Anglican Reformation Dissonance...

Yes, at present, I consider myself a reformed Christian of the Anglican persuasion, although I find little evidence of any reformed identification and understanding in any but the smallest outposts of Anglicanism.

It is a rather dismal reality for one who, later in life, came to the modern incarnation of the church of Thomas Cranmer only to find what one might label as a "truth-in-advertising" problem.  The clear teaching and nature of the Book of Common Prayer (especially 1662) and The Thirty-Nine Articles are (and the position of the 16th century English reformers was) reformed and small 'c' catholic.  Yet all too many Anglicans today recoil uncomfortably at the words reformed, Evangelical, and Protestant while embracing a more or less pre-Reformation understanding of catholicity.  A bit of historical dissonance?

For these Anglicans it’s as if the Reformation never really happened in England except for the throwing off some of the outward trappings of Rome, the papacy, and many of its medieval innovations.  It’s a view of the 16th century religious upheaval as one of purely negative renovations that fails to embrace the positive and necessary historical recovery of justification through faith alone in Christ alone by God’s grace alone and the ultimate authority of Scripture.  It’s a position that blanches at the idea that there was any substantial commonality between the Church of England reformation doctrines and that of the Continental reformers.  And it is for these reasons that there’s little to be heard of the proclamation of the glorious good news of God’s gracious salvation of man - the justification of the ungodly by faith alone in Christ - in the homilies and teachings from Anglican pulpits in the United States.  Michael Horton is right on the money when he says that today’s Christian church needs a modern reformation.  It is certainly the case for the Anglican tradition. And I have to think that Thomas Cranmer would agree.

Miserable Offenders...

I remember the first time praying the General Confession of the 1928 BCP during an Anglican Communion service.  Needless to say, as everyone read together aloud, inwardly I recoiled at what struck my modern sensibilities as an archaic, over-wrought description of confessing sinners who “bewail our manifold sins and wickedness.”  “Wickedness?”  The confession went on to describe the weight of our sins in such a way that, “The remembrance of them is grievous unto us; The burden of them is intolerable.”  “Isn’t that simply over-done?”, I thought.  As a general rule “intolerable burden” wasn’t my choice of words when it came to describing sin in my life.  And the phrase, “Provoking most justly thy wrath and indignation against us”, describing God’s position on the matter seemed, well, downright medieval, as if God were some mean exacting Potentate!  Within I objected... “Sure we’re sinners, but we’re not that awful.  And God isn’t really that upset at us because of our sin, is He?  After all, Christ has died for our sins!  He loves us!”

Well, over the past several years my thoughts have changed.  In fact I have become more and more comfortable with the term “miserable offender” (as found in the BCP Morning Prayer confession) as an apt description of who I am in and of myself.  And on the heels of my last post where I quote Paul writing to Timothy, “Faithful is the saying, and worthy of all acceptance, that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners; of whom I am chief”, I want to suggest that not only are we sinners saved by grace but, now having believed, it is still as sinners we come to God and know him.  To state it more pointedly I could say that in a real way we only come to God through, and not apart from, our sinfulness.  Now, before I am accused of some new heresy let me unpack that assertion.  

We are created beings, owing all we are and have to God.  Not a breath we take nor a day we live is outside of our dependency upon his creative and sustaining power.  Now let that sink in.  Nothing begins with us.  And when it comes to changing anything as touches our essential nature we are the clay, not the potter.  But there is something else about us.  Not only are we created beings, we are fallen beings.  As Scripture teaches, nothing good dwells in our flesh... the thoughts of our hearts are continually wicked... our so-called righteous and good deeds are but filthy rags before our holy Creator. [Gen. 6:5; Jer. 17:9; Isa. 6:5, 59:12-15, 64:6; Rom. 3:10-18,7:18]  As Christians, we generally believe that, but only really believe that when thinking of everyone else.  When it comes to our own individual sinful natures we have a more generous take.  The bottom line for each of us is that we don’t think we are really that bad!  “Sure I sin every now and then (goes the modern thinking)... but I’m a fairly decent guy.”  Looking horizontally and compared with the vast sea of humanity, as Stuart Smalley of SNL says, “I’m good enough...”  Or as my brother sometimes says, I’m “not so bad.”  We don’t really see our sinfulness vertically, i.e. compared to God’s holiness. In fact we avoid doing so save for the work of the Holy Spirit in our lives. [John 16:8]

So it is not surprising that it is nearly impossible, when left to myself, to take sin as seriously as the Scripture does (unless of course someone has wronged me!).  Why is that?  I think it has to do with the fact that I am a sinner!  Sinners sin, and sinners hide from their sin.  Jesus taught in the gospels this very thing when he said,

And this is the judgment, that the light is come into the world, and men loved the darkness rather than the light; for their works were evil.  For every one that doeth evil hateth the light, and cometh not to the light, lest his works should be reproved.
[John 3:19-20]  

That is us.  The fallen reality of our humanity doesn’t disappear having believed on Christ.  Upon repentance and trust in Christ our sins are indeed forgiven through his blood.  Justified on the basis of his merit, we are declared righteous by God as if we indeed had and are living holy lives.  Yet paradoxically we remain sinners though having been born anew of the Spirit - saints.  And this means that “in thought, word, and deed” we sin, while all too often minimizing the pervasive presence of the fount of those sins - our very sinful natures.  Why is that?  Because sinners not only sin, they also rationalize and self-justify themselves. We are invariably prone to put a better gloss on what we are by nature.  This is what the Morning Prayer in the BCP is referring to when the Minister exhorts concerning repentance, “that we should not dissemble nor cloak them [i.e. our sins] before the face of Almighty God our heavenly Father .”  We are by nature “dissemblers”, i.e. we hide and cloak our sin from ourselves and God under the guise of false appearances.  “For every one that doeth evil hateth the light, and cometh not to the light, lest his works should be reproved.”  This is the one for whom Christ came.  This is who we are.    

So back to my assertion that it is through our sin that we come to God and know him.  We are sinners.  Yet no one (saved or unsaved) having sin, can on his own come into God’s presence, let alone on his own be spared from God's “wrath and indignation.”  The children of Israel pleaded with Moses, “Speak thou with us, and we will hear; but let not God speak with us, lest we die” [Exodus 20:19].  The Old Testament Israelites were given the mediation of the Temple sacrificial system for sin in order that through the priest they could approach God.  Everything in that priestly sacrificial worship system existed in order to remind the Israelites of the severity of their sin and of God’s unapproachable holiness. Death was deserved and so approach could only be made through through an acceptable blood sacrifice.  And concerning that priesthood it is written, “who serve that which is a copy and shadow of the heavenly things.” [Heb. 8:5]  They foreshadowed the true priestly mediation of the One, Jesus Christ, who as Priest offered Himself:

“But Christ having appeared as a high priest of the good things to come, through the greater and more perfect tabernacle, not made with hands, that is to say, not of this creation, nor yet through the blood of goats and calves, but through his own blood, entered in once for all into the holy place, having obtained eternal redemption.  For if the blood of goats and bulls, and the ashes of a heifer sprinkling them that have been defiled, sanctify unto the cleanness of the flesh:  how much more shall the blood of Christ, who through the eternal Spirit offered himself without blemish unto God, cleanse your conscience from dead works to serve the living God?  And for this cause he is the mediator of a new covenant, that a death having taken place for the redemption of the transgressions that were under the first covenant, they that have been called may receive the promise of the eternal inheritance... For Christ entered not into a holy place made with hands, like in pattern to the true; but into heaven itself, now to appear before the face of God for us.”
[Hebrews 9:12-16, 24]

The only man who can and has approached God in the holy place is the sinless man Jesus.  The only means of approach to God for sinful man is by the one Man Jesus Christ and the sacrifice of himself on our behalf.  The only place of meeting between sinful man and God is in the one Mediator Christ Jesus.  It is only there in Him where the painful dilemma of our fallen nature has been completely and forever resolved.  In this life we never graduate from coming to God through Christ as miserable sinners ("Oh wretched man that I am").  The spiritual blessings poured out on the forgiven are only known there, in and through him.   We are believers because we’ve trust Christ as the divine cure (his death and resurrection) for our infirmities.  And the Cure is efficacious only for those who are infirmed (Matt. 9:11-13).  Only sinners need apply.  Only sinners need come... daily.  This is the seeming paradox of our faith.  We’re not able in and of ourselves to escape or change “the body of this death” [Rom. 7:24] of which the Law disqualifies us.  Yet by owning the very disqualification of our present sinful nature are we qualified for cleansing of our sinful natures and full acceptance before God in Christ.  

“And their sins and their iniquities will I remember no more.  Now where remission of these is, there is no more offering for sin.  Having therefore, brethren, boldness to enter into the holy place by the blood of Jesus, by the way which he dedicated for us, a new and living way, through the veil, that is to say, his flesh; and having a great priest over the house of God; let us draw near with a true heart in fullness of faith, having our hearts sprinkled from an evil conscience: and having our body washed with pure water, let us hold fast the confession of our hope that it waver not; for he is faithful that promised.”  [Hebrews 10:17-23]

And this new and living way of coming to God, inaugurated for us by Christ, never changes nor ceases for the saint yet sinner.  And in fact it becomes our boast in the Lord.

For behold your calling, brethren, that not many wise after the flesh, not many mighty, not many noble, are called:  but God chose the foolish things of the world, that he might put to shame them that are wise; and God chose the weak things of the world, that he might put to shame the things that are strong; and the base things of the world, and the things that are despised, did God choose, yea and the things that are not, that he might bring to nought the things that are:  that no flesh should glory before God.  But of him are ye in Christ Jesus, who was made unto us wisdom from God, and righteousness and sanctification, and redemption:  that, according as it is written, He that glorieth, let him glory in the Lord. [1 Cor. 1:26-31]

General Confession - Holy Communion:
ALMIGHTY God, Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, Maker of all things, judge of all men; We acknowledge and bewail our manifold sins and wickedness, Which we, from time to time, most grievously have committed, By thought, word, and deed, Against thy Divine Majesty, Provoking most justly thy wrath and indignation against us. We do earnestly repent, And are heartily sorry for these our misdoings; The remembrance of them is grievous unto us; The burden of them is intolerable. Have mercy upon us, Have mercy upon us, most merciful Father; For thy Son our Lord Jesus Christ's sake, Forgive us all that is past; And grant that we may ever hereafter Serve and please thee In newness of life, To the honour and glory of thy Name; Through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen

Declared by the Minister:
ALMIGHTY God, our heavenly Father, who of his great mercy hath promised forgiveness of sins to all those who with hearty repentance and true faith turn unto him; Have mercy upon you; pardon and deliver you from all your sins; confirm and strengthen you in all goodness; and bring you to everlasting life; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

A General Confession - Morning Prayer:
ALMIGHTY and most merciful Father; We have erred, and strayed from thy ways like lost sheep. We have followed too much the devices and desires of our own hearts. We have offended against thy holy laws. We have left undone those things which we ought to have done; And we have done those things which we ought not to have done; And there is no health in us. But thou, O Lord, have mercy upon us, miserable offenders. Spare thou those, O God, who confess their faults. Restore thou those who are penitent; According to thy promises declared unto mankind in Christ Jesus our Lord. And grant, O most merciful Father, for his sake; That we may hereafter live a godly, righteous, and sober life, To the glory of thy holy Name. Amen.

Declared by the Minister:
ALMIGHTY God, the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who desireth not the death of a sinner, but rather that he may turn from his wickedness and live, hath given power, and commandment, to his Ministers, to declare and pronounce to his people, being penitent, the Absolution and Remission of their sins. He pardoneth and absolveth all those who truly repent, and unfeignedly believe his holy Gospel.
Wherefore let us beseech him to grant us true repentance, and his Holy Spirit, that those things may please him which we do at this present; and that the rest of our life hereafter may be pure and holy; so that at the last we may come to his eternal joy; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

This Age of the Church...

Timothy 1:13-15...
"though I was before a blasphemer, and a persecutor, and injurious: howbeit I obtained mercy, because I did it ignorantly in unbelief; and the grace of our Lord abounded exceedingly with faith and love which is in Christ Jesus.  Faithful is the saying, and worthy of all acceptation, that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners..."


The above passage written by the Apostle Paul compliments what he wrote in Romans 5:8-10...
"But God commendeth his own love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us.  Much more then, being now justified by his blood, shall we be saved from the wrath of God through him.  For if, while we were enemies, we were reconciled to God through the death of his Son, much more, being reconciled, shall we be saved by his life..."


This tells us that God initiated his mercy and grace toward us while we were yet in sinful unbelief, our natural fallen state.  The amazing act of Divine love through the death and resurrection of Christ brings to us forgiveness of sins and justification of life before God even while we were still enemies.  Yet as Scripture teaches, though now believers justified fully by Christ's merit, we remain sinners in this life (If we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us).  This is a reality that we too often seek to diminish and cloud, as if the presence of sin in a believer's life is a problem for God.  Yet the evidence of our lives is that we are still very much fallen.  We still sin... more than any confessions can keep up with.  And we continue all too prone to disbelieve God's much needed grace while vainly looking to our own works and rationalizations; and in so doing deceptively diminishing the acknowledgment of sin in our hearts and  behavior.  This is what sinners do.


Thus this statement by Paul truly is 'worthy of all acceptance' - "Christ came into the world to save sinners."  This 'saving' of sinners isn't just the initial moment of trusting in Christ for forgiveness of sins.  That is our entrance into this grace in our time and space story.  But Christ came into the world "to save sinners" which we still are, though redeemed.  Saving redeemed sinners daily is the work of Christ through the Holy Spirit in this age of the church (much more, being reconciled, shall we be saved by his life...).  God is calling, baptizing, sanctifying, restoring, edifying, and maintaining his saints who yet remain sinners, those set apart unto his great salvation.  


Isn't this indeed the work of God in the age of the church?  Is the present time to be one characterized by that of glory, of heavenly exalted experiences that lift us ever from the sojourn in this fallen world?  No, Christ came to save sinners.  And the work of the Holy Spirit is that of ministering this good news to humble and contrite hearts... sinners ever finding refuge in the one and only place where refuge is to be found in this life... in Christ... in his death and resurrection on our behalf.  As sinners forgiven we then glory in the Christ Jesus' death and resurrection.  As sinners daily washed in his cleansing blood we find increase of faith and trust in His merit alone.  And as sinners given new "right-willed" hearts born of the Spirit we are, with much limitation, putting to death the deeds of the flesh and ceasing from our empty attempts to establish our own merit in this life.  


This age of the church is not spectacular to the outward eye (even as Jesus didn't fit the image of the expected conquering  Messiah).  Yet, actually it really is spectacular when one considers what God is actually doing in the church by his Spirit.  Through the normal, regular means that Christ has given his people... the preaching and teaching of his Word, the sacraments of Baptism and the Lord's Supper, the shepherding of his people by those called, the communion of the saints... the Lord's people are being rooted, grounded and transformed in Christ.  Sinners resting more and more from their works; grace... unmerited favor, continually the heavenly response to those who owning their sinfulness and with repentant and humble hearts look to him for forgiveness and the resulting  increase of thankfulness and obedience through his Spirit.  


Though we are weak as to any godliness of our own, Christ is strong in his righteousness towards us for our sakes.  "Him who knew no sin he made to be sin on our behalf; that we might become the righteousness of God in him." (2 Cor. 5:21)  This is the good news.  This is our daily food in the present age of the church.  And in that day in the age to come it will continue to be our food and our song and our glory in Christ Jesus.

Cranmer's Sermon on the Knowledge of Scripture Part 2

This excerpt from Thomas Cranmer's preface to the Great Bible of 1539 serves as an apt introduction to part two of his sermon:
     ... the Apostles and prophets wrote their books so that their special intent and purpose might be understood and perceived of every reader, which was nothing but the edification of amendment of the life of them that read or hear it...  Wherefore I would advise you all that come to the reading or hearing of this book, which is the word of God, the most precious jewel and most holy relic that remaineth upon earth; that ye bring with you the fear of God, and that ye do it with all due reverence, and use your knowledge thereof, not to vain glory of frivolous disputation, but to the honor of God, increase of virtue, and edification both of yourselves and other.


The Second Part of the Sermon of the Exhortation to Holy Scripture

Against Fear and Excuses

    In the first part of this Sermon, which exhorteth to the knowledge of Holy Scripture, was declared wherefore the knowledge of the same is necessary and profitable to all men; and that, by the true knowledge and understanding of Scripture, the most necessary points of our duty towards God and our neighbours are also known.
    Now, as concerning the same matter, you shall hear what followeth.  If we profess Christ, why be we not ashamed to be ignorant in his doctrine, seeing that every man is ashamed to be ignorant in that learning which he professeth? That man is ashamed to be called a Philosopher which readeth not the books of philosophy; and to be called a Lawyer, an Astronomer, or a Physician, that is ignorant in the books of law, astronomy and physic. How can any man, then, say that he professeth Christ and his religion, if he will not apply himself, as far forth as he can or may conveniently to read and hear, and so to know, the books of Christ’s Gospel and doctrine? Although other sciences be good, and to be learned, yet no man can deny but this is the chief, and passeth all other incomparably. What excuse shall we therefore make, at the last day, before Christ, that delight to read or hear men’s fantasies and inventions, more than his most holy Gospel? and will find no time to do that, which chiefly, above all things, we should do; and will rather read other things that that, for the which we ought rather to leave reading of all other things? Let us therefore apply ourselves, as far forth as we can have time and leisure, to know God’s word, by diligent hearing and reading thereof, as many as profess God, and have faith and trust in him.
    But they that have no good affection to God’s word, to colour this their fault, allege commonly two vain and feigned excuses. Some go about to excuse them by their own frailness and fearfulness, saying, that they dare not read Holy Scripture, lest through their ignorance they should fall into any error. Other pretend that the difficulty to understand it, and the hardness thereof, is so great, that it is meet to be read only of Clerks and learned men.

One the fear of falling into error.

    As touching the first: Ignorance of God’s word is the cause of all error; as Christ himself affirmed to the Sadducees, saying, that they erred, because they knew not the Scripture (Mtt 22). How should they then eschew error, that will still be ignorant? And how should they come out of ignorance, that will not read nor hear that thing which should give them knowledge? He that now hath most knowledge, was at the first ignorant; yet he forbare not to read, for fear he should fall into error, by the same reason you may then lie still, and never go, lest, if you go, you fall into the mire; nor eat any good meat, lest you take a surfeit [eat to excess]; nor sow your corn, nor labour in your occupation, nor use your merchandise, for fear you lose your seed, your labour, your stock: and so, by that reason, it should be best for you to live idly, and never to take in hand to do any manner of good thing, lest peradventure some evil thing may chance thereof. And if you be afraid to fall into error by reading of Holy Scripture, I shall shew you how you may read it without danger of error. 
Read it humbly, with meek and lowly heart, to the intent that you may glorify God, and not yourself, with the knowledge of it: and read it not without daily praying to God, that he would direct your reading to good effect; and take upon you to expound it no further than you can plainly understand it: for, as St. Augustine saith, the knowledge of Holy Scripture is a great, large, and high place; but the door is very low, so that the high and arrogant man cannot run in; but he must stoop low, and humble himself, that shall enter into it. Presumption and arrogancy is the mother of all error; and humility needeth to fear no error. For humility will only search to know the truth: it will search and will bring together one place with another; and where it cannot find out the meaning, it will pray, it will ask of others that know, and will not presumptuously and rashly define any thing which it knoweth not. Therefore, the humble man may search any truth boldly in the Scripture, without any danger of error. And if he be ignorant, he ought the more to read and search Holy Scripture, to bring him out of ignorance. I say not may, but a man may profit with only hearing; but he may much more profit with both hearing and reading.

On the hardness of Scripture.     
This have I said as touching the fear to read, through ignorance of the person.  And concerning the hardness of Scripture; he that is so weak that he is not able to brook strong meat, yet he may suck the sweet and tender milk, and defer the rest until he wax stronger, and come to more knowledge. For God reciveth the learned and un-learned, and casteth away none, but is indifferent unto all. And the Scripture is full, as well of low valleys, plain ways, and easy for every man to use and to walk in, as also of high hills and mountain, which few men can climb unto. And whosoever giveth his mind to Holy Scriptures with diligent study and burning desire, it cannot be, saith St. John Chrsysostom, "that he should be left without help. For either God Almighty will send him some godly Doctor to teach him - as he did to instruct the Eunuch, a nobleman of Ethiopia, and treasurer unto Queen Candace; who having a great affection to read the Scripture, although he understood it not, yet, for the desire that he had unto God’s word, God sent his Apostle Philip to declare unto him the true sense of the Scripture that he read - or else, if we lack a learned man to instruct and teach us, yet God himself from above will give light unto our minds, and teach us those things which are necessary for us, and wherein we be ignorant." 
And in another place Chrysostom saith, "that man’s human and worldly wisdom, or science, is not needful to the understanding of Scripture; but the revelation of the Holy Ghost, who inspireth the true meaning unto them that with humility and diligence do search therefore." 

"He that asketh shall have, and he that seeketh shall find, and he that knocketh shall have the door opened" (Mtt 7). If we read once, twice, or thrice, and understand not, let us not cease so; but still continue reading, praying, asking of others: and so, by still knocking, at the last, the door shall be opened, as St. Augustin saith. Although many things in Scripture be spoken in obscure mysteries, yet there is nothing spoken under dark mysteries in one place, but the self-same thing in other places is spoken more familiarly and plainly, to the capacity both of learned and unlearned. 
And those things, in the Scripture, that be plain to understand, and necessary for salvation, every man’s duty is to learn them, to print them in memory, and effectually to exercise them; and, as for the dark mysteries, to be contented to be ignorant in them, until such time as it shall please God to open those things unto him. In the mean season, if he lack either aptness or opportunity, God will not impute it to his folly: but yet it behoveth not, that such as be apt should se aside reading, because some other be unapt to read: nevertheless, for the hardness of such place, the reading of the whole ought not to be set apart. 

Conclusion.

And briefly to conclude: as St. Augustin saith, "By the Scripture all men be amended; weak men be strengthened, and strong men be comforted." So that surely none be enemies to the reading of God’s word, but such as either be ignorant, that they know not who wholesome a thing it is; or else be so sick, that they hate the most comfortable medicine, that should heal them, or so ungodly, that they would wish the people still to continue in blindness and ignorance of God.
    Thus we have briefly touched some part of the commodities of God’s holy word, which is one of God’s chief and principal benefits, given and declared to mankind here on earth. Let us thank God heartily for this his great and special gift, beneficial favour, and fatherly providence. Let us be glad to receive this precious gift of our heavenly Father. Let us hear, read, and know these holy rules, injunctions, and statutes of our Christian religion, and upon that we have made profession to God at our baptism. Let us with fear and reverence lay up, in the chest of our hearts, these necessary and fruitful lessons (Psalm 1); let us night and day muse, and have meditation and contemplation in them; let us ruminate, and, as it were, chew the cud, that we may have the sweet juice, spiritual effect, marrow, honey, kernel, taste, comfort and consolation of them. Let us stay, quiet, and certify our consciences with the most infallible certainty, truth, and perpetual assurance of them. Let us pray to God, the only Author of these heavenly studies, that we may speak, think, believe, live, and depart hence, according to the wholesome doctrine and verities of them. And, by that means, in this world we shall have God’s defence, favour, and grace, with the unspeakable solace of peace, and quietness of conscience; and, after this miserable life, we shall enjoy the endless bliss and glory of heaven: which he grant us all, that died for us all, Jesus Christ: to whom, with the Father and the Holy Ghost, be all honour and glory, both now and everlastingly. Amen.

Cranmer's Sermon on the Reading and Study of Scripture

In further pursuit of understanding Thomas Cranmer's theology I am posting part one (part two will follow) of another of his homilies, indeed the first one from the Church of England's First Book of Homilies, titled "A fruitful Exhortation Unto the Reading and Knowledge of Holy Scripture."  What one finds in this sermon is a very Protestant view of the relationship between the Bible and the believer, as well as an understanding of Scripture (to no surprise) in harmony with Article VI of the Church's confession of faith:  

VI. Of the Sufficiency of the Holy Scriptures for Salvation.

"Holy Scripture containeth all things necessary to salvation: so that whatsoever is not read therein, nor may be proved thereby, is not to be required of any man, that it should be believed as an article of the Faith, or be thought requisite or necessary to salvation..."

Finally, I turn again to Dr. Ashley Null, one of the foremost scholars on Cranmer's theology:

In Cranmer’s understanding, the Holy Spirit came directly to God’s people through his Word. As Scripture was proclaimed, the Holy Spirit wrote his promises on the hearts of believers, thereby nurturing in them a living, personal faith which alone united them to God. That is the reason why Cranmer urged the English people to feed on Christ continually, because they could strengthen their union with Christ at any time simply by meditating on God’s Word in their own hearts.

Therefore, in Cranmer’s mature understanding, the sacraments were not the principal means of grace. Nor were they a second, separate channel on par with Scripture, as if the Spirit worked supernaturally through two different, but parallel, means, i.e., the sacramental ministry of an apostolically ordained priesthood and biblical preaching. Cranmer’s final view was far simpler. Since the Holy Spirit came to God’s people through the Scriptures, the sacraments were effectual means of grace precisely because of their unique capacity for proclaiming the promises of God’s Word.

BLESSED Lord, who hast caused all holy Scriptures to be written for our learning; Grant that we may in such wise hear them, read, mark, learn, and inwardly digest them, that by patience and comfort of thy holy Word, we may embrace, and ever hold fast, the blessed hope of everlasting life, which thou hast given us in our Saviour Jesus Christ. Amen.  [The Collect for the Second Sunday in Advent]

A FRUITFUL EXHORTATION

UNTO THE READING AND KNOWLEDGE OF HOLY SCRIPTURE.

THE FORMER PART.  WHICH KNOWLEDGE IS NECESSARY,

PROFITABLE, AND DOTH MAKE KNOWN OUR DUTY.

U

NTO a Christian man, there can be nothing either more necessary or profitable than the knowledge of holy scripture; for, as much as in it is contained God's true word, setting forth his glory and also man's duty.  And there is no truth nor doctrine necessary for our justification and everlasting salvation but that is or may be drawn out of that fountain and well of truth.  Therefore as many as be desirous to enter into the right and perfect way unto God must apply their minds to know holy scripture, without the which they can neither sufficiently know God and his will neither their office and duty.  And as drink is pleasant to them that be dry and meat to them that be hungry, so is the reading, hearing, searching, and studying of holy scripture to them that be desirous to know God or themselves and to do his will.  

And their stomachs only do loathe and abhor the heavenly knowledge and food of God's word that be so drowned in worldly vanities, that they neither savour God nor any godliness.  For that is the cause why they desire such vanities rather than the true knowledge of God.  As they that are sick of an ague, whatsoever they eat and drink, though it be never so pleasant yet it is as bitter to them as wormwood, not for the bitterness of the meat but for the corrupt and bitter humour that is in their own tongue and mouth.  Even so is the sweetness of God's word bitter not of itself, but only unto them that have their minds corrupted with long custom of sin and love of this world.

Therefore, forsaking the corrupt judgment of fleshly men which care not but for their carcase, let us reverently hear and read holy scripture, which is the food of the soul (Matthew 4.4).  Let us diligently search for the well of life in the books of the New and Old Testaments and not run to the stinking puddles of men's traditions devised by men's imagination for our justification and salvation.  For in holy scripture is fully contained what we ought to do and what to eschew, what to believe, what to love, and what to look for at God's hands at length.  In these books we shall find the Father from whom, the Son by whom, and the Holy Ghost in whom all things have their being and keeping up, and these three Persons to be but one God and one substance.

The necessity and profit to all men.

In these books we may learn to know ourselves, how vile and miserable we be, and also to know God, how good he is of himself and how he maketh us and all creatures partakers of his goodness.  We may learn also in these books to know God's will and pleasure, as much as for this present time is convenient for us to know.  And as the great clerk [cleric] and godly preacher S. John Chrysostom saith,

Whatsoever is required to the salvation of man is fully contained in the scripture of God.  He that is ignorant may there learn and have knowledge.  He that is hard-hearted and an obstinate sinner shall there find everlasting torments prepared of God's justice to make him afraid and to mollify or soften him.  He that is oppressed with misery in this world shall there find relief in the promises of everlasting life to his great consolation and comfort.  He that is wounded by the devil unto death shall find there medicine whereby he may be restored again unto health. (Scriptor. Incert. in Matth. Hom. xvi, Chrysost. opp. ad calc. Tom. vi, p. clxxiv b.)

If it shall require to teach any truth or reprove false doctrine to rebuke any vice, to commend any virtue, to give good counsel, to comfort, or to exhort, or to do any other thing requisite for our salvation, all those things (saith S.  Chrysostom), we may learn plentifully of the scripture.  (Chrysost. in Epist. ii ad Tim. Hom. ix; Opp. xi, 714 e.)

"There is", saith Fulgentius "abundantly enough both for men to eat and children to suck" (Fulgent. i, § i; Opp. ed. Paris. 1684, p,546).  There is whatsoever is meet [in good measure] for all ages and for all degrees and sorts of men.

These books, therefore, ought to be much in our hands, in our eyes, in our ears, in our mouths, but most of all — in our hearts.  For the scripture of God is the heavenly meat of our souls; the hearing and keeping of it maketh us blessed, sanctifieth us, and maketh us holy.  It turneth our souls; it is a light lantern to our feet.  It is a sure, steadfast, and everlasting instrument of salvation.  It giveth wisdom to the humble and lowly hearts.  It comforteth, maketh glad, cheereth, and cherisheth our conscience.  It is a more excellent jewel, or treasure than any gold or precious stone.  It is more sweet than honey or honeycomb.  It is called the best part which Mary did choose, for it hath in it everlasting comfort.

The words of holy scripture be called words of everlasting life, for they be God's instrument ordained for the same purpose.  They have power to turn through God's promise and they be effectual through God's assistance.  And being received in a faithful heart, they have ever an heavenly spiritual working in them.  They are lively, quick, and mighty in operation, and sharper than any two-edged sword, and enter through even unto the dividing asunder of the soul and the spirit or the joints and the marrow.  Christ calleth him a wise builder that buildeth upon his word, upon his sure and substantial foundation.  By this word of God we shall be judged, "for the word that I speak", saith Christ "is it that shall judge in the last day" (John 12.48).  He that keepeth the word of Christ is promised the love and favour of God and that he shall be the dwelling-place, or temple, of the blessed Trinity.

This word, whosoever is diligent to read and in his heart to print that he readeth, the great affection to the transitory things of this world shall be minished in him, and the great desire of heavenly things that be therein promised of God shall increase in him.  And there is nothing that so much strengtheneth our faith and trust in God that so much keepeth up innocency and pureness of the heart and also of outward godly life and conversation, as continual reading and recording of God's word.  For that thing, which by continual reading of holy scripture and diligent searching of the same is deeply printed and graven in the heart, at length turneth almost into nature.

Our duty towards God and our neighbours.

And moreover, the effect and virtue of God's word is to illuminate the ignorant and to give more light unto them that faithfully and diligently read it, to conform their hearts and to encourage them to perform that which of God is commanded.  It teacheth patience in all adversity, in prosperity humbleness.  What honour is due unto God, what mercy and charity to our neighbour!  It giveth good counsel in all doubtful things; it showeth of whom we shall look for aid and help in all perils and that God is the only Giver of victory in all battles and temptations of our enemies, bodily and ghostly (1 Samuel 14.6-23; 2 Chronicles 20.1-30; 1 John 5.4).  

And in reading of God's word, he not always most profiteth that is most ready in turning of the book or in saying of it without the book, but he that is most turned into it, that is most inspired with the Holy Ghost, most in his heart and life altered and changed into that thing which he readeth.  He that is daily less and less proud, less wrathful, less covetous, and less desirous of worldly and vain pleasures.  He that, daily forsaking his old vicious life, increaseth in virtue more and more.  And to be short, there is nothing that more maintaineth godliness of the mind and driveth away ungodliness than doeth the continual reading or hearing of God's word, if it be joined with a godly mind and a good affection to know and follow God's will.  For without a single eye, pure intent, and good mind, nothing is allowed for good before God.  And on the other side, nothing more darkeneth Christ and the glory of God nor bringeth in more blindness and all kinds of vices than doth the ignorance of God's word (Isaiah 5.13; Matt 22.29;1 Corinthians 14).


Part Two of Cranmer's Sermon on Scripture

Some thoughts on Romans 6:1-5

^{Romans 6-
1} What shall we say then? Shall we continue in sin, that grace may abound?
² God forbid. We who died to sin, how shall we any longer live therein?
³ Or are ye ignorant that all we who were baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into his death?
⁴ We were buried therefore with him through baptism unto death: that like as Christ was raised from the dead through the glory of the Father, so we also might walk in newness of life.
⁵ For if we have become united with him in the likeness of his death, we shall be also in the likeness of his resurrection; [ASV]
⁶ knowing this, that our old man was crucified with him, that the body of sin might be done away, that so we should no longer be in bondage to sin
⁷ for he that hath died is justified from sin.

     When speaking of our having "died to sin" and having been "baptized into his death" - this is to be understood, as John Stott writes in his Romans commentary, in a 'legal sense'.  It is self-evident that we did not literally die when Christ was crucified on the cross.  Rather, in that God "chose us in him before the foundation of the world" [Eph. 1:4], our life and destiny, by God's gracious will, are irrevocably connected to Christ our Head.  We have been made party to God's covenant of promise, i.e. salvation in Christ, by God's choosing; a covenant that Christ alone fulfills.  And he, as our representative head, accomplished this through the death he died to sin once for all who are in him (Rom. 5:15-18).  So then it follows that the ultimate death penalty for sin no longer has a claim on us.  We are set free from the reign of sin and death by Jesus' propitiatory sacrifice on the cross.
     Therefore in real time, through baptism and faith, we were united with Christ in the "likeness of his death"; a penalty bearing death that is effectual for us according to God's promise.  So that through Jesus' death on our behalf the "body of sin" (the evidence of our guilt before the Law) has been put away.  It cannot touch us in that the evidence and guilt of our sin was imputed to Christ and borne by him on the cross (2Cor. 5:21a).  God's justice is completely served and satisfied.  Paul speaks of this having been accomplished through baptism, and this is true inasmuch as water baptism is truly an effectual sign and seal of the inward Holy Spirit-powered grace of God through faith in Christ Jesus.
     United to Christ through faith, Jesus is our means or ark (for safe passage through seas of death, 1Pet. 3:20-21) of dying to sin and death, having been buried with him.  Death could not hold him, for in his own person he fully met all the just requirements of God's holy law.  Having died for the sins of his people, he was raised by the Spirit in keeping with the justice of God (Rom. 2:13b).  And also we who are united with him have risen with him out of death into newness of life.  And we have the down payment of that resurrection having been given the blessing of regeneration, a new heart and "right-will" inclined to righteousness and love (Rom. 5:5; 6:17-18).  Jesus Christ rose from the dead fully justified by his law-keeping and by faith in him alone we, for whom he died, are now "justified from sin", declared as righteous before God through Christ's merit only (2Cor. 5:21b; Rom. 4:5).
     This is the ground floor upon which we rest, walk, and stand as Christians.  As Edward Mote, 1797-1874, wrote "All other ground is sinking sand."  So, in a manner of speaking, we look backward to what Jesus accomplished for us helpless sinners through his death and resurrection in order that we may move forward, living for him as we are led by his Spirit.  Any other ground of merit and service before God will see us devolve into the subtle yet deceitful box canyon of attempting to establish a false merit through our works in order to attain some measure self-justification.  For we yet remain helpless inasmuch as being able to truly do anything that is free from the stain of sin.  And we should not deceive ourselves into taking refuge in our good works, our "spiritual" experiences, our epiphanies, or our godly intentions, even as the Holy Spirit faithfully leads us into those good works "which God prepared beforehand that we should walk in them." [Eph. 2:10]