obserued the same houre which the Iewes had appointed for common praier for it saith that At the ninth houre he sawe an angel standing by him which gaue him to vnderstand that his praier was heard But out of the first chapter of Esaie and 15. of Prouerbs and manie other places we be taught that The vngodlie and sinfull sort be not heard of God How it is to be vnderstood that sinners are not heard of God Which neuertheles must be vnderstood so long as they would be sinners and reteine with them a will to sinne 11 Neither is that which Augustine writeth against the Donatists repugnant to this doctrine namelie that The praiers of wicked priests be heard of God Why God heareth the the praiers of ill ministers for he addeth that it so commeth to passe by reason of the peoples deuotion But Cornelius when he praid was holpen by his owne faith and not through the faith of others which stood by And Augustine in his epistle vnto Sixtus saith that God in iustifieng of a man is woont to giue his spirit whereby he may pray for those things which be profitable for saluation Rom. 12 14 And séeing Cornelius praid for those things there can be no doubt but he was iustified Herevnto adde that no man can rightlie praie vnto God vnlesse he haue faith And that we be iustified by faith it hath bin sufficientlie testified and declared alreadie Peter also before he began to preach vnto him saith that He perceiued in verie truth that God is no accepter of persons Acts. 10 34. but that he is accepted by him of what nation so euer he be which worketh righteousnesse which words teach vs plainelie enough that Cornelius was euen alreadie accepted of God before Peter came vnto him But I maruell that there be anie which dare affirme that he had not the faith of Christ when as Christ himselfe in the eight chapter of Iohn saith that He knoweth not God which beleeueth not in the sonne of God Iohn 14 1. And in the 14. chapter he admonisheth his disciples If ye beleeue in God beleeue also in me Iohn 5 46. and if so be ye beleeued Moses ye would also beleeue in me These things assure vs that Cornelius beléeued verelie in God and therefore did also beléeue in the Messias which should come euen as he had bin instructed by the Iewes although he knew not that he was alreadie come and that IESVS of Nazareth whom the Iewes had crucified was the same Messias He had the same faith Cornelius had the faith of the fathers in the old testament Iohn 1 48. The example of Nathaniel wherewith the fathers beléeued that Christ should come wherefore séeing they were iustifie◠by the same faith how dare we be so bold as denie the verie same vnto Cornelius Nathaniel which beléeued that Messias should come and thought that he was not yet come is by Christ pronounced to be a true Israelit in whom there was no guile which two things cannot concurre in a man not yet iustified But Peter was therefore sent to Cornelius that he might more plainelie and expressedlie knowe that thing which he had before intricatlie beléeued of Christ Of this mind was Gregorie in his 19. homilie vpon Ezechiel A similitude for he saith that Faith is the entrie whereby we come to good works but not contrariwise that by good works we can come vnto faith And so he concludeth that Cornelius did first beléeue before he could bring foorth anie laudable workes And he citeth that place vnto the Hebrues It is vnpossible without faith to please God Which sentence Heb. 11 6. as it appeareth by the selfe-same place cannot be otherwise vnderstood than of faith iustifieng Beda expounding the third chapter of the acts is of the same mind and citeth the words of Gregorie Neither is the Maister of the sentences of anie other iudgement in his second booke and 25. distinction But our aduersaries obiect vnto vs Augustine in his 7. chapter De praedestinatione sanctorum where he reasoneth against those which taught that faith is of our selues when yet in the meane time they confessed that the works which followe be of God but yet obteined by faith Indéed Augustine confesseth that the works Faith is not of our selues Ephe. 2 8. which followe faith be of God but denieth that faith is of our selues For he saith that Paule writeth to the Ephesians By grace ye are saued through faith and that not of your selues for it is the gift of God But that is a hard saieng which he addeth namelie that the praiers and almes of Cornelius were accepted of God before he beléeued in Christ But we must here weigh the things which followe for he addeth And yet praied he not neither gaue he almes without some faith for how did he call vpon him in whom he beléeued not Cornelius had faith in Christ but not distinct and vnfolden These words doo plainelie declare that Augustine tooke not awaie from Cornelius all maner of faith in Christ but onelie an vnfolden and distinct faith Which thing that place chéeflie declareth which is cited out of the epistle to the Romans verse 13. How shall they call vpon him in whom they haue not beleeued For those words be written of the faith and inuocation of men regenerate as the next sentence following plainelie declareth Euerie one which calleth vpon the name of the Lord shal be saued for we cannot attribute saluation but to them which be iustified Peter was sent to edifie Cornelius not to laie the ground of his faith But Peter was sent vnto Cornelius to build vp and not to laie the foundation for the foundations of faith were laid in him before 12 But those things which Augustine addeth séeme to bring a greater difficultie for he saith But if he could without the faith namelie of Christ be saued that singular workeman the apostle should not haue béene sent to edifie him But séeing he alreadie before attributed vnto him faith and inuocation after which of necessitie followeth saluation whereof the apostle speaketh in the epistle to the Romans The saluation which we haue in this life is not perfect how can he take saluation from him vnlesse we peraduenture vnderstand that faith and saluation in men iustified is not perfect while they liue here For our saluation commeth not in this life to that degrée nor to that quantitie which Christ requireth in his elect for no man maie doubt but that we shall not atteine to perfect saluation before the resurrection and eternall saluation although we haue begun to enioie the same alreadie after a sort Paule to the Ephesians affirmeth Ephes 2 8. that We be now saued by faith And yet vnto the Philippians he exhorteth vs With feare and trembling to worke our owne saluation Phil. 2 12. Which places cannot be brought to one consent Saluation begun by iustification is
vs sée what mooued these men to saie that works foreséene are the causes of predestination Vndoubtedlie that was nothing else but to satisfie mans iudgement The aduersaries haue not herein satisfied humane iudgment which yet they haue not atteined vnto For they haue nothing to answere touching an infant which being graffed into Christ dieth in his infancie for if they will haue him to be saued they must néeds confesse that he was predestinated But forsomuch as in him followeth no good works God doubtles could not foresée them yea rather this he foresawe that he should by his fréewill doo nothing But that is more absurd which they obiect that God foresawe what he would haue doone if he had happened to liue longer for mans iudgement will not so be satisfied For reason will complaine that some men are ouerhipped and reiected for those sinnes which they haue not doone and especiallie in that respect that they should haue committed those sinnes if they had liued For ciuill iudges punish not anie man for those faults which they would haue committed if he had not béene letted and that God is nothing mooued with those works which men would haue doone Christ plainelie declareth when he intreated of Corosaim and Bethsaida and Capernaum Matt. 11 21. and 22. If saith he the things which haue beene doone in thee had bin doone in Tyre and in Sidon they had doubtles repented and those cities had beene at this daie remaining Behold God foresawe that these nations would haue repented if they had séene and heard those things which were granted and preched vnto these cities Séeing therefore that they perished it is manifest that God in predestinating followeth not those works which men would haue doone if they had liued Neither yet ought anie man to gather out of this saieng of Christ that they by themselues euen by the power of frée-will could haue repented for repentance is the gift of God Vnto some God vseth not the meanes whereby they might haue beene mooued to saluation But the meaning of that place is that vnto these men God vsed not those meanes whereby they might haue béene mooued These men suppose that euen by nature it selfe there is a difference in men which the election of God followeth Neither consider they that all men are borne the sonnes of wrath so that as touching the masse or lumpe from whence they are taken there cannot be put in them anie difference at all for whatsoeuer good commeth vnto vs that same without all doubt commeth from God and from grace And that in the nature of men As touching nature there is no difference in men Rom. 9 7. is not to be put anie difference the apostle declareth for when he would shew that one of the two brethren was taken and the other reiected by the fréewill of God first he vsed an example of Isaac and Ismaël but since in these twoo it might be obiected that there was some difference for that the one was borne of a frée woman and the other of a hand-maiden afterward he brought two brethren that were twins Ibidem 10. Iacob and Esau which had not onlie one the selfe-same parents but also were brought forth both at one time and in one the selfesame birth And as touching works there was no difference at all betwéene them for as the apostle saith Ibidem 11. Before they had doone either good or euill it was said The elder shall serue the yoonger Againe Iacob haue I looued but Esau haue I hated What néed was there that Paule should so diligentlie alledge these things but to make these two brethren therein equall in all points as touching nature Which had béene to no purpose if still there had remained so much difference in works foreséene So then it followeth that whatsoeuer difference is in men the same dependeth onelie of the will of God for otherwise we are all borne vnder sinne Faith foreseene mooueth not God to predestinate vs. 21 Further if there should be anie thing of our selues which might mooue God to predestinate vs that should chéeflie be faith For Augustine also when he was yet yoong was not so well throughlie acquainted with this question thought that God in predestination reprobation hath a respect vnto faith vnto infidelitie which opinion both Ambrose and Chrysostome imbraced before By the scriptures it is prooued that faith is of God But this in verie déed cannot be attributed no not vnto faith for faith also commeth of predestination For it is not of our selues but is giuen of God and that not rashlie but by his determinate counsell which may be easilie prooued by manie places of the scriptures For Paule vnto the Ephesians writeth By grace ye are saued through faith Ephes 2 8. and that not of your selues for it is the gift of God least anie man should boast And againe in the same epistle Ephes 6 23. Charitie and faith from God the father through Iesus Christ And in the epistle vnto the Romans Rom. 12 3. As God hath diuided vnto euerie man the measure of faith And vnto the Corinthians 1. Cor. 7 25. I haue obteined mercie that I might be faithfull Vnto the Philippians Vnto you it is giuen Phil. 1 29. not onelie to beleeue in Christ but also to suffer for his sake In the Acts God opened the hart of the woman that sold purple Acts. 16 14. that she might giue heed vnto those things which were spoken of Paule Acts. 13 48. And in the 13. chapter They beleeued as manie as were ordeined vnto eternall life Christ also saith in the Gospell I confesse vnto thee Matt. 11 25. ô father of heauen and earth that thou hast hidden these things from the wise and prudent and hast reuealed them vnto infants euen so ô father bicause it hath so pleased thee And in another place Mat. 13 13. Vnto them saith he I speake in parables that when they heare they should not heare when they see they should not see but vnto you it is giuen to vnderstand And vnto Peter he said Matt. 16 17. Blessed art thou Simon Bariâ—na for flesh and bloud hath not reuealed this vnto thee And there are manie other testimonies in the holie scriptures If faith be not the cause of predestination much lesse other works whereby is prooued that faith is giuen and distributed by God onelie so as it cannot be the cause of predestination and if faith cannot works can much lesse 22 Moreouer no man can denie but that the predestination of God is eternall for Paule to Timothie saith 2. Tim. 1 9. that God hath elected vs before the world was And vnto the Ephesians Before the foundations of the world were laid Ephes 1 4. But our works are temporall wherefore that which is eternall cannot come of them But they vse to cauill that those works in whose respect we are
else ye doo doo it vnto Gods glorie So maie we saie of sléepe for we obeie the Lord who hath so ordered our nature If we obserue this we sinne not Brieflie all the works of godlie men are repentance for they alwais depart from euill bicause their works be certeine renewings and new obediences of God to be dutifull vnto him and if they be not yet they ought to be And for this conuersion the godlie doo alwaies praie Ps 119 176. Mat. 6 12. I haue gone astraie like a sheepe that is lost ô seeke thy seruant Forgiue vs our trespasses Be mercifull vnto me a sinner and such like These be the vowes of godlie men in all their actions I meane as touching continuall renouation Wherefore let vs leaue that idle vertue vnto Philosophers and Sophisticall diuines but we knowe that it is commanded vs to repent 18 Now let vs go forward and consider of the parts of repentance Of the parts of repentance Those men haue made their parts of repentance to be contrition confession and satisfaction but how well and trulie we will afterward sée and therewithall will shew the true parts of repentance Some haue named two namelie contrition and faith By contrition they saie we sorrowe for the multitude of sinnes that be past therein we are after a sort astonished and sore afraid But by faith we imbrace the comfort of remission of sinnes and they saie that they doo this for instructing sake Whether faith be a part of repentance Others denie that faith is a part of repentance but they which affirme it to be a part alledge this cause speciallie bicause in repentance there is most doone as touching the forgiuenesse of sinnes and that standeth most of all by faith Wherefore if we shall not alwaies applie faith repentance can not stand Others saie that this is no good argument namelie Repentance without faith is vnprofitable Therfore faith is a part of repentance For then should it be a part of the supper of the Lord and of baptisme This will no man saie why then is it rather made a part of repentance Further they saie that the holie scriptures when they make mention of repentance and of faith doo speake as of two distinct things Christ saith Repent ye and beleeue the Gospell Paule in the 20. of the Acts Matt. 4 17. verse 21. said that he preached repentance vnto the Ephesians and faith in Christ Iesus These two he set downe as distinct and seuerall things I my selfe vpon the consideration of each part Faith is no part of repentance but is ioined thereto would saie that faith is no part of repentance but is ioined thereto We sée in a man that the soule and the bodie are ioined togither yet the bodie is no part of the soule nor yet contrariwise the soule a part of the bodie in like maner must we saie of faith and of repentance The same thing doo we sée in the sinne therein is a figure of a bodie round A similitude and like vnto a globe and also light and shining and yet being ioined togither as they be neither is the figure a part of the light neither the light a part of the figure euen so faith and repentance are ioined togither in them that be godlie and yet is not the one a part of the other Faith hope and charitie be thrée vertues alwaies ioined togither and yet is not one of these vertues a part of the other How faith is ioined with repentance but they are seuerall How then shall faith be ioined with repentance It is as it were a beginning thereof as I haue said and it is méet for the same to giue light vnto the mind of him that is penitent And when the mind hath imbrased the goodnes of God and the remission of sinnes through Christ then followeth a renewing so as we lay aside our old life and take a new Wherefore faith is not a part but a certeine entrance into repentance and repentance is a consequent ioined vnto it as an effect 19 In my iudgement The true parts of repentance there shall be two parts of repentance the one a going backe from euill and the other an accesse vnto good And this is rightlie said for séeing repentance is assigned to be a changing and that all changing consisteth of two ends or limits namelie from whom and to whom it followeth also that repentance hath these ends perteining vnto it And certeinlie this is the rule of contraries that when the one is remooued the other followeth let naughtines be remooued holines must néeds followe And the holie scriptures reckon in this order verse 16. Esaie saith in the first chapter Be ye washed be ye cleane put awaie the euill of your hands from out of my sight cease from dooing wickedlie learne to doo well And in the psalme Depart from euill and doo good Psal 34 15. The apostle Paule giueth a testimonie of those parts and he would haue vs euermore to cast awaie the old man and to put on the new Ephe. 4 23. Be ye renewed saith he in the spirit of your mind and put on the new man which is made according to God in righteousnesse and holinesse of truth saith Paule vnto the Ephesians the fourth chapter Wherefore faith is alwaies ioined with repentance otherwise repentance should be vnprofitable 20 Now let vs examine those thrée papisticall parts contrition confession Of contrition and satisfaction As touching contrition it is woont so to be handled by the Schoole-men as they saie that it is a sorrowe receiued in the will by reason of sinnes And in verie déed whosoeuer shall diligentlie consider of this part shall perceiue the verie same to be whole repentance whose beginning is faith But these men doo hold far otherwise they séeme to haue taken the name out of the holie scriptures In the 51. psalme it is read Psal 51 19. A sacrifice to God is a troubled spirit a contrite hart In the 147. psalme verse 3. Who healeth them that be broken in hart and bindeth vp their contritions Esaie in the 66. chapter saith Esai 66 2. that God will haue respect vnto them that be of an humble and contrite spirit They acknowlege it to be a metaphor and they saie that the man which is a stranger from God is as it were stiffe and obstinate in his purpose for obteining of saluation they saie that it behooueth him that his hart after a sort should be broken and that he should vse this contrition Howbeit bicause they make it a part of a sacrament they adde that therein must be the purpose both of confessing and satisfieng how trulie it shall afterward be declared The difference betweene contrition and attrition Here they abiding in the same metaphor haue put a difference betwéene attrition and contrition for some hard things are so broken as they be sundred into small péeces and some so
and take care of them Vnto which end they are not sent to be lesse honourable than the people but that they should be obeied and honoured of them and yet in these rulers the end is Whervnto Howbeit if we haue regard wherfore these things be doon we will alwaies acknowledge that there is a more excellent end And by this distinction are dissolued the instances now alledged touching celestiall bodies the angels shepherds For these things though they be more woorthie than the end Whervnto yet not more woorthie than the end Wherefore For the shepherd is more woorthie than the shéepe but yet not woorthier than his owne selfe or than his lord if he be a hired seruant or than his familie or citie For he lookes to the shéepe either for his owne sake or else for his lord familie or cities sake In like maner doo the angels and celestiall bodies For they minister vnto vs not for our sake but partlie to please God and partlie to exercise their owne perfection But the worke when it is referred to the actions which went before and hath no further respect is the end Wherefore Whervpon the actions which went before are as Aristotle saith more vnwoorthie than it but if afterward a further end be regarded to wit the vse of the worke the same shal be more woorthie than the worke as we said before touching the habitation of an house when it is referred to the dwelling And the reason is bicause the dwelling is then the end Wherefore and the house the end Wherevnto 9 Also the holie scriptures doo decrée and appoint that there is a certaine principall end That the holie scriptures decree of a principall end wherevnto men direct all their actions wherevpon Salomon at the end of Ecclesiastes when he had in manie words treated first of ends according to the common sort of mens opinions speaking of the feare of God which in the Hebrue phrase signifieth true and sound godlines added And this toucheth all men Eccl. 12 13. bicause men are herevnto ordeined and made that they should worship and honor God And Dauid One thing haue I desired of the Lord Psal 27 4. this will I seeke for that I may dwel in the house of God And Christ saith This is life eternall Iohn 17 3. that they knowe thee to be the onlie verie God whom thou hast sent Iesus Christ But that séemes to be repugnant which Salomon said Eccles 1 2. All is most vaine and but plaine vanitie But this is not in respect it is the appointed end but bicause that men either knowe not the same or else refuse it and séeke for the chéef good else where Wherfore their desires haue an infinite scope neither doo they at anie time rest The vngodlie walke their circuit vers 9. Psal 12. And this is the difference betwéene vs and the Philosophers that they set foorth their end as it should be attained by their owne proper strength and industrie but we decree out of the holie scriptures that the chéefest good cannot be obteined vnlesse wée be holpen by the spirit and grace of Christ 10 Againe it is doubted when Aristotle saith bicause there be manie arts actions and knowledges there be manie ends also whether the proposition may be turned both waies If where there be many ends manie things be also referred vnto them namelie that wheresoeuer there shall be manie ends there be manie things also referred vnto the same ends We answere to the question that this is not of necessitie bicause nature hath oftentimes ordeined manie ends of one and the selfe same thing For example sake the toong is not onelie directed vnto spéech but vnto the relish of tasts also the téeth doo chawe and grind the meat and doo helpe the spéech And by the force of Logicke we not onelie confirme true things but we also confute false Wherefore since there be manie faculties and arts we will grant that there be manie ends and yet by the number of ends the number of things can not bée gathered Likewise we doubt Whether the end of physicke be health and of warfare victorie c. bicause Aristotle saith that the end of physicke is health of the art of war is victorie c. Against which opinion he him selfe writeth in the first booke of his Topicks the 2. chapter and Quintilian in his 2. booke and 12. chapter séeing the end of physicke is not health but to applie all things and to omit none of those things which may further vnto health And if that the sicke man either by the intemperance of his diet or by too much weaknes of nature or by the fierce and intollerable violence of his disease be not healed the physician swarueth not from the end of his art The like is to be said of an orator whose end is to speake all things which may serue to persuade to omit nothing that belongeth thervnto wherfore though he shall not be able to persuade yet if he haue a regard thervnto he doth not straie from his end The same may we saie of the gouernour of a house and of a chéefe captaine Howbeit in dissoluing of this question we are not to take anie great paine For Aristotle in bringing of examples sheweth the matter after somwhat a grosse maner and was not very carefull that examples should alwaies agrée in all points but alledged them as they are vsed of the common people Moreouer although that to heale to persuade and to ouercome doo not alwaies followe the actions of physicians rhetoritians and souldiers yet can it not be denied of anie man but that these faculties haue respect vnto these things indeuor as much as they can to attaine vnto them Lastlie bicause we are in hand with ends How a worke can be the end of an action when it is after the action there is a doubt how anie worke is the end of an action or of an art For if the thing be considered which is made by the artificer the same is the effect therfore not the cause For it behooueth that the cause be before the effect and nothing can be before it self Here doo some answere that the thing made is the end not in respect it is extant and now perfect but in that it was first comprehended in the artificers mind And a thing may be before it selfe in a sundrie respect for it is first pondered in the mind of the artificer before it be in act But I staie not my selfe with this answere for that same knowne forme which is conuersant in the mind of the artificer hath a respect of him that is the efficient thereof for as an obiect it mooueth his mind Besides this it is not the artificers desire to haue such a forme as he hath conceiued in his mind but would haue it to be expressed in the thing and directeth it therevnto as to the end Wherefore the outward thing
another For We must not doo euill Rom. 3 8. that good may come thereof And whie it is not lawfull we haue declared before Also Esaie in the eight chap. saith that We must not aske questions of the dead verse 19. but must rather returne vnto the lawe and testimonie And Christ saith Matt. 6 24. that No man can serue two maisters And Paule saith There is no agreement betweene light darknes 2. Cor. 6 14. betweene God and Belial Elias saith that We must not seeke Belzebub the god of Acaron 2. Kings 1 3. seeing there is a God in Israel Besides this the ciuill lawes the canons and councels haue with most seuere and sharpe words forbidden these things And Apuleius Apuleius denied himselfe to be a sorcerer when he was summoned to appeare bicause he was reported to be a sorcerer so pleaded his cause as he vtterlie denied that he was a sorcerer for otherwise he might not haue defended himselfe Augustine in his booke De diuinatione daemonum the eight chapter saith that The euill spirits neuer durst denie the God of Israel to be the true God or Christ to be the sonne of God but contrariwise Christ the prophets and apostles denie them to be gods and that we must by all meanes beware of them Therefore saith he whether part shall we hearken vnto to those which cannot denie God to be the true God or rather to God which warneth vs to flie from them Wherfore séeing both the holie scriptures and godlie lawes also the euents themselues doo vtterlie forbid and condemne all kind of inchantments we must iudge that it is not lawfull for a christian man In 1. Sam. at the beginning 32 Last of all we will note that the true God is woont to chase awaie false gods Wherfore immediatlie vpon the birth of Christ all the oracles of the gods were put to silence which before were of great fame and renowme At the birth of Christ all heathen oracles ceased For when the light it selfe which is Christ was come into the world darknes should néeds vanish awaie And Plutarch being otherwise a verie learned writer in séeking a cause why the oracles ceased in his time hauing deuised manie things yet speaketh nothing to the purpose First he saith that some thought that the Daemons or spirits which gaue out oracles were vndoubtedlie of long life yet mortall notwithstanding and that men reported as he saith that the great god Pan was dead Wherefore he saith that séeing the Daemons be now dead by reason of age there are none to giue or vtter out oracles anie more He addeth moreouer that there were others which thought that those préests and diuines by whom answeres were giuen were inspired with certeine exhalations which came foorth of the caues and pits and that séeing those exhalations could not be perpetuall they ceased at the last and that prophesies finished togither with them He addeth moreouer that by others these things were attributed to the situation of stars which being passed from thence had also drawne away these oracles with them He sheweth also certeine other things like vnto these but he yéeldeth no reason whie all the oracles ceased at one verie time and so ceased as that no one of them remained If the exhalations be not perpetuall in one place whie doo they not breake out in another place And the situations of stars being passed away euen the same doo vse to returne againe to their place which if they doo returne whie doo not the same oracles returne also If so be that the Daemons as they affirme doo die at the length whie doo not one succéed another There is then another cause of this euent which Plutarch could not perceiue namelie that all contrarie powers are bridled by Christ and therefore they all ceased at his comming And thus were Iupiter Mac◠5 12. Apollo Diana and Aesculapius put to silence Which thing the prophets foreshewed long before and which we sée also at this daie to come to passe in those countries which imbrace the gospell where not onlie idolatries but also diuinations feigned miracles doo straight-waie cease The eleuenth Chapter Of a good intent zeale prescription and custome all which the superstitious sort are woont to alledge against the word AS touching the signification of the word intent Of a good intent In Iud. 7 27. Looke In Sam. 6 6. and in the booke De votis set foorth at Basil pag. 247. 255. it signifieth a motion of the mind whereby we indeuour vnto an end by som meanes as if a man indeuour by liberall expense or by flatterie to attaine vnto some honors for such is the nature of things that manie of them are so knit togither betwéene themselues that by one there is a step vnto an other For by medicines and potions we come to health by studies reading and maisters vnto wisedome Wherefore intent is an act of the will for the propertie thereof is to mooue and stirre vp the mind And séeing the will perceiueth not the thing that it desireth before it haue a knowledge therof it dooth neither mooue nor force the mind before knowledge which reigneth in the power of intelligence or vnderstanding The same perceiueth both the end and those things which further thervnto and presenteth them to the will Therfore intent stirreth vp vnto an end as vnto a marke by those things which are directed vnto it Let this be the definition thereof A definition of intent It is a will tending vnto an end by some meanes and will which is the generall word thereof is an act of the power that willeth The difference is taken of the obiect that is of the end and of those things which are ordeined vnto it Iudg. 8 24. As in the historie of Iudges Gedeons intent was a motion of his will to kéepe in remembrance by an ephod which he had made the victorie which he obtained Therefore in his will he comprehended both togither as well the end as the meane A good intent and an euill intent Looke In Rom. 1 21. and 3 8. Intent is diuided into a good intent and an ill intent and to a good intent this is chéeflie required that the end it selfe should be a iust and good thing yet is not this sufficient For if one should steale to the intent he would giue almes he doubtles should purpose a good thing but bicause the meanes is naught therefore the intent cannot be accounted good but if the end be both vnlawfull and euill then shall also the intent be euill Wherefore that the intent may be good it behooueth both the end and the meanes to be honest and iust Howbeit certeine things are of their owne nature so euill as we can neuer vse them rightlie Such are theft periurie adulterie and other like so that the apostles rule must alwaies be firme Rom. 3 8. An ill intent is of two sorts To
otherwise present than they which doo plaie are conuersant in the fight of them which behold Let no man laie his owne fault vpon God Let euerie one therefore take héed to himselfe that he cast not the causes of his sinnes vpon God and when such a kind of cogitation entreth into his mind let him haue respect vnto lust voluptuousnesse wrath hatred and other perturbations of the mind wherewith he is sore diseased and out of these fountaines let him séeke for the causes of his sinnes The Peripatetikes are reprooued Neither must there be much credit giuen vnto the Peripatetiks in this matter which denie that God hath vnderstanding of particular affaires least they should séeme to thinke that the mind of God were abiect vile if he should drawe his knowledge from fraile and transitorie things This thing is not agréeable vnto our documents for we doo beléeue that God of himselfe hath a perfect knowledge of all things neither that he hath anie néed to challenge knowledge else-where to himselfe To the 3. reason 38 And whereas touching the third point it was iudged that the power of God is a hinderance to our will the argument is neither perfect nor strong For although that God by his infinit power wherewith he is indued The power of God doth what it wil but it marreth not the nature of things Wisd ◠1. doth what his pleasure is yet doth he suffer the state and nature of things to stand whole neither doth he violate them or wrest them anie other waie than the condition of them doth beare Wherfore it is said in the booke of Wisdome that God doth mightilie reach euen from one end to another and doth pleasantlie dispose all things or as the Gréeke text saith 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is Profitablie Which might not be said if by the high power of God the natures of things were disturbed The summe is that God doth here moderate his power in ruling of the world that he may fitlie applie his action vnto all maner of things In the fourth place sinne séemed to be a hinderance to the libertie of the will To the 4. reason as if it so weakened the powers of man that after a sort they might be able to doo nothing anie more But there néedeth not now manie words about this matter bicause there hath béene plentie inough spoken in those things which we haue declared how much our libertie hath béen diminished by reason of sinne and that speciallie as touching verie perfect and good actions which might be acceptable and well pleasing vnto God Besides it hath béen declared that our libertie is not by this means vtterlie taken awaie but rather that there is as yet a great deale of it remaining 39 Moreouer concerning the powers celestiall there shal be no great néed to intreate To the 5. reason Wisdome shall rule in the starres séeing the Astronomers doo glorie in their owne bookes that The wise shall beare rule among the starres But and if so be that these things which they pronounce might not be escaped all their gaines would fall awaie for no man would bestowe cost vpon the skill of those things which he thought he should not be able neither to auoid nor change either by indeuour or studie Which thing without controuersie would ensue if so be they should ascribe a méere necessitie vnto their foreshewings By this meanes all praiers pietie and worshipping of God would be taken awaie for who would praie to God for obteining of anie thing if he were alreadie persuaded that the same should not be granted vnto him Wherefore Augustine said Augustine They which thus thinke doo great wrong vnto heauen for there they beléeue is a court appointed The iniuries against heauen wherein are notable acts decréed which cannot be auoided the which if it were in the earth it should néeds be taken awaie How much lesse must we thinke that the same is doone by God in the celestiall parts I beséech you what iudgement would be left if so be we did all things vpon constraint This matter some excuse saieng that frō heauen is onelie signified what shall come to passe yet that we be not thereby driuen by anie necessitie And they bring foorth a place out of the booke of Genesis Gen. 1 14. wherein it séemeth to be spoken that The starres be put as signes But that place is to be vnderstood concerning seasons winds How a place in Gen. is to be vnderstood raines tempests and such like sort But how can they affirme that in heauen they sée certeine signes of things to come They shall hardlie prooue it especiallie touching mans affaires Twins conceiued at one instant For what answer can they make of twins which being conceiued at one time and haue all one aspect of the heauens yet as experience teacheth the chance and successe of them is altogither differing Augustine Augustine in his fift booke De ciuitate Dei and second chapter is woorth the reading where he writeth Two brothers of like affection that sometime there happened two brothers to be like affectioned that when one sickened the other also was diseased and when the one recouered the other was also eased Concerning which thing Hippocrates being demanded of his opinion Hippocrates made answer that he thoght them to be twins and that therefore they had the temperature or complexion of their bodie all of one nature Possidonius But Possidonius the Mathematician did ascribe the whole cause vnto the starres bicause in their natiuitie they occupied all one aspect of the heauens But what saith Augustine will these men saie of twins and innumerable liuing creatures which are borne in houres and moments alike and yet atteine to such diuersitie of fortunes Ciceros booke De fato And Augustine witnesseth that this example was taken out of Cicero the which neuerthelesse we read not in his books at this daie extant vnlesse perhaps he found the same in his booke De fato which remaineth amongst vs all torne mangled and diminished To the sixt 40 Moreouer destinie which the Stoiks appoint to haue méere necessitie hindereth not our matter forsomuch as we admit not the same to be They seuered it from the wils of men bicause they thought that all things would go to naught if togither with other causes they comprehended will vnder destinie Howbeit it séemed not good to them The Stoiks doo not vtterlie seuer mans will from destinie vtterlie to seuer mans will from destinie sauing in respect of the first choise which they would haue to be wholie in our will But whiles we shall choose anie cause that might be vnder destinie they would haue it followe of necessitie that what things soeuer they were they should be ioined vnto it Euen as Euripides said vnto Laius that It was frée for him not to procreate but when he had procreated then of necessitie he should
our minds for thus it is written Why art thou so heauie ô my soule Psal 42 12. Why art thou so discouraged Hope in God for I will yet make my confession vnto him my safetie is in his countenance Why God disappointeth vs of the outward aid Neither dooth God commonlie for anie other cause disappoint his people of the outward aids and helps of this world but to gather their scattered hope and not to suffer it to leane vnto too manie aids and these sundrie and manifold aids he changeth for one principall aid and the same most firme to the end we should depend vpon him By this difference of a firme hope the christians doo much differ from the Epicures and Ethniks A great difference betweene the hope of the Christians and of the Ethniks for the Ethniks if there come anie great calamitie to them straitwaie they exclame and crie out If there be a God that hath a care of these things if there be a God that séeth these things So they call not vpon God but being in despaire vtterlie discourage themselues But contrariwise godlie men most constantlie crie vnto God neither doubt they but that their praiers reach vp euen vnto heauen and that God hath a care both ouer them and also ouer all that they haue The fourth Chapter Of Iustification Vpon the epistle to the Romans at the end of the 11. chapter This place is also treated of vpon the 1. to the Cor. 1. about the end and vpon Genesis 15. verse 6. IT shall now be a profitable thing to intreat of iustification which is the scope and end of all that Paule teacheth in the epistle to the Romans Let this question be put foorth after this sort namelie whether men be iustified by works or by faith The question is put faith But first of all it shall be good to discusse the words of the question proposed and we will begin with this word iustification This verbe Tsadac The signification â—f this word To iustifie with the Hebrues in the first coniugation signifieth To be iust but if it be transferred vnto the third coniugation it signifieth To transferre righteousnes into an other and to make iust For this is the efficacie of the forme of those verbes which they call Hiphil Euen as Amad signifieth To stand so Heemid signifieth To appoint that is To make an other thing to stand Wherefore Hitsdic in the Hebrue signifieth To iustifie that is To make one iust which thing when it is done of God Two maner of waies God is said to iustifie it is done of him two maner of waies For somtimes he doth assuredlie bring foorth righteousnes in men First when God with his holie spirit frameth them againe wholie reneweth them in restoring the strength of their minds deliuering the powers of man from a great part of his naturall corruption and this is the first righteousnes which sticketh cleaueth to our minds by the benefit of God through Christ Secondlie when he hath so restored and made them new againe he giueth iust and holie workes by the vse and continuance of which works a qualitie or as they call it an habit is ingendered in our minds whereby we are made pliant to liue honestlie and godlie and we denie not but this kind of righteousnes is in the harts of the regenerate But sometimes God iustifieth in absoluing vs from sinnes and ascribing and imputing righteousnes and then this word Hitsdic is a word taken of the law which perteineth to iudgment as also this word Hâ—…schiah which signifieth To declare one to be an offender a wicked person And to iustifie in iudgement is by words testimonies and affirmation to count one for iust And forsomuch as these are the two significations of this word To iustifie namelie either in déed or in account and estimation and God is the author of either of them whether of these two shall we followe in the disputation proposed Forsooth the latter We now intreat of the latter foâ—me of iustifieng and that for bicause the renouation inspired by the spirit of God and our righteousnes as touching the habit gotten by good works are whilest we liue here so vnperfect and maimed that if iudgement should be giuen by them we might not be able to stand before the iudgement seate of God Besides that Paule disputing of this matter Rom. 4 3. after he had brought foorth the authoritie of Dauid and a testimonie of the historie of Abraham in Genesis vseth this word of imputing and by the proper signification thereof he reasoneth touching this present cause or question And this I suppose to be sufficient as touching the declaration of the first word namelie Iustification 2 Now let vs intreat of Faith Aman among the Hebrues in the first coniugation signifieth What this word Faith signifieth To be firme the verie which verbe in the third coniugation being called as I haue said Hiphil signifieth To giue constancie and assurednes to anie promise or thing Wherefore the Latines saie Fidem homini aut verbis tribuâ—re which is in English To giue faith or credit vnto a man or vnto words and it signifieth euen as much as if a man should saie To beleeue Wherfore this Hebrue verbe Heemin signifieth none other thing than To suppose or thinke a thing to be firme constant and true And as touching God he which beléeueth not him maketh him a lier for Iohn saith in his first epistle the 5. chapter He which beleeueth not God verse 10 maketh him a lier Which thing how gréeuous a sinne it is let euerie man consider with himselfe Contrariwise he which beléeueth God adorneth him with glorie honor Rom. 4 20. for in the epistle to the Romans it is written of Abraham that he staggered not through doubting through the consideration of his owne bodie or of the wombe of Sara being in a maner past child bearing but gaue the glorie vnto God being strong in faith An analogie between the two words To beleeue and to iustifie and fullie persuaded that he was able to performe whatsoeuer he would Wherefore there séemeth to be a certeine analogie or proportion betwéene this word To beleeue and that To iustifie as we in this place take it for as To iustifie is by waie of iudging accounting to ascribe righteousnes to a man and not to make him to be in verie déed iust so To beleeue is not in verie déed to make the words and promises of anie man sure and firme but to thinke and determine with our selues that so they are But this act of beléeuing whereof we now entreate hath two maner of firmnes and certeintie First of the things namelie of the words and promises of God which abide much more firmlie than heauen and earth A double certeintie of faith Secondlie as touching the persuasion it selfe which séeing it is wrought by the power of God it is also
declared himselfe to be euen he that should forgiue sinnes and that euen as those healings were receiued by faith so also by the same faith are men iustified and receiue the forgiuenesse of sinnes Mat. 9 28. And in the same .9 chapter it is declared that Christ answered vnto the two blind men which were verie importunate and most earnestlie desired to be healed Doo ye beleeue that I can doo this for you And when they had made answere that they beléeued he said Euen as you haue beleeued so be it vnto you And when our sauiour was going to the house of the ruler of the synagog to raise vp his daughter from death there followed him a woman which had an issue of bloud which woman was indued with so great faith that she thought thus with hir selfe that If she might but touch the hem of his garment she should straitwaie be made whole Wherefore Christ answered hir Be of good confidence daughter Ibidem 22. thy faith hath made thee whole But whie Christ adioined confidence to faith we haue before declared in the beginning of this question when we declared the nature of faith for we taught that that assent wherewith we take hold of the promises of God is so strong and so vehement that the rest of the motions of the mind which are agréeable vnto it doo of necessitie followe In Luke also is set forth the historie of that sinfull woman vnto whom the Lord thus answered Luk. 7 50. Thy faith hath made thee safe signifieng that he for hir faith sake had forgiuen hir hir sinnes And that the faith of this woman was verie feruent she declared by the effects In that she loued much in that she kissed his feete in that she washed them with hir teares and wiped them with hir heare 54 In the Gospell of Iohn the third chapter Christ said vnto Nichodemus Iohn 3 16. So God loued the world that he gaue his onlie begotten son that he which beleeued in him should not perish but haue eternall life And in the selfe-same chapter Iohn Baptist thus speaketh of Christ He which beleeueth in the sonne hath eternall life but he which beleeueth not hath not life but the wrath of God abideth on him Out of which place we gather not onelie that we presentlie intreat of It is prooued that strangers from Christ can doo no good thing that may please God but also this that they who are strangers from Christ and beleeue not can doo nothing that may please God and therefore they cannot merit of congruitie as they call it and as our aduersaries affirme the grace of God And in the sixt chapter Christ saith This is the will of him that sent me Iohn 6 40. that he which seeth the sonne and beleeueth in him hath eternall life and I saith he will raise him vp at the last daie And when he had before said verse 44. No man commeth vnto me vnlesse my father drawe him also He that hath heard of my father verse 45. and hath learned commeth vnto me afterward he addeth And he which beleeueth in me verse 47. hath eternall life In the eleuenth chapter when Christ should raise vp Lazarus he saith vnto Martha Ioh. 11 25. He which beleeueth in me though he were dead yet shall he liue and he which liueth and beleeueth in me shall not die for euer And in the 17. chapter This is eternall life Iohn 17 3. that they acknowledge thee the onlie true GOD and whom thou hast sent Iesus Christ But this is to be noted that here he speaketh not of a cold knowledge but of a mightie and strong faith wherefore if it be eternall life then shall it also be iustification For iustification and life are so ioined togither that the one is oftentimes taken for the other And in verie déed iustification is nothing else than eternall life now alreadie begun in vs. And in the 20. chapter Ioh. 20 31. These things saith he are written that ye should beleeue that Iesus is the Christ and that in beleeuing ye should haue eternall life Acts. 15 9. In the Acts of the apostles the 15. chap. it is thus written By faith purifieng their harts In which place Peter speaketh of the Gentils that they should not be compelled vnto the works of the lawe of Moses forsomuch as Christ had without them giuen vnto them the holie Ghost and had by faith made cleane their harts from sins Paule also in his oration to king Agrippa said verse 18. that He was called of Christ to be sent vnto the Gentils which should by his ministerie be illuminated and by faith receiue remission of sinnes and lot amongst the saints And these testimonies hitherto we haue gathered out of the new testament But if I should out of the old testament rehearse all that which maketh to this purpose I should then be ouer tedious And if there be anie of so obstinate a hart that those things which we haue alreadie spoken cannot force them to confesse the truth neither should it anie thing profit such men if we should bring manie more testimonies wherefore a few shall suffice And besides those testimonies which Paule cited out of the 15. chapter of Genesis Gen. 15 ◠Abraham beleeued God and it was counted vnto him for righteousnes out of Abacuke The iust man shall liue by his faith out of Dauid Abac. 2 4. Psal 3◠1. Esai 28 26. Blessed are they whose iniquities are forgiuen out of Esaie Euerie one that beleeueth in him shall not be confounded and a few other such like Besides these testimonies I saie I will cite the 53. chapter of Esaie wherein Christ by most expresse words is painted foorth For there He is said verse 4. to haue taken vpon him our sorrowes to haue borne our infirmities to haue giuen his soule a sacrifice for sinnes and manie such other things which are so plaine that they can be applied vnto none other but onlie vnto Christ Iesus our sauiour And it is said moreouer And by the knowledge of him shall my righteous seruant iustifie manie and he shall beare their iniquities These words doo teach that Christ iustifieth manie namelie the elect by the knowledge and perfect vnderstanding of him which knowledge vndoubtedlie is nothing else but a true faith and that he also in such sort iustifieth them that he taketh vpon himselfe and beareth their iniquities And Ieremie in the fift chapter writeth verse 3 O God haue not thine eies a regard vnto faith As if he should haue said Although thou séest all things and there is nothing perteining vnto man hidden from thée yet hast thou chéeflie regard vnto faith as vnto the roote and foundation of all good actions And as touching the oracles of the scripture this shall suffice 55 Now will I answer such obiections as are commonly brought against this second proposition And we will begin first with
vnlesse he would repent and so he draue the Pope to recant I speake not of Peter who as testifieth the Epistle to the Galathians was iustlie and of due desert reprooued Gal. 2. 14. because he together with certaine others went not the right waie vnto the Gospell If thou wilt aske these men wherefore they thinke that Popes cannot erre as touching the faith they will answere that Christ said Luk. 23. 33. I haue prayed for thee Peter that thy faith doe not faile If they would transferre this vnto the Church it might after a sort be borne with séeing the faith of the Church which Peter did represent should indure euen vnto the ende But when as they applie that saying vnto the Popes they deale too impudentlie Why doe they not also applie vnto their Popes all things which are found to be said of Peter in the Scriptures Vndoubtedlie Christ said vnto him when he perswaded him to be fauourable vnto himselfe Mat. 16. 23 Get thee behinde mee Sathan thou art an offence vnto mee because thou vnderstandest not the things that be of God but the things that are of the flesh He also called him wheÌ„ he should haue bin drowned in the water Mat. 14. 31. Mark 9. 36 A man of little faith And in the transfiguration the Euangelist testifieth that he knewe not what he said Mat. 26. 52 Also the Lord commanded him that he shoulde put vp his sword into the sheath Which if the Popes woulde obserue the world perhaps should be quiet from warres Paule also vnto the Galathians in expresse words testifieth of Peter and certaine others that they went not the right waie vnto the Gospell Gal. 2. 14. All these things should most manifestly be applied vnto the Popes séeing they doe notablie agrée vnto them But these fellowes gather flowers vnto themselues and onelie vnto that purpose deriue those things which after a sort séeme to make vnto the establishment of power honour and tyrannie and thus they indeuour to leade awaie the faithfull from the word of God that they should not beléeue it but the Popes Councels Augustine Thus did not Augustine deale with Maximinus an Arrian Bishop vnto whom he said when he disputed with him Neither obiect thou vnto me the Councell of Ariminum nor I vnto thée the Councel of Nice séeing neither I am bound vnto this nor thou vnto that but let vs deale by the common testimonies of the Scriptures let matter contend with matter cause with cause and reason with reason 16 But of this part shall be saide ynough when I shall haue added this to wit that the thrée markes of the Church which are woont to be shewed by men of our side Which be the true marks of the Church according to Paul namely doctrine the right administration of the Sacraments and the care of discipline which these men cry out to be fained by vs and cannot be confirmed by the word of God are verie manifestlie found in the Epistle to the Ephesians whereof in the 5. Verse 25. Chapter it is written that Christ loued the Church and gaue himselfe for it that he might sanctifie it being clensed by the washing of water through the worde that he might make it vnto himselfe a glorious Church not hauing spot or wrinkle Hereof is gathered that besides an inwarde clensing which consisteth of the forgiuenesse of sinnes and of the sauing power of the holie Ghost there is required an outward word and Sacraments which the Apostle expressed saying By the washing of water through the word And the exercises of holie life he noted when he added That he might make it vnto himself a glorious Church without spot or wrinkle For by liuing godly the faithfull doe dailie laie awaie the affections and filthinesse of the flesh 17 Hosius when he perceiued that by these notes our Churches might easilie bee approoued Why Hosius reiecteth these marks of the Church hee maketh small account of them Because saith he it is brought to passe by Heretikes that they can not bee the markes of true Churches For he séeth that among vs the pure word of God is exercised the sacraments according to the institution of Christ administred and discipline not altogether neglected So as leauing those markes he bringeth in others all which he cannot finde in the Scriptures of God He saith moreouer Whether we iustly complaine that the â—aitie is excluded from the Councels that we vniustlie complaine of councels in that he will haue them to be assembled of Bishoppes onelie and that therein they will admit no place for laie men It hath alwaies saith he béene doone after this sort Whereuppon of the fathers the Councels are oftentimes called Episcopalia that is Bishops Councels Indéed so are they oftentimes called because the greater part of them that méete together are Bishops And if they be compared with others they haue the preheminence séeing they be estéemed as better learned in the scriptures and more skilfull of Ecclesiasticall matters Yet are they not alwaies called after this manner For oftentimes they be called Councels of the Church Christian Synodes c. Neither is it soundlie prooued that by reason of the name or ioyning together onelie Bishops were in the councels and laie men excluded The Emperours were preseÌ„t and subscribed to the decrées of the Councels Oftentimes the Emperours were present and not onelie were present but also subscribed together with Bishops vnto things that were concluded Constantine in the 6. Synode Basil in the 8. who said he subscribed that he might imitate the godly princes Constantine the great Theodosius and Martianus all which as he saith subscribed vnto the councels Theodoritus in his historie recordeth that Constantine the great commanded the Fathers that they should discusse the controuersie then in hand by the Scriptures of the Apostles and Prophets Who séeth not that it is a farre greater matter to prescribe vnto iudges the forme of dealing than to subscribe vnto things that be iudged There is also extant a certaine Epistle of Eusebius Pamphili in the volume of the councell of Nice which he wrote vnto the men of Caesaria He saith that the Emperour was present at the councell Constantine in the Councel of Nice commanded the Fathers to subscribe and commaunded the Bishops that they should subscribe and he saith that he diligentlie examined the matter and declared that the sonne is begotten by the father being of one substance with him not by natural reason or by partition To do these things is not to be present in the councel like a stock or looker on but he did his part among the Bishops Panormitan Did not PanormitaÌ„ also write that we must rather beléeue a laie man that speaketh out of the Scriptures than the Pope if he deale without the word of God But against vs they obiect the act of Augusta Pulcheria which was sister vnto Theodosius the yonger also the wife
of Martianus being a wise woman and well commended She in her Epistle vnto Strategus in the Prohems of the councell of Chalcedon The example of Pulcheria to Strategus commaunded that out of Nice a citie of Bithinia where she would haue had the councell which afterward was translated to Chalcedon should be expelled al the cleargy men and Moonkes to the intent that they might leaue the place voide and frée vnto the Bishoppes and that the matters might not be molested by them The Argument is of an Act or example which is not of force In verie déed that woman was in other things godlie and wise but in this act shee cannot be allowed Neither is it thus doone by our aduersaries at this daie In the councell of Trent and in manie other together with Bishoppes there sate Abbots general Masters of the Franciscans of the Carmelites of other orders which were not bishops 18 Fricius also a Polonian The iudgement of Fricius of Polonia an excellent learned man iudgeth that the Legates of the kingdomes and Prouinces of Christianitie should be admitted vnto these kindes of Actions of the church But setting aside the reasons of men I thinke we must haue a regarde vnto the first councell which is in the 15. chapter of the Actes of the Apostles Acts. 15. ver 22. 23. The Apostolicall Councell ought to bée a paterne vnto all Councels This for so much as it was holie and Apostolicall ought to be accounted for a law and rule to all councels There the Apostles establishing the decrée of Christ saide So it seemed good to the Apostles and Elders with the whole Church Afterward they béeing minded to write thereof to the Antiochians wrote letters after this manner The Apostles Elders and brethren c. These things do plainelie testifie that not only the bishops but the other mēbers of the Church haue place in councels And as to that which we cōplained of the Church of Rome they alleadge that the same hath alwaies had singular authoritie among the Christians The power of the Roman Church exceeding her boūds hath brought great losse vnto the Church Vnto this we answere that whatsoeuer power the church hath the same ought to be vnto edifying Let nowe the Romanistes themselues take héede that they edifie the bodie of Christ They haue raised vp infinite contentions for the maintainance of their primacie and for that cause they stirre vp most bitter contentious troubles to the intent they maie obtaine and kéepe the same They diminish the Church of Christ they shorten it and contriue it in a narrow roome For all those which will not acknowledge their primacie they excommunicate and cast out from the communion of the faithfull Furthermore they lay vpon men an intollerable burthen of mens traditions Besides the Canons of the Councels they haue adiected innumerable decrées and decretals their Sext their Clementines their Extrauagant constitutions Thus the Church is charged by them with most gréeuous burthens so farre is it from being eased The complaint of Augustine for the burthen of Ceremonies in his time Augustine in his time complained that the Church of Christ was more charged than in old time the Church of the Hebrewes was I beséech you what would that father now saie if he should behold our times which is now so gréeuouslie pressed with superstious rites and manifold traditions as it is altogether oppressed Of the Romane Church it maie fitlie bee said In vaine doe they worship me Esa 29. 14. teaching the doctrine and precepts of men But let vs consider to what end they so extoll the power of the Romane Church Certainelie for no other cause but that they may easilie obtrude their traditions and euerie fained thing Why they so greatlie extoll the name of the Romane Church so as with hearing the name of a decrée letter or tradition of the church of Rome we should straightwaie giue a blind consent 19 When we demaunde of them how so great a power happened vnto the Church of Rome they saie and especiallie Cardinall Caietanus From whence they claime the Roman power Before pl. 3. Act. 1. that it came by Peter For Christ as they saie when he knewe that he shoulde goe from hence into heauen left that Apostle to be his vicar vppon the earth But we demaund why had not other Churches the Popedom from Peter Because saie they they were not properlie or peculiarlie appointed or ioyned vnto Peter They faine that before Peter was anie where Bishop the Popedome was a wandring and flittering thing namely that there it should be wheresoeuer Peter abode At the last as they trifle he setled himselfe in the Church of Rome But séeing they iudge also that Peter before he went to Rome was also Bishop of Antioch why doe they not attribute the Popedome vnto that seate especiallie séeing they celebrate euerie yeare the feast of Peters chaire whereby they declare that they renewe the memorie of his being bishop in Antioch Yet must we not beléeue that the Church of Antioch was planted by Peter For it was before that Peter went thither He no doubt was at Ierusalem with the rest of the Apostles Acts. 15. 4. 7. as it is in the 15. of the Actes when that great contention sprang vp among the beléeuers of Antioch as concerning the Legall ceremonies of Moses whether they should be obserued or refused All which cause was referred to the Apostles at Ierusalem Whether Peter leauing his byshopricke of Antioche went to Rome 20 But they faine that Peter went afterward vnto Rome and forsaking the bishopricke of Antioche tooke vpon him the bishopricke of Rome But how knowe they that Peter going to Rome kept not to himselfe the byshopricke of Antioche As though wée sée not dailie that the Byshop of Paris London Artois and Augusta doe goe to Rome yet do not renounce their byshoprick But let vs graunt them that they desire let them at the least wise shew why they gaue not the second place vnto the Church of Antioche next vnto Rome Truelie they made the Patriarche of Alexandria to be chiefe séeing that Church was founded and planted by Marke an Euangelist not an Apostle Further in the Councel of Chalcedone they depriue the Patriarche of Alexandria from his place giuing vnto the Byshop of Constantinople the second place next vnto the Romane Byshop whenas neuerthelesie it appeareth that the Church of Constantinople was founded by none of the Apostles whereby is gathered that Churches haue not gotten their honour or degrée of the founders otherwise the Churches of Ephesus Ierusalem Corinthe and Thessalonica and such like which had the Apostles their master builders should be preferred aboue Alexandria Constantinople many other famous Churches than that which they by the decrée of the Canons haue beene lesse estéemed And as touching Peter it is verie vncertaine to the most learned men whether he came to Rome Whether Peter
God which if we take hold of by faith we shall obtaine both saluation and also remission of sinnes This is the true sense according to which the fathers must be vnderstood when they say that grace is the power of the sacramentes Which is al one as if they had said vnderstanding and sense is the force of speach and of wordes Of the schoolemens stay or let 16 And how vnsafely the schoolemen speak of their stay or let hereby it is manifest for that they say that he putteth not a staye or let which although he haue not the act either of louing or belieuing yet obiecteth nothing that is contrarie or opposite vnto grace namely the act of infidelitie or of hatred Then in such case say they the sacraments of the Gospel giue grace But this is nothing else than to attribute vnto creatures the cause of our saluation and to bind our selues too much to signes and elementes of this world This ought to be certaine and most assured that no more is to be attributed vnto the sacramentes as touching saluation than vnto the word of God No more must be attributed to the Sacraments than to the word of God In what respect our sacraments are better than those of the old Fathers Wherefore if sometimes we heare as Augustine also saith that our sacramentes are better than the sacramentes of the olde fathers this ought to be vnderstanded that it be referred vnto perspicuitie For we graunt that our sacramentes both speake and preach more plainely of Christ than did the sacramentes of the olde fathers Now then séeing we are more clearely and plainly instructed faith is more fuller and bringeth vnto vs more grace and spirit And we gladly admit that which the fame Augustine saith Sometime the Sacrament is receiued without the thing sometime the thing without the sacrament That sometimes it commeth to passe that the sacrament is receiued without the matter it self For so the wicked and infidels vsing the sacraments receaue only the outward signes and are vtterly voide of saluation and of grace Sometimes also it contrariwise happeneth that the godly being excluded by any necessitie from the vse of the sacraments yet are in no wise defrauded of the matter it self and of the thing signified Neither let any man here lay to our charge that we affirme that sacramentes depend of our faith for neither teach we any such thing yea rather we affirme that the sacramentes are sacramentes although thy faith be either weake or none at all And Augustines iudgement is very good concerning him which onely carnally receaueth the sacrament when he saith It doth not therefore cease to be spirituall but vnto them it is not spirituall And now at length to make an end Grace is not bounb vpon sacraments as it were in smal bags Looke In Gen. 17 we must neuer come to this point to thinke that grace and our saluation is conteined in the sacramentes as in bagges which may be powred out vppon the communicantes and receauers for the sacramentes are as certain messengers of our saluation which whoso giueth credite vnto obtaineth saluation And thus much hitherto haue I sufficiently spoken of sacramentes in generall As touching the proposterous vse of the Sacramēts looke part 4. pl. 16. Art 27. 28. in 2. Kings 5. Of Circumcision 17. Now remaineth for vs to speake somewhat of Circumcision For the better vnderstanding whereof we haue spoken these thinges the more largely and with more wordes What circumcision is saide to haue had remission of sinnes But here we shall not néede so long a treatise for if we remēber all those things which haue generally bin spoken of sacramentes it shall be no hard matter to vnderstand all that which may be spokē of circumcision Rom. 4. 11. And circumcision not to goe from the wordes of the Apostle was the seale of the righteousnesse of faith because it preached and confirmed the promise concerning righteousnesse which the olde fathers receiued by faith And hereof it followeth that the old fathers had by it remission of sinnes For séeing that righteousnes consisteth chiefly in the remission of sinnes whosoeuer beléeues the promise set foorth and by circumcision sealed it followeth of necessitie that he was partaker of the remission of sinnes Some demaund whether circumcision and baptisme which succéeded circumcision Whether remission be had of sinnes to come bring remission onely of those sinnes which are alreadie past or also of those which are afterward committed Let these men consider that the vse of circumcision and of baptisme is not for a time but perpetuall For as the faithfull oftentimes faile so when they forthwith come againe vnto thēselues they thinke vppon the promise of the Gospel which is as touching the remission of sinnes Wherein also euen for this cause they are confirmed for that they remember themselues to be either baptised or circumcised and so by putting too of faith they are deliuered from sinnes and are reconciled vnto God The error of them which wold not be rebaptized but at the houre of death Hereby it is manifest how they were in the olde time deceaued which would not be baptised but euen when death approched and that they were in a manner giuing vp the ghost Neither let any man thinke that this is repugnant vnto the kayes of the Church whereby the penitent are receiued For that they may the better vnderstand the matter this they must néedes graunt that those kaies of the Church are nothing else What the keies of the Church be but the preaching of the Gospell whereby the ministers doe perswade the beléeuers that their sinnes are forgiuen them But they which are to be perswaded are by the benefite of the holy ghost perswaded and their faith concerning the promise is also hereby confirmed for that they call to memorie the signe of baptisme or of circumcision which in times past they receiued And Paul when he sayd For the remission of sinnes going before meant that iustification when it is applied vnto vs alwayes putteth away those sinnes which we haue before cōmitted Yet that letteth nothing but that the promise of the remission of sinnes and sealing thereof may oftentimes with profit be called to our memorie But so oftentimes as sinne is so forgiuen it followeth of necessitie that the same sin went before Howbeit that which we speake of tendeth to this to declare that the vtilitie of sacramentes is not for a time but pertaineth to the whole course of our life Circumcision differed from our sacramentes for that it was the beginning first step and visible enterance to the couenant of God And what maner of men the vncircumcised were accounted to be the Apostle declareth in the Epistle to the Ephesians Ephe. 2. 11. Remember saith he that ye were sometimes Gentiles in the flesh which were called vncircumcision of them which are called circumcision in the flesh made with handes ye were
vndoubtedly Iames doeth right well admonish vs when he saieth Praie hauing faith Iame. 5. 15 To conclude that sentence is firme and perfect wherein it is said Whatsoeuer is offered vnto God for a sacrifice the same is acceptable vnto him if faith and iustification of him that offereth goeth before A subtile cauillation Some cauill as touching the first act of faith whereby we begin first to assent vnto GOD And they doubt whether it be acceptable vnto God or no. Certainly before it he which now beginneth to beléeue is an enemie Then say they if that first consent be acceptable vnto GOD then accepteth he the gift of an enemie but if it be not acceptable then it iustifieth not To this I answere two wayes first that men are not iustified through the worthines of the act of faith but by the firme promise of God which faith imbraceth Further when any man first assenteth and beléeueth then is he first of an enemie made a friend And although before he was an enemie yet so soone as he beléeueth he is made a friend and ceaseth to be an enemie But that which wée haue before concluded that he which offereth is more acceptable vnto God than the gift the Ethnickes themselues sawe For Plato in Alcibiade maketh mention that the Athenians vpon a time made warre against the Lacedemonians and when they were ouercome they sent messengers vnto Iupiter Ammon by whom they said that they maruelled for what cause séeing they had offered so great giftes vnto the goddes and contrariwise that their enemies had sacrificed sparingly and nigardly and yet had the victorie ouer them Ammon answered that the goddes more estéemed the prayers of the Lacedemonians than the most fat sacrifices of the Athenians For when they burnt Oxen vnto their goddes in the meane time they thought nothing of their soules So in Homer Iupiter speaketh that the goddes are not mooued with the smooke and smell of sacrifices séeing they hated Priamus and the Troians Wherefore the Ethnicks vnderstoode that which the Papists at this day sée not who thinke that their blinde sacrificer though he be neuer so vnpure and vngodly doeth yet with his handes offer vp Christ vnto GOD the Father Of Altars In 1. King 1. 50. 21 In the olde time there were two sorts of Altars one of whole burnt offerings and an other of incense Two sortes of Altars To the first doubtlesse the Pristes onely had accesse but to the latter the laitie did also go Neither did they repaire thither for any other cause but for their safetie And that men were sometimes saued there when they were in danger In 1. Kings 13. it is sufficientlie shewed in the 12. of Exodus I suppose that in the first of Kings the xiij Chapter an Altar by the figure Synecdoche betokeneth all that same peruerse worshiping or else that vnder the name of the Instrument is signified the effect For no man is ignorant but that an altar at that time was the principall instrument of the diuine seruice Yea and Paule vseth that word in this sense 1. Cor. 9. 13 when vnto the Corinthians he saieth They which waite at the Altar are partakers of the Altar Which thing is nothing else but that it is méete that they which are occupied in the seruice of God Cyprian Augustine should haue their liuing thereof Also Cyprian and Augustine disagrée not from that sense when they say y◠Schismatiks or Heretickes erect an altar against an altar that is they institute in the Church diuers and contrarie seruices of God Albeit to say what I thinke the fathers should not with so much libertie in the new Testament haue séemed héere and there to abuse the name of Altar For Altar is referred to an outward sacrifice but séeing this hath place no more among vs because we offer no more outward sacrifices of slaine beastes The sacrifices of the Newe Testament and that our sacrifices be nothing else than prayers prayses thankesgiuings mortification of the flesh and Almes déeds therefore the correlatiue as the Logitians speake of an Altar being taken away neither can it selfe be extant or had That there be no Altars among vs Byshop Tonstale Against this opinion Bishop Tonstall now lately in England would néedes oppose him selfe prooue that the Christians also haue Altars among them He brought a saying out of the Epistle to the Hebrews Heb. 13. 10 We haue an Altar whereof it is not lawfull for them to eate which Minister in the tabernacle And when it was said to him that Altar in that place was nothing else but Christ himselfe What saith he but is it not lawfull to eate Christ Little considering those whom the Apostle draue from eating of Christ namelie they which refusing the Gospell altogether claue to the Iewish seruices for how could such manner of men beeing enuious vnto Christ eate of him Petrus Alexandrinus But Petrus Alexandrinus in a certaine Epistle of his which is extant in Theodoretus the 4. booke 22. Chapter went so farre that he attributed more to the outward Altar than to the liuelie Temples of Christ For when hee had complained that the wicked in the time of Valens the Emperour in the Church of Alexandria had drawen the virgins naked through the Citie and had most shamefully violated them and also beaten and slaine them he added that they being not satisfied with those heynous déeds deuised more gréeuous things to wit that they violated and polluted the Altar of the Temple Also Optatus Mileuitanus in the 6. Optatus Mileuitanus booke against Parmenianus What is an Altar saieth he Euen the seate of the bodie bloud of Christ Such sayings as these edified not the people but rather draue them to the Ethnicke and Iewish Rites when as of a certaine foolishe blinde zeale they borrowed both Altars and other Rites as well of the Iewes as of the Ethnickes Origen Origen also in the 10. Homilie vpon Iosuah maketh mention of an Altar Likewise Tertulliā in his booke De Poenitētia writeth that there were woont to be certain knéelings about the Altar Tertullian Much more sincerelie and wiselie did some of the fathers in stead of Altar put Table or in gréeke 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of which the faithful tooke signes of the Eucharist Of the liturgies of Basill and Chrysostome looke in the defence against Gardiner Page 2. The thirteenth Chapter Of a Magistrate and of the difference betweene Ciuill and Ecclesiasticall power In Iud. 19. at the end Looke in Iud. 8. 23. NOw it remaineth that I intreate of a Magistrate who in my iudgement may thus be described Namely A person chosen by the institution of God The definition to kéepe the lawes as touching outward discipline in punishing of transgressors with punishment of the bodie and to defend and make much of the good There are vndoubtedly many persons elected by the institution of God
power What violent is Violent as Aristotle defineth it in his third booke of Ethiks is that which is mooued from an outward beginning and dooth not immediatelie bring anie thing at all howbeit such is not our will But that it may appeare what it bringeth we must vse a naturall similitude A similitude The first matter by transmutation taketh méere formes and is mooued by the efficient cause and it bringeth the subiect for it is subiect vnto those motions further it hath a certeine power or abilitie vnto these formes euen so mans mind is the passiue subiect of this conuersion and healing Againe it hath a certeine power or abilitie indéed not actiue but passiue and that while it is compared vnto God bicause it can be actiuelie changed by him For we are created reasonable according to the image and similitude of GOD. And certeinlie a passiue power of this kind may A power passiue and obedientiall after the maner of the Schoole-men be called an obedientiall power bicause we be capable of the diuine change when God shall be minded to worke the same Hereby may be well vnderstood that which is spoken of Augustine that to be able to haue faith hope and charitie is of nature but to haue them is of grace For of nature we haue it that we can passiuelie be changed of God but that we are changed in verie déed this is of grace Augustine Rightlie said Augustine in his booke De correptione gratia the eleuenth chapter that Frée will is but little vnles it be changed by the God omnipotent and that we haue no néed of power if there should onlie haue béene vsed a persuasion or shewing of good things Wherefore a power is required vnto this that the change might be counted woonderfull For which cause the same father in his treatise of the grace of Christ against Pelagius and Coelestinus the 24. chapter wrote verie well Therefore let them read and vnderstand let them behold and confesse that God worketh in the hearts of men not onelie true reuelations but also good wils not through the lawe and doctrine founding outwardlie but by the inward and hidden lawe by a maruellous and vnspeakeable power An obiection Iohn 1 12. But they obiect vnto vs out of Iohn God hath giuen them power to be made the sonnes of God Howbeit they saie nothing For Iohn speaketh there of the regenerate and of the beléeuers séeing it is foorthwith added Euen to them that beleeue in his name and straitwaie after They that be borne of God But if thou wilt vnderstand these things of them that be not renewed we may saie that they had that power by predestination before all eternitie although they doo not yet possesse the same in act This also séemeth to be a let Zach. 1 3. Ezec. 18 31 which is written in Zacharie Turne you vnto me And in Ezechiel the 18. chapter Make you a new heart Where we also our selues séeme to come togither actiuelie Neuertheles as I said at the first we must distinguish of the drawing if we weighthe end from whence beginneth the motion while we be vnwilling There dooth God conuert change and heale vs and of vnwilling maketh vs willing Howbeit sith for the time that we liue here we are not perfectlie turned vnto God neither are we so pliant tractable or obedient vnto his commandements as we ought to be therefore is it commanded vs that as being now workers togither with God we should more and more conuert vnto him and that we should euerie daie more and more make to our selues new hearts An obiection But there is an other cauillation of some men First they affirme that the lawe is the reuealed will of God they adde that the same is mightie inuincible and they demand whie all men may not performe the same If God saie they commanded the sea to abide within his bounds and to discouer it selfe that it was doone bicause so he would it to be likewise when he commanded the dead man that he should be raised vp his will was not in vaine but brake foorth into act whie then hath not his will which is in the lawe come to effect Doubtlesse not for anie infirmitie thereof but bicause it séemeth that God would so command these things as he might leaue them in vs to doo which himselfe would not doo I answer that God would his commandements to be kept yet not through the strength of frée will onelie but by grace whereby we are first healed and afterward are led vnto this obedience Moreouer when it is said that the lawe is the will of GOD I grant A distinction of the will of God but yet it is not euerie will of his It may be called the approouing will of God it is the will of his good pleasure also a preparing will but it is no working appointing decréeing and effectuall will towards all men but towards all those to whom it shall séeme good vnto God Euen as also we saie concerning sinne that he would it not bicause he forbiddeth it it displeaseth him and he punisheth it yet is not his will so towards it that he effectuallie and substantiallie by appointing and decréeing would it not otherwise he would not permit it but let it And there be no wils so peruerse which God cannot change But it is yet demanded whether we be able to resist the calling of GOD We may and especiallie the common and generall calling yea rather we flie awaie from the same when we be not yet regenerate as Adam at the beginning Gen. 3 8. Gal. 1 13. and Paule did it a great while Yea and afterward when we be healed and prepared we oftentimes fall Matt. 26 69. 2. Sam. 11 2 as we knowe that it happened vnto Peter and Dauid But if thou shalt aske that when the calling which is effectuall and according to the purpose is present whether it doo preuaile I grant it dooth for vnto Paule it was said in the verie houre of his conuersion Acts. 9 5. It is hard for thee to kicke against the pricks not that there is a violence brought vnto the will séeing that cannot be albeit in Luke the 14. chapter it is written Compell them to come in Luke 14 23 But there it is rather spoken of the goodnesse of God the which in calling them that he his is importunate and vseth if I may so speake a certeine improbitie or woonderfull diligence and dealeth not onelie by exhortations but also by rebukes and scourges Albeit Augustine wrested this to the Edicts of christian princes the which against heretiks appoint gréeuous punishments banishments prisonments penalties other such like And albeit that faith be voluntarie yet God driueth men to it by such waies means An obiection Mat. 23 37. Also this is obiected How often would I haue gathered thy children togither as the hen gathereth hir chickens But herevnto
is knowne the church and the spirit I perceiue not howbeit this I knowe that the Euangelists Paule and the holie fathers whom I haue named doo testifie that here is bread and the holie scriptures doo most manifestlie speake the same And without these things which I haue rehersed there is no church neither dooth there anie good spirit make against these D. Tresham These words of Christ Doo ye this in remembrance of me be words of commandement and command vs to doo that which Christ did And he gaue his owne bodie which said that it was his bodie and looke what Christ the spouse of the church hath doone that by his commandement the church dooeth through the scriptures D. Martyr Of these words which you recite wrote Chrysostome vpon the first epistle to the Corinthians the eleuenth chapter the 27. homilie For Christ in the bread and in the cup said 1. Co. 11 24 and 25. Doo this in remembrance of me Also Cyrill vpon Iohn the 14. booke and 14. chapter He gaue them péeces of bread D. Tresham The fathers name it bread of the terme from whence it came to wit bicause of the former name it had D Martyr You doo but haste and stand vpon the terme from whence you forbid a figure and yet you alwaies defend your selfe by a figure D. Tresham I haue manie places of Chrysostome that make for me and I laie Chrysostome to Chrysostome and the doctors when they speake obscurelie must be interpreted by places more plaine But Chrysostome in the sermon of the treason of Iudas confesseth that the bread is changed D. Martyr It is not now my turne to answer When you oppose me I will answer to that which you obiect out of Chrysostome Howbeit in the meane time bicause I will not séeme to be too precise I hold with Chrysostome that the bread is changed but yet into a sacrament but that the substance of bread is doone awaie that doo I denie neither shall you euer prooue it out of Chrysostome Yea and Cyrill saith Euen in the bread we receiue his pretious bodie and in the wine his bloud D. Tresham We receiue it in the bread and wine that is to wit in the shewes of bread and wine D. Martyr What doo you call the shewes of bread and wine D. Tresham The accidentall formes of bread and wine D. Martyr Assuredlie you haue not this signification from the fathers for they by Species that is forme or kind vnderstood the verie natures of the things not the accidents Ambrose in his booke Eorum qui in tiantur mysterijs the last chapter But and if the spéech of Elias were of so great force as it could fetch downe fire from heauen shall not the saieng of Christ be forcible touching the kinds of the elements He treateth of a sacramentall change Wherefore if he should meane the kinds to be the accidents it would followe that the accidents shuld be changed in the Eucharist but that dooth the sense denie Againe this father in the same chapter Before the blessing of the heauenlie words another kind is named after consecration the bodie of Christ is signified And Augustine vpon Iohn the 26. treatise One thing did they and another thing we but yet in a visible kind which neuertheles signified all one thing And he speaketh there concerning the difference of the sacraments of the old and new lawe And euen the verie same in a maner is said by Augustine in his treatise De catechizandis rudibus the first booke and 16. chapter D. Tresham The fathers call the forme or kind sometimes the substance and sometime the accident for it is an ambiguous word and that which the scriptures call bread and the fathers also name bread we call the kinds or forms Here it seemed good vnto the Visitors that wee should dispute in the second question D. Martyr We denie the bodie and bloud of Christ to be in the bread and wine carnallie and corporallie or substantiallie and reallie as ye saie it is or vnder the shewes of bread and wine And this will I prooue out of the scriptures Mark 16 19 In the last of Marke The Lord Iesus after he had spoken vnto them was taken vp into heauen sitteth at the right hand of God In the 26. The scriptures testifie that Christ departed from vs in bodie Matt. 24 23 of Matthew The poore shall ye alwaies haue with you but me shall ye not haue In the sixt of Iohn I leaue the world and I go vnto my father Manie shall saie in those daies Behold here is Christ or there is Christ beleeue them not In the third of the Acts Whome it behooueth the heauens to hold vntill the time of the restitution of all things And vnto the Colossians the third chapter Seeke ye those things that be aboue where Christ is sitting at the right hand of God Since therefore it appéereth by these saiengs that Christ being taken vp from hence liueth in the heauens and that it is not agréeable to the nature of a true humane bodie to be in manie places at once it followeth that the bodie of Christ is not reallie in the bread or wine D. Tresham I denie that it cannot agrée to an humane bodie to be in diuers places at once for the holie scriptures teach the contrarie that Christ after the ascension was with his apostles euen according to his humanitie In the first epistle to the Corinthians the 9 chapter Paule saith Did not I see the Lord And in the 15. chapter of the same epistle And last of all he was seen of me as of one borne out of time And in the ninth of the Acts Saule Saule why doost thou persecute me And againe I am Iesus whom thou persecutest And a little after Ananias said Brother Saule the Lord hath sent me euen Iesus which appeered to thee in the waie And Barnabas said afterward vnto the apostles concerning Saule how he in the waie had séene the Lord and that he had spoken vnto him During the which time it behooueth to beléeue that Christ was in heauen at the right hand of his father bicause it is an article of the faith and yet neuerthelesse he was then vpon the earth in visible forme Wherefore you haue concluded nothing and verie well may the bodie of Christ be in the sacrament vnder an inuisible forme when he was otherwhile in the earth in a visible forme as we haue prooued Wherefore your reasons doo not conclude D. Martyr The answer dooth not suffice When Christ appeered vnto Paule he was in heauen for how knowe you that Christ appéered not vnto Paule abiding in heauen according as he was séene of Steeuen sitting at the right hand of God Yea and Augustine vpon the 54 psalme saith that the head which was in heauen cried for the bodie which was vpon the earth and said Saule Saule whie doost thou persecute me Acts. 9 4. Moreouer was not Paule rapted into the
alledged De frigidis maleficiatis Howbeit there be some which saie If he can find anie that will haue him to hir husband so he make knowne this imperfection hée may contract matrimonie with hir But what maner of marriage will that be when it is doone neither for procreation of children neither for auoiding of whooredome Vnto this they answer according to the saieng of Augustine which we read in the 27. cause question the first in the chapter Nuptâ—arum and it is written in the eight chapter De bono conâ—ugali In the old time marriage was an obedience of the lawe now it is for the redresse of our infirmitie and for the comfort of mankind But the place is ambiguous for the comfort of mankind may haue a respect vnto procreation of children sith thereby the parents conceiue no small pleasure wherin they delite themselues Howbeit at this daie they admit this kind of marriage and there be manie found which doo peaceablie liue togither They which intreat of these things haue considered that there is a great difference betwéene coldnesse and old age And they define that old age must neuer be driuen from marriage A lawe that forbad old age to marrie In ancient time was made the lawe called Papia or Papaea vnder Tiberius Caesar whereof Tranquillus in Claudio maketh mention and so dooth Lactantius whereby it was prouided that they which were past thrée score yéeres of age should not marrie wiues and that the women should not be married which did excéed the age of fiftie yéeres But these lawes were abolished by Iustinian as is to be found in the Code De nuptijs in the lawe Sancimus For this coldnesse is not in all persons alike Howbeit neither the lawes of emperours nor of bishops gaue libertie to them which were gelded men indéed to marrie Yet it behooueth that that coldnesse or diuelish practises which may dissolue matrimonie shuld be perpetuall For skilfull men doo sometime make a remedie for things which hurt but for a time Besides this it is necessarie Which be the verie impediments of matrimonie that the impediment be before the contracting of matrimonie for if they once become one flesh marriage is not vndoone Of this matter also wrote the Maister of the sentences in the fourth booke the 34. distinction 74 Now remaineth that we intreat particularlie of the matrimonie of Dauid And this will we first note that he was not mooued vnto that marriage of his owne accord neither of lust or of naughtie desire but by the aduise of his noble men and by the prudent counsell of physicians Neuerthelesse thou wilt saie that a naughtie aduise and a wicked must not be admitted This in verie déed is true but in this matter so far as may appéere neither lewdnes of mind nor naughtie desire can be prooued First old age nothing hindered but that the king might contract matrimonie who perhaps also was thought that as touching coldnesse he might be restored although not to the strength which he was woont to haue yet so as should be fit for his old bodie Certeinlie Abraham was restored when he was an hundred yéeres of age so that after the death of Sara he married another and by hir he did beget children Neither was there wanting naturall helps to Dauid wherewith the physicians thought they might restore him Moreouer if they declared vnto the damsell the old mans impediment and the same being knowen she gaue hir consent she susteined no iniurie It might be added that hir mind was persuaded by God that she should consent for the benefit of the whole kingdome Notwithstanding if she were mooued thereto by ambition the counsell had not béene good But to iudge rashlie of these points it standeth neither with our godlinesse nor yet with our authoritie Séeing these things might be doone of a sincere mind and by the will of GOD I thinke they ought rather to be taken in good part This dooth the historie teach that this damsell was not long with the king bicause within a while after he died howbeit his life which was verie necessarie for the Common-weale was prolonged for a while Yet thus much I will admonish that we néed not labour so much to excuse the fathers of blame who also ought not to be charged vnlesse the historie compell therevnto Neither will we passe it ouer that GOD vsed the occasion of this damsell to oppresse Adonias 1. King 2 17 and to establish the kingdome of Salomon The eleuenth Chapter Of Whoredome fornication adulterie and other noisome things which are contrarie to the seuenth commandement NOw I thinke it good to speake somwhat of whordome or fornication In Iud. 16 verse 4. For as there were manie in old time so now there are not a few which affirme that it is no sinne But I will prooue by the scriptures and by most certeine reasons that it is a gréeuous sinne They which extenuate this wicked crime doo ground vpon diuers arguments verse 20. First in the Acts of the apostls the 15. chapter when in those first times there arose a dissention among the Iewes and the Graecians it was by common assent decréed that the Ethniks should absteine from bloud from strangled from things offered vnto idols and from fornication Héere saie they whoredome is reckoned among those things which in their owne nature are not sinnes wherefore it appéereth that of it selfe it is not sinne For these things were then for a time decréed by the apostles that Christians might liue peaceablie together For No creature of God is euill as Paule vnto Timothie saith 1. Tim. 4 4. Furthermore they saie God would not command that which of it selfe is sinne but he bad Oseas the prophet to take vnto him an harlot Ose 2 1. and to beget children of fornication so that of it owne nature it séemeth not to be euill Moreouer euerie sinne is against charitie either against that charitie which we owe vnto God or else that which we owe vnto our neighbour But in whoredome or fornication there séemeth to be nothing committed against God for his honour and religion is not hurt neither also against our neighbour for there is no violence vsed against his wife neither is there anie wrongfull oppression committed Augustine Moreouer Augustine in his booke De bono coniugali writeth that as meate is vnto the bodie so is the bed for procreation But if a man eate and drinke a litle more than he ought he is not accused of sinne so likewise if a man doo straie a litle in the companie of women he is not to be iudged guiltie of sinne Lastlie those things which God hath forbidden as sinnes are so plaine and manifest that euen by the light of nature euerie one may vnderstand them to be sinnes but fornication in mans iudgement is not so accounted and manie thinke that it is no sinne Mitio in the Comedie in Terence saith Beléeue me it is no wicked
act for a yoong man to commit fornication And there wanted not some in the church of Corinth which were of that opinion So as by these reasons the filthinesse of whoredome is so extenuated that either it is not counted for sinne or else thought that it should be reckoned among the least sinnes 2 We must not haue a respect vnto the reasons of men but vnto the word of God not what men thinke or iudge but what the holie Ghost speaketh in the holie scriptures In the prophets and in Salomon there is detesting of fornication in euerie place Fornication is forbidden by testimonies of the lawe but in the lawe they saie there is nothing decréed against it Séeing they will reson by the lawe I also will bring testimonies out of it whereby it may easilie be vnderstood that fornication is forbidden In Leuiticus in the booke of Numbers and in Deuteronomie the Iewes are forbidden to linke themselues vnto strange women Againe verse 17. in Deuteronomie the 25. chapter it is commanded that there should be no harlot nor common woman in Israell Let these places be compared togither It was not lawfull to haue anie harlots neither strange women nor yet women of Israell Therefore they were all forbidden But some will saie How then had Samson fellowship with an harlot Some of the Hebrues answer Iud. 16 1. that she was not an harlot with whom Samson had fellowship but one that kept a vitling house But forsomuch as that is but a weake answer me thinketh that an other answer must be made The publike weale of the Hebrues was at that time corrupted for they liued then vnder the Philistines Neither is it anie maruell if they had then receiued some of their vices and corrupt maners Wherefore some harlots they had howbeit not by reason of their owne laws but through the vse and conuersation of the Philistines 3 But in the new testament It is forbidden by testimonies of the new testament Heb. 13 14 whoredome is openlie and manifestlie forbidden To the Hebrues it is thus written Adulterers and fornicators the Lord will iudge The Lord is not said to iudge and to auenge except it be for gréeuous sinnes And to the Ephesians not onelie couetous men and idolaters Ephesi 5 5. but also fornicators are excluded from the kingdome of God To the Corinthians also where Paule writeth of excommunication I speake not saith he of all sorts of fornicators 1. Cor. 5 11. but if anie brother be named a fornicator with such ye shall not so much as eate But he treateth much more manifestlie of all this matter in the sixt chapter of the same epistle and that of verie purpose For manie as it is said were of an euill opinion as touching this kind of wickednesse First he saith Meate is ordeined for the bellie 1. Cor. 6 verse 13 c and the bellie for meate but God shall destroie both this and that now the bodie is not for fornication but for the Lord. Moreouer all meate of his owne nature is pure but for the offense of our neighbour we ought sometimes to absteine Howbeit some man might saie Meate is necessarie to liue by It is saith Paule in this life but in the blessed resurrection God shall destroie both the meate and the bellie Wherefore thou must not so much estéeme it that for such a cause thou shouldest offend thy brother It is not commanded that thou shouldest absteine from all meate generallie but from that onelie whereby thy weake brother is offended But as touching fornications saith he of which ye make small account Ibidem there is a far other respect Your bodie is not appointed for fornication but for the Lord. And this must not be passed ouer that Paule with great wisedome saith not that the bodie is not giuen for procreation but that it is not giuen for fornication sith the bodie is also giuen for procreation sake Oftentimes men are woont to excuse their faults and to impute them vnto nature The nature of the bodie saith he is that it may be giuen vnto the Lord so then the rule of life must be taken thereby and not by euill examples The nature of relatiues This is the nature of relatiues not onelie of those relatiues which in the selfe-same thing that they be belong to other but also of those which by anie meanes are referred to another thing as the head vnto the bodie and likewise the bodie vnto the head For when we sée the head we straitwaie require the bodie and againe when we sée the bodie we require the head Such relatiues as the Logicians saie are called Secundum dici The Lord is the head of the bodie of the church and the church is the bodie of his head Wherefore Paule both wiselie and pithilie disputeth when he saith The bodie is not made to this end that it should pollute it selfe with lusts but to be correspondent vnto the head and to be conformable vnto it And he addeth verse 14. God which hath raised vp Christ shall raise vs vp also by his power The first argument was taken from relatiues the second from God himselfe For if he shall raise vp our bodies as he hath raised vp Christ why then doo we shamefullie vse them He procéedeth further verse 15. and saith But doo you not knowe that your bodies are the members of Christ Shall I then take the member of Christ make it the member of an harlot Vndoubtedlie a weightie argument which he concludeth Shall I take saith he the member of Christ As though he should haue said No without doubt for this were to rent in péeces the bodie of Christ And it is a most cruell thing to plucke awaie the members from a liuelie bodie and to ioine them to a rotten or dead bodie But herein the strength of the reason dooth consist Christ cannot commit fornication wherefore if thou wilt commit fornication thou must be first plucked from Christ Here is shewed that fornication is not onelie a sin but also a deadlie and most gréeuous sin bicause it plucketh vs awaie from Christ 4 Afterward he addeth verse 16. He which coupleth himselfe vnto an harlot is beecome one bodie with hir for they shall be two in one flesh And he which is ioined with God is one spirit This place is verie full of consolation Before in the tenth plac art 6. forsomuch as it declareth that we are ioined most nigh vnto Christ from whom we must néeds be plucked awaie before we be made the members of an harlot He which cleaueth vnto an harlot is become one bodie with hir for they shall be two in one flesh The apostle séemeth at the first sight to abuse the words of Genesis in transferring them to whooredome which be spoken of matrimonie For these words were first spoken of Adam and Eue bicause the flesh of Eue was before in the flesh of Adam from whom GOD tooke a
belong vnto religion are only knowē by faith and not by the sense But vnto faith the Scriptures are better knowen than bée the fathers Ro. 10. 17. For faith is by hearing hearing by the worde of God not by the worde of the Fathers But we must specially note that which Paul hath in the first to the Corinthians Comparing spirituall things with spirituall things 1. Cor. 2. 13 for a carnall man doeth not perceiue those things which belong to the spirit of God So then a cōparison must be made that our spirit may be confirmed by spirituall things What is so spirituall as be the diuine Scriptures For they procéeded as I may say immediatlie from the spirit of God But they say that the fathers also are spirituall I confesse for they were faithfull and regenerate But how were they spirituall Verilie not in that they were fathers but in that they were Christians and this is a thing common to all the faithfull And be it they were spirituall fathers yet were they not so altogether of the spirit as they had nothing of the flesh or humane affection for they did not alwaies speake or write or iudge according to the spirit they are euen at variance sometime among themselues So be not the holie Scriptures I adde that in Christ there is neither man nor woman Gal. 3. 28. neither bond nor free but onelie a new creature For the spirit of God is not bound to persons that it should be in this man because he is a king or in that man because he is a subiect for it is common vnto all men A father hath the spirit of God but not in that respect that he is a father A young man hath the spirit of God yet not therefore because he is a young man Augustine against the Donatists the 2. Augustine Booke and 3. Chapter Who knoweth not that the holie Canonicall scripture aswell of the olde Testament as of the new is contained within his owne certaine boundes and that the same is so preferred before all the latter writings of Bishops as thereof may in no wise be anie doubt or disputation But the writings of Bishops which after the Canon confirmed either haue bin written or now are in writing we knowe if that any thing in them haue perhaps scaped the truth must bee reprehended both by a spéech perhaps more wise of some man that is more skilfull in that matter and by a grauer authoritie of other Bishops also by the wisedome and counsels of them that bee better learned And these Councels which are made by particular Regions or Prouinces must giue place without casting any doubtes to the authoritie of more fuller councels which are held by the whole Christian world And that the more full Councels themselues being the former are oftentimes mended by the latter when that which was closed vp is by some experience opened and that which was hidden is knowen And against Maximinus the Arrian Bishop Now saieth he neither I ought to alleage the Councell of Nice nor thou the Councel of Ariminum as it were to giue iudgement before hand Neither must I staie my selfe vppon the authoritie of this nor thou vpon the authoritie of that Let vs contend by the authoritie of the Scriptures which are not eche mans owne but common witnesses of both so that matter with matter cause with cause reason with reason maie encounter together And in his treatise De bono viduitatis what shoulde I more teache thée than that which we reade in the Apostle For the holie Scripture ioyneth a rule with our doctrine that we shoulde not presume to vnderstand more than we ought to vnderstand but that as he saieth we should vnderstand according to sobrietie euē as the Lord hath dealt vnto euerie man the measure of faith 22 But they obiect vnto vs that Paul in the Epistle vnto Timothie 1. Tim. 3. 15. calleth the Church the pillar of trueth Paul calleth the Church the pillar of trueth Whereof the Church is so called I graunt it it is in déede the pillar of truth but not alwaies but when it is staied vp by the word of God And it is called a Church of the Gréek word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which is to stirre vp and it is stirred vp and called forth by the word of God and as long as it doth according thereunto so long it is the pillar of trueth What then Doe we reiect the fathers No not at all But as concerning the authoritie of the Fathers we diminish the superstition of many who accoūt their wordes in the same place and number as if they were the wordes of God In verie déede they wrought and founde out manie things which we peraduenture shoulde neuer haue founde out Yet haue they not so written all things but that we must iudge and weigh what they haue written 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Two waies of iudging obscure things But in iudging of things obscure we must set forth two markes The one of which is inwarde that is the spirit the other is outward that is the worde of God Then if vnto these things there come also the authoritie of the fathers it shall be verie much worth So in ciuil causes Orators when the thing is confirmed do adde other agreements taken from things alreadie iudged and those otherwhile are of verie much weight howbeit the Iudge pronounceth not according to those things for we liue by lawes as saith Demosthenes not by examples Hereby is vnderstoode that saying of Augustine Contra Epistolam Fundamenti Augustine I would not beléeue the Gospell saith he vnlesse the authoritie of the Church should mooue me Here doe the aduersaries marueilouslie boast themselues and crie out that the authoritie of the Church is greater than is the authoritie of the word of God And they bring forth the rule of Logicke Propter quod vnumquodque est tale A rule in Logicke illud ipsum est magis tale that is That whereby any thing is such as it is that it selfe is more such but for the Churches sake say they we beléeue the Gospell therefore much rather we must beléeue the Church An examination of the former rule Let vs examine that rule and sée howe much it maketh for them A schoolemaister was the cause why Virgil should be a Poet therefore his maister was more a Poet than Virgil. By reason of wine a man is drunke or furious therefore wine is more drunken and furious Why doe not these things followe Because in efficient causes this rule doeth not holde vnlesse it be both the whole cause and the next cause not the remooued or instrumental cause But the Church is not the whole cause why we beléeue the Gospell the spirit helpeth also without which we neuer beléeue In déede the scriptures are preserued in the Church and the Testaments are kept safe by the Bishop or Magistrate A proofe that the Church
is inferior to the scriptures but neither the Bishop nor Magistrate may alter them A Notarie or Scriuener writeth actes and bargaines and otherwhile retaineth the writings in his office yet must not greater credite be giuen to the Notarie than to the testator or to them that make the bargaines 23 But they are woont to say that Heretickes beléeue not the Scriptures but that is their owne fault and not the fault of the Scriptures And the obstinate Iewes would not beléeue no not Christ or the Apostles But this must be imputed to their own fault and not to Christ nor to the Apostles What will they saie that they will not beléeue no not the Church For after the Synode of Nice the Arrians both were more in number and more obstinate than euer they were before But why doe they place the Church aboue the Scriptures Let themselues goe vnto the Turkes that by the authoritie and name of the Church they maie bring them vnto the faith Cyprian Cyprian De singularitate ClericoruÌ„ hath an excellent place If saieth he all that we doe we doe it onely to the ende that we may please the Lord vndoubtedly whatsoeuer the Lord whom we séeke to please shall will and command and allow that onelie shal be iust For séeing that seruantes cannot knowe of themselues what will please their lordes vnlesse they follow the commandements of their lordes and that men doubtlesse are not able to knowe the mindes of men like vnto themselues vnlesse they haue receiued that which they shoulde obserue much rather mortall men cannot comprehend the righteousnes of the immortall God vnlesse he himselfe vouchsafe to declare the iudgements of his righteousnesse Wherefore they which shunne the scriptures and make much of the Fathers séeme to me not to be students of diuinitie but of Fathers But wee will saie that which in olde time a certaine Ethnick answered that he cared not for those dimi gods so he might haue Iupiter to bee fauourable Euen so we make not so great account of the sayings of the Fathers so the Scriptures make of our side So as we sée that in olde time it was a laudable custome In old time onely the Canonicall Scriptures were readâ—… the Church that nothing shoulde be read in the Church besides the Canonicall Scriptures and this was decréed in the thirde Councell of Carthage And in the Synodes when the controuersies were disputed both of the one side and of the other at the last the Bishops pronounced sentence out of the holy scriptures wherof we haue a most manifest example in Cyprian For when there was a controuersie in the Councell as touching the Baptisme of Heretickes The third Councell of Carthage euerie Bishop prooued his opinion by the testimonie of the Scriptures Againe séeing we would restore the Church in which the aduersaries themselues confesse many things to be corrupted there is no better counsell than to reuoke all things to the first beginnings of the Church and to the first originals of Religion For so long as we staie in Councels and Fathers we shall alwaies dwell in the same errours So in the Common weales where any thing is decayed good Citizens giue their indeuour that the same maie be reuoked to the first beginnings and foundations of the Citie if so be that those were good A iudgement touching the Canons ascribed to the Apostles Out of the booke of Dowes 24 But Smith kéepeth a great stirre for Canons of the Apostles and vehemently accuseth vs because wee will not by publike teaching receiue them as Canons of the Apostles But I would haue him to tell mée whether they themselues receiue them or no. Perhaps as he is wilfull he will saie yea But in the ix Chapter it is there commanded that a Bishop and any else of the Catalogue of Priests which standeth at the ministration of the holie mysteries if he will not communicate either let him shewe the cause or let him be excommunicate Verilie if he will admit this lawe he himselfe shal be a thousand times excommunicate séeing he is verie ofteÌ„ present at his idolatrous Masse and doeth neither communicate nor yet shew a reasonable cause why he abstaineth from the communion The Communion In the x. Chapter also it is there commaunded that faithfull men which enter into the Church should heare the scriptures Priuate masses condemned should perseuere in prayers with others and should communicate otherwise they ought to be depriued of the Communion Let this fellowe saie whether at this day his Papisticall Churches will haue this Canon to be of force or whether they do receiue it for a Canon or no. Ecclesiasticall men maried In the 6. Canon it is commanded that no Bishop or Priest vnder the pretence of Religion should put awaie his owne wife and that if he should put her awaie he should be excommunicate and finallie if he perseuere he should be depriued Doeth not this place sufficientlie prooue that they which were called to be Bishops might lawfullie retaine the companie of their owne wiues And againe it appeareth hereby that Matrimonie is not so repugnant to the holie Ministerie as these men imagine Which thing is nowe declared by Paul and therefore for the confirmation of this there is no néede of these vnwritten Canons But let vs yet procéede further sée whether these Canons doe so greatlie please Smith In the 38. The Byshops CouÌ„cels to be celebrated twise in the yeare Chapter we reade that the Councels of the Bishops shoulde be celebrated twise in the yeare namelie at the feast of Pentecost and in the moneth of October Here woulde I knowe whether the Papisticall Church receiue this Canon It receiueth it not séeing the Councels of Bishops are rare therein Woe be to Gregorie Nazianzene if this Canon were true Gregorie Nazianzene who not onelie conueied himselfe away from the Councel of Bishops but as it is in a certaine Epistle of his he durst write that he neuer in a maner sawe anie good ende of the Councels of Bishops Certainlie these Canons if they were written by the Apostles as this man would beare me in hand they should no lesse be reckoned within the account of the diuine scriptures than be the Epistles of the Apostles For what priuiledge should be more assigned vnto the Epistles than vnto the Canons if the Apostles had bin authors alike of both sortes of Scripture Did euer anie man recken these Canons among the Catalogue of the Scriptures But yet I minde to adde that which is written in the 8. Canon If any Bishop or Priest or Deacon shall with the Iewes celebrate the holie daie of Easter before the winter Equinoctiall Easterday he shall be depriued This Canon if it had bin made by the Apostles what place could haue bin left for the contention which happened in the time of Victor Policrates and Irenaeus The Ephesians did celebrate Easter after the maner of the Iewes alleaging