and praie that strength may be giuen vnto him that at at the least-wise in part and with an obedience begun he may execute those things which are commanded and that such things as he faileth in may not be imputed vnto him but may be supplied by the righteousnes of Christ Augustine in his first booke against Iulian reprehendeth the Pelagians bicause they thought that they knew some great matter The Pelagians vanted that God commandeth not things that cannot be doone Augustine maketh mention of the sinnes of infants when they vanted that God commandeth not those things which be vpossible and he sheweth that these which we haue now declared are the ends of the lawe Yea and the same Augustine in his booke of Confessions maketh mention also of those sinnes which yoong children while they be yet sucking doo commit yet none will saie that they could resist them But they should be no sins vnles they might be referred to some lawe violated by them Neither dooth it anie thing helpe Pighius or yet take awaie their sins bicause they are not felt by them for a thing that is dishonest although it séeme not so to vs Things dishonest are dishonest in nature although they seem not so Anshelme and Augustine of one opinion yet in his owne nature it is dishonest That saith he which is dishonest is dishonest whether it séeme so or no. This opinion of Anshelme as touching the lacke and want of originall righteousnes differeth in verie déed nothing from the saieng of Augustine wherein he calleth originall sin concupiscence but that it is there spoken somewhat more expresselie which in the word concupiscence is wrapped vp more obscurely But bicause this want of originall righteousnes might so be taken although we vnderstand onlie the priuation of the gifts of God without anie fault of nature therefore it shall be very well to set downe a more full definition 16 Originall sinne therefore A definition of originall sinne is a corrupting of the whole nature of man deriued by generation from the fall of our first parent into his posteritie which were it not for the benefit of Christ adiudgeth all that are borne therein in a maner to infinite miseries and eternall damnation In this definition all the kinds of causes are conteined For the matter or subiect we haue all the parts and powers of man the forme is the corrupting of them all the efficient cause is the sinfull will of Adam the instrument is * Traductionis propagatio the spreding of deriuation which is doone through the flesh the end and effect is eternall damnation togither with all the discommodities belonging to this life And hereof haue risen diuers names of his sinne Sundrie names of this sinne so that somtime it is called a defect somtime peruersenes sometime vice sometime a disease sometime a contagion and by Augustine An expresing of the corrupton of all the parts of man an affected qualitie and a rude lumpe And that the whole man is corrupted herein it appéereth bicause he was created to the end he should cleaue vnto God as vnto the chéefe good thing But now he vnderstandeth not diuine things he patientlie waiteth for the promises of the scripture he heareth with gréefe the commandements of God and he contemneth punishments and rewards his sedicious affects doo impudentlie deride right reason and the word of God the bodie refuseth to obeie the mind Although all these things be experiments of naturall corruption yet they be also confirmed by testimonies of the scriptures As touching the impediments of the vnderstanding Paule saith 1. Cor. 2 14. A proofe of mans vnpossiblenes to keepe the lawe that The carnall man perceiueth not those things which be of the spirit of God no verelie nor cannot bicause they be foolishnes vnto him In which words we note by the waie against Pighius that the lawe was made concerning that which could not be doone for first of all the lawe willeth vs to knowe diuine things which neuerthelesse Paule affirmeth plainelie that a carnall man cannot perceiue And as touching our purpose we sée that Paule affirmeth that this blindnes or ignorance is ingraffed in men and that by nature for it cannot be imagined that the same hath come vnto vs by reason either of time or age For the older that euerie man waxeth the more and more he is instructed as concerning God wherefore in that he is a carnall man and vnapt to perceiue heauenlie things that hath he gotten by nature corrupted 17 This corrupting also is of so great importance as Augustine saith in the third booke against Iulianus the twelfe chapter that by the same the image of God is become a stranger vnto the life of man through the blindnes of the heart The blindnes of the hart is sin which blindnes saith he is sinne and dooth not sufficientlie agrée with mans nature The same father in his first booke De peccatorum meritis remissione the 36. chapter where he alledgeth that those words of Dauid Remember not the sinnes and ignorances of my youth Psal 25 7. maketh mention of most thicke darkenes of ignorance that is in the minds of yoong children while as yet they be in their mothers wombes which knowe not wherefore from whence or when they were there inclosed For there lieth the poore infant vnlearned vnapt to be taught vnable to conceiue what a commandement is being ignorant where he is what he is of whom he was created and of whom he was begotten Blindnesse and ignorance are not agreeing with nature first instituted all which things did nothing agrée with the nature of man as it was first created but be rather corruptions of nature For Adam was not so created but he was able doth to vnderstand the commandement of God and to giue names to his wife and to all liuing creatures but in infants a long time must be expected whereby they may by little and little passe ouer this kind of dizzines Moreouer that this kind of ignorance is to be accounted sinne Reticius the most ancient bishop of Auston beareth record Reticius bishop of Auston as Augustine testifieth in his first booke against Iulianus For when he speaketh of baptisme thus he writeth It is a principall indulgence in the church wherein we cast awaie all the burthen of the old crime and doo blot out the old wicked acts of our ignorance and doo put off the old man with his naturall vngratiousnesse By these words we vnderstand that wickednes is naturall vnto vs that the sinnes of ignorance are taken awaie in baptisme Wherefore séeing infants are baptised they by the authoritie of this father are prooued to haue sinnes and that their old ignorance is abolished in baptisme Now as concerning the will let vs sée whether that also be corrupted or no. The will also is corrupted Rom. 8 7. Thereof the apostle gaue an excellent testimonie to wit that The sense
vs such formes or denominations but yet it behooueth that there be a choise had therein Moreouer choise is occupied in pursuing or flieng but so is not opinion for when anie thing is offered vnto vs we begin to conceiue an opinion what it is what comâoditie may be gotten thereby and how it must be vsed But we doo not so much conceiue in our opinion whether the thing should be shunned or followed for that rather apperteineth to choise Yea rather betwéene these things there séemeth that there should be a certeine order set for first as I said we conceiue in opinion what it is what profit it bringeth and how it will serue our turne Which things being coÌceiued in opinion then we procéed either to pursue or to eschew the matter The third Chapter Of the Lawe HEre I thought it good to speake somewhat concerning the nature of the lawe In Rom. 5. Of the nature of the lawe the Manicheis and Pelagians vnderstood it not and therewithall to shew how the Manicheis and Pelagians vnderstood it not and what the same worketh in vs either before regeneration or after we be iustified First as touching the forme thereof the same must be affirmed which Paule saith in his epistle to the Romans when he writeth that it is spirituall But the vniuersall end therof and which apperteineth vnto all men is to bring men vnto the knowledge of sinne Which thing Paule signified saieng Rom. 3 20. that By the lawe commeth the knowledge of sinne Here if thou demand wherefore the apostle said not rather By the lawe commeth the knowledge of righteousnesse I answer bicause a man not yet regenerate so long as he is without Christ can not haue in himselfe the féele of good works or of true righteousnesse which may satisfie the lawe of God Wherefore when he compareth his dooings with the lawe he perceiueth them to be onelie falles and transgressions But if we doo speake of the end of the lawe as touching the elect that is Christ And this dooth also Paule teach saieng Rom. 10 4 The end of the lawe is Christ vnto saluation which yet he speaketh not vniuersallie but Vnto euerie one that beleeueth The lawe by it selfe dooth not lead to Christ and to saluation For the lawe it selfe by it selfe dooth not bring a man to this end The Ethniks said that The end of the lawe is a knowledge which it bréedeth as touching things to be doone Wherevpon Chrysippus as he is cited in the Digests saith that The lawe is the knowledge of things diuine and humane Howbeit this end and this definition be to largelie extended for all wisdome and all good arts doo teach some knowledge of diuine and heauenlie things Now there remaineth that we diligentlie consider what is the matter anâ efficient cause of the lawe The matter and efficient cause of the lawe And to comprehend these things bréeflie I saie that The lawe is the commandement of God wherin both his will and also his disposition or nature is expressed What the lawe is When I saie A commandement I note the generall word for there be commandements of the people of the senate of kings of emperors But when I saie Of God I make a difference which betokeneth the efficient cause Whereas I saie that in the lawe is expressed the will of God that is more euident than néedeth exposition But perhaps it may séeme more obscure that I said The lawe teacheth vs concerning the nature and disposition of god we be taught in the lawe concerning the disposition of God and be stirred vp to the knowledge of his nature wherefore we will make the same plaine by examples When God commandeth vs that we should loue him he teacheth vs thereby that he is of a nature to be beloued for things can not rightlie be loued vnlesse the verie same are worthie to be loued And vnlesse he were well affected towards vs he would not set foorth vnto vs that chéefe good which we should loue wherfore he chéeflie persuadeth vs vnto this bicause he desireth to haue vs partakers of himselfe We perceiue therefore that he is such a one towards vs as he also desireth vs to be And when he forbiddeth that we should not kill first he sheweth his owne will Further he declareth himselfe to be a God which detesteth violence and iniuries and he had rather doo good vnto men than hurt them After the same sort these two things might be shewed in the rest of the precepts And out of this definition those things may be also gathered the which we spake aboue touching the forme and end of the lawe bicause it is of necessitie that such a doctrine be spirituall that it bréed an excellent knowledge And we be taught The benefit of the lawe that it is no small benefit that God hath thereby giuen vnto men for he bringeth to passe that both we knowe our selues and vnderstand the properties of God Platos definition of the lawe Plato in his bookes of the lawe of a publike weale and in Minoe séemeth thus to define a lawe namelie that It is a right waie of gouerning which by profitable meanes directeth vnto the best end by setting foorth punishments vnto the transgressors and rewards vnto the obedient This definition may verie well be applied vnto the lawe of God yea verelie there can be no such lawe vnlesse it be of God It is no maruell then The old Law-giuers made God to be the author of their lawes if the old Law-makers when they would haue their lawes commended did feigne some god to be the author of them for Minos ascribed his lawes to Iupiter Lycurgus his to Apollo Solon and Draco theirs to Minerua Numa Pompilius his to Aegeria And we are assured out of the holie scriptures that our lawe was giuen of God by Moses in mount Sina 2 And these things thus ordered concerning the nature and definition of a lawe we may easilie vnderstand how fowlie the Manicheis haue erred which blasphemed the same The Manicheis condemned the lawe as euill and cursed it as euill For séeing the lawe commandeth nothing but things to be commanded and forbiddeth nothing but things to be forbidden how can it iustlie be accused For there can be no iust or honest duetie found out but that by the lawe of God it is commended and nothing fowle or dishonest but it is forbidden in the same nor onelie wicked dooings are prohibited by the lawe but also wicked lusts are condemned Wherefore that sheweth It biddeth both the works and will to be corrected that not onelie the outward works but the mind and will must be corrected And since a great part of felicitie standeth in the acknowledging of God that philosophers doo so greatlie commend the knowledge of our selues both which things the lawe of GOD doth appoint the same cannot without gréeuous offense be blamed as euill and pernicious Yet the place wherein it is
seduced hir ought to giue hir a dowrie and to take hir to wife But it is added If the father will Otherwise he shall onelie giue a dowrie neither shall he haue the maiden to wife against the fathers will And in the booke of Numbers the thirtie chapter verse 4. If a maiden vow a vow and the father heare it and letteth it not the vow shall be firme but if he gainsaie it it shall be in vaine And what is a vow A promise made vnto God Howbeit matrimonie is a promise which is made vnto man If God permit a vow made vnto him to the iudgement of the father much more will he permit matrimonie vnto him séeing it is a promise made betwéene men 2. Sa. 13 13. In the second booke of Samuel Thamar answered vnto hir brother Ammon If thou desire me at my fathers hand he will not denie me vnto thee The custome was then that the daughters were desired of the parents Héere I dispute not whether it were lawfull for Dauid to giue to Ammon his sister to wife Ephe. 6 1. Further Paule saith to the Ephesians Children obeie your parents in all things He excepteth nothing when he writeth so but saith In all things namelie which they command not against the word of God And in his first epistle to the Corinthians the seuenth chapter verse 36. is most manifestlie declared that it belongeth to the parents to giue their daughters in marriage to husbands And that was knowne not onelie by the lawe of God but also by the light of nature Which euen the Comedies of Terence and Plautus manifestlie declare Euripides And in Euripides a maiden answereth Of my marriages my father will haue care séeing these things are not in me to determine Which verse certeinlie so liked Ambrose Ambrose as he placed it in his booke of the patriarchs Further it serueth verie well for domesticall peace for the daughter in lawe ought to be to the father in lawe in stéed of a daughter Contrariwise of rash marriages rise great discords at home And for so much as the father ought to helpe his sonne with his goods it is méete againe that the sonne should obeie his father in contracting of matrimonie In other ciuill contracts the sonne can doo nothing without the consent of his father as appéereth in the Digests De mutuo ad senatusconsultum Macedonianum Wherfore it is méet that the iudgement of the father should be tarried for in so weightie a matter The ciuill lawes touching this point The selfe-same thing haue the ciuill lawes decréed Iustinian in his institutions in the title De nuptijs will not that marriages should be firme without the consent of the parents And in the Digests De statu hominum in the law Paulus If a sonne marrie a wife against the will of his parents the child which shal be borne of those parents shall not be legitimate And in the Code De nuptijs in the lawe Si proponis the case is diligentlie to be marked The daughter marrieth by consent of hir father she afterward being agréeued at hir husband departeth from him after that he returneth into fauour and she marrieth him againe against hir fathers will It is answered that that matrimonie is not lawfull Héereby it appéereth how much those lawes estéemed the authoritie of a father Againe in the lawe Si furiosi children if perhaps their parents be mad or béerest of their wits séeing they cannot vse the consent of them in contracting of matrimonie they shall vse the consent of their tutors 18 So then it séemeth maruellous that christians at this daie determine that marriages are lawfull without consent of the parents What the Canons determine hereof And to couer this they alledge the Canons of the which I thinke it good bréefelie to declare some And first I will make mention of the better Canons which were the more ancient for the later they were decréed the more corrupt they were In the Decrées cause 30. question 5. chapter Aliter Matrimonies are then lawfull when the maidens are desired at the parents hands and deliuered openlie otherwise they are not matrimonies but whoredomes dishonest companings adulteries and fornications Thus decréed Euaristus Nicolaus also at the consultation of the Bulgars Euaristus Nicolaus cause 30. question 5. chapter Nostrates Those matrimonies are firme which be knit by the consent of them which contract them and of those in whose power they are Leo. Leo also the first in the 30. cause question 5. chapter Qualis Then it is to be counted matrimonie when the maiden is by hir parents deliuered vnto hir husband And in the 31. cause question 2. chapter Non omnis A woman which marrieth by the consent of hir father is without blame if anie man shall afterward find fault withall And thus Gratianus concludeth that place Gratian. that he saith In contracting of matrimonie the consent of the parents is alwaies to be required Further Ambrose Ambrose intreating of the place in Genesis where it is written that the seruant of Abraham came into Mesopotamia Gen. 24 47. and found a wife for his masters sonne the parents of the maid when they indeuoured to reteine him longer and he would not tarrie they called the maide and asked hir whether she would go with him After this maner he saith as also it is declared in the 23. cause question 2. chapter Honorandum They asked not hir of the wedding but onelie of the iornieng with him For it perteineth not saith he to maidenlie shamefastnesse to choose vnto hir selfe a husband And the same he affirmed of widows which be yong Although to saie the truth I cannot héerein agrée vnto Ambrose that the maiden was not demanded the question whether she would marrie him Neither doo I doubt but she was demanded as touching both maters For in the 30 cause question 2. chapter Vbi non est we read that There can be no matrimonie where is not the consent of those which contract yea euen in the marriages of the children which are but seuen yeares of age And séeing at that age they are thought to vnderstand somewhat of matrimonie necessarie is the consent of them which contract And bicause there is mention made of spousages we thinke good to note this by the waie that children so contracting ought to be seuen yeares of age for otherwise the parents can promise nothing for them Those children if they afterward being of more yeares shall contract another matrimonie the same is of effect and not the former espousals which yet must be vnderstood if the parents consent to the second matrimonie Moreouer in the 31. cause question the second chapter Tua Hormisdas answereth that children when they contract after this maner ought to stand to the will of their parents And in the Extrauagants De sponsatione impuberum in the chapter Tua it is ordeined that children when they come to ripe age
this mischéefe to escape vnpunished If we giue credit to Strabo in the 16. booke of his Geographie the Arabians made it death In Arabia where spices growe the same punishment was prouided for adulterers Of the Arabians as Eusebius saith in his sixt booke eight chapter De praeparatione euangelica Of the Aegyptians The Aegyptians as Diodorus Siculus reporteth in the first booke of his Bibliotheca did cut off the nose of an adulteresse that the face of hir which was so pleasing might be deformed The adulterer was beaten with a thousand stripes euen well néere vnto death Aelianus in his historie of Varietie the 13. booke writeth Of them of Locris that Zeleucus the lawe-maker of Locris ordeined that an adulterer should haue both his eies put out The same was thought to be a hard lawe Within a while after it happened that his owne sonne was taken in adulterie the people would haue released him from punishment but the father would not And to the intent the same lawe might after some sort be kept he willed that one of his sonnes eies and another of his owne should be pulled out There were a people which Suidas calleth Laciadae Of the Laciade and others Placiadae among whom adulterers were tormented with punishments and ignominies about the secret parts Of the Germans Also the Germans if we beléeue Cornelius Tacitus were most seuere punishers of adulteries For the adulteresse being taken with the maner was set naked in the sight of hir kindred the haire of hir head was cut off and after that she was by hir husband beaten through the towne with a cudgell Of the Gortinei Plutarch in his Problems writeth that the Gortinaei when they had apprehended an adulterer they brought him foorth openlie and crowned him with wooll whereby they might shew him to be a wanton and effeminate person After which time he liued in perpetuall infamie among them Of the Cumei The people called Cumaei set an adulteresse in the market place vpon an infamous stone and there of the people was put to shame then being set vpon an asse she was carried through the citie Afterward in waie of ignominie it was said vnto hir ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã Saletus a citizen of Croton as Lucianus writeth of them Of the men of Croton which being hired serue for reward made a lawe that adulterers should be burned aliue Within a while after he himselfe was taken in adulterie with his brothers wife he being accused made an oration wherein he so defended himselfe that all men bent their minds to pardon him But he considering with himselfe how shamefull an offense he had committed leapt of his owne accord into the fire And among the philosophers Plato Platos lawe in his eight booke De legibus saith that Adulterie is a great horrible offense when the husband goeth to another than his owne wife and the wife vnto another than hir owne husband Further that we ought to kéepe our bodies chast and not to bestowe them vpon strumpets and harlots They saith he that shall doo that are in perpetuall infamie Aristotle in his seuenth booke of Politiks Of Aristotle in the last chapter saue one writeth thus If anie man shall haue carnall copulation with hir that is not his owne or anie woman with him that is not hir owne let that be counted among most shamefull things So as they noted adulterers both men and women to be infamous Diogenes the Cynik was of another mind For it happened that a certeine man called Didymus was taken in adulterie Of Diogenes and Diogenes being demanded what should become of him answered that according to his owne name he ought to be hanged For ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã with the Graecians be the stones of a man or of a beast In old time among the Atheniens Of the Atheniens adulterie was a capitall crime as Pausanias in his Boetiks sheweth He citeth the lawe of Draco And it was lawfull among the Atheniens to slaie an adulterer that was taken with the déed dooing And euen this dooth the oration of Lysias testifie wherin it is spoken of the death of Eratosthenes the adulterer The adulteresse was not strait waie put to death but it was not lawfull for hir to come into holie assemblies Otherwise she might haue all maner of ignominie doone vnto hir by anie person onelie the punishment of death excepted not for that they did take pitie of hir but that they might giue hir the longer torment Which may be gathered by the oration of Demosthenes against Neaera if the same be his Polybius in the second booke of his historie If an adulterer be slaine saith he let the executioner go frée He séemeth to speake this by the lawes of the Graecians for he was a Graecian borne How greatlie the Graecians were moued for the adulterie and violent taking awaie of Helene all men knowe Of the Greekes which haue anie small skill of the poets Of Mahumet Mahumet as appéereth by his owne lawes would haue adulterers to be whipped in a maner to death The Goths made a lawe of death against adulterers Of the Goths as it is read in the first booke of Procopius De bello Gothico Manie things of sundrie nations might be recited but these for this time shall suffice 24 I come now to the Romane lawes The Roman lawes touching adulteris Dionysius Halicarnassaeus commendeth Romulus the first king of the Romans for that he would haue by his lawes matrimonie to be inuiolate and yet so farre as we can find he made not adulterie to be punishable by death Diuorse was permitted for the cause of adulterie Yea and afterward for the suspicion of adulterie a putting awaie of the adulteresse was admitted And so did Caesar for he put awaie his wife Pompeia finding hir with Clodius in the house of the head bishop But he being afterward bidden to declare against hir some witnesse of adulterie he would not and being demanded wherfore he had then put hir awaie he answered that his house should not onlie be frée from the filthinesse of adulterie but also from the verie suspicion thereof The lawes of the twelue tables By the lawes of the twelue tables an adulterer was put to death But in so much as belongeth to publike punishments it séemeth that in those former ages they were more easie Tacitus in his second booke declareth Other old lawes of this thing that a certeine man was accused of treason and of adulterie in the time of Tiberius Caesar And touthing adulterie it séemed that it was warilie enough prouided for by the lawe Iulia. But Tiberius who about the beginning of his reigne was gentle did by intreatie put awaie those great punishments and said After the maner of our ancestors let the adulteresse be remooued two hundred miles from the citie and the adulterer be banished both out of Italie and Aphrica We read in
gathered of the former words Augustine The same Augustine De sancta virginitate 42. chapter Whosoeuer remaineth chast from the beginning is directed by God He which of an vnchast man becommeth chast is amended by him and whosoeuer is vnchast vnto the end is forsaken of him That which he may doo by his secret iudgement he cannot do vniustlie Againe Chastitie is commanded both in matrimonie and out of matrimonie And that sentence of Augustine is throughlie well knowen Giue what thou commandest and command what thou wilt Also The lawe commandeth grace bestoweth Augustine also in his booke De adulterinis coniugijs the 18. chapter He that can receiue let him receiue Wherefore he that can let him receiue that which all men receiue not but those can receiue vpon whom the secret yet not the vniust mercie of God doth bestowe it Hereby it also appeareth that it is God which by his secret but yet by his iust iudgement distributeth vnto some not vnto others And the same Augustine against Iulian Augustine in the 5. booke and seuenth chapter when an aduersarie of his had said that in our election God estéemeth continence bicause it is said To say that we haue sole life in election is Pelagianisme Ierom. All men receiue not this saieng answereth Thou shouldest haue noted that which is said before But they to whom it is giuen Wherein thou shalt note that to saie wée haue sole life in our choise is Pelagian heresie 16 Ierom might be alledged who in expounding the 19. chapter of Matthew saith that We must throughlie examine our owne strength And he vseth these words to declare that it is no ordinarie strength which can performe this vocation Gregorie Gregorie also in his Pastorall plainlie saith that this is not euerie mans worke And he that will gather more places of the Fathers touching these things let him read the plaine sincere Bucer against the bishop of Winchester Some of the fathers seeme to iudge otherwise An excusing of the Fathers and godlie answer of D. Bucer vnto the bishop of Winchester I grant that there be some of the Fathers which séeme to be of another iudgement that virginitie I meane and sole life is in their power which be willing therevnto who I thinke should be thus vnderstood that it behooueth that our will and choise should exercise themselues in the gift of grace receiued least that men should be thought to be led as stocks and stones They meane also that such a gift bestowed should be nourished with desire praiers That the authoritie of the fathers must not remoue vs from the doctrine of the scriptures An obiection other such godlie indeuours for when we haue receiued grace after regeneration and haue béene adorned by God with some gifts wée be workers togither with him And if the Fathers ment otherwise the authoritie of them must not remooue vs from that which the holie scriptures doo most manifestlie teach 17 They which be against vs doo obiect that Paule writeth 1. Cor. 7 1. It is good for a man not to touch a woman Ibidem I would that all men were as I my selfe am Wherefore saie they would he praise and set foorth these things vnto men vnles they should be conuenient for all men He might séeme in verie déed to trifle in vaine to warne vs hereof And it is most repugnant vnto the bountie of God that he should not giue vnto all men those things which be good yea and in granting that vnto one which he giueth not to another can hardlie be auoided the respecting of persons But these men should haue marked that those words which Paule hath An answer concerning the praises of sole life are neuer put absolutelie But bicause we should not erre he alwaies restraineth them verse 2. Let euerie man saith he haue his owne wife and euerie woman hir owne husband for auoiding of fornication verse 3. Let the man render due beneuolence vnto his wife verse 9. If they cannot conteine let them marrie It is better to marrie than to burne Euerie one hath his proper gift of God one after this maner and another after that Wherfore the words which be spoken of Paule must euen so be vnderstood as they be written of him Doubtlesse we are greatlie bound to the holie Ghost which hath so exactlie declared these things which if they were not expressed How much we are bound to the holie Ghost for speaking so plainlie of these things Paule also saith I would haue you all to speake with toongs 1. Cor. 14 5. in such sort as they be we should not be able to open our mouths against so impudent aduersaries Albeit reason would require that although the words had béen spoken absolutelie yet that they should haue béen restrained by other places of the scripture least there might appeare a contrarietie in the words of the holie Ghost For in the same epistle he saith absolutelie and plainelie I would haue you all to speake with toongs which vnles thou vnderstand For mine owne part reseruing the distribution of the holie Ghost it were verie ridiculous Also he saith fréelie and absolutelie I would that yoong widowes should marie and beare children 1. Tim. 5 14 and gouerne their households wherein neuertheles must be vnderstood If there be anie imminent danger of their falling or If so be they growe wanton Neither must the apostle be so expounded as that he would plucke from them the power of abiding in widowhood if they were able so to do He saith also Rom. 9 3. He wished to be accursed from Christ that He wisheth to be accursed from Christ for them that were his brethren according to the flesh wherein thou must vnderstand If it were possible But these things which be now intreated of are determined and defined by the same apostle himselfe Neither is there anie cause why wée should complaine of Gods liberalitie The bountifulnes of God cannot be accused and bountifulnes if he giue not all maner of things vnto all men That is bountifull inough that whatsoeuer good thing is in vs all that hath he of his méere mercie powred vpon vs. Certeinlie I for my part will neuer complaine of God that he hath not made me a prophet or else that he hath not bestowed vpon me the gift of toongs so much hath he giuen me as séemed good vnto him Neither doo kings of the earth A similitude how liberall soeuer they be giue so much vnto Gentlemen as they doo vnto Senators or Counsellers they giue according as they shall thinke méet to euerie man Respecting of persons is not where dutie hath no place Respecting of persons as the Schoolemen themselues testifie is not found where dutie or bond hath no place which we may not thinke of God séeing he is bound to no man nor oweth anie dutie to anie man Neither is he persuaded by the
of the Sentences déemeth do serue for honestie comlines and solemnitie This doubtlesse is lamentable that almost all things in Christianitie be corrupted not onelie ãâã concerning manners but also as touching doctrine and Sacraments Verilie it had béene méete in baptisme to haue delt by faith and to require a full and perfect profession thereof And let not anie man answere that the créede is recited because in the baptisme of Papistes it is doone verie coldlie especiallie séeing it is alwaies vsed in the latine tongue which is not vnder stoode of them that stande by And although they that be present doe after a sort knowe by long experience the articles of the faith yet doe they but lightlie vnderstande them wherefore it is necessarie to instruct them more plainelie They boast also that they vse a Catechising or instruction But in what sort Forsooth the same consisteth of fiue or tenne words and these not vnderstood Besides they commaunde him that is to be baptised to renounce the Diuell and the pompes of this world For the which they haue no commaundement of God 7 But leauing the rest of their trifles Exorcisme added to Baptisme Look part 2 pl. 1. Art 24. part 1. pl. 9. Art 30. let vs come to Exorcisme wherein they put the whole summe and effect of the thinges that be added And séeing the matter is of great importaunce I thinke it first méete to speake somewhat of the signification of the worde In Gréeke ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã is to adiure by holie things Augustine in his booke de Beata vita writeth that an euill spirite inuadeth the soule troubleth the senses and casteth men into madnesse in the driuing out of which they that haue authoritie doe laie on their handes and exorcise that is do driue him out in adiuring him by diuine thinges Hereby it appeareth now that exorcisme is an adiuring by holie things Vlpianus in the Pandects in the Title de variis extraordinariis cognitionibus in the first law saith that he alloweth not of those Phisitians which inchaunt and exorcise and he addeth that the same is a woord which deceiuers vse And although some saith he affirme that they be holpen yet doe they nothing but inchaunt and curse Also Plinie beléeued that there bee certaine diseases which maie be healed by inchauntments and adiurations In like manner there were some which supposed that exorcisme is therefore applied to holie baptisme because a great oth is there made in the name of Christ But they be verie far deceiued for that the sacrificer doth there adiure the euill spirit neither doeth he take anie oth in the name of Christ True indéed it is that the verbe is deriued of the nowne ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã which is an oth And vndoubtedly as I haue already said A certain adiuratioÌ by holie things is performed in exorcisme I haue noted that the verbe ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã is thrée times found in the newe Testament For in the fifth Chapter of Marke the Diuell adiured Christ saying ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã that is Verse 7. I adiure thée by God that thou torment me not In the 19. Verse 13. Chapter of the Actes the sonnes of Sceua saide ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã that is Wee adiure you by Iesus Christ whom Paul preacheth And in the first to the Thessalonians the last Chapter Verse 27. ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã that is I adiure you by the Lord that this Epistle be redde vnto all the Saintes Wherefore these places declare that exorcismes as it hath beene saide is an adiuration by diuine things But exorcisme is exercised by a certaine commaundement and royall power because the exorcistes coÌmaunde the vncleane spirits and verie boldlie commaund them to depart and by this meanes exorcismes differ from prayers and supplications Now it throughlie appeareth what is exorcisme and what is to exorcise Look part 1 pl 8. Art 13. pl 9. art 30 Vnto what times may be referred the original of Exorcisme 8 Nowe are there thrée things to bee considered in order first when exorcismes began secondlie whether exorcistes should be retained and so retained as they maie belong to the holie ministerie Lastlie whether exorcismes are to be ioyned with baptisme As touching the first I saie that in all the old Testament I haue not read that any exorcismes were ordained for the driuing out of diuels I know indéede that there be adiurations extant Wherfore there is a law of zelosie in the booke of Numbers Num. 5. 12. which commaunded vnto the Israelits a forme of a certaine adiuration but by it the Priestes did not adiure the woman to cast Diuels out of her but he wished either good or euill vnto her according as she had behaued her selfe If she had béene chast and blamelesse he wished her well but if shee were vncleane and defiled with whoredome he cursed her with expresse words Also Iosua adiured Acham Iosua 7. 19. not to driue the Diuell out of him but to driue him to confesse a trueth of conueying awaie the accursed thing Some thinke that Dauid did exorcise Saul 1. Sam. 16. 23. which I allowe not for he with his Harpe played before him and with most pleasant verses praysed God But that hee vsed not exorcisme it maie for two causes bee affirmed First because he did not perfectlie heale him but as it is written in the historie While he plaied his trouble was asswaged yet was not the euill spirite vtterlie cast out from Saul Further Dauid vsed not the forme of adiuration which the Scripture teacheth but verses of Musicke and these as it is like lie of the nature of prayers But that there were Exorcistes among the Hebrewes I denie not as I wil streightwaie declare by plaine Testimonies although I graunt that I am ignorant ãâã what age they first began Iosephus in the 8. booke of Antiquities the second Chapter writeth that Salomon made certaine charmes and exorcismes But of that matter I spake sufficientlie when I interpreted that place where it is shewed that Salomon passed in wisedome all the men of the East and the Egyptians But to come somewhat néerer vnto the matter I thinke that the wisedome of Salomon was inspired into him by GOD. And those things which God bestoweth vppon men are not to bee counted euill but good but that incantations are condemned by the lawes of GOD it is most certaine For which cause they are not giuen to men by the spirite of God Whereby it is prooued that the exorcismes inchauntments and the booke of the little Kay the which are caried abroad vnder the name of Salomon A counterfeit booke of Salomon are counterfait and not to be fathered vpon him They abound euerie where with superstitions and be fraughted with gestures both ridiculous and Idolatrous 9 But that the Hebrewes as I haue said had Exorcistes it is prooued by the testimonie of Christ in the 12. of Matthew For there the Lord
and diligent man may gather to serue his owne vse take out of such store-houses abundance of treasure when he shall instruct the people And they that haue once promised so to doo doo with greater diligence read ouer and studie both the holie prophane books and doo more diligentlie weigh whither euerie thing must be referred And bicause there be manie things found in the writings of the Philosophers which they by the common sense and lawes of nature did teach concerning maners and the studie of vertue and that in the histories of strange nations there be store of all kind of examples whereof commeth a singular vse in preaching whether ye will reprooue the licentious life of our time or exhort your hearers vnto vertue you shall picke out of them things profitable for your Common places But now it shall be necessarie for a Diuine not onelie to haue matter of doctrine gathered abundantlie as well out of the holie scriptures as out of the prophane writings but to be also furnished with the abilitie of teaching that he may knowe how to frame sermons rightlie and aptlie to dispose the matter of them which he hath gathered and to bring in due place all sorts of arguments with the testimonies and examples of others and to speake those things in a right order which shall be necessarie for the hearers to knowe And herein shall the Minister obserue cheeflie two things one that he throughlie knowe the true and naturall sense of that place of scripture which he hath purposed to expound secondlie that he applie the same to the capacitie and instruction of the hearers according to the condition of the time and place As touching the first it shall be needfull aboue all things to knowe the argument and state of all that holie booke from whence that place is taken least by neglecting this he labour without fruit and speake those things which neuer perhaps the author therof ment As touching the other point it shall be requisite to looke into our times also and into the indeuours and maners of our men but especiallie to marke with all diligence the present state or condition of the Church which they serue and when they preach to warne diligentlie those that heare them that those things which the Prophets and Apostles spake in old time to the men of their age doo verie fitlie agree with vs and our time For this maketh them to be verie attentiue and taketh awaie wearinesse which oftentimes is woont to inuade them when they thinke that whatsoeuer was spoken or written in old time perteineth nothing vnto them nor vnto these daies of ours And this maner of application ought to be such as the Apostle teacheth that VVhatsoeuer is said should serue vnto edification of the Church VVhich rule we shall then followe if all things be applied to the comfort and instruction of the hearers Moreouer the present state or some sudden chance otherwhile requireth that they shall digresse into some common place howbeit this must be so doone that it appeere they doo it not without a speciall cause VVherefore least it should be thought that they altogither go from the matter which they tooke vpon them to handle and to breake off rashlie from that which they purposed to speake not without mistrust of some particular affectation the place of scripture which they haue in hand must be applied as much as is possible to the argument of their digression and the words thereof in like maner must be repeated and vrged and finallie their speech must handsomlie returne from whence it digressed that the hearers may perceiue nothing is spoken altogither from the state or argument of the place which they handle In like maner that digression must not be ouer-long and tedious least both they forget the originall points and diuisions of the text and also be induced thereby to mislike of the learning and teaching of their Minister And as concerning the maner of speaking or vtterance which also must be well considered of that is best to be liked which is spoken with a voice neither too high nor too lowe neither with bitter taunting nor with too much cockering neither with one long continued tune nor yet with anie rash raising or letting fall the voice neither with ouer-dulnesse of vttering nor yet with words drowned by hastie speaking Finallie it must be such as is neither affected nor more loftie than is conuenient neither yet ouer-homelie or vile For since the greater part of the congregation is vnlearned whatsoeuer carrieth a shew of a close cunning and no vulgar maner of teaching seemeth vnto these obscure and troublesome and for this cause the hearing is tedious to them and they reape but small fruit of that which they vnderstand not Againe least the doctrine should be the lesse esteemed by reason of a base maner of speaking their speech must be somwhat more loftie and graue than that which they familiarlie and commonlie vse yet so neuerthelesse that the grauitie thereof be tempered with perspicuitie and plainesse of vnderstanding Againe in admonishing and reproouing the Minister must so vse the sharpenesse of the Euangelicall seasoning that in the meane time he vtterlie absteine from bold railing and taunting least he be thought rather to speake things of a stomach or of priuate hatred than to seeke the saluation of them that haue sinned and so to procure no fruit at all by his doctrine but rather a contempt of the same and a despising of his office and ministerie To the Readers Beloued Readers if ye find that the distribution of euerie seuerall chapter or Common place of the foure parts is not so amplie described in this Table as they are in the like table in the Latine copie vnderstand yee that I thought it but superfluous bicause of the large alphabeticall tables in the latter end of the booke where ye shall find euerie thing as amplie and particularlie set downe as your selues would wish And where I haue noted anie more whole Common places than are in the Latine those haue I signified by a * A GENERALL METHOD AND DISTRIBVTION OF THE WHOLE WORKE SInce all Diuinitie wherein mans cheefe good is expressed is accomplished in the true knowledge of GOD and that we acknowledge GOD to be partlie the Creator of the world and partlie our Redeemer in Christ First those things which belong to the knowledge of GOD either by the guiding of nature or by the doctrine of the scriptures are to be considered Secondlie must be declared how God our Redeemer in Christ appeared to the fathers first vnder the Lawe and afterward vnto vs in the Gospell Howbeit since it is necessarie that we receiue the grace which is offered vs in Christ least it be frustrate in vs it behooueth vs besides this to haue a respect vnto the fruits and effects And last of all we must consider the outward meanes or helps whereby God bringeth vs to the fellowship of Christ and after he hath
God into parts signes of heauen and to other creatures And the same men when they acknowledged that the nature of GOD was seuered from all corporall matter that is to saie that he is a Spirit and therefore to be worshipped in mind and spirit they thinking the common people to be so rude in comparison of themselues as they could not attaine vnto this brought in outward rites and ceremonies deuised of their owne heads the which men hauing performed they should thinke that they had fulfilled the seruice of God and so by their slender reasons they corrupted that which being pure they had gathered out of the creatures and gaue no such credit as they ought to haue done to the truth which they knew The Philosophers yelded not theÌselues to the prouidence of God Otherwise they would haue submitted themselues to the mightie power which they acknowledged and would haue suffered themselues to be ruled by the prouidence of God and would haue trusted to him in their aduersities which neuertheles they did not The Philosophers despaired naie rather they shamefullie despaired Cicero crieth out in his later time in an Epistle to Octauius O that I was neuer wise And in his bookes De natura deorum he bringeth in Cotta notwithstanding hée were chéefe bishop to saie that he would verie faine haue it prooued indéed that there be anie gods at all And so whilest they would not beléeue those things which they knew naturallie of God they were not onelie wicked towards him but also iniurious towards their neighbours The greateâ the philosophers the fowler of life And oftentimes the more famous philosophers they were the more infamous life they led According as the Poet taunteth them Curious life they faine but followe Bacchus vaine For the wrath of GOD waxed hot against them And euen as a schoolmaister that continuallie instructeth his scholler who yet in the meane time is thinking dooing other things cannot suffer so great negligence so doth God behaue himselfe towards vs. For he conitnuallie holdeth open before our eies the booke of the things created he is euer calling and illuminating of vs but we alwaies turne awaie our mind from his doctrine otherwise occupieng our selues Wherefore God will cast vs awaie as naughtie schollers neither will hée suffer so great an iniurie vnreuenged 3 And by these woords which Paule addeth namelie For God hath made manifest vnto them it was gathered that all truth commeth of God For it springeth not from vs How it is that all truth comes of God but how it is of God there be two opinions For some saie that therfore it is bicause God hath made those things by which wée may perceiue these truths But others saie whom I better allow that God hath planted in our minds certaine fore-gatherings and informations wherby we are driuen to conceiue excellent and woorthie things of the nature of God And these knowledges of God being naturallie ingraffed in vs by God are euerie daie more and more confirmed and made perfect by the obseruation of things created Some doo fondlie and no lesse wickedlie saie that they haue learned those truthes of Aristotle or of Plato so as they will giue God no thanks at all for them Indéed Plato and Aristotle were organs and instruments Teachers are instruments but not auctors but yet not authors But these men saie euen as if an Israelite should saie that hée knew the truthes of the lawe not by GOD but by Moses whereas he was but onlie a mediator messenger of God and one who made relation vnto the people of those things whereof God was the author And it is to be noted that wheras God is a nature so disseuered from anie matter as he cannot sensiblie be perceiued yet he hath béene accustomed by signes and certeine sensible woords to declare himselfe The creatures are signes which set foorth God And those signes which from the beginning haue declared God vnto vs are creatures which when the naturall philosophers did weie as touching the woonderfull properties qualities of nature they are brought vnto the knowledge of God How the Philosophers knew that there is a God For they knew the order of causes and the coniunction of them with their effects and when they easilie vnderstood that an infinite procéeding of things could not be determined they concluded that they must attaine to some chéefe thing and so included that there is a God These things both Plato Aristotle and Galen haue singularlie well set foorth But least wée should neglect the holie Scriptures they also haue declared vnto vs euen the same waie Matth. 6 26. and 28. The holie Scriptures send vs to the creatures to learne of them Prou. 6 6. For Christ sendeth vs to the fowles of the aire and to the lillies grasse of the field to the intent wée should acknowledge the singular prouidence of God in preseruing of those things which he had brought foorth And Salomon setteth before vs the Ant to be followed for his wisedome whereby hée prouideth in summer those things which shall be néedfull in winter Esaie 1 3. Esaie saith that the asse knew the manger of his lord and the oxe his maister but that Israel knew not his Lord. Hereby it plainlie appeareth that we may be taught manie things by the creatures Dauid wrote a Psalme wherein he declared the selfe-same thing Psalm 19 1. The heauens set foorth the glorie of God c. But among other bookes of the holie Scriptures which abound in this matter is the dialogue of the booke of Iob. The booke of Iob. For the speakers which he bringeth in were Ethnikes therfore the matter is there handled onelie by naturall reasons Manie things are spoken of there concerning the reuolutions of heauen of the stars of the earth of the sea of the light of the winds raine thunder lightenings snowe and I se also of beasts as of lions goats harts horsse and Behemoth which manie thinke to be the Elephant and finallie of the Leuiathan the most huge beast of the sea 4 All these things are so handeled there as they preach vnto vs the eternall power and diuinitie of God But among other things which doo chéeflie set foorth God vnto vs is the nature of our owne selues For we are made vnto his owne image and likenes The nature of man doth most resemble God Wherefore we most of all resemble him and especiallie as touching the soule wherein shineth the prouidence of things to come iustice wisedome and manie other most noble qualities and also the knowledge of that which is right and honest lewd and dishonest And séeing that man and his soule is not sproong vp of himselfe but dependeth of God it followeth that we ought not to denie vnto God the verie same that we tooke of him but that we yéeld it vnto him as vnto the chéefe and principall authour reasoning after this maner that God foreséeth
all things that are done and is a iust iudge of our déeds vnto whom as honest things are pleasing so vnhonest are displeasing I knowe that Cicero in his third booke De natura deorum Cicero laboureth to ouerthrowe this reason whereby we would prooue that the things which we saie are most excellent in vs must not be denied vnto God But let him reason as he list it is enough for vs to be confirmed in this matter by the scriptures In the 94. Psalme it is written Hee which planted the eare shall he not heare Psalme 94. Or hee which fashioned the eie shall hee not see Whereby wée are taught not to withdrawe from the diuine nature those things which be perfect and absolute in vs. Moreouer we sée The feele of the conscience dooth testifie that there is a God that our consciences doo naturallie detest the wickednes that we haue committed and contrariwise reioice and be glad at our well dooing Which thing séeing it is naturallie graffed in vs we be taught that Gods iudgment is to come the condemnation whereof is so terrible to our mind that somtimes it séemeth to be mad and on the other side it reioiceth when it hopeth to be allowed and rewarded at the tribunall seate We might also recken vp manie other like things of this sort howbeit they may be easilie gathered both out of the holie Scriptures and out of the philosophers bookes Wherefore I will cease to adde anie more and I count it sufficient to haue said Nothing so vile but giueth a testimonie of God that there can be nothing found in the world so abiect and contemptible which giueth not a testimonie of God Of Iupiter said the Poet all things are full For whatsoeuer is in the world so long as it is preserued so long hath it the power of God hidden vnder it which if by searching art and naturall knowledge it bée discouered will reueale God vnto vs. Looke In 1. Cor. Chap. 1 verse 21. 5 With this saieng of the Apostle séeme to disagrée other places of the scripture wherein is taken from the wicked the knowledge of God Wée read in the psalmes The foolish man said in his hart Psalm 14 1. There is no god And again it is written In the earth there is none that vnderstandeth or seeketh after God And to make no long recitall it is said in the first chapter of Esaie Esaie 1 3. Israel hath not knowne me But this diuersitie may on this wise be reconciled After what manner the knowledge of God is attributed and taken awaie froÌ the vngodlie The wicked as Paule saith being conuinced by the creatures doo confesse that there is a God but afterward they affirme such things of his nature and propertie as thereby may be well inferred that there is no God For Epicurus said indéed that there are gods but he remooued them from all maner of dooing care and prouidence so that he ascribed to him a felicitie altogither idle Also when they saie that there is a God but that hée hath no regard to mans dooings punisheth not nor heareth such as call vpon him and such like it is gathered thereby that this was their opinion that they granted there is a God in name onlie And therfore the Scripture denieth that they knew God For the true God is not as they fained him to bée and as touching themselues to be holpen or haue the fruition of Gods help he was euen as if he were no God for so much as they neither called vpon him nor looked for hope or aid of him Some persuaded theÌselues that there is no God Further some of them were so wicked as they went about to persuade themselues that there is no God at all And albeit they could not bring this to passe their owne mind denieng their conscience striuing against them yet the Scripture pronounceth of them according to their indeuours and saith that they knew not God Lastlie we must vnderstand that the knowledge of God is of two sorts the one effectuall Two kinds of knoledge of God whereby we are changed so that we indeuour to expresse in works those things that we knowe and this knowledge of God the holie Scriptures ascribe vnto the godlie alone but the other is a cold knowledge wherby we are made neuer a-whit the better For we shew not by our works that wée knowe those things which in verie déede wée haue knowne And of this kind of knowledge speaketh Paule Rom. 1 28. where he saith And as they regarded not to knowe God c. And Christ shall saie vnto manie which will boast of the gifts and knowledge of him Matt. 7 23. I knowe yee not But to knowe God after this maner séeing it profiteth nothing the holie Scripture dooth oftentimes so reiect as it vouchsafeth not once to giue it the name of diuine knowlege and saith that GOD knew not the wicked Rom. 1 20. séeing they were such maner of men 6 Neither is it in vaine that God dooth indue the vngodlie with this kind of knowledge In 1. Sam. 5 verse 7. For verelie Aristotle teacheth in his Rhetoricks that it is a goodlie testimonie wherby our affaires are allowed of our enimies Wherfore it is an excellent thing to heare in the first booke of Samuel how the Philistines being the most gréeuous enimies of the God of Israel confessed and pronounced his power to be so great as they were not able to abide it neither yet sought they out the naturall causes of the diseases wherwith they were afflicted when neuertheles the causes be naturall both of the piles hemerods and fluxes But when they sawe that they were altogither and at one time troubled with one kind of disease they straightwaie beléeued that they were oppressed by the hand of the GOD Iehoua and so God inforced them against their wils to confesse his name In like maner Pharao who after he had béen diuerslie plagued at the length cried out Exod. 9 27. I haue sinned against the Lord and against you make yee intercession to God for me Nabuchadnezar and Darius Dan. 3 95. and 6 25. after they had well considered what God had don vnto Daniel did notablie confesse him to be the great God and by their proclamations vnder a most gréeuous penaltie forbad that anie should blaspheme or speake euill of his name And Iulianus the apostata althogh otherwise most wicked yet was constrained at his death to acknowledge the power of Christ in saieng O thou Galilean thou hast gotten the victorie And the verie diuels were driuen to the same confession when they testified and cried out Matth. 8 29. that Iesus Christ is the sonne and the holie one of God and acknowledged that he came to destroie them before the time and confessed that they well enough knew Christ and Paule By the same reason it is euident Acts. 19 15. that the arke
of the Gospell Therefore prophesie at this daie is not so verie necessarie neither yet the gift of healing the church hauing now plentie of physicians neither the gifts of toongs séeing the church is spred ouer all nations and the studie of languages flourisheth among all christians nor yet the power of deliuering the wicked vnto satan since the church hath christian magistrates readie to punish malefactors with the sword Yet in mine opinion it is not to be denied Prophets at this daie but that there be still prophets in the church although not so famous as in times past And it should séeme Teachers in stead of prophets that in the stéed of them there succéed most learned teachers of the holie scriptures plentifullie at this daie giuen vs of God Teachers be no prophets Neuertheles it cannot be prooued by the scriptures that such be called prophets vnles they by the inspiration of God foreshew some secret mysteries without the earnest indeuor of mans eloquence Except thou wilt wrest the words of Paule in the first to the Corinthians to that purpose 1. Cor. 14. and yet thou canst not prooue it necessarilie Mark 16 17. And although that Christ said that there should be such gifts in his church yet he did not warrant that they should continue still for euer neither haue we anie promises that Christ would perpetuallie adorne his church with such gifts The fourth Chapter Of Visions and how and how much God may bee knowne of men Out of the booke of Iudges the 6. chapter vers 22. Looke before cha 3. art 6. NOw the place it selfe putteth vs in remembrance to speake some thing of visions and in what sort and how much God may be séen of men But least that this place should be passed ouer without either method or order I will set foorth certeine distinctions which I thinke to be néedfull And first it is supposed Distinctions seruing to the question proposed The nature of God is not knoweÌ by the sense that the knowledge of God is offered vnto the senses or vnderstanding or else we thinke that it is granted by nature either else by some prerogatiue and reuelation beyond the course of nature And besides this the knowledge of the substance nature and as I may saie the verie essence or being of God differeth from that which consisteth of tokens arguments testimonies signes of the presence of God Lastlie we are to speake either of that knowledge of God which is expedient for this life or else of that onlie which is looked for in the world to come Wherfore I will begin with the outward senses as touching the knowledge of them thus I affirme that the nature substance The nature of God can not be knowen by the senses and essence of God cannot be reached vnto by the senses Forsomuch as those things which be perceiuable by the senses haue no affinitie with God but are a maruellous distance from him and to saie the verie truth the qualities which be of a certeine kind and are numbered among things accidentall doo stir vp the knowledge of the senses wherevnto since that God who is most pure is not subiect it is not possible that he should be knowne by the senses And that this is true it is vnderstood by the certeine experience that euerie man taketh of his owne mind For it is most certeinlie true The error of the Anthropomorphites that no man hitherto hath by his senses perceiued him and yet the Anthropomorphites persuaded themselues that God might be knowne by the senses for they attributed vnto God a terrestriall bodie but their opinion is vtterlie reiected For the scripture beareth record Iohn 4 24. that God is a spirit and it maketh a manifest difference betwéene a spirit and a bodie when our Sauiour saith Feele and see for a spirit hath neither flesh nor bones Luk. 24 39. And there is no man but knoweth that a mans bodie and the parts thereof cannot consist or be without flesh and bones Further the foolishnes of these men herby appéereth in that there is not a bodie to be found that is absolutelie pure simple and vncompounded For be it of as equal a temperature as may be yet it hath parts whereof it is coÌpounded that euerie composition is contrarie to the nature of God the verie Ethnicke philosophers haue perceiued 2 But let vs leaue these Anthropomorphites and speake of others whom Augustine maketh mention of in his epistle De videndo Deo Augustine to Paulinus These men as the scriptures beare record and the true catholike faith confesseth beléeue that GOD is altogither most pure simple and without bodie but yet denie not but that in that blessed state which we hope for the saints departed doo behold him with their eies and therefore they saie that we are deceiued in that we wholie measure the state of the life to come by those things that we sée commonlie doone and exercised here Wherefore saie they although the dull eies of our bodie cannot discerne God nor the angels nor spirits yet being once strengthened with that felicitie they shall sée them not by their owne proper nature or power but they shall haue the brightnes of their sight so lightened that they shall be able to reach to the verie essence of God These men perhaps are lesse deceiued than the Anthropomorphites but yet deceiued For howsoeuer our eies are to be confirmed when we shall be in our owne countrie in heauen yet they shall euen there remaine eies yea bodilie eies shall they be and therfore shall not go beyond the kind largenes of their owne obiects Indéed they shall then easilie indure a more persing and greater light than now they are able to abide with their eies The eies of the bodie shall not attaine to the essence of God neither here nor in the life to com neither shall the sight of those colours hurt them which now offend them yet shall they not reach vnto the essence of God For none of our bodies shall in that blessed resurrection be so disguised that they shall either become spirits or else surcease to be bodies anie longer Wherefore there is not so much granted no not to the bodie of Christ that after his resurrection it should passe into a spirit For that had not béene to haue the bodie rise againe but to haue it abolished Therefore they that thinke our sight shall be made so perfect that it shall be able to perceiue the substance of God doo nothing to the coÌmendation therof but doo in verie déed destroy it The Anthropomorphites offend against the nature of God bicause they cloth it with a bodie but the other doo iniurie to the nature of man in that they persuade themselues that it shall not continue in the blessed resurrection And so our opinion abideth true and in force as well concerning this present life that we liue as
fullie and perfectlie comprehend the Creator Wherevpon Chrysostom in his 14. homilie vpon Iohn Chrysost Ambrose in his first booke vpon the first of Luke and Ierom as Augustine reporteth in the place before recited doo denie that the angels sée GOD which cannot simplie and absolutelie be vnderstood séeing Christ saith that They see the face of the father that is in heauen Wherefore the place must be vnderstood of the whole and perfect knowledge of God in his nature and substance Wherevpon it is said in the sixt of Iohn No man hath seene God Iohn 6 46. but he which is of God he hath seene the father Againe As the father knoweth me so I knowe the father So that to knowe all the substance of God fullie and perfectlie is granted onelie vnto Christ who is God Others also shall in verie déed sée the same but yet according to their capacitie But if thou aske whether all shall sée it equallie or no Herevnto I will not answere at this time For we shall haue another place to speake of the diuersitie or equalitie of rewards in our celestiall countrie Whether in seÌse or mind we knowe the essence of God in this life 13 But what shall we set downe concerning the state and condition of this life Whether dooth our mind while we liue héer attaine to the knowledge of Gods substance No verelie For it is written Man shall not see me and liue No man hath seene God at anie time And Paule saith further Exod. 33 20 Iohn 1 18. 1. Tim. 6 16. that He cannot be seene bicause hee dwelleth in the light that no man can attaine vnto But this is not meant of euerie kind of knowledge For it is granted vs to knowe God after a sort while we are yet in this life We must therefore account those things to be spoken of the essentiall substantiall knowledge of God as the schoolemen terme it Neither is that anie thing against it Deu. 34 10. Gen. 32 30. that Moses is said to haue seene him face to face which also Iacob said before him nor yet that which is spoken of the same Moses in another place Exod. 33 11 that God talked with him as one fréend dooth with another For these things are not spoken absolutelie but by waie of comparison made with others bicause those things which were reuealed vnto men in that age concerning God were knowne to those excellent men aboue all others For it pleased GOD to shew himselfe vnto them after a certeine exquisite vnaccustomed maner which he did not to others And that this is the sense and meaning of those words Augustine Chrysostom doo thereby gather for that when Moses desired to sée the face of God it was denied him Before in the second chapter 14 Now there remaineth that we speake of that our knowledge of God which we can possiblie compasse while we are in this life First the same as we haue said is naturall Our knowledge towards God is naturall obscure Simonides and that verie slender and obscure Which Simonides knew verie well who as Tullie writeth in his booke De natura decrum being asked of Hiero king of Sicilia what God was he euer deferred his answere bicause the more he did studie vpon it the darker it alwaies séemed vnto him Clemens Alexandrinus Wherfore Clemens Alexandrinus 50. stroma alleging a reason why our knowledge of God is so difficult saith It is neither generall kind of creatures nor difference nor accident nor subiect for accidents and therefore not for vs to knowe who comprehend such things onelie with our minds and reason The effects whereby the philosophers vsed to bring themselues to the knowledge of God are far inferiour to his woorthines strength and power and therefore it is but common and friuolous which they declare of him And we giue him certeine epithets and properties namelie good iust wise bountifull and such like bicause wée haue not more excellent things nor more goodlie titles that can be fitter or more agréeable vnto him And yet are not these things in him in such sort as we speake them For as in simplenes of nature so in goodnes righteousnes and wisedome he is far otherwise than men either can or may be said to be 15 But besides this naturall knowledge that we haue of God The knowlege of God by faith that also offereth it selfe vnto vs which consisteth of faith and is reuealed vnto vs by the word of God Ephes 2 18 This faith is not of our selues as it is said to the Ephesians but it is the gift of God For Christ saith Iohn 6 44. None can come vnto me vnles the father drawe him Faith therfore gathereth plentifull knowledge of God out of the scriptures so far as our saluation requireth and the capacitie of this life admitteth But yet as Paule witnesseth This knowledge also is vnperfect For we knowe now as by a view 1. Co. 13 12. through a glasse and in part And although wée profit in this knowledge more and more while we liue yet doo we not reach to the vnderstanding of the substance of God I knowe verie well Augustines opinion of Paule and Moses that Augustine thought as touching Paule and Moses that they had somtime séene the substance of God with their mind while they liued here but I should hardlie yéeld to him therein forasmuch as I iudge those places of Iohn of the lawe and of Paule which I alledged before to be most plaine euident Whervnto may be added that which is in the 6. of Iohn None hath seene the father at anie time Iohn 6 46. He that is of God he hath seene the father And note that whatsoeuer is said of the father in this place the same is also true of the sonne as concerning his Godhead For as I haue declared before both out of Chrysostome and Augustine the nature both of the father and of the sonne is inuisible Neither maketh it anie matter to saie as Augustine saith that they sawe the nature substance of God not by the vse of their outward senses but as it were rauished and in a traunce quite remooued from the vse of this life These things are not gathered out of the scriptures nay rather on the contrarie we haue heard that it was denied vnto Moses Exod. 33 20 to haue a sight of Gods countenance Wherefore through the knowledge that coÌmeth by faith we vnderstand what God and his louing kindnes towards vs is as much as sufficeth for our assured and perfect saluation But among all these things whereby we knowe God out of the scriptures nothing is more excellent than is Christ himselfe Wherefore Paule had iust cause to saie 1. Tim 3 16. Doubtles it is a great mysterie GOD is made manifest in the flesh c. And the Lord also said Philip Iohn 14 9. he that seeth me seeth also the
dreames is hard vncerteine which are said to foretoken the euents of things to come are so doubtfull and vncerteine as it séemeth that nothing can be surelie determined by them Herevnto moreouer is to be added that séeing dreames as it hath béen declared may come not of one cause but of manie we shall easilie fall into error if among those manie causes we hold vs to anie one Wherefore we are to suspend our iudgment and not lightlie to diuine of anie thing vpon dreames séeing that they may more easilie be iudged of by the euents than the euents can be coniectured of by them Now then there remaineth onelie a certaine suspicion to be had by dreames and which also must be but verie slender Those two most famous poets I meane Homer and Virgil fained two sundrie gates of dreames the one of horne and the other of iuorie Gates of horne and iuorie the horne they attribute to true dreames but the iuorie to false dreames and as they saie there passed a greater number of dreames through the iuorie gate than through the horne gate Wherefore in iudging of naturall dreames let vs not passe the measure of suspicion neither let vs cleaue too much vnto visions For it is not the part of christian men to leane vnto perilous and vncerteine coniectures more than is méete For while they be ouer-earnest about these they omit things of more importance besides that the diuell dooth oftentimes intermeddle these things of purpose Looke In 1 King 3 verse 15. either to driue vs to doo that which is euill or to withdrawe vs from that which is good 7 But now let vs sée what we must determine concerning dreames put into vs either by God Of dreames sent by God or by the diuell or by the diuell Whensoeuer anie thing is foreséene in dreames by the helpe of God or his angels In diuining anie thing by visions or dreames two things are required two things are required The first is that certeine marks or images of the things which are shewed doo print some kind of forme in our phantasie or imagination Secondly that there be added iudgement whereby we may be able to knowe what these things doo import Touching the first we must vnderstand that these tokens and images are manie times cast into our senses by reason of those things which God maketh outwardlie to appéere as when Baltazar that succéeded Nabuchadnezar sawe the fingers of a hand writing vpon the wall as we reade in Daniel Dan. 5 5. And somtimes images and likenesses are described in the verie imagination or phantasie without anie externall sight and this happeneth two waies For either the forms or similitudes laid vp in the mind are called for backe againe by God to such vse as liketh him as when to Ieremie was shewed a séething pot turned toward the north or else new forms are shewed Ier. 1 13. which were neuer knowne before to the senses as if the forms and likenesses of colours should bée shewed to a man blind from his natiuitie And in this kind of diuination Images or formes instead of letters the images or forms are in stead of letters For euen as they be ordered and disposed so are the oracles diuerslie giuen like as by the diuers changing of letters our spéeches and sentences are manie waies varied Teachers which instruct schollers may by their paines and diligence in teaching print sundrie kinds of images in the minds of their hearers God otherwhile in dreames giueth not both forms and the vnderstanding of them to one and the same man Gen. 40 9. and 41 1. They which onelie haue the signes are not absolutelie called prophets Iohn 11 49. although it be not in their power to giue them iudgement and the verie right vnderstanding of things But God giueth both yet not alwaies indéed at once For into some he otherwhile instilleth onelie forms of things as he did vnto Pharao vnto his butler and to his baker and likewise to the king of Babylon all which had néede of an interpretour to expound their dreames as Ioseph and Daniel And verelie those to whom are shewed onelie the signes of things to come are not in verie déed accounted prophets forsomuch as they haue onelie a certeine degrée and entrance and as it were a step vnto prophesieng euen as Caiphas the high priest is not to be accounted for a prophet séeing hée vnderstood not what he spake 8 But why God would otherwhile open by dreames vnto kings and princes Why God would by dreams open things vnto princes things afterward to followe there are as I now remember two reasons The one bicause he had a regard vnto the people and nations which they gouerned For if the great derth which was approching had not béene signified vnto Pharao Aegypt had vtterlie perished with famine Secondlie it was the counsell of the Lord by the interpretation of these dreames to make those prophets and holie men knowne to the world which laie hidden before which thing the holie scriptures testifie came to passe in Ioseph And the Ethnike historiographers also write manie things of the dreames which princes sometimes haue had Some of the which Tertullian mentioneth in his booke De anima Tertullian as of Astiages dreme concerning his daughter Mandane likewise of Philip of Macedonia and of Iulius Octauius whom Marcus Cicero sawe in a dreame being but a child afterwards méeting with him knew him by that dreame and diuers such like things are recited by the same father 9 But these things being omitted Dreames sent by God let vs confirme by testimonie of the scripture which is easie to be doon that some dreames are sent by God Matthew testifieth Matth. 1 20. that Ioseph the husband of Marie was thrise warned by the angel Pilats wife also by a dreame vnderstood Matt. 27 19. and caused hir husband to be told that he should not condemne innocent Christ And in the 16. of the acts Acts. 16 9. a man of Macedonia appéered vnto Paule in a dreame Acts. 18 9. and mooued him to go into Macedonia And the Lord commanded the same Paule in a dreame that he should not depart from Corinth bicause he had an excéeding great number of people in that citie I could recite manie mo places both of the old and new testament but that the time will not permit Philo Iudaeus Philo Iudaeus as Ierom in his booke De viris illustribus testifieth wrote fiue bookes of dreames immitted by God Cyprian Cyprian also reporteth that in his time certeine things were shewed in sléepes which made to the edifieng of the congregation and it was not a little but rather a great deale of credit that he gaue vnto them But Augustine in his 12. De genesi ad litteram Augustine the third chapter saith there are thrée kinds of visions The first hée saith pertaineth to the outward senses Thrée
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
afterward perish There is no doubt but they serued for that age euerie thing is not alike conuenient for all places times persons Wherfore we answere that so it séemed good vnto God and thereby wée gather that those bookes had not béene profitable for vs. Howbeit they are iustlie and greatlie blamed which make much adoo about the losse of manie bookes when as they in the meane time haue not perused ouer those which be now extant of the holie scriptures And I am certeinlie persuaded that it tendeth to the profit of the elect that there haue so manie miscarried Also there be certeine monuments extant of ecclesiasticall writers not verie whole but as it were fragments of them by the taste whereof wée may knowe that the rest which be lost were not of such value as the losse of them should be much lamented Plato in his dialogue Phaedrus reporteth that a Daemon who as I take it was a wise man cam to Thamus king of Aegypt offered him foure of his deuises namelie number geometrie lots and letters and when he came to the commendation of letters hée declared that they were a great helpe to memorie and a singular furtherance to wisedome The king examining his saiengs some part he allowed and some he did not And when he had considered of letters hée pronounced the contrarie of them A kings opinion as touching written monuments For letters saith he helpe not the memorie as thou bearest mée in hand but they rather confound the same For when men haue once put in writing those things which they haue heard or found out they are no longer carefull to ponder them in their mind and to repeate them often to themselues and if letters were not they would often meditate those things which are found out and knowne and would be dailie more and more ripe in them Further as touching the increase of wisedome men will herafter saith he despise their teachers by turning themselues vnto written books which being often red doo tell but one tale This was the opinion of a king of Aegypt which in verie déed I allow not For I affirme that books are of singular great profit for else God would not haue bestowed the scriptures vpon men yet that king seemed to saie somewhat For if there be not a mean and in reding of books they may doo hurt It is said of Socrates and Pythagoras that they wrote nothing themselues Socrates Pythagoras wrote nothing themselues but that their schollers after them set foorth some bookes in their names No nor our Sauiour Christ did not leaue behind him anie writing of his owne dooings but his apostles did register his sermons acts and miracles Yea and it is not said in the historie that Salomon wrote these things but that he spoke and disputed Wherefore it should séeme that those things which be extant and written in his name were receiued from his mouth which may well bée perceiued by the booke of the Prouerbs The cause why so manie of his saiengs haue béene omitted perchance is for that they which tooke the words from his mouth did not thoroughlie marke all things Besides this so manie were the exiles of the Hebrues as it is a maruell that these scriptures which we haue were preserued and these by Esdras were restored and amended Wherefore we must well and thankfullie vse them as a heauenlie and diuine gift And I am out of doubt that the apostles gaue more epistles vnto the churches than we haue in these daies And I am thoroughlie persuaded that those which are lost be lost by the appointment of God Of Paule and his epistles and stile looke the preface vpon the epistle to the Romans The seuenth Chapter Whether yong and incontinent men and finallie anie other sort are to be excluded from hearing of the word of God IT should séeme that Aristotle may for iust cause be blamed when he wold exclude a yoong man froÌ hearing of morall philosophie for thus he saith He will heare in vaine without fruit bicause he hath not experience and that although he haue his right reason yet is he ouercome with lusts and affections and so ouercome as he cannot doo those things that he would and therfore he saith that as his reason is ouercome so is this learning vnderstood of him ouercome that since he is not able to produce the same into act his labor in hearing will be frustrate Howbeit hereof is gathered an argument of the contrarie to wit that they by this facultie are verie greatlie holpen which doo suffer their affections to be ruled by reason Againe it belongeth to those that be perfect men to subdue the affections of their mind to reason and yoong and incontinent men which haue most néed of amendement are not iudged méet for these things These being plucked awaie from hearing there will be no kind of men left vnto whom these things will bring anie commoditie Whervpon Aristotle shall hardlie auoid it but that this will become superfluous Eustratius answereth that there be some men and those not a few which are lead onlie by custome to become good but they cannot procéed therein by an order and waie prescribed séeing they are destitute of infallible rules which when they haue afterward procured to themselues by this doctrine they are most of all established in iust and honest actions not being now anie more led by customs but throughlie persuaded by a full assurance of their mind And there be some which of a certeine naturall inclination doo flie from wickednes and desire goodnes but how those things doo differ one from another or by what meanes they may of the good things which without doubt are manifold followe the better they are ignorant by themselues neither is there anie doubt but that they which be so framed may thereby obteine great helpes That incontinent men may receiue fruit by hearing of good doctrine And therefore we are not to thinke that the incontinent and they which be subiect to their affections shall as we haue heard of Aristotle be altogither vnprofitable hearers for vnlesse they be wholie without sense they when these things are set before them will at the leastwise knowe whither they are brought by their lusts and wil perceiue how far off they are now distant from the right course it cannot possiblie be but that some maner of waie they will be stirred vp vnto better things wherevpon they may by little and little both be healed and reape commoditie as we read that it happened at Athens to the most desperate yoong man Polemon That yoong men may be profitable hearers when he had heard Xenocrates dispute manie things of temperance Wherfore these things which are here spoken must not be vnderstood without exception For sometime there be yoong men so framed by nature and so amended onlie by discipline and education that euen by this kind of learning they are able to profit much as
no doubt but euerie one would haue fauoured his owne tribe and béeing so manie tribes as there were they would hardlie haue agréed all vpon one man And wheras Saule was of the least tribe of lowe degrée of base parentage if he should haue béene chosen by anie other means the matter might haue béen greatlie stomached of all sorts Num. 16 2. Core Dathan Abiram and others of their felowes stirred vp sedition against Moses and Aaron bicause they supposed them to haue vsurped the principalitie and preesthood by fraud and collusion Sundrie waies were the lots in old time Kimhi thinketh that all the people stood before the Lord for in deliberation and counsell of great matters it behooued the magistrate or prince to stand before the high préest So we sée in the book of Numbers Num. 27 22 that when Iosua was appointed to be captaine of the people he stood before Eleazar and the préest vsed to make answere through Vrim and Thumim So dooth Kimhi thinke that Samuel stood before the high préest and receiued the oracle of Vrim and Thumim that is to saie by those letters which were ingrauen in the pretious stones of the Ephod He saith moreouer that the arke perhaps was brought thither howbeit these things be vncertaine For there is here no mention made either of the préest or yet of the arke Rab. Shelomo thinketh that such was the maner of lots as that the names of euerie of the tribes were written in seuerall scrols which béeing throwne into a pot were afterward drawne by the chéefe préest It maketh for Kimhi that there is no mention made of lots Shelomo followeth the common opinion which is that Saules election was doone by lots which thing was not strange from the vse custome of the Iewes For of two hée goats Looke in Iudg. 20 8. Much vse of lots among the Iewes Leuit. 16 8. Iosua 13 6. 1. Par. 24 31 1 Sam. 14 41 Ionas 1 7. Acts. 1 26. it was chosen by lots which of them should scape By lots the land of Canaan was diuided among the tribes by lots the préesthood was appointed by lots Ionas Ionathas were found out and by lots Matthias was taken into the apostleship as we read in the first of the Acts. Wherfore séeing lots were in such sort vsed commonlie among the Iewes it should appeare that Shelomo did not thinke amisse in saieng that Saule was chosen by lots And whereas Kimhi saith that the high préest the arke of the Lord and the Ephod were present me thinketh it is not agréeable to truth For the arke at that time was in Kiriathiarim And if so be that the Ephod were there yet it followeth not of necessitie that therefore the arke was also there for we may sée how often those things were a sunder 1. Sam. 30â For when Dauid fled and came to Ceila he had Abiathar the préest to put on the Ephod and yet the arke was not carried with him in that flight The same thing was afterward doone in Siceleg when as yet the arke was present with him But thou wilt saie that in the text lots are not named I grant but yet there is another word there of the same signification For Lachad signifieth To get to laie hold on and to attaine by coniecture 3 But what lots those were I knowe not for as I said there were manie kinds of lots Cicero in his booke De diuinatione saith Many kinds of lots that When one Numerius Suffecius had cut in sunder a flint stone the lots made in an oke leaped out that at the same time an Oliue trée bid sweat honie and that therefore a little chest was made of the same trée into which the lots were cast these were called Praenestine lots which were verie famous in times past In Plautus we read of lots made of firre and poplar trées which were cast into a vessell of water and according as euerie lot arose first or last from the bottom so the matter was decréed Pausanias saith that lots were woont to be doone out of a pot made of claie and that one Cresphon in the diuision that was made of Peloponnesus to handle the matter that the field of Missena might fall out to his share he corrupted the préest Temenus for he dried others lots by the sun but Cresphons by the fier and therefore Cresphons lots béeing longer before they were made wet he obtained the féeld of Missena Darius the king of Persia in stead of lots vsed the neighing of a horsse And some haue obserued the first arising of the sun To vse lots is nothing else What is to vse lots but to doo something through which we may come by the knowledge of a thing that we knowe not Three kinds of lots But all kinds of lots may be reduced to thrée sorts For either we doubt to whom a thing should be adiudged as in the diuision that is made of féelds and possessions these lots are called lots of diuision either we doubt what is to be doone and such be called consulting lots or else we would faine knowe what should come to passe and this is called diuination by lots But it behooueth verie much to knowe Vpon what principle lots depend vpon what principle lots doo depend For to saie that they be ordered by fortune that were a vaine thing by diuels that is superstitious by heauen and the stars that is plaine ridiculous wherefore they are ruled by God For as saith Salomon Lots are put into the bosome Pro. 16 33. but they are tempered by the Lord. And Augustine vpon the 30. psalme sheweth that lots are nothing else but a signifieng of Gods will when man standeth in doubt And digressing from hence he saith Lots a token of the will of God that predestination and grace may be called lots bicause they depend not vpon our merits but vpon the mercies of God For with God predestination is eternall and certaine though it séeme to come to passe by lots And to Honoratus he saith that In a great persecution all ministers ought not to flie awaie nor yet all abandon themselues vnto perill but those must be retained which shall be sufficient for the present vse and the rest to be sent awaie that they may be reserued till a better season But here what maner of choosing shall be had Those must be retained saith he whom we shall thinke to be the more profitable and better for the people which remaine But if all shall be alike and all shall saie that they would tarie and die then saith he the matter must be committed vnto lots And in his booke De doctrina christiana he saith If there happen to méet with thée two poore men whose néed presentlie is alike and thou hast not then wherewith to helpe them both but one thou canst helpe there is no better waie than to deale by lots How and when lots must be vsed 4 But
king of the Assyrians to deliuer him from the siege 2. King 16 7 so far off was he from putting confidence in the Lord. And when as God béeing not ignorant of his disease offered him the remedie of a miracle and put it vnto his choise yet he through hypocrisie refused If Achaz had trulie beléeued God he would not haue refused to obeie séeing obedience is reckoned among the chéefest fruits of faith Let vs I beséech you compare with this vngodlie king the most godlie prince Ezechias his sonne who dealt not in this sort For he Obedience is the cheefe fruit of faith 2. King 20 8 to be the more assured of recouering his health verie modestlie required a signe vnto whose choise when Esaie had put whether he would haue the shadowe of the sunne to be set forward or to be turned backward he tooke his choise as he thought good neither did he frowardlie like his father refuse the miracle offered him by God Miracles offered not to be reiected But wicked Achaz to his infidelitie ioined hypocrisie For he considering that miracles are for two causes refused either for that a man openlie beléeueth in God and hath no néed of the helpe of miracles or else for that he vtterlie contemneth God and passeth nothing at all for this helpe he minded to hide the latter disease whereof he was sick namelie the contempt of God and made as though he had the vertue that is to saie a principall faith whereof in déed he was altogither destitute as though he durst not tempt God Psal 7 10. But séeing God most throughlie knoweth the harts and reines he by the prophet punished him according to his desarts A similitude What other thing is it to refuse a miracle offered by God but to reiect that which should helpe our spirituall infirmitie And euen as he that béeing well-néere starued with hunger would forsake his sustenance is worthie to be accused so was he to be reprooued which reiected a medicine offered him by God séeing God knoweth far better than our selues what euerie one of vs néedeth This is now sufficient concerning those things which in the beginning of this question séemed altogither to forbid the asking of miracles 18 I knowe indéed there be some which thinke that miracles ought not in anie wise to be asked but onlie that they should not be refused when God offereth them And they suppose that Augustine maketh with them Augustine De consensu Euangelistarum who in the fourth booke of the concordance or consent of the euangelists and in his 63. question vpon Genesis may séeme to affirme this thing But if a man obiect that verie manie godlie righteous men haue so doone especiallie our Gedeon they answere that they were mooued by the spirit of God to desire miracles therefore it was all one as if God had fréelie offered miracles vnto them and they with obedience had receiued those which were offered But these things ought nothing to trouble vs bicause Augustine in the places alledged dooth not flatlie and absolutelie forbid the desiring of miracles vnlesse they be demanded either in respect of tempting God or else for some other naughtie cause Yea and in the 63. question vpon Genesis he saith that When this is not rightlie doone it belongeth to the tempting of God Let vs rather heare what he saith in the tenth book of confessions the 35. chapter In religion also it is a tempting of God when signes and miracles are desired for making of a triall which thing I also a little before haue charged to be auoided For I will easilie grant that holie men required miracles not by the instinct of the flesh or of mans reason for then had their praiers béene vaine and to no purpose Rom. 8 26. séeing as Paule testifieth it is néedefull that the spirit should praie for vs with vnspeakable gronings But now I thinke there hath béene sufficientlie spoken of the questions propounded 19 But what the difference is betwéene signes and woonders In Rom. 15. verse 18. The difference betweene signes and woonders it cannot easilie be declared Origin thinketh that those onlie are to be called signes which though they be woonderfull of themselues yet they shew some other thing to come But woonders are those which doo onlie plucke men into admiration Looke an Epistle vnto Ludouike Lauater beginning Tuas litteras bicause they be doone after an vncustomed maner and against the power and order of nature But he also confesseth that this distinction is not obserued in the holie scriptures And trulie all the miracles whatsoeuer they were that Paule shewed were signes In 1. Cor. 12 verse 11. Looke In Iud. 2. verse 1. and In 2. King 2 verse 1. whereby the truth of his preaching was approoued The verie which thing we must affirme as touching the woonderfull works of Christ and of the prophets But the scriptures of the new testament wherin oftentimes there is mention made of the signes and woonders which Christ and his apostles did haue imitated the phrase of the old testament For there a man shall often find Othoth and Mophetim ioined togither Neither doo I thinke that there is anie difference betwéene the words except it be in degrée and quantitie yet am I not ignorant but that there may be signes or Othoth which haue in them no admiration at all Such be accents letters points speaches and other like the which we doubt not but are signes and yet they procéed either from art or from nature But the diuine oracles to the intent they might signifie that certeine works of the prophets of Christ and his apostles did not onlie shew some thing besides that which was wrought but also that they stirred vp a kind of astonishment woondring haue oftentimes ioined these words togither This vndoubtedly is my opinion which for anie thing that I sée I may still hold vnles an other man will shew me a better 20 But séeing it is written that The spirit distributeth to euerie one as he will wée learne thereby that no time must be prescribed vnto it for he desposeth these things when he will and how he will Whereby their argument is dissolued which saie that in Marke it is written These signes shall followe them that beleeue they shall cast out diuels Mark 16 17 they shall speake with new toongs they shall take awaie serpents c. Wherefore séeing these signes be not doone in vs it followeth that faith is not in the church of these daies But they be deceiued Miracles in the primitiue church were signes of faith For these things are not absolutelie and without exception but in some respect the tokens of faith belonging to that primitiue church vntill the gospell were made more manifest For miracles were as trumpets and open criers wherby the gospell was commended A similitude For euen as the lawe of Moses procured to it selfe credit through the
thinketh that it may be more easilie answered if we saie that it was not Samuel but onelie a vaine imagination and phantasie A rule howbeit he cannot but grant that two things are against this opinion one is that the scriptures doo alwaies so speake as if it had béene verie Samuel But he answereth that it is the vsuall maner of the scriptures to call similitudes by the names of those things which they represent For so the woodden images were called cherubims and Salomon made brasen oxen 1. Kin. 6 23. 1. Kin. 7 25. 1. Sam. 6 11. and the Philistines gaue siluer mice Neither doo the holie scriptures lie when they speake after that sort For men are woont commonlie so to speake and it pleased God to applie himselfe to the sense and capacitie of man Another thing is that he trulie fore-shewed what would come to passe namelie 1. Sa. 28 19. The diuell sometime speaketh true things that Saule with his sonnes should be slaine and that the host of Israel should be ouerthrowne But he answereth that this also is no new or woonderfull thing for the diuels confessed Christ to be the sonne of God Mark 1 24. And in the Acts of the apostles they gaue a verie goodlie testimonie of Paules doctrine Acts. 16 17. Euen so in this place God vseth the seruice of the diuell to the intent he might terrifie Saule that he which had taken counsell of euill spirits might be afflicted with an euill answere But he addeth how might Saule be with Samuel a wicked man with an holie prophet A great distance of places between blessed soules and lost soules Luk. 16 26. Such he saith is the subtiltie of the diuell alwaies to mingle some truth with falshood For assuredlie saith he there is great distance of place betwéene the blessed soules and the reprobate And this he prooueth out of the historie of the rich man and Lazarus This I make mention of forsomuch as I sée that they which affirme the bodie of Christ to be in euerie place haue no reason so to saie For if that were true then the soules of the godlie should be in euerie place also For Christ saith Wheresoeuer I am Iohn 12 26. there also my minister shall be And by this meanes there should be no differences betwéene soules Of vbiquitie for all should be in all places But they saie Ierom against Vigilantius that Ierom writeth thus against Vigilantins For Vigilantius denied that we should call vpon dead men for they are in the bosome of Abraham and doo not wander about their sepulchres and ashes Then are they not saith Ierom in anie stinking prison but in a pleasant and large custodie like certeine fathers of the order of senatours But saith he They followe the Lambe wheresoeuer he goeth now the Lambe is euerie-where Apoc. 14 4. Further saith he shall we grant this vnto diuels that they can wander vp and downe thoroughout the whole world shall we denie the same vnto the blessed soules of godlie men Here Ierom by his good leaue may it be spoken is somwhat out of the waie Ierom misseth concerning the vbiquitie of soules and yet he hath not spoken of that whereof these men did meane He erreth in saieng that the soules of dead men are conuersant about their sepulchres and that they are to be inuocated yet dooth he not saie that they be euerie-where He compareth them with spirits which he saith doo wander euerie where that is they be sometimes here and sometimes there But if they were euery-where they could not wander héer and there and change places and therefore Ierom saith that neither the lambe nor the soules departed nor diuels be in euerie place but that they in such sort wander at large as they may be wheresoeuer they list These things I haue touched by the waie But Augustine answereth that that saieng of Samuel may be vnderstood of the generall state of death and not of the equalitie of happines In the latter end he addeth that whereas there be but these two waies onlie the former may not be admitted vnles it be prooued to be possible that soules departed may by magicall charms be called againe and beare the proportion of mens bodies And therefore of necessitie the other waie remaineth namelie that it was doone by the counsell and will of God But by the power of incantation that could not be doone and yet by the purpose and commandement of God it might be brought to passe And to this opinion I willinglie agrée For if God will I sée not what should hinder it Augustins booke of questions of the new and old testament 5 In the sixt question to Dulcitius he hath in a maner the same that he hath to Simplicianus But in the questions of the old and new testament if that be Augustines booke which I speake bicause of the censure and iudgement of Erasmus who hath separated that booke from the works of Augustine he accounteth it detestable for anie man to thinke that it was Samuel whom the witch raised vp for it was onlie a delusion and an imagination For the diuell did this to bring himselfe vnto honour and to persuade men that the soules of the dead be in his power and that they shall not escape from his hands after death But if the historie be well discussed we shall not find anie thing at all to prooue that it was Samuel but that Saule indéed when he had heard the description of his apparell and the fashion of his bodie thought that it had béene so that the scripture applied it selfe to his mind and opinion that Saule fell downe and worshipped and thereby the diuell had that which he sought for that Samuel would neuer haue suffered it but that he said Saule should be with him the next daie bicause he was wicked and should perish euerlastinglie But what shall we answere as touching Ionathas 1. Sa. 28 19. who was well knowne to be a iust man Wherefore this answere of Augustine séemeth to be féeble In his second booke De doctrina christiana Augustins booke De mirabilibus scripturarum the 26. chapter he saith It was an image raised vp by sacriledge In another booke De mirabilibus sacrae scripturae if the same be Augustines booke he likewise denieth that it was Samuel indéed Also in his little booke De cura pro mortuis agenda he hath manie excellent things but in the end he concludeth The dead knowe not what is doone in this life that it séemeth vnto him the soules of those which are departed be ignorant what is doone in this life For wheras they oftentimes appéere and present themselues to liuing men somtimes waking and somtimes sléeping Looke In 2. Kings 22 verse 23. that may be doone by angels either good or bad And he saith that we our selues doo oftentimes present our selues to our fréends in our sléepe when as we our selues
euen without them both they may haue their being and also may exercise their owne actions For they loue they desire they vnderstand euen without bodies 15 Now we must sée what they can doo Two sorts of power of the spirits Their power is of two sorts one in vnderstanding another in working But we will sée what is to be attributed vnto them in both kinds Of the knoledge which they haue That spirits doo knowe manie things we haue no doubt for after the opinion of Lactantius Tertullian Capella Looke In 1. Cor. 12 2. and Plato in his booke intituled Cratylus they be called Daemones quasi ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã à sciéndo that is of knowing Whether they know of things to come But peraduenture you will demand whether they also knowe things to come for the which things chéeflie their counsell is demanded I answere that things to come are not alwaies knowne after one maner First things to come are not knowne as things present but of God onelie for he within his compasse comprehendeth all the differences of times For as Paule saith All things are naked laid before his eies Heb. 4 14. Others doo not presentlie sée the effects of things but by reasons they gather of things to come and that manie waies For first they sée the causes of things and by them gather of the effects which shall afterward followe But of causes some are necessarie and some not necessarie of necessarie are such as be contained in the mathematikes and in the opposition or coniunction of the heauenlie spheres So doo men which be skilfull in the stars foretell manie yéeres before hand what time eclipses shall happen afterward Other causes sometime are not necessarie or certeine for their effects may be hindered and such are those which are called things seldome happening or things that may happen this waie or that waie So the mariner pronounceth of the tempest and the physician of the pulse 16 Then if there be such knowledge granted vnto man How the spirits knowe of things to come much rather must the same be granted vnto spirits For they are not let by the heauines and lumpe of the flesh as men be besides this continuance and experience is a furtherance vnto them For if that old men doo sée manie more things than yoong men doo The old age of spirits then is it credible that spirits which liue for euer doo knowe verie manie things and if they haue bodies proper and of their owne as some thinke they haue such as are nimble and readie The nimblenes of them so that in a verie short space they can flie to and fro ouer all places of the world and make relation what is doone euerie-where And for that cause Tertullian calleth them Tertullian Flieng spirits When they doo these things they may séeme to be prophets bicause they foreshew such things as are afterward declared vnto vs in writing And Augustine De ciuitate Dei saith Augustine that They foreshew these things that they might be accounted for prophets And in his booke De genesi ad litteram he reciteth an historie of a certeine man who as he saith would take meate at no mans hands but at the hands of a certeine préest and that whereas the préest dwelled far off about the space of fiue mile from him he was woont to tell before hand Now is he comming out of his house now is he onward in the waie now is he in the tauerne now is he come to the field now is he at the doore But Augustine denieth that this kind of foretelling is prophesie for if a troope of soldiers should come from some place A similitude the watchman from the top of a tower spieng them comming should declare that within short space they would be there he saith that he neuerthelesse cannot séeme to be a prophet Moreouer spirits may foretell those things which God commandeth them to doo Spirits may foretell things commanded them by God as oftentimes it happeneth for God dooth oftentimes command them to wast and destroie countries And as Dauid saith He destroied Egypt by euill angels So in Samuel Psal 78 49. 1. Sam. 28 verse 19. the diuell foretold that Saule the next daie after should die for he was then in the bondage and possession of the diuell Further when they sée that they haue a bound prescribed them they promise so they may haue some little gift giuen them that they will rage no longer Spirits of the aire An other reason is for that they be placed in the aire and from that region as out of a watch tower they perceiue the influences and euents of things much more easilie than we can They see the scriptures of the prophets Besides this also they sée the scriptures of the prophets and whatsoeuer is doone in the church and although otherwise they knowe manie things yet are they much better learned both by meanes of the scriptures and also for bicause they sée what is doone in the church Wherefore Paule vnto the Ephesians saith Ephe. 3 10. that The hidden mysterie of Christ is made manifest vnto principalities and powers in the heauenlie places And whereas Hermes Trismegistus foreshewed vnto Asclepius that there would be a fall and desolation of idols and lamented the same Augustine saith in his booke De ciuitate Dei that he might vnderstand that by the predictions of the holie prophets Manie times also doo they knowe for that they be present at the counsels of God and are called to execute his commandements For so when GOD was taking counsell to deceiue Achab the diuell stood foorth and promised that he would be A lieng spirit in the mouth of all the prophets of Achab 1. Kin. 22 22 and a certeine other spirit obtained of God to forment trouble Iob. And it is no maruell Iob. 2 6. for the diuell is the minister of God to doo execution Howbeit when they be thus called to the counsels of God they sée what he hath appointed to doo They gather the causes by the effects Oftentimes also by effects they gather the causes of things as if they sée a man liue well and godlie they suspect that he is a chosen of God for good déeds be the fruits and effects of election in like maner if they sée a man to frame himselfe well vnto religion and to knéele deuoutlie they thinke he praieth although they cannot descend into his mind 17 But although they can by so manie waies and meanes knowe things to come Why the spirits are oftentimes deceiued yet are they oftentimes deceiued and that for manie causes first bicause God can let the causes of things God can let the causes how certeine soeuer they be though they be neuer so certeine or necessarie When the children were cast into the burning fornace it was certeine that they should be burned but God did
and earth should go together and an vndoubted shipwracke doth followe Augustine in his 18. booke De ciuitate Dei the ninth chapter when he had rehearsed that fable how there had bin once a controuersie betwéene Pallas and Neptune which of them should giue name vnto the citie of Athens and that when the men were on Neptunes side and the women with their Pallas and that the women had ouercome the men by one voice Neptune being angrie caused the waues to arise A part of Athens territorie drowned and drowne a great part of the territorie of Athens This I saie when Augustine had recited he added that the diuell might doo the same and that sometime he can raise vp the flouds and sometime represse them If I would reckon vp all that might be spoken hereof it should be infinite let it be sufficient that I haue thus shortlie touched the generall things themselues VVhether it be lawfull to aske counsell of the Diuell and to vse his helpe 30 Now must we consider of that which we set downe in the third place namelie whether it be lawfull to aske counsell of ill spirits or to vse their helpe First indéed it séemeth to be lawfull for God vseth the labour of diuels why then should it not be lawfull for vs And Paule deliuered men vnto sathan 1. Cor. 5 5. and therefore it is lawfull for vs also to vse the ministerie of spirits Here we must make a distinction For we vse spirits either by authoritie commandement as when we command them anie thing in the name of God or else by acquaintance felowship couenant obedience or praiers God beareth rule ouer the diuels Matt. 17 18. Acts. 16 18. and Christ and the apostles commanded that they should go out of the bodies possessed Why it is not lawfull to vse the helpe of diuels but to require or expect anie thing of them vpon anie couenant or bargaine that is not lawfull for it is idolatrie And the diuell séeketh nothing more than to lead vs from God to the worshipping of him Herevnto also tendeth customs ceremonies and sacrifices by this meanes men fall from God vnto the diuell Further they which doo these things doo sinne against themselues for we neuer read that the end of these arts was good whereof wretched Saule may be an example and instruction vnto vs. Sam. 28 19. The diuell indéed feigneth himselfe to be compelled and to be bound by little stones or rings howbeit the same compulsion is onelie a voluntarie and deceitfull compulsion he feigneth as though hée would cast out another spirit but it is nothing For the ill spirits doo but dallie one with another to deceiue men None of vs would commit our dooings to a man whom we knowe to be full of fraud and trecherie Now the diuell is not onelie a lier but euen the father of lies Exorcismes in the church Truth indéed it is that there were certeine exorcismes or adiurations in the church wherof Irenaeus Tertullian Augustine and Eusebius make mention Looke part 4 chap. 9 art 7. but these were speciall gifts for that age dured but for a time now they be taken awaie But thou wilt saie The Hebrues had coniurers Salomon wrote exorcismes Salomons exorcismes I knowe that Iosephus in his eight booke of antiquities writeth that Salomon did so to driue awaie ill spirits and to maintaine the health of man He describeth also the meanes whereby those things might be doone namelie that vnder the broad part of a ring there was a little root and that the same being applied to the nostrils of a man possessed the ill spirit was foorthwith expelled But herewith he writeth that Salomon vsed also certeine praiers and holie names and that one Eleazar being a man skilfull in these things made demonstration of his cunning before Vespasian and his sonnes Titus and Domitian and at the commandement of Vespasian wrought so that a spirit at his comming foorth of a man ouerthrew a basen full of water which was there set for the purpose and he saith that he sawe all these things In verie déed I dare not denie the historie but yet I thinke good to answere one of these two waies either that God would for a time bestowe such a benefit vpon the Israelites which notwithstanding we haue not read or els that Salomon did these things when he was now departed from the true God and had begun to worship the gods of the Gentils That such exorcists indéed were vntill the apostles time it appéereth by that historie of the children of Sâeua Acts. 19 13. which is written in the Acts. Howbeit exorcismes must not be vsed but onlie by them which are sure that they be indued with that grace But yet there be certeine which haue the name without the grace these doo vse inuocations by names merits and reliks of saints For this dooth the diuell séeke euen to intangle the people with superstitions The diuels seeme to be delighted with outwarde things Indéed the diuels séeme as though they were delited with outward things as herbs little stones and perfumes but they are not so delighted withall as liuing creatures are with the desire of meate but as it were with certeine seals sacraments Wherefore they come quicklie when they be called least they should not séeme to stand to their couenants They will altogither imitate God for little stones rootes haue no power at all to allure diuels Wherefore euen as God forgiueth not sinnes vnto vs by anie power of the sacraments but onelie for his couenant and promise sake so the diuell will séeme to deale with those that be his to the intent he may shew himselfe to be present with them not for the woorthines of the things offered by them but onelie in respect of his promise and couenant He mocketh simple men And verie pitifullie dooth he mocke simple and foolish men for they which boast that they haue spirits which doo loue them when they are afterward called into iudgment and condemned vnto death cannot by them be deliuered from the extremitie of execution Somtimes indéed they are readie to obeie them that are their owne but that is in foule and dishonest things namelie in adulteries thefts murthers they neuer stir them vp vnto good For they be sathans that is to saie the aduersaries of God They will haue couenants and promises to be made which cannot otherwise be than against God 31 But the Schoolmen stand in doubt Whether we may vse inchantment to take awaie mischiefs whether it be lawfull to vse inchantment to take awaie mischéefs and in generall they answere that it is not lawfull But yet they saie that if we can perceiue that those couenants consist in fethers or roots or little stones and we can find those things it is lawfull to take them awaie breake them for otherwise they saie that one inchantment must not be taken awaie with
small questions gathered out of the booke De trinitate Adde withall that if the holie Ghost should be said to be begotten then in the trinitie we should appoint two sonnes two fathers For séeing the holie Ghost is as well of the father as of the sonne he should haue them both to be his fathers if it might be said that he is begotten of them yea and if the matter be well considered he might I saie be called both the sonne and sonnes sonne of one and the selfe-same Father For in affirming him to be begotten of the Father he should be called his Sonne but in asmuch as it should be said that he is borne of the Sonne he should be nephew vnto the Father which things be absurd and wholie strange from the scriptures Since the Sonne is called the onlie begotten it may not be said that the holie Ghost is begotten Iohn 1 14. Iohn 3 16. 1. Iohn 4 9. Yea and further to saie that the holie Ghost is begotten the words of the scripture are against it which verie often doo call the Sonne The onlie begotten whereof it followeth that the holie Ghost is not begotten In the first chapter of Iohn it is said We sawe the glorie thereof as the glorie of the onlie begotten of the father And in the third chapter of the same gospell So God loued the world as he gaue his onlie begotten sonne And the same Iohn in his epistle In this the loue of God towards vs appeared that he gaue his onlie begotten sonne Christ as touching his humane nature is called the first begotten Rom. 8 29. And Christ as touching his humane nature hath béene accustomed in the scripture to be called not The onlie begotten of God but The first borne among manie brethren as it appeareth in the epistle to the Romans Howbeit doubtles as touching his diuine nature he hath no brethren There be some which cauill that in the Synod of Nice the holie Ghost was not in expresse words called God but that onlie the Godhead of the sonne was expressed Vnto which obiection Epiphanius answereth Why Epiphanius in the Synod of Nice and other fathers else where haue not expresly named the holie Ghost God that in the Synod of Nice the controuersie was as touching the sonne onlie For Arrius at the first contended onlie against this point And Councels for the most part define not anie other things but such as are called in question yet neuertheles if a man diligentlie examine the matter he shall sée that those things be there defined which doo plainelie inough declare the diuine nature of the holie Ghost For it is there said We beleeue in the holie Ghost and it is not lawfull for one to put his confidence in a creature Moreouer that which was doon in the Synod of Nice was performed in the Synod of Constantinople 18 Also they obiect that among the fathers there were some and especially of the more ancient of them which were slacke in their writings to expresse in plaine words the holie Ghost to be God Among whom Erasmus reckoneth Hilarie Erasmus Hilarie who was thought to be the first among the Latins that wrote against the Arrians This father in his booke De trinitate neuer by expresse words called the holie Ghost God Vnto this obiection we answere that the most ancient fathers in teaching diuine things vsed a singular modestie and did imitate the holie scriptures so much as they could and although they said not in expresse words that the holie Ghost is God yet in the meane time they wrote those things which manifestly prooue his Godhead And further it appeareth that they of set purpose disputed against them which denied the Godhead of the holie Ghost and equalitie of the thrée diuine persons as we sée by the strife that was about the word * Of like substance Homousion A similitude from which manie of the Catholiks at the beginning did restraine themselues bicause it séemed to bée but new and that it was not had in the holie scriptures yet they neuertheles did imbrase and most willingly admit the thing signified Howbeit we striue not about these things but grant first and chéefelie whatsoeuer is in the holie scriptures and then whatsoeuer is necessarilie and manifestlie deriued out of them Next vnto those ancienter sort of fathers did Basil and diuers others succéed which by all meanes both testifie and defend the holy Ghost to be God 19 Others cauill bicause it is written that None knoweth the Father but the Sonne Mat. 11 27. and on the other side None the Sonne but the Father in which places they saie that there is no mention of the holie Ghost and therefore it séemeth vnto them that he knoweth neither the Father nor yet the Sonne that for the same cause he is not God To these also we answer Whether the holie Ghost knoweth the Father and the Sonne that when the knowing of the Father and of the Sonne is attributed to two persons the holie Ghost must not be excluded séeing he is said to be the spirit aswell of the Father as of the Sonne wherfore that which is belonging to both is also common vnto him And if they demand a plaine testimonie hereof out of the scriptures we will bring foorth one out of the first epistle to the Corinth where it is written 1. Cor. 2 11. The things of man none knoweth but the spirit of man which is within him and euen so those things which be of God Matt. 16 17. none knoweth but the spirit of God Also it is written in the gospell Blessed art thou Simon the sonne of Iona The holie Ghost both knoweth the Father and the Sonne and also reuealeth them for flesh and bloud hath not reuealed these things vnto thee but the spirit of my father which is in heauen By these testimonies it is manifest that the holy Ghost dooth not only knowe God but dooth also reueale make him to be known vnto others But this error whereby some indeuor Origins error to rebuke the holie Ghost with an ignorance of heauenlie things tooke beginning froÌ Origin who affirmed a certeine degrée to be among the natures of Intelligencis so as he though that the Father knoweth himselfe onelie he said that the Sonne did not knowe the Father and that the holie Ghost knew not the Sonne Epiphanius and he would moreouer that the angels perceiue not the holie Ghost and lastlie that men sée not the angels And that this order is set downe by him Epiphanius sheweth out of the booke as he testifieth The booke ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã in which booke neuertheles so far as hitherto I remember I haue not read the matter plainlie in such sort described Which is no maruell for that booke which Ruffinus translated Ruffinus hath manie things vnperfect For he plucked out those things which hée thought
tended most vnto error least the readers should be too much offended whereby afterward there arose a great discord betwéene him and Ierom. Ierom. 20 There were some which affirmed that séeing the holie Ghost is said to be sent in like manner as the Sonne is said to be sent he should haue taken vpon him euen as Christ did some visible nature into the vnitie of person which reason of theirs is not necessarie We grant that sometimes he tooke vpon him either a doue or firie toongs by which he declared his presence howbeit these he tooke but for a time neither was he made one person with these two natures as we grant it to haue come to passe in Christ Albeit there haue bin most impudent heretikes as Manes of whom the Manicheis were named as were Montanus Basilides and such other pestilent men which published themselues to be the holie Ghost whome Christ had promised But in vaine were these things deuised by them for the Acts of the Apostles doo sufficientlie declare that the promise of Christ was performed within a few daies after his ascension In Gen. 8 verse 1. 21 But it must be considered that the scripture speaketh of God after the manner of men for the affect of remembrance declareth the goodnes of God for they which be mindfull of their fréends in danger doo for the most part reléeue them Howbeit to remember accordeth not properlie with God séeing it noteth a certaine forgetfulnes that went before which to ascribe vnto God were an vniust thing But of knowings we sée there be thrée kinds Three kinds of knowings the which are distinguished one from another according to the difference of time For if a thing present he found out to one which then beholdeth it is called a certaine beholding and this knowledge is the roote of all the other and more surer than the rest Further if it haue respect vnto things that be past it is called memorie If vnto things to come it is foresight which third for the most part springeth from the second For they which haue experience of manie things and remember much are woont by a certeine wisdome atchieued to haue great iudgement of things to come Of these kinds of knowledge none is trulie attributed vnto God but the first séeing all things are present with him and euen as his nature With God all things are present so his actions are by no meanes comprehended within the course of time But yet it is said in the scriptures that either he remembred or that he foresawe bicause oftentimes those effects are attributed vnto him which they are woont to doo that foresée or remember anie thing But memorie requireth a knowledge that is past We shall find that the scripture hath said Gen. 6 8 and 9. that Noah was iust and perfect in his generations Then when he was minded to saue him and had made him safe in the arke he séemed to attend for him and when he had taried so long shut vp in the arke Gen. 8 1. and was not deliuered from thence if I shall speake after the maner of men God séemed in a maner to forget him And againe when he deliuereth him he is said to remember 22 So when it is said that God waxed angrie In Iud. 2. verse 15 and 18. it is not so to be vnderstood as though God were troubled with affects for that belongeth vnto men but according to the common and receiued exposition of these places How we must vnderstand God to be angrie and to repent we vnderstand it that God behaued himselfe like vnto men that be angrie After the selfe-same manner it is sometimes written that he repented him wherefore God either to repent or to be angrie is nothing else but that he doth those things which men repenting or being angrie are woont to doo For the one sort doo either alter or vndoo all that euer they had done before and the other reuenge themselues of such wrongs as haue bin done vnto them Ambrose Ambrose in his booke of Noah and the arke the fourth chapter speaketh otherwise of the anger of God For neither saith he doth God thinke as men doo as though he should be of anie new mind neither is he angrie as though he were mutable But these things are therefore beléeued to the intent that the bitternes of our sins may be expressed which hath deserued the wrath of God that so much and so far foorth hath the fault increased as euen God which naturallie is not mooued either with anger hatred or anie other passion may séeme to be prouoked vnto wrath And rightlie is there mention made of anger before that punishment is rehearsed for men vse first to be angrie before they reuenge And anger if we may beléeue Aristotle in his Rhethoricks is nothing else but a desire of reuengement bicause of contempt For they that perceiue themselues to be despised and contemned doo straightwaie thinke vpon reuenge and doo continuallie meditate how they may by meanes of some punishment requite either the iniurie or contumelie that is done 23 But yet peraduenture some man will doubt whether God when he repented him God doth not so repent as he is any waie changed After in the 15. chapter act 1. were in anie respect changed All the godlie in a maner with one mouth confesse that God cannot be changed one iote bicause that would be a certaine signe both of imperfection and also of inconstancie but they saie that this varietie which happeneth herein must not be ascribed to God himselfe but vnto vs. For example sake If one will saie that God out of all doubt ceased to fauour the Chananits against the children of Israel whom he before so séemed to strengthen as he would haue them to oppresse the Iewes againe that he afterward exalted the Hebrues whom before it séemed that he would haue to be kept vnder by the Chananits certeinlie no man can denie but that these things be true How shall we therefore defend that the will of God is without alteration Iere. 18 7. I answere out of Ieremie the 18. chapter that vndoubtedlie there appeareth a plaine diuersitie to be in the effects The alteration is in the effects not in God wheras God notwithstanding dooth alwaies reteine one manner of will For thus it is there written in his name So soone as I shall speake against a kingdome or nation to destroie it roote it out and ouerthrowe it if they shall repent I also will repent And contrariwise when I shall speake good of a kingdome or people to set them vp and plant them and that nation or kingdome shall doo euill in my sight I also will repent of the good which I ment to doo vnto them These words shew that God is not variable in these kind of promises and threatnings for he speaketh not absolutelie and simplie but vpon condition But the fulfilling or making void of the
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
which God would reueale vnto vs and no further No man therefore hath said I will vnderstand those things which God himselfe knoweth These things are largelie intreated of in the first booke of sentences the 48. distinction and in Augustines Enchiridion An other discourse of the same argument I Affirme the cause of mans sinne to be the will or the frée will of our first parents who fell of their owne accord and obeied rather the suggestion of the diuell than the commandement of God from whom afterward was deriued originall sinne vnto all the posteritie wherevpon we haue vice and corruption inough in our owne selues Wherefore God instilleth not in vs a new naughtines vnto sinning neither dooth he bring in corruption and therefore I doo affirme our wils to be the causes of sinne and not God But the scripture saith in the epistle to the Romans Rom. 1 26 and 28. that God deliuered vp the Ethnikes vnto a reprobate mind and vnto vile affections And in the second of Samuel it is said that God stirred vp Dauid to number the people 2. Sam. 24 1 And in the same historie Dauid said that God commanded Semei to curse Dauid 2. Sam. 16 verse 11. In the same booke the twelfe chapter God said vnto Dauid by the prophet verse 11. I will take thy wiues and giue them to thy neighbour and he shall sleepe with them for thou didst it secretlie but I will doo this thing before all Israel and in the open sunne light It is said by others that these spéeches must be referred vnto the permission which thing I doo not absolutelie denie for God if he would might haue let these mischéefs but hée would not hinder them Howbeit I adde that such a permission must not be granted whereby some may affirme that God dealeth so idlelie and so leaueth the gouernement of things as hée dooth nothing about sinnes themselues First he taketh his gifts and his grace from certeine men bicause they abused the same which grace being remooued and that iustlie for a punishment of their former sinnes men being destitute of that helpe doo fall into more gréeuous crimes And that God dooth sometime withdrawe his grace Dauid knew well enough when he somtime said Psal 51 9. Turne not thy face from me nor take awaie thine holie spirit from me Secondlie God dooth punish sinnes with sinnes as it appéereth in the epistle to the Romans Rom. 1 24. and in the places now alledged And sinnes so far foorth as they be punishments doo belong vnto iustice and in that respect are good Wherefore it is not vnfit for God thus by sinnes to punish former sinnes Thirdlie hée ruleth and gouerneth sinnes themselues for he suffereth them not to rage so far out of measure as the euill will of man desireth he restreineth them he kéepeth them backe neither dooth he suffer them to rage against euerie man and at all times also hée directeth them to the performance of his counsels namelie to the triall of iust men and to the scourge of the wicked such like purposes Wherfore the scripture saith Esaie 10 5. that féerce and cruell tyrants are in the hand of God as staues hammers and sawes Fourthlie God sendeth in other occasions which if they should light vpon good men they would prouoke them vnto good things but bicause they light vpon euill men they are by those mens fault soone taken in euill part and are made occasions of sinne So Paule saith Rom. 7 8. that By the lawe sinne was increased And the words of God spoken vnto Pharao by Moses were an occasion to expresse out of him blasphemies and hardnes of his hart Which thing God sawe would come to passe yet did he not restreine his owne word when he knew that Pharao would become the woorse thereby who neuertheles had the naughtines in his owne selfe and tooke not the same of God Fiftlie since that the defect of sinne is onelie in humane actions the which are depriued of right gouernement the verie action of man cannot be susteined preserued and stirred vp without the common influence of GOD by which all things are gouerned and preserued for trulie is it said Acts. 17 28. In God we be we liue and are mooued Therefore the defect which properlie is sinne procéedeth not of God but the action which is a naturall thing wherein the defect sticketh cannot be drawne foorth but by the common influence of God These be the things which I said that God dooth by his prouidence and gouernement about sinnes although he be not the true and proper cause of sinnes By which interpretation we may rightlie vnderstand what those spéeches of the holie scriptures and saiengs of the fathers doo meane wherein God séemes to bée made the cause or author of sinne The xviij Chapter How it may be said that God dooth repent and dooth tempt In 1. Sam. 15 verse 11. Looke before plac 11 art 26. and In Gen. 6 6. In Iudg. 2 verse 18. THE interpretours labor earnestlie to vnderstand how repentance may happen vnto God Malac. 3 6. 1. Sa. 15 29. Num. 23 19 For GOD saith I am God and am not changed And in the first of Samuel The triumpher of Israel is not changed And Balaam in the book of Numbers saith God is not as a man that he should be changed neither as the sonne of man that he should be a lier Yet in Genesis he saith It repenteth me that I haue made man Genes 6 6. Forsomuch as these places séeme to be repugnant they must be accorded togither Some after this sort expound these places that Euen as the holie Ghost is said To call and make request for vs Rom. 8 26. with sighes that cannot be expressed so it may be said that God dooth repent But the spirit praieth not requesteth not sigheth not for he is God but bicause he stirreth vs to praie to make request and to sigh he himselfe is said to doo the same And according to this sense Paule biddeth vs Ephes 4 30. that we should not make sorrowfull the spirit of God that is to saie we should not with our wicked acts offend the saints in whom is the spirit of God Euen so God is said to repent when he stirreth repentance in others bicause the wickednes of Saule was a gréefe vnto good men and that God stirred vp that affection in them therefore God himselfe is said to be led with repentance This reason Luther followeth in his treatise vpon Genesis But Augustine in his booke of 83. questions the 52. question where of set purpose he handleth this question saith that The scripture is accustomed oftentimes to humble it selfe to our capacitie and to attribute those things vnto God which we sée doone in the life and conuersation of men for that the same cannot otherwise be vnderstood How God is said to reuenge to be angrie Therefore bicause men vse
point to disagrée from the Pelagians But Augustine so farre disagréed from these kind of opinions as vnto those which be regenerate while they liue in this flesh he granteth not a perfect obseruation of the commandements of God which euidentlie appéereth by his retractations And that his iudgement therin is most true Paule declareth in the epistle to the Romans Rom. 7. Doubtles if the matter were so The Pelagians make the death of Christ of none effect as the Pelagians taught there was no néed of Christs comming and of the sacrifice of the crosse for these things were therefore giuen bicause by our owne strength we could not atteine to the righteousnesse of works Rom 8 3 Which Paule plainlie testifieth saieng That which was vnpossible to the lawe forsomuch as it was made weake by the flesh c. These things doo manifestlie teach that man by reason of the infirmitie of the flesh might not fulfill the lawe Further he saith The wisedome of the flesh is enimitie towards God Rom. 8 7. for it is not subiect vnto the lawe of God neither can it be For although the lawe hath power to teach and to giue light vnto the mind yet doth it not therefore minister strength or change the will Wherefore Ambrose in his booke De fuga saeculi saith that The lawe can stop the mouth of all men but yet cannot conuert the mind And a little after The lawe in déed maketh the fault euident but taketh not awaie the naughtinesse Wherefore grace must be added therevnto the which bicause the Pelagians contemned they wandered from saluation and were iustlie condemned of the church The office of the lawe 4 As concerning then the office of the lawe these few things must be obserued first that the same is not altogither vnprofitable euen without regeneration for it may be auaileable to some ciuill discipline For if men doo the outward works of the lawe in such sort as they may although they be sinnes vnto them which doo them yet through them ciuill order may be preserued For where there is no obseruation of these things all things are confounded wrongs be doone naughtie lust rageth out of measure the wrath of God is kindled so as he suffereth those common-weales which be thus corrupted not long to continue Also there is an other worke of the lawe which is inward apperteining to the conscience that it should perpetuallie accuse vex whip and condemne the same And by this meane as we haue said God dooth at the length bring men to iustification After regeneration the lawe is not idle which iustification being obteined the lawe dooth not yet lie idle but is like vnto a glasse wherein the regenerate behold what fruits of faith they ought to bring foorth how much they ought euerie daie to profit what they haue to giue thanks for and how much they want of the iust restitution whereby they may the more earnestlie praie vnto God therefore Also the lawe setteth a marke before our eies whervnto they ought to leuell in all their actions vnto the which although they cannot atteine in this life yet they must applie their indeuour to depart but a little from it By these things it appéereth how much the lawe dooth auaile in outward works what it worketh in the conscience and how much it helpeth them which be regenerate Of Philosophie and of the comparison hereof especiallie morall with Diuinitie taken out of the beginning of the Commentaries vpon Aristotles Ethiks 5 All the knowledge that we haue is either reuealed or gotten by indeuour in the former part is diuinitie and in the latter is philosophie The name of philosophie is compounded Wisedome of some is called a knowledge of all the things that be extant How farre wisdomâ knowledge extendeth But since that wisdome comprehendeth nothing but a certeine and vndoubted knowledge it cannot be as concerning all things for some certeine things are vnknowne things that come by chance and casuallie cannot be knowne bicause of their vncerteintie Others saie that the same is a knowledge of diuine and humane things howbeit betwéene diuine and humane there are found manie things namelie the circles of heauen starres elements meteors stones mines plants herbes and brute beasts But they referre heauen vnto God bicause it is a thing immortall but inferiour things they saie belong vnto men forsomuch as they be corruptible But in what place will they account the science Mathematicall Howbeit it séemeth méet that it be defined to wit A definition of wisdome that It is an habit giuen to mens minds by God increased by diligence exercise wherby althings that be are comprehended so far foorth as they can certeinlie by firme reason be comprehended that man maie attaine vnto felicitie And héere be all the kinds of causes The forme which is the habit The matter wherein it cleaueth that is to wit The causes of wisdome the mind and reason of man and those things about which as about obiects the same is occupied namelie about all things that be extant yet not simplie and absolutelie but so far foorth as they can be certeinelie knowne The worker is specified namelie in that God is appointed to be the author for he hath planted light in our minds and hath sowen in vs the séeds which are the originals of all sciences Whervpon Cicero in the first booke of his Tusculane questions saith that Philosophie is the gift and inuention of the gods And this dooth Lucretius also grant although he were an Epicure And forsomuch as an assured knowledge of all things may rather be desired than hoped for and is sooner loued than possessed and that the more we giue our selues to the same so much the more are we stirred vp towards it therfore it is called philosophie The author of this name was Pythagoras he when he was come to Philonta and had spoken with Leontes which in this place was a tyrant maruelling at the wit and eloquence of the man demanded of him what art or science he would professe who would not saie that he was a wise man but one that desired wisedome that is a philosopher 6 And this being defined on this wise it is diuided into the part actiue and contemplatiue A diuision of philosophie both which Aristotle intreated of according as the subiect required These doo so differ as contemplatiue aloneâie beholdeth and actiue practiseth those things that be knowen So as they differ in their ends for contemplatiue reposeth it selfe in the verie contemplation of things for it is not able to exercise them But actiue dooth therefore behold that it may in worke expresse the thing which it knoweth And we sée vndoubtedlie that in man there be two works for he vnderstandeth and afterward he worketh And euen as God not onelie vnderstandeth himselfe and is happie and perfect to himselfe but also by his prouidence dooth create things being brought foorth gouerneth them so likewise is
And this if our magistrates and bishops doo not looke vnto they cannot escape a iust accusation But it is not lawfull to grant vnto the Turks anie religious assemblies for that they haue not anie particular promise of their saluation neither would they read there either the old testament or the new but onelie their most detestable Alcoran Ouer this the Iewes should be prohibited to exercise false bargaining and vsurie among christians thereby to vex and afflict the poore christians before our face the which cannot be doone without great indignitie But our princes exact a good great tribute of them and of those gaines which come by vsurie and naughtie bargaining they obtaine great praie so farre are they from forbidding them these euill arts Furthermore a thing no lesse hurtfull they prouide not to haue them taught when as they ought to compell them to come often to godlie christian sermons otherwise while they be so negligentlie left they become dailie worse and worse Whereby either naughtie fruit or in a maner none at all can be looked for by the conuersation which they haue among christians It must also be looked diligentlie to that they corrupt not christiaÌs in seducing them to their Iewish religion The heresie of the Marrans By reason of neglecting herof the heresie of the Marrans hath much increased speciallie in Spaine Moreouer it is méet that they may by some apparell or certeine token be knowen from christians least anie vnwittinglie should be familiar with them no lesse than with the christians And these things shall suffice concerning this sort of infidels Of Heresies What is heresie 50 Now let vs speake of heretikes The word is ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã it is deriued of this verbe ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã which is To elect or choose for those kind of men choose vnto themselues some certeine opinions which are against the holie scriptures and doo stubbornelie defend the same The causes of heresies But the causes of this their choise for the most part are either for that they be ignorant of the holie scriptures or else if they knowe them they despise them and being driuen of a certeine desire they applie themselues to the inuentions of som errors Augustine Wherefore Augustine in his booke De vtilitate credendi writeth An heretike is he which for the loue of gaine or bearing of rule either bréedeth or else followeth new opinions So that the definition of heresie is a choise A definition of heresie and stubborne defending of opinions which are against the holie scriptures procéeding through the ignorance or contempt of them that they may the easilier obteine their pleasures and commodities Choise and stubborne defending in this definition are in stéed of the forme But the opinions disagréeing with the holie scriptures serue for the matter Pride and couetousnesse make heresie And the obteining of dignities gaine and pleasures are appointed as ends of so great a mischéefe By this definition is manifest inough as I thinke who be heretikes I meane not now to descend vnto the kinds and particulars of heresies I hope I shall haue an other occasion and place more conuenient This will I bréeflie saie as concerning this question that we are to deale with heretikes in none otherwise than with infidels and Iewes 51 But to drawe to an end of these things In 1. Cor. 10 at the end Augustine which I haue spoken let vs heare what Augustine writeth of this matter in his 154. epistle vnto Publicola where he saith Questions of things suspected touching idolatrie If so be an idolater shall offer vnto idols anie portion of the fruits or of the wine latelie strained in the presse that maketh not but we may fréelie vse that which remaineth as well in the presse as in the barne For we be not afraid to drawe waters out of those fountains and welles from whence they tooke for the seruice of their idols But he iudgeth that he which hath the publike power the magistrate I meane by his authoritie must withstand that no part of the profits should be defalked and imploied to wicked worshippings but if this can not be hindered those things which are remaining he maketh frée He answereth also touching the common baines wherin idolaters were woont to bath themselues the which in like maner he maketh common vnto Christians For saith he we likewise take breath and breath out aire which we knowe to be infected with the euill stinke of the sacrifices of infidels Herevnto I would willinglie also adde that albeit I confes the place of the bath for the faithfull to be frée also for the vse of the beléeuers yet that we must not wash togither with vnbeléeuers bicause in that kind of action there may be noted some familiaritie assent and participation togither Iohn would not wash with Cerynthus the heretike And this we read in the ecclesiasticall historie that Iohn the euangelist did auoid who would not enter into a baine when he heard that Cerynthus the heretike did wash therein 52 Augustine added Augustine that we must vse nothing that we vnderstand dooth tend to the honour and worshipping of idols Neither dooth it auaile saith he if thou saie that thy conscience is cleare for thy neighbour dooth not sée into thy hart but beholdeth thy fact Therefore if we shall heare anie thing which is either superstitious or idolatrous we must abhor and detest it and not conuert it to our owne vse The which was expresselie commanded in Deuteronomie Deut. 7 25. when God forbad men that they should not take such things vnto themselues Of which opinion Augustine alledgeth two reasons Least thou taking anie thing awaie which serued to the superstitious worshipping they suspect that thou art mooued to abolish wicked worshipping not for religion but for couetousnesse sake namelie that thou maist wax rich and to fulfill thy couetousnes Another reason there is that if thou shalt laie vp at home these things among thy treasure it might easilie come to passe that either they should be had in honour of thy posteritie or of the vnwiser sort which be in thy houshold and so that the idolatrous worshipping by little and little should be restored Howbeit he confesseth Godlie emperours haue applied such things to godlie vses that those superstitious things may be conuerted into publike vses and to the seruices of the true and right religion euen as we haue knowne godlie emperours to haue doone who haue taken monie giuen to the theatre and to the temple of idols and haue consecrated them to the church of Christ and to the good vses of the Common-weale verse 26. And there is a place cited out of the sixt chapter of the booke of Iudges where the Lord willeth the wood of the groue dedicated to Baal the which Gedeon did cut downe to be transferred to the sacrifice which he was to offer And in the sixt chapter of Iosua we read
wiselie said The heauens declare the glorie of God The Patriarchs when they would sacrifice went vnto high places where they might behold the tall trées the heauen the flouds and the earth lieng round about and thereby lifted themselues vp to the knowledge of God the creator But contrariewise foolish men would deuise images to themselues and at length fell to that that they called stocks and stones gods Wherefore Ieremie verse 27. in his second chapter earnestlie reprooueth them which feared not to saie vnto a stocke Thou art my father and vnto a stone Thou hast begotten me And thus while these men wold haue such kind of admonishers they were drawne farre awaie from the true worshiping of God and finallie they attributed vnto images the purging of sinnes They held them also for gods which did gard the quicke and the dead euerie particular man and likewise the whole citie From thence also they indeuor to wrest oracles and they make vaunt that their praiers powred out vnto them are heard and going yet further they sacrifice dailie before them This boldnesse or rashnesse of men did excéedinglie displease God and not without cause For a prince would take it in ill part if the honour which is onelie due vnto himselfe should be giuen vnto his seruants wherefore God himselfe in the prophet Esaie saith Esai 42. 8. I will not giue mine owne honour vnto an other 6 But some man will saie that this inuention had no ill meaning but rather a good and right intent as they call it but the same right intent dooth oft times marre all Neither dooth it suffice to make mens works righteous vnlesse those things be added or put to which we haue else-where sufficientlie spoken of Athanasius wrote against idols among other things he saith They which liued in times past made images to the intent that out of them oracles might be vttered and for so much as God might not be knowne but by visible signes and therefore they iudged that God was to be called vpon in images bicause they thought heauenlie powers were present with them Arnobius And Arnobius in his sixt booke against the Gentiles reporteth that the nations said that they did not worship stones but the presence of God exhibited about these images For they thought that images through certeine dedications were so adorned and purged that the power of God came fullie vnto them And in dedicating of them they thorough a certein peruerse imitation of the old fathers applied holie vnctioÌs as they called them For Iacob also annointed a stone Gen. 28 18. Exod. 40 9. and Moses was commanded to annoint in a maner all the necessarie implements about the Tabernacle Eusebius also in his ninth booke the third and 11. chapters writeth that thereto did come the inchantments of diuels and incredible sorcerie for so much as there were dailie woonders wrought at the images whereby the sillie people were in sundrie wise seduced to the great detriment of the church He declareth the historie of Theotechnus which was punished for his wickednesse Yea furthermore Theodoretus in the fift booke 22. chapter saieth that the craftinesse of inchanters came héerevnto Craftinesse and false miracles about images who erected images against walles and gaue answer through holes bored in them Wherefore the people were maruellouslie amazed when they supposed that the images spake It can hardlie be credited with how great labour and difficultie men could be brought from the worshipping of images Eusebius in his third booke of Constantinus life saith When images were subuerted in them there was found the bones of dead men drie skulles lothesome clothes and small faggots of sticks which things our men in shewing to the people said Behold I beséech ye what ye haue hitherto worshipped And he affirmeth that by those same shewes verie much was brought to passe with the people 7 Now that the causes be set forth Whether it be lawfull to represent God in images whie men indeuoured to expresse God by images it séemeth good to dispute whether it be lawfull to represent God by them And it must be determined and that fréelie without exception that the same is not lawfull For God commanded the children of Israel The first cause Deut. 4 12. that they should remember they sawe no image vpon mount Horeb and therfore forbad that they should make anie such Howbeit the place is more large if it be more diligentlie examined For there he commanded that they should not make anie images at all to doo anie worship vnto them And in the fortie chapter of Esaie he saith To whom will ye resemble God verse 18. or by what similitude wil ye expres him And in the 44. chapter he confirmeth the same verse 10. saieng Who shall be so hardie to fashion out God or to make a molten or grauen image that is profitable for nothing I maruell that among the Papists Dominicus Azotus vpon the epistle to the Romans the first chapter durst write that by that commandement it is not forbidden vnto the christians to make images resembling the shape of man séeing the lawe hath onelie made mention there of créeping things of birds and fishes whereas neuerthelesse it is there by expresse words forbidden that no images should be made either of the male or of the female Moreouer it is thus written in the psalme Mouths they haue speake not feet they haue and walke not Psal 115 4. eares they haue and yet heare not noses they haue smell not And although the rest of the members may be vnderstood touching brute beasts yet that saieng that They haue mouths and cannot speake belongeth peculiarlie vnto men forsomuch as spéech was not giuen vnto brute beasts Wherefore Lucretius called them beasts without mouths Which interpretation Augustine brought in the same place verse 15. Furthermore Esaie in the 44. chapter laugheth the Carpenter to scorne who of the one part of a trée being cut downe maketh an image of the other part kindleth fire and therewith dresseth bread and meate He carueth it saith he and maruellouslie worketh it verse 13. that he may expresse the similitude of a man By all these things it appéereth that euen the images of men which be ordeined for diuine seruice are forbidden It is prooued therefore that images which represent God himselfe be forbidden by testimonies of the holie scriptures The second cause Wherevnto we must adde that by the testimonie of them we be taught that God is a spirit Iohn 4 24. wherof it followeth that by lineaments and colours he cannot be expressed Iohn 1 18. Further it is there written that None hath seene God at anie time Wherefore if he be séene of none and Dwelleth in the light that cannot be atteined vnto how can he be set foorth in a picture or grauen image to be séene Moreouer he is infinite but those things which be painted grauen or molten be
drawne togither and limited yea rather they be circumscribed by the workmanship it selfe Besides this images for the most part be made by men to the intent that they which be absent may after a sort be present with vs. But God is euerie where nether is he absent from anie thing Wherefore it is written in the psalme Psal 139 8. If I go vp into heauen thou art there If I go downe into hell thou art there also We must not therfore make him present by images séeing he is present alwaies and in all things The third cause Herevnto adde that we must in an image expresse with apt likenes the thing which should be represented But when God by anie image is represented things which rather be vnlike and contrarie than like and agréeable are likened vnto him Moreouer God as all men must of necessitie grant hath no beginning but all images are inuented by craftes-men Wherevnto may be added that GOD what and how great an one soeuer he be is continuallie moouing or dooing and is neuer idle whereas images be senselesse and doo no maner of thing at all Ouer this The fourth cause GOD himselfe is all wholie knowledge and vnderstanding but images perceiue nothing and doo vnderstand nothing at all Besides The fift cause God not onelie consisteth of himselfe but also maketh all things to consist and stand by his word but images are not able to consist of themselues for they are staied vp of artificers by props and great posts The sixt cause Yea and further God himselfe hath no end of his nature and life whereas images wax old and in the end come to naught And séeing God is of nature inuisible as hath béene confirmed before craftes-men in picturing and painting him out doo followe their owne imaginations and not the diuine nature which they cannot sée And they be not afraid to ascribe those imaginations and conceits of their minds vnto the name of God but this is altogither wicked and vngodlie So it came to passe when the Israelites said vnto Aaron Make vs gods Exod. 32 1. which may go before vs. And he made them a molten calfe and called it by the name of Iehoua Looke In 1. Kings 12. verse 28 1. Kin. 12 28 For to morrowe saith he it is the feast of Iehoua Ieroboam also when he made the golden calues commanded them to be worshipped by the name of Iehoua Wherefore it is written in the 14. chapter of the booke of Wisedome verse 21. that they applied the holie and immutable name of God vnto idols And in the 17. of the Acts Paule saith The seuenth cause verse 29. We ought not to thinke that the Godhead is like to gold or siluer grauen by art and inuention of craftes-men If so be then that the similitude of God be not in images those which be of this kind must be vtterlie reiected The complaint of Seneca is commonlie knowne whereof Augustine maketh mention in the sixt booke De ciuitate Dei and fortie chapter out of the booke named Dâ superstitione which is lost and is not anie where to be found at this daie Augustines words be these for when he intreated concerning images They dedicate saith he the holie immortall and inuiolable gods in a matter most vile and vnmooueable giuing vnto them the habits of men wild beasts and fishes and some indue them with diuers bodies of a mingled kind They call them gods which if they should receiue life and suddenlie méet one they would be taken for monsters But the holie scriptures haue laughed to scorne this presumption and foolishnesse of men especiallie Esaie in the 44. chapter as we haue alreadie heard before The eight cause To these things let vs adde that Aristotle in his second booke De physico auditu alledgeth the saieng of the philosopher Protarchus which said that Those stones be fortunate whereof images be made for they be laid vpon the altars and haue honour and reuerence doone vnto them by men whereas others not vnlike to them lie vpon the pauement are troden vpon with their féet and spit vpon The ninth cause Besides this let it come to mind that the verie works of God which be extant in the nature of things cannot perfectlie shew him Wherefore séeing the workmanships of men be a great deale more vnperfect bicause art alwaies faileth in comparison of nature how shuld we hope that God himselfe can be expressed by the industrie of craftes-men The tenth cause Neither must it be omitted that the scripture when it speaketh of images to the intent it may driue men from them it calleth them filthinesse Deut. 7 26. Ierem. 10 8 Habac. 2 18. lies things of nothing abhomination and affliction Howbeit we must grant that God would haue some signes whereby he would open himselfe vnto men Such were the arke of the couenant the tabernacle of Moses the temple of Salomon and also the piller of fire and of the cloud but it must be considered that he deuised and ordeined these signes for himselfe Neither is it lawfull for men to doo so much as it is for God Augustine The 11. cause Augustine De fide Symbolo when he expounded the article wherin is said that Christ sitteth on the right hand of his father he saith We must not imagine that God is indued with the shape of a man that Christ dooth bow his knées and sitteth on the right side of him it is a wicked thing to haue such maner of images But in the fourth booke The 12. cause the ninth and 31. chapter De ciuitate Dei he hath more manifestlie expressed the same where he commendeth Varro which wrot in his Theologie that they which first of all others made images vnto God first tooke awaie the feare of them from men namelie bicause of the vile matter whereof they were formed and bicause they mooued not of them selues and they did erre more for so much as in making of images they did not reforme their error but rather increased the same Also he praiseth Varro who alloweth of the ancient people of Rome bicause they for the space of 70. yéeres worshipped God without images neither did Varro feare to bring the people of the Iewes to be a witnesse of that thing And he added also that whiles the people of Rome worshipped God without images they honored him more purelie than afterward they did And these things be not onelie recited by Augustine Varro The 13. cause but they be also written by Plutarch in the life of Numa Pompilius by Dionysius Halicarnassus by Clemens Alexandrinus and also Tertullian as it is recited by Eusebius Besides this Herodotus in his first booke The 14. cause and Strabo in his 15. booke doo shew that the Persians in old time made no images When Tarquinius Priscus who was indued with the learning of the Gréeks Hetruscans reigned at Rome there were images
he that is a forswearer dooth alwaies beguile and deceiue which is to seduce the reason of man Politike gouernements and common-weales also are ouerthrowne vnlesse we stand vnto our oths couenants And this the Hebrues in a certeine Apollogie of theirs doo declare who write that when the tables were giuen vpon mount Sina so soone as the lawe was made concerning periurie the whole world was shaken Faith or promise must be kept euen with enimies Let euerie one therefore beware of it and let him kéepe faith euen with his enimies with théeues and murtherers though it be with the losse of his goods or life For this cause Regulus is commended who returned to the Carthaginians although he knew that at his returne he should suffer most gréeuous punishments for he minded to satisfie his oth Augustine in his booke De ciuitate Dei not without iust cause setteth foorth his praises albeit his counsell whereby he hindered the peace cannot be praised or allowed But in that he would in anie wise kéep his oth inuiolate euen to the hazard of his own life dooth not that deserue verie great admiration Neither is it anie let which some men saie that by returning vnto théeues murtherers and cruell men if a man knowe for a certeintie that he should be slaine is to cast himselfe into danger and to tempt God For this man was now alreadie by the will of God deliuered into the hands of his enimies neither did he escape thence without vsing the testimonie of the name of God Wherefore it behooued him to returne least God should be had in derision vnlesse it had béene reuealed vnto him that the same should be against the word of God Deceitfull words in swearing 9 Moreouer we offend in an oth if a man vse craftie and deceitfull words purposing to take them according as he himselfe vnderstandeth them and not as it séemeth to the eares of them which stand by such a man is not exempted from periurie For an oth was deuised to finish controuersies Hebrues 6. Heb. 6 16. not to sowe them and to stirre them vp more Neither ought we to vse this remedie to the deceiuing and beguiling of minds which serueth to the establishing of them Farre be it that deceit should arise from thence where truth ought most of all to shew it selfe Of rash swearing Also let vs take héed of an other defect in swearing namelie that we sweare not often for light causes and rashlie being vrged thervnto by no necessitie whereby the word of God might be of the lesse estimation Sildome therefore must anie swearing be vsed and that for weightie causes and so shall we the better auoid periurie Yea and Augustine in the 28. sermon De verbis apostoli writeth that Christ and Iames the apostle forbad an oth not to the end they would vtterlie take awaie the same from the affaires of men but bicause we might beware of periurie in not swearing vpon light occasion 10 Lastlie in an oth let vs auoid this that we sweare it not by the name of idols for that is forbidden in the 23. chapter of Exodus and in the 23. chapter of Iosua Exo. 23 13. Looke In. 2. Sam. 23. 12. Iosu 23 2 And God will haue vs to sweare by his owne name for héerein the worshipping of GOD is intermingled which should not be attributed vnto idols Howbeit Augustine in his epistle Ad Publicolam granteth vnto the faithfull that when néed shall require they may take an oth of the infidels in the name of their idols for otherwise there could be no peace nor truce confirmed with them In an oth there is chéeflie this confirmation of the will which is a certeine good thing that we may vse when we haue néed And whereas they offer not the same but vnder the name of idols it gréeueth vs and if it laie in vs to amend it we would willinglie doo it Once saith he we read in the scriptures that it was doone by Iacob when he tooke an oth of Laban Gen. 31 57 Laban sware by the God of Abraham and by the God of Nachor his father and by the God of their fathers But whereas they were idolaters in Babel and in Mesopotamia it is manifest that that oth was celebrated in the name of strange gods as Aben-Ezra dooth testifie vpon that place But if so be thou wilt saie that there the name of faithfull Abraham is mingled with the other it maketh no matter at all bicause he ioineth vnto him Nachor and the fathers of them that thou maâ⦠vnderstand Abraham to be there comprehended vnder the name of that worshipping vnder the which he liued in his owne countrie with his parents which were idolaters as we read in last of Iosua But Iacob sware by the true God Ibidem 2. whom he calleth the feare of Isaak wherefore euerie one sware there according to his owne religion These things be spoken probablie howbeit I know that some of the fathers were of the mind that Laban sware there by the true God But Augustine in the place which I haue now alledged maketh for me In 1. Sam. 25 vers 35. 11 But it appéereth that Abigael séemeth to sweare by a creature and héereof the Papists gather Whether it be lawfull to sweare by saints that it is lawfull to sweare by saints But that we may vnderstand with how great reason they affirme it we must call to mind what is an oth An oth therefore is a calling to record of the name of God Looke the questions after the common place of the Masse in the addition at the end to the confirmation of those things which either we haue spoken or promised When God is called to be a witnesse there is giuen vnto him euen that worship which is most high and singular For so we testifie that God is present euerie-where and séeth all things and will punish if a man doo offend And this is fit for none but for God onlie for saints neither be in euerie place nor yet sée all things And it is requisite that all worshipping should procéed of faith which faith of necessitie is none insomuch as touching the presence of the saints we can learne nothing out of the holie scripture Why then doo we call them to witnesse of whom we knowe not whether we be heard Further they cannot punish whom they would wherefore these things apperteine vnto God onlie Thus it is written in the sixt of Deuteronomie Deut. 6 5. Thou shalt loue the Lord thy God and him onelie thou shalt worship and thou shalt sweare by his name Here there is an oth ioined vnto the worshipping of God Foolishlie therefore and vngodlie did Socrates Socrates oth The Manicheis oth when he sware by a dog and a goose and the Manicheis also when they sware by the light Ierom. Ierom vpon these words of Christ in Matthew Thou shalt not sweare neither by heauen
they should deale more mildlie they threatened that they would kill themselues And when it was obiected by our men that it was not lawfull they vsed to flie to that example which we haue mentioned of Razis 2. Ma. 14 37 and vnto the place in the epistle to the Corinthians If I shall giue my bodie that I be burned and haue not charitie 1. Cor. 13 3 it profiteth me nothing Wherefore it is lawfull saie they so it be doone in charitie Another argument of the Donatists for Paule reprooueth not the same saue where charitie faileth But they fondlie and vnlearnedlie depraued the words of Paule for they as Augustine said are thus to be ment If of necessitie we must either die or else admit some mischéeuous act it is much better for a godlie man to die yet not so as anie man ought to be the author of his owne death but to be readie to abide anie thing doone by the tyrant and executioner So may it séeme that those fellowes of Daniel deliuered themselues when they said Dan 3 18. that they would rather die than worship the image of Nabuchad-nezar And Christ is said to haue giuen himselfe for our saluation Yet saith Paule Rom. 5 8. if a man euen so giue himselfe that he be burned of a tyrant if it be not in charitie it shall profit him nothing Yet this also did the Donatists vaunt Another argument of the Donatists that man hath frée will in his owne matters and therefore it is lawfull for anie man to kill himselfe if he will But this is ridiculous vaine sith our will must euermore be drawne backe from sin For this both the holie scriptures exhort and good magistrates and godlie parents in their subiects and children doo the same 17 But Ierom vpon Ionas saith that It is our part not violentlie to plucke death vnto vs but with a good courage to suffer it when it is offered vnlesse perhaps it be Whether selfe-death may be lawfull for keeping of chastitie where chastitie is put in danger As if he had said It is lawfull for one to kill himselfe for preseruing of chastitie Of the same opinion Ambrose séemeth to be in his third booke De virginibus for so he writeth of Pelagia the virgine that the tormentors threatened hir that vnlesse she would worship idols Examples they would rauish hir and that she to auoid as well the one as the other cast hir selfe downe headlong This act did Ambrose commend and he addeth that hir mother did escape awaie with other two daughters and that when in flieng awaie they were hindered by a riuer they of their owne accord rusht headlong into the same and by that meanes they were drowned Eusebius also in his eight booke and 15. chapter when he reckoneth vp the lewd lusts of Maxentius saith that he bearing inordinate loue vnto a certeine matrone of Rome of singular beautie priuilie sent ministers of his lewdnesse to bring hir vnto him Who hauing bound hir husband and vsed all threatenings towards him lastlie obteined of him that he yéelded his wife vnto the lust of the tyrant But she as though she would séeme to obeie when she had obteined a time to make hir selfe readie being retired into a parlor did thrust hir selfe through with a sword And that fact is not blamed but rather allowed Augustins opinion touching these examples Héere Augustine somewhat doubteth what answer to make First he saith that on the one part he séeth that lawe of God Thou shalt not kill and on the other part that they be celebrated in the church as martyrs As touching the word of God he is resolued and concerning the iudgement of the church it might be that God by some reuelation made it be knowen that their dooings pleased him and that they were stirred by the motion and instinct of the spirit and by the speciall counsell of God And like to this is that which we read to be doone by Samson Iud. 16 28. in the booke of Iudges But by Augustines leaue this comparison dooth not sufficientlie agrée for as touching Samson that he was set on by the spirit of GOD it is certeine also God restored his strength vnto him which he before had taken awaie And Samson when he died did call vpon the Lord. Heb. 11 32. And the epistle to the Hebrues giueth him a testimonie of faith and godlinesse and reckoneth him in the number of the saints Which can not be said of these virgins for they haue no testimonie out of the word of God Exod. 20 13 Augustine addeth that that lawe Thou shalt not kill is certeine and well knowen But no man must be persuaded to kill himselfe through a diuine motion vnlesse he knowe and haue a certeine triall that it is the motion of God Indéed I confesse that God sometimes dooth certeine things by extraordinarie means For he commanded the Hebrues to rob the Aegyptians Exod. 11 2. Gen. 22. 1. and Abraham to kill his sonne yet may we not hereby pronounce any thing more than we sée is euident by the holie scriptures Verelie I for my part can not allow of the facts of these virgins for whether they were doone by the motion of God I knowe not neither doo I thinke that the same can certeinlie inough be knowen of anie Yet may it be that they acknowledged their sinnes before they departed out of their life and that God forgaue them Vndoubtedlie the indeuour of defending chastitie and religion is verie laudable yet must we take héed that we defend the same by good meanes and right considerations Those virgins which did these things be praised Admit they be so But sometimes things which be doone amisse be praised also The word of God is such as in commending thereof we can not be deceiued 18 I knowe there be some of the latter writers which thus decrée that If anie man Whether for the cause of Gods glorie it be lawfull for one to kill himselfe for his owne sake bicause he can not indure either sharpenesse of punishment or reproch dooth kill himselfe he sinneth verie gréeuouslie but that if he onlie laie before his eies the glorie of God bicause he perceiueth that those things which he shall suffer will redound to his dishonor he may so be excused Iud. 16 30. For so Samson killed himselfe bicause he sawe that his miserie was a dishonor vnto God 2. Mach. 14. verse 43. And that same Razis also those other women which we now spake of did so likewise But this distinction dooth not weaken the truth which we defend for it is a stedfast and euerlasting rule Rom. 3 8. that We must not commit euill that good may come thereof Yea and the martyrs also could easilie perceiue that their death would redound to the glorie of Gods name yet was there none of them that killed himselfe 2. Sam. 1 16 Euen so might that
féeding and propagation would be frée from impediment and had rather fight than to be kept from these things And in the state of polygamie although women come not to the field yet they be at war togither somtime with chiding and bralling and oftentimes with their fists and nailes He that marrieth a wife giueth his bodie vnto his wife how can he then deliuer the same afterward to another It is a great iniustice when one will not abide by his promise Neuerthelesse thou wilt saie He deliuereth his bodie indéed yet not altogither I heare thée but why then will he haue his wife to giue hir bodie altogither vnto him In contracts consideration must be had to both alike Besides this the principall point of matrimonie is fréendship and fréendship dooth chéeflie consist in iustice if iustice halt matrimonie must néeds be lame Paule addeth that verse 4. The husband hath not power of his owne bodie but the wife nor the wife of hir owne bodie but the husband Wherefore the husband cannot marrie a second wife without iniurie doone vnto the first He affirmeth also that the troubles in matrimonie are verie great verse 28. For such shall haue tribulation of the flesh And it is not the part of a wise man to increase his owne troubles where no néed is for there be verie few which be able well to susteine one such kind of crosse as this is The eight argument 8 Another reason is deriued from the signification or sacrament Paule saith vnto the Ephesians Ephes 5 25. Husbands loue your wiues as Christ hath loued his church c. And They shall be two in one flesh Great saith he is this sacrament or mysterie in Christ I saie and his church But Christ hath one onelie church wherefore if our actions ought to be correspondent vnto the originall forme it shall not be lawfull for vs to marrie more wiues than one This reason Ierom vsed against Iouinian in which place he earnestlie inueiheth against Lamech who as he saith diuided one rib into two And so he affirmeth that the heretiks diuide the church into sundrie conuenticles This dooth not much trouble me séeing this reason might serue for polygamie For Salomon 1. Kin. 11 3. had seuen hundred Quéenes and thrée hundred concubins And in the Canticles it is read Cant. 6 7 and 8. that he had thrée score Quéenes and foure score concubins howbeit one of them was his dooue one was his perfect one That dooth Augustine in his treatise De bono coniugali the 18. chapter thus interpret that Christ of all his particular churches throughout the world hath collected one church vnto himselfe I passe ouer how others doo interpret Rachel to be the church and Lea the synagog In verie déed there was one onelie dooue that is to saie one perfect church The Schoole-diuines saie that thrée things speciallie are requisite in matrimonie fruitfulnesse dwelling togither that the man and woman may one helpe another and the sacrament as they terme it that is the signification That first good thing touching fruitfulnesse polygamie nothing hindereth naie rather it is an increase to the same Yet that they can dwell togither in that state and the husband helpe all his wiues alike it can hardlie be In matrimonie there must be a singular charitie But both reason it selfe and Aristotle in the eight booke of his Ethiks doo teach that speciall fréendship cannot abide among manie for among the more in number that fréendship is spred the slacker it must be toward euerie one in particular There ought also to be a singular vnitie in wedlocke for They be two in one flesh And Paule saith Ephe. 5 30. Bone of his bone and flesh of his flesh But no one man can be one and the same towards manie Further in polygamie all the rest are oftentimes contemned in comparison of one and they are counted in the place of handmaids and that same one dooth beare rule and command the rest Neither dooth malice there staie it selfe sith oftentimes for that one womans sake the residue are miserablie afflicted And this appéereth out of the second chapter of Malachie verse 14. for there the wiues that were waxed old when they were despised and wronged by their husbands by reason they had married other wiues came into the court of the temple and complained vnto the Lord. And héerein the husbands committed double sinne both in that they married others wiues and bicause they afflicted their former wiues It séemeth also that the hauing of manie wiues maketh against good manners sith enimities are not onelie sproong vp among their wiues but also are bred and increased among their children For Agar Gen. 16 4. when she sawe hir selfe to haue conceiued she despised hir mistres then she fled afterward when she was returned and could not agrée with Sara Abraham was constrained to cast hir foorth Ibid. 21 14. Touching Iacob the historie is well knowne Of Helcan and his wiues we haue spoken in our Commentaries vpon the first booke of Samuel Epiphanius Epiphanius against the Massalians saith that The ancient fathers when they had manie wiues neuer susteined them togither in one house Gen. 31 33. Whence he tooke that I knowe not yet from thence I suppose he had the same for that Laban when he pursued Iacob and sought his idols it is written that he first entered into the tent of Rachel afterward of Lea whereby it appeareth that they dwelt asunder Salomon although he gaue no good counsell to himselfe yet by th'inspiration of the holie Ghost he gaue good warning to others For in the Prouerbs he saith Prou. 5 19. Delight thy selfe with the wife of thy youth let hir be thy hynd let hir be thy fawne satisfie thy selfe alwaies with hir paps But this cannot he doo which hath manie wiues And not onelie Salomon did sée this but Laban also For he although he had forced Iacob to take the two sisters yet when he ouertooke him flieng into Gilead and had made a couenant with him he added this Gen. 31 50. Molest not my daughters nor yet bring in other wiues vnto them For this he sawe could not be doone but that those should be greatlie disquieted Lamech had two wiues Gen. 4 19. Ada and Sela and Sela signifieth in Latine Vmbra eius that is His shadowe For she séemed rather to be the shadowe of a wife than a wife indéed 9 Yea and the Comedie also teacheth that polygamie is a great corrupting of matrimonie sith in the Comedie Phormio the old man Chremes when he had a wife at Athens that was rich and would marrie an other in Lemnos was constrained to change his name and to call him selfe Stilpho Which vnlesse he had doone perhaps that second woman of Lemnos would not haue béene married vnto him Yea Chremes by the Parasite Phormio is accused of polygamie as of a gréeuous crime and offense The Romane lawes
conspire new matters and at last alienate themselues froÌ the Common-weale They also saw a great danger to hang therevpon lest he should not be iust and seueare in giuing of iudgement bicause he would gratifie his kinsfolks more than others Lastlie it should not be frée for them to haue marriages within the prouinces bicause magistrates might in a maner compell them of the prouinces to contract matrimonies either with themselues or with their fréends Felix was married to a Iew. Acts. 24 25. We sée also this excellent lawe violated For Felix which gouerned Iurie vnder Nero as it is written in the 24. chapter of the Acts of the apostles had Drusilla a Iew to wife But what néed is it to rehearse that these lawes of lesse weight were not obserued when as that people had shaken off euen those lawes which we called morall and are knowne by the lawe of nature Cicero declareth in his Oration for Cluentius that Sassia Cicero a certeine wicked woman was so inflamed with wicked lust that she instigated hir sonne in lawe Aurius Melinus The prodigious loue of Sassia to whom she had before married hir daughter to refuse his wife that he might take hir to wife in stéed of hir daughter which at the length she brought to passe And whereas that déed was accounted full of dishonestie yet was it not punished by the lawes Neither doo we read that the matrimonie which Cicero affirmeth was vnluckilie contracted without order or authoritie was dissolued by the power and commandement of the magistrates Wherefore there is héere also offered a good reason whie God would againe inculcate by a new lawe those things which by the light of nature were iudged to be honest for the bounds bars closures of nature were broken by the impotent lust of men and therefore they were to be made surer by another bond For the Israelits were no more shamefast in kéeping of naturall honestie than the Romans were 44 Neither is this to be forgotten that God had certeine proper things in his lawe which may be called peculiar séeing all men were not bound vnto them by the lawe of nature but the Hebrues onelie For he would not haue them to contract matrimonie with the Chanaanits Exod. 34 16 Ammorhites Iebusits for other people séeme not to haue béene bound to that lawe Neither should we at this daie if there were such nations still be letted but that we might ioine our selues in matrimonie with them Although the cause of that lawe ought at this daie to be holden which cause is The godlie must not ioine in marriage with the vngodlie Augustine that matrimonies should not be contracted with them that be of a contrarie religion for we must beware that the godlie be not ioined with the wicked I knowe that Augustine concerning vnlawfull mariages writeth to Pollentius in the second booke and De sermone Domini in monte that There is not a place in the new testament wherein by expresse words matrimonies with infidels are forbidden But of this matter I will not write much at this present séeing I haue largelie intreated thereof vpon the epistle to the Corinthians This will I saie moreouer that a good man in contracting of matrimonies ought to followe chéeflie that which is honest not lightlie to depart from commendable orders vsuall customs which are not against the word of God And if there happen peraduenture anie doubt let him not thinke it much to aske his magistrate otherwise he shall rashlie put foorth himselfe his wife and his children into danger For if he be married in anie of the degrées prohibited he shall not be counted a husband but a whooremonger and his wife shall be called a harlot and the children in that marriage begotten shall be taken for bastards Howbeit the magistrate although he may not concerning matrimonie forbid certeine other contracts besides those which God hath forbidden yet can he not neither ought he to remit anie of those which God hath commanded and which he hath forbidden by his lawe Yea he must most diligentlie take héed that he burthen not the people too much or without an earnest cause as we sée that the Pope hath doone who hath two waies sinned therein First The Pope hath two waies erred touching these laws in that he durst vsurpe the office of making lawes in a Common wealth which vndoubtedlie perteineth not vnto him Secondlie bicause in his lawes he followed not the word of God but without reason forbad first all degrées euen to the seuenth which he perceiuing afterward not to be obserued and that all things were full of confusion he restrained his prohibitious to the fourth degrée Wherein he is constant and obstinate if there come no monie in but if monie be offered whereof he must haue much brought him to fill his gréedie desire he dispenseth as pleaseth him both with his owne lawes and the word of God 45 This also must be knowne that God hath in his lawes another decrée which we may call peculiar bicause it should not extend to other nations neither ought it to be in force at all times Deut. 25 5. And that was that when anie husband did die without children the brother that remained aliue Of marrieng a widowe to the next of kin or some other next of kin should marrie hir that was left so that the first which shuld be procreated of that marriage should be counted the sonne of him that was dead and as in the inheritance should fullie succéed him For God would not in that Common-weale that men should altogither be extinguished And he prouided that this diuision of lands should be kept as much as might be And séeing the same is not vsed in our publike weales neither that God hath commanded it therefore it dooth nothing apperteine vnto vs. Wherefore we must kéepe our selues vnder the generall and common lawe namelie that no man presume to marrie the wife of his brother being dead although he died without children And be it knowne vnto vs that in the beginning when onelie the familie of Adam liued on the earth brethren were not forbidden as they were afterward for brethren were driuen of necessitie to marrie their sisters Howbeit afterward when as men were increased in number they began to be ashamed and by the instinction of God or nature either to absteine from prohibited persons or at the least-wise to knowe that such coniunctions were full of ignominie But what time they began first to absteine it appéereth not by the historie The heathen poets perhaps shewed that necessitie of them in old time which vrged the familie of the first parents to match the brother and sister togither when they feine that their gods had their sisters to wiues The gods of the Ethniks married their sisters For the chéefe of them namelie Iupiter had Iuno who in Virgil thus speaketh of hir selfe But I which walke the Queene of gods both
concubine at home so saie they the issue shall be certeine Certeine perhaps it might be but lawfull it shall not be Séeing therefore that this mischéefe is both against matrimonie and charitie and also the publike weale it cannot be denied but that it is a sinne most gréeuous And for so much as it is so whie are the stews at this daie openlie suffered in cities I speake not of the Ethniks I speake of the Christians and of those Christians which will alone séeme to be the successors of Christ and to be called by that name Within their dominion whooredome is most shamefullie mainteined they not onelie being willing vnto it but also taking aduantage and reuenues for the same That which is against the word of God against matrimonie against charitie and against the publike weale either it is no sinne at all or else it is a notable sinne If it be a sinne why is it not taken awaie and wéeded out Howbeit I knowe what they will babble Augustine They bring foorth Augustine who in his booke De ordine writeth thus Take awaie brothell houses and all places will be filled with filthie lusts But let vs consider at what time Augustine wrote this booke Doubtlesse while he was yet Catechumenus that is vnbaptised and not sufficientlie instructed in religion And although he had not béene Catechumenus yet this saieng of his dooth not agrée with the word of God neither with verie Augustine himselfe who in another place affirmeth that the good which commeth of euill as a recompense must not be admitted Which also Paule vnto the Romans taught euen as they were woont to saie of vs Rom. 3 8. Let vs doo euill that good may come therof whose damnation is iust We must neuer haue regard to the end and euent when we be vrged by the commandement of God Sometimes men saie vnto vs Vnlesse thou commit sinne this or that euill will succéed But we must answer what God hath commanded the care of the successe shall rest vpon him Neither is it méet that one onelie sentence of Augustine should be of greater authoritie than so manie reasons which we haue brought and so manie plaine places of the word of God 7 God commanded absolutelie and by expresse words Deut. 23. 17 that there should be no harlot in Israel But some go about to wrest this place from vs Certeine words taken both in the good part and the ill in saieng that these Hebrue words Kedescha and Kedeschim signifie not Whoores or Harlots but rather the priests of Priapus which were vowed and consecrated to things most filthie But contrariewise I thinke that Kedescha signifieth an Harlot and Kedeschim Buggerers and effeminate persons God would haue neither of those suffered among the people And that which they obiect of the holie seruices of Priapus it is nothing For it was sufficientlie before decréed touching idolatrie and what néed it to be repeated againe Yet that we may the more manifestlie vnderstand that Kedescha signifieth an Harlot Gen. 38 ver 15 c. let vs read the historie of Iuda and Thamar in the booke of Genesis and there we shall sée that Zonah and Kedescha are taken both for one and the selfe-same thing For which cause we must note that there are certeine words which may be taken both in the good and euill part Of which sort among the Hebrues is this word Kedescha which signifieth both Holie and also an Harlot euen as is this word Sacrum among the Latins it signifieth curssed And therevpon Virgil saith Auri sacra fames Virgil. that is The curssed hunger of gold This Hebrue word Kedes is To prepare or To be prepared whereof is deriued that word which signifieth an Harlot bicause such women are prepared and set readie for all men or else bicause they are woont to go trimlie decked and painted Wherfore Clemens saith Clemens that The Lacedaemonians suffered harlots to weare wrought garments fine apparell and gold which things were not lawfull for matrons to vse Now let vs sée what followeth in Deuteronomie verse 18. And the hire of an harlot shall not be brought into the sanctuarie Here againe the lawe calleth that Zonah which it had before called Kedescha But thou wilt saie If the lawe would not haue harlots to be suffered what néeded it to haue forbidden their oblations What néeded this lawe They which speake on this wise doo séeme indéed to speake wittilie but yet they speake not sufficientlie For foreine nations also sent gifts for the furniture and vse of the temple The Eunuch of the Quéene of Aethiopia came to Ierusalem to offer in the temple The Macedonians and Romans gaue yéerelie oblations and sacrifices in the temple Wherfore the lawe forbiddeth that if anie thing be offered by strangers that is gotten by the gaine of an harlot the same should not be admitted into the sanctuarie Besides this God had giuen a charge that there should be no harlot in Israel but he knew that they would not obserue that lawe And when the Philistines Macedonians and Romans reigned ouer them they had harlots Matt. 21 31 Yea and Christ maketh mention of harlots and publicans togither Then right well dooth God first forbid that there should be no harlots among the Hebrues and afterward he decréeth that if in case they were had the gaine comming of them should not be admitted into the sanctuarie Which vndoubtedlie he commanded bicause of the vilenesse and filthinesse of the gaine In the same place he added Ibidem The price also of a dog shall not be brought into the sanctuarie bicause that beast is fowle and vncleane 8 Caligula otherwise a detestable monster decréed as we haue in Suetonius that they Suetonius which should commit whooredome or brothelrie should be openlie punished Hostiensis Hereof Hostiensis writeth ridiculouslie Harlots indéed saith he are bound to paie and to offer but the church cannot nor ought not to receiue the same Yet the glose dooth much better decrée in the Decretals distinction the 90. in the chapter Oblationis namelie that Nothing at all which commeth of the gaine of an harlot should be offered in the church But priests and moonks when they feared that some of their profit should be gon haue deuised an other reason For although saie they the gaine of harlots cannot be receiued for an oblation The Pope makes an vniust gaine of harlots Looke In Gen. 38 21. yet nothing letteth but that it may be receiued for almes But after what sort dooth the Pope receiue the monie of harlots Surelie not as an oblation bicause he cannot nor as almes bicause he is not poore it resteth therfore that he receiueth the same as a prince The Lord would not haue this kind of monie in his sanctuarie but the Pope will haue it in his treasurie and he hath it and getteth a woonderfull great gaine by it Whose vicar then is the Pope Gods vicar Naie God
place saith Those things that séeme to be righteousnesse in vs are compared vnto the cloth of a polluted woman And this he speaketh verie well notwithstanding that he misse afterward in other matters Moreouer where it is said Enter not into iudgement with thy seruant Psal 143 2. according to thy righteousnesse Againe Forgiue vs our trespasses and such other like saiengs Matth. 6 12 I vnderstand to be spoken generallie and not particularlie of those things onelie which be manifest sinnes but euen of those actions which be honest and good in apperance For these if they be examined by the rule of the lawe will alwaies be found short of the same Wherefore Augustine in his tenth booke of confessions and 13. chapter Wo saith he be vnto mans life though it séeme laudable if it shuld be iudged when mercie were absent Also De spiritu litera the last chapter he wrote that Those things cannot be beloued of vs which we knowe not And againe that those things which we loue are loued by vs but yet according to a measure of knowledge So then it followeth that séeing the knowledge of GOD which we haue in this life is vnperfect he saith that our loue also towards him cannot be perfect Neuerthelesse when we shall behold him as he is in the euerlasting habitation there we shall perfectlie loue him And I praie you saith Augustine what shall we then doo more but loue him with all our hart and with all our soule But now séeing our knowledge is dull our loue also is the more vnperfect wherefore while we liue here we doo not loue God so much as the lawe requireth And they which haue profited in louing of God aboue others doo acknowledge how far they be from the waie of true loue Howbeit there is a certeine measure of the loue of God agréeable to this life the which consisteth in the not following of our lusts but that we should continuallie wrestle against them He addeth moreouer that it cannot be denied but that if God will he can bring this to passe and that he may giue such plentie of his grace spirit as all vice may be remooued But this he neuer did nor yet promised that he would doo it bicause if it be lawfull for him to giue this vnto the saints in the euerlasting habitation hée might also if it pleased him haue granted it in this life We must distinguish betweene power and will Matt. 26 53. And they séeme not to teach aright which in God denie his power to be distinguished from his will for Christ saith Could not I require my father and he would giue me more than twelue legions of angels 2 This reason of Augustine might in verie déed suffice but I haue yet more sure and more perfect confirmations For Paule in the seuenth chapter to the Romans Rom. 7 verse 7 c. dooth plainelie declare what was in himselfe as well touching the flesh as the spirit Albeit I knowe there be some A place of Paule expounded which iudge that the apostle spake not there of himselfe nor yet of them which be regenerate but that in his owne person he susteineth the spéeches of the vngodlie Of which mind Chrysostome was Also Augustine in his booke of 83. questions in the 66. question was of the same mind while he was yet somewhat yoong But in his sixt booke against Iulian the Pelagian the eleuenth chapter hauing weighed the thing better he affirmed that Paule spake of them which be regenerate And in his booke of retractations the 23. chapter he corrected his first opinion Ambrose in his booke De paradiso and also in his booke De sacramento as it is cited by Augustine referred those saiengs of Paule vnto the godlie and to them that be alreadie regenerate The which also Hilarius and Gregorius Nazianzen doo And vndoubtedlie the place being so vnderstood dooth bring great consolation vnto the godlie For although they belong to Christ yet they find themselues to be excéedinglie troubled with ill motions and affections with the which temptations they being exercised might easilie thinke that they perteine not to the elect For further proofe also the same apostle writeth vnto the Galathians Gal. 5 17. that The spirit fighteth against the flesh and the flesh against the spirit that ye cannot doo those things which ye would doo In which place without question he speaketh of the regenerate That those things also which in the place now alledged namelie verse 25. in the seuenth chapter to the Romans are to be referred vnto the godlie it is hereby prooued in that he saith his mind is delited in the lawe of God Which is not agréeable with them that be not regenerate who account not the lawe of God for anie pleasant thing vnto them wheras vnto the godlie it is more pleasant than honie and more déere than gold and pretious stones And he addeth these words namelie Of the inward man And no man is ignorant but that the inward man is attributed vnto the godlie so far foorth as they be regenerate But in them which be not regenerate there is no mention at all either of the new or inward man Besides Paule crieth out in that place O vnhappie man that I am Rom. 7 24. The which cannot be ascribed vnto them that be not borne anew for they doo not therefore thinke themselues vnhappie bicause they be drawne backe from the lawe of God He added also Who shall deliuer me Where the pronoune of the first person hath an effectuall emphasis and prooueth not a little that he writeth of his owne selfe And in the same chapter he saith To will is redie with me Ibidem 18. but I find no meanes to performe that which I would Here would I haue it answered how vnto those that are not regenerate a will to doo good can be present There is no doubt but that God dooth grant vnto the iustified to will well Afterward he saith I doo the euill which I hate and not the good which I would But to hate euill and to will good belongeth to none other but to the regenerate He addeth also Ibidem 2â I serue the lawe of GOD in my mind Then must it néeds be that he speaketh of himselfe regenerate otherwise it had not béene lawfull for him to haue pronounced these things of himselfe In the end he saith Ibidem 23. that He was drawne captiue into the lawe of sinne when as the vngodlie and those that be strangers from Christ go willinglie and without resistance vnto euils from which they are not plucked awaie 3 But it séemeth to be a let vnto the exposition which we haue brought when he saith that He is carnall Ibidem 14 Vnto this we answer that although we be borne anew yet is there verie much of the flesh remaining in vs. Wherefore the same apostle saith vnto the Corinthians 1. Cor. 3 1 I could not speake
testification of things Who hath in his owne power It is not in our owne will to be touched with that sight wherby our will should be mooued to faith to haue his mind touched with such a sight whereby the will may be mooued vnto faith And in his 61. sermon vpon Iohn All sinnes saith he are comprehended vnder the name of infidelitie And he addeth that Faith cannot be without hope and charitie which thing also he most plainlie teacheth vpon the 31. psalme The same father in his first booke and 19. chapter against the two epistles of the Pelagians at large intreateth after what maner we are drawne of God and amongst other things he saith that the Pelagians would too much triumph ouer the christians if they had not the word of drawing in the holie scriptures But forsomuch as that word is expressed in the verie Gospell they haue vtterlie no place to flie vnto Iohn 6 44. There are infinite other places in Augustine which doo confirme this opinion which now for breuitie sake I thinke good to ouerpasse 82 Cyrillus against Iulianus in his first booke Cyrill and 14. page saith The faith of Abraham and our faith is vtterlie one and the same And the same author vpon Iohn in the third booke and 31. chapter expounding this sentence Iohn 6 29. This is the worke of God that ye beleeue in him whom he hath sent For faith saith he bringeth saluation and grace iustifieth but the commandements of the lawe rather condemne wherefore faith in Christ is the worke of GOD. In these words we ought to note that faith is it whereby is brought saluation and that we are iustified by grace And he declareth these things more plainlie vpon Iohn in his ninth booke and 32. chapter vpon these words And whither I go Iohn 14 4. ye knowe and ye knowe the waie For we are iustified by faith and are made partakers of the diuine nature by the participation of the holie Ghost Leo. Leo in his 13. sermon of the passion of the Lord The fathers saith he beléeued togither with vs that the bloud of the sonne of God should be shed The fathers were iustified by the faith of the same promises which we beleeue Wherfore there is nothing déerlie beloued strange in christian religion from the things which were of old signified neither was saluation hoped for at any time of the righteous men who haue liued before vs but by the Lord Iesus Christ for whom they did looke This and manie other like testimonies doo confute those chéeflie which dare saie that Abraham was indéed iustified yet not through faith in Christ but by faith touching earthlie promises Albeit this author may séeme to make against vs in that we saie that true faith is not found without charitie for in his sermon De collectione eleemosyna he thus writeth of sathan He knowing that God is denied not onelie in words but also in déeds hath taken awaie charitie from many from whom he could not take awaie faith possessing the féeld of their hart with the roots of couetousnes he hath spoiled of the fruit of good works those whom he hath not depriued of the confession of their lips These words if they be déepelie considered make nothing at all against vs for we speake of a true sound and liuelie faith But Leo vnderstandeth onelie a certeine outward profession of faith for when he would render a reason whereby it might appéere that faith was not taken from them he mentioneth onelie an outward confession of the lips which we also grant may consist without charitie and be oftentimes boasted of of manie men which neuerthelesse are most wicked And after this maner I suppose are to be expounded such like testimonies if anie happen in the fathers Gregorie Gregorie Bishop of Rome in his 19. homilie vpon Ezechiel We come not saith he to faith by works but by faith we atteine vnto vertues for Cornelius the Centurian came not by works vnto faith but by faith he came vnto works Acts. 10 4. for it is said Thy praiers and almes But how praied he if he beléeued not But now because he knew not that the mediatour was incarnate by workes he came vnto a more full knowledge Hereby I would haue our aduersaries to know that faith necessarilie goeth before all good works for they affirme that morall works which arââoone of Ethniks and of men not yet beléeuing in Christ are good which thing is in this place of Gregorie confuted The same author in his second booke and 25. chapter of his morals speaking of the same matter thus writeth Vnlesse faith be first gotten in our harts all other things whatsoeuer they be cannot indéed be good Beda although they séeme good Beda vpon the 2. chapter of Iames He onelie beléeueth trulie which by working exerciseth that which he beléeueth for faith and charitie cannot be separated asunder And this shall suffice as touching the fathers But what the African Mileuitan and Arausican councell doo teach concerning iustification faith grace and works we haue before at large declared in the former article This onelie I will now adde that our aduersaries when they saie that GOD offereth his grace vnto all men and giueth his gifts vnto men that desire them and take hold of them and forgiueth sinnes to them that doo that which they ought to doo for so much as in the meane time they omit the inspiration of the holie Ghost and the power of God which draweth vs and the inward persuasion of the mind and also those things which are most chéeflie required in this matter they are most manifestlie against those councels which we haue now cited Howbeit I cannot leaue vnspoken that in the councell of Mentz which was celebrated vnder Carolus Magnus in the first chapter is cited Gregorie who thus writeth He beléeueth trulie which by working exerciseth that which he beléeueth 83 Forsomuch therefore as we haue now hitherto spoken as touching this article namelie that men are iustified by faith in Christ and haue confirmed the same by scriptures and haue ouerthrowne the obiections of our aduersaries and alleadged testimonies of the Fathers to confirme our saieng let vs now come to the third article Wherefore we saie The third article that iustification consisteth by faith onelie Which saieng all those places of scripture doo prooue We are not iustified by faith onelie which teach that we are iustified fréelie and those which affirme that iustification commeth without works and those also which put an Antithesis or contrarietie betwéen grace and works all these places I say most trulie conclude that we are iustified by faith onelie although this word Onelie be not read in the holie scripture But that is not so much to be weighed for the signification of that word is of necessitie gathered out of them Further this also is to be noted euen as we haue alreadie before taught that we
afterward is made perfect and full when other good works come vnto it But how vaine this is Rom. 3 28. Paule himselfe sufficientlie teacheth for he dooth not onelie saie that We are iustified by faith onelie but also he addeth without works Further this also maketh against these men which is written in the booke of Wisedome To knowe God is full righteousnesse Wisd 15 3. In which place it is a sport to sée how Smith wringeth himselfe First he dares not denie the sentence for he counteth that booke for canonicall but as he is of a sharpe wit at the last this he deuiseth that God is not knowen by faith onelie but also by loue But who euer would so saie but onelie this man Vndoubtedlie by loue we doo not knowe but we doo loue But that which is spoken in the booke of Wisdome which yet with me is not of so great authoritie Christ himselfe hath most manifestlie testified in the Gospell saieng Iohn 17 3. This is eternall life that they knowe thee the onelie true God Although of this saieng also of our sauiour Gardiner the Bishop of Winchester Gardiner deuised of late I wot not what namelie that to knowe God is not properlie eternall life although it somewhat helpe forward therevnto But forsomuch as neither the Fathers nor Paule nor Christ himselfe can satisfie these men there is no hope that we shall anie thing preuaile with our reasons They adde moreouer that the Fathers saie that onelie faith iustifieth that is it is the principallest thing whereby we are iustified I confesse in déed This word Onelie sometime signifieth Principall 1. Cor. 13 13 that Onelie sometimes signifieth Principall But this sense cannot agrée with Paules purpose for if charitie be compared with faith charitie as Paule saith is more excellent and better Wherefore if both of them iustifie as these men will haue it then should charitie haue the chéefest part and not faith And this also is a great let vnto these men which I haue oftentimes spoken of that Paule so ascribeth iustification vnto faith that he saith Without works Augustine But Augustine saie they vnto Simplicianus writeth that By faith we begin to be iustified Vnto this we maie answer two maner of waies first that that beginning is such that in verie déed it hath the verie full and whole iustification So that Augustines meaning is that we are iustified so soone as we haue faith Or if this please them not we will saie as the truth is in déed that Augustine ment of the righteousnesse which sticketh in vs. They cite also Ambrose vpon the fift chapter vnto the Galathians In Christ c. For saith he we haue néed of faith onelie in charitie to iustification Behold saie they vnto iustification we haue no lesse néed of charitie than of faith But they are far deceiued for by those words Ambrose ment nothing else but to make a distinction betwéene true faith and vaine opinion therefore he saith that we haue néed of faith onelie namelie that which is ioined with charitie But Ierom vpon the fift chapter vnto the Galathians saith that It is charitie onelie Gala. 5 6. which maketh cleane the hart What other thing else shall we here answer but that this his saieng if it be sharplie and sincerelie vrged is false For it is faith also which purifieth the harts as it written in the Acts of the apostles And Paule vnto Timothie saith 1. Tim. 1 5. Charitie out of a pure hart and a good conscience c. By which words it is plaine that the hart must of necessitie first be pure before charitie can come Wherfore we will interpret that sentence by the effect and as touching our knowledge for then it is most certeine that we are regenerate and haue a cleane hart when we be indued with charitie After this maner also haue we before expounded this Manie sinnes are forgiuen hir bicause she loued much 89 And by the selfe-same meanes also may that saieng of Augustine in his booke De natura gratia the 38. chapter be answered vnto It is the charitie of God saith he by which onelie he is iust whosoeuer is iust But this séemeth also best vnto me to vnderstand such saiengs of the fathers to concerne that righteousnes which abideth and sticketh in vs for that consisteth not onelie of faith but also of all vertues good works Why our righteousnes is somtime attributed vnto charitie alone Now bicause amongst all vertues charitie is the principall therfore the fathers somtimes attribute righteousnes vnto it onlie And that which our aduersaries haue most vniustlie vsurped to expound this word Onelie for Principall or cheefe may in this place most iustlie serue vs for here we intreate not of that iustification which is had by imputation but of that which we atteine to after regeneration Wherefore in this our proposition we exclude not from a man that is iustified hope charitie and other good works but this onelie we saie that they haue not the power or cause or merit of iustifieng And when we saie that a man is iustified by faith onelie we saie nothing else vndoubtedlie but that a man is iustified onelie by the mercie of God and by the merit of Christ onelie which cannot be apprehended by anie other instrument than by faith onelie We must not desist from vsing this word Onelie Neither must we giue place vnto our aduersaries not to vse this word Onelie though they crie out neuer so much that of it springeth great offense and mens minds are by this persuasion somewhat weakened in the exercise of vertues For by sound doctrine we doo easilie remedie these discommodities for we alwaies teach that it is not iustification or true faith which wanteth the fruits of good life But we see the subtile and craftie deuise of these men for if we should saie that a man is simplie iustified by faith leauing out this word Onelie straitwaie they would adde of their owne that a man indéed is iustified by faith but yet he is no lesse iustified by hope and charitie and other good works For this verie cause the Catholikes in times past would not permit vnto the Arrians this word ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã A like example that is Consubstantial or Of like substance bicause they would straitwaie haue said that The sonne indéed by appellation or name is God like vnto the father and in a maner equall vnto him but yet not of one and the selfe-same nature and substance Wherefore they did with tooth and naile defend and kéepe still this word ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã that is Consubstantiall or Of one and the selfe-same substance as a word most apt to expresse the truth of that controuersie Which they might also by good right doo and chéefelie for that they sawe that that word was of necessitie concluded out of the holie scriptures out of which also is most euidentlie concluded this our word
fact We knowe that in those daies it was lawfull to vow but what is to be thought of this act nothing can be gathered by the words It may be that he so vowed by the inspiration of God which being a particular example it ought not to be extended to imitation as of this kind there be verie manie in the holie scriptures Some there be which affirme Whether Ieptha sacrificed his daughter that Ieptha did not offer his daughter in verie déed but onelie punished hir with ciuill death namelie in separating hir from the common conuersation so that she liued onelie vnto God by giuing hir selfe to praiers onelie and by liuing apart from the companie of men And they séeme to affirme that that was the vow Cherem howbeit no such as thereby the maiden should be bound to be killed but that she should liue as dedicated vnto God and continuallie giue hir selfe to his seruice And euen as a féeld or house dedicated by the vow Cherem The vow Cherem could not be reuoked to the first owner so saie they this maiden being once dedicated vnto the Lord could not returne vnto hir old state Dauid Kimhi in defending of this sentence bringeth these reasons First he weigheth the words of Ieptha Iude. 11 31. Whatsoeuer commeth foorth of my house shal be the Lords and I will offer it for a burnt offering This letter Vau being a coniunction copulatiue as we said in our commentarie he thinks dooth make a proposition alternatiue as if it should haue béene said If it be such a thing as may be sacrificed it shall be sacrificed but if it be otherwise it shal be the Lords and be dedicated vnto him Ibidem 37. Further he saith that the maiden desired space to bewaile hir virginitie neither is it written To bewaile hir soule or life Wherefore it séemeth that she bewailed onelie this to wit that she should want a husband and children but if she should haue béene offered vp it behooued hir chéeflie to lament for hir life Lastlie he saith verse 39. that the woords of the storie declare it for it is not said that Ieptha sacrificed hir but that he did as he vowed If he had killed hir it would haue béen written And he offered hir a burnt offering to the Lord. Of the same opinion is Rabbi Leui Ben-Gerson and he addeth that it is written in the text Rabbi Leui Ben-Gerson And she knew no man As though it should be vnderstood hereby what kind of sacrifice that was And he thinketh that Ieptha builded a house for hir where she should liue alone and he permitted her fellow virgins once a yeare to go and visit hir and to bewaile hir virginitie togither with hir And afterward he addeth that a man so dedicated ought not to liue without a wife bicause the man is not subiect vnto the wife Samuel although he were vowed vnto the Lord by the decrée of his mother yet had he a wife and children But a woman being so dedicated might not marrie bicause it was necessarie that she shuld serue hir husband who remoouing anie whither she was to go togither with him And therefore it is written that Ieptha did to hir acording to his vow she knew no man 15 Of the same mind is Lyranus and there be among the new writers some of great learning which followe this interpretation Lyra. But Lyranus pondereth these words And the spirit of the Lord came vpon him and saith that That spirit would not haue suffered Ieptha Ibidem 29. to haue coÌmitted this murder Besides he saith that it is written that there were two moneths space giuen so that he might aske counsell of the priests And it is not verie likelie verse 39 but that he asked counsell of so weightie a matter or else that they told him that he might redéeme his vow Neither is it probable that this Ieptha appointed to doo anie thing rashlie séeing the epistle to the Hebrues calleth him holie If thou wilt saie He did vnto hir as he had vowed Heb. 11 32. but he vowed a sacrifice and to offer whatsoeuer met him they will answer He vowed indéed but vpon this condition so that it were lawfull But when his daughter met him either he learned or else he vnderstood that it was not lawfull Wherefore if he had killed hir he had not accomplished his vow but should haue dishonested himselfe But on the contrarie part it séemeth woonderfull that he was so abashed and he tare his garments if the maiden should not haue béene offered vp Further to what end should the virgins haue lamented hir For if she should not haue béene slaine there séemed to be no iust cause of moorning Ouer this if hir virginitie was to be offered vnto God it should haue béene giuen with a willing mind Yea and in the rendering of vowes this is chéeflie to be regarded What must be cheeflie regarded in vowes that they must be paid chéerfullie and with a willing mind Herevnto Ieptha had no example in the scriptures whereby it should be lawfull for the father to bind his daughter by a vow to kéepe hir virginitie but contrariwise God promiseth abundance of children vnto the obseruers of the lawe in the seuenth of Deuteronomie Deut. 7. 13. Exod. 23 26 and 23. of Exodus So then that which GOD promiseth in sted of a great benefit the same might not be hindered by a vow Moreouer the arguments of the Rabbins are slender and weake as afterward shall be more abundantlie declared Paule writeth in his first epistle to the Corinthians the seuenth chapter verse 37. If the father shall firmelie determine in his hart hauing power ouer his owne will to keepe his virgine vnmarried he dooth well c. Wherefore writeth he Hauing power ouer his owne will If the maiden hir selfe will the father may kéepe hir vnmarried so that she consent But Ieptha knew nothing of his daughters will when he vowed and then he ought not to thinke his vow to be ratified when his daughter came out to méet him And if this kind of vow should not be firme in the new testament much lesse was it of value in the old testament where the vow of virginitie was not knowne But of this matter I haue spoken more in my booke of vowes 16 There were others which thought that Ieptha did in verie déed offer the maiden which in those daies should not séeme so new and vnaccustomed a thing for God required of Abraham that he should offer his sonne Gen. 22 2. And such a vow was thought of manie to be acceptable vnto God and that opinion also did passe vnto the Ethniks wherefore this sentence is oftentimes spoken Sanguine placâstis ventos virgine caesa that is With bloud and with a virgine slaine The winds ye haue appeasd certaine There are works of poets which make mention of Polyxena and Iphigenia and also histories of the Curtij
Galathians and else-where in other places which would now be ouerlong to recite And in like maner touching gifts what néed we to doubt we haue Paule in the 11. to the Romans And Christ saith Saue they to whom it is giuen Rom. 11 29. In the same 7. chapter to the Corinthians it is said Matt. 19 11. Let euerie one abide in that state 1. Cor. 7 20. wherevnto he is called And in the 11. chapt to the Romans he ioined these two words togither The gifts and calling of GOD are without repentance Rom. 11 29. Neither doo we saie that the gift of sole life is of that sort that by it all temptation can be taken awaie By the gift of sole life is not meant all temptation to be taken awaie for we knowe that we ought to praie to chastise the bodie to bring the flesh into subiection yea euen they which are in matrimonie much more they which liue a sole life But we saie that those temptations are not to be borne whereby either we are ouercome or our mind so darkened as we are not able to execute those things What temptations are not to be borne which we ought to doo or else be so defiled as we call not vpon God with a good and pure conscience For it behooueth them which after this maner be afflicted to séeke redresse by matrimonie otherwise this is nothing else but to striue against God But the chaines wherewith manie of our aduersaries be tied The chains wherewith the aduersaries be tied are idlenesse and the lust of voluptuousnesse for they flie the yoke the labour of bringing vp children and the gouernment of houshold and giue themselues to nothing else but to hoording vp of riches to pride and prodigalitie 21 Perhaps thou wilt demand How the gift of God is knowne in temptations Augustine how these gifts shall be knowne in temptations Wherin least thou shouldest thinke that I bring a deuise of my owne head thou shalt heare what Augustine saith in his booke De sancta virginitate 44. chapter The secret gifts of God which are not knowne vnlesse temptation make search doo declare vnto euerie man what he is Also in the 45. chapter Vndoubtedlie except temptation be present there is no demonstration made of this gift Herevnto also agrée the scriptures for the apostle saith It is better to marrie than to burne And Christ said 1. Cor. 7 9. He that is able to receiue let him receiue The which saiengs Matt. 19 11. if they be examined doo call vs backe to the searching out of temptations It séemeth also that the seuerall states of our vocations are to be considered for some of them are verie much repugnant vnto matrimonie The states of our vocation must be considered such are the state of trauelling wandering abroad nauigations and such like wherein it dooth not easilie appeare to what purpose thou shouldest enter into matrimonie séeing thou canst not attend therevpon When sole life is commanded So long therefore as these vocations shall be necessarie for thée perhaps by the word of God and that thou canst not shake them off sole life is commanded thée by God Moreouer Also the inclination of the mind must be weighed thou must weigh the inclination of thy mind especiallie whilest thou shalt be at quiet from the heat of temptations for séeing we so manie as are of Christ haue the spirit of GOD therefore manie times we haue intisements and prouocations of minds Furthermore beware that thou haue not a desire vnto an vnprofitable idle and lither sole life We must beware of an vnprofitable and filthie sole Wherevnto a sole life must tend I saie not a delicate vnchast and filthie sole life Moreouer let the end of a sole life haue respect to the vnseparable cleauing vnto God for the labouring in his seruice for the preaching of the Gospell for a man t'applie himselfe night and daie in praiers studies and good works otherwise thou mightest be reckoned among the foolish virgins We be not of Iouinians mind that matrimonie is to be accounted equall vnto virginitie or sole life I speake not in respect of the holinesse of the degrée but bicause of the commodities and fewer causes of distracting of the mind And thus we preferre virginitie so that other things be of equalitie but if there be found greater faith and charitie in matrimonie I will not make anie account at all of infirmitie Wherfore Augustine in his booke De virginitate saith We saie Augustine that better is a modest and obedient married woman than is a proud and stubborne virgine Neither doo we iudge of sole life that it is in these daies as it was héeretofore among the Iewes and Ethniks of no honest reputation for Cicero Cicero in his booke De legibus writeth Forbid ye that none doo lead a sole life Christ remooued awaie this ignominie of sole life and barrennesse Christ remoued the ignominie of sole life Matt. 19 12. 1. Cor. â 26. Ibidem 7. when he saith He that is able to receiue let him receiue The same is also confirmed by the words of Paule It is good for them that be vnmarried so to continue I would haue all men to be euen as I my selfe am The summe of all the reasons is Euerie man must saile with his owne wind that euerie one should saile with his owne wind according as he is inspired by the holie Ghost and as the gift is allotted vnto him We adde also that these gifts are not perpetuall for he which had néed of matrimonie at a certeine time These gifts are not perpetuall perhaps being more growen in yeares and his wife being now dead shall haue no more néed to marrie And he perhaps that was sometime able to liue a single life shall haue néed to be married It is therefore the wisest waie for a man not to intangle himself with vowes let a man hold fast his libertie and cast not him selfe into that from whence he cannot be woond out without some ignominie Whie an vnpure sole life must be auoided An vnpure and defiled single life is chéeflie to be auoided bicause it suffereth not a pure and sincere calling vpon the name of God for when the conscience is polluted no man dare lift vp his eies vnto God neither dooth he desire with an effectuall faith those things which he praieth for Neither doo thou so vnderstand me as I haue alreadie admonished that I preferre virginitie in respect of it selfe before matrimonie otherwise than that it wanteth more the cares and troubles of this present life The eight Chapter Of Repentance where also is treated of Sacraments In .2 Sam. 2. at the end Looke In. Iud. 2 4. Rom. 6 23. The reward of sinne is death SInne as it is written in the epistle to the Romans hath death for a reward and all the retinue of death it bringeth also
our acts are bound vnto God Neither is it true which they said that God may bind all our acts vnto him but would not Naie rather he hath made all that is in vs subiect vnto him saieng Deut. 6 5. Thou shalt loue me with all thy hart and with all thy soule and with all thy strength They said also We may performe the workes that be due for we be lords of our owne actions This is a great arrogancie when as they will make themselues lords especiallie of good actions It is neither in him that willeth Rom. 9 16. nor in him that runneth but in the Lord that hath mercie Howbeit admit that we be lords of our owne dooings dooth not the lawe require that these things be doone willinglie They said that a man may satisfie not onelie for himselfe but for others also But if they cannot doo it for themselues much lesse can they doo it for others I adde that there is none in the world which at the iudgement seat of God hath this right of forgiuing of sinnes notwithstanding by praier he may helpe an other What euill followeth by the doctrine of our aduersaries touching repentance 37 If we weigh the parts which these men make of penance we shall sée that they are all vncerteine They will haue men perpetuallie to doubt whether they be contrite or no. The confession is vncerteine no man is able at anie time to knowe whether he haue confessed himselfe of all things Satisfactions be vncerteine bicause they must be made in the state of grace but as concerning grace they stand in doubt Pardons be vncerteine for they grant them vnto such as be contrite and haue confessed themselues but those be doubtfull things If anie man will sée how vncerteine they be let him read the text and glose in the Extrauagants De poenitentia remissione peccatorum in the chapter that beginneth Quod autem Hée shall reckon fiue or sixe opinions which indeuor to declare how indulgences or pardons are of force or not of force and one of them is lesse probable than another and alwaies the latter the woorser Those things being so vncerteine are no gift for a doubtfull gift is no gift By their indulgences they corrupt good works for they take from almes-déeds their appointed end namelie to be giuen and bestowed to the glorie of God They saie they be giuen to the end that punishments may be taken awaie They saie that indulgences be godlie deceits whereby men are inuited or allured to doo well It is a woonder that they crie out vpon vs that we open windowes vnto sinnes séeing they themselues set the gates wide open vnto iniquitie When as men knowe that they may haue pardons they doo sinne the more boldlie By libertie we all become the woorse for what are indulgences but licences to sin Further they haue in them an intollerable accepting of persons he that is not rich is cut short froÌ comming by pardons pardons dispense with penance inioined Howbeit concerning almes-déeds fastings praiers c. men should not be released from them but incited to them Whereas these works were inioined by the church to them that did penance they belonged to a certeine outward policie but these men haue estéemed them among internall spirituall things Those were not then of the substance of the Gospell neither is it necessarie that they should at this daie be reuiued We haue answered to their arguments An exhortation vnto true repentance Luke 13 6. 38 There remaineth that we imbrace true repentance which commeth by faith and that spéedilie The matter is not to be driuen off from daie to daie for else that figge trée which to no purpose occupieth the ground shall be cut downe Rom. 2 4. Art thou ignorant saith Paule that the bountifulnes of God calleth thee to repentance Iohn said Matt. 3 10. Now is the axe put vnto the root No man knoweth when he shall depart from hence Christ said Luke 13 3. How we may atteine vnto true repentance Vnlesse ye repent ye shall all likewise die If we will imbrace repentance let vs not séeke the same in our selues let vs craue it of God Christ dooth then giue it when he causeth his preaching to worke effectuallie in our minds That repentance is the gift of God the apostle testifieth vnto Timothie 1. Tim. 2 2â when he admonisheth a bishop that he should diligentlie teach sound doctrine if happilie God shall giue them repentance Ambrose in his notable worke vpon Luke the tenth booke 22. chapter Men saith he doo then repent when Christ looketh vnto them And to persuade the same he addeth First Peter denied and wept not for the Lord looked not towards him the second time he denied wept not bicause the Lord looked not towards him the third time he denied and wept bicause the Lord looked towards him And yet to expound the matter more plaine he added When Peter denied Christ by the fire side among the seruants and handmaidens he was beneath but the Lord was within and aboue therefore with the outward eie he looked not backe vpon him but with the eie of clemencie Further the mercie of God did secretlie helpe Peter he touched his hart he had him in remembrance and by his grace visited him The same father in the sixt booke writeth Whom God hath vouchsafed them he calleth and whom he will those he maketh religious Séeing we knowe these things we must sue vnto GOD for repentance Those words so pleased Augustine as he alledged them in his booke De gratia against Pelagius and Coelestinus the 45. and 46. chapters But let vs desire true repentance There be manie which saie that they repent but they reteine still their ill gotten goods Let vs constantlie desire in faith But thou saiest Forgiuenes is vncerteine why would Peter else haue said vnto Simon Magus Repent praie Acts. 8 22. if happilie God will forgiue thee thine iniquitie Forgiuenes of sinnes is certeine This he saith not to the intent he would make vs vncerteine of the forgiuenesse of our sinnes but bicause euerie man may be certeine of himselfe and not of another Therefore he thus speaketh bicause he was vncerteine whether Simon beléeued Further he would the more stir him vp vnto repentance that he might vnderstand sinne to be a gréeuous thing and that it had néed of more than ordinarie praier When we haue called vpon God for obteining of repentance it behooueth that we pricke forwards our owne selues with his words repentance must be preached vnto others and also vnto our owne selues And by what words of God a man is chéeflie allured it may be comprehended bréeflie to wit if the death of Christ be diligentlie preached for then men doo sée how manie and how great things GOD would haue his sonne to suffer for the taking awaie of sinnes Looke in Paule to the Romans Rom. 5 6. and 6 10. the
and what daies we should not we knowe not bicause that is no where prescribed in the new testament therefore fasts must be left free And in his second booke De sermone Domini in monte expounding these words Iudge not Matt. 7 1. and ye shall not be iudged he writeth How fastings are said to be free or not free that Men maie two maner of waies iudge rashlie either if they wry that to an ill sense which might be well taken or when they doo suppose that he cannot repent which hath doone a plaine and manifest euill act And of the first kind he bringeth an example As if a man would not fast bicause he is sicke in the stomach or is troubled with anie other infirmitie of the bodie and an other which knoweth not this would suspect him to be a glutton and to be ouer delicate for here that which is frée and may well be doone is drawen into the woorse part Indéed this is Augustines opinion which neuerthelesse we must prudentlie and warilie vnderstand For if a priuate man when he is in miserie danger séeth that fasting and praiers may helpe him he vndoubtedlie dooth sinne vnlesse he fast For since fasting may profit in such maner and sort as I haue declared vndoubtedlie we must fast No doubt but it is frée bicause by the outward lawe he which fasteth not cannot be condemned But when our fasting may set forward the glorie of GOD then is it no longer frée for we be commanded to loue God with all our hart with all our soule and with all our strength For there be manie things which of their owne nature be frée and indifferent but when the matter is brought to our choise and we sée that they may redound either to the magnifieng or else to the obscuring of the glorie of God now are they not frée nor indifferent things bicause all our strength and abilitie must be applied vnto the glorie of God 17 Furthermore there is an abuse of fasts as touching the space of time For so much as the Papists if they some little while defer their dinner afterward whatsoeuer they eate they thinke they haue doone sufficient so they eate no flesh Howbeit How long the forefathers fasted and how they behaued themselues therein Leui. 23 27. the forefathers fasted all daie long vntill the euening all which time they were occupied in the word of God in praiers and godlie exercises In Leuiticus the 23. chapter God saith When ye fast rest ye from all worke and afflict your soules for it is a sabboth And no man doubteth but that the sabboth indureth from euening vnto euening They fasted from euening to euening 1. Sam. 4 24 2. Sam. 3 35. Tertullian So Saule when he had put the Philistines to flight proclaimed a fast vntill night And Dauid at the death of Abner sware that he would taste of no meat till night Tertullian Contra Physicos saith that The church lengthned their fasts vntill the verie euening Augustine Augustine De moribus ecclesiae contra Manichaeos saith Let accustomed fasts of the church be continued euen vntill night For all the whole daie the holie assemblies were celebrated and the publike praiers were vsed but at the euening they were dismissed and they did eate their meat But it is a sport to sée how the Papists mocke this ancient custome they saie their euening songs before noone and then they go to dinner at night they ordeine a drinking and so brag that they fast verie well Thomas Aquinas Thomas In secunda secundae saith that in his time fasts were continued euen vnto the ninth houre and he bringeth the counsell of Calcedon The councell of Calcedon where it is decréed that he which eateth before the 9. houre should not be accounted to haue fasted Hereby the waie we must declare which was the ninth houre The ninth houre was the third houre from noone How the forefathers diuided the time and houres of the daie The sixt houre was at noone in which houre we read that Christ our sauiour was crucified wherefore the ninth houre must néeds be the third houre from noone The forefathers so diuided the time that alwaies from the sunne set to the sunne rising they accounted 12. houres and againe as manie from the rising of the sunne to the going downe thereof Againe they diuided either time into foure spaces and these they called watches and euerie one of these spaces conteined thrée houres Wherefore the third houre from the rising of the sunne is with vs either the 8. or 9. houre as the time of the yeare requireth for these houres are vnequall The sixt houre is noone time of the daie and the 9. is the third at after noone and the 12. is the houre of the sunne set But Thomas obiecteth against himselfe that which we saie namelie that the Fathers fasted the whole daie It is ridiculous to heare what he answereth bicause we saith he are in the state of the daie and the Fathers were in the state of the night therefore we must finish our fasts in the night time And he bringeth this saieng of Paule Rom. 13 12. The night is past and the daie draweth nigh which sentence how much it serueth to this purpose that we haue in hand all men sée and perceiue Of the choise of meats Looke before in cha 5. Art 10. 18 Another abuse is the choise of meates wherein now in a maner consisteth the whole religion of fastings The Fathers vsed not this for when they had fasted vntill euening they did eate indifferentlie at supper whatsoeuer was set before them But now our men doo more seuerelie absteine from flesh egges and milke than they in the old time absteined from vncleane beasts Paule reprooueth this superstition 1. Tim. 4 1. and calleth it a doctrine of diuels But they saie Ibidem 3. that Paule reprooueth those onlie which auoided some meats as euill creatures beléeued that those euill creatures came from an euill god but we saie they doo teach no such thing We onelie forbid men some kind of meat for one daie or for a few daies which afterward we set at libertie As though Montanus after this maner Montanus the heretike Tertullian might not haue excused himselfe against whom these places are cited by the Fathers Tertullian accuseth Martio as an heretike bicause he appointed some holines to be in fish How the choise of meats must be vsed Wherefore no maner of making choise in meats must be suffered but so much as shall appeare to serue vnto temperance which choise if the Papists would with such care prouide for they should rather haue absteined from wine than from flesh For Salomon saith Pro. 20 1. that Wine is a thing that mooueth to incontinencie And Paule saith Ephe. 5 18. Some kind of fish no lesse prouoketh lust than doth flesh Absteine ye from wine wherein is excesse They
béene borne withall Naaman desired it might haue beene lawfull for him to prostrate before the idoll in presence of the king Looke part 2. pl. 4. art 28. and pardoned at Gods hand if when the king of Syria worshipped in the temple of Rimmon he also should knéele and fall prostrate before the idoll Indéed he desireth not by expresse words that the prophet by his praiers would obteine this thing for him but yet neuertheles after an other maner or closelie he did signifie it Neither is it against godlinesse that they which doo féele themselues weake and féeble in faith should craue to be holpen and confirmed * 1. Praier verse 24. by diuine power euen as in the ninth chapter of Marke the father of the child that had a dumbe spirit who said that he did beléeue and yet neuerthelesse praied that his vnbeléefe might be strengthened Doubtles Naaman sawe that there was sinne in that action of the which he spake and therefore desired pardon for the same For there is no man that desireth pardon for iust and honest things He therefore knowing his owne infirmitie and vnderstanding that this should happen vnto him desireth pardon for his offense to come Whereby it is perceiued that sinne of this kind perteineth not at all vnto ignorance Sometimes idolatrie is committed being not knowen to be such as it is as was the same of the which Sozomenus wrote in the third booke of his historie A horrible act of Iulian the Apostata where he reporteth that Iulian the Apostata a horrible enimie of Christian godlines sitting in his tribunall seate after the maner of other emperours had before him fire and frankincense to the intent that before him might be continuall incense to the idols of the Ethniks And when he minded at a certeine daie to bestowe a benefit of monie vpon those souldiors that were about him and accepted none but such as had throwen into the fire certeine graines of frankincense in verie déed the simpler sort of souldiors which professed Christ nothing imagining with themselues of idolatrie as they who thought that the same ceremonie rather perteined vnto the imperiall dignitie than vnto the worshipping of idols threw graines of frankincense into the fire prepared and among others receiued the monie distributed vnto them by the emperour But afterward when as they were in banket one with another they talked verie godlilie and honourablie of Christ whereat one of them that stood by greatlie maruelled said How can ye either speake rightlie or thinke well of Christ séeing ye haue this daie forsworne him And he let them vnderstand that the incense which was made before Iulian was doone vnto the idols which they hearing foorthwith departed out of their lodging crieng out that they were wholie christians and that they would perseuere in the right and perfect faith that indéed their hand erred but that their mind remained all one And while they thus cried out they came vnto the emperour restoring vnto him their monie and praieng him if so it were his pleasure to kill them for that they would still continue Christians Héere we sée that the act of idolatrie through error was committed But it happened not on this wise vnto Naaman who had some gesse that the thing which he feared to doo tended to vngodlie worshipping of idols He séemeth to demand that of the prophet which was not in his power namelie The commandement of auoiding idolatrie cannot be dispensed with by men that he would dispense with the lawe or commandement which concerneth the flieng from idolatrie Vndoubtedlie all mortall men are bound without anie exception vnto that precept But they doo most gréeuouslie offend against the same which being indued by GOD with some great benefit haue transferred themselues vnto the worshipping of God among the number of whom no doubt but Naaman was at this time Howbeit it séemeth that he ment not of idolatrie indéed An excusing of Naaman but onelie as touching the outward gesture of the bodie whereof he rendereth a reason vnto the prophet namelie that the king might not bow his knée vnlesse he also did bend downe to the ground bicause the king leaned vpon his hand And it is not without a fit signification that one and the same thing is twise repeated by Naaman namelie The Lord forgiue me or The Lord be mercifull vnto me For that repetitioÌ sheweth that the thing which was required was doone with a verie humble hart and that it was desired of the prophet with a most vehement affection of mind Howbeit it séemeth that it should be imputed vnto this mans fault that he was too desirous to kéepe still his honour and authoritie for if he would haue giuen ouer his state and office he might haue auoided all danger of the sinne that was imminent 12 But they which indeuour after a sort to defend him doo curiouslie and subtilie distinguish the action of bowing downe before an idol If so be saie they that Naaman had bowed his knées with intent to followe the dooing of his king then had the worke of them both béene of one sort reason and nature and therefore should haue béene condemned of idolatrie For in imitating of the king he would haue doone the verie same thing that the king did whose purpose was to worship the god Rimmon wherefore neither could he that did imitate idolatrie be absolued But this is not agréeable with Naaman who had alreadie called Elizaeus to witnesse that he would not from thence forward offer anie oblations or sacrifices vnto strange gods wherefore it resteth that the same action was onelie a certeine kind of dutie towards the king Which action vndoubtedlie of his owne nature and simplie was indifferent for to sit with the king when he sitteth to stand with him when he standeth to knéele with him when he knéeleth doo not in respect of themselues belong either vnto vertue or vnto vice but may be doone either well or ill wherevpon it is said to haue his forme and kind of the things added which they call circumstances Those vndoubtedlie if we haue respect vnto in this place the act of Naaman will be found faultie For first there is a respect to be had vnto the place wherein it is doone as being in the temple and before an idol togither with the king worshipping prostrate also Naaman maketh himselfe one of the idolaters Furthermore the qualitie of the time it selfe is to be considered namelie that euen then when the king should worship he should bow himselfe before the idol Rimmon For men are not woont to adore all the while they be in the temple but then onelie when they implore the helpe of God when they giue thanks vnto him when they praise and celebrate his goodnes or power These qualities and circumstances doo shew that the act of Naaman was faultie But hereby they yet still endeuour not a little to excuse the same bicause in such kind of dooings the
to be with Christ And Steeuen Acts. 7 59. being at the point of death praied Lord receiue my spirit The opinion of Gregorie touching souls departed I knowe indéed that Gregorie writeth in his dialogs that There be certeine spirits of the dead appointed to serue in common baths and to practise some harder exercises abroad in the world But bicause that booke conteineth manie tales I therefore thinke it better to beléeue Chrysostome who dealeth by the scriptures Againe he also prooueth that that peruerse opinion is against reason for he saith If it should be lawfull for soules after this life to wander abroad in the world they would much more easilie returne to their owne bodies Nor is it agréeable vnto reason that wicked men for parricide should carrie awaie a benefit namelie to haue the spirits of them whom they haue cruellie slaine to be seruiceable vnto them at their owne pleasure A similitude And euen as it cannot be that the bodie of a man should be turned into the bodie of an aââ¦e so it is vnpossible that the soule of a man should be turned into the nature and substance of an ill spirit And when as euill spirits by vsing of coniurations are demanded what they be and they answer that they are the soule of this or that man who be alreadie departed he saith that there must be no credit giuen vnto them for their testimonie must not be of anie value séeing they be infamous And therefore Paule as we haue it in the Acts of the apostles the 16. chapter when an euill spirit witnessed that those men were the seruants of the liuing God and preached the saluation of men he rebuked the spirit and commanded the same to silence And Christ reiected the testimonie of the diuell who said that he knew him c. And not without cause for the diuell is a deceiuer and among true things which he somtime speaketh he mingleth manie false So as he must not be credited vpon any shew of truth seing he is not commanded by God to teach men or to preach saluation vnto them These things are written by Chrysostome in the places now alledged Whereby may be confuted the fables of those men which feigne that the soules of the saints doo stand and are present abroad in the world at their sepulchres and reliks to giue helpe vnto those which call vpon them For that father laboureth to prooue that soules seuered from theâ bodies doo not wander abroad vpon the earth The xv Chapter Of the Resurrection THE entitle of the resurrection of the flesh is verie hardlie beléeued In 2 Kin. 4. bicause it is a thing âatre from mans reason It comprehendeth manie principall points But a sure persuasion thereof comprehendeth manie principall points of the christian faith which be verie necessarie vnto saluation And they that are fullie and firmelie setled in their minds of the resurrection doo prouide well for themselues against the last houre For they which being at the point of death doo assure themselues of the blessed resurrectition cannot choose but depart ioifull and chéerefull out of this life But contrariewise they which wauer in this article are then in great disquietnesse they are vexed they storme and knowe not certeinelie whither to turne them Further this persuasion dooth comfort vs when by death we loose our kinsfolks and fréends So did Paule teach the Thessalonians Besides this 1. The. 4 13. we are hereby armed against persecutions and hard chances which we must suffer for the faithfull confession of the name of Christ For what is it that martyrs will not patientlie abide when they knowe for a certeintie that a most happie life shall be restored vnto them Moreouer the remembrance hereof maketh vs to haue temperance in estimation for we easilie forbeare vnlawfull pleasures when we assuredlie trust that we shall haue true and perfect pleasures giuen vs both of mind and bodie And if this article be abolished manie principall points of religion are ouerthrowne Paule faith in the first epistle to the Corinthians 1. Co. 15 16 If the dead rise not againe Christ is not risen Which is most absurd for then he should euen to this time be deteined in death which is not conuenient for God nor for the redéemer of mankind And if he be not risen neither did he trulie die otherwise he should be deteined by death Whervpon they which denie the resurrection of the dead affirme that Christ did not verelie die neither will they that he had naturall but phantasticall flesh onelie that is to saie he died in shew and outward appéerance 2 Séeing therefore a disputation of the resurrection of the flesh is so profitable and necessarie we shall for good cause stand the longer vpon it Why God did institute the resurrection First if it be demanded why GOD did institute the same two reasons may be brought first that he might trulie and perfectlie make happie his elect for true happines cannot be obteined in this life bicause no humane actions More things that we knowe not than that we knowe neither contemplatiue nor actiue can be counted exquisite and perfect For as concerning knowledges there be a great manie more things which we knowe not than which wée knowe Which Socrates perceiuing said that This one thing he knew namelie that he knew nothing Further those few small things that we knowe we haue a verie scant and slender vnderstanding of them Neither may we affirme this of naturall things onelie but of those also which are opened vnto vs by the spirit of God 1. Cor. 13 9. Wherefore Paule said Now we knowe in part and prophesie in part and we now see as through a glasse and in a darke saieng We be of weake memorie and manie times our memorie faileth vs. Who remembreth all things that he hath read that he hath learned that he hath taught and determined The knowledges which come later to mind exclude the former as one naile is driuen out with another and as in the course of waters A similitude the latter driueth awaie the former And whereas the knowledges of things doo consist either in inuention or in teaching what one of manie is found to be excellent at inuention And verie manie are vnapt and vnméet to learne Wherefore as touching things contemplatiue we are of small happinesse in this world Also in matters of practise there is great want in vs séeing either we liue vnhonestlie or else in honest actions we be verie farre wide from perfection For our vertues are maimed and vnperfect therefore we cannot drawe out of them anie perfect and absolute actions There happen moreouer perturbations or affects of the mind which drawe vs to and fro so as we cannot altogither be inclined to doo those things which be right Yea and from the bodie it selfe which is fraile and brittle as glasse manie inconueniences doo come For if it be touched with diseases which are
to nothing So then through the power of God they might be made againe aswell of the matter as of the elements Rom. 4 1â For God as it is written to the Romans calleth those things which be not as though they were neither is there anie thing that may resist his word For euen as by the word of God althings be made so by the verie same althings may be restored And these things shall suffice concerning naturall reasons the which as it hath béene said are probable but not demonstratiue Those things which a man beleeueth he cannot naturallie know yet by faith we knowe that there is one God And that which is vouched hereof may also be iudged of other articles of the faith for those things which are beléeued of anie man cannot by him naturallie be knowne But will some saie We beléeue that there is one God who neuerthelesse by naturall reason is concluded to be Herevnto we answer that the philosophers indéed in serching out of naturall things learned that there is one principall beginning which the Graecians called ÎÎÎÎ and the Latines DEVM that is GOD. But that is not he whom christian faith professeth for we doo not simplie and nakedlie beléeue one God but beléeue in him that created heauen and earth and that hath a sonne and the holie Ghost These appurtenances doubtles the philosophers perceiued not Wherby that appeareth most true Heb. 11 2. which the apostle taught the Hebrues namelie that Faith is an argument of things which are not seene 20 Now seeing thus it is reason requireth that we should come to an other point of the question and by the testimonies of the word of God confirme resurrection which indéed cannot be trulie shewed by naturall reasons Resurrection is prooued by testimonies of the scripture verse 6. Which testimonies being comprehended in the old and new testament according to the order of time we will héere beginne with the old testament and first with that which we read in the third chapter of Exodus I am the God of Abraham of Isaac and of Iacob This place did Christ vse when he was tempted by the Saduces Matt. 1â 3â The name of Saduces is deriued from the word Tsedec that is to saie from Iustice for they were iusticiarie men who besides the lawe giuen by Moses admitted no other scripture they strictlie vrged the verie bare word not admitting as it appeareth anie interpretation And further bicause they beléeued not the resurrection of the dead they thought in like maner that there were no angels Acts. 23 8. euen as we read in the acts of the apostles Also among the Hebrues in those daies to touch that by the waie were Pharisies Whence the name of Pharisies of the verbe Pharasch which signifieth To distinguish interpret and extend These men not onelie allowed the lawe but also the prophets as interpretors therof also they did expound and interpret the holie scriptures Besides these also Thence the name of Essei there were certeine called Essees which were so called of the verb Ascha which is To doo They were verie iust and wrought with their owne hands that thereby they might liue and helpe the poore in like maner as if we should call them labourers And no doubt but they deceiue themselues which iudge that they were so called of ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã that is Holie for the Etymologies of Hebrue names must not be sought for in the Gréeke tong Whence the name of Gaulonites Among the Iewes also there were Gaulonits so called of a certeine principall man of the Iewish faction these in all respects held with the Pharisies sauing that they held opinion that tribute should not be giuen to forreine nations For they would that the children of Abraham to wit the people of God should be altogither frée All these things are plainelie set foorth by Iosephus aswell in his booke of the Iewes warre as in his antiquities But now I returne vnto the Saduces By them all things in a maner were attributed vnto fréewill they liued rigorouslie vsing homelie and rusticall maners so as they might séeme to be the Stoiks of the Hebrues sauing that the Stoiks yéelded almost althings to the prouidence of God and to destinie where as these men were of farre contrarie opinion And albeit that the sects of the Pharisies and Saduces disagréed one with an other yet did they agrée togither to withstand Christ So as the Saduces bicause they would iest at the resurrection of the dead said Among vs there was a woman whom seuen brethren seeing they departed without children tooke to wife according to the prescript rule of Moses law the which is written in the 25. chapter of Deuteronomie In the resurrection of the dead Deut. 25 5. whose wife of the seuen brethren shall she be The scope of this question was that the resurrection should not be admitted bicause absurdities thereof might followe which would be against the lawe of God neither could those things consist without impeachement thereof Christ answered Ye are deceiued And yet are we not to beléeue that the ignorance wherewith they were infected did discharge them of fault for therfore did they erre bicause they would not vnderstand nor heare them which rightlie admonished them And of their error he sheweth two heads The error of the Saduces had two fountaines or two fountaines first bicause they vnderstood not the scriptures secondlie for that they had no consideration of the power of God There be manie waies wherein men maie be deceiued about the scriptures Diuers waies to be deceiued about the scriptures either for lacke of knowledge in the toongs or bicause that proper spéeches are not distinguished from those which be spoken figuratiuelie or when a hard place is not expounded by an other place that is plainer or when we doo not marke that sometime those things which belong vnto the things signified are attributed vnto the signes and contrariwise the properties of the signes ascribed vnto the things signified And he that would more plentifullie knowe of these things let him peruse the books of Augustine which he profitablie wrote of christian doctrine But about the power of God there is a double error the first Errors about the power of God when all things are assigned vnto him without anie maner of exception the other when too little is attributed to him And with this latter kind of error were the Saduces infected for when as they heard that the dead should liue againe after this world they considered not that there may be another life from this in which we now liue and haue néed of meate drinke and procreation of children Wherefore they hauing ouer-slender an opinion of the power of God did not thinke that he is able to translate men after they be raised vp vnto a heauenlie life which should be néere vnto the state of angels But how they did erre Christ as we
read in Luke expounded saieng Luk. 20 36. The children of this world marrie wiues and be married but at the resurrection of the dead After the resurrection there shall be no marriages they neither marrie wiues nor yet are giuen in marriage but become equall vnto angels And while he maketh mention of angels he reprehended the Saduces which denied that there be angels 21 But why men shall be such after the resurrection he shewed the cause saieng For they can die no more Wherein must be considered The causes of procreating of children that the procreation of children was appointed for two causes First for that men which were at the first created but two onelie might be multiplied Secondlie that when they should be multiplied to the iust number manie dieng in the meane while others should be substituted in their place So that séeing at the resurrection there shall be a iust complet number of persons and that death cannot happen therein procreation would be vnnecessarie Neither are the words of the euangelists or rather of Christ to be vnderstood as though he taught that a corporall substance should be wanting vnto them which shall be raised vp For he said not They shall be angels but They shall be as the angels and equall vnto angels Neither is that to be maruelled at which is written by Luke that They shall be the children of the resurrection Ibidem and the children of God for that must not be taken as if it were denied that the saints are also the children of God in this life For otherwise while they liue here how should they crie Abba Rom. 8 16. Matt. 8 9. A Rule Father or praie Our Father which art in heauen But the manner of the holie scriptures is that sometime they affirme things to be then doone when they are made manifest And bicause it is not now euident that we be the children of God at the resurrection it shall be manifest for When Christ shall come then we also shall appeere togither with him in glorie Therfore it is written in Luke Luk. 20. 36. that The saints shall then be the children of God Neither is that to be passed ouer that those things which are there spoken by Christ perteine onlie to the resurrection of the iust For the vngodlie when they shall rise againe albeit they shall be immortall yet shall they not after the maner of angels become glorious and impassible And these things spake Christ of the ignorance which the Saduces had as touching the diuine power 22 And iustlie also might he saie that they knew not the scriptures A proofe that there be angels Gen. 22 11. For how could they denie angels to be séeing it is written in the booke of Genesis that an angell forbad Abraham that he should not offer his sonne as he was minded to doo It is there also written that there were thrée receiued by Abraham in ghestwise Gen. 18 2. whereof two at least were angels Also it is said Gen. 19 1. Exod. 3 2. Exod. 14 19. that they were with Lot And an angell appéered vnto Moses in the middest of a bush and set himselfe in the middest betwéene the tents of the Israelites and Aegyptians Againe Gen. 32 1. vnto Iacob there were séene tents of angels in Mahanaim and he wrestled almost a whole night with an angell Rightlie therefore did Christ saie Matt. 22 29. that They knew not the scriptures And the place he brought out of the second booke of Moses Exod. 3 6. After what maner the Saduces read the scriptures as well bicause they besides the lawe receiued no scriptures indéed they read the prophets and the psalmes no otherwise than we doo the fathers the books of the Macchabeis and the Wisedome of Salomon and Sirach as also for that they alledged Moses against Christ So as rightlie he did replie vpon them with Moses Neither was it the Lords mind when he would answer them to gather all the testimonies of the old testament for then he might haue found oracles enow out of the counsell of the prophets and out of other scriptures And albeit these words I am the God of Abraham of Isaac and of Iacob are found in manie places of the holie scriptures yet doo Marke and Luke expresselie referre them to the vision which Moses had at the bush as we find in the third chapter of Exodus When Iesus had on this wise confuted the Saduces the people were amazed woondring at the wisedome of Christ But bicause the simple people is thought sometime to want iudgement therefore Luke added that Certeine of the Scribes said Maister Luk. 20 39 thou hast said well Wherefore the reasoning that Christ made was allowed not onlie by the common sort but also by them that were learned And not without cause for what more fit interpretor of the lawe of God will we haue than the word by whom it was giuen at the beginning 23 But the foundations of this reason must be searched out more narrowlie that they may the more plainlie appéere If so be that the fathers which be dead were vtterlie perished how should God still be their God Indéed they are dead that is to wit in the iudgement of man and according to nature but not before God For it is written in Luke Ibidem 29. That proposition I am the God of Abraham expounded All men liue vnto him But The fathers liuing vnto God may be vnderstood two maner of waies First if it be wholie referred to the prescience or predestination of God for all things that are to come be present with him neither can he be disappointed of his purpose Wherefore they which shall be raised vp though it be a thousand yéeres hence are said to liue Or else The fathers liue vnto him bicause they reigne with him in celestiall glorie The same forme of speaking vsed Paule vnto the Romans writing of Christ Rom. 6 10. In that he died to sinne he died once in that he liueth he liueth vnto God that is he is with him in glorie and sitteth at his right hand But thou wilt saie Thus it might be said that not the saints themselues but their soules doo liue with Christ in heauen Indéed this is true but by the figure Synecdoche that which is a part is attributed to the whole For we doubt not to saie but that saint Peter and saint Iames are in heauen with Christ when as onelie their soules are conuersant there Yea moreouer Paule said Phil. 1 23. that He desired to be loosed hence and to be with Christ when he knew that onelie his soule should be with him vntill the latter daie of iudgement And in the Euangelicall storie we read that Lazarus was carried into the bosome of Abraham Luk. 16 22. and that the cruell rich man was carried into the torments of hell whereas onelie their soules were brought to those places 24 But
interpretours doo not denie but that the same is to be prooued out of this place Neither is that of anie force which some cauill namelie that the argument from the greater to the lesse is nothing woorth if so be that which is taken as the greater be more vncerteine or as doubtfull as that which is inferred for the lesse These men thinke that the resurrection of the dead is more vncerteine or as doutfull as the restoring of the Iewes into their natiue land But they are far deceiued bicause the resurrection of the dead is accounted as better knowne especiallie to the faithfull Iewes vnto whom it was certeine and euident not by nature or sense but by faith through whose light those things become manifest and firme vnto our minds which vnto the sense reason of man be obscure And that this it was that dooth proue that the Hebrues which séeke occasions against the Christians neuer contended with them concerning the resurrection of the dead bicause it was alwaies receiued by them and by their forefathers Whervpon Martha when Christ had promised hir that hir brother should be raised vp answered boldlie Iohn 11 24 I knowe that my brother shall rise againe at the last daie 45 But for the better explicatioÌ of this cauill I thinke it good to reherse what the fathers haue iudged thereof The iudgement of the fathers touching the place of Ezechiel Tertullian in his booke De resurrectione carnis obiecteth the verie same against himselfe and he answereth that vnlesse a thing first be the same can not be resembled vnto an other thing by a similitude And therefore vnles the resurrection be knowen by faith and that it shall come to passe in verie déed it can not saith he be applied to the restitution of the Iewes A similitude he saith of a void thing is not méet and a parable of nothing is not conuenient The nature of a similitude and metaphor And certeinlie they that will that the resurrection of the dead is inserted in this place metaphoricallie must consider that such is the nature of a metaphore that the thing should be translated from his owne proper place vnto an other So as of necessitie a thing must first be before it suffer a metaphor for vnlesse that laughter and gladnesse were in man he might not applie them to the corne fields and medowes Naie rather those metaphors are chéeflie commended which be deriued from notable things and from things that be néerest and most knowen The verie which thing commeth to passe in parables Matt. 21 33 Christ brought a similitude of the vine which after it was well dressed and in excellent order it was let foorth vnto ill husbandmen This parable had not béene plaine neither would it haue bin of force vnles that vines excellentlie well handled should be found in the nature of things vnles that the owners of farmes should ofttimes happen vpon ill husbandmen Luke 13 8. Likewise he broght in a parable of a barren vnfruitfull fig trée the which for a yéere or two was dressed with compasse and séeing it brought foorth no fruit it was at the length cut downe This parable also had béene brought in vaine vnles that compassing of the fig trée and pruning in husbandrie or gardening should not euerie where appéere Nor let anie obiect vnto me the monster Chimaera and such like monsters which albeit they are not in the nature of things yet wise men doo frame the like shapen things For albeit Chimaera it selfe be not extant yet are the parts therof séene the which be the lion the goat and serpents which are euerie where séene 46 But Ierom they saie was reprooued bicause he interpreted not the place brought out of Ezechiel to concerne the resurrection of the dead I grant howbeit we must vnderstand that it is a farre other thing for him to gather the resurrection of the dead by the words of the prophet than it is to haue it prooued and confirmed by a certeine euident demonstration This latter did Ierom denie and that of a sound and right iudgement For it was not Ezechiels mind to shew the quickning of the dead it was knowen and as we haue said it was at that time beleeued of the Iewes Wherefore as out of a knowen principle he deriued and confirmed thereby the restitution of the Iewes Yet did not this father denie but that the resurrection of the dead might be gathered hereby yea rather he saith with Tertullian that vnlesse the resurrection it selfe shuld consist there might no similitude be deriued from thence and that no man confirmeth vncerteine things by things not extant Wherefore euen as the life of withered bones séemeth incredible and yet the same shall be so the deliuerance of the Israelites out of captiuitie which was thought should not come to passe shall be put in execution at the time appointed But if anie man shall aske Why he argueth from the resurrection to the restitution of captiues whie the similitude is rather brought from the resurrection of the dead than from anie other thing as it might haue béene I would saie it was therefore doone that by the waie might be shewed that without mention of the resurrection made that earthlie restitution out of earthlie captiuitie should be no perfect and absolute tranquillitie blessednes vnto them And thus much hath béene said concerning this place A place of Daniel touching the resurrection of the dead expounded 47 Now let vs alledge Daniel He in the twelfe chapter saith verse 1. And at that time shall Michael the great prince stand vp who standeth for the children of thy people And there shall be a time of trouble such as neuer was since there began to be a nation vnto that same time And at that time thy people shall escape whosoeuer shall be found written in the booke of God and manie of them which sleepe in the dust of the earth shall awake some to euerlasting life and some to shame and perpetuall reproch and contempt But such as teach and instruct shall shine as the brightnesse of the firmament and they which make manie righteous shall be as the starres for euer and euer c. Daniel had set foorth foure Monarchies which by a continuall succession should preuaile in the world and that the kingdome of God should preuaile at the last but before he should obteine he saith that Antichrist should be destroied who tyrannicallie had oppressed the godlie And I vnderstand Antichrist to be Mahomet the Pope Antichrist and all those which are against the religion of Christ He writeth that in the same last time the afflictions and calamities of the church should be more gréeuous than euer they were before But in the meane time he comforteth the faithfull bicause they should haue their present helpe to be Michael that is Christ the sonne of God the prince of our Church The selfe same thing did he promise
afflicted the Hebrues and also were aduersaries to the true worshipping of God I knowe likewise that there was a certeine other man named Polychronius The cauils of Polychronius confuted by Oecolampadius verse 4. which was bold to affirme that this place of Daniel must not be vnderstood of the resurrection of the dead but he groundeth vpon no firme reasons and he is confuted by Iohn Oecolampadius a verie learned man Further we sée that by Iohn the apostle in the 20. chapter of the Apocalypse the verie same things well-néere and in the same order are taught as they be written by Daniel where we read that there were seates placed and the iudgement appointed againe it is added that they did liue againe which suffered death for Christ Lastlie this we may saie euen that which we brought for making plaine that place of Ezechiel namelie if they will haue it metaphoricallie taken that by the resurrection of the dead is shewed the state of the people of the Iewes after the death of Antiochus it must in verie déed be determined that there is a resurrection of the dead otherwise a similitude or parable cannot be deriued from thence verse 4. Why Daniel was commanded to seale vp the booke 49 Furthermore God commandeth the prophet that he should seale vp the booke for a time which must not so be wrested as though GOD would not that these prophesies should be read and knowen séeing prophesie is giuen to the intent it should edifie and teach But the holie ghost prophesieth by Daniel that the negligence of men in reading and knowing the word of God should be great and that therfore for their incredible slouth the holie bookes should be sealed vp from them to the intent they should vnderstand nothing of spirituall things And therfore he prophesieth that the incredulitie should be great and he that beléeueth not vnderstandeth not the secret heauenlie things Yea and at this daie among christians what a verie great number maist thou find that would be counted and called by that name which neuer read the Gospels throughout We may also interpret that the bookes of God are sealed vp as touching our senses and humane reason 1. Cor. 2 14. for A naturall man dooth not perceiue those things that be of God yea not onelie they be sealed vp to him but they séeme to be foolishnes These things are open vnto them to whom the Lambe hath opened Apoc. 5 5. to whom onelie as we read in the Apocalypse it is giuen to open the sealed booke Ouer this there be manie which read the holie bookes recite them vnto others and instruct others vnto whom neuerthelesse they are sealed vp bicause they in verie déed haue no sense nor experience in themselues neither doo they tast what things they read teach R. L. Ben-Gerson thought that by this forme of spéech God commanded the prophet that from these visions he should take nothing awaie nor yet adde anie thing thereto ouer and besides At the end it is written Manie shall run into diuers parts Dan. 12 4. and shall passe by and knowledge shall be multiplied By these words let others vnderstand what they will to me it séemeth that the time of the new testament is foreshewed when as the apostles are sent to preach the Gospell ouer all the world Therefore when they had wandered among all nations the saiengs of the prophets became much more plaine than they were before as well for the great abundance of spirit that was powred out as also for that the prophesies may be a great deale better vnderstood when they be fulfilled than before when they were reuealed And these things I thinke to be sufficient for this place 50 Now I come vnto the prophet Osee A place of Osee as touching the resurrection declared God promised sundrie times that he would once destroie death whereby is manifestlie gathered that wée must beléeue the resurrection of the dead the which being taken awaie death reigneth and cannot be said to be abolished Esaie in the 25. chapter saith verse 8. I will destroie death for euer and I will wipe awaie the teares from all faces and I will take awaie the rebuke of my people for euer These things be manifest but Osee in the place now brought did more vehementlie and effectuallie speake the same From the hand of the sepulchre will I deliuer them Ose 13 14. and from death will I redeeme them O death I will be thy plague O graue I will be thy destruction verse 54 This place did Paule vse in the 15. of the first to the Corinthians as an euident testimonie Neither must it mooue vs that he followed not the Hebrue veritie but the Gréeke interpretors for albeit he change the words yet he departed not from the sense The translation of the seuentie interpretors was then better knowen and was well-néere in all mens hands and so Paule dooth sometimes vse the same that euen the Gentils might vnderstand that those things which he taught were extant in the holie scriptures But as to the meaning of the prophet thus it standeth He a little before had inueihed bitterlie against Ephraim that is against the kingdome of the ten tribes prophesieng destruction and most certeine ouerthrowe vnto them for their idolatrie and wicked life afterward he gaue the comfort which I haue rehearsed to wit that they should be deliuered and plucked out from death and from the graue But thou wilt saie How may it be that these things are not repugnant one with another namelie that they should be vtterlie cut off and that they should be deliuered But there must be a difference put betwéen the Israelits For on the one part manie of them were of a most obstinate mind cleauing vnto idolatrie and to most gréeuous sinnes to these belonged destruction bicause they repented not On the other side there were among them some good men holie men and true worshippers of God who notwithstanding that they were to be wrapped in other temporall calamities yet should they be deliuered and to them properlie belongeth the comfort which is brought But the aduersaries will yet vrge more earnestlie and saie We doo not read that the ten tribes were restored nor deliuered from the graue of their captiuitie some of them perhaps returned but they came not by great companies neither was anie more restored the kingdome of Ephraim that is of the ten tribes This indéed is true and therefore GOD in comforting them did not promise temporall redemption or the deliuerance of this life but the blessed resurrection with euerlasting felicitie And he saith that he will redéeme them from the graue and that he will deliuer them from death and saith that he will be the plague of death and the destruction of the graue A rule in reading of the prophets In reading of the prophets we must oftentimes vse this rule namelie that we should vnderstand threatenings to take place as
for the splendent and ample light for the constant motion of the circles and procéeding therof in excellent order and for the sundrie and manifold influences as also bicause from the parts aboue we haue winds clouds raine haile lightnings thunder c. Neither dooth the prophet vtterlie exclude men from heauen as though they should neuer come thither for thither they shall come which haue liued godlie but that must be at their time appointed So as the Psalmist speaketh of the time of this life as the state of things now stand But presumptuous men haue sometimes abused the words of Dauid so that some haue thought that it should be lawfull for them to doo anie thing vpon the earth to robbe and slaie to turne all vpside downe as though God dooth not marke these things as he that onelie dwelleth in heauen and walking about the limits of heauen taketh no care of our dooings Againe others haue so wickedlie wrested these words that séeing God hath heauen to himselfe and hath giuen the earth vnto the children of men there is no cause whie we should aspire to heauen but rather that euerie man prouide for himselfe as manie parts of the earth as he can get Of this mind they séeme to be which couple field to field and house to house so as they scarselie suffer a foot of land to be possessed by others Further the prophet procéedeth and saith The dead shall not praise the Lord Ibidem 17. That euen the dead do praise the Lord. nor yet all they which go downe into silence The mind of the suppliant is that God would spare the godlie men lest they being consumed there should be a want of such as would set foorth the praise of God But thou wilt saie If the senses of soules and the life of them that be departed be taken awaie will there be a want of such as should praise God True in verie déed it is that in heauen there wil be no want But he hath appointed to receiue fame and praise not onelie in another world but euen here also vpon the earth which will not come to passe if the godlie be consumed by the wicked And God hath so ordeined this as he brought foorth man for this end Otherwise he gaue also the earth vnto cattell vnto lions and also to serpents flies and créeping beasts for all these things are there brought vp and nourished but yet not so as men be For we be placed in the world that we should publish and set foorth God this cannot the dead doo héere séeing they be far from this world And therefore it is said The dead shall not praise the Lord namelie vpon the earth Indéed brute beasts and dumbe cattell haue their abiding vpon the earth and therein are fed and nourished but they were made for the behoofe of man but vnto this maner of end they are not aduanced bicause they are not so indued with reason as they can giue thanks call vpon and celebrate the name of God Hereby let vs gather that the earth is giuen vnto men not to the intent that they should rashlie abuse the same and that they should deuoure the good things thereof like vnto brute beasts but celebrate and extoll the name of God euen as they are continuallie inuited by his benefits Which being onelie doone by the godlie sort if they be oppressed by tyrants and wicked persons who shall remaine to declare and sing out the praises of God The wicked doo blaspheme the name of God so far is it off that they magnifie extoll it The repetition of the word What is ment by the repetition of the word heauen namelie Heauen of heauens dooth betoken a certeine famous and excellent region of the heauens wherein God and Christ dwell with the saints 72 But let vs come vnto Ecclesiastes where in the third chapter it is written verse 19 that Men and cattell haue one maner of end both the one and the other doo die and they haue all one maner of spirit or breath and who knoweth whether the spirit of the sonnes of Adam go vpward and the spirit of beasts go downeward He had said a little before that the successes of the godlie and of the wicked are all one and that thereby it commeth to passe that no man knoweth by the outward fortunes and euents of men who are beloued of God and who be hated But now he compareth man with cattell affirming that the conditions and qualities of them all are one and the same But these must we distinguish bicause some be generall and some speciall As to the speciall the conditions be not all one in euerie sort for cattell be foure-footed but men be two-footed the cattell are without spéech but man dooth speake cattell be not capable of vices and vertues but men are garnished with vertues and polluted with vices Wherefore Salomon in that place treateth of generall qualities as well of men as of beasts For as men be borne and bred vp so commeth it to passe with cattell as those be dissolued into ashes and elements so dooth it happen vnto men as touching the bodie as beasts be fed with meate and quench thirst with drinke and ingender their yoong ones so doo men likewise And whereas it is said that the spirit as well of the one as the other is one that must not be referred to the soule as though Salomon iudged that all men haue but one soule Auerroes and Peripateriks as Auerroës and other of the Peripatetiks did thinke But by the spirit he vnderstandeth the wind or breath for brute beasts and men doo breath all in one aire By the spirit Salomon vnderstandeth the blowing and breath Indéed the spirit of man goeth vpward and the breath of beasts downeward but who knoweth this Who is able to prooue it by strong naturall reasons It is not denied by Salomon that these things happen but he saith that the knowledge and vnderstanding of these things are scarselie or not at all extant among men as touching naturall principles And whereas he saith Who knoweth He as Ierom interpreteth dooth shew a difficultie not an vtter impossibilitie For Socrates Plato Pythagoras and some other philosophers atteined after a sort to the knowledge of immortalitie of soules by what meanes I stand not to prooue In the same book of Ecrlesiastes the ninth chapter it is written verse 10. In the graue that thou goest vnto there is neither worke cogitation knowledge not wisedome c. These things as Ierom saith perteine vnto the good works whereby it is the part of the faithfull to approoue themselues vnto God while they liue in this world In the world to come there shall be no place for good works bicause in the âther life they shall haue no place In this life must we beléeue the word of God that we may be iustified here repentance must be taken in hand here the sacraments must be receiued here
came in verie déed namelie when Christ was transformed vpon the mount Thabor He was present togither with Moses euen as it should séeme in his owne proper bodie He shall come againe at the last time howbeit to iudgement with other saints which shall be raised from the dead but not to fight or to be slaine of Antichrist Some man perhaps will saie it is a wonder that these raptings did happen in the old testament are not written of in the new Yes verelie Diuers raptings of men in the new testament Luke 24 51 Acts. 24 51. Acts. 8 39. they are had also in the new For Christ of whom the old raptings were shadowes was taken vp into heauen in the sight of his apostles And Paule said that he was rapted into the third heauen whether it were in the bodie or out of the bodie c. And Philip the Deacon as we read in the Acts when he had baptised the Eunuch of Quéene Candaces he was caught awaie by the angell out of his sight and found himselfe to be at Azotus Wherefore there be notable examples extant as well in the old testament as in the new whereby we are warned that we should at the least wise ascend into heauen with our mind and there be conuersant before God and Christ Iesus Phil. 3. 10 1. Cor. 5 6. Our conuersation as Paule hath taught ought to be in heauen Neither let vs be forgetfull that wée so long as we liue héere doo wander and straie from the Lord happie no doubt are such raptings Damnable on the other side are the raptings of Dathan and Abiram Num. 16 31 who were caught quicke into hell And fowle and shamefull were those which the Poets extoll namelie of Ganimedes Proserpina and of others whose examples must euen as much be auoided of all men as the former examples must be expressed with as much imitation as we can And thus haue we spoken sufficientlie of the question proposed whereof I ment to haue said but a little But in trauelling therein I met with a number of by-turnings and points which I might not passe ouer that I was constrained to speake or write more at large than I was determined And as touching those things which I haue defined my mind was not to teach them as things firme and certeine or as perfectlie tried out by the holie scriptures but as likelihoods of truth the which we may gesse of without breach of faith And if anie man can alledge better proofes I am readie to heare him Neither haue I minded to contend earnestlie about those things which I haue affirmed and this doo I also persuade and counsell others to doo The xvij Chapter Of the end of the world of the last iudgement of eternall life of the equalitie of rewards and of the restoring of the whole world AS for the time of continuance of the world In 1. Cor. 10. ver 1â we haue no certeintie in the holie scriptures Augustine reckoned six ages of the world Augustine in his first booke vpon Genesis against the Manicheis reckoned six ages of the world The first from Adam vnto Noah the second from Noah vnto Abraham the third from thence vnto Dauid the fourth from that time to the transmigration into Babylon the fift from that time vnto Christ the sixt from Christ vntill the last iudgement Wherefore that age wherein we now liue being the last Iohn 2 18. may be called the decréeped or verie old age and of Iohn it is called the last houre but how long it shall continue Augustine we knowe not Augustine vnto Hesychius who had somewhat curiouslie questioned of the end of the world answered that He durst not either measure or reckon the spaces of times vnto the end of the world bicause it is written Matt. 24 3â that Of that daie knoweth no man neither the angels nor yet the sonne of God himself Epiphanius Which place Epiphanius interpreteth in the booke which he calleth Anchoratus affirming a double knowledge one of the execution or worke another of the inward science And then saith he God the father hath both waies the knowledge of the last iudgement of the inward science doubtlesse in that he hath knowen the time thereof secondlie of the worke bicause he hath alreadie executed iudgement How the sonne hath knowledge of the iudgment daie and how he hath not Iohn 5 22. He hath giuen all iudgement to the sonne and as touching himselfe he hath sufficientlie iudged And the sonne hath knowledge of that daie as touching knowledge but as touching execution he hath not bicause he is not yet come to iudge But the angels in neither sort knowe of that daie First in verie déed the houre time of iudgement is hidden to them further the worke or execution God hath not yet committed to them that they should go foorth and take awaie all offenses Howbeit this exposition séemeth to be verie subtill and wrested Augustine Augustine hath more plainlie interpreted it that The sonne knoweth not of that daie not as touching himselfe but concerning others whom he causeth not to knowe that daie neither hath he reuealed the same by his doctrine But if thou wilt saie that afrer this maner the father also dooth not knowe it bicause he hath not shewed the same daie or instructed anie man as touching it he answereth Yes verelie he hath reuealed it to the sonne Howbeit I would yet more simplie vnderstand that sentence as touching the humane nature of Christ which by the ordinarie and naturall condition knew nothing more than was declared vnto him by the diuine nature 2 Some haue had a mind to cauill that albeit the daie and the houre is not knowne yet that by coniectures we may atteine to the knowledge of the time bicause that Christ did speciallie speake of that daie but not of the time But this subtill point nothing helpeth them bicause it is written in the first chapter of the acts verse 7. It is not for you to knowe the times and moments which in Gréek is written ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã And that Matt. 24 14. which we read in Matthew When the Gospell shall be preached ouer all the world then shall the end be Augustine Augustine expoundeth The Lord shall not come before the Gospell shall be preached ouer all the world But by this it is not knowne how soone after such preaching he will come In the epistle to the Colossians verse 6. the first chapter the apostle writeth that Euen at that time the Gospell was alreadie preached ouer all the world and yet we sée that iudgement is still deferred The Lord in the Gospell of Matthew Matt. 24. shewed of manie signes of the last times but when we sée them we vnderstand not whether as yet they be thoroughlie come to the iust measure so as they should be reckoned euen for the verie same things which the Lord
of such ornaments haue some of the good Fathers made no account whereupon as Ierom sheweth Exuperius Bishop of Tholosa ministred the holie Supper with a cup of glasse Exuperius and with a wicker basket And in the Triburien Councell they began to dispute whether golden or woodden vessels should be had for the vse of the Sacraments Boniface saying of golden Priests and woodeÌ cups and contrariwise There Boniface the Martyr being demaunded of his opinion said When they were golden Priests they had woodden cups now being woodden Priests they will haue golden Challices And after this manner he derided the question put forth Yea and Persius and Ethnick Poet taunted this vanitie of men Persius writing Tell mee ye Bishops what doeth gold in your sacrifice Which verse Bernarde something changed Bernard very wel vsed the verse of Persius when as alreadie in his age the Bishops had golde in the furniture of their horses and said Tell mée ye Bishops what doeth gold in your brydle But the aduersaries saie that by these riche mettals and precious stones their ministerie is beautified Let them be holie of life and maners let them teache reprooue and féede the people committed vnto them It is verie diligentlie taught by Paule in the Epistles vnto Timothie and Titus 1. Tim. 3. 1 Titus 1. 6. with what ornamentes the holie ministerie shoulde be decked 24 But they still saie it cannot be denied An obiectioÌ why that should not be lawful in the newe Testament that was lawfull in the old but that such things were vsed in the olde Testament why is not the same lawfull for vs But if they haue determined to reuoke all things which were done in the old Testament why doe they not also renue the sacrifices of Moses Let them confesse that they haue the spirit of children not of men and of bondage not of fréedome They that be delighted with this kinde of worshipping had néede to deuise to themselues another Christ For true Christ neuer required such things We graunt that in the old Testament God would haue the Iewes to haue these things but of the Christians he hath not required them So as they which at this day giue vnto him without asking doe ill We liue now in that age The true worshipping of God Iohn 4. 24. wherein God must bee worshipped not in this place nor vpon that mountaine but in spirit and trueth as we reade in the 4. Chapter of Iohn Wherefore the charges which are lauished vpoÌ these things should much rather be bestowed for the maintenance of the poore and aduauncement of learning and especiallie diuine learning Further that the ornaments of Salomon in that time also were not so necessarie Those ornaments of Salomon were of no necessitie to them of that time but that GOD might be worshipped without them it is thereby declared that by the will of God they were taken awaie by the Chaldeans Moreouer if we calculate the times Those ornaments were not long kept in the Temple 1. kings 14. 25. we shall easilie perceiue that this golde of Salomon was not long kept in the temple because Rehabam his sonne tooke awaie the greatest part thereof to deliuer it vnto Sesack the King of Egypt whose prisoner he became And againe Abias gaue no small part of that gold vnto the King that beséeged him Ezechias also did the like 2. kin 18. 15 But let vs returne to our owne The beginning of superfluous expenses in our Temples Constantinus the first Emperour of that name opened the window vnto this so great a charge who as Eusebius writeth in the third booke of his life dedicated a temple at Ierusalem which he magnificentlie garnished with offerings with golde siluer and precious stones Furthermore I knowe that Optatus the Bishop of Millaine in the first booke against Parmenianus made mention of such Ornaments and so also did other of the Fathers But whatsoeuer they eyther affirme or decrée if it should be receiued by vs it ought to be allowed by the testimonie of God The sixth Chapter Of Schisme and whether the Gospellers bee Schismatikes because they haue alienated themselues from the Papists Looke after in the 20. Place In 1. kin 12 at the end I Will diuide this defence into thrée principall pointes A diuision of this question First I will shew that there happened most iust causes of our separation Secondly I will prooue that this separation was necessarie for vs. Thirdlie I will make it plaine that we haue not departed from the Church but haue rather returned to the same But before I enter to the explaining of these things I minde to speake somewhat of Schisme The Etymologie of Schisme The word is a Gréeke word deriued in Gréeke ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã which is to diuide to cut hewe in sunder But betwéene Schismes and Heresies The difference betwéene Schisme Heresie Looke In 1. Cor. 1. 10. Augustine against Cresconius Grammaticus so distinguisheth as a Schisme is called a late separatioÌ of the congregation by reason of some diuersitie of opinions the which when it hath waxed old is called an heresie Howbeit it séemes not verie likelie to be true that these should differ one from another by the difference of newnesse and oldnesse This doth rather agrée that meÌ maie be infected with schisme who neuerthelesse retaine the selfe same faith as it hath oftentimes happened in the papacie And the propertie of heresie is that it taketh some opinion to be defended seuerallie from others the which is repugnant aswell to the word of God as to the common faith Yet doth Paul in the first Epistle to the Corinthians séeme to confounde these two 1. Cor. 11. 18. For he accuseth them both of Heresie and Schisme The efficient cause of Schisme 2 It must not be passed ouer that Augustine affirmeth hatred against the neighbour to be the cause of Schisme And of this hatred there maie bée shewed foure chiefe partes namelie that men among themselues as touching the principall points doe not consent 2. Cor. 13. 11. and therefore Paul wished that the Corinthians were agréed and ioyned together in one minde Secondlie they oftentimes iarre in those things which are deriued and concluded of principles and therefore the Apostle added That they maie bee knit together in one and the same opinion It also happeneth sometime that although they agrée in minde and opinion yet are some so in loue with their owne phrases and forme of spéech and so obstinatelie maintaine the same as rather than they will forsake them they will be separated froÌ their brethren therfore Paul wished that they might speake al one thing Lastlie they therefore hate their brethren because some made one their guide and some another as it happened among the Corinthians of whom some saide I hold of Caephas 1. Cor. 1. 13. I of Paule and I of Apollo and euerie one hated
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
1. Cor. 5. 30 through all and in all He saieth also that wee be one bodie of the flesh and of the bones of Christ that we be most néerelie conioyned vnto him and the giftes which wée haue are deriued vnto vs by God through the flesh of Christ giuen for our sake vppon the Crosse and so by the flesh of Christ we be coupled and vnited vnto God And in the 17. Chapter of Iohn Christ prayeth the Father for the Apostles Ioh. 17. 20. and all that doe beléeue and shall beléeue Cause thou that they maie be one euen as I am in thee and thou art in mee Wherefore he would that they should be one by communicating I meane of one and the same spirit The vnitie of the Church therefore by the places alleaged consisteth in the spirit in the worde of God in the Sacraments and in a most néere bond with Christ who is the head of all the members of the Church Such a vnitie haue not we broken but we wish euerie manner of waie that it maie be maintained safe and sound Much more might be brought for the deciding of this controuersie but those things which are alreadie spoken I thinke are sufficient vnto godly mindes to confirme and comfort themselues against the cauillations of the Papistes What is to be done of theÌ which haue departed from the Papists 51 Lastlie this remaineth that séeing we haue departed from that congregation which persecuteth true godlines let vs shew that we haue done the same in good earnest least we should séeme onelie to be absent from them in bodie Therefore let vs with our whole heart and with all our indeuour imbrace sound and true godlinesse and shewe forth plentifull and manifest fruites of our faith In this vocation of ours let vs auoide the offences by which the course of the Gospell maie be hindred and they called backe from the going forwarde in Christ who as yet be somewhat tender therein Let vs rather labour to edifie the brethren and driue them so farre as we are able to the purer religion And let vs remember that it is not sufficient to haue put our hand to the plough we must perseuere vnto the ende Luke 9. 22. And since we stand in the right waie we must take verie diligent héede of the furie and sleightes of the Diuell Let vs not suffer our selues by peruerse opinions and erronious sectes to be led awaie from that trueth which we perceiue by faith This if we shall doe we shall purge our selues both to the godlie and to the wicked but if we behaue our selues otherwise we shall be verie much hated of both not for the cause sake but through our owne fault The seuenth Chapter Of Sacramentes and namelie of Circumcision THe worde which signifieth a Sacrament in Hebrew is Sod and Razi In Rom. 4 ver 11. Looke In Gen. 17. Look Epist 18 vnto the brethren of Polonia Verse 16. The first of these wordes is common vnto all secretes and hidden things is more in vse And the other Esaie vsed in the xxiiij Chapter when he said Razi-li Razi-li that is a secret vnto me a secret vnto me Daniel also in his second Chapter setting downe the interpretation of a mysterie vseth the selfesame word Such is the nature and condition of Sacramentes that they containe things hid knowne yet vnto some but not vnto all And from this Etimologie the Gréeke worde ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã differeth not much which is deriued ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã that is because wée ought to kéepe things close inwardlie After such a sort were the mysteries of Ceres Eleusina in the Countrie of Athens The mysteries of Ceres of Eleusis which were opened vnto none but those who had bin first instructed And they are called ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã to whose secresie these things are committed Chrysost Rom. 11. 25 Chrysostome when he interpreteth the xj Chapter of the Epistle of Paule to the Romans where Paul saieth that he writeth a mysterie of the Israelits partlie blinded and partly to be restored saith that a mysterie signifieth a thing vnknowen and vnspeakable which hath in it much admiration and which is aboue our opinion The same father when he interpreteth the second Chapter of the first Epistle to the Corinthians 1. Cor. 2. 7. where it is sayd We speake wisedome in a mysterie thus writeth It should be no diuine or perfect mysterie if thou shouldest adde anie thing of thy selfe Vnto diuine mysteries must nothing bee addâ⦠By which wordes it is manifest howe much they are to be blamed which at their owne pleasure and iudgement ordaine Sacraments and from that which Christ himselfe hath ordained plucke awaie what they will Those wordes of Chrysostome doe manifestlie reprooue them Neither let them thinke themselues to be anie thing relieued by saying that he speaketh of that mysterie which is found in the holie scriptures whervnto he saieth nothing must be added nor taken awaie Forsomuch as the Sacraments whereof we intreate are of no lesse weight than the holie Scripture The sacraments of the same weight that be the holie scriptures For they as Augustine verie aptlie saieth are the visible wordes of God Furthermore Chrysostome expounding the place before alleaged saieth that we in the Sacraments sée one thing beléeue another thing beholde with our sense one thing vnderstand in our mind another thing The faithful and the vnfaithful are not affected both after one maner towards the sacraments Whereof it followeth that all are not after one and the selfe same maner affected towardes these mysteries For an Infidell when he heareth that Iesus Christ was crucified thinketh it to be a thing foolish and of no value But the faithfull man acknowledgeth in that mysterie the most high power and wisedome of God If an Ethnick heare that Christ was raised from the dead he will thinke it to be a fable But a Christian not onelie beléeueth that the same was done but also will not doubt but that he himselfe as a member of Christ shall one daie be raised vp from the dead Afterward Chrysostome commeth to the visible Sacrament and saith If an Infidel sée Baptisme he wil iudge that there is but water onely but the faithfull beholdeth the washing of the soule by the bloud of Christ And in the Eucharist by the senses is knowen onelie the bread and wine but the beléeuers referre their minde to the bodie of Christ Hereunto he applyeth a similitude of a Booke A similitude For if an vnlearned and rude man that cannot reade a worde should light vpon a Booke he onelie may behold and woonder at the prickes figures and colours but the sense and vnderstanding of them he cannot finde out but he which is learned draweth from thence either Histories or else other things pleasant and worthie to be knowen Now that we haue declared the interpretation of the Gréeke and Hebrew worde there
it Therefore faieth he it is a commaunding figure namely that we should swéetely profitably lay vp in memorie the flesh of Christ that was crucified and wounded for vs. In an Epistle vnto Boniface he said most plainely that sacramentes take their name of those things whereof they should be sacraments and he expressed by name the sacrament of the bodie of Christ And he addeth that the sacrament of the bloud of Christ is the bloud of Christ And all this he wrote to shew that baptisme is the Sacrament of faith and that therefore it may be said that it is faith and that young children being baptized haue faith because they receiue this sacrament And least that any should say that these be signes substantially as these men speake of the thing present let them consider of the similitudes which these men haue alleaged to wit that we say when we be néere vnto Easter that to morrow or the next day after shal be the Passion of the Lord and vpon Sundaie the Lord rose againe when as yet these things are not nowe present but were doone long before Further he here affirmeth that the baptisme of young children is faith which neuerthelesse yong children presently haue not Yea and the same father as we haue it De Consecratione distinct 2. in the Chapter Interrogo vos saieth that it is as sinfull a negligence to suffer the word which is preached to slip out of our mindes as it is for a part of the sacrament to fall vpon the earth Which if it were graunted this Transubstantiation would take but small place For it woulde séeme to be farre more absurd that the bodie it selfe of Christ should fall or be troden vnder foote than if any part of the holy wordes should be heard with small regard Moreouer vpon the 8. Psalme he saieth that Christ admitted Iudas in the supper when he commeÌded vnto vs the figure of his bodie They are accustomed to say that the figure or signe in this sacrament which is the bodie of Christ being hidden with accidents is his owne dead and vnbloudie bodie as he hung vpon the Crosse and that the bloud hidden vnder the accidents of wine is the figure of the bloud shed vpon the Aultar of the Crosse But who perceiueth not that the deuises of these men be vaine For there ought to be put a signe and figure which is sensible more knowen than the thing signified Therefore the Maister of the Sentences out of Augustine defined a sacrament to be a visible signe of an invisible grace A definition of the sacrament But the bodie of Christ being hidden vnder accidents as themselues affirme is no lesse obscure than is that which hung vpon the Crosse yea and if I may say the truth more vnknowen and obscure than the thing signified Which is against the nature of a signe and figure For more easily is the bodie knowen and considered of vs how it hung vpon the Crosse than as they make it in the Eucharist 28 Leo the Pope in an Epistle vnto the Clergie people of Constantinople wrote Leo. that this is a mysticall distribution a spirituall foode and a heauenly vertue That here we receiue it to the intent we may bée made the flesh of Christ who for our sakes tooke our flesh vppon him Cyrillus in the 4. Cyril Booke and 14. Chapter vpon Iohn On this wise he gaue vnto the beléeuing Disciples péeces of bread saying Take ye The same Father in an Epistle to Calosyrius Wherefore it became him after a sort to be vnited vnto our bodies by his holy flesh and by his precious bloud which we receiue in the liuely blessing in bread and wine Now will we alleage Theodoritus Bishop of Cyrus Theodoritus he liued in the time of Cyrillus and was in the Synode of Ephesus and Chalcedone and he was accounted most learned and eloquent And when in the Synode of Ephesus there had happened a discension betwéene Iohn the Patriarche of Antioch and Cyrillus the Patriache of Alexandria it séemed good to Theodoritus to cleaue vnto the Patriarche of Antioch howbeit the matter came to an agréement and in the Synode of Chalcedone Theodoritus was knowen for a verie learned man and holy member of the Church of Christ yea and in the bookes which he wrote he purposely withstandeth Nestor and by expresse wordes dealeth against him The Booke was printed at Rome And the Papistes perceiued that he is most manifestly against Transubstantiation and they haue excused him for two causes First for that the Church had not as yet pronounced as concerning that matter as though wée shoulde séeke what the Pope with his Cardinals decreed either at Constance or in the Synode where Berengarius was condemned and not rather what hath bin preached and beléeued in the olde Church Further they saide that this man in writing against Hereticks wheÌ he intreated of those mysteries did ouermuch leane vnto the other part and so was against Transubstantiation to the intent the aduersaries might be the easilier confuted But how vaine an excuse this is it may appeare by the discourse of the writer where thou maiest perceiue that not one word hath escaped him but that the whole Argument and strength thereof is drawen from the nature of a sacrament so as if thou mingle therewithall Transubstantiation there can bée nothing concluded Yea rather the Heretickes will carrie away the victorie They adde that he in the selfe same booke speaketh sometime more reuerently of the Eucharist but all things being considered he speaketh no where so reuerently that he is against our opinion which we haue now affirmed He disputeth against them which denied that Christ had a true bodie and said that his bodie at the time of his Ascension was wholy turned into the diuine nature First he alleageth the prophesie of the Patriarch Iacob that he may prepare himselfe a waie to deriue an argument from the sacraments The wordes be these 29 ORTH. Doest thou know that God called bread his owne bodie SOD. I knowe it ORTH. And againe that at another time his flesh was called Corne SOD. This also I know for I haue heard him say that The houre commeth wherein the sonne of man shall be glorified Ioh. 12. 23. and vnlesse the graine of Corne be cast into the earth and die it remaineth alone but if it be dead it will bring foorth much fruite ORTH. He vndoubtedly in the deliuerie of the mysteries called bread his bodie the Cup mixed his bloud SOD. So in déede he named it ORTH. But it might also according to nature bée called a bodie yea euen his owne bodie and bloud SOD. It is graunted ORTH. Yea verilie our Sauiour himselfe chaunged the names and to the bodie he gaue the name of the signe and to the signe the name of the bodie Iohn 15. 1. After the same manner also when he said that he himselfe is the vine he called his bloud the
the materiall naturall conditions thereof It is also to be vnderstood by interchange and participation of properties that because the diuine nature of Christ is most truely present with vs the selfe same may be communicated with his humanitie Iohn 3. 13. As Christ when he spake vpon the earth said that the sonne of man is in heauen and so he attributed vnto the humanitie that which belonged vnto the diuinitie After what maner the humane nature may be saide to be present in the sacrament And after this maner I might graunt that the humane nature of Christ is present with vs in the Communion if it should be expounded by communicating of properties one with another Lastly if thou demaund why the father 's vsed these figures and excessiue spéeches Why the fathers vsed excessiue spéeches as touching these matters wée say partly to followe the phrase of the Scripture partly to pearce more vehemently the mindes of men Further to the intent they might shew that this signification of Sacraments is not as it were Comical or Tragical For in those each player may represent Hector or Priamus there followeth nothing besides of any great importance But here the thing represented is by the power of the holy Ghost both giuen and imprinted in our mindes by faith and there followe manie giftes and graces and especially a secrete and vnspeakable vnion with Christ so as we truly become one with him 45 But the first obiection was out of Irenaeus who saieth that the earthly breade being consecrate is not common bread but is become the Eucharist This doe we willingly admit affirming that it is not héere common bread but holy and which now as he said is become the Eucharist But that which followeth makes more on our side For he writeth that the Eucharist consisteth of two things that is to wit heauenly and earthly and saieth not of the Accidents of an earthly thing He addeth afterward Euen so our bodies receiuing the Eucharist are not corruptible hauing the hope of the Resurrection And if so great a chaunge in our bodies be set forth by him as he maketh it equall to the change of the bread for he saith euen as that bread is no more coÌmon bread so our bodies are no more corruptible what néede shall there be of Transubstantiation séeing he maketh these changes to be equall aswell in the one as in the other Next of all was Tertullian alleaged To Tertullian and he also expoundeth his owne selfe He not onely saith The Lorde hauing receiued the bread made it his bodie when he said This is my bodie but he added That is a signe of my bodie They obiected out of Origen To Origen that he wrote that the Lord confesseth the bread to be his bodie This doe not we denie but all the strife is as touching the maner how it is become the bodie of the Lorde and hereof he himselfe plainely teacheth elsewhere that there lyeth a figure and that this breade is called the nourishing word of the soule he teacheth that we must not holde our selues vnto the bloud of the flesh but vnto the bloud of the word To CypriaÌ Cyprian séemeth to speake more hardlie when he saieth that this bread is changed not in shape but in nature Howbeit we must haue regarde what he wrote vnto Coecilius namely that with the wine is shewed the bloud of the Lord and that if the wine cease to be in the cup it cannot appeare that the bloud of the Lord is there And whereas he nowe speaketh of changing that also wée graunt Howbeit a sacramentall changing What manner of change of the bread is graunted then we confesse not that the shape or the forme and accidents of bread haue this gift to become sacraments but that the nature and substance it selfe of breade and wine is chaunged into the sacraments of the bodie and bloud of the Lord. And as the substance it self of bread and not the forme nourisheth euen so the bodie of Christ both nourisheth our soule and it fostereth the bodie and renueth it And as the substance it selfe of bread consisteth of many graines so the mysticall bodie which it representeth hath many members ioyned together Whereupon aswell we as our aduersaries say that the forme that is the appearaunce and shewe of the bread is not changed but that it is the substance which is chaunged And they woulde haue a change to be by casting awaie of the nature of bread but we onelie affirme a sacramentall change And Cyprian himselfe maketh against our aduersaries for they change not the substance of bread but they take it vtterly awaie We say that it is changed as that which is become the bodie of Christ that is a sacrament of Christes bodie which before it was not Besides these things Nature among the authors of the Latine tongue doeth not alwaies signifie substance Diuers significations of nature but power wit and propertie Wherfore Cicero de Somnio Scipionis The proper nature and power of the soule is that it selfe should be mooued by it selfe And vnto Lentulus That is the nature and Religion of thy Prouince And when it is saide the Nature of Herbes the nature of stones and such like Which signification doeth well agrée with the saying of Cyprian To Ambrose 46 They obiect Ambrose and especiallie in his bookes De Sacramentis which bookes some haue thought to bée none of Ambrose workes The Bishop of Rochester is earnest against them that so thinke And hée saith that we must in any wise giue credite to Augustine Certaine bookes ascribed to Ambrose concerning sacraments who ascribeth these bookes vnto Ambrose And he openly testifieth that Ambrose wrote the bookes de Sacramentis and he citeth the prologue vppon the Bookes of Christian doctrine which I haue oftentimes read and neuer finde that which this man writeth Vnlesse perhaps he meane that which he wrote in his books of RetractatioÌs when he maketh mention of his writings of Christian doctrine there perhaps hée hath some such thing Moreouer this I know very well Certaine spéeches of Ambrose that Augustine against Iulian the Pelagian cited Ambrose De Sacramento Regenerationis vel de Philosophia yet not these Bookes De Mysterijs vel de Sacramentis And the things which be there cited are not found in those bookes De Sacramentis But I passe not hereof Admit that they be the bookes of Ambrose They do not altogether disagrée with vs. For he oftentimes maketh mention of signifying and that these sacraments are named and called the bodie of Christ the which we denie not And if at any time hée make mention of changing or conuersion these wordes must be vnderstoode of sacramentall changing Further the selfe same father must be perused what hée saith in an other place First in his Treatise De Officijs the 4. booke the 48. Chapter Héere is the shadow héere is the Image there is
when he made mention of his eating at the ende of the Gospell spake not of the institution of the Sacrament as doe the other Euangelistes For that he had sufficiently taught before And the Summe of doctrine which they omitted Iohn in the 6. Chapter fulfilled And there is not therefore any cause say they why any man should say that the communion is therefore superfluous because in often communicating we celebrate the memorie of the Lorde and thankes giuing and the minde is stirred vp with a likenesse of those things which be represented Neither are they dumbe but speaking signes which be there The coâmodities comming by the CoÌâ⦠Further a certaine priuie token is there wherby the Christians doe make themselues to be ioyned one with an other and with Christ Moreouer they professe their faith as touching the bodie of Christ nailed vpon the Crosse and his blood shed for our saluation For it is not ynough to beléeue with the heart but confession also must be with the mouth and not onelie with the mouth but with outward actions Neither doe they admit it as these men saie that the wicked also doe receiue the bodie of Christ That the wicked receiue not the bodie of Christ For sense and reason attaine not vnto it Wherefore it remaineth that he be receaued by faith wherof they being destitute can haue nothing but the signes And Paule writeth He that shall eate the bread vnworthilie and saith not He that eateth the bodie vnworthilie 77 Furthermore they woonder at them which follow the contrarie opinion Remission of sinnes is had by faith not for the woorke wrought of him that eateth Besides is the eating faith is stirred vp not by the power of the works but by the working of the holie Ghost 1. Cor. 11. ver 24. 25. 26. that vnto that corporall eating of Christ they attribute remission of sinnes for so much as this is to admit Opus operatum that is merite in respect of the verie act of working Neither is remission of sinnes had otherwise than by faith Afterward they sticke vnto the saying of Paule when the Lorde commaundeth this to be doone in the remembrance of him and that his death shoulde bée shewed which wordes séeme vnto them to declare the absence of the body of Christ But I haue elsewhere shewed that this argument is not verie firme vnlesse they meane as touching the bodie of Christ reallie and corporally and naturallie to be present Otherwise when it is receaued by faith it is not vnderstoode to be altogether absent although he remaine in heauen as touching his nature and substance For he is spirituallie eaten and is trulie ioyned with vs. Moreouer they cite the fathers which doe plainelie pronounce that the type the signe and the figure héere is the bodie of Christ And they bring in two similitudes Two similitudes One is of a friend whose friend being absent bodilie is saide to be present when he thinketh of him The other they appoint to be of lookingglasses which be about one and the selfesame man whose face and countenance is multiplyed throughout all the glasses although he be not moued out of his place Symilitudes I graunt these be but yet ouer could to agrée with this mysterie For a friend being comprehended in the cogitation and conuersant in the minde changeth not him that thinketh vpon him he nourisheth not his minde neither yet doth he restore his flesh whereby it might be capable of the resurrection And this similitude of the glasses is a verie slender shadow neither must it be compared to that coniunction which we haue with Christ For the presence that wée confesse of the spirite of Christ hath the power of the holie ghost ioyned therewith which most néerelie coupleth vs vnto him But yet the foresaide similitudes are not vtterly to be refused séeing they maie after a sort leade vs to the trueth of the matter so that they make not the things equall For they shewe how this receauing maie be with faith and with the mind But they haue made mention of two coniunctions with Christ One is that by faith wée apprehend his bodie was nailed to the crosse and his bloud shed for our saluation An other is that the sonne of God himselfe tooke our verie nature vpon him And so is there a naturall coniunction betwéene vs and Christ whereof there is mention in the 2. Chapter to the Hebrues Verse 14. But there is a certaine third coniunction which we enter into with Christ in eating of him spirituallie whereof they doe not manie times speake although they passe it not ouer altogether in silence But as touching that we will intreat a little after Now if these men be demaunded whether Christ be present at the supper of the Lord they answere that he is present Howbeit this they speake by the figure Synecdoche Christ by his godhead is trulie present in the supper because the one part of Christ that is his Godhead is trulie present Otherwise in expounding the sentence of the Lord This is my bodie they vse the figure Metonymia to wit the name of the signe for the thing signified And they graunt that Christ himselfe after that sort is present as the Sonne which kéepeth it selfe within his owne circle A similitude and yet neuerthelesse is said to be present with the world and to gouerne the same with his motion and light How present faith maketh a thing But howe throughly faith maie make a thing to be present Gal. 3. 1. they thinke that they declared out of the Epistle to the Galathians where Paule saide that Christ was described before their eyes and crucified among them 78 Now remaineth that we shewe our iudgemeÌt among these opinions What in those opinions is to be receiued or refused what must bee auoyded and what must be receaued Not that I am minded to reprooue either Luther or Zuinglius being singular and verie excellent men For as touching Zuinglius I certainlie know that in his bookes he affirmeth the signes in this sacrament not to bée vaine or frustrate signes as we before declared And it hath also béene reported vnto me That betwéene the bodie of Christ and the signes Luther put no other but a sacramentall coniunction by all them which haue had conference with Luther that he in verie déede betwéene the bodie of Christ and the signes put no other but a sacramental coniunction But how the contention is growen set on fire betwéene theÌ it is no time now to rehearse Now then setting these men aside which are neuer sufficientlie praised we will intreate of the opinions as they are set downe and vrged on both partes Wherefore in the first opinion What in the first opinion must not be allowed I allowe not that grosse knitting together of the bodie of Christ with bread so as it should be naturallie corporallie and reallie comprehended therein For the holy Scripture dryueth
that offereth than of the Sacrifice yea the oblations please not him but for the offerers sake This iudgement Iraeneus prooueth by the Scriptures in his 4. booke and 34. Chapter For God had a regarde vnto Abel and to his giftes but vnto Caine and his giftes he looked not because of the disposition of them that offered For looke what manner of will he that offereth hath towardes God the like will hath God to the oblation Christ also saith If thou bring thy gift vnto the altar Matt. 5. 23. and rememberest that thy brother hath somwhat against thee goe and reconcile thee first vnto thy brother and then come and offer thy gift As though he should saie if whilest thou art euill and enimie vnto God thou doest offer thine oblation shall not be acceptable vnto God Wherefore Irenaeus concludeth that it is not the sacrifice which sanctifieth but the conscience of the sacrificer And he addeth a reason because God néedeth not our sacrifice Among men the euill man oftentimes may be absolued because men are sometimes couetous and néedie and are easilie woonne with monie But if it happen the iudge to be both iust and good he will reiect the monie neither will he suffer his equitie after that maner to be stayned So God because he cannot be woonne by flatterie obserueth the mindes of men and not the Sacrifices In Esay the 66. Chapter he saith He that Sacrificeth a beast is as if he slew a dog not that God hateth sacrifices in general but because he alloweth not the oblations of euill men I haue the largelier spoken of these things because the Papistes boast that in Masses they offer Christ vnto God the father which if it should be graunted then must God the father more estéeme a naughty sacrificer than he doth his sonne But the wife of Manoah reasoneth most wittilie God hath receaued our sacrifice therefore he is not angrie The sacrifices of Christians neither will he destroy vs. We count the sacrifices of Christians to be a contrite heart prayers giuing of thankes almes mortifying the affections of the flesh and such like These are left vnto vs after the abrogation of the carnall sacrifices that we should offer them as the fruites of our faith and testimonies of a thankefull minde But as touching the pacifying of God Christ offered himselfe once vpon the Crosse neither is there any néede that any man should offer him againe For by one oblation he accomplished all things Now remaineth that we imbrace his sacrifice with faith and we shall haue God merciful vnto vs who of his goodnesse will by Christ accept those sacrifices which we haue now made mention of Augustine 19 But Augustine against the letters of Parmenianus in his 2. booke the 8. Chapter séemeth at the first sight to make against vs. For the Donatistes would not communicate with other Christians because they counted them defiled vnpure And they cited a place out of Iohn Iohn 9. 31. We know that God heareth not sinners Your men say they haue betrayed the holie bookes haue burnt incense vnto Idolles haue denied God howe then shall God heare them Augustine answereth that it may be that an euill Minister although he be not heard for his owne cause yet when he prayeth for the people he may be heard And he confirmeth his saying by the Example of Balaam For he béeing a most wicked man prayed vnto God and was heard But if a man diligentlie examin these things he shall finde that Augustine is not against vs The publike praiers of the minister are the praiers of the Church although at the first sight he séemeth a little to presse vs. When he had saide that the euill Ministers also are heard he straight way addeth that that is not doone for their wickednesse sake but because of the faith and deuotion of the people Whereby we gather that although the Minister be the guide in words yet are they not his prayers but the prayers of the church For there must be one certaine man which must recite the prayers for the rest least in the multitude should arise a confusion or tumult if euerie man should indeuour to make loude prayers in the Church Wherefore the Minister is a certaine mouth of the Church The Minister is the mouth of the Church So as if he be euil it is not he which is herd but the faithfull people which speake by his wordes And this doeth Augustine teache when he writeth that an euill minister is heard not for his owne wickednesse but for the faith and deuotion of the people Hereby are we admonished that while we are present at publike prayers we must take verie diligent héede assure our selues that these prayers which are recited are ours But Balaam by a certaine forme of prayers prophesied and therefore his wordes are called a blessing because he prophesied happie things vnto the people of God How it is saide that Balaam was heard And he was not mooued vnto these prayers of his owne will but was set on by the spirit of God And so he was not heard but the holy Ghost was the true Author of his wordes 20 That which is alleaged out of Iohn Iohn 9. 31. Whether God heareth sinners to wit That God heareth not sinners Augustine saieth that that was not the saying of Christ but of the blind man which was not yet fully lightened Wherefore he affirmeth that sentence not to be generally true For as they define the prayers of peruerse Ministers are sometimes heard because they are the prayers of the Church But as touching the offering vp of Christ I thinke not that the Papists will graunt that the whole Church offereth him séeing they will haue that to be peculiar to the MassemoÌgers And though they shoulde graunt that yet is not the whole Church greater more acceptable vnto God than is Christ Because he is not acceptable vnto God for the Church sake but the Church is acceptable vnto God for Christes sake But to returne to the saying of Iohn That God heareth not sinners adding a profitable distinction we may thus expound it A distinctioÌ of sinners There are some sinners which fall of weakenesse or sinne of ignoraunce which yet afterward do acknowledge themselues are sorowfull and repent faithfully But there are other which sinne without conscience which are destitute of faith neither are they led with any repentance The first sort because they haue faith are heard the other for as much as they want faith doe in vaine powre out their prayers Luk. 18. 10. What maner of one the Publicane was when he prayed Howbeit if a man will obiect the Publicane who being a sinner prayed vnto God and departed iustified I answer that that Publicane was in such sort a sinner that yet when he prayed he was not without faith nay rather he prayed from a faithful heart otherwise God would not haue heard his prayers And
Howbeit the holy scriptures doe not so teach Exo. 32. 29. Moses said vnto the Leuites which with him had killed so many Ye haue consecrated your handes So farre was it off that they should be depriued of the holy Ministerie 1. Par. 22. 8. But thou saiest that Dauid was in old time forbidden to build the Temple for his shedding of bloud But in this place we must marke the mysterie wherein SalomoÌ shadowed Christ the peaceable king Séeing by him he was expressed who without weapons hath gathered together the Church being the true Temple of God vnto the true euerlasting peace Bloud rightly shed debarreth not from the holie ministerie Num. 25. 7 1. kings 18. 40. Neuerthelesse bloud being iustlie and rightlie shed debarreth not from the holie Ministerie For Phinces who held the high Priestes office thrust through two most vnpure whoremongers Elias a man of the stocke of the Leuites slewe with his owne hand the Prophets of Baal And Samuel a man of the same Tribe did himselfe kill Agag the king and yet neither of them both were reiected from their office Neither doe I therefore speake these thinges to commend the promoting of Men-killers vnto holy orders but this onelie I oppugne that euerie slaughter and euerie mankilling maketh not a man so irregular as these men say that he cannot be ordayned a Minister of the Church What if a man haue bin a Iudge or Magistrate or in iust warre hath fought for his countrie caÌnot he straightway therefore be ordained a Minister of the Church Peraduenture he hath obtained excellent giftes of God and is indued with singular learning adorned with a pure life instructed with dexteritie of gouernment and with godly eloquence cannot the Church as these men most absurdly thinke vse his giftes Certainlie that was not obserued in Ambrose He was seruant vnto Caesar and decided matters in the lawe being Pretor of Millaine And yet was he suddenlie taken perforce to be a Byshop I know that Paul requireth that a Byshop be no striker 1. Tim. 3. 3. yet no man doubteth but that this must be vnderstood of an vniust slaughter or violence But what should a man here doe All thinges are by the Papistes handled superstitiouslie 33 Finally the third cause why officers of punishment and executioners are euill spoken of is this because verie many of them liue wickedly and dishonestly and haue before time bin naughtie men Howbeit the office doth not dishonest theÌ but they rather by their fault pollute an excellent office Aristotle Aristotle in his 6. Booke of Politickes the last Chapter saieth that good men abhorre this kinde of office namely of punishing of men because it hath an hatred annexed vnto it For they oftentimes incurre the hatred of men Howbeit in my iudgement a good and godly man ought not for that cause to mislike of his office The aunswere of Chrysippus I remember an answere of Chrysippus who being demaunded why he exercised not the office of a Magistrate If I exercise it not rightly saide he I shall displease God and yet if I doe it rightly I shall displease men but I will neither of both Vnto some he séemed to haue answered verie prudently but me thinketh he answered foolishly For he shoulde rather haue answered contrarie that the publike weale ought to be gouerned and that rightlie to please both God and good men Doubtlesse a wise and good man should haue no respect vnto wicked men By these things it is nowe manifestlie shewed that Gideon in that he by himselfe killed the Kings of Madian committed nothing that was vnfit for him neither that he commaunded his sonne to doe a dishonest act Of Sanctuaries called Asyla 34 But because it is written that Adonias caught holde on the hornes of the Altar In 1. kings 1. ver 50. and the verie like also is read of Ioab therefore it séemeth good to intreate somewhat of Sanctuaries wherein is graunted a libertie to them which flie thither for refuge They call a Sanctuarie a holie thing or place What thing a Sanctuarie is and whereof it is so called from whence it is not lawfull to draw any man by violence If wée giue credite to Seruius the Grammarian vpon the 8. Booke of Aeneids the Nowne is deriued from α a Particle of depriuing and ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã that is to draw and by an ill pronunciation ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã is changed into λ or else of the verbe ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã that is to take awaie As Homer vseth it in these words ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã that is drawing goodly Armour Howsoeuer the name is deriued we will not much striue But yet this I will not passe ouer that hereof commeth the worde ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã that expresseth the right which they inioy that flie vnto Altars Images Temples Whereupon is vaunted that saying ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã that is They that fled into the Temple of Theseus had the right of Sanctuarie Certainely the Temple and the Image they called ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã Pollux saieth that the common cryers or Heraldes at Armes were ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã that is to saie safe men so that where soeuer they were they should be kept inuiolate Plutarche saieth in his Problemes of the Tribune of the people They made him both holie and also ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã that is inuiolate neither was it lawful for any man to lay hands vpon them The originall of Sanctuaries 35 But the beginning of Sanctuaries they affirme to be by the Nephewes of Hercules For when he was departed out of the world they feared the violence and disquietnesse of them whom their Grandfather had afflicted Wherefore at Athens they builded the Temple of mercie and they caused a decrée to be made that they which fled thither for succour might not be pulled awaie from thence Thereof doeth Statius make mention saying The fame is that the Nephewes of Hercules builded an habitation c. Liuius writeth that Romulus and Remus after Rome was built opened a Sanctuarie betwéene the Castle and the Capitol in that place which was called Intermontius So manie as came thither though they were wicked men obtained fréedome from punishment Vnto what God that place was consecrate it is doubted There be some which think it was dedicated vnto Veiouis but Dionysius Halicarnassaeus fréely confesseth that he doeth not knowe Augustine Augustine De Concordia Euangelistarum the 1. Booke and 12. Chapter condemneth this Act of Romulus and Remus in respect that they for the aduauncement and increase of the Citie which they had builded should graunt impunitie to wicked men and those armed against their own Countrie whose lawes they feared and thereby for a reward of flying awaie obtained impunitie We deale not saieth he by this example in the Church of Christ wherin doubtlesse is giuen a securitie vnto sinners and penitent persons So then Sanctuaries haue bin in sundrie places to
is both a Grammarian a Musition Neuerthelesse the difference which I haue before mentioned is for the most part obserued although not alwayes namelie that espialship commeth of enemies and betraying of them which be amongst vs whome we trust as friendes 32 But to the ende we may the plainlyer knowe Whether prodition be at any time lawfull Augustine whether betraying be at anie time lawfull I thinke it best to call to minde those wordes which Augustine writeth against the letters of Petilianus the second booke and 10. Chapter We may not saith he heare the coÌplaintes of such as suffer but séeke out the minde of them which are the doers This the man of God wrote against the Donatistes which accused our men as betrayers and persecutors But he answereth them 1. Tim. 1. 20. That Paul also deliuered vp some vnto Sathan Whose saluation notwithstanding séemed to be committed to his charge Howbeit because he did it of a good intent namelie to teach them that they should not blaspheme and that their spirit might be saued in the day of the Lord he might not be accused either of betraying or treason because as it is said in the wordes before rehearsed the complaintes of them which suffer must not be heard but the minde of the doers Wherefore when warre or controuersie shall happen betwéene anie of which the one part is knowen to haue a iust and good cause What prodition is good if the other part which defendeth the woorser cause and therefore dooth vniustlie will by no meanes be brought to anie good or reasonable conditions surelie good men which perhappes are found on the same side ought in such sort to helpe and defend the other part as they may aduaunce iustice And if it be néede they ought to fall from the vniust to the iust men neither can their betraying be condemned as ill although before they had bin neuer so great nigh friendes vnto them which woorke vniustlie But now must we speake somewhat of the Israelites cause against the Chananites What maner of cause the Israelites had against the Chananits which may be considered of vs two manner of wayes Namelie either by the common ordinarie lawe of nature or else by faith and by the word of God Concerning the naturall or common lawe Epiphanius Epiphanius writeth that the land of Palestine pertained in verie déede to the Children of Sem by occasion whereof Melchisedeck reigned there which was either Sem himselfe or else one of his children But the Chananites which came of Cham passing ouer the boundes of Egypt and Africa which were appointed vnto them did cast out of Palestine the sonnes of Sem and therefore the Hebrewes which were the posteritie of Sem when they required to be restored to the landes of their forefathers séemed to doe it iustlie rightfullie Wherefore as he saith God both by one and the selfesame woorke restored vnto the Israelites the couÌtries which pertained to their auncestors and also punished the Chananites for their wickednesse Howbeit I cannot easilie agrée to the opinion of Epiphanius sith the time of prescription was past verie long before for there had bin the space of at the least 500. yéeres betwéene For which cause it might not be said that the Chananites possessed that land vniustlie If we should deale by this reason now in our time then should there in a manner none be counted a lawful Prince and iust possessor séeing their auncestors came to the possession of those prouinces and kingdomes by violence driuing out both the kinges the inhabiters that were in them before So then the Israelites séemed not to haue anie iust cause by mans lawe whereby they might make claime to the land of Palestine as to their owne neither alleged they anie such reason at anie time And yet neuerthelesse they had good right thereunto séeing God testified aswell by wordes as by woonderfull woorkes that he would the Hebrewes should haue the possession of those Regions to whome as Dauid hath wel said both the earth and the fulnesse thereof belongeth Psal 24. 1. Neither could the Chananites murmure against the iudgement of God for so much as they were iustlie cut off from their right for their sundrie and manifold wicked Actes So as none might in this cause iustly defend the Chananites if they would cleaue to the true God and beléeue his wordes Whereuppon that Luzite which betrayed his Citizens did it either of faith Iud. 1. 25. Iosua 2. 4. as did Rahab in Ierico or else by a bargaine made with man For the kéepers or spies said vnto him We will shew thee mercie If he were stricken with feare how could that as they say happeÌ vnto a coÌstant man For he was after a sort a prisoner and was fallen into the handes of his enemies Then was he brought to it by a compact of man and by that meanes did he shamefully because it is not lawfull for anie man to make anie vnhonest couenantes against his owne countrie It is not lawfull to make any vnhonest couenants against our Countrie Nothing must be done for feare against iustice Neither can he be excused in respect of feare for nothing must be doone against iustice and conscience what feare soeuer he should be stricken with But if he were stirred vp thereunto by faith and for that he saw his Citizens obstinatelie to resist the word of God and his woorkes then did he well Neither may his Treason be either disallowed or else condemned For no lawes no vowes no couenantes or bondes though they be neuer so straite may binde anie man to impugne or to resist the word of God which word all men must earnestlie labour to kéepe and fulfill séeing this sentence standeth fast and shall doe for euer That we must obay God rather than man Acts. 4. 19. Matt. 6. 24. Neither can anie man as Christ saith serue two Maisters especiallie if they commaund contrarie thinges 33 Moreouer the Magistrate must be ayded in the rooting out of vices and to him assuredlie it is lawfull priuilie to send men That it is lawfull for Princes to send priuie searchers and to offer rewards for finding out of conspiracies Deut. 13. 5. to finde out discouer wicked Acts whereby they may be punished and that as God hath commaunded euill may be taken out of place Yea and it is also lawfull for him to offer rewardes vnto men which be confederated together for some euill purpose to the intent that they may discouer the conspiracie and that without doubt belongeth to betraying Howbeit heresie must neuer either be dissembled or praysed or anie wicked Act committed to the intent that lawfull betraying may haue successe Wherefore Augustine in his latter booke of Retractations testifieth that he wrote his booke De mendatio Augustine chieflie because that some to the end that they would detect the Priscillianistes feined themselues to be followers of the same
Christ Manie are called and but few chosen now here is calling spoken of wherevnto followeth not iustification Moreouer there is a certeine calling which by Paule is speciallie called According to the purpose of God Ephe. 1 5. 9. which is shewed to differ from the other common calling Wherefore it is prooued by the holie scriptures that there is a difference of callings Augustine This Augustine confirmeth First against two epistles of the Pelagians the 19. chapter where he writeth For all that be called are not called according to the purpose For manie be called few be chosen They therefore are called according to the purpose who were chosen before the world was made And of this matter the same Augustine to Simplicianus at the end of the first booke Wherfore it remaineth that wils be chosen but the will it selfe vnlesse some thing happen which may delight and allure the mind cannot by anie meanes be mooued But that this should happen it is not in the power of man What else willed Saule but to inuade to drawe to bind and slaie the christians How raging was his will How furious How blind was it And yet was he with one voice from aboue ouerthrowne Doubtlesse such a vision happened vnto him as thereby crueltie being taken awaie that mind and will was wrested and corrected vnto faith Suddenlie of a woonderfull persecuter of the Gospell he became a more woonderfull preacher of the same So then it is manifest that the calling is of two sorts one common and an other according to the purpose to the vnderstanding whereof wée must knowe that this purpose is nothing else but a sure firme and constant decrée of God wherein he foreknew and appointed those which he would ioine togither iustifie and blesse in Christ The calling which vnto this purpose is confirmed is effectuall and changeth men through the word of God by the helpe of the holie Ghost But the other is common whereby are offered the promises of God through the word either outward or inward but not with such an efficacie as thereby the minds can be healed This distinction did Augustine verie well know Augustine who against Iulian the Pelagian in the fift booke the third chapter writeth after this maner Not all men which be called are called according to the purpose For manie be called Mat. 20 16. but few are chosen Wherefore else where also he saith 2. Tim. 1 9. According to the power of God who hath saued vs and called vs with an holie calling not according to our works but according to his owne purpose and grace which was giuen to vs in Christ Iesus before the beginning of the world The same Augustine De praedestinatione sanctorum the 16. chapter For manie which be predestinate God calleth his sonnes that he may make them the members of his onelie predestinated sonne not with that calling Matth. 22. wherby they were called which would not come to the marriage sith by that calling both the Iewes were called 1. Cor. 1 23. Vnto whome Christ crucified is a stumbling blocke and the Gentils also vnto whome Christ crucified is foolishnesse But he calleth the predestinate by that calling which the apostle distinguished saieng Ibid. 24. that Hee preached Christ the power of God and the wisedome of God vnto them which are called both of the Iewes and Graecians For so saith he in these words Vnto them which are called that he might note them which were not called knowing that there is a sure maner of calling of them which are called according to the purpose Rom. 8 29. whome he foreknew and predestinated to be made like to the image of his sonne Which calling he signifieng said Rom. 9 12. Not by works but by him that calleth it was said vnto hir The elder shall serue the yoonger He saith Not by works but by beleeuing Also he vtterlie tooke this from man that he might yeld the whole vnto God Therefore he said But by him that calleth not by euerie kind of calling but through that calling whereby man is made a beléeuer This also had he a respect vnto when he said Rom. 11 29. The gifts and calling of God are without repentance The same father in his Treatise De spiritu litera the 34. chapter mentioneth an other difference of these callings that the one counselleth and the other throughlie persuadeth And he saith Now if any shall presse vs to search that déepenesse why one is so counselled as he becommeth throughlie persuaded and an other not so two things in the meane time I call to remembrance which I think good to answer O the deepenesse of the riches Rom. 11 33. Rom. 3 5. c. Againe Is there anie iniquitie with God Hée that shall not be content with this answer let him séeke better learned but let him beware he find not them that be presumptuous 13 After this maner did Augustine conclude this sentence bicause he sawe there were men found out which sought for a cause of the difference by frée will whom he called presumptuous He writeth in like manner in the ninth chapter De praedestinatione sanctorum But whie it is not giuen in all men it ought not to mooue a faithfull man which beléeueth that by one man all men vndoubtedlie went into most iust condemnation Euen so there should be no iust reprehension of God although that none were deliuered from thence Wherby it is manifest that it is a great grace that manie are deliuered Againe what should be due vnto them they know by those which are not deliuered that they which glorie may glorie in the Lord not in their owne merits which they sée to be like to theirs that he damned Here also Augustine plainlie teacheth that whosoeuer of vs are deliuered we are not all called by that calling by which we be deliuered that without anie iniustice of God And in the same booke the 8. chapter Wherefore saie they dooth he not teach all men If we shall saie Bicause those whom he teacheth not will not learne Psal 85 7. it will be answered vs And where is that signe which is said vnto him Lord turne thou againe and quicken vs or else if God of vnwilling make not willing whie dooth the church according to the precept of the Lord praie for them that persecute hir c. Augustine resteth not vpon that answer to wit that they are not taught bicause they will not learne for he saith that of vnwilling GOD can make willing Prosper Adcaput Gallorum answereth to them which obiect that they which are called are not called alike but some are called that they should beléeue c. The answer followeth If calling be onlie vnderstood in preaching of the Gospell it is not trulie said that vnto diuers men it is diuerslie preached séeing there is one God one faith one regeneration and one promise But if there be a respect had to the effect
of planting watering there is one thing doone in them whose outward eares are mooued by a bodilie voice an other thing in them whose inward sense God hath opened in whose hart he hath put the foundation of faith the feruencie of loue c. Those two kinds of calling could not more euidentlie be expressed Zuinglius in his book De prouidentia tome 1. leafe the 370. That appointment or ordinance wherby is decréed that a man is now called by God not onelie by this generall calling which betokeneth the outward preaching of the apostles but also by that whereby the spirit dooth earnestlie put the elect in remembrance that they desire to obeie GOD in that he commandeth or promiseth c. The same author vpon the epistle to the Romans the eight chapter tome 4. leafe 428. To them which according to the purpose who indéed were called from the beginning These words doo I vnderstand of the inward calling that is of the election not of the outward calling of the word As if he should saie I haue now said that to the saints or them which be called all things turne vnto good Which saieng I allow for all things are grounded vpon the frée election of God God which knew all things before they were determined also before hand that they should be coheires with his sonne so neuerthelesse that Christ is the first begotten that is the naturall and essentiall sonne of God and we the adopted sonnes Whom he hath so before hand appointed and ordeined those afterward he calleth by an inward calling that is he draweth inwardlie Iohn 6. that is he maketh faithfull he draweth them that their mind may cleaue fast and trust vnto him Whom he thus maketh faithfull those also he iustifieth through an assured faith that is to wit of his sonne c. The same author in his booke De prouidentia tome 1. leafe the 368. saith For they sawe that this thing is not now signified by signes but doone before the eies whereby the sinnes of the whole world were purged but as touching this outward calling there was nothing doone bicause onelie they did repent whom the holie Ghost lightened that they might knowe this man to be the sauiour and the father did drawe them that they might come vnto him and might imbrace him further to knowe that outward things are not able to doo anie thing else but signifie and shew c. Conradus Pellicanus vpon the first chapter to the Ephesians interpreting these words Ephe. 1 5. Who hath predestinated vs to the adoption of sonnes thus writeth In the which thing must be noted the order wherein election holdeth the first place next vnto that the adoption to be sonnes which is said to be the calling while the Lord draweth vnto him those which he indued with the spirit in giuing a knowledge of himselfe finallie there succéedeth an holinesse of life c. Now by these excellent and holie men appéereth these two maner of callings not deuised by me but both receiued and put in writing by them Whereof it commeth that of them which be at one and the selfe-same sermon and heare the selfe-same Gospell some beléeue some contend some imbrace and some laugh to scorne Verelie they which contend scorne and refuse doo it of their owne naughtinesse which God infuseth not into them but they which beléeue and imbrace doo this by the effectuall caling of God the which is not giuen vnto all men Wherefore Augustine De praedestinatione sanctorum chapter eight Therefore when the Gospell is preached some beléeue and some beléeue not they which beléeue the preacher speaking outwardlie do inwardlie heare of the father do learne but they which doo not beléeue doo heare outwardlie inwardlie they doo not heare nor yet learne This is as much to saie as To the one sort it is giuen to beléeue to the other it is not giuen Iohn 6 44. bicause No man saith he commeth vnto me except my father shall drawe him The same father euen in that booke the sixt chapter Many heare the word of truth but some beléeue and some speake against it That these therefore will beléeue and that those will not who can be ignorant of this Who can denie it Howbeit séeing the will of some is prepared by the Lord and of some not we are in verie déed to discerne what springeth of his mercie or what springeth of his iudgement Rom. 10 3. That which Israel sought saith the apostle it obteined not but election obteined it Acts. 2 37. But others be blinded as it is written God hath giuen vnto them the spirit of slumber eies that they might nor see and eares that they might not heare euen vnto this daie c. Wherefore verie great is the difference of hearers the which Augustine as we haue knowne noteth by the diuersitie of callings And wherefore God so tempereth and distributeth them he in the same booke the eight chapter teacheth in these words But whie he teacheth not all men the apostle hath opened so much as he thought méet to be opened bicause He minding to shew his wrath Rom. 9 22. and to make his power knowne suffered with long patience the vessels of wrath prepared to destruction and that he might declare the riches of his glorie vpon the vessels of mercie which he prepared vnto glorie c. Here the reason as it manifestlie appeareth is deriued from the finall cause bicause God determined to make manifest not onelie his goodnesse but also his righteousnesse and seueritie But some man will saie If thus the case stand God shall not be vniuersall but particular The which doubtlesse in this respect cannot be denied for we sée that he ruleth at his pleasure and distributeth these two kinds of callings But of this matter we will speake afterward when we shall come vnto predestination The vse of this doctrine 14 In the meane time let vs answer them who say it is but a small matter that they desire and that the frée will which they would haue to be granted them they saie iâ but a certeine little sparke The same we doo grant so farre as godlinesse will permit namelie in those things which are subiect to the sense reason of man and which doo not excéed the capacitie of our nature Also to them that be renewed we grant it as much as mans infirmitie dooth suffer while we liue in this world But vnto those which be not renewed we cannot grant the same as touching heauenlie and spirituall good things bicause such a sparke it is as it would not bréed brightnes but smoke wherby men would soone become proud and withdraw much from the grace and mercie of God For by this little sparke they would boast that they are discerned from others but the scriptures will not haue them discerned otherwise than by the grace and mercie of God not by free will or by their owne gifts and vertues
kindled to craue the helpe of God And when we shall procéed further and shall vnderstand out of how manie euils and dangers we be deliuered we will be the more earnestlie mooued to giue thanks to our deliuerer Moreouer the honour thereof will be attributed vnto God to whose goodnesse mercie and liberalitie dooth redound whatsoeuer shall be adiudged in our power and abilitie This did the apostle chéeflie require 1. Cor. 1 31. 2. Cor. 10 17. that Wee should not glorie but should yeeld the whole vnto God But in giuing vnto frée will so much as is required of some both frée iustification is brought into doubt and frée election and predestination cannot consist A definition of free will Liberum arbitrium is a certeine power of the will the which while it followeth the part knowing dooth of his owne accord either refuse or desire some thing It is affirmed to be a power of the will but that is so far foorth as ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã or frée choise is drawne out of it The Maister of the sentences in the second booke distinction 25. saith that It is a power of the reason and of the will whereby is chosen that which is good when grace assisteth or euill when grace faileth A distinction of the obiects The things vnto which the will is carried be of two kinds Some are subiected vnto the sense and reason but some doo excéed our capacitie as being diuine and supernaturall A distinction of the states of men Also the states and conditions of men are distinguished Some be not as yet renewed but are still strangers from Christ but others are regenerate The freedome of them that be not regenerate The first proposition Men not yet regenerate haue partlie a frée will towards those things which are subiect to sense and reason and which excéed not our capacitie and partlie they haue not They haue it bicause it is in our power to walke to stand to sit to studie to buy and sell to trauell into strange countries c. And oftentimes reason may restreine the outward motions or else stirre them vp Partlie they haue not frée will bicause oftentimes there is stirred vp so great a perturbation so manie assaults that it is not in the power of reason to restreine them as are men that be angrie they tremble they are disquieted Somtimes they cannot remooue from their place and with too much feare being abashed they cannot but flie awaie euen as the Chanaanits were not able to stand against the Israelites Also the first motions are not in our power By this fréedome of will which we grant men are able to doo those things which are agréeable with the ciuill and economicall lawes Wherfore the ciuill and morall sciences remaine without impeachment and the authoritie of a magistrate is not hindered but established Also they are able to doo manie outward things which may séeme to agrée with the lawe of God as hypocrits doo but in verie déed such dooings are not according to the lawe of God For Gods lawe requireth faith good inwaed motions and that this be doone with all the heart with all the soule and with all the strength To grant the fréedome now declared I am led by experience which hath testimonie out of the holie scriptures Rom. 1 18. Paule to the Romans speaketh of wicked men and them that were not regenerate yet dooth he attribute vnto them that they could haue knowne God by his creatures Also he granted that they did knowe manie iust right and honest things Paule himselfe Rom. 2 1. and 14. Gal. 1 14. being not regenerate profited in the Iewish religion aboue his companions so as he liued vnblameable And there be extant manie notable examples of the Ethniks This fréedome The difficulties which are a let vnto free will which I grant as touching morall and economicall things suffereth great difficulties In reason there is darknesse in the will no small infirmitie And whereas there is a perpetuall conflict betwéene the part that belongeth to reason and the grosser powers of the mind wounds must néeds be giuen and oftentimes reason is ouercome wherevnto commeth the infirmitie of the bodie And if so be it be spoken of the regenerate Gal. 5 17. The spirit striueth against the flesh and the flesh against the spirit so as yee doo not those things that ye would Rom. 7 23. Ibidem 19. and if so be that They perceiue a lawe in their members rebelling against the lawe of the mind and if They doo not the good which they would but the euill which they hate how much more hath this place in them that be not regenerate We adde that while they be not regenerate there is a certeine necessitie of sinning not such a necessitie as the will is thereby constreined to will anie thing vnwillinglie for that cannot be but a necessitie whereby they cannot otherwise doo while they continue in that state For those things that they doo séeing they doo them not by faith they must needs be sinnes for Rom. 14 23. Whatsoeuer is not of faith is sinne And séeing they be as yet euill trées Matth. 7 27. they cannot beare other than euill fruit And Gen. 8 21. The thoughts imagination of mans heart is euill euen from his childhood Rom. 8 7. The wisedome of the flesh is enimitie against God it is not subiect to the lawe of God neither indeed can it be And while they be thus they doo not loue GOD aboue all things Wherefore since they doo not referre vnto him all the actions which they doo they must néeds be sinnes Herewithall adde that He which sinneth Iohn 8 34. is as Christ said the seruant of sinne And vnto the Romans His seruants you are Rom. 6 16 to whom ye haue giuen your selues to obeie And then shall you be free indeed when the sonne shall make you free Peter also said that Euerie man is become the seruant of him of whom he is ouercome Wherefore in this state while men be without Christ they are not trulie frée Another difficultie ariseth by the diuell 1. Pet. 5 8. who alwaies séeketh whom he may deuoure bicause he being a strong armed man Matt. 12 29. deteineth them that be his till there come one stronger than he And vnto Timothie it is also said 2 Tim. 2 26. that He at his owne pleasure withholdeth captiue those that resist the faith Wherefore this fréedome before declared I doo admit but yet impaired by reason of great difficulties Another subiection also might be added that God vseth our minds as instruments to performe the counsels of his prouidence Prou. 21 1. For the hart of the king is in the hand of GOD he inclineth it what waie soeuer he will As in Ezechiel God directed Nabuchad-nezar rather against Ierusalem Ezec. 21 21 than against the Moabites or Ammonites when as otherwise Nabuchad-nezar himselfe
that receiueth the sacraments as touching the substance of them otherwise than they were instituted by God it is dangerous vnto him and an abhomination vnto God proposition 6 As God called sacrifices abhomination when they were doone without faith so may we truelie determine of other good works in generall which be doone without faith Probable proposition 1 THe originall of lights in the Church procéeded hereof that the temples in old time were darke and the christians watched there in the night proposition 2 The eleuation and motion of the bread in the Masse which is doone by the massing priests is taken out of Leuiticus by reason of the lifting vp and moouing of those things which were offered vnto God Propositions out of the eleuenth chapter of the booke of the Iudges And the brethren cast foorth Ieptha and said Thou shalt be no heire in our fathers house for thou art the sonne of a strange woman proposition 1 As touching the punishments of eternall damnation Deut. 24 16 Eze. c. 18 20 euerie one shall beare his own burthen not another mans proposition 2 Whereas some are said to suffer temporall punishments for others they cannot complaine but themselues haue deserued the same proposition 3 GOD committeth no iniustice if at anie time he punish the children with temporall punishments for the safetie of their parents proposition 4 It must not onelie be attributed to the iustice but also to the mercie of GOD that he punisheth the sinnes of the parents vnto the third and fourth generation proposition 5 Séeing that good men are bewrapped in the temporall punishments of the wicked GOD hath appointed a discipline vpon the earth proposition 6 This is proper vnto GOD and must not be vsed of men to punish children for the sinnes of their parents when they consent not to their parents crimes Thus end the Propositions of Doctor Peter Martyr out of the bookes of Genesis Exodus Leuiticus and Iudges A disputation of the Sacrament of the Eucharist held within the famous Vniuersitie of Oxford betweene D. Peter Martyr and other Diuines of that Vniuersitie Peter Martyr to the Christian reader THere be two causes that haue moued me to write of the Eucharist namelie the slanders of euill men and the desires of my freends The one whereof to contemne had beene a point of vncurtesie and the other to neglect were vngodlie since I perceiued that thereof depended no small hinderance to the religion of GOD. For if onelie mine owne cause were heere dealt withall I might easilie haue contemned these things sith I make not so great an account of mine owne estimation that I thinke I ought to be mooued with the slanders of aduersaries and with the vaine rumors of enimies I knowe it is a wise mans part to dissemble verie manie things and especiallie such as be of this sort and that Christian charitie endureth all things that it seeketh not his owne but those things that be Iesus Christs howbeit not mine owne cause but Christs is here in hand not my name but the word of God is ill reported of For the danger of the authoritie of the ministerie is so ioined with the word of God as it reacheth euen to himselfe for so we see it come to passe that albeit good and godlie things be neuer so godlie and learnedlie handled yet if he that handleth them shall want authoritie speciallie if he be defaced or disgraced by anie blemish they proceed with little or no fruit at all But what the impudencie of some hath spred abroad as concerning the disputation had by me at Oxford the summer last past and how they slandered me to all sorts of men both princes noble men commonaltie citizens and countrie men I will not saie for they haue doone nothing in secret but euerie corner street house shop and tauerne doo still sound of their lieng triumphs and victories And I doubt not but that these ill reports are come also into other nations Wherefore one cause that vrged mee to set foorth these disputations was this and another as I said at the beginning is the requests of freends which in verie deed I denied vntill this present time as well for that I knew there were bookes enow extant of this matter wherein euerie godlie man might be sufficientlie instructed as also for that no man knoweth mine owne dooings better than my selfe which hitherto I haue so accounted of as I would not gentle reader hinder thee by them from the reading of better bookes But now these my freends being mooued and that not a little with the false reports of euill men haue so vrged me that granting to the requests of some compelled by the authoritie of others at the length I yeelded For what could I denie vnto the most reuerend Archbishop of Canturburie vnto whom I am most of all beholding Or what could I denie to the kings visitors which were not onelie present at these disputations but were also presidents thereof Wherfore I deliuer vnto thee this disputation Looke this treatise before part 4 chap. 10. togither with a treatise of the same matter for the plainer declaration thereof All which things I haue written in simple sort and as I may saie without anie stile neuerthelesse faithfullie For as concerning the disputation I compared mine owne with the examples of the aduersaries Which when I had diligentlie read those things which I sawe I had omitted that were of some importance I indeuoured as much as the truth of the matter would suffer to restore againe out of their writings and whereas I perceiued them otherwhile to haue expounded their reasons more largelie and in writing to haue handled them more artificiallie than they were vttered in the time of disputing I also reteining the truth of the matter haue expounded the same somewhat more largelie which neuerthelesse happeneth verie seldome But as concerning the effect the principall points and substance of the arguments and of the confutations or answers I haue not so far as I knowe changed or inuerted anie thing wherein I might doo wrong to them which disputed with me yea and I haue caused that oftentimes and in a maner alwaies the selfe-same words might be set downe which we vsed on either side when we disputed togither so far as either my memorie would serue me or their notes which gathered would giue me to vnderstand Whosoeuer therefore was present at our disputation shall perceiue that in truth there was no argument omitted nor added and shall vnderstand that I haue no where fled from the summe and sense of those things that were spoken But and if anie ill disposed persons shall for such is their nature complaine that I haue omitted or wrested anie thing those things let them put in writing and let them not deale against me by words which maketh no matter if they be spent in vaine but let them deale by written reasons which sith men may both read and well consider this kind of disputation
an obscure writer and whome none but my selfe hath be it knowne to you that the booke is printed and vendible at Rome D. Tresham I answer that it would be a long and tedious thing to go to Rome for such a booke D. Martyr Now then if you will not allow of him I will set him aside and bring foorth Origin Origin holdeth that the materiall substance of the Eucharist is cast into the draught who maketh for me He writing vpon the fiftéenth chapter of Matthew saith If that whatsoeuer entereth into the mouth goeth into the bellie and is cast out into the draught and that that meate which is sanctified by the word of God and by praier as touching that which is materiall passeth into the bellie and is cast into the draught but in respect of the praier which commeth therevnto it is made profitable and effectuall according to the proportion of faith that the mind may throughlie discerne and haue regard vnto that which is profitable Neither is it the materiall bread but the word spoken ouer the same that profiteth him which dooth not vnworthilie eate it and thus much of the figuratiue and sacramentall bodie So far he D. Tresham Origins testimonie is suspected in this matter The place is found in the fragments which were latelie added by Erasmus And you remember what a common saieng there is of Origin Where he hath said well no man hath said better where euill no man worse And against Origin alone suspected I oppose Chrysostome a verie faithfull writer Doost thou sée saith he the bread Doost thou sée the wine Dooth it passe into the draught as other meates doo Far be it that thou shouldest thinke anie such thing D. Martyr Doubtlesse I am sorie that so notable a man as Origin I meane fell into so gréeuous errours Howbéeit his heresies are recited by Hierom Epiphanius and other notable fathers who throughlie searched him and openlie reprooued his errours least they should infect the simpler sort and yet did they neuer reprooue him in this matter D. Tresham An argument negatiue fetcht from an authoritie is weake and of no force they wrote not that he erred as touching the Eucharist therefore he erred not Againe this place is of the fragments latelie interpreted by Erasmus which place perhaps the authors which you haue named neuer sawe D. Martyr But neuerthelesse it is verie likelie most probable to all that iudge rightlie that since they forbeare not to speake of all his other errours which in your iudgement are not more gréeuous than be these they would not haue dissembled this which ye account to be so gréeuous And whereas you cauill that these fragments be added by Erasmus that is a vaine shift for he deuised them not of himselfe And since that all bookes haue béene after the selfe-same maner found out to wit by studious men in the old libraries by the like argument all bookes might be refused at such time as they are cited But let vs heare Irenaeus in his fourth booke against heresies Hée taking bread the which was of the same condition that ours is did confesse it to be his bodie and moreouer he taking the cup likewise which is of the same creature that is amongst vs confessed the same to be his bloud But accidents that hang without a subiect be no creatures amongst vs naie rather they be excéeding great miracles Therfore Irenaeus did not thinke of those things since hée calleth the matter of this sacrament a creature such as is amongst vs that is to wit vsuall D. Tresham It behooueth to ioine the head with the taile to wit that Irenaeus should saie Christ tooke bread and made the same his bodie And he confesseth that the bodie of Christ is in the Eucharist and is made of bread for he saith that the bread which is from the earth is no more common bread but is made the Eucharist D. Martyr Whereas he called bread which is from the earth his bodie or said that it is made the Eucharist it serueth nothing to this purpose that the substance of bread should be excluded D. Tresham It would without doubt be a verie absurd proposition if it should be said This bread is the bodie of Christ D. Martyr That we may the more throughlie vnderstand Irenaeus mind we must heare himselfe speake in the selfe-same fourth booke A comparison of our change with the change of bread where he saith For euen as the bread which is from the earth when it receiueth inuocation of God is now no common bread but the Eucharist consisting of two things to wit earthlie and heauenlie so our bodies likewise receiuing the Eucharist are not now corrupt since they haue the hope of the resurrection Herby you may gather that so the bodie is changed into the Eucharist or into the bodie of Christ as our bodies be changed and made incorruptible But yet in this change the substance of our bodies is not cast awaie and therefore neither dooth the substance of the bread depart nor is there anie néed of your transubstantiation D. Tresham This argument is not firme bicause it is deriued from a similitude and verie learned men doo bring this selfe-same text against you For bread saith Irenaeus receiuing the inuocation of GOD is now no more common bread but the Eucharist and euen so our bodies are made incorruptible This change of bodies is not naturall but spirituall insomuch that Cyprian saith Doubtlesse the coniunction of our bodies with his bodie dooth not mingle the persons nor yet vnite the substances but associate the affections and confederate the wils 2. Cor. 3 18. And as Paule saith when he describeth this spirituall change we are transformed spirituallie into Christ procéeding from glorie to glorie from daie to daie There is a verie great difference betwéene the change of our bodie and the change of the Eucharist For we be not by nature incorruptible but it is by a spirituall change and incorruption which is doone by grace faith charitie godlinesse and such like D. Martyr There was no néed why you should take all this pains in declaring how our bodies be incorruptible insomuch as I doo vrge and gather the similitude out of Irenaeus that the like change is as well of the one as of the other and I infer that the substance of bread doth not perish no more than our bodies in their change doo cast awaie their first substance D. Tresham I answer that the change of our bodies into Christ must be vnderstood in respect of the holie vertues of Christ abiding in vs wherby we are made assured that our bodies shall hereafter be incorruptible and herewithall I saie that this argument is drawne from a similitude and therefore not strong D. Martyr Our bodie cannot be said to be changed into the vertues of Christ for those perteine not to the bodie and againe my reason is from the authoritie of Irenaeus He bringeth in the similitude so as the
And Augustine testifieth that sacraments haue their names of things which they signifie that bodie which is offered vnto vs by signification is a true and no feigned bodie D. Chadse That which he promised and gaue in the supper was the verie true flesh of Christ therefore he gaue true flesh and not bread and the flesh giuen for the life of the world was not spirituallie true flesh but true flesh carnallie and by no meanes naturall bread wherefore transubstantiation is prooued D. Martyr He gaue his verie flesh euen as he promised but yet to be eaten spirituallie and therewithall also he gaue a sacramentall signe How often shall I tell it you He gaue them both What maner of conclusion is this He gaue this Therefore with this he also gaue not that Likewise I doo not saie that the flesh of Christ is flesh spirituallie but verie flesh but this word Spirituallie I doo applie vnto our eating and vnto the maner of our receiuing D. Chadse This then you grant that Christ gaue his true flesh in the supper D. Martyr He gaue his verie flesh to be receiued by faith and to be eaten spirituallie but togither with the same he also gaue the signes Heere the Kings Maiesties Commissioners said that the solution of the argument which I gaue was sufficientlie vnderstood and therefore willed him to proceed further D. Chadse WIll you giue credit to one or two witnesses of my opinion D. Martyr Such they may be as credit is not to be giuen them Whie vse you this preface Name them if they be woorthie of credit I will beléeue them D. Chadse Ambrose prooueth transubstantiation in his booke De ijs qui initiantur mysterijs chapter the ninth and last where in the first part of the chapter he saith that It is not bread which nature hath formed but which blessing hath consecrated And héere you cannot answer that the change is made as touching the sight bicause he addeth afterward that the nature is changed And he teacheth it by an example for the rod which Moses held was a nature turned into a serpent and not in sight onlie These be his words We will prooue that this is not it which nature hath framed but which blessing hath consecrated and that there is a greater force of blessing than there is of nature bicause through blessing euen nature it selfe is changed Moses held the rod he cast downe the same and it became a serpent Againe he tooke the serpent by the taile and it returned into the nature of a rod. Wherefore you sée that by a grace propheticall the nature was twise changed both of the serpent and of the rod. The riuers of Aegypt ranne with pure streames of waters and suddenlie out of the veines of the founteine bloud began to breake foorth There was no drinke in the riuers againe at the praiers of the prophet the bloud of the riuers ceased Héere you sée that Ambrose testified the change of the nature that is a transubstantiation D. Martyr Verie well I acknowledge Ambrose words but procéed on further D. Chadse The people of the Hebrues were closed in round on all parts on the one side being compassed in with the Aegyptians on the other side shut vp with the sea Moses held vp his rod he diuided the waters and congealed them in maner of a wall and betwéene the waters there appéered a foot-waie Iordan turning backward against his owne nature returneth into the originall of his owne founteine Is it not manifest that the nature of the sea waters or course of the riuer was changed The people of Israel in the fathers time were athirst Moses toucht the rocke water flowed out therof But hath not grace wrought beyond nature that the rocke should gush out water which by nature it had not Marah was a most bitter riuer Exo. 15. ver 25. in such sort that the people being drie could not drinke of it Moses threw a trée into the water and nature laid awaie the bitternesse of hir waters the which was suddenlie swéetened by grace 4 King 6 5. Vnder Elizaeus the prophet the iron of a hatchet fell from one of the sonnes of the prophets and was drowned in the water He that lost the iron intreated Elizaeus Elizaeus threw a péece of wood into the water and the iron swam And euen this also we know was doone against nature for heauier is the matter of iron than the liquor of water Wherefore we perceiue that grace is of greater vertue than nature is and we account that there is yet still remaining a grace of propheticall benediction And if a mans blessing were of so great strength that it was of force to change nature what saie we of the diuine consecration it selfe where the verie words of the Lord our sauiour doo worke For this sacrament which thou receiuest is made by the words of Christ But if Elias words could so greatlie preuaile as that it brought downe fire from heauen shall not Christs spéech be of force to change the kinds of the elements You haue read concerning his works of the whole world Psal 32 9. For he spake and they were made hee commanded and they were created So then the word of Christ which of nothing could make that which was not can it not change those things which be into that which they were not For it is no lesse matter to giue new natures vnto things than it is to change natures Hereby also it appeareth that Ambrose ment that the natures be changed D. Martyr Procéed in your reading the which if you will not Bicause Christs flesh euery flesh therefore it is a verie sacrament of his flesh I my selfe will The verie flesh of Christ vndoubtedly was that which was crucified which was buried and therefore the sacrament of his verie flesh Euen the Lord himselfe pronounced This is my bodie Before the blessing of the heauenlie words an other kind is named after consecration the bodie of Christ is signified He himselfe saith it is his bloud before coÌsecration it is called another thing after coÌsecration it is called blood thou saist Amen D. Chadse I will read it out to the end if you will D. Martyr At the end thus it is written Neither can we saie how we be regenerated What Are we entred againe into our mothers wombe and be we borne anew I doo not acknowledge the ordinarie course of nature but here there is no order of nature where there is an excellencie of grace Finallie the vse of nature dooth not alwaies make regeneration And thus far Ambrose Now doo you sée that we despise not Ambrose Albeit I know there be learned men Some haue suspected Ambrose bookes De sacramentis to be none of Ambrose works which haue in suspicion these Commentaries De sacramentis and thinke them to be none of Ambrose works which opinion neuerthelesse I passe not of but willinglie accept them And I am not ignorant that the
words in them but rather maruell thou at the power of the crosse which Christ suffereth not to be made voide by mans eloquence Yea rather when these thinges come to minde let vs giue thanks vnto our good God who would haue these testimonies of his wil to be sealed vp that wee béeing dull of memorie shoulde not forget them and that euerie man at his owne pleasure shoulde not deuise a doctrine in the Churche but that there might be extant a publike patterne whereby the sayings of all men might be prooued and throughly tried Luke 1. â And therefore Luke in the Preface of his Gospell that he might acknowledge the certeintie of those thinges whereof he was taught testifieth that he therefore wrote vnto Theophilus that hée might knowe the certeintie of those thinges wherof he was instructed Whosoeuer therfore beléeueth in Christ if he turne ouer the Booke he by the meanes thereof through the holy Ghost is euerie day made more assured of those things which he professeth For as Iron is by vse purged from rust A similitude and doeth the more glister and shewe bright so the doctrines of godlinesse which are contained in the holy Scriptures the more often they be reade the more manifest and true they appeare vnto vs. Plato in his Booke of lawes thinketh méete to giue commaundement to the husbandman that he doe not water his grounde with other mens water Digge saieth he a well therein that thou maiest vse the waters thereof when néede shall require Wherefore God also woulde that in the Church which is his vineyarde shoulde flowe a perpetuall reading of the scriptures whereby the necessarie water of the worde of GOD might be ministred to our faith which oftentimes waxeth drie It was a familiar saying in the mouth of Socrates when he was vrged to say or doe any thing If my good spirit shall permit me The Demon of Socrates For he had such a one who was as his counsellour or kéeper But wee must perpetually cleane vnto the worde of God as vnto a Counsellour when any thing is set foorth to be doone or beléeued we must answere so much as by the word of God shall be lawfull and in all our affaires take Counsell thereof faithfully The holy historie teacheth that there was a laudable custome of the people of GOD that as touching euery enterprise they first tooke Counsell of God before they tooke in hand to doe the same Iud. 1. 1. In the Booke of Iudges after the death of Iosua the Israelites demaund who shoulde goe vp against the enemies In the first Booke of Samuel 1. Sam. 30. 8 Dauid asketh whether he should followe after the théeues which had destroyed and burned the Citie of Ziklag Yea and Achab 1. kings 22. 6. although he were a wicked man went not altogether from his Countrie manner nay rather when he should fight against the king of Syria he tooke Counsell of God by the Prophets Therefore wee also must not attempt any thing wherein wee haue not first perswaded our conscience by the worde of God that the worke which wée take in hande is good and shall be acceptable vnto the Maiestie of God The Poets vaunted that their harmonie songes and verses wherewith men were delighted nay rather deceiued were not made by man but were drawen from Helicon Pernassus the fountaine of Castalius Pegasus or Caballinus froÌ the forrest of Cythaeron the Muses recyting them which as they be false lyes so is it most true that the doctrine which we now commende is drawen out of heauen and communicated vnto the Church vpoÌ Mount Syna in Ierusalem and vpon Mount Sion Exod. 20. Esa 2. 3. as we reade in Exodus and as Esaie hath testified Out of Sion shall come a lawe and the worde of the Lorde from Ierusalem The Oracles of the Ethnikes In olde time the Ethnicks had secrete places in temples doores vnder the grounde a Caudron for sacrifice a Trenet vnder which they put fire brasse of Dodona most auncient Okes dennes Images names written in leaues and briefely vnprofitable Temples and innumerable wayes did the Diuell mocke them But vnto vs in the stead of all those things is by the mercie and goodnesse of God set foorth the onely Oracle of the holy Scriptures Pythagoras is for this cause not a litle famous that he had conference with Oules and Eagles Pompilius talked with the Nymphe Aegeria Apollonius Thyaneus as the histories report or rather fable vnderstoode the singing and chattering of little byrdes But vnto vs doeth the true God the Creator of heauen and earth speake most manifestly in the Scriptures by Moses by the Prophetes by his onely sonne Iesus Christ and by his Apostles and doeth so speake as he changeth the soules the hearts the mindes and the whole man and of stones is able to make the sonnes of Abraham not whom he may like fabulous Amphion forcibly drawe to the walles of Thebe but whom he may builde vppon Christ because he is both the onely and sounde foundation aswell of the Apostles as Prophets Let the Poets boast as they will that Orpheus tamed the wilde beastes we in the meane time being taught by experience will not doubt but that the wordes of the Scriptures turne them into the sonnes of God which before were serpents and generations of Vypers Whereupon Paul mentioning vnto Tytus what manner of persons we were before we were regenerated in Christ saieth Matt. 3. 7. Titus 3. 3. For wee also in times past were fooles disobedient going astray seruing lustes and diuerse pleasures liuing in malitiousnesse and enuie being hated and hating one another And vnto the Corin. the first Epistle and 6. Chapter Verse 11. when he had recited many detestable crimes he added And such were you in deede but nowe are ye washed ye are sanctified ye are iustified And séeing that to the breaking of our hearts which be hard and obstinate there should be néede not of weake instrumentes but rather of most strong engines for that cause GOD reuealed vnto his Church no faint or dull manner of spéeche but such as was deliuered by many of the Prophets and in diuerse manners For it exhorteth terrifieth driueth forwarde calleth backe teacheth confuteth promiseth threateneth pronounceth sigheth prayeth beséecheth praiseth dispraiseth sheweth things past declareth things present prophesieth things to come and as most soft waxe it is bended vnto all formes to the ende it may bow the stonie hearts of the vngodly Wherefore not wtout good cause it ought to be called ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã that is a vanquisher of all Yea and Sathan although he be most mightie was driuen out of the wicked bodie of Saul which was appointed to vtter destruction 1. Sa. 16. 23. being not able to abide the songes of Dauid the Musitian of the holy spirit By them the olde serpent being inchaunted was after a sort burst in péeces Matth. 4. And the same Sathan was driuen
Ministerie and purpose so to continue Wherefore I will séeke and maintaine peace as you admonish me yet so neuerthelesse that when occasion is offered not a snatched or sought occasion but that which is iust and necessarie I will teach and speake that which I iudge true coÌcerning that matter wherein I know they disagrée from me and that with such moderation and temperance as I will not gréeue or bitterlie taunt anie man that is of an other iudgement But as for commaunding me to silence or recantation neither haue I hitherto suffered it neither will I now suffer it For I iudge that to be most vnwoorthie for a godlie man and him that publikelie teacheth the holie scriptures so long as out of the word of God it cannot be shewed to be otherwise than I beléeue For when that should appeare and I might know it so to be I would not for anie cause delay to testifie the trueth and openlie to confesse it These thinges woorthie Syr and as you write my most néere ioyned brother in Christ I speake familiarlie to you as you sée and doe sincerelie open my minde and thought euen as it is affected For I haue such a confidence in your iustice and equitie as I neuer will or can séeme to refuse your owne selfe for a right and indifferent Iudge Fare you well and liue you happilie to Christ and his Church I would to God I might once at the length sée you and talke with you according to my earnest desire From Strasborough the 26. of Iune 1554. To Master Iohn Caluin I Am gladde that the little booke of defence of the consent of our Churches as touching the controuersie of the sacrament A consent of the Heluetian churches with the Church of Geneua is nowe come foorth and I wish that the same may bring abundance of fruit And I doubt not but for the Godlinesse and instruction wherewith it shewes it selfe to be furnished it will bring commoditie vnto the weake comfort vnto the learned and much stomacke and hatred to them that be obstinate Neither will this be any newe thing because such is the condition of the word of God That none of those things whereof I gaue counsell is chaunged I vnderstanding the reasons which you haue made in your Epistle do not only take it wel but in verie good part But yet this haue I marueiled at and I woulde with a gladde minde heare it if it were so that N. hath allowed of those things which you wrote For I loue the man because of other his goodlie giftes but in this controuersie which we are nowe in hand with he hath alwayes séemed vnto me to bee more than ynough a right Saxon and to carie a contrarie minde vnto the trueth which we defend Of what iudgement our men will be I knowe not Wée thought good to send both letters and a booke vnto Marpachius Marpachius For you did write nothing but that which may and ought to be taken in good part of meÌ which be of a sound iudgement But maruell not that there was some slacknesse in the answering of your letters For there were assemblies had after your letters were deliuered and Marpachius him selfe was absent a whole moneth which returned fower dayes since He went into his owne countrie and in returning made his iourney by Zuricke and saluted mee in the name of all those ministers In talke he is gentle and curteous ynough but excéeding obstinate in his opinion Thus much hath he profited that he includeth not the bodie of Christ in the breade but saieth that the presence of the flesh and bloude of Christ to the communicants is most truely and in verie déede to be affirmed and that such a presence as wicked men and the vnworthie eaters doe féede thereon Which plainely sheweth that hée doth not attribute the receiuing vnto faith vnlesse we speake of a liuely wholsome receiuing as though there were a certaine other true and reall eating as they call it of the bodie of Christ which the wicked also do vse But héereof I speake too much and especially with you which in one worde vnderstande the state of the controuersie As touching N. N. which you write of I also doe both know and sorowe that it is so He doth not sincerely admit the doctrine of predestination And as I can perceiue he agréeth altogether with Philip yea and he expresseth many things which euen Philip woulde not subscribe vnto him which I iudge méete at this time to be kept in silence But I see no iust reason that can bee alledged why he should denie the breade and wine to be the elements of the bodie and bloude of Christ Which reason although he could shewe yet would I iudge that we ought rather to giue credite vnto the diuine scriptures than vnto him whereby as well the breade as the cup are commended as Symbols or figures of the bodie and bloud of the Lord. Yet woulde I graunt vnto him that the verie action it selfe that is the eating and drinking is a figure of the most swéete foode of soules and of the whole restoring of our nature which figure we receiue by communicating in the Eucharist And whereas he saith that the naturall bodie of Christ is not giuen to be meate I so vnderstoode him as though in speaking this he stoode against them which vainely bable that the bodie of Christ is let passe into the belly by the mouth of the body by the téeth tongue roofe of the mouth and by the Iawes but if he meane any otherwise let him take héede Verily this am I most assured of that whatsoeuer nourishment or spirituall foode is receiued of vs by the bodie of Christ that is had by his true and naturall bodie which heeretofore was nailed vpon the crosse for our sake and nowe fitteth in heauen compassed about with the highest glorie For whatsoeuer foode there is as doubtlesse there is verie much drawne vnto vs by faith who wil say that that faith is caried vnto a feigned or phantasticall bodie Truly none that regardeth the truth and honour of faith will so affirme For faith apprehendeth things euen as they bee Wherefore séeing the body of Christ is not vnclothed of his nature neither heretofore vpoÌ the crosse nor yet nowe in heauen it is by faith receiued of vs a naturall bodie as it is But while I write vnto you these things of N. N. beholde another thing commeth to minde whereof I am mooued for iust cause to demaunde and also to write what I my selfe iudge of it which as I doe boldly so it shall be frée for you when you be at leasure to shew what you iudge thereof For I doe not vrge an answere knowing that you are ouerpressed with profitable businesse As touching the communion which wee haue with the bodie of Christ and with the substance of his nature all men are not of one opinion and I thinke you shall heare the cause why It is a
sacrament And if a man doe diligentlie weigh his words scant any age shall be fit for baptisme For that he thinketh it to be denied to young meÌ also to them that be vnmaried as persons subiect as yet to temtation and faults as if albeit old men be lesse with lust inflamed yet they be not vexed with gréeuous kinds of temptations Neither was Tertullian so néere of one time to Higinus as you suppose For Higinus was bishop in the yeare of our Lorde 140. but Turtullian florished vnder Eleutherius in the yeare 210. Nowe whereas Higinus doth onely decrée of the Godfathers to infants it appeareth they were woont to be baptised before that For he that ordaineth the manner of a thing doth surely deale in a matter that was extant before I denie not that in the primitiue times baptisme was sometimes differred for all were not baptised in their infancie Yet none of right beliefe denied baptisme to infants if they were offered to receiue the same Which if you thinke not so to be it were conuenient you should shew some one who withhelde children from the sacrament of regeneration There was indéede one among them who gaue aduise that baptisme should be differred till thrée yeares end if it might be in respect of the childrens strength which happily he supposed because children of thrée yeares old begin then to remeÌber somwhat But he in any wise denied not that they should be baptised before thrée yeares if they were in daunger of life or if it séemed good otherwise to their parents In sum the time of baptisme at the beginning was not preciselie set yet was it neuer denied to children that were offered Concerning Origen it is certaine he saith that the baptisme of children is a tradition of the Apostles And this reason he alledgeth because euen they also haue their corruption to be washed away and your allegations are found in his commentarie vpoÌ the Epistle to the Romanes and are to be vnderstoode of them that be of riper yeares For in those dayes many of elder yeares were conuerted vnto Christ and many that were borne of Christians differred their baptisme for certaine yeares when as we haue alreadie saide no time was prescribed Of such then doeth Origen complaine that in that age the sacrament of baptisme was not so plainly and cléerelie declared as in the Apostles times and that the Apostles began baptisme at them that were of riper yeares there is no question But that they did not baptise children withal by what scriptures will it be prooued To Ludouicus Viues vpon the 26. Chapter of the first booke De ciuitate Dei what else should I answere but that he is deceiued when he saieth that none but of ripe yeares were baptised of old For Cyprian who was after Tertullian about 40. yeares resisted them in the Councell who thought that the eight day was to be tarried for in baptising of children whereby nowe you sée that euen then children were baptised and that the question of the time onely was disputed of Wherefore both Viues and Erasmus might in this matter haue spoken more warily But where you séeme to denie baptisme to infants for my part I doe contrariwise by al meanes affirme and beléeue the same as a thing which out of the scriptures is cléere ynough vnto me Now if you admit Originall sinne to be in children and yet will not permit them to be baptised you are not of Origens iudgement whom I cited before vpon the Epistle to the Romans But that Ruffinus rather than Origen should be authour of those thinges that there bee read howe shall we knowe So the same might be saide of his Commentaries vppon Genesis Exodus and other bookes Truely I am faine to reade Origen as he is translated sith the Gréeke coppies are not commonly extant And as you alledge for your opinion Origens testimonies both out of these Commentaries vpon the Epistle to the Romans and out of his Homilies vpon Leuiticus so shoulde you likewise admit those thinges that we take from thence Which neuerthelesse whether you haue gathered them out of his CommeÌtaries or out of his Homilies vpon Leuiticus or vpon the Numbers they make but to this that verie manie at those dayes of ripe yeares were admitted to the Sacrament of Baptisme And the like woulde at this day come to passe if God would graunt that the Turkes shoulde receiue Christ This déere friend in Christ is that which now I would shortlie runne ouer Which I pray God you may at the length acknowledge with me to be true Certaine it is that Paul had no power but to edification Nor doe I who do easilie acknowledge the meanenesse of my giftes thinke my selfe to haue receiued any thing of the Lord which is not due to the edification of the Church of Christ The cause of religion I am for my part readie to further in all things which I shall iudge agréeable to holie writ But if you be not yet of the same mind that I am God may bring to passe that one day you will thinke as I doe The question of childrens baptisme hath béene once or twise disputed of héere for scholasticall exercise sake not that God bée thanked I haue founde anie héere who déeme otherwise thereof than the Church at this day beléeueth To write vnto you what foundations in the scripture our faith of childrens baptisme dependeth vppon I haue thought superfluous partlie for that I discoursed them vnto you at large when you talked with me partlie for that you may reade them in bookes published by men most notable aswell for their learning as for their Godly iudgement I wish you in the Lorde well to fare From Oxforde the first of December 1550. For Martin Borhaus his salutations I thanke both him and you Of your saluation in Christ most desirous Peter Martyr Here followe letters of M. Peter Martyr to certaine Englishmen To a certaine friende of his 35. SYr your Letters full of courtesie which you wrote vnto me were so welcome as I do giue you excéeding great thankes for them Vndoubtedly herein I receaued most comfort by them that I vnderstande you are so mindefull of me and doe perceiue that this is doone for no other cause but that you haue a verie great loue of godlinesse and to the holie scriptures Therefore since you loue God in me and the labour though it bee verie small which I bestowe vppon the Church I reioyce in this your good wil and affection And I pray and beséech almightie GOD againe and againe that he wil daily more and more increase the studie of godlinesse holie doctrine wherwith he hath hitherto adorned you I sorrowe vnspeakeablie that there is euerie where in England so great a penurie of the worde of God and since they which are bounde to féede the shéepe with the doctrine of Christ are of such faint courage as they vtterlie refuse to doe their duetie I knowe not with what teares and
in the doctrine of the Lordes Supper he was gone from the opinion of the confession of Augusta and that therefore it was to be feared least he would make some troubles in the Church Hereof he being admonished of his friendes purged himselfe by a writing presented to the Senate and taught that the Confession of Augusta and other confessions not disagreeing from the same if they bee rightly and profitably vnderstoode hee willingly embraced and that if neede should require he would willingly defende them to his power he promised moreouer that for his part there should be no contentions raised but rather if any place were to bee handled in the Scriptures or any other necessitie should require he would declare his opinion about this question he affirmed that he woulde doe this with all modestie and without any bitter contradiction And what his opinion was he saide it might bee easilie knowen by his Bookes alreadie set foorth from which he woulde not by that his writing or promise that any thing should bee plucked awaie or chaunged vntill such time as by the holie Scriptures he should bee otherwise perswaded And for so much as besides the Confession of Augusta there was brought foorth the concorde betweene D. Bucer and D. Luther and their fellowe Ministers he answered that he subscribed not hereunto because he could not for the worde of God and conscience sake graunt that they which bee destitute of the true faith shoulde in receiuing of the Sacramentes receiue the bodie of Christ And he added that this ought to seeme no maruell vnto them that he woulde not assent thereunto since D. Bucer himselfe in the Schoole of Strasborough while he expounded the Actes of the Apostles taught otherwise and that he wrote farre otherwise when he was in England which might be shewed by diuers of his Articles and that verie rightly for since faith is the onelie instrument whereby Christ himselfe his bodie and bloud bee receiued the same being remooued the mouth receiueth nothing but a sacrament of his bodie and bloud to wit bread and wine things consecrated by the Lordes institution Euen as a man of ripe age if he goe vnto Baptisme without faith is said to haue nothing besides the Sacrament that is to wit water the prayers of the Church For euen as no man while he beleeueth not obtaineth not the grace of regeneration so without faith none haue any waie to the Communion of the bodie and bloud of Christ For as Augustine saieth To eate and to drinke is nothing else than to beleeue Lastly he added that he feared least in subscribing to this concorde offered vnto him he should seeme to condemne the Churches of Tygure Berne Basill Geneua Lausanna England and all the brethren dispersed in Italie and Fraunce which doubtlesse should not bee lawfull for him to doe by the word of God and charitie towardes them And therefore he saide that as he reuerenced and honoured all the Churches of Saxonie and all those which consented vnto them so did he embrace in the Lorde and heartilie loue the others also which he made mention of for because he said that question was not of so great importaunce as it shoulde breake the Communion and charitie betweene the faithfull By this writing of his or promise the Senate of Strasborough which maruellouslie well loued Martyr was satisfied reiecting the priuie accusations of others So nowe being restored to his former office he interpreted the Booke of Iudges And because the schoole wanted at that time a meete reader of Aristotles Philosophie it was determined that as two Diuines reade the holie Scriptures so they shoulde likewise weekely by turnes teache Aristotles Philosophie And therefore Martyr not refusing this labour beganne to interprete Aristotles Ethickes Ad Nichomachum and in expounding the same proceeded vnto the thirde booke And his Collegue was D. Hieronymus Zanchus a verie louing friend of Martyr and who followed him as wee haue saide out of Italie he tooke vnto him to interprete the Bookes of Aristotles Phisickes But Martyrs aduersaries and ill willers of whom wee spake before although they opposed not themselues openly against him yet did they not cease dayly in secrete and as it were vndermining to withstand him For both by letters and by their readings and sermons they so gall him as there wanted nothing to the accusing of Martyr but the naming of him yea and one of the studients made an Oration openly in the Schoole touching the Eucharist made to this ende that he might of set purpose condemne Martyr and his doctrine Wherefore since he perceiued that his aduersaries did dayly make more open warre against him and that they did by name reprooue him in their Bookes as also Sleidan in his historie maketh mention hee beganne to deliberate with himselfe of his departure when vppon the sodaine a most fitte occasion was offered him For when there died with vs at that time that good and godlie man Conradus Pellicanus the honourable Senate of the commonweale of Zuricke with the good will of the ministers of the Church appointed Martyr to succeede in his place and concerning that matter they wrote letters aswell vnto him as vnto the honorable Senate of Strasborough wherein they desired that hee might be sent to Zuricke This calling was verie well accepted of Martyr For albeit hee loued the commonweale of Strasborough and acknowledged him much beholding thereunto yet because he sawe that this controuersie of the sacrament was dailie stirred vp with more bitternesse of mindes hee reioysed that there was an occasion offered whereby hee might ridde himselfe from the troubles Therefore when he was demanded by the magnificall and noble Senate what his mind was hee nothing dissembled but shewed that leaue to depart woulde be verie welcome to him and hee testified at large of his good will towardes the common weale and he saide that the cause why hee might not tarie with them was that he sawe he coulde not at that time inioy that libertie of teaching disputing writing which hee desired And to be desirous of this leaue first hee said he was vrged by his vocation and then moued by threates and comminations Besides that he feared the iudgementes of the grauest men who had read his writinges and had heard him teach if by his silence hee shoulde seeme not onelie to forsake but also as it were to betray the truth at other times defended with the perill of his life and nowe manie and sundrie waies priuilie and openly oppugned For of these men of whome some of them either for the verie same cause woulde be burned with fire or else remaining yet aliue did to great purpose beare rule in the Churches of Christ he saide he might not choose but bee greeuouslie reprooued as he that either departed from his vpright iudgement which crime of inconstancie is not to bee suffered in a Christian man or else who woulde in silence let slippe those thinges which hee knewe to be
disputation which we shewed before that he made openly of this controuersie hee first published in Englande And at the same time he woulde haue the Commentaries vpon the first Epistle of Paul to the Corinthians to be printed with vs at Zuricke a worke without doubt for the plaine exposition of manie darke and harde questions most worthie to bee reade And after that hee was returned out of Englande to Strasborough from thence was called to Zuricke hauing gotten amongst vs not onely some leasure but also that libertie of writing which he desired he reuiewed manie of those things which hee had written before he finished them and put them in print And first the Commentaries vppon the Epistle of Paul to the Romanes which hee publikely interpreted before in Oxforde Of which booke this onely will I say that hee performed the same with great learning and diligence so as all men confesse that after so manie verie learned interpretors olde and newe which haue written vppon this Epistle yet this booke maie bee reade with great and peculiar fruite At the same time was set foorth by him a defence of the auncient and Apostolike doctrine touching the holy Sacrament of the Eucharist against the booke of Stephen Gardiner For hee a fewe yeares before had published a venimous and pestiferous booke of the Eucharist vnder the name of M. Antonius Constantius wherein by meere sophisticall and most crooked Argumentes he indeuored to ouerthrowe the true and sounde professed doctrine which we hauing receaued of Christ and the Apostles and most auncient fathers of the Church doe followe and professe at this daie And to the compiling of this booke verie manie of the Papistes applyed their trauell and deliuered all their Arguments vnto Gardiner that hee out of that heape might choose what hee woulde and of this booke they triumphed and gloried that there was no man which durst incounter with this their Goliath wherewith beeing mooued that most learned and godlie man Thomas Cranmer Archbishop of Canterburie who oftentimes before incountered with Winchester went awaie with victorie and with singular praise hee tooke this matter vppon him But he being held in most straite prison and had neither store of bookes about him not so much as paper to write and afterwarde being taken awaie by cruell death which for the confession of the true faith hee constantlie suffered was constrained to leaue off the workes which were now in his handes begunne Wherefore manie Englishmen which were louers of godlie true religion desired Martyr oftentimes both in his presence and by letters that hee would succeede in this burthen and that hee woulde not suffer the mindes of the simple to be infected with venim of this booke nor the Popes adherentes so impudently and arrogantlie to triumph against our men Therefore being stirred vp at the desire of friendes and with the equitie of the thing it selfe hee tooke this worke in hand and hauing ouercome diuers and manifolde impedimentes hee finished it at Zuricke and committed the same vnto printers to be dispatched And first of all in this booke he defended the reasons of our men whatsoeuer they were that Gardiner had gathered and confuted Then also hee defendeth against such false accusations the rules which hee himselfe had set foorth in the treatise of the Eucharist Thirdly hee defendeth the answers whereby the argumentes of the aduersaries are wont to be confuted in this disputation Lastlie hee approueth the iust and true interpretations of certaine places which Gardiner with his sort brought out of the fathers for himselfe And in all this whole worke whatsoeuer is vttered aswell in the holie scriptures as in the monuments of the auncient fathers Councels he hath so plentifully diligently comprehended and hath examined all thinges so exactly and perfectly as this worke is helde in admiration euen of them which bee great learned men After this defence against Gardiner there followed an other defence against the two bookes of vnmaried life of Priestes and monasticall vowes written by Richard Smith an Englishman sometime professor of the Diuinitie lecture at Oxford For when Martyr interpreted at Oxford the first Epistle to the Corinthians in the 7. Chap. where the Apostle writeth many things of virginity matrimonie had also disputed largely of vowes Smith in whose place Martyr by the Kings commandement was appointed to reade the Diuinitie lecture was continually present and not onely gaue great heede to those thinges which Martyr saide but did also diligently put them in writing and afterwarde going to Louane he set foorth two vaine but yet venemous bookes against Martyr as touching the sole life of Priests and of Monasticall vowes This man could not Martyr in his Commentaries of the Epistle to the Corinthians answere For his friendes vrging and earnestly desiring the edition of that booke he might not deferre the same but yet in the ende of his seuenth Chapter hee promised this answere and shortly after hauing gotten leasure he answered him but for certaine causes weightie and of great importaunce he finally after certaine yeares published this answere when he was at Zuricke And he confuteth not onely Smithes argumentes but he diligently and throughly examined in a manner all things that may bee saide in this matter Which all they can testifie that haue not slightly perused the same Furthermore at Strasborough after he was returned thither out of England he interpreted the booke of Iudges and as ye knowe did set foorth amongst vs Commentaries vppon the same wherein he expounded many questions of Diuinitie not common euerie where and that verie golden booke which neuerthelesse many by reason of the difficultie and great darkenesse haue shunned hee made verie plaine by bringing a light of interpretation Lastly when Iohn Brentius had set foorth a litle booke as touching the personall vnion of the two natures in Christ wherein hee for assuring of the carnall corporall and reall presence of the bodie and bloud of Christ in the holy supper tooke vpon him to defende a newe and monsterous doctrine of the vbiquitie of Christes bodie Martyr at the request of his friendes setting foorth a Dialogue confuted his booke And because hee knewe that Brentius did in other writings not altogether deserue ill of the Church he woulde not put thereunto his name and expressely defame and speake ill of him especially since this nothing furthered the cause but largely confuted his arguments least they shoulde bleare the eyes of the ignoraunt And further which was the chiefe point of the question he prooued by most assured testimonies of the scriptures and most auncient fathers that the humanitie of Christ is not euerie where With this writing Brentius being mooued indeuoured at one push to ouerthrowe both Martyr and Bullinger by setting foorth a vehement and stinging booke Which booke when our Martyr sawe being a man otherwise most milde of nature yet was he somewhat angrie that Brentius dealt in an ill cause and with so great vnfruitefulnesse
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
answereth that the godlie sort liued as innocent perfect and vnblameable bicause infirmities and sinnes committed shall not be imputed vnto them by reason of their faith in Christ according to the saieng of Dauid Blessed be they Psal 32 1. whose iniquities are remitted and whose sinnes be couered blessed is the man vnto whom the Lord hath imputed no sinne Of Purgatorie the Papisticall fire 11 But now let vs speake of purgatorie In 1. Cor. 3 verse 15. Looke in Sam. 3 verse 35. What maner of place is feigned for purgatorie It is fained to be a middle place after this life betwéene euerlasting felicitie and the punishments of damned soules in such wise as they which be there are after a sort partakers of both For in so much as they be adorned with grace and be confirmed with hope that felicitie shall be giuen vnto them and doo suffer punishments with a patient mind they be counted among the number of the saints and blessed soules But in that they be tormented doo suffer gréeuous and manifold kinds of punishments in that respect they drawe néere vnto the lot condition of them that are in hell fire And they adde that purgatorie punishments haue not onlie an end and a set terme but that it maie be eased by the good works and praiers of them that be aliue The aduersaries indeuor by manie reasons to persuade that we must grant that there is such a place The first reason for purgatorie 2. Mac. 12 6 as we haue here defined Out of the old testament they cite the historie of the Machabeis where we read that Iudas a man well commended did beléeue that the praier for the dead to be deliuered from their sinnes is both comfortable and godlie The 2. reason Zach. 9 11. Further they flie vnto Zacharie the prophet where we read in the 9. chapter Thou hast loosed thy prisoners out of the pit wherein was no water The 3. reason verse 14. The 4. reason Psal 66 12. Also the 4. chapter of Ecclesiastes Otherwhile a man commeth foorth of prison and chaines and is made a king They bring also the psalme where Dauid saith We passed through fire and water and thou broughtest vs foorth into a place of refreshing The 5. reason Matt. 12 31 Moreouer they repaire vnto the new testament and saie that in the Gospell there is such a kind of sinne as shall neither be forgiuen in this world nor yet in the other world which then might not be spoken saie they vnlesse there should remaine purgings of sinnes in another life The 6. reason Matt. 5 25. And they obiect that saieng in Matthew Least the Gaoâer cast thee into prison verelie I saie vnto thee thou shalt not depart thence vntill thou haue paid the vttermost farthing Also they bring that which is spoken by Paule in the first to the Corinthians The 7. reason 1. Cor. 3 15. the 3. chapter But he himselfe shall be saued as it were by fire c. To this purpose also they would haue that to tend The 8. reason Luk. 16 19. The 9. reason Apoc. 21 27 which is said of beggerlie Lazarus full of botches and of the riotous rich man They pretend also that place in the Apocalypse where it is read that No vnpure thing shall be admitted into the holie citie And they thinke that to make on their side The 10. reason Phil. 2 10. which Paule writeth to wit that All knees shall bow vnto God both of things that be in heauen and things that be in earth and things that be vnder the earth Againe they cite the Apocalypse in the 5. chapter that verse 13. All creatures which are in heauen and on the earth and vnder the earth and in the sea c. shall speake praises vnto God These and such other places of scripture they thinke doo make for them Sundrie opinions touching purgatorie 12 But we must marke this that the assertion of them which would néeds haue a purgatorie is not one and the same For some will force it to be as a sure doctrine an article of faith Others doo not so resolutelie and constantlie affirme the same but onlie they suppose and haue opinion that such a thing there is First therefore it séemeth good to shew that it belongeth not to the articles of our faith Whether purgatorie be an article of our faith that it is not a thing of necessitie to be beléeued Secondlie we will make it plaine whether either the opinion or suspicion wherby purgatorie is beléeued be reasonable or iust As touching them which do affirme that the doctrine of purgatorie is of necessitie we must néeds absolutelie hold that the doctrine and articles of our faith ought to be certeine stedfast and are most plainlie to be prooued by testimonies of the scriptures The articles of the faith ought to be certeine and prooued by the scriptures For we are not of their opinion which will make the Fathers or men to be authors of beléeuing of things for we should iudge of the holie Ghost contumeliouslie if we should thinke that such scriptures were deliuered to vs in the which is not wholie and perfectlie conteined whatsoeuer belongeth to our saluation 2. Tim. 3 16. The epistle vnto Timothie doth sufficientlie reprooue these men when it saith that The scripture inspired by God is profitable to teach and confute also to correct instruct that the man of God may be perfect and sincere instructed to euerie good worke Wherefore if thou bring anie worke that thou affirmest to be good or anie thing necessarie to be beléeued which cannot be confirmed by the holy scriptures I trulie would rather not saie that the things which thou hast brought are not good or profitable than to pronounce otherwise of the scripture than the apostle hath iudged thereof For we must not admit that which they commonlie vaunt of namelie that the apostles taught not all things nor that the primitiue church commanded all whatsoeuer should be for our comfort as though it were necessarie daie by daie afterward that more things should be made manifest This perhaps we might grant as touching politike gouernement The primitiue church had all things necessarie to be beleued Tertullian of things not necessarie to saluation but as touching doctrine and the articles of faith necessarilie to be beléeued the ancient Fathers had all no lesse than we haue Tertullian in his booke De praescriptionibus saith Happie is the church vnto the which the apostles haue powred out their whole doctrine with their bloud Christ said also All those things which I haue heard of my fatherâ Iohn 15 15. I haue made them knowen vnto you These men saie that in déed all things were insinuated by the apostles but that the apostles did not make all things knowen vnto vs. Here saie we that they although they wrote not all things yet
they prouided that those things which they taught The traditions of the apostles prooued by the scriptures maie be manifestlie inferred by those things which be written either by themselues or in other holie bookes For otherwise sundrie superstitions receiued in old time would euerie where be boasted of as things deliuered by the apostles which things can no other waies be knowen but bicause they be altogither strange from the scriptures And that which I haue affirmed we maie prooue out of the scriptures themselues 1. Cor. 11 5. 1. Co. 14. 34. 2. Thes 3 10 There is a tradition of Paule that A woman should haue hir head couered in the church and should be silent in that place and that the christians which be poore should labour with their hands least they should liue idlelie But these things séeing he confessed to be his traditions he indeuoured to prooue them by the holie scriptures Thus let our aduersaries doo if they will haue anie place to be left for their traditions The church hath beene many times in doubt of purgatorie It was long ere the Greekes would admit it 13 But to returne to our purpose Verie oftentimes there hath béene a doubt made of purgatorie and the Gréeke church in the councell of Florence long resisted And it is a wicked thing to expound the places of the scripture which are brought for the proofe of this opinion otherwise than the proper and lawfull interpretation doth require But those places being vnderstood on this wise they leaue no place for purgatorie as we shall perceiue when we come to the declaration of the same Augustine also spake diuerslie of purgatorie for in his Enchiridion vnto Laurence in the 66. chapter and againe about the end of the 68. chapter writeth that It is not vncredible but that there hapneth some such thing after this life yet he saith a question may be mooued whether it be so or no and that it may or may not be The verie which words he plainlie writeth vnto Dulcitius question the first Also in his treatise De fide operibus the 16. chapter he saith Whether therefore men suffer these things onelie in this life or else whether some such iudgements doo also followe after this life it is not far as I thinke from reason He vseth as thou maiest sée a disiunctiue spéech and that the same be true it sufficeth that either part be true Touching the articles of the faith we must not speake doutfullie But of an article of faith who would speake so doubtfullie as to saie whether Christ had true flesh or fantasticall whether in Christ were the diuine nature or onlie the humane nature and such other saiengs Those things which belong vnto faith must of necessitie be defined and ought to be certeine The verie same Father in the 12. booke De ciuitate Dei the 26. chapter speaking of the fire of purgatorie I doo not saith he reprooue this Augustine put a peraduenture touching purgatorie But in matters of saluatioÌ there must be put in doubt bicause peraduenture some such thing is But as touching those things which are necessarie to be beléeued vnto saluation it is not lawfull either to write or deale in that sort Thou wilt saie perhaps Although Augustine in these places séeme to be doubtfull yet that in other places he doth certeinlie affirme it I answer that those places wherein he séemeth to affirme it must be interpreted by these foure other places in which he hideth not the ambiguitie of the thing Whereby we must confesse that he was rather persuaded thereof by a certeine opinion than that he beléeued it so to be without all doubt The nature of an opinion bicause the nature of an opinion is that we giue an assent not without some feare or doubt that the contrarie opinion is true 14 But me thinketh this maketh verie much against this fained deuise A great argument against purgatorie that the holie scriptures haue made no mention of it Gen. 23 3. that the holie scriptures haue passed ouer in silence and made no mention of this so great a worke of charitie whereby brethren parents and children might be released from the most gréeuous vexations of purgatorie Assuredlie this were verie much to be woondered at In the old testament it is verie diligentlie set foorth that funerals were extolled for Abraham bought a field for the buriall of his wife The caue is described the price is expressed and all such things are so diligentlie recited as thou canst not thinke anie thing to be ouerskipped where notwithstanding there is not anie mention made either of purgatorie Neither in the funerals nor in the sacrifices of the old lawe is anie speech of purgatorie or of the purging of soules or of ridding the soule of him that is departed from the paines thereof either by sacrifices or praiers And in Leuiticus and other bookes wherein the lawe is described séeing there be sacrifices and oblations described for all states of men and for euerie kind of fault who will not maruell that there was nothing appointed for the dead and that there was so déepe silence as concerning the purging of soules in purgatorie The prophets also being excellent interpretors of the lawe The prophets neuer spake of purgatorie when in euerie place they doo commend the duties of godlinesse and charitie neuer set foorth vnto vs in their sermons anie thing that might prouoke and drawe vs once to thinke hereof Paule hauing the like occasion offered vnto him 1. Thes 4 13 when he wrote vnto the Thessalonians for he taught how to vse moornings in funeralles and those whom he admonisheth he onelie incourageth with the hope of resurrection should at the least wise in that place haue admonished Paule hauing a fit occasion offered him spake nothing of it that setting aside teares for them which they loued déerelie they should praie that they might not long be vexed with the paines of purgatorie He bringeth no such thing but after the doctrine of resurrection at the end of his exhortation he saith Therefore comfort your selues one another with these words Yea and Dionysius Dionysius whom they call Areopagita in his treatise De Hierarchia ecclesiastica when he purposelie demandeth the question whie the minister of the church hath praiers for him that is alreadie dead he maketh no mention of purgatorie but laboureth earnestlie to shew other causes But if he had beléeued that there is a purgatorie he might verie easilie haue satisfied the question propounded but it séemeth that he would rather determine of anie thing than to teach that by those praiers the soules of them that were departed should be deliuered from the paines of purgatorie 15 But now let vs sée how the holie scriptures be against this opinion In the fift of Iohn it is written verse 24. The faithfull doo passe from death vnto life He that heareth my words beleeueth in
beléeue that the ascension happened vpon a thursdaie We must not attribute ouermuch to traditions Wherefore let the Papists take héed how much credit they would haue to be giuen vnto their traditions for there be manie of them which the Papists them selues cannot denie but that they be ridiculous and vaine I knowe in déed that there be traditions which are necessarilie gathered out of the holie scriptures and for that cause they ought not to be abrogated But other traditions which be indifferent must not be augmented in number lest the church shuld be oppressed neither must they be thought so necessarie as though they may not be abolished And we must beware that the seruice of God be not thought to rest in them But as for those which are against the word of God they must not in anie wise be admitted In the distinction 76. in the first chapter Why the ember daies were inuented are added the ember daies or the foure quarterlie fasts The cause whie these haue béene distributed on this sort can hardlie be perceiued They cite Ierom vpon Zacharie who maketh mention of the fourth moneth the fift the seuenth and the tenth And they séeme to be mooued of a naughtie zeale to distribute these fasts into foure parts of the yéere And the fasts which the Iewes receiued euerie yéere for the calamities which they had suffered those also haue our men made yéerelie fasts But others haue inuented an other cause namelie bicause in those foure times of the yéere bishops are woont to promote Clerks vnto the ministerie and orders wherefore they saie that the people ought then most of all to fast and praie that God would grant them good pastors Fasting and praiers should be vsed at the time of ordering of ministers But I would demand of the bishops whie they ordeine ministers onlie at these foure times of the yéere Vndoubtedlie they can not shew anie certeine and iust cause whie 14 Augustine in his booke De haeresibus saith Augustine that Arrius contemned oblations for the dead Arrius the heretike and ordinarie times of fast bicause Christians were not vnder the lawe but vnder grace but he would that euerie man should fast at his owne pleasure when he himselfe would Certeinlie I allow not Arrius in that he was an Arrian but as concerning oblations and sacrifices for the dead he held that which is good and godlie Also touching ordinarie times of fasting I sée not whie he should be blamed vnlesse peraduenture he thought that fasts might not be proclaimed by the magistrate and by the church according as the danger of the time required The reason also which he vseth that Christians are not vnder the lawe but vnder grace is weake for we are not so deliuered from the lawe that we be fréed from all order Augustine also writeth Iouinian the heretike that Iouinian contemned abstinences and fasts as things vaine and vnprofitable wherein if he spake of bare fasts onelie and such as were appointed at certeine daies and certeine times of the yéere he iudged not ill For vnlesse they be adioined with faith and repentance and also with vehement praiers they nothing at all profit In the 58. chapter of Esaie the people complained We haue fasted verse 3. and thou hast not looked vpon vs. Which words doo shew that fasts without those circumstances which be requisite are not acceptable vnto God but if they be ioined with such things as are incident to them they be not vnprofitable Liberius By the decrée of Liberius who liued in the time of Constantius it may be perceiued that when the aire was vntemperat or when there was anie famine or pestilence or warre then they assembled togither to denounce a fast thereby to mitigate the wrath of God Augustine Augustine when he sawe his citie besieged by the Vandals gaue himselfe vnto fasting and praiers and in that siege died as Possidonius testifieth And generallie when we attempt anie great weightie matter as when we denounce war create Magistrates or ordeine Ministers of the church we haue most néed of feruent praiers for the feruentnesse whereof Matt. 4 2. fasting verie much auaileth Christ when he was to beginne his preaching went into the wildernesse and fasted A widow when hir husband is dead is left in a dangerous state therfore praiers fastings are verie méet for hir Luk. 2 36. Anna the daughter of Phanuel lead hir life in the temple where she gaue hir self to praier fasting 1. Tim. 5 5. Paule to Timothie saith A widow which is a true widow and desolate putteth hir confidence in the Lord and daie and night applieth hir selfe to praiers and fastings Acts. 10 3. Cornelius when as he was not sufficientlie instructed of Christ and was disquieted with a sorrowfull and heauie mind was in fasting and praiers at the ninth houre Acts. 3 10. to whom as we read in the Acts of the apostles the angell of the Lord appeared Whether fastings rightlie denounced must be obeied 15 But it maie be demanded that when fasts are commanded by princes and by the church whether men are bound to obey them or no Vndoubtedlie they are bound by the lawe of faith and by obedience For when fasts are set foorth which be agréeable vnto the word of God how can he that beléeueth in God refuse to doo them Assuredlie he cannot Howbeit this is to be vnderstood touching them which be of that state and condition that they be able to fast for if a man be hindred either by age or disease or labours Osc 6 6. The Gangrense councell in such a case that ought to be of force which the scripture saith I will haue mercie and not sacrifice But they which are not hindered ought to obeie In the Gangrense councell chapter 30. It is ordeined that if a man obeie not the fasts which are commanded him by the church hauing no bodilie necessitie howsoeuer he boast of perfection and proudlie contemneth the decrées of the church The canons of the apostles let him be accursed In the Canons of the apostles although they be Apocryphall conteine certeine strange things neither is the number of them sufficientlie agréed vpon I saie in the 86. Canon it is commanded that the clergie which fast not hauing no bodilie necessitie should be deposed Let infants in no wise be vrged and compelled to fast for that would be a hurt to their health Ioel. 2 16. Yet Ioel saith Sanctifie a fast gather togither old men and sucking children Iohn 3 7. And the Niniuits at the preaching of Ionas compelled beasts and infants to fast These were extraordinarie things neither are they set foorth to that end that we should imitate them 16 As for priuate fasts Augustine most men will haue them to be frée Wherefore saith Augustine to Cassulanus We knowe that we must fast when we are commanded but what daies we should fast