Fifty Sermons Containing the Chief Points of the Christian Religion, Sermons 3 · 4 (cont.) · Sermon 5
Of adoreing (or worſhipping,) Of inuocating (or calling vppon) and of ſeruing the onelyonly, liuing, true, and euerlaſting God. Alſo of true and falſe religion.
¶ The fift Sermon.
TOuching GOD, what he is in perſon, what in qualitie, and what in ſubſtaunce, I hauehave tolde you already, not as I ought, but as I was able. I hauehave likewiſe ſhadowed out howe good and readie his will is towardes man, whome he hath ordeyned to life euerlaſting, in his onelyonly begotten Sonne, whome alſo he hath▪ made Lorde of all thinges in this preſent worlde, all thinges being brought in ſubiection vntounto him.
Now, that man ſhould not be ignorāt what he oweth to ſo mighty a god, and to a father ſo louing and liberal, I will anon ioyne a diſputation touching this liuing, true, and euerlaſting GOD, of man to be adored, called vponupon, and worſhipped. For mā is neither created nor borne, to beholde and gaze vponupon the ſtarres, as y• Philoſopher doted, but that he ſhoulde be the image and temple of God, in whome God might dwel and reigne, and that he ſhould therefore acknowledge God, reuerence, adore, call vppon, and worſhip, and alſo be ioyned vntounto God, and liue with him eternally. And firſt of all, I will ſpeake of adoreing God, nexte of calling vppon God, & laſtly of ſeruing God. Wherevpon we ſhall perceiue without any trouble at all, whiche is the true religion, or which is the falſe. The places truly propounded are verie plentiful, but in fewe wordes I will comprehend what the ſcripture doth teach vsus concerning them, howbeit not euerie one particularly, but the chiefeſt, and ſo muche as ſéemeth ſufficient for our ſaluation and ſound knowledge.
To adore or worſhip, in the holie ſcriptures doeth ſignifie, for honours To adore and worſhippe, what it is.ſake to vncouer the heade, to bend the body, to incline or bowe the knée, or with the whole body to lye proſtrate vponupon the grounde, to fall flat on the face at ones féete, after the faſhion of ſuppliants or petitioners, in token of humilitie, ſubmiſſion, and obedience: and it is referred chiefly to the geſture or habite of the body. The Hebricians vſe one only word Schahah, whiche all interpreters hauehave expounded by this word Adorare, to adore, bende, bowe, and lye along with the face downward. The Grecians hauehave expounded it by the word foreign, that is, I bowe the knées, I vncouer or make bare the head, I humbly beſéech or adore. And foreign, adoration, is ſo called, either of kiſſing, or of mouing the hat. For, foreign, ſignifieth I kiſſe. And that a kiſſe was ſometimes a ſigne of worſhipping, reuerencing, or adoreing, it is to be gathered out of the 31. of Iob. What, and is it not a faſhion verie much vſed euen at this day, for honour and reuerence ſake, to kiſſe the hand? Againe, foreign, ſignifieth a hat, a bon…et, or a cap, ſo that to adore, is to make bare and vncouer the heade for reuerence ſake. The Latiniſtes alſo peraduenture had an eye to the habite of the bodie. For Orare, to pray ſignifieth both as well to craue as to ſpeake a thing. He therefore doth adore, that caſting his countenaunce vponupon a man, doeth craue ſomthing ſuppliantly. Likely it is, yt the Germanes alſo had a reſpect herevnto. For they turne Adorare to adore, by this word Anbatten. Whiche might moreouer hauehave ben turned Zu fuſſen fallen. In the ninth of Matthewe thou doeſt reade: Beholde a certeine ruler came to Ieſus, and worſhipped (or adored) him. But Marke writing the ſame hiſtorie, And beholde, ſaith he, there came one of the Princes of the Synagogue, whoſe name was Iairus, and when he ſawe him, he fel downe at his feete, and beſought him inſtantly (or muche:) thus expounding to vsus what to adore is, to wit, to fall downe at ones féete, and to ſubmit and beſéeche like a ſuppliant. For ſo we reade in the olde teſtament of Iacob Iſrael our father: And he going before them, bowed Gene 33.him ſelfe to the ground ſeuen times, vntill his brother Eſau approched and drewe neare. Of Dauid and Abigael thus we reade in Samuel: 1. Sam. 23.When Abigael ſawe Dauid, ſhe haſted, and lighted off her Aſſe, and fel before Dauid on her face, and worſhipped g…ound, & ſhe …ell … his …ete, ſaying: Let that iniquitie bee counted mine, …. Reg. 3.my Lord, &c. Likewiſe, of Nathan the Prophete, it is … thus written: And whē he was … in …o the king, he worſhipped (or made obeyſaunce) vppon his face on the ground. For, GOD communicating this honour, doeth allowe the ſame vntounto men, either To adore … worſhip …en.for their old age, their authoritie, or worthineſſe ſake. For, man is the liuely image of God. And it pleaſeth Pſal. ….God himſelfe to call men that excell other in authoritie, Gods. Wherevppon the Apoſtles of Chriſte, Peter and Paule, inſtructing the people of God taught them, Hee verily, Feare God, honour the king: and This, the … Pet. ….magiſtrate is Gods miniſter: GiueGive therfore to all men, honour to whom Rom. 13.honour belongeth: feare, to whome feare is due. In the lawe the Lord ſayeth: In preſence of a hoare head, riſe vp. And, Honour thy parents.
In conſideration of this commaundement of God, y• godly do reuerence the aged, their parentes, and magiſtrats, and pleaſe God alſo with faithful obedience. But to adore, worſhip, or honour images, what repreſentation or likeneſſe ſoeuer they beare, the Lord doeth no where like or allowe. For hee ſayeth in the Lawe: Thou ſhalt not bow downe nor worſhippe Exod. …0.them. And by his Prophete Iſaie, None, ſayeth he, conſidereth with him ſelfe of this matter, and ſayeth: One …. 44.peece of the woode I hauehave burnte in the fire, I hauehave baked bread with the coales thereof, I hauehave roaſted fleſhe therewithall, and eaten it, & ſhould I now of the reſidue make an abhominable idole, and fall downe and worſhip a rotten peece of wood? In the ſame Prophete thou readeſt wt muche indignation pronounced: Their land is f…l of vaine Gods (or idols:) before the woorkes of their hands hauehave they bowed themſelues and adored it, yea, euen before the thing that their owne fingers hauehave made. There kneeleth the man, there falleth the man downe (before them:) therfore forgiue them not. Therefore, that auncient writer In his ſecond bok… and 18. chapter.Lactantius inſpired with a propheticall ſpirite, diſputing againſt the Gentiles, hath thus lefte it written: The images themſelues whiche are worſhipped, are repreſentations or counterfects of dead men. And it is a peruerſe and an abſurde thinge, that the image of a man, ſhould bee worſhipped of the image of GOD, to witt, man. For he worſhippeth the thing that is worſer and weaker. Beſides that, the very images ofſainctes, whiche moſt vaine men doe ſerue, are voyde of all ſenſe and féeling, béecauſe they are earth. And where is hee that vnderſtandeth not, that it is a wicked and ſinnefull acte for an vprighte and ſtreight creature to be bowed downe and to adore and worſhip earth? whiche to that end is vnderunder our féete, that it ſhould be troden vppon, and not adored of vsus, who therefore are made to goe vppright and looke vppward, that wee ſhould not lye groueling downeward, that wée ſhould not caſt this heauenly countenaunce to the earth, but thither looke and directe our eyes, whither the cōdition of their nature hath guided them.
Whoſoeuer therfore endeuoureth to mainteine the myſterie of mans Chap. 19.creation, and to hold the reaſon of his nature, let him raiſe vp himſelfe from the ground, and with a raiſed minde bende his eyes vntounto heauen: Let him not ſéeke a God vnderunder his féete, nor digge from vnderunder his footeſteps that which hee may adore or worſhip. Beecauſe, whatſoeuer lyeth vnderunder or is ſubiect to man, the ſame muſt néedes be inferiour vntounto man. But let him ſéeke aloft, let him ſéeke in the higheſt place: becauſe, nothing can be greater than man, but that which is aboue man. But God is greater than man, hee is therefore aboue, not beneathe, neither is he rather to be ſought in ye loweſt, but in the higheſt region or roome. Wherefore there is no doubt, but that whereſoeuer an image is, there is no religion. For if religion conſiſt in diuine thinges, and that nothinge is diuine, vnleſſe it be amonge heauenly thinges, than doe images lacke religion. Becauſe in that which is made of earth, there can bee no heauenly thing. Whiche matter, euen by the very name it ſelfe, may appeare & bee manifeſt to a wiſe man. For, whatſoeuer is counterfecte, that muſt néeds be falſe: neither can that which hath a repreſentation or gloſe of truth, at any time take vntounto it the name of truth. If then not eueryevery repreſentation or coūterfect, be not a thing in earneſt but as it were a toy & a ſport, religion is not in images, but there is leſſe religion where they bée. That whiche is true therefore, is to be preferred before all things that are falſe. Earthly thinges muſt bee troden vnderunder foote, that we maye get or obteine heauenly thinges. Theſe words, not vnaduiſedly, hauehave wee cited hetherto out of Lactantius. We returne nowe to our purpoſe.
But becauſe the outward geſture or habite of the bodie is commonly Spirituall adoration or worſhipping.framed according to the inward qualitie of the minde, and the outwarde habite of his body which adoreth, ſubmitteth, yealdeth, and maketh ſubiect him that worſhippeth to him whiche is worſhipped, therefore adoration is tranſlated likewiſe to the inner man, ſo that to adore, is to reuerence and reſpecte God, to bequeath oure ſelues wholie vntounto him, and to cleaue inſeparably vntounto him, vppon him only and alone to hange in all thinges, and to hauehave recourſe vntounto him in all our neceſſities whatſoeuer.
Furthermore, the outward adoration doth immediatly, when it is néedfull, and abilitie graunted, followe a minde rightly indued with true faith and holy feare of God. For adoration Adoratio… or worſhipping … is of two ſortes.is two-fould, or of two ſortes, one of the minde or ſpirite, which is inward, ſound, ſincere and true: another of the bodie, whiche is outward, vnſounde, counterfecte and falſe, whiche maye procéede from him, in whome there is no ſparckle of religion. True adoration is the fruite of true faith and holy feare of God, namely a lowly or ſuppliant yéelding and humble conſecrating, whereby we bequeath oure ſelues, yeald and ſubmitt oure ſelues vntounto our God, whome as wee vnderſtand to be our beſt and moſt merciful father, ſo to be our moſt highe and Almightie God: vppon him therefore alone we do wholie depend, and to him onelyonly wee hauehave reſpecte: whiche alſo forthwith ſo ſoone as occaſion is miniſtred vntounto vsus, wée expreſſe and teſtifie by outward adoration. All this wée ſhall the better vnderſtand by theſe teſtimonies of Scripture following. Dauid ſayth: O come let vsus ſinge vntounto the Lord, let vsus hartily reioyce in God our ſaluation. Let vsus come before Pſalm. 9his preſence with thanckeſgiuing, and ſhewe our ſelues ioyfull in him with Pſalmes. For the Lord is a great GOD, and a great king aboue all Gods: becauſe in his hand are the corners of the earthe, and the highte of the hilles are his. For the ſea is his, and he made it, and his hands faſtened the drie land. O come let vsus adore (or worſhip) and fall downe, and kneele before the Lord that hath made vsus. Beecauſe hee is the Lord our GOD, and we are the people of his paſture, and the ſheepe of his handes.
Thou perceiueſt therfore, that we muſt adore or worſhip God, and that wee muſt cleaue vntounto him, and ſinge praiſes to his name, becauſe hee is the moſt mightie GOD, creatour of all thinges, yea, our creatour, our father, and our ſhéepeheard. Likewiſe in the Goſpell according to Matthewe, adoration doeth followe faith, and doeth as it were growe out of it, and by it is nouriſhed. For, after that the diſciples béeing taughte by myracle beléeued that Ieſus was Chriſt, they came (ſayeth Matthewe) and adored (or worſhipped) him, ſaying: Thou art Matth. 14.truely the ſonne of God. Againe, thou readeſt in Iohn, that the Lord …. 9.aſked the blinde man that was excommunicate or caft out of the Synagogue, whome he reſtored to his ſight, ſaying: Doeſt thou beleeue in the ſonne of God? And that the blinde man aunſwered: Who is hee, Lord, that I might beleeue in him? And that Ieſus aunſweared: and ſayde: Thou haſt both ſeene him, and hee it is that talketh with thee. Moreouer vppon this by and by followeth in the hiſtorie, But hee ſaid: I beleeue Lord, and he worſhipped him.
Hetherto nowe belongeth that whiche the Lord ſayed to the Samaritane in the Goſpell. The true worſhippers ſhall worſhip the father in ſpirite and in trueth. For the Lord doth allowe ſpirituall and inward adoration or worſhipping, not that outward, counterfecte, or hypocriticall worſhipping, but that whiche procéedeth from a minde regenerated by fayth through the holy Ghoſt, and that tendeth ſincerely towardes one God. For wee read in the hiſtorie of the old In the hiſtory of th… Kinges.teſtament, that thoſe princes worſhipped in trueth, whiche conſecrated and made holy themſelues vntounto one God, with their whole heart, and on him onelyonly depended: againe, that they worſhipped not the Lord with their whole heart, which beeing deſtitute and voide of ſincere faith depended alſo vppon creatures.
Nowe, a reaſon of this adoration or worſhipping the Lord adioyneth in the Goſpel. Worſhipp (ſayeth he) ought in all poincts to agree with him that is worſhipped. But God that is worſhipped is ſpirite and trueth, and is delighted with ſpirituall worſhipp and vnfeigned fayth: in ſpirite and trueth therefore hée muſt bée worſhipped.
Wherefore the Sainctes hauehave a Truly to adore or worſhipp… God, what it is.ſpeciall care and regard, that the inward worſhip of the minde be ſound, and that firſt of all they worſhippe in heart and truely, with a ſincere faith and a reuerence of Gods Maieſtie: and whiles they are inwardly ſo occupied, they doe no leſſe outwardly, falling on their faces with humilitie, and doe worſhip in Gods preſence. For the outward worſhip is a companion of the inward, and followeth it. Hypocrites alſo worſhippe God in body ſuppliantly and lowly enoughe, but becauſe their mindes goe a woll-gathering, and neither with faith nor reuerence cleaue vntounto the Lord, they heare this ſpoken of the Lord by the Prophete: This people honoureth mee with their lippes, but their heart Iſai. 29.is farre from mee: but in vaine doe they worſhip me, teaching doctrines Matth. 15.precepts of mē. And this verily is the counterfecte and falſe worſhipping. And that worſhipping alſo is falſe, nay, it is moſt wicked and abhominable, wherwith the creatures are worſhipped, either with GOD, or for God, or without God. And to ſaye ſooth, they doe not worſhip God at all, whiche neither feare God, neither beléeue in God, nor yet depend or hange onelyonly vppon God.
All men truely confeſſe that God muſt bee worſhipped, but eueryevery one doeth not ſurely acknowledge and cō feſſe That God onelyonly and alone is to be worſhipped.that God onelyonly and alone is to bee worſhipped. It remayneth therefore to be declared, that God only and alone is to be worſhipped of men. Adoration or worſhipping is ioyned with true faith, and perfecte or ſincere reuerence of Gods maieſtie, whiche ſéeing they are due to GOD alone, it followeth that god alone is to be worſhipped: and therefore is this ſaying ſo often cited and beaten vppon in the Lawe and the Prophets, Thou ſhalt worſhip the Lord thy GOD, and a ſtrange God thou ſhalt not worſhip. Now, a ſtraunge God is whatſoeuer without and beſide the onelyonly, liuing, true, and euerlaſting God, thou chooſeſt vntounto thée ſelfe to bee worſhipped: the onelyonly and alone true, liuing, and euerlaſting GOD therefore is to bée worſhipped.
In the hiſtorie of the Goſpell wée read, that the diuel tempted our Lord Matth. 4.Chriſte, and hauing ledd him vpp into an high mounteine, ſhewed him from thence all the kingdomes of the world and the glorie of them, and ſaid: All theſe will I giuegive thee, if thou falling downe wilt worſhip mee: and that the Lord made aunſwere: Auoyd Sathan, for it is written: Thou ſhalt worſhip the Lord thy God, and him onelyonly ſhalt thou ſerue. And ſurely worſhipping and ſeruing are lincked mutually the one with the other, that they cannot bee ſeuered or put a ſunder. Wherevppon it followeth, that ſéeing the Lord requireth onelyonly and alone to bee ſerued, hée will doubtleſſe in like maner only and alone be worſhipped. And Helie the great prophete of God, teaching that God can in no 3. Reg. 1… ▪caſe abide to hauehave one ioyned vntounto him in worſhip, cryeth out vntounto the people worſhipping God, and with him their God Baal, How long (ſayth hée) do you halt on both partes? If the Lord be God, follow him: If Baal bee God; goe after him. As if he ſhould hauehave ſaid: You cannot worſhip God and Baal at once. No man can …erue two maiſters. For the Lord our God Matth. 6.requireth, not a péece, but our whole heart, our whole minde and ſoule: Hée leaueth nothing therfore for vsus to beſtowe vppon any other. In the Epiſtle Deut. 6. Heb. 1.to the Hebrues Paule ſheweth, that Chriſt is more excellent than Angels, becauſe ye Angels adore or worſhip Chriſte, but they againe are not worſhipped. If then the Angels are not worſhipped, whome ſhall wee graunt, beſide the liuing, true, and euerlaſting God, that deſerueth to bée worſhipped? God therefore onelyonly and alone is to be worſhipped.
For in the Reuelation of Ieſus Chriſt, made vntounto the bleſſed Apoſtle and Euangeliſte Iohn, thus we reade written: And I ſawe another Angel fleeing throughe the middeſt of heauen, Apoc. 4haueing the euerlaſting Goſpel to preache vntounto them that dwell vppō the earth, & to all nations, & kinreds, and tongues, & people, ſaying with a lowde voyce: Feare God, and giuegive him honour, beecauſe the houre of his iudgement i… come, and worſhip him, that hath made heauen and earth, the ſea, and founteynes of waters. And againe in the ſame booke we read, And I fell downe before the feete of the Angel, to worſhipp him. Apoc. 19.And he ſaid vntounto mee: See thou doeſt it not, I am thy fellow ſeruant and of thy brethren, hauing the teſtimonie of Ieſu, worſhip God. Againe, in the ende of the ſame booke thou doſt read: And after I had heard and ſeene, I fel downe to worſhippe before the feete Apoc. 22.of the Angel, whiche ſhewed mee theſe thinges. And hee ſaid vntounto mee: See thou doeſt it not, for I am thy fellowe ſeruaunt, and of thy brethren the Prophets, and of them that keepe the wordes of this booke. With this thing the ſaying and doing of S. Peter Actes. 10.doth not greatly diſagrée, at whoſe féete when Cornelius the Centurion fell downe, and worſhipped, Peter ſaid: Ariſe, I alſo mee ſelfe am a man, and therewithall laying his hand on him which lay a long, did lift him vpp, and ſet him on his féete. Right religiouſly therefore wrote Auguſtine touching True religion, ſaying: Let not religion be vntounto vsus the worſhipping I… his booke in…uled … religi…. cap. 55of mans handie woorke. For better are the workemen themſelues, which make ſuch, whome notwithſtanding we ought not to worſhip. Let not religion be to vsus ye worſhipping of mortall men: beecauſe if they hauehave liued godlily, they are not to be eſtéemed, as thoſe that would ſéeke ſuch honours: but their will it is, that hee ſhould bee worſhipped of vsus, who inlightening them, they reioyce that wee are made fellow partakers of his merite. They are to be honoured therefore for imitation or following ſake, not to bee worſhipped for religions ſake. And if they hauehave liued ill, they are not to bée worſhipped, whereſoeuer they bee. The ſame Auguſtine in his firſt booke De conſenſu Euangeliſtarum, of the Whie the Romanes neuer receiued the God of the Iewes to be worſhipped.conſent of the Euangeliſtes, and eightéenth chap. reaſoning: why the Romanes neuer receiued both the God, & the worſhip of the God of ye Hebrues, conſidering that they receiued y• gods almoſt of all the Gentiles to bee worſhipped? And hee aunſwereth, That that came to paſſe by none other occaſion, than becauſe the God of the Hebrues would onelyonly and alone be worſhipped wtout a mate or partener. If any require his words, they are theſe: There reſteth nothing for them to ſay why they hauehave not receiued the holy rites and worſhipp of this God, ſaue onelyonly becauſe hee would be worſhipped alone: and hath forbidden them to worſhipp the Gods of the Gentiles whome neuertheleſſe theſe people did worſhip. For the ſentence or opinion of Socrates (who, as by Oracle it was ratified, was the wiſeſt of all men) is, that eueryevery God ought in ſuch ſort to be worſhipped, as he himſelfe hath giuen cōmandement he would be worſhipped. Therfore were ye Romans of very neceſſitie forced not to worſhip ye God of the Hebrues. Becauſe, if they would worſhip him after another faſhion, than he himſelfe ſaid hee would bee worſhipped, they ſhould not then worſhipp him, but that whiche they themſelues had deuiſed & made. And if they would in that maner worſhip him, as hee himſelfe preſcribed, than they ſawe that they were debarred from worſhipping other Gods, whom hée forbad to be worſhipped: And vppon this they refuſed the worſhipp of the onelyonly true God, to the intent they might not offend many counterfecte & falſe Gods: thincking that the anger of them would rather be more to their diſprofite, than the goodwill of him to their benefite. Thus ſaith Auguſtine.
And althoughe theſe thinges are written concerning the worſhip and ſeruice of God, and that we diſpute of adoring Gods Maieſtie, yet notwtſtanding they are not impertinent or beſide our purpoſe. For the worſhipping and ſeruing of GOD are inſeparably lincked and knitt together. Of this ſeruing of God we will ſpeake more hereafter.
But by the woordes cited before wée doe gather, that onelyonly and alone the true, liuing, and euerlaſting God is to bée worſhipped, according to that commonly-knowne ſentence of the lawe: Thou ſhalt worſhip the Lord thy GOD, him ſhalt thou Deut. 10.feare, and him onelyonly ſhalt thou ſerue: To him ſhalt thou cleaue, and in his name ſhalt thou ſweare.
Furthermore, God from the beginning Rewardes and puniſhments for them that doe & doe not worſhippe God.hath promiſed and perfourmed, yea, and will performe whiles this world ſtandeth, great rewards to his true woorſhippers. Contrarywiſe, wée beléeue that great miſchiefes or puniſhments, are prepared for thoſe, which either doe not at all worſhippe God, or elſe in ſtéed of the true GOD doe worſhippe ſtraunge Gods. The Lord in his Reuelation ſhewed to Iohn the Apoſtle, ſayeth: The fearefull and vnbeleeuing, and the abhominable and murtherers, Apoc. 21.and whooremongers and ſorcerers, and Idolaters and all lyars, ſhal hauehave their part in the lake that burneth with fire and brimſtone, whiche is the ſecond death.
Theſe thinges hauehave wée hetherto ſpoken of worſhipping GOD, wée To inuocate, or cal vpō, what it is.will nowe ſpeake in the ſecond place of inuocating or calling vponupon God, of which poinct wée promiſed to ſpeake. To call vppon, and calling vppon, is diuerſlye taken in the Scriptures. For it ſignifieth to bring foorthe as a wittneſſe, or a calling to wittneſſe. So Moſes calleth heauen and earth to wittneſſe againſt the children of Deut. 32.Iſrael, by the figure Proſopopo…ie. Againe, the name of any one to bee called vppon ouer an other, is to bee called by, or after, his name. Let my name (ſayeth Iacob) be called vppon Gene. 48▪them, that is vppon Ephraim, and Manaſſeh, that is, let them bée named by my name, as if they were my children, and let them be called, not the ſonnes of Ioſephe, but the ſonnes of Iacob Iſrael. So ſaye the wiues to their huſband: Let thy name bee called vppon vsus, that is, ſuffer, or giuegive Iſai. ….leaue, that wée maye bée named by thy name, and that wée may be made thy wiues. For theſe women thoroughe the knott of wedlocke, take vntounto them their huſbands names.
After the ſame manner doe wee oftentimes read in the Prophets and holy hiſtorie of the Bible: The houſe vppon whiche thy name is called, That is, the houſe whiche is called after thy name, and is named the Lords houſe.
Likewiſe Ioab, General of ye kings armie, ſayth vntounto Dauid: Take thou 2. Sam. 1…the citie (Rabbah, the chiefe citie, or ſeate royall of the Ammonites) leaſt I take it, and my name be called vppon it, That is, leaſt I bee called the conquerour of Rabbah. Moſt ignoraunt therefore and vnſkilfull are they of the Scriptures, and the phraſes of ſpeache vſed in the Scripture, whiche cite that ſaying of Iacob, whiche euen nowe wée declared, in defence and maintenaunce of the inuocation of Sainctes. As thoughe Iacob would hauehave his name to be called vppon of his poſteritie and ofſpringe.
In Daniel thou doeſt read: A people Dan. 9.vppon whome the name of God is called: Whiche ſignifieth nothing elſe thā, A people that is called Gods people. Héere is no mention of inuocation whereby wée aſke or deſire any thing.
Furthermore, inuocation or calling vppon, is taken for religion. For Luke ſayeth in the Actes: Saule had power (or authoritie) to binde all Actes. 9thoſe that called vppon the name of the Lord. And Paule ſayeth: Let euerie one that calleth vponupon the name …. Tim. 2.of the Lord, depart from iniquitie. Alſo, Seeke after peace with all them that call vponupon the name of the Lord, That is, whiche are of the true Chriſtian religion. Laſtly, to inuocate or call vppon ſignifyeth, to crie or call for help, and with continuall outcries to craue ſomewhat.
That inuocation therefore, or calling vppon GOD, whereof at this Inuocatiō … calling …pon God what it is.time wée intreate, is a lifting vppe of mans minde to GOD in great neceſſitie, or in ſome deſire, and a moſt ardent craueing of counſell and aſſiſtaunce by faith, and alſo a beequeathing or committing of oure ſelues into the protection of God, and as it were a béetaking of oure ſelues to his Sanctuarie and onelye ſafeguard.
In inuocation therefore, (true inuocation I meane) a faithfull minde is firſt of all required, whiche doeth acknowledge GOD to bée the authour and only giuer of all good gifts, who is willing to heare them that call vppon him, and is able to graunt vsus all our requeſts and deſires whatſoeuer. An vnceſſaunt and ardent petition or beſéeching is alſo required. But of theſe poinctes more ſhalbée ſaid, when GOD ſhall giuegive vsus leaue, in our Sermon of the prayer of the faithful. For inuocation is a kinde of prayer.
Nowe verily I will ſhewe, that That God is to be called vpōin all oure deſires, GOD is to bée called vppon, yea, onelyonly and alone to bée called vppon. Surely there are expreſſe commaundementes of GOD, chargeing vsus to call vppon the name of the Lord, who promiſeth that for the good will and louelove whiche hée beareth vsus, hee will heare our requeſtes and ſuites, and largelye giuegive vntounto vsus, thinges tending to our healthe and benefite. Of many I will cite one or two teſtimonies. Solomon the wyſeſt of all men, doeth teache vsus to call vppon GOD in all 3. Reg. ….and euerie one of our neceſſities, making a particular rehearſall of mens ſpeciall deſires.
The ſame argument doeth Solomons father, that moſt holy kinge Dauid, handle throughout the whole hundreth and ſeuenth Pſalme. Hee reckoneth vpp therefore the diuerſe caſualties, chaunces, and miſeries of men, their affliction or oppreſſion, their wanderinges and daungers in their iourneye, their bondes and impriſonmentes, their diſeaſes, and the feare of death, whiche ſometimes is more terrible and hideous, than death it ſelfe, their ieopardies on the ſea and roughe waters, barrenneſſe, ſcarcitie, calamities, contempt, ſhame and ignominie, &c.
Thoſe croſſes, ſayeth hée, if they light on any man, let him not aſcribe them either to his God to whoſe defence hee hath committed himſelfe, or to Fortune, or to his conſtellation & deſtinie, but to that god that knoweth all things, & can do all things, & vppon y• God let him call earneſtly by fayth. For often doeth the prophete repeate theſe wordes: And when they cryed vntounto the Lord in their tribulation, he deliuered them out of their diſtreſſe. And for that cauſe doeth hee ſo often reiterate thoſe words, to the end that we hauing conceiued a perfect truſt in our heartes and ſure beliefe, mighte learne in all chaunces to call vppon the name of the Lord. For Solomon in his Prouerbes yet againe ſayeth: The name of the Lord is a moſt ſtrōg tower, vntounto it doeth the righteous Pro. 18.man runne, and he ſhalbe aduaunced, or he ſhalbe ſet frée from daunger. Aſaph Pſal. 50.alſo in his holy ſonges ſayth: Sacrifice vntounto the Lord, a ſacrifice of praiſe, and paye thy vowes vntounto the moſt higheſt. And, Call vponupon mee in the day of trouble, and I will deliuer thee, and thou ſhalt glorifie mee. And he bringeth in the Lord himſelfe ſpeaking and requiring ſacrifices, not of beaſtes, not of gold, or ſiluer, but of praiſe and inuocation. Therewithall hee promiſeth helpe, and witneſſeth, that by inuocating and praiſing hee is honoured, (or glorified:) wherevppon Dauid ſaid: In my trouble I will call vppon the Lord, and I will crie vntounto my God, and he ſhall heare my voice Pſal. 17.out of his holy temple, and my crie ſhall enter into his eares. Ioel alſo ſaid: Euerie one that calleth vponupon the Ioel. 2.name of the Lord ſhalbe ſafe. And the Lord by the prophete Ieremie ſayeth: Ye ſhall call vppon mee, and ye ſhall Iere. 29.liue: ye ſhall pray vntounto mee, and I wil heare you: ye ſhall ſeeke mee, and ye ſhall finde mee: if with your whole heart ye ſeeke mee.
Furthermore, we do not read that oure holy and bleſſed fathers, in their petitions or requeſts, were they ſmal or were they great, called vppon any other than that GOD, who liueth euerlaſtingly world without end. For the Lord himſelfe by Aſaph, ſayeth: In thine extremities and troubles (O Iſrael Pſal. 81.) thou calledſt vppon mee, and I deliuered thee. Alſo Dauid ſaith, Our fathers hoped in thee, they hoped in Pſal. 22.thee: and thou deliueredſt them. VntoUnto thee they cryed, & were deliuered. In thee they truſted, and were not cō founded. Now add vntounto all theſe the commaundement of Chriſt our Lord: When you pray, ſay: Our Father &c. Add alſo the wordes which followe in Luke 11. and Matthew 7. Aske, and it ſhalbe giuen you. And ſo forth. Wée conclude therefore, that ye true, liuing, and euerlaſting God, ought of all mē, in all their neceſſities, to be called vppon. But to no purpoſe peraduenture I take paines in this poinct, ſéeing That God onelyonly and alone is to be called vponupon.that there are but a fewe, or none at all, whiche denie that God is to bee called vppon. This ſéemeth to require a more diligent declaration, that God onelye and alone is to bee called vppon. For many doubtleſſe doe call vponupon GOD, but together with God, or for God, certeine choſen patrones, wherevpon inſueth that they call not vppon God onelyonly and alone.
Now, that hee alone is to be called vppon, in this ſort we declare. By inuocation or calling vppon we require helpe or ſuccour, either that good thinges may be giuen to vsus, or that euill things may be turned away from vsus. Whiche néedeth no further proofe, ſéeing it cannot be denyed of any that is ruled by his right wittes. Now, God only and alone is our helper, who only giueth good things, & taketh away euil things. For the Lord ſayth in the Goſpel: There is none good but one, to Matth. 18.wit, God, where One is taken for only and alone. Againe, in the lawe, by ye Deut. 32.mouth of Moſes, ye Lord ſayth: Behold that I am God alone, and that there is none other God beſide mee.
And againe by Iſaie: HaueHave not I, the Lorde? and there is none other God beſide me: a iuſt God and a ſauiour, Pſal. 45.there is none beſide me. And Dauid, Who (ſayth he) is God beſides the Lorde? and who is mightie (or a rocke) ſaue our God? In verie euill part therefore did the worſhippers of Pſal. 18.God take it, ſo often as men aſked of them thoſe thinges, which are in the Lordes handes onelyonly to giuegive. Rahel ſayde to Iacob: GiueGive me children, or elſe I dy. But the ſcripture by and by Gene. 30.addeth, And Iacob being angrie ſaid: Am I in Gods ſtead, which hath denied thee (or withholden from thée) the fruite of the wombe? So when the king of Syria deſired & beſought Ioram the king of Iſrael (a king, I 4. Reg. 5.wiſſe, not ſo godly) that he wold heale Naaman, who was infected with the leproſie, Ioram ſayth: Am I a God, that I ſhoulde be able to kill and to giuegive life? For he ſendeth to me, that I ſhould heale a man from his leproſie. Wherefore moſt certeine it is, that to God only it belongeth to giuegive good thinges, and to turne away euill thinges. Wherevppon it doth conſequently followe, that God only and alone muſt be called vponupon. For if theſe patrones, whome they call vponupon as their helpers and ſuccourers that doe not call vponupon the onelyonly God, be able either to giuegive thoſe things that are good, or to turne away thoſe thinges that are euill, then certeinely there is not one onelyonly God. For thoſe ſhoulde likewiſe be Gods. But Gods they are not, bycauſe there is but one God, who onelyonly and alone giueth (or beſtoweth) good things, and taketh away (or remoueth) euill things: God only and alone therefore is to be called vppon: Patrones are not to be called vppon, in ſo much as they are able to do vsus neyther good nor harme. As touching that whiche of their owne heades ſome doe here obiect, that Patrones doe vsus good and harme, not of them ſelues, but of God, it is doubtfull, yea, it is moſt falſe. For the Lord him ſelfe by the Prophete ſayth: I am …ſai. 42.the Lord, Hu (This, or Being) is my name, and my glory I will not giuegive to an other, neither my praiſe to grauen Images. So that all glorie belongeth to God, bycauſe he is onelyonly and alone, not onelyonly the wel-ſpring of all good graces whiche is neuer drawne drye, but alſo a moſt iuſt and equall diſtributer of the ſame, and for that cauſe he is called vponupon, worſhipped, and ſerued of men. Pſalme. 50.
Furthermore, in ſo muche as we ought to ſacrifice vntounto none, but to one God, certeine it is, that we muſte worſhip but one onelyonly God. The Lord cryeth in the lawe: He that offereth vntounto other Gods, than to the onelyonly God, let him be rooted out. And therefore Paule and Barnabas, when ye people of Lyſtra were preparing Actes. 14.ſacrifices to offer vntounto the Apoſtles, they rent their clothes thereat, as at intollerable blaſphemie. For in the law of the Lord we reade againe: Who ſo euer ſhall make for him ſelfe Exod. 30.a compoſition (or perfume) of incenſe, to ſmell thereto, he ſhall be cut off from among his people. But the ſacrifices of the godly are prayers, thankeſgiuings, and inuocations on Gods name. For Dauid ſayth: VntoUnto thee wil I ſacrifice a ſacrifice of praiſe Pſal. 115.and I will call vponupon the name of the Lord. And againe: Let my prayer be directed in thy ſight, as incenſe: Pſal. 141.and the lifting vp of my handes as an euening ſacrifice. Paule likewiſe ſayth: By Chriſte we offer the ſacrifice of prayſe alwayes vntounto God, that is, the fruite of lippes which confeſſe Heb. 13.his name. For the Prophete Oſée biddeth Oſee. 14.vsus offer y• calues of our lips. For ſo much therefore as one onelyonly God is to be ſacrificed vntounto, therefore one only God is to be called vponupon. Neither is it poſſible, that they, whom ſuch as call not vppon the onelyonly God name heauenly patrones, woulde, if they be Saintes, require of men ſuch maner of inuocations: Nay rather, both againſt God, and againſt the Saintes do theſe offend, aſcribing that to ſuch, which no bleſſed ſpirites do acknowledge. S. Auguſtine ſaith, that they are not the Angels of the good God, but wicked diuels, whiche will hauehave, not the onelyonly and moſt high God, but themſelues, to be w…rſhipped and ſerued with ſacrifices. Beſides that, the bleſſed ſpirites (or Saintes) during the time that they lyued in their mortall bodies, prayed: Thy wil be done, as in heauen, ſo in earth: therefore being nowe deliuered and ſet frée from all corruption, they doe muche more fully, yea, moſte perfectly agrée vntounto the will of God, which commaundeth all men to worſhip and call vponupon the onelyonly God.
Againe, he that looketh into and ſéeth the harts of them that call vponupon him, heareth their petitions or requeſtes, and is able to fulfill the deſires of all men liuing, he (I ſay) is lawfully and fruitfully called vponupon. And ſurely, it is requiſite and neceſſarie, that he knowe all thinges, that he be almightie, and the ſearcher of heartes. Wherefore, ſéeing the onelyonly God is he, the only God without further queſtion ought to be called vppon. For, that God only is the ſearcher of heartes, cōprehended in no place, but preſent eueryevery where, and omnipotent, Solomon in theſe words doth teſtifie. Behold, the heauens, and the heauen 1. Reg. 8.of heauens are not able to conteine thee: how much more vnable than is this houſe that I hauehave built? Thou therfore ſhalt heare in heauen, in the place of thy habitatiō (or in thy dwelling place) and ſhalt hauehave merciemercy. For thou only knoweſt the heartes of the ſonnes of men. Thou ſhalt doe (and giuegive) to eueryevery one according to al his wayes, which knoweſt his very hart. As for the heauenly patrons, as theſe men cal them, they do neyther know the thoughtes of men, neither is their power ſpred throughout the heauen, the earth, and the ſeas, neither do they know althings, or yet are eueryevery wher preſent, or be omnipotent. For if it were ſo with them, they ſhoulde be tranſformed & changed into a diuine nature, & ſhould ceaſſe any more to be creatures: but, althogh by Chriſt they inioy euerlaſting bleſſednes, yet notwtſtāding, they remain creatures ſtil, neither do they knowe al things, neyther are almighty, therfore are they at no hand to be called vpō. In one prick & moment of time truly, innumerable thouſands of mortal mē offer vp their vowes, and make their petitions: ſo that he verily, which heareth, muſt at a pinche, and in a very moment, & not at ſundry ſeaſons or degrées of time, know & be able to doe all things, yea, and in a moment alſo reache out his helping hande vntounto all. Which, as no creature though neuer ſo excellēt can do, ſo the only God that knoweth al, & is omnipotent, can do all things, and therefore only & alone is to be called vponupon. I wot well what the defenders of heauenly patrones (or Saints) obiect againſt that which I hauehave ſpoken, to wit, that they of their owne nature do neither ſée, nor yet heare, what is done of vsus vponupon the earth: but in the face of God, as in a moſt lightſome looking glaſſe, to ſée all thinges what ſo euer God vouchſafeth to reueale to them, and that ſo they hauehave an vnderunder-knowledge of all our affaires, & alſo helpe vsus. But this imagination or forgerie in all points doutfull, can be proued by no authoritie out of the holy ſcriptures. But touching the celeſtiall Saints, the ſcripture doth rather affirme the flat contrarie. For in Iſaie the people of god cry out: Thou O God art our father: though Abrahā be ignorant of vsus, and Iſrael know …ſai. 63.vsus not, yet thou, O Lorde, art our father, and our redeemer. If than the patriarchs ſo ſtudious and careful for their people, knew not what they did, which of the Saints (I pray you) ſhal we graunt or point out, that knoweth what we do, & that intermedleth with the affaires of the liuing? True doutleſſe is y• that ye holy Pſalme ſoūdeth. Bicauſe my father and my mother hauehave lefte (or forſaken) me, the Lord Pſal. 27.hath taken me vp. If our parents forſake and leaue vsus, how (I pray you) can they tel, or do they care how it fareth wt vsus? Let that ſuffice vsus wherwt Dauid held himſelf throughly cōtent, ſaying: The lord hath takē charge ouer me. We reade y• Ioſias was trā ſlated out of this life into an other, to the end he ſhuld not ſée the miſchiefes, (or plagues and puniſhments) which the Lord determined to bring vponupon ye Iſraelitiſh people, for their moſt wicked & naughtie life. The bleſſed ſouls therfore, enioy the ſight of god, & therby participate light, and endleſſe ioy or gladneſſe, they knowe none of our affaires, neither is it néedefull they ſhould knowe them, conſidering that the Lorde alone hath all things in his gouernement.
Nowe is that alſo moſt certeine, that inuocation ſpringeth from faith, as the fruit from the roote. For Paul vſing that ſaying of the Prophete: Who ſo euer calleth vponupon the name of the Lord, ſhall be ſafe, doth by and by adde: But howe ſhall they call vponupon him, in whome they hauehave not beleeued? Rom. 10.Sée howe the Apoſtle bringeth in one vppon an other: He is not called vppon, who is not beléeued. Wherefore in whom we beléeue, vponupon him we doe alſo call. But in God onelyonly and alone we do beléeue, therefore on him onelyonly do we call. For where ſo euer true faith is, there likewiſe is the gift of the holie Ghoſt. For the Apoſtle ſayth, If any hauehave not the Rom. 8.ſpirite of Chriſte, this man is none of his. And againe, You hauehave not receiued againe the ſpirite of bondage, Matth. 6.vntounto feare: but you hauehave receiued the ſpirit of adoption, by which we cry, Abba father. They therefore that are indued with a true beliefe in God, call vponupon God, whome they doe acknowledge and confeſſe to be the onelyonly father of all. Neyther might ſo much as the leſt part in that ſolemne forme and order of inuocation, deliuered vntounto vsus by the ſonne of God, be attributed by any meanes vntounto Patrones, or Saintes. The onelyonly God therefore is to be called vponupon.
The hart of ſinfull man trembleth Of the interceſſour with Godand quaketh, to approche neare vntounto ſo greate a maieſtie. For who may ſéeme worthy in him ſelfe, to appeare and come before the preſence of the moſt holy, the moſt iuſt, and the moſte terrible God? Here therefore ſome ſupply and make vp the matter with the patronſhip or interceſſion of celeſtiall Saintes, by whoſe mediation and making way before vsus, paſſage lyeth open for vsus vntounto God.
But this they bringe foorthe without the warrant of the ſcripture. The ſcripture hath layde before vsus, a law as it were, of calling vponupon god, & thervnto hath annexed moſt ample or large promiſes: ſo the commaundement doth ſet foorth vntounto vsus, by and through whome we ſhoulde call vponupon God, adding therevnto a moſt excellent promiſe, and opening vntounto vsus through Chriſte Ieſus onelyonly, a ready way to the Father. For in the Goſpell the Lorde ſayth: Verily verily I ſay vntounto you, whatſoeuer ye ſhal aske Iohn. 16.the father in my name, hee ſhall giuegive it you. Hetherto you hauehave not asked any thing in my name, Aske and ye ſhall receiue, that your ioy may bee perfect, (or full.) And, Whatſoeuer ye ſhall aske in my name, I will doe it, Iohn. 14.that the father may bee glorified by the ſonne. If you ſhall aske any thing in my name, I will doe it. What could be ſpoken more fully and clearly, than theſe words? Chriſte biddeth vsus by (or in) his name to call vponupon god the father, and promiſeth that he will giuegive the faithfull, what ſo euer they aſke in Chriſt his name. Who doubteth now any whit at all of the truth & conſtancie of him which promiſeth? What néed we therfore hencefoorth ye interceſſion of Saintes? Of calling vponupon them, or of comming to God by their mediation, we hauehave no teſtimonie of ſcripture, we hauehave no promiſe? Wherevnto I adde, that he contemneth the commaundement and precept of God, who ſo euer ſeeketh by any other, than by Chriſte, and his interceſſion, to come to the father. He that obeyeth the commaundement of Chriſte, and in his name maketh inuocation, the ſame néedeth not at al the mediation of Saintes. Hath not he all thinges plentifully in Chriſte? We ſay therefore, and affirme, that onelyonly Chriſte is the mediatour, interceſſour, Chriſte alone is the interceſſor and aduocate with the Father.and aduocate with the father in heauen, of all men whiche are in earth, and in ſuch ſorte the onelyonly mediatour, &c. that after him it is néedeleſſe to hauehave other aduocates. Many do graunt, that Chriſte is giuen vntounto vsus an interceſſour with God, but bycauſe A mediatour of redemption and interceſſion.they ioyne wt him many other, they do not ſurely ſend all vntounto him alone, neyther yet do they preache one onelyonly mediatour. They imagine that Chriſte is the mediatour of redemption, yea, and the onelyonly mediatour, how be it, not the onelyonly mediatour of interceſſion, but together with him many more. But the ſcripture ſetteth foorth vntounto vsus Chriſt, as the only mediatour of redemption, ſo alſo of interceſſion. The office of a mediatour, touching redemption, and interceſſion, is one and the ſelfe ſame. A mediatour putteth him ſelfe in the middeſt betwéene them that are at variance or diſagréement, and he is ioyned to eache in diſpoſition and nature. An interceſſour putteth him ſelf in the midſt, betwéene them that are at ſtrife and diſſention, and vnleſſe he be indifferent for eyther ſide, he can not be an interceſſour. On both parts reconciliation (or attonement) is required and looked for. There muſte néedes therefore be a certeine cauſe of diſcorde, which being taken away, the diſcord or debate doth alſo ceaſſe. The cauſe of diſcorde is ſinne. It is the duetie therefore of a mediatour or interceſſour quite to raze out ſinne, that diſagréement may no longer remayne. For this there is no amendes or ſatiſfaction made with wordes or with prayers, but with bloude and death. Hebr. 9. Wherevpon we doe neceſſarily gather, that only Chriſt is the mediatour or interceſſour with ye father. For principally Chriſt may ſet him ſelfe in ye middeſt betwéene God and men: bycauſe he onelyonly is partaker of both natures. The Saints participate but onelyonly one. For they are men. But Chriſte is both God and man. Furthermore, he that is an interceſſour, muſte alſo be a reconciliatour or an attonement-maker. For the end wherat he y• maketh interceſſion doth ſhoote, is reconciliation. But Chriſte is the onelyonly reconciliatour of men, therfore alſo the onelyonly interceſſour. For it belongeth to an interceſſour, to diſolue the cauſe of contention and diſcorde, that is to ſay, to aboliſh and take away ſinne. But Chriſt alone, and no creature, taketh awaye ſinne. It remayneth therefore, that Chriſte is the onelyonly interceſſour. Hetherto doe nowe perteine the teſtimonies of ſcripture. Paul ſayth: There is one god, and one reconciler (or mediatour) 1. Tim. 2.of God and men, the man Chriſt Ieſus, who gaue him ſelfe the price (or raunſome) for the redemption of all. And although the Apoſtle ſpeake expreſſely of redemption, yet notwithſtanding, theſe wordes are placed in the middeſt betwéene the diſputation of the inuocation vppon God, which is done by Chriſt, who is the onelyonly mediatour of redemption and interceſſion. For as he alone redeemed vsus, ſo doth he alone euen now commend vsus, being redéemed, vntounto the father. Touching this, let the Apoſtle be heard once againe, ſaying to the Romanes: Chriſte, when as yet we were ſinners, dyed for vsus: muche Rom. 5.more therefore no we being iuſtified (or made righteous) by his bloud, we ſhall bee ſaued from wrath through him. And yet againe ſomewhat playner, For if when we were enimies, we were reconciled to god, by the death of his ſonne, much more being recō ciled, we ſhall be ſaued by his lyfe. For in an other place, the ſame Apoſtle Heb. 7. Rom. 8.ſayth: Chriſt euer liueth, for this ende, to make interceſsion for vsus. And againe: It is God that iuſtifieth, who is hee that can condemne? Chriſt is he that dyed, yea, that is rayſed vp, who alſo is at the right hande of God, and maketh interceſsion for vsus. The ſame Chriſte openeth the waye (or maketh acceſſe) for vsus vntounto the father. Hebr. 4. chapter, and Epheſ. 2. chapter. For the Lorde Ieſus him ſelfe in the goſpel, doth not ſhew vntounto vsus many doores, but one onelyonly doore: I am (ſayth he) the dore. And Iohn. 10.againe: I am (ſayth he) the way, the truth, and the life. None commeth to Iohn. 14.the father but by me. Doth not he, which ſayth, I am the way, the truth, and the life, yea, and ſuch a way, that there is acceſſe to the father, by none other than by me, that is, by me onelyonly and alone, exclude all other meanes, al other wayes, and al other patrones or aduocates what ſo euer? Alſo in an other place of the Goſpell, leaſt any through ſhamefaſtneſſe, …nowledge of their owne vnworthineſſe, and guiltineſſe of ſinnes, or the maieſtie and glory of Chriſt the ſonne of God, ſhoulde be hindered from calling vppon God in the name of Chriſte, and commiting them ſelues to Chriſt his defence, he in his owne perſon, plainly and louingly calling all vntounto him, & to the benefite of his defence, cryeth: Matth. ….Come vntounto me al you that labour, & are heauie loaden, and I wil giuegive you reſt. Out of ye Epiſtle to the Hebrues, no leſſe euidēt teſtimonies thā theſe, and that good ſtore, may be gathered. Amongſt other, this one is excellent: Chriſte, for that hee endureth for euer, Heb. 7.ſaith the apoſtle, hath an euer laſting prieſthoode. Wherefore, he is able perfectly to ſaue them that come vntounto God by him: ſeeing he euer liueth (for this ende) to make interceſſion for thē. For ſuch an high prieſt it became vsus to hauehave, (which is) holy, harmleſſe, vndefiled, ſeparated from ſinners, and made higher than the heauens, &c. Marke (I praye you) howe many arguments in this teſtimonie of Paule, we hauehave, to proue that Chriſte is the onelyonly interceſſour of the faythfull, in heauen with the father. The proper or peculiar office of the prieſte is, to make interceſſion: But only Chriſte is prieſt in the preſence of God: He therefore is the only interceſſour. Nowe alſo the prieſthoode of Chriſte is euerlaſting, or vnchangeable. Therefore, not by once offering vp hath he redeemed vsus, being made the onelyonly and alone mediatour of redemption, but the euerlaſting and perpetuall mediatour alſo of interceſſion, making interceſſion for vsus euen till the end of the world. For albeit our Lorde be a iudge, yet notwithſtanding he is a iudge of the vnfaythfull, a defender and vpholder of the faithfull, and at the length, when the worlde is at ende, a iudge of all. And if ſo be he hauehave an euerlaſting prieſthood and (foreign) not conueyable, I ſay, or remoueable, which can not, eyther by ſucceſſion, reſignation, or part-taking, paſſe ouer to any other, then certeinely Chriſte onelyonly and alone remayneth interceſſour of the faithfull.
Moreouer, there is no cauſe, why we ſhould chooſe and take to our ſelues, eyther after Chriſte, or with Chriſte, other interceſſours. For he is able him ſelfe alone, to worke oure ſaluation at the full: leauing vntounto others nothing at all whereabout to buſie them ſelues. Let vsus alſo firſt of all note that, which expreſſely he doth adde: That come vntounto God by him: by him I ſay, that is, our Mediatour, Prieſte, and Interceſſour Chriſte. For by him onelyonly and alone, the way lyeth open for vsus, to goe to the father. VntoUnto which alſo is annexed, that hee liueth, and (for this end) he liueth, to make interceſsion for vsus. The heauē ly Saintes alſo doe line in the kingdome of God, with Chriſte: but they liue for them ſelues (or for their owne benefite) not for vsus, (or our aduauntage.) Chriſte liueth for vsus, and maketh interceſſion for vsus: therefore he alone maketh interceſſion. Saintes do not make interceſſion. Theſe reaſons do proue vntounto vsus moſt manifeſtly, I thinke, that the Apoſtle ſpeaketh of the mediation of interceſſion, not of redemption. Laſte of all, hee requireth in an interceſſour ſuch manner of marks, (or properties) as a mā can not finde in any, ſaue in Chriſte the Lorde onelyonly and alone. For, although the Angels be innocent and harmeleſſe, yet notwithſtanding, they are not higher than the heauens. The heauenly Saintes, although they be nowe purged and made cleane from ſinnes, yet for all that by nature, they are not ſeparated from ſinners, neyther are they made higher than the heauens, as being Lordes ouer Angels and ouer eueryevery creature. OnelyOnly the ſonne is ſuche a one, and for him this glory is reſerued and kept: he alone therefore is the interceſſour of the faithfull with the father.
VntoUnto theſe teſtimonies of Paule, we wil yet ioyne one of Saint Peter, and an other of the moſte bleſſed Apoſtle 1. Pet. ….and Euangeliſt Iohn. Saint Peter doth teache, that the Saintes, that is, we whiche are faithfull in this worlde, are layde as liuely ſtones, by faith vponupon Chriſt the liuely ſtone, and that we are made a ſpirituall building (or houſe) and an holy prieſthood, to offer ſpirituall ſacrifices acceptable to God by Ieſus Chriſte. Loe, we are layde, not vponupon Saints, but vponupon Chriſt the liuely ſtone: by whom we are both quickened, and preſerued in the building. We are made a ſpirituall houſe, and an holy prteſthood, for this ende, that we ſhould offer, not ſacrifices of beaſtes, but ſpiritual ſacrifices, to wit, our owne ſelues, and our prayers vntounto God, by Ieſus Chriſte, not by Saintes. For they alſo are the ſpirituall houſe with vsus, the liuely ſtones, layde vponupon Chriſt, and liuing through Chriſt.
Furthermore, Iohn writeth: My babes, theſe things write I vntounto you, that ye ſinne not: and if any man 1. Iohn. ….ſinne, we hauehave an aduocate with the father, Ieſus Chriſte the iuſt: (or the righteous.) And he is the propitiation (or reconciliation) for our ſinnes: and not for ours onelyonly, but alſo (for the ſinnes) of the whole world. I doe not think that any thing could be deuiſed or ſpokē more agréeable to our purpoſe, more euident, more ſtrong, or better than this. We heare that Chriſte is appointed and made vntounto vsus of God, not onelyonly a mediatour of redemption, once to redéeme, but to be an euerlaſting mediatour, yea, of interceſſion, who ſo often ſtandeth an aduocate before God the father, howe often ſinfull man offendeth, and hath néede of his helpe and defence: vntounto whō alſo the guiltie may boldly hauehave acceſſe, & cōmit vntounto him their cauſe to be pleaded before God. If any man ſinne, ſayth Iohn, we hauehave an aduocate with the father. Loe, Iohn calleth him an aduocate, whome the defenders (or mainteiners) of the partroneſhip of Saintes, doe call a mediatour of interceſſion. For, Aduocatus, foreign, an aduocate, ſignifieth a Tutour, a defender, a fauourer, a comforter, a patrone, or a proctour, whiche pleadeth, or hath our cauſe in handling. But marke whome he defineth and ſetteth foorth to be our aduocate: not the holy virgine, not Peter or Paule, not him ſelfe or Stephan, but Ieſus Chriſte. If he had thought or beléeued, that the patroneſhip of heauenly Saintes had béene ouer and beſides neceſſarie and wholſome for men, then woulde he hauehave ioyned thē with Chriſt the lord, now he ſetteth forth vntounto vsus Chriſt alone. He addeth The iuſt (or the righteous) As if he had ſayde: There is no cauſe why any ſhuld diſtruſt or ſtand in doubt of his patroneſhip, or thinke him a patrone not in his fathers fauor & louelove. He is the ſonne, He is Chriſte, He is the iuſtor righteous, therefore he is highly in his fathers fauour, and moſt acceptable: who in the preſence of the moſt iuſt God, may appeare for vsus that are vniuſt.
Such righteouſneſſe is not found in any one of Adams children. But it is required in an interceſſour. Indéed he doth communicate his righteouſneſſe to the Saintes, by fayth, but that righteouſneſſe is imputed to the Saintes, and it is imputatiue: In Chriſte righteouſneſſe is natural, and as it were borne in him, yea, it is properly his owne. For Chriſte Ieſus, he is the onelyonly righteous in heauen and in earth, who néedeth not firſt for his owne ſinnes, and then for the offences of the people, eyther to pray or to offer ſacrifice.
For he onelyonly hath no ſinne, and he is the righteouſneſſe of all: He therfore maketh interceſſion with the father, bycauſe none naturally and properly is righteous, but Chriſt alone. And it is not amiſſe in this place firſt of al to marke, that Chriſt is called a propitiation, or ſatiſfaction, not for ſinners or people of one or two ages, but for all ſinners and all faithfull people, throughout the whole worlde. One Chriſte therefore is ſufficient for all: one interceſſour with the Father is ſet foorth vntounto all. For how often thou ſinneſt, ſo often thou haſte ready a righteous interceſſour with the father. Not that we ſhould imagine in Heauen as in a courte, the Father What mā ner of interceſſion Chriſtes i….vponupon his throne to ſit as a iudge, and the ſonne, our patrone, ſo often to fall downe on his knées, and to pleade or intreate for vsus, as we ſinne and offende: but we vnderſtande with the Apoſtle, that Chriſte is the aduocate, and the vniuerſall prieſte of the churche, and that he only appeareth in the preſence of the father: bycauſe as the power & force of his deth (albeit he die not daily) ſo the vertue of his interceſſion is alwayes effectuall. Let vsus therefore drawe neare and come to God by Chriſte, the onelyonly mediatour of our redemption and interceſſion, our onelyonly interceſſour and aduocate. We can not but be acceptable vntounto God the father, if we be commended vntounto him by his only begotten ſonne.
Furthermore, weake are the argumentes An anſweare to certeine argumē …s or reaſons of the aduerſaries. Rom. 3.wherewith the maynteiners of the heauenly patrones, goe about to eſtabliſh their patroneſhippe or interceſſion. The ſpirite, ſaye they, maketh interceſſion for vsus, according to the doctrine of the Apoſtle, therefore Chriſt alone doth not make interceſſion. I anſwere, that Paule ſpeaketh not of an other interceſſour in heauen, but of the ſpirite of man praying in this worlde, which being inlightened and kindled with the ſpirite of God, groneth and maketh interceſſion for the Saints. The words of the Apoſtle are playne. Theſe men do yet adde, We reade in ſcripture of the prayers of Angels, and that they offer the prayers of the faythfull in Gods preſence: therefore, not Chriſt alone prayeth or maketh interceſſion for vsus in heauen, but alſo the Saintes. We denie that this followeth: bycauſe the ſcripture teacheth that Angels are miniſtring ſpirites: and, according to their office, offer Prayer of Angels. Heb. 1.prayers only as miniſters in the preſence of God, but not to make interceſſion, or that men are heard for Angels ſakes, but for Chriſtes ſake, who maketh interceſſion, and for whoſe ſake, the prayer whiche is brought and offered vntounto God, is acceptable vntounto him. Nowe if ſo be they will bring foorth the like alſo touching the bleſſed ſoules of the Saintes, and reaſon Aſimili, from that that is like, let them firſt teache that ſoules are appointed and made miniſtring ſpirits. But they can not: and if they coulde, yet had they not proued, that the heauenly Saintes are interceſſours. For, not the Angels themſelues doutleſſe, are therefore interceſſours, bycauſe they offer the prayers of men vntounto God. They agrée (ſay they) and are knit vntounto vsus in the ſame knot of charitie and louelove, and forbycauſe the ſpirites of the bleſſed whiche liue in heauen, do louelove vsus here in earth, therfore, according to the nature and diſpoſition of this louelove, they alſo praye for vsus. We anſwere, that they gather this without warrant of ſcripture. For, that we maye without wrangling, graunt them this, that the Saintes in heauen are not without the louelove of their neighbour: yet notwithſtanding we adde, that this louelove in the heauenly Saintes hathe not nowe that nature or diſpoſition, and thoſe offices, which in times paſt it had in earth. Otherwiſe, we ſhould attribute many moe abſurdities to the Saints, as though they eyther did or ſuffred thoſe things, which they neither do, nor yet ſuffer. Whileſt they liued in earth, according to ye diſpoſition and nature of louelove, they were ſorie, and they were glad, and they prayed with vsus, yea, they alſo made interceſſion for vsus: but nowe that they hauehave put off this corruptiō, and hauehave lefte vsus, leading their liues in heauen with the Lord, they neither knowe our affaires, neither are moued with any earthly affectiōs. They vnderſtād that it is paſſing well with vsus, without their helpe. They vnderſtande likewiſe, that the worke of our ſaluation is already wrought and accompliſhed, ſo that they may acquiet them ſelues, and reſt from their laboures, and reioyce in Chriſte, who is doubtleſſe the onelyonly interceſſoure with the father of all men liuing in their miſerie, bycauſe he knoweth all, and can do al, neither is he moued at, neither wearied or tyred with, or yet is ignorant of any thing: but taketh vppon him moſt abſolutely, and diſpatcheth all things whatſoeuer are incident or belong to an interceſſour. They vnderſtande that this glory agréeth vntounto the onelyonly ſonne of God: and therefore they goe not buſily about it, that they in Chriſtes ſteade might appoint or make thē ſelues interceſſours. For here the louelove yt they beare to God, ſurpaſſeth the louelove of their neighbour. But theſe mē obiect, yt the ſaints pray not in heauen after the rite and faſhion of that only interceſſour, but after the ſame maner that they prayed for their fellow-brethrē in earth. Euen nowe we ſayde that it did not follow, This they did in earth, therfore they doe the ſame in heauen. Neither can it be proued by manifeſt ſcriptures, that the Saints in heauen pray for vsus. Why then doe they ſet foorth vntounto vsus doubtfull opinions for certeine? For, that we may graunt them, that the Saintes pray in heauē, which thing not a fewe of the fathers hauehave written, it doth not therfore followe, that the Saints are to be called vponupon. For that ſentence of S. Auguſtine is very well knowne, which is reade written in his booke De Ciuitate Dei. 22. chap. 10. The Gentiles did both build temples, made altars, ordeyned prieſtes, and offered ſacrifices vntounto their Gods. But we do not erect tēples to our martyrs, as vntounto Gods, but remēbraunces as vntounto dead men, whoſe ſpirits liue with God. Neither do we there ſet vp altars, vponupon whiche we might ſacrifice vntounto martyrs, but we ſacrifice to one God, who is the ſacrifice both of the martyrs, & alſo our ſacrifice: according to whiche ſacrifice as men of god, that hauehave ouercome the worlde in the confeſſion of him, they are named in their place and order. Howbeit, they are not called vponupon of the prieſt that ſacrificeth. Bycauſe hee is Gods prieſt, & not theirs. Now, the ſacrifice it ſelf is the body of Chriſt, which is not offered vntounto them: bicauſe they alſo them ſelues are the ſame. Thus ſaith he. Teſtifying plainly enough, that the Saintes are not called vponupon, or to be called vponupon, bicauſe ſacrifice belongeth vntounto God, and not to the Saints. Wherefore, when the aduerſaries adde, That the Churche many yeares called vponupon the Saintes, that The Churche calling vponupon ſainctes.the churche erred not, and therefore they that call vponupon the Saints do not erre. We anſwere, that the churche doth not erre, when ſhe heareth the voyce of her bridegrome and ſhepehearde: but that ſhe doth erre, when neglecting the voice of her ſhepheard, ſhe followeth her owne decrées. The whole churche of Iſrael erred, together with their high Prieſt Aaron & the elders of the people, when tranſgreſſing the lawe of God, they worſhipped god repreſented by an image with ſingings and dauncings, otherwiſe than he him ſelfe had appointed. Neither are the Iſraelites abſolued from errour and ſinne, for that many yeares they put not downe their high places. They add againe, The ſaints hauehave helped when they hauehave bene called vponupon, therefore they are to be called vponupon. Oftentimes that falleth out well, whiche is inſtituted againſt the worde of God. But who can thervpon gather that that is good whiche is inſtituted againſt the worde of God? as though the innocent and harmleſſe were therefore to be ſpoyled with warre, bicauſe we ſée that by warre mercileſſe ſouldiers waxe rich. The Gods of the Gentiles likewiſe ſéemed to heare the petitions of their ſupplyants, but are the Gods of the Gentiles therefore to be called vponupon? But we meane not to anſwere to euerie one of their arguments, bicauſe we hauehave done that already elſewhere, according to our talent. We conclude therefore, that the word of truth vttered out of the mouth of God, doth teache vsus inuocation of Gods name, by the mediation of Ieſus Chriſte: neither doe we reade, that any holie man either in the olde or the new teſtament, (of whome the ſcripture vndoubtedly hath made mention) called vponupon any, though neuer ſo excellent a Patriarch or Prophete departed this life, or vponupon any Apoſtle, or Apoſtles diſciple, otherwiſe than by the name of Ieſus Chriſt. Let vsus therefore hold faſt, that that doctrine is moſt perfect and moſt ſafe, which biddeth vsus all to cal vponupon God alone by his only ſonne, & that God him ſelfe requireth this of eueryevery one of vsus: and that when we obey, we pleaſe God.
The laſt place, touching the ſeruing of God, doth remaine behinde. This word Colere, is in Latine of large ſignification. For we ſay, Colere amicitiam, to mainteine frendſhip, Colere literarū ſtudia, to louelove learning, Colere arua, to till or huſband our lands, and Colere ſenes, to reuerence olde men. We in this place vſe Colere for Seruire, that is, in all pointes like a ſeruant To ſerue, what it is.to be dutifull, and to ſhewe him ſelfe obedient, to reuerence, or hauehave in veneration, and to …e worſhippe. The Hebricians vſe their worde Abad, which the Latine interpretour tranſlateth, Seruiuit, coluit, or, ſacrificauit, that is, he ſerued, worſhipped or ſacrificed. In the booke of Kings thou doſt reade: And Achab ſerued Baal, & worſhipped him. The Greciās cal this ſeruice, either foreign, or, foreign. 3. Reg. 16.The one is taken for the other: though, in déede, Seruire to ſerue, be more than Colere to worſhippe. For thou canſt abide without any adoe to worſhip ſome man, but to ſerue the ſame, thou canſt not ſo well away withall. We ſay therefore, that the ſeruice of God is a ſeruice, whereby men ſubmit them ſelues reuerently The ſeruice of God.vntounto God, and obey him, and according to his will worſhip him. They therefore ſerue God which ſerue him earneſtly, behaue them ſelues duetifully in obeying him, ſeruing him inwardly and outwardly, as he hath appointed.
For the ſeruice of God is two-fold or of two ſortes. The true, and the The ſeruice of God is …-fould … of two ſortes.falſe. Thē true is called true religion, true fayth and godlineſſe. The falſe is called ſuperſtition, idolatrie, and vngodlineſſe. For that is the true ſeruice of God, which ſpringeth from the true feare of God, from a ſincere fayth, whiche ſubmitteth it ſelfe to God alone, and applyeth it ſelfe in all things to the will of God. The falſe ſeruice conſiſteth in the contrarie. Touching the whiche we will ſay more, when we come to ſpeake of ſuperſtition. The true ſeruice of God is diuided againe, for perſpicuitie or plaineneſſe ſake, into the inward ſeruice of God, and the outward. The inwarde ſeruice is knowne to God alone, who is the ſearcher of heartes. For it is occupyed in the feare of The … ſer…ice of God.God, and perfect obedience, in fayth, hope, and charitie, from whence doe ſpring the worſhipping of God, ye calling vponupon him, thankeſgiuing, patience, perſeueraunce, chaſtitie, innocencie, weldoing, and the reſt of the fruites of the ſpirite. For with theſe giftes of God and ſpirituall thinges, God, who is a ſpirite, is truly ſerued. Without theſe no ſeruice is allowed of God, howe ſo euer in the ſight of men it ſéeme gay, glorious, and pure. This ſeruice of god hath teſtimonies both diuine and humane, but firſte of all of the Lawe, the Prophetes, and the Apoſtles. For in the lawe Moſes ſayth: And nowe Iſrael, what doth …. 10.the Lorde thy God require of thee? but that thou ſhouldeſt feare the Lorde thy God, and walke in all his wayes, that thou ſhouldeſt louelove him, and that thou ſhouldeſt ſerue the Lord thy God, with all thy hart, and with all thy ſoul, that thou ſhouldeſt keepe the commaundements of the Lord, and his ordinaunces, whiche I cōmand thee this day for thy welth. Micheas the Prophet bringeth in one Mich. 6.aſking queſtions concerning the true ſeruice of God, in what thinges the ſame conſiſteth, and he maketh anſwere: I will ſhewe thee (O man) what is good, and what the lord doth require of thee, ſurely to do iuſtly (or iudgement) to louelove mercy, and to hū ble thy ſelfe to walke with thy God. S. Paule the Apoſtle ſayth: I beſech Rom. 12.you (brethren) by the mercies of god, that ye giuegive vp youre bodies a liuing ſacrifice, holy, acceptable vntounto God (whiche is) your reaſonable ſeruing of God. And faſhion not your ſelues like vntounto this world, but be ye chaunged by the renuing of youre minde, that ye may proue what is the wil of god, and what is good, and acceptable, and perfect. The ſame Apoſtle comprehending in few words, the true ſeruice of God to be a turning from Idols vntounto God and the fayth of Ieſus Chriſt, ſayth: They of Macedonia, and other nations, (or 1. Theſſ. 1.quarters) ſhewe of you, how you are turned to God from Idols, that ye might ſerue the liuing and true god, and loke for his ſonne from heauen, whom he rayſed from the dead, euen Ieſus, who deliuereth vsus from the wrath to come. Moreouer, S. Iames the Apoſtle ſaith: Pure religion and Iames. 1.vndefiled before God the father, is this, to viſite the fatherleſſe (or orphanes) and widowes in their aduerſitie, and to kepe him ſelfe vnſpotted of the worlde. Theſe diuine and euident teſtimonies of holy ſcripture declare plentifully enough (dearely beloued) which is ye true inward ſeruice of god. Humane teſtimonies neuertheles, nothing diſagréeing from diuine, verie many and eueryevery where found in Eccleſiaſticall writers. Lactantius lib. Inſtitut. 6. cap. 9. ſayth. Therefore the knowledge of God, and his ſeruice is all in all: In this conſiſteth all the hope and ſaluation of man: this is the firſt ſtep (or degrée) of wiſedome, that we ſhoulde knowe who is oure true father, that we ſhould reuerence him alone with due godlineſſe, that wee ſhould obey him, and moſt deuoutly ſerue him: and to obteyne his fauour, let all labour, care, and induſtrie be beſtowed. Of this kinde the ſame authour citeth other teſtimonies alſo largely in the tenth chapter of the ſame booke, and in the firſte chapter of his booke De vero Dei cultu, he giueth vsus manifeſt. But in ſtead of many, we like well the citing of that one teſtimonie, touching the true ſeruice of God, fréely vttered by the mouth of a Romane martyr before The teſtimonie of … Romane martyr cōcerning the true ſeruice of God.iudge Aſclepiades, at y• Romane Conſiſtorie. For after he had both couragiouſly and religiouſly tolde, what God was in perſon, and what in ſubſtance, he addeth.
Thou knoweſt God: nowe vnderſtand as well
The fourme and man-ner how he ſerued is,
What kynd of Church it is where he doth dwell,
What gifts to giuegive he thought it not amiſſe,
What vowes he askes: whome he (beſide all this)
Will hauehave his prieſtes, and in his Church like-wiſe,
What he commaundes to bring for ſacrifice.
VntoUnto him ſelfe, euen in the minde of man
A Church he hath vouchſafed vp to reare,
A liuely, feeling, breathing Church, which canGods Temple or Church
Not ſundered be, faire, beautifull, and cleare,
And neuer like deſtructions dint to feare,
With loftie top, and painted pleaſantlie
With coloures freſh of great diuerſitie.
At th'holy porch a prieſt is ſtanding there,
And keepes the doores before the Church which beene,
Fayth is her name, a virgine chaſt and cleare,Gods Prieſt.
Her haire tyed vp, with fillets like a Queene,
For ſacrifices ſimple, pure, and cleene
And which ſhe knowes are pleaſing, bids this prieſt
Offer to God, and to his deare ſonne Chriſt.
A ſhamefaſt looke, a meeke and harmeleſſe hart,
The reſt of Peace, a body pure and chaſte,
The feare of GOD, which ſinners doth conuart:Gods Sacrifices.
The rule like-wiſe of knowledge truly plaſte,
A ſober faſt from all exceſsiue waſte
Of Gluttonie, an hope which doth not faint,
A liberall hand which giues without reſtraint.
From theſe oblations a vapour doth ariſe,
Which ſauours ſweete by vertues force compelles,
It doth aſcend and pearce the azure skies,
The ſent of Baulme, and Safron it excelles,
Yea Franckincenſe, and Perſian ſpices ſmelles:
From earth to heauen it mounteth vp aloft,
And pleaſeth God therewith delighted oft.
And ſo foorth as followeth to this purpoſe. Theſe things I thinke ſufficient, concerning the inward ſeruice of God: wherein I confeſſe in the mean while to be ſomwhat, which may be referred alſo to the outwarde ſeruice of God.
The outwarde ſeruice of GOD ſpringeth from the inwarde, neyther The outward ſer…ice of God.is it knowne to God alone, as this other, but is open to the iudgement of man, and it is a kéeping or executing of the rites inſtituted of God himſelf, whereby we doe both teſtifie vntounto men the inward ſeruice, and practiſe them to the glory of God and our profite. Of this kynde were, among the ancient people, the temple, the prieſthoode, and all the ceremonies inſtituted of God, which are very often called the ſeruice of God. And this ſeruice had his appointed limits. For it was not lawfull for eueryevery one to feigne a ſeruice of God after their owne pleaſure: as is ſhewed at large in the lawe and in the holy hiſtorie. Nowe that outwarde ſeruice ſerued to the glory of God, and the profite of the faithfull. Which thing I hauehave declared, when I was in hand with the Iewiſh ceremonies. Furthermore, as Chriſte abrogated thoſe olde rites, ſo in their ſtead he placed againe a very fewe. For he inſtituted an holy aſſembly: wherein his will is, that his worde ſhould be preached and expounded out of the holy ſcripture, to his owne glory, and to oure profite: common prayer to be made, and the ſacraments to be miniſtred and receiued. To which things a conuenient place is neceſſarie, fit time, due order, and holy inſtruments. Where again, the godly do in nothing followe their owne wils. For from the worde of that God, whom they ſerue, they fetch the whole manner and order of ſeruing him. Whereof ſomewhat is ſpoken in the fourth commaundement of the firſt table, and ſhall be ſpoken more at large in due place and order. To be ſhort, they ſerue god with outward ſeruice, who by faith and obedience, gather themſelues into the holy aſſemblie, at limitted times, who kéepe the Eccleſiaſticall diſcipline deriued out of the worde of God, who heare the word of God, or the holy expoſition of the ſacred ſcriptures, who praye publiquely with the Churche, who religiouſly participate the ſacraments, and obſerue other lawful and wholeſome rites or ceremonies. By this their ſeruice, they glorifie God among men, and receiue of God no ſmall rewarde, namely, his bleſſing, and increaſe of heauenlye giftes. There is no néede, I thinke, in this place, of teſtimonies, of the Scriptures, to confirme theſe thinges that we hauehave hetherto ſpoken, touching the outwarde ſeruice of God. For eueryevery where in the hiſtorie of the Goſpell, in the Actes and Epiſtles of the Apoſtles, very many are to be found. For the Lord Ieſus doth eueryevery where gather together holie aſſemblies, to whome he preacheth the Goſpell, and commendeth prayer. Of Marie ſitting at his féete, and hearing his preaching, he ſayth: This one thing is neceſſarie, Marie Luke. 11.hath choſen the good parte, whiche ſhall not be taken from her. And in an other place: Bleſſed are they, ſaith he, which heare the word of GOD, and keepe it. Surely the Lorde him ſelfe inſtituted and put in vſe the ſacraments. For to Iohn, not conſenting to baptiſe him at his aſking, and ſaying: I hauehave neede to be baptiſed of thee, and commeſt thou to me? he anſwered: Let it be ſo nowe. For ſo it becommeth vsus to fulfill all righteouſneſſe. Wherevppon the Apoſtle Paule likewiſe diligently commending Eccleſiaſticall diſcipline to the Churches, ordeyned moſt decently holy aſſemblies. The places are very well knowne vntounto all, 1. Cor. 11. 14. 16. Likewiſe 1. Tim. 2. and elſewhere.
But before I conclude this place, I will ſhewe that onelyonly God is to be That onelyonly God is to be ſerued.ſerued. And ſurely the ſeruice it ſelfe whereof we hauehave hetherto intreated, can not be beſtowed vppon any creature, neyther Angels nor celeſtiall Saintes, to GOD alone it agréeth. Wherefore there is none ſo blinde, but may ſée, that God alone muſt be ſerued with theſe. And when God requireth of vsus his ſeruice or dutie, he requireth our whole hearte, nothing therefore is left vsus to beſtowe vppon other. Moſes full of the ſpirit of God ſayth in his lawe: Ye ſhall walke after the Lorde your God, and feare Deut. 13.him, his commaundements ſhall ye keepe, and ye ſhall hearken vntounto his voyce, and ye ſhall ſerue him, and cleaue vntounto him. Neither makes it any matter that here the word Alone is not added, ſéeing that the words are vttered with an Emphaſis or force. For when he ſaythe: Him ſhall ye ſerue, and to him ye ſhal cleaue, what other thing do we vnderſtand, than to him and not to any other, therfore to him alone? Furthermore, in the ſixt chapter of Deuteronomie, thou doeſt not read: Thou ſhalt feare the Lord thy God, and him alone ſhalt thou ſerue, and thou ſhalt ſweare by his name: But, Thou ſhalte feare the Lorde thy God, and him (Emphatically) ſhalte thou ſerue, and thou ſhalt ſweare by his name. Furthermore, the Lord in the Goſpell bringing theſe wordes of the lawe againſt the tempter, and making the emphaphaſis playne: It is written (ſaith he) Thou ſhalt worſhip the Lorde thy God, and him onelyonly ſhalt thou ſerue. Matth. 4.Which teſtimonie doubtleſſe béeing moſt effectuall and pithie, is only ſufficient for oure demonſtration, that God alone is to be ſerued. I will moreouer adde herevnto the teſtimonie of a man, howbeit eſtabliſhed by diuine authoritie, which we alſo elſewhere ſet downe in our bookes. S. Auguſtine, De quantitate animae, doth ſhewe, that GOD alone is to be ſerued, in this ſort. Whatſoeuer the ſoule doth ſerue as God, needefull it is that ſhe think the ſame better than her ſelfe. But wee muſt beleeue, that neyther the earth, nor the ſea, nor the ſtarres, nor the moone, nor the ſunne, nor any thing at all that may be felt, or ſeene with theſe eyes: to be ſhort, not heauen it ſelfe, whiche can not be ſeene of vsus, is better than the nature of the ſoule: yea rather, that all theſe are farre worſſe, than is any ſoule, aſſured reaſon doth conuince.
And anon, If therefore there be any otherthing of thoſe that god hath created, ſomething is worſſe, ſomething is as good: worſſe, as the ſoule of a beaſt, equall, as the Angels: but nothing is better. And if happily ſomething of theſe be better, this cō meth to paſſe by ſinne, and not by nature. By which ſinne notwithſtanding, it becommeth not ſo yl, that the ſoule of a beaſt is eyther to be preferred before it, or to be compared with it. God therefore alone is to be worſhipped of it, who alone is the author of it. And as for any other man, though hee bee moſt wiſe and moſt perfect, or any ſoule indued with reaſon, and moſt bleſſed, they are only to be loued and followed, and according to deſert and order, that is to bee exhibited How Saints are to be wor…pped.vntounto them, whiche agreeth and is fit for them. For it is written: Thou ſhalt worſhip the Lorde thy God, and him onelyonly ſhalt thou ſerue. Theſe be Saint Auguſtines words. And thus farre hauehave we intreated of one only, liuing, true, and euerlaſting God to be ſerued.
Moreouer, whoſoeuer cleaue vntounto God, with a ſincere fayth, and worſhip, Of true rel…gion.call vponupon, and ſerue one GOD lawfully, they are rightly named religious: their ſtudie and action is true religion. Some will hauehave Religion, to be deriued a Relinquendo, bicauſe therby we leaue or forſake falſe gods all errours, and earthly deſires, and ſéeke after the true God, after truth, and heauenly things. Maſſurius Sabinus ſayth: That is religious, which for ſome holineſſe ſake, wee put by, and ſeuerally ſet aſide. The worde, Religion, hath his name a Relinquendo, as Ceremoniae a Carendo. But M. Cicero ſuppoſeth, that Religio is ſo called a Relegendo (of ſelecting or putting apart) bicauſe they that be religious, do carefully chooſe all thing…, which ſeeme to belong to the ſeruice of the Gods. But he is confuted in many wordes, of Lactantius Firmianus, an ancient writer of the church, Lib. Inſtit. 4. cap. 28. where among other things he ſayth: On this condition we are borne, that being borne, wee might doe to God iuſt and due ſeruice, that wee ſhould knowe him alone, and that him wee ſhoulde followe. With this bond of godlineſſe we are ſtreightly bound and tied vntounto God, whervppon religion it ſelfe tooke her name.
And anon after, Wee ſayde that the name of religion was deriued from the bonde of godlineſſe, bycauſe GOD hath tyed and bounde man vntounto him ſelfe in godlineſſe: for that is needefull that wee ſerue him, as a Lorde: and obey him as a father.
Other Eccleſiaſticall writers alſo following him, as Hierome and Auguſtine, deriued Religion a Religando, of tying or binding. For Hierome in his Commentarie vponupon the ninth chapter of Amos, ſayth: This bundle tyed vp with the religion of the lord which is one. Religion therfore tooke her name a Religando, of tying together, and binding into the lords bundle. And Auguſtine, in his booke De quantitate animae, chapter. 36. ſayth: True religion is, whereby the ſoule tyeth her ſelfe through reconciliatiō to one God, from whome through ſinne ſhe had, as it were, brokē away. The ſame Auguſtine in his booke De vera religione, and laſt chapter, ſayth: Let religion tye vsus vntounto one God almightie, whereof it is beleeued to bee What true religion isnamed religion. We ſay therefore, y• true religion is none other thing, thā a friendſhip, a knitting, & a vnitie (or league) with the true, liuing, and euerlaſting God, vntounto whome we being lincked by a true faith, doe worſhip, call vppon, and ſerue him alone, vponupon whome we do wholy depend, liuing in all thinges according to his will, or according to the preſcript rule & lawe of his word. Therefore moſt rightly is ye whole matter of ſaluatiō and faith compriſed in this one word Religion: which elſewhere is called in ſcripture a league and couenaunt, and elſewhere againe, marriage or wedlocke. For as they which be confederate, are vnited and made one by a league: ſo God and man are knit together by religion. And as by marriage the huſbande and the wife are made one body, ſo by religion we are knit into a ſpirituall body with God, as with our huſbande, and with the very ſonne of God, as with our bridegrome and our heade. Hetherto therfore doth belong what ſo euer things are vttered in the ſcriptures, touching the kéeping of the league or couenaunt, and the faith of marriage. Truce-breakers are they, diſloyall, and infamous through their adulterie, who ſo euer being not knit to one God by fayth, worſhip him alone, call vponupon him through Chriſte, and ſerue him alſo as he him ſelfe hath ſayde in his worde he woulde be ſerued. The very ſame are alſo called ſuperſtitious.
For ſuperſtition is falſe religion, which doth not ſerue God, but ſomewhat elſe for God, or not God alone, or not rightly or lawfully. This worde ſuperſtition ſtretcheth it ſelfe euen to olde wiues tales and doting errors. For in Dutche we call ſuperſtition, Aberglouben, miſ; glouben, vnd miſ; brijth. But Lactantius reaſoning moſt exactly of this worde, in his fourth booke of Inſtitutions, and 28. chapter, writeth in this ſort. Religion is the ſeruice of the true God: ſuperſtition of the falſe. They are ſaid to be ſuperſtitious, not that wiſh their children to out-liue them: for that we doe al wiſh: but eyther they that reuerence the memorie remayning of the deade: or elſe they, that whiles their parents were aliue, worſhipped their images within their houſes: like houſholde Gods. For thoſe whiche did take vntounto them ſelues newe rites, to the intent they might, in ſtead of Gods, honour the deade, whome they thought were taken from among men, and receiued into heauen, thoſe (I ſay) they called ſuperſtitious: but thoſe that worſhipped and ſerued publique and ancient Gods, they named religious. Wherevpon ſayth Virgil.
Vaine ſuperstition, ignorante
Of th' olde and auncient Gods.
But ſeeing wee doe finde that our auncients, hauehave beene in ſemblable manner conſecrated Gods after their death, they therfore which ſerue many and falſe Gods are ſuperſtitious: but we are religious, which pray and make our ſupplications to one God, being the true God, &c.
Superſtition conſiſteth chiefly in To leaue, or forſake the true God, and to ſerue ſtraunge Gods.theſe pointes, Eyther when the Lord is not ſerued, but other Gods in his ſteade, the onelyonly one, true, and liuing God being left and forſaken: Or elſe when the Lorde is ſerued, but not alone, but other together with him: or elſe when he is ſerued, but not with his lawfull ſeruice. In the firſt kynde of ſuperſtition did the Gentiles in a manner offende, who knewe not the true God, in ſo muche, that they in ſtead of the true God, worſhipped falſe, feigned, or ſtraunge Gods. And that the Iſraelites alſo Gods people, were ſicke of the ſame madneſſe, ye holy prophet Ieremie is a witneſſe, who expoſtulating and reaſoning the matter with the people, ſayeth: Heare ye the word of the Lord, O houſe of Iacob, …. ….and all the families of the houſe of Iſrael. Thus ſayeth the Lord: What iniquitie hauehave your fathers founde in mee, that they are gon farre from me, & hauehave walked after vanitie, and are beecome vaine? For they ſayed not, Where is the Lord that brought vsus vpp out of the land of Aegypt? that led vsus thorough the wilderneſſe, thorough a deſort, & waſt land, throughe a drie land, and by the ſhadowe of death, by a land that no man paſſed thorough, and where no man dwelt? And I brought you into a plentifull countrie to eate the fruite therof, and the cōmodities of the ſame: but when ye entred ye defiled my land, & made mine heritage an abhomination. The prieſtes ſaid not, Where is the Lord? & they that ſhould miniſter the law, knewe mee not: the paſtours alſo offended againſt mee, and the prophets prophecied in Baal, and went after things that did not profite, or followed idols. Wherefore, I will yet plead with you, ſayeth the Lord, and I will pleade with your childrens children. For goe ye to the Iſles of Chittim, & behold, and ſend vntounto Kedar, & take diligent heede, and ſee whether there bee ſuch thinges. Hath any nation chaunged their Gods, whiche yet are no Gods? but my people hauehave chaunged their glorie for that which doeth not profite, or for an idole. O ye heauens, bee aſtonnied at this, bee afraid, and vtterly confounded, ſayeth the Lord. For my people hauehave committed two euils: they hauehave forſaken mee the founteine of liuing waters, to dig them pittes, euen broken pittes, that can hold no water.
Thou doeſt heare, that the people of Iſrael, by an heynous offence, and for the whiche no amendes might bée made, forſooke God the liuely ſpring, and digged vntounto themſelues broken pittes. The waters doe ſignifie the perfecte Good, wherewith the deſire both of the ſoule and the body may be ſatiſfied. Such a plentifull ſpring is God alone, the higheſt, excellenteſt, & perfecteſt Good. This being forſaken, they digged, that is, with very great paines and coſtes they prouided for themſelues pittes, that is, they turned themſelues to creatures, to them that are no gods, neither yet are able to ſatiſfie their deſires. This miſchiefe euen at this daye alſo is common, whiles many hauing forſaken God, are turned vntounto celeſtiall Sainctes, of whome they deſire that which was to bee deſired of God, neither can be giuen but of God alone. Héere hath idolatrie a place, that is the worſhipping of images. For not they onelyonly are ſuperſtitious, whiche feigne vntounto themſelues falſe Gods, hauing forſaken the true GOD, or that put their truſt in thinges of nothing, but they alſo whiche worſhip and reuerence ye images either of God, or of Gods, are alſo ſuperſtitious. For images or counterfectes are ſett vpp, either to the true God himſelfe, or elſe to falſe Gods, to creatures (I ſay) themſelues. But it is not laweful by any image or counterfecte to repreſent the excéeding great, euerlaſting, and liuing GOD world without ende: neither is it lawfull to worſhippe or ſerue him being expreſſed by an image or likeneſſe: muche leſſe therefore is it lawefull to conſecrate vntounto creatures images or counterfectes, to worſhip and ſerue them. There are very many teſtimonies of ſcripture extant againſt idolatrie, as in Exodus 20. Iſaie 40. 44. Pſalme 113. 1. Corinthians 5. 10. Romanes. 1. Galathians 5. 1. Theſſaloniās 1. 1. Peter 4. 1. Iohn 5. Ieremie 10. &c.
Furthermore I do here diligently admoniſhe the ſimpler ſort, that they ſuffer not themſelues to bee deceiued. For none can auoyde the name of an idolater, that doth worſhip, reuerence, and feare images, that putteth ſome part of his confidence in them, that lyeth along before them, that offereth them giftes, that kéepeth them in a place of ſolemnitie and honour, that ſticketh vpp tapers & burneth incenſe vntounto them, that loueth, beautifyeth, mainteyneth, enricheth, and ſerueth them with any kinde of ſacrifice or holy ſeruice whatſoeuer. But concerning idolatrie wee hauehave ſpoken very largely elſe-where.
Furthermore, they ſerued (who doubtes it?) the God of Iſrael, howbeit Not to worſhippe God alone but to worſhippe other Gods alſo together with the true God.not alone, but with the true God other Gods alſo, of whome wee read in the hiſtorie of the kings, And yet they ſerued (or feared) the Lord: and they appointed out prieſts (euen of the baſeſt) vntounto themſelues for the high places, who prepared for them ſacrifices in the houſes of the high places. And when they ſerued the Lord, they ſerued their owne Gods alſo, after the manner of the nations from whence they were brought into Samaria. And againe, So theſe nations feared the Lord, & ſerued their images alſo, ſo did their children, and their childrens children: as did their fathers, ſo do they vntounto this day.
This miſchiefe, in like manner, is altogether common at this day. For a man may finde worſhippers and ſeruers of God, who will at no hand bée perſuaded that God alone is to be ſerued, yea, boldly affirming that it is flatte and damnable hereſie to denie, that together with God Sainctes are both to be worſhipped, called vppon, and ſerued. Againſt whome wee hauehave elſe-where, and in this oure preſent Sermon alſo, ſufficiently diſputed.
Héere likewiſe commeth next to hand to be marked the diuerſe māner, and ſundrie faſhion of ſeruing God ſuperſtitiouſly. For neither doeth hee onelyonly and alone ſerue God ſuperſtitiouſly, who in déede firſt feigneth or imagineth in his minde a GOD, and then afterwardes expreſſeth the ſame God by an image or counterfecte, whervnto, by and by vppon that, he offereth ſacrifices and incenſe, and lying proſtrate vppon the ground worſhippeth in preſence of the ſame, and ſuppliantly ſerueth it with all reuerence: but he principally ſerueth God ſuperſtitiouſly, who doeth communicate ye incommunicable properties of God to creatures, albeit hee expreſſe God by no repreſentation, likeneſſe, or The properties of God are, i… no caſe, t… be attributed vntounto ſtraunge Gods.counterfecte: or hee whiche thincketh that the giftes which he hath receiued from heauen at the hands of God, are giuen and beſtowed vppon him of celeſtiall Sainctes.
Furthermore, the incommunicable properties of God, are, able to doe all thinges, to know all thinges, to be preſent in eueryevery place, to heare all thinges, to helpe, ſuccour, or aſſiſte, to be louing, bountifull, iuſte, righteous, Iſai. 41. 4… &c.and mercifull. Verily, Iſaie the beſt learned of the prophets, and of ſingular authoritie, proueth and cōuinceth by theſe moſt ſtronge and ſubſtantiall arguments or reaſons, that the Gods of the Babylonians and Eentiles are no Gods: Becauſe they cannot foretel or knowe things that are to come hereafter: neither yet can doe good or euill.
Wherefore, able to inriche and ſtoare with all manner of benefites, and to chaſtice with due deſerued puniſhments: ſo alſo, to knowe all thinges, and to bee of power to compaſſe and doe all thinges, they are the properties of God alone, communicable to no creature: hee therefore is ſuperſtitious, whiche attributeth theſe properties to celeſtiall Sainctes, and for that cauſe doeth ſerue and call vppon Gods gifts …re not to be attribu…ed to …traunge Gods. O…ee. 2.them. Oſee the Prophete doeth very ſoare inueighe againſt the Iewes, who gaue and attributed to ſtraunge Gods, the giftes of GOD, inſomuch that hee nameth the Synagogue of ſuch, a ſtrumpet or harlott. I wil hauehave no pitie (ſayeth hee) vppon her children: for they bee the children of fornications. For their mother hath played the harlott: ſhee that conceiued them hath done ſhamefully. For ſhe ſaide, I will goe after my louers that giuegive me my bread, and my water, my wooll, and my flaxe, mine oyle, & my drincke. And anon after, Nowe ſhee did not knowe that I gaue her corne, and wine, and oyle, & multiplied (or gaue her muche) her ſiluer and gold, whiche they beſtowed euen vppon Baal. And it is a thinge much vſed at this day, to aſcribe vntounto celeſtial ſainctes, and not to the onelyonly GOD, the increaſe of the earth, and the temperate or ſharpe ſeaſons of the yeare, as thoughe they came from them. But that is ſuperſtition, not godlineſſe or religion.
Furthermore, God is ſuperſtitiouſly ſerued, whē in déed he is ſerued alone, To ſerue God, but not lawfully.howbeit not after a lawefull manner. Vnlawefull ſeruice procéedeth from the will and imagination of mē, and it is contrarie to the word and ordinaunce of God. For God is then lawfully ſerued, when he is ſerued according to his owne wil and word. In the law thus hath the Lord commaunded: Beware that thou ſeeke not after Deuter. 12the gods of the Gentiles, ſaying: How did theſe nations ſerue their Gods, that I may do ſo likewiſe? Thou ſhalt not do ſo vntounto the Lord thy God, &c. (Therfore) whatſoeuer I commaund you, take heede you do it: Thou ſhalt put nothing thereto, nor take ought there-from. Nadab and Abihu offer Leuit. 10.ſtraunge fire vntounto the Lord: therefore are they burned vpp in the preſence of the Lord with fire from heauen. Oza alſo periſhed, becauſe hee handled the 2 Reg. 6.Arcke of GOD, otherwiſe than the Lord had commaunded in his lawe. Micha in the booke of Iudges, inſtituted Iudg. 17.vntounto the true God, whoſe name is IEHOVAH, an image, an altar, a chappell, and a ſeruice. But it is reproued in the ſacred Scripture: béecauſe it was not onelyonly not fetched out of the holy Scripture, but was in all reſpectes quite contrarie and vtterly againſt the Lawe of God. Ieroboam 3. Re. 12. 13alſo ordeined paſſing ſumptuous ſeruice, he inſtituted cathedrall churches, and ſett vpp golden images, all to the God of Iſrael; but for that they were not agréeable to the woord of the Lord, they are all, one with another, vtterly condemned for execrable and accurſed ſacrileges.
Yea, what wée maye thincke in generall of all the ſeruices whiche are neither inſtituted of GOD, nor agréeing with the woord of GOD, but feigned vppon a good intent and meaning of our owne, y• onelyonly teſtimonie of ye moſt excellent prophet Samuel doth declare to vsus, which he pronounced againſt Saule and his ſacrifices in theſe woords: Hath the Lord 1. Reg. 15.as great pleaſure in burnte offeringes and ſacrifices, as when the voice of the Lord is obeyed? Behold, to obey is better than ſacrifice, & to hearken (is better) than the fatte of rammes. For, rebellion is as the ſinne of witchcraft: and tranſgreſſion is wickedneſſe and idolatrie. Herevnto maketh that whiche we read in Iſaie: He that killeth a I ſai. 66.bullock, is as if he ſlue a man. He that ſacrificeth a ſheepe, as if hee cutt off a dogges necke. He that offereth an oblation, as if hee offered ſwines bloud. He that remembreth incenſe, as if hee bleſſed an idole. All theſe thinges hauehave they choſē in their owne wayes, and their ſoule is delighted in their owne abhominations. Vaine therfore and abhominable are thoſe ſeruices, which are not reduced and framed to the pure word of God. For the ſame Prophete ſayeth, In vaine doe they I ſai. 29. Matth. 15.ſerue mee, teachinge doctrines of men.
The liuing, true, and euerlaſting God, who will and ought onelyonly and alone to bee worſhipped, to bee called vppon, and to be ſerued, giuegive vntounto all men true religion, and deliuer them 2. Reg. 7. Matth. 5.from all vaine ſuperſtition: thoroughe Ieſus Chriſtoure Lord. Amen.
A. F.