euils thus lost yee your commodities on this wise haue ye your selues cast awaie the honour and noblenesse of your order And yee haue caused manie to fall in the way c. Yee that should haue drawen men vnto God ye haue both by peruerse doctrine by example of most vnpure life and also by superstitious rites called them from the right course when otherwise they were in a good forwardnesse Yee haue made voide the couenantes of Leuie saith the Lord of hoasts c. The conditions and couenauntes shoulde haue béene inuiolate on both sides Let vs consider whether of vs kept or brake the promises I as I promised vnto your Fathers gaue you peace and life for they liued a long time in great glorie and happie state Yea verilie that same Phinees with whome I made my couenant liued a verie long time For as it is in the booke of Iudges Iud. 20. hee was yet on liue when all the Tribes made war against Beniamin And if we shall giue credite to Iosephus that people had from Aaron to the building of the Temple of Salomon onely 13. highpriests and all of one and the selfe same stocke namelie of Aaron and in the meane space were welnéere fiue hundreth yeares And no man can iustlie obiect but that they were accounted as the messengers of God Wherefore let vs confesse God to be faithfull whose wordes abide euerlastinglie in most assured equitie and trueth So nowe is the synceritie of Gods promise sufficiently prooued and made manifest But on the other side saith he you haue broken the couenant to whome onelie this sufficed and this yee accounted for your chiefe and singular benefite that your superstitious ceremonies tithes and reuenues might remaine vntouched but as for trueth knowledge equitie and compassion of heart you had none So farre were you off from bringing home and raising vp them that were fallen that ye haue béene a hinderaunce euen to them that goe and stande vpright Yée shewed not your selfe my Angels that is my messengers Naie rather ye haue pleaded for the aduersarie power for the world for darkenesse and for the Pope himselfe and sooner for anie power than for mine And euen I also haue caused you to bee had in contempt Nowe is the cause plaine why the ministers of God be cast downe why they are vile contemptible and in a manner despised of all men and maie séeme of all men to be made a mocking stocke Because yee haue not kept my waies c. Your calamitie is not ascribed to the fault of your order as though such were the condition and nature thereof For all thinges which be created haue these properties which the worde of God hath giuen vnto them Wherefore séeing wee perceaue them to be most surelie kept in other things can the holie ministerie which among the ordinances of God is so excellent be iustlie accused of falling awaie either through fault of God or it selfe from the auncient most excellent properties thereof It is said here to haue happened farre otherwise For because yee haue not kept my wayes but haue beene partiall in the lawe c. I beséech you déere brethren what is to bée parciall in the lawe in the administration of the worde of God but to haue in the holie ministerie a chiefe consideration of him selfe To prouide especiallie that no harme come to his owne commodities honours and substance that he hath gotten To take héede that he offende not the rich mightie noble nor principall men To prouide with singular care that they maie still retaine the partes and superstitious opinions which they haue once taken vppon them to defende Let rather the trueth say they preuaile let the scripture bee subiect to the traditions and inuentions of men Let the worde of God serue the priestlie maiestie or rather Tyrannie And as for Religion let not the heauenlie oracles of the diuine Scriptures but rather our wils order the same Verilie this saide the Prophete or rather God in him And yee haue beene parciall in the lawe Which thing the Apostles did not and the most godlie Prelates of the Church which liued in the best times thereof And in verie déede in the time of Moses and Aaron the Leuites were armed from gate to gate of the tentes sparing neither mother nor brethren nor children and for this cause are saide to haue consecrated their handes therein Therefore I heartilie pray beséech you my brethren for Iesus Christ his sake that so manie of you as either haue alreadie taken vppon you the holie ministerie or doe looke to come thereunto ye will regarde the same not as an vnprofitable and vile thing Consider diligentlie what bee the honours commodities and couenauntes thereof stand ye to the promised conditions and doubt ye nothing of the faith of Almightie God and of our sauiour Iesus Christ For he is true stedfast and most assured in perfourming those thinges which hee hath promised Heauen and earth saith the Lord shall perish but my wordes shall not perishe And these thinges as touching the holie ministerie are spoken to you that be the Elders Nowe I thinke it good to saie somewhat vnto the younger sort and to the children An Exhortation for young men to studie the holie scriptures I Reioyce gentle Auditorie at this your diligence in comming together to heare the interpretation of the holie Scriptures And this I doe not without a cause For since that this will procéedeth not from the fleshe from the sense or from nature it is vndoubtedlie giuen from aboue it is giuen you from heauen and from Gods holie spirite inspired into your heart For séeing the lawe is spiritual Rom. 7. 12 and the commaundement holie iust and good as Paul declareth and wee on the other side euil corrupt and altogether wicked it cannot bee but that we hate the sayings of God the lawe and the Scriptures Therefore so manie as shall not be stirred vp by the spirit of Christ doe both flée vnto them and doe also hate them most gréeuouslie not for anie fault in the scriptures but for their owne corruption That same people of Israel that was but a small nation and nowe hardened in perpetuall infidelitie did not onelie hate holie Moses Numb 11. 14. 16. c. but diuerse times indeuored to stone him to death which was the greatest punishment wherewith the people punished malefactors It cannot be declared howe gréeuous troublesome and hatefull that man of God was to the whole multitude whenas in verie déede he was most quiet amiable and courteous whom God pronounced to bee most méeke and gentle A true testimonie whereof he thereby showed in that he most earnestlie praied vnto God for them Ibidem whom he saw to bee inflamed with infinite enuie and vnspeakeable hatred against him and desired that himselfe might rather be wiped out of the booke of life than that they shoulde suffer extreme punishment as they deserued Wherefore it is plaine that
greatnes of works For otherwise it is a greater worke to gouerne this vniuersall composition of the world than to restore vnto a blind man the sight which he wanteth 4 These things being declared it resteth that we diuide miracles into their parts by fit distributions An other distinction of miracles Some of them are woonderfull euen for the thing it selfe that is doone for that they appeare to be so great strange things as the like cannot be found in the nature of things Such was the staieng of the sunne in the time of Iosuah Iosu 10 13. Esaie 38 7. Esaie 7 14. Exod. 16 13 and the turning of the shadowe therof in the time of Ezechias the conception and child-birth of a Virgin the food of Manna in the wildernesse and such like But some are miracles not in respect of the nature and greatnesse of the thing which is doone but by reason of the waie and means that is vsed in the working of them as was the clouds raine of Helias 1. Kin. 18 45 Num. 17 8. 1. Sam. 12 18 Iohn 2 9. the budding of the flowers and fruit in the rod of Aaron the thunder of Samuel the conuerting of water into wine and other like For such may be doone naturallie but yet they were then miracles bicause of the maner whereby they were doone that is not by naturall causes but by the will and commandement of the righteous Againe miracles are distinguished Exod. 19 18. Esaie 38 8. Matt. 17 2. There is an other diuision of miracles bicause some of them doo onlie mooue admiration as did the lightenings and thunders vpon mount Sinai the turning of the suns shadowe in the time of Ezechias the transfiguration of the Lord vpon the mount And some besides the woonder of them doo bring a present commoditie vnto men as when by Aarons rod drinke was giuen out of the rocke Exod. 17 6. Exo. 16 13. when Manna reigned downe from heauen when the sicke were healed by the Lord and his apostles Sometimes miracles bring punishment and harme to those that offend Mar. 16 18. as when Ananias and Zaphyra died at the words of Peter Acts. 5. 5. when Elymas the coniurer was striken blind by Paule and when by him others were deliuered vnto sathan to be tormented Acts. 13 11. Herein also miracles are diuided that some of them are obtained by praiers Miracles are againe distinguished 1. Kin. 17 22 2. Kin. 4 34. Ex. 8 12 30. For so did Elias and Elizeus namelie by praier they restored their dead to life Moses by making intercession for Pharao deliuered him from frogs and diuers other plagues And other miracles are wrought by commandement and authoritie Iosua 10 13. Iosua commanded the sunne to staie his course the Lord Iesus commanded the winds Matth. 8 26. Acts. 3 6. and Peter said vnto the lame man In the name of Iesus Christ rise vp and walke And there be some other miracles doone and yet neither by praier nor by commandement but come of their owne accord the righteous themselues béeing otherwise occupied euen as when the shadowe of Peter as he walked did heale the sicke Acts. 5 15. Acts. 19 12. and when the handkerchers that came from Paule cured sicke folke 5 Lastlie Augustine in his 83. booke of questions diuideth miracles Augustine to wit that some are doone by publike iustice that is An other partition of miracles by the stable and firme will of God which is counted in the world as a publike lawe By it God would that his ministers that is prophets and apostles in preaching shuld worke miracles But other miracles be doone by the signes of this iustice as when the wicked in the name of God and of Iesus Christ doo worke anie miracle which is not giuen but in respect of the honor and reuerence of the name of God which they vse not that God or nature or anie things created are desirous to pleasure them A similitude Euen like as when one hath priuilie conueied awaie a publike seale or writing and by meanes thereof extorteth manie things either from countrie men or from citizens which things are not giuen but to the seale which they acknowledge to be the princes or magistrats euen so he which followed not Christ yet did he in his name cast out diuels Mark 9 38. Thirdlie those are accounted miracles which are doone by a certaine priuate contract wherby sorcerers doo bind themselues to the diuell and the diuell to them but these are doone neither by publike iustice nor yet by the signes thereof but onelie of a certaine priuate compact Howbeit we must note that the miracles of the third sort are not firme nor yet doo certeinlie come to passe Acts. 19 13. For we read in the 19. of the Acts that the children of Sceua would haue cast foorth diuels in the name of Iesus whom Paule preached but the diuell said to them Iesus indeed I knowe Paule I knowe but what ye be I cannot tell which hauing spoken he set vpon them And as touching the third kind the act of Cyprian Cyprian which he did before his conuersion confirmeth my saieng For he attempted to bewitch a godlie maid to incline to vnlawfull lust which at the length the diuell told him that he could not bring to passe for him 6 But we must note that these miracles which are doone through a priuate contract are not verie miracles but doo belong vnto that kind which I mentioned before the definition For although sometimes they be verelie that They be not verie miracles which the diuell doth Iob. 1 16. and 19. Augustine which they séeme to be yet are they not miracles indéed For who doubteth but that it was verie fire which consumed the cattell of Iob and a verie storme of wind which by throwing downe his houses destroied his children Yea and Augustine affirmeth that those serpents which the sorcerers of Aegypt brought foorth were not illusions but verie serpents For the historie reporteth that when they came to the third miracle the wise men said This is the finger of God further that now their cunning failed them that they could no longer doo those things which Moses did by the power of God This doubtles is a token that they wrought not before by illusions and that the sorcerers till that time contended with Moses in verie things and not in illusions But some will saie If it be so that things wrought by the diuel the sorcerer be sometimes euen as they séeme to be wherefore is it written to the Thessalonians 2. Thes 2 9. of antichrist Why the signes done by antichrist be called lies that By him verie manie should be deceiued through his false signes and woonders Herevnto we must answere that there may be a lie in saieng that a thing doone is a miracle whereas it is not and not in the
honour and worship the true God but an idoll the which in our mind we haue fansied And verelie to this effect we ought to vnderstand Paule where he saith in the first epistle to the Corinthians 1. Cor. 8 4. We knowe that an idoll is nothing in the world Paule teacheth not that an idoll is nothing as touching the shape and outward forme for no man douteth but that the idols themselues haue place either in the outward matter or else inwardlie in our minds By an idoll then he ment not the verie signe but the thing wherevnto the same hath relation And he vnderstood that the thing it selfe which is signified in the idols is nothing at all séeing there is no where a god which is either represented or delighted with such images VVhether it be lawfull for Christians to dwell among Infidels 9 Séeing the Israelites fell In Iudges 1 verse 36. bicause they dwelt togither among the vnbeléeuing nations and rather exacted tributes of them than according to the commandement of God wéeded them out I thinke it good to intreate whether it be lawfull for godlie men to dwell and haue conuersation with the vngodlie And surelie there be manie reasons wherby the same might séeme to be indifferent The first is The 1. reason Matth. 9 10. The 2. reason 1. Cor. 7 12. bicause Christ did not shun the feasts of the Publicans Pharisies and sinners Secondlie Paule in the first epistle to the Corinthians admitteth not that the beléeuing wife should depart from hir vnbeléeuing husband if so be that he be content to liue and dwell togither with hir Moreouer The 3. reason 1. Co. 10 27 the same apostle writeth that If anie infidell bid you to a feast and ye be willing to go then eate such things as are set before you By these his words therefore he maketh it frée Furthermore the same apostle in the same epistle saith The 4. reason 1. Cor. 5 10. that he warned the Corinthians that they shuld auoid whooremongers raueners and euill speakers and such like but not all saith he for so must ye go out of the world but if anie be called a brother c. Wherefore it is not forbidden vs to auoid the fellowship of all the vngodlie The 5. reason Gen. 12 1. Besides this Abraham was called out of Chaldaea and was commanded to dwell as a stranger among nations which were strange from true religion Gen. 13 1. The 6. reason and so he dwelt in the land of Chanaan and in Aegypt which places were fraught with idolatries The 7. reason Gen. 13 12. Yea and Lot separated himself from the conuersation and houshold of Abraham his kinsman went to dwell at Sodom Also Naaman the Syrian The 8. reason 2. Kin. 6 18. returned to the idolaters his countrimen In like maner Christ did not retaine all those with him which he had healed from diseases Luk. 8 38. but sometime he sent them home againe that they might shew there what was doone vnto them The 9. reason Finallie by ciuill lawes certeine heretiks haue had places appointed vnto them as the Nouatians in the citie of Constantinople And it is granted at this daie to the Iewes to haue euerie where libertie to dwell among Christians 10 Now this question as it is weightie so hath it also verie manie difficulties A distinction 1. Wherefore it séemeth that we shuld first make a distinction what may be lawfull vnto magistrates or what vnto priuate men Distinction 2. Then must we vnderstand that the conuersation with infidels is of two sorts one is whereby men are compelled vnto idolatrous and vnpure worshippings and an other is whereby they remaine at libertie Distinction 3. Moreouer it must be considered that they which dwell togither with the vngodlie be sometimes as concerning religion skilfull and constant and sometimes both weake and also vnlearned It séemeth good therefore They that be learned and constant may dwell with infidels that we declare as touching priuate men that if they be learned and haue stedfastnesse ioined with learning so they be not compelled to cōmunicate with vngodlie ceremonies may lawfullie haue their conuersation with infidels yet so as there be vsed certeine cautions The first caution The first caution is that they doo it with this mind to instruct those which be strangers from godlines and to induce them to true religion And therefore while they be conuersant among them they must not cease but euer busie themselues about those things for the which they dwell in those places And that their instruction and doctrine may be fruitfull it is a singular point of wisdome that they be familiar gentle and courteous toward those whom they meane to win vnto Christ For vnlesse they fullie persuade themselues that they are beloued and greatlie estéemed of those which teach and admonish them the thing well purposed shall but vnhappilie procéed The second caution Furthermore there must be héed taken that they liue godlie iustlie and honestlie for if so be that the infidels should be offended at their behauiour their ministerie would vtterlie become vnprofitable for so much as it nothing auaileth to build that with one hand which thou destroiest with the other Moreouer The third caution this must especiallie be regarded that vnder the cloke of courtesie and friendship they mingle not themselues with vngodlie vsages no not although they were persuaded that by such meanes they could with more ease allure them vnto Christ For the rule of the apostle ought to remaine inuiolate Rom. 3 8. The fourth caution that Euill things must not be committed that good things may come therof Let them also beware that they séeke not their owne commoditie while they be conuersant with them For some there be which although they make a pretence to haue the Gospell published abroad yet in verie déed doo hunt after their owne pleasures gaine or aduantages Wherefore if it be past hope of the saluation of these infidels which thing neuerthelesse can sildome iustlie happen we must no longer deale with them but so far as either their necessitie or ours dooth require That is if peraduenture they should be verie sore sicke and could not otherwise be holpen than by our trauell or else if we our selues should not be able to get such things as be necessarie for our sustentation by anie other meanes than among them Also it may be lawfull to be in the companie of them so much as naturall and ciuill courtesies require or if they shall be our princes parents our wiues our maisters and such like 11 There remaineth Proofes out of the holie scriptures that we confirme this doctrine either by testimonies or by examples of the holie scriptures So indéed Christ did which for this cause kept companie with Publicans sinners Pharisies and Scribes that he might instruct them concerning saluation and conuert them from sinnes vnto godlinesse
sée that God altogither would that his people should be increased Further albeit I doubt not but that those fathers were not void of sin yet where they may be well defended I would not charge them ouer-much Yet Ambrose writeth somwhat of this matter which I sée not how it may be allowed What Ambrose and Augustine iudged herof For he excuseth Abraham first for issue sake secondlie for the shadowing of things to come lastlie bicause he comming out of Chaldaea reteined some gentilisme This latter reason is not of anie great force for Abraham had absteined a great while neither did he ioine Agar to himselfe of his owne accord but was prouoked therevnto by his wife Sara Yet dooth Ierom vnto Geruntia report the same of Iacob He saith it is obiected that Iacob had two wiues Indéed saith he he had but that was in Mesopotamia and vnder Laban But what answer will he make of Abraham For he vndoubtedlie was not in Mesopotamia What will he saie of Dauid Sith he had his wiues in the middest of Iewrie The licence that the forefathers had must not be transferred vnto vs. Matth. 19. 13 And as touching the third part of that we purposed to speake of namelie whether that libertie may be also transferred vnto vs I answer that it is in no wise lawfull For now hath Christ made manifest that lawe of God and hath called it backe to the first institution Wherefore he that now transgresseth the same dooth against the plaine word of God Moreouer the cause being taken awaie the effect must néeds be taken awaie And the cause was the increase of posteritie wherof there is now no néed séeing God hath now those that worship him ouer all the world But before it behooued that the worshipping of God should be reteined among one people vntill the comming of Christ And it was verie profitable that the same lawe should be expounded by Christ Christ altered not the lawe but reduced sole marriage to the first institution for when as Adam was the first man that had one wife it was méet that Christ the second Adam of whom the same first was a figure should ordeine the marriage of one alone But thou wilt saie that Christ came not to make lawes but to preach the Gospell and to redéeme mankind that therefore it behooued him to leaue matrimonie in the state it was in as well as the sunne the stars and other outward things I answer that Christ made no new lawe but onelie reuoked the old For he onelie declared the will of his father and taught nothing anew Further he tooke awaie sacrifices so that now he is a wicked man that will kill anie beast for sacrifice He also brake the strength of the iudiciall lawes so as no man that is of sound iudgement will vrge magistrates to execute those laws against their wils Neither only did Christ this by himselfe but also by his apostle Paule 1. Cor. 7 2. Also he reuoked wholie that matter concerning diuorsement so that if anie man depart from his wife marrie another he committeth adulterie But thou wilt obiect How the forefathers may seeme to be adulterers By this meanes the forefathers may séeme to be adulterers I answer as I haue said before that God dispensed with his lawe and that therefore they sinned not neuerthelesse the matter being now expounded and declared he that shall doo otherwise dooth gréeuouslie sinne And reuoking hath a respect alwaies to the time to come and not to that which is past séeing such is the condition of all lawes otherwise as concerning the nature of the fact the same vndoubtedlie did apperteine vnto adulterie For the ten commandements haue the same respect to vertues and vices as the ten predicaments haue towards all kind of things insomuch as there is nothing but may be reduced to some predicament or other so there is not anie vertue nor anie vice which may not be reduced to some precept Now then if we stand vnto that second opinion which we haue expounded that there was some vice in polygamie the same must néeds be adulterie And although in plaine reason it were not sinne as in the former opinion I declared yet was it some reuolting from perfection Panormitanus in the title of diuorsements in the chapter Gaudemus saith that The forefathers when they had giuen a bill of diuorsement and had married another were sufficientlie excused of adulterie bicause adulterie cannot be committed but by collusion or by couine And this he declareth by two lawes the one ecclesiasticall and the other ciuill The ecclesiasticall is out of the Triburien Councell as we read it in the 34. cause question the second in the chapter In lectum A man had a wife and she a sister all in one house When the wife was absent that same sister went to his bed Afterward came the husband and thinking it had béene his wife had the companie of hir The Councell absolued the man vpon condition that he did it not fraudulentlie but he was constreined to sweare that he did that wicked act ignorantlie and vnwittinglie And it is called a wicked act not bicause it was so in verie déed but bicause the matter perteined to wickednes Thus the fathers are excused bicause they married not their second wife by collusion for they perceiued that the same was accustomed and vsuall among all The other lawe ciuill is in the Digests Ad legem Iuliam de adulterio in the last lawe but one A certeine man put his wife frō him but gaue hir not a iust bill of diuorsement An other man married hir that was put awaie he was accused of adulterie but he was excused bicause he knew not that there was anie thing lacking vnto a iust diuorse This I speake least it should séeme vnto anie man that Christ accused the fathers of adulterie But if God for propagation sake dispensed with the forefathers as touching his lawe whie wilt thou saie may not the same be doone at this time to them which professe the Gospell séeing if they be compared with the Papists Atheists they be but few in number Howbeit the reason is not all alike bicause it behooued the religion of GOD vntill the comming of Christ to be reteined in one nation onlie Now the succession of godlines is not sought for out of one stocke or line but is spread ouer the whole world The fathers opinion heereof Chrysost 14 To this opinion of mine doo all the fathers agrée For Chrysostome in his 56. homilie on Matth. saith We must not iudge of the fathers according to our owne reason for at that time it was lawfull now it is not lawfull And he addeth that Christ came to the end he might bring vs to the state of angels For now he granteth vs one till we come to that place where they are neither married nor yet marrie wiues The same father in his oration De libello repudij saith
your selues doo and repent Iudges must not spare to punish others though themselues he guiltie of that sinne This also must Iudges be warned of that in the thing wherein they condemne others they be not guiltie themselues But therefore it is not said If your selues haue sinned spare yée others For they should sinne two waies as well for that themselues were guiltie of heinous offenses as also bicause they punished not others which were guiltie in the same This that belonged vnto himselfe Looke part 4 plac 14 art 19. he gaue them warning of and in the same sort he did afterward vnto the woman Go thy waies saith he and sinne no more Therefore he discharged hir for he said Seeing no man hath condemned thee neither doo I condemne thee He sawe hir penitent hart After what sort did he acquite hir Not from the punishment of death for that he left to the Common-weale But he accused hir not That might not Christ doo not in that respect that he was a minister of the church but bicause he had not séene hir nor taken hir with the maner he could not be a witnesse neither came he into this world for that purpose Notwithstanding some man will saie She neuerthelesse scaped awaie by reason of the words of Christ This was indirectlie not in respect of Christs iudgment Christs dealing was otherwise This was the Scribes fault who might not abide to heare Christs preaching of repentance They euerie one departed one after another and left hir there alone Neither is this a good consequent Christ at his first comming condemned not an adulteresse Therefore he punisheth not adulteries He punisheth them oftentimes when the magistrates sword is still he dooth and he will doo his office Neither is it a good reason to saie The church hath not the sword it dooth not punish adulterie with death Therefore neither ought the ciuill magistrate to doo it The church letteth not the ciuill magistrate but that he may doo his office More slender is the argument taken of Ioseph Of Ioseph for certeinlie he was deliuered to the chéefe iustice of capitall crimes The crime therefore was of death they which were put in that prison were appointed to be put to death euen as that Baker was But the iudgement of Iosephs cause was deferred besides this he was not accused that he had committed adulterie but that he would haue doone the same And let these things suffice for those obiections 38 Now I conclude that I speake not this The conclusion of this place to the intent I would abolish the authoritie of magistrates I knowe that crimes are to be punished this is appointed by the lawe of God but the maner of punishing is committed vnto magistrates neither ought those lawes to be of force I knowe also that those ciuill lawes giuen by Moses doo no more bind vs than the ceremoniall doo The ceremoniall lawes are abolished The ceremonies tooke effect till the comming of Christ The ciuill lawes had their vse so long as the Common-weale did last they were conuenient for that people But I dare take vpon me to saie that it were conuenient that the iustice which is to be séene in those lawes should not be neglected but should be imbraced of magistrates as a profitable thing As touching the ecclesiasticall punishments in my iudgement such regard ought to be had that adulterers which be conuicted and are not penitent might in such sort be handled as at the least-wise they ought not to scape so frée in the church from punishment as they should be partakers of the sacraments for the crime is most gréeuous they wound the conscience of the godlie sort And how gréeuous it is it is set foorth vnto vs to behold in the fall of Dauid But what is the cause why Dauid was not condemned We answer Why Dauid was not condemned that there was not tribunall seaâ—e aboue his owne he had none aboue him but God who pardoned him of life but yet that the same should be full of manie crosses so as he séemed rather to be reserued vnto miseries than to liue in happinesse Of the reconciliation of man and wife after adulterie committed 39 The ciuill lawes are verie much against the reconciliation of the husband and the wife In Iudges 19 vers 10. after adulterie is committed The ciuill lawes are against reconciliation after adulterie For in the Code Ad legem Iuliam de adulterijs in the lawe that beginneth Castitati nostrorum temporum it is â—ecréed that If a man shall bring home againe his wife being condemned of adulterie he dooth incur the crime of brothelrie Looke before art 27. and 28. And in the title of the lawe Crimen we read that he which shall reteine in matrimonie his wife being an adulteresse he may not accuse hir of adulterie Notwithstanding it was afterward by a new lawe otherwise prouided Neither was it a light matter for one to be condemned of brothelrie but it was euen as heinous as if a man should be condemned of adulterie Yea and if so be that a man reteine with him a woman condemned of adulterie he himselfe without an accuser maie be condemned of adulterie And if a man shall bring hir home againe whom he hath put away he cannot accuse hir of the adulterie which she had before committed But of an other adulterie he may sith in bringing of hir home againe it séemeth that he allowed of hir conditions And if anie woman be condemned of adulterie none may take hir to his wife Wherefore the ciuill lawes doo vtterlie mislike of reconciliation after adulterie committed so that it be conuicted and condemned For if there should be but onelie a suspicion thereof it may be lawfull for the husband to reteine hir with him and to accuse hir being suspected And if he shall afterward perceiue that he was led with vaine suspicion to accuse hir he may desist from his purpose so that he first obteine a discharge from the iudge Ierom vpon the 19. chapter of Matthew may séeme to hold with the ciuill lawes for he writeth that she which hath diuided one flesh to an other man or other men must not be reteined least the husband become vnder the cursse For as it is written in the 28. chap. of the Prouerbs He that keepeth an adulteresse with him verse 23. is vngodlie and foolish So indéed the 70. interpretors did expound it but the truth of the Hebrue text hath it not The same Ierom saith If there happen anie sinne to be it dooth not staine matrimonie but if adulterie happen now is not the wife lawfull And in the 32. cause question the 1. the words of Chrysostome are recited If a man haue the companie of an adulterous wife let him repent The same father vpon the 26. chapter of Matthew Euen as he is vniust which accuseth an innocent so he is a foole which reteineth an adulteresse And the verie same
Papists call their shauing of the head a crowne thus they inuert all things as they list themselues But what shall a man saie to them They passe not what they doo they will haue lights and censing in the temples and if thou aske them whie they answer Bicause God vsed them in the old testament But in the old lawe priests had wiues these men will haue none They suffered the haires of their head and their beard to growe but these men shaue both their head and beard Albeit at this daie there is a great contention among them about a long beard bicause the Councell of Carthage The Councell of Carthage in the 44. chapter is sundrie waies alledged for in some copies it is written Comam non nutriant nec barbam that is Let them not suffer the haire of their head nor yet their beard to grow But in other copies it is read Nec barbam tondeant Neither let them cut their beard Why the Massing priests will not let their beard growe Whether of these two saiengs will these men followe For they will not suffer to haue a long beard least as they saie anie part of the sacrifice should peraduenture sticke in it O holie men They sell that their sacrifice for thrée halfe-pence and then they carefullie prouide least it should sticke in the beard Is not this to straine at a gnat and to swallowe downe a camell Howbeit some of them least they should séeme not to doo verie wiselie and with some consideration doo saie that The cutting off of the haire signifieth that a priest must cut off all superfluities Such is the religion of these men to haue the signes when as they haue not the things signified But I rather ascribe that shauing of our Papists to an ouercurious trimming of themselues For Suetonius in the life of Otho saith Suetonius that He was woont oftentimes to shaue his beard and to behold his face in a glasse whether the same were trim enough I will not speake of others which vsed not to shaue their haires but rather plucked them out that their skin might be the softer The next thing was that the Nazarites should absteine from wine and not onlie from wine but also from vineger from grapes and from strong drinke What kind of drinke Sicera was This strong drinke called Sicera as Ierom writeth to Nepotianus was a kind of drinke much like vnto wine which was made of wheate or of aples or daies or else of other fruits Further they were forbidden to eate huskes of grapes or kernils which should be taken out of the wine presses They were commanded also that they should not drinke Miserath which was nothing else but the washing of the grapes for the wine being pressed out there was water powred vpon the grapes that were pressed which when it was boiled reteined some tast of the wine this we call the second wine But the Chaldaean interpretation calleth Sicera Old wine And it is manifest enough whie the Nazarites were forbidden to drinke both wine The discommodities of wine and strong drinke for these things both trouble the head and stirre vp men vnto lust as Salomon giueth aduertisement in the twentie chapter of his Prouerbs verse 1. Wine maketh a man to be scornefull and strong drinke causeth a man to be vnquiet and whosoeuer is deceiued thereby shall neuer be wise Paule also Eph. 5 18. in the fift chapter to the Ephesians saith Be not droonken with wine wherin is excesse but be filled with the spirit Moreouer the priests in the old lawe were forbidden to drinke wine before they came to holie seruices Leuit. 10 9. wherefore it behooued the Nazarites bicause they were like to priests that they should absteine from wine The third thing was that they should not violate themselues with anie moorning for the dead Moorning for the dead for as through ioie we be ouermuch puffed vp so are we sometimes gréeuouslie troubled with heauinesse and moorning But God would that his ministers should be void of affections especiallie of the vehement sort of affections séeing by them men are more greeuouslie troubled than is méet And yet were not these obseruations anie merits wherein they placed righteousnes but were onelie rites and exercises whereby after a sort men were kept in their dutie For the vow of a Nazarite was a certeine separation from other men But what they did in the meane while it is not prescribed howbeit manie thinke that they were commanded to indeuour themselues to the contemplation and knowledge of the lawe and to woorship and call vpon God trulie 9 We sée that God of his especiall wisdome would teach the people by this kind of vow The Philosophers write that a man must earnestlie indeuour that he may be able to behold high things and with his knowledge to comprehend the nature of all things But this they saie can neuer be vnles the affections be tempred in vs otherwise we be verie oftentimes carried away with rage and lust Wherefore God would haue his to be void of these affections namelie of moorning pleasure too much care and thought about decking of the bodie for these doo not a litle hinder the tranquillitie of the mind and the spirituall cogitations thereof Wherefore in the lawe he as it were taught his people to make preparation to higher things least they should with vnwashen féete haue accesse vnto holie things Vndoubtedlie they which be indued with the knowledge of God ought to prepare and make readie themselues before they come to the hearing of the word of God or to the receiuing of the sacraments verse 4 Ieremie in the fourth chapter verie well admonished vs Turne vp your fallowe ground and sowe not among the thorns And they vowed this kind of vow as we haue said for a certeine time either for a yéere or for a moneth or as euerie man thought it most profitable for himselfe For the natures of men are oftentimes changed and the studie of godlinesse soone waxeth cold therefore it must by some meanes be restored Hereof arose the departures which the father 's vsed into solitarie places for a time So they which gouerned the publike weale when they were tired with businesse kept themselues secret manie times in their priuate féelds and manors not for idlenesse or sluggishnesse sake but to refresh their minds and that they might returne the more prompt and better prepared to accomplish matters And the noble Rhetoricians being weried with pleading of causes sometimes went into the countrie to heare to talke to read somewhat to meditate in their minds the orations that they had made and heard before and so to returne againe more perfect and readie to the pleading place So the Nazarites for a certeine time departed from the companie and fellowship of other men that they might afterward returne the better and purer to execute the state wherevnto they be called Christ also in the night
in the holie Scriptures 2 318 b 3 23 b The greater number of Fathers graunt it 3 243 b Whether Purgatorie bee an article of our faith â— 233 b Augustine spake doubtfullie thereof 3 234 a Diuerse inconueniences by the opinion of the same 3 238 a Whether soules doe there satisfie for sinnes 3 237 b What place it is feigned to bee 3 232 b The reasons for the proofe thereof confuted 3 38b 239 ab 240 a Of Purgatorie fire what is said by way of proofe and disproofe 3 2â—9 240. 241. 242. 243. 244. c. Whether it be common vnto all 3 243 a Whether soules are deliuered thereout by fasting 3 255b The holie scriptures are flat against the doctrine thereof 3 235a The Papists opinion thereof and the time of the continuance discontinuance thereof 2 23â— a Whether praiers intercessions of Saints be auailable for soules in Purgatorie 3 24â— a Purpose Gods Purpose signifieth his good pleasure 2 15a 9 b It belongeth to his will 3 9 b Not to haue mercie is as free as the purpose to haue mercie 3 13 a Common to reprobation and predestination 3 9 b God reuoketh his decreed â—urpose and howe 1 82b Qua. Qualitie One Qualitie cannot bee the forme of another 3 74 a 75 a Pleasure is a Qualitie and so is beautie also as howe 1 35 b Qualities The Qualities of the minde say the Schoolemen passe not from the Parentes to the children 2 239 b disprooued 2â—1 a With what Qualities the senses bee grieued and delighted as saieth Galenx 1 136 b 117 a Quantitie A Quantitie diuided is no more one in number 3 330 a What a Quantitie Mathematicall is 4 155 b Quantities Quantities be neuer reckened of the Philosophers among things that worke 1 79 b Que. Question The Question whether a thing be is naturally before the question what a thing is 3 1 b What shall become of the people which haue not heard of Christ 4 â—6 b Of the Question Howe and that the same hath been vsed of diuers godlie men women 2 333 ab Questions Of vaine and curious Questions 3 240 a About the state of our bodies in heauen 3 360 b Touching diuerse actions of God 3 268 b The maner of asking them of God among the Hebrewes reade the order 1 58 b 59 a Augustines booke of Questions supposed to be none of his why 1 75 a Qui. Quietnesse No way to finde rest Quietnes but in God onelie 1 100a Ra. Rapt Of Rapt or stealing away a mans daughter to marie her 2 433 b 438 ab What it is wherein it differeth from theft 2 437 ab From such as commit it is taken away the vse of appealing 2 438b It is of two sorts howe they differ 2 437 b That one may commit it against his own spouse 2 438 b What vnluckie endes haue insued followed it 2 44â—ab What the schoolemens iudgementes bee touching it in case of mariage pretended 2 441 a The opinion of the Canonistes and Councels touching the same 2 439 b 440 ab It cannot be properlie saide of a harlot 2 438 a What the ciuil Law determineth when it is coÌ„mitted of a woman in taking a man away by violence 2 439 b What the punishment is if in such a case the maide consent 2 439 a Whether the partie gotten away by Rapt may possesse the goods of the rapter 2 438b 439 a The Beniamites did not properlie commit Rapt 2 442 a Of the Rapt or violent taking away of Dina and whether that make for Rapt 2 440 b The cause thereof 2 442 a And the reuenge of the same 4 329 a Diuerse Raptings or takings vp in the Newe Testament 3 385 a ¶ Looke Enoch and Elias Rauishing The Rauishing of Lucretia done by Tarquinius 2 394a Of a maiden betrothed punished and howe 2 482 b Re. Reason What sound Reason and exercise is able to compasse in artes and sciences 1 56 b Children haue not the vse thereof and yet they doe many voluntarie actions 2 290 a Euill affects are repugnant thereto 2 408 a The regiment that God gaue it ouer the affects how it is impeached 2 409 a What affects belong to the regiment thereof and what not 2 406 b Why some haue ascribed it to brute beasts 2 290 a What things cannot be done by it 1 77 b By what tokens Gods prouidence may be knowen from it 1 167 b Reason rather than beleeuing maketh men mad 3 61 a 71 a Howe it is corrupted 2 564 b 226 a Reasons Gods Reasons are vnsearcheable vnto man 3 21 b Rebell Whether subiects may Rebell against their Prince 4 324 b Rebellion Whence Rebellion against God is deriued 3 388 a Against Moses and Aaron grieuouslie punished 2 482 b Rebuke The causes why we be loath to Rebuke others sharplie 2 378b The soft Rebuke that Helie vsed to his children blamed 2 378 a Rebukes The Rebukes of Christ 2 617 b 618 a Recantation The Recantation of Pope Iohn the xx 3 376 b Rechabites Of the Rechabites their linage vowe 3 188. 189. 190. 191. The abstinence of the Rechabites and of their descent 3 172 b Looke Vovve Reconciliation Reconciliation of the wife and the first husband after diuorsemeÌ„t not lawfull in Moses time and why 2 497 a Whether in such cases it be lawfull 2 487b 488 a Cleargie men admit it not 2 488b 489 a Reasons which make for it 2 496 ab 497 a The ciuill Lawes are against it 2 495 b 496 a The Fathers allowe it not 2 496 a An answere to the reasons against it 2 497 a Perfect Reconciliation betwixt God and vs our concupiscence corrupt motions notwithstanding 2 274 b. Redeemer Why Christ is called the last Redeemer 3 341 a ¶ Looke Christ Redemption What was requisite in the price of our Redemption 2 610 b Why God chose the death of Christ for the onelie meanes thereof 2 619 b Christs Redemption sufficient to all men but not effectuall to all men 3 31 a How it is ment that in hell there is no Redemption 3 369 b Redemptions Two Redemptions established by the doctrine of the Papistes 3 224 a Regenerate Of diuers things proper to the Regenerate 2 563 ab 564 They behaue not theÌ„selues al alike 2 564b 565 a Of their workes righteousnesse 2 562 b 563. 564. 568. 3 46a In them be some properties of the olde and new man 2 564 a They are solde vnder sinne 2 565 a They fulfill the law after a sort 2 566 b 3 110 a They haue neede of the lawe 2 576 b In them God conuerteth punishments into medicines 2 364 b The office of the law in them 2 300 a They may abstaine from the grosser sort of sinnes 2 274 ab Whether the concupiscence first motions remaining in them be sinnes 2 271 ab Of their libertie 2 270 a They are called the men of God but not simplie 2 271 a