Augustine In the old lawe fasting was commanded to be onelie one daie once in a yeare wherein nothing should be tasted vntill night in which place it is not described with what kind of meat they should sup And in Augustines confessions we read that the eating of flesh made not godlie men anie thing the lesse acceptable vnto God 1. Kin. 17 6. And he maketh mention of Elias who being hidden was fed by the rauens with flesh Mat. 3 4. And Iohn Baptist in the wildernes did eate locusts But on the other side Gen. 25 32. Esau being beguiled with the most simple food of pottage sold his birth-right 20 Among the Fathers they continuallie alledge Gregorie What is to be thought of Gregory of whom I make no verie great account for he was the first that brought in manie superstitious things Touching the Fathers that went before him I thinke it hath been spoken sufficient Albeit the same Gregorie bishop of Rome as we find in the decrée the 4. distinction and in the chapter Denique writeth vnto Augustine bishop in England that The laie men were woont euen in the time of Lent to be verie desirous of flesh to fill themselues immoderatelie with the same and he iudgeth Gregories opinion of eating in Lent that the priests and deacons at the least ought to refraine But vnto others he durst not appoint anie commandement or lawe least peraduenture anie worse thing should happen They vrge vs also with Councels whose decrées neuerthelesse haue not alwaies béene firme and how little the bishops of Rome haue regarded them it may appéere in that verie manie both publikelie and priuatelie doo obteine licence for monie to eat egges butter and milke Licence for mony granted by the Pope to eat certeine kinds of meats vpon their fasting daies when as it was otherwise ordeined by those decrées The latter Popes of Rome haue made most seuere lawes concerning these things as they that made it but a small matter to laie manie snares to catch the simple people All these things were ordeined but yet there is no cause why we should therefore grant them to haue beene iust These traditions of men are pernicious bicause as Christ taught at length they make the commandements of God to be of none effect Mat. 15. 3. The Lord commanded How the traditions of men doo violate the commandements of God that we should haue one God and that we should not admit anie besides him at this daie the worshipping and inuocation of saints is confirmed by traditions God forbad images at this daie they be receiued into churches by the decrées of bishops God commanded that parents should be had in honour the tradition causeth that children setting light by that authoritie doo flie vnto monasteries God willeth that our neighbours should be holpen but through these traditions men go from helping of the liuing to helping of the dead The holie scriptures declare that there is but one mediator Christ Iesus who hath procured God to be mercifull towards all our wickednes but by tradition we are taught at this daie that he suffered for originall sinne and for those sinnes which were committed before baptisme but that it is necessarie for vs concerning sinnes done after regeneration to redéeme them by our owne works Thus are the commandements of God made frustrate by the traditions of men Whether the church haue power to make lawes 21 They saie the church hath power to make lawes Which thing I denie not for we are men and it is néedfull euen in those works which apperteine vnto the worship of GOD to haue good order established for which cause we grant that there may be other decrées established in the church But then there be certeine conditions strictlie to be obserued First and foremost Vnder what conditions ecclesiasticall lawes must be reteined that such kind of iustice be not contrarie to the word of God Secondlie we must prouide that we place not the worship of God iustification and remission of sinnes in them Besides this they must not be ouer manie in number least they ouercharge and pester the church Neither must they be decréed in such wise as though they ought to be of necessitie and that they must not by anie means be changed when the saluation of the faithfull shall so require Neither ought they in such sort to be made that if a man without offense and contempt doo not obserue them he sinneth deadlie Wherefore séeing that these lawes about the choise of meats as we haue declared are against the word of God which hath ordeined meats to be frée it is cléere that they are pernicious Moreouer in this decrée of theirs for making choise of meats they repose holines and the worship of God so as they account such as absteine not from the meats which they haue appointed to be neither good nor holie nor religious In processe of time those decrées of theirs haue growne innumerable neither is there anie end of them Augustine Augustine long since complained that All things in his time were full of presumptions so as now the state of the christians was woorse than the bondage of the Iewes Séeing he spake this of the time wherein he liued The sâate of the christians at this day in more bondage than the Iewes what I beséech you would he haue said of our times wherein the church is pressed with infinit burdens First they would haue an abstinence for the Lent time then afterward they added fridaie and saturdaie and in some places wednesdaie euerie wéeke Foure ember wéekes they brought in last of all eues of a number of saints Which times Gregorie the seuenth of that name added that they which will not fast doo sinne as he termeth it deadlie Wherfore seing these traditions be so gréeuous to the church that they may be called burdens intollerable the which Christ did find falt with to be laid on men by the Scribes and Pharisies they ought in no wise to be suffered Finallie thou maist adde that they would haue such choise of meats to be so necessarie and inuiolable that the church could not stand without them And such account they make of their owne traditions that they punish the transgressors more gréeuouslie for them than those which haue broken the commandements of God as théeues adulterers church-robbers and such like 22 They alledge the Rechabites Ierem. 35 2. which are commended in Ieremie An obiection touching the Rechabits for their obedience vnto their father who commanded them to drinke no wine and to enioie no certeine possessions but to wander to and fro and dwell in no citie Vnto whom God bicause they faithfullie performed these things promised a liuelie posteritie and a long induring séed Here they saie that those things which Ionadab the sonne of Rechab commanded to his children make for the choise of meats wherefore the church by commanding of these things dooth not séeme
inserted into the Common places you shall find the Disputations which he made at Oxford with certein learned aduersaries of the Gospell and also a notable sermon of reedification of the church and some learned epistles neither in the Latine booke nor before extant in print but brought to light by mine owne industrie and diligent search And least anie should mistrust that I being not exercised in the studie of diuinitie might not be able to performe so great a charge and faithfullie to translate so notable a worke wherein is comprehended so manifold learning so incomparable knowledge and so diuine vnderstanding especiallie I liuing in the Court as it were in continuall peregrination and as a Rechabit among the children of Israel I thought it good for the satisfieng of you my deere and welbeloued brethren in the Lord to let you vnderstand that although the time of comming foorth of the booke were hereby prolonged yet the faithfull translation of the same was nothing hindered For by this meanes I had fit oportunitie to confer and examine the same with sundrie persons of great learning and iudgment neither did I presume to bring it into light before I had found out the perfect sense of euerie thing and was fullie resolued in euerie word clause and sentence which was hard or doubtfull And herewithall adde that what want of skill soeuer might be ascribed vnto me that hath my care and diligence fullie supplied Wherefore all godlie Readers being by this means persuaded it shall be verie profitable for them to bestowe some time in the studie of this booke whereby perhaps the better learned themselues may more readilie with greater light discerne the hardnesse and doubtfulnesse which otherwhile appeereth in the Latine booke especiallie where some of the ancient fathers be cited Whereby also the lesse skilfull and learned sort by applieng their minds to the reading and remembring of those things which they shall find herein shall be fullie satisfied in the greatest matters and be able to stop the mouthes of the most learned aduersaries in the cheefest controuersies of religion And for this cause would I exhort the ministers of the word not to let passe so good an occasion Whome in the name of Iesus Christ I exhort that they hauing taken vpon them so weightie a charge will not be negligent in their excellent vocation but will wholie dedicate themselues daie and night to all maner of godlie readings necessarie for their function For the better performance whereof if they doo not knowe how to order their studies and to benefit the church I haue at the end of this Preface set downe a breefe waie and example for them to follow with the right vse of common places of the scripture Wherewith if euerie one bicause of my breuitie shall not thinke himselfe satisfied I refer them which vnderstand the Latine to Hyperius an excellent writer to this purpose in his booke De ratione studij Theologici where they shall bee fullie instructed And when they are by this maner of meanes made fit harolds to proclame the name of the Lord in Sion I would desire them and all other which seeke the truth and would gladlie haue the church of the Lord to be restored to the right forme that God hath prescribed in his holie word that they will set to their hearts and hands to the building vp of the same and indeuour by all meanes possible to reduce the wandring flocke vnto their owne sheepefold And first of all ye my good Lords whome I honour reuerence and obeie in my heart with all dutie and seruice ye to whom the seruant of God our deare Souereigne hath committed the sword of gouernment ye which be the nurses and pillers and defenders of the English church ye which be vnto vs as Moses Iosua and Samuel to the children of Israell continue ye the great care and zeale that ye haue alwaies borne to the true religion and prouide that both by the faithfull execution of hir Highnes lawes and by the vertuous example of your owne life the church of England may be commended and well spoken of among all nations But principallie I beseech you put to your helping hand that the Bishops pastours and all others that haue anie commission to gouerne the church and causes ecclesiasticall be so chosen as their godlines of life be of all men allowed their soundnesse of doctrine cleerelie approoued their boldnesse in professing throughlie well tried their gifts of edifieng of all men perceiued and which seeke not for the desire of honour but receiue for edification of the church the liuings honours and authorities giuen vnto them which being performed ye shall be rid of infinit care and businesse otherwise your labours will be no whit lessened nor your heauie burthen lightened but the appeales vnto you will be dailie increased and the troubles of the church remaine vnpacified And this will be one speciall furtherance to the building vp of the Lords temple Furthermore ye that be the Bishops and cheefe Prelates of the congregation my honourable Lords and reuerend fathers in Christ which haue committed vnto you the care of the Lords house and of the ministers of the same I beseech you for the discharge of your owne offices and consciences for the more speedie reedification of the temple and for the desire ye haue of the chosens felicitie ye will haue a watchfull eie vnto your charge and that ye will neither for fauour nor for affection nor for priuate commoditie no nor at the speciall sute of anie mortall man admit anie other ministers than such as bee learned graue and of good report among all men and vnto whom God hath giuen gifts to edifie in the congregation That ye will likewise prouide by your gouernment that all things may be doone to the glorie of God to spirituall edification and to a decent order in the church That ye suffer no notorious fault to escape vnpunished and that there be no occasion giuen to the aduersaries to speake euill of the Gospell for your sakes That ye will by all meanes possible reconcile the diuersitie of opinions and make that we may speake and thinke and beleeue all one thing in Christ Iesus That ye will liue in a continuall peregrination in your diocesse and not onelie visit all your particular churches if it be possible by your selues if not by your faithfull and well chosen officers but eftsoones also search and inquire whether your decrees be executed and all disorders amended Remember if anie part of the Lords house fall to decaie by your default it shall be required at your hands but if it be kept in good plight by your diligence and good ouersight ye shall reape an incomparable reward in the kingdome of heauen What remaineth now when ye and other excellent men haue by your writing and by your teaching and preaching both confirmed the true religion and confuted all superstitious doctrine but that all the aduersaries will be
measure of faith And in the selfe-same parable Mat 13 25. The séed falling into the good ground bringeth not foorth fruit in all parts alike for in some places it bringeth foorth thirtie fold in othersome place sixtie fold and in other some an hundred fold 2 In the example of Abraham Look Rom. 3. verse 22 The nature and propertie of faith which the apostle tooke in hand to intreat of in the fourth chapter to the Romans is verie aptlie described both the nature and propertie of faith For Faith is the gift of God whereby we firmelie assent to his promises striuing against the flesh and against humane wisedome That it is the gift of God Paule to the Ephesians testifieth by expresse words Ephes 2 8. when he saith that By faith we are saued and that not of our selues for saith he it is the gift of God And euen as the philosophers supposed A similitude that the strength and abilitie of men is not sufficient to doo all things perfectlie and absolutelie and therefore held that wée haue néed of habits or grounded dispositions that in sudden cases we might be readie to doo well so as we should néed no long deliberation and the thing which we doo we might doo it both easilie and pleasantlie euen so also ought we for the perceiuing of those things which are of God to haue our mind and vnderstanding strengthened by some power that is from without vs and should be giuen vnto vs séeing that through the default of our first parent we are most vnapt to vnderstand the secret things of God And forsomuch as those things wherevnto our faith hath a respect are altogither diuine it followeth of necessitie that to vnderstand them we be also holpen by diuine inspiration The cheefe obiect of faith But we must now declare what is the chéefest thing wherevnto our faith is directed which to speake bréeflie is the promise of God wherevnto by beléeuing we assent And this promise is chéeflie that wherin he promiseth that he will through Christ be fauourable and mercifull vnto vs. And although in the holie scriptures are read and offered vnto vs verie manie promises of God yet this one is the chéefest for whose sake the rest are performed vnto vs vnto which also all other promises are to be referred This promise as we haue before said is that wherein God promiseth that he will be mercifull vnto vs for Christ his sake And although there be verie manie things which we ought to beléeue as are threatenings histories exhortations praises of God and such other like yet ought all these things to be referred to the persuading of vs to this promise onelie Hereby is manifest what is the chéefest obiect of faith The common or equall obiect for the common obiect or as they terme it the equall obiect of faith is the word of God set foorth in the holie scripture Beyond this obiect faith extendeth not it selfe for as Paule saith Faith commeth of hearing and hearing by the word of God Rom. 10 17 This thing our aduersaries can by no meanes abide The Papists obiect vnwritten verities which they saie must be beleeued for they contend that there be certeine things I knowe not what to be beléeued which are not conteined in the holie scriptures But we saie that faith is an assent that is giuen to the holie scripture and vnto those things which are necessarilie and euidentlie concluded of it The perpetuall virginitie of Marie Among other things they are woont to obiect vnto vs the perpetuall virginitie of the mother of Christ which they saie must be beléeued although it be not mentioned in the holie scriptures They obiect moreouer that the authoritie of the holie scriptures dependeth of the church and cannot be prooued by the scriptures themselues 3 As touching the first it is sufficient for vs Matt. 1 Luke 1. that we are taught by the holie scriptures that Christ was conceiued and borne of a virgin And aboue that to affirme that the blessed virgin was ioined with man in fellowship of the flesh it were rash and presumptuous for séeing there is nothing spoken therof in the holie scriptures nor yet is the same likelie why in Gods name should we either beléeue it or affirme it And contrariwise that she abode perpetuallie a virgin forsomuch as the holie scriptures doo not by expresse words auouch the same it is not to be admitted among those things which must of necessitie be beléeued such as are the things expresselie conteined in the holie scriptures Ierom against Heluidius wrote of this matter for he was woorthilie to be condemned bicause he did rashlie affirme that she was not perpetuallie a virgin Augustines counsell touching this matter And Augustine verie well admonisheth vs that when we come to such places where the sense of the scripture cannot certeinlie be gathered we should not rashlie set our opinion on the one part or the other As concerning the other obiection we haue oftentimes declared that it is not true which they take as granted namelie that the scripture hath his authoritie of the church The scripture hath not authoritie of the church for the stedfastnes therof dependeth of God and not of men And the word was both firme and certeine before the church began for the church was called by the word and the spirit of God wrought in the harts of them that beléeued the word and of them that read it that they did acknowledge it to be no humane word but altogither diuine Wherefore the authoritie came to the word of God from the holie Ghost and not from the church But they saie What Augustin ment in saieng I would not beleeue the gospell except the authoritie of the church mooued me thereto that Augustine writeth against the epistle called Epistola Fundamenti saieng I would not beléeue the Gospell vnlesse the authoritie of the church had mooued me thereto Howbeit Augustine in those words would signifie nothing else but that we must attribute much to the ministrie of the church which setteth foorth precheth and beateth the Gospell into the memorie of all faithfull people For which of vs hath come vnto Christ or beléeued the Gospell but that he hath béene stirred vp by preaching of the Gospell which is doone in the church And yet thereby it cannot be gathered that the authoritie of the Gospell depends of the church in the minds of the hearers For if it were in the power thereof to cause the scripture to be receiued then vndoubtedlie it would long since haue persuaded the Epicures and Turks to imbrace the same But the matter is far otherwise for what authoritie soeuer the church or the ministers thereof haue the same dependeth wholie vpon the word of God For if a man should demand of them how they prooue the authoritie of the church or how certeine they are that it erreth not in the vnderstanding of the holie scriptures
and discerning them from other writings They will answer that bicause it is gouerned by the holie Ghost But I beséech you how knowe ye that Bicause they will saie Christ hath promised Matt. 28. 20 that Hee will be with it euen to the end of the world And bicause he hath also said Matt. 19 18. Where soeuer shall be two or three gathered togither in my name there am I in the middest of them And againe I will send the holie Ghost the comforter Iohn 16 13 which shall lead you into all truth These are the things saie they which persuade vs of the authoritie of the church but I would faine knowe from whence ye receiued these things The church hath hir authoritie of the scriptures but out of the holie scriptures wherefore we may contrariwise conclude that the church hath hir authoritie of the scriptures 4 Further by that place of Paule is declared another difference of faith Faith is a sinne assent Rom. 4 20. namelie that it is a firme assent For he pronounceth of Abraham that he nothing doubted and he vseth this verbe ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã which signifieth To reason with himselfe and to put doubts In which signification Luke in the Acts vseth the selfe-same word for so it is said vnto Peter Acts. 10 20. that he should go vnto Cornelius the centurion ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã that is Doubting nothing Abraham had a respect vnto the will and power of God which made the promise and not vnto his owne infirmitie or to the infirmitie of his wife Without God he had nothing whereby he could promise himselfe anie such thing wherefore as saith the apostle he was strengthened in faith neither doubted he through vnbeléefe which is all one as if he had said Else-where on euerie side were offered vnto him incredulitie and doubting Neither ought this sentence to be reprooued as though we doo féele no such experience in our selues for there is none in whose mind there riseth not at anie time some doubt touching those things which we beléeue for this commeth not of faith but of our infirmitie Of which thing we may be easilie instructed by that which we sée to happen in the habit of anie science especiallie of the mathematicall science for therein is certeintie and that verie great certeintie for there the conclusions doo necessarilie and most euidentlie followe of the premisses But if a man haue not perfectlie learned or perfectlie attained vnto the science hée shall sometimes doubt and this commeth to passe not by meanes of the science but by reason of the fault of him that vseth the science Euen so we bicause so long as we liue here we be weake neither can haue a full and perfect faith Why douts doo sometimes arise in vs euen against our wils therefore doubts doo oftentimes arise vnto vs yea euen against our wils But touching the nature of an opinion thou maiest perceiue it to be otherwise the which is such as there can be no blame laid vnto vs if we somewhat incline to the other part from that which we thinke to be true But the infirmitie which happeneth to vs concerning faith may come two waies for sometimes we firmelie cleaue vnto those things which we beléeue howbeit there are other things behind which are to be beléeued the which as yet we perceiue not And after this maner they which togither with the Gospell obserued choise of meates and other ceremonies are called by Paule in his epistle to the Romans Weake in faith Rom. 14 1. for they knew not as yet that the ceremonies of the lawe were abrogated Sometimes it commeth to passe that we sée indéed the things which are to be beléeued but yet we are not so perfect in faith that wée can firmelie and constantlie cleaue vnto them So Christ called the apostles Men of little faith and especiallie Peter Matt. 8 26 14 31. We must praie vnto God to increase our faith when through doubting hée was almost drowned with the waues of the sea Wherefore as touching each part we must alwaies praie vnto God to increase our faith It is also to be noted that the power of beléeuing commeth of the holie Ghost when as we yéeld not vnto so manie and so dangerous flouds of doubting which doo inuade the mind but doo in the end ouercome them which thing cannot be doone without a heauenlie and supernaturall power But in this assent of the faith What things we are to examine in the assent of the faith we must diligentlie examine both what he is that hath spoken and also what it is that is said and is set before vs to beléeue bicause the diuell dooth studie nothing more than to cause vs to beléeue that God hath spoken that which hée spake not Oftentimes also those things which be spoken by God himselfe are by false deceiuers wrested to a wrong sense are corrupted and so forced vpon vs to be beléeued Wherefore We must praie vnto God that he will not suffer vs to be deceiued séeing we haue néed of reuelation concerning each part we must praie vnto God that he will not suffer vs to be deceiued One of them which writeth vpon the sentences is of this opinion that If it were most assuredlie knowne that God spake anie thing faith therein could take no place for straitwaie saith he by the light of nature we should knowe that it ought to be true which GOD hath spoken vnles we will thinke him to be a lier But this man is woonderfull far out of the waie for we doubt not but that the prophets assuredlie knew that GOD spake in them yet they beléeued those things which they foretold We also assuredlie knowe that God spake those things Whether it followeth that they beleeue which knowe assuredlie that God hath spoken anie thing which are read in the holie scriptures and yet we beléeue them The apostles knew that they had receiued the holie Ghost and yet were they not therefore destitute of faith But that which is spoken of this man should then be true if we could knowe euidentlie by reason or sense that God spake these things which thing can in no wise be doone for they come not to our knowledge otherwise than by reuelation But this man in stead of euidence did put certeintie The last part which is in the definition wherein it is said that this assent wrestleth with the sense and wisedome of the flesh may manifestlie be declared Examples not onlie by the example of Abraham but also by a great manie of other examples God promised deliuerance vnto the children of Israel Exod. 3 8. Exod. 5 6. and yet in the meane time increased their affliction they were charged with a great number of bricks they had no strawe giuen them for their worke they were sharplie and cruellie beaten and when they were alreadie departed out of Aegypt the sea came against them on the
to admit them into the church without that confession yet they did it not by reason of the prescript cautions or prouisos which were prescribed least they might be deceiued It séemed dishonourable vnto them that he which had committed so grosse a sinne should be receiued They feared least the church should haue béene euill reported of First this thing is prooued by the historie mentioned of Sozomenus the which I will now better expound He saith that confession came by the constitution of bishops speciallie of them of the West part and most of all of the Romane bishops but not of the Nouatian bishops which admitted them to no repentance that were fallen after baptisme And the contents thereof was that there should be ordeined in the church one penitentiall priest But these men saie that this is giuen to all sacrificing priests after that they be consecrated by the bishops onelie hée heard them which came to him taking knowledge of their sinnes praied for them and inioined them for a certeine time vnto praier and fasting But bicause a certeine noble Matrone which was vnder the hands of these penance-giuers in the church of Constantinople had dishonour doone vnto hir by a deacon that thing did verie greatlie displease the people wherefore Nectarius did abrogate that confession He hauing taken good deliberation did thinke he might doo this all the bishops which were in that church consented vnto him Nectarius for this cause was not counted an heretike nor yet deposed from his office So then it appéereth that the same confession was not alwaies in the church nor receiued of all sorts If Nectarius may séeme to be but of small authoritie who neuerthelesse was of verie great authoritie let vs heare Chrysostome his successour who also allowed of his iudgement Vpon the 51. psalme in the second homilie he writeth that he requireth not that we should declare our sinnes vnto anie man but vnto God in our harts And in his treatise of the incomprehensible diuine essence against the Anomaei the fift homilie he commandeth that they should confesse their sins vnto God Vpon the epistle to the Hebrues and in a maner euery where he repeateth this thing And if that Nectarius did abrogate confession for one whoredome committed which was openlie knowen what ought to be doone at this daie when it is the nursse of ribaudrie Howbeit least the Graecians alone might séeme to haue béene wise let vs heare what they of the Latine church haue written Leo the pope as the Maister of the sentences testifieth in the 17. distinction and it is also read in the decrées De poenitentia distinct 1. in the chapter Quamuis Although that that publike confession had béene of old he sawe that the same was a dangerous thing for he saith There be manie things which are not expedient to be spoken so openlie neither doo men so willinglie declare them bicause of their enimies least they should be vpbraided and least they should be drawen to their answer in place of iudgement Wherefore he remooued this disallowable custome of publike repentance It is sufficient that they come vnto the priest who may praie for them and tell them priuilie of their faults Thou séest therefore that in stéed of that publike confession he dooth institute a secret and priuate confession Ambrose is cited in the first distinction De poenitentia in the chapter Petrus and it is read in his tenth booke 22. chapter vpon Luke Peter saith he wept and sorrowed bicause he erred as a man I find not what he said but I find that he wept He shewed that he had remission of sinnes not by outward confession The Master of the sentences in the 17. distinction affirmeth Ambrose to haue said that he had not read yet that it was not therfore prooued that Peter was not confessed But Ambrose would attribute much vnto faith and contrition The Master of the sentences addeth Perhaps repentance was not then instituted and yet Christ had alreadie said Matt. 16 19. that he would giue the keies c. If that place prooue a necessitie of confession it was now instituted The same Maister of the sentences and also the decrées De poenitentia distinction the first in the chapter Porro in the beginning doo bring Prosperus in the second booke and seuenth chapter De vita contemplatiuae who maketh the matter to be frée Iohn who was the Glosser of the decrées at the beginning in the first distinction De poenitentia examineth the question Whether confession be vsed by the lawe of God or whether it be inuented by men And he saith that it is an ecclesiasticall tradition adding that the Gréeks allowed not of such a decrée But Scotus inueâheth against him and will haue it to be a part of Gods lawe Touching the Gréeks he saith that it is vncerteine whether they confesse or no that if they doo not they degenerate as they doo in other things 28 Therefore we conclude That sinnes must be coÌfessed vnto God that sinnes must be shewed vnto God himselfe not to the intent we should put GOD in mind of them for he knoweth our harts but that we may knowe our owne selues and sée our owne miseries the which being throughlie considered we may the more feruentlie implore the grace of God Paule saith Let a man trie himselfe 1. Co. 11 28 and. 31. He saith not Let him be tried by others bicause if we would iudge our selues we should not be iudged There is also a certeine practise to be gathered and considered by the histories Moonkerie or sole life was verie much in vse at the time that the vexations of the church first began that which necessitie brought in vse began afterward to please and so they thought them selues godlie if they did liue in solitarie places There haue béene some which for the space of fiftéene seuentéene or twentie yéeres liued sole so as they sawe no man where did they confesse their sinnes The first church knew not of priuie confession Wherefore the first church knew not of that priuie confession They bind all men by their decrée what then will they doo with him that is dumbe They will not receiue confessions by writing they will saie he shall deale by signes All men can not be confessed according to their decree Can the priest vnderstand this How shall he séeke out the circumstances Admit that a man speake in a strange language they will saie he must deale by an interpretour as though a mân would also disclose his mind vnto interpretors Whereas they would haue a man confesse all his sinnes they be fond men for No man can confesse all his sins for he knoweth not all Psal 19 13. Iere. 7 9. Certeine obiections confuted Who can tell how oft he offendeth Ieremie saith Corrupt and vnsearchable is the hart of man innumerable things doo there lurke in his hart They saie that he must doo as much as in him lieth but he
lawes vnto our Churches First that in euerie one sermon there shall not assemble aboue the number of thrée hundreth or fiue hundreth persons Moreouer they require that the ministers shoulde not inueigh bitterlie against the Pope and the Masse They let not but that they may reprooue these things by descriptions in such sort as the standers by may vnderstande but they will haue the names to be forborne for common quietnesse sake least mens minds should be the more bitterlie stirred vp Howbeit these things will not be rashlie admitted by our sort they be as yet desired not finished There shall be also giuen in the kings name vnto churches Letters patents wherein they shal be commended vnto the Magistrates and presidents both of the Cities and of the prouinces Armour and weapons shal be taken away from our sort and from our aduersaries for the hindering of conflicts and slaughters While I was writing these things three of our associates went their wayes The Quéene mindeth to send me backe into the companie and protection of the Ladie Roetelin the mother of the prince of Longauill to whom belongeth the towne of Nuburge She is a verie Godlie woman and within these fewe dayes shée minds to goe thither she will also sende with me some man in her owne name whereby I may the more safelie come home I thinke I haue prouided well for Stukius He shalbée with a certaine noble man of Paris who is both Godlie and rich Hee shall instruct a young brother of his And betwéene whiles it shal be lawfull for him to follow his owne studies and he shall want nothing Farewell my most déere Gossip and most louing brother in the Lord. In the Court at Saint Germans the 2. of October To Theodore Beza 59. RIght woorthie man and most deare brother in Christ we being assisted by the bountifull fauour of God came safely and in health the 5. of this moneth vnto Trois where the brethren assemble together for the pure worshipping of God and that peaceablie and quietlie without any molestation doone of the aduersaries The Church is verie populous and is euerie day increased The Bishop intertained vs verie curteouslie who do the more earnestlie further the kingdome of Christ And he not onelie teacheth his flocke purely but because there is a great doubt in his conscience as touching his calling insomuch as therein he had not the election or confirmation of the people he therefore called the Elders of the reformed Church and prayed them that they would godlie and prudentlie consider whether they would choose him confirme him and account him for their Bishop which if they should thinke fit to be doone he woulde indeuour himselfe to procéede as he hath begun to edifie and as much as in him lieth to increase by teaching exhorting the Church committed vnto him but and if they shoulde not thinke him to be fit for so great a function they shoulde declare it fréelie and openlie and that hee is readie to giue place so he may liue in a Church reformed according to the discipline of the Gospel And he desired that they would spéedilie deliberate with the Church as touching that matter Which thing being doone of them all with one assent hee was acknowledged and receiued as true Bishop Wherefore his authoritie and godlinesse greatlie profiteth the Church of Christ God bee praised which after this manner gouerneth and directeth the kingdome of Christ At Dion there is raised a tumult doubtlesse not by the offence of the faithfull but by the wilfulnesse and furie of the aduersaries For while our brethren were in their holie assemblie they inuaded them and hauing gathered a bande of men they strooke vp the drummes as though they were to fight a maine battaile Seuen horses were spoyled Howbeit our sort got the better hande There be certaine men sent to the court which carie with them the cause plainelie set foorth and as they terme it informed They would haue had me by my letters to commend their cause to the Admyrall and the Prince of Condie but séeing the two principall guides of my iourney sent letters vnto them I thought it sufficient to desire you that you woulde in your owne name and mine doe this vnto them whom I pray you to salute heartilie from me Which thing also I would to be doone vnto my verie louing brother Master Galasius and to the vicount and especiallie to your brother if hée be there present Also my Iulius saluteth you Farewell my verie good brother God mercifullie assist your labours Both the Captains my guides doe verie much salute you From Trois the 6. of Nouember 1561. To Theodore Beza 60. THe 21. day of this moneth right worthie man and welbeloued brother in Christ I came safe and in health vnto Tigure and am all manner of wayes ioyfullie receiued of all sorts of people in the citie And the two captaines of souldiers that brought me home were so honoured by the Consuls Senate and officers and were so bountifullie and noblie intreated as they might easilie vnderstand what account this commonweale maketh of their masters Lastlie there be appointed for honour sake to bring them to Berna But I had rather you should heare these things of them when they come to the Court than to write any more of that matter Further you will not beléeue how much our fellowe ministers reioysed to heare that concorde continued sure and inuiolate betwéene vs all the while that wée were together and not without cause For what can be more ioyful in the Church than brotherlie agréement But of you and other of the brethren there is mention made and the verie honourablie These things be comfortable and as I perswade my selfe will not a little recreate you in your great labours But with this ioy were sprinkled certaine heauy newes For it is writteÌ out of France that from king Philip there bee sent verie threatning letters vnto the Kings gouernours whereby he séemed not to desire but to commaund that the authoritie of the Romane Bishoppe shoulde remaine in Fraunce without impeachment that otherwise he would professe himselfe to bee an open enimie of them who otherwise would than they had decréed Further it was added that the king commaunded that the Bishops which were departed shoulde returne againe to Poyssi and should there confute the confession of the French Churches These thinges séeme vnto vs both newe and hard Howbeit we will giue no full credite vnto them vnlesse we be certified by you which I beséech you my welbeloued brother in Christ that either yée will not differre or neglect to doe Fare you well most woorthie man GOD through Iesus Christ make your labours fruitfull In like manner aide vs with your prayers and earnestlie salute in my name our brethren and friends My Iulius saluteth you and also Thomas Blaurerus who as his letters testifie most hartily loueth you From Tigure the 25. day of Nouember 1561. To Maister Caluin 61. I Departed
to wit Impudicicitie for wantones Longanimitie for long suffering Praecursor for forerunner Euangelize for preaching the good tidings of the Gospell Azyms for vnleuened Bread Parasceue for the daie of Preparation Scandalized for Offended Contristate for making Sorie Propiciat for making Reconciliation Depositum for a thing committed to the hands of another Victims for Sacrifices Prepuce for vncircumcision Contradicted for Spoken against Resuscitate for Stir vp Holocaust for Burnt offerings By iuncture of Subministration for By ioining togither of that which serueth c. and infinite other such obscure and new inuented words which might easilie enough with some small Periphrasis without hinderance of the sense haue beene put in plaine English that can make good anie of your heathenish superstitions What need the common people be now set to schoole to their dieng daie before they can learne that out of Latine by strange and difficult words which alreadie they knowe as perfectlie as their Pater noster in plaine English with a long acquainted custome Was this Christs his Apostles maner of teaching Did they not speake in the plainest termes they could possiblie deuise to make those whom they spake vnto vnderstand them Did not babes and sucklings vnderstand that which the Lord himselfe spake Was not for this cause the gift of toongs sent downe to the Apostles to the intent they might interpret euerie thing to euerie man in their owne naturall language Wherefore be ye better aduised hereafter in accusing of our translations before ye haue purged and perfected your owne and before your gaines in this matter may be comparable to the trauell that you haue taken therein Now then since all these translations of ours haue beene doone by faithfull learned and godlie men and of a good sincere and godlie purpose we praise God perpetuallie and commend the good indeuours of them And we most humblie and earnestlie desire of God that bicause there is no perfect wisedome nor knowledge in man vnlesse it be giuen from aboue and that there were neuer anie mortall men that without the assisting grace of the spirit of God could doo anie thing so trulie and exactlie but others after them might find some imperfection therin it will please him for his sonnes sake to lighten continuallie the minds of men of vnderstanding that they may dailie put to their helping hands to the perfect polishing of this excellent translation And let vs magnifie the Lord of heauen and earth that hath turned the enuie of you which be our aduersaries to the aduancement of his owne glorie the increase of our diligence the refutation of your errors and benefit of his church For ye hating vs vnmercifullie bicause we deliuer the word of God vnto all the people indifferentlie to be read in their owne mother toong and yet being forced to confesse that the same ought not to be deteined from them haue euen against your owne wils in some respect set foorth the glorie of God and so by the selfe-same sword wherewith ye thought to haue destroied vs ye haue pearsed your owne bowels confounded yourselues ouerthrowne your owne counterfet and false doctrine and maruellouslie established the truth of our profession And herein moreouer are we beholding to God though not vnto you which ment not thereby either to pleasure vs or to edifie the people insomuch as by the narrow sifting which yee haue made of our opinions and translations we knowe the verie vttermost which you are able to breath and braie out against vs. And that by this meanes if yet there remaine anie thing that lieth in our power to performe which hitherto hath beene neglected we may run therevnto with all willingnesse of heart till at length we come to that principall marke wherevnto we tend with all our desire and godlie indeuours Moreouer ye contend more vehementlie for all those opinions of yours which we denie than did the ancient fathers with the Montanists Marcionites Arrians and other damnable sects which denied the true humanitie or diuinitie of Christ or as though the holie scripture had as plainlie and preciselie commanded those things as it did euerie other thing that ye and we both alike confesse And yet Christ and the Apostles in setting downe all things in the scripture necessarie to saluation gaue not so much as a word or signe of anie such opinion If your opinions had beene of necessitie to beleeue as yee pretend vnto vs that they are or if so the pleasure of God had beene that we should imbrase them would the holie Ghost haue passed ouer in silence so weightie matters and for the which hee knew so great controuersie should afterward arise betweene the true church and the false Would our mercifull God that so tenderlie loueth his elect and so desirouslie would haue them all to be saued and who suffereth not his truth to faile nor his Gospell to be hidden from anie but from them that perish would he I saie hide from his owne anie of the necessarie principles of religion If he kept nothing backe from the Ephesians but shewed them euen all the counsell of God would he be anie thing lesse mercifull vnto vs than he was vnto them by not shewing to vs in his written word that which by epistles and preaching the spirit taught vnto them No verelie but what he shewed vnto them that hath he shewed vs that is to saie hath plainlie taught vs in the holie scriptures Wherfore laie aside all maliciousnesse and hatred towards vs and discerne with a pure heart and a single eie what the good and acceptable will of the Lord is Againe you would make the authoritie of your church to bee far greater than the authoritie of ours bicause of a great consent of manie Prelates and Bishops You weigh not that there is neither authoritie nor councell nor conspiracie nor consent nor custome which is not agreeable to the will and word of God that is of anie force We knowe that an other foundation besides Christ Iesus which is alreadie laid can no man laie and therefore the true builders will build no other matter vpon that foundation but such as is deriued from the rocke Christ Iesus but ye haue builded your owne vile trash vpon the same and therfore the matter being such as neither Christ commanded to build with nor anie of his seruants long after him vsed nor yet is answerable to the same foundation wee conclude that neither your church is Christs church nor yet the builders thereof the Lords builders But wee for our part haue a more certeine and assured word of prophesie for the knowledge of our church and whereby wee take not vpon vs to woorke the Lords woorke with anie other stuffe than the Lord himselfe hath appointed Wee build altogither vpon the foundation of the prophets and apostles Iesus Christ beeing the head corner stone And we finish the temple euen according to that paterne which is no no lesse euidentlie set downe in the euerlasting testament
places of the fourth part ALbeit that the holie Ghost be the onelie bond that we haue with Christ and the most assured pledge of our saluation and an vndoubted preseruer of all things yet vseth he thervnto diuers and those externall instruments for into the church he gathereth the elect and by the ministerie of the word and sacraments and also by the bond and helpe of discipline he begetteth vs vnto Christ and he feedeth and preserueth vs vnto eternall life And herewithall he raiseth vp and vseth magistrates as well for the preseruation of mans societie and publike honestie as also for the maintenance of pietie and seruice of God so then this last part comprehendeth an explication of these places THE CHAPTERS AND COMMON PLACES OF THE FOVRTH PART chapter I OF the catholike church pag. 1. Of sundrie ministers of the church 3. Of calling to the ministerie pag. 9. Of the dignitie and contempt of the ministers pag. 15. Of the office of pastors pag. 16. Of the efficacie of the ministerie 21. Of the mightie simplenes of the ministerie pag. 25. chapter II Of receiuing or refusing of rewards gifts and offices especiallie by ministers of the Church pag. 28. Of the immunitie of ecclesiasticall men pag. 32. chapter III Whether there may be two heads of the church one visible and an other inuisible pag. 35. chapter IIII Of ecclesiasticall lawes pag. 41. An exposition of the place To obeie is better than sacrifice expounded pag. 44. Of traditions pag. 45. Of discerning of spirits Ibidem Of the authoritie of the Councels Fathers and Canons pag. 46. chapter V Of ecclesiasticall discipline pag. 56. Of excommunication pag. 57. Of order and comlinesse in the church pag. 65. Of temples and their ornaments Ibid. chapter VI Of schisme and whether the professors of the Gospell be schismatikes pag. 68. What is become of them which in times past died in the Popes religion 91. chapter VII Of sacraments in generall pag. 96. Of circumcision pag. 107. chapter VIII Of baptisme baptising of infants and holines of them pag. 120. chapter IX Of the dedication of temples the baptising of bels of oile salt spittle wax and other papisticall corruptions about baptisme pag. 123. Of papisticall holie water pag. 138. chapter X A treatise of the Lords supper with a preface before the same pag. 147. An epitome of the disputation of the Eucharist against Steeuen Gardiner 198. chapter XI Of the communion vnder one kinde pag. 204. chapter XII Of the Masse pag. 215. Of sacrifice pag. 220. Another CoÌmon place of sacrifice 223. Of altars pag. 225 chapter XIII Of a magistrate of the difference betweene ciuill ecclesiasticall power 226. Of tenthes pag. 235. chapter XIIII Of the office of magistrates especiallie in exercising of iudgement pag. 245. That the charge of religion belongeth to princes pag. 246. Of the clemencie of princes pag. 248. Whether it be lawfull for magistrates to let the giltie go vnpunished Ibidem Whether the excuse of Dauid in not punishing of Ioab may be allowed 256. Whether it be lawfull to release iust punishments which are inioined by lawes pag. 260. Of executions and hangmen pag. 264. Of sanctuaries pag. 265. chapter XV Of exile or banishment pag. 270. chapter XVI Whether it be lawfull for a christian man to go to lawe pag. 275. chapter XVII Of warre or battell pag. 280. Whether vnto a iust warre the authoritie of the magistrate be alwaies required pag. 284. Whether it be lawfull for the godlie to haue peace with the vngodlie pag. 294. Of fenses and of spials pag. 296. Of treason pag. 297. chapter XVIII Whether captiues ought to be put to death or saued pag. 300. Of things which be taken by the right of warre pag. 303. chapter XIX Of a seuerall combat hand to hand 308. chapter XX Of nobilitie pag. 311. Of bondage pag. 313. Of debtors pag. 315. Of occupieng of merchandize 317. chapter XXI Of troubles and sedition pag. 319. Whether it be lawfull for subiects to rise against their prince pag. 324. Whether Iehoiadah did right in putting Athalia from the kingdome pag. 325. Of induring of tyrannie by godlie men pag. 328. The contents of those things which be added to this booke of Common places are set downe at the end of the foure parts Certaine faults escaped THere is no garden so well trimmed but hath some weeds no siluer so well tried but hath some drosse no wine so well fined but hath some leeze no honie so well clarified but hath some dregs finallie no humane action but hath some defect meruell not then good Readers that in so huge a volume consisting of so manie leaues lines and letters oftentimes varied both in forme and matter a fault or two doo escape were the Correctors care neuer so great his diligence neuer so earnest his labour neuer so continuall his eies neuer so quicke his iudgement neuer so sound his memorie neuer so firme breeflie all his senses neuer so actiue and liuelie Such faults therefore as are passed being but few in number if it please you in reading fauourablie to amend according as they be here corrected your selues shall be profited and I satisfied Fault Correction Part. Page Colum. Line They Men. 1 143 2 19 anger pride 2 529 2 49 fathers father 2 600 1 25 renewed remoued 4 59 1 58 whordome idolatrie 4 245 1 11 Lord my my Lord. in the additions 113 2 10 These are thought necessarie to be noted others if anie be I refer vnto your owne selues that shall take paines to peruse the whole booke aduisedlie THE Common Places of the famous and renowmed diuine Peter Martyr Vermilius a Florentine selected into foure parts out of his bookes and Commentaries HONI SOIT MAL Y PENSE E R The first part wherein is principallie intreated of the knowledge of God the Creator Of the ends of good and euill among the Christians The first Chapter Out of the Epistle to the Rom. Chap. 8 verse 25. AVGVSTINE in his 19. booke De Ciuitate Dei the fourth Chapter very wel declareth how Christian hope is caried vnto those good things Hope is caried to inuisible things which cannot be séen For if thou askest saith hée a faithfull man what he maketh to be the end of good and euill things he will answere Life and death euerlasting The ends that a faithfull man putteth which things can not be séene nor comprehended by mans reason And therefore the wise men among the Ethnikes being puffed vp with pride would not settle their hope vpon those things For which cause some held that the ends of good things are the goods of the mind some the goods of the bodie and some either vertue pleasure or both ioined togither But GOD laughed them to scorne and sawe how vaine their cogitations were For they would rather account those things for the chéefe good which be tempered with manie miseries and calamities than to receiue those sincere perfect and most firme
is none of all these faculties which hath not speciall precepts appointed vnto it in the holie scriptures and dooth vse all these magistrates and princes for the defence of godlines and for the true worshipping of God eloquence that it may persuade profitable and godlie things gouernement of houshold that new ofsprings may alwaies growe vp vnto Christ and finallie all Arts aswell to the glorie of Christ as to the profit of our neighbours How magistrates and ministers of the Church must behaue them selues one towards another 15 And now as I thinke it may appeare how the ministers of churches which professe these holie scriptures should behaue themselues towards magistrates and magistrates towards them They out of the holie scriptures drawe precepts and rules of the princes function those precepts ought the magistrate to heare which also if he otherwhile transgresse must suffer admonishers and must not be offended if modestlie and with iust reuerence he be corrected And on the other side when ministers shall behaue them selues either negligentlie in their office or against the rules of Gods lawe they may be kept in their duetie by the magistrate and if they will not amend their faults they may be remooued from their place And thus let the ministerie of the church helpe the ciuill power and againe the ciuill power ouersée the ministerie that it may be pure and profitable to the christian Common-weale And in that wée attribute the chéefe power vnto that wisedome which we haue in the holie scriptures it must not be thought that anie thing is plucked awaie or diminished from ciuill administration for that authoritie remaineth still vnto princes and magistrates but we would onelie shew from whence they them selues ought to take the rules and principles of their authoritie that they should not so estéeme of the doctrines of the philosophers and lawes of men as they would straie from the most pure fountaines of iustice and honestie which flowe in the holie scriptures And they shall be able to get vnto them selues this knowledge either be diligent reading of the holie scriptures by them selues which God commanded kings to doo or else they may bée instructed by ministers of the church And whereas it is said that it belongs to the ciuill power to haue authoritie ouer those professions which are to be reteined in a citie and ouer those which are to be reiected from thence let princes magistrates vnderstand that the regard of diuine worship belongeth vnto them namelie that they preserue promote and defend that which is lawfull and that they prohibit and vtterlie roote out that which is vnpure forbidden The second Chapter Of the naturall knowledge of God by the things created whervnto this knowledge tendeth And whether there be anie that knoweth not God Out of the Epistle to the Romans Cap. 1 verse 19. Looke In Sam. Cap. 6 vers 22. PAule in the Epistle to the Romans disputing of the naturall knowledge of God In Rom. 1 verse 19. saith Read after in the fourth Chapter that that which is knowne of God is manifest among them In the Gréek we read ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã As if wée should saie That which may be knowen of God Which therefore is said bicause there be many diuine mysteries Naturallie we can not vnderstand the mysteries of God vnto which wée cannot by nature attaine as is this that God would iustifie vs fréelie forgiue our sins through Christ crucified and restore these verie bodies of ours vnto eternall felicitie These such other like the nature of things teacheth vs not Therfore saith Paule That which might be knowne of God is made manifest in them In that place he declareth what maner of truth it is that they withheld in vnrighteousnes It was the knowledge of things pertaining vnto God which they attained vnto by a naturall instinct And Paule reduceth all those things Two things of God wee naturallie knowe that they knew into twoo principall points namelie the euerlasting power of God and his diuinitie For by the very workmanship of this world they knew God to be most mightie Further they knew by the beautie shew distinction of all things that so great a power was administred by a most high prouidence and wisedome Wherein chieflie consisteth the maiestie of God Also the commoditie and profit of things created taught them the Maiestie of God which consisteth chieflie in this that he dooth good vnto all things These be the things which God bestowed vpon the Ethnikes but they abused the gifts of God Wherfore verie well agréeth with them that similitude A similitude which Chrysostome vseth For thus hée saith If a king should giue much monie to his seruant for the furniture of his houshold amplifieng of his gorgious estate to the end that his magnificence and honor might be the more manifest and the wicked seruant should lewdlie spend the monie vpon brothels and harlots should not this seruant saith he séeme woorthilie rightlie to haue deserued punishment Euen so did the wise men among the Ethnikes behaue themselues The wise Ethnikes abused the gifts of God For they receiued of GOD a verie excellent knowledge of things wherewith when they should haue worshipped and adorned him they turned it to the worshipping of stones and stocks and of images Wherfore not without cause did the wrath of God waxe hote against them 2 And whereas it is written It was made manifest in them neither is it said In all the Scripture dooth seuer the wise and the philosophers from the barbarous vnskilfull multitude For all things were not knowne to all alike which neuertheles happened by the fault of these philosophers For they ought to haue preached openlie and beaten into the eares of the common people those things which they knew The Philosophers hid the knowlege which they had of God Aristotles words vnto Alexander And yet this they did not as did the prophets and apostles but with a proud mind kept these things among themselues yea and after a sort hid them that they should not be vnderstood of all men Wherevpon the epistle of Aristotle to Alexander is much spoken of wherein he saith that his bookes of naturall philosophie are so set foorth by him as if they were not set foorth For the philosophers séemed of set purpose to make their writings obscure to the intent they should not be vnderstood by others Besides this through their arguings they polluted those excellent things which they knew to be pure When they vnderstood that there is but one God and iudged that hée ought to be worshipped they gathered afterward of themselues The original of signes and superstitions Séeing the common people are not apt to worship the high diuinitie that is spred ouer all things for they cannot perceiue it after this maner it shall be well doon to diuide it and to assigne it vnto images The Philosophers diuided the vnitie of
voice of Christ that is to wit doo followe the true and naturall sense of the scriptures Againe we haue in the second chap. of the 1. epistle to the Corinthians A naturall man doth not perceiue those things that be of God 1. Cor. 2 24. neither is he able to do it bicause they be but foolishnesse vnto him But the spirituall man iudgeth all things And againe in the same place Ibidem 10. The spirit searcheth out the deepe mysteries of God And Christ himselfe said The spirit of comfort shall declare all things that I haue said vnto you Iohn 14 26. Also Iohn in his epistle saith 1. Ioh. 2 27. The spirituall vnction shall shew you of all things But some will saie These things be true indéede but we be destitute of the spirit To whom I answere saieng If you haue not the spirit Whether all men haue the spirit of Christ Rom. 8 9. how dare you call your selues christians séeing Paul to the Rom. sheweth vs that They be none of Christs which haue not the spirit of Christ And yet I speake not this as though I were ignorant that there must be degrées of this spirit geuen séeing it is euident that all men cannot haue a like vnderstanding of the scriptures But yet this I affirme Euerie one may gather out of the scriptures so much as is necessary to saluation Chrysost that there is no true christian man to whom so small a portion of this spirit is giuen but that he may gather iudge out of the holie scriptures such things as be necessarie to saluation so as he neglect not to be conuersant in the reading of them both daie and night Which thing Chrysostome vpon the preface to the epistle vnto the Romans hath plainlie declared when he saith This thing commeth not by ignorance but bicause they will not haue this holie mans writings continuallie in their hands Neither doo those things which we knowe if we knowe any thing come vnto vs by the goodnesse and pregnancie of our wit but bicause we being alwaies throughlie affected to that man we neuer cease reading of him For they which loue A similitude doo knowe more than all other the dooings of them whom they loue as béeing carefull of them Wherefore saith he a litle after if ye also will applie your minds and trauell in the diligent reading herof it shall not be néedefull to require anie other thing of you True is that saieng of Christ Seeke Matth. 7 7. and you shall find knocke and it shal be opened vnto you And there is no doubt but that Chrysostom spake these words to all men for he spake them in a sermon to the people And marke well what he affirmeth namelie that if they would but diligentlie reade saint Paules epistles they should not néed of anie other teacher The word is a sure token to find the truth of the scriptures 6 The second note and sure token by which we may throughlie search out the truth of the holie scriptures is the verie scriptures themselues For it is requisite that we should determine that péece of scripture which is hard and darke We must iudge of an obscure place by a more clere place by another part which is more plaine and easie Christ hath giuen vnto his church the old testament the authoritie whereof let the Manichies the Martionits and such other pestilent heretikes fret thereat neuer so much is most stable and sure insomuch as by it The old testament proueth the new Acts. 17 11. the old christians also haue iudged of the new testament It is written in the 17 of the Acts that the Thessalonians hauing heard Paule repaired to the scriptures to sée whether things were as Paule had declared or otherwise And Augustine De doctrina christiana teaching what manner of man a preacher should be willeth him to conferre the places of the scripture together and dooth not send him to search out the opinions of the fathers or to séeke out the determinations of the church or the canons or the traditions of men A third arbitter but no high censor is the consent of the church 7 To these two arbitrers which I haue declared to be the faithfull interpretors of the holie scriptures we willinglie ioine the firme consent and authoritie of the catholike church yet not in such sort that as our aduersaries indeuour to prooue all the iudgement of the scriptures should depend thereon For it is not lawfull either for a councell or for the church to interpret the scriptures as séemeth good vnto them For that were to haue dominion ouer the faith of godlie men Therefore when they interpret the word of God it is their part to prooue that they haue expounded such things according to the consent and proportioÌ of other places of the scripture Wherfore the most dangerous error of the antichrists must be auoided with great circumspection It is not the church that giueth authoritie to the word which presume to saie that it is the church which hath woone authoritie to the books of God where it is far otherwise For whatsoeuer estimation or authoritie hath happened vnto the church all that hath come from the word of God It is detestable to heare that the holie oracles woords of God should purchase their credit of men which otherwise are but liers Yet neuertheles such things they imagine and deuise that when they be found to decrée constitute in manie places of the sacraments and other points of doctrine far otherwise than Gods word doth permit they will maintaine that it is lawfull for them so to doo Looke part 4 chap. 4 art 12 and chap. 6 art 11. bicause the church saie they which hath brought credit and authoritie to the word of God may change alter therein whatsoeuer shall séeme good vnto hir Wherefore that which they ground vpon must by all maner of meanes be resisted Let vs not be brought to thinke that the holy scriptures haue gotten their credit and authoritie by the church And yet I vrge not this much as though I despised or contemned the dignitie of the church Three functions of the church about the word of God For I attribute vnto it thrée goodlie functions about the word of God The first is that I grant she doth as it were a witnesse preserue the holie bookes but it cannot be gathered thereby that it is lawfull for the church either to alter or peruert anie thing in the holie scriptures A similitude The church as a witnes preserueth the holie bookes Experience teacheth vs that both priuate and publike euidences are committed to registers notaries to be safelie kept and preserued and yet no man in his right mind will saie that it is lawfull for them to change any thing in them Neither may we thinke that the power of those registers can be greater than their wils which appointed them to be
put in record And here it shall not be vnprofitable if we consider of the difference betwéene the word of God The word of God first reuealed then written as it was reuealed vnto the prophets at the first that which was preached afterward or published in writting wherein we shall only sée a difference in the time and not in the strength and authoritie For we grant that the word vnwritten was of more antiquitie than that which was afterward put in writing and that aswell both the one as the other was bestowed vpon the church but yet as we said before it was not lawfull for the church by any meanes to wrest or alter the same Secondlie we doubt not The duty of the church is to preach publish the word but that the churches part is to preach and set foorth the word of God committed vnto it wherein it is likened to a crier who notwithstanding he proclame the statutes of a prince or magistrate A similitude yet is he not either of more or of equall authoritie with them But all his labour is faithfullie to proclame all things euen as he receiued them from the princes and magistrates For if hée should so doo he might be counted a traitour Wherefore it behooueth the ministers of the church that they prouide and indeuour nothing more than to be found faithfull 8 Thirdlie we also acknowledge it to be the function of the church The church discerneth the true scriptures from not canonicall that séeing it is indued with the holie ghost it should descipher discerne the true and proper books of the heauenlie word from them that be not canonicall Which office doubtlesse is not to beare a higher authoritie than the scriptures as many doo foolishlie dreame For thus they saie Forsomuch as the church hath accepted and allowed some scriptures and hath refused other some to be no scripture therefore it hath authoritie to determine of them as it listeth But this is a verie weake kind of argument We will grant in verie déede that the ancient church had such an abundance of the spirit as thereby they easilie knew which of those that were presented vnto them were the true proper words of God and these as canons and rules of Gods word they disseuered by a spiritual vnderstanding from the other books called Apocrypha which being once done it was not lawfull for the church to make what interpretation it would but both the spirit of Christ must be harkened vnto and also the consent of all the places of scripture must be diligentlie considered The verie which thing we sée dailie to be done When a kings letters are brought to a citie or prouince A similitude the lieutenants and gouernours of those places by verie vse and morall skill knowe well inough whether the letters which be deliuered in the name of the king be true or counterfeit but when they shall perceiue them that they be neither fained nor depraued it is not lawfull to alter transforme and wrest them after their owne will Euen so must we thinke of the church For it is not onlie a faithfull witnesse but also a sure kéeper of Gods books and yet it is not lawfull for the church to appoint anie thing in them otherwise than God himselfe hath prescribed There be a great many that can iudge which be the right works of Aristotle and of Pâato and which be not who neuerthelesse are not straight way to be thought comparable to either of them in learning And amongst vs christians euerie one can easilie espie the difference betwéene God and the deuill and yet must we not be compared with God and much lesse be thought to excell him Euen so the church must not for this cause preferre hir credit or authoritie aboue the scriptures Augustine 9 But they alledge that Augustine saith I would not beléeue the gospell vnlesse the authoritie of the church should mooue me But that place of Augustine hath this latine word Commouéret that is to saie To mooue with the help of another thing and not simplie To mooue of it selfe Faith is powred in by the holy ghost and the ministers work togither by him For vndoubtedlie it is the holie ghost which powreth in faith to the hearers of Gods word And the ministers of the church being his instruments are rather to be said to mooue togither by him than absolutelie by themselues The same Augustine against Faustus in the 28. booke and second chapter writeth that the heretikes called Manichei should aswell beléeue that the first chapter of Matthew was written by him as he beléeued that the epistle called the foundation of their religion was written by Manicheus bicause it was so preserued among the elders of their religion and so came from hand to hand at that time And therefore it must on this sort be vnderstood that the church mooueth vs to beléeue the gospell bicause it faithfullie kéepeth the holie scriptures preacheth them and discerneth them from other writings The same father in his sixt booke of confessions the fourth fift chapters dooth plainlie witnes that God himselfe doubtles giueth authoritie to the holie scriptures Tertullian Irenaeus Tertullian Irenaeus standing in disputation with the heretikes did therefore send them vnto the apostolike churches bicause they allowed not full and wholie of the scriptures wherefore they would that they should vnderstand the sense and meaning of them by such churches as were certeinelie knowne to be apostolike For méete it was that such churches should be continuall witnesses and preseruers of the bookes of God And yet did they not by this meanes affirme that the authoritie of the church is to be preferred aboue the scriptures 10 But our aduersaries saie that they are led by a common rule vaunted by the Logicians namelie That thing is to be iudged the more so A rule in Logicke for the which another thing is so Wherevpon they gather this reason If the scripture haue authoritie by iudgement of the church then it followeth that there is a more authoritie in the church than in the scripture But they consider not how that sentence of the Logicians taketh place onelie in such causes as are called finall but that in efficient causes it is not firme For although this inferiour world of ours be warmed by meanes of the sunne and planets it followeth not Similitudes that the sunne and planets be therefore more hot than the things which they haue warmed Likewise surfetters and intemperate men are droonke by reason of wine but we cannot conclude thereby that wine is more intemperate than they Yea the Logicians teach that the foresaid rule is then firme and true in efficient causes when they be brought whole and perfect not when they be mangled and vnperfect Which point doubtles is smallie obserued by our aduersaries in this argument For the church is no efficient cause of that authoritie and credit which
the scriptures haue with the faithfull For if it were so it might easilie persuade the Turks Infidels to beléeue the scriptures and the Iewes to imbrace the new testament And how true this is the thing it selfe testifieth 11 Furthermore these men should be demanded What church it is to whom they appoint so great a iudgement and authoritie ouer the scriptures If they will answere that they attribute the same vnto bishops these be verie oftentimes but shadowes or vizards neither doo they vnderstand what the holie scriptures doo containe and commonlie their life is such as it is not lawfull to eate and drinke with them And séeing they are perceiued to be such sensuall men who will allow them to be the chéefe iudges of spirituall things Of the fathers But if our aduersaries had rather flie from them to the godlie fathers of euerie age to learne the truth of the scriptures I denie not but that true iudgment hath manie times béene found among them and yet not alwaies For they disagrée manie times among themselues they change they make retractations and diuers times some one contendeth and disputeth against another I knowe they will saie at the last Of the councels that we must haue recourse to the generall councels as though they neuer erred The generall councell of Ariminum Looke part 4 place 4 art 10. made altogither for the Arrians The second councell of Ephesus fauoured the heresie of Eutyches The councell of Chalcedon so erred as it intituled Leo bishop of Rome to be the vniuersall bishop of Christ his church But the holie man which was not present there hearing of it did vtterlie renounce such preeminence And in a councell which Cyprian held a great errour was committed when it was there decréed that heretikes baptised out of the faith of the catholike church if they returned vnto it should be baptised againe Also the synod of Constance did wickedly condescend that the halfe communion should be ministred to the laie people and manie other errors committed by generall councels might be alledged For since they be but men which determine matters propounded in generall councels they intermingle much carnall and humane sense and therfore we must not subscribe to the opinion of them vnlesse it shall appéere that the same dooth verie well agrée with the scriptures Had not Peter erred Galat. 2 14. vnles that Paule had openlie resisted him Wherefore If Peter erred much more the fathers and councels may erre if so great an apostle was not frée from falling into error what shall we thinke of other miserable and fraile men whom we sée verie often to be turned to fro into manie minds and affections Let all things therefore without anie further delaie be reduced and brought home to a iust examination of the scriptures and so shall we iudge vncerteine matters by certeine and doubtfull by those things which be out of all doubt For euen as the word of God is sure and continueth for euer so mans ordinances are euer doubtfull wauering and inconstant These things must not bée so construed as though wée would that godlie brethren should haue no audience in godlie assemblies or as though wée sought altogither to take awaie the authoritie from fathers and councels we speake not these things to anie such purpose we couet to attribute to euerie one his iust commendation so that there be not attributed vnto men that which is méete for God onelie And let that saieng of Paule to the Galathians be alwaies sounded in our eares that If an angel from heauen shall shew vs of anie other Gospel Galat. 1 8. than is contained in the holie scriptures let him be accursed And thus much shall suffice on this behalfe to declare by what notes marks the truth of the holie scriptures may be perceiued How one may obtaine the meanes to vnderstand the scriptures 12 Now let vs reason by what meanes euerie man may obtaine to himselfe that power of vnderstanding the word of God which we spake of before As touching the first interpretor which we said to be the holie Ghost the meanes to haue accesse vnto him is by praier And therefore Dauid praied on this wise Psalm 119 12. and 18. Open thou mine eies ô Lord that I may see the woonderfull things of thy lawe And againe Teach me thy iustifications Giue me vnderstanding I shall diligentlie search thy commandements And well néere innumerable of these saiengs there be in the 119. psalme Further Paule prateth in his epistles that wisedome Phil. 1 8. spirituall vnderstanding and the eies of discretion to knowe the wil of God might be giuen to those holie men to whom he wrote But as touching the other meanes whereby wée may discerne of the holie scriptures the word of God I meane we must vse no small industrie Diligence must be vsed in coÌparing scripture with scripture whereby we may be able to confer places with places and by those which be most plaine to iudge of them which be most obscure And herof it came that Paule warned his scholer Timothie 1. Tim. 13. that he should be diligent in reading And hée himselfe when he laie bound at Rome 2. Tim. 4 13. desired that Troas might be sent vnto him with his booke parchments which he had left behind By these things we may gather that they which in the interpreting of the holie scriptures doo fall into error may impute it to themselues for that they haue not béene earnest inough in praier nor yet vsed sufficient studie about them Neither ought anie to be discouraged from this excellent exercise No man must be discouraged with the homelie stile of the scriptures A similitude bicause of the plaine homelie phrase of the holie scriptures For euen as within a simple shell is found a pretious stone and out of sorie chaffe is shaken out most profitable corne so out of the plaine and vnpolished spéech of the holie scriptures is brought to light the most sincere and manifest knowledge of the truth But aboue all things take héed that thou approch not to the reading of the scriptures if thy mind be hardened with a preiudicate opinion Laie aside all affectations let thy comming bée wholie to learne and not as is the vse of heretikes violentlie to drawe them to thine opinion An exhortation to the reading of the scriptures 13 Wherefore the surest reléefe that is brought vnto vs by God and which is euer ready at hand Out of the epistle to maister Cooke set before the epistle to the Rom. Consolation by the scriptures is the holie scriptures which we must haue alwaies readie about vs as our herbe of comfort For if ignorance and blindnes be our disease there light is by which it may be shaken off If we be disquieted with manie troubles and vexations of the mind or else if our conscience bée ouercharged with the heauie burden of our sins
men are not right and acceptable vnto God vnlesse they be the branches of faith hope and charitie the which we estéeme for the chéefest vertues We agrée with him also as touching the continuance for we require a perseuerance while we liue héere and in the world to come we beléeue to haue euerlasting blessednes Onlie in this there is a disagréement betwéene Aristotle and vs that he requireth the good things of the world but we affirme that they are not of necessitie héere in this world vnto a Christian to make him blessed 2 The opinions of the philosophers concerning felicitie may thus be distinguished Sundrie opinions of the philosophers as touching felicitie so as we may saie that some of them were notable hauing famous patrons but others vile and obscure bicause they came from men of no account and be not confirmed by strong and euident reasons And of this kind are found health riches and such like whose defenders were no notable men To the other kind belongeth pleasure honestie vertue to liue agréeable with the first gifts of nature knowledge c. Simple ends and conioined ends These indéed are the ends which are accounted without mixture And there be some that haue other things ioined with them for some men vnto vertue doo ioine pleasure others vnto honestie ioine a fréedome from sorrowe othersome with vertue doo ioine the accomplishment of a perfect life Augustine against Iulianus Scyllaeus blameth that good which is compounded with pleasure for in that honestie is placed therein it representeth a shew of man the pleasure which is mingled is a brutish thing But he that will more fullie vnderstand of this matter let him reade Cicero as well in his second booke De finibus as in his Tusculans quest and thou maist also sée that sometimes some of them disagrée with themselues and that which they first iudged to be the chéefest good straightwaie they refuse it for they which being whole made small reckoning of health afterward being destitute thereof placed it in the chéefest good which also hapneth to them that be pressed with pouertie for such not onlie make great account of riches but aboue all things séeke for the same And these whom we haue spoken of doo appoint some thing shat should be euident and manifest For these things namelie pleasure riches and honors be so plaine and euident that they are apparant euen to the senses Yea and Epicurus said that he therefore thought pleasure to be the chéefest good bicause it was the most knowen and most euident good thing And he said that pleasure was no lesse knowne to be the chéefest good than snowe to be white or fire hot Varro sheweth that the number of opinions concerning this matter was verie great as Augustine declareth in his booke De ciuitate Dei for he saith that there might be reckoned two hundred fourescore and eight opinions touching felicitie Let vs then séeke the cause why there arose so manie and so variable opinions thereof which therefore we saie came to passe bicause men did not deliberate of this matter with the better part of their mind but rather counselled with their owne affections which as they be diuers and doo diuerslie stir vp the affections they inclined mens minds vnto so manifold and sundrie ends A man may sée yoong men which diuers waies being hot in loue thinke themselues blessed others make their bellie their God some haue giuen themselues like bondslaues to the séeking of honor There be some such also which thinke that nothing is to be preferred aboue riches and the libertie of the Cynicke philosophers verie well pleased Diogenes and his like But if that reason it selfe had bin consulted withall in this matter aboue the senses and affections without doubt we should not haue had so manie and so contrarie opinions Now since there be or may be so manie in number to reckon all much lesse to examine them should be ouer-great labour Wherefore that we take not a superfluous matter in hand we will in this treatise choose those things which might easilie deceiue vs séeing a great likelihood of truth is discerned in them Eustratius which Eustratius shewed by a verie learned similitude A similitude If one saith he sée a stock-doue he will soone thinke he séeth a pigion which will not happen vnto him when he séeth an eagle séeing the same is far vnlike vnto a pigion So we may iudge that there be some opinions of blessednes so far from the truth as verie few or none can be deceiued by them and againe others in a maner so néere ioined vnto the truth as it is not in all men to discerne or knowe them one from another wherefore those that be of this sort ought not to be passed ouer but to diligentlie be examined Aristotle declareth that men as touching the chéefest good things bent their opinions vnto those kinds of life which they had determined to followe which indéed are reckoned to be thrée namelie delightfull ciuill and contemplatiue But if thou shalt demand the causes why one will incline to this kind of life another to that Why men doo seeke diuers kinds of life manie causes may be shewed for manie in the execution of their affaires and ordering of their actions doo followe the constitution of their bodie wherein if they be giuen to surfeting to drunkennes to the flesh to excellent and good arts to reuenging of iniuries then they speciallie thinke themselues happie when they haue obteined those things wherevnto they are mooued by a certeine naturall prouocation Others are greatlie desirous to atteine this or that thing being brought therevnto by education and it doth not seldome happen that they become like vnto those men with whom they be conuersant and be ioined in frendship Againe vnto others and those without doubt not a few nor alwaies euill men it is argument and cause inough for them to prosecute anie thing bicause they regard their authoritie which gouerne either the common wealth or church or schooles or warfare For looke what princes graue and wise men whose authoritie is verie great doo choose vnto themselues as an end and thing most to be desired that doth a great part of men take in hand and wish according to that woorthie sentence of Plato and of other wise men Such as the kings and princes be Such princes such people such are their people When England had king Edward who was a godlie prince and giuen to good learning Godlie king Edward the sixt all the youth indeuoured to imitate his labours Causes indéed these be but yet no iust causes We ought not to be mooued by authors nor by examples nor yet by the force of bodilie constitution but by the suggestion of reason and of the mind and by the weight of the things themselues But to follow Aristotles similitude héerein the common people are like vnto bond-slaues and brute beasts For this séemes to be the
commandeth verse 10. that We must not labour on the sabboth daie the enimie besiegeth the citie and that on the sabboth daie 1. Mac. 2 14 bicause he knoweth that that lawe was laid vpon the citizens Here séemeth a contrarietie of the precepts for on the one part safetie must be mainteined and on the other part the sabboth must be obserued The Machabeis iudged it best to fight bicause the safetie of the common-weale séemed greater and better than the ceremonie of the sabboth Also the lawe is Prou. 25 21 that we should féed the hungrie and an other lawe commandeth Exod. 29 32 that the shew-bread should be eaten of none but of the priests Dauid came hungrie vnto the priest 1. Sam. 21 6 nothing he had but the shew-bread wherefore here commeth togither two contrarie precepts The wise priest followeth and obserueth that which is the woorthier namelie to féed the hungrie he brought out the shew-bread and helped Dauid There is also another lawe that we must furnish the prince with armor for he is to be holpen by his subiects and contrariewise it is commanded Leu. 22 c. that things consecrated vnto God must not be translated vnto other vses Dauid the kings sonne in law which warred for him as his generall lieutenant 1. Sam. 21 9 was then vnarmed the priest had no weapon at hand but the sword of Goliah Here be two precepts which séeme contrarie the priest followeth the one and deliuereth the sword vnto the magistrate bicause he iudged it better to arme the magistrate than to obserue the ceremonie Also there is a lawe that the church must not be depriued of ministers Ephes 4 11. so as it should be destitute of them and Paule hath another lawe that a nouice or man newlie entered into religion 1. Tim. 3 6. should not be a bishop The church of Milane was much troubled bicause it could not find a méet bishop that as well was frée from the heresie of Arrius as also that had great authoritie and learning giuen him of God onelie there was Ambrose but yet a nouice and newlie come to the faith Here are two lawes met in shew contrarie one to another but it was méet for the lesser lawe to giue place to the greater for Christ so taught Matth. 9 13 Ose 6 6. when by the sentence of the prophet he saith I will haue mercie not sacrifice Howbeit he meaneth not that he will not haue sacrifice but that if two commandements méet togither whereof the one belongeth vnto mercie and the other vnto sacrifice he testifieth that he had rather haue mercie than sacrifice In 2. Sam. 3 verse 12. 14 Hitherto also may be referred that Augustine vnto Publicola discréetlie and largelie disputeth whether it be lawfull for a christian man to receiue of an Ethnike an oth by false gods and at the end he concludeth that it is lawfull For when as the Romans had on euerie side neighbours that were idolaters it was of necessitie that they should kéepe with them some ciuill faith and couenants Indéed it behooued that they should haue sworne by the true God but when that might not be brought to passe it remained that the Romane christians should abuse their naughtinesse and receiue that oth which was offered by the names of the idols Gen. 31 44. For so Iacob receiued an oth of Laban when he doubted not but that he worshipped the gods of Nachor his father There is an excellent historie extant in the 41. chapter of Ieremie Ierem. 41 2. when Ishmael had slaine Godolias he incountered with certeine men going to worship at Ierusalem those also he led out of the waie and slue Of these men there were ten that said Slaie vs not we haue honie oile and graine if thou wilt pardon vs our life we will shew thee where those things be Those men may séeme not to haue doone rightlie in shewing of their goods vnto théeues for that was to be willing to helpe manifest robberie For they could not haue found nor taken awaie those goods vnlesse they had béene shewed vnto them howbeit they in verie déed vsed the wickednesse of other to saue their owne life So may he be excused which taketh vp monie vpon interest for that would he not doo except he were constreined through want and necessitie and when he is compelled to be at another mans deuotion he suffereth iniurie but dooth it not So Paule vnto the Philippians saith that There be some Phil. 1 15. which teach the Gospell through euill will and yet he saith that Therein he reioiseth yea and will reioise for that they Ibidem 18. if they doo anie thing of an ill will shall render account vnto the Lord not that he would warrant their offense And here it must chéeflie be considered whether the thing it selfe in his owne nature be euill For if it be then must we not in anie wise allow the same by our consent if it be not there is no let but that being forced by necessitie we may assent therevnto so as the same may be vndertaken without anie fault of ours But yet in the meane time must he with whom we in such wise doo compact or consent be admonished of his fault 15 Yet there commeth a question In Iudges 19 verse 14. whether that old man which is spoken of in the 19. of Iudges and 14. verse did right when he promised his daughter and the Leuits wife vnto the Gabionits to the intent they should not doo violence vnto his ghest All the writers answer it not after one maner Some saie that he had respect vnto the greatnes and gréeuousnesse of the crime and preferred the lesser euill before the greater and that he would not breake the faith which he had giuen to his ghest and they thinke that by such reasons he was to be excused None otherwise iudge they as concerning Lot Gen. 19 8. Chrysost Ambrose And among the rest Chrysostome greatlie commendeth Lot in that matter Which Ambrose also doth in his booke of Abraham the Patriarch for that he made lesse account of the iniurie of his house than of so great a villanie Augustine But Augustine in his questions vpon Genesis dooth weigh these things more diligentlie and narrowlie and denieth altogither that the recompensing of one fault with another is to be suffered In his iudgement it was not lawfull for him to yéeld his daughters to the lewd lust of the Sodomites thereby to kéepe them from a more gréeuous sinne Neither is it lawfull that we in our owne selues shuld commit a lesse fault to auoid a greater for the apostle doth plainlie teach that We must not doo euill Rom 3 8. that good may come of it Wherefore when the matter commeth to sin although it séeme to be but light yet it must be wholie forborne And if anie matter more hainous might séeme to insue by the delaie
part taketh awaie all excuse that there they worship not God but creatures And Claudius the bishop of Thurine said If thou haue pictured vpon the wall Mars Venus and Mercurie thou hast no true gods and when thou hast there Paule Peter Iohn thou hast not verie men wherefore the error is not quite taken awaie but altered Paule also said vnto the Corinthians 1. Co. 10 19 We knowe that an idoll is nothing but that which the Gentils doo offer they offer vnto diuels Vndoubtedlie if the excuse brought now by our aduersaries were of anie weight the Ethniks would easilie haue said vnto the apostle Thou hast doone vs a manifest iniurie for our purpose is to offer the sacrifices which we slaie vnto God and not vnto diuels An other obiection more foolish Also we méete with others more foolish which saie that this precept was giuen vnto the Hebrues that it ought to be reckoned among the ceremonicall precepts but that now the ceremonies being abrogated we are no longer bound by it An answer They consider not that in the table of the ten commandements there was nothing commanded which did apperteine vnto the ceremonies onelie the kéeping of the Sabboth daie excepted wherein neuerthelesse some morall thing presenteth it selfe vnto them which diligentlie doo behold the same Augustine in his 119. epistle vnto Ianuarius dooth acknowledge the same I beséech you let these wise men consider that if this thing should haue béene reckoned among the ceremonies the Ethniks had not sinned in the honouring and worshipping of images bicause they were not bound vnto the ceremonies of the Iewes Moreouer it is euident that that ceremonies of the old testament were not reuoked by the apostle nor yet the yoke of them laid vpon the Gentils who neuerthelesse in expresse woords commanded that idols and images should be auoided 22 Séeing therefore it is plentifullie enough confirmed Whether images ought to be put in temples Note that images must not be worshipped nor adored now it resteth that we examine this whether it be lawfull to set them in holie places where the congregations of the faithfull resort Some affirme that it is lawfull so the worshipping of them be forbidden But in my iudgement it must not be allowed that they should be had in churches first bicause it is a verie dangerous thing And experience hath taught whither men at the length thorough beholding of them fell when they sawe them placed in the temples for they worshipped them The waie therefore that leadeth vnto idolatrie must be cut off from the faithfull Augustine writeth verie well and religiouslie of this matter vpon the 113. psalme When images saith he be set in a high place or else in some tabernacle a naughtie affection is bred in mens minds whereby the diuell is inuited to intermedle himselfe Also in his 49. epistle Ad Deo gratias he was of the same mind And surelie we perceiue that this thing hath happened Neither will I passe ouer the same father in his sixt sermon vpon the Lords sermon made in the mount They declare saith he in what place and estimation they account the image when they appoint to erect an altar vnto it for vnlesse they thought that either it were god or had some diuine power in it they would not erect an altar therevnto Wherefore by this saieng of Augustine almost all the temples of the Papists are condemned wherein alwaies in a maner altars are ioined with idols Epiphanius Besides it may be prooued by the example of Epiphanius that they ought not to be had in churches He being in his iournie and happening into a certeine towne that was called Anablatha did sée as he passed by a certeine candle burning and demanding what place the same was he vnderstood that it was a church or a place of praier for the faithfull wherefore he entered in that he might praie vnto God And he sawe a curteine hang wherein was painted the image of a man as if it had béene of Christ or of a holie man insomuch that when he sawe the picture of a man hanged in the church contrarie to the authoritie of the scriptures he both plucked downe and rent the curteine and counselled the sextons of the church that they should carrie it foorth and wrap a poore dead man in it Moreouer he wrote vnto Iohn bishop of Ierusalem vnto whom the cure of that place belonged that from thence forward he should take héed that such hangings otherwise than religion would permit should not be suffered in the church of Christ And that epistle séemed vnto Ierom to be of such weight as that he vouchsafed to turne it into Latine which he would not haue doone if he had not béene of our mind The latter synod of Ephesus Also the latter synod of Ephesus condemned images howbeit the same synod is not allowed and that vpon iust cause insomuch as it fauoured the heretiks Nestor and Eutyches Such is the hap not onelie of humane affaires but manie times also of ecclesiasticall that euill things are mingled with good Wherevpon it commeth afterward to passe that not onelie euill things but good things also togither are therewithall reiected Emperours which were Monothelites So we sée it happened vnto some of the Graecian emperours which abolished images for Philippicus the first Leo the third Constantine and Leo the fourth bicause they were Monothelites that which on the other side they iudged aright of images was reiected Which also commeth to passe at this daie when by reason of the corrupt conuersation of them which professe the Gospell their sincere doctrine is cast out Also the synod of Eliberinum condemned images wherein was decréed that within the walles of the churches there should no image be painted least such a thing should be pictured out as might be worshiped Peresius when he perceiued himselfe to be hardlie beset with the saiengs of these fathers he said vnaduisedlie A shift of Peresius that Their mind was not to haue all images to be taken awaie but onelie those which were made deformedlie vpon the walles and not likewise those that were doon vpon clothes tables But afterward when he perceiued that this also was but a vaine shift he calleth to remembrance that this sort of pictures ought well to be taken away for a time bicause men in those daies worshipped them with the honour due vnto God And in this opinion he is against Gregorie which decréed that they should not for that cause be taken awaie but rather that men should be warned not to worship them Peresius also determined that after the same reason and sort Epiphanius was to be excused 23 Whereas afterward our aduersaries demand of vs What they be that destroied images 1. King 18 4 what woorthie men we haue séene to be destroiers of images We answer Ezechias a most godlie king which brake in péeces the brasen serpent Moses also which brake in sunder
against him which is the author of the contumelies for then it were a lie The thing which is iust must iustlie be doone But thou saiest that he himselfe dooth lie thou must not become like vnto him If in those cases which I haue expressed reproch be not repressed at the least wise we shall declare by liuing well by the déeds themselues which in words we cannot that he hath made a lie Manie haue béene content to vse a generall reason namelie that the spirit will teach vs when iniurie is to be suffered and when not and that euen at the verie push we should take counsell The Ethniks would saie that we ought to followe wisedome and reason Howbeit I thought good to open these points somewhat more particularlie 6 Come we then vnto Dauid He vsed thrée reasons The reasons of Dauid weighed the which must onlie take place in those cases wherein iniurie and reproch ought to be suffered and not generallie for sometimes they are to be suffered The first reason was Hinder ye not the counsell of God God hath commanded him to curse me c. To this we saie that in that case the reason is good not that we should conclude generallie then there should be no wickednesse punished We would alwaies saie It is the counsell of God he will take it awaie when it shall séeme good vnto him The second reason is I abide greater things at the hand of my sonne and shall I not beare these things This is a good reason to comfort our selues in affliction and to make vs circumspect what we doo but generallie it is not of force If the magistrate saie I haue borne this by reason of the necessitie of the time therefore I can the easilier beare euilles he shall leaue wickednesse vnpunished The third reason also is not vniuersall God seeth this affliction and laieth vp good for me in store This in verie déed we ought to thinke if we be compelled to suffer contumelie yet are we not alwaies bound to suffer it These things haue we spoken concerning the reasons of Dauid Whether Dauid did well in bearing of the contumelies Now must we shew wherfore he dissembled whether he did well therein In my iudgement he did well and his purpose was allowed vnto the souldiers and nobilitie which he had with him He was busied about other matters he was scaping awaie he then thought vpon his sinne and imputed it to the reuenge which God had foreshewed by the prophet that he should suffer Doubtlesse he did not vtterlie pardon the offense but deferred the punishment All things haue their time It was now néedfull for him to repent he wept and lamented Another cause which might persuade him was herein least he should be suddenlie drawne to furie and ouer-much mooued with crueltie and it was then sufficient for him to kéepe within his bounds A third reason he sawe in spirit for he was a prophet that GOD would haue him euen at this instant to suffer this reproch Thus farre haue we spoken hereof 7 Now let vs consider In 1. Cor. 4. verse 5. after what sort Paule forbiddeth iudgement séeing we must verie oftentimes iudge while we be in this life For it behooueth that euerie man doo iudge and examine himselfe yea and others also when néed shall be to the intent they maâe be warned and amended Iudgement in the Church in the common-weale and in a houshold are necessarie The church pronounceth sentence of iudgement against those which are to be excommunicated There be also politicall or ciuill iudgements And in houshold affaires we choose vnto vs wiues maidens seruants And in the church there be chosen deacons curats bishops which kind of election cannot procéed without iudgement Wherefore we answer that iudgements are of two sorts Iudgements of two sorts either priuate or publike And those which be publike perteine either to policie or else vnto the church Ciuill iudgements are not taken awaie by the Gospell Ciuill and ecclesiasticall iudgements are not taken awaie but rather amended and corrected as hereafter we shall perceiue when the place serueth But ecclesiasticall iudgements cannot be remooued by mans authoritie For Christ when he spake of brotherlie correction gaue commandement thereof Matt. 18 15. Matth. 7 5. From whence priuate iudgements doo spring Augustine Priuate iudgements doo either spring of charitie and right consideration or else of ill affections which are enuie and pride as Augustine hath in his second booke De sermone Domini in monte while he intreated of those words which are read in Mathew Iudge ye not that ye be not iudged By which saieng of Christ the sentence of Paule must be measured And in these iudgements which we exercise by charitie We must âot rashlie âudge of oâher mens faults we must take speciall héed that the sinnes which either we iudge or reprooue be throughlie knowne to vs that we doo not rashlie giue credit to rumors or slanders Further we must not iudge without compassion and pitie Awaie with triumphing mocking reproches The which shall best be doone if we remember that we our selues be men and prone by nature vnto those vices and not yet assured but that we maie at sometime fall into the verie same offenses Therefore Paule said vnto the Galathians Gala. 6 1. Considering thy selfe least thou also be tempted And Augustine in his booke of Confessions wrote Augustine that we should not onelie giue thanks vnto GOD for the sinnes that he hath forgiuen but also for those which by the assistance of God we haue not committed Ouer and besides in his 15. epistle to Ierom when he had lamented for the contentions which had happened betwéene him and Ruffinus he saith that he knew not what he himselfe would haue doone if the same things that were written against Ierom had béen written against him And moreouer in iudging there must neuer be so firme a determination as though he which is fallen can not be restored againe 8 And touching those things which ought to withdrawe vs from a light rash and hastie iudgement Chrysost Chrysostome dooth make mention First séeing our owne state is verie much vnknowne to our owne selues What things shuld reuoke vs from rash iudgement we ought to know that the state of other men is verie hardlie to be knowne Furthermore there be manie circumstances wherby mens actions are defined which we cannot alwaies perceiue although we haue set before our eies the thing which is doone so as it is not easie to giue iudgment of it Againe the verie things that we sée be otherwhiles so doubtfull as we maie vnderstand them as well in the good part as in the ill Then it is better to suspend our iudgement in a thing that is doubtfull To conclude he that iudgeth must be spirituall séeing in the epistle to the Corinthians it is written The spirituall man iudgeth all things 1. Cor. 2
sundrie abuses the sacraments ordeined of God and especiallie the holie supper of the Lord which they haue turned into filthie and shamefull idolatrie and of the signes or seales thereof they admit the simple flocke to the participation of one onelie as though it were in their power to inuert the order which the Lord hath appointed They not content I saie to defraud the flocke of Christ of that principall food of soules which is the word of GOD doo also cut awaie halfe the sacrament which is as it were the visible word and the euident testimonie of the goodnesse charitie and ardent affection of Christ toward vs a memoriall of his death the most effectuall marke of that vnion whereby they growe vp togither vnder Christ himselfe being head vnto a holie bodie of the church But this will I here adde that this one thing they worke by their traditions namelie they establish that tyrannie of theirs and make it to extend further abroad Howbeit the hope is that Christ will at length take pittie of so noble a bodie of his and that he will not suffer a mortall man anie longer to vaunt himselfe so proudlie against his head This Christ onelie Christ I saie is the head of the church That the Pope is not head of the church 40 But they which saie that the Pope is head of the church as he will commonlie be accounted which also his shamelesse flatterers feare not to publish openlie both by words and writings séeme in my iudgement to be like vnto those wicked Iewes which all with one voice denied Christ to be their king and professed Caesar to be their prince Euen as in a bodie well framed there is one head so must the church A similitude vnles it be transformed into some kind of monster be indued with one head onelie the which head is Christ Neither standeth it with any reason that they saie they haue the Romane bishop to be appointed another head as it were vnder the chéefe head Christ whose bishop to wit that other head they will haue to be a necessarie instrument For there was neuer séene in a well shapen bodie such a disorder as thervnto should be ioined two heads wherewith one should be subiect vnto another séeing the verie name of Head signifieth the chiefe part of the bodie But Christ alone sheweth himselfe aboue the church he altogither by maruellous and vnspeakeable meanes ioined the humane nature vnto the diuine nature Behold the head which God appointed to that beloued bodie as it is written in the epistle to the Ephesians Epes 1 21. We confesse in déed that the members in that bodie be diuerse wherof one is more excellent than another but in this point they conspire all in one that they be subiect vnto that head and are to serue faithfullie vnder it Wherefore it is not lawfull to deuise more heads than one and vndoubtedlie it is verie intollerable pride for one to arrogate vnto himselfe the honour of Christ But I beséech you let it be as these men will that the Pope should be counted another head vnder Christ the principall head Yet with what faith he is vnder Christ as a fit instrument experience it selfe speaketh which beareth record that he not onelie doth not cleaue vnto Christ but that he is plainlie against him both in works déeds and counselles Neither is it my purpose to set foorth at large the proofe of this matter Barnard séeing Barnard hath declared the same indéed not fullie but yet so as their craftie and subtill exception may be discouered Wherefore being content with this profitable declaration I will not here at this time adde anie more but that I conclude againe Christ onlie is the head of his church that that bodie hath onelie Christ to be the head and not anie sillie man which with his authoritie alone may wrest corrupt peruert and rent in sunder the words of the scriptures whereof he boasteth among his sort that he within the closet of his brest hath the full knowledge and perfect interpretation not a sillie man which according to the naked iudgement of his owne will may expulse out of the church whom he please and accuse and condemne them not a sillie man that at his owne onelie becke may appoint pastors rectors and bishops vnto churches to whom he will not commit the custodie no not of their own goods bicause he mistrusteth their wit and industrie whereof he hath not had anie one iot of triall Now then we be content with one head namelie Christ the holie Ghost being the guide and the holie scripture being as an outward testimonie of his will the certeine persuasion whereof the power of the holie Ghost dooth inwardlie seale in our minds By what meanes the church is edified 41 But let vs weigh I beséech you by what meanes that most holie bodie of the church may be established edified and also increase And here I affirme that besides the inward grace faith and outward scripture we haue also néed of admonitions and godlie sermons out of the word of God the which be miserablie intermitted at this daie by them which would be called christians And yet neuertheles this is the chiefe and principall worke of the Apostolicall office the which as though it were vnworthie for the dignitie of a Bishop forsooth these new heads of the church haue committed it vnto certeine hungrie Moonks Preaching committed to certeine hungrie Moonks who neuerthelesse are threatened vnto gallies vnto perpetuall prisons and to be put to euerie most cruell death if they passe the bounds prescribed by them Indéed they knowe verie handsomelie how to withdrawe themselues from their owne office charge and labour but so as they will neuer preach vnto the people concerning holie things The maner of papisticall preaching Yet neuerthelesse whosoeuer doo take that charge in hand they will haue them to preach after the rules prescribed by them Whereof it commeth to passe that the poore small flocks of Christ either perish with hunger or else are scantlie and slenderlie fed And commonlie the sermons touching holie things are onelie made in the time of Lent and a verie few daies besides and that either by a sort of vnlearned and vndiscréet men which knowe not sufficientlie those things that they speake or else by them which stand more afraid of some than they ought to doo or else by such as hunt after honours riches or fauour which are not fit for their vocation Wherefore at that time they haue sermons but yet such as in them they vtter méere trifles and bewraie the grosse darknesse of ignorance But if otherwhile they shew something of the truth it is doone with such cloked spéeches with such intricate minsed and nice termes as they rather destroy than edifie or else they preach flatteries the which vndoubtedlie vnto all godlie men are méere intollerable And such be they that preach for the desire they haue either of
by faith are vnited vnto Christ the head of the church Whereof it may be soundlie concluded that it is a peculiar gift for them which be true members of this bodie vnder the head Christ And this treatise of the remission of sinnes we will for the easier vnderstanding diuide into thrée points to be considered Three things to be considered Of which the first is that we by the grace and spirit of Christ be made partakers of the remission of our sinnes But here must we sée by what waie and means the Lord is woont to giue this grace and spirit the which we cannot otherwise define than by faith For the benefits which God offereth vnto vs are méet to be receiued of him that will inioie them And faith is nothing else but a receiuing of the mercie of GOD which is offered vnto vs by him Whervnto there be two things necessarilie required Two things necessarilie required in faith one is that that be offered to vs which is good the other that we giue our consent But to receiuing consent we haue néed of the spirit that should inwardlie persuade the mind for otherwise a man by reason of his naturall corruption would turne awaie himselfe as to whome these promises of God these mercies offered and this remission of sinnes might naturallie séeme not likelie to be true and to be of no great weight And he would be far from the through consideration of them séeing as the philosophers themselues also saie he would no lesse be blinded vnto diuine things than the mole is at the light of the sunne Whereof there is a testimonie of Paule to the Corinthians The naturall man saith he vnderstandeth not those things which be of God for they be foolishnesse vnto him that we may haue néed of that inward moouing least we should refuse the benefit which is offered vnto vs. And indéed in this moouing there be two excellent gifts The first is that we acknowledge the gift and mercie of God offered vnto vs. The second that the things which be offered should be pleasing vnto vs and that by giuing our assent we receiue and imbrace them Which for the most part is granted vnto vs none otherwise to be vsed but as it is set forth to vs by the word of God how excellent and great soeuer the mercie of God is by the which he fréelie forgiueth our sinnes Acts 10 44. Wherefore it is written in the Acts of the apostles While Peter yet spake the holie Ghost fell downe vpon them which heard him Rom. 10 17. And by Paule vnto the Romans it is said that Faith is by hearing and hearing by the word of God So as the church preaching continuallie the word of God by hir ministers and in such sort offering in hir sermons reconciliatioÌ by Christ it giueth remission of sinnes in that by the outward ministerie it pronounceth the same out of the words of the scripture by the which through attentiue ears as through a conduit both the grace and spirit of Christ doo slowe in euen vnto our hart Wherfore it is most firmelie concluded that the word of God by the verie same means which I haue spoken is the originall of the remission of sins Which thing séeing it is set foorth in the church onelie it followeth that the sinnes be forgiuen no where else Sacraments be visible words 45 An other consideration we will adde which concerneth the sacraments the which be visible words of this absolution For euen as the word soundeth and is heard in the voice so in a visible and euident signe a sacrament dooth speake and admonish vs vnto the which we giuing credit obteine in verie déed that which it dooth promise and signifie Neither doo we otherwise giue credit vnto the signification hereof than by the motion of the same spirit of Christ which we haue aboue declared But thinke you not that sinnes be forgiuen by the vertue of the worke that is wrought through receiuing of the sacrament seeing this we obteine by faith while we beléeue that which it visiblie teacheth vs according to the institution of Christ to wit that a sacrament may be of the same value that the word of God is The same thing is offered by the word that is doone by the sacraments For euen as this word signifieth and giueth in verie déed vnto the beléeuers whatsoeuer it dooth promise so baptisme being by faith receiued both signifieth and giueth to the beléeuer remission of sinnes the which it promiseth by a visible speaking But indéed it might be obiected vnto me If so be that sins as it hath béene said be forgiuen vnto them which beléeue the word of Christ as by preaching it is set foorth to vs how can they then againe be forgiuen by baptisme I answer that as touching God both the one and the other absolution is all one and as concerning our sinnes the remission is one and the same The which neuerthelesse is as often confirmed and renewed in vs as we giue credit vnto the words whereby the same is signified vnto vs whether it be by word of mouth or by visible signe it is all one So that how often soeuer we either heare the word or receiue the sacraments in faith the remission of sinnes is assured vnto vs whereby no small faith is inwardlie powred into vs. A benefit of the sacraments And it ought to séeme no maruell vnto anie man wherefore the sacraments be ordeined by Christ séeing that by them his pleasure is that the strength of the spirit should haue recourse into the beléeuers no lesse than by the outward word of the scripture euen as we are taught by dailie experience but yet so as neither of these can profit anie man without faith Wherefore we haue hitherto declared two meanes by which the remission of sinnes is extant in the church according to the two waies whereby the word of God is set foorth vnto them that beléeue But and if thou demand which of the sacraments by name signifieth this remission of sinnes in the church I answer that it is baptisme in the which we being washed with visible water is a signe that we by Christ obteine spirituall clensing And that is it which Paule teacheth vnto the Ephesians that God hath purged his church with the washing of water through the word of life Ephe. 5 26. 46 But now let vs sée Of excommunication what is the third meane of this remission of sinnes The church by the singular gift and grace of Christ hath right and authoritie as it hath béene alreadie said to cut off from hir by excommunication them that be obstinate The order whereof Christ hath described and taught vnto hir in the Gospell of Matthew Mat. 18 17. where he speaketh of brotherlie correction whereby men being admonished that vnlesse they did repent it should procéed euen to the vttermost punishment of separation the which so long may stand in
force as contrition and repentance is deferred touching the sinnes committed And when repentance is performed then also let an end of the punishment of excommunication be appointed For which cause Christ being demanded of Peter How oftentimes a man should forgiue them that offend Ibid. 21. whether seuen times which séemed to be much answered Euen so often as they shall returne againe to better life For that be awointeth when he saith Seuentie times seuen Wherefore they which by repentance returne to the church must euermore be admitted And least peraduenture so often separation and receiuing reiterated by the ministerie of men against one and the same man should séeme to be of small importance and reputed for sport and mockerie as a thing procéeding from the will of man he addeth that He giueth them the keies of the church The keies of the church that is to saie the power that Whatsoeuer she should bind or loose vpon the earth should be established in heauen And this doth the church vnderstand in the same sort as the holie euangelist writeth it By this article therefore we beléeue that such diuine authoritie is committed vnto the church that it may absolue and set at libertie the persons excommunicate which repent them of their sinnes committed and may reconcile them to hir selfe whereby they may be restored vnto that place of a healed bodie whereof Christ is the head Which absolution being performed with publike vowes and praiers in the church no doubt but the church forgiueth them their sinnes committed Wherefore after the grant of this authoritie of the keies Matt. 18 19 and 20. Christ not in vaine added Whatsoeuer ye aske in my name it shall be giuen vnto you And Wheresoeuer two or three shall be gathered togither in my name I am in the middest of them Whereby it is gathered that the church is neuer present either to excommunicate or to reconcile them that be excommunicated but that Christ himselfe also is present 2. Cor. 2 7 8 Wherfore Paule to the Corinthians the second epistle writeth to the church that forgiuing the fault of that sinner of whom he had made mention in his first epistle they should confirme charitie towards him in renewing with him their old fréendship Behold how we contemne not the authoritie of the church but we denie it to be in the will and authoritie of one We confesse this power therfore to be in the earth among the godlie But euen as the multitude of beléeuers gathered togither in Christ haue onelie the right of excommunication so haue they also of reconciling and admitting and that which is so performed by them we beléeue also to be doone and confirmed in heauen Howbeit note that in this third meanes is conteined the forgiuenesse of publike sinnes onelie And as concerning the two former meanes the church hath belonging vnto it the forgiuenesse of all sinnes in generall Here onelie that absolution taketh place which apperteineth to publike crimes the which through euill example hath offended and doone harme vnto them to whom the knowledge thereof hath come Wherefore with all the hart and voice let vs giue thanks vnto God who hath granted vnto vs so great a benefit vpon the earth and hath laid vp greater for vs in heauen as afterward we shall sée The Resurrection of the flesh ¶ Looke more hereof in the third part 47 How these articles should be knit togither After remission of sinnes followeth life by a more fit method I cannot perceiue Sinne as it is knowne hath béene the onelie and whole cause of mans death and that we haue remission of sinnes through Christ it was shewed a little before Now then remaineth this one thing to wit that by him we shall be deliuered from death and released from the tyrannie therof so soone as euer we haue accesse vnto Christ by faith sith then shall perish in it the continuall iurisdiction which it obteineth against vs. For séeing the naturall power hereof is such as what it hath once seasoned vpon it firmelie holdeth therefore the philosophers write that it must not be granted that from such a priuation men can returne to their ancient habit In which matter certeinlie they be not deceiued if thou shouldest but consider the power of nature But we which be indued with faith doo so tast of death as we knowe that there is an end and limit appointed to the working thereof we being confirmed through the promise of Christ himselfe Iohn 6 39. who in the sixt of Iohn saith that He will loose none of them which his father hath giuen him but will raise them vp at the latter daie But if so be thou obiect that he will raise vp not onelie them that be godlie but also the vnbeléeuers and shall therefore the faith in Christ as touching the resurrection profit anie thing I answer that the confidence in Christ shall nothing at all profit vnto the méere and absolute resurrection séeing that degrée both the godlie and the wicked shall obteine but the resurrection vnto felicitie vnto life eternall and vnto heauenlie blessednesse is onelie granted vn-them which by faith are vnited vnto Christ Howbeit I thinke not méet to passe ouer this to wit that whereas the wicked shall rise againe they obteine not that by the power of their owne nature but by Christ For séeing we confesse that by the death of that one first man we were all made subiect vnto death it is reason also we should grant that how manie soeuer be made partakers of this second life should also obteine the same by that one man Christ who first was raised vp Wherefore the wicked whether they will or no shall féele in themselues the power of Christ but that which these shall obteine to their great harme iust men shall receiue to their great benefit This is the doctrine of Paule to the Corinthians when he saith As by one man came death 1. Co. 15 21. so by one man came the resurrection of the dead And as by Adam all men die so by Christ all shall be made aliue but euerie one in his owne order The first fruits is Christ then they which be of Christ And in the last and most vnhappie state shall they be which be strangers from Christ And as there shall be a difference in the state condition so shall there be also in the place For the saints then raised vp 1. Thes 4 16 and 17. shall togither with the godlie which then perhaps shall remaine aliue be caught vp to méet with that high King our Lord IESVS CHRIST in the aire Who vndoubtedlie as we haue alreadie confessed shall come to iudge the quicke and the dead as wée haue expresselie shewed in the article of the last iudgement Wherefore Christ will shew foorth his power generallie towards all as well good as bad not onelie in the iudgement it selfe but in the resurrection also He therefore is the first that hath
she was betrothed to a man neither was there at that time anie such custome to vow virginitie vnto GOD. But let vs returne to our purpose We ought to resist those doubts which striue against faith through weighing in our mind the power of God for touching the will of God there can no doubt arise for whatsoeuer he setteth foorth to be beléeued he promiseth of his owne accord this doubtles he would not doo if he would not giue it Wherefore it followeth that they which are tempted with such doubting are in doubt of his power The praiers of the church begin at the omnipotencie of God Hereof I thinke it to come to passe that the praiers of the church doo so oftentimes begin with the omnipotencie of God to the end that the harts of them that praie shuld be confirmed that they shuld not in their publike praiers desire anie thing with doubting or mistrust By these things it is manifest how gréeuous a sinne it is to doubt of the promises of God for this is nothing else A greeuous sin to doubt of the promises of God but to account GOD either to be a lier or else to be of small strength and they which be of that mind can neither call vpon God neither yet aske or looke for anie thing at his hands But now forsomuch as this is the nature of faith which the apostle describeth it manifestlie appéereth The diuell hath not faith that the diuell hath no faith for he can haue no confidence that he is accepted of God and besides that he knoweth right well by the naturall sharpenes of his vnderstanding that God is omnipotent But whereas Iames saith Iam. 2 19. The faith which is heere intreated of belongs to godlie men onelie that The diuell beleeueth and trembleth To beléeue in that place is ment To knowe But the faith which is here described perteineth vnto men onelie and to none but such as are godlie 8 But here ariseth a doubt For if onelie the word of God be to be beléeued why said Christ In Rom. 10 17. Iohn 8 38. that If they would not beléeue him yet at the least-wise they should beléeue his works For it séemeth by this sentence Whether we should beleeue miracles that we should also beléeue miracles But we answer that miracles are as testimonies whereby men are the easilier brought to beléeue so then they bée things by the meanes whereof men doo beléeue not that faith is directed vnto them as vnto his obiect albeit as touching the miracles of Christ and of the apostles we must beléeue that they were doone by God and not by Belzebub or by the diuell Matt. 12 14. as the Pharisies slanderouslie reported And this is conteined in the word of God for it giueth testimonie that these miracles should be wrought that they were wrought in their due time namelie in the preaching of sound doctrine Sacraments are beleeued What sacraments are The sacraments also are beléeued but they are nothing else than the visible words of God wherevnto also is ioined the word of God which is heard as Augustine saith The word commeth vnto the element and it is made a sacrament Howbeit there is discretion and iudgement to be had when we beléeue the word of God least we should drawe therevnto anie peruerse and corrupt opinion It is also requisite to haue a good triall and examination if one shall discerne of miracles and in the sacraments it must be considered that they be orderlie ministred that is in such sort as they were instituted by God And by a sound iudgement we must remooue awaie and set aside the inuentions of men that we beléeue them not as we would beléeue the words of God And when Basilius or other of the fathers saie that We must beléeue without examination or iudgement Whether wee must beleeue without iudgement or with iudgement Rom. 4 20. A distinction of iudgment which séemeth to be taken out of that which Paule saith in his epistle to the Romans that Abraham beleeued neither iudged he that word in Gréeke is ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã To answer to this doubt this is to be vnderstood that iudgment is of two sorts the one is when we take counsell of the senses and humane reason and this is to be vtterlie remooued from faith for it alwaies resisteth the word of God the other is the iudgement of the spirit which must of necessitie be had And this is it which Paule said Prooue all things 1. The. 5 21 and keepe that which is good And vnto the Corinthians Spirituall things are compared with spirituall things 1. Cor. 2 13. The harder places of the scripture must be conferred with the easier The authoritie of the church hath no dominion ouer faith Rom. 10 14. And with this iudgement it is necessarie to conferre one place which in the holie scriptures is somewhat obscure with another place which is more manifest The authoritie of the church hath no dominion ouer faith as some wickedlie thinke The office of the church is to preach to admonish to reprooue to testifie and to laie the holie scriptures before mens eies neither dooth it require to be beléeued further foorth than it speaketh the words of God Paule before he had made mention of the word by which faith is brought foorth he spake of them that preach the Gospell that is of the ministers which be sent by God in whom he described the ministerie of the church namelie that it consisteth in preaching of the Gospell Ibidem 17. Moreouer if faith as it is written come by hearing that is as it is added by the word of God then followeth it of necessitie that there is nothing whereby faith is more nourished mainteined and confirmed than by continuall reading and repeating of the word of God This thing testified Tertullian in his apologie when he saith that To this end holie assemblies are gathered togither to heare Gods word The philosophers saie that we of the selfe-same things both are and are nourished wherfore in like sort it coms to passe that if faith be of the word of God it is also nourished by the same We knowe moreouer How faith is nourished of the word that through often and vsuall works habits or grounded dispositions are confirmed as contrariwise if a man cease off from actions they waxe weake Wherfore if a man cease to read to heare or to repeat the holie scriptures faith will wax féeble in him And they which thinke that a liuelie and pure faith may continue in churches without often preaching doo excéedinglie erre A similitude of Chrysostom Chrysostome hath an excellent similitude of a light or lampe that burneth which soone goeth out vnlesse oile be still ministred vnto it by the lampe or light he meaneth faith and by oile the word of God and this he writeth in that place where he treateth of the parable of the
being ended let vs all agrée in one But Pighius cannot abide that this agréement should take place for afterward when he would expound how we are iustified fréelie he saith that that is nothing else but that God will fréelie impute vnto vs vnto righteousnes the works of faith hope and charitie What haue we here to doo Doubtles it séemeth vnto me that this man dooth not with a sound iudgement read the scriptures but dooth with a corrupt affection wrest them at his pleasure For where works are Rom. 4 4. there Paule denieth that there is a frée imputation for these two are repugnant one to an other wherefore in that Pighius goeth about to ioine them together doth he not séeme most manifestlie to be against the apostle 76 Thus much of Pighius vnto whom our Smith the eight wise man of Greece Smith an English man and the first wise man of England ioined himselfe a companion as Theseus did vnto Hercules But in verie déed he bringeth nothing else but that which he hath drawen out of the sinks of this man and other such like First he saith that faith is not for the remission of sinnes and that therefore we fondlie faine that iustification is had by it For the faith saith he whereby christians are discerned from no christians is in Iesus Christ which thing also as though it made much to the purpose he goeth about to prooue by the holie scriptures and by a testimonie of Ierom. But I would haue this man to answer me if euer he learned the Hebrue toong what is the signification of this name IESVS Vndoubtedlie amongst all the Hebrues this word Iascha signifieth To saue The signification of this word Iesus wherefore IESVS may in Latine rightlie be turned SERVATOR that is A sauiour But if which thing I thinke true he be ignorant of the Hebrue toong yet he ought at the least to haue beléeued the angel which so interpreted that name Mat. 1 21. That faith is touching the remission of sinnes Thou shalt call his name saith he IESVS for he shall saue his people from their sinnes How then can faith bée in CHRIST IESVS vnles it be also touching the remission of sinnes through Christ Afterward he is not afraid to cite that also out of the epistle of Peter 1. Pet. 4 8. Charitie couereth the multitude of sinnes Behold saith he forgiuenes of sinnes is here ascribed not vnto faith but vnto charitie A rule He that will haue a fit axe to cut these knots asunder let him attentiuelie consider the holie scriptures and diligentlie sée from whence those places which are cited in the new testament are taken out of the old This sentence of Peter is had in a maner out of the 10. chapter of the Prouerbs verse 12. for there it is thus written Hatred stirreth vp reprochfull speaches For whom a man hateth he discouereth publisheth abroad his faults as much as in him lieth but contrariwise charitie hideth and couereth the sinnes of his brother For they which trulie loue one another are woont to defend one another and to couer one anothers faults so much as they sée by conscience they may And this is a most true sentence of Salomon Wherefore Peter going about to exhort christians vnto charitie wiselie and aptlie borowed this sentence out of Salomon But Smith not vnderstanding or considering this supposeth that Peter thought that remission of sinnes is gotten by charitie howbeit he is most fowlie deceiued as oftentimes he is woont to be Another rule But passing ouer these men let vs remember that if at anie time the fathers séeme to attribute righteousnes vnto works the same is not to be vnderstood of that righteousnes which God fréelie imputeth vnto vs through Christ but of that inward righteousnes which is rooted in vs which we get and confirme by leading continuallie an vpright life Or if those things which they speake doo manifestlie perteine vnto the righteousnes imputed that is vnto the remission of sinnes we must alwais as we haue before taught run vnto the foundation of good works namelie vnto a liuelie faith in Christ which rules and such like if our aduersaries would consider they would neuer so impudentlie and obstinatelie defend so manie lies Although if I should speake anie thing touching Pighius forsomuch as I sée that he is neither of dull wit nor vnlearned I cannot saie that he in earnest and from the hart wrote touching this matter but when he had once taken the matter in hand he tooke these things for pastime and pleasure 77 Now to prosecute that order which I haue begun let vs come vnto the Fathers and sée how much they make on our side And vndoubtedlie for this matter wée shall not néed anie great number of testimonies For euen as to vnderstand what taste the water of the sea is A similitude it is not néedfull that a man drinke vp the whole sea euen so to vnderstand what the Fathers thinke touching this we shall not néed to go through all their saiengs Irenaeus Irenaeus a most ancient author in his 4. booke and 30. chapter against Valentine writeth somewhat touching this matter although brieflie And I suppose that he for this cause wrote so brieflie of it bicause this truth was in those first times so confessed certeine that it was not of anie man called in âout But yet by that little which he hath it may sufficientlie be vnderstood what his iudgement was as the saieng is that Protogenes knew Apelles by the draught of one line onelie Irenaeus therefore saith that the old Fathers euen those also which were before the law were iustified by faith For first when he had spoken of Abraham he ascended from him vnto Lot vnto Noe vnto Enoch And afterward he addeth a reason why in these mens times the law was not written bicause saith he they were alreadie iust vnto whom the lawe was not giuen for the iust haue the lawe written in their harts But peraduenture you will scarselie admit this testimonie bicause Irenaeus in that place when he speaketh there of Enoch saith that he was sent a legate vnto the angels which may séeme to be apocryphall so not to be counted of as of sound authoritie But I thinke the same is cited not so much out of anie apocryphall booke as out of some old tradition for manie things were as it were by hand deliuered vnto the ancient Fathers that are not to be reiected so that they be not repugnant to the holie scriptures Otherwise if for that cause we reiect this testimonie why doo we not also reiect the epistle of Iude For he also citeth a sentence of Enoch Iude. 1 5. that God shall come with thousands to iudgement But whereas Irenaeus saith The expounding of a place of Enoch that Enoch was a legate vnto the angels I suppose that it may be thus vnderstood to saie that those Angels were men
And in like maner did Christ answer touching the Pharisies which were offended at his doctrine Let them alone Mat. 15 14. they be blind leaders of the blind and he made no reckoning of the offense which they tooke But the meane actions must be vnderstood either according to the dooing or else according to the sense doctrine and knowledge which we ought to haue of them In the doing of meâ actions we must follow the rule of charitie If we speake of the dooing of them we must vse the rule of charitie least we attempt anie thing that maie offend our weake brother of which thing the apostle hath written at large to the Romans And as touching the sense and doctrine it is necessarie for vs euermore to professe and iudge Rom. 1 4. that these indifferent things through the grace of Christ are frée vnto vs and that we absteine from them in no other respect but for their sakes that be weake Which thing we sée right well that Christ did The example of Christ Matt. 7 27. when he paid the tribute monie for he was King and God euen the true Messias so as in verie right he was frée from paieng of tribute but this libertie he would not vse least he should haue offended others Neuerthelesse he taught in the meane time that it was frée for him to doo it when he demanded of Peter The weake ones must be condescended vnto and therewithall taught so long as they be willing of instruction whether tributs were woont to be exacted of bond men or of them that be frée Those that be weake must be taken and taught and that they maie heare the more attentiuelie and willinglie it is good that a man humble himselfe to their weaknesse so long as we shall perceiue them willing to be instructed but if we find them vntractable and obstinate and to refuse to heare the reasons drawne out of the scriptures and that they be contemners of the word of God we must let them go neither must that which is holie Matt. 7 6. be giuen vnto dogs neither is it necessarie to care for the offending of them But while we applie our selues to them that be weake In condescending somewhat vnto the weake we must beware we offend not the faithfull multitude The example of Paul Acts. 16 3. Galat. 2 3. we must haue a regard vnto the multitude of the faithfull Among whom if some should take offense at thy dissembling and that the example should so be laid hold on as though it ought in anie wise to be doone and for that in the church Christian libertie might be hazarded thou must take héed that thou submit not thy selfe anie further least perhaps some corrupt opinion arise of thy dissembling Paule circumcised Timothie when he sawe that it might bring profit vnto the weaker sort but as we read vnto the Galathians he would not circumcise Titus For the false apostles were readie which would haue vsed that example to thrust vpon the Gentiles the ceremonies of the lawe as necessarie to saluation for they searched out on euerie side by what meanes they might spoile the church of hir Christian libertie Acts. 18 18. And the same Paule who polled his head at Cenchrea at Ierusalem hauing as he said a vow and had taken in hand the purifieng of the Iewes according to the lawe bicause he iudged Acts. 21 26. that the same would profit them that were weake would not abide that Peter should doo the like but as we read to the Galathians resisted him to the face Gala. 2 11. for the dissembling of Peter was drawne vnto the great damage of the church Neither was it thought good that so manie of the Gentiles should be offended to the intent there might be regard had of those that came from Ierusalem For there was danger like to ensue least through the authoritie of Peter and Barnabas there might be held an opinion whereby it should be thought that the Ethniks which were conuerted vnto Christ were to be compelled to kéepe the ceremonies of the lawe 11 Hauing made this preface we will now speake of the verie choise of meats And first it is to be agréed vpon that all meats are now in their owne nature frée vnto christians so that nothing be added to make them vnlawfull otherwise if meat be set before vs which maie be thought either to nourish or stir vp lust it behoueth that he which findeth himselfe prone therevnto doo forbeare it Likewise if there be anie man of vnperfect health and there be meat set before him whereby he perceiueth his health to be hurt he must not fulfill his appetite Superfluitie much cost must be auoided Adde also that we must auoid superfluitie and too much cost least that be spent which might haue béene giuen to the poore and imploied to better vses Lastlie if there be present anie of the weaker sort Sometime we must absteine for offense sake Acts. 15 20. which maie be offended with some kind of meat as in times past the Iewes newly conuerted did abhorre flesh strangled bloud Yea it had béen conuenient for the Ethniks to haue absteined bicause of the weakenesse of them that sat at meat if it had béene told them in the midst of their feast that the meat set before them had béen offered vnto idols Rom. 14 13 1. Cor. 8 10. c. as Paule writeth at large to the Romans to the Corinthians I let passe that in the old lawe manie kinds of meats were forbidden and there is no doubt but in those daies the lawe was to be obserued Abstinence for ciuill gouernment sake There might also be added the respect of ciuill or politike gouernment all which things perteine not to the nature it selfe of meats but vnto the circumstances which happen 12 And that all meates in their owne nature are frée for christians All meats of their own nature are free for christians Matt. 15 11 the scriptures doo plainlie teach Christ as we read in Matthew said Euerie thing that entereth into the mouth defileth not man And if so be it doo not defile by eating no more dooth it sanctifie by forbearing And the apostle writeth 1. Cor. 6 13. Meates for the bellie and the bellie for meats God shall destroie both it and them Therefore séeing meate is a thing temporall and to be destroied 1. Cor. 8 8. and which perteineth vnto the bellie not to the mind it commeth to passe that of it selfe it auaileth nothing vnto righteousnes or vnrighteousnes And a little before In the same 8. chapter Meate dooth not commend vs vnto God for neither if we eate shall we haue the more neither if we eate not shall we haue the lesse Which words Erasmus weighed Erasmus and therefore he wrote If it be as the apostle teacheth how commeth it to passe that at this daie we are in nothing else
of GOD brought into the arke more cleane beasts than vncleane To conclude after the comming of Christ the ancient libertie and choise of meats which the lawe had forbidden was restored wherefore it ought not vnder colour of religion to be restored againe by the popish bishops or by the church Yet doo not those things which we haue alleaged limit either Magistrates or publike authoritie but that they may sometimes appoint a choise of meats vpon iust consideration ¶ Touching apparell of the Ministers of the church looke in the 34. 36. 38. 39. 40. epistles in the end of this booke The sixt Chapter Of vowes in generall also of the vow of the Nazarites of Ieptha and of the Rechabits AFter these things let vs saie somwhat concerning a vow The Gréeke word ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã In Gen. 28. the Latine Votum doo not signifie one thing but two The signification of this name namelie The praiers and desire wherwith we be inflamed when we praie for anie thing or vse the verie things that be desired Further it betokeneth a promise of offering something vnto GOD. And this ambiguitie of these words in ech toong hath not happened by chance or without consideration as soone after shall be shewed The Hebrues call a vow Neder Whence the custome of vowing did arise But hereof grew the custome of making a vow that this was setled almost in the minds of all men that if at anie time they did praie earnestlie vnto God for anie thing to be giuen them they in like maner promise to offer something vnto him againe For by such maner of meanes their minds doo séeme to be woonne one to another namelie by gifts bicause those things not onelie helpe them to whom they are giuen but doo also honour them For they be giuen as a testimonie of vertue and excellencie in which second respects sake they maie be offered vnto God that he maie thereby be honoured of vs. Aristotle in his Rhethoriks said that Gifts doo no lesse satisfie the ambitious than they doo the couetous for they desire them thereby to be enriched and these to be honoured Wherefore euen the Lord who speciallie requireth of vs to be worshipped said in the lawe that men should not come emptie handed vnto him forsomuch as he iudged it vnwoorthie if his people should appeare emptie before him This selfe-same was a custome among the Romans so that it is read almost euerie where what the Curtij and the Decij vowed for obteinement of victorie Among the Gréeks also there were vowes oftentimes vsed Yea and we read in Platoes booke intituled Phaedon that as yet in the time of Socrates they vsed to performe a vow of sending a ship well rigged euerie yéere vnto Delos with gifts and sacrifices and that by a vow which Theseus had bound himselfe vnto when he went into the isle of Candie to slaie the monster Minotaurus How vsuall this also was among the Hebrues it is no néed to recite So that in praieng and desiring anie-thing of God men were woont to vow some thing vnto God least they might séeme to be vndutifull towards him 2 Now then we define a vow to be a holie promise whereby we bind our selues to offer some thing vnto God A vow is alwaies ioined with praiers And a vow as we haue said hath alwaies some praiers ioined therewith for obteining at the leastwise of somewhat at the hands of God Wherefore that ambiguitie of the word happened not without cause in the Hebrue and Latine toongs for séeing these things be so ioined togither it might easilie come to passe that the word which signifieth one thing maie sometime be referred to another And hereby we maie perceiue that the knowledge of both these as well of offering as also of demanding anie thing of God is necessarie for vs which professe godlinesse But let vs returne vnto the definition wherein the generall word is Holie for it is called A holie promise Wherof it coms that as touching the calling of it holie we are in few words to saie that it belongeth vnto iustice For whatsoeuer is holie is also iust but not contrarie for iustice is that Whatsoeuer is holie is iust but not contrarie whereby we yéeld to euerie man his owne and they to whom these things be yéelded are either God or men That facultie then whereby we yéeld vnto all men their owne is called iustice and kéepeth the name of the generall word but when we yéeld vnto God due obedience now is this after the iudgement of Plato in his booke called Euthyphron to be referred vnto holinesse And a man may plainlie sée that euen in the holie scriptures those things which be offred dedicated vnto God are called holie and that which ought to be yéelded vnto God by vs is obedience and that is of two sorts One is profitable vnto him to whom it is offered Two sorts of obedience but after this maner we can giue God nothing séeing by these things he is made nothing the greater nor dooth increase in anie respect Psal 16 2. Thou art my God saith the prophet for thou hast no need of my goods And in the Gospell of Luke Luk. 17 10. When we haue doone all vnto him we are vnprofitable seruants Another kind of obedience there is which apperteineth vnto reuerence euen as seruants honour their maisters But this seruice and obedience towards God herein consisteth that we shew our selues readie and diligent towards GOD in the executing of that worke and function which God both vouchsafeth and desireth to worke by vs. And this is the sanctifieng of his name the which God can sufficientlie performe by himselfe but he vseth vs to our owne commoditie and singular profit 3 But that we maie knowe what maner of things must be offered vnto GOD What things must be offered vnto God and that therein we offend as little as maie be we must take a speciall héed And first commeth to my remembrance Augustine vpon the Psalme Be mercifull vnto me ô God Psal 56 2. for man hath troden me downe He expounding that particle in the 12. verse in Hebrue A lai nedar eca that is In me or vpon me are thy vowes thus saith A man must first offer himselfe vnto GOD. Which maie chéefelie be confirmed by that reason which the Lord vsed in persuading to giue tribute vnto Caesar Matt. 22 20. and .21 For saith he it hath his image and superscription wherefore we being made according to the image of God it is méete that we should be giuen vnto him And Paule sundrie times exhorteth vs when he saith I beseech you Rom. 12 1. for the mercie of God that ye will giue your selues c. And the same apostle in the sixt chapter of that epistle Rom. 6 19. As you haue giuen your members seruants to vncleannes and from one iniquitie to another c. And in the same epistle
the holie scriptures The elder fathers had but two sacraments The elder fathers had but two sacraments Sometimes they make mention of repentance These things Augustine wrote vnto Ianuarius in his third booke De doctrina christiana the 16. chapter Ambrose in his booke De sacramentis intreateth of these two Wherefore of necessitie these men must either confesse that they haue forgotten the sacraments or else that there was not receiued so great a number in that age That they forgat it we cannot saie séeing they compiled a whole treatise of that matter Therefore this multitude of sacraments was not receiued at that time Pighius definition of a sacrament 11 But let vs come to the defining of it Pighius also defineth a sacrament and saith that it is an effectuall signe ordeined by God whereby is signified vnto vs a certeine kind of effect of the helpe and grace of God which is present at all times so there be not some thing to let in them that vse the same Whereas he saith to begin withall that it is a signe or rite instituted by God that is true for it is not in the power of man to ordeine sacraments they be testimonies That it is in God not in man to institute sacraments Mat. 21 1â and as one maie saie seales of the will of God and it is not the part of man to counterfet seales Furthermore this we learne out of the holie scriptures Christ asked the Scribes Pharisies from whence the baptisme of Iohn was If they had said Of men it had séemed friuolous for séeing sacraments belong to the nature of faith it is méet they should be drawne out of the holie scriptures from whence faith it selfe is taken And men which of their owne authoritie go about to institute sacraments doo make themselues to be gods To deale after this sort in religion were to worship God with commandements and traditions of men which Christ hath forbidden Lastlie séeing that Man is a lier and so is declared in the holie scriptures to be the things which are instituted by him haue in them no perfect truth wherefore sacraments must not be instituted by men He saith moreouer Psal 116 Rom. 3 4. that by this signe is signified to vs some sure effect bicause he will comprehend manie sacraments he will not restraine it to one effect namelie to the remission of sinnes He saith that the effects are diuers as the remission of sinnes offered which is offered in baptisme and in the Eucharist but besides he sheweth other effects of the worke of God that in matrimonie should be an inseparable coupling togither in the holie order should be a power of gouerning the church and so of other things vnlesse there be some let in them that vse those things This he saith to shew the efficacie of sacraments For in that some doo receiue the sacraments and obteine not the effects that happeneth bicause they come vnto them without religion and faith If he follow his definition he thinketh that he is able to comprehend manie sacraments But on the other side they which saie that the grace of the forgiuenes of sinnes is signified by the same doo tie themselues onelie to these two namelie baptisme and the supper of the Lord. 12 To define a sacrament we may saie Another definition of a sacrament that A sacrament is a promise of God touching the remission of sinnes through Christ signified and sealed by the institution of God with an outward or visible signe to the end that our faith should be lifted vp in vs and we to be more and more knit vnto God This séemeth vnto me to be a full definition Two things it conteineth namelie an outward signe and a thing signified Bicause the thing signified holdeth the chéefe place therefore I placed it first and said that It is the promise of God and is conuersant about the remission of sinnes thorough Christ For the sacraments which be in the holie scriptures doo chéeflie make mention thereof Furthermore this promise is sealed which thing the scripture sheweth calling circumcision a seale for the sacraments be certeine tokens and seales of the promises of God But forsomuch as these outward instruments be elements they cannot of themselues haue wherewith to signifie and seale therefore it is added By the institution of God The end is that our faith may be stirred vp by the holie Ghost which power the outward things haue not in them to shew the holie Ghost vseth these instruments and faith tendeth vnto that end that we should be the more knit vnto God The causes ye haue The formall cause is the signification and sealing The matter which is sealed and whereabout it is conuersant is the promise of God touching the remission of sinnes The efficient cause is the institution of God The finall cause is the stirring vp of our faith whereby we may be ioined vnto God And I allow of that which is commonlie said Sacraments be visible words they stir vp men by the sight other senses Rightlie dooth Chrysostome saie If we were spirits we should not haue néed of those instruments but we be compounded of a spirit and a bodie the senses of the bodie doo stir vp the mind 13 But if we prosecute this definition we exclude marriage Why we contend with the aduersaries touching the number of sacraments repentance orders confirmation and annoiling as I will particularlie declare after I haue said this one word that some will here saie Why doo ye séeke for a knot in a rush or make a doubt of a thing that is plaine These men would cote these seuen with the name of sacraments what haue ye to doo therewith It is not the name that we much stand vpon but it is the matter it selfe Wée knowe that it is lawfull for christians to vse the name so that there be no vngodlines hidden vnder it but let vs sée what they would haue to be signified by this word They saie that a sacrament is a visible forme of an inuisible grace and they adde it to be the cause so that they make these sacraments of theirs to be the instruments of saluation Then if they will receiue anie rites and cloke them vnder this kind of spéech it is vngodlie By men there can be no visible elements ordeined which may be seales of the promises wherfore let them either change this phrase of spéech and saie that a sacrament dooth not signifie these things and then we will grant vnto them or else if they will still vse this kind of spéech let them absteine from the name of sacrament The Maister of the sentences saith that The sacraments of the old fathers were not properlie sacraments bicause they brought no grace It is a detestable thing to take awaie this propertie from the institutions of God and to attribute the same vnto the inuentions of men What things be required in a sacrament To make the matter
speake nothing of saint Benedict Benedict commanded the Eucharist to be giuen to a dead woman that commanded the Eucharist to be giuen vnto the dead woman And I should want both spéech and time if I would reckon vp all those things that are found among the Fathers which are neither to be receiued nor yet at this daie would be admitted by them which speake against vs. But while I repeat these things I would not be accounted as C ham the sonne of Noah which laughed at the discouerie of his fathers nakednes That the errors of the fathers are not rashlie to be defamed vnlesse necessitie doo vrge and brought his brothers to laugh at the same I would gladlie haue said nothing of these matters but I am constrained by the importunitie of our aduersaries which perpetuallie crie out The fathers The fathers The fathers as though they would consent to althings that the fathers haue spoken or doone Whie doo they not rather vnderstand and consider that they also were men and that they erred sometimes as men for they did not alwaies build vpon the foundation that is Christ siluer gold and pretious stones No antiquitie of opinion can prescribe against the truth Neither ought anie antiquitie of opinion or custome to prescribe against the truth for errors began in the church euen in the time of Paule And there is mention made by Paule of ill builders And there wanted not some which at the verie same time iudged that Baptisme should be admitted for the dead 1. Co. 15 2â And the supper of the Lord was handled among the Corinthians with so great an abuse as the apostle was constrained to saie 1. Co. 11 20. This is not to eate the supper of the Lord. Cyprian Custome without reason is the mother of error And Cyprian admonished that custome without reason is the mother of error 33 And this also is woont to be obiected against vs namelie that the church hath alwaies praied for the dead which in verie déed I denie not but I affirme that for the dooing thereof it hath neither authoritie out of the word of God nor yet anie example that can be taken out of the holie scriptures Men are easilie persuaded being mooued through a certeine naturall charitie and loue that they beare towards the dead We must beware that our affection towards the dead be not against faith and godlinesse so as they wish well vnto them and breake out into some praiers for them But we must beware that this vehementer kind of affection be not against faith and iust godlinesse And there may be an other cause besides purgatorie whie praiers should be made in the church for them that be dead for they would not haue the name and memorie of them that were departed to be soone forgotten but they indeuored to preserue the same among the faithfull so long as was possible Further those praiers tended to this end that they would giue thanks vnto God who had called vnto him those that were departed out of this miserable life Ambrose Wherefore Ambrose in his funerall praiers made at the death of Theodosius and at the death of Valentinianus two emperours reioiseth for their sakes that they had alreadie obteined eternall felicitie bicause they alreadie reigned with Christ and yet neuerthelesse he added praiers that God would grant them the desired rest The which saiengs séeme to disagrée in themselues vnlesse thou vnderstand them as we haue now declared Further the church thought good to exercise hir office towards the dead as if so be they had yet liued notwithstanding indéed it considered that they had alreadie receiued that which it praied for Iohn 11 41. For Christ also praied for the resurrection of Lazarus the which neuertheles he doubted not but that he had obteined euen before he made his praier and therefore he said that hée praied for their sakes that stood by The prelate in making praiers for them that were departed was séene to instruct and teach the people what good things he which died had receiued those things I meane which they had heard the church to wish for These words are taken out of Dionysius in his treatise of Ecclesiasticall gouernement Dionysius Epiphanius Also Epiphanius added another reason against Arrius namelie that that thing which is perfect should be distinguished from other things Vndoubtedlie Christ is so perfect and absolute as it shall not be méet to praie for him But others although they be holie when they be compared with him be vnperfect and therefore it is not vnfit for their state to haue praiers to be powred out for them Wherefore the ancient fathers praied both for martyrs and for saints This cause haue I rehearsed out of Epiphanius not that I doo thinke the same to be true for the praiers which the ancient fathers made for patriarks prophets apostles and martyrs were thanks-giuing but that it may be vnderstood that there cannot be one cause onelie assigned why the church praied for the dead And séeing there may be manie sundrie causes appointed they deale not Logiklie who would obtrude onelie one cause vnto vs namelie to the intent that the soules of them that be departed should be eased in purgatorie But they make much adoo that the church expresselie praied for the dead that they might be succoured and be in better case Indéed I knowe that manie of the fathers doo admit this cause also but it is vncerteine The church in ancient time praied that the dead might be deliuered from hell whether the church began first for that cause to praie for the dead Naie rather if thou wilt behold the forms of the most ancient praiers in the church thou shalt perceiue that it praied that the soules departed might be deliuered from hell-fire from eternall death and from hell where there is no redemption 34 Lastlie I néed not bring manie things to defend the iustice of God which our aduersaries saie that we abolish by taking awaie of purgatorie séeing for them which sléepe in the Lord Christ suffered punishments enow and what good works and righteousnesse was wanting vnto them is added by the death and merits of Christ Further there is repentance the which hath infinite sorrowes ioined therewith especiallie when we conuert vnto Christ from our hart as we are to beléeue of them which wrestle at the last houre and labour to breake foorth vnto saluation Then commeth death whereby when the flesh is dissolued the infirmities also and corruptions of the same doo perish And bréeflie our righteousnes must not be measured by our works neither must the iustice of God be weighed by mans authoritie for the Lord saith Esaie 55 9. Looke how much the heauen is distant from the earth so much are my waies from your waies Matt. 20 15. c. Is thine eie euill bicause I am good And for the remoouing of purgatorie these things may suffice The tenth Chapter
among the Corinthians 1. Cor. 1. 5. the which is very much commended by Paul saying that they were instructed in all wisedome and in the worde Were they quiet among themselues There were Schismes among them Ibid. ver 12 They saide I hold of Peter I of Paul I of Apollo But thou wilt say they disagréed not as touching matters of weight Manie were at that point that they thought simple fornication no sinne 1. Cor. 6. 13 So as it behooued Paul to instruct them concerning the same Of the resurrection it selfe they iudged amisse If there be errours in the Anabaptistes or in others we agrée not with them Arrius In the latter age the Arrians did shake the Church for the space of 150. yeares and there were Ethnickes which were agréeued thereat Themistius For Themistius wrote of this matter vnto the Emperour Constantius Graunt me that the Ethnickes which then were reasoned against the Church How are ye Christians diuided among your selues In one Church was a Catholike Bishop in an other a Nouatian as at Constantinople was Chrysostome and Agelius In Africa also welnéere throughout euerie Church were two Bishops a Catholike and a Donatist A part would haue Images Epiphanius counted it as a thing detestable What shall we say as touching the Supremacie of the Pope They woulde haue it to be an article of necessitie vnto saluation but haue they all receiued the same Gregorie said that this is the title of Antichrist The Bishop of Constantinople sued against the Bishop of Rome At length the whole East part acknowledged not the Romane Bishop and yet they saide that it was the Church They say that they haue the Popedome ioyned thereunto God he knoweth But to deale frankelie with them let vs graunt them this It is a token that they are wholie carried vnto lewdnesse and it is rather a conspiracie than a veritie Dauid had the kingdome of God yet was it not quiet Such is the Church Of the true markes of the Church looke after Place 6. Art 16. and 38. c. Of diuers Ministeries of the Church 4 But nowe let vs obserue that the Apostles were to that ende chosen In Rom. 1. at the beginning that they shoulde institute the seruice of the Gospell The difference betweene the Apostles and the Byshops shoulde publish vnto the beléeuers the things which they had heard of Christ But the Bishops were ordeined to this purpose that they shold defend those things which are coÌteined in the Gospel and the holie scriptures Looke in the Treatise against Gardiner p. 152 which they should so receiue to be defended as they must not ad vnto them anie new things and forge traditions at their owne will Further the holie fathers which were Bishops when they take in hand to write doe confesse themselues to be handlers of the holie scriptures and woulde not that those things which they write shoulde be accounted of so great authoritie as we attribute vnto the Cannon of the Scriptures Nay rather they forbid that anie credite shoulde be giuen vnto them if they speake anie thing against the holie Scriptures Thirdlie to the Apostolical doctrine were adioyned manie miracles whereby their authoritie is confirmed which we sée was not doon in the traditions of the Elders Againe we are sure that the Apostles wrote by the inspiration of the holie Ghost which we dare not affirme of our Bishoppes Whereupon we conclude that the Apostles could not erre in those things which they wrote but we sée that the Bishoppes haue oftentimes decréeed amisse as concerning the rules of Religion as it appeareth in the Councell of Ariminum and also in the second Synode of Ephesus and also in manie other yea and they erred verie much also in their Actions At Chalcedone and Constantinople were Synods gathered together in which Chrysostome was condemned and deposed Chrisostom condemned and deposed which also was doone in the name of those Bishops which were accompted Catholike And there might be alleadged manie examples of this sort 1. Tim. 1. 14. Also Paul writing vnto Timothie prayeth him to saue that which was giuen him to kéepe declaring that hée ought neither to ad nor diminish any thing of the doctrine of the Gospell receiued This is to preserue the thing giuen him to kéepe Adde hereunto that the Apostles be so vnto Bishops and ordinarie Pastors The Apostles are to the Byshops as the Prophets were to the high Priestes as in old time the Prophets were vnto the high Bishoppes and Priests For the Prophets might bring bookes and mixe them with the Canonical Scriptures For Samuel added his bookes vnto the Scripture Esay Ieremie and the other Prophets added their monumentes vnto the Scripture which the Scribes high Priests and Bishops might not haue done The Apostles called the Gentiles abrogated the Ceremonies of the lawe which was beyond the compasse of the high Bishops and Priests Therefore the Apostle setteth foorth himselfe by sundrie titles that when wée reade him or heare him wée may thinke that we heare not the wordes of a man but oracles powred out of heauen In Rom. 10. 5 But in the Scriptures there be manie places by which it may be prooued that the doctrine of the Gospell shoulde be published throughout the whole world by the ministerie of the Apostles Esay 24. 16. 59. 19. Mal. 1. 11. As in Esay the 24. and 59. Chapters and in Malachie and almost euerie where in the Prophets And if so be the Gospell were published throughout the worlde then coulde not the Iewes cauel that they had not hearde of it especiallie when as Preaching began at them according to that saying Out of Sion shall go the lawe Esay 2. 3. Actes 13. 46. and the word of the Lorde out of Ierusalem Neither did the Apostles turne vnto the Gentiles vntill they had nowe séene the obstinacy of the vnbeléeuing Iewes For then they went vnto the Gentiles who neuertheles also had Ministers of the word of God before although not in such plentie That the Gentiles had some ministers of the word before the Apostles and ordinary succession as the Iewes had Among the Gentils liued Melchizedeck Balam Job and the Sibils whose testimonies as touching Christ are reueiled of olde writers Ioseph liued in Egypt Ionas was sent vnto the Nineuites Daniel and his companions preached in Babylon Nehemias Esdras liued among the Persians all which men kindled some light of true godlinesse amongst the Gentils but at length the doctrine was made fullie compleate by the Apostles The Iewes therefore are confuted by an argument taken a minori that is of the lesse If the Gentiles being farre off and at the ends of the world did heare howe haue you Iewes not heard And this manner of exposition doeth Chrysostome follow Neither is it anie maruell that Paul in the tenth Chapter to the Romanes writeth Verse 18. that the Gospel is published euerie where
whatsoeuer else rather than that which behooued Vndoubtedlie godlie Kings erected Schooles Colledges that in them yong men should be brought vp to good learning and godlinesse Neither was there any Cathedrall Church but a Schoole was ioined thereunto At Alexandria and Antioch did Pantenus Clemens Origen and other most learned men publikelie professe At this day also among the Canonistes a place is assigned for the Schoolemaister but he doeth nothing lesse than teach the youth And hereof commeth so great darkenesse euerie where in the Popes gouernment 1. Sam. 10. 5. either bicause the youth are not taught at all or else bicause they are taught wicked things Samuel was president of this Colledge Before his time there is no mention made in the holie scriptures of anie such fellowship of Prophets Of taking a spirituall charge looke the Oration that beginneth Those causes In Iud. 4. v. 4. 10 But when as God chose Debora vnto the Ministerie of iudging being weake in Sex he straight waie made hir very famous and honourable through the gift of prophesying By which grace and perhappes many other miracles more she was constituted by God and confirmed by miracles as a womaÌ chosen to so great an office Neither was onelie this woman indued with the spirit of prophesie for in the holie scripture we reade of other women also which were in such sort instructed by the holie Ghost Marie the sister of Moses Exod. 15. 20. 1. Sam. 2. 1. 2. Kings 22. 14. Luke 1. v. 42. 46. 2. 36. Hanna the mother of Samuel Holda in the time of Iosias the king were Prophetisses And in the newe Testament to speake nothing of Marie the virgin of Elizabeth the mother of Iohn and of Anna the daughter of Phanuel the daughters of Phillip the Deacon That womeÌ Prophets did openly teach the people as it is written in the Actes of the Apostles were Prophetisses Neither thinke I it ought to be denied that some of those women indued with the gift of prophesie did openlie teach the people in declaring of those things vnto them which had bin shewed them of God séeing the gifts of God are not therefore giuen that they should lie hidden but to the intent they should further the common edifying of the Church And yet hereby it followeth not that what God doeth by some peculiar priuiledge we should forthwith drawe it into an example vnto vs bicause according to the rule of the Apostle we are bounde vnto an ordinarie lawe 1. Tim. 2. 12. 1. Cor. 14. 34. Why womaÌ were commaunded to be silent in the Church whereby both in the Epistle to Timothie and in the first Epistle to the Corinthians he commandeth that a woman shoulde kéepe silence in the Church And of the silence commanded he assigneth causes namely for that they ought to be subiect to their husbandes but the office of a teacher doeth declare a certaine authoritie ouer those which are taught which must not be attributed vnto a woman ouer men For she was made for man whom to obey she ought alwaies to haue a respect which thing is also appointed hir by the iudgement of God whereby he said vnto the woman after sin was committed Gen. 3. 16. Thy disposition shall be towardes thy husband Further the Apostle deriued a reason from the first fault 1. Tim. 2. 14. wherein he saith that Eue was seduced and not Adam So as if women should ordinarilie be admitted to the holie ministerie in the Church men might easilie suspect that the diuell by his accustomed instrument would deceiue the people and for that cause they would the lesse estéeme the Ecclesiasticall function if it should be committed vnto women wherefore by the ordinarie right and by the Apostolicall rule it ought to be appointed vnto men Howbeit if God doe otherwise sometime yet can he not be iustly accused for so much as all lawes are in his power If then sometime he send a Prophetisse and adorne hir with heauenly gifts the same woman speaking in the Church must vndoubtedlie be hearkened vnto but yet so as hir state be not forgotten Therefore the two testimonies of Paule Two places of Paul are reconciled which séeme to be repugnant one to another may easilie be reconciled In the first Epistle to Timothie he writeth That a woman ought to be silent in the Church Which towarde the ende of the first Epistle to the Corinthians 1. Cor. 11. 5. he most manifestlie confirmeth Howbeit in the same Epistle he commandeth that a man prophesying or praying should haue his head vncouered but the woman while the prophesieth should haue it couered whereby doubtlesse he teacheth that it is lawfull for a woman both to speake and also to prophesie in the Church For it would not séeme that so doing she should haue bin commanded to couer hir head if she were vtterly to kéepe silence in the holie assemblie After this sort the matter must be expounded namely that the precept of silence is a generall precept Why the women that prophesie are coÌmanded to be couered on their head but the other which is for couering of the head when they pray or prophesie pertained onelie to those which were Prophetesses They verilie are not forbidden to prophesie for the common edifying of the Church but least they forgetting the propertie of their owne state by reason of the extraordinarie office committed vnto them shoulde waxe proude they are commanded to haue their head couered whereby they might vnderstand that they haue yet the power of man aboue them Moreouer where in the 2. Chapter to Titus Tit. 2. 3. it is commanded that the elder women should admonish the yonger women of temperance that they should loue their husbands and children and should likewise be diligent housewiues in their familie this must not be vnderstoode as touching publike doctrine or Ecclesiasticall Sermons but of priuate exhortations which are méete to be vsed by the elder sort vnto the yonger In Rom. 12 11 When Paul saieth in the xii to the Romans He that distributeth let him doe it with synceritie The office of Deacons he touched the office of Deacons as they were at that time and ought also to be in our time Their office was to distribute to the poore the Almes and oblations of the faithfull Let them doe their office saieth he with simplicitie let them withhold nothing by craft and ill practise For naughtie and deceitful men when they haue dealing in publike receites doe nothing syncerelie but vse woonderfull guiles and subtilties These things would Paul haue to be remoued from this kind of ministerie Others think that In giuing with simplicitie he meaneth without any respect vnto worldlie praise which some séeke for in the bestowing of other mens Almes But the first interpretation in my iudgement séemeth most fit And whereas he addeth He that ruleth let him doe it with carefulnesse although I doubt not but that there were many
kinde of gouernments in the Church yet to confesse the truth this me thinketh is most fitlie to be vnderstoode of Elders not in verie deede of them which had the charge of the word and of doctrine but of those which were appointed as assistantes vnto the Pastors They as being the discréeter sort and indued with a greater zeale and godlinesse were chosen out from among the laitie The office of the Elders Their office was chiefelie to attend vnto discipline and to take héede what euerie man did and in euerie house and familie to sée what néede euerie one had as touching that which belonged to the soule or to the bodie For the Church had hir ancients or if I may so saie hir Senate which according to the time prouided for profitable things Paul describeth this kinde of Ministerie not onelie in this place but also in the first to Timothie For thus he writeth The Elders are worthie of double honour 1. Tim. 5. 17. especially they which labour in the worde and doctrine In which wordes he séemeth to signifie that there be some Elders which teach and set forth the word of God Two sortes of Elders and there are others which although they doe not this yet as ancients and Elders they doe gouerne in the Church This did not Ambrose leaue vntouched when he did expound that place Yea he complaineth that euen then either through pride or through the slouthfulnesse of the Priestes they were in a maner worne awaie For while they which haue the gouernment of the Church séeke to drawe all things vnto themselues they prouide as diligentlie as they can that they maie haue no fellowe officers ioyned with them in that roome Rom. 12. 8 Wherefore Paul willeth that they which haue this charge should doe their indeuour and remoue slouth and sluggishnesse Further he addeth He that sheweth mercie let him doe it with cheerefulnesse The office of widowes and of old men And this séemeth to haue bin the office of widowes and of olde men which were to that ende maintained by the Church that they shoulde take care of strangers and of them that were sicke For good cause he commandeth these to haue chéerefulnesse For men that be weake and afflicted are much reléeued if they sée their necessities are ministred vnto with chéerefulnesse For they which with a frowning countenance and heauie chéere do these things séeme to adde sorow vnto them that be sorowfull for thereby they misdoubt that they be chargeable and troublesome to their brethren By meanes whereof they are oftentimes brought to that point as they count death much better than such a life Thus much spake Paul concerning the publike ministeries of the Church which he vpon iust cause calleth ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã to wit frée gifts For al these things Why these ministeres be called free gifts although it séemeth that they maie be gotten by humane arte and industrie yet shall we neuer bring to passe any thing in that kinde by our owne labour vnlesse we be holpen by the grace of God wherby those things which we doe are made profitable and effectuall For they which are occupied in these offices maie in déede without the helpe of God obtaine the praise of men and well liking of the people but they cannot further the saluation of soules commoditie of the Church And as touching this matter they oftentimes haue God fauourable and gratious vnto them which neuerthelesse obey him not with a syncere wil. But this is to be excéedingly lamented that this gouernance of the Church is so miserablie decaied that at this daie not so much as the names of these functions are anie where extant In the stead of these they haue put Taperbearers and I knowe not what Acoluthes and Subdeacons which serue for trifling and vaine actions about that superstitious Aultar of theirs In 1. Cor. 16. verse 5. 12 And in the first Epistle to the CorinthiaÌs the 16 Chapter we haue a notable place as concerning the visitation of Churches For Paul for the same cause would returne to the Corinthians first suruey the Churches of Macedonia because he could not straight waie trauell to Corinth he deuised to send thither Timothie Of the visitation of Churches And howe necessarie the visitation of Churches is the state of humane things doeth declare by the which we easilie perceiue that things do oftentimes decaie and fall to ruine vnlesse they be nowe and then reuoked to their first order and institution Wherefore wée are not to doubt that this is no humane but an apostolicall inuention What maner of men the visitors of Churches should be But it behooueth that they which visite shoulde be men of great authoritie of honest and godlie life and also wel instructed in the holie Scriptures For if so bée they shall not by the worde of GOD perceiue those things to be peruerse which they woulde amende they shall bring nothing to passe Peraduenture thou wilt saie séeing al Churches haue their owne Pastors what néede is there that other men shoulde come vnto them to visite Wée aunswere that it oftentimes happeneth that the men of anie Church do not so greatlie estéeme their owne Pastors being otherwise good men because through continuall conuersation they grow in contempt but when they shall come before thrée or foure which bée of other Churches beeing men of great name and authoritie they may be a great deale more easilie corrected and the ordinances of the Pastors if they bée good ordinances maie bée maintained by the authoritie of these men if they bée not good they maie bée amended Now it is growne to an vse that this office of visiting is assigned vnto Primates and Archbishops because those men which were indued with the more ample giftes of God and which did excel others in learning holines were woont to bée preferred to the higher places to the chéefe seas and more notable Cities But forasmuch as we sée that in the most places at this daie such high degrées are by the fauour of princes and by peruerse election commended vnto vnméete men what profite can these men bring by their visitation Verilie not a whit but oftentimes no small inconuenience Of calling and especiallie vnto the Ministerie 13 Verie ill doe they gather In 2. Sam. 2 v. 8. A calling must not be condemned by a hard successe which thus saie Things happen not to this or that man according to his minde therefore his calling is not of God For who suffered either more or more gréeuous things than did our Sauiour Christ And yet was his calling most lawfull Wherefore a great comfort is héere offered to the ministers of the Church and to lawfull magistrates that although they sée manie troubles laid before them yet that they should not despaire for those things procéed of the Diuell Hée verilie hateth all lawfull calling For hée séeth that God wil blesse it and that his strength
whoÌ seeing other mens minds be hidden and that they bée vtterlie ignorant what is in them it behoueth that they vse the cautions discribed by the Apostle least they erre in their elections But God rightly chooseth his with out those rules Psal 7. 11. Ier. 11. 20. Apo. 2. 23. For hee trieth the raines and the heartes and chaungeth the wils of men at his owne pleasure Albeit some haue saide that Paul in Iudaisme was of verie honest conuersation as hée himselfe testifieth vnto the Philippians Phil. 2. 6. And in the latter Epistle to Timothie he writeth that he had serued God from his forefathers with a pure conscience But I hold not with these men For I will not diminish his fault in persecuting of the Church seeing Paul did so greatlie after a sort reproch himselfe with the same Wherfore when I allowe of the solution nowe brought this commeth to mind that the Canons which the Apostle deliuered vnto Timothie are not alwaies kept euen as touching men For Ambrose the Bishop of Millaine Ambrose was chosen he being yet a Nouice when hée was yet a Nouice and youngling in the faith was placed in the Sea of the Church For he was sent from the Emperour to execute the office of Praetor Here the aduersaries vaunt against vs that it is lawfull sometimes to deale against the holie Scriptures and that the woordes of God are not most stedfast But we must note that the preceptes of God sometime haue not their owne strength neither in verie déede be preceptes For when two preceptes méete together so as they crosse one another The commandemeÌts of God so fare as sometime one giueth place to another wherof the one is more excellent than the other God wold haue that chiefly to be done then the other which is of lesse excellencie and as touching the will of God inferiour giueth place vnto the first and hath not the authoritie of a commaundement because God woulde not haue it to bée doone in that place and at that time Euen as Christ taught as touching the drawing of an Oxe and an asse out of a pit on the Sabboth daie Luk. 14. 5. By which meanes he excused his Disciples who had plucked off the eares of the corne on the Sabboth daie Matt. 12. 1. and had rubbed out the graine And he often times testified that hee woulde haue mercie and not sacrifice Ibid. ver 7. The Church of Millaine therefore was greatlie molested by the Arrians it had néede of a Bishop An examination of the chusing of Ambrose and speciallie of a teacher that shoulde bée of great authoritie These thinges were perceiued to bée in Ambrose Neither was there anie other fit man presented Whereby that Church was quit from the other precept which was of lesse excellencie wherein it was commanded to beware of Nouices or those which were not fullie instructed And of this matter it séemeth to be enough to haue spoken somewhat by the waie 20 Moreouer the rite of the olde consecration is set foorth in the booke of Numbers In 1. Sam. 7 at the beginning It behooued that the Leuite should chaunge his garment and wash his bodie and shaue all his haire The consecration of the Leuites Priestes Further that he should come into the Tabernacle vnto Aaron and by him to be consecrated before God the Lorde After the same maner also it behooued the Priestes to be consecrated namelie that they shoulde put on newe garmentes that they should be sprinkled with holie oyle and bloude This outwarde meanes was to this purpose effectuall that the people might vnderstand that they were nowe ministers assigned vnto them by God But these shadowes being taken awaie there is nothing left vnto vs but the laying on of hands But the Papists The laying on of hands as I suppose to the intent they might bée of more solemnitie The conseâation and mark of the Papists haue transferred all those rites and Ceremonies of Moses vnto themselues They are clipped they are shauen they are washed they are annointed they haue garmentes put on them And I maruel not a little why they be not also circumcised But they adde that these things of theirs are indued with much greater vertue than those rites of Moses For that they imprint a marke which cannot be raced out and that it consisteth not onely in the flesh but that it pearceth also euen vnto the soule Paul saith that he beareth the markes of the Lord vpon his bodie Gal. 6. 17. But these good men would laie vp those thinges in their minde For what they doe in their bodie all men sée In 1. kin 19 The signe of outward vnction 21 Moreouer oile in the olde time was an outwarde ceremonie appointed by God and therefore it was not destitute of the worde of God And it signified the gift of the holie Ghost whereby God instructed them whom hee woulde promote either vnto ecclesiasticall or publike offices Moreouer by that signe they which were promoted were aduertised of their duetie Wherefore it was a sacrament but not generall because al the beléeuers in God were not annointed but onelie the men of that order which we haue mentioned before 1. Kings 19. 19. But some man wil saie we reade not that Elisa was annointed by Elias with outwarde oile for as the holie Historie saith he onelie cast his cloake vnto him Neither was Azael consecrated by Elisa with outward vnction 2. Kings 8. 11. Some aunswere that indéede the same was vsed although the holie scriptures make no mention thereof Certeinlie manie things haue happened which the holie Historie otherwhile speaketh not of But I woulde saie that séeing it commeth to passe manie times in the Sacramentes that outward signes take their name of the things as breade and wine in the holie Supper are called the bodie and bloude of Christ The nature of sacraments in the transferring of names because they be the signes and Sacraments of those thinges In like manner the verie bodie of Christ Iohn 6. 51. as we reade in the 6. Chapter of Iohn is called breade that euen so Elias although he had not the outward ointment yet it may be saide that he did annoint because by his ministerie God working the same he bestowed the grace and frée gifts of Prophesie the which are signified by the outward vnction The verie which forme of speaking Dauid vsed when in the Psalme vnder the person of God he said Psal 105. 15 Touch not mine annointed And he spake of Abraham Isaac and Iacob whom he calleth annointed whenas notwithstanding they had not the outward vnction But so they be called because they were replenished with the spirite and with graces the which were signified by the oyle Yea and our Sauiour Iesus himselfe is called Christ that is annointed because he hath had the grace of God and that indéede beyonde the measure of other men 1.
of sinnes it cannot be denyed but that they are of God For they haue a respect of Iustice For so doth God oftentimes for the sinnes of the people raise vp an vngodlie Prince But although he be vngodlie he must be obeyed After what sort wicked kings must be obeyed howbeit so farre forth as Religion shall permit And if he shall command vngodlie things he must not be heard Neither is it lawfull with silence to dissemble anie thing that the King doeth peruerslie and vngodlie We ought to warne counsell reprooue chasten and amend him for so did the Prophetes Also for defence of the common weale we must obey without exception Therefore Cicero Cato Pompeius and others must not be blamed who tooke warres in hand against Caesar But when he had once attained to the Empire no priuate man ought to haue takeÌ armes against him Therefore when Augustus Caesar had heard railing wordes to be spoken against Marcus Cato being nowe dead because he dealt tyrannouslie against Iulius answered that Cato was a good Citizen in that he would not haue the present state of the common weale to be changed So that God raigneth together with kings whether they be good or euill Kings be the heads of the common weale Psal 18. 44. And kings maie be called the heads of the Common weale For so Dauid writeth of himselfe Thou hast set mee to be the head of the Nations Yet are they not properlie but Metaphoricallie called heads For euen as from the head is deriued all the sense and motion into the bodie so the senses by good lawes and motions by edictes and commandements are deriued from the prince vnto the people And this strength excéedeth not the naturall power 2 Now as touching the other question none may after this maner be called the head of the Church No mortall man may be called the head of the Church for heere the consideration is farre otherwise than in a common weale For the Church is a celestial diuine and spirituall bodie Sense can be giuen vnto hir by no mortall man For those things which pertaine to the sense of the Church be of such sort as neither eare hath heard Esa 64. 4. 2. Cor. 2. 9. nor eye hath séene neither haue they ascended into the heart of man for all quickening of the Church procéedeth from the holie Ghost So as they which will raise vp vnto vs a newe head of the Church are not wel aduised what they saie For regeneration and remission of sinnes doe flowe from the spirite of Christ and not from man Onely Christ is head of the Church Ephe. 4. 15 Also the Scriptures doe sufficientlie testifie that Christ alone is giuen to be head of the Church Paul vnto the Ephesians saith Christ is the head of the Church by whom all the members by order of assistance make increase of the bodie And vnto the Colossians Col. 2. 19. speaking of hypocrites They hould not saith he the head whereby all the bodie is knit together by synowes ioyntes And againe vnto the Ephesians Let vs therefore growe vp in him which is the head Ephe. 4. 15 namelie Christ So that euerie sense and mouing of the Church floweth from Christ alone not from anie mortall man But thou wilt obiect An obiection that Princes vndoubtedly cannot ingender ciuill vertues in the mindes of their people Wherefore the reason on both partes is a like The consideration of the Church and coÌmon weale is diuerse Yes verilie they can for that doth not excéede the power of nature For vertue springeth of frequented Actions So when as princes by lawes and edictes driue their subiects vnto actions they also driue them vnto vertues But the spirit of God and regeneration is not attained by manie actions but onelie by the blessings of God For these gifts of God flowe vnto the Church by ioyntes and synowes that is by preachers and ministers For their part is to teache the people to minister the Sacraments to excommunicate offenders and to reconcile the penitent For albeit that Christ is the onelie head of the Church yet doth he vse the ministerie of these men Whether in the Church may be an outward head that should gouerne the ministers The order instituted by Christ must not be changed Aristocratia 3 But thou wilt saie that although the inward senses and mouings of the Church be of Christ yet there maie be an outwarde head to rule ministers and to kéepe them all in their duetie There maie not be neither vndoubtedlie is it lawfull to change the order appointed by God For God would that in the Church there should be a gouernment of the best men that Bishops shoulde take the charge of all these things should choose Ministers yet so as the voyces of the people should not be excluded That Byshops are to choose ministers But euen as the Israelites cast awaie the gouernment of God that they might make themselues a king euen so they that would haue the Pope to be the Head of the Church haue cast awaie Christ the true head of the Church Paul vnto the Ephesians saieth Eph. 4 11. that Christ Gaue some to be Apostles some Prophets some Euangelists some Pastors some Teachers for edifying of the Church neither addeth he that he set one ouer al these persons Who commaÌded these men to alter this order Further when Matthias was to be substituted in the place of Iudas Acts. 1. 15. Acts. 6. 3. and when Deacons should be created the matter was referred not vnto the Pope but vnto the people Besides this That the Pope cannot be the vniuersall Byshop if the Pope were head of the Church he should be the bishop of bishops or the vniuersal bishop which thing no reason would beare But least that the Papists should thinke that there is smal weight in my words let them heare Gregorie the cheife of all Popes Arguments of Pope Gregorie touching this matter Hée in the fourth book of the register in the Epistles vnto Mauricius the Emperour vnto Constantia the Empresse vnto the Patriarch of Ierusalem Alexandria Antioch and vnto Iohn of Constantinople writeth at large of this matter I will comprise his arguments in as fewe words as I can There cannot saith he bée one head of the whole Church For if paraduenture that head should fall into anie heresie it would of necessitie bée that the whole Church should be corrupted And that the same head maie bée corrupted Nestorius and Macedonius may be a tryall who sometimes gouerned the Church of Constantinople The one of these affirmed distinct persons to be in Christ the other denied the holie Ghost to be God Furthermore if there might bée one onelie head of the Church he saith it would of necessitie be that the authoritie of all other Bishops should be deriued vnto him But that would be absurde Therefore Cyprian saith that there is one Bishopricke whereof
a part is wholie holden in grosse of euery one He addeth further that whosoeuer will arrogate this title vnto himselfe is Antichrist Here we will adde the Minor But the Pope challengeth vnto himselfe this title Wherefore the Papistes must beare it with an indifferent mind if we call the Pope Antichrist Lastlie in the Epistle vnto Iohn of Constantinople What aunswere saith he wilt thou make before the tribunall seat of Christ whose office thou hast so arrogantlie vsurped Here Gregorie confesseth that this title is méete for Christ onelie But the foundation strength of these reasons is that it is not lawfull to reuerse the order which Christ hath appointed Mat. 16. 18. Whether Christ instituted one head in the Church 4 Yea verilie saie they Christ himselfe appointed one head in the Church For hée saith Thou art Peter and vppon this rocke c. But these men leane to a ruinous foundation Peter confessed Christ to be the sonne of God The words of Christ Thou art Peter c. expounded Then Christ Thou saith he shalt be Peter because thou hast confessed the rock that is me béeing the foundation of the Church And vppon this rocke which thou hast confessed I will builde my Church But now saith Paul 1. Cor. 3. 11 none can laie any other foundation but that which is laid Christ Iesus But if at anie time we read among the Fathers that the Apostles be foundations as in the Apocalips we read that there bée twelue foundations of new Ierusalem Apo. 21. 14 foundation is not here put for the roote of the building but for the xij stones which are next vnto the foundation For otherwise Christ is the foundation euen of the Apostles But they obiect that the keyes were committed vnto Peter Of yeâeies Yea rather they were giuen to all the Apostles without difference For Christ gaue the holie Ghost vnto al Ioh. 20. 22. and said vnto all Mat. 28. 19 Go ye preach ye The which in verie déede be the keyes of the Church But vnto Peter it was saide Ioh. 21. 15. Feed feed Yea rather they were all bidden and they ought to féed 1. Pet. 5. 2. Of those words féed any sheepe And Peter in his Epistle writeth vnto the other Bishoppes Feed yee as much as in you lieth the flocke of Christ Why then was it chiefely said vnto Peter before others Feed thou Mat. 26. 69 Because when he had thrise openlie denied Christ he might haue séemed to haue fallen from his first dignitie Wherefore Christ as though he had restored him into his place bad him by name to féed Howbeit what he spake vnto him alone he spake vnto all By this also he signified that hée which will teach in the Church ought to be indued with singular loue towards Christ Paul although after the death of Christ hée were made an Apostle Gal. 2. 6. yet he saith That he learned nothing of Peter or conferred anie thing with anie of the Apostle But if so be that Peter had béene the prince and heade of the Church nothing ought to haue béene doone without his authoritie and sufferance Naie rather Peter and Paul so allotted the Prouinces betwéene them Ibid. ver 7. as Peter taught among the Iewes and Paul among the Gentils 1. Pet. 5. 3. Further Peter admonisheth the Bishops that they should not raigne ouer the Cleargie Therefore how maie anie one obtaine the kingdome ouer others and beare himselfe as head But this reason is first of all to bée noted Iohn the Apostle liued vntil the time of Domitian Peter died at Rome vnder Nero. Him did Linus Cletus and Clemens succéede Now if they wil the Pope to be head of the Church they must of necessitie confesse that Iohn the Apostle was subiect vnto Clement If the Pope be head of the Church the Apostles were subiect vnto him So then let them either denie the Popes to be heades of the Church or if they will not let them subiect the Apostles-vnto them The Epistles of Clemens although they be manifestly fained and inuented yet are they oftentimes cited highlie estéemed by them Then let it be lawfull for vs also to consider what he writeth His Epistle vnto Iames the Apostle hath this inscription Clemens vnto Iames Clemens calleth Iames the Byshop of Byshops the brother of the Lord the Bishop of Bishops ruling all the Churches of God which are founded euerie where by his Prouidence Wherefore Rome the head of the Church shall bée translated to Ierusalem To this The vniuersall Church cannot be ruled by one man how maie the vniuersall Church be ruled by one man Sometime the Romane Empire was the greatest yet could it not imbrace the Parthians Scythians Indians Ethiopians and although it obtained not the whole world yet as Titus Linius saith it was wearie of his owne burthen Euen so these men when they saw that no one man might imbrace the whole Church they instituted as it were a Quadrumuirat that is that the world should bée ruled by foure Patriarches Namelie that the Patriarch of Antioch should be ouer Syria the Patriarch of Alexandria ouer Egypt and Ethiopia The Patriarch of Constantinople ouer Asia Greece and Illyricum The Patriarch of Rome ouer all the West part But what came to passe at the length Verilie this that they stroue among themselues and rent the world in sunder for each one would reigne ouer all And this welnéere is woont to be the end of humane counsels But Paul said that he tooke care of all the Churches I graunt but yet he said hée had a care not a dominion and that therefore he rather wrote vnto admonished counselled and reprooued the Churches but neueâ called nor could haue called himselfe the head of the Church 5 But we are sometimes woont to saie The Church would be a monster if it had two heads If the Church should haue one head in heaueÌ and an other in earth it should be double headed and so séeme a monster This argument the Bishop of Rochester derideth For a wife also hath both her owne head and her husbandes so by this meanes euerie wife should be a monster The Byshop of Rochester But I maruell at Rochester being so great a Logitian that hée noted not a false argument in that which hée reporteth of the wife For those two heads of the wife be not of one and the same order for one is naturall and other is Oeconomicall But it would be a monsterous thing if a wife should haue two naturall heads or two Oeconomicall heads or two husbands But they adde The difference which they put betwéene Christ and the Pope The Pope is onelie a ministeriall heade he powreth not into the Church senses and spirituall motions for that is onelie the part of Christ Wherefore the Pope and Christ be not two heads of one and the same kinde The Pope is not confessed to
third vnto Emperours And of this mind be the Schoolemen as Thomas in Secunda Secundae de Ieiuni saith that the Church cannot decrée at what time and in what manner we shoulde fast For euen as saith he ciuill Magistrates maie declare and ratifie those things which be confusedly and obscurely shadowed in the lawe of nature so the Church may define determine those things which be confusedlie taught in the holie Scriptures Ostiensis And Ostiensis de vi Constitutionum saith that such decrées ought to be of that force that he which coÌtenmeth them should be excommunicated And wee reade in the histories that Victor would haue excoÌmunicated al the East part for no other cause but for that they did not solemnise the feast of Easter after the Roman vse Albeit that matter was somewhat repressed by the Counsell of Ireneus The reasons that are brought for the contrarie An answere to the reasons denying this power vnto Byshops they thinke that they be able easilie to refell For whereas it is saide that the Bishops receaued not authoritie of Christ to make lawes they aunswere that that is nothing For they saie that lawes doe belong vnto doctrine Cicero What the Lawe is For the lawe as Cicero saith is a commaunding of honest things and a repelling of things shamefull So that séeing the Church hath the authoritie to teach if hath also saie they authoritie to make Lawes 1. Pet. 5. 3. And albeit Peter saith that a Bishop ought not to beare rule yet that he ought to haue ouersight in the Church and to haue the power of the keies And whereas it is alleaged that the Church hath no right to punish they say it is false for the Church may bind lose excommunicate And whereas Paule writeth that he wil not cast any man into a snare 1. Cor. 7. 37 they say he writeth this particularly of virgins because chastitie is not commonlie giuen vnto al men And that it is a weake argument for a man thus to gather It is not lawfull to make a lawe of virginitie therefore it is not lawfull for any cause And that whereas Esaie saith Esa 33. 22. Thou art our lawmaker and king that is true as touching the last iudgement eternall damnation Or by the figure * Antonomasia is when in the place of a proper name an other name is put Antonomasia bicause whatsoeuer is is of him For otherwise by the same reason euerie ciuil magistrate should be taken away 3 But whether these bee Lawes or or no I will not contend bicause it maketh not much to purpose Wherefore let it bée set downe that it is lawfull for the Church to make to it selfe either Canons or lawes or decrees or statutes or call them by what name thou wilt For the Church is a companie and must be ruled by the word of God especially bicause it belongeth to the saluation thereof and to the worshiping of God But there be other things which belong onelie vnto outward discipline For there is néede of certaine outward bondes to the end that the fellowship of the people maie be retained 1. Cor. 11. 5 So the Apostle decréed that women ought to praie with the head couered and men vncouered Acts. 15. 29 And the Apostles in the Actes decréede that we should abstaine from bloud from strangled and from things dedicated vnto Idols And alwaies in Councels after they had done with doctrine they began to intreate of discipline Finallie so did all the Fathers as Tertullian Origen Basill Augustine and Ierom. The ende of these lawes must be edefying and good order But for so much as they be not of neessitie they maie be changed according to the times and places as in Baptisme concerning the thrée times dipping of sprinkling of them that are diseased of the time of Easter and Penticost at which times onely Baptisme was woont to be giuen Of the Eucharist in what place at what time after what manner whether we ought to communicate standing or sitting in the morning or at euening vnlesse that these things shal be determined of there will neuer be any tranquillitie of the Church For one man will heare a Sermon at one time and an other at an other time one in this place and an other in that So as it is lawfull to appoint such decrées if it be done with the peace of the Church Others reason thus The people is vnlearned and vnskilfull therefore to be held in Ceremonies But this difference is betwéene vs and them of old time They had many Ceremonies we as saith Augustine haue verie fewe And Christ saith that God will haue a people of whom hee shall bee called vpon in spirit and in truth 1. Co. 14. 40 Yet Paule teacheth the Corinthians that it behoueth that there should be some things which maie serue vnto order and comelinesse Howbeit this order consisteth not in great pompe in apparell in songs in the noyse of bels and organs but in that which may serue vnto modestie and grauitie which may remoue lightnesse confusion and barbarousnesse 4 Now that we maie vnderstand What maner of laws ought to be of the Church of what sort such lawes should be we ought to remeÌber that some there bée which pertaine to doctrine and some to gouernaunce Vnto doctrines nothing ought to be thought necessary but that which is gathered either expressely or by manifest and sound reason out of the holy Scriptures such as is of the baptising of Infantes and of Homonsion that is that Christ is of one substance with his father For God expressely commaunded in Deuteronomie Deut. 12. 32 that there shoulde not any thing be added vnto his lawe Againe those things which pertaine to gouernance are distinguished two manner of waies For some be necessarie and serue vnto saluation of which sort none must be thought vnlesse they be taught in the holie Scriptures Others there be indifferent in their owne nature the which we may vse either well or ill Lawes toâching thâ⦠indifferent Vnto this part onely belongeth all this discourse In this kind we must speciallie take héede that nothing be thought to be done to the worshipping of God For diuine worshiping dependeth not of the will of men but of the counsell of God Therefore Christ in Matthew saieth out of Esay Matt. 15. 9. In vaine do they worship mee teaching doctrines being preceptes of men For the worshipping of God must remaine simple and pure Esa 29. 23. Ibid. v. 14. Therefore God saieth in Esay that he would send furie and madnesse vpon them of whom he is worshipped according to the preceptes of men And in déede so we sée it commonly come to passe that they which are wholie occupied in this are after a sort giuen vp to a reprobate sense they dote they are mad and they cannot sée euen those things that bée most cleare Col. 2. 10. Paul vnto the Colossians saieth If
of the spirit And although some spirituall men maie perhappes agrée with them verie fewe they be and are ouermatched both in number and authoritie of the carnall sort neither deale they alwaies valiantlie as they ought to do And in trueth as the case now standeth it is the Pope which gouerneth the councell For he summoneth suspendeth alloweth and refuseth the same at his owne pleasure Who how truelie he maie be called spirituall all men vnderstand Besides further séeing the holie Scriptures be inspired by God therefore most spirituall none that be spirituall can decrée in councels anie thing against them For spirites are not one against an other But in Councels they haue sundrie times defined against the decrées of the holie Scripture There the communion was mangled Matrimonie was forbidden the ministers of the Church Innumerable abuses were brought in of masses namelie Inuocation of Saints the vse of Images the superstition of Purgatorie and infinite pestilences of this kinde were confirmed And what authoritie a councel should haue Augustine sheweth in the 3. Augustine booke against Maximinus the bishop of the Arrians when he saith But now neither ought I alleadge the councell of Nice nor thou the Councell of Ariminum as though we would preiudice one an other neither must I be tyed to the authoritie of this not yet thou to the authoritie of that We must appeale froÌ the Councels and Fathers to the scriptures Let thing with thing cause with cause reason with reason striue together by the authorities of the scriptures not being each mans owne testimonies but by those which bée common to both partes Where thou séest that this father doth appeale from the Councels vnto the Scriptures The same father in the 2. Augustine booke against the Donatistes the 3. Chapter saith The letlers of bishoppes and the decrées of Prouincial councels giue place to the greater councels but the Canonicall Scripture giueth place to none And the same father writing vnto Ierom with whom he disputed as touching the reprehending of Peter which is spoken of to the Galathians he most manifestly appealed from the Fathers which Ierom cited Look in the booke of bowes pag. 72. set forth at Basil Anno 59. pag. 235. 419. Ioh. 16. 12. vnto the words of the holie Scripture 12 Neither must we passe vpon that which they often times obiect vnto vs namely that Christ saide vnto his Apostles I haue manie things to speake vnto you but ye cannot nowe beare them away Whereof they will gather that many things as touching the worshipping of God and Religion may be appointed by them which the holy Scriptures haue not taught Nothing necessarie to saluatioÌ remaineth in man to appoint As though Christ in those words had spoken of worshippings and Ceremonies Might not the Apostles then abide such things who both had bin borne and were conuersant from their childhood in ceremonies and rytes Was Moses able to teach those things to the ignoraunt people and could not Christ teach the Apostles those things which be of the same kinde The case doeth not so stande but those manie things were the same which he had alreadie tolde them and they were more expressedly and effectuallie to be expounded vnto them and to be printed in their mindes by the power of the holy ghost which he promised vnto them For a little after he saieth When the comforter shall come Ioh. 16. 13. he shall prompt you in all things that I haue shewed you Moreouer he testified that all things which he heard of his father he tolde it vnto them Ioh. 14. 26. Ioh. 15. 15. All things saith he which I haue heard of my father I haue made them knowen vnto you So as there shall be nothing left necessary vnto saluation which is lawful for these men to decrée Neither are these things spoken The authoritie of Councels must not be reiected when they deale by the word of God to the intent that the authoritie of councels should be vtterlie reiected For if so be they shall reprehend excommunicate or absolue by the word of God and shall pray together by the power of the spirit these things shal not be in vaine and without fruite Yea and Paule went to Peter and to the Apostles vnto Ierusalem Gal. 2. 6. not to deriue doctrine from them but least he should runne in vaine he went for the commoditie of others that they might vnderstand that his kind of doctrine did not disagrée from the opinions of the Apostles as some boasted that it did For what cause Councels should be sometimes had If Councels were otherwhile had for this purpose that all Churches might acknowledge a consent in the veritie of the Scriptures they might verie well be borne withal But when they decrée against the testimonies of the holie Scriptures they are not to be suffered For Paul if he had perceiued any thing to haue bin defined eyther by Peter or by the other Apostles otherwise than he himself had heard of Christ he would not haue giuen his assent no verilie Not to an Angell if he had shewed from heauen any thing other than the Gospell which he had receiued Gal. 1. 8. so as we also must estéeme none to be spirituall nor yet to iudge aright if they haue decréed against the scriptures 13 Wherefore that which Paul writeth of the Corinthians iudgement In 1. Cor. 4. verse 3. Look part 1 pl. 6. Act. 7. wee must retaine if we be iudged either by a Councell or by the Papisticall Church against the scriptures we may boldly saie with Paule we estéeme it least of all to be iudged by you Neither must our aduersaries be heard who say that the iudgement of the Church must bée preferred aboue the Scriptures and they thinke that they haue prooued it by a sufficient reason when they say the Church hath iudged of the Scriptures by receiuing some and refusing some which it might not haue done vnlesse the iudgement thereof had excelled the Scriptures But these men must consider that there hath bin euen from the beginning some men replenished with the spirit of God by whom God hath set foorth his Oracles vnto men the which he woulde haue to bee registred in writings These wordes of God when as others eyther heard or read it happened by the benefite of the spirit that the faithfull acknowledged those to be the naturall and sincere woordes of God Hereof it came to passe that the holie scriptures be admitted But if they which being illuminated with the holy Ghost acknowledged the holie scriptures to be the worde of God had bin demaunded whether they woulde not haue their owne authoritie to be preferred aboue them they would not haue suffered it but on the other side those being knowen receiued they altogether submitted themselues and agreed that they should be reputed for the most sure rule of their faith life Wherefore it is but a weake consequent
belong vnto religion are only knoweÌ 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 coÌparison 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 eueÌ 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 ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã 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 accouÌt 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 ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã 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 CouÌcels 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
the good as in the euill part For euen great offenders be called Anathemata or accursed Rom. 9. 3. And in this sense Paule would haue bin accursed from Christ for his brethrens sake Among the Hebrewes it is called Cherem that is perdition prohibition or a thing prohibited And it maie be also defined by those things which are taught of the Apostle A definition of excommunication after this maner Excommunication is the casting out of a godlesse man from the fellowship of the faithfull by the iudgement of them which be chiefe and the whole Church consenting by the authoritie of Christ and rule of the holie Scripture to the saluation both of him that is cast out and of the people of God An order of the Treatise Now let vs sée how necessarie this punishment is Secondlie what things ought to goe before Afterward who is to bee excommunicated Further from whence he should be cast whither he shoulde be cast by what degrées by whom when why and by what motion or inspiration and what we should at the length doe with him that is excommunicate How necessarie a thing excommunication is Mat. 18. 17 3 By the Gospell we easilie knowe how necessarie this ought to be accounted in the Church In the 18. of Matthew when Christ had taught as concerning brotherlie correction he added But and if he shall not heare the Church let him be vnto thee as an Ethnick and Publicane Ibid. ver 18 Againe Whatsoeuer ye shall binde vpon the earth shall be bound also in heauen and whatsoeuer ye loose vppon the earth shall also bee loosed in heauen Wherefore séeing it is the Gospell of Christ as touching all the parts it ought to be receiued of the Church credite euerie where to bee giuen vnto it So as they are to bee woondered at which would professe the Gospell and yet doe exclude this particle Wée reade in the 13. of Deuteronomie Verse 5. Ier. 51. 6. Take away the euil from among you And in Ieremie it is written concerning Babylon Flie you from the middest of her Esa 52. 11. Moreouer the Israelites were forbidden to touch vnpure things and if they had perhaps touched those things they became so vncleane as they were seuered from the companie of others Leui. 13. 46 The lepers were banished from the Campe. And the Lord expelled out of the garden of pleasure Gen. 3. 23. the first parents when they had sinned Gen. 4. 14. Caine also after the killing of his brother went as a runnagate from the sight of his parents Finallie if there were no other testimonie extant 1. Cor. 5. 3. 2. Thes 3. 14 that which we haue out of Paule to the Corinthians to the Thessalonians and else where ought to be sufficient Also Iohn in the second Epistle Irenaeus 2. Ioh. ver 10. The second Epistle of Iohn whose it is the which Irenaeus in his first booke confirmeth to be the Apostles although some thinke the same to be the Epistle of one Iohn a Priest saieth If any man come and bring not this doctrine him receiue ye not into your house neither say ye vnto him God speede and doe not ye communicate with euill workes In like maner doeth the Apostle séeme to haue written vnto the Ephesians Ephe. 5. 11. Haue no fellowship with the vnfruitfull workes of darkenesse 4 Before excommunication Correction goeth before excommunication Mat. 10. 15. goeth brotherlie correction For Christ saide If thy brother shall haue sinned against thee Neither is he to be thought that he sinneth not against vs which sinneth against God séeing we be his children the members of Christ yea verilie the Saints are so prepared as they easilie neglect that which is committed against themselues and soone forgiue their owne iniuries except so much as they perceiue them to redound against God What maner of corrections ought to be But and if the sinne be common and knowen to all men shall it haue néede of brotherly correction No verilie let it be brought and made manifest vnto the Church But it shall bée néedefull that the minde of the sinner be searched out whether he haue minded to repent and returne into the waie This being purposed he which sinneth openlie must be exhorted and admonished Whereby it appeareth that in al sinne aswell secret as publike there is néede of brotherlie correction The which behooueth not to be doone softlie and slacklie but verie earnestly must be layde before the eyes of the sinner the weight of his transgression the wrath of God kindled and stirred vp against him the punishment that remaineth for him finally the offence wherby he hath hurt the Church But let the rebuke be gentle as procéeding from a frendly minde Otherwise if he shall thinke thée to bée his enemie thou shalt rebuke him without any fruite This vnto the Galathians is commended Gal. 6. 1. You that be spirituall rebuke your brother in the spirite of gentlenesse Excommunication must not be rash Let space be giuen to the sinner to thinke with himselfe that he maie the easelier repent A Phisitian doth gently handle sores he doth not straightwaie prepare an Iron fire And all waies and meanes must bée attempted if it be possible without impairing the word of God to retaine him that hath sinned in the Church before that excommunicatioÌ be vsed If he which was fallen giue place to admonitions promise faithfully that he will change his life and with teares and confession of sinne doe testifie a repentance and sorrow of minde and doe take awaie the offences and occasions of sinnes there let admonition cease For now the brother is wun vnto Christ But if he shall dispise to heare being warned twise or thrise before witnesses let him be brought to the rulers of the Church of whom also he shal be admonished But if he shall make light of them let the Elders referre the matter vnto the people of Christ and by the institution of the Apostle vnlesse he shall first repent let him with the consent of the whole Church be excommunicated These things ought to goe before this iudgement Who is to be excommunicated 5 Nowe remaineth to sée who he is that must be excommunicated He must be as Paul taught among the number of the brethren 1. Cor. 5. 11 who although he confesse Christ in wordes yet in déedes as it is written vnto Titus denieth him Tit. 1. 16. Augustine Neither is the exposition of Augustine allowed that ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã that is the partie named to be excommunicate should be referred to an adulterer a drunkard and to other great crimes which follow after For sinnes also which be not so publike and knowen vnto all men when they shall be stirred vp through brotherlie correction How priuat sins become publike are by accusing to the Church made publike Also they that be infected with ill doctrine are excommunicated As
diuerse others were catholike before the Romane Church was planted Besides foorth let vs consider that the Catholike church was in old time called the Church of Christ not the Romane Church From whence came this addition What mortall man hath made this article of the faith We saie and professe in the Créede that Wee beleeue one holie Catholike and Apostolike Church These words haue they transformed into the Romane Church But by what licence and power they haue doone this vnlesse they confesse their owne ambition they are not able to shewe And as to mens arguments if this title should be giuen vnto anie it had béene conuenient for the citie of Ierusalem séeing Christ did their teach and was fastened to the crosse from thence ascended into heauen and from thence sent his Apostles to preach Why the Church of Ierusalem was not preferred as flesâ But there were manie causes for the which that Church was not appointed the first of all The Apostolike men which at the first time floorished therein were godlie and modest and therefore sought not after such primacie Againe there happened a certaine emulation I will not saie hatred betwéene the Iewes and Ethnickes which were conuerted vnto Christ And as the Iewes were most sure holders of the ceremonies of their forefathers so attempted they to obtrude them vpon the Gentiles which indeuour being perceiued the estimation of that Church was obscured Besides these things that place after the destruction brought in by Titus and Vespatian was not famous nor noble for so much as no kings and Monarches had anie abiding there And it is manifest enough that the primates of Churches followed the ciuil magnificence To this the Patriarches of Ierusalem in processe of time were not constant in the true faith but did pollute theÌ selues with heresies Wherefore they were the lesse famous And therewithall penurie and pouertie was adioyned which was a great hinderance vnto the primacie That Church was not so plentifullie inriched as were the Churches of Rome Alexandria and Constantinople But to returne whence I came If antiquitie if the conuersation of Christ and his Apostles and the original of the Gospel wrought not that the Church of Ierusalem should bee or be called Catholike how can they imagine that the Romane church had it Perhappes they will saie Of Peter But of this I will speake hereafter And to the matter now in hand let vs affirme that all churches as touching the thing it selfe so they retaine faith and the word of God with iust synceritie be Catholike and also equall But if we shall beholde not the thing but the accidents to the iudgement of ignorant men that excelleth others which excéedeth in riches and great estate of princes And as for godlie men that Church is more excellent than the rest which is more honourable in the giftes of God and graces of the spirit 7 Further our aduersaries are most manifestly founde to be plunged in those crimes of which the Apostle hath pronounced 1. Cor. 6. 10 The Papists are guiltie of those crimes for which Paul saith men are excluded from God that they which doe such things haue no part in the kingdome of God What place therefore shall we giue them in the Church Vndoubtedlie they be Simonites Sorcerers bloud suckers raisers of warres men giuen to lust they abound in more than Persian or Sybariticall riotousnesse They haue no leasure for the word of God they preach not they féede not the flocke naie rather they fill all things full of offences And in the meane they did nothing but iangle of Peters and Pauls from whom they are more distant than heauen is froÌ earth Lastly they wil not suffer vs to deale with theÌ They suffer none to deale with them except they wil coÌmunicate with them in the Masse vnles we communicate with them in the masse wherin doe hang so manie faults as in this place cannot be declared But it maketh no matter The faults and corruptions thereof in these our daies are so manifest as they haue no more néede of one to set them foorth One thing onelie I will alleadge that they propound bread and wine there to bee adored which if a man shall refuse to worshippe he is vtterlie vndone both in life and goods Wherefore séeing there be so iust and so manie causes of our departing from the Papacie our separation séemeth verie much worthie to be praised not to be disallowed But least we should dissemble anie thing nowe let vs bring those things which they are woont to obiect against such causes 8 First they saie The first obiection Whether the authoritie of the worde of God depend of the Churches iudgement that it is neither rightlie nor orderlie done by vs who measure the Church by the word of God when as we should deale otherwise namelie that the word of God should be established by the authoritie of the Church Briefelie they would that the vertue and power of the Church should be preferred aboue the worde of God To confirme this Hosius Hosius the bucklar of the Papistes in our time alleageth that which was spoken by Christ Mat. 18. 17 If they will not heare thee tell the Church Now thou séest saieth he that there was a Church of the new Testament when there was no written worde thereof Some men answer that Christ ment this of the Church that was to come and should be gathered by the preaching of the Apostles but not of that which was extant at that time In the time of Christ the Church had the written word This answere I allow not séeing the Church was euen then neither did it want the word written as this man faineth that is to wit the bookes of the olde Testament Out of those doubtlesse did Christ and the Apostles confirme their doctrines Wherefore Paul in the Epistle to the Romanes speaking of the olde Testament saieth Rom. 15. 4 Whatsoeuer things are written before time are written for our learning that wee through patience and comfort of the Scriptures might haue hope Vnto Timothie he saieth The whole Scripture giuen by the inspiration of God is profitable to teache and conuince to correct and instruct that the man of God may be perfect 2. Tim. 3. verse 13. c. Vnto the same man also he writeth Attend thou vnto reading c. Of the Thessalonians it is saide in the Actes of the Apostles Act. 17. 11. that they hauing heard Paul searched out of the Scriptures whether the things were so as he had taught But our aduersaries fetch their Argument further and affirme that the Church of God was before Moses which neuerthelesse had no Scriptures Whether the word were written before Moses time for they account the bookes of Moses to be most auncient of all Which I would easily yéeld vnto if they would speake of those that be now extant But howe doe they knowe whether that olde Church had anie diuine bookes
or no Moses vndoubtedlie cyteth the Booke of the Iust Num. 21. 14 Iosu 10. 13. 2. Sam. 1. 18 the Booke of the warres of the Lord. And it may be that Noah Abraham Isaac and Iacob wrote those things which belonged to their times so as Moses afterward by the inspiration of Gods spirit did gather and digest those things Certainlie Iude in his Epistle did insert certaine things out of the Booke of Enoch Iude. 14. The book of Enoch Nor doeth it make anie matter if thou saie that the Booke is * Of an vncertaine author Apocryphus because that Booke perhaps was Apocryphus which was caried about after the Apostles time But those things with Iudas brought were both firme and certaine But let vs imagine that there was no wordes of God before Moses except such onelie as were giuen foorth by mouth and deliuered by handes What serueth this to the present matter For the verie same wordes when they were afterward put in writing ought to be kept and retained so as nothing in them shoulde be changed by men The church is later thaÌ the word Séeing the Church is gathered together by the word of God the same of necessitie must be latter than it neither can the Church by her owne authoritie be against the wordes of God because the spirit of God doeth not striue with it self But that it is in word or in writing it maketh no matter for these bee accidents and not the proper and true nature thereof And therefore the word of God whether it be deliuered by worde or by writing it is inuiolable neither can it speake things contrarie 9 Ouer this Hosius is against vs Whether the Church the word of God are to be heard alike and saieth that the holie Ghost speaketh with faithfull men aswell by the Church as by handwriters who wrote the holy scriptures and thereby concludeth as he thinketh that the Church should equiualentlie be heard as the holie Scriptures But we saie that the spirit of God speaketh vnto vs both wayes yet as we are warned before things in no wise repugnant one to another Wherefore when as the same spirit deliuereth any thing by the Church that is not repugnant with the written Oracles Furthermore of the handwriters we be certaine for our forefathers which then liued did manifestlie knowe that the holie bookes were set forth by them So as there is no cause to feare that they are counterfeit Againe the spirit of God is present with the faithfull whereby they perceiue the writings of them to be diuine and not counterfeit by men But as touching the Church we stande oftentimes in doubt For the Bishops which represent the same doe not alwaies come together in the name of the Lord. The Byshops and Councels doe erre Look before cap. 4. art 10 Cyprians error And although they be godlie and holie yet are they men and haue much of the flesh whereby their mindes and affections are oftentimes troubled I doubt not but that Cyprian with his Bishops met together with a good and godlie minde yet neuerthelesse he erred as concerning the rebaptising of heretickes which shoulde returne to the Church Besides this in Councels the voyces be not weighed but numbred whereby it commeth to passe that oftentimes the greater part preuaileth aboue the lesse and the worse aboue the better So as we cannot determine that the Church is without error as the scripture is Howe the Fathers of the Synode of Nice behaued them selues Verilie in the Synode of Nice although it was rightly decréed concerning one substaunce of the Father and the sonne yet was there much séede of impietie inserted as touching satisfactions and times of repentance But how those fathers were mooued and driuen by affections thereby it is sufficiently declared in that like furies and mad men they raged one against another and with their infamous Libels and slaunders stirred vp and inflamed the good Emperour against their fellowes that it is a woonder he could abide their vntemperaÌce They were called together to deale about a principall point of religion and setting this aside they gaue ouer themselues onely vnto choler and stomacke The maner and error of the Ephesine Synode In the second Synode of Ephesus they not onelie erred shamefullie in doctrine but they also came to blowes so as Flauianus the Bishop of Constantinople was there spurned to death I knowe that some saie that that assemblie was not a lawfull Councell Howbeit this mooueth me but litle For I demand what might be wanting thereunto that is required vnto due and true Councels The Bishops were called together by the authoritie of the Emperour no lesse than vnto the Synode of Nice The legates of the Bishop of Rome were present and the Bishop of Alexandria sate as chiefe by his owne right The Synode of Chalcedon The Councell of Chalcedone although it iustlie condemned Eutiches yet is it reprooued by Leo the Bishop of Rome that estéeming lesse the Seate of Alexandria it gaue the second place to the Seate of Constantinople and abolished that which was decréed in the Councell of Nice which could not be done without note of inconstancie 10 But they saie that this belongeth not to the doctrine or Articles of the faith Against whom we replie by the latter Synode of Ephesus which allowed the errour of Eutiches and absolued him whom afterwarde the Councel of Chalcedone condemned and further The Synode of CoÌstantinople that the Synode of Constantinople the which was helde vnder Leo the Emperour tooke awaie images Againe that the seuenth Councell which was gathered together vnder Irene allowed aswell of Images as of the worshipping of them Séeing these Councels varie and be contrarie in the chiefe points of faith who shall giue iudgement of them Certainly none but the word of God according whereunto it behooueth that the answers of the Church or Councels be examined The church otherwhile doeth erre if we speake of that Church which is visible and sitteth in Councels Mat. 24. 24 The Lorde saieth that the false Christes and false Apostles shall so preuaile as the verie elect if it were possible should be deceaued Dan. 8. 9. 11. 36. Daniel also testified that Antichrist should sit in the verie Temple of God that is among them which are named the Church Let vs consider the méetings of the olde Church and we shall perceiue that they went so farre astray that amongst them Ieremie the Prophet was ouerthrowen Ierem. 26. 1. Kings 22. 24. and Micheas who was beaten when the 400. Prophetes were come together before the kings Achab and Iosaphat Iohn 9. 22 Finallie Christ and his Apostles were condemned by the Councell of the Iewes yea Nazianzene said he neuer sawe good end of the bishops Councels Whether the Church can erre and Nazianzene to returne to our owne Councels in a certaine Epistle of his said that he neuer sawe good ende of
the Bishops Councels To conclude this controuersie is betwéene vs and our aduersaries namelie whether the Church can erre We ioyne thereunto the worde of God by which if it deale and define we will graunt that the same doeth not erre But the Papists iudge that it is so greatly ruled by the holie Ghost that although it decrée anie thing besides or against the worde of God it doeth not erre and therefore they will that the same should rather be beléeued than the Scriptures of God But while they stand to that opinion they dissent the whole world ouer from the fathers who alwayes in their Councels confirmed their decrées by diuine Oracles 11 Our aduersaries procéede and craftily assault the trueth with a certaine saying of Augustin Contra Epistolam Fundamenti The saying of Augustin I should not beléeue the Gospell except c. expounded Look part 1. pl 6. Act. 7. part 4. pl. 4. Act. 12. There the man of God writ I shoulde not beléeue the Gospel vnlesse the authoritie of the Church mooued me withall Vnto these wordes they adde a rule of Logicke wherein it is saide that for the which euerie thing is like that thing it selfe is more like But they ought to haue knowen that if we shoulde deale by Logick that rule is true onelie in finall causes For if a man for healthes sake vse a medicine health is rather desired of him than the medicine But in efficient causes nothing is this waie concluded vnlesse the whole and full cause shall be brought For if one will saie that a man is made drunken with wine he cannot thereby prooue that the wine is more drunke because the whole cause of drunkennesse is not in the wine For it is required that it should be digested in the stomacke and that vapours bee stirred vp to trouble the braine Further if one shoulde learne of his maister the eloquence of an Orator it shoulde not therefore be concluded that his maister is better than he in making of Orations because the maister is not the whole cause of his learning There is besides required a wit and also a studie and diligence But the Church of which we nowe speake is not the whole cause of our faith it onelie publisheth preacheth and teacheth Also there is néede of the holie Ghost to lighten the mindes of the hearers and to bend their willes to imbrace those things which bee spoken Therefore Augustine wiselie wrote Vnlesse the authoritie of the Church had mooued mee withall and did not put simplie mooued What is to be affirmed of that that the Church hath giuen iudgement touching the holie Bookes 12 They are woont also to prattle vnto vs that the Church hath giuen iudgement of holie writ allowing some part and reiecting other some For it disallowed the Gospell of Nicodemus the Acts of Peter diuers Reuelations of the Apostles the Booke of the shepheard and such like And on the other side it imbraced the foure Euangelists which we now haue the writings of the Apostles which are at this daie read in the Churches By which iudgement they decrée that the authoritie of the Church excelleth the holie scriptures Howbeit this kinde of reasoning deriued from iudgement is weake because there be men of sharpe wit found which can discerne betwéene the right verses of Virgill and the wrong and betwéene the naturall workes of Aristotle and the counterfeit who neuerthelesse are a great deale lesse learned than Virgill or Aristotle 1. Iohn 4. 1 We are also commaunded To trie the spirites and to put a difference betweene God and the diuell and yet we be not equall or greater than God Howe then doeth the Church of God behaue it selfe towardes the words of God put in writing It preserueth and faithfullie kéepeth them it publisheth defendeth maintaineth them it is like a Notarie which faithfullie retaineth testaments with him whereas he is able to doe nothing beyond the last will of the Testator for if he should chaunge or inuert the same he should not be counted a faithfull Notarie but a falsifier and counterfeiter of testaments The Church in no otherwise hath and preserueth with it the holie Scriptures when as neuerthelesse it maie not either change or inuert or amplifie them But séeing they contend with an obstinate minde that the authoritie of the Scriptures dependeth of the Church why doe they not produce some Canon or decree of some Councel by which the holie Scriptures be ratified The holie scriptures haue not béene ratified by any decrée of Councels The primatiue Church of the Christians found the writings of the olde Testament to be firme and by them allowed and established the articles of our faith After this succéeded the Bookes of the Apostles written by the inspiration of God the which Bookes no decrée of men hath fortified For the wordes of God are not subiect to the will of men but on the other side whatsoeuer thing the CouÌcels of the Church haue decréed they alwaies were careful to confirme them by the words of God euen as it may be prooued by all the Synodes which were of best note I am not ignorant that certaine Councels made rehearsall of the Bookes of God which also some of the olde Fathers did howbeit the faith of the diuine Scriptures was of force among the Christians long before the recital which they made Moreouer in their Catalogue are founde certaine bookes either past or abolished the which our enemies affirme to be most Canonicall The Books of the Machabées For out of the historie of the Machabees they séeke to prooue their Purgatorie when as neuerthelesse it is easilie shewed out of the writings of the old Fathers that that booke is not in the holie Canon 13 Some being ouercome by the force and power of the trueth preferre the worde of God aboue the Church but they will ouerrule tyrant like and retyre themselues to interpretations which they will haue to belong onelie vnto the Church Whether the exposition of the Scriptures belong to the Church namelie the Romane Church so that in verie déede they are not subiect to the word of God but doe account it to bée subiect vnto their decrées But howe faithfull interpretours they be and how iust expositions they make euerie one maie perceiue by these things which I will here adde Anacletus saide Interpretations of the scriptures Iohn 1. 41. that Peter was called Caephas of the Gréeke worde ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã because he was head of the Church But how straunge a thing it is that the Hebrew or Syrian worde should take his deriuation of the Gréeke tongue all men perceiue Christ reaching out the cup in his supper Drinke ye all of this saieth he Mat. 26. 27. The Romanists in their interpretation saie Drinke not ye all of this Let the laie men or vnlearned be content with the bread let onelie the Priests receiue both kindes In the Epistle to the Hebrewes Matrimonie is
called honorable amongst all men Hebr. 13. 4. And vnto the Corinthians it is written 1. Cor. 7. 9. They that doe not containe let them marrie Ibid. And it is better to marrie than to burne But they by their decrées and expositions exclude a great part of the world from marriages namelie all the holy Ministerie Exod. 20. 4. The Law of God commandeth that we should not make vnto our selues images to worship them these men commaund that images should be had and worshipped Col. 2. 16. Paul saieth Let no man iudge you in meate and drinke These in their interpretations haue peruerted this libertie and haue brought in a most seuere or rather ridiculous and superstitious choise of meates The holy scripture hath decréed That we by faith are iustified without workes Rom. 3. 28. They by their exposition affirme that wee are also iustified by workes Therefore their glosses be verie much against the text Neither are their interpretations anie thing else than corruptions Where the word of God commaundeth that we should set our mindes on high their interpretations draw vs downeward This power of expounding the scriptures haue the Popes therefore drawen onelie vnto themselues or vnto the Councels to the intent that they might after their owne pleasure bring in straunge opinions into the Church and contend against the worde of God howsoeuer they thought good Neither did the Iewish high Priests Scribes and Pharisées otherwise behaue themselues But Christ receiued not their peruerse interpretations Matt. 15. 4. c. Christ reiected false interpretations God commanded in the Lawe that children should obey their parents But the Priests being driuen by couetousnesse tooke away the strength of this commaundement in absoluing of children from the burthen of maintaining their parents perswading them to offer excellent and riche giftes the which should profit their parents much more than sustenance The Lord hath cryed out also against this craftie interpretation he testified that the commandement of God is made voide Matt. 5. 33. Also by their exposition they haue lessened the strength of others and haue taught that some are of strength and some féeble Here also the Lorde hath gainesaide hath confuted their Sophisticall interpretations Matt. 5. 20. They also taught that men satisfie the Law if onelie they conforme themselues vnto the same Christ reiecting these peruerse glosses hath declared that the law requireth not onelie outward works but also good motions of the minde Wherefore there is no cause why the aduersaries should compell vs without iudgement to repose our selues in their expositions Augustine wrote bookes of Christian doctrine where he teacheth manie wayes to interprete the Scriptures but among theÌ there is not one wherin he sendeth vs vnto the Pope or vnto the church In obscure things he willeth vs to vse the skilfulnesse of tongues to consider those things which goe before and which followe to expound a doubtfull place by another place which is more easie and manifest and such like things Thou canst no where finde in the Fathers that the Scriptures are in such sort that this or that Councell hath interpreted the same after this or that maner 14 But hereat they crie out that it is sufficient that Christ hath saide Mat. 18. 17 If he will not heare the Church let him be vnto thee as an Ethnick and Publicane Howe that saying of Christ to wit that the Church must be heard is to be vnderstoode Vnto this I answer that it may séeme that Christ spake not there as touching the exposition of the scriptures but of brotherlie correction But setting this answere aside I saie that the Church must be heard so farre forth as it answereth or speaketh out of the word of God but if it bring forth onelie the deuises and traditions of men we must with deafe eares pretermit the same and specially then when it setteth foorth things that be against the worde of God To conclude we include the true Church in the word of God the which as a firme and certaine rule is fixed vnto it But as concerning power aboue the Scriptures The olde Fathers acknowledged not any power of the Church to which the word of God should be subiect which these men challenge to themselues the olde Fathers neither acknowledged nor sought In the Councell of Nice as the Historie of Theodoretus sheweth Constantine commaÌded the Fathers that were assembled together to define the controuersie as touching one substance of the Father and the Sonne by the Scriptures of the Prophets and Apostles there none withstoode him in saying that the Church of her own authoritie ought to iudge the controuersie because the same should not be subiect to the Scriptures but should rather haue them in her power Neither did they complaine that the Emperour plucked any thing from the Church séeing it subiected the same to the rule of the Scriptures 15 But they crie out that the Church is the pillar and ground of the trueth How that is to be vnderstoode which Paul saith The Church is the ground of trueth 1. Tim. 3. 15 as it is written in the first Epistle vnto Timothie Here I saie that the wordes of the Apostle must not so bee vnderstoode as though the Church doeth vrge confirme and compare her authoritie with the word of God The case doeth not so stande The word of God is of it selfe most firme it indureth for euer neither hath it anie néede to be propped vp by men naie rather it sustaineth all things Heauen and earth passeth Matt. 5. 18. the wordes of God doe not passe But the Church is the pillar and ground of the trueth so farre forth as it hath the word of god with it as it preacheth retaineth and kéepeth it within it selfe as it defendeth and maintaineth it neither is the word heard without it but not as though that ground did yéelde strength or authoritie vnto the word wauering or like to fall So farre forth then as it speaketh out of it it erreth not nor cannot erre Whether the Pope may erre in the matter of faith but speaking or dealing without it not onelie it can erre but it doeth erre But our men on Gods name doe also attribute this vnto Popes that in the matter of faith as they call it they cannot erre When as neuerthelesse it most certainelie appeareth that Iohn the xxj The heresie of Pope Iohn the xxâ most shamefullie fell séeing he affirmed that the soules of men perish together with the body or as some more modestlie say doe sléepe and shall finallie be raised vp when as our bodies also shall rise againe from the dead at the latter daie Neither did the Bishops nor Cardidinals whom they saie doe represent the Church resist the Pope that erred so soulie and shamefullie The schoole of Paris resisted him and so informed the French king of his errour as he forbad all his the Communion of the Pope
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 meÌbers of the Church haue place in councels And as to that which we coÌplained 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 bouÌds 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
vnto the vncircumcised Such verily was the societie betwéene these Apostles 23 But setting these reasons aside I perceiue plainlie that this power which they say is giuen onely to the Bishop of Rome by the succession of Peter The primacie of the bishop of Rome is taken away by the old Canons is ouerthrowen by the Canons of the Fathers forsomuch as in the Synode of Nice some certain limits were prescribed vnto the Patriarches of Rome of Alexandria and to the rest which might not haue béene done if the Roman Patriarch had at that time béene head of all Churches How rightlie they did which appointed foure Patriarches to be the principall of all Bishops throughout the Church of Christ I will not at this present declare But this onelie I affirme that they in the Church which is * Gouernance of many good men Aristocrasia or a kind of common weale did institute a * The dominion of the foure Patriarches was like the quadrumââ¦rate in Rome Quadrumuirat whose fellowship neuerthelesse in processe of time they obserued with small fidelitie Leo the Pope misliked that any Byshop should be called vniuersall For Leo the first of that name complayned that the Patriarch of Alexandria would make himselfe the vniuersall Byshop of the Church of Christ The very same coÌtention had Gregory with Iohn Byshop of Constantinople And Socrates in the 7. booke and 10. Chapter wryteth that the Byshops of Rome and Alexandria went beyond the limits of their iurisdiction especially in that they turned themselues to an outward dominion which is a most sure token that the Byshop of Rome had not in times past as they will haue it an infinit power 24 But to returne to Peter himselfe by whose labour they boast that they haue obtayned so great and so excellent an authoritie of their Popedome as it may be iudged by none vppon the earth whosoeuer he be But good Peter as it is in the Acts of the Apostles when he was accused because he went in to the Ethnikes Acts. 11. 2. Peter had none of that common maioritie declared the cause purged himselfe neither did he flye from iudgement vnder that pretence that he was Pope and that he would be iudged by none vppon the earth as they would haue it He was sent together with Iohn by the Church of Ierusalem into Samaria Acts. 8. 14. whereby it commeth to passe that he is of lesse authoritie than the same For it is euident that he which is sent is inferiour vnto him whose messenger he is made Moreouer Paul ordayned Byshoppes and that by Titus Titus 1. 5. neither did he in that thing aske counsell of Peter or thought it requisite to vse his authoritie therein The same Paul as we haue to the Galathians reprooued him Gal. 2. 14. that openly before the Church of Antiochia vndoubtedlie not as an inferiour vnto him but as one equall and of lyke dignitie The most ancient Fathers were not subiect to the Roman bishop Cyprian and others of the most auncient fathers and also Councels especiallie those which were celebrated in Africa when they wrote letters vnto the Byshop of Rome professed not the subiection towards him which they imagin should be giuen him they called him brother or else honorable or worshipfull fellowe in office or such lyke In the 4 Chapter to the Ephesians are reckoned the ecclesiasticall degrees Ephe. 4. 11 The Ecclesiasticall degrees and God is declared to haue put in the Church some Apostles some Prophets some Pastors and teachers c. No mention of the Popedome in the holie ââ¦tures But of so great a matter namely of the Popedome we haue no mention there made There is also a remembrance of one bodie one spirit one hope of vocation one faith one baptisme but this ministeriall head of the Church is vtterly silenced 25 But they make great outcryes that they haue a perpetual succession of these their high Byshops What we are to iudge of the continual succession of the Romane Byshops and that the same is greatly accounted of by Tertullian Augustine and other fathers as though the Churches of Ierusalem Antioch and Alexandria cannot euen vnto this day shewe their successions As though perhappes also we would defraude of those successions the Churches of Corinth Ephesus and very many other Apostolicall seates And what Did not also the high priestes of the Iewes in the time of Christ and the Apostles bragge of their successions euen from Aaron But yet that might be no impediment but that it should be lawfull for the Apostles to depart from them when they sawe them reiect the Gospell of the sonne of God Steuen also sayd vnto them although they sate in very honorable place and might make vaunt of their successions and that verily with great bouldnesse You haue alwayes resisted the holy Ghost So that succession no whit auaileth them which depart from godlynesse and from the worde of God And that it is sometime lawfull for iust causes to depart from a continuall succession Note an example of Charles the great the example of Charles the great declareth The Emperours of Greece had a continual succession but whenas now through succession of time they were become slothfull and of small courage the Romane Empire reuolted from them and they ordayned Charles the sonne of Pipin to be Emperour Augustine Moreouer Augustine teacheth vs for what cause the fathers sometimes alledge those successions In his 165. Epistle vnto Generosus dealing against the Donatistes as touching this matter he writeth many excellent things among the rest he rehearseth the Roman Byshops euen vnto Anastasius which in his time sat at Rome and at length saith Ye will not be so boulde to say that any one of these was a Donatist so as it appeareth that ye enterprise newe matters in the Church and bring in newe opinions vtterly vnknowen to the auncient time séeing vnto your doctrine you are not able to shewe any succession or continuance with the auncient fathers Wherefore the argument of this father was very euident and plaine against the Donatistes neither will we therefore despise the same but being instructed thereby will contend against the Papists Let vs make a reckoning of the Roman byshops in their order course vntil we come to Boniface the 3. which first erected the Popedome Boniface the 3. first ââ¦rected the Popedome Certainly we may perceiue that amongest them there were many excellent and holy men and valiant confessors of Christ yet let our aduersaries say if they can of any one of them This was a Papist Let them take héede then to which of those men they will apply their doctrine The doctrine of the maioritie of Rome is newe and froÌ whence ãâã sprang so as they may say that he receiued it by this or that succession Vndoubtedly this doctrine of theirs is new in no wise taught by those godly fathers but by the
and ceremonies For as yet by the ordinances of Moses they retaine the sacrifices and Ceremonies and no man was constrained to giue assent vnto their false opinions But we are forced by the Popes and Bishops to professe wicked doctrines neither can we by reason of them receiue the Sacraments according to the institution of Christ sincerelie call vpon the name of the Lord. Wherefore the consideration of both partes is not alike neither can the example which they haue brought be applied vnto the present cause The crime of breach of Charitie They accuse vs also that we haue broken charitie with them neither doe they remember that charitie dependeth of faith And so séeing they retaine not the same but haue renounced it we cannot as touching Ecclesiasticall communion exercise brotherlie charitie with them neuerthelesse we withdraw not Christian loue from them we continuallie wishe and praie for their bettering namelie that they maie conuert to the Gospell of the sonne of God and that they will at length correct and reforme those things which they haue marde corrupted in the Church Further they disquiet vs They obiect that wee haue departed of our owne priuate authoritie for that we are departed not by publike but by priuate authoritie Neither consider they that God commaunded euerie man to haue a care of his owne saluation What if others will not assent vnto the truth and auoide the corruptions of Religion shall he that is bound to the studie of Gods commandements glory of Christ neglect to doe what he can and that which belongeth vnto him Moreouer all men maie sée that our Churches are not without publike authoritie séeing in them dwell both Magistrates and Princes Neither doeth that subtiltie which they often vse hinder vs in saying that it is not the part of this or that common weale or of this or that Prince thus to doe but that we must expect the consent of all Christendome Here doe they excéedinglie erre séeing God hath commanded both euerie Magistrate euerie Prince that they should with singular diligence and watchfull studie be carefull for the saluation of them which be committed to their charge Ouer and besides Constance and Constantine when they had imbraced Christ they did not expect a consent in Christian Religion of Dioclesian Maximianus Licinius and of their Emperours or Caesars which were their fellowe Magistrates and had then the rule in their hands And ill came to Tiberius for that he expected the consent of the Senate in appointing of Christ to be among the number of the Goddes 34 Hitherto I haue taught howe iust causes they be for the which we haue departed from the communion of the Papists and as I thinke haue sufficientlie to the nature of this place answered their argumentes wherewith they rent and teare vs. So then remaineth that I should descend to the other point of the treatise whereby I maie declare that this was altogether necessarie Which shall thrée wayes appeare First shall be shewed that the commandement of God which is the strongest weapon vnto godlie mindes did vrge vs. Further that it behooued vs to flie least our mindes and consciences shoulde be polluted by the vnpurenesse of doctrine and idolatrie of our aduersaries And finally least we shoulde be in daunger of the wrath and punishments of God which they bée in daunger of As to the first Commandements of GOD by which we are bidden to depart from the companie of the vnfaithfull there be verie manie and sundrie precepts of God extant in the holie scriptures which commaund this separation Yet all those I will not recite because it would be ouer long but I will onlie repeate some Christ saide Matt. 7. 15. Beware ye of false Prophets for although they be in sheeps cloathing they be rauening wolues Wherefore euen as we should flie from Wolues so should they be auoided which destroy soules by peruerse doctrine and religion He in like maner as we reade in Iohn said Ioh. 10. 27. My sheepe heare my voyce and follow not the voyce of strangers Therefore séeing the aduersaries haue alienated theÌselues froÌ Christ we cannot cleaue vnto them vnlesse we will cease to be the shéepe of Christ The same Lord saide Mat. 15. 14 If the blind followe the blinde both of them shall fall into the ditch so as we haue renounced the conduct of the Papists least we should fall headlong together with them It is also written in Iohn Ioh. 12. 48. that manie of the Princes beléeued in Christ who neuerthelesse because of the Pharisées confessed not Christ least they shoulde be estranged from the Synagogues because they rather sought the glorie of men than of God Wherefore if we had taried with our aduersaries it had bin also néedefull for vs to haue feared least we should haue more hunted for glorie and honour at their handes than to haue entirelie loued the sincere truth of the Gospell We haue heard also that Christ said Mat. 10. 34 I came not to send peace but a sword and to separate euerie faithfull man from his owne housholde which would hinder them from the doctrine of the Gospell Then séeing our enemies studie earnestlie indeuour nothing more than to turne vs awaie from the trueth receiued we haue vpon iust cause departed froÌ them But in the Epistle to the Galathians the first Chapter Gal. 1. 8. there appeareth a most plaine testimonie of this matter for there the Apostle commandeth that whosouer shall bring another Gospel than that which he had preached vnto them he shoulde be accursed vnto vs he goeth so farre as he testifieth the verie same thing of himselfe and he ascendeth from himselfe euen to the Angels Nor doeth ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã in that place signifie anie other thing than a malediction or curse And who séeth not that it behooueth euerie Christian man speciallie to beware that he runne not into the curse of God And if so be that Paul once wished to be accursed for the brethren Rom. 9. 1. he sawe that it redounded to the glorie of God But in this cause by adioyning our selues to the Papistes we should become accursed together with them doubtlesse not vnto their saluation but through our consenting they would be more and more hardened in their errors Whereof would procéede not the glorie of God but rather the dishonor of his name Augustine expounding this place in the Epistle to the Galathians brought in an excellent exposition of the Apostles meaning namelie that the trueth for it self is worthie to be desired but not for their sakes which set forth and publish the same For if it should be admitted for feare of theÌ it might easilie be that we woulde also receiue lyes for dread of them And we are not to thinke that the Apostle in that place rashlie vsed a repetition because the matter was both weightie and doubtfull for euen the aduersaries themselues will séeme to
auncient Church These thinges must be examined and it must be diligently considered whether the thinges be aunswerable to the names otherwise the diuel himself transformeth himselfe into an angel of light How be they Apostolick when as they corrupt the Apostolicall doctrine Nor can they be called Catholike séeing they haue separated themselues from the greater parte of the Churches And how they haue fledde from the olde opinions rites and customes of the auncient Church wée néede not declare séeing the thing it selfe speaketh of it selfe They would be counted pastors when as they neuerthelesse seldome or neuer visit the flock of the Lord which they brag to be coÌmitted to their charge much lesse doe they féede the same They think that the Churches which either by violence or by tyrannie they obtaine are nothing else but landes and farmes whereby yearely reuenewe may come vnto them by which they themselues may be fedde and the flocke of Christ be deuoured The Pope boasteth himselfe to be the pastor of all the shéep of the whole world vnto which he cannot haue accesse though he would neither dooth he labour to doe it He dwelleth at Rome and continually giueth himselfe vnto his delightes We are taught by mistresse experience and by common sense that it is not possible for the whole world to be fedde and gouerned by some one man In déede Christ said vntâ Peter Feede my sheepe but he said not All Ioh. 21. 15. Nay rather he would that the rest of the Apostles should be fellowes with him in the exercising of that function But this is the more to be lamented that the Pope with his members doe disquiet the shéepe of Christ and in miserable wise slay them Euen as the Church in old time was oppressed by the Iewes so is nowe the Church of Christ by the Popes so farre is he from féeding and fostering them Euen in like manner as did the Hebrewes in olde time who while they boasted themselues to be the Church oppressed Messias and most grieuously persecuted the Apostles and had Herode to doe as they would haue him For when he had killed Iames and did perceiue that it was acceptable vnto the Iewes hée layd holde vppon Peter and cast him in prison that he might destroy him After the same manner Kinges Emperours and princes at this day because they may obey the Pope doe most cruelly afflict godly men And it is no maruell that the Romanistes which succéeded the reuerent and holy fathers did on this wise withstand the Gospell séeing the Hebrewes Rom. 9. 4. as Paule testifyeth to the Romans were Israelites and the adoption and the glorie yea and the testamentes and lawegiuing séemed to appertaine vnto them They had the worshipping and the promises and of them were the fathers of whom Christ as touching the fleshe was borne yet neuerthelesse they refused the Gospel were made altogether strangers from saluation 46 But to come neare to the shewing of that which was promised The marks of the Papisticall Church namely that we departed not from the Church that congregation froÌ the which we are separated must be described by the markes of the same that all men may vnderstand it to be nothing lesse than the Church for somuch as it is bent to the staying of the godly it is infected with hatred of the brethren it gathereth not but rather scatereth Christ his members it maketh more account of mens traditions than of the word of God it will haue it selfe to be heard not the scriptures which with incredible boldnesse it would haue to be subiect vnto the authoritie of it Now of traditions which they adde and plucke away at their pleasure séeing nothing of them abideth more than lyketh themselues they haue after a sorte made an Alcorom lyke vnto that of Mahomet and the same they endeuour to defend by the sword by force not by diuine Oracles And it is come to this passe that our Church is much more vnhappie than the Church of the Iewes For vnto that Church the scriptures of God were sufficient vnto saluation but vnto ours they are not sufficient vnlesse the traditions of the Pope be added But let them say what they will they shall neuer prooue but that the beléeuers and lyuers according to the prescript of the worde of God be happie The congregation from which we haue seuered our selues Matt. 13. 4. layeth grieuous and intollerable burthens vpon men which neuerthelesse the authors of them wil not so much as touch with their finger Further the kingdome which ought to be spiritual and heauenly is transformed into temporall and worldly Christ said Ioh. 18. 36. My kingdome is not of this world They on the other side say that their kingdomes be of this world And they dare vsurpe and stampe in their coyne The nation and kingdome that will not serue me shall be rooted out They séeke nothing else but that the prerogatiues of Emperours kings princes and magistrates may be cast downe at the Popes féete and that they may be obtained and gouerned at the wil of the seat of Rome We haue departed from that societie which hath polluted the Sacramentes either by bringing in of others which were not instituted by Christ or else by renting in sunder with many and sundry abuses defiling those which were giueÌ and deuised by him Ouer this it forceth vpon vs idolatrie towardes bread and wine and in like maner towards Images and that which they commonly call relickes of saintes it dilateth their philacteries and enlargeth the fringes of their garmentes while it ascribeth great power of diuine religion vnto garmentes shauinges annoyntinges outward ornamentes We haue left theÌ which build the sepulchres of the Prophets in saying Mat. 23. 29 Our fathers and auncesters haue slayne them but we in this behalfe follow not them but doe adorne honour and worship the Prophets slayne by them whenas they theÌselues neuerthelesse doe as great yea they commit more gréeuous crimes For it is incredible to be heard how much innoceÌt bloud is shed by theÌ whenas notwithstaÌding they maruelously adorne and decke the monuments and bones of the auncient Martyrs They indeuour to lay away the institutions of Christ to abolish the decrées of the Apostles whereas all that be Christians ought to endeuour all their life long that they may be most soundly preserued 47 Wee haue departed from her that would be accounted the mother of the faithfull whereas in verie déede she is their stepdame She is not content with Christ to be head but appoynteth her selfe an other head vpon the earth which also she dare affirme to be necessarie vnto saluatioÌ Whether what ministerial head the Pope hath But I would fain heare of these men what manner of ministerial head as they terme it the Pope hath vpon the earth for euen he would be reckened among the members of Christ And this is certaine that none is head of
and by this they inferred that betwéene the sonne of God and the father there happeneth no other vnion or coniunction than this Wherfore it was the part of Hilarie to shew that we be naturallie vnited with Christ to the intent he might conclude that the sonne also is naturally ioyned to the Father His proofe is on this wise If the word of GOD did truelie take vppon it the nature of man hée doeth naturallie communicate in his fleshe with vs and we are said to remaine in him because he hath in himselfe our nature And semblablie in the Lords supper if we truelie receaue his flesh we doe participate naturallie with him and he doth truelie dwel in vs. And thus Hilarie argueth from the trueth of Sacraments which we denie not And this was the vse of the old fathers that they drewe their Arguments from Sacramentes as from thinges best knowen But there is none of these things against our opinion For Hilarie contendeth not that the flesh of Christ is hidden and couered vnder Accidentes or in this Sacrament but hee onelie affirmeth that we in communicating are trulie ioyned to the flesh of Christ the which we denie not But consider with mee that the selfe same father not much before those words which he speaketh of the Eucharist saith the same of Baptisme that by it we are ioyned vnto Christ and one with an other not onelie in the vnitie of assent and will but also in the vnitie of nature So that ye shall be constrayned there also to appoint Transubstantiation if for that cause yee bring it into the Sacrament Chrysostome is not farre from this vse of taking Arguments from Sacramentes who in the 83. Homilie vppon Matthew saith as we cited before that these be signes of the Lord Iesus whereby we both bridle and stoppe the mouthes of Heretikes For they saie verie often Howe did Christ suffer And wee on the other side obiect If Christ had not true flesh these signes be in vayne And this doth rightlie follow because they shoulde else represent vnto vs fained things And thus were the Manichees Marcionites and such like pestilent sectes put to silence by them 53 As touching Leo the Byshop of Rome To Leo. there is no cause why we should trouble our selues much because he in the sentence obiected against vs both affirmeth a mysticall distribution and setteth downe a spirituall sustenance and a vertue celestiall and sayth that we doe passe into the flesh of Christ euen as he tooke our flesh vpon him They cite Emisenus whose wordes are read To Emisenus De Consecratione distinct the first but there if thou looke well vppon it thou shalt finde these wordes Touch thou with thy minde and with the hand of thy heart take hold of the bodie of Christ By which wordes it is plain that he affirmeth vs to eate the bodie of the Lorde spirituallie Further he vehementlie vrgeth as other of the fathers doe our changing into Christ the wich neuerthelesse as we sée is without Transubstantiation Why we so often make mencion of the chaÌging of our selues in receiuing of the Sacramentes I know that some may woonder why we so oftentimes oppose the changing of our selues against the changing that the fathers séeme to affirme to be in the signes which they constantlie say are all one and some imagine that there is a farre other coÌiunction betwéen the bodie of Christ and the signes than is betwéene vs and the bodie of Christ and that therefore the Analogie and proportion holdeth not although the fathers doe appoint both the one and the other To this we aunswer and say that our Argument is most strong because it is from the greater to the lesse by a negatiue For the ioyning together of Christ vnto vs and with them which communicate is greater than it can be with the signes The communicants are more ioyned vnto Christ than are the signes Seeing therefore in respect of vs transubstaÌtiation is not required much lesse shall it be in signes But that we be more ioyned together vnto Christ than the signes be it thereby appeareth insomuch as that coniunctioÌ was inueÌted bicause of this Further the words and the spirit whereby the signes are consecrated do much lesse belong vnto other things than vnto men Vnto Theophilact 54 Of Theophilact we say that he is a late writer and who perhappes liued in those times when as many questions were begunne to be mooued touching Tansubstantiation vnder Nicholas the Byshop of Rome in the time of Lanfranck and Berengarius Further he was a man of no great iudgement as it may appeare by his interpretation of Iohn the 3. Chapter at the ende where he blameth the Church of the Latins by name as touching the procéeding of the holy Ghost that it procéedeth from the father and the sonne So as we will not thinke his authoritie to be so great as it ought to preiudice the trueth yet neuerthelesse we will examine his sayings He affirmeth bread not to be the figure of the bodie of Christ and that in his treatise vppon Matthew But and if he meane a voyd and vaine figure he saith rghtlie neither doe we appoint such a figure And we doubt not but that this is his interpretation because vpon Marke he saith that it is not a figure onelie otherwise if he should vtterlie denie it to be a figure he should be against the rest of the fathers whom we haue manifestlie prooued to affirme that it is both a signe and a figure He saith that breade is transformed that it is chaunged and transelementated which spéeches if hee vnderstand sacramentally we mislike them not For bread and wine be sacraments and doe passe into the Elements of diuine things they put on a signifying forme But they say that this Father writeth Therfore the flesh and bloud is not séene least we should abhorre it But if thou wilt sharply vrge these words we will obiect that which hee writeth vpon Marke That the kindes of bread and wine are changed into the vertue of the bodie and bloud to wit that the kinds of bread and wine are chaunged into the vertue of the bodie and bloud of the Lord. And if thou wilt say that he in an other place saieth not Into the vertue but into the bodie bloud of the Lord we aunswere that this is the interpretation of those wordes that these signes take vnto them the vertue of the things by which vertue the Sacramentes haue no lesse than if the things themselues were there and as I haue saide the abhorring is taken away if wee appoint the signes to be chaunged not into the thing but into the vertue More violent séemeth an other saying of his which he hath vpon the 6. Chapter of Iohn where he writeth Euen as while Christ liued vpon the earth the bread was chaunged into his fleshe by an vsuall way of nourishment through naturall transmutation so this bread is chaunged into
vnder our neckes and vse his admonitions as it were medicines c. By which wordes is vnderstood that it belongeth to the Ecclesiasticall power to admonish out of the word of God for saluation Albeit the same Emperor or afterward erred The error of the saide ValentiniaÌ For when he had appointed Ambrose Pretor of the Citie of Millaine the people did choose him to be Byshop which when the Emperor knew he gaue thankes vnto God after this manner I had appointed him ruler ouer the bodies of men but thou wouldest haue him ruler ouer the soules c. Valentinian did not rightlie put a difference betwéene offices Byshops ought to haue a care not of the soule onely nor of the bodie onelie why so Ought Byshops to haue a care onelie ouer soules and not ouer bodies also What if they giue themselues vnto Gluttonie or drunckennesse or liue licentiouslie touching outward behauiour Must they not reprooue these things Yes truelie must they neither must Princes haue onelie a care ouer the bodies of men and neglect their soules For we doe not imagine that a Prince is a Neteheard or Swineheard to whom is committed a care onelie of the flesh bellie and skinne of his subiectes yea rather he must prouide that they may liue vertuouslie and godlie But what if Christian princes when they are by the word of God admonished of publike and most grieuous sinnes will not heare neither amend that which they haue naughtilie committed What I say shall the Byshop do in this case Ambrose excommunicated Theodosius the Emperour when he exercised so grieuous tyrannie against the Thessalonians Innocentius also excommunicated Archadius wheÌ he had exiled Iohn Chrysostome which fréelie and truelie admonished him as we haue it in the distinct 96. Chapt. Duo sunt and in the distinct 18. in the Chapt. Quoniam quidem And they be the words of the 6. Synode where it is decréed that euerie yéere there should be had two Synodes And if that princes would hinder them let them be excommunicated 11. But what doe I make mention of these latter thinges Eusebius Let vs reade Eusebius in the 6. booke the 34. Chapter where he saith that Philip the Emperour who liued in the time of Origen was the first Christian prince and that he would haue bin present together with the faithfull on Easter Euen haue communicated with them in prayers but the bishop because he was a wicked and naughtie liuer reiected him among them that were put to penance that he should make open confession before the Church and confesse his sinnes otherwise he could by no meanes be admitted vnto the Communion This did the Byshop of that time against the Emperour and chiefe Monarch of the whole world Wherefore the ciuill power ought to be subiect to the word of God which is preached by the Ministers But in lyke manner the Ecclesiasticall power is subiect vnto the ciuill when the Ministers behaue themselues ill either in things humane or things Ecclesiasticall For these powers are after a sort interchangeable and sundrie wayes are occupied about the selfesame things and mutuallie helpe one another euen as Aristotle vnto Theodectes calleth Rhetoricke and Logick interchangeable artes Aristotle because either of them are occupied in the selfesame thinges after a sundrie manner The Ecclesiasticall power is subiect vnto the Magistrate not by a spirituall subiection but by a politicke For as touching the Sacramentes and Sermons it is not subiect vnto it because the Magistrate may not alter the word of God or the Sacramentes which the Minister vseth Neither can he compel the Pastors and teachers of the Church to teach otherwise or in any other sort to administer the Sacraments than is prescribed by the word of God Howbeit Ministers in that they be men and Citizens are without all doubt subiect together with their landes riches and possessions vnto the Magistrate So Christ payed tribute Mat. 17. 27 so also did the Apostles and the whole primatiue Church there being most holy men Their manners also are subiect vnto the Censures and iudgements of the Magistrates 12 We say moreouer that Ministers are subiect vnto the Magistrate not onelie as touching those things which I haue rehearsed but also as I before signified concerning their function Because if they teach not right neither administer the Sacramentes orderly it is the office of the Magistrate to compell them to an order and to sée that they teach not corruptlie and that they mingle not fables nor yet abuse the Sacramentes or deliuer them otherwise than the Lord hath commaunded Princes may put the ministers out of their places if they behaue not themselues well Verse 26. Also if they liue naughtilie and wickedlie they shall put them foorth of the holy Ministerie This did Salomon who deposed Abiathar and put Sadock in his place as it is written in the first booke of kings the 2. Chapter And in the new Testament Iustinian displaced Siluerius and Vigilius And this I doubt not but was doone sometime by other princes But how iustlie I will not presentlie declare This one thing I will say that it was lawfull in the causes now alleaged But some man wil say that I speake now of the fact and not of the right yea but I speake also of the right For the king ought to haue with him the lawe of God written because he is ordained a kéeper not onelie of the first table but also of the latter So then he which offendeth in any of them both ranne in daunger of his power But although a king may remoue an vnprofitable and hurtfull Byshop yet cannot a Byshop on the other side depose a king if he haue offended Matt. 14. 4. Prelates of the Church haue no authoritie to depose Kings and Princes Luk. 13. 32. Iohn in déede reprooued Herod but he displaced him not of his kingdome Ambrose and Innocentius excommunicated Emperours but they procéeded no further Yea and Christ called Herod a Woolfe but he tooke not away his kingdome from him and he payed tribute vnto Tiberius a most wicked prince Mat. 17. 27 Neither was he at any time author to any man to shake off his yoke Wherefore let Popes take héede by what right they remooue at their owne pleasure kings and Emperours out of their places This did neither anie of the Prophets nor the Apostles nor yet Christ The popes boast that they haue great power but if the same be anie it consisteth wholie in the word of God Let them teach preach and admonish if they will exercise their power otherwise the ciuill and temporall power which they so much boast of is farre from the Ecclesiasticall Ministers Brieflie as there is found no king nor Emperour so great that is not subiect to the word of God which is preached by the Ministers so on the other side is there no Byshop which hauing offended but ought to be reprooued by the ciuill Magistrate What difference
if we shall thinke that those will make to the glorie of God or to the saluation of him that dooth the iniurie But if he through our patieÌce become the woorse those thinges in verie déede we ought not to doe but onelie to retaine them in the minde For so was Christ prepared in minde euen then when he rebuked that seruant And in his time he suffered all contumelies and iniuries and the crosse it selfe And Paul although he somewhat sharpelie aunswered the high priest yet afterward writeth vnto the Corinthians 2. Co. 12. 15 And I gladlie giue and offer vp my selfe for you all He who in the first Epistle to the Corinthians had excommunicated a man coÌmitting incest 1. Cor. 5. 5. 2. Cor. 2. 6. in the latter Epistle is the cause that the selfesame man is receiued with all gentlenesse And he that was so hard against his brethren would euen for the verie same people become accursed Rom. 9. 3. Exo. 32. 27. And Moses although he had so hardlie intreated his brethren yet said he Ibidem 31 Either spare them O God or else blot me out of thy booke Also Christ although he gaue not the other chéeke yet vppon the Crosse he said Forgiue them Luk. 21. 34. for they know not what they doe Wherefore if we sée amongest vs the word of God to be smitten and to haue iniuries doone vnto it that must we in no wise dissemble or if our good name be hindered without which there can be no authoritie of our doctrine that must we by all meanes defend I know there haue bin some which said that more perfecter commaundementes were giuen vnto vs than vnto the Iewes But Christ in verie déede meant nothing else but to confute the traditions of the Pharisies To the second Matt. 5. 39. 16 Resist not euill that doeth Chrysostome thus expounde Resist not with any euill thing as if so be Euil were the ablatiue case For fire saieth he is not quenched with fire but with water Others expound it more absolutely that we must not resist iniuries with priuate authoritie or to séeke reuenge And it is Euill that hurteth either the body or the goods or a mans good name The same thing it is which is saide in another place Reuenge euill for euill vnto no man Ro. 12. 17. 1. Thess 5. But all those things must be vnderstoode with this exception So they make to the glorie of God and saluation of thy neighbour And that there must be an exception doubtlesse vnderstoode in these wordes it appeareth by the examples and doings of Christ and of his Apostles and euen for the selfe same cause that Christ when he had taught that the chéeke must be offered Mat. 10. 23 yet added after If they persecute you in one citie flie you into another Further in Luke he thus admonisheth To euerie one that shall aske of thee Luke 6. 30. giue But if thou shouldest so doe thou wouldest in short space leaue thy selfe nothing wherewith to maintaine thy familie Therefore Paul added an exception 2. Cor. 8. 13 Not that there should be a liberalitie shewed vnto others a penurie vnto your selues Wherefore Christ meant to exclude nothing else but the desire of reuenge And séeing we be certaine of the sense what néede we contend about the bare saying For if we woulde rather giue all things than goe to the lawe wee shoulde doe nothing else but increase the boldnesse of naughtie leawd fellowes Howbeit if we be oppressed either with violence or with the iniquitie of the iudge we ought rather to giue al than to depart from right perfection Iulianus Celsus Porphyrius others when they vnderstoode not these things cried out that the doctrine of Christ made to the ouerthrowing of Commonweales But those men as I haue said being blinded with malice vnderstoode nothing The saying of Christ is that we shoulde not regard the iniuries doone vnto vs yet not so as we should abandon all that we haue vnto pray and spoyle To the third Ro. 12. 19. Giue place vnto wrath that is to wit The wrath of God We ought to knowe that God will reuenge our iniuries and that we must not take vpon vs his office But God will declare his wrath either by himselfe or by the Magistrate Christ saide vnto Peter To the fourth Mat. 26. 52. Put vp thy sworde and that iustly for Peter both was a priuate man and was mooued with an ill spirit To the fift Ro. 12. 19. To mee belongeth reuenge and I will recompence God saieth that reuenge belongeth vnto him and that he would doe the same either by himselfe or by the Magistrate Wherefore he would not haue vs to curse or call for reuenge but rather to desire this that the mindes of euill men may be chaunged for that there is no perill at all though they become the prouder séeing God himselfe will take our cause vpon him Matt. 7. 1. To the sixt Iudge yee not and yee shall not be iudged This must we specially vnderstande that Christ did not vtterly take away all kinde of iudgement for to iudge in that place is to condemne But there bee some which note all the sayings and doings of other men and certainely they doe not that for the amending but rather for the slaundering of them and that they themselues may séeme the better or else because they be delighted with slaundering This doth Christ reprehend because it proceedeth of hatred enuie pride and it bringeth foorth verie ill fruites That this was the meaning of Christ it appeareth by that which followeth Cast the beame out of thine owne eye To the seuenth Ibid. ver 5. and take the mote out of thy brothers eye For we finde it euerie where that it is not lawfull to condemne those thinges which wee sée no where condemned in the scriptures séeing if I condemne open theft or adulterie I condemne it not but God Why doest thou iudge another mans seruaunt Rom. 144. Paul speaketh not there of iudging sinne but of indifferent things which thou maiest vse both well and ill such are meate and drinke For men oftentimes of a pride so iudge of those things as they condemne that for a most grieuous crime which is meane and indifferent 17 Christ would not haue the Cockle to be taken awaie Mat. 13. 29. To the eight therefore say they it is not lawfull either to warre or to vse the sworde This place vnto some séemeth ambiguous doubtfull but if we vnderstand that parable without exception wee shall leaue no place no not for excommunication which neuerthelesse the Anabaptistes doe specially vrge Wherefore they are both wayes confuted What then is the meaning I will declare There is no intreating in that place of the office of the Minister or Magistrate but onelie of the state and condition which should afterward be of the Church to wit that the same should alwayes haue
against all commers Againe whereas he vndertooke to dispute he disprooued the vaine saiengs of vaine men which spread enuious and odious things against him namelie that he would not or durst not defend his doctrine Finallie that he so singularlie well answered the expectation of the great magistrates yea and of the Kings maiestie while he not onelie hath deliuered vnto the Vniuersitie the doctrine of Christ out of the liuelie fountaines of the word of God but so far as laie in him hath not suffered anie man either to trouble or stop the fountaines Wee haue heard this christian contention the which was taken in hand for the trieng and searching out of the truth The verie which maner of proceeding ought to bee as the onelie marke whervnto all men doo bend their eie in euerie disputation This ought all men to search out which haue a loue to sincere religion For what else meaneth that saieng Search the scriptures but diligentlie to search the truth out of the scriptures Howbeit wee are not now minded to giue iudgement of these controuersies and vtterlie to breake the strife But then shall it be determined when it shall seeme good vnto the Kings Maiestie and the Estates of the church of England Neuerthelesse if I whome you of your courtesie haue chosen to be your Chancellor did not now supplie the place of an other person for the Kings authoritie hath now otherwise appointed mee I would most gladlie yeeld an account of my faith in these propositions For I am not ashamed of the Gospell of Christ nor yet of the truth which shineth vnto all men out of his word and this doubtlesse will I be readie to doo at an other time when oportunitie shall be offered And now in the meane time I exhort you that be strangers and forrenners if now there be anie that ye will returne to your owne home I would not haue you continuallie to wander in the fathers and Councels as in your countrie doo not you suppose that those be your principles I would not haue you to be deceiued in the probable words of mans wisedome What principles had the fathers What Councels had they How shamefullie did the fathers fall in manie things How fowlie did the Councels erre I will not here rehearse their errours I will not here stir this puddle And yet for all this shall the fathers and the Councels be the grounds of disputations There haue beene heretofore heretikes which denied either a part of the scripture or else the whole And at this daie there be Libertines which be infected with the selfe-same madnesse those doo denie and tread vnder foote the cheefe principles of our christianitie who place the word of God in the highest watchtower and haue it in verie great reuerence and from hence onelie doo seeke for life and saluation holding principles which bee most assured sound and holie And yet in the meane time not reiecting the most holsome testimonies of godlie fathers naie rather imbracing and reuerencing them as bright beames of the holie Ghost which after some sort doo lighten the darknesse of our eies Wherefore I beseech you for your saluation sake and for the mercie of GOD as well you that be yoong as old that you will performe two things First that you will now at the last laie awaie those controuersies which haue disquieted and rent in sunder the church of Christ these manie ages as touching transubstantiation and I wot not what reall presence There is no end of quarelling these be the diuels snares wherein he perpetuallie wrappeth vs and letteth vs from true godlinesse But it behooueth vs that be godlie christians cheeflie yea generally to regard what Christ did and what he hath commanded vs to do Let vs consider those be the most holie and dreadfull mysteries of Christ Let vs vse them verie oftentimes vnto our saluation let vs come vnto them with feare and trembling least we at anie time come vnworthilie and receiue the same to our iudgement and condemnation Secondlie that ye betake your selues to the studie of the word of God Vnto this marke direct all your darts herevnto refer all your studies Whether they be philosophicall or mathematicall or matters physicall or whatsoeuer else they be let them be as it were the waiting maids of this Queene From hence seeke all your faith From hence let your religion be established and made perfect Heauen and earth shall passe but my word shall not passe By this as it were by a certeine rule let all controuersies be examined and defined Besides this there is one thing wherof we must admonish you all namelie that ye abandoning all papisticall vanities superstitious feined worshipping of God you giue diligent indeuour to search out the truth or at the leastwise that ye be no impediment but that they which be desirous of the truth may proceed in the worke of godlinesse For wee knowe and bee certeinlie assured that there be some vnquiet and troublesome persons mooued of a preposterous zeale to hinder the proceeding of the truth We knowe there bee some which doo perniciouslie follow the example of their father while they spread euerie where the seed of discord and doo inuentlies I knowe there be false and enuious rumors carried about We knowe that vaine men when they cannot by true meanes further their cause they woorke by slanderous speeches so easilie intreated is an euill custome to worke against the truth Howbeit to make an end if yee bee indued with anie loue of the truth seeke out the same with patient minds require it with feruent praiers of almightie God Atteine to the knowledge thereof by a sincere comparing of places togither Let christian charitie wax hot in you Hee that is weake in faith receiue him For the stronger saith Paule ought to susteine the imbecillities of the weake ones and not please themselues let euerie man please his neighbour vnto good edifieng Beware of the wilinesse of Satan which lieth in wait for you least you should yeeld to the words of our Lord Iesus Christ that you may dote about questions and differences and strifes of words whereof arise enuies contentions blasphemies ill suspicion c. We may by our authoritie command you and threaten the obstinate with due punishment yet we had rather for the loue we beare you desire and exhort you Wherefore if there be anie consolation in Christ if anie comfort of loue if anie fellowship of the spirit if anie bowels of compassion fulfill you our ioie And our ioie is that we see manie in this Vniuersitie to grow vp notablie in good learning and godlinesse Our ioie is that wee see you so modest and readie to obeie Fulfill you therefore our ioie that is search ye the truth which hath now manie ages lien hidden as it were in a darke dungion when yee haue found it out receiue it with a sincere faith and beeing receiued beautifie the same with good maners So shall your light shine before
Church which féede not the shéepe with doctrine but as it were hyrelings do thinke nothing at all of the saluation of their flocke not correcting that which went astraie nor yet séeking that which was lost but all onely taking of the shéepe milke and wooll that is to wit meate and garments Wherefore the Ministers of the Church and the Princes haue their part in building and without doubt if at any time these kindes of men doe erre this neuer happeneth without a common losse euen in like manner as the Eclipsies of the Sunne draw therewith many inconueniences vppon the world When the Lorde woulde builde the Church of Ierusalem he specially adorned the Prince and Priest Moses and Aaron whose conduct and authoritie they should vse in all things Albeit as the holy historie doth not suppresse in silence the infirmities of them both so was the people more easily giuen to followe their offences than readie to vse the benefite of their good gouernment And it must not be passed ouer that the building of this second house was to bee perfourmed of the people after seuentie yéeres The number of seuen is woont to bee reckoned with the Sabboth He teacheth plainely that it behooued the builders to rest from all their labour Neither are we ignorant that they be our workes which haue procéeded from nature corrupted without the guiding of the holy spirit For no man ought to be lead either for gaine or ambition or any couetousnesse or else by any reasons of man to restore the Temple of the Lorde Further as Paule hath taught vs we ought to builde onely vppon Christ which is the foundation and we must take héede with all our indeuour that we builde not haie or stubble or timber 1. Cor. 3. 12 that is to say fond trifles and humane reasons Golde siluer and precious stones must bee vsed in this building Neither is knowledge sufficient for the building of the Common wealth of Christ which in verie déede is oftentimes fearefull when it is taken by it selfe wherefore charitie must néedes be ioyned therewith which Paul shewes doth edifie And no man must maruell if so notable instruments are required to this worke since it is a matter of great moment to change men from that they were I woulde to God the Romish Priests would also consider this and woulde not account all their honour to consist herein that they haue transubstantiated or chaunged the nature of breade which is but a legerdemaine and a vaine deuise but that they finally vnderstoode themselues to be called by God vnto this ende that by the worde and doctrine as also by good manners and examples they should transubstantiate men into Christ and make them his liuely members This change haue men perpetually before their eyes when they handle the holy mysteries The same do the scriptures of God vrge in euerie place which then lyeth contemned and neglected when they with all their power contende for an Altar which is none at all Now haue we heard of the prophet what is néedefull to be doone namely that the Church of God according to Gods appointment should be builded Nowe fourthly is taught what fruit this sermon of our Hagge obtained Zorobabel saith he heard and Iesus saith he the sonne of Iosadeck and all the people heard the worde of the Lorde They not onely heard with their eares as the Scribes and Pharises heard Christ but their hearts by the power of the holy spirite were open and they feared This is the proper effect of the holy scriptures First we are reprooued by the authoritie of Gods lawe For the hearts of those hearers are stirred vp by repentance which is described in feare But it followeth not heere that the Prophet is heard and that they which heard him doe feare vnlesse he be receiued as the messenger of the Lord. For so long as we thinke of him that buildeth that he dealeth by mans reason we wil be moued nothing at all Perhaps we will maruell at the wisedome and prudence of his doctrine but doe turne neuer a whit the more vnto God But when faith comes therewithall and that we thinke it is the worde of God which is proposed by and by feare repentance enter into our hearts They that feare and tremble straightway the voyce of the Lorde comforteth them wherein he saith I am with you God is with them not which be magnificall mightie and proude men of this world but with the broken and contrite of heart whose lot must not be counted vile abiect but since they haue God with them there can bee no want of good This was said to the blessed virgin and to many of the saincts when any harde matter was to be taken in hand that they should ponder it in their mind and that they should not doubt of their successe If God shall be with vs who can either hinder vs or stay vs from the building O yée that be the heades of this Vniuersitie of Oxforde I would to God that I also might truely and faithfullie say God is with you Assuredly I shoulde then preach vnto you a most profitable and vnto me most acceptable glad tidings of the Gospel And the Lord stirred vp the spirite of Zorobabel and the spirite of Iesus the sonne of Iosadeck and the spirite of the people that in comming they should do the work of their God It is the Lord that stirreth vs vp to do well not onely in calling vs by the outward worde but also by chaunging of our minde For by the most comfortable féele of perswasion hee of vnwilling maketh vs willing Then is the outwarde preaching fruitfull because the heart of the hearers is inwardly mollified by God This is to stirre vp the spirite of the Prophet Nowe do we also perceiue by this place that the building belongeth to all sorts of men which are so described seuerally Not onely the magistrate and highpriest but together with al is the whole people ioyned We must vnderstand that the order and placing of thinges is not negligently set downe vnto vs by the prophet In which place is shewed the word of God the faith of them that heare the Lords worde is mingled therewith feare and repentance is stirred vp The Lorde is in them and dwelleth in them and mooueth them to take good workes in hande Last of all are placed those workes which do not please God vnlesse we be iustified by faith replenished with the grace of God and mooued by the inspiration of the holie Ghost to doe them O miserable city which hast so long béene without the word of God and holie sermons No maruell if being destitute of the spirite of God thou hast so much neglected to builde vp his Church Truelie I cannot well tell whether I should here blame the minde of ministers or the sloth of the people or faintnesse of the magistrate since they haue all sinned verie gréeuously The Pastors teach not vnlesse they be driuen therunto by
doe vse his key and doe beléeue The holy Ghost is author of both for neither doe men preach well nor yet beléeue rightly vnlesse he doe assist them Yea and in trueth when Christ himselfe preached heauen was not opened vnto all men by his preaching neyther were sinnes forgiuen vnto all men but to those onely which vsed his key and beleeued Wee confesse in déede that the worde of God of whom soeuer it be spoken is all one as if it were spoken out of the mouth of GOD howbeit this maketh not but that all men haue the keyes Yea and it is said as touching the beléeuers and hearers Iohn 1. 12. He gaue them power to be made the sonnes of God And neither is the key of vsing the worde of God onely giuen vnto Masse Priests but to the whole Church Now then it is the holy Ghost that giueth the keyes and all that beléeue haue the spirit of Christ otherwise they should be none of his wherefore they all haue the keyes But yet must not all as touching the outwarde function preache and administer the Sacraments but Paul woulde haue all things to bee doone in order Therefore are some of the learneder better sort chosen which deale in place of the whole Church they be called Ministers of the Church For if we would all preach together it would be like a noise of Frogges Howbeit euery priuate man hath keyes with his neighbour and may deale with him by the worde of God and if he shall discouer vnto him his sinne he may comfort admonish and exhort him by the worde of God which worde of GOD if he beléeue his sinnes be forgiuen him and heauen is opened but if he beléeue not his sinnes are retained and he is bounde And thus much of the keyes Blessed bée God which hath giuen such power to men An Oration or Sermon out of the 2. Chapter of Malachie of the profit and worthinesse of the holy Ministerie WHen it was thought méete good people and deare brethren in Iesus Christ that in this distribution of monie somewhat should be said for the perswading and comforting of you that euen as the outward want of the bodie is somewhat relieued so your mindes might be incouraged to goe foreward in the studie of Diuinitie It was laide vppon me who albeit I want no good will to yéeld vnto honest and iust requestes yet doe I féele that those thinges doe in a manner faile wherewith I vse to exhort vnto that indeuour which is most necessarie to the Church aswell for that my witte serues me not readilie to inuent as because I haue both here and in the schooles oftentimes spoken of this matter And that all these thinges might nothing hinder me I haue had in verie déede but small time to consider hereof not onelie in respect of the short space of time but by reason of the excéeding griefe of minde conceaued for the lamentable and vntimelie death of our most excellent king The vntimelie death of King Edward the 6. Howbeit that I neglect not in this duetie those thinges which God would minister vnto vs I will in fewe wordes set forth vnto you that which the text dooth offer I beséech Christ that those thinges which I shall speake to his glorie your profit may reape such fruite as I desire whereof I shall be in great hope if you willinglie and diligentlie giue héede vnto me I sée déere brethren that the chiefest cause why manie are called back from the studie of the holie scriptures and from the Ministerie of the Church is because both this function at this day is accounted vnprofitable and as thinges goe at this day without estimation And therefore mans nature desiring profitable goodlie thinges flieth from the perfect knowledge of the holie scripture as a thing barren and vnfruiteful and it also refuseth the Ministerie of the Church because there is scarcelie séene in it anie authoritie anie honour or excellencie Wherfore since herein consists the whole summe of this matter I thinke it good to set forth two thinges vnto you First that there are singular commodities and great honour in the holie function Secondlie that the despising and contemning of the Ministers procéedeth of farre other causes than from their nature and propertie the which if Ministers would take héede of both they should be happie and without doubt be had in great honor and estimation These thinges if I shall make plaine especiallie by the authoritie of the word of God there shall be no more cause but that you may desire with a glad and chéerefull minde to enter into this office whereunto you be called Albeit there are in the holie scriptures manie thinges which doe much serue to this purpose yet will I at this time take in hand to interprete a péece of the 2. Chapter of the Prophet Malachie Mal. 2 4. And ye shall know that I haue sent this commaundement vnto you that my couenant which I haue made with Leui might stand saith the Lord of hostes My couenant was with him of life and peace and I gaue him feare and he feared me and was afraid before my name The lawe of trueth was in his mouth and there was no iniquitie found in his lippes He walked with me in peace and equitie and he turned manie from their vnrighteousnesse For the Priestes lippes shal keepe knowledge and they shall seeke the lawe at his mouth for he is the Ambassadour of the Lord of hostes But ye haue gone out of the way ye haue caused manie to fall in the lawe ye haue made voide the couenant of Leui saith the Lord of hostes Therefore haue I also made you despised and vile before all the people because ye kept not my waies but haue beene partiall in the lawe To the Priestes dooth the Lord say that his purpose was euen from the beginning that the couenant betwéene him and Leui that is the order of Priesthood should be established The fruite and profite of the ministerie And séeing in a manner in the first wordes are comprehended whatsoeuer fruit and commoditie there is in the priesthood I beséech you that ye will diligentlie consider of those wordes with me The couenant saith he with him was of life and peace and I gaue him those thinges c. Here first of all would I vnderstand of you what as the last and chiefe end should be desired I knowe you will say that felicitie is to be wished for But the same vnlesse I be greatlie deceaued consistes in two thinges First that there be no want of anie honest good thing which may serue to adorne and make vs perfect For our minde is neuer pacified nor yet is it euer at rest vnlesse it haue attained to a ful measure of all good thinges And this dooth God now comprehend vnder the name of peace Hereof it comes that the Hebrewes when they salute anie bodie doe say Schalomlac Peace be vnto thee Euen as they
Ecclesiastical discipline is reiected But vnder what deuise or colour it is reiected at this day in many places is woorth the hearing They say that there is a daunger least vnder the colour of discipline the Ministers of the Church should take vppon them tyrannie should correct reprooue and excommunicate for no iust causes but at their owne pleasure Moreouer they say that our Magistrates at this day thankes be to God are Christians and therefore séeing they punish the more grieuous sort of crimes this Ecclesiasticall discipline might séeme to be superfluous Neither doe these good men perceiue that there néedeth not to bee any feare of the Ministers where the rule of the Gospell as touching brotherly correction is obserued For this charge is not to bee committed to the authoritie and wil of one man but in the shutting out from brotherly societie them which will not be amended a consent of the Church must be had by whose authoritie if it be doone no man can iustly complaine of the tyrannie of one or of a fewe And no lesse vaine is that which is brought as touching the Christian Magistrate For a great part of the Princes of our world doe obey the lawes of the Romane Antichrist and therefore are offended with the restored and reformed Churches so farre is it off that they wil doe any thing for their commoditie Further if in any place they bee departed from the Pope and haue Euangelicall Churches within their dominion vndoubtedly they vse in other but temporall and ciuill lawes wherefore they passe ouer manie vices and leaue them vnpunished which neuerthelesse as of the holy Scriptures they are sharpelie reprooued so doe they not a litle hurt vnto the Church of Christ An example thereof may bee fornications drunkennesse riotousnesse such like common mischiefes which in ciuill iudgement are dissembled and of the ill people are laughed at Further the politike Magistrate punisheth verie manie crimes either by temporall punishment or by a payment of monie Which when a man suffereth either in bodie or in purse he is set frée neither is there any further prouision made for the soule of him that sinned but the Church so correcteth and otherwhile excommunicateth as the soule may be saued in the day of the Lorde Nor is he while he is after this manner chastised or made ashamed for a time accounted as an enemie but as a brother is profitably admonished of his saluation The rule of discipline must bée sought for in the scriptures And for the bringing in and retaining of this discipline whereof wee nowe speake the continuall handling of the Scriptures in the Church doth greatly furder For places are there offered continually according to the precepts whereof the life of Christians must be directed Doubtlesse manie things profitable enough are otherwhile taken out of the fathers and Canons of councels as it cannot be denied but yet those things that haue bin drawen out of the verie Armorie of the holie Scriptures are farre more mightie and of more efficacie to mooue the mindes And to the intent that so it may be and to be the more profitably doone it behooueth to institute schooles of diuinitie Schooles of diuinitie which may be certaine storehouses and garners of your Churches whose corne of the Ministers vnlesse prouision be made that it may be renued it will easilie be consumed within one or two ages Wherefore let children of the Church vnto whom God hath giuen a strong health and a wit not vnapt for studies be exercised in Ecclesiastical schooles let them learne the tongues whereby they may the more néerely and familiarlie vnderstand the newe and olde Testament And howe we ought with a religious sobrietie and prudent dexteritie to handle the holie Scriptures in Christian Schooles I woulde declare in many wordes and more at large sauing that wee are alreadie admonished thereof to our great harme by the wicked examples of Papisticall schooles Those things that belong vnto edifying What things ought to be read in the schooles of Diuinitie let them be there oftentimes rehearsed and by reading and ouer reading the Bookes of the holy Bible let them that be taught from God not thinke it grieuous to note with all diligence all the places that belong héereunto those let them haue in readinesse distinguished I say into certaine common places and orders Which may be so often and in a maner continually repeted in the memorie that finallie when neede shall require they may offer themselues of their owne accorde Tit. 3. 9. That vnprofitable questions must be reiected But as for superfluous questions which alwayes haue contentions ioyned with them and as Paul saide vnto Titus are vnprofitable and vaine I iudge must be altogether shunned in a Christian schoole For whatsoeuer time we bestowe vpon them all that is cut off from the knowledge of the worde of God which without doubt is most profitable And whereas this miserable life is verie short oftentimes with sundrie occupations enféebled it is in my iudgement no sound counsell but a méere madnesse to fall from the serching out of necessarie thinges to séeke out superfluous and other while pernicious things What maner of Ecclesiasticall Pastors must bée chosen But as there ought to be preferred vnto Schooles expert teachers of this methode and studies so out of them afterward must be chosen and promoted to the ministerie Pastors which haue béene exercised in such holy schooles and haue verie much profited both in Godlinesse and learning whose part shal be so soone as they be called to that office to be wholly occupied in those thinges which belong to their heauenly father of which they must not yéelde any thing vnto flesh bloude parents kinfolkes friends princes or kings And because they are commaunded to preach vnto the people not onely forgiuenesse of sinnes but also repentance therefore vices as they deserue must be reprehended not lessened or diminished as is doone of them which serue not the Lorde Iesus Christ but their bellie Ro. 16. 18. But this wil not they doe which be not of a valiant and bolde spirite But if for that they be men they shal perceiue themselues to be striken with feare or to be mooued with any affection let them not forget the words of God vnto Ieremie Beholde I haue giuen my wordes into thy mouth Ier. 1. 10. Beholde I haue placed thee this day ouer nations and kingdomes that thou maist roote out and destroy scatter plant Doutlesse mightie and great are these workes but of the Pastors of the Church they cannot bée doone by armes sworde or other outwarde power Also they bring them not to passe by the small terrifying or menacing threats of humane words which are deuised of a boldnesse without abilitie to perswade For you shall sée many rash fellowes thunder vainelie out of a pulpit but after their thunder-clappes followeth lightenings of towe or straw yea rather bubbles which fasten no stroke
in the hearts of the hearers Wherefore the rooting out destroying planting scattering in the fieldes and tents of the true Church is doone onely by the worde of God Whereupon Paul as touching the holy scriptures wrote vnto Timothie 2. Tim. 3. 16. The whole Scripture giuen by inspiration from God is profitable to teach to conuince to correct and instruct in righteousnesse that the man of God may be perfect and prepared to euerie good worke Whatsoeuer thing the minister of the worde is to roote vp or destroy to scatter or plant belongeth either vnto doctrines which must be beléeued or else vnto manners and actions Furthermore either we teach these two things when they be good or we crie out against them if they shal be euill And so doth Paul rightly say as touching opinions which must bee established that the holy scriptures are profitable to teach but as touching corrupt opinions which must be remooued hée saieth that the word of God is profitable to conuince And when he speaketh of maners and discipline he addeth that the words of God are profitable to instruct but if there shal be néede to amende naughtie actions hee sheweth that the worde of God is fit to correct Wee sée therefore how elegantlie and in few words are comprehended all the arguments of holy sermons And lastly to the intent there might be no want he declared the ende and scope of all these things namely that the man of god in beléeuing might be perfect vnto righteousnesse and in actions and exercise of maners prepared to euerie good worke So then as I haue rehearsed yée must prouide that in your Churches such a care may bée had for a schoole of diuinitie as may be furnished with fit ministers according to the opportunity of times for those are woont more readily and more chéerefully to handle the word of God which haue béene nourished in the same from their tender age 2. Tim. 3. verse 15. Wherefore Paul iustly commended his Timothie because he had learned the holy scriptures from his childhoode which were able to instruct him vnto saluation through faith in Iesus Christ God for his bountifull goodnesse sake grant that the Pastors of Churches which you haue in diuerse places may maintaine peace among themselues may thinke all one thing and speake all one thing in the Lorde And for the retaining of this mutuall record which I wish vnto you I hope that the Godlinesse indeuour learning and sounde iudgement of the reuerend man master Francis Lysman who as I perceiue Frauncis Lysman taketh vpon him many labours for your sakes will bring no small helpe and verily I trust it will come to passe that he shall neuer repent him of his trauell nor yée of your good will towards him But yet this will I not forget to admonish you of as touching the care and administration of Churches that because the natures of men as ye verie well know bee diuerse and vncertaine whereby our iudgements of them are oftentimes deceiued therefore I aduise you I say that nowe at the beginning you attribute not too much authoritie vnto any one man Let the libertie which the Churches haue remaine whole and sounde vnto them I speake vnto the wise You know of your owne selues that the deuill lyeth in waite for the flocke of Christ and the thing it selfe teacheth howe readie euen notable men be such is mans infirmitie to affect and intrude into soueraintie But I perceiue my selfe that of all these things I haue spoken far more largely and with more wordes than the discretion and wisedome wherewith I doubt not but yée are plentifully indued by Christ did require Therefore I pray you that those things which I haue spoken of good will yée will vouchsafe to take in good part Nowe it remaineth that I shewe you my iudgement of certaine questions propounded to me in your name by master Lysman 1 I vtterly denie that Christ as touching his diuine nature suffered That Christ as touching his diuine nature suffered not I will indéede graunt that God was borne that he suffered and dyed was crucified because Christ as he is one person indiuisible so hath hée two natures ioyned in himselfe not confounded or intermingled And therefore we beléeue that this Christ who is God and man suffered was crucified and dyed But if it be demaunded In the merite and respect of whether nature It shal be answered of the humane nature And therfore Paul when he saith that the Lorde of glorie was crucified attributed that vnto the whole Christ 1. Cor. 2. 8. which was agréeable vnto him by reason of the condition of the one part Euen as a man is saide to be lame when as neuerthelesse he is troubled with the impediment of lamenesse in his legge or foote So Christ is saide to be borne and made which because it must be vnderstoode of his humane nature therefore in the scriptures is added according to the flesh Rom. 1. 2. How should the nature of God suffer and die without chaunge of it selfe But that God is not chaunged the scripture doth most plainlie testifie yet if God coulde haue suffered in his owne nature there shoulde haue béene no néede to haue taken man vpon him Rom. 8. 3. God saieth Paul vnto the Romans sent his owne sonne in the similitude of sinfull flesh and of sinne condemned sinne in the flesh But if that Christ had suffered in his diuine nature sinne should be said to be condemned in the diuine nature not in the flesh Also God appointed Christ to be the redéemer by his owne bloude And finally the holy scriptures when they make mention of the passion of the Lorde and of the redemption by it they speake alwayes of the bodie flesh and bloude but neuer of the diuine nature that it suffered for vs. That Christ is our mediator as touching both his natures 2 Ouer this we confesse the Lord to be our mediator in respect he consisteth of both natures aswell the diuine as humane For if he should be the mediatour as he is man I sée no reason why this might not be attributed vnto a méere man But it should be altogether wicked to appoint a méere and simple man to be our mediatour Neither ought we to be mooued that the Apostle hath said The mediatour of God and men the man Christ 1. Tim. 3. 5. because wheÌ he addeth the name of Christ he meant the diuine nature séeing in Christ is contained both the natures Besides if as he is man he should be the mediatour there had bin no néede that the diuine nature should haue bin ioyned to the humane Or why could not Moses or some other holie man haue bin the true mediatour betwéene God and man Vndoubtedlie no other cause is shewed or can be shewed but that it was méete for a true mediatour to haue in himselfe the two partes of them that were at debate So doe the fathers speake
allow of it in the best maner Wherefore I giue you thanks for this writing and that God hath so aboundantlie blessed your labours I doe not nowe sparinglie shamefastlie but fréelie and boldlie reioyce with the Church of Christ It is saide that Melanchthon is come to Wormes And this hath comforted me verie much I haue read certaine fragmentes of his new interpretation of the Epistle to the Colossians wherein hée writeth verie faithfullie of the humane nature of Christ saying that the same is truely properlie in heauen and he also affirmeth with Augustine that he hath a place certaine according to the measure of his bodie neither doth he require an allegorie in the word Heauen Whereby the error of the Vbiquistes is manifestlie conuinced If hee publishe those writinges me thinkes it shall be verie profitable to the Church not that the doctrine of the Gospell maie by the testimonie of anie mans writings of what sort soeuer the men be be made any thing truer than it is indéed but because that féeble wits are very much confirmed therein through the consent and authoritie of godlie men Also our Gwalter in my iudgement hath set foorth a learned and profitable booke vppon the Actes of the Apostles Furthermore there was a rumor spreade that Countie Martinengo was dead Wherefore when I had taken great sorrowe for him as was méete I shoulde the letters which Bullinger receiued of you were a gret comfort vnto me For you wrote that he indéede was verie sore sicke and that afterwarde he being recouered of his disease fell againe anewe into the same but that he is nowe out of danger I pray and beséech God that he will long preserue him amongest vs. I haue not what else to write but of this I assure you that I earnestlie pray vnto God that you maie liue in safetie and bee profitablie occupied in the Church as you are Wherfore I in like manner desire you on my behalfe that you will not forget me in your prayers Fare well my singular and welbeloued friende From Zuricke the 29. of August 1557. I salute the Marques and the Countie Also I wishe all health vnto the fellowe ministers To Maister Iohn Caluin WHen N. returned hither hee marueilously set foorth your curtesie and goodwill towards him wherefore I am glad that my commeÌdation was of some weight with you and that he had an occasion giuen him to loue you as you deserue And truely I hope that vnlesse I be deceiued he will hereafter doe his part and will liue quietlie and peaceablie Wherefore I heartily thank you if any occasion be offered that you shall commende any to me I will gladlie declare what account I make of your goodwill I heard of some trouble that was in the Italian Church For which cause I was so sorie that my minde coulde scarse be at quiet neither day nor night After the rumor was brought vnto vs hither came George the Phisitian Forthwith he talked with me and as I coulde perceiue by him hée thought that I woulde determine somwhat on his side But he was verie farre deceiued for if any man doe most detest this errour I confesse it is I. Twise or thrise I conferred throughly with the man and perceiued the thing to be as you writ namely that by these men is appointed in the diuine nature a monarke of the father onely they affirme not that there is one essence of the father and of the sonne And since they will haue a distinction or diuersitie in the diuine essence they cannot auoide but that they confesse a multitude of Gods which Gribald in plaine termes as I heare did affirme Indeede in his words he denieth so much but yet hee will haue those thinges to be graunted him which being graunted and set downe this must of necessitie followe I referred the matter vnto Bullinger He misliked it and desired me which I also of my selfe wished that I would breake off the talke so soone as I coulde because such kinde of mindes are not easilie cured Therefore when I had nowe shewed vnto that man whatsoeuer as I thought might be saide I began to desire him that he would reconcile himselfe vnto your Church that otherwise he should haue no place graunted him among vs. And beholde letters in verie good time were deliuered from you vnto me wherein I hearde to my great ioy that the Church of the Italians were at agréement and a certaine forme of writing giuen whereunto they all subscribed Doubtlesse the remedie is profitable and is not straunge from the auncient manner of the Churches And thereof I tooke a rule many wayes to perswade George vnto the vnitie of the Church and desired him that with a pure and sincere mind he would subscribe vnto a forme of writing set foorth which the Church had allowed forsomuch as that was the onely way both of reconciliation and edification of those whom he had troubled and offended But I perceiued my selfe to spende in vaine both my words and labour Which being perceiued and Bullinger being aduised both by Wolphius and by Gwalther he willed me to perswade the man to depart otherwise that the magistrate shoulde commaunde him to goe his way When I had this doone he went his way and eased me of no small trouble He saieth that he will go into Transiluania but I feare that he will tarie a while at Basil He had another with him whose name is Iohannes Paulus Pedemontanus who also departed as I thinke went to Clauena I would to God that he would bridle sathan he séemeth to be at liberty in this age of ours for both he consumeth the children of the church with fiers and by all meanes corrupteth them with peruerse opinions But this I desire of you for Christ his sake whom you serue most faithfully in spirite that you will not for this cause either trouble the Italians or loue them any whit lesse than yée did before For if among many the most deare shéepe of God he suffer some goates to lurke and to go their wayes yet they which tarie still doe belong vnto Christ and as I hope shal be cured by your ministerie Neither haue I added this in the ende as though I mistrusted your goodnesse and indeuour but to the intent I might powre my desire into your bosome Farewell my singular and welbeloued friende Long may God kéepe you safe in his Church and aboundantly blesse all your labours From Zurick the 11. of Iune 1558. To Maister Iohn Caluin WHereas you write hither more seldome than either your selfe desire or I would wish it doth not so much mooue me that I should suspect I am the lesse beloued or the lesse regarded of you because I knowe it for a certaintie how you haue bin hitherto afflicted with sicknesse and in a maner ouerwhelmed with great and manifolde businesse I would to God as I knowe this very wel so I could some maner of way ease you But I trust that
awaie That custome haue I alwayes most allowed of all other as that which is the purer most sauoreth of the Apostles Church And I beséeche the immortall God that both in that place it may euermore be preserued and that at the length it may bee receiued wheresoeuer the church of Christ is restored You sée therefore that in the chiefe and principall point I doe not disagrée from you but doe earnestly desire that the same which you indeuour to bring to passe may take place My desire is kindled partly for that in Ceremonies I would come as néere as might be vnto the holie Scriptures and would continue in the imitation of the better times of the Church and partly that I perceiue the Popes followers indeuour still by these reliques to renew at the least wise some shewe of the Masse and doe more cleaue vnto these things than the nature of things indifferent can require But yet neither these things nor yet the reasons alleaged by you doe bring me to that passe that I shoulde affirme the vse of such garments to be verie wicked or that in their owne nature they be contrarie to the worde of God which in any wise I thinke to bee a matter indifferent being not ignoraunt that those things which be indifferent may sometimes be vsed and sometimes ought to be remooued To eate a thing strangled is an indifferent thing but yet it behooueth sometimes to set aside the vse thereof and another while it is in the frée choise to eate the same And by this meanes although I saide that I thinke a diuersitie of garments ought not to be retained in holy seruices yet neuerthelesse woulde I not say that it is a wicked thing so as I would be so bold to condemne whomsoeuer I shoulde perceiue to vse the same Certainelie if I were so perswaded I would neuer haue communicated with the Church héere in Englande wherein there is as yet kept still such a diuersitie For although as I haue saide I allowe but a litle héereof yet doe I sée that sometimes in these things indifferent some things although they be grieuous and burthensome are to bee borne withall so long as it cannot otherwise bee least if wee contend for them more bitterly than behooueth it may both be a hindrance to the procéeding of the Gospel and those things which in their owne nature be indifferent may be taught by our vehement contention to be wicked Which things vnlesse I be deceaued bring with them two most grieuous discommodities For if we woulde first suffer the Gospell to be spread abroade and to take déepe roote perhaps men woulde better and more easilie be perswaded to remooue awaie these outward attires A similitude While a man is sicke and is some what vppon the mending hande he grieuouslie suffereth certaine light and vnfit things to bée remooued from him aswel in meate as in drinke but yet the very same man hauing recouered health doeth euen of himselfe reiect them as things vnacceptable and vnprofitable If England were first wel and diligently instructed and confirmed in the chiefe and most necessarie points of Religion so farre as mee thinkes I sée it wil not at the length take in ill part that these things in some sort superfluous shoulde bée remooued But nowe when there is brought in a change in the chiefe necessarie points of religion and that with so great disquietnesse if wée shoulde also declare those things to bée wicked which be things indifferent al mens mindes in a manner woulde be so alienated from vs as they woulde no more shewe themselues to be attentiue and pacient hearers of sounde doctrine and necessarie Sermons Greatly beholding doubtlesse is your England vnto you for so much as you haue laboured verie earnestly in teaching and preaching and on the other side you haue wun to your selfe by the same England great fauour and authoritie whereby you may profitablie bring many things to passe to the glorie of God Onelie beware of this least by vnseasonable and ouer sharpe Sermons you be a let vnto your owne selfe Howbeit doe not gather hereby that I iudge we should neuer contend by the Ministerie of the Gospell for assuring the trueth of the scriptures and doctrines This doe not I affirme who continuallie oppose my selfe in disputations both publike and priuate and in the greatest controuersies for Religions sake but this I say that these things which be of lesse importance ought not to be a let through our contention Neither is there any great account to be made of them either if they be brought in or being brought in be confirmed Further if we procéede in disswading from these indifferent things as being pernicious and wicked wée condemne manie Churches which are not straunge from the Gospel and too earnestly reprooue innumerable Churches which in times past were celebrated with singular great praise I am not ignoraunt that the authoritie of Churches whether they be present or past ought not to be of such force as by them the trueth of Gods worde shoulde be pressed for that must remaine firme and vnshaken although the whole world shoulde faile in his foundation but this I stande to prooue that for thinges indifferent I holde we may not worke that either they be condemned or that we speake otherwise than well of them And because I perceiue that you iudge not these to be indifferent things perhaps it will bée profitable to examine the reasons whereby you perswade your selfe hereof Wherefore to contriue them in briefe as you doe I will gather them chiefely into principall pointes First you say that the Priesthood of Aaron whereunto this diuersitie of garments séemeth to belong must not be restored For since wee haue Christ for the Priest the ceremonies of Aaron are abrogated neither ought they with the safetie of godlinesse bee called againe Another foundation of your reasons is that these are the inuentions of Antichrist and since that wee ought to bée straunge not onelie from the Pope but also from all his false inuentions you woulde that the diuers apparellings and attirings of ministers should be abolished Since these be your two principall Arguments we will first consider of them and then will we adde what we shall else remember to be brought by you for the confirmation of your opinion In the lawe or Priesthood of Aaron there were sacraments by which it pleased GOD to seale the promises of Christ to come A distinctioÌ of the ceremonies of the old Fathers all which I knowe were abrogated and wee must beléeue that Christ is alreadie giuen not to be giuen and séeing there bee other pledges giuen by the Lorde himselfe vnder the Gospell I meane breade wine and water we ought not to renewe againe the olde tokens Neuerthelesse some thinges were there so appointed as they cannot properly bee called Sacraments for they serued vnto comelinesse vnto order and vnto some commoditie the which as things agréeable vnto the light of nature
celebrate their assemblie As yet nothing is doone sauing that thrée dayes a goe they mette together The Quéene mother was present and the King and also the king of Nauarre and other Péeres The Cardinals also and the Bishoppes were present The OratioÌ of Beza before the King and Queene mother The matter was committed to Beza that hee shoulde make the entrie or Preface of the conference who spake in Frenche the space of one houre as they say But towards the ende when he happened to make mention of the Eucharist he said that this they ought to knowe that the bodie and bloud of the Lorde is as farre from the bread and wine of the supper of the Lorde as heauen is from the earth These words so offended and stirred vp the Byshops as they began to mutter and finallie to make a rumor so that Beza had much a doe to make an ende of his Oration The Princes feare least hereof the Ecclesiastical men wil take an occasion of breaking off or rather of refusing the conference And this did the Prince of Condie affirme vnto me yesterday that they haue determined to offer vnto the King a confession of their faith and to haue a contrarie Preface whereby they may confute Beza and then to testifie that they will not deale with vs but he added withall that this should not be permitted them by the Kings Maiestie The Cardinall of Turnois after Bezaes Preface said vnto the Quéene mother least she should beléeue any of those things which Beza had said that he hoped by the helpe of God of our Ladie and of all the Saintes that all those things which were nowe alleaged shoulde both be confuted and vtterly abolished But the Cardinall of Loraine in his assemblie of Bishops saide as touching Beza I woulde to GOD that yesterday either wee had bin deafe to his blasphemies or else that he had bin dumbe Peter Martyrs fâl conference with the Queene mother This day namely the xj of this moneth I was called to the Quéene mother who verie courteouslie both sawe me heard mee I deliuered her the letters of our Magistrate and also those letters which belonged to her sonne I was a long while with her Such things I spake then as séemed most to belong vnto the present cause and that with great libertie She conceiued verie great hope of mée but we must pray that it be not frustrate which I am afraide of For she woulde haue the Church reformed but yet by leaue and consent of the Church men which thing coulde neuer yet be brought to passe nor now can be I excused praised and confirmed vnto her those things which Beza had spoken And when shee made mention of the Confession made at Augusta I answered that the holie scriptures ought to be sufficient for vs and that shée shoulde not perswade her selfe that if the Confession of Augusta were receiued it woulde be doone with the consent of the Ecclesiasticall men Also the verie same day and in the same place I was with the King of Nauarre who talked with mee a great while before he reuealed himselfe In fine when I had the letters in my hand to be deliuered vnto him he demaunded what letters those were I saide that they were to be deliuered vnto the king of Nauarre I saieth he am the same man Then I gaue him his due honour and deliuered them He dealt verie courteouslie with mée but to tell you the trueth he is verie colde as they say in Religion and goeth vnto Masses He also spake of the Confession of Augusta whom I answered as before I saide to the Quéene The Chauncellour of Fraunce dealt there with mee in the same matter coulde get no other thing of mée Finallie I so departed froÌ the Quéene as she saide she woulde talke manie times with me I will expect and will certifie you of such things as shall happen Our aduersaries haue set foorth foure principall things to be disputed of namelie of the authoritie of the Church of the strength and power of Councels of the authoritie of the scripture and of the Reall and substanciall presence of the bodie and bloud of Christ in the Eucharist Fare you well my most louing friende God kéepe you many yeares in health Pray for the cause of Christ for the kingdome of Fraunce and for me loue mee as you doe I louingly salute all my fellowe ministers also your sonnes daughters and sonnes in law and especiallie your wife I saluted in the name of you and of my fellow ministers all these coloquutors who on the other side sende salutations vnto all you Also Iulius and Gulielmus Stuccius whom you haue ioyned with me desire me to salute you Fare you well from S. Germans the 12. of September To the same man 52. SO often as occasion shall be offered of writing vnto you my Reuerende and most louing Gossip I wil not omitte the same Wherefore I did write the 12. daie of this moneth Nowe vnto those letters I will adde such thinges as did followe afterwarde An Oration was to bee made fower dayes since by the Cardinall of Loraine wherein he should haue confuted the Preface of Beza And when our brethren and associates were to goe thither namely to Poissi where the assemblie of the Ecclesiasticall persons is holden it was long and verie much debated in the kings Court whether I shoulde be fetched thither or no and it was in a maner determined that I should not goe because the Cardinals and Bishops woulde not suffer mee to be there Howbeit the Quéene at the hower of going thither called me foorth and commaunded mee to goe The Prince of Condie tooke order that I shoulde be brought by him that was his Secretarie and hee sent his owne Mule whereby I might be brought both easily and quietlie Wherefore I went thither apart from the brethren for they when the houre was néere went foorth before me And wheÌ we were come to the men who beare as they call them speares and halberdes which were the garde of the kings person suffering none to enter in but such as shoulde The Duke of Guise who was captaine woulde not let me enter but when hee had hearde of the Princes seruaunt that I was Peter Martyr he tooke me by the Arme and brought me in Wherefore being entered into the Hall I sawe a great companie of Cardinals and Bishops sat within a verie large place inclosed behinde whome sat a verie great nuÌber of Abbotes Doctors Sorbonistes and Moonkes When I had séene these thinges and perceiued that neither the Quéene nor the King nor other of the noble personages were present I withdrewe my selfe into a corner of the lowest part of the hall that I might there sit and attende the comming of the brethren For I knewe not whither they were gone And since I was there alone I could not be hid The Cardinall Chastillion together with two Bishoppes in their Cardinall and Bishoppes apparell first
the meane time they should not for the diuersitie of opinion breake brotherlie charitie nor call one another hereticks The counsel which I gaue she verie much allowed I added further But for because the Church men as it manifestlie appeareth are onelie for this cause against the trueth that they may vpholde riches and defende their power your maiestie may make them certaine and sure that all things shall remaine vnto them and that in peaceable possession during their life Of this if they can perswade theÌselues they will become much more tractable And this shee also allowed When these things were saide shee went to the fire side where Beza was with the king of Nauarre the prince of Condie the Admyrall and she prayed him together with me to applie all our iudeuour and diligence that if it were possible there might be made an agréement which thing we promised to do so farre as should be lawfull by the word of God Some of the bishops which be of the better iudgement would haue vs to agrée to the consubstantiation of Luther and Brentius We denie that this may bee doone And herein doe wée constantlie persist that the bodie of Christ is in heauen not elsewhere But we doe graunt that in the holie supper the Godly communicants do receiue the true bodie and bloud of the Lord but yet by faith and the spirite and that the distance of places doth not hinder the coniunction it selfe séeing it is a thing altogether spiritual They say moreouer that they wish that the same consubstantiation of the breade and wine with the bodie of Christ may not be spoken of when we shall conferre together There we saide that if they will vrge it we will not hold our peace They say it shall not bée vrged and they thinke that this article will easilie be left frée vnto the Churches What will follow I know not The day is not yet set downe nor the Colloquutors appointed In the meane time our Ambassadour behaueth himselfe verie curteouslie towards vs he saluteth me and oftentimes commeth to séeme And when hee vnderstoode that our horses were not héere well vsed by reason of the incredible multitude of horses and in a manner the infinite couetousnesse of the hostes he meaneth to haue them brought to his own house out of Paris where he hath his owne horses There they shal be no lesse wel and diligentlie looked vnto than his owne Truelie he pretendeth great curtesie vnto our Senate Assist vs as much as you can with your prayers Beza together with the other brethren doe heartily salute you and the residue of our fellowe ministers which thing also doth my Iulius and Stuccius And I would haue you to salute in my name euerie one of yours and also my verie deare brethren and fellowe ministers Since I doe write somewhat briefelie vnto our most honorable magistrate you may by your wisedome supplie with your aduertismeÌts those things that you shall thinke good Farewell right reuerend and most déere Gossip The 19. of September 1561. in S. Germans Nowe is come the Cardinal of Ferrara in most great pompe Among others he hath brought with him as they bragge most learned men who haue determined in this disputation to deuoure vs like a morsell of bread Among them is Paulus Sadoletus bishop of Carpenthoratum There is also a Gréeke Bishop whom they affirme to bée a most learned man in that tongue and in the Gréeke Fathers There is also a Dominican Frier being a principall Rabbin of the schoole Diuinitie The names of the rest I knowe not sauing that they boast that there is also in his companie a great captaine of the Iesuites Pray yée that God who is a mightie man of warre will vouchsafe of his diuine power to scatter this maine battaile of the Romane Goliath To the same man 54. VNto your letters right excellent man and most louing Gossip which I receiued at the handes of my L. Ambassadour I answere somewhat slowlie because I coulde not before haue any carier But nowe woulde I haue you to vnderstand that wée are all in good health And as touching the matter the 24. day of December I came to Poyssi there Beza in many thinges confuted the Cardinals Oration First he treated of the Church and shewed that wee affirme it not to bee inuisible as we are accused Moreouer the authoritie of the scripture and of the Church was handled and it was prooued that in the scripture is contained all things necessarie to saluation And because the Cardinall had laide to the charge of our Ministerie that we haue no imposition of handes and iust succession manie things were brought of that matter And as touching the Eucharist saide Beza the bodie of Christ is in déede truely eaten but yet spiritually and by faith Further it was declared out of the sayings of Augustine that Councels may erre The Cardinall stoode much and in a manner wholie vppon the written worde and vnwritten word ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã and as touching the article of the Eucharist he protested he woulde no further procéede to deale with vs vnlesse we woulde agrée together with him as touching the Supper of the Lorde Neither did he cease to obtrude vnto vs the Confession of Augusta albeit that he and his sort doe mislike of the same Wherefore our men demaunded of him whether he himselfe woulde receiue the same He saide No but that he would staÌd vnto it as touching the Article of the presence of the Lordes bodie Then was laid foorth a iust complaint expostulation that they would driue vs vnto those things which they themselues woulde not vndertake But the Confession which hée spake of he affirmed was sent him by certaine Princes of Germanie and from thence he gathered this briefe sentence that in the most excellent Sacrament of the Eucharist is present the flesh of the Lorde corporallie substantiallie and reallie and so it is giuen and receiued and he willed vs that either wee shoulde assent thereunto or else that we shoulde procéede to conferre no further But it was aunswered that this might not bee doone This imperious speach of the Cardinall both the Quéene the Prince of Condie and the Admirall tooke in ill part For they sawe that they delayed the conference and that they sought a readie occasion to haue it broken off therefore meant to begin with this Article wherein they knewe for a certaintie that wée would not agrée with them Also Beza complained that they would with that Article beginne the conference appointed The Cardinall thereunto answered that for good cause it was so doone séeing he in his first Oration cast the first stone of offence saying that the bodie and bloud of Christ is more distant from the bread and wine than heauen is from the earth and that therefore he woulde with al spéede that the people and flocke committed vnto him should be deliuered from such a cogitation All these
things were spoken in the Frenche tongue For so it was agréed vppon because the Quéene the King and the noble Personages might vnderstande Wherefore since I cannot speake that language although I vnderstande the same I spake nothing neither was I requested to speake But yet in the ende at the instance of my brethren and associates I desired of the Quéene that leaue might be giueÌ me to speake hereafter which courteouslie and most gentlie shee graunted mée Moreouer I demanded in what tongue shée would haue mée to speake She answered In Italian that shée also might not bée ignorant what shoulde bee doone The 26. day of September we mette together againe We were warned by the Quéene the Prince of Condie and the Admirall who were desirous that the conference shoulde not be broken of that we shoulde forbeare to speake in the first place of the Article as touching the presence of the bodie and bloud of Christ in the Supper For they saw it would come to passe before wee shoulde come to that point that they should be conuinced of most grieuous abuses and errours Wherefore we presented a supplication to the Quéene wherein two things speciallie were contained first that our men shoulde by the sentence of the Cardinall vppon no iust causes be dispoyled of their ministerie whereas yet if we woulde vrge them touching their institution according to the lawfull Canons and the holie scriptures wee might easilie shewe the same to bee voide and that they are verily straungers from the true Church of God Secondly we complained that we are in a manner compelled by force to receyue the confession of Augusta and to subscribe to the prescpipt wordes thereof otherwise that the appointed conference shall not goe forward We shewing that it belonged vnto the maiestie royall to decrée as touching the manner and order of disputing the Quéene at that time made no answere to the supplication There the Cardinall began againe to deale as touching our vocation affirming that the same is voide Further he complained that we reprooued both him and other bishoppes as though they had no iust calling in the Church of Christ laying to our charge that we woulde goe about to ouerthrowe the kinges authoritie whereby they were created Bishoppes which in his iudgement were a most seditious thing After this he turned his spéech to the Eucharist affirming that the wordes of the suppper to wit This is my bodie must bee vnderstoode euen as they be spoken There I tooke him at his worde and first of all I defended the ministerie of our Churches It would now be ouer long to write the reasons Also I aunswered to the false accusation wherein he slaundered vs to be seditious as we that woulde not haue the appointment of Bishops to be in the Kinges power I added moreouer that I did verie much maruel that the Cardinall saide yesterdaie that there were onely thrée Councels before Augustin séeing hee himselfe maketh mention of the Councell of Ariminum and the Syrmian Councell helde in the time of Constantius which councels since that they gréeuously erred they were afterwarde amended I obiected moreouer that he was excéedinglie deceiued insomuch as he was bolde to affirme that in the commaundementes of God in the holie histories in the Testamentes and Sacramentes there be no tropes or figuratiue spéeches and I made it euident by the scriptures that there were figures founde and that therefore it might not be concluded of him that the words of the Lord which they call the wordes of consecration shoulde bee vnderstoode absolutelie There a Spaniarde the Prince of the Iesuites which came thither with the Popes Legate sodenly tooke holde of my wordes and made a sharpe oration where he reprooued the Quéenes Maiestie that shee hath taken vppon her the iudgement of these causes seeing it did not belong vnto her but vnto the Pope the Cardinals and Bishops and that it is not méete while the Councell of Trent is helde to celebrate here such a priuate conference This Oration of the arrogant man greatly offended the Quéene and had it not beene for the Cardinall of Ferrara shee woulde haue taught the Iesuite modestie The Cardinal turned his talke to mee yet so neuerthelesse as all men might perceiue that he refused to incounter with me Hée beganne to alledge that he vnderstoode not my language Whereas notwithstanding it is reported that hee vnderstandeth it verie well Hee said that he had rather dispute with a man of his owne language But I excused my selfe that I spake on this wise by the commaundement of the Quéene and that otherwise I was readie to dispute in Latine Therefore he beganne to aunswere me after a sort in the French tongue which hee coulde not haue doone vnlesse he had vnderstoode what I saide Yet neuerthelesse he aunswered not to all the obiections And when I was to confute his arguments the Quéene aduised me to vse the Latine tongue to the intent that all the prelates and Doctors which stood by might vnderstande I obeyed and those thinges I spake which were conuenient for the time Therewithall came Beza and in fewe wordes aunswered the iangling Spaniarde And then he beganne to deale with the Cardinal himselfe about the supper of the Lord and to dispute somewhat as touching Transubstantiation And the Cardinall of Loraine woulde not haue it to be founde in the scriptures that breade was giuen by Christ in the holie supper There did I bring in the expresse wordes of the Euangelist who saith that the Lorde tooke breake blessed it The cardinall of Loraine set to schoole by Peter Martyr brake it and gaue it to his disciples and I shewed that these verbes haue no other accusatiue case than Bread In vaine did he indeuour to vnwinde himselfe D. Depensius beganne to speake somwhat in the matter But when he coulde not refraine from the lowde and clamorous spéech of the Sorbonistes the matter brake foorth into an action of tumult insomuch as neither the Cardinall himselfe abstained from excéeding great noyse Wherefore at the commaundement of the Quéene the night being now come the assembly was disolued The manner of that action séemed vnworthy of a kinglie presence wherefore the Quéene determined to bee no more present neither would she afterward that the matter should be tryed betwéene so manie but she assigned fiue colloquutors on the aduersaries part and fiue also on our part Of the aduersaries were chosen the Bishoppe of Valence the Bishop of Sagensis Doctor Bottiller Doctor Salignacus and Doctor Depensius and of our sort these be the names Beza Galasius Marlorate Spina and my self For both partes there were appointed Notaries But being without Iudges and other witnesses we talke friendlie and quietly enough For so farre as I can perceiue wee haue aduersaries méeke enough and which disagrée not much from vs. Wee haue béene nowe thrise with them and to conclude we haue onelie dealt as touching the presence of the bodie in the supper I am called but
seldome to the Quéene and that priuilie By whose indeuour this is doone it is euident enough but I will shewe you thereof an other time Fare you well right worthie man and my reuerende brother in Christ Assist vs with your prayers and salute your whole household and all our most déere fellow ministers in Christ All my associates doe salute you and also Iulius and Stuccius I will write to the Magistrate but yet breifely Impart you vnto him those thinges which by your wisdome you shall thinke expedient From the Court at Saint Germans the 2. of October 1561. To Iohn Caluin 55. I Feared least those letters had bin lost which I sent vnto you when I first came hither but I perceiue they were deliuered vnto you séeing you haue courteouslie answered them Howe the state of our businesse is here I thinke it not néedeful in manie words to signifie vnto you because Beza in his letters comprehendeth al things that are woorthie to be knowen And as touching the successe that will come hereafter I cannot tell of what good I shoulde assure my selfe but doe vtterly despaire that the schoole men and false Ecclesiasticall men will consent with vs. We haue had verie quiet Coloquutors and as they pretend not disagréeing from vs. Howbeit of the Cardinals Bishops and Doctors they are misliked and they be accused as men suspected of Heresie This day in the assemblie of the Bishoppes at Poyssi they purge themselues and doe pleade their cause The Counsell of the brethren is that wee shoulde deale so gentlie and mildelie with the aduersaries as wee may séeme to haue giuen no cause of breaking of the Conference But it is to bee feared least they will impudently abuse our mildenesse They that are the rulers séeme to deuise a certaine Interim and would faine a Religion both of that which is Papisticall and that which is the Lutherans This word Interim signifying In the meane time arose of the name of a Booke set out by Charles the v. as touching a compositioÌ in Religion till a generall Councell The baser sort of the Papistes would not sustaine that burthen For that is their onelie endeuour that nothing at all may bee changed of their pesteferous ordinance but would haue our Churches to be burthened therewith if any libertie shoulde be graunted vnto them But the Quéene will include both parts I meane them and vs within the same decrées and Edictes I after I had giuen Counsell for the pure and syncere restoring of religion am no more called for neither doeth she demaunde any Counsell or instruction of mee To conclude onelie remaineth the prouidence of God from whence manie thinges must bée hoped for but of the flesh and arme of the mightie I looke for little or nothing Verilie this is a ioyfull thing to be heard that euerie day there comes verie many vnto the trueth and so greatlie is the number of the faithfull increased as the enemies are marueilouslie vexed The Bishops as it is reported are determined to depart from Poyssi the next wéeke The Cardinall of Loraine would obtrude his Catechisme vpon the Cities of Fraunce but the Bishops doe not receiue it Fare well right excellent man and most louing brother in Christ Salute you all our fellowe Ministers and also my Lorde Marques and Balbanus In the Court at S. Germans the 4. of October 1561. To Maister Henrie Bullinger 56. I Write but fewe wordes my reuerend and most louing Gossip because I finde fewe things woorthie writing haue happened since the time that I sent the last letters vnto you You heard of mée before that fiue of the Coloquutors of our aduersaries were not onelie suspected vnto the Cardinals and Bishops but that they were accounted for Heretickes because they séemed somewhat to consent vnto vs in the matter of the sacrament Wherefore they woulde not haue them for their partie to conferre with vs anie more For which cause the conference hath nowe bin suspended these 15. dayes and I feare verie much lest it be altogether broken off You will not beléeue howe manie waies and by how manie subtilties the Papistes haue most craftilie procured this thing namelie that the disputation begun might not goe forwarde Which drift of theirs the authoritie and will of the legate I meane the Cardinall of Ferrara hath much furthered This moreouer with all that they mistrust themselues to be able sufficiently to defende their ill cause by testimonies of the scriptures and by good and approoued reasons Howbeit it happened afterwarde not without the maruelous worke of Gods prouidence that the Bishops and Cardinals themselues which helde their méeting at Poyssi the x. day of this moneth so disagréed among themselues as it wanted not much but that they had come to handie strokes For some were readie to subscribe to the Actes but the greatest part were against it But nowe they are wholie occupied in making of Canons of which I sawe some foure dayes agoe which be so rude and grosse as you may thereby easilie perceiue that the bondslaues of the Pope would not haue any reformation of the Church Onelie they make a shew that they would haue certaine things corrected which in verie déede are of no moment but the verie pumpe of the ship they suffer to be filled with most shamefull filthinesse They retaine the Masse the sacramentall confession they acknowledge the authoritie of the Pope they will haue Images they allowe Pilgrimages so farre is it off that they will condemne them I doubt not but I shall heare of farre more grosse things This day they are to returne vnto the Court whither vndoubtedly they will bring straunge monsters If the hope of conference bee this wéeke cut off as I thinke it will I will desire leaue to depart in the next wéeke For it is not méete that I should so idelie spend so good a time Howbeit the time of this delaie is not altogether lost For from the time that this conference was appointed vnto this day it is vnspeakable how much the Churches of the faithfull are increased in number but yet not without hurlie burlie For the 12. day of this present moneth our sort went out of Paris to heare a Sermon in the fielde since that in the Citie they haue no temple they were in number viij thousand When the Papistes vnderstoode of this they at the returne of these home to the Citie shutte them without the walles howbeit all in vaine For they by force entered in and when as the aduersaries setting vppon our men the fight began on both sides there many were wounded on either partie and some slaine Neither doeth it otherwise happen in other places of the kingdome Wherefore necessitie as it is thought will driue the Quéene the noble men and the kings Counsell to giue leaue vnto our sort that they may haue publike assemblies and some Churches otherwise there will bee no ende of offences and conflictes Vndoubtedlie we are at this day in great feare
exercised himselfe day and night in the meditation of all the sciences and therefore he was woont many times to say that whatsoeuer he knewe in Philosophie and those knowledges which belong as they say to humanitie which he himselfe saide was but small but I with manie moe iudged alwaies to be great in him this for the most part he ascribed to the studies which he had at Padwaie For he had then plentie of leasure all which he spent in learning He heard notable Philosophers For at that time the famous Philosophers Branda Genua Confalionerius did then teache in that vniuersitie and therewithall in himselfe was an excellent wit and singular diligence For he daylie exercised himselfe in reading meditating writing and chiefelie in disputing wherein euen those most learned Philosophers which I haue nowe named allowed his diligence and sharpenesse of wit in such wise that oftentimes in publike meetings Branda challenged his Florentine for so he named Martyr vnto disputation At that time in all vniuersities was taught Aristotles Philosophie This did he embrace not so much that it alone florished but as he testifieth in his Commentaries which he began once to write vppon Aristotles Morall Philosophie he most of all loued and esteemed Aristotles Philosophie by reason of the Methode that it had lesse error therein thaÌ the other sectes of the Philosophers And nowe because that there were in deede Latine Bookes of Aristotle but yet in such wise translated as they did not aptly ynough in euerie place expresse Aristotles sense and meaning for albeit that verie learned men had laboured in translating of Aristotle yet were there fewe that coulde in all things imitate and expresse Aristotles breuitie and elegant kinde of stile Since therefore the Latine Bookes did not euerie where faithfullie and plainelie expresse Aristotles meaning he determined to learne the Greeke tongue that he might once heare Aristotle speake in his owne language And in this matter he bestowed great studie and paines For he wanted fitte Maisters which could plainelie and diligently teache the reason and vse of the tongue therefore it behooued him by his owne priuate studie and great diligence to ouercome all difficulties I haue heard of his familiar friendes that in the librarie which was verie ample in that monasterie he sate vp oftentimes in a manner whole nightes together with Benedictus Cusanus which was a companion to him in al his studies so as the one interpreted to the other interchangeably by course some Greeke Author By this diligence he so greatly profited that he perfectly vnderstoode without any interpreter not onely the Greeke Orators and Philosophers but also all the Poets who neuerthelesse haue another kinde of speaking In this place also should I rehearse his studies in Diuinitie for he heard three Diuines at Padwaie one Heremit and two of the Dominican order Howbeit because he followed afterward another and a more exact kinde of Diuinitie ye shal be content if I passe ouer this mere Scholastical diuinitie and proceede vnto other and greater matters When he was nowe come to the age of xxvj yeares it seemed good to the fellowes of the Colledge to commit vnto him the office of preaching in open audience to the intent that his studies which hitherto were hidden betweene the Schoole and the assemblie of the Colledge might at the length come foorth into light and vnto a publike vse of the Church and to doe the seruice belonging to their order and might winne vnto himselfe fame and authoritie For in Italie the Priests preach not as they doe among the Germans but all this whole charge is appointed vnto the Monkes out of whose number the fellowes of the Dominican familie are woont to preach euerie Sunday and thereupon they haue gotten the name of preachers But they which be of other families those for the most part preach to the people in Aduent and Lent as they terme them But the more rare that Sermons be the greater and more frequent is the concurse of people especiallie in great and populous Cities Wherefore out of all the families of Monkes are chosen those which seeme most to excell in learning and eloquence who if they shall cause themselues to be well liked of the people great is their glorie and their name much spoken of Ouer and besides this the familie of Canons of Saint Augustine is adorned with peculiar priuiledges of the Romane Bishops so that all they of this familie which haue at any time executed this publike office of preaching doe inioy honours tytles dignities and priuiledges which are giuen vnto them whom the Vniuersities after a solemne manner haue pronounced Doctors And with these Tytles which others hardlie deserue when they growe nowe into olde age Martyr as wee haue nowe saide was honored at the age of xxvj yeares and so honored as he had not onelie a vaine name as manie haue but he had also great and incomparable learning procured by inuincible studie and he ioyned the office and labour of publike teaching together with the verie name of a Doctor And first he began to teach at Bressa in the Temple of S. Afra and afterward he taught in the most populous Cities of Italie and Gallia Cisalpina at Rome Bononie Firmum Pisa Venis Mantua Bergomo and Montferrat And whatsoeuer leasure he got from preaching all that he bestowed in studies of the holy scriptures and Philosophie And he not only preached publikelie but he interpreted in the Colleges of his familie both Phylosophie and the holy Scriptures at Padwaie Rauenna Bononie and Vercellis in which Citie to the intent he might confirme by teaching those thinges which he had learned in the Greeke tongue hee interpreted Homer at the earnest request of Benedictus Cusanus of Vercellis whome we named before to be a companion with him in all his studies At the same time he beeing stirred vp thorow the continual exercise of preaching who hitherto according to the custome of the scholes had exercised himselfe cheefely in the schoole diuines speciallie Thomas and Ariminensis in the meane time was acquainted with the fathers writinges he beganne more diligentlie than before to search out the verie fountaines of diuinitie euen the holy scriptures of both the Testamentes And because he had founde by experience that the knowledge of the Hebrewe tongue shoulde be necessarie thereunto he applyed his minde vnto it and at Bononie in which Citie he was Deputie to the Prior for so the Presidents of Colleges are called of them he gaue his indeuour thereunto procuring one Isaake an Hebrewe who was Phisitian to be his Maister But with what labour for the most part this tongue is learned of the Hebrewes they knowe which haue vsed those kindes of teachers For the most of them want faithfulnesse in teaching but they be all without methode and therefore they cannot proceed in right order and they enuie that our men should haue the knowledge of their tongue the holie language is not learned of them
as he doubted not but to accuse both him and all our sort for impugning the glory and Maiestie of Christ and for denying the omnipotencie of God whereas notwithstanding it is knowen vnto all men in such sort as euen Brentius cannot bee ignoraunt thereof that our men teache quite contrarie It greeued him exceeding much that a man otherwise very notable and who might bee profitable to the Church so obstinately defended an opinion absurde monsterous and merely newe which leaneth vpon no euident testimonies of the scriptures nor vpon any authoritie of the fathers and auncient Church and which no not the Papistes who haue fained many thinges for defending of the carnall grosse and corporall presence of the bodie of Christ in the holy supper were so bolde at any time as to allowe For as he reported that at his being in Fraunce at the conference when certaine bookes of Brentius were brought foorth the chiefe of the Popes Diuines said openly that this opinion of Brentius was newe and neuer heard of and that it was merely hereticall Wherefore he had nowe prepared himselfe diligently and throughly to answere the slaunderous reproches of Brentius which were many and grieuous and his Arguments which were not many But alas for sorrow he being by the sudden violence of sicknesse taken awaie froÌ vs could not perfourme that which he was determined to doe Which mishap neuerthelesse might after a sort be borne because Bullinger the Pastor of our Church who had diuided with him the labour of answering shal by his studie labour and by his excellent learning with a good courage sustaine the labour of them both shall alone suffice for defending of theÌ both And moreouer the Arguments of Martyr which bee many that he produced in his Dialogue doe stand as yet firme by this attempt of Brentius could not be enfeebled much lesse ouerthroweÌ But this rather is to be sorrowed that Martyr coulde not finish other and most excellent works which might haue brought great benefite to the whole Church For nowe these certaine yeares hee hath interpreted as yee knowe the two Bookes of Samuel and nowe the first Booke of Kings being finished he trauelled in the seconde and those things which he read although all were not throughly reuiewed by him yet are they such that when they shall come foorth as shortly the Lorde willing they shall scarcely can any man desire a finishing of them And who will finishe this as it were the picture of Venus begunne by Apelles owne hande Who will so correct the Commentaries vpon Genesis vpon Exodus vpon Leuiticus vpon the smaler Prophets and vppon the Lamentations of Ieremie as they can haue that same dignitie and that same excellencie as if they had bin amended reuiewed and set foorth by himselfe What shall I speake of the most graue disputations of the greatest matters What of the Commentaries of Aristotle and other Commentaries which he began and left vnperfect For before he coulde I will not say correct these things but euen in a manner before he coulde take order what he woulde haue doone with them he was by the violence of a grieuous and vnexpected death oppressed and taken away from vs. For when he had begun to sicken the fifth day of this moneth he departed this life the 12. day of the same Hee was before but somewhat a sickly man aswell by reason of his age as for sundry cares and troubles and especially for the great griefe he tooke for the afflicted state of the French Church his powres did consume by litle and litle And therefore when the general disease wherof many of you haue had experience assailed him it did easilie consume nature alreadie spent But we because this disease hath not hitherto bin in any man vnto death nothing feared Martyr the first dayes of his sicknesse And he himselfe also confirmed our hope for the thirde and fourth day after the disease came vpon him he returned againe vnto his studies meant the day after when his turne was come to teach publikely albeit I was against it and admonished him that he shoulde haue a regarde to his health and saide that I woulde reade in his stead and that I doubted not but the Auditorie hauing a consideration of his sicknesse would easilie beare with him but he coÌtrariwise thought himself strong ynough said that vnlesse some thing else happened he would reade the day after But eueÌ the selfe same night the feuer returned inuaded him more grieuously than it did before and in the meane time distilling of the rewme increased vpon him and therewithall the cough was verie troublesome vnto him Therefore albeit that his friendes bad him to hope well of his health and that the Phisitians also put him in some comfort yet hee himselfe foreshewed his death to bee at hande and for that cause made his Testament the day before he died and calling for the worthy man M. Bernhard Sprunglius the Treasurer being his neighbour to whom he commended the care of his wife great with child willed me to recite the same wil in his presence and desired of him that he would indeuour that the Senate might ratifie the same The next night after he tooke good rest the disease seemed vnto vs to be somewhat slaked but in very deede the power of nature being ouercome by the sicknes stroue no longer with it And in the meane time his friendes came euerie day to visit him with whome before the difficultie of breathing was hindered he talked of diuers thinges with them no lesse pleasantly than if hee had beene infected with no disease at all For by Phisicke wherein hee had diligently trauelled hee reasoned of the power and nature of his disease with such Phisitians as for friendshippe and courtesie sake did dailie visite him and because hee had slept some nightes not vnsoundly he greatly counted to his friendes this a benefit of God and out of the precepts of Phisicke rehearsed the nature and efficacie of sleepe as it were in sweetly refreshing the whole bodie Also he complained oftentimes of the Cough which hurt all the bodie but especially the head and brest And other while hee testified that hee was sicke indeede as touching his body but yet verie well as âuching his minde And then if hee had begunne either to yeelde an account of his faith or to rehearse with what consolations hee was to erect his minde hee was in this kinde altogether diuine And on the day before hee shoulde die some of vs his friendes being present with him and speciallie Bullinger among the rest hee lay a certaine space meditating with himselfe then turning vnto vs he testified with speech plaine enough that hee acknowledged life and saluation in Christ alone who was giuen by the father an onelie sauiour vnto mankinde and this opinion of his hee declared and confirmed with reasons and wordes of the scriptures adding at the last This is my faith In this will I
of the fathers in the 20. Chapter of the first part Peter Martyrs opinion touching the same at the cal of the witch 1 76 b The Appearing of Felix bishop of Nola after he was deade 1 75 b Appearings Of the Appearings of fained gods 2 617 a Of diuels and who it was that appeared at the call of the witch 1 72 ab Of the deade 3 320 ab Of soules departed 1 75 ab Appetite That choise and Appetite be diuerse and distinct prooued 2 294 b Two sorts of them the one following reason the other the sense 2 290 ab Diuided into thrée parts and howe 2 293 b Apostataes Apostataes are in worse state than infidels 3 105 b Apostasie Apostasie defined 4 60 a From faith and what a sinne it is 3 206 b 207 a 4 33 b Of Francis Spiera and his vile end 3 23 b 24 a Iust causes thereof from the Romish church 4 90 a 94 ab Ar. Arke The Arke was a signe whereby God made himselfe knowne 2 338 a 339 a The length bredth height and other accidents of the same 2 357 a The Leuits laide it vpon a cart when as they shoulde haue borne it on their shoulders 4 247 a None might see it who folded it vp who carried it that if the Leuits had seene it they had died 2 332 b The fruit that came by the Philistines taking the same 1 13. 1â D. Kimhi disprooued in saying that the hie priest the Arke and the Ephod were alwayes present togither 1 59 b Aristotle The opinion of Aristotle touching the ende of things 1 2 b How farre he agreeth with the holie scriptures touching the cheefest good 1 3. a b Why hee in his Ethikes writeth so diligently of endes 1 4 b Argument An Argument drawen from figures is not alwayes firme 4 158 b From examples a great fault must be taken heede 1 49 b 50 a Arguments What we ought to weigh in Arguments 3 131 b Probable of two kindes 3 333 ab Arrogancie The Arrogancie of Philosophers 4 21 b ¶ Looke Ambition Pride Arrogation Howe Arrogation and adoption differ 3 79 b ¶ Looke Adoption Art A definition of Art and that the deuisers of them were called wise men 2 301 b 302 a Why it is called power according to Aristotle 1 7 b Artes. A diuision of Artes whereof some bring foorth some worke and some are consumed in their verie action 2 302 a Vnto what kind of Philosophie they do belong 2 301 b How in them all there is a respect to the principall art 4 247 a Their obiect is before the science 4 246 a In them many things are done not onely by art placed in the artificers minde and bodily members but by the helpe also of outward instruments as how 1 147 b Discontinuance of them bréedeth ignorance and forgetfulnes of the same 161 b Why the secretes of saluation are hidden from men furnished with them and sciences 1 3 b Of the excellent ends of the principall called architectonicall 1 4 a They are in power to attaine or not to attaine their ende and how 1 8 a The holie scriptures prescribe which must bee admitted 1 9 b How they are in power vnto contraries 1 3 a How being naturally good they do turne to euil and in whome 1 3 b Of the vse of the good 4 27 b The scripture teach which euery one should learne 1 9 b They doctrines desire good of their own nature â 3 b Artes actions and sciences are diuerse 1 4 a ¶ Looke Faculties Sciences As Ascension The place of Christes Ascension 3 370 b What he did for vs at martime 2 624 a Of the Ascension of Enoch and Elias into heauen 3 370 a c. Ascension daie was vpon Ashwednesdaie saieth Epiphanius 3 251 a Astrologie Against Iudiciall Astrologie and her diuinations 2 279b 280 a It was euer accounted a most vncertaine Art 1 35 b ¶ Looke Diuination Astrologers The Astrologers exclude frée will from man and howe 2 275 b 276 a They attribute much vnto starres yet take they not away all Damnation and Prescience 2 27 b The cause of good fortune and bad as they say 1 173 a Astronomers The Astronomers reason about the resurrection after the reuolution of the great yeare 3 328 b 329 a At. Attrition The difference betwéene Attrition Contrition 3 213 b 214a 216 a The schoolemens opinion thereof and that it is sinne 3 214 b 215a b 216 a ¶ Looke Contrition Au. Authoritie Whether the Authoritie of the Scriptures or of the Church is to be preferred 1 42 ab 43 a.b Regarde of diuine woorship belongeth to all such as be in authoritie 4 10 b ¶ Looke Magistrates Ba. Baldnesse Iulius Cesars Baldnesse was the cause that he alwayes ware a Lawrell garland 2 509 a Banishment A kinde of Banishment among the Gréekes for certaine yeares 4 271 a Perpetuall called ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã of Platoes deuising 4 271 b The Romane lawes punished no offence therewith 4 270b The difference betwéene it and peregrination 4 270 a It is meant vnder the vse of fire and water forbidden 4 271 a 272 b Of two sorts among the Romanes 4 270 b The extremest punishment of the Romanes 4 264 b Whether Christian Magistrates may vse it for a punishment 4 273 ab 274 a.b The etymon of the word 4 270 a What vse thereof is to be retained 4 274 b 275 a The difference betweene the Iewes and the Romanes 4 272 a Home to a mans house 4 273a The definition thereof 4 270 b Voluntarie of thrée kindes 4 271 b 272a What maner of action it is 4 270b The maner thereof vnder the Romane Emperours 4 272 b Two metaphoricall 4 273 a Into mynes 4. 272 b Of Damon and Aristides 4 271 a.b A dishonest kinde is 4 273 a That called Deportatio 4 272 b The Banishment called Lara fuga 4 272 b ¶ Looke Exile Baptisme Baptisme consisteth of two things 4 126 b By it the right of eternall life is sealed 4 114 a It is a signe of regeneration 4 112 a Without faith it is vnworthily receiued and how 2 586 b Why it ought not to be renewed or reiterated 4 112 b 4 104 b Vsed to the lame and bedred 4 131 b 128 a Repentance must be ioyned therewith 4 114 ab Of the spirite confessed by Augustine and other fathers 2 262 a What notable effects are attributed thereunto 2 243 b A faithful man may be saued without it 4 114 a Circumcision and it sacraments of regeneration 2 594 a Doone to Christ at 30. yeares of age 4 211 a What thing therein is temporall and what perpetuall 2 375 b Grace is increased thereby 2 262 ab What being doone in the name of the trinity it signifieth 2 627 b With what superstitions the papists haue infected it 4 126 b 127 ab 128 a Saluation is not denied vnto the beléeuer that desireth it though he cannot
difference made betwéene him and the Pope 4 38a The state of his soule separated from his bodie 2 622 a The saying of Hylarius howe he had sinne to bée marked 2 227 b He tooke flesh vpon him in one respect Angels in another 1 115 b What kind of creature the Arrians taught him to be 1 106 b Whether he be inferiour to his father 3 306 b Of his bodie much spokeÌ too fro worth the noting out of the fathers 1 116. 117. What his bodie hath respect vnto 3 78 b The later Dauid with what stones he smote the head of Goliah 1 44 b He grounded his doctrine vpon scriptures 3 340b Of his exaltation to glory 2 622 a A Iewe borne 3 30â a Wherefore he is called our mediator 3 308 a What his soule did when it was departed from the bodie 2 621 a Of the first and second comming of Christ 3 383 ab 2 625 ab 597 b The opinion of Apelles the heretike touching his flesh that it was not borne but brought from heauen confuted 1 115 b He was borne and brought not a body from heauen proued 1 117 b 118 a Nothing ca. bée doone without him and why 3 102 a Of his conceptioÌ by the holy ghost 2 616 b What we haue to note in that hee did eate after he was risen 1 88a b In what sense he is called the first begotten 1 108 a 2 â16 a The head and chiefe of new exorcists 4 130 a The scornings that he suffered at his death 2 619 a Why he called himselfe the sonne of man 1 117 b A most effectuall example of patience constancie 2 620 a How he is ioyned with all men 3 77 b 78 a Whether it wereof necesittie that he should die 2 610 b Why he departed this life loden with shame c. 2 618 b His humanitie is definite 2 611 b Of his sitting at his rathers right hande and what it meaneth 2 611 b Frée from sinne 2 615 ab The blowes wounds that he suffered at his death 2 619 a His death most ignominious 2 618 ab How he is said to haue left the world 4 156 b 157 a Their reasoÌs which say that he brought his bodie out of heauen 2 603 ab 604 a Why he is called the onely sonne of God 2 â15b He came from heauen though hée had his bodie out of the earth â 602 b 603 a How he had true sleâ⦠when he appeared vnto Abraham the fathers 1 117 b 118a Diuerse properties of his body set downe 2 638a Howe hee dwelleth in our hearts 2 60â a 3 162 a Why hée is called Lord 2 606 b 600 b 614 b 615 a How he is said to haue dyed for vs all 3 31 a The Manichies defame his genealogie and how 1 51 a All his passion reduced to foure chéefe parts 2 618 b 619 ab More oppugned his diuinitie than his humanity 2 614 b The difference betwéene his prayers and ones 3 368 b His death voluntary and noâ voluntary 3 298 b Of his affections how ours his differ 3 298 ab How he satisfied his father 3 222 b 223 a He was not deliuered to the crosse against his fathers wil 2 276 ab What his healing of the diseased teacheth vs. 3 129 b How he saw not the graue 3 343 a 344 b 345 a Himselfe was the cause of his owne comming 2 600 a Whether his kingdome shall haue an end 2 607 a He was not annoynted with oile 2 6â6 b What he did for vs at his ascending 2 624 a Vnto whom his nobilitie is communicated 4 313 b Fine things to be noted in his person 2 614 a His innocency obscured 2 618 b Adam and he compared and howe 3 31 a Both the old and the new testament do speake of him 1 39 b He dyed not altogether without sin 3 12 b 43 a How God is said to be made visible in him 1 30b 31 a His death resurrection represented in types shadowes 2 581 b 582a The very name of him is the knot wherein al the articles of the faith are conteined saieth Augustine 1 22 a How the prophets apply their doctrine vnto him 2 596 b Against such as helde that he had no true body 2 601 ab How the false Apostles woulde take him from the law 2 585 b 586 a He Manna most excellently compared 2 591 ab Against certaine heretikes that affirmed him to be a méere man 2 600b Howe farfoorth he concerning his humane nature is the full image of God 1 124 a Whether he were the sonne of God by nature or adoption 3 81 a Hee was otherwise in the loines of Abraham than of Leuy 2 245 a Augustine iudgeth that he hath restored vs vnto more than Adam tooke from vs 2 246 b Vnder his name is contained all the articles of the faith as saith Augustine 1 22 a Whether he may haue hope as yet 3 88 a The end of his predestination 3 25a Accused of sedition 4 319 a Of his death and buriall 3 342b Of his felicity now in heauen 2 598 a Of his kingdome 2 597 ab Christians A difference of Christians 3 105 b Why they are called annoynted 2 606 ab Wickedly accounted dogs 3 311 a Whether they may vse or desire helpe of infidels 4 296. 295. Their boÌdage greater now than that of the Iewes 3 172 a How it commeth to passe that some are iudged to damnation some to saluation 2 626b Against the counterfait or such as are but so in name 2 628 b The common profession of all Christians 4 310 a ¶ Looke Beleeuers and Faithfull Christianitie Wherein the whole sum of Christianitie consisteth 2 625 a ¶ Looke Religion Chronicles Aulus Gellius opinion of Chronicles and hystories 1 48 b The difference betwéene them and histories 1 48 ab 49 a Ciceroes opinion touching the same 1 48 ab ¶ Looke Histories Church militant The Church defined 4 1 a She cannot be well gouerned without troubles 4 63 a By what meanes she is increased 2 633 a 637 a Augustines meaning in saying I would not beléeue the scriptures vnlesse the authoritie of the Church mooued me 1 43 a 3 586. The Catholike Church is the communion of saints 3 78 b She of her owne authoritie cannot decide controuersies 4 75 b Whence the name is deriued 4 1 a 54 a 1 45 b 2 630 a In what cases euill men must not be excluded thereout 4 2 a How it is ment that she is the pââ¦ier and ground of truth 4 75 b Her dutie towards the excommunicated 4 59 a Whereof so great corruption in the same commeth 4 63 b Whether two heads may be therein one visible another inuisible 4 35 a Who be indéede of the Church and who not 4 1 b 2 a 3 79 a Dissentions in the Church of the Iewes and of the Apostles 4 3 a 2 425 ab The Church hath alwayes iudged by the
word and the spirit 4 49 b Whether the be visible 2 630b 4 92 ab She consisteth of good bad 4 92 a Whether a strange tongue is to be vsed in the same 3 309 b 310. 311. The Pope oppresseth it 4 93 b 94 a The papists and we define to diuersly 4 92 a She hath not now the gift of trying of spirits 4 59 a Howe God worketh together with the iudgement thereof 4 60 a Of what manner of gouernement she is 4 60 b Why she is called Catholike 2 630 b 631 a To what ends she hath respect 3 78 b She standeth firme and fast 2 631 b What kinde of bodie she is 4 91 b 92 a 69b Dissentions therein are no âist proofes that it is not the true 4 2 b 95 b Pressed with infinite burdens 3 172a Whether her authoritie excel the scriptures 4 74 a 4 71 b 72 a 1 42 a 3 59 a 1 43 b 4 47 ab 48a 54 ab 72 b Ours much more vnhappie than that of the Iewes 4 94 a Augustines Church or temple had no images in it 2 352 a What nations vncircumcised were perpetuallie and what nations but for a time excluded from the Church of the Iewes 2 443 a Whether multitude bee any true note of the Church 4 93 a Where she was before reformation 4 91 b Diuerse functions of the same 4 4. 5. 6. 8. The thrée societies thereof 4 17a 1 42 ab Whether women may teach openlie therein 4 7 ab 8 a Whether shee haue power to make lawes 3 172 a 4 41 b 42 a Why the publike ministeries thereof are called frée giftes 4 8 b Whether abuses therein must bee borne withall 3 164 ab Of the vnity whereby Christ and shee are coupled 4 144. Thrée kindes of things in the same 4 70 a There arguments that confounde callings therein 4 11a b Why that of Ierusalem was not preferred to the primasie 4 71 ab Vnderstoode vnder the name of the kingdome of heauen 3 392 a What is to be doone at the Dedication thereof 4 66 a Gouerned by the holy Ghost 2 63â ab Whether we must dissemble for the preseruation of the same 2 32â b The state thereof in the Apostles time 4 50a Comforts for her being afflicted â 351 b 352 a Vniuersall cannot bee ruled by one man 4 37 b 36 a Primitiue had all thinges necessarie to be ãâ¦ã 3 23b Marks whereby to know ãâ¦ã 6. Howe long the giftes of healing c. were therein 4 13â b Two famous witnesses of the same in the last age 3 382 b Infants belong thereto 4 120 b 114b 115 a What her keyes be 4 108a 3 218 a 116 b 2 636 a 4 237 a Whether shée may erre 4 72 b 73 ab 207 b False notes of discerning the same 4 93 ab The state thereof in the latter time prophessed 3 351 b 352 a A meane to restore her to her first institution 4 55 a A prophesie thereof 3 305b Shée hath her resting places of receipt 2 429 b How she is the piller of the truth 4 54 a 1 40 a Why the Pope must obey her 4 40 b Latter than the word 4 72 b At the beginning among the Iewes 2 430 b How she oftentimes plaied the harlot 2 496 a What it was to enter into the Church of the Iewes 2 447 ab The rich ornameÌts of the Church of Ments 4 66 b The Church had no dowrie to offer vnto Christ 2 456 b Shée discerueth the true scriptures from not canonicall â â2 b Which is Catholike and which not 4 70 b 71 a Whether the expositioÌ of scriptures beloÌg to her 4 74 b 86b 87. 88. 89 Vniustly slandered with troubles seditions 4 319. 320 How Christ remaineth with her though hee bée ascended â 39 b 40 a In what state shee was before Christ matched with her 2 610 b The outward gouernement thereof altereth not her forme 1 99 b Whether we or the Papistes haue broken the vnitie of the same 4 96a One Nilus a bishop counselleth him that buildeth a Church to beautifie it with pictures images 2 352 a How God maintaineth her against wicked tyrants 3 285 b An vnméete spouse of Christ 2 610b 3 92a Her great authoritie 2 634. 635. 636. Remission of sinnes no where to be hoped for but there 2 634 b Whether the whole Church shall at any time faile 3 64 a Of the spirituall communion thereof 2 631 b Shée hath power to iudge the Pope 4 237 b 238a Her dutie is to preach and publish the worde 1 42 b In the Apostles time shee had not two swords 4 234 b Of a Church planted and not yet planted the consideration is diuerse 4 11 b Why God would not gouerne his Church without ministers 4 23 b Whether that of Corinth were the Church of God 4 2 a Her libertie is to be redéemed 4 33 a Whether Peters confession may be called the foundation thereof 4 83 b Of comlinesse order therein 4 65ab How shee is ruled and prouided for 4 40 a That therein should be ordinarie callings 4 10 b 11 a Shee would bee a monster if it had two heads 4 37 b 38 a Shee vsed an Ethnicke magistrate 4 228 b How to know that shee erreth not 3 59 a Whether shee were a long time cast into error by God 4 187a Shee hath borrowed certeine wordes of the Hebrewes 4 215 a What wée must do if the magistrate be vngodly 4 38b Of her coniunction with Christ 3 78. 79 The care of her belongeth to Princes 4 247b 248 a In what things shée hath authoritie in what not 3 63 a Two great lightes feined in the same 4 246 b Of certeine things which the primitiue Church did commaunde and for how long 1 9 b 10a Who is the head of the Church who is not 2 632a b In what things she hath not liberty 3 310 b The Church of the Hebrues when good and when bad 4 89 b 90a Whether the consent of the Church must be expected in reforming of religion 4 242 ab Whether Christ instituted one head in the same 4 37 a What is the roote thereof 2 629 b 630 a What be her weapons 2 632 a Many abuses crept thereinto in Bedes time 4 2â6 b How shee preserueth the holy scriptures 4 74 a 1 42 ab 43 a Whether therin may be an outward head to gouerne ministers 4 36a What gouernement Christ instituted in the same 4 36 b What is to be done when the greater part therof is infected with one vice 4 62 a How this saying of Christ that the Church must be heard is to be meant 4 75 ab A place of the Apocalyps touching the twelue foundations thereof 4 84a The old Iewish Church erred and how 4 73 ab Her state at Christs first comming 4 187 a The same shewed by comparisons 4 290 b 291a Whether she hath two swordes that is two distinct powers
metaphorically ascribed vnto God 2 413 a Visiting the iniquitie of the fathers vpon the children is a worke of Gods great Mercie and howe 2 366 a Iudgement without Mercie remaineth to him that hath not shewed mercie expounded 4 254 b Merit The nature and propertie of Merite 3 52 b Of congruitie quite taken away from man 3 142 b 143 a 130 a 4 5 b All respects thereof excluded in the matter of saluation 3 52 b Not vsed in the scripture 3 56 a How the father 's qualified it 3 56 a It were good to be left 3 56 a The Merit of a worke wrought 4 194 b Of the Merit of congruitie and condignitie 2 257 b Assigned to works 3 55 b 56 a Excluded from adoption 3 153 b Merits Merits of congruitie condignitie allowed 3 221 a Excluded 4 306 a 2 264 a 275 a 3 108 a 302b 105 b Vnto what workes they of congruity are due 3 119 b 120 a Al quite abolished 3 144 a Whether hope springeth thereof 3 82 ab 86 a They breede dispaire 2 54 a Excluded from iustification 2 584a They haue no place in our calling and saluation 3 18 b What they that defend them do thinke of good works 3 54 a The Merits of the parents is not the cause why God promiseth good vnto their children 2 240 b Workes cannot properly be called Merits 3 52 b 53 a Messias The Iewes appointed two Messiases 3 346 b ¶ Looke Christ and Sauiour Metaphor The nature of a similitude and Metaphor 3 351 a Mi. Mightie Why God executeth by weake meÌ and not by Mightie 1 131 b Why Mightie men and princes do resist God 1 131 b ¶ Looke Princes Minde Of the parts of the Minde and how the affects are placed in them 2 409 ab The baser parts thereof and the noblest also are corrupted how 2 225. all 226. all Qualities thereof say the schoole men passe not from the parents to the children 2 239. be disprooued 2 241 a Vnto what inconueniences the sonne of man is subiect 1 1 b Altogether corrupted 2 564 ab Howe it is carried and mooued too and fro 2 565a b The infirmitie thereof and the alterations of the same described 1 158a In what respects it doeth and doeth not truely expresse God 1 123 b The excellencie thereof being a part of the soule 1 134 ab Whether it be hurtfull to the bodie 3 316 ab God hath the same place in the world that the Minde hath in man 1 170 b The scripture against Aristotle who saith that the Minde desireth the best things 2 564 ab Minds In what respects diuels can sée the minds of men 1 83 b Minister The office and dutie of a Minister 4 286 b 3 162 a 4 19 a 21 b â27b He is the mouth of the church 4 224 ab What things are to be considered in him 4 233 ab Thrée things required in him that is lawfull 4 20 b 21 a The difference betwéene him and a magistrate 4 226 a Whether one hauing care of soules may flit in time of persecution 3 288 ab His publike prayers are the prayers of the Church 4 224 a Ministers Of the vnitie of Ministers 4 25 a In what respectes they are subiect vnto Magistrates 4 232 a Their authoritie most ample and excellent 4 230 b From what burthens and charges they are exempted 4 239 b 240 ab God vseth their aduersaries for the perfourmance of his counsels 2 386 a The force of the worde vttered by the mouth of them 2 386 a They may lawfullie receiue giftes and rewardes 4 28. 29. 30. Whether they hauing wherewithall to liue otherwise maie take stipendes 4 29 b They are called Angels 2 358 a Vnto whome the choosing of them belongeth 4 36 b Degrées of theÌ allowed in the Church 4 25 a Obseruations to be vsed in the making or choosing of them 4 10 a They must be consecrated of two manner of wayes 4 24 a That sometimes attributed vnto them which belongeth vnto God 4 24 a Whether their leawd life bee a cause of separation from the Church 4 35 b What they haue in common with all creatures 4 24 b Fewe in Ambroses time 3 195 b 196 b Whether they may haue wiues 3 192. 193. 194. 195. 196. They might by the decrée of a Canon 4 55 a Not to bee counted priuate men 1 445 ab Subiect vnto Magistrates two manner of wayes 4 38 a The primitiue Church had more than be nowe 3 194 a Their excellent office and charge 4 17 ab 18 ab Whether ill men may be made such 4 13 a Of the contempt and authoritie of Ministers 4 15 b c. Of their consecration 4 13 b They haue had the charge of ciuill gouernment 4 327 a Cautions in their election 4 13 ab Their leawdnesse defileth not the Sacramentes 4 101 a They may lawfully reprooue the sinnes of the Magistrates 4 324a They haue a paterne of duetie in Elias 4 319 ab 320a They ought to remedie two impediments touching Gods promises 3 49 b Whether the making of them be a sacrament 3 210 b They are mocked 4 16 a When it shall not bee lawfull for them to receiue stipend 4 30 b 31 a To what intent they must be in the campe 4 287 a 328 a Decrées of Councels against the adulterous sort 2 489 a Whether nouices are to be chosen 4 13 b Whether they may flée in persecution 4 2 a 60 a Ministers among the Gentils before the Apostles 4 4 b 5 a They must bee hospitall 4 17 b Their charge touching doctrine in foure pointes 4 48 b Why God would not gouerne his Church without them 4 23 b Whether it be lawful for them to warre 4 186 b 287a 327 a Excessiuelie honoured 4 24 b Howe they swarue from the faithfulnesse required in them 4 19. 20 What prayers they should daylie make 4 24a Their laboursome life described 4 29 b 30 a They must not bee ambitious 4 24 ab Whether they bee denied their due stipende 4 â0 a They are the instruments of the holy ghost 1 43 a Sinne committed against them is horrible 2 554 b Whether they may vse their weapons 4 327 b When they maie bee in place of souldiers 4 328 a They must not procure sectes 4 21 b What bee their sacrifices 4 18 b They must not meddle with manie vocations 4 18a No where in Scripture called Priestes 4 222 a They and Magistrates haue their functions ioyned together 4 22 a 232 a 233 ab Howe they both shoulde behaue themselues one to an other 1 10 a Cautions for them when they are to distribute the sacraments 4 19 b 20 a Wherein their dignitie consisteth 4 222 b Canonicall purgation in the case of adulterie suspected in them 2 489 a Christ reuengeth the inuiries doone to them 4 21 a Whether they may be exempted from the ordinarie power 4 229 a It is the office of God onelie
wee come to the reading of them 1 44 b Whether wee must alwayes iudge of them by the fathers 4 50 b 51 a Whether the Church bee inferiour to them or they to the Church 4 54 ab 1 42 a 4 75 b The holie Scriptures a competent iudge in all controuersies 1 40b 4 53 b 50 b 51 a Whether they be blameable if they bee not beleeued 4 54 b Of sealing them vp what we learne thereby 3 353 b They sometimes attribute that vnto ministers which belongeth vnto God 4 24 a Howe the harde places therein must be expounded 4 52 b Whether it be lawful to deal against them 4 13 b Panormitanus giueth a special title to them 4 50 b Whether the Church is to iudge of them or contrariwise 4 47 b 48 a They are without errour so is not the Church 4 72 b Whether the Church and they are to be heard alike 4 71 b 72 b 74 b The great credit that we ought to giue to them 4 49 b Diuerse safe wayes to iudge of theÌ 4 48 a Those things which they haue not spoken of are not necessarie to our saluation 3 398 b When the Canonicall onely were read in the Church 4 54b 55 a To adde any thing to them is to swarne from faith 3 57 a Consolation by them in diuerse distresses read that place 1 44 b 45 ab By what reason some labour to drawe the simpler sort from reading them 1 46 a The state of such as either will not read them or else read them with contempt 1 45 b Augustine sayeth that God himselfe giueth authoritie to them 1 43 a The mightie power and working of them 1 45 ab Euery one may gather out of them so much as is necessarie to saluation 1 41 b Why so many bookes of them be lost and to what ende they were written séeing they perished 1 51 b 52 a They be sure and certeine and to whome they be cléere plaine 1 39 b The most excellent profit that commeth by perusing them set forth by similitude 1 50 b They apoint two sorts of ends of men and how 1 5 b How the Church preserueth them 4 74 a They are to be licenced vnto all men one with another and why 1 47 a Augustine conuerted by reading of them 1 40 b Against such as woulde haue them taken from lay men 1 47 a Of the Canonicall and Apocryphall how the Church determined of theÌ 1 42 b 43 a In them is contained the chief knowledge of the most perfect good 1 9 b Augustines meaning in saying I woulde not beléeue the Scriptures vnlesse the authoritie of the Church should moue mee 1 43 a The holie Scriptures sende vs to treaâures to learne that there is a God 1 12 a No appeale from them to father 's admitted 4 47. 48 b 49 ab Why the difficultie of vnderstanding them is oftentimes verie profitable to the faithfull 1 46 a A pithie persuasion inducing vs to the reading studying of them 1 44 b 45 ab Decrees of faith must be confirmed only by them 1 40 b They oftentimes name things not as they are but as they seeme to be 1 96 a The antiquitie of them and how the Papistes and Protestants dissent about the same 1 99 a They bee the highest science and most architectonicall 1 9 b 10 a A rule how to interprete the Scriptures 4 75 a Whether they are to be had in a straunge tongue 3 310 b A demaunde what Church it is to whom so great a iudgement authoritie ouer them is appointed 1 43 b They teach what arts euerie one should learne and how fare wée should procéede in them 1 9 b In one cause they doe vnderstande the like vnto it 2 457 b Many more thinges reuealed vnto vs by them than we know by faith 1 16 a Of what sinceritie they be 3 295 b They are the chiefe principles of diuinitie 1 40 a Christ sent vs to the reading of them 1 39 ab The sure proofes of thinges diuine are taken out of them onely 1 39 b Why it is a maruaile that these which wee haue were preserued 1 52 ab Note what is saide touching the translation of them by the 70. interpretors 1 51 b Why they are obscure to the Iewes and other wicked men 3 346. 347 a Wrested to an ill purpose and howe 3 286 a By what iudgements and arbitrers wee must assure our selues for the sense of them 1 41 ab They shine as a candle in darkenesse 1 39 b Wée are borne anewe by them 1 40 b When we read them God speaketh to vs. 3 300 b Christ grounded his doctrine vpon them 3 340 b They prescribe what arts must be admitted 1 9 b That which Demosthenes saide of monie may be saide of them 1 45 b The clearenesse of them is discerned by the light of faith 1 40 a The sacraments and they of equall weight 4 97 a False interpretations of them 4 74 b Howe they are saide to be spirituall 4 53 a Why certaine dishonest thinges are rehearsed in them 1 50 b Chrysostoms opinion touching the difficultie of them and howe they become easie and vnderstandable 1 46 a Augustine gaue counsel to reade them euen in the time of heresie 1 47 a What authoritie he ascribeth to the canonicall 4 51 b 52 a Diuerse wayes to be deceiued about them 3 337 b All the contents of them shoulde bee referred vnto two chiefe points 1 47 b By what reasons some conclude them to be insufficient for our saluation 1 46 b They doe vsually call similitudes by the names of thinges which they represent prooued 1 74 a The power of sauing attributed to them 1 40 b Of the worthinesse and profite of them 1 39 a Of what things wée must be rid when wee-come to reade them 3 340 b A definition of them 1 39 a The summe of all that is doone in them is Christ 1 39 b Of the commodities which we receiue by them 1 40 a It any thing in them displease vs whereto we impute it 2 532 b By them we ought to confirme our hope 3 88 b Two commodities which they bring touching the effects 2 408 b The notable properties of them 1 39 b 40 ab 41 a The rising of heresies must not hinder the reading of them and why 1 47 a No man ought to be discouraged from the studie of them because of their homely and plaine phrase and whie 1 44 b After what manner the Sadduces reade them 3 338 a They call things to come as if they were alredie doone 3 84 b How and by what meanes a man may obtaine to himselfe the power of vnderstanding them 1 44 ab To whom the falling into error in the interpreting of them is to be imputed 1 44 b Whether the Iewes abused and corrupted them as some haue charged them 2 329 ab Vnto what men the difficultie of them doth harme 1 46 a
Sufficient to instruct the ignorant 2 355 a The trueth of them hath an euerlasting continuance 1 40 a Se. Secretes We must reuerence the Secretes of God and not carpe at them example of Cato 2 221 a Why it commeth to passe that the Secrets of saluation are hidden from men furnished with arts 1 3 b Sects Diuerse Sectes among the Iewes 3 336 b 337 a Sects of schoolemen diuerse 4 50 a Securitie Securitie defined and whence it springeth 3 68 a Two kindes thereof and of their difference 3 67 b A good and a bad 3 68 b The effects thereof 3 88 a 68 a Whereunto it is contrarie 3 68 a The foundation of all impietie 3 6â a What is the true laudable Securitie 3 69 b Sedition Sedition defined 4 320 a 322 a How great a crime it is 4 322 b 323 a The kindes thereof 4 320 b The grounde thereof 4 322 b What noble things it taketh away 4 320b 321 a Causes thereof 4 321 b 322a Christ and his faithfull ones charged therwith 4 319 a The crymon of the word 4 320 a Whether all that contend therein must bee accused 4 323 a The ende thereof 4 322 a Those that striue against the magistrate are guiltie thereof 4 323 b Seuere punishments for it 4 322 b 323 a ¶ Looke Trouble Selfeloue Selfeloue a common disease and how it deceiueth men 1 144 a Sense Of the Sense compounded and the sense diuided 3 35 ab What affects do follow the Sense of touching 2 405 b Two things to be considered touching the affects that followe the Sense of féeling 2 406 b The scriptures doe often times feigne Sense motion vnto things without life 2 251 b Senses Of the illusion of the Senses and how many wayes they may bee deceiued 1 88 b 89 a 114 ab The power of vnderstanding can doe nothing without them and the similitudes that we contemplate 1 147 ab Howe they are destroyed and preserued by their obiectes 2 407 a They may take pleasure though they haue not béene offended or remoued from their natural state as how 1 137 a Of the meanes whereby they worke and howe 1 137 a They are the grossest part of the soule and by it we communicate with beasts 1 134 b From whence the pleasure of them springeth as Plato thinketh 1 135 a Of what things they do iudge and not iudge 1 117 a The Senses of touching and tasting are verie néere one another 2 412 a Galens opinion of gréefes and pleasures in them all and how 1 136 b 137 a They are not deceiued in the Eucharist as the Papistes say 1 114 ab The quickenesse of them at our resurrection 3 359 b Christ prooued it by them 4 153 b Lying Senses ministred to the soule by the bodie 3 3â6 b Separation Causes of our Separation from the Popish Church 4 94 ab 95 a 68. 69. 86. 87. 88. 89. 69 ab It is not of our selues 4 90b Whether the leawd life of ministers is no cause of Separation from the Church 4 85 b A Separation euen in the beginning of the world betweene the good and bad 4 89 a What kind of Separation is a confessing of the Euangelicall trueth 4 88 a Whether any man hath authoritie of himself to vse Separation from his neighbours 4 63 a Of Separation from God whether excommunication bee a token thereof 4 60 a ¶ Looke Excommunication Sepulchres Watchings at dead mens Sepulchres to receiue oracles from them 1 73 b ¶ Looke Graue Seraphim Of Seraphim the name of an Angell and the reason of the same 1 111 b Came flying vnto Esaie 1 113 a ¶ Looke Cherubin Seraphin Sermon How it commeth that at one verie Sermon part of the hearers beléeue and part not 3 141 a Sermons The diuerse hearing of Sermons that therein Pauls rule must be folowed 1 22 a Of vaine and trifling Sermons 2 633 a ¶ Looke Preaching Seruant A Seruant defined 4 316 a The properties and duties of a Seruant 3 162 ab Seruants Howe Seruants must be handled of their maisters 4 314 b What the lawes of God decreed for them in the Iewes time 4 316 b How they are equall and vnequall to their masters 4 314 b Children and they compared 3 143. Whether wee be the Seruants of God 3 162 ab 163 a A difference betwéene the Seruants of Christ and the seruants of the worlde 3 276 b What kind of Seruants the fathers vnder the lawe were 2 595 b Seruice What is saide too and fro of the Seruice in the Church in a strange toong 3 309 b 310. 311. 2 317 b 318 a The ancient Churches had it in the mothertoong 3 310 b No strange toong vsed therein of the Church triumphant 3 311 a Of comlinesse required therein 4 65 b How defectiue we be therein is shewed by a proper analogie 3 162 ab Salomon made a diuision thereof and of his punishment of like for like 2 324 a How all creatures do seruice vnto the godly 2 251 b 252 a Seruitude Seruitude distinguished 4 316 a 3 163 a The originall and cause thereof 4 314 a From whence the name sprang 4 313 b Voluntarie religious 4 315 a ¶ Looke Bondage Seuen The number of Seuen put for any other number 2 237 a It compriseth all the former numbers 1 3a It betokeneth a complete number in scriptures and how 2 362 b It is mysticall and it is a number wherewith God is delighted why 2 374 b By it is expressed the power of the holie Ghost 2 368 a Seuenth day Why the Seuenth day is named to haue neither morning nor euening 2 375 a Of the sanctification thereof 2 374 ab c. What things God hath giuen vs by it 2 374 b How Gods resting thereon is to be vnderstood 2 374 b ¶ Look Sabboth day Sh. Shadowe How the Shadowe accompanieth not the bodie always after one maner 1 142 b 143 a Shame Shame taken sometimes for frustration 3 82 b In what things the flesh reckoneth it 3 261 ab Who are said to bee put to Shame or made ashamed 3 227 ab Shamefastnesse Shamefastnesse is no vertue yet commended 2 412 a Of the excesse and defect which make it commendable 2 412 a Sheepe A distinction of Sheepe 3 281 b Shepherds Watches of Shepeheards 3 256 b Their troublesome life described 4 29 b 30 a Shewbread The vse and end of the Shewbread 4 162 ab Shroue tide The abuse that men vse at Shroue tide 3 255 b Si. Sibyls Of the Prophesies of the Sibyls and what authenticall writers haue thought of them 1 21 a The French Sibyls did geld them selues 1 21 b Sicera What kind of drinke Sicera was 3 178 b 179 a Sicknesses Sicknesses of the minde 3 69 a Sights Dishonest Sightes must be auoided and why 2 481 b Signe What a Signe is and the same distinguished 4 97 b An analogie must bee kept betwéene
87 a Who are said to haue fallen from it 133 b The want thereof is the cause that we commit manie things foolishlie 10 a It is more holpen by our sacraments than by those of the fathers and why 247 b 248 a b By what kind Christ must be receiued 87 a The force thereof in the Eucharist 244 a The profit that commeth by the exercise of the same 126 b Whether where it is more abundant the sacrament should be more excellent 248 a Of that which commeth by hearing and how fruitfull it is 86 a Of that which iustifieth and what assent the same is 149 b Not without repentance 170 b No necessarie affinitie betwéene prophesie and it 151 a Abrahams and theirs of the new testament 248 a b Of the théefs on the crosse with Christ woonderfull 6 b Faithfull and vnfaithfull differ and differ not and how 108 b Fall of saints and what it dooth teach vs 149 a In persecution 139 b 140 The difference betwéene the predestinate and the reprobat after the same 143 b What we haue to note in that of the fathers 156 a b. Fathers and what they ment in taking wiues of their owne kindred 152 b The time of generation more late in them than in vs 147 a What we haue to note touching their actions in diuers respects 152 b 153 a And their fals 156 a b. Fathers of the church otherwhile doo greatlie disagrée 34 a b Their authoritie is not alike 214 a How and in what order they are to be read 34 b 35 a Not to relie or leane too much to them 249 They must be tried by the holie scriptures 35 a b What is to be doone and what hath béene when there haue happened hard places in them 33 b How they are to be regarded 210 b That their books must not lightlie be refused 180 a Feare why it is profitable to godlie men 155 a What religion it is in the scriptures 158 a How death alwaies bringeth it 67 a Within what bounds it must be restreined 67 b How considered it is sin 66 b How it is not of it selfe faultie 73 a b By what kind we bring to passe that we auoid manie euils 72 a How it is a worke of God and wherevnto by him directed 66 b Whether in a christian it may be sinne 65 b Whether there be a faultinesse in the same 66 a Two maner of faults therein 65 b 66 a A definition thereof 65 b What Feare by it selfe is not euill 66 b Feasts of the natiuitie of Christ of his resurrection c. 118 b Felicitie the chéefest good and in what two things it consisteth 28 a b True began in the faithfull vnder the crosse 153 a Euerlasting described euen by earthlie names 153 a Figure is of a true not of a phantasticall thing 202 a b Figures whereby the Cardinall of Loren is conuinced for saieng that in the scriptures there be none 155 b Flesh and why the eating therof was not dispensed withall before the floud 145 a Flight in persecution 154 b A wise prouision 140 For religion in England 93 a Why they that condemne it doo it 80 b 81 a Whether it be against brotherlie charitie 79 b 80 a In what cases of danger it is lawfull 78 b 64 a b 65 a How far foorth it may be lawfull for ministers 73 a Hard cases touching the same resolued 77 a b How it is no sin 67 b How it is a kind of confessin 70 a That the precept of Christ touching the same is perpetuall 69 a b 73 b Whether is were vniuersall 71 a For whom it is lawfull and not lawfull 77 a b 78 a 80 a b Tertullians opinion touching it 71 a Obiections and answers 72 a b 73 a b c. Whether that which hath the feare of death ioined therewith can please God 72 a Of Dauid and what we are taught thereby 74 a Of the apostles 71 a A praier to be said in the time of persecution when Flight is intended 70 a 73 b Floud a figure of the last iudgement 147 b Foreknowledge and diuers points to be marked touching it 130 b Whether things are not appointed with God but in respect thereof 130 b Forme adorneth and perfecteth the matter 108 b What that of Christ dooth signifie 2 b Freedome of thrée sorts in the will 125 b That and the captiuitie of the same 105 a b 106 a b 107 a b In spitituall things denied vs 107 b Freewill defined and the office of the same 101 b 126 a To doo well ariseth not of vs how then 123 b Not granted to all men alike 104 a The obiects thereof of two sorts 102 a 126 a Touching supernaturall things abolished 108 b 109 b Whether the fulfilling of Gods lawe consist therein 119a b How far foorth it followeth the precepts of the lawe 103 a Augustine attributeth more than is meet therto as touching things heauenlie and supernaturall 120 a No where found in the scripture 101 a Peter Martyrs meaning in so saieng 106 b 107 a b How it is communed with when anie thing is commanded 103 b what profits are gathered by the extenuating thereof 106 a The Pelagians abuse scripture for the affirming thereof 107 a b Whether Paule in his conuersion were drawne thereby 118 a b The difficulties which are a let vnto it 126 b 127 a How man which therein was euill in the same is become good 124 b what absurdities followe in giuing there vnto so much as of some is required 126 a How the fathers attributing anie thing to the same in spirituall things are to be ment 128 b In what things it is and is not to be granted vnto man 117 a b 118 a 103b 120 a What power it is 163 b The state thereof in the regenerate 124 a b 125 a 129 a How men not regenerate haue it 102 a b 126 127 a 163 b How it may be attributed vnto God 101 a G. GArments and why they were inuented 146 b Regeneration signified by the washing of them 163 a Genealogies and whervnto they that are set foorth in scriptures doo serue 156 a The vtilitie which commeth by the description of them 147 a Generation and what is first formed therin 97 b The time thereof more late in the old fathers than in vs 147 a God cannot be defined and whereby he is knowne 164 a How he is said to come or descend to a place 163 a Of his reuealing of himselfe with other points touching his nature 159 a 160 a Why he is said to remember 147 b What it is to sée him and that not to be able to sée him is a punishment of sinne 155 a How it is ment that he would not sinne to be 119 b How it is ment that he repented him 147b Craesus demand of Thales what he was 41 b How hée was séene on mount Sina 163 b What things the Schoole-diuines saie he cannot doo 163 a Gods a multitude