tutelari, Lat. ]
v.| OF CALLING UPON THE ONLY GOD. 207
destiny ; but to that God that knoweth all things, and can
do all things, and upon that God let him call earnestly by
faith. For often doth the prophet repeat these words:
“And when they cried unto the Lord in their tribulation,
he delivered them out of their distress.” And for that cause
doth he so often reiterate those words, to the end that we,
having conceived a perfect trust in our hearts and sure
belief, might learn in all chances to call upon the name of
the Lord. For Salomon in his Proverbs yet again saith : Prov. xviii.
“The name of the Lord is a most strong tower: unto it
doth the righteous man run, and he shall be advanced?3,” or,
he shall be set free from danger. Asaph also in his holy
songs saith: “ Sacrifice unto the Lord a sacrifice of praise, Psal.1.
and pay thy vows unto the Most Highest.” And, “ Call upon
me in the day of trouble, and I will deliver thee, and thou
shalt glorify me.” And he bringeth in the Lord himself
speaking, and requiring sacrifices, not of beasts, not of gold
or silver, but of praise and invocation. Therewithal he pro-
miseth help; and witnesseth, that by invocating. and praising
he is honoured (or glorified); whereupon David said: “ In Psat. xviii
my trouble I will call upon the Lord, and I will cry unto
my God; and he shall hear my voice out of his holy temple,
and my cry shall enter into his ears.” Joel also said:
“Every one that calleth upon the name of the Lord shall Joeiii.
be safe.” And the Lord by the prophet Jeremy saith: “ Ye Ser. xxix.
shall call upon me, and ye shall live*: ye shall pray unto
me, and I will hear you; ye shall seek me, and ye shall
find me, if with your whole heart ye seek me.” Further-
more, we do not read that our holy and blessed fathers in
their petitions and requests®, were they small or were they
great, called upon any other than that God who liveth
everlastingly world without end. For the Lord himself by
Asaph saith: “In thine extremities and troubles, O Israel, peat
thou calledst upon me, and I delivered thee.” Also David
saith: “Our fathers hoped in thee, °and thou deliveredst Psat. xxii
[3 exaltabitur, Lat.; is set aloft. Marg. Auth. Ver.]
[* Bullinger appears to have read vivetis for ibitis (which also Bibl.
Lat. Tigur. 1544 has), ye shall go.]
[5 So also ed. 1584: but ed. 1577, or requests.]
᾿ speraverunt, Lat. omitted; but found in ed. 1577, they hoped in
thee.
That God
only and
alone is to
be called
upon.
Matt. xix.
Deut. xxxii.
Isai. xlv.
Psal. xviii.
Gen. xxx.
2 Kings v.
208 THE FOURTH DECADE. [SERM.
them. Unto thee they cried, and were delivered; in thee
they trusted, and were not confounded.” Now add unto
all these the commandment of Christ our Lord: “ When you
pray, say, Our Father,” &c. Add also the words which
follow in Luke xi. and Matthew vii. ‘‘ Ask, and it shall be
given you;” and so forth. We conclude, therefore, that the
true, living, and everlasting God ought of all men in all their
necessities to be called upon.
But to no purpose, peradventure, I take pains in this
point, seeing that there are but a few, or none at all, which
deny that God is to be called upon. This seemeth to require
a more diligent declaration, that God only and alone is to
be called upon. For many doubtless do call upon God, but
together with God, or for God, certain chosen patrons;
whereupon ensueth that they call not upon God only and
alone. Now that he alone is to be called upon, in this sort
we declare. By invocation or calling upon we require help
or succour, either that good things may be given to us, or
that evil things may be turned away from us: which need-
eth no further proof, seeing it cannot be denied of any that
is ruled by his right wits. Now God only and alone is our
helper, who only giveth good things, and taketh away evil
things. For the Lord saith in the gospel: “ There is none
good but one,” to wit, God; where one is taken for one only
and alone. Again in the law, by the mouth of Moses, the
Lord saith: “ Behold, that I am God alone, and that there
is none other God beside me.” And again by Isaie: “ Am
not I the Lord? and there is none other God beside me:
a just God and a Saviour; there is none other beside me.”
And David: ‘ Who,” saith he, ‘is God, besides the Lord?
and who is mighty (or a rock), save our God?” In very
evil part therefore did the worshippers of God take it, so
often as men asked of them those things which are in the
Lord’s hands only to give. MRahel said to Jacob: “ Give
me children, or else I die.” But the scripture by and by
addeth: ‘And Jacob being angry said, Am I in God’s stead,
which hath denied thee” (or withholden from thee) “the
fruit of the womb?” So when the king of Syria desired
and besought Joram, the king of Israel (a king, I wis, not so
godly), that he would heal Naaman, who was infected with
the leprosy, Joram saith: “Am I a God, that I should be
v.] OF CALLING UPON THE ONLY GOD. 209
able to kill and to give life? For he sendeth to me, that
I should heal a man from his leprosy.” Wherefore most
certain it is, that to God only it belongeth to give good
things, and to turn away evil things. Whereupon it doth
consequently follow, that God only and alone must be called
upon. For if those patrons, whom they call upon as their
helpers and succourers that do not call upon the only God,
be able either to give those things that are good, or to turn
away those things that are evil, then certainly there is not
one only God; for those should likewise be gods. But
gods they are not, because there is but one God, who only
and alone giveth (or bestoweth) good things, and taketh
away (or removeth) evil things. God only and alone there-
fore is to be called upon: patrons are not to be called upon,
insomuch as they are able to do us neither good nor harm.
As touching that which of their own heads some do here
object, that patrons do us good and harm, not of themselves,
but of God; it is doubtful, yea, it is most false. For the
Lord himself by the prophet saith: “I am the Lord: Hu tai. xii
(this or being)! is my name; and my glory I will not give
to another, neither my praise to a graven image’.” So
that all glory belongeth to God, because he is only* and
alone, not only the well-spring of all good graces, which is
never drawn dry, but also a most just and equal distributer
of the same; and for that cause he is called upon, worshipped,
and served of men. Psalm 1.
Furthermore, insomuch as we ought to sacrifice unto none
but to one God, certain it is that we must worship but one
only God. The Lord crieth in the law: “He that offereth xxoa. xxii
unto other gods than to the only God, let him be rooted out.”
And therefore Paul and Barnabas, when the people of Lystra acts xiv.
were preparing sacrifices to offer unto the apostles, they rent
their clothes thereat, as at intolerable blasphemy. For in
the law of the Lord we read again: ‘“ Whosoever shall make Ἐχοά. xxx.
for himself a composition (or perfume) of incense, to smell
thereto, he shall be cut off from among his people.” But the
sacrifices of the godly are prayers, thanksgivings, and invoca-
tions on God’s name. For David saith: “Unto thee will I Psat. exvi.
[1 See above, page 133.]
[? So also ed. 1584: but ed. 1577, to graven images; sculptilibus, Lat. ]
[3 Rather, But the glory of God is this, that he is only, &c. |
[ BULLINGER, IIL. ] os
Psal. exli.
[Heb. xiii.
15.]
Hos. xiv.
1 Kings viii.
210 THE FOURTH DECADE. [SERM.
sacrifice a sacrifice of praise, and I will call upon the name of
the Lord.” And again: ‘‘ Let my prayer be directed in thy
sight as incense; and the lifting up of my hands as an even-
ing sacrifice.” Paul likewise saith: “By Christ we offer the
sacrifice of praise always unto God, that is, the fruit of lips
which confess his name.” For the prophet! Osee biddeth us
“offer the calves of our lips.” Forsomuch therefore as one
only God is to be sacrificed unto, therefore one only God is to
be called upon. Neither is it possible, that they, whom such
as call not upon the only God name heavenly patrons, would,
if they be saints, require of men such manner of invocations :
nay rather, both against God and against the saints do these
offend, ascribing that to such which no blessed spirits do ac-
knowledge. St Augustine saith, that they are not the angels
of the good God, but wicked devils, which will have not the
only and most high God, but themselves, to be worshipped and
served with sacrifices?. Besides that, the blessed spirits (or
saints) during the time that they lived in their mortal bodies
prayed, ‘Thy will be done, as in heaven so in earth:” there-
fore, being now delivered and set free from all corruption, they
do much more fully, yea, most perfectly agree unto the will of
God, which commandeth all men to worship and call upon the
only God.
Again, he that looketh into and seeth the hearts of them
that call upon him, heareth their petitions or requests, and is
able to fulfil the desires of all men living, he (I say) is law-
fully and fruitfully called upon. And surely it is requisite
and necessary that he know all things, that he be almighty,
and the searcher of hearts. Wherefore, seeing the only God
is he, the only God without further question ought to be
called upon. For that God only is the searcher of hearts,
comprehended in no place, but present everywhere, and omni-
potent, Salomon in these words doth testify: ‘‘ Behold, the
heavens and the heaven of heavens are not able to contain
[1 et propheta, Lat.; also the prophet.]
[2 Dic mihi, demonia colis, an spiritus bonos, quales sunt angeli?
Sunt enim angeli sancti, et sunt spiritus maligni. Ego dico quia
in templis tuis non coluntur nisi spiritus maligni, qui sibi exigunt
superbi sacrificium, et volunt se coli tanquam Deos. Maligni sunt,
superbi sunt.—Aug. Enarr. in Ps. xcvi. Opp. Par. 1531. Vol. vim. fol.
226. col. 2.]
v. | OF CALLING UPON THE ONLY GOD. 211
thee: how much more unable then is this house that I have
built! Thou therefore shalt hear in heaven, in the place of
thy habitation (or,in thy dwelling-place), and shalt have mercy.
For thou only knowest the hearts of the sons of men, Thou
shalt do (and give) to every one according to all his ways,
which knowest his very heart.’ As for the heavenly patrons,
as these men call them, they do neither know the thoughts of
men; neither is their power spread throughout the heaven,
the earth, and the seas; neither do they know all things, or
yet are everywhere present, or be omnipotent. For if it were
so with them, they should be transformed and changed into
a divine nature, and should cease any more to be creatures:
but although by Christ they enjoy everlasting blessedness, yet
notwithstanding they remain creatures still, neither do they
know all things, neither are almighty ; therefore are they at
no hand to be called upon. In one prick and moment of
time truly innumerable thousands of mortal men offer up their
vows, and make their petitions: so that he verily which
heareth must at a pinch, and in a very moment, and not at
sundry seasons or degrees of time, know and be able to do all
things ; yea, and in a moment also reach out his helping hand
unto all: which as no creature, though never so excellent,
can do; so the only God, that knoweth all, and is omnipotent,
can do all things, and therefore only and alone is to be called
upon,
I wot well what the defenders of heavenly patrons (or
saints) object against that which I have spoken; to wit, that
they of their own nature do neither see nor yet hear what
is done of us upon the earth; but in the face of God, as ina
most lightsome looking-glass, do see all things, whatsoever
God vouchsafeth to reveal to them, and that so they have an
under-knowledge of all our affairs, and also help us*, But
this imagination or forgery, in all points doubtful, can be
proved by no authority out of the holy scriptures. But
touching the celestial saints the scripture doth rather affirm
the flat contrary. For in Isaie the people of God cry out:
“Thou, O God, art our Father: though Abraham be ignorant Isai. 1xiit.
of us, and Israel know us not; yet thou, O Lord, art our
Father, and our Redeemer.” If then the patriarchs, so studious
[3 Sentiments like the above are frequently met with in Romish
writers: ex. gr. in Pighius, Controy. precip. &c. fol. 194. Par. 1549. |
14—2
212 THE FOURTH DECADE. [SERM.
and careful for their people, knew not what they did; which
of the saints (I pray you) shall we grant or point out, that
knoweth what we do, and that intermeddleth with the affairs of
the living? True doubtless is that that the holy psalm soundeth:
Psal. xxvil. “Because my father and my mother have left (or forsaken)
me, the Lord hath taken me up.” If our parents forsake and
leave us, how (I pray you) can they tell, or do they care, how
it fareth with us? Let that suffice us wherewith David held
himself throughly content, saying: ‘The Lord hath taken
2 Kings xxi. charge over me.” We read that Josias was translated out of
this life into another, to the end he should not see the mischiefs,
(or plagues and punishments,) which the Lord determined to
bring upon the Israelitish people for their most wicked and
naughty life. The blessed souls therefore enjoy the sight of
God, and thereby participate light and endless joy or gladness;
they know none of our affairs, neither is it needful they should
know them, considering that the Lord alone hath all things
in his government.
Now is that also most certain, that invocation springeth from
faith, as the fruit from the root. For Paul, using that saying
Rom.x. Of the prophet, ‘‘ Whosoever calleth upon the name of the
Lord shall be safe,” doth by and by add: “But how shall
they call upon him, in whom they have not believed?” See
how the apostle bringeth in one upon another: he is not
called upon, who is not believed. Wherefore, in whom we
believe, upon him we do also call. But in God only and alone do
we believe; therefore on him only do we call. For whereso-
ever true faith is, there likewise is the gift of the Holy Ghost.
Rom. viii or the apostle saith: “If any have not the Spirit of Christ,
this man is none of his.” And again: “ You have not received
again the spirit of bondage unto fear; but you have received
the spirit of adoption, by which we cry, Abba, Father.” They
therefore, that are endued with a true belief in God, call upon
God, whom they do acknowledge and confess to be the only
matt. vii Father of all. Neither might so much as the least part in
that solemn form and order of invocation, delivered unto us by
the Son of God, be attributed by any means unto patrons,
or saints. The only God therefore is to be called upon.
The heart of sinful man trembleth and quaketh to ap-
Oftheinter. proach near unto so great a majesty. For who may seem
cessor with
God. worthy in himself to appear and come before the presence of
v. | OF CALLING UPON THE ONLY GOD. 213
the most holy, the most just, and the most terrible God?
Here therefore some supply and make up the matter with the
patronship or intercession of celestial saints, by whose medi-
ation, and making way before us, passage lieth open for us
unto God. But this they bring forth without the warrant
of the scripture. The scripture hath laid before us a law, as
it were, of calling upon God, and thereunto hath annexed
most ample or large promises: so the commandment doth set
forth unto us by and through whom we should call upon
God, adding thereunto a most excellent promise, and opening
unto us through Christ Jesus only a ready way to the
Father. For in the gospel the Lord saith: “ Verily, verily, sonn xvi.
I say unto you, Whatsoever ye shall ask the Father in my
name, he shall give it to you. Hitherto you have not asked
anything in my name. Ask, and ye shall receive, that your
joy may be perfect,” (or full). And, “ Whatsoever ye shall son xiv.
ask in my name, I will do it; that the Father may be glorified
by the Son. If you shall ask anything in my name, I will
do it.” What could be spoken more fully and clearly than
these words? Christ biddeth us by (or in) his name to call
upon God the Father, and promiseth that he will give the
faithful whatsoever they ask in Christ his name. Who doubt-
eth now any whit at all of the truth and constancy of him
which promiseth? What need we therefore henceforth the
intercession of saints? Of calling upon them, or of coming
to God by their mediation, we have no testimony of scrip-
ture, we have no promise. Whereunto I add, that he con-
temneth the commandment and precept of God, whosoever
seeketh by any other than by Christ and his intercession to
come to the Father. He that obeyeth the commandment of
Christ, and in his name maketh invocation, the same needeth
not at all the mediation of saints. Hath not he all things
plentifully in Christ? We say therefore, and affirm, that cnrist alone
is the inter-
only Christ is the mediator, intercessor, and advocate with cessorand ad-
vocate with
the Father in heaven of all men which are in earth; and in the Father.
such sort the only mediator, &c. that after him it is need-
less to have other advocates.
Many do grant that Christ is given unto us an inter-
cessor with God ; but because they join with him many other, A mediator
they do not surely send all unto him alone, neither yet do tion ana
. intercession.
they preach one only mediator. They imagine that Christ is
1 Tim. ii,
214 THE FOURTH DECADE. [SERM.
the mediator of redemption, yea, and the only mediator ; how-
beit not the only mediator of intercession, but together with
him many more. But the scripture setteth forth unto us
Christ, as the only mediator of redemption, so also of inter-
cession. The office of a mediator touching redemption and
intercession is one and the selfsame. A mediator putteth
himself in the midst between them that are at variance or dis-
agreement; and he is joined to each in disposition and nature.
An intercessor putteth himself in the midst between them that
are at strife and dissension; and unless he be indifferent for
either side, he cannot be an intercessor. On both parts re-
conciliation’ (or atonement) is required and looked for. There
must needs therefore be a certain cause of discord; which
being taken away, the discord or debate doth also cease. The
cause of discord is sin. It is the duty therefore of a mediator
or intercessor quite to rase out sin, that disagreement may no
longer remain. For this there is no amends or satisfaction
made with words or with prayers, but with blood and death.
Hebrews ix. Whereupon we do necessarily gather, that only
Christ is the mediator or intercessor with the Father. For
principally Christ? may set himself in the midst between God
and men, because he only is partaker of both natures. The
saints participate but only one; for they are men; but
Christ is both God and man. Furthermore, he that is an
intercessor must also be a reconciliator, or an atonement-
maker. For the end, whereat he that maketh intercession
doth shoot, is reconciliation. But Christ is the only reconcili-
ator of men, therefore also the only intercessor. For it be-
longeth to an intercessor to dissolve the cause of contention
and discord, that is to say, to abolish and take away sin. But
Christ alone, and no creature, taketh away sin. It remaineth
therefore that Christ is the only intercessor. Hitherto do now
pertain the testimonies of scripture. Paul saith: ‘“ There is one
God, and one reconciler (or mediator) of God and men, the
man Christ Jesus, who gave himself the price (or ransom) for
the redemption of all.” And although the apostle speak
expressly of redemption, yet notwithstanding these words
[1 reconciliatio dissidentium, Lat.; reconciliation of parties at
variance. }
[2 Principio enim solus Christus, Lat.; For, in the first place, only
Christ, &c. ]
v.| OF CALLING UPON THE ONLY GOD. 215
are placed in the midst between the disputation of the invoca-
tion upon God, which is done by Christ, who is the only
mediator of redemption and intercession. For as he alone
redeemed us, so doth he alone even now commend us, being
redeemed, unto the Father. Touching this let the apostle be
heard once again, saying to the Romans: “ Christ, when as Rom. v.
yet we were sinners, died for us: much more therefore now
being justified (or made righteous) by his blood, we shall be
saved from wrath through him.” And yet again somewhat
plainer: “ For if, when we were enemies, we were reconciled
to God by the death of his Son; much more, being reconciled,
we shall be saved by his life.” For in another place the
same apostle saith: ‘ Christ ever liveth” for this end, ‘ to Heb. vii.
make intercession for us.” And again: “It is God that Rom. viii.
justifieth : who is he that can condemn? Christ is he that
died ; yea, that is raised up; who also is at the right hand of
God, and maketh intercession for us.” The same Christ open-
eth the way, or maketh access, for us unto the Father,
Hebrews, chapter iv. and Ephesians, chapter i. .For the Lord
Jesus himself in the gospel doth not shew unto us many
doors, but one only door. “1 am (saith he) the door.” And John x.
again: “I am (saith he) the way, the truth, and the life. sonnxiv.
None cometh to the Father but by me.” Doth not he which
saith, “1 am the way, the truth, and the life,” yea, and
such a way, that there is access to the Father by none other
than by me, that is, by me only and alone, exclude all other
means, all other ways, and all other patrons or advocates
whatsoever? Also in another place of the gospel, lest any
through shamefacedness, knowledge of their own unworthiness,
and guiltiness of sins, or the majesty and glory of Christ the
Son of God, should be hindered from calling upon God in the
name of Christ, and committing themselves to Christ his
defence; he in his own person, plainly and lovingly calling all
unto him and to the benefit of his defence, crieth: ‘ Come Matth. xi.
unto me, all you that labour and are heavy loaden, and I will
give you rest.”
Out of the epistle to the Hebrews no less evident testi-
monies than these, and that good store, may be gathered.
[85 Idem rursus aditum nobis ad Patrem aperit per Christum in
epistola, &c.; the same (apostle) again opens for us access to the
Father through Christ in his epistle, &c. ]
Heb vii.
216 THE FOURTH DECADE. [SERM.
Amongst other this one is excellent: “Christ, for that he
endureth for ever,” saith the apostle, “hath an everlasting
priesthood. Wherefore he is able perfectly to save them
that come unto God by him, seeing he ever liveth (for this
end) to make intercession for them. For such an high priest
it became us to have, (which is) holy, harmless, undefiled,
separated from sinners, and made higher than the heavens, &c.”
Mark, I pray you, how many arguments in this testimony of
Paul we have, to prove that Christ is the only intercessor of
the faithful in heaven with the Father. The proper or
peculiar office of the priest is, to make intercession: but only
Christ is priest in the presence of God: he therefore is the
only intercessor. Now also the priesthood of Christ is ever-
lasting, or unchangeable. Therefore, not by once offering up
hath he redeemed us, being made the alone and only Mediator
of redemption ; but the everlasting and perpetual Mediator also
of intercession, making intercession for us even till the end of
the world. For albeit our Lord be a judge}, yet notwithstand-
ing he isa judge of the unfaithful, a defender and upholder of
the faithful, and at the length, when the world is at an end, a
judge of all. And if so be he have an everlasting priesthood,
and (ἀπαράβατον) not conveyable, I say, or removeable,
which cannot, either by succession, resignation’, or part-
taking, pass over to any other; then certainly Christ only and
alone remaineth intercessor of the faithful. Moreover, there
is no cause why we should choose and take to ourselves,
either after Christ, or with Christ, other intercessors. For he
is able himself alone to work our salvation at the full; leav-
ing unto others nothing at all whereabout to busy themselves.
Let us also first of all? note that which expressly he doth add,
“That come unto God by him:” by him, I say, that is, our
mediator, priest, and intercessor, Christ: for by him only
and alone the way lieth open for us to go to the Father.
Unto which also is annexed, “That he liveth; and (for this
end) he liveth to make intercession for us.” The heavenly
saints also do live in the kingdom of God with Christ: but
they live for themselves (or for their own benefit), not for us
(or our advantage). Christ liveth for us, and maketh inter-
cession for us: therefore he alone maketh intercession. Saints
[1 et judex, Lat.; a judge too. |
[2 resignation, not in Lat. ] [3 imprimis, Lat. ; especially.!
v. | OF CALLING UPON THE ONLY GOD. Pa ys
do not make intercession. ‘These reasons do prove unto us
most manifestly, I think, that the apostle speaketh of the
mediation of intercession, not of redemption. Last of all, he
requireth in an intercessor such manner of marks (or proper-
ties) as a man cannot find in any save in Christ the Lord
only and alone. For although the angels be innocent and
harmless, yet notwithstanding they are not higher than the
heavens. ‘The heavenly saints, although they be now purged
and made clean from sins, yet for all that by nature they are
not separated from sinners, neither are they made higher
than the heavens, as being lords over angels and over every
creature. Only the Son is such a one, and for him this glory
is reserved and kept: he alone therefore is the intercessor of
the faithful with the Father.
Unto these testimonies of Paul we will yet join one of
St Peter, and another of the most blessed apostle and evan- 1 Pet. ii.
gelist John. St Peter doth teach that the saints, that is, we
which are faithful in this world, are laid, as lively stones, by
faith upon Christ the lively stone; and that we are made a
spiritual building (or house), and an holy priesthood, to offer
spiritual sacrifices, acceptable to God by Jesus Christ. Lo,
we are laid, not upon saints, but upon Christ, the lively stone;
by whom we are both quickened and preserved in the building.
We are made a spiritual house, and an holy priesthood, for
this end; that we should offer, not sacrifices of beasts, but
spiritual sacrifices, to wit, our own selves and our prayers,
unto God by Jesus Christ, not by saints. For they also are
the spiritual house with us, the lively stones, laid upon Christ,
and living through Christ.
Furthermore, John writeth: “My babes, these things 1 Jonni
write I unto you, that ye sin not: and if any man sin, we
have an advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ, the just
(or the righteous). And he is the propitiation (or recon-
ciliation) for our sins; and not for ours only, but also (for
the sins) of the whole world.” I do not think that any
thing could be devised or spoken* more agreeable to our pur-
pose, more evident, more strong or better than this. We
hear that Christ is appointed and made unto us of God not
only a mediator of redemption, once to redeem, but to be
[4 vel confingi posse, Lat.; could even be devised :—or spoken, the
translator’s addition. ]
218 THE FOURTH DECADE, [SERM.
an everlasting mediator, yea, of intercession; who so often
standeth an advocate before God the Father, how often sinful
man offendeth and hath need of his help and defence; unto
whom also the guilty may boldly have access, and commit
unto him their cause to be pleaded before God. “If any
man sin,” saith John, “πὸ have an advocate with the Father.”
Lo, John calleth him an advocate, whom the defenders (or
maintainers) of the patronship of saints do call a mediator
of intercession. For advocatus, παράκλητος, and advocate,
signifieth a tutor, a defender, a favourer, a comforter, a patron,
or a proctor, which pleadeth, or hath a cause! in handling.
But mark whom he defineth and setteth forth to be our
advocate: not the holy virgin, not Peter or Paul, not himself
or Stephen, but Jesus Christ. If he had thought or believed
that the patronship of heavenly saints had been over and
besides necessary and wholesome for men, then would he
have joined them with Christ the Lord: now he setteth forth
unto us Christ alone. He addeth, “the just” (or the right-
eous) ; as if he had said, there is no cause why any should
distrust or stand in doubt of his patronship, or think him a
patron not in his Father’s favour and love. He is the Son,
he is Christ, he is the just or righteous: therefore he is highly
in his Father’s favour, and most acceptable; who in the
presence of the most just God may appear for us that are
unjust. Such righteousness is not found in any one of Adam’s
children. But it is required in an intercessor. Indeed, he
doth communicate his righteousness to the saints by faith;
but that righteousness is imputed to the saints, and it is im-
putative. In Christ righteousness is natural, and as it were
born in him; yea, it is properly his own. For Christ Jesus,
he is the only righteous in heaven and in earth; who needeth
not first for his own sins, and then for the offences of the
people, either to pray or to offer sacrifice; for he only
hath no sin, and he is the righteousness of all : he? therefore
maketh intercession with the Father, because none naturally
and properly is righteous but Christ alone. And it is not
amiss in this place first of all* to mark, that Christ is called
a@ propitiation, or satisfaction, not for sinners or people of one
[1 So also ed. 1584: but ed. 1577, our cause; causam nostram, Lat.]
[2 solus, Lat. ; he only. |
[3 in primis, Lat. ; most especially. ]
ν.7 OF CALLING UPON THE ONLY GOD. 219
or two ages, but for all sinners and all faithful people
throughout the whole world. One Christ therefore is suffi-
cient for all: one intercessor with the Father is set forth
unto all. For how often thou sinnest, so often thou hast
ready a righteous intercessor with the Father. Not that we what
manner of
should imagine in heaven, as ina court, the Father upon his intercession
throne to sit as a judge, and the Son our patron so often
to fall down on his knees, and to plead or entreat for us,
as we sin and offend: but we understand with the apostle,
that Christ is the advocate and the universal priest of the
church, and that he only appeareth in the presence of the
Father: because as the power and force of his death, (albeit
he die not daily,) so the virtue of his intercession, is always
effectual. Let us therefore draw near and come to God by
Christ, the only mediator of our redemption and intercession,
our only intercessor and advocate. We cannot but be ac-
ceptable unto God the Father, if we be commended unto him
by his only-begotten Son.
Furthermore, weak are the arguments wherewith the Ananswer
to certain ar-
maintainers of the heavenly patrons go about to establish gumentsor
reasons of
their patronship or intercession. The Spirit, say they, maketh the adver
intercession for us according to the doctrine of the apostle ; %°™ ὟΝ.
therefore Christ alone doth not make intercession. IJ answer,
_ that Paul speaketh not of another intercessor in heaven, but
of the spirit of man praying in this world; which, being
enlightened and kindled with the Spirit of God, groaneth
and maketh intercession for the saints. The words of the
apostle are plain.
These men do yet add: We read in scripture of the Prayerof
prayers of angels, and that they offer the prayers of the
faithful in God’s presence: therefore not Christ alone prayeth
or maketh intercession for us in heaven, but also the saints.
We deny that this followeth ; because the scripture teacheth
that angels are ministering spirits; and, according to their Heb. i.
office, offer prayers only as ministers in the presence of God,
but not to make intercession, or that men are heard for
angels’ sakes, but for Christ’s sake, who maketh intercession,
and for whose sake the prayer which is brought and offered
unto God is acceptable unto him. Now if so be they will
bring forth the like also touching the blessed souls of the
saints, and reason, ὦ simili, from that that is like; let them
220 THE FOURTH DECADE. [SERM.
first teach that souls are appointed and made ministering
spirits, But they cannot: and if they could, yet had they
not proved that the heavenly saints are intercessors. For
not the angels themselves, doubtless, are therefore intercessors,
because they offer the prayers of men unto God.
They agree, say they, and are knit unto us in the
same knot of charity and love; and for because the spirits
of the blessed which live in heaven do love us here in earth,
therefore, according to the nature and disposition of this
love, they also pray for us. We answer, that they gather
this without warrant of scripture. For, that we may without
wrangling grant them this, that the saints in heaven are not
without the love of their neighbour; yet notwithstanding we
add, that this love in the heavenly saints hath not now that
nature or disposition, and those offices, which in times past it
had in earth. Otherwise, we should attribute many more
absurdities to the saints ; as though they either did or suffered
those things, which they neither do nor yet suffer. Whilst
they lived in earth, according to the disposition and nature of
love, they were sorry, and they were glad, and they prayed
with us, yea, they also made intercession for us: but now
that they have put off this corruption and have left us,
leading their lives in heaven with the Lord, they neither
know our affairs, neither are moved with any earthly affec-
tions. They understand that it is passing well with us!
without their help. They understand likewise that the work
of our salvation is already wrought and accomplished’, so
that they may acquiet themselves, and rest from their labours,
and rejoice in Christ; who is doubtless the only intercessor
with the Father of all men living in their misery, because
he knoweth all, and can do all, neither is he moved at, nei-
ther wearied or tired with, or yet is ignorant of any thing ;
but taketh upon him most absolutely and dispatcheth all
things, whatsoever are incident or belong to an intercessor.
They understand that this glory agreeth unto the only Son
of God; and therefore they go not busily about it, that
they in Christ’s stead might appoint or make themselves in-
[1 nobis abunde consultum esse, Lat.; that we are full well cared
for. |
[3 constitutum esse salutis negotium, Lat.; that the work of sal-
vation is ordered. ]
va OF CALLING UPON THE ONLY GOD. 221
tercessors: for here the love that they bear to God sur-
passeth the love of their neighbour.
But these men object, that the saints pray not in heaven
after the rite and fashion of that only intercessor, but after
the same manner that they prayed for their fellow-brethren in
earth. Even now we said that it did not follow, This they did
in earth, therefore they do the same in heaven. Neither can
it be proved by manifest scriptures that the saints in heaven
pray for us. Why then do they set forth unto us doubtful |
opinions for certain? For, that we may grant them that the
saints pray in heaven, (which thing not a few of the fathers
have written? ;) it doth not therefore follow that the saints are
to be called upon. For that sentence of St Augustine is very
well known, which is read written in his book De civitate
Dei, xxi. chap. 10: “The Gentiles did both build temples,
made altars, ordained priests, and offered sacrifices unto their
gods. But we do not erect temples to our martyrs, as unto
gods; but remembrances as unto dead men, whose spirits live
with God. Neither do we there set up altars, upon which we
might sacrifice unto martyrs; but we sacrifice to one God,
who is the sacrifice both of the martyrs, and also our sacrifice :
according to which sacrifice, as men of God, that have over-
come the world in the confession of him, they are named in
their place and order. Howbeit, they are not called upon of
the priest that sacrificeth, because he is God’s priest, and not
theirs. Now the sacrifice itself is the body of Christ, which is
not offered unto them; because they also themselves are
the same*.” Thus saith he: testifying plainly enough, that
the saints are not called upon, or to be called upon, because
sacrifice belongeth unto God, and not to the saints.
[3 Bullinger quotes some passages from Cyprian, Augustine, and
Jerome, in his treatise, De Orig. Error. capp. 14, 15, 16, 17.]
[4 Denique illi talibus diis suis et templa sedificaverunt, et statue-
runt aras, et sacerdotes instituerunt, et sacrificia fecerunt. Nos autem
martyribus nostris non templa sicut diis, sed memorias sicut hominibus
mortuis, quorum apud Deum vivunt spiritus, fabricamus. Nec ibi
erigimus altaria, in quibus sacrificemus martyribus, sed uni Deo et mar-
tyrum et nostro sacrificilum immolamus; ad quod sacrificium, sicut
homines Dei, qui mundum in ejus confessione vicerunt, suo loco et
ordine nominantur; non tamen a sacerdote, qui sacrificat, invocantur ;
quia Dei sacerdos est, non illorum. Ipsum vero sacrificium corpus est
Christi, quod non offertur ipsis, quia hoc sunt et ipsiicmAugustin. de
Civit. Dei, Lib. xx11. cap. 10. Opp. Tom. v, fol. 302. col. 4. Par. 1531.]
The church
calling upon
saints.
22a THE FOURTH DECADE. [SERM,
Wherefore, when the adversaries add, that the church
many years called upon the saints, that the church erred not,
and therefore they that call upon the saints do not err; we
answer, that the church doth not err, when she heareth the
voice of her bridegroom and shepherd: but that she doth err,
when, neglecting the voice of her shepherd, she followeth her
own decrees. The whole church of Israel erred, together
with their high priest Aaron and the elders of the people,
when, transgressing the law of God, they worshipped God
represented by an image with singings and dancings, other-
wise than he himself had appointed. Neither are the Israel-
ites absolved from error and sin, for that many years they
put not down their high places.
They add again, the saints have helped when they have
been called upon; therefore they are to be called upon.
Oftentimes that falleth out well which is instituted against
the word of God. But who can thereupon gather that that
is good which is instituted against the word of God? As
though the innocent and harmless were therefore to be spoiled
with war, because we see that by war merciless soldiers wax
rich, The gods of the Gentiles likewise seemed to hear the
petitions of their suppliants; but are the gods of the Gentiles
therefore to be called upon ?
But we mean not to answer to every one of their argu-
ments, because we have done that already elsewhere, accord-
ing to our talent’. We conclude, therefore, that the word of
truth, uttered out of the mouth of God, doth teach us invoca-
tion of God’s name by the mediation of Jesus Christ: neither
do we read that any holy man, either in the old or the new
Testament (of whom the scripture undoubtedly hath made
mention), called upon any, though never so excellent a patri-
arch or prophet, departed this life, or upon any apostle,
or apostle’s disciple, otherwise than by the name of Jesus
Christ. Let us therefore hold fast, that that doctrine is
most perfect and most safe, which biddeth us all to call upon
God alone by his only Son, and that God himself requireth
this of every one of us; and that when we obey, we please
God.
The last place, touching the serving of God, doth remain
behind. This word colere is in Latin of large signification.
[1 Bulling. de Orig. Erroris, Lib. 1. capp. 18, 19. Tigur. 1539.]
v. | OF CALLING UPON THE ONLY GOD. 223
For we say, colere amicitiam, to maintain friendship, colere
literarum studia, to love learning, colere arva, to till or hus-
band our lands, and colere senes, to reverence old men. We
in this place use colere for servire, that is, in all points like a Τὸ serve,
servant to be dutiful, and to shew himself obedient to rever- erat ic
ence, or have in veneration, and to do worship. The Hebricians
use their word abad, which the Latin interpreter translateth
servivit, coluit, or sacrificavit?; that is, he served, worshipped,
or sacrificed. In the book of Kings thou dost read: “ And 1 Kings xvi.
Achab served Baal, and worshipped him.” The Grecians call
this service either λατρεία or δουλείας. The one is taken
for the other: though indeed servire, to serve, be more than
colere, to worship: for thou canst abide without any ado to
worship some man; but to serve the same, thou canst not so
well away withal. We say therefore that the service? of re service
God is a service whereby men submit themselves reverently * °°"
unto God, and obey him, and according to his will worship
him. They therefore serve* God, which serve® him earnestly,
behave themselves dutifully in obeying him, serving® him
inwardly and outwardly, as he hath appointed.
For the service’ of God is twofold, or of two sorts; the the service
true and the false. The true is called true religion, true fwotold, or
faith, and godliness. The false is called superstition, idolatry,
and ungodliness. or that is the true service’ of God, which
springeth from the true fear of God, from a sincere faith, which
submitteth itself in all things to the will of God*. The false
service consisteth in the contrary: touching the which we
will say more, when we come to speak of superstition.
The true service of God is divided again, for perspicuity
or plainness’ sake, into the inward service of God, and the
outward. The inward service is known to God alone, who is
the searcher of hearts. For it is occupied in the fear of God,
and perfect obedience, in faith, hope, and charity, from whence
do spring the worshipping of God, the calling upon him,
thanksgiving, patience, perseverance, chastity, innocency, well-
[2 Exod. xx. 5; vii. 16. Vulgate.]
[3 cultum, Lat. ] (4 colunt, Lat. ]
[5 timent, Lat.; fear him. | [6 colentes, Lat.]
[7 cultus, Lat. ]
[8 So also ed. 1584: but ed. 1577, which submitteth itself to God
alone, and applieth itself in all things, &c. So Lat.]
The inward
service of
God,
Deut. x.
Mice. vi.
Rom. xii.
] Thess. i.
James i.
224 THE FOURTH DECADE. [SERM.
doing, and the rest of the fruits of the Spirit. For with these
gifts of God and spiritual things God, who is a Spirit, is
truly served: without these no service is allowed of God,
howsoever in the sight of men it seem gay, glorious and pure.
This service of God hath testimonies both divine and human ;
but first of all of the law, the prophets, and the apostles. For
in the law Moses saith: ‘“ And now, Israel, what doth the
Lord thy God require of thee, but that thou shouldest fear
the Lord thy God, and walk in all his ways, that thou
shouldest love him, and that thou shouldest serve the Lord thy
God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, that thou
shouldest keep the commandments of the Lord, and his ordi-
nances, which I command thee this day for thy wealth ?”
Micheas the prophet bringeth in one asking questions concern-
ing the true service of God, in what things the same consisteth,
and he maketh answer: ‘I will shew thee!, O man, what is
good, and what the Lord doth require of thee: surely to do
justly (or judgment), to love mercy, and to humble thyself to
walk with thy God?.” St Paul the apostle saith: “1 beseech
you, brethren, by the mercies of God, that ye give up your
bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, (which is)
your reasonable serving of God. And fashion not yourselves
like unto this world, but be ye changed by the renewing of
your mind, that ye may prove what is the will of God, and
what is good and acceptable and perfect*.” The same apostle,
comprehending in few words the true service of God to be a
turning from idols unto God and the faith of Jesus Christ,
saith: ‘They of Macedonia, and other nations (or quarters),
shew of you, how you are turned to God from idols, that ye
might serve the living and true God, and look for his Son
from heaven, whom he raised from the dead, even Jesus, who
delivereth us from the wrath to come.” Moreover, St James
the apostle saith : ‘‘ Pure religion and undefiled before God the
Father is this, to visit the fatherless (or orphans) and widows
in their adversity, and to keep himself unspotted of the
[1 So Coverdale, 1535, and Vulgate. ]
[2 to be lowly, and to walk with thy God, Coverdale, 1535. et soli-
citum (Bullinger adds, vel submissum, which word is used in Bibl. Lat.
Tigur. 1544) ambulare cum Deo tuo. Vulgate. ]
[3 —ut quotidiano docti exercitio tandem discernere possimus, quid
Deus velit, quodnam illud bonum et rectum sit, quid illi placeat, et
quee sit illa absoluta felicitas.—Bulling. expos. in loc.]
v. | OF SERVING THE ONLY GOD, 225
world‘.” These divine and evident testimonies of holy scrip-
ture declare plentifully enough, dearly beloved, which is the
true inward service of God. Human testimonies nevertheless,
nothing disagreeing from divine, there are many and every-
where found in ecclesiastical writers. Lactantius, lib. Jnstz-
tut. vi. cap. 9, saith: ‘“ Therefore the knowledge of God and
his service is all in all: in this consisteth all the hope and
salvation of man: this is the first step (or degree) of wisdom,
that we should know who is our true Father, that we should
reverence him alone with due godliness, that we should obey
him, and most devoutly serve him: and to obtain his favour,
let all labour, care, and industry be bestowed®.” Of this kind
the same author citeth® other testimonies also largely in the
tenth chapter of the same book; and in the first chapter of
his book, de vero Dei Cultu, he giveth us manifest’. But
instead of many we like well the citing of that one testimony,
touching the true service of God, freely uttered by the mouth
of a Roman martyr® before judge Asclepiades at the Roman
consistory. For after he had both courageously and religiously
told what God was in person, and what in substance, he
addeth :
Thou knowest God: now understand as well
The form and manner how he served is;
What kind of church it is where he doth dwell;
What gifts to give he thought it not amiss ;
What vows he asks: whom he (beside all this) -
Will have his priests, and in his church likewise
What he commands to bring for sacrifice.
Unto himself, even in the mind of man,
A church he hath youchsafed up to rear;
[4 So ed. 1577: but 1584, 1587, in the world; a mundo, Lat. ]
[° In Dei agnitione et cultu rerum summa versatur; in hoc est spes
omnis ac salus hominis: hic est sapientise gradus primus, ut sciamus
quis sit nobis verus pater, eumque solum pietate debita prosequamur,
huic pareamus, huic devotissime serviamus; in eo promerendo actus
omnis et cura et opera collocetur.—Lactant. Instit. Lib. vi. cap. 9.
p. 576. Lugd. Bat. 1660.]
[6 recitat, Lat. ]
[7 et luculentissima de vero Dei Cultu, cap. 1. Lat.; and (the same
author) gives the most clear description of the true worship of God in
the first chapter (of the same book).—The sixth book of Lactantius’
Institutes is entitled, De Vero Cultu.]
[5 Rather, of the martyr Romanus. ]
15
[ BULLINGER, III. ]
The testi-
mony ofa
Roman
martyr con-
cerning the
true service
of God
God’s temple
or church.
226 THE FOURTH DECADE. [SERM,
A lively, feeling, breathing church, which can
Not sundred be, fair, beautiful, and clear,
And never like destruction’s dint to fear,
With lofty top, and painted pleasantly
With colours fresh of great diversity.
God’s priest. At th’ holy porch a priest is standing there,
And keeps the doors before the church which been.
Faith is her name, a virgin chaste and clear,
Her hair tied up with fillets like a queen.
For sacrifices simple, pure, and clean,
And which she knows are pleasing, bids this priest
Offer to God, and to his dear Son Christ ;
God’s sacri- A shamefac’d look, a meek and harmless heart,
aa The rest of peace, a body pure and chaste,
The fear of God, which sinners doth convert:
The rule likewise of knowledge truly plac’d,
A sober fast from all excessive waste
Of gluttony, an hope which doth not faint,
A liberal hand which gives without restraint.
From these oblations a vapour doth arise,
Which savours sweet by virtue’s force compels:
It doth ascend and pierce the azure skies ;
The scent of balm and saffron it excels,
Yea frankincense, and Persian spices’ smells:
From earth to heaven it mounteth up aloft,
And pleaseth God therewith delighted oft}.
[1 Cognostis ipsum? nunc colendi agnoscite
Ritum modumque; quale sit templi genus;
Quee dedicari sanxerit donaria;
Que vota poscat; quos sacerdotes velit ;
Quod mandet illic nectar immolarier.
ALdem sibi ipse mente in hominis condidit,
Vivam, serenam, sensualem, flabilem,
Solvi incapacem posse, nec destructilem,
Pulchram, venustam, preeminentem culmine,
Discriminatis inlitam coloribus,
Tllic sacerdos stat sacrato in lumine,
Foresque primas virgo custodit Fides,
Innexa crines vinculis regalibus.
Poscit litari victimas Christo et Patri,
Quas scit placere, candidatas, simplices ;
Frontis pudorem, cordis innocentiam,
Pacis quietem, castitatem corporis,
Dei timorem, regulam scientiz,
Jejuniorum parcitatem sobriam,
Spem non jacentem, semper et largam manum.
v.| OF SERVING THE ONLY GOD. 227
And so forth as followeth to this purpose. These things
I think sufficient, concerning the inward service of God:
wherein I confess in the meanwhile to be somewhat which
may be referred also to the outward service of God.
The outward service of God springeth from the inward : the outward
neither is it known to God alone, as this other, but is open Goa”
to the judgment of man; and it is a keeping or executing of
the rites instituted of God himself, whereby we do both tes-
tify unto men the inward service, and practise them to the
glory of God and our profit. Of this kind were among the
ancient people the temple, the priesthood, and all the cere-
monies instituted of God, which are very often called the
service of God. And this service had his appointed limits;
for it was not lawful for every one to feign a service of
God after their own pleasure, as is shewed at large in the
law and in the holy history.
Now that outward service served to the glory of God
and the profit of the faithful: which thing I have declared
when I was in hand with the Jewish? ceremonies. Further-
more, as Christ abrogated those old rites, so in their stead
he placed again a very few. For he instituted an holy as-
sembly, wherein his will is that his word should be preached
and expounded out of the holy scripture to his own glory
and to our profit; common prayer to be made; and the
sacraments to be ministered and received. ‘To which things a
convenient place is necessary, fit time, due order, and holy
instruments. Where again the godly do in nothing follow
their own wills; for from the word of that God, whom
they serve, they fetch the whole manner and order of serving
him. Whereof somewhat is spoken in the fourth command-
ment of the first table, and shall be spoken more at large in
due place and order.
Ex his ameenus hostiis surgit vapor,
Vincens odorem balsami, turis, croci,
Auras madentes Persicorum aromatum ;
Sublatus inde coelum adusque tollitur,
Et prosperatum dulce delectat Deum.
Prudentii Peristeph. Hymn. xiv. 341—365.
Romanus, whose address to Asclepiades, prefect of the city, is thus
versified, was a martyr at Antioch in the fourth century. Magdeb.
Centur. Cent. Iv. cap. 12.]
[2 Isracliticis, Lat. |
15—2
Luke x.
Luke xi.
That only
God is to be
served.
Deut. xiii.
228 THE FOURTH DECADE. [sERM.
To be short, they serve God with outward service, who
by faith and obedience gather themselves into the holy as-
sembly at limited times; who keep the ecclesiastical disci-
pline derived out of the word of God; who hear the word of
God, or the holy exposition of the sacred scriptures; who
pray publicly with the church; who religiously participate
the sacraments ; and observe other lawful and wholesome rites
or ceremonies. By this their service they glorify God
among men, and receive of God no small reward!, namely,
his blessing, and increase of heavenly gifts.
There is no need, I think, in this place, of testimonies
of the scriptures, to confirm these things that we have hitherto
spoken touching the outward service of God. For every-
where in the history of the Gospel, in the Acts and Epistles
of the Apostles, very many are to be found. For the Lord
Jesus doth everywhere gather together holy assemblies, to
whom he preacheth the gospel, and commendeth prayer.
Of Mary sitting at his feet and hearing his preaching he
saith: ‘“‘This one thing is necessary ; Mary hath chosen the
good part, which shall not be taken from her.” And in
another place: ‘ Blessed are they,” saith he, “ which hear
the word of God, and keep it.” Surely the Lord himself
instituted and put in use the sacraments. For to John, not
consenting to baptize him at his asking, and saying, “I have
need to be baptized of thee, and comest thou to me?” he
answered, ‘‘ Let it be so now: for so it becometh us to fulfil
all righteousness.” Whereupon the apostle Paul likewise,
diligently commending ecclesiastical discipline to the churches,
ordained most decently holy assemblies. The places are very
well known unto all; 1 Cor. xi. 14, 16; likewise 1 Tim. ii.
and elsewhere.
But before I conclude this place, I will shew that only
God is to be served*. And surely the service itself, whereof
we have hitherto entreated, cannot be bestowed upon any
creature, neither angels nor celestial saints; to God alone it
agreeth. Wherefore there is none so blind but may see
that God alone must be served with these. And when God
requireth of us his service or duty, he requireth our whole
heart: nothing therefore is left us to bestow upon other.
Moses, full of the Spirit of God, saith in his law: “ Ye shall
[ utilitatem, Lat. ] [2 colendum, Lat.]
ν.] OF SERVING THE ONLY GOD. 229
walk after the Lord your God, and fear him; his command-
ments shall ye keep; and ye shall hearken unto his voice,
and ye shall serve him, and cleave unto him.” Neither
makes it any matter that here the word “alone” is not
added, seeing that the words are uttered with an emphasis
or force. For when he saith, “Him shall ye serve, and
to him ye shall cleave,” what other thing do we understand,
than to him and not to any other, therefore to him alone?
Furthermore, in the sixth chapter of Deuteronomy, thou
dost not read, “Thou shalt fear the Lord thy God, and him
alone shalt thou serve, and thou shalt swear by his name ;”
but, “Thou shalt fear the Lord thy God, and him” (em-
phatically) “shalt thou serve, and thou shalt swear by his
name.” Furthermore, the Lord in the gospel, bringing these
words of the law against the tempter, and making the em-
phasis plain, “ It is written,” (saith he), «‘ Thou shalt worship
the Lord thy God, and him only shalt thou serve.” Which
testimony doubtless, being most effectual and pithy, is only
sufficient for our demonstration, that God alone is to be
served.
I will moreover add hereunto the testimony of a man,
howbeit established by divine authority, which we also else-
where set down in our books. St Augustine, de Quantitate
Anime, doth shew that God alone is to be served in this
sort: ‘‘ Whatsoever the soul doth serve as God, needful it
is that she think the same better than herself. But we must
believe that neither the earth, nor the sea, nor the stars,
nor the moon, nor the sun, nor anything at all that may be
felt, or seen with these eyes; to be short, not heaven itself,
which cannot be seen of us, is better than the nature of the
soul: yea rather, that all these are far worse than is any
soul, assured reason doth convince®.” And anon; “ If there-
fore there be any other thing of those that God hath cre-
ated, something is worse, something is as good: worse, as
[3 Quicquid enim anima colit ut Deum, necesse est ut melius esse
quam seipsam putet. Animeze autem natura nec terra, nec maria, nec
sidera, nec luna, nec sol, nec quicquam omnino quod tangi aut his
oculis videri potest, non denique ipsum, quod videri a nobis non potest,
celum, melius esse credendum est. Imo hee omnia longe deteriora
esse, quam est queelibet anima, ratio certa conyincit.— August. de Quant.
Anime. cap. 84, Opp. Tom. 1. fol. 130. col. 4. Par. 1532.]
Matt. iv.
How saints
are to be
worshipped.
Of true re-
ligion.
230 THE FOURTH DECADE. [SERM.
the soul of a beast; equal, as the angels: but nothing is
better: and if happily something of these better, this cometh
to pass by sin and not by nature; by which sin notwith-
standing it becometh not so ill, that the soul of a beast is
either to be preferred before it, or to be compared with it.
God therefore alone is to be worshipped of it, who alone is
the author of it. And as for any other man, though he be
most wise and most perfect, or any soul endued with reason,
and most blessed, they are only to be loved and followed ;
and according to desert and order, that is to be exhibited
unto them, which agreeth and is fit for them. For it is
written, ‘Thou shalt worship the Lord thy God, and him
only shalt thou serve!.’” These be St Augustine’s words.
And thus far have we entreated of one only, living, true, and
everlasting God to be served.
Moreover, whosoever cleave unto God with a sincere
faith, and worship, call upon, and serve one God lawfully,
they are rightly named religious: their study and action is
true religion. Some will have religion to be derived a relin-
quendo*, because thereby we leave or forsake false gods, all
errors, and earthly desires, and seek after the true God, after
truth, and heavenly things. Massurius Sabinus saith: ‘That
is religious, which for some holiness’ sake we put by and
severally set aside. The word ‘religion’ hath his name a relin-
quendo,as Ceremonie a carendo*.” But M. Cicero supposeth
that Religio is so called ὦ relegendo (of selecting or putting
apart), because they that be religious do carefully choose all
[1 Si quid ergo aliud est eorum que Deus creavit, quiddam est
deterius, quiddam par: deterius, ut anima pecoris; par, ut angeli:
melius autem nihil. Et si quando est aliquid horum melius, hoc pec-
cato ejus fit, non natura; quo tamen non usque adeo fit deterior, ut ei
pecoris anima preferenda aut conferenda sit. Deus igitur solus ei
colendus est, qui solus ejus est auctor. Homo autem quilibet alius,
quanquam sapientissimus et perfectissimus, vel prorsus queelibet anima
rationis compos atque beatissima, amanda tantummodo et imitanda est,
eique pro merito atque ordine, quod ei congruit, deferendum. Nam
Dominum Deum tuum adorabis, et illi soli servies.—August. ibid. }
[2 Vol. 11. p. 125, note 4. ]
[3 Massurius Sabinus, in commentariis quos de indigenis composuit,
Religiosum, inquit, est quod propter sanctitatem aliquam remotum ac
sepositum a nobis est; verbum a relinquendo dictum, tanquam ceerimo-
nie a carendo.—Aul. Gell. Noct. Att. Lib. Iv. cap. 9. p. 280. Lugd.
Bat. 1700.]
v. | OF SERVING THE ONLY GOD. 231
things which seem to belong to the service of the gods. But
he is confuted, in many words, of Lactantius Firmianus, an
ancient writer of the church, Lib. Jnstit. iv. cap. 28, where
among other things he saith: ‘‘ On this condition we are born,
that being born we might do to God just and due service,
that we should know him alone, and that him we should fol-
low. With this bond of godliness we are straitly bound
and tied unto God; whereupon religion itself took her name.”
And anon after: “We said that the name of religion was
derived from the bond of godliness, because God hath tied and
bound man unto himself in godliness: for that it is needful
that we serve him as a lord, and obey him as a father 4.”
Other ecclesiastical writers also following him, as Hierome
and Augustine, derived religion a religando, of tying or
binding. For Hierome in his commentary upon the ninth
chapter of Amos saith: “This bundle tied up with the religion
of the Lord, which is one. Religion therefore took her
name a religando, of tying together, and binding into the
Lord’s bundle®.” And Augustine in his book de Quantitate
Anime, chapter 36, saith: “True religion is, whereby the
soul tieth herself through reconciliation to one God, from
whom through sin she had as it were broken away®.” The
same Augustine, in his book de Vera Religione, and last
chapter, saith: “Let religion tie us unto one God Almighty,
whereof it is believed to be named religion’.”
[2 Hac conditione gignimur, ut generanti (Bullinger read, generati)
nos Deo justa et debita obsequia prsebeamus; hunc solum noverimus;
hune sequamur. Hoc vinculo pietatis obstricti Deo religati sumus;
unde ipsa religio nomen accepit: non, ut Cicero interpretatus est, a
relegendo; qui in libro de natura deorum secundo (cap. 28) dicit ita,
&c. &c.... Diximus nomen religionis a vinculo pietatis esse deductum ;
quod hominem sibi Deus religaverit, et pietate constrinxerit: quia ser-
vire nos ei, ut domino, et obsequi, ut patri, necesse est. —Lactant.
Instit. Lib. rv. cap. 28.]
[5 Iste fasciculus una Domini religione constrictus est. Unde et
ipsa religio a religando, et in fascem Domini vinciendo, nomen accepit.
—Hieron. Comment. in Amos. cap. 8. Opp. Tom. 1. col. 1448. Par.
1693—1706. ]
[6 Est enim religio vera, qua se uni Deo anima, unde se peccato
velut abruperat, reconciliatione religat.—Aug. Opp. Par. 1532. Tom. 1.
fol. 131. col. 1.]
[7 See the quotation, Vol. 1. p. 233, note 5. Aug. Opp. Tom. 1.
fol. 156, col. 3.]
What true
religion is.
232 THE FOURTH DECADE. [SERM.
We say, therefore, that true religion is none other thing
than a friendship, a knitting, and an unity (or league) with the
true, living, and everlasting God; unto whom we being linked
by a true faith do worship, call upon, and serve him alone ;
upon whom we do wholly depend, living in all things according
to his will, or according to the prescript rule and law of his
word. Therefore most rightly is the whole matter of salvation
and faith comprised in this one word, religion : which elsewhere
is called in scripture a league or covenant, and elsewhere again,
marriage or wedlock. For as they which be confederate are
united and made one by a league; so God and man are knit
together by religion: and as by marriage the husband and
the wife are made one body, so by religion we are knit into
a spiritual body with God, as with our husband, and with the
very Son of God, as with our bridegroom and our head.
Hitherto therefore doth belong whatsoever things are uttered
in the scriptures touching the keeping of the league or cove-
nant, and the faith of marriage, Truce-breakers are they,
disloyal, and infamous through their adultery, whosoever,
being not knit to one God by faith, worship him alone, call
upon him through Christ, and serve him also as he himself
hath said in his word he would be served. |
The very same are also called superstitious. For super-
stition is false religion, which doth not serve God but somewhat
else for God, or not God alone, or not rightly or lawfully.
This word superstition stretcheth itself even to old wives’
tales and doting errors: for in Dutch we call superstition,
aberglauben, mis-glauben, und mis-bruch. But Lactantius,
reasoning most exactly of this word, in his fourth book of
Institutions, and twenty-eighth chapter, writeth in this
sort: ‘“ Religion is the service of the true God ; superstition,
of the false. They are said to be superstitious, not that
wish their children to outlive them, for that we do all wish;
but either they that reverence the memory remaining of
the dead; or else they that, while their parents were alive,
worshipped their images within their houses, like household
gods. For those which did take unto themselves new rites,
to the intent they might instead of gods honour the dead,
whom they thought were taken from among men and received
into heaven ; those (I say) they called superstitious : but those
v.| OF SERVING THE ONLY GOD. 233
that worshipped and served public and ancient gods they
named religious. Whereupon saith Virgil:
Vain superstition, ignorant
Of th’ old and ancient gods.
But seeing we do find that our ancients have been in sem-
blable manner consecrated gods after their death, they there-
fore which serve many and false gods are superstitious. But
we are religious, which pray and make our supplications to
one God, being the true God, &c.!”
Superstition consisteth chiefly in these points; either when To leave, or
the Lord is not served, but other gods in his stead, the only Se. ο
one, true, and living God being left and forsaken; or else ‘**™8°8°%*
when the Lord is served, but not alone, but other together
with him; or else when he is served, but not with his lawful
service.
In the first kind of superstition did the Gentiles in a
manner? offend, who knew not the true God; insomuch that
they, instead of the true God, worshipped false, feigned, or
strange gods. And that the Israelites also, God’s people, were
sick of the same madness, the holy prophet Jeremy is a witness;
who, expostulating and reasoning the matter with the people,
saith: “Hear ye-the word of the Lord, O house of Jacob, and Je- it
all the families of the house of Israel. Thus saith the Lord,
What iniquity have your fathers found in me, that they are
gone far from me, and have walked after vanity, and are
become vain? For they said not, Where is the Lord that
brought us? out of the land of Egypt ; that led us through the
wilderness, through a desert and waste land, through a dry
[1 Superstitiosi vocantur, non qui filios suos superstites optant (om-
nes enim optamus), sed aut ii, qui superstitem memoriam defunctorum
colunt; aut qui parentibus suis superstites colebant imagines eorum
domi tanquam deos penates. Nam qui novos 5101 ritus assumebant, ut
deorum vice mortuos honorarent, quos ex hominibus in ccelum receptos
putabant, hos superstitiosos vocabant; eos vero, qui publicos et anti-
quos deos colerent, religiosos nominabant. Unde Virgilius:
Vana superstitio, veterumque ignara deorum,
Sed cum vyeteres quoque deos inveniamus eodem modo consecratos
esse post obitum, superstitiosi ergo qui multos ac falsos deos colunt:
nos autem religiosi, qui uni et vero Deo supplicamus.—Lactant. Instit.
Lib. Iv. cap. 28. p. 445. Lugd. Bat. 1660.]
[2 fere, Lat.; generally. |
[3 brought us up out, ed. 1577. ]
234 THE FOURTH DECADE. [SERM.
land, and by the shadow of death, by a land that no man
passed through, and where no man dwelt? And I brought
you into a plentiful country, to eat the fruit thereof and the
commodities of the same: but when ye entered, ye defiled my
land, and made mine heritage an abomination. The priests
said not, Where is the Lord? and they that should minister
the law, knew me not: the pastors also offended against me ;
and the prophets prophesied in Baal, and went after things that
did not profit (or followed idols). Wherefore I will yet plead
with you, saith the Lord; and I will plead with your children’s
children. For go ye to theisles of Chittim, and behold; and
send unto Kedar, and take diligent heed; and see whether
there be such things. Hath any nation changed their gods,
which yet are no gods? But my people have changed their
glory for that which doth not profit (or for an idol). O ye
heavens, be astonied at this; be afraid, and utterly confounded,
saith the Lord. For my people have committed two evils:
they have forsaken me, the fountain of living waters, to dig
them pits, even broken pits, that can hold no water.” Thou
dost hear that the people of Israel by an heinous offence, and
for the which no amends might be made, forsook God, the
lively spring, and digged unto themselves broken pits. The
waters do signify the perfit good, wherewith the desire both of
the soul and the body may be satisfied. Such a plentiful spring
is God alone, the highest, excellentest, and perfittest good.
This being forsaken, they digged, that is, with very great
pains and costs they provided for themselves, pits; that is,
they turned themselves to creatures, to them that are no gods,
neither yet are able to satisfy their desires. This mischief
even at this day also is common; whiles many, having forsaken
God, are turned unto celestial saints, of whom they desire that
which was to be desired of God, neither can be given but of
God alone.
Here hath idolatry a place, that is, the worshipping of
images. For they not only! are superstitious, which feign
unto themselves false gods, having forsaken the true God;
or that put their trust in things of nothing: but they also
which worship and reverence the images either of God, or of
gods, are also superstitious. For images or counterfeits? are
set up either to the true God himself, or else to false gods, to
[1 not they only, ed. 1577.] [2 simulacra, Lat. |
v. | OF SERVING THE ONLY GOD. 235
creatures (I say) themselves. But it is not lawful by any
image or counterfeit to represent the exceeding great, ever-
lasting, and living God world without end. Neither is it
lawful to worship or serve him being expressed by an image
or likeness: much less therefore is it lawful to consecrate unto
creatures images or counterfeits, to worship and serve them.
There are very many testimonies of scripture extant against
idolatry ; as in Exodus xx. Esay xl. xlivy. Psalm exv. 1 Co-
rinthians vi. x. Romansi. Galatians v. 1 Thessalonians 1.
1 Peter iv. 1 John v. Jeremy x. &c. Furthermore, I do
here diligently admonish the simpler sort, that they suffer not
themselves to be deceived. For none can avoid the name of
an idolater, that doth worship, reverence, and fear images ;
that putteth some part of his confidence in them; that lieth
along before them; that offereth them gifts; that keepeth them
in a place of solemnity and honour; that sticketh up tapers
and burneth incense unto them; that loveth, beautifieth, main-
taineth, enricheth, and serveth them with any kind of sacrifice —
or holy service whatsoever. But concerning idolatry we have
spoken very largely elsewhere?.
Furthermore, they served (who doubts it?) the God of ΕΣ
Israel; howbeit not alone, but with the true God other gods alone, but
to worship
also, of whom we read in the history of the kings: “ And also together
yet they served,” (or feared) “the Lord: and they appointed tie Goa. _
out priests (even of the basest) unto themselves for the **'™®*”
high places, who prepared for them sacrifices in the houses
of the high places. And when they served the Lord, they
served their own gods also, after the manner of the nations
from whence they were brought into Samaria.” And again:
‘So these nations feared the Lord, and served their images
also; so did their children, and their children’s children: as
did their fathers, so do they unto this day.” This mischief,
in like manner, is altogether common at this day. For a
man may find worshippers and servers of God who will at
no hand be persuaded that God alone is to be served, yea,
boldly affirming that it is flat and damnable heresy to deny
that together with God saints are both to be worshipped,
called upon, and served. Against whom we have elsewhere’,
and in this our present sermon also, sufficiently disputed.
Here likewise cometh next to hand to be marked the
[3 Decade 11. Serm. 2.] [4 Bulling. de Orig. Error. Lib. 1.]
The pro-
perties of
God are in
no case to be
attributed
unto strange
gods.
Isai. xli. xlii.
ἄς.
God’s gifts
are not to be
attributed to
strange gods.
Hosea ii.
236 THE FOURTH DECADE. [SERM.
diverse manner and sundry fashion of serving God super-
stitiously. For neither doth he only and alone serve God
superstitiously, who indeed first feigneth or imagineth in his
mind a God, and then afterwards expresseth the same God
by an image or counterfeit, whereunto by and by upon that
he offereth sacrifices and incense, and, lying prostrate upon
the ground, worshippeth in presence of the same, and suppli-
antly serveth it with all reverence: but he principally serveth
God superstitiously, who doth communicate the incommuni-
cable properties of God to creatures, albeit he express God
by no representation, likeness, or counterfeit; or he which
thinketh that the gifts, which he hath received from heaven
at the hands of God, are given and bestowed upon him of
celestial saints. Furthermore, the incommunicable properties
of God are, able to do all things, to know all things, to be
present in every place, to hear all things, to help, succour,
or assist, to be loving, bountiful, just, righteous, and merciful.
Verily, Esay, the best learned of the prophets and of singular
authority, proveth and convinceth by these most strong and
substantial arguments or reasons, that the gods of the Baby-
lonians and Gentiles are no gods: “Because they cannot
foretel or know things that are to come hereafter, neither
yet can do good or evil.” Wherefore, able to enrich and
store with all manner of benefits, and to chastise with due
deserved punishments; so also to know all things, and to be
of power to compass and do all things; they are the pro-
perties of God alone, communicable to no creature. He there-
fore is superstitious, which attributeth these properties to
celestial saints, and for that cause doth serve and call upon
them. Osee the prophet doth very sore inveigh against the
Jews, who gave and attributed to strange gods the gifts of
God, insomuch that he nameth the synagogue of such a
strumpet or harlot. “41 will have no pity” (saith he) “upon
her children: for they be the children of fornications. For
their mother hath played the harlot: she that conceived
them hath done shamefully. For she said, I will go after
my lovers, that give me my bread and my water, my wool
and my flax, mine oil and my drink.” And anon after:
“Now she did not know that I gave her corn, and wine,
and oil; and multiplied” (or gave her much) “her silver and
gold, which they bestowed even upon Baal.” And it is a
v.] OF SERVING THE ONLY GOD. 237
thing much used at this day, to ascribe unto celestial saints,
and not to the only God, the increase of the earth, and the
temperate or sharp seasons of the year, as though they came
from them. But that is superstition, not godliness or re-
ligion.
Furthermore, God is superstitiously served, when indeed 1o serve oa,
he is served alone, howbeit not after a lawful manner. Un- ea aaa
lawful service proceedeth from the will and imagination of
men; and it is contrary to the word and ordinance of God.
For God is then lawfully served, when he is served according
to his own will and word. In the law thus hath the Lord
commanded: “Beware that thou seek not after the gods of peut xii
the Gentiles, saying, How did these nations serve their gods,
that I may do so likewise? Thou shalt ποῦ do so unto the
Lord thy God, &c. (Therefore) whatsoever I command you,
take heed you do it: thou shalt put nothing thereto, nor take
ought therefrom.” Nadab and Abihu offer strange fire unto Levit. x.
the Lord: therefore are they burned up in the presence of
the Lord with fire from heaven. Oza also perished, because [2 sam. vi]
he handled the ark of God otherwise than the Lord had
commanded in his law. Micha, in the book of Judges, insti- suages xvii.
tuted unto the true God, whose name is Jehovah, an image,
an aliar, a chapel, and a service: but it is reproved in the
sacred scripture, because it was not only not fetched out of
the holy scripture, but was in all respects quite contrary and
utterly against the law of God. Jeroboam also ordained ; kings xii
passing sumptuous service ; he instituted cathedral churches, τ
and set up golden images, all to the God of Israel: but for
that they were not agreeable to the word of the Lord, they
are all, one with another, utterly condemned for execrable
and accursed sacrileges. Yea, what we may think in general
of all the services which are neither instituted of God, nor
agreeing with the word of God, but feigned upon a good
intent and meaning of our own, that only testimony of the
most excellent prophet Samuel doth declare to us, which he
pronounced against Saul and his sacrifices in these words:
“Hath the Lord as great pleasure in burnt-offerings and sa- 1 sam. xv.
crifices, as when the voice of the Lord is obeyed? Behold,
to obey is better than sacrifice, and to hearken (is better)
than the fat of rams. For rebellion is as the sin of witch-
craft, and transgression is wickedness and idolatry.” Here-
Isai. Ixvi.
Isai. xxix.
Matt. xv.
The Son is
begotten
of the
Father, un-
speakably,
from ever-
lasting.
238 THE FOURTH DECADE. | SERM.
unto maketh that which we read in Esay: “ He that killeth
a bullock is as if he slew a man; he that sacrificeth a sheep,
as if he cut off a dog’s neck; he that offereth an oblation,
as if he offered swine’s blood; he that remembereth incense,
as if he blessed an idol, All these things have they chosen
in their own ways, and their soul is delighted in their own
abominations.” Vain therefore and abominable are those
services which are not reduced and framed to the pure word
of God: for the same prophet saith, “ In vain do they serve
me, teaching doctrines of men.”
The living, true, and everlasting God, who will and ought
only and alone to be worshipped, to be called upon, and to
be served, give unto all men true religion, and deliver them
from all vain superstition, through Jesus Christ our Lord.
Amen. A. F.
THAT THE SON OF GOD IS UNSPEAKABLY BEGOTTEN
OF THE FATHER; THAT HE IS CONSUBSTANTIAL WITH
THE FATHER, AND THEREFORE TRUE GOD. THAT
THE SELFSAME SON IS TRUE MAN; CONSUB-
STANTIAL WITH US: AND THEREFORE
TRUE GOD AND MAN, ABIDING IN
TWO UNCONFOUNDED NATURES,
AND IN ONE UNDIVIDED
PERSON.
THE SIXTH SERMON.
Tue things themselves and their order do require, that
after I have spoken generally of God, of his unity, and of
his trinity, I further entreat particularly of the persons of
the reverend Trinity; and first of all, of our Lord Jesus
Christ, true God and man; then of the Holy Ghost: where-
with if our minds be endued, all things whatsoever we speak
and hear shall tend to the glory of God’s name, and to the
salvation of our souls. Let us therefore pray, &c.
The everlasting Father, the original and author of all
things, begot the Son by an everlasting and unspeakable
begetting. or the whole scripture with one agreement doth
call God a Father, yea truly, an eternal or everlasting Fa-
ther. But none is a father of his own self, but a father
VI. | OF CHRIST TRUE AND VERY GOD. 239
of his son: and for because he is the everlasting Father, he
must therefore necessarily have an everlasting Son, equal
unto himself in all respects, co-eternal, and consubstantial
with him. St Paul undoubtedly for the confirmation of
this catholic verity allegeth out of the old Testament two
testimonies. ‘ Unto which,” saith he, “of his angels said cneb.i.5.]
God at any time, Thou art my Son, this day have I begotten
thee?” and again, “I will be his Father, and he shall be
my Son:” all which words he applieth unto Christ Jesus,
the Son of God. Of whom also Micheas beareth witness,
saying: “And thou, Bethlehem Ephrata, art little to be micanv.
among the thousands of Judah; yet out of thee shall he
come forth unto me, that shall be the ruler in Israel: whose
goings forth” (or spreadings abroad)! “ have been from the
beginning and from everlasting.” Whereupon the Son of
God himself, in the Gospel after John, saith: ‘“ Verily I say sonn vii.
unto you, Before Abraham was, I am.” And John saith:
“In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with soni.
God, and God was the Word.” But he doth understand by
‘‘ The Word,” not the word which is spoken and so vanisheth,
not the counsel of God, but the person of the Son. For by
and by he addeth, “And the Word became” (or was made)
‘flesh.’ And we do know that the Son of God, not the
determination” or purpose of God (as heretics do vainly ima-
gine), was incarnate. But he which in time was incarnate was
with the Father from everlasting and before all beginnings, and
therefore also true God with the true God. For, ‘The Word,”
saith he, “was with God, and God was the Word :” because
in the beginning, namely, from everlasting, he was with God.
These simple and plain testimonies, delivered unto us
out of the scriptures, and therefore most true, concerning
the everlasting begetting of, the Son by the Father, are suffi-
cient, I think, for them that are not curious. For the scrip-
ture doth not here fulfil? the vain desires of curious men,
neither yet reasoneth of these points subtilly; but rather
delivereth and setteth down but a few things, in which it is
our parts to believe. But that which the scripture either
doth not set down, or else in few words shadoweth out,
either we are ignorant of to our health, or else, sticking
[1 emanationes, Lat. ] [2 cogitationem, Lat.]
[3 non explet, Lat. ]
* Or age, as
other trans-
late it.
240 THE FOURTH DECADE. [sERM.
to that that is set down, we seek not further for more.
The holy father Cyril, expounding that saying of the evan-
gelist John, “In the beginning was the Word,” saith: “Let
us not, seeking things infinite and which cannot be con-
tained within bounds, busy our brains about a consideration
that cannot be expressed, and never can have anend. For
neither will we grant a beginning of beginning, neither yet
will we yield that the Son was begotten of the Father in
time: but we will confess that he is with the Father from
everlasting. Tor if he was in the beginning, what mind may
be able at any time to climb beyond that was? Or when
shall we so comprehend in our mind that was, that it go
not before or outreach our thoughts? Upon good reasons
therefore and worthily the prophet Esay, being astonished,
crieth out, ‘And who shall declare his generation* ?’ For
he, passing all capacity of minds, and being far above and
beyond all reason of man, is unspeakable.” And anon after
he saith: ‘‘ Because the Son is before all worlds, he cannot be
begotten in time: but he is evermore in the Father as in a
fountain; as he saith of himself, ‘I went out and came from
the Father. For we do understand the Father as a foun-
tain, in whom the Word is his wisdom, his power, the engraven
form of his person, his brightness, and his image. Where-
fore, if there never were any time wherein the Father was
without his wisdom, his power, the engraven form of his
person, his brightness, and finally his image; we must of ne-
cessity and force confess, that the Son also is co-eternal and
everlasting with him, since he is the wisdom, power, &c. of
the Father everlasting. For how is he the engraven form
of his Father’s person, or how is he the most perfect image
of his Father, unless he have perfectly obtained and possess
the beauty of him, whose image he is? And it is not ab-
surd that we said, the Son is to be understood in the Father
as ina fountain. For the name of fountain doth signify no-
thing else than as from whom: and the Son is in the Father
and from the Father; not flowing abroad, but either as
brightness from the sun, or as heat from the fire wherewith
it is endued. For in these examples we see one from one
to be brought forth, and both to be so co-everlasting, that
the one can neither be without the other, nor yet keep and
retain the quality of their nature. For how shall it be the
VI. | OF CHRIST TRUE AND VERY GOD. 241
sun, if it be deprived of his brightness; or how shall bright-
ness be, unless there be a sun from whence it doth come?
And how shall that be fire that wanteth heat? or from
whence should heat come but from the fire, or else from
somewhat else peradventure not far distant from the sub-
stantial quality of fire? As therefore the qualities which
proceed from these bodies are together with them from
whence they do proceed, and evermore declare from whence
they do come; so is it to be understood in the only-begotten.
For he is understood to be of the Father, but he is believed
to be likewise in the Father: not differing from the nature
of his Father, neither yet next his Father second in nature:
but always in the Father himself, and with him, and from
him, according to the manner of his unspeakable begetting}.”
a 3 “ 3 “ a
[1 Οὐκοῦν ἀρχη μὲν ἀρχῆς οὐκ ἔσται, κατὰ τὸν ἀκριβῆ τε καὶ ἀληθῆ
λογισμὸν, ἀλλ᾽ εἰς ἀμήρυτον μέντοι καὶ ἀκατάληπτον 6 περὶ αὐτῆς ἀποδη-
, , , \ > > , a LAN \ wn τὰν a δ A
μήσει λόγος. τέλος δὲ οὐκ ἐχούσης τῆς ἀεὶ πρὸς τὸ ἀνόπιν φυγῆς, καὶ τὸ
΄“ . > , id 8 > , x τίδί δὲ αλλ
τῶν αἰώνων ἀναφοιτώσης μέτρον, οὐκ ἐν χρόνῳ γεγονὼς ἀϊδίως δὲ μᾶλλον
> δ ἐς > a nd > a “
ὑπάρχων μετὰ πατρὸς εὑρεθήσεται: ἦν γὰρ ἐν ἀρχῇ" εἰ δὲ ἦν ἐν ἀρχῇ, ποῖος,
Sane , a ‘ a 3 e , U , ‘
εἰπέ μοι, δυνήσεται νοῦς τὴν τοῦ ἮΝ ὑπερανίστασθαι δύναμιν ; πότε δὲ
μή ΟΣ ὦ ¢ > , δ᾽ SS. A ,
ὅλως τὸ ἮΝ os ἐν τέλει στήσεται, προανατρέχοντος ἀεὶ τοῦ διώκοντος
a ‘ “ € 4 > “ “ > , . t Fiery | ’ ‘ Ν
λογισμοῦ καὶ τῆς ἑπομένης αὐτῷ προαναπηδῶν ἐννοίας ; ἐπὶ τούτῳ δὴ ἄρα
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“ n ’ “A a a ΄
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a a “ ‘ € , 3
ἐστι διάνοιαν τῶν ὄντων ἐπὶ τῆς γῆς, καὶ ὑπὲρ πάντα λόγον, ὡς εἶναι λοιπὸν
lod “ , ,
ἀνεξήγητον . «.. «. ἐπειδήπερ kal αὐτῶν ἐστι τῶν αἰώνων πρεσβύτερος ὁ vids,
\ \ > , a 6 ὃ φ v& ἀνα, δὲ \ ὃ \ \ ¢ > -
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“ Q \ εἶ » > a x Xr , ἡ ἢ, ᾿Ὶ » a A > AAG ‘
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“ - , a > “
ἥκω. πηγῆς τοιγαροῦν νοουμένου τοῦ πατρὸς, ἦν ὁ λόγος ἐν αὐτῷ σοφία, καὶ
’, A «ες “
δύναμις, καὶ χαρακτὴρ, καὶ ἀπαύγασμα, καὶ εἰκὼν ὑπάρχων αὐτοῦ. καὶ εἰ
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[ BULLINGER, III. |
A confession
concerning
Jesus Christ
the Son of
God our
Lord.
That the Son
is consub-
stantial with
the Father.
242 THE FOURTH DECADE. [SERM.
Thus far Cyril. And these points surely concerning the
Father, and the unspeakable begetting of the Son of God,
are stedfastly to be believed according to the scriptures,
Furthermore, touching the Son of God, let us firmly hold
and undoubtedly believe, that he is consubstantial (or, of the
same substance) with his Father, and therefore true God:
that the selfsame Son, being incarnate for us and made man,
subsisteth in either nature, as well of God, as also of man;
howbeit so that these natures are neither confounded between
themselves, nor yet divided: for we do believe one and the
selfsame our Lord Jesus Christ to be true God and true
man. All and every one of which points throughout their
parts we will plainly, and according to the measure of grace
that God shall give us, declare unto you.
About the word homoousius, which the Latinists agree-
ably’ have translated consubstantiale, consubstantial, the
ecclesiastical history doth testify that there hath been long
and much altercation among the ancient writers. What it
signifieth, and how it was taken of that most famous and
solemn synod of Nice, the most learned and godly Eusebius
Pamphili, bishop of Czesarea, briefly and pithily expounded in
this sort: ‘In that the Son is said to be consubstantial with
the Father, it hath an express signification, for because the
Son of God hath no similitude or likeness with creatures that
were made, but is resembled and likened to the Father alone
who begat him; neither is he of any other substance, essence,
or being, than of the Father.” And the same Eusebius anon
after saith : “‘ Unto which sentence and opinion, in this manner
expounded, it appeareth we may well subscribe: seeing we do
know that the best learned and famous bishops and interpret-
ers among those that were ancient, reasoning of the Godhead
ὄντος ἡλίου τοῦ ἀπαυγάζοντος αὐτό; πῶς δὲ καὶ πῦρ, εἰ τὸ θερμαίνειν οὐκ
ἔχει; πόθεν δὲ τὸ θερμὸν, εἰ μὴ ἐκ πυρὸς, ἢ παρὰ τινὸς ἑτέρου τῆς τοῦ
πυρὸς οὐσιώδους ποιότητος οὐ μακράν που κειμένου; ὥσπερ οὖν ἐν τούτοις
τὸ ἐνυπάρχειν τὰ ἐξ αὐτῶν οὐκ ἀναιρεῖ τὴν συνύπαρξιν, ἀεὶ δὲ συντρέχοντα
τοῖς γεννῶσι δεικνύει τὰ γεννώμενα, καὶ μίαν ὡς πρὸς αὐτὰ τὴν φύσιν κλη-
ρωσάμενα' οὕτω καὶ ἐφ᾽ υἱοῦ. κἂν γὰρ ἐν πατρὶ καὶ ἐκ πατρὸς νοῆται καὶ
λέγηται, οὐκ ἔκφυλος ἡμῖν καὶ ξένος ἢ ὡς per αὐτὸν δεύτερος εἰσβήσεται,
ἀλλ᾽ ὧν ἐν αὐτῷ, καὶ συνυπάρχων ἀεὶ, καὶ ἐξ αὐτοῦ πεφηνὼς, κατὰ τὸν
ἄῤῥητον τῆς θείας γεννήσεως tpdrov.—Cyril. Opp. Lib. 1. in Joann.
Tom. Iv. pp. 11, 2. Lutet. 1638.]
[1 concorditer, Lat. ]
vi. | OF CHRIST TRUE AND VERY GOD. 243
of the Father and the Son, used this word homoousius.” These
be Socrates his words in the first book of histories and the
eighth chapter?. Surely the godly governors of churches,
being constrained by the hypocrisy, craftiness, and malice of
heretics, did themselves use, and caused others also to use,
words most pithy and as little doubtful as might be, whereby
partly they might manifestly express the sound truth, and
partly discover and reprove, yea, and also thrust out, the
deceits and malicious practices of heretics. Arius confessed
that the Son of God was God; but in the meanwhile he
denied that the Son was consubstantial with his Father:
wherefore he declared that he did not sincerely confess the
true Godhead of the Son. Neither makes it any great matter,
though there be not expressed in the holy scripture some apt
and fit word to set out and declare the thing in so many
letters as 1ὖ 15 written in another tongue, so that that be read
to be manifestly expressed in the scriptures, which by the word
is signified. Wherefore, if we shew that the Son is of the same
substance or nature with the Father, and so equal with and
like unto God, and one with him; we have then made sufficient
and plentiful demonstration, that the Son is homooustus, or
consubstantial with the Father. The prophet Zachary, bring-
ing in the person of God speaking, sayeth: “ Arise, O thou
sword, upon my shepherd, and upon the man that is my
fellow (or my co-equal): smite the shepherd, and the sheep (of
the flock) shall be scattered abroad.” Lo, God calleth the
shepherd, that is smitten, his fellow or co-equal. And who is
that shepherd that was smitten, the history of the gospel doth
declare ; pointing out unto us the very Son of God himself, our
Lord Jesus Christ. Neither doth it hinder but further our
cause, that Hierome readeth not, “The man that is co-equal
with me;” but, “The man cleaving unto me.” For as he
denieth not that Amith doth signify co-equal, so he setteth
down another word no less effectual. For when he translat-
[2 Παραστατικὸν δὲ εἶναι τῷ πατρὶ τὸ ὁμοούσιον, τὸ μηδεμίαν ἐμφέρειαν
πρὸς τὰ γεννητὰ κτίσματα τὸν υἱὸν τοῦ Θεοῦ ἐμφαίνειν: μόνῳ δὲ τῷ πατρὶ
τῷ γεγεννηκότι κατὰ πάντα τρόπον ἀφωμοιῶσθαι, καὶ μὴ εἶναι ἐξ ἑτέρας τε
ὑποστάσεως καὶ οὐσίας, ἀλλ᾽ ἐκ τοῦ πατρός. ὯΩι καὶ αὐτῷ τοῦτον ἑρμηνευ-
θέντι τὸν τρόπον, καλῶς ἔχειν ἐφάνη συγκαταθέσθαι: ἐπεὶ καὶ τῶν παλαιῶν
τινὰς λογίους καὶ ἐπιφανεῖς ἐπισκόπους καὶ συγγραφέας ἔγνωμεν ἐπὶ τῆς τοῦ
πατρὸς καὶ υἱοῦ θεολογίας τῷ τοῦ ὁμοουσίου συγχρησαμένους ὀνόματι.
—Socrates, Hist. Eccles. Lib. 1. cap. 8. p. 25. ed. Reading. ]
16—2
oe xiii.
ae
[John viii.
427)
[John x. 30.]
*Identitate et
essentia.
244 THE FOURTH DECADE. [SERM.
eth it, “The man cleaving unto me,” he would express the
inward and very substantial (that I may so term it) inherence
or co-equality of the Father and the Son. For he addeth in
his commentaries: ‘“‘ And the man which cleaveth unto God,
who is it but even he that saith, ‘I am in the Father, and
the Father in me!?’”
Again we read in the gospel of John: ‘The Jews there-
fore sought to kill Jesus, not only because he had broken
the sabbath-day, (ἀλλὰ καὶ πατέρα ἴδιον ἔλεγε τὸν Θεὸν,)
but said also that God was his Father, (even his proper,
or very own:) making himself (ἴσον) equal to God.” Fur-
thermore? the Grecians expound ἴσος, that is to say, equal,
by this word, ὅμοιος, that is to say, like. Neither can that
equality anywhere else have place than in the substance.
For the Jews understand that whereof the Arians will be
ignorant, that the Lord after a certain peculiar and special
manner calleth? God his Father; to wit, ἴδιον, his proper
or very own Father, by nature or by birth, of whom the Son
being naturally begotten is natural and consubstantial with
his Father. For it followeth: ‘ Making himself equal to (or
with) God,” namely in virtue or power, in everlastingness,
and essence. For the same Lord sayeth in the same evan-
gelist: “1 proceeded and came from God.” He did not say
only, “1 came,” but, “I proceeded.” He proceeded from the
Father such a one in substance as the Father is, surely “Light
of light, very God of very God.” For he sayeth again to
the Jews: “Verily I say unto you, Before Abraham was, I
am.” He doth not say, “I have been,” or, “I will be;” but,
“1 am;” alluding to the name of the Lord Jehovah, and
declaring that the substance of his Godhead is the very same
with the substance of the Father, and that he is there-
fore consubstantial with the Father. For yet again he sayeth
more plainly: “1 and the Father are one:” one, I say, not
in concord or agreement, but in *selfsameness and being; for
[1 Super virum coherentem mihi.... Pro eo quod nos vertimus,
super virum cohzrentem mihi, id est, προσκεκολλημένον μοι, Aquila
interpretatus est, super virum contribulem meum, id est, σύμφυλόν pov:
Symmachus, super virum populi mei, quod Hebraice dicitur Amithi.
Jerome proceeds to explain “vir cohzrens Deo,” by John xiy. 10, and
Luke xxiii. 46.—Hieron. Opp. Tom. m. p. 1789. Par. 1704. ]
[2 ceeterum, Lat.; now. |
[3 So also ed. 1584: but ed. 1577 called ; appellasse, Lat. }
VI. | OF CHRIST TRUE AND VERY GOD. 245.
in that place the power and majesty of God are handled.
And when the Jews would without further stay stone the
Lord to death, having spoken these words, they declared
plainly enough after what sort they understood his words:
for they stoned blasphemers to death, who with revilings
either impaired God’s glory, or else usurped and took the
same unto themselves.
Hitherto belongeth that which Paul speaketh concerning
the Son of God, saying: “ Who is the image of the invisible (col. 1. 16.
God, the first-born of all creatures, because all things were
created by him.” For if he be the image of the invisible God,
he must needs be fellow (or co-equal) with God. For in an-
other place Paul calleth the same Christ, “the engraven (Heb. i.3.]
form of God, and his express image,” and answerable in all
respects most truly to his pattern or first figure. An image
verily and likeness is of things that are not unequal or unlike,
but of things equal and like. And he is called “the first-
born,” because he is Prince and Lord‘, not that he is reckoned
among creatures. For all things that were made, by him
they were made: therefore he is no creature, but true God, to
wit, of the nature and substance of God, one with the Father.
The same apostle saith to the Philippians, that the Son is
“in the form (or shape) of God.” But to be in the form (or
shape) of God is nothing else than in all respects to be fellow
(or equal) with God, to be consubstantial with him, and so
indeed God himself. For what it is to be in the form or
shape of God, is by the contrary clause very manifestly de-
clared. For it followeth: ‘‘ He took upon him the form of a cpnit. ii.
servant.” Which is again expounded by that which follow-
eth: ‘“ Being made in the likeness of men;” that is to say,
being made very man, unlike in nothing to all other men,
sin excepted; which in another place is plainly expressed. (Heb. iv. 15.]
And here he addeth again; ‘“ And found in figure as a man.”
Therefore, to be in the form of God is to be co-equal and con-
substantial with God: for he addeth, “ He thought it no
robbery to be equal with God.” For robbery is the taking
away of that which another doth owe; for it is possessed by
injury. The Son therefore is co-equal with the Father, and
true God by nature and after the most proper manner. And
this is the meaning of St Paul his words: Albeit the Son were
[4 See Vol. 1. p. 130.]
246 THE FOURTH DECADE. [ SERM.
of the same glory and majesty with the Father, and could
have remained in his glory without humiliation or debase-
ment; yet had he rather abase himself, that is to say, take
unto him the nature of a man, and cast himself into dangers,
yea, even into death itself. For otherwise according to his
Godhead he suffered no change; for God is unchangeable,
and without variableness.
Since the case so standeth, godly is the saying of St
Ambrose in his book de Fide against the Arians, and fifth
chapter: “Seeing therefore thou dost know this unity of sub-
stance in the Father and the Son, not only by the authority
of the prophets, but also of the gospel; how sayest thou
that Homoousius, consubstantial, is not found in the sacred
scriptures ? as though Homoousius were somewhat else than
that he saith, ‘I went out from God the Father;’ and,
‘I and the Father are one!?’” &c. The scholar, St Augus-
tine, following his master, Ambrose, in his controversy had
with Pascentius confirmeth Homoousius by places of scrip-
ture, and declareth that this is holily used in our faith and
religion?, The same doth he also in his third book against
Maximinus, bishop of the Arians, and fourteenth chapter?.
But what needeth heaping up of more words? For I trust
it is plainly enough declared by evident places of holy
scripture, that the Son is consubstantial with the Father, and
that so it must be believed. We hope also that in the trea-
tise following this selfsame point shall not a little be made
manifest by testimonies of scriptures.
(1 Cum ergo hance unitatem substantiz in Patre et Filio non solum
prophetica sed et evangelica auctoritate cognoscas; quomodo dicis in
scripturis divinis ὁμοούσιον non inyeniri, quasi aliud sit ὁμοούσιον quam
quod dicit, Ego de Patre exivi; et, Ego et Pater unum sumus?—De
Fide Orthodoxa cont. Arrian. cap. 5. Ambros. Opp. Tom. m. Append.
col. 352. Par. 1686—90. The Benedictines consider this not to be
a work of Ambrose. See also James on Corrupt. of Script. &c. p. 31.
ed. 1843. ]
[2 Homoousion, quod in auctoritate divinorum librorum cogebamur
ostendere, etiam si vocabulum ipsum ibi non inyeniamus, fieri posse ut
illud inveniamus, cui hoc vocabulum recte adhibitum judicetur.—Aug.
Pascent. Ep. 173. Opp. Par. 1532. Vol. 1. fol. 150. col. 3.]
[3 Hoc et illud homoousion, quod in concilio Niceno adversus
heereticos Arianos a catholicis Patribus veritatis auctoritate et aucto-
ritatis veritate formatum est.... Quid est, inquam, homoousion nisi,
Ego et Pater unum sumus?—TId. Vol. vr. fol. 151. col. 1.]
vI.] OF CHRIST TRUE AND VERY GOD. 247
Arius with his complices denied that the Son of God, our That the Son
Lord Jesus Christ, is true God. But the most true scripture ἊΣ and
doth so evidently prove and confirm it, that none which
loveth the truth from his heart can doubt anything at all
thereof. We will presently’ cite some testimonies and argu-
ments that are most plain and apparent, whereby, through the
assistance of the Holy Ghost, our faith may be established,
and the catholic and sound truth itself made manifest.
In the third chapter of Matthew, the heavens are opened
to our Lord as he was baptized by John Baptist, and the
Holy Ghost came down in the likeness of a dove, and alighted
upon the head of our Lord Jesus Christ; and forthwith was
a voice heard out of the clouds, pronounced by the glorious
God in this sort: ‘This is my beloved Son, in whom my
soul is well pleased.” And John saith in his gospel®: “ Tora.
saw the Spirit descending from heaven in the likeness of a
dove, and it abode upon him; and I knew him not, but he
that sent me to baptize with water, he said unto me, Upon
whom thou shalt see the Spirit descending and abiding upon
him, this is he which doth baptize with the Holy Ghost.
And I saw and bare witness that this is the Son of God.”
Hereunto belongeth that which Peter, being asked of the
Lord, ‘But whom do ye say that I am?” answered in the Matt. xu.
name of all the disciples; “ Thou art that Christ, the Son
of the living God.” And again, the Lord objecting this,
‘“‘ Will you also be gone ?” Peter again made answer in the
name of them all; “Lord, unto whom shall we go? Thou John vi.
hast the words of everlasting life. And we believe and have
known, that thou art Christ, the Son of the living God.”
We also verily are called the sons of God, howbeit by adop- christ is the
tion: but Christ not by adoption, neither by imputation, but of Go4.
by nature. For in the fourteenth chapter of Mark the high
priest saith unto our Lord: “ Art thou Christ, the Son of the
blessed ?” In Matthew also the same high priest saith: “I boli"
adjure” (or charge) “thee by the living God, that thou tell
us whether thou be® the Son of the living God. Jesus an-
swered, 1am. For ye shall see the Son of man sitting at
the right hand of power, and coming in the clouds of hea-
[4 in presenti, Lat. |
[5 Et Joannes Baptista apud Joannem Eyangelistam, Lat. |
[6 Christus, Lat. omitted. ]
John xix.
John viii.
John x.
248 THE FOURTH DECADE. [SERM.
ven.” Which appeareth to be repeated out of the seventh
chapter of Daniel. Furthermore, they bring this confession
of the Lord before Pilate as blasphemous, and not to be
satisfied but with death, erying: “We have a law, and ac-
cording to our law he ought to die; because he made himself
the Son of God.” But they themselves in the history of
the gospel thunder out these words against the Lord: “ We
are not born of fornication; we have one Father, even God.”
It is certain therefore, that the Jews accused our Saviour
for none other cause of high treason committed against God’s
majesty, than for that he named himself the natural, not
the adopted, Son of God; for the first did not deserve
death, but the last was worthy of death!. For we read
also in the fifth of John: “Therefore the Jews sought the
more to kill him*, not only because he had broken the
sabbath-day, but also for that he said that God was his Fa-
ther, making himself equal with God,” (or God’s fellow.)
Lo, thou hast the manner how he called himself the Son
of God, not by adoption, or reputation, but by nature and
substance. For yet again the Lord himself objecteth this to
them that would have stoned him: ‘‘ Many good works have
I shewed you from my Father: for which of these good
works do ye stone me? The Jews answered again, saying,
For thy good works” (or well-doing) “‘ we do not stone thee,
but for blasphemy ; namely, because thou, being a man, makest
thyself God.” Lo, what could be spoken more plainly?
“Thou makest thyself God.” And what, I pray you, had he
spoken, whereof they gathered these things? “I give unto
my sheep everlasting life, neither shall they perish for ever,
neither shall any pluck them out of my hand. My Father
which gave them me is greater than all: and none can pull
them out of my Father’s hand. I and the Father are one.”
To give life everlasting doth belong to the power of God:
to preserve, and so to preserve that none may be able to
pluck them out of his hands, belongeth to the same power.
Now the Lord proveth this* saying with this argument or
[1 Rather, For the last did not deserve death, but the first was
worthy of death. Hoc enim non erat eapitale, illud erat capitale, Lat. ]
[2 Jesum, Lat. |
[3 So also ed. 1584: but ed. 1577 his saying; suam assertionem,
Lat. |
VI. | OF CHRIST TRUE AND VERY GOD. 249
reason: None is able to pull the sheep out of my Father’s
hands: therefore none can pull them out of my hands. The
proof of his antecedent, Because the Father is greater than
all; that is to say, is the greatest of all, whose divine power
is above all. The proof of his consequent, Because I and
my Father are one; to wit, not in will and agreement only,
but in majesty also and power, whereof we do at this present
entreat ; not of concord or agreement, but of power to make
alive and to preserve. Touching which the Lord himself
most plentifully discourseth throughout the whole fifth
chapter of St John’s gospel, shewing that he forgiveth sins,
that by his power he maketh alive and raiseth up from the
dead, even as his Father doth; therefore that he is of one
and the same divine power and majesty with God the Father.
These things are so evident, plain, and manifest, that albeit
we had none other testimony*, yet these may abundantly
suffice to prove the assertion of the true divinity or very
Godhead of the Son of God, that the Son indeed is true and
very God.
Again the selfsame our Lord and ee with great
liberty of speech and plainness of words, without any man-
ner® of riddle, dark sentence, and obscurity of words, openly
and expressly saith to his disciples: ‘‘ Let not your heart be John xiv.
troubled (or vexed). You believe in God, believe also in me.
I am the way, the truth, and the life. He that hath seen
me hath seen the Father. Do ye not believe that I am in
the Father, and the Father in me?” And certain it is that
Christ our Lord is the heavenly doctor or teacher, the most
constant” defender of the truth, who neither hath seduced
neither yet could seduce and lead out of the way, no, not so
much as one. But [he] biddeth us believe in him as true
and very God. Therefore our Lord and Saviour is true and
very God. For in another place he saith most plainly: “ I John vi.
am the lively bread (or the bread of life) that came down
from heaven: he that believeth in me hath life everlasting.”
He again in the gospel plainly pronounceth, and saith:
“Father, the hour is come; glorify thy Son, that thy Son may Jonn xvii.
also glorify thee: as thou hast given him power of all flesh,
that so many as thou hast given him, he might give them life
[4 So also ed. 1584: but ed. 1577 testimonies; testimonia, Lat. ]
[5 So also ed. 1584: but ed. 1577 all manner. |
250 THE FOURTH DECADE. [SERM.
everlasting. And this is everlasting life, that they should
know thee only true God, and whom thou hast sent, Jesus
Christ.” By which words he hath expressly proved both the
unity of God (that is to say, that there is but one God),
against the Ethnicks who worshipped many gods; and notably
touched the distinction of the persons, in the meanwhile like-
wise declaring himself to be very God with the Father. For
by and by he addeth: “Glorify thou me, Ὁ Father, with
thine own self, with the glory which I had with thee before
this world was.”
Here I think must not be over-slipped of me the argu-
ment of Tertullian, which I will recite unto you, dearly be-
loved, out of his book, De Trinitate, wherein he doth gather
together very many most sound and strong reasons of Christ
his divinity or Godhead. ‘If (saith he) Christ be only man,
why hath he appointed and set us down such a rule to
believe, wherein he should say, ‘ And this is life everlasting,
that they might know thee the only true (or very) God, and
whom thou hast sent, Jesus Christ?’ If also he would not be
known to be God, why doth he add, ‘And whom thou hast
sent, Jesus Christ,’ but for that he would be taken also for
God? Because, if he would not be known to be God, he
would have added, ‘ And whom thou hast sent, the man Jesus
Christ :’ but now Christ neither hath added, neither yet hath
delivered unto us in doctrine, that he is man only, but hath
joined himself to God; to the end he would be known by this
conjunction or joining together, that he also is God, as indeed
he is. We must therefore believe, according to the prescript
rule, in one Lord true and very God; and consequently in him
whom he hath sent, Jesus Christ: who had at no hand (as
we have said) joined himself to the Father, unless he would be
known to be God also. For he would have separated himself
from the Father, if he would not have been known to be
God. For he would have placed himself among men only, if
he had known that he was man only : neither would he have
joined himself with God, if he had not also known himself to
be God. Now also touching as he is man, he saith nothing ;
because no man doubteth that he is man: and he joineth him-
self to God not without good cause, that he might set down
a form of his divinity or Godhead to them that should believe.
If Christ be only man, how is it that he saith, ‘And now
VI. | OF CHRIST TRUE AND VERY GOD. 251
glorify me with the glory which I had with thee before the
world was?’ If before the world was he had glory with
God, and possessed glory with the Father, then was he before
the world. Neither had he had glory, if he had not been
afore, that he might possess glory: for none can have a
thing, unless he which possesseth the thing be afore. But
Christ had glory before the creation of the world; therefore
he was before the creation of the world. Jor if he had not
been before the creation of the world, he could not have had
glory before the creation of the world, when he himself was
not. But he could not as a man’ have glory before the
creation of the world, who then was*, when the world was
made. But Christ had glory; he was therefore before the
world was made: he was not therefore man only, who was
before the world was made. Therefore he is God, because he
was before the world was made, and possessed glory before
the world was made*.” After these words Tertullian doth
[1 So also ed. 1584: but ed. 1577 as man. |
[2 Rather, who then was not. See Latin original. |:
[3 Si homo tantummodo Christus, quare credendi nobis talem
regulam posuit, quo diceret, Heec est autem vita seterna, ut sciant te
unum et verum Deum, et quem misistiJesum Christum? Si noluisset
se etiam intelligi, cur addidit, Et quem misisti Jesum Christum; nisi
quoniam et Deum accipi voluit? Quoniam si Deum nollet intelligi,
addidisset, Et quem misisti hominem Jesum Christum. Nunc autem
neque addidit, nec se hominem nobis tantummodo Christus tradidit,
sed Deo junxit, ut et Deum per hance conjunctionem, sicut est, intelligi
vellet. Est ergo credendum secundum prescriptam in Dominum
unum verum Deum, et in eum quem misit Jesum Christum conse-
quenter; qui se nequaquam Patri, ut diximus, junxisset, nisi Deum
quoque intelligi vellet: separasset enim ab eo, si Deum intelligi se
noluisset. Inter homines enim tantummodo se collocasset, si hominem
se esse tantummodo sciret; nec cum Deo junxisset, si se non et Deum
nosset. Nunc et de homine tacet, quoniam hominem illum nemo
dubitat; et Deo se jungit merito, ut credituris divinitatis suze formu-
lam poneret. Si homo tantummodo Christus, quomodo dicit, Et nunc
honorifica me gloria quam habebam apud te priusquam mundus esset ?
Si antequam mundus esset gloriam habuit apud Deum, et claritatem
tenuit apud Patrem, ante mundum fuit; nec enim habuisset gloriam,
nisi ipse prius fuisset, qui gloriam posset tenere: nemo enim habere
aliquid poterit, nisi ante ipse fuerit qui aliquid tenet. Sed enim
Christus habet gloriam ante mundi institutionem: ergo ante insti-
tutionem mundi fuit. Nisi enim ante institutionem mundi esset, ante
mundi institutionem gloriam habere non posset, quum ipse non esset.
Sed enim homo gloriam ante mundi institutionem habere non potuit,
Rom. ix.
1 John ix.
Acts xvii.
Jer. xxiii.
Isai. xlix.
Isai. xlv.
252 THE FOURTH DECADE. [SERM.
shew, that these things are not meant of the predestination,
but of the substance, of Christ. But thus far of this.
St Paul the apostle in his epistle to the Romans declareth
in plain words not once or twice, that our Lord Jesus Christ
is true and very God. For he speaking of Christ in his ninth
chapter saith: “ Which is God in all things to be praised for
ever.” The words are very well known which the same
apostle writeth in his first epistle to the Corinthians, and
eighth chapter. St John the apostle and evangelist doth so
manifestly declare the divinity or Godhead of the Son in his
canonical epistle, that he which seeth and perceiveth it not is
blind both of body and mind. In the end of the epistle he
saith: “We know that the Son of God is come, and hath
given us a mind, that we should know him who is true: and
we are in him that is true, in his Son Jesus Christ. This
same is true (or very) God, and eternal (or everlasting) life.”
Now it is God by “whom we live, move, and have our
being,” as Paul witnesseth: but by Christ our Lord we live,
move, and have our being, as he himself hath expressly
taught in the gospel after John: Christ therefore is true and
very God.
In the forty-third and forty-fifth chapters of Esay the Lord
saith : “Iam, I am the Lord; and there is no Saviour without
me. A just God and a Saviour, there is none beside me.”
But Jeremy in his twenty-third chapter calleth Christ the son
of David, Jehovah, and our Righteousness. Likewise in Esay
the Father speaking of his Son saith: “I have given (or
made) thee the light of the Gentiles, that thou mayest be my
health unto the end of the world.” Moreover, seeing there is
no other God but one, none other salvation and righteousness
save that divine righteousness only, it followeth consequently,
doubtless, that Christ is true and very God, in all respects co-
equal with his Father.
In the same Esay the Lord saith: “I have sworn by mine
ownself, the word of righteousness shall go out of my mouth,
and it shall not be drawn back again: because every knee
qui post mundum fuit: Christus autem habuit; ante mundum igitur
fuit. Non igitur homo tantummodo fuit, qui ante mundum fuit.
Deus est igitur, quoniam ante mundum fuit, et gloriam ante mundum
tenuit.—Tertull. Opp. Novatian. de Trinitate. cap. 24. p. 723. Par.
1664. See above, p. 129, note. |
VI. | OF CHRIST TRUE AND VERY MAN. 253
shall bow unto me, and all tongues shall swear (by my name)!.”
And Paul saith: “‘ There is a name given unto Christ which is phi ii,
above all names, that in the name of Jesus everything? should
bow, of things in heaven, of things in earth, and of things
under the earth; and that every tongue should confess that the
Lord is Jesus Christ, to the glory of God the Father.” It
must needs be therefore that Christ is true and very God.
For seeing he is worshipped and also served, seeing we con-
fess him to be Lord; that surely turneth not to the reproach
and ignominy, but to the honour and glory, of God the Father.
For in the gospel after John thus saith the Lord: “ The somy.
Father hath given all judgment (to wit, all jurisdiction, and
all government, all glory, power, and authority) to the Son;
that all might honour the Son as they honour the Father.
He that honoureth not the Son, honoureth not the Father
that sent him.” Hereunto therefore belongeth that? which
we read in the prophet Esay: “1 the Lord, Hu (or, myself) tsai. xiii
is my name’, and my glory I will not give to another,” (or to
a stranger, &c.) But he giveth his glory to the Son: he
therefore in his substance, according to his divinity or God-
head, is not a stranger or severed from the Father, albeit he
be acknowledged to be another several person, What doth
the Lord in the gospel after John say ? “ And now, O Father, sonn xvi.
glorify thou me with thine ownself with the glory which thou
gavest me with thee before this world was?” No, but, “which
I had with thee ere the world® was.” “41 had,” saith he, not,
“T received ;” albeit the scripture doth oftentimes use this
word for the mystery of dispensation.
In Micheas the Christians say: ‘All people (one with mic. iv.
another) walk in the name of their God: as for us, we will
walk in the name of our God.” Furthermore, they walk in
the name and the way of Jesus Christ, saying in the gospel,
“Tam the way,” and “the door:” “I am the light of the world ; sonnx. xiv.
he that followeth me doth not walk in darkness.” That’
Christ therefore is God, who is he that can be ignorant ? For
the Lord saith in Ezechiel, “I will feed my flock myself rrcx.
alone :” and anon he addeth, “ My servant David shall feed ἢ
it;” meaning Christ, the son of David, that only universal
[1 The translator’s addition. } [2 genu, Lat.; knee. ]
[3 iterum, Lat. omitted; again. | [4 I myself, ed. 1577. ]
[5 See above, page 132. ] [6 hic mundus, Lat.; this world. }
254 THE FOURTH DECADE. [SERM.
pastor or shepherd of the church, and therefore true God.
For the universal pastor or shepherd must be a king and
a priest!, must be everlasting, must know all things, must be
omnipotent, must be present with all men in all places. The
Son of God therefore is true and very God, because he is the
Messias.
Furthermore, what is more manifest and less called in
Mark ii. controversy, than that God only forgiveth sins? It must needs
be therefore, that nothing is more evident and less doubtful,
than that we believe Christ to be true and very God, because
Joni. “Ηρ is the Lamb of God that taketh away the sins of the
world.”
1Tim. i. Again, whereas Paul truly calleth Christ “our hope;”
“Asai. xi. (for Esay foretold, “In him shall the Gentiles trust;’’) and
Jer.xvii. | Whereas Jeremy crieth, “Cursed be the man that putteth his
trust in man, but blessed is the man that putteth his trust in
God ;” we must necessarily confess that Christ is God. For
in John he oftentimes repeateth : “ Verily I say unto you, he
that believeth in me hath everlasting life.”
I could bring innumerable examples of this kind out of
the scriptures, which witness that the Son of God, our Lord
Jesus Christ, is of one and the selfsame nature with the Father,
and therefore is very God of very God: but I trust that to
holy hearers and not given to contention those which I have
already cited will suffice.
Of the incar- It remaineth that we declare unto you, that the Son of
nation or true
humanity of God was incarnate for us, and was born very man of the
virgin Mary, consubstantial, or of the selfsame substance,
with us in all points, sin excepted. The law, the prophets,
and the apostles, shew unto us most manifest arguments of
the true flesh or humanity of the Son of God.
Gea. BL For in the law the Lord saith: ‘The Seed of the woman
shall crush the serpent’s head.” But who knoweth not that
the head of the serpent is the kingdom, force, or power of
the devil? And that Jesus Christ brake this power, the
whole scripture doth witness. And here he is called the
Seed of the woman. And truly he is called seed, to verify
his true human nature: and he is termed the seed of the
woman, not of the man, because of his conception by the
[1 Rather, For the universal Shepherd, King and Priest, must be,
&c. |
VI. | OF CHRIST TRUE AND VERY MAN. 255
Holy Ghost, and his birth of the virgin Mary. And because
she was the daughter of David, of Abraham, and Adam, it
followeth that the son of Mary was very man. For as we
have heard it said to Adam, “The Seed of the woman shall
bruise the serpent’s head;” so also we read that the same
promise was renewed and repeated to Abraham in these
words: “In thy seed shall all the nations of the world be cen. xxii.
blessed.” And Paul to the Galatians manifestly saith, that cal. iii.
this Seed of Abraham, wherein we have obtained blessing, is
Christ Jesus. The same apostle saith, “For in no sort took web. ii.
he the angels, but he took the seed of Abraham :”——by angels
doubtless excluding all manner of spiritual substances: by the
seed of Abraham understanding the very substance itself of
the flesh of man. For he addeth: ‘Wherefore in all things Heb. it.
it became him to be made like unto his brethren. And be-
cause they be partakers of flesh and blood, he also himself
likewise took part with them (of the same).” Verily, the
scripture draweth the lineal descent of Christ most diligently
from the loins of Ab®%iham unto Jacob, and from him again to
Judas, and from him in like sort to David. To him again
the promises of the incarnation of the Son of God are renewed.
For Nathan saith to David: “Thus saith the Lord, When 9 sam. vii.
thy days be fulfilled, thou shalt sleep with thy fathers, and I
will set up thy seed after thee, which shall proceed out of thy
body, and will stablish his kingdom: he shall build a house
for my name, and I will stablish the throne of his kingdom
for ever.” Neither is there any cause why any man should
interpret this of Salomon. For he was born while his father
David lived, and his kingdom quickly decayed. But Nathan
speaketh of a son which should be born to David after his
death : “ When thou shalt sleep with thy fathers,” saith he,
“1 will set up thy seed after thee.” And what manner of
seed this should be, he most evidently declareth, and saith,
“which shall proceed out of thy body.” For in the 132nd
Psalm we read; “Of the fruit of thy body will I set upon thy
seat.”
Furthermore, Mary the virgin descended lineally from
the seed? of David, of whom Christ our Lord was begotten
and born, of whom the angel speaking, and expounding those
old and ancient prophecies, saith unto the virgin: “And the Lukei.
[2 So also ed. 1584: but ed. 1577 of the seed. |
Matt. i.
Luke iii.
Matt. i.
John ii,
Isai. vii.
Luke i.
Matt. i.
Gal. iv.
John i.
1 Johniv.
256 THE FOURTH DECADE. [SERM.
Lord God shall give unto him the seat of his father David,
and he shall reign over the house of Jacob for ever, and
of his kingdom there shall be none end.” MHereunto also
belongeth that which Elisabeth saith to the virgin which came
out of Galilee into the hill-country of Juda: “And whence
cometh this to me, that the mother of my Lord should come
to me? Blessed art thou among women, and blessed is the
fruit of thy womb.” ‘Truly Matthew and Luke draw the
lineal descent of Christ from the loins as it were! of David
even unto the virgin Mary, which conceiveth by the Holy
Ghost, that is, the Holy Ghost making her fruitful. She, when
the months were fulfilled that she should be delivered, brought
forth a son: and he which is born in all respects appeareth
to be true and very man: he is laid in a manger, wrapped in
swathling clouts; he grew in stature, and increased in years,
according to the manner of man’s body ; he is wearied, he is
refreshed, he is glad, he is sad, he is hungry, he is thirsty, he
eateth, he drinketh, he feareth, and, to be short, he dieth:
which the truth of the history of the gospel in many words
declareth,
Neither is the scripture itself ashamed to call Mary
the mother of our Lord, not the putative or supposed, but
the true and natural mother, which of the substance of her
own body gave true flesh and substance of man to the Son
of God; the angel of God so witnessing with Hsay, and say-
ing, “ A virgin shall conceive in her womb, and shall bring
forth a son.” Lo, he saith, “in her womb.” And again, in
Matthew the selfsame angel saith, “ That which is conceived
in her is of the Holy Ghost.” Whereupon the apostle unto
the Galatians saith, that “the Son of God is made of a wo-
man,” to wit, according to man’s nature. For Christ is the
fruit of the body of David, and of the virgin Mary, begotten
and born of the loins of David: and John also, the apostle
and evangelist, saith, “The word was made flesh, and dwelt
among us.” In calling God flesh, doubtless he calleth him
very man. For the same apostle in another place 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.” There-
fore we freely pronounce that Valentinus, Marcion, Apelles,
{1 ex prosopia et veluti lumbis, Lat.]
V1. | OF BOTH NATURES IN CHRIST. 257
and Manichzeus, denying the true and very flesh of Christ, are
of the devil; and therefore that they by all means, together
with all their disciples and sectaries, are to be avoided. This
treatise of the true flesh of Christ we knit up with these
most plain words of Paul: “When Christ was in the form of Phil. ii
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. He humbled himself, being made obedient
unto death, even the death of the cross.” Wherefore it is
without doubt, that the Son of God took true and human flesh,
and in the same is consubstantial or of the selfsame substance
with us in all points, sin excepted.
Neither did our Lord, after he was risen again from the rhe Lora,
after he was
dead, though he were glorified, put off or lay aside his true risen, laid
body which he had once taken and put on; and his glo- + creas
rification doth not take away the truth of his nature. For
he saith unto his disciples, “ A spirit hath not flesh and bones [Luke xxiv.
as ye see me have.” Wherefore he carried that his true and
very flesh into heaven with him; in his true flesh he appear-
eth always for us in the sight of God the Father; in his
true flesh he will come to judge the quick and the dead; in
his true flesh they shall see him which crucified’ him. Christ
according to this nature (who in respect of his Godhead is
no creature, but a Creator) is a creature; for the flesh of
Christ hath beginning, and lineally descended from Adam,
who is the creature of the living God. And albeit these
things be sufficiently fenced with the force of the scriptures,
yet it shall not seem irksome unto you, dearly beloved, to
rehearse the opinion of the blessed father -Cyril, which con-
cerning the same matter he hath left written in his epistle
unto Successus, bishop of Isauria diocese’, in these words:
“Because I found in your advertisement such a kind of
thing, as though the holy flesh of Christ, the Saviour of us
all, were turned into the nature of his deity after his resur-
rection, so that now he should seem to be wholly and solely
God, we thought good also to make answer unto this.” And
a few words after: “After the resurrection certainly it was the
[2 confixerunt, Lat.; which pierced. ]
[3 Isaurize Diocesariensis, Lat. Diocsesarea was one of the dioceses
in the province of Isauria, and under the patriarchate of Antioch._—
Bingham, Antiq. of Christ. Ch. Book rx. chap. 3. § 16.]
17
[BULLINGER, 111. ]
2 Cor. v.
258 THE FOURTH DECADE. [SERM,
selfsame body which suffered, but yet not having now in
itself man’s infirmities. For we affirm not that it abideth
hunger, labour, or any such like thing, but we confess that
now it is incorruptible: and not this only, but also that
quickeneth and giveth life. For it is a body that both hath
and giveth life, that is to say, of the only-begotten Son of
God; and it is glorified with the most worthy brightness of God;
and it is known and taken to be the body of God. There-
fore if any man say that that is God’s body, as the body of
aman is man’s body, he swerveth not from allowable reason.
Whereupon I think that most blessed Paul also said, ‘Though
we have known Christ after the flesh, now yet henceforth
know we him no more.’ For being, as I said, the proper
body of God, it far passeth all human bodies. But a body
made of earth could not abide to be turned into the nature
of the deity or Godhead. for this is impossible: otherwise
we abase the Godhead, as if it were made, and as if it had
taken somewhat into itself which according to nature doth
not properly belong to it. Hereby it is proved to be as
much folly to say that the body is turned into the nature
of the Godhead, as that which is the Word to be changed
into the substance of flesh. or as this is impossible, be-
cause it is proved to be a body not able to be turned and
changed ; so also it is not possible that any creature can be
turned into the essence or nature of the Godhead: but flesh
is also created; and therefore we say that the body of Christ
is divine, because it is the body of God, and beautified with
unspeakable glory. And now let us confess that it is uncor-
ruptible, holy, and giving life: but that it is changed into
the nature of the Godhead, neither have any of the holy
fathers so thought or taught, neither do we so think’.” Thus
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vi. | OF BOTH NATURES IN CHRIST. 259
far Cyril. And Theodoretus, bishop of Cyrus, Dialog. u.
Eranist. saith: “I will shew that the body of the Lord,
yea, after the ascension, was called a body. Hear Paul
therefore saying, ‘Our conversation is in heaven, from pni. ii.
whence we look for a Saviour, the Lord Jesus Christ: who
shall change our vile body, that it may be fashioned like
unto his glorious body.’ Therefore it is not changed into
another nature, but remaineth indeed a true and very body,
replenished with divine glory, and casting forth beams of
light. But if it be changed into another nature, their bodies
also shall likewise be changed; for they shall be fashioned
like unto him. But if the bodies of saints keep the sub-
stance of their nature, the body of the Lord likewise hath
his substance unchangeable®.” Thus far Theodoret.
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“- a > ἢ “ “ “ , > Ν deed eed / oo ,
τοῦ Χριστοῦ, ἐπειδὴ τοῦ Θεοῦ σῶμά ἐστι, καὶ ἀῤῥήτῳ δόξῃ κατηγλαϊσμένον,
ἄφθαρτον, ἅγιον, ζωοποιόν: ὅτι δὲ εἰς θεότητος φύσιν μετεβλήθη, οὔτε τὶς
a x ”
τῶν ἁγίων πατέρων ἢ πεφρόνηκεν ἢ εἴρηκεν, οὔτε ἡμεῖς οὕτω διακείμεθα..----
Cyrill. Epist. 1. ad Successum. Opp. Tom. vy. Part. 11. pp. 139, 140,
Lutet. 1638. |
[2 Δείξω δὲ ὅμως, καὶ μετὰ τὴν ἀνάληψιν σῶμα καλούμενον τοῦ Δεσ-
, A Lod a / aA > 4 ie «ς “ 4
πότου τὸ σῶμα. “Axovooy τοίνυν Tov ἀποστόλου διδάσκοντος: ἫἩ μῶν yap
A , > > - c , > Φ' QA n > , ».
τὸ πολίτευμα ἐν οὐρανοῖς ὑπάρχει, ἐξ οὗ καὶ σωτῆρα ἀπεκδεχόμεθα Κύριον.
᾿Ιησοῦν: ὃς μετασχηματίσει τὸ σῶμα τῆς ταπεινώσεως ἡμῶν, εἰς τὸ γενέσθαι
αὐτὸ σύμμορφον τοῦ σώματος τῆς δόξης αὐτοῦ, Οὐ τοίνυν εἰς ἑτέραν μετα-
βέβληται φύσιν, ἀλλὰ μεμένηκε σῶμα, θείας μέντοι δόξης πεπληρωμένον, καὶ
\ ΄ ἘΣ ΤΑῚ > \ > (a » κα , , 4
φωτὸς πέμπον ἀκτῖνας... Εἰ δὲ εἰς ἑτέραν ἐκεῖνο μετεβλήθη φύσιν, καὶ
τὰ τούτων (i.e. τῶν ἁγίων) ὡσαύτως μεταβληθήσεται" σύμμορφα γὰρ ἐκεί
, x : \ Y «ς , , " Ἶ 7 ἘΠ Ρ ὙΠῈ ΕΞ
lod εἶ a lal ,
γενήσεται": εἰ δὲ τὰ τῶν ἁγίων φυλάττει τὴν χαρακτῆρα τῆς φύσεως, καὶ τὸ
Ε
δεσποτικὸν ἄρα ὡσαύτως τὴν οἰκείαν οὐσίαν ἀμετάβλητον €yet.—-Theodoret.
Dial. 11. pp. 83, 84. Opp. Tom. tv. Lutet. 1642.]
17—2
Matt. xx.
Matt. xxvi.
John xii.
Luke xxii.
Luke ix.
The heretical
error and the
sound truth
touching the
mystery of
Christ’s incar-
nation.
260 THE FOURTH DECADE. [SERM.
void of a mind. Arius taught that the Son of God took flesh
only without soul!, and that the Word was in place of the soul.
And Apollinarius did attribute unto Christ a soul, but he took
away the mind, denying that it was reasonable*. The scrip-
ture doth both attribute unto Christ a soul, and taketh not
away the mind from the soul. The Lord himself sayeth in
the gospel: “The Son of Man came not to be ministered unto,
but to minister, and to give his soul a redemption for many.”
The same Matthew hath left written of him: “ He began to be
sorrowful and heavy. And Jesus said, My soul is heavy, even
unto the death.” And in another place the Lord himself saith :
“Now my soul is troubled.” And if so be that this soul of
Christ lack the mind, which is the chiefest part of the soul,
how hath he a soul? how could he be sorrowful, and under-
stand, desire, and remember ? “ With hearty desire (saith the
Lord) have I desired to eat this passover with you before
I suffer.” But this desire came not from his Godhead, neither
from his flesh only, nor from his soul wanting a mind, but
from his perfect manhood of body and mind. Moreover
we read in the gospel that the Lord said: “The Son of Man
came not to destroy men’s souls, but to save them.” There-
fore he took not flesh only, but a reasonable soul also. For
man had perished both soul and body: therefore that he
might be saved both body and soul, our Saviour Christ took
a very man’s body and a reasonable soul, that is to say,
a most perfect man. Therefore blessed Athanasius, teaching
us according to the scriptures the confession of true faith,
said: “Christ is God of the substance of his Father, begotten
before all worlds; and man of the substance of his mother,
born in the world: perfect God, and perfect man, of a reason-
able soul and human flesh subsisting.”
Thus far in these words have we shewed that Jesus Christ
our Lord is very God and very man; consubstantial or of
the same substance with the Father according to his Godhead,
and consubstantial or of the same substance with us according
to his manhood. For he hath a reasonable soul and human
flesh in very deed. We will speak furthermore of the con-
junction or uniting of these natures into one person; in which
matter histories declare, that certain ancient writers in old
[1 without a soul, ed. 1577. ]
[2 Augustin. de Heres. cap. 55.]
vi OF BOTH NATURES IN CHRIST. 261
time foully erred. For Eutyches admitted one nature only in
Christ, and the same made, that is, meddled or confounded
together of a divine and human nature: from whom the
Monothelites were not far beyond, acknowledging only one
will in Christ. Nestorius, willing to avoid a coal-pit, fell into
a lime-kiln®. For he, confessing two natures, seemeth to af- A proverbial
kind of
firm that there are so many persons, teaching that the Word is speech,
whereby is
not united to the flesh into the selfsame person, but that it meat, that
in avoiding a
only dwelleth therein: whereupon also he forbad the holy ‘jero."
virgin to be called God’s mother. Against whom the common &**™
assertion of the whole church, holding opinion according to the
scripture, hath taught that two natures in Christ and the
properties of those natures are to be confessed ; which are so
coupled together into one undivided person, that neither the
divine nature is changed into the human, nor the human into
the divine, but either of them retain or keep their own nature,
and both of them subsist in the unity of person. For Christ*
according to the disposition of his divine nature is one and the
selfsame, immortal: according to the disposition of his human
nature, mortal: and the selfsame immortal God and mortal
man is the only Saviour of the world. Of which thing we
will speak anon, by God’s grace, somewhat more largely and
plainly.
Touching the very conjunction or uniting of the true God- orthe
uniting of
head and manhood in Christ, the prophets and apostles have christ his
not crabbedly® nor craftily disputed. For they speaking m4 man-
simply said, “God was made man;” or, God took on him
man. For John the apostle and evangelist saith: ‘“ The Jonni.
Word was made flesh,” that is, God was made man, or the
Word of God became flesh. St Paul saith: “God was made 1 tim. ii.
manifest in the flesh.” And again: “ The Son of God in no πον".
sort took the angels, but he took the seed of Abraham.”
Therefore we, according to the doctrine of the apostles, ex-
pounding the mystery of the conjunction of the divine and
human nature in Christ, say: God was incarnate or made
man; God took on him man; God appeared or was made
manifest in human flesh. He that will sift out deeper matters
than these, it is to cast himself into great dangers.
[3 illam carbonariam, Lat. See Vol. 1. p. 376. n. 1.]
[1 Rather, For one and the same Christ is according to, &c. |
[5 spinose, Lat. ]
Heb. ii.
Christ re-
taineth both
natures
unmeddled,
or uncon-
founded
together.
Isai. vii.
Isai. ix.
Mic. v.
262 THE FOURTH DECADE. [sERM,
Some there are who, in expounding these points more
fully, use the words of society or fellowship, participation,
and communion, or part-taking; and that, not without authority
of the scriptures; Paul saying, ‘“ Forasmuch then as the
children are partakers of flesh and blood, he also himself like-
wise took part with them.”
Nevertheless we must here first of all take heed, that we
do not meddle or confound the two natures joined together in
one person, nor that we rob them of their properties. For
God of his own nature is everlasting and unchangeable. God
therefore, remaining always one and the selfsame, is not
changed into an human or into any other nature, but joineth,
coupleth, taketh, yea, and uniteth unto himself the human
nature. Again, unless in his human nature he remain a
creature, and be the selfsame which he is said to be, it is not
an human nature: this therefore remaining in its own sub-
stance is taken to the divine nature. Therefore two natures
remain in the one person of Christ, the divine and the human ;
and either of them doth retain their own disposition and their
own property: which we will now declare by some places of
scripture.
Esay in his seventh chapter saith: “A virgin shall con-
ceive, and bring forth a Son; and his name shall be called
Immanuel.” He acknowledgeth both natures in Christ: for
according to his divine nature he is called “ Immanuel,” that
is to say, “God with us;” according to his human nature
he is conceived and born. The same prophet saith: “A
child is born unto us, and a son is given unto us,” &c. For
he is given who is from everlasting; and he is born whose
beginning and being is in the world'. Wherefore one and
the selfsame retaineth both the divine and the human nature.
For Micheas also saith: ‘‘ And thou, Beth-lehem Ephrata, art
little indeed among the thousands of Judah, Out of thee
shall he come forth unto me, which shall be the governor
in Israel, whose outgoings have been from the beginning, and
from everlasting.” Lo, what could be spoken more plain?
One and the selfsame hath two offsprings: for insomuch as
he is God, his generation is from everlasting; and as he is
man, he is born in Beth-lehem. Wherefore one and the self-
same Christ is very God and very man. Again in the gospel
(1 qui in seculo esse incipit, Lat.]
VI. | OF BOTH NATURES IN CHRIST. 263
according to St Matthew, the Lord asketh the Pharisees,
saying: “ What think you of Christ? whose Son is he? matt. xxii
They said unto him, The Son of David. He saith unto them,
How then doth David in spirit call him Lord, saying, The Psal. cx.
Lord said unto my Lord, Sit thou on my right hand until 1
make thine enemies thy footstool? If David call him Lord,
how is he then his Son?” As if he said: Since Christ without
doubt is the Son of David, and he calleth him Lord (not by
human affection, but by the Holy Ghost), that is to say, very
God of the selfsame power with the Father, the sequel? is
that Christ is very man and very God. The angel Gabriel,
noting no less plainly both these natures, saith to the virgin
Mary: “ That holy thing which shall be born shall be called Luke:
the Son of God.” For of the virgin he is born, very man
of very man: and this is the Son of God. For Elisabeth
also calleth the virgin the mother of the Lord; to wit, of
God. Moreover, in the gospel of John thou mayest read
very many sayings of this sort, which point out, as it were
with the finger, both natures in the selfsame Christ. ‘ Ye Jon xiv.
believe,” saith the Lord, “in God, believe also in me.” And
again, “The Father is greater than I.” Also, “1 went out poe
from the Father, and came into the world: again I leave
the world, and go to the Father.” And again in another
place: “ The poor shall ye have always with you, but me mark xiv.
always ye shall not have.” And again: “ Behold, I am mate. xxviii
always with you, even unto the end of the world.” Which
sentences truly, as it were contrary, cannot be all true at
once, unless we acknowledge that Christ retaineth the pro-
perties of (both) natures unconfounded or unmingled. Paul
unto the Romans manifestly saith, that “he was called to Rom.i.
be an apostle to preach the gospel of God, which he had
promised afore by his prophets in the holy scriptures, con-
cerning his Son; which was made of the seed of David ac-
cording to the flesh; and declared mightily to be the Son
of God, touching the Spirit of sanctification, by the resur-
rection from the dead.” The apostle therefore acknowledgeth
both natures in Christ: for according to the flesh (saith
he) Christ is the Son of David; but if we behold the
power of his miracles, his resurrection from the dead which
giveth life, and that Christ sendeth the Holy Ghost and
[2 consequens est, Lat.; it follows. ]
264 THE FOURTH DECADE. [sERM.
sanctifieth all the faithful, it appeareth that he which is the
Son of David after the flesh is also the Son of God according
to his divine power. The same apostle, in the second chap-
ter to the Philippians, doth no less plainly and evidently
affirm both natures in Christ. But because that place
hath been already oftentimes alleged, I pass over to the citing
of other.
The natures St Augustine, expounding not only the confession of
are not | his own faith, but of the whole church in all the world which
confounded. flourished in his time, in his epistle to Dardanus, tvu. hath
thus left written: “Doubt not that the man Christ Jesus is
there now, from whence he shall come; and have in ready
remembrance and faithfully hold the christian confession :
because he rose from the dead, ascended into heaven, sitteth
at the right hand of the Father, neither shall come from
elsewhere than from thence, to judge the quick and the dead:
and in such sort shall he come, that voice of the angel so
witnessing, as he was seen to go into heaven; that is to say,
in the selfsame shape and substance of flesh, to which indeed
he gave immortality, (but) took not the nature away, Ac-
cording to this shape he is not to be thought everywhere
present. For we must beware lest we so fortify the divi-
nity of man, that we take clean away the truth of his body.
For it doth not consequently follow, that that which is in
God should be so! everywhere as God. For the scripture
which cannot lie saith even of us, that ‘in him we live, move,
and have our being,’ howbeit we are not everywhere as he
is: but he is after another sort man in God, because he is
also otherwise God in man, after a certain proper and sin-
gular manner. For one person is God and man, and both
of them is one Jesus Christ; everywhere in that he is God,
but in heaven in that he is man.” And the same author saith
a little after: “Take away space of places from bodies, and
they shall be nowhere: and because they shall be nowhere,
they shall be no bodies. Take the very bodies from the
qualities of the bodies, and there shall be no place for them
to be, and therefore it must needs be that they have no
being.” And in the end of the Epistle the same Augustine
saith: “ Doubt not that Christ our Lord, the only-begotten
Son of God, co-equal with the Father, being also the Son
[1 So also ed. 1584: but ed. 1577, should so be.]
VI. | OF BOTH NATURES IN CHRIST. ἘΝ ΘΝ
of man, whom the Father exceedeth in greatness, both to
be present everywhere as he is God, and also to be in the
same temple of God as God dwelling there; and yet to be
in some certain place of heaven according to the manner of
his true body®.” The selfsame thing the same author as yet
expoundeth more at large in his fiftieth treatise upon John;
and Contra Felicianum Arianum, cap. 9, 10, and 114; also
in his treatise De Agone Christi, cap. 24 unto cap. 275. To
[2 Noli itaque dubitare, ibi nunc esse hominem Christum Jesum
unde venturus est, memoriterque recole et fideliter tene Christianam
confessionem : quoniam resurrexit a mortuis, ascendit in coelum, sedet
ad dexteram Patris, nec aliunde quam inde venturus est ad vivos
mortuosque judicandos; et sic venturus est, illa angelica voce testante,
quemadmodum ire visus est in ccelum, id est, in eadem carnis forma
atque substantia, cui profecto immortalitatem dedit, naturam non
abstulit. Secundum hance formam non est putandus ubique diffusus.
Cavendum est enim ne ita divinitatem astruamus hominis, ut veritatem
corporis auferamus. Non est autem consequens, ut quod in Deo est
ita sit ubique ut Deus. Nam et de nobis verissima scriptura dicit,
quod in illo vivimus, movemur, et sumus; nec tamen sicut ille ubique
sumus: sed aliter homo ille in Deo, quoniam aliter et Deus ille in
homine, proprio quodam et singulari modo. Una enim persona Deus
et homo est, et utrumque est unus Christus Jesus: ubique, per id quod
Deus est; in coelo autem per id quod homo... Nam spatia locorum
tolle corporibus, nusquam erunt; et quia nusquam erunt, nec erunt,
Tolle ipsa corpora qualitatibus corporum, non erit ubi sint, et ideo
necesse est ut non sint... Christum autem Dominum nostrum, unigeni-
tum Dei Filium, squalem Patri, eundemque hominis filium, quo major
est Pater, et ubique totum presentem esse non dubites tanquam Deum,
et in eodem templo Dei esse tanquam inhabitantem Deum, et in loco
aliquo cceli propter veri corporis modum.—Augustin. ad Dardan. Ep.
Lvu. Opp. Tom. 1. fol. 53. col. 3. fol. 54. col. 2. fol. 56. col. 1. Par,
1531. ]
[3 Secundum presentiam majestatis semper habemus Christum; se-
cundum preesentiam carnis, recte dictum est discipulis, Me autem non
semper habebitis.—Id. Tom. 1x. fol. 76. col. 3.]
[4 Fel. Scire cupio quo pacto ad filium transeat dignitas patris, et
ad patrem non recurrat humilitas prolis? Aug. Non secundum natu-
ram ista nune dici, quotidianarum rerum exempla nos docent, &c.—
Id. Tom. vi. fol. 160. col. 3.—This treatise is not genuine. ]
[5 Nec eos audiamus qui negant tale corpus Domini resurrexisse,
quale positum est in monumento, &c. c. 24. Nec eos audiamus qui
negant ipsum corpus secum levasse in coelum Dominum nostrum, &c.
c. 25. Nec eos audiamus qui negant ad dextram Patris sedere Filium,
&e. ὁ. 26.—Id. Tom. in. fol. 164. col. 2. P.]
266 THE FOURTH DECADE. [SERM,
which we will also join the testimony of the holy martyr
Vigilius, bishop of Trident. For he, disputing against Eu-
tyches in the defence of both natures in Christ, saith: “If
the nature of the Word and flesh be one, how is it that since
the Word is everywhere, the flesh also is not found every-
where? For when the flesh was in earth, surely it was
not in heaven; and because it is now in heaven, surely it is
not in earth: and so far is it from being in the earth, that
according to flesh we do look for Christ to come from heaven,
whom according to the Word we believe to be with us on
earth. Therefore, according to your opinion, either the Word
is contained with his flesh in place, or else the flesh with the
Word is in every place: whereas one nature receiveth not
into itself anything contrary and unlike. But it is contrary
and far unlike to be limited within a place, and to be every-
where: and because the Word is in every place, but his
flesh is not in every place, it is evident that one and the self-
same Christ is of both natures; and that he is everywhere
according to the nature of his Godhead, and is contained in
place according to the nature of his manhood; that he is
both created, and also without beginning; that he is subject
to death, and also cannot die; one of which is agreeable to
him by the nature of the Word, whereby he is God; the
other by the nature of the flesh, whereby the selfsame God
is man. Therefore one and the selfsame Son of God, being
also made the Son of man, hath a beginning by the nature
of the flesh, and hath no beginning by the nature of his
divinity : by the nature of his flesh he is created, and by
the nature of his divinity he is not created: by the nature
of his flesh he is limited in place, and by the nature of his
divinity he is not contained in place: by the nature of his
flesh he is inferior also to angels, and according to his divi-
nity he is equal to the Father: by the nature of his flesh
he died, but by the nature of his divinity he died not. This
is the catholic faith and christian confession, which the apostles
delivered, the martyrs confirmed, and the faithful even unto
this day do observe and keep!.” Hitherto we have rehearsed
[1 Si Verbi et carnis una natura est, quomodo cum Verbum ubique
sit, non ubique inveniatur et caro? Nam quando in terra fuit, non
erat utique in ccelo: et nunc quia in ccelo est, non est utique in terra;
et in tantum non est, ut secundum ipsum Christum spectemus ven-
v1. | OF THE UNITY OF PERSON IN CHRIST. 267
the words of Vigilius, martyr and bishop, to this end, that
the most notable agreement of the holy scripture, of the uni-
versal church, and of the most godly and learned fathers in
this principle might be understood, wherein we confess that
the properties of both natures in Christ remain unconfounded.
Again, we must by all means take heed, lest through de-
fending and retaining the properties of the two natures we
divide and pull asunder the unity of the person; as though
there were two Christs, whereof the one should be subject to
suffering and mortal, the other not subject to suffering and
immortal. For there is but one and the same Christ, who
according to his Godhead is acknowledged immortal, and
mortal according to his manhood. Nestorius denied that the
blessed virgin Mary was the mother of God; for he said
God was unchangeable, and therefore that he could not be
born, and that he had no mother. Whereupon sprang a sus-
picion, that he should say the Lord was bare man, and that
he should maintain the heretical opinion of Paulus Samosa-
tenus and Photinus: which thing Socrates handleth at
large, Historiarum Lib. vii. cap. 32%. But Nestorius was
turum de ccelo, quem secundum Verbum nobiscum esse credimus in
terra. Igitur secundum yos aut Verbum cum carne sua loco conti-
netur, aut caro cum Verbo ubique est, quando una natura contrarium
quid et diversum non recipit in seipsa. Diversum est autem et longe
dissimile circumscribi loco et ubique esse; et quia Verbum ubique est,
caro autem ejus ubique non est, apparet unum eundemque Christum
utriusque esse nature; et esse quidem ubique secundum naturam di-
vinitatis suse, et loco contineri secundum naturam humanitatis sue;
creatum esse, et initium non habere; morti subjacere, et mori non
posse: quod unum illi est ex natura Verbi, qua Deus est; aliud ex
natura carnis, qua idem Deus homo est. Igitur unus Dei Filius idemque
hominis factus filius habet initium ex natura carnis sue, et non habet
initium ex natura divinitatis sue; creatus est per naturam carnis sue,
et non est creatus per naturam divinitatis sue; circumscribitur loco
per naturam carnis sus, et loco non capitur per naturam divinitatis
sue; minor est etiam angelis per naturam carnis sue, et squalis est
Patri secundum naturam divinitatis sue; mortuus est natura carnis
suse, et non est mortuus natura divinitatis suse. Heec est fides et con-
fessio catholica, quam apostoli tradiderunt, martyres roboraverunt, et
fideles nunc usque custodiunt.—Vigilii contra Eutychen. Lib. tv. fol.
73. Tigur. 1539. |
[3 Socratis Hist. Eccles. Lib. vit. cap. 32. De Anastasio presby-
tero, a quo Nestorius ad impietatem perductus est. ed. Cantab. pp.
380, 381.]
Christ in
one person
remaineth
undivided,
268 THE FOURTH DECADE. [SERM.
injurious to the scripture and to true faith. For Elisabeth,
the wife of Zachary and the mother of St John Baptist, being
full of the Holy Ghost, in express words saluteth the holy
virgin Marv, and calleth her the mother of the Lord, that is,
the mother of God. And albeit his heavenly nature be with-
out generation and corruption, yet notwithstanding it is most
certain that he whom Mary brought forth was God in very
deed. For “that which is born of her,” saith the angel, “is
the Son of God:” therefore she brought forth God, and she
worthily is called the mother of God. For if she bare not
God, she brought forth bare man, neither hath the Son of
God coupled man unseparably to himself. In like manner, since
God of his own nature is immortal, truly he cannot die: but
if any man for that cause should absolutely deny that God
was crucified and offered, yea, and died for us, he should gain-
Cori say Paul saying, “Had they known it!, they would not
have crucified the Lord of glory.” But who is ignorant that
the God of glory, or glorious God, cannot be crucified? In
the meanwhile, since he which according to the flesh suffered
and was nailed on the cross was God, not bare man only, we
rightly say that God suffered and was nailed on the cross for
us; though he which suffered suffered according to that only
(1 Pet.iv.1.] which could suffer. For Peter the apostle saith, ‘ Christ
hath suffered for us in the flesh.” The first Toletan council
following him decreed in these words: “ If any shall say or
believe that the Godhead may be born, let him be accursed.
If any shall say or believe that the deity of Christ may be
turned, changed, or subject to suffering, let him be accursed.
If any shall say or believe that the nature of the Godhead
and the manhood is one in Christ, let him be accursed®.” And
Damasus bishop of Rome saith: “If any shall say, that in
suffering on the cross the Son of God and God suffered pain,
and not the flesh with the soul which he put on in the form
[1 ipsum, Lat. ; him.] .
[2 Si quis dixerit vel crediderit Deitatem nascibilem esse: ana-
thema sit. Si quis dixerit vel crediderit Deitatem Christi convertibilem
fuisse, vel passibilem: anathema sit. Si quis dixerit vel crediderit
Deitatis et carnis unam in Christo esse naturam: anathema sit.—As-
sertio Fidei Concil. Toletan. 1. Magd. Centur. Cent. v. cap. 9. foll. 467,
468. Basil. 1624. The first of these three determinations is not found,
and the second is given somewhat differently, in Concil. Labb. et Coss.
Tom. 11. col. 1228.]
vi. | OF THE UNITY OF PERSON IN CHRIST. 269
of a servant, which he took on him as the scripture saith, let
him be accursed3.” Therefore, whereas Paul saith, that
“God hath purchased to himself a church with his own Acts xx.
blood,” who is 80 mad to believe that the divine nature hath
or ever had blood? In the meanwhile who is such a dor-
head‘ that he understandeth not, that the flesh which God
took hath blood? And since that God accounteth not that as
another’s, but his own, which he took unto himself; we most
truly say, that God with his own blood redeemed the world.
Whereupon Theodoretus also, bishop of Cyrus, Dialog. Eran. 3,
a little before the end, saith: “If Christ be both God and
man, as both the holy scripture teacheth, and as the most
blessed fathers have always preached, then as man he suffered,
but as God he was not subject to suffering. But when we
say the body, or flesh, or humanity suffered, we do not
separate the divine nature: for as it was united to his human
nature, which was hungry and thirsty, and weary, yea, and
slept also, yea, and was vexed with sorrow and heaviness for
the passion which he should suffer, abiding indeed none of
those, but suffering that to abide the affections and passions
of nature; even so it was joined unto him when he was
crucified, and permitted that his passion should be throughly
ended, that by his passion he might suffer death, not feeling
grief truly by his passion, but making his passion agreeable
and convenient for himself as the passion of his temple or
dwelling-place and of his flesh joined unto him; by the which
also they that believe are called the members of Christ:
he himself is called the head of those that believe’®.” Thus
far he.
[3 Εἴ τις εἴπῃ, ὅτι ἐν τῷ πάθει τοῦ σταυροῦ τὴν ὀδύνην ὑπέμεινεν 6 Yids
τοῦ Θεοῦ θεότητι, καὶ οὐχὶ σαρκὶ καὶ ψυχῇ λογικῇ, ἥνπερ ἀνέλαβεν ἐν τῇ
τοῦ δούλου μορφῇ, ὡς εἴρηκεν ἡ ἁγία γραφὴ, ἀνάθεμα ἔστω.----Τ)ατηαδὶ Opp.
Epist. ad Paulin. Thessalon. Episc. p. 116. Rome, 1638.]
[4 tam stupidus, Lat.; dor, a drone. Johnson. |
[5 Εἰ ὁ Χριστὸς καὶ Θεὸς καὶ ἄνθρωπος, ὡς καὶ ἡ θεία διδάσκει γραφὴ,
καὶ οἱ πανεύφημοι πατέρες κηρύττοντες διετέλεσαν, ὡς ἄνθρωπος ἄρα πέπον-
θεν, ὡς δὲ Θεὸς διέμενεν ἀπαθής... Ὅταν τὸ σῶμα, ἢ τὴν σάρκα, ἢ τὴν
ἀνθρωπότητα πεπονθέναι λέγωμεν, τὴν θείαν οὐ χωρίζομεν φύσιν: ὥσπερ
γὰρ ἥνωτο πεινώσῃ καὶ διψώσῃ καὶ κοπιώσῃ, καὶ μέντοι καὶ καθευδούσῃ, καὶ
ἀγωνιώσῃ τὸ πάθος, οὐδὲν μὲν τούτων ὑφισταμένη, συγχωροῦσα δὲ ταύτῃ
δέχεσθαι τὰ τῆς φύσεως πάθη" οὕτω συνῆπτο καὶ σταυρουμένῃ, καὶ συνε-
Of com-
municati
of properties.
John iii.
270 THE FOURTH DECADE. [SERM.
This figure of speech is called of some ἀλλοίωσις, alteration
or changing; of John! Damascenus a ντίδοσις, mutual giving or
an interchanging of properties. That is wont to be called a
communicating of properties?, to wit, when that property is
given to one nature which is proper to another: as for ex-.
ample; “No man hath ascended up into heaven (saith the
Lord) but he that came down from heaven, even the Son of
man which is in heaven.” ‘Truly, his human nature was not
then in heaven, when the Lord spake this, but in earth: yet
notwithstanding, because flesh is taken into the fellowship of
his Godhead, that which is proper to this is attributed to his
manhood. And bishop Fulgentius, making mention of* this
interpretation, in his second book to king Thrasimundus hath
thus left written: ‘‘He said this, not that the human substance
of Christ is present in every place; but because one and the
selfsame Son of God and Son of man, very God of the Father
as he is very man of man, though according to his true
humanity he was then locally in earth, yet according to his
divinity (which by no means can be contained in place) he did
wholly fill heaven and earth*.” Thus saith he. Wherefore the
sentences, bearing witness of Christ in the writings of the
evangelists and apostles, are diligently to be marked. For
some are peculiarly referred to his divine nature, as are
these: “I and the Father are one.” ‘Before Abraham was,
I am.” “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was
with God, and God was that Word.” ‘He is before all things,
the image of the invisible God, by whom all things are
χώρει τελεσιουργηθῆναι τὸ πάθος, iva λύσῃ τῷ πάθει τὸν θάνατον, ὀδύνην μὲν
ἐκ τοῦ πάθους οὐ δεχομένη, τὸ δὲ πάθος οἰκειωσαμένη, ὡς ναοῦ γε ἰδίου, καὶ
σαρκὸς ἡνωμένης, OC ἣν καὶ μέλη Χριστοῦ χρηματίζουσιν οἱ πιστεύσαντες,
καὶ τῶν πεπιστευκότων αὐτὸς ὠνόμασται Kepadn.—Theodoret. Demonstrat.
per Syllog. Opp. Tom. rv. p. 186. Lutet. Par. 1642—84. ]
[1 Joan. Damascen. Orthodoxe Fid. Lib. m1. cap. 3. p. 174. Bas.
1575.]
[2 idiomatum communicatio, Lat. |
[3 agnoscens, Lat. ; recognising. ]
[4 —Non quia humana Christi substantia fuisset ubique diffusa, sed
quoniam unus idemque Dei filius atque hominis filius, verus Deus ex
Patre sicut homo verus ex homine, licet secundum veram humanitatem
suam localiter tune esset in terra, secundum divinitatem tamen, que
loco nullatenus continetur, ccelum totus impleret et terram,—Fulgent.
ad Trasimund. Lib. 11. cap. 17. p. 50. Venet. 1742.]
v1. | OF THE COMMUNICATING OF PROPERTIES, 271
made.” And some are particularly referred to his human
nature, or to the mystery of his embassage or ministration®:
of which sort are these: ‘“ The Father is greater than I.”
“Thou madest him ἃ little inferior to the angels.” ‘ My soul is
heavy even to the death.” Again, there are testimonies which
have respect to both natures, but to neither of them severally
do they sufficiently agree. Such are these: “My flesh is
meat indeed, and my blood is drink indeed.” “I have power
to forgive sins, to raise to life whom I will, and to give right-
eousness and holiness. I am the shepherd, the door, the light,
the way, the truth, and the life.’ ‘No man cometh to the
Father but by me.” For these do set forth and commend
unto us the very substance of Christ, the person I mean of
our true Saviour and Mediator, God and man. For no man
forgiveth sins but God only. Again, they are not forgiven
without death and shedding of blood, as the apostle witness-
eth in the ninth chapter to the Hebrews. Again, there are
testimonies, which cannot aptly be declared but by communi-
cating of words®, ‘Touching which I hope this is sufficient.
Again, he doth not divide the person of our Mediator, God The person
and man, whosoever for the unity’s sake of natures doth not ποι divided.
so far extend his humanity as his divinity is’ extended. For
in the gospel after St Matthew, the Lord goeth not with his mate. viii,
body into the house of the centurion; whereas yet notwith-
standing there is no doubt that, his Godhead being present
and not absent, the servant of the centurion was cured of this
disease. And who will say that therefore the person is divided
by St Matthew, for that he hath not extended the humanity
of Christ even unto his divinity ? The angels, speaking to the
women concerning the body of Christ risen from the dead
and now glorified, say: ‘ He is not here, he is risen.” But Mark xvi
we are not ignorant that his divinity is in every place. And
yet the angels divided not his inseparable person, in that they
did not make equal in all respects the human body of Christ
with his Godhead. The angels themselves® do not divide the
person of Christ, when, his body being taken up from the (4etsi. 11.1
mount Olivet into heaven, they standing on the earth testify
that he shall come again after the same manner as they saw
[5 sive ad missionem, dispensationisque mysterium, Lat. ]
[6 idiomatum, Lat.] [7 ut sic dicam, Lat. omitted; so to say.]
[8 Illi ipsi angeli, Lat.]
Acts viii.
272 THE FOURTH DECADE. [SERM.
him depart from them. But who dare deny that the Lord
was then also present with them? Therefore our Lord after
the manner of his very body is in heaven not in earth: but
according to his infinite Godhead he is everywhere, in heaven
and in earth. Man consisteth of soul and body; and these
most contrary in natures between themselves make one person,
not two; and whosoever attributeth and defendeth that
which is proper to either of them, doth not divide the person.
The body sleepeth, the soul sleepeth not: these properties of
parts make not two persons. NHereunto seemeth to belong
that which Theodoret hath left written in his third Dialogue,
saying: ‘‘ We do not divide the natural unity of the soul and
the body, neither separate we the souls from their own proper
bodies: but consider those things which properly belong to
their natures. Therefore when the scripture saith, ‘ And
devout men carried Stephen to his burial, and made great
lamentation over him ;’ wilt thou say that his soul was buried
with his body? I think not. And when thou shalt hear
Jacob the patriarch saying, ‘Bury ye me with my fathers,’
thou dost understand that to be spoken of his body, not of his
soul. Again thou dost read, ‘There they buried Abraham
and Sara his wife,’ &c. In which speech the scripture doth
not make mention of the body, but in all points signifieth the
soul and body together. But we rightly divide and say, that
the souls are immortal, and that the bodies only of the patri-
archs are buried in the double cave. Even so we also are wont
to say, In this or that place this or that man was buried.
We do not say, this man’s body, or that man’s body, but this
man or that man; for whosoever is well in his wits knoweth
we speak of the body. So whereas the evangelists so often-
times make mention of Christ’s body buried, at the length
they set down the name of the person and say, that Jesus
was buried and laid in the grave!,” &c. Thus far Theo-
doret.
[1 "Op. οὐδὲ ἡμεῖς, ὦ ἀγαθὲ, διαιροῦμεν τὴν ἕνωσιν, ἀλλὰ θεωροῦμεν τὰ
τῶν φύσεων ἴδια... Ὅταν οὖν ἡ θεία λέγῃ γραφὴ, Συνεκόμισαν δὲ τὸν
Στέφανον ἄνδρες εὐλαβεῖς, καὶ ἐποίησαν κοπετὸν μέγαν ἐπ᾽ αὐτῷ, καὶ τὴν
ψυχὴν εἴποι ἄν τις μετὰ τοῦ σώματος παραδεδόσθαι ταφῇ; Ἔραν. Οὐ δῆτα.
᾽ορθ. Καὶ ὅταν ἀκούσῃς ᾿Ιακὼβ τοῦ πατριάρχου λέγοντος, Θάψατέ με μετὰ τῶν
πατέρων μου, περὶ σώματος ἢ περὶ ψυχῆς ταῦτα εἰρῆσθαι τοπάζεις ; Ἔραν.
Δῆλον ὡς περὶ σώματος. ᾽Ορθ. Ἀνάγνωθι δὲ καὶ τὰ ἑξῆς. Ἔραν. ᾽Εκεῖ
ἔθαψαν Ἀβραὰμ, καὶ Σάῤῥαν τὴν γυναῖκα αὐτοῦ... .᾽Ορθ. Οὐδ᾽ ἐν τούτοις...
vi. | OF THE COMMUNICATING OF PROPERTIES. 213
And since it is without controversy, that this faith and
doctrine from Christ’s time even unto our age hath flou-
rished in the holy church of God, and against innumerable
assaults of Satan and heretics hath remained most stedfast ;
and the selfsame is delivered and confirmed by testimonies of
scripture and consents? of holy councils; I exhort you, dearly
beloved, that, calling on the name of Christ, you may perse-
vere and continue in the same doctrine, and being joined by
true faith and obedience to Christ, very God and man, you
may give continual thanks, worshipping him that reigneth for
ever.
OF CHRIST, KING AND PRIEST; OF HIS ONLY AND
EVERLASTING KINGDOM AND PRIESTHOOD;
AND OF THE NAME OF A
CHRISTIAN.
THE SEVENTH SERMON,
I nave declared unto you, dearly beloved, that Christ
Jesus our Lord is very God and man: which will bring more
plentiful profit, if we understand what the fruit of that thing
is; which is chiefly known by the offices of Christ our Lord.
He is king and priest of the people of God; therefore he
hath a kingdom and a priesthood: which things if we shall
somewhat more diligently consider, they shall declare unto
us the exceeding great benefit of the divinity and humanity
of Christ.
Christ Jesus is a king; therefore he is Lord of all, ruler crise
and governor of all things which are in heaven and in earth, ora’
and specially of the catholic church itself, which is the com-
munion of saints. And forsomuch as he is King and Lord,
truly by his royal or kingly office he is the deliverer or
preserver, the revenger and defender, and, finally, the law-
giver of his elect. For he crushed the serpent’s head, the fcR.\i
Luke xi.
σώματος ἐμνημόνευσεν ἡ θεία γραφή: ἀλλὰ διὰ τῶν ὀνομάτων τὴν ψυχὴν
ὅμου καὶ τὸ σῶμα ἐδήλου. Ἡμεῖς μέντοι διαιροῦμεν ὀρθῶς, καὶ φαμὲν τὰς
ψυχὰς ἀθανάτους εἶναι, μόνα δὲ τῶν πατριαρχῶν τὰ σώματα ἐν τῷ διπλῷ
κατατεθῆναι onndaiw.—Theodoret. Dial. 11. Opp. Tom. Iv. pp. 129, 180.
Lutet. Par. 1642.]
[2 symbolis, Lat.]
[ BULLINGER, III. | "
1 Pet. ii.
Christ isa
monarch.
Psal. ii.
Psal. ex.
Tsai. xlix.
Isai. xvi.
274. THE FOURTH DECADE. [SERM.
strong and most cruel enemy of God’s people; whom when
he had conquered he bound and spoiled. He delivered the
elect out of the power of darkness, and set them into the
liberty of the sons of God; that we might be his peculiar
people, sanctified through the blood of our king, a purchased
people, to serve him in righteousness and holiness. He is
humble, loving, and gentle; which the history of the gospel
also out of Zachary rehearseth of him, Matth. xxi. He watch-
eth for us, he defendeth and guardeth us, he enricheth us
with all manner of good things, and furnisheth us against our
enemies with spiritual armour, and giveth us abundantly
power to resist and to overcome. He hath purged the tem-
ple of God, casting out the Canaanites!; he hath cancelled
unrighteous laws, he hath delivered us from them; and now
he ruleth and governeth us with the sceptre of his mouth,
exceeding good and most just laws being proclaimed. For
he is God and man; therefore he is the only monarch, the
King of kings, and the Lord of lords: for he hath all the
kings and rulers in the world subject unto him; some verily
of their own accord, through faith, being obedient ; and other,
though striving and rebelling against him, made subject by
his power. And therefore saith the prophet David: “ Be
wise, O ye kings, be learned, ye that are judges of the earth;
serve the Lord with fear, and rejoice unto him with reverence.
Kiss the Son, lest he be angry, and so ye perish from the
right way?.” For in another place the same prophet saith:
“The Lord said to my Lord, Sit thou on my right hand,
until I make thine enemies thy footstool. The Lord will
send forth the rod of his power out of Sion; be thou ruler
even in the midst among thine enemies.” say also, bringing
in the Lord speaking, saith: “I will lift up my hands unto
the Gentiles, and set up my standard to the people?; and
they shall bring thee their sons upon their shoulders: for
kings shall be thy nursing fathers, and queens shall be thy
nursing mothers.” Which thing ecclesiastical histories declare
more largely. Of this king Christ the prophets prophesying
said: “And in mercy shall the seat be prepared; and he
[1 Cf. Vol. 1. p. 45, n. 7, and p. 153,n.8; and see Bullinger. in
Apocalyps. Conc. ΧΧΙ. p. 58, and Conc. xxviu. p. 76, and Conc. LXxVII.
p. 245. Basil, 1557.]
[2 in via, Lat.] [3 inter populos, Lat. ]
vit. | OF CHRIST A KING. 215
shall sit upon it in truth in the tabernacle of David, judging
and seeking judgment, and making haste unto righteousness.”
And again: “ Behold, the time cometh, saith the Lord, that I ser. xxiii.
will raise up the righteous Branch of David, which king
shall bear rule; and he shall prosper with wisdom, and shall
set up equity and righteousness again in the earth. In this
time* shall Juda be saved, and Israel shall dwell without fear :
and this is the name that they shall call him, The Lord our
Righteousness.”
And because our Lord is a king, therefore he must needs Of the king-
have a kingdom. As well the realm and dominion subject to
a king is called a kingdom, as principality, empire, power, and
manner of government itself. Therefore the church, the com-
munion or fellowship of saints, being obedient and subject to
their king Christ, is called the kingdom of God. For Micheas
saith, “‘ And the Lord shall reign over them in mount Sion :” mie. iv.
therefore Sion (which signifieth the church) is the kingdom
of God. And God is said to reign, when in the church he
ruleth, governeth, keepeth, and defendeth those that be his,
and endueth and maketh them fruitful with divers graces.
For Paul saith, “The kingdom of God is not meat and drink,
but righteousness, and peace, and joy in the Holy Ghost.”
Moreover the kingdom of God is that eternal glory and
felicity which God doth communicate to his elect. For the
Lord saith in the gospel, “ Come, ye blessed of my Father, matt. xxv.
inherit the kingdom which is prepared for you from the be-
ginning of the world.” And the thief even at point of
death making his prayer to the Lord, who was ready to
die on the cross, and desiring to be partaker of this king-
dom, saith, ‘“ Lord, remember me when thou comest into Luke xxiii,
thy kingdom.” Again, since the gospel teacheth us how God
reigneth in us in this world, in time to translate us unto
himself into that other ; that is, since the gospel is that thing
by which the Lord reareth up his dominion; it is not un-
advisedly called of Matthew, in his thirteenth chapter, the
kingdom of God®. In another place, for the same cause it is
called “the word of the kingdom.” To be short, we at this
present by the kingdom of God understand the congregation
[4 So also ed. 1584: but ed. 1577, in his time. ]
[5 Our Lord’s phrase in Matthew is, The kingdom of heaven: in
the other Evangelists, of G'od. |
18—2
The kingdom
of God, which
is one, is
two ways
considered.
God’s king-
dom of grace
in earth.
Prov. xxiv.
2 Sam. vii.
How Christ
reigneth on
earth in his
kingdom.
276 THE FOURTH DECADE. [SERM.
of saints itself, the catholic church, I mean, and the power
or administration of God reigning therein, that is, preserving,
governing, and glorifying the same.
And this kingdom of God is verily but only one; for
there is but one God only, one king Christ only, one church,
and life everlasting. But this one kingdom of God accord-
ing to the dispensation of the same is considered two ways:
first, according to the omnipotency of God; for he, since
he is the highest and omnipotent, hath and executeth over
all creatures, visible and invisible, most just rule and equal
power, nill they or will they be obedient: secondly, ac-
cording to his Spirit, whereby he reigneth in his elect. And
so the kingdom of God is again two ways considered: for
either it is earthly, and is called the kingdom of grace; or
else it 15 heavenly, and is called the kingdom of glory.
The earthly kingdom of grace is not therefore called
earthly, as though it were carnal and earthly, like the king-
dom of Babylon, Persia, Alexandria, or Rome; but because it
is on earth. For a good part of the holy church of God is
conversant on this earth, being partaker of flesh and blood
while it liveth on the earth, though it live not an earthly
life according to the flesh; for according to the Spirit,
whereby it is ruled, it liveth a heavenly life. Not that the
partakers of the kingdom of God sin not: for “the just
man falleth and riseth seven times in a day.” Whereupon
it is also called the kingdom of grace: for as long as
we live in this world, our king and Lord never denieth his
grace and mercy to us that crave pardon. And the faithful
do wholly hang upon the grace of their king: they embrace!
continual repentance, and endeavour themselves to things
of more perfectness; for they frame all that they do ac-
cording to the laws of their king and prince. For he reign-
eth in his elect by the word of truth, and by the Holy
Ghost. By the word of truth he teacheth what the saints
should do, and what they should avoid: by his Holy Spirit
he moveth their hearts, and giveth strength to fly evil and
follow that is good. For truly our king reigneth not so much
for himself as for us: for he maketh us also kings, that we,
being delivered from the devil, damnation, sin, and the curse,
may be lords over the devil, damnation, sin, and the curse,
[1 agunt, Lat. |
VII. | OF CHRIST A KING. 277
yea, and over all things; and joint-heirs with the Son of God
himself.
For these causes the kingdom of God is called a spi- the spiritual
ritual kingdom. For the partakers of the kingdom of God, Got
endued with the Spirit of God, do bring forth the fruits of
the Spirit, not the works of the flesh; and, to be short, are
governed with the Spirit of God. Neither truly doth our
Lord reign after the manner of the kings of this world, say-
ing to Pilate, “ My kingdom is not of this world.” Which
sentence some abuse, gathering that there is no outward
government in the church of God: under which name they
also take away the office of a magistrate; and speak so subtilly
of the kingdom of God, that a man cannot tell where the
kingdom of God is, or who be partakers of this kingdom.
They understand not that the meaning must be gathered upon
the occasion of that saying. The Jews, accusing the Lord
before Pilate, laid to his charge that he ambitiously sought
after a kingdom. The Lord, clearing himself of this crime,
sheweth Pilate that his kingdom shall not be such a one
which, after he had cast out Tiberius Cesar, should be gotten
and kept with arms, and be governed after the manner of
this world. Declaring that, he addeth: “If my kingdom were Jom xviii.
of this world, then would my servants surely fight, that I
should not be delivered to the Jews.” Therefore he inferreth,
“But now is my kingdom not from hence :” and therefore
they fight not for me, to place me in the throne of the king-
dom, Tiberius being cast out. And anon he saith: “ For this
cause was I born, and for this cause came I into the world,
that I should bear witness unto the truth: and all that are of
the truth hear my voice.” As therefore Christ by truth
(not by lying, deceits, and crafty practices, like the princes of
this world) prepareth himself a kingdom; so by truth he doth
both retain and govern his kingdom: and whosoever embrace
truth are partakers of Christ’s kingdom, whether they be
princes or of the commonalty: all these obey the voice of
their King, and serve their highest Prince.
Here nevertheless we expressly add, that kings can no
otherwise serve their Lord and King than kings, that is, in
doing those things which kings ought to do, namely, to execute
judgment and justice. For albeit these be in the world, yet
rule they not after the world, because they are now governed
The bounds
of Christ’s
kingdom in
earth.
278 THE FOURTH DECADE. [sERM,
by the Spirit of their King Christ, and direct all their doings
to the prescript rules of God’s word, and in all things yield
themselves to be guided by the Spirit of God: and so far
surely their kingdom is not of this world. Of these things I
have elsewhere cited much out of St Augustine according to
the scripture. And our King Christ defendeth his church
and his ministers sometime by the aid of princes; sometimes
he preserveth and spreadeth abroad the same lying open
to persecutions through infirmity and weakness: for it is
pressed down, but not oppressed, or kept under still; Christ
the mightiest prince always reigning and overcoming in those
that be his.
Now the bounds of this earthly kingdom of Christ reach
unto the uttermost parts of the earth; for all the kingdoms
of the world and all nations pertain unto the kingdom of
Christ. Hereunto belong all the testimonies of the prophets
touching the calling of the Gentiles”, whereof thou mayest find
very many in Esay and Zachary, who excellently describe
the kingdom of Christ in earth. Whereupon the Jews took
occasion to feign I wot not how great and glorious things of
the majesty and victories of the Messias, which nevertheless
long since were abundantly fulfilled in Christ, but more spirit-
ually than carnally. But they, while they dream of and look
for carnal things, loathe spiritual, and lose both. But the
faithful, through the bountifulness and liberality of Christ
their King, most abundantly obtain those good things which
the prophets promised, namely, plentiful peace both with God
and men, and all kind of felicity; always to be blessed,
always to be safe (though they fight continually) from all
enemies, as well visible as also invisible, and to enjoy everlast-
ing salvation. Which things the prophets in their writings
have set forth in a most large kind of style, yet understanding
nothing else than as even now we said; that the faithful shall
be most happy, and shall possess in Christ all good gifts both
of soul and body, as much indeed as is necessary and health-
ful for the saints. And this is that kingdom (now we under-
stand both, as well that of grace as this of glory) which that
Joseph of Aramathia, just Simeon, and Anna the prophetess,
with other saints, awaited and looked for. This same kingdom
Philip the deacon preached to them of Samaria, and St Paul
[1 Vol. 1. pp. 365-369. ] [2 omnium gentium, Lat. ]
vil. | OF THE KINGDOM OF GOD. 279
the apostle to them of Rome: which thing Luke doth testify
in the Acts of the Apostles, chapter vill. and xxviii.
But the seat or throne and? palace of our king is heaven.
For he ascended a conqueror into heaven, and sitteth at the
right hand of God the Father almighty: from thence as the
sun of righteousness he shineth to all which live in his church,
or in his kingdom; yea, and he chooseth the hearts of the
faithful to himself wherein he may dwell*. Furthermore,
that we may understand our king, though not corporally
present in earth but ascended into heaven, not therefore to
be absent from his kingdom; he verily in his word compareth
himself to the head and us to the body or the members.
Now therefore as the body is never without the head, so
the kingdom of God is not without Christ the prince. And
as the vital spirit from the heart, and the power or virtue
of feeling and moving from the head, is poured into the body:
so are we quickened or made alive by our prince Christ; he
justifying, preserving, comforting, confirming, and defending
us from all evil. As all the members are ruled by the head,
so all the faithful in the kingdom of Christ are governed
by their king Christ. Paul therefore saith: ‘ God raised
Christ from the dead, and set him on his right hand in hea-
venly places, far above all rule, and power, and might, and
every name that is named, not only in this world, but also
in the world to come; and hath put all things under his
feet, and gave him to be the head over all things to the
church, which is his body, the fulness of him that filleth all
in all.’ Of which kind there are very many other to be
found in the writings of the apostles: first of all® that
“Christ is the head of the church, and he it is which
giveth salvation to the body; for he gave himself for the
church, to sanctify it when he had cleansed it in the fountain
of water in the word, that he might present it unto himself a
glorious church,” &c.
And thus much hitherto of the kingdom of Christ in
[3 adeoque, Lat.; and so. ]
[4 Alioqui nullam in terris sedem vel palatium regni habet, Lat.
omitted ; Otherwise, he has no seat or palace of his kingdom upon
earth. ]
[5 et dominium, Lat. omitted ; and dominion. |
[ὁ in primis, Lat.; especially. |
The seat of
our king,
ΘΗ σιβῖς
Fphes. i.
Ephes. v.
God’s king-
dom of glory
in heay a
Rev. xxi. &
χΧ ΧΙ,
The kingdom
of Christ is
an everlast-
ing kingdom.
Matt. xvi.
Matt. xxiv.
Dan. vii.
280 THE FOURTH DECADE. [SERM.
earth, which is both called the kingdom of grace and the
church militant,
Moreover the kingdom of God is called the kingdom of
“heaven and of glory for that occasion, because those whom
our Lord and king hath sanctified on earth, and guided with
his Spirit, yea, and also justified, being delivered from the
flesh and taken out of this world he glorifieth in heaven,
and receiveth them into joy and into the fellowship both of
himself and of all the saints. For the souls of the faithful,
even as soon as they depart out of their bodies, are forth-
with received into heaven, to reign with Christ the everlasting
King, and for ever to rejoice with all the saints. But in the
last judgment, wherewith we believe that the quick and dead
shall be judged of Christ our king, the bodies of the saints
shall be raised up, clarified!, coupled again to their souls;
and how many soever have cleaved unto Christ their king
from the beginning of the world shall live for ever and reign
in glory together with Christ their king and prince. Of
this kingdom of the saints the prophets and apostles have
spoken much, and chiefly the apostle St John in his Reve-
lation. Some have called this kingdom the church trium-
phant.
This kingdom of God, or of Christ, is an everlasting
kingdom: for as even to the world’s end the church shall
be on earth, howsoever this world and the prince of the
world do rage; so the faithful after judgment shall live and
reign with Christ, happy for ever both in body and soul.
For the Lord saith in the gospel: “The gates of hell shall
not prevail against the church.” Also the last times shall
be as the days of Noe were, wherein, though the wicked did
far in number exceed the church of the faithful, yet Noe and
his were saved in the ark, but the wicked were destroyed
with the flood: in such sort surely shall iniquity by all means
prevail in the end of the world; but in the meanwhile those
that are elected into the kingdom of Christ shall be saved
by Christ, whom they shall look for to be their judge, and
shall see their Redeemer coming in the clouds of heaven.
Daniel also in his prophecy describeth the rising and falling
of all kingdoms and of antichrist also, but attributeth no
end to the kingdom of the saints or holy people, but wit-
[1 See Vol. 1. pp. 172-176.]
VII. | OF THE KINGDOM OF GOD. 281
nesseth that it shall be everlasting. The same doth the
prophet Zachary also in his twelfth chapter. For the saints
reign on the earth by Christ; and, being translated from the
earth into heaven, they shall reign together with their king
Christ for ever. And the scripture is wont oftentimes to
speak of one of these kingdoms only. Of both these king-
doms we understand many places of scripture: first of all,
that which is spoken by our Saviour: “‘ When ye pray, say, Matt. vi.
Our Father, which art in heaven, hallowed be thy name,
thy kingdom come.” For we pray that he would reign in
us while we live on earth, that we also may reign over the
world and the prince of the world; and that we be not ruled
by Satan, neither that sin reign in us; but rather that we,
here being governed by himself, may in time to come reign
with Christ i in heaven.
Contrariwise, what manner of kingdom the kingdom of Thekingdom
the world is, it appeareth by considering the head or the what manner
king and prince thereof, which is the devil, the author of
sin, of uncleanness, and of death. He reigneth in the world,
the prince doubtless of the kingdom of darkness. Not that
God and his Christ is not king of all things; but because
unfaithful apostates, through their own proper malice, revolting _
from God to the devil, do appoint him for the prince?; to
whom even of their own accord they submit and yield them-
selves to be governed, living in all ungodliness, wickedness,
and uncleanness; framing themselves like to their head the
devil; with whom they shall be punished everlastingly in the
world to come, as in this world they have suffered themselves
to be governed of him, doing his will.
This ‘ prince of this world,” elsewhere also called “ The Joh xii.
god of this world,” hath Christ the true king and monarch of ἜΡΙΣ
the world overcome, and hath destroyed his kingdom: not
that he should not be as long as this world endureth, but that
he should not hurt the elect. Satan doth live and shall live
for ever, howbeit in misery, (which life in very deed is
death), but he hath no power against them that be redeemed
by Christ the prince. He hath and shall have a kingdom
even unto the end of the world, but in the children of un-
belief. This kingdom also in this world is in decaying, and as
[2 So also ed. 1584: but ed. 1577, their prince. Sibi principem,
Lat. ]
Christ Jesus
the High
Priest.
Psal. ex.
Heb. vii.
Gen. xiy.
282 THE FOURTH DECADE. [SERM.
it were momentany and for a short time; for the world
passeth away, and all worldly things perish. But all the elect
of God are very strangers from this kingdom; yea, they are
as it were sworn enemies of this kingdom. Neither can the
prince of darkness by his power put away the partakers of
the kingdom of Christ into his kingdom of iniquity. Truly,
he goeth about this diligently, and with divers temptations
vexeth the elect: but those overcome through him which
in time past vanquished that false king and prince of thieves,
and taught us that, despising this filthy prince and the world
and the lusts of the world, giving our minds to innocency,
we should yield ourselves to that good Spirit to be governed.
These things have I thus far declared, as briefly as I
could, touching the king Christ and his only and everlasting
kingdom.
And now Christ our Lord is a priest, yea, that chiefest,
only, and everlasting priest, whom the high priests of the old
people did prefigure and shadow out. For David in his song
altogether divine saith: “‘ The Lord sware, and will not repent
him, Thou art a priest for ever after the order of Melchize-
dek.” Which words the blessed apostle alleging and ex-
pounding in his epistle to the Hebrews, hath left these words
written: “The forerunner (saith he) is for us entered into
heaven, after the order of Melchizedek made a priest for
ever. For this Melchizedek, king of Salem, priest of the
most high God, who met Abraham coming from the slaughter
of kings, and blessed him, to whom also Abraham gave the
tenths of all things; who first indeed is called by interpretation
the king of righteousness, then also king of Salem, which is,
king of peace; of an unknown father, of an unknown mother,
of an unknown kin, neither having beginning of days, nor end
of life, but likened to the Son of God, remaineth a priest for
ever!” Surely our Lord Jesus Christ is both a righteous
and peaceable king, and the righteousness and peace of the
faithful: and he is that everlasting priest, who according
to his humanity is believed to be born of the virgin without
seed of man, and therefore of an unknown father ; and accord-
ing to his divinity begotten of the Father, and therefore of an
unknown mother; and unspeakably begotten from everlast-
ing, and therefore of unknown kin, having neither beginning
[1 Erasmus’ version. ]
Vil. | OF CHRIST A PRIEST. 283
nor end of life. For albeit according to his humanity he was
dead and buried, yet according to his divinity he remaineth
God immortal and everlasting. The selfsame which is a king
is also acknowledged a priest, not according to the order of
Aaron, but according to the order of Melchizedek. [or as
the scripture remembereth this one a priest; so one Christ
remaineth priest for ever, having an everlasting priesthood.
But high priests in time past were called and anointed; they
did not thrust themselves into such an office by force or
deceit. Whereupon the apostle said: “No man taketh the nep.v.
honour to himself, but he that is called of God, as was Aaron.
So also Christ took not glory to himself to be made high
priest, but is made and confirmed of him who said unto him,
Thou art my Son, this day have I begotten thee. As he saith psa. ii.
also in another place: Thou art a priest for ever after the
order of Melchizedek.” But thou dost nowhere read that our
priest was anointed with visible oil: for he was anointed with Christ is
invisible oil, namely, with the fulness of the Holy Ghost; as the
prophet witnesseth: “Thy God? hath anointed thee with the psa. xiv.
oil of gladness above thy fellows.” And again: ‘ The Spirit tsai-isi.
of the Lord upon me: for the Lord hath anointed me, and
sent me to preach good tidings unto the poor.”
Furthermore, when we read that the office of priests in
times past was to serve in the tabernacle, to teach the people,
to make intercession between God and men, to pray for the
people and to bless them, to sacrifice also, and to consecrate or
sanctify ; and that now it is manifest that Jesus Christ is the
lawful priest ; it is certain that he is tied to the selfsame offices,
but indeed to so much more excellent than these by how
much he hath obtained a more excellent priesthood. Those How Christ
r priest
priests after the order of Aaron served in the corruptible and doth the
figurative tabernacle: but our Lord, being taken up into the priest.
true tabernacle, heaven itself, ministereth to all the saints of
God. For heaven and the church of saints is the true taber-
nacle and temple of our high priest. Christ our priest is the cmist tne
only and everlasting teacher and master of his universal the church.
church. For not only that age hath he so taught, which lived
in the days of his flesh ; but the Spirit of Christ was in the
prophets, by whom now also he ruleth all the seats’ of his
catholic church. Christ himself as yet speaketh unto us, and
[2 Deus, Deus tuus, Lat. ] [3 cathedras, Lat. ]
Christ
maketh inter-
cession.
Christ ~
blesseth.
(Gen. xxii. ]
Christ sacri-
ficeth.
Christ
sanctifieth.
John vii,
John xvii.
284 THE FOURTH DECADE. [SERM.
will speak even unto the end of the world, by the mouth or
writings of the holy apostles and all teachers preaching the
doctrine of the apostles. And this doctrine is sufficient for the
catholic church; for it comprehendeth all those things fully
which pertain to the holy! and happy life. Christ our high
priest maketh intercession for all the saints in his own temple.
For he, being the only advocate and patron of all the faithful,
prayeth to the Father for us on the right hand of God; for
he ascended unto the right hand of God the Father, that he
should always appear there in the presence of God, to follow
all our suits’ faithfully: of which thing I have spoken more
at large in my last sermon’, where I entreated of invocation
and intercession. The same our Lord only blesseth us. For
he was made a malediction and curse for us, that we might be
blessed in him, according to that notable and ancient pro-
phecy: “In thy seed shall all the nations of the world be
blessed.” Moreover Christ our Lord sacrificeth for us: for he
offereth incense when he maketh supplication for us, and ap-
peareth on the right hand of God. And he offereth a sacrifice
for sins unto the living God, not a sacrifice of a beast, but him-
self, always an effectual sacrifice, to make satisfaction for all the
sins of the people. Whereof since I have entreated abundantly
in the treatise of ceremonies‘, here of purpose I am the briefer.
Again, since our Lord Jesus Christ is the holy of holiest, doubt-
less he sanctifieth and consecrateth his catholic church, anointing
it with the oil of the Holy Ghost, that we may be made both
holy and priests to offer spiritual sacrifices to God. For we
read that that holy ointment, poured on Aaron’s head, ran
down to his beard, and even to the skirts of his clothing.
For Christ, the high priest of his universal church, poureth his
Spirit as well upon them that are very far off as upon them
that are near at hand; for he crieth in the gospel: “If any
man thirsteth, let him come unto me and drink. He that
believeth on me, as the scripture hath said, out of his belly
shall flow rivers of water of life.’ And again: ‘“ For their
sakes sanctify I myself, that they also might be sanctified in
the truth.”
[1 So also ed. 1584: but ed. 1577, a holy. ]
[2 negotia exequatur, Lat. ]
[3 Sermon (not the last, but) v. pp. 212—219.]
[4 Vol. π. Decade m1. Sermon v.]
Vil. | OF CHRIST A PRIEST. 285
To be short, when we say and confess that Jesus
Christ is the priest or bishop® of the faithful people, we say
this; that Christ is our chosen and appointed teacher and mas-
ter, to govern and teach his universal church, to make inter-
cession for us, and to plead all our suits® faithfully before the
Father in heaven; which is the only patron, mediator, and
advocate of the faithful with God; who by the sacrifice of his
body is the perpetual and only satisfaction, absolution, and
justification of all sinners throughout the whole world’; who
consecrateth into priests those that believe, that they also
might offer to God the Father through Jesus Christ acceptable
sacrifices, and might be the house and tabernacle of God.
Out of this it shall be easy to judge what manner of orcnrist’s
priesthood Christ’s is, who is our high priest and bishop. ΡΝ
His priesthood is the very office or very function and work-
ing of the priest, whereby Christ the priest himself executeth
all things in heaven and in the catholic church, which be-
long to his priestly office. Wherefore it must needs be,
that this priesthood of Christ our high bishop is not visible
and corporal, but altogether spiritual. For very well saith
Paul, ““ Christ were no priest, if he were on the earth :” where Heb. viii.
they that are of the tribe of Levi do minister in the taber-
nacle or temple; where there is a temple or tabernacle with
manifold holy garments and vessels. But Christ our Lord
is of the tribe of Juda; born, I say, of a royal tribe: albeit
we are not ignorant in the meanwhile, that the royal tribe,
that is, the tribe of Juda, and the priestly tribe, that is,
the tribe of Levi, were mingled together; for we read [Lukei. 36.)
that Elizabeth, which was of the daughters of Aaron, was
cousin to the Virgin, the mother of God, she being of the
line of David. Neither is our Lord read at any time to
have used the temple or the holy vessels in his ministery.
For although sometime he taught in the temple, yet he
taught not only in the same. He never sacrificed in the
temple at the holy altars either of incense or of burnt-offer-
ings. He never used priestly garments, which were figurative ;
whereof I spake when I expounded the ceremonial laws’.
[> summum pontificem, Lat. ] [ὁ negotia agat, Lat.]
[7 omnium peccatorum totius mundi, Lat.; of all the sins of the
whole world. }
[8 Vol. 1. Decade m1. Serm. y.]
Heb. xiii.
1 John ii.
Isai. xliv.
Heb. v.
256 THE FOURTH DECADE. [sERM,
Therefore, when he would sacrifice for the satisfaction of the
sins of the whole world, he suffered without the gate, and
offered himself a lively and most holy sacrifice, according
as the shadows or types, prophecies and figures foreshewed
in the law of Moses: whereof in like manner I have entreated
in the discourse of the ceremonial laws. And when he had
offered the sacrifice of his body, he ascended into heaven,
and sitteth at the right hand of the Father, that from thence
he may give light unto his church, and there appear always
for us in the presence of God the Father. And therefore
he doth not now corporally execute his priestly office on
earth, in like sort teaching us now as in the days of his
flesh he taught the men of his age. For now he doth illu-
minate with his Spirit the minds of his, and daily repaireth
or reneweth the evangelical doctrine of the apostles ; and yet,
for all that, he himself speaketh by the mouth of them that
teach and preach the gospel. He blesseth us from heaven,
that is to say, he enricheth us with all heavenly blessings.
Of him the apostle speaking saith: ‘ And the anointing,
which ye have received of him, dwelleth in you: and ye
need not that any man teach you; but as the same anointing
teacheth you of all things, and it is true and not lying, and
as it hath taught you, ye shall abide in it’.” Of him the
divine prophet speaking saith: “1 will pour water upon the
thirsty, and floods upon the dry ground: I will pour my
Spirit upon thy seed, and my blessing upon thy stock?,” (or
buds :) ‘‘they shall grow together like as the grass, and as
the willows by the water’s side.” By which words we learn
that Christ our high priest hath no need of a bishop, suf-
fragan, or vicar in his church; for he himself is present
with his church, and governeth it by his Spirit. The self-
same Christ, at the right hand of the Father in heaven, doth
not so oftentimes humbly fall down on his knees and make
intercession for us as we do sin. “In the days of his flesh,
when he did offer up prayers and supplications’, with strong
499
crying and tears, he was once heard in that which he feared*.
[1 manete in ea, Lat.; and Erasmus, and Bibl. Lat. Tigur. 1544,
Marg. Auth. Ver. ]
[2 So Coverdale, 1535; stirpem tuam, Lat. and Vulg.]
[3 pro nobis, Lat. omitted; for us.]
[4 exauditus est a Patre pro reverentia, Lat.; Erasmus’ Version. ]
vit. | OF CHRIST HIS PRIESTHOOD. 287
For now he always appeareth for us in the presence of God.
All our matters are manifest in his sight; and the Father
beholdeth the face of his Christ, for whose sake he is pleased
with all his members, hearing them and giving them what-
soever healthful things they require, according to that saying
of our Saviour: “ Verily, verily, I say unto you, Whatsoever τομὴ xvi.
ye shall ask the Father in my name, he shall give it you.”
Therefore here we must imagine no turmoils, no molestation,
no labour wherewith he should be wearied which is the in-
tercessor, advocate, and priest of all before God the Father
in heaven: whereof also I put you in mind in my last
sermon, where I entreated of invocation and intercession®.
Wherefore our priest, executing his office before God in hea-
ven, hath need of no altar of incense, no censer, no holy
vessels or garments: much less hath he need of the altar of
burnt-offerings; for on the cross, which was his altar, he
offered up himself but once for all. Neither was there any
mortal man worthy to offer to the living God the living Son
of God. And that only sacrifice is always effectual to make
satisfaction for all the sins of all men in the whole world.
And though in the discourse of the ceremonial laws I
have alleged many testimonies touching these things, yet I
cannot stay myself here, but must cite unto you some that
be notable. For this matter, wherein the fruit of Christ’s
divinity and humanity, to be short, all our salvation consisteth,
cannot worthily and diligently enough be printed in men’s
hearts. Paul unto the Hebrews, speaking of the priests of
the old Testament, and comparing Christ our high priest
with them, yea, by all means preferring him, saith: ‘“ And Geb, vil
among them many were made priests, because they were not
suffered to endure by reason of death. But Christ, because
he endureth for ever, hath an everlasting,” or unchangeable®,
“priesthood, for that it doth not pass over to another by
succession. Wherefore he is able also perfectly to save them
that come unto God by hin, seeing he ever liveth to make
intercession for them. For such an high priest it became
us to have, (which is) holy, harmless, undefiled, separate from
sins’, and made higher than the heavens: which needed not
[5 See above, p. 219.]
[6 immigrabile, Lat. See Vol. m. p. 195, n. 3.]
(7 a peccatoribus, Lat. |
Heb. ix.
Heb. x.
Rev. i.
1 Pet. ii.
288 THE FOURTH DECADE. [SERM.
daily, as those high priests, to offer up sacrifice, first for his
own sins, and then for the people’s; for that did he once,
when he offered up himself.” And again he saith: “ Christ
is not entered into the holy places made with hands, which
are the similitudes of the true sanctuary, but into heaven
itself, to appear now in the sight of God for us: not that
he should offer himself often, as the high priests! entered
into the holy places every year in strange” (or with other)
‘blood; for then must he have often suffered since the
foundation of the world: but now in the end of the world
hath he appeared once, to put away sin by the sacrifice of
himself. And as it is appointed unto men that they shall
once die, and after that cometh the judgment; even so Christ,
once offered to take away the sins of many, the second time
shall be seen without sin of them which wait for him unto
salvation.” And again the same Paul saith: ‘“ Every priest
appeareth daily ministering, and oftentimes offereth one man-
ner of offering, which can never take away sins: but this
man, after he had offered one sacrifice for sins, sitteth for
ever at the right hand of God, and from henceforth tarrieth
till his enemies be made his footstool. Tor with one offering
hath he made perfect,” or consecrated, “for ever them that
are sanctified.” All these sayings hitherto are the apostle
Paul’s. And I think that these testimonies are not to be
made manifest and agreeable to our purpose by a larger
interpretation; for they are all even without any exposition
of ours most evident, and very aptly? agree to the matter
which we have in hand. For they do plainly set forth and
lay before our eyes to behold the whole priesthood of Christ,
specially that which belongeth to the intercession and the
only and everlasting sacrifice or satisfaction for sins. It
belongeth also to the same priesthood to consecrate priests
unto God all the faithful: not that we should offer for the
satisfaction of sins, but that we should offer our prayers,
thanksgivings, and ourselves, and the duties of godliness as
it were every moment. For St John the apostle and evan-
gelist saith: “Jesus Christ, prince of the kings of the earth,
loved us, and washed us from our sins in his own blood, and
made us kings and priests unto God and his Father.” We
may find the same sentence also in the epistle of St Peter.
[1 pontifex, Lat.] [2 quam apertissime, Lat. ]
vil. | OF THE NAME OF A CHRISTIAN. 289
So that in these? we may see what fruit riseth and floweth
unto us from the divinity and humanity of Christ our king
and high priest. For he could not be prince of kings and
high priest, unless he were God and man.
Here this place requireth to speak somewhat of the name ofthe _
of a Christian, and of the duties of a christian man. Christian.
We have the name of Christians of Christ, to whom being
unseparably knit we are the members of that body whereof
he is head. And Christ is not his proper name (for he is
called Jesus), but a name of office, derived from the Greek
word χρίσμα, which signifieth anointing’; so Christ signi-
fieth as much as anointed. Therefore Tertullian saith, it is
not a proper name, but a name attributed. And he addeth,
“Anointed is no more a name than clothed or apparelled, a
thing accident to the name®.” But the kings and high-priests
were anointed with oil; therefore Christ signifieth unto us
him that is king, high-priest, or bishop. And because we
are named Christians of Christ, who hath anointed us with
the Holy Ghost, truly we also are kings and priests. Where ea De
you may see how great a benefit we have received of Christ, priests.
God and Man; for he hath made us kings and priests.
We see what the duty of Christians is ; namely, to maintain
this dignity even to the last gasp, lest it be taken from us
again by Satan. Furthermore if we be kings, we are lords Christians are
over things, and are free, ruling, not ruled or in subjection : BG
free, I say, from sin and everlasting death, and from all un-
cleanness; lords over Satan, prince of this world, and over
the world itself. For we rule the world and the flesh: we
are not ruled by them. Hereunto belong those words of the
apostle: “Let not sin reign in your mortal body, that ye rom. vi.
should thereunto obey by the lusts of it. Neither give ye
your members as instruments (or weapons) of unrighteousness
unto sin: but give yourselves unto God, as they that are alive
from the dead, and your members as instruments (or weapons)
of righteousness unto God. For sin shall not have power (or
[3 in omnibus his, Lat.; in all these. ]
[4 achrismate, Lat. Cf. Tertul. de Baptismo, cap. 7. Tom. Iv. p. 164.
ed. Semler. Hal. Magd. 1824.]
[5 Si tamen nomen est Christus, et non appellatio potius. Unctus
enim significatur: unctus autem non magis nomen est, quam vestitus
...accidens nomini res.—Tertull. Ady. Prax. Op. Par, 1634, p. 660. ]
[ BULLINGER, III. ] ed
1 John vy.
Christians
are priests.
290 THE FOURTH DECADE. [SERM.
dominion) over you.” And therefore when the prince of this
world, yea, and the world itself, and the flesh, and sin, the
wicked affection thereof, do what they can to draw us again
out of freedom into bondage, we must (because we are kings)
valiantly resist them, and, continuing in conflict, vanquish and
overcome them by the virtue of Christ reigning in us. For
St John the apostle saith: ‘All that is born of God overcometh
the world; and this is the victory which hath overcome the
world, even your faith.” Hitherto belongeth the doctrine of
freedom and bondage, whereof I entreated in the former
Decade!. By all these we gather, that the principal duty of
Christians is always to stand in battle array, and to keep
their place, to watch and endeavour by all force and means,
lest at any time being overcome of their enemy Satan
they be spoiled of their royal or kingly dignity, and be
haled down into the bondage of hell. Truly, if we overcome
in Christ and with Christ, we shall reign together with
him; that is, we shall live with him and all the saints in
glory for ever and ever. And thus are we kings in Christ;
thus are we Christians.
Again, because we are Christians, that is to say, anointed,
surely we are priests also; and therefore, according to our
priestly office, we teach, we admonish, we exhort, and comfort
all our brethren, and all men that are committed to our
charge. Where notwithstanding we do necessarily make a
difference between the christian priesthood and the ecclesias-
tical ministery. All Christians truly, as well men as women,
are priests, but we are not all ministers of the church: for
we cannot all one with another preach publicly, administer
the sacraments, and execute other duties of pastors, unless we
be lawfully called and ordained thereunto. This our priest-
hood common to all is spiritual, and is occupied in common
duties of godliness, not in public and lawful ministeries of the
church. Whereupon one may and ought to instruct and
admonish another privately, and while he so doth, he execut-
eth a priestly office; as when the good-man of the house?
instructeth his children at home in godliness; when the good-
wife of the house teacheth and correcteth her daughters; to
be short, when every one of us exhort every neighbour of
ours to the desire and study of godliness. For the apostle
[1 Decade ut. Serm. 1x.] (2 Vol. 1. page 258, note 2.]
vil. | OF THE NAME OF A CHRISTIAN, 291
Paul saith: “ Exhort ye one another daily, while it is called He. iii.
to-day ; lest any of you be hardened through the deceitful-
ness of sin.” Moreover, since we be priests, we must offer
sacrifices worthy of our God. And we have sufiiciently testi-
fied, that, after Christ our high and only priest or bishop in all
ages and in all the whole world, none doth offer a satisfactory
sacrifice to take away sin: for when he offered up himself,
he offered a sacrifice but once, howbeit always effectual to
cleanse the sins of all. Therefore we offer unto him thanks-
giving and praise, celebrating the memory of that one only
sacrifice: we offer prayers: we offer ourselves, that is to say,
our bodies, a lively and a reasonable sacrifice to God, together
with all kind of godliness and well-doing. For Paul saith:
“ By Christ we offer the sacrifice of praise always unto God, ποὺ. xiii
that is, the fruit of lips confessing his name. To do good
and to distribute forget not; for with such sacrifice God is well
pleased.” But touching these sacrifices I have spoken more
in my former sermon’, wherein I entreated what the true
service of God is. But since all sanctification is and riseth
from one high priest, Christ Jesus, we can sanctify ourselves
no otherwise than with honest and pure conversation of life,
which thing is required at our hands; namely, that we be
holy, and that we sanctify the name of our God with an inno-
cent life, that it be not evil spoken of through us by men, but
that they may see the good works of the faithful, and glorify
the Father which is in heaven. There is none but may see
that all the duties of a christian man are comprehended in
these points; wherein unless we exercise ourselves earnestly,
I do not see that we are worthy of so excellent a name.
That this most holy name was first given to the faithful the nameot
ristian,
at Antioch in Syria, Luke is witness: which yet let no man so most anacnt,
understand, as if that name afore had been altogether un-
known to all men. For now it is become most common; in
time past it was the name only of most excellent and holy
men, and of such as rather were so indeed than so accounted,
though also by name they were in some manner so acknow-
ledged. For Eusebius in his ecclesiastical history maketh
mention, that the ancient fathers Adam, Seth, Noe, Abraham,
and other like unto these, were all Christians; and therefore
christian religion to be the very purest, perfectest, and the
[3 See above, p. 224. ]
19—2
292 THE FOURTH DECADE. [SERM.
ancientest. The words of Eusebius, if any require, are these :
‘The nation of the Hebrews is not new, but unto all men in
antiquity famous, and known to all. Their books and writings
do contain ancient fathers, of whom they make report before
the flood, rare indeed and few in number, howbeit in godli-
ness and righteousness and in all kind of virtues most excellent ;
and after the flood, of other of the sons and nephews of Noe,
as of Tharam and Abraham, of whom as their captain and
progenitor the posterity of the Hebrews do boast. So that
if any man shall say that all these from Abraham himself
even to the first man, being beautified with the testimony of
righteousness, through their works, though not in name, were
Christians, truly he should not stray from the truth. For a
Christian signifieth a man which excelleth other in know-
ledge and doctrine of Christ, with moderation of mind, and
righteousness and continency of life, and through fortitude of
virtue and confession of godliness toward the one and only
God of all creatures. And this name those ancient fathers
did no less esteem than we do. Neither had they care of the
corporal circumcision, as we also have not; neither of keeping
the Sabbath-day, as we also have not; nor of abstaining from
meats, nor other differences: which things afterwards Moses
first of all ordained, and figuratively delivered them to be
performed: as such things also even at this day pertain not
to Christians. But they saw plainly the Christ or anointed of
God: as also it is declared already before, that he both
appeared unto Abraham, and gave answer unto Isaac and
Israel, and spake to Moses, and after him to the prophets.
Whereby thou shalt find that these godly men also obtained
the name of Christ, according to that saying spoken of them,
to wit, Touch not my Christs (or mine anointed), and do my
prophets no harm, Therefore it is manifest that this godly
invention of those men who lived holily in the time of Abra-
ham, which of late by the doctrine of Christ is preached to all
nations, is the first, most ancient, and eldest of 411}. Thus
much Eusebius.
“ ᾽
[1 Οὐ νέον, ἀλλὰ καὶ παρὰ πᾶσιν ἀνθρώποις ἀρχαιότητι τετιμημένον ἔθνος,
ee μον ‘ > 4 , “ΝΥ ld , rd \ A Ld
τοῖς πᾶσι καὶ αὐτὸ γνώριμον, τὸ Ἑβραίων τυγχάνει. Λόγοι δὴ παρὰ τούτῳ
‘ , , cll 4 , ‘ πον lod ΄σ
καὶ γράμματα παλαίους ἄνδρας περιέχουσι, σπανίους μὲν καὶ ἀριθμῷ βραχεῖς,
» oe > , . ’ ‘ , “ lal , > ΄
ἀλλ᾽ ὅμως εὐσεβείᾳ καὶ δικαιοσύνη καὶ πάσῃ τῇ λοιπῇ διενεγκόντας ἀρετῇ"
πρὸ μέν γε τοῦ κατακλυσμοῦ, διαφόρους: μετὰ δὲ καὶ τοῦτον, ἑτέρους τῶν
vil. | OF THE NAME ΟΕ A CHRISTIAN, 293
Furthermore, if we behold ourselves in this looking-glass There are
of a christian name, we shall see that very few at this day are Christians,
worthy of this name?. Truly all of us are commonly so
called, and we will be? named Christians; but few of us live a
life worthy of our profession. We are named Christians of
holy anointing. The holy anointing is the Holy Ghost him-
self. ‘Upon whom shall my Spirit rest?” saith the Lord 3 tsai. xvi
“even upon him that is poor, and of a lowly troubled spirit,
and standeth in awe of my words.” But we set light by the
word of God, we have very troublesome heads, we are corrupt
with evil affections and lewd lusts, we swell with pride; and
therefore we want the ointment of holy oil, or are void of the
Holy Ghost‘, Who therefore can say that we be Christians ὃ
We are all of us in manner ruled by wicked desires, by the
flesh, the world, and the prince of this world; few of us rule
the world, and the flesh, and those things which are in them.
Therefore not the Spirit of God, but the spirit of the world
τε τοῦ Νῶε παίδων καὶ ἀπογόνων, ἀτὰρ καὶ (τὸν Θάραν, alii) τὸν ’ABpadp,
a 3 A A , “ 92 κ ς , > aA ,
ov ἀρχηγὸν καὶ προπάτορα σφῶν αὐτῶν παῖδες Ἑβραίων αὐχοῦσι. Πάντας
δὴ ἐκείνους δικαιοσύνῃ μεμαρτυρημένους, ἐξ αὐτοῦ Αβραὰμ ἐπὶ τὸν πρῶτον
ἀνιοῦσιν ἄνθρωπον, ἔργῳ Χριστιανοὺς, εἰ καὶ μὴ ὀνόματι, προσειπών τις οὐκ
ἂν ἐκτὸς βάλοι τῆς ἀληθείας. “Ὁ γάρ τοι δηλοῦν ἐθέλοι τοὔνομα, τὸν
Χριστιανὸν ἄνδρα διὰ τῆς τοῦ Χριστοῦ γνώσεως καὶ διδασκαλίας, σωφροσύνῃ
καὶ δικαιοσύνῃ καρτερίᾳ τε βίου καὶ ἀρετῆς ἀνδρίᾳ, εὐσεβείας τε ὁμολογίᾳ
ἑνὸς καὶ μόνου τοῦ ἐπὶ πάντων Θεοῦ διαπρέπειν, τοῦτο πᾶν ἐκείνοις οὐ χεῖρον
« n > , ΔΙῚ > , > ” “ a Ὁ \ ‘
ἡμῶν ἐσπουδάζετο. OvT οὖν σώματος αὐτοῖς περιτομῆς ἔμελεν, ὅτι μὴ δὲ
cur > 4 > ’ taj Ἁ ‘ Mb ge 3 » > ‘ “ “
ἡμῖν: οὐ σαββάτων ἐπιτηρήσεως, ὅτι μὴ δὲ ἡμῖν: ἀλλ᾽ οὐδὲ τῶν τοιῶνδε
a A > . ΄“ a “" a ΄“ Ἂν “-
τροφῶν παραφυλακῆς, οὐδὲ τῶν ἄλλων διαστολῆς, ὅσα τοῖς μετέπειτα πρῶτος
ε , oe ων > , > a ΄' o ‘
ἁπάντων Μωῦσῆς ἀρξάμενος ev συμβόλοις τελεῖσθαι παραδέδωκεν, ὅτι μὴ
δὲ νῦν Χριστιανῶν τὰ τοιαῦτα: ἀλλὰ καὶ σαφῶς αὐτὸν ἤδεσαν τὸν Χριστὸν
τοῦ Θεοῦ, εἴγε ὦφθαι μὲν τῷ Ἀβραὰμ, χρηματίσαι δὲ τῷ Ἰσαὰκ, λελαληκέναι
δὲ τῷ Ἰακὼβ, (Ἰσραὴλ, alii) Μωῦσεϊ τε καὶ τοῖς μετὰ ταῦτα προφήταις
ὡμιληκέναι προδέδεικται. "EvOev αὐτοὺς δὴ τοὺς θεοφιλεῖς ἐκείνους εὕροις
ἂν καὶ τῆς τοῦ Χριστοῦ κατηξιωμένους προσωνυμίας, κατὰ τὴν φάσκουσαν
> ae U δ δ᾽ [οὶ “ > “ ,
περὶ αὐτῶν φωνὴν: Μὴ ἅψησθε τῶν χριστῶν pov, καὶ ἐν τοῖς προφήταις μου
μὴ πονηρεύησθε. “Ὥστε σαφῶς πρώτην ἡγεῖσθαι δεῖν καὶ πάντων παλαιο-
τάτην τε καὶ ἀρχαιοτάτην θεοσεβείας εὕρεσιν, αὐτῶν ἐκείνων δὴ τῶν ἀμφὶ
τὸν Ἀβραὰμ θεοφιλῶν ἀνδρῶν, τὴν ἀρτίως διὰ τῆς τοῦ Χριστοῦ διδασκαλίας
πᾶσιν ἔθνεσι κατηγγελμένην.---- 560. Hist. Eccles. Lib. 1. cap. 4. Tom. 1.
pp. 31, 32. ed. Burton. Oxon. 1838. ]
[2 sacro nomine, Lat. ]
[3 So also ed. 1584: but ed. 1577, we will be all ; omnes volumus,
Lat. ]
{4 or—Ghost, the translator’s addition. ]
294 THE FOURTH DECADE. [sERM.
and the flesh beareth rule in us. The devil, the world, and
the flesh have dominion over us; for in them we live, and them
we do obey: whereupon, being estranged and let loose from all
righteousness and holiness, we are become slaves, serving
a most vile and filthy slavery. For we, not desiring to be
delivered, do neither seek a redeemer ; nor, being impatient of
their tyranny, rise and rebel against them: but like faint-
hearted cowards, we yield ourselves to be brought in subjec-
tion, and to be kept under their tyranny: nay, it repenteth
and irketh us of our labours, watchings, prayers, and of all
duties of godliness; and, being careless, we lie lurking as in a
place of voluptuousness. But who would vouchsafe such swine
the most holy name of a Christian, but he that is both exceed-
ing foolish and wicked ? No marvel then if such be thrust
down into hell, there eternally to burn, and there eternally to
be yoked unto him whom! they have most wickedly chosen to
themselves to follow. And now what one of us is there that
doth teach, admonish, and exhort those that boast and brag of
this christian name? I speak nothing here concerning the
doctors or teachers of the church ; but my talk doth touch the
office and duty of a christian man. Truly, the most part of
us are slow in instructing our families and fellow-brethren :
for either it grieveth us to take the pain, or else we fear
danger. Therefore we turn the office of admonishing and
instructing upon the public ministers of the church, as though
nothing at all of this matter were required of us. For this
cause speeches in a manner unseemly to be spoke are heard
uttered of men: “I have not the office of a minister, I am no
(pfaf’) priest; why therefore should I instruct ? why should I
admonish?” And these care not how blasphemous and filthy
things be spoken either at home or abroad; for they live to
themselves, and think that the glory of God and the soul’s
health of their neighbour belongeth nothing unto them. But
what sacrifices offer we worthy of God and our name? where
are prayers and thanksgivings? where is the mortification of
our flesh, and the denying of this world ? where is compassion,
or well-doing? where is an holy and harmless life? The
contrary (if need so required) I could reckon up in a long
bead-row: but to what end were it to make a large discourse
of those things that are manifest unto all men? For who,
[1 hic, Lat. omitted ; here. ]
vit. | OF THE NAME OF A CHRISTIAN, 295
I pray you, doth deny, that the life of this present age
(of men, I mean, which brag and boast of their christian
name) is filthy, stinking, and pestilent? Which things since
they be too too true and evident, I have nothing done amiss in
saying a little before, that at this day there are few Christians.
They that are wise and desire to be according to their name,
let them hear our Saviour speaking in the gospel of Matthew :
“Strive to enter in at the strait gate; for wide is the gate,
and broad is the way, that leadeth to destruction, and many
there be which go in thereat: because strait is the gate,
and narrow is the way, which leadeth unto life, and few there
be that find it.”
Furthermore they (which thing ought first of all to have
been spoken) do very greatly offend against religion and christian
profession, which as they do not sincerely acknowledge the
priesthood and kingdom of Christ, so they boast themselves to
be chiefly praise-worthy, commendable, and catholic, because
they commit those things which by all means obscure and
darken the kingdom and priesthood of Christ. Christians,
being content with this only title and name, do not ambitiously
seek after or admit another name: but these men, as though
the name of a Christian were but a light and trifling name,
never rest until they be also called by other names; as
though they were baptized into the name of Brion?, Benet’,
Robert‘, or Francis®. Christians, cleaving only to their law-
giver, master, and teacher Christ, do not acknowledge the
voice of strangers, neither go a straw’s breadth from the
divine scriptures: but these men charge thee with heresy,
unless thou receive and worship for heavenly oracles all kind
of constitutions of the Romish church, though they be flat
contrary to the words and teaching of Christ. Christians
acknowledge themselves to have one king, one deliverer, one
Saviour, and one head in heaven: these men worship his
vicar in earth, and attribute salvation not only to trifling
[2 Brunonis, Lat.; Bruno, founder of the Order of Carthusians. ]
[3 Benedicti, Lat.; Benedict of Nursia (or Norcia), in Italy, esta-
blished the Benedictine order about A.D. 529.]
[4 Robert or Rodbert, born at Arbrissel, near Rennes in France,
founded the order of Fontevraud, a new sect of Benedictines, a. Ὁ.
1100.]
[5 St Francis of Assisi, in Italy, established his order of Fratres
Minores, or Minorites, about A.p. 1208. ]
Matt. vii.
Against false
Christians.
The con-
clusion.
296 THE FOURTH DECADE. [SERM.
things, but to very stinking and loathsome things. Christians
put all their trust in God, to whom they offer all their vows
and prayers by Jesus Christ, whom they believe to be the
only high priest and most faithful patron and advocate of all
that believe: they’ make their prayers to creatures and
men’s imaginations, and choose to themselves so many patrons
and intercessors as there do live saints in heaven. Christians
know that the sacrifice of Christ once offered is always
effectual to make satisfaction for all the sins of all men in the
whole world, and of all men of all ages: but these men with
often outcries say, that it is flat heresy not to confess that
Christ is daily offered of sacrificing priests, consecrated to that
purpose. Therefore the name of a Christian is common to all,
but the thing signified and meant by the name is common to
the faithful only who cleave unto one Christ.
Now I conclude my whole discourse of Christ, a king and
a priest, with these words of St Augustine : “‘ The Son of God,
which made us, is made among us; and being our king ruleth
us: and therefore we are Christians, because he is Christ. He is
called Christ a Chrismate, that is to say, of anointing. Kings
also and priests were anointed, and he was anointed king and
priest. Being a king, he fought for us: being a priest, he
offered himself for us. When he fought for us, he was as it
were overcome, yet by right he hath overcome in very deed:
for he was crucified, and on his cross whereon he was nailed
he slew the devil, and then he was our king. But wherefore
is he a priest? Because he hath offered himself for us. Let
a priest have somewhat to offer. What could man find to
give? <A clean sacrifice? what sacrifice? what clean thing
can a sinner offer? O wicked sinner! O ungodly wretch!
whatsoever thou shalt bring, it is unclean. Seek within thy-
self what to offer, thou shalt find nothing. Seek out of thy-
self what to offer, he is not delighted in rams or goats or
bullocks; they are all his, though thou offer them not.
He found nothing clean among men, which he might offer for
men; therefore he offered himself a clean offering, an undefiled
sacrifice. Therefore he did not offer that which we gave unto
him, but that which he took of us; and that he offered pure
and clean. He took flesh in the womb of the virgin, that he
might offer pure and clean flesh for us that were unclean. He
[1 Isti, Lat.; these.]
vit. | OF THE NAME OF A CHRISTIAN. 297
is a king, he is a priest. In him let us rejoice?” To him be
glory for ever and ever. Amen.
OF THE HOLY GHOST, THE THIRD PERSON IN TRINITY
TO BE WORSHIPPED, AND OF HIS
DIVINE POWER.
THE EIGHTH SERMON.
Ir remaineth that, after we have expounded the mys-
teries of the Son of God our Lord Jesus Christ, we conse-
quently* speak of the Holy Ghost and of his divine power
and operation. For unless he inspire our minds and rule
our tongue, we shall never be able worthily or profitably
either to speak or hear anything concerning him. For as
no man knoweth those things which are of God, but the
Spirit of God; so men fetch the understanding of heavenly
things and the knowledge of the°Holy Ghost from nowhere
else than from the same Spirit of God. Let us therefore
pray and beseech God the Father, that by his Son* Jesus
Christ he would vouchsafe to enlighten our dark and misty
[2 Filius Dei, qui fecit nos, factus est inter nos, et rex noster regit
nos...et ideo Christiani (sumus) quia ille Christus. Christus a chris-
mate dictus est, id est, ab unctione. Reges autem ungebantur et sa-
cerdotes; ille vero unctus est et rex et sacerdos. Rex pugnavit pro
nobis; sacerdos obtulit se pro nobis. Quando pugnavit pro nobis,
quasi victus est, jure autem vere vicit. Crucifixus est enim, et de
cruce sua, in qua erat fixus, diabolum occidit, et deinde rex noster.
Unde autem sacerdos? Quia se pro nobis obtulit. Date sacerdoti quod
offerat. Quid inveniret homo quod daret? Mundam victimam? Quam
victimam? Quid mundum potest offerre peccator? O inique, O im-
pie, quicquid attuleris immundum est... Quere apud te quid offeras,
non invenies: queere ex te quid offeras; non delectatur nec arietibus,
nec hircis, nec tauris: omnia ipsius sunt, etsi non offeras... Nihil
mundum invenit in hominibus quod offerret pro hominibus: seipsum
ergo obtulit mundam victimam, hostiam immaculatam....Non ergo
hoc obtulit quod nos illi dedimus; imo hoc obtulit quod a nobis ac-
cepit, et mundum obtulit. Carnem enim... de utero virginis (accepit),
ut mundam offerret pro immundis. Ipse rex, ipse sacerdos: in eo le-
temur.—August. Enarrat, in Psal. 149. Opp. Tom. vit. fol. 361, col. 1.
Par. 1532.]
[3 consequenter, Lat.; next. ]
{4 Dominum nostrum, Lat. omitted; our Lord.]
The word
Spirit is
expounded,
Spirit is air
or wind.
John iii.
1 Cor. xiv.
Spirit sig-
nifieth an
angel.
Psal. civ.
Heb. i.
puke Xxiv.
9,1
Spirit sig-
nifieth life.
Psal. exlv.
οἷν.
Gen. vi.
Spirit sig-
nifieth the
soul of man.
298 THE FOURTH DECADE. [sERM.
minds, by sending this his holy Spirit into our hearts, and
to direct us in the sincere way of truth according to the holy
scriptures.
And first of all it seemeth not unprofitable to expound
the word, spirit, because in the scripture it is diversly taken
and very often used ; so that not seldom times he shall greatly
err, which is ignorant of the force of that word. Spirit
properly is the signification! of an element, signifying air,
wind, breath. In that signification we read this spoken of
our Saviour: “The wind bloweth where it lusteth, and thou
hearest the sound thereof, but canst not tell whence it cometh,
and whither it goeth.” And Paul saith: “If I pray with
an unknown tongue, my spirit prayeth, but my understanding
is made unfruitful.” Lo, the apostle useth spirit for the
breath or voice; for he joineth it to the tongue, and set-
teth it against the mind. By a metaphor it is translated to
every bodiless substance, and is set against the body. Spirit
therefore signifieth an angel, either good or bad. For the
prophet (whose words Paul hath also rehearsed) saith ;
‘Which maketh his angels spirits, and his ministers a flaming
fire.’ And again: “Are they not all ministering spirits ?”
These testimonies are understood of good angels. When the
scripture speaketh of evil angels, commonly it addeth some-
what, as an evil spirit, or an unclean spirit. We call also
spirits or ghosts, which have taken some shape that cannot
well be discerned, spirits. So the apostles not believing that
the Lord was risen again with his true body, when they
saw him they thought they had seen a spirit: to whon,
shewing his feet and his hands, he saith, “ A spirit hath not
flesh and bones as ye see me have.” Again, spirit is taken
for the breath of life; as with the Latins, to breathe? 15 to
live, to leave breathing® is to die. David saith: ‘“ When
thou givest it them, they gather it; when thou openest thy
hand, they are filled with good. When thou hidest thy face,
they are troubled; when thou takest away their breath, they
die, and are turned again to their dust.” And the Lord in
Moses saith: “I will destroy all flesh, wherein there is
breath of life.” The reasonable soul also of man is peculiarly
called spirit, insomuch that spirit is very often taken in the
[1 nota, Lat. ]
[2 spirare, Lat. ] [3 expirare, Lat.]
VIII. | OF THE HOLY GHOST. 299
holy scripture for the reasonable soul of man. For in the
gospel thou dost read, “ Jesus, when he had bowed down Lute xxiii.
his head, gave up the ghost,” (or the spirit). And thou dost See
read of the holy martyr Stephen, “They stoned Stephen ets vii.
calling on and saying, Lord Jesu, receive my spirit.” For
Solomon said before: “ The dust shall be turned again unto Eccles. xii.
earth from whence it came‘, and the spirit shall return unto
God who gave it.” And sometimes spirit signifieth the af- spirit sig
fection and motion, readiness and provocation of the mind, affection of
For Solomon saith: “A man that refraineth not his appe- [Prov. xxv.
tite,” or spirit, “is like a city which is broken down.” Thou
mayest oftentimes find in the scriptures the spirit of pride,
anger, lust, or envy, taken for a proud, angry, lustful, or en-
vious affection. Also in Luke xiii. the very sore disease, or
source of sickness, is called the spirit of infirmity. The spirit Spirit sis-
also signifieth those spiritual motions which the Holy Ghost spititual
stirreth up in the hearts of the saints, yea, and the very
gifts poured into the hearts of men by the Spirit; which
in every place in Paul is to be seen. Elsewhere spirit 15
opposed against the letter, the body, the figure, the type
or shadow; and is used for a more high or mystical meaning,
and for the very pith of the thing; as when Paul saith:
“The circumcision of the heart is the circumcision which rom. ii.
consisteth in the spirit, not in the letter.” And again: “The 9 cor. ii.
Lord hath made us able ministers of the new Testament,
not of the letter, but of the spirit. For the letter killeth,
but the spirit giveth life.’ Therefore thou mayest find spiritsig-
spirit to be taken for inspiration, revelation, and doctrine. revelation,
For John saith: ‘ Believe not every spirit, but prove the} Jomiv.
spirits, whether they be of God or not.” And again:
“Quench not the Spirit, despise not prophecies.” Last of 1 Thess. v.
all, God is called that unmeasurable and unspeakable power
of the Spirit. “God,” saith our Lord, “is a Spirit, and somiv.
they that worship him must worship him in spirit and in
truth.” By this means the word spirit is common to all the
persons of the reverend Trinity: howbeit it is peculiarly
applied to the third person in Trinity, of whom we make
this sermon.
And albeit the Holy Ghost, forsomuch as he is God, can ee
be compassed within no limits, (for by his own nature he is in
[4 sicut fuit, Lat.; as it was, Auth. ver.]
{ Matt. xxviii.
19.)
That the
Holy Ghost
is very God,
300 THE FOURTH DECADE. [SERM.
unspeakable, unmeasurable, incomprehensible, everlasting ;)
yet notwithstanding, that I may say somewhat in a certain
order concerning him, if it will be no otherwise, I will at
the least! shadow out that which the scripture, the inspira-
tion of the Holy Ghost himself, very largely declareth of
him. The Holy Ghost is the third person in Trinity to be
worshipped, very God, proceeding from the Father and the
Son, which enlighteneth, regenerateth, sanctifieth, and ful-
filleth the faithful with all good graces. But that the Holy
Ghost is the third person in the holy Trinity, I think it is
sufficiently at large declared in the third sermon of this
Decade. Surely this only sentence of our Saviour, “ Baptize
them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the
Holy Ghost,” doth abundantly confirm to godly minds that
the Holy Ghost is the third person in Trinity.
Moreover that he is very God, of the same power, glory,
majesty, and being with the Father and the Son, that especially
proveth, because he is the third person in the holy Trinity
Neither must we think that he is lesser than they, because he
is reckoned in the third place. For though the blessed
Trinity be remembered of us in order, yet notwithstanding
there is no degree, no time, no place, or number in the blessed
Trinity. For blessed Athanasius made his confession accord-
ing to the scripture, and said: “The catholic faith is this,
that we worship one God in Trinity, and Trinity in Unity ;
neither confounding the persons, nor dividing the substance.
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 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 un-
create. The Father incomprehensible?, the Son incompre-
hensible, and the Holy Ghost incomprehensible. The Father
eternal, the Son eternal, and the Holy Ghost eternal: and
yet are they not three eternals, but one eternal,” &c. And
Augustine also, in his fifteenth book de Trinitate, cap. 26,
saith: “In that high Trinity, which is God, there are no dis-
tances of times, whereby it may be shewed or at least de-
[1 at the last, ed. 1577, 1587: saltem, Lat.]
[2 immensus, Lat. ]
vit. | OF THE HOLY GHOST. 301
manded, whether the Son were first born of the Father, and
afterward the Holy Ghost to proceed from them both3,” &c.
Truly, we confess that the Father, the Son, and the Holy
Ghost is one God, and that the same is eternal. Therefore
let it trouble no man, that the Spirit is put in the last place.
For when the apostle in his epistle to the Corinthians framed
his blessing, he said: ‘The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, 2 cor. xiii
and the love of God, and the fellowship of the Holy Ghost,
be with you all.” He maketh mention of the Holy Ghost in
the last place. But the same Paul saith, “ There are diversi-
ties of gifts, but it is the selfsame Spirit: and there are 1 Cor. xii
differences of administrations, but it is the selfsame Lord:
and there are divers manners of operations, but it is the
selfsame God, which worketh all in all:” setting the Spirit in
the first place, teaching that the order of names doth not
make difference of dignities. After this manner also in the
former testimony, he placed the Son before the Father; not
overthrowing the order which the Lord hath set down in
Matthew, but shewing the equality of the Trinity in honour‘, (Matt. xxvii
For what canst thou more plainly say than that which the
scripture saith, that the Holy Ghost doth sanctify, renew,
regenerate, give life, and save? and these are operations
agreeable to God only. By operations therefore we mani-
festly acknowledge, that the Holy Ghost is God, of the same
essence and power with the Father and the Son. For the
Holy Ghost from the beginning before all creatures, visible
and invisible, is a Creator, not a creature, as Job witnesseth :
“His Spirit hath garnished the heavens.” Again: “The Fob xxvis
Spirit of God hath made me, and the breath of the Almighty a
hath given me life.” Zacharias the priest and father of St
John Baptist saith: “Blessed be the Lord God of Israel, for Lukei.
he hath redeemed his people: as he spake by the mouth of
[3 In illa summa Trinitate, quae Deus est, intervalla temporum
nulla sunt, per que possit ostendi aut saltem requiri, utrum prius de
Patre natus sit Filius, et postea de ambobus processerit Spiritus Sanc-
tus.— Augustin. de Trinitate. Opp. Tom. 111. fol. 101. col. 1. Par. 1531. ]
[4 Ἔν μὲν τῇ προτέρᾳ ἐπιστολῇ (1 Cor. xii. 4—6) πρῶτον ἔταξε (ὁ
ἀπόστολος) τὸ Πνεῦμα, ἐνθαῦτα δὲ (2 Cor, xiii. 14) τελευταῖον: διδάσκων
ὡς οὐ ποιεῖ τῶν ὀνομάτων ἡ τάξις ἀξιωμάτων διαφοράν. Ταύτῃ τοι τὸν
Υἱὸν προέταξε τοῦ Πατρὸς, οὐ τὴν τάξιν ἀνατρέπων ἣν ὁ Κύριος τέθεικεν,
ἀλλὰ τὸ ὁμότιμον τῆς Τριάδος ἐπιδεικνύς.---- [Ποοδογοίύ. Heeret. Fab. Lib. v.
cap. 8. p. 258. Tom. tv. Lut. Par. 1642. ]
2 Rett
Acts v.
1 Cor; ii.
1 Cor.vi.
1 Cor. xii.
302 THE FOURTH DECADE, [SERM.
his holy prophets, which have been since the world began.”
And! St Peter saith : “ For 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.” By this, I pray you, who can-
not gather that the Holy Ghost is God? For God spake
by the mouth of the prophets; and the Holy Ghost spake by
the mouth of the prophets: therefore the Holy Ghost is
God. The same Peter also in express words hath called the
Holy Ghost God, when he accused Ananias of theft, yea, and
also of sacrilege: for when he had said, “ How is it that
Satan hath filled? thy heart to lie unto the Holy Ghost ?”
by and by he addeth, “Thou hast not lied unto men, but
unto God.” To the doctrine of St Peter agree those things
in all points, which St Paul the doctor of the Gentiles hath
taught. For he called the believers the temples of God.
“Know ye not (saith he) that ye are the temple of God, and
that the Spirit of God dwelleth in you?” And again:
‘‘Know ye not that your bodies are the temple of the Holy
Ghost which is in you, whom ye have of God, and ye are not
your own?” ‘To be the temple of God, and to be the tem-
ple of the Holy Ghost, Paul taketh to be one and the selfsame
thing: it followeth therefore that the Holy Ghost is God.
For in his Epistle to the Corinthians he expressly nameth
the Holy Ghost God: for after he had said, ‘‘ There are
diversities of gifts, but it is the selfsame Spirit ;” and had
reckoned up the kinds of gifts; by and by he addeth, “And
all these things worketh even one and the selfsame Spirit,
distributing to every man severally even as he will.” And
he himself had said a little afore, ‘“There are divers man-
ners of operations; but it is the selfsame God, which worketh
all in all.”
But Didymus Alexandrinus, a man of excellent learning,
doth knit up a most evident argument of the Godhead of
the Holy Ghost, declaring also that his nature doth alto-
gether differ from the nature of angels. For in his Lib. 1.
de Spiritu Sancto, he hath left this written, St Hierome so
interpreting it: “If the Holy Ghost were a creature, he
should have at the least a limitable substance, as have all
things which are made, For although invisible creatures are
not limited within place and bounds; yet in property of
[1 At, Lat. ; But.] [2 seduxit, Lat.]
Vill. | OF THE HOLY GHOST. 303
substance they are limited: but the Holy Ghost, since he is
in many places, hath not a limitable substance. For Jesus
sending forth the preachers of his gospel, he filled them with
the Holy Ghost. But neither did all the apostles go to all
nations together, but some into Asia, some into Scythia, and
other dispersed into other nations, according to the dispensa-
tion of the Holy Ghost which they had with them, even as
they also heard the Lord saying, ‘I am with you always,
even unto the end of the world.’ Hereunto doth that also
agree: ‘ Ye shall be witnesses unto me, even unto the utter-
most parts of the world.’ If therefore they, being sent into
the furthest parts of the earth to bear witness of the Lord,
were severed one from another with a very great distance of
place, and yet had present with them the Holy Ghost dwell-
ing within them, whose substance is not limitable ; it is mani-
fest that the power of angels doth far differ from this power
of the Spirit. For, to use an example: the angel which was
present with the apostle when he prayed in Asia could not
together at the selfsame time be present with other, which
were abiding in other parts of the world. But the Holy
Ghost is not only present with men being severed one from
another, but is also a continual dweller in every angel, prin-
cipality, throne, and dominion’,” &c. Now who cannot here-
[3 Spiritus Sanctus, si unus de creaturis esset, saltem circumscrip-
tam haberet substantiam, sicut universa que facta sunt. Nam etsi
non circumscribantur loco et finibus invisibiles creature, tamen pro-
prietate substantie finiuntur: Spiritus autem Sanctus, cum in pluribus
sit, non habet substantiam circumscriptam. Mittens quippe Jesus
preedicatores doctrins sue replevit eos Spiritu. .. Neque enim omnes
apostoli ad omnes gentes pariter sunt profecti; sed quidam in Asiam,
quidam in Scythiam, et alii in alias dispersi nationes, secundum dis-
pensationem illius quem secum habebant Spiritus Sancti, quomodo et
Dominum dicentem: Vobiscum sum omnibus diebus usque ad consum-
mationem seculi. His et illud congruit...Hritis testes mihi... usque
ad extremum terre. Si ergo hiin extremis finibus terre, ob testimo-
nium Domini constituti, distabant inter se longissimis spatiis, aderat
autem eis inhabitator Spiritus Sanctus, incircumscriptam habens sub-
stantiam, demonstratur angelica virtus ab hoc prorsus aliena. Angelus
quippe qui aderat, verbi gratia, apostolo in Asia oranti, non poterat
simul eodem tempore adesse aliis in ceteris partibus mundi constitutis.
Spiritus autem Sanctus non solum sejunctis a se hominibus presto est,
sed et singulis quibusque angelis, principatibus, thronis, dominationibus
inhabitator adsistit, &e.—Didymi Alexandrini de Spiritu Sancto liber
The Holy
Ghost is
neither
minister nor
instrument.
304 THE FOURTH DECADE, [SERM.
by gather, that the Holy Ghost is true and very God? The
selfsame author hath gathered very many! arguments of the
true Godhead of the Holy Ghost; and next him the holy
father Cyril?; and holy Athanasius hath absolutely discoursed
upon that matter, Lib. de Trinitate u., to Theophilus®.
These few testimonies, thus far rehearsed, we think shall
suffice those that obey and love the truth.
They that stedfastly believe these things are not moved
with any strange opinions and questions, curiously yea,
wickedly brought in about this matter by ill-occupied persons.
For some are reported to have denied the Holy Ghost to be
Lord; for they have taught that he is a minister, and as it
were a certain instrument of the Father and the Son‘. But
Christ our Lord joined the Holy Ghost to himself and to the
Father, when he delivered the form of baptism; for he
saith, “‘ Baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the
Son, and of the Holy Ghost.” And yet it is manifest that a
creature is not joined to the Creator in baptism, neither that
there is any servile condition in the Godhead. Therefore the
council of Constantinople in their creed® give to the Holy
Ghost certain terms, whereby they might destroy certain
errors, calling him “ Lord, and Giver of life:” for when he
maketh him Lord®, he maketh him equal to the Son, and
excludeth the condition of a servant or minister. Beside that,
he denieth that he is their instrument; for there is one
Lord: there are not many lords; and the Son is not lord
of the Holy Ghost; but the lordship is common to the three
persons, which are only one Lord. And seeing the Holy
Ghost is the Lord, surely he is not appointed to a servile
ministery, but endued with lordly authority ; neither is he an
under-servant to do the work, but is a joint worker with the
unus, S. Hieronymo interprete. cap. 6. p. 265. Biblioth. Vet. Pat. Tom.
vi. Venet. 1770, or Hieron. Opp. Tom. tv. Par. 1. col. 497. Par. 1706.
In the works of Jerome the treatise is divided into three books. ]
[1 alia, Lat. omitted ; other. ]
[2 Cyril. Dial. ad Hermiam presb. de Sancta Trin. cap. 7. De Sancto
Spiritu, quod Deus sit, et ex Deo secundum naturam. Opp. Tom. v.
Par. 1. pp. 631, &c. Lut. 1638.]
[3 Athanasii Opp. de Trin. et Spir. S. pp. 587, &c. Par. 1627.]
[4 The Macedonians. ] [5 See Vol. 1. pp. 13, 16, 17.]
[6 So also ed. 1584: but ed. 1577, when he calleth him Lord: cum
Dominum vocat, Lat. ]
vill. | OF THE HOLY GHOST. 305
Father and the Son; yea, and he himself doth work as
Lord.
Again, certain other are reported to have taught that the the Holy
. . Ghost is a
Holy Ghost is not a substance or a person, but as it were an substance,
accident, that is to say, a stirring up, a provocation, or accident,
a motion of a godly and renewed mind. And in very deed
our mind being illuminated with the Holy Ghost is oftentimes
called spirit; but we must wisely distinguish the creature
from the Creator, and the accident from the substance. The
blessed apostle distinguished our spirit from the holy Spirit of
God, when he said; “As many as are led by the Spirit of rom. vii.
God, they are the sons of God. The Spirit itself beareth
witness to our spirit, that we are the sons of God.” And the
same apostle saith: “The flesh lusteth contrary to the spirit, cau v.
and the spirit contrary to the flesh.” And who understand-
eth not, that the mind of man instructed of the Holy Ghost is
here called the spirit; not the third person himself in the
reverend Trinity ? And that mind, as touching illumination,
is not of itself, but proceedeth from the Holy Ghost illumi-
nating it; neither cometh it from any other than from him
which is the third person in Trinity: but that mind is not the
very person of the Holy Ghost: as imagination proceedeth
from the soul, and yet it is not the soul itself. That stirring
of the spirit in us is an accident; but God is not an accident,
neither is mingled with the accident. We must therefore
confess, according to the scriptures, that the Holy Ghost is a
person subsisting, co-equal in nature or essence with the Father
and the Son, and therefore to be worshipped and glorified of us,
as very God and Creator: again, that a godly and holy motion
stirred up in the minds of holy men by the Spirit is the effect
and working’ of this Holy Spirit, and is called a holy spirit,
but after a certain manner proper to it. Otherwise we deny
not that the Holy Ghost himself, being promised, is com-
municated unto us, but after our capacity and as he will.
For what is he amongst men that is able to comprehend the
fulness of the everlasting and incomprehensible God ?
Furthermore, touching the proceeding of the Holy Ghost fthe pro-
ceeding of
from the Father and the Son, the divines have curiously, eee
subtilly, and busily disputed. For the question is asked,
Whether he proceed from the Father alone, or from the Son
(7 creaturam, Lat. }
[BULLINGER, III. ] ἯΙ
The Holy
Ghost pro.
ceedeth from
the Father
and the Son.
Gal. iv.
Matt. x.
John xv,
John xiv.
John xv.
John v.
506 THE FOURTH DECADE. [sERM.
also? In which question the Latinists seem to disagree very
much from the Grecians. The question is also asked, What
manner of proceeding this is? We, omitting many curious
questions, will briefly declare those things unto you which are
wholesome and agreeable with the holy scriptures. For who
shall be able to canvass out all the questions of curious men,
and all the bold and unclean thoughts of idle heads, without
offence to good men, and especially of the simple hearers ?
That the Holy Ghost proceedeth from the Father and
the Son, the scripture manifestly teacheth, which most plainly
sheweth that he is the Spirit of either or both of them. For
he it is of whom the apostle saith: ‘ Because ye are sons,
God hath sent the Spirit of his Son into your hearts.” And
the Son speaking of the same Spirit saith: “ For it is not you
that speak, but the Spirit of your Father, he it is which
speaketh in you.” Again, the same Son saith of the Holy
Ghost, ‘““ Whom I will send unto you from the Father.” And
again he saith elsewhere, “ Whom the Father will send in
my name.” Therefore he proceedeth from both, as well from
the Father as from the Son. For although this be read else-
where to be spoken of the Holy Ghost, “" Which proceeded from
the Father ;” yet it is not denied that he proceedeth from the
substance of the Son also. But that more is, Cyril, a Greek
writer, expounding the gospel of St John, and interpreting
this selfsame place, lib. x. cap. 33, saith: ‘ When he had
called the Comforter the Spirit of truth, that is to say, his
Spirit (for he is the truth), he addeth, that he proceedeth from
the Father. For as he is the Spirit of the Son naturally in
his abiding, and through him proceeding, so also surely is he
the Spirit of the Father. But unto whom the Spirit is
common, surely they cannot by any means be dissevered
in substance!” Again, St Augustine in his fifteenth book
De Trinitate, cap. 26, saith: “Who may understand by this
that the Son saith, as the Father hath life in himself, that he
gave life unto the Son as being then without life; but that he
1 Ἰδοὺ yap, ἰδοὺ πνεῦμα τῆς ἀληθείας, τοῦτ᾽ ἔστιν ἑαυτοῦ, τὸν παρά-
γάρ, μον Τῇ 7 ’
A [4 ,
KAntov εἰπὼν, παρὰ Tod πατρὸς αὐτὸν ἐκπορεύεσθαι φησίν. ὥσπερ γάρ
ἐστιν ἴδιον πνεῦμα τοῦ υἱοῦ φυσικῶς, ἐν αὐτῷ τε ὑπάρχον, καὶ δι’ αὐτοῦ
“- - = ~
προϊὸν, οὕτω καὶ τοῦ πατρός. ois δὲ τὸ πνεῦμα κοινὸν, τούτοις εἴη δήπου
, a ‘ ‘ “- > , ᾿ , . . e
πάντως ἂν καὶ τὰ τῆς οὐσίας οὐ Stwpiopeva.—Cyril. in Joann. Lib. x.
Opp. Lutet. 1638. Tom. rv. p. 910.]
VIII. | OF THE HOLY GHOST. 307
so begat him without time, that the life, which the Father
gave to the Son in begetting him, is co-eternal with the life
of the Father which gave it him: let him understand, as
the Father hath power in himself that the Holy Ghost
might proceed from him, so hath he given to the Son that the
same Holy Ghost may proceed from him, and both without
beginning ; and so it is said that the Holy Ghost proceedeth
from the Father, that that which proceedeth from the Son
might be understood to be of the Father and the Son. For if
the Son have ought, he hath it of the Father: surely he hath
it of the Father, that the Holy Ghost proceedeth from him?.”
Thus far he. By all this we gather that the Holy Ghost
proceedeth as well from the Father as from the Son.
Now as concerning the manner of proceeding we say 3, 22¢Pro .
that the proceeding of the Holy Ghost is two-fold or of two Ghostid
sorts, temporal and eternal. Temporal proceeding is that oftwosorts
whereby the Holy Ghost proceedeth to sanctify men; the
eternal proceeding is that whereby from everlasting he pro-
ceedeth from God. The Spirit proceedeth from both parts
from both of them, as well from the Father as the Son.
Neither doth he proceed from the Father into the Son
severally°, and from the Son into creatures: for I say the
nature and substance of the Father and the Son is one and
the selfsame, inseparable, and co-everlasting too,
Temporal proceeding commonly is called a sending and Ebest ει
gift. For the Holy Ghost is sent two manner of ways unto men:
visibly, that is to say, under some visible form, as of a dove,
and of fiery tongues; as he is read in the gospel, and in the
[2 Qui potest intelligere in eo quod ait Filius, Sicut habet Pater
vitam in semetipso, sic dedit Filio vitam habere in semetipso, non sine
vita existenti jam Filio vitam (Patrem) dedisse, sed ita eum sine tem-
pore genuisse, ut vita, quam Pater Filio gignendo dedit, coeterna sit
vitee Patris qui dedit; intelligat, sicut habet Pater in semetipso, ut de
illo procedat Spiritus Sanctus, sic dedisse Filio, ut de illo procedat
idem Spiritus Sanctus, et utrumque sine tempore; atque ita dictum
Spiritum Sanctum de Patre procedere, ut intelligatur, quod etiam pro-
cedit de Filio, de Patre esse et Filio. Si enim quicquid habet, de Patre
habet Filius; de Patre habet utique, ut de illo procedat Spiritus Sanctus.
—August. de Trin. Lib. xv. cap. 26. Opp. Tom. 11. fol. 101. col. 2. Par.
1532.]
[3 videmus, Lat. ; we see. ] [4 utrobique, Lat.; both ways. ]
[5 divisim, Lat. ]
20—2
308 THE FOURTH DECADE. [SERM.
Acts of the Apostles, to have been given to Christ and the
apostles: invisibly, he is daily and as it were every moment
given to the faithful, the Spirit of Christ watering us with his
grace, and giving faith, hope, and charity unto us.
atthe gaa Moreover, the eternal proceeding of the Holy Ghost,
whereby he proceedeth out of the substance of the Father
and the Son, is unspeakable, as the begetting of the Son by -
the Father. Whereupon it is not said in the gospel, hath
proceeded, or, shall proceed, but, “proceedeth:” for so the
Lord declareth his eternity of proceeding, and that the sub-
stance of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Ghost
is co-eternal, and unseparable, and nothing at all differing.
St Augustine in his fifteenth book De Trinitate and twenty-
sixth chapter saith: ‘He that is able to understand the
begetting of the Son by the Father without time, let him also
understand the proceeding of the Holy Ghost from them both
without time!.” And if any ask this question, Since the
Holy Ghost proceedeth from the substance of the Father and
the Son, how cometh it to pass that he is not called the Son?
I answer, that the scripture calleth the second person the
Son, and testifieth that he is the only-begotten of the Father;
and that the same nowhere maketh any mention that the
Holy Ghost is begotten, or that he is called the Son. Neither
have the ancient fathers made any other answer to this ques-
tion. And I like the similitude which is here expressed: if
one stream should flow from two springs, it might well be
said to flow from them both, yet it could be said to be the
son of neither of them. Hereunto I shall not seem unfruit-
fully nor beside the purpose to add the disputations of Didy-
mus concerning sending; lest any should understand that
perversely, and according to the flesh, which is spiritually to
be interpreted by faith. “The Holy Ghost the Comforter
is sent of the Son (saith he), not according to the ministery of
angels, or prophets, or apostles, but as it becometh the Spirit
of God to be sent of the wisdom and truth of God, having an
unseparable nature with the selfsame wisdom and truth. For
the Son, being sent of the Father, abiding in the Father, and
having the Father in himself, is not separated nor sundered
[1 Qui potest intelligere sine tempore generationem Filii de Patre,
intelligat sine tempore processionem Spiritus Sancti de utroque.—Au-
gust. Opp. Tom. 1m. fol. 101. col. 2.]
VILL. | OF THE HOLY GHOST. 309
from the Father. And the Spirit of truth also, being sent of the
Son, after the manner aforesaid, proceedeth from the Father,
not from elsewhere removing unto other things; for this is rook inthe
impossible and blasphemous likewise. For if this Spirit of of this Dev
truth be limited within a certain space, according to the na- sae ᾿
tures of bodies, leaving one place he goeth to another: but
even as the Father, not consisting in place, is far above and
beyond the nature of all bodies; so also the Spirit of truth is
not limited within space of place, seeing he is bodiless, and, as
I may more truly say, excelling all and every reasonable
creature. Because therefore it is impossible and wicked to
believe these things which I have said in bodily creatures? ;
we must understand that so the Holy Ghost went out and
came from the Father, as our Saviour doth bear witness that
he himself went out and came from the Father, saying, ‘I
went out and came from God.’ And as we separate places
and changings of places from bodiless things, so also we do
separate these speeches, inwardly (I mean) and outwardly,
from the nature of things intellectual: for these two words
pertain to bodies that may be touched and have bigness.
Therefore we must believe the unspeakable word, which faith
only and alone maketh known unto us; that our Saviour
is said to come out from God, and the Spirit of truth to pro-
ceed from the Father+,” &c. Other questions both scrupulous
[2 See above, page 157.]
[3 ista quee diximus in corporalibus credere, Lat. Bullinger’s read-
ing: but see the quotation in the next note. |
[4 Spiritus Sanctus Consolator a Filio mittitur, non secundum an-
gelorum aut prophetarum aut apostolorum ministerium, sed ut mitti
decet a sapientia et veritate Spiritum Dei, indivisam habentem cum
eadem sapientia et veritate naturam. Etenim Filius missus a Patre
non separatur nec disjungitur ab eo, manens et habens illum in semet-
ipso. Quin Spiritus veritatis supradicto modo missus a Filio de Patre
egreditur, non aliunde ad alia transmigrans. Impossibile quippe hoc
pariter et blasphemum est. Si enim... Spiritus veritatis juxta natu-
ram corporum certo spatio circumscriptus, alium deserens locum ad
alium commigrabit: sed quomodo Pater non consistens in loco, ultra
omnem corporum est naturam; ita et Spiritus veritatis nequaquam
locorum fine clauditur, cum sit incorporalis, et, ut verius dicam, ex-
cellens universam rationalem creaturam. Quia ergo impossibile est
et impium ista que diximus de incorporalibus credere ; exire de Patre
Spiritum Sanctum sic intelligendum, ut se Salvator de Deo exisse tes-
tatur, dicens, Ego ex Deo exivi et veni. Et sicut loca et commuta-
lePet 1
2 Cor: iv.
310 THE FOURTH DECADE. [SERM.
and very many I pass over untouched: in these things
I require a mind religious, and not a curious ; a faithful mind,
and not a subtil.
Now there is but one Holy Ghost, because he is always
one and the selfsame God. It is the same Spirit therefore,
which spake unto the patriarchs, prophets, and apostles, and
which at this day speaketh to us in the church. For there-
fore the council of Constantinople is thus read to have con-
fessed their faith: “I believe in the Holy Ghost, the Lord ;”
and anon after: “Who spake by the prophets. And I
believe one catholic and apostolic church'.” These sayings
are taken out of the holy scripture. For St Peter testifieth
in express words, that the Spirit of Christ was in the pro-
phets, and there was none other spirit in the apostles than
the Spirit of Christ. And Paul the apostle saith: ‘“ Seeing
then we have the same Spirit, as it is written, I believed,
and therefore have I spoken, we also believe, and therefore
speak.” Upon which testimony Tertullian inferreth, and (no
doubt) soundly: “It is one and the selfsame Spirit therefore,
which was in the prophets and the apostles 3, He promiseth
that the selfsame Spirit shall be always in the church. They
erred therefore, yea, foully they erred, whosoever among
them of old feigned one God and Spirit of the old Testa-
ment, and another of the new Testament®. Didymus Alex-
andrinus, the bright light in his age of all the Grecian
churches, in his first book entitled De Spiritu Sancto, saith :
“Neither ought we to think that the Holy Ghost is divided
according to substances, because he is called the multitude
tiones locorum ab incorporalibus separamus; sic et probationes, intus
dico et foris, ab intellectualium natura discernimus; quia istz cor-
porum sunt recipientium tactum et habentium vastitates. Ineffabili
itaque et sola fide noto sermone credendum est, Salvatorem dictum
esse exisse a Deo, et Spiritum veritatis a Patre egredi.—Didymi Alex.
de Spir. Sanct. capp. 25, 26, p. 273. Biblioth. Vet. Patr. Tom. v1.
Venet. 1770. or Hieron. Opp. Lib. 1. coll. 509,510. Tom. Iv. Pars 1.
Paris. 1706.]
[1 Qui loquutus est per prophetas in unam catholicam et aposto-
licam ecclesiam, Lat. See Vol. 1. p. 158, and Addenda, p. 436. |
[2 Unus ergo et idem Spiritus, qui in prophetis et apostolis, nisi
quoniam ibi ad momentum, hic semper.—Novatian. de Trin. cap. 29.
Tertull. Opp. Col. Agrip. 1617. p. 741.]
[3 So Manes and his followers. ]
VIII. | OF THE HOLY GHOST. eB
of good graces. For he cannot suffer, he cannot be divided,
neither yet be changed; but, according to his divers manners
of workings and understandings, he is called by many names
of good graces, because he doth not endue his partakers
with his communion after one and the selfsame power,” &c.
Furthermore, the Holy Ghost hath increasing or fulness, eee
and diminishing and want in man: not that in God (who,
as it is commonly and truly said, neither receiveth more or
less) there is any change to be found; but because man,
according to his capacity, receiveth the Spirit plentifully and
liberally, or measurably and sparingly, even as it pleaseth
the Holy Ghost. The portion of the Spirit of Helias was 2 kings ii,
given double from heaven to Heliseus. And it is said of
our Saviour, that “the Father gave him the Spirit not by som ii.
measure.” For the Lord himself elsewhere saith: ‘“ Whoso- mate. xiii
ever hath, to him shall be given, and he shall have more
abundance; but whosoever hath not, from him shall be taken
away even that he hath.” Saul had received excellent 1 sam. xvi
graces ; but because he did not use and exercise them, the
good Spirit of God departed from him, and the evil spirit
succeeded and tormented him. And the Spirit of God de-
parteth, even as it cometh also, at one instant: for when
we are forsaken of the Lord, the Spirit of God departeth
from us. Whereupon we read that David prayed: ‘“ Cast Psal. ti.
me not away from thy presence, and take not thy holy
Spirit from me.” And again: ‘“ Stablish me with thy prin-
cipal Spirit5.”
Next after these things it seemeth that we must dili- or tne ettect
gently search out, what the effect and what the power of the ‘tly
the Holy Ghost is. The power of the almighty and ΠΝ
lasting God is unspeakable; therefore no man can fully de-
clare what the power of the Holy Ghost is: yet somewhat
I will say, making those things manifest which he worketh
chiefly in men. For otherwise the Father by the Spirit
[4 Nec existimare debemus Spiritum Sanctum secundum substan-
tias esse divisum, quia multitudo bonorum dicatur. Impassibilis enim
et indivisibilis atque immutabilis est ; sed juxta differentes et efficien-
tias et intellectus multis bonorum vocabulis nuncupatur: quia parti-
cipes suos non juxta unam eandemque virtutem communione sui donet
&c.—Didymi Alex. ibid. cap. 9. p. 266. Hieron. ibid. col. 499.]
[5 See Vol. 1. p. 147, note 6.]
312 THE FOURTH DECADE. [SERM.
worketh all things: by him he createth, sustaineth, moveth,
giveth life, strengtheneth, and preserveth all things: by the
selfsame he regenerateth his faithful people, sanctifieth, and
endueth them with divers kinds of graces. Whereupon in
the description above mentioned of him, comprising in four
members his principal powers and effects which shew them-
selves by their working in men, 1 said, that he doth illu-
minate, regenerate, sanctify, and fulfil the faithful with all
good graces: which things that they may the better be
understood, it shall be good first of all to declare (as well
as we can) the appellations or names of the Holy Ghost,
which the holy scripture giveth him; and then to recite one
or two places of the old and new Testament, to set forth
and declare the power of the Holy Ghost.
The Holy First, he is called the Holy Spirit of God, because all
Ghost. . ° :
creatures aS many as are sanctified are sanctified by him.
The heavenly Father sanctifieth with his grace, but through
the blood of his beloved Son; and sanctification is derived
unto us! and sealed by the Spirit. Therefore the holy
Trinity, being one God, doth sanctify us. It is a wicked
thing therefore to attribute sanctification to strange and
foreign things: it is a wicked thing to translate purification
and justification from the Creator unto the creature. More-
over he is called holy, to make a difference of him from
other spirits. For we read in the scriptures, that there was
and isa spirit of the world, a spirit of infirmity®, a spirit
of fornication and uncleanness, and a spirit of pride. From
all these the Holy Ghost is separated, which inspireth into
us the contempt of this world; which openeth unto us the
scriptures, and confirmeth us in truth; which purifieth our
hearts, and maketh our minds chaste, and so preserveth them:
finally, which maketh us lowly and gentle, and driveth away
from us all maliciousness.
The Holy The same Holy Ghost is called the Spirit of God and
thost is th . .
Spirit of God of the Son: of God, to make a difference between it and
Son. the spirit of Satan; and it is called the Spirit of the Son,
because it is the proper and natural Spirit of the Son, which
he also communicateth unto us that we also might be the
[1 So also ed. 1584: but ed. 1577, into us. ]
[2 vertiginis, Lat. and Vulgate; of giddiness, Douay Bible, Isai.
xix. 14.]
Vill. | OF THE HOLY GHOST. 313
sons of God. For Paul saith: “Ye are the temple of God, 1 cor. iii.
and the Spirit of God dwelleth in you.” Again: “If any Rom. vii.
man have not the Spirit of Christ, the same is none of his.”
And again: ‘“ Because ye are sons, God hath sent the Spirit
of his Son into your hearts, crying, Abba, Father.”
Moreover our Lord himself, in the history of the gospel, te Hoty
host is the
calleth the Holy Ghost a Comforter, saying: “I will pray Comforter.
the Father, and he shall give you another Comforter, that he
may abide with you for ever; even the Spirit of truth, whom
the world cannot receive, because the world seeth him not,
neither knoweth him: but ye know him; for he dwelleth with
you, and shall be in you.” For παράκλητος signifieth a
comforter, a stirrer up or a provoker, an exhorter, an advo-
cate or patron which pleadeth the cause of his client. For
the Holy Ghost is the mouth, the eye, the heart, the counsel,
the hand, and the foot of all the faithful. Didymus, in his the Holy
host is a
work entitled De Spiritu Sancto, saith: (Christ), “ giving pie
the Holy Ghost a name answerable to his working, calleth ον ἀρὰ
him the Comforter; because he doth not only comfort those
whom he findeth worthy of him, and setteth them free from
all heaviness and trouble of mind; but giveth unto them a
certain incredible joy and gladness, insomuch that a man,
giving God thanks because he is counted worthy of such a
guest, may say, Thou hast given me gladness in my heart:
for everlasting joy and gladness is in the heart of them in
whom the Holy Ghost dwelleth®.”. The Holy Ghost, verily,
alone maketh the consciences of men void of care, quiet, and
at peace before God in the matter of justification and in all
temptations of the world. Paul saith: “This only I desire (Gal. iii. 2.)
to learn of you, whether ye have received the Spirit by the
works of the law, or by the preaching of faith.” The
apostles being beaten with rods, when they were endued with
the Holy Ghost and had that Comforter present in their
[83 Consolatorem autem venientem Spiritum Sanctum dicit (Sal-
vator), ab operatione ei nomen imponens: quia non solum consolatur
eos quos se dignos repererit, et ab omni tristitia et perturbatione reddit
alienos; verum incredibile quoddam gaudium et hilaritatem eis tribuit,
in tantum ut possit quis Deo gratias referens, quod tali hospite dignus
habeatur, dicere, Dedisti leetitiam in corde meo. Sempiterna quippe
leetitia in eorum corde yersatur, quorum Spiritus Sanctus habitator
est.—Didym. Alexandr. de Spir. Sanct. cap. xxv. Biblioth. Vet. Patr.
Tom. vi. fol. 272. col. 2. Hieron. Opp. Tom. Iv. Pars 1. col. 509.]
[Acts v. 41.J
The Holy
Ghost is the
Spirit of
truth.
John xv.
John xiv,
The Spirit
of promise.
914 THE FOURTH DECADE. [seRM.
minds, went rejoicing from the presence of the council, be-
cause they were counted worthy to suffer reproach for the
name of Christ. So we read in the ecclesiastical history
that the martyrs of Christ, being full of the Holy Ghost,
even in extreme torments and most bitter deaths were most
patient, and sang praises and gave thanks unto God.
Furthermore, we have heard that the Holy Ghost is
called of the Lord the Spirit of truth. For in another place
also he beautifieth him with that name; for he saith, ““ When
the Comforter shall come, whom I will send unto you from
the Father, even the Spirit of truth, which proceedeth from
the Father, he shall bear witness of me.” And he is called
the Spirit of truth, because there is another hypocritical
spirit!, an erroneous and lying spirit in the mouth of all
false prophets. This our Spirit worketh in his worshippers
sincerity, gentleness of mind’, and integrity. Those he
teacheth all truth. For our Lord elsewhere in the gospel
saith: “That Comforter, which is the Holy Ghost, whom
the Father will send in my name, he shall teach you all
things, and bring all things to your remembrance, whatso-
ever I have said unto you.” Therefore the Spirit of truth
hath taught the apostles all truth that is to be believed and
all godliness ; and they have delivered the same fully to the
church. For the Holy Ghost driveth away all errors, de-
stroyeth all heresies, confoundeth® all idolatry and ungod-
liness, and poureth true faith into our hearts, and establisheth
true religion in the church. The Acts of the Apostles afford
us very many of examples. By this Spirit of God the
apostles foretold things to come, shadowing out among other
things antichrist and the corruption of this our last age, and
admonishing the church lest the elect should be entangled
in errors and blasphemous wickedness.
Now he is called the Spirit of promise, for that he was
promised of God by the prophets through Christ to the
fathers, to the apostles, and to all that believe the apostles’
doctrine‘, and was at length also through the same Christ
fully given and performed. This word putteth the godly
[1 Spiritus impostor, Lat. omitted; a spirit which is a deceiver. ]
[2 candorem, Lat. ]
[3 profligat, Lat. ]
[4 Rather, Because he was promised from God to the fathers by
Vill. | OF THE HOLY GHOST. 315
in mind, that they should not ascribe the having of this so
great and healthful a gift to their merits, but to the mere
grace of God. And the Holy Ghost is granted, yea, given Gar. ii.
unto us, by the promise of God. Whereupon it followeth
that all the gifts of God are freely given: which thing the
apostle Paul principally proveth, and earnestly beateth into
our heads, in his epistles, specially to the Romans and the
Galatians.
In Luke the Lord saith: “If I with the finger of God the Holy
cast out devils, no doubt the kingdom of God is come upon finger of God.
you.” St Matthew, rehearsing the same words, saith: “If Mates ἢ
I by the Spirit of God cast out devils, then is the kingdom
of God come upon you.” Therefore the Holy Ghost is
called the finger of God, to wit, the might and power of God.
Men of occupations’ work with their fingers: God work-
eth his works by his divine power, I mean, by his Spirit ;
whose power is so great, that even his little finger (give me
leave so to speak) surpasseth all the power and strength
in the world. That appeared in those sorcerers of Egypt. Ἐχοά. viii.
Didymus rehearseth a parable touching the unity of the
divine substance, and admonisheth diligently and conveniently, {0% in the
third Sermon
that we should not for corporal things forge and feign unto giao svnst
ourselves a corporal meaning of spiritual things. For he spoken’™
saith: “But beware lest thou, being cast down unto base heretics
things, dost imagine in thy mind diversities of corporal ac- ee ΟΝ
tions, and begin to forge to thyself magnitudes, and inequa-
lities, and other members of the body greater and lesser,
saying, that the finger from the hand, and the hand from
him whose hand it is, doth differ by many inequalities; because
the scripture doth now speak of bodiless things, purposing
to shew the unity only, and not the measure of substance
also. For as the hand is not divided from the body by
the which it worketh and bringeth all things to an end, and
is in him whose hand it is; so also the finger is not separated
from the hand whose finger it is. Therefore away with
inequalities and measurings when thou thinkest of God; and
understand the unity of the finger, of the hand, and of the
the prophets, and to the apostles and all who believe the doctrine of
the apostles by Christ. ]
[5 opifices, Lat.]
[6 See above, page 138. |
The Spirit
is called
water, and
a lively
fountain.
Isai. xliv.
John vii.
The Holy
Ghost is fire.
316 THE FOURTH DECADE. [SERM.
whole substance, by which finger the law was written in
tables of stone!.” Thus far he.
Now the Holy Ghost is read, as well in the writings of
the prophets as also of the apostles, to be shadowed out by
water, and a lively or continual running fountain. “1 will
pour out,” saith the Lord by Esay, ‘“ waters upon the thirsty,
and rivers upon the dry ground.” And anon by interpreta-
tion he addeth: “I will pour my Spirit upon thy seed, and
my blessing upon thy stock.” And in the gospel the Lord
saith: “If any man thirst, let him come unto me and drink.
He that believeth in me, as saith the scripture, out of his
belly shall flow rivers of water of 116. To which in way
of exposition the holy evangelist? addeth: ‘‘ But this he spake
of the Spirit, which they that believe in him should receive.”
Surely water maketh barren grounds fruitful, cleanseth things
defiled, giveth drink to them that be thirsty, and cooleth
them that are in a heat: so the grace of the Holy Spirit
maketh barren minds fruitful, to bring forth fruit to the
living God; by the selfsame grace our hearts are cleansed
from all uncleanness; the same quencheth the thirst of the
soul, and comforteth it when it is afflicted, and fulfilleth all
the desires thereof.
Fire is simple and pure; and some bodies it consumeth,
and other some it purgeth, making them more fine and clean:
it warmeth also, and hath many profitable and necessary
operations in man. ‘Therefore the Holy Ghost is rightly
shadowed out unto us by fire. Jor he is pure and simple,
he consumeth the ungodly, cleanseth the faithful from the
[! Verum cave ne ad humilia dejectus...depingas in animo tuo
corporalium artuum (Bullinger read actwwm) diversitates, et incipias
tibi magnitudines et ineequalitates et cetera corporum majora vel mi-
nora membra confingere ; dicens digitum a manu, et manum ab eo cujus
est manus, multis insequalitatibus discrepare; quia de incorporalibus
nunc scriptura loquitur, unitatem tantum volens, non etiam mensuram
substantiz demonstrare. Sicut enim manus non dividitur a corpore,
per quem cuncta perficit et operatur, et in eo est cujus est manus;
sic et digitus non separatur a manu cujus est digitus. Itaque rejice
inzequalitates et mensuras cum de Deo cogitas, et intellige digiti et
manus et totius substantize unitatem ; quo digito lex in tabulis lapideis
scripta est.—Didym. Alex. de Spir. Sanct. capp. 20, 21. Biblioth. Vet.
Patr. Tom. vi. pp. 270, 271. Hieron. Opp. Tom. tv. Par. 1. col. 506. ]
[2 historicus sacer, Lat. ]
vill. | OF THE POWER OF THE HOLY GHOST. 317
filthiness of. sins, and maketh them to burn with the love
of God and their neighbour, setting them on fire doubtless
with the fire of his love.
When he was given to the apostles in the day of Pen- The Holy
tecost, there was heard a sound as it had been with the 2mehty
force of a mighty wind coming: by which thing was signified,
that the doctrine of godliness should be spread throughout
the whole world by the power of God and wonderful success,
maugre the might of the whole world setting shoulder
against the same all in vain. For the wind (no man staying
it) bloweth through the whole world, pierceth all places,
and no man can keep it out; it hath also wonderful effects in
bodies to change them. And the Holy Ghost pierceth all things;
softeneth men’s hearts; and of froward, stubborn, and rebel-
lious, he maketh most lowly, modest, and obedient men.
Fiery tongues appear upon the heads of the apostles and The Holy ον
disciples endued with the Holy Ghost; signifying doubtless the tonsue.
operation or working of the Holy Ghost, of which they were
signs and assurances. For he instructeth, exhorteth, and com-
forteth the faithful: neither doth he arm his faithful apostles
with cold tongues, but fiery tongues. The apostles, when
they preached the gospel, seemed not to speak, but to lighten
and to thunder: whereupon also certain of them were called
of our Saviour “ The sons of thunder.”
Furthermore, the Holy Ghost appeareth in the likeness
of a dove upon the Son of God, even then when he was
baptized of John Baptist. For a dove is mild and gentle,
without malice or harm?: whereof sprung the proverb,
“manners like a dove, dove-like simplicity ;” and, ‘ more the Holy
gentle than a dove.” For a dove is among birds as a sheep Se en
among four-footed beasts, which thinketh no hurt to any
living creature: whereupon Christ is also called a sheep or Isai. Ui
alamb. Of the Spirit of God therefore the wise man saith Acts vii
very well: ‘The spirit of wisdom is holy, one only, manifold, wisa. vii
subtle, quick, moving‘, clear, undefiled, plain®, sweet, loving
the thing that is good, sharp, which cannot be letted, doing
good, kind to man, stedfast, sure, free from care, having all
power, circumspect in all things, and passing through all
understanding and clean, yea, most subtle spirits.”
[3 felle carens, Lat.] [4 disertus, Lat. ; lively, A. V.]
[5 illustris, Lat. ] [6 certus, Lat. ]
The Hol
Ghost oil and
anointing.
1 John ii.
WOT.XXXI.
Heb. viii.
2 Core 1:
The Holy
Ghost is the
earnest of
our inherit-
ance.
Ephes. i.
1 John iv.
318 THE FOURTH DECADE, [SERM.
Again, they that are endued with the Holy Ghost are
called the anointed of the Lord. For the Holy Ghost is
called both oil and anointing: for uniess we be watered of the
Holy Ghost, we wax barren and waste away; for we are
void of lively and heavenly moisture, and of our own nature
always wither and wax dry. And of this anointing there
went a notable figure before, in the ceremonial anointing of
kings and priests. St John saith: ‘And the anointing
which ye have received of him dwelleth in you, and ye need
not that any man teach you; but as the same anointing teach-
eth you of all things, and it is true, and not lying, and as
it taught you, abide in 10}. For the Lord also saith in
Jeremy: ‘This shall be the covenant that I will make with
the house of Israel after those days; I will plant my law in
the inward parts? of them, and write it in their hearts; and
will be their God, and they shall be my people. And from
henceforth shall no man teach his neighbour or his brother,
saying, Know the Lord; for they shall all know me, from
the lowest unto the highest, saith the Lord. For I will for-
give their misdeeds, and will never remember their sins any
more.”
But we shewed a little before that the Holy Ghost is the
universal teacher of all truth. Hitherto that seemeth to belong
which St Paul saith: “1 is God which hath anointed us, which
hath also sealed us, and hath given the earnest of the Spirit
in our hearts.” For now the Holy Ghost is not only called
anointing, but also the sealing up or earnest of our salvation :
for appa, or ἀῤῥαβὼν, is a part of payment, which maketh
assurance of the whole sum to be paid, to wit, a pledge. And
surely the Holy Ghost doth now testify, yea, it doth seal and
assure us, that we are the sons of God, and that, when time
is, we shall be received into the everlasting inheritance. Paul
again saith: ‘‘ Ye are sealed with the holy Spirit of promise,
which is the earnest of our inheritance, unto the redemption of
the purchased possession, unto the praise of his glory.” Ephes.i.
That assurance doth marvellously confirm and comfort the
minds of the faithful in temptations; encourageth them besides
that to patience in adversity, and to holiness of life. For here-
upon said St John: “ Little children, ye are of God, and have
overcome them; for greater is he that is in you, than he that
[1 See above, p 286, and note 2. | [2 in mentem, Lat. |
VIII. | OF THE POWER OF THE HOLY GHOST. 319
is in the world.” And again: “ Now are we the sons of God, 1 Jonni
and yet it doth not appear what we shall be: but we know
that, when he shall appear, we shall be like unto him, for we
shall see him as he is. And every man that hath this hope
in him purgeth himself, even as he also is pure.”
And as the Holy Ghost is an unspeakable knitting to- the Hoty
gether, whereby the three persons are inseparably coupled o charity.
one with another in everlasting love and concord; even so
the same coupleth the spouse of Christ with her spouse with
a knot that cannot be loosed, and joineth together between
themselves all the members of his mystical body in an ever-
lasting covenant. For as the members of our body are joined
together whole and sound by the benefit and enjoying of
life®, so the mystical body of Christ is united together by the
Holy Ghost. Therefore it is no marvel that he is called rom. v.
or noted with the name of love, which poureth love into our
hearts.
7 And albeit by these names of the Holy Ghost his opera- the opera.
tion may be understood, yet will I add certain testimonies of Holy Ghost.
scripture, out of which his power or effect, especially in us,
may be more fully understood. Esay almost in the beginning jai, xi.
of his prophecy, describing the person of the King our Messias,
among other things saith: “The Spirit of the Lord shall rest
upon him; the spirit of wisdom and understanding, the spirit
of counsel and strength, the spirit of knowledge and of the
fear of the Lord; and shall make him of deep judgment in
the fear of God*.” Though he declared many, yet hath he
not reckoned up all the powers of the Spirit. Therefore it is
not for us to bring into a strait, and with the common sort to
comprise in a narrow number of seven, the powers of the
Spirit. For we have heard hitherto that there is the spirit
of promise, of doctrine, of humility, and gentleness, &c. To
which beside these there are reckoned up very many to-
gether ; for he is the spirit of wisdom: but how great this
is, and how far it reacheth, it is manifest even in the words®
‘of Solomon. To wisdom is joined understanding, which is wisdom.
said to be the action and applying of wisdom ordered or stanang.
framed to things, places, times, and persons. - Counsel is re- counsel.
[3 beneficio spiritus, Lat. |
[4 faciet eum spirare timorem Domini, Lat. ]
[> in rebus, Lat. ; in the affairs. ]
Strength.
Knowledge.
Fear.
Rom. viii.
The Spirit
doth mortify
and quicken.
The Spirit
or Holy
Ghost re-
vealeth the
mysteries of
the kingdom
of God.
1 Cor. ii.
John xvi.
320 THE FOURTH DECADE. [ SERM.
quired and given in doubtful matters, and sheweth what we
may most conveniently do. Strength ministereth sufficient
force and constancy to execute and perform, yea, and patiently
bear, whatsoever by counsel we have learned either to be
done or to be suffered. And now knowledge is an experience
obtained and gotten by long time and use. Unto these is
fear added, that is to say, godliness and true religion; where-
unto unless we refer all our sayings and doings, wisdom,
understanding, counsel, strength and knowledge, shall nothing
profit us. To be short, whosoever is endued with the Spirit
of God, whatsoever he shall either do or say will savour of
the fear! of God; finally, he shall say and do all things unto
the glory of God: and all these things truly are freely and
fully drawn out of the only fountain of the Holy Ghost.
Paul the apostle, in his epistle to the Romans, describing
the wonderful force of the Holy Ghost working in us being
new-born, saith: “ They that are in the flesh cannot please
God. But ye are not in the flesh, but in the Spirit, if so be
the Spirit of God dwell in you. If any man have not the
Spirit of Christ, the same is none of his, And if Christ be in
you, the body is dead because of sin; but the spirit is life for
righteousness’ sake. But if the Spirit of him that raised up
Jesus from the dead dwell in you, even he that raised up Christ
from the dead shall also quicken your mortal bodies, because
that his Spirit dwelleth in you.”
The same apostle in his epistle to the Corinthians teach-
eth, that by the revelation of the Holy Ghost the mystery of
the kingdom of God is very manifestly opened unto us.
“God,” saith he, “ hath revealed them unto us by his Spirit ;
for the Spirit searcheth all things, yea, the deep things of God.
For what man knoweth the things of man, save the spirit of
man which isin him? Even so the things of God knoweth no
man, but the Spirit of God. And we have not received the
spirit of the world, but the Spirit which is of God, that we might
know the things which are given to us of Christ*.” Hitherto
pertain these words of our Lord and Saviour out of the holy
gospel: “1 tell you the truth, it is expedient for you that I go
away ; for if I go not away, that Comforter will not come
unto you; but if I depart, I will send him unto you. And when
fl spirabit timorem, Lat. ]
[2 a Christo, Lat. So Erasmus and Calvin. ]
vit. | OF THE POWER OF THE HOLY GHOST. 921
he is come, he will rebuke the world of sin, and of righteous-
ness, and of judgment: of sin, because they believe not on him?:
of righteousness, because I go to the Father, and ye see me
no more: of judgment, because the prince of this world is
judged already.” And it is evident, that in all these clauses
the whole sum of religion is contained which the Holy Ghost
most plentifully hath delivered unto the church: which we also
touched in the exposition of the names of the Holy Ghost.
It followeth in the gospel: “1 have yet many things to say
unto you, but ye cannot bear them away‘ now. Howbeit,
when he is come, which is the Spirit of truth, he will lead
you into all truth. He shall not speak of himself; but what-
soever he shall hear, that shall he speak, and he will shew one spirit
you things to come®,” And since it is certain that the Holy thinsto
Ghost is come, it is evident that he led the apostles into all “ἢ
truth: insomuch that whatsoever agreeth not with their
writings is worthily suspected of a lie. Otherwise I doubt
not but he at this day speaketh in the church by those
which are his: but it is without controversy, that the Holy
Ghost doth not gainsay himself. And that things to come
were revealed to the apostles by the Spirit, we have touched
in the exposition of the names of the Holy Ghost. Neither
is it doubtful but at this day he revealeth many things to the
saints in the church, even those things which pertain to the
preservation of the gospel of Christ® and the saints.
Again, we read in the epistle of Paul to the Corinthians:
“The manifestation,” saith he, “of the Spirit is given to 1 Cor, xii
every man to profit withal: for to one is given by the Spirit ‘the divers
the word of wisdom, to another the word of knowledge by Holy Ghost.
the same Spirit ; to another is given faith by the same Spirit;
to another the gifts of healing by the same Spirit; to another
power to do miracles; to another prophecy ; to another dis-
cerning of spirits; to another divers kinds of tongues; to
another the interpretation of tongues. But all these work-
eth that one and the selfsame Spirit, dividing to every man
severally even as he will.” All these things are manifest,
neither need they any further exposition. These are great
[3 in me, Lat. ] [4 So Tyndale and Cranmer; portare, Lat.]
[5 Ille me glorificabit: quia de meo accipiet, et annunciabit vobis,
Lat. omitted. |
[6 veritatis Christiane, Lat. ]
[ BULLINGER, III. ] τ
Gal. v.
Tertullian’s
notable trea-
tise of the
Holy Ghost.
Isai. xi.
322 THE FOURTH DECADE, [SERM.
and evident gifts of the Holy Spirit. Unto which also if we add
those words which the same apostle hath set down concerning
the same Spirit of God, we will make an end!: “ The fruit
of the Spirit,” saith he, “is love, joy, peace, long-suffering,
gentleness, goodness, faith, meekness, temperance.” These I
say and all other virtues the Holy Ghost, which worketh all
good things in all men, graffeth, planteth, preserveth, defendeth,
and bringeth unto full ripeness in the minds of the faithful.
To all these we will now add, instead of a conclusion, the
most notable? treatise of Tertullian touching the Holy Ghost.
The same is this: “ Because the Lord was departing into
heaven, he did necessarily give to his disciples a comforter,
lest he should leave them ina manner orphans, which was not
convenient, and forsake them without a certain advocate and
tutor. For it is he that strengthened their minds and under-
standings, which distinguished the sacraments of the gospel,
which was in them the giver of light in heavenly things, by
whom being strengthened and established they neither feared
imprisonments nor chains for the name of the Lord; but
rather set at nought the very powers and torments of this
world, being now armed and emboldened through him, having
in them the gifts which this selfsame Spirit doth distribute
and direct, as it were certain ornaments to the church, which
is the spouse of Christ. For it is he that appointeth prophets
in the church, instructeth the teachers, guideth tongues,
worketh miracles, and giveth health, bringeth to pass won-
derful works, sheweth the discerning of spirits, establisheth
governments, endueth with counsel, ministereth and ordereth
and disposeth all other spiritual gifts; and therefore maketh
the church of God on all sides and in all things perfect and
absolute. It is he which in the likeness of a dove, after the
Lord was baptized, descended and remained upon him, dwell-
ing only in Christ fully and wholly, not maimed or minished
in any measure or portion, but plentifully received into him
with his whole abundance, that others might obtain from him
a certain distribution of gifts; the fountain of the fulness of the
Holy Ghost wholly remaining in Christ, that from him might
be derived veins of gifts and miracles, the Holy Ghost most
abundantly dwelling in Christ. For Esay prophesying the same
said: ‘And the spirit of wisdom and understanding, the spirit
[1 vela colligemus, Lat. | [2 elegantissimam, Lat. ]
Vill. | OF THE POWER OF THE HOLY GHOST. 323
of counsel and strength, the spirit of knowledge and godliness,
resteth upon him. And the spirit of the fear of the Lord filled
him.’ The like and selfsame saying he hath also in another place
in the person of the Lord himself: ‘The Spirit of the Lord tsai.1xi.
upon me, because he hath anointed me; to preach the gospel
to the poor hath he sent me.’ Likewise David: ‘Wherefore Paal. xiv.
thy God hath anointed thee with the oil of gladness above
thy fellows.’ Of this Spirit the apostle Paul speaketh: for
‘he that hath not the Spirit of Christ, the same is none of his.’ Rom. viii
‘And where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is liberty.’ This 2 cor. ii.
is he which by water worketh the second birth of regenera-
tion®, being a certain seed of heavenly generation; and he
that consecrateth the heavenly nativity, being a pledge of the
promised inheritance, and as it were a certain handwriting of
everlasting salvation; who maketh us the temple of God, and
bringeth to pass that we be his dwelling-house; who perform-
eth the office of an advocate, maketh intercession for us in
the hearing of God with sighs that cannot be uttered; and
pouring forth his gifts of defence, is given to be a dweller in
our hearts and a worker of holiness; who exercising that in
us, bringeth our bodies into everlastingness and unto the
resurrection of immortality, while he accustometh them to be
partakers in him of his heavenly power, and to be coupled
with the heavenly eternity of the Holy Ghost. For our
bodies are trained up in him and by him to proceed to
immortality, whilst they learned to behave themselves mode-
rately according to his ordinances. For it is he that lusteth
contrary to the flesh, because the flesh fighteth against him.
It is he which bridleth insatiable lusts, which tameth immode-
rate concupiscences, which quencheth unlawful desires, which
vanquisheth flaming affections, which abhorreth drunkenness,
which banisheth covetousness, which abandoneth riotous ban-
quetings, which knitteth the knot of love and charity, which
subdueth the affections, driveth away sects, sheweth the rule
of truth, convinceth heretics, casteth out the wicked, and is a
defence to the gospel. Of him the apostle also saith: “ For [1 Cor. 11.12.1
we have not received the spirit of the world, but the Spirit
which is of God.’ Of this Spirit he triumpheth and saith:
‘And I think verily that I have the Spirit of God.’ Of him 1 cor. wii
he saith: ‘And the Spirit of the prophets is subject to the 1 Cor. xiv.
[3 So also ed. 1584: but ed. 1577, or regeneration. |
ieee
1 Tim. iv.
1 Cor. xii.
{ Mark iii.
29.
{ Matt. xii.
32. ]
324 THE FOURTH DECADE. [SERM.
prophets. Of him he saith again: ‘Now the Spirit speak-
eth evidently, that in the latter times some shall depart from
the faith, giving heed unto spirits of error and doctrines of
devils, which speak false in hypocrisy, having their conscience
seared with an hot iron.’ ‘No man being guided by this Spirit
calleth Jesus execrable ;? no man denieth that Christ is the Son
of God, or forsaketh God the Creator; no man uttereth any
of his own words against the scriptures, neither doth any man
establish other wicked decrees; no man commandeth contrary
laws. ‘ Whosoever blasphemeth against this Spirit shall never
have forgiveness, neither in this world, nor in the world to
come.’ It is he that in the apostles beareth witness to Christ,
that sheweth constant faith of religion in martyrs, that plant-
eth marvellous continency of assured love in virgins, that
keepeth the laws of the Lord’s doctrine uncorrupted and
undefiled in others, that confoundeth heretics, reformeth the
froward, reproveth the unfaithful, revealeth dissemblers, and
punisheth the wicked, and preserveth the church chaste and
unstained in pureness of perpetual virginity and holiness of
truth'.” Thus far Tertullian,
[1 Quoniam Dominus in ccelos esset abiturus, paracletum discipulis
necessario dabat, ne illos quodammodo pupillos (quod minime decebat)
relinqueret, et sine advocato et quodam tutore desereret. Hic est
enim qui ipsorum animos mentesque firmavit, qui evangelica sacra-
menta distinxit, qui in ipsis illuminator rerum divinarum fuit, quo
confirmati pro nomine Domini nec carceres nec vincula timuerunt,
quinimo ipsas seculi potestates et tormenta calcaverunt, armati jam
scilicet per ipsum atque firmati, habentes in se dona que hic idem
Spiritus ecclesie Christi sponse quasi quedam ornamenta distribuit
et dirigit. Hic est enim qui prophetas in ecclesia constituit, magistros
erudit, linguas dirigit, virtutes et sanitates facit, opera mirabilia gerit,
discretiones spirituum porrigit, gubernationes contribuit, consilia sug-
gerit, queeque alia sunt charismatum dona componit et dirigit; et ideo
ecclesiam Domini undique et in omnibus perfectam et consummatam
facit. Hic est qui in modum columbe, posteaquam Dominus bapti-
zatus est, super eum venit et mansit, habitans in solo Christo plenus
et totus, nec in aliqua mensura aut portione mutilatus, sed cum tota
sua redundantia cumulate distributus et missus, ut ex illo delibati-
onem quandam gratiarum ceteri consequi possint, totius Sancti Spi-
ritus in Christo fonte remanente, ut ex illo donorum atque operum
venze ducerentur, Spiritu Sancto in Christo affluenter habitante. Hoc
etenim prophetans Esaias aicbat: Et requiescit, inquit, super eum
Spiritus sapientiz et intellectus, Spiritus consilii et virtutis, Spiritus
scientize et pietatis, et impleyit eum Spiritus timoris Dei. Hoc idem
vu. | OF THE POWER OF THE HOLY GHOST, 325
Thus far, not without trembling, we have entreated of ἃ sumor
the most holy mystery of the reverend Trinity, the Father,
the Son, and the Holy Ghost, which we have learned out of.
the scriptures: and here now we will stay, humbly worship-
atque ipsum et alio in loco ex persona ipsius Domini: Spiritus Domini
super me, propter quod unxit me, evangelizare pauperibus misit me.
Similiter David: Propterea unxit te Deus, Deus tuus, oleo letitiz a
consortibus tuis. De hoc Apostolus Paulus: Qui enim Spiritum Christi
non habet, hic non est ejus: Et, Ubi Spiritus Domini, ibi libertas.
Hic est qui operatur ex aquis secundam nativitatem, semen quoddam
divini generis, et consecrator coelestis nativitatis, pignus promisse
hereditatis, et quasi chirographum quoddam eeterne salutis; qui nos
Dei faciat templum, et nos ejus efficiat domum; qui interpellat divinas
aures pro nobis gemitibus ineloquacibus, advocationis implens oflicia
et defensionis exhibens munera, inhabitator corporibus nostris datus,
et sanctitatis effector; qui id agens in nobis, ut ad eeternitatem et ad
resurrectionem immortalitatis corpora nostra perducat, dum illa in se
assuefacit cum ccelesti virtute misceri, et cum Spiritus Sancti divina
eeternitate sociari. Erudiuntur enim in illo et per ipsum corpora
nostra ad immortalitatem proficere, dum ad decreta ipsius discunt se
moderanter temperare. Hic est enim qui contra carnem desiderat,
quia caro contraipsum repugnat. Hic est qui inexplebiles cupiditates
coercet, immoderatas libidines frangit, illicitos ardores extinguit, fla-
grantes impetus vincit, ebrietates rejicit, avaritias repellit, luxuriosas
comessationes fugit, caritates nectit, affectiones constringit, sectas
repellit, regulam veritatis expedit, heereticos revincit, improbos foras
exspuit, evangelia custodit. De hoc item Apostolus: Non enim spi-
ritum mundi accepimus, sed Spiritum qui ex Deo est. De hoc exultat
et dicit: Puto autem quia et ego Spiritum Dei habeo. De hoc dicit:
Et Spiritus prophetarum prophetis subjectus est. De hoc refert: Spi-
ritus autem manifeste dicit quia in novissimis temporibus recedent
quidam a fide, attendentes spiritibus seductoribus, doctrinis dzemoni-
orum in hypocrisi mendacia loquentium, cauteriatam habentium con-
scientiam suam. In hoc Spiritu positus nemo unquam dicit anathema
Jesum, nemo negavit Christum Dei Filium, aut repudiayvit creatorem
Deum; nemo contra scripturas ulla sua verba depromit, nemo alia et
sacrilega decreta constituit, nemo diversa jura conscribit. In hune
quisquis blasphemaverit, remissionem non habet, non tantum in isto
seculo, verum etiam nec in futuro. Hic in apostolis Christo testimo-
nium reddit, in martyribus constantem fidem religionis ostendit, in
virginibus admirabilem continentiam signatz caritatis includit, in
ceteris incorrupta et incontaminata doctrinse dominic jura custodit ;
heereticos destruit, perversos corrigit, infideles arguit, simulatores os-
tendit, improbos quoque corrigit, ecclesiam incorruptam et inviolatam
perpetuz virginitatis et veritatis sanctitate custodit,—Novatian. de
Trin. cap. 29. Tertull. Opp. pp. 741, 742. Col. Agrip. ]
the unity and
ead of
326 THE FOURTH DECADE. [sERM.
ping this Unity in trinity and Trinity in unity. And let
us keep in mind and acknowledge this distinction or division
most manifestly declared in the scriptures, and the unity also
commended unto us with exceeding great diligence. For in
the scripture the beginning of doing and the flowing foun-
tain and well-spring of all things is attributed to the Father ;
wisdom, counsel, and the very dispensation in doing things
is ascribed to the Son; and the force and effectual power of
working is assigned to the Holy Ghost. Howbeit, let us take
heed lest through the distinction we separate the unity of
the substance of God; for there is but one God in whom
those properties are. It is but one fire, though there be
three things seen in it, light, brightness, and heat. For
these rise together, and cease all at once. The light goeth
not before the brightness, neither the brightness before the
heat. And though one thing be attributed to the light, an-
other thing to the brightness, and a third thing to the heat ;
yet they work unseparably. Therefore when we read that
God created the world, we understand that the Father from
whom are all things, by the Son by whom are all things,
in the Holy Ghost in whom are all things, created the world.
And when we read that the Son became flesh, suffered, died,
and rose again for our salvation, we believe that the Father
and the Holy Ghost, though they were not partakers of
his incarnation and passion, yet notwithstanding that they
wrought that our salvation by the Son, whom we believe
never to have been separated from them. And when sins
are said to be forgiven in the Holy Ghost, we believe that
this benefit and all other benefits of our blessedness are
unseparably given and bestowed upon us from one, only,
true, living, and everlasting God, who is the Father, the
Son, and the Holy Ghost. To whom be praise and thanks-
giving for ever and ever. Amen.
ix.] OF GOOD SPIRITS. 327
OF GOOD AND EVIL SPIRITS; THAT IS, OF THE HOLY
ANGELS OF GOD, AND OF DEVILS OR EVIL
SPIRITS; AND OF THEIR OPERATIONS.
THE NINTH SERMON.
Next unto this sermon of the Holy Ghost I will add
a treatise of good and evil spirits, that is, of the holy angels
of God, and of devils or wicked spirits, and of their ope-
rations: of whom since the holy scripture delivereth us an
assured doctrine and in all points profitable, it seemeth that
we ought not lightly to regard it, but with as much faith
and diligence as we can to bring it unto light. It were a
foul fault in him that studieth after godliness, to be ignorant
of the dispositions of good and evil angels, of whom so
often mention is made in the holy scriptures; yea, it were
a thing most dangerous, not to know what manner of crea-
tures the devils are, which under that name might easily
deceive and spoil us. But first we will speak of holy angels,
and then of devils or spirits!
The word angel some say to be a name of office’, not An angel.
of nature, and is common to the Latins and Greeks, of whom
it is borrowed, and it signifieth an ambassador or legate, and
therefore it hath a larger signification. For the preachers of
the truth are called angels, as in Malachy, and in the apostle sta ii & ii.
Paul?; for they are the ambassadors or “messengers of the ="
Lord of hosts.” St Peter also calleth evil spirits angels: as Paul (2 ret. it. 4.1
also doth saying, that the faithful shall one day judge the 11 cor. vi. 3.1
angels*; and that the angel or messenger of Satan was sent 2 Cor. xii.
unto him, Howbeit the scripture peculiarly calleth angels the
blessed spirits of God, ministers, and messengers, and heavenly
armies>,
[ or spirits, not in Lat. ]
[2 Angelus enim officii nomen est, non naturee.—August. Tract. de
eo quod dictum est a Deo ad Moysen, Ego sum qui sum. (Incerti auc-
toris.) Opp. Tom. vi. fol. 179. col. 4. Par. 1532. ]
[3 In his Commentary on 1 Cor. xi. 10, Bullinger first explains
“the angels” of the heavenly beings, and then says: Alii per angelos
verbi ministros intelligunt. ]
{* Hune locum exponens (Theophylactus) angelos, ait, dseemones
ipsos appellat. Sunt enim et hi per nos condemnandi. Bulling. Com-
ment. in 1 Cor. vi. 3.]
[5 satellites, Lat.; heavenly, the translator’s addition. ]
That there
are angels.
{Acts xxiii.
8.)
Matt. xxii,
A. Steuchus
in his 6th
and &th book
de Perenni
Philosophia'.
What angels
are.
928 THE FOURTH DECADE. [SERM.
But the Sadducees denied that there be angels; for
Luke in the Acts of the Apostles saith: ‘The Sadducees say
that there is no resurrection, neither angel nor spirit; but the
Pharisees confess both.” And indeed the whole scripture
doth testify that there are angels, making mention in many
places that they have appeared unto men, and have revealed
unto them the will of God, or otherwise accomplished his
work. Truly the Lord Jesus reasoning against the Sadducees
in the gospel saith: “‘Ye err, not knowing the scriptures, nor
the power of God. For in the resurrection they neither marry,
nor are given in marriage, but are as the angels of God in
heaven.” Let us therefore believe that there are angels. For
the authority of the Son of God, and the irrevocable truth of
the holy scriptures, ought worthily to win more credit with
us than the toys of all Sadducees and wicked men. What,
have not the heathenish poets and philosophers confessed
that there are angels, whom they call gods? For they,
feigning that gods in the likeness of men were lodged and
entertained of righteous men, seemed to all learned men to
have meant nothing else than that which the holy scriptures
make mention of, how Abraham and Lot received angels into
their houses resembling strangers. But howsoever the case
standeth, most certain it is, both by the holy scripture and
by manifold experience, that there are blessed spirits of God,
that is to say, good angels.
Now what the nature of angels is, it cannot throughly be
declared of any man. For there are many things in the
order of creatures, whose nature cannot directly and perfitly
be expounded: they may nevertheless after a sort, according
to our capacity, be shadowed out. Some therefore there are
which say that angels are good spirits, ministers, of a fiery
nature, created for the ministery or service of God and good
men. Other some say angels are heavenly spirits, whose
ministery and service God useth to execute all things which
he hath determined. Wherefore we shall not seem to miss
much of the mark, if we say that angels are good spirits,
heavenly substances (I mean uncorruptible), created for the
ministery or service of God and men.
[1 Augustini Steuchi Eugubini de perenni philosophia. Lib. vnt.
cap. 6, 8. in which he quotes Callimachus, Homer, Catullus, and Virgil.
Opp. Tom. uw. foll. 140,142. Venet. 1591.]
1x. ] - OF GOOD SPIRITS. 329
That angels are created of God, the writings of the That angels
prophets and apostles do witness. For Paul citeth that
saying of David, “ Which maketh his angels spirits, and his Heb.i.
ministers a flame of fire.’ The same apostle saith: “By Coli.
Christ all things are created, that are in heaven and that are
in earth, visible and invisible, whether they be majesties? or
lordships, either rules or powers.” Wherefore heretics have
set forth toys, saying that angels are workers in the creation
of all things and co-eternal with God: for God in time by
the Son as well created angels as all other creatures.
Now touching the time when angels were created, When angels
whether with the light before man, or after man, and all the
works of God, let him tell that can; the holy scripture passing
it over with silence, and pronouncing no certainty thereof.
Epiphanius* and Augustinus‘, ancient interpreters of the
scriptures, learnedly and truly confess that there is nothing
delivered in the scriptures of that matter: and that which
is not delivered in the scriptures cannot without danger be
inquired after, but without danger we may be ignorant
thereof. It is sufficient to acknowledge that angels were
created, at what time soever it seemeth they were created.
Let us rather give God thanks that he hath created for
mankind so excellent ministers. Let us live an holy and
angel-like life in the sight of God’s holy angels. Let us
watch lest he, which transfigureth and turneth himself into an
angel of light, under a good shew and likeness deceive us.
Now we must further see what manner of creatures Angels are
angels are: they are heavenly spirits, and incorruptible and
most swift substances. We say expressly that angels are
substances, that is to say, creatures having essence or being.
For some deny that they are substances, subsisting in their
proper essence or being; for they imagine that angels are
nothing else than qualities, motions, or inspirations of good
minds. But the canonical scripture calleth them ministers. Mei
Our Saviour saith, that they which rise again shall be like *-]
[2 throni, Lat. ]
[3 Οὐδαμοῦ yap τηλαυγῶς σημαίνει τὸν χρόνον THs τῶν ἀγγελων ποι-
noews.—Epiphan, adv. Heer. Lib. τι. Tom. 11. p. 611. Opp. Tom. 1. Par.
1622.]
(4 Augustin. de Genesi ad lit. Opp. Tom. m1. fol. 102. col. 4. De
Incarnat. Verbi. Tom. rv. fol. 209. col. 3. ]
(Heb. i. 6.1
Heb. ii.
What
manner of
substances
angels are.
Psal. civ.
Bodily sub-
stances.
330 THE FOURTH DECADE. [sERM.
unto the angels of God. St Paul declareth that the Son of
God is more excellent than the angels, for that they worship
him as God their creator. The selfsame apostle saith: “For
ye shall read in no place that the Son taketh on him the
angels, but the seed of Abraham taketh he on him.” Which
testimonies most manifestly teach that angels are substances,
not qualities or motions in men’s minds; that I say nothing
now, how they have oftentimes appeared unto men in likeness
or shape of men. Let us therefore hold and confess that
angels are substances.
Furthermore, what substances angels are, other perad-
venture have better declared: for the which I bear no man
grudge. I confess that there are good spirits, to make dif-
ference of them that are evil: whereof shall be spoken
hereafter. I confess that they are good, not so much for
the goodness of their nature in which they continued, as for
their operation or working; for they always stir up and
further us to that which is good. I confess also that angels
are spirits, that is to say, spiritual, heavenly, incorruptible,
and exceeding swift substances: for the scripture witnesseth
and saith, ‘Which maketh his angels spirits, and his minis-
ters a flame of fire.’ The scripture, I say, nameth angels
spirits and a flame of fire, not that angels of their own nature
and substance are corporal fire, but because fire after a sort
resembleth them which in clearness, beauty, and incorruptible-
ness, and also in swiftness, quickness, and brightness, are the
most beautiful and exellent creatures. The schoolmen’s defi-
nitions! grossly enough say, that the angels are bodily sub-
stances, but of their own kind; for God only is without body.
In these words therefore thus they have set down: “ Every
creature is bodily; angels and all heavenly powers are bodily,
though they consist not of flesh Now hereby we believe
that they are bodily, because they are limited in place, as
the soul also is clothed? with flesh. (Angels peradventure
at this day are more aptly said to be local or in place, not
circumscriptively, but definitively*.) We must believe that
nothing by nature is bodiless and invisible but God only,
that is to say, the Father, the Son, and the Holy Ghost: who
[1 Definitiones ecclesiastics, Lat. ]
[2 So also ed. 1584: but ed. 1577, inclosed. ]
[3 G. Majoris Opp. Tom. u. fol. 522. Witeb. 1569.]
Ix. | OF GOOD SPIRITS. 331
therefore is rightly believed to be bodiless, because he is in
every place, and fulfilleth and conserveth all things; and
therefore he is invisible to all creatures, because he is without
body*.” Thus much from them.
But those bodies either of young men or old men, in What bodies
which angels oftentimes appeared unto the fathers, were not ansels.
their proper or natural bodies, but taken upon them and
as it were borrowed from elsewhere for a time and for the
weakness of our capacity. And what manner of bodies
those same very bodies were which they took, or from whence
they were taken, or where they were bestowed when they
had ended their business’, it is very hard to declare. St
Augustine, in his Enchiridion ad Laurent. cap. 59, saith:
“Who can declare with what manner bodies they have ap-
peared unto men, that they might not only be seen but be
touched, and again convey not with sound substance of
flesh but by spiritual power certain visions, not to the bodily
eyes, but to the eyes of the spirit or mind, or tell something
not in the ear outwardly but inwardly in the mind of man,
even they themselves being therein; as it is written in the
book of the prophets, ‘ And the angel said unto me, which
spake in me?’ (for he saith not which spake unto me, but
in me;) or that appear even in one’s sleep, and talk toge-
ther after the manner of dreams? for we have in the
gospel, ‘Behold the angel of the Lord appeared unto him (Mate. i
in his sleep, saying,’ ὅσο, for by these means angels do as
it were declare that they have not bodies which can be
handled. And they make a very hard question, how the
fathers did wash their feet; how Jacob by taking so fast
hold wrestled with the angel. When these things come in
question, and every one giveth his conjecture as he is able,
their heads are not unfruitfully occupied, if a moderate dis-
[4 Nihil incorporeum et invisibile natura credendum, nisi solum
Deum, id est, Patrem et Filium et Spiritum sanctum. Qui ideo recte
incorporeus creditur, quia ubique est et omnia implet atque constringit;
ideo et invisibilis omnibus creaturis, quia incorporeus est. Creatura
omnis corporea est: angeli, et omnes coelestes virtutes corporese ; licet
non carne subsistant. Ex eo autem corporeas esse credimus, quod
localiter circumscribuntur, sicut et anima humana, que carne claudi-
tur.—August. de Eccles. Dogm. capp. 11,12. Opp. Tom. 1. fol. 42.
col. 3. Par. 1532. ]
[5 post dispensationem, Lat. ]
Angels are
incor-
ruptible.
332 THE FOURTH DECADE. [sERM.
putation be taken in hand, and the error of them which
think they know that which indeed they know not be re-
moved. For what needs it that these and such like things be
affirmed or denied, or defined with danger, since we may
be ignorant of them without blame'?” Thus far he. In
these and such like causes let us acknowledge his omnipo-
tency and wonderful dispensation, who doth what he will:
to whom truly it is not hard to create substances fit and
agreeable for his purpose and appointment, since of nothing
he made all visible and invisible creatures.
Moreover we affirm that angels through the grace and
power of God are incorruptible substances, yea, and un-
changeable in their felicity, without burden and hinderances.
For St Augustine also, ad Pet. Diac. de Fide, cap. 23,
saith, ‘that unchangeableness was not by nature graffed in
angels, but freely given by the grace of God*.” The same
Augustine, De Vera Religione, cap. 13, saith: “ We must
confess that angels by nature are changeable, if God only
be unchangeable; but in that will, wherewith they love God
rather than themselves, they remain stedfast and stable in
him, and enjoy his majesty, being subject most willingly to
[1 Itemque angeli quis explicet cum qualibus corporibus apparu-
erint hominibus, ut non solum cernerentur, verum etiam tangerentur ;
et rursus non solida corpulentia sed spiritali potentia quasdam visiones
non oculis corporeis, sed spiritalibus vel mentibus ingerant ; vel dicant
aliquid non ad aurem forinsecus, sed intus in animo hominis, etiam
ibidem ipsi constituti; sicut scriptum est in prophetarum libro, Et
dixit mihi angelus, qui loquebatur in me? (non enim ait, Qui loque-
batur ad me, sed, in me:) vel appareant et in somnis, et colloquantur
more somniorum? Habemus quippe in evangelio: Ecce angelus Do-
mini apparuit illi in somnis, dicens. His enim modis velut indicant se
angeli contrectabilia corpora non habere. Faciuntque difficillimam
queestionem, quomodo patres eis pedes laverint? quomodo Jacob cum
angelo tam solida contrectatione luctatus sit? Cum ista queruntur,
οὐ ea sicut potest quisque conjectat, non inutiliter exercentur ingenia,
si adhibeatur disceptatio moderata, et absit error opinantium se scire
quod nesciunt. Quid enim opus est ut heec atque hujusmodi affir-
mentur, vel negentur, vel definiantur cum discrimine, quando sine
crimine nesciuntur?—August. Enchirid. ad Laurent. cap. 59. Opp.
Tom. ut. fol. 37. col. 1.]
[2 Sed hoc ipsum, quod ab illo statu beatitudinis, in quo sunt,
mutari in deterius nullatenus possunt (angeli), non est eis naturaliter
insitum, sed postquam creati sunt gratis divine largitate collatum.
—lId. de Fide ad Petrum Diac. Opp. Tom. 11. fol. 49. col. 4.]
Fx. OF GOOD SPIRITS. 833
him alone*.” With these words agree those which are read
in Definit. Eccles., cap. 61, in this wise: “The angelical
powers, which continued stedfast in the love of God when the
proud angels fell, received this in way of recompence, that
henceforth they should never feel the fretting bite of the
tooth of sin to seize upon them, and that they should con-
tinually enjoy the sight of their Creator without end of fe-
licity ; and in him so created should continue in everlasting
stedfastness*.” Thus far he. Truly the scripture, shewing
the incorruptibleness of angels, affirmeth that.we in the re-
surrection shall be like the angels; for we shall rise incor- 1 Cor. xv.
ruptible: therefore angels are incorruptible. For thus saith
our Saviour: “ The children of this world marry wives, and Luke xx.
are married: but they that shall be counted worthy to enjoy
that world, and the resurrection from the dead, do not marry
wives, neither are married, neither can they die any more;
for they are equal with the angels, and are the sons of God,
insomuch as they are the children of the resurrection.”
Whereupon Theodoretus, In Divinis Decretis, hath thus in-
ferred: “We do not therefore reckon the angels in the
number of gods, as the poets and philosophers of the Gre-
clans do; neither do we divide natures that are without
bodies into the male and female kind. For to a nature im-
mortal, or that cannot die, division of kind is superfluous:
for they have no need of increasing, since they feel no di-
minishing®,” &c.
But that the angels are most free and swift, and without Angels are
[3 Fatendum est enim et angelos natura esse mutabiles, si solus
Deus est incommutabilis; sed ea voluntate, qua magis Deum quam se
diligunt, firmi et stabiles manent in illo, et fruuntur majestate ipsius,
ei uni libentissime subditii—Id. de Vera Relig. cap. 13. Opp. Tom. 1.
fol. 149. col. 3.]
[4 Virtutes angelicee, quee in divino amore fixe perstiterunt, lapsis
superbientibus angelis, hoc munere retributionis acceperunt, ut nulla
jam rubigine surripientis culpsze mordeantur, ut et in contemplatione
conditoris sine felicitatis fine permaneant, et in hoc sic condite eterna
stabilitate subsistant.—Id. de Eccles. dogmat. cap. 61. Opp. Tom. 11.
fol. 42. col. 4.]
[> Τοὺς δὲ ἀγγέλους οὔτε κατὰ τοὺς τῶν Ἑλλήνων ποιητὰς καὶ φιλο-
σόφους θεοποιοῦμεν, καὶ εἰς θῆλυ καὶ ἄῤῥεν τὴν ἀσώματον διακρίνομεν φύσιν
εν ον τῇ δὲ ἀθανάτῳ φύσει περιττὴ τοῦ γένους ἡ διαίρεσις, οὔτε γὰρ αὐξήσεως
δέονται μὴ pecovpevot.—Theodoret. Heeret. Fab. Lib. v. cap. 7. p. 265.
Tom. Iv. Lut. Par. 1642. ]
most free
swift, and
speedy.
Acts v.
Acts xii.
334 THE FOURTH DECADE. [SERM.
impediment, burden, and let, the scripture in many places
declareth. In the Acts of the Apostles thus we read: “ The
priests put the apostles in the common prison; but the angel
of the Lord by night opened the prison-doors, and brought
them forth, and said, Go and stand and speak in the temple
unto the people all the words of this life. But when the
officers came, and found them not in the prison, they returned
and told, saying, The prison truly found we shut with all
diligence, and the keepers standing without before the doors.”
In the same book thus again we read written: ‘ Herod put
Peter in prison; and Peter slept between two soldiers, bound
with two chains, and the keepers before the door kept the
prison. And behold the angel of the Lord was there pre-
sent,’ or stood by him, “and a light shined in the prison:
and he smote Peter on the side, and stirred him up, saying,
Arise up quickly; and his chains fell off from his hands. And
anon, when they were past the first and second watch, they came
unto the iron gate that leadeth unto the city, which opened
unto them by the own accord.” Behold, no impediments
or lets, how strong and mighty soever they were, hindered
or stayed the angel of the Lord, that he might not execute
most speedily the commission which he had from God. All
things give place and make way to the Lord’s ambassador.
The iron chains fell from Peter’s hands of their own accord :
he walketh safe through the thick troops of soldiers, the
angel going before him: the lock of the prison-door, no
man opening it, is unlocked; and when the servants of God
were gone out, it is shut again. These angels, that is to
say, these heavenly ambassadors, being of their own nature
most swift and speedy spirits, are now conversant in heaven,
the power of God so willing and working: but so soon as
it shall please the Lord of all, by and by they are present
with men in earth, unto whom they are sent of God from
heaven. And they are present in earth, sometime with one,
and sometime with another. Not that they are not contained
in their proper place: for when the angel told the women
of Christ’s resurrection, he was not at the same instant in
heaven and by the grave or sepulchre at once. For God
only is not contained in place; for he is present in every
place. But angels go not forward fair and softly, neither
are they moved with labour or toiling, after the manner of
rx. | ‘OF GOOD SPIRITS. 3395
corruptible bodies. Yet in the scriptures they are expressly -
said to ascend into heaven, and from thence to descend unto
us. We very rightly believe that our souls, as soon as they
depart out of the bodies, do forthwith enter into the king-
dom! of heaven: for the Lord hath said in the gospel,
“But hath escaped from death unto life;” and, ‘“ To-day John v.
shalt thou be with me in paradise.” And thou dost read of ©
Lazarus the beggar: ‘And it came to pass that the beggar Luke xvi.
died, and was carried by the angels into Abraham’s bosom.”
To this also now seemeth that saying of Daniel to belong:
“As I was yet a speaking, making supplication, and con- pan. ix.
fessing mine own sin and the sin of my people Israel, and
pouring forth my prayers before the Lord my God for the
holy hill of my God; yea, while I was yet speaking in my
prayer, the man Gabriel, whom I had seen before in the
vision, came flying hastily unto me.” Lo, our souls are
carried up into heaven by the angels, which notwithstanding
are elsewhere said at an instant to be taken up into heaven.
Afterward, as soon as Daniel had prayed unto the Lord, the
angel, without any longer delay, flying speedily, (for so the
scripture speaketh for our capacity,) is present with him that
prayeth, and sheweth him that he is heard of God. Angels
therefore are swift and passing speedy, being kept down
with no weight, neither hindered nor stayed from perform-
ing those things for which they are sent from heaven; albeit
they are contained in place as creatures (though not limited),
and are moved with a certain order and manner agreeable
to that spiritual nature.
This treatise requireth peradventure that something also tne strength
be spoken of the might, power, and strength of the angels, miners
But what need many words in a manifest matter? For
since the Lord, who sendeth forth his angels, is almighty,
there is nothing but that angels can do it in those their
ambassages and ministeries. ‘There is nothing in the whole
course of nature, that is able to withstand the ministers of
the almighty God. For angels are not called powers and
virtues for nought. I will shew one example among many,
and yet not the chiefest. One angel in one night, without (2 δῶρ
any furniture or much ado, slew in the tents of the Assy-
rians, at the walls of Hierusalem, a hundred fourscore and
[1 regiam, Lat.; the palace. ]
Dan. x.
The know-
ledve of
angels.
Of the mul-
titude and
order of
angels.
Dan. vii.
[10.]
Matt. xxvi.
§3.]
Heb. xii.
[22.]
336 THE FOURTH DECADE. [SERM.
five thousand of the valiantest soldiers. In Daniel we have
such a description of an angel, whereby both the power
and excellency of angels may be gathered. ‘ His body,”
saith he, “was like the Turkish or jasper stone, his face
to look upon was like lightning, his eyes as lamps of fire,
his arm and feet were like in colour to polished brass’,
and the voice of his words was like to the voice of a mul-
titude.” So that it is not needful to make a long discourse
of the knowledge and wisdom of angels; for this is not a
thing that passeth capacity, seeing angels are creatures. But
insomuch as pertaineth to their ambassages and ministeries,
surely they are most wise, in all points furnished, and in no
part diminished. For he that sendeth them is everlasting
wisdom itself, and he furnisheth his ambassadors most per-
fitly.
Furthermore, touching the multitude and order of angels
certain divines have wittily and wisely enough disputed. The
scripture simply affirmeth that angels are innumerable. For
Daniel saith: “A thousand thousands ministered unto him,
and ten thousand thousands stood before him.” It is also
read that Christ said to Peter: ‘“ Thinkest thou that I can-
not pray unto my Father, and he shall send unto me more
than twelve legions of angels?” Paul also saith: “Ye are
come into the city of the living God, the heavenly Jeru-
salem, and to an innumerable company of angels.” Many
distinguish that innumerable multitude into nine companies ;
and these again they bring into three hierarchies or holy
principalities, of which they affirm that each of them have
three orders: the first, seraphim, cherubim, thrones; the
second, lordships, virtues, powers; the third, principalities,
archangels, and angels. They add in what they differ be-
tween themselves, and what is proper to every one of them.
But St Augustine, in his Enchir. cap. 58, saith: “ Wherein
lordships, principalities, and powers do differ between them-
selves, let them tell that can: if yet they are able to prove
that they say. I confess myself to be ignorant of these
matters®.” And the same Augustine, dd Orosium contra
[1 seris candentis, Lat.]
{2 Et quid inter se distent quatuor illa vocabula, quibus universam
ipsam ccelestem societatem videtur apostolus esse complexus, dicendo,
Sive sedes, sive dominationes, sive principatus, sive potestates, dicant
qui possunt; si tamen possunt probare quod dicunt. Ego mo ista
mt OF GOOD SPIRITS. 337
Luscillianistas, saith: “Truly the apostle saith, Whether
seats (thrones), whether lordships, whether principalities,
whether powers. And therefore that there are seats, lord-
ships, principalities, and powers in the hosts of heaven, I
stedfastly believe; and that they differ somewhat between
themselves, I hold it for an undoubted truth: but what they
are, and what they differ between themselves, I know not.
Neither truly do I think myself for the ignorance thereof
to be endangered, as I am for disobedience if I neglect the
Lord’s commandments,” And anon in the same place he
sheweth that we must not busily and curiously search after
these things: whose counsel we do willingly obey, perceiv-
ing that the scriptures, which minister unto us all things
necessary and healthful, have set down nothing concerning
them. |
Yet this we cannot deny, that those names (or if you
will so call them, orders of angels) are expressed in the
holy scriptures: whereupon for our weakness it is meet after
a sort to expound them as we may. These blessed spirits of the expo-
heaven seem generally and simply to be called angels, because nanmes given
they be the messengers and ambassadors of the most high sate
God: who it appeareth are called archangels, when they be archangels.
sent in message in God's greatest matters, to shew or do
things altogether hard and heavenly. For so we read in
Paul, that ‘the Lord himself shall descend from heaven : rhess. iv.
in a shout, and in the voice of an archangel, and in the
trump of God.” For, that we may compare small things
with great, we see that kings and princes in weighty affairs
appoint none to be their ambassadors but noblemen. It ap- gnrones ana
peareth that they are called thrones, because they stand men
always in the throne* of God; or else because God is read
ignorare confiteor.— August. Enchirid. ad Laurent. cap. 58. Opp. Tom.
ΠῚ 10]. 57. 00]: 3. ῬΑ, 1632}
[35 Certe ait apostolus, Sive sedes, sive dominationes, sive princi-
patus, sive potestates. Et esse itaque sedes, dominationes, princi-
patus, et potestates in ccelestibus apparatibus firmissime credo, et
differre inter se aliquid indubitata fide teneo: sed... quaenam ista sint,
et quid inter se differant, nescio. Nec ea sane ignorantia periclitari
me puto, sicuti inobedientia, si Domini preecepta neglexero.—TId. lib.
ad Orosium contra Priscillianistas et Origenistas. Opp. Tom. v1. fol.
134. col. 1.]
[4 So also ed. 1584: but ed. 1577, at the throne. ]
[BULLINGER, III. ] a
Psal. xviii.
Lordships.
Principal-
ities.
Powers.
Cherubim.
Seraphim.
God useth
the ministry
of angels.
[ Psal. civ.
4.]
Psal. ciii.
(Heb. i. 14,1
338 THE FOURTH DECADE, [SERM.
in the prophets to have made and placed his own seat in
angels, and to be carried of them as it were in the coach of
aking; as David saith: ‘‘ He bowed the heavens and came
down, and there was darkness under his feet. He rode upon
the cherubims,” or was carried upon the cherubims}, “and did
fly : he came flying upon the wings of the wind.” fF urther-
more, the description of the chariot and throne of God in
Ezechiel is known. They seem to be called lordships, prin-
cipalities, and powers, because God executeth his government,
and exerciseth his own power in the world, by the ministry
of angels. or so also they are called powers and armies,
or the host of heaven: for they encompass the Lord round
as his guard; and he who is called the God of Sabaoth, or
of hosts, the Lord, I say, of all angels, spirits, and creatures,
whose ministry he useth, when, where, how, and as much
as it pleaseth him, useth them also as his soldiers. St Hie-
rome thinketh they are called cherubims, of their exceeding
knowledge”, Other expound them swift. Seraphims have
their name of ferventness; or else because they are com-
pared to most pure and clear fire; or for that they are
burning in the love of God’.
By these names in the meanwhile are shadowed out the
manifold offices and divers operations of angels; which we
being desirous to comprehend in few words, have said that
angels are created of God for the ministry of God himself and
men. For David said: “ Which maketh his angels spirits,
and his ministers a flame of fire.” And again in another place :
“Ὁ praise the Lord, all ye angels of his; ye that excel in
strength, ye that fulfil his commandments, and hearken unto
the voice of his words. O praise ye the Lord, all ye hosts‘ ;
ye servants of his that do his pleasure.” And of angels Paul
also saith: ‘“ Are not all ministering spirits, which are sent
out into the ministry for their sakes which shall be heirs of
salvation?” But God useth the ministry of angels upon no
necessity, but of his own good-will. For he might be without
[1 ascendit super, Lat. and Vulgate. ]
[2 Cherubim, quod interpretatur scientice multitudo.—Hieron. Epist.
50. Opp. Tom. tv. Par. m. col. 574. Par. 1693-1706. |]
[3 of God, not in Lat.]
[4 So also ed. 1584: but ed. 1577, all his hosts; virtutes ejus,
Lat. |
ix. OF GOOD SPIRITS. 339
them, since by his own word’ he bringeth to pass what he
will: ‘ For he spake, and they were made; he commanded, Psat. xxxiii.
and they were created;” not one of all the angels jointly *”
working with him. So at this day also he is able, without the
help of angels, to bring to pass what he will. But because
of his special goodness he created them to the partaking
of everlasting life and salvation, he useth their ministry to
us-ward, as he also doth the service of other creatures, to
whom they declare their faith and obedience to God-ward ;
and God exerciseth his unspeakable good-will both toward
them, whom by grace he hath made partakers of everlasting
joy, and also toward us, whom he hath, vouchsafed to honour
with the service of so excellent a company. For among
other innumerable and the greatest benefits of God, whereat
not without cause we are astonished, this is not to be ac-
counted the least, that he hath given us angels to be our
servants. ‘Truly this is an exceeding great token of his
fatherly care and regard to us-ward, first of all® because he
frameth himself so sweetly to our capacities and dispositions.
In time past the Lord himself spake with his own mouth in
mount Sina with the church or congregation of the Israelites;
but when he understood that they had rather he should speak
by their interpreter Moses, he took their wish and offer, and
afterward he spake by Moses, using his ministry toward them. Exod. xix,
Truly God is able to pour most perfite faith into our minds ὁ
by his Holy Spirit without any joint working of men; but
because he knew it was profitable for us that it should so be,
_he instituted the ministry of his word, and planteth the faith
of the apostles by the preaching of the gospel. And that
ordinance once made he doth so precisely observe, that when he
might have done the same by angels, yet by the angels them-
selves he sendeth them that are to be instructed in the faith
to the apostles. For it is manifest what the angel of the Lord
in the Acts of the Apostles did with Cornelius, whom he send-
eth unto the preaching of Peter’. Therefore, when God seeth acts x.
the ministry of angels convenient for us, then of good-will,
upon no necessity, he useth their ministry toward men. And
doubtless angels love men exceedingly ; and that which they
[° nutu suo, Lat.; by his nod.]
[6 imprimis, Lat.]
[7 See Vol. 1. pp. 84-86.]
22—2
Luke xv.
Zech. i.
What the
ministries of
angels are.
Isai. vi.
340 THE FOURTH DECADE. [SERM.
do, they do of their own accord, not of constraint or un-
willingly. For they cannot but exceedingly love them whom
they see to be so dear to their Creator, that for their sakes
he spared not his only-begotten Son, but for them! delivered
him up into most bitter death: that I make no mention
here of the most ready obedience which they perform to their
God, who willeth and commandeth them to serve him and
men. ‘The Lord in the gospel witnesseth, “that the angels
in heaven rejoice at the conversion and turning of men that be
sinners.” In Zachary the angel of the Lord is brought in
very sorrowful for the misery of the captives in Babylon, and
careful for their deliverance from their captivity. All which
things commend unto us the love and affection of angels to-
ward mankind. For otherwise those blessed spirits are not
moved with affections, carefulness or sorrow, as we are in the
flesh; but they be glad, and rejoice, as blessed spirits can
rejoice, in whom there is no human affection: which affections
nevertheless are not only attributed to them, but to God him-
self tropically or by a figure, and as they say ἀνθρωποπαθῶς,
that is, after the affection of man, to the end our minds may
the better understand and more easily conceive spiritual and
heavenly things, as it were by parables. Howbeit let us think
that parables do not always contain all things: therefore our
minds must be lifted up to higher things, and spiritual things
must spiritually be judged.
The ministry of angels extendeth very far; which I will
declare by rehearsing certain kinds of them as briefly and as
plainly as I can.
First, they do service unto God himself in all things; which
I think is sufficiently declared in that which went afore. The
same God they all magnify together with everlasting praises,
worshipping, glorifying, and rejoicing in him. For Theodoret,
reciting certain testimonies of scriptures concerning this
matter, saith: ‘The ministry or service of angels is the
praising of God, and singing of hymns or songs. For the
holy prophet Esay saith of the seraphim, that they cried and
said, ‘ Holy, holy, holy is the Lord God of Sabaoth ; heaven
and earth are full of his glory.’ And of the cherubim the
[1 pro omnibus, Lat.]
[2 So also ed, 1584: but ed. 1577, from captivity; ex captivitate,
Lat. ]
rx. ] OF GOOD SPIRITS. 341
heavenly prophet Ezechiel saith, that he heard them saying,
‘Blessed be the glory of the Lord out of his place*.’” The xzex. iii.
whole host of heaven also singeth a birth-song to Christ their
prince, when he was born, as is to be seen in St Luke, say-
ing: “Glory be to God on high, and in earth peace, and Lukeii.
among men good-will.” So they go before with an example
for men to follow, teaching what they also should do, that is,
offer praise and thanksgiving to God on high, whom the
angels also reverence and worship with us.
Moreover the angels love the truth, and are desirous to
have the same spread abroad and the glory of God by all
means furthered ; and therefore they lay blocks in the way of
false prophets, hating them with their accursed doctrine and
antichrist. For St Peter testifieth that the angels desire to 1Peti.
behold the gospel of the Son of God‘, In the Revelation of
Jesus Christ made to John the apostle the angel of the Lord
bindeth Satan; and the angels, furthering the gospel of
Christ®, set themselves everywhere against false Christians
and false teachers. For even in the end of the world, “ the (Matt. xiii
Son of Man shall send forth his angels, and they shall gather ’ koe
out of his kingdom all things that offend, and them which do
iniquity, and shall cast them into a furnace of fire.” They
themselves stand in the presence of the Almighty God, waiting
his commandment ; who, so soon as he shall command them to
go forth and to execute his commandments, by and by they
make speed. They come therefore unto men to declare the
will and commandments of God. So the angel Gabriel came Lutei.
first to Zachary, the father of John Baptist; afterward he
came to the blessed virgin, to shew unto her the incarnation
of the Son of God. Innumerable examples of this kind are
everywhere found in the holy scriptures.
[3 Aecroupyia δὲ τῶν ἀγγέλων ἡ ὑμνῳδία: περὶ μὲν yap τῶν Σεραφὶμ ὁ
μακάριός φησιν "Hoaias, ὅτι ἐκέκραγον καὶ ἔλεγον, Ἅγιος, ἅγιος, ἅγιος,
Κύριος Σαβαώθ: πλήρης 6 οὐρανὸς καὶ ἡ γῆ τῆς δόξης αὐτοῦ. Περὶ δὲ τῶν
Χερουβὶμ ὁ θεῖος εἶπεν ᾿Εζεκιὴλ, ὡς ἤκουσε λεγόντων, Εὐλογημένη ἡ δόξα
Κυρίου ἐκ τοῦ τόπου avtns.—Theodoret. Heeret. Fab. Lib. v. cap. 7.
p- 267. Tom. v. Lut. Par. 1642-84. ]
[4 Nam S. Petrus commemorat evangelium Filii Dei admodum
jucundum gratumque spectaculum esse angelis, Lat. For St Peter tes-
tifies that the gospel of the Son of God is a most pleasant and grateful
spectacle to angels. ]
(5 veritatem Christianam, Lat. ]
Matt. ii.
(Luke xxii.
43, 44.]
Gen. xvi.
Acts xxvii.
Exod. xii.
Acts xii.
2 Kings xix.
[2 Sam.
xxiv. 16, 17.]
2 Thess, i.
Rev. xvi.
Psal. xxxiv.
342 THE FOURTH DECADE. [SERM.
They watch for our safety, being careful for us, yet
without molestation; whereof I told you before. They ad-
vertise the faithful in time convenient, foreshewing dangers to
come; and they also do comfort the afflicted. For the wise
men, being warned by the angel that they should not return
unto Hierusalem to Herod, avoid great peril. Joseph also
being commanded by the angel flieth into Egypt, delivering
the Christ or anointed of the Lord! out of the bloody hands
of Herod. Christ also at the mount of Olivet, being in a
bloody sweat, is comforted by the angel. And Hagar, the
handmaid of Sara, being in extreme danger, is recreated by
the consolation of an angel. As also the apostle St Paul,
being very near shipwreck, heareth this voice of the angel of
the Lord : “‘Fear not, Paul; thou must be brought before Czx-
sar: and, lo, God hath given thee all them that sail with thee.”
Again, angels are sent for revengement of mischievous
persons; to take punishment, I mean, of those that be wicked
and impenitent. For the first-born of the Egyptians are
smitten of the angel. In the Acts of the Apostles the angel
of the Lord smiteth Herod Agrippa. It is said that in the
camp of the Assyrians many were smitten and slain of one
angel. And David saw anangel with a sword drawn hover-
ing between heaven and earth, afflicting the people with a
most grievous plague. So we believe that the holy angels
shall come with the Son of man unto judgment, as Paul wit-
nesseth, and saith: “Our Lord Jesus Christ shall be revealed
from heaven, with the angels of his power, in flaming fire,
rendering vengeance unto them that know not God, and that
obey not the gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ.” For in the
Revelation of Jesus Christ also the angels pour out vials full
of the wrath of God upon the heads of false Christians”.
Moreover, they take upon them the charge and defence
of us, God so commanding: they are our keepers, ready at
hand watching over us that no adversity happen unto us, and
do guide our ways: for hitherto belong the testimonies of
the Psalms, and very many examples of the scripture. David
saith : ‘This poor (or afflicted) man cried, and the Lord heard
him, and saved him out of all his troubles. The angel of
the Lord pitcheth his tents round about them that fear him,
and delivereth them.” And in another psalm he saith:
[1 Christum Dominum, Lat. | [2 antichristianorum, Lat. ]
i. OF GOOD SPIRITS. 343
«There shall no evil come unto thee, neither shall any plague Paal. xci.
come near thy tabernacle (or dwelling). For he shall give his
angels charge over thee, to keep thee in all thy ways. They
shall bear thee in their hands, that thou hurt not thy foot
against a stone. Thou shalt go (or walk) upon the lion and
adder (or asp); the young lion and the dragon shalt thou tread
under thy feet.” And the Lord in the gospel plainly saith,
that little children have angels without doubt to be their matt. xviii.
keepers. Jacob the patriarch, greatly fearing his brother cen.xxxi.
Esau, seeth angels coming to meet him; and understandeth
that angels were given unto him as guides and keepers of
him in his way against the fierceness of his brother. In the 2 Kings vi.
affairs of Heliseus we read, that the king of Syria besieged
the city Dothan with a great host, wherein Heliseus at that
time led his life, whom he had purposed to take. When the
servant of Heliseus perceived that, and was troubled in mind,
and lamented his master’s case, Heliseus said, “Fear not; for
they that be with us are more than they that be with them.”
The prophet also prayed and said, “Lord, I beseech thee, open
his* eyes®, that he may see. And the Lord opened the eyes of «servant's.
the servant, and he looked, and behold, the mountain was full
of horses and fiery chariots;” that is to say, he was armed
and defended with the guard of an host of angels. Abraham
also saith to his servant: ‘The Lord God of heaven, which [Gen, eae
said unto me, Unto thy seed will I give this land, he shall 7}
send his angel before thee,” namely, to direct thy way, to
defend thee, and bring to pass that thou mayest obtain thy
desire. or the Lord himself said to Moses in Exodus:
“Behold, I will send my angel before thee, to keep thee in (Exod. xxiii
the way, and to lead thee to the place that I have prepared.”
In the Acts of the Apostles thou dost often read that angels
served the apostles, furthered their purpose, and defended
them against their adversaries.
In Daniel angels are brought in for princes, and presi- Dan, x.
dents or governors, of kingdoms: as Michael with Gabriel,
princes of the Israelitish kingdom; another of the Persian
kingdom ; another of the Grecian kingdom; and each of them
debate the matter touching his own kingdom, and fight for
the same. Not that there is any variance or disagreement
in heaven, where doubtless there is plentiful peace, everlast-
[3 oculos pueri, Lat. ]
Dan. iv.
We must not
attribute too
much unto
angels.
Saints will
not be wor-
shipped of us.
344 THE FOURTH DECADE. [SERM.
ing concord and quietness; neither that there are conflicts or
battles fought between the angels, as between those gods
whom the poet Homer describeth; but by a parable and
allusion heaven is compared to the court of some puissant and
renowned prince, where ambassadors of sundry countries
debate their divers causes: which is done in consideration of
our weak wit and slender capacity. For thus we ought to
conceive in our mind; that God, who is the only Lord of all
kingdoms, heareth all men’s suits, and taketh in hand all
men’s matters ; and that angels, at the word! and will of God,
minister and do service unto God, when it pleaseth him to use
their ministry and service. For so Nabuchodonosor also saw
in a vision a watchman coming down from heaven, and fore-
telling the destiny of the tree that was to be hewn down.
Nevertheless we must here take heed lest, contrary to the
nature of true religion, we attribute too much to angels; that
we worship them not; that we call not upon them, nor serve
them. Indeed, when men hear that angels are given unto them
of God for ministers, and that God by them doth good unto
us, by and by they think that some honour? is to be ascribed
and given unto them. But sincere religion doth teach us to
acknowledge God the author of all good things; that the
angels are the ministers of God, and as it were instruments
by whom he worketh, as we see the sun, the moon, and the
stars, the patriarchs, the prophets, and the apostles, to be
and to have been. But who being well in his wits hath wor-
shipped, called upon, or served, the sun or the stars, though
they be creatures very excellent and beneficial unto men?
And what partaker, I pray you, of true faith and belief hath
worshipped, called upon, or served the patriarchs, the pro-
phets, and the apostles, though they were endued with most
precious gifts, and wonderful in working of miracles? We do
all worship, call upon, and serve God; and we confess that
God worketh by his saints; who together with the holy
angels of God require nothing less than to be worshipped,
called upon, and served of us. For truly said Lactantius, lib.
Institut. u. cap. 16: “Angels, since they be immortal, neither
suffer nor yet are willing to be called gods: whose only
office it is alone to attend upon God with their service, to be
at his beck, and to do nothing at all but at his commandment.
[1 pro nutu, Lat.] [2 nihil non honoris, Lat. ]
ox OF GOOD SPIRITS. 345
For we say that God so governeth the world, as a king
ruleth his kingdom ; whose officers no man will say are fellows
with him in ruling his kingdom, albeit affairs be dispatched
by their ministry and service?.” And therefore we read that
St Augustine also said: “When the angels of God hear, he
himself heareth in them, as in his true temple, not made with
hands‘.” Verily, if we look more narrowly into and weigh
the holy scripture, we shall find not in one or two places
that the name of God and angels are set down without dif-
ference. Tor angels are causes further off, and instrumental,
as they term them; but God is the nearest and most prin-
cipal cause. For in the Acts of the Apostles we read that
Stephen said, ‘‘And when forty years were expired, there
appeared unto him in the wilderness of mount Sinai an angel:”
and by and by he addeth, ‘‘And the voice of the Lord came
unto him saying, Iam the God of thy father,” &c. He calleth
the selfsame Lord, whom a little before he had called an
angel: to wit, because he believed that an angel both saith
and doth all things at God’s commandment; that the word
and the work is proper to God, and the angels are as instru-
ments. Likewise in the book of Judges, cap. vi. he is called
Lord, which even now was called an angel. Hagar, the hand-
maid of Sara, received a great benefit in the desert by the
angel of the Lord; yet she accounteth not the same received
of the angel, but of the Lord: she giveth not thanks to the
angel, neither doth she consecrate the memory thereof to the
angel; much less doth she worship and call upon the angel ;
nay rather she referreth her speech also unto God. For so
the holy scripture witnesseth: “And she called the name of
the Lord which spake unto her, Thou God lookest on me,”
&c. The children of Israel, before whom the angel of the
Lord went in the wilderness, never offered sacrifice to their
guide or captain, never worshipped or served him. Even so
[3 Neque angeli, cum sint immortales, dici se deos aut patiuntur
aut volunt: quorum unum solumque officium est servire nutibus Dei;
nec omnino quicquam nisi jussu facere. Sic enim mundum regi a
Deo dicimus, ut a rectore provinciam: cujus apparitores nemo socios
esse in regenda provincia dixerit, quamyis illorum ministerio res ge-
ratur.—Lactant. Instit. Lib. 1. cap. 16.]
[4 Nam et cum exaudiunt angeli ejus, ipse (Deus) in eis exaudit,
tamquam in vero nec manufacto templo suo.—Augustin. de Civit. Dei.
Lib. x. cap. 12. Opp. Tom. v. Par. 1532. |
Sid
Acts vii.
Gen, xvi.
J
ΣΙ Trew ων |
δι: Ὁ ΕΦΕΌΑΚΝ
=
(Dan. iii.]
Acts xxvii.
Rev. xxii.
346 THE FOURTH DECADE. [SERM.
the servant of Abraham, being committed to the angel, doth
not make supplication unto him, desiring him well to pros-
per his purpose; but he prayeth unto God, and requireth
of him to shew and give trial of his mercy toward his master
Abraham. In Daniel the angel of the Lord appeareth
walking among Daniel’s fellows which were cast into the
burning oven; but when they were delivered from the vio-
lence of the flame, they do not praise the angel, neither ac-
count the benefit of their delivery received of him, but of
God only: for they sing, “Blessed art thou, O Lord God
of our fathers; right worthy to be praised and honoured in
that name of thine for evermore!.” So in like manner Paul
in express words confesseth that it is God whose he is, and
whom he worshippeth; though in the meanwhile he had
made mention also of an angel: for so he saith in the Acts,
“There stood by me this night the angel of God, whose I
am, and whom I serve,” that is to say, God. For in another
place John being willing to worship at the angel’s feet, the
angel crieth, “See thou do it not; for I am thy fellow-servant,
and of thy brethren the prophets, and of them which keep
the words of this book.” These plain and manifest testimonies
of holy scripture evidently teach us, that although God use
the ministry of angels toward us, yet that they are to be
acknowledged and confessed of us to be ministers of God
and fellow-servants, and therefore not to be worshipped or
called upon; but that God only must be worshipped, called
upon, and served.
From this holy doctrine of scripture certain ministers
and ecclesiastical writers of the ancient church have nothing
swerved. For Lactantius in that book which we cited a little
before saith: “Angels will have no honour given unto them,
whose honour is in God. But they which revolted and fell
from the ministry of God, because they are enemies of the
truth and offenders, they go about to challenge to themselves
the name of God and the worship of gods’.” And now St
[1 Song of the three holy children, 3 Dan. iii. 26, (Apocryphal,)
Vulgate. |
[2 Nullum sibi honorem tribui volunt (angeli), quorum omnis honor
in Deo est. Illi autem, qui desciverunt a Dei ministerio, quia sunt
veritatis inimici et preevaricatores Dei, nomen 5101 et cultum deorum
vendicare conantur.—Lactant. Instit. Lib. m1. cap. 16.]
Ix.] OF GOOD SPIRITS. 847
Augustine, being of the same judgment in this matter, hath
thus left written : “Whom might I find” (now he speaketh unto
God) “to reconcile me unto thee? What, should I go unto
angels? With what prayer, with what vows? Many en-
deavouring to return unto thee, and not being able of them-
selves, have assayed (as I hear) these ways, and have fallen
into a desire and longing after curious visions, and are
counted worthy to be deceived.” These things are extant,
Lib. x. Confess. cap. 42. After which he sheweth at large,
that Jesus Christ is the only Mediator and Intercessor for all
the faithful. The same Augustine, in his tenth book de Civitate
Det, cap. 16, declareth in many words, that the good angels
of God require sacrifices not for themselves but for God4. In
his last chapter of his book de Vera Religione, he saith:
“Let us believe that the best angels will that God be served
with the best and most excellent ministry ; that together with
them we should worship one God, in the contemplation and
beholding of whom they are blessed. For we are not blessed The wor-
by seeing the angels, but by seeing the truth; whereby we angels greatly
also love the very angels, and rejoice together with them.
Wherefore we honour them for love, not of duty. Neither
do we build temples unto them; for they are unwilling in
such sort to be honoured of us; because they know that we
ourselves, if we be good, are the temples of the most high
God. It is well written therefore that an angel forbad a man
to worship him, but willed him to worship one only God,
under whom he also was a fellow-servant with him’.” The
[3 Quem inyenirem qui me reconciliaret tibi? Ambiendum (Bul-
linger read, An eundum) mihi fuit ad angelos? Qua prece? quibus
sacramentis? Multi conantes ad te redire, neque per seipsos valentes,
sicut audio, tentayerunt heec, et inciderunt in desiderium curiosarum
visionum, et digni habiti sunt illusionibus.—August. Confess. Lib. x.
cap. 67. (alii 42).]
[4 ...per sacrificium non sibi, sed ei (Deo) nos subdere volunt
(angeli boni).—Id. Opp. Tom. v. fol. 123. col. 3, 4.]
[5 Hoc etiam ipsos optimos angelos et excellentissima Dei minis-
teria velle credamus, ut unum cum ipsis colamus Deum, cujus con-
templatione beati sunt. Neque enim et nos videndo angelos beati
sumus, sed videndo veritatem, qua etiam ipsos diligimus angelos, et
his congratulamur...Quare honoramus eos caritate, non servitute ;
nec eis templa construimus; nolunt enim se sic honorari a nobis, quia
nos ipsos, cum boni sumus, templa summi Dei esse noverunt. Recte
348 THE FOURTH DECADE. [SERM.
same Augustine therefore in his catalogue of heretics reckon-
eth worshippers of angels among heretics, naming them an-
gelici, angel-worshippers'. For in his disputation against
Maximinus, bishop of the Arians, Lib. 1. proving the Holy Ghost
to be God, he manifestly calleth worshippers of angels sacri-
legious persons, and cursed of Christ and his church. The
Mark what Words of the author, if any require, are these: “If we should
of the temple Make a temple (saith he) of wood and stone to the holy angel,
Michsclin that is most excellent, should we not be cursed of the truth of
aco Christ, and of the church of God? because we do that service
to a creature, which only is due to one God. If therefore by
building a temple to any kind of creature we should rob
God of his honour, how is not he the true God to whom we
build not a temple, but we ourselves are his temple*?” Thus
saith he.
Ofevilspirits. These things have I hitherto spoken in brevity of the
holy or good angels of God: now I pass over to discourse of
evil spirits, of wicked angels I mean and revolting, that is to
say, of evil spirits, or devils. Hereof I will briefly and plainly
speak that which the holy scriptures minister unto me.
That there That there are devils the Sadducees in times past denied,
wee and at this day also some scarce religious, nay rather epicures,
deny the same‘: who, unless they repent, shall one day feel,
to their exceeding great pain and smart, both that there are
devils, and that they are tormentors and executioners of all
wicked men and epicures. For the whole scripture and all
itaque scribitur hominem ab angelo prohibitum, ne se adoraret, sed
unum Deum, sub quo ei esset et ille conservus.—Id. de Vera Relig.
cap. 55. Tom. 1. fol. 156. col. 2.]
(1 Angelici, in angelorum cultu inclinati, quos Epiphanius jam
omnino defecisse testatur.—Id. de Heres. cap. 39. Opp. Tom. v1. fol. 4.
col. 3.]
[2 This highly-venerated church, dug out of the solid rock, is in a
cave of Mount St Angelo, the ancient Mons Garganus. Cramer’s
Italy, Vol. 1m. p. 277.]
[3 Nonne, si templum alicui sancto angelo excellentissimo de lignis
et lapidibus faceremus, anathematizaremur a veritate Christi et ab
ecclesia Dei? quoniam creaturze exhiberemus eam servitutem que uni
tantum debetur Deo. Si ergo sacrilegi essemus faciendo templum
cuicunque creature; quomodo non est Deus verus, cui non templum
facimus, sed nos ipsi templum sumus?—August. contra Maxim. Lib. 1.
Opp. Tom. νι. fol. 142. col. 1.]
[4 See above, p. 330, note 3.]
Ix. | OF EVIL SPIRITS. 349
godly and wise men, as many as have lived from the begin-
ning of the world even unto this day, have confessed that
there are evil spirits or devils.
Now what thing devils are, it is no less hard and doubt- What the
ful exactly to define by reason, than I said it was difficult to
describe fully the nature of angels: howbeit I will shadow
them out by one or other kind of description, to the end
I may entreat of them in a certain order. Evil angels are
corrupt and wicked spirits, and, for their revolting or falling
away, everlastingly condemned: subject indeed they are to
God, but yet nevertheless adversaries to God and men, for
that they turn all their travails and studies to the contempt
and despising of God, and to the deceiving and destruction
of men.
First, that the devil is a creature, hereby it is manifest ; That the
because there is but one creator only, to wit, that God in creature.
Trinity and Unity. He created all spirits: but the devil
also falleth in the reckoning of spirits. We said before® that
the time of their creation is not set down in the scripture,
when as we shewed that it was nowhere expressed at what
time, whether before man or after man, angels were created.
Hereunto we do now add, that evil angels became evil, not by the devil was
creation, but by their own revolting and falling away. For evi"
all things which God created were and are exceeding good:
all angels therefore, as men in like manner, were naturally
created good. But they continued not stedfast in this good- ofthe fan
ness granted, given, and graffed in them of God; but they from. heaven.
being corrupt with their own malice, as men also are, fell, and
were by the most just God thrown out of heaven, as out of
the felicity or happiness which was given them. Now when
or at what time this was done, the scripture doth not again
express: howbeit it seemeth to have been done before the
fall of man; for the devil by the serpent egged our parents
to sin, and drew them into misery and death. Neither doth
the same scripture peculiarly define what manner of sin the
devil’s was: neither doth it expressly and particularly shew
the manner how they were cast out of heaven. It saith gene-
rally, that there was folly or wickedness found in the angels,
and that therefore they were thrown down headlong into hell.
For we read in the book of Job: ‘ Behold, he found no truth (yop ἵν. 18.)
[> See above, page 329. |
2 Pet: ti.
{John viii. ]
Tsai. xiv.
Ezek.
Xxviii.
350 THE FOURTH DECADE, [SERM.
in his servants!, and in his angels there was folly” (or wicked-
ness). St Peter, nothing disagreeing from this, said, that
“ God spared not the angels which sinned, but cast them down
into hell, and delivered them into chains of darkness, to be
kept unto judgment.” But Judas also, the brother of James,
the apostle of the Lord, surnamed Thaddeus, rehearsing the
same sentence in a manner, said: “ The angels which kept not
their first estate (to wit, the nature wherein they were
created), but left their own habitation, (to wit, their road?,
their office, and their faith,) the Lord hath reserved in ever-
lasting chains unto darknegs* unto the judgment of the great
day.” What, doth not our Lord and Saviour Christ speak-
ing of the devil say thus, “He was a murderer from the
beginning, and abode not in the truth?” For hereupon we
may gather, that the devil sometime abode or was in the
truth, but shrunk and forsook it by faithless falling away.
Those testimonies, which witness that an angel sinned by
revolting, and was thrown down headlong into hell, are suf-
ficient for godly minds and such as are not curious. Further-
more, out of Esay* and Ezechiel® there are recited of others
testimonies making for the same matter: which as we reject
not, so we doubt not but that by an allegory they are applied
unto these of ours. That which is alleged out of Luke, “I
saw Satan as it had been lightning falling down from heaven,”
is not so properly expounded of the first fall of angels: for
there is another fall of the devil, to wit, whereby he fell from
his own tyranny (whereby he had possessed the minds of
men, and ensnared them with wickedness and sin) through
the coming of Christ into the world, and through the sincere
preaching of the gospel. Now there is no doubt that all
angels were created good, and that the evil fell through their
[1 Ecce qui serviunt ei non sunt stabiles, Lat. and Vulgate. He
hath found unfaithfulness among his own servants, Coverdale, 1535. ]
[2 stationem, Lat.]
[3 So all the editions ; but the Lat. sub caligine.]
(4 Quod de Satana exposuerunt hunc locum, id ignorantia factum
est. Calv.—Scimus Satanam cecidisse : verum Luciferum in scripturis
alicubi vocatum non reperimus. Musculus, apud Maldonat. Expos.
Eccles. in Isai. xiy. 12.]
[5 Qui allegorias sectantur, per Principem Tyri Luciferum intelli-
gunt...freti dicto Domini, Videbam Satanam de ceelo cadentem sicut
fulgur.—(Qicolampad. Comment. in Ezech. fol. 173. Argentor. 1534. |
IX. | OF EVIL SPIRITS. 351
own, and not through God’s fault and folly ; whereof I spake
somewhat also in the tenth sermon of the third decade, where
I entreated of the beginning of sin®, To which I will now add
the most notable and evident declaration of Theodoret, bishop
of Cyrus, taken out of the secrets of the scriptures; who in his
Epitome Divin. Decret. saith: ‘“ Let us consider whether the
devils justly suffer punishment, since they received of him
that made them a nature like his. And how can he which is
good be called the creator of wickedness? And how is he
righteous and just, that punisheth the nature which can do
nothing that good is, but is tied and bound with fetters of
wickedness and vice? But we know that the God of all
things, and the fountain of justice and righteousness, is right-
eous and just. Therefore he will not punish the devils un-
justly. And we know that God was their guide and captain,
and that the good angels are his workmanship, and that he
is called good of all such as are rightly minded. He there-
fore made not the nature which could do nothing that is good,
trayailing and bringing forth wickedness only, and doing
things contrary to his willand mind. If God therefore did
neither make the evil nature, (for he is the maker and worker
of all good things, as he himself is good,) then doth he not so
much as once think to punish unjustly: for he is just and the
lawgiver of justice or righteousness, and he will punish the
devil and such also as serve and are under him, Therefore
the devil of his own will and accord is evil, and they that take
his part. For as God made man good in the beginning, and
with free will of mind, these doubtless, to wit, good angels,
kept their nature which they received pure and uncorrupt :
but those (to wit, men) declined and fell into the worse, and
corrupted their heavenly shapes, and they that were like unto
God made themselves brutish: so also the devil and rout of
devils, which were with other bodiless creatures, did not follow
the good will of them toward the Lord God; but being puffed
up with the disease of haughtiness and pride, betook them-
selves unto that which was the worse, and fell from their
former state and condition’.” Thus far he. With Theodoret
[6 See Vol. π. p. 366. ]
[7 Ὅτι μὲν οὖν κολασθήσονται (οἱ δαίμονες), σαφῶς ἐδιδάχθημεν. Σκο-
πήσωμεν δὲ λοιπὸν, εἰ δικαίως τοῦτο πείσονται, φύσιν τοιαύτην παρὰ τοῦ
πεποιηκότος δεξάμενοι. lds δ᾽ ἂν ἀγαθὸς εἰκότως κληθείη τῆς κακίας ὁ
352 THE FOURTH DECADE. [sSERM.
doth St Augustine agree in his book entitled de Vera Rel.
cap. xill. saying: ‘ The devil, inasmuch as he is an angel, is
not evil; but inasmuch as he is perverse and wicked of his
will: for, setting more by himself than by God, he would not
be in subjection unto him, but, swelling through pride, he fell
from his chief essence and excellent being!.” And again, in
his treatise upon Job, xlii.: “ Dost thou demand from whence
the devil is? From whence also the other angels are: but the
other angels constantly continued in their obedience; he by
disobedience and pride fell from an angel and became a devil?.”
The devil is Now that which I affirmed touching those wicked spirits,
everlastingly
condemned’ Who for their revolting and falling away are adjudged to
damnation, I see it denied of some, who promise to con-
demned spirits redemption from their punishments a little
before the judgment-day. But against these very many
doctors of the church have disputed, all and every one of
them condemning with one voice an opinion which the scrip-
ποιητής ; πῶς δὲ δίκαιος ὁ φύσιν κολάζων ἀγαθόν τι δρᾶσαι μὴ δυναμένην,
> A “ ΄“ ’ 4 “ > A / Ed A ΄“
ἀλλὰ τοῖς τῆς κακίας πεπεδημένην δεσμοῖς ; Ἀλλὰ δίκαιον ἴσμεν τὸν τῶν
ὅλων Θεὸν, καὶ δικαιοσύνης πηγήν" οὔκουν ἀδίκως κολάσει τοὺς δαίμονας καὶ
τὸν ἐκείνων ἡγούμενον. Καὶ ἀγαθῶν ἐπιστάμεθα δημιουργὸν τὸν ἀγαθὸν
Θεὸν παρὰ τῶν εὖ φρονούντων ἁπάντων ὀνομαζόμενον. Οὔκουν ἐδημιούρ-
γησε φύσιν δρᾶσαι μὲν οὐδὲν ἀγαθὸν δυναμένην, κακίαν δὲ μόνην παρὰ γνώμην
5.) > κ᾿ , , κ᾿ > , e ‘ > ΡΝ ,
ὠδίνουσαν. Ei δὲ μήτε φύσιν πονηρὰν ἐδημιούργησεν ὁ Θεὸς, (ἀγαθῶν γάρ
ἐστιν ὡς ἀγαθὸς ποιητὴς,) μήτε ἀδίκως κολάζειν ἀνέχεται, (δίκαιος γάρ ἐστι
A , , , \ \ , \ ‘ ee ee ey,
καὶ δικαιοσύνης νομοθέτης,) κολάζει δὲ τὸν διάβολον καὶ τοὺς tr ἐκείνῳ
τελοῦντας" γνώμῃ ἄρα πονηρὸς 6 διάβολος καὶ οἱ τῆς ἐκείνου συμμορίας.
“ ‘ \ SA > A > > “ » \ > ’, ς \
ὥσπερ yap τὸν ἄνθρωπον ἀγαθὸν ἐξ ἀρχῆς ἀγαθὸς ἐδημιούργησεν ὁ Θεὸς,
αὐθαιρέτῳ δὲ γνώμῃ οἱ μὲν ἐφύλαξαν ἀκήρατον ἣν ἔλαβον φύσιν, οἱ δὲ ἐπὶ
τὸ χεῖρον ἀπέκλινον, καὶ τοὺς θείους χαρακτῆρας διέφθειρον, καὶ τοὺς θεοειδεῖς
θηριώδεις ἀπέφηναν: οὕτως ὁ διάβολος καὶ τῶν δαιμόνων τὸ στῖφος, σὺν
τοῖς ἄλλοις ἀσωμάτοις γενόμενοι, τὴν μὲν ἐκείνων περὶ τὸν δεσπότην Θεὸν
οὐκ ἐζήλωσαν εὔνοιαν, τὸ δὲ τοῦ τύφου καὶ τῆς ἀλαζονείας εἰσδεξάμενοι
πάθος, ἐπὶ τὸ χεῖρον ἐτράπησαν, καὶ τῆς προτέρας ἐξέπεσον λήξεως.---- heo-
doret. Heeret. Fab. Lib. v. cap. 8. p. 269. Tom. 1v. Lut. Par. 1642.]
[1 Ipse (diabolus) in quantum angelus est, non est malus, sed in
quantum perversus propria voluntate...Ille autem angelus magis se-
ipsum quam Deum diligendo subditus ei esse noluit, et intumuit per
superbiam, et a summa essentia defecit et lapsus est.—August. de Vera
Relig. cap. 13. Opp. Tom. 1. fol. 149. col. 3. Par. 1532. ]
[2 Queeritis autem fortasse, unde ipse diabolus? Inde utique unde
et ceteri angeli: sed et ceteri angeli in sua obedientia perstiterunt;
ille inobediendo et superbiendo lapsus est angelus, et factus est dia-
bolus.—Id. Expos. in Evang. Joan. Tract. 42. Opp. Tom. 1x.]
IX. ] OF EVIL SPIRITS. 353
tures long ago condemned. For the judge in the end of the
world, pronouncing definitive sentence against Satan and all
the wicked, shall say : ‘“ Depart from me, ye cursed, into ever- Matt. xxv.
lasting fire, which is prepared for the devil and his angels.”
And by and by the apostle and holy evangelist, a witness of
the truth, doth add: “And these shall go into everlasting
punishment, but the righteous into life everlasting.” For in
Mark the Lord also said: “In hell their worm dieth not, Mark ix.
and the fire is not quenched.” And in John in more plain
and pithy words he saith: “ They that have done good shall sonny.
come forth unto the resurrection of life, and they that have
done evil unto the resurrection of condemnation.” He doth not
say, they shall go either into life or into condemnation, but
into the resurrection either of life or condemnation, that is,
to remain everlastingly in life or death. For Daniel, of whom
the Lord borrowed these words, hath said: “ And many of pan. xii.
them that sleep in the dust of the earth shall awake; some to
everlasting life, and some to shame and perpetual contempt.”
For John the apostle saith, that the smoke of those that are rev. xiv.
condemned and thrown headlong into hell for evermore shall
ascend up. It is certain therefore, that the condemnation of
the wicked shall be altogether without end and everlasting.
Furthermore, in calling the revolting angels spirits, we Devils are
do not understand by spirit the wicked affection of the heart, substances.
or the quality or passion of the mind, or corruption and sin.
For the world is not without some which think the devil is
nothing else but a mischievous man, or a mischievous and sinful
commotion or outrage of the mind’. By spirits therefore we
understand spiritual substances, endued with feeling and un-
derstanding. For in the first chapter of Job Satan came and Jovi.
shewed himself among the children (or servants) of God, speak-
ing with the Lord. The gospel also reporteth unto us, that devils,
being cast out of a man, entered into the herd of swine, and Mate. viii.
drowned them in the depth of the sea or lake of Gaderen‘.
Moreover the gospel recordeth, that the devil sinned from John viii.
the beginning, that he continued not in the truth, that he is a
liar and a murderer. Judas maketh mention that the angel Uvde
fought with the devil. In Mark the devils cry out, and say:
‘* What have we to do with thee, thou Jesus of Nazareth? art Marki.
[3 See above, p. 330, note 3.]
[4 See Bulling. Comment. in Matth. Lib. iv. fol. 88, Tigur. 1542.]
23
[ BULLINGER, UL. |
Matt. xxv.
What
manner of
bodies they
be which the
devils take.
1 Sam.
xxviii.
2 Cor. xi.
The devil is
quick,
crafty, and
mighty.
Rev. xii. 9.
ohn xiv. 30.
Eph. ii. 2.
1 Pet. v. 8.]
An infinite
rout of devils.
Mark xvi.
Matt. xii.
Mark v.
354 THE FOURTH DECADE. [SERM.
thou come to destroy us?” But yet for all that our Saviour,
being already appointed and made judge, shall say to the
devils: “ Go into the everlasting fire.” All which testimonies
agree to substances by themselves subsisting, and not to
qualities. Devils therefore are spiritual substances. But what
bodies they be which they oftentimes take, and in which they
appear unto men, no man I think can perfectly tell: which also
we told you a little before, when we entreated of the bodies
which good angels took. For truly that devils put on bodies
and shapes differing from their own, the history of Samuel raised
up by a witch manifestly proveth. It was not Samuel that was
raised from the dead, but the captain-coiner of lies, counter-
feiting Samuel, deceived king Saul'. And Paul witnesseth that
Satan doth transform himself into an angel of light. Histories
also declare, that the devil is a marvellous juggling deceiver,
in taking on him divers forms and shapes.
And as I said of good angels, that they are speedy in
their ministery, without burden or lets; so there is no doubt
that devils in their kind and work are well prepared. For
the scriptures declare, that they have a thousand shifts,
wonderful craftiness and subtilty, and that their knowledge
is passing quick and reacheth very far; finally, that they
are very ready and never weary to attempt and perform all
things. They pass through the whole world with exceeding
swiftness, they handle all their matters very craftily ; and
therefore are marvellous names shadowing out their force and
power allotted unto them. For he is called “ Satan the old
serpent, a deceiver, the prince of this world, the prince of
darkness, which hath power over the air, a roaring lion.”
Of which and of other not unlike I will speak anon more at
large, when I have first told you this, that there are an
infinite rout of devils. For seven devils are cast out of Mary
Magdalen. That devil of whom Matthew speaketh, being no
sooner cast out, museth and consulteth how he may be wholly
restored again, taking to him seven other spirits worse than
himself, Moreover, in Mark’s gospel there is mention made
of a legion: for the unclean spirit, being asked of the Lord
what his name was, answered, “ My name is legion, because
we are many.” Therefore, when there is mention made of
Satan elsewhere in holy scripture, it is not so to be taken, as
[ Fulke’s Defence of Translat. &c. ed. Parker Soc. p. 313.]
ἸΣ.] OF EVIL SPIRITS. 355
though there were either but one substance or person of the
devil; for they are comprehended as the members under the
head, and as particularities under generalities. The scripture
truly elsewhere maketh mention of the prince of the devils;
for the enemies of Christ do often cry out: “He casteth out Mark iit.
devils by the prince of devils.” But yet that saying doth not
express what manner of principality that is, and whether
orderly among themselves those evil spirits be distinguished.
And it is certain that all the ungodly are under one head, as
all the godly are under one Christ the Lord. It is certain
that all the devils are of the selfsame corrupt will, bending
all their force only to this end, to be adversaries to God
and hurtful enemies to men. But of the operations, works,
or effects of devils I will speak where I shall by the way
expound? their names or attributes.
Corrupt and wicked spirits generally are called devils,
which is as much as if you should say slanderers or false ac-
cusers. For διαβολὴ with the Greeks signifieth slander, ἅτ. ;
and the word devil is fetched from the Grecians*. For he Devil.
soweth slanders in accusing men unto God, and in setting men
at variance between themselves: that now I say nothing how
he goeth about to bring God and his works into suspicion
among men. Therefore he is elsewhere called a liar, and a iar.
the author of lies, and the father of all hypocrites; and
therefore the spring of all errors, heresies, and wickednesses.
And because Judas was an hypocrite, a liar, a false accuser,
and traitor, the Lord rightly gave him the name of a devil. John vi.
The apostle Peter called the devil an adversary. For Satan or an
adversary.
the Lord also himself called him, “The envious man‘,” which 1 Pet.v. |
sowed tares in the Lord’s field. For he is the enemy of
God and men, setting himself against the will of God, whose
glory also he laboureth to take away, and hindereth the sal-
vation of men, and soweth infinite offences in the Church of
God. And truly the Hebrews call him Satan, whom we call matt. iv.
an adversary. That word is translated unto men. For in
that Peter set himself against the counsel and purpose of
God, he heareth this voice of the Lord: ‘Get thee behind Mate. xvi.
. . . oe eeoe
me, Satan.” And David also said to his nephew® Abisai, (2 Som xix.
[2 Rather, when I shall have expounded. ]
[3 See Vol. 1. p. 118, note 1.] [4 inimicum hominem, Lat. ]
[5 ad nepotem ex sorore, Lat.: 1 Chron. ii. 16.]
23—2
Gen. iii.
A serpent
and dragon.
8. Timsiy.
1 Pet. v.
A roaring
lion,
A murderer,
| John viii.
44,1
960 THE FOURTH DECADE. [SERM,
the son of Zeruia: ‘ What have I to do with you, ye sons
of Zeruia, that this day ye should be adversaries unto me ?”
For Abisai gainsayed the counsel and decree of David.
The devil is called demon, to wit, knowing, crafty, and
cunning in many things, azo τοῦ caiw, which signifies, 1 know.
For Plato truly in Cratylo, according to the opinion of He-
siodus, doth think that devils, whom we commonly call by
this word deemons, are called and as it were named δαήμονας,
that is, wise, prudent, and knowing!, MHereunto the word
serpent must be referred. ‘The serpent,” saith the scrip-
ture, ‘“ was subtiler than all the beasts of the field.” There-
fore did the devil choose the serpent to be his dwelling-place,
by whom he might put his guileful devises in practice and
deceive our first parents. For he is called the deceiver, the
beguiler, and seducer of the world, the old serpent and
dragon. or what seducing soever there is in the world,
what wicked devices and deceitful practices, they flow from
this one fountain of all his mischief. In profane writers this
word is used in a far contrary signification. For Socrates in
Plato saith: “I affirm that every man is demon, that is to
say, wise, whosoever is good, and that he is demoniacus, that
is to say, wise and happy, both alive and dead?.” Wherefore
it is a thing very much and often used of Homer to adorn
noble personages with this name*, But in the history of the
gospel demoniaci are such as are possessed with a devil.
Paul, in his first Epistle to Timothy, reduceth and draweth
the whole body of deceits and doctrines coloured with a
shew of false wisdom unto this head.
St Peter saith : “Be sober and watch, for your adversary
the devil, as a roaring lion, walketh about, seeking whom he
may devour; whom resist stedfastly in faith.” By the lion
he shadoweth out unto us the nature or disposition of the
devil; for the devil hath exceeding great strength, he is
full of greedy raveny and most cruel fierceness: whereupon
he is also called of some a cruel beast. The Lord calleth
him a murderer: for he inspired into Cain and all manslayers
horrible murders; and at this day also he soundeth the alarum
to all wars, to all broiling battles, to all slaughters and se-
[1 Plat. Cratyl. p. 226. Vol. 1v. ed. Bekker. Lond. 1826.]
[2 Plat. Cratyl. ubi supr.]
[3 Hom. Il. α΄. 222. 561. λ΄, 480, &c.]
rx| OF EVIL SPIRITS. 357
ditions; to be short, he kindleth wrath, he soweth hatred,
and nourisheth envy. He is named “a tempter;” for he is A tempter.
always egging men to mischief, sparing nothing whatsoever
he thinketh can entice and draw us to things most wicked.
In the history of the gospel, and in the writings of the Avjvien
apostles, the devil hath well-nigh* the name of an unclean, ἘΝ
of a mischievous or malignant, of a filthy and wicked spirit.
For he fell not from his pureness only through his own
fault, in which he was first created of the most pure God;
but even now also he is delighted with unpureness, and
allureth all men to uncleanness, From this master of mis-
chief proceed all filthy lusts, all whoredoms, adulteries, all
excess, drunkenness and surfeiting, all beastliness and vanity,
pride and arrogancy, &c.
Now the devil also in the gospel is called Beelzebub,
because that sometime they of Accaron in Palestine, thinking
they worshipped God, worshipped in very deed the devil.
St Paul saith: ‘‘ What agreement hath Christ with Belial?” 5°" Ὴν
He setteth Belial against Christ, to wit, the devil against God.
But Moses put the cogitation of Belial for a wicked and evil
thought®. Therefore the devil is wicked and ungodly, rebel-
lious and obstinate against God. Yor they say that Belial
signifieth altogether as much as if a man would say, lawless,
without yoke and without discipline’. There are some also
which think that in the Book of Job the devil is figured or sig-
nified by Behemoth and Leviathan. Job xl. and xli, chapter.
St Paul giveth the devils divers names, saying, that
the godly hath battle “against principalities and powers, against
worldly governors of the darkness of this world’, against ("yj ”
spiritual wickedness in heavenly (places), against the go-
vernor that ruleth in the air, against the spirit that now
worketh in the children of disobedience :” whom also in an-
other place he calleth “the god of this world.” And as
God exerciseth his power in the world and in the good for
[4 fere, Lat.; generally.]
[5 Deut. xv. 9. “Beware that there be not a thought in thy wicked
(marg. Belial) heart,—that there be not a poynte of Belial.” Cover-
dale. 1535. |
[Ὁ Hebreeis componitur vox (Belial) a Ὁ et by, significans vel
absque jugo vel absque utilitate.—Bulling. Comment. in loc. cit.]
[7 adversus principes mundi et tenebrarum seculi hujus, Lat. ]
The god of
this world.
The prince
of this world
cast out.
358 THE FOURTH DECADE. [SERM.
the most part by good angels, who for that cause, I said, are
called principalities and powers; so because the same God
of his just judgment doth suffer the devil to have rule over
the wicked, they are rightly called principalities and powers :
not that God delivereth unto him the mere and chiefest rule,
(for all power belongeth to God only;) but because he suf-
fereth him to execute his tyranny. For he plainly saith
that he is the “ prince of the world,” to wit, of the wicked ;
for by interpretation it followeth, “ He is the prince of the
darkness of this world :” and who knoweth not that in the
scriptures darkness doth signify ignorance, blindness, un-
belief, ungodliness, and wickedness ; and, to be short, ungodly
men which are drowned in these vices? And again, there
is added that which declareth the true meaning: “ Which
worketh in the children of disobedience.” Therefore the
faithful and obedient, who are in the kingdom of Christ and
not in the kingdom of the devil, are exempted from this
rule and government.
Neither is Satan called god upon any other considera-
tion; for there is added, “ of this world.” For in very deed
the devil is not a god; but because there are found in the
world certain madmen who take him for god, he hath the
name of God. The blessed father Augustine expounded this
no otherwise; for in his treatise upon John xxv. he saith:
“God forbid we should think the devil were so called the
prince of the world, that we should believe that he is able
to rule over heaven and earth: but the world (for he is
called the prince of this world) is said to be in wicked men,
which are dispersed throughout the whole compass of the
earth!” And again the same Augustine in his first chapter
de Agone Christiano saith: “The prince of this world is
cast out; not that he is cast out of the world, but out of their
minds which cleave to the word of God and love not the
world whereof he is prince, because he hath dominion over
them which love temporal goods, which are contained in this
visible world: not for that he is lord of this world, but
prince of those concupiscences whereby everything is co-
(1 Absit autem ut diabolum mundi principem ita dictum existi-
memus, ut eum ccelo et terree dominari posse credamus: sed mundus
appellatur in malis hominibus, qui toto orbe terrarum diffusi sunt.—
August. Tract. in Joan. 25. Opp. Tom. 1x. fol. 78. col. 2. Par. 1532. ]
IX. | OF EVIL SPIRITS. 3859
veted that is transitory. By this concupiscence the devil
reigneth in man, and holdeth his heart in possession?.” The
same doctor in his treatise upon John lii. asketh the ques-
tion, “ Whether Satan were not cast out of the minds of the
prophets and patriarchs, since it is reported in the gospel
that he is cast out by Christ?” And he maketh answer:
“Verily, he is cast out quite. How therefore is it said,
‘He shall now be cast out?’ How think we, but because
that which came to pass in very few men is even now fore-
told that it shall come to pass shortly in many and mighty
people; as that saying, ‘But the Holy Ghost was not yet
given, because Jesus was not yet glorified, may have the
like question and the like answer? For the abundance of
spiritual grace was not given as yet, which afterward was
given®.” Thus far he.
Furthermore, when the apostle saith, that “we fight Prince of the
against spiritual wickednesses in heavenly places:” by hea~- —
venly he meaneth not heavenly joys, placing the devils in
heaven again; but the air, that is, the lower part of the
world, yea, and the world itself. For he saith elsewhere :
“ According to the spirit that ruleth in the air.” And truly
the princes of this world are in the air, above, beneath, and
about us, assaulting us on every side, Otherwise, neither
heaven nor the lower region of the air is subject to the rule
[2 Princeps hujus mundi missus est foras; non quia extra mundum
missus est,...sed foras ab animis eorum qui coherent verbo Dei, et
non diligunt mundum cujus ille princeps est; quia dominatur eis qui
diligunt temporalia bona, quee hoc visibili mundo continentur. Non
quia ipse dominus est hujus mundi, sed princeps cupiditatum earum,
quibus concupiscitur omne quod transit... Per hance cupiditatem reg-
nat in homine diabolus, et cor ejus tenet.—Id. de Agon. Christ. cap. 1.
Opp. Tom. u1.fol. 162. col. 1.]
[3 Sed dicit aliquis, Nunquid de cordibus patriarcharum et pro-
phetarum veterumque justorum non ejectus est (diabolus) foras?
Kjectus est plane. Quomodo ergo dictum est, Nunc ejicietur foras?
Quomodo putamus, nisi quia tune quod in hominibus paucissimis
factum est, nunc in multis magnisque populis jam mox futurum esse
preedictum est? Sic et illud quod dictum est, Spiritus autem nondum
erat datus, quia Jesus nondum fuerat glorificatus, potest similem ha-
bere questionem et similem solutionem... Spiritus nondum erat datus,
id est, illa abundantia gratiz spiritalis, qua congregati linguis omnium
loquerentur, &c.—Id. Tract. in Joan. 52. Opp. Tom. 1x. fol. 78. coll.
12.
The opera-
tions of the
devil.
Luke xxii.
Matt. xxvi.
1; Pet::-v;
Gen. iii.
360 THE FOURTH DECADE. [seRM.
of devils, that therein they may do what they will, or abuse
it as they list; but so far forth as God of his just judgment
shall permit. For in this disputation we must always hold
for a confessed and undoubted truth, that our Lord God is
king and governor of all creatures, and that he keepeth still
his dominion over all creatures, and exerciseth the same after
a most just and equal manner.
And although out of all these things might be gathered
how great and what manner of operation the devil’s is, yet
thereunto will I add somewhat more, lest anything should
seem to be wanting in this matter. In the description of the
devil I drew into two heads all his effects, works, or ope-
rations. For devils are adversaries to God and enemies to
men, whose whole endeavours and drifts tend to the despising
of God, and to the deceiving and destruction of men. The
sum therefore is this: They bend all their force to the con-
tempt of God and destruction of men. And that their power
to hurt is not small, and their understanding also quick to
bring all their purposes to effect, we have heard once or
twice already. That they havea will to do hurt, there is no
cause why any man should doubt. For the Lord said to
his disciples in the gospel: “ Behold, Satan hath earnestly
desired to sift you as it were wheat.” And again: * Watch
and pray, lest ye enter into temptation.” And St Peter saith:
“Your adversary, as a roaring lion, rangeth up and down,
seeking whom he may devour.” And that he withstandeth
God, and with continual labour gainsayeth God, and stirreth
up all creatures to the hating and despising of God, the
scripture doth everywhere testify. He did wickedly instil
into the minds of our first parents an opinion altogether un-
worthy of God, as though maliciously he did envy at their
blessed state. For he said by the serpent: “Hath God
said ye shall not eat of that tree?” And anon: “ Ye shall
not die the death. For God doth know, that the same day
that ye eat thereof your eyes shall be opened, and ye shall
be as gods, knowing good and evil.” Unto which deceitful
words when they gave credit, they themselves perished, and
drew with them the whole world into ruin and destruction.
Neither at this day verily ceaseth he to slander and speak
evil as well of God himself as also of his works, to the in-
tent that he might draw us together with him into the hating
xX OF EVIL SPIRITS. Ὁ 361
of God, into distrust and desperation, and to everlasting de-
struction; for he envieth us our salvation whereunto we are
ordained by Christ. But it is better to speak somewhat more
distinctly of this thing.
Satan hurts men in their minds, in their bodies, and in
their goods. For he enticeth and provoketh our minds to
sin. Furthermore he also troubleth the minds of men, and
driveth them into an outrage; and being out of quiet in this
their outrage, he miserably vexeth, tormenteth, and dis-
patcheth! them. Hereupon thou mayest read that some
physicians call this madness or outrage an evil spirit or
wicked devil. But he diversely plagueth their bodies, chiefly
with diseases. We have the most holy man Job for an ex-
ample. In the gospel after St Luke it is said, that that Lute xiii.
woman, which was bowed together, was bound by Satan
eighteen years. Again, in the gospel according to St Mark
we read of a child which had a dumb spirit: “ And whenso- Mark ix.
ever he taketh him, he teareth him, and he foameth, and
gnasheth with his teeth, and pineth away ;” and casting him-
self on the ground, lieth grovelling. This selfsame evil spirit
taketh away from men their goods, wasteth and diminisheth
their substance and worldly wealth. Which thing again is
manifest in the history of Job and of the gospel: for Job
is spoiled of all his substance, Satan so ordering the matter,
by soldiers and robbers. ‘The herd of swine also, being
drowned and strangled in the sea, wrought great loss to the
Gergesites; and, being violently carried away of the devils,
were tumbled headlong into the sea. Furthermore, this
mischievous miscreant in accomplishing these things doth
somewhat by himself and by wicked angels his fellows, and
somewhat by other creatures. By himself he worketh out-
wardly and inwardly, by tempting and provoking men. For
he casteth before our eyes counterfeit and deceitful shapes ;
changing himself into an angel of light, he windeth himself
into the minds of men. He speaketh unto us, setting before
us gay promises and most grievous threatenings, howbeit all
of them coloured with deceits and lies. For oftentimes he
bringeth reasons, probable indeed and apparent, yea, and
places of scripture at a blush very agreeable, but yet mali-
ciously wrested to his own purpose. And by this means he
[1 conficit, Lat. ]
John xiii.
Matt. xii.
362 THE FOURTH DECADE. [SERM.
either hindereth and maimeth true faith in the minds of men;
or else he taketh it away and utterly overthroweth it, and
by and by possesseth them wholly, and driveth them into
most certain perdition. So it is said that when he had en-
tered into Judas’ heart, he cast him wholly headlong into
everlasting destruction. The heart of man is open unto God
only, for he only is the searcher of the heart and reins.
But the devil, by circumventing men with his guileful practices;
and by putting wicked persuasions into-their hearts, is said
to enter into men’s hearts. And he worketh against man
by other creatures also, as by elements, when he raiseth fire,
winds, waters, hail, and such like calamities against us.
Furthermore, he stirreth up men against us, our friends to
vex and betray us, and our enemies to consume and bring
us to our end with persecutions, battles, and bloodsheds.
The history of Job yet again beareth witness of these things.
Whereunto thou mayest reckon persecutions laid upon the
worshippers of God. Now also he eggeth false prophets
and enchanters against us. Whereunto belong deceitful jug-
glings and all kinds of sorcery and witchcraft; which the
works of the sorcerers of Egypt, and of Simon, and the place
of Moses in Deut. xiii. testify to be most effectual. Hereunto
chiefly belong false miracles and corrupt answers or oracles.
By these truly in times past he did very much hurt to the
church of God, as histories testify, neither ceaseth he at this
day to do hurt: which thing experience itself doth teach and
verify.
For though it be certain that Satan is not cast out by
the power of Satan; yet one giveth place to another for
a time, to this end, that they may the more easily deceive
men, and obtain a kingdom. Christ truly and the apostle
Paul foretold, that even the last times should be wonderfully
bewitched with deceitful signs and powers. Most evident
places touching that thing are extant in Matthew xxiv.
2 Thessalonians ii. chapter. More might be spoken, dearly
beloved, and that at large, concerning the operations or
workings of the devil; but I trust these things being gathered
together in brevity are sufficient, and give occasion to muse
of higher things.
But let no man so understand these things, as if the devil
were able to do all things, and that what he will he can also
Ix. | OF EVIL SPIRITS, 363
do by and by. For his power is definite, or limited and The power
restrained, so that he cannot do so much as he would: other- pelutic:
wise all things had been overthrown and perished long ago.
Therefore not without consideration I added in the describing
of the devil, that he is subject to God; for he can do nothing
without God’s permission. Now God permitteth him, either
to exercise and try the patience of those that are his, and to
hasten their salvation; as it is manifest in the history of Job,
and in the words of Paul to the Corinthians, saying, “ Lest 2 Cor. xii
I should be exalted out of measure through the abundance of
the revelations, there was given unto me a prick to the flesh,
the messenger of Satan to buffet me.” Neither is it doubt-
ful, that in most grievous torments of persecutions he exalteth
many notable martyrs, yea, and at this day doth and in times
past hath exalted such, unto glory and everlasting rest. Or
else he giveth the devil leave to execute violence and cruelty
upon men, by that means to chastise their wickedness or to
punish their unbelief. For verily the devils are the instru-
ments of God’s wrath, to execute his vengeance. For Paul
saith: ‘The coming of antichrist is after the working of 21ness. ii.
Satan, in all power, and signs, and wonders of lying, and
in all deceiveableness of unrighteousness in them that perish;
because they received not the love of truth, that they might
be saved. And therefore God shall send them strong delu-
sion, that they should believe lies; that all they might be
damned which believed not the truth, but had pleasure in
unrighteousness.” And this in a manner is the strength
and power of sorcery and enchanting, which is feeble in the
faithful.
Wherefore there is no cause why any man should miser- We must _
ably fear the devil: ‘“ But rather sanctify ye (saith Esay) flyasinst,
the Lord of hosts!; let him be your fear and your reverence.” rnin.
Some say that certain nations of the East worshipped the
devil for this cause, that he should not hurt them?. But these
are stark staring mad. For if it be not God’s will, which even
now I began to tell you, or if he give no leave, Satan cannot
touch so much as a hair of thine. For he could not enter
into the herd of swine, which were feeding nigh the lake
[1 ipsum, Lat. omitted; himself. |
[2 Selden de Diis Syris. Syntag. τι. cap. 6. et Add. Beyeri. p. 134.
Amstel. 1680. ]
Matt. iv.
1 John v.
1 Pet. v.
364 THE FOURTH DECADE, [SERM.
Genezaret at Gadara!, and destroy them, but by the Lord’s
permission. St Augustine also, expounding the thirty-second
Psalm, allegeth in these words the history of Job: “ What
could the devil himself do? durst he take away one silly
sheep from the holy man Job, before he said, Lay thy hand
on him, that is to say, give me power? He was willing, but
God did not suffer him. When God gave him leave, then he
was able: therefore the devil was not able, but God which
gave him leave. Therefore Job being well instructed did not
say, aS we now are wont to say, The Lord gave, and the
devil hath taken away; but, The Lord gave, and the Lord
hath taken away*.” And these things do exceedingly comfort
the godly in temptations; who understand that nothing can
happen to them without God’s permission, and that he per-
mitteth nothing but that which maketh for our amendment
and salvation, and therefore that we are always preserved by
the providence and bountifulness of God. For whatsoever
hath hitherto been spoken concerning the power and work-
ings of the devils pertained not hitherto, to dash us out of
courage and cast us down; but to make us more vigilant or
watchful. The Lord, that overcame the devil and sheweth us
the way to overcome him, commandeth us to watch. For
therefore he encountered with Satan the first, second, and
third time, to instruct us how we should fight against the
enemy of mankind. He overcame him for us, that we should
not despair of ability and power easily to overcome him, since
he is already weakened and wounded. By faith, doubtless,
we shall overcome him: for by faith we are knit unto
Christ, and by faith we draw the Spirit of Christ, by the force
and virtue whereof we shall triumph. Truly for that cause
St Peter willeth us “to resist by faith.” St Paul, exhorting
us unto this conflict, and furnishing us with excellent complete
[1 prope paludem Gadarenam apud Gadaram, Lat. See above,
p. 353, note 4.]
[2 Quid ipse diabolus? Ausus est vel unam oviculam tollere viro
sancto Job, nisi prius diceret, Mitte manum tuam, hoc est, da potes-
tatem? Ille volebat, sed ille non sinebat. Quando 1116 permisit, 1116
potuit: non ergo ille potuit, sed qui permisit. Ideo bene eruditus
ipse Job non ait, sicut jam commemorare yobis solemus, Dominus
dedit, et diabolus abstulit ; sed, Dominus dedit, et Dominus abstulit.—
August. Enarrat. pars 2. in Psal. xxxii. Opp. Tom. vu. fol. 46. col. 1.]
IX. | OF EVIL SPIRITS. 365
armour, saith: “ Take unto you the whole armour of God, zphes. vi.
that ye may be able to resist in the evil day, and, having
finished all things, to stand fast. Stand therefore, having
your loins girt about with the truth, and having on the
breast-plate of righteousness, and your feet shod that you
may be prepared to the gospel of peace; above all things
taking the shield of faith, wherewith you may quench all the
fiery darts of that wicked. And take the helmet of salvation,
and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God, pray-
ing always in all prayers and supplication in the spirit,” &c.
Whereunto that also belongeth, which the same apostle wit-
nesseth: “ God doth not suffer us to be tempted above that we 1 cor. x.
are able to bear, but shall with the temptation make a way to
escape.” Let us therefore reverence this God; let us beseech
him, that through his power and might we may overcome.
Amen.
OF THE REASONABLE SOUL OF MAN; AND OF HIS
MOST CERTAIN SALVATION AFTER THE
DEATH OF HIS BODY.
THE TENTH SERMON.
Au men do confess that the reasonable soul of man hath
affinity or likeness with spirits; neither is there any wise man,
as I think, which doth deny that the knowledge of the rea-
sonable soul of man, whereof the scripture teacheth so many
things, and that too so diligently, is most wholesome and ne-
cessary to all the godly. The order therefore, the profit, and
the very necessity also of things* do require, that I speak
somewhat likewise of the reasonable soul of man: wherein I
will follow the plainness of the scripture and of the interpre-
ters thereof, leaving physical or natural points unto them to
be expounded unto whom it belongeth by duty and profes-
sion; saving that we will so far deal in them as we cannot
want them in this discourse of ours. The holy scripture
and the interpreters thereof neither move curious questions of
the soul of man; neither do they satisfy curious heads, when
they desire to know those things which cannot be declared,
[3 Erasmus’ translation. |
[* Rather, The order of things therefore, profit, and very necessity. ]
The word
anima
(which we
call soul) is
diversely
taken.
Gen. i.
The soul is
breath and
life.
ron XX.
ῃ ‘Sam. XXvi.
21.]
Soul is taken
for man.
Levit. xx.
366 THE FOURTH DECADE. [SERM.
or, if they could, yet it would always seem unto them that
nothing were unto them more aptly spoken; for they always
stagger, they are always learning and yet doubt, they never
come to the knowledge of the truth with a quiet mind, they
never abide in the plain truth when it is found, they search
after other and many more and subtiler matters than they
understand. But we know that all things which are neces-
sary and for our salvation are simply and plainly delivered
in the holy scriptures, and that we must simply, godlily, and
religiously rest in them: therefore those things that are not
delivered in them touching the matter of our salvation, we
know that they are not to be sought after of us, and that they
hinder not our salvation if we be ignorant of them.
The word anima, which we call soul, is diversely taken
in the holy scripture. First of all anima, the soul, is taken
for every living thing; for Moses bringeth in the Lord
speaking, “Let the earth bring forth living creature! after
his kind, cattle, worm, and beast of the earth after his kind.”
For who knoweth not that there are reckoned three kinds or
parts (give me leave so to speak for instruction’s sake) or
three principal powers of the soul? For there is the soul
vegetative which worketh in plants; there is the soul sen-
sitive, which is not without the soul vegetative, and it giveth
life to brute beasts and other creatures endued with life and
feeling?; there is also the reasonable soul wherewith men
are endued, which is furnished with many powers or abilities,
and comprehendeth both the other. Hereof anima, the
soul, is taken in the scripture for breath which men draw in
and let go again, and also for the life of man, or of a living
creature. Thus we read, Anima gus &c., “His life is in
him :’ and, “I will do thee no more harm (saith Saul to
David), because (anima mea) my life was precious in thine
eyes this day.” The Grecians call anima, the soul, ψυχὴν, as
it were ἀναψυχὴν, because by drawing breath it refresheth.
The Hebricians call it Nephesch, of comforting’. Again,
anima, the soul, is taken in the scriptures for the thing itself
that hath life, yea, even for any, or rather for the whole man.
For it is said in the law: “The soul that worketh with a
[1 animam viventem, Lat. |
[2 and other—feeling, not in Lat. ]
[3 a refocillando, Lat. ]
x OF THE REASONABLE SOUL OF MAN. 367
spirit, or that is a soothsayer, shall die.” Likewise in Paul
we read: “Let every soul be subject to the higher power.” Rom. xiii.
And again, in Genesis, the king of Sodom saith to Abraham:
‘Give me the souls, and take the substance or goods to thy- Gen. xiv.
self.” For the scripture is wont to name the whole by a
part: for as by the soul he means the whole man, rehearsing
the nobler part, so by flesh also he signifies the whole baser
part. Moreover since man and also other living creatures Soul a desire.
have an appetitive or desiring soul, soul is used in the scripture
for affection, will, desire, or lust. For Ezekiel saith, ‘They kzex. vii.
shall not satisfy their souls” (in Dutch, Sy werden tren glust nit
bussen), ‘neither shall their bellies be filled.” Lastly, anima, Soul isthe
the soul, signifieth the reasonable soul of man: whereof we
will entreat (God assisting) at this present. Yet here I cannot
dissemble, that among very famous writers there is controversy
de anima, et animo, about the soul and the mind, whether
they are one and the selfsame, or diverse ; and that there are
reasons on both sides. ‘They that make a difference between the sou! ana
them say, that by the soul we live, and that with the mind ~
we understand: which thing Lactantius saith in his 18th
chapter de Opijicio Dei*. I know that all the best and most
approved writers use them both indifferently, and take the
one for the other.
For we must not think that there are two souls in man. 7hat there
For very well have the school definitions® defined, uttering °°”
these words in the fifteenth chapter: ‘We do not say that
there are two souls in one man, as Jacobus and certain of the
Syrians write; one natural, whereby the body hath life, and is
mingled with blood; the other spiritual, which ministereth
reason: but we say there is one and the selfsame soul in man,
which both quickeneth the body with his fellowship, and
ordereth himself by his own reason®.” Therefore we do not That there
is a soul.
{4 Sequitur alia et ipsa inextricabilis queestio: Idemne sit anima et
animus; an vero aliud sit illud quo vivimus, aliud autem quo sentimus
et sapimus.—Lactant. de Opif. Dei. cap. 18.]
[5 definitiones ecclesiasticee, Lat. |
[ὁ Neque duas animas esse dicimus in uno homine, sicut Jacobus
et alii Syrorum scribunt; unam animalem, qua animetur corpus et im-
mixta sit sanguini, et alteram spiritalem, que rationem ministret: sed
dicimus unam esse eandemque animam in homine, que et corpus sua
societate vivificet, et semetipsam sua ratione disponat.—August. de
Eccles. dogm. cap. 15. Opp. Tom, τη. fol. 42. col. 4.]
908 THE FOURTH DECADE. [SERM.
think that there is any consideration to be had of them which
altogether deny that there is a soul; for these are as mad
as they which deny that the sun shineth. For all of us do
see and feel the sun: as also we live by the benefit of
the soul.
What the Furthermore, what the reasonable soul of man is, the
wise heads of this world could not as yet with one agreement
define. For they so differ that a man shall hardly find two
which say one thing; and there are opinions not a few
contrary between themselves. What, do not the old interpre-
ters of the scriptures doubtingly proceed in defining the soul?
Lactantius, in his book de Opijficio Dei, denieth that man
can attain to the reason and nature of the soul! Therefore
nothing at all did they err from the truth, which thought the
soul could be comprehended in no absolute definition, wherein
his nature might be expressed throughly and at the full; yet
that the nature or disposition of the same might after a sort
be shadowed out, and that by the works or actions thereof,
and by such qualities as the scripture doth attribute. There
are some therefore which have said, that the soul is the spirit
of life, created after the image of God, and breathed into the
body of man. One there is which describes it thus: The soul
is a spirit, whereby the body to which it is coupled doth live,
made apt to the knowledge of God through love, and hereby
meet to be joined with him unto everlasting blessedness,
Another defineth it after this sort: A reasonable soul is an
understanding spirit, one part of the substance of man; neither
dieth it when it is departed from the body, but is immortal.
Cassiodore defineth it: The soul of man is created of God, a
spiritual and peculiar substance, which quickeneth the body
whose own it is, reasonable indeed and immortal?. We will
set down a description fetched from the scripture, to be
weighed and considered upon of the godly, and to direct and
rule this our whole discourse. The soul is a spiritual substance,
poured of God into man’s body, that, being joined thereunto,
[1 Quid autem sit anima, nondum inter philosophos convenit, nec
unquam fortasse conveniet. Etenim alii sanguinem esse dixerunt, alii
ignem, alii ventum, &c.—Lactant. de Opif. Dei. cap. 17.]
[2 Anima hominis est a Deo creata, spiritalis propriaque substantia,
sui corporis vivificatrix, rationabilis quidem et immortalis.—Cassiodor.
Opp. de Anima. p. 286. Par. 1579.]
%) OF THE REASONABLE SOUL OF MAN. 369
it might quicken and direct the same; but being dissevered
from the body, it should not die but live immortal for ever.
Some deny that the soul is a substance; for they con- That souls
tend that it is nothing else than the power of life in man, and stances.
indeed® a certain quality. But the holy scripture acknow-
ledgeth that the soul is a subtance subsisting ; for the Lord
in the gospel witnesseth, that a soul may be tormented in
hell: which forthwith by the selfsame authority of the
gospel is shewed as it were to be viewed with our eyes, in
the soul of the rich glutton. The same Lord which cannot
lie said to the thief, “To day shalt thou be with me in Luke xxii.
Paradise :” which words cannot be expounded of any other
part in the thief than of the soul; for his body was nailed,
and did hang on the cross. Whereupon also the apostle and
evangelist saw ‘under the altar the souls of them that were Rev. vi.
slain for the word of God.” He heard them “crying with
a loud voice, and saying: How long tarriest thou, Lord,
which art holy and true, to judge, and to avenge our blood
on them that dwell on the earth?” The same John saw
long white garments given to every one of the souls, these
words being therewithal spoken of the Lord: “ Rest yet for
a little season, until your fellow-servants, and your brethren
that shall be killed as ye are, shall be fulfilled.” All which
verily agree not to qualities, but to substances which have
their being: therefore the souls of men are substances. Which
thing that they might most plainly and pithily express,
certain ecclesiastical writers, I think, have set down that the
souls of men are bodily, that is, substances of their kind,
having their proper being. Neither do I think, dearly
beloved, I shall be tedious unto you, if I recite word for
word that which St Augustine hath reasoned of this matter
on both parts in his epistle to St Hierome, which is in order
. the twenty-eighth, saying: “ That the soul is bodiless, though
it be hard to persuade it to the duller sort, yet I confess that
I am so persuaded. But that I may not move controversy
about a word to no purpose, I will willingly be silent ; because
where there is no doubt of the thing, there is no need to
strive about the name. If every substance or essence be a
body, or if that which after some sort is in itself is more
aptly called something, then the soul is a body. But if you
[3 adeoque, Lat. ; and so. ]
[BULLINGER, IIL. | ᾿ς
370 THE FOURTH DECADE. [SERM.
will call that only a bodiless nature, which is altogether un-
changeable and is wholly everywhere, then the soul is a
body, because the soul is no some such thing. Furthermore,
if nothing be a body but that which with some length,
breadth, and height resteth, or is moved in space of place,
that the greater part thereof taketh the greater room and
the lesser part the lesser room, and be less in part than in the
whole, then the soul is not a body. For that which giveth
the power of life unto the body is stretched through the
whole body, not by local spreading of itself, but by a cer-
tain lively extending of itself. For the whole soul is present
in all and every part of the body at once, and not lesser
in the lesser parts nor greater in the greater parts; but
in some places more vehement and quick, in some more
remiss and faint, and in all it is the whole and in every
part the whole. For that whole soul which in some parts of
the body feeleth not, in some other parts where it feeleth it
doth wholly feel in itself, and not only in some part of itself.
For where any part of the quick flesh is pricked with a sharp
thing, although that place be not only not of the whole body,
no, not so much almost as seen in the body, yet the whole
soul feeleth that pricking; and yet is not that pain that is felt
dispersed over all the parts of the body, but is only felt
where it is. How then cometh that by and by to the whole
soul, which is not felt but in one place of the body, but
because that the whole soul is there where the smart is felt,
and yet leaveth not the other parts of the body that it might
be there wholly and all in all? For those parts of the body
live also by the presence of the soul, where no such thing is
done. If it were so that the grief were in more places than
one at once, it should be felt by the whole soul in each place.
Therefore the whole soul could not be both in all and in every
part of the body, whose own it is, all at once, if it were so |
spread through those parts as we see bodies are by spaces of
places, their lesser parts taking the lesser room and their
greater parts the greater room. Wherefore if the soul be to
be termed a body, surely it is not such a body as is in sub-
stance like the earth, or like the water, or the air, or the
celestial bodies. or all such bodies are greater in greater
places and lesser in lesser places, and nothing of them is
wholly in any some part of theirs; but as the parts of the
πὶ OF THE REASONABLE SOUL OF MAN. 371
places be, so are they filled with the parts of the bodies.
Whereupon the soul is perceived, whether it be a body or
whether it is to be called bodiless, to have a certain proper
nature, created of a more excellent substance than all the
elements of the earthly mould: which cannot be conceived by
any phantasy or imagination of bodily shapes which we attain
unto by the senses of our flesh, but is understood in the mind
and felt in the life!.” Thus far have I rehearsed Augustine’s
words.
[1 Incorpoream quoque esse animam, etsi difficile tardioribus per-
suaderi potest, mihi tamen fateor esse persuasum. Sed ne verbi con-
troversiam vel superfluo faciam, vel merito patiar; quoniam cum de
re constat, non est opus certare de nomine: si corpus est omnis sub-
stantia vel essentia, vel si quid aptius nuncupatur id quod aliquo modo
est in seipso, corpus est anima. Item si eam solam incorpoream placet
appellare naturam, que summe incommutabilis et ubique tota est,
corpus est anima, quoniam tale aliquid ipsa non est. Porro si corpus
non est, nisi quod per loci spatium aliqua longitudine, latitudine, alti-
tudine ita sistitur vel movetur, ut majori sui parte majorem locum oc-
cupet et breviore breviorem, minusque sit in parte quam in toto, non
est corpus anima: per totum quippe corpus quod animat, non locali
diffusione, sed quadam vitali intentione porrigitur. Nam per omnes
ejus particulas tota simul adest, nec miner in minoribus et in majori-
bus major, sed alicubi intensius, alicubi remissius, et in omnibus tota
et in singulis tota est. Neque enim aliter quod in corpore etiam non
toto sentit, tamen tota sentit. Nam cum exiguo puncto in carne viva
aliquid tangitur, quamyis locus ille non solum totius corporis non sit,
sed vix in corpore videatur, animam tamen totam non latet; neque id
quod sentitur per corporis cuncta discurrit, sed ibi tamen sentitur ubi
fit. Unde ergo ad totam mox pervenit, quod non in toto fit, nisi quia
et ibi tota est ubi fit, nec ut tota ibi sit cetera deserit? Vivunt enim
et illa ea presente ubi nihil tale factum est. Quod si fieret, et utrum-
que simul fieret, simul utrumque totam pariter non lateret. Proinde
et in omnibus simul et in singulis particulis corporis sui tota simul
esse non posset, si per illas ita diffunderetur, ut videmus corpora dif-
fusa per spatia locorum minoribus suis partibus minora occupare et
amplioribus ampliora. Quapropter si anima corpus esse dicenda est,
non est certe corpus, quale terrenum est, nec quale humidum aut
aéreum aut ethereum. Omnia quippe talia majora sunt in majoribus
locis et minora in minoribus locis, et nihil eorum in aliqua sui parte
totum adest, sed ut sunt partes locorum, ita occupantur partibus cor-
porum. Unde intelligitur anima, sive corpus sive incorporea dicenda
est, propriam quandam habere naturam, omnibus his mundanz molis
elementis excellentiore substantia creatam; quee veraciter non possit
in aliqua fantasia corporalium imaginum, quas per carnis sensus per-
242
The soul is
bodiless, or a
spirit.
John x.
John xix,
372 THE FOURTH DECADE. [sERM.
The scripture also aimeth chiefly at this mark!, to teach
that the soul is bodiless; for advisedly and expressly it
calleth the same a spirit. For the Lord in the gospel after
John saith: “I will put my life from me, and I will take it
again. No man taketh it from me, but I put it away of
myself.” And in the same evangelist you read: ‘“ And Jesus
said, It is finished: and when he had bowed his head, he
Luke xxiii.
Matt. xxvii.
Acts vii.
What man-
ner of sub-
stance the
soul of man
is.
gave up the ghost.” For he crieth out in another evangelist:
“Father, into thy hands I commend my spirit.” And Matthew
saith: “And Jesus, when he had cried again with a loud
voice, yielded up the ghost.” Whereunto doubtless may be
referred that which we read in the Acts of the Apostles of
the first martyr, Stephen: “ And they stoned Stephen, call-
ing on and saying, Lord Jesu, receive my spirit.” But
by these things I cannot more plainly and pithily express?
what manner of substance the soul of man is, which I believe
to be a spirit, having indeed a substance created of God
proper and peculiar to itself. For Augustine, whose words
I alleged a little before, saith yet again, 1 cap. de Quantitate
Anime: “1 cannot name the substance of the soul, for I do
not think the same to be of these usual and known natures
which we touch with the senses of our body. For I think
that the soul consisteth not of earth, nor of water, nor of
air, nor of fire, neither yet of all these joined together, nor
of any one of them. The nature of the soul may be called
simple, because it consisteth not of other natures*.” Which
words of Augustine Cassiodore willing to rehearse and express
by imitation saith: ‘The soul of man created of God is a
spiritual and peculiar substance*.” Therefore I simply affirm
cipimus, cogitari, sed mente intelligi vitaque sentiri— August. Ep. 28.
Hieronymo de Natura et Origine Animarum. Opp. Tom. 1. fol. 19. col.
4, Par. 1532. ]
[ huc maxime inclinat, Lat. ]
[2 His vero significantius, Lat. ; more expressively than these texts. ]
[8 Substantiam vero ejus (anime) nominare non possum: non enim
eam puto esse ex iis usitatis notisque naturis quas istis corporis sen-
sibus tangimus. Nam neque ex terra, neque ex aqua, neque ex aére,
neque ex igni, neque ex his omnibus, neque ex aliquibus horum con-
junctis constare animam puto.... Simplex anime natura dici potest,
quia ex aliis naturis non est.—August. de Quant. Animz. Opp. Tom. 1.
fol. 122. col. 4.]
[4 See above, p. 368, n. 2.]
x. | OF THE REASONABLE SOUL OF MAN, 3873
that the soul hath a singular, yea, a certain more excellent
substance, and differing from other spirits, having his true
being and working always from his Creator’; but such as
we in our speech cannot compass, neither are able to utter.
In the meanwhile we do not allow of them who, minding rhe sout is
to express what manner of substance the soul is, say that hor part of |
the soul is God, or else surely a part or portion of God’ ἡ
For the scripture reproveth them both. For truly the soul
is a creature, and is drowned in variableness and sins: but a
creator, and clean of itself, it is not. And because God the
Creator is immutable and indivisible, the soul cannot be a por-
tion of God. Therefore elegantly and truly Aurelius Pru-
dentius in his Apotheosis, after he had in many words
confuted these filthy errors, gathering at length all the mean-
ing of the truth, saith :
To say the soul is GOD, or part of him,
ΙΒ folly great, and too absurd a thing:
Since chief and heavenly joys it tastes, which swim
From always fresh and everlasting spring.
Now it obeys, anon it falls to sin;
One while in joy, another while in pain:
For due desert such guerdon it doth win:
Now punish’d ’tis, anon ’tis free again’.
To the end that we might overthrow this error, and dis-
cern the soul from other spirits and spiritual substances, we
added in our description; ‘That the soul of man is poured
into the body of man by God:” whereby every man under-
standeth without any ado, that it is created, and also is a
spirit, not angelical, but human, that is, breathed into man’s
body by God, of his own essence and nature.
Where again a new question touching the original of paar
souls doth offer itself to us to be expounded. For it is wont δου.
to be asked, from whence souls come? When or how they
enter into their bodies? St Hierome is the author, that in
[5 a creatione sua, Lat.; from its creation. ]
[Ὁ Manichzorum, delirio—quod rursus hac setate invehere tentavit
Servetus.—Caly. Instit. Lib. 1. cap. 15. § 5.]
[7 Absurde fertur Deus aut pars esse Dei; que
Divinum summumque bonum de fonte perenni
Nunc bibit obsequio, nunc culpa aut crimine perdit ;
Et modo supplicium recipit, modo libera calcat.
Prudent. Apoth. 952—955.]
374 THE FOURTH DECADE. [SERM.
time past there were many opinions, and those same most
contrary between themselves, touching the original of souls.
For he, writing to Marcellinus and Anapsychias, saith: “I
remember your question, nay rather forsooth, the question
of the church, touching the state of the soul: whether it
fell from heaven, as Pythagoras the philosopher, and all Pla-
tonists and Origen do think: or whether it be of the proper
substance of God, as the Stoics, Manicheus, and the heresies
of Priscillianus of Spain do suppose : whether they be counted
in God’s treasury, long since laid up there, as certain church-
men foolishly persuaded think: whether they be daily made
of God and sent into bodies, according to that which is
written in the gospel, “ My Father worketh hitherto, and I
work :” or whether, ex traduce, that is, by the generation
of the parents, as Tertullian, Apollinarius, and the greatest
part of the west churches conjecture; that as a body is
born of a body, so a soul is born of a soul, and hath his
being after the like state as brute beasts have!” But all —
those opinions are confuted of ecclesiastical writers with sound
arguments. That opinion is received and avouched for the
truest which holdeth, That the soul is created of nothing,
and poured of God into the body, when the child is made
perfect in shape and in every part of his body in the womb
of his mother. For thus the ecclesiastical definitions do de-
clare: ‘‘ We say that the Creator of all things doth only
know the creation of the soul; and that the body only is
sowed by (carnal) copulation in marriage; that by the true
appointment of God it thickeneth in the matrice, becometh a
substance and receiveth shape; and that when the body is
[1 Super anime statu memini vestree questiuncule; imo maxime
ecclesiasticee questionis: Utrum lapsa de ceelo sit, ut Pythagoras phi-
losophus, omnesque Platonici et Origines putant; an a propria Dei
substantia, ut Stoici, Manichzeus, et Hispana Priscilliani hzeresis sus-
picantur; an in thesauro habeantur Dei, olim conditz, ut quidem ec-
clesiastici stulta persuasione confidunt; an quotidie a Deo fiant, et
mittantur in corpora, secundum illud quod evangelio scriptum est,
Pater meus usque modo operatur, et ego operor; an certe ex traduce,
ut Tertullianus, Apollinaris, et maxima pars Occidentalium autumant;
ut quomodo corpus ex corpore, sic anima nascatur ex anima, et simili
cum brutis animantibus conditione subsistat.—Hieron. Epist. 78. (al.
82.) ad Marcellin. et Anapsych. Opp. Tom. tv. Pars 2. col. 642. Par.
1706.)
ἘΠ OF THE REASONABLE SOUL OF MAN, 375
fashioned, the soul is created and poured into 103, Where-
upon St Hierome also to Pammachius, disputing against the
errors of John, bishop of Hierusalem, after he had rehearsed
divers opinions touching the original of the soul, he saith:
“Whether truly God createth souls daily, in whom his will
is his work, and never ceaseth to be a creator of them ?
Which is an ecclesiastical opinion, according to the opinion of
our Saviour, The Father worketh hitherto, and I work;
and according to that of Esay, Which formeth the spirit of
man in him; and in the Psalms, Which fashioneth their
hearts in every one of them*.” Thus far he.
The scripture truly in express words doth teach, that the
soul hath not original out of earth, neither that it is created
before the body; but it proceedeth out of the mouth of the
Creator, to wit, from the secret power of God, and that it is
poured into the body when it is fashioned. For Moses, describ-
ing the creation of God our Father‘, doth first make mention,
that the body of Adam was fashioned and made, and that
afterwards the spirit of life was breathed into his body being
perfectly made and fashioned. ‘The Lord God,” saith he, (cen. ii. 7.1
‘made man of the clay of the earth, and breathed upon his
face or into his nostrils the breath of life, and man was made
a living soul.” For the breath of life doth signify the living
and reasonable soul, that is to say, the soul of man, which
thou seest breathed or poured into the body when it is fash-
ioned. And when. the same Lord created the woman of
Adam’s rib, he took not life from Adam, or out of his soul,
and put it into Eve, but of his goodness and power he poured
the same into her body when it was perfectly made. And
[2 Sed dicimus creationem animee solum creatorem omnium nosse,
et corpus tantum per conjugii copulam seminari, Dei vero judicio coa-
gulari in vulva et compingi atque formari, ac formato jam corpore ani-
mam creari et infundi.—August. de Eccles. Dogm. Opp. Tom. m1, fol.
42. coll. 3. 4. Par. 1532.]
[3 An certe (quod ecclesiasticum est secundum eloquia Salvatoris,
Pater usque modo operatur, et ego operor; et illud Isaise, Qui format
spiritum hominis in ipso; et in Psalmis, Qui fingit per singulos corda
eorum;) quotidie Deus fabricatur animas: cujus velle fecisse est, et
conditor esse non cessat ?—Hieron. ad Pammach. ady. error. Johan.
Jeros. Ep. 38. Opp. Tom. tv. Pars 2. fol. 318.]
{4 Formationem patris nostri, Lat.; rather, the creation of our
father, i. e. Adam.—God, is the translator’s addition. ]
Job x.
The opera-
tions and
powers of
e soul.
376 THE FOURTH DECADE. [SERM.
that we are no otherwise created of the Lord at this day,
than that the soul may be poured into the body when it is
fashioned, Job is a witness sufficient, saying: ‘‘ Thy hands,
O God, have made me and fashioned me round about.
Hast thou not poured me as it were milk, and turned me to
curds like cheese? Thou hast covered me with skin and
flesh, and joined me together with bones and sinews.” Lo,
thou hast here in these words both the conception and also
the fashioning of man’s body in his mother’s womb most ex-
cellently described. And touching the soul, it followeth in
Job immediately: “Thou hast given me life and grace, and
thy visitation hath preserved my spirit.” Behold, “life,”
that is, the soul, is by God poured into the body after it is
shapen. ‘Thou hast given me life,” saith he, ‘and grace.”
He addeth grace or mercy to life: for it is a marvel the
child should live in the mother’s womb, seeing it is wrapped
within so many coverings; therefore a singular benefit of the
mercy of God sheweth itself in this. But it followeth by
way of interpretation: “And thy visitation,” that is, thy
providence and preservation, “hath kept or preserved my
spirit.” For now he calleth that “ spirit,” which first he had
called “life ;” that is to say, the soul. Wherefore we rightly
hold and according to the scriptures, that the souls of men
are created of God, and poured into the bodies when they
be already fashioned in the womb; though we touch not every
point and particular matter of this cause, and (as the saying
is) hit the nail on the head.
Now it resteth to see what the soul worketh in the body
of man. We comprehended that briefly in the description,
saying that, being joined to the body, it giveth life to man
and directeth him. For the reasonable soul comprehendeth
the powers vegetative and sensitive, and thereby it giveth life
to the body. Moreover the soul hath two parts, distinguished
in offices, not in substance; namely, Understanding and Will;
and thereby it directeth man. For by the understanding,
which is called both the mind and reason, it conceiveth,
judgeth, and knoweth things that are to be understood, and
discerneth what to follow and what to avoid. But by will
or appetite he chooseth that which he knoweth, following one
thing and refusing another. Which things again stretch
very far. Therefore I will handle every part more largely.
x. | OF THE REASONABLE SOUL OF MAN. 377
First of all “the soul by his presence giveth life to this out of the
13 cap. of
mortal and earthly body; it knitteth it together, and with a August, de
wonderful embracing keepeth it, and suffereth it not to grow “nme.
out of order or pine away; it equally distributeth the food
throughout the members, giving to every one sufficient ; it
preserveth a comely form and measure therein not only in
beauty, but also in making and growth. But all these things
may seem also common to plants, as well as to man: for we
see and confess, that they also live; and that every one of
them is preserved in his kind, nourished, increased, and
engendered. Therefore let us see what the soul is able to
do, and what it worketh in the senses, where a more perfect
view of life is perceived. The soul sheweth itself in the
sense of feeling, and thereby knoweth and discerneth the
things that are hot, cold, rough, smooth, hard, soft, light,
and heavy. Moreover, the soul determineth the innumerable
differences of tastes, savours, sounds, and shapes, by the senses
of tasting, smelling, hearing, and seeing. And among all
these things it chooseth and coveteth those things which are
according to the nature of the body whereunto it is joined,
and refuseth and shunneth the contrary ; and also consenteth
not only to the procreation of children, but to the cherishing,
defending, nourishing, and preserving of them. But all these
things again no man denieth but the life which is in beasts
may do also. Let us therefore consider what is the proper
force of the soul of man, And here weigh with me the
wonderful power of understanding and reasoning, and not a
common memory as is in brute beasts, but a remembrance of
innumerable things commended unto us, and kept in mind by
signs and deep consideration: consider with me so many
devices of craftsmen, tilling of lands, building of cities, manifold
wonderfulness of sundry buildings and devices; the inventions
of so many forms in letters, in words, in gesture, in sound,
in pictures, and feigned shews; so many tongues of nations,
so many things ordained, so many new things, so many
things reformed; such a number of books, and of such like
monuments for the maintenance of memory, as having a care
of them which come after; the orders of offices, powers,
honours and dignities, either in families, or in the common
weal in peace or in war, either in profane or in holy matters.
Weigh with me the marvellous force and virtue of devising
378 THE FOURTH DECADE. [SERM,
the rivers of eloquence, the variety of verses in poetry, a
thousand-fold devices and merriments to move pleasure and
pastime, skilfulness in playing on instruments and in singing,
cunning in measuring, readiness in numbering, conjecturing
of things past and things to come by things present.”
These verily are great powers or operations in the soul
of man, but they are common to the good and bad. There-
fore the true goodness and praise, which riseth from the
powers of the soul unto man, aud which are found in the
godly only, do follow. The soul is bold to prefer itself
before the whole body, and to think that the goods of the
body are not his, but rather to despise them; and thereby
how much the more he delighteth himself, so much the more
he withdraweth himself from filthiness, and cleanseth himself
[1 Corpus hoc terrenum atque mortale presentia sua vivificat (an-
ima), colligit in unum atque in uno tenet ; diffluere atque contabescere
non sinit; alimenta per membra equaliter, suis quibusque redditis,
distribui facit; congruentiam ejus modumque conservat, non tantum
in pulchritudine, sed etiam in crescendo atque gignendo. Sed hec -
omnia homini etiam cum arbustis communia videri queunt: heec enim
etiam dicimus vivere, in suo vero quidque illorum genere custodiri,
ali, crescere, gignere videmus atque fatemur...Intendit se anima in
tactum, et eo calida, frigida, aspera, lenia, dura, mollia, levia, gravia,
sentit atque discernit. Deinde innumerabiles differentias saporum,
odorum, sonorum, formarum, gustando, olfaciendo, audiendo, viden-
doque dijudicat. Atque in his omnibus ea que secundum naturam
sui corporis sunt asciscit atque appetit, rejicit fugitque contraria:...
foetibus quoque non jam gignendis tantummodo, sed etiam fovendis,
alendis, atque conservandis conspirat...Sed heec rursus omnia posse
animam etiam in bestiis nemo negat...Cogita memoriam non consue-
tudine inolitarum, sed animadversione atque signis commendatarum
ac retentarum rerum innumerabilium; tot artes opificum, agrorum
cultus, extructiones urbium, variorum eedificiorum ac moliminum
multimoda miracula; inventiones tot signorum in literis, in verbis, in
gestu, in hujuscemodi sono, in picturis atque figmentis; tot gentium
linguas, tot instituta, tot nova, tot instaurata, tantum librorum nu-
merum et hujusmodi monumentorum ad custodiendam memoriam,
tanquam curam posteritatis; officiorum, potestatum, honorum, digni-
tatumque ordines, sive in familiis, sive domi militizeque in republica,
sive in prophanis, sive in sacris apparatibus; vim ratiocinandi et ex-
cogitandi fluvios eloquentie, carminum varietates, ludendi ac jocandi
causa milleformes simulationes, modulandi peritiam, dimetiendi subti-
litatem, numerandi disciplinam, preeteritorum ac futurorum ex pre-
sentibus conjecturam.—August. de Quant. Anime. cap. 33. Opp. Tom.
1. fol. 130. coll. 1, 2. Par. 1532. ]
xs] OF THE REASONABLE SOUL OF MAN. 379
wholly by faith and the Holy Ghost, and strengtheneth himself
against all things which go about to put him by from his
good intent, and maketh great account of fellowship or
society, loveth men tenderly, and willeth nothing to another
which he would not have happen to himself. For he follow-
eth the word or doctrine of God, and believeth that by this
God speaketh unto him: he is joined by the Holy Ghost and
faith with God himself, in whom he delighteth and liveth in
true felicity, bringing forth all kind of virtues. In this so
excellent a study of the soul there is yet great labour. For
the soul fighteth fiercely with the world and the flesh, and is
never safe and at rest from the assaults or invasions of Satan:
but being strengthened by the Lord, he goeth away with
notable victories and triumphs. The souls therefore (I mean,
of saints and holy men) work all manner of holy works; for
the souls of the wicked commit heinous sins of all sorts.
There are many other operations of souls, which I cease to
rehearse, lest I should be longer than were meet.
Hitherto I have entreated of the soul of man as yet
joined to the body: in which discourse the wonderful goodness
of God appeareth, the most bountiful Creator of the soul, yea,
of the whole man; from whose grace we worthily account it
received, whatsoever praise is given to the soul. Now I will
speak of the soul separated from the body.
The soul, being separated from the body, ceaseth not to of the soul
be that which it was; but, the body being dead, the soul fom the
abideth alive in his own essence, altogether immortal, and
void of all corruption. For the death of man is not the
extinguishing or destruction of the soul, but only a separa-
tion or departure from the body. Thou takest a candle out
of a lantern; thou hast taken the light from the lantern, but
thou hast not put out the candle. The lantern truly, because
the candle is taken away, remaineth full of darkness; but the
candle feeleth so little hurt by removing of it, that, being
taken away from the lantern, it then shineth more clearly,
and casteth forth the beams of his light more at large. So
truly the soul, being separated from his earthly or slimy
body, doth so little feel any discommodity, that, being de-
livered from the trouble and burden of the body, it liveth
more at liberty, and worketh more effectually. But the thesoutis
common sort understand not this. They see the body only
Of the death
of souls.
1 Tim.i.
& vi.
Gal. ii.
380 THE FOURTH DECADE. [SERM.
among the dead, spoiled of the soul; and because this wanteth
all feeling and moving, yea, and rotteth away, they think
that the whole man perisheth. Neither is the world without
some shameless and ungodly wretches who have in their
mouth, that no man ever returned from death or from below,
who by his return proved that the souls remain alive when
the body is dead. But maliciously they lie, dissembling that
they know not that which certainly they know. For who
knoweth not that Christ the Son of God died, and was buried,
and the third day was raised again from the dead, the very
self-same soul returning into his body, which before death
gave his body life and ruled it? Who knoweth not that
Christ with his true body and with his reasonable and natural!
soul ascended into heaven, and sitteth at the right hand of
the Father, that he, laying down there as it were a most
assured pledge, might testify unto the whole world that both
our own proper souls and our own proper bodies shall one
day be translated thither? Who knoweth not that so many
which were dead, being raised from death to life, received
not new souls, but those their old souls? Which should not
have come to pass, if by the death of the body the souls of
men were extinguished.
They object, that the scripture itself maketh mention of
the death of the soul. I confess no less indeed. For the soul
of man is both mortal and immortal, after a certain manner
of his own. For the soul is not all manner of ways immortal
as God is, of whom it is said that he only hath immortality.
And truly the death of the soul in the holy scripture is to be
remembered; but the same is referred to the state and con-
dition, not to the substance, of the soul. For if God be the
life of the soul, surely to be forsaken of God, and to be left
unto thyself, is the death of the soul. But nevertheless the
reasonable soul liveth in his proper essence or being, so that,
when it liveth miserably, a miserable life is in very deed
called death. But desperation also is the very death of the
soul; for by hope we live: and Paul saith, “I live, yet
not I, but Christ liveth in me; and the life which I now live
in the flesh, I live by the faith of the Son of God.” Therefore
they that are destitute of faith are dead, and they that have
faith live. St Augustine, cap. 10, De Fide et Symbolo, saith:
[} genuina, Lat.]
x. OF THE REASONABLE SOUL OF MAN, 381
“The soul, as it may be called corruptible by reason of sin
and wickedness, so it may be called mortal. For the death
of the soul is the revolting or falling from God; which first
sin of the soul was committed in paradise, as is declared in
the holy scriptures?.” And the same Augustine again, Lib.
de Trinitate, 14, cap. 4, saith: ‘“ The soul also hath his death,
when it lacketh a blessed life, which is to be named the true
life of the soul. But for this cause it is called immortal, for
that, whatsoever life it liveth, yea, though it be most miserable,
yet it never ceaseth to live.” We therefore freely confess,
that the souls of men, separated or taken out of their bodies, do
not die, but live immortal for ever; the faithful in everlasting
joy and felicity, but the unbelievers in eternal damnation.
Which thing I will now go on to confirm by some sub- Testimonies
of the immor-
stantial testimonies of scripture. But first take this with tity
you, that testimonies of scripture in this case are far more
lively than man’s reasons framed out of philosophy. For
these testimonies are fetched from the very mouth of the
living God himself, which preserveth us in life; who, since he
is true, cannot lie, and who, since he giveth life and is life
itself, is able to witness most certainly above all other touching
life. Neither is it doubtful that the Spirit of God worketh
jointly with the word of God; of whom unless the hearts of
men be touched, the reasons of philosophy, how manifest soever
they be, shall prevail nothing, especially in the danger of
death and in other temptations. They are fleshly therefore
and brutish altogether, which are not ashamed to say, That
they cannot be persuaded or brought to believe the immor-
tality of souls by the scriptures only. Nay, which is more;
that shall never be stedfast and stable in temptations, which
shall proceed from flesh and blood. We will therefore add
some certain testimonies, and those too most manifest.
Dayid, the most puissant and happiest king in the world,
[2 Potest enim et anima, sicut corruptibilis propter morum vitia,
ita etiam mortalis dici. Mors quippe anime est apostatare a Deo,
quod primum ejus peccatum in paradiso sacris literis continetur.—
August. de Fide et Symb. cap. 10. Opp. Tom. 1m. fol. 32. col. 3. Par.
1532.—Works of Coverdale, ed. P. S. Remains, p. 201.]
[3 Habet quippe et anima mortem suam, cum yita beata caret,
que vera animee vita dicenda est. Sed immortalis ideo nuncupatur,
quoniam qualicunque vita, etiam si miserrima est, nunquam desinit
vivere.—Id. de Trin. Lib. x1v. cap. 4. Opp. Tom. 11. fol. 91. col. 2.]
Psal. xvi.
Eccles. xii.
Gen. iii.
Matt.
382 THE FOURTH DECADE. [seRM.
comprising in one verse both the immortality of souls and
the resurrection of bodies, saith: ‘“‘ Thou, O Lord, shalt not
leave my soul in hell: neither shalt thou suffer thine Holy one
to see corruption.” Man consisteth of body and soul. The
body rotteth away when it is dead, and is turned into dust ;
but it shall not therefore perish: for as the body of Christ
which was buried did not rot, but rose again the third day;
so in the day of judgment shall our bodies be raised up,
and by Christ be delivered from corruption. And our soul
goeth not into hell there to remain!: but as the soul of
Christ returned from the nether parts unto his body, and
ascended into heaven in his body which he had taken
again; even so shall our souls also live by Christ, they shall
not die.
Salomon, the son of David, excelling all kings and mortal
men in wisdom, in one verse likewise expounding the provi-
dence of God touching the soul and the body, saith: ‘“ The
dust shall be turned again unto earth, from whence it came;
and the spirit shall return unto God, who gave it.” Salomon
calleth man’s body dust, because it is said in Moses that God
made it of the dust of the earth. Therefore the body turneth
again unto dust; for it putrefieth and is resolved into that
which first it was, even until the judgment-day, as the Lord
saith: “ For dust thou art, and into dust shalt thou be
turned again.” But the spirit, that is to say, the reasonable
soul, dieth not with the body: it is not resolved into dust,
because it is not taken out of the dust; neither is it scattered
into the air, because it doth not consist of air ; but returneth
alive from death unto God. And therefore it returneth unto
God, because God gave the soul, and after a singular manner
made man after his own likeness and image, breathing into his
face the spirit of life,—of life I say, that is, of lively power,
not the spirit of death. Therefore the soul cannot perish,
because it receiveth immortality from God; who, since he
is life, is able to preserve that breath of life which he hath
made.
The Lord Jesus, the true and very Son of God, the life
and resurrection of the faithful, saith plainly in the gospel:
“Fear (ye) not them which kill the body, but are not able
to kill the soul; but rather fear him which is able to destroy
[1 there to remain; not in Lat. ]
x. | OF THE REASONABLE SOUL OF MAN. 383
both body and soul in hell.” If when the body being slain
by tyrants the soul is not killed, then it remaineth alive after
the body is destroyed; and so assuredly it remaineth, that,
having put off the body, it should be cast of the most just
God into hell, there everlastingly to burn for his unfaithful-
ness. For in the same gospel the Lord saith again, ‘* Who- Matt. xv.
soever will save his life shall lose it:” again, ‘ whosoever
will lose his life for my sake, shall find it.” For not he only
loseth his life or soul, which bridleth it from the pleasures
of the world and liveth most temperately ; but he also who
offereth himself into the bloody hands of tyrants to be slain
for the confession of christian faith. And he findeth his life
or soul which he lost. Therefore the souls of men, even
after the death of the body, remain alive and immortal.
In the gospel according to St John the Lord saith:
“Verily, verily, 1 say unto you, He that heareth my word, Jonnv.
and believeth on him that sent me, hath everlasting life, and
shall not come into judgment; but is escaped from death
unto life’ Thou hast in these words of the Lord the death
of the body. But forthwith afterward he witnesseth, that we
‘escape unto life :”’ therefore men’s souls remain alive after
death. For now he speaketh nothing of the raising again
or of the salvation of the body, but of the life of the soul
after death. In the same gospel the Lord saith again:
“Verily, yerily, I say unto you, If a man keep my saying, sonn vii. ,
he shall never see death.” But it is evident that all men pep. ix.
are ordained once to die, namely, with bodily death: there-
fore the soul liveth after the death of the body. For it
must needs be that a faithful man shall never see or feel
death, unless he told a lie who affirmeth with an oath that
which he spake. For in every other place? he addeth an
oath, saying, “ Verily, I say unto you;” that we should not
doubt of the immortality of souls. There are very many
testimonies, and those most evident, of Christ the Son of God
in the same gospel, as in the sixth and eleventh chapters: to
which we will join one or two out of the writings of the
blessed apostles of Christ.
St Peter, speaking of the souls of the fathers which were 1 Pet. iv.
dead a great while ago, saith, that “ the gospel was preached
also to the dead, that they should be judged like other men
[2 utrobique; Lat. in both places. |
2 Tim. i.
Rev. vi.
Wisd. ii.
384 THE FOURTH DECADE. [SERM.
in the flesh, but should live before God! in the spirit.”
Spirits are souls of the blessed fathers, whose bodies being
buried a great while ago do wait for the universal sentence
of that general and last judgment: that is, that their flesh
may be raised up again and be judged with other men in
the last day ; but in the meanwhile their souls live with God.
So that men’s souls are alive, though their bodies were rotten
a great while ago.
St Paul in his epistle to Timothy saith, that life and
immortality is made manifest and brought by Christ?. The
same Paul everywhere doth so plainly avouch the immortality
of souls, that he must needs be blind which seeth it not.
St John, the apostle and evangelist, saw under the altar in
heaven (that is, under the protection of Christ who is the
sacrifice and propitiation for the sins of the world) living souls
lying and crying: “ How long tarriest thou, Lord, to revenge
our blood ?” He saw them clothed with white garments, and
enjoying everlasting rest. But these souls were the souls of
the martyrs of Christ, whose bodies died, being murdered on
the earth under tyrants and persecutors of the christian faith.
Therefore the souls of men are immortal.
Most true therefore, yea, and undoubted, are those words
which are read in the book of Wisdom, uttered in this manner:
“The souls of the righteous are in the hand of God, and there
shall no torment touch them. In the sight of the unwise they
appeared to die, and their end is taken for a misery, and their
departing from us to be utter destruction; but they are in rest.
For though they suffer pain before men, yet is their hope
full of immortality. They are punished but in few things ;
nevertheless in many things shall they be well rewarded. For
God proveth them, and findeth them meet for himself. As
gold in the furnace doth he try them, and receiveth them as
a burnt-offering: and when the time cometh, they shall be
looked upon. They shall shine and run through, as the
sparkles among the stubble. They shall judge the nations,
and have dominion over the people, and their Lord shall reign
for ever.”
Wherefore most truly and according to the canonical
[1 juxta Deum; Lat. and Erasmus. }
[2 manifeste vitam et immortalitatem per Christum esse repa-
ratam; Lat. |
x OF THE REASONABLE SOUL OF MAN. 385
scripture do the ecclesiastical definitions pronounce, cap. 16:
“We believe that man only hath a substantial soul, which,
having put off the body, liveth and keepeth his senses and
disposition lively. It doth not die with the body, as Aratus
affirmeth; nor a little while after, as Zenon saith; because
it liveth substantially. But the souls of beasts and other
mortal creatures are not substantial, but are born with their
flesh through the life of their flesh, and with the death of
their flesh are at an end and do die®.”
Furthermore, that truth touching the immortality of souls, AN wisemen
as it were by the law of nature, is written and imprinted in that souls are
the minds of all men. Whereupon it is no marvel that all the
wise men among the Gentiles could never abide that the soul
should be called mortal. For the consent of all, which is
thought the voice of nature, specially of the chiefest, declareth
that souls are immortal. And M. Tully also affirmeth that,
saying: ‘As by nature we think there are Gods, and by reason
we know what they be, so we hold opinion with the consent of
all nations, that souls do still continue+.”’ All the ancient writers
therefore, and all that followed them, have said that souls are
everlasting or immortal; as Trismegistus, Museus, Orpheus,
Homerus, Pindarus, and Pherecydes the Syrian, the master
of Pythagoras5, and his scholar Socrates. Plato himself, who
to learn the opinions of Pythagoras sailed into Italy®, was not
only of the same opinion that Pythagoras was of, touching
the immortality of souls, but brought reasons also to confirm
the same. These reasons, as Tully witnesseth, are many, that
he which readeth his book cannot seem to desire any thing
further’. Seneca so plainly affirmeth and proveth the immor-
tality of souls, that nothing can be more plain’. And Epicte-
[3 Solum hominem credimus habere animam substantivam, que
exuta corpore vivit, et sensus suos atque ingenia vivaciter tenet.
Non cum corpore moritur, sicut Aratus asserit; neque post modicum
intervallum, sicut Zenon dicit; quia substantialiter vivit. Animalium
vero animee non sunt substantive, sed cum carne ipsa carnis vivacitate
nascuntur, et cum carnis morte finiuntur et moriuntur.—August. de
Eccles, Dogm. 16. Opp, Tom. ut. fol. 42. col. 4. Par. 1532. ]
[4 Cic. Tusc. Queest. Lib. 1. cap. 16.]
[5 Id. ibid.] [6 Id. ibid. cap. 17.]
[7 Tot autem rationes attulit (Plato), ut velle ceteris, sibi certe
persuasisse videatur.—Cic. ibid. cap. 21.]
[83 Senec. Epist. 117.]
2
[BULLINGER, III. ] :
386 THE FOURTH DECADE. [SERM.
tus, a famous philosopher, who lived in the time of Seneca,
hath done no less’. If as yet there be any light-headed men
to whom the immortality of the soul seemeth doubtful, or
which utterly deny the same, these truly are unworthy to have
the name of men; for they are plagues of the common-
wealth, and very beasts, worthy to be hissed and driven out
of the company of men. For he lacketh a bridle to restrain
him, and hath cast away all honesty and shame, and is prepared
in all points to commit any mischief, whosoever believeth that
the soul of man is mortal.
In what place I shewed that souls? by death being separated from their
. souls live
ee os bodies do not die, but remain alive: it resteth now behind
from their that I teach you, where the souls, when they are destitute of the
dwelling-place, their bodies, lead their life and are conversant.
While they were coupled to the bodies, they used them
as their dwelling-houses; so that, though they be said not to
be limited in place, yet they do not wander out of their
bodies, but they are as it were shut up in them as in prisons°,
until the time they be dissolved and set at liberty. Those
same souls therefore being now dissevered from their bodies,
since they retain their sound senses, their nature or disposi-
tion, and their whole substance in lively manner, albeit they
are said, no, not even now to be limited in place, yet are they
not let loose and run astray, having their abiding in no place;
but being compact and set fast in their own essence or being
are in some place again, having no new bodies, (for the souls
are free even till the judgment-day, when they shall be
joined again to their bodies ;) howbeit certain abiding-places
are prepared for them of God, wherein they may live. Al-
though other, by my lieve, very subtilly and wittily do reason,
how spirits are contained in place or not contained: I simply
affirm with the scripture, that souls separated from bodies
are taken up either into heaven itself, or else are drowned in
the depth of hell ; and that their being and abiding is even so
there, that when they are here they are not elsewhere. For
the Lord most plainly and pithily saith in the gospel, that the
Lukexvi soul of beggarly Lazarus was carried into Abraham’s bosom,
and the soul of the rich glutton was cast down into hell. But
[1 Simplicii Comment. in Epicteti Enchirid. cap. 39.]
[2 hominum, Lat. omitted; of men.]
_ [8 ergastulis, Lat. |
x OF THE REASONABLE SOUL OF MAN. 387
that more is, it forthwith followeth in the history: “Between
us and you” (for the blessed and cursed souls talk together)
“there is a great gulf stedfastly set; so that they which would
go from hence to you cannot, neither can they that would
come from thence to us.” And Paul also desireth “to be dis- pni.. i.
solved, and to be with Christ.” We are dissolved by death:
for when the soul departeth, the body is dissolved and dieth ;
the soul flieth unto Christ. But the scripture sheweth us
that Christ is in heaven at the right hand of the Father.
Now where heaven is, there is none but can tell; and we
elsewhere have largely entreated of that matter‘.
In the gospel after St John the Lord himself calleth the
conversation of souls, which is prepared for the souls after
they are separated from the bodies, both a place and mansion,
and habitation or dwelling; adding these words thereupon,
“1 will receive you (even) unto myself, that where I am, Jonxiv.
there may ye be also.” And therefore St John saw souls Rev. vi.
in heaven, abiding and taking their rest under the altar or
protection of Christ: for thither, when they departed from
their bodies, he had gathered them unto himself. Hereunto
belongeth that notable place of the apostle Paul, marvellous
fit for this purpose, written in the second to the Corinthians tv. 1.1
in these words: “ We know that if our earthly house of this
tabernacle were destroyed, we have a building of God, even
an habitation not made with hands, but eternal in heaven,” &c.
Lo, while our souls were joined to our bodies, they inhabited
and dwelt in them as in their houses; but after our corruptible
house is destroyed, God hath builded another better and of
longer continuance, heaven I mean itself, into the which he
lovingly receiveth our souls departing out of our bodies. For
that manner body which we now have he calleth the house
of this tent or tabernacle. Tor as tents for a time are made
of light stuff, and pitched without any strong foundation,
and a while after are pulled down, or do fall of their own
accord; so a mortal body is given to men as a ruinous
cottage, wherein they inhabit a few days, and immediately
pack away again. St Peter used the like allegory. Against 2 ret.i.
this (tent) he opposeth a building of everlasting continuance,
heaven I mean itself: for when he had said that we have
[4 See Vol. t. page 145.]
[5 contubernium, Lat. ]
25—2
388 THE FOURTH DECADE. [SERM.
‘a building of God,” he addeth by interpretation, (even) an
“habitation not made with hands;” and yet more plainly,
“eternal in heaven.” Neither doth that which by and by fol-
loweth hinder this, or import another meaning: “for there-
fore sigh we, desiring (upon our clothing) to be further clothed
with our house which is from heaven.” For “from heaven”
signifieth as much as if thou wouldest say, heavenly. There-
fore the house of the soul is heavenly or heaven itself, a
Thesoulre- Place, I say, appointed for blessed spirits. For verily the
turneth to
the body, but faithful soul shall dwell in heaven even unto that day,
judgment. wherein the Lord shall judge the world with that his general
judgment: then at the length the soul shall return to the
body again being raised up, that after judgment the whole
man, both soul and body, may live for ever with God. For
1 Thess. iv. thus witnesseth the apostle St Paul: “The Lord himself shall
descend from heaven in a shout, and in the voice of the
archangel, and in the trumpet of God, and the dead in Christ
shall rise first: then we which live, which remain, shall be
caught up together with them in the clouds, to meet the
Lord in the air; and so shall we ever be with the Lord,”
namely, in the heavens which are above us where the clouds
are seen. Therefore, omitting vain speculations and curious
disputations, let us believe that there is a house prepared by
the Lord in heaven for souls being separated from their
bodies, into the which the faithful may be received; and
again, that there is everlasting fire prepared, whereunto all
the souls of all infidels or unbelievers may be cast.
How souls We have taught, that heaven is the seat or habitation
should be 5 ᾿
translated to prepared of God to receive souls being separated from their
pornte bodies. It remaineth behind, that we shew after what
manner and what time they should be translated thither after
death. Touching the manner, I can say nothing else but
that it is fully known unto God; and that, so far forth as
seemeth sufficient for us, it is shadowed out in the scriptures ;
namely, that it is brought to pass by angels carrying up our
souls with a most swift flight or moving. For the Lord
saith in the gospel, that the soul of Lazarus was carried by
angels into Abraham’s bosom: of which thing also we spake
before when we preached of God’s angels'. But what man-
[1 de angelis bonis, Lat.; of good angels, ed, 1577. See above,
p. 335.]
x. | OF THE REASONABLE SOUL OF MAN, 389
ner of moving this is, whether natural or supernatural, I
mean not to make search. I believe that what God promiseth,
the same he performeth and accomplisheth ; and he promising
saith, “ΗΔ is passed from death to life.” Again, he said to Jonny.
the thief, “To-day shalt thou be with me in paradise,” com- Luke xxiii
prehending that his passage as it were in a moment. JHere-
unto we also necessarily add this, that it must be attributed
to the merits of Christ that we are taken up into heaven;
for he is the door and the way.
But at what time souls should be carried up into heaven, at what
time souls be
or cast down into hell, seemeth to be a question at this caricdup
present not only profitable, but by all means necessary to be
discussed; for in this our age there are evil-disposed per-
sons who have corrupted the pure simplicity of this matter.
For you shall find some will say, that the souls departing
from the bodies go not by and by the right and ready way
to heaven, but that, being as it were taken with a slumbering
lethargy, they sleep until the last day of judgment® You
shall find other some contending, that souls cannot come into
heaven unless they be perfectly purified with cleansing fire,
which they call purgatory; as though they were intercepted
by pirates and robbers in the midst of their journey, and cast
into torments, until either they themselves make satisfaction,
or other for them have paid as it were the debt which they
had elsewhere borrowed’. But both of these things do I
deny, and utterly deny: and I affirm that souls do not sleep,
neither are they purged by any torments after the death of
their body ; but are waking and alive, and are forthwith after
the death of the body, and even in a moment, either carried
into heaven, being freed from all kind of torments, or other-
wise cast down into hell.
These sleepy-heads‘* have nothing to allege for this their souis sepa-
lethargy or imagination of the sleep of the soul, but that the their bodies
scripture oftentimes, describing the death of the saints, maketh ea a
mention of sleeping and laying to sleep; as, “he fell asleep,
and was gathered unto (or laid by) his fathers;” and Paul
[2 Bullinger. adv. Anabapt. Lib. 1v. cap. 10.]
[3 Canones Concil. Trident. Sess. xxv. decret. de Purgatorio. |
[4 Dormitantii, Lat. See Jerome’s play on Vigilantius’ name.—
Hieron. Opp. Tom. rv. Par. 1. pp. 280, &c. Par. 1706. and Gilly’s Vi-
gilantius and his times, pp. 349, 392. Lond. 1844. ]
~
Souls separat-
ed from the
bodies are
not carried
into purga-
tory.
390 THE FOURTH DECADE. * [SERM,
saith, speaking of those that die, “I would not have you
ignorant concerning them which are asleep.” But even as
souls, when they were joined to these frail bodies, never slept,
neither could sleep: so being delivered from the burden of the
body, they are much less to be thought to sleep. To the
body therefore is sleep to be referred. For whosoever dieth
in a true faith, he sleepeth in the Lord. And as they that
sleep, when their limbs are therewith refreshed, do imme-
diately awake, rise, and labour; even so the body is not
altogether extinguished by death, that it should not live
again any more, but now verily it is received into rest, and
at the day of judgment it riseth again and liveth. And for
this cause holy men are said in the scriptures to sleep, not
to die, that thereby the mystery of the resurrection of our
flesh may be signified. Which thing these gross-headed men
understand not: whereupon they attribute that to the soul
which is proper to the body. Other arguments which they
bring to confirm their madness are unworthy to be rehearsed :
for either they violently wrest the scripture from the natural
sense; or else by their corrupt reasoning they gather false-
hood out of those things that are false.
But they do err and are no less deceived than these
sleeping doctors, which think that souls departing from their
bodies go not by and by the right and ready way into
heaven, but are caught in the midst of their journey, and
carried into that purgatory fire, wherein they may be purged
from the filthy spots of sins which they have gotten in the
flesh; and that after they be purged, they are carried by
angels into the presence of the most holy God. For either
the souls are purged with that purgatory fire from the filth
of their sins, or else they are washed and cleansed through
the pain and grief of torments which there they do suffer.
If sins be purged by virtue of that fire, then it followeth, that
sinners are not sanctified by the only blood of the Son of God.
But by what scriptures have they proved unto us that this
power of purging is given to the fire? Hath God altered his
mind and purpose, and set this fire instead of Christ to work
our sanctification? Fie for shame! But if for our sufferings
and torments’ sake sins are forgiven, then it followeth that we
are not purged by the cross and passion of Christ only.
Let them teach us out of the scripture, that such worthiness is
x] OF THE REASONABLE SOUL OF MAN. 991
attributed by God to our sufferings. But by the only blood and
passion of Christ all those are sanctified that be sanctified, who-
soever they be. Therefore purgatory is a wicked device of the
devil, which darkeneth, yea, and maketh void the cross and merits
of Christ. For what other thing do they account purgatory
but a satisfaction for sins made by the souls separated from
their bodies ? In the gospel of John there is a question moved gous are
by the disciples of John the Baptist, touching the purifying bni¥sioca”
of souls; and John Baptist declareth that the faithful are Jonni
through Christ purified by faith; which thing he is believed to
have testified also by the holy baptism. Moreover, the most
excellent apostles do expressly witness, that all the faithful
are cleansed by the only blood of Christ, and by his only
passion and most sufficient merits. For Peter, who saith in
the Acts, ‘Neither is there salvation in any other: for activ.
among men there is given no other name under heaven
whereby we must be saved;” he, I say, hath written in his
first canonical epistle: ‘‘ Ye know that you were not redeemed 1 Pet.
with corruptible things, as with silver and gold, but with the
precious blood of the immaculate Lamb.” John the apostle
also saith: “The blood of Christ Jesus, the Son of God, 1 Jonni.
cleanseth us from all sin.” And he again: “ Christ loved us, Rev. i.
and washed us from our sins by his own blood.” And Paul, gptes. v.
both to the Ephesians and to Titus, sheweth that we are pa:
purified by the only blood of the Son of God. Unto the
Hebrews he saith: “ By himself hath he purged our sins, and neb.i.
sitteth on the right hand of God in the highest places.” It
was not without signification that he said, “By himself,”
that he might thereby exclude all other means. For else-
where he saith thus: “If righteousness come by the law, eau. ii.
then Christ died in vain.” For after the same manner we
also do reason: If we be cleansed by purgatory fire, then
in vain did Christ shed his blood to purge us; for what
needed he to have suffered most grievous punishment, if we
could have been cleansed by purgatory fire? Moreover, the
whole scripture teacheth us, that Christ is our only satisfac-
tion and propitiation: which thing we have at large shewed
in other places'. And therefore souls make no satisfaction in
purgatory, unless we > will confess that men have no need
of Christ.
[1 See Vol. 1. pages 136, 167, Vol. m. page 200.]
(John ix. 4.1
Gal. vi.
Eccles. xi,
392 THE FOURTH DECADE. [SERM.
These men do further feign, that the power to purge
is given to the fire of purgatory by grace, or by the blood
and merits of Christ, and that this fire purgeth not by his
own virtue, but by the power of the Son of God!. But they
have also forged this most wickedly. For the scripture in
every place (as we also said even now) sendeth us back to
the Son of God and the price of his blood and cleansing,
whereof it teacheth that we are made partakers, while we live
in this world, by faith and the Holy Ghost: but of purgatory
it speaketh not a word in any place; neither saith it in any
place that we by the grace of God are purged in another
world, Therefore they steal away the glory which is proper
unto the Son of God, and give it toa fire which is altogether
forged and blasphemous. Furthermore, they appoint another
time of grace out of this world, which is altogether strange
unto the scriptures. For our Lord crieth in the gospel:
“1 must work the works of him that sent me, while it is day ;
the night cometh, when no man can work.” And St Paul
saith: “ Let us do good,” that is to say, let us be bountiful
and liberal towards the poor, “‘ while we have time.” Which
saying he seemeth to have taken out of Solomon’s book of
the Preacher, saying: ‘“ When the clouds are full, they pour
out rain upon the earth: and when the tree falleth, whether
it be toward the south or north, in what place soever it fall,
there it remaineth.” He useth two allegories or dark speeches,
by the which he teacheth the rich to be liberal. The first is
taken from the clouds. The clouds from the earth do gather
up vapours, which being thickened are immediately, as out of
a sponge, pressed out and poured upon the earth to water it.
Let rich men do the like, distributing again among men such
riches as they have gotten among men. ‘The second is taken
of trees, which being felled lie in the same places in which
they fall. The wise man therefore warneth us to do that in
due season which we ought to do; for when we are departed
from hence, there is no place of repentance. And in the
gospel a tree is oftentimes put for a man; where also the
right hand is put for heaven or the place of blessedness, as the
left hand for hell or the place of damnation. Therefore this
is his meaning : When thou art dead, thou shalt remain for ever
either in damnation or blessedness. Men’s testimonies are
[1 Alexander de Hales. Sum. Theol. Par. rv. quest. 8. ]
x. | OF THE REASONABLE SOUL OF MAN. 393
agreeable to the heavenly. For St Cyprian against Deme-
trianus saith: “When we shall be departed hence, there
is then no place of repentance, satisfaction is of no value.
Here life is either lost or gotten. Here is provision made for
eternal salvation, by the serving of God and the fruit of
faith?.” :
They object again, that souls when they depart from the That souls
are fully
body are purged indeed by the blood of the Son of God, but purged by
not fully ; for there remains some filth to be washed away in Christ.
purgatory’. For they depart out of this world not having a
full and perfect faith, and therefore they be not altogether
good: and again, since they have some faith, they be not al-
together evil: and because they are not perfectly good, they
cannot enter into heaven; again, since they are not altogether
evil, they cannot be damned: and therefore there remaineth a
middle place, wherein they may be fully tried‘, and at the
length being purified may be presented into the sight of God.
But these men after their manner feign what they list. But
we have shewed by the holy scriptures, that the souls of the
faithful are purged by the only blood of the Son of God
through faith, and not by purgatory. Now will I also shew
in that which followeth, that the sins of all men are purified
fully, that is to say, most absolutely, by the only sacrifice of
Christ ; and further, that by the grace of God in the blood of
_ Christ is forgiven in the very instant of death whatsoever
infirmity and remnants of sin are behind in the souls of the
faithful departing from the body. For the Lord saith in the
gospel, “He that is washed, needeth not save to wash his John xiii.
feet, but is clean every whit.” Behold he saith, “He is clean
every whit ;” that is, washed by the grace of Christ, so that
the foulness of the feet, that is to say, the infirmity and im-
perfection which remaineth after regeneration, cannot bring
him again into the number of those that are unclean. For
the Lord saith again in the gospel, “And for their sakes John xvii
sanctify I myself, that they also might be sanctified through
the truth.” The Lord gave up himself to be a sacrifice for
our sins, to the end that we might be sanctified, that 15,
[2 See above, p. 114.]
[3 Bellarmin. Controy. vi. Lib. 1, cap. vu. col. 1358. Cranmer’s
Remains, ed. Parker Soe. p. 181.]
[4 excoquantur, Lat. ]
Heb. x.
Mark ix.
994 THE FOURTH DECADE. [SERM.
purged from our sins truly, that is to say, fully and most per-
fectly. For Paul saith, “ For with one offering hath he made
perfect for ever them that are sanctified.” Mark, I pray you,
the apostle’s words: ‘Christ with one oblation” (lo, he saith,
with one) “hath perfectly sanctified all that are sanctified,”
and are made heirs of eternal life. Hereupon we gather: If by
the one sacrifice of Christ once offered for us all souls are
purified, and that indeed perfectly purified, so that there is
nothing wanting to their purifying; what, I pray you, findeth
purgatory to purify? Therefore it is a shameless forgery
and horrible blasphemy against the merit of the purifying of
Jesus Christ the Son of God. If there seem any thing to
be diminished or wanting unto the soul now departing, Christ
by his grace performeth and maketh it up whilst it is yet in
the world. It is a wicked speech and unworthy to be heard
among christian people, that by our sufferings in purgatory
that is fulfilled which was not as yet fully satisfied! with the
blood and passion of Christ: as if our sufferings were better
and more effectual than the passion of the Son of God.
These men object unto us the weakness of faith in them that
die : and we on the other side object unto them the mercy of
God, fully pardoning his faithful people. The father of the
lunatic mentioned in the gospel, requiring help of the Lord,
heareth: “If thou canst believe” (to wit, that I am able to
heal thy son), “all things are possible to him that believeth.”
And albeit he felt his faith not altogether perfect, but that
therein remained much weakness, yet the help of God was
not hindered by the weakness thereof: for because he
humbly submitted himself unto the mercy of the Lord, be-
seeching and saying, “Lord, I believe, help my unbelief ;”
the Lord by and by succoured him, and without delay
healed his son. So there is no doubt that the most merciful
Lord will fail his faithful people, to whom he hath promised
most full forgiveness, acknowledging their weakness in the
hour of death, and therefore also calling for the mercy of
God; but that upon the instant of the going out of the soul
he forthwith perfectly sanctifieth it with his Spirit for Christ’s
sake, and beautifieth it with all kind of graces, that, being
truly purged from all the filth of sins, it may flee up, and
deserve to appear in the presence of God. And this should
[1 expiatum, Lat.]
x. | OF THE REASONABLE SOUL OF MAN. 395
be beaten into the heads of them that are a dying. For
there are extant most large promises of God; there are extant
examples of many holy men dying and calling upon God.
Furthermore it is certain by those things which we have
already alleged, that the death of Christ hath made full satis-
faction for sins; so that now there remaineth nothing further
to be cleansed with the fire of purgatory. Souls, after the
death of the body, do flee the right and ready way into
heaven, taking nothing away with them which needeth purg-
ing. Therefore that fire of purgatory is nothing else in very
deed than a traffic or merchandise of most covetous men,
whereby craftily and cunningly they purge the purses, not
the souls, both of rich and poor?
These men by and by under-prop their purgatory build-
ing, which is a falling, with two posts. The first is this: They Of prayer |
of old (say they) prayed for the salvation of souls separated
from the body ; therefore there is a purgatory. For since in
heaven they have no need of prayers; surely in hell® prayers
do no good, since in hell is no redemption; truly there is a
middle place left wherein souls are kept, unto whom the
prayers of the living do good: that place is purgatory*. Thus
indeed they reason, howbeit imagining all things of their own
heads, without the authority of the scriptures. But this is that
they have to say, that they of old prayed for the dead. I
know what Augustine, that famous doctor of the church, what
Chrysostom, that golden-mouthed man, and other ancient and
notable men have left written touching this matter. But I
ask the question, Whether that which they did were well
done? For not all things which the holy fathers said and
did (who oftentimes have suffered something of man’s inven-
tion) are absolutely to be allowed or followed. Those things
are not to be allowed and followed, which are set down by
them against the decrees of the scripture, (which thing they
themselves unfeignedly confess*;) but those things only which
[5 Tyndale’s Exposit. ed. Parker Soc. pp. 161-163. Answer to More,
p.146. Doctr. Treat. pp. 244, 303, 318. Sermons of Latimer, p- 50.]
[3 ex inferis, Lat. ]
[4 Thomas Aquinas contra Gentiles. Lib. rv. cap.91. Bellarmin.
disput. de Controversiis, Lib. 1. cap. 5. Controv. vr.]
[6 See Confutation of Unwritten Verities. Cranmer’s Remains, &c.
ed. Parker Soc. chap. 11. pp. 22-36.]
1 Thess. iv.
396 THE FOURTH DECADE. [SERM.
are uttered and confirmed by the authority of holy scriptures,
which largely and plainly contain whatsoever is necessary to
be known in the doctrine of godliness. But thou canst find
nothing in them of prayer for the dead. For that which
some allege out of the second book of Maccabees proveth
nothing; for that book is not canonical: which thing it be-
hoved them to have learned long since even out of Hierome!.
They add, That prayer for the dead is an unwritten tra-
dition of the apostles”. I hear them; but I know well enough
that the unwritten traditions of the apostles are not contrary
to their written doctrines. I know well enough that the
written doctrines of the apostles no where command prayers
for the dead, and in no place allow them. When Paul the
apostle exhorted the Thessalonians to moderation in lamenting
for the dead’, the time being then very fit and most con-
venient to give commandment concerning offering of prayers
for the souls of the dead, if he had thought them any whit
profitable and necessary; yet notwithstanding he maketh no
manner mention of them, yea rather, he simply teacheth what
they ought to believe touching the souls of the faithful
being separated from their bodies, namely, that they live in
everlasting blessedness with Christ, waiting and looking for
the resurrection of their bodies*. But who cannot see that
this certainty and plainness of the apostle’s doctrine is en-
tangled and perilously shaken with this feigned apostolic
tradition? For if we believe in Christ, let us believe his
words and promises. He himself said that he is the resurrec-
tion and life of the faithful, and that the souls of the be-
lievying even immediately upon the death of the body do
escape and pass into life. If (I say) we believe these most
true words of the Lord, why then do we, as yet being careful
for the salvation of the souls of the dead, pray and make
[1 Machabzeorum libros legit quidem ecclesia, sed inter canonicas
scripturas non recipit.—Hieron. Pref. in Proy. Solom. Opp. Tom. I.
fol. 939. Par. 1693. See also Bp. Cosin’s Scholast. Hist. of Canon of
Script. Chap. vi. ὃ 71. p. 72. Lond. 1683. Fulke’s Defence, &c. ed.
Parker Soc. p. 24. Remains of Abp. Grindal, p. 23.]
[2 Bellarmin. Controy. 1. Lib. rv. cap. 7. col. 164. Controv. v1.
Lib. 11. cap. 16. col. 1404. Jewel’s Defence of Apology, ed. Parker
Soc. p. 559.]
[3 mortem suorum, Lat.; the death of their brethren. ]
[4 Cf. Sermons of Abp. Sandys, ed. Parker Soe. p. 163.]
x OF THE REASONABLE SOUL OF MAN. 397
supplication for them, as though they had not yet obtained
salvation? By these our prayers truly we give a manifest
proof that we doubt of our faith, and hope not after that, as
concerning the salvation of our souls, which we do both pro-
fess with tongue, and which also the words of Christ and the
apostles command us to hope after. The stedfast faith truly
and assured hope of those that believe and stay themselves
upon the promises of Christ do forbid us here to take and
wear black mourning-garments in offerings for the dead, whose
souls we believe to have already put on white garments:
they forbid us to give occasion either to unbelievers, or to
weaklings in faith, of reprehending us worthily, because we
mourn and lament for them who we say do live with God,
as if they were cast into hell-fire®, and busily set ourselves
awork with making humble prayers unto God to deliver the
miserable souls out of torments; that is to say, because the
faith, which we profess with tongue and voice, we condemn
by the testimony of our heart and mind, yea, and of our
outward works. If we go on after this sort, truly we are
double-dealers in our hope and in our faith, The things
which we speak seem to be dissembled, false, and feigned.
For it availeth nothing in words to vaunt of virtue, and
with deeds to destroy truth. Therefore let him that will
receive this tradition (as they call it) of the apostles, touch-
ing the offering of prayers for the faithful departed: as for
me, I mean to receive nothing repugnant to true faith and
disagreeing from the apostles’ doctrine, neither do I persuade
any man to receive such vanity.
This also I cannot choose but tell you, that that which they
call the tradition of the apostles St Augustine calleth the tra-
dition of the fathers received of the church. For in his sermon,
de verbis Apostoli, 32, he saith: ‘This which the fathers de-
livered the whole church observeth; to wit, that prayers should
be made for them in the communion of the body and blood of
Christ, when they in their own place are rehearsed at the
very sacrifice, and the same is mentioned to be offered for
them also®,” And again, de Cura pro Mortuis gerenda, cap. 4,
[5 in ignes, Lat. ; hell, not in Lat. |
[6 Hoc enim a parcbue traditum universa observat ecclesia, ut pro
eis qui in corporis et sanguinis Christi communione defuncti sunt, cum
ad ipsum sacrificium loco suo commemorantur, oretur, ac pro illis
1 Cor. xi,
398 THE FOURTH DECADE. [SERM.
he saith: ‘Supplications or prayers for the souls of the
dead are not to be neglected, which the church hath received
to be made for all that be departed in the christian brother-
hood; not rehearsing them by name, but in a general remem-
brance of them altogether!” Thus far he: who though
in some place he stretch the traditions of the apostles very
far, yet by these words this seemeth more expressly to be his
meaning; that this rite or order of praying for the dead was
delivered to the church by the fathers, and doubtless many
years after the apostles’ time was received of the church.
The same Augustine defendeth in more places than one, that
the receiving of the eucharist, or sacrament of the Lord’s
supper, is as necessary for infants being new come forth of
their mother’s womb to the attaining of salvation, as the
sacrament of baptism. The chief and notable places, wherein
he handleth that matter, are in his first book against Julianus
Pelagianus, &c., and in his first book de Peccatorum Meritis
et Remissione, against the Pelagians?, Neither doth he urge
that opinion with less earnestness than the tradition, because
that was received and very usual in the church in that age.
But who at this day receiveth that ceremony as apostolical?
Who seeth not that those good fathers, otherwise most faith-
ful pastors, in that thing suffered some invention of man? The
written doctrine of St Paul deserveth at this day more to
be esteemed than that ancient tradition of the church. Paul
writeth : “ Let every man examine himself, and so let him
eat of this bread and drink of this cup.” Whereby all men
understand that the eucharist, or sacrament of the Lord’s
supper, is for them to receive that are of perfect age, and
not for infants. For that cause it was lawful for our elders
to forsake that tradition, and to draw more near to the scrip-
ture. Let them therefore in this matter give us leave also
to depart from the uncertain tradition of the fathers, and to
cleave to the most assured faith and doctrine of the apostles.
quoque id offerri commemoretur.—August. de Verbis Apost. Serm.
xxx. Opp. Tom. x. fol. 84. col. 1. Par. 1532. ]
[1 Non sunt preetermittende supplicationes pro spiritibus mortu-
orum, quas faciendas pro omnibus in Christiana et catholica societate
defunctis, etiam tacitis nominibus quorumque sub generali commemo-
ratione, suscepit ecclesia.—Id. Tom. tv. fol. 200, col. 2.]
[3 Id. Tom. vn. fol. 192, &c., and fol. 134, &c. Par. 1532.]
x] OF THE REASONABLE SOUL OF MAN. 399
But Atrius (say they) was condemned for this cause, for zriani con:
that he believed prayers were unprofitable for the dead’. Τὴ
know indeed that AZrius was condemned, neither do I take
upon me to defend him, whom Phylastrius, Epiphanius, and
Augustine do make mention to have been an Arian, and a
man polluted with other foul errors’. But touching prayers
for the dead, whether they be profitable or unprofitable,
there is no doubt that they are catholics and not heretics,
who believe that which is delivered and set down in the
Apostles’ creed: for according to the tradition of this creed
we believe the forgiveness of sins, the resurrection of this
flesh, and life everlasting. They which believe these things
obtain undoubtedly whatsoever they believe. For the Lord
said to the Centurion: “ Go thy way, and as thou hast be- Mate. viii
lieved, so be it done unto thee.” Therefore whosoever be-
lieveth forgiveness of sins and life everlasting hath obtained
forgiveness of sins, and surely he shall live in everlasting
life. Which thing, if that be true, as it cannot be false, which
is delivered unto us in the Apostles’ creed, what place, I pray
you, shall prayers have for the dead? For the dead have
their sins forgiven them: therefore all lets and delays unto
life are taken away, and so they live with God. But they
which have not believed have retained and kept their sins
still, and, being cast down into the bottomless lake, stick fast
in the mire of hell. Which things since they are so of a
certainty, truly there is no use of praying for the dead,
neither before God, nor among the faithful. Hereunto are
annexed so many examples of the saints in both the Testa-
ments, which are to be preferred both before traditions and
condemnations of men. Which, I pray you, of the holy fa-
thers ever prayed for their dead? Did Adam pray for his
Abel? Did the sons pray for their father Adam? What
prayers did Abraham offer to God for the soul of his father
Thare, or for the soul of his most dear wife Sara? What
prayers poured Esau and Jacob forth for their father Isaac
when he died? the twelve sons of Israel for Jacob? Salo-
[3 Bellarmin. Controv. vi. Lib. 1. cap. 2. col. 1325.]
[4 S. Philastrii Lib. de Heres. p. 491. § 44. Vet. Pat. Biblioth. Tom.
vu. Ven. 1670. Epiphan. adv. Heres, Lib. m1. Tom. 1. ὁ 1. p.905.
Opp. Tom.1, Par. 1622. August. Opp. Tom. vi. fol. 6. col. 1. Par.
1532.]
Appearing
of spirits.
Deut. xviii.
Tsai. viii.
Luke xvi.
400 THE FOURTH DECADE. [SERM.
mon for David? In the new Testament John Baptist is
beheaded of Herod, Stephen stoned of the Jews, James his
head is cut off by the shoulders at the commandment of
Agrippa; their disciples bury their bodies, and do all things
religiously belonging to their burials: but in so many fune-
rals there is no mention made of prayer for the souls of
the dead; for they believed that they forthwith after death
were carried into everlasting life. Who then after so many
notable examples, and after so clear profession of the catholic
and sincere faith, can tie us to the necessity of praying for
the souls of the dead? Who can say hereafter that we are
heretics, who fulfil that in work which we profess in pro-
fession of faith or confession of the mouth; yea, which do
no other thing than the most excellent worshippers of God
of both Testaments have done before us ?
The last post, wherewith they underprop their purgatory,
lest it should fall, is the appearing of spirits!. For Rabanus,
a bishop, sheweth out of the testimonies of pope Gregory and
reverend Beda, that the souls of dead men have very often
appeared, and taught that oblations and prayers do profit
them very much*. But I wonder that men of learning would
ground their work upon so rotten and ruinous foundations;
for the Lord in the law forbiddeth to ask the truth of the
spirits or souls of the dead. In the Prophets we are sent
from such oracles to the law and the testimony. In Luke
the rich glutton crieth in torments, and saith: “1 pray thee,
father Abraham, that thou wouldest send Lazarus to my
father’s house, for I have five brethren, that he may witness
unto them, lest they also come into this place of torment.”
But he heareth: ‘They have Moses and the prophets; let
them hear them.” But when the rich glutton had answered,
‘No, father Abraham; but if one come unto them from the
dead, they will believe and* repent ;” he heareth again, “If
they hear not Moses and the prophets, neither will they believe,
(1 Bellarmin. disput. de Controversiis. Controy. v1. Lib. 1. cap. 7.
coll. 1361, 2, 1375, 1384, 1390. Magdeb. Centur. Cent. vit. cap. 13.
col. 498. Vol. 1. Cent. x. cap. 14. col. 385, Cent. x11. cap. 13. col. 886,
Vol. m1. Basil. 1624. ]
[5 Rabani Mauri de Instit. Cleric. Lib. 1. cap, 44. Tom. vi. fol.
27. col. 1. Col. Agrip. 1626.]
[3 believe and, not in Lat. ]
x. OF THE REASONABLE SOUL OF MAN. 401
if one rise from death.” Therefore it is most certain, and
confirmed by the authority of the gospel, that blessed souls4
are not sent of God unto us to teach us any thing. Who, I
pray you, would give ear to wicked and condemned souls?
The gospel of Christ sendeth us all to the canonical scripture.
Whereupon it followeth, that the testimonies which are fetched
from oracles or appearings of the spirits of the dead are of no
weight, but most deceivable and full of lying.
Man’s testimonies are agreeable with God’s; which also
teach us, that souls being separated from their bodies cannot
wander or stray in these regions. The words are too long to
rehearse, which Tertullian learnedly disputeth of this matter
in the end almost of his book De Anima; yet they are all
levelled to this mark, to shew that souls separated from their
bodies, and appointed to their places, do not return again
into this world. To the objection of some that boast of art
magic, and also that by the power of God many have re-
turned from the dead into this life, he answereth: “ But
although the power of God hath called back again some souls
into their bodies, to give us instruction of his might and right;
yet therefore that shall not be communicated with the credit
and boldness of magicians, and the deceitfulness of dreams,
and licentiousness of poets: but in the examples of the resur-
rection, when God’s power, either by prophets, or by Christ,
or by apostles, bringeth souls into bodies, it is manifestly
declared by sound, evident, and full truth, that it is the
shape of a true body: that thou mightest judge all appear-
ings of dead men without bodies to be delusions®.” Therefore
Chrysostom in his twenty-ninth Homily upon Matthew demand-
ing: “What then shall we answer to those speeches; I am
such a soul?” he answereth; “It is not the soul of that dead
body which speaketh these things, but the devil, who de-
[4 ne beatas quidem animas, Lat. ; that not even blessed souls. ]
[5 Sed etsi quasdam revocavit in corpora Dei virtus, in documenta
juris sui, non idcirco communicabitur fidei et audacie Magorum, et
fallacize somniorum, et licentie poétarum. Atquin in resurrectionis
exemplis, cum Dei virtus, sive per prophetas, sive per Christum, sive
per apostolos in corpora animas repreesentat, solida et contrectabili et
satiata veritate, preejudicatum est hanc esse formam veritatis, ut om-
nem mortuorum exhibitionem incorporalem prestigias judices.—Ter-
tull. de Anim. cap. 57. Opp. ed. Semler. Tom. tv. p. 287. Hal. Magd,
1824.]
[BULLINGER, I. ] a
That souls
separated
from their
bodies do
not wander
in these
regions.
Luke xii.
Acts vii.
Phil. i.
Gen, xxv.
Luke xvi.
402 THE FOURTH DECADE. [SERM.
viseth these things to deceive them that hear him.” And
anon he saith: ‘‘ Wherefore these are to be counted the words
of old wives and of dotards, and children’s toys and phan-
tasies.” And again: “A soul separated from the body
cannot wander in these regions. For the souls of the right-
eous are in the hands of God, and the souls of infants like-
wise: for they have not sinned. And the souls of the wicked
after this life are by and by carried away: which is made
apparent by Lazarus and the rich glutton. But in another
place the Lord also saith: ‘This night they shall require thy
soul again from thee.’ Therefore the soul, when it departeth
from the body, cannot wander here with us: and that not
without cause. For if they which go a journey, chancing
into unknown countries, know not whither they are like to
go, except they have a guide; how much more shall the soul
be ignorant whither it shall go, after it hath left the body
and entereth altogether into a new life and strange way,
unless it have a guide! Out of many places of the scripture
it may be proved, that the souls of just and righteous men
do not go astray! after death. For Stephen saith, ‘ Lord
Jesu, receive my spirit.’ And Paul desired to be loosed and
to be with Christ. Of the patriarch the scripture also saith,
‘He died in a quiet (or good) age, and was gathered unto (or
laid by) his fathers.’ And that the souls of the wicked cannot
tarry or have their abiding here, give ear what the rich
glutton saith, and consider what he craveth, and obtaineth not.
For if the souls of men might be conversant here, he had come
himself as he desired, and had certified his brethren of the
torments of hell. Out of which place of scripture this also
plainly appeareth ; that souls after their going out of the body
are carried into some certain appointed place, from whence
they cannot return of their own accord when they will
return, but wait and look for that terrible day of judgment.”
Thus much hitherto out of Chrysostom.
(1 non errare hic, Lat.; do not wander up and down here. |
[2 Αὐτοὶ, φησὶν, of δαιμονῶντες βοῶσιν, ὅτι Ψυχὴ τοῦ δεῖνος ἐγώ.
Ἀλλὰ καὶ τοῦτο σκηνή τις καὶ ἀπάτη διαβολική. Οὐ γὰρ ἡ ψυχὴ τοῦ τελευ-
τηκότος ἐστὶν ἡ βοῶσα, ἀλλ᾽ ὁ δαίμων ὑποκρινόμενος ταῦτα ὥστε ἀπατῆσαι
τοὺς ἀκούοντας... . Ὥστε γραϊδίων μεθυόντων ταῦτα τὰ ῥήματα, καὶ παίδων
μορμολύκεια. Οὐδὲ yap ἔνι Ψυχὴν ἀποῤῥαγεῖσαν τοῦ σώματος ἐνταῦθα
πλανᾶσθαι λοιπόν: ψυχαὶ γὰρ δικαίων ἐν χειρὶ Θεοῦ" εἰ δὲ αἱ τῶν δικαίων,
X. | OF THE REASONABLE SOUL OF MAN. 403
Against these things they oppose the appearing of Samuel samuel
after his
fetched from the holy scriptures ; ; whereby they go about to saa
prove that souls return again after death, and instruct men to Saul.
touching things which they shall demand. We answer in
few words, that that disguised masker, which seemed to be
Samuel, was called Samuel by a trope or figure, but in very
deed he was not Samuel: for of a certainty it was a spirit, 1sam. xxviii.
a juggling and delusion of Satan. For sorcery is straitly
forbidden in the law of the Lord: therefore blessed spirits
obey not forbidden ways and unlawful practices, which, when
they were as yet joined with their fleshly bodies, by all means
abhorred and resisted them in their assaults: as for damned
spirits, they exercise themselves therein. But who would
believe their oracles? Samuel? (say they) foretold what
happened the morrow after. And what of that? That was
no hard matter for the devil, since that the true and living
Samuel foretold many things a little while before: but this
crafty fox might foreknow the judgment of God which was
to come, even by things present, and by the fear and quaking
of the hosts. Tertullian in his book De Anima saith:
“God forbid we should believe that the soul of any saint,
much less the soul of a prophet, can be fetched up by the devil;
since we have learned that Satan is transformed into an
4 ε “ , 3 A A > ο , Ἁ e a e a Ν
καὶ αἱ τῶν παίδων" οὐδὲ γὰρ ἐκεῖναι πονηραί" καὶ ai τῶν ἁμαρτωλῶν δὲ
εὐθέως ἐντεῦθεν ἀπάγονται. Καὶ δῆλον ἀπὸ τοῦ Λαζάρου καὶ τοῦ πλουσίου.
A ’ ro
Kai ἀλλαχοῦ δέ φησιν ὁ Χριστός: Σήμερον τὴν ψυχήν cov ἀπαιτοῦσιν ἀπὸ
σοῦ. Καὶ οὐχ οἷόν τε ψυχὴν ἐξελθοῦσαν τοῦ σώματος ἐνταῦθα πλανᾶσθαι"
Ν , Dit VS, ° A > “ , ΄“΄ 4, Ν , A
kal μάλιστα εἰκότως" ei yap ἐν γῇ βαδίζοντες τῇ συνήθει καὶ γνωρίμῳ, καὶ
rat , ad 4 ς Α ς 4 , 5» lod r > 7
σῶμα περικείμενοι, ὅταν ξένην ὁδὸν ὁδεύωμεν, ποίαν ἐλθεῖν δεῖ οὐκ ἴσμεν
x a a A a
ἂν μὴ τὸν χειραγωγοῦντα ἔχωμεν, πῶς ἡ TOD σώματος ἀποῤῥαγεῖσα ψυχὴ,
καὶ τῆς συνηθείας ἐξελθοῦσα πάσης, εἴσεται ποῦ δεῖ βαδίζειν ἄνευ τοῦ
καθοδηγοῦντος αὐτήν ; καὶ πολλαχόθεν δὲ ἑτέρωθεν ἄν τις κατίδοι, ὅτι οὐκ
ἔνι ψυχὴν ἐξελθοῦσαν ἐνταῦθα μεῖναι" καὶ γὰρ ὁ Στέφανός φησι: Δέξαι τὸ
πνεῦμά pov: καὶ 6 Παῦλος, Τὸ ἀναλῦσαι καὶ σὺν Χριστῷ εἶναι πολλῷ
μᾶλλον κρεῖττον" καὶ περὶ τοῦ πατριάρχου δέ φησιν ἣ γραφή: Καὶ προσε-
46 Α \ Fi ᾽ A ‘ > , > - σ δὲ ὐὃ \ ς cal
τέθη πρὸς τοὺς πατέρας αὐτοῦ, τραφεὶς ἐν γήρει KANG. “Ore δὲ οὐδὲ ai τῶν
ἁμαρτωλῶν ψυχαὶ διατρίβειν ἐνταῦθα δύνανται, ἄκουσον τοῦ πλουσίου πολλὰ
a ἣν
ὑπὲρ τούτου παρακαλοῦντος, καὶ οὐκ ἐπιτυγχάνοντος. Ὥς εἴγε ἦν δυνατὸν,
3 - a
αὐτὸς ἂν ἦλθε καὶ ἀνήγγειλε τὰ ἐκεῖ γεγενημένα. Ὅθεν δῆλον ὅτι μετὰ τὴν
ἐντεῦθεν ἀποδημίαν εἰς χώραν τινὰ ἀπάγονται αἱ ψυχαὶ, οὐκ ἔτι κυρίαι οὖσαι
ἐπανελθεῖν, ἀλλὰ τὴν φοβερὰν ἐκείνην ἡμέραν dvapévoveat.—Chrysostom.
Hom. in Matth. xxviii. (al. xxix.) foll. 336, 7. Tom. vi. Par. 1727.]
[3 Sed preedixit, Lat.; But Samuel, ὅσο.
404 THE FOURTH DECADE. [SERM.
angel of light, much more into a man of light; yea, that he
will pretend that he is God, and will shew wonderful signs, to
overthrow, if it were possible, even the elect',” &c. St
Augustine is of the same judgment concerning that appear-
ing. Lib. ad Simplicianum u. quest. 3; and ad Dulcitii
queest.? το. |
By these testimonies it is abundantly declared, I trust,
that souls of men separated from bodies do not wander or
appear after death in these regions; for they remain until
judgment in the places appointed for them by the determi-
nation and providence*® of God. Wherefore they are neither
sent by God, neither can they enter in unto men to instruct
and warn them either of things present or of things to come.
Whereupon it followeth, that appearing of souls, that revela-
tions and oracles, are mere delusions of Satan, ordained con-
trary to the sincerity and pureness of true religion. And
because they which do what they can to prove unto us that
there is purgatory use the defence and safeguard of these
vanities ; it is undoubtedly true that they prove a falsehood
by deceit, and an uncertain thing by a thing of much more
uncertainty. Furthermore, it remaineth undoubtedly true,
that purgatory, wherein souls having put off their bodies
should be purged unto life everlasting, cannot be shewed out
of the scriptures.
Souls And because we have removed and put by the lets which
certainly and
immediate] ἢ : :
immediately were cast In the way to hinder the most speedy journey, we
hia return to our purpose; wherein we intended to declare that
blessed. the souls of the faithful, separated by death from the body,
do immediately after the death of the body pass the right and
ready way into heaven, and so most certainly and upon the
sudden be saved. Likewise we understand, that the souls of
the unfaithful are thrust down the right and ready way into
hell, and that by and by after the death of the body they
perish with most certain and sudden damnation. For the
[1 Absit alioquin ut animam cujuslibet sancti, nedum prophete, a
dzemonio credamus extractam, edocti quod ipse Satanas transfiguretur
in angelum lucis, etiam Deum se adseveraturus, signaque portentosiora
editurus, ad evertendos, si fieri possit, electos.—Tertull. de Anim. cap.
57. ed. Semler. Tom, rv. p. 286.]
[2 August. Opp. Tom. Iv. fol. 139. col. 1. and fol. 142. coll. 3, 4.
Par. 1532. |
(3 and providence, not in Lat.]
x. | OF THE REASONABLE SOUL OF MAN, 405
Lord expressly saith in the gospel: “ He that believeth in the Jonn iii.
Son of God is not condemned (or judged); but he that believ-
eth not is condemned (or judged) already, because he hath
not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God.”
Again: “ He that believeth in the Son of God hath eternal tv. 36]
life; but he that believeth not the Son shall not see life, but
the wrath of God abideth on him.” And yet again: ‘“ This (vi.40.
is the will of him that sent me, that every one which seeth the
Son, and believeth on him, hath everlasting life; and I will raise
him up at the last day.” Now the last day of man is the the last day
point of death: in it Christ saveth us by his power, lest our
soul should either perish or feel any torments, but that it
might live and enjoy everlasting blessedness. Moreover‘,
the last day is that last day of judgment, wherein Christ shall
raise again and judge all flesh, glorifying the bodies of his
faithful people unto life everlasting.
Again the Lord saith in the gospel: ‘“ Verily, verily, I sonny.
say unto you, He that heareth my word, and believeth on him
that sent me, hath everlasting life, and shall not come into
judgment (or damnation); but is escaped from death unto
life.’ These only words of our Lord are able enough (with-
out any gain-saying) to set forth, declare, prove, and confirm
sufficiently our opinion concerning the most certain and sudden
salvation of souls. For first of all, lest any man should doubt
of the most assured truth touching the matter which he was
setting forth, immediately upon the beginning most holily he
sweareth, that is to say, he confirmeth the truth by giving
witness thereunto with an oath. Afterwards he annexeth
the whole manner of our salvation; which consisteth in hearing
the word of God, and in true faith which receiveth the truth of
God’s word: for it is not enough to have heard the word of
the gospel, unless we cleave unto the same by true faith.
But now mark with what assurance Christ promiseth life and
salvation to them that believe in him: ‘“ He hath life everlast-
ing,” saith he: he said, “he hath,” not, he shall have. There-
fore he left no space either to doubting, or to space of time.
Yea, yet more plainly, by interpretation expounding when and
how the faithful have or obtain life, he saith: ‘He shall not
[4 Est preeterea, &c. Lat. Again the last day is. In these two
senses Bullinger also explains “the last day” in Comment. in Joan. in
loc. cit. ]
Rey, xiv.
406 THE FOURTH DECADE. [SERM.
come into judgment (or damnation), but is escaped from death
unto life.” They come into judgment, which have their cause
to be examined and discussed before the judge. They come
also into judgment, which by the sentence of the judge are
punished for their evil cause. But the faithful have no cause
to be tried and discussed before the judge; for their sins
are fully forgiven them. “It is God which justifieth and for-
giveth. Who is he that condemneth?” Therefore they are
not subject to any punishments; for Christ bare the punish-
ment of the cross, that his faithful people might be delivered
and saved harmless from all torments. But rather, lest any
man should think there were a stay or space of time between
the death of the body and the life of the world to come, he
saith: ‘‘ But is escaped from death unto life.” Lo, he saith,
‘He is escaped,” not, He shall escape; that by the verb of the
preter tense he might signify the certainty of the time past’,
and might shew that the souls of them that believe are by
and by after the death of the body caught up into life ever-
Jasting. And I know well enough that the adversaries here
have no sound argument to set against so manifest and invin-
cible a truth. Indeed, with their wrangling words and their
sophistry they may wrestle with the truth; but to overthrow
the truth they are never able. For the souls of the faithful
even out of the very mouth (as is commonly said, ‘“‘ Von mund
auf zu himmel faren®”’) upon a sudden enter into their blessed
seats, and by faith enjoy everlasting felicity.
Again, we read in the revelation of our Lord Jesus Christ
made to John the apostle, that it was said: “And I heard a |
voice from heaven, saying unto me, Write, Blessed are the
dead which hereafter die in the Lord*: even so saith the
Spirit, that they may rest from their labours, and their works
follow them.” In these words an heavenly and undoubted
oracle touching the blessednesses of all such as die in faith is
knit up: and St John is commanded to write the oracle from
(1 of the time past, not in Lat.]
[2 Ascend to heaven from the very mouth. ]
[3 So Tyndale, 1525; Coverdale, 1535; Cranmer, 1539; and the
Geneva version, 1557. The Vulgate reads, Amodo jam dicit Spiritus,
(From henceforth now, saith the Spirit, Douay); but Erasmus notes:
Greeci sic distinguunt, ut amodo sit finis sententise, ut sit sensus, Post-
hac fore beatos, qui in Domino fuerint mortui. Annot. in loc. j
» ἢ OF THE REASONABLE SOUL OF MAN. 407
heaven, that it may remain to all times, and be read of all
people. The sum of the oracle is this, “‘ Blessed are the dead,
which hereafter die in the Lord.” But they die in the Lord,
whosoever depart out of this life in the faith of Jesus Christ ;
for so the apostle useth this kind of speech in the 1 Cor. xv.
and 1 Thess. iv. Furthermore, they which depart out of this
life in the faith of Jesus Christ are simply and truly pro-
nounced blessed, to wit, happy and free from all misery. Yea,
a note of the time when they shall obtain this blessedness is
added, namely, Hereafter (ἀπάρτι), that is to say, presently,
at an instant*, by and by, out of hand, to wit, as the Lord
saith in the gospel, forthwith after the death of the body.
There is added also another testimony, whereby again the
certainty of felicity is expressed, and perfection too not de-
layed till the morrow: “ Even so, saith the Spirit, that they
may rest from their labours.” The Spirit, I mean, of truth,
which cannot lie, saith, vai, that is to say, Amen, so it is:
truly the faithful are blessed indeed; and even at an instant
they are blessed; and so blessed, that “they rest from their
labours.” The labours of the faithful are miseries, calamities,
afflictions, sorrow, fear or dread, and other evils of this sort,
wherewith in this world they are vexed, yea, rather exercised
in faith, From these things the souls of the faithful departing
from their bodies are delivered: therefore they are not purged
by torments and vexations, they are not scorched in the midst
of their journey ; but, being happy and blessed, are forthwith
delivered from all anguish and trouble. And if so be that
they suffered anything whiles they were yet living in the
body, if they did any good works in faith, they “do follow
them.” Let no man think that those works, because they now
cease, were and are vain; for they receive their reward in
that blessed life. For that it is, that “their works do follow
them.” And let us mark, that he saith not, the works of
other follow them, to deliver them forsooth out of purgatory;
but, their own works follow them. For in the gospel also,
the wise virgins, which had oil ready in their lamps, went in
with the bridegroom to the marriage: the foolish virgins,
{4 dmapre significat, ab instanti, ab illa hora, protinus et continuo,
einswegs, von stund an. Bulling. in Apoc. Conc. 65. p. 205. Basil.
1570. |
408 THE FOURTH DECADE. [SERM. x.]
which had! prepared themselves no oil, but did hope to have
from elsewhere to serve their turn, are excluded and shut out
from joy.
To the omnipotent God therefore, our most merciful
Father, and continual running fountain of all good graces
and which is never drawn dry, who fashioned our body in our
mother’s womb, and breathed or poured into it a reasonable
soul, which might whilst it is joined to the body quicken and
direct us, and when it is separated from the body might forth-
with after the death of the body be translated into heaven,
there to live in joy and happiness until it return again
unto the body being raised from the dead in the last
judgment, with the which it may rejoice and be
glad for ever and without end; to that God,
I say, through Jesus Christ, for whose
sake we are made partakers of
so great a benefit, be glory,
praise, and thanksgiv-
ing for evermore.
Amen.
[᾿ in vita, Lat. omitted; in their lifetime. ]
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