Cibrarjpof'trhe ^theological ^tmimvy PRINCETON . NEW JERSEY /// V\\r PRESENTED BY Samuel Agnew, Esq. 1814 - 1880 S0^7 Digitized by the Internet Archive in 2014 https://archive.org/details/earlywritingsofj02hoop LATER WRITINGS OF BISHOP HOOPER. 4Pov tt)c ^whUcaUon of tfje aaiorfee of tfjc ^iFattrre antr ©arlj? asuritcrs of tfjc l^tformcli LATER WRITINGS BISHOP HOOPER, TOGETHER WITH HIS LETTERS AND OTHER PIECES. ^>(^^^D1TED FOR BY THE REV. CHARLES NEVINSON, M.A. ■WARDEN OF BBOWNe's HOSPITAL, STAMFORD, LATE FELLOW OF VVADHAM COLLEGE, OXFORD. CAMBRIDGE: PRINTED AT THE UNIVERSITY PRESS. M.DCCC.LII. ADVERTISEMENT The Editor on the completion of his labours desires to record his obligations to the most noble the Marquis of Exeter, and to the Dean and Chapter of Peterborough, who kindly allowed him access to their libraries : to the Rev. J. F. Russell, of Enfield Highway, for the loan of several originals ; and to the Rev. Robert Scott and other friends for much valuable assistance. To these must be added the Rev. Samuel Carr, Editor of the Early Writings of Bishop Hooper, who offered to overlook the work during its progress through the press. In the preparation of the work for the press the text of the original editions has been in almost all cases rigidly ad- hered to : the marginal notes and references are original, with the exception of the bracketed portions, which have been supplied by the Editor; and the references to the fathers and other writings have been, as far as practicable, carefully verified. The Editor regrets that, owing to a severe illness which attacked him while the sheets were passing through the press, some confusion has arisen in the headings of sheets 8, 9, and 10. The heading on the left hand pages from 118 to 156 inclusive should have been "Visitation Book;" and on the opposite pages " Articles, Injunctions, Interrogatories, &c." according to the subjects. The JEpistola ad Episcopos &c., and the Appellatio ad Parlamentum, ought, perhaps, to be considered as introductory epistles to the Treatise which follows them : but the Editor felt that the position which they occupy in Foxe's work did not quite justify the adoption of this arrangement. CONTENTS. PAGS I. A Lesson of the Incarnation of Christ 1 II. A brief and clear Confession of the Christian Faith 19 III. A godly Confession and Protestation of the Christian Faith 64 IV. Annotations on Romans xiii 93 V. Copy of Visitation Book 117 VI. Homily to be read in the time of Pestilence 157 VII. Expositions of Psalms xxiii., lxii., IiXxiii., and lxxvii 170 VIII. A brief Treatise respecting Judge Hales 374 IX. Epistola ad Episcopos, Decanos &c 381 X. Appellatio ad Parlamentum 388 XI. Hyperaspismus de vera Doctrina et Usu Coense Domini 399 XII. De falsa Religione dignoscenda et fugienda (Dedicatory Epistle to) 542 XIII. Apology against a slanderous Report 549 XIV. Letters 568 Bibi&fiAPHICAL NOTICE OF BISHOP HOOPER. It has been stated in the brief notice of Bishop Hooper given in the volume of his Early Writings, that he was born in Somersetshire, towards the close of the fifteenth century. He was only son and heir to his father, who seems to have been possessed of considerable wealth. Having graduated at Oxford, where, according to Foxe, he made great progress in his studies, he subsequently embraced the monastic life, becom- ing a member of the Cistercian order at Gloucester ' : but at what time or under what circumstances he abandoned his profession, is not recorded ^ While residing probably in London, and "living," as he expresses it, "too much of a court life in the palace of the king^," his attention was first seriously drawn to the subject of religion by the perusal of some of the writings of Zuinglius and Bullinger's Commentaries upon the Epistles of St Paul : and so deep was the impression which these works produced upon him, that he studied them night and day with unwearied attention. Under the influence of the feelings thus called forth he appears to have returned to Oxford, where he applied him- self with great dihgence to the study of the holy scriptures ; "in the reading and searching whereof," says Foxe, "as there 1 In the sentence pronounced upon him by Gardiner he is de- scribed as " olim monachum domus sivo monastcrii do Cliva, ordinis Cistercicnsis." The sentence is preserved amongst the Harleian MSS. in the British Museum : also in Strype's Eccles. Mem. Vol. iii. Part n. No. xxvni. ^ Strypo says, " About the year 1535 or 153G, I meet with one John Howper, a black friar of Gloucester, whether our John Hoper or no I cannot affirm; who, with six monks more of the same house, desired licence from Cromwell, then lord privy seal and the king's vicar spi- ritual, to change their habit." — Eccles. Mem. Vol. ni. Part i. p. 282. Oxford, 1822. 3 Zurich Lettera, i. xxi. p. 33. viii BIOGRAPHICAL NOTICE. lacked in him no diligence joined with earnest prayer, so neither wanted unto him the grace of the Holy Ghost to satisfy his desire, and to open unto him the light of true divinity." His zealous support of the principles of the Reformation soon attracted the notice, and drew upon him the displeasure, of some of the authorities, and especially of Dr Smith, profes- sor of Divinity; and, the Act of the Six Articles being in force, he was compelled to retire from the university. He was re- ceived into the house of Sir Thomas Arundel, and became his steward: but at length his master, "having intelligence of his opinions and religion, which he in no case did favour, and yet exceedingly favouring the person and conditions of the man, found the means to send him in a message to the bishop of Winchester, writing his letter privily to the bishop, by confer- ence of learning to do some good upon him ; but in any case requiring him to send home his servant to him again. Win- chester, after long conference with master Hooper four or five days together, when he at length perceived that neither he could do that good which he thought to him, nor that he would take any good at his hands, according to master Arundel's request he sent home his servant again, right well commending his learning and wit, but yet bearing in his breast a grudging stomach against master Hooper still'." Hooper was not suffered to remain long unmolested : an intimation of impending danger was conveyed to him, and he was warned to provide for his safety. He escaped to the sea- side, and, crossing over to France, proceeded to Paris. Shortly afterwards, however, he returned to England, and resided for a time in the house of a Mr Sentlow : but finding that plots were again laid for his destruction, he once more sought safety in flight ; and " was compelled (says Foxe), under pretence of being captain of a ship going to Ireland, to take the seas ; and so escaped he, although not without extreme peril of drowning, through France to the higher parts of Germany," While sojourning at Strasburgh, as we learn from one of his letters to Bullinger dated from that city, he met with a lady of the name of Anna, whom he describes as of noble family^; 1 Foxe, Acts and Monuments, p. 1502. Lond. 1583. 2 Bullinger also in his Diary speaks of Hooper's wife as nohilis. BIOGRAPHICAL NOTICE. ix and from the language which he employs respecting her, it is probable that this was the Ann de Tserclas, who shortly afterwards became his wife : her parents resided not far from Antwerp. Before his marriage, which took place probably at Basle towards the latter part of 1546, Hooper, having resolved to settle at Zurich, returned once more to England in the hope of obtaining pecuniary assistance from his father. He appears to have succeeded in his object : but, owing to the terapestuous- ness of the weather and the malice of his enemies, his journey was attended with much danger to himself and heavy loss of his fortune. He arrived at Zurich in March 1547 ; and during his sojourn there of two years' duration he enjoyed the intimacy of Bullinger, and other leading members of that community. For Bullinger he entertained the highest regard, and was a diligent attendant at his lectures : and his letters in after years abound with expressions of gratitude for past instruc- tion, and with requests for copies of his sermon-notes and other writings. We find him at this period corresponding with Bucer on the subject of the sacraments : John a-Lasco also was amongst the number of his associates ; and the friend- ship which was commenced between them here was continued subsequently in England ^ Prompted at length by a sense of duty to offer his aid in the religious work which was going on in his native country. Hooper resolved to return, Foxe gives an interesting account of his parting interview with his friends at Zurich. Bullinger, on taking leave of him, expressed his fears that the wealth and honours which awaited him in England might make him 3 Strype relates that in 1550, when the German church was first constituted in Austin Friars, Hooper spent a whole day in friendly converse with a-Lasco and some members of his church. The fol- lowing is Hooper's answer to a-Lasco's invitation, conveyed through Utenhovius : S. P. Per me non stabit quin, Deo volcnte, eras adero : et, si valetudo uxoris mca; non obstet, votis D. nostri a-Lasco annuct. Hodio multa capitis gravedine fuit multata. Scio, et si corpore absit, mente nos comitabitur : quod perpetuo erga vos faciei Deus suo Spiritu. Interim ematur aliquid quod cum gratiarum actione una accipiamus: ego aliquod, si Deo visum fuerit, sumptus faciam. Dominus vos, &c. T. T. Jo. HoPERUS. — Eccles. Mem. Vol. ii. Part i. p. 400. X BIOGRAPHICAL NOTICE. forgetful of his former friends, and begged that he -would sometimes write to them. Hooper, in answer, assured him that he should always retain a grateful recollection of the kindness which he had experienced ; and, after promising to ■write to them from time to time, added these memorable and prophetic words: "But the last news of all I shall not be able to write ; for there (said he, taking master Bulhnger by the hand) where I shall take most pains, there shall you hear of me to be burnt to ashes : and that shall be the last news, which I shall not be able to write unto you ; but you shall hear it of meV Leaving Zurich in March 1549, Hooper with his wife and an infant daughter arrived in London towards the end of May, and was shortly afterwards appointed chaplain to the duke of Somerset. He at once devoted himself to the work of teaching, lecturing generally twice every day ; and so great was his success, that the churches could not contain the crowds that flocked to hear him. The strongest testimony to the influence which he acquired is borne even by his maligner Dr Smith, who, in the dedicatory epistle to his book on the celibacy of priests, is forced to confess that "he was so admired by the people, that they held him for a prophet ; nay, they looked upon him as some deity." Foxe relates that " in his sermons, according to his accustomed manner, he corrected sin, and sharply inveighed against the iniquity of the world, and corrupt abuses of the church.,. In his doctrine he was earnest, in tongue eloquent, in the scriptures perfect, in pains indefati- gable." The same writer describes him as "of body strong, his health whole and sound, his wit very pregnant, his invin- cible patience able to sustain whatsoever sinister fortune and adversity could do." He complains however of the excessive severity and gravity of his countenance and manners, relating the following anecdote in support of his remarks : " There was an honest citizen, and to me not unknown, which, having in himself a certain conflict of conscience, came to his door for counsel, but being abashed at his austere behaviour durst not come in, but departed seeking remedy of his troubled mind at 1 Foxe also relates what he calls " another like prophetical de- monstration, foreshowing before the manner of his martyrdom, where- with he should glorify God."— See Acts and Monuments, p. 1503. BIOGRAPHICAL NOTICE. other men's hands ; which he afterwards by the help of Al- mighty God did find and obtain." Immediately upon his return Hooper became involved in controversy. His views upon divorce, as set forth in his "Declaration of the Ten Commandments," which was printed abroad the year before, had been made the subject of much misrepresentation, and he was called upon to defend them ; which he appears to have done with great success. This led to a new edition of the above-named work, in which was inserted additional matter in support of his opinions. He engaged in a warm and protracted dispute with Traheron respecting predestination ; and he also drew upon himself the displeasure of Bonner by controverting his teaching from the pulpit at Paul's Cross. The ill-will which he thus incurred was shortly afterwards greatly aggravated by his joining with liatimer in presenting to the council a bill of complaint against the bishop, charging him with neglect of their orders in a sermon which he had been desired by them to preach. Bon- ner in the subsequent proceedings, which ended in his depriva- tion and imprisonment, used the most violent and insulting language towards his accusers ; and so bitter was the hostility which he displayed, that Hooper, alluding to the circumstance in one of his letters, observes, "Should he be again restored to his office and episcopal function, I shall, I doubt not, be restored to my country and my Father which is in heaven 2." Gardiner also challenged him to a public disputation ; but, finding that he was fully prepared to meet him, again with- drew from the contest. - Hooper speaks in his letters of the "great odium and not less danger" which he incurred by his lectures on the sixth chapter of the gospel by St John : and we learn from Strype that he was also assailed with satire and "railing libels cast into pulpits." These attacks were answered by Edward Underbill, who hence acquired the title of "Hooper's champion:" for Underbill, who was a very witty man, set up a bill upon St Paul's door in defence of Hooper, and another at St Magnus' church, where especially such igno- minious lampoons had been divulged against that reverend manV By the king however Hooper was held in great esteem : it was by his majesty's command that he remained 2 Zurich Letters, i. xxxv. p. 70. 3 Strype, Eccles. Mem. Vol. n. Part i. p. 181. xii BIOGRAPHICAL NOTICE. in London to aid the cause of the Reformation ; and on one occasion he was sent by him into the counties of Kent and Essex to oppose the errors of the Anabaptists. On the fifth of February, 1550, he received through Cranmer the orders of the king and council to preach before the court once a week during the ensuing Lent. He chose for his subject the prophet Jonas': and in the course of his sermons he took occasion to attack the Book of Ordination, which had been set forth by authority in the preceding year. He directed his censures principally against the oath of supre- macy, which he denounced as downright blasphemy, as requiring a man to swear by saints, that is, by creatures, and not by God alone. He also objected to the vestments appointed to be worn during divine service, describing them as Aaronical, superstitious, and antichristian. These censures excited the hostility of the archbishop, who accused him before the council, and on his appearance spoke against him with great asperity : but, though a long and sharp discussion ensued, no further proceedings appear to have been taken against him at the time. The dispute however was soon afterwards renewed, and attended by more serious results. Hooper having, in con- sequence of his objections to the oath and vestments, refused the bishoprick of Gloucester, which had been offered to him on the termination of the Lent sermons, was summoned before the council to give a reason for his conduct. His arguments against the oath appear to have been conclusive ; for the king with his own hand erased the obnoxious clause : and the council shewed themselves inclined- to yield to his scruples respecting the vestments ; the earl of Warwick writing a letter to the archbishop by the hands of Hooper, desiring his grace that at his request, which had been prompted by the king, he would yield to the bearer's scruples ; and *' especially that he would not charge him with an oath burdenous to his conscience 2." The king also issued a dispensation to the archbishop, freeing him from any pains and penalties which he might incur by a departure from the usual forms of con- secration. As Cranmer and the other bishops hesitated to comply, attempts were made to satisfy Hooper's scruples ; and llidley was desired to discuss the matter with him. Long 1 See " Early Writings," p. 435, ^ Foxe, Acts and Monuments, p. 1504. BIOGRAPHICAL NOTICE, xm and angry disputes ensued between thera ; Hooper asserting with much warmth that the vestments were plainly impious, and opposed to scripture ; while Ridley, on the other hand, as firmly maintained that they were in themselves indifferent ; but that, having been enjoined by law for order's sake, they were not to be lightly set aside to meet the prejudices of an individual, Ridley offered however that, if Hooper would " revoke bis errors, and agree and subscribe to the doctrine, and not to condemn that for sin that God never forbade, ungodly adding unto God's word, he would not, for any necessity that he put in these vestments, let to lay his hands upon him, and to admit him bishop, although he came, as he used to ride, in a merchant's cloak ; having the king's dispen- sation for the act, and my lord archbishop's commission orderly to do the thing-\" These conditions Hooper rejected, and continued, both in the pulpit and elsewhere, to declaim against the vestments, and to brand with impiety those who used them. By this conduct, together with the arguments of Ridley, the minds of the councillors were at length alienated from him : and, being called before them, he was ordered to lay aside his scruples, and to submit to consecration in the appointed form. Finding he could no longer obtain a hearing, he begged permission to state his objections in writing ; and, leave having been granted, his arguments were placed in the hands of Ridley, who, by the direction of the council, drew up an answer to them, Cranmer, in the meantime, acting with his usual caution, wrote to Bucer, soliciting his advice, and submitting more especially the following questions : " Whether, without offending of God, the ministers of the church of England may use those garments which are now used, and prescribed to be used by the magistrates?" and, " Whether he that affirms it unlawful or refuseth to use these garments sinneth against God, because he saith that is unclean which God hath sanctified ; and against the magistrate, who commandeth a pohtical order To both these questions Bucer rephed in the affirmative, supporting the archbishop's views : yet he expressed a wish that an early opportunity might be taken to lay aside the vestments, which had proved 3 Extract from MS, containing Ridley's answer to Hooper's objec- tions. * Strype's Cranmer, Vol. i. ch, xvii. p. 303, BIOGRAPHICAL NOTICE. a source of so much superstition and dispute. Hooper also addressed both to Bucer and Peter Martyr the following letter', accompanied by a statement of his views : Causam ob quam lis milii intenJitur, vir prsestantissime, ab isto internuncio accipies. Rogo ut digncris semel tua lectione earn ag- rioscere; ct si quid erroris deprehenderis, id mihi per literas tuas significcs prccor. Quod obscurius vel paucioribus verbis quam res postulat fuerit dictum, tua qua;so perspicuitate et aptioribus verbis iu margine illustres. Si causam videas justam, ac pio ministro dignam sestimes, ei subscribas in fine, vehementer oro. Mitto etiam qua; ante ires annos scripserim in Decalogum, ut sciat tua pra;stantia quid de divortio senserim. Ea prreterea tua lectione digneris, ut si humanitus hac in parte erraverim, per tuam eruditionem et paternam admoni- tionem admonitus corrigam. Quam multis et falsis calumniis hoc nomine traducar, jam non est scribendum. Rogo igitur tuam pater- nitatem, nec dubito quin facile exorem, ut decertantem ecclesiam donis Dei magnis proculdubio et pra;clarissimis in te coUatis adjuves. Idem peto a domino Doctore JIartyre, ad quem (sententia ac judicio tuse prudentioe cognitis) iter facturus est quem tu hie babes nuncium. Dominus Jesus tuam prsestantiam diu servet. Voto et oratione tuus totus, Londini, 17° Octob. 1550. Jo. Hoppekcs. Domino Martina Bucero, theologo ahsolutissimo, domino ac prce- ceptori suo rcverendissimo. The answers of these two learned men were nearly to the same effect as that of the former to the archbishop. ^Yhile they deprecated disputes amongst professors of the gospel, and expressed a desire for perfect simplicity in the outward forms of rehgious worship ; they yet maintained the vestments to be things indifferent, and therefore lawful to be used, if so required : urging moreover, that no abuse of them in popish times could invest them in themselves with a character of impiety, or bar the use of them to Christians, who were taught in scripture that " to the pure all things are pure." Martyr also took occasion to caution Hooper against his unseasonable and too bitter sermons, by which he was in danger of becoming a hindrance to himself. By a-Lasco and Micronius he was encouraged in his opposition. 1 From a collection of MSS. in the possession of the Rev. J. F. Russell, of Enfield. A. translation is given by Strype, Eccles. Mem. Vol. II. Part II. p. 455. BIOGKAI'HICAL NOTICE. XV As he still resolutely refused to be consecrated according to the form prescribed by law, and besides continued his public denunciations of that form, he was at length forbidden by the council to preach or lecture without further licence ; and was " commanded to keep his house, unless it were to go to the archbishop of Canterbury, or the bishops of Ely, London, or Lincoln, for counsel and satisfaction of his conscience"." Notwithstanding this order he went about complaining of the council, and " printed (says Strype) A Confession of his Faith, written in such a manner that it gave more distaste, and wherein was contained matter he should not have written." Provoked by his obstinacy and disobedience, the council, on the 13th of the following January, consigned him to the custody of the archbishop, to be reformed by him, or further punished as the case required : but, the archbishop reporting that he could make no impression on him, he was on the 27th of the month committed to the Fleet. Overcome at length by the arguments which had been urged upon him, he wrote to the council, signifying his willingness to comply with their demands : but his intention being misunderstood, he shortly afterwards addressed the following more explicit letter to the archbishop ^ Domino Archiepiscopo Cantuariensi. Valde mihi doluit quod non satisfecerim meo scripto voluntati Do- minorum Coiffeiliariorum. Atqui sperabam hoc meo scripto ita satis- fecisse, ut nihil ultra possent a me exigere. Quid enirii poteram amplius quam, mea conscientia liberata ab omni scrupulo quo ante fuit soUicitata, judicium hujus qusestionis vestrre clementiEe deferre, et polliceri me facturum quicquid statuissetis ? Ego scripto illo nolui contendere ; sed hoc solum, ut mo purgarem omni crimine inobedi- eutia3 et contemptus auctoritatis regis ac vestroe clementise ; atque in hunc finem pauca induxi argumenta qua3 me hactenus movissent. Id etiam volebam intoUigeretis me nunc agnoscere libertatcm fili- orum Dei in rebus externis omnibus : quas nec per se impias, nee usum earum quemlibet per se impium, assero aut sentio; abusum solum, qui omnibus esse potest vitio, utentium supcrstitiose, aut ali- oqui male, reprehcndo cum D"" Bucero, D. Martyre, et omnibus piis ac doctis viris. Ceterum, quod ad me attinet in hac causa usus ves- 2 Sti-ype's Cranmer, i. xvii. p. 307. 3 From a collection of MSS. in the possession of the Rev. J. F. Russell, of Enfield. Sec also Durell's Vindiciaj Ecclesite Anglicana;, cap. xvi. p. 140. Loud. IGGO. xvi BIOGRAPHICAL NOTICE. tium ac rituum inaugurationis episcopalis, si adhuc dubitarcm aut hasrercm in aliquo, attamen abuude putarem me satisfacturum omni officio rcverentia) vel obediential, si, volens meum sensum ac judicium ceteris omnibus prafcrre, ipse vestraj clementiaj judicio subjicerer, quicquid judicatuii fueritis ex animo factuius: id quod meo scripto volebam ; et nunc idem facio et polliceor. Etenim in bac causa ccepi meum judicium sensumque meum ita habere suspecta, ut vestra; cle- mentiaj judicio, vol corum quoscunque nominaveritis pios ac doctos in lego Dei, stare ac niti quam meo unius existimem consultius et Chris- tiana humilitate dignius. Id non puto in me esse mutatum. Ago gratias reverendaj tua; clementise, quod tarn multas molestias ac labores meo nomine subire dignatus sis. Rogo etiam supplex sic agas cum reliquis dominis, ut contenti esse relint in nomine Cbristi; neque ita sentiant de me, quasi aliquid faciam simulate, uUo metu, aut ulla alia causa nisi ecclesise : Dominus Jesus testis est, qui abdita cordium novit. Idem revereudam tuam clementiam suo Spiritu semper augeat, atquo omnibus bonis beet. In carcere, 15 Feb. 1551. Reverendae tuse clementise observantissimus, Jo. HoPPERtJS. On his submission Hooper was set at liberty, and was consecrated on the 8th of March ; the conditions imposed upon him being, that he should wear the prescribed vestments at his consecration, and when he preached before the king, or in his cathedral, or on any public occasion : at other times he was left to the exercise of his own discretion. And thus, to the great joy of the friends of the Reformation, ended a dispute which for many months had seriously disturbed the peace of the church, and threatened to deprive it of the services of one of its most zealous and useful ministers. Ridley and Hooper appear to have been estranged from one another for some time after : but it is satisfactory to find that, when both were imprisoned in the Marian persecution, all feelings of bitterness were laid aside, and that they were from the heart united as brethren in that truth for which they were shortly afterwards to shed their blood By the archbishop Hooper was treated with his accustomed friendliness ; and on one occasion, when summoned to London by the meeting of parliament, he was received as a guest at Lambeth palace. Immediately after his consecration he prepared to enter upon his new duties. He addressed a letter of admonition to his clergy, and apprised them of his speedy coming ; and on visiting his diocese commenced a course of preaching with ^ See Ridley's Letter to Hooper. Acts and Mon. p. 1504. BIOGRAPHICAL NOTICE. SO much diligence as to cause apprehensions for the failure of his health. His wife, in a letter to BuUinger, dated April 3rd, 1551, says, "I entreat you to recommend master Hooper to be more moderate in his labour : for he preaches four, or at least three, times every day ; and I am afraid lest these over-abundant exertions should cause a premature decay-." Knowing that many of his clergy were extremely ignorant, and moreover hostile to the Reformation, he drew up a body of fifty articles ^ to which he required them to subscribe. He also laid before them a number of injunctions, together with interrogatories relating to the conduct both of the clergy and laity : and finally he proceeded to an examination of the several ministers as to their knowledge of the Ten Command- ments, the Apostles' Creed, and the Lord's Prayer, subjects upon which a considerable portion of them were lamentably ignorant. At this visitation he constituted certain of the clergy to be superintendents, whose duty it was to maintain a watch- fulness over the inferior ministers. In the course of the summer the lives of himself and several members of his household were placed in jeopardy by the sweating sickness, a malady which proved very destructive throughout the kingdom : he makes a touching allusion to the circumstance in one of his letters*. About this time he was nominated one of a body of thirty- two commissioners who were to undertake the revision of the ecclesiastical laws ; and early in the following year, as a further proof of the confidence reposed in him, he was appointed to the bishoprick of Worcester (then vacant by the deprivation of bishop Heath), which he was to hold in commenclam with that of Gloucester. This in many respects inconvenient arrangement was continued till the end of the year, when the two sees were thrown into one, and he became bishop of the united diocese of Worcester and Gloucester. In July 1552 he commenced a visitation of his new diocese; but was shortly afterwards compelled to return to Gloucester, in consequence of the misconduct of the clergy of that see, who had taken advantage of his absence to fall back into their old superstitious practices. While engaged in the correction of 2 See Zurich Letters, i. xlis. p. 108. 3 See "Copy of Visitation Book," p. 118 of this volume. < Zurich Letters, i. xl. p. 94. [hooper, II.] ^ XVUl BIOGRAPHICAL NOTICE. these disorders, he wrote the following letter to Sir William Cecil 1. To the Right Honourable my singular friend Sir William Cecil, Kt., one of the king's majesty's chiefest secretaries. The grace of God be with you. Amen. Since my coming down I have been at Worcester, gentle Mr Secretary, and thought not to have departed thence till I had set things in a good order as near as I could. But the negligence and ungodly behaviour of the ministers in Gloucestershire compelled me to return, except I should leave them behind as far out of order as I should find the other to whom I am going unto. I have spoken with the greatest part of the mi- nisters ; and I trust within these six days to end for this time with them all. For the love of God, cause the Articles that the king's majesty spake of when we took our oaths to be set forth by his authority. I doubt not but they shall do much good : for I will cause every minister to confess them openly before their parishioners. For subscribing privately in the paper I perceive little availeth ; for, notwithstanding that, they speak as evil of good faith as ever they did before they subscribed. I left not the ministers of Gloucestershire so far forward when I went to London but I found the greatest part of them as far backward at my coming home. I have a great hope of the people. God send good justices and faithful ministers in the church, and all will be well. For lack of heed com so passeth from hence by water, that I fear much we shall have great scarcity this year. Doubtless men that bo put in trust do not their duties. The statute of Regrators^ is so used that in many quarters of these parts it will do little good : and in some parts, where as licence by the justices will not be granted, the people are much offended that they should not as well as other bag as they were wont to do. God be praised, yet all things be quiet, and, I trust, so will con- tinue. Thus desiring God to continue you long in health to his plea- sure, fare ye well : and for God's sake do one year as ye may be abla to do another. Your health is not the surest : favour it as ye may, and charge it not too far. Ye be wise and comfortable for others ; be so for yourself also. I pray you let God be the end whereunto ye mark in all your doings ; and if they for lack of knowledge then happen otherwise than yo would, the thing ye sought shall partly ex- cuse your ignorancy, that may hap to miss men in weighty affairs. If ye see the means good, and yet evil follow of them, content your- 1 From the Lansdowne Collection of MSS. in the British Mu- seum. ^ An Act against Regrators, Forestallers, and Ingrossers. Anno quinto et sexto Edvardi VI" cap. 14. — Statutes at large. BIOGRAPHICAL NOTICE. xix self with patience. For tlio second cause, when God will, be it never so like to bring forth the effect, misseth her purpose : as yo know by wise men's counsels that ruled in commonwealths before you. God give his grace to look always upon him ; and then with mercy let him do his holy will. Glouc. 6 Julii, 1552. Yours with my daily prayer, John Hoper, Bishop of Worcester. Having completed his labours in Gloucestershire, Hooper returned once more to Worcester, taking with him the same articles that he had used in his visitation of the preceding year. This brought him into a controversy with two of the canons of the cathedral, named Henry Joliffe and Robert Johnson, who objected to the articles as opposed to the catholic faith, and refused to subscribe them. The bishop held a public disputation with them, and afterwards sent up an account of the controversy to the council ; who gave orders to Mr Cheke and Mr Harley to inquire into and report upon the matter, that further order might be taken therein. With his report to the council the bishop sent another letter to Sir William Cecil': The grace of God be with you for ever. Amen. I have wroten herewith long letters to the council ; yet not so long as the matter contained in them doth require. I trust it will be your chance to read them, that the matter may be the better understand. Ye know I am but an evil secretary. Do the best ye can they may be well taken. It is truth that I write, and God's cause : let God do as his blessed pleasure is with it. I have sent the matters that these two canons, Johnson and Joliffe, dislike in writing : whereby ye may under- stand what is said of both parts. The disputation Mr Harley can make true relation of, and how unreverently and proudly Joliffe used both him and me. Forasmuch as my jurisdiction ceaseth until the letters-patent be past for both churches, these shall be to pray you to obtain the king's majesty's letters for my warrant in the mean time. For in case I do not at this time take account of the clergy in Worcester and Glouces- tershire, how they have profited since my last examining of them, it will not be well. Also such as I have made superintendents in Gloucestershire, if I commend not myself presently their well-doings, and see what is evil done, I shall not see the good I look for. Ah, Mr Secretary, that there were good men in the cathedral churches! God then should have much more honour than he hath, the king's majesty more obedience, and the poor people more knowledge. But 3 From the Lansdownc Collection of MSS. in the British Museum. b 2 XX BIOGRAPHICAL NOTICE. the realm wantoth light in such churches where as of right it ought most to bo. I suppose yo had heard that there should be a great spoil made of this church here ; for what can be so well done, that men of light conscience cannot make by suggestion to appear evil ? Doubtless the things done be no more than the express words of the king's majesty's injunctions commanded to be done. And I dare say there is not for a church to preach God's word in, and to minister his holy sacra- ments, more goodly within this realm. But, Mr Secretary, I see much mischief in men's hearts by many tokens ; and such as speak very fair meaneth cnxftily, and nothing less than they speak : I have too good experience of it. Thus God give us wisdom and strength wisely and strongly to serve in our vocations. There is none that eateth their bread in the sweat of their face but such as serve in public vocation. Yours is wonderful, but mine passeth. Now I perceive private labours be but plays, nor private troubles but ease and quietness. God be our help. Amen. I pray you send me my jurisdiction as soon as may be. Worcester, 25 Octobris, 1552. Yours, and so will be whiles I live, with my prayer, John Hoper, Bishop of Worcester. Postscript. — When that I perceived my request for jurisdiction made before unto you, upon further deliberation I thought it good to unrequest that again, praying you to make no mention of it ; and thereupon wrote the letters to the council anew. The cause is, I send for a precedent, to see the jurisdiction how it is given in the like state as I am ; which pleaseth me not. Therefore, good Mr Secretary, let it pass till I write to you again ^. On the conclusion of his visitation the bishop again went over both his dioceses, to ascertain what improvement had taken place amongst his clergy since his last examination, and to observe how his superintendents had fulfilled the duties entrusted to them. These labours over, he devoted himself with no less assiduity to the other duties of his exalted office. His character cannot be better described than in the admirable summary 1 An account of the above-mentioned controversy was published by JolifFo at Antwerp in 1564, under the following title: "Responsio venerabilium sacerdotum, Henrici JolifFo et Roberti Johnson, sub pro- testatione facta, ad illos articulos Joannis Hoperi, episcopi Vigornise nomen gerentis, in quibus a catholica fide dissentiebat : una cum confutationibus cjusdem Hoperi, et replicationibus reverendissimi in, Christo patris bonoe memorire Stephani Gai'dineri, episcopi Vintoni- ensis, tunc tcmporis pro confessione fidei in carcere detenti." BIOGRAPHICAL NOTICE. xxi given by Foxe : " He employed his time (says that writer) Tvhicli the Lord lent him under king Edward's reign with such diligence as may be a spectacle to all bishops... So careful was he in his cure, that he left neither pains untaken nor ways unsought, how to train up the flock of Christ in the true word of salvation, continually labouring in the same. No father in his household, no gardener in his garden, nor husbandman in his vineyard, was more or better occupied than he in his diocese amongst his flock, going about his towns and villages, in teaching and preaching to the people there. That time that he had to spare from preaching he bestowed either in hearing public causes, or else in private study, prayer, and visiting of schools. To which his continual doctrine he adjoined due and discreet correction, not so much severe to any as to them which for abundance of riches and wealthy state thought they might do what they listed. And, doubtless, he spared no kind of people, but was indiff'erent to all men, as well rich as poor." Of his firm and impartial conduct an instance is given by John ab Ulmis, who relates that Sir Anthony Kingston, a man of rank in Gloucestershire, was cited by the bishop on a charge of immorality, and, on his appearance, rebuked by him with his wonted severity. He replied with abusive language, and even blows ; but the case being reported to the council by the bishop, he was severely punished for his contumacy-. By some however even amongst his friends the bishop's strictness appears to have been con- sidered extreme : for IMicronius, in a letter to Bullinger, dated November the 7th, 1551, writes, " Let him be exhorted to unite prudence and christian lenity to the severity of disci- phne." But to return to Foxe : we learn that, " although he bestowed and converted the most part of his care upon the public flock and congregation of Christ," his children and other members of his household were not forgotten or neglected. His palace in all its arrangements presented abundant evidence of his piety and wisdom. His liberality too was no less con- spicuous, his surplus revenue being expended in the exercise of the most enlarged hospitality. It was his daily custom to provide a table for a certain number of the poor of Worcester, 2 Zurich Letters, ii. ccviii. p. 441. xxii BIOGRAPHICAL NOTICE. who, after being examined as to their knowledge of the Lord's Prayer, the Articles of their Faith, and the Ten Command- ments, were regaled with an ample and wholesome repast. On the death of king Edward, Hooper, true to the prin- ciples which he had always professed, supported the claims of ]\Iary to the throne, and exerted his influence in her behalf. This conduct however was of no avail to screen him from the fury of the papists. Being warned by some friends to flee from the dangers which were impending over him, he nobly answered, " Once I did flee, and took me to my feet : but now, because I am called to this place and vocation, I am throughly persuaded to tarry, and to live and die with my sheep." He was one of the first who were summoned before the council. He appeared before them at Richmond, where they were then assembled, on the 29th of August, and was received by Gardiner with taunts and insults on account of his religion : but, as the laws of persecution were not yet revived, he was detained on a false pretence of his being in- • debted to the queen, and sent on the 1st of September to the Fleet. He has left in one of his letters an interesting account of the cruel treatment which he experienced in that prison'. His wife at an early stage of these troubles escaped with her two children to the continent, and took up her abode at Frankfort, where she hoped she might be able to maintain a correspondence with her husband. In the following March he was brought before Gardiner and other commissioners ; and, on the ground of his being married, and refusing to forsake his wife, and also his denial of the corporal presence in the eucharist, he was adjudged to be deprived of his bishoprick. The papists proceeded in this examination with their usual violence, drowning Hooper's voice with furious outcries, and assailing him with the most opprobrious epithets. Kot long after this occurrence he received intelligence, that it was in contemplation to send him, with Ferrar, Taylor, Bradford, and Philpot, to Cambridge, under the pretence of a disputation similar to that which had been held at Oxford a short time before. He therefore wrote to his fellow-sufferers to warn them of the design, proposing that they should come to some agreement amongst themselves as to the course which should be pursued. In accordance with 1 See Letter xltiii. p. 619 of this volume. BIOGRAPHICAL NOTICK, xxiii Lis suggestion a declaration of their -willingness to dispute in writing, or before the queen and council, or before the houses of parliament, and not otherwise, together with a confession of their faith, was drawn up and subscribed 2. The suiferings of a long and rigorous imprisonment had no power to damp the good bishop's ardour in the cause to which he was devoted ; and though unable to aid it by his personal exertions, he was by no means inactive. Notwith- standing the strictness with which he was watched, he contrived to write numerous letters of exhortation to his friends, together with several important treatises and other works, of which the greater part will be found in the following pages. At length, on the 22nd of January, 1555, he was again brought before Gardiner at his house in Southwark, when he was earnestly exhorted to return to the bosom of the Roman church, and to acknowledge the pope's supremacy ; being assured that by compliance he would secure the clemency of the queen, together with the papal blessing. To these offers he undauntedly replied, that he could not acknowledge even as a member, much less as the head, of Christ's holy church one whose teaching was contrary to that of Christ : nor could he allow the papal to be the true catholic church. As to the queen, if he had unwittingly committed any offence against her, he was ready to implore her mercy, provided it might be done without violence to his conscience. He was informed in reply, that the queen would extend no mercy to the enemies of the pope, and recommitted to the Fleet. Six days after- wards he was again summoned before the commissioners in the church of St Mary Overy, to answer the charge of heresy. The offer of mercy on his recantation was again renewed, but again as firmly rejected. The following charges were then severally brought against him : first, that " being a priest, and of a religious order, he had himself married, and openly maintained and taught the lawfulness of the marriage of the clergy ;" secondly, that " he had maintained and taught that married persons, in case of adultery, may by the word of God and his authority, and by the ministry of the magistrates, be wholly separated from the bond of matrimony, and divorced from one another." Hooper, in his reply, confessed the truth of both these charges, and offered to defend his views against 2 Foxe, Acts and Monuments, p. 1469. xxiy BIOGRAPHICAL NOTICE. all opponents. Thirdly, it was charged against him, that he had asserted, held, and taught, that '•' in the eucharist, or sacrament of the altar, is not truly the true and natural body of Christ and his true and natural blood under the species of bread and wine ; and that there is there material bread and material wine only, without the truth and presence of the body and blood of Christ." To this he answered, that " the very natural body of Christ is not really and substantially in the sacrament of the altar ; and that the mass is the iniquity of the devil, and the mass an idol." Finding that Hooper remained immoveable, Gardiner committed him to the Counter in Southwark till the following morning, in order that he might have time to reflect, and retract his opinions : but as on his re-appearance he remained unchanged, he was at length condemned as an obstinate heretic and excommunicated, and delivered over to the secular power. He was then conveyed by the sheriffs of London to the Clink, a prison not far from Gardiner's residence, where he was detained till night : and thence under cover of the darkness, as though it was feared that the people might make an attempt at rescue, he was led to Newgate. During his detention here Bonner and others made repeated efforts to shake his constancy, but without success. The frequency of their visits however gave rise to a rumour of his recantation, which caused him much annoyance, and was the occasion of his writing the letter of denial which will be found in the collection ', On Monday, the 4th of February, he was, with Rogers, formally degraded by bishop Bonner in the chapel of the prison ; and at night he received an intimation from his keeper that he was to be sent to Gloucester for execution. This intelligence he received with the livehest satisfaction, praising God that he was to be sent amongst his own people, to confirm before them by his death the truth which he had taught them during life. He immediately made his prepara- tions with great alacrity ; and at four o'clock on the following morning, after being strictly searched, he was led out of Newgate, and delivered to six of the queen's guards, who were appointed to convey him to Gloucester. He commenced his journey at day-break, precautions being taken to prevent 1 Letter xlix. p. 621. BIOGRAPHICAL NOTICE. xxy recognition, and conducted himself throughout with such cheerfulness and docility as to win the good-will and favour of his escort. On the afternoon of Thursday he arrived at Gloucester, amidst the tears and lamentations of a crowd of people, and was conducted to the house of one Robert Ingram, where he remained till the time of his execution. The greater part of this short interval he spent in prayer : but one or two interesting incidents which have been preserved by Foxe deserve attention. Sir Anthony Kingston came to see him, and with many assurances of gratitude and affection entreated him to consult his safety, urging that life was sweet, and death was bitter, and that life hereafter might do good. " I thank you (said Hooper in reply) for your friendly counsel, although it be not so friendly as I could have wished it. True it is, M. Kingston, that death is bitter, and life is sweet : but alas ! consider that the death to come is more bitter, and the life to come is more sweet. Therefore for the desire and love I have to the one, and the terror and fear of the other, I do not so much regard this death, nor esteem this life ; but have settled myself, through the strength of God's Holy Spirit, patiently to pass through the torments and extremities of the fire now prepared for me, rather than to deny the truth of his word ; desiring you and others in the mean time to commend me to God's mercy in your prayers." Not long after a blind boy, who had suffered imprisonment at Gloucester for his attachment to the truth, obtained admis- sion to him ; when the bishop, having questioned him as to his belief, and the cause of his imprisonment, said with tears in his eyes, "Ah ! poor boy, God hath taken from thee thy outward sight, for what consideration he best knoweth : but he hath given thee another sight much more precious ; for he hath endued thy soul with the eye of knowledge and faith. God give thee grace continually to pray unto him, that thou lose not that sight ; for then shouldest thou be blind both in body and soul." To a papist who intruded upon him with hypocri- tical expressions of sorrow for his troubles he administered a stern rebuke: "Be sorry for thyself, man, (said M. Hooper,) and lament thine own wickedness: for I am well, I thank God, and death to me for Christ's sake is welcome." The guard, having now accomplished their commission, XXvi BIOGRAPHICAL NOTICE. delivered him into the custody of the sheriffs, who with the mayor and aldermen repaired to his lodging, and at the first meeting saluted him, and took him by the hand. Hooper upon this addressed them in the following terms : " M. mayor, I give most hearty thanks to you, and to the rest of your brethren, that you have vouchsafed to take me a prisoner and a condemned man by the hand ; whereby, to my rejoicing, it is some deal apparent that your old love and friendship to- wards me is not altogether extinguished : and I trust also that all the things I have taught you in times past are not utterly forgotten, when I was here, by the godly king that dead is, appointed to be your bishop and pastor. For the which most true and sincere doctrine, because I will not now account it falsehood and heresy, as many other men do, I am sent hither (as I am sure you know) by the queen's commandment to die; and am come where I taught it, to confirm it with my blood. And now, M. sheriffs, I understand by these good men and my very friends (meaning the guard), at whose hands I have found so much favour and gentleness by the way hitherward as a prisoner could reasonably require, for the which also I most heartily thank them, that I am committed to your custody, as unto them that must see me brought to-morrow to the place of execution. My request therefore to you shall be only, that there may be a quick fire, shortly to make an end ; and in the mean time I will be as obedient unto you as yourselves would wish. If you think I do amiss in any thing, hold up your finger, and I have done. For I come not hither as one en- forced or compelled to die (for it is well known I might have had my life with worldly gain), but as one wilUng to offer and give my life for the truth, rather than to consent to the wicked papistical religion of the bishop of Rome, received and set forth by the magistrates in England, to God's high displeasure and dishonour : and I trust by God's grace to-morrow to die a faithful servant of God, and a true obedient subject to the queen." The order for Hooper's execution, addressed to lord Chandos, Sir Anthony Kingston, Sir Edmund Bridges, and other commissioners, is expressed as follows : "Whereas John Hooper, who of late was called bishop of Worcester and Glou- cester, is by due order of the laws ecclesiastic condemned and judged for a most obstinate, false, detestable heretic, and com- BIOGRAPHICAL NOTICE, XXVU mitted to our secular power to be burned, according to the wholesonae and good laws of our realm in that case provided ; forasmuch as in those cities and diocese thereof he hath in times past preached and taught most pestilent heresies and doctrine to our subjects there; we have therefore given order that the said Hooper, who yet persisteth obstinate, and hath refused mercy when it was graciously offered, shall be put to execution in the said city of Gloucester, for the example and terror of others such as he hath there seduced and mistaught, and because he hath done most harm there: and will that you, calhng unto you some of reputation dweUing in the shire, such as you think best, shall repair unto our said city, and be at the said execution assisting our mayor and sheriffs of the same city in this behalf. And, forasmuch also as the said Hooper is, as heretics be, a vain-glorious person, and dehghteth in his tongue, and having liberty, may use his said tongue to persuade such as he hath seduced to persist in the miserable opinion that he hath sown amongst them ; our pleasure is therefore, and we require you to take order, that the said Hooper be, neither at the time of his execution, nor in going to the place thereof, suffered to speak at large, but thither to be led quietly and in silence, for eschewing of further infection and such inconveniency as may otherwise ensue in this part. Whereof fail you not, as ye tender our pleasure'," Early on the morning of the ninth of February the com- missioners arrived at Hooper's lodging, and he was desired to prepare himself for execution. On being led forth by the sheriffs, and perceiving the crowd of armed attendants by whom they were surrounded, he exclaimed : "Master sheriffs, I am no traitor, neither needed you to have made such a business to bring me to the place where I must suffer : for if ye had willed me, I would have gone alone to the stake, and have troubled none of you all." When he beheld the multi- tudes of people who had come together to witness his demea- nour, he remarked to those around him, "Alas ! why be these people assembled and come together? Peradventure they think to hear something of me now, as they have in times past ; but alas ! speech is prohibited me. Notwithstanding, the cause of my death is well known unto them. When I was appointed 1 From the Cottonian MSS. in tho British Museum, Cleopatra, E. V, 81. xxviii BIOGRAPHICAL NOTICE. here to bo their pastor, I preached unto them true and sincere doctrine, and that out of the word of God. Because I Tvill not now account the same to be heresy and untruth, this kind of death is prepared for me." He walked cheerfully to the fatal spot, and surveyed the preparations with a smiling countenance : and then, beckoning to him several of his acquaintance, that they might hear his words, he knelt down and prayed; "the which prayer he made (says Foxe) upon the whole creed." Whilst he was thus engaged, a box, said to contain his pardon on condition of his recantation, was placed before him; but as soon as he saw it, he cried, "If you love my soul, away with it ; if you love my soul, away with it." He was heard by those who were listening to him to say these words : "Lord, I am hell, but thou art hea- ven : I am swill and a sink of sin, but thou art a gracious God and a merciful Redeemer. Have mercy therefore upon me, most miserable and wretched offender, after thy great mercy, and according to thine inestimable goodness. Thou that art ascended into heaven, receive me hell to be partaker of thy joys, where thou sittest in equal glory with thy Father. For well knowest thou. Lord, wherefore I am come hither to suffer, and why the wicked do persecute this thy poor servant : not for my sins and transgressions committed against thee, but because I will not allow their wicked doings, to the contaminating of thy blood, and to the denial of the knowledge of thy truth, wherewith it did please thee by thy holy Spirit to instruct me : the which, with as much diligence as a poor wretch might (being thereto called), I have set forth to thy glory. And well seest thou, my Lord and God, what terrible pains and cruel torments be prepared for thy creature, such. Lord, as without thy strength none is able to bear, or patiently to pass. But all things that are impossible with man are possible with thee. Therefore strengthen me of thy goodness, that in the fire I break not the rules of patience ; or else assuage the terror of the pains, as shall seem most to thy glory ^" His prayer being ended, and other preparations com- ^ Foxe, in the "Rerum in Ecclesia gestanim," &c. p. 295, expresses a hope that the remainder of Hooper's prayer may be published by those wlio heard it; and accordingly the following fragment was pre- served. It is extracted from a small volume of miscellaneous pieces BIOGRAPHICAL NOTICE, xxix pleted, he was bound to the stake with an iron hoop, and the fire applied. His sufferings were very protracted and severe : for owing to the greenness and insufficiency of the materials used, together with the violence of the wind, the fire at first had but little effect ; and it was necessary to renew it on two several occasions before it reached a vital part. During the whole of this trying interval, which was extended to three quarters of an hour, the martyr's fortitude remained unshaken : he evinced but little sense of suffering ; and, as long as he retained the power of speech, he employed it in prayer preserved in the Bodleian Libraiy. Two editions of it appear to hare been printed in the same year, viz. 1559. Tlie wordes of Maister Hooper at his death. O Lord Jesus, that for whose love I leave wyllynglye this lyfe, and desyre the bitter death of the crosse wyth the losse of all my worldlye thinges, then eyther to abyde the blasphemye of thy moste holye name, or to obey unto menne in breakynge of thy coramaundementes; thou seest. Lord, that where I myght lyve in wealth to worship a false god, and to honor thyne ennemy, I choose rather the tormentes of my bodye, and the losse of thys my lyfe, and I have counted aU thynges but vile dust and doonge, that I might wyn thee; whych death is more deare unto mee then thousandes of gold and sylver: such love, Lorde, hast thou layd up in my brest, that I hunger for thee as the deere that is wounded desireth the soyle: so send thy holye Comforter to ayde, comfort, and strengthen this weake peeco of yearthe, whiche is of itselfe empty of al strength : thou remembrest that I am but vyle duste and doonge, and of myselfe able to doo nothinge ; therfore, O Lorde, as thou of thine accustomed love hast bydden me to thys banket, and counted me worthy to drinke of this thy cuppe amongest thine elect, geve me strength against this thy ellement, that as to my syghte it is moste yrkesom and untollerable, so to my raynd it may at thy commaundcment go as an obedient ser- vant, be swete and pleasaunt, and through the strength of thy holy Spirite I maye passe through the furie of this fyre into thy bosom, according to thy promise, and for this mortall lyfe receyve an immor- talitie, and for this corruptible receyve an incorruptible. Accept thys burnt sacrifice, O heavenly Father, not for the sacrifice' sake, but for thy deare Sonne's sake my Saviour ; for whose testimonie I offer this my free-wyll off'eryng with all my harte, with all my strength, with all my soule. O heavenly Father, forgeve me my synnes, as I forgeve all the worlde. O swete Sonne of God my Saviom-, sprcade thy wynges over me. 0 God the Holye Ghost, comforte, strengthen, and stablish me : and as through thy mightye power thou hast brought me hyther to dye, so conduct me into everlastyng blysse. 0 Lorde, into thy XXX BIOGRAPIIICAL NOTICE. to him whose battle he was fighting. The last words that ho was heard to utter were, "Lord Jesu, have mercy upon me; Lord Jesu, have mercy upon me; Lord Jesus, receive my spirit." Several years ago some workmen, in levelling the ground in St Mary de Lode's square, in Gloucester, discovered buried in the earth the butt-end of the stake at which the martyr suffered : and the spot is marked by a simple monument erected by the pious munificence of a stranger. liandes I commende my spirite ; thou haste redeemed me, O God of truthe. Lorde, have mercye upon me ; Christ, have mercy upon me; Lord, have mercy upon me. Amen. To this may be added the following lines, which form part of a volume containing " The Complaynt of Vcritie, made by John Brad- ford," and other pieces, and printed a.d. 1559. These are the wordes that Maister John Houper wrote on the wall with a cole, in the newe Inn in Gloceter, the night before he suffered: Content thyself with patience With Christ to bear the cross of pain. Who can or will recompense A thousand-fold with joys again. Let nothing cause thy heart to fail; Launch out thy boat, hoise up thy sail, Put from the shore ; And be thou sure thou shalt attain Unto the port that shall remain For evermore. Fear not death, pass not for bands. Only in God put thy whole trust ; For he will require thy blood at their hands; And thou dost know that once die thou must : Only for that thy life if thou give, Death is no death, but amens for to live. Do not despair: Of no worldly tyrant see thou dread ; Thy compass, which is God's word, shall thee lead. And the wind is fair. Thk Editor of the "Early Writings of Bishop Hooper" has sup' plied for insertion here the following list of CORRIGENDA. p. 65. note 4, for Valentine read Valentinus. p. 122. note 5, and in the Index, for Henry VI. read Henry VII. p. 160. note 1, for TertuUian and Origen read Theodoret and Augustine. p. 174. line 18, for to save him. He wax not mange Ms horse, ^'c. read, to save him, he wax not mangy. His horse, 8)'c. p. 276. note 1. The reference should have been to the " Falsa Donatio Constantini." The Editor hesitated to believe that Bishop Hooper had afcmed " the Bishop of Rome and all his adherents gave evidence and faith" to a Charter which so many eminent Romish divines had then ac- knowledged to be apocryphal. A LESSON OF THE INCARNATION OF CHRIST. [tlOOrER, II.] 1 of il)z '^ntaxmiion of (Kfin'ste, tfiat 5e folic j^i's f)umantte in anlj of tje tfie th3£nti'tf)e Uage of 3JunE bg 3)''Sn fBopcr. 1549. Boma ix. C €f)vt?tc cf tje fathers conccmgnge t^e flcs^f' [This treatise was written against the anabaptists, whose opinions occasioned much trouble at the time. Hooper was frequently engaged in opposing them. See Epist. xiii. and six.] C A DAILY PRAYER TO BE SAID BEFORE THE LESSON. 0 eternal and most merciful God, •whose word is the light unto our steps, and the lantern unto our feet, we most humbly beseech thee to illuminate our minds, that we may understand the mysteries contained in thy holy law ; and into the same self thing that we godly understand, we may be virtuously transformed, so that of no part we offend thy high majesty, through our Sayiour Jesus Christ. So be it. C A PREFACE. Seeing we be even so appointed by the ordinance of God to live and take the experience and danger of the last time, in the which (as the scripture saith) iniquity shall abound, and the true knowledge of God so obscured, that scarce the Son of man, when he cometh, shall find any faith upon the earth ; it is the office of all Christians, and especi- ally of such as teach the word of God, not only to remove and take away false and pernicious doctrine, and then to plant the truth ; but also in time to crop and cut off the springing and towardly evils, before they be full ripe, lest they should oppress and keep under the doctrine of truth. Among all other pernicious doctrine contrary unto the truth, there is one most pestilent and dangerous, which denieth Jesus of Nazareth, our Saviour, to have received his 1—2 4 A PREFACE. humanity and manhood of the blessed and holy Virgin Mary ; and supposeth, either he brought his humanity with him from heaven, or else took it of some other than of her. Forasmuch, therefore, as this ungodly opinion crept not only into the church immediately after the apostles, but also the same (being buried and condemned by the scripture) in our miserable and most perilous time is gotten into the hearts of many, for whom Christ in his humanity shed his precious blood, and some it holdeth in trouble and perplexity of conscience ; to confirm and help the well-persuaded in the christian and catholic faith, and also to call again (if God will) such as be gone, I purpose to entreat and reason this matter of Christ's incarnation at large, that the truth may, as right is in this case, take here place. Nothing else in this preface I demand but that the christian reader tarry with the truth, and not to be offended, though in this time many errors (upon the beginning of the reformation of true religion in this realm) daily be brought in ; seeing it was so in the apostles' time by the craft of the devil, that men by the diversity of opinions troubled the truth of the gospel ; which was and is done ■to prove the faithful. Now therefore to the matter, in the which I will observe this order : first, I will shew out of the old testament and the new, that Christ took his humanity of the blessed Virgin : after- wards, I will answer to the objections of the con- traries. TjESSON OF THE INCARNATION OF CHRIST. Reasons out of the Old Testament. The first is the promise of God unto Adam and Eve, Gen. iii., that the seed of a woman should break the serpent's head. This promise was spoken of Christ ; for he solely and only brake the serpent's head, that is to say, destroyed the works of the devil, satisfied for sin, and overcame it, and also the world, hell, and the devil, and set God and man at one, removing the occasion of enmity and the enmity itself in his precious blood ; breaking the writings of our condemnation upon the cross, Ephes. ii. ; and this our Saviour and peace- maker is called the seed of a woman. The which word alone were sufficient to confound the contrary part, that saith Christ took not the substance of his humanity of the blessed Virgin. Wheresoever ye find this word, " the seed of a woman," in the holy scripture, ye shall see always it is taken for the child and birth that hath of the substance of his mother, and not for anything that passeth through the mother, as the water passeth through a pipe ; but that part of the mother's substance doth concur, and necessarily is required to the pro- creation of the child, as all physic holdeth. And this way wrought God Almighty the humanity of his only Son, our Saviour, Jesus of Nazareth, without the knowledge of man, using the blessed Virgin by the operation of the Holy Ghost to conceive and bring forth this blessed seed, which was made of her, and took the original of his humanity of and in her, by the operation of the Holy Ghost ; and neither nourished in her womb, neither brought forth she the humanity of Christ, as a thing that God had given Christ from heaven, or else from some other where ; but nourished in her, and brought forth the blessed seed that God had made by his holy power of her own substance: other* else were this \} Other: cither.] 6 A LESSON OF THE promise false, The seed of a woman shall break the serpent's head. It is no seed of a woman, nor hath any thing to do to be called the seed of a woman, that never taketh ought of a woman. But God doth warrant that he, that shall break the serpent's head, shall be the seed of a woman. If it be true (as it cannot be false), that the serpent's head is broken, who can deny but that it is broken by the seed of a woman, that is, by him that took his humanity of the woman's substance? Men must beware they be not deceived in this case with allegories and wrong interpretation of the word ; but plainly make answer, Christ is the seed of a woman, and not a thing that passed through her, nor was partitaker' of her nature. For then should she not have brought forth her son, but such a son as she knew neither father neither mother of. Other promises made God unto Abraham and unto Jacob of the same seed. To Abraham, Gen. xxii., " In thy seed shall they say all the nations of the earth to be blessed." Unto Jacob, Gen. xxvi.^, God saith thus, " In thy seed shall all the people of the world be blessed." Here again see we Christ called " the seed ; " for none other purpose doubtless, but only to take away all suspicion and doubt that the world might have of his humanity ; and lest the world might have said, as now-a-day (the more pity) many doth say, we believe that Christ is of the seed of the fathers, but he brought that seed with him from heaven, or else wrought the same seed, and made it not out of the sinful nature of the fathers, but some other ways unknown unto man. The scripture in these promises, and in other that shall follow, putteth expressly this pronoun, thine, saying, " thy seed." In thy seed, not in the seed that Christ shall bring from heaven, shall be the blessing of all people. How can that be Abraham's or Jacob's seed, that never took any of their substance, but came from heaven, and was made of another kind of nature than Abra- ham and Jacob was of? Who is able by good authority of the scripture to warrant Christ's humanity, in case it be unknown of whom he should take it ; as these men knoweth not, that denieth Christ to take the nature of man of the blessed Virgin ? Unto David God made the like promise of [1 Partitaker : partaker.] [2 In chapter xxvi. the promise is made to Isaac. It is renewed to Jacob in chap, xxviii.] INCARNATION OF CHRIST. 7 Christ to be born of his seed : 2 Samuel vii., "When thy days be past, and thou sleepest with thy fathers, I will suscitate thy seed after thee, that shall come out of thy belly." The same have ye 1 Paral. xvii, and also Psalm exxxii., " The Lord swore a truth unto David, and will not go from it; I will set upon thy seat (one) of the fruit of thy belly." Nothing is more clear than these words. No man doubteth but all these places appertain unto Christ, the son of the holy Virgin, who is called here the seed of David : also that it should come out of his own belly, concerning his posterity. Then is Christ called the fruit of David ['s] belly. God did swear he would this do : except he be forsworn, he hath done it ; and in that (God be praised) we be agreed. Therefore we will not tarry long in the proof thereof, seeing it needeth no pro- bation. One thing I desire the christian reader of, that he mark well every word of the promise, whereas he calleth him that is promised, now, the seed of David, then, the fruit of his womb : if he so do, it shall be easy to comprehend how far these men be from the verity, that Christ should be a man of the fathers' nature, according to the scriptures, and yet never received his human nature of none of them all. Look in the scripture, and see what the fruit of the belly is ; and thou shalt find in every where it is taken for the child that taketh the beginning of his humanity not only in his mother, but also of his mother and parent ; and calleth not that the fruit of the belly, that passeth the belly without the commixtion and participation of the mother's substance ; as the water runneth and passeth through the pipe, that mingleth itself nothing with substance of the lead. For a more ample declaration and defence of the truth concerning the humanity of Christ and the original thereof, Esay the prophet hath more open prophecies, not only assuring of what family and tribe Christ should be born, but also nameth the condition of his mother, saying, " Behold, a virgin shall conceive, and bear a child," the vii. chap. St Matthew saith, not only that she had conceived, but also that the blessed fruit grew in her, so that she was great, chap. i. Esay in the eleventh chapter saith, " There shall come forth of the race of Jesse a branch and a flower of his root," and so forth : read the place. Now, note the words of tlie Holy Ghost, " conceive," " being great," and, " to bring forth 8 A LESSON OF THE child whethez' ever ye did read in tlio holj scriptures, or in any otlier book, that these properties were found, or may be found in any, saving in her of whose nature and substance the child is formed and made. Therefore the virgin, which Esay here saith shall conceive and bring forth, must minister the part of her substance to her fruit : otherwise, how shall it be called her son ? The text amplifieth this matter so itself, that it needeth no help of any rhetorical amplification. First, with this word, " behold :" for this word declareth that it should be wonderful and above reason, that the nature of a virgin should minister matter and substance to any child, never being known of man. Had she done no more than waxed great with nothing of herself, and brought forth the thing that was made without her, it had not been a thing to be wondered at at all, so much as the prophet speaketh. But it is a greater miracle, a virgin of her own nature to be mother unto a child (by God's operation), and never touched by man, than to bring forth the burden that she taketh from another, made without her assistance and help. Then goeth forth the prophet and discusseth the doubt farther by a similitude and metaphor taken from a tree, after this sort ; " There shall," saith Esay, " come forth of the stock of Jesse a branch," that is to say, the blessed Virgin Mary, (note the process of the text,) and from the root of this branch shall spring a flower, to say, Christ our Saviour. This is the order of the text and the meaning thereof: I make the chi'istian reader judge. Out of the which text note those things : first, that Jesus of Nazareth our Saviour, concerning his humanity, hath not his beginning from heaven nor elsewhere, but from the substance of the root of Jesse. Mark the words of the prophet. He saith not that Chi'ist shall be a flower graft or feigned to be an- nexed to the root ; but he shall be born of the same root. Consider the similitude and the words of the scripture. Christ is called the flower of the branch. It is not unknown unto all men but that the flower is of the nature and sub- stance of the tree that beareth the flower. How can they then prove (tarry in the text of Esay), seeing our Saviour Christ is the flower of that sacrate Virgin Mary, should not be of her substance and nature ? Shew us any flower, that is either of apple-tree, nut, or other, that is not of the INCARNATION OF CimiST. 9 same nature and substance that the tree is, of whom it springeth. If ye grant the flower to be of the nature and substance of the stock that beareth the flower, be no more injurious and cruel against Christ, the flower and fruit (by- God's ordinances) of the sacrate Virgin, than unto the stock and root of every flower of the field. Shew us the flower of an orange to spring of an oak ; and then we will grant the humanity of Christ nor to take his original of man, but from heaven, or else from some other beginning, as you do feign, ye know not what. And then it must be granted, even as of the nature of no orange can come no orange, so of none of Abraham's nature and stock can come Abraham's natural kinsman, our Saviour Christ Jesus, according to the flesh. But ye will not, contrary to reason, grant to us the first: no more can we, contrary both to reason and to the holy scripture, grant you the second. These places and promises of the old testament considered, we will bring forth the aathority of the new testament, that shall confirm the same. €L Testimonies of the New Testament. Out of the old testament we have heard that Christ should be born according to the holy scriptures. Now let us hear how the efi'ect answereth to the former prophecies. In case the new testament should not in efi'ect perform as much as the old testament figured by shadows, and saw before by prophecy, they both might be justly suspected ; and no force though both of them were denied. And for a probation, let us take the experience of it in this matter concerning the humanity of Christ, and that it took his be- ginning in and of the holy Virgin by the operation of the Holy Ghost. The angel said unto the blessed Virgin, Luke the first, " Behold, thou shalt conceive in thy womb, and bear a son :" the which things St Matthew expresseth thus : " Thou shalt be great, and bear a son." Mark the whole state of the scripture, and the words here rehearsed, " to conceive and bear a child ;" and ye shall always find it is none other thing but that the mother shall be a very true and natural parent with participation of her own substance with her child. Therefore St Matthew, in the first chap- 10 A LESSON OF THE ter, to help this doubt, among other things touching the genealogy and stock of Christ saith thus, speaking of the blessed Virgin Mary, " Of whom is born Christ;" and doth not say, by whom, or through whom Christ passed. The same word, " of," useth St Paul twice to the Romans, and once to the Galatians ; the which word he would not have used so many times, in case Christ hath taken no substance of his mother, but passed through her without participation of her nature, as the water through a conduit. To the Eomans, in the first chapter, he saith thus, " Which was born of the seed of David as touching the flesh ;" and in the ninth chapter, " Christ after the flesh is of the fathers ;" and in the fourth to the Galatians he saith, " When the time was fulfilled, God sent his Son born of a woman." What can be more plainly said to prove our Saviour Jesus Christ to have taken of the Virgin the substance of human nature ; namely because the new testament and the authorities thereof doth so godly correspond and answer to the prophe- cies of the old law ? Gen. xxii. " In thy seed," saith Moses, and not in another seed, or in a heavenly seed. The same doth St Paul repeat, saying, " Christ is of the fathers as concerning to the flesh." Mark the word, " of," and it shall destroy that fond opinion of them that say, " True it is, we grant that Christ is of the seed of David ; yet it followeth not he should take of the nature and substance of the sacrate Virgin." Kote well the words, and they shall satisfy thee. Unto this objection and other I will answer unto hereafter in the end of the oration. Isoyv to the proof of our propo- sition : read the first of St Luke, and mark the greeting of Elizabeth unto the holy Virgin being great : " Blessed," said she, " is the fruit of thy womb." This holy woman calleth Christ the fruit : but whereof, and from whence had she this fruit ? Of heaven, or other where ? No, truly : but it was the fruit of her own belly ; then of her own sub- stance ; or else it were a manifest lie to call Christ the fruit of her belly. Neither, I think, there is no man that would call a thing the fruit of a tree, that never had the nature of a tree. What man was ever so found' to say that a pear were the fruit of a cherry-tree ? Or who is he that can say that Jesus of Nazareth, taking his humanity from heaven, [1 Probably a mistake for ^fond, i. e. foolish.] INCARNATION OF CHRIST. 11 or of some other thing beside his mother, can truly call him the fruit of his mother's womb ? The scripture saith Christ is her son, and she is his mother, not a feigned mother, but a true and very natural mother. So saith St Matthew, in the first chapter, " She brought forth her son." And so the Virgin called him, Luke the second, "Son, why hast thou done thus unto us?" Believe the scriptures, and ponder accordingly the words and sentences thereof. Matth. i. Luke iii. Joh. ii. xix. One place more there is in St Paul, written in the second to the Hebrews, which is this : " Forasmuch then as the child- ren were partakers of flesh and blood, he also himself Hkewise took part with them." And in the same place he saith, " He took the seed of Abraham, and not of the angels ; so that he must be like unto his brothers in all things." This place appertaining to the nativity of Christ, let us consider dili- gently the words of St Paul's oration, how he proveth Christ to have our nature, which he took of his mother. If it be so, saith St Paul, that the children, that is to say, men, be partakers of flesh and blood, Christ, because he might destroy him that hath the dominion of death by the death in his own body, was made partaker of the same, to wit, of flesh and blood. Here he useth three words, " likewise," " partaker," " of the same." Read the text, and note the words. First, it is out of doubt that our flesh is of the nature and substance of a woman. Now, saith St Paul, Christ like- wise, that is to say, after the same manner, took flesh as his brothers. I say not, like unto us ; for we receive our nature with sin, and in sin, and by natural conjunction. Christ received his humanity of his mother without sin, by the operation of the Holy Ghost. But to St Paul's words : like as man taketh his nature of his parents, so likewise took Christ his human nature of the blessed Virgin ; or else St Paul's simile proved nothing. The second word of St Paul saith that he was made participant, or partaker. Now there is no participation, nor can be, except it be of such things as is common between them that be partakers of one thing. It cannot be, therefore, that Christ hath taken other flesh than his brothers had, which was of the seed of man. Farther, he addeth, " Christ took the seed of Abraham, and not of angels ; " that is as 12 A LESSON OF THE much to say, Abraham's flesh, verily human, and not any body of flesh celestial, or made of the air. In this place St Paul sheweth plainly, from whence and of whom Christ took his humanity. In the same chapter St Paul saith, " Christ is made like unto his brothers in all things." How can this, I pray you, be true, in case he never took his human nature of any of his brothers' substance ? The which thing if ye take from Christ, there is nothing can be more unlike than Christ and us, that be his brothers. In the last reason, St Paul saith that " Christ was tempted, that he might succour such as were tempted." Now there is no flesh can be tempted but man's flesh. And there is no man's flesh but hath taken his beginning of the substance of man, except it were Adam, the first man, that was made of the earth. Gen. i. Farther, how can he help us, as St Paul saith, being in another flesh from us ? If he have another flesh than we have (I except sin, and now, mortality), how or wherein is the justice of God satisfied for sin ? How can he be a faithful mediator between God and man, that never took his humanity of the substance or nature of any man ? These places and authorities, I trust, sufficeth every christian heart for the stablishment of this article of our behef, where we confess that Christ was conceived by the Holy Ghost, and born of the Virgin Mary. By the which word, " of," we believe that he took his humanity of her sub- stance, and had none other beginning, as touching his humanity, than in her, and of her, by the operation of the Holy Ghost. There now resteth no more to be said of me in this part, but to answer unto such objections as the contrary part resisteth this truth withal. The first Objection. €E If Christ took his flesh of a woman, then were he a sinner, and partaker of the sin that naturally dwelleth in every of Adam's posterity. Romans v. xi. We ansiver. C In case Christ had been in all things conceived and born as we be, their objection were true. But the angel, in the first of St Luke, declareth the diversity between the con- ception and birth of Christ and ours : " The Holy Ghost," saith INCARNATION OF CHRIST. 13 ho unto the holy Virgin, " shall come upon thee, and the mloht of the Highest shall shadow thee." And in case the Almighty had not sanctified and hallowed the seed of David in the sacrate Virgin, which Christ took in her womb, it might have ministered some suspicion that Christ, being man of sinful nature, should also [have] been a sinner himself. But the scripture declareth not only Christ to be the seed and fruit of the Virgin, but also a seed and fruit without sin, say- ing, " The thing that shall be born of thee is holy, and shall be called the Son of God." This testimony of the will of God in the scripture should suffice the people of God. Why seek we a knot in a rush, and put doubt in a manifest verity ? or to fear of the thing that God's word plainly putteth out of fear, and saith. It shall be no sinful fruit, nor vitiated seed, that the blessed Virgin shall bring forth ; but it shall be an holy fruit ? Luke i. And in the same place Elizabeth saith, " Blessed is the fruit of thy belly," The holy woman will ad- mit no curse or malediction of sin in this fruit. The pro- phet Hier, xxiii. saith, that God promised to suscitate unto David a righteous branch. €E In this prophet there is contained two verities of Christ: the first is, that he shall be of the seed of David, as the branch of a tree is of the tree itself. Now it is known that the tree and the branch thereof is participant of one and of the same nature, of the same sap and condition. So is Christ, touching his humanity, of the same nature that his mother was of, that is to say, of the seed of David. And this proveth the article of our faith, "He was born of the Virgin Mary." C[ The second part of the prophecy proveth the confuta- tion of such as would infer and make to follow if Christ be of the substance and nature of his mother, then is he a sinner. Mark the text, and it will answer the contrary. The text saith it shall not only be a branch, but a just branch, that is to say, innocent and without sin before the face and judgment of God : as though the prophet had said. This branch shall take his being and original of David's posterity, and yet want sin. CC So doth the prophet Esay say, chap, liii., speaking of this blessed and innocent seed, "Who did no sin, neither fraud was found in his mouth." The same writeth St Peter, 1 Pet. ii., and St John, 1 John iii., "He appeared to take away our 14 A LESSON OF THE sin, and no sin was found in him." Of these places we humbly beseech all christian men to judge, whether the word of God proveth not as well Christ to take of the substance of his mother, as to prove the same branch and fruit of her belly to be void of all sin, the Holy Ghost working the same, as it is written, Luke i. The second Objection. C! St Matthew in his first chapter saith, "That which is born of her is of the Holy Ghost : " then it is not of the nature and substance of the Virgin. We answer. 41 If the circumstance of the place be marked, they shall know they do injuries to the text here, as in other places. For when the Virgin heard there should be a child born of her, and she yet in the grace and perfection of her virginity, as of a thing impossible by nature to be done, wondereth at the tidings, and requireth the angel of the means how it may be done. Whereunto the angel maketh answer, to satisfy the admiration of the troubled Virgin, thus : " The Holy Ghost shall come upon thee, and he shall work this wonderful work in thee, although above the con- sent of thy reason, yet not without the assistance of thy nature, which shall be shadowed by the Holy Ghost." This interpretation of St Luke admitteth St Matthew in the first chapter ; where as Joseph was no less troubled to see his affianced and promised wife to be with child, thought it had been by some sinister and forbidden means, as well as the poor Virgin with reason thought it could never be with- out the knowledge of man. As from heaven her reason was confounded, and made to give place unto faith and the power of God; so was Joseph by night admonished of his over-hasty judgment and light suspicion, that his promised wife was not great by any man, but by the Holy Ghost. Thus mindeth the EvangeUst to take out of Joseph the sus- picion that he had of the godly Virgin for her being with child, and not to prove that the child within her was not of her own substance and nature. Read the place, and mark the state and argument thereof; then shall the text interpretate itself. If it be so (as God forbid it should), any INCARNATION OF CHRIST, 15 would wrest and constrain this word, " of the Holy Ghost," against the circumstance and meaning of the Evangelist, we wish and require it to be admitted of all men for the scrip- tures' sake, that' all the prophecies saith JMessias should be born of a woman, and not by a woman, or passing through a woman. If they will not thus be contented 2, but force the letter that saith, " of the Holy Ghost," that is to say, Christ was born of the substance of the Holy Ghost; then should they prove either Christ to have no flesh, because the Holy Ghost hath none, nor never had ; or else the God to be turned into the nature of man; and so, whereas God before was and is ever immortal, should by their reason be made mortal, which were a blasphemy to grant. The third Objection. • and from their creation to live for ever, and never to die. I believe all things created by God, as concerning their creation, to be perfect and good ; without hatred, displeasure, grudge, contumacy, rebelhon, disobedience, or pride, against their Maker. III. I beheve that things created by God, part of them, Col. i. grace and God's favour, hath and ever shall persevere and continue in the perfection and excellency of their crea- tion ; as the spirits or angels that never fell, nor hereafter shall fall, through the means of Christ. LukexvL IV. I bclieve that part of these creatures, which God made in their perfection, now to be subject, part of them to Rom. viii. immortal pains, part to mortal pains, part unto both : as the Matt. vii. devil and man, that fell into this ruin and perdition of them- selves, although divers ways: the devil^ by pride and arro- jo.hnvii.2 gancy, while he would be like unto God ; man by ignorance, [1 'To say, the devil,' &c. A.] [2 Perhaps intended for John viii. 44.] JOHN hooper's lAlTH. 71 and by craft of the devil deceived, and not by any imperfec- tion of God's part in their creation, nor by any force, com- pulsion, or violence of God's part, that compelled them to evil. For I believe God to be the author of life and salvation, f^^^^-^'-. . and the will of the devil and of man to be the occasion of both "v. Ja]iies 1. their loss. V. I believe all the people of the world to be either the Johnyin.x. people of God, either the people of the devil. The people of Kom. i. God be those that with heart and mind know, worship, honour, praise, and laud God after the doctrine of the pro- phets and apostles. The people of the devil be those that think they worship, honour, reverence, fear, laud, or praise God, any other ways besides or contrary to the doctrine of the prophets and apostles. VI. I believe that this people of God, which be the very Matt, xvu true church of God, to have a certain doctrine, [that] never y^txiL was, is, or hereafter shall be, violated by time or any man's ps- txiix. authority. This doctrine only and solely is comprehended in the sacred and holy bible. VII. And I believe this doctrine of the patriarchs and f^'J^'tj^ prophets to be sufRclent and absolutely perfect to instruct me and all the holy church of our duties toward God and toward our neighbours. Of God it teacheth that he is but one, r)™'- vs. ... . Exod. XX. almighty, maker of all things, merciful, just, and all things that good is. And seeing we know nothing of God, nor can judge nothing of God, as touching our salvation, but after his J<^'^nv. word, we must judge of him as we be taught therein, as well of his divine nature, as of the division of the persons in the divine essence. So that we be compelled by the authority of ^^v'-jJl"''- God's word to confess the plurality of persons, the Father, } J!™; '^^[If^ the Son, and the Holy Ghost, in the unity of one divine m .''u 'iii. Godhead and essence. VIII. I believe, as touching the Father of heaven, as much as holy scripture teacheth us to believe, and is set forth by parts in the three creeds, the creed commonly called the Apostles' creed, where as we say, IX. I believe in God the Father Almighty, Maker of heaven and of earth, and so forth ; with all such things as the creed of Nice believetli, and after the faith and creed of Athanasius in this behalf. 72 THE CONFESSION OF X. I believe the second person in Trinity to be one God witb the Father in Godhead, and divers in person. I beUeve him to be the very substance, image, and figure of God, without beginning or ending, with all other properties and conditions that the holy scripture of God, or the decree or doctrine of any of the three former creeds, affirm, andxv ^ believe that the mercy of the Father, the Son, cori.''ii. ^he Holy Ghost, pitied and had compassion upon Adam Boin.v. ^YiQ jijgj. jjjg^jj^ g^j^jj ^j^g provokod^ to ordain the Son of God, second person in Trinity, to debase and humble himself unto the nature of man, and also to become man, to redeem and save the lost man. For even as he was by external^ malice Gen. iii. and craft of the dc;vil brought to confusion, to sin, and so to Rom. V. ° . . . . death both of body and soul, nothing having in himself, as touching his first creation, that provoked, stirred, enticed, or Rom. iv. XV. allured him to evil ; even so after his fall was there nothing in him, or ever after could be in his posterity, that might or may allure or^ provoke him or any of his posterity to the means or help of his or their salvation. But even as he was lost by malice and deceit of the devil, so is he, and so shall all his posterity be, saved by the mercy and merits of Christ. The devil and Adam's will wrought sin and death : God's mercy and Christ his merits wrought grace and life. The will of Eve and Adam straying and wandering abroad upon the fruit, an object and matter forbidden of God that they should not eat of, brought them into death: Jesus Christ, the seed of the woman, applying both body and soul to the obe- dience of God, deserved life ; as it is in the scriptures, and in the second part of the common creed. XII. I believe in Jesus Christ, his only Son, our Lord, which was conceived by the Holy Ghost, born of the Virgin Mary, sufi'ered under Poncius Pilate ; he was crucified, dead, and buried ; he descended into hell, and the third day he arose again from death unto life, and ascended into heaven, and there sitteth on the right hand of God, the Father Almighty. And from thence he shall come to judge both the quick and the dead. I believe that by this means, and no other, the sins of believers to be forgiven without the merits and deservings of [1 Provoked: moved, excited.] ' Eternal' in B.] [3 'To* in B.] JOHN hooper's faith. 7S Adam's posterity. By Adam sin came into the world, and by sin death : even so, without all merits, respects, and worthiness of Adam, either of any of his posterity, by Jesus Horn. XV, Christ came remission of sin and life everlasting. And even Heb! ji.'ix. as I believe stedftistly sin and death by this means to be over- come and destroyed, and everlasting life to follow it, so believe I the Son of God to be perfect God and man, according to the scriptures ; and do condemn the heresies of Arian'' and Marcion^, with their complices and adherents, that wickedly believed the contrary. And as I confess and believe the means of our salvation to be only Christ, so I condemn the Pelagian ^ and all such other as believed and taught that they could by their own powers, strength, and will, work their own salvation ; which false opinion conculcateth, frustrateth, slandereth, condemneth, and blasphemeth all the deservings of Christ. Therefore the Pelagian is called worthily " the enemy of grace." Xin. Farther, I believe that the grace of God, de- served by the passion of Christ, doth not only freely and without all merits of man begin, teach, and provoke man to believe the promises of God, and so to begin to work the will of God : but^ I believe also all the works, merits, deserv- ings, doings, and obedience of man towards God, although they be done by the Spirit of God, in the grace of God, yet f'^^l'if being thus done, be of no validity, worthiness, nor merit "'^^ before God, except God by mercy and grace account them worthy, for the worthiness and merits of Jesus Christ, that died under Poncius Pilatus. So that I believe grace not only to be the beginner of all good works, but that all good works done by man in their greatest perfection have need and wanteth grace to pardon their imperfection. XIV. I believe in the Holy Ghost, equally^ God with the Father and the Son, and proceeding from them both : by [* Perhaps intended for xx. 31.] [5 See Socrat. Scholast. Hist. Eccles. Lib. i. cap. 5 et seqq. Also Theodoret. Hist. Eccl. Lib. i. cap. 2 et seqq. Also Epiphan. adv. Hseres. lxviii. lxix.] [6 See Euseb. Hist. Eccles. Lib. iv. cap. 11. Also Epiphan. adr. Hseres. slii. Also Tertull. and Iron.] [T See August. Lib. de Hferes. Op. Tom. vi. col. 32. Basil, 16G9.] [8 'And' in A.] [9 'Equal' in A.] 74 THE CONFESSION OF ■whose virtue, strength, and operation the catholic church is' '"■ preserved from all errors and false doctrines, and teacheth fcor.'xii. the communion of saints in all truth and verity : the which fohnx'ivl'' Holy Spirit shall never forsake the holy church, which is Joci ii.' Christ his mystical body. XV. I believe that this Holy Spirit worketh the remis- sion of sin, resurrection- of the flesh, and everlasting hfe, ac- cording to the holy scripture^. XVI. This is my faith and doctrine concerning the God- head and diversity of persons in the Holy Trinity, and also of the two natures in Christ, his Godhead and manhead ; abhorring and detesting the heresies of Samosatencs*, Arian, Nestor^, Eatyches^, who were condemned by godly councils, Nice, Constantinople, Ephesin, Chalchedon and other. I detest and abhor the Marcion and Maniche'^, that feigneth to be two gods, and both eternal, one good and the other evil, always at debate among themselves. I detest and abhor the monstrous doctrine of the Valentines^, and so generally of all those that have denied to be any God, or would have many gods. Also all those I detest that have erred and maintained^ their error in any thing concerning the essence of God, or denied the plu- rality of persons, as of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Ghost. This is the faith of God's Spirit in my conscience, which I have learned in his word, and have^" faithfully and religiously preached and taught the same'' in all ray sermons, as I will be judged by mine auditory. Also'^ the same doctrine I have furthered and set forth in all my books and writings, though some calumniators and slanderers would gladly make the poor people believe the contrary. But I do decline and appeal from such uncharitable spirits unto the charitable reader, and [1 * To be' in A.] [- ' The resurrection ' in A.] [3 ' Scriptures' in A.] See Euseb. Hist. Eccles. Lib. vii. cap. 27 et seqq. Also Socrat. Schol. Hist. Eccl. Lib. ii. cap. 19.] See Socrat. Schol. Hist. Eccl. Lib. vii. cap. 32. Also Evag. Schol. Lib. 1. cap. 2 et seqq.] [<> See Eyag. Schol. Lib. i. cap. 9.] [■7 SeeEuseb. Hist.Eccl. Lib. VII. c. 31. Also Soc. Schol. Lib. i.e. 22.] [8 SeeEuseb. Hist. Eccl. Lib. iv. c. 11. Also Epiphan. adv. Hccres. XXXI ] [9 'Maintain' in B.] [lo ' y\^hich I have' in A.] [11 'The same' not in A.] [12 'And' in A.] JOHN hooper's lAlTII. 75 loving lieart of all them that be endued with God's holy- Spirit ; for they will not constrain nor force letter, syllable, word, or sentence contrary to the mind of the speaker and writer ; but will judge, and search for judgment in the pro- cesses and circumstances of the writer, and content themselves'^ with the writer's mind, ratlier than to bring their'* affection and corrupt minds'* to make their" own imaginations and fan- tasies'" another man's doctrine, as the Ai'ian, Pelagian, Ana- baptist, papist, and other do, and have done, bringing corrupt minds to the lesson and reading of Christ's testament, and would that their false heresies and untrue imaginations should be Christ his doctrine. Seeing both God's laws and man's laws suffereth and giveth liberty to every man in a cause of religion to be interpretater of his own words, it were contrary to justice to put any man from it. For, if the author may not be interpreter of his own mind, what would not malice, envy, spite, and disdain gather of works most truly and faith- fully meant and written ? And seeing charity and the laws of this realm, as it appeareth in an act''^ of parliament made in the first year of the reign of our sovereign lord king Edward the Sixth, giveth liberty and licence to him that shall be accused for a matter of religion upon malice, evil will, hatred, disdain, or by made and suborned records, to repel and con- vict all such false records and their accusers by other faithful and indifferent records ; the which act of parliament God for- bid should be denied to any of the king's majesty's preachers ; for if the testimony of their audiences'** shall not quit them from despite'^ and calumniation of malicious and uncharitable men, they shall not long preach the truth. For either the papists will accuse them, because they wish the pope and all monuments of papistry to be taken out of the way ; either the carnal gospeller, that cannot abide to hear his faults and carnal life rebuked. And I think if the king''s majesty and his most honourable council prepare not the sooner a bridle and correction for sin, the true preacher of God hereafter shall be more persecuted for reprehending of sin and ungodly life, than ever yet hithcrunto he hath been persecuted by the papists. [13 'Himself in A.] [i* 'His' in A.] ['5 *5Iind' in A.] ['6 'Imagination and fantasy' in A.] [17 Sue Burnet's Hist, of Reform. Vol. ii. Booki. p. 40. Lond.l6S3.] [18 Audientes, in the originals.] ['9 'The spite' in A.] 76 THE CONFESSION OF Thus I have declared my faith and belief towards God, according to the scriptures, in the which I trust to continue until death end this miserable and wretched life. Now I will declare also the same towards the church of Christ, what I believe of the magistrates, the ministers of the word, and the people I dwell withal. And of these things I will speak according to the doctrine of the prophets and apos- tles. For many times, as well heretofore as in our days, have been superstitious hypocrites and fantastical spirits, that have neglected and condemned the office of magistrates, judgments, laws, punishments of evil, lawful dominion, rule, lawful wars, and such-like, without which a commonwealth may not endure. They have condemned also the ministry and ministers of Christ's church ; and as for christian society and charitable love, they confound. They use the ministry of the church so that it is out of all estimation, supposing themselves to be of such perfection, that they need neither the ministry of the word, neither use^ of Christ his holy sacraments, baptism and the supper of the Lord. And the other they use with such devilish ^ disorder, that they would by a law make theirs their neighbours', and their neighbours' theirs, confounding all propriety^ and dominion of goods. Before our time the fury and damnable heresy of Marcion and theManiches against the magistrates troubled many a year dan- gerously both Asia and Africa; and not yet four hundred years sith agone a sort of people, called Flagelliferi*, did the same. And now in our time, to the great trouble and unquiet- ness of many commonwealths in Europe, the Anabaptists hath resuscitated and revived the same errors : which is an argument and token of the devil's great indignation against civil policy and order. For he knoweth, where such errors and false doctrines of political orders be planted, two great evils necessarily must needs follow : the one is sedition, that bringeth murders, blood-shedding, and dissipations of realms ; the other is blasphemy against Christ's precious blood : for these^ sects think they be able to save themselves of and by themselves. [1 ' The use ' in A.] p ' Devilish' not in A.] p Propi'iety: property.] [■1 See Mosheim's Eccl. Hist. Vol. iii. p. 218. Lond. 1826 ; and Boileau's Historia Flagellantium, Paris. 1700.] [5 'ThoseMn A.] JOHN hooper's faith. 77 Farther, where as the magistrates be cumbered with those dangerous sort of people, the devil knoweth they shall have no leisure at will to take some order by God's word to oppress such false doctrine. But thus^ we be taught out of the scripture, that even as man is ordained to the order, change, and alteration of time ; as the order of the year appointeth now to be subject unto summer, now unto winter, now to the spring, and now to the fall ; so hath God ordained and commanded man to be obedient to policies and orders, wheresoever he be, so they be not repugnant nor contrary to the word of God : as Joseph in his heart bore abroad where- soever he went the true knowledge and invocation of God, also of Christ to come ; yet outwardly in courts, judgments, contracts, and in possession of goods, he used the law of the Egyptians : even so did Daniel in Babylon. There is no Dan. ui? more to be taken heed of in laws and civil policies, but to see the law repugn not the law of God, and that the lawmakers, and those to whom the execution of the law is commended unto, have a special and singular eye unto the eifect and the meaning of the law, wherefore it was made a law : the which St Paul wonderfully exhorteth people to understand, saying of the law and magistrates, " Let them be a fear and terror Rom. xh. to the evil-doers, and a praise and commendation to the well- t'loa^xxu. doers." Neither forceth it, though the form and manner of laws, of judgments, of pain^, and punishments be not hke in all places, as the laws of feuderies^ be not like in Italy, England, France, Spain, nor Germany ; yet should every nation be subject unto the laws of his own realm and civil pohcy : and in this doing"* he shall offend God no more than the Englishmen, that have longer days in the summer, shorter days in the winter", than those that dwell near to the south; or St Paul, that had longer days at the solstitium and pitch of the sun in Macedon than Christ had at Jerusalem. But even as we be content with our measure and length of day and night, and others be contented with theirs, so must both they and we submit ourselves, and be contented with the measure and order of our own laws. [6 ' This ' in A.] [7 Dan. ii. 48. vi. 2.] [s ' Pains ' in A.] p Tenures of property.] [10 'His so doing' in A.] [" 'And shorter days in winter' in A.] 78 THE CONFESSION OF I do therefore bewail and lament that the preachers in the church, and schoolmasters in their schools, the householder in his household, do know no better what the dignity and honour of a civil poHcy is, by whom it is ordained, and by whom it is preserved ; how dangerous and damnable a thing it is before God and man to trouble and disquiet it by any furor and madness of opinion ; as the ]\Iarcion, Llaniches, and Anabaptists do. I see and know by experience much trouble and danger to arise' among the unlearned and ungodly people by ignorance^ : for when they see such deformities and confusions rise and chance, as we see many times to happen in kingdoms, courts, judicials, laws, governors that more fancy private profit and singularity than the profit of the whole commonwealth, and indifferency of all men and all causes indifferently ; they suppose verily (for lack of know- ledge in God's Avord) that all orders, policies, kingdoms, and dominions be no other tiling than cruel tyranny and oppres- sion of the poor ; and also to have their beginning and original either of the devil, or of pride and covetousness of men. This same evil upon the same occasion of ignorance^ caused natural wise men much to be troubled and vexed about the considerations of kingdoms, poHcies, rules, and dominions ; because they perceived all kingdoms to be subject unto troubles and alterations ; and not only that, but they per- ceived right well no kingdom to be perpetual, nor for ever. And indeed whoso beholdeth the beginning, the continuance, and end of the empire of Rome, shall see right well their imaginations to be no vain things. How much of her own blood and of strangers' blood did Rome shed before she came to the regiment and rule of all the world ! When she was aspired thereunto, and was a fear to all the world, how much blood of her own shed she by civil wars and contentions, the gests and writings that mentioneth of Sylln, Marius, Cinna, Cassar, Pompeius, Brutus, Antonius, August, and other, declareth. Thus when the Lord God would take from Rome for her sins the dominion of the world, he sent the Goths, Vandals, Huns, Arables, and Turks, that wasted not only Italy, but also Egypt, Africa, and Asia, and so brought the empire of Rome to nought. As many times as I read and mark this history [1 'Rise' in A.] p ' Ignorancy ' in A.] JOHN hooper's faith. 79 and other like, it causeth mc to look upon many evil En- glishmen as Scipio^ looked upon the great city of Carthage, whiles it was a-burning, saying with a lamentable voice, " The inconstancy of fortune in human things is to be lamented :" which voice sprang upon this occasion, that Carthage, being a city of great renown and dominion, was now become a prey unto the fire, and devolted^ as wisdom always doth, the consideration of present evils unto other yet flourishing in hault^ and prosperous felicity ; and declared, as a man seeing before the ruin and fall of things that stood destlnated, the fall of Rome to come, that should perish by like plague. Even so, when I behold the evil, pestiferous, affected minds of Englishmen, and perpend and weigh the fruits of such corrupt minds, contempt, hatred, grudge, and malice against their king, magistrates, laws, orders, and policies ; doubtless I cannot other think but these men, as much as is in them, conspire and work the destruction of this realm. For it can no otherwise be, but as contempt of godly laws and sedition among the people and subjects, of what degree soever they be, have wrought the destruction of other realms ; so must it, and can no otherwise do unto this realm. But The chief re- what realm or kingdom soever will avoid these evils, let sedition, them provide the word of God to be truly and diligently preached and taught unto the subjects and members thereof. The lack of it is the chief cause of sedition and trouble, as Salomon saith : "Where prophecy wanteth, the people are [Prov. xxix] dissipated." Wherefore I cannot a little wonder at the opinion and doctrine of such as say a sermon once in a week, in a month, or in a quarter of a year, is sufficient for the people. Truly it is injuriously and evil spoken against the glory of God and salvation of the people. But seeing they will not be in the whole as good unto God as before they have been unto the devil, neither so glad to remove false doctrine from the people, and to continue them in the true ; whereas they did before occupy the most part of the fore- noon, the most part of the afternoon, yea, and a great part of p See Polybii Histor. Lib. xxxix. cap. 2. Tom. iv. p. 703. Lipsiac. 1790. Also Appian. Rom. Ilist. Lib. vni. c. 132. Tom. i. p. 307. Lips. 1829. Ores. Lib. iv. c. 23. p. 307. Colon. 1582.] [* Dovoltod: turned.] [■' Ilault : high.] 80 THE CONFESSION OF the night, to keep the estimation and continuance of danger- ous and vain superstitions ; were it much now to occupy one hour in the morning, and another hour towards night, to occupy the people with true and earnest prayer unto God in Christ's blood, and In preaching the true doctrine of Christ, that they might know and continue in the true rehglon and faithful confidence of Christ Jesu ? Exercise and diligence brlngeth credit unto rehglon, whe- ther it be true or false. For it never taketh place nor root in the people without diligence, as it is to be perceived by the acts and gests done in the time of Jeroboam and lloboam, the kings of Israel and Judah. What brought the mass and all other idolatry into estimation but dally preaching and saying thereof, with such laud and praise as every old wife knew what a mass was worth ? Fifteen masses in a church daily were not too many for the priests of Baal ; and should one sermon every day be too much for a godly bishop and evangelical preacher ? I wonder how it^ may be too much opened and declared unto the people. If any man say, labour is left, and men's business lieth undone by that means, surely it is ungodly spoken ; for those that bear the people in hand of such things 2, knoweth right well that there was neither labours, cares, needs, neces- sity, nor any things else, that heretofore could keep them from hearing of mass, though it had been said at four a clock in the morning. Therefore, as far as I see, people were con- tented to lose more labour, and spent more time then to go to the devil, than now to come to God : but my faith is, that both master and servant shall find vantage and galn^ thereby at the year's end, though they hear morning sermon and morning prayers every day of the week. JNow by this means they should learn not only to know God, but also their magistrates, and to put difference between the office and the person that is in office, and between the office and the troubles necessarily annexed unto the office : which brlngeth not only knowledge of office and officer, but also honour and reverence unto them both ; as St Paul, that loved the policy, laws, order, and wisdom of the Romans, yet disliked very much the vice and naughtiness of Nero, unto whom he submitted, and will- It, i. e. the gospel.] p ' Such a thing' in A,] [3 'Vauntage the gain' in B.] JOHN hooper's faith. 81 ingly broug'lit into servitude both his body and goods'*, and rebelled not, though Nero was a naughty emperor, for lils office sake, which was the ordinance of God. So did Elias love the state, honour, and dignity of the kings of Israel, yet detested* and fell foul out with the faults of Hachab. The same doctrine teacheth St Peter unto all servants, commanding them to obey their masters, though they be evil, having a respect to the place they be in, which is the order of God, and not unto the vice and abuse of the person in God's order. Truly, be the ruler himself never so evil, yet Deut.xvu. the laws, judgments, punishments, and statutes, made for the punishment of evil and the defence of the good, be the very work of God ; for the magistrates be the keepers of discipline and peace. Therefore as the motion of the heavens, the fertility of the earth, be the works of God, and preserved by him, even so be the governors and rulers of the earth, as David saith, " He giveth health to princes ;" as it was shewed Psai. cxuv. in himself, Salomon, Josophat, and others. The regiment and policy of king David was troublous and full of miseries ; the reign of king Salomon his son peaceable and quiet ; the reign of Josua victorious and prosperous; the reign of the Judges that followed so troublous and unquiet, as a more rent and torn commonwealth I have not read of : yet was the order of God all one, as well in the one as in the other, and required as much love, assistance, and obedience of the people to their king and magistrates in their trouble, as in their quietness and peace. So doth Daniel the prophet most ■•• godly and wisely teach by his image that he saw made of four sundry metals ; but he concludeth, whether the regiment and regent were^ goW, silver, copper, or iron, the people always obeyed. The same teacheth also the doctrine and example of John Baptist, Christ, St Stephen, and St James, John's brother. For although the regiment were neither so godly nor so quiet in Herod's time ^ and Poncius Pilatus', as it was in Salomon's time, yet gave they always like reverence, honour, and obedience unto them for their order's sake, as though they had been the virtuousest princes of the world; as their doctrine, tribute, and blood recordeth. For they gave unto Cajsar the things due unto Cajsar, as their bodies and [4 ' Ilis goods' in A.] [5 'Tested' in B.] [6 *Be' in A.] [7 'Times' in A.] [hooper, II. J 82 THE CONFESSION OF their goods; but their souls they owed to none but unto God: and when diversity of rehgion and doctrine should be dis- cussed and determined by their laws, they declined from their judgment, and appealed unto the word of God, to have all controversies ended thereby. When that took place, they gave thanks to God ; when it did not, they were content patiently to bear whatsoever God's hand^ would permit the magistrates to lay upon them. Were these examples known and kept before men's eyes, people would not, for a fault or two that should happen in the regiment, irritate and provoke the regents and princes with contumacy and rebellion, as it is seen commonly at this day ; but rather follow the example of the Jews^, that, when they heard of the facts and doings of Ptolome Lathure, that killed twenty thousand of their countrymen, and caused those that he took captive to eat the flesh of their own dead fathers and brothers, yet rebelled they not, but knew it was for their sin, and therefore exhorted one the other to penance and amendment of life. The same self doctrine teacheth our [Lukeiii. in Saviour Christ in his holy evangelist Luke. This 3 I thought good to put in my creed for the declara- tion of my faith towards civil magistrates, orders, and laws ; and to open the difference between the orders, the person, and such troubles as be annexed unto the order ; lest any man should, for trouble and confusion's sake, damn order and regiment itself, or else by the means thereof to detract, and forsake to take pains in such vocation, as the Epicures did : whereas indeed rule and regiment themselves be the great benefits of God; and therefore now, in the later time, more to be preached and taught to the people, for divers consider- ations, than ever heretofore ; specially because contempt of honesty and laws, labours, and godly exercises, reign more than ever they did. For at the beginning men so obeyed reason, and were ruled thereby, that they brought themselves into order and policy ; and for the maintenance thereof [1 'Hands' in A.] [2 See Joseph. Antiq. Lib. xiii. cap. 21. Op. p. 458 C. Colon. 1601. Josephus does not state that the Jews were compelled to partake of the flesh of their countrymen. His account differs in other respects also from that given in the text.] [3 'Thus' in A.] JOHN hooper's faith. 83 sought out crafts and arts necessary for the preservation of pohcy and order, and so were glad rather to be ruled by reason than by force and violence. This time being expired, and reason corrupt aspiring farther than reason by nature would, partly for too much love of their* self, partly to tame and keep in subjection such as disordered all good order and rule, descended from the regiment of reason unto the force of war and martial laws ; the same seeming good unto Almighty God, to tame and reclaim man by force that would not be ruled by reason. But now are we fallen into the last time and end of the world, wherein for reason ruleth lust, and for just battle ruleth immoderate concupiscence ; for scarce is there one of a hundred that love to seek for wisdom and knowledge of reason and of arts that other men found out and left unto us. And as for the pains and travails of war, let every man judge and con- sider himself, whether our weak nature can suifer as much as David, Achilles, Cyrus, Alexander, Hanibal, Marcellus, Scipio, C. Caesar, and other did. Then shall we perceive that nature now in man^ consumed, effeminated, and worn out, is a thing most unable to do that fore-age hath done. Therefore have these latter days more need of much teaching in civil causes than the old age before us, which better and more modestly governed themselves by only reason, than now we do by God's word and reason. And this is not known only by the holy scriptures, but also by profane writers, that declare with the age of the world to increase iniquity. And our experience may be a commentary in this behalf to God's laws and man's laws. For whereas St Paul declareth the civil magistrates not only to be ordained, but also preserved by God, and that all men should accept and account him to be the true magis- trate that God had appointed, and not such a one as the people and subjects appoint themselves^ ; and even as wise Cicero^ perceived at the beginning of the mortal dissension and debate between Pompeius and Julius Caesar, [and] gave coun- sel according to the will of God (declared unto him by the suffrages and voices of the Romans), that Caesar should [4 ' Her' in A.] [5 'Manner' in A.] [6 ' Theirselves' in A.] ['' See Cic. Epist. ad Attic. Lib. vii. 5, 6 : but the precise senti- ment contained in the text has not been found.] 6—2 84 THE CONFESSION OF have been chief ruler of the people ; now, for lack and con- tempt of knowledge, both St Paul and Cicero be neglected. For either the people will have no magistrate at all, or else such a one as it pleaseth themselves, and not him that God hath appointed. If this adventure take no place, they will change (if they can) the state of the commonwealth, that where as one reigneth a monarch or kin^, thev would change it into the regiment of many ; and where as many reign (as men never contented with the state that God hath appointed), turn the regiment of many into the governance of few : whose nature Horace well declareth, Lihro Epist. Optat ephippia bos piger, optat arare caballusi. Bom. XiiL Against whose preposterous judgment and fickle minds St Paul vehemently -writeth : " The powers," saith he, " that be, are ordained of God," and not the powers that subjects shall choose and make at their pleasures. For no man, of what degree, state, or authority soever he be, being a private man (as all men be in a monarchy, where as one ruleth, in respect of the king that ruleth), should meddle with Dan. ii. the state of a realm. For it is God that ordained it, and he and c"ifi"' that dissolveth it. Neither should this fond opinion take any Prov. xvi. , , , schroo. ii. place in a christian man's head, that any offices appointed by Psai. riu. Qod should causc the officers to be evil before God. For the Lord giveth them titles and names of great honour and love ; Psal. ixxii. as gods, and such as serve and please him : also the nurses of Isai. xlix. O ' r , ^ . Gen. ix. tiie church ; as the examples of Adam, Henoch, Xoe, with other, who were in those days very godly rulers to maintain virtue and punish vice. This saw not only the patriarchs and godly men of the scripture, but also natural wise men, that saw and reverenced order and policy, as Plato writeth, DeLegibus. saying: "As the ox is not ruled by the ox, nor the goat by the goat, but by a more pure nature, to say, by man ; so the nature of man is more infirm than can rule itself^." Therefore God appointed not only men to rule, but also such men as excelled in wit and wisdom, adjoined with the special and [1 Horat. Epist. Lib. i. Epist. xiv. 1. 43. ' The lazy ox longs for horse-trappings, the horse longs to plough.'] ["^ Plato de Legib. Lib. iv. Ov ^ovs ^oav, olhe aiyas alywv apxovras TToioifXcv avTOLs Tivas, dW 7;/xeiy avrav dfCTTro^OfjLev afifivov tKeivcov yivos. — Oper. Tom. ii. p. 713 D. Paris, 1578.] JOHN HOOPEk''s faith. 85 singular grace of God : and so saith Plato De Legihus, Ubi non Deus sed mortalis aliquis dominatur, ihi malorum vel cerumnm'um nullum esse effugium^ : "Whereas any mortal man beareth dominion, and not God, there can be none escape of calamities and miseries." Of the same opinion is Homer* the poet, who saith that the gods appointeth their shields to defend princes, as Pallas defended Achilles. That doth Joso- phat the king in the place afore rehearsed wonderfully declare. And whosoever will consider the execution and due pains towards evil doers, shall right well perceive that God him- self is iu the magistrate : for Christ saith, " He that striketh Matt. xxvi. " , Isai xxxui. with sword shall perish with the sword." And of the op- E°g,gs\,iii pressors it is spoken, " Wo be unto thee that spoilest, for thou jl"^,^. shalt be spoiled." So that we see God to defend civil justice ^ upon earth ^. Abraham, Jeremy, and St Paul declareth that the civil policy is the ordinance of God by such prayer as they com- manded the people to pray for it ; and this prayer for the magistrates declareth what diversity is between a magistrate christened and a heathen ; wherein Cicero diifereth from Esay, and^ king David from Julius Cassar. Cicero gave counsel after reason and experience to rule the common- wealth ; but many times it took not good effect for lack of the wisdom of God. Esay and the rest of the prophets gave counsel not of themselves, but from God ; and what prince soever obeyed their counsel, he prospered always, and had good success. The same*^ may you see in the fashions and manner of their wars. Alexander thought himself strong enough by natural strength to conquer his enemies : king David added to his sling-stones the prayer and help of God's name. Therefore if heathen magistrates should be obeyed, much more christian magistrates. And in case the king's majesty of England may find no less obedience in his subjects than Scipio, Alexander, and other found among theirs, England shall be too strong with [3 Plato de Lcgib. Lib. IV. E. "Oaav av ttoX(oiv fir] 6(6s dXXa Tis apxn Ovr/Tos, oiiK i'cTTi Kaxav avrois aide irovan/ dva(f)v^is.^ [* Horn. II. Lib. xviii. 203. 'Aficfn 8' 'Ad^vrj "G/ioiy IcpBlfioiai 0aX' atyida dvacravoecrcrav.^ [5 ' The earth' in A.] [6 See Gen. xx. 17.] 'And' not in A.] [8 'And the same' in A.] 86 THE CONFESSION OF God's help for all the world. But Englishmen, I speak it with sorrow and grief of heart, have learned of Cleon^, a man that Aristophanes writeth of, that had one foot in the senate, and the other in the field ; so have Englishmen one hand at the plough, and the other against the magistrates; the ministers of the church, persons, and vicars, one hand upon the portesse", and the other to strike at the king's crown. They do follow the ape that Hermogenes' fable speaketh of, that would have had other apes to have builded houses, towns, and cities, to have defended themselves from the do- minion of their lord and ruler, man ; and thought it not meet to live in the state that God had appointed them. Even so subjects now-a-days (God amend it) would make themselves defences, cities, castles, towns, tents, pavihons, to defend them against their king, lord, and magistrate, and will not be content to live in the stale that God appointed them unto. But it shall happen unto them as it did unto the apes ; their counsel and conspiracy shall never take place. [Ram. xiu. In Let US therefore remember St Paul, that saith the powers that be be of God, and not such as we would make ; and let us be contented with them, and obey them for conscience sake : for such as disobey and rebel against superior powers, rebel against God, and so God punisheth it with eternal damnation. This is enough to keep every good man and true subject in obedience to their higher powers. If the reader of the scripture of God note the first and the second chapter of Genesis, he should perceive rule and policy, or ever man wist what sin meant : for the Lord gave the supe- riority and dominion to Adam over all beasts ; of whom now we may right well learn obedience, if we were not worse than beasts. Xow a word or two of the magistrates' dutv. Aristotle^ calleth the magistrate cbvXa^ vo/xov, a keeper of the law. Let him use it therefore indifferently without respect of per- \} See Aristoph. Equit. 75. *Exet yap to o-KeXor To iv UvXco t6 S' erepov ev ttj 'kkKijo-Io.^ [2 Portesse, or portoise, Lat. Portiforium, Breviary, which was sometimes divided into four parts, so as to be more portable. Palmer's Orig. Liturg. Vol. i. p. 208. Oxf. 1836.] [3 EoTi 6' 6 a.p)(^ci>v (f)vXa^ Tov oiKaiov. — Avistot. Ethic Lib. v. cap. 8. p. 193. Oxf. 1836.] JOHN hooper's faith. 87 sons, in punishing such as trouble by inordinate means the commonwealth ; and also such as blaspheme the living God, as godly kings and rulers have done, David, Josias, Nabu- chodonosor, Constantine, and other. For although a civil lav? and punishment cannot change the heresies of the mind, nei- ther the desire that men have to do evil; yet when they break forth against the honour of God, and trouble the com- monwealth, they should be punished. For the magistrate is as one that hath the two testaments tied at his neck, and should defend them as his own life : and therefore St Paul Rom. xii.* calleth him not only the revenger of evil, but the maintainor of good ; and Esay the prophet saith the same. XYII. Now I will declare my faith concerning the ex- ternal and visible church of Christ, and of the ministers thereof. I call this visible church a visible congregation of men and women, that hear the gospel of Christ, and use his sacraments as he hath instituted them : in the which con- gregation the Spirit of God worketh the salvation of all behevers, as St Paul saith, "The gospel is the power of Rom. i. God to the salvation of the believer." As though he had said, [By] the gospel of Christ, where it is heard and be- lieved, the mind is changed by the virtue of the Holy Ghost from the love of sin unto the love of virtue : the will is wrought to consent ; and the consent so assisted by the Holy Ghost, that faith obtaineth the remission of sin, and the be- ginning of everlasting life. And these two marks, the true preaching of God's word and right use of the sacraments, declare what and where the true church is. Unto the which church I would all christian men should associate themselves, although there may happen to be some things desired in manners and discipline. For no church, as touching this part, can be absolutely perfect. But where as the doctrine is sound, and no idolatry defended, that church is of God, as far as mortal man can judge. And where as this doctrine and right use of sacraments be not, there is no church of Christ, though it seem never so holy. For in the blessed Virgin's time the Pharisees and bishops were ac- counted to be the true church ; yet by reason their doctrine was corrupt, the true church rested not in them, but in Simeon, Zachary, Elisabeth, the shepherds, and other. The Luke i. ii. [* Rom. xiii. 4.] 88 THE CONFESSION OF 1 Cor. xi. Gal. i. same doth St Paul toach us, that whosoever^ he be that i°cor'f preacheth other doctrine than the word of God, is not to be Ko™-.x-. credited, though he wore an angel of heaven. Neither will F.ph. 11. IV. ' e> o xux.^'"' such as know God hearken unto them, but will hear Christ, the prophets, and apostles, and no other. The other mark is the right use of sacraments, whereof were two in number Avith the fathers in the ministry of the church, and so many yet be with us in the ministry of the church, and have annexed unto them the promise of eternal salvation, and also of eternal damnation, if they be contemned, Gen. xvii. and may be lawfully had. In the law of Moses was circum- Iixod. xu. _ ^ v v xi^vi' xxviii cision and the paschal lamb : and in their places we have i?ukexxii. baptism and the supper of the Lord, diverse in external elements and ceremonies, but one in effect, mystery, and thing itself ; saving that their sacraments shewed the graces of God to be given unto men in Christ to come, and ours declare the graces of God to be given in Christ that is already come : so that the sacraments be not changed, but rather the elements of the sacraments. And every one^ of these sacraments have their peculiar and proper promises, unto the which they hang annexed, as a seal unto the writing ^ ; and Rom. iv. therefore be called, after St Paul, the confirmations or seals of God's promises. They have peculiar elements, by the which they signify the heavenly mysteries that sacramentally they contain, and be the thing indeed. They are called sacraments, that is to say, visible signs of invisible grace ; they have their proper ceremonies, that testify unto us the obsignation and confirmation of God's heavenly gifts. They have also their proper commandment, because we should not change, add, nor take from them anything at our pleasures. Thus in general I think of all God's sacraments in the ministry of the church. XVIII. And of baptism, because it is a mark of our Bom. iv. christian church, this I judge, after the doctrine of St Paul, that it is a seal and confirmation of justice, either of our ac- ception into the grace of God. For Christ his^ innocency and justice by faith is ours, and our sins and injustice by his obedience are his ; whereof baptism is the sign, seal, and confirmation. For although freely by the grace of God our [1 ' Whatsoeyer' in A.] [2 ' One' not in A.] [3 'Writings' in A.] 'For his innocency' in A.] JOHN hooper's faith. 89 sins be forgiven, yet the same is declared by the gospel, received by faith, and sealed by the sacraments, which be the seals of God's promises, as it is to be seen by the faith of faithful^ Abraham, Baptism hath his promises, as is afore- said ; his element the water ; his proper commandment and his proper ceremonies, washing in the water. As for other men's opinions, that say circumcision was the seal not only of Abraham's acceptation freely into the grace of God by faith, but also of his obedience and proper justice, I believe it not to be true ; for St Paul confuteth it in the same place as an error, saying, " Abraham had nothing whereof he might glory before God." If he had nothing, God confirmed that he gave him, and not that he found in him ; for St Paul saith that circumcision was the seal of the justice that came by faith, and not by works. They be out of the way, that have the like opinion of baptism ; for St Paul disputeth not in that place, whether works please God, but sheweth that our salvation cometh by grace, and not by works. There Bom. iv. be other that think sacraments to be the confirmations not only of our free acceptation into God's favour by faith, but also of our obedience towards God hereafter. And because infants and young babes cannot profess obedience, nor put ofi" the old man, nor put on the new, they would exempt and defraud the young children of baptism. St Paul confuteth also this opinion in the same place : " Abraham," saith he, Gen. xvii. • • • • • [^xv. 6.3 "believed God, and it was accounted unto him for justice;" and saith not, Abraham professed obedience. Therefore God confirmed his own infallible truth and promises to Abraham by circumcision, and not Abraham's obedience : for if he had, he had confirmed the weak and uncertain infirmity of man, and not his own infallible truth. For Abraham with all his obedience was infirm and imperfect without Christ, yet was bound to work in a godly life. As for those that say circumcision and baptism be like, and yet attribute the remission of original sin to baptism, which was never given unto circumcision, they not^ only destroy the similitude and equality that should be between them, but also take from Christ remission of sin, and translate it unto^ the water and element of baptism. [5 ' The faithful' in A.] [8 'Only destroy not' in the originals.] [" ' Into' in A.] 90 THE CONFESSION OF XIX. As for the supper of the Lord, which is the other sacrament -whereby the church of Christ is known, I believe it is a remembrance of Christ's death, a seal and confirmation of his precious body given unto death, where- with we are redeemed. It is a visible word, that preacheth peace between God and man, exhorteth to mutual love and godly life, teacheth to contemn the world for the hope of the life to come, when as Christ shall appear, and come down in* the clouds, which now is in heaven, as concerning his humanity, and nowhere else, nor never shall be, tUl the time of the general resurrection. Matt. xxvi. I believe that this holv sacrament hath his proper pro- Mark xiv. . • 1 , fcorxT'' proper elements, proper commandment, and proper ceremonies. XX. As concerning the ministers of the church, I believe that the church is bound to no sort of people, or any ordinary succession of bishops, cardinals, or such like, but unto the only word of God ; and none of them should be believed Kiih. iv. but when they speak the word of God. Although there be diversity of gifts and knowledge among men, some know more, and some know less: and if he that knoweth^ least, teach Christ after the holy scriptures, he is to be accepted ; Gal. i. and he that knoweth most, and teacheth Christ contrary, or any other ^ ways than the holy scriptures teach, is to be refused. I am sorry therefore with all my heart to see the church of Christ degenerated into a civil pohcy : for even as kings of the world naturally by descent from their parents must follow in civil regiment, rule, and law, as by right they ought ; even so must such as succeed in the place of bishops and priests that die, possess all gifts and learning of the Holy Ghost, to rule the church of Christ, as his godly predecessor had ; so that the Holy Ghost must be captive and bondman to bishops' sees and palaces. And because the Holy Ghost was in St Peter at Rome, and in many other godly men that have occupied bishopricks and dioceses ; therefore the same gifts, they say, must needs follow in their successors, although indeed they be no more like of zeal nor diligence than Peter and Judas, Balaam and Jeremy, Annas and Caiaphas to John and James. But thus I conclude of the ministers, of what degree or dignity soever they be, they be no better than [1 ' Into ' in A.] p ' Know' in A.] [3 'Another ways' in A.] JOHN hooper's faith. 91 records and testimonies, ministers and servants of God's word and God's sacraments ; unto the which they should neither add, diminish, nor change anything. And for their true ser- mm. xxvin. vice and diligence in this part they should not be only reve- acu i. renced of the people, but also honoured by the magistrates, as the servants of God. And I believe that as many souls as perish by their negligence or contempt of God's word, ezck. h. shall be required at their hands. XXI. Of the people thus I believe, that they owe their duty and obedience to God, to their king and magistrates, unto their neighbours, and unto themselves. Unto God they owe both body and soul, to laud and praise him, according to God's i cor. vu. x. book, to call upon him in the days of their trouble, and upon none else, to conform both their doctrine and their lives to promote and set forth the glory of God. Their duty to the king's majesty is their obedience to f?^;/'fl'- him, his laws, and the realm, for conscience sake, and rather ' to lose both body and goods than to offend his highness or his laws. And whensoever any subject be called to serve with body or goods, at home or from home, willingly they must obey without question or farther inquisition to search whether the king's cause be right or wrong. For, whether it be or be not, it maketh the death of him that serveth in this respect neither better nor worse. For I believe such as obeyed kino; 2Chron. . XXXV. Josias, and were slain in the battle against the Egyptians, were acceptable unto God in Christ, though king Josias had r*" "^Hi. not the best quarrel. In this case the subject oweth his body joh,Hi. in. and goods unto this lawful magistrate, and may deny him of reut'. vi'."' none of them both. Unto their neighbours they owe good- coL t."' will and charity, help, and preservation of their bodies, souls, goods, and fame, that none of all those perish, if they may preserve them. They owe unto themselves the study and labour to read and hear the scripture of God, until such time as they have laid a true foundation of faith in Christ. When that is done, they be bound to themselves to build upon that foundation all charitable works, as well to God as to man, with innocency of life. After that, they owe to themselves study Psai. cxix. and diligence to make defences for their true religion against the devil, the flesh, the world, sin, the wisdom of man, and [* The references here intended are probably Ezek. iii. 18, and x.xxiii. 8.] 92 THE CONFESSION OF JOHN HOOPER'S FAITH. superstitious hypocrites, which cease not to pervert and de- stroy in man the image and work of God. Away! away! I pray you, with this opinion, that thinketh a man to owe no more unto himself for rehgion than to learn by rote the creed, ten commandments, and pater-noster. St Paul rebuketh that opinion, as it is to be seen in his epistle. Psai. cxix. TTe owe unto ourselves due labours in praying unto God daily for the necessities of both body and soul, and likewise to give him thanks for all the goodness that^ he hath given unto us. Also we owe unto ourselves the eschewinor and avoiding of idleness and ocivity", and the labours of our own hands, with the industry and gift of reason, learning, and wit, to eat our Gen. ui. own bread with the sweat and pain of our own bodies, accord- ins to the commandment of God. Thus I conclude my faith ; the which, being examined by the word of God, is catholic and godly ; who send us of his grace to fear him, honour the king, and to love one the other, as Christ loveth us all. So be it. The twentieth of December anno MDL^. Lord bless thy church, and save our king. [1 'That' not in A.] [2 Ocivity : indolence.] [3 'And fifty' in A.] The Colophon in A is, 3)mpri'ntcU at Honbon 62 3jl&on Bare tifcclbng obex aiticr^gate bcnctj^ ^agnt iHartpns, anD are to ie sola at j^ts S^op 6g tjc Utle roun= fiuit til Ci)cpe= Sgte. Cum privilegio ad imprimendum solum per septennium. ANNOTATIONS ON ROMANS XIII. •[(gntilj) antr nuist nECcssavp Slnnota-- tions m g .Tin GT^a^ ppttr too rf)c Ho= maiinrs : n'gj^t bi'gUant ^3a= Stor, 550 ii^opcr, bg QOi35 calling, J3uss!)0}] of ^louccstrc. Anno Do. 1551. Mcnse Mail. Cum pririleffio ad imprimen- dum solum. The following is the colophon at the end of the " Annotations :" ImprttntrlJ t^c liii . OaD of 5Borc£ttr lis O^tocn, ^arin- tct appogntfl) ig g fetngs i^laifStk, for 5 ^Srincxfialtttc of ZiXa.\cf>, anfi £&ax= ties of g game. Cum privUegio ad iniprimendum solum. 95 To my very loving, and dear-beloved fellow-labourers in the word of God, and brethren in Christ, William Jenins, dean of the cathedral church in Gloucester, John Wil- liams, doctor of the law and chancellor, and to the rest of all the church appointed there to serve the living God, with all other, archdeacons, officials, deans, parsons, vicars, and curates, within this the king's majesty's diocese of Gloucester, grace and mercy from the Lord ever-living, in the blood of Jesus Christ, our only Saviour. If the dangers and perils of St Paul's time, dear-beloved, ministered and gave occasion unto him for to fear of the loss of such people as then were converted unto the knowledge and understanding of God's holy word, lest by negligence or corrupt doctrine of the bishops and pastors they might be seduced and brought into error ; doubtless the dangers of this our time, that be not only to be feared, lest such as know the truth be by error seduced and brought from the truth, or else, by continuance in ungodly life, continue in the truth in vain, but also that the most part of people be yet ignorant and not converted unto the truth, should minister and give occasion unto us a great deal more to be vigilant and circumspect, not only to keep those in truth to whom God hath revealed it, but also to win and convert with all prayer, diligence, preaching, and other instruction, such as yet be ignorant and out of the way, unto the truth and knowledge of God's word : and so much the rather, because we see by experience, and also feel it in ourselves, that the just God is offended and angry with our sins, and will not be contented with these troubles, miseries, and crosses, that already he layeth upon us, but doth doubtless prepare and make ready many more and more grievous. Our office therefore is to be diligent and cir- cumspect for the people of God ; and now, the hand of God being stretched forth, to admonish the flock committed unto our charges in time, lest they die, and their blood required at our hands. Certain I am that our sins be the only cause wherefore this most just God is offended; and certain we be that the only way and means to please and quiet him again, is to leave and wash away our sins. What the sins of the people be wherewithal God is thus offended, you that have the oversight of them know, or yc 96 ANNOTATIONS ON ROMANS XIII. ought to know. I mean not to descend particularly to any sin, lest peradventure I might seem to be temerous' and over-hardy, to judge more than I perfectly know ; or else, in naming such sins as many good, simple people have not heard of, might rather learn to augment the evil they know, than to learn the good they know not. It is the duty of every good pastor and curate diligently to search and know what virtue is most meet to be commended, and what vice most to be reprehended, in the church that he serveth. I will leave therefore the unknown evils unto me to the shepherd of every parish, requiring him to mark the sins of the people after and by the estimation of God's word, and thereby to ponder the condition of his people, lest that he cause them, and do the same himself, swallow a camel, and be choked with a flea ; leap over a block, and stumble at a straw. Before all things, see that the people know their commandments, and the works thereof, appertain- ing unto God in the first table, that they honour no wrong nor false God, nor yet the true God a wrong way, but as he hath commanded himself in the old testament and the new : and also that they avoid all such sins, faults, and disobedience, as be contrary to the commandments of God in the second table. And for a help unto you, and also to the people, in this behalf, I have set forth here the thirteenth chapter of St Paul to the Romans, which entreateth of all the second table, and duty of a christian man, how he should use him- self with and towards all sorts of people : most heartily praying you, and also in God's name and the king's majesty's name command you, that as many as serveth any cure within this diocese, that cannot, for lack of learning or exer- cise, teach nor preach himself to the people the hke doctrine, that they do, every Saturday and Sunday, read unto the people this thirteenth chapter, as I have here set it forth ; that the people may learn to know, love, and fear the better the king's majesty, and other such magistrates as be by him appointed over the people. And all such as God hath given grace of preaching unto, in their sermons shall oftentimes inculcate and persuade this argument and rule of obedience unto the people. And the cause why I have written in this chapter more than another, and think it very expedient to be Temerous : rash, hasty.] EPISTLE TO THE MINISTERS. 97 now taught unto the people, is the great and dangerous of- fences and sins of the richer sort of people, and also of the poor, both in this shire, and other the king's majesty's in this realm. And certain I am that both of them shall die eternally, if they amend not. Wherefore, to deliver my soul, I give such as be commended by God and the king's majesty unto my charge, warning of the judgment and damnation to come before. The rich man so encroacheth, gathereth together, and obtaineth so much into his own hands, that he alone possesseth the earth, liveth thereby, and his poor neighbour ready to die for lack ; so that he is brought into Tantalus' pain, meat and drink, cattle and corn enough of every side of him, yet shall rather die for lack, than that unsatiable and never contented covetous persons will price their goods so as poor men, their wives, and their children may be able to buy reasonable penny-worths of God's abun- dant plenty and riches that he bringeth out of the earth. These men, except they repent, cannot be saved, nor be par- takers of the merits of Christ's passion. For God would the rich to give unto the poor : but our men, that care neither for God nor the king's laws, will neither give nor sell what- soever necessity do require. If they would not care for God's word, yet should they have respect to nature and to their country. Though the poor man be not a rich man, yet is he a Christian, and thy countryman, of whom nature and countryship requireth thee to have compassion. The poor man, partly provoked by necessity and need, and partly of unchristian hatred and disdain he hath at his neighbour's wealth and prosperity, conspireth, worketh, provoketh, and desireth by all means to oppress and rob his richer neigh- bour; and will by force, strength, treason, sedition, commo- tion, assemblance, and gathering together of such as he is himself, against God's laws, God's ordinances, magistrates and superior powers, take away and usurp every man's goods, he careth not how ; not remembering the judgment and terrible damnation of God for his so doing, and that it is his bounden duty to suffer and bear such needs and necessities as God layeth upon us for our sins ; and that, upon pain of hell-fire, no man should revenge his own wrongs, but commend himself to God, who can and will hear the prayers of the poor in their troubles and needs: and that they should offer their 7 [hooper, II.] 98 ANNOTATIONS ON ROMANS XIII. supplications to the king's majesty, and to such other as be appointed for the redress of such oppression and wrongs ; and not to take weapons, armour, and force against God and his ordinances. In case the king's majesty, and the rest appointed to see poor men's causes redressed, will not hearken to their clamour, doubtless the ire and vengeance of God will punish them, and so much the rather, if the people quietly and obe- diently commend their causes unto him ; the which if they do not, they perish eternally. For there is no traitor nor seditious man can be saved ; but obedient and quiet men shall inherit the kingdom of heaven, and such as suffer wrong, and not such as do wrong, or intend to revenge by strength their own wrongs. Therefore to keep the people of this diocese from the displeasure of God and their king, and myself from everlasting damnation, I require you most diligently to teach them this chapter every week, one part of it the Saturday at even-song, the other the Sunday at the morning prayer, and the third part the Sunday at even-song. Thus fare ye all well, and God give us grace all well to discharge our offices commended unto us. Yours with all my heart, Brother and fellow-preacher, John Gloucester. Annotations in the thirteenth chapter to the Romans. €E The Prologue. The office and duty of a christian man is contained in two parts : the first, that he use himself aright and reverently with God ; the second, that he use him comely and honestly with man. In the epistle to the Romans, from the beginning, St Paul hath fully and sufficiently declared the duty and office of man towards God : towards the end he declareth how we may honestly do our duties towards men. Both these offices must diligently be known and exercised. And because a civil and outward life, seem it never so honest, is mere and very hypo- crisy, and cannot please God, except the mind and soul in- wardly be well affected towards him, I think it convenient briefly to declare wherein St Paul in this epistle doth put the religion of the heart of man towards God ; and then we shall the better descend unto such duties and offices as appertaineth to all manner of persons, as well public as private. First, St Paul perceiveth that the grace and promises of God cannot be known of man, until such time as he be brought to acknowledge and displeasure of his sins. The physician and physic be unprofitable unto such as know not that they be sick, as Christ said, "I came not to call the just, but sinners to re- Matt. ix. pentance." Therefore we must know the wound of our souls and the sickness of sin, before we can get any profit by the grace of God. We must confess that all men and women, except Christ, are born the children of ire and of God's dis- pleasure ; and that we bear about in us sin, that always re- pugneth the Spirit, whereby we are ascertained that we be always subject unto sin; as St Paul saith, "He concluded all Rom. xi. men under sin, because he might have mercy upon all." Seeing we be all sinners, and "the reward of sin is death," Rom. vi. St Paul's conclusion, where he saith "We are born all the chil- Epiies. u. dren of God's displeasure," is true. How then may we be delivered from this great ire and displeasure ? By the mercy of God the Father towards us, that first loved us, ere we loved him, whiles we were yet his enemies. But what is that, where- withal we may be annexed and reconciled unto God by his 7—2 100 ANNOTATIONS ON ROMANS XIII. mercy, when there is no good thing in us, but all filthy and sinful ? It is Jesus Christ, the Son of God, most dear-beloved, Matt iii. in whom the Father is contented, and by whom he is reconciled XVll. . . Ephes. i. ii. unto all sinners that repent, and believe his promises, for the merits and shedding of Christ's blood, his dear-beloved Son. coi^i. u. After that we see and perceive so great a mercy and pity of Phil. a. our heavenly Father, that would not favour nor spare his only Son to die for our redemption, but gave him to the most cruel and vile death of the cross for us ; how should not we trust to so merciful a Father in all our troubles and adver- Matt. xL sities, whether they be of body or soul ? Why should we not call only upon so merciful a God ? If we do thus amend our lives, believe his promises, and study a better life, we shall Lukei. not Only be saved by his mercy, but also glad to serve hiui, and walk before him in innocency and pureness of life, and also obediently and quietly in the world ; give reverence and love to all persons accordingly ; to whom honour, honour ; to whom love, love; to whom justice, justice; to whom mercy, mercy. Unto this christian quietness, reverence, love, and fear doth all the scripture exhort us, and chiefly this present thirteenth chapter to the Ilomans : for the understanding whereof the better, I note at the beginning a certain diver- sity and difference of persons. There be, and ever hath been, some public persons and some private persons. Public persons be those that bear any office, rule, regiment, or dominion, in a commonwealth : as a king with all his justices, mayors, sheriffs, bailiffs, constables, and other. Private persons be such as be subjects, and under these oSicers. These two per- sons must be diversely used, and the duty that is due unto the one is not due unto the other in civil respects. And seeing we must live with both these persons and states appointed to be in the world by Almighty God, St Paul in this chapter is very diligent to teach and instruct us how we should live ac- cordingly in truth and honesty towards them both. 101 CE The division of the Chapter. Why the superior powers should be obeyed. How we be debtors of love to the public person and magistrate, and to the private person that is a subject, indifferently. Containeth an exhortation to innocency and hones- ty of life, that, the truth being once known and received, every man should abstain and keep himself from filthiness and unclean life. The first part, concerning the obedience of the Magistrates. Let every soul submit himself unto the authority of The text, the higher powers. St Paul pronounceth generally that every soul, that is to say, every man, should be obedient unto the higher power : in a kingdom and monarchy, where one is appointed to rule, all the subjects of the same realm are bound to obey the one king appointed by God, of what condition, state, or degree soever they be ; as the king himself is bound to be obedient unto the law, and unto God, where as the laws be not con- trary to the law of God and the law of nature. And here is no exception to be made. No man in a kingdom is or ought to be privileged or exempt from the obedience of the king, which is the higher power. And the ecclesiastical laws, that do exempt and privilege any spiritual (as they be called) or temporal person from this general rule, " Every man be obedient to the higher power," is damnable and heretical, manifestly condemned by the word of God. For Christ and his apostles paid tribute and other duties unto the higher Matt xv powers of the earth. And the powers that here St Paul speaketh of, be not k<""- ''i only kings and emperors, but all such as be appointed to any pubhc office and common regiment, either for a king, where as is a kingdom, or in the place of a king, where as the state of the commonwealth is no monarchy, but a rule and dominion commended to many. To all these St Paul com- mandeth obedience, honour, reverence, and love to be borne. And this is specially to be noted in St Paul, that he saith simple and plainly, we should obey "the higher powers," to Parts \ 3. 102 ANNOTATIONS confute, argue, and reprehend those that cloke and excuse their disobedience, either for the age of the rulers, or else for conditions and manners of the rulers. And that age discharseth no man for inobedience, the word of God de- clareth how that he was present to help young kings, and 2Chron. xxL to defend them in their under age; as it is to be seen by king Josias. Also God punisheth young kings as often as they walk not after his word ; as it is to be seen by Jehoi- 2Chron. aklm*, that was crowned in the eighth year of his age, and within three months and ten days, for the sins he committed before God, he was taken prisoner by Nebuchadnezzar. Even so was Manasseh, being of twelve years of age. Nei- ther doth the manners and condition of the magistrates excuse our inobedience, though they be naught. For Paul biddeth us look upon the power and authority of the higher Pet. ii. powers, and not upon their manners. And St Peter com- mandeth the servants to obey their masters, though they be evil. So Joseph obeyed Phai-aoh ; and Christ, our Sa- viour, Pilate ; St Paul the emperors of Rome, Caligula and Nero. And when St Paul commandeth us to be obedient, he meaneth not only we should speak reverently and honour- ably of the higher power, or make courtesy unto him, but to obey the laws set forth by the powers, except they corn- Acts V. mand things against God's laws : then must we obey more God than men ; and yet not to strive and fight with the magistrates, but suffer patiently death rather than to offend God : or else our obedience is nothing but hypocrisy and dissimulation. Who would accept his own child's making of courtesy, when all his facts be contrary to his commandments? What master would be content, or think his servant did his duty in putting off his cap, and in his doing contemneth all his master's laws and commandments ? The laws of a magis- trate be of two conditions and sorts : either they concern God, or man. If they concern or appertain to God, either they be according to the word of God, or contrary to the This is related of Jehoiacliin, who, when eight years of age, was associated • and Salomon in his Proverbs. The other capital evil is in- Prov. xxiii* continent and unchaste living ; by the which words he con- Ephes^v demneth all scortation, adultery, and whoredom, and so all uncleanliness : and in removing of these incontinencies he com- mendeth chaste and pure matrimony between man and wife. The third capital evil that we must avoid is strife and con- Chap. iii. tention, against the which writeth St James ; the which riseth many times of the bitter zeal of him that is admonished for his faults against him that admonisheth. How much this vice is contrary unto charity, St Paul sheweth when he saith, " If that one of you bite the other, take heed one consume not the other." Where such contentions and strifes be, there is no charity. St Paul, after these evils, returneth again to that we should do, saying : The text. But put ye on the Lord Jesus Christ. To put on a thing, figuratively taken, is exactly and studiously to follow and to pursue a thing. So he doth^ on Hercules''s person, that expresseth and sheweth forth the facts of Hercules. So to put on Christ, is to accommodate and apply our faith and works to the example of his life and doctrine ; as he biddeth us to believe, so to believe ; as he biddeth us to work, even so to work ; and not to follow our own imagination. St Paul concludeth the chapter with a lesson, which we should avoid and eschew : The text. And do not the cares of the flesh, to fulfil them. That is to say, do not the thing that the flesh suadeth and would have thee to do ; neither live not after the affec- tion of the flesh. This is the sum and conclusion of a chris- tian life, that we follow not the lusts and desires of our corrupt nature. The necessities of our flesh we must help, that it may serve us, and not we it : as the Lord give us grace to do. Amen. [l Perhaps doth on for donneth : or supply put."] COPY OF BISHOP HOOPER'S VISITATION BOOK. [The following Letter, Articles, Injunctions, and Interrogatories, are extracted from a volume of manuscripts in Dr Williams's Library, Kedcross Street, London. The reference to Strype's Work, which is apparently in the same handwriting as the rest of the MS. shews that the "Copy" is not older than the time of that writer. It will be seen that several of the Articles are similar to those which were set forth by the king's authority in the following year.] A true Coppey of Bishop Hooper's Visitation Booke made by him in Anno Dom. 1551, 1552. [This letter to liis Clergy printed in Append, to Strype's Cranmer, p. 135. (Num. XLVII.) MS. note.] To the glory of God the Father, the Son, and the Holy Ghost. Forasmuch as of all charges and vocations the charge of such as be appointed to the ministry and function of the church is the greatest, it is to be provided and foreseen that such as be called and appointed to such vocation anfl office be such as can satisfy the said office ; which may be done, as St Paul' saith, two manner of ways: the one, if they be of sound doctrine, apt to teach, and to exhort after knowledge, and able to withstand and confute the evil-sayers : the other, if their life and manners be unculpable, and cannot justly be blamed ; which consisteth in this : if the minister be sober, modest, keeping hospitality, honest, religious, chaste, not dissolute, angry, nor given to much wine, no fighter, no covetous man, such as governeth well his own house, and giveth an example of virtue and honesty unto others. For as the godly life and conversation of the parson or doctor doth no less avail in the reformation of other than the doctrine itself, so likewise they which hath no respect nor regard what evil, mischievous, and devilish example of hfe outwardly appeareth to be in them, cannot have in them any just au- thority to reform or correct the faults of other. For by what just means canst thou reprehend and blame any other in that fault wherein thou thyself art to be blamed ? Or by what occasion canst thou praise charity, or desire to have the same in another man, when as thou thyself, despising both God and holy matrimony, dost other ^ nourish and keep a whore or concubine at home in thy house, or else dost defile other men's beds ? Neither is he anything less to be ashamed, that will persuade other to live in sobriety, he himself being drunk. Wherefore what authority shall he obtain or get unto himself and his ministry, which is daily seen and marked of his to be a common haunter of alehouses and taverns, of whores, cards, dice, and such like ? Hereby [1 See 1 Tim. iii. and Tit. i.] p Other: either.] COPY OF BISHOP hooper's VISITATION BOOK. 119 shall you perceive and know liow that the old priests and pastors of Christ's church did by their truth and gravity subjugate and bring under the hard-necked and stiff stubborn ethnicks, and caused them to have the same in fear ; inso- much that the -wicked emperor^ Julian caused the priests of the pagans to order their lives according to the example of the other. But look, what authority and reverence that old severity and graveness of the pastors and priests did bring unto them at that time, even as much shame and contempt (or else a great deal more, as I fear,) doth the lechery, co- vetousness, ambition, simony, and such other corrupt means, bring unto the priests, pastors, and ministers that be now in our days, of all men. Wherefore I (being not forgetful of my office and duty towards God, my prince, and you) do desire and beseech all you, for Christ's sake, who com- manded that your light should so shine before men that they, seeing and perceiving the same, might glorify the Father which is in heaven, give your diligence together with me, well-beloved brethren, so that the dignity and majesty of the order of priests and pastors, being fallen in decay, may not only be restored again, but that, first and principally, the true and pure worship of God may be restored ; and that so many souls, being committed to my faith and yours, may, by our wholesome doctrine and cleanness of conversation, be moved unto the true study of perfect charity, and called back from all error and ignorance, and finally to be reduced and brought unto the high Bishop and Pastor of souls, Jesus Christ. And to the intent ye may the more easily perform the same, I have (according to the talent and gift given me of the Lord) collected and gathered out of God's holy word a few articles, which I trust shall much profit and do ye good. And if that anything shall be now wanting or lacking, I trust (by the help of your prayers and good counsel) they shall be shortly hereafter performed. Let every one of you, therefore, take good heed to approve yourselves faithful and wise ministers of Christ ; so that when I shall come to visit the parishioners committed to my cure and faith from God and the king's majesty, ye be able not only to make answer unto me in that behalf, but also unto our Lord [3 See Julian. Imp. Fragm. Op. pp. 529, 530, 549, 556, 557 — Paris. 1630.] 120 COPY OF BISHOP hooper's Jesus Christ, judge both of the quick and the dead, and a very strait revenger of his church. Thus fare you well unto the day of my coming unto you. Articles concerning Christian Religion, given by the reve- rend father in Christ, John Hooper, Bishop of Gloucester, unto all and singular deans, parsons, prebends, vicars, curates, and other ecclesiastical ministers within the dio- cese of Gloucester, to be had and retained of them for the unity and agreement, as well for the doctrine of God's word, as also for the conformity of the ceremonies agree- ing with God's word. I. First, that none of the abovenamed do teach or preach any manner of thing to be necessary for the salvation of man other than that which is contained in the book of God's holy word, called the old and new testament ; and that they beware to establish and confirm any manner of doctrine concerning the old superstitious and papistical doc- trine, which cannot be duly and justly approved by the authority of God's holy word. II. Item, that they and every of them do faithfully and diligently teach and instruct the people committed unto their charge, that there is but one God, everlasting, incor- porate, almighty, wise, and good, maker and conserver of hea- ven and earth, and of all things contained therein, the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, our only Redeemer, by whom only he will be called upon by us, and will also hear us for his sake. And albeit there be but one God in essence and unity of the Godhead, nevertheless in the same unity there be three distinct persons, co-equal, everlasting, and one in dignity and essence, the Father, the Son, and the Holy Ghost. III. Item, that they and every of them do diligently teach and preach, as is aforesaid, all the doctrine contained in the creed or articles of our faith, commonly called and known by the name and names of the creed of the apostles, Nicen, and Athanasius ; for that as those creeds are in such wise taken out of the word of God, that [they] do contain in them the sum of all christian doctrine. IV. Item, that they and every of them do diligently teach and preach that the church of God is the congregation VISITATION BOOK. 121 of the faithful, wherein the word of God is truly preached, and the sacraments justly ministered according to the insti- tution of Christ, and his doctrine taught unto us by his holy word : and that the church of God is not by God's word taken for the multitude or company of men, as of bishops, priests, and such other, but that it is the company of all men hearing God's word, and obeying unto the same ; lest that any man should be seduced, believing himself to be bound unto any ordinary succession of bishops and priests, but only unto the word of God, and to the right use of his sacraments. V. Item, albeit that the true church of Christ cannot err from the faith, for that it is the only pillar of verity ; yet nevertheless, forasmuch as no man is free from sin and lies, there is nor can be any church known and apparent unto us (be it never so perfect or holy) but it may err. VI. Item, that the doctrine of the Anabaptists, denying the christening of infants, and afl&rming the rebaptizing and christening again of those which were before baptized in their infancy, as also affirming all manner of goods and chattel to be in common (saving such as are contained in the law of charity), and that all authority of magistrates should be removed from the church of God, and such other like doc- trines, and their sects, are very pernicious and damnable. VII. Item, that they and every of them do diligently teach and preach the justification of man to come only by the faith of Jesus Christ, and not by the merit of any man's good works ; albeit that good works do necessarily follow justifica- tion, the which before justification are of no value or estima- tion before God. VIII. Item, albeit that good works do not justify, as before is said, but only by faith by Jesus Christ, yet good works do please Almighty God by the faith in Christ, and for Christ's sake ; and therefore are required to be had and done of every christian man ; and that all works which do repugn or be against the works of the law of God are utterly to be forsaken and kept under. IX. Item, that the doctrine of the schoolmen of purga- tory, pardons, prayers for them that are departed out of this world, the veneration, invocation, and worshipping of saints or images, is contrary and injurious to the honour of Christ our only Mediator and Redeemer, and also against the 122 COPY OF BISHOP hooper's doctrine of the first and second commandment of God, con- tained in the first table. X. Item, that in the sacrament of the body and blood of the Lord there is no transubstantiation of the bread and wine into the body and blood of Christ, or any manner of corporal or local presence of Christ in, under, or with the bread and wine, but spu'itually by faith, beheving the Son of God Jesus Christ to be made man, and that by his death he might satisfy for the sins of the world. So we receive the confirmation and augmentation of all the merits and de- servings of Christ, that merited for us the promises of ever- lasting life in his^ pains and passion, that now sitteth at the right hand of God the Father. XI. Item, that they which unworthily do come to bap- tism, or unto the supper of the Lord, do not receive the virtue and true efi'ect of the same sacraments, although they receive the external signs and elements of the sacraments. XII. Item, that the sacraments are so necessary to our salvation, that whosoever receiveth them with faith, according to the institution of Christ, by the secret working of the Holy Ghost receiveth also necessarily the things that be promised, signified^ and represented by the sacraments : yet be not the sacraments to be judged so necessary, that whosoever use them any other way than God hath appointed, receiveth his salvation ; or that God cannot save the children, or such elder persons as believe his word, without them, when they be omitted in any case of necessity, as death or the like, and not of any contempt of the sacraments. XIII. Item, that no man, although he be regenerated, but sin doth remain in him as long as he liveth ; albeit in some sin doth not reign or bear any rule. Wherefore if he sin, being admonished by the Spirit of God, by his word, or some other way, he repenteth his sins, and so by faith shall obtain the remission thereof : and whereas we speak of a man, we intend not to make any difi^erence of ages ; for a child is also a man, which being conceived and born in sin, by reason thereof he is subject to the wrath of God and everlast- ing damnation, if his sins be not forgiven. XIV. Item, that, according to the doctrine of St Paul, it is not lawful for any man to sing or say in the church in any [1 MS. this.'] VISITATION BOOK. 123 kind of tongue other than such as the people shall bo able to understand ; and that it is not sufficient to speak or read in the English, or mother-tongue, but that there be due and distinct pronunciation, whereby all the people may have true knowledge. XV. Item, that the oblation of Christ once made on the cross is a full satisfaction for all manner of sins, be they original, actual, present, past, or to come, to all men believing in the same sacrifice ; and that there is not other means, propitiation, redemption, satisfaction, or sacrifice for sin. XVI. Item, that it is not necessary that the ceremonies of the church should be one everywhere, and at all times used and frequented ; but that they may be lawfully changed and altered, according to the diversity of time and manner of countries, so that there be nothing done or made contrary to the word of God ; and that all those which willingly or openly with slanders do violate and break any ceremonies made and approved by the king's majesty's authority, are to be esteemed and taken as persons that do offend against the common order of the church and the magistrates, wounding the consdience of their weak and sick brethren, so that other thereby may have occasion of tumult and sedition ; and there- fore worthy of rebuke and punishment : not that we think or put any religion, or honour of God in them ; but as far as they serve to a political order or edification, we judge and acknowledge them profitable. XVII. Item, that it is not lawful for any manner of person, of his own private authority, to take upon him to preach the word of God, or to minister his sacraments openly, unless the same be lawfully called or sent ; and those do we think only lawfully called or sent, which are called and sent of God, whose calling and sending ought to be known either by manifest signs and tokens out of heaven, or else by such men unto whom appertaineth (by oflrice) to appoint and send forth ministers into the Lord's vineyard and church. Also we do condemn all manner of simony in all kinds of ministers and orders of the ecclesiastical ministry. We understand by the ministry and know it not by the name alone, but by the work and administration in it, to the edifying of the church and body of Christ by the faithful administration of God's word and his sacraments, according unto the commandment of Christ ; from the which if any minister cease, he leaveth to be a minister, and should not be taken for such one. 124 COPY OF BISHOP HOOPER S XVIII. Item, even as all vain and unadvised oaths are of Christ and his apostle St J ames forbidden unto all christian men, even so it is lawful for all men, at the command of the magistrate or otherwise, in the cause of faith and charity to swear, so that (according to the mind of the prophet) it be done in judgment, justice and verity. XIX. Item, that we ourselves cannot anything will or work, without the grace of God do prevent us, and work to- gether with us. XX. Item, Christ in the substance of our nature took flesh of the substance of the Virgin Mary without the seed of any man, like unto us in all things, except in sin, from the which he was clear and void, as well in his body as in his soul : for he came to be a Lamb without sin, that with his own immolation and sacrifice he might take away the sins of the world ; for, as St John saith, "There was no sin in him;" and on the other side, "If any of us shall say that we have no sin in us, we shall seduce ourselves." XXI. Item, even as our Lord Jesus Christ would have his people of the old testament, so would he have them of the new, not only by doctrine to be brought unto a knowledge of him, but also aU his gifts and promises to be sealed in them with certain sacraments, and with the same to be annexed into the society of one godly people, so that they do receive them with faith. And further also, whereas he hath testified and vritnessed his yoke to be light, so hath he in like man- ner instituted a small number of sacraments, which are as easy to be kept as they are most worthy in signification, and (as StAugustin' saith) most august and excellent; which we do see in baptism by the most sacred and holy name of the Trinity, and the communion of the body and blood of Christ. XXII. Item, that the sacraments are instituted of Christ to be used, and not to be gazed upon : and that all they which shall worthily use the same with faith shall there- by receive the increase and confirmation of all the fruits of health and salvation. XXIII. Item, that the said sacraments are not only {} TJnde sacramentis numero paucissimis, obBerratione facillimis, Bignificatione pracstantissimis societatem novi populi colb'gavit, &c. — August. Op. Epist cxrm. Tom. ii. col. 556, b. Basil. 1569.] VISITATION BOOK. 125 signs and notes of the profession of christian men, but also certain impressions or prints of the grace and good-will of God towards us ; which thing is made perfect in us, when in- wardly the Holy Ghost worketh that our faith may apprehend the thing that is signified by the word and the sacraments. XXIV. Item, that the sacraments are not of any force by virtue or strength of any outward work of the same (which of superstition is called opus operatum), but only by the vir- tue and means of the Holy Ghost working in the hearts of the doers and receivers by faith, lest that any man should trust or have confidence in the outward works. XXV. Item, that the church of God is not to be con- temned for certain evil parsons annexed unto it, so that the things afore noted be observed, that is to say, true preaching and right use of the sacraments, with correction and disciphne. For the malice of the minister cannot derogate nor hurt the doctrine, verity, and ma-jesty of God's word and his sacra- ments : although when their malice and ignorance is known, they should be put from their office ; for they ought to be found blameless in all their lives and conversation, having good report and testimony of all men ; and therefore to beware of all such things as may cause them to be had in contempt ; as of riotous eating and drinking, of whoredom, adultery, unlawful games, dice, cards, and all other like ; nor the time which they should of their bounden duty bestow in reading and studying of the holy scriptures, should be misspent in hunting, hawking, and such other vain pastimes, if they will be ap- proved or allowed faithful ministers of Christ and his church. XXVI. Item, that which is spoken of the sacraments, that they were not instituted for a spectacle or wondering- stock, doth evidently prove that they ought not to be kept nor worshipped, or any other ways to be used than as Christ did institute them, who, speaking simply and plainly of bap- tism by these words, " Do ye baptize," said also of the bread and wine, " Take, eat, and drink you all ; " of the which words we learn that as many as be present ought to commu- nicate, or to depart in the time of the administration. XXVII. Item, no man ought to receive the communion of the body and blood of our Lord for another, neither yet one for many, but every man for himself; for no more doth the communion prevail, being taken of one for another, than 12G COPY OF BISHOP nOOPKU's doth baptism. Wherefore the comruunion ought not to be kept or celebrated w ithin the church, unless that the whole congre- gation (or at least a good part of the same) do receive it. XXVIII. Item, that such doctrines doth plainly approve that the popish mass is a mere enemy against God's word and Christ's institution ; and albeit it doth retain in it certain lessons of the holy scriptures, yet it is nothing better to be esteemed than the verses of the sorcerer or enchanter, that be nothing more to be esteemed [than] for certain holy words mui'mured and spoken in secret. XXIX. Item, seeing that St Paul doth plainly say that the forbidding of marriage is the doctrine of devils, therefore it is not to be judged that the marriage of priests, bishops, or any other ministers of the church, should be unlawful, but that the same is both holy, and agreeable with God's word. XXX. Item, that the supper of the Lord ought not to be celebrated or kept in any one church but once in the day, and that in one place only. XXXI. Item, that the catechism be read and taught unto the children every Sunday and festival-day in the year, at one or two of the clock after dinner, and that they may be thereof duly examined one after another by order ; and that aU other elder people be commanded to be present at the same. XXXII. Item, that, albeit that the consents of parties being free, and not under the power of their parents, doth make matrimony, yet nevertheless it is both meet and ne- cessary that no man shall presume to confirm or solemnizate the same, before that he doth well and perfectly know the liberty of the parties, or else the parents' consents ; and that there be had thereof lawful testimony and witness, confirmed by the knowledge of the magistrates, at all such time as the parties so contracted together shall be unknown ; or, at the least, that the banns of matrimony be three times openly proclaimed by three Sundays in the parish-church, before that they be so married and coupled together. XXXIII. Item, that a christian and brotherly admo- nition, correction, and punishment is lawful to be had by the word of God, and also excommunication against rebels and obstinate persons, which are not to be admitted unto any communion of the sacraments or prayers, before that they VISITATION 1500K. 127 have openly reconciled themselves unto the church with public and open penance. XXXIV. Item, that the king's majesty of England is to be taken and known as the only and supreme magistrate and power of the church of England and Ireland, of all manner of persons, of what estate, dignity, or degree soever they be. XXXV. Item, that the bishop of Rome hath not (nor by God's word or of right ought to have) any manner of authority, power, or jurisdiction within this realm of England and Ireland, or any part of the same. XXXVI. Item, that every man ought to give place and obedience unto the civil magistrates (being lawfully autho- rised) in all things, so that they do command nothing that is contrary unto God and his law. XXXVII. Item, that it is lawful amongst christian men to exercise and use punishments and pains of death in certain offences ; and also to bear weapon, and armies to go unto the wars withal, for the tuition and defence of his country, so that the same be done by the commandment of the king's majesty, or by his lawful authority. XXXVIII. Item, for that as the cure and charge of the poor are chiefly commended unto us by Christ, it is therefore very necessary that collections and gatherings should be had and made in every parish-church, whereby the poor of the same parish and other strangers may be relieved. XXXIX. Item, forasmuch as our Lord Jesus Christ, very God and man, hath commanded and instituted but only two sacraments in number, that is to say, baptism and the communion of his supper, by the communicating whereof he would give himself unto us, no man therefore ought to be so bold as once to invent or make any more. And albeit that the imposition of hands bo tokens of the approbation of the ministers of the church, according to the example of the apostles, yet it may not therefore be called a sacrament by like reason as the other two sacraments are. XL. Item, that you do not read any such injunctions as extolleth and sctteth forth the popish mass, candles, images, chantries, and such like. XLI. Item, that none of you do counterfeit the popish 128 COPY OF BISHOP hooper's mass in blessing the Lord's board, washing your hands or fingers after the gospel, or receipt of the holy communion, shifting the book from one place unto another, laying down and licking of the chalice after the communion, blessing his eyes with the sudary^ thereof, or paten, or crossing his hands with the same, holding up his forefingers and thumbs joined together towards the temples of his head after the receiving of the sacrament, breathing on the bread or chalice, saying the "Agnus" before the communion, shewing the sacrament openly before the distribution of the same, or making any elevation thereof, ringing of the sacring-bell, or setting any light upon the Lord's board. XLIL Item, that you make no market of the holy com- munion by buying or selling the receipt thereof for money, as the popish mass in times past was wont to do. XLIIL Item, whereas in divers places some use the Lord's board after the form of a table, and some of an altar, whereby dissension is perceived to arise among the unlearned; therefore, wishing a godly unity to be observed in all our diocese, and for that the form of a table may more move and turn the simple from the old superstitious opinions of the popish mass, and to the right use of the Lord's supper, we exhort you to erect and set up the Lord's board after the form of an honest table, decently covered, in such place as shall be thought most meet ; so that the ministers and communicants may be seen, heard, and understood of all the people there being present ; and that ye do take down and abolish all the altars or tables. Further, that the minister in the use of the communion and prayers thereof turn his face towards the people. XLIV. Item, that the homilies be read orderly (accord- ing unto the king's majesty's injunctions^) every Sunday and holy-day, without omission of any part thereof, so that no sermon be made upon any of those days. XLV. Item, that common prayer be had and used in [1 Sudary : Gr. a-ovSapiov, vestis sacerdotalis, quse alias mappula. Glossar. Man. Tom. vi. p. 408. Halre, 1773. See also Rer. Liturg. Lib. I. c. XXV. " De sudariolo seu purificatorio, quo nunc utimur ad tergendum calicem." p. 261. Romffi, 1671.] [2 See Burnet's Hist, of the Reformation, Vol. ii. Lib. i. p. 28. London, 1683.] VISITATION BOOK. 129 every church upon Wednesdays and Fridays, according to the king's grace's ordinances, and that all such as conveni- ently may shall diligently resort unto the same. XLVI. Item, that none of you maintain the Six Ar- ticles^ bead-rolls, images, rehcs, rubrics, primers, holy bread, palms, ashes, candles, sepulch, paschal, creeping to the cross, hallowing of the fire or altar, and other such like abuses and superstitions taken away by the king's grace's most godly proceedings. XLVII. Item, that you do move the people committed unto your charge to the often and worthy receiving of the holy communion, and not to talk or walk in the time of the sermon, communion, or common prayers, but rather to behave themselves godly and devoutly at the same ; and to admonish the churchwardens to be diligent overseers in that behalf. XLVIII. Item, that the churchwardens do not permit any buying, selhng, gaming, outrageous noises, tumult, or any other idle occupying of youth, in the church, church- porch, or church-yard, during the time of common prayer, sermon, or reading of the homily. XLIX. Item, that every one of you (having licence and authority) shall preach every Sunday and festival-day ; and that all those which have no licence or authority shall dili- gently procure some of their neighbours (which are autho- rised) to preach in their cures four times every quarter in the year at the least. L. Item, that you be diligent in reading and studying of the holy scriptures, according unto the king's grace's in- junctions heretofore given you ; so that the people committed unto your charge may thereby have consolation and comfort at your hands, and to be truly instructed of the doctrine con- tained in God's holy word. And as we have heretofore admonished you, even so we now eftsoons exhort and require you, and every of you, faithfully and diligently to observe and keep all and singular injunctions and ordinances which shall be commanded unto you by the king's majesty, or his highness' authority. FINIS. GOD SAVE THE KING. [3 For an account of the Six Articles, see Burnet's Hist, of the Reform. Vol. i. Lib. ni. p. 259. Lend. 1683.] [hooper, II.] 9 130 Injunctions given by John Hooper, bishop of Gloucester, in his visitation in the year of our Lord God a thousand five hundred and fifty-one, and in the fifth year of the reign of our sovereign lord king Edward the Sixth, to be observed and kept of all parsons, vicars, curates, and ministers within the diocese of Gloucester. I. First, that they nor none of them teach, upon the pains of God's displeasure and the king's, any other doctrine, faith, prayer, or religion unto the people necessary for salva- tion than such as they can duly, justly, and manifestly prove out of the word of God. II. Item, that no man teach privately or openly the destruction, loss, and confusion of any of the two natures in Christ, but that they attribute with reverence and religion to each and every of them their due, proper, just qualities and conditions ; and not to confound, mix, mingle, or attribute the qualities, conditions, and properties due unto the Godhead of Christ unto his humanity, nor the properties, nature, condition, or proportions of his humanity unto his divinity ; but rever- endly and religiously to keep and hold, as a faith most catholic and godly, to be two divers natures, conditions, and properties in one Christ, which is both God and man ; one in person, and divers in qualities, conditions, and nature ; the humanity to be in one place always at one time, his Godhead to be in all places In every time. III. Item, that every of them read and use the common prayers, lessons, homilies, and such other service as is ap- pointed for the people in the king's majesty's book, plainly, distinctly, openly, treatably, solemnly, honourably, and de- voutly, and in such sort, and such place of the church, as the people may best understand, hear, and learn, bear away, and follow the godly knowledge, learning, and prayers there ap- pointed. And also that the reverend and modest gesture, sober manner and fashion of the minister may provoke the people to a reverend honour and comely majesty to the word of God, so that they may with knowledge be brought to a love of the English form of prayer and honouring of God, as both God and the king's majesty require and demand. IV. Item, that they do exhort by word, and provoke by example of their doings, the people to believe that God is better served in the cono-regation in the English tonscne. Bisnoi> hooper's injunctions. 131 amongst English men, tlian ever he was or may be in Latin, whereas the people understandcth not what is said. V. Item, that, forasmuch as both God and the king commandeth^ that the word of God, that teacheth knowledge, the law, the gospel, faith, charity, love, hope, fear, obedience, heaven, hell, salvation, damnation, sin, virtue, and all other duties of a christian man, as well how to behave himself towards God as towards man ; and the same is very godly, richly, virtuously, and compendiously appointed and set forth in the king's majesty's book of common prayer; and both God and the king would all men to be partakers thereof ; and that the scripture of God should heal, help, succour, and comfort as well the poorest as the richest, the unlearned as the learned, him that sitteth next the church- door, or nearest the belfry, as him that sitteth in the chancel, or nearest the chancel-door ; I do therefore, in both their names, God's and the king's majesty's, straitly charge all and every curate, parson, and vicar within this diocese, to distribute, give, shew, set forth, minister, and declare the most holy treasure of God's word set forth by the king's majesty to all the people. And in case the chancel stand far from the people, or else by reason of rood-lofts, belfries, or any such inclosure, the psalms spoken by the minister cannot be heard into the lowest part of the church, or else if the curate or minister have so small and soft a breast or voice that he cannot be heard into the lowest part of the church, that then every of them come into the body of the church, and there reverendly, plainly, as is afore-spoken, see that all things be read in such sort, that all the people may understand the treasures and inspeakable riches of God's laws and promises. And then if they or any of them of the parish will be ignorant, their blood and damnation be upon their own heads, and the loss of their own souls be laid unto their own wicked- ness. I and you shall this way deliver our own souls, and discharge ourselves according to the trust and confidence that both God and the king's majesty hath appointed us unto. VI. Item, that, whereas the people of God cannot be instructed in the truth of his word, except the parsons and [1 Tho sense here is incomplete, owing either to a change of construction by the author, or, what is perhaps more probable, the Omission by the copyist of some words such as "be taught," or tho like.] 9—2 132 BISHOP hooper's IXJCNCTIONS. curates, that have the oversight of them, be learned and exer- cised in the testaments of God, the new and the old, I do command, in the k.ing"'s majesty's name, that every parson, vicar, and curate within this diocese, from this day forth, accounting from the day of this vbitation unto the end of the year next following the date hereof, that they study every quarter of the year such books as I here in these injunctions appoint to be studied and learned ; so without the book that every quarter unto me, or to mine assigns, they make re- hearsal of the contents of every book in Latin or English : that is to say, the first quarter the epistle of St Paul to the Romans ; the second quarter the book of Moses called Deuteronomy ; the third quarter the evangelist or gospel of St. Matthew ; the fourth quarter the first book of Moses called Genesis. VII. Item, that every parson, vicar, or curate, or other that serve cures within this diocese, four times in the year appear personally in their deanery before me, or my deputies, in such synods, councils, and assembhes as I will appoint, for the determination of such questions and doubtful matters in reUgion as may happen to stand and be in controversy be- tween men learned and them ; and there to speak modestly, soberly, and learnedly what they will : so that I in the mean time command them not to dispute nor reason before the un- learned of anv matters in rehgion but such as mav be mani- festly proved out of the word of God. YIII. Item, that every parson, vicar, curate, and minis- ter within this diocese, without all excuses, make as many sermons themselves, or by their assigns, in their parishes as is enjoined unto them by the king's majesty and my last articles, as they will answer for the loss of the people; and in the same sermons to preach nor teach any doctrine or learning but such as may be plainly, truly, openly, and mani- festly proved out of the word of God IX. Item, that every curate, parson, and vicar cause all such persons, men or women, that shall come to the com- munion, before the receiving of it, to make a rehearsal of the ten commandments, of the articles of our faith, and then to make the general confession of sins set forth in the king's majesty's book of common prayer ; and, that confession of sin made, to pray the Lord's prayer in English called the pater- noster. And if it happen there be so many communicants BISHOP hooper's injunctions. 133 that all cannot one after another make rehearsal of the com- mandments, the articles of our faith, and the pater-noster, then the curate or minister to read out of the twentieth chapter of Exodus the said commandments, word for word, as they be written there, treatably, plainly, distinctly, openly, and reverendly, and so point and mark the sentences that the people may say them after him, and hkewise the creed, the pater-noster, and the general confession, that is set forth in the king's majesty's book ; so that the people may receive the holy communion and sacrament of Christ's death and passion with profit, gain, and commodity of grace and favour from God ; which cannot be where the receivers lack the true knowledge of God, hatred of their sinful self, and the purpose and intent never to sin again. X. Item, that every parson, curate, and minister teach the ten commandments of God out of the twentieth chapter of Exodus, as they stand there, and no otherwise, not taking one word, letter, or syllable from them, but in all things to follow in this case the book of God. XI. Item, where as knowledge of the ten commandments, the creed, and the pater-noster lacketh in such as be of dis- cretion, there lacketh also God's grace and favour, as well in the parson, vicar, and curate, as in the parish and people : for eschewing and avoiding whereof, every curate, parson, and vicar (as they will answer unto God and the king's majesty) shall upon every Christmas-day, Easter-day, Whitsunday, and the first Sunday in September, cause half his parish before noon, and the other half in the afternoon, to make open con- fession of the ten commandments, the articles of the faith, and the pater-noster in English : so that by this means (if curates be dihgent) the people may come to the knowledge of God in Christ ; of which if they be ignorant of negligence or contempt, they cannot be saved. XII. Item, that the parsons, vicars, and curates shall dihgently exhort the multitude of their parishioners to use the communion and sacrament of Christ's precious body and blood, and not to permit in any wise one neighbour to receive for another, as it is commonly used in this diocese ; for when he that should receive it himself, by the order of the king's law, is not disposed to receive, he desireth his neighbour to receive for him, which is contrary to God's word. 134 BISHOP hooper's injunctions. Xlir, Item, that every parson, vicar, curate, or minis- ter exhort and charge the churchwardens of every parish to take diligent heed to the talk and behaviour of the people, that nothing be spoken to the hinderance and slander of God's word, to the disobedience of the king's majesty, or any of his officers ; and that no unchaste or ungodly life be used ; and that the churchwardens every quarter present such faults as shall happen to be found and known in any of the said causes, unto their curate or minister, to present them unto me, or to mine officers, four times every year, as duly as they would do at the bishop's visitation ; that such faults and evils by reason of long continuance and use fall not into custom, whereby the punishment thereof must needs be the more grievous to the offender, the pains of the judge more troublesome, and the ire and vengeance of God more kindled against the people among whom these offenders live unpunished ; as the word of God plainly sheweth us it doth and will do, until the evil be removed. XIV. Item, that every parson, vicar, curate, and mi- nister, without all excuses, at the beginning of the quarter, exhort such men as be already sworn before me in my visi- tation, with the churchwardens, to take heed diligently of the manners and conditions of the parson, vicar, and curate of the parish, and of the manners and conditions of the parishioners ; and so by writing deliver, or cause to be de- livered, every quarter unto me, or to mine officers, all such faults and transgressions as shall be committed by any of them, that shall be done contrary unto God's laws and the king's, in any unhonest life or false religion : that I may in time take such order, as God may have his honour, the king's majesty his reverence, and the people of God their quietness ; which cannot be where sin doth reign unpunished. XV. Item, that ye be diligent and careful yourselves, and also exhort the church-proctors and wardens, with all other that be appointed for the continuance and preservation of true religion and godly conversation in your parishes among the people, that no man nor woman maintain openly or privately, by talking, reading, preaching, disputation, argument, or other reasoning, the defence of transubstanti- ation of the bread and wine in the sacrament of Christ's precious body and blood, any corporal, fleshly, bodily, or BISHOP HCOI'EU'S INJUNCTIONS. 135 real presence of Christ's body in the sacrament, any use or necessity of masses, prayers unto saints, purgatory, pardons, indulgence, beads, images, or such other superstition as is most justly condemned by God's -word and the king's ma- jesty's authority. XVI. Item, that you exhort your parishioners and such as be under your cure and charge for the ministry of the church, that they take down and remove out of their churches and chapels all places, tabernacles, tombs, sepulchres, tables, footstools, rood-lofts, and other monuments, signs, tokens, relics, leavings, and remembrances, where such superstition, idols, images, or other provocation of idolatry have been used. And also that ye take away all the greis^ ascenses, and upgoings that heretofore went to any altar within your churches or chapels : and to take down all the chapels, closets, partitions, and separations within your churches, whereat any mass hath been said, or any idol, image, or relic used to be honoured : and so to make the church and house appointed to serve God in without all closures^, im- parting, and separations between the ministers and the people, to avoid all mosaical and Jewish imperfection, and such typical separation as shewed Christ yet to come, and not already now come and past, as touching the imperfection of the law. Provided notwithstanding, that in case any honest man, of what estate soever he be, that hath a seat within the church for his quietness, for himself and his to hear the common prayer, that it stand, and no man meddle with it, except it were before a secret and appointed place to do idolatry in : then if any man will use it as a seage'^ or seat, to take down from the higher place, and also round about it, as many things as heretofore have served and been as a help unto idolatry. XVII. Item, that ye ne^ suffer nor permit any Latin primers, beads, images, relics, or any other monuments of superstition in your parishes, as well to avoid them in the church as in private houses. And in case ye know any man or woman, being the king's subject, within this shire, [1 Greis, or grise, a flight of steps : Lat. gressus. Gloss. Man. "grcsium, collis, agger editus."] Closures : inclosurcs, partitions.] [3 From the French siege, seat.] [* Ne: neither.] 136 BISHOP hooper''s injunctions. that doth use, maintain, or keep secretly or openly any such images, beads, Latin primers, relics, or others, that charitably ye admonish them to put them away, and to destroy them : if you cannot cause them so to do, to advertise me of their obstinacy and contempt of God's laws and the king's ma- jesty's, by the which they are condemned and abolished most justly. XVIII. Item, that the curate or minister, with the advice and consent of the whole parish, shall agree upon one certain hour as well for saying of the morning prayers upon the Sundays and other holy-days, as also the evening prayers, appointed and set forth in the king's majesty's book of common prayer : and so the most convenient hour agreed upon to be observed and kept, that all the parish may come thereunto, except they have just occasion and causes to the contrary ; so that from henceforth none of the parishioners break, violate, contemn, and neglect the common prayer upon the Sundays and other holy-days, as hitherunto they have done. XIX. Item, that from henceforth in no parish in the diocese shall the bells be rung to noon upon the Saturdays or other holy-days' even, nor at evening to curfaye (as it was called), nor yet in the time of service in the church, for the oppressing of the sound of the minister that readeth the word of God ; but before service, as well in the morning as at even, to warn the people by as many peals or ringings as they think good : and in case there be any pause be- tween the morning prayer and the communion, then, to advertise and signify unto the people of the ministration of the holy sacrament, to toll one bell, such as the parish shall think most meet and convenient. XX. Item, that there be no noise, bruit, walking, talking, or jangling, or any other unquiet behaviour in the church in the time of service, nor none to remain in the church-yard or at home in their houses, to be absent from such prayers and holy use of the sacraments as there shall be used upon such days as be appointed to serve God, both by his word and the king's majesty's commandment. XXI. Item, that there be no markets kept nor used upon the sabbath- days in the time of service within the church, church-yard, or parish. But in case the need and necessity BISHOP hooper's injunctions. . 137 of the people so require to have such things as upon the Sunday are to be sold, that they buy and sell for their needs upon the same day before, after, or between the hours ap- pointed to serve God in upon the same day : so that in the time of service the churchwardens shall cause all men, both buyers and sellers, to cease and give over their business in buying and selling, and to charge them to hear God's word and service for that time and hour. XXII. Item, that all parishioners do duly and truly content and pay their clerks their wages, as heretofore have been accustomed, as well for his pains in keeping clean the church, ringing the bells, and serving the minister in this godly order now appointed by God, and set forth by the king's majesty, as they did before in the time of papistry and superstition. XXIII. Item, that from henceforth there be no knells or forth-fares rung for the death of any man ; but in case they that be sick and in danger, or any of their friends, will demand to have the bell toll whiles the sick is in extremes, to admonish the people of their danger, and by that means to solicitate the hearers of the same to pray for the sick person, they may use it. And then, if the person die for whom the bell tolled, and to give warning of his death, to ring out with one bell it may be sufficient. XXIV. Item, that there be no man within the parish that use to keep open any tavern, alehouse, tap-houses, or any such banqueting places upon the Sundays and holy-days at the time of service before noon, or after noon, but for such as travel by the way, and must for the necessities of their journeys be relieved. But such as be of the town, village, or country near about, to be kept from such drinking and abuse of the sabbath-day, according to the law of God and the king's majesty's. XXV. Item, that every minister within this diocese do diligently exhort and teach the parishioners that all privy and secret contracts be forbidden by God's laws, and not to be used among christian people, not only because it dishonour- eth the means and entrance into marriage, offendeth the parents and such as of duty have the tuteal^ and govern- [1 So in the MS. for tutelage, guardianship.] 138 BISHOP HOOPERS INJUNCTIONS. ance of the parties so contracted ; but also for the most part causeth much unhonest and unchaste hfe, with such difficulties and pains to bring the parties (privily contracted) together in matrimony, as not only the judge shall suffer great trou- bles, but also sundry times many that privily have given faith of marriage, openly deny the same, to their great danger and hurt of conscience ; and such as be by honest exhortation at the first content to marry wax weary of their doings, and repent it within few days. Therefore it is the duty of all godly men to dissuade, as much as in them lieth, all men and women from such privy and secret contracts. XXVI. Item, that all curates and ministers exhort and provoke their parishioners, and especially the rich men, four times every year at the least, to make and have in a readi- ness their last wills and testaments, whiles they be in health and of perfect memory ; that when sickness cometh, they may be occupied only about such things as appertaineth to them that must or be like to depart out of this world. And in their so doing they shall not only have quietness of mind, but also advisedly bestow and bequeath their lands and goods to whom they lust, and be an occasion of great quietness and peace between such as many times fall at strife and contention about the goods of the dead, for lack of a good and perfect made will whiles the owner of the same lived. XXVII. Item, that when any persons be contracted and faithed^ together in matrimony, either by two or three records 2 out of the congregation, or else openly proclaimed in the church by banns, after the godly laws of the realm, that the same persons be compelled with all convenient speed to marry openly in the face of the church, and the persons con- tracted cohabitate nor dwell together before the matrimony be solemnized. XXVIII. Item, that when any glass windows within any of the churches shall from henceforth be repaired, or new made, that you do not permit to be painted or purtured^ therein the image or picture of any saint : but if they will have anything painted, that it be either branches, flowers, or posies* taken out of the holy scripture. And that ye cause to be defaced all such images as yet do remain painted upon [1 Faitlied: betrothed, pledged.] p Records: witnesses.] Probably for pourti'aycd.] Posies : mottoes.] BISHOP hooper's injunctions. 139 any of tho walls of your churches, and that from henceforth there be no more such. XXIX. Item, that ye make certificate and advertise- ment unto me truly and faithfully, how many times in the quarter ye leave the king's majesty's act of parliament that I delivered unto you, for the keeping of the people in peace, quietness, and obedience, unread upon the Sundays; and what be the causes ye so leave them unreaden, contrary unto the king's majesty's commandment. XXX. Item, that there be provided in every church within this diocese a bible of the largest volume in English, the paraphrases of Erasmus upon the new testament in Eng- lish, a box or a chest for the poor, and a chest to keep the book wherein is to be written the names of such as die, be christened, and married, according to the king's majesty's commandment heretofore given unto [you] in this behalf, as ye will avoid the danger of his majesty's laws. XXXI. Item, that whereas the Almighty God, for the sins and wickedness of the people, the neglecting of God and his word, the contemning of the king's majesty and his laws, hath now in those days extended his wrath against us, and poured his strange plagues^ of sudden death almost upon the whole realm, the like thereof hath not been heretofore seen, the appeasing whereof cannot other ways be had than only by amendment of life, with fervent and earnest prayer unto God from the bottom of our hearts ; wherefore I will, and, in both their names, God's and the king's majesty's, straitly charge and command you, that every curate or minister within this diocese do exhort, and in like wise straitly charge and command, in the king's majesty's name, that of every house within your parish one at the least do resort unto the temple or church every Monday, Wednesday, and Friday ; and there all the congregation being assembled, godly, religi- ously, and devoutly to pray together from the bottom of their hearts the common prayer set forth in the king's majesty's book, with also diligent study of the amendment of their lives, that by this means (if it be possible) we may pro- voke God the sooner to withdraw his wrathful ire and dis- pleasure from us, and to accept and take us into his fatherly and gracious favour again ; and that ye fail not hereof, as yc [5 The sweating sickness. See Episfc. xx.] 140 BISHOP hooper's injunctions. •will not only avoid the indignation and judgment of Almighty- God, but also the contempt of the king's majesty's most godly will and pleasure, according unto his gracious letters directed unto me and others in this behalf. FINIS. Interrogatories and Demands of the people or parishioners and their conversation to be required and known by the parsons, vicars, and curates. I. First, -whether they be diligent, -willing, and glad to hear and learn the commandments of God, the articles of the christian faith, and the Lord's prayer called the pater-noster. II. Item, -whether they be glad to know and learn to come to the right knowledge of the sacraments of Christ, the supper of the Lord and baptism, and use the same religiously, and at such time as the laws of the realm appoint them to be used. III. Item, -whether they come to the church upon the Sundays and other days appointed to hear the word of God, to learn their duties to God and their king, and to obey them both. IV. Item, whether they talk, walk, molest, unquiet, or grieve the minister, whiles he is at the divine service, within the church or church-yard with any noise, brute cries, clamours, plays, games, sports, dancing, or such like. V. Item, whether they can say their commandments, creed, and pater-noster in English, and whether they pre- sume to receive the communion before they can say it, or whether any of them neglect or disdain to learn them. VI. Item, whether any of the parish do refrain, absent, and keep himself from such service in the church, and such sermons as is made there, without lawful cause. VII. Item, whether there be any that doth disdain, being thereunto required by the minister, to make a con- fession of his faith, or will not himself, nor suffer his or their servants and children to learn upon the holy-days their catechism and faith, according to God's laws and the king's. VIII. Item, whether any of them that were diligent BISHOP hooper's injunctions. 141 hearers and comers to the mass and matins in time of papistry and superstition, that now be slow comers to the holy com- munion and common prayer set forth by the word of God and the king's majesty's authority. IX. Item, whether any of them elevate^ and oppress, hinder or slander, extenuate or diminish the service and honouring of God now used and commanded ; exalt, praise, and prefer, alloweth, and defendeth the service that was used before. X. Item, whether any of them refuse their own parish, and frequent and haunt other, where as the communion is more like a mass than in his own : or whether he take the communion where as he knoweth his faith shall not be ex- amined ; or marry where as he knoweth no man shall be to forbid it, as it should have been perchance, if he had not married out of his own parish. XI. Item, whether the midwives at the labour and birth of any child do use any prayers or invocations unto any saint, saving to God in Christ, for the deliverance of the woman ; and whether they do use any salt, herbs, water, wax, cloths, girdles, or relics, or any such other like thing or super- stitious means, contrary to the word of God and the laws of the realm. XII. Item, whether any midwife refuse to come to any woman labouring of child for religion's sake, or because she is wife unto a minister of the church, that hath married and doth marry both by God's laws and the king's. XIII. Item, whether there be any man that raileth, speaketh uncharitably, or calleth any minister's wife whore, or detest and abhor their companies ; and so when as they should come to the church to leave sin and augment charity, for lack of grace and knowledge they increase in sin, and decay all love. XIV. Item, whether there be any common drunkards, swearers, adulterers, lecherous men, peace-breakers, tale- tellers, slanderers of the higher powers, and seditious to the king and his proceedings, and murderers of the neighbour's good names. XV. Item, whether any man do occupy any such primers or books of prayers in Latin as be forbidden by the [1 Elevate : speak slightingly of, or disparage.] 142 BISHOP HOOPERS INJUNCTIONS. laws of the realm, or any beads, knots, relics, or any such other superstition : or whether any man pray in the church his private and own prayer, whiles the common prayer is a-saying, to the trouble or hinderance of the understanding thereof. XVI. Item, whether any of them for maUce, hatred, or for religion detract or withhold any part of their duties, tithes, and offerings commanded by God's laws and the king's to be paid for the finding and sustentation of the minister. XVII. Item, whether any of them occupy to his own use any of the church-stock, plate, vestments, bells, or any other, or do alienate the same, contrary to the laws of the realm. XVIII. Item, whether the churchwardens make truly every year their account, according to the receipt of their gain and the trust that the parish putteth in them. XIX. Item, whether any man withholdeth any legacies or bequests from any man, contrary to the will of the dead man and his testament. XX. Item, whether the parish honestly repair and keep the church and church-yard, so that in the one the people may quietly, easily, and without storms hear the word of God, and in the other the dead bodies may reverently be buried, and so kept under the ground. XXI. Item, whether upon the holy-days there be kept in the church or church-yard any market, buying or selling, with such doings as becometh neither the day nor the place. XXII. Item, whether the people come in due time upon the holy-days and sabbath-days to hear their service appointed by the word of God and the king's majesty's laws of this realm. XXIII. Item, whether the table for the communion be decked and apparelled behind and before, as the altars were wont to be decked ; and whether the table stand in such a place as the people may most conveniently hear the godly psalms and prayers said by the minister at the time of service and the communion. XXIV. Item, whether any man speak unreverently of God the Father, the Son, and the Holy Ghost, or mock or scorn at the word, laws, and promises of God. XXV. Item, whether there be in the church a bible BISHOP hooper's injunctions. 143 of the largest volume and the paraphrases upon the new testament in English ; and whether they be placed in some convenient place of the church, so that every body may come to the same at time convenient. XXVI. Item, how many priests within this deanery have subscribed unto the articles that I did put forth unto them. XXVII. Item, that every one of you, being a parson, vicar, or curate, do present how long you have been so ; who is the patron of your benefice; and how many you have that doth receive the communion; and what is the value thereof. Item, that every one of you do make payment of your tenths and subsidies due unto the king's majesty either to the lord bishop, or unto such as he shall appoint. FINIS. Interrogatories and Examinations of the ministers and of their conversation to be required and known by the parishioners. I. First, whether your minister be parson, vicar, or curate, and how long he hath been so. II. Item, if he be a parson or vicar, whether he be resident or not ; and if he be not resident, what is the cause he is not resident, and whether he have left for him in his absence a sufiBcient and lawful minister to discharge his cure. III. Item, whether all such images as heretofore hath been in the temple be burned and destroyed. IV. Item, whether all relics and pieces of relics as before were kept', and yet remain in any parish or parishioner or not ; or whether all imagery be clean taken out of the church. V. Item, whether the communion be used in such place, and after such sort, as most varieth and is distant from the popish mass. VI. Item, whether the curates do plainly, distinctly, and [1 The sense is imperfect here, owing pi'obably to the substitution by the copyist of 'and' for 'as.'] 144 BISHOP hooper's injunctions. religiously speak and pronounce aloud, that every man may hear, -what is contained in the king's majesty's book of communion. VII. Item, whether the curates do weekly teach and hear the youth of the parish their catechism. YIII. Item, whether any of them have sung or said any mass since the time it was justly abrogated by the king's majesty. IX. Item, whether any of them have or do preach any doctrine to vouch and maintain purgatory, pardons, auricular confessions, praying unto saints, the false and usurped power of the bishop of Rome, holy water, holy bread, palm ashes, beads, or such other like as justly by God's holy word are condemned, and taken away from the people by the king's majesty's authority. X. Item, whether any parson, vicar, or curate do teach, privily' with secret persons, or openly with many, any doc- trine, reasons, or persuasions that should cause the people to trust in any thing, saving in God's mercy, for the remission of sin and everlasting life, but in the merits of Christ. XL Item, whether any of them have or do teach any- thing, privily or openly, by word, writing, or signs, that should be against the king's majesty's supremacy, and in the main- tenance of the bishop of Rome, or any other bishop, within this realm or without this realm : or whether they allure and provoke the people to the love of any other person or persons within this realm or without, to this intent that the people should favour them, and to withdraw in any part their love, fear, honour, and obedience from their and our only and sole king Edward the sixth. XII. Item, whether they do dihgently and often stir and provoke the people to the knowledge after God in Christ, after God's word, and also to obedience unto their king, in their sermons and homilies every holy-day. XIII. Item, whether they use study and diligence at their books to obtain knowledge after the word of God; and whether their lives be chaste, sober, modest, temperate, and an example to their parishioners. XIV. Item, whether they use alehouses and taverns, dice or cards, hunting or hawking, bowls, tennis-play, or any [I Prevaile in MS.] BISHOP hooper's injunctions. 145 such other unlawful games as be forbid bj the law of this realm, and also by the word of God, when they be a hindrance to virtue, prayer, modesty, and study. XV. Item, whether they hold up their fingers, wash their fingers, kiss their vestments, book, chalice, corporas ", or any thing about the table, as they did in their mass. XVI. Item, whether they be meek, gentle, loving, tract- able, peace-makers, living after knowledge of charity among their neighbours. XVII. Item, whether they say one part of their service softly and with a small voice, and the other part with a loud voice, as they were wont in the time of their Latin service to say the pater-noster at the beginning with a small and still voice, and the psalms with a loud voice. XVIII. Item, whether they sit at one part of their ser- vice, kneel at another, and stand at another, as they were wont to sit when they said or sang the psalms, kneel at Kyrie-eleyson, and stand up at Magnificat, Te Deum laudamus, and Benedlctus ; the which alterance of their gesture caused the people to think that the hearing of the service were sufiicient. XIX. Item, whether they hold forth, offer, or shew any sign unto the people upon the offering- days, that they should kiss their vestments, chaUce, paten, or any other thing. XX. Item, whether they break the bread in the holy communion into any more pieces than two, as they were wont in their masses to break it in three pieces ; or whether he break it before he give it to the people or not. XXI. Item, whether any of them teach, talk, reason, or defend any prophecies and lies of men besides God's holy word, or use themselves, or suffer any other to use, witch- craft, palmistry, and such other forbidden arts : or whether any of them put their trust in such forbidden and damnable crafts. XXII. Item, whether any of them use the communion as [2 Corporas, (corporale) : the cloth which was used for covering the sacrifice on the altar. The term was also applied to the napkin which was placed folded on the cup. — See Glossar. Man. in verb, and Innocentius de Mysteriis Missse, Lib. ii. cap. 56, quoted in Rer, Liturg. Lib. i. cap. xxv. p. 250. Romrc, 1671.] [hooper, II.J 1-16 BISHOP hooper's injunctions. they used trejitals^ of masses, that is to say, whether two receive at one time, three or four at another time, at the burial and funeral of any dead body : or whether any men be hired to receive the communion one for another : and whether in any church at any burial be any more than one commu- nion, or any more do minister at the burial more than one minister, or any more times than once for one corpse. XXIII. Item, whether they keep and use any month- ends^, anniversaries, exequies, funerals, or offices for the dead after the corpse is buried, which is the maintenance of the pur- gatory and false belief of the state and condition of the dead. XXIV. Item, whether they teach or bear the people in hand, that the psalms appointed for the burial in the king's majesty's book for thanksgiving unto God for the deliverance of the dead out of this miserable world, be appointed or placed instead of the dirge, wherein they prayed for the dead. XXV. Item, whether they use any corporas cloth be- sides the communion cloth upon the table in the time of the communion. XXVI. Item, whether they ring or knoll the bells at the time of the communion, or between the morning prayers, which is commonly called matins, and the communion, as they were wont to ring out of matins to mass before this order was brought in. XXVII. Item, whether they suffer or cause the people to sit at the epistle, and to stand at the gospel, and so use them both now as superstitiously as they did in the time of their massing. XXVIII. Item, whether they require and demand of such as come to the communion, first to make their auricular confession unto the curate, as they did in the time of papistry. XXIX. Item, whether they say, pronounce, and sound openly, clearly, plainly, and audibly the general confession of sin set forth in the king's majesty's book, so that the people may understand and perceive every word and sentence thereof. [1 Trental, Fr. trentel: a seirice of thirty masses. The term also signifies the fee paid to the priest for performing the service. — See Glossar. Man.] [2 Month-ends or month-minds : commemorative-serrices repeated at the end of the month.] BISHOP IIOOrEu's INJUNCTIONS. 147 XXX. Item, whether they go in sober, modest, and comely apparel, without any cuts, jaggs, or such like externaP and undecentness not to be used in our ministers of the church. XXXI. Item, -whether they preach themselves, or cause some other to preach for them, as many times in the year as the king's majesty's commandment bindeth them, and as many times as I command them in the quarter in my articles at my first coming into the diocese. XXXII. Item, whether at the visitation of the sick they bear the sacrament with covering their head with the surplice, or at their breasts before them, to cause the people to honour it, or with any light, lanthorn, torch, taper, or other ; or, when they come into the house, they suffer the people to kneel and honour it. XXXIII. Item, when the sick man desire to be anointed before his death, whether the curate do give himself, or cause any other to give, any reverence to the oil, or else persuade and teach any man to put any trust in the oil, or use it as they did before time under the pope. XXXIV. Item, whether any of your curates, or any other also that serveth the ministry of the church, do teach or persuade, suffer or permit any cross, wax, or wood, or any other thing to be sewed or put secretly upon or about the dead body ; or else whether any pardons, cloths, relics, or such other to be buried with the dead body. XXXV. Item, whether the parson, vicar, or curate ob- serve All Souls' day (as it was called), and use to say dirige, openly or secretly, for the dead, and permit ringing of bells upon the same day, or night before, as it was used after the popish and superstitious order. XXXVI. Item, whether any of your curates or such as appoint your curates, do secretly hinder or bring out of estimation any manner of ways any such doctrine, learning, and setting forth of God's word, as the king's majesty, after the word of God, would have openly to be known of the people. XXXVII. Item, whether they secretly or openly exhort the people to keep any vigils or fasting- days abrogated by [3 So MS. Either some word must have been omitted, or per- haps external may be used here as a substantive.] 10—2 148 BISHOP hooper's injunctions. the king'^s majesty, and for the which days there is no service appointed in the king's majesty's book of commoa prayers. XXXVIII. Item, whether they do dispute or reason among the unlearned people of any such doctrine as is not agreeable with God's word, nor approved by the king's ma- jesty's authority. XXXIX. Item, whether parsons, vicars, and other keep up accordingly their houses, maintain hospitaUty, and give the fourth part of his or their benefice to the poor, according to the word of God and the laws of this realm. XL. Item, whether such as have as much as the laws of this realm assigneth, that is to say, one hundred pounds by the year, or above, do for every hundred pounds keep one scholar to the schools. XLI. Item, whether any of them keep any suspect wo- man or man to maintain vicious and corrupt life, contrary unto the word of God and the laws of this realm. XLII. Item, whether any of them do use and keep any land, ground, or pasture, and leases otherwise than for the maintenance of his or their house or houses, contrary unto the laws and statutes of this realm. XLIII. Item, whether there be any man that hath a benefice of his own, and yet, leaving his own benefice, serveth another man's cure. XLIV. Item, whether any parson, vicar, or curate have entered and do enjoy any benefice, coming to the same by simony, buying, or selling, contrary unto the laws of God ; and through any other unlawful covenants departing with part of the tithes, glebe-land, or any other commodity belonging to the same. XLV. Item, whether there be any curate or parson that doth make the will of any dead man, or do add or diminish, convey or suppress the will of the dead man, or take upon him the craft, subtlety, or fraud to alter any part thereof. XLVI. Item, whether any of them make or write any man's testament with this style, " I commend my soul unto God, to our blessed lady, and the saints of heaven ;" which is injurious to God, and perilous as well for the salvation of the dead, as dangerous unto the maker. BISHOP HOOPEu''s INJUNCTIONS. 149 XLVIJ. Item, whether the parsons, vicars, and curates that serve, that be not weekly occupied with preaching, teach and bring up the youth and children of theirs or their parishioners in the catechism and rudiments or principles of their faith. XLVIII. Item, whether the curates and such as serve the people, four times in the year declare and teach unto the people that all privy and secret contracts for matrimony be condemned by God's laws ; and that no man ought to assure himself unto any woman, nor any woman unto any man, if any of them both be under law and dominion of their fathers, or other tutors, without their fathers' or tutors' consent. XLIX, Item, whether any curate, or he that serveth in the ministry of the church, marry or couple any persons together without lawful and solemn proclamations of the banns, according to the laws of this realm. L. Item, whether any curate marry any such persons, and adjoin them in matrimony, whose conjunction, for consanguinity, kindred, or affinity, the law of God forbiddcth. LI. Item, whether any man serve in the ministry of the church not being appointed thereunto upon knowledge of such as first should examine their faith and conversation. LII. Item, whether the curates have testaments and paraphrases in Latin and in English, according to the king's majesty's injunctions, and how they have profited in the same. LIII. Item, whether the church be maintained suffi- ciently in all things as it ought to be, or not. LIV. Item, whether they have in the church a chest or box for the poor, and whether they do exhort the parishioners to oflfer liberally unto the same, and whether the thing offered be godly distributed, or not. LV. Item, whether the curates write diligently into the book appointed the names of all that die, be christened, and married ; and whether they have in the chest any such book, or not. LVI. Item, whether any man speak unreverently of God the Father, the Son, and the Holy Ghost, or mock or scorn at the word, laws, and promises of God. LVI I. Item, how many priests in the deanery have sub- scribed unto the articles that I put forth unto them. 150 BISHOP HOOrER's INJUNCTIONS. LVIII. Item, whether there be any person or persons •within your parishes which do Hve in evil conversation, either in fornication, adultery, incest, or after any other sort of evil conversation : and of all manner of persons that doth receive, maintain, or uphold any vicious livers ; and of all such that be married, and do not cohabit together. LIX. Item, that ye do not only inquire of the faults of your minister, but also of all other kind of evils that be in any of the parishioners, as well against the laws of God, as also the king's majesty's laws. LX. Item, whether the parson, vicar, or curate have commanded to keep any holy-days other than be set forth in the king's majesty's book of common prayer. LXI. Item, that you and every of you do diligently inquire, and truly present of all and singular your parsons, vicars, and curates, whether that they or any of them be men qualified and learned to preach and declare unto your parishioners God's word, according unto the king's majesty's injunctions heretofore given them in that behalf : and whether that they and every of them have preached according to their bounden duties, or not. TEA02. ExAMiNATio decani ct prebendariorum ac allorum minls- trorum ministrantium infra ecclesiam cathedralem Glou- cestri£e, necnon omnium et singulorum prebendariorum, rectorum, vicariorum, ac ceterorum ministrorum minis- trantium infra totam diocesim Gloucestrensem aut aliquam ejus partem, habita et facta per reverendum in Christo patrem Johannem Hoperum, ejusdem diocesis (auctoritate regia) Gloucestrensis episcopum, ordinaria sua visitatione inchoata quarto die mensis Mail, anno Domini 1551, ac regni illustrissimi in Christo principis et domini nostri Edwardi Sexti, Dei gratia Angliaj, Franciae, et Hiberniae regis, fidei defensoris, et in terris ecclesi^ Anglicanae et Hibjernise sub Christo capitis supremi, anno quinto. Articuli supra quibus ministri omnes examinati sunt, videlicet de prieceptis traditis a Deo Moisi 20mo Exodi, de arti- culis fidei, et de petitionibus christianaa orationis. BISHOP hooper's injunctions. 151 De Decern Prceceptis. Partes 1. 2. 3. Primo, quot sunt Dei mandata. Secundo, ubinam sunt scripta. Tertio, an memoriter recitare valeant. Partes 1. 2. 3. De Fide Christiana. Primo, qui sunt articuli fidei christiante. Secundo, an memoriter recensere possint. Tertio, an scripturarum auctoritate corroborare queant. De Oratione Dominica. 1. Primo, an memoriter petitiones orationis chris- , tianae recitare valeant. ] 2. Secundo, quomodo sciunt esse Domini orationem. 3. Tertio, ubi scriptam esse. [Here follow the examinations of three hundred and eleven of the Clergy, one hundred and sixty-eight of whom were unable to repeat the ten commandments, thirty-one of that number being further unable to state in what part of the Scriptures they were to be found. There were forty who could not tell where the Lord's prayer was written, and thirty-one of this number ignorant who was its author.] Articles' whereuato William Phelps, pastor and curate of Cirencester, upon good advisement and deliberation, after better knowledge given by God's grace and goodness to him, hath subscribed, consented, and agreed willingly, without force, compulsion, and all manner of impulsion, and is willing and desirous to set forth the same unto his parishioners, for the better edifying of them, and decla- ration of his new agreement unto God's verity and holy word, ministered unto him by John Hooper, bishop of Gloucester, the twenty -ninth day of April, in the fifth year of the reign of king Edward the Sixth, 1551. First, that the holy word of God doth acknowledge, con- fess, maintain, avouch, hold, and defend, that in the holy sacra- ment and communion of Christ's precious body and blood the very substance, matter, nature, and condition of bread and wine to remain after the words (as they be called) of consecration, as verily and truly as they were in substance and matter bread and wine before, although that the use of bread and wine in the sacrament be changed ; for whereas before it was common bread and common wine, now by the virtue of God's word it is made the sacrament of Christ's precious body and blood, and a seal, confirmation, and augmentation of God's mercy and gracious promise to all men that receiveth it in the faith of Christ Jesus, with hatred of sin, and instant purpose and mind to lead always a virtuous life. And that is the very transubstantiation and change that God delighteth in [in] the use of the sacrament most, that we should earnestly and from the bottom of our hearts be converted into Christ and Christ's holy commandments, to live a christian life, and die from sin, as he gave us example both by his hfe and his doctrine ; and meaneth not that the bread and wine should in substance be [1 This printed in the collections at the end of Strype's Cranmer, p. 156, (MS. note.)] BISHOP hooper's injunctions. 153 turned or converted into the substance of his body and blood, or else that the substance of bread should be taken away, and in the place thereof to be the substance, matter, and corporal presence of Christ's holy human and natural body. Item, that the same holy word of God doth confess, hold, defend, acknowledge, and maintain, that the very natural, sub- stantial, real, and corporal body of Christ, concerning his humanity, is only and solely in heaven, and not in the sacra- ment and communion of his precious body and blood. But whosoever worthily with true repentance and lively faith in the promises of God receiveth that holy sacrament, receiveth sacramentally by faith all the mercies, riches, merits, and deservings that Christ hath deserved and paid for in his holy blood and passion. And that is to eat Christ and to drink Christ in the holy sacrament, to confirm and seal sacramen- tally in our souls God's promises of eternal salvation, that Christ deserved for us, not in nor by his body eaten, but by and for his body slain and killed upon the cross for our sins. As for the eating of his flesh and drinking of his blood really, corporally, materially, or substantially, it is but a carnal and gross opinion of men, besides and contrary to the word of God and the articles of our faith and christian religion, that atfirmeth his corporal departure from the earth, and placeth it in heaven above at the right hand of God the Father Almighty, and keepeth, retaineth, holdeth, and pre- serveth the same corporal body of Christ there until the general day of judgment ; and the word declareth from thence he shall come to judge the quick and the dead. And that heretofore I have been in the contrary opinion, and believed myself, and also taught other to believe the same, that there remain no substance of bread and wine in the sacrament, but the very same self body and blood of Christ Jesus that was born of the holy virgin Mary, and hanged upon the cross, I am with all my heart sorry for mine error and false opinion, detesting and abhorring the same from the bottom of my heart, and desire God most heartily, in and for the merits of his dear Son's passion, to forgive me and all them that have erred in the same self opinion by and through my means; praying them in the tender compassion and great mercies of God now to follow 154 BISHOP hooper"'s injunctions. me in the truth, verity, and singleness of God's most true word, as they were contented to follow me in error, super- stition, and blindness, and to be no more ashamed to return to the truth than they were ready to be corrupt by false- hood. If the holy apostle St Paul, and the great clerk St Augustine, with many more noble and virtuous members of Christ's churchy were not ashamed to return, acknowledge, and confess their error and evil opinions ; what am I, most miserable creature of the world, inferior unto them both in holiness and in learning, that should be ashamed to do the same ? Nay, I do in this part thank, and rejoice from the bottom of my heart, that God hath revealed unto me the truth of his word, and given me life to live so long to acknow- ledge my fault and error ; and do here before you protest that from henceforth I will with all diligence, study, and labour set forth mine amended knowledge and reconciled truth as long as I live, by the help of God in the Holy Ghost, through the merits of Jesus Christ, our only Mediator and Advocate, to whom be all honour for ever and ever. Amen. FINIS. An Assertion and defence of the true knowledge and use of the sacrament of Christ's precious body and blood, made by John Wynter, Master of Arts, Parson of Stawnton, and professed by him in the cathedral church of Gloucester, 8 November, Anno Domini, 1551. Forasmuch as there is nothing more acceptable nor like unto God than verity and truth, and that of all things chiefly truth is required to be in man, and specially in religion and faith, which be the instruments and means that he useth to apply his mercies and grace to every of his elected children, and that nothing is or may be more injurious unto God, nor hurtful unto man, as false religion and corrupt faith ; for the assertion and defence of the one, and denial and subversion of the other, I do with all my heart, being throughly per- suaded upon good knowledge, long and advised deliberation, BISHOP hooper's injunctions. 155 without compulsion, fear, and dread, for the truth's sake and contentation of mine own conscience, protest, hold, maintain, and defend, that in the holy sacrament of Christ's precious body and blood there is no alteration of the substance of bread and wine, but they both to remain in substance very bread and very wine, as well after the words (as they be called) of consecration, as verily as they were bread and wine in substance before : and that in the same sacrament by no manner of means, reasons, or ways the body and blood of Christ is carnally, bodily, really, or substantially present, but only spiritually to the soul and eye of faith ; that is to say, as verily as corporal bread and wine is present to the senses of the outward man being upon the earth, even so is the body of Christ present to the mind and faith of man, which is then erected up into heaven. And, even as the bread and wine with the word of God and Christ's institution is broken, and entereth into the outward man presently, even so is the body of Christ rent and torn for the remission of sin to the consideration of faith presently : as Christ doth say, " This is my body which is given for you :" for even as the bread is a sacrament of his body, and the wine of his blood, so is the breaking of it a sacrament of the death of his body, and the wine received according unto Christ's institution a sacrament of his precious blood shedden ; yet not two sacra- ments, but one sacrament, as his body and the pains thereof was not two bodies, but one body. And as in the breaking of the bread in the sacrament, after the words of Christ, which be these, " That is given for you," there is no sensible feeling or painful passion, nor killing again of Christ's precious body, no more is there in the bread, or under the bread of the sacrament, after the words, which be these, " This is my body," any natural, corporal, or substantial presence of the body that died, or of the blood that was shed ; but that the bread and wine remaining in their substance be sacraments of Christ's body and blood, which be present unto the eyes spiritually of faith, which is in the receiver, and not substan- tially nor corporally in the elements of bread and wine. And whosoever be of the contrary opinion, and would defend transubstantiation or corporal presence, I do condemn his faith as an error and opinion contrary to the express word 156 BISHOP hooper's injunctions. of God, and ■will, -with all my learning, wit, diligence, and study, daily improve S confute, speak against, and utterly sub- vert unto the uttermost of my power, as God help me in the blood of Christ ; to whom with the Holy Ghost be laud and praise, world without end : so be it. God save the King. FINIS. [} Improve : disprove.] HOMILY TO BE READ IN THE TIME OF PESTILENCE. to b£ uati in ti)£ tgnu of pcstDkncE anti a mostE prc= srnte rcmtiitiE for t^e same. 1. lift. 2. To all pastors and curates within the king's majesty's diocese of Worcester and Gloucester. Even as we be blind and unthankful for God's favour- able mercies, wherewithal he folio weth us in health, wealth, and prosperity ; so be we Wind and unsensible for his most just plagues, wherewithal he persecuteth and punisheth us in sickness, scarcity, and troubles: and now, amongst other tokens of his displeasure and wrath, hath sent us, in divers places, Ezek. xiv. one of the extremest plagues that ever he devised to punish man withal in this life — the plague of pestilence^: foras- much as he meaneth thereby not only to kill and destroy the bodies of such as by this plague he purposeth to take out of this mortal life ; but also, without repentance and turning to his mercy in Christ before death, the soul of such as depart from hence must needs perish by God's just judgment. And not only this to be the end of such as it pleaseth God to strike to death by this his servant and mes- senger, the plague of pestilence; but also, the like danger of his displeasure remaineth to me, and to all other that have the cure and charge of the people's souls in this the king's majesty's most noble realm, over whom God and he hath made us watchmen and overseers, to admonish and Ezek. xv.u. warn the people of all dangers and plagues that God shall '^'^'"""■^ send for their punishment. In case we admonish not in time the people committed unto our charge of such plagues as for sin he purposeth to punish us withal, their loss and damna- tion shall be required at our hands. For the discharge of myself, and also for the better in- struction of such as have cures within this diocese of Wor- cester and Gloucester, and yet not best able to discharge them ; and furthermore for the profit and salvation of the people, among whom it may please God to send his fearful [1 The sweating sickness, which two years before this Homily was written had proved very fatal, especially in London. Hooper and several members of his household were attacked by it at that time, as appears by one of his letters to Rullingcr See Epist. xx.] 160 HOMILY IN TIME OF PESTILENCE. plague of pestilence, I have thought it my boundcn duty, seeing at all times I cannot comfort the sick myself, to collect or gather into some short sermon or homily a medi- cine and most present help for all men against the plague of pestilence'; and in the same also to provide some present remedy for such as shall be infected with that disease. And for the better understanding of the medicine, I will use this order, that all physicians learned do use in their prac- tice of physic : first, I will shew the chiefest cause of the pestilence ; and then, what remedy is best to be used against it, and to heal it when it hath infected any man. And although I will speak herein somewhat as other physicians have done ; yet because they have spoken already more than I can in the matter, though it be a great deal less than the matter of the disease requireth (for none of them have shewed any ascertained remedy, be their reason never so good) ; I will briefly, as by the way, somewhat speak of this disease, as they do : but as a preacher of God's word, and as a physician for the soul rather than for the body, entreat of the sickness and the remedy thereof after the advice and counsel of God's word ; who supplieth all things omitted and not spoken of, concerning this most dangerous plague, by such as have written, besides the scripture of God, their mind touching the same. For indeed the chiefest causes of all plagues and sickness is sin, which, remaining within all men, worketh destruction not only of the body, but also of the soul, if remedy be not found. And whereas Galen saith that " Omnis pestilentia fit a putredine aeris' ;" that is to say, " All pestilence cometh by the corruption of the air, that both beast and man, drawing their breaths in the air corrupt, draweth the corruption thereof into themselves," he saith well, yet not enough. He saith also, very naturally, that^ " When the air is altered from his natural equality and temperature to too much and intempe- [' Galen. De Differ. Febr. Lib. i. cap. 6. Kara Se ras XoifjLoiBets KaTatTTaaeis ^ elaTrvorj ixoKio'Ta alria, K.r.X. 'Sis ra noXXa Be e/c rfjs dva- TTVorjs apxfTOi Tov TTtpi^ aipos VTTo (rrjTTfbovcibovs ava6vfiia(Tfa)s fuavOevros. — P. 112, B. c. Op. Tom. VII. Lutet. Paris. 1679.] [2 OiiTCt) 8e Kaneihav r) Kara tov aipa Kpaais afierpos eKTpaTrrj tov Kara (l)V(nv es vyporrjTa re xai OeppoTrjra, \oipco8rj pev dvaynr) yevea6ai voarjpaTa. —lb. p. 113, A.] HOMILY IN TIME OF PESTILENCE. IGl rate heat and moisture, pestilence is like then to reign. For Lib. i. de as ho saith in the same place that " Heat and moisture distemperated be most dangerous for the creatures of the world yet that is not enough. As Ezekiel saith, where as cap.xiv. God sendeth all these distemperanccs, and yet if Noah, Daniel, and Job were in the midst of them, they shall be safe ; even so saith David also : " Though they die at the Psai. xd. right hand ten thousand fold, and die at the left a thousand fold, the plague shall not touch him that sitteth under the protection of the Highest." And whereas reason hath many good and probable ar- guments in this matter touching the cause of pestilence* ; that it should come sometime by reason of such humours as be in the body disposed and apt to corrupt, then is the man quickly (by drawing and breathing as well the corruption of himself as the infection of the air) infected ; and that such humours as be gross and inclined to corruption riseth of evil and immoderate diet ; and the infection taketh his original and beginning from such beasts, carrion, and other loathsome bodies that rot upon the face of the earth not buried, or else from moorish, standing, and dampish waters, sinks, or other such unwholesome moistures ; so that, towards the fall of the leaf, both the air that man liveth in, as also man's body itself, be more apt and disposed to putrefaction more in that time than in any other time, for divers natural causes : these causes are to bo considered as natural and consonant to reason ; yet there be reasons and causes of pestilence of more weight, and more worthy of deep and advised considerations and advertisements than these be : and the more, because they lie within man, and be marked but of very few, and hide themselves secretly, till they have poisoned the whole man, both body and soul. For indeed physicians that write, meddle with no causes that hurt man, but such as come unto man from without : as the humours, they say, take their infection from unwholesome meat and evil diet, or else from the corruption of the air, with such [3 Galen. De Temper. Lib. I. C. 4. "flo-re ttop Toivavrlov aTrocpalvo- fiai xfipiaTqv flvai KaravTairiv Kpaaeas rov irepU^ovroi aepos rfjv deppr/v KOI vypav. — Tom. III. p. 38, E.] [* See Gal. De diflf. Febr. Lib. i. cap. 4. p. 110, D; p. Ill, a; cap. 6. p. 112, c. Tom. vii.] [hooper, II. ] 1G2 HOMILY IN TIME OF PESTILENCE. like : but our Saviour Christ sheweth that our corruption and sickness rlsoth from within us, as I will declare here- after in the causes that the scripture teacheth of pestilence and all other diseases ; requiring you diligently to look upon the same, and to read it in your churches : that the people may understand both the cause of this God's plague of pes- tilence, and how to use themselves in the time of this sick- ness, or any other that shall happen unto them by God's appointment ; as God may be glorified in them, and you and I discharged of our bounden duties ; and they them- selves that shall happen to be infected with the plague of pestilence, and by the same be brought to death, may be assured, through true and godly doctrine, to die in the Lord, and so be eternally blessed straightway after their death, as St John saith : and in case God reserve them to longer life, they may live in truth and verity unto him, with detestation and hatred of sin, the original cause of man's misery and wretchedness, and with the love of mercy and grace, the original and only workers of man's quietness and everlasting salvation, given unto us from God the Father Al- mighty, through Jesus Christ, his only Son, our Lord ; to whom, with the Holy Ghost, be all honour and praise, world without end. So be it. AN HOMILY TO BE BEAD IN THE TIME OF PESTILENCE, CONTAINING THE TRUE CAUSE OF THE SAME; AND LIKEWISE A MOST PRESENT REMEDY FOR AS MANY AS BE ALREADY, OR HEREAFTER SHALL BE INFECTED WITH DISEASE. GATHERED OUT OF THE HOLY SCRIPTURE BY JOHN HOPER, BISHOP OF WORCESTER AND GLOUCESTER. Anno Domini 1553. Repent, and believe the gospel. Mark i. 15. It is the desire of all sick men to know what medicine and remedy hath been known most to prevail, best to remove, and soonest to cure and make whole the person diseased ; and the greater and more dangerous the sickness is, the more circumspect and wise the sick man must be in knowledge and choice of the medicine, lest haplj he seek a remedy inferior and too weak for the greatness and strength of his disease. The nature and condition therefore of pestilence being so dangerous (as it is indeed), that whosoever be infected or at- tainted therewithal, hath need to be well instructed and thoroughly persuaded of a sufficient remedy, stronger than the sickness itself; or else the disease shall more hurt the sick patient than the medicine can do him good ; then must needs follow the death and the destruction of the diseased person ; it behoveth therefore all men, that be mortal, to know the most general and most dangerous diseases that mortality shall be troubled withal ; and then, as he seeth his great and necessary adversaries and sickness, to know also the greatest and most necessary remedy and help against his diseases. And because sin hath so prevailed in us, that truth, persuaded unto us by the examples of others, sooner instructeth and longer tarrieth than any thing taught us by doctrine or testi- mony ; I shall, before I enter into the causes of the pestilence, n— 2 1C4 HOJULY IN TIMK OF TLSTILliNCE. shew the strength and nature of sickness from the examples of such godly persons as in the word of God are mentioned of for our instruction. King David, amongst other diseases, fell into the pesti- lence ; the greatness and danger whereof passed all human and worldly helps, as it appeareth by his lamentable cry and I's. vi. xiii. complaint unto the Lord : " My soul (saith he) is sore troubled: but how long, Lord, wilt thou defer thy help?" And the same cry and complaint he made unto the Lord, when the 2 Sam. xxiv. plague of pestilence had infected his whole realm from Dan to Beersheba, and saw the remedy thereof to be only in God, pray- ing him to command his angel to strike the people no more. isai xxxviii. Ezekias the king saw that, besides God, all medicines and remedies were too weak and inferior for the strength and power of the pestilence and sickness : wherefore he turned himself to the wall, and prayed God to do that for him that no physic nor medicine was able to do, 1 Cor. XV. And St Paul, in his wonderful oration that he maketh concerning the resurrection of the dead, weigheth most deeply the nature and condition of man's miserable estate in this life, burdening him with such strong adversaries, sick- ness, and diseases, both of body and soul, that every man may see how impossible it is for man to find deliverance from the tyranny and strength of sickness, except only the mercy of God in Christ Jesus ; numbering there six adversaries so strong, as the least of them, except Christ help, is able to destroy both body and soul. The first is corruption ; the second, mortality ; the third, sin ; the fourth, the law condemning sin ; the fifth, death ; the sixth, hell ; necessary and indivisible plagues and sickness of man in this life : against the which he findeth no remedy, neither by Galen nor Hippocrates, neither yet by the earth piin. lib. of Para, that men say cureth all wounds ; but with great faith and confidence marketh and weigheth the strength of diseases, though they be never so strong, to be yet inferior to the medicine and remedy that God hath provided for us only in Christ : therefore compareth the inferior strength of all those sicknesses unto the sufficient remedy of God through ]} This should be Lib. ii. c. 96. In Taurorum peninsula in civi- tate Parasino terra est qua sanantur omnia vulnera. — C. Piin. Sec. Hist. Nat. p. 40. Francof. 1599.] HOMILY IN TIME Ol' PERTILKNCE. 165 Christ, saying after this rnanncr : "Thanks bo unto God, ■which hath given us victory through our Lord Jesus Christ." Whereby it is evident and plain that God is the only remedy for all plagues and diseases. ITowbeit, now I shall more specially open the causes of the plague, and the nature of the same ; that our sickness and the causes thereof may be more known, and the better avoided. The principal cause of pestilence is opened by St Paul by these words: " By sin (saith he) came death into the world:" Rom. v. and for the cause of sin God sendeth the plague of pestilence and all other diseases that punisheth towards death ; as king David saith, " Thou dost punish the children of men for sin." ^^'^J'^jj'y- Moses also plainly sheweth that the principal and chief cause oeut. xxvui. of pestilence is not in the corruption of the air, nor in the superfluous humours within man ; but that sin and the trans- gression of God's law is the very cause and chief occasion of pestilence and of all other diseases. And the experience thereof was tried in the pestilence that reigned in king David's time 2 sam. xxiv. for his sins, and the sins of the people. So that all the scrip- ture of God manifestly declareth, that the contempt and breach of God's laws is the chief and principal cause of pestilence, and of all other plagues that he sendeth for our punishment. And from this cause proceedeth those causes that physicians speak of, the corruption of the air, which is never corrupted, nor can corrupt man or beast, except man, for whose sake and comfort both air and all other beasts were made, be first corrupted by sin and transgression of God's laws. Neither could man take any surfeit by meats, nor any evil humours could be engendered of any meats, were not the man that useth them corrupt and first infected with sin. But when the Lord tioth see that the people forget or contemn his blessed commandments, and that such as be appointed to rebuke and punish such transgressors of God's laws, suffer without punish- ment the glory of God and his holy commandments to be oppressed and set at nought, as we see daily they be indeed ; — from these causes, our sin and abomination, the Lord taketh occasion to turn his good creatures, made for our life, to be a means of our death ; which never would be, were not^ our heinous dishonouring and contempt of God. For the Lord's creatures be perfectly good, and made all ocn. i. p Probably for " were it not for."] 160 HOMILY IN TIME OF PESTILENCE. to comfort and rejoice; wholesome, clean, and pure without all infection. But seeing that the contempt of God and the filthiness of sin is neither by the clergy declared, opened, ne detected, neither by the heads of the country and offi- cers appointed under God and the king punished ; except, therefore, there should nothing else live in this world than sin, abomination, and contempt of God, God is forced, for the taking away and destruction of filthy life and filthy livers, to appoint an extraordinary magistrate to reform and punish the mother of all mischief, sin and contempt of God's holy word : and so altereth, not by chance, nor by the influence of stars, the wholesomeness of the air into pestilent and contagious infection, and the meat and drink with their nutriment and food into poison and venom ; that by their mean sin and sinners might be slain and taken out of this world, and no longer to blaspheme God. Thus doth the word of God declare the effectuous and principal cause of pestilence to be the contempt of God's word, that should keep men in order both to God and man : the breaking whereof hath always brought these plagues into Lib. vii. cap. realms, as profane writers also manifestly declare. Orosius' ^' saith that the great dearth and famine that came amongst the Romans in the time of Ctesar Augustus, was because Caius, his nephew, contemned to honour the living God, as he was taught at Jerusalem, when he passed into Syria. Wherefore it is expedient, and before all things necessary, forasmuch as the plague is come into sundry places about us, for every one to try himself, what just causes of this pestilence each man hath within himself. Every christian man and woman must search whether their religion and Christianity be such as God by his word doth maintain to be good : for there is no greater occasion of pestilence than superstition and false religion. The bishop, parson, vicar, and curate, must examine themselves, what knowledge of God's word is in them, and [1 Caiura nei^otem suum Caesar Augustus ad ordinandas ^gj'pti Syriceque provincias niisit ; qui prceteriens ab ^gypto fines PalEcstinse, apud Hierosolymara in teniplo Dei tunc sancto et celebri adorare con- tempsit, sicut Suetonius Tranquillus refert. Quod Augustus ubi per eum comperit, praro usus judicio, prudenter fecisse laudavit. Itaque anno imperii Coesaris quadrageslmo octavo adeo da-a Romanos fames consecuta est ut, &e. — Oros. Hist. Lib. vii. c. 3. p. 575. Colon. 1582.] HOMILY IN TIME OF PESTILENCE. 167 ■what diligence tliey have taken to bring the people to a right knowledge and perfect honour of God : for there is no greater danger of pestilence than where as the clergy is either ignorant of God's word, or negligent in teaching thereof. The justices and gentlemen must look how they keep themselves and the king's majesty's people in the true know- ledge and obedience of God's laws and the king's : for nothing provoketh the pestilence more dangerously than where as such as sit and be appointed to do justice, do their own affections with contempt and injuries both to God and man ; and the plague of God will revenge it. All we, therefore, that be subjects, and live under one God and one king, must (now that God hath sent us this pestilence) see that we have true, loving, faithful, trusty, and obedient hearts; with one whole mind altogether to obey, reverence, love, help, succour, defend, and uphold with all our wits, goods, riches, and strength, this our only king, the magistrates and counsellors that be appointed under his high- ness. For, as St Paul saith, " He that disobeyeth and Rom. xiii. resisteth the higher powers appointed by God, resist [eth] God," provoke[th] the pestilence and vengeance of God against us. And we must take heed also that we hate not i john iu. one another : if we do, the plague will not cease, and the places that yet be not infected God shall infect, whatsoever defence man maketh against it. And although Galen, of all remedies, saith, " To fly the air that is infected is best ; " yet I know that Moses by the word of God saith : " Flee whither thou wilt, in case thou take with thee the contempt of God and breach of his commandment, God shall find thee out." Yea, and although many medicines be devised, and assureth the infected to be made whole ; yet, notwithstanding, I know God's word saith the contrary, that he will send unto unsen- Deut xxvin. sible, careless, and wilful sinners such a plague and incurable a pestilence, that he shall not be delivered, but die and perish by it. Therefore, forasmuch as sin is the occasion chiefly of pes- tilence, let every man eschew and avoid it both speedily and penitently ; and then shall ye be preserved from the plague sufficiently, as ye shall perceive in the remedy of this dan- gerous plague that beginneth to reign amongst us. For doubtless, although we could fly to Locris or Crotone, where 1G8 HOMILY IX TIME OF PESTILENCE. Lib. i. cap. 3S Pliny 1 saith the pestilence vras never, jet God saith, in Dcut.xviii. case we fear not him, we shall surely be infected. The Remedy against the Pestilence. Like as the scripture of God only sheweth the very cause of pestilence, so doth it the very true and only remedy against it. I do not dislike the remedies that natural physic hath prescribed ; yet I do not hable~ them as sufficient remedies, for their imperfection's sake. I would also they were used, and the remedies prescribed in God's book not omitted ; for I see all the remedies that ever was devised by man is not able to remove assuredly the pestilence from him that is infected therewithal, although they be never so excellent and good. And I find the same concerning the preservation from the pestilence devised by man, also insufficient for man's preser- vation, yet not to be contemned ; for the reason of their chiefest preservation is very good and allowable, and yet not sufficient, which is of all things chiefly to be used against the pestilence, fleeing and departure from the place where as the air is corrupt. Wherefore, for such as may, nothing is better than to flee ; and except he do, he ofi^ereth himself to a present danger of death : but yet the word of God saith plainly that, " flee whither we will, if we forsake not sin, and serve the living God, the plague shall overtake us." And this cannot be a sufficient remedy ; for there be certain persons that cannot flee, although they would ; as the poorer sort of people, that have no friends nor place to flee unto, more than the poor house they dwell in. Likewise, there be such offices of trust as men for no cause may flee from it; as the bishop, parson, vicar, and curate, who hath the charge of those that God pleaseth to infect with the pes- tilence ; and if they forsake their people in this plague-time, John X. they be hirelings and no pastors ; and they flee from God's peo- ple into God's high indignation. Such also as have places and offices of trust for the commonwealth ; as the captains of soldiers in the time of war, judges and justices in the time of peace; in case they should flee their countries, or leave their Locris et Crotonse pestilentiam nunquam fuisse annotatum est. — Plin. Hist. Nat. Lib. ii. c. 96.] [2 Hable: hold.] HOMILY IN TIME OF PESTILENCE. 169 wars for the plaguo of pestilence, they shall never be good soldiers nor good justices for the commonwealth ; and they shall be accountable to Almighty God for all the hurt and de- triment that hath happened unto the people in their absence. Wherefore, seeing there is no certain remedy devised by man, neither for such as cannot flee, nor for them that may flee, we must seek another medicine and help at God's hand, who can and will preserve those that be whole, and make them whole that be sick, if it be expedient for man, and most for his own honour. The best preservative, therefore, to keep men from the pestilence is this that Moses speaketh of: " Let exoj. v. us do sacrifice unto the Lord, lest we be stricken with pesti- lence or sword." And Joshua and Caleb told the people that Numb. xiv. a faithful trust in the Lord was the best remedy for them : which if they contemned, they should find that God there threatened, speaking to IMoses, " How long will this people be unfaithful ? I will strike them with pestilence, and consume them." Also, David knew that the only remedy to keep Jerusalem from the plague was, that God should turn his 2 Sam, xxiv. wrath from the city for his sins and the sins of the people. But now, to bring the remedy the better to the under- standing of the people, I will shew it by this place of St Mark, " Repent ye, and believe the gospel :" in the which chap. i words is contained the only medicine against the pestilence, and also all other diseases, if the text be well and advisedly con- sidered, wherein Christ useth a very natural order to heal all diseases ; for as the remedy naturally of all diseases be taken from contrary conditions and qualities [to] that [which] work- eth and maintaineth the sickness, so doth Christ in these words declare that the preservation and help of sin and wickedness, the cause of pestilence, proceedeth from virtues and condi- tions contrary to the qualities and nature of such things as preserve and keep this wicked sin and sickness in man. As when a man is fallen into sickness by reason of too much cold and moisture, the remedy must be gathered naturally from the contrary, heat and drought ; for this is a common and true principle, " Contraries be holpen by their con- caien. de traries^." If nature wax too cold, it must be holpen with [3 Gal. De Temper. Lib. i. c. 3. To fxev Oepnorepov tov Bf'ovros awfia KfX(vovTfs efx.y^v)(^eiv, to S' av yjruxporepov 6fpp.a'ivfiv, (aaavTas to 170 HOMILY IN' TIME OF PESTILENCE. heat : If it be too hot, it must be cooled : if it be too moist, it must be dried : if it be too dry, it must be moisted : if it be too cold and moist, it must be heated and dried : if it be cold and dry, it must be heated and moisted : if it be too hot and moist, it must be cooled and dried : if it be hot and dry, it must be cooled and moisted. These be very natural re- medies, if they be well used with true proportion and con- venient use after physic. And as these be good and natural for the body wherein the pestilence dwelleth, even so is Christ's medicine in the first of St Mark a more present and certain remedy for the soul, that keepeth the body in life, to remove or to remedy the sin of man, which is the cause of all plagues and pestilence ; in case to remove sin, the cause of sickness, this medicine of Christ be used, as the other is used to remove the effect of sin, which is sickness : as the body that is fallen into sickness by too much cold or moisture, either by nature, that originally was corrupted by Adam, either by our own accustomed' doing of sin, it must be made whole by the heat of repentance and true faith in the merits of Christ Jesus, who died for the sins of the world. For this is a true and most certain principle of all religion, " One contrary must remedy the other." Seeing Adam by his fault began our death by sin, it must be cured by Christ, that is without sin. And whereas our own works be sin and filthiness, wherewithal God is displeased, we must desire the works of Christ, to work the good will and favour of our heavenly Father again. And whereas by our own wits, wisdoms, religion, and learning we have committed idolatry and superstition, we must now by God's wisdom, God's word, and his most true religion amend our faults, and turn to true and godly honouring of him. Further, whereas our own inventions hath brought us from the knowledge of God, the Ps.xix.cxix. remedy is, that God's word must brino; us to him again; for 2Tim.iii. . , , i • i i i /■ ^ i • i agamst all untruths brought in by man the word oi God is the only remedy. The experience thereof we may have plainly in the fxiv vyporepov ^rjpaLVCiv, to Se ^rjpoTcpov vypalveiv, K. T. \. — 0pp. Torn. III. p. 35, D. Lutet. Paris. 1679. See also De diflF. Febr. Lib. i. c. 6. Tom. VII. p. 113, c. D.] [1 "Accustomed and doing" S;c. 1553.] HOMILY IX TIME OK PESTILENCE. 171 scripture. Whereas, for the salvation of the world, God appointed Christ his only Son to be born, and also to be opened unto the world, that by him it might be healed of all sickness and sin, as it appeareth by St Matthew, and other of the evangelists ; yet was the world so blind and so corrupted J;^^^'^!:"- with sin, that Christ was born and opened unto thera, and they of the world nothing the better, as it appeareth in St Matthew, where as St John the Baptist in few words, which chap. iii. be these, " Repent ye, for the kingdom of God is at hand," sheweth the remedy of all sins and sickness, and the means how to receive and take the same remedy. The remedy was only Christ, as he saith in St John, and also in St Matthew ; J^^^^ and the means to come by the remedy was to repent, as ye shall know further hereafter, when ye know what repentance is. The same may you also see in St John, in the dialogue chap. ul between Christ and Nicodemus, a man, after the judgment of the world, that knew life and death, sickness and. health, the cause of the one, and also of the other, as well as any learned man among all the congregation and church of the Jews ; yet, indeed, as ignorant of his own sickness, and also so far from the true knowledge how to come to health, as an ignorant man might be. And the cause was, that he understood not the nature of sin, as it is esteemed by the word of God, neither the remedy thereof that God hath prescribed and appointed. Wherefore Christ told him by plain words, except he were holpen and cured of his disease and sickness by contrary remedies, he could never understand nor come by his health : and no marvel ; for he knew the sickness of sin no otherwise than his forefathers and the worldly men knew sin, that is to say, knew such sins as were known to reason, and done by the body and outward action of men ; and. the same knowledge had he, and no more, of the remedy against the sickness of sin. And as his fathers and the world thought, so did he, that the merits of their sacrifices and the well- doing of themselves was a sufficient remedy to heal them both in body and in soul. Whereupon Christ most mercifully pitieth the poor man, and with contrary knowledge both of sickness and the remedy thereof sheweth, that the disease man is infected with goeth further than reason and the outer action of the body, and occupieth the soul of man with concu- piscence, rebellion, frowardness, and contumacy against God : 172 HOMILY IN" TIME OF PESTILENCE. j,.hn iii. 'wherefore he calleth all that man hath of himself but flesh ; and sheweth that the remedy against this sickness cometh not of the worthiness of any sacrifice or merits of his, or any sinful man's works ; but that the remedy thereof dependeth only upon the merits of his blood and passion, and sheweth the same by the comparison of the brasen serpent appointed by Moses ; and argueth this way : as the people that were stung with the serpents in the wilderness were not made whole by their own works, or for the dignity or service of any sacrifice that they ofi'ered, but by the sight of the ser- pent, that represented Christ to come; even so 2sicodemus, nor any other that is stung with the serpents of sin, be made whole by their own works, or any sacrifice they can offer, but only by the merits of Christ. And even as the people could not come to the knowledge of this remedy by the serpent throuo;h their fathers' or their own wisdom, no more can IS'ico- demus, or any man living, come to the knowledge of the remedy for sickness and sin in our Saviour Christ, except he John iii. learn it by the word of God through the instruction of the Holy Ghost. The same remedy also useth Christ in his words before Marki. rehearsed: "Repent ye, and believe the gospel." In the which words our Saviour Christ sheweth all things to be con- sidered in sin, and in the remedy thereof. For in the first part of his words he declareth how that men should know the causes of sickness ; and in the second part the remedy and help for the same. The cause of sickness, as it appeareth by this word " Repent," is, that men have by their own folly turned themselves from the truth of God to the error and fond opinion of man ; from true faith to uncertain fables ; from virtuous and godly works to uncleanliness and corrup- tion of life. Christ, therefore, seeing the world how it is in danger, by reason it hath forsaken the wisdom and rule of God's word, calleth it home again to a better wav, bidding it repent : as though he had said, "Turn to a better mind, and leave the ways accustomed, and learn to be wise, and .walk in the ways and wisdom appointed by God." Here appeareth also, that the causes of all the dangers that Christ willed his audience to repent for, was their sin and iniquity. The cause of sin was infidehty and accustomed doing of evil. The cause of infidelity and accustomed doing HOiMILY IN TIME OF rESTlLENC'E. 173 of evil was ignorance or misunderstanding of God's word. The cause of ignorance or misunderstanding of God's word was Satan, God's and man's enemy, and man's willing consent to the devilish sophistry and false construing of God's word. And from these causes springeth all diseases and sickness, death, and everlasting damnation ; from the which Christ Joim iii. was sent, of God's inestimable love towards us, to redeem and save us. Notwithstanding, these effects of pestilence, sickness, death, and everlasting damnation cannot be removed, except first the causes of them be eschewed. Wherefore learn ye, and teach other to know the causes above-mentioned, and also, how they may be removed ; for as long as they work their proper nature in man, so long will they bring forth their natural effects, sickness, troubles, death, and damnation. The original cause of all evil was Satan, and the ungodly consent of our forefather Adam in cen. in. paradise, in crediting more the devil's sophistry and gloss than the plain and manifest word of God. And the remedy of this cause is God, that, of love against Satan's hatred, pro- mised in the seed of a woman help again for man ; and that Johni. ui. v. every man that believeth the devil in evil must repent and believe God and his word in good. Ignorance and mistaking of God's word is the second Joiin '• cause of evil ; the remedy whereof is knowledge and right understanding of God's word. Infidelity and accustomed doing of evil be the third cause John xvi. of evil ; true faith and accustomed doing of good remedieth them.- Sin and iniquity be the causes of sickness, death, and damnation ; virtue and godliness healeth and reraoveth, that they shall not bring man to everlasting death. Although sin and sickness be not clean taken from man, yet doth God in Christ take away the damnation of sin, and suffereth death to destroy by sickness none other thing than the body of the sinner, so that he use this remedy, " Repent, and believe the gospel;" and shall at length call the body, dead by death, out of the earth, and place it alive with the soul in heaven. But now, to use this help and remedy against the pes- tilence, which Christ calleth " llepent, and believe the gospel:" the sick man must remember what the first word, " Repent," 174 HOMILY IN TIME OF PESTILENCE. meanetli, and how he may come by it. Repentance, that God rcquireth, is the return of the sinner from sin into a new hfe in Christ; which return is an innovation and renovation of the mind of man by God's Spirit in Christ, with denial of the former Hfe, to begin a new and better hfe. And this repentance springeth from the knowledge of sin by the law of God : from the knowledge of sin cometh the hatred of sin : from the hatred of sin proceedcth the leav- ing and departure from sin : from the departure from sin cometh, by faith through Christ's blood, remission of sin : from remission of sin cometh our acceptation into God's favour : from our acceptation into God's favour cometh the gifts of the Holy Ghost to do and work by virtuous life the will of God : from the doing in Christ the will of God cometh God's defence and favour, that taketh from us all plagues and pestilence : from the deliverance of plagues and pestilence cometh everlasting life, as Christ saith, and as this johniii. V. medicine, called, "Repent ye, and beheve the gospel," de- clareth. There be, also, many that be sick and in great danger and peril by reason of sin, and yet feel not the sore and grief thereof. Therefore, they pass not whether they seek for any remedy or not ; and, for lack of taking heed, they fall daily to more wickedness than other. Wherefore it is every minister's office of the church diligently (and especially in the time of pestilence and plagues) to call upon the people for amendment of life, and to shew them truly, diligently, and plainly, this medicine of repentance, which consisteth of these parts : first, in knowledge of sin ; then, in hatred of sin ; thirdly, in forsaking of sin ; fourthly, in believing the for- giveness of sins for Christ's sake ; and fifthly, to live in virtuous and godly hfe, to honour God, and to shew his obe- dience to God's law, that by sin is transgressed. And these parts of penance, which be the very true and only medicines against sickness and sin, be known only by God's laws ; for by the law of God sin is known, detested, and forsaken. If it be heard or read by men that pray unto God, they may understand it. Faith also, that believeth re- mission of sin, is shewed, opened, and offered by the gospel, wherein be contained God's merciful promises towards sinners ; and those promises sinners receive by faith, that believeth HOMILY IN TIME OF PESTILENCE. 175 whatsoever God hath promised in Christ ho will perform it. Faith doth credit and receive forgiveness of sins by the ope- ration of God's Holy Spirit in the poor sinner. The sinner studieth and liveth a virtuous life, being led by the Holy Ghost, and worketh to serve God with such works as God's holy commandment commandeth every true christian man to work and do. And for the better assurance and further stablishing of repentance and acceptation into the favour of God by believing the gospel, the poor sinner useth and re- ceiveth the holy sacrament of Christ's precious body and blood, in remembrance that Christ died to be his medicine against sin, and the effect thereof. Wherefore, now that it pleaseth God for our offences to shew by plagues and sickness how he is offended, let us all, that be ministers of the church, and the watchmen of the people, call upon them diligently to " repent, and believe the gospel," and to live a godly and virtuous life; that for Christ's sake he will turn mercifully his plagues from us, and give us his most gracious favour to preserve his universal church, our most godly sove- reign lord and king, king Edward the Sixth, his majesty's most honourable council, and the whole realm. So be it. 18 Mail. 1553. Imprinted at TVorceter by Jhon Oswen, prynter ap- pointed by the Kinge's Ma- jestic for the principalitie of Wales and Mar- ches of the same. Cum privileffio ad imprimendum solum. EXPOSITIONS UPON PSALMS XXIII, LXII, LXXIII, AND LXXVII. CERTEINE comfortable Expositions of the constant Mar- tyr of Christ, M. John Hooper, Bishop of Glocester and Worcester, written in the time of his tribulation and imprisonment, upon the XXI II, LXII, LXXIII, and LXXVII psalmes of the prophet Dauid. ^^ewlj recognized, and neuer before pubHshed. Matth. xxiv. 13. If Whoso continueth to the end shall be saued. AT LONDON, Printed by Henrie Middleton. ANNO, 1580. [Title page of the edition of 1580.] [hooper, II.] 12 An Expositi- on upon ti)t 23. psalme oi BabtH full of fruttfull ants tom= fortalilc toctdn, torittcn to tj^e &u tge of SonDon bg %o{}n ?t?oopcr, liu5l)op of Gloteter mxb ?M(iX= tetcr, ant) j}olg iWartgv of ffiol) for tije tcstimo^ ugc of ]bgs trut&. CE SMi)tttm\to IS anncicl) an ^pologg of 1)1$, agagnst guc|& as rcportcl) tj^at i)c curscJ) ^^ucne ittarg, loitf) tcrtatne GoDlge anD comfortable Ut= tens in t^c cntc. ^roucr. u. C[ 3Sg tjbe blc^stnge of tiic rtgj^tcous tl)c tgtgc prospcrctj) : 13ut toj|;cn .tl)e ungo&lg j^aue tDc rule it fiecagetj^. anno. 1562. [Title page of the edition of 1562.] [The edition of 1562, duodecimo, contains an Exposition of only one Psalm, the twenty-third, with other matter, as indicated in the title page. The Edition of 1580, small quarto, contains the Expo- sitions of the four Psalms, without any addition. In this reprint the text of 1580 is followed, and the variations of ed. 1562 are noted. The Apology and Letters included in ed. 1562 will be foimd in a subsequent part of this volume.] [Colophon at the end of the edition of 1562.] ^ Imprynted at HonUon, ftg 3Ji)on 'SDistjale, ana 'STfiomas Hacket, and are to be solde at their shoppes in Lombarde strete. Anno. 1562. 12—2 [Address to tlio Reader, prefixed to the Expositions, m.d.lxxx.] To all the faith- ful flock of Christ, grace and peace from God the Creator, Christ the Redeemer, and the Holy Ghost the Comforter. Mais'y are the monuments, beloved in the bowels of Christ Jesus, and volumes of the faithful left as legacies to the church of Christ ; which, as they are the true riches (for they are spiritual), so ought they to be reverenced, not only Avith outward service of body, but also with inward submission of soul. Amonof which monuments, beino- the treasure of the church, and such jewels indeed as the price of them is in- valuable, this excellent work (though wanting bigness, yet full of brightness) of that most learned, godly, faithful, zealous, constant, and in all points praiseworthy protestant, Master John Hooper, bishop of Gloucester and Worcester, challengeth no small title of dignity. For, if the words of our Saviour be true (which to improve what incestuous mouth, without horrible blasphemy, a trespass unpardonable, dare presume, Constancy sceing he is the very substance of truth itself?), that he is a and eontinu- , . . , n r-,^ • i • i • 111 • • ance required truc disciplo 01 Christ, which contmucth to the end: then is it in the profes- ^ uuth^"*^ the duty of us all, except we hide our profession under the hive of hypocrisy, not only by looking at the life of such a loadesman^ to reform our deformities; but also, by tracing over and through the testimonies of the truth (such godly books I mean, as are left in writing to the world as undoubted assurances of an unspotted conscience), to thank God for so singular an instrument of his gospel ; and to beseech him to work in us the like love to his law, that we may be partakers of such glory as (no doubt) this notable martyr of God doth immortally enjoy. Of whom briefly to insert and say some- what (because the brightness of such a glittering star cannot be overcast with the clouds of obscurity and darkness) shall Loadesman: leader, pilot.] TO THE READER. 181 be a means to make the work more commendable, although in very deed precious things have their proper price, and therefore consequently will have their deserved praise. And, Anabridge- f II- 1111 •• 11 i^T \ f mcntof first, to touch his blessed befrinnino;, blessed (1 say) even from Bishop ' . f ^ . . . Hooper's life above with the dew of God's grace, his education in Oxford, fruiy'^gfther- his prosperous proceeding in the knowledge of divinity, his stances'."'"'"" forsaking not only of the university, but also his common country, his flight into Germany, his return into England, his painfulness in preacliing, his fame and credit among the people, his obtained favour with the king''s majesty, his advancement Bishop to more than a bishop-like dignity, his dispensation for his "umation ceremonious consecration, his secret enemies the supporters of Mwaid the . , , . . f ^ . , . tiixth. papistry, his supplantation by their privy conspiracies, his faithful continuance notwithstanding in sowing sincere doc- trine, his painfulness in hearing public controversies, his visiting of schools and fountains of learning, his maintaining of godly discipline, his want of partiality in judgment betwixt person and person, his bishop-like behaviour abroad in his diocese, his fatherly affection at home towards his house and family, &c. do warrant him the name of a saint upon earth ; and surely God hath registered him in the kalendar of his chosen servants in heaven. Again, the falling away of his favourers when religion languished, the malicious practices of his adver- saries threatening his destruction, the blood-thirsty broach- ing of his persecution, his appearing before the queen and her council, the tyrannical contumelies of his arch-enemy, his Stephen spiteful accusation, his mild purgation, his undeserved depri- B^ho^^of vation, his cruel imprisonment, his hard entertainment, his mshop^*'^"^' lamentable lodging, his succourless sickness, his pitiful com- prof^sed • • • • • • » enemy. plaints, his restless tribulations, his strait examinations, his apologetical avouchments, the committing of him to the Fleet, the tossing of him from the Fleet to the Counter in South- wark, from the Counter in Southwark to the Clinke, from the CHnke to Newgate, his unjust degradation, his cruel con- demnation, and his lamentable execution, &c,, all these pa- geants considered, as they were done, would make a flinty heart to melt, and stony eyes to sweat not only water, but also blood ; and, to be short, the Avhole body, though all the limbs thereof were as strong as steel, even for pity's sake to tremble. This coming within the compass of my poor con- sideration, I remembered that Christ Jesus, the only-begotten head have 182 EXPOSITION'S OX CERTAIN PSALMS. becnperse- Soii of the almighty and eternal God, had passed the like, ti^thedca't'h, yea, and -worse perils, as by the history of his death and musTn'm""" passion may appear ; that the proto-martyr, St Stephen, had be subject to ^ . n t-> i i i i • '' , i ii affliction, his tomientors, St raul the apostle his persecutors, and other of Christ's disciples their afflicters : then thought I that these sanctified vessels made their vocation honourable even by their deaths, which were opprobrious ; and therefore how can it be but that this our martyr, worthy bishop Hooper, offer- ing up his body a burnt sacrifice, Uvely, reasonable, and acceptable unto God, should give good credit to his doctrine, assure his profession, afiirm his vocation, and live in everlast- ing memory by the dispersion of his books, though his favour be forgotten, and his body consumed ? Of such a soldier, so valiantly fighting under the ensign of his captain, I cannot scor.v. say sufllicient. Of this I am resolved, that although his earthly tabernacle be destroyed, yet hath he a building given him of God, even an house not made with hands, but eternal in the heavens ; where God grant us all to reign as joint heirs with Christ his anointed ! To proceed and approach nearer to our purpose (for the Tiie laying premisBS are effectual enough to breed belief and to kindle fjown of his . ^ gospei-s'Ske ^^vercuce in the heart of any true Christian towards this blne'ffnd ^^^^ excellent martyr, replenished with the abundance of God's Holy Spirit), I commend unto thy mind, good reader, a good work of this so good a man, namely, " Certain Expo- sitions upon the twenty-third, sixty-second, seventy-second, and seventy-seventh psalms of the prophet David," of the which the three last (being gathered together by a godly professor of the truth, Mr Henry Bull') were never before printed. Their beginnings are usually read in this manner : 23. " The Lord feedeth me, and I shall lack nothing." 62. " My soul truly waiteth upon God." 72, " Truly God is loving unto Israel, even unto such as are of a clean heart." 77. " I will cry unto God with my voice, even to God will I cry with my voice, and he shall hearken unto me." The expositions of which psalms to be pithy and profitable this may be a substantial proof, because they were written in the time of his trouble, when (no doubt) he was talking in spirit with God ; and being so occupied, his exercises could not but be heavenly, and therefore effectual, fruitful, and comfortable. [1 He edited the Exposition upon Psalm xxiii.. Apology, &c.] reverence. TO THE READER. 183 Come therefore, thou sorrowing soul, which groancst for relief, to this spring : come hither, and hear what a good man wrote, ex carcere et vinculis, " out of bonds and imprisonment," for thy consolation. Hear him once, hear him twice, hear him often ; for thou canst not hear him enough. He giveth thee a pleasant pomander ; vouchsafe it the smelling : he soundeth sweet music ; it deserveth good dancing : he bids thee to a sumptuous banquet ; be not dainty in feeding : he presenteth unto thee a precious diamond ; it is worth the taking. O give God thanks for all, and glorify the Lord's name, whom it hath pleased to plant in his vineyard so fruitful a vine, which beareth grapes, God's plenty ; of whose juice, 0 Christ, vouchsafe us to taste, that, our vessels being seasoned with true sanctification, they may be made sweet to receive and preserve the water of the river of life, flowing from the lively rock Christ Jesus : to whom, with the Father and the Holy Ghost, one Trinity in Unity, be all laud and praise everlasting. Amen. Thine in Christ, A. F. [Preface to Psalm XXIII. 1562 ^ J C To the faithful and lively members of our Saviour Jesus Christ inhabiting the city of London, grace and peace from the Heavenly Father through our Lord Jesus Christ. Your faith and firm hope of eternal life, dearly be- loved, which of long time ye have learned and thoroughly persuaded yourselves in by the truth and infallible verity of the heavenly word, sealed with Christ's most precious blood, is very sore and dangerously assaulted, and by all means possible attempted to be taken from you; that ye should have no longer credit to God's truth, but believe man's Hes, no more to have salvation^ by Christ, that once died and offered himself once for alP for sin, but that ye must* beheve now your salvation in Christ many times ^ offered by wicked men every day in the abominable mass, to the utter conculcation and oppressing® of Christ's death, as the wicked pope and his adherents would persuade you, and not as Christ your Saviour hath taught you. But this sudden and miserable change from the truth unto falsehood, and from God and Christ to the devil and antichrist, doubt- less Cometh of God for our manifold sins towards the hea- venly Father our Shepherd, that taught us a long time with his blessed word, and we were neither thankful for it, nor yet put our trust in him, as in one that only could save and defend his own word: but we thought in our foolishness This Preface was not reprinted in ed. 1580: but it occurs amongst Coverdale's Letters of the ISIartyrs, ed. 1564. The texts of the two editions, 1562 and 1564, have been carefully collated, and the variations of the latter, distinguished by the initial C. are appended in the notes.] [2 C. nor have your salvation.] [3 C. for sin once for all.] C. should.] [5 C. to be many times.] ['^ C. defacing.] THE PREFACE TO THE CITY OF LONDON. 185 that the world was so much and so many ways with the word of God, that even by man's strength it might have been defended ; whereas the truth of God's word is perma- nent and never faileth, saying, " Cursed be they that make Jer. xvii. flesh their defence and shield." For as king David, when God had brought him to possess his kingdom peaceably, said, like a fool as he was, " I shall never be more unquieted," psaim xxx. but yet the Lord turned his face from him, and he found straightway such an alteration as he never found before, with increase of new dangers more troublous than ever he had before ; even likewise, when God had given us a blessed and holy king, and such magistrates (although they were sinners) as wished the glory of God only to be preferred by true doctrine, we, like carnal men, thought ourselves so sure and so stablished, that it had not been possible to have seen such a piteous and miserable change, and the truth of God's word oppressed ^ as we see at this present day. But we be most worthily punished, and even the same ways that we offended^. We put^ our trust in flesh, and whereas God's Spirit in flesh dwelled, as in our holy and blessed king departed'*', Edward the Sixth (who is dead" in the flesh, and his holy soul resteth with the heavenly Father in joys for ever), he'^ is taken from us now, and cannot help us; and such as in his time seemed much to favour the glory of God are become God's enemies, and can both hear other to proceed against the glory of God, and also set forth the same themselves as much as they may : so that such spiritual and godly persons as sought in the flesh God's glory are taken from us, or else in such place as they can do'^ no good ; and such flesh as followed and loved God in the sight of the world, and had great vantage by his word, are become his very enemies, and not only his, but also enemies to his members. But yet, as king David knew his foolish folly, and with repentance repented and found grace; so it may please God to give us of his grace and holy Spirit to amend our faults in the like ofi'ences, and help us, as he did him. But doubtless great is our iniquity. For there was never so great abomination read of, and so quickly to pre- P C. so oppressed.] [s C. have offended.] [9 C. did put.] [10 Not in C] [n C. he is now dead.] [12 C. he is now (I say).] p C. do us.] 186 THE PREFACE TO THE CITY OF LONDON. Upon this Psalm (as upon Jivers other) he wrote a godly and most com fortable treatise, whereunto he annexed this letter as a preface. vail, as this abomination of the wicked mass hath prevailed in England, And all christian men know that the Turks and heathen neither have, nor yet had ever, any so sensibly known and manifest an idol. Wherefore, that Almighty God of his mercy may pre- serve his people in this noble city of London, I have written upon this' 23rd Psalm of king David, to advertise men how they shall beware of heresies and false doctrine, and so to live to his honour and glory. And^ I know, dearly beloved, that^ these godly people which seek God's honour, and all other that wish them well, be accompted the queen's enemies, although we daily pray for her grace, and never think her harm. But we must be content to suffer slander*, and give God thanks for them. Nevertheless, this is out of doubt, that the queen's highness hath no authority to compel any man to believe anything contrary to God's word, neither may the subject give her grace that obedience : in case he do, his soul is lost for ever. Our bodies, goods, and lives be at her highness' command- ment, and she shall have them as of true subjects ; but the soul of man for religion is bound to none but unto God and his holy word. (.:.) [1 C. the.] [2 C. Albeit.] [3 C. all those which seek God's honour and the furtherance of his gospel.] [* C. and patiently to bear all such injuries.] EXPOSITION UPON PSALM XXIII. 187 C[ The argument or matter •which the prophet chiefly entreateth of in this Psalm. It should seem by the marvellous and wonderful descrip- tion and setting forth of Almighty God by the prophet and king David in this Psalm, that he was inflamed with the Holy Ghost, being delivered from all his enemies, to declare unto all the world how faithful and mighty a defender and keeper God is of as many as put their trust in him. lie was in great danger, and specially in the wars that he made against the Ammonites, the event and success whereof, it seemeth by the twentieth Psalm, his subjects greatly feared : wherefore they commended their king (as true subjects always use) with earnest prayer unto God. And that battle and many other dangers more ended (wherein the godly king found always the protection and defence of the heavenly Father ready and at hand), now being at rest, he would have this merciful defence of God known to all others, that as he in all his ad- versities put his trust in the Lord, and had the over-hand of all his enemies; even so, by his example, all other men should learn to do the same, and assure themselves to find (as he found) the Lord of heaven to be the succour and defence of the troubled, and their keeper from all evil. And because the hearers and readers of this his most di- vine and godly hymn should the better understand the same, and the sooner take credit thereof in the heart, he calleth the heavenly Father, the God of all consolation, in this Psalm a shepherd or herdman feeding his flock ; and the people, with himself, he calleth sheep, pastured and fed by the shepherd. And by these two means, as by a most convenient allegory or translation meet for the purpose, from the office of a shepherd and the nature of sheep he setteth out marvellously the safe- guard of man by God's providence and good-will towards man. And in the same allegory or translation he occupieth the four first verses in this Psalm, In the first verse, and so to the end of the Psalm, he declareth still one matter and argument 188 THE ARGUMENT. of God's defence towards man, and how man is preserved. But yet it seemeth that he expresseth the same by other words and by another translation, shewing the nature of God Almighty in feeding and nourishing of man under the name of a lord or king, that hath prepared a table and plenty of meats to feed the hungry and needy ; and setteth forth man poor, and desti- tute of consolation and necessary help, under the name of guests and bidden folks to a king's table, where is plenty of all things necessary, not only to satisfy hunger and to quench thirst, but also to expel and remove them, that the poor man shall never hunger nor thirst again ; and not only that, but also for ever, world without end, this poor man shall dwell and inherit, by the mercy of his heavenly king, the joys ever- lasting. And this last translation or allegory is in manner not only a repetition of the first in other words, but also a declaration and more plain opening of the prophet's mind, what he meaneth in this celestial hymn. EXPOSITION UPON PSALM XXIII. 189 ^The parts of the Psalm. 1. Who it is that hath"] the cure and charge of man's ! life and salvation. J 2. Wherein the life"] and salvation of man con- sisteth. J 3. How man is brought"] to the knowledge of life and salvation. j 4. Wherefore man is"] brought to life and salva-, tion. J 5. What trouble may^ happen to such as have hfe and salvation. 6. Whereby the trou-"] ble of God's people is over- , come. J 7. What the end of, Godi's troubled and afflicted/ people shall be. J The text of the Psalm. The Lord feedeth me, &c. In pleasant pastures, &c.^ He shall convert my soul, &c.^ For his name's sake, &c.'' Although I walk through the valley, Sic.^ For thou art with me, &c.^ I will dwell in the house of the Lord, &c.^ Order of the columns reversed, 1562.] [2 &c. omitted, 1562.] Certeine Expo- sitions of the constant Martyr of Christ, Maister John Hooper, som- time Bishop of Gloucester and Worcester, upon the 23rd., the 62nd., the 72nd., and the 77th. Psalms of the prophet David. THE FIRST PART OF THE PSALM. who it is that hath the cure and charge of man's life and salvation. The First Verse ^ o-c,TheLord CE The Lovd feedcth me, and I shall want nothing. is my she t)- herd : as saith Lnd'tii'e'"°° [The explanation, 1662.] Geneva banslation. King David saith, the Lord feedeth him ; wherefore he can lack nothing to Uve a virtuous and godly hfe. In this first part some things are to be considered : first, of God that feedeth ; and next, of man that is fed. God that feedeth David calleth by the name of a shepherd, and his people he calleth by the name of sheep. By this name of a shepherd the prophet openeth and discloseth the nature of God to all his miserable and lost creatures, that he is content, not only to wish and desire man, that is lost, to be found and restored again ; but also doth seek and travail to restore and bring him home again : as it is written in Esay the prophet, isai. xi. "He shall gather together his lambs in his arm." And in Ezek. xxxiv. Ezcchicl the prophet the Lord saith, "Behold, I will require my flock of the shepherds, &c. And I will deliver my flock from their mouth, and they shall be no more their meat : for thus saith the Lord, Behold, I will search out my sheep, and will visit them as a shepherd doth visit his sheep, when he is in the midst of his scattered sheep ; so will I visit my sheep, and deliver them from all places where as they have been The text, ed. 1562.] EXPOSITION UPON PSALM XXllI. 191 scattered," &c. And Jeremy the prophet in the same sort declareth the nature of God towards the lost flock, saying : " He that dispersed Israel shall gather him together again, jer. xxxi. and keep him as the shepherd keepeth his flock." Christ our Saviour nameth himself a " good shepherd," and saith that he johnx. was sent to call such as were not sheep of the utter mark and sign in the world, to be his sheep. This nature of the hea- venly Father saw king David, when he said at the beginning of this heavenly hymn, "The Lord feedeth me," &c. When he is assured of God's merciful nature, that seeketh the lost sheep, he openeth further the nature of God, what he will do with the sheep which he findeth: "feed him," saith the prophet David, and putteth himself for an example. Here is the mercy of the great Shepherd further declared, that he killeth not his sheep, robbeth them not, but feedeth and nou- risheth them. Of this speaketh the prophet Ezechiel in the person of Almighty God : " I myself will feed my sheep, and Ezek. xxxiv. make that they shall rest quietly, saith the Lord God. That which is lost I will seek ; such as go astray I will bring again ; such as be wounded I will bind up ; such as be weak I will make strong ; but such as be fat and strong, those will I root out ; and I will feed my sheep in reason and judgment." And the great Shepherd Christ saith, whether his sheep go in or joh. x. out, they " shall find pasture." After that this king hath opened in this hymn that God's nature is not only to seek the lost sheep, but also, when he hath found him, to feed him ; then he addeth in his hymn after what sort he feedeth him : " So that I shall lack nothing," saith the prophet. Here is the declaring of the great Shepherd's pasture, wherewith he feedeth the flock of his pasture. Christ expresseth the same wonderfully in the opening of his oflice and doctrine unto the world in St John, saying; "I came that they might have life, and have itJoh.iv.vi. most abundantly." And talking with the poor woman of"' Samaria, he^ told her that the drink he would give her should be water of life. And to the Capernaites he said, that meat which he would give them should work eternal salvation. As these properties be in God the Shepherd (as the prophet hath marked), even in the like sort be the con- trary conditions in man, the sheep he speaketh of: for as P He, not in 1562.J 192 EXPOSITIONS UPON CERTAIN PSALMS. Ps. cxix. Isai. liii. Matt. ix. 1 Pet. ii. the nature of God is to seek, so is the nature of man to go astray ; as the prophet saith, " I have strayed like a wan- dering sheep." And even so doth Esay write of all mankind, " All we have erred," saith he, " as sheep going astray." Christ our Saviour also, in St Matthew, doth bewail the people of the world, that stray as sheep that had no shepherd. St Peter likewise saith unto his countrymen that he writeth unto, " Ye were as sheep that went astray ; but ye be con- verted now unto the Shepherd and Pastor of your souls." And as the nature of man is to stray from God, so is it likewise to feed upon all unwholesome and infected pastures ; 1 Kings xxii. to believe every false prophet that can do nothing but lie- in the prophet Esay the Lord saith, " The nature of sheep is to be deceived, and their pastors to be drunk, that neither know nor see the pastures of the word of God." And in the same prophet there is a most horrible plague upon man for sin ; for, " The pastors shall be unable to feed, and all the food of life shall be as a book fast clasped and shut." This going astray and feeding upon evil pasture is won- derfully set forth by St Paul : for when men will not feed upon the truth, it is God's just judgment they should feed upon falsehood. And as God's nature is not only to feed, but fully to satisfy and to replenish with all goodness, so that nothing may lack for a godly and virtuous life ; in like manner, the nature of man is not only to feed, but also to replenish itself with all infected and contagious doctrine, until such time that he despise and contemn God and all his wholesome laws. This we may see in the holy prophet Esay : " The people (saith the Lord) provoketh me unto anger, a lying nation that will not hear the law of God ; they say to their prophets, Prophesy not, look not out for us things that be right, speak pleasant things unto us," &c. And this replenishing of man with corrupt pasture is horribly Joh. vii. set forth in St John, when the wicked priests and Pharisees would not believe the Shepherd's voice Christ, no, not their own servants that told them the truth, nor yet Nicodemus, one of their own court and profession. Thus in the first part of this celestial hymn is the nature of God and man described under the name of a shepherd and of sheep. bTJiotld'^ut ^^^^ P^^*' Psalm, what the prophet hath said ofthepS. ^^'^ of ™^"» must, for our own doctrine and Isai. xxviii. Isai . xxix. 2 Xhess li. Joh. iv. vi. Eom. Isai. XXX. UPON rSALM XXIII. 193 learning, gather some things to be the better by; for St Paul saith, " Whatsoever is written, is written for our learn- Rom. xv. ing." Two things we learn of this first place : the one, a certainty that God hath the cure and charge of us : and the other, a consolation and comfort that we and all ours be under his protection and governance. The first doctrine, to be certain and sure of God's defence and care over us, maketh us constant and stroncr to suffer and bear all adver- sities and troubles that God shall send us ; and the second doctrine shall cause us patiently and thankfully to bear our cross, and to follow Christ. Both these doctrines the pro- phet David expresseth in the third and fourth verse of this psalm : " If I should (saith he) travel and pass through places contagious and infected, where appeareth nothing but the image and shadow of death, or be compelled to pass through the hands and tyranny of mine enemies, I will not fear ; for thou art with me, 0 God, and defendest me." In the ninety-first psalm he setteth forth the assurance and feli- psai. xci. city of all them that put their whole trust in the mercy of God ; and therein also the prophet reckoneth up a wonderful sort of dangers, and layeth them before the eyes of the faithful, that he may, by the sight and knowledge of the dangers, fix and place the more constantly his faith and trust in God, that hath the charge and cure of him : " He shall (saith he) defend us from pestilence most infective, from fleeing 1 arrows in the day," &c. By the which the prophet understandeth all kind of evils that may come unto us by the means of the devil or of wicked men. And these things the faithful shall escape (saith the prophet), because they say from their hearts unto God, Quoniam tu es spes mea, that is to say, " For thou art my hope ;" even as he said in the beginning of this psalm, " The Lord feedeth me, and I Theasurance O O r ' ' of God's shall want nothino:." Such ccrtaint-y and assurance of God's defence and O f comfort in defence, and such consolation in troubles of this hfe, we must b™ beamed"" learn and pray to have out of God's word, or else it were wori ^"''^ as good never to hear nor to read it. And from this first part of the psalm every estate of the world may learn wisdom and consolation. If the Lord feed and govern him, he shall have God to his master and teacher, that shall give him wholesome and commodious doctrine, meet [1 Flying, 1562.] r -I 13 |_HOOPER, II. J 194 EXPOSITIONS ON CERTAIN PSALMS. for the state of the hfe he hath chosen to Uve in this world. For all that shall be saved in time to come follow not one kind of life. Some be magistrates and rulers, and appointed to see both the laws of the realm, and the goods and com- modities thereof, to be used and applied to the use and profit of such as be under them. Some give themselves to study and contemplation of heavenly and divine things, not busying themselves with travails of the body, but to know themselves the way of life, and to^ be teachers of the same to others. Some be given to apply the laws of the commonwealth : some to exercise the trade and course of merchandise ; some one kind of living, and some another. But of what art, faculty, science, or kind of living soever he be, that is not contrary to God's honour or honesty, he may use therein to serve God, to observe justice, to exercise truth, keep temperance, and be acceptable to God, who hath given laws meet and convenient to publicans and soldiers, servants and masters, parents and children, husbands and wives, and so to all other. But all these sorts of people must assuredly know, that in every of these vocations be more dangers than he that must live in them is able to bear : therefore from the bottom of his heart he must be assured of this beginning of king David's hymn, " The Lord feedeth me, and I shall lack nothing." And indeed the Lord hath not only said he will feed and defend him from all dangers ; but also saith he will teach him how to live virtuously and reverently towards God, and honestly and quietly towards man, what state or vocation soever he choose to live in, so it be not against God's laws and Psal. XXV. the law of nature. So saith king David : " God hath ap- pointed a law to rule and teach the man that feareth him, whatsoever kind of living he appointeth himself to live in." What treasure is there to be compared unto this, that man is not only fed and maintained by God, but also taught and instructed in every craft and science that he appointeth him- self to live in ? Blessed therefore is the man that in the entrails and deep cogitations of his heart can say, beheve, and feel this to be true that David saith, " The Lord ruleth me, and careth for me, and I shall lack nothing." But yet there is almost nothing spoken, that this king would have chiefly known. Howbeit, doubtless they be [1 To, not in 1562.] UPON PSALM XXIII. 195 wonderful things, that preserve and teach all persons, both men and women, in whatsoever kind of living honestly they appoint themselves to live in. He himself knew this to be true right well, as it appeareth when he saith : " Blessed be Psai.cxiiv. the Lord my strength, that taught my hands to battle:" for, if the Lord had not taught and ruled him, he had been overthrown many times, because there was not only more strength than he had of himself against him, but also more wit, more policy, more experience. But what things can overcome that man that is covered with this shield, Dominus regit me, "The Lord ruleth me?" Doubtless, nothing at all, whether it be in heaven above, or in the earth beneath, or in hell under the earth. Notwith- standing, this is not all that this doctrine, " the Lord ruleth me," doth for the poor sheep that is ruled. But here must the reader and hearer of this psalm follow king David, and desire to have the eye of his mind purged and made clean : for if the scales of infidelity and the love and delight to sin remain, or else the mind be otherwise occupied than upon the understanding of the hymn; he shall hear it, or sing it, as the ungodly colleges of priests do, that daily bo-o and roar the holy scriptures out of their mouths, and understand no more the meaning thereof than the walls which they sing and speak unto. We must therefore do as king David did, lift up the eyes of our minds into heaven, and fix our faith (as he saith) Psal. XXV. fast in the Lord ; and then shall we see the unspeakable [cxxiii.] treasures and wisdom that lieth hid in this marvellous and comfortable head and beginning of this psalm, " The Lord feedeth me," &c. Our Saviour Christ openeth plainly in St John what it is to be the sheep of God, and to be fed by him, and saith : [Johnx ] " They will hear the shepherd's voice, but no stranger's voice ; and because they hear the shepherd's voice, the shepherd will give them everlasting life ; and no man shall take them out of the shepherd's hands." There is the The inward •i- ami spiritual greatest treasure and most necessary riches for the sheep of God uttered, which is not the knowledge of God alone to be ^"hlcMhTs preserved in this life, and to lack nothing that is expedient bringeti'i. and necessary for the preservation thereof ; but also to un- derstand which ways the heavenly Father teacheth and lead- eth us to the mansion and dweUing-place of life everlasting. 13—2 106 EXPOSITIONS ON CERTAIN PSALMS. And if man were -wise, he might soon perceive how much the hfe to come is better than the Hfe present ; yea, be it never so favourably fed and preserved by the heavenly Father, our shepherd and governor. For his tuition here of us, although it be sure, and so strong that none can take us out of his hands ; yet is our safeguard and life troubled and mingled with adversities, subject to persecution, and also unto death ; but in the life to come God's tuition is all joy, all mirth, all solace, with all perpetuity and endless feHcity. And of this treasure David chiefly meant in the forefront of the psalm, when he said, " And I shall lack nothing ;" for, as we see (until this life be taken from us), most troubles and most care beginneth and tarrieth in the house of God 1 Pet. iv. amongst his sheep, which be as lambs among wolves. Wherefore the voice and teaching of the shepherd doth Matt. X. heal the minds of the sheep, God's dear elect, and puUeth from them all unprofitable fear and carefulness : it quencheth all flames of lust and concupiscence : it maketh and giveth a man a noble and valiant mind to contemn all worldly things: it bringeth a man in love with God's true honour, maketh him joyful in trouble, quiet in adversity, and sure that the end of God's people shall be glorious and joyful ; and also that this favour of the shepherd shall be his guide into the place of bliss, where as be crowns of everlasting glory for such as have been led by the Lord, and there they shall lack nothing : for there is neither eye can see, nor tongue can speak, nor mind can comprehend these joys and glory. And therefore the prophet both constantly and cheerfully said, "The Lord feedeth me, and I shall lack nothing:" for all things of this world be but trifles in comparison of things to come. Although it be a singular favour of God to understand his goodness and mercy towards us in things belonging to this life, yet is it not to be compared to the other, as David wonderfully declareth in the twenty-fifth psalm. When he hath numbered a great many of God's benefits, which he doth bestow upon his poor servants in this life, he in the end maketh mention of one specially, that passeth them all, in these words : Arcanum Domini timentihus ilium, et testamentum suiim manifestahit illis : that is to say, " The Lord openeth to such as fear him his secrets and his testament." The Lord UPON rSALM XXIII. 197 openeth to his faithful servant the mysteries and secrets of his pleasure, and the knowledge of his laws. And these treasures, the knowledge and right understanding of God's most hoi J word, he saith was more sweet unto him than honey or the honeycomb, and more he esteemed the virtue of it than he did precious stones. Of all gifts this was the principal, that God gave unto him a right and true know- ledge of himself. Wherefore it shall be most expedient and necessary for every christian man to labour, study, and pray, that he may earnestly, and with a faithful heart, know him- self to be no better than a seely* poor sheep, that hath no- thing of himself, nor of any other, to save his body and soul, but only the mercy of his shepherd, the heavenly Father ; and to be assured also that his only mercy and goodness alone in Christ, and none other besides him, is able to feed him ; so that he shall lack nothing necessary in this life, nor in the hfe to come. C THE SECOND PART OF THE PSALM. WHEREIN THE LIFE AND SALVATION OF MAN CONSISTETH. The Second Verse. [The text, 1562.] He shall feed me in pleasant pastures, and he shall lead me hy the river's side. [^c. 1562.] [The Explanation, 16G2.] He shall set me in the pastures most pleasant and rich of his doctrine, and in the contemplation of heavenly things, wherewithal the minds of godly men are nourished and fed with unspeakable joy : and near unto the plenteous floods of the Holy Ghost, and the sweet waters of the holy scriptures he will feed me ; in the which places the sheep of the Lord are nourished to eternal life, abounding with milk, and bringing forth most blessed fruit. The scripture of God useth this word " feed" in many significations : sometime to Jo^n xx [1 Seely : simple, harmless.] 198 EXPOSITIONS ON CERTAIN PSALMS. jer. iii. tcacli and instruct ; sometime to rule and govern, as raagis- isani. V. vii.' tratcs rulc their people, as well by law as by strength ; sometime to punish and correct, &c. But in this place the prophet useth " feeding" as well for instruction by God's word, as also for defence and safeguard of God's people by God's most mighty power. He useth this word pasture" for the word of God itself, as a thing which is the only joh. X. food of a man's soul to live upon, as the meat and drink is Psal. Ixxiv. > jw'n'i""' ^'^^ body. He useth this word "lead" for conducting, j^l'i that the man which is led at no time go out of the way. Matt IV. jjyj always may know where he is, and whither he is going : as in many other of his psalms he useth the same manner of speaking. The " rivers of refection" he useth for the plentiful gifts of the Holy Ghost, wherewithal the faithful Psai. ix. man is replenished. His sayino; therefore is as much as if Ixxiii. Ixxvi. ^ _ «/ o ^ Rev. vii. he had spoken without allegory or translation, thus : " He johniv.viL instructeth me with his word, and conducteth me with his Holy Spirit, that I cannot err nor perish." In this part of the psalm be many things worthy to be noted. First, It is declared, that the life of man consisteth in the food of God's word : then, that there is none that giveth the same ' to be eaten, but God our heavenly shepherd : the next, that none can eat of this meat of God's word, but such as the Holy Ghost feedeth with the word. Our Saviour Matt.iv. Christ declareth, that "man liveth not by bread alone, but of every word that proceedeth out of the mouth of God." We can no Whereby he teacheth us that, as the body Uveth by external God^vitho'^t meats, so doth the soul by the word of God. And no more than°in the possiblo is it for a man to Uve in God without the word of world with- ^ ^ .i« out worldly God than in the world without the meat of the world. And food. St Peter confesseth the same : for when the Capernaites, and johnvi. many of Christ's own disciples, had satisfied their bodies with external meats, they cared not for their souls, neither could they abide to be fed, nor to hear the meat of the soul spoken of, although Christ did dress it most wholesomely with many godly and sweet words ; they would not tarry until Christ had made that meat ready for them ; they could be con- tented to feed their bellies with his meats, but their souls they would not commit to his diet, but departed as hungry as they came, through their own folly. Christ was leading them [1 Word, 1562.] UPON PSALM XXUI. 199 from the five barley loaves and two fishes, wherewith they had filled their bellies, unto the pleasant pastures of the heavenly word, that shewed neither barley-loaves nor fish, but his own precious blood and painful passion, to be the meat of their souls : howbcit, they could not come into this pasture, nor taste in any case of the sweet herbs and nourish- ment of their souls. When Christ perceived they would not be led into this pleasant pasture, he let them go whither they would, and to feed upon what pasture they Avould : and then he asked of his twelve that tarried, saying, " Will ye depart also ?" Peter, as one that had fed both body and soul, as his fellows had, perceived that the body was but half the man, and, that being fed, there was but half a man fed ; and also that such meats as went into the mouth satisfied no more than the body, that the mouth was made for : he felt, more- over, that his soul was fed by Christ's doctrine, and that the hunger of sin, the ire of God, the accusation of the law, and the demand and claim of the devil, were quenched and taken away : he perceived likewise, that the meat which brought this nourishment was the heavenly doctrine that Christ spake of, touching his death and passion : and he understood also that this meat passed not into the body by the mouth, but into the soul by faith, and by the presence of God's Spirit with his spirit ; [that] ^ the body also should be par- taker as well of the grace that was in it as of the life : so that he felt himself not only to have a body and a soul alive, but also that they were graciously replenished with the pastures and food of God's favour. Wherefore he said unto Christ, " To whom shall we go ? Thou hast the words of everlast- ing life : " which words in effect sound no other thing than this psalm doth, where David saith : " The Lord feedeth me, and I shall want nothing ; for he leadeth me into his pleasant pastures, and pastureth me by the river's side." Wherein it appeareth manifestly, that the word of God is the life of the soul. The prophet David doth marvellously open this thing in the repeating so many times the word of God, in a psalm worthy much reading and more maiking of the things contained therein : for he entreateth all the psalm through, that a godly life doth consist in the observation of God's [2 Omitted in 1562.] 200 EXPOSITIONS ON CERTAIN PSALMS. laws ; and therefore doth he so many times in the psalm Psai. cxix. pray God to illuminate and endue his spirit and heart with these two virtues, knowledge and love of his word, wherewith he may both know how to serve God, and at all times to be acceptable unto him. And our Saviour Christ himself, in Lukexi. St Luke, saith unto a woman, " Blessed be they that hear the Johnv. word of God, and keep it." And in St John, Christ exhort- eth all men to the reading and exercising of the scripture. And yet our For the ignorauce^ of God's word bringeth with it a murrain blind guides " ^ say that aud rot of thc soul ; yet for the sins of the people God said Ignorance is ' >■ ofgrniunei. would scud a hunger and famine amongst men, not a Amos viii. hunger of bread nor water, but of hearing God's word. King David, therefore, as one assured both of the author of life, and also of the food wherewith the life is maintained, stayeth himself with God's benediction and favour, that he is assured God feedeth him with his word. And he sheweth also that none is the author of this word, neither can any give it, but God alone : for when the first fall of Adam and Eve, by eating forbidden meats, had poisoned and infected both body and soul with sin and God's displeasure, so that he was destitute both of God's favour and wisdom, none but God could tell him where remedy and help lay ; nor yet could any deliver him the help but God. For till God made promise that the seed of a woman should make whole and save that which the devil and man had made sick and lost by reason of sin, and also made open the remedy unto Adam, and inclined his heart to believe the remedy, Adam was dead in sin, and utterly cast away. Then the pity of the heavenly John X. shepherd said he should, notwithstanding, in time be brought into the same pasture again, and none should deceive him, nor bring him any more out of the pastures of life. But only God gave this meat, which was his holy word Eph. ii. and promise, and also the mouth of faith to eat these promises of God's only gift. And the same appeareth throughout the whole Bible, that only God, by sending of his word and preachers, brought knowledge of everlasting life to the Heb. i. people that were in ignorance^: as St Paul saith, "God be- foretime spake unto our fathers by the prophets, and in these latter days unto us by his Son," and after the ascension of his Matt, xxviii. Son, by his apostles and evangelists ; insomuch that none of [1 Ignorancy, 15G2.] UPON PSALM XXIII. 201 the prophets ever spake of God's word, that maintained the life of the soul, otherwise than they received it of the high shepherd, Almighty God, as St Peter saith, "Prophecy cameaPei. i. not by the will of man ; but the holy men of God spake as they were taught by the Holy Ghost:" so that God is the only author and fountain of his true word, the food of all men's souls. In like manner, he is the only giver of the same, james i. As he is the giver of it, and none but himself; so none can eat it, but such as have the same delivered unto them by the Holy Ghost. So our Saviour Christ likewise, in the Gospel of St John, telleth Nicodemus, that it was not possible to Un- Joh. iii. derstand and to know the grace of redemption, except he were born from above. And when St Paul preached the word of God at Philippos amongst the women by the water-side, the Acts xvi. Lord opened the heart of Lydia to understand the things spoken of by Paul. And when Christ preached among the Jews, and wrought wonderful miracles, yet they understood nothing, neither were they any thing the better ; and Christ sheweth the cause : Propterea vos non auditis, qxiia ex Deo non estis ; that is to say, "Therefore ye hear not, because ye John via. be not of God." But the fault was not in God, but in the ob- stinacy and frowardness of their own hearts, as ye may see in St Matthew. Christ offered himself, but yet the malice of Matt. xxiu. man rebelled at all times. St Paul to the Corinthians wonder- fully setteth forth man''s unableness, and saith : "The natural i cor. ii. man is not able to comprehend the things that be of God." And in St John Christ saith, "No man can come unto him, John vi. except the heavenly Father draw him ; for they must be all taught of God." Now, as the prophet saw these things for himself and his salvation in God's word, even so must every christian man take heed that he learn the same doctrine ; or else it were no commodity to have the scripture of God de- livered and taught unto us. And every reader and hearer must learn of this psalm, that there is none other food nor meat for the soul but God's word ; and whosoever do refuse it when it is offered or preached, or, when they know the truth thereof, do yet of malice, fear, lucre, and gain of the world, or any other way, repugn it, they be unworthy of all mercy and forgiveness. Let every man and woman therefore ex- amine their own conscience without flatterino; of themselves, and they shall find that the most part of this realm of Eng- 202 EXPOSITIONS ON CERTAIN PSALMS. land in the time of our holy and blessed king Edward the sixth Vi'cre fed with this holy food of God's word, or else might have been fed with it ; for it was offered and sent unto them, as well by most godly statutes and laws of parliament, as by many noblemen and virtuous learned preachers. If they fed not upon it accordingly, or now their teeth stand on edge, and their stomachs be cloyed with it, to their peril be John XV. it. Thus Christ saith : "They have nothing whereby justly to excuse themselves of their sin." And likewise he saith, that whosoever hateth him hateth also his Father: by which words it appeareth manifestly, that no man can hate Christ's doc- trine, but he must hate Christ himself ; and no man can hate Christ, but he must also hate the Father of heaven. Where- fore it is expedient for every man to mark such places : for it was not Christ's name, nor Christ's person, that the Jews hated so mortally Christ for ; but they hated him to death for johniii. his doctriue's sake; and it was Christ's doctrine that condemned the world, and shewed the life and learning of the world to be evil, and could not abide the light of God's word ; and there- fore in no case they could abide to hear of it, as ye see the Mark why like lu hls poor proachors. For his word's sake they be less the preachers ^ ^ con^teraned P^^scd of than dogs or brute beasts : for they be hated to of the world. (Jeath ; and more favour doth Barabbas the murderer find than Peter the preacher of Christ, that would lead the flock redeemed with Christ's precious blood into the pastures of God's word with the prophet David. And yet, in this hatred of God's word, the food of God's sheep, they would be seen, and none but they, to love and honour God : but it is not so in their hearts ; for they have a contempt of God, as their fruits well declare. And Christ saith, they hate both him and his Father, yea, and that without cause- But thou, christian reader, see thou feed thy soul with no Psai xxxvi. other meat than with the wholesome pastures of God's word, whatsoever the world shall say or do. Look upon this text John XV. of St John : " When the Comforter shall come, whom I shall send from my Father, even the Spirit of truth, which doth proceed from the Father, he shall testify and bear record of me." Weigh that place, and think wherefore the Son of man referred himself to the witness of the Holy Ghost ; and ye shall know that it was for no untruth that was in the author, being Christ, or in the doctrine that he preached, but only to make UPON rSALM xxiir. 203 the disciples to be of good comfort, and that they should not esteem the gospel he preached unto them any thing the less, although it had many adversaries and enemies, and was spoken against in manner every where; for against the fury and false judgment of the world, that contemned the gospel, they should have the testimony of the Holy Ghost to allow and warrant the gospel. Let us, therefore, pray to the heavenly shepherd, that he will give us his Holy Spirit to testify for the word of God, the only food of our souls, that it is true that God saith, and only good that he appointeth to feed us. And this we may be assured of, that in this heavy and sorrowful time there is nothing can testify for the truth of God's word, and keep us in the pleasant pasture thereof, but the very Spirit of God, which we must set against all the tumults and dangers of the world. For if we make this verity of God subject to the judgment of the world, our faith shall quail and faint every hour, as men's judgments vary. Wherefore, let us pray to have always in us the Spirit of adoption, whereby, when our faith shall be assaulted, we may cry, "Father, Father!" and the same help for the maintenance of the truth God promised by his holy prophet Esay, saying, "This is my covenant with isai.ux. them, saith the Lord ; My spirit which is in thee, and my words which I have put in thy mouth, shall not depart from thy mouth, nor from the mouth of thy seed, nor from the mouth of the seed of thy seed, from henceforth until the workU end." Here doth the almighty God set forth what a treasure and singular gift his word is, and that it shall not depart from his people until the world's end. And in these words is this part of David's psalm marvellously opened and set forth. It is the Lord alone that feedeth and instructeth, saith Esay the prophet ; it was not man's own imagination and intention, nor the wisdom and religion of his fathers (whatsoever they were) ; but it was the Lord that spake, and made the covenant with man, and put his Spirit in man to understand the covenant ; and by his word, and none other word, he instructed man, and said that by this^ means all men should, till the world's end, feed and eat of God's blessed promises. For in his word he hath expressed and opened what thinRs to every man what he shall have, even the remission of sin, fcedfn|ui»m the acceptation into his fatherly favour, grace to live well in jiij^ses in this [1 World's, 1562 ] [2 These, 1562.] 204 EXPOSITIONS ON CERTAIN PSALMS. this life, and, at the end, to be received into the everlasting life. Of these things the reader may know -what maintaineth Matt. iv. life, even the word of God, as Christ saith : " If ye abide in me, and my words abide in you, ask what ye will, and Ps. xix. ye shall have it." He shall learn also, that it is not general 2 Thii. iii. council, provincial council, the determination and agreement M'et. i. of men, that can be the author of this food, but only God. And as God is the only author of this food ; even so is his Holy Spirit he that feedeth the poor simple soul of the christian man with his blessed pasture, and not the wisdom isaMi'v' man, men's sacrifices, or men's doings. But as touching the food of man's soul to be the only word of God, I will, if it be God's blessed pleasure (to whom, in the bitter and painful passion of Christ, I commit my will, with my life and death), open unto the sheep and lambs of God at large in another book. THE THIRD PART OF THE PSALM. CC HOW MAN IS BROUGHT TO THE KNOWLEDGE OF LIFE AND SALVATION : WHICH PART SHEWETH WHAT MAN IS OF HIMSELF, AND HOW HE IS BROUGHT INTO THIS LIFE, AND TO FEED IN THE PLEA- SANT PASTURES OF GOD'S WORD. The Third Verse. [The text, 1562.] He shall convert my soul, and bring me into the paths of righteousness, for his name^s sake^. [The Explanation, 1562.] My soul erred and went astray from the right way of godly living, but the Lord converted me from mine^ errors and faults of living, and brought me to the observation of his holy laws, wherein is contained all justice, truth, and godli- ness. Here is to be noted what degrees and orders the Lord and heavenly shepherd doth use, in bringing his sheep unto the pasture of life. First, he converteth the man that is gone [1 'For his name's sake,' omitted in 1562.] p My, 1562.] UrON I'SALM XXUI. 205 astray by his wicked ways and sinful manner of living. If he were an infidel, he bringetli him first to know, feel, and hate his infidelity, and afterwards to a true faith. If he be a persecutor, he sheweth him first his tyranny, and after- ward^ how to use himself meekly. If he be a sinful man that liveth contrary to his knowledge and profession, he bringeth him first to the knowledge and hatred of his sin, and afterwards to the forgiveness of the same. As Christ our Saviour wonderfully teacheth in St John, where he joim xvi. saith : " The Holy Ghost, when he cometh, shall rebuke the world of sin, justice, and judgment." By the which words he declareth, that the faithful of God cannot profit in the gospel of Christ, neither love nor exercise justice and virtue, except they be taught and made to feel the burden and danger of sin, and be brought to humble themselves, as men that be of themselves nothing but sin. And therefore the law and threatenings of God be very wholesome, whose nature and property is to cite and call men's conscience unto the judgment of God, and to wound the spirit of man with terror and fear. Wherefore Christ useth a wonderful way, and teacheth the same unto his apostles, that neither himself for that present time, nor they in time to come, could preach profitably the gospel, wherewith men are led into the sweet and pleasant fields of God's promises by his word, except they use this order, to lead them from sin to justice, and from death to life. And as justice and hfe cometh by Christ, shewed unto us in his bitter passion, death, and glorious resurrection ; so doth sin and death both appear and be felt by the Spirit of God, shewed unto us in the law. This order also saw the holy prophet, when he said : The con- "The Lord converteth my soul, and leadeth me into the paths feL'ieth the of righteousness." This is a wonderful sentence, and much and ''X 'f].''^"'- o _ _ ' ct)i for life. deeply to be considered and weighed of the christian man. " The Lord converteth my soul," saith David. He feeleth in himself, that as long as the devil and sin have the rule and kingdom in man, the soul of man, being God's creature, is deformed, foul, horrible, and so troubled that it is like unto all things more than unto God and virtue, whereunto it was created : but when the wicked devil and deformed sin be by the victory of Christ overcome and expelled*, the soul waxeth [3 Afterwards, 1562.] [i Expulsed, 1562.] 20G EXPOSITIONS ON CERTAIN PSALMS. fair, amiable, sweet, loving, pleasant, and like unto God again, and cometh into order and obeisance unto his Creator ; and so, brought into the paths of righteousness, feedeth with the rest of God's well-ordered flock upon the pastures and food of his holy word, to do his blessed will. Oh that we would, in the glass of God's word, look upon our own souls, when they be in the tyranny of the devil, under the kingdom of sin, as this king did : we should more loath and detest our own soul, and the company that our soul is accompanied withal, than if we should for all our life- time be put into sties with hogs, and always be bound during our life to live with them, feed as they feed, sleep and wake as they do, and be as they be in all things. Look in the Luke XV. gospel of St Luke, and there shall ye see a man by sin so foul, so disordered, so accompanied with swine, so hunger- baned, so rent and torn, so beggarly, so wretched, so vile, so loathsome, and so stinking, that the very swine were better for their condition than he was. But see how the heavenly shepherd beheld from his heavenly throne, the place of the everlasting joys, this poor strayed sheep, feeding not amongst sheep, but amongst swine, and yet could not be satisfied there- with. And no marvel : for swine feed not upon the meat of sheep, nor yet do sheep fill themselves with hog's draff' and swillings ; but this shepherd used his old wonted clemency, and strake the heart of his^ sheep, making him to weep and bewail his condition — a man to come to such dishonour, to be coupled and matched with swine, to feed like swine, eat like swine such meat as swine eat, remembering that the worst in his father's house was a prince and noble king in comparison and respect of him. Then also being persuaded of his father's mercy, he returned, and his father brought him into his pleasant and sweet pastures, and gave him his old favour and accustomed apparel again, as a man to keep company with men, and no more with adulterous men and unclean swine. Howbeit, he came not to his old honour again, till the Lord had practised in him that he practised in this prophet, king David : Animam meam convertit, " He converted and turned my soul." It is but a folly for a man to flatter himself as though he were a christian man, when his heart and soul is not turned unto the Lord : he shall never feed in the pastures of life, but [1 DrafF: any thing thrown away.] [2 This, 1562.] UPON PSALM XX III. 207 be an hypocrite all the days of his life; as the most part of the world be that profess Christ's name at this present day. They say they be converted from the world to God, when there is nothing within the pastures of God's word but that they will contemn, rather than to have as much as an evil look of the world for it. They say they be converted to God, when they be contented, with the world, to honour that for God that is but bread and wine in the matter and substance, as the scrip- ture of God and the holy church of Christ have taught and believed these thousand and five hundred years and more. 0 Lord ! be these men turned to thee ? Be these the men that shall dwell with thee in thy holy mount of Sion, and Psai. xxiv. stand in thy holy place ? Nay, doubtless ; for they be not turned to thee, but from thee ; and be not with thee, but against thee. They speak with thee, and yet their deeds dis- honour thee ; they talk of truth, and practise lies. What, good Lord, shall thy simple and poor unlearned sheep do ? Where shall they seek thy truth ? for the shepherds say and sing this psalm every week, and at every dirige for the dead ; and yet they be not converted in their spirits to thee, that thou mightest lead them into the paths of righteousness. But, Lord ! there is no man now (in manner) that dare accuse them : they destroy themselves and thy sheep, and no man can be suffered with God's word to remedy it. Notwith- standing, good Lord, although in this world none may accuse them, yet they in the world to come shall have king David (whose psalms they daily read, and in whom they most glory) to accuse them both of heresy and blasphemy, as Moses shall accuse the wicked Jews, whom they most glory of. For as the Jews read the scripture of Moses, and yet were never the better ; so these priests of Antichrist read the holy scrip- ture, and yet neither the people nor they themselves are any thing the better. And in this they pass the abomination of the Jews and Turks : for they were, and yet be, content that their books of religion shall be used in their churches in the vulgar and common tongue ; but these enemies of God and man would not have the word that God hath appointed for all men's salvation to be used in any tongue but in the Latin. "The God therefore of peace, that brought again from death to life the great Shepherd of the sheep, by the blood of 208 EXPOSITIONS ON CERTAIN PSALMS. the everlasting testament, our Lord Jesus Christ," convert the souls and hearts of all those that cause the sheep of God thus to eat and feed upon the carrion and infected pastures of men's traditions ! Amen. Now, as king David in this text hath wonderfully set forth the miserable nature of all God's sheep, and put himself for an example, that the nature and condition of all men is cor- rupt, wicked, and damnable, so that it cannot be partaker of God's benediction and everlasting grace, except it be born anew, amended, restored, and instructed ; so likewise he sheweth that none converteth the soul of man but the hea- venly Father, the great shepherd, that both seeth the lost state of his sheep, and willeth of his mercy the salvation and caUing of the sheep home again: and then he proceedeth further, and sheweth what the heavenly shepherd -will do ■with his sheep. He saith, " He will lead them into the paths of justice." Wherein the prophet declareth, that it is not only God that converteth the man from evil, but also he alone that keepetli him in goodness and virtue. And therein is shewed a wonderful misery and wretchedness in the soul and body of man, that can neither begin nor yet continue in a life accept- able unto God, except that God wholly worketh^ the same himself. And as it declareth the wonderful wretchedness of man, so doth it manifest and set forth a wonderful and unspeakable mercy and compassion of God towards man, that so mai'vel- lously and graciously he can be content to help and save his enemy and very adversary. But herein is required of as many as the Lord converteth from iniquity and sinful Hving, that they walk in the same law, and use their conver- sation in equity and justice, as it becometh obedient men and women redeemed with the Shepherd's most^ precious blood. For the Lord doth not teach his sheep the truth, that they should live in falsehood ; neither giveth he them the remission of their sins, that they should return to the same again : but because they should studiously apply and diligently exercise psai^r themselves in virtuous works, to the honour of Almighty God. There be two sorts of people that the Lord will judge and punish in the latter day with extreme ire and justice. The one sort be called upon to learn the knowledge of God, and of [1 Work, 1562.] p Most, omitted in 1562.] UPON rSALM XXIII, 209 God's honour, as God's word commandeth : but they will not hear, nor obey the calling, but know God and learn God as the custom and manner of the world is to know him and learn him, though it be never so far from the truth. And the other sort bo contented to hear and learn to know God and to serve him as he teacheth in his holy and most pure word, but in their hearts consent not to their knowledge ; but, woefiiure contrary to it, they do outward service to a false god, and ^|:™|i!;,,p„f frame their conversation, both in religion toward^ God and profoJOTs^"^ their manners toward men, as men of the world do : so that feuhTess^ni? God hath no more reverence of him that knoweth the truth than of him that is ignorant of the truth. Esay the prophet speaketh against the first sort of men, that will not hear when they be called, nor learn when they be taught, and saith : " When other men shall laugh, they isai. ixv. shall weep ; when other be merry, they shall be sorry ; when other be whole, they shall be sick ; when other men shall live, they shall die; and when other men rejoice in mirth, they shall lament in sorrow." And good cause why, saith St Paul; "for the Lord hath stretched forth his hand Rom. x. always to a rebellious and obstinate people, that will not learn nor know his holy will." Again, the other sort, that know and have learned the Lord's will and pleasure, and yet prepare not themselves to do his will, "shall be beaten with ^ukexii. many stripes," saith our Saviour Christ. And the Lord in St Matthew doth wonderfully charge both such as igno- rantly do offend, and those that do with knowledge offend, those also that be called upon to amendment in faith and charity, and those that be not called upon by preaching of the truth, and saith the greater damnation is upon such as know, or might know, or else when they do know, they be nothing the better for their knowledge. He putteth forth these four cities, Chorozaim and Bethsaida, Tyre and Sidon, two of them many times admonished by Christ to amend, the other two not so called upon ; nevertheless, both of them the Lord will judge, but most severely such as neglect the word of God when it is offered. Therefore it is not enough for a man to hearken or hear, read or learn God's word ; but he must be ruled by God's word, frame his whole life after God's word, and, before all things, avoid idolatry by God's [3 Towards, 1562.] r T 14 [hooper, II.J 210 EXPOSITIONS ON CERTAIN PSALMS. word : as king David saith in this psalm, that the Lord did not only convert his soul, but brought him into the paths of justice. Let every man and woman therefore think with themselves, what knowledge they have received of God : for he that hath received most shall make account for most ; and the more he knoweth, and abuseth his knowledge, the more shall be his damnation : and in case they know nothing at all, and be never the better for all the preaching of the Lord's word, let them take heed what persons they be, and in what place they have dwelled. In case their poverty was such that they could not hear, and their dwelling where as was no preaching at all; yet be they under the judgment and damnation of God, because they know not, as Tyre and Sidon were. If they were of such state as they might have come if they would, and had preachers to tell them the truth, in case they would have heard the truth, such men and women shall be the more Godrequir- in danger of God's severe and iust judgment. For God doth eth not only ° p . tliirhath^ not only take an account of that which' men have received, if CTiVedTbutof *^®y use not God's gifts well, but also straitly requireth of iwveteln re- them that might have learned the thing that either willingly ceived. obstinately they refused to learn ; as ye may see by Cho- rozaim and Bethsaida. God will as well take an account of him that refused to receive the gift of God's word, as he requireth an account of him that hath received it, and abused it. Whereby we learn, that not only the man that abuseth „ . God's word shall be damned, but also he that will not learn Matu XI. Lukexii. God's word. King David had the word offered ; he received it, and was carried thereby into the paths of justice, and lived godly thereafter. Now he goeth forth and sheweth where- fore man is brought to life and salvation. Which, omitted in 1562.] UPON PSALM XXIII. 211 THE FOURTH PART OF THE PSALM. WHEREFORE MAN IS BROUGHT TO LIFE AND SALVATION. The Third Verse continued. [The text, 1562.] For his name's sake. [The Explanation, 1662.] He brought not me to life and salvation (saith the pro- phet) for any merits or deservings of mine, but for his own infinite goodness' sake. And whatsoever evil hath been done, and sin committed, all these things I ascribe to my corrupt nature, and accuse myself to be the doer of them : but if any thing have been thought, said, or done, that is virtuous and godly, that I wholly ascribe and attribute unto the mercy of God, that gave me a good mind to wish to do well, and also strength to do the things that he gave me will to wish. Of this part of the psalm we learn, that man can neither wish nor speak nor do any thing, nor yet understand any thing that good is, but only through the mercy of God, who maketh of an ignorant man a man of knowledge, of an un- wiUing man a willing man, of an evil speaker a good speaker, and of an evil doer a good doer. Therefore St Paul, when he seeth that the nature of man will take upon her to be the author of any good thing, he accuseth and condemneth her of arrogancy and pride, saying, " What hast thou that thou hast icor. iv. not received ? If thou hast received, why dost thou glory as though thou receivedst not ?" And in the same epistle he saith, that he " preached Christ crucified, which was a slander to i c™- ■• the Jews, and a foolishness to the Gentiles ;" " yet (saith he) the foolishness of God is wiser than men, and the weakness of God is 2 stronger than men." And that had king David good experience of, when he said, " The Lord ruleth me, and I lack nothing : he putteth me in a sweet pasture, and leadeth me by the river's side ; he turneth my soul, and conducteth me into the way and path of justice, for his name's sake, and for his mercy's sake." He saw the devil, the world, his flesh, and sin, all conquered by the power of God, and for his name's [2 Is, omitted in 1562.] 14—2 212 EXPOSITIONS ON CERTAIN PSALMS. sake brought both to hve, and also virtuously to live, to his honour that gave the life, and to his own salvation that re- ceived the life. All our teaching a great many of years, and also your whole labours, have been chiefly to know the misery of man, and the mercy of Almighty God. Wherefore it shall not need long to tarry in opening of this place of the psalm ; for ye be rich in God in these two points ; God give you grace well to use them. Yet in any case we must remember that our souls be turned from sin, and we accepted as the people of ever- lasting life, only for God's mercy's sake. So doth king David Psal. xxxii. wonderfully open unto us in the 32d psalm, where ^ he saith, " Blessed be they whose sins are forgiven, and whose trans- gressions be covered : blessed is the man to whom the Lord imputeth not his sin." Of the which words we learn that the godly king called those happy and blessed, not that be clean and pure without sin (for there is no such man in this life) ; but those be blessed, whose sins the mercy of God forgiveth : and they be only such as unfeignedly acknowledge their sin, and stedfastly from their hearts believe that the death and passion of Jesus Christ is the only expiation and purging Bom. iv. thereof: as St Paul wonderfully expoundeth David's words in his epistle to the Romans. As the prophet by these words, " For his name's sake," declareth that there is nothing in him, nor in any other man, wherefore God should turn the soul of man from death to life, from error to truth, from the hatred of God to God's love, from wandering astray to a stablished con- tinuance in the verity of God's word, but only God's mercy ; so doth he in other of his psalms always, when he en- treateth of God's mercy and of man's sin, set forth man so naked and vile, as a thing most destitute of all health and salvation, and sheweth that none of these gifts, remission of sin, acceptation into God's love and favour, pasturing of them with his most blessed word, can happen unto any other, saving unto such as do know, and earnestly confess, that they be sinners, and infected with many contagious and dangerous infirmities. And therefore he saith in the second verse of the Psal. xxxii. psalm above mentioned, " Blessed is he to whom the Lord imputeth no sin, and in whose spirit there is no guile." For [1 Where as, 1562.] UPON PSALM XXIII. 213 there is no greater guile nor more danger in man, than to think himself to be somewhat, when he is nothing indeed ; or else to think himself to be of such purity of mind, as though he needed not this free remission and favour of God. And as there is nothing more proud and arrogant than such a mind ; so there is nothing in man more detestable and miserable. Of the contrary part, they be blessed that hunger and thirst »'att. v, for justice; for "God fiUcth the hungry with good things, mke i. but the proud he sendeth away empty." And that knew this holy prophet right well, that it was humility, and the casting down of himself, that was most acceptable unto God, and the seeking of health^ and salvation only for his name's sake, that is to say, for his mercy promised in the death and passion of his only Son our Saviour Christ. In the end of the 32d Psai. xxxii. psalm king David, that had thus humbled himself, bringeth in God, that speaketh unto him, whiles he is thus making his complaint of his corrupt nature and sinful life, saying in this manner, Intellectum tibi dabo, Sfc., that is to say, " I will give thee understanding, and instruct thee in the way thou shalt go, and will have mine eyes ever upon thee." Wherein he declareth that such humbled men and lowly persons as know their iniquity shall have understanding of God, and shall not swerve from the right ways, not for their deeds and their deservings, but for his mercy that vouchsafeth to in- struct and teach them. And so likewise doth this godly king shew in this psalm, " The Lord ruleth me, and I lack no- thing : he feedeth me in sweet pastures, and leadeth me by the river's side ; he turneth my soul, and bringeth me into the paths of righteousness; and all for his name's sake." When he hath opened the salvation of man, and also the cause thereof, and wherein it consisteth, he procecdeth to the fifth part of his oration and holy hymn. [2 Wealth, 16C2.] 214 EXPOSITIONS ON CERTAIN PSALMS. THE FIFTH PART OF THE PSALM. WHAT TROUBLE MAY HAPPEN TO SUCH AS GOD GIVETH LIFE AND SALVATION UNTO. The Fourth Verse. [The text, 1562.] Although I ivalk through the valley and shadow of death, I will fear no evil ; for thou art with me, thy rod and thy staff comfort me^. [The Explanation, 15G2.] Seeing I have such a guide and defender, there is no dif- ficulty of peril, nor fear of death, that I •will pass of. For what harm can death do to him that hath God the author of all life with him ? Or what can the tyranny of man do, where as God is the defender ? In this fifth part king David sheweth how the Lord God doth exercise his sheep, whom^ he feedeth with his blessed word, in dangers and troubles ; and also, how he will defend them in the midst of their troubles, whatsoever they be. In the first words of the fifth part of this sacred^ and holy hymn, the prophet declareth that the life of God's sheep and people in this world cannot be without dangers and troubles. There- fore Christ saith that he came to put fire in the world, and that the same fire should burn ; meaning, that he came to preach such a doctrine as should move dissension and dis- cord between friend and friend, the father and the son, and The wicked sct them at debate. Not that his word is a learning or doc- Gospel of trine of dissension and discord of itself, but that by the mahce peace an oe- /• , . i ^^Jonofdis- of men, that cannot abide to be rebuked by the word of God, they will be always at discord and variance with the word of Luke xiL God, and with any friend or foe that teacheth it. And the same doth Christ our heavenly shepherd shew us, both in his John Tii. viii doctrine and in his life, who was hated and troubled more than IX. X. XVI. _ ' Theciossis auv man before or sithens his time, and assureth all his to the sure ■' _ ' Golfs ch.i- ^^^^ troubles in this world, yea, and death also. But it dren. forccth uot ; for he saith, " I have overcome the world." And whatsoever the dangers be, and how horrible soever they seem, Christ being with us, we need not to fear. Therefore in this point the prophet correcteth the foolish opinion of man, [1 Thy rod and thy staff comfort me, omitted in T562.] [2 That, 15G2.] [3 Sacrate, 1562.] UPON PSALM XXni. 215 that would live as one of the sheep of God in this world with- out troubles. It is contrary both to the person that professcth God, and also to the religion that he is professed unto ; for in the world both shall be (as Christ saith) hated : of which hatred cometh persecution and troubles, so that the people of God shall, whether they will or will not, pass through many dangers, and no less perilous than the shadows and very image of death, as here king David sheweth in this whole- some and blessed hymn. And as he seeth right well, that the state and condition of God's people and sheep is to be troubled for Christ and his word, even so did Zachary the prophet speak of Christ and his people, how that not only the sheep should be troubled zech. xi.\ and scattered abroad, but also the shepherd should be stricken with the sword, that both sheep and shepherd should be con- demned in this world. But now, as David and Zachary de- clare that the life and condition of Christ and his sheep be troublous in the world ; so do they both declare that what- soever the troubles be, they be both known and appointed upon whom they shall fall, and in what time they shall trouble the sheep of God : so that they can come no sooner than God appointeth, nor do any more harm than the heavenly shep- herd shall appoint them to do. And this we may see and learn as well in Christ as in his sheep. How many times did the priests and Pharisees conspire Christ's death I Yet because his time was not come, they had not their purpose ; but when the time of God was come, Christ said to his sheep : " Ye shall be all troubled this night for my cause ; for the John xviii. shepherd shall be stricken, and the sheep shall be scattered abroad." Then, as God had appointed the time, it could be no longer deferred. And because they should not miss of him whose death they sought, he came and met them, and offered himself unto them, and said that he was the same man, Jesus of Nazareth, whom they sought. And when they had taken him, and used as much cruelty towards him as their wicked malice and devilish hatred could devise, they killed him, and made him to pass not only the shadow and image of death, but also death itself. They thought then ^ they had him where as they would, and said, " He hath saved w^rk xv. ' " J ' > Luke xxiii. other ; let him now save himself, if he can." Jof'" Zech. xiii. 1562, which is the correct reference. See v. 7.] 216 EXPOSITIONS ON CEIITAIN PSALMS. When he was laid In the grave with his fathers, they thought to execute their plagues and tyranny towards him being dead, purposing that, as they had brought him to death and killed him, so likewise they would keep him down still, that he should never see hfe again, but rot in the earth like a wretch, until worms had eaten him. And for the performance of this purpose, to do all their whole wills to the uttermost, they came to Pilate, and said that the deceiver of the people, that lay in the grave, made his boast whiles he was alive, that the third day after his death he would rise again ; but if it should be so, it would be worse with them Matt, xxvii. after than it was before. " Appoint therefore soldiers (said they) and watchmen to keep the sepulchre till the third day be past." Whiles they yet minded to lay as much evil and contempt upon Christ our shepherd as they meant unto him, came the heavenly Father, that suffereth no more ignominy to fall upon his, nor will suffer them to continue any longer than him pleaseth, with this inhibition and stay of further proceedings in dishonouring and persecuting his only Son, and said : Jam rediit lux tertia, surge sepulte mens : that is as much to say, " Now is come the third day ; arise, mine own dear Son buried." And then was the sorrow and con- tempt of this our persecuted shepherd not only ended, but also turned into endless and unspeakable joys : he passed with his forefather David most bitter pains, and also most A doctrine of vile death ; but he feared not, because God was with him. God's provi- . itiii ini dencemosi xhc Same appomtmeut also hath the heavenly Father made comfortable ^ ^ _ flicted!'^^'' with all dangers and troubles that shall happen unto us his poor and afflicted sheep, taken daily as it were to the sham- bles, to suffer what God's enemies can devise. But the hea- Psai. ii. venly shepherd doth see all their doings out of heaven, and mocketh them to scorn : for they shall never do as much as they would against Christ and his people, but as much as God will suffer them. David afterwards, in his thirty-seventh psalm, teacheth us the same with marvellous words and divine sentences : Conimitte Domino viara tuam et spera in eum, ^c. " Lay (saith he) thy care upon the Lord, and trust in him, and he shall help thee." It is most necessary therefore for every troubled man to know in his mind, and feel in his heart, that there are no troubles that happen unto man, whatsoever they be, come UPON rSALM XXIII. 217 they by chance or fortune, as many men say and think, but that they come by the providence of God ; yea, the very winds of the air, tempests in the clouds trembHng of the earth, rages in the sea, or any other that come, how sudden or how unlooked-for soever they appear : as ye may read in the twenty-ninth psalm of this prophet, wherein ^ be PsaL xxix. wonderful tempests and troublesome things spoken of, as well done in the waters as upon the dry land. But here, alas ! is our nature and knowledge much to be lamented and complained upon : for as the knowledge we have of God's favour and gentleness towards us in Christ (for the most part) consisteth in the understanding of the mind and talk with the mouth, but the virtue, strength, and opera- tion of the same favour of God is not sealed in our hearts and consciences ; even so be the troubles and adversities which The cause , why there be God threateneth for sin spoken and talked of with the sofewsime.e ^ and true pro- tongue, and known in the mind, but they be not earnestly nor gof°gi "^"^'^ feelingly sealed in our conscience and heart. And of this Cometh it, that we neither love God, nor rejoice in his promises, as we ought to do, when we hear or read them ; neither yet hate sin, nor be sorrowful for God's displeasure, as sin and God's displeasure should be sorrowed and mourned for of christian men^. Hereof also cometh it, dearly beloved, that we love no further than in knowledge and tongue, nor hate vice but in knowledge and tongue. But, alas ! how miserable is this our state and condition, that knoweth neither life nor death, virtue nor vice, truth nor falsehood, God nor the devil, heaven nor hell, but half as much as they ought of christian men to be known. Read you therefore and mark the thirty- psai.xxxvu. seventh psalm, and you shall know that it is not enough for christian men to understand and speak of virtue and vice, but that the virtue must be sealed in the conscience and loved, and the vice kept out of the conscience and hated ; as David saith, " Leave doing of evil, and do good." So likewise he speaketh of a feeling christian man, whose conscience hath tasted how sweet and amiable God is : " Taste and feel (saith [Psal. xxxiv. the prophet) how sweet the Lord is." And this assure yourselves, that when ye feel your sins, and bewail the danger and damnation of them, the Spirit of God hath [1 Cloud, 1562.] [2 Where as, 1562.] [3 Man, 1562.] 218 EXPOSITIONS ON CERTAIN PSALMS. Psal. U. Here is thy comfort, thou broken- hearted and afflicted of the Lord. Rom. X. What it is to believe unto righte- ousness. Faith sealed once in the heart with the assurance of God's mercy can be i;i> more without the fruit of well doing than fire without heat. 1 Cor. xi. When right knowledge and assured sense of God's •wrought that feeling, and that troubled and broken heart God will not despise. And there is no doubt nor mistrust of a sensible and feeling sinner : but in case he can find in him- self no love to the obedience of God, nor desire to do his will by hearing of his word, nor any feeling at all of sin, nor desire to be rid from it by hearing of the law ; he hath knowledge in the mind, and speech in the mouth, but no consent and feeling in his heart and conscience. And this knowledge liveth with sin, and speaketh with virtue : whereas the heart and conscience consenteth to good, and abhorreth evil, if the virtue and nature of God's word by God's Spirit be sealed in the conscience (and' this doth St Paul teach wonderfully), as well by faith, that cometh by hearing of God's word, as also of his precious supper, the sacrament of his body and blood and passion. He saith, that " the heart believeth to righteousness that is to say, the conscience and heart of him that is sealed, and assured of the virtue and grace of God's promises in Christ, believeth to righteousness, or is ascertained and knoweth itself to be righteous and just before God, because it hath consented and received the mercy of God offered in the gospel through the merits of Christ : and then the same faith which God hath sealed in the heart breaketh forth by confession ; which confession is a very fruit of faith to salvation, as it is written by St Paul in the same place. And where this faith is so kindled in the heart, there can be none other but such a fruit following it. And as possible it is to have fire without heat or flame, as this virtue, faith, without the fruit of well-doing. And that is it that St Paul saith to the Corinthians : " As often as ye eat of this bread, and drink of this cup, shew ye the Lord's death until he come." Wherein St Paul requireth a knowledge of Christ in the receiver, not only in his mind that he know Christ died for his sin and the sin of the world, and to speak and declare the same death with his tongue unto others : but this is the chiefest and most principal commodity of Christ's holy supper (which men now ungodly call the mass), that the virtue and benefit of Christ's death, as it is appointed for the re- mission of his sins, be sealed and fully consented unto in his conscience. And this knowledge of Christ's death, with the assurance of the virtue, strength, and power thereof in the [1 So in 1562. The punctuation is different in 1580.] UPON rSALM XXIII. 219 heart, will and ouojht to Inflame us to thanksgiving, and to mercy are J. T ^ . , joined toge- preach and teach unto others those commodities oi Christ s ther. note 1 , , wliat they death, that we know and feel first in ourselves within our own ^ork. spirit and heart. Thus I have tarried longer than I thought in this matter, because I would bring myself and all others (as much as lieth in me) to feel, that knowledge and talk of virtue and Knowledge o sind talk vice, of God's favour and of God's punishment, is not sufficient ; without the i feeling of and to bring myself and all men from knowledge and talk to ^"^ki^^spi feeling, consenting, and a full surrendering of ourselves unto Jl^^^ °^ the profit and vantage of the things which we speak and know ; or else knowledge and speaking please not God, nor profit ourselves, as Christ saith : " Not every man that saith, Matt. vii. Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of heaven." There- fore did David both know, speak, and feel signed in his heart, the favour, help, and assistance of God to be with him into what troubles soever he should fall, and in that feeling did say^ he would not fear. But it may fortune I have so written of virtue and vice to be known of in the mind, spoke of with the mouth, and felt in the heart, that ye may judge and feel in yourselves never to have come to this perfection. For this is out of doubt, he that hath God's love and fear thus sealed in his heart, liveth in this life rather an angelical life than the life of a mortal man : and yet it is evident by king David in this psalm, and by his 121st psalm, Psai. cxxi.' and in many more, that he was so sure and so well ascer- tained of God's present help in his troubles, that he cared nothing for death, or any other adversities that could hap- pen. And doubtless, we perceive by his psalms in many _ places, that his faith was as strong as steel, and he trembled not nor doubted anything, but was in manner without all kind of mistrust, and nothing troubled, whatsoever he saw contrary to God's promises ; and he passed over them, as things that could not once withdraw his cogitations from the truth and verity of God's promises, which he believed. As Abraham likewise did, he " staggered not," but with constancy of faith would have killed his own son, so strong was his Gen. xxii. faith. But as the gift of faith is a treasure incomparable, thus to know and feel faith to overcome all dangers ; so maketh [2 Said, 15G2.] [3 Ps. cxxi, not in 15G2.] 220 EXPOSITIONS ON CERTAIN PSALMS. it the heart of him that is sealed with such a faith to feel the joys and mirth unspeakable. But as this faith is the gift of God, and cometh only from him ; so is it in him only to appoint the time when it shall come, and how much and how strongly it shall be given at all times, which is not at all times like, but sometimes so strong, that nothing can make the faithful man afraid', no, not death itself; and sometimes it is so strong that it makcth the man afflicted to be con- tented to suffer, yea, death itself, rather than to offend God. But yet it is with much conflict, great troubles, many heavy and marvellous cogitations, and sometime with such a fear, as the man hath much ado to see and feel, in the latter end of his heavy conflict, the victory and upper hand of the The state of temptatiou. And at another time the christian man shall God s cnil- * down'^witT ^^^^ heaviness, oppression of sin, and troubles, that he horror of sPn ^hall not fscl as much (in manner) as one spark of faith to of God's"^ comfort himself in the trouble of his mind (as he thinketh ;) judgments. ^j^^^ ^jj floods and dreadful assaults of desperation have their course through his conscience. Nothing feeleth he but his own mind and poor conscience, one so^ to eat the other that the conflict is more pain to him than death itself. He understandeth that God is able to do all things ; he con- fesseth with the knowledge of his mind, and with his tongue in his head, that God is true and merciful ; he would have his conscience and heart to agree thereunto, and be quiet : but the conscience is pricked and oppressed so much with fear and doubtfulness of God's ire for sin, that he thinketh God can be merciful unto other, but not unto him. And thus doth his knowledge, for the time of temptation, rather trouble him than ease him, because his heart doth not, or rather cannot, consent unto the knowledge ; yet would he rather than his life he could consent unto God, love God, hate sin, and be God's altogether, although he suffered for it all the pains of the world. I have known in many good men and many good women this trouble and heaviness of the spirit for the time, as though God had clean hid himself from the afflicted person, and had clean forsaken him : yet The comfort at lenffth, the day of heht from above and the comfort of oftheafflicted , r>, • • i i i i i i i i even when tho Holv Spirit hath appeared, that lay covered under the God seemeth J 1 i. i ' •/ ^ saken than' ^^^^ ^"^^ covert of bitter cogitations of God a just judgments [1 Afeard, 1562.] So one, 1562.] UPON PSALM XXIII. 221 against sin. Therefore, seeing that faith at all times hath not like strength in man, I do not speak to discomfort such as at all times find not their faith as strong as David did in this psalm : for I know in the holy saints themselves it was not always like, but even in them as in others. And although we cannot compare with them in all things in the perfection of their faith, yet may they compare themselves with us in the weakness of our faith, as ye may see by the scriptures^. In this psalm and in many other ye shall perceive that David, by the constancy and surety he felt in the promises of God, was so strong, so joyful, and comfortable in the midst of all dangers and troubles of death, that he did not only con- temn troubles and death, but also desired death, and to bo dissolved out of this world, as St Paul and others did. At another time ye shall perceive him to be strong in faith, but not so joyful, nor yet the troubles so easy unto him, but that he suffered great battle and conflict with his troubles, and of the cause of all troubles, sin and transgression of God's laws, as ye may see in the sixth psalm : where as he cried out and psai. said, " Lord, chasten me not in thy fury, nor punish me in thy wrath ; my soul is sore troubled ; but how long. Lord, wilt thou defer help?" And of such troubled consciences with conflicts ye shall find oftentimes in the book of psalms, and in the rest of God's scriptures ; yet shall ye find the end of the temptation to be joyful and comfortable to the weak man that was so sore troubled : for, although God suffer a long fight between his poor soldier and the devil, yet he giveth the victory to his servant, as ye may see in king David. When he cried out, that both his body and soul was wearied with the cross of God's punishment, yet he said at the last, Discedite a me operarii iniquitatis, quoniam exau- divit Dominus vocemfletus met: " Depart from me, ye workers Psai. of iniquity ; for the Lord hath heard the voice of my weep- ing." And in other of his psalms ye shall perceive his faith more weak, and his soul troubled with such anguish and sorrow, that it shall seem there is no consolation in his soul, nor any shew of God's carefulness towards him. In this state ye may see him in the thirteenth psalm, where, as a man in manner destitute of all consolation, he maketh his [3 Scripture, 1562.] 222 EXPOSITIONS ON CERTAIN PSALMS. complaint, saying, "How long wilt thou forget me?" The same may ye read also in the forty-third psalm, where he sheweth that he, his most just cause, and the doctrine that he professed, was like altogether to have been overcome, so that his spirit was in manner all comfortless. Then he said to his own soul, Quare tristis es, anima mea, et quare T^Ai xiii. coiiturbas me ? " Why art thou so heavy, my soul ; and why dost thou trouble me ? Trust in the Lord," &c. And in the forty-second psalm he setteth forth wonderfully the bitter fight and sorrowful conflict between hope and desperation ; wherein he complaineth also of his own soul that was so much discomforted, and biddeth it trust in the Lord. Of the which two places ye may learn that no man had ever faith at all times like, but sometimes more strong, sometimes more weak, as it pleased God to give it. Let no man therefore despair, although he find weakness of faith ; for it shall make him to humble himself the more, and to be the more diUgent to pray to have help, when he perceiveth his own weakness ; and, doubtless, at length the weak man by the strong God shall be brought to this point, that he shall in all troubles and ad- versities say with the prophet, " If I should go through the shadow and dangers of death, I would not fear what troubles soever happen." And he sheweth his good assurance in the text that followeth, which is the sixth part of this holy and blessed hymn. THE SIXTH PART OF THE PSALM. WHEREBY THE TROUBLES OF GOD's ELECT BE OVERCOME. The fourth Verse continued, and the fifth Verse expounded. [The text, 1562.] For thou art ivith me ; thy rod and thy staff comfort me. Thou shalt prepare a table before me against them that trouble me : thou hast anointed my head with oil, and my cup shall be full. [The Explanation, 1562.] Seeing thou art with me, at whose power and will all troubles go and come, I doubt not but to have the victory and UPON PSALM XXIII. 223 overhand of them, how many and dangerous soever they be ; for thy rod chasteneth mo when I go astray, and thy staff stayeth me when I should fall : — two things most necessary for me, good Lord ; the one, to call me from my fault and error, and the other, to keep me in thy truth and verity. What can be more blessed than to be sustained and kept from falling by the staff and strength of the Most Highest ? And what can be more profitable than to be beaten with his merciful rod, when we go astray ? For he chasteneth as many as he loveth, and beateth as many as he receiveth into his holy profession. Notwithstanding, whiles we be here in this life, he feedeth us with the sweet pastures of wholesome herbs of his holy word, until we come to eternal life ; and when we put off these bodies, and corae into heaven, and know the blessed fruition and riches of his kingdom, then shall we not only be his sheep, but also the guests of his everlasting banquet ; the which, Lord, thou settest before all them that love thee in this world, and dost so anoint and make glad our minds with thine holy Spirit, that no adversities nor troubles can make us sorry. In tliis sixth part the prophet declareth the old saying amongst wise men, Non minor est virtus quam qucerere parta tueri ; that is to say, it is no less mastery to keep the thing that is won than it was to win it. King David perceiveth right well the same : and therefore, as before in the psalm he said, the Lord turned his soul, and led him into the pleasant pastures, where as virtue and justice reigned, for his name's sake, and not for any righteousness of his own ; so saith he now, that being brought into the pastures of truth and into the favour of the Almighty, and accounted and taken for one of his sheep, it is only God that kecpeth and maintaineth him in the same state, condition, and grace. For he could not pass through the troubles and shadow of death (as ho and all God's elect people must do) but only by the assistance of God; and therefore he saith he passed through all peril because he was with him. Of this part of the psalm we learn, that all the strength of man is unable to resist the troubles and persecutions of God's people ; and that the grace and presence of God is able 224 EXPOSITIONS ON CERTAIN PSALMS. to defend his people, and nothing but it. Therefore doth St Kph. vi. Paul bid the Ephesians " be strong through the Lord, and through the might of his strength ;" for he saith, that great and many be our adversaries, strong and mighty, which go about not only to weaken us, but also to overcome us ; and we of ourselves have no power to withstand : wherefore he willcth us to depend and stay only upon God's strength. And 1 Peu V. St Peter also, when he hath declared the force and malice of the devil, he willeth us to " resist him strongly in faith." And ijoh. V. St John saith, that "This is the victory that overcometh the world, even our faith." And our Saviour Christ, when the time was come that he should depart out of the world corpo- rally, and perceived how maliciously and strongly the devil and the world were bent against his disciples, that he should leave in the world as sheep amongst wolves, and how little strength his poor flock had against such marvellous troubles ; he made his most holy and elFectuaP prayer for them present, and them in trouble, and likewise for us that be now, and also in trouble, in this sort : Pater sancte, serva eos per nomen Matt. X. timm, quos dedisti mihi ; that is to say, "Holy Father, keep them for thy name's sake, whom thou hast given me." Here hath every one of God's people such learning as psai. cxx. teacheth that "our help is only in the name of the Lord, who made heaven and earth." And in this learning we^ shall un- derstand two necessary lessons : the first, that none can de- fend us but God alone, who is our protector, and none but he. And by this learning he will beware to ask or seek help any other where, saving of God, as we be instructed by his holy word : and herein we honour him, to know and confess that there is none that can preserve nor save us but he alone. The other lesson is, that our conscience, understanding that God can and will help us, shall cause us in all trouble to commend ourselves unto him, and so more strongly and patiently bear and suffer all troubles and adversities, being assured that we shall overcome them through him, or else be taken by them from this world into a world where as is no trouble at all. So said this holy prophet and king David: "If I walk in the shadow of death, I will not fear, for thou art with me." Now in that he saith, he "will not fear," he meaneth not that a [1 Effectuous, 1562.] [2 He, 1562.] UPON PSALM XXIII. 225 man may see and suffer these perils without all perils^ (for then were a man rather a perfect spirit than a mortal crea- ture) ; but he meaneth that^ fear shall not overcome him. For Christ himself feared death ; neither is there any man that Matt xxvu shall suffer imprisonment for Christ's sake, but that he shall feel the pains : nevertheless, God's Spirit shall give strength to bear them, and also in Christ to overcome them. There is no man that can have faith, but sometimes and upon some occasion it may be troubled and assaulted with mistrust ; no man such charity, but that it may be, yea, and is, troubled with hatred ; no man such patience, but that it may at times feel impatience*; no man such verity, but that it may be troubled with falsehood : howbeit, in the people of God, by God's help, the best overcometh the worst, and the virtue the sin. But in case the worst prevail and overcome, the man of God is never quiet until he be restored unto God again, and unto the same virtues that he lost by sin : as ye may see in this king by many of his psalms, that he believed, and found God to defend him, howsoever his state was ; and therefore attributeth unto him the whole victory and praise of his deliverance, saying, "Thou art with me, and dost overcome." But now the prophet declareth how and by what means God is with him, and doth deliver him from all troubles. And this means of God's presence and defence he openeth by divers allegories and translations, wonderful meet and apt to express the thing that he would shew to^ the world. The first translation, or allegory, he taketh of the nature of a rod ; the second, of a staff, and saith they did comfort him and defend him ; the third he taketh of a table, which he saith the great Shepherd prepared before his face against as many as troubled him ; the fourth he taketh from the nature of oil, and of a cup that was always full, wherewith he was not only satisfied, but also joyfully replenished in all times and all troubles, whatsoever they were. By the rod is many times in the scripture understanded the punishment and correction that God useth to call home again and to amend his elect and beloved people, when they offend him. He punisheth them, and yet killeth them not ; ho [3 Probably a mistake for fear.] [* The, 1562.] [5 Impatiency, 1562.] [6 Unto, 1562 ] r 15 [hooper, II.J 22G EXPOSITIONS ON CERTAIN PSALMS. beateth them until they know their faults, but casteth them 2sam. vii. not awaj : as he said to king David, that when he died his kino-dom should come unto one of his own children : and in case he went astray from his law, he would correct him with the rod of other princes, and with the plagues of the sons of men ; " But my mercy (saith God) I will not take from him, as I did from Saul." This same manner of speech may ye read also in his 89th psalm ; and in the Proverbs Prov. X. of his son king Salomon ye have the same doctrine : " He that wanteth a heart must have his back beaten with a rod." Prov. xiii. And in the same book he saith, " He that spareth the rod hateth the child." So doth kino; David here confess, that it is a very necessary and requisite way to keep the sheep of God from perishing, to be chastened and corrected when they wax wanton, and will not hear the voice of their shep- herd. And it is the part of every wise godly man to love this correction and chastisement of the Lord, as Salomon Prov. xii. saith, " He that loveth discipline and correction loveth knowledge ; he that hateth to be rebuked is a fool." And Ps.cxix. king David saith, "It is to my great good commodity^ that the Lord chasteneth me." This rod of correction, David saith, is one of the instruments and means wherewithal God preserveth his sheep from straying. Now in the scripture sometimes the rod is taken, not for a correction that amend- eth a man, but for the punishment and utter destruction of Ps- ii. man, as David saith of Christ, " Thou shalt break them with Kev. 3ciL an iron rod ;" and in the Apocalypse ye may see the same. But I will speak of the metaphors and translations none otherwise than David doth use them in this place for his purpose. The staff which he speaketh of in the scripture is taken for strength, power, and dominion ; which staff is spoken of, Kings xviiL as ye may see, in the books of the Kings, how the ambas- sadors and men of war sent from the king of the Assyrians to Ezechias at Jerusalem called the strength and power of the Egyptians, and also of the Almighty God, a staff of reed, and a broken weapon, not able to withstand the king of the Is. x.xiv. Assyrians. And of such manner of speech ve may read xxviii. xxxix. ^ , I ti •/ Ezek. xxix. many times in the prophets. But in this place David con- fesseth that the staff of the Lord, that is to sav, God's Good and commodity, 1562.] UPON PSALM XXIII. 227 power, is so strong that nothing is able to overcome it; his wisdom is such that no man can make it foohshncss ; his truth is so true that no man can make it false ; his promise is so certain and sure that no man can cause him to break or alter it ; his love is so constant that no man can withdraw it ; his providence is so wise that no man can beguile him ; his care is so great for his flock that they can want nothing ; his fold is so strong that no beast can break it ; he letteth his sheep so in and out that no man can deceive him; he hath such a care of all as he neglectcth not one ; he so loveth the one that he hateth not the other ; he so teacheth all as none is left ignorant ; he so calleth one as all should be advertised ; he so chasteneth one as all should beware ; he so receiveth one as all slpuld take hope and consolation ; he so preserveth one as all the rest may be assured ; that^ he useth his staff and force to comfort one king David (as he saith, " Thy rod and thy staff, they comfort me,") as all other should assure themselves to be safe under his protec- tion. In this metaphor and translation, under the name of a staff, king David hath declared the power of God to be such that, in case he should pass by and through thousands of perils, he would not care, for God is with him with his rod and staff. Then he setteth forth the third allegory, and expresseth another means which God useth for the defence and consola- tion of his poor sheep, and saith that God hath " prepared a table in his sight against all those that trouble him." By the name of a table he setteth forth the familiar and (in man- ner) fellow-like love that the God omnipotent hath towards his sheep, with whom he useth not only friendship, but also familiarity, and disdaineth not (being the King of kings) to admit and receive unto his table vile and beggarly sinners, scabbed and rotten sheep. That friendship and familiarity The friend- is marvellously set forth in this, that he made a table for faminaruy David : as though David had said, " Who is he that can heavenly O Shepherd hurt me, when the Lord of lords doth not only love me, but '^eep"'' admitteth me to be always familiarly in his campany ?" The same manner of speech is used of king David towards Mi- 2 sam. ix. phiboseth, Jonathan's son, when he said he should not only have the fields again of Saul his grandfather, but also be [2 That, omitted in 1562.] 15—2 228 EXPOSITIONS ON CERTAIN PSALMS. entertained at his own table, that is to say, used friendly, honourably, and familiarly. This word "table" is diversely other ways taken many times in the scripture, but in this place it is nearest to the mind of king David to take it in this signification that I have noted. And our Saviour Christ [Lukcxxii. taketh it in the same signification in St Luke's gospel, where ^'■^ he saith, his disciples shall eat with him at his table in the kingdom of God. The fourth means that the heavenly shepherd useth in keeping of his sheep the prophet setteth forth under the name of oil, and a full cup. In the word of God these words have also comfortable significations and meanings, ex- tending to David's purpose. Isaac, when he had given the Gen.xxvii. blossing from Esau to Jacob, said to Jacob : " God shall give thee of the dew from heaven, and from the fruitful ground thou shalt have abundance of corn, of wine, and oil," &c. By the which blessing he meaneth that Jacob should lack nothing to serve his needs, and to make him merry. And if we take David, that he meaneth by oil, as Isaac did, that at the Lord's table was all plenty, mirth, and solace, we take him not amiss : for so many times oil is taken for consolation Lukex. and joy in the scriptures \ When Christ had purged the hurt man's wounds first with smarting wine, he afterwards put into them sweet oil, to ease the smart and sharpness of the wine. And so likewise saith our Saviour Christ to Simon the Pharisee, that gave him meat enough to his dinner, but Lukevii. gave him no mirth: "Since I came into thy house, thou gavest me no water for my feet, nor oil for my head : this poor woman never ceased to wash my feet with the tears of her eyes, and to anoint them with oil." But in many psalms king David useth this word " oil" to signify the Holy Ghost, Ps, xiv. as when he speaketh of our Saviour Christ : " Thou hast loved justice, and hated iniquity; therefore hath God anointed thee with the oil of joy above thy fellows." And this oil is not the material oil that kings and priests were anointed withal in the old time of the law, of whose confection we LExod. XXX. read in the book of the Levites : but this is the oil by 22, &.C.] . " whose efiicacy, strength, and power, all things were made, Ps. ixxxix. that is to say, the Holy Ghost. And in his 89th psalm [1 Scripture, 1562.] UPON PSALM XXIII. 229 he spcaketh of the ^ oil In the same signification. There- fore I take king David here, when he saith God hath anointed his head with oil, that God hath illuminated his spirit with the Holy Ghost. And so is this place taken of godly men, The work of his head taken for his mind, and oil for the Holy Ghost. Gho"nn the And as oil nourisheth hght, mitigateth labours and pains, fauhfu?. and exhilarateth the countenance ; so doth the Holy Ghost nourish the light and knowledge of the mind, replenisheth it with God's gifts, and rejoiceth the heart: therefore the Holy Ghost is called the oil of mirth and consolation. And this consolation cometh unto king David, and to all God's lively members, by the means of Christ, as St Peter saith : " TVe be people chosen, and a princely priesthood, &c." i ret. a. By the word " cup," in this verse, he meaneth that he is fully instructed in all godly knowledge to live virtuously and godly for the time of this^ mortal life : and so is the cup in the scripture taken for any thing that can happen unto us, whether it be adversity or. prosperity ; for they be called cups ; as Christ said of his death, " Father, if it be possible, Matt. xxvi. take this cup from me." And David in the sixteenth psalm useth it for man's prosperity in God : " The Lord (saith he) Psai. xvi. is the portion of mine inheritance, and of my cup." And therein he speaketh in the name of Christ, whose inheritance is the whole number of the faithful, and saith that his in- heritance, which is the church, by God's appointment is blessed and happy ; for no adversity can destroy it. This is meant by David's words, " the rod, the staff, the table, the oil, and the cup:" and he useth all these words to declare the carefulness, love, and defence of God towards miserable man. And he could the better speak thereof unto others, because he had so many times felt and had experience, that God was both strong and faithful towards him in all time of danger and adversity. And here is to be noted, that the dangers that man is subject unto in this life be not alone such as heretofore king David hath made mention of, as sickness, treason, sedition, war, poverty, banishment, and the death of the body ; but he felt also (as every man of God shall feel and perceive) that there be greater perils and dangers that man standeth in [2 The, omUted in 1562.] [3 His, 1562.] 230 EXPOSITIONS ON CERTAIN PSALMS. jeopardy of than these be, by occasion of sin, the mother of What sin all man's adversity. Sin bringeth a man into the displeasure maxfumo. and indignation of God ; the indignation of God bringeth a man into the hatred of God ; the hatred of God bringeth a man into despair and doubtfulness of God's forgiveness ; despair bringeth a man into everlasting pain ; and everlasting pain continueth and punisheth the damned creature with fire never to be quenched, with God's anger and displeasure, which cannot be reconciled nor pacified. These be the troubles of all troubles, and sorrows of all sorrows, as our Saviour Christ declareth in his most heavenly prayer, in St John. Non rogo ut tollas eos e mundo, sed ut John xvii. serves eos a malo ; that is to say, " I do not (saith Christ to his heavenly Father) pray that thou shouldest take those that I pray for out of the world, but that thou preserve them from evil." And in this prayer he hath wonderfully taught us, that a christian man is subject to two troubles ; one of the body, and another of the soul ; one of the world, and It is not another of the devil. As for the troubles of the world, he that we be saith it is not so expedient that christian men be delivered troubles, lest from them, lest in idleness we should seek ourselves, and not we seek our- seivesand God, as the children of Israel did : but this he knew was most forget God. ' necessary, that the Father should preserve us in the midst of these troubles with his help from all sin and transgression of his holy laws ; and this he assured his disciples of, and all other that put their trust in him, not that they should in this life be preserved and kept from troubles and adversities, but that the heavenly Father should always give unto his such strength and virtue aorainst all the enemies of God and man's salvation, that they should not be overcome with troubles that put their trust in him. For God suffereth and appointeth his to fight and make war with sin, and with all troubles and sorrows that sin bringeth with it : but God will never permit his to be deadly and mortally wounded. It is therefore expedient that man know who be his greatest foes, and do work him^ most danger. There be divers psalms wherein he setteth forth the peril that he was in, as well in his body as in his soul : as when he complaineth of his banishment amongst not only cruel people, but also ungodly, that sought to take both his [1 Ilira, omitted in 1562.] UPON PSALM XXIII. 231 mortal life from him, and also his religion and trust that he had in God's word. Wherefore he compareth them to the Tartarians and Arabians, men without pity or^ religion. And Psal. cxx. the like doth he afterwards in another psalm, where as, giving thanks for his delivery, he saith that sinners trod upon his Psai. cxxix. back, and many times warred against him, and he should have been overthrown, if God had not holpen him. Where- in he speaketh, not only of battle with the sword against the body, but also of heresy and false doctrine against the soul : as ye may see how Senacherib and Julius the apostate, two emperors, fought against the people of God, not only to take from them their lives, but also their religion and true honour- ing of God. And of all battles that is the cruelest, and of all enemies the principal, that would take the soul of man from God's word, and bring it to the word of man. And that persecution and trouble openly against God's word con- tinued many years, until Christ was preached abroad, and princes made Christians. Then thought the devil his king- dom to have been overthrown, and christian men might live in Christ's religion without any trouble or war for religion : howbeit at length, for sin, the devil entered by subtle means, not only to corrupt true rehgion, but also persecuted the true professors thereof under the name of true rehgion, and therein used a marvellous policy and craft by men that walked in- ordinately amongst the Christians themselves : from whose companies, sects, and conversation, St Paul willed us to refrain by these words : " We command you, brethren, in the name 2 Thess. ui. of our Lord Jesus Christ, that ye refrain from every one that is accounted a brother, that useth himself inordinately, and not according to the institution he received of us." And because ye have not taken heed of this holy command- ment, and kept yourselves from danger and peril of heresy, sin, idolatry, and superstition, by the rod and staff of God, nor have not eaten your meat of rehgion at God's table, nor your minds have been anointed with the Holy Ghost (as David in this psalm saith that he was against all troubles by these means defended and maintained, that no peril of the body by the sword, nor peril of the soul by false doctrine, could hurt him) ; therefore mark a little, and see the dangers that have hurted both you and your conscience also not like to be [2 And, 1562.] 232 EXPOSITIONS ON CERTAIN PSALMS. healed (as far as I can see), but more hurt hereafter. For the way to heal a man is to expel' and put away sickness, and not to increase and continue the sickness. From whom think ye that St Paul commanded you to refrain in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ ? He saith, " from him that behaveth himself inordinately." Who is that, think ye? St Paul saith, he that ruleth not himself after the rule and institution that he himself had taught the Thessalonians, So that we must refrain then from all such as conform not themselves to oai.i. the institution of St Paul ; yea, although he be an angel from heaven. This departure from such as have ruled and put forth errors and lies is not new, but hath been used in England of Englishmen more than twenty years since we departed from the see of Rome, for the ambition of the Romish bishops that transgressed both this ordinance of St Paul and also of Christ. Of the which deadly and pestilent ambition the prophet Ezek. xxxiv. Ezechicl prophesied, and so did also St Paul ; if prophecies by God and commandments by his holy apostles had any thing prevailed in our dull and naughty hearts. Read the places, and see yourselves what is spoken of such a wicked shepherd. I do put you in mind of this wicked see, because I do see that, contrary to the word of God, contrary to the laws of the realm most godly against the pope's supremacy, against all our oaths that be Englishmen, and against all the old godly writers, this antichrist and member of the devil is not unlike to have the regiment of your souls again, which God forbid. I do exhort all men, therefore, to beware of him, as of one that came naughtily to such usurped authority, and whose authority is not only the trouble of all christian realms and princes, but also of all christian souls. And as he hath been always a trouble unto the one, so hath he been a destruction to the other : as I will a little declare unto you, that ye may know him the better, and so by the rod and staff of God's word defend yourselves from him. The Greek church, for this ambition of the Romish bishop, separated herself from the church of Rome, and would not have to do with her; for after that the Greeks knew that the bishops of Rome meant to take from them their liberties, they would not endure it : yet did the Romish [1 Expulse, 15G2.] UPON PSALM XXIII. 233 bishops always, to come to the supremacy, pick quarrels and matters to fall out upon, first with the clergy, and then with the laity. Platina writeth how Pius bishop of Rome, being deceived by one Hermes, a very evil man, began a new order about the keeping of Easter-day, and altered the time that the apostles and their disciples used until Pius' days, which was, to celebrate and keep the day of the resurrection of our Saviour Christ the fourteenth moon of the first month, which is with the Jews our JMarch". And although it be well done to keep it upon the Sunday, yet was this an horrible pre- sumption, upon so light a cause to excommunicate the Greek church, and to make division where before was union. It came to pass in Victor''s time the first, which was about the year of our Lord two hundred, and in the time of Irenjeus, the bishop of Lugdune, the disciple of John the evangelist, this Victor would have condemned the Greek church, and proceeded with excommunication against it, had not Irenseus^ letted it : yet was it the elder church, and had continued in the doctrine of the apostles from Christ's time, and had John the evangelist amongst them for the space of threescore and eight years after Christ's ascension. And notwithstanding the Greek church was the elder church, yet they took* the Roman church to be equal with them, according to the doc- trine of Christ and his apostles, and also according to the decree that was made in the general council at Nice. And the Greek church never contended with the Romish church for the supremacy, until a proud and arrogant monk, that feigned humility, was preferred to be bishop of Constantino- ple ; which came to such arrogancy of spirit that he would have been taken for the universal head of the church, which Antonimig, was a very mark to know that he was of antichrist, and not of '3- 3 ^3. 13. p Hoc tempore Pius Pontifex consuetudinem, et quidem magnatn, cum Hermete habuit, qui librum scripsit titulo Pastoris iiisignitum ; quo quidem in libro Angelus pastoris personam induens ei mandat, ut omnibus persuadeat pascha die Dominica celebrari, quod etiam fecit. — Platinse Vit. Pontif. Pius I. Colon. 1551. p. 18.] [3 See Euseb. Eccles. Hist. Lib. v. cap. 23, 24.] [4 'They took' supplied from 1562.] [5 This should be Tit. xii. cap. iii. sect. 13. Triste tamen valdo est, ut patienter feratur quatenus despcctus omnibus prajdictus frater et coepiscopus mens solus conetur nuncupari episcopus. Sed in hac ejus superbia quid aliud nisi propinqua jam Antichristi tempera esse 234 EXPOSITIONS ON CERTAIN PSALMS. Christ, as Gregory the Great writeth to Constantia the em- press : and at length this proud monk, at a synod kept at Constantinople, created himself the universal head of the church. Although before his time one Menna, and other archbishops of Constantinople, for the dignity of the imperial state being there, were called universal patriarchs ; yet that was by name alone, and without execution of authority in any foreign bishoprick or church. But such was the ambition of these bishops, that walked (as St Paul saith) inordinately, that they would have the head and principality of religion and of the church at Constantinople, because there was the head and principality of the worldly kingdom ; and so they began betime to confound the civil policy with the policy of the church, until they brought themselves not only to be heads of the church, but also lords of all emperors and kings, and at the last of God and God's word : as ruthfully it appeareth in men's conscience at this present day. Which abomination and Dutinct. 99. pride Pelagius^ the second, bishop of Rome, both spake and wrote against, and would that he nor any man else should Antoninus, havo the name of a general bishop. And St Gregory^ doth a"' confirm the same godly sentence of his predecessor Pelagius, and would not, when he was commanded by the emperor, whom John the bishop had abused, take the archbishop of Constantinople for the universal head, nor condescend unto the emperor's commandment, and wrote to the empress that it was contrary to the ordinance of Christ and his apostles, and contrary to the council of Nice. He said also, that such new arrogancy was a very token that the time of antichrist drew nigh. And Gregory did not only write and speak against this arrogancy and pride, but suffered also great danger (as Platina writeth^), and so did all Rome, by the Lombards, that Mauricius the emperor made to besiege Rome, because Gre- gory refused to obey the archbishop of Constantinople as the head of the church. designat? — Second. Part. Histor. Anton, fol. 74. Nuremb. 1484. See also Carion. Chron. fol. 153. Francof. 1543.] 1} NuUus Patriarcharum universalitatis vocabulo unquam utatur, &c. — Corp. Juris Canon. Decret. I. Pars. Distinct. 99. c. 4. Decretal. Grat. col. 665. Venet. 1604. Also Cone. Binii. Tom. iv. p. 477. c. 1. D. Lut. Paris. 1636.] [2 Ibid. Distinct. 99. c. 5.] [3 Platinse Vit. Pontif. Gregorius I. Colon. 1551. p. 74. See also Anton. Hist. Tit. xii. cap. nr. sect. 13. fol. 75.] UPON PSALM XXIII. 235 But although Pclagius, Gregory, and other godly men, detested and abhorred this wicked arrogancy to be the universal head of the church, yet the bishop of Ravenna began amongst the Latins to prepare the way to antichrist, as Paulus Diaconus saith, and separated himself from the society De gestis of other churches, to the intent he might come to be a head L°b.*m?cap. , 12. himself. But what at length came of it, Platina writeth*. i„£eon. 2. And within a short time after, Boniface the third being the bishop of Rome, about the year of our Lord six hundred and seven, Phocas the emperor judged him to be head of the church, against both the bishop of Constantinople, and also of Ravenna : and such a sentence was meet for such an arbitror^ Phocas was a wicked man, a covetous man, an adulterer, and a traitorous^ murderer of his lord and master, Mauricius ; and this man, to make God and the Romans riaiina in ' ' . Bonifac. 3. amends, gave sentence that the bishop of Rome should be the Paulus Dia- universal head of the church. But here was contemned the ^stis Long.' sentence and doctrine of Christ and his apostles, and also the ii. ' decrees of the holy council of Nice. And no marvel : for they condemned both parties of arrogancy and usurpation ; and not only these councils, but all other for many years, which decreed that^ although one seat was named before the other, yet the bishop of the principal seat should not be the Contudit etiam superbiam prsesulum Ravennatum, quod Agatho inchoaverat. Instituit enim ne clectio cleri Ravennatis valerct, nisi eadem Romanse sedis auctoritate confirmata fuisset. — PlatinaD Vit. Pontif. Leo 2. p. 87.] [^5 Bonifacius III. patria Romanus, a Phoca Impei'atore obtinuit, magna tamen contentione, ut sedes beati Petri Apostoli, qurc caput est omnium ecclesiai'um, ita et dicerctur ct liaberetur ab omnibus : quem quidem locum ecclesia Constantinopolitana sibi vindicare cona- batur, &c. — Idem. Bonifa. 3. p. 75.] [6 Carion. Cbron. fol. 151.] Hie, rogantc Papa Bonifacio, statuit sedem Romanrc ct apo- stolicse ecclesio) primam esse, cum prius Constantinopolitana se pri- mam omnium ccclesiarum scriberet. — Paul. Diac. De gestis Longobard. Lib. IV. cap. 11. fol. 20. Paris. 1514. See also Corp. Jur. Can. Decret. I. Pars. Distinct. 22. cc. 3-6. Decretal. Grat. coll. 564, 665. Venet. 1604.] [8 Ex concil. Afric. Primae sedis episcopus non appelletur pria- ceps sacerdotum, vel summus sacerdos, aut aliquid hujusraodi, sed tantum primBe sedis episcopus. — Corp. Jur. Can. Decret. I. Pars. Dis- tinct. 99. cap. 3. coll. 564, 565. Decret. Gratian. Also Cone. Carth. III. cap. 26. Blnii. Tom. i. p. 711.] 236 EXPOSITIONS ON CERTAIN PSALMS. chiefcst priest or head of the rest, but only he should be De simpiici- Called the bishop of the chiefest seat. And how much it is tale c'lenco- * rum. against St Cyprian, they may see that will read his works S and also against St Hierome^. But what law can rule wick- edness ? This wicked see contended still. After Phocas had given sentence with it for the supremacy, yet were the bishops of Rome always subject to the emperors, as well of Constan- tinople as of France, for the time of their reign ; yea, four hundred years and odd after the judgment of Phocas they were in this obedience, and were made by the emperors, until the time of Gregory the seventh, who, in the time of great sedition, translated the empire into Germany ; and never used jurisdiction in emperors and^ kings, nor yet in the citizens of Eome ; but only desired to have all bishops' causes to be discerned by the see of Rome ; yet could not obtain so much at those days, as* appeareth by the council of Africa^, where as Boniface the first could not obtain ■with craft, nor with his lies that he made of the canons decreed in the council of Nice, to have causes deferred to the To be called seo of Rome. And as for this name, pope was a general thTfil^f ^ name to all bishops, as it appeareth in the epistles of Cyprian", general to_ '■ ^ ,^ t/1' all bishops. Hierome', Augustine*^, and of other old bishops and doctors, which were more holy and better learned than these latter ambitious and glorious enemies of Christ and Christ's church. [1 Cypr. Tract, de Simplic. prselatorum. Tom. i. Tract. 3. p. 248. Antw. 1541.] [2 Hieron. Ep. ad Evag. Ubicunque fuerit episcopus, sive Romre, she Eugubii, sive Constantinopoli, sive Rhegii, sive Alexandrite, sive Tanis, ejusdem meriti, ejusdem est et sacerdotii, &c. — Epist. Lib. ii. Tom. II. fol. 117, G. Paris. 1534. See also bis Commentaries on Eze- kiel, Zepbaniah, Galatians and Titus.] [3 Nor, 1562.] [4 It, 1562.] [5 See Epist. Cone. Afric. ad Bonif. Binii, Tom. i. p. 925.] [6 Cypriano Papfe Presbyteri et Diaconi Romse consistentes sal. The superscription of tbo seventh epistle in St Cyprian's works. — Epist. Lib. n. Ep. 7. Op. Tom. i. p. 98.] [7 See Hieron. Epp. ad August. Lib. ii. Tom. ii. foil. 113. F, 123. G, 125. G, K, 129. G.] [s See Epp. xiii, xxxiv, lxxvi. August. Op. Tom. n. and Ep. ad Aurel. Tom. iii. col. 238, B. Basil. 1569. Also Hieron. Bignonii not. ad Marculfum, ap. Baluz. Capital. Reg. Franc. Tom. ii. col, 865. Paris. 1677.] UPON PSALM XXIII. 237 Read the text^ distinct. 50, c, De eo tamen, SfC. Ahsit ; and ^''■^^I'M^' there shall ye see that the clergy of Rome in their letters called Cyprian pope ; and Clodovius, the king of France, named the bishop of Rome, as he did other bishops, a bishop. This was the state of the primitive church, which was both near unto Christ in time, and like unto him in doctrine, and kept St Paul's equality, where as he saith, he was ap- oai. n. pointed amongst the gentiles, as Peter was amongst the Jews. And although the bishops in the time of Constantino the Great obtained that amongst bishops there should be some conc.^Nicen. that should be called archbishops and metropolitans ; yet all they were not instituted to be heads generally of the church, but to the end they should take more pains to see the church well ordered and instructed : and yet this pre-eminence was at the liberty and discretion of princes, and not always bound unto one place, and one sort of prelates, as the wickedness of our time believeth ; as ye may see in the councils of Chalce- don and Africa. So that it is manifest, this superior pre- eminence is not of God's laws, but of man's, instituted for a civil pohcy ; and so was the church of Constantinople equal with the church of Rome. And in our days Erasmus Roterodame writeth and saith, this name (to be high bishop of the world) was not known to the old church : but this was used, that bishops were all called high priests ; and that name gave Urban 1' the first unto all bishops, as it is written in Distinct. 59, cap. Si officio. Anno Dom. CCXXVI. But as for one to be head of all, it was not admitted. And the Greek church did never agree to this wicked supremacy, nor [9 Coi-p. Jur. Canon. Decret. Pars I. Distinct. 50. capp. 35 and 26. Decretal. Grat. coll. 289, 297. Ven. 1604.] [10 Apol. ad concl. Stun. Hoc argumentum illi eripio ; quum id cognomen (summus Pontifex) non esset auditum illo seculo. p. 321. Ego dico nomen hoc (summum orbis pontifieem) non fuisse auditum illis temporibus. p. 322. Op. Tom. ix. Basil. 1540.] \}^ Jure inde sit/nmt Pontificis locum sperare debebit. — Corp. Jur. Can. Decret. I. Pai-s. Distinct. 59. cap. 2. Decret. Grat. col. 349. N. B. Tiiis is attributed to Zozimus, Ep. 1. ad Isichium Saloni- tanum Episcopum, a.d. 418, instead of to Urban, a.d. 226. Emendata est inscriptio ca plerisquo vetustis Gratiani exemplaribus. See also Dagoberti Regis Capitulare III. Tit. i. cap. 11. Baluz. Capit. Reg. Franc, col. 99.] 238 EXPOSITIONS ON CERTAIN PSALMS. obeyed it, until the year of our Lord one thousand two hundred and two ; compelled thereunto by one Baldwin ^ that brought the Frenchmen, by the help of the Venetians, unto Constantinople, to restore one Alexius unto the empire, upon this condition, that he should subdue the Greek church to the church of Rome. But this came to pass, that the pope never, after he had gotten by alms and help of princes to be over them, passed one iota for the emperor of Constantinople further than he served his turn. So that ye may see both his beginning and proceedings to be of the devil ; which if ye kill not with the staff of God's word, and beat liim from your conscience, he will double kill your souls. Now, within one hundred and fifty years after Phocas had made the bishop of Kome head of the church, the bishop of Rome contemned the emperor of Constantinople, and devised to bring the empire into France, and to give the king of France the same authority over the bishop of Rome that before the emperor had, as it appeareth in Charles the Great 2, and his successors a long time ; and yet was the bishop of Rome under the princes, and not (as he is now) an idol exempt from all order and obedience. For princes made the bishops of Rome, and all other bishops within their realms ; and so continued the making of the pope in the emperor's authority, until it was about the year of our Lord one thou- Hemeaneth sand ouo hundred and ten. After that^, Henry the fifth, here autno , . . . i>ilU°.s^and being sore molested by sedition moved against him by the of both pope, Paschahs the second, was constrained at length to sur- swords. render his authority unto him, who turned the face of his bishoprick into manifest wars. What followed when the pope was thus free, and lived without obedience to the christian magistrates, I will not in this treatise make mention, but put you in remembrance that for certainty there followed such [1 See Guntheri Hist. Constantinop. Sect. 11. ap. Canisii Antiq. Lect. Tom. v. Par. 11. p. 372. Ingolds. 1G04.] [2 See Coip- Jur. Can. Decret. Greg. Lib. i. De elect. Tit. n. cap. 34. coll. 188, 189. Venet. 1604. Innoc. III. Duci Caring. Apostolica sede — qua3 Romanum imperium in personam magnifici Caroli a Grsecis transtulit in Germanos. This was done by pope Stephanus, a.d. 776. The coronation of the emperor, however, was delayed for some time, and was performed by pope Leo. See also Carion. Chron. fol. 161. Francof. 1543.] [3 See Carion. Chi-on. fol. 196.] UPON PSALM XXIII. 239 trouble amongst christian princes as never was before ; as it is to be seen by the doing of the wicked man Gregory the seventh, who took then upon him to have authority to use two swords*, the spiritual and the temporal ; insomuch that Henry the fourth was compelled threescore and two times to make war in his life by the means of the bishop of Kome. And, as it is written ^ this wicked bishop stirred up the Aiberhis emperor's own brother-in-law, Radulphus the duke of Suevia, Kcciesiast. . , ,. /•ii-ii - H'stor. Lib. to war against him, and sent him a crown ot gold, with this vi. verse graven in it : Petra dedit Petro, Petrus diadema Radulplio ; that is to say, " Christ gave the empire to Peter, Peter glveth it to Radulph :" meaning that Christ had given the empire worldly to the bishop of Eome, and he gave it to Radulph. Ye may see what a rod the emperors made for their own tail. For, after they had made the bishop of Rome head of the church, the bishops^ made themselves shortly after the heads of emperors and kings ; a just plague of God for all them that will exalt such to rule as God said should be ruled. These bishops be not only proud, but also unthankful. For, whereas all the world knoweth the bishop's authority to Abbas usper- come from the emperor in worldly things, and not from God, chronico!"" but against God ; this monster, Gregory the seventh, said [4 Corp. Jur. Can. Extravag. Comm. Lib. i. Do majorit. et obed. Bonifac. VIII. cap. 1. In hac ejusque potestato duos esse gladios, spiritualem videlicet et temporalem, evangelicis dictis instruimur Uterque ergo est in potestato ecclesise, spiritualis scilicet gladius et materialis. Col. 227.] [5 Quod cum ille religiose coepisset implore, videntes cardines orbis quia prse timore sedis apostolicso contremiscant potestates, et sub eo curventur qui portant orbem, suggessisse summo Pontifici, ut, dejecto degenere qui publicam peregisset poenitentiam, alium curarct in regno sublimari: percontante autem Pontifice, quis dignus videretur ? Rodul- phum Suevum esse practensum : cui illico Papa raiserit covonam cum elogio, Petva dedit Romam Petro, tiln Papa coronam; maiulavcritquc Moguntino et Coloniensi Archiepiscopis, ut ilium eligeront, conse- crarent, tuerentur. — Crantz. Saxon. Hist. Lib. v. c. 7. p. 296. Colon. 1574.— See also Carion. Chron. fol. 193. Also Vit. Grog. Papte VII. Cone. Binii. Tom. vii. Par. 2. p. 309. Lut. Paris. 1636.] [" Sco Coi-p. Jur. Can. Decret. I. Pars. Distinct. 00. capp. 9, 10, 11. Decrct. Gratian. coll. 551, 552, 553.] 240 EXPOSITIONS ON CERTAIN PSALMS. that Christ gave him the empire of Rome, and he giveth it to the duke of Suevia, Radulph, to kill his good brother Henry the fourth. He that will know more of this wicked man, and of his brethren bishops of Rome, let him read Benno the cardinal, that writeth in his history of the popes that he saw, of John the twentieth, Benedict the ninth, Silvester the third, Gregory the sixth, Leo the ninth, Alexander the second. But in his old days he saw and writeth horrible and execrable things of Gregory the seventh ^ Yet was England free from this beast of Rome then, in respect of that it was before the idol was expelled ^ in king Henry the eighth's time. But Alexander the third never rested to move men to sedition until such time as king Henry the second^ was content to be under him as other were. And all this suffered England for Thomas Becket, the pope's martyr*. When they were crept up into this high authority, all their own creatures, bishops of their sect, cardinals, priests, monks, and friars, could never be contented to be under the obedience of the princes : and, to say the truth, princes durst not (in manner) require it ; for they were in danger of goods and life. And the emperor^ Henry the seventh was poi- soned by a monk, that poisoned the idol of the mass, — both a god and minister meet to poison men, and both of the pope's making. And what conscience did they make of this, think ye ? Doubtless none at all ; for the pope saith, and so do^ all his children, that he can dispense and absolve them- selves and all men from what oaths soever they have made to God or man. This enemy, with his false doctrine, is to be resisted and overcome by the word of God, or else he will destroy both body and soul. Therefore against all his crafts and abominations we must have the rod, the staff, the table, the oil, and the cup, that David speaketh of, in a readiness to defend ourselves withal. Now followeth the last part of this holy hymn. See Brown's Fasciculus Rerum, Vol. i., where Cardinal Benno's character of Gregory VII. will be found.] [2 Expulsed, 1662.] [3 Seventh, edd. 1580 and 1562.] [* Platinee Vit. Fontif. Alexander 3. p. 176. Colon. 1651.] [5 Carion. Chron. fol. 218. Francof. 1543.] p Doth, 1562.] UPON PSALM XXIII. 241 Cr THE SEVENTH PART OF THE PSALM. WHAT THE END OF GOD's TROUBLED PEOPLE SHALL BE. The Sixth Verse. [The text, 1562.] Thy loving kindness shall folloiu me all the days of my life, and I will dwell in the house of the Lord for ever. [The Explanation, 1562.] I WILL, in the midst of all troubles, be strong and of good cheer : for I am assured that thy mercy and goodness will never forsake me, but will continually preserve me in all dangers of this life ; and when I shall depart from this bodily life, thy mercy will bring me into that house of thine eternal joys, where as I shall live with thee in everlasting fehcity. Of this part we learn, that the dangers of this life be no more than God can and will put from us, or preserve us in them, when they come unto us, without danger ; also that the troubles of this world be not perpetual nor damnable for ever, but that they be for a time only sent from God, to exercise and prove our faith and patience. At the last we learn that, the troubles being ended, we begin and shall continue for ever in endless pleasure and consolation, as David sheweth at the end of his psalm. So doth Christ make an end with his disciples, when he hath committed them, for the time of this life, to the tuition of the heavenly Father, whiles he is bodily absent : he saith, at length they shall be where he is himself, in heaven for ever. For in this life, albeit the faithful^ of God have consolation in God's promises, yet is their joy very dark and obscure by reason of troubles both without and within ; outwardly by perse- cution, inwardly by temptation. Therefore Christ desireth his Father to lead and conduct his church in truth and verity, whiles it is here in fight and persecution with the devil, until it come to a perfect and absolute consolation, where as no trouble may molest it. For then, and not before (to what perfection soever we come), shall we be satisfied : as David saith, "The plentifulness of pleasure and joy isPsai. xvu [" Faithfuls, 1562.] [HOOPER, II.] 242 EXPOSITIONS ON CERTAIN PSALMS. in the sight and contemplation of thee, 0 Lord !" For then shall the mind of man fully be satisfied, when he, being present, may presently behold the glorious majesty of God : for God hath then all joys present to him that is present with him, and then man knoweth God as he is known of God. These joys in the end of troubles should give the troubled man the more courage to bear troubles patiently, and be persuaded (as St Paul teacheth) that the troubles of this present hfe be not worthy of the joys to come, which shall be revealed to us when Christ cometh to judge the quick and the dead : to : whom, with the Father and the Holy Ghost, be all honour and praise, world without end. Amen. (••) [FINIS. 1562.] UPON PSALM LXII. 243 €E An Exposition upon the Sixty-second Psalm, made by the constant Martyr of Christ, Master John Hooper, Bishop of Glo- cester and Worcester. The Argument. The prophet in this psalm doth declare (by his own experience) how the truth of God's word, and such as favour and follow the same, be esteemed and used in the world of worldly men ; the truth itself rejected, and the lovers thereof slandered and persecuted. And seeing truth and true men before the prophet's time, in his time, and after his time, were thus miserably afflicted, in this psalm he writeth his own condition and miseries, with certain and most comfortable remedies, which ways the afflicted person may best comfort himself, and pass over the bitterness and dangers of his troubles, and suffer them, as long as God layeth them upon him, patiently. So that whosoever from the feeling of his heart can say this psalm, and use the remedies prescribed therein by the Spirit of God, doubtless he shall be able to bear the troubles both of the devil and man patiently, and contemn them strongly. CI The parts of the psalm be in num- ber generally two. I. In the first is contained, how that the favour of God, and his help, is able to remedy all adversities. II. In the second is contained, how that the favour of man, and his help, is able to redress no adversities. The first part comprehendeth eight verses of the psalm. The second part containeth the other four verses, that next follow, to the end of the psalm. IG— 2 244 EXPOSITIONS ON CERTAIN PSALMS. CE These two general parts do contain more particular parts in them, in number six. I. First, what is to be done by the christian man that is afflicted. II. The second part sheweth why the troubled man in trouble looketh for help of God. III. The third part declareth how suddenly God can destroy the persecutors of the truth. IV. The fourth part containeth the repetition of the first and the second part ; with more causes shewed why patiently trouble is to be borne, and faithfully to be believed that God can and will remedy it. V. The fifth part declareth that man's power is not to be feared, nor his friendship to be trusted unto ; for no man is able to damn or save. VI. The sixth part setteth forth how that God hath promised to help the afflicted, and will assuredly perform it. €E The psalm with the parts before named, where they begin, and where they end. 1. "My soul truly waiteth still upon God." The first part teacheth a man to fly unto God in the time of oppression and trouble. 2. " For of him cometh my salvation. He verily is my strength and my salvation ; he is my defence, so shall I not greatly fall." The second part of the psalm, that declareth why the troubled man trusteth in God. 3. " How long will ye imagine mischief against every man ? Ye shall be slain all the sort of you : yea, as a tottering wall shall ye be, and like a broken hedge. 4. " Their device is only how to put him out whom God will exalt : their delight is in lies : they give good words with their mouth, but curse with their heart. Selah." The third part of the psalm, wherein is shewed that suddenly the persecutors of the innocent shall perish. UPON PSALM LXII. 245 5. " Nevertheless, my soul, wait thou still upon God, for my hope is in him. 6. " He truly is my strength and my salvation ; he is my defence, so that I shall not fall. 7. " In God is my health and my glory, the rock of might ; and in God is my trust. 8. " 0 put your trust in him always, ye people ; pour out your hearts before him, for God is our hope. Selah." In these four verses is contained the fourth part; wherein is mentioned the rejjetition of the two first verses. 9. " As for the children of men, they are but vain ; the children of men are deceitful upon the weights ; they are altogether lighter than vanity itself. 10. " O trust not in wrong and robbery ; give not yourselves to vanity : if riches increase, set not your hearts upon them." Here is the fifth part, that teacheth no trust to be put in man ; for he is not able to damn nor save. 11. " God spake once, and twice I have also heard the same, that power belongeth unto God : 12. " And that thou, Lord, art merciful, for thou re- wardest every man according to his work." In these two verses is comprehended the sixth part, which is, that God hath promised to be merciful in helping the afilicted, and that he will perform his promises. is to teach mav SCO in the Acts of the Apostles. For when Peter and salvation in ^ ^ chriit. ti;ie rest builded the house of God, that is to say, taught men their salvation by the merits and passion of Clu'ist, there Actsv. arose such winds and floods, that the builders were put into prison, and the building in great danger. "When St Stephen builded the congregation with God's word in Christ, whUes Actsvii. he was building, such winds and floods of malice assaulted him, that his brains were knocked out. When Ananias and the rest planted and builded the house of God, that is to say, converted the infidels unto the faith of Christ at Damascus, there arose such winds and tempests at Jerusalem, that Saul Actsix. came from thence towards Damascus with commission from the high priests to kill the builders, and to overthrow all they had builded. Let us leave olF the examples of holy men, and see what happened to the head and chief Captain of all saints and If Christ had good builders, our Saviour Jesus Christ. When he called rockS" the world from ignorance to knowledge, from death to UPON PSALM LXII. 261 life, and from damnation to salvation, there arose such strength winds and storms, that, had he not been the rock itself hauijeen^ of strength and invincible power, he had been overthrown clean, and his buildings turned upside down. For before he was of age to be born, in his mother's belly, the devil Christ was o ' *J ' slandered went about to slander him as a bastard, and would have ^a?born! persuaded the same to the godly man Joseph, spoused in marriage to the blessed virgin Mary. He had no sooner ^^ted a^s"^^ put his head out of his mother's belly, but straightway ^^"bot^f Herod's sword was whet and bent to kill him. Within a little while after, the devil stirred up his own kinsfolk and chrisi-s own countrymen to cast him down from a hill-top, and to break w'e"re raised his neck ; and at length killed him indeed. But what was Luke iv. the outgoing of this builder ? Forsooth, " Father, into thy Christ slain, hands I commend ray spirit." And what was the assurance of his building ? that is to say, in what surety stood his dis- ciples and followers in the midst of these winds and great storms? Doubtless, Christ commended them to the custody chnst com- p t • 1 1 1 1 mended his and protection oi his heavenly rather, the rock and sure disciples to '■ . " . , the [irolection stone of all salvation ; from whom winds, floods, temptations, '^^^^^ Father, persecution, death, sin, nor the devil himself with all his company of wicked spirits, be able to remove the simplest of all Christ's flock. In the Revelations of St John there is a Rev. xii. marvellous doctrine, what winds and floods shall blow and overflow this rock in the building and builders for the time of this life. There is a woman that had brought forth a man child ; and by and by there was a foul great red dragon with seven heads and seven' horns, that would have devoured this child, before he had come to his inheritance and king- dom appointed unto him. And when he saw he could not prevail against the child, he cast out of his mouth water, as it had been a great stream, after the mother : but there was given her wings to escape. For the rock that she was builded upon was sure ; that whatsoever winds or waters (that is to say, what troubles soever) should happen, nothing could overthrow her. And so saith Asaph here: ' God He that hath beinar my rock and sure fortress, my soul nor my body shall rock is , n 1 1 , A , 111 I I 1 assured of never be coniounued. As he declareth more openly by the a saviour, two words that follow: "He is my strength and my salvation also," saith the prophet: as though he had said, I do not [1 . See Rev. xii. 3.] 262 EXPOSITIONS ON CERTAIN PSALMS. Apiilication of God's strength by faith to Ills own defence. Faith is the gift of God. He that feeleth in himself God to be his salvation, hath the greatest trea- sure of all. The abuse of God's word provoketh his ven- geance. God's word in an unknown tongue amongst the people to be lamented. Defence. Two Doc- trines. only know God to be sure, strong, and invincible ; but also I know this his might, strength, and sureness, is my wealth and my salvation. For many men know that God is the rock and strength of all powers ; but none doth know that his power and strength is salvation for himself, but such as be God's indeed. Therefore, seeing this faith, that belioveth God particularly to save a private person, is only God's gift, and cometh not of man ; let us pray, that when we see how God hath been the rock of salvation to others, that he will be so unto us likewise. For it is a singular gift of God to say boldly, stedfastly, and merrily, from the bottom of the heart unto him, " Thou, Lord, art my rock, my salvation, and my comfort." And he that feeleth in himself, for himself, God to be his salvation, hath such a treasure, that all treasures beside it are nothing to be esteemed ; and he will not pass of goods, lands, nor life, for this faith's sake. But faith, as long as it cometh no nearer the heart than the ear, the lips, the teeth, or the tongue, it is but an easy matter to believe ; as we see these ramblers up of the psalms and the rest of God's word at this time in the church, where they that say them, nor they that hear them, under- stand any thing at all, or be any deal the more edified for that which is done or said in the church. And I am assured, if the priests felt in their hearts the vengeance of God to come for this abusing the word of God, and the people knew what an incomparable treasure they have lost by the taking away of the word of God in the vulgar tongue, the priest would weep water of his eyes, as often as he said his service, and the people would sigh full heavily, as oft as they heard it, and understood not what it meant. Wherefore let every man pray to God that he may know him, as the prophet Asaph doth, that he is the rock and salvation to him that so calleth upon him. The third word is "Defence :" by the which the prophet noteth two marvellous doctrines ; the one touching God, and the other touching man. The thing touching God is this: look, as in himself God is omnipotent, so is he of power both in body and soul to do all things for his creatures in general. And as, generally, he can do all things for his creatures, so, particularly, he is salvation to all that by faith believe in him. UPON PSALM LXII. 263 And as he is also salvation, particularly, to such as believe in him ; even so, particularly, is he a defence, buckler, and pro- tection of such as shall be saved : that neither sin, the devil. Note, or any troubles of the body, nor troubles, doubtfulness, hurt him anguish, perplexity, or heaviness of mind shall hurt or damn Christ Jesus, him. The doctrine touching man by this word, "Defence," is this : look, as the faithful man hath in himself this general knowledge with all men, that God is almighty to do all things as he lust with his creatures generally ; so, particularly, he beUeveth, that he is able, and will save, such as particularly believe their salvation in him. And as the faithful particularly The faithful believeth his salvation to be only in God; so doth he also that as God is believe and challenge particularly, with the rest of his bre- generally, so Y . is he to save thren in Christ, maintenance, perfection, and defence from all particularly, misadventures, jeopardies, and dangers that may happen in this life, before he come to everlasting joys. God, therefore, give us grace with the prophet Asaph to say faithfully unto him, "Thou art my strength, my salvation, and my defence:" then, doubtless, we shall be assured of that which foUoweth, "So shall I not greatly fall." Of these words, " So shall I not greatly fall," we be also taught and instructed very necessary lessons and doctrines. First, what difference there is between the defence of God towards his people in this life, and in the life to come. As touching the defence of God towards his people in this Defence of . . 11 1 /"II /-II • • 1 • !• 1 God towards hfe, it IS marvellously set lorth by Christ in his prayer a little fhisllfi''^ before his death ; where he prayed unto his Father not to john xvu. take his apostles out of this world, but to preserve them in this world from sin. So that he would his friends, with They that God's defence, should abide for a time in the world. And Christ must what they should have in the world, for all God's defence, cutionr"^''' Christ told them : " In the world (saith he) ye shall suffer John xvi, affliction ; and ye shall weep, and the world shall laugh." Again he said unto them, that he sent them forth "as sheep Matt. x. amongst wolves." Whereby we may see that God's favour and God's defence saveth not his very elects in this life from troubles and afflictions: for St Paul saith, "As many as will 2 iim. iii. live godly shall suffer persecution." Therefore the Holy Ghost placeth the faithful congregation, the spouse of Christ (whom God loveth and defendeth), amongst thorns and bram- cant. li. bles ; and sometime likeneth the faithful congregation unto a 264 EXPOSITIONS ON CERTAIN PSALMS. chiUi, &c. Matt. vii. xi!i. Kev. xii. The faithful ship tossed upon the sea with danger of drowning : sometime ?s°nke.ied'to unto a housc, whereupon bloweth all winds and weather : and a ship, a , house, and a somotimc to a woman travailing: with child, before whom woman tra- o ' chilii" standetli a foul dragon ready to devour both child and mo- ther. So that by this prophet Asaph's words, that saith, "he shall not greatly fall," and by these other places, we learn, that in this life such as God loveth and defendeth from the eternal fire of hell be, notwithstanding, for this life under John xvi. great crosses and wonderful troubles : yet Christ willeth us to be of good comfort, for he hath " overcome the world." And the prophet saith, " God is my rock and my salvation : I shall Who do greatly fall." And to consider the truth, such as God wwrn'^Mt"^ most strongly defendeth, and best loveth in this world, suffer Pro™iu.'^^' many times greatest troubles. Yea, and God beginneth with Bev.iii'.'' his friends sometimes first and most sharply, as St Peter 1 Pet, iv. . . . Bom. viii. saith. And St Paul saith, ""\Ye be predestinate to be made like unto Christ in troubles, whiles we be in this troublesome world." But the defence of God and his love in the world to come Consolation is void from all bitterness and pain, and from all troubles Cant. ii. and adversities; as it is most comfortably and joyfully written in the ballads of Solomon, where (for a time) the Lord de- fended his spouse that stood in the midst of sharp and prick- They whom i^g briors and thorns : at length ho calleth her to perpetual of°mercy out rost and consolatiou, assuring her that the winter is gone, and voidofau*^^ the tempestuous showers past; the sweet flowers do appear, and the pleasant voice of the turtle is heard : meaning, that such as be loved and kept by God in the world of bliss to come be sequestered and departed from all troubles and ad- versities. The like may you see in the Revelations of St John, wherein he, mystically to set forth the pleasantness and Kev. xxi. unspeakable joys of heaven, saith, "It is paved with precious stones, and the gates thereof be also of pearls." And more- Thedescrip- ovor, "There is a light more hghter than the sun or moon; heavenly for the clarity ' of God lighteneth it, and the brightness is the Lamb of God. There shall the elects dwell for ever, and the gates shall never be shut, neither shall there be any night The defence there to troublc it." The same is to be seen also in Esay towards his the prophet, how In that hfe God's defence is, in such as iome! be saved, without all kinds of troubles and adversities. Isai. Ixvi. [1 Clarity : brightness.] UPON PSALM LXII. 265 Now here is to be noted, that as God's favour and defence in the world to come, in such as be saved, is void of all trou- bles and adversities : even so God's favour and his defence in Ti.e fav our this world, in such as shall be saved, is joined and annexed wanithis'in with troubles and adversities. Let us therefore be content annexed wuh • 1 ,1 ..^ 1 troubles. With trouble and persecution in his favour here in this life, or else doubtless we shall never have his favour and defence in the life to come iiwjoy and everlasting consolation. There is yet another learning in these words, "I shall not TrouUe shaii greatly fall :" that is, that the children of God shall not perish God^'^dm-'"^ for any kind of trouble, and yet in this world they can lack no kind of affliction. All shall they suffer ; and yet at length overcome all, as this prophet Asaph did: he was troubled, but yet not overcome : he fell, but not so far that he arose not again ; and he was so troubled with the cross that God sent him, that he could speak nothing for the time ; yet at length he said, God was his sure rock and his salvation. Thus God tempteth his, but desperation he leaveth to his enemies. God Desperation suffereth his to feel in this world the punishment of sin, but o'niy to his he reserveth the pain thereof in the world to come to his enemies and to the reprobates. He maketh his to be sorry Note the . , diflference for sin in this world : but such as be not his he suffereth between God s chil- to be careless and painless of sin in this life, that their dam- ^jjjj^ ^^"^^ nation may be the more dolorous in the world to come. Therefore, blessed be such as fall and fear, as the prophet Asaph saith, but not too far, unto all wickedness and wanton- ness of life. THE THIRD PART. 3. " How long will ye imagine mischief against a man ? Ye shall be slain all the sort of you : yea, as a tottering wall shall ye be, and like a broken hedge. 4. " Their device is only how to put him out whom God will exalt ; their delight is in lies ; they give good words with their mouth, but curse with their hearts." The third part sheweth hoiv the persecutors of the innocent shall suddenly perish. By the similitude and metaphor of a tottering or quiver- xiie wkkrd ing wall, the prophet declareth how lightly and suddenly the beasa'tot! Lord will destroy the persecutors of his people : for as the '"wfnTy ' 266 EXPOSITIONS ON CERTAIN PSALMS. overthrown -Wall that is tottei'ing and quivering with every wind and prosperity. Weather is easily and suddenly overthrown ; even so be the wicked and tyrannical persecutors suddenly destroyed ; yea, when they be in their own conceits most strong and valiant : Sennacherib, as it may be sceu by the mighty host of Senecharib and Benhadad. Bencdab, the army of king Pharaoh and such other, that 1 Kings XX. ' «' o _ _ ^ ' x%iii"?ix"'' persecuted the people of God, verily supposing their strength Exod. XIV. \ia,yQ been able utterly to have oppressed God's people, Esth. vii. whom they hated. The like is to be seen where Hesther and Judith xui. Judith, two seely and poor women, were instruments to over- Hoiofemes. tumblo and destroy the wicked Hamon and proud Holofernes. Thepr^ence So by this WO leam, that the strength and persecutions of the wIrfYhfs'is ■picked be not permanent nor strong, but transitory and feeble, tion* planalion of him that was crucified, the world taketh me for an heretic, i'*"' ? ' _ ' "God forbid and so persecuteth me ; but yet it overcometh me not, neither g'i'orVin'"&c.' taketh it away my glory, my consolation, and my crown of eternal joys. For even as the world persecuteth me with fire, Bword, and all other crucifyings, so I crucify the world again, testifying by the word of God, that their living is naught, and their faith and trust worse. So that, as they crucify me with worldly trouble, in like manner I crucify the world again with the word of God, and speak against it, bearing testimony that it is the enemy of God, and shall perish eternally : but this I do (saith Paul), " because I glory in nothing, saving in Christ crucified." Thus doth the prophet Asaph teach all men to put their trust in Christ, and not in sinful man ; which is not only vanity, but also, ' if vanity were laid in Man more one balance, and man in the other, yet, of both, man were vanity, the more vanity. Therefore man is not to be trusted unto,' saith the prophet. 280 EXPOSITIONS ON CERTAIN PSALMS. Why man is more vain than vanity. Whoso trusteth in anything saving in God, doth dishonour God. AVrong done unto God. - Hosea it. Jer. xliv. What doth he that be- lieveth any doctrine be- sides God's word. Wrong done unto man. And for a further declaration that man is more vain than vanity, he openly declareth in the process of his psalm, that man is given, besides vanity, to wrong and robbery, which two evils do increase man's miseries. For man is not only born vain vanity, but also by process of time in wicked living addeth wrong and robbery unto vanity, and so maketh vanity more vain and damnable than it was before. Now this robbery and wrong is done two manner of ways, to God and to man. He that putteth bis trust of salvation in any other thing, saving in God, loseth not only his salvation, but also robbeth God of his glory, and doth God (as much as lieth in him) manifest wrong : as the wicked people amongst the Jews did, that said, as long as they honoured and trusted unto the queen of heaven, all things prospered with them ; but when they hearkened to the true preachers of God's word, they said all things came into worse state, and that with scarcity and trouble they were over- whelmed. He that putteth also his trust and confidence in any learning or doctrine besides God's word, doth not only fall into error, and lose the truth ; but also, as much as lieth in him, he robbeth God's book of his sufficient truth and verity, and ascribeth it to the books of men''s decrees ; which is as much wrong to God and his book, as may be thought or done : in the which robbery (or rather sacrilege) no man should put his trust, as the prophet saith. Another way wrongs be done unto man, when the rich and sturdy of the world, by abusing of friendship, oppress, rob, and spoil the poor. And by his thus doing, first, he deceiveth himself; for evil- gotten goods cannot long prosper, neither can any family advanced by fraud, craft, or subtlety, long time endure. Then, he deceiveth the simple and poor that trusteth upon the outward shew of his port and estima^ tion, which glittereth in the world as a vain-glorious and deceivable beauty and honour ; and marketh neither how wickedly the glory of the robber and doer of wrong sprang up, nor how miserably God hath ordained it to fall again : but seeing carnally, he seeth a vain man in vanity prosper for a time ; he trusteth in this vanity, pampered up with robbery and wrong, until such time as vanity vadeth, and he much lamenteth that put in vanity so much vain hope. But UPON rSALM LXir. 281 grant that honour and riches by God's gift and truth abound ; Why riches yet were they not given for men to trust in, but for men to umoman. give God more thanks, and to help the poor with them from injuries of oppression, and need of hunger, thirst, and poverty. Therefore the prophet saith : " Although riches do abound, yet men should not put their hearts upon them :" that is to say, men should not trust in them, nor keep them otherwise than their use or keeping should serve to the glory of God ; in abundance to be liberal, and in time of need to be careful ; not to keep them for a private commodity, but, as oen. xii. Joseph did say, to save the multitude from scarcity and penury. Thus doth the prophet exhort all men to beware they put not their trust in men ; for both they and all that they have of worldly things be transitory, vain, and incon- stant. THE SIXTH PART. 11. " God spake once, and twice I have also heard the same, that power belongeth unto God : 12. " And that thoii. Lord, art merciful ; for thou rewardest every man according to his work." The sixth part containeth hoiv that God hath promised to help the afflicted, ^c. Job hath the same phrase and manner of speech : " The Job xxxiii. Lord spake once, and will not repeat the same again :" that Note, is as much to say, as that the word of God is so sure, that it cannot be made frustrate, nor changed by any means. So saith this prophet Asaph, " God spake once," which standeth siu-e for ever, and cannot be altered. This word of God hath relation to the verses before: wherein be opened the vanity of man, or insufficiency to help himself or others in trouble, which cannot be changed, nor ever shall be, but as ^ flesh is vanity, be it never so holy : as Adam called his best son and holy martyr Abel, that is to say in the Hebrew tongue, vanity ; perfectly knowing that all oen. iv. flesh by sin was vile and vain, and therefore not to be trusted Hebrew in imf n English IS UlilU. vanity. This " once" speaking of God is also referred unto the text that folio weth, which declareth two virtues in God, \} As, probably a misprint for all.'] 282 EXPOSITIONS ON CERTAIN PSALMS. How God power and mercy ; power to punish his enemies, and mercy doth reward ^ , . a • i i rvr i i i i • • i every n^an to rccompense his laithiul amicted. And this is so true, that works. gjjall never be made false ; the wicked to feel God's strength in damnation, and the faithful to feel God's mercies in salva- tion ; not because their works deserve it, but because God of his mercy so contented to bless the poor faithful workman. So he giveth each man after his works, the evil hell-fire by justice, and the good heaven's bliss by mercy. Now the prophet saith he heard it twice at God's mouth ; that is to say, he knew God had made promise of mercy to save the faithful penitents, and of justice to punish the im- penitent sinner. And this he heard in the time of the law of nature, by reading of Moses' books, and also by the Holy Ghost in his own time, when by the inspiration of the Holy Ghost he wrote this psalm and the rest of his prophecies. The same have we likewise heard, first, by reading of the books of Moses ; next, by reading of the scriptures of the prophets ; and thirdly, by reading of the new testament : the which I pray God give us grace to believe and follow. Amen. UPON PSALM LXXIII. 283 C An Exposition upon the seventy-third psalm, made by the constant martyr of Christ, Master John Hooper, Bishop of Glo- cester and Worcester. The Argument. The matter and argument of this psalm is a consolation for them that are wont much to be moved and afflicted, when they see the ungodly flourish and prosper in all wealth and pleasure; and contrariwise, the godly and good people op- pressed with poverty, and all other calamities and afflictions; as ye may see the prophet Asaph entreat of this matter in this his first psalm. The same ye may see also in king David, in his 37th psalm ; wherein he exhorteth men not to psaim judge amiss of God, nor to leave off godly conversation, although the best be punished, and the worst scape quit. These two psalms, entreating of one matter, are to be read and known of us in these perilous days, lest the hatred and persecution that happeneth to God's truth, and to the lovers thereof, might unhappily make us to judge of God, and to forsake his truth, as many have done, and daily the number of them increase, with the decrease of God's honour, and the increase of their own damnation. For now Christ trieth the Matt. xxvi. chaff from the corn, the rust from the metal, and hypocrisy ^J^^^\[- from truth. If we will not or cannot abide the hammer, or \.^°^- ' Heb. XL trying-pot that God setteth us in, to explorate and search ^^es h. whether our faith will abide the fire of trouble and perse- xvu! xxii."'' cation, or not ; if we suffer not, all our religion is not worth wSoivu. a haw. For it is not words that prove faith, but deeds : if it abide the trial, it is true ; and the more it is tried, the finer it will be, and at length brought into such fineness, as corruption shall never hurt nor harm it in the world of grace and virtue. God therefore grant us grace to suffer his trial, and search strongly, patiently, and thankfully. Amen. 284 EXPOSITIONS ON CERTAIN PSALMS. f[ THE ORDER OF THE PSALM. /. The text and letter of the psalm. II. The paraphrase, or plain explanation of the text and letter of the psalm. III. The principal parts, and most notable doctrines contained in the psalm. C The Text and Letter of the Psalm of Asaph. The First Verse. 1. "Truly God is loving unto Israel ; even unto such as are of a clean heart." C[ The Paraphrase, or plain Explanation. Lukevi. God loveth the godly, although they be afflicted; and pmv."Lii. hateth the ungodly, although they be in prosperity. The Heb. XI. Lord is loving and merciful to such as be afflicted, and spe- cially if their hearts be pure and clean, and judge nothing of God amiss, whether they see the good oppressed, or the evil exalted. In their hearts they murmur nothing at God's doings, nor in their minds they find no fault with God's order and providence. The Second and Third Verse. 2. " Nevertheless, my feet were almost gone ; my treadings had well near slipt. 3. " And why ? I was grieved at the wicked ; I do see also the ungodly in such prosperity." C The plain Explanation. Psai. Yet notwithstanding, when I saw the good afflicted, and fxx'in"' the evil prosper, it troubled my mind ; so that in manner I was forced and compelled, through indignation, to judge of God as other evil men did; and grievously offended his high majesty, in thinking his doings not indifferent in troubling the good and quieting of the bad. The Fourth Verso. 4. " For they are in no peril of death, but are lusty and strong." UPON PSALM LXXIII. 285 CE The plain Explanation. I perceived further (saith the prophet), that the Tvicked lived not only quietly and pleasantly, but also died in man- ner without heaviness or any great torments. Besides all these felicities, pleasures, and ease for their own parts in this world, it happeneth, when they die, they leave also pleasant and delectable mansion-houses, great riches, and large possessions to their children. The Fifth and Sixth Verse. 5. " They come into no misfortunes like other folk, neither are they plagued like other men. 6. "And this is the cause that they be so holden with pride, and overwhelmed with cruelty." CE The plain Explanation. If any miss of loss and damage in this world, it is they : if sickness flieth from any, it flieth from them : so that much fehcity and little adversity causeth them to know neither God, their neighbours, nor themselves. The Seventh Verso. 7. "Their eyes swell for fatness, and they do what them lust." €1 The plain Explanation. Such as flourish with riches and authority wax proud and arrogant ; for all things come so abundantly unto them, that they have more than they look for. The Eighth Verse. 8. " They corrupt other, and speak of wicked blasphemy ; their talk is against the Most Highest." CE The plain Explanation. They afflict and cruelly persecute the good and inno- cent, and they are come to this insolency and pride, that they would not only their abomination should be known, but also they themselves boast of it, and in most abomination most extol and magnify themselves. 286 EXPOSITIONS ON CERTAIN PSALMS. The Ninth Verse. 9. "For they stretch forth their mouth unto the heaven, and their tongue goeth through the world." C The plain Explanation. They be so blinded and deceived with the felicity and trouble of this world, that they spare not God nor godly men ; but speak against both, and do their wills and plea- sures. The Tenth, Eleventh, Twelfth, Thirteenth, Fourteenth, Fifteenth, Sixteenth, and Seventeenth Verses. 10. "Therefore fall the people unto them, and thereout suck they no small advantage. 11. "Tush, say they, how should God perceive it? Is there knowledge in the Most Highest ? 12. " Lo, these are the ungodly ; these prosper in the world ; these have riches in possession. 13. " Then have I cleansed my heart in vain, said I, and washed my hands in innocency. 14. " All the day long have I been punished, and chastened every morning. 15. " Yea, I had almost said even as they : but lo, then should I have condemned the generation of thy children. 16. " Then thought I to understand this, but it was too hard for me, 17. "Until I went into the sanctuary of God: then under- stood I the end of these men." CE The plain Explanation. Because the wicked men prosper so well in this world, the people of God conform and apply themselves to do as they do, and frame their lives and manners unto the rule and fashion of such wicked people as prosper ; and they suck and draw into their minds the wicked men's opinions and conversations, and so replenish themselves with iniquity, as the thirsty man doth replenish himself with water. And when the people see the best part turn unto the manners of the worst, and be as evil or worse than the worst, they muse and think whether there be any God, or knowledge in God, that sulfereth these abominations. And not only the com- UPON PSALM XXXIII. 287 raon people (saith the prophet Asaph) stood in a mammering whether God took any heed or cared for the world, seeing that wicked men did so prosper, and the godlier sort so vexed : but I myself also, considering these things with my- self, fell into such madness and error of judgment, that I had done evil so to apply myself to virtuous and godly life ; seeing I was vexed and turmoiled with continual miseries, and seeing that there was never a day that did not bring her cross and trouble to the servants of God and virtuous people. These things (saith the prophet) fondly and fool- ishly I spake to myself many times; but when I weighed the thing with more judgment, and considered the matter more deeply with myself, I thought, If I thus judge and speak of God, do I not improve', reprehend, and condemn the life, conversation, and labours of all godly men? the which will not be drawn nor enticed from godly Ufe and the love of virtue by no misadventures nor afflictions in this world ; neither do they judge that they have studied and followed godliness in vain, whatsoever trouble hath happened to them in this world. And therefore, when I assayed to compass the cause and verity of these things, the greatness thereof brought me into much fear and carefulness. And further, I perceived that I could not come to the knowledge of these things, except the Almighty God would reveal and open unto me the mysteries and secrets of his providence and wisdom, that I might see and understand what end and outgoing these wicked men should have, that with most abomination and blasphemy in this life had most felicity and pleasure. And by tarrying in the thoughts and cogitations of this case and matter, at last I found that these wicked men and women, whose felicity and prosperous estate tor- mented me, their end was most miserable, full of wretched- ness and pain. The Eighteenth and Nineteenth Verses. 18. "Namely, thou settest them in slippery places, and castest them down, and destroyest them. 19. "0 how suddenly do they consume, perish, and come to a fearful end !" [1 Improve : reprove, cast a slight upon ; Lat. improbare.] 288 EXPOSITIONS ON CERTAIN PSALMS. C. The plain Explanation. Doubtless the felicities and pleasures, Lord, that thou gavest to these wicked doers, are slippery and brittle : for so may I well call them, because such as enjoy them for the most part so abuse them in this life, that they lose the life everlasting. The Twentieth Verse. 20. " Yea, even as a dream when one awaketh, so shalt thou make their image to vanish out of the city." CE The plain Explanation. These wicked men's felicity vanished as the dream of him that is awaked. For as the dream for a time seemeth to be true, and as long as he sleepeth he supposeth it to be as he dreameth ; but as the dream passeth, the sleep being broken ; so doth these wicked men's felicity, when they de- part out of this life. The Twenty-first, Twenty-second, Twenty-third, and Twenty-fourth Verses. 21. "Thus my heart was grieved, and it went through my reins. 22. " So foolish was I and ignorant, even as it were a beast before thee. 23. " Nevertheless, I am always by thee : for thou hast holden me by the right hand. 24. " Thou shalt guide me with thy counsel, and after that receive me with glory." €E The plain Explanation. Before (saith Asaph) that I saw such wicked men as flourished in all felicity and pleasure cast down headlong from their places, I was wonderfully troubled : and no marvel ; for I was but a fool and an idiot, that perceived not the judgment of the Lord, but as a beast before thee in that respect, 0 Lord ; yet didst thou conduct me, such a fool as I am, to the understanding of thy pleasure in such difficile and hard causes. And in their pleasures thou shewedst me their loss and dam- nation ; and in mine own adversity and trouble shewedst me my salvation and perpetual health. UPON PSALM LXXIir. 289 The Twenty-fifth and Twenty-sixth Verse, 25. " Whom have I in heaven but thee ? And there is none upon the earth that I desire in comparison of thee. 26. " My flesh and my heart faileth : but God is the strength of my heart, and my portion for ever." €E The plain Eicplanation. When the prophet hath weighed God's judgment towards such as with iniquity lived in all pleasure, and perceived that their pains were for ever, and their joys but for a time, he is now inflamed with the love of God, and breaketh forth into these godly words and sentences : Who can delight me in hea- ven but thou, O Lord ? Whom shall I love upon the earth, whom shall I reverence and honour, but thee ? Doubtless, of all things except thee I pass nothing of, nor set store by. Thee only I embrace, thee only I desire, and thee only I covet and wish for ; for only thou art to be beloved, to be honoured, and to be wished for : so that both my soul and my body be ravished with the love of thee ; for thou art the strength and foundation of my soul and body ; thou art my riches, my treasure, and my everlasting inheritance. The Twenty-seventh and Twenty-eighth Verse. 27. " For lo, they that forsake thee shall perish : thou hast destroyed all them that commit fornication against thee. 28. " But it is good for me to hold me fast by God, to put my trust in the Lord God." CC The plain Explanation. And good cause have I, 0 Lord, to love thee : for they shall perish and be destroyed, as many as love any thing be- sides thee, and forsake thee. Therefore, as I know it pro- fitable only to prefer thee, 0 Lord, in all love and favour ; so is it meet that I, being thus saved by thy mercy, and receiving so many benefits at thy hand, should continually with laud and praise celebrate and magnify the marvellous works of thy goodness and provi- dence. (•••) The end of the Paraphrase or plain Explanation, r 1 19 [hooper, II. J 290 EXPOSITIONS ON CERTAIN PSALMS. C The principal parts of the Psalm LXXIIL Verse 1. "Truly God is loving to Israel, &c." Verse 2. "My feet were almost gone, &c." Verse 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8. " I -was grieved at the wicked, &c." Verse 9, 10, 11. "Therefore fall the people unto them, &c.'" Verse 12, 13. " Then have I cleansed my heart in vain, &c." Verse 14. " Yea, and I had almost said even as they, &c." Verse 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21. " Then thought I to understand this, but it was too hard for me, &c." The first part is contained in the first verse ; and it declareth that God loveth the good, although he piinisheth them. The second part is contained in the second verse ; and it de- clareth how weak and frail a thing the nature of man is, and vpon how small an occasion it is in danger to fall from God. The third part is contained in six verses that follow ; wherein the felicity of wicked men con- sisteth, that good men be so sore grieved at. The fourth part is contained in other three verses next ensu- ing; and it declareth how frail, brittle, and weak a thing man is, that for every trifie turneth and withdraweth himself from God. The fifth part is contained in two other verses next following ; and it declareth hoiu soon men repent their well-doings. The sixth part is contained in one verse next following ; and it declareth how great a danger it is temerously^ to judge of God, or of God's lieople, without the word of God. The seventh 23a7't is contained in seven verses next following ; and it declai^eth that man's rea- son is but ignorant and beastly in considering of God's works, [1 Temerously : rashly.] UPON PSALM LXXUI. 291 Verse 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27. " Nevertheless I am alwaj by thee : for thou hast holden me by my right hand, &c." until it be illuminated by God and his word ; and then is made open, how vain all things be that wicked men possess in this world. The eighth part is contained in sio! verses next following unto the end of the psalm ; and it declareth a wonderfid and un- speakable consolation. For al- though we be grievously temp)ted, yet we be not forsaken of God, but preserved and lift up, when else otherwise we shoidd fall. And in this part, in setting forth the multitude and number of God's consolations, he draweth near the end of the psalm, and concludeth it with this text, " / will set forth thy ivorks ;" where- with he declareth that he will be thankfid unto God for his great gifts and mercy. H The end of the parts and chiefest mat- ters in the psalm. WHAT THINGS ARE TO BE MARKED OUT OF THESE PARTS AND MATTERS OF THE PSALM. C Out of the first part are many things to be noted. First, the nature and condition of God (forasmuch as he hath prepared for men a place of joy permanent and everlast- ing) is not to reward such as be his, and ordained to the life to come, with so slender and small a recompence in the blood of his Son Jesus Christ as these worldly and transitory things be of this world ; but with riches and treasures that shall not John xvu, corrupt nor be eaten with vermin, nor yet taken from us by thieves : as St Paul saith, "He hath made us to sit with him in the glory of heaven ;" and as Christ said unto Peter, that 19—2 Matt. vi. Colons, iii. 1 Cor. XV. Matt. XXV. Cantic. iv. Ephes. ii. 292 EXPOSITIONS ON CERTAIN PSALMS. became a beggar with the rest of the apostles in this world Watt. xix. for Christ's sake, "Ye shall (saith Christ) sit upon the twelve seats, judging the twelve tribes of Israel." We must therefore note out of this place of the prophet's psalm, that God, although he whip and scourge us, as we have most worthily deserved, yet he loveth us, and will not L^kl"xxui. take his mercy from us, but once^ leave beating of us, and ^^v.' Ji.'"' burn the rod, and then in Christ reward us with everlasting xxvii. [. VII.] jj^.^^ ^^gg^ therefore, we must well assure ourselves in Ho^ i. ■ the days of God's punishments, that the end of his crosses and afilictions be the beginning of everlasting joys. For "he re- ceiveth none but such as he first correcteth and chasteneth." The second learning in this part is, to be persuaded that God doth not punish without just cause, for that he delighteth iSm''ii'i punishing of his people ; as the wicked Pharaoh, Nemroth, Gen''i.''''^' Saul, and Julian the apostata said. When he had drowned all x^^Hi^""- the world with water for sin, the wicked people judged that God had punished of a partial and choleric passion in his fury, without just matter and cause : and therefore they went about, in contempt of God, to build a tower so high that God should never have been able to wreak his wrath upon them Exod. V. again. So did cursed Pharaoh ; he asked what God that should be that could plague him and his realm ? and in the time of his punishment railed and spake most unreverently. Wicked Saul also, when God for his disobedience punished him, he, in despite of God, sought remedy to withstand the 1 Sam. xxviii. punishments of God by witchcraft and necromancy. And Trip. Hist. Julian the emperor, when Christ gave him in the wars his death- wound, took an handful of his own blood, and hurled it in despite of Christ into the air, and said, " Thou hast over- come, thou Galilean^:" and so in mockery he called Christ, and christian men Galileans. Wherefore, in any case, this be- ginning of the psalm is to be marked, and used in the time of all men's punishments, and to say with heart and mouth unto the heavenly Father, whatsoever he layeth upon us, "Truly God is loving unto me," &c. And so doth king David cry [1 Once : at some time or other.] [2 Aiunt enim quod, cum fuisset Arulneratus, raox manum sanguine suo compleverit, et in aerem projecit, dicens, Galilaee, vicisti. — Trip. Hist. Cassiod. Lib. vi. cap. 47. See also Theodoret. Hist. Eccles. Lib. III. c. 25.] UPON rSALM LXXIII. 293 out, when God was most severe and busy in punishing both him and his people, saying, "Thou art just, Lord, and right; rsai. cxix. and just is thy judgment." So did the emperor Maurice say, canon. when his wife and children were killed before his face, "Thou art just, Lord, and thy judgments are righteous^" Job like- Jobi. ii. wise was of the same mind : although his wife and kinsfolk provoked him to speak unpatiently and unreverently of God, yet he said, that he and all his were the Lord''s, and that if he had taken them of him, why should not he be contented, that God should have them again at his pleasure ? These two notes are to be marked and used, whatsoever happen : first, that God purposeth to bestow heavenly plea- sures and treasures upon his people; and therefore he will not reward them with the trash and wicked mammon of this life, and transitory vale of misery : the second, when he punisheth ^•^'j"^"^'- his in this world, it is of love ; and that the person afflicted f^j!;,^;, j must both take it so, and also say so with this prophet Asaph, f^^-J]]- "Truly God is loving unto Israel," that is to say, to him that professeth his religion. The third note is, to mark that God is known and felt, psai cxix. in the time of punishment and persecution, to be loving but z'sam.'x'xii. of such as be of a clean heart. Whereof we learn, that all PsVr. x^-iii. xci. cxviii. men that bear the name of Isi'aelites and of christian religion Rom. v. xn. judge neither reverently nor yet patiently of God's punish- 2 cor. i. ments, but such christian men as be of clean hearts. Out of this place we may learn the cause why, in this troublesome time, so many wax weary and fall from the truth of God's word, whiles God is a punishing of us that have been unthank- ful unto him, and did not live according to his word — the Lord forgive us ! Doubtless, now they mislike, and start back : no, not start back, but openly in the face of God's enemies sware and stare, as Peter did (God send them Peter's repent- ance !), that they never passed nor cared a jot for God's word. And all is because they be not nor ever were of a clean heart; that is to say, so persuaded in their hearts that God's holy word is the only truth, what punishment soever God lay upon them that profess it. God give us this clean heart, that we may unfeignedly say, Doubtless, the Lord is loving unto Carion. Chron. fol. 154. Francof. 1543. He does not give the expression hero ascribed to Mauricius. See Gibbon, Decline and Fall, oh. xlvi. Vol. IV. p. 493, Lond. 1788.] 294 EXPOSITIONS ON CERTAIN PSALMS. his word, and to tlicm that profess it, although he lay thou- sands of crosses upon them in this world. Out of this place we be admonished, dearly beloved, to beware of the greatest and abominable evil (one of them) that can be done against God; that is to say, witchcraft, and cal- culation by astronomy, and such other like. How heinous an oifence is this, when we see the heavens rain, the clouds wholly bent to storms and tempests, the winds roaring and in such rage as all should go asunder, thunder and lightnings as men wonder at ; and under all these plagues, tempests, and foul weather, the young springing corn, the sweet root of herbs, the little withered grass lie buried and covered under weather and storms, frost and snow, whilst God suffereth winter, and maketh cold to continue. Were it not now witchcraft and very abomination to say and divine of these stormy and winterly tempests, that summer should not be green, parched blades of grain should not come again in the harvest to corn, bitten and buried roots should not at the spring bring forth sweet and pleasant flowers, that shaken and wind-torn trees by tempests should not, in the calm coming of the summer, bud forth their leaves? What witch and cursed man would thus judge of earthly things, that have their times of vading and losing of all beauty for the sin of man ? If this be abomination, for the bitterness and storms of winter to con- demn and curse the summer to come, because summer's fruits and the spring's beauty be stained and all defiled with winter's barrenness and dim clouds ; what is this but ten times more abomination, for the bitterness and storms of persecution to condemn and curse the life to come of God's people, because truth's fruits and the resurrection's glory be stained and all dishonoured with worldly scarcity and dim persecution ? But as Asaph the prophet saith, " All eyes see not these things, but such as be of a clean heart." All men have eyes, for the most part, and all men have hearts, but they be such as the worms of the earth and birds of the air can eat and devour ; but he that will live in God and see these things must have immortal eyes and an incorruptible heart, which cometh by grace in God's Spirit, to see by faith and honour with rever- ence God's doings, as well in the winter and cold storms of persecution, as in the summer of felicity and pleasure ; and to remember that all men and women have this life and this UPON PSALM LXXIII. 295 world appointed unto them for their winter and season of storms. The summer drawetli near, and then shall we be fresh, orient, sweet, amiable, pleasant, acceptable, immortal, and blessed, for ever and ever ; and no man shall take us from it. We must therefore, in the mean time, learn out of this verse to say unto God, whether it be winter or summer, pleasure or pain, liberty or imprisonment, life or death, " Truly God is loving unto Israel, even unto such as be of a clean heart." C. Out of the second part are divers tilings also to be noted. 2. " My feet were almost gone, &c." First, the prophet noteth, how wretched and miserable man is, and how soon inclined to do evil. He saith, that he was ready and prest to have slipped from God, even with the beholding of God's own works, when he saw God give unto the wicked felicity and prosperity ; which things be only God's riches to give to whom he will. Although he bestowed none of his upon the wicked, yet was he offended that he should bestow his own where he lusted. The same occasion took the workmen in the vineyard to murmur against God ; as it is in the gospel of St Matthew. So that we be natu- Matt. xx. rally given to this, that God giveth always too much unto other, and too little unto us ; yea, although he would give us all the world, and yet keep any one thing for himself (even his very Godhead), in case he will not give also that unto us, we be ready to bid him farewell. And in case he will not also give us as much as is in him, such is our nature, that we will by some means or other seek to have it : as we may see, when he had made Adam, and given him both knowledge cen. m. and power above all other creatures made for his use, because he was not made God altogether, he fell most heinously from God ; and slipt not only in his feet, but also in soul and body, to his utter ruin and destruction, and of us all that come of him. For this is our condition ; let God give us never so much, we think it too little (except we have a singular grace to consider it) ; and let us surrender unto God never so little homage or service, we think it all too much. Such is our cursed nature and first birth, to be ready to slip from God upon the lightest occasion of the world ; yea, when God doth 296 EXPOSITIONS ON CERTAIN PSALMS. other men good, and us no harm. But this nature we have Gen. iii. of the devil our forefather, to disdain and maHgn at other men's profit and preferment, as he did : for when God made Joiin viii. Adam, and put him in paradise, the devil never rested envy- ing Adam's prosperity, until he had brought him to the loss of all together, and to slip clean from the Lord. This doctrine therefore, touching the brittleness and frailness of man's na- ture, is to be marked; lest that, whereas the prophet said, " My feet were almost gone," we slide and fall altogether from God. There is also to be noted, that the prophet said he was "almost gone," and not altogether. Here is the presence, pro- vidence, strength, safeguard, and keeping of man by Almighty God, marvellously set forth : that although we be tempted and brought even to the very point to perpetrate and do all mis- chief, yet he stayeth us, and keepeth us, that the temptation shall not clean overcome us. And so St Paul saith of God's [icor. X. 13.] providence and present help, that " he will not suffer us to be tempted further than we shall be able to bear""." and many times when we be brought into the greatest danger and peril both of body and soul, before we fall and be overcome, the Lord preserveth us and preventeth the evil : as when Abra- ham went into Egypt, and perceived that the Egyptians would put him in danger for his wife Sarah (for she was a fair woman), he desired her to say she was his sister ; and by [Gen. xii.] that means thought to save himself from danger, and to win favour at the Egyptians' hands. The chastity of this godly matron, Sarah, and wife of Abraham, came into such extreme peril, that neither Abraham nor she knew how to stand fast in the state and chaste condition of matrimony ; for she was coupled to the king as his wife. But lest the woman should have fallen, and her feet slipped, the Lord rebuked the king, and told him that Sarah was another man's wife, and unlawful for him ; and so, by his merciful defence and goodness, kept all parts from falling in that respect. The like may ye see Judith xiii. also iu Judith, the godly woman, that, without a singular grace of God, had fallen with Olofernes, and abused woman- hood and widowhood : had not the Lord stayed in time, the fall was imminent and (in manner) at hand. And ye may read the same likewise of the people that were within the Judith vii. city of Bethulia at the same time, how near they were fallen, UPON I'SALM LXXIII. 297 wherx they appointed God a time to help them, the space of five days; in case he deferred his help any longer, they would yield themselves into the hands of their enemies : but God stayed their fall, and that by the hands of a woman ; and if there had not been more mercy in God than faith in them, their feet had not only slipped, but also all the whole land, country, and city. The like ye may see also in the notable history of Hesther, where as the very rock and chief stay of Esther iv. the Jews' health, Mardocheus, made suit to the queen for Asuerus' pardon for the life of the Jews, when sentence and judgment was past against them of death : so that, if faith in the promises of God had not stayed him, he had slipped and fallen down, to see all things against him and his country- men. But before men utterly fall, the Lord is with them, and preserveth them with his mercy ; as David said, " When my Psai. xciv, feet were moved, thy mercy, 0 Lord, stayed me." The third thins: to be noted of these words is the man- ner of the prophet's speaking, which must be marked and understood, or else the reader or hearer of the psalms shall take no profit. " My feet were almost gone, and my treadings had well nigh slipped." By the "feet" he understandeth the mind, and by the "treadings well nigh shpped" he understandeth the judg- ment and wisdom of the mind. As foul and slippery ways be dangerous for the feet, so be the works of God to the mind that is not illuminated with the light of God's word ; and as the slipping and running away of the feet causeth all the body to fall, even so the ignorance of the mind causeth both body and soul to fall, and grievously to misjudge the works of God : and as the fall of the body souseth and de- fileth itself with mire and dirt, even so doth the fall of the mind defile both body and soul with impatience and envious indignation at God's works. So that the prophet saith by these words, " My feet were almost gone, and my treadings had well nigh slipped," my mind was so troubled to see God suifer the evil in such prosperity, and the good in such ad- versity, that my judgment almost slipt from the right sen- tence of thee, 0 Lord ; and very scarcely I avoided most heinous sin towards thee, in controlling of thy most wise and just doings. 298 EXPOSITIONS ON CERTAIN PSALMS. If we marked the pith and wisdom of the scripture, we should see many things more in ourselves than we do, and doubtless grow to an excellency in wisdom, and find out what evils wo be most inclined unto. Amongst all other, hatred and indignation of other men's prosperity is not the least, nor the most seldomest. And indeed, the father of sin, the devil, hath that in him. First, he disdained God and his felicity ; but he won nothing thereby but everlasting pains. Gen. iii. Then he envied man and his felicity ; yet the wicked spirit gained nothing to himself but double damnation and loss of us all. And this seed of the devil descended into our nature Gen. iv. xxi. (as wc may see), and made Cain to kill Abel his brother ; Numb. xvi. made Ismael to persecute Isaac ; Esau, Jacob ; Dathan and Abiron, Moses and Aaron ; Aaron and Mary his sister, Moses ; Gen. xxxvii. JacoVs children, Joseph; Saul, David; Herod and the Pha- 1 Sim. XIX. _ . xxi\\ XX I'isees, Christ and John the Baptist ; the ten apostles, John John xxi. and James ; Peter, St John the Evangelist ; and the members of the devil and Antichrist in this our time, the members of Christ : so that they be not only almost fallen, but also (the Lord help them and us all !) altogether slidden to envy and indignation, and likewise to violent oppression of God's holy word. But let us not slip ne fall into indignation that they prosper and we are afflicted ; but say in the midst of these oppressions of the good, and prosperity of the evil, " Truly God is loving unto Israel ;" and let us pray also for their amendment. a The third part. 3. " And why ? I was grieved at the wicked, &c." Herein is contained what the felicity of the wicked is, and wherein it consisteth, that the godly be offended withal, when they flourish and be in honour, and the poor members of Christ persecuted and without all honour, and be rather Psal. xxii. worms than men : yea, the dogs and brute beasts of the enemies be in more estimation than the poor believers in Christ. Out of this part is to be noted, first, a great fault and oversight in the people of God, for lack of judgment and true knowledge wherein truth and very felicity indeed con- sisteth : the lack of the which knowledge maketh men both impatient and lewd judges of God's holy works. The pro- UPON PSALM I XX III. 299 phet therefore herein amendeth his own and our ignorance, and willeth us to know perfectly wherein felicity and happi- ness doth rest. The Christian must understand and assure himself, that the felicity and everlasting beatitude of man is wrought by quietness of conscience and innocency of life : of which two parts and virtues in this tract I will speak more hereafter, as well what they be, what be the causes of them, as what is the effect of them. I will assure you, if ■we know not these things well, our religion will be but awhile permanent and true unto God. To enter therefore into the knowledge of the matter, •wherein the beatitude and felicity of man consisteth, it is requisite to cast some clouds and darkness upon these worldly things that wicked men possess, and godly men think them thereby to be happy. Look, as the sun, at the rising and. passing over the earth, doth hide and cover the globe and sphere of the moon, and darkeneth also the light and clear- ness of the stars ; even so doth the tranquillity of conscience, and the brightness of faith and charity, that dwelleth in the heart of the faithful, darken and hide all things that seem beautiful and voluptuous to the world and carnal lusts of man. And he that hath a testimony at home in his own conscience, that he is in the favour of God, will not greatly pass of other men's judgments, whether they save or damn, laud or dispraise ; nor yet greatly pass, although he lack such notes of riches and glory as worldly men judge and know felicity by. For he that knoweth surely wherein feli- city doth consist will not take the worldly opinion of men for his record, nor for his reward ; neither will he greatly fear for any damnation or punishment that the world can annex and join unto his life for this mortal time. It is therefore Christianity to know that felicity and beatitude resteth in the riches of the mind, by God's grace, wrought by the Holy Ghost for the merits of Christ. There was amongst the philosophers great diversity of opinions in this matter, wherein felicity and beatitude should consist. Some said it rested in this, a man still and con- tinually to be void from anguish and sorrow. Other said it consisted in the knowledge of things. Some said, in plea- sure and voluptuousness. Aristotle and Theophrastus, and such other as were of the sect of the Peripatets, did hold 300 EXPOSITIONS ON CERTAIN PSALMS. that a blessed and fortunate life did consist in honesty ; and said that the same might be accomplished with the volup- tuous pleasures of the body, and with external riches, honour, and felicity. But both these opinions and all the rest are confuted by our Saviour Christ and his holy word. He saith, John xvii. " This is life everlasting, that men know thee, 0 Father, the only and true God, and whom thou hast sent, Jesus Christ." Matt. xix. And in another place he saith, " Every one that forsaketh house, brothers, sisters, father, mother, wife, children, or possessions, for my name, shall receive an hundredfold, and possess life everlasting." By these places we know that beatitude and felicity consisteth in knowledge and working of God's will, which be the causes of quietness of conscience and innocency of life ; wherein felicity doth consist, as I said before. The right knowledge of God bringeth faith in Christ. Faith in Christ bringeth tranquillity of conscience. Tranquillity of conscience by faith worketh charity and love, to do and work the will of our heavenly Father. This may ye see also in the book of the Psalms, that felicity and bhss resteth not in these trifling things that glitter to the eye, wherewith the prophet was so sore offended ; but in know- Psil. xeiv. ledge and working of God's will. " Blessed is the man whom thou teachest, Lord, and whom thou instructest in thy Psai. cxii. law." And in another psalm he saith, " Blessed is the man that feareth the Lord, and desireth to work his will." In these psalms, if ye read them with judgment and prayer to God, ye shall find both knowledge and consolation, far above the common sort of such as read and use them in the churches now, to the dishonour of God, and to the destruction of their own souls. And in this matter of felicity and beatitude of man and woman in this life, I would have you judge by the scripture of God, or else ye shall be deceived, what it is, wherein it consisteth, and what it worketh : for only the word of God teacheth and sheweth it, and nothing but it. The scripture of God plainly declareth that nothing can be profitable which is not honest and virtuous. And virtue is blessed and very felicity, in what condition or state soever it be : neither can it be increased with any external or bodily goods or honour ; neither yet can it be diminished with any adver- sities or troubles. And nothing can be blessed but that UPON PSALM LXXIIX. 301 ■which is void from iniquity, full of honesty and the grace of God : as ye may see in the book of the Psalms, where as this matter is plainly set forth. " Blessed is the man Psai. i. that hath not walked in the counsel of the wicked, nor stood in the way of sinners, nor sate in the chair of scorners ; but his delight was in the law of God," &c. And in another psalm he saith, *' Blessed are they that be clean of life, and Psai. exix. walk in the law of God." Out of these places we learn, that knowledge and innocency of life worketh felicity and beatitude. We must therefore beware that we judge not fehcity to be in these inconstant and uncertain riches of the world ; but we must contemn them, and also beware we fear not the trouble that may happen for such virtues wherein felicity doth stand. And we must understand also, that although these virtues, wherein felicity consisteth, and such as be friends of God dwelleth\ be afflicted and troubled, that neither the felicity, nor the person in whom it dwelleth, is anything the worse for troubles and adversities before God, but rather the better : as ye may see by the word of God, that saith, " Blessed be ye when men speak evil of you, and jiatt. v. x. persecute you, and speak all evil against you, lying, for jus- tice sake. Be glad and rejoice ; for your reward is great in heaven. So did they persecute the prophets before you." And in another place it is said: " He that will come after Matt. xvi. me, let him deny himself, and take his cross and follow me." The psalm therefore, in this part, amendeth the judgment of weak and wavering christian men, that be offended with the prosperity of the wicked, because they do not know, nor mark by God's word, wherein felicity doth consist, and that it remaineth in such virtues as be not diminished nor drowned in the adversities of this world, whatsoever dangers happen. When was Moses stronger than when he saw of the one side Exod. xw. the mountains of Egypt, and of the other side Pharaoh and his army, and before him the Red Sea, and, in the midst of these enemies, he and his people standing like sheep ready for the wolves to be slain ? He was never more strong, nor in this life more blessed, than at that time. Daniel was Dm- never better than amongst the lions. We must therefore ^' know the virtues wherein felicity doth consist to be nothing [1 There seems to be an omission here; probably we ought to read, 'and such as be friends of God, in whom it dwelleth.'j 302 EXPOSITIONS ON CERTAIN PSALMS. diminished by sorrow and trouble, nor anything increased by voluptuous pleasures and brittle honours of this world : as St Paul most godly setteth forth in his Epistle to the Philip- phii. Hi. pians : " The things (saith he) that I thought profit and gains, for Christ's sake I esteem as hurt and damage ; for whose love I esteem all things as nothing, so that I may win Heb. xi. Christ." And Moses esteemed the treasures of Egypt hurt- ful, and preferred them not before the reproaches and re- bukes of the Lord : neither thought he himself rich nor blessed with the riches of Egypt, ne cursed when he was in 1 Kings xvii. need and lacked them. Elias the prophet, if he had con- sidered his need and danger, he might have accounted himself very miserable and unhappy : but because he knew it was appointed him of God, he complained not of God's doings; for he was as well contented to have bread from God by the raven in the morning, and water at night from the fountain, as though he had had all the world ; and he was nothing the less blessed, although he was poor, but rather more blessed, because he was rich to God-ward. Matt. xvu. Read the gospel of St Matthew, and see the practice of this felicity. Moses, that was so destitute of all worldly help, and Elias void of all worldly consolation, do talk with Christ in the mount of Thabor, where as Peter would have tarried with all his heart, although he knew both Christ and those that he talked with in the estimation of this world were ac- counted most unhappy and miserable of all men ; yet he saw that transitory honours, riches, and felicity, holp nothing to the life everlasting : as Christ plainly teacheth in St Luke, Lukevi, "Blessed are the poor; for theirs is the kingdom of God. Blessed be they that hunger and thirst for justice; for they shall be satisfied. Blessed be ye that now weep; for ye shall laugh." Therefore the poverty, misery, and affliction that the prophet was in, when he spake this psalm and most godly hymn, hindered nothing at all his felicity and blessing of God ; but rather furthered it, if he had wist wherein truly and verily felicity had consisted : as ye may see hereafter how he came to the knowledge of it. Another thing is to be noted out of these six verses, containing the third part of the psalm : that such treasures, 1 Tim. vi. riches, and honours, as men set most by in this world, be rather (unto men that have not grace) lets and impediments UPON PSALM LXXIII. 303 to everlasting felicity, and to the attainment of virtue in this life, than furtherers: as the scripture saith : "Woe be unto Luke vl you, rich men, which have your consolation. Woe be unto you that are now full, for ye shall hunger. And such as laugh shall weep." Achab the wicked king, not contented ^^^y^^" with his kingdom, would take Naboth's vineyard from him : but it had been better for him that he had been a swineherd ; for his lands and riches abused made him to kill an innocent man and his true subject. Plentifulness of God's gifts abused bringeth contempt of God and man : as ye may see how Na- Dan. w. buchodonozer, in wealth and riches, envied the living God, and came into bestiality. The children of Israel, when they Exod. xxxii. had filled themselves with gifts, were not thankful, but un- thankful ; and fell from unthankfulness to idolatry and all abomination. And as men contemn God in prosperity, so do they also their neighbours : as ye may see by this part of the psalm, where as the prophet saith : " Their eyes swell for fatness ; " that is to wit, their riches and honour puffeth them up in such pride, that they contemn and despise all men. The third thing to be noted is, that all things that the felicity and joys of wicked men consist in be but worldly and Dent. xi. transitory things, and as uncertain as man is himself ; which is isS. xl!"' ^ ~ Matt. vi. to be marked : because no man can be happy or blessed by any i Pet. i. such vading and inconstant things; neither can any man come to the beatitude of joys permanent by such things as God giveth indifferently as well to the bad as to the good, and to the vicious as to the virtuous : as Solomon in the book of the Preacher marvellously setteth forth, and matcheth equally the good with the bad, in such things as happen under the sun: "The good and the bad (saith he) be rich and poor, in Eccies. iii. iv. trouble and in prosperity, have friends and foes, be merry and sorry, do live and die all in like," But neither the things that bring them to life everlasting, nor yet life everlasting itself, be one thing. For there is nothing that leadeth to everlasting life but the knowledge and fear of God, and the doing of his blessed will : the which virtues come not by nature, but by grace : as Solomon declareth, when he 1 Kings viii. prayed so earnestly to have wisdom and understanding from God. And as these virtues come not from nature, even so be they not the riches of all men, but of virtuous and 304 EXPOSITIONS ON CERTAIN PSALMS. godly men only. And as they dwell and inhabit only in such as fear God, so do they only conduct and lead such as be godly (and none other) to eternal life : the -which differeth as far and as much from the Avicked's eternal life, as joy differeth from sorrow, ease from pain, pleasant con- solation from fiery flames, love from hatred, God from the devil, and heaven from hell. For these riches -wherewith the ungodly are endued in this life be not the things that can make any man blessed or cursed before God : therefore no more to be cared for than need is : to have them, if God ■will ; if not, to lack them : to have them -with God's grace ■well to use them ; or else to pray to lack them, lest they 1 Tim. vi. abuse us. Better it -were to have too little in the ■world ■with God's favour, than too much with his displeasure. If we have meat, drink, and clothe, let us be contented with it, as with sufficient things to pass this life : if any more than these come, to take heed they make us not to swell in pride, and take from us the remembrance and service of God. O that godly eyes would look upon this psalm, and namely upon this part of it, that declareth wherein the glory, honour, and felicity of wicked men consisteth ! then I know his eyes shall hardly escape tears and weepings, to see and hear a Luke xiL wicked and cursed creature of God pampered with such a sort of vain fleetings, that when he would most gladly flee from Matt. vi. sorrow, the least be able to carry him away. Mark the wicked man's riches, and ye shall perceive that God hath given no more than he hath unto the clay, mould, and stony earth, wherein lieth both gold and precious stones. His beauty and amiableness of vesture and apparel is not like the rose of the garden, nor the lily of the field ; his strength much inferior to brute beasts ; his wisdom less than horse or mule, that use in meats and drinks enough for necessitv, and not too much for sensuality. If lack and need oppress them, patiently they lack until order provide for them : but if the wicked lack, he beareth not lack with patience, nor seeketh enough by truth. The courageous horse fiercely in fight contemneth death ; and the meek swan, feeling the life to pass, with sweet tunes That iMo say welcomcth Atropos, and striveth not, but willingly is contented to surrender that which will not be kept with force. But what doth the rich wicked man ? Forsooth, as the wise man Eccius. xii. saith : " 0 death ! how bitter is the remembrance of thee to UPON PSALM LXXIII, 305 such as have confidence in their riches ! " Lord ! what a charnel-house of stinking carrion is this body and hfe of wicked man puffed up with riches ; inferior, with all that ever he hath, to the birds of the air, the beasts of the fields, and unto the barren clay that he was made of; and the soul itself within that wicked body cursed of God, and ordained to eternal pains ! Who is he that can read or behold the state and honour of man, in whom is not mentioned one virtue to dwell, without sorrow and heaviness ? What a cursed nature is man made of, that can see another thus pampered up with God's displeasure, and cannot rather bewail and mourn to see his brother by these riches lost and cast away, than to envy or disdain at his person ! Oh, woe befall them that fall into this sin of ours, that thus rather with malice and disdain envy the miseries and curses of God upon other, than charitably do go about to amend them, or ruthfully to bewail them ! Read, my dear beloved in the Lord, this place, and mark well the wicked men, and learn to pray for them ; as God give us all grace to do. CE The fourth part. 10. " Therefore fall the people unto them, &c." Out of this part is to be noted, how dangerous a thing it is to be continually assaulted with temptation ; and that the end of it (for the most part) is the conquest and overthrow of as many as be assaulted : as we may see by the examples of our forefathers. Temptation not resisted at the beginning prevailed against the innocent fathers Adam and Eve in paradise ; against oen. m. Cain in murder ; against Aaron and the people in idolatry ; Numb. xvii. against Nimrod in pride; against David in adultery ; against ggam-'xi Judas in avarice; against Aaron and Mary his sister in '^^^^'•^j""- envy ; against Esau in gluttony ; against Pharaoh in pride ; ^:xod."'iii. against Herod in hypocrisy ; against the Pharisees in blindness johnXviii. and obstinacy of mind ; against the Jews in the slander of Tcor. \. Christ's death ; against the Gentiles in ignorance of God's word ; against the most part of Christians now-a-days in cowardness and fear ; and against all the world in looking more how to profit itself, than to serve and fear God. The prophet said before, he was " almost gone," to see the wicked so prosper : but he saith now, that the people fall utterly unto them, and learn both wicked opinions and wicked life of the wicked. r T 20 Lhooper, II.J 306 EXPOSITIONS ON CERTAIN PSALMS. The second is, that the people fall not into the wicked blasphemy of iniquity one by one, but by clusters in great number. Wherein is much to be noted, that so few so hardly turn to God, and so many so quickly to abomination. But, as Matt. vii. Christ said, "The way to heaven is narrow and strait, and few enter ; and the way to hell is broad and plain, and many enter in it." C The fifth part. 14. " Then have I cleansed my heart in vain, &c."" Out of it we be admonished, that our nature is to be of- fended by and by with troubles for the glory of God. And even as we be unquiet with the troubles, so be we inconstant and unstable in the knowledge and truth that we suffer trouble for ; and begin to repent that ever we began to favour or embrace the truth ; and wish also that we had used ourselves as other men did, and then to have suffered with other men the common lot and fortune of the world, and not thus to have been given to a singular knowledge of God's word, which jer. XX. bringeth with it a singular hatred and punishment in this world. Such is our nature, if we be by afflictions and troubles but for a day's space made like unto Christ, we think it too long ; but if we be by sin for all our lifetime made like unto the devil, we think the time too short, and wish longer to live, because we would longer work and delight in sin and abomination. Great and heinous is our offence in this respect: for a little time spent in well-doing we judge too long ; and all time spent in evil-doing we judge too short. All labours and pains be too little, if they be bestowed in worldly things ; but if they be appointed to heavenly things (be they never so few and slender), we think them too much. There is not sea nor land, with all the perils within them, but men dare adventure both their goods and their lives to win increase of worldly goods ; but to win towards God and godliness, scarce one of a great many without danger will labour or take pains to gain it. So doth the prophet say in this place, that "he had cleansed his heart in vain ; " because he saw cleanliness and virtue persecuted, and filth with iniquity honoured and exalted. Christ in the gospel of St John, perceiving that, when virtue and well-doino- should be troubled, men would wax weary of well-doing and virtue, he said unto his disciples. UPON PSALM Lxxnr. 307 "Remember, when they come, that I spake of them, andJo'^xvi. ■warned you before." CE The sixth part. 15. " Yea, and I had almost said even as they, &c.'" Out of it we learn, that no man should judge of God's works, nor God's people, but by the word of God. In this behalf we do many times grievously offend the Almighty God. For when the world damneth God's word, then doth the most part of men the same. If the world say it is true, we say so too. If the world say it is untrue, we say it is untrue : and if the world condemn it, we condemn it also. Likewise if the world account them cursed and damned that be persecuted for God's sake, and for the testimony of his name, we do so too. Yea, and moreover, if the world slander and lie upon poor men and poor women that suffer for God's sake, we speak as they do, and sometimes persecute also the good with them. This is an horrible thing, to reprove (after such a carnal and worldly sort) God and all his blessed people; which will be at length, doubtless, a just condemnation of the world. CE TJie seventh imrt. 16. " Then thought I to understand this, but it was too hard for me, &c." We learn out of this part, that, until reason be amended and removed from her natural blindness, it can do none other but condemn both God and God's people. And no marvel; Psai. ixxxiu. for the prophet, in the eighty-third psalm, and also in the thirty-first psalm, hath these words : consultaverunt adversus absconditos tuos, "they have consulted against thy hidden people." As though he had said, The merciful Father of heaven keepcth the godly people in most sure and strong- defence and protection ; but this kind of protection is hid from the eyes of man's reason : so that it seemeth many times, that God hath the less care of the godly, and passeth more of the wicked than of them. Yet, howsoever the world judgeth, God sleepeth not. Further, how blessed the state and life of the godly is, and how cursed the life and state of the wicked is, only the virtuous and godly do perceive. Therefore the scripture calleth those that be godly and virtuous the hidden 20—2 308 EXPOSITIONS ON CERTAIN PSALMS. of God. Moreover, the godly do perceive, that all the vanity of worldly things, which be the treasures of the wicked, and the permanent state and condition of heavenly things, which be the treasures of the godly, be only seen of such as enter into the holy sanctuary and secret treasures of God's most holy word, without the which worldly things seem to be riches, and heavenly things poverty, — wicked men to be blessed, and godly men cursed, — falsehood to be truth, and truth falsehood, — death to be life, and life death. C The eighth part. 23. " Nevertheless, I am alway by thee, for thou hast holden me always by my right hand." The prophet out of this part declareth that which St Paul Rom. viii. writeth to the Eomans : "If God be with us, who can be against us ? If he love us, what is he that can separate us from his love? which spared not his only Son for our redemp- tion, but gave him for us unto the death. Therefore, there is neither life nor death, things present nor things to come, that can separate us from him." Unto this place is referred all the deliverance from trouble and danger that God used from the beginning of the world unto our time. And when we understand and know God's mercy towards ourselves and others, we must give ourselves wholly to laud and praise his holy name, and be thank- ful : for there is nothing more unnatural in man than forgetfulness of God's great and innumerable gifts towards us. To whom be all honour and praise, world without end. Amen. UPON rSALM Lxxvn. 309 C An Exposition upon the seventy-seventh psalm, made by the constant martyr of Christ, Master John Hooper, Bishop of Glo- cester and Worcester. The Argument. When this prophet Asaph (being a man appointed to the service and teaching of God's word unto the people) perceived that such as were under his cure and charge were many times troubled and brought into great heaviness, for the fear and dread they had conceived of God's most just ire and strait punishment for sin and transgression of his holy laws, and in himself felt especially the burden of God's displeasure against sin intolerable, he received from the Holy Ghost, the Spirit of consolation, what was the best remedy and help for every troubled conscience, to appease and quiet the poor spirit of man, that knoweth and feeleth not only that God is justly angry for sin, but also will straitly punish the iniquity and abomination of the same. And when he had learned himself by God, how a troubled and desperate con- science might be quieted, he spake it to such as were alive and with him, and wrote it to all such as should come after him until the world's end ; that troubled sinners might see their sins forgiven in the mercy of God, and they themselves accepted, as God's most dear chil- dren, into eternal friend- ship and endless joys of sal- vation. CC THE PARTS OF THE PSALM. /. In whom a man should put his trust, and to ivhom he should resort in the days of sickness, troubles, and adversity. II. How a man should use himself towards him in whom he putteth his trust in the time of trouble. 310 EXPOSITIONS ON CERTAIN PSALMS. What great and perilous dangers the man that is troubled shall suffer for the time of his troxihle. IV. How a man taketh consolation in the time of his trouble. CE THE TWO FIRST VERSES OF THE PSALM, CON- TAINING THE TWO FIRST PARTS. 1. " I will cry unto God with my voice ; even unto God will I cry with my voicOj and he shall hearken unto me. 2. "In the time of my trouble I sought the Lord ; my hand I held up all night, and it was not weary : my soul re- fused comfort." CE THE FIRST PART. C In whom a man should put his trust, and to whom he should resort in the days of sickness, troubles, and adversity. 1. " I will cry unto God with my voice ; even unto God will I cry with my voice, and he shall hearken unto me.*" First out of this text it is to be noted, that God only is to be trusted unto in the days of trouble, as our Saviour Christ exhorted in heaviness and anguish of body and soul Matt. xi. all people to resort unto him, saying : " Come unto me all ye that be laden and burdened, and I will refresh you." And the same is spoken of God by Isaiah the prophet : Isai. iv. " Ye that be athirst, come unto the waters ; and ye that have no money, come and take it freely." St John likewise, in the midst among troubled and afflicted persons, reciteth John vii. the words of Christ, saying, " If any be dry, let him come jsai. xii. to me, and drink. He that believeth on me (as the scrip- ture saith), floods of water of life shall flow out of his belly." Of this knowledge and surety in the soul of man, that God is, can, and will be an ease and remedy for the troubled Bom. V. xiv. conscience, cometh justice, peace, and joy of the conscience. Not that any man shall be by and bye without all fear, trembling, and dread of his sins, and of God's just judg- ment against sin, but that this fear and trembling shall not come to desperation ; neither shall he be more afraid of his UPON PSALM LXXVII. 311 sins than comforted by God's mercy and grace in Christ. Therefore saith our Saviour Christ, "Blessed be they tliatMatt. v. weep, for they shall be comforted. Blessed be they that hunger and thirst for justice, for they shall be replenished." In this that he saith, "Blessed be they that weep," he ofthosethat noteth such as do know and feel with sorrow and heaviness mourn who of conscience that they be sinners, and the filthiness of their sins maketh them sorrowful and heavy-hearted ; yet shall they in Christ be comforted. Again, the poor, sensible, feeling, and troubled sinner doth wish his sins away, and would gladly have virtue and justice to rule and do alto- gether in him God's holy will and pleasure. This hunger and thirst (saith Christ) shall be quenched for the merits of his own death and passion : as it shall not miss, if men, in their thirst, hunger, persecution, and trouble, do know and use only God for their help and consolation, as this prophet did, and teacheth us to do the same in this psalm. In this first part be two sorts of people condemned, two sorts of The one is such as plainly despair, and in their troubles demned."" neither look for consolation, nor yet believe that there is any consolation to be hoped for in Christ ; the other is such as seek consolation, but not only at God's hand and power, but at the saints departed, at witches, conjurors, hypocrites, and the works devised and done by man. The first sort be left comfortless, because they seek no consolation ; and the second sort find no comfort, because they seek it where it is not, contrary unto God and his holy word. Happy there- fore is the troubled that seeketh consolation at God's hands, and nowhere else. " For he is (as it is written by the pro- isai. xiv. phet Esay) the God alone that doth save, and none but he." But there be two manner of impediments that keep the Twoimpedi- Almighty God from the helping and comforting: of people ood from'' xi.r-. 11 mi ^ . . helping the that be m trouble. Ihe one is ignorance oi God s nature troubled. ^ ,1. Ignorance. and property towards the afflicted ; and the other is fear 2. Fear of and dread, whereas God is most justly angry for sin, lest ° ^•'"^"'^ that in his anger and just punishment he will not be mer- ciful. Of the first impediment, which IS Ignorance, is sprung Of ignorance into the world horrible blasphemy, that neither seeketh help horrible^ at God's hand, nor yet is thankful unto God for anything that God giveth ; but rendereth all things to such gods and 312 EXPOSITIONS ON CERTAIN PSALMS. saints as he hath devised out of his own imagination, or else learned (as St Peter saith) out of the traditions of his elders : so that ignorance taketh away the honour of God, and also the salvation of them that be ignorant. The re- The remedy m edy against this great impediment is only the reading, ^orance. meditating, hearing, and learning of God's holy word, which 2 Pet. i. is as a candle-light in a dark place, to keep and preserve a man from danger and peril. And so saith king David, that psai. cxix. it is a candle unto his feet, and a light unto his steps. And in another place of his psalms he saith, "The law of God is so perfect, that it turneth souls unto the Lord." Where- fore (saith he) it is the part of every man that will be vir- '• tuous and godly, to have his desire and cogitations in the law of God both day and night. And, to preserve the people from this horrible impediment of ignorance, God spake by Isai. lix. his prophet Esay these words : " j\Iy Spirit, which is in thee, and my words, which I put in thy mouth, shall not depart from thy mouth, and from the mouth of thy seed, saith the Lord, from henceforth for evermore." And in the same Isai. vui. prophecy Christ prayeth the heavenly Father to seal his word in his disciples, whereby the dangerous impediment of man's salvation, which is ignorance, might be eschewed and avoided. The same remedy against ignorance commandeth Deut. vi. Almighty God also by Moses in Deuteronomy, and by St Ephe^. vi. Paul to the Ephesians ; where as the fathers and the mothers be not bound themselves alone to know the law of God, but also bound to teach it to their children, that by ignorance they offend not God. What Cometh Qf the secoud impediment, which is fear and dread of of the tear of _ ^ _ Gods justice. God's justlco, cometh trembling and terror of the conscience, and many times also the extremest evil of all evils, very desperation, that never looketh who can help, neither yet trusteth to find any help. But of these fruits of terror and fear, and also of their remedies how they may be cured and holpen, it shall be shewed hereafter in the psalm, as it foUoweth, where as both terror of conscience and tranquil- lity of the same be marvellously and divinely set forth. Only, until I come to those points, I do note that this fear and terror of conscience in the faithful be the very hunger Matuv. and thirst that Christ saith shall be quenched, and they that feel them shall be replenished with grace and consolation, as UPON PSALM LXXVII. 313 the blessed virgin, the mother of Christ, salth ; and they luKc i. that feel them not shall depart empty without grace. And the cause of this terror and fear is the Spirit of God, that Ron"-, '".-.y- ^ ^ _ VI. VII. vni. worketh the knowledge of our sin by preaching, reading, or thinking of God's law, that openeth and detecteth how ^f",^,'^^/'^ wretched and sinful we be by nature in the sight of God. thfiaw"^ °* But of this matter is better occasion ministered afterwards in the psalm than in this place. C; THE SECOND PART. f£ How a man should use himself towards him in whom he putteth his trust in the time of trouble. 2. "In the time of my trouble I sought the Lord : my hand I held up all night, and it was not weary : my soul refused comfort." In this part is taught us, both by doctrine and by ex- How we ample, how we should use ourselves in the time of trouble, ourst'lves in When we know there is no help nor helper but God alone, trouble, it is not enough for a man to know that God can help ; but also we must believe constantly, that he hath as prompt a will to help, as a sufficient power able to help : and then, being assured that he both can and will help, we must call upon him for help, according to his commandment unto us : *' Call upon me in the days of trouble,"" &c. Psai. i. Out of this place we may mark and learn what an in- The fear and tolerable burden and unspeakable sorrow the terror and fear Ss arintoU" of sin is, and how grievous a thing the sight and contem- "^^ plation of God's displeasure and just judgment is against every sinner, for his sin and transgression of God's most holy law. The text saith, that the prophet, when he felt the displeasure of God against sin, cried out with a loud voice unto the Lord : whereby we learn, that the conscience Thecon- of man, admonished by the word of God of the filthiness admonished . . . ^ ofthefiltni- and abommation of sin, bringeth all the body into a trem- Erfngeth'the bling and fear, lest God should use rather justice, and justly freinbung* punish sin, than mercy, and mercifully forgive sin. And thus being made afraid thoroughly of sin, the mind is occu- what ensu- . , . , PI , , ° *' . . , , eth after the pied with sorrowiul and heavy cogitations, and the tongue sefeneef""' by vehemency of the spirit brought into clamours and cries : 314 EXPOSITIONS ON CERTAIN PSALMS. as we may see commonly by examples left unto us in the word of God, that where sin is thoroughly felt in the con- science, the feeling sinner is not only troubled within in spirit, but also outwardly in all the members and parts of his body, as it is to be seen most manifestly in king David. In what a sea of heaviness was king David in his conscience, Psai. xiii. when he spake to his own soul : " Why art thou so heavy and sorrowful, 0 my soul, and why dost thou thus trouble me ?" Again : " How long wilt thou forget me, O Lord ? for ever ?" And in other psalms we may see into what trembling and fear outwardly he was brought by the know- ledge and feeling of his sin. In one place he saith, the fear of his sins did not only overlay his conscience, but also Psal. xxxviii. crushcd and (in manner) all-to broke his bones. And in Psal. vi. another place, his visage was all defaced with weeping tears, and so abundantly they gushed out of his eyes, that he watered, or rather overflowed, his bed with them where he lay. Into what horrible cries and wailings many times he Psal. Ixxvii. fell for fear of sin, this psalm and many other do declare. The like horror and fear also of the sight and feeling of sin we see to have been in St Paul, when he cried out upon Bom. vii. himself, " 0 wretched man that I am ! who shall deliver me from this body subject unto death?" And Mary Magda- lene, with the sight and feehng of God's displeasure against her sin, made tears and weepings enow to wash the foun- Note. tain of mercy's feet, Jesus Christ. But blessed is that con- science feared^ by the law, whose fear by the sweet promises Psal. cxxvl. of the gospel is turned into mirth ; and blessed be those Matt V. . 1 Cor' XV. tears and weepings that end in consolation ; and happy is that troubled body whose end is immortality in the resur- rection of the just. Further, as we see here king David, a sinner, for fear of God's judgment brake out into loud cries for help and preservation, the same anguish and trouble of mind and of body for fear of God's punishment for sin to- wards man was likewise in Christ without sin, which said, Matt. xxvi. " My soul is hcavy unto death ;" and in such an agony was his body, that he burst out and sweat both water and blood. So that of this second part first we learn, that such as be truly and unfeignedly brought to a knowledge, feeling, and [1 Feared: frightened.] UPON PSALM LXXVir. 315 repentance of their sins have it with great heaviness of mind, terror of conscience, and trouble also of the body many times ; that no sickness nor troubles may be compared to No trouble the trouble of the conscience for fear of due and condign of conscience, punishment for the sin perpetrated and committed against God's laws. The second doctrine that we be taught out of this second Difference , . , . between the part is, to declare what dmerence there is between the pern- penitent, r ' ^ desperatei tent Christian in adversity, and the desperate person that fg",°,^™o„3 looketh for no help, or else the presumptuous person that contemneth help. The penitent afflicted calleth unto the Lord ; and although The penitent he find his burden never so intolerable, do weep and lament never so sore, yet he despaireth not, but in adversity he hath hope, and is not confounded, as in prosperity he hath faith, and yet presumeth not. The desperate man feeleth all trou- The desperate bles and no consolation, is wholly overcome with mistrust, full of incredulity, and clean void of hope, as Saul, Judas, and others. The contemner of admonition hath hope in Thecon- • 1 11 • /~i • 1 ni 11 temptuous prosperity, with all presumption, as Cam and rharaoh ; and man. in adversity desperation, with all mistrust and diffidence. The Christian afflicted calleth in faith and hope upon the Note. Lord, and is heard : the wicked afflicted calleth not upon afflicted. ^ The wicked the Lord, but is clean rejected and comfortless by God's most afflicted, just judgment. The Christian afflicted seeth all his sins less than the least mercies of God : the wicked afflicted seeth the least of his sins greater than the greatest mercies of God. The one in trouble by faith glorifieth the Lord, and by mercy Note, findeth salvation : the other in trouble by mistrust dishonour- eth the Lord, and by justice findeth damnation. The one by troubles, through faith in Christ, is made like unto the Son of God, and cannot be separated from him in eternal life : the other by troubles, through desperation of Christ, is made like unto Satan, and cannot be separated from him in eternal death. The one in eternal life findeth everlasting joys : the other in everlasting death findeth endless pains. Almighty God therefore grant us grace in all our troubles and afflictions penitently and faithfully to call upon him, and to find him merciful unto us his wretched creatures. Amen. The third thing to be noted in this second part is, that God's nature ~ J, , , . ^ and man's God s nature and man s differ much one from the other. For ^ifler much. 316 EXPOSITIONS ON CERTAIN PSALMS. man (for the most part) is no more serviceable unto God, nor longer friendly unto man, than God's condition upon the earth Man for the ig fortunate and quiet with the world : for if storms arise for most part is ^ foii^weth^"'' Grod's cause, and troubles happen where quietness erst had the^wOTM place, the men of the world alter their love, service, and favoureth. rgyerence, and will neither make nor meddle with God nor his cause ; no, although ten thousand idols be brought in for Idols set up one God, as Englishmen have seen in former time. As long: again in o O ume? ^^'^ ^ Christ had a king in this realm to hold of his part, and that great livings, gains, friendship, and love of the world rose for God's sake, they dissembled towards his word ; and so long as fair words could please God, he lacked none : but now even such as God did most for do know neither God nor his word, but had rather hear ten times spoken of the falsest tradition that ever man brought into the church, than once of Christ's most holy gospel ; so that now men's natures for adversities' sake be clean turned from God. How long How long the love of man continueth towards men, daily continueth experience sheweth within one month. If a man fall into towards man. , , ■, ^ ■, . •,, i • n • t trouble lor the most just cause, he that was his inend will not only alter his love from him, but also all the notes and tokens of the same. Whereas in prosperity he was assured both of friendly words and friendly works, in adversity he shall find neither words nor works, except words and works of displeasure. In prosperity fair looks and amiable counte- nances were as common as the cartway : in adversity there shall neither look nor countenance be shewed, except it be frowning and bending of brows ; yea, and moreover, adversity taketh from the dissembling friend all knowledge that ever he had of his friend afflicted, that if the poor afflicted (al- though he be even under the nose of his feigned friend) with courtesy and all obeisance cannot be known. God loveth O God ! blessed be thy name, that withdrawest neither t^p^r* thy knowledge, love, nor yet thy help from the poor afflicted, but hearest them, and grantest them their godly and honest requests ; as here this prophet most godly and comfortably Psai.ixxvii. "writeth of thee; for he saith, "The Lord shall hearken unto me, when I seek him in the time of my trouble." And also Consolation, the Lord abhorreth not to be present with the afflicted, be his [1 This is the exact reading : the sense is, so that the poor afiaicted, &c.] rPON PSALM LXXVII. 317 troubles never so great : " For I am (saith the Lord) with Psai. xd. him in trouble ; I will deliver him, and set him in honour," &c. Of this doctrine we learn two things : the one, that God oodhatetn , , p 1 • • nottlie hateth not the troubled man for his trouble, but for his sms. troubled for nis trouble. Men do clean contrary for the most part; for they hate the but for his man for trouble, and not for sin: for let the wickedest man ^J^jj ha'^"> alive have prosperity, and all wicked men will love him for not"for'sfn.'* his prosperity's sake. God turneth not his favour from man for trouble, but for sin. The world for trouble's sake will not know the most dear and honest friend : but let the most wicked that liveth by breath have prosperity, and wicked people will not fail to know him with beck and du-gard, if he come into company ; yea, rather than fail, the most wickedest man alive shall be narrowly sought out, that wicked men may have acquaintance of him. But he that hath God to his friend is sure of a Saviour, as well in adversity as in pros- perity, as the prophet here declareth, which can in troubles send ease, and in quietness continue joys for ever. To him therefore be all laud and praise, worlds without end. Amen. The fourth thing to be noted in this second part is, the Continuance continuance of the faithful afflicted in prayer unto God. For the prophet saith, that he " lifted up his hands all night, and waxed not weary." Of this continuance in prayer we learn two things : the one, perseverance in prayer ; and the other, patient expectation and willing sulFerance until God send re- dress and ease. To the first the scripture exhorteth us, that we pray both heartily and continually unto God, not because he is ignorant of our troubles, but because we should thoroughly be brought to understand that there is none can help us out of trouble but he ; and also that by continuance in prayer we may the better know, and more earnestly repent, our sins, that be the cause of our troubles : thirdly, that by often remembrance and divers rehearsals of our iniquity unto God we may the sooner bring both our souls and bodies into the service and homage of Almighty God, whom we have by sin most grievously displeased. The second virtue, patient expectation in troubles, de- Patientex- clareth that we be much bound unto God, that chasteneth us in this life, and deferreth not our punishment to the eternal pains in the world to come. Also it maketh the mind of men 318 EXPOSITIONS ON CERTAIN PSALMS. to understand the wisdom of God, and also the foohshness of man, that many times, for lack of patient expectation and thankful sufferance, waxeth weary of his cross and punish- ment, and also murmureth against God, because he helpeth not when man's wisdom judgeth most meet to be holpen. But patient expectation prescribeth God no time when to help, nor yet means how to help ; but saith, " Thy will be MatL vi. viii. done in earth as it is in heaven ;" also, " Lord, if thou wilt, thou canst deliver me :" as the prophet useth here in this psalm ; he called and cried upon the Lord all the night, and attended patiently when God would help, leaning altogether to his blessed will and pleasure, to do or not to do, as him best pleased. CE THE THIRD PART. What great and perilous dangers the man that is troubled shall suffer for the time of his trouble. 2. " My soul refused comfort. 3. " When I am in heaviness, I will think upon God : when my heart is vexed, I will complain. Selah. 4. " Thou boldest mine eyes waking ; I am so feeble, I cannot speak. 5. " I have considered the days of old, and the years that be past. 6. " In the night I called to remembrance my song, and communed with mine own heart ; and my spirit searched diligently. 7. " Will the Lord absent himself for ever ? and will he be no more entreated ? 8. " Is his mercy clean gone for ever ? and is his promise come utterly to an end for evermore ? 9. " Hath God forgotten to be gracious ? and will he shut up his loving-kindness in displeasure ?" Here in these verses it appeareth, what terrible and fear- ful things a man that is in trouble shall suffer and be vexed withal. And tlie first that the prophet mentioneth is in the end of the second verse, and it is this, "My soul refuseth comfort." Of this adversity and anguish of the soul we may learn UPON I'SALM LXXVII. 319 many thinjrs: first, that as lonj; as sin appeareth not nor is as long as J r> ' O I i sin IS not felt, the mind of man is quiet, jocund, and pleasant ; and the jl^^^^^^ml mirth and pleasure of the mind rejoiceth the body, and maketh p'easant. it lusty and pleasant ; not feeling at all the breach of God's commandments, neither passing anything at all of sin nor evil conversation, but rather dehghting in things that displease 2 sam. ■. God than in any virtue or honesty. But when trouble, sick- Acts ix. ness, or death cometh, then most commonly, though men see when the /»!•• /" ii ii horror of a not the horror of their sms to repent, yet leel they the horror man^ssinis thereof to desperation ; and, that once felt in the soul, all the ^f,'r;f„'^,',j','^'' joys of the world cannot comfort the troubled person: as {"y'^^^™™- Adam, with all the solace of paradise, could not rejoice, when ifrl^n'^ his soul felt the abomination of his offence towards God : Cain oen. lii. iv. could never pluck up merry countenance for the cruel killing of his brother Abel : Peter could not stint weeping for his Matt. xxvi. Note. denial of Christ, until Christ looked upon him : Mary Magda- lene could not pull up her head from under the table for Luke viu shame of her sin, until Christ had forgiven her ; nor the poor Johnviii. woman that was taken in adultery, until her offences were pardoned : neither yet could this prophet's spirit take any Psai. ixxvh. consolation, as long as his sins were felt and not pardoned. Whereof followeth this saying, — a small trouble of conscience putteth away all joy and mirth of the world. Wherefore it is wisdom, and also the duty of all christian people, to avoid sin and the enmity of God, which only troubleth the con- science ; and to put the body to all pains possible, yea, and to death itself, rather than to put the soul in danger towards God : as St Paul writeth to Timothy his disciple, and not 1 Tim. i. without cause. For as the spirit that contemneth God, and feeleth for his contempt God's displeasure, cannot take comfort, but is full of anguish and heaviness inward, and in Isai. Ixri. the outward man full of pain and sorrow ; so likewise shall the soul in the life to come inwardly feel unspeakable grudg- ings and sorrows, and outwardly the unquenchable and ever- lasting fire of hell. And here is to be noted, that the very jhe dearest " ' ./ fnerds of elect and dearest friends of Christ be not free from trouble ^^i^j'^f ^^"2.' and anguish of mind for their sins perpetrated and committed ^^^"^ against God. But this is a consolation, that the elect, as they uid^'s^ns. find anxiety and anguish of mind for sin in this life, so in this Consolation, life is the conscience that is troubled by grace quieted, that it may after this life find eternal rest. And it is a common 320 EXPOSITIONS ON CERTAIN PSALMS. An ordinary way that God useth to call sinners to lepentance, and from re- pentance to forgiveness. Psal. li. Two manner of discom- forts. An inward discomfort. MaU. iii. Mark i. Gen. iii. iv. 2 Sam. xi. Matt. xxvn. [xxvi.] Acts ix. order and ordinary way, whereby God useth to bring the sinner to acknowledge and repent his sin, and so from know- ledge and repentance to the forgiveness of his sin, to shew and set before the conscience of the sinner his sin ; as the ex- ample of king David and others do declare : "My sin (saith David) is always before me." As though he had said. In case I could hide mine iniquity from all the world, yet can 1 not excuse it before God, nor hide it from mine own con- science. And every man's sins thus open before God, and known and felt in his own conscience, bringeth the soul into this discomfort and heaviness, that it refuseth all consolation and comfort ; as this prophet Asaph saith marvellously in this second verse of his psalm. There is to be noted out of this comfortless spirit of the prophet Asaph another most necessary doctrine for every christian creature, which is this : that there is two manner of discomforts, or two sorts of heaviness in the word of God, that is appointed to lead us in the time of this wretched life ; as there is in it also two manner of consolations. There is two manner of brightness and clearness, and two manner of dark- ness and obscureness in it ; as it shall appear in the treatise of this psalm hereafter. And because the diversity is not marked, the word of God doeth many times and in many places and persons no good at all. There is a discomfort inwardly, and a discomfort out- wardly, in the scripture. The discomfort inwardly is, when the sinful man or woman seeketh and suffereth the same discomfort in his soul that the law of God doth open and proclaim against him for his sins committed against God and his law: so that, as the law commandeth after this sort, Agite jycenitentiam, "Repent ye," so the man that is commanded by the law to be sorry and heavy for his sins is sorry and heavy indeed by the working of God's Spirit : as we may see in Adam, what inward fear and discomfort he had, when he heard the voice of God after the doing of his sin : Cain the like, David the same, with Peter, Paul, and others in the word of God. This discomfort inwardly is felt of all God's elect that be able to learn and know the nature of God's law, and the damnation and curse of God upon sin ; for this is a general commandment to all flesh born and conceived in sin, Jgite UPON PSALM LXXVII. 321 pcenitentiam, "Repent ye." It is also many times felt of such Matt.iii. as die, and lived wickedly ; as Saul and Judas, whose spirits i siml xxxi. in their discomforts refused all consolation, and so died without Mkru xiv. comfort in great anguish and perturbation of mind. But that is not general in all wicked and damned persons : for many times they feel no discomfort nor heaviness of spirit inwardly in this world; but God, of his unspeakable wisdom and justice, maketh them (for their sins) alive, and in security of con- science, to go to hell : as Pharaoh, whilst he followed the Pharaoh. Israelites in persecution into the Rod Sea, suddenly was ' drowned; Korah, Dathan, and Abiram^ whilst they were doing Numb. xvi. their sacrifices, God killed them in opening the earth, that swallowed them alive down into hell. Now this inward dis- comfort, although it end not in joy but only in such as believe their sins to be forgiven in the death and passion of Christ, Bom. iii. v. yet we see by the examples of the scripture that both good and bad suffer and feel this, that their spirit will take no comfort. But now as concerning outward and external discomfort, outward which is felt as well of such as have the word of God, as such as have not the word of God, but only the law of nature : as we may see in the time of the law of nature how Noah oen. v. vi. shewed the discomfort of all men, and the destruction of the world for sin ; but this discomfort did not enter into the spirits of the hearers. Christ complaineth of the same, that the people had both discomfort and comfort preached unto them ; and yet they received none of them both. " To whom (saith Matt. xi. Christ) should I compare this generation? It is like boys that sit in the streets, and cry unto their fellows, and say. We have played upon our timbrels to you, and you have not danced : we have sung mourning songs unto you, and ye have not wept." God, by his prophet Esay, saith the same: "Aliisai. ixv. the day long have I extended forth my hand unto an un- faithful and intractable people ; " meaning, that whatsoever he threatened, or gently offered unto the Jews, it came no further than the outward ear. Whereof both the prophets and Christ himself grievously complain, in this sort: "They isai. ini, vi. have ears, and hear not; and they have eyes, and see not." Sixh.'' Rom. xi. \} Dathan and Abiram were destroyed by the earthquake : but Korah was consumed by fire whilst offering incense at the door of the tabernacle.] [hooper, II.] 21 322 EXPOSITIONS ON CERTAIN PSALMS. Rom. i. St Paul rebuketh men also that by the law of nature knew good, whereof they should have rejoiced, and evil, whereof they should have lamented, and yet did not. And, to leave off the examples of our fathers mentioned in the scriptures, we may see the same by daily experience amongst ourselves. We read in the book of God, we hear by preaching, we know in our own consciences, the displeasure and anger of God against us for our sins : God outwardly sheweth us the same with many horrible plagues ; as by sickness, war, sedition, scarcity, enmity, and hatred ; by the deliverance and surrender of a whole realm (to the utter destruction thereof) into the hands and rule of a stranger ; and by the delivery and giving over of christian souls into the hands and rule of the antichristian pope and his wicked clergy : and yet this discomfort cometh no further than our outward ear. If Asaph, the author of this psalm, were amongst us, he would say his spirit would take no consolation. And this is an horrible plague, that weekly this psalm is read amongst the popish clergy ; and yet it bringeth their spirits to no sorrow nor feehng of God's dis- pleasure. Wherefore our own experience teacheth that there is an inward and an outward discomfort in this psalm, and in the rest of God's most holy word. The one penitent sinners feel, and by it amend their lives ; and the other some wicked men feel, and yet despair : but of the most part of the world Sin not felt it is not felt at all ; whereof cometh the contempt of God, eontSmpiof tho lovo of oursolves and of the world, and the loss of our God, &c. . . Sinful souls in the world to come. Let us therefore mark the scripture that teacheth this discomfort, and pray to God, that as we see it in the letter, so we may feel it in the spirit. Of the two manner of consolations it shall be said in the next verse ; and of the brightness and darkness also in the psalm hereafter. Xow in the trouble of the spirit is another thing to be considered, whereof the text also maketh mention : that is, how the discomfort of the spirit had continuance all the night. Whereof is to be gathered the greatness of discomfort. For as the night is a very image of death, and the bed a very similitude of the sepulchre and grave ; even so is the discom- fort of the spirit in the night, that will not suffer the body to unquietness take rest, but to be unquieted with itself : the which un- u^avery'"' quictuess of tho Spirit is a very similitude and image of ete^nir eternal discomfort in the world to come, that both body and death. ' •' UPON PSALM LXXVII. 323 soul, which were created first to inherit the heavenly bliss, after the fall of Adam should rest by night (as king David saith), and after this life, for sin unforgiven, should for ever Psai. cw. be disquieted in the unquenchable fire of hell. Here may we learn the circumstances and causes, how The cause of the trouble of the prophet Asaph s spirit was increased. ^"^^ ^^^.^ It was trouble engendered by sin (the occasion only of all men's miseries), opened and revealed unto the conscience by Rom. v. vu. the law, condemned by justice to eternal fire ; and it con- tinned all night : yea, how much more, the scripture dc- clareth not. In the which night, the darkness thereof re- The night presented unto his eyes outwardly the horror of hell prison ; hen pHson and also his bed the grave and sepulchre, wherein all flesh is The bed re- clad, after the spirit departeth. The sheets of man's flesh ThTlrave!' o 1 • 1 1 • 1 The sheets of after this life be nothing but earth above and earth under- mans Aesu . . . . . eartli. neath : as, whilst it liveth, it is clad with such vain things as grow upon the earth. This whole night in discomfort of the spirit declareth two Two things notable things : first, how earnestly God is angry indeed with " sin, that putteth man to such long pain for it ; and the next, how gracious a God he is, that will not yet suffer the dis- comforted spirit to despair in his discomfort, as it followeth marvellously in the next verse. 3. " When I am in heaviness, I will think upon God : when my heart is vexed, I will complain. Selah." Whilst Asaph was thus troubled in spirit, he remembered the Lord, and called unto him for help. First, out of this no comfort verse it is to be considered, that nothing can quiet the com- aVictedhut fortless spirit but God alone. But forasmuch as it seemeth by the parts of this psalm that followeth, that this verse came in by occasion, rather than to shew a full remedy for the prophet's trouble, I will not write what I think thereof, but defer the remedy against trouble to such other verses as follow : because the prophet said before, that his spirit could take no consolation, and that a great many of troubles follow, as the psalm declareth. It sheweth that he was not able to bear the troubles of the mind alone, without the invocation and help of God. Wherefore, before he expresseth by writing all his troubles, he writeth also, how in the midst of them he did remember and put his trust in the Lord. 21—2 324 EXPOSITIONS ON CERTAIN PSALMS. Out of this we learn how necessary it is in time, at the beginning of troubles and temptations, to remember the Lord, and to call unto him for mercv. For the more temptations do grow without present assistance of God's grace, the greater is the damnation, and the more is the danger thereof: as we may see in the examples of the scripture. Adam fell into anxiety and discomfort of spirit, and God immediately told Gen^'iii. fault, and by God's grace his discomforted spirit Gen. iv. was quietcd in the promises of God : Cain, by the murder of his brother Abel, felt the discomfort of the spirit, and by 2 Sam. xii, ncglectino; of God's callinf; died in the same. David, being admonished by God's grace, found rest for his unquieted isam. xxxi. Spirit: Saul, in deferring the remedy of God's grace, died comfortless. Peter at the beginning, through God's grace, Matt.xxTii. with ouc look of ChHst put away discomfort: Judas, with contemning Christ's admonitions, died in horrible despair. Whereof we learn to beware, as much as may be, that temptations grow not so far, that God's admonition, or the remembrance of God's name, be forgotten ; but that we do, in the midst of discomforts, as Asaph the prophet did, remember and call upon the Lord for help. There is also by this remem- brance of God in the discomfort of the spirit to be noted, what a vanity all the world and worldly things be for man in time of trouble, when God shall shew and reveal unto man his sins. This Asaph, as we read in the scripture, was a man Whatman- -whom, for his virtues and good qualities, kino; David ap- nerofman ' _ , O T ' o r icSxoZ'^i pointed to be a musician for the comfort of many, until the building of the temple of Hierusalem : yet now, as we see, he is not able to solace himself with his music, nor yet with any worldly thing ; but his only comfort is in the Lord. And here the prophet declareth the truth of Christ's sentence Lukeix. written in St Luke : " What doth it profit a man to win all the world, and to lose his own soul?" What external riches can comfort the inward spirit, troubled with sin and transgres- sion of God's law ? None at all, doubtless ; as the scripture Note. sheweth examples everywhere. All king David's kingdom was not able to appease his troubled and discomforted spirit, Psai. xui. when he said to his troubled soul, " Why art thou so heavy and sad, my soul, and why dost thou trouble me?" Now this one thing more I will mark in this verse, and no more, because it is more fully used by the prophet for the UPON PSALM LXXVir. 325 comfort of discomforted spirits in the verses that follow. I said there was two kind of consolations in the word of God : Two kinds of the one outward, in the face and lesson of the letter ; and in the word _ , of God, the other inward, in the understanding and feeling of the spirit. And of this division must great heed be taken : for it is not every man that readeth and heareth that Christ died for the remission of sin, that shall have the consolation of the redemption promised in Christ's blood. For we see and read (God give us grace to learn it !) that Adam caused his sons <3en. iv. to hear of his own fall in paradise, and the redemption of his fall in the blood of Christ to come'; as Abel, his younger son, right well perceived : yet did Cain, hearing the same consola- tion, perish in his sin. There was consolation and rest promised unto all them that came out of Egypt : but none took the benefit thereof but Josua and Caleb. There was in the outward letter promised consolation unto all Abraham's children : but none received the commodity thereof but such Who be the as in spirit followed the faith of Abraham. The scripture Abraham, saith in the letter, that God would all men to be saved ; yet we see such as follow not the Spirit oifered be damned. God by his word, in the time of holy and blessed king Edward the sixth, offered consolation unto all this realm ; yet none shall consolation enjoy it but such as in their spirits have learned, kept, and Kng'iind^n" do follow the word of consolation. So our Saviour Christ in ward s days. St Matthew doth say : " Not every man that calleth me Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of God ; " but he that followeth in Christ God's commandments. There be a great many at this day (as there were before our time) that know and speak of such consolation as is contained in the letter and utter ^ bark of God's word ; but in their consciences they feel not indeed the consolation thereof : as Judas Judas, preached abroad, with the rest of his companions, consolation to the lost sheep of the house of Israel ; but he shewed unto others that he felt not himself. So did the Pharisees, when Pharisees, the scripture was read every Saturday in their synagogues, shew that Messiah should come to redeem the world ; yet they themselves (for the most part) felt not the consolation indeed that the scripture did testify of Christ. Even so at [1 This is inferred from the nature of tlie offering brought by Abel. See Heb. xi. 4.] [2 utter : outer.] 326 EXPOSITIOMS ON CERTAIN PSALMS. this present many read this psalm (and daily almost in the letter), whereof, if it be in English, he that understandeth not but the English tongue seeth great consolation in the letter, and also in the prophet Asaph, that used the psalm ; yet when need should be, the inward consolation of the psalm of many is nothing felt. The cause is, that either they understand it not, or else mark it not : either they think (as the papists do teach) that to say or sing the psalm, without understanding and feeling of it in the spirit, is sufficient for the work itself, and that it pleaseth God ex opere operato, as they term it. It is too evident, and also too horrible (if it pleased God), that men be contented only with the external consolation Contained in the word of God. For if they hear that God's commandments be true and full of consolation, they be con- tented to hear of them in the letter or by speech, and never learn them or feel them by heart. The like is in the articles of our christian religion. They be thought to be true and godly ; and yet the most part that so judge neither learn them nor feel them in their conscience : wherefore they do outwardly and inwardly as much idolatry contrary to their creed, by the commandment of men, as can be devised ; for their consolation of faith is no more but such an outward knowledge as the most men hold withal, without any proper judgment or singular feeling of their own spirits. The same Prayer. is Hkcwise in prayer : for in the external letter there is so much consolation as may be ; but in the heart of him that prayeth is there no understanding nor feeling of the consola- tion that outwardly is spoken and talked of. Therefore, mark this order of the prophet Asaph. He said that his spirit could take no consolation in all the night-time, whilst he held up his hands. And as there is not only discomfort and unquietness spoken of, but also felt ; not only noted and written in the letter of the psalm, but also thoroughly felt inwardly in the spirit with heaviness and anguish, without comfort and consolation ; so in this verse is there consolation in the letter, in the voice, and in the mouth mentioned of, and inwardly the same consolation felt in the spirit. And as outwardly God's displeasure troubled him, so inwardly God's holy name and promises comforted him. And this is to be noted, lest we should hear of consolation outwardly, or UPON PSALM LXXVII. 327 read it in the book of the holy Bible, and yet inwardly neither feel nor know any consolation at all. In the end of this verse is put this word " Selah." And it doth note unto the reader or hearer, what a miserable and Manin trou- ' ble without comfortless thing: man is in trouble, if God be not present God-spre- o ' L sence is with him to help him. It is also put as a spur and prick for miserable, every christian man and woman to remember and call upon God in the days of their troubles. For, as the Jews say, wheresoever this word " Selah" is, it doth admonish and stir up the reader or hearer to mark what was said before it : for it is a word always put after very notable sentences. Then followeth the rest of such pains and troubles as this prophet suffered whilst the Lord laid his cross upon him, after this sort : 4. "Thou boldest mine eyes waking : I am so feeble I cannot speak." Before, he said his spirit could take no consolation, which was a grief unspeakable ; for no thought is able to compre- hend the anguish of the mind, much less is the tongue able to express it. But now, he sheweth a further increase of dis- comfort, and saith that the terror of his mind was such, that he was not only comfortless, but the Lord also, to the increase of sorrow, kept sleep from him. And as the greatness of Note. God's punishment suffered him not to sleep, so would it not permit him to speak, but made him speechless : such was the great punishment of God towards him. Here is the tyranny and violence of sin to be perceived What sin and seen, which is first in this verse to be noted. It taketh man. all mirth from the spirit, and bringeth in heaviness and dis- comfort. It taketh away sleep, and placeth for it tediousness and sorrowful watch. It taketh away also the speech of the tongue, and leaveth the man mute and speechless. If sin can do so painful things in the body and soul, whilst they be yet conjoined together, and there is hope of remission ; what can it do, when the one is in the earth, and the other in hell separated, or else both of them conjoined again in the resurrection of the wicked, where there is no hope of redemption, but assurance of everlasting pain ? Be- a peaceable . , .... , . , . . . conscience a sides this, it IS to be noted in this verse containing theF^^^°"* increase of the prophet's heaviness, what a precious jewel 328 EXPOSITIONS ON CERTAIN PSALMS. man or woman hath, that hath a quiet heart and peaceable conscience. For wheresoever they be, there be all the members of man and woman wholly bent unto the service and honouring of God. The eyes shall never be turned from their service ; neither shall the tongue cease (if it be able to speak) to sound forth always the glory of God, as David Psai. XXV. saith : "Mine eyes be always towards the Lord." Asrain, CXXI. ^ _ V o ' Psai. exxiii. " I lifted up mine eyes unto the Lord. As the eye of the handmaid attendeth upon her mistress, so our eyes attend Psai. cxxxi. upon the Lord." Again, " Mine eyes, Lord, be not proud." And in another psalm he saith, there should come neither Psai. cxxxii. sleep ne slumber in his eyes, until he had provided a place for the ark of God to rest in. In case the spirit be troubled, or in a contempt of God's laws, not liking his holy devices, the eyes be either troubled with overmuch watch (as in this psalm we see), or else bent to see vanity, the lusts and con- cupiscence of the flesh and the world. Wherefore David Psai. cxix. prayed the Lord to turn his eyes that they looked not upon Prov. xxvii. vanity. For the eye of him that hath not a right spirit is insatiable. And many times the eye (where as the spirit is without the favour of God) abhorreth God's own good gifts : as Numb. xi. the eyes of the Israelites loathed manna in the desert, saying, " Our eyes see nothing but manna." Even so the tongue also Psai. XXXV. of the godly-spirited man will sound the glory of God, as king XXXlX. IXXI. O */ r O e/ ' O David used his tongue, and will not hinder it by naughty speech. If the spirit be void of God's fear, then doth it speak of malice falsely to slander the good, as king David doth declare ; or else for trembling or quaking it can speak xi\\xi '^^^^^^'^S ^^^> perceive by the prophet Asaph in this place. He that will therefore consider accordingly the greatness of this fear in the spirit, and how it taketh away the office of every member external, doubtless must labour to have the spirit that David prayeth, in this sort : Cor mun- dum crea in me, Deus, et spiritum rectum innova in visce- Psai. li. ribus meis ; " Create in me a clean heart, 0 Lord, and renew in me a right spirit!" In the which verse the prophet prayeth, first, to have such an heart as by faith in Christ may be clean and purged from sin ; and next, to have a certain and sure spirit, that doubteth nothing of God's promises towards him. For such a spirit within the body of man or woman maketh the heart so joyful, that no sorrow UPON PSALM LXXVII. 329 can molest it ; and it strengtheneth so every member, that they will be given to nothing so much as to the service of God. But if the spirit be wicked, doubtless the outward members will serve nothing but iniquity : if it be troubled, the outward members cannot be quiet. For as the soul giveth Note, life to the body, so doth the virtue of God in the soul draw the outward parts of the body unto the obedience of virtue. And contrariwise, the vice of the soul draweth the members Rom.iii. n 1 t t 1 • /t. T... 4 1 viii. xii. of the body unto the service of sin and iniquity. And as the ears and eyes of man were made by God to be instruments to untowhat hear and see God's will and pleasure, and by them (sith man "ndeatslf fell in paradise) knowledge might come into the soul and created, spirit of man by hearing God's word preached, and seeing his Rom. x. sacraments ministered ; so by them abused in hearing and seeing of sin and abomination there entereth into the soul much vile filthiness and transgression. The prophet Asaph, therefore, doth admonish us to beware that we bring not our spirits into discomfort by sin and transgression of God's laws : for if we do, whether the offence be done in the spirit by the evil that naturally is in it, by original sin, by the temptation of the devil, or by the means of any member of the body, doubtless the trouble of the spirit shall not only take away the office of the members (as ye see in this place the speech of the tongue and the closing of the eyes be taken away) ; but james at the length also, God shall make the same body and the same members to rise again at the general resurrection, and they shall suffer with the wicked spirit eternal pains. Let this doctrine, therefore, teach all men to know and feel the cruelty of sin, that so painfully unquieteth both body and soul ; and think that, — if these grudgings, discomforts, terrors, and fears be so great, that death itself is more tolerable and easy to bear, — how much more intolerable and unspeakable be the pains of hell, which God hath ordained for all impeni- Isai. Ixvi. . , . t Matt. XXV. tent sinners ! After this verse of trouble and anguish, where as we see sleep taken from the eyes, and speech from the tongue, fol- loweth next how these great sorrows were mollified and some- what diminished. [1 So in ed. 1580: intended perhaps for Jam. v. 1, 2, 3.] xix.l 1 Cor. XV. 330 EXPOSITIONS ON CERTAIN PSALMS. 5. " I have considered the days of old, and the years that be past. 6. " In the night I called to remembrance my song, and com- muned with mine own heart : and my spirit searched diligently." I did (saith the prophet), in this great discomfort and heaviness, consider with myself the times and worlds of old, wherein the Lord had holpen and delivered my fathers before my time from such troubles as I am in, and also from greater. And in the night, while I was sleepless, I remembered that many times I lauded and exalted the goodness of God in my psalms and hymns, giving him thanks for his great mercy and goodness used towards his church at all times ; and in remem- bering God's accustomed clemency and pity my spirit was much given to debate things. Consolation Out of these two verses we may note divers doctrines for IB trouble. cousolation in the days of our trouble. And the first (after my mind) shall be concerning the two brightness and the two darkness in the word of God. The one brightness is in the letter outwardly ; and the other brightness is in the spirit and heart of the reader of the scripture. This bright- ness or clarity of the letter is this, when by reading, hearing, or thinking of God's word, men learn and know that God made all things, and that he preserveth all things, and that Jesus Christ his only Son is the Mediator between God and man, and that he pacified God's just ire against man by his bitter death and passion. Also he knoweth by the external histories of the scripture, that God hath delivered many times his people from dangers and perils in manner impossible to be holpen. This clarity and brightness of the scripture, although it be necessary, yet it is not sufiicient ; for it standeth alone in bare and naked knowledge, which before God saveth not, neither illuminateth the man that hath the knowledge in a sufficient clarity and brightness of faith, and of God's promises due in Christ unto faith : as we may see how the children of Israel had the external clarity and brightness of God's Gen.xii. xiii. promisBS uuto Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, that they and their JtVt xvii xvii ' posterity should inherit the land of Canaan, that flowed with all plenty and abundance ; yet, notwithstanding, such as came UPON PSALM LXXVII. 331 out of Egypt for the most part perished ia the desert and Numb. xiv. wilderness. The Pharisees and learned men amongst the Jews had the clearness and brightness of Christ's coming, and of the place he should be born in, and told in that part the Mj^cah v. truth unto Herod ; yet did they, for all this knowledge and clarity, abhor Christ when he came, and put him to deatli most wrongfully. The people in like sort saw an external bright- ness in Christ, that by his miracles and wonders they thought him worthy to be made a king ; and yet, for all this, they cried out against him, Crucifige eum, crucifige eum, " Cru- Maet. xxvii. cify him, crucify him." The devil himself said he knew who Lukexxiu. V ' V John xix* Christ was, the Son of the Most Highest; and yet, for all this knowledge and clearness, shall he never be saved. And Christ himself also perceived that this external brightness was amongst a great many that called him Lord, Lord : yet notwithstand- Matt. vu. ing he said they should not enter into the joys of heaven. So likewise be there very many at this present time, that see the clarity and brightness of Christ outwardly in the letter, and yet follow it not here in living, neither shall they have the effect of their knowledge in the life to come : for their clear- ness is only knowledge, without feeling or practice of the bright ness inwardly, which deserveth more stripes than obscurity or Luke xii. darkness doth. There is another clarity or brightness, which is an inward understanding and spiritual knowledge and sight of God's truth ; which no man hath but he that is possessed with the Spirit of God, that whatsoever he readeth in God's word himself, or heareth preached of other men, he understandeth it, and con- senteth unto it gladly and willingly. As for example : God Gen. iu. spake unto Adam, and his words made him afraid, so that he trembled for fear. Christ spake unto Paul, and he fell down Acts ix. flat, and could not abide the peril of Christ's voice. So that, as the law rebuked sin in the voice and letter, it wrought also rebuke and discomfort in the hearts of Adam and Paul, and made them afraid inwardly, as the voice and letter was terrible outwardly. Wherefore they had not only an external clear- ness of God's hatred against sin, but also an internal sight and feeling of the same, as the scripture doth record. The like is also in the promises of God, when they be preached or read, that promise remission of sin. The inward clarity and brightness of the same is to feel privately, every 332 EXPOSITIONS ON CERTAIN PSALMS. man and vroman in his own conscience, through faith in Christ, that the same promises do appertain and belong unto himself: B^m. L prophet Abacuc saith : " The just man liveth by his own faith." Also, when Christ said unto the woman of Canaan, that it was not good to cast the bread that appertained to the Matt. XV. children unto dogs, she said, " Yes, Lord ; for the dogs do eat of the crumbs that fall from their master's table." And so doth Christ himself use the brightness of his promises to Luke vii. Mary Magdalene, " Thy sins be forgiven thee;" applying the clearness of the letter unto the inward comfort of her soul. The same is likewise marvellously expressed in the common creed, where as every man saith, he believeth in God the Father, God the Son, and God the Holy Ghost, and that he believeth the remission of sins ; meaning, that whosoever saith his creed should see and feel in his soul the clarity and bright- ness of his salvation, that is contained in the letter and words of the creed. But this clearness is not seen of all men, nor Matt. XX. yet of the most part of men, as Christ declareth : " ^Many be Matt. viL called, and few chosen." Many say, Lord, Lord, and few do the Lord's will. Therefore Christ saith marvellously concern- ing the clarity and brightness of God's word inwardly, in St Lukexi. Lukc : " Blcsscd be they that hear the word of God, and keep it :"" by the which words he declareth, that many hear and see the outward light and truth of God's word, but very few there be that see the inward light and profit thereof. Of this is learned what the cause is that Christians bear the name of Christ, and yet be not Christ's indeed ; for because a great many be contented with the name, and few do understand what the name truly and verily containeth in it. And as there is in the scripture this double brightness, whereof the one lieth in the letter, and many see what it mean- eth by the external word, and the other lieth in the meaning of the letter, and is perceived only by such as have the Spirit of God; so is there two kinds and sorts of darkness and obscu- rity in the scripture ; the one in the letter, and the other in the sense and taking of the letter. The outward obscurity is to be seen in such as contemn the word of God, and will not read it nor hear it : as the Turks and heathen, and also the common sort, that bear the name of Christ, be christened in Christ's name, and outwardly be taken to be very Christians indeed, and yet they know not so much as the letter of Christ's UPON PSALM LXXVir. 333 laws, that prescribeth them what they should do, and what they should not do. And this obscurity is a brutish, beastly, and external darkness. The other is obscurity or darkness inwardly in the text : The inward for although the letter be well known, and the sound thereof seemeth to be plain, yet the sense is not so common nor so manifest as the letter soundeth. Whereupon St Paul bindeth all men in the understanding of the letter unto the analogy and proportion of faith, that no one place be taken contrary to many places : whereof was gathered the abridgement of our common creed, accepted at all times and of all christian men for an infallible truth ; so that whosoever believed it was account- ed a good christian man. And of this obscurity of the scrip- ture in the sense and spirit is risen this troublesome contention about transubstantiation of bread and wine in the sacrament of Christ's body and blood. For the ungodly sort would have no substance of bread and wine to remain in the sacrament, and yet a corporal presence of body and blood, contrary not only to the articles of our faith, that telleth us he is in heaven, and shall abide there until he come to iudge the quick and Matt. xxvi. Mark xiv. the dead, but also contrary to many other places of the scrip- Luke xxiL_ ture. Acts iii.' Coloss. ui. And this is no new thing, to have and record the text and letter of the scripture, and yet lack the effect and the very consolation of the scripture indeed. For here in these two verses the prophet Asaph doth record and remember God's doings mercifully in time past, and yet taketh no more con- solation thereof than he findeth in the bark of the letter, or in the rehearsal of the histories. And the same he doth of his own psalms and hymns, whereof he maketh mention ; and yet by the same mean his spirit is brought into no further con- siderations of God's truth than it was before, with much heaviness and sorrow, as the verses followins: do declare : so that, in the affliction of the spirit, he could repeat and call to his remembrance the truth, how God had dealt mercifully with his forefathers, but felt not at that present the like mercy of God towards himself ; neither could he see nor feel for his con- solation the ease and succour of God's promises which he saw in others, as all the elects of God at length shall doubtless feel : as it is said by the prophet, Sicut audivimus, sic vidi- mus, " As we have heard, so have we seen ;" and at length 334 EXPOSITIONS ON CERTAIN PSALMS. rsai.xiviii. (as the psalm saith) he felt himself. Whether he wrote the psalm of his own sorrows and troubles, or of the sorrows and troubles of the Israelites, it maketh no matter : let every man in that case use his own judgment, so that he mark the doc- trine of the psalm. There is to be noted of these verses also this doctrine, that whatsoever trouble the spirit was brought unto, what- soever watch had taken his eyes, and whatsoever vehemency of disease had taken his speech from him, yet under all these crosses he cursed not God, nor grudged against his plagues ; but, as a man contented, gave himself to record and to call to memory how God was wont to be unto men afflicted, and took account how in times past he had spent his years, and found that he had made certain psalms or hymns to the glory of God, and to the praise of his holy name. Of the which we learn not only patience in the time of trouble and persecution, but also how to spend our youth and transitory life in doing or making some things that may be records and remem- brances, when we be gone, that we lived here to serve God, and not to serve ourselves. And it is a great help and no small consolation for a man that is in trouble and heaviness, to think that he in his life before sought the glory of God ; and that testimony of conscience is more worth in the time of trouble than all other men's deeds for him. Not in that his seeking God's glory and setting forth of the same can be his gage and ransom before God ; but because it is a very testi- mony that God once loved him, and gave him of his blessed Spirit, to indite something to God's praise and honour. And as godly psalms and virtuous hymns be testimonies of a vir- tuous spirit, so be wanton and adulterous ballads records of a vicious and sinful spirit. And as the remembrance of good and virtuous works in the time of sickness and trouble be joyful and comfortable, so is the remembrance of wicked doings sorrowful and painful. We be therefore taught by this prophet to be circumspect and wary, how we accumulate and heap upon our souls infidelity and the wicked works thereof : for as they be the only cause of trouble, so do they not only work trouble, but also increase trouble, and augment the heaviness of the spirit and pains of the body ; as is declared marvellously by the grave and profound sentences following, wherein he declareth what it was that his spirit searched so diligently for. It was this : UPON PSALM LXXVII. 335 7. " Will the Lord absent himself for ever, and will he be no more entreated? 8. " Is his mercy clean gone for ever, and is his promise come utterly to an end for evermore ? 9. " Hath God forgotten to be gracious, and will he shut up his loving-kindness in displeasure ? 10. " And I said, It is mine own weakness, but the right hand of God can chanofe these things." These verses declare what minds and cogitations do The troubled happen to men that be in sickness or trouble, and how wheimed'" ^ *• ^ with grievous grievous they be unto the patient. cogitations. Out of these verses first we see a common rehearsal of the great terror and fear of the feeling of God's displeasure and anger towards the woeful spirit for sin. The first medita- tion of the sinful spirit was this : " Will the Lord absent him- self for ever?" This may be understood two manner of ways ; for this English word " ever" hath two meanings in the Hebrew tongue : sometime it is taken for continuance and time everlasting; sometime for certain years, and the life of men. If it be taken in this place for time everlasting, The remera- the sorrows of the prophet were the greater, when he re- Gods justice for sin is volved with his spirit that God justly for sin might cast him fl^f^JJ^^^ into everlasting pains, the remembrance whereof is greater t^ebody. pain than the mortal death of the body. If this word "ever" be taken for a certain time, and the life of man, then meaneth the prophet thus : " Will God as long as I live absent him- self, and thus continue me in heaviness of spirit and sorrows as long as I live ? " Which sense soever be taken, there be profitable things to be learned of it. But I suppose the latter sense to be the better for divers causes : first, in this, that the psalm containeth the complaint and prayer of the prophet, a man of God, that cannot be brought to this desperation, that he should be cast away for ever from the favour of God unto eternal pains. And the text that saith, " It is mine own infirmity, and the right hand of the Lord can change this," doth bear with this latter sense and explanation. For the words be of great weight, and of marvellous wisdom and consolation, and do declare, that although the prophet felt the judgment of God against sin, and was in a marvellous terror and fear with the horror and sight of his sins, yet the Spirit 336 EXPOSITIONS OX CERTAIN PSALMS. Bom. viii. A godly consolation. John vi. X. Rom. TiL ] Cor. XV. Slim. iv. Gen. iiL Psal. xlii. xliii. Job iii. Matu xxvi. Nothing can hurt him that is in Chriit. John vi.i Note. Job iii. xlii. of God did testify with his spirit, that he was the child of God, and that it was a pain and punishment of the soul and body, and not a desperation and thorough casting away and absenting; of God's merer. For the verv elects of God be so chosen, so ordained, so preserved and kept, that nothing is able to take them out of God's hand. For the godly men in the scripture did rejoice with the assurance of God's certain promise, and did not presume to do evil, as St Paul in sundry places doth give testimony : once to the Romans, where as he felt and perceived the filthiness of sin, and the just judgment of God against the same ; as it appeareth by his woeful cry and complaint, " 0 wretched man that I am ! who shall deliver me from this body subject unto death?" He felt (as we may perceive) the heavy burden and weight of God's displeasure ; and yet, in the midst of terror and fear, he stayed assuredly in the mercy of God through Christ. And the same he writeth also to the Corinthians, and to his disciple Timothy, that his death was at hand, and that he knew, although his quarrel were never so good, that he of himself was a sinner, and by sin worthy rejection and casting away from God ; yet he said that Christ had in keeping for him a crown of justice, which he should assuredly receive at the day of his death. God is contented that his chosen people shall suffer and bear the burden and heaviness of temptation and fear of everlasting pain, as Adam did first in paradise, David many times. Job, and others ; yea, Christ himself, that said his " soul was heavy even unto death," which made him sweat both water and blood. But these temptations and terrors shall never overcome and cast away the person that hath his faith in Christ : for hone is able to take his sheep out of his hand. Yet God withdraweth his hand many times, and suffereth his to be tempted and to be com- fortless and, as it were, clean overthrown : not that indeed their election can be altered, or they themselves left comfort- less until the end of their lives, but for a time ; as ye may see by Job, who spake as horrible words, and as desperately, as might be : yet see in the end of this book, and mark what a joyful outgoing Ms grievous temptations had. What pitiful cries were these of Christ our Saviour upon the cross ! [1 The reference may be to John vi. 39 ; but the words seem to point rather to John x. 28, 29-] UPON I'SALM LXXVII. 337 " My God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me ?" Yet the Matt, xxvii, end was, "Father, into thy hands I commend my spirit." Luke^xiii. John xix. It is written, that we must enter into heaven by many i'^ai. xxiiv. ' " « Acts XIV. troubles. Now, of all troubles, the trouble of the mind '^'j^f'^nbie " ^ of the mind and of the spirit is the greatest. AVho then can enter into j.^^*'^ ^reat- heaven without such troubles ? Doubtless, no man ; for the judgment of God must begin at his house, as St Peter saith ; that is to say, none shall in this Hfe more feel God's dis- "^b. xu. pleasure for sin in the spirit, nor suffer more adversity in the body, than such as be of God's own household and very elects. Wherefore we be admonished, in the troubles and sorrows that this prophet Asaph sustained in his soul that could not rest, and in his body that could not sleep nor speak, that good men be not free from adversity, and that adversities, be they never so great, shall not separate men God hideth from God for ever, but for a time he punisheth sin, and hiUon"fOT a hideth the consolation of God from us ; as the scripture saith: u"""'""^ " For a time a little while I have forsaken thee ; but I will isai. uv. gather thee together in wonderful mercies. In a short time of my wrath I hid my face awhile from thee, but I will have mercy upon thee for ever, saith the Lord thy Redeemer," All men that shall profitably know and feel the certainty of God's promises in this life, and enjoy them in the life to come, shall be troubled with some pain of doubtfulness of them, before he come to perfection. For as by sin death Jj^^;^''^- entered into the flesh, and also the flesh is subject unto sick- ness and adversity, so is there entered into the soul and powers thereof, by reason of sin, great imperfection. As the mind of all men is burdened with ignorance, the heart with contumacy, and the will with frowardness, so that as they be, pf^; {i-j before regeneration and knowledge of God, in all godly matters stark blind, very obstinate, and naturally altogether froward ; even so, after regeneration and the knowledge of God, they continually resist and fight against the spirit, not R™^- only of man, in whom these powers dwell, but also against the Spirit of God, that teacheth and leadeth the spirit of man to eternal salvation : so that it is not man that is able to overcome the wickedness of his own soul. And therefore, I'hiiip. i. ii. seeing life through grace dwelt in a body naturally full of sin, St Paul said, " I do live ; yet not I, but Christ liveth in me." cii. il \} The reference should probably have been to Prov. iii. 11, 12.] 22 [hooper, II.] 338 EXPOSITIONS ON CERTAIN PSALMS. Psal. Ixxvii. So this prophet Asaph seemeth in words to be stark dead from grace, but it was not for ever ; for he felt the Spirit of God, that told him that such heavy and ungodly thoughts of his spirit came of his own infirmity, and that God's right hand could alter and change them. And this is the difference between the affliction of the godly and ungodly, as it is won- derfully set forth in the psalm next before this saving one, Psal. iKxv. where it is said, " There is a cup in the Lord's hand full of red wine, and he poureth out of it ; but the wicked shall drink the dregs thereof, and the ungodly of the earth shall receive Mattxxvi. the bottom of it." The cup in the scripture is taken many Markxiv. . . , n r>i ^ \ ■ ^ times for adversity, whereof God filleth a quantity and a certain measure unto all his elect and chosen servants ; but isai.ixvi. the wicked shall drink the bottom and all, and never come to Malt. XXV. rest nor ease. Out of this temptation we may learn how foolish and how impatient we be. When God sendeth troubles, we think such Prov. iiL to be best at ease that want them : whereas the Lord's book Heb. xii. declareth that it is necessary, and also very expedient, that The prophet we should have them. Again, there is to be noted, how maketh no 1 • i • /• i • • i i i thr^rjfof ^^^^ prophet in the cogitations of his mind maketh no his body. mention of the grief of the body, whereof he spake before at the beginning of his troubles. For in the second and fourth verse he declareth how he held up his hands all night, cried with his voice until he was speechless, and lay waking, and could not sleep : of the which sorrows now he maketh no rehearsal, but saith his spirit was searching and inquisitive whether God would absent himself for ever, with divers like interrogatories of God's nature, as follow in the psalm, AYhereof we learn the vileness of our own nature, and also the treason and subtlety of the devil : for as long as we sin, Note. we have such delight and pleasure therein, as though it were but a play to transgress and break God's holy commandments ; Rom. vii. but when sickness and trouble have laid the wicked body G J. lu 111. Q^Q^^ a^mj made it weak and feeble, our conscience is waked by the law of God, and we put in such terror and fear that nothing can quiet us. Also, as long as we do sin, the devil beareth us in hand that God is so merciful, do what we will, that he will not be angry ; but when sickness or death invad- eth, then turneth the devil his tale, and persuadeth with us that God is only extreme just, and nothing at all merciful. UPON PSALM LXXVII. 339 And this grief of the mind is so sore and vehement, that all the pains of the body seem nothing in comparison thereof ; as we see in this place by the holy prophet Asaph, that was very sore unquieted in his body, yet did his spirit make no account of it, but still he stayed and staggered, trembling and quaking at the heaviness and sorrow of the spirit, that could not feel, for the time of his trouble, any certainty or consola- tion in the promises of God. Of this we be admonished, that whatsoever we have, if God's favour lack, we have nothing able to rejoice us : and of the other side, if we lack all things, and have assuredly God's favour, there is nothing able to make us heavy and sorrowful. As we see king Saul, having a noble kingdom, i sam. xvi. and lacking the favour of God, was always unquieted : poor 2 sam. xv. David, having the grace and favour of God, was quiet and contented with all things, saying, " If God will, he may restore me ; if he will not, his will be done." The assurance of God's promises made Paul glad to die ; and the mistrust 2 Tim. iv. and desperation of God's promises made Judas weary to live. Matt, xxvii. The certainty of God's truth made St Stephen quietly to die Actsvu. in the assurance of eternal life ; the uncertainty and doubt- fulness of God's mercy caused Saul to die in the fear of 1 Sam. xxxi. eternal death. Riches of this world be treasures much esteemed and made of, friends and lovers much sought for and warily kept, and health of body highly regarded and preserved with much care ; yet, if the soul be destitute of the assurance of God's grace, the rest seem to be of no valure at all: as we see Saul in his kingdom, with riches, strength, and isam.xvu friendship ; yet, his mind vexed still [with] an evil spirit, and God's Spirit departed, his sorrows were incomparable. So that we learn, that not only the goods appertaining to the body be nothing worth where as the spirit wanteth the grace of God, but also, where as the spirit is troubled, the goods of the body be little felt, and nothing passed of; as we see by this prophet in this psalm. The other part of his cogitations in the time of his sick- ness was this: "Will he be no more entreated?" This grievous temptation, whether God would be entreated to for- give sin any more, may have two understandings ; the one generally, and the other particularly : generally, in this sort, whether God, once offended, will be merciful and forgive, or 22—2 340 EXPOSITIONS ON CEllTAIN I'SALMS. not ; particularly, whether God, whose nature is merciful, will forgive the private man that seeketh by faith mercy, as he hath in time past forgiven all men that asked it with repentance in faith. The first sense and taking of the text generally is marvellous wicked and blasphemous, to think that God, once offended with any man, will never forgive Gen. iv. again. Of this opinion was Cain, when he said his sins were greater than they might be forgiven ; and he thought God would be no more entreated, because he judged his fault greater than the mercy of God that forgiveth faults. And wheresoever this judgment of the spirit is, this sentence is verified, God will be entreated no more. And as every man A wicked that is privatelv thus minded, that his own sins be greater judgment. . ... than can be forgiven, even so hath he the like mind and judg- ment also of all other men's sins that be like unto his, thinking them to be greater than they may be forgiven ; for he that despaireth of his own faults cannot think well that other men's Matt, xxvii. faults as great as his own be remissible : as Judas, that hanged himself for betraying of Christ, could not think well of Peter that denied Christ, but rather judged of Peter as he did of himself, saying, God will be entreated no more. Of this wicked judgment of God's mercy, whether he will be entreated any more of a sinner, after that he hath sinned, I will speak no more ; but they that lust to read how horrible a thing it is may have many psalms that do declare it; Psai. X. namely Psalm x. and Ixxiii. In the one of them it is said by ixxiii. ^-^Q kicked, that God hath forgotten the earth, and caretli neither for the godly life of the godly and virtuous, nor the ungodly life of the ungodly and wicked : and in the other psalm they make a doubt whether there be any knowledge in God of man and of his life, or not. But these sorts of people be too horrible and blasphemous, and not to be rehearsed or much spoken of. The other sense of this place, that is more particular, is the better sense for the argument and meaning of the psalm ; that is, to ask whether God will be entreated no more, as touching the remission of his own sin ; or else, whether God will be no more merciful to help him out of trouble, that specially and particularly suffereth the trouble. And this question so asked is very common and familiar to the Chris- tians, and putteth them to great trouble and heaviness. As UPON PSALM LXXVIT. 341 ■we may see that this prophet Asaph considered the years before him, and -what God did to his elders, and found that they received remission of their sins, and great benefits in this world at God's hand : so do a great number of men, in hearing and reading the scripture of God, see and perceive the remission of many men's sins, and how mercifully God dealt with them ; yet when they feel their own sin, and sufi'er their own cross and trouble, they have much ado, and with great difficulty do they believe that God will be as good unto them, being private sinners and privately afflicted, as he was unto the great number of those, of whom they read in the scripture that God forgave them their sins, and pre- served them in most horrible and dangerous troubles. Therefore, this is a common wisdom and daily experi- mented sentence : Omnes, cum valemus, bonum consilium ^ whoie man cegrotis damus : " When other men be sick, we can give gooifcounsei good counsel patiently to bear it." When other men be but being' sick himself afflicted and troubled, we can speak of many means to quiet ^nnotappiy ^ ^ ^ ^ ^ the same to them. When they be in any mistrust of God's promises, we his comfort, can comfort them with many arguments of faith : but most commonly, if we be sick ourselves, troubled, or in mistrust of God's promises, we can ease or comfort ourselves very little. And good cause why ; for God that giveth, of his own gift and only free liberality, wisdom, knowledge, learning, and consolation, giveth also the grace that the said virtues may work their operation, and expel the infirmities and diseases wherefore these wisdoms and virtues were ordained : as it is marvellously noted of St Paul : " I have planted, and i cor. iii. Apollo hath watered, but God gave the increase." The word of God is a means to teach truth, and to condemn R„m. i. falsehood ; to place virtue, and to remove vice ; to give COnSO- xxviii. lation, and to banish and put away diffidence and distrust: but God giveth and worketh the cfi"ect thereof. Meat is made to preserve the body ; but if God giveth not strength, it misseth the purpose. The horse and man be means to over- Prov. xxi. come; but in battle God giveth the victory. The preacher preacheth God's word ; but God openeth and teacheth the mystery thereof: man heareth, but God giveth the under- standing. Asaph remembered God's works, and had in mind his own godly psalms ; but God must give the consolation : he saw the truth, and knew that God was faithful ; but the joy and profit thereof lay in the distribution and gift of God, 342 EXPOSITIONS ON CERTAIN PSALMS. as we may well perceive by this sorrowful interrogatory, " Will he be entreated no more When we Of this part WO learn how we ought, when we read or hear or read ^ • n i- toT''- ''w^ bear God s promises for our salvation, to pray ; and how prly"° necessary a thing this prayer is that godly men made in Markix. the scnpturo : " Lord, help my incredulity; Lord, increase our faith." The poor man that heard and saw Christ's mercy and liberality in healing of others desired also health for his own child. Christ said, if he believed, all things were possible. The poor man said, " I believe, Lord ; help mine unbelief." The apostles, when they heard Christ speak of forgiveness of one to the other, they said, " Increase our faith, good Lord as though they had said, Except thou give us strength to be- lieve and credit thy godly lessons, we shall take no commodity nor profit by them. Therefore let the preacher of God, the reader of God's word, the hearer of God's word, and the thinker upon the same, many times before, also whilst they be speaking, thinking, reading, or hearing of God's word, pray in their spirits, that the word of God may work in them the thing wherefore the word was instituted and appointed of 2Tira. iii. God ; Or else we shall be (as St Paul saith) always learners, and yet never come to the knowledge of the truth. And I do verUy think, and am truly persuaded, that for lack of ear- nest and continual prayer, with lifting up of my heart unto God, whilst I preached his most holy word unto the people, God judgeth me not worthy to see such fruits of my labours as I hoped for. And for this, that the people did not heartily pray to understand God's pleasure by his word preached, they be accounted unworthy of such salvation as God did offer them by his word and the true preaching of his mysteries. Let aU men therefore pray to God in Christ, that they may be the better for the hearino;, recordino;, remembering, or reading of God's word. For, notwithstanding they have amongst them the book of God, yet shall they be troubled (without God's singular grace) with one of these two evils : either to mock and scorn at the scripture, caring not whether they learn it or no ; or else, when they have learned it, to doubt whether it be true or no. And then followeth these questions : " Will God absent himself for ever ?" and, " Will God be no more entreated ?" with such other doubts as do follow in this psalm ; with much heaviness unto the spirit where such demands rest and have place. UPON I'SALM LXXVII. 343 Then followeth the third demand by this troubled prophet, " Is his mercy clean gone for ever ?" Here in this demand first be two things to be noted ; the one declaring a fault in the prophet's faith, and the other expressing a verity in the prophet's knowledge. The fault in his faith was to doubt or to stand in a mammering of God's mercy, which is most sure, and endureth for ever and ever, and to ask this question, whether his mercy were clean gone for ever ? The verity of his knowledge was to judge and say, that it was his mercy that forgave sins, and not his or any other men's merits that could deserve the pardoning of sin : as ye may see how sin- ful Saul for his sin thought to have appeased God with sacri- i sam. xv. fice, and the proud Pharisee with his pretenced good works. Luke xviii. But here in this knowledge, that the prophet complained of the departure of God's mercy, is set forth that only mercy appeaseth God's ire in Christ for the sin of man. And what works soever be done, except God's mercy pardon the sin, Exod. xxxiv. ' r J r ^ Deut. V vii. they all can neither please God, nor quiet the conscience and Psai xxxui. " r ' ^ _ h. Ivi. Ixxxv. troubled spirit of him that doth the works : as it may be seen in the example of St Peter, and the rest of the apos- tles. When that Saint Peter walked upon the sea coming to- Matt. xiv. wards Christ, and felt the wind strong and tempestuous, he began to fear : and when he began to sink, he cried, " Lord, save me." And the Lord put forth his hand and took him, and said unto him, " Thou of little faith, why doubtest thou ?" Here we see, if God did help us no more of his mercy than our own merits deserved, or else no more than the gifts of Note. God, faith, hope, and charity, as they be qualities in us, we should surely perish. Therefore this place of the prophet Asaph, where he demandeth this question, whether God's mercy be gone for ever, doth teach us, that of all things we should be most assured of this, that only mercy is the help of man's troubles and damnation. But as I said before there were two manner of clarities and brightness in the word of God, so now I say there is two manner of mercies of God mentioned jwo manner in the scripture : the outward mercy is in the letter, which mentioned in men read and sing every day, and speak and talk of ; but the "^"^ ^'"i"""- other is inward. When that men cannot feel God's mercy in their con- science as they hear it spoken of, and as they read it in the 344 EXPOSITIONS ON CERTAIN PSALMS. book, they be troubled and full of anguish and pain ; and as long as they be in this case, without God's mercy, they can do nothing that pleaseth God, or content themselves. But as soon as the spirit is assured and feeleth that God for his mercy doth forgive and forget the iniquity that the spirit and body have committed and done against God, it rejoiceth and is so glad, that it will do nothing but that which pleaseth and is acceptable unto God, and in Christ shall content and quiet his own conscience. As for example : Adam, before he in- wardly felt the mercy of God promised in Christ to forgive and remit his sin and oifence, in what heaviness was the poor Gen. iii. man ! He hid himself, and could not abide the voice of the living God ; for he felt that his doings pleased neither God nor himself. But when grace had assured hira of God's mercy, he fell in the spirit to quietness. For, where the Spirit of God testifieth and beareth record with the spirit of man Roin. viii. that he is the child of God, there is joy and consolation, with this joyful song and melody, Abba, Pater, "Father, Father :" so that wheresoever this song is felt in the spirit, there are suchjoysasno tongue can express, as all the book of Solomon's ballads marvellously do declare. And where as the mercy of God is not, there is either abomination of sin, and continuance therein, without any fear or grudge of conscience at all ; or else such heaviness of spirit, that desperation utterly quaileth and oppresseth the spirit for ever. Yet shall the spirit and soul of man feel this for a time, while God hideth his merciful face : " Is his mercy clean gone for ever ?" which cogitations of the mind be full bitter and sorrowful, as all men of God do know that have felt them, and as the prophet declareth in the pro- cess of his psalm, in this sort : " And is his promise come ut- terly to an end for evermore ? Hath God forgotten to be gracious ? And will he shut up his loving-kindness in displea- sure ?" These demands and questions of his own mind and spirit that was troubled be no more in effect than troubles that he named before. But in this, that he calleth the trouble by so many names, it declareth that his spirit was for the time so disquieted, that the pains in manner could not well be named and expressed : as it is to be seen always when the mind of man is brought into an excellency and profoundness of mirth or sorrow, then it is so ravished with the vehemency of them both, that the tongue is not able to express the in- UPON PSALM LXXVIT. 3i5 ward joy nor the inward sorrow ; as it is to be seen as well in profane writers as in the holy word of God. Read ye the eighteenth psalm of king David, which he sung to the Lord Psai. xviu. when he was quit and delivered from all his enemies ; and ye shall see what shift and copy^ of words he used to name God, and to express what he thought of God in his heart, and with what metaphors he expresseth the strength of God, that over- came all his enemies. The psalm is to be read and marked. Again, read ye these psalms, xlii. xliii., where ye shall perceive Psai. xiii. the prayer of David, wherein is described a vehement agony and most bitter battle between faith and desperation ; and there mark what words he hath found out to express the sorrows of his heart, that was so sore put in doubt by desperation and weakness of faith : " The hart (saith he) being wounded was never more desirous to come to the water than my soul desireth to come to thee, O God !" And at length, when he can find no more words to utter the pensiveness of his heart, he turneth his words inward to his own soul, and asketh why she is so heavy and sad. Ye may see also the very same joyful and sorrowful spirits in the ballads of Solomon, and in the Lamentations of Jeremy the prophet. In the one it seem- eth that the soul annexed unto Christ is in such joy as the tongue cannot express it ; and in the other, for sin the soul is afflicted in such sort, that it cannot tell how to express the heaviness thereof. There is to be considered also in these demands of the prophet that he made to himself in his spirit (as the text saith, he revolved the matter with his own spirit) this doctrine, how easy a thing it is to teach and comfort other men, and how hard a thing it is for a man to teach and comfort himself in the promises of God. St Paul found fault therewithal, and said to the Jew: "Thou teachest another man, and teachest Rom. li. not thyself." And Judas went forth with the eleven other of Matt. x. his fellows to teach God's mercy in Christ unto the lost sheep of the house of Israel ; but he neither followed his own doc- trine, nor yet took any comfort of remission of sins in the promises of God, but hanged himself desperately. Wherefore it is very expedient for every man and woman that hath learned and doth know the truth of God, to pray that they themselves may follow the truth ; and for such as know and Probably in the sense of copiousness.] 346 EXPOSITIONS ON CERTAIN PSALMS. teacli others the consolations of the scriptures of God, that they may, with knowledge of them, feel them indeed, and, with speaking of them to others for their learning, they may speak them to themselves for their own edifying. But doubtless it is an easy matter for a man to speak of comfort and consolation to others, but a hard thing to feel it himself. Virtue is soon spoken of to other men's instructions, but the putting thereof in practice and use is very hard; yea, not only in the scholar that is taught, but also in the master that instructeth. Beware of despair, can every man say ; but to eschew despair in great conflicts of the mind is an hard matter. Read the book of the Psalms well, and ye shall see the experience thereof to be most certain and true. In the Psai. ixii. sixty-second psalm ye shall have this commandment to all men : "Trust ye always in him, ye people :" yet when it came to the trial in himself, ye may see with what heaviness and great trouble of mind he came to the trust in the Lord. Ye Psai. xii. may learn by these psalms indited by king David, that easily he taught God's religion, and how men should put their trust in the Lord, and yet how hard it was to do and practise the thing himself that he taught unto others. Asaph also declareth Psai. ixxiiL the samo ; for in the seventy-third psalm he teacheth what men should think and judge in adversity, that God would be PsaL ixxvii. good unto Israel. But in this psalm he himself, being under the rod and persecution of God, is come to questioning and demanding : "Will God absent himself for ever? Will he be no more entreated ? Ii^^his mercy clean gone for ever?" — with many other demands, declaring unspeakable troubles and dif- ficulties of the mind, before it be brought to a perfect consent and full agreement unto the promises of God. So that we see the excellent prophets, and most virtuous organs and instruments amongst sinful men, knew it was an easy matter to speak of faith and virtue, and yet a very hard thing to practise true faith, and to exercise virtuous Hving. St Paul Bom. viii. sheweth the same to the Romans to be in himself : for he had more ado in Christ to get the victory of sin in himself, than to speak of the victory unto others by mouth ; and more ado to mortify and kill the flesh, and to bring it in subjection to 2 Cor. xii. the spirit, than to practise the death of the flesh in himself, ivihjm. and to follow the spirit. lie spake and uttered with his 2 Cor. vi. ^ Gai^v^ mouth most godly doctrine to the destruction of sin ; but with UPON PSALM LXXVII. 347 •what prayers, tears, and clamours to God, he did the sanae in himself, read 2 Cor. xii. The old saying is. Knowledge is no burden, and indeed it To such as is a thing easy to be borne ; but to put knowledge in experi- wtJ^sTnTlnd ence the body and the soul shall find pain and trouble. And f^'^^j^^pg^'^j.^ yet Christ's words where he saith, "My yoke is light, and p^^''^^'^'^^ my burden easy," be most true to such as have wrestled with sin, and in Christ got the upper hand. To them, I say, the precepts of virtuous living be easy and sweet, as long as the Spirit of God beareth the overhand in them. But when faith waxeth faint, and the flesh strong, then cannot the Spirit of God command nor desire anything, but both body and soul be much offended with the hearing thereof, and more grieved Rom. -vii. with the doing of it. St Peter likewise maketh mention of the same : for when Christ bade him follow him (meaning that he should die also for the testimony of his word), he liked not that, but asked Christ what John should do ; being John x&i. doubtless in great perplexity, when Christ told him that he should suffer the pains of death. But here are to be noted two things : the one, that as long as affliction is talked of gene- rally, and other men's pains spoken of, so long can every man and woman hear of afiliction, yea, and commend the persons that suffered affliction ; as we see at this day, all men be con- tented to hear of the death of Christ, of the martyrdom of his wecanpraise saints, and of the affliction and imprisonment of his godly fo?wen-^" members : but when the same or like should be experimented be loath to and practised by ourselves, we will none of it, we refuse it, experience * . " , ourselves. and we abhor it ; yea, so much that, where Christ, and those saints whose names be most common and usual in our mouths, suffered the vilest death that could be devised, we will not suffer as much as the loss of a friend, or the deceivable goods of this unstable and transitory world : so that in the generality we be very godly, and can commend all godly martyrs and sufferers for God's sake ; but, alas ! in the particularity we be very ungodly, and will follow no martyr, nor suffer at all. Also, as long as we be without danger for Christ's sake, we can speak of great dangers, and say that we will suffer all extremity and cruelty ; but when it cometh to pass, that an enemy to God and his word shall say indeed. Forsake thy religion, or else thou shalt die, (as Christ said unto Peter, " When thou art old, another shall gird thee, and lead thee john xxi. 348 EXrOSITIONS ON CERTAIN PSALMS. ■whither thou wouldest not,") then a Uttle threatening of an- other man stark quaileth this man that said he would suffer all troubles : as Peter said, " If he should lose his hfe, he would not refuse his Master ; " but when another, yea, a poor maid, but asked him whether he were one of Christ's servants, and Matt xxvi. made no mention at all of loss of life or goods, he would not hazard himself to bear so much as the name of Christ's disciple. Thus we see the vileness and frailty of our own nature, how weak we be to suffer indeed, when of necessitv we must bear the cross, and can by no means avoid it. How trouble- some also it is both to body and soul, this psalm and place of the scripture declareth ; and therefore in the end of these temptations is put "Selah," a word that maketh, as it were, an outcry against the corrupt nature of man for sin : as Rom.vii. St Paul said: "I know that there dwelleth in my flesh no good thing." To admonish therefore man thereof indeed, and to shew him his own damnation, the word is put there to cause the reader or hearer of the place to mark and bewail the wretchedness thereof: as the prophet himself doth in the next verse. C THE FOURTH PART. How a man taketh consolation in the time of his trouble. 10. " And I said. This is my infirmity : but these things the right hand of God can chang-e." Here is life and death, and the occasions of both, marvel- lously set forth. He said that it was his infirmity that caused him to question and doubt of God's mercy ; wherein he hath disburdened God, and charged himself with sin and doubtful- ness. And so much all men see and find in themselves, that Hosca xiii. damnation is of ourselves, and salvation only of God. There is also to be noted in this infirmity, that it occupieth not only the body, but also the soul : for he saith these cogitations and questions (as touching the doubtfulness of God's mercy) were the devices and acts of his mind ; so that both his body and soul were comfortless. And good cause why ; for in both of them were sin and abomination against God. And of these two parts of man, the body and the spirit, came these dubita- UPON rSALM LXXVII. 349 tions of God and of his promises : the which fruits of corrup- tion engender (except sin be forgiven) eternal death. And here is the wisdom of the flesh seen to be very enmity unto Rom. viii. God, working continually the breach of God's command- ments, and the destruction of man's salvation, as much as lieth in it. But in the second part of the verse is life, and the occasion thereof; which is a sure trust that God can remove despair, and put in place thereof faith, hope, and sure confidence. And the occasion of this help is not man's The occasion merits, but the right hand of God, that is to say, God's power heipis Gods . y \ ^ ^ , ^ righthand. inclined to save man by mercy. Of this doctrine be certain things to be marked of every reader and hearer of this psalm. First, in this verse is de- clared how man taketh consolation in time of his trouble, which is the fourth part of the psalm ; and in the same part the psalm endeth. He salth it was his infirmity that made him to question and demand in his spirit so doubtful things of God, and of his promises : whereof we learn, that consola- tion beglnneth where sorrow and heaviness is first felt ; for the spirit can take no solace by God's promises, until such time as it feeleth by God's law how sinful it is for the trans- gression thereof. Therefore Solomon salth : "The just man prov. xvui. is the first accuser of himself." And so doth the prophet Asaph in this place confess that these cogitations and pro- found thoughts against God came of his own Infirmity and sin. And the knowledge of a man's own wickedness from the bottom of the heart, although it be a shame to speak or remember the vileness of sin, wherewith [the] sinner hath most grievously transgressed God's commandments, yet is this knowledge and confession of our sin and iniquity very necessary, and is, as it were, an induction to the remission True confes- thereof, as it is to be seen in this prophet, and in the prophet in manner David. For here is first confessed that all sins in him came f^™^ n 1 • . [, . Ill 1 ^'"^ thereof. of his own infirmity, and all consolation against sin came of God's right hand. And the prophet David salth, when he was in like trouble for sin, " I determined (salth he) to psai. ixxiv. confess against myself mine own Iniquity ; and thou. Lord, xxS."'^ forgavest the wickedness of my sin." But here is to be noted in this, that the confession of sin is, as it were, an induction and beginning of consolation ; that confession of sin is not the beginning of consolation, except he that maketh 350 EXPOSITIONS ON CERTAIN PSALMS. the confession be assured in his heart of God's promises in Christ, that, of mercy in Christ's death, his sins be forgiven ; as ye may see in these two prophets. The one said, " It is mine infirmity that worketh this doubtfulness in my soul;" and the other said, " I determined to condemn myself of sin." Thus far it is death, and an increase of diffidence in God's promises, and an induction to desperation, to feel sin, to be- wail sin, to speak of sin, and to remember sin. But where as knowledge and confession hath a certainty and assurance of God's forgiveness annexed unto it, there is confession and knowledge of sin partly a beginning of consolation against sin. I call it partly, or as an occasion, because, first of all, Rom. Tii. God by his word, or by his punishments, through the opera- 2 Sam. xii. tion of the Holy Ghost, openeth the soul of the sinner to see and know his sin, also to tremble and quake at sin, rather than to hate and abhor sin. And from these principles and originals cometh the humble and lowly confession of sin, not to man, but unto God; except it be such an open sin done against man, as man knoweth of that the sin is committed against : then must the offender of man also reconcile him- self to man that is offended, according to the commandojent of Matt.v.xviii. God. Therefore we must mark what confession and acknow- James v. .... Lukexvii. ledgiug of our own infirmities is: for every confession is not acceptable before God, nor the beginning of consolation, as these examples declare. Judas said openly in the face of the Matt xxvii. court whcrc Christ our Saviour was arraigned, that he had offended in betraying innocent blood ; but there followed no faith nor hope of forgiveness : so that, for lack of faith in Christ's blood, desperation and hanging of himself ensued his confession : whereby it is evident that confession of sin with- out faith is nothing worth, but a testimony of a desperate Iman's damnation. King Saul, after long impulsion by the prophet Samuel, was brought to confess that he had offended Sara. XV. in preserving alive Agag, king of the Amalekites, and the fattest of his cattle. " 1 have offended (saith Saul) ; for I have broken and transgressed the commandment of God." But Psai. ixxvii. what followcd ? " God's right hand can remedy my sin," as Psai. xxxii. this prophct Asaph saith ? or, " God hath forgiven the iniquity Lukexviii. of my sin," as David said? or else, "God be merciful unto Saul would me a sinner," as the publican said ? No ; but this ensueth : have Samuel ' r ' to bear his «c J ^^sij thce (saith Saul to Samuel) bear thou my sin." In UPON PSALM LXXVII. 351 this man's confession of sin was not the beginning of consola- tion, but of more sorrows ; for his heaviness from that day i sam. xxxi. more and more increased with his sins, until he was slain. And the cause thereof was this : he would that Samuel, being but a man, should have pardoned his sin ; whereas none can do it but God, as it is notably to be seen in king David; Mattix. t/ o ' Liikev. for when he said he had offended the Lord, Nathan the pro- Mark li. phet said, " And God hath taken away thy sins." Wherein 2 sam. xit. is declared, that the minister can but pronounce to the sinner, that God in Christ forgiveth sin. So that we see^ Judas' confession of sin was nothing worth, because he found no faith nor trust for the remission thereof; and Saul's con- fession was of no valure, because he trusted and desired con- solation at man's hand, and not at God's. Yet in Saul's con- fession was something good, in that he confessed (although it were long first, and in manner wrested out of his mouth by the prophet Samuel) his fault to God ; and in that point he did as David did, who said, "I have offended the Lord." Psa'- .. 2 Sam. xii. And this is to be noted, because now-a-days men be taught to confess their sins to the saints departed, that know not what the outward works of men be upon the earth, much less the Isai. Ixiii. inward and sinful cogitation of the heart. So that in this part 1 Kings' viii. the papists' confession is worse than Saul's, and in the other Papistical , , ... - 01 1 1 -rrt 1 ''""fission. part it IS like : for as Saul trusted to the merits of Samuel, 1 sam. xv. and would have him to bear his sin; so do the people trust o! bias- that the priest's hand upon their head, and the penance en- joined them by the priests, shall be a clean remission and full satisfaction for all their sin : but before God their sins be as much forgiven them as Saul's were, that is to say, nothing at all. But where as sin is known and confessed from the very 1 John i. heart unto God, although it be a bitter thing, and also a shameful thing, to feel and bear God's displeasure for sin, the burden whereof is very death, and more grievous than Psai. cxxx. death itself ; yet where as confidence and trust in the mercy of God is annexed with it, there foUoweth great consolation and comfort : as it is to be seen in this prophet, that spake with a strong faith boldly, " The right hand of God can change these things ;" so that the latter part of this verse hath more comfort than the first part hath discomfort. And it is a plain doctrine, that although the sins of man be many and horrible. 352 EXPOSITIONS ON CERTAIN PSALMS. Isai. i. yot be they fewer and less in estimation many thousand folds than God's mercies. Death is declared in the first part of the verse in this, that man's infirmity is not only sinful in body and soul, but also doubtful of God's mercy and holy pro- mises : yet in the second part by grace is set forth life and clean deliverance from the tyranny of the devil, the servitude of sin, the accusation of the law, and the infirmity of nature, by the strong and mighty power of God, whose mercy in Christ Ezek. xviii. is always ready to help poor afflicted and troubled sinners. ] John i. *i *j 11 After this confession of sin, and the great confidence that the prophet had in God for his mighty power and mercy's sake, that was both able by power and ready with will to help and remedy this troubled spirit and great adversities of the prophet, he goeth forth in the consolation, and taketh yet more and more of God's benefits, used in times towards such as were afflicted, after this sort. 11. "I will remember the works of the Lord, and call to my mind thy wonders of old time. 12. "I will "think also of thy works, and my talking shall be of thy doings. 13. "Thy way, 0 God, is holy; who is so great a God as our God? 14. "Thou art the God that doth wonders, and hast declared thy power amongst people. 15. "Thou hast mightily delivered thy people, even the sons of Jacob and Joseph. Selah. 16. "The waters saw thee, 0 God ; the waters saw thee, and were afraid : the depths also were troubled. 17. "The clouds poured out water, the air thundered, and thine arrows went abroad. 18. "The voice of thy thunder was heard round about; the lightnings shone upon the ground ; the earth was moved, and shook withal. 19. " Thy way is in the sea, and thy paths in the great waters, and thy footsteps are not known. 20. "Thou leddest thy people like sheep by the hand of Moses and Aaron." Of these means, how men take consolation in adversity, that the prophet now maketh mention of, first we learn, what difi"crence is between the consideration of God's works ad- UPON PSALM LXXVir. 353 visedly and by faith, and the consideration of God's works rashly and without faith. The which diversity is to be seen in this prophet. For the one part, as touching the remember- ing of God's works out of faith and in faith, he spake before in the second verse, and in the fourth verse, how that he con- sidered the works and old doings of the Lord when he was troubled. But, as ye have heard, because his spirit was in a doubtfulness and mammering upon the certainty of God's doings, he felt no consolation thereof, but much heaviness and anguish of mind. For those demands, " Will God absent him- self for ever ? Will he be no more merciful ?" and such-like heavy and doubtful complaints, could never proceed but from a sorrowful and much troubled conscience. But now, after that God's Spirit hath wrought in his spirit this assurance and judgment, that God can in him change the conditions of his miseries (as ye may see), he maketh no more complaint of doubtfulness, neither remembereth any more the fearfulness of his conscience ; but goeth forth with repetition and rehearsal of all things comfortably, how that God in time past help troubled spirits and afflicted personages, that put their trust in him. So that of this we learn, that whosoever hath a sure faith in God taketh consolation of God's word and works ; and such as have not first true faith in God cannot in the spirit receive comfort of God's word or works. Outwardly men may marvel at God and his works, but inwardly it easeth not the heaviness, nor yet quieteth the grudge of conscience. Wherefore it behoveth us all that we pray earnestly unto Exhortation , to prayer. God to give us faith to believe his word and works, when we hear, read, or see them. For the word and works of God do nothing comfort the unfaithful ; as we may see by the scrip- ture, where God saith he stretched forth his hand all day loner isai. wv. to a people that believed not; for such as have ears and hear i/ai. vi. ^ ^ ' John xu. not, eyes and see not, be rather the worse for God's word and works than the better. Ye shall see, where the spirit of David was replenished with faith, he was so assured and ascertained of God's present help, that he said he would not fear, although Psai. ui. a thousand men environed and compassed him round about : no, he would not fear, though he should walk in the shadow Psai. xxiii of death. At another time, when faith quailed and waxed faint, he was trembling in his spirit, and fearful in his body : as we may see, when he felt his spirit wax faint, he said, "My ^^^'^J'.'- 23 [hooper, II.] 354 EXPOSITIONS ON CERTAIN PSALMS. soul is troubled very sore, and my bones be weakened." And Psai. xiii. in other of his psalms he sheweth that his soul was very heavy and comfortless, and could take no consolation. Also, when the spirit is assured of God's grace, then the eyes cannot look upon any work of God but the mind taketh by the contem- plation and sight thereof unspeakable consolation ; as David PsaLyiiixix. declaretli in his psalms, and saith he would see the heavens the works of God's fingers, and would mark how one day was an induction to another, and how the heavens praised the Lord. At another time, when the consolation and life of the spirit Psai. xxxviii. -was Overwhelmed with troubles, he could not see at all with his eyes, but cried and complained that he was stark blind. j^^iii And also in that marvellous psalm, in number Ixxxviii., where as prayer is made to be delivered from the horror and feeling of sin, the prophet saith that his eyes waxed dim and blind. The same is to be seen likewise in the crosses and afflictions that God sendeth. As long as true faith and confidence re- maineth in the heart, all troubles be welcome and thankfully taken ; as we read, when Job had news that his goods and children were taken from him in manner suddenly, he most Job i. ii. patiently said, " God gave them, and God hath taken them away ; as God would, so it is done." But when faith quailed, and the spirit was troubled, then followed these impatient Job vi. words : " I would my sin were laid in one balance, and my ^^PRin in another as though God had laid more upon him S than he had deserved. When the spirit was quieted, for all his poverty and nakedness, he rejoiced, and was contented with his birth and coming into the world, and also with the state in the world appointed unto him by God, saying. Job i. " Xaked I came out of my mother "'s belly, and naked I shall depart hence again." But when faith fainted, then jobiii. came out these words : "The day, the night, and the time be cursed wherein I was born; " with many more horrible words, as the text declareth. So that we see, where as God's Spirit wanteth, there is no learning nor consolation to be had of anything ; as it is opened in this psalm, in that at the first time the prophet recorded God's works, and was so troubled in his mind, that he occupied his cogitations this way: " Will God be no more merciful? Hath God shut up his mercy in his ire ?" But now, in the ^ond record of God's works, he beginneth his entrance clean contrary, and saith God's right UPON PSALM LXXVII. 355 hand can change his sorrow, and turn his heaviness into mirth. And upon this ground and sure hope of God's promises he proceedeth forth to a consideration and deep record of God's facts in this sort: "I will remember the works of the Lord," &c. In this verse and in the next following it be contained three kind of words ; remembrance, meditation, and speech. By the first we learn, that it profiteth nothing to read or hear God's word, except we remember it, and bear it away with us : by the next we learn, that it availeth us not to learn and bear the word of God in remembrance, except by meditation and thinking upon it we understand what it meaneth : and by the third we learn, that neither the remembrance of it nor the understanding thereof profiteth, except we teach and instruct other in the same, of whom we have charge, if we may. Now to consider further, we see how the prophet begin- neth with this word 'remembrance whereof it appeareth that he had learned before out of God's word God's nature towards penitent sinners, to forgive them ; and towards wilful, obstinate, and impenitent sinners, to .be a just judge to punish them. Here is the ignorance of all people condemned, that never learn to know God's word in sickness nor in health; but when they be troubled or sick, they send for such as they think and fancy have learned and do remember how God's word doth comfort in adversity : and then, if he that is sent for be not learned in God's word, he cannot remember how God is wont to comfort the troubled or sick ; then all that ever the sick man heareth of an ignorant comforter or counsellor is as clean void of consolation or counsel as though he had never sent for a counsellor or comforter. For no man can have more of another than the other hath him- self, which is neither knowledge, counsel, nor consolation out of God's word : therefore he is not able to give knowledge, consolation, nor comfort to another. If the prophet Asaph had been as the most part of people now-a-days be, that fall sick and into many kinds of trouble, and had sent for an ignorant fool (which commonly is called a ghostly father), he had been in as good taking as these wretched souls be, that, being comfortless, seek comfort where none is to be had, seek knowledge where none is, and seek counsel where ignorance aboundeth. Let all men therefore remember this verse, that when the prophet was in trouble, he remembered the wisdom 23—2 356 EXPOSITIONS OX CERTAIN PSALMS. and marvellous works of God (for he knew them before) : so let all men and women learn, before they come into trouble, a true knowledge of God, that in the time of trouble they may remember it to their consolation. But now to the second word, where he saith he will me- ditate in all the works of God. Here is another notable doctrine, that neither the learning of God's word nor the remembrance thereof profiteth anything, except it be under- standed and applied to the use that God hath appointed it for. And here be two sorts of people wonderfully condemned. The one sort be those that, for custom or bondage to their pro- fession, do learn without the book a great part of the scrip- ture ; or else, by daily use in singing or saying their service (as it is called), they learn to sing and say a great part of the bible. But this availeth nothing ; for they understand it not in the Sense and meaning that the Holy Ghost appointed it for, nor perchance the grammatical construction thereof, isai.xxix. And these remembrances of God's word be nothing but lip- Mituxv. labour, and honouring of God with the mouth, but the heart is far away; which before God is in vain, and of no estimation. The other sort of people be such as profess the gospel, that have learned much, and can remember much, but foUow very little ; so that they be nothing the better for it. The third word is, that the prophet saith he will speak of God and his works, as outwardly and inwardly he remem- bereth them, and with his spirit doth meditate them : as it is likewise the part and duty of all christian men so to do ; for Bom. X. as they believe in the heart to justice, so will they confess it Three sorts of to salvatioH, as St Paul saith to the Romans. Here in this S^nld.°° word be three sorts of people condemned : the one, that will not confess and teach the truth for fear of losing their ad- vantage ; the other will not confess and teach the truth for sluggishness and sloth ; and the third will not confess and teach the truth for timidity and fear. In the first sort be such as know doctrines for the soul, or medicines for the body, and yet, because they get gain thereby, they would not have too many know thereof, lest their own gains should be the less : as we see, such a one as knoweth a good method and order to teach would be loth it should be common, because his estimation and gain (as he thinketh) should diminish and decrease. The excellent phy- UPON PSALM LXXVII. 357 sician would not have his cunning common, lest many men, as cunning as he, should part his gains amongst them. The second sort of men be those that come to great livings Note wcii. by their learning, and, when they have the reward of learning, they teach no more, as bishops and ministers of the church ; whom the prophet calleth dumb dogs that cannot bark, their isai.ivi. mouths be so choked with the bones of bishopricks and bene- fices. I speak of such as know the truth and love it, and not of such as neither know it nor love it : for although those men speak but seldom, yet it is too much ; for better it were never to speak, than to speak falsely. The third sort be our Nicodemes, that can speak of Christ Nicodemes. in the night, or to their friends, but openly they will confess nothing with the mouth, nor do anything outwardly, for fear of the world, that should sound to God's glory. And these men be assured they shall have their reward, that Christ Matt. x. will deny them before his Father which is in heaven. Of this we learn wherein our profession consisteth : first, wherein to learn God's word ; secondly, to bear it in our heart and pfofesSon remembrance ; thirdly, to understand it ; and fourthly, to ' speak of it to the glory of God and the edifying of our neigh- bours : and God's word this ways used shall keep us humble and lowly in prosperity, and patient and strong in adversity. But in these two verses be more words necessary to bo considered, if we will take consolation in adversity : the first, " I will (saith the prophet) remember the works of the Lord, and that of old time" (or, ' from the beginning') : the second, " I will think also of all the works of the Lord," &c. In this that the prophet saith, he will remember the works of the we ought Lord of old time, or from the beginning, we learn that it is rgnVram of expedient to know, or (at the least way) not to be ignorant the s'mpu're. ,of any book in the scripture : for whereas we find not consola- tion in the one, we may find it in the other. And where he saith, he will remember all the works of the Lord (meaning as many as the scripture maketh mention of), we be instructed, that we cannot see these works for our erudition, neither yet give the Almighty God thanks, except we learn them from one of his books or' the other. And here is to be noted, that seeing we be bound to know and to be thankful for all the works of God contained in the scripture, we be much in danger, [1 To, in the original edition.] 358 EXPOSITIONS ON CERTAIN PSALMS. as well for ignorance as untliankfulness, that we know not the principal works of our own creation or redemption. We be therefore admonished to have books to read the works of God, and to be diligent to ask better learned than we be, what God's n™t. iv. vi. works do mean : as the children by God's law be bound to ask the parents, and the parents bound by the same to teach them ; then shall both fathers and children find comfort and conso- lation against all temptations in the time of trouble and hea- viness : as we see this man's remedy (by the Spirit of God) riseth from recording, meditating, and speaking of God*'s word and works. Here hath this prophet marvellously opened, how a man in trouble cometh to consolation and comfort. First, that the spirit and heart of man must have such strong faith as may credit God's power, and also his good will, and believe that God both can and will for his truth's sake help the troubled conscience. Therefore Solomon giveth a godly and necessary piov. iv. commandment : " Keep thy heart with all circumspection, for of it proceedeth life." So did David : when the prophet Nathan had made him afraid for the murder of Urias and the adultery with Bersaba, his conscience was in great an- guish and fear, and, among other things that he prayed for Psai. li. to God, he desired that God would create and make him a new heart ; that is to wit, to give him such a stedfast and burning faith, that in Christ his sinful heart might be purged. And secondarily, he prayeth to have so right and sure a spirit, that should not doubt of God's favour towards him. Thirdly, that God would always preserve his Holy Spirit with the heart regenerated, that from time to time the heart might be ruled in obedience towards God. Fourthly, he prayeth to be led with a willing spirit, that quietly and patiently he may obey God in adversities, without impatience or grudge against' God. And where as this knowledge and feeling of the favour of God is in the spirit, there foUoweth recording and remem- No'e- brance of God's works, meditating and thinking upon heavenly things ; and the tongue ready also to speak forth the glory of God, to God's honour and praise, and to the edifying of God's people and congregation, after this sort : 13. "Thy way, 0 God, is in holiness : who is so great a God as God, even our God ?" UPON PSALM LXXVII. 359 Here is a consolation much worthy to be learned and re- consolation, ceived of all troubled men ; and it is this, to understand and perceive that all the doings and facts of Almighty God be righteous, although many times the flesh judgeth and the tongue speaketh the contrary, that God should be too severe, and punish too extremely ; as though he did it rather of a desire to punish, than to correct or amend the person punished: as we see by Job's words, that wished his sins laid in one Job vi. balance, and his punishment in another balance, as though God punished more extremely than justly. The same it seemeth king David also felt, when he said, "How long, Lord, wilt Psai. xiu. thou forget me? for ever?" — with like bitter speeches in the scripture, complaining of God's justice, judgment, and severity. The same we read of Jeremy the prophet : he spake God's word truly, and yet there happened unto him'wonderful great adversities, the terror whereof made him curse the day that he was born in. And doubtless, when he said, "Why Jer.xx. hast thou deceived me, Lord ? " he thought God was rather too extreme than just in his punishment, to afflict him in ad- versity, and to suffer Passur the high priest and his enemy to Pashut. be in quiet and tranquillity. This prophet Asaph was before in great trouble (as ye heard), and especially of the mind, that felt not a sure trust and confidence in God's mercy, and thought of all extremities that to be (as it is indeed) the greatest, a mind desperate and doubtful of God's mercy; yet now he saith, "God is holy in his way, and all that he doth is right and just." We learn hereby that the pot cannot say to the potter, potter. "Why hast thou made me after this sort?" Neither may Jer-.^'x. the mortal man, in whom is nothing but sin, quarrel with the ^o""- Lord, and say, What lay est thou upon me ? but think that, although he had made us both blind, lame, and as deformed as monsters, yet had he made us better than ever we deserved. And in case he laid all the troubles of the world upon one man, yet are they less than one sin of man doth deserve. Thus hath the prophet learned now and felt, and saith, "The doings of God be holy and right, and there is none to be compared unto him;" and sheweth the cause why none is to be compared unto God. In the declaration whereof he continueth seven verses, and so maketh an end of the psalm. 360 EXPOSITIONS ON CERTAIN PSALMS. The first cause why he saith none is to be compared unto God is this : God is the doer of wonders. Three doc- trines. Rom. i. Gen. vii. Exod. xiv. Note. The true Christians take conso- lation them- selves of God's mira- cles wrought upon others. 14. "Thou art the Lord that doth wonders, and hast declared thy power amongst people." First, he noteth generally, that God is the doer of won- ders and miracles ; and afterwards he sheweth, wherein God hath wrought these miracles. Of this we learn three doc- trines : the one, that some men know generally that God worketh all things marvellously ; the second, that other some know that God worketh in some men marvellously ; the third, that other also know that God worketh in themselves mar- vellously. Of the first sort be such as know by God's works generally that God hath, and doth dispose all things upon the earth, and nothing hath his beginning nor being but of God : of whom St Paul speaketh to the Romans, that by God's works they knew God, and yet glorified him not. Of the second sort be such as more particularly know and speak of God's miracles ; as such be that read how God of his singular favour preserved Noah and his family, and drowned all the world besides ; how he brought the children of Israel out of Egypt, and delivered the people from the captivity of Babylon, with such-like : and yet, when they be in troubles themselves, these marvellous works and mercies shewed unto others cannot comfort them- selves. Of the third sort be such as know generally the marvellous works of God, and perceive that in some God is particularly merciful ; and from some he findeth it in himself singularly the mercy of God ; and from the remembrance of God's benefits unto others he findeth in himself the working of God's mercy, and findeth in his conscience such comfort indeed, that he remembereth others before him, that had of God's mercies in their time of troubles. The most part of men consider generally that God is the worker of miracles ; the common sort of Christians consider that God hath wrought miracles particularly upon others ; but the very elects and Christians indeed see the miracles of God wrought particularly upon others, and take consolation singu- larly of God's mercies themselves : as we see this prophet marvellously declareth God's wonders, and putteth the gene- ral working of God's miracles between a singular working of wonders and a particular working of wonders. UPON PSALM LXXVII. 361 The generality is this : " Thou art God that doth won- ders, and hast declared thy power amongst people." Tho singularity and particularity of God's working of wonders is the one before, and the other behind. The singularity is in this, that he perceived that it was his own infirmity that made him doubt of God's promises ; and yet God's singular grace made him singularly feel and perceive that God singularly would be good unto him. The particularity is in this, that he saith, " With God's right hand God delivered the posterity jacoband of Jacob and Joseph from the servitude of Egypt," &c. The way to consider the marvellous works of God is a profitable consideration and sight of them, as well to know them as to be the better for them : for there is no man can take commo- dity or profit by God's goodness shewed unto a multitude, except he singularly receive gain thereby himself: as we see, when a whole multitude was fed marvellously with a few John vs. loaves and fewer fishes (almost five thousand people), he taught the consolation and health of man's soul in his own blood ; but none was the better for it but such as believed every Everyman man for himself that which Christ spake. The miracles and for himself, merciful help of Christ unto others had nothing profited the poor woman of Canaan, except she herself had been partaker Matt.xv. of the same. And as it is in the works of God that do comfort the man afflicted, so is it in the works of God that bring men into heaviness and sorrow for sin. Generally, the word of God rebuketh sin, and calleth sinners to repentance ; particularly, Repentance, it sheweth unto us how that David, Peter, Mary Magdalene, and others, repented. But to us those sorrows and repent- ance do no good, except we every man singularly repent and be sorrowful for his sins. For it is not another man's sick- ness that maketh me sick, nor another man's health that maketh me whole : no more is any other man's repentance my repentance, or any other man's faith my faith ; but I must repent, and I must believe myself to feel sorrowfulness for sin by the law, and remission thereof by faith in Christ : so that every private man must be in repentance sorry with the true repentant sorry, and faithful with the true faithful. For as God himself is towards man, so be all his works and pro- Note, raises : for look, to whom God is merciful, to the same be all his promises comfortable ; and to whom God is severe and 362 EXrOSITIONS ON CERTAIN PSALMS. rigorous, to the same God's threatenings be terrible, and his Fsalm xviii. justice fearful : as king David saith, " With the holy thou wilt be holy, and with the innocent thou wilt be innocent ; with the chosen thou wilt be chosen, and with the perverse thou wilt be perverse." To whom Such as follow virtue and godliness God increaseth with ^^fandto"' gifts and benefits ; and such as have wicked manners, and " by false doctrine decline from the truth, in those God is severe and sharp. And except such persons repent, God will spoil them from all judgment of truth ; and, being blind and des- titute of knowledge, permit them to the power and dominion of most filthy lusts and abominable desires : so that such as would not love the beauty and excellency of virtue shall tumble and wallow themselves like swine in the filth and vomit of sin ; of the which abominations and just judgments of God Rom.i. St Paul speaketh in the epistle to the Romans. For this is to be noted ; look, as every man is, even so he thinketh of God, And as the good and godly man thinketh well of God, so doth the evil and wicked man think evil of God. Some think that man and all worldly things be ruled and governed by God with great justice and inscrutable wisdom, with all A wicked mercy and favour. Others think that God ruleth not this oud'sdoLgl. world and worldly things ; and in case they think he do, yet do they condemn his administration and rule of injustice and partiality, because God doeth as it pleaseth himself, and not as man would have him do. And upon these diversities of judgments in men's minds, God is to the godly merciful, and o horrible to the uugodly severe and rigorous. If the spirit of man judge truly and godly of him, by and bye the spirit of man shall perceive and feel the heavenly influence of God's Spirit stirring and impelling his spirit to all virtue and goodness. If the spirit of man be destitute of the Spirit of God, and judge perversely and wickedly, the spirit of man shall feel the lack of God's Spirit and true judgment to blind the eyes of his mind, and cast himself into all abomination and sin, as the iniquity of the man justly hath deserved. Of the which thing Cometh this, that as the virtue and godhness of godly men daily increaseth, even so doth the iniquity and abomination of the ungodly also increase. Look, what And look, what place and preeminence God obtaineth with I'FJmaF^ any man, in the same place and preeminence is the man with UPON PSALM LXXVII. 363 God. And sucli as do godly, after God's word, honour and the same reverence the almighty God, judging aright of God s might and with providence, they give most humble thanks unto the mercy of God, that alone, and none but he, can teach or instruct the mind of man in true knowledge, nor incline his will to godly doings, nor inflame the soul with all her powers to the desire and fervent love of godliness and virtue : as we see by this prophet Asaph in this place, that, as long as his spirit wanted the help of God's Spirit, it judged doubtfully of God's mercy and promises ; but, when the Spirit of God had exiled and banished doubtfulness, and placed this strong fortress of con- f^^^^°°^ fidence, " The right hand of God can change this my woeful and miserable estate," with the judgment and feeling thereof, he was rapt and stricken with a marvellous love of God's wonders, and repeated them with great joy and consolation, what God had done generally to all men ; after that, what he had done to some particular men and private nations, naming Jacob and Joseph, whose offspring and succession he brought out of the land of Egypt, as it followeth in the psalm : 15. "Thou hast mightily delivered thy people, even the sons of Jacob and Joseph. Selah." Of this verse we learn two consolations : the one, that Two consou- every Christian troubled may see his elders and also his bet- ters troubled : not that it is a comfort to a man that is afflicted to see another in trouble : but to mark that God loved none whom God so well but in this world he sent trouble unto, and excepted wayscor- , , , ^ reeled. not his dear Son. Wherefore it is a consolation to the afflicted to be made like unto the godly fathers, that were before his time, by tribulation, and to remember that, although all chris- tian men be not brought under the captivity of Pharaoh in Egypt, nor under Nabuchodonozer in Babylon, yet there is an Egypt and a Babylon for every christian member ; that is to say, the captivity of sin, the bondage of the flesh, the severity K^'^pt anda of the law, the danger of the world, the enmity of infidels, the treason of dissembling friends, the wickedness of evil and devilish ordinances, the dissimulation of hypocrites, the perjury of inconstant persons, the breach of faithful promises, the in- constancy of the weak, the cruelty of papists,' the love of man, and the hatred of God, with many others; as, the ignorance of God's laws, the rebellion of the heart against it, frowardness 364 EXPOSITIONS ON CERTAIN PSALMS. of the Tvill to consent unto it, diffidence and mistrust of God's mercy, boldness to sin in the time of heahh, faintness and mis- trust of the remission thereof in sickness, love of vice and sin, hatred of virtue and godliness, sudden falling from grace, slow- rising unto it again, loathsomeness to die mortally, readiness to live wickedly, sorrowfulness to forsake this world, great delight to use it evil whiles we have it, loath to seek heavenly things, glad to seek earthly things, nothing feeling the poverty and trouble of the soul, always grudging at the poverty and trouble of the body; with innumerable other captivities that every Christian is entangled withal, as every man may judge by his own life. The greatest The Hoxt cousolation is to see the truth of God's help consolation . i i i , in trouble, promiscd to all mcu, when they be troubled, to have been declared, opened, and verified in others in time past. For this is the greatest consolation that can be to any man in trouble or in sickness, when he is assured of such help and such medicines as never were used but did help the afflicted and heal the sick. Now against all the troubles of man, and also against all the sickness of man, God hath promised his present and helping mercy : the which medicine and help never failed, but did help as many as put their trust therein. Therefore doth this prophet Asaph establish and assure him- self of God's help against his grievous temptations and trou- bles that he suffered, by recording that his griefs were no greater, nor his troubles more dangerous, than Jacob's, Joseph's, and their posterity's, nor yet so grievous : insomuch From the that, Seeing the mercy of God could help the greater troubles Sfuier. in his predecessors, he could help and ease the less in him that was presently troubled. And, being so assured of God's Selah. help, he spake at the end of this verse, "Selah :" as though he had said. It is most true that God can help and comfort me, as he holp and comforted my forefathers. And, for the better consolation and more firm assurance, he sheweth how marvellously he did help the posterity of Jacob and Joseph, after this sort : 16. "The waters saw thee, 0 God, the waters saw thee, and were afraid ; the depths also were troubled." untoinsensi- In this that ho saith, the waters were afraid when they ble things ' ... ^j^'^^buted God, first, the manner of speech in the scripture is to be noted, that attributeth unto insensible things sensible qualities; UPON I'SALM LXXVII. 365 as in this place is attributed unto the water sight and fear, ■whereas indeed properly the water cannot see nor fear. But ■when the scripture useth any such phrase or speech, there is to be marked divers doctrines of edif-ying: first, of God; then, Three iioc- J O trincs. insensible creatures ; and thirdly, of man, for whose sake the scripture sometime speaketh unto insensible creatures as though they were sensible, and worketh miracles in them for the instruction and amendment of sensible and reasonable man. The learning touching God is, that he worketh his will, The erst doc- ,,. . , trine touch- and useth his creatures, as it seemeth unto his wisdom mscru- ing goci. table most meet and convenient ; as here he troubleth and altereth the condition of the seas and waters. These waters were appointed by God, in the third day of the creation, to oen. i be in one place, and was called the sea, a pleasant element, and a beautiful thing to see: and God said, " It was good," as the effect thereof sheweth indeed ; for it nourisheth the earth with necessary moisture by privy veins and secret passages secretly passing through the earth. And when the floods, that do moisture the earth, have done their office, they return into their old lodging the sea again ; from whence riseth the matter of showers and rain to moisture from above, that floods beneath cannot be conveyed unto. And it serveth for trans- porting the necessaries of one realm to the other, quietly suf- fering the ships to pass with great gain and pleasure. These and many more commodities God worketh by this insensible creature, when it is calm and navigable : but when he moveth it with his winds and tempests, it is so horrible in itself, that no man may without peril and death travel within it, so raging and fearful is that pleasant element of the water, ■when God moveth it. It hath (by God's appointment) his time of calm, and time of storm ; time to profit men, and time Time, to undo men ; time to be a refuge for men in the days of peril, and time to be a grave and sepulchre for men ; time to conjoin strange nations together, and time to separate them again, as it pleaseth the Creator Almighty God to appoint and direct it. The doctrine that toucheth the insensible creature itself The second is, that it can be no longer calm, nor any longer troubled, touchhf^ the than it pleaseth the heavenly Governor to dispose it. And creature, here is to be noted against such men as attribute storms and calms to fortune ; whereas only the voice of the Lord moveth Psahn xxix. tempests, and sendeth fair weather. It is also a doctrine 36G EXPOSITIONS ON CERTAIN PSALMS. Ps. Ixxvii. Ps. cxiv. The third doctrine touching man. O rebellion of man ! Insensible creatures shall be a condemna- tion unto man. Deut. xxxii. Isai. t Mark most diligently. The devil and man be only disobe- dient unlo God. against all men that do think the waters and seas may be moved and cease at their own pleasure ; which is contrary to this prophet's doctrine, that saith, " The waters saw the Lord, and were afraid :" so that their trouble riseth from the commandment of the Lord, and they cannot do what they lust, but what God biddeth them to do. It is godly set forth afterwards in another psalm, wherein the passage of the children of Israel is mentioned, as it is in this psalm. The doctrine touching man in this verse is a declaration of man's obstinacy and stubbornness. The insensible creature the water, that lacketh both life and reason, at every com- mandment be as the Lord their Maker commandeth them to be : with every tempest they be troubled, and with every calm so plain and quiet, that it seemeth rather a stablished land than a variable sea. But let God send his word unto man, and the contents thereof threaten the tempest of all tempests, eternal death, hell-fire, and God's everlasting dis- pleasure ; yet man will not hear nor see them, nor yet be moved any thing at all : or let God gently and favourably offer his mercies unto man, and by his word exhort him never so much to repentance, it is for the most part in vain. There- fore God by his prophets Moses and Esay called heaven and earth to witness against man's stubbornness and hardness of heart. There is also out of this trouble of the water this doc- trine to be learned, how to receive consolation, and how to learn fear, by the creatures of God that bear no life, and yet be thus troubled. Consolation in this sort, when the penitent man that suffereth affliction and trouble seeth insen- sible things moved and unquieted, that never offended, he shall judge the less wonder at his own trouble. When he seeth that a sinner and wretched offender of God is punished, he shall learn fear. When he seeth God doth punish his creatures that never offended, for the sin of man, what punishment is man worthy to have, that is nothing but sin itself? And what fear should this bring into christian men's consciences, to know that no creature deserveth punishment, no creature disobeyeth God, but the devil and man ? 0 ! what man or woman can with faith look upon the least flowers of the field, and not hate himself? In summer-time, when men shall see the meadows and gardens so marvellously UPON PSALM LXXVII. 3G7 apparelled with flowers of every colour, so that he shall not be able to discern whether their beauty better please the eye, or their sweet savour the nose ; what may they learn, in o take thinking of themselves (as the truth is) that there is nothing in awem^n* ' them but filth and sin, that most heinously stink before the face of God ! And when man shall perceive that flowers consolation. vade, and lose both beauty to the eye and sweet savour to the nose, that never transgressed; what may miserable man think he is worthy to lose, that is nothing but sin, and ever offendeth ! Again, when man shall perceive that God thus marvellously, after long winter and great storms, doth raise out of the vile earth so beautiful flowers, plants, and trees, what consolation may the man take that hath his faith in Christ, to think that all his sins in his precious blood be forgiven, and, after long persecution and cruel death, he shall come to eternal life ! After this sort did the prophet consider the works of God and the troubles of his creatures, and received great consolation thereby. In the end of this verse the prophet saith, " The depths Depths, were troubled." In the which words he hath aptly shewed the mighty power of God, and perceiveth how the record of God's fact may be his consolation. In this that he saith, "The depths were troubled," there be divers understandings. If he mean of the seas, when they are troublesome and tem- pestuous by foul weather, he speaketh rather after the judg- ment of such as suffer the trouble and peril of the waves, that think at one time they fall to the bottom of the sea, and at another time they be rather upon high mountains than upon the waters, the rages thereof be so extreme : yet indeed, the bottom of the seas be not felt, neither doth the ship that is saved descend so far ; but the tempests be so sore, that it seemeth to the suff'erers thereof that no extremity can be more. In this sense it serveth marvellously the prophet's purpose : for, as they that endure the tempests of the sea think there could be no more extremity than they sustain, so do they that suffer the tempest of mistrust and despair (for a time) of the a goodiy ^ ' . simuilude. conscience think they could endure no more extremity of conscience : whereas indeed, if God should suffer them to feel the extremity, it were eternal death, as the extremity of the sea in tempests is shipwreck and loss of man and goods. But if it be understood as it standeth in the letter, then hath the 368 EXPOSITIONS ON CERTAIN PSALMS. prophet relation to the mighty hand of God, that brake the f^°^\f^''- K.ed Sea even unto the very bottom, and also the water of Jordan, that his people might have both a nigh way, a safe way, and a glorious way towards the land that the Lord had promised them. And then in this sense we learn, that although water and wind, with all troubles else, cover the face of the earth in the bottom of the sea, and is not possible to come to the use of man, even so the troublesome temptations and great terror of God's wrath against sin covereth the soul of man, that, unto the judgment of the flesh, it shall never come to have the use and fruition of God's holy favour again. O the mer- But now, as vre see by miracle God maketh dry the ness God depth of horrible seas, and turneth the bottom of them to the inscrutable! usc of man, SO doth he in the blood of Christ (by the operation of the Holy Ghost) dry up and clean lade out the ponds and deep seas of mistrust and heaviness out of the soul, and turneth the soul itself to the use of his own honour, in the joys ever- lasting. And as the water covereth the beauty of the land, so do sin and temptation cover the image and beauty of man's soul in this life. But, as with a word God can remedy the one, so with the least of his mercies he can redress the other. And for the better experience and more certainty thereof we see it proved by this prophet Asaph in this place. For the ground was never more overwhelmed with water, nor the bright sun with dimmy clouds, than was this poor prophet's spirit with heaviness and sorrow of sin and temptations. Therefore he feeleth how God easeth the heart, and recordeth how he banished floods and waters, to make his people a way to rest and tranquillity. 17. "The clouds poured out water, the air thundered, and thine arrows went abroad." The prophet remembereth the marvellous inundation and Noah. drowning of the world in the days of Noah, that drowned all Gen. vii. ^ho world for sin, saving such as were in the ark or ship with Exod. iix. Noah. And he remembereth also the horrible thunder that was heard of the people, when God gave his law unto them Note. upon mount Sinai. Likewise, he calleth to remembrance the Excd. V. vi. plagues of Egypt, wherewithal God punished Pharaoh, his % ii.jm. IX. pgQpig^ ^jjjj ^j^Q whole land ; which pains and plagues he calleth (after the phrase of the scripture) arrows and darts. UPON PSALM LXXVII. 369 These remembrances may be comforts to the hearers and to the readers two manner of ways. First in this, that God, God punish- when he punisheth, punisheth justly, as he did the whole for sin. world for sin. Whereof the prophet gathereth, If sin justly merited to' trouble all the generation of man, it is no great marvel though sin trouble me, that am but one man, and a vile sinner. If sin brought all flesh unto death, saving those that were in the ship, is it any marvel though sin make me to tremble and quake ? Again, if God, when he gave the law to Moses and to the people, spake out of thunder, declaring what a thino; it was to transgress that law, insomuch that all the people were afraid to hear the Lord speak, and desired Exod. xix. that Moses might supply his room; what marvel is it that my conscience trembleth, feeling that my soul hath offended the laws of God ? And if Pharaoh and his realm were sore afraid of God's outward plagues, what cause have I to fear the in- ward dread and sorrowful sight of sin, shewed unto me by God's law ! So that we may take this consolation out of this God is no place, that God is a just judge to punish sin, and not a tyrant, that punisheth of affection or wilful desire. And so said David, " Whensoever or howsoever thou punish (let men say Psai. h. x. and judge as they list), thou art just, and righteous be all thy doings." The other consolation is, that in the midst of all adversi- God always ties God preserved penitent and faithful sinners : as, in the pcnuent"* time of the universal flood, the water hurted not Noah, nor such as were in the ship : in the time of Pharaoh's plagues, the Israelites took no harm : at the giving of the law, the Israelites perished not with lightning and thunder. Even so sorrows and anguish, diffidence and weakness of faith, they are plagues and punishments for all men by reason of sin ; yet penitent sinners, by reason of faith in Christ, take no hurt nor damnation by them : as it appeareth by this prophet, that was troubled in the spirit and in the body as marvel- lously as could be, but yet in Christ escaped the danger, as all men shall do that repent and believe. Whereof we learn, that Rom- v"'- as the rain falleth generally, and yet bettereth no earth to bring forth her fruit but such as is apt to receive the rain (stony rocks and barren ground being nothing the better); even so doth the plagues and rain of God's displeasure plague Old edition, do.] r -1 24 [hooper, II.J 370 EXPOSITIONS ON CERTAIN PSALMS, all mankind, but none be the bettei* therefore but such as Heb. vi. X. repent and bewail their sins, that gave God just occasion thus to punish them. The same is to be considered also of the verse that foUoweth, which is this : 18. " The Ughtning shone upon the ground, the earth was moved, and shook therewithal." By these manner of speeches, " the lightning shone, and the earth quaked," the prophet setteth forth the strength and might of God's power, and willeth men to love him and to fear him ; for he is able to defend and preserve his faithful, and to punish and plague the wicked. And the like he saith in the verse following : 19. "Thy way is in the sea, and thy paths in the deep waters ; and thy footsteps are not known." He taketh comfort of this miracle, that God brought the Israelites through the Red Sea, in this, that the waters knew the Israelites, and gave place unto them, that they might dry- footed go through them : but when king Pharaoh and his people would have followed in the same path, persecuting God's people, the sea would make no way for him, nor yet shew the steps where the Israelites trod, but overwhelmed them in most desperate deaths. So in the seas of temptations, such as put their trust in the Lord pass, and never perish by them ; whereas such as put not their trust in the Lord perish in temptations, as Pharaoh and his army did by water. And the next verse that concludeth the psalm sheweth by what means the Israelites were, under God, saved in the Red Sea by the hands of Moses and Aaron ; as it appeareth : 20. " Thou leddest thy people like sheep by the hand of Moses and Aaron." Of this verse the afflicted may learn many consolations, hfrnteif to^ First, that the best people that be are no better able to re- tetionsf"^ sist temptations, than the simple sheep is able to withstand the brier that catcheth him. The next, that man is of no more ability to beware of temptations, than the poor sheep is to avoid the brier, being preserved only by the diligence of Shepherd, the shepherd. The third, that as the shepherd is careful of his entangled and briered sheep, so is God of his afflicted The Israel- ites were con- ducted by God through the Bed sea. Pharaoh and his were drowned. £xod, xiv. Psal. cxxi. cxxv. xiii. xlvi. liv. Ixxi. Exod. xiv. UPON PSALM LXXVII. 371 faithful. And the fourth is, that the people of Israel could They that take no harm of the water, because they entered the sea at God s com- God's commandment. Whereof we learn, that no danger can can take no harm. hurt when God doth command us to enter into it ; and all dangers overcome us, if we choose them ourselves, besides God's commandment : as Peter, when he went at God's command- Matt. xiv. ment upon the water, took no hurt ; but when he entered into the bishop's house upon his own presumption, was overcome. Matt. xxvi. and denied Christ. The Israehtes, when they fought at God's Numb. xiv. commandment, the peril was nothing ; but when they would do it of their own heads, they perished. So that we are bound to attend upon God's commandment, and then no danger shall destroy us, though it pain us. The other doctrine is in this, that God used the ministry such as be ^ of Moses and Aaron in the deliverance of his people, who did «he church ^, ought to command them to do nothing but that the Lord did first bid. u"on'lhe'^ Whereof we learn, that such as be ministers appointed of God, J^o™ °^ and do nothing but as God commandeth, are to be followed ; as St Paul saith, " Follow me, as I follow Christ." And i cor. xi these men can by the word of God give good counsel and great consolation, both for body and soul : as we perceive this prophet, in marking God's doings unto the Israelites, ap- pHed by grace the same wisdom and helping mercy unto himself, to his eternal rest, through Jesus Christ, in the world to come. To whom, with the Father and the Holy Ghost, be all laud and praise world without end. Let all Chris- tians say, Amen. FINIS. 24—2 A table declaring as well the general as the special contents of this whole book. PAGE! The Argument of the twenty-third Psalm . . .187 CL Of this Psalm there are seven parts . . . 189 1. Who it is that hath the cure and charge of man's life and salvation . . . . . .190 2. Wherein the life and salvation of man consisteth. . 197 3. How a man is brought to the knowledge of life and salvation : -which part sheweth what man is of him- self, and how he is brought into this life, and to feed in the pleasant pastures of God's word . . 204 4. Wherefore man is brought to life and salvation . 211 5. What trouble may happen to such as God giveth life and salvation unto ..... 214 6. Whereby the troubles of God's elect be overcome . 222 7. What the end of God's troubled people shall be . 241 The Argument of the sixty-second Psalm . . . 243 a Of this Psalm there are two general parts and six particular ...... 243, 4 CE The first general part containing four particular parts. 1. How that the favour of God and his help is able to remedy all adversities ..... 243 CE The second general part containing two particular parts. 2. How that the favour of man and his help is able to redress no adversities . . . . .243 CC A brief paraphrase upon the whole Psalm. . 245 C. The six particular parts as they follow in their order and place. 1. What is to be done by the christian man that is afflicted 247 [' The numbers of the pages are adapted to the present edition.] TABLE OF CONTENTS OF CERTAIN PSALMS. 373 PAGE. 2. Why the troubled person seeketh health of God . 255 3. How the persecutors of the innocent shall suddenly perish ........ 265 4. Why trouble is patiently to be borne and faithfully to be believed that God can and will remedy it , 273 5. How man's power is not to be trusted unto . 278 6. How that God hath promised to help the afflicted . 281 The Argument of the seventy-third Psalm . . 283 s crdfiaros avrlrvTra eari ra Oela p.varrjpLa. Op. Tom. IV. p. 125. - Hala;, 1772.] C(ENiE DOMINI. 407 Dei mandato, Dei voluntate, ac Christi institutione concurrunt : tunc verba sanctificandi vim et virtutem habent, non a seipsis, nec ab illo qui ea pronunciat, sed a Deo, qui ad sacramentorura sanctificationem hujusmodi verba profcrri jusserat, ut non solum creatura) sanctificarentur, sed distribuerentur, et sume- rentur a fidelibus juxta Christi institutionem, quo per verba et sacramenta mysterium mortis ac redemptionis Christi vere intelHgerent : cui si ex animo crederent, ab omni peccatorum labe purificarentur. Sed isti neoterici parum recte de verbo Error papis- .... . . . . tarum in Domini judicant. Ubi enim Christus de verbo pra^dicato et credito loquitur, illi de verbo pronunciato aut recitato intelli- gunt, quasi sic vim et virtutem habeat a Domino sanctificandi ; quod est absurdissimum, ut Augustinus pulcherrime testatur : August. Unde ista (inquit) virtus aquas, ut corpus tangat et cor abluat, joan^s". nisi faciente verbo ? non quia dicitur, sed quia creditur. Nam et in ipso verbo aliud est sonus transiens, aliud virtus manens, etc ^" " Ideo (inquit) verbum fidei est quod prasdicamus, et verbo fidei consecratur baptismus^." Et ut Chrysostomus ait, Chrysost. in "Virtus evangelii non est in figuris literarum, sed in intellectu xxiii. Verbo ..... ,. . , fidei eonse- sensuum*. Appositissime igitur patres, ut huic errori transub- eramur ^ . , . ^ sacramenta. stantiationis occurrerent, sacramenta signacula, signa, figuras, repra3sentationes, et id genus alia vocant : ut cum illis rerum terrestrium involucris mentes rite utentium ad res ipsas ccelestes et significatas eveherent, rerum terrenax'um substantiam in sacramentis non toUentes nec mutantes, sed illarum substan- tiam rerum ccelestium signa et obsiffnationes esse affirmantes. Et sacramenta, quamvis res ca3lestes obsigncnt, nec in ipsas vel in ipsum Christum migrare unquam docebant. Confirmatio nostrce assertionis ex natura et conditione sanc- tificationis creaturarum pants et vini in ccena Domini per Spiritum Sanctum. Verba quibus utitur Spiritus Sanctus, et quibus Dei Spiritus sacramenta fiunt, adhibent atque asciscunt res terrestres panem verbum con- secrant res August. la Evang. Joan. Tract. Lxxx. Op. Tom. ix. col. 445. a. sacrum usum. Basil. 1569.] [3 Hoc est verbum fidei, quod prsedicamus ; quo sine dubio ut mun- dare possit consecratur et baptismus. — Ibid, b.] Deinde ubi est virtus evangelii ? in figuris literarum, an in in- tellectu sensuum ? — Chrysost. Op. Vol. ii. col. 1049. D. Basil. 1547. The writings however in which this passage occurs are pronounced by- Erasmus not to be the production of Chrysostom.] ' 408 DE VERA DOCTRINA ET USU et vlnum in sacrum usum et finem ex mandate Dei et Chrisli institutione, et corporis et sanguinis Christi nomine creaturas panis et vini induunt : ut jam non sit communis panis et com- mune vinum ; sed ut per mandata Dei et Christi institutionem sacramenta corporis et sanguinis Christi sint mysteria nostrse redemptionis in illius corpore super crucem morte sua nobis 1 cor.x. perquisitfB. Hoc est quod Paulus ad Corinthios dixit: "Poculum cui benedicimus, nonne communicatio corporis^ Christi est?" Pocuiobenc- Poculo benedicers est vinum virtute Spiritus Sancti et Christi dicere quid. ... i t\ • • institutione per verbum Dei consecrare in sacramentum san- guinis Jesu Christi ; ita ut vinum ejus induat nomen cujus est sacramentum, sed non mutetur in ejus substantiam cujus est sacramentum. Vinum tanquam signum vel sacramentum san- guinis Christi vini semper retinet substantiam ; et signum non induit rei signatfe naturam et substantiam, sed substantia vini eadem remanet qua3 fuerat antca. Accedit autem post sancti- ficationem alius augustior et magnificentior usus et finis vini quam antea, citra vini substantia jacturam aut substantialem mutationem, quam neoterici fingunt. Nam Spiritus Sanctus, verbum Dei, et Christi institutio res terrestres consecrant ad res coelestes testificandum, approbandum, et obsignandum : sed res terrestres, quoad illarum substantiam, nunquam in rerum coelestium naturas aut substantiam migrant vel convertuntur; ut agnus paschalls res terrestris Spiritu Sancto et mandate divlno ad testlficandam,approbandam, et obsignandam gloriosam populi Dei liberationem ab JSgypto institutus erat, sed in ipsam transitus substantiam et naturam non migrabat. Sic omnia Judasorum sacrificia, cum res essent sua natura terrestres, mandate et verbo Dei ad significandam, testandam, et obsig- nandam expiationem peccatorum in Christo venture instituta erant ; in Christi tamen naturam et substantiam mandate et verbo Dei nunquam transierunt. Mentiuntur ergo plane, et peregrinis ac ementitis laudibus verbum Dei extoUunt, qui verbo Dei ultra vim sanctificandi, admonendi, et obsignandi gratiam Dei in sacramentis attribuunt. Deus universa olim ex nihilo per verbum suum creavit : sed illud verbum non erat sonus transiens, sed ipsius Dei Filius ex eadem hjpostasi et substantia Patris. Moyses per verbum Dei aquas ^gypti in cruorem, solis splendorem in plus quam Cimmerias tenebras permutavit, et Petrus claudum erexit in pedes ; sed non per [I For corporis read sanguinis.] CCENjE DOMINI. 409 verbum recitatum, dictum, aut prolatuin, sed potentia illius et vlrtute cujus munere fungebatur. Praeterea nusquam legimus in scripturis Sanctis de Iran- substantia substantiatione, aut conversione aucuius substantite in aliam mutaiur, ' *^ ^ quin panter substantiam, quin statim, mutata priore substantia in aliam "^-dentil substantiam, mutata simul fuerint prioris substantise forma et accidens ; nec unquam manebat posterior substantia sub prioris substantise forma : ut Nilus in ^gypto amisit una cum priore Aqua ^gyp- substantia aquae prlorem aqufe formam et cetera aqu£e adjacen- sanguinem tia : costa Adami in mulierem facta et substantiam et formam costas reliquit : sic Mosis virga versa in serpentem : et aqua in vinum conversa a Christo una cum interitu et mutatione prioris substantia aqua3 posterioris substantise vini formam et adjacen- tia induit, ita ut admiraretur architriclinus aquam vinum factam. Opera Dei ereo et sacramenta altius consideranda veniunt Openim Dei « .. . --^ . ■, , f, rerumque ab us, qui Deum auctorem in his quae lacta sunt agnoscere et proctuctarum ... . , varia con- laudare cupiunt. Sunt enim quaedam opera, quae Deus ex sideratio. nihilo produxit ; ut ccelum et terra, atque ea quae primordia erant et primaria seminaria eorum quae jam extant. Ilia fide intelligimus fuisse aptata per Patrem mediante Filio et Spi- ritu Sancto. Et quemadmodum intelligimus omnia in prin- cipio fuisse ex nihilo creata, sic illorum stupendam et admi- randam creationem admiramur, quod jam sint qnse antea non erant, et quod Deus ex nihilo sua ineifabili potentia ea pro- duxerit. Sunt qusedam opera Dei quae fide intelligimus fuisse facta, at non ex nihilo, sed ab alia priore existenti substantia; ut primam mulierem a Deo ex costa Adami factam, serpentem ex virga Mosis, sanguinem ex J5gyptiorum aquis, vinum ex aqua in nuptiis factum. Hsec fide etiam intelligimus a Deo facta, ubi prioris substantiae naturam cognoscimus sublatam, et novara creaturam ex praeexistenti materia subsistere ; pri- oris substantiae destructionem agnoscimus, et posterioris ex- istentiam admiramur. Haec etiam omnia per verbum Dei facta sunt ; non per verbum prolatum, recitatum, aut Uteris sculptum, sed per verbum quod est Filius Dei et ipsa imago et character substantiae Dei Patris. Alia sunt opera Dei facta per verbum, id est, Filium Dei, quae non constant ex creatione existentis substantise mutatse in aliam substantiam : sed quando quod prius suo vitio spurcum, tetrum, mortuum, et poUutum erat ope divina instauratur ; ut mortuum cadaver Lazari ope divina vitse erat restitutum ; animaa etiam, quae 410 DE VERA DOCTRINA ET USU vitiis et peccatis jacent sepulta?, ope Spiritus Sancti in san- guine Christi purgantur. Corporis resurrectionem vel ad vitam restitutionem fide intelligimus : et quia hoc rationi et externis sensibus constat, factum admiramur. Animte purga- tionem et resurrectionem a peccatis fide credimus, et gratias Deo agimus: sed quia hoc sensibus non constat factum, non admiramur. Sunt alia opera Dei, quas per verbum, id est, Dei Filium, et verbum simul prolatum sunt facta ; ubi crea- turae nec in materia nec forma mutantur, sed in alium usum et finem per Dei verbum applicantur, quem a sua natura non habuerunt. Ilujusmodi opera fide per verbum intelligi- mus, sed non admiramur, quandoquidem istorum operum efR- cacia et dignitas circa animum utentis per fidem versatur ; et non subest judicio rationis vel usui sensuum, quamvis aures sonitum verborum audiant, oculi elementorum fractionem et distributionem cernant, et gustus veram elementorum naturam dijudicet. Ex isto ordine sunt opera Dei qute sacramenta vocantur : ut in baptismo Spiritus Sanctus per verbum pro- latum et elementarem aquam in animo per fidem operatur remissionem peccatorum, et baptizati acceptationem et con- firmationem in gratiam et favorem Dei : in coena Domini Spiritus Sanctus per verbum et externa elementa panis et vini recipientis animum per fidem corpore et sanguine Christi, vel potius omnibus meritis et bonis in morte sua nobis partis, pascit ac refovet. Sed hoc opus Dei nullas creaturas de novo producit, nec creaturas panis et vini, circa quas tanquam ele- mentaria organa versatur, in alias mutat substantias ; sed salvis et reservatis panis et vini pristinis substantiis ea in alium usum et finem destinat ; ex quibus qui fide sunt par- ticipes non solum pani et vino elementari communicant, verum etiam de corpore et sanguine Christi, quorum panis et vinum per opus Dei sunt sacramenta, participant. Et quia circa elementa panis et vini nulla substantialis mutatio est facta, sed omnium sacramentorum mysteria, dignitates, et fructus circa animum fide recipientis et rite ministrantis versantur, intellectum capimus, et fruimur promissionibus Dei et sacrorum sacramentorum rebus signiScatis, quaa nos Christo et Christum August.de nobis conglutioant et consociant. Ideo est quod Augustinus iii.cap. 10.' miracula nulla admittit in eucharistia) sacramento. Ejus verba sunt hsec': " Sed quia hscc hominibus nota sunt, quia per ho- [1 August. De Trinit. Lib. in. cap. x. Op. Tom. ni. col. 289. c. Basil. 15G9.] CCEN^ DOMINf. 411 mines fiunt, honorem tanquam religiosa possunt habere, stu- porom tanquam mira non possunt." Abutuntur ergo populo Dei, et ejus ecclesise periculose imponunt, qui panis et vini substantise destructionem vel mu- tationem in coena Domini decent per verbum Dei rairaculose. Nam Augustinus constanter testatur religionem circa panem et vinum ob Christi institutionem fieri ; sed miraculum aut stuporem circa eucharistia? sacramentum fieri pernegat. Et verissimum est quod Augustinus dicit, nullum esse in coena Domini stuporem aut miraculum. Miraculum enim est quod ^jj'^"'"" naturam excedit, et rationis siiperat judicium ; ita tamen ut, quando sit factum, semper fiat et appareat in his rebus quae sub sensuum et rationis judicium cadunt : ut miraculum for- mataj mulieris ex costa Adami, aquas JEgj])ti mutatio in sanguinem, virgte in serpentem, virginis partus, et omnium creaturarum existentia et productio ex nihilo. Omnia ista prscter naturam et supra rationis judicium fuerunt creata : sed postquam sunt facta, non solum sub rationis, verum etiam sensuum naturalium, judicium cadebant. Discrimen igitur ser- vandum est inter ea opera Dei quaj fide intelligimus facta, et'^ stuporem seu admirationem, ut mira et inusitata, excitant ; et ea opera Dei quae fide intelligimus, et^ nullum horrorem, ad- mirationem, vel miraculum rationi et sensibus aflferunt. Sub priore autem operum Dei genere continentur omnes creaturse Dei ex nihilo creatse, ut ccelum, terra, aer, mare, et quae in principio Deus ex nullis prasexistentibus materiis produxit ; vel illa3 creaturaj qua? ab aliis creaturis prasexistentibus ori- ginem duxerunt, ut Eva ex costa Adami, serpens e virga, cruor et vinum ex aquis, et hujus generis quam plurima. Utrius- que generis opera, quae a fide perdiscuntur et intelliguntur, rationi et sensibus admirationem et horrorem inducunt, vel in hoc, quod ex nihilo originera suam virtute divina traxerint, vel quod supra et praeter rationis judicium ex praeexistentibus mate- riis contra naturam originem suam habuerint. Miraculum ergo, horrorem, et admirationem rationi humana3 et corporis sensibus haec intulerunt ; fidei vero nostra}, qure circa ea solum versatur quae rationis nostrse excellentiam et dignitatem sensuumque nostrorum perspicuitatem transcendunt, inferre non poterunt. Ideo Paulus inquit : Ter fidem intelligimus perfecta fuisse [Heb. xi.] [2 The relative quce is here required as tlic subject of the verbs excitant and qfcrunt.] 412 DE VERA DOCTRINA ET USU secula verbo Dei." Non dicit, per fidem miramur vel obstupescimus perfecta fuisse Tcrbo Dei. Nam quemad- modum Dominus ipse ob suam immensam sapientiam nullum opus quod fit in ccelo vel in terra admiratur ; sic et vera fides (quae est illius donum in nobis) nihil in operibus Dei admiratur ; sed discit, agnoscit, amplectitur, et gratias omnipotenti Creatori aglt. Miraculum ergo rationi et sensibus post introductum peccatum horrorem et admirationem intulit (ubi ante peccatum Adam non obstupuit ad creaturas, sed commode singulis nomina attribuit) non Deo ipsi, vel fidei nostrse, ejus in nobis muneri. Et ubi horror vel admiratio facti rationem et sensus non movent, miraculum proprie vocari incoena nou potest. Qui igitur in coena Domini panis et vini substan- nuiium est tiam Dor miraculum transubstantiari in substantiam corporis et mtraculum. \ ^ ^ ^ ^ ^ ... sanguinis Chrlsti affirmant, illud miraculum rationi et sensibus prodant et manifestent, et tunc miraculum omnes facile agnos- cent et amplectentur : sed prseexistentem panis et vini substan- tiam a sanctificatione semper remanere, ut antea ratio judicat, sensus arguunt atque convincunt. Nec vero sumus humano premendi testimonio, ut id asseramus in sacra Domini coena, quod sacrse literae et sanctorum patrum scripta condemnant. Nam hactenus perspicua evicimus demonstratione ssepissime, evincemusque posthac semper, transubstantiationem panis et vini in coena Domini esse contra sacras scripturas et sanc- torum patrum testimonia ; modo citra causae pra;judlcationem et absque omni araarulentia et odlo et patienter audiamur, Sed cum de vi et potentia verbi Dei ulterius paululum progrediendum sit, necessarium fore duxi, ut illorum impu- dentia obstruam ora qui dicunt virtute verborum Christi panis et vini substantiam in cosna Domini vel penitus tolli, vel in ipsam corporis et sanguinis Christi substantiam transmutari. tTiVerbi"^"' Primum, vis verbi Dei ac potentia, quatenus est ipse Dei Filius coaeternus ac coa?qualis Patri, nihil produxit ex nihilo vel ex prseexistenti materia quam nudas et simplices creaturas, quod ad illarum substantias attinet. Et hominem, qucm ex Umo terras plasmavit, ad iraaginem suam fecit ; et ilium tamen ut Deum et hominem sibi in personali conjunctione et unitate non associavit, sed ut multis prasclaris plasmatoris donis imbutus creatura? tantum servaret dignitatem, et altius non aspiraret sub periculo tremendi Dei judicii et irae. Ecce summam vim ac virtutem verbi Dei, scilicet Patris omnipotentis, Filii, et CCENiE DOMINI. 413 Spiritus Sancti, creaturas tantum producentem. Unde ergo ilia vis et virtus verbi a pfaffo^ prolati, ut ex creatura panis et vini taletn conficeret creaturam quae Deo altissimo in com- munione, conjunctione, et unitate personal! communicaret ? ita ut quod heri vel nudiustertius creatura esset panis, nimirum iners et rationis expers, hodie per quinque verborum prola- tionem et efficaciam Deus fieret et homo unitate personali. Quis unquam talia audivit ? Quis h^c vel narrando non ob- stupesceret ? Quis credat plus posse fieri per verba Christi ab hominibus prolata quam a Christo ipso ? Christus verba sanctificationis circa panem et vinum in usu coenae Domini efferendo panis et vini substantiam corpus et sanguinem suum appellavit: neoterici verba sanctificationis circa panem et vinum in Romana missa efferendo sub panis et vini acciden- tibus corpus et sanguinem Christi constituunt. Christus verba sanctificationis circa panem et vinum efferendo panis et vini substantiam in sacramentum corporis et sanguinis sui conse- cravit, et elementorum panis et vini substantiam non abstulit : novi Christiani verba sanctificationis circa panem et vinum efferendo panis et vini substantiam subvertunt. Christus verba sanctificationis circa panem et vinum efferendo panis et vini substantiam ita in sacramentum corporis et sanguinis sui consecravit, ut memoria essent et recordatio corporis sui im- molati et sanguinis sui super crucem in remissionem peccatorum effusi : neoterici vero verba sanctificationis circa panem et vinum efferendo panis et vini substantiam ita consecrant, ut ro ipsa sint corpus et sanguis Christi, imo sacrificium pro peccatis vivorum et mortuorum, Conferamus igitur novissima primis, Christum tonsis Ro- manis, Christi institutionem sacrse coense incantationibus papista- rum, quibus ementita sua sacra peragere se confingunt. Si id fecerimus, divinarum literarum et sanctorum patrum testiraoniis facile intelligemus missam Romanam non plus commercii cum sacra Domini coena habere quam lucem cum tenebris, Christum cum Belial, praestigiatorum incantationem cum ipsa veritatis perspicuitate et splendore. Salomon quidem dicit, "Non est [Prov. xxi.] sapientia, prudentia, et consilium adversus Dominum." Si ergo Spiritus Sancti sapientia, prudentia, et consilium prsevalerent (ut [I PfafFus, German Pfaffe, Latin Papa; priest, in a contemptuous sense.] 414 DE VERA DOCTRINA ET USU apud omnes pios prajvalerc deberent), praestaret, ut Romanis sacris relictis ad veram Christ! Domini cajnse institutionem juxta verbum illius accederemus. Nam quod ipse in sacra sua ccena fecit, ut nos faceremus mandavit. Obtemperandum igitur est [Prov. xxii.] illius imperio; et, ut Salomon dixit, "Ne transgrediaris terminos antiques, quos posuerunt patres tui," Christi institutio in causa eucharistiaj nobis satis esse debet : id autem optimum et sanc- christi actio tissimum, imo perfectissimum, quod ipse fecit. Quis enim cum nobis reguia. Cliristo vcl sanctorum sanctissimus pietate et sanctitate est conferendus ? Quis ei vel angelorum prajstantissimus dignitate et vetustate temporum est comparandus ? Quajnam ecclesia, etsi illius sanguine sine macula et ruga fuerit, consilio et reli- gione ei praeferenda ? Nonne omnes qui sana mente sunt pra3- diti noverunt, quod qui Christi ac Dei religionem postponunt, hominisque sapientiam, consilium, prudentiam, terminos, limites, fines, et usus anteferunt, quique ipsissimam Christi institutionem, doctrinam, et distributionem sacratissimaj cosnse negligunt atque contemnunt, et ad hominum commenta sese convertunt, digni sunt ut omni errore et vertigine mahgni spiritus ad quasvis imposturas et deceptiones impellantur ? Quis autem non videt, omnes qui ista faciunt, qualemcunque catholica) ecclesise fucum praatendant, de toga ad pallium, vel ab equis ad asinos (ut aiunt) Missa. descendere ? Nam missa Roraana, etsi superstltiose multam religionem ostentet, indigna est ut pro mortua umbra vel nuda fio;ura sacratissima) Domini ccense habeatur. Christi vero institutio veram mortis Christi recordationem et memoriam reddit ac 'renovat, et ob oculos recte utentium fidelissime semper eandem proponit atque depingit. Consilium ergo et mandatum Christi in sacra ccense actione observemus, ne illius institutionis terminos et fines transgrediamur. Si autem id fecerimus, illius mandatorum prajsidio ab omni errorum periculo incolumcs servabimur, quicquid impiorum fremitus et furor contra nos Deique veritatem moliantur. Nam hoc omnibus persuasum esse cupio per Christum Jesum, postquam Veritas verbi Dei et veras Christi ecclesia3 ad modicum temporis spatium acerbissime ab hostibus evangelii necatse fuerint, e mortuis denuo resurrecturas gloriosius, et regnaturas cum Christo in perpetuum. Meminerimus quod semen Abrahae, quod Christus semel in utero beatse Mari« Virginis mystico Spiritus Sancti spiramine assumpsit, nunquam abjecit, quicquid mundus, mun- dique principes,sapientes, etprudentes erga ilium conspirassent ; CfEN^ DOMINI. 415 sed in ipsa mortis tyrannide et iraperio sibi servavlt nostram naturam, quam tertio die a crudeli mortis fuiiere vita3 restituit, et paucos post dies ccelo gloriose intulit. Sic et nos, si volumus esse pii, ejus verbi sinceritatem et sacramentorum puritatem, quam ab illo suscepimus, semper retinebimus salvam et incolu- mem, quicquid mundus, diabolus, vel infernus ipse contra nos agitaverint. Meminerimus prseterea, quod quicquid Christus in veram cor- poris et sanguinis sui substantiam semel accersivit et adjunxit, vera fuit caro vel verus illius sanguis ; et quia vera caro et verus sanguis, animje conjuncta, unam personam Dei et hominis constituebant : et hanc substantiam corporis sui vel nunquam deposuit, vel ut corporis illius organici partes et substantiam deposuit ; ut sacrum cruorem de cruce ex latere ejus perfosso et corpus exsangue a recessu animae sepulturse reliquit. Si ergo verborum sanctificationis vi ac potentia Christus panem et vinum in sacra coana corporis sui et sanguinis substantiam effecit, vel isti neoterici vi et virtute verborum sanctificationis in missa panis et vini substantiam in corporis et sanguinis Christi substantiam transubstantient aut conver- tant ; necesse est ut Christus illam substantiam ex pane et vino factam semper retineat ac nunquam deponat. Sed ita se res habet, ut panis ille quem neoterici in corporis Christi substan- tiam converti asserunt, si nimis diu a consecratione reservetur, putrescat et in vermium substantias transire videamus. Et aliquando legimus eundem panem sacrum fuisse combustum, et ex illius substantia cineres fuisse relictos ; ut Cyprianus in Cyprianus in ... .. sermone de sermone de lapsis testatur Lrgo evincitur ipsa expenentia Laps's- et sensuum judicio ex panis sacri substantia cineres gigni. Concluditur ergo illam panis substantiam nunquam realiter et substantialiter in corpus Christi fuisse conversam. Nam Christus aliquam partem corporis sui organici vel nunquam deposuit, vel in materia et forma sui organici corporis illam partem deposuit ; ut verus sanguis e latere perfosso de cruce efSuxit, et vera caro Christi in sepulchre triduo jacuit. Vera autem caro et verus sanguis Christi ex combustione panis sacrati in cineres nunquam transeunt : nisi velint neoterici contra Et alius, quia ct ipse raaculatus sacrificio a saccrdoto celebrato partem cum ceteris ausus est latenter accipere, sanctum Domini edere et contrectare non potuit : cinerem fcrro se apertis manibus inrenit. — Cyprian. De Lapsis. Serm. v. Op. Tom. i. p. 344. Antw. 1541.] 416 DE VERA DOCTRINA ET USU [psai.xvu scripturas, carnem Christi videre corruptionem. Panis est er^o ^'•'i substantia, ex qua cineres in combustione gignuntur, et non substantia corporis Christi, qure corrumpi non potest, nec panis accidens, ex quo substantia alterius rei emergere nequit. Sed neoterici cum vident se undique premi, et verbum Dei clare, imo clarissime, panem semper servari post verba sanctifi- cationis, et verum panem frangi in sacra ccenje Domini actione testari, utapud Paulum, "Panis, inquit, quem frangimus, nonne communio corporis Christi est?" et quod Christus veram vini substantiam post verba sanctificationis remanere constanter affirmet, dicens, " Non bibam posthac de hoc genlmine vitis ;" cumque vident sacramentorum appellationes et nomina a patribus indita nullam posse elementorum destructionem ad- mittere, sed per Christi institutionem, mandatum, et verbum, elementa sacramentorum tantum in excellentiorem et augustio- rem usum et finem evehi ; et prteterea, cum in illorum tran- substantiationem et elementorum destructionem vident non solum verbum Dei, sanctorum patrum testlmonia, sed etiam scholas philosophorum et dialecticorum conspirare ; in omnes sese vertunt formas, ut errorem transubstantiationis defendant. Nunc verba Christi, " Hoc est corpus meum," proferunt, quibus panis substantiam tollere conantur : sed ubi ostenditur Chris- tum non panis substantiam sustulisse, sed panem ipsum vocass© corpus suum, et quod panis substantia virtute Christi in sacra- mentum corporis sui transiit absque omni panis substantias destructlone et mutatione ; tunc ad miracula confugiunt, et miraculose panis et vini substantiam in corpus et sanguinem Christi mutatam fingunt. Sed postquam illis ostensum fuerit nullum in sacramento exstare miraculum, miraculi prsesidio destituti, ad patres et ad consensum catholicae ecclesise, tan- quam ad sacram anchoram, se conferunt. Sed hoc impudenter suo more faciunt, et sibi vindicant quod nostrum est: ut post- hac ex testimoniis sanctorum patrum omnibus piis constabit. Sed prius ad scholam dialecticorum. Confirmatio nostrce assertionis ex scholis Dialecticorum. 1. Christus in sacra ccena post verba sanctificationis fructum vitis dedit ; ergo vinum : nam fructus vitis et vinum sunt synonyma, quae uni rei tribuuntur. A definitione seu interpretatione nominis ducitur argumentum. Nam fructus CffiNiE DOMINI. 417 vitls non est (ut neoteric! fabulantur) accidens vini, sed vini substantia, qua3 est subjectum in quod accidentia vini cadunt ; nempe color vini, gustus vini, odor vini, et ejusmodi. Et cum Christus sanguinis sui effusionem in remissionem peccatorum per poculum prjBsignare voluerit, vini substantiam ori recipien- tium sacrum illud poculum admovebat : cui scilicet substantias, tanquam proprio, accidentia vini vel fructus vitis innitebantur ; qua3 si in aliquo subjecto sese non sulfulcirent, omnino per se non consisterent. 'YiToptl, Koi (Is d;? irporepa^ ovcTia's KOL Tov a-^riixaTo^ /cat tov e'l^ovs, in priore substantia, figura, et forma, et videri et tangi possunt sicut prius*." Theodoretus inquit panem et vinum in ccena Domini non ex- uere suam substantiam, sed retinere ut prius ; ita ut possint a sanctificatione et videri et tangi, quemadmodum ante consecra- tionem. Idem testatur Gelasius contra Eutychen : " Sacra- Geiasius. menta qu39 sumimus corporis et sanguinis Christi divina res est, propter quod et per eadem divince efficimur consortes naturte ; et tamen non desinit substantia panis et vini. Et certe imago et similitudo corporis et sanguinis Christi in actione mysteriorum celebrantur^." Duo affirmat Gelasius: alterum, quod substantia panis et vini in coena non desinit esse ; alterum vero, quod imago et similitudo corporis et san- guinis Christi in sacra actione mysteriorum celebrantur. Quis- nam apertiora desideraret in hac causa eucharistiae quam Gelasius profert, qui dicit panis et vini substantiam non desi- nere ? Augustinus hsec habet : " Panis ad hoc factus in accipiendo Sacramento consumitur"." Consumitur panis accipiendo sacra- mento, ait, non conficiendo : quare a consecratione panis sub- stantia remanet, quod accipiendo et comedendo consumitur. Duo neotericorum errata hie subvertuntur : primum, illorum [3 Theodoret. Dialog, i. 'H0ov\rj6Tj yap Tovs Tbiv 6etcx>v nvaTrjplojv fifTaXayxdvovTas firj Trj (pvaci tS)V (SktTTOjxivuiv npoa-()(fiv, dXXa bia Trjs twv ovofjtdTcov (vaXKayris TTKTTfveiv rfj e/c rfjs ^dpiros y(y€VT]fiepTj fxtrafioXr]. 'O yap drj to (f)va-fi crwpa aiTov (cai aprov wpoaayopeva-as, /cat av ttoKiv iavrov ap,Tr(Xov uvofidcras, ovtos to 6pdfj.eva crvpfioka rfj tov crco[xaTns kqi ainaros TTpocrrjyopiq TiTip-qKev, oil tt]V (j)vcrii' ficTalSaXaiu, aWa Ttjv X'^P'-" '''Tl Trpoa-TfddKws. — Oper. Tom. iv. p. 26. Halsc. 1772.] {} Id. Dial. 11. Ovfit yap p.€Ta tov dyiacrpov to. pvaTiKa aip-^oXa Trjs olKflas f^ia-TOTai (pvaews' fievti yap eni Trjs npoTepas oialas Kai tov (TX^P-aTos Kai TOV c'l^ovs, Kul dpuTU tcTTi Ka\ dnTa, ola Kal npoTtpov ijv. Op. Tom. IV. p. 126. liaise. 1772.] [6 Biblioth. Patr. Cont. Hscrcs. Tom. iv. col. 422. d. e. Paris. 1624.] [6 Aug. Dc Trinit. Lib. III. cap. x. Op. Tom. iii. col. 280. c] 426 DE VERA DOCTRINA ET USU transubstantiationem rem esse fictam ostendit ; dein, verum panem accipi et dentibus teri in sacramento confirmat. Nescio quid apertius dici potuerit pro panis essentia in ccena Domini post verba sanctificationis. Proferam adhuc plura testimonia ex Augustino, quae panis et vini substantiam semper manere Lib. XX. in ccena Domini confirmant. Contra Faustum Manichaeum : cap. 13. ...... " Noster autem (ait) panis et calix non quilibet, quasi propter Christum in spicis et sarmentis ligatum, sicut illi desipiunt, sed certa consecratione mysticus fit nobis, non nascitur^" Ecce, Augustinus dicit, " panis certa consecratione fit mysticus :" et non dicit, panis certa consecratione amittit suam substantiam, et fit verum et reale corpus Christi. De Baptismo contra Lib.vii. Donatistas inquit : " Nam quando Dominus corpus panem vocat de multorum granorum adunatione congestum, populum nostrum quem portat indicat adunatum ; et quando sanguinem suum [vinum] appellat de botris atque acinis multis expressum atque in unum coactum, gregem item nostrum commixtione adunatae multitudinis copulatum^." Haec verba Augustinus recitat e Cypriano : quae si diligenter perpenderentur a neotericis, cito errorem suum deponerent, et veritatem agnoscerent. Quid enim desiderant amplius ? Augustinus dicit Christum corpus suum panem vocare : quare abhorrent neoteric! ab hoc loquendi modo, et novum fingunt ; sciHcet, panis non est corpus, sed, destructa panis substantia, sub specie et forma panis corpus Christi latitat? Ha3C loquendi forma nusquam in scripturis Sanctis nec apud patres priraitivse ecclesiso invenitur ; sed tantum apud neotericos scholasticos, quorum scripta, si cum scripturis sacris et veteribus patribus conferantur, nihil sunt prseter nugas et mera somnia. Prasterea Augustinus hoc addit, quod panis multorum granorum adunatione congestus a Christo corpus suum sit vocatus. Quis diceret panem multis granis congestum esse accidens vel formam panis, et non panis Lib. iii. substantiam ? Idem dicit De Consensu Evangelistarum : " Ne ' quisquam se agnovisse Christum arbitretur, si corporis particeps non est, id est, ecclesise ; cujus unitatem in sacramento panis signiflcavit apostolus, dicens, ' Unus panis, unum corpus August. Contra Faust, Man. Lib. xx. cap. xiii. Oper. Tom. vi. col. 370. A.] [2 Id. De Baptism, contra Donat. Lib. vii. cap l. Oper. Tom. vii. col. 400. D. — where corpus suum, — quem portabat, — sang. su. vinum app. — greg. it. nos. significat, &c.] CCENiE DOMINI. 427 multi sumus^'" etc. Divus Augustinus in sacramento eucharis- tisB ilium semper retlnet panem, qui corporis Christi mystici, id est, ecclesise, reprajsentat unitatem. Ille panis est qui ex multis granis et seminibus constat ; et non qui tantum panis formam retinet, ut neoterici dicunt. Nam ut verus panis a consecratione in coena Domini ex multis constat granis ; sic vera ecclesia, quse est corpus Christi mysticum, constat ex multis membris, quje uno glutino fidei unum corpus conficiunt in vitam a^ternam ; quique panis substantiam in eucharistia tollunt, banc mysticam unitatem ecclesia) etejus conjunctionem cum Christo destruunt, et sic pra3cipuos fines sacramenti sub- vertunt. Christus enim non solum nostram redemptionem in morte sua per sacramentum docet, vcrum etiam nostram cum illo conjunctionem, ut ei semper a susceptione sacramenti ser- viamus, et omnes illius sanguine redemptos amemus, foveamus, ct diligamus ut fratres, quibuscum in Christo Jesu communica- mus. Et quemadmodum per Adam sumus omnes ex eadem massa carnis prognati ad mortem ; sic et per Christum sumus omnes ex eodem ejus Spiritu regenerati ad vitam. Quam multa etiam utilissima doctrinarum genera et summaa consolationes ex vero usu Dorainic£e cojnas piis contingant, ipsi soli sciunt, qui interne per Spiritum Dei instructi in ipso usu coense mortem Christi et sua peccata vere meditantur. Et quam horrenda doctrinarum genera et frigldas caeremonias (imo impias blasphemias) populo obtrudant qui, relicto vero Domini coense usu a Christo mandato et exhlbito, prtescribunt ecclesiai de pa- pistarum et neotericorum lacunis, omnes noverunt qui tetram et abominandam missam diabolicam cum sacra ccena Domini conferre dignantur. In sententiis Prosperi Divus Augustinus banc rem clarius adhuc ostendit. " Nam, inquit, sicut Christi De Consecra- persona constat ex Deo et homlne, ita sacramentum ex re tmctione 2. visibili et invisibili, sacramento et re sacramenti : quia, inquit, omnis res illarum rerum naturam et veritatem in se continet ex quibus conficitur\" Quid clarius desiderari potest ad pro- bandum nullum esse interitum vel mutationem panis substantijB in eucharistia? Primum dicit, quod ita se habent res in sa- cramento eucharistife ut in persona Christi. Sed Christi P Id. De Consens. Evang. Lib. m. cap. xxv. Oper. Tom. iv. col. 513. D. where si ejus corp. — comraendat Apost., &c.] Corp. Jur. Canon. Decrct. in. Pars. Do Consccr. Dist. il. cap. 48. Decretal. Gratian. coll. 2278, 2279. Venct. 1C04.] 428 DE VERA DOCTRINA ET USU persona retlnet turn Dei turn hominis veram cfc gcnuinam naturam et conditionera : ita et sacramentum Christi continet turn rei coelestis turn terrestris genuinaru naturam atque condi- tioncm. Sed per assumptionem humanitatis in Deum Christus nullius naturae substantiam destruxit aut permutavit, verum utriusque natura9 veritatem Dei et hominis servavit. Quare per institutionem Christi assumptio panis et vini in sacramen- tum sui corporis et sanguinis panis et vini substantiam non destruxit aut permutavit, sed utriusque naturae veritatem panis et vini servavit. Deinde dicit, quod " omnis res illarum rerum naturam et veritatem in se continet ex quibus conficitur." Cum ergo sacramentum conficitur ex Dei gratia et panis et vini substantia, oportet, juxta Augustini sententiam, panis et vini naturam et veritatem in se, cum sit sacramentum, retinere, et non abjicere vel mutare, ut ncoterici dicunt. Et paulo post idem dicit, " Sicut ergo coelestis panis, qui Christi caro est, suo modo vocatur corpus Christi, cum revera sit sacra- mentum corporis Christi, illius videhcet quod visibile, quod palpabile, in cruce positum est ; vocatur ipsa immolatio carnis, qu£e sacerdotis manibus fit, Christi passio, mors, crucifixio, non rei veritate, sed significante mysterio'," etc. Ecce dicit, suo modo panis vocatur corpus Christi, non quod revera sit corpus, sed sacramentum corporis ; et quod vocatur ipsa immolatio carnis quae sacerdotis manibus fit, etc. non rei veritate, sed Lib iii. significante mysterio. Et quomodo haec intelhgenda sint ' Augustinus preeclarissime docet in libro de doctrina Chris- tiana : " Ut autem literam sequi, et signa pro rebus quae his significantur accipere, servihs infirmitatis est ; ita et inutiliter signa interpretari male vagantis erroris est^." Deum obsecro in visceribus Christi, ut tandem mentes neo- tericorum aperiat ad sacra sua oracula intelhgenda. Mirum enim est tam multa de patribus jactitare, cum nihil sub sole magis illorum errorem perimat hac in causa quam sanctorum patrum testimonia. Panem in sententiis Prosper! sacramentum corporis Christi appellat Augustinus : hie autem dicit, quod sig- num pro re quae hoc significatur accipere servilis infirmitatis est. Non sunt igitur signa in locum rerum signatarum extohenda, nec inutiliter interpretanda : sed suum honorem a Christo desig- [1 Ibid. col. 2279.] [2 August. Dc Doctr. Christ. Lib. iii. cap. ix. Opcr. Tom. iii. col. 50. A. Basil. 1569.] CCESM DOMINI. 429 natum rctincant ; nos nihil vel addamiis vel auferamus : ne ultra quam tutum est progrediatur nostrum judicium ; et ubi nobis ex scripturis Sanctis constat panis et vini substantiam a consecratione in eucharistia manere, illam non destruamus, ne inutiliter analogiam et naturam sacramenti auferamus, et ex crea- turis panis et vini Deum ipsum ethominem nobis confingamus; quod citra Dei blasphemiam et periculum animse nostrse fieri non potest. Satis est, si signorum substantias semper retine- mus ; et si agnoscimus quod ex verbo et institutione Christi fiunt sacramenta corporis et sanguinis Christi ; quodque fidei et menti nostrje seipsum communicat, ut nos participes omnium bonorum suorum faciat quaj in morte sua super crucem paravit. Relinquamus etiam neotericorum fabulas de transubstantiatione panis et vini : nam nihil aiferunt praBter raendaciaetapertissimam ac detestandam idololatriam. Hoc autem docet Augustinus reli- giosissime his verbis : " Figura est ergo, pr£Ecipiens passioni ^^^f^^'Y u Domini esse communicandum^." Non dicit, sacramentum est '^^i'- ipsum corpus Christi, sed est modus et ratio, operante Spiritu Sancto, quo passioni et morti ejus communicamus hoc quo certi simus et persuasi nostra omnia peccata virtute et potentia mortis Christi nobis condonari, nosque in favorem Dei et gratiam recipi. Unum adhuc caput pulcherrimum contra neotericorum sententiam (qui elementorum, hoc est, panis et vini, substantiam toUi asserunt) annotabo, ex libro de fide ad Petrum Diaconum : "Firmissime tene et nullatenus dubites, ipsum unigenitum cap lo. Deum, Verbum carnem factum, se pro nobis obtulisse sacri- ficium et hostiam Deo in odorem suavitatis : cui cum Patre et Spiritu Sancto a patriarchis, prophetis, et sacerdotibus tempore veteris testamenti animalia sacrificabantur ; et cui nunc, tempore novi testamenti, cum Patre et Spiritu Sancto, cum quibus ille una est divinitas, sacrificium panis et vini in fide et carltate sancta ecclesia catholica per universum orbem terra) ofi"erre non cessat. In illis enim carnalibus victimis figuratio fuit carnis Christi, quam pro peccatis nostris ipse sine peccato fuerat oblaturus, et sanguinis, quern erat effusurus in remissionem peccatorum nostrorum. In isto autem sacrificio gratiarum actio, atque commemoratio est carnis Christi, quam pro nobis obtulit, et sanguinis, quem [3 Id. ibid. Lib. iii. cap. xvi. Oper. Tom. iii. col. 53. b.] 430 DE VERA DOCTRINA ET USU pro nobis idem Deus effudit," etc' Et statim post pauca hsec sequuntur ; " In illis ergo sacrificiis quid esset donandum figurate significabatur : in hoc autem sacrificio quid nobis jam donatum sit evidenter ostenditur. In [illis] sacrificiis prrenun- ciabatur Filius Dei pro impiis occidendus : in hoc autem pro impiis annunciatur occisus," etc. Augustinus dicit, " offerimus sacrificium panis et vini :" non dicit, per verba sanctificationis toUimus panem et vinum, ut neoterici dicunt. Religiosius ergo nobis erit, cum scriptura sacra et cum Sanctis patribus, panis et vini substantiam retinere et offerre Deo nostro, ut ait Augustinus, quam cum neotericis novam mutationem et destructionem panis et vini in sacra coena Domini inducere, et creaturam panis et vini pro Deo ipso colore ac venerari, cum nulla creatura sit vel possit esse eadem cum Deo ; ut idem Augustinus eodem libro testatur cap. 22.^* Eusebius Hanc panis et vini substantife destructionem vel in corpus Deconsecra- Christi mutationem Eusebius Emissenus etiam doctissime sub- distinct. 2. yortit. " Quomodo, inquit, tibi novum et impossibile esse non debeat, quod in Christi substantiam terrena et mortalia con- vertuntur, teipsum qui in Christo es regeneratus interroga. Dudum alienus a vita, peregrinus a misericordia et a salutis via, intrinsecus mortuus exulabas. Subito initiatus Christi legibus, et salutaribus mysteriis innovatus, in corpus ecclesise, non videndo, sed credendo, transiluisti ; et de filio perditionis adoptivus Dei filius fieri occultata puritate meruisti : in men- sura visibili permanens, major factus es teipso invisibiliter, sine quantitatis augmento," etc.^ Emissenus talem ponit mu- tationem panis et vini in sacra coena Domini qualis nostri sit in baptismo. Sed, ut idem dicit, nostra mutatio in bap- tismo nihil ad destructionem vel substantialem corporis nostri mutationem pertinet ; sed per Spiritum Sanctum peccata nostra delentur, novo Spiritus afilatu regeneramur, et inferne* omnino mutati sumus. Talis est creaturarum panis et vini mutatio in corpus et sanguinem Christi, inquit Emissenus. Et ut hoc [1 August. De Fide, ad Petr. Diac. cap. xix. ibid. col. 230. c. D.] [2 Neque angelos neque aliam quamlibet creaturam ejusdem natura esse, cujus est secundum naturalem divinitatem summa Trinitas. — Ibid. col. 231. c] [3 Corp. Jur. Canon. Decret. iii. Pars. De Consec. Dist. ii. cap. 35. Decretal. Gratian. col. 2268. Venet. 1604.] [■* Qu. interne ?] CCENiE DOMINI. 431 apertius indicet, statlm subjunxit, " Et cum reverendum altare cibis spiritualiter satiandus ascendis, sacrum Dei tui corpus et sanguinem fide respice, honora, mirare, mente continge, cordis manu suscipe, et maxime totum haustum* interioris ho- minis assume." Corpus Christi, inquit, in altari fide respi- ciendum est, fide honorandum, mente contingendum, manu cordis suscipiendum, et haustu interioris hominis assumendum. Ne verbum quidem habet de panis et vini substantias muta- tione in corpus et sanguinem Christi, vel de corporali Christi prsesentia in ccena Domini : sed mutationem sacramentalem ponit, quemadmodum in baptismo est ; et tantum sacramen- talem praBsentiam corporis et sanguinis Christi, quam fidei et menti praasentem facit, et non corporalem externo homini exhibendam. Retinet enim hie Emissenus Yeram panis et vini substantiam in ccena ; sicut in baptismo nostra vere reti- netur substantia. Panis tamen et vinum per Spiritum Sanctum et Christi institutionem sacramenta fiunt corporis et sanguinis Christi ; ut nos in baptismo facti sumus ex fihis irge fihi Dei, non substantialiter mutati, sed Spiritu Christi regenerati. Idem asserit D. Hieronymus : " Hoc autem triticum (in- Hieronymus, quit) et hoc vinum, quod non comedunt nisi laudantes Do- Esaiam. . , . ' ^ . . . .. . . , cap. 62. mmum, et non bibunt nisi in atrus Sanctis ejus, de quo Do- minus in passione dicebat, ' Non bibam de hoc genimine vitis hujus, donee illud bibam novum in regno Patris mei^.'" Ecce, quod comedunt fideles in atriis Domini triticum appellat D. Hieronymus ; uti et Paulus panem : quod etiam in atriis Domini bibunt vinum vocat; ut Salvator noster fructum vitis nominavit. Mirum enim est quod neoterici, qui quotidie veterum scripta et testimonia revolvunt ac perlustrant, non animadvertunt. Sed inde est, quod priusquam sacras literas vel veterum patrum libros discunt, superstitione et errore papismi librorumque eorum csecitate et spurcitia seducti et coinquinati, quicquid in sacris Uteris vel sanctorum scriptis invenerint contaminant, et Harpyiarum more contactu im- mundo omnia foedant; quodque in sacris Uteris et veterum patrum scriptis sanctum atque purum fluit, ipsi prius poUuti omnia immundo poUuunt animo. Hieronymus etiam ait, Libro7in quod " comedentes et bibentes corpus et sanguinem Domini fapI'zT. [5 toto haustu.] [6 Hieron. in Esai. Ixii. Lib. xvii. Oper. Tom. v. fol. 104. e. f. Paris. 1534.] 432 DE VERA DOCTRIXA ET USU vertuntur in principes ecclesire'." Sed hrec conversio ad ani- mum pertinet, et non ad corporis et sanguinis substantiam : nam quantum ad corpus attinet, rnanent pii a susceptione eucharistifB jeque miseri atque antea ; sed quoad animum et fidem, fortiores fiunt et potentiores quam ut vel a mundo vel ab inferno Tincantur. Eusebius conversionem panis et vini in sacra Domini coena nostrre conversioni ad obsequium Dei in baptismo comparavit : Hieronymus vero videtur panis et vini substantiam in corpus et sanguinem Christi per verba sanctificationis extollere ; sed eo modo quo rite utentes Sacra- mento eucharistiae ad regiam perferantur dignitatem. Jam fideles et recte utentes eucharistia reges facti sunt, non quod ad substantiam attinet, sed quia fide nacti sunt a Christo po- testatem, dominationem, et imperium super peccatum, carnem, mundum, infernum, mortem, atque diabolum ; et non quod utentes eucharistia substantialiter transeunt vel migrant in reges. Et panis igitur et vinum nacta sunt ex Christo et ejus institutione nomina corporis et sanguinis sui (ita ut quis- quis illis abuteretur indigne, vel pro communi pane et vino haberet, reus esset corporis et sanguinis Christi), non quod sub- stantialiter panis et vinum transeant vel migrent in substan- tiam corporis et sanguinis Domini, sed quod ea repraesentent. Facessant ergo et procul fiant a cogitationibus et fide om- nium piorum hsec vana, falsa, puerilia, et neoterica de tran- substantiatione elementorum panis et vini in ipsam corporis et sanguinis Christi substantiam. Christianorum enim est agnoscere, gratias quoque agere Deo Patri nostro coelesti, quod per Christum Jesum Filium ejus facti sunt reges, quibus datur potestas conculcandi et premendi peccatum, diabolum, mortem, et infernum ; et quod panis et vini substantiam in eucharistia Christi institutio in sacramentum corporis et san- guinis sui evexit : in cujus sacramenti vero usu a Christo ecclesiae suss tradito fides recte utentium sacramento utentium animos et mentes ad fethera trahit ; ubi corpore et sanguine Christi pascuntur atque aluntur efficaciter : hoc est, qui rite et rehgiose sacramento corporis et sanguinis Christi communicat Esse in Bst vcre in Christo, et Christus vere in illo. Esse autem in quid siL Christo, est omnium meritorum ejus esse participem : Christum- que in nobis esse est virtute Spiritus sui se nobis ostendere esse vita3 auctorem, causamque ejusdem, atque nostro spiritui [1 Hieron. in Esai. xsi. Lib. vn. Ibid. fol. 42. d.] CCEN^E DOMINI. 433 testificari, quod sumus filii Dei. Fides cnitn Christiana contem- platur mortem Christi amarissimamquc illius passioncm, quam pro expiatione nostrorum peccatorum in cruce sustinuit. Et hinc Dei Patris erga nos inefFabilem dilectionem discimus, qui unico suo Filio non pepercit, sed pro nobis omnibus ilium tra- didit. Hac etiam Dei immensaj clementiae et bonitatis contem- platione nos in amorem ejus qui vitam nobis restituit, et odium nostrorum peccatorum, quae Christum ab omni peccato immu- nem cruci et crudelissimo mortis generi affixerunt, inflammamur. Hinc praeterea discimus peccatorum atrocitatem, horrorem, et magnitudinem nullis aliis rationibus, viis, et mediis expiari potu- isse quam unica morte Filii Dei. Hfec et mille alia utilissima ex vero usu Domini ccense discuntur, ubi vera doctrina de utra- que parte sacramenti (scihcet, terrena et coelesti) retinetur. Sed ad alia testimonia sanctorum patrum, quas panis et vini substan- tiam retinent a verbis sanctificationis in cucharistia, redeo. Basilius Magnus de institutione Monachalis regulae, cap. Basuius. 70, docet, quod sumptio eucharistite fieri debeat cum timore et fide. " Timorem (inquit) apostolus docet, dicens, ' Qui man- ducat et bibit indigne judicium sibi manducat et bibit,' etc. Fidem yero nos edocet sermo Domini dicentis, * Hoc est cor- pus meum, quod pro vobis datur : hoc facite in meam com- memorationem.'" Concludit orationem suam Basilius et caput in hunc modum : " Talem ergo afi^ectum et fidem pr^eparare debet in animo suo, qui de pane et de calice participate." Etsi Basilius plus aequo monachalem vitam extulit, et multas occa- siones ut idem alii facerent prsebuit ; ad banc tamen impietatem non pervenit, ut panis et vini substantiam in eucharistia tol- leret, et panem et vinum adorandum in missa populo exhi- bendum doceret : sed a verborum sanctificatione in ipsa crense actione panis et vini substantiam retinuit, ut ex responsione sua ad monachum constat, qui quali timore, fide, vel afi'ectu percipere debeamus corporis et sanguinis Christi gratiam in- terrogavit. " Talem ergo (respondit Basilius) affectum et fidem praeparare debet in animo suo, qui de pane et calice parti- [2 noraTTcij (f)6^co rj irola KXr]po(f)opla rj nolo. diaOeaei ^fraXa/Saj^ff roC a-wfiaTos Koi tov aifjiaTos tov Xpiarov ; Tov fiev (jio^ov fitSatr/cet jjnas 6 aTTOCTToXoi Xeya>v, k.t.X. Tfju Se nXrjpocfyoplav efXTTOiu rj TTiaTis Toiv pijfid- Ta>u TOV Kvplov cIttovtos, k.t.X. Toiuvttjv 8ia6ecnv Koi iTotfiaalav 6(f)eCKtl e^eti* 6 fxeTakafx^avaiv tov lipTOV Ka\ tov nOTrjpiov. Regul. Brev. Intcrr. 172. Oper. Tom. ii. pp. 682. b. 683. a. Paris. 1638.] [hooper, II.] 28 434 DE VERA DOCTRINA ET USU cipat." Verba etiam monachi ad Basilium sunt animadver- tenda. " Quo affectu (inquit) percipere debemus corporis et sanguinis Christi gratiam ?" Non quaerit quomodo sint ele- menta panis et vini formanda in ipsam corporis et sanguinis Christi substantiam : nec quserit quo affectu percipere debe- amus corporis et sanguinis Christi substantiam, sed corporis et sanguinis Christi gratiam. Unde omnibus constat, quod tempore BasUii Magni istud figmentum et somnium de tran- substantiatione panis et vini in ipsam naturam et substantiam corporis et sanguinis Christi, atque commentum hoc Romanum de corporal! corporis et sanguinis Christi prsesentia, non fue- runt cognita nec audita ecclesise Christi; sed panis et vini sacramentalem et spiritualem mutationem in eucharistia agnos- cebant, quam nos etiam omni religione, reverentia, et honore profitemur. Pr£Bterea spiritualem corporis et sanguinis Christi praesentiam in eucharistia agnoscebant. Nam Christus a suis sacramentis nunquam abest : ideo timore et fide muniendi sunt qui sacramentis Christi communicant. Sed corporalem sui praesentiam non agnoscebant : nam monachus sciscitatur a Basilio prseceptore suo quo affectu percipere deberet cor- poris et sanguinis Christi gratiam. Satis absque dubio manducat et blbit in eucharistia qui corporis et sanguinis Christi gratiam eiScaciter manducat et bibit, licet corporis substantiam non apprehenderit ore et ven- tre ; sed satis est, quod fides Christo vescitur sedente superne ad dextram Dei Patris. Isos vero utrumque confitemur, et Christi praesentiam et ejus absentiam in ccena Domini. Praesens quidem est spiritualiter et sacramentaliter contemplationi nostras fidei, dum sacramentis utimur : absens vero est corporaliter in suo corpore contemplationi externi visus, ita ut in nostrum corpus, dum sacramentis communicamus, corporaliter nonintret. Fides nostra, dum sacra peragimus, Christo toto et Deo et homine, corpore et anima fruitur, ita ut corpus et anima rite utentium participent toto Christo Deo et homine per internam operationem Spiritus Sancti ; qui semper (ut dixi) et adest et praeest sacramentis Dei, atque corda illorum recte utentium Christo conjungit et adglutinat; in quibus Spiritus Sanctus habitat, damans et vociferans, " Abba, Pater," ac testificans spiritibus sacramentis rite utentium, quod sunt filii Dei, per gratiam corporis et sanguinis Christi pro nobis super crucem partam : ut Basilius docet, nec realem corporis illius percep- C(EN^ DOMINI. 435 tionem in coena Domini somniat. Eogo igltur pium lectorem, ut diligenter perpendat verba et sententias hujus venerandi patris Magni Basilii in causa eucharistise. Primum, quod dicit nos gratiam corporis et sanguinis Christi sumere in ccena Domini ; et non dicit, corpus ipsum in quo meruit nobis banc gratiam praesens sisti. Deinde substantias sacramenti eucha- ristise (quod ad res terrenas spectat) servat, panemque et vinum vocat, ut sacrse scripturae nominant et testantur. Jam quia sacrse scripturae elementa panis et vini in sacra coena ag- noscunt ; hoc est, panis substantiam in ccena frangi, distribui, et manducari ; ut Paulus inquit, " Panis quern frangimus, nonne i cor. x. communicatio corporis Christi est ?" et vini substantiam dis- cipuhs in ultima ccena exhiberi, distribui, et participari ; ut Christus inquit, " Non bibam ex hoc fructu vitis, donee illud bibam novum vobiscum in regno Patris mei ;" videamus an liceat Christianis ab hac doctrina Christi, quae panis et vini substantiam in coena asserit, ob quamcunque causam deflectere. BasiUus in Hbro prius citato haec habet verba : " Quis cap. 13. potest in tantum temeritatis progredi, ut audeat a se quicquam loqui vel cogitare*?" Basilius vocat temeritatem ahquid loqui vel excogitare a seipso citra sacrarum scripturarum testimonia. Temeritas ergo est, et non sacrosancta rehgio, base panis et vini mutatio in corpus et sanguinem Christi, quam neoterici in ccena constituunt. Proferant vel ostendant ex sacris Uteris transubstantiationis nomen et doctrinam ; quod si fecerint, illorum sententiis subscribemus : si non possint, ut revera est impossibile, meminerint verborum patris Magni Basilii, non licere cuiquam ex proprio dicere quod sibi videtur bonum, absque testimoniis divinarum scripturarum. Nam Spiritus Sanctus (ut inquit Christus), cum venerit, non loquetur a seipso ; sed qusecunque audierit, hsec loquetur. Et Christus de seipso dicit, "Ego a me ipso non sum loquutus; sed qui misit me Pater, ipse dedit mandatum quid dicam et quid loquar," etc. Quum ergo Christus, ipsa Veritas, nihil loquutus sit nisi quae a Patre audivit, absque dubio ecclesia, quae est vera Christi sponsa, dicit et loquitur tantum quae didicit a Christo marito. Si autem Romana ecclesia, Christi hostis infensissima, a Christo didicit panis et vini interitum, vel [} Ti'y hv els roaavrr^v e^eXdrj (xavlav, wore a<^ iavTov ToKfirjaai ri (cat fj-expis evvolas Xa^dv ; — Rcgul. Brevior. Intcrr. i. Oper. Tom. n. p. 624. A. Paris. 1638.] 28—2 436 DE VERA DOCTIUNA ET USU illorum mutationem substantialem in substantiam corporis et sanguinis sui, proferant e sacris Uteris testimonia, et herbam illis porrigemus. Sed nos scimus, et ipsi quidem sacrifici non sunt nescii, quod sacrte litera) ne gry quidem de transub- stantiatione elementorum in coena Domini meminerint : sed elementorum turn nomina (ut dixi) turn substantias semper retinent post verba sanctificatlonis seque ut antea. " Quare (ut inquit Basilius) de his quse scripta sunt in divinis scripturis nulla prorsus licentia permittitur cuiquam vel admittere quod prohibitum est, vel omittere quod pr£Bceptum est ; quum ipse Dominus ita praeceperit, dicens, ' Et custodi verbum hoc quod ego mando tibi hodie : non adjicies ad illud, nec auferas ab eo.' Sed et terribilis quasdam expectatio est judicii et ignis zeli, qui consumpturus est adversarios, et eos qui ausi sunt tale aliquid operari'." Hsec Basilius. Quam horrendaest igitur papistarum impudentia, quipanis et vini nomina et substantias abhorrent ac destruunt in sacra coena Domini, cum scripturjB sanctse utrumque clarissime testentur, ut supra demonstravimus ! Sed frontem illam mere- tricis induerunt impii illi neoteric!, quas erubescere nescit, ut tandem commeritas pcenas ipsorum impudentiag et impietatis luant. Legatur 14 caput Basilii Magni ejusdem libri, et con- stabit hujusmodi impostoribus non esse obtemperandum in iis qu£e contra mandatum Dei prsecipiunt. Nam illic haec haben- tur verba : " Commonitionum sane non parva est diversitas. Alias namque contrarise videntur esse mandatis Dei : alise autem interrumpere mandatum, vel contaminare videntur : alite vero ad explendum id atque fedificandum veniunt, etc"," Et paulo post : " Si autem contrarium aliquid mandatis Christi, vel quod ilia corrumpere videatur aut contaminare, jubemur ab aliquo facere, tempus est nobis dicere, ' Obtemperare [} Ibid. 'ETTfi Se Tav iv rj^'iv (TTpsCpOfievcoi' Trpayfj-arcov ra fiev icTTiv Lnb T^y fVTokrji tov GeoC iv ttj ayia ypa(prj 8i(crTaKp€va, ra 8e ny]fieva, TTepl jxtv TU)V yeypapfjLevv KeKaXvpLevcuv, ovT€ 7repiakfi\l/-at Ti raJc npocTTeTaynevoov, tov Kvplov arra^ TrapayyeiKavTos kol (Ittovtos, k.t.X. — p. 624. B. C, See also Interr. 303, p. 736. J [2 Tc3j/ Se iTTiraypaTuiv Biacj)opas ov< oXlyrjs ovarjs' ra [j.ev yap ivavTicos npos Tqv ivTo\r)v tov Kvplov, rj ti 7rapas impi^la tov KeKoiXvpevov' ra 5c (TvvepnLnTeL t^ (VToXfj- ra Se Kav prj (Tw^pniiTTei. Kara to npocpavis, dWa cru/x/SaXXerat, k. r. X. — Ibid. IntciT. 114, pp. 663. E. 664. .\. &c.] CCENiE DOMINI. 437 oportet Deo magis quam hominibus f et rursus meminisse Domini dicenlis, ' Alieni autem vocem non sequuntur, sed fugiunt ab eo, quia nesciunt vocera alienorum.' Sed et sancti apostoli meminisse debemus, qui ad cautelam nostram ausus est ne angelis quidem parcere, dicens, ' Etiamsi aut angelus de coelo evangclizaverit prseterquam quod evangelizavimus vobis, anathema sit.' Ex quo docemur, etiamsi valde nobis earns sit aliquis, si magnificus habeatur, et in admiratione sit positus, qui prohibet nos facere quod a Domino pr£Eceptum est, vel rursus imperat quod Dominus fieri prohibuit, execrabilis debet esse ejusmodi omnibus qui diligunt Deura^." Unde discimus, qu£B sunt contra mandata Dei, vel corrumpunt aut contaminant prsecepta divina, non esse facienda. Vide igitur, scriptura sacra panis et vini substantiam aperte, imo apertissime, in coena Domini semper retinet : isti tamen neoterici contra scripturam sanctam panis et vini substantiam destruunt. Scriptura autem sancta non solum utriusque elementi (panis scilicet et vini) conservat substantiam ; varum etiam prsecipit ac mandat, ut utriusque elementi panis et vini substantia in cosna Domini per ministrum distribuatur, atque etiam a populo suscipiatur : neoterici vero satis esse dicunt unius elementi substantiam (id est, panis) distribui ; et sic institutionem Christi, qui utramque speciem panis et vini distribuit et distribui jussit, mutilant ac truncant. Sed quid ait Basilius ? Execrabilis debet esse ejusmodi, quamvis carus sit (ut parens), qui hoc docet et mandat : quamvis magnificus (ut princeps vel magis- tratus), quamvis in admiratione positus (ut qui in ecclesia sanctitate et pietate pollcre videatur), qui prohibent nos facere quod a Domino przeceptum est, vel rursus imperant quod Dominus prohibuit. Et hoc, inquit, facere debent omnes qui diligunt Christum. Optarera igitur hsec duo capita, 13, 14, Magni Basihi a magistratu et a populo melius intelligi, ut hie nihil contra mandatum Dei populo mandct, et populus, si impe- retur, non obtemperet. Satis est ut Caesar ea mandet et pr£Escribat suo populo qnse sunt Csssaris ; Deo autem relinquat et verbo ilhus quae sunt Dei : et si qua? Dei sunt CaDsar a suis exigat, meminerint oportet, obediendum esse Deo magis quam hominibus. Deus quidem in verbo suo panis et vini substantiam et nomine et re in sacra coena retinet : non est igitur illis credendura, obediendum, vel obtemperandum, qui [3 Ibid. B. c] 438 DE VERA DOCTRINA ET USU illorum substantiam toUunt et destruunt. Nam verbi Del sanctitas et auctoritas pr^eferenda est omnibus, etiam ipsis coelestibus splritibus, ut Paulus docet. Basilius etiam Magnus ad Chilonem discipulum de vita solitaria idem dicit : " Omnis scriptura divina ex Deo est, ac admodum fructuosa, nihilque per se iramundum atque impurum retinet aut prgebet, nisi ei qui illud esse putaverit impurum," etc' Sive ergo parens, sive princeps, sive pastor, sive angelus de coelo fuerit, qui aliud evangelizaverit quam verbi Dei sanctitas et puritas evangelizavit, anathema sit. Audiatur jam Joannes Chrysos- tomus, quid contra istos neotericos dicat. Homii. Joannes Chrysostomus : "Sed cuius rei gratia non aquam Ixxxiii. in . " . . . P . Mat. cap. 26. ged vinum post resurrectionem bibit ? Perniciosam quandam hseresim radicitus evellere voluit, eorum qui aqua in mysteriis utuntur : ita ut ostenderet quia et quando hoc mysterium tradidit vinum tradidit ; etiam post resurrectionem in nuda mysterii mensa vino usus est^" Quid apertius desiderent neoterici contra vini transubstantiationem ? Quando (inquit Chrysostomus) Christus hoc mysterium tradidit, vinum tradidit, quod etiam post resurrectionem in nuda mysterii mensa bibit. Quod post consecrationem tradidit vinum fuisse affirmat ; ut id quod post resurrectionem in nuda mensa bibebat. Miror igitur neotericos non erubescere, ac vereri tarn clara et per- spicua verba et testimonia divinarum Hterarum ac sanctorum patrum illudere. Si hoc enim non sit illudere divina et humana testimonia, nescio quid sit illudere. Christus vero, apostolica ecclesia, et sancti patres in coena Domini elementis et signis sacramenti nomina et substantias panis et vini tri- buunt : isti autem illusores et impostores neoterici, jurati in Romanum antichristum, elementis et signis sacrae coenae Do- mini et nomina et substantias signorum tollunt et destruunt, tantumque signorum adjacentia et formas panis et vini conser- vant et retinent. Quod autem Christus retinet et sancti \y Hacra ypa(f>^ deoTrvevaros Koi dcpeXifXOS, Koi ovSev kolvov Si' avrris, fl firj Koi TO) Xoyi^ofievco KOivov eivai (Kflva koivov. — Basil. Ad. Chilon. Disc. Op. Tom. ni. p. 4. e. Paris. 1638.] P Kat tIvos evcKev oiip^ vSup (ttuv avacrras, dW olvov ; oKKrjv aipecriv irovr)pav Trpoppi^ov avacrTrav. 'Eirfi yap ilal rives iv rois pvcrTqplois vbari K€^prjpivoL} bfiKVvs OTi Koi rjVLKa ra pv(TTi^pia Trapedconev oivov irapibaiKev, KoX "qvLKa avacrras X^P^^ p.V(TTr]pio>p yj^iX^v Tpajre^au TrapeTidero oivo) eKf)(pr]TO. — Chrysost. Horn. Lxxxiii. in Matth. xxvi. Op. Tom. ii. p. 511. 1. 12. Eton. 1613.] CCEN^ DOMINI. 439 patres, neoterici non retinent; quodque Christus et sancti patres affirmant, isti negant : appello Christi et sanctorum patrum libros. Isti tamen neoterici clamant ad ravim usque, quod catholica Christi ecclesia hoc docet, hoc mandat, hoc etiam per mille quingentos annos servavit, retinuit, et servari ac retineri jussit. 0 miram et detestandam ecclesiam ! quae nec Christum pro capite, nec evangelistas, apostolos, aut sanctos patres pro membris habeat, sed ex diametro pugnet et bellum moveat, ut Christum et eos qui sunt Christi penitus trucident ac perdant ! Consuhte TertuUianum adversus Marcionem, xertuii. Libi'o I. " Per panem (ait) repra-sentavit Christus corpus suum^" Non dixit, panis substantiam fecit corpus suum, neque quod panis substantiam abstulit per verba sanctificationis, et corpus suum pro ea substituit. Idem dicit adversus Judasos : " Sic enim Christus revelavit, panem corpus suum appellans*." Idem quoque habet TertuUianus, Lib. iv. adversus Marcionem. Hieronymus haec habet : " Nos audiamus, panem quem Hieron. fregit Dominus deditque discipuUs suis esse corpus Domini qu^st. 2. Salvatoris, ipso dicente ad eos, ' Accipite et comedite ; hoc est corpus meum^.'" Hieronymus hie plane testatur Christum panem fregisse ac dedisse discipuhs suis in ultima ccena, quem corpus suum nominabat. Hoc pulcherrime etiam affirmat Augustinus de Trinitate Dei Lib. iii. cap. 4. " Potuit (scilicet Paulus) tamen significando prsedicare Dominum Jesum Chris- tum aliter per linguam suam, aliter per epistolam, aliter per sacramentum corporis et sanguinis ejus. Nec linguam quippe ejus, nec membranas, nec atramentum, nec signiScantes sonos lingua editos, nec signa literarum conscripta pelliculis, corpus Christi et sanguinem dicimus ; sed illud tantum quod ex fructi- bus terrje acceptum et prece mystica consecratum rite sumimus ad salutem spiritualem in memoriam pro nobis Dominic£e passi- onis^" Augustinus dicit, id quod est ex fructibus terrae prece mystica consecratum dicimus esse corpus et sanguinem Domini, quse sumimus ad salutem spiritualem in memoriam pro nobis dominicse passionis. Non dixit, ut neoterici decent, fructus terrjB substantiam converti in corpus et sanguinem Domini [3 Nec panem, quo ipsum corpus suum reprsesentat. — Oper. p. 440. A. Lutet. 1641.] [* Ibid. p. 222. A. See also p. 493. D.] [5 Hieron. Hedib. Qucest. 2. Oper. Tom. nr. fol. 49. Paris. 1634.] [6 August. De Trinit. Lib. iii. cap. 4. Oper. Tom. iii. col. 284. A. b. Basil. 1569.] 440 DE VERA DOCTRINA ET USU prece mystica, sed quod mystica prece fructus terrse induit nomen corporis Christi, quem in memoriam DominicEe passionis in ccBna mystica sumimus. Subscriberem verba Epiphanii quae habentur Lib. in. contra hjereses, Tom. ii, et in Anchorato : prseterea Joannis Chrysostomi ad Caesarium monachum : et verba Ambrosii de iis qui mysteriis initiantur capita ultimo, et de sacramentis Libro IV. cap. 4 : item Cyrilli verba in Joan. cap. 6 : Ori- genis Homil. 7, in Levit. Homil. 16. in Numer. in Matth. cap. 26 : contra Celsum Lib. viii : Hesychii Lib. xx. super Levit. cap. 18 : nam apud istos multa sunt prseclarissima ac sanctissima, quae panis et vini substantiam in eucharistia re- Hoperus tiucnt ct asscverant. Sed talis est mea sors, et huiusmodi librorum , . , . i-i destuutus ™® detmet locus, ut istorum sanctorum patrum librorum copia mihi fieri non possit : nec ego, pro honore ac reverentia quibus sanctos patres prosequor, et candore quo erga fratres meos afficior, ausus sum mutilata, manca, aut mutata illorum verba et sententias citare ; quod fortassis facerem, si illorum sententias meis verbis exponerem. Ideo mihi satis esse puto in hac librorum penuria loca patrum demonstrare, et pios ac studiosos lectores ad ea exploranda et perpendenda relegare ; certa ac bona fide pollicens piis lectoribus istos patres a parte Patres fere nostra omnlno stare contra neotericos, qui transubstantiationis omnes contra , ^- , .,. transubstan- panis ct vmi errorcm dolo malo et tyrannide in ecclesiam tiationem. . , .. „ prirao induxerunt, et introductum mendacus, ferro, et igne in ecclesia retinent. Sed hoc unum, priusquam absolvero tractatum hunc, pro panis et vini substantias existentia in ccena Domini a christiano lectore postulo, ut nos et banc causam quam in nos defendendam suscepimus ad amussim et regulam sacrorum librorum et veterum patrum scripta exa- minet, probet, et judicet ; et si in hac causa non aliter lo- quimur quam sacrse scriptura3 et sancti patres loquuntur, non pro hsereticis, sed pro iis qui non aliter loquuntur quam Spiritus Sanctus suggerit, impellit, et docet nos loqui, habe- amur. Jesus Christus enim, Filius Dei vivi, panem quem tenebat sacris manibus corpus suum appellavit ; vinum quod discipulis in coena impertivit sanguinem suum vocavit. Spi- ritus Sanctus in dlvo Paulo corpus Christi panem, et panem corpus Christi, quinquies nominavit. Patres vero sub initium ecclesise panem et vinum in coena Domini corporis et san- guinis Christi nomine honorabant, quemadmodum audistis. CCENiE DOMINI. 441 Idem et nos facimus : utrumque nomen panis et corporis, vini et sanguinis, retinemus in sacratissima Domini ccena ; illorum substantiam in Christum Deum et hominem non ex- tollentes, nec illorum usum ut sacramenta et mysteria cor- sacramenta • • /-II • • 1 • • L 1 necextol- poris et sanffumis Uhristi deprimentes : qua in parte, quoad lenda ^ o ^ ... nimium, nec nomina signorum et signatorum, nihil a Spiritu Sancto et deprimenda. usitato modo loquendi in scripturis Sanctis dissentimus. Sumus igitur, judice Spiritu Sancto in sacris Uteris nobiscum pro- nunciante, absolvendi ab omni schismatis et erroris suspicione et culpa. Deinde, quod panis et vini substantiam in ccena Domini una cum illorum nominibus semper retinemus, id etiam cum Spiritu Sancto in sacris Uteris et scriptis patrum facimus : Christus enim et nomen et substantiam panis in ccena retinet, dicendo, " Hoc est corpus meum." Quantum sacramen- ^ ^ ^ turn quatenus ergo ad substantiam elementi, panis erat : quantum ad me- ^uaJenus morisB et sacramenti mortis Christi mysterium, corpus Christi ™n'"schristi erat. In substantia vero panis erat : in memoria et mysterio autem corpus Christi erat. Idem Christus pronunciat de calice, dicendo, " Non bibam posthac ex hoc fructu vitis, donee bibam illud novum in regno Patris mei." Quoad sub- stantiam, vinum et fructus vini erat in mystico calice : quoad mysteria et sacramentum mortis Christi, sanguis erat Christi. Sic etiam Paulus, quoad substantiam, panem frangebat in coena sacra : quoad sacramentum et mysteria, panis commu- nio erat corporis Christi. Patres idem testantur : quoad substantiam, panis creatura est secundum nos, ut inquit Ire- naeus ; quoad mysteria et sacramentum, corpus Christi est. Quoad substantiam, panis et vinum sunt ; sed quoad usum, mysterium, et sacramentum, figura) sunt, symbola, obsignacula, et avTiTvira veri corporis et sanguinis Christi, ut omnes ve- teres testantur. Quoad substantiam, panis et vinum sunt ; sed quoad mysteria et res significatas, sunt gratia corporis et sanguinis Christi, ut Basilius Magnus dicit. Quid ergo peccavimus, quid commeruimus, nomina et rem ipsam panis et vini retinendo in sacra Domini coena ? Nonne Christus, Paulus, et omnes veteres idem faciunt ? Si illi ergo veritatem Dei et naturam sacramentorum agnoscebant, et nos agnoscimus. Nam quod dicimus et credimus ipsi prius ante nos dixerunt et crcdiderunt : sint illorum llbri judices inter nos et neotericos, Christi ac nostri implacabiles hostes. Judicet jam sequus lector an liceat Christiano, relictis Christo, apos- 442 DE VERA DOCTRINA ET USU tolis, evangelistis, et Sanctis patribus, neotericls istis conscntire et subscribere, qui et nomina et substantias panis et vini in eucharistia abhorrent et perimunt. Nam quod Christus, evan- gelistte, apostoli, et sancti patres panem et vinum vocant, ipsi nova, ficta, et ementita voce transubstantiationis elementorum inducta (Christo, apostolis, evangelistis, et Sanctis patribus nunquam audita), panis et vini accidentia vocant. Hoc autem illis poUiceor, quod si ostenderint ex sacris Uteris vel scriptis priscorum patrum intra 600 anuos post Christi assumptionem in coelos, vel nomina tantum transubstantiationis elementorum panis et vini in substantiam corporis et sanguinis Christi in ccena Domini ; vel quod sub involucris et accidentibus panis et vini lateant corpus et sanguis Christi, quemadmodum antea dixi nunc dico, illorum subscribam judicio et sententia3. Sed nos scimus, et ipsi non sunt inscii, quod hsec puerilia, papis- tica, et ementita nuper sunt introducta in ecclesiam per Ro- manos pontifices, qui non solum Christi instituta in ecclesia permutarunt, verum etiam totius Romani imperii et status christianorum principum legesque omnes violaverunt et con- tempserunt ; et seipsos non solum hominum, verum etiam Dei ac illius verbi, judices fecerunt : ut illorum lex testatur, quse incipit, " Si Papa." Meminerimus ergo ea observare quJB a Christo nobis pras- scribuntur, et eo modo quo nobis ab eo sunt tradita ; nee nova ex nostro pectore cudamus, nec ab aliis excusa curemus. Deus enim Saddai^ ipse est Deus noster : sequemur ergo ilium, et felices perpetuo (quamvis ad tempus afflicti) erimus. Judicent Neoterico- itaquc pii an sequum sit, ut neoterici, qui peregrinas voces et vocabuia. nova vocabula finxerunt (nempe transubstantiationem panis et vini, et corporis et sanguinis Christi prsesentiam realem et cor- poralem sub formis et accidentibus panis et vini latitantem), judices ac censores sacrarum scripturarum constituantur ; an vero ut divinis Uteris et sanctorum patrum testimoniis subji- ciantur. Sed utri parti tutius, sanctius, et melius nos ipsos concredere possimus,sanctarum scripturarum et veterum patrum testimoniis, an neotericorum mendaciis et figmentis, facile est cuivis Spiritu Christi prtedito dijudicare : sacrorura enim libro- rum auctoritas omnibus, cum veteribus, turn neotericis, est praeponenda : veteres vero neotericis sunt prasferendi. Sed [1 From the Hebrew Almighty.] CCEN^ DOMINI. 443 schola neoterlcorum auctoritatem in sacras literas et in omnes patres usurpat ; ita ut utrumque pro suo arbltrio interpre- tentur; et sensum quern neoterici ex scrlpturis Sanctis et prlscis patribus eliciunt scripturis ipsis et Sanctis patribus praeferunt ; quod est impiissimum. Nam sensum ac mentem Spirltus Sancti, quam in sacris Uteris semper quaerere ecclesia Christi deberet, suis interpretationibus subjiciunt ; et ubi per verbum Dei jubemur omnium spirituum dogmata probare, neoterici verbum Dei et sanctorum patrum scripta per illorum calculum et interpretationem probari contendunt. Ideoque in ecclesiis quae a Christo et Spiritu ejus Sancto mandantur et docentur negliguntur et contemnuntur ; et quae a neo- tericis imperantur et docentur omnes amplectuntur et vene- rantur. Et hoc est Christum in ecclesiis propulsare, et antichristum erigere ; mandata divina in sacramentorum usu contemnere, et mandata hominum venerari et colere : ut in sacra coena Domini superius ostendi ; ubi nunc in ecclesiis quae tyrannidi papae subjiciuntur non solum verus usus sacra2 Dominicae coens exulat, verum etiam vera et legitima coenae Domini doctrina expellitur. Dominus igitur et Deus Pater noster coelestis in Christo Jesu pro sua immensa misericordia ecclesias suas a lupis et mercenariis Hberet, et det illls veros pastores, qui gregem Christi tam misere dissipatum colligere studeant ad sanctag et apostolicae ecclesise veritatem, ut sub Spiritu Christi Sancto pusillus grex pascatur pabulo vitas Eeternae. Amen. Capitis primi finis. CAPUT II. Contra corporalem Christi prcesentiam in eucharistia. Secundum caput in quo a neotericis dissentimus consistit in hoc : illi corporalem corporis et sanguinis Christi prassentiam in coena Domini affirmant : nos tantum spiritualem et sacra- mentalem corporis et sanguinis Christi praesentiam in coena Domini agnoscimus, credimus, docemus, et confitemur ; cor- poralem vero Christi praesentiam tantum coelo tribuimus ad dextram patris omnipotentis, unde ilium spe exspectamus, ut judicet vivos et mortuos. Et usque ad illud tempus restaura- tionis omnium, cum sacris literis, tum sanctorum patrum testi- 444 DE VERA DOCTRINA ET USU Relinquere mundura et ire ad Patrem quid moniis, et comrauni symbolo, quod vulgo symbolum apostolorum vocatur, edocti, carnem Christi e nostra carne assumptam in ccelo collocamus. Nam Christus post quadraglnta dies, devicta mortis et inferni tyrannide, illam carnem a nobis receptam in altura subduxit, ut amplius in terra locum non habeat. Rationes quihus movemur, ut a neotericis hac in j^arte dissentiamus. Christus, ut sues discipulos de morte sua jam imminente consolaretur, non solum promisit se tertio die a morte resurrec- turum, et mortis imperium et tyrannidem destructurum ; verum etiam, quod a morte corpus suum gloriosum a terra elevaret in coelum, [et] ' relictis hujus mundi sedibus ccelestem inhabitaret orbem, donee diesille adveniret quo cum magna gloria descen- [John xvi ] deret judicaturus vivos et mortuos. Verba illius sunt h£ec : " Exivi a Patre, et veni in mundum : iterum rellnquo mundum, et vado ad Patrem." Relinquere autem mundum, et ire ad Patrem, non solum est humani corporis infirmitates a resurrec- tione deponere, et immortalitatem induere ; sed etiam carnem immortalitate donatam, quam mortalem et infirmam in utero sacr« virginis e nostra carne assumpsit, a terris in coelum subducere : ut, quemadmodum in cruce mundus a carne Christi crudeliter vitam eripuit, ita et ipse a resurrectione post quad- raglnta dies eandem, per mundum vita spoliatam, vivam et immortalem e mundo in altos coelos gloriose subtraheret. Prima probatio hujus assertionis. Christus dicebat se relicturum mundum ; et, ut majorem certitudinem sui abitus animis discipulorum infigeret, ante mortem, quasi jam jam hoc esset facturus, dixit, " Relinquo mundum." Relinquere mundum est a mundo recedere, a mundo abesse, et in alium locum extra mundum se conferre atque locare. Relinquere autem mundum non est seipsum invisibilem reddere, et modo invisibili esse in mundo : nam qui invisibilis vel modo invisibili adest non abest ; et qui non abest a mundo mundum non reliquit. Si igitur Christus, quantum ad corporis illius veri et organic! praesentiam, mundum impleret ; vel invisibilis et modo invisibili aliquot loca, ubi panes in sacra ccena consecrantur, corporaliter occu- paret ; falsum esset dicere, Christum mundum reliquisse : nam \} The conjunction seems to be required here.] Joan. xvi. Relinquere mundum quid? Qui aliquo niodo adest in mundo nun abest. CCEN^ DOMINI. 445 qui corpore est prajsens in allqiio loco non abest ab eo loco. Cogimur ergo, si volumus esse pii, dicere, Christum, quoad ejus humanitatem, reliquisse mundum. Et postquam desiit corpore esse in mundo, turn efficacissime adfuit suo Spiritu ; aderitque suae ecclesise omnibus diebus, usque ad consumma- tionem seculi. Nos igitur Christi verbis muniti fideliter ac constantissime credimus Christum, quoad humanitatem, hunc mundum reliquisse. Secunda prohatio hujus assertionis. "Pauperes (inquit Christus) semper habebitis vobiscum ; Matt.xxvi. me autem non semper habebitis." Me, inquit Christus, non habebitis. Quoad ejus humanitatem haec intelligi oportet, quod ilium in mundo nobiscum habere non possumus ; sed quoad divinam ejus naturam nusquam abest : " In ipso enim vivi- mus, movemur, et sumus et pr^terea per prophetam inquit, " Coelum et terram ego impleo, dicit Dominus." His autem Christi verbis, " me non semper habebitis vobiscum," com- pellimur ejus corporis praesentiam a nobis abesse fateri, nisi Christum mendaeii arguere velimus ; quod absit : ipse enim est " via, Veritas, et vita." Non sunt igitur audiendi contra Christum qui dicunt ipsum corporaliter adesse, et cor- poraliter exhiberi in sacra coena Domini per ministros ecclesiae ; nec decet fidum et verum Christi ministrum id affirmare quod Christus negat. Htec sunt verba negativa Christi, "Me non semper habebitis vobiscum." Injuriam ergo faciunt Christo qui dicunt nos Christum, quod ad corpus ejus attinet, habere. Verba autem negativa Christi sunt perpendenda, ne fraude intcrpretationum neotericorum eludantur. Non dixit christus. Christus, me sub hac forma, mole, vol quantitate corporis nairfna'tu-'" non habebitis ; vel, me qualiter videtis nunc non habebitis ; est: sed,'' , . . . quoad huma vel, qualiter me mteriecturi sunt Judaei non habebitis, nam.inuno .... . . ^^^^ verum modo invisibili, supernaturali, coelesti, non vero corpo- "portet. rali aut locali modo, ut neoterici dicunt ; sed de corpore suo simpliciter et aperte dixit, " Me non habebitis ;" hoc est, me, quantum ad humani corporis praesentiam attinet, non habebitis. Quare et nos religiose ac vere dicimus, quicquid neoterici (Christi ac ejus verborum correctores) in contrarium ogganni- ant et latrent. Cum Christo vero nostro capite loquiraur ct credimus, " me non habebitis ;" cujus prassentia et fruitione gloriosissima satiabiraur, ubi banc mortalem vitam deposueri- 446 DE VERA DOCTRINA ET USU mus. Interim satis est quod fide illo satiemur, quern spe exspectamus, ut tandem facie ad faciem ilium -videamus. Prohatio tertia hujus nostrce assertionis. " Si quis (inquit Christus) dixerit, Ecce hie, ecce illlc est Christus, nolite credere." Eursus admonet suos Christus, ut ne credant, imo ne cogitent, eum corpore adesse huic mundo : quicunque enim (inquit) locum, sive hie sive illic, corpori meo assignaverint, nolite credere. Qui ergo Christum supra caput sacerdotis, vel intra ejus manus, aut in pixide denotant, assig- nant, et demonstrant, gravissime peccant, hoc mandatum Christi " nolite credere" contemnentes ; et tandem hujus man- dati yiolationem infernalibus flammis (nisi resipuerinl) luent in perpetuum. Et reyera Christus Salvator ncster, quoad corpus ejus jam gloriosum, nec sursum nec deorsum per manus hominum jam agitari, moveri, nec elevari potest ; sed, ut dixi, coelum gloriose obtinet, et terram (hoc est fidelium mentes) sursum suo Spiritu elevat, ut superna quteramus et curemus, et non terrestria. Nostrse autem mentes, dum hie vivimus, a peccati maculis et rerum caducarum nimio amore elevantur, ut aeterna agnoscant et amplectantur : et tandem etiam corpora nostra convivificabit, ut sint conformia corpori suo glorioso. Illius autem Spiritu nos movemur et sumus : sed ejus corpus movere non possumus. Idee caute et dili- genter prjemonuit ecclesiam, ut ab hujusmodi insaniis et praestigiis caveret. Prohatio quarta nostrce assertionis. " Itaque Dominus, postquam loquutus esset eis, receptus est in ccelis, et consedit a dextris Dei." Idem dicit et divus Paulus : " Qui et suscitatus est, qui etiam est ad dextram Dei," etc. Ubi vero Christus saepius admonuisset suos, ne crederent corporalem ejus praesentiam futuram super terram ; et si quis id affirmaret ac assereret dicendo, ecce hie, ecce illic, non esse ei credendum ; et cum verbis non obscuris docuisset, quod pauperes secum semper haberent, sed non ipsum ; et prasterea palam dixisset, " Ego reUnquo mundum;" jam ne admonitio et doctrina ejus de abitu suo parum animis eorum insideret, admonitionem et doctrinam suam confirmat actu et ipsa corporis ablatione non solum a terris, verum etiam ab illorum aspectibus, quibus ilium ad nubes usque CCEN^ DOMINI. 447 prosequebantur : ut Marcus evangelista et Paulus apostolus liquido testantur. " Receptus est, inquit Marcus, in cceluui."" Heb.iv. ix. Et alio in loco Paulus dicit, quod Christus penetravit coelos. Et iterum : " Non enim in manu facta sancta ingressus est Christus," etc. Ex istis vero locis admonemur, ut duo creda- mus : primum, quod Christus, quantum ad carnem, mundum reliquit ; secundum, quod carnem, quam in mundo assumpsit, in ccelo coUocavit ; ita ut jam, quoad carnem, Christus ubi factus fuit homo non sit ; et in coelo, ubi prius non erat quoad carnem, jam (relicta terra) resideat : quemadmodum alii loci sacrae scripturse testantur. 5. Prohatio nostrm assertionis. "Qui consedit ad dextram throni maiestatis in coelis." warcxvi. ^ " _ _ Heb. vui. X Et iterum : " Perpetuo sedet ad dextram Dei." Christus, ut corporalem sui absentiam ab hoc mundo suis discipulis persuaderet, variis ac gravissimis usus fuit argumentis. Pri- mum, jussit ut non crederent iis qui dicerent, Ecce hie, ecce illic est Christus : secundum, quod pauperes cum illis semper haberent, sed ipsum non haberent : tertium, quod relinqueret mundum, et iret ad Patrem. Jam vero ne quis de illius ora- tionis veritate, quam de abitu suo sajpius cum discipulis habuit, dubitaret, adest tempus quo id prsestaret factum quod hactenus verbis prsedixit. " Receptus est (inquit Marcus) in coelum." Et ne quis putaret phantasma aut spectrum fuisse quod in coelos ascendit, S. Lucas in Actis Apostolorum modum et certltudinem Christi ascensionis fidelissime annotat et nobis commendat. " Cum essent (inquit) defixis in coelum oculis, eunte illo, ecce viri duo astiterunt illis amicti vestibus albis, qui et dixerunt, Viri Galilsei, quid statis intuentes in coelum? Hie Jesus, qui assumptus est a vobis in coelum, sic veniet quemadmodum vidistis eum euntem in coelum." Duo docet S. Evangelista; primum, quod vere et visibiliter Jesus ascenderit ; quod et angeli coelestes et oculi discipulorura testantur : deinde, quod eodem visibili modo venturus sit in extremi temporis articulo. Et donee dies ille advenerit, coelum et non terra Christum, quoad humanltatem, servabit acretinebit : ut quemadmodum ante ascensionem Christus juxta humanitatem suam tantum erat in terra, et non in coelo ; ita post resurrectionem juxta carnem suam tantum sit in ccelo, et non in terra. 448 DE VERA DOCTRINA ET USU 6. Prohatio hujus assertionis. ■"• " Ilium oportet coelura suscipere usque ad tempus restau- rationis omnium." Petrus de Christo (quatenus homo est) loquitur : quern juxta camera oportet coelum suscipere usque ad novissimam diem. Petrus autem non dicit, quod coelum suscipiet ilium quantum ad formam ejus visibilem et corporis ejus dimensiones, quantitates, et qualitates, sed in terris erit secundum carnem forma invisibili et modo non quantitativo, vel erit in eucharistia non ut in loco, non corporali modo, ut neoterici misere et pueriliter dicunt : sed Lucas claris et evidentissimis verbis testatur, quod Christus terras reliquit, et nubes suscepit ilium ab oculis eorum ; et Petrus lucidissime dicit hunc Jesum qui assumptus est in coelum, oportere coelum suscipere usque ad tempus restaurationis omnium. 7. Prohatio hujus assertionis. Act. iii. " Quemadmodum vidistis ilium euntem in ccelum, sic veniet." S. Lucas ut omnem suspicionem corporalis Christi prsesenti^e ab ecclesia tolleret, dicit, quod quemadmodum vidistis ilium euntem in coelum, ita veniet ; hoc est, eadem visibili forma. Duo saluberrima dogmata in hisce verbis continentur : unum, de Christi Salvatoris nostri corporis e terris elevatione et ab- latione ; alterum vero de ejus corporis adventu in novissirao Act. iii. die ; usque in quem diem et horam nunquam terris corpora aderit, ut Petrus testatur. 8. Prohatio hujus assertionis, icor.xi. "Mortem Domini annunciate, donee venerit." Duo D. Paulus hisce verbis ecclesiam Christi docet : primum, quod sacra coena Domini sit recordatio et memoria mortis et passionis Christi ; nam (inquit) quoties coena rite celebratur, mors Christi, qua a morte seterna sumus redempti, ob oculos mentis et fidei nostrse ponitur : secundum, Christum ipsum, cujus mortem per ccenam hanc exprimimus, re ipsa corpore ccense suae non adesse. Dicit enim, " Donee venerit." Quasi dice- ret, quamvis miranda et ineffabilis futura sit persecutio et tyrannis in ecclesia Christi, dum Christus corpore ab ecclesia abest residens in coelis, talis est tamen Dei amor et (pikavdpwiria erga suam ecclesiam, ut usque ad Filii ejus in corpore adven- tum duratura sit vera ecclesia, ut inter electos Christi mors C(EN« DOMINI. 449 semper vigeat et rcfricctur. Quod si Christus corporaliter adesset sacrfB cconEe, ut neoterici Eomani docent, Paulus non diceret, " mortem Domini annunciate donee venerit ;" sed, mortem Domini annunciate, quia, quoties cffinam sanctificatis, toties Christus corpore suo adest. Quid autem desiderent neoterici apertius, contra corporalem Christi prajsentiam in coena, quam hoc quod Paulus dicit, "donee venerit ?" "Donee" hoc loco indicat tempus futurum quo Christus corpore ventu- rus est, et non prsesens tempus quo nunc adest quoties sacra coena peragitur, vel aliquot verba a ministris recitantur. Nona prohatio hujus assertionis. " Superna quserite, ubi Christus est ad dextram Dei Colos. iii. sedens." Jubemur per D. Paulum superna quterere, quia superne Christus est quoad corporis ejus pr^esentiam : quo autem ad divinam ejus naturam ubique est, et ima summaque implens, ut propheta testatur. " Quo ibo (inquit) a spiritu [Psai. tuo, et quo a facie tua fugiam ? Si ascender© in ccelum, tu ""'^"^'^ illic es : si descendero ad infernum, ades," etc. Ne igitur cum neotoricis Pomanis iravTa-^^ovcriav, hoc est, ubiquitatem illius corporis constituaraus. Paulus unum locum (nempe sedes beatas et coelestes) nobis corpori Christi assignat ; ubi Christus corpore suo solum residet superne (Inquit) et non inferne. Viderint isti neoterici, qui corpus Christi ita dis- tendunt et dilatant ut ccclos et terras impleat, quomodo Christo (qui dixit quod mundum relinqueret, quod ad ejus humanitatem spectat) et Paulo (qui per adverbium loci, "ubi," tantum ccelo superne corpus Christi tribuit) respondeant. Viderint, inquam, quomodo in novissimo illo calamitatis et • miseriae die Christo respondeant, qui jam ipsum, quod ad humanitatem ejus attinet, TravroroTrov faciunt, hoc est, omnem locum implentem ; ccelum corporali modo et veris corporis or- ganici dimensionibus; terras vero absque omnibus veri corporis conditionibus et qualitatibus. Duplicem autem Christum faci- unt ; verum hominem suis qualitatibus imbutum in coelis, monstrum vero hominis in terris absque omnibus qualitatibus et conditionibus hominis. Decima prohatio nosfrce assertionis. " Quid si videritis Filium hominis ascendentem ubi erat Joan. vi. prius ?" CapernaitjE (ut nostri neoterici) carnis Christi man- 29 [hooper, II.] 450 DE VERA DOCTRINA ET USU ducatlonem dentibus oris somniabant. Cliristus autem multis ac sanctissimls rationibus illam comestionem ad fidem et men- tem hominis referebat, ut Joannes, cap. vi. testatur ; et inter alias rationes banc tanquam epilogum omnium aliarum prne- cedentium adduxit : "quid si videritis (inquit) Filium hominis ascendentem ubi erat prius ?" — ac si dixisset, Quid de ventre aut dente cogitatis, quasi meam carnem manducandam, de- vorandam, aut concoquendam dentibus, stomacho, aut ventri donarem ? Aliud est genus manducandte carnis mea3 quod volo, nempe mentale et spirituale ; non per dentes, sed per fidem, quje hominis mentem sursum in ccelum attrahit, quo ego hoc corpus quod videtis sustoUam ; ubi tantum fuerit loci spatium inter me et vos quantum est inter coelum et terram. Quomodo igitur ii qui terras incolunt corpus assumptum et locatum in ccelis ore et dentibus assumerent? Fide autem 00 veniendum est, non pedibus : ibi fide corpus meum est manducandum, et non hie in terris ore et dentibus. Nescio quid neotericorum oculos aperiat, ut veritatem hac in parte perspiciant, nisi htec sacras scripturte loca illud fecerint : quod ut faciant, Deum Patrem nostrum coelestem propter Jesum Christum Filium ejus sedulo noctesque diesque fatigo. Undecima probatio nostrce assertionis. joan.Ti. " Spiritus est qui vivificat ; caro non prodest quicquam." Christus nostrse redemptionis to Xurpov et pretium persol- vebat in carne ; et nunc dicit illam carnem non prodesse, si accipi deberet ut Capernaitse carnem Christi accipiebant ; cogitabant enim carnem Christi omnino corporaliter esse # manducandam : Christus igitur dixit carnem suam ita cor- poraliter manducatam nihil prodesse. Et hac gravissima oratione Christus Capernaitarum stultitiam mire perstringit et reprehendit : primum, quod adeo stulti essent ut cogi- tarent humanam carnem esse comedendam ; quod multo cru- delius esset quam humanam carnem occidere : deinde, quod tam imprudentes essent ut vel ipsi id optarent, vel' quod ipse Christus id faceret quod nihil prodesset. Quare inquit. Quid vel vos expectatis quod vobis non prodest ; vel quid me inutllem nuncium Patris ccelestis cogitatis ? Ideo autem veni, ut mundo prodessem et benefacerem : sed si carnem meam corporaliter (ut vos putatis) vobis comedendam iraper- [1 Cogitarent appears to be wanting to complete the sense.] CCEN^ DOMINI. 451 tirem, ego ipse bene novi quod caro mea ita comesta nihil vobis prodesset. Ergo hoc intelligite, quod caro mea est occidenda ; quam si quis fide et spiritu manducat, non mori- etur in teternum. Sic autem caro mea est cibus mentis, non ventris : fide suscipitur, non ore. Nam carnem meam a mundo in ccelum extoUam ; quo oportet qui veht meam carnem man- ducare et sanguinem meum bibere fide ascendere. Qui vero humi jacent, et crassam atque corporalem prsesentiara mei corporis cogitant, nihil fructus aut utilitatis inde percipiunt. Hie apud Joannem duobus validissimis argumentis corporalem corporis sui prsesentiam in sacra Domini ccena Christus per- negat (non dico, in impia Romana missa, quia nec Christus nee Christi sacramentum est, sed idolum et belphegor^). Hoc autem primum probat argumento ab inutili hisce verbis : "Caro (scilicet, corporaliter comesta, ut vos cogitatis) non prodest quicquam :" deinde, ab impossibili hisce verbis : " Quid si vi- deritis Filium hominis ascendentem eo ubi erat prius ?" hoc est, in ccelum ; quo fides sola pii hominis ascendit, ut Filium Dei Patri coelesti sistat quotidie pro remissions peccatorum suorum ; in quem locum caro et sanguis non penetrant, quam- diu hoc mundo fruuntur." Duodecima prohatio nostrce assertionis. " Cum domi sumus in corpore, peregrinamur a Domino." 2 cor. v. Domi esse in corpore est hac vita, qua9 miseriis et calamitati- i n corpore bus variis jacet obnoxia et afflicta, frui. Peregrinari autem a I'ereijrinari Domino est, non solum ajterna bcatitudine et felicitate ad qu™.'"" tempus carere, dum hie vivitur ; verum etiam corporis illius prsesentia carere qui morte sua ccelos et immortales glorias nobis meruit. Tendimus autem ac contendimus, ut post banc vitam in ccelis cum eo vitam degamus, qui per mortem suam non solum mortem exuit, vcrura etiam mortalium hominum secula deseruit, et immortale suum corpus a nostro consortio subduxit in ccelos ; ut ipse a nobis, et nos ab ipso, ad tempus peregrinaremur, ut Paulus inquit. Quatenus autem Christus Deus est, ab eo non peregrinamur : nam piis semper sua providentia et gratia prsesens est, et piorum convcrsatio in ccelis est, ut Paulus inquit ; impiis vero sua providentia et justitia, vel ut emendet vel puniat, absens non est. Si banc peregrinationem neoterici intelligere volunt liberationera ab [2 Probably from the Hebrew "11^2 b))"! Baal-Peor.] 29—2 452 DE VERA DOCTRIXA ET USU omni calaraitatum et afflictionum perturbatlonc ct scnsii, per- peram D. Paulum torquent. Isara dum peregrinamur a Domino, et maximis calamitatibus afficimur pro illius nomine, maximam illius gratite et fortitudinis abundantiam prsesentera esse sentimus ; ita ut ejus Spiritus prfesentia quJB jam patiraur non solum contemnamus, verum etiam gravissima et pericu- losissima qufe ventura esse putaraus in Christo non curemus : quod fieri non posset, si hospites et peregrini essemus a Domino Deo nostro, qui nos consolatur in omni tribulatione nostra ; ita ut non solum patienter, verum etiam gratanter, omnia feramus. Hostes enim et adversarios patienter ferimus, et illorum salutem feque Deo ut nostram sedulo dies ac noctes commendamus : Deo perpetuas canimus laudes, quod nos dig- netur pro sui nominis gloria aliquid pati : et tantum rogamus in nostris precibus, ut vel vincat illius verbi Veritas qnss op- primitur, vel nos per mortem cito ad se revocet. Nam satis diu nos vixisse putamus, si in hac vita neotericorum idolola^ triam fortiter usque ad mortem contemnamus : quod facturi sumus Deo protegente, qui magna sua misericordia nos primum eripuit per Christum e morte asterna ; deinde, ab htereticorum et papistarum impia doctrina ; et transtulit nos in lucem clari- tatis suaj, quam nunquam expungi patietur iis qui illam in verbo suo studiose precibus quaarunt. Dechnatertia jJi'ohatio nostrce assertionis. Joan. xvi. " Ecce aperte loqueris, nec proverbium ullum dicis." Postquam Christus dixisset, " Ptelinquo mundum et vado ad Patrem," apostoli dicebant ilium aperte fuisse loquutum, Apetteioqui uec provorbium ullum protulisse. Aperte autem loqui est ita rem de qua agitur clare et perspicue enunciare et proferre, ut ab iis quibus res commendatur absque omni dubitatione, hfesitatione, et ambiguitate intelligatur et cognoscatur. Sic Christum fuisse loquutum de ejus abitu ex hoc mundo ad Patrem discipuli ejus testantur hisce verbis, " Ecce aperte loqueris :" quasi dixissent, satis lucide intelligimus quse dicis et doces, quod abiturus es a mundo. Jam neoterici Romani, qua) Christus aperte et lucide protulit, suis technis, vafritiis, imposturis, et prjestigiis obfuscant et obumbrant ; ut nec Veritas nec perspicuitas verborum Christi intelligi aut percipi possint. Ubi enim Christus liquido dicit, " Eelinquo mundum," quod omnes discipuli (quamvis rudes et satis adhuc carnales) CCENiE DOMINI. 453 pcrspicue intellexerunt, ncoterici dicunt quod non rcliquit mundum ; hoc est, non penltus abstulit coi'pus suum ex hoc mundo, sed invisibilem se fecit mundo, et mo do invisibih mundo semper adest, ac in mundo se continet, ad quatuor vel quinque verborum prolationem per presbyterum in papistica missa ; ct modo visibili rcsidet, ac se juxta corpus continet in coelo : juxta veras corporis sui quahtates et quantitates corporaliter ccelum occupat ; juxta autem corpus quod nullas humanas conditiones habet corporaliter ccenam Domini occupat, ac in ea continetur. Visibile corpus Christi corporaliter locant in ccelis : invisibile vero Christi corpus corporaliter decent esse in eucharistia. Sed hoc non est aperte et liquido, sed obscure et a3nigmatice loqui. Christus autem nullum bwD, quod est Proverbium proverbium, dixit. Proverbium enim est quod non facile ab omnibus intelligitur, vel quia verba ex quibus constat sunt rara, inusitata, aut varia) significationis ; vel quia talem in se proverbium continet eruditionem et doctrinara, ut raro vel dlfficulter comprehendamus : quemadmodum sunt sententife Salomonis, quas 'hlVD, id est, proverbia, vocat ; in quibus non solum sunt multa difficilia verba, verum etiam sententia) quam plurimoB intellectu admodum difficiles. Christi autem oratio quam habuit ad sues de discessu corporis sui e terris, qua) erat ista, " Exivi a Patre, et veni in mundum ; iterum relinquo mundum, et vado ad Patrcm," nihil ambigultatls, difficultatis, vel obscuritatis (ut apostoli testantur) in se habuit ; sed palam ct aperte quse fuerunt dicta in hac orationc de corporis ejus recessu intellexerunt. Parum igitur candide et minus Chris- tianc faciunt neoterici, qui perspicultati et lumini verborum Chri-iti suis interpretationlbus tenebras et nebulas obfundunt. Nos igitur perspicuitatem et lucem verbi divini asscquentes Christum (quod ad carnem ejus attinet) mundum reliquisse docemus et credimus; Spiritu tamen suo tam bonos quam males suslentare ; hos quidem, ut pie vivant ; illos autem, ut irapie vivore desistant. Et in sacra actione cocnaj sure mys- tica) pils ita semper adest, ut illis seipsum totum turn corpore tum anima communicet ; non ut in corpus per os descendat, sed ut in animam per fidem sese infundat, ejusque vi et vir- tute cum corpus tum anima pie recipientis sacramentum sanctificentur ad vitam aitcrnara ; modo non secundum carnem, sed secundum Spiritum, qui se Christo sacramentis obstrinxerc vivant ct ambulcnt. ILcc est nostras fidci ratio ex sacris 454 DE VEI5A DOCTRINA ET USU Uteris deducta, rata, et obsignata, quam veram ac sinceram coram Deo et Sanctis angelis ejus ex verbo Dei scimus, agnos- cimus, tutamur, et defendimus ; pro qua vitam banc mortalem deponere (si ita Deo visum fuerit) sumus parati ; certo persuasi quod aniraas nostras sic deponendo bene facturi simus, et cum Christo per Cbristum victuri imperpetuum. Jam ad alias ra- tiones quibus movemur ut a neotericis dissentiamus descendam. Decimaquarta prohatio nostrce assertionis. Hebrae. ii. iv. " Similis est fratribus per omnia excepto peccato." Si Christus similis sit fratribus per omnia, juxta D. Pauli testi- monium, injuriam faciunt Christo qui ilium dissimilem fra- simiiem esse tribus reddunt. Similem esse fratribus est, non solum carnis frainbus i"''^- sanguinisque et animge fratrum naturis et substantiis commu- nicare, verum etiam illarum veras qualitates, quantitates, et dimensiones natura) et substantise fratrum semper retinere et nunquam deponere : quod si deposuerit, tunc desinit esse similis fratribus. Jam talis est nostra natura et substantia, ut semper locum occupet; et dum in uno loco fuerit, pro eodem temporis instanti in alio loco esse non possit : ut natura et 4Reg. ii. substantia corporis Elise, dum esset in terris et haec loca in- feriora raundi teneret, in coelis non agebat, nec turbine ab Elisjco fuit ablatus ; et ubi Elias ascendit turbine in coelum, cernente Elisaeo et ita claraante, " 0 pater, pater, Israelitarum currus et equites," in terris cum Elisaeo tunc desiit esse. Talis autcm est natura et conditio omnis seminis Abrahae, ut semper unum locum pro uno temporis instanti occupet ; ita ut simul et eodem tempore diversa loca occupare non possit. Cum Christus juxta carnem ab Abraham! semine assumptam similis sit fratribus, ut qui veras, nativas, et genuinas conditiones et naturas humani corporis retineat, oportet ut eisdem naturas legibus constringatur et contineatur (quod ad humanitatem ejus spectat), ut sit in uno loco pro uno temporis instanti, et, dum superna et coelestia loca occupat, a terrenis et inferioribus absit ; quemadmodum, dum terras hasce incoleret, a supernis scdibus abfuit. Ita quoad corporis ejus veritatem et substan- tiam simul ccelum et terram implore vel occupare non possit, quin fratribus statim futurus dissimilis. Quod si corporis ejus naturam et substantiam, quam ex Abrahami semine Christus in utero beatae virginis assumpsit, ita extendat ac dilatet, ut coelum et terram simul impleat vel occupet, naturam CCENiE DOMINI. 455 et conditionem seminis Abrahse exuit ac deponit, nec (ut dixi) fratribus similis est. Nam hominis non est nec angelorum naturse, sed solius Dei, duos simul vel occupare, vel omnes simul locos implere. Hominum vero et angelorum est, ut, quando uni loco adsunt, ab aliis pro eodem temporis instanti absint : ut Christus, cum esset juxta carnem trans Jordanem, ubi Joannes fuerat baptizans primum, non erat Bethanise, ubi Lazarus erat mortuus, ut ipsemet testatur : " Et gaudeo Joan. x. x propter vos, ut credatis, quod non fuerim ibi." Ita cum esset juxta carnem in monte Tabor, non erat Hierosolymis ; et cum Matt, xvii esset in terris, non erat juxta carnem in ccelis : et jam cum sit in ccelis, non est juxta carnem in terris. Cum igitur Christus Deus sit et homo, et, quatenus Deus, retineat et nunquam deponat veri Dei substantiam et naturam, ut sit et maneat in perpetuum verus Deus, similis Patri et Spiritui Sancto ; ita cum sit verus homo, quatenus est homo, retinet et nunquam deponit veri hominis substantiam et naturam, ut sit et maneat imperpetuum verus homo, similis fratribus, juxta D. Pauli doctrinam. Nam Christus Salvator noster, verus Deus verus et homo in una persona, in hac unitate person ae naturas et substantias veri Dei et veri hominis semper retinet ac servat : et quamvis natura humana assumpta sit in Deum, ut unam personam Christi Dei et hominis constituat ; Christi tamen Deltas humanse naturae substantiam et veritatem non absorpslt, non annihilavit, non destruxit, non confudit, neque commiscuit : sed utriusque substantia) et natura) Veritas, tum Dei tum hominis, in Christi persona manet semper discreta et distincta, nec una in alteram convertitur ; nec praestantior et dignior natura in Christo (nempe Dei) minorera et inferiorem (nimirum hominis) destruit, consumit, aut in natura) divinas conditionem, proprie- tatem, aut dignitatem mutat vel convertit. Et juxta divinas suae naturse veritatem (quatenus est similis Deo Patri) nobis in terris adesse confitemur ; sed juxta humana) naturae cer- titudinem (quatenus similis est fratribus) nobis in terris adesse credere non possumus. Nam ita Deus et homo in una per- sona Christi conjunguntur, ut neutra natura veritatem suam araittat, nec alterius proprietates et conditiones altera induat, sustineat, aut vindicet. Cum enim solus natura esset Deus, ut homo fieret, divinitatem suam in carnem non convertit ; sed per assumptionem humanitatis in Deum Deus factus est homo. 45G DE VERA DOCTHINA ET USU Joan. i. Et quemadmodum in terris liumanam naturam mortalem as- sumpsit in Deum, et tamen mortalis naturrc humana? condi- tionem non destruxit, nec divina) naturte adsequavit, sed utrique naturae, Dei et hominis, semper suas sei'vavit conditiones et qualitates (excepto peccato), ut Christus, quatenus homo, juxta naturam divinam in coelis esset et in terris ; juxta naturam humanam in terris esset et non in coelis : ita et a resurrectione a mortuis tertio die veram humanam naturam jam factam immortalem semper servavit, et tandem in coelos a terra sus- tulit, ut jam in coelis Deus fieret et homo, ubi ante solus Deus erat; et in terris usque ad consummationis tempus Deus tantum esset (sublata corporis sui substantia) ubi ante Deus erat et homo. Ita sicuti post incarnationis sua? mysterium in utero virginis in terris egit juxta utriusque naturte, divinitatis et humanitatis, substantiam, virtutem, et efficaciam ; pari modo jam post illius ascensionem in ccclos in terris aglt juxta divi- nitatis substantiam et humanitatis (per divinitatem) efficaciam Philip, iii. (hoc est, Spiritu suo), et non substantiam. 2^am quemadmodum nostra conversatio per Spiritum Sanctum in coelis est, unde cxpectamus Redemptorem nostrum, qui reformabit corpora nostra, ut sint conformia corpori suo glorioso ; et tamen quoad corporis nostri subst/craj ; quod omnes fere " gratias egit" et " benedixit" vertunt. Benedicere autem est aliquando, laudare et gratias Benedicere agere, ut David inquit : " Benedicani Dominum in omni tem- iludare"*"*^" T 1 1 • • r [Psalm. pore : aliquando, bene precari, ac omnia lausta optare ; ut xxxiv.] Jacob benedixit Pharaonem, id est, salutem imprecabatur : et [Oen. xivu.] aliquando, aliquid profanum in sacros ac pios usus consecrare : sic Deus sub initio creaturarum piscibus maris et volucribus cceli benedixit ; hoc est, virtutem multiplicandi illis concessit. Homini etiam et mulieri benedixit Deus sub initio, dum adhuc in statu innocentiae perraanebant ; hoc est, ut semper sese et suas proles ad opus et servitium illlus applicarent. Delude be- nedixit diei septimo ; hoc est, diem septiraum in sacros usus designavit. Sic in hoc loco S. Marcus evangelista dicit quod Christus in ultima sacra ccena panem benedixit ; id est, panem in sacrum usum, ut mortis ejus esset sacramentum, consecravit; vel, omnibus faustis ac laudibus Patrem suum ccelestem prose- quebatur, quod morte sua mundum sibi reconciliaret ; quod est gratias agere, ut Matthaeus inquit. Benedicere igitur panem in sacra Domini ccena non est crucibus panem notare, sed per verbum et institutionem Christi gratias agere, et panem a pro- fane usu ad sacrum deputare et consecrare. Et idem dicendum est de benedictione poculi. Errant ergo toto ccelo interpretes neoterici in hoc, quod benedicere pro cruces facere interpre- tentur. Quare istam interpretationem tanquam a vocis analogia peregrinam rejlcimus, et genuinam vocis naturam retinemus. Pra3terea, cum Christus benedixisset, vel gratias egisset, panem fregit, ac discipulis distribuit. Frangere panem quamvis panem fran- in sacris Uteris pro pascere ssepius usurpetur, hie tamen panem frangere est panem in multas partes rumpere vel dissecare, ut singulis sua pars panis contingat. Et hoc fecit Christus, ut panis fractionis analogiam et mysterium discipuli intelli- gerent. Nam immolationem et mortem sui corporis sub frac- tionis panis involucro ob oculos illorum ponebat ; atque hunc panem fractum illis impertivit, ut per panis exhibitionem intel- ligerent quod Christus fracti, mortui, et immolati sui corporis raerita illis etiam impertiretur. Neoterici istorum verborum 470 DE VERA DOCTRIXA ET US0 Christi interpretes non solum naturam verborum, verura etiam illorura mjsticam ac sacramentalem significationem, plane de- struunt. Nam vocem, fregit, proferunt ; sed re ipsa (ut Christus jussit) non frangunt : et verbum, dedit, sonant ; sed nibil dant. Hoc non est interpretem, sed oppressorem Ter- borum Christi agere. Ad hsec Christus palam discipulis suis de pane dixit, " Hoc est corpus meum :" neoterlci interpretes tacite sibi ipsis ac parietibus hsec dicunt. Christus jussit omnes qui sacrtB ccsnas interfuerunt sacrum panem accipere et man- ducare, his verbis : " Accipite et manducate ex hoc omnes :" neoterici vero hsec Christi verba et mandata voce recitant, et factis contemnunt; nullus enim cum ministro aecipit, nullus panem comedit. Judicent jam qui ex corde Christum amant, an hoc sit pii hominis, in sacris Dei mysteriis voces mandatorum Dei proferre, et ipsa Dei mandata contemnere. Sed hac de re plura in suo loco postea. Et quod de- tenus est, isti neoterici interpretes Christi verbis sua etiam Addidenint addidcrunt. Ubi enim Christus de pane dixit, " Hoc est corpus papists . . . „ -r-r . , b=sD3'^" meum,' ipsi sic proferunt, "Hoc est enim corpus meum;' "enim" addendo : quod apertissime est contra mandatum Dei. Si Christus sapientia Patris satis dixit, quare non sunt contenti his quae ab illo dicebantur ? Si satis non dixit, ilium insufficientire et stultitia? arguunt : quod est maxime impium, ut vel cogitemus ilium quicquam imperfectum reliquisse. Si autem discipuli Christi sunt (ut videri volunt), quare illius prseceptis semet non subjiciunt ? Ipse enim voluit atque man- davit (ut D. Paulus testatur) ut, quoties sacra coena perage- retur, mysticus panis omnibus frangeretur ac distribueretur. Quamobrem igitur privatas suas missas non abjiciunt ? et cur sacram comraunionem juxta Christi institutionem non resti- tuunt ? Si sunt veri discipuli Christi, quare de pane dicunt, Manducate ex hoc omnes, cum Christus verbi "omnes" in dis- tributione panis non meminit? Quamobrem etiam de poculo verbum " omnes" expungunt cum Christus de poculo diserte dixerit, " Bibite ex hoc omnes ?" Et quare, si sunt discipuli Christi, et veri verborum Christi interpretes, quod Christus expresse fieri jubet, " Bibite ex hoc omnes," ipsi manifeste fieri prohibent, " Non bibite ex hoc omnes, sed soli sacer- dotes ?" Non est profecto nec pii hominis nec fidi interpretis hoc mandare quod Christus vetat ; nec hoc prohibere quod Christus pr^cipit. Et tamen neoterici sa;pissime hoc faciunt. CCEN.^: DOMINI. 471 ut liquido innotescet, si quis impias illorum privatas missas sequa ac diligenti consideratione et collatione cum sacra Domini coena conferre voluerit. Si sint veri interpretes verborum Christi, cur ausi sunt idem memoriam et rem memoratam, signum et signatum, facere ? Christus coenam fieri in memo- riam sui jussit : neoterici interpretes dicunt, non tantum memoriam Christi fieri in missis suis, verum etiam Cliristum ipsum corporaliter adesse et sacrificari. Hie neoterici Spi- ritum sanctum, optimum oratorem, qui rectissime mentem suam exprimere possit, corrigunt ; nam quod ipse memoriam Christi vocat, isti Christum ipsum appellant. Non est igitur mirum, quod nos cum Christi sponsa sanctaque catholica ecclesia ab istis neotericis dissentiamus, ut Christo capiti nostro indivulse adhsereamus. Christus banc propositionem, " Hoc est corpus meum," refert, non ad sui ipsius corporis substantiam, sed mortis sui corporis commemorationem : nam statim prolata propositione, " Hoc est corpus meum quod pro vobis frangitur," subjunxit, " Hoc facite in mei commemora- lu. tionem." Unde ex circumstantiis a Christo ipso prolatis ' ^ constat corpus Christi non realiter, sed spiritualiter et sacra- mentaliter verificari de pane in sacra coena ; cui semper adest, non corpore, sed spiritu, et corporis sanguinisque et animsa meritis ac virtute : et sacer panis qui est in ore fide reci- picntium est quodammodo Christus ipse : id est, cum ilia visibili forma et substantia panis vere et non ficte, efiicaciter et non inutiliter, adest Christus, qui nunquam a recte uten- tibus sacra coena corporis ac mortis ipsius memoria, ac denique spiritu suo, abest. Figurata autem sive sacramentali loquu- tione et sermone improprio panis est corpus Christi. Ac de veritate quidem hujus propositionis, " Hoc est corpus meum," nihil dubitamus: quemadmodum de multis aliis paribus loquutio- nibus in scripturis pie sentimus; ut, " Petra erat Christus;" " Ego sum vitis ;" " Agnus est transitus ;" " Circumcisio est foedus," etc. in quibus non solum phrasis et circumstantioe sacra- rum literarum tropum admittunt ; verum etiam veri interpretes sacrarum literarum passim banc interpretationem tam in illis quam in hac sententia, " Hoc est corpus meum," et, " Nisi manducaveritis carnem Filii hominis," figurative ct tropica interpretantur : ut Augustinus ad Bonifacium ; Contra Adi- mantum Manichseum, cap. xii.^ ; De Doctrina Christiana, libro [1 Vide supra, pp. 462, 4G3 ; notes 1, 2.] 472 DE VERA DOCTRINA ET USU III. cap. 9'; Ilieronymus in Matthseum^; TertuUianus contra Marcionem^, et alii quara plurimi ex veteribus, veri sacrarum literarum intci^pretes. Sed altius paululum perpendamus, primura, corticem et nudaiia pellem verborum Christi in sacra coente actione: dcinde, verborum verum sensum eliciamus atque expendamus : postea, neotericorura interpretationes verborum et sententise Christi cum Christo ac Sanctis patribus conferamus. Primum, Christus panem quern manibus tenebat benedixit, hoc est, in sacrum usum consecravit et apphcavit, ut non solum corporis sui esset sacramentum, verum etiam nomen ipsum corporis sui, cujus erafc sacramentum, indueret. Nam Christus in ultima ccena accepit pancm, atque ilium benedixit ; hoc est, panem acceptum in sacrum usum sacramenti sui corporis consecravit : ideoque fit, quod Christus eundem panem in sacrum usum consecratum nominis sui titulo honoravit dicendo, " Hoc est corpus meum," Jam judicet verbum Dei, an hsec verba, "Hoc est corpus meum," a ministro prolata panis substantiam convertant in corpus Christi ; vel indicent ac declarent potlus non panis substantiam annihilari aut transubstantiari in corporis Christi substantiam ; sed ipsam panis substantiam ostendant esse, suo modo, corpus Christi. Textus vero non habet, quod Christus panem accepit, cujus substantiam mutavit in substantiam corporis sui, quem corpus suum appellavit : sed manifeste dicit, " Accepit panem et benedixit," quem corpus suum appellavit. Et ne nimium cortici vocum discipuli adhaererent, quasi re ipsa corpus suum lateret sub cortice et forma panis, quia dixit, "Hoc est corpus meum;" statim hujusmodi suspicionem amovit, diccns, " Hoc facite in meam commemorationem." Jam inter hasce duas proposi- tiones, Benedixit, et, Facite hoc in mei memoriam, media interseritur hasc propositio. Hoc est corpus meum. Et cum benedicere panem in sacro usu ccenae Domini non sit panem destruere, sed reservare et in sacrum usum applicare ; et facere in memoriam sit absentis amorem ac benevolentiam animo revolvere, et non corpore absentis frui; quo jure quove auctore neoterici interpretes contra praecedentia et subsequentia mediae propositionis ejus sententiam ad literam trahant, cum verus et gerraanus sensus hujus propositionis. Hoc est corpus meum, ab his qua8 prjBcedunt et subsequuntur plane depen- [1 Vide supra, p. 429.] [- Vido supra, p. 406, note 6.] [3 Vide supra, pp. 406, note 7; 440, note 1.] CCEN^ DOMINI. 473 deat? Circumstantisc textus sacramentalem sensum hujus propositionis, Hoc est corpus meum, urgent : hunc sensum omnes amplecti tenentur, et non de novo alium et peregrinum inferre. Neoterici quidem mira fingunt, falsa inducunt, et impia defendunt. Nam dicunt vcrborum istoruin, Hoc est corpus meum, vi panis substantiam mutari in ipsum corpus Chrisli. Perpende igitur verba Christi. In tota proposi- tione, Hoc est corpus meum, tantum unicum est verbum sub- stantivum. Est ; quod nec factionem nec passionem significat, sed existentiam ejus rei de qua dicitur. Jam quod hisce verbis testatur, pronunciat ac palam declarat esse corpus suum. Neoterici interpretes naturam verbi, Est, quod sub- sistentiam et existentiam significat, interpretantur per verba vel activJB vel passivte significationis ; quasi virtus verborum de novo panem in corporis Christi substantiam mutaret, aut panis passive corpus Christi fieret. Quahs autem sit hsec dexteritas et candor in explanandis sacris Uteris, nativam pro- prietatem vocum toUere, nullus ignorat. Istl tamen neoteric! impudenter hsec verba semper crocitant, Hoc est corpus meum : quibus verbis nihil in tota sacrarum literarum serie potest esse apertius contra panis et vini transubstantiationem, et cor- poralem corporis Christi prfesentiam in sacraDomini coena. Nam Christus de pane dixit, " Hoc est corpus meum :" non dixit, Sub hujus panis cortice latet corpus meum. Dixit prteterea, " Hoc est corpus meum et non dixit. Hoc transubstantialiter in corpus meum converto; nec dixit, Hoc fit istorum verborum vir- tute corpus meum; ut stolide ac impie neoterici interpretantur. Dicunt etiam isti novi interpretes panem ilium in altari converti in corpus Christi, manentibus semper priorls panis forma et accidentibus : bisque mendaciis, tanquam sint ora- cula Apollinis, credi volunt ab omnibus ; et qui credere recu- savcrit pro ha;rctico habendus est. Sed quid rcsponderent neoterici, si quis quaesierit, num panis ille quern Deum et hominem conficere nituntur ante consecrationem sit prima substantia an secunda ? Primam esse rcsponderent, non du- bito ; quandoquidcm ex Aristotele didicerunt priraas sub- stantias individua esse, ut hunc lapidem, hunc hominem. Jam sic instarem : At destructis prirais substantiis nihil earura remanet ; hoc est, simul primte substantias accidentia perirent; nam accidentia solum in individuis locum habent. Sed acci- dentia prioris substantia) (ut antca dixi) semper mancnt ; ergo 474 DE VEHA DOCTRINA ET USL" et illorum prima substantia. Nam est axioma in omnibus scholis, Destructis primis substantiis nihil est reliquum. Di- cant neoterici interpretes an corpus Christi, quod suis missis adesse contendunt, sit prima vel secunda substantia. Si sit prima, ergo oportet habeat sua accidentia, quia accidentia tantum sunt in indiyiduis seu primis substantiis. Sed acci- dentia veri corporis Christi in missis adesse negant : quare credimus nec substantiam corporis Christi adesse posse. Eestat igitur, ut corpus Christi, si aliquod sit in missa, sit substantia secunda: et tunc non est homo, sed species hominis, hoc est, idea hominis, et nihil extra intellectionem : quod ilarcionicum plane est. Sed quam mira neoterici fingant et excogitent, ut hunc suum novum Christum asserant, non est praesentis instituti meminisse : qui illorum libros evolvit eorum non potest esse inscius. Sed unura novum et ejiregie confictura testimonium, quo jam Deum suum super verticem sacerdotis elevatum suf- fulciant, non prasteribo. Xam non ante multos menses unus ex neotericorum secta et hteresi non infimus (videtur enim sibi omnia scire et nihil ignorare) me gravabat quodam loco Davidis ex Psalmo lxxii ; ubi iste neotericorum maximus fautor dicebat apud Targum Chaldteum paraphrasten menti- onem apertissime fieri istius novi Christi latentis sub panis specie supra verticem sacerdotis extensi, hisce verbis : " Et erit placentula panis supra caput sacerdotis." Ubi autem ChaldiBum paraphrasten consul uissem, reperi apud ilium idem quod Ebrsei et Graeci habent ; nempe, " Erit placentula fru- menti in capite montium." Quod Chaldseus sic scribit, EJ'ni {^"Tn, Beresh turaia, quod est, in capite montium; et con- cordat cum Ebrfeo QHil Beroshe harim,'m capite mon- tium ; et Graeci err aicpwv riou opewv. Quod Ebraji, Chaldasi, et Gra?ci vocant montes, hie neotericorum patronus sacer dotes vocavit. Si ita legeretur apud Chaldaeos, nihil neotericos adjuvaret, cum omnino negent illic quicquam panis esse. Sed non est mirum. Nam usurpant potestatem, non solum senten- tias mutandi, verum etiam ad placitum nomina omnibus rebus imponendi : quod nec pii hominis, nec fidi interpretis est. Yae igitur indocto vulgo, quibus quod libet licet mentiri absque omni reprehensione ! Sed neoterici hie mihl forte objicerent, vitandam esse nimiam subtilitatem, et causam eucharistise non tam rigide C(EN^ DOMINI. 475 ad rat'ionis prsecepta esse urgendam. Respondeo, me hxc vera et infallibilia prtecepta rationis non adducere, qulbus mihi ipsi aut aliis fidem et verum usum sacras ccense persua- deam ; qute tantura ex verbo Dei discenda sunt : ubi, quantum in me est, omnes in Christo Jesu exhortor, quibus vita seterna est curse, ut investigent atque explorent banc rem penitius : quod si non fecerint, aut ignorantiae tenebris aut supersti- tionum prsestigiis a veritatis cognitione perpetuo impedientur. Sed in hunc finem hue retuli aliquot certos canones ex phi- losophicis prteceptis, ut clare ostenderem neotericorum impia sacra et vesanam doctrinam nec cum prteceptis sacrarum literarura nec canonibus philosophorum convenire. Nam quid iniquius contra doctrinam Christi vel philosophorum excogitari potest quam substantiam corporis organici longitudine, lati- tudine, et profunditate spohare; et magnitudinem corporis Christi tollere, qua?, tum juxta sacras literas (qu£e dicunt, " Verbum caro factum est ;" et, " Similis est fratribus per omnia,") tum juxta omnes scholas philosophorum, ita hseret in substantia corporea, ut nunquam prorsus eam magnitudinem substantia corporea cxuere possit? Neoterici vero in missis magnitudinem corporis Christi abstractam ab omni vera et continua quantitate esse fingunt, ut mathematici quantitates abs- que materia considerant. Quid hoc est aliud nisi phantasticum corpus Christi imaginari, et verum corpus penitus destruere ? Sed forte neoterici interpretes meo me hie stringent vin- culo. Nam objicient aliam fuisse conditionem corporis Christi adhuc mortalis, aliam a resurrectione immortalis, aliam vero in eucharistia existentis. Quibus facile annuo, ac divisionis membra lubens amplector. Nam, morte corporis nondura persoluta, corporis conditione erat mortalis, tamen veri cor- poris substantiam semper retinens : mortis tyrannide devicta, immortalis est ; tamen veri corporis substantiam non araisit : in eucharistia existit ; sed ut Spiritu suo ac meritis passionis sacramentis suis adsit, et corpore absit. Et quemadmodum mortalem ejus naturam ac immortalem eandem substantiam semper esse confitemur ; sic eandem naturam (quoad substan- tiam) omnino a terra abesse in coelis confiteri compellimur auctoritate divinarum scripturarum impulsi. Quare Christus, sive mortahs sive immortahs (quoad ejus humanse naturae substantiam), rationis judicio semper fuit obnoxius ; et ejus naturae humanae veritatera argumentis ac rationibus rationis 476 DE VERA DOCTRINA ET USU captui manifestavit : sed ' natura? suse dignitatem ct merita tantum judicio et contemplationi fidei patefecit. Quoad cor- poris ejus substantiam nunquam nee majus nec minus Christus recipit ; perinde autem est jam factus immortalis verus homo atque antea, cum esset morti obnoxius : et quoad corporis ejus substantiam jam immortalis, ratione ac sensibus comprehen- Aet. i. sibilis est, ut Lucas testatur. Nam apostolis seipsum exhi- buit viventem, postquam supplicio fuisset afFectus, idque quam plurimis argumentis ; nempe miraculis, familiaribus coUoquiis, ostensione vulneris, comestione cibi, et aliis modis : unde Jo- [ijoan. L] annes dicit, "Quod audivimus, quod vidimus oculis nostris, quod perspeximus, et manus nostras contrectaverunt de ser- mone vitas," etc. Ex hisce et similibus locis sacrarum literarum constat Christum semper a virginis conceptione et partu ha- buisse et semper habere talem humanas naturae substantiam, qua) rationis et sensuum judicio est obnoxia, ubicunque fuerit : et quod ahquando, cum esset in terris, rationis ac sensuum judicium in corporis sui substantia superavit; ut cum jejunaret quadraginta dies et quadraginta noctes, et cum super mare ambularet, et ejusmodi; ita placuit uti natura sua humana ad gloriam Patris sui : tamen nuUas conditiones verse humansB natura3, cum hsec faceret, deposuit, sed semper incolumes ser- vavit. Et idem ssepius actum est cum reHquis hominibus quibus Deus utitur ad suam gloriam. Moyses enim absque humana) natura) jactura, quemadmodum Christus, jejunavit quadraginta dies et noctes: Elisa)us totum exercitum Sennacherib incognitus duxit in Samariam*, ut Christus duos discipulos euntes in Emmaus incognitus comitabatur, tamen nuUas substantise sui corporis partes deposuit : Petrus, ut Christus, super mare am- bulavit, et veri corporis sui essentiam non amisit : Elias raptus est in coelum turbine, tamen verus homo. Ita, utcunque Deus corpus Filii sui vel piorum hominum applicaverit, nunquam corporum veris qualitatibus ilia spoliavit. Ideo nec majus nec minus corpus Christi, sive mortale sive immortale, recipit, sed semper (quoad corporis ejus substantiam) idem est. Mortalitatis conditiones per mortem exuit : veri autem corporis organici conditiones per resurrectionem non deposuit, sed incolumes ac intactas semper servat, non solum ut sacris Uteris ac fidei nostrae, verum etiam rationi et sensibus, illas comprobaret ac This occurred to the army of Bcnhadad, king of Syria. 2 Kings yi. 19.] CCENiE DOMINI. 477 affirmaret, devicta mortis tyrannide. Neoteric! interpretes sacrarum literarum cum nullis conveniunt nisi perfidis JudaBis. Nam, quemadmodum ipsi in suis comraentariis in prophetas mordicus defendunt quod Messias, quern adhuc expectant, prsesentia sua corporali Gog et Magog, hoc est, universum mundum, sit subjugaturus, ut ipse hujus mundi imperio poti- atur ; ita neoterici suum Messiam corporaliter adesse volunt ; cujus pra3sentia non solum corpora et animse hominum salvte fiant, verum etiam ut a canibus morbos expellat, incendia extinguat, porcos sanet, quasvis animalium pestes profliget, et ut omnes corporaliter in hac vita conservet. Sed relinquamus has imposturas et scelera Deo ; et inves- tigemus qua ratione et quibus mediis Christus, quatenus homo, possit nobis esse salutaris. Scimus quod, quatenus est homo, amicis et inimicis notus erat, Judse jeque ut Petro : sed uni erat saluti, alteri vero damnationi. Quare dupliciter Christus, qua- tenus homo, considerandus venit: uno modo, quatenus est odor vitse ad vitam, et positus in resurrectionem multorum ; alio modo, quatenus est odor mortis ad mortem, ac positus in ruinam multorum. Quatenus sit odor vitte ad vitam et resurrectio multorum, solis fidei oculis conspicitur, sola fide agnoscitur et apprehenditur. Quatenus est odor mortis ad mortem et ruina multorum, judicio carnis conspicitur, agnoscitur, et apprehen- ditur. Fide exultavit Abraham ut videret diem Christi ; vidit, et gavisus est : judicio carnis Judsei, Pharisjei, et quam plures alii exultabant ut viderent diem nati Messise ; viderunt, et tris- tati sunt, et odio habuerunt. Magi fide natum Christum adora- verunt: Herodes judicio carnis natum Christum interficere co- natur. Pontifices et scribaj populi ex cortice prophetite Micheaa ubi Christus nasceretur ; magi sub cortice stellfe quare nasce- retur, fide intellexerunt ; nempe ut omnes nationes terr£B nato Christo obtemperarent : ideo inquiunt, " Accessimus, ut ado- remus eum." Jam conferamus quid fides cornprehendat et nobis applicet de Christo vero homine. Primum, per Spiritum sanctum ex verbo agnoscit Christi veram humanse naturae substantiam, quam ex nostrse carnis substantia in utero beatse virginis e semine Abraha3 susceptam agnoscit. Deinde, id nobis e Christo vero homine applicat, quod ex nobis Christus non accepit; nempe puritatem, innocentiam, et sanctificationem, quam semper Christus in nostrre carnis substantia habult. Et haec omnia fides inyTfttrat et exorat propter mortem quam 478 DE VERA DOCTHINA ET USU Christus in nostrse carnis substantia sustinuit, ut hsGC per gratiam nostram immunditiam et fceditatem abluerent, et in nobis habitarent ; quibus ad vitam seternam sanctificaremur. Exempla hujus fidei, quas merita ac virtutes animse, carnis, et sanguinis, mortisque Christi nobis applicat sine corporis Christi prajsentia, passim in sacris Uteris occurrunt : ut Abra- ham Christi nondum nati merita ac virtutes fide est asse- quutus : centurio virtutem ac merita Christi in sanando miUte suo, et non corporalem Christi prsesentiam, fide exoravit hac oratione, " Domine non sum dignus ut intres sub tectum meum ; sed tantum die verbum, et salvabitur puer meus." Christi sympatriotfe et cognati ilium corpora pr£esentem ha- buerunt, et tamen illius meritis destituebantur, et ilium omni honore spoliabant ; de quibus Christus in hunc modura con- Matt. xiii. queritur : " Non est propheta expers honoris nisi in patria sua et domo sua." Et hoc est quod D. Joannes in Revelati- Ap3c. xiii. onibus Jesu Christi dicit : " llle erat agnus occisus ab origine mundi." Nam omnibus setatibus ab exordio mundi his qui fide ilium vera expectabant Christus efficaciter (quamvis non corporaliter) semper adfuit, etsi non juxta corporis humani prfesentiam, tamen juxta corporis gratiam. Nobis autem, postquam corpus suum in ccelum sustulit, semper ex mera sua gratia meritis passionis sua9 nostra expiavit peccata, Patri suo nos reconciliavit, corda et corpora nostra pavit, ac ahis virtutibus et donis Spiritus sancti illustravit : sed nunquam corporis sui substantiam manducandam aliqulbus communi- cavit. Quod enim a nobis accepit, veram substantiam, in mortem pro nobis dedit ; et virtutes quas cum corporis sui substantia semper retinet per fidem nobis impertit. Sed quod a nobis accepit si nobis impertiret, non prodesset : quemad- modum dixit, " Caro non prodest quicquam." Sic quod a nobis accepit apud se semper retinet, nempe corporis sui substantiam : et quod a nobis non accepit nobis impertit, nempe omnia bona quae in nostras carnis substantia in vita et in cruce nobis promeruit. Si quis oculis fidei orationem Marthae pro Lazaro fratre suo defuncto contempletur, facile ■Joan, xi.] intelliget quas dico : verba autem orationis sic habent : " Do- mine, si fuisses hie, frater meus non fuisset mortuus." Ex quibus verbis fidem ]\Iarthae intelligimus omni ex parte non fuisse integram. Bene credidit quod Christus mortis ac mor- borum imperium haberet : sed male credidit, quod putabat CCENiE DOMINI. 479 Christum non potuisse morbos depellere et mortuos suscitare, nisi corpore suo adesset. Martha enim credere debuisset quod absens, quoad id quod a nobis accepit, tantum potuit contra morbos et mortem quantum prsesens. Sic et nos etiam nunc credere debemus quod absens, quoad id quod a nobis accepit, tantum potest quantum praesens. Et, quod ad nos- tram salutem attinet, expedit ut in eo quod a nobis susceperit sit absens, quemadmodum ipsemet testatur, " Expedit vobis ut ego vadam," etc. Eruamus ergo oculos rationis et carnis, qui circa corporis Christi substantiam versantur carnaHter ; et oculos fidei obtendamus in Christum Salvatorem nostrum, qui merita passionis Christi vident, ac eadem nobis applicant. Hisce vero oculis fidei Christum et verbo et sacramentis suis semper prtesentem contemplamur, sed Spiritu et non came ; et qui oculos in carnalem corporis illius praesentiam inten- dunt, non solum ipsi decipiuntur, verum etiam alios decipero conantur. Nam Christi corpoream substantiam, quae est finita, infinitam constituunt, ut ccelum et terram impleat : quod ipsis substantiis incorporeis, nempe animabus, angelis, et spiritibus, non est concedendum. Si ergo in sacra coena Do- mini totum Christum fide recipimus, nec opus nec utile erit corporis ejus substantiam corporaliter et realiter per gulam trajicere : quod nunquam fuit factum, nec fieri potest. Et ne fieret, dixit, " Quid si videritis Filium hominis ascen- dentem eo ubi erat prius ? Spiritus est qui vivificat ; caro non prodest quicquam." Ex quibus discimus nos non posse eum carnaliter recipere ; nec vero prodesse quicquam, ut ilium carnaliter recipiamus. Decimasexta probatio nostrce assertionis. "Ascendit ad coclos, sedet ad dextram Dei omnipotentis; inde venturus est judicare vivos et mortuos." Hanc fidem ut veram, sanctam, illibatam, indubitatam, ot catholicam a nascen- tis ecclesise Christi primordiis omnes patres servabant, ut com- mune symbolum, quod apostolis Christi tribuitur, testatur ; et hodie ab omnibus tanquam certissimum compendium et regula verissima, qua fideles ab infidelibus, veri Christiani ab iis qui ha;reseos notis et maculis contaminantur suscipitur. Ideo in apostolica ecclesia, et sanctorum patrum coetu, qui hanc fidem illibate et religiose contestabantur, non pro hsere- \} The senso is incomplete. Supply discerni possunt.} 480 DE VERA DOCTRINA ET USU ticis, sed fidelibus, habebantur. De transubstantiatione vero panis et vini per ministrura in corporis et sanguinis Cliristi substantiam, vel quod Christus (qui secundum humanitatem in ccelos ascendit) hie in coena corporaliter adesset, nunquam in sacris Uteris vel sanctorum patrum scriptis, per mille ferme annos ab ascensione Christi, legitur. Sed isti Romani et neo- terici illos tantum igne et gladio persequuntur, qui banc fidem catholicam profitentur. Nam si Christum impanatum, per pfaphum genitum et factum, in missis suis adesse credant et confiteantur, et si Christum ad dextram Dei Patris assidentera in coelis nesciant, vel baud curent, satis esse pfaphi putant. Hoc enim scio (nec audita refero, et moerens ac dolens scribo) quam pauci (imo paucissimi) episcopi sunt vel pastores ecclesite in hoc regno Anglire, qui articulos fidei suis parochiis fideliter doceri curant. Quod si veri articuli christianse religionis promulgarentur, absque dubio pfaphorum figmenta cito depre- henderentur a populo, ac perirent in ecclesia Christi. Quid autem potest excogitari contra corporalem Christi praesentiam in coena clarius quam hoc quod symbolum apostolorum habet: " Ascendit ad ccelos," etc.? In scholis vero dialectices duo in hoc articulo concederentur, terminus a quo, et terminus ad quem. A quo Christus ascenderit, jam in articulis fidei dicitur, quod a terris ascenderit : terminus vero ad quem ; " et in ccelum, inquit, ascendit." Jam quoad corporis ejus substantiam, terras, a quibus ascenderat, reliquit ; et ccelos, in quos corpus suum transtulit, retinet. Ab infernis igitur abest quoad humanitatem, et supernas sedes quoad humanam naturam inhabitat. Pr£Bterea, plura adhuc continentur in hisce articulis, quod " sedet ad dextram Dei Patris," etc. : ubi terminus in quo Christus residet secundum humanitatem dis- citur, nempe coelum supernum. Et ne quis hunc terminum, in quo Christus juxta carnem residet, putaret ubique extendi et protrahi, articulus fidei miro et admirando epUogo fidem nostram, quod ad Christum Filium hominis attinet, absolvit in hunc modum : " Inde venturus est judicare vivos et mortuos Act. iii. ac si diceretur, ccelum oportet Christum recipere (quoad ejus humanitatis substantiam) donee tempus aderit quo judicaturus sit vivos et mortuos. Hoc autem adverbium loci, Inde, docet nos non ahunde Christum esse venturum, ut judicet vivos et mortuos, quam e ccehs. Ccelum igitur (ut scholastici loquun- tur) terminus est a quo Christus extremo die venturus est. Cum ccelum terminus sit a quo Christus veniet ac desccndet CfENiE DOMINI. 481 ad nubes in novissimo die juxta carncm, terra certe, ubi Christus ex panis substantia (juxta neotericos) conficitur, terminus a quo Christus veniret ac ascenderet ad nubes in novissimo die esse non potest: quod si fieret, idem corpus simul et una ascenderet et descenderet, et simul terram infra nubes et coelum supra nubes incoleret ; quod nihil nisi sola Dei essentia faclt, non diaboli. Nam ipsi simul unum locum occupant : ideo Deus hunc in modum diabolum alloquitur : " Ubi fuisti ? Circuivi, inquit diabolus, terram, et perlustravi Job i. earn." Unde disciraus simul et in eodem instanti, quoad ejus Taiiaoeo . , eliam per substantiam, diabolum ubique esse non posse. Circuire cnim et perlustrare terram est terram opere et industria successive et per successivos laborcs invisere ; et qui sic circuit simul totum non iraplet. Angeli hoc non faciunt. Nam qui cum [Cen. xxxu.] Jacobo certabat rogabat ut dimitteretur, quia aurora et tempus instabat quo ad sua rediret. Pra^terea, angelos in [Oen. xxvui.] scala videbat Jacob, illos quidem asccndentes, istos autem descendentes : ita ut ex scala ilia Jacobaja liquido constet, quod angeli, quoad illorum substantiam, superna ac inferna simul non occupant. Christus vero, quatcnus homo, hoc non facit. Nam quando in utero erat virginis matris, extra uterum ejus non erat : et quando egressus est ex utero, in utero non mansit. A resurrectione, quando tumulum rcliquit, in quo corpus ejus triduo jacuit, in tumulo non erat ; ut angeli testantur, " llesurrexit : non est hie : ecce locus ubi posuerunt eum." Quando in monte Oliveti cum discipulis suis colloque- batur de ipsius ablatione, quoad corporis ejus prsesentiam testlficans, non erat in nubibus ; quas statim penetravit, ut astra teneret. Et cum nubes suscepissent ilium ab oculis discipulorura, cum ipsis corporaliter pr£esens in terris non erat. Falsum est igitur quod neoterici dicunt, Christum, quoad ejus corporalem prcescntiara, in terris sub speciebus panis et vini contineri. Nam ccelum tenet ac possidet ; unde veniet judicaturus vivos et mortuos : ut Paulus tamen inquit, qui sacram Domini ccenam peragunt mortem Domini annun- ciant, donee venerit. Sed corporis Christi corporalem pras- sentiam, in quo redemptionem humani generis persolvit in cruce, hie adesse tota sacrarum literarum series et auctoritas pernegat ; et in ccelis ilium, quoad corporis ejus pragsentiam, collocat ; ibique et nos ilium sub poena a)terna; Dei iraj quas- rere mandat, nec alibi, ne sub nomine et pallio Christi deci- [hooper, II.] 31 482 DE VERA DOCTRINA ET VSU iiatth.xxiv. plamur : ut Chrlstus ait, '■' Multi venient in nomine meo, dicen- tes, ' Ego sum Christus et multos seducent." " Sed si quis vobis dixerit, Ecce hie, ecce iliic est Christus ; nohte credere." Confirmationes nostrm assertionis ex testimoniis sanctorum patrum, qui Christum Jam [imlmortalitate^ donatum {quatenus est homo) in coelis collocant, et non in terris. cyprianua " Placuit autem, ut corpus quod raortale et corruptibile de s\-mboli i i • i • ^ apo^toiorum suscoperat, de sepulchri petra levatum, et immortale atque exposiDone. ^ _ _ ^ _ ^ _ ' J- incorruptibile effectum, jam non in terrenis, sed in ccelestibus, et in Patris dextra collocaret^." Caro Christi, quce deposita erat in sepulchro, post tres dies juxta scripturas sanctas immortalitatem induit : et ut carnis Christi vera resurrectio discipuUs et ahis indubitato constaret, Christus banc multis argumentis et signis per quadraginta dies patefecit : et postea immortalem carnem de petra (inquit Cyprianus) sepulchri levatam jam non in terrenis, sed in ccelestibus, et in Patris dextra collocavit. Si Christus autem, quoad corporis ejus substantiam, non sit in terrenis, sed in ccelestibus, miror neo- tericos contra CyprianumChi'istum, quoad corporis prsesentiam, in terrenis constituere : id enim affirmant neoterici quod D. Cyprianus pernegat. Cyprianus autem dicit quod non est in terrenis : neoterici vero in terrenis esse dicunt. Cypri- anus dicit, Non est in terrenis, sed in ccelestibus : neoterici autem aiunt ilium in terrenis et in ccelestibus simul esse. Cyprianus, primum, negat Christum esse jam in terrenis ; et, secundum, asserit quod sit in ccelestibus : neoterici Tero et primum et secundum asserunt, et Christum, quod ad humani- tatem ejus spectat, simul in terrenis et ccelestibus collocant. Et ut hjec manifesta et clara D. Cypriani verba (quae negant Christum juxta carnem esse in terrenis) eludant, dicunt terrena et ccelestia, apud Cyprianum, significare terrenas et ccelestes conditiones et qualitates, et non loca terrena slve ccelestia : et ita interpretantur Christum non habitare in terrenis, sed in ccelestibus : id est, Christus post resurrectionem terrenas exuit conditiones, miserias, afflictiones, ignominias, et mortem; et^ induit conditiones, proprietates, glorias, et immortalitatem : [1 In Foxe, mortalitate.] [2 Cyprian. Expos, in Sj-mb. Apost. Op. Tom. ii. p. 180. Antw. 1541.] [3 Ccelestes appears to be wanting to complete the sense.] CffiNiE DOMINI. 483 sic vivere in terrenis esse hujus vitrc miseriis et calamitatibus esse subjectum ; et vivere in cojlestibus esse ab hujus vitje miseriis et calamitatibus liberari. Iljec equidem aliquo modo vera sunt : sed nec verbis nec argumento D. Cypriani con- veniunt. Nam non solum docet Christum per gloriosam suam papistid resurrectionem corporis mortalis conditiones deposuisse ; verum diiutlo. etiam articulum Christi ascensionis in ccelos interpretatur, et corpus Christi immortalibus et gloriosis conditionibus donatum e terrenis locis ad ccelestia loca fuisse sublatum : et id testatur illius verbum, " In Patris dextra collocaret ;" quod non est Christum post resurrectionem suam in altiore et digniore con- ditione tantum collocare, verum etiam in altiore et eminentiore loco collocare : alioqui frustra poneretur articulus de Christi ad ccelos ascensione. Si enim Patris dextra, et cojlestia, de quibus Cyprianus meminit, nihil significarent prteter ccelestes et divinas qualitates, has Christus induit statira a resurrectione, devicta et conculcata mortis tyrannide. Sed coelestis Pater sepultum suum Jesum Christum a resurrectione non tantum praestantioribus, gloriosis, ct immortalibus conditionilius dona- vit ; sed etiam prajstantiora et digniora loca et habitacula illi dedit et contulit, juxta sanctam ac catholicam fidem, " Ascendit ad ccelos; sedet ad dextram Dei Patris omnipotentis." Sed non constitui apud me aliorum rationes subvertere, nec illis argumentis quibus neoterici veritatem expugnare conantur respondere ; verum i*ationes ac certitudines mese ipsius fidei omnibus Christi fidelibus simpliciter, nude, aperte, ac vere proponere. Satis enim esse judico illorum nugas et infrugi- fera somnia damnari et expugnari per Christi, evangelistarum, apostolorum, sanctorumque patrum scripta, et catholicae eccle- sise Christi testimonia. " Non super terram, nec in terra, nec secundum carnem, Ambrosius quaerere debemus, si volumus invenire*." Et paulo post : luc? cap" 24. " Stephanus non super terram quaesivit, qui stantem ad dex- tram Dei vidit." Ambrosius jubet nos cavere, ne Christum super terram, in terra, vel secundum carnem, quseramus, si volumus ilium invenire. Neoterici autem jubent, mandant, et ferro flammisque imperant, ut Christum, quoad carnem, super terram et in terra latentem et delitescentem sub panis et vini formis et speciebus quseramus : quod nisi fecerimus, [■* Ambros. In Luc. xxiv. Lib. x. Opor, Tom. iii. col. 229-230. A. Paris. 1G03.] 31—2 484 DE VERA DOCTRINA ET USU ut hgoretlcos nos proscindunt et flagellant. 0 miseranda, deploranda, ac calamitosa ecclesise Christ! conditio, in qua tales dominantur et imperant qui catholicam Christi fidem a Christo, apostolis, et evangelistis traditam, sanctorumque patrum testimoniis confirmatam, profligant et persequuntur, ut peregrinam, fictam, et ementitam inducant et defendant ! Quod autem Ambrosius dicit, non super terram nec in terra quasrendum esse Christum juxta carnem, Christus apud evan- gelistas aliis verbis expressit. "Si quis, inquit, dixerit, Ecce hie, ecce illic est Christus ; nolite credere." Quid est quperere Christum super terram vel in terra, nisi panem in altum a pfapho sublatum supra caput suum, vel eundem panem in altari repositum, pro Christo adorare? Nam ipsi semper hoc habent in ore, si supra caput in missis panis formam elevamus et extollimus, Ecce hie est Christus; et si panem in altari deposuerint, ogganniunt, Ecce ibi est Christus. Et si in ecclesia plures misssD fiant simul, panis per unura pfaphum factus est Christus Deus et homo : per alteram, statim ubi ad canonem venerit, fiet Christus Deus ct homo : per alium vero jam panis factus Deus et homo consumptus est in stomacho pfaphi, et Christus hominem et mundum relin- quens avolavit in ccBlum : ut est De consecratione, distinctione secunda, in glossal Pra3terea, in una ecclesia simul et eodem tempore unus pfaphus Christum suum impanatum seorsum erigit : alter eodem tempore deorsum dcprimit. Hie Christum incipit ex pane conficere : ille vero Christum confecit. Iste autem Christum comedit : alius comedendum adorat. In hoc altari forma panis recepta stomachum pfaphi implet: in illo vero altari forma panis adhuc jacet, sub qua statim Christus corpore est comedendus. In alio autem altari Christus tro- phasum agit ; et sursum (quantum pfaphi vires extendunt) supra caput ejus extollitur. Ita ut pfaphi neoterici, dum unus Chris- tum e supernis revocat, alter ad ccelos mittit ; dum unus sursum elevat, alter eundem deorsum detrahit ; dum hie hodie conficit Christum, ille eodem tempore eundem in pixide reservat ; dum iste in pixide servat, alius vero eundem vermibus pollutum comburit ; mirum in modum Christianam deformant religionem. Haec omnia scimus fieri in ecclesiis qute tyrannidi Romani Certum est quod species quam cito dentibus teruntur, tam cito in coelum rapitur corpus Christi. — Corp. Jur. Can. de Consec. Dist. 11. gloss, in cap. xxiii. Decrot. Grat. col. 2261. Venet. 1G04.] CCENiE DOMINI. 485 pontlficis subjiciuntur : sed quam procul absint ista a cbris- tiana religione, articuli fidei catholic£e testantur, Nos autem credimus Christum Jesum semen Abraha) semel in utero beataj virginis assumpsisse : illud ad mortem juxta carnem in cruce obtulit : idem tertio die immortale fecit ; et post quadra- ginta dies illud e terris subduxit, ac sustulit in coelum ; quod in coelo semper permanebit usque ad consummationem seculi : ita ut jam per manus sacrificuli illud semen Abraham! in Christo non possit amplius seorsum aut deorsum moveri vel agitari. Viderint ergo neoterici, qui Christi humanitatem indies ex pane conficiunt, et sub panis specie sursum ac deorsum dicunt se ilium corporaliter agitare et movere, quid respondeant Christo, cum venerit in gloria majestatis suae ad judicandum vivos et mortuos. Profecto si neoterici illorum scriptorum doctrince essent memores, qui dicunt Christum a resurrectione omnes hujus mundi conditiones deposuisse, et alias spirituales et cwlestes induisse; non dicerent, imo horre- rent dicere, corpus Christi, immortalitate et coelestibus con- ditionibus prasditum, sursum ac deorsum per manus hominum agitari. Quod enim sursum ac deorsum movetur per homi- nem ccrte ultra mortales conditiones non induit. Prasterea, de novo indies fieri non est coeleste et immortale, verum terrestre et caducum. Si autem ex pane qui hodie nec Deus nec homo erat fit Deus et homo, profecto hoc non est divi- num nec humanum, sed plane phantasticum et abominandum. Quis enim, nisi omni fide et ratione destitutus, diceret vel crederet quod panis, qui hodie ex tritico conficitur, eras futurus sit Deus et homo ? Rogo igitur enixe Dominum nos- trum Jesum, ut omnes qui Christo nomina dedcrunt scdulo et alta mente secum perpendant hoc, an quod hodie nec Deus nec homo sit crastino sit futurus utrumque Deus et homo. Porro, quod neoterici dicunt, hoc fieri virtute et omnipotentia verbi divini, cogitent apud se, an sit possibile vel credibile, ut hodie id Deus fiat quod heri Deus non erat. Scriptura autem sancta nos docet Deum nec principium nec finem habere. Quomodo igitur erit eras Christus quod hodie est panis ? Sed ad reliqua sanctorum patrum testimonia redibo. Alia conjirmatio nostrce assertionis. "Dupliciter vero sanguis Christi et caro intelligitur ; vel r o O in pnmum spiritualis atque divina, de qua ipse dixit, ' Caro mea vere est tofc Iphes. 486 DE VERA DOCTRINA ET USU cibus, et sanguis meus vere est potus;' et, 'Nisimanducaveritis carnem meam, et sanguinem meum blberitis, non habebitis vitam reternam : ' vel caro et sanguis Christi quae crucifixa est, et qui militis effusus est lancca, etc.^" D. Hieronymus unam carnem Christi spiritualem atque divinam facit, quam cibum fidelium Christus appellavit ab omnibus comedendum : alteram vere ac positive naturalem et crucifixam facit. Ita et sangui- nem Christi duplicem facit; unum a fidelibus bibendum, alterum militis lancea elfusum. Neoterici vero contra Hicronymum affirmant, eandem carnem crucifixam in suis missis esse come- dendam, atque eundem sanguinem militis lancea effusum esse bibendum. Quod autem D. Hieronymus negat ipsi affirmant. Nam inquit, Alia est spiritualis atque divina caro, de qua Christus dixit, "Caro mea vere est cibus;" et alia caro, qua) a Juda^is est crucifixa. Eandem etiam divisionem ponit de sanguine ; unum ad potandum in sacra coena, alterum vero effusum in dira cruce. Idem et nos dicimus, quod spiritualis atque divina caro Christi ab omnibus fidelibus recte coenam Domini manducantibus sumitur, sed non carnalis et humana caro : hoc est, caro Christi in hunc spiritualem ac divinum usum a Deo Patre destinata, ut illius morte super crucem nostra omnia peccata perlitaret, ab omnibus edi debet; non ut carnis Christi substantia stomachum recipientis symbola sacrae ccense impleat ; sed ut mortis ejus meritis, quam in came est passus, conscientiae maculas abstergat, atque peccatores Deo Patri reconciliet. Ilaec caro Christi fide sumitur, et non ore : totum hominem (id est, corpus et animam) implet, et non unam hominis partem, scilicet stomachum. Ha3c autem non per hominem cum externis sy rabolis exhibetur ; verum per Spiritum sanctum, quando symbola juxta institutionem Christi rite ministrantur. Idem dicendura est etiam de sanguine Christi, qui spiritualis est potus fidelium : sed sanguis Christi militis lancea elfusus in coelis est, et non in terris. Et hoc idem Hieronymus Hieronymus clarius ostendit in libro Ecclesiast. cap. iii. hisce cap. 3. ■ verbis: "Porro quia caro Domini verus est cibus, et sanguis verus est potus, juxta avaycoyTji' ; hoc solum habemus in presenti seculo bonum, si vescamur carne ejus, cruoreque potcmur, non solum in mysterio, sed etiam in scripturarum lectione^" Duo D. Hieronymus his verbis docet : primum, [1 Hicron. In Ephes. c. i. Opcr. Tom. ix. fol. 90. K. Paris. 1534.] L2 Id. In Eccles. cap. iii. Op. Tom. vii. fol. 31. m.] CCEN^ DOMINI. 487 quod caro Christi et ejus sanguis juxta avaywyrjv sunt cibus et potus ; secundum, quod non solum in mysterio, sed etiam in scripturarum lectione, caro et sanguis Christi perci- piuntur. Perpendamus altius banc divi Hieronymi doctrinam. J uxta, inquit, avaycoyriv caro Domini est verus cibus, et sanguis ejus verus potus. Quis vel abecedarius^ ignorat quod avwyw- yri non historicum vel literalem, sed allegoricum ac recon- ditum sensum in sacris Uteris exigat ? Si ergo caro Christi juxta dvaywyr^v sit verus cibus, quare non anagogice Chris- ti verba, " caro mea vera est cibus," accipiunt ? Sed quod Christus atque omnes sancti patres spiritualiter et juxta avaywyrjv loquuntur, neoterici, ut novum atque ementitum Christum suum protegant, omnia ad strepitum atque verborum stridorem urgent: quod omnino nec pium nec sanctum est. Deinde, inquit Hieronymus quod caro et sanguis Christi seque in sacrarum literarum lectione atque in mysterio percipiantur. Nemo autem dubitat quin in lectione sacrarum literarum caro Christi non carnaliter et corporaliter, sed spiritualiter et effi- caciter percipiatur. Mirum ergo est, quod corporalis et carnalis corporis Christi perceptionem in mysterio Domini coenae consti- tuant. Sed isti neoterici, ut suum novum Deura masculo pectore defendant, diruunt, ^dificant, mutant quadrata rotun- dis^, ut Solent dicere. Christi quidem spiritualem et sacramen- talem manducationem corporis sui diruunt, atque carnalem impie sedificant ; et bene quadrata in verbo Dei suis rotundis praestigiis et circulatoriis mutant. Nos credimus tamen, quod juxta dvaywyriv caro Christi verus sit cibus, et sanguis ejus verus potus, sed non juxta literalem et historicum sensum. Et hoc credimus, non solum sanctorum patrum testimoniis admoniti, verum etiam Christo ipso mandante, qui dixit, "Verba qu£e ego loquor vobis spiritus et vita sunt : caro non prodest quic- quam." Spiritualem ergo, juxta dvayiayriv, exigunt sensum, et non sermonis aut literarum stridorem et strepitum ; quern semper neoterici contra sacras scripturas et sanctorum patrum scripta insulsissime urgent. Neoterici valde conqueruntur, quod populus hujus regni adeo abominatur ac detestatur illorum impia sacra ; quodque diligentius et religiosius templa non frequentant. Sod ego certe magis miror, quod qui illorum missis intersunt subito ac repente vel in furorem vel in mortem [3 Abecedai-ius, qu. learner of A B CD?'] Hor. Epist. I. i. 100.] 488 DE VERA DOCTRINA ET USU non incidant. Quis enim non horresceret, et judicium Dei non metueret, quando quod ante missam triticuin, simila, et panis erat, in missa pro Deo ipso adoratur ; et quod jam juxta illos Deus est, erat aliquando, nempe ante semihorara, quando Deus non erat ? Q uam horrenda sunt ista qufe a neotericis ad ra- vim usque clamitantur, quam tremenda ; quod ante consecratio- nem panis erat, post consecrationem fiat Deus ! Deus misere- atur nostri atque ecclesifs sure, et llberet illam ab isto idolo abominationis. Profecto gravissime in Deum peccant, qui hujusraodi impiis sacris intersimt. Si tamen de rebus adiapho- ris, mediis, vel ceremoniola aliqua ageretur, non tantum esset periculum illis qui intersunt : sed res agitur de novo Christo, et novo sacrificio, de quibus nec prophette nec evangelistse unquam audierunt vel prasdicaverunt ; ut postea manifestius ostendam. August in "Sursum est Dominus ; sed etiam hie est Veritas Domini. Corpus ■ ■ Corpus enim Domini in quo resurrexit uno loco esse oportet : Chnsti in / . . ^ uno loco. Veritas ejus ubique diffusa est^" Hic D. Augustinus cum Cypriano et Ambrosio, item cum sacris Uteris, idem dicit. Dominus, inquit, quatenus homo, sursum est : sed quatenus Deus, hic est ; cujus vi ac potentia vivimus, movemur, et sumus : pra3terea omnes creaturae ab eo a corruptione conservantur. Et Dominum, quod ad corpus ejus attinet in quo resurrexit, in uno loco esse oportet (sic vetera exemplaria Augustini legunt, et sic in canonico jure, De consecratione, distinctione secunda, Augustinus citatur ; et non, potest esse, ut posterior editio Au- gustini habet"'). Ilic duo Augustinus animadvertit : unum, quod Christi corpus in quo resurrexit (hoc est, corpus Christi immor- tale et gloriosum) in uno loco esse oporteat ; alterum vero, quod simul et semel idem corpus gloriosum plura loca occupare vel implere non possit. Haec Augustini verba premunt ac flagellant neotericorum errorem, qui dicunt corpus Christi reale esse in sacramento, tamen non localiter (ut aiunt), vel non ut in loco. Quod si non sit in loco, baud dubie non est corpus, ut statim ostendam. Sed contra illos aperte testatur Augus- tinus : " Corpus in quo resurrexit in uno loco esse oportet." August. Idem Augustinus affirmat Tractatu in Joannem l^, ubi tam Joan. 50. pcrspicua ot manifcsta habentur verba, ut omnes hunc errorem August, in Evang. Joan. Tract, xxx. cap. vii. Op. Tom. ix. col. 247. c. Basil. 1569. Where Veritas Dominus, and esse potest.] [2 Corp. Jur. Can. de Consec. Dist. ix. cap. xliv. col. 2276. Venet. 1604.] [3 Tract. L. cap. xii. Op. Tom. ix. coll. 367. D. 368. a.] CCEN^ DOMINI. 489 de corporali corporis Christi prsesentia facile agnoscant ; nisi velint in clara luce oculos suos obserare, et volentes ac scientes agnitam et apertam veritatera impugnare. Verba ejus sunt base, commentantis in hunc locum Joannis evangelistaj, "Et loquebantur inter se, Quid putatis, quod non venit ad diem festum? etc." "Nos indicemus modo Judajis ubi sit Christus ; utinam velint audire et apprehendere, quicunque sunt ex semine illorum qui dederant mandatum ut indicarent eis ubi esset Christus. Veniant ergo ad ecclesiara, audiant ubi sit Christus, et apprehendant eum. A nobis audiant, et ex evangelio audiant. Occisus est a parentibus eorum, sepultus est, resur- rexit, a discipulis agnitus, ante oculos eorum ascendit in ccelum, ibi sedet ad dextram Patris : qui judicatus est venturus est judex. Audiant et teneant. Respondent, Quem tenebo ? Absentem? Quomodo in coelum manura mittam, ut ibi seden- tem teneam ? Fidem mitte, et tenuisti. Parontes tui tenue- runt carne ; tu tene corde : quoniam Christus abscns etiam prsescns est : nisi prsesens esset, a nobis ipsis teneri non posset. Sed quoniam verum est quod ait, Ecce ego vobiscum sum usque ad consummationem seculi, et abest, et hie est ; et rediit, et nos non deseruit : corpus enim suum intulit coelo, majestatem non abstullt mundo." H£ec Augustinus. Quis desiderare vel excogitare potest quicquam clarius et apertius contra errorem de corporali corporis Christi pra3sentia in terris quam hrec qua; ab Augustine notantur ? llogat Augustinus Judaeos ut ad ecclesiam veniant, et audiant ubi sit Christus. Sed rogat Augustinus ut in ecclesia hoc discant Juda;i per ilium et alios, qui Christum indicarent ; non ex umbris et tene- bris humanarum literarum, verura ex stclla et luce evangelii ; quod indicat, inquit, Christum a Judseis occisum, post mortem fuisse sepultum, post sepulturam e mortuis resurrexisse, et agnitum fuisse a discipulis, ante quorum oculos ascendit in coelum, et ibi sedet ad dextram Patris ; et tandem qui judicatus est veniet judicaturus vivos et mortuos. IIsoc rogat Augusti- nus ut audiant et teneant. 0 utinam neoterici nostri hoc a populo Christiano rogarent, ut ex evangeliis discerent ubinam esset Christus noster, qui semel pro nobis vitam suam depo- suit : tunc absque dubio audirent, intelligerent, et tenerent, Christum (juxta humanam suam naturara) esse in coelis, et non in terris. Sed neoterici humana dogmata tantum produnt, ex quibus fingunt Christi humanitatem invisibihter latere in terris 490 DE VERA DOCTRINA ET USU sub speciebus panis et vini ; contra manifesta testimonia omnium evangelistarum et apostolorum, ac etiam D. Augustini, qui dicit, Fidem mitte, ac tenuisti : ac si dixisset, Post assump- tionera carnis Christi in ccelum non opus est ut manum mittas in ccelum, quo ilium teneas, 0 si ista verba neoterici dili- genter perpenderent ! Si autem Augustinus credidisset cor- poris Christi realem przesentiam in eucharistia, quam apposite potuisset dicere, Manum ministri ad altare astantis contem- plare, et ilHc Christum latentem sub speciebus panis et vini invenias et teneas ! Vel sic dixisset, Recipe panem sanctum et consecratum ; et sub ejus forma Christum ore percipies, et per gulam in stomachum trajicies. Sed pius Augustinus omnem corporalem corporis Christi pra5sentiam a Judteis toUit, sic inquiens : " Parentes tui tenuerunt carne ; tu tene corde : quo- niam Christus absens etiam prtesens est : nisi prjesens esset, a nobis teneri non posset." Non dicit Augustinus ad Judaeum, Parentes tui tenuerunt carne et carnali modo ; sed carne, sim- pliciter. Nec dicit, Tu corporaliter Christum corde tene ; sed simpliciter dicit, Corde tene : hoc est, ut antea dixit, Mitte fidem, et tenuisti ; id est, crede in Jesum Christum, et ilium tones, et ipse te tenet. Nam quamvis quoad corporis ejus praBsentiam absit, virtute tamen, efficacia, et meritis suae gra- tife ac passionis priEsens est : et sic corpore abiit, et spiritu hie est ; et rediit, et nos non deseruit : corpus enim suum intulit ccelo, majestatem autem non abstullt mundo. Qui hsec Augustini verba diligenter candidoque judicio legeret, facile crrorem de corporali corporis Christi prjesentia in terris intel- ligeret : quod ut omnes semel intelligant, Deum suppliciter oramus, et ut errorem cognitum ex animo deponant. Tunc tandem ad gremium sanctte matris ecclesise Christi redirent, et cum ilia firmiter crederent Christum adesse suis sacramentis, non carnaliter, corporaliter, aut realiter; sed sacramentaliter spiritualiter, et potentialiter. Annotabo etiam ilium insignem locum ex llbro de essentia Divinitatis, qui inter libros Aurelli Augustini computatur. August.de Circa finem istius llbri hsec habentur verba: " Sed quia Filius essentia tn* •• Divinitatis. Dei, qui m Substantia divmitatis cum Patre unum est, ob reparationem humani generis, quod in Adam lapsum fuerat, prope finem mundi in uterum Marine virginis illapsus, veram carnem ex ejus substantia creavit, atque in singularitate personse sua) ita univit, ut Deus pariter esset et homo ; simplici vero CCENiE DOMINI. 491 persona, ut dictum est, genuina vero substantia ex cadem virgine incorrupto pudore nasceretur ; ut qui erat et est in divinitate verus Deus a Patre genitus, invisibilis et incor- poreus atque incomprehensibilis, sicut et Pater, ipse csset et verus homo, visibilis, corporeus, et circumscriptus ; atque idem ipse, non alius Deus et alius homo, sed Deus et homo, unus est Christus Dei Filius ; passus pro salute nostra, in sola carne mortuus, et sepultus in eadem carne ; in qua etiam die tertio per yirtutem divinitatis sua) de sepulchro resurgens ascendit in cesium, et sedet ad dextram Patris : quem inde ven- turum ad judicandum vivos et mortuos in ea carne in qua ascen- dit, sed glorificata, universalis expectat ecclesia ; quemadmodum et in symbolo universi decantant fideles. Et idcirco eundem Dei Filium secundum substantiam divinitatis sua) invisibilem et incorporeura et immortalem et incircumscriptum^ nos credere et confiteri oportet : juxta humanitatem vero visibilem, corpo- reum, localem, atque omnia membra humana veraciter habentem credere convenit et confiteri. Quoniara, sicut eundem Dei Filium ct Redemptorem nostrum secundum divinitatem invi- sibilem et incorporeum, sicut et Patrem et Spiritum Sanctum, non credere impium est ; ita eundem Dei Filium in homine assumptum visibilem, corporeum, atque localem post resur- rectionem non credere et profiteri profanum est^." Usee Au- gustinus: vel igitur Augustinus vel neoterici male et perperam de humanitate Christi jam immortali facta sentiunt. Augus- tinus cnim dicit, quod, sicut Christus verus Deus est, invisibilis et incorporeus atque incomprehensibilis ; ita et verus homo est, visibilis, corporeus, et circumscriptus. Verba Augustini sunt notanda. Christus autcm, inquit, ut verus homo, est corporeus et circumscriptus ; neoterici vero dicunt ac docent Christum in Sacramento (ut est verus homo) esse corporeum, tamen incircumscriptum. Sed qualis sit ille Christus, qui est juxta humanam naturam incircumscriptus, viderint qui hoc pra)dicant et docent. Profecto non ille est quem patriarcha), propheta), et apostoli agnoverunt : igitur nullus est. Nam verus Christus, quatenus homo, est (inquit Augustinus) cir- cumscriptus. Pra^terea addit, Et idcirco eundem Dei Filium secundum substantiam divinitatis sua) invisibilem et incor- (Sicut ct Patrem et Spiritum Sanctum) August.] [2 August, de Esscnt. Divinit. Op. Tom. iv. coll. 974. c. D. 975. A. Basil. 1569. Where for genuina, gemina.'] 492 DE VERA DOCTRINA ET USU poreum et iramortalem et incircumscnptum nos credere et confiteri oportet : juxta humanitatem vero visibilem, corpo- reum, localem, etc. Augustinus dicit quod Christus (quatenus est verus homo) non solum est visibilis et corporeus, xerum etiam localis. Quomodo igitur cohaeret haec fides S. Augustini et sanctorum, qui Christum a resurrectione, quatenus est homo, localem faciunt, cum fide neotericorum, qui Christum in eu- charistia illocalem reddunt ? Omnes enim neoterici dicunt quod Christus est sub forma panis et vini in Sacramento, sed non ut in loco : Augustinus vero ait quod, sicut Christus, quatenus verus Deus, est incircumscriptus ; ita, ut verus homo, est circumscriptus et locahs. Addit etiam, A resurrectione. " Quoniam (inquit), sicut eundem Dei Filium et Redemptorem nostrum secundum divinitatem invisibilem et incorporeum, sicut et Patrem et Spiritum Sanctum, non credere impium est; ita eundem Dei Filium in homine assumptum visibilem, corporeum, atque localem post resurrectionem non credere et confiteri profanum est." Miror igitur qua temeritate et audacia isti neoterici audeant Christum verum hominem constituere incircumscriptum et illocalem, idque pro veritatis assertione defendere ; cum Augustinus dicat " eundem Christum Dei Filium in homine assumptum visibilem, corporeum, atque localem non credere ac confiteri post resurrectionem profanum esse." Quare autem non insurgunt bellaque movent contra hunc sanctum patrem Augustinum, qui dicit Christum (quoad humanitatem) localem non credere ac confiteri profanum esse ? Xeoterici vero dicunt Christum (quoad ejus humanitatem) in coena credere adesse, et non localem, sanctum esse ; imo sanctissimum vocant ac decent : sed Augustinns profanum esse ac impium affirmat. Ehgant ergo pii lectores quern velint instructorem et judicem habere in hac causa ; sanctis- sima Dei verba et sanctorum patrum scripta, an Papae tyran- nidem et neotericorum mendacia. Quod autem sacrse literae veterumque patrum testimonia profanum vocant, isti neoterici sanctum esse jactitant. Aliud testimonium ex Augustlno subjiciam, quo (juxta corporalem sui prtesentiam) Christum a nobis abesse confi- H'om'21 tetur : sed interponam unum locum D. Gregorii, qui habetur paschatu. homilia xxi. Paschatis, ne alias seorsim per se positus hue non tantum facere crederetur. Haec habet verba, commentans in hunc locum evangelistag, " Surrexit ; non est hie " Xon CCENjE DOMINI. 493 est hie dicitur per prassentiam carnis, qui tamen nusquara deerat per prsesentiam majestatis'." Ex quibus verbis cogno- scimus Christum, quod ad divinitatem ejus attinet, ubique esse ; quod vero ad humanitatem, locum semper retinere, et esse (ut Augustinus dicit) circumscriptione et localiter in loco : quod neoteric! Romani omnibus modis pernegant. Nam pro hoc maxime contendunt, ut Christum verum hominem sub speciebus panis et vini corporaliter habeant, non tamen circumscriptum aut localem : quod est penitus humanitatis Christi substantiam destruere atque annihilare. Legant igitur sacras literas sanctorumque patrum scripta cum judicio, abs- que ulla prsejudicii temeritate : et tunc tenebrae falsa) doc- trinas, quae illos in erroro detinent, luci evangelii proculdubio cedent ; et ipsi, ab humanarum traditionum servitute liberati, Domino Deo nostro de fontibus Israel (hoc est, ex divinis scripturis, et non hominum) laudes gratis animis cantabunt. Nam (ut Augustinus inquit) " sanct^ scriptural non teme- August, con- ^ ° ^ ' ... . , traAdimanl. ranos et superbos accusatores, sed diligentes et pios lec- ManiLhsei ^ . discipulum. tores desiderant^." Quid autem arrogantius superbiusve ''''i'- contra scripturas divinas per Spiritum sanctum ecclesiis tra- ditas, ac morte et sanguine Christi obfirmatas et consignatas, excogitari possit quam id affirraare quod ipsre apertissimis verbis pernegant ; idque negare quod omnibus modis ilia) affirmant ? Propterea rogo fequum lectorem ut judicet qua3 dice testimonio verbi divini. Verbum enim Dei per Spiritum sanctum mundo proditum dicit, " Si quis dixerit, Ecce hie, Mattli. xxiv. ecce illic est Christus ; nollte credere." Et iterum, " Pau- peres semper habebitis vobiscum ; me non semper habebitis," Matth. xxvi. Iterum, " Rellnquo mundum, et vado ad Patrem," Iterum, Joan. xvi. " Quem oportet ccelum suscipere usque ad tempus restaurati- Act. iu. onis omnium." Ad ha^c, " Quid si videritis Fihum hominis ascendentem ubi erat prius ?" Neoterici tamen, contra ista apertissima loca, et multa alia testimonia, qua3 negant Chris- tum juxta carnem esse in terris, affirmant, decent, ac prse- dicant Christum (quoad humanitatem) prajsentem esse in terris ; atque hanc affirmationem ferro et igne in ecclesiis stabiliunt; ubi sacr£B vero literte ecclesiis apertissimam ne- gationem tradunt. Prseterea sacraj litera; (ut hactenus est \} Greg. Magn. Horn. xxi. Opcr. fol. 325. c. Paris. 1533.] [2 August, contra Adim. cap. iii. Op. Tom. vi. col. 178. a. Basil. 1569.] 494 DE VERA DOCTRINA ET USU ostensum) asserunt notlssimis ac clarissimis verbis panem dari, panem frangi, panem edi in coena Domini. Js'am Christus Jiatth.jxvi. de pane accepto et benedicto dixit, " Hoc est corpus meum, Luc.xxii. quod pro vobis datur." Iterum, " Panis quem frangimus, icor.x.xi. nonne communio corporis Christi est?" Adhuc sarpius, " Quo- tiescunque comederitis panem," etc, Et de calice Christus dixit, " !Non bibam amplius ex hoc fructu vitis," etc. Neo- terici autem banc notam ac clarissimam assertionem panis et vini in sacra coena, quam sanctse literse testantur, omnibus modis, etiam ferro et igne, oppugnant. Quod Christus per sacrum suum verbum affirmat, ipsi vero per leges papales negant : et quod Christus per verbum suum negat, illi per jus pontificum alSrmant. Sed si neoterici (ut videri volunt) multum fuissent versati in veterum patrum scriptis, non ur- gerent unum locum sacrae scripturae, " hoc est corpus meum," contra multa et clarissima loca, qua; supra fideliter annotavi. Imo hoc audeo affirmare, nullum locum (si germane inteUi- gatur) in tota divinarum literarum serie plus facere contra transubstantiationem panis in ccena, quam hie locus facit, Hoc est corpus meum. Xee sum nescius quam mirabiliter se torqueant neoterici in hac propositione interpretanda. Au- August. de ffustinus vcro in hbro De Doctrina Christiana docet unum Doct. Chris- ? , , tiana. locum per plura mtelugi debere, et non unum contra plura . Contra Et, ut inQuit contra Adimantum Manichasi discipulum, capite Adimant. . r ii- i / . tertio : " Intelhgenda sunt, non temere accusanda, quae impe- ritis videntur esse contraria^." Quid est hoc igitm' nisi arro- gantiie, vel potius insaniae, indicium, semper recurrere ad petitionem principii, dicendo, " Hoc est corpus meum : vel est realiter corpus Christi, aut Christus arguendus et accusandus est mendacii ; nam ipse dixit, Hoc est corpus meum ?" Nos quidem Christum hoc dixisse non ignoramus: et Christum atque propositionem veros esse credimus atque testamur. Dicimus tamen, et semper probabimus, nec Christum corpus suum naturale in sacramento constltuere voluisse, nec propo- sitionem talem habere sensum qualem neoterici falsissime [1 Nihil cnim fere de illis obscuritatibus eruitur quod non pla- nissime dictum alibi reperiatur. — August, de Doctr. Christ. Lib. ii. cap. vi. Op. Tom. iii. col. 23. c. Basil. 1569. Ubi autem apertius ponuntur, ibi discendum est quomodo in locis intelligautur obscuris. — Ibid. Lib. nr. cap. xxv. col. 67. A.] [2 Id. Contra Adim. cap. iii. Op. Tom. vi. col. 176. b ] CCEN^ DOMINI. 495 fingunt et jactitant. Imo judicet requus lector, an verba ipsa propositionis non ostcndant panis substantiam remanere in coena, quara Christus corpus suum appellavit. Nam Christus dixit de pane quem tenebat in manibus, Hoc est corpus meum : non dixit de alia substantia quam panis. Nec dixit, Sub hac, in hac, supra banc, vel cum hac forma, panis est corpus mcum, quod vobis manducandum exhibeo : sed de pane dixit, Hoc est corpus meum ; et sacramentali modo panis substantiam corpus suum fecit, et ita vocavit. Et sic de Sacramento sacramentalis loquendi modus non est contem- nendus. Omnia enim sacramenta eorum induunt nomina quorum sunt sacramenta : ut non solum sacra? litertc, verum etiam sanctorum patrum testimonia testantur. Sacramenta tamen non transeunt in naturas ipsas earum rerum quarum sunt sacramenta ; sed sacramenta et res sacramentorum dis- tinctas ac discretas naturas semper retinent. Neutra vero substantia, vel signi aut signati, perit, nec in alterius substan- tias transit ; sed utraque manet : ut omnia sacramenta Christi ab origine mundi ecclesiis suis tradita testantur. Augustinus vere in Psalmum xcviii. pulchre et erudite naturas signorum et signatorum discretas ac distinctas retinet, hisce verbis : " Non hoc corpus quod videtis, inquit, manducaturi estis, neque ilium sanguinem quem effusuri sunt Judaei, qui me crucifigent, bibituri estis : sacramentum aliquod vobis do : id spiritualiter acceptum vivificat^." Hajc ct hujusmodi verba quam plurima habet Augustinus in codem Psalmo : sed quia liber mihi non adest, rogo pium lectorem ut Augustinum legat, et bene per- pendat ac cogitet apud se verba Augustini, qui dicit, Non hoc corpus quod videtis manducaturi estis. Simpliciter enim dicit, quod corpus Christi quod videbatur non asset mandu- candum. Non autem dixit. Hoc corpus, quale vel qualiter videtis, non estis manducaturi (ut neoterici Eomani dicunt) ; sed, Hoc corpus quod videtis, dixit, non estis manducaturi. Augustinus autem dicit, Nec ilium sanguinem bibituri estis quem effusuri sunt qui me crucifigent. Neoterici vero e con- trario repugnant, dicentes, Omnino bibituri estis sanguinem ilium quem Judaei effusuri sunt, sed non eo cruento et tjran- nico more. Augustinus corporis et sanguinis Christi substan- tiam per hominem manducari vel bibi negat; nam dicit, Hoc corpus non estis manducaturi, nec ilium sanguinem bibituri. [3 Vido supra, p. 463, note 4.] 496 DE VERA DOCTRINA ET USU HfBC pronomina, hoc, quis, ille, vel hujusmodi, omnes qui vel elementa grammatices norunt baud ignorant quod substan- tiam corporis et sanguinis significent, quam non sumus sus- cepturi cum sacramenti perceptione. Duo dicit Augustinus hoc in loco : unum autem, quod corporis et sanguinis Christi substantia, quas est res sacramenti, non sit praesens, nec cor- poraliter lateat sub externis formis sacramenti ; alterum vero, quod sacramenti et rei sacramenti naturoj et substantia} non confundantur, commisceantur, aut annihilentur in sacramento. Neoterici multa et varia decent, scribunt, et disputant de signi et signati conjunctione et unione, an sit personalis, realis, vel rationalis : sed quia rem per se perspicuam ac planam ex sacris scripturis cognoscimus, non opus erit circa tales argutias et circulationes, qu^ rem perlucidam ac planam implicatam, obscuram, ac nodis et dlfficultatibus plenam reddunt, immorari. Satis enim est, quia verum, quod scimus ex verbo Dei signum et signatum uniri et conjungi institutione divina, contemplati- oneque ac usu divino, coelcsti, ac fideli ; prreterea significatione et rerum similitudine Nam quemadmodum externa aqua^ lotio corpus abluit et mundat, ita interna Spiritus sancti operatio animam abluit et purgat ; et quemadmodum panis et vinum corpora nostra alunt ac sustentant, ita corpus et sanguis Christi animas fide recipientium nutriunt et refovent; ut integer homo, cum corpore turn anima, per integrum Christum corpore et anima, quem contemplatione ac considerationc fidei percipit, vivat in Christo ad vitam aeternam. Sed signum et signatum uniri naturaliter, ita ut signum in sacramento fiat aliquorum verborum prolatione quod signatum est sua substantia et natura, credere non possumus. Christus enim testatur vinum in sacramento esse fructum vitis ; quod verum non esset, si per verba sanctificationis vinum sua natura et substantia fieret significatum, hoc est, verus sanguis Christi. Idem docet Paulus de pane ad Corinthios, ut est antea. In- stitutione taraen Christi, ac contemplatione et consideratione fideli, coeunt et conjunguntur signum et signatum in sacra- mentis ; sed non alitor, ut neoterici dicunt : qui non solum signi naturam et substantiam (id est, panis et vini) in sacra coena destruunt ac perimunt ; sed etiam semper res signatas per signa ita praesentes faciunt, ut qui unum recipit et alterum nccessario recipiat : ita ut, sive impii, sive pii, vel bruta ani- mantia (ut sunt canes, mures, et hujusmodi) signum externum CCEN^ DOiMlNI. 497 capiant, et res signatas capere oporteat, propter signi ct sig- nati inseparabilem ac indivulsam unionem, conjunctionemque naturalem, quam ipsi constituunt : quod non solum falsum, verum etiam impium esse, constanter testamur. Nam Israelitae i cor. x. sub Mose manna, qui erat typus Christi, omnes manducabant: sed non manducabant manna Christum, quia plures illorum non approbavit Deus, ut inquit Paulus. Sic Simon Magus Acts viii. tinctus erat baptismo Christi : sed non erat tinctus baptismo Christo ; et, ut Augustinus dicit, " Judas manducabat panem Domini; sed non manducabat panem Dominum'." Qua? loca testantur quod significata non semper sunt prsesentia externis signis ; sed illis tantum una adsunt qui vera fide ac poeni- tentia (modo adultse sint ?etatis) externa signa juxta mandatum et institutionem Christi percipiunt. Et malos non comedere Joan. vi. carnem Christi ipsemet Christus testatur, dicens, " Qui man- manducant 1 1 -1 • • • corpus et ducat meam carnem, et bibit meum sangumem, m me manet, sanguinem . . . Domini. et ego in illo." Manere autem in Christo est participem esse omnium meritorum Christi : et Christum manere in homino est ei quem inhabitat per Spiritus sancti efficaciam ostendere quod ipse sit auctor et causa ilUus vitae in quo manet. Jam impii qui non agunt poenitentiam vita) pra)terit£B non sunt participes omnium meritorum Christi ; nam hujusmodi mar- garita) non solent projici ante porcos et canes, quorum fcedi- tatem et conspurcationem impii induerunt. Propterea (ut Sapientlse liber testatur) in malevolam animam non introi- bit sapientia, nee habitabit in corpore subdito peccatis. Si quis cupit hac de re plura cognoscere, quod mali non come- dant corpus Christi, Icgat Cyprianum in sermone De Ccena Domini^, AugustinumDe verbis Domini, sermone xxxiii.', trac- [1 In Joan. cap. xiii. Tract, nx. August. Op. Tom. ix. col. 402. c. Basil. 1669.] [2 Quamvis ab indignis se sumi vol contingi sacramcnta permittant, non possunt tamon spiritus esse participes quorum infidelitas vcl indig- nitas tantas sanctitudiui contradicit. . . . Verum his qui verbo tonus cordo sicci et mente aridi sacris intersunt, vcl otiam participant donis, lambunt quidcm petram, sed inde nec mel sugunt nec oleum, qui ncc aliqua caritatis dulcedine nec Spiritus sancti pingucdino vcgetantur, sed sicut cibis communibus irreverenter sacris utuntur muneribus. — (Arnold, ap.) Cyprian. Op. Tom. ii. pp. 294, 298. Antverp. 1541.] [3 Nolite parare fauces, sed cor. Inde commendata est ista coena, Ecce credimus in Christum, quem fide accipimus Modicum accipimus, et in corde saginamur. Non ergo quod videtui', sed quod crcditur, pascit. — August. Op. Tom. x. col. 128. d.] r n 32 Lhooper, II.J 498 DE VERA DOCTRINA ET USU tatu in Joannem sxyi.^ Hieronymum in Esaiam cap. Ixvi., libro iy.-, in Hieremiam^, cap. xxii. Et dicere etiam quod canes et mures, si externum signum sacramenti acceperint, quod una cum externo signo significatum(hoc est, corpus et sanguinem Christi) recipiant (ut dixi), plane impium est. Panis ange- lorum factus est munificentia Dei panis et cibus piorum ho- minum, sed non impiorum, nec canuin nec murum : nec a Deo Patre in mundum Christus erat missus, ut impios, canes, et mures pasceret ; sed ut peccatores ad pcenitentiam conver- teret, et poenitentes corporis et sanguinis sui meritis adim- pleret. Quod autem neoterici dicunt, quod impii cum sacris signis corporis et sanguinis Christi signata (hoc est, ipsum corpus et sanguinem Christi) accipiant, sed indigne, et ad ju- dicium et condemnationem, non admittimus ; propterea quod de sue scrinio et pectore loquuntur, et non ex verbo Dei. Paulus enim clare testatur, quod qui panem signum indigne accipiunt judicium manducent. Haec sunt ilhus verba : [1 Cor. xi.] " Itaque quisquis ederit panem hunc, aut biberit de poculo Domini, indigne, reus erit corporis et sanguinis Domini." Non dicit Paulus, Itaque quisquis ederit corpus Domini et biberit sanguinem Domini indigne : sed quia indigne sumentes sacramenta corporis et sanguinis Christi signis ccelestibus contumeliam faciunt, ea contumelia signorum rebus signatis imputatur, ut Paulus dicit ; ita ut sint corporis et sanguinis Christi rei : ut Israelitarum, JudiB, ac Simonis Magi exempla testantur ; qui externa signa, manna in deserto, sacrum panem in coena Domini, externamque lotionem baptismatis receperunt, quos tamen Christus non approbavit. Hie subjicerem plura testimonia contra realem Christi prae- Ac per hoc qui non manet in Christo, et in quo non manet Christus, proculdubio nec manducat spiritualiter carnem ejus, nec bibit ejus sanguinem, licet carnaliter et visibiliter premat dentibus sacra- mentum corporis et sanguinis Christi. — August. Op. Tom. ix. col. 230. D.] [2 Omnes voluptatis magis amatores quam amatores Dei . . . come- dere cibos impietatis, dum non sunt sancti corpore et spiritu : nec come- dunt carnem Jesu, neque bibunt sanguinem ejus. — Hieron. Op. Tom. V. fol. 114. D. Paris. 1533.] P Et ipsi quidem (hajretici) passionem Domini et sanguinem pol- liceutur; sed in perpetuum non regnant. ...Quodque infert, Xon come- dent etnon bibent, subauditur, corpus et sanguinem Salyatoris. — Ibid, fol. 140. I.] CCEN^ DOMINI. 499 sentlam in eucharistia ex Origenc in Matthseum Homilia xxxiii., ex Augustino ad Dardanum, ex Cyrillo in Joan, libro vi. cap. 14. et cap. 21. Sed quandoquidem istorum librorum copia mihi fieri non potest, satis est, cum non datur ultra, loca tantum annotare, et lectorem ad auctores ipsos relegare, ut suo studio illos perlustret ; propterea quod banc impiara et idololatricam doctrinam de corporali prjesentia in coena Domini detestentur atque expugnent. Jam ad tertium caput, in quo a neotericis dissentimus, descendam ; quod tarn paucis quam potero absol- vam, ne tractatus nimium crescat. Sed ne videamur vel igno- rantia aut dolo malo sanctorum patrum modos et formulas loquendi de corporis et sanguinis Christi prjesentia in coena Domini prjBterire, brevi epilogo omnes (quantum possum) fide- liter annotabo. 1. Dicunt nos carnem Christi manducare, et ejus sangui- nem bibere. 2. Panis et vini substantiara converti in substantiam carnis et sanguinis Christi. 3. Quod cum pane et vino idem recipimus quod pependit in cruce, 4. Quod Christus carnem suam nobiscum reliquit ; vel quod sit totus hie, et totus in coelo. 5. Quod id quod est in calice fluxit ex latere Christi. 6. Quod idem recipitur ore quod fide creditur. 7. Quod panis et vinum post verba sanctificationis sint corpus et sanguis Christi. 8. Quod nutrimur corpore et sanguine Christi. 9. Quod Christus abiit, et hie manet. 10. Et quod se ipsum ferebat suis manibus. Tales vero loquutiones apud patres agnoscimus : et quo- mode ipsi se ipsos etiam interpretentur non ignoramus; spiritualiter vel figurate, ut omnes patres testantur, et non secundum literam : ut Origen in Levit. Homiha vii.* Chrj- ['^ Carnibus cnim ct sanguine verbi sui, tanquam mundo cibo ac potu, potat ct reficit omne hominum genus. . . . Agnoscite, quia figure sunt quBC in divinis voluminibus scripta sunt ; et ideo tanquam spiri- tales, ct non tanquam carnales, examinate et intelligito quaj dicuntur Si enim secundum literam sequaris hoc ipsum quod dictum est, 'Nisi raanducaveritis carnem meam, et biberitis sanguinera meum,' occidit h£ec litcra. — Orig. Op. Tom. ii. p. 225. Paris. 1733.] 32—2 500 DE VERA DOCTRINA ET USU sostomus in Joan. Homilia xlvi.^ Tertullianus lib. i. et iv., con- tra jMarcionem^, Contra Adimant. cap. xii.^ Cyprianus libro Epistolarum ii., epistola 3.* Intelligunt enim Christum juxta suam dlvinitatem hie in terris nobis adesse, vel spiritualiter in omnibus qui fideliter in Christum credunt, et pie vivunt ; vel quod panis et vinum in sacra coena figurative pro corpore et sanguine Christi accipiuntur. Hsec autem vera esse quae dico, non ignorabit qui vcterum patrum scripta perlustrare digna- bitur. Finis. CAPUT III. Contra sacrificium missoe. Tertium caput in quo a neotericis dissentimus consistit in hoc ; quod ipsi corpus Christi in Romana missa Deo Patri pro remissione peccatorum vivorum et mortuorum offerunt : hoc est, volant Christum ex pane factum esse sacrificium pro- pitiatorium pro vivis ac mortuis. Nos autem privatam Romanam missam pro aliquo opere a Deo ordinate, vel pro Sacramento mortis et passionis Christi non agnoscimus ; sed humanum commentum ac profanationem sacrse Domini coenae esse credimus ac profitemur, ut antea est ostensum. Et nullum a morte Christi esse sacrificium propitiatorium credi- mus atque confitemur ; hoc est, a morte et prater mortem Christi nullum tale esse sacrificium vel opus, quod iram et indignationem Dei erga peccatum placare, atque illius gratiam in remissionem peccatorum peccatoribus impetrare possit. Hoc enim Christus semel per seipsum in cruce fecit; nec in hoc sacrificii propitiatorii genere, quod est pretium nostra redemptionis ab feterna ira et damnatione, socium aut successo- rem Christus patitur. Nam solus ipse omnia, semel ipse omnia, in se ipso omnia, per se ipsum omnia, super crucem omnia per sui ipsius sanguinis effusionem ac mortem (quoad pretium et solutionem nostras redemptionis) perfeclt ac absolvit imperpe- . . . . fieixvTjTai Tpocj)!]! TTvevjiarLKr\i, p. 745. 'An"o T^y TpaTre^rjs rav- TTjs aveicTL Trrjyrj Trorafxovs dipKiaa nvevjxaTLKOvs, p. 747. — Chrysost. Op. Tom. It. Eton. 1610.] Vide supra, p. 406, note 7 ; and p. 440.] [3 Vide supra, p. 406, note 2.] [•* Vide supra, p. 422.] CCEN^ DOMINI, 501 tuum : ita ut hoc sacrificii genus propitiatorii sit indescendcns et immigrabile : ita etiam ut extra ipsam Christi mortis actionera, et cruentam ejus sanguinis effusionena, atque illius sanctissimas anima3 a corpore ejus in cruce expirationem, migrare non possit. Rationes quibus impellimur ut hoc firmiter credamus sunt istce. " Atque hie, quod idem maneat in aeternura, perpetuura Hebrs. vu. habet sacerdotium : unde et salvos facere ad plenum potest qui per ipsum adeunt Deum, semper vivens ad hoc ut interpellct pro illis. Talis enim decebat ut esset nobis pontifex, pius, innocens, impollutus, segregatus a peccatoribus, et sublimior coelis factus ; cui non sit quotidie necesse, quemadmodum illis pontificibus, prius pro propriis peccatis victimas offerre, deinde pro peccatis populi : nam id fecit semel, cum se ipsum obtulit." Hie D. Paulus multis pra^claris ac perspicuis evincit argumentis Christi sacrificium non solum unicum esse et perpetuum, verum etiam semel oblatum. Primum argumentum petitur a natura et dignitate personse Christi : quia, inquit, Christus, jam factus immortalis, nulla morte ab officio suo impediri potest. Itaque quemadmodum ipse in perpetuum manet, ita et ejus sacerdotium nullum habiturum est finem. Adhuc alia ratione probat unicum et perpetuum esse Christi sacrificium. Christus unicus et perpetuus est sacerdos : quare unicum et perpetuura esse oportet ejus sacerdotium et sacrificium. Hoc ex natura et dignitate personae Christi sequi et concludi Paulus docet, a comparatione sacerdotum legalium cum sacerdote novi testa- ment! Christo. llli quidem plures fuere, quia mors illorum sacerdotium impediebat ac finiebat : at Christus sacerdos in aeternum secundum ordinem Melchizedech, immortalis, morti amplius nihil debet. Apud dialecticos Pauli ratiocinatio con- cludit a disparatis. Propter mortis enim tyrannidcm veteres plures fuere sacerdotes : sed propter immortalitatis perpetui- tatem Christus sempiternus est sacerdos. Deinde a natura et conditione sacerdotii Christi probat sacerdotium et sacrifi- cium Christi unicum esse ac perpetuum. Christi vero sacrificium est (inquit) a-n-apajiaTov, hoc est, intranscendens et immigra- bile. Non transit (inquit Paulus) nec migrat hoc sacerdotium a Christo in alium. Non dlcit (ut neoterici dicunt) Christi sacer- dotium non esse migrabile in alios per mortem, quemadmodum sacerdotium Aaronicum sub lege migrabat in alios ; verum 502 DE VERA DOCTRINA ET USU hoc sacerdotium Christ! immortale transit immortaliter in Christi successores et vicarios, quos episcopos ac alios ministros ecclesia) vocant. Sed quam procul hoc sit a veritate, qui tantum elementa Christi religionis didicerunt non ignorant. Paulus enim primum vocat Christi sacerdotium immigrabile in perpetuum et intranscendens. Si autem Christi sacerdotium ahquo modo (fingant neoterici qualem modum vehnt) in alios transcendit vol migrat, non est immigrabile et intranscendens, ut Paulus ait. Nam hoc est immigrabile, quod nec migrat nec migrare potest in alium : ut hoc est immortale, quod nec moritur nec mori potest. Usurpant igitur et tjrannice in se recipiunt neoterici banc potestatem interpretandi sacras scrip- turas, ut Christi sacrificium aliquo modo migrabile faciant, quod sacrje scripturae omnino immigrabile et intranscendens constituunt. Adhuc alio modo D. Paulus probat hoc Christi sacrificium unicum esse et semel oblatum, ab effectu et fine Christi sacrificii. " Unde," inquit, " et salvos facere ad plenum potest qui per ipsum adeunt Deum, semper vivens ad hoc, ut interpellet pro nobis." Et quemadmodum antea ab impossibili probavit Christi sacerdotium esse immigrabile, ex natura et condltione turn personae tum ofiicii Christi ; ita nunc Probat Pau- idem probat ab utlli et commodo saoerdotii et sacrificii sacer- tium Christi dotil Christi. Fructus vero asterni sacerdotii Christi est esse immi- _ , grabile, ab nostra salus : quae cum semel a Deo per Christi mortem sit iitih sacer- _ ^ _ ^ fidi'chHsu'' ^obis parta et acquisita, non opus est ut amplius vel alio Fructussacri- modo iuquiuatur' aut perficiatur. Nam inquit Paulus non saiuT"^* solum, Salvos fecit, verum etiam, Ad plenum salvos fecit. Ad plenum autem salvos facere est omnibus modis, numeris, ac rationibus salvos facere ; ita ut amplius a quoquam nihil desiderari, addi, adjungi possit. Cum ergo Christus solus, semel, et hoc etiam super crucem prsestiterit plene ac absolute, in immolatione et morte sui ipsius, profecto nihil superest; nec quicquam absolvendum pro peccatorum condonatione ac remissione aliis sacrifices vel sacrificulis reliquit. Quod si quid ad plenam satisfactionem peccatorum reliquisset, ad plenum (ut inquit Paulus) salvos non fecisset. Sed nihil vel sacerdotibus vel sacrificiis hac in parte reliquit : sed in se, per se, ac propter se solum, in cruce omnia pro redemptlone humani generis morte sua persolvit et absolvit ; ut Paulus hie inquit, " Ad plenum nos salvos fecit." Et ut adhuc signifi- [1 So in Foxe. Qu. inquiratur ?] CCEN^ DOMINI. 503 eantlus et clarius hoc Paulus intimaret, addlt, " Qui per ipsum adeunt Deum." Verba sunt perpendenda. Non dicit, Salvos fecit ad plenum eos qui Christum denuo et ex novo Patri offerunt ac sistunt ; sed dicit, Eos ad plenum salvavit qui per ipsum Patrem coelestem adeunt : hoc est, qui Christi fiducia et meritis Deum adeunt, ac solicitant pro remissione peccatorum et acceptatione, vota sua nanciscentur. Iterum verba Pauli resumo : " Qui per ipsum Deum adeunt." Oportet igltur accedere et adire Deum per Christum ; et non sistere vel offerre Christum Deo. Accedere autem et adire Deum per Apcedere et adite Deum Christum, est per ea et propter ea quse Christus ipse pra3- {J^^^jj*;''"^'"'^ stitit in morte sua remissionem peccatorum et acceptationem in ejus gratiam quserere. Nostrum ergo est per Christum Deum Patrem adire ; et non Christum Deo offerre vel sacrificare : et proculdubio, si nos Christum, qui est ab omnibus peccatis atque peccatorum maculis et suspicione immunis et alienissimus, Deo offerremus ac sisteremus, Deus Pater a nobis oblatum in sacrificium non admitteret. Ideo Paulus subjicit gravissimas sententias atque doctrinas, " Semper vivens ad hoc, ut inter- pellet pro illis." Christus vero jam non vivit, ut amplius cruento vel incruento (ut novi Christiani dicunt) sacrificio sistatur vel offeratur Deo per ministros ecclesise ; sed ut ipse ab immolatione sui ipsius, et immortalitate donatus, interpellet pro nostra salute apud Patrem coelestem. En verba Pauli : Ideo vivit ut ipsemet interpellet, et non alter ipsum sistat vel sacrificet. Sed ulterius contra istos neotericos pergit D. Paulus in hunc modum : " Talis enira decebat ut esset nobis pontifex, plus, innocens, impollutus, segregatus a peccatoribus, et sublimior coelis factus," &c. Si hsec verba probe ac candide a pfaphis et Romanis sacrificulis intelligerentur, ne unus quidem illorum Christum Deo Patri sisteret vel sacrificaret, sub poena tremendaj irse divinro. Verba Pauli jam introspi- ciamus : " Talis enim decebat ut esset nobis pontifex, pius, innocens," etc. Postquam Paulus ostendisset vim, efficaciam, ac virtutem sacrificii Christi, quod fructus illius esset salus nostra; iterum redit ad descriptionem persona) Christi, qui sacrificium obtuUt, quod sit pius, innocens, etc. Quibus verbis Paulus testatur quod non satis est, ut id quod offertur sit purum et innocens ; sed ut ipse etiam qui offert sit innocens et ab omni peccato immunis ; ob cujus sacrificium Dei Patris ira et indignatio 504 DE VERA DOCTRINA ET USU Quod purum contra peccatum placetur. Quod si Deo offertur quod a est per im- , , ^ tumTo'eo*" ^^^^'^^^ peccatorum soruibus purutn sit, modo per impurum uSr'^'^^ et peccatis obnoxium et pollutura offeratur, a Deo non accep- tatur nec admlttitur : nam nec offerentem nec oblata, peccatis conspurcata ac vitiata, Deus dignatur respicere. Et ut res clarior fiat, exemplis quibusdam illam illustrabo. Quid purius, sanctius, ac magis dlvinum excogltari poterit oratione Domi- nica, quam ipsemet Christus nos orare doeuit ? Tamen prop- terea quod nos, qui banc orationem Deo Patri nostro coelesti fundimus, obnoxii siraus peccato, illam ipsam orationem Jesu Christi, quatenus a nobis oblatam, Deus Pater negligit, contemnit, et non admittit. Ideo Christus docuit, ut, quando aJiquid sanctum, bonum, aut salutare a Deo impetrare veli- mus, utl illius nomine, hoc est, illius fiducia, dignitate, et honore, id faceremus. Nam etsi bona et pura sua natura assent quse Deo tribueremus ; tamen, propter offerentis im- puritatem et imperfectionem, Deus ea nec magni sestimaret, nec reciperet : et ratio hsec est ; propterea quod ea qnse sua natura perfectissima sunt, atque a Deo mandata, nunquam a nobis, qui obnoxii sumus congenitis et nativis mails, pure et absolute possint prsestari. Quamobrem Paulus dicit legem [Roni._'m^ ipsam, Dei inviolatam ac perfectissimam voluntatem, per nostram infirmitatem infirmari. Igitur, etsi Deo offeramus quae Deus nobis prsecepit ac mandavit ut a nobis offerantur, propter nostram tamen imperfectionem sunt imperfecta ; imo si nostra ipsorum corpora morti propter Christum sponte et ultro daremus, nihil nobis prodesset. Pulchrum est igitur quod Augustinus dicit : " Non poena, sed causa facit marty- rem^ :" ac si dixisset, Etsi sexcenties homo sese morti tradat, ac vivum sacrificium se Deo consecret, non in hoc Deo placet, quod sese offert mille mortibus cruclandum; sed quia ob Christi causara, cujus merltis ac passione est redemptus, nulla mortis genera timet aut formidat. Ideo si neoterici Christum ut sacrificium propitiatorium in suis sacris (vel potius, profanis missis) offerre velint, meminerint oportet, quod Deus non solum purum et immaculatum sacrificium, verum etiam inno- centes homines, puros et ab omni peccatorum macula et suspicione, qui ofi"erant, exigat. Nam Deus sua non curat (licet sanctissima ex sese), si per impurum ofi'erantur. [1 Epist. LXi. col. 310. A. Epist. CLXvn. col. 762. b. Op. Tom. ii. and elsewhere.] CtENiE DOMINI. 505 Quare dico nos Christum Deo Patri non offerre: sed Christus nos et omnia nostra, quas Deo placent, oflfert. Quod si neoterici papistse Christum haberent suis manibus corporaliter (ut se fingunt habere), et Deo ilium sexcenties offerrent pro peccatis vivorum et mortuorum, oporteret Deum Patrem Filium suum, sic per peccatis obnoxios oblatum, non agnoscere. Ipse enim solus, qui in corpora suo nostra peccata perlitavit super crucem, se ipsum semel obtulit, et recte potuit offerre, Deo Patri in odorem bonae fragrantijje, et amplius offerri non potest. Quapropter omnia nostra a Deo petimus per Filium, et propter Filium : sed Filium non offerimus nec sacrificamus Deo. Nisi enim per Christum prius fuerimus Deo reconciliati, omnia sane, qujecunque facimus, coram Deo sordent atque vilescunt. Christus igitur nos prius propter merita sua? passionis ac mortis Deo Patri coelesti offert et consecrat ; deinde nostra omnia, preces, eleemosynas, afSictiones, et quic- quid tandem in nomine Christi facimus : ipseque Pater propter Christum recipit, ac tandem coronabit tanquam merita sua : ut Augustinus dicit : " Offerre in remissionem peccatorum solus Christus potuit, et non aliud quam sui ipsius corpus 2." Veteres multa sacrificia habuerunt sub lege Mosaica, quaj sacrificia pro peccatis appellabantur, sed re ipsa peccata non tollebant, nec expiabant : "nam (ut inquit Paulus) lex nihil ad perfectionem [Heb. viL] adduxit." Tamen sub lege patres peccatorum remissionem fuerunt nacti, non ob alicujus operis vel sacrificii dignitatem aut meritum, quse sub lege fiebant ; sed tantum propter Chris- tum venturum, qui immolationem sui ipsius pro remissione peccatorum in cruce perlitavit : quod admirando amore bona fide praestitit ante mille quingentos annos; ita ut non sit necesse quotidie offerre : " nam id semel fecit, cum se ipsum obtuht," [Ueb. vii.] inquit Paulus. Tanta est autem illius unici sacrificii, semel peracti in cruce per Christum ipsum, vis et potentia, ut per illud, et propter illud, omnia peccata omnium vere poeniten- tium, qui sacrificii mortem pra3cesserunt, et qui illam sequuntur usque ad finem seculi, fuerunt, sunt, et erunt remissa. Im- pium ergo est vel aliud sacrificium praster mortem Filii Dei substituere, vel idem sacrificium repetere. In illo enim sacrificio, quo Dei ira et indignatio contra peccatum placatur, oportet ut hsec omnia simul in uno concurrant : primum, ut For a similar sentimtnt see Aug. De Trin. Lib. iv. cap. xir. The exact passage given in tlie text has not been found.] 506 DE VERA DOCTRINA ET USU Hffic omnia qui offer t, et quod offertur, sint immunes, puri, immaculati ab una concur- . . . sacrificio'" omiA peccatorum labe et contagione : deinde, ut tanta sit virtus ?ra°divinl'"' i^i-ius sacrificii semel peracti, ut omnem peccati atrocitatem et impietatem expurget ac debellet : prtBterea, ut ista peccatorum purgatio sit facta per mortem et sanguinis effusionem illius sacrificii quod offertur : deinde, quod qui tale sacrificium offert, destructa mortis tyrannide, vivat in perpetuum, ut interpellet pro illis quos sacrificii sui fecit participes. Et quemadmodum Christus se ipsum semel tantum obtulit, et post oblationem offerri semper desinit ; ita nullo modo pro remissione pecca- torum aliis sese comraendavit offerendum. Impium igitur est quod neoterici dicunt, Christum se ipsum obtulisse sacrificio cruento ; sed per sacrificulos offerri sacrificio incruento. Nam sacrificium incruentum Deus pro remissione peccatorum non [Heb. ix.] admittit. Propterea Paulus dicit, quod " absque sanguinis effusione non fit remissio." Hunc igitur Christum pro unico sacerdote et unico sacrificio in remissionem peccatorum agno- scimus et confitemur : plures vero sacerdotes pluraque sacrificia quam Christum ac ilhus mortem pro remissione peccatorum prorsus rejicimus. Pi-seterea Christo in suo sacrificio nec socium nec successorem tribuimus vel admittimus ; sed Chris- tum solum, Christumque semel offerentem atque oblatum, quaerimus ac profitemur. Secunda prohatio nostrce assertionis. Heb. ix. " Per proprium sanguinem ingressus est semel in sancta, ajterna redemptione reperta." Absque san- Hic D. Paulus uuicam placandi Deum ob peccata offen- gumiseffu- ^ ^ ^ ^ , , , , sum rationem prsescribit ; quoe fit per sanguinis expiationem, quam Christus solus et semel pro omnibus in cruce absolvit ad seternam redemptionem comparandam, ut in eodem capite Paulus testatur. " Nam si sanguis taurorum et hircorum, et cinis juvencae aspergens inquinatos, sanctificat ad carnis puri- ficationem ; quanto magis sanguis Christi, qui per Spiritum a3ternum se ipsum immaculatum obtulit Deo, purgabit consci- entiam a mortuariis operibus ad serviendum Deo viventi !" Sanguis Christi per se ipsum Deo oblatus purgat conscientias nostras a mortuariis operibus ad serviendum Deo viventi. Unde constat, quod omnis peccatorum venia collocanda est in morte Christi, quam semel ipse in cruce per se ipsum sus- tinuit ; et non expectanda est per crebras ac repetitas obla- sione non fit remissio. CCEN^ DOMINI. 507 tiones ChristI incruentas, quas falso et impie neoteric! fingunt. Ilia enim unica Christi oblatio satis est, quam ipse, et non alius, per mortem suam fecit : ad quam si fide confugiraus, repulsam non patiemur ; nec peccatorum poadere ac tyrannide, vel legis divinse accusatione et servitute, opprimemur. Satis vero, abundeque satis, iras et indignationi Dei opponit qui unicam Christi mortem opponit : et satis, abundeque satis, Mors christi tutus est a peccatorum fceditate, legis accusatione, mortis et attversus • . .. . . omnia mala inierni damnatione et tyrannide, qui Christi mortis ac passi- presidium, onis dignltate, honore, ac meritis sit munitus ac defensus. Non dico, ut qui hoc unico mortis Christi pra?sidio a mortis damnatione sint liberi, uti carnis curam agant, et mortis Christi securitate perdite vivant, ut neoterici falso in nos calumniantur ; sed ut hac fide prsediti verbum Dei audiant, cui etiam credant, vitamque suam ad illud componant, et ad- versa pro Christi A-eritate non abhorreant ; Christi, aposto- lorum, ac martyrum exempla imitantes ac assequentes. Omnia vero a Christianis quae Dominus jubet, quantum humana infirmitas praestare poterit, sunt facienda ; semper tamen dicere oportebit, " Remitte nobis peccata, quia servi sumus inutiles." Strenue autem agendum est quod possumus : sed fiducia nostra tantum meritis Christi nitatur oportet, ut intrepide stemus ante thronum Dei ; in cujus quidem conspectu nullus vivens justificatur, ut David dicit. Omnes tamen pii, qui sentiunt C^'^a'- "U".] se opprimi ira et indignatione divina propter peccata, per fidem in Christi meritis Deum adeunt, atque ilium semper placatum invenient. Ideoque, ut nos a Patris sui ira et judi- cio defendat, "in ipsum ccelum (inquit Paulus) ingressus est, [Heb. ix.] ut appareat nunc in conspectu Dei pro nobis : non ut soepius offerat se ipsum, quemadmodum pontifex ingreditur in sancta singulis annis per sanguinem alienum ; alioqui oportuisset ilium saepius passum fuisse a condito mundo : nunc autem semel sub consummationem seculorum ad profligationem pec- cati per immolationem sui ipsius apparuit. Et quatenus illud manet omnes homines ut semel moriantur, post hoc autem judicium ; ita et Christus, semel oblatus ut multorum peccata tolleret, rursus absque peccato conspicietur iis qui ilium ex- pectant in salutem." Duo Paulus hie praecipue docet : unum, quod unico mortis Christi sacrificio ad plenum a peccatorum condemnatione liberemur ; alterum vero, quod semel tantum illud sacrificium Christus per se ipsum obtulerit ; ita ut per 508 DE VERA DOCTRINA ET USU Perseiiec se, HGC per alium, amplius offerri queat. Per allum autem peralium „ . . • • tus^pui^" ^ sacrincium non potest, quia omnes sumus peccatis offerri. obnoxu : ct qui hac impietate gravantur nihil possunt (ut dixi) meritorie per ipsorum ministerium offerre. Et cum nullus, Christo solo excepto, super terram omnibus modis mundus et innocens unquam apparuerit, vel appareat, in con- spectu Dei ; ideo nullus sacrificium expiatorium vel propitia- torium Deo Patri ccelesti offerre potest: sed soli et uni Christo hoc convenit, et banc gloriam alteri Christus non est daturus. Hoc vero sacrificium non fit nisi morte ; quia peccata non expiantur quin sanguis sacrificii effundatur, et mors sacrifi- [Heb. ix.] cantis interponatur. *' Nam (ut inquit Paulus) testamentum in mortuis ratum est ; quandoquidem nondum valet cum vivit testator." Testamentum omnes sciunt esse apud Paulum promissiones humano generi factas propter Christum ; hoc est, remissionem peccatorum, acceptionem in gratiam et favo- rem Dei, et vitam seternam. Hcec, inquit Paulus, non sunt valida nec rata, nisi Christi morte obsignentur. Si h£BC igitur per Christum quotidie in missis papisticis offeruntur, quotidie Christum crucifigunt. Paulus enim dicit, " Siquidem ubi testamentum est, mors intercedat necesse est testatoris." Si autem fit remissio peccatorum, acceptatio in favorem Dei, et certitudo vitse feteruEe per Christum oblatum a ministris, mors Christi, qui offertur, intercedat necesse est. Quare, u£ MissaBo- uno verbo omnia absolvam, scatet plane missa ista Romana legiis scatet. sacrilegiis. Non solum autem Christi mortis ac passionis dig- nitatem conculcat ; verum etiam sacratissimam Christi mortis memoriam in coena Domini violat ac profanat. Juxta enim scripturas divinas unus et solus Christus est ad se offerendum idoneus. Et scripturse sanctae non modo unicura Christi sacrificium asserunt, sed etiam semel tantum oblatum. Neo- teric! autem non solum decent Christum in missa per ahenas manus offerri ; verum etiam quotidie fieri, imo centies, si tot fiant in ecclesia per diem missae. Quid desiderent apertius vel fortius contra illorum fictam Christi oblationem in missa quam quod Paulus dicit, " Non ut ssepius offerat se ipsum ?" Et iterum, " Nunc semel sub consummationem seculorum ad profligationem peccati per immolationem sui ipsius apparuit." Ad hsec, " Christus semel oblatus, ut multorum peccata tol- leret." Ha;c vero et hujusmodi testimonia de sacerdote Christo, et illius sacrificio validissimo, quivis a Paulo audire C(EUJE DOMINI. 509 potest, a quo discet hujus controversise veritatem. Sed si velit plus neotericis quam sacris literis tribuere, respondeat Deo in novissimo die suo periculo. Deus autem verbum Qui transgre- suum lucernam constituit sua3 ecclesiae, et non humana dog- mandata . 1 • 1 propter mata. Si ieitur, rclicto verbo divino, hominum doctrinae ad- traduiones o ' ' hominum haereat, et tandem justum Dei judicium pro contemptu illlus gnderaT.!l..t verbi sentiat ; sibi ipsi hoc imputet, et non Deo. Nam Deus ah humanis traditionibus revocat, et suum verbum proponit : si quis igitur revocantem negligit, sua ipsius culpa pereat necesse est. Tertia prohatio nostrce assertionis. " Sanctificati sumus per oblationem corporis Jcsu Christi Heb. x. semel peractam." Et iterum : " Hie vero, una pro peccatis oblata victima, perpetuo sedet ad dextram Dei ; id quod super- est expectans, donee reddantur inimici ipsius scabellum pedum ejus. Unica enim oblatione perfectos effecit in perpetuum eos qui sanctificantur." Et, " Ubi peccatorum est remissio, non est amplius oblatio pro peccato." Apostolus Paulus nullum praeter sanguinem et mortem Christi agnoscit sacrificium expiatorium. Unde igitur habent neoterici illorum sacrificium propitiatorium incruentum et absque sanguine, nisi a spiritu diaboli et antichristi ? Apostolus enim Paulus divino Spiritu afflatus, cum de impetranda peccatorum venia et condonatione agit, nos ad unicum illud sacrificium quo defunctus est Chris- tus in cruce confugere jubet. Quonam spiritu agitantur igitur neoterici, qui decent ac imperant, quod si velimus et cupiamus mortem Christi nobis fore efficacem et utilem, ut hoc faciamus per crebras ac reiteratas applicationes sacrificii, quae per sacrificulos in missis privatis fiunt ? Dominus tandem pro sua inexhausta dementia populum suum a tyrannide Romani pontificis liberet, et suo sancto verbo ecclesias ubique illustret. Amen. Cogitet pius lector quid Paulus per haec verba ad Hebraeos docere voluerit, " Ubi horum est remissio, non est amplius oblatio pro peccato." Hac unica sententia Spiritus sanctus duos expugnat errores : primum, Judseorum, qui per sacrificia legalia peccata expiari volebant ; secundo, ncoteri- corum errorem, qui dicunt se in missis non aliud sacrificium offerre, sed idem quod Christus super crucem obtulit : tantum inquos uixapTr]fj.dT erat sive gratulatorium, quod non meretur remissionem pecca- torum ; sed cum fit a reconciliatis ut Deum afficiant honore, Deo placet. Primura autera genus sacrificii, quod IXaaTiKov vocatur, nomine et significatione tantum omnes ecclesiae habue- runt et nunc habent ; sed non re ipsa, nisi pro eo temporis spatio quo Christus in se ipso hoc obtulit Deo Patri super crucem in remissionem peccatorum. Et hoc genus sacrificii nec extra personam Christi, nec extra illud tempus quo semel Patri perhtavit, nec extra locum super crucem ubi Patri per- litavit, unquam migrare potuit, nec potest ; ut luce clarius D. Ephes..i..ii. Paulus suis epistolis affirmat. Legalia sacrificia multa noraen Heb. vu. ix. sacrificii pro peccatis sortiebantur, non quia re ipsa peccata expiabant ; sed quia Christum venturum significabant, qui solus peccata mundi tollit. Ita in nostris ecclesiis coena Domini sortita est nomen sacrificii Christianorum, non re ipsa, sed ■ memoria et recordatione, quod Christum semel in cruce imrao- latum reprsesentet. Cum igitur sancta catholica ecclesia Christi aliud sacrifi- cium WaaTiKov ex verbo Dei non norit prater solam mortem Christi semel in cruce peractam ; si nos quoque, qui Christum profitemur, aliud ignoramus, extra omnem culpam et peccatum sumus ; nam illi ecclesiae catholicjB credimus quae vocem sponsi sui Christi audit. Tota autem sacrarum literarum series hujusmodi sacrificium non agnoscit : omnia sanctorum conciliorum ac patrum symbola quae hodie exstant (quae in fine hujus tractatus adjiciam)ne verbumquidem detail Christo ac Christi sacrificio in missa quale neoterici impie fingunt mentionem fecerunt. Nonne satis igitur est ut omnia creda- mus quae in sacris Uteris atque in sjmbolis sanctorum patrum et synodorum continentur ? Ilia certe ecclesias Christi satis contra omnes haereses muniebant, et in vera fide instruebant, per quatuor fere mlllia annorum ante Christi incarnationem, et mille ducentos annos et ultra a Christi ascensione in crelos, usque ad tempus Lotharii Levitae, qui sedem occupavit episco- Lothanus palem Romae circa annum Domini 1215 ; qui et Innocentius et Innocen- t • y 11 • • tertius. tertms vocatur. Is quidem nova symbola, peregrmos, ignotos, atque impios articulos fidei excogitavit, cum antichristus ille Romanus non solum animas fidelium, verum etiam regum ac principum terras atque imperia, sub suam tyrannidem cogeret. 522 DE VERA DOCTRINA ET USU Joannes gifc nobis tcstls illustrissimus rex huius regni Anelias Joannes, Anglic Rex. . . ... qui non solum mille marcas annua eidem Lothario Levitas pontifici Romano pro tribute pendere coactus est, verum etiam his miserrimis conditionibus subscribere, ut nullus rex hoc florentissimo regno potiretur, quin easdem illi solveret • : quam tamen tyrannidem reges omnes hujus regni fortiter contemp- serunt. Atque iste quidem nebulo et verus antichristi vicarius, cum paucis suis prtecessoribus, ab omnibus ecclesiis quod Deus illis contulerat abstulerat, nimirum veram verbi Dei praedica- tionem, et sacramentorum verum usum, atque apostolicam disciplinam. A regibus autem et principibus, quibus Deus terrarum imperium contuHt, non solum auctoritatem et domi- nium, verum etiam ipsas terras, reditus, et patrimonia rapere non destitit. Sed ne nimis durus et crudelis videretur, voluit aliquo modo has injurias compensare. Quare ex con- circa annum ciHo Latcraucnsi hos novos articulos fidei fictos atque eraen- Domini . ... . .. . . 1215. . titos, falsos et impios, de pams et vim transubstantiatione, de corporis Christi corporali pragsentia, et de sacrificio propitia- torio in missis, ecclesiis, regnis, ac regibus (qui sub illius tyrannide egerunt) commendavit : ut in Decretalibus quisque videre potest, cap. " Firmiter^." Ante illius tempora in nullo symbolo vel transubstantiationis panis et vini, vel corporalis Christi prffisentiae in sacra coena Domini, aut sacrificii propi- tiatorii in missa, fit mentio. Credimus ergo sacris Uteris, qua) abunde ac satis fidem veram et sanctam continent. Credimus prajterea symbolis sanctorum patrum per mille ducentos annos : et hac fide, sacrorum librorum testimoniis atque sanctorum patrum symbolis comprehensa et suffulta, nos contenti sumus ; novamque illam atque ementitam, quam neoterici impie populo Dei per vim et fraudes obtrudunt, ignoramus ac detestamur tanquam impiam et antichristianam, quae penitus in subver- sionem sanctse catholicfe ecclesise fidei tendit, ut infra pluribus dicam. [1 See Annales Monasterii Burton, ap. Kerum Anglicanarum Scrip- tores Veteres. Tom. i. p. 270. Oxon. 1684.] [2 Coi-p. Jur. Canon. Decret. Gregor. Lib. i. Tit. i. cap. 1. Inno- centius III. in Cone. Gener. " Cujus corpus et sanguis in sacramento altaris sub speciebus panis et vini veraciter continentur, transubstan- tiatis pane in corpus, et vino in sanguinem potestate divina." Coll. 10, 11. Venet. 1604. See also Binii Cone. Lateran. cap. i. Tom. vii. Par. II. p. 806. col. 1. F. Lutet. Paris. 1636.] CCEN-'E DOMINI. 523 Sed jam, ut siraplici plel)i egregie imponant, dicunt nos hunc sensum ex scripturis sacris per vira elicere, et violentiara sacris Uteris inferre, uti nostro proposito inserviant ; verum sanctos patres illorura incruentum sacrificium agnoscere ac sta- bilire. Lubet igitur aliquot ex vetustioribus ac doctioribus patribus loca subscribere, ut pius lector intelligat sanctos patres nunquam tale sacrificium agnovisse quale neoterici prgetendunt in missis suis habere ; sed illud asserere ac credere quod nos affirmamus et credimus. Sint illorum libri judices. Confirmatio nostrce assertionis ex Sanctis patribus. IrensBus, adversus Hsereses Valentin! et similium, multa ircnajus, im. habet de sacrificiis et oblationibus qute fiunt a Christianis, et inter cetera hsec habet verba : " Sacrificio non placatur Deus^." Quod omnino intelligi oportet de sacrificio per ho- minem oblato : nam Deus per sacrificium quod obtulit Christus fuit omnino placatus. Dixit enim, " Hie est Filius mens di- lectus, in quo complacuit animse meas : ipsum audite." Sed quoniam Irena?us testatur Deum non placari sacrificio, non puto a re nostra esse alienum, si (priusquam hunc locum Ire- nsei ulterius discutiam) veterem et veram dialecticorum regu- 1am paulisper sequar (quae dicit, Qui bene distinguit bene docet), et sacrificandi vocabulum, quo omnes utuntur, per divi- sionem quid significet ostendam ; ne, ambiguitate vocabuli de- cepti, sacrificia vel nimium deprimantur, vel extollantur : quod fieri non potest citra divina3 gloriae jacturam, et nos- trarum animarum salutem, Sacrificare autem Deo est Deum iratum propter nostra sacrificare , „ 1 T~v • ^^'^ quid. peccata placatum lacere, vel a Deo veniam peccatorum rogare, aut gratias Deo pro illius beneficiis reddere, vel nos ipsos totos in illius servitium consecrare. Prime raodo nuUus Deo Primum sacrificare potest nisi solus Cliristus Deus et homo ; ut pro- genus, pheta Esaias testatur : " Ipse vulneratus est propter iniquitates Esai. lui. nostras ; attritus est propter scelera nostra ; disciplina pads nostrse super eum ; et livore ejus sanati sumus." Et paulo infra ostendit solum Christum propter nostras iniquitates vul- neratum fuisse, et mortis atque inferni tyrannidem solum de- struxisse : " Torcular (inquit) calcavi solus, et de gentibus non cap. ixiu. est quisquam mecum," etc. Et hoc est quod statim post Adaj lapsum Deus dixit serpenti: " Inimicitias ponam inter te etoen.iii. [3 Ircn. adv. Hacres. Lib. iv. cap. 34, p. 262. sect. 2. 1570.] 524 DE VERA DOCTRINA ET L'SU mulierem, et semen tuum et seipen illius ; et ipsum conteret caput tuum," Pollicitus est Deus Adamo remissionem pecca- torum, destructionem mortis, diaboli, et inferni, et acceptatio- neni illius in pristinum favorem et gratiam : sed hoc fieri oportebat per semen mulieris, quod est Christus, et non per [Gal. iii] multa semina, ut Paulus testatur, De hac vero placatione irte et indignationis Dei erga homines propter peccata per solum Christum, David sub persona Dei Patris Filium alloqui- PsaL ii. tur in hunc modum : " Dominus dixit ad me, Filius mens es tu ; ego hodie te genui : postula a me, et dabo tibi gentes hasreditatem tuam," etc. Quibus docet quod Deus Pater erga nos placetur per Filium suum unigenitum ; et quod nos hseredes simus per Christum solum, et nullo alio modo. De qua pla- canda Dei Patris ira per Christum erga mundum propter Joan. xvii. peccatum, ipsemet Christus mire testatur : " Pro eis (inquit) sanctifico me ipsum, ut sint et ipsi sanctificati per veritatem." Sanctificare autem se ipsum pro nobis est morti et cruci pro nobis sese offerre, ut nos Deo reconciliet, consociet, ac con- foederet, destructis inimicitiis et odiis super crucem per san- Ephes. i. ii. guiuem et immolationem sui ipsius, ut Paulus testatur. Et Colos. i. ii. ° . . ' Apoc. i. in hoc sanctificandi genere, quo Deus placatur, Christus nec socium prsecessorem nec successorem admittit, sed omnia in se continet, et nihil extra se in alium quenquam effundit. Hoc sanctificandi genus in ecclesiis patriarcharum sub lege naturae non fuit, nec in ecclesiis prophetarum sub Moyse, nec in eccle- siis nostris jam sub Christo ; sed tantum cum hie Christus in terris viveret, et se ipsum in cruce Deo Patri pro peccatis nostris offerret ac sacrificaret : ita ut in hoc sacrificandi modo nihil commercii, participationis, communionis, conjunctionis, aut societatis habeat homo cum Christo ; sed solus et semel Chris- tus omnia perfecerit pro placanda Dei Patris ira erga homines propter peccata totius mundi : quamvis in electis hoc sacrifi- cium tantum utile sit et efiicax. Secundum genus sacrificandi, quo impetrationem et veniam peccatorum a Deo postulamus, in ecclesiis semper inter vere Secundum poeniteutes exstitit, de quo passim in sacris literis legimus. Et genus in tres hoc sacrificaudi genus tribus absolvitur modis : primo, ubi fides distinctum " , , . . partes. afflictam ac territam conscientiam per Spiritum sanctum con- solatur et adjuvat certitudine et fiducia promissionum Dei : 2. secundo, ubi fides non solum interne per Spiritum sanctum mcBstam et timidam conscientiam solatur, verum etiam corda CCENiE DOMINI, 525 et voces poenitentis ad orationes et preces agitat atque impellit: tertio vero, ubi fides per Spiritum sanctum non solum interne 3. afflictam mentem erigit, consolatur, atque in vocales preces perrumpere facit ; sed etiam his duobus addlt externam verbi Dei pra}dicationem et verum usum sacramentorum ; ex quibus discit a Deo veniam petendam ; qupeque didicit, ofiiciose ac dili- genter a Deo exigit. Exempla omnium istorum sacrificandi generum ubique in sacris Uteris leglmus. David veniam petiit : " Intellige, Deus, (inquit) ''J''Jn Hagigi, murmur nieum," vel, Psai. v. tacitas cogitationes meas. Et in aliis psalmis conqueritur de tacita et interna animfe su£e tristi ac aspera conditione sacri- ficandi Deo pro impetranda peccatorum venia, inquiens, " Quare tristis es, anima mea ? et quare conturbas me ?" Ita Anna tacite et in prsecordiis suis querelam suam Deo Patri [i sam. i.] ccelesti obtulit. Passim vero in sacris literis occurrunt hujus sacrificandi generis exempla, toties fere quoties vere pceniten- tium nomina recitantur. In singulis igitur generibus satis erit unum aut alterum exemplum ad confirmationem eorum qu8B dico adferre. Secundum genus sacrificandi, quo veniam pec- catorum a Deo petimus, est, ubi non solum fides per Spiritum sanctum mentem conterritam et terrifactam solatur, verum etiam preces et invocationes adduntur, quibus veniam pecca- torum rogitamus. Ubique hujus generis sacrificandi exempla in sacris literis inveniuntur : ut Moses mente et voce pro se ipso et populo sacrificabat : sic Elias : sic etiam David : " Verba mea (inquit) auribus percipe, Domine :" item et mulier Cananasa : " Jesu, fili David, miserere mei : filia mea [Matt, xv.] male a dfemonio vexatur," etc. Tertium genus sacrificandi est pro venia peccatorum, quo non solum mentes, corda, et voces per fidem in Christum, operante Spiritu sancto, veniam peccatorum impetrant ; verum etiam menti, cordi, et voci acce- dunt verbi Dei lectio vel prasdicatio, et sacramentorum plus usus, quibus vere pcenitentes utuntur, ut organa et media quibus de condonatione peccatorum fiant certi. Hujus generis exempla passim in sacris scripturis occurrunt : ut sub patri- archis fidei, menti, cordi, ac precibus piorum concurrebat ccelestis ignis, qui illorum sacrificia consumebat : sub lege Mosis omnia sacrificia et sacramenta legis : sub Christo vero omnia sacramenta novi testamenti. Tertium autem genus sacrificandi, quo gratias agimus pro ^"mc'Sndi impcnsis et oblatis nobis in Christo beneficiis, in totidem partes fariam dis- 526 DE VEHA DOCTKINA ET CSU et genera dlvlditur. Primum, gi-atiam habemus Deo mcnte, cogitatione, fide illustrata per Spiritum Sanctum, absque vocis sonitu ac clamore. Secundo, mente, fide, ct voce per Spiritum sanctum in Christo agimus, Tertio, mente, fide, voce, et verbo Dei ac sacramentis publico in medio ecclesia^ in Spiritu sancto per Christum gratias agimus. Hfec tam nota sunt omnibus piis, ut non opus sit exempla subjicere. Qaartum Quartum voro sacrificandi genus, quo nosmet ipsos nostra- genus.dupUei que Omnia Deo sacrificamus, omnia baec etiam exigit : pri- eonstans ^ „ . . . . • rauone. mum, ut moute per fidem in bpiritu sancto propter Christum agnoscamus quod nos ipsos atque nostra omnia Deo debeamus, a quo omnia suscepimus, per quem etiam omnibus fruimur, et in quo omnia servantur : secundo, ut non tantum per fidem in Spiritu sancto propter Christum nos hoc scire satis esse putemus ; verum etiam ut nos ipsos nostraque omnia, turn vitam turn fortunas nostras, ad voluntatem ac mandatum Dei Patris componamus et exhibeamus, ad nominis sui gloriam, qui nos fecit, redemit, ac conservat ad vitam aeternam. Hunc Bom. vero sacHficandi modum exigit D. Paulus ad Romanos ; ut quotquot Christo nomen dederunt sedulo ac perpetuo prjBstent quod nobis dare dignetui' qui nos jubet, Jesus Christus ; et ubi dederit quod jubet, jubeat (ut Augustinus dicit) quod vult. Hanc equidem sacrificandi divisionem interponere hcuit, non solum ut pii fratres intelligant nos nullum sacrificandi genus a Deo mandatum contemnere (quod procul sit ab omni- bus qui Christo credunt) ; verum etiam quo admonerem cete- ros, ne unum sacrificandi genus pro altero accipiant, et sic ex ambiguitate et amphibologia nominis sacrificandi deciperentur. IS'am re vera tria posteriora sacrificandi genera in ecclesia habent a Christo mandata ; hoc est, ut veniam peccatorum petant, ut gratias agant, et ut se ipsos et sua omnia Deo con- secrent propter Christum. Sed primum genus sacrificandi, quo placatur Deus, nunquam ecclesias suae commendavit, ut extra personam Christi usquam existeret ; verum hoc munus, ho- norem, et dignitatem soli Filio suo Jesu Christo dedit ; in cujus nomine omnia quae nobis expediunt impetrare per fidem facile valemus. Quapropter sacrificium expiatorium extra Christum nullum ponimus ; nee sacrificium propitiatorium per ullum alium ofi"erri nisi per Christum solum, qui semel in cruce omnia peregit. Jam ad Irenseum : " Sacrificio non placatur Deus." Do CCEN^ DOMINI. 527 sacrifieio (ut dixi) per homiuem oblato loquutus est hie Irenaeus. Unde discrimen videraus inter sacrificium Christi, et sacrlficia qua) nos Deo Patri per Christum offerimus. Christi autem sacrificium est tale, quo Deus Pater nos caros sibi habet, modo fide Christum apprehendinms, et erga nostram impietatem placatur. Nostra vero sacrificia tantum gratulatoria sunt, sive gratiarum actiones, quibus nos ipsos gratos erga Deum testamur pro nostra creatione, redemptione, et conservatione. Si autem Deus humano sacrifieio non placatur, falsum est quod ^crmc"inon neoterici dicunt, in missis papisticis tale per ministros ofi'erri p'""'""^- sacrificium quo peccata nostra condonantur. Tale enim sacri- ficium solus Christus et semel Christum in cruce obtulit. Et ut res fiat dilucidior, paulo post in eodem caplte Irenasus sub- jungit : " Igitur (inquit) non sacrificia sanctificant hominem ; non enim indiget Deus sacrifieio : sed conscientia ejus qui offert sanctificat sacrificium, pura existens, et prsestat acceptaro Deum quasi ab amico'." Sacrificia quaa per hominem fiunt non sanctificant hominem, inquit Irenjeus. Profecto si sacri- ficia non sanctificant hominem, non sunt propitiatoria, quibus peccata remittuntur : peccata enim destruere ac toUere est hominem sanctificare et sanctum reddere. Neoterici ergo quod Irena;us sanctus pater negat affirmant. Nam Irenaeus dicit, Sacrificia non sanctificant hominem : neoterici vero quod sanctificent hominem affirmant. Prseterea Irenaeus dicit, quod conscientia ejus qui olfert sanctificet sacrificium, pura existens : neoterici autem illorum sacrificia conscientias sanctificare asse- runt. Hie euivis videre licet quam ex diametro neoterici cura veteribus pugnent. Quod isti negant ilh affirmant. Hinc facile videmus quod omnia sacrificia quae per hominem fiunt sint gratiarum actiones, quae conscientiam non purificant ; sed per puritatem fidei in conscientia pura ipsa sancta et grata sunt Deo. Sacrificium enim Christi super crucem solum con- scientias nostras sanctificat ac purificat (ut inquit Paulus) a mor- Hcb. tx. tuariis operibus ad serviendum Deo viventi. Et de eucharistia ita apertis verbis loquitur Irenaous : " OiFerimus autem ei non quasi indigenti, sed gratias agentes donationi ejus, et sanctifi- cantes creaturam^." Ecce in sacra actione coenae Dominicae gratias (inquit) offerimus, quod per mortem Filii ejus ab aeterna damnatione liberamur. Non dicit quod in coena Domini P Iren. adv. HsGrcs. Lib. iv. cap. 34, p. 263. sect. 4. 1570.] [2 Ibid. p. 264.] 528 DE VERA DOCTRINA ET USU Christum propitiatorie offeraraus, cujus oblatione peccata vivo- rum ac mortuorum purgentur. llogo igitur qui Latinam linguam callent, ut hoc caput Irenasi diligenter perlegant. TertuiL " Hoc lignuin et Hieremias tibi insinuat, prsedicans adversus . . . .. . . . . Marcionem. JudsBis, Venite, injiciamus lignum in panem ejus, utique m corpus. Sic enim Deus in evangelic quoque vestro revelavit, panem corpus suum appellans, ut et hinc jam eum intelligas corporis sui figuram panem dedisse ; cujus retro corpus in pane propbetes figuravit, ipso Domino hoc sacramentum pos- tea interpretaturo^" Tertullianus duo hie per sacramentum eucharistiag animadvertit : primum, corpus Christi significari per panem ; deinde, mortem ipsius corporis super crucem. Sed dicit panem eucharistifB non re ipsa, sed figurative ac symbolice, esse corpus Christi ac mortem ejus. Et sic patres plerumque eucharistiam sacrificium vocant, quia est commemo- ratio sacrificii semel in cruce oblati. Sic etiam ccena Domini nomen sacrificii obtinuit, non re ipsa, sed nominis communi- catione ; ita ut signum rei signatse nomine gauderet. Ideo est quod D. Cvprianus dicit, " Passio enim Domini est quod ofi'erimus :" quod re ipsa fieri non potest ; nam passio Do- mini non fit sine morte Christi, et sanguinis sui eflfusione. Sed quia eucbaristia est memoria et commemoratio passionis Christi, communione et participatione nominis vocatur ipsa passio Christi. Tertullianus Libro iv contra Marcionem, pagina 291, multa docet de pane eucharistiae, quomodo non sit re ipsa corpus Christi et sacrificium propitiatorium, sed figurative et symbolice^. August, de " Sacrificium ergo visibile invisibilis sacrificii sacramen- lib. x.cap!5. tum, id est, sacrum signum est^" Et in eodem capite : quo- niam " illud quod ab hominibus appellatur sacrificium signum est veri sacrificii," mirum est quod neoterici non permittunt, ut sancti patres sint suorum ipsorum interpretes. Omnes [1 TertuU. adv. Marcion. Oper. pp. 493. d. 494. a. Paris. 1641.] [2 Figuram sanguinis sui salutaris implere concupiscebat. — Accep- tum panem et distributum discipulis, corpus ilium suum fecit, Hoc est corpus meum, dicendo, id est, figura corporis mei. Figura autem non fuisset, nisi veritatis esset corpus. — Cur autem panem corpus suum appellat. — Ita et nunc sanguinem suum in vino consecravit, qui tunc vinura in sanguine figuravit. — Id. Lib. iv. Op. pp. 570. d. 571. A. B. D.] [3 August, de Civit. Dei, Lib. x. cap. 5. pp. 109. c. 110. A. Paris. 1586.] CCEN^ DOMINI. 529 fere dederunt eucharisti33 nomen sacrificii : sed hoc fecerunt sacrifidi propter significationem, propterea quod eucharistia est (ut hie tenllseucha. . . ° , , . J; ristiac tribui- Augustinus dicit) mvisibihs sacrincu sacrum signum. Et pes- ^j^^ ^eten- tea dicit, " Ideo ab hominibus appellatur sacrificium eo quod signum veri sacrificii sit." QuaUs est haec igitur audacia, seu potius impudentia et impietas, ixeotericorumj qui verba sanctorum patrum urgent ac stringunt, quo suam ipsi idolo- latriam et impietatem stabihant; cum omnes veteres patres passim in suis scriptis quid velint per nomen sacrificii ipsimet interpretentur ? Non, inquiunt, quia re ipsa eucharistia sit sacrificium ; sed potius significatio, repr^esentatio, figura, sig- num, et memoria veri sacrificii semel in cruce peracti. Si pius lector quid amplius ab Augustino desideret, rogo ut legat illius epistolam xxiii, ad Bonifacium : iUic enim multa ac sanc- tissima contra hunc neotericorum errorem de sacrificio facile reperiet*. Docet autem ibidem eucharistiam non aliter esse sacrificium quam dies, in quo mortis Christi quotannis memo- riam celebramus, sit dies ipse in quo Patri coelesti super cru- cem pro peccatis totius mundi perlitavit ; cum re vera non sit idem dies (nam is ante mille quingentos annos fuit elapsus) sed similis est illi, ac illius memoriam retinet. Sic de die Paschatis, quem ob venerationem ac religionem resurrectionis Christi diem resurrectionis appellamus ; cum re vera non sit idem dies, sed nominis communicatione, significatione, ac re- volutione anni vocatur idem dies. Idem etiam dicit de Sacra- mento eucharistiae : " Semel, inquit, Christus se ipsum obtulit ; tamen in sacramento vel reprsesentatione, non solum singulis festis paschatis, verum quotidie ofi'ertur populo, sic quod non mentitur qui dicit quod quotidie ofi'ertur^." Haec et multa alia in ilia epistola Augustini habentur ; quae annotarem, gi [* Nempe srepe ita loquimur, ut pascha propinquante dicamus cras- tinam vel perendinam Domini passionem, cum ille ante tam multos annos passus sit, nec omnino nisi semel ilia passio facta sit. Nempe ipso die Dominico dicimus, Hodio Dominus resurrexit, cum ex quo resurrexit tot anni transierunt. Cur nemo tam ineptus est, ut nos ita loquentes arguat esse mentitos, nisi quia istos dies secundum illoinira quibus hsec gesta sunt similitudinem nuncupamus ; ut dicatur ipse dies qui non est ipse, sed revolutiono temporis similis ejus ; et dicatur illo die fieri propter sacramenti celebrationem quod non illo die, sed jam dim, factum est? — Id. Op. Tom. n. col. 93. b. c. Basil. 1569.] [5 Nonnc semel immolatus est Christus in se ipso ? et tamen in sacramento, non solum per omnes Paschso solemnitates, sed omni die LHOOPER, II.J 530 DE VERA DOCTRINA ET USU illius liber mihi pvtesto foret. SI quis autem illam e Latlnis in nostram linguam transferre dignaretur, pluriraum prodesset; quo pii Romana3 linguag ignari a neotericorum impietate in hac causa eucharistiae defenderentur. Joan. chry. " Quid crgo nos ? nonne per singulos dies offerimus ? 17. in Epis- Offerimus quidem, sed ad recordationem facientes mortis ejus." Heb.cap. 10. Et paulo post : " Hoc autem quod facimus in commemorati- onem quidem fit ejus quod factum est. Hoc enim facite, inquit, in meam commemorationem. Non aliud sacrificium, sicut pontifex, sed id ipsum semper facimus : magis autem recordationem sacrifieii operamur^" Chrysostomus dicit quod in eucharistia recordationem mortis Christi offeramus, et non quod Christum ipsum in remissionem peccatorum offeramus. Propterea vocat eucharistiam sacrificium, scilicet propitiato- rium ; non quod re ipsa ita sit, sed quia memoria veri sacrifieii est. Et ne quis verba sua in hunc sensum raperet, quasi eucharistiam sacrificium propitiatorium re ipsa constitueret, claudit homiliam hisce verbis : " Magis autem recordationem sacrifieii operamur." Haec vero satis clara ac perspicua sunt apud patres, quod eucharistiam sacrificium vocabant propter significationem et memoriam sacrifieii semel in cruce peracti ; et non quod re ipsa sacrificium propitiatorium esset. Hoc Lombardus vidit ctiam Lombardus. " Quod offertur, inquit, et conse- lib. sentent. . • n • 1 1 • 4. Distinct, cratur a sacerdote vocari sacrificmm et oblatio potest, quia memoria est et reprsesentatio veri sacrifieii et sanctaa immo- lationis factse in ara crucis. Et semel Christus mortuus in cruce est, ibique immolatus est in se ipso : quotidie autem im- molatur in sacramento, quia in sacramento recordatio fit iUius quod factum est semeP." Hie quamvis infelicissimo vixit tempore, quando pap£e tyrannis omnes Christi ecclesias devastasset, quoad puram verbi Dei prsedicationem et verum sacramentorum usum ; eucharistiam tamen plus quam memo- riam ac reprsesentationem veri sacrifieii semel in cruce peracti non fecit. populis immolatur, nec utique mentitur, qui interrogatus eum respon- dent immolari. — Ibid.] [1 Chrysost. Homil. xvii. In Hebr. x. Op. Tom. iv. p. 523. 1. 20. Eton. 1613. Tt ovv ; fifiels Kaff (Kaarrjv fjfiepav ov 7rpocr(pepoix(v ; k.t.X. —1. 29. ToOro fls avafj-VT^criv yap rov rare yevop-evov, /c.r.X.] [2 Pet. Lombard. Sentent. Lib. iv. Distinct. 12. c. " Si illud sit sacrificium." fol. 357. o. Colon. 1576.] CCEN^ DOMINI. 531 Ejnlogus hujiis tertii capitis, in quo a neotericis dissentimus. Cum sacraDomini coona commemoratio sit sacrificii in cruce semel peracti, fit ut apud veteres pene omnes sacrificii nomen tribuatur coenae, et ccena Christianorum dicatur sacri- ficium, non re ipsa, sed communicatione nominis, quia sacra- menta earum rerum sortiuntur nomina quarum sunt sacramenta; non solum propter sacramenti cum re sacramenti analogiam et proportionem, verura etiam quod per sacramenta res sacra- menti ob oculos sacramentis rite utentium graphice depin- gantur: quemadmodum in ccena Domini panis et vinum non solum indicant quod, ut corpora nostra pane et vino communi aluntur, ita corpore ac sanguine Christi corpora et animfe nostras pascuntur ad vitam £eternam ; sed etiam per prsedicationem verbi Dei, fractionem panis, et hujusmodi sacras actiones in Dominica coena, mors Christi et sanguinis illius effusio super crucem ob oculos fidelium conteraplanda proponuntur. Panis vSium^isum autem et vinum in coena communem usum amittunt, et fiunt TmSt, sacramenta corporis et sanguinis Domini ; sed veram naturam sumum. et substantiam panis et vini semper conservant. Corpus vero et sanguis (quod ad illorum substantiam attinet), quorum panis et vinum sunt sacramenta, substantialiter suis sacramentis nec insunt nec adsunt. Sed corpus et sanguis (quoad illorum corporalem prgesentiam) a signis absunt, fidei tamen recta signis utentium prajsunt ; ita ut non solum res sacramenti in recte utentibus, Dei promissiones et gratia, reprassententur, confirmentur, et augeantur, verum etiam sacramentali modo exhibeantur. Pro quibus beneficiis per Christum in cruce nobis partis gratias agimus Deo per Christum ; et Christum denuo Patri non offerimus. Nam solus Christus Christum offerre potuit ; quod ipsemet semel tantum fecit super crucem ; ita ut nec a se ipso nec ab alio quoquam iterum ofFerri possit. Et revera in sacra Domini coena minister ecclesise non magis Christum offert quam populus qui cum illo communicant. Ipse autem ut minister sacra et veneranda Dei mysteria populo dispensat, et populus eadem religiose accipere debet. Eadem tamen sunt mysteria turn ministro tum populo, et sacramenta, testimonia, et recordationes corporis Christi immo- lati ; pro quibus gratise sunt agendse a toto coetu, a ministris ceterisque communicantibus : sed nec ab uno nec ab altero 34—2 532 DE YEUA DOCTRINA ET USU offerrl Christus ut sacrificium pro peccatis potest. Christus enim non dixit ministris, Accipite et oiferte ; hoc est corpus meum : sed dixit, Accipite et manducate ; hoc est corpus meum. Similiter D, Paulus non dixit ecclesils Corinthiacls, Venite, accedite ad sacros conventus, procumblte in genua, vldete, palmas eriglte, et adorate Christum ex pane factum per ministros ecclesise ; verum protulit universe csetui verba Christ!, Accipite et manducate ex hoc omnes : ut tota ecclesia simul sacra Dei sacramenta acciperet ; et non ut unus pro omnibus sacramentum sumeret, vol sacramentum pro remisslone pecca- torum offerret. Et quod sacramentum mortis Christi vocatur sacrificium, propterea est vel quod sit memoria sacrificii Christi semel peracti, vel quia in coena Domini omnes fideles (qui rite sacramento utuntur) slnt particlpes lUlus fructuosisslmi sacrificii in cruce oblati ; aut quod gratias agimus Deo et Chrlsto cum Spirltu sancto, quod tarn dlra morte unigenltl Fllii Del huraanum genus redlraere dignatus sit. Et haec est fides sanctse catholicso ecclesise, sponsse Christi, quae voces allenas non audit, sed semper voci sui marlti sese accommodat atque obtemperat. Fateor autem banc non esse fidem catho- Ecciesia llcae eccleslss, hoc est, Romanse meretrlcls, qufe nlmis catholica nimis est ot gcneralls. Deus illam pro sua inexhausta bonitate catholiea. , ° . ^ . .. . ... . corrigat et emendet, vei suo justo judicio lUam perdat, atque projiciat in lacum sulphure ac pice ardentem, ne populum suum nimis diu decipiat. Nam hsec catholica meretrix non audit Christum, nec voci illlus sese accommodat nec obtempe- rat : sed, nomine tenus Christiana, totum Christlanlsmum ferro igneque persequltur ; et sacras literas et omnia sanctorum patrum testimonia ad scholastlcorum Interpretationes semper obstringlt. Si autem quis Romanas cathollcas ecclesias cum sancta catholica ecclesia Christi, patriarcharum, prophetarum, evangelistarum, martyrum, ac omnium sanctorum patrum confcrat ; facile videbit illam Romanam catholicara ecclesiam tantum commercii, societatis, conjunctionis, unitatis, et lucis cum sancta catholica Christi ecclesia habere, quantum habeat Belial cum Chrlsto. Sed ut clarius omnes pli id perspiciant, subjiciam omnia symbola et articulos fidei a prime nascentis ecclesia exordio post ascensionem Christi in coelos : cujus fidei testimonium ac protestationem qui ex anlrao tenebant, ab omni schismatls et haereseos suspicione, infamia, et periculo ab omnibus vere piis C(EN.E DOMINI. 533 habebantur immunes. Quos tamen articulos firmiter, religiose, integre, ac purissirae (eo quod ex verbo Dei originem et certi- tudinem ducant) eonfitcmur : et tamen ab ista catholica et Babylonica ecclesia pro haareticis habemur, ac proscindimur, Sacras etiam et authenticas scripturas omnes veneramur ac colimus ; sacra et Vetera concilia patrum nulla rejicimus ; sanctorum patrum scripta religiose amplectimur, omniaque symbola, et ea omnia qua) in eisdem continentur, ad amussim tenemus atque confitemur : et tamen hsec impia ac catholica meretrix Romana ecclesia nos haBretici dogmatis infamia onerat. Symbolum commune sive apostolorum. Credo in Deum Patrem omnipotentem, creatorem casVi et terrae : et in Jesum Christum Filium ejus unicum, Dominum nostrum ; qui conceptus est de Spiritu sancto ; natus ex Maria virgine ; passus sub Pontio Pilate ; crucifixus, mor- tuus, et sepultus ; descendit ad inferna ; tertia die resurrexit a mortuis ; ascendit ad coelos ; sedet ad dextram Dei Patris omnipotentis ; inde venturus est judicare vivos et mortuos. Credo in Spiritum sanctum, sanctam ecclesiam catholicam, sanctorum communionem, remissionem peccatorum, carnis re- surrectionem, et vitam seternam. Amen. Symbolum, NicoBnum, ex Historia Ecclesiastica et Tripar- tita ^ Credimus in unum Deum, Patrem omnipotentem, omnium visibilium et invisibilium factorera : et in unum Dominum Jesum Christum Filium Dei, de Patre natum unigenitum, id est, ex substantia Patris ; Deum ex Deo ; lumen ex lumine ; Deum verum ex Deo vero ; genitum, non factum ; ofxoovaiov, consubstantialem Patri ; per quem omnia facta sunt qua3 in coelis et quae in terra ; qui propter nos homines et propter nostram salutem descendit, incarnatus, humanatus (homo factus est), passus est, et resurrexit tertia die; ascendit in coelos, venturus judicare vivos et mortuos : et in Spiritum sanctum. Eos autem qui dicunt, Erat aliquando quando non erat, et antequam nasceretur non erat ; et, quia ex non exstantibus (ex nihilo) factus est, aut ex altera substantia vel subsistentia dicentes esse, vel creatum, vel convertibilem, vel mutabilem, Filium Dei, hos anathematizat sancta et apostolica ecclesia. \} Hist. Trip. Lib. ii. cap. ix., and Lib. vil. cap. iii. Cassiod. Op. Tom. L pp. 228, 303. Rotomagi. 1679 ] 534 DE VERA DOCTRINA ET USU Symholum Constantinopolitanum, ex exemplari quodam Grceco-latino^. Credo in unum Deum, Patrera omnipotentem, factorem coeli et terrse, visibilium omnium et invisibilium. Et in unum Dominum Jesum Ciiristum, Filium Dei uni- genitum, ex Patre natum ante omnia secula, lumen ex lu- mine, Deum verum ex Deo vero, genitum, non factum, con- substantialem Patri ; per quem omnia facta sunt. Qui propter nos homines et propter nostram salutem descendit de coelis, et incarnatus est ex Spiritu sancto et Maria virgine, et homo factus est : crucifixus etiam pro nobis sub Pontic Pilato, passus et sepultus est, et resurrexit tertia die, secundum scripturas, et ascendit in coelos ; sedet ad dex- tram Dei Patris, et iterum venturus est cum gloria judicare vivos et mortuos ; cujus regni non erit finis. Et in Spiritum sanctum, Dominum vivificatorem, ex Patre procedentem, et cum Patre et Filio coadorandum et glorificandum ; qui loquutus est per prophetas. In unara catholicam et apostolicara ecclesiam. Confiteor unum bap- tisma in remissionem peccatorum. Expecto resurrectionem mortuorum, et vitam venturi seculi. Brevis confessio fidei Ejjhesince synodi, selecta ex epistola xxviii. Cyrilli, ad synodum missa, et ab eadeni comprobata^. Confitemur Dominum nostrum Jesum Christum, Filium Dei unigenitum, Deum esse perfectum, et hominem perfectum, ex anima rationali et corpore : ante secula quidem ex Patre secundum divinitatem ; postrerais vero diebus eundem ipsum propter nos et propter nostram salutem ex Maria virgine secundum humanitatem natum ^. Duarum siquidem naturarum facta est unio : quapropter et unum Christum, unum Filium, et unum Dominum confitemur. Et secundum hunc inconfusse unitatis intellectum, sanctam virginem Delparam esse confi- [1 See Binii Cone. Tom. i. p. 663. Paris. 1636. where ma-Tevofxev, oixoKoyovjxev, TTpocTboKa>fi.ivi] [2 See Concil. Epbes. Pars i. p. 163. and Pars ir. Act. i. p. 241. Binii Tom. ii.] In Binius the following clause is inserted here : Sfioovaiov tm Ilarpi TOP avrov Kara rfjv OeorrjTa, Koi ofxaovaiov Tjfuv Kara rrjv avdpanroTrjTa. This Confessio is given in a letter addressed by Cyril to John, Bishop of Antioch Concil. Chal. Act. i. Binii Tom. lu. p. 89. e. f.] CtEN^flE DOMINI. 535 temur, propterea quod Deus Verburn incarnatus et homo factus est, et ex ipsa conceptione acceptum ex ea templum sibi ipsl adunavit. Evangelicas vero et apostolicas de Do- mino voces scimus viros theologos, tanquam ad unam per- sonam pertinentes, ratione duarum naturarum dividere ; et alias quidem, utpote divinitati competentes, ad divinitatem Christi, alias vero humlles ad illius humanitatem referre. Confessio fidei Chalcedonensis synodi, ex libro Isidori*. Consentientes itaque Sanctis patribus, unum eundemque Filium confiteri Dominum nostrum Jesum Christum consona voce edocemus, pariter perfectum eundera in Deitate^ unum, et hominem verum eundem ex anima rationali et corpore, secundum divinitatem unius cum Patre naturaa, secundum humanitatem eundem unius nature nobiscum, per omnia similis nobis absque peccato : ante secula quidem ex Patre natum secundum divinitatem ; in novissimis vero diebus eundem propter nos et propter nostram salutem hominem factum^ : hunc unum eundemque Christum, Filium, Dominum, unige- nitum, in duas naturas inconfuse, immutabiliter, indivise, in- separabiliter cognoscendum, in nuUo naturarum differentia^ propter unitatem perimenda'', magis autem salva utriusque natura) proprietate, et in una coeunte persona, unoque statu concurrente**; non in duabus personis partiendum vel divi- dendum, sed unum eundemque Filium unigenitum, Deum Verbum, Dominum Jesum Christum; slcut ab exordio pro- phetse de eo et ipse nos erudivit, et nobis primum^ tradidit symbolum. His ergo cum omni undique diligentia et sollici- tudine a nobis ordinatis, statuit sancta et universalis synodus aliam fidem nulli licere profiteri, aut scriberc, aut docere, aut dicere aliter. [* Binii Cone. Chal. Pars ir. Act. v. Tom. iii. p. 340. See also Evagrius Scholast. Lib. ii. c. 4.] Kat TeXetov tov avTov iv dvdpwTrorrjTi, 6(ov aXrjdois, Kai livOpumov a.\r)6uii TOV avTov, k. t. X. — Bin. in loc. cit.] 'Ek Mapias Trjs napdevov Trjs deoTOKOv Kara Trjv dvOpconoTrjTa. — Ibid.] [■^ DifFerentias perimendas, in Foxo.] Ety (1/ TrpocrooTTov, Kai plav vnouTairiv eiv, rj crvvTiOivai, ^ (ppoveiv, rj bibdaKdv irtpovs. — Ibid.] 536 DE VERA DOCTRINA ET USU Symholum Toletani concilii primi, ex lihro Isidori^. Credimus in unum verum Deum Patrem omnlpotentem, et Filium, et Spiritum sanctum, visibilium et invisibilium factorem, per quem omnia facta sunt in ccelo et in terra ; unum Deum, et unam esse divinse substantife Trinitatem. Patrem autem non esse ipsum, sed habere Filium, qui Pater non sit : Filium non esse Patrem, sed Filium Dei Patris esse natura : Spiritum quoque esse Paracletum, qui nee Pater sit, nee Filius, sed a Patre Filioque procedens. Est ergo ingenitus Pater, genitus Filius, non genitus Paracletus, sed a Patre Filioque procedens. Pater est cujus vox ha3c audita est de coelis, " Hie est Filius mens dileotus, in quo mihi bene complacui : ipsum audite." Filius est qui ait, " Ego a Patre exivi, et a Deo veni in hunc mundum." Paracletus est Spi- ritus de quo Filius ait, " Nisi abiero ad Patrem, Paracletus non veniet." Hanc Trinitatem personis distinctam, substantia unicam, virtute et potestate et majestate indivisibilem, indiffe- rentem : praster hanc nullara credimus divinam esse naturam, Yel angeli, vel spiritus, vel virtutis alicujus, quae Deus credatur. Hunc ergo Filium Dei, Deum genitum a Patre ante omne omnino principium, sanctificasse uterum virginis Mariae, atque ex ea verum hominem sine virili generatum semine susce- pisse, duabus duntaxat naturis, id est, Deitatis et carnis, in unam convenientibus omnino personam, id est, Dominum nos- trum Jesum Christum. Nec imaginarium corpus, aut phan- tasmatis alicujus, in eo fuisse, sed solidum atque verum : hunc et esurisse et sitisse et doluisse et flevisse et omnes corporis injurias pertulisse. Postremo a Judseis crucifixum, et sepul- tum, et tertia die resurrexisse : conversatum postmodum cum suis discipulis, et quadragesima post resurrectionem die ad coelum ascendisse. Hunc Filium hominis, etiam Filium Dei, et Filium Dei et Filium hominis appellamus. Resurrectionem vero futuram humanse credimus carnis : animam autem homi- nis non divinsB esse substantise, aut Dei Patris, sed creaturam voluntate Dei creatam. Adjice hue symbolum Toletani concilii quarti, cujus exem- plar ex eodem Isidori libro petas. \} Concil. I. Tolet. Binii Tom. i. p. 741. A. B. c. D. Paris. 1636.] CCESM DOMINI. 537 Ratio fidei, ex Irenceo martyre, lihro I. cap. 2 et 3, contra Valentinum ^. Ecclesia per universum orbem usque ad fines terrse dis- persa ab apostolls et ipsorum discipulis earn accepit fidem quae est in unum Deum Patrem omnipotentem, qui fecit coelum et terram, mare, et omnia quas in eis sunt : et in unum Jesum Christum Filium Dei, incarnatum pro nostra salute : et in Spiritum sanctum, qui per prophetas praBdicavit dispensations mysterium et adventum, et ex virgine nativitatem, et passio- nem, et resurrectionem ex mortuis, et in carne ad coelos ascensionem dilecti Jesu Christi Domini nostri, et ipsius e ccelis in gloria Patris adventum ad instauranda omnia, et resuscitan- dam omnem humani generis carnem ; ut Christo Jesu Domino nostro et Deo et Salvatori et Regi, juxta voluntatem Patris invisibilis, omne genu flectatur cojlestium et terrestrium ac infernorum, et omnis lingua confiteatur ipsi ; et judicium justum in omnibus faciat, et spiritualia quidem nequitiei, et angelos transgressores ac desertores factos, et impios ac injustos et ini- quos et blasphemes homines in aeternum ignem mittat: justis vero et Sanctis et qui mandata ejus servarunt et in dilectione ejus permanserunt, partim ab initio, partim ex poenitentia, vitam largitus, incorruptibilitatem donet, et gloriam seternam tribuat. Hanc pra3dicationem et banc fidem ecclesia (velut dixi) adepta, quanquam per totum orbem dispersa, diligenter con- servat, quasi unam domum inhabitans ; et similiter his credit, velut unam animam et idem cor habens; et consone haec prse- dicat et docet et tradit, velut uno ore prsedita. Nam lingua3 in mundo dissimiles sunt, verum virtus traditionis una et eadem est. Neque in Germania fundatag ecclesiae aliter credunt, aut aliter tradunt; neque in Hispaniis, neque in Celtis, neque in Oriente, neque in J^gypto, neque in Libya, neque hae quae in mundo constitutae sunt : sed quemadmodum sol creatura Dei in toto mundo unus et idem est ; sic etiam praedicatio veritatis ubique lucet, et illuminat omnes homines ad cogni- tionem veritatis venire volentes. Et neque qui valde potens est in dicendo ex ecclesiae praefectis alia ab his dicet, (nemo enim est supra magistratum ;) neque debilis in dicendo hanc traditionem minuet. Cum enim una et eadem fides sit, neque is qui multum de ipsa dicere potest plus quam oportet dicit, neque qui parum, ipsam imminuit. [2 Iren. Adv. Hscres. Lib. i. c. 2. pp. 34, 36. Nicol. Gallas. 1570.] 538 DE VERA DOCTRINA ET USU Regula fidei secundum Tertullianum, ex lihro ejus de Prce- scriptorihus hcereticorum Regula est autem fidei, ut jam quid credamus profiteaniur; ilia scilicet, qua creditur unum omnino Deum esse, nec alium prteter mundi crcatorem ; qui universa ex nihilo produxerit per verbum suum primo omnium emissum. Id verbum, Filium ejus appellatum, in nomine Dei rarie visum patriarchis, in prophetis semper auditum, postremo, delatum ex Spiritu Patris Dei et virtute in virginem Mariam, carnem factum in utero ejus, et ex ea natum, egisse Jesum Christum : exinde prsedi- casse novam legem et novam promissionem regni coelorum, virtutes fecisse, sedisse ad dextram Patris 2, fixum cruci, tertia die resurrexisse, in coelos ereptum, sedere ad dextram Patris, misisse vicariam [vim]^ Spiritus sancti, qui credentes agat ; Yenturum cum claritate ad sumendos sanctos in vitae aeternae et promissionum ccelestium fructum, et ad profanes ^udicandos igni perpetuo, facta utriusque partis resuscitatione, cum carnis restitutione. Htec regula a Christo, ut probabitur, instituta nullas habet apud nos qujBstiones, nisi quas haereses inferunt, et qure hasreticos faciunt. Symholum head Athanasii Alexandrini episcopi, ex lihris ejus *. Quicunque vult salvus esse, ante omnia opus est ut teneat catholicam fidem ; quam nisi quisque integram inviolatamque servaverit, absque dubio in seternum peribit : et cetera qure in communi ecclesiae usu sat nota et pervulgata babentur. Symholum heati Damasi Romani episcopi, ex secundo tomo S. Hieronymi''. Credimus in unum Deum Patrem omnipotentem, et in tinum Dominum nostrum Jesum Christum Dei Fihum, et in Spiritum sanctum : Deum, non tres Deos, sed Patrem, Filium, et Spiritum sanctum, unum Deum colimus et confitemur : non sic unum quasi solitarium ; nec eundem, qui ipse slbi Pater sit, ipse et Filius : sed Patrem esse qui genuit, et Filium esse \} TertuU. Deprsescript. Haereticor. Oper. p. 235. c. D. Lutet. 1641.] [2 Sedisse ad dextram Patris, not in Tertull.] [3 Vim, wanting in Foxe.J [4 Athan. Op. Tom. 11. pp. 31, 32, 33. Colon. 1G86.] [5 Hieron. Op. Tom. iv. fol. 44. d. e. f. Pai-is. 1533.] CCEUM DOxMINI. 539 qui genitus sit : Spiritum vero sanctum non geniturn neque ingenitum, non creatum neque factum, sed de Patre Filioque procedentem, Patri et Filio cofeternum et coaBqualem et co- operatorem ; quia scriptum est, " Verbo Domini cceli firmati sunt;" id est, a Filio Dei, "et spiritu oris ejus omnis virtus eorum." Et alibi: "Emitte Spiritum tuum, et creabuntur, et renovabis faciem terrje." Ideoque in nomine Patris et Filii et Spiritus sancti unum confitemur Deum ; quod nomen est potestatis, non proprietatis. Proprium nomen est Patri Pater, et proprium nomen est Filio Filius, et proprium nomen Spiritui sancto Spiritus sanctus. In hac Trinitate unum Deum colimus, quia ex uno Patre quod est unius cum Patre naturae est, unius substantifB, et unius potestatis. Pater Filium genuit, non voluntate, nec necessitate, sed natura. Filius ultimo tempore ad nos salvandos et ad implendas scripturas descendit a Patre, qui nunquam desiit esse cum Patre ; et conceptus est de Spiritu sancto, et natus ex virgine : carnem et animam et sensum, hoc est, perfectum suscepit hominem ; nec amisit quod erat ; sed coepit esse quod non erat, ita tamen ut perfectus in suis sit, et verus in nostris. Nam qui Deus erat homo natus est ; et qui homo natus est operator ut Deus ; et qui operatur ut Deus ut homo moritur ; et qui ut homo moritur ut Deus resurgit : qui, devicto mortis imperio, cum ea carne qua natus et passus et mortuus fuerat et resurrexit, ascendit ad Patrem, sedetque ad dextram ejus in gloria, quam semper habuit et habet. In hujus morte et sanguine credimus emundatos nos, et ab eo resuscitandos die novissimo in hac carne qua nunc vivimus ; et habemus spem nos consecuturos prsemium boni meriti, aut poenam pro peccatis seterni supplicii. Haec lege, haec crede, hsec retine, huic fidei animam tuam subjuga, et vitam consequeris et praemium a Christo. In Tripartita Ilistoria, libro vii, cap. 37, eandem fidem testatur S. Petrus, episcopus Alexandrinus : qui velit illam legat ex libro''. [<5 The reference seems to be to Lib. viii. cap. xiv. where these words occur ; Petro quippe revertente do Roma cum Uteris Damasi RomanEc urbis antistitis, confirmaiitis consubstantialitatis fidem, et Petri cpiscopi roborantis ordinationem. — Cassiod. Op. Tom. i. p. 329. Rotom. 1679.] 540 DE VERA DOCTRINA ET USU Decretum imperatorium de Jide CathoUca, ex Tripartitoe Historice lihro ix. cap. 7^ Impp. Gratianus, Valentinianus, et Theodosius, August!, populo urbis Constantinopolitanse. Cunctos populos, quos clementijB nostras regit imperlum, in ea volumus religione versari, quam D. Petrum apostolum tradidisse Romanis religio usque nunc ab ipso insinuata declarat, quamque pontificem Damasum sequi claret, et Petrum Alexandriae episcopum, virum apostolicfe sanctitatis ; hoc est, ut secundum apostolicam disciplinam, evangelicamque doctrinam, Patris et Filii et Spiritus sancti unam Deitatem sub pari majestate et sub pia Trinitate credamus. Hanc legem sequentes Christianorum catholicorum noraen jubemus amplecti : reliquos vero dementes vesanosque judicantes, hasretici dogmatis infamiam sustinere divina primum vindicta, juxta etiam motus animi nostri, quem ex coelesti arbitrio sumpserimus, ultione plectendos. Data 3 Calendas Martias Thessalonicse, Gratiano 5, Valentiniano et Theodosio, Augustis, Coss. Fides sufficiens, et conveniens sacris Uteris ac sanctorum patrum testimoniis. Omnia haec symbola vera et sancta esse confitemur ; quo- rum articulos singulos firmiter et indubitato tenemus, non solum tanquam sacris Uteris et sanctorum patrum testimoniis conve- nientes, verum etiam tanquam plenos, absolutes, et sufficientes ; quibus credentes per Christum vitam assequl possimus seter- nam. Et quemadmodum post hanc vitam, qui hinc migraverint certitudine et fiducia hujus fidei ornati, in perpetuum florentes ac beati erunt ; sic in hac vita commorantes a Christ! vera et sancta ecclesia pro Christi discipulis, et non haereticis, habe- buntur. Nam Christus dicit, " Si vos manseritis in sermone meo, vere discipuli mei estis, et cognoscetis veritatem, et Veri- tas liberos reddet vos." Satis igitur nos habere putamus, quod fides nostra Dei atque illius verbi certitudine et protec- tione contra h£ereses et errores muniatur ac conservetur ; et papistarum jactantiam, qui spreto Deo, et neglecto illius verbo, sua multitudine superbiunt, contemnimus. Ipsi enim (ut Au- gustinus De Utilitate credendi dicit) sunt hasretici, qui falsas et novas opiniones gignunt vel sequuntur alicujus temporalis com- [1 Cassiod. Op. Tom. i. p. 334.] C(EHJE DOMINI. 541 modi, et maxime gloria principatusque sui, gratia 2. Quod autem neoterici decent de elementorum traasubstantiatione in eucharistia, de corporal! corporis prsesentia in coena Domini, vel ut id quod offertur in missa sit sacrificium expiatorium vel propitiatorium, sacrje scripture veterumque patrum testimonia baud meminerunt ; imo omnia ilia plane negant et abominantur, uti coram aequo atque competent! judice semper sumus proba- tur! : quem si Deus optimus maximus concedere dignetur, facile vincet illius verb! Veritas atque auctoritas. Quod si iratus ob nostra peccata talem judicem in terris non sit nobis concessurus ; tamen qualescunque (etsi illius verb! hostes infen- sissimos et Romano pontifici juratos) permiserit, quod illius Spiritus auxilio et verb! su! auctoritate prajstare possumus, id omni consilio summaque opera et diligentia praestabimus. Quod vero prsestare non valemus, judici Christo in novissimo die, cum universi mortales ad vitam revocabuntur, commltte- mus ; qui nostram ac adversariorum fidem ad rationem et regulam verb! su! reposcet, ubi ante tribunal ipsius imp!! omnes, qui fidem a verbo Dei alienam profitentur, seclus! a coetu atque ecclesia fidelium, in perpetuas tenebras relegabuntur, ut ips! in perpetuum a societate et communione piorum in vita futura excludantur, qui in hac vita fideles in Christo ferro, igne, carcere, atque exilio persequuntur. Nostrum igitur interim erit assiduis precibus Deum defatigare, ut fidem et gloriationem spe! nostrse ad finem usque firmam teneamus, et non metuamus eos qui corpus tantum occidere valent et co- nantur ; ut etiam illorum iras et tormenta patienter feramus. Ad Deum similiter supplices fundamus preces, quibus pro illis etiam oremus, ut tandem, ad meliorem mentem revocati, nos cum illis, atque Ul! nobiscum, requiescamus per Christum Jesum Dominum nostrum in pace, vitamque consequamur asternam. Amen. [2 Cap. I. Aug. Op. Tom. vi. col. 89. B. Basil. 1569.] EPISTLE DEDICATORY TO THE TREATISE ENTITLED DE VERA RATIONE INVENIENDiE ET FUGIEND.E FALS^ DOCTRINiE BREVE SYNTAGMA. [The following Dedicatory Epistle of the treatise entitled " Joannis Iloperi, Angli, nuper episcopi Vigorniensis et Glocestrensis, de vera ratione inveniendse et fugiendsc falsse doctrinse breve syntagma," is reprinted from Strype's Ecclesiastical Memorials, Vol. iii. Part II. No xxvr. Strype says (Vol. in. Parti, p. 283. Oxf. 1822): "The treatise (written in prison, and dated Dec. 1, 1554) was designed by the author for the press, and was in the hands of John Foxe when he was at Basil for that purpose: but whether printed or no, I cannot tell." See the preliminary notice to the Epistola ad Episcopos &c. p. 381.] DE FALSA RELIGIONE DIGNOSCENDA ET FUGIENDA 543 Joannis Hoperi, Angli, nuper episcopi Wigorniensis et Grloucestrensis, de vera ratione inveniendas et fugiendse fals£e doctrinte breve syntagma. Desiderantur quaedam in initio. ignarus vel idiota dlligit. Sed dilectio nostra vera est amor in vera fide erga omnia prascepta divina, quibus hu- militer obedimus cura quadam laatitia et animi exultatione ; ut turn ad Deum propter se, turn proximum meum propter Deum, honore afSciamur. Et banc dilectionem verbum Dei tantum docet ; ut fidem, spem, caritatem, timorem, tolerantiam, ac ceteras virtutes omnes, quae ab hoc Christiano necessario ex- iguntur. Qui ergo populum Dei ad carbonarios, vel ad quos- cunque alios quibuscunque titulis et nomine inscriptos, et non ad verbum Dei relegant, impostores sunt, Deique et hominum hostes ; de quibus etiam Deus gravissime per Hieremiara con- Hierem. v queritur, inquiens, " Duo mala," inquit, " fecit populus meus : "' me dereliquerunt fontem aquae vivae, et foderunt sibi cisternas, quje aquas continere non valent." Idem et apud vos facere qui vestrae saluti praeficiuntur conantur. Primum defectionem a verbo Dei docent, a quo uno omnis petenda est Veritas in religione Christi ; et per quod omnes spiritus, qui in ecclesiis docent, a populo probandi sunt, num sint ex Deo. Deinde certitudinem fidei nostrje ab ignaro, indocto, atque imperito carbonario' petendam esse docent, qui quid^ sit fides plane ignorat. Quid hoc aliud est quam, juxta verbum Christi, " caecum caeco praBficere, ut ambo in foveam cadant Certe Matt. xv. Christus longe alia tam a ministris ecclesias quam a populo exigit : nimirum ut minister verbum Dei duntaxat doceat, et populus id solum audiat, discat, et observet : et omnino Deus vetat, ne qui sapientissimi et sanctissimi inter homines haben- tur faciant ea quae recta videantur in oculis ipsorum : multo magis non est credendum nec faciendum in causa fidei quod rectum videatur in oculis illiteratissimi et stupidissimi carbo- narii. Quare pro meo erga vos officio, munere, et amore, quo tenacius veritati verbi Dei adhaereatis, breve syntagma de [1 " He meant the collier's faith, ' to believe as the Church be- lieves.'" Strype. Eccl. Mem. Vol. ni. Pt. i. p. 283. Osf. 1822.] [2 In Strype quicqukl, evidently a mistake.] 544 DE FALSA RELIGIOKE falsa religione dignoscenda et fugienda vestrae caritati dedi- cavi. Unde facile intelligetis quam horribiliter et impie quae hodie in ecclesiis Anglicanis fiunt a veritate verbi Dei disso- cur vuigari nent, et ex diametro pugnent. Quod vulgari ac nostro idio- idiomate non . . . , , . . , . , , . sciipsiu mate scnpsissem, si typographum aliquem idoneum qui Anglice librum emitteret invenissem : sed, ut pii omnes probe norunt, hodie in Anglia vel prela in imprimendis fabulis sudant, aut penitus silent. Prseterea nolui vestra causa hoc opus nostra lingua edere, ne episcopi, Dei ac hominum implacabiles hostes, severius et acrius in vos (quos in Christo Jesu unice diligo) animadverterent. Quam atroclter enim et inhumaniter pii hodie ubique in hoc regno tractentur, illorum lacrymsB et gemitus (quos Deus tandem dubio procul clementer in Christo aspiciet) testantur. Praeterea Latine scribere volui (quan- quam Latinsd orationis pompam, fucum, et calamistra assequi nec valeo nec aflfecto), ut quae a me de rebus divinis inter vos olim dicta, et a vobiS accepta, piis fratribus sparsim universum orbem incolentibus palam facerem ; ut fidem meam atque ves- tram agnoscerent, judicarent, et approbarent verbi Dei calculo et auctoritate ; et eandem apud Deum Patrem nostrum coe- lestem suis precibus adjuvarent, ut constanter et intrepide in eadem ad finem usque, invitis etiam inferorum portis, per- severemus, Piis et religiosis viris ac sacrarum literarum amatoribus scribo, quibus Dei gloria et illius verbi Veritas summopere est cordi ; quamvis orationis fuco et pigmentis Luciiius non Uliniatur. Et quemadmodum perantiquus ille Lucilius ^"^^ poeta dicere solebat, se sua non Persio scribere, sed Siculis et Tarentinis ; sic ego non solum quaecunque de vera religione scribo, verum qu^cunque etiam cogito aut loquor, ea omnia piis tantum scripta, cogitata, aut dicta esse volo : quid livor virulentus carpat, non moror ; nec plus papistarum flammas aut ferrum euro quam leaena latrantis catuli vocem. Corpus tantum occidere possunt : sed anima statim in Christo pr£B- senti et sempiterno gaudio fruetur. Tantum igitur dum hie vivitur Deum supplici animo precemur, ut ipsi cor ac mentem nostram dedicemus ; cujus tutela et gratia omnia pericula evi- tabimus. Interim hostes evangelii fortiter propter Christum contemnamus, omnesque in Christo comiter juvare studeamus. Hajc assidue cum animis vestris cogitate, et meditatione ac studio legum divinarum vos ipsos oblectate, ut Deo et sanctse suae ecclesiae cari habeamini. Cavete etiam ab iis DIGNOSCENDA ET FUGIENDA. 545 qui vobis fodiunt (ut inquit David) foveas, quae non sunt secundum legem Dei ; et non per quern, sed quid dicatur, animadvertite. Nam quemadmodum inter bajulum et Alci- biadem supremo loco natum, si veram nobilitatem spectemus, nulla est differentia, modo absit virtus ; ita nec inter idiotam Nota. et summum pontificem, sicut cathedram Petri occupantem, si veram religionem spectemus, nulla est differentia, modo absit verbi Dei auctoritas. Imo qui aliud evangelium quam Christi docet anathemate oaiat. i. (licet sanctissimus) est feriendus, Quare cum sauctissimo vate Davide dicite, " In aeternura, Domine, verbum tuum permanet Psai. cxix. in coelo et in terra;" illud non potest mutari, non potest anti- quari, non potest augeri, nec potest diminui. Nam quicquid Deus ipse constituit ratum ac fixum esse oportet ; hoc indicat et testatur coelorum et terrse perennitas. Quicquid ergo reges, prlnclpes, episcopi, sacrificuli, vel is qui impie se ipsum pro summo capite ecclesiae Christi militantis in terris jactitat, in causa religionis dixerint ; vos ipsos ad scientiam legum divi- narum recipite, et earum prsesidio adversus omnis impietatis insidias et imposturas conimunite. In causa fidei nuUam auctoritatem principum aut episcoporum agnoscite citra verbum Dei ; nam ipsa universalis ecclesiae auctoritas nulla est, nisi quatenus a verbo Dei pendeat : ementitam ac fictam Romani pontificis auctoritatem contemnite, et ex animis vestris omnino profligate. Deus enim omnes apostolos, quoad auctoritatem et dignitatem, pares fecit : omnibus dixit, " Accipite Spiritum Joan. XX. sanctum ; quorum remiseritis peccata, sunt remissa ; quorum retinueritis, sunt retenta." Omnes pares in docendo evangelic constituit; omnes pariter " lucem hujus mundi" et "salemMatt. v. terrse" appellavit ; et omnes testes aeternse salutis pares assig- navit. Quamobrem ex verbo Dei nullam pra3rogativam praa ceteris apostolis Christus Petro concessit : quod si concessisset, tamen nec cathedrjB suae nec suis successoribus eandem con- cedere Petrus a Christo potestatem habuit. Et si illi et aliis totius ecclesiaB curam Christus principaliter concessisset, nihil Romani antichristi partes adjuvaret. Nam an Petrus unquam An Petrus fuerit Romoe, adhuc sub judice lis est. Pra3terea an unquam a" est. Petrus supremam dignitatem et imperium ecclesiae suis suc- cessoribus commendaverit, papa ostendere non valet. Et si etiam haec omnia vera essent, quod Christus Petro, et Petrus suis successoribus, ut papicola) fingunt, contulissent ; tamen r n 35 [hooper, II.J 546 DE FALSA REUGIONE Romanis pontlficibus nihil patrocinaretur. Hi enim qui Petri doctrinam proraovent veri sunt Petri successores ; et non qui illius sedem ac cathedram occupant. Et quod suam auctoritatem conciliis et auctoritatibus patrum asserere conatur figmentum est. Nam cum iu concilio Carthaginensi tertio nomen et dignitatem universalis episcopi patres obtulissent Romano pontifici, Pelagius Romanus epis- copus omnibus modis eodem tempore illud nomen a se rejecit^ Et Gregorius Magnus quinque epistolis gravissime et maximo irapetu orationis adversus Joannem Constantinopolitanum, quod tam insulsum nomen a Mauricio imperatore tentaverat, inve- Gregoriiis, hitur, ilium vocans prsDdecessorem antichristi^. Affirmat prse- Ep. xxxix. ^QYQ^ Gregorius Magnus, omnes qui in hoc scelesto vocabulo (generalis episcopi) consenserint fidem suam perdere^. Et quod auctoritatem suam ratam esse voluerit quasi a regibus et principibus concessam, certo scimus reges et principes, etsi vellent, non posse aliquam sua3 dignitatis partem cuiquam con- ferre, nee a suo officio et honore deponere : nam quod Deus necessario alicui statui conjungit nemo in alium statum transferre Reges. valet. Rogos autem sub se ministros, qui ecclesise et reipublicse munia ministrent, habere possunt ; sed pares vel superiores in ecclesia3 vel reipubhcas ministerio habere regibus non licet. Et si forte quispiam vel regis permissione, vel aliqua tem- poris prsescriptione, vel tyrannide, in ecclesiis auctoritatem sibi vindicat, nemo tamen illius auctoritati obtemperare debet, nec episcopo, nee papjo, quatenus sunt episcopi ; quandoqui- dem a Deo talem potestatem non habent ; nec quia a regibus missi, propterea quod talem potestatem reges episcopo papali Apoc. xvii. facere non possunt. Sed banc potestatem papse clare indicat Joannes originem suam habuisse nec a Deo nec ab homine, sed ex abysso : et in interitum procul dubio brevi ibit. [1 Seo Expos, of Ps. xxiii. p. 234, and note. The words of Pe- lagius there referred to are contained in a letter addressed to the bishops, &c., unlawfully assembled by John, patriarch of Constantin- ople. See Binii Tom. iv. p. 477. col. 1. D. Lutet. Paris. 1636. Also Tom. I. p. 711. Cone. Carth. iii. cap. 26.] [2 Gregor. Magn. Mauricio Augusto. Ep. 32. Id. Constantia). Ep. 34. Id. Joanni Constantinop. Ep. 38. Lib. iv. Id. Mauric. Aug. Ep. 30. Lib. VI. Id. Eusebio Thessalon. Ep. 69. Lib. vii. Op. foil. 393, 395, 410, J24. Paris. 1533.] [3 Id. Aniano Diac. Ep. 39. Lib. iv. In isto — scelesto vocabulo consentii-e nihil est aliud quam fidem pei'dere. — Op. fol. 395. ji.] DIGNOSCENDA ET FUGIENDA. 547 Sed banc violentiam et satanicam auctoritatem papse non est prsesentis instituti ulterius prosequi. Tantum admonere volui, quamvis contra omnia jura divina et humana nunc iterum (propter nostra peccata) inter Anglos caput ecclesise obtinuerit, non plus hie habere jurisdictionis quam infimus episcopus Angliae habet Romre ; et tandem denuo Dominus interficiet ilium spiritu oris sui, ut antehac fecit. Nihil tarn perfectum tamque absolutum oculis nostris videmus inter ipsa opera Dei, cujus interitus videri non possit. At ipsa lex Dei nulla vi, nullave tyrannide, dolo, aut vetustate consumi aut obliterari potest, ut Christus testatur, " Coelum et terra trans- ibunt ; verba autem mea non transibunt." Illud igitur amplectamini, ac omni studio et diligentia colite. In hoc omnes vires nervosque intendite, ut vita nostra sic instituatur et gubernetur a sancto Dei numine, ut nunquam ab illlus legis observatione aberret. Tunc futurum erit, ut omnia vobis prospere succedant, ac fehcissime cadant, si legem Dei ante oculos habueritis. Prfeterea, si ad verbi Dei regulam qu£e hodie a papistis in ecclesiis fiunt exigantur, tunc omnia impia et profana esse nuUo negotiojudicabitis. Quapropter ego hoc breve syntagma scripsi, ut pii et impii, veri et falsi cultus discrimen colla- tione quadam demonstrarem, quanta supplicia impiis cultoribus, quantaque piis prtemia sint constituta. Deus apud Hieremiam judicio contendit cum Israclitis, et cum illorum filiis acerrime disceptat. " Transite, inquit, ad insulas Cethim, et videte, et [Jer. ii.] in Cedar mittite, et considerate vehementer, et diligentissime videte, si factum est hujusmodi, si mutavit gens deos sues ; et certe ipsi non sunt dii : populus vero meus mutavit gloriam suam in idolum," An non de nobis etiam idem justissime ac merito conqueri potest Deus ? Qu£e enim gens usquam in toto terrarum orbe tam impia, fraudulenta, immanis,ettruculenta est, qu£B deos sues tantum ad prsescriptum suas legis non colit et veneratur ? Nulla certe tam barbara natio reperitur sub sole. Nam si cultus Christianorum hodie in ecclesiis sub papse tyran- nide ad praBscriptum verbi Dei conferatur, omnia ex diametro cum verbo Dei pugnare videblmus. Imo nec usus ncc lectio evangelii in missa incognita lingua publlcis ac sacris conventibus ad regulam verbi quadrat. Nam evangelium etiam iis a quibus non intelligitur nihil prodest. Christus igitur S£epe jubet : "Audite et intelligite." Et pulchre docet Chrysostomus in Matt, 35—2 V 548 DE FALSA RKLIGIONE DIGXOSCEXDA ET FUGIEXDA. cho'sost 1 Cor xiv. "Qui ignota, inquit, lingua loquitur quam non intelligit nec se ipsum necalium a5dificat'." Qusenam potest esse utilitas ex voce non intellecta ? XuUa penitus. Ideo Deus ad Tocem verbi sui non tantum hominum praesentiam, auditum, geniculationem, corporis erectionera, capitis denudationem, manuum expansionem, verum hoc exigit a singulis suis audi- toribus, TTpoae-^ere Xao's fiov tw vofxto fiov, quod sonat, "Inten- PsaLixxviii. dits et adhibote mentem, popule mi," vel, " adverte animum, ad legem meam :" KXtvare ovi vilwv et? ra ptj/nara rov