Seventhly, I believe, yea I know it verily / that all the sacraments,1 neither give they grace, nor yet bring it nor distribute any grace at all. In which assertion peradventure I shall seem to bold to affirm (most mighty Emperor) but yet my sentence standeth fast. For grace, for as much as it is given and made us by the holy ghost (I speak latynely, using this word Grace for forgiveness indulgence, absolution, and a free benefit) so doth this gift pierce and enter only into our spirits. Now, the holy ghost needeth neither guide nor carrier, for he himself is the bringer and power and might whereby allthings are borne, having no need to himself, to be borne, neither have we red in any place of scripture, that sensible things, as are the sacraments should certainly bring with them the holy ghost. But if the sensible things be at any time brought with the spirit, then was it the spirit that brought them with him, and not econtrarie, the sensible brought the spirit. For when the vehement wind was brought, and with the wind was brought the tongues: the spirit brought them, & not ⟨image 17⟩they the spirit. So did the wind bring the quails,2 and toke away the locusts: but never were quails or locusts so swift as to bring the wind with them.3 So when the wind being so great, that it might even hills have taken away, going over Hell as: yet was not the Lord borne in that blast. And to be short,4 like as the wind bloweth whether his natural course lieth, we hearing his voice, & not knowing whence he cometh n•r where he falleth even so is it with every man that is borne of the spirit, that is to wit that is invisible and insensibly lightened […] of the spirit and drawn of god the father. The verity hath spoken these things. Whe• fore it can not be that through thy doping into the water, nor by this draft / nor y• morsel nor that anointing that the grace of the spirit be brought into us, for if it be so, then were it known, how, where, by whom, & into whom the spirit were brought. For if the present effect of grace were bound unto the sacraments in the which it should now be brought and work, then were all they graceless which had not received the sacraments albeit they be elect and chosen which election is by the grace of god in Christ Ephe. i.
Seuently, I beleue, yea I knowe it verely / that all the sacramentes,1 neither gyue they grace, nor yet bring it nor dystribute any grace at al. In which asserciō ꝑaduēture I shall seme to bolde to affyrme (moste myghty Emperoure) but yet my sentence standeth faste. For grace, for as moche as it is gyuen and made vs by the holy goste (I speke latynely, vsynge this worde Grace for forgyuenes indulgence, absolucion, and a free benefyte) so doth this gyfte peerse and enter onelye into our spirites. Nowe, the holy goste nedeth nother gyde nor caryer, for he hymselfe is the brynger and power and myght wherby althī ges are borne, hauing no nede to hymselfe, to be borne, neither haue we red in any place of scripture, that sensible thynges, as are the sacramentes shulde certaynly brynge with thē the holy goste. But yf the sensible thyngꝭ be at any tyme brought with ye spirite, thē was it the spirite that broughte them with hym, and not econtrarie, the sensible brought the spirite. For when the vehemente wynde was brought, and with the wynde was broughte the tongues: the spirite brought them, & not ⟨image 17⟩they the spirite. So dyd the wynde bryng the quailes,2 and toke awaye the locustes: but neuer were quailes or locustes so swyf•e as to brynge the wynde with them.3 So when the wynde beyng so great, that it myght euē hylles haue taken away, goyng ouer Hel as: yet was not the Lorde borne in that blaste. And to be shorte,4 lyke as the wynde bloweth whether his natural course lyeth, we hearyng his voyce, & not knowing whence he cōmeth n•r where he falleth euen so is it with euery man that is borne of the spirite, yt is to wytte that is inuisible and insensybly lygh•ened 〈…〉 of the spirite and drawne of god the father. The verite hath spoken these thynges. Whe• fore it can not be that thorowe thie dopynge into the water, nor by this draft / nor y• morsell nor that anoyntyng that the grace of the spirite be brought into vs, for yf it be so, then were it knowen, howe, where, by whom, & into whom the spirite were brought. For yf the present effect of grace were bounde vnto the sacramentes in the whiche it shulde nowe be brought and worke, then were al they gracelesse whiche had not receyued the sacramētes albeit they be elcte and chosen whiche election is by the grace of god in Christe
- 1The sacraments give not grace.The sacramēts giue not grace.
- 2Num. xi
- 3Exo. x.
- 4Johan. iii.Iohan. iii.
