ἘΣ Tener cost ΤΩΣ HORS 2 τ κριτῶν: Hes Pp a BA Mares itahynenaancuran tui on ho asea snore ELLE S IEEE LES LE, Ζ Es AE FRI GL ΠΣ ΜΝ τ αν Ps ὃς att Sa He. ; AES ere att sis tian BY eae] CAMA ne any ey xa ᾿ " & - . ἢ Digitized by the Internet Archive in 2019 with funding from” Kahle/Austin Foundation > he ἦν https://archive.org/details/decadesofhenrybu0000bull BULLINGER’S DECADES. The Parker Soctety. Oustitutes AD. M.BCCEC.NZ. ELA τ τ pe Hor the Publication of the Ceorks of the Fathers and Garlp U@iriters of the Reformed English Church, THE DECADES HENRY BULLINGER, MINISTER OF THE CHURCH OF ZURICH. TRANSLATED BY H. I. THE FOURTH DECADE. EDITED FOR The Parker Soctety, BY THE REV. THOMAS HARDING, A.M., OF WORCESTER COLLEGE, OXFORD, AND VICAR OF BEXLEY, IN KENT. CAMBRIDGE: PRINTED AT THE UNIVERSITY PRESS. M.DCCC.LI. CONTENTS. PAGE Appenpa and Errata : ὅ : : : A 0 : Vii Tue Fourru Dercape. The First Sermon : : : 5 : : : : 1 The Second Sermon : : ἃ ἃ : : δὅ Dedication to Edward VI. . : : : : : . 11 The Third Sermon . : ; : : ὃ : 6 128 The Fourth Sermon . : : : : : 5 . 173 The Fifth Sermon . : ; : ἢ ὃ : : 194 The Sixth Sermon : : : : : ; ‘ . 238 The Seventh Sermon : 5 ἃ ; : ; : 273 The Eighth Sermon . : . : τ : o BBY The NintheSermon?, “=. "7 =. «= . ἘΠ 997 The Tenth Sermon . : : : : . 3865 42031 aedtwel [Gm At et Ay ᾿ wes wil of cigs ft oh. i - yoo) ioctl OTE ; ( wt bat 19 ἫΝ 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. Α. τ. Sc. 5. Ourselves we do not owe. ERRATA. Pace Je,uote 2) for ‘‘above”’ read Vol. IT. ΠΡ 255 185, — 5, for ““ spinosa”’ read spinose. 196, line 33, read, representation ov likeness. 209, note 1, for ““ 138 read “132.” 223, line 5, place a comma at obedient. 229, — 24, 231, — 20, 304, — 9, place a comma after curiously. 318, note 1, for “ note 2”’ read note 1. 348, dele “‘ note 4”’ and substitute [4 See above, page 329, and Hutchinson's Works, ed, Parker Soc. p. 134.] 300s ΠΟΘ oon é for *‘anime”’ read anime. 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. Arter the exposition of the law, and those points of doctrine that depend upon the law2, 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 I 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 gyangetium, Latins and Germans, and at this day used as a word of their pee own. It is compounded of εὖ, which signifieth good, and ayyédAw, 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. [2 verse salutis omnia, Lat.; all things pertaining to true salva- tion. # 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. | 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- “ελίσασθαι; that is, to preach the gospel hath he sent Iniixi me, to heal the broken-hearted, to preach deliverance unto et athe 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. ΤῸ which also, to make it more evident, he addeth another cause®, 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 Twa, 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. ] [? whereunto—Evangelium, the translator’s addition. ] [3 cunning (skilful) and willing, not in Lat.] [4 his, Lat.; to these. ] [5 alia, Lat. ; other benefits. ] [6 verus utique annus jubileus, Lat.] 1.] OF THE GOSPEL, 3 Therefore the gospel is of all men in a manner after The gospel, this sort defined: The gospel is a good and a sweet word, Ἔα "ἦς 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 promi. prophets in the holy scripture of his Son, which was made“? 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- n of the gospel: The gospel is the heavenly preaching of God’s grace spel. [7 revelationem mysterii, Lat. | 1{π ~ That the gospel is tidings from heaven, (Heb. i. 1, 2.) (John i. 18; iii, 31, 82,1 4 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: “ΝΟ 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 aboye 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. ] [ incarnandus, Lat. ; being to be incarnate. } 1. | 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 iii.175 uke ix. 34. } 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 th because it is preached by the ministery of men. For of the 6 e word of od,although be uttered apostles we do read that the Lord did say: “It is not ye by theminis: try of men. that speak, but the Spirit of my Father which is within you.” (Mat * δ] 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 Τ ron xiii. 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 1. 6. guardian. | [John xx. 23.] [ Matt. xviii. 18.) 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. κ 16. the Lord saith: “ Verily I say unto you, It shall be easier The gospel preacheth 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 is 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. vill. Moreover, it signifieth praise and recompence, as in that place where the apostle saith: “If, when ye do well, ye are atfilicted, and yet do bear it; that is praiseworthy 1] OF THE GOSPEL. y 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- (Romi. δ. 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 8" 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 *. Moreover the most true scripture doth teach us, that God is of his own in- clination naturally good, gentle, and, as Paul calleth him, phdl- critusiii. 4.1 [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. | [John iii. 16.] ῃ John iv. 0.) [Rom. ii. 23, 24.) 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- 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 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: * All have sinned, and stand in need οὐδ 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 doctrinee, Lat. | [5 ad Romanos, Lat. omitted. ] [6 destituuntur, Lat, and Erasmus. | mit) ws 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 The eause of this free love of God is the only cause and true beginning aay 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. | fl Rather, therefore again grace hath something to work in man. | [1 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 us?, 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: “If 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 is 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. ] [ 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 hee omnia sicut oportet agere valeamus per infusionem Spiritus Sancti in nobis fieri confitetur; et aut humilitati aut obedientiz humanze subjungit gratis adjutorium, nec ut obedientes et humiles simus ipsius gratize donum esse consentit ; resistit apostolo dicenti, Quid habes quod non accepisti? et, Gratia Dei sum id quod sum. —Concil. Arausic. 1. 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. | i] OF THE GOSPEL. 11 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 Augustine and Pelagius the heretic did by grace understand nothing but the benefit touching tne 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 7°Sriia working grace, and joint-working grace: finally, they part "Gin" operans, et it into grace that goeth before, and grace that followeth after, gratia co- . - operans. And the very same writers also reckon up the operations 4. Gratia preeveniens, or effects of grace after this manner almost: grace healeth oa [5 Apostolos, Lat.; the apostles. | [6 Pelagium, Lat. omitted. ] [7 Rather, that human nature was sufficient unto itself. ] [8 Aurelius aliique episcopi, inter quos Augustinus, Innocentio Pape, de Pelagio quem audierant jam ad presbyterii gradum evec- tum.—Aug. Ep. 95. (in the Benedictine Edition, 177.) Op. Par. 1531. Vol. 1. 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 precedentium aliquorum operum meritis, sed gratuita Dei bonitate donata est; alia est tamen qua predestinati vocamur, justificamur, glorificamur. It is also stated that Pelagius aflirmed,—non solum ad facienda, verum etiam ad perficienda mandata divina per liberum arbitrium humanam sibi sufficere naturam,—as here alleged by Bul- linger. ] Weare justified by grace. God exhibit- eth his grace tous in Christ. 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. But now, before I depart from this argument, I thought 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. Now therefore, having thus expounded according to my 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.] [? salutis, Lat. ] ΤῊ 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 tne promises uttered in the holy scriptures, are threefold, or of three sorts: Christ ou I therefore, to make them the plainer unto you, do divide the wee 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 first = evangelie, ἘΝ very mouth of God unto our first parents, Adam and Evah, Ce being oppressed with death, calamities, and the horrible fear glad tcings 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.] [Psal. xxii. 6, 15.] (Gen, xxii. 18.] [Gal. iii. 16.] 14 THE FOURTH DECADE. [SBRM. 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: “I 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: “I 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 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. ] 1.] 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 [6 A misprint in all the editions for cwrse: 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. 1. 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-begottem 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. ion Gi 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 [ See Vol, 1. page 151.] [2 Rather, the promises in a figure. | [3 in I. capite, Lat. ] [Ἢ Rather, and the water that flowed out. Cf. Bullinger, Comment. in loe. cit. | [5 See Vol. 1. p. 339; also, The Old Faith, p. 44.] [8 See Decade III. Serm. 6.] 1] OF THE GOSPEL. 17 add: ‘All the prophets also from Samuel and these that cactsiii. 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 Ὁ 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}. Now he maketh’ 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 (Mie. v. 3.1 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.] [1 Augustine. See Vol. 1. p. 51.] [12 so—of Christ, not in Lat. | [13 proponit, Lat. ] [14 Immanuel, an addition of the translator’s. | [18 The epithets are the translator’s. ] [16 refert ad zternitatem, Lat. | bo [BULLINGER, III. | 18 THE FOURTH DECADE. [SERM. (Jer xxii, through all the compass of the world. Jeremy saith, that ᾿ God would raise up to David ἃ 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, Deus vers brought forth a Son, whose name is Jehovah, being very Flea wil 4] God in very deed, whom Esay calleth Immanuel, and is the true righteousness of all that do believe in him ; for by Christ [Isai xxxi, 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: Joel ui2s— 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 Jom (x.] 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 Cxsar, Antony and Octavius Dan.ix, | Augustus, maintained civil war*, Moreover, Daniel’s weeks‘ 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.] [? mox post captivitatem, is Bullinger’s Lat.] [3 imperitantibus, Lat. ] [4 in 9 cap. Lat. ] [6 toti mundo, Lat.; to all the world. | [6 tempora, Lat. | 1. 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 Rom. i, gospel by his prophets in the holy scriptures. Now by these holy promises we do gather this also, The gospel 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 ?. We are now come to the second part, where we have to Godthe shew you that God the Father hath faithfully performed to through rist per- us that which he promised to our forefathers in giving to formed to us us his only-begotten Son, who is that true and looked-for (Rr re: Messiah, that is to be blessed}* world without end. In making eee 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. Haggzeus 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. τι. page 283.] [13 benedictus, Lat. ; who is blessed. ] Ἵ --2 [Luke ii, 30— 32. 20 THE FOURTH DECADE. [SERM: 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. | [? in urbe Hierosolymorum regia, Lat. ; in the royal city. ] [8 quanti Christum faciant, Lat. ; how joyful they were, the trans- lator’s addition. ] [4 urbe regia, Lat. ] [5 veritate, Lat. ; truth.] [6 tranquillissimo animo, Lat.; with most peaceful mind. ] [7 felicitatorem salyatoremque, Lat. | ty OF THE GOSPEL, il 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 ; Jesus is and that God, by giving him unto the world, hath done that isthe he promised, and wholly poured himself with all his benefits Mesias.” into and upon all faithful believers. “And as the people waited” (saith Luke), “and thought in their hearts of John, (Lute iii. 15, whether he were very Christ; John answered, saying to them ὃ 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 eee next day John seeth Jesus coming unto him, and saith, Be- ἱ 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 heayen 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- [ohn ii, θῇ selves are witnesses, that I said, Iam not Christ, but I am sent ~’"’ 2 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 (8 filius beatissimus, Lat. ; the most blessed son. | [9 qui me antecessit, Lat. and Erasmus; qui ante me factus est, Vulg. ] . [0 gaudio gaudet propter yocem 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 ppiate xi.3-come unto him, saying, “ Art thou he that should come, or 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 [Luke iv.16 immediately annexed: ‘And all bare record unto him, and —22.) : ᾿ 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. Je 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: “I 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 that Jesus is Christ. [Matt. xxiv. 15, 16, 19, 21.] [Luke xix, 43, 44.) 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 Atthiope 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 afiliction be.” And again, speaking of the city of Hierusalem, he saith: “The days shall come [1 aridissimi, Lat. | [2 in 8 cap. Lat. ] 1, | OF THE GOSPEL. 95 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 [lake xa. people; and they shall fall with the edge of the sword, aid 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. ] [6 genus, Lat.; nation. | {1 Pet. ii. 9.] {1 Tim. iii. 16; Rom. ix. 33.1 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.] [? juxta Christi Domini comminationem, Lat. omitted; according to the threatenings of Christ the Lord.] [5 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 ad 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, θαι. iii. 22.3 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 [ [Mate Εἰ. 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 το 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: “ἘΠ hath made us accepted in the beloved; in whom we have [kph i. 6, redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins, accord- τ 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 requisite to Son given us all things that are necessary to a happy life and life and sal- vation are eternal salvation. I name here two things; a happy life, fully given. 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. [2 Tim. iii, (Psal. xvi. ὙΠ {1 John iii, 21 8 ; John viii. 12.] 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, 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 [ adeoque, Lat.; and so. } {2 Omnis scriptura, diyinitus inspirata, est utilis, &c. Lat. So Tyndale and Cranmer. | [8 traditionum vivarum, Lat.; of the lively traditions. ] [4 stat stabitque, Lat.; abides and shall abide. | [> paratam sive partam, Lat. | Tet 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 15. Moreover the Lord in the gospel saith, “Blessed are the pure in heart: for they atatt.v. 8. 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- cnrist atone vation, it may be gathered by that which is already spoken; and salva and yet notwithstanding I will here allege some testimonies 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 the sheepfold, but goeth in some other way, he is a thief and a robber. 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. 12,1 (Acts xiii. 38, 39.] 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 is 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. ] [3 repentant sinners, not in Lat.] Til OF THE GOSPEL. 3l do nor can wish for anything else to life, salvation, and ab- solute felicity, he doth himself in the gospel say?: “ Every (τομὴ ιν. 18, one that drinketh of this water shall thirst again; but who- Sees soever shall drink of the water which I shall give him, he shall live eternally.” And again: “Iam 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 (sonn vi. 68, the words of eternal life. And we believe and know that a 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 Goloss. [5 19; 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 cie.x.»; affirmeth, that the faithful have full remission of sins, because rhe 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 The waging not yet rightly understood the gospel of Christ, nor sincerely ing of the preached it, whosoever do attribute to Christ Jesu our Lord, [3 rursus, Lat. ; again. | [4 Dei filium, Lat. omitted; the Son of God. | [5 Proinde quicunque Christum fide possident, plenissime omnia yvitee et salutis possident, Lat. omitted; And therefore, whosoever has Christ by faith, has most abundantly all things belonging to life and salvation. | 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. For 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 {2 by derogating—Christ, not in Lat.] [3 hujus, Lat. omitted; of this (glory).] [3 allatam vel annunciatam, Lat. | 1. | 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 ii. ‘We have all gone astray like sheep; and God hath laid upon him the iniquity of us all,” Hsay 111. “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. xxviii. “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 haye eternal life,” John iii. In the Acts of the Apostles St Peter saith: “Of 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 wherefore saved and come to the knowledge of the truth; the Lord [4 chap. ii. 11, marg. ] 3 [BULLINGER, J11. | ] men are men are not saved, since the Lord would that all should be no t saved. [Matth, xx, 16.] pom 111. 9.1 The faithful are saved. ae XVI. 6.] {Rom. i. 5, 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 me gospel gospel require faith and repentance: neither did he himself, anarepeut. when he preached the gospel, proceed any other way. For’ Mark hath: “Jesus came into Galilee, preaching the gospel (Mark i. 14, 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 (puke. 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 the 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 factsxx. held back nothing that was profitable unto you, but have a 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.” 3In 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 im 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. ] [> sua natura, Lat.; by his own nature. | [6 suo modo, Lat. | [7 and make—effect ; an addition of the translator’s. | 3—2 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 How Christ 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 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, es x.5— 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. } [? operum nostrorum, sive preecedentium, sive sequentium, Lat.] Τὴ OF THE GOSPEL. B37 argument in these sermons of mine; yet because it is the cnrstis hook whereupon the hinge of the evangelical doctrine (which δια ἐμὰν is the door to Christ*) doth hang; and that this doctrine not σον (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 How Christ 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 > spoken in dom of God.” If the first birth and the gifts’ thereof were the eines 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 Mohn iii. 13; that is in heaven.” For in another place he doth more ὍΣΣ 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. Jor 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. ] [5 in mundum, Lat. ; into the world. ] 1] 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 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 seen in the third and fourth chapters of his epistle to the 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.] 1 John v. How Paul did preach the gospel. 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, 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.” [1 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—sayed, not in Lat.] 1 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 whole manner and order of sanctifying, purifying, and justifying of sinners. But it is good here to repeat the apostle’s words, and 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. [or 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, [5 to the devil, his open adversary ; an addition of the translator’s. | The manner and order of our sanctifi- cation, puri- fication, and justification. Who they be that Christ hath re- deemed. Errors refuted, 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 unfolded, the apostle, proceeding to shew how far the benefit of redemption and justification 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. 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. 48 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 es Bee 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 faith, which doth empty and leave in us nothing but an humble 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 [2 de fide justificante, Lat. omitted; concerning the faith that justifieth. ] [3 fide, Lat. ; by faith.] 41 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. Yor 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.” For 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. Hoy οἷς The apostle goeth on in his confirmation, and saith; fatntulis. “© What shall we say then that Abraham our father as per- wsufied. 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 Tp 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 ae 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. or 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. | [3 Gal. iii. 17. See Vol. π΄. page 180.) [4 See Vol. τ. p. 116, and note 3.] 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.” For 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. The right Here, by the way, ye must note, that Christians’ righte- Christians i 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 1. 6. owed. ] [3 perfectis, Lat. ] 1. | OF THE GOSPEL. 47 us. Whereupon David cried: “Enter not into judgment, [Psal. exliii 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 (Lute vii. the debtors were not able to pay, he forgave them both the se: 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 Ee 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 Con. v.19, be the righteousness of God in him.” What canst ghon 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 three 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 the Lord will impute no sin.” Now the force of the argument or demonstration doth consist in the words, Forgive, Cover, and Not impute. The ereditor forgiveth the debtor that which he hath not paid [ 3 Jer. xxxi. 4s A 17.) eb. X. 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 gaye 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. Further- 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 adhue sub tectorio, Lat. ; lurketh still under the covering. | [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 of the grace of God, which in his only Son doth through faith alone work justification, is by so many divine testimonies, even from the beginning of the world, by so many demonstra- tions, and so many determinations of unreproveable councils, 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, a man eyen 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 [2 beati, Lat. ; blessed. | [4 paucis, Lat. ; in few words. ] [5 and prophet, not in Lat. | [ BULLINGER, III. | Why the doctrine of faith that justifieth without works is to be kept un- corrupted in the church of Christ. [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 Czesarea 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 thing5, 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 peradyenture 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. ] [ ad aternam rei memoriam,—alluding to the opening phrase of the decrees and bulls of the popes, &c.] 1] . OF THE GOSPEL δῚ 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. iii foundation cannot be laid than that that is already laid, which ia is Christ Jesus.” And the apostle John saith: “This is the pi 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 Hee de Ceesarien. concilio hactenus,—is all that Bullinger says. | [20 Capernaiticum, Lat. John vi.] 4-—92 [Acts iv. J See the order of the Acts2 of the Apos- tles, and the eighth sermon of the third decade. [64]. 1. 8.1 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 salyation 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. For 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. | 1: 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 (ca. v. 4; made of none effect to you, whosoever are justified by the ὙΠ} 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- (ob ix. 15.) ness, I will not answer, but humbly beseech my judge.” Therefore did Paul very rightly say: “If the inheritance ae be of the law, then is faith void, and the promise made οὗ 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 flute xvii. 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. | 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 iti, 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. ] [3 Vol. 1. p. 118.] 1. 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 call it Den reuen. The Greeks do name it Metanwam. Now they which are skilful of that tongue say, that μετα- 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 Theschubah*, that is, a conversion, or returning to the right way or mind again. The metaphor seemeth to [3 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 animadvertit erratum suum, | [4 cupidissime, Lat. omitted; most eagerly. ] [5 mw.) The diverse use of this word repen- tance. (Jer. xviii. 8. [Rom. xi. 29. 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 I 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. 4.1 are without repentance.” And David said: “The Lord hath Repentance SWOT, and will not repent.” Elsewhere repentance is figu- in God, h ee what It ratively attributed to God, like to the affection of mortal (Gen. vi. 71 men: as when he saith, “I repent! me that I have made 3) 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- siastical 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. ] [8 bekehrung, conversion; aenderung, changing; besserung, cor- rection. | IL. | CF REPENTANCE, AND THE CAUSES THEREOF, On 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, hail your SINS [Acts iii. 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, (Jer. ἵν. 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 verity is ring of us up to repentance the preaching or doctrine of the needtul 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; [4 spiritualiter. ] [5 revera, Lat. omitted; in truth. ] [6 falsum, Lat.] [7 exaggerandis, Lat. ] {John xvi. 8, 9.) (Acts xvii. 30, 31.J puke xiii. Sil 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 do I withal admonish them, that the preaching of the gospel also doth object to men their sins, and grievously accuse them. For the Lord 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 ii. St Paul, going about to draw the Athenians unto repentance, doth say: ‘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 hberty 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 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. ] [8 pestes omnes, Lat: ; all plagues. | 11. | OF REPENTANCE, AND THE CAUSES THEREOF. 59 But in vain is repentance preached unto us, unless by rhe fear of fear and trembling conceived in our minds we do reverently penitent, 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 (1am. v. 21.] in the thirty-first chapter: ‘Turn thou me, O Lord, and 1 τα ον 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 ese 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 [Lake xxit 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 Our hum. ing and ae- 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, erying out and saying with the prophets: “Thou, verily, [Jer x 15 O Lord, art righteous, thou art true, and thy judgments just ; 75; tsi. ἴξιν. . . . 6; but we are most unrighteous, liars, wicked, and wholly over- 689.1 [4 of the minister, not in Lat. ] The fear of God is of two sorts. [Mal. i. 6.1 ἜΡΩΣ Viii. 5.] Sorrow to God-ward, He 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 cry, 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 fayour, 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. ] π.]} 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 wi 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 xsi (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 Fer. [vit 4 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. ] 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 ἔβαν : 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 i 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 gospel4 (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 [ 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.] 11. | 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 funy must by all means be confirmed with many and evident places forgiven unto of scripture plainly uttered concerning the full remission of , 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 peenitentes, Lat. ] [ὁ 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 merey 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: “1 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- {! contritiones, Lat. | [3 nativa lana, Lat. ] [3 tuas, Lat.; thy.] IL. | 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 105. 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 at? 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 (watt 1. 21. from their sins.” And St Paul to Timothy saith: “It is 8 ΓῚ Τίπα, 1. 16.] 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 (ate. it blasphemy shall be forgiven men; but blasphemy against ° the Holy Ghost shall not be forgiven 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 viii.; 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 τς 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 cry and say: “ All (actsx. 48 the prophets bear witness to Christ, that whosoever believeth [4 instead of it, not in Lat.] [5 See Vol. 1. p. 420.] [6 ex 15 cap. Lat. omitted.] 5 [ BULLINGER, IIL. | 66 THE FOURTH DECADE. [SERM. in him should by his name receive remission of his sins.” (1 Pet.ii24] The same apostle again in his Epistle saith: “ Christ his {l John i. 73 Ti, 2.) Against the Novatians and Ana- baptists. Eat, xvi. 71 {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. | [? See Vol. m. p. 424. n. 3. and Bullinger, ady. Anabapt. Lib. r. cap. 11.} [8 Certe, Lat. omitted; unquestionably. | τη OF REPENTANCE, AND THE CAUSES THEREOF, 67 standing, and that too not lightly4, 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. or 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. Moreover the Lord in Jeremy speaketh to the people of Israel, saying: “‘If any man put away his wife, and she? (ver iti.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 grayissime, 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. τι. p. 424.] [? ut revertamur ad ipsum, Deum, inquam, justum, a quo &c. Lat. ] [8 de confessione, Lat. But ed. 1587 has forgiveness. | [ de his, Lat. omitted; touching these points. ] IL, | OF REPENTANCE, AND THE CAUSES THEREOF. 69 To confess, or a confession, is in the holy scriptures ortne con- diversely used. For it signifieth to praise the Lord, and to sm.” 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 merey 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 15 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, E's 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 pq) to cast, cast forth, cast out. pI confessing. Parkhurst, Heb. Lex. in voc. ] [11 herbam prebens, Lat. For this proverbial phrase see Hrasm. Adag. Chil. p. 707. col. 1. Hanov. 1617.] [12 endangered to. See Tyndale’s Doctr. Treatises, ed. Park. Soc. pp. 236, 502.] [18 non protinus, Lat.; doth not presently. ] 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. Confession But now confession of sins is of more sorts than one; for gained of the one is divine, the other human. I will first speak of the πε 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 factyxx 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. ] [3 beatus Joannes, Lat. | [3 peccatum, Lat. ] [4 magister carceris Philippici, Lat. Acts xvi. 26—33.] {5 and was baptized, not in Lat. ] 11: OF REPENTANCE, AND THE CAUSES THEREOF. {61 Again, of the confession instituted by God there are two της οομέο: sorts, whereof the one is made to God, the other to our fortes neighbour. That which is made to God is either private or God. 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 [® of penitents, not in Lat. ] [7 pax, Lat. Bullinger here borrows largely from Calvin. Instit. Lib. ur. 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.] [Psal. li. 1, ὅσο. | Psal. xxxii. 5. Paks xviii. Ξ:1| [1 John i. 8, 9.1 [2 Sam. xii. 13.] (Luke xix.] 72 THE FOURTH DECADE. TSERM. 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 mea 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: “1 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. | (8 confitebor adyersus me, Lat.; accuse myself. Coverdale, 1535; and see Ainsworth in loc. | [4 confitentesque, Lat. ; and confess. | [50 Rather, Among the swine frames the confession of his sin, and offers it to his father alone. Luke xyv.] [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 I told you a little above; but so much the rather yet, when 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 ery to God for mercy and pardon of the same. Truly, of old the Lord appointed in our forefathers’ days, that, the priest 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 15 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 of 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. ] [2 See above, pages 165, 197. | [19 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 iv. 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. ] Publie or open con- fession. Levit. xvi. Acts xix. Confession that is made to our neigh- our. [James v. 16.] [Matt. v. 23, 24.) 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. (? proximum, Lat.; neighbour. ] [3 that is innocent in the matter, not in Lat.] [6 Quia, Lat.; Because. ] [5 pater coelestis, Lat. Matth. vi. 14, 15.] II. | 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 Consultation. 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 (Gal vi 1, man be prevented 1 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 oe: 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 ἐὔ σεδης 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. 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: Eahomologesis “is the [ὁ 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.D. 595. | 76 THE FOURTH DECADE, [serM. discipline of prostrating and humbling men 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 Ifmdhim chapter of his Ecclesiastical History saith: ‘ Natalis the called Net 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, quee peccayit, tristi tractatione mutare.—lIsidor. Opp. Etymolog. Lib. vi. cap. 19. § 79. Tom. mr. Ὁ. 292. Rom. 1798. ] (? Tertulliani Opp. de Peenit. cap. 9. Tom. Iv. p. 52. ed. Semler. Hal. Mag. 1824. ] [3 Confessor quidam erat apud nos, Natalis (Νατάλιος Gr. ed. Burton) nomine.... Hic, deceptus aliquando ab Asclepiodoto quodam et Theodoto collectariis,.... adquieyit ut... .episcopus illius heeresis nominaretur. ...Ad ultimum a sanctis angelis per totam noctem yer- 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 proyocayit ecclesiam, ut indulgentiam sibi a Christo continuis et jugibus pro ipso precibus implorarent.—Euseb. Eccles. Hist. Lib. v. cap. 28. Ruflinus’ translation, which Bullinger adopts. Basil. 1539. p. 126. ] [4 poenitere, Lat. ] Th. | OF REPENTANCE, AND THE CAUSES THEREOF, i.) sort as they were wont to do it. For where is it read that such penance was enjoined to the sinful or adulterous woman jute vii, that is mentioned in the gospel? Many other sinners are’ ™" received by Christ into the grace of God without such out- ward penance. Tor 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 Kcclesiastical 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 Δα etaer. 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 [> non temere, Lat. ] [6 Hermias. | [7 quid Iuendum, Lat. ] [8 him, ed. 1577.] John Chry- sostom’s doctrine concerning confession, 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 the thirty-first homily upon St Paul’s Epistle to the Hebrews he writeth: “I bid thee not to bewray theeself openly, nor 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 105 in thy mind continually®.” And so forth. Again [1 Ἔν 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 τε 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, amédve..... Τάδε μὲν ἀρχῆθεν οἱ Ρωμαίων ἱερεῖς ἄχρι καὶ εἰς ἡμᾶς φυλάττουσιν. Ἔν δὲ τῇ Κωνσταντινουπόλει ἐκκλησίᾳ, &c.—Sozomen. Hist. Eccles. Lib. viz. cap. 16, pp. 299, 300. ed. Reading, Cantab. 1720. Tom. u. See also Works of Bp. Pilkington. ed. Parker Soc. p. 553.] [2 Socratis Hist. Eecles, Lib. v1. cap. 2. Sozomen. Hist. Eccles. Lib. vit. cap. 2.] [85 Bullinger has here read, delicta pro injuria, for delicta pronuncia, as this passage is quoted, Lombard. Sentent. Lib. rv. distinct. 17. ο.] [* it, wanting in ed. 1587. ] [5 Ob λέγω σοι, ἐκπόμπευσον σαυτὸν, οὐδὲ παρὰ τοῖς ἄλλοις katny6- 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. Rehearse 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 Tod δικαστοῦ ὁμολόγει τα ἁμαρτήματα, εὐχόμενος, εἰ καὶ μὴ τῇ γλώττῃ, ἀλλὰ τῇ μνήμῃ, καὶ οὕτως ἀξίου ἐλεηθῆναι. “Av ἔχῃς τὰ ἁμαρτήματα διηνεκῶς ἐν τῇ μνήμῃ; &c.—Chrysost. Hom. Χχχι. in Ep. ad Hebr. cap. 12. Tom. x11. pp. 289, 290. Par. 1718—38. | [6 Ἀλλ᾽ αἰσχύνῃ εἰπεῖν διότι ἥμαρτες ; λέγε αὐτὰ Kal ἡμέραν ἐν τῇ εὐχῇ σου. 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 car: 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.—tld. de Incomprehens. Dei Nat. Hom. v. Tom. 1. p. 490. ] [8 Μὴ γὰρ ἀνθρώπῳ λέγεις, ἵνα ὀνειδίσῃ σε; μὴ γὰρ συνδούλῳ ὁμολο- γεῖς, ἵνα ἐκπομπεύσῃ; τῷ δεσπότῃ, τῷ κηδεμόνι, τῷ φιλανθρώπῳ, τῷ ἰατρῷ τὸ τραῦμα émdecxvbers.—Chrysost. Conc. de Lazaro. 1γ. 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 dxos.—Ibid. p. 758. See also Calvin. Instit. Lib. ur. cap. 4. § 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: “I 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, [} neque mox, Lat. ] [2 Credimus hane confessionem—nunquam penitus abolitam fuisse, non solum in Romana, sed ne in Greca 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. xxt. p. 519. par. 1— He died abbot of St Victor, a.p, 1173. Gall. Christ. Tom. vit. p. 669. 11. | 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. 1v. 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: “ By 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 concludeth: ‘ Upon Watt’s Biblioth. Brit. Mosheim, Eccles. Hist. Vol. 1. 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 ut. cent. 12, part 1. chap. 2. § 23. ed. Soames. Vol. 11. Ρ. 440, note 2.] [5 The title of Sentent. Lib. 1v. distinct. 17 σ. is, Si sufficit soli Deo confiteri; and there Lombard says, Quibusdam visum est suflicere, si soli Deo fiat confessio sine judicio sacerdotali et confessione ecclesize : 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 yere humilis et pcenitens, si non desiderat et requirit sacerdotis judicium. ] [6 He completed his Decretum about A.D. 1151. Moshcim, Eccles, Hist. Vol. 11. p. 411, note 2. [BULLINGER, II. ] A law made, wherein au- ricular con- fession was first com- manded, The Latin eopy hath, semel in animo τ᾿ falsely I think for semel in anno5, 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 1. 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. τι. p. 508, note 7. Lotharius Levita, or the Deacon, was the name under which he wrote before he became pope. Centur. Magd. cent. xm. 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. Ὁ. 1215. Mosheim, Eccles. Hist. Book ur. cent. 13. part 2. chap. 3. § 2. Vol. π. p. 559. n. 2.1 [5 This error is corrected in the London reprint by H. Midleton. P.] [ὁ Omnis utriusque sexus fidelis, postquam ad annos discretionis pervenerit, omnia sua solus peccata confiteatur fideliter saltem semel I. | 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: “Iam not Christ, (Jonn iii. but am sent before him to bear record of him.” What may τος 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- Der. xvii. 9.) searchable?” Doth not David say, “Who knoweth his (Ps. xx. 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 laid 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 Aurcular confession impudency, to see that they will have this their auricular ΠΕ confession to be instituted of God, and that they go about to nonlace in all the uphold and confirm it by the scriptures; guilefully® wresting s?'™* in anno proprio sacerdoti; et injunctam sibi peenitentiam studeat pro viribus adimplere: suscipiens reverenter ad minus in Pascha eucha- ristixe 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. tv. 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. 4.1 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. iv. 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- [{ Dicendum quod duo sunt in confessione: unum formale et com- pletivum; et hoc est absolutio, sive potestas absolvendi vel medicandi; et hane Dominus instituit, qui potestatem clavium concessit ; et penes hos residet virtus. Aliud autem est materiale; et hoe 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. xv.) fuit, sic et confessio omnibus peccantibus indicta et imposita fuit, Confitemini alterutrum peccata yestra.—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. Tor 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 chureh 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. | [5 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.] II. | 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”. [ὅ in populo Dei, Lat. omitted; in the people of God. ] [6 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 88 THE FOURTH DECADE. [SERM. Whether That which they allege of private absolution is a mere confession is device of man’s invention, which hath not in the sacred serip- to be kept in theehureh tures any precept or example to back itself withal. For in absalution’s 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 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’s ear. 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 [Astsii. 7 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. m. p. 179. Foxe, Monuments, Vol, mr. p. 205; y. p. 191. Lond. 1838. | (1 a poena et culpa, Lat.] [? simul, Lat. omitted ; at one and the same time.] [3 preesertim, Lat. ] I. | OF REPENTANCE, AND THE CAUSES THEREOF. 89 public preaching doth contain the commandments of God4, 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 [+ habeat preeceptum, Lat. ] [5 Rather, testify that remission of sins and heavenly gifts are theirs who do, &c.] [ὁ fidelibus, Lat. omitted ; that believe. every several man, ed. 1577. | [7 Dicendum quod si quis esset modo hujus opinionis (i. e. quod sufficiat si soli Deo fiat confessio), esset heereticus judicandus, quoniam in concilio generali hoc determinatum est sub Innocentio HI. Sed ante hance determinationem hoc non erat heresis.—Bonayent. Opp. Sentent. Lib. 1v. par. 2. dub. 1. Tom. y. 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 mol 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 afilictions of the body, pilgrimages, and many other odd knacks? like unto Note here the 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 penaand away, as with a shower of water poured down upon it®. But cai 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- [2 and merits, not in Lat. | (? odd knacks, translator’s phrase. ] [3 See Vol. τ. 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- per. 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- goa amict- cloth, alms-deeds, and the other works of piety, humiliation, ‘nose 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, Lat. omitted; by all means. ] [ὁ sumpsisse supplicium vel poenam, Lat. ] [7 See Vol. 1. p. 430.] 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®. fi Pet αν οι 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?” Many sins be Now whereas they object that sentence of the gospel, because she Where the Lord saith, ‘‘ Many sins® be forgiven her, because loved much, [1 justitia redimantur, Lat. Dan. iv. 27.] [2 beneficentia vel caritate, Lat. | [3 See VolMir 827. | [* Rom. xiii. 10. Bullinger has here borrowed from his Com- mentary on St Peter, loc. cit. ] [5 Luke vii. 47. peceata ejus, Lat. ] 11. | 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- orinau- 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. | [10 suo impositam arbitrio, Lat. | (11 Blanda patrum segnes facit indulgentia natos.—Joan. Baptist. Mantuan. Parthen. Lib. 1. 164. Tom. 1, Par. 1531. ] [Acts ix. 4.1 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 shall 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’ doctrme. And I admonished you in my sermon of good works? in these words of Paul, “1 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 clayium potestatem, Lat.; power of the keys. ] [2 See Vol. 1. page 333.] [3 Calvin’s words, Instit. Lib. m1. cap. 5. § 4. Foxe, Acts and Mon. Vol. v. p. 611. Lond. 1838. ] IL. | 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 me hoy precious in the sight of the Lord, yet the slaughter of no man ing not our 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 siny 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 [* Quamyis enim multorum sanctorum in conspectu Domini pre- tiosa mors fuerit, nullius tamen insontis (Bullinger has sonéts) occisio propitiatio fuit mundi. Acceperunt justi, non dederunt, coronas: et de fortitudine fidelium exempla nata sunt patientize, non dona justitie. Singulares quippe in singulis mortes fuerunt; nec alterius quispiam debitum suo fine persolyit, 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. Lxxxi. ad Palest. Episc. p. 152. The same is repeated in Ep. xcviu. ad Leon. Aug. cap. 2. pp. 171, 172, and Serm. xu. p. ὅθ. Par. 1662.] [5 of Rome, not in Lat. ] [6 and merchandise, 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 (Jomn 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 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 face mit 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. fi 1 last epistle say : “There were false prophets among the people, [1 e templo, Lat. ] [2 Rather, nearly at the end, i. 6. of his ministry.] [3 in rebus religionis, Lat. | [4 vel in evangelica ratione, Lat. | 11. | OF REPENTANCE, AND THE CAUSES THEREOF. 97 even as there shall be false teachers among you, which privily 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. I 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 lie 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. ] [ὁ ex misera plebecula, Lat. Cf. Vol. 1. p. 71, note 3.] (7 convertatur, Lat.] [8 fucum faciunt simplicibus yersutissimi, Lat. Cf. Erasm. Chiliad. Adag. p. 305, imposturee. | : [ BULLINGER, III. ] 98 THE FOURTH DECADE. [SERM. The old and We say that the old man is all that which we have num 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 (Jonn iii. 6.1 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 theftesh Christ, with all the gifts and virtues of the Holy Ghost. And taken in scripture | as the flesh is usually put for the old man, so? is the spirit by man. 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 I think to suffice for this present argument. Of the power 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 Understand- Power's 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.] [3 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. | I. | 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 conn vi. 44, in the Prophets it is written: “All shall be taught by God.” *” And Paul saith: “The natural man perceiveth not the things a cor.ii14.] 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. iii. 5; good, not in Lat. | 7—2 100 THE FOURTH 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 ταν speaking of himself doth say: “ I 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 1. 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. Of the new Let us now against this oppose or set the new man, that regeneration. 18, the man sn is regenerate by the Spirit of God through [1 perversissimum, Lat. ] [3 suo, Lat.; his own. | [3 Dei, Lat. ] [4 corruptissimum, Lat. ] [5 foolish, not in Lat.] [ὃ raptatur, Lat. ] 1. | 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. vi 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”, 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 [1 Gor. 5: Christ ye are made rich in all things, in all speech and know- ledge:” again, “We have not ᾿ ΘΕ ἡ 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 1013. 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. | ΓΒ in diem, Lat. omitted; day by day. | {9 See above, p. 37.] [19 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 ΕΠ 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: pom eee 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. What andof 15 liberty of the sons of God we do willingly acknow- the liberty is ledge and freely confess: but the arrogant disputations of Fee 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 [} Phil. iv. 12. excellere, Lat. and Erasmus; excede, Tyndale, 1534.] [2 Phil. i. 29; ii. 18. 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 mr. 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 [6 Liberum itaque arbitrium et ad malum et ad bonum faciendum confitendum est nos habere: sed in malo faciendo liber est quisque justiticze, 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, Hance fidem, qu 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 preestante ipsa faciant cum dilectione quod sciunt.—August. Opp. Tom. vit. 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, if so 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.] [3 per Dominum, Lat. and Erasmus, ] [4 verses 17—24, holiness of truth, Marg. Auth. Ver.] 1. | OF REPENTANCE, AND THE CAUSES 'THEREOF, 108 are upon the earth; fornication, uncleannegs, 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- [ὅ mollitiem, Lat. and Erasmus; unnatural lust, Tyndale 1534, and Cranmer 1539. | [Ὁ sive, Lat. ; or.] [7 agnitionem, Lat. ] [8 Rather, to our neighbour (we owe), &c.] [9 towards all men, not in Lat.] [10 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, &e. | 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: [Actsxxvi “1 have preached to the Jews and Gentiles, exhorting them £0.) to repent, and to turn to God, and to do such works as become them that repent.” And again, in the seventh chap- 2 Cor. πὸ, ter 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. | [8 aflligendo semetipsum, Lat. omitted; by afflicting himself. ] [6 foadeth off. See Vol. 1. page 38, note 3.] 1.7 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 thy 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 ot’ day or renovation by the Spirit of Christ of the image of God, which all 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. vii plucked out of their minds: “1 know that in me, that is, in ae my flesh, there dwelleth no good thing. For to will is pre- sent atk 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 1. 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, coat. v. 17.1 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 the 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 inpenitents, 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, The outward Here therefore are also to be rehearsed the outward repentance. 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. Joa [it 12— 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. | Tix] 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 ὃ 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 (it 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- Baits 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.] [> neque greges, Lat. omitted ; nor flocks. ] [ὃ et a violentia et injuria, Lat.] 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 him, 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 Repentance Coloured hypocrisy and vain ostentation. Moreover, both must be : voluntary, kinds of repentance are free and voluntary, not extorted or eee coacted, but proceeding of a willing mind. The pastor of the church and teacher of the truth, I 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. False and Again, it is manifest that there are two sorts of repent- tance. 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 (1 in following—he can, not in Lat.] [5 carnis ac mundi, Lat. ; of the flesh and of the world. ] [5 in fide Jesu Christi, Lat. omitted; in the faith of Jesus Christ. ] τι 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 i. Par. 21; and that of Manasses and Josias, 11, Reg. xxxii. and xxxiv. In the gospel also 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 do with all their hearts truly repent with faith unfeigned: 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.] [6 and—load, not in Lat. | [1 Chron. xxi, True peni- tents are in an happy case. Unrepen- tants are unhappy. [Mat xi. 21, e.) hee Xxi. 9, &e.} 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 Sidon, 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.} [ὃ a God’s name, not in Lat. ] [° 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. Ῥ. 8.] 1. | 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 Let not re- perceiveth to be done the better by so much, by how much deferred. Ο, 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 long 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 15 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 Norepen- ας world, no late repentance doth come out of season, The to 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- 8 [BULLINGER, 11. ] 114 THE FOURTH DECADE. [SERM. II. 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 Credite et vivite: et qui nos ad tempus persequimini, in seternum gaudete nobiscum. Quando istine excessum fuerit, nullus jam peeni- tentiee locus est, nullus satisfactionis effectus: hic vita aut amittitur, aut tenetur; hic saluti stern cultu Dei et fructu fidei providetur. Nec quisquam aut peccatis retardetur, aut annis, quo minus veniat ad consequendam salutem. In isto adhue mundo manenti pcenitentia nulla sera est. Patet ad indulgentiam Dei aditus, et queerentibus atque intelligentibus veritatem facilis accessus est. Tu sub ipso licet exitu et vitee 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. Hane 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 ccelesti. Hune, si fieri potest, sequamur omnes; hujus sacramento et signo censea- mur: hic nobis viam vitse aperit, hic ad paradisum reduces facit, hic ad ccelorum regna perducet. Cum ipso semper vivemus, facti per ipsum filii Dei: cum ipso exultabimus semper, ipsius cruore reparati. Erimus Christiani cum Christo simul gloriosi, de Deo Patre beati, de perpetua voluptate leetantes semper in conspectu Dei, et agentes Deo gratias semper. 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. Tux 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. 11. 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. 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 Jer. viii. Luke ix. What coun- cils have been in these later ages cele- brated. 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, “How 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- 6115, 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 [} coeptam, Lat. omitted; which is begun. ] [? ne regno quidem, Lat. ; not even for a kingdom. ] [$ the false pen of the scribes worketh for falsehood. Marg. Auth, Ver. | OF THE REFORMING OF CHURCHES. 117 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 eyen at this day, although we would wink and not see it, yet we cannot choose but even with our hands feel what we may look and hope for in a general council. There shall at this day no council have any authority, unless it be [4 Bernard largely complains of the pride and corruption of the clergy, De Offic. Episc. capp. vu. rx; in Cantic, Serm. x. § 3, LXXvll. § 1 [5 hujus rei, Lat.; and condition, not in Lat. | [6 See Bullinger Von den Conciliis, Par. 1. cap. 11. Zurich, 1561. ] What Christians at this day may look for by general councils. 118 DEDICATION TO KING EDWARD THE SIXTH. 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 them’, 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. ] [8 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. For 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 Tt is lawful 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. ] [6 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 rx. chap. 1. ὁ 11; and xvm. chap. 5. § 14.] [4 beato Cornelio, Lat. ] [5 Nam cum statutum sit omnibus nobis, et equum sit pariter ac justum, ut uniuscujusque causa illic audiatur, ubi est 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, nee episecoporum 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 Hoty king 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, butby the and that it is most fit for the cause which is even now in 62. 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. —Oyprian. Opp. Epist. ux. p. 136. Oxon. 1682.] [6 ipsius etiam ecclesia, Lat. | The scrip- tures do suf- ficiently minister a full platform how to reform the church. 2 Tim. iii. 16, 17. 122, 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 suffidient 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 Butuincer, Minister of the church at Tigure in Switzerland. [1 ecclesias Christi Anglicanas, Lat.; most happy, not in Lat.] [? his church, ed. 1577; ecclesiee suze, 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 nostree, 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 conventicles 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 Julianuwm ; 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 [} See Vol. τι. p. 407, note 5. ] [3 alii, Lat.; others.] [3 exercitationes exterorum, et heereticorum sententias, Lat. ] [4 aut etiam, Lat.; or even. ] [5 denique, Lat. ; lastly.] [Ὁ A treatise among the works of Augustine. ] [7 nolo, Lat.; I will not.] [8 aflingere, Bullinger’s one word. | [9 essentiam, Lat. ] [10 So ed. 1577; what manner of substance, 1587.] aus OF GOD, AND THE KNOWLEDGE OF Gop. 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 kuown 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 there is 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 paal. 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 4 measure is to be kept in what God is, although that question is made and doth arise demanding [1 to search—his own, the translator’s addition. ] [12 aut humano innitatur judicio, Lat. ] [13 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.] and inquiring on God is. 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 Prov.xxv. 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 Lukev. 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. The name of Very eloquently, truly, and godly doth Tertullian in his ἼΩΝ book De Trimtate say: The proper name of God cannot mansutter. be uttered, because it cannot be conceived. For that is called “ by a name, that is conceived by the condition of its own Exod. xix. [1 inspicere, Lat. ] [2 See Vol. 1. p. 65, note 6. ] [3 congreditur, Lat. | [Ὁ not infinite, notin Lat. ] [5 So Latin also, Gedeonis, for Samson. Both Gideon and Manoah expressed the same apprehension. Judg. vi. 22, and xiii. 22.] [6 nulla definitione, Lat.; by any definition. | Ul. | OF GOD, AND THE KNOWLEDGE OF Gop, 12% 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 naturee sux conditione comprehenditur. Nomen enim signifi- cantia est ejus rei que comprehendi potuit ex nomine. At quando id, de quo agitur, tale est, ut condigne nec ipsis intellectibus colligatur ; quomodo appellationis digne vocabulo 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. 1v. 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 1s 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 hberality, 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 gpokent, ” Hi- therto have I cited the words of Tertullian. [1 De hoe ergo ac de eis quee sunt ipsius et in eo sunt, nec mens hominis qui sint, quanta sint, et qualia sint, digne concipere potest, 111. | 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 omnisermone, nec edici possit; ne, si potuerit edici, hamano 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 explicaveris. 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 cogitayerimus 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 splendore splendidior, omni rohore robustior, omni virtute viritior, omni pulchritudine pulchrior, veritate omni yerior, 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. | 9 [ BULLINGER, II. | The forms and manners of eee Exod. xxxiii. 1 John iii. J Cor, xiii. 12; The names of God. Jehovah. 190 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 suffice 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 in a riddle. Marg. auth. ver. ] {2 in hac carne et, Lat. omitted; in this flesh and. 7 It. | OF GOD, AND THE KNOWLEDGE OF GoD. 131 spiritual? letters, and is called Jenovan. It is 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. To 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. or their future tense containeth three sundry times, He that is, He that was, and, He that will be, hath sent me. ‘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: “I am Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the end, Rev. 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 cabalais a tradition of tongues it is so also. For God in Greek is called Θεὸς, in the Jews, left 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 Zvpy, and the Egyp- fom te μος : : ; ; tians QwvO, or Θεὺθ, and by contraction, Ow. And in the Pena four letters the Cabalists say that there are wonderful mys- oe well τὰ - . . Ω « nature, as the teries contained: of which as other have written very di- mystical” se ligently, so I have liefer+ here not to stand upon them'®, or to ineluded in : . the words of trouble your patience with them. the holy, [5 spiritalibus literis. ] [4 liefer, rather. ] [5 his subtilitatibus, Lat. ] 9—2 132 THE FOURTH DECADE. [SERM. Jah and Hu. Like to this also are these names of God, Jah, and Hw. Whereof the first is oftener found in the Psalms than once: Psal.cxi. 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, [παῖ xii 81 “spake the word and it was done; Huw, he commanded and heorthis. it was.” In Esay the Lord saith: “I am the Lord, Huis 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 Adonai. 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 15, 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 Name of God*; which some translate “‘the Lord of powers,” and Shots,” 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 Dan.vi, 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 [: Hu est nomen meum. Bibl. Tigur. Lat. 1544.] [3 perfectihabia, Lat. | [8 Dicitur enim Dominus Sabaoth, Lat. omitted; for he is called the Lord of Sabaoth. ] [6 minima, Lat. ; the smallest. ] It. | OF GOD, AND THE KNOWLEDGE OF Gop. 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. In 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 leon‘, 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 EJ, because of his strength, For δι. 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.’ Hsay saith: “The Lord shall tsai. sii. 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 ig 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 yy oy high in situation or power, the most High. Lee’s Lex. ] [7 heros vel gigas, Lat.] [8 So Coverdale, 1535. | [9 Nam 5p significat ad, cui additur 77 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. | Psal, 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 Tov 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’ Geos. 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.] [? Platon. Cratyl. ed. Bekker. Tom. iv. p. 224. Lond. 1826.] [3 vel religio, Lat.; or religion. So ed. 1577.] [* Hebreeis Dai nuncupatur, Lat.] [5 See Vol. τ. p. 216, note 3.] IIL, | 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 Divi, “God created” (for Bara, mis vii im- created, is the singular number) heaven and earth. In that huch aif phrase of speech “is shewed unto us the mystery of the =, Gods. 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 scnadaai. father Abraham God giveth himself another name. For he saith : “I God am Schaddait,” that is, sufficient, or sufficiency, Gen. xvii. Therefore God is called Schaddai. Some in their transla- tions turn it Vastator, a destroyer, as if God should name himself a just revenger. But Moses Aigyptius? saith: “The noun Schaddat is compounded of the verb Dati (which signifieth, he sufficeth) and the letter Schin, which hath the same meaning that Ascher hath, and signifieth, he that. So that S'chaddai 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 Satu=. 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 ΤῈ seemeth at we do appertain to the perfect felicity both of this life and of the Englishmen | world to come; and which only and alone can fill and suffice the Geunaus all his people and other creatures. For this cause the Germans turn ther 6811 him Gott, as who should say Guot, good, or best®; because, Ὁ, which we sound God, as he is full of all goodness, so he doth most liberally bestow as it we should say, upon men all manner of good things. The German word is 04. [5 Verse 23, ΣΤΟΝ 2 ΓΤ. [7 Moses Maimonides, a celebrated 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. ] Gen. iv. 136 THE FOURTH DECADE. [SERM. not much unlike to the ancienf name whereby the Egyptians called God; for they called God Theuth, or Thoth: now if we for Th 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 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, The God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. 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 Dewm 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- rael, The Lord God of our fathers, the God of Abraham, 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. ] 11. | OF GOD, AND THE KNOWLEDGE OF Gop. 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: “Iam the God of Abra- trinity. 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 cae 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 and seen, to be beheld, and to be known by visions and divine Κα graphy of [ὁ ipsis, Lat.; on them. | [7 per, Lat. ; thiousheut] [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 haye been written in the fourth or fifth century. ] [19 Bulling. de Orig. Error. cap. 1. fol. 6.] [11 ex Exodi 34. cap. Lat.] 138 THE FOURTH DECADE. [SERM. Prosopo., mirrors, as it were in a certain parable, while by Prosopo- Mpresenting graphy, Prosopopeia, or mortal shapes! he is set? before Tineaments, our eyes. And yet we are warned not to stick upon those Prosopopaia visible things, but to lift up our minds from visible things to those are ., things invisible and spiritual. For neither is God bodily in Peak °° 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 SS “Ὁ ἀν 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‘ catholic true doctors writ to Fortunatus, De Videndo Deo, against the Anthropomor- How phites. ‘Concerning the members of God (saith he), which attributed to the scripture doth in every place make mention of, know bodiless. 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. | [8 See Vol. 1. p. 225, note 9.] {4 aliorum, Lat. omitted ; of other.] I. | 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 quee 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 algo 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 anthropomorphite 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? 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 formes humane 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. m. fol. 101. col. 4, Par. 1531. ] nit. | OF GOD, AND THE KNOWLEDGE OF Gop. 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 Efficacise igitur ibi divine 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 quedam voluntatis aperitur; et cum nares, precum quasi odorum perceptio ostenditur; et cum manus, quod creature 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. 1 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 hec 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. Ha enim demum in diver- sitatem membrorum recidunt, que yveniunt ex nativitate in dissolu- tionem. Sed heec, que 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. rv. 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 were done of God the Father by the Son, who, taking upon him a competent shape, appeared to men and spake unto the 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, wherein he after a manner did shadow forth his majesty 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 ones, 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. Vilius itaque...ad humana semper colloquia descendit, ab Adam usque ad patriarchas et prophetas, in visione, in somno, in speculo, in enig- mate: ordinem suum preestruens ab initio semper quee erat persecuturus infinita, semper ediscebat, et Deus in terris cum hominibus conversari, non alius quam Sermo qui caro erat futurus. Hdiscebat 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. τ. pp. 176, 177. ed. Semler, ] God did do all things with the fathers by his Son, God sha- dowed in visions. 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 ; seecodin which thing all the true wise men of every age did only and glory 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 ery 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 cry 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 feety 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. or 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. ] [5 mm DW, Exod. xxxiii. 19. in nomine Domini, Vulgate. ] III. | 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 God’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) did exhibit himself to be seen of Moses. Moses, rising up 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. m. cap. 16.] 10 [BULLINGER, IIL] How God did shew himself to Moses. 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 I 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 Inor 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. ] It. | 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 coadoth world, to reveal himself and his glory any whit more fully ἃ 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 te reveal himself unto him. And the apostle Paul placeth the illumination or ap- 3 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 Matt. xi. the Son, and he to whom the Son will reveal him.” For τομὴ xiv. 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 Jomi. 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 righteousness, 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 non foet of Christ. In the incarnation of the Son of God it appeareth, εἰ 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 appenctn, 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 [ἡ 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 δοας power miracles of Christ our Lord, in his resurrection, in his glo- nies rious ascension into heaven, and most plentiful pouring out tho 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 goes justice death of Christ the Son of God doth shine? the great justice ὙΡν 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 God's merey Son, but gave him for us that are his enemies and wicked ses 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 Jom 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. ] [4 roganti, Lat.; asked.] [> cognovistis, Lat. and Vulgate. } [6 nobis, Lat. omitted; to us. ] 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. God is known The fourth mean to know God by is fetched out of the Psal. xix. contemplation of his works. David saith, “The heavens de- clare the glory of God, and the firmament sheweth forth the Romi 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 The works of God himself is known by the works of God. But now the wayscon- 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 Psal.eiv. 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. ] [? Basil. Opp. Tom. 1. pp. 1—87. Par. 1721, Ambros. Opp. Tom. I. pp. 2—142. Par. 1686. ] [5 agnoscere, Lat. ; to acknowledge. ] UI. | 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 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 ‘erieth: “O Lord, there is none like unto thee. Thou art 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