Common Places, Letters · Letter 40
To a certaine friende of his. 42.
I Verie well knowe by your letters (my godlie and learned friende, and my moſt beloued in the Lorde) that you throughlie vnderſtande my meaning as touching the ſupper of the Lord. Wherefore I ſhall the leſſe neede to make aunſwere to your moſt courteous & learned Epiſtle. The ſtate of the queſtion (as you rightlie gather) is whether according to the increaſe of faith, (which both of vsus agrée to be giuen vntounto the faithfull in the vſe of the Euchariſt, Whether we by the increaſe of faith be the more incorporated into Chriſt.) we bée more vnited or incorpora… vntounto Chriſt our Lorde and by him vntounto God: which I affirmed but you denied, as thinking that although our faith increaſe yet that coniunction which wee hauehave wiſh Chriſt, is not for that cauſe increaſed thereby. But I minding to confirme my opinion, That our coniunctiō in Chriſt is encreaſed.thought it verie requiſite to bring foorth places of the Scriptures, by which our increaſe in Chriſt is moſt manifeſtlie declared. Paul vntounto the Epheſians the 3. Chapter ſaith: Ephe. 3. 19.That ye maie be filled with all fulneſſe of God. By theſe wordes of the Apoſtle is opened and taught that vntounto the faithfull belongeth euerie daie to be fulfilled and perfected. But the ſame Apoſtle teſtifieth, that it is Chriſt alone, by whom we be fulfilled and perfected: yea it is he, who is both fulfilled and perfected in vsus. For we read in the verie ſame Epiſtle that the Church is the body of Chriſt and fulneſſe of him that filleth all in all thinges: Ephe. 1. 23.that while one member of this bodie is augmented, Chriſt maie be ſaide to be increaſed in it, that is, become greater and more néere vntounto it. In the 4. of the ſame Epiſtle to the Epheſians it is ſaide that there are giuen vntounto the Church Apoſtles, Prophetes, Euangeliſtes, Paſtors and teachers, who in verie déede doe not deale but by the worde of God and Sacramentes: for the reſtoring of the ſaintes into the worke of the adminiſtration into ye edifying of the bodie of Chriſt, Eph. 4. ver. 11. 12. 13. & 14.vntill we all meete together into the vnitie of faith, and knowledge of the ſonne of God, vntounto a perfect man, vntounto the meaſure of age, of the fulneſſe of Chriſt, that hence foorth wee maie be no more children. Hereunto therefore maie theſe Miniſteries of the Church and Sacramentes bee ſaide to pertaine, that euerie man maie bee ſtrengthened in his vocation & miniſterie, and that hee doe not alwaies liue an vnperfect age, but be increaſed in the bodie of Chriſt, and be made at the length of full age and perfect ſtature, that hee be not a babiſhe and childiſhe member of the perfect and manlie heade I meane of Chriſt. Neither is there anie other augmentation of the members to be appointed, than that Chriſt himſelfe ſhold be amplyfied and made greater in euerie of his members: and this is doone if the faithfull be euerie daie made more partakers of him. And ſtreight way after the ſame Apoſtle ſaith: But we following the trueth in louelove let vsus in all thinges growe vp vntounto him who is the heade, that is Chriſt. And hee addeth: In whom al the bodie being coupled and knit together by euerie ioynt, for the furniture thereof (according to the effectuall power in the meaſure of euerie part) receiueth increaſe of the bodie vntounto the edifying of it ſelfe in louelove. In this place alſo we heare of an increaſe of the bodie as touching each part according to the meaſure thereof: and the manner of increaſing is ſhewed, namelie that each member by the ioyntes and cloſures whereby it is ioyned to the head, hath the ſame flowing into it from the heade. Which doubtleſſe what elſe is it, than daylie more & more to be made partakers of ye head? You hauehave moreouer in the ſame Epiſtle the ſeconde Chapter: Verſe. 19.Nowe therefore are ye no more ſtrangers and foreners but citizens with the ſaintes and of the houſhold of God built vppon the foundation of the Apoſtles and Prophetes, Chriſt Ieſus himſelfe being the head corner ſtone, in whom all the building coupled together, groweth vntounto an holy tēple in the Lord: In whō ye alſo are built together to be the habitatiō of God by the ſpirit. The Apoſtle, as you heare deſcribeth our increaſe vnderunder a metaphor of building, which not only hath Chriſt to be ye foundation; but to be alſo ye chiefe corner ſtone. Wherefore euē as wals do after a ſort grow vp and riſe from ye foundation, & do tend vntounto the chiefe corner & outward moſt quoyne, ſo is Chriſt ioyned to vsus from the beginning like a foundation and is placed as the chiefe corner ſtone of our building: therefore euen as we ſpring from him by regeneratiō, ſo we riſe vntounto him by increaſings and become more néere vntounto him eueryevery day. Verſe. 12. & 13.In the Epiſtle to the Philippians the 3. Chapt. I follow, if I may comprehend ſo farre forth as I am comprehended of Chriſt Ieſus. Brethren, I count not my ſelfe that I hauehave yet attained to it: but this one thing I doe: I forget thoſe things that are behinde, and indeuour my ſelfe vntounto that which is before, and follow hard towards the marke, for the price of the high calling in God. I ſée héere y• Chriſt of his goodneſſe and merciemercy hath ioyned himſelfe to euerie one of vsus, and by the counſel of God hath giuen to al men a certaine prefixed and diſtributed meaſure of the participation of Chriſt, whereunto we perpetuallie tende while we liue, leauing the vnperfect things, following the better, laying away the olde man and putting on the newe. And while we liue héere it behooueth that none of vsus doe ceaſe as though hée ſhoulde thinke that hée hath attained. Whereuppon it comes that all the godlie doe alwaies in this life goe forewarde, and doe growe vp vntounto the higheſt calling. And our higheſt calling is nothing elſe but Chriſt: vntounto him we are called, vntounto him I ſay, who while he was vponupon the earth, ſayd vntounto his: Come vntounto me, or followe me. So at this preſent he calleth vsus no other way but vntounto him: wherefore they which profit more and more, are not vniuſtlie ſaide to be ioyned more and more vntounto him. Col. 2. 19.VntoUnto the Coloſſians you hauehave the ſelfe ſame thing: And houldeth not the heade, whereof the whole bodie furniſhed and knit together by iointes and bondes increaſeth with the increaſing of God. Adde withall that Peter ſayth in the firſt Epiſtle the ſeconde chapter: 1. Pet. 2.….Deſire ye as new borne babes the milke not of the bodie but of the minde, which knoweth no guile, that ye may growe thereby to ripe age. This Apoſtle alſo attributed to them that be new borne in Chriſt their increaſes. From whence out increaſe in Chriſt commeth.Séeing it nowe plainlie appeareth that Chriſt doth increaſe in vsus and we in Chriſt, there remaineth that wée ſee from whence we hauehave this thing: whether of workes, or of our owne ſtrength. No forſooth, for we hauehave it all wholy, ſo much as euer it is, of the méere merciemercy of God: although good workes are neuer abſent from them that beléeue. The merciemercy of the true God propounded to vsus by the worde and the ſacramentes, is not apprehended of vsus by other meanes or inſtrumentes than by faith: therefore are wee ſaide to bee ioyned vntounto Chriſt by it, which neuertheleſſe no man dare bragge to be of himſelfe, Ephe. 2. 8.ſéeing Paule manifeſtly teacheth that the ſame is the gift of God. Neither muſt it be cōſidered of vsus as it procéedeth of vsus, and as it is drawen from our minde or will, for in this reſpect, euen as all our thinges be, it hath, verie much imperfection: but let vsus conſider of it, as it is deriued from God the author thereof, and as it reſteth in the obiect of the promiſes of God. As if you would ſay, that Chriſt himſelfe according as he ſhall more or leſſe giuegive himſelfe to be apprehended of vsus by faith, ſo much the more or leſſe is he ioyned vntounto vsus. But ſeeing he graunteth this vntounto his faithfull ones in receiuing of the worde and ſacramentes, doubtleſſe we are then more vnited and incorporated vntounto him. Wherefore power is not aſcribed vntounto faith, ſo farfoorth as it is a thing of ours, but vntounto Chriſt himſelfe according as he giueth himſelfe vntounto as to be apprehended more or leſſe. Moreouer it ſhall be ſhewed thus to be by an other reaſon: To eate Chriſt is verilie to beleeue: but there followeth ſuch an eating, as Chriſt himſelfe ſheweth, that Chriſt dwelleth in vsus and we in him, whereof is inferred, that if the eating, that is the faith be increaſed, the dwelling alſo, that is our vnion with Chriſt doth likewiſe increaſe, for this is the nature and power of thinges ioyned together that the one beeing augmented, the other hath alſo an increaſe. The verie which thing I may conclude in no other maner out of the Epiſtle to the Epheſians, where it is ſayde: Ephe. 3. 16Be yee ſtrengthened by the holy ſpirite in the inwarde man, that Chriſt maie dwell in your hearts by faith. Theſe things doe note vntounto vsus that Chriſt dwelleth in vsus by faith: wherefore it is prooued that if faith doe increaſe, there comes an augmentation to ſuch a dwelling, and that by the lawe of thinges ioyned together, whereof if thou make one greater, it followeth that the other alſo is become greater. Theſe and ſuch other argumentes hauehave I for my opinion. But héere learned ſyr ſince you are of an other minde [heerein] than I am, you demaunde whether we are rather ioyned vntounto Chriſt in reſpect we are apprehended by him, and that (as Paule ſpeaketh) When we were yet enemies, Rom. 5. 10.and when he choſe vsus before the making of the worlde: or elſe by our faith which both is weake, and hath dailie his increaſes? Whether the coniunctiō of Chriſt be doone by Chriſt or by one fayth.And you perſwade your ſelfe that we are vnited and ioined vntounto him long ſince, in that wee hauehave béene comprehended of him, but not as we our ſelues apprehend him by faith. But I iudge that this reaſon muſt be ſo aunſwered as I graunt that either of both may be doone: firſt doubtleſſe that we are apprehended of Chriſt through louelove in that of him we were choſen before the making of the worlde, and to euerie one of vsus is diſtributed a meane and meaſure of ioyning and cleauing to him, vntounto which meane and meaſure appointed vntounto vsus we long by continuall faith to attaine, indeuoring as Paule ſayde vntounto the Philippians, Phil. 3. 13.and I before cited, to apprehende ſo farrefoorth as we are apprehended by Chriſt Ieſus. Wherefore the ende of the augmentations of our faith ſhalbe, that it may come ſo farre forwarde as Chriſt appointed that it ſhoulde come, and by the increaſes thereof wee more and more apprehende Chriſt; although not beyonde the boundes and limittes of apprehending, wherewith he himſelfe imbraſed vsus when wee were enemies, and before the foundations of the worlde were layde. You defende alſo your opinion by this argument: That the weakeneſſe or faith letteth not our coniunction with ChriſtOur faith is not verie perfect, it is weake and oftentimes wauereth: why therfore will wee that our coniunction with Chriſt ſhould depend of the increaſing thereof? And ſéeing that fulneſſe of faith which is required of ech one of vsus can neuer be hadde, we ſhall expect in vaine that Chriſt ſhoulde more and more be vnited vntounto vsus by the increaſinges and augmentation thereof. Further indéede I will not denie the weakeneſſe of faith, as I doe iudge and you doe obiect. Howbeit this infirmitie thereof is no cauſe at all but that faith ſhould be accounted the meane and inſtrument whereby we apprehende Chriſt, eternall life, forgiueneſſe of ſinnes, and other ſuch promiſes, as it moſt euidently appeareth out of the holie ſcriptures. Wherefore, if that faith ſo it be a true faith bee it neuer ſo litle, obtaineth theſe thinges, I ſée not howe it can be, but that afterwarde, the ſelfe ſame alſo ſhoulde bee iudged to apprehende dailie more and more when it hath greater and more increaſinges, as you your ſelfe confeſſe it hath. Nor in my iudgement is it a firme argument: Faith is neuer had of vsus full and perfect, therefore by the increaſinges and augmentations thereof we are not more faſtened and vnited vntounto Chriſt. Let vsus borowe a ſimilitude of charitie: the ſame is alwaies vnperfect while we liue heere, and no man doubteth, but that wee are ioyned thereby vntounto our neighbour: dooth it not therefore followe that charitie of this or that man hath an increaſe, therefore he is more vnited and ioyned to his neighbour? I thinke it followeth, & no man that is wiſe will reiect that kinde of argument. Furthermore the profite which you declare that comes by the exerciſes of faith: namely that it may be a helpe for our infirmitie, leaſt in verie déede we ſhould fall therefrom by ſuffering the ſame to lie idle and vnoccupied, this I willinglie imbraſe: yet ſo neuertheleſſe, as to this of yours I will alſo ioyne an other commoditie, to wit, that the exerciſes of faith are not onelie auailable to the retaining therof, but do alſo make it ſtronger & greater, and the ſame the more it is ſtrengthened & increaſed, the more it ſerueth to the apprehending of Chriſt, ſo as we are thereby more vnited vntounto him when it is increaſed than we are by it when it is féeble and leſſened. And if you ſhunne, The words of vniting & incorporating.as you ſay you doe, the wordes of vniting or incorporating, I doubt not but you hauehave a good meaning therein: For why ſhoulde I ſuſpect the contrarie of you, whom I ſée to be ſo clearely inſtructed by God in pietie, learning, and holineſſe? Howbeit, as I thinke, it ſhall not be amiſſe to declare why I on the other ſide doe not miſlike of thoſe wordes: for beſides that they verie well ſerue to the opening of this matter, it hath this withall that they are not ſtrange from the holy ſcriptures. For we hauehave vntounto the Epheſians the thirde chapter: Verſe. 6.That the gentiles might be coheirs, and of the ſame bodie. As if you would ſay: If they might be incorporated namely one with another into Chriſt, they might alſo be copartners of the promiſes of Chriſt. And in the ſeconde chapter of the ſame Epiſtle: Verſe 15.That hee might make of twaine one newe man in himſelfe, making peace, and that he might reconcile both vntounto God in one bodie by the croſſe: & ſo foorth. Wee heare the Apoſtles teach that Chriſt brought two ſorts, namely the Gentils & the Iewes into one, and that in himſelfe, becauſe they cannot be one in themſelues, but in reſpect that they bee vnited and coupled together in Chriſt. And he addeth, that they be reconciled together, but yet in one bodie, that is to wit, of Chriſt himſelfe, for he addeth: By the Croſſe. By which thinges I gather that the wordes of vniting and incorporating are agréeable to the holy ſcriptures, and therefore I refuſe them not as ſtraunge wordes and inuented of late dayes: but and if any doe abuſe them, they doe not well. But what? If the Heretickes will abuſe the holy Scriptures, ſhall the faithfull abſtaine from the vſe of them? I trowe not: wherefore it is better to correct the abuſe, than to auoide the lawfull & profitable vſe of theſe wordes. But héere maie euerie one abounde in his owne ſenſe, How our vniting with Chriſt is augmented by the vſe of the Sacraments.whatſoeuer Paul or I ſay: And whereas you write at the laſt that I ſay wée are the more vnited vntounto Chriſt by the vſe of the Sacraments, I denie not but this I ſaid ſo it be not laide to my charge that I attribute any thing to the elements (or as they ſpeake) to the worke wrought: but to declare in fewe wordes, this is my opinion, that euen as by the holy wordes while they bee either heard or read, our faith is ſtirred vp, waxeth feruent, and is increaſed: ſo doeth it alſo happen while we receiue the Sacraments, which be the wordes of God, but yet viſible wordes that our faith is made more firme and increaſeth: by the benefit of which increaſing, becauſe in very déede it is of God, we are become more & more ioyned & incorporated vntounto Chriſt. In déede you ſay that wee firſt had this vnion or incorporation with Chriſt, but that the ſame in receiuing of the Sacraments is ſealed. Which I denie not, for the holie ſcriptures teache vsus the ſame, but mée thinkes that yt muſt alſo be affirmed beſides, which doeth follow vppon the ſealing. For euen as déedes in writing if they be ſealed doe the more cauſe credite to be giuen to the trueth of that which is contained in them, ſo Sacraments being ioyned to the giftes of GOD doe make them to bée more certaine and manifeſt. So as by the light and brightneſſe which is added by the ſealing, the minde is ſtirred vp, ſo that it beléeueth the more: and the more it beléeueth the more earneſtly it apprehendeth Chriſt, and both commeth and ioyneth néerer vntounto him. Theſe were the things (learned ſir) that I had nowe to anſwere you by writing. And I am verie well aſſured, that you will take them in good part, ſince I perceiue you to bée endued no leſſe with humanitie than with other giftes of God. Fare you well and doe not thinke that I will euer for this diuerſitie of opinion which is not great, either louelove or honour you any thing leſſe than I did before, &c.