The Institutes of the Christian Religion, Book 4 · Chapter 10
¶ The .x. Chapter. ¶Of the power in makyng of lawes: wherin the Pope and his hauehave vsed a moste cruell tyranny and butcherie vponupon soules.
NOw foloweth the second part, which they wil hauehave to consist in making of lawes, oute of whiche spring hauehave flowed innumerable traditions of men, euen so many snares to strangle poore soules. For they hauehave had no more conscience, than had the Scribes and Pharisees,Mat. xxiii vi. to lay burdens vponupon other mens sholders, which they themselues would not touche with one finger. I hauehave in an other place taught how cruel a butcherie is that whiche they commaūde concerning auricular confession. In other lawes there appeareth not so great violence: but those which seme the most tolerable of all, doe tyrannously oppresse consciences. I leaue vnspoken how they corrupt ye worship of God, & do spoile God hymselfe of hys righte, which is the onelyonly lawmaker. This power is now to be entreated of, whether the Chirch may bind cōsciences wt her lawes. In which discourse the order of policie is not touched, but this only is intēded, yt God be rightly worshipped according to the rule which himselfe hath prescribed, and yt the spirituall libertie, which hath regarde vntounto God, may remayne safe vntounto vsus. Use hath made yt al those decrees be called traditions of men, whatsouer they be yt hauehave concerning the worship of God proceded frō men beside hys worde. Against these do we striue, not against the holy & profitable ordināces of ye Chirch which make for ye preseruatiō either of discipline or honestie or peace. But ye ende of our striuing is, that ye immeasurable & barbarous Empire may be restrained, which they vsurpe vppon soules, that would be cōpted pastors of the Chirch, but in very dede are most cruel butchers. For they say that the lawes whiche they make are spiritual, & perteining to the soule, & they affirme them to be necessarie to eternal life. But so (as I euen now touched) the kingdome of Christ is inuaded, so the libertie by him geuē to the cōsciences of the faithful is vtterly oppressed & throwen abrode. I speake not now with howe great vngodlynesse they stablish the obseruing of their lawes, while out of it they teache men to seke both forgeuenesse of synnes, & righteousnesse, & saluatiō, while they set in it the whole summe of religiō and godlynesse. This one thyng I earnestly holde, yt there ought no necessitie to be laied vpō cōsciences in those thinges wherin they are made free by Christ, and vnlesse they be made free, as we hauehave before taught, they cā not rest wt God. They must acknowlege one only king Christ their deliuerer, & be gouerned by one law of libertie, euen ye holy word of ye Gospel, if they wil kepe stil the grace which they hauehave ones obteyned in Christe: they must be holden with no bondage, and bounde with no bondes.
These Solons do in dede faine that their constitutions are lawes of libertie, a swete yoke, a light burden: but who can not se that they be mere lyes? They themselues in dede do fele no heauinesse of their owne lawes, which casting away the feare of God, doe carelesly and stoutly neglecte both their owne and Gods lawes. But they that are touched wyth any care of their saluation, are farr from thynking themselues free so long as they be entangled with these snares. We se with howe greate warenesse Paule did deale in this behalfe,i. Cor. vii.xxv. that he durste not so much as in any one thing laye vponupon men any snare at al▪ and that not without cause. Truely he foresaw with how great a wounde cōsciences should be striken, if they should be charged wt a necessitie of those things wherof the Lord had left them libertie. On ye other side y• constitutions are almost innumerable, which these mē hauehave most greuously stablished with thretening of eternal death, which they most seuerely require as necessarie to saluatiō. And among those there are many most hard to be kept, but al of them (if ye whole multitude of them be layed together) are impossible: so great is the heape. How thē shal it be possible, yt they vpō whō so great a weight of difficultie lyeth, shold not be vexed in perplexitie wt extreme anguish and terror? Therfore my purpose is here to impugne such cōstitutions, as tend to thys ende, inwardly to bind soules before God, and charge them with a religion, as though they taughte them of thinges necessary to saluation.
This question doth therfore encōber ye most part of mē, because they do not suttelly enough put difference betwene ye outward court (as thei cal it) & the court of cōscience. Moreouer thys encreaseth y• difficultie, yt Paul teacheth yt the Magistrate ought to be obeyed, not only for feare of punishemēt,Ro. xiii.i. but for cōsciences sake. Wherupon foloweth, ye cōsciences are also bounde wt the politike lawes. But if it were so, thē al should fall that we hauehave spokē in ye last chap. and entende now to speake cōcerning the spiritual gouernement. For ye loosing of thys knot, first it is good to learne what is Cōscience. The definition is to be gathered of ye proper deriuatiō of ye word. For, as whē mē do wt minde & vnderstanding conceiue the knowlege of things, they are therby sayd scire to know, wherupon is deriued ye name of science knowlege: so when they hauehave a feling of Gods iugement as a witnesse adioined wt them, which doth not suffer them to hide their sīnes, but yt they be brought accused to ye iudgemēt seate of God, ye same feling is called Cōsciēce. For it is a certayne meane betwene God & mā: because it suffreth not mā to suppresse that which he knoweth, but pursueth him so far til it bring him to giltinesse. This is it yt Paule meaneth whē he teacheth yt Cōsciēce doth together witnesse wt mē,Ro. ii.xv. whē theyr thoughtes do accuse or acquite them in the iugemēt of God. A simple knowlege might remaine in mā as enclosed. Therfore thys feling which presenteth mā to ye iugemēt of God, is as it were a keper ioyned to mā, to marke & watch al his secretes, yt nothing should remaine buryed in darkenesse. Whereupō also cōmeth ye old prouerbe, Cōsciēce is a thousād witnesses.i. Pet. iii.xxi. For ye same resō also Peter hath set the examinatiō of a good cōscience, for quietnesse of mynde, whē we being persuaded of the grace of Christe, doe without feare present our selues to God.Heb. x.ii. And the author of the Epistle to ye Hebrues, vseth these wordes, to hauehave no more cōscience of synne, in stede of to be deliuered or acquited, that synne may no more accuse vsus.
Therfore as workes hauehave respect to mē, so ye cōscience is referred to God: so ye Cōscience is nothyng els but the inwarde purenesse of ye hart. In which sense Paule writeth yt Charitie is the fulfilling of the lawe,ii. Tim. i.v. out of a pure cōscience, and Fayth not fayned. Afterwarde also in the same chap▪ he sheweth, how much it differeth from vnderstanding, sayeng that some had suffered shipwracke from the fayth, because they had forsakē good Cōscience. For in these wordes he signifieth, yt it is a liuely affectiō to worship God, & a sincere desire to liue Godlily and holily. Somtime in dede it is referred also to men, as in Luke, when ye same Paul testifieth,Act. xxiiii xvi. yt he endeuored himselfe yt he mighte walke wt a good cōscience toward God & men. But this was therfore saied, because the frutes of good cōscience do flowe, & come euen to mē. But in speakyng properly, it hath respect to God only, as I hauehave alredy said. Hereupon cōmeth yt a law is said to binde cōscience, which simply bindeth a man, without regarde of mē, or not hauing any cōsideration of them. As for exāple. God cōmaundeth not only to kepe the minde chast & pure from al lust, but also forbiddeth al maner of filthinesse of wordes & outward wantōnesse whatsoeuer it be. To ye keping of this lawe my cōscience is subiect, although there liued not one man in the world. So he that beha…th himselfe intēperantly, doeth not only synne in thys yt he geueth … exāple to his brethren, but he hath his cōscience bounde with giltinesse before God. In thinges yt are of themselues meane, there is an other cōsideratiō. For we ought to absteine frō them, if they brede any offēse,i. Cori. x.xxviii. but ye cōscience stil being free. So Paule speaketh of fleshe consecrate to idols. If any (sayth he) make dout, touch it not, for consciences sake: I say for cōsciēce, not thine own, but ye others. A faithful mā shold sinne, which being first warned should neuerthelesse eate of such fleshe. But howsoeuer in respect of his brother, it be necessarie for him to absteine, as it is prescribed of God, yet he cesseth not to kepe still ye libertie of cōscience. We see how this law bynding the outward worke, leaueth the conscience vnbounde.
Now let vsus returne to ye lawes of mē. If they be made to this end, to charge vsus wt a religiō, as though ye obseruing of them wer of it selfe necessarie, thē we say yt that is layed vpō cōscience which was not lawfull to be laied vpō it. For our consciēces hauehave not to doe wt mē, but wt God only: whereunto perteineth ye cōmō differēce betwene y• earthly court & the court of cōscience. Whē y• whole world was wrapped in a most thick mist of ignorāce, yet this smal sparcle of light remained, yt they acknowleged a mans cōscience to be aboue al iugemētes of mē. Howbeit ye same thing yt they did wt one worde cōfesse, they did afterwarde in dede ouerthrowe: yet it was Gods wil ye there should thē also remaine some testimonie of Christiā libertie, which might deliuer cōsciences from the tyranny of mē. But ye difficultie is not yet dissolued, which ariseth out of ye words of Paule. For if we must obeye Princes not onelyonly for penalties sake, but also for cōsciēce, it semeth thereupō to folowe yt Princes lawes hauehave also dominiō ouer cōscīce. If this be true, thē thesame also ought to be said of ye lawes of ye Chirch. I answere yt first here we must put a differēce betwene ye generaltie & ye specialtie. For though al special lawes do not touch ye cōsciēce, yet we are boūde by ye general cōmaundemēt of god, which cōmēdeth vntounto vsus ye authoritie of magistrates. And vpō this point stādeth ye disputatiō of Paul,Ro. xiii.i yt magistrates are to be honored because they ar ordeined of god. In ye meane time he teacheth not yt those lawes yt are prescribed by thē, do belōg to ye inward gouernemēt of the soule: wheras he eche where extolleth both ye worshipping of God & the spiritual rule of liuīg righteously, aboue al ye ordināces of mē whatsoeuer they be. In other thīg also is worthy to be noted, (which yet hāgeth vponupon the former) that the lawes of men, whether they be made by the magistrate or by the Chirch, although they be necessarie to be kepte, (I speake of the good and righteous lawes) yet therefore do not by themselues binde conscience, because the whole necessitie of keping them is referred to ye general ende, but cōsisteth not in the things commaūded. Frō this sort do far differ both those yt prescribe a new forme of ye worshipping of God, & those yt appoint necessitie in things yt be at libertie.
But such are those yt at this day be called Ecclesiastical cōstitutiōs in the Papacie, which are thrust in, in stede of the true and necessarie worshipping of God. And as they be innumerable: so are there infinite bondes to catch and snare soules. But although in the declaration of ye law we hauehave somwhat touched them: yet because this place was fitter to entreate fully of them, I will nowe trauaile to gather together the whole summe in the best order that I can. And because we hauehave already discoursed so much as semed to be sufficient, concerning the tyranny which the false Bishops do take vponupon themselues, in libertie to teache whatsoeuer they list, I wil now omitt al that parte: & I wil here tarry only vpō declaring ye power, which they say they hauehave, to make lawes. Our false Bishops therfore do burden consciences with newe lawes, vnderunder this pretense, that they are ordeined of ye Lord spiritual lawmakers, sins the gouernement of the Chirch is committed vntounto them. Therefore they affirme that whatsoeuer they commaunde & prescribe, oughte necessarily to be obserued of the Christian people: and yt he that breaketh it, is giltie of double disobediēce, for that he is rebellious both to God & to the Chirch. Certainly, if they were true Bishops, I would in this behalfe graunt to them some authoritie, not so much as they require, but so much as is requisite to the wel ordering of the police of the Chirche. Now sith they are nothing lesse than that which they woulde be accompted, they can not take any thing to them, be it neuer so little, but that they shall take to much. But because this hath ben ells where considered, let vsus graunt them at this present, that whatsoeuer power true Bishops hauehave, the same rightly belongeth to them also: yet I deny that they be therfore appointed lawmakers ouer the faythfull, yt may of themselues prescribe a rule to liue by, or compell to their ordināces yt people committed vntounto them. When I say this I meane, that it is not lawfull for them, to deliuer to the Chirch to be obserued of necessitie, yt which they hauehave deuised of themselues without the word of God. Forasmuch as that authoritie both was vnknowen to the Apostles, and so oft taken away from the ministers of the Chirch by the Lordes owne mouth: I maruel who hauehave ben so bolde to take it vponupon them, & at this daye are so bolde to defende it, beside the example of the Apostles, and against the manifest prohibition of God.
As touchīg yt that perteined to ye perfect rule of wel liuing, ye lord hath so conteined al yt in his law, yt he hath left nothing for men yt they might adde to that summe. And this he did first for this purpose, yt because ye whole vprightnesse of liuing stādeth in this point, if all workes be gouerned by his wil as by a rule, he should be holden of vsus ye only maister and directer of lyfe:Iam. iiii.xii. thē, to declare that he requireth of vsus nothing more than obedience. For this reason Iames sayth: he yt iudgeth his brother iudgeth the law: he that iudgeth the law, is not an obseruer of the law, but a iudge. But there is one onelyonly lawmaker, that can both saue and destroy. We heare yt God doth claime this one thing as proper to himselfe, to rule vsus with the gouernement and lawes of his word. And the same thing was spoken before of Esay,Esa…e. xxxiii.xxii. although somwhat more darkly: the Lord is our king, the lord is our lawmaker, the Lord is our iudge, he shal saue vsus. Truly in both these places is shewed, that he that hath power ouer the soule, hath the iugement of life and death. Yea Iames pronounceth this plainly. Now, no man can take that vpō him. Therfore God must be acknowleged to be the only king of soules, to whom alone belongeth the power to saue and destroy, as those words of Esaye expresse, and to be the king, and iudge, and lawmaker & Sauior. Therfore Peter, when he admonisheth the Pastors of their dutie, exhorteth them so to fede the flocke, not as vsing a Lordship ouer the Clergie, by whiche worde Clergie he signifieth the inheritance of God,i. Pe. v.ii yt is to saye the faithfull people. This if we rightly weye, that it is not lawfull, that that should be transferred to man, which God maketh his owne onelyonly: we shal vnderstande that so al the power is cut of whatsoeuer it be that they chalenge, which aduaunce themselues to commaunde any thing in the Chirche without the worde of God.
Now, forasmuch as the whole cause hangeth therupon, that if God be the only lawmaker, it is not lawful for men to take yt honor to themselues: it is mete also therewithall to kepe in minde those twoo reasons which we hauehave spoken, why the Lord claimeth that to himselfe alone. The first is, that his wil may be to vsus a perfect rule of al righteousnesse and holinesse: and that so in the knowing of him may be the perfecte knowlege to liue wel. The other is, that (when the manner is soughte how to worship him rightly and wel) he only may hauehave authoritie ouer our soules, whom we ought to obeye, and vponupon whoes beck we oughte to hang. These twoo reasōs being wel marked, it shalbe easye to iudge, what ordinances of men are contrary to the word of God. Of yt sort be al those which are fained to belong to the true worshipping of God, and to ye obseruing wherof consciences are bounde, as though they wer necessarie to be obserued. Let vsus therfore remēber yt al lawes of mē ought to be weyed with this balance, if we wil hauehave a sure triall yt may neuer suffer vsus to erre.Col. i.vi.i The first of these reasons Paule in ye Epistle to ye Colossians vseth in contending against the false Apostles yt attempted to oppresse ye Chirches wt newe burdēs. The secōd reasō he more vseth wt the Galatiās in ye like case. This therfore he trauaileth to proue in ye Epistle to the Colossiās, yt the doctrine cōcerning the true worshipping of God is not to be sought at mēs hands: because the Lord hath faithfully & fully instructed vsus how he ought to be worshipped. To proue ye same in the first chap. he saith yt in the Gospel is cōteined al wisdome, wherby the mā of God may be made perfect in Christe. In ye beginning of the ii. chap. he saith, yt al the treasures of wisdome & vnderstanding are hiddē in Christ. Therupō he afterward cōcludeth let ye faithfull beware yt they be not by vain Philosophie led frō the flocke of Christe, according to the constitutions of mē. But in the ende of the chapter, he doth yet wt greater boldnesse condemne al Ethelothreskias, yt is to say al fained worshippings, which mē deuise to thēselues, or receiue of other, & whatsoe…er precepts they dare of thēselues geue cōcernīg ye worshippīg of god. We hauehave therfore, yt al those ordināces are wicked, in obseruing wherof the worshipping of God is fained to be. As for ye places in ye Galatians wherwt he earnestly affirmeth ye consciences, which ought to be ruled of God only, ought not to be entāgled wt snares, they are opē enough, specially in the .v. Chap. Therfore let it be sufficient to hauehave but noted thē.
But because the whole mater shal better be made open by examples, before yt we goe any further, it is good also to apply this doctrine to our own times. We say yt the cōstitutiōs which they cal Ecclesiasticall, wherwith the Pope and his do burden the Chirch, are pernicious & wicked: our aduersaries defende yt they be holy & auailable to saluatiō. There be twoo kindes of them: for some cōcerne Ceremonies & rites, other some perteine more to discipline. Is there thē a iust cause to moue vsus to impugne them both? Truly a iuster thā we would. Firste do not ye authors thēselues clerely define, yt the very worshipping of God is conteined in them? To what purpose do they apply their Ceremonies, but that God shold be worshipped by them? And yt cōmeth to passe not by ye only error of ye ignorant multitude, but by their allowāce yt hauehave ye place of teachīg. I do not touche ye grosse abhominations, wherwt they hauehave gone about to ouerthrow al godlinesse. But it should not be imagined among them to be so hainous an offēse, to hauehave failed in any of ye least pety traditiōs, vnlesse they did make the worshipping of god subiect to their fained deuises. What do we thē offende, if at this day we can not beare yt, whiche Paul taught to be intolerable, yt the lawfull order of ye worshipping of God should be reduced to ye wil of mē: specially when they cōmaund mē to worship according to ye elemētes of this world, which Paul testifieth to be against Christ?Col. ii.xx. …. v.i. Againe it is not vnknowē, wt how precise necessitie they binde cōsciences to kepe whatsoeuer they cōmaūde. Here when we cry out to ye cōtrary, we hauehave al one cause with Paule, which in no wise suffreth faithful consciences to be brought into bondage of men.
Moreouer this worst of al is added, yt when religiō hath ones begon to be defined wt such vain inuētiōs, there euer foloweth after yt peruersnesse an other abhominable frowardnesse, wherof Christ reproched the Pharisees yt the cōmaundemēt of God is made voide for ye traditiōs of mē. I wil not vse mine own words in fighting against our lawmakers at these daies. Let them hauehave ye victory, if they can by any meane purge thēselues frō this accusatiō of Christ. But how should they excuse them, whē amōg them it is thought infinitly more hainous, to hauehave omitted auricular cōfessiō when ye time of yere cōmeth about, thā to hauehave cōtinued a most wicked life a whole yere together: to hauehave infected their tong wt a litle tasting of flesh on a Friday, thā to hauehave defiled their body with whoredome al ye dayes of the weke? to hauehave put their hand to an h…nest work vpō a day cōsecrate to I wote not what pety Saints, thā to hauehave cōtinually exercised their mēbers in most wicked offēses? for a Priest …o be coupled wt one lawful mariage, thā to be entāgled wt a thousand adulteries? not to hauehave performed a vowed pilgremage, thā to breake faith in al promises? not to hauehave wasted somwhat vpō monstruous & no lesse superfluous & vnprofitable excessiue gorgiousnesse of tēples, thā to ha…e failed to help ye extreme necessities of ye poore? to hauehave passed by an id…e wtout honor, thā to hauehave despitefully entreated al kindes of men? not … hauehave mumbled vp at certaine houres a great nūber of wordes without vnderstanding, thā neuer to hauehave conceiued a true praier in their hart? What is to make voide the cōmaundement of God for the traditions of men, if this be not: when cōmending the keping of Gods commaundemētes but coldly & as it were lightly by the way, they do no lesse earnestly and busily exact ye obeying of their owne, than if they conteined in them the whole pith of godlinesse▪ whē reuenging ye transgressing of Gods law, with light penalties of satisfactions, they punishe the very least offence of one of their own decrees with no lesse peine than with prisonmente, banishmente, fier or swerd? Being not so sharpe and harde to entreate against the despisers of God, they persecute the despisers of themselues with vnappeasable hatred to the extremitie: & doe so instructe all those, whoes simplicitie they holde captiue, yt they would with more contented minde se ye whole law of God ouerthrowen, than one smal title (as they cal it) in the cōmaundemētes of the Chirche to be broken. Firste in thys point is greuous offence cōmitted, that for small maters, and such as (if it should be tried by Gods iudgement) are at libertie, one mā despiseth, iudgeth and casteth away an other. But now, as though yt were not euil enough,Ga. iiii.ix those trifling elementes of the world (as Paule calleth them in his writing to the Galatians) are weyed of more value thā the heauē ly Oracles of God. And he that is in a maner acquited in adulterie, is iudged in meate: he that hath leaue to vse a harlot, is forbidden to hauehave a wife. This profit verily is gotten by that transgressing obedience, which is so much turned frō God as it declineth to men.
There be also other twoe not sclēder faultes, which we disallow in the same ordināces. First, because they prescribe for the most part vnprofitable, & somtime also fond obseruations: then, because godly cōsciences are oppressed with the infinite multitude of them, & being rouled backe into a certaine Iewishnesse, they so cleaue to shadowes, that they can not at…eine to Christ. Wheras I cal them fond & vnprofitable, I know that yt will not seme credible to the wisdome of the fleshe, whiche so well lyketh them,Colos. ii.xxiii. that it thinketh the Chirch to be vtterly deformed when they be taken away. But this is it that Paule writeth of, to hauehave a resemblance of wisdome in counterfait, worshipping, in humilitie, and in this that they thinke that with their sharpnesse they be able to tame their fleshe. This is truly a most wholesome admonition, such as ought neuer to slippe away from vsus. Mens traditions (sayeth he) do deceiue vnderunder the shew of wisdome. whense hauehave they thys color? because they are fained of men, therfore the witt of man doeth therein acknowe his owne, and acknowing it doth more gladly embrace it, than any thyng were it neuer so good, that lesse agreed with his vanitie. Againe, they hauehave hereby an other commendatiō, because they seme to be fitt introductiōs to humilitie, for yt with their yoke they hold the mindes of men pressed down to the groūd. Last of al, because they seme to tend to thys end to restraine the deintinesse of the fleshe, & to subdue it with rigor of abstinēce, therfore they are thought to be wisely deuised. But what saith Paul to these things? doeth he not shake of those visors, least ye simple should be deceiued wt false pretēse? Because he iudged thys enough for confutation of them, that he had sayd that they were the inuentions of men, he passeth ouer al these thinges without confutation, as thoughe he estemed them for nothing. Yea, because he knewe that all fayned worshippinges in the Chirche were condemned, and are so much more suspicious to the faithful as they more delite the witt of man: because he knewe that that fained image of outwarde humilitie doeth so muche differ frō true humilitie, as it might easily be discerned: finally because he knewe that that childish introduction was no more estemed than an exercise of the body: therfore he willed that the very same things should be to the faithfull in stede of a cōfutation of mens traditions, by fauor of which they were commended among the ignorant.
So at this day not only the vnlearned cōmon people, but eueryevery man as he is most puffed vp with worldli wisdome, so is he most maruelously delited with beholding of Ceremonies. But hipocrites and foolish women thinke that there can be nothing deuised more glorious nor better. But they which do more depely searche, & more truely weye according to the rule of godlinesse, of what value so many & such Ceremonies are, do vnderstande, first that they are trifles, because they hauehave no profite: then, that they are deceites, because they do with vaine pompe beguile the eies of the beholders. I speake of those Ceremonies, vnderunder which ye Romish maisters will that there be great misteries: but we finde them by experience to be nothing ells but mere mockeries. And it is no maruell that the authors of them hauehave fallen so far as to mocke both themselues and other with trifling follies: because they partly toke their examplar out of the dotages of the Gentiles, and partly after the maner of apes did vndiscretely coūterfaite the olde vsages of the law of Moses, which no more perteined to vsus than the Sacrifices of beastes and such other thinges. Truely although there were none other argument, yet no man yt hath his soūde witt wil loke for any goodnesse of a heape so ill patched together. And the thing it selfe plainly sheweth, that many Ceremonies hauehave no other vse but to amase the people rather than to teache them. So in these new founde Canons, yt doe rather peruerte than preserue discipline, the hipocrites repose great importāce: but if a man do better loke into them, he shall finde that they are nothing ells but a shadowish and vanishing shew of discipline.
But now (to come to the other point) who doth not see that traditions with heaping one vponupon an other, are ouergrowen into so great a number, that the Christian Chirche may in no wise beare them? Hereby it is come to passe, that in Ceremonies there appeareth I wote not what Iewishnesse, and the other obseruations bring a greuous butcherie to Christian soules.Ad Ian. Episto. cxix. Augustine complained that in his time, the commaū dementes of God neglected, al thinges were ful of so many presumptions, that he was more greuously rebuked that in his vtas had touched the grounde with bare foote, thā he yt had buried his witt with dronkē nesse. He complained that the Chirche, whiche the mercy of God willed to be free, was so burdened, that the state of the Iewes was much more tolerable. If that holy man had happened to liue in our age, with what complaintes would he hauehave bewailed the bōdage that now is? For both the number is ten times greater, & eueryevery small tittle is a hūdred times more rigerously loked vntounto, than at that tyme. So is wont to be done: when these peruerse lawmakers hauehave gotten the dominion, they make no ende of bidding and forbidding, til they come to extreme peuishnesse. Which thing Paule hath also very well declared in these wordes: If ye be dead to the world,Coloss. ii.xx. why are ye holden as though ye were liuyng, with traditions, as eate not, taste not, handle not? For where as the Greeke woorde aptesthai, signifieth bothe to eate and to touche, doutlesse in this place it is taken in the first of these two significatiōs, least there shold be a superfluous repetition. Therfore he doth here excellently wel describe the procedynges of the false Apostles. They beginne at superstition, so that they doo not only forbid to eate, but also euen sclenderly to chawe: when they hauehave obteined this, they then also forbid to tast. When this is also graunted them, they recken it not lawfull so muche as to touch with a finger.
This tyrannie in the ordinances of men we doo at this daye worthily blame, by which it is come to passe that poore consciences are meruailously tormented with innumerable decrees & immeasurable exacting of keping them. Of canōs perteinyng to discipline we hauehave spoken in an other place. Of the Ceremonies what shal I say, by which it is brought about that, Christ beyng halfe buried, we are returned to Iewish figures? Our Lorde Christ (saieth Augustine) hath bound together the felowship of the newe people,Episto. Cxviii. ad Ianuar. with Sacramentes very fewe in number, most excellent in signification, moste easy in obseruyng. Howe farre the multitude & diuersitie of vsages wherwith at this daye we see the Chirche to be entangled, doeth differ from this simplicitie, it can not be sufficiently declared. I knowe with what crafty shifte some suttle men doo excuse this peruersenesse. They say that among vsus there are manye as rude as they were in the people of Israell: that such introduction was ordeined for their sakes, whiche although the stronger may well want, yet they oughte not to neglecte it, forasmuche as they see it to be profitable for the weake brethren. I answer, that we ar not ignorant, what we owe to the weakenesse of our brethren: but on the other side we take exception and say, that this is not the way whereby the weake may bee prouided for, that they shold be ouerwhelmed with great heapes of Ceremonies. The Lorde did not in vaine put this difference betweene vsus and the olde people, that his wil was to instruct them like children with signes & figures, but vsus more simply without such outward furniture. As (saieth Paule) a childe is ruled of his scholemaister,Gal. iiii.i. and kept vnderunder custodie, accordyng to the capacitie of his age: so the Iewes are kepte vnderunder the lawe. But we are like vntounto full growen men, whiche beeyng set at libertie from tutorshyp and gouernement, hauehave no more neede of childishe introductions. Truely the Lorde did foresee what maner of common people there shold be in his Chirche, and how they shoulde be ruled. Yet he did in this maner as we hauehave said, make differēce betwene vsus and the Iewes. Therfore it is a foolishe way, if we will prouide for the ignorant, in raising vp Iewishenesse which is abrogate by Christ: Christ also touched in his owne woordes this difference of the olde and new people, when he said to the woman of Samaria, that the time was cōme wherin the true worshippers should worship God in Spirite and truth. This verily had alway ben don: but the new worshippers differed frō the old in this point, that vnderunder Moses the spiritual worshippyng of God was shadowed and in a maner entāgled with many Ceremonies, which being abolished, he is now more simply worshipped. Therfore thei that confound this difference, do ouerthrow the order institute and stablished by Christ. Shal there then (wilt thou say) no Ceremonies be geuen to the ruder sort to helpe their vnskilfulnesse? I say not so: for I verily thinke that this kynde of helpe is profitable for them. I doe here trauaile only that suche a meane may be vsed, as may brightly sette out Christ, and not darken hym. Therfore there are geuen vsus of God few Ceremonies, & those not laborsome, that they should shew Christ being present. The Iewes had moe geuen them, that they shold be images of him being absent. Absent I say he was, not in power, but in maner of signifying. Therfore, that meane may be kept, it is necessarie to keepe that fewnesse in number, easinesse in obseruing, and dignitie in signifieng, which also cōsisteth in clerenesse. What nede I to say that this hath not ben done? For the thyng it selfe is in all mens eyes.
Here I omitt with how pernicious opinions mens myndes are filled, in thinking yt they be sacrifices, wherewith oblation is rightly made to God, wherby sinnes are clēsed, wherby righteousnesse & saluatiō is obteined. They wyl deny that good things ar corrupted wt such forein errors: forasmuch as in this behalf a man may no lesse offende in the very works also cōmaunded of God. But this hath more hainousnesse, yt so much honor is geuē to works rashely fained by the will of mā, yt they are thought to be things deseruing eternal life. For the works cōmaunded of God hauehave reward therfore, because yt lawmaker himself in respect of obedience accepteth them. Therfore they receiue not their value of their own worthinesse, or of their own deseruing, but because God so muche estemeth our obediēce toward him. I speake here of yt perfectiō of works which is commaunded of God, and is not performed of mē. For therfore the very works of the law which we do, hauehave no thāk but of the fre goodnesse of God, because in them our obediēce is weake & lame. But bicause we do not here dispute, of what value works ar without Christ, therfore let vsus passe ouer ye question. I come back again to yt which proprely belō geth to this presēt argumēt,Hier. vii.xxii. Esa. lv.ii &. xxix.xiii that whatsoeuer cōmēdation works hauehave in them, they hauehave it in respect of ye obediēce, which only the Lord doth loke vponupon, as he testifieth by ye Prophet: I gaue not cōmaūdement of sacrifices & burnt offringes, but only yt ye shold with hearing, heare my voice. But of fained works he speaketh in an other place, saying: Ye weye your siluer & not in bred, Againe, they worship me in vaine with the precepts of men.Mat. xv.ix. This therfore they can by no waies excuse, that they suffer the silly people to seke in those outward trifles ye righteousnesse wherby they may stand against God, & vphold themselues before the heauenly iugement seate. Moreouer, is not this a fault worthy to be inueyed against, that they shew foorth Ceremonies not vnderstanded as it were a stage play, or a magicall enchaūtment▪ For it is certaine that al Ceremonies are corrupt and hurtfull, vnlesse men be by them directed to Christ. But the Ceremonies that are vsed vnderunder the papacie, are seuered from doctrine, that they may the more holde men in signes without all signification. Finally (such a conning craftesman is the belly) it appeareth that many of them hauehave ben inuented by couetous sacrificing prestes, to bee snares to catche money. But what beginning soeuer they hauehave, they are all so geuen foorth in cōmon for filthy gaine, that we must nedes cut of a greate parte of them, if we will bring to passe that there be not a prophane market, and full of sacrilege vsed in the Chirch.
Although I seeme not to teach a continuall doctrine concernyng the ordinances of men, because this speakyng is altogether applied to our owne tyme: yet there is nothyng spoken that shall not be profitable for all tymes. For so oft as this superstition crepeth in, that men wyl worship God with theyr owne fayned deuises, whatsoeuer the lawes bee that ar made to that purpose, they do by & by degenerate to those grosse abuses. For the Lord thretneth not this curse to one or two ages, but to al ages of the world, that he wil strike them with blyndnesse and amased dullnesse that worshyp him with the doctrines of men. This blyndyng continually maketh that they flee from no kynde of absurditie,.Esa. xx….xiii. whiche despisyng so many warnyngs of God, doe wilfully wrap them selues in those deadly snares. But if, settyng asyde circumstances, you wyl hauehave simply shewed what be the mens traditions of al ages, which it is mete to be reiected of the Chirche, and to bee disalowed of all the godly, that same shalbe a sure and playne definition whiche we hauehave aboue sette: that all lawes without the worde of God are made by men to this end, either to prescribe a maner of worshippyng God, or to bind consciences with religion, as though they gaue cōmaundement of thinges necessary to saluation. If to the one or both of these there be adioyned other faultes; as, that with their multitude they darken the brightnesse of the Gospell: that they nothyng edifie, but be rather vnprofitable and trifling occupations than true exercises of godliness…: that they be laied abrode to filthinesse and vnhonest game: that they be to hard to be kept: that they be defiled with euel superstitions: these shall be helyes that we may the more easily finde how much euell is in them.
I heare what they aunswer for them selues, that their traditions are not of thē selues, but of God. For, they say that the Chirch is gouerned of the Holy gost, yt it can not erre: and yt the authoritie therof remaineth with them. Whē this is obteined, it therwithal foloweth, that their traditions are the reuelations of the Holy ghost, which can not be despised but wickedly and with the contempt of God. And that they shoulde not seme to hauehave attempted any thing without greate authoritie, they wyll hauehave it beleued that a greate parte of their obseruations came from the Apostles: and they affirme that by one example is sufficiently declared what the Apostles did in other thinges,Acts. xv.xx. &. xxix. when beyng assembled in one Councell, they dyd by the decree of the Councell commaunde the Gentiles to absteine from thyngs offred to idols, from blood and strangled. We hauehave already in an other place declared, howe falsly for boastyng of themselues they lyingly vsurpe the title of the Chirche. So muche as concernyng this present cause: if, pluckyng awaye all visors and deceitfull colors, we truely loke vponupon that which we ought principally to care for, and whiche chefely is for our behofe, that is, what maner of Chirch Christ will hauehave, that we maye fashion and frame our selues to the rule therof: it shal easily be euident vntounto vsus, that it is not the Chirch, which passyng the boundes of the worde of God, doeth outrage and runne as riot in makyng of newe lawes. For doeth not that lawe whiche was ones prescribed to the Chirche,Deut. ….xxxii. Pro. xx….vi. remayne eternall? What I commaunde thee, that thou shalte kepe that thou mayste doo it. Thou shalte not adde any thyng, nor take any thyng from it. And in an other place: Adde not to the word of the Lord, nor minishe any thing: least he peraduenture reproue thee, and thou be founde a lyer. Sithe they can not denie that this was spoken to the Chirch, what do they els but reporte the stubbornesse of that Chirche, which they boast to hauehave ben so bold as after suche prohibitions neuerthelesse to adde & myngle of her owne with the doctrine of God? But God forbidde that we should assent to their lyes, wherby they burden the Chirch with so greate a sclaunder: but let vsus vnderstande, that the name of the Chirch is falsly pretended, so ofte as this lust of mens rashnesse is spoken of, which can not hold it self within the prescribed boundes of God, but that it wyldly rangeth and runneth out into her owne inuentions. There is nothyng entangled, nothing darke, nothing doutefull in these woordes, in whiche the whole Chirche is forbidden to adde to the worde of God, or to take any thyng from it, when the worshippyng of God, and preceptes concernyng saluation, are entreated of. But this (say they) was spoken of the law only, after which folowed the prophecies and the whole ministratiō of the Gospell. I graunt in deede: and I adde also, whiche are rather fulfillyngs of the law, than additions or diminyshynges. But if the Lorde suffred nothyng to be added to or taken from the ministerie of Moses, whych was (as I may so terme it) darke by reason of many doutefull enwrappyngs, tyll by hys seruantes the Prophetes, and at length by his beloued Sonne, he ministred a cleerer doctrine: why should we not thynke it muche more seuerely forbydden vsus, that we shoulde adde nothyng to the lawe, the Prophetes, the Psalmes, and the Gospell? The Lorde is not gone out of kynde from hymselfe, whych hath long agoe declared, that he is with nothyng so hyely offended, as when he is worshipped with the inuentions of men? Wherof cam those notable sayings in the Prophetes, which ought to hauehave continually sounded in our eares: I spake no wordes to your fathers,Hier. vii, xxii: in the day that I brought them out of Egypt, concernyng sacrifice and burnt offryng. But this worde I commaunded them, sayeng: With hearyng heare my voyce: and I wyll be your God,Hier: xi. i: Samu. xv.xxii. and you shalbe my people, and ye shall walke in all the way that I shall commaunde you. Agayne, I hauehave with protesting protested vntounto your fathers, Heare my voyce. And other lyke sayengs: but this is notable aboue the reste. Wyll God hauehave burnt offrynges and sacrifices, and not rather that his voyce be obeyed? For obedience is better than sacrifice, and to hearken is better than to offer the satte of rammes. For, to resyst is as the synne of soothsayeng: and not to obey is as the wyckednesse of Idolatrie. Therfore whatsoeuer inuentions of menne are in this behalfe defended with the authoritie of the Chirche, forasmuche as the same can not be excused from the crime of vngodlynesse, it is easy to proue that it is falsly imputed to the Chirch.
After this sort we freely inuey agaynst this tyrannie of mens traditions, which is proudly thrust in among vsus, vnderunder the title of the Chirche. For neither do we scorne the Chirche (as our aduersaries, to bryng vsus in hatred, do vnius…ly lye vponupon vsus) but we geue vntounto her the prayse of obedience, than whych she knoweth no greater prayse. They rather are very sore wrongdoers to the Chirche, whiche make her obstinate against her Lorde, whyle they fayne that she hath proceded further thā she lawfully myght do by the word of God: though I speake nothyng howe it is a notable shamelessnesse ioyned with as great malice, continually to crie oute of the authoritie of the Chirche, and in the meane tyme dissemblyngly to hyde bothe what is commaunded her by the Lorde, and what obedience she oweth to the commaundement of the Lorde. But if we hauehave a mynde, as it is mete we should hauehave, to agree with the Chirch, this perteyneth rather to the purpose, to hauehave an eye vntounto and remember what is commaunded by the Lord bothe to vsus and the Chirch, that we should with one agreement obey hym. For there is no doute but we shall very well agree with the Chirch, if we doe in all thynges shewe our selues obedient to the Lord. But now to father vppon the Apostles, the originall of the traditions wherwith the Chirch hath ben hetherto oppressed, was a point of mere deceite: forasmuche as the doctrine of the Apostles trauaileth wholly to this ende, that consciences shold not be butdened with newe obseruations, nor the woorshippyng of God bee defiled with oure inuentions. Moreouer if there be any faithfulnesse in histories and auncient monumentes, the Apostles not only neuer knew, but also neuer heard of this that they attribute vntounto them. Neither let them prate, that the most part of their decrees were receiued in vse and in mens behauiours, which neuer were put in writyng: euen those thyngs forsothe, which, while Christ was yet liuyng, they coulde not vnderstand, after his ascendyng they learned by the reuelation of the Holy ghost. Of the exposition of that place we hauehave els where already seen. So much as is sufficient for this present cause: truely they make themselues worthy to be laughed at, whyle they faine that those greate mysteries, which so long tyme were vnknowen to the Apostles, were partly obseruations eyther Iewishe or Gentile (of whiche all the one sort had ben long before publyshed among the Iewes, and all the other sort among the Gentiles) and partly foolysh gesturynges and vayne pety Ceremonies, whiche foolishe sacrificyng prestes, that can neither skill of swimmyng nor of letters, vse to doo very trimly: yea suche as children and fooles do so aptely counterfaite that it may sente that there be no fitter ministers of suche holy mysteries. If there were no histories at all: yet men that hauehave their sound witte myght consider by the thing it self, that so great a heape of Ceremonies and obseruations did not sodenly brust into ye Chirch, but by little & little crept in. For when those holyer Bishops, whiche were next in tyme to the Apostles, had ordeyned some thynges that belonged to order and discipline, afterwarde there folowed men, some after other, no discrete enoughe, and to curious and gredy: of whiche the later that eueryevery one was, so he more striued with his predecessoures in foolyshe enuious counterfaytyng, not to geue place in inuentyng of newe thynges. And because there was peryll least their deuyses woulde shortly growe oute of vse, by whiche they coueted to gette prayse among their posteritie, they were muche more rygorous in exact callyng vponupon the kepyng of them. This wrongfull zeale hath bredde vsus a great part of these Ceremonies whyche they sette out vntounto vsus for Apostolike. And this also the histories doo testifie.
Least in makyng a register of them we should be to tedious, we will be content with one example. In the ministryng of the Lordes supper, there was in the Apostles tyme great simplicitie. The next successours, to garnishe the dignitie of the mysterie, added somewhat that was not to be disallowed. But afterwarde there came those foolishe counterfaiters, which with now and then patchyng of peces together, hauehave made vsus this apparel of the prest whiche we se in the Masse, those ornamentes of the altar, those gesturynges, and the whole furniture of vnprofitable thynges. But they obiect, that this in olde tyme was the persuasion, that those thynges which were with one consente doone in the vniuersall Chirch, came from the Apostles themselues, whereof they cite Augustine for witnesse. But I wyll bryng a solution from no other where than out of the words of Augustine hymselfe. Those thinges (saieth he) that are kepte in the whole world,Episto. cxviii. we may vnderstand to hauehave ben ordeined either of the Apostles themselues, or of the generall Councells, whoes authoritie is moste healthfull in the Chirche: as, that the Lordes passion, and resurrection, and his ascendyng into heauen, and the comming of the Holy ghoste, are celebrate with yearely solemnitie: and whatsoeuer lyke thyng bee founde, that is kepte of the whole Chirch, whiche waie soeuer it be spread abroade. When he reckneth vp so fewe examples, who doeth not se that he meant to impute to authors worthie of credite and reuerence, the obseruations that then were vsed, euen none but those symple, rare, and sobre ones, with which it was profitable that the order of the Chirch shold be kepte together? But howe farre doeth this differ from that whyche the Romishe maisters would enforce men to graunte, that there is no pety Ceremonie among them that oughte not to be iudged Apostolike.
That I be not to long, I wyll bryng foorth onelyonly one example. If any man aske them, whense they hauehave theyr Holy water: they by and by answer, from the Apostles. As though the histories dooe not attribute this inuention to I wote not what Bishop of Rome, which truely, if he had called the Apostles to counsell, woulde neuer hauehave defiled Baptisme with a strange and vnfitte signe. Albe it I do not thynke it like to be true, that the beginnyng of that halowyng is so olde as it is there written.Episto. cxviii. ad …anu. For, that whyche Augustine sayeth, that certayne Chirches in his tyme dyd shunne that solemne folowyng of Christes example in washyng of feete, least that vsage shoulde seeme to pertayne to Baptisme, secretely sheweth that there was then no kynde of washyng that hadde any lykenesse with Baptisme. Whatsoeuer it bee, I wyll not graunte that this proceded from an Apostolike Spirite, that Baptisme, when it is with a dayly signe brought into remembrance, should after a certayne maner bee repeted. And I passe not vponupon this, that the selfe same Augustine in an other place ascribeth other thynges also to the Apostles. For sithe he hath nothyng but coniectures, iudgement oughte not vppon them to bee geuen of so greate a mater. Finally admytte that we graunte them also, that those thynges whych he rehearseth came from the tyme of the Apostles. Yet there is greate difference betweene institutyng somme exercise of Godlynesse, which the Faithful with a free conscience may vse, or if the vse of it shall not be profitable for them, they may forbeare it: and making a law that may snare cōsciences with bondage. But now, from what author soeuer they proceded, sithe we see that they are slidden into so greate abuse, nothyng withstandeth, but that we may without offence of hym abolish them: forasmuche as they were neuer so commended, that they muste be perpetually immouable,
Neither doth it much helpe them, that to excuse their tyrannie they pretende the example of the Apostles. The Apostles (saye they) and the elders of the first Chirch, made a decree besyde the commaundement of Christ, wherin they commaūded all the Gentiles to abstein from thinges offred to idols, from strangled, and from blood. If that was lawefull for them, why is it not also lawfull for their successours, to followe the same so oft as occasion so requireth? I wold to God, they did bothe in all other thynges and in this thing folow them. For I deny that the Apostles did there institute or decree any new thing, which is easy to be proued by a strong reson. For whereas Peter in that Coūcel pronounceth, that God is tempted, if a yoke be layed vponupon the neckes of the disciples: he doth himselfe ouerthrowe his owne sentence, if he afterward consent to hauehave any yoke layed vponupon them. But there is a yoke layed, if the Apostles do decree of their owne authoritie that the Gentiles shold be forbidden, that they should not touch thinges offred to idoles, blood, & strangled. In dede there yet remaineth a dout, for that they do neuerthelesse seme to forbidde. But this dout shal easily be dissolued, if a man doo more nerely consider the meaning of the decree it selfe: in the order and effecte whereof the chiefe point is, that to the Gentiles their libertie is to be left, and that they ought not to be troubled, nor accombred about the obseruations of the law. Hetherto it very wel maketh of our syde. But the exception that immediatly foloweth, neither is any newe law made by the Apostles, but the diuine and eternall commaundemēt of God, that charitie ought not to be broken, nor doth diminishe one title of that libertie: but onelyonly admonisheth the Gentiles, how they shold temper themselues to their brethrē, that they abuse not their libertie to the offence of them. Let this therfore be the second poynt, that the Gentiles should vse a harmelesse libertie, and without offence of theyr brethren. But yet they prescribe some certain thyng: that is, they teach and appoint, so farre as was expedient for the tyme, by what thynges they might runne into the offence of their brethren, that they myght beware of those thynges: but they adde no newe thyng of their own to the eternall lawe of God, whiche forbiddeth the offendyng of brethren.
Lyke as if the faithfull Pastors which gouerne Chirches not yet wel reformed, shoulde cōmaunde all their people, that tyll the weake with whome they lyue doo growe stronger, they should not openly eate fleshe on Friday, or openly labor vppon holy dayes, or any suche thyng. For although these thynges, settyng superstition asyde, are by themselues indifferent: yet when there is added offence of brethren, they can not be doone without a faulte. But the tymes are suche, that the faithfull can not shewe suche a sight to the weake brethren, but that they shall sore wounde their consciences. Who, but a cauiller, wil say that so they make a newe lawe, wheras it is certayn that they do onelyonly preuent offences, whiche are expressely enough forbidden of the Lord? And no more can it be sayd of the Apostles, whoes purpose was nothyng ells, but in ta…yng away the mater of offences, to call vponupon the lawe of God coucernyng the auoydyng of offence: as if they had sayd: It is the Lords cō maundement that ye offend not a weake brother. Ye can not eate thinges offred to images, strangled and blood, but that the weake brethren shall be offended. Therfore we commaunde you in the woorde of the Lorde; that ye eate not with offence. And that the Apostles had respect to the same thyng, Paule hymselfe is a very good witnesse, which writeth thus, verily none otherwise than accordyng to the meanyng of the Councell: Concernyng meates that are offred to Idols, we know that the Idole is nothyng. But some with conscience of the Idole, do eate it as offred to Idols, and their conscience, forasmuche as it is weake, is defiled.i. Corin. xiii.… See that your libertie be not made an offence to the weake. He that shall hauehave well weyed these thynges, shall not afterwarde be deceiued with such a false color as they make, that pretende the Apostles for defence on their tyrannie, as though the Apostles had begon with their decree to breake the libertie of the Chirche. But, that they may not be able to escape, but be dryuen euen with their owne confession to allowe this solution, let them answer me, by what right they were so bolde to abrogate the same decree. Because there was no more perill of those offences and dissencions, which the Apostles meant to prouide for, and they knowe that the lawe was to be weyed by the ende therof. Forasmuch as therfore this lawe was made in respect of charitie, there is nothyng prescribed in it, but so muche as perteineth to charitie. When they confesse that the transgressyng of this law is nothyng but a breakyng of charitie, do they not therwithall acknowlege, that it is not a forged addition to the law of God, but a naturall and simple appliance to the tymes and maners wherunto it was directed?
But although such lawes be a hundred times vniuste and iniurious vntounto vsus, yet they affirme that they must be heard without exception: for they say that this is not here intended, that we shold consent to errors, but onelyonly that beyng subiectes we shold beare the hard cōmaūdementes of our gouernors, whiche it is not our partes to refuse. But here also the Lorde very well resisteth them with the truth of his word, and deliuereth vsus out of such bondage into the libertie, which he hath purchased for vsus with his holy blood, the benefit wherof he hath more thā ones confirmed with his word. For that is not here onelyonly intended (as they maliciously fain) that we shold suffer some greuous oppressiō in our body, but that our cōsciēces being spoiled of their libertie that is of the benefit of the blood of Christ, shold be seruilely tormented. Howbeit let vsus passe ouer this also, as though it made litle to the mater. But of howe great importance do we thinke it is, that the Lordes kingdome is takē away frō him, which he claimeth to himself with so great seueritie? But it is takē away so oft as he is worshipped with the lawes of mens inuē tions, wheras he wil be holden for the only lawmaker of his own worship. And least any man shold thinke it to be a mater of nothing, let vsus heare how much y• Lord estemeth it. Because (saith he) this people hath feared me with the cōmaūdement & doctrine of men: behold I wil astonish them with a great & wōderous miracle.Esa. xxix.xiii. For wisdome shal perish frō the wise men therof, & vnderstāding shal depart from the elders. In an other place,Mat. xv.ix. They worship me in vaine teachyng doctrines, the cōmaū dements of mē. And truly wheras the childrē of Israel defiled thēselues with many idolatries, the cause of al that euil is ascribed to this vnclean mixture, that transgressing the commaundementes of God, they hauehave forged new worshippinges. And therfore the holy Historie rehearseth that the new strangers that had ben transplāted by the king of Babilō to inhabite Samaria, wer torne in peces and cōsumed of wilde beastes, because they knew not the iudgementes or statutes of the God of that lande. Although they had nothing offēded in the Ceremonies, yet God would not hauehave allowed a vaine pompe: but in the meane time he cessed not to take vengeāce of the defyling of hys worship, for that mē did thrust in deuises strange from his worde. Wherupon it is afterwarde sayd, yt they beyng made afrayd with that punishmente, receiued ye Ceremonies prescribed in the law: but because they did not yet purely worship the true God, it is twise repeted that they did feare him and did not feare him. Wherupon we gather, that the part of reuerēce which is geuen to him, cōsisteth in this, while in worshipping him we simply folow what he commaundeth with mingling none of our own inuentions. And therfore the godly kynges are oftentimes praised,ii. Ki. xxiii because they did according to al the commaundementes, and declined not to the ryghte hande nor to the left. I go yet further: although in some fayned worshipping there do not opēly appeare vngodlinesse, yet it is seuerely cō demned of the Holy ghost, so so…e as men depart from the commaundement of God.ii. King. xvi.x. The Altar of Achaz, the paterne whereof was broughte out of Samaria, might hauehave semed to encrease the garnishment of the tēple, wheras his deuise was to offre Sacrifices therupō to God only, which he should do more honorably than vponupon the first & olde Altar: yet we see how the Spirite detesteth ye boldnesse, for none other cause but for yt the inuentions of mē in the worshipping of God are vnclene corruptions. And how much more clerely the will of God is opened vntounto vsus, so much the lesse excusable is our frowardnesse to attempt any thīg. And therfore worthily with this circumstance the crime of Manasses is enforced,ii. Ki. xxi.iii. for that he bilded a new altar in Ierusalem, of which God had pronounced I wil there set my name, because ye authoritie of God is now as it were of set purpose refused.
Many do maruel why God so sharply threteneth y• he wil do thinges to be wondred at to ye people of whō he was worshipped wt the cōmaundemētes of men, & pronounceth yt he is worshipped in vaine wt the preceptes of mē. But if they cōsidered, what it is in ye cause of religion, yt is to say of heauēly wisdome, to hāg vpō ye only mouth of God, they would therewtal se, yt it is no sclēder resō why God so abhorreth such peruerse seruices, yt are done to him accordīg to ye lust of mās wit. For althoughe they that obey such lawes for the worshipping of God, hauehave a certaine shewe of humilitie in this their obedience, yet they are not hūble before God, to whō they prescribe ye same lawes which they thēselues do kepe. This is ye reson why Paul willeth vsus so diligently to beware, that we be not deceiued by ye traditions of mē & yt which he calleth ethelothreskian that is,Colos. …i.iiii. Wilworship inuēted of mē beside ye doctrine of God. This is verily true. both our own wisdom, & al mens wisdom must be foolish vntounto vsus, yt we may suffer him alone to be wise. Which way they kepe not which do studie with pety obseruations fayned by the wil of men to cōmend themselues vntounto hym, & do thrust vntounto hym as it were against his will a transgressing obedience towarde hym, whiche is in dede geuen to mē. As it hath ben done both in many ages heretofore, and in the tyme within our owne remembrance, and is also at thys daye done in those places where the authoritie of the creature is more estemed thā of the creator: where religion (if yet the same be worthy to be called religion) … defiled with moe and more vnsauorie superstitions, than euer was any Paynime wickednesse. For what could the witt of men brede but al thynges carnal and foolishe and such as truely resemble theyr authors?
Whereas also the Patrones of superstitions allege, that Samuell Sacrificed in Ramatha,i. Samu. vii.xvii. and although the same was done beside the law, yet it pleased God: the solution is easy, that it was not a certayne seconde altar to set against the one onelyonly altar: but because the place was not yet appointed for the arke of couenant, he appointed ye towne where he dwelled for Sacrifices, as the most conuenient place. Truely the minde of the holy Prophete was not to make any innouation in holy thinges, whereas God had so streightly forbidden any thing to be added or minished. As for the example of Menoha, I say that it was an extraordinarie and singular case.…. xiii.xix. He being a priuate man offered sacrifice to God & not without the allowāce of God: verily because he enterprised it not of a rash motion of his own minde, but by a heauenlye instinction. But how much the Lord abhorreth those thinges that men deuise of themselues to worship hym withall, an other not inferior to Gedeon is a notable example,Iud. viii.xxvii. whoes Ephod turned to destruction not only to hym and hys familie, but to the whole people. Finally eueryevery new founde inuention, wherewith mē couet to worship God, is nothing ells but a defiling of true holinesse.
Why then (saye they) did Christ will that those intollerable burdens should be borne,Mat xxiii iii. &. xvi.vi. which the Scribes and Pharisees bounde vponupon men? But why in an other place did the same Christ wil that men should beware of the leuen of the Pharisees: calling leuen (as Mathew ye Euangelist expoundeth it) all their own doctrine that they mingled with the purenesse of the worde of God? What would we hauehave more playne, thā that we be commaunded to flee and beware of al their doctrine? Whereby it is made most certaine vntounto vsus, that in ye other place also the Lorde willed not, that the cōsciences of his shoulde be vexed with ye Pharisees own traditiōs. And the very wordes, if they be not wrested, soūde of no such thing. For the Lord purposing there to enuey sharply againste the maners of the Pharisees, did first simply instruct them yt heard hym, yt although they saw nothing in their life mete for them to folow, yet they should not cesse to do those thyngs which they taught in wordes, whyle they sate in the chaire of Moses, yt is, to declare the law. Therefore he meant nothing ells but to prouide that the cōmon people should not wt the euil exāples of ye teachers be brought to despise ye doctrine. But forasmuch as many are nothing at al moued with resons, but alwaye require authoritie, I wil allege Augustines wordes, in whiche the very same thing is spoken. The Lordes shepefolde hath gouernoures, some faithfull,In Ioh. …act. xl…. and some hirelinges. The gouernours that are faithfull, are true Pastors: but heare ye, yt the hireliges also are necessarie: for many in ye Chirch folowing earthly profites, do preach Christe, and by them the voice of Christ is heard: and ye shepe do folowe, not a hireling, but ye Pastor by the meanes of a hireling. Heare ye yt hirelinges are shewed by ye Lord himselfe. The Scribes (saith he) & the Pharisees sitt in the chaire of Moses. Doe ye those thinges that they saye, but do not those thinges that they do. What other thing said he, but heare the voice of ye Pastor by the hirelinges? For in sitting in the chaire they teache the law of God: therfore God teacheth by thē. But if they wil teache their owne heare it not, do it not. This saith Augustine.
But wheras many vnskilfull men, when they heare that consciences are wickedly boūde and God worshipped in vaine with the traditions of men, do at ones blott out altogether al lawes whereby the order of the Chirch is set in Frame: therefore it is conuenient also to mete wt their error: Uerily in this point it is easy to be deceiued, because at the first sight it doeth not by and by appeare what differēce is betwene the one sort and the other. But I will so plainly in few wordes sett out the whole mater, that the likenesse may deceiue no man. First let vsus holde this, that if we see in eueryevery felowship of men some policie to be necessarie, that may serue to nourishe common peace and to reteine concorde: if we se that in the doing of thinges there is alway some orderly forme, which is behouefull for publike honestie and for very humanitie not to be refused: the same ought chefely to be obserued in Chirches, whiche are both best mainteined by a well framed disposition of al thinges, and without agreement are no Chirches at al. Therfore if we wil hauehave the safetie of the Chirch wel prouided for, we must altogether diligently procure that which Paule commaundeth, that al thinges be done comlily and according to order. But forasmuch as there is so greate diuersitie in the manners of men,i. Corin. xiiii.xl. so great varietie in mindes, so greate disagremente in iudgementes and wittes: neither is there any policie stedfast enough, vnlesse it be stablished by certaine lawes, nor any orderly vsage can be obserued without a certaine appointed forme. Therfore we are so farr of from condemning the lawes that are profitable to this purpose, that we affirme yt when those be taken away, Chirches are dissolued from their sinewes, and vtterly deformed and scattered abrode. For this which Paule requireth, that all thinges be done decently and in order, can not be had, vnlesse the order it selfe and comlinesse be stablished, with obseruations adioyned as with certaine bondes. But this only thing is alway to be excepted in those obseruations, that they be not either beleued to be necessarie to saluation, and so bynd consciences with religion, or be applied to the worshipping of God, and so godlinesse be reposed in them.
We hauehave therfore a very good and most faithful marke, which putteth differēce betwene those wicked ordināces, by which we hauehave saied ye true religion is darkened and cōsciences subuerted, & the lawful obseruatiōs of ye Chirch: if we remēber that the lawful obseruations tende alway to one of these twoo thinges or to both together, that in the holy assembly of the faithfull al thynges be done comly and with such dignitie as besemeth: and yt the very common felowship of mē should be kept in order as it were by certaine bondes of humanitie & moderation. For when it is ones vnderstode yt the law is made for publike honesties sake, ye superstition is now takē away, into which they fal yt measure ye worshipping of God by ye inuētiōs of mē. Again whē it is knowē yt it perteineth to cōmō vse, thē yt false opiniō of bōd & necessitie is ouerthrowē, which did strike a great terror into cōsciēces, when traditions were thoughte necessarie to saluation. For herein is nothing required but that charitie should with common dutiefull doing be nourished among vsus. But it is good yet to define more plainely, what is comprehended vnderunder that comlinesse which Paule commendeth, and also what vnderunder order. The ende of comlinesse is, partly that when suche Ceremonies are vsed as may procure a reuerence to holy thinges, we maye by suche helpes be stirred vp to godlinesse: partly also that ye modestie and grauitie whiche ought to be seen in all honest doinges may therin principally appeare. In order, this is the first point, that they which gouerne may knowe the rule and law to rule well: and the people which are gouerned maye be accustomed to obeying of God, and to right discipline: Then, that ye state of the Chirch being wel framed, peace and quietnesse may be prouided for.
Therfore we shall not say that comlinesse is, wherin shalbe nothing but vaine delectation: suche as we se in that playerlike apparel whiche the Papistes vse in their Ceremonies, where appeareth nothing ells but an vnprofitable visor of gainesse, and excesse without frute. But we shall accompt that to be comlinesse which shall so be mete for the reuerence of holy mysteries, that it be a fitt exercise to godlinesse, or at least suche as shall serue to conuenient garnishing for the celebrating therof: and the same not without frute, but that it may put the faythfull in minde with howe greate modestie, religiousnesse and reuerence, they ought to handle holy thinges. Now, that Ceremonies may be exercises of godlinesse, it is necessarie that they leade vsus ye streight way to Christ. Likewise we may not say that order consisteth in those trifling pompes that hauehave nothing ells than a vanishing gaynesse: but that it standeth in suche an orderly framing as may take away all confusiō, barbarousnesse, obstinacie, and all striues and dissentions. Of the first sorte are these examples in Paule:i. Cor. xi.xxi. &. v. that Prophane bankettinges shoulde not be myngled with the holy Supper of the Lord: that women shoulde not come abrode, but couered: and many other which we hauehave in cōmon vse: as this, that we praye kneling and bare hedded: that we minister the Lordes Sacramentes not vnclenly, but with some dignitie: that in ye buryeng of the dead we vse some honest shewe: and other thinges that are of the same sort. Of the other kynde are the houres appointed for publike prayers,i. Corin. xiiii.xxxiiii. Sermons, and celebratiōs of mysteries: at Sermōs, quietnesse and silence, places appointed, singing together of Hymnes, dayes prefixed for celebrating of the Lordes Supper, that Paule forbiddeth that women should teache in the Chirch, and suche like. But specially those thinges that concerne discipline, as the teaching of the Catechisme, the censures of the Chirch, excommunication, fastinges, & such as may be reckened in the same number. So all the constitutions of the Chirch, which we receiue for holy and holsome, we may referre to twoo chiefe titles: for some perteine to rites and Ceremonies, and the other to discipline and peace.
But because here is peril, least on ye one side ye false Bishops shoulde therby catch a pretēse to excuse their wicked and tyrannous lawes, and least on the other side there be some men to ferefull, which admonished with ye aforesaid euels do leaue no place to lawes be they neuer so holy: here it is good to protest, yt I allow only those ordināces of mē, which be both grounded vponupon the authoritie of God, and takē out of the Scripture, yea and altogether Gods owne. Let vsus take for an example the kneling which is vsed in time of commō praier. It is demaunded, whether it be a tradition of man, which eueryevery man may lawfully refuse or neglect. I say that it is so of men, that it is also of God. It is of God, in respect that it is a part of that comlinesse, the care and keping whereof is commended vntounto vsus by the Apostle: it is of men, in respect that it specially betokeneth that which had in generaltie rather been pointed to than declared.i. Corin. xiiii.xl. By this one exāple we may iudge, what is to be thought of that whole kynde: verily because the Lord hath in his holy Oracles both faithfully conteined and clerely set fourth both the whole sūme of true righteousnesse, and al the partes of the worshipping of his diuine maiestie, and whatsoeuer was necessarie to saluation: therfore in these thinges he is onelyonly to be heard as our scholemaster. But because in outward discipline and Ceremonies his wil was not to prescribe ech thing particularly what we ought to follow (because he foresaw thys to hang vponupon the state of tymes, and did not thinke one forme to be fitt for all ages) herein we must flee to those generall rules which he hath geuen, that thereby all those thinges should be tryed which the necessitie of the Chirch shall require to be commaūded for order and comlynesse. Finally, Forasmuch as he hath therfore taught nothīg expresly, because these thinges both are not necessary to saluation, & according to the maners of eueryevery nation and age ought diuersly to be applied to the edifieng of the Chirch: therfore as the profit of the Chirch shal require, it shalbe cō uenient as well to change and abrogate those that be vsed, as to institute newe. I graunte in dede, that we ought not rashly, nor oft, nor for light causes to runne to innouation. But what may hurt or edifie, charitie shall best iudge: which if we will suffer to be the gouernesse, al shall be safe.
Now it is the dutie of Christian people, to kepe such thinges as hauehave ben ordeined according to this rule, with a free conscience and without any superstition, but yet with a godly and easy redinesse to obey, not to despise them, not to passe them ouer with carelesse negligence: so farre is it of, that they ought by pride & obstinacie openly to breake them. What maner of libertie of conscience (wilt thou say) may there be in so greate obseruation and warenesse? Yea, it shall stande excellently well whē we shall consider, that they are not stedfast and perpetuall stayed lawes, wherunto we be bounde, but outwarde rudementes for the weakenesse of men: which although we do not all nede, yet we do all vse them, because we are mutually one bounde to an other, to nourishe charitie among vsus. This we may recknowlege in the examples aboue rehersed. What? Doth religion stande in a womans veile, that it is not lawfull to goe out of dores with her hed vncouered? Is that holy decree of hys concerning silence, suche as can not be broken wythout moste haynous offēce? Is ther any misterie in kneling, or in burying of a dead carcase, that may not be omytted wythout synne? No. For if a woman nede, for the helping of her neighbor, to make such hast as may not suffer her to couer her hed, she offendeth not if she runne thether with her hed vncouered. And it may somtyme befal yt it may be no lesse cōueniēt for her to speake, thā at an other time to holde her peace. And there is no cause to the contrary, but that he which by reson of disease can not bowe hys knees may pray standing. Finally, it is better to burie a dead man spedely in tyme, than when they lacke a wynding shete, or when there be not men present to conuey him, to tarry till he rott vnburied. But neuerthelesse in these thinges there is somwhat whych the maner and ordinances of the contree, and finally very naturall honestie and the rule of modestie apointeth to be done or auoided: wherein if a man swarue any thing from them, by vnwarenesse, or forgetfulnesse, there is no crime committed: but if vponupon contempt, such stubbornnesse is to be disallowed. Likewise the dayes themselues, whiche they be, and the houres, and how the places be bilded, and what Psalmes be soong vponupon whiche day, it maketh no mater. But it is mete that there be both certaine daies, and appointed houres, and a place fitt to receiue all, if there be regarde had of the preseruation of peace. For howe greate an occasion of brawlynges should the confusion of these thinges be, if i… were lawfull for eueryevery man, as he liste, to change those thynges that belong to common state: forasmuche as it will neuer come to passe that one same thing shall please all men. if thinges be lefte as it were in the middest to the choise of eueryevery man? If any man do carpe againste vsus. and will herein be more wise than he oughte, lette hym se himselfe by what reson he can defende his owne precisenesse to the Lorde,i. Cor. xi.xvi. As for vsus, this saying of Paule ought to satisfie vsus, that we hauehave not an vse to contende, nor the Chirches of God.
Moreouer it is with great diligence to be endeuored, that no error crepe in, that may corrupt or obscure thys pure vse. Which shalbe obteined, if all obseruations, whatsoeuer they shalbe, shall hauehave a shewe of manifeste profit, and if very fewe be receiued, but principally if there be adioyned a faythfull doctrine of the Pastor, that may stoppe vp the waie to peruerse opinions. This knowlege maketh, that in all these thinges eueryevery man may hauehave his owne libertie preserued, and neuerthelesse shall willingly charge his owne libertie with a certaine necessitie, so farr as either thys comlinesse that we hauehave spoken of, or the order of Charitie shall require. Secōdly, that both we our selues should without any superstition be busied in the obseruing of those thinges, and shoulde not to precisely require them of other, so as we shoulde thinke the worshipping of God to be the better for the multitude of Ceremonies: that one Chirch should not despise an other for the diuersitie of discipline: last of all that setting herein no perpetuall lawe to our selues, we should referre the whole vse and ende of obseruations to the edification of the Chirch, that, when it requireth we may without any offense suffer not onelyonly somwhat to be changed, but all the obseruations that were before in vse among vsus to be altered. For thys age is a presente experience, that certaine rites, which otherwyse are not vngodly nor vncomly, may according to the fytt accasion of the mater, be conueniently abrogate. For (suche hath ben the blindenesse and ignorance, of the former tymes) Chirches hauehave heretofore, with so corrupte opinion and with so stiffe affection, sticked in Ceremonies, that they can scarcely be sufficiently purged from monstruous superstitions, but that many Ceremonies must be taken away, whiche in olde tyme were paraduenture ordeined not without cause, and of themselues hauehave no notable vngodlinesse in them.