this cause are the actions procéeding from vertue commended bicause they come from the making of choise Maners are more iudged by choise than by actions Maners saith Aristotle â—re more iudged by making of choise than by actions True indéed it is that maners are knowne by actions as a trée is by the fruit but yet that iudgement is deceiuable for hypocrites doo verie oftentimes make a counterfet shew and otherwhile we sée things doone of a far other purpose than it is méet they should be The Manicheis absteined from wiues also from the eating of flesh not bicause they were giuen to chastitie or sobrietie but bicause of their erronious and blasphemous opinions Tyrants doo sometimes deale curteouslie with their subiects but to beguile them And wicked men doo sometimes absteine from wickednes but that is for feare of punishments not for the loue of iustice Euill men forbeare to sinne for the feare of punishment Wherefore in iudgements when the fact is apparant there is oftentimes inquirie made of the will mind and purpose of him that dooth it Neither at anie time is the making of choise subiect to fortune as is action Yea rather they which are found in anie crime are oftentimes accustomed to saie that they ment to haue doone otherwise and that they purposed not in their mind that such things should happen And we easilie grant that the actions are more apparant since they are laid open to euerie mans eies but yet they make not the iudgement either surer or more certeine Men doo iudge of maners by that which followeth namelie by the worke but the iudgement of choosing procéedeth from the cause and as they vse to speake from that which went before And sometimes it happeneth that a man dooth no action so as it cannot be iudged by his actions whether he be good or euill but immediatlie so soone as he sheweth what choise he hath made although he doo no action yet men giue a iudgement of him either as touching his naughtinesse or his goodnesse But how can it be said that yong children and also bruit beasts want the making of choise Whether children and brute beasts be without choise when as they choose one meate before an other plaie before discipline and shunne some things more than other things We must answer that making of choise is of two sorts One is common whereby one thing is either preferred before an other or else is more eschewed than an other and this kind of choise neither brute beasts nor children doo want The other is the verie proper choise which hath counsell going before and is directed by the iudgement of reason And this kind of making choise can neither bruit beasts nor children haue for when they pursue one thing before an other or auoid one thing rather than an other they are not lead by reason but by sense Also those things which we doo in hast and vpon the sudden are without making of choise not that we want reason while we commit those things but bicause we admit no space of time to deliberate on them Also the counsell and the iudgement and deliberation of reason is hindered by the vehemencie of the perturbation Three things void of choise Wherefore there be reckoned vp thrée things that want the making of choise First brute beasts bicause they are not capable of reason Secondlie yong children which although they be indued with reason yet can they not vse the same bicause of their tender age in the third place are counted sudden and hastie motions of the mind wherein although men haue reason enough and also yeares yet doo they want time of deliberation Wherefore they which doo anie thing by the force of anie affection are woont to saie that they did it not of purpose or aduisedlie Since that making of choise dooth belong vnto the mind it is either of the power of knowing An order whereby the definition of choise is found out or the power of appetite All appetite is diuided into thrée parts Either it is of the more noble part of the mind and is ioined with reason and is called the will or else it is of the grosser part and then it is diuided into the desiring power and into the angrie power Herevpon Aristotle said that some thought choise to be the will others thought it to be anger others thought it to be desire but if it belong vnto the knowledge then come they which affirme choise to be an opinion who perhaps were the Stoiks But first Aristotle treateth of desire and anger That choise and desire are diuerse and reasoneth that their opinion is fond bicause that then we should yéeld that brute beasts haue choise for they are mooued both with desire and anger which he reiecteth as an absurd and vnworthie thing Wherefore it plainelie appéereth that Aristotle did vtterlie remooue desire from choise bicause we may not by anie means saie that desire is choise which cannot so be iudged of as touching willingnesse Indéed willingnesse differeth from choise but it cannot be sundered from the same séeing euerie choise is according to the will And the argument which he vsed is this If desire were choise whatsoeuer thing worketh by desire should no doubt worke by choise But not euerie thing that worketh by desire dooth worke by choise The ouerthrowe of the consequent appéereth in this bicause an incontinent man worketh by desire but not by choise for that he followeth it not He determined to doo well but he stood not to his determination therefore he delt not according to the choise which he had conceiued in his mind Choise is an appetite which is a counsellor but the incontinent man while he is carried awaie by desire heareth no counsell And on the other side the continent man giueth no eare to desire but followeth his right choise And this reason may be applied vnto anger for he also that dooth anie thing by anger dooth it not by choise and this we may sée in angrie men And héerein it shall suffice to haue said that an incontinent man is not altogither without choise but yet he followeth not that which he hath in his mind He is compared to a man that sléepeth to him that is dronken to a citie wherein good lawes are not regarded Héere Aristotle reasoneth Choise is contrarie to desire But desire is not contrarie to desire Ergo desire is not choise This argument is in the second figure The reason is this Those things that agrée in one third they also agrée in themselues Euen so those things that doo not oppose themselues against one third doo not agrée togither at once themselues But there ariseth a doubt Desire against desire bicause desire séemeth to be against desire Some man desireth fame and to haue his name renowmed and the same man is much desirous of monie one of these desires is repugnant to an other Augustus desired souereigntie and yet was desirous to imitate
and take care of them Vnto which end they are not sent to be lesse honourable than the people but that they should be obeied and honoured of them and yet in these rulers the end is Whervnto Howbeit if we haue regard wherfore these things be doon we will alwaies acknowledge that there is a more excellent end And by this distinction are dissolued the instances now alledged touching celestiall bodies the angels shepherds For these things though they be more woorthie than the end Whervnto yet not more woorthie than the end Wherefore For the shepherd is more woorthie than the shéepe but yet not woorthier than his owne selfe or than his lord if he be a hired seruant or than his familie or citie For he lookes to the shéepe either for his owne sake or else for his lord familie or cities sake In like maner doo the angels and celestiall bodies For they minister vnto vs not for our sake but partlie to please God and partlie to exercise their owne perfection But the worke when it is referred to the actions which went before and hath no further respect is the end Wherefore Whervpon the actions which went before are as Aristotle saith more vnwoorthie than it but if afterward a further end be regarded to wit the vse of the worke the same shal be more woorthie than the worke as we said before touching the habitation of an house when it is referred to the dwelling And the reason is bicause the dwelling is then the end Wherefore and the house the end Wherevnto 9 Also the holie scriptures doo decrée and appoint that there is a certaine principall end That the holie scriptures decree of a principall end wherevnto men direct all their actions wherevpon Salomon at the end of Ecclesiastes when he had in manie words treated first of ends according to the common sort of mens opinions speaking of the feare of God which in the Hebrue phrase signifieth true and sound godlines added And this toucheth all men Eccl. 12 13. bicause men are herevnto ordeined and made that they should worship and honor God And Dauid One thing haue I desired of the Lord Psal 27 4. this will I seeke for that I may dwel in the house of God And Christ saith This is life eternall Iohn 17 3. that they knowe thee to be the onlie verie God whom thou hast sent Iesus Christ But that séemes to be repugnant which Salomon said Eccles 1 2. All is most vaine and but plaine vanitie But this is not in respect it is the appointed end but bicause that men either knowe not the same or else refuse it and séeke for the chéef good else where Wherfore their desires haue an infinite scope neither doo they at anie time rest The vngodlie walke their circuit vers 9. Psal 12. And this is the difference betwéene vs and the Philosophers that they set foorth their end as it should be attained by their owne proper strength and industrie but we decree out of the holie scriptures that the chéefest good cannot be obteined vnlesse wée be holpen by the spirit and grace of Christ 10 Againe it is doubted when Aristotle saith bicause there be manie arts actions and knowledges there be manie ends also whether the proposition may be turned both waies If where there be many ends manie things be also referred vnto them namelie that wheresoeuer there shall be manie ends there be manie things also referred vnto the same ends We answere to the question that this is not of necessitie bicause nature hath oftentimes ordeined manie ends of one and the selfe same thing For example sake the toong is not onelie directed vnto spéech but vnto the relish of tasts also the téeth doo chawe and grind the meat and doo helpe the spéech And by the force of Logicke we not onelie confirme true things but we also confute false Wherefore since there be manie faculties and arts we will grant that there be manie ends and yet by the number of ends the number of things can not bée gathered Likewise we doubt Whether the end of physicke be health and of warfare victorie c. bicause Aristotle saith that the end of physicke is health of the art of war is victorie c. Against which opinion he him selfe writeth in the first booke of his Topicks the 2. chapter and Quintilian in his 2. booke and 12. chapter séeing the end of physicke is not health but to applie all things and to omit none of those things which may further vnto health And if that the sicke man either by the intemperance of his diet or by too much weaknes of nature or by the fierce and intollerable violence of his disease be not healed the physician swarueth not from the end of his art The like is to be said of an orator whose end is to speake all things which may serue to persuade to omit nothing that belongeth thervnto wherfore though he shall not be able to persuade yet if he haue a regard thervnto he doth not straie from his end The same may we saie of the gouernour of a house and of a chéefe captaine Howbeit in dissoluing of this question we are not to take anie great paine For Aristotle in bringing of examples sheweth the matter after somwhat a grosse maner and was not very carefull that examples should alwaies agrée in all points but alledged them as they are vsed of the common people Moreouer although that to heale to persuade and to ouercome doo not alwaies followe the actions of physicians rhetoritians and souldiers yet can it not be denied of anie man but that these faculties haue respect vnto these things indeuor as much as they can to attaine vnto them Lastlie bicause we are in hand with ends How a worke can be the end of an action when it is after the action there is a doubt how anie worke is the end of an action or of an art For if the thing be considered which is made by the artificer the same is the effect therfore not the cause For it behooueth that the cause be before the effect and nothing can be before it self Here doo some answere that the thing made is the end not in respect it is extant and now perfect but in that it was first comprehended in the artificers mind And a thing may be before it selfe in a sundrie respect for it is first pondered in the mind of the artificer before it be in act But I staie not my selfe with this answere for that same knowne forme which is conuersant in the mind of the artificer hath a respect of him that is the efficient thereof for as an obiect it mooueth his mind Besides this it is not the artificers desire to haue such a forme as he hath conceiued in his mind but would haue it to be expressed in the thing and directeth it therevnto as to the end Wherefore the outward thing
a Christian dooth he dooth them by the impulsion of the spirit of God Those things which the philosophers doo according to morall precepts they doo them by the guide of humane reason The philosophers are stirred vp to doo those things bicause they so iudge it to be honest and right but the Christians bicause God hath so decréed Those doo thinke to profit and make perfect themselues these bicause the maiestie of God must be obeied Those doo giue credit to themselues but these giue credit to God and to the words of the lawe which he hath made Those séeke the loue of themselues these are driuen by the loue of God alone And of this manifold difference it commeth to passe that one and the same thing as touching the matter dooth please God and by his iudgement is condemned Which knowledge is preferred aboue other So now we sée that the speculatiue knowlege is preferred aboue the actiue For dooing is ordeined for contemplation and not contrariwise And no man doubteth but that that which is ordeined for another thing is lesse honorable than it But it is obiected that the contemplatiue kind dooth belong vnto action therefore indéed we behold nature that we may make much of the author thereof and therefore we séeke to knowe God to the intent we may worship him And our diuinitie is for this cause by some called actuall Howbeit these men reasoning after this maner are excéedinglie deceiued For no science is therefore called actuall bicause the worke attaineth vnto that knowledge except the selfe-same thing be performed which was first knowne When we behold nature and the heauen although we obtaine thereby a worship and loue towards God yet such a knowledge must not be called actuall bicause that is not brought to passe which we behold For there is no man that can make nature and heauen and other works which followe thereof accidentally they are said to behold them For not all men which behold these things doo loue and worship God nay rather they be oftentimes most farre from him Againe the works which folowe that knowledge and also our diuinitie haue respect vnto this that we may knowe God more and more vntill we shall behold him face to face in the kingdome of heauen And Christ our sauior confirmed this opinion saieng Iohn 17 3. This is eternall life to knowe thee the onlie true God and Iesus Christ whom thou hast sent The third Chapter Concerning Prophesie out of the first of Samuel the 19. Chapter verse 33. SEing therfore that God would be knowne vnto men by prophesie I thought it not from the purpose to speake somewhat thereof And that I may doo it the more bréeflie and plainlie A distinguishing of this question I will first shew what is meant by this name or word prophesie then what are the causes of it next the definition and lastlie the properties and effects As touching the name of prophesie What is ment by the name prophesie A prophet is in the Hebrue toong called Naui which noune commeth of the Hebrue verbe Bo that signifieth to come And it is in the passiue coniugation Niphal Looke in the fourth part cap. 1. art 8. Khimhi dooth interpret prophesie to be a certein facultie receiued from GOD. For prophets doo suffer a certeine breathing on them and instinct from God and that word dooth signifie sometime an interpretor or messenger And a prophet is called somtimes in Hebrue Roe that is a seer sometimes Chose that is a watchman sometimes Isch Eloim that is a man of God as in the first of Sam. the 9. chapter Sam. 9 10. and first of Paralipo the 29. In the Greeke he is called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to foretell or as some rather will of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is to shew Whervpon among the Latins temples are called Phana and as Festus Pompeius thinketh the bishops of the temples were called prophets There were also 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to wit interpretors which did seruice to the greater prophets They were also called among the Gréeks 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Among the Latins mad men are called Fanatici yet further they were called of the Gréekes 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is to stir vp and driue forward They were called in Latine Vates as some suppose of speaking although there were that thought otherwise A prophet is he which being stirred vp by the spirit foretelleth things to come The causes of prophesy The matter of prophesieng Prophesie is vsed about things past present to come Acts. 5 3. 2. King 5 26. 2 Now that we may also speake somwhat of the causes a prophet is occupied about heauenlie and hidden matters Somtimes he séeth the things that be present as Peter did of Ananias and Saphira and Elizeus of Gehezi saieng Was not my spirit present with thee Somtime he séeth things that are past as Moses concerning the creation of the world For as touching things to come no man doubteth but he foreséeth them Also they which expound other mens prophesies are prophets A prophet is an interpreter of the word For so was Aaron said to be the prophet of Moses vnto Pharao and the expounders of the holie scriptures are called prophets Also it belongeth to the office of a prophet to praie vnto God wherefore Paule saith that euerie man praieng or prophesieng c. And in Genesis 1. Cor. 11 4. God answereth Abimelech concerning Abraham Gen. 20 7. when he had taken his wife from him Giue him his wife againe for he is a prophet A prophet must praie for others and shall praie for thee And Paule in the first Epistle to the Corinthians the 14. chapter setteth foorth more at large the office of a prophet When ye come together saith he euerie one hath a psalme 1. Cor. 14 27 or hath doctrine or hath reuelation or hath interpretation let all things be done to edifieng They may also make hymnes and thanks-giuing and exhort the people For Paule saith He that prophesieth speaketh doctrine Ibidem 3. exhortation and consolation Which facultie pertaineth to the mind and power of vnderstanding And a prophet differeth from a préest Wherein prophets differ from priests in that a préest should not onelie exhort teach and comfort but also minister holie seruices which thing a prophet may not doo Besides the préests were of the tribe of Leui the prophets were of other tribes Moreouer the préests might erre often did erre but the true prophets in that they were prophets could not erre Indéed they somtimes added somwhat of their owne but therein they were not prophets Lastlie the préests were chosen onlie by succession and had an ordinarie ministerie but the prophets were sent by an extraordinarie means according to the will of God 3 The forme of prophesieng is the reuelation of God
yet be swéet in respect they fill and restore nature being wasted and consumed Neither be they at one time pleasant and at another time vnpleasant but are euer in their owne nature to be wished and desired and these pleasures are chéefelie those which are perceiued in the mind but others be mixed namelie with sorowes and for that cause are pleasant bicause they refresh and renew nature decaieng and therefore are not to be desired alwaies and at all times 8 These things being thus determined What pleasures must be auoided and why let vs go in hand with the pleasures which be vnpure bodilie and which haue excesse and which be mixed and let this be the first proposition of them If they excéed measure they must be altogither auoided for such doo either arise of a corrupt nature for some men are euen by a proprietie of nature fierce wild and cruell and others be beastlie and altogither intemperate or else these euill actions and pleasures doo come from a vitious habit brought in by a naughtie custome as we sée it in drunkards gluttons and lasciuious men wherefore from such shamefull and wicked causes nothing can happen which as we haue said must not be auoided Furthermore since that pleasures of this kind as it hath bin alreadie said haue bin inuented to be as it were medicins vnto vs when we suffer them to excéed measure How greatlie the grosser pleasurs hurt vs. so far is it off that they be medicins as they are euen hurtfull vnto vs and that in all kind of good things and especiallie those things which come of fortune For how manie riotous men be there which hauing spent their great and ample patrimonies are constreined miserablie to liue in want I speake nothing of the goods of the bodie séeing gluttonie and fleshlie pleasure killeth far more than the sword or anie ordinarie sicknes or defect of nature Yea and Galen in his second booke De semine wrote that Pleasure is somtime by it selfe the cause of dissoluing the force and strength which giueth life And there haue béene manie which haue yéelded vp the ghost thorough too much pleasure But if that all abuse of things must be auoided such kind of immoderate pleasures as these must be vtterlie shunned séeing by this meanes they cure not the bodie but doo excéedinglie destroie it I let passe the goods of the mind since nothing dooth more harme vnto wisdome nor anie thing more weaken the right iudgement of dooing things than these immoderate pleasures The reason which I haue brought that by these grosse and immoderate pleasures all the kinds of good things belonging to man be destroied is written by Cicero in his booke called Hortensius which booke is lost yet will I reherse his words as they be recited of Augustine in his fourth booke against Iulian the 14. chapter Cicero his words as touching the euils which rise of pleasures But are those pleasures of the bodie to be desired which trulie and grauelie are of Plato called the allurements and baits of euils For what destroieng saith he of helth what deforming of the colour and the bodie what foule losse what dishonour is there that is not called and brought foorth by pleasure Euerie motion whereof the greater it is the more is it enimie vnto philosophie For the pleasures of the bodie cannot agrée with anie great cogitation of the mind For who is he that when he vseth the greatest pleasure he can is able to applie his mind to make an account or to thinke of anie manner of thing But who is so vnsatiable a person that day and night without anie intermission of time will haue his senses so to be mooued as they be mooued in the chéefest pleasures What man indued with a good mind had not rather that no pleasurs at all shuld be giuen vs of nature Thus much said he Vnder which sentence of his are cōprehended the hurts which are woont to be brought in through these pleasures of the bodie which excéed measure But thou wilt saie that If this reason were of force Whether the pleasures that arise of contemplation or iust actions do hurt it will condemne pleasures which spring of contemplation and also that which ariseth of iust actions bicause both the bodie is hurt by too much studie and contemplation and that Socrates and also Aristides perished for their honestie sake I answere that this was accidentally bicause Socrates lighted among euill men Againe that the powers of the head which doo serue vnto cogitation are somtimes ouermuch consumed But some wittie fellowe will replie that this also is accidentall as touching the pleasures of the bodie which in verie déed doo arise of those actions which destroie the bodie and our good things which the verie pleasures by themselues would not doo Howbeit to this we answere that it coms not alwaies to passe that a man perisheth for righteousnes nor yet that contemplation dooth alwaies harme But these grosser and mixt pleasures so oft as they excéed the meane it cannot be but they doo hurt and so the hurt is not to be accounted of both alike 9 But this of some is counted a hard matter Whether the pleasures which must be shunned be verie pleasures that these pleasures must be shunned séeing pleasure by it selfe is good to be desired Wherfore to auoid this they are wont to say that They are not pleasures indéed but onlie séeme so to be and although they séeme so yet that of wise men they ought not to be accounted pleasures Euen as those things are not said to be white which so appeare vnto bleare eies neither swéet or bitter which those that are sicke doo so affirme But me thinks it should not so be answered bicause both Plato and Aristotle doo call them pleasures wherevpon the definition before alledged dooth trulie agrée vnto them Therefore would I rather saie to the argument that pleasure indéed is of his owne nature good and to be desired but not to be taken of all things euen as we desire to satisfie hunger yet not by euerie kind of meate Iust men also would become rich but yet not by euerie kind of gaine we also desire health but yet not by euerie kind of medicine and so we would haue pleasures but yet not those which arise of actions that be dishonest and filthie and which doo hurt the bodie and all the good things which we haue Whie these kind of-pleasures which hurt and are to be shunned are desired of manie But séeing this kind of pleasures is both hurtfull and to be shunned how happeneth it that it is desired of so manie Bicause pleasure in his owne nature hath some certeine diuine thing in it and is desired of all men Howbeit it coms to passe that séeing nature in manie is not yet full perfect and confirmed as in children or else when men be indued with naughtie and lewd habits of mind as be drunkards and
fleshlie persons they be deceiued and séeke for pleasures where they ought not Wherefore I maruell at Epicurus which taketh his argument from children whose nature is not yet become full perfect neither are they indued with any vertue therfore may easilie be deceiued Againe it must be considered that men doo perpetuallie labour and are wearied with sundrie exercises and therefore to be recreated and refreshed they turne themselues to diuers pleasures and when they cannot haue honest pure and simple pleasures they will be satisfied with those grosser and hurtfull pleasures And men haue a compounded nature not simplie one and vnmixed and thereof it coms that they imbrace sundrie kinds of pleasures Somtimes they take those which belong vnto the mind and sometime those which be of the bodie since that they consist as well of the mind as of the bodie Yea and the bodie it selfe bicause it hath manie humors and is indued with manie senses therefore are we somtimes mooued to these pleasures and sometimes to those according as the humors stir them vp or as the sundrie obiects doo fall into the senses But God since he is one and most pure he enioieth one and the selfe-same pure and eternall pleasure Who be most inclined to the pleasures of the bodie But to those pleasures of the bodie they that be yoong and melancholike men are most inclined In them while their stature is increased the humors are disturbed and nature is wearied and haled and therefore doo they flie vnto pleasures as vnto a certeine medicine and recreation Likewise dooth the melancholike humor disquiet and vexe melancholike persons and suffereth them not to rest so as they being wearie returne to pleasures whereby they somewhat restore and exhilerate themselues Wherevpon it appéereth that nature yea God himselfe Why these pleasures were giuen by God vnto men did not vnprofitablie giue vnto mankind these pleasures that the immoderate vse of them might be auoided For by them we lead the more commodious life and we take more willinglie in hand the necessarie labours of life and the preseruation of mankind and are the more readilie healed of our dailie infirmities Moreouer yoong men by certeine honest and moderate pleasures are stirred vp vnto honest duties and excellent vertues and by gréefes they are terrified from sinnes and wickednes Augustine And Augustine addeth that these base pleasures are certeine steps of good and as it were a little shadowe of the nature of felicitie and of the chéefe good whereby we may be stirred vp to an earnest desire thereof wherefore they be of force to awaken vs wherein neuertheles we are not to staie but must rather rise vp vnto better things And that we should not dwell in these things God is so good that he with these kinds of pleasures hath mingled manie bitter things What pleasures are not to be auoided and why As touching those pure vnmixt and no bodilie pleasures and which haue no excesse let this be the proposition They ought not to be refused but since they are of the better sort they drawe not a little néere vnto the nature of the chéefest good for they be desired not for themselues but for another thing I said that they drawe néere to the nature of the chéefest good bicause in verie déed the chéefest good is not in pleasure no not of this kind for that consisteth in the most perfect action and vnto it is pleasure ioined as a perpetuall companion wherefore it cannot be plucked from the chéefest good so as it should not be comprehended in the nature thereof We verelie grant that the same is wished for of all men since there is none but desireth both to liue and to liue well And as to liue is to worke so to liue well is to be occupied in a verie good action wherevnto when excellent pleasure is ioined all men wish for the same when they wish for that whereof it is a perpetuall companion But an excellent action it cannot be vnlesse it be conuersant about the most noble obiect whereof as of a fountaine our perfection dependeth Which that it may euidentlie be perceiued we must vnderstand that we are made perfect by a most excellent obiect as by the efficient cause whereby our mind and will is carried or is allured vnto it Againe we are made perfect through pleasure which is an affect and qualitie that is instilled into our mind Whether pleasure for life or life for pleasure is to bee wished But it is called into doubt by some whether pleasure must be wished for the life sake or life for pleasure sake And to omit those things which may be said on the other part that which to mée séemeth good I thus set downe Pleasure is desired for the life sake not the life for pleasures sake bicause pleasure hereof ariseth that the action agréeth with nature and this we both féele and knowe Wherefore that aboue all is to be wished to the intent that the action may be counted most perfect Neither is anie man ignorant that perfection is instituted for that thing sake which dooth make it perfect especiallie when in his owne nature it hath no stabilitie And all men sée that meate it selfe is better than the sauce thereof 10 But how those things How Aristotles opinion agreeth with the scriptures which Aristotle bringeth doo agrée with the holie scriptures we may easilie perceiue First he saith that this opinion as touching the grosser sort of pleasures is the opinion of manie and that of the vulgar sort of men Which also Christ taught affirming that the waie of perdition is large Matt. 7 13. and manie doo go that waie He addeth moreouer that they which iudge this are 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is most burdensome And in Esaie we knowe that it was said to wicked Ahaz Esaie 7 13. Is it a small matter vnto you to be greeuous vnto men Aristotle calleth them bond-slaues And the Lord said Iohn 8 34 He that dooth sinne is the seruant of sinne Also Peter said Euerie man is his seruant 2. Pet. 2 19. of whom he is ouercome Aristotle saith that they choose a beastlie life And we haue it in the Psalmes Man when he should be in honour Psal 48 12. is compared vnto the brute beasts and is made like vnto them Also Ieremie Ierem. 5 8. Euerie man neigheth at his neighbours wife And againe in the psalme Be ye not like horsse and mule Psal 32 10. in whom there is no vnderstanding They which so thinke saith the philosopher doo defend themselues by the authoritie of princes which liue after the maner of Sardanapalus Neither dooth this disagrée with the holie scriptures wherein we read that such in a maner were the people as were the kings whom they had Osea 4 9. And in Osea we reade Such people such priest In the Prouerbs the 29. chapter When the wicked shall beare rule transgression shall
be multiplied And in the Gospels as touching Herod Matt. 2 3. when the wise men came to Ierusalem we find that not onlie hée himselfe was troubled but also the whole citie with him Lastlie it is concluded that in these grosser sort of pleasures cannot be reposed the chéefest good Which also the Apostle confirmeth to the Corinthians 1. Cor. 6 13. Meate for the bellie and the bellie for meate God shall destroie both the one and the other And Christ himselfe speaking of the pleasure of procreation Matt. 22 30. In the regeneration they neither marrie wiues nor are married but they shall be like vnto the angels 11 Aristotle disputing yet further of pleasure saith That pleasure is not strange from felicitie that the same must not be counted strange from felicitie and so prooueth it bicause it is of those kind of good things which belong vnto the mind vnlesse we will saie that stones stocks mettalles reioice and be glad Let vs first declare his generall sentence That is pleasant to euerie man wherevnto he is said to be and therof is named desirous Héereby Aristotle meant that pleasure séemeth to be of those kind of things which haue relation one to another And it is no maruell for those things which be swéet must of necessitie be swéet to some bodie But what he is to whome pleasure is referred is declared by affection while he saith A horsse a shew iust things and vertues doo delight those men which haue bin desirous of horsses shewes a iust thing and of vertues The maner of all Syllogismes is that first should be brought foorth the cause in generall and then it is woont to be applied vnto that thing wherof it is spoken So in this matter the generall cause is set foorth for which anie thing is pleasant and swéet vnto anie man namelie for bicause he loueth it This generall cause is héere restreined vnto him that is happie bicause he is a louer of honest and good actions wherevpon of necessitie it followeth that he is verie much delighted with them For the confirmation of that generall cause he vseth diuers and manifold examples and first he alledgeth the pleasure that men haue in riding of horsses wherewith how fondlie and earnestlie some men are otherwhile delighted the yong man Strepsiades in Aristophanes doth testifie He bringeth foorth them also which are desirous to behold shewes vnto whome we may adde those which giue their mind to philosophie wine and monie all which men we sée are wonderfullie delighted when at anie time they enioie their desires By these examples the fourme of the argument which the Logicians call Induction being the maior proposition which comprehendeth the generall cause is plainelie confirmed and shewed which is straitwaie applied to the matter in hand whereas he saith that The like reason is to be had of those causes that are of a iust thing and of good actions and are referred to good and happie men to wit that those things be loued of them and that they reioice not a little in them Whereof it plainelie commeth that blessed and good men if they either sée or heare anie to liue well and honestlie they take great pleasure therein but without doubt much more while they themselues exercise themselues in iust good and honest actions By these things we now vnderstand that the life of happie men is not seuered from pleasure and we sée that they did not vtterlie straie from the right waie which ioined themselues vnto this felicitie 12 But the question is Whether all pleasures haue felowship with felicitie whether all pleasures haue fellowship with felicitie and if that all haue not as it should séeme we must affirme then what pleasure shall we ioine therewith To this we answere by distinction Some things are pleasant in their owne nature and by themselues but some haue it not of their owne propertie to delight but taketh delight by a certeine corruption or viciousnes of him that is caught therewith Wisedome vertues honest actions remembrance of good déeds prudent gouernment of things finding out of profitable counsels doctrine contemplation and such like are delightfull euen of their owne goodnes which if otherwhiles they be not liked of some that hapneth through their owne vnskilfulnes and rudenes But on the other side immoderate wine gorgeous sights surfetings and lusts are not in their owne nature pleasant and swéete but doo onelie delight them which of themselues bée caught by such things It is the common sort which hunt after things not pleasant in their owne nature which things are diuers and in sundrie sort those repugnant one to another No man doubteth but that there is a great number of pleasures of the common sort for there be manie minds and euerie one hath his owne delight which certeinlie is then not lawfull when it passeth his bounds and when it deteineth men too much therein or doth stir vp and disquiet their minds These and other pleasures of the senses if they hold themselues within their bounds and limits and doo not passe them are both naturall and by right cannot be condemned And what contrarietie there is of pleasures betwéene the vulgar sort The contrarietie of pleasures betweene the vulgar sort Eustratius thus sheweth One is delighted with salt meate another with swéet one with drinke somewhat bitter another with sower which tasts be one contrarie to another and cannot be had togither in one and the same thing But here a man may saie that this also may be séene among the pleasures which ye call naturall some are delighted in the mathematicall sciences others in the knowledge of naturall things some in logicke others onlie in prudent actions Wherefore since there is a varietie as well here as there this difference of contrarietie after that manner interpreted séemes not to put a distinction betwéene pleasures séeing it is found alike on both parts Vnlesse thou wilt saie there is a great varietie multitude of vulgar pleasures which are contraries as swéet and sower harsh and mild are one repugnant to another which contrarietie is not in the honest pleasures that we haue now recited For the mathematicall sciences are not against the knowledge of naturall things nor logicke against prudence But the difference is more trulie declared if we marke the repugnancie in the appetite of one the selfe-same man for euen he that delighted in a thing straightwaie hateth the same and he that desired meate dooth by and by loath it Whervpon Terence said In loue are all these faults iniuries suspicions of enimitie truce war and peace againe Here we sée a contrarietie of things among themselues and against the mind But those things are pleasant indéed wherewith the louers of honestie are delighted for they which giue credit to reason and not to the senses take counsell of the better iudge Thou shalt moreouer perceiue those to be constant and of one mind and that the right things
which once liked them will neuer mislike them neither doo they suffer the true opinion to be wroong from them Againe they saie all one thing with men of their owne profession for so manie as be louers of honestie allow the selfe-same vertues and the same actions How these things concurre with the holie scriptures Phili. 4 4. 13 Finallie this haue we learned out of the holie scriptures to concurre with Aristotle that Paule exhorted the godlie as being happie men to true and perfect gladnes when he wrote Reioise in the Lord alwaies and againe I saie reioise Also in the 21. chapter of the Prouerbs The iust man delighteth to doo iudgement verse 15. And Dauid dooth manie times stir vp the iust and godlie to gladnes and reioising And so true is this opinion that euen those good actions which by the sense of nature and iudgement of the common sort séeme to be repelled doo delight happie men And therefore we read that the Apostles went awaie merie and reioising from the sight of the councell bicause they were counted woorthie of rebukes for the name of Christ Acts. 5 41. And we knowe that not onlie manie christians suffered death with a ioifull mind for the testimonie of their faith but that manie Ethniks also with great ioie and chéerefulnes gaue their life for the libertie of their countrie Of Honour that it is not the cheefest good but wherein it concurreth with it and wherein not 14 Now that we haue disputed of pleasures it followeth that we speake of honours and for good cause are these ioined togither séeing both of them doo accompanie actions though after a diuers maner For séeing that action agréeth with nature and that we marke it are made glad with pleasure euen to those actions when they shall be good and iust and honest honour is ioined And that it may be made the plainer which we treat of I will speake somewhat of the nature of honour and of those things which belong vnto the same And first of all we will set foorth the definition thereof The definition of honour Aristotle in his first booke of Rhetoriks will haue it to be a signifieng of the opinion which is had of a mans honestie and that consisteth of outward signes To make this definition perfect I thinke good to adde therevnto the cause of the end which since I cannot drawe from the philosophers I will borowe of our diuinitie We therefore testifie by manifest signes that we iudge well of honest men to the intent that God the authour of all iustice and goodnes may be honoured in them secondlie that the authoritie and example of them may profit others Now doo we comprehend all the causes of honour The forme is the signification declaration The causes of honour and testimonie of our opinion touching good men The efficient cause is touched when we added thereto the mans honestie for by it are men stirred vp to iudge well But the matter shall be in all those signes whereby we giue a testimonie to good and iust men And these things since they be manifold are mentioned in the booke of Rhetoriks now alledged namelie monuments images gouernement verses sepulchres a liuing of the publike treasurie gifts and we may ad thereto the vncouering of our head the giuing of place and rising vp to our betters c. And as all these things are manie in number so must we appoint as manie parts forms or kinds of honour And the difference of them is in respect of the matter of them And we haue also added the ends that this testimonie of ours may redound vnto God and that by our honours wée may make the good examples of iust men to be the more famous or else that vnto them which behaue themselues well there may be giuen an authoritie and that thereby manie others may be holpen From the sense of this definition did Augustine not much varie Augustins definition of glorie who saith that Glorie is a iudgement of men which haue a good opinion of other men Herevnto we haue added certeine outward testimonies of this iudgement and haue expressed vnto what men those testimonies must be giuen that is to wit vnto honest men and to those which order themselues aright But this is wanting as well in Aristotle as in Augustine who should be those that should signifie their opinion Certeinlie those ought to be as we gather out of the first booke of Ethiks wise men and such as doo knowe vs well Quintilian yet more bréeflie and in a certeine compendious maner Quintilians definition of glorie hath thus expounded the matter Glorie saith he is the praise of good men consenting in one where that word of good men may be ioined both to them that are praised and to them that doo praise for it behooueth them both to be good Which to make more plaine we will thus diuide honours so that some of them we make to be of small importance and but ouershadowed which all onelie are raised by a brute of the people and these since they procéed not of a sound iudgement are neither firme nor yet yéelded vnto them to whom they ought to be giuen But others as said Quintilian procéed of the consent of good men wherefore they be sound and good men onelie are honoured with them But we haue experience that those former are so light and inconstant as thou maist sée that well-néere in one daie some are both iustified and condemned of the people wherefore he that likened this kind of good to a glasse bicause it is verie brittle and fraile straied not much from the truth Whether honour be his that giueth the honour or of him that is honoured 15 But now there riseth a question Whether honour to speake of the same which is sincere and constant be the good of him that dooth giue the honour or of him to whom the honour is giuen This did Seneca handle in his 103. epistle to Lucillus I affirme it to be the good of them both Without doubt it is his that is the praiser séeing that his action is iust and right Neither thinke I it doubtfull that euerie good action is his good whose action it is Furthermore since he who is honoured hath in himselfe honestie iustice and goodnes whereby both good and wise men are allured and prouoked to commend him therefore is his good also called honour for he hath the beginning and cause thereof in himselfe Moreouer he himselfe reapeth fruit of that honour when his authoritie increaseth and he is made the abler to persuade others what shall best béecome them and the better to reteine them in their dutie Thirdlie also it is his good for this cause that while he perceiueth good honest and thankfull iudges to iudge rightlie of those things which he hath verie well doone hée greatlie reioiseth Wherefore I haue shewed the reason why I iudge that honour is the good as well of him
vnderstanding and contemplation And he saith that these men haue a hard felicitie bicause they be as it were at war with nature not séeking in déed to destroie the bodie or flesh but prouide this that those things may be no impediment to their contemplation And therefore since this is a more priuate life it néedeth not manie things But he saith that Aristotle spake not of these men which he testified when he saith that By nature a man is ciuill and they which are of this sort vnlesse they minister to their elders and parents those things which be necessarie and also vnto their posteritie wife frends and citizens they haue a maimed and vnperfect felicitie although they be furnished with manie good things And the diminishing of their felicitie is either more or lesse according as they shall more or lesse want those good things which we haue recited It belongeth therefore vnto a happie man to haue a care of all those things which I haue recited which if he may commodiouslie doo he hath inough and may be content otherwise he shall not be counted happie These things I thought good to rehearse out of the doctrine of Eustratius to whose opinion I subscribe not For in that he will haue anie man so to liue alone that he should giue himselfe onlie to contemplation and be hidden from the companie of other men forsaking the duties of charitie and other vertues toward them is both against philosophie and diuinitie For the philosophers crie out generallie that men are not borne to themselues and declare that it is mans nature to helpe others and in like manner to be holpen of others Moreouer there wants no testimonies of the holie scriptures whereby such a kind of life is condemned 1. Cor. 10 verse 24. Paule said that None ought to seeke their owne but that all should be doone to the edification of our neighbours And God commanded in the lawe that the parents should be honored which precept in verie déed commandeth the maintenance of them And the parents are commanded Exo. 20 12. that they should diligentlie and earnestlie instruct their children Neither are there lawes wanting of wedlocke o◠defending and preseruing of fréends and of the poore Yea and Paule vnto Timothie said He that hath cast awaie the care of his owne 1. Tim. 5 8. and especiallie of his owne houshold hath denied his faith is woorse than an infidel Wherfore it is not lawfull for anie man to choose to himselfe so solitarie a life as he will set apart the care of other men True indéed it is that Aristotle treateth seuerallie of ciuill life and function also of life contemplatiue but yet not for this purpose that any man should wholie addict himselfe to one of these liues but to the intent that whosoeuer aspireth to felicitie may knowe that he is not able to obteine the same except in an excellent sort he be partaker of both these estates of life Two properties of our nature Two properties doubtlesse there be of our nature for nature it selfe hath made vs both men of vnderstanding and ciuill Wherefore in our actions we must answere to both conditions namelie that when they happen vnto vs in our actions we may execute them as we ought and according to vertue Againe that when anie leisure serueth vs or that by anie chance we are let from dooing of things then we to be occupied with great pleasure in the contemplation of diuine and humane things that so these actions which in kind séeme to be diuers may helpe one another For if a man be exercised in morall and ciuill vertues in gouerning of a familie common-weale to the intent he may haue the more readie and quiet mind in the helping and succoring of his fréends it so coms to passe that he returneth the more apt to contemplation And on the other side when anie man by reason of his leisure shall be in earnest contemplation of diuine and humane things he is afterward thought to be much the readier to doo other affairs This we knowe did Tullie Cato Pompeius Lucullus and such like singular men among the Ethniks And we read in the holie scriptures that Christ our sauiour did somtimes withdrawe himselfe vnto the mountaines and woods that he might praie and meditate of diuine things but within awhile he returned to the people and was all manner of waies a helpe vnto mankind The verie same thing did Iohn Baptist Elias and other the prophets Yea and the same Iesus our Lord first taught his apostles in the wildernes afterward he sent them out into Iudaea to preach to heale them that were sicke So then let there be two kinds of life but yet not in such sort that anie man should perpetuallie be addicted to anie one of them That vertue is not the cheefest good and wherein the same agreeth with it 24 Among some of the philosophers vertue was taken to be the chéefest good That vertue is not the cheefest good which Aristotle refelled on this wise It behooueth that the chéefe good be perfect But vertue is not perfect Therefore it must not be counted the chéefest good The maior proposition appéereth for if it be not a perfect chéefe good our desire resteth not therein but will desire moreouer some other chéefe good The minor proposition namelie that vertue is not perfect is prooued bicause it is an habit that is a power not in act it may oftentimes be in the subiect without the action therof as a thing that manie waies may be stopped as by sléepe by taking awaie of the occasion if matter be wanting and when afflictions sicknes and misfortunes doo disquiet vs. This opinion which placeth the chéefest good in vertue it selfe is of all other that we haue hertofore recited most néere vnto truth and therefore it hath had great and graue patrones But how it draweth néere vnto the truth hereby we easilie gather that there is none more certeine nor surer preparation vnto felicitie than vertue for from the habit of vertue procéedeth that action which is affirmed by Aristotle to be verie felicitie vertue therefore is the néerest power or facultie vnto felicitie Why vertue is not the cheefest good But whie the same cannot be the chéefest good felicitie it selfe it is cause inough that it is referred vnto a further end For to what purpose doo we procure vnto our selues the habits of vertues but that we may the more easilie and redilie doo well Wherefore since that vertue is directed vnto action action shall be better and more to be desired than it I am not ignorant An obiection of the Stoiks that they which are woont to hold with the Stoiks haue béene accustomed to obiect against the Peripatetikes saieng that they while they appoint vertue to be the chéefest good doo not vnderstand it as it is in the power and lieth without act but doo take the same as it is ioined
How doth this doctrine agrée with those things which were before set downe that where it was affirmed that felicitie is the cause of vertues and honest actions and therefore we should aboue all things haue determined of it as of the chéefe and principall cause of all morall things But héere it is said that therefore blessednes doth not depend of fortune but is produced by vertues and good déeds bicause these be firme and constant but fortune is vncerteine and variable Indéed there séemes but small agréement betwéene these things namelie blessednes to be the cause of vertues and iust actions and on the other side that felicitie commeth from them Howbeit this disagréement will easilie be reconciled if thou wilt distinguish of the causes Of outward causes A distinction of causes we must make two kinds and the finall causes must be seuered from the efficient and then it will be granted that among the finall causes felicitie is the chéefe which neuertheles to be brought to passe by those things whereof felicitie it selfe is the end no man must maruell since betwéene the end and the efficient this change or course is alwaies perceiued for as the end is brought foorth by the efficient so the efficient is mooued by the end But which shall be those principall among morall vertues which Aristotle pronounced to be most stedfast and in a maner immouable No others Which vertues be of most stedfastnes in my iudgment but those foure vertues commonlie commended wisedome iustice fortitude and temperance for these doo comprehend almost all the actions of mans life therefore of a happie man they can not be forgotten Another thing in this place is called into doubt namelie that there may be found some man which will both set aside the care of houshold affaires and which hath decréed neuer to deale with matters of the common-weale but to liue onlie alone and to exercise himselfe in sundrie sciences which he hath learned He bicause nature is contented with a little will be occupied in verie few actions and will altogither giue himselfe to contemplations and sciences whereof it will come that he will soone forget vertues or else will sooner be without them than forgetfulnes can abolish sciences or else that he doth not with great indeuour prouide to haue them Wherefore as touching this man that will not hold which Aristotle said to wit that sciences are easelier forgotten than vertues Héerevnto will I saie that such a man shall seldome and hardlie be found who yet if he can at anie time be found is not so greatlie to be accounted of as for his sake the common condition of men should be changed That which is taught héere hapneth among the most sort of men neither can there be a science had of those things which rarelie happen And let vs adde that such maners are not agréeable to the nature of man that anie should so leade his life in solitarines that he would doo in a maner nothing but be occupied altogether in contemplation and learning When Aristotle had now discouered and taken awaie the cause of the error he affirmeth That a blessed man may be called happie while he liueth that a blessed man may haue happines in himselfe euen while he yet liueth and by it may be called happie and that changeable euents and mishaps doo nothing hinder it And this reason he giueth of his opinion namelie that a blessed man will alwaies or aboue all other things both doo his actions and contemplate according to vertue After he had said Alwaies he added Or aboue all other things bicause it can not be that a man can alwaies be in action or in contemplation Sometimes men must sléepe and they that be awake doo manie times for their mind sake set apart the cogitations of learning and indeuour of dooing Fitlie he did rehearse as well action as contemplation bicause the whole life of man is distributed into these twaine But héere if one should replie You speake nothing as touching misfortunes What if anie great mischance should befall vnto your happie man He answereth How he may be happie which is assailed by misfortunes that this blessed man will verie well and as shall best beséeme him susteine thâ—se misfortunes For it fareth not with him as with the vulgar sort who if they be pressed with calamitie are discouraged and haue their mind troubled so as they can sée in a maner nothing in like maner as when fortune fauoureth them they be puffed vp they giue ouer their accustomed studie and become in a maner negligent Thus will not the happie man doo but will in a maner alwaies kéepe one and the same estate of mind 7 Moreouer those things which happen vnto vs are either prosperous or hurtfull Small matters be they aduerse or be they prosperous are of no moment to change life and as well hurtfull things as prosperous be either great or small The small things as well in the kind of hurtfull as of happie dooth Aristotle take and saith that those are of no moment either to change the condition of life or to driue it from the former estate Which without doubt we are to vnderstand as touching the blessed and them that be indued with vertue otherwise the common sort of men and they which be of no account are easilie and in a maner for the smalest causes of all troubled and disquieted which good and graue men will not in like sort doo Then he taketh the other member Great prosperitie increaseth felicitie in the blessed But admit they be great things which doo happen those if they be prosperous will without doubt increase the blessednes of life bicause they be made for adorning of the same Felicitie beyond his owne proper bounds cannot be increased séeing it is the chéefest good of all But in the blessednes of his owne kind it may be greater it may be lesse But since that Aristotle saith that blessednes may be adorned it séemeth the same may be compared with a singular forme or beautie which though by it selfe it be delightfull yet is it more swéete if there be anie ornament decentlie ioined therevnto And the art of handicraft when it obteineth instruments more fit dooth expresse a greater cunning than when grosser tooles are applied therevnto But if on the contrarie part the misfortunes which befall are gréeuous and manie I saie that they presse downe and blemish felicitie Greeuous mishaps do presse felicitie but not abolish it in the godlie And Aristotle sheweth what maner of oppression or blemish it is Gréefes saith he doo bring in these things and are a hinderance vnto excellent actions Hinderance riseth of two causes first they which be sore gréeued become vnapt to bring things to passe And when the instruments be lost we cannot without them doo as we would thus dooth the losse of outward good things hinder him that is happie Yet dooth he mitigate this oppression or blemish
For an honest man saith he dooth shine euen in these aduersities as bright things doo in obscure places Wherefore the darknes of aduerse fortune extinguisheth not felicitie so but that it spredeth out his bright beames euen in that state which is a token that honestie is still reteined which in blessednes beareth the chéefe swaie otherwise it might not giue foorth hir brightnes And not to go far from the example alreadie set foorth Euen as if a man or a most beautifull woman bereued of hir ornaments should be constrained to go in rags and vile clothes assuredlie it could not be but that same beautie would after some maner shew it selfe euen in that attire Neither dooth Aristotle conceale wherein that brightnes dooth consist to wit in enduring patientlie and with a quiet mind those hard chances indéed not Stoicallie by a certeine insensiblenes of gréefe but of a noblenes of mind and excellent courage These things may suffice to resolue this question whether that we may affirme that a man can be blessed in this life And hereby may we fitlie answer those things which were before alledged as touching the dead And bréeflie we gather that outward good things or prosperous fortune doo not fall indéed into the proper and naturall definition of felicitie but are onelie applied as certeine instruments and helps Euen as neither a handie craft ought to be defined by the instruments which it vseth although without them it cannot doo anie thing By aduerse fortune therefore is felicitie streitened and stopped in such wise as it can but smallie breake out into act for by the gréefe which it bringeth therewith the mind is darkened and the powers doo as it were faint But Aristotle remooueth 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Insensiblenes of greefe bicause therein is no vertue but rather a certeine kind of astonishment And men must not be either stocks or stones which while they be assailed with greeuous strokes should féele nothing But herein is vertue that those things which we féele we should so moderate and gouerne as they disturbe vs not from the right state of our mind That aduersities do not hinder felicitie I knowe here that the Stoiks doo crie out on Aristotle who thinke that felicitie and vertue are not hindered or blemished by anie aduersities but that perfect blessednes may be still reteined euen in Phalaris bull And the Epicures as it were out of their apothecaries shops drew out that same notable consolation of theirs as Cicero hath in his booke De finibus bonorum malorum namelie In gréefes if long easie if gréeuous short These things neuertheles are easilier said than prooued and they be verie contrarie to the nature of man Those things which Aristotle teacheth are not onelie agréeable vnto reason to our nature but also doo verie well consent with practise and experience Against the saieng of Solon did he affirme that felicitie while we liue here is not subiect to alteration bicause it dependeth vpon a stable and sure thing namelie of that action which is iust and according to vertue against which fortune being most inconstant is able to doo nothing Some alteration indéed may happen vnto a blessed man but yet not such as thereby he should be made miserable For vnhappines dooth growe by euill actions as we said before of which actions the blessed man shall not be author Vnhonest and filthie déeds dooth Aristotle call 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is odious and friuolous for friuolous they be and of no value bicause they turne a man from the iust and true end and odious they are iustlie called bicause they be hurtfull as well to others as to those that commit them 8 After this he teacheth What a blessed man shall doo if he fall into aduersitie what an happie man should doo when by chance he falleth into aduersities Of those things saith he which are apâ—ointed vnto him he will doo the best and will omit none of those things which may be doone This indéed is the part of excellent artificers that although they haue not alwaies méete instruments and fit matter yet doo they neuer so deale as they will suffer those things which are granted vnto them to perish without anie profit And without doubt in this lacke of matter and instruments this industrie of theirs dooth excéedinglie shine which also we taught before as touching the happie man the vertue which remaineth in him will appéere euen in the middest of calamities Here if thou wilt saie Why then are not aduersities rather said to make felitie more renowmed Whether aduersities doo rather beautifie felicitie or blemish it than to blemiâ—h it To this we answer Bicause though calamities doo not altogither ouerwhelme felicitie yet after some manner they ouerpresse it and obscure it And whereas vertue dooth somewhat shine in them that coms not by anie vigor of calamities neither for that they conspire not herein that the same vertue may be hindered but bicause they be not of such strength that they should vtterlie extinguish the same Neither when anie good actions doo there shine are those commended as perfect in all respects but in comparison and respect of the present state And to drawe an example euen from arts If anie men which wanting their hands as otherwhile it happeneth doo sowe or write with their féet all men will maruell and will commend their writing sowing not as perfect and in all respects absolute but in respect of the instrument Wherefore Aristotle in his Rhetoriks when he teacheth to amplifie and commend anie thing sheweth that there must be a consideration had not onlie of the time place societie and such like but especiallie of the instruments Wherevpon the diuell perceiuing this and thinking that Iob would not doo such déeds that should be méet and decent if the outward instruments of felicitie were taken froÌ„ him by God desired leaue that it might be permitted him at his owne pleasure to take awaie those instruments from him Two examples are so set downe for explaning of the foresaid opinion as one of them belongeth to the instruments and the other to the matter these are not a little ioined one with another yea and when the instrument dooth not appoint a peculiar kind of cause it may be referred to the matter Vnto what kind of cause the instrument belongeth Albeit I am not ignorant that some doo reduce the same vnto the efficient cause But it séemes that we should rather yéeld to the former opinion bicause as in motion the matter receaueth the forme so the instruments themselues susteine the motion and working procéeding from the efficient cause and by them the action passeth into the matter of the efficient And as the matter is to the instruments so the instruments be towards the efficient cause by which they are immediatlie mooued A chéefe capteine after a warlike manner vseth his armie such as it is when he prudentlie setteth his host in araie
when he before hand possesseth the places of greater aduantage when he letteth slip no occasion of getting the victorie and well wiselie considereth such other like things He is said to vse well the armie which is present with him bicause it behooueth him well to know that armie which he hath as well touching number as strength and the same howsoeuer it be to vse well and not to desire a better When it is come to the stroke of the battell if he could not haue a better or more copious armie now it is not required of him but that he vse that well which he hath alreadie Those things which are spoken of a chéefe capteine be also agréeable vnto a shoomaker the difference onlie betwéene them is that in the one there is a reason had of the instrument but in the other of the matter For euen as the skins and lether of the shoomaker are the matter of his handie-craft so the chéefe capteine hath his armie for an instrument of victorie But betwéene these things this is the difference the matter is made Wherein instruments and matter doo differ the instruments are not made when anie thing is wrought Againe that which is wrought standeth of the matter not so of the instruments séeing they haue no ingredience into the effect Finallie the matter is in power to receiue forme and before it obteine the same it is subiect to the priuation thereof All which things doo so agrée to the matter as they cannot be attributed to the instruments It is prooued by that which hath bin said that the works of euerie artificer are not simplie to be regarded but according to the commoditie proportion either of the matter or of the instruments Which must no otherwise be thought of as touching the actions of a happie man that now falleth into aduersities for those are to be iudged of according to the present state of him that is author of them And then that followeth which was said before namelie that those things haue their certeine beautie euen in calamities themselues For if a happie man that is afflicted with ill fortune shall alwaies doo good déeds of such things as he hath he cannot become miserable When that change therefore of fortune shall happen vnto him what shall this happie man be What shall he be called Héere hath Aristotle somewhat to doo and while he is vrged too sore at the last he affirmeth that partlie he is happie and partlie not bicause he hath not full felicitie though he haue not fullie lost the same 9 At the last he appointeth a certeine meane betwéene a blessed and a miserable man A meane betweene blessed and miserable A difference betweene blessed and happie and in that place accounteth that man happie which is ouerwhelmed with gréeuous afflictions Trulie there haue béene some which thought that a blessed man dooth differ from a happie man bicause he is called blessed which fullie all manner of waies is absolute and perfect but a happie man who hauing vertue and good actions yet wanteth outward good things helps riches Howbeit I dispute not of that matter this neuertheles I saie that this distinction cannot be applied to the words of Aristotle for he saith afterward that a man cannot easilie so plunge out from Priamus miseries as he can be againe a happie man Where it appéeres that he puts no difference betwéene blessed happie but vseth these two words for one signification Wherefore he shall be in a meane neither can he be iudged miserable since he still reteineth the roote of that same blessednes How stablenes and mutablenes may agree togither in a blessed man But since that a blessed man may be subiect to some alteration how can he then be said to be firme and stable Bicause he will not be changed vnlesse there happen manie and great mischances Therefore did Aristotle fitlie make mention of Priamus mishaps which both in number and greatnes oppressed that king Againe he is called firme and stable bicause he is not so changed as he falleth into the contrarie and becommeth miserable But it is demanded Whether a happie man may becom miserable whether it can by anie meanes be that at length a happie man should become miserable Trulie there haue béene some found which being oppressed with calamities haue in like maner béene so much changed with fortune that at the length also they haue yéelded to slothfulnes and to verie great vices and haue quite fallen from the vertues which they had before But I would rather thinke that those while they flourished with outward wealth did rather seme to be honest than that they were so indéed For it oftentimes commeth to passe that in these mightie and famous men there is a certeine shew of vertue but no â—ound and sincere honestie and vices vnder the renowne of honour and riches were easilie hidden which afterward when prosperitie is gone are discouered But why true vertues doo not easilie turne into vices hereby it appéereth bicause they be habits and habits as they be defined by Aristotle in his Categories are hardlie remooued Finalie he is constant séeing euen in misfortunes themselues he hath vertue being the roote and foundation of felicitie and thereby hath a most excellent action At the last Aristotle concludeth of this propertie of him that is happie and saith that he is not variable or easie to be changed as Solon did imagine who for this cause thought that no man in his life time is to be called happie He is not changed saith Aristotle by euerie kind of fortune Which verie well agréeth with that which was said before Those things which be easie as well aduersities as felicities haue small or no moment at all vnto the life of a happie man Howbeit he granteth that he is to be changed if calamities be manie and great Whereby it appéereth that that perfect action is not sufficient vnto a full felicitie especiallie if we speake of the same according to a ciuill sense Why vices doo suffice vnto miserie but not vertue vnto felicitie And some doo maruell how it commeth to passe that if vile actions and vices doo suffice vnto miserie why vertue and honest actions are not sufficient vnto felicitie since it séemeth that there should be one and the same respect had of contraries But herevnto is answered that the argument dooth not alwaies hold in contraries bicause euerie man is able to kill himselfe but no man can call himselfe againe from death Moreouer vnto health is required a temperature and equalitie of all the humors whereas vnto sicknes it is enough that euen one humor depart from his naturall constitution 10 Aristotle hauing spoken of the one kind of alteration namelie when one from a happie state is throwne downe not into miserie but to such a point as he is neither miserable nor happie then likewise he dealeth with the other change séeking whether anie man Whether a
where we knowe that those things happen vnto vs not by casualtie but by the will and procurement of God our father Also we be dailie stirred vp the more vnto good things when we vnderstand that God is both the knower and witnes of our actions who afterward will giue a true iudgement of them Besides this the gifts which we enioie be much more acceptable vnto vs in this respect that they be offered vs by God which prouided them Further in the same we behold predestination which bringeth so great a comfort vnto godlie men as thereby they are woonderfullie confirmed Whether prouidence doo bring anie changing in God 3 Neither must we stand in anie feare that there is anie newnesse in God bicause of his prouidence Men which by their parents are brought foorth into the world without knowledge can not atteine therevnto without alteration Which thing we must not surmise as touching God séeing he hath had his knowledge from all eternitie Further we drawe the same from the nature of things but he hath it of himselfe Wherefore Iames did trulie write With him there is no variablenes nor shadowing by turning Iam. 1 17. Neither commeth it to passe at any time that the knowledge of God is changed by the alteration of things Moreouer this excellent knowledge is safelie placed in God for there is no danger least he should abuse the same as men doo Ierem. 4 12. of whom Ieremie in his fourth chapter writeth They are wise onlie to the intent they may doo euill But God is most excellent and he hath the knowledge of that thing that is most excellent which knowledge who so euer hath can not vse other things amisse as Plato taught in his second dialogue called Alcibiades where it is prooued that without that knowledge it is better to be ignorant of manie things For it had bin much better for Orestes if he had not knowne his mother when he met hir being determined for to kill hir Neither is God It is no let to the felicitie of God by reason of this gouernment of things remooued from his peaceable felicitie or from the contemplation of better things This thing hapneth vnto men that sometimes by dealing in matters not necessarie be drawne awaie from weightie and better occupations Wherefore Paule 1. Tim. 1 4. and 4 7. 2. Tim. 2 22. Titus 3 9. not without cause condemned vaine and curious questions And this commeth through the slendernes of our vnderstanding which is not able to applie it selfe to more things at once But God being infinite as touching all his dooings can easilie perceiue all things that now be that shall be and that at anie time haue bin It stirreth not vp vnto euill Neither is God by this knowledge of things prouoked to euill for that hapneth vnto men bicause they haue a corrupt desire Wherefore Salomon said Behold not the wine when it sheweth faire in the glasse Pro. 23 31. c. Psalme 119. Turne awaie mine eies least they behold vanitie And Iob in the 31. chapter saith Psa 119 37. that He made a couenant with his eies Iob. 31 1. least he should thinke vpon a virgin But God which is the principall rule of iustice and goodnes can not be moued to euill But Auerroës said Auerroës that at the least-wise his vnderstanding should be embaced It embaceth not his vnderstanding if he would looke vpon and acknowledge all these simple things But bicause he atteineth this knowledge not from the things but from himselfe therefore that is not granted neither doth it in verie déed follow Euen as we sée that a glasse is not therefore stained bicause it sheweth the images of vile things neither yet is this sunne that we sée defiled when it shineth vpon places that be foule and lothsome Labour also in vnderstanding doth not disquiet God séeing in this action he vseth no instrument of a bodie It bringeth no labour vnto God as men doo vnto whome by meanes of their bodie there ariseth labour in vnderstanding for therin the bodie is verie much afflicted and wearied Wherefore Salomon vpon iust cause called this indeuour of knowledge Eccles 2 17. A consuming and affliction of the spirit for knowledge sometime bréedeth vnto vs disquietnes For the more men doo vnderstand the more things they sée that doo displease them wherewith they are agréeued Wherefore not without cause it is said He that addeth knowledge Eccles 1 18. increaseth labour also For we doo not easilie beare those things that be vnwoorthilie committed But God is not subiect to these humane affections who hath it in him to fore-sée the end of things and although the things be vnworthie yet he directeth them and knoweth that they shall tend to his owne glorie 4 But it hath bin no hard matter to take awaie from diuine prouidence those obiections which we haue hitherto remooued for a plaine and readie waie was offered for the confuting of them Whether prouidence take awaie chance and fortune But there remaine certeine other things more hard to be expounded The first is bicause of chance and fortune which séemeth to be taken awaie from the nature of things if we attribute vnto God the prouidence of all for there is nothing more against fortune chance than is reason For fortune is a cause that worketh besides the purpose when anie thing not intended or appointed or decréed hapneth to vs vnawares and besides our expectation But this argument we resist on this wise As touching vs fortune and chance are not taken awaie by the prouidence of God For what doth let as touching God that nothing is doone by chance but as touching vs that manie things be doone rashlie by fortune There is brought a méetlie fit similitude A similitude Admit that a maister send his seruant to the market there to remain till nine of the clocke which houre being not yet past if he send thither some other seruant of his as touching the maister it commeth not to passe rashlie or by chance that those two seruants méet togither séeing he fore-séeth the sending vnto that place but vnto them it commeth not to passe of purpose séeing the one knew nothing at all of the others comming Wherefore manie things which are doone by the fore-sight and knowledge of God if thou respect the dull and weake cogitation of man happen by chance and fortune But if all things saie they be directed by God and doone by his counsell as we beléeue they be where shall now be the chance of things Whether prouidence take awaie the contingence of things For all things will come to passe of necessitie And some thinke this argument to be so strong against the prouidence of God as scarselie the fréedome of our will can be defended But to this reason is applied in a manner the same forme of answere which a little before we vsed as touching things that
vseth the actions of all things euen of men and of euill men he vseth them I saie for the establishment of his purposes When he fauoreth his owne he giueth them plentifull increase of fruits the raine falleth earlie and late But if he will of his iustice punish the wicked nothing commeth well to passe there is giuen a heauen of brasse and an earth of iron if the fruits be ripe they perish in one night These things must not be ascribed vnto fortune When we knowe not the cause we take it to be fortune wherevpon the poet saith A goddesse Fortune we thee call And place thee high in heauenlie stall Wherefore we must not occupie our selues alonelie in a generall consideration of things of the world How sins do seruice vnto God but we must weigh the vse wherein they serue the prouidence of God whereas sin commeth of proper causes I meane of our owne will and corrupt affections yet doth the same serue God also A similitude There be manie poisons in the world A similitude they haue manie and dangerous qualities yet the physician occupieth them and the magistrate rightlie vseth them The physician by tempering of the poisons healeth the sicke the magistrate at Athens gaue poison for the taking awaie of such as were guiltie So was Socrates compelled to drinke hemlocke Although therefore poisons are euill yet may the magistrate and the physician vse them well for the safetie of the common-weale and preseruation of the sicke Euen so God ruleth sins which haue their proper causes corrupted for the performing bringing foorth of his counsels to act I might also vse another similitude Those things which séeme to be done of vs by chance in the world A similitude doo most of all serue the prouidence of God For the Lord saith in the lawe Exodus 21 and Deut. 19. How things that come by chance serue the prouidence of God Exo. 21 13. Deut. 19 2. If two shall go togither into the groue to hew wood the axe flieth out of one of their hands and he is smitten therewith that stood next him and is slaine this he did vnwittinglie he shall not be guiltie of death For God deliuered him therevnto and that for iust causes deliuered he him of a determinate purpose we vnderstand it not he knoweth it Euen so they which offend indéed they doo as they would they haue determined with themselues what they will doo but yet God vseth these actions So by the curse of Semei God would haue the patience of Dauid to be thoroughlie knowne vnto all men 2. Sa. 16 10. and would open his iudgements against his adulterie and murther but this man meant to shew his hatred against Dauid God doth that which he will as touching those crimes which men of another purpose committed not to the intent they might obeie the will of God but their owne corrupt lusts And to returne to the testimonie now alledged He that heweth wood this he would doo but the axe hitteth another man and the hitting serueth the counsell of God Ierome vpon the twelfe chapter of Ieremie writeth that Nothing hapneth rashlie and without prouidence whether it be good or euill but that all things come to passe by the iudgment of God Wherefore creatures be certeine instruments in the hand of God The creatures be the instruments of God but not all after one sort he vseth them according to his owne purpose But yet these instruments bée not all after one sort for some there be which haue no knowledge nor sense nor will and yet neuerthelesse they doo seruice vnto God But there be others which perceiue vnderstand and will those things which they doo and yet they doo it not alwaies of purpose to serue God yea rather they oftentimes vnwillinglie and vnwittinglie doo that which God appointeth Wherefore we will saie that as well liuing creatures as not liuing creatures things hauing sense and hauing no sense Angels good and bad and generallie all creatures be the instruments of God which he vseth according to the consideration of his prouidence He did vse the Assyrians Chaldaeans Persians Greekes and Romanes for punishment of the wicked Hebrues he did vse also the diuell against Saule and against Iob. But it is further to be considered that when God vseth creatures especiallie the reasonable creatures and euill creatures such as be euill men and diuels he doth not so vse them as though they did nothing themselues for euen they themselues fulfill their owne naughtines but God vseth it to purpose God dealeth not with these as with stones which haue no sense at all they will they knowe and they haue sense and when wicked men and the diuell doo naughtilie and are mooued by their owne proper lust they doo seruice vnto the prouidence of God They perceiue doubtlesse and will not that their mind is such as they would serue God for they séeke their owne Neither are they so moued by the superior cause as they vse not withall their owne naughtinesse How one worke may be both of God of the diuell and of euill men 10 But thou wilt saie that If God after this maner haue recourse as the chéefest cause vnto these actions and that euill men as the next causes doo them it shall be all one worke of God of the diuell and of naughtie men This indéed must not be denied but yet this worke commeth far otherwise from the superiour good cause than from the next cause which is corrupt This worke as it is of the diuell and of wicked men is euill It draweth infection from the wickednes of the diuell and of naughtie men which being euill trées cannot bring foorth good fruit But God the verie best and chéefest cause as he concurreth with these actions dooth them rightlie and in due order Euen as both God and the diuell would Ierusalem to be destroied but yet in sundrie respects God to the intent he might punish the obstinate the diuell that he might fulfill his cruell hatred against mankind Christ was to be deliuered vnto the crosse which also was doone and this worke as it procéeded from the hatred and malice of the Iewes was euill but the selfe-same in as much as God through that most holie action would haue mercie vpon mankind had goodnes Wherefore it is said in the Acts of the apostles Act. 4 27. that They did those things against the Sonne of God which his counsell and hand had determined Yet must those things which they did against Christ méerelie be called euill bicause they haue both their name and nature from the next cause although that God rightlie vsed them according to his owne prouidence The diuell and God exercise Iob in a farre sundrie respect also the Sabees and other robbers spoiled his substance for the satisfieng of their owne hatred so did the diuell But God did it to prooue his patience and to testifie his good will towards the godlie
by a ioifull deliuerance Wherefore the works were all one but the purposes were diuerse For which cause Iob. 1 21. when Iob said The Lord hath giuen and the Lord hath taken awaie he praiseth God as the chéefest cause without whose prouidence these things were not doone and whose prouidence vsed all things to a good end yet dooth he not praise the robbers and the diuell So did Dauid also behaue himselfe he commended not Semei he said not that those cursings were of their owne nature good but turned himselfe to the prouidence of God The worke was wicked yet in some respect it may be called the worke of God bicause he ruled it and vsed it Also it is said in the prophet Iere. 48 10. Cursed be he that dooth the worke of the Lord negligentlie and the worke of the Lord he calleth the affliction of the people whereby the wicked ouerpressed them Wherefore the wicked can not excuse their sinnes in respect of this vse of God for they haue the cause of those sinnes in themselues And euen as Gods good vse of these things excuseth not sinners so on the other part the naughtines of sinners dooth not contaminate the good vse and prouidence of God who can excéedinglie well vse the things which be doone amisse Augustine in his Enchiridion ad Laurentium Augustine chapter .101 declareth that It may be that God and man would one and the same thing It is not alway iust for man to will as God willeth and that God in so willing dooth rightlie but that man dooth sinne although he will those things which God willeth He bringeth an example The father of a wicked sonne sickeneth the will of God by his iust iudgement is that he should die of that disease the vngratious child also would the same but to the intent he may the sooner come vnto the inheritance and be frée from the power of his father God willeth iustlie but the child vngodlie And on the other side he saith that It may be that a man would the thing that God would not and yet that as well he as God willeth rightlie Admit that the father which is sicke haue a good child God would that the father should die the child thorough an honest affection would it not for he is desirous to haue his father liue they will diuerslie and yet they both will iustlie It consisteth onelie in the purpose of the will for thereof dependeth oftentimes goodnes and naughtines But there ariseth a doubt An obiection If that one maner of worke depend both on God and man and that it drawe naughtines from the infection of man and that it hath some goodnes in respect that God vseth it so as nothing may escape God or his prouidence wherfore dooth Zacharie in the first chapter complaine Zach. 1 15. I was but a litle angrie with my people but they helped forward vnto euill that is they passed the bounds That which they sinne séemeth to excéede the prouidence of God so as they did more than God had decréed We answere that It must not be vnderstood that they did more than that thing might serue to the vse of Gods prouidence for there can be nothing at all doone besides the will of God his decrées which be most firme Augustine in the same Enchiridion ad Laurentium 102. chapter saith The will of God is inuincible how then are they said to haue excéeded Not the bounds of the eternall decrée but the iust measure of victorie There be certeine bounds limits and lawes which ought to be kept by conquerers They excéeded that which became them but that they could doo more than prouidence would vse it must in no wise be granted 11 The third kind of the works of God wée call that which is proper vnto the saincts for thereby he most mercifullie bringeth manie things to passe in them Phil. 2 13. for he reigneth he liueth and he worketh in vs both to will and to performe Otherwise in nature we be certeine barren trées we are blind we will no good things The iudgement is corrupted the will and choise is corrupt in those dregs of originall sin but God by his spirit fashioneth his chosen anew We haue from the beginning a nature giuen according to the similitude of God wherevnto should be agréeable to will to choose to doo these things and those things But in that we can not doo good of our selues it hath procéeded of corruption but in that we will rightlie and doo serue God by an obedience begun it is of the supernaturall grace of God Wherefore the first kind of Gods works which belongeth to the vniuersall prouidence serueth not to the question now in hand The second kind of working and the third belong vnto this 12 Although therefore that God doo gouerne euen sins and euils yet he is not properlie said to be the efficient cause Augustine in his twelfe booke De ciuitate Dei the seauenth chapter speaketh verie well as concerning a naughtie will when he saith That euill hath no efficient cause An euill thing hath no efficient but a deficient cause And if anie will search out this efficient cause it is euen like as if he would sée the darkenes with his eies or comprehend silence with his eares which being priuations it is no néed that they should haue efficient causes Yet neuertheles they be things knowne vnto vs for there is all one sense of things that bée contrarie The sight séeth not other than bright things A similitude the eare heareth not other than noises and yet by these senses we knowe euen these things not by the vse of them but by the priuation onlie A naughtie will doth God vse to the ends appointed not bicause he is not able vnlesse it be by these meanes to atteine to that which he will but so it pleased him to declare his wisedome and power that he might shew himselfe able to doo something mediatlie as they saie and immediatelie and that it maketh no matter vnto him whether the instruments that he vseth be good or bad Wherefore let vs séeke out what is the deficient cause of euill actions and among the rest we shall find wicked affections and inclinations The causes of euill actions which séeing they fall awaie from the word of God and from right reason it is no maruell if things that be faultie procéed there-from These be the inward causes of sin but they be rather deficient than efficient causes The diuell also is said to be the cause of sin for we reade in the booke of wisedome By the diuell death entred into the world Wisd 1 24. therefore sin also for death is the effect of sin But yet the diuell can not be called the proper and absolute cause of our sin the reason is for that such is the nature of euerie proper and perfect cause that the same being put the effect doth of necessitie followe
suffered it it should not be Neither dooth he suffer it vnwillinglie but willinglie neither would he being good suffer ill to be done but that he béeing almightie of that euill can make good The will of God concurreth both to good things and to euill but after a sundrie maner to euils indirectlie he suffereth them to be done He suggesteth good things but bicause they happen into euill men sins doo insue But as for the good things he not onelie suggesteth them but hée bringeth them to passe Yet he ruleth and gouerneth sin also that it may not rage against euerie man neither at all times nor beyond measure Those euils lurke within vs but when they breake foorth they can not escape the prouidence of God But good things as I haue said he not onlie letteth not but he bringeth them to effect he worketh together with vs and hée swéetlie bendeth our will that we may be glad to doo those things that did mislike vs. Wherefore the respect of generall prouidence is one the respect of vsing of things though euill is another and the respect of things which he doth in vs that be regenerate is another So vnderstand I Exod. 8 15. that Pharao was hardened by God and that also he hardened himselfe for he had in himselfe the cause of obduration But God is said to haue hardened by reason of suggesting and gouerning further bicause he so ruled sin and vsed the same to his owne glorie And Paule saith Rom. 9 17. that he raised him vp for to declare his power So vnderstand I The vessels of wrath to be prepared vnto destruction By what meanes They be of themselues of their owne naughtines of their owne corrupt nature prone vnto sin In like maner it may be said that they after a sort are prepared by God bicause through his good suggestions wickednes breaketh foorth and while it breaketh foorth it is yet in the hand of God to applie the same as he will one waie or another for God with a good will doth that which we doo with a most peruerse mind Permission is a kind of will but yet not absolutelie for the will of God properlie is the cause of things It is not as mans will is wée will manie things which we bring not to passe What is then the cause why God would not haue sin It is for that sin is among those things which haue no néed of a cause efficient but of a deficient cause Therefore sin doth not properlie come vnder the will of God And if that God be put as the cause not efficient but deficient shall we saie that God doth faile in himselfe No but he is said to faile bicause he doth not hinder nor resist nor cause to relent What maner of will shall this be A will not to hinder a will not to mollifie a will not to illuminate 17 Neither for all this doth God either by suggesting anie thing or by not letting constraine the will neither can the diuell doo this That God constreineth not the wil. For if the will should not worke of his owne accord it were no will but rather an vnwillingnes It may as ill be ascribed vnto the will to be compelled as to the fire that it should not be hot Wherefore our nature and will being so corrupt if the fauour of God be withdrawne of his owne accord and by it selfe it inclineth to euill The which neuertheles from the time of his beginning was not euill but bicause it is brought foorth of nothing and is confirmed and susteined by the grace and power of God if that be withdrawne which confirmeth it straitwaie it will to worsse of his owne accord But if mans will be not constreined to euill neither is euill of his owne creation but onlie is said to sin by deprauation what shall we saie as touching the sin of the first man In him nature was good grace and the helpe of God was not wanting and yet neuertheles he sinned Héere we saie that we must iudge one thing as concerning the first man and another as touching our nature which we haue now corrupted God bestowed vpon him manie gifts The difference betweene the first man and our nature now corrupt but yet he so made him as he might stand he might also fall No doubt but God if he would might haue made him so perfect as he could not haue sinned Which the state of the blessed saincts doth declare for the holie spirits in the heauenlie habitation and we when we shall be there shall be so confirmed as we shall not be able to sin anie more otherwise it would be no perfect felicitie it should be ioined with a feare of falling But yet he did not this vnto Adam and whereas by his prescience or foreknowledge he knew that he would fall he might haue kept him there-from but he would not but would suffer him to fall and by his eternall decrée had Christ to be the remedie of his fall The rest of the things concerning that state we can not more particularlie declare bicause we haue not the perfect knowledge thereof Let vs returne to our owne state the which is such as before the renewing by Christ we were not able to will anie good thing but of necessitie to lie in sins neither might we lift vp our selues so far is it off that we should be able to stand vpright as it was granted vnto the first Adam But although God as we said is not properlie the cause of sin yet must he not be drawne out of his throne but that he also ruleth sins and maketh a remedie for them And this we may be assured with our selues that there can be nothing done either of vs or of anie creature besides the will of God But yet let vs not héereby excuse our sins as though we would obeie the will of God by committing of sin We must accuse our selues séeing we haue the originals of sin in vs. As concerning the will of God wée must followe that which the scripture teacheth and we must not depart from his lawe And when we otherwhile depart from him we must weigh with our selues that the motion of turning awaie from God and of the inclination to allurements of this world is a thing proper vnto our will being now corrupted not as it was instituted by God Wherefore there be deficient causes of this motion but an efficient cause which hath God a worker together with vs we must not seeke Wherevpon we note in the booke of Genesis that it is not said that darkenes was made of God Gen. 1 2. The darkenes saith he were vppon the face of the deepe yet God did so order them as they should preuaile by night they were priuations So this motion of turning awaie from God séeing it forsaketh and depriueth mens actions of conuenient goodnes a cause surelie it hath but the same is deficient 18 These things being declared there remaine thrée things to
dutie is sometimes doone by contemplation and then that corrupt person hath a will not to loue his neighbour hath a will not to go to the holie assemblie Wherefore we sée here that the act of will and that same action thereof which is the action of nature dooth depend of God deformitie and priuation dooth not so But sometime they be omitted bicause a man dooth not thinke of those things I meane not of a contempt Héere saie I that although there be no action there of that kind yet is there an other which contendeth with right reason He is not mindfull of the holie congregation bicause he will walke about for his pleasure or else vse some pastime and those actions be aduersaries to right working Or if that be no action at that instant yet was it a little before For example Ouer night he would féed like a glutton afterward he could not rise earlie to be present in the holie congregation Wherefore in the sinnes of omission we shall find an action either proper to that kind or else an other striuing with the good motion of the will either which is then presentlie reteined or else that went before 21 God then is the cause of all things How sin is drawn from the nature of the second causes and inferior things according to their owne nature receiue the moouing of the first cause Wherefore if sinne be drawen it is drawen by the nature of the second causes I will make the matter plaine by a similitude A similitude In liuing creatures we haue that power which hath his name locall motion and it mooueth beasts either to walke or to runne and those creatures are mooued according as they receiue their moouing from that locall motiue power but if a legge be defectiue be out of ioint or crooked that motion hath halting in that course ioined therewith but that halting as it is a moouing commeth from the moouing power of the soule as it is faultie and lame it dependeth of the faultines of the leg which was broken And thus it is as touching that continuall moouing wherewith God stirreth his creatures There is indéed a common influence and it is receiued in things according to the qualitie of them so the subiect of deformitie or priuation is of God and the moouing of God sometime passeth through the mind corrupted whervpon the fault of the action is not of God but is drawen from the next cause But what it is that God there dooth and how he gouerneth that deformitie is declared before now we treate of the act which breaketh foorth from our will Wherefore it is rightlie said that the priuation of righteousnesse followeth not the worke of our will and the motion thereof so farre foorth as it is in the kind of nature but as it is in the kind of moouing Augustine in his seuenth booke De ciuitate Dei the 30. chapter saith that God dooth so gouerne his creatures as he permitteth them to exercise and worke togither with him their owne proper motions For God dealeth not alone but as I said before the wicked men and the diuell also doo vse their naughtie endeuor in working But when we saie How the selfesame act is produced by God and by vs. that the act it selfe which afterward through our owne fault is euill is brought foorth by the chéefest cause that is by God and by vs that is by our will how shall we vnderstand this Whether that God doo it wholie or we wholie Or whether it be partlie from him and partlie from vs And héere we drawe this producement to the verie act of our will We answere If consideration of the whole be referred vnto the cause we must speake after one sort if it be referred vnto the effect after an other sort If the whole be referred to the cause so that we vnderstand our will to be the whole cause of the action that it be able by it selfe to worke without God it is not true for vnlesse God would assent thervnto it should not be able to bring foorth action So God although by his absolute power he might performe the worke it selfe by him selfe yet as the course of things is he will not deale alone but will haue the creature to be a doer togither with him by this meanes are neither the will nor yet God said to be the whole cause But if it be referred to the effect it selfe God and the will are the full cause for God and the will make the whole effect although they be ioined togither in action I will shew the thing by an example For bringing foorth of an action A similitude we haue a will and an vnderstanding and our will maketh the whole effect and our vnderstanding is the cause of the whole effect but the one is nigh the other further off How it is that the will dooth all and God dooth all And so is it of the will and of God the will dooth all and God dooth all but one is the first cause and the other is the second 22 As touching the third point the sinne which followeth is sometimes said to be a punishment of the sinne that went before How sinne is the punishment of sinne and so God is said to punish sinnes with sinnes Then if the sinnes which followe be weighed as they be punishments they after a sort be attributed vnto God not that God dooth instill new naughtines or that he driueth men directlie vnto sinning but when he hath withdrawne his gifts then dooth sinne followe whereby the mind is destroied And those destructions those wounds of minds as they be punishments they come vnto vs by iust desart Hereof we reade in the first chapter to the Romans Rom. 1 24. that God gaue them vp vnto a reprobate sense as we haue declared before And that sinne hath the respect of punishment insomuch as it corrupteth nature it is manifest Augustine saith and it is vsuallie receiued Thou hast commanded Lord and trulie so it is that euery sinne is the punishment of him that sinneth This also doo the Ethniks acknowledge Horace saith The Sicill tyrants yet could neuer find Than enuie greater torment of the mind Those euill affections doo drie vp the bones maâ—e féeble the strength doo afflict the minds yet this is iustlie doone for God is iust and righteous in all his waies But if we be depriued of grace we haue deserued the same 23 Wherefore we conclude this question of ours A conclusion of the question and saie that To speake properlie and plainelie God is not the authour of sinne neither would he sinne to be And yet is not God said to be the vnperfecter or the weaker bicause he cannot make sinne for that is not imperfection and impotencie but perfection These things cannot God doo bicause he is the chéefe good and the chéefe perfection naie rather he establisheth lawes against sins he crieth out against them and he punisheth
them And maruell not when I said that God cannot properlie will sinne for then might he turne away men from himselfe then should he denie himselfe to be God Paule saith vnto Timothie 2. Tim. 2 13. God cannot denie himselfe By which reason Barnard in his little booke De praecepto dispensatione was mooued to saie Barnard that God can vndoo somewhat of the precepts in the second table but not of the first table Of the second he did relinquish some thing as when he willeth Abraham to kill his sonne Gen. 22 2. Exod. 11 2. so likewise while he commanded the children of Israel that they should carrie awaie other mens goods but whatsoeuer things be of the first table can not he remitted If God would not be looued and worshipped he should denie his owne selfe If he be the chéefest good should we not looue and worship him And some alledge this reason that The good things which belong vnto our neighbours be particular and God can take awaie any priuate good thing to put a greater in place But those things which apperteine to the worshipping of him haue respect to the vniuersall good and therefore cannot be taken awaie Augustine Augustine in his booke which is intituled Confutatio catholica quorundam sibi falsò impositorum the third chapter saith Whatsoeuer is condemned in anie man is far from the author of nature In the same place That opinion is to be detested which holdeth God to be the author of any naughtie déed or of anie naughtie will 24 Now haue we generallie declared the proper causes of sinne The proper causes of sinnes particularlie but to shew them particularlie we saie that the cause of sinne is mans will his vnderstanding his depraued sense his licentious appetite the shew of good which offereth it selfe for nothing is desired of vs but in respect of some good Herewithall the corruption remaining of originall sinne from thence as out of a standing puddle doo alwaies breath out euil affections A cause also is our owne infirmitie ignorance also the suggestion of the diuell and of naughtie men who neuertheles are able to preuaile no further than God dooth giue them leaue There be ill examples also sinne it selfe is the cause of sinne for som prodigall men stealeth for the satisfieng of his lust Wherefore séeing there be so manie true causes of sinne we must not make God to be author to the intent we may excuse our selues Now it may appéere that the wicked opinion of the Libertines must be condemned who excuse all maner of sinnes They which make God to be the cause of euill but yet not so as we should be excused séeme not well to expound this question In like manner is it of them which allow but of a bare permission First therefore to gather all into few words we haue said The summe of those things which are expounded in this question that God is not properlie the authour of sinne secondlie that God when he will dooth iustlie withdrawe from vs his grace which should be the hinderance of sinne Moreouer we haue shewed that God dooth so gouerne sins by his prouidence as they shall not rage anie further than he permitteth and in no otherwise than may be expedient for his prouidence We haue declared that God dooth somtimes suggest both inwardlie and outwardlie such things as in their owne nature be good but if they fall into corrupt men they become occasions taken and not giuen of sinnes Also that God dooth not let but permit sinnes and that the same permission is not altogither without the will of God Further that séeing sinne is a falling awaie and priuation it hath no néed of an efficient but of a deficient cause Further that our motion of turning awaie from God is proper vnto our will as it is corrupted not as it was instituted by God We said also that the guiltines dependeth on God and then that the action which is the subiect of deformitie commeth as well from God as from vs in the kind of the cause And we shewed that sinnes are punished with sinnes And last of all we reckoned vp the true causes of sinnes What is to be said to the reasons of the first part To the first 25 But now hereafter we will examine the former reasons alleadged They which denied God to be the cause of sinne as we also saie vsed these reasons In the first Augustine said in the 83. booke of questions quest 3. A man is not made the woorse by hauing a wise man to be author neither is he therefore the woorse by hauing God to be author I grant it for man became not the woorse in respect that God gaue a lawe for by his lawe he commanded not euill neither is man become the woorse as touching the naturall act which God bringeth foorth but he becōmeth the worse by reason of his backsliding whereof we our selues haue deficient causes in our selues Wherefore the diuell wicked men our owne sensualitie and especiallie the corruption of our owne will doo make vs the woorse And so it is granted that we are not made the woorse by God or by man The second reason To the second Fulgentius saith that God is no reuenger of the things whereof he himselfe is the author We grant the argument God dooth not reuenge that act as it is a naturall thing as it dependeth of him neither dooth he reuenge his own gouernment which he vseth but the naughtines which procéedeth from vs and which commeth from our owne selues The third reason God hateth not those things which he maketh but he hateth sinne To the third The reason is firme But the doubt is that if he verelie hate sinne whie he dooth not forbid it séeing he may Why God taketh not awaie sinne since he hateth it Scarselie can humane reason discerne Gods perfect hatred against sinne séeing he taketh not the same quite awaie Doubtles it is a difficult thing Howbeit it commeth oftentimes to passe that some thing which displeaseth is for some good end and purpose not taken awaie wherof there are plentie of examples in the state of mans life There happeneth some man to be diseased in the bodie A similitude whereby the corruption breaking out there ariseth a gréeuous sore in some member notwithstanding that this be verie painefull vnto him yet bicause he knoweth that it will turne to the benefite of his bodie he suffereth the paine neither dooth he stop the sore Also among the good corne there springeth vp cockle and darnell it displeaseth yet are they not quite rid awaie bicause men stand in feare least the corne should be plucked vp So might we saie of God he hath his ends namelie that not onlie his goodnes but also his righteousnes may be declared and therfore he hateth sinnes yet not so but that he will accomplish by them such an end as he hath prescribed Other arguments If he
holie spirit To the sixt which doo hinder sins and therefore c. This we grant but we adde that he dooth iustlie remooue his spirit Indéed the remoouing of that which letteth is a cause but yet that is not the proper cause for there doo also rest in vs inward causes of euill He giueth occasions It is true he suggesteth both outwardlie and inwardlie To the seuenth but yet good things the which men through their owne lewdnes doo vse amisse But he not onlie giueth occasions but he also gaue out his commandements 1. kin 22. 22. He said vnto the diuell To the eight God is brought in by the figure Prosopopoeia Go foorth doo this hereof will I note a few things The prophet by the figure Prosopopoeia dooth as it were bring in God to sit vpon a seate like a iudge he would that Achab should be slaine he séeketh who shall deceiue him Wherevnto tendeth this inquisition It putteth vs in mind that this should else-where be sought bicause it is not in the nature of God to deceiue The end is there set foorth by his iustice he willeth that Achab should now be slaine Diuers waies are deuised this spirit shewed one waie and that spirit another waie to the intent we may vnderstand that the prouidence of God hath innumerable waies whereby he can punish men Those waies were there propounded but not put in practise bicause the prouidence of God was not minded to vse them A spirit stept foorth who said I will deceiue him Hereby it is gathered that diuels are prompt and redie to deceiue and when they doo deceiue it is of their owne dooing In the meane time we be taught that those spirits be able to doo no more than God dooth giue them leaue and in respect that he will vse them they be executioners appointed of God Wherefore God said Go foorth this is the imperatiue mood If we respect the end it was to slaie and punish Achab. But this leaue was giuen to the intent that the diuell should exercise his naughtie will and deceiue And God vsed the sinne of the diuell and would not hinder his worke nor yet let Achab but that he should beléeue the false prophets Augustine in his booke of the 83. questions quest 53. noted thrée things The first is that that which God did against Achab he did it by iudgement secondlie that he did it by an angell and not by himselfe thirdlie he saith not by euerie maner of angell but by an euill angell readie of his owne nature to deceiue It was said that sinne is a motion To the ninth and a certeine action and that the first moouer is God nothing is concluded but that the subiect of sinne that is the act it selfe hath will to be the néerest cause and also God himselfe in respect it is a naturall thing The saieng of Augustine De gratia libero arbitrio the 21. chapter is expounded of the inclination vnto good by himselfe and vnto euill indirectlie Also the dealing of Roboam To the 10. 1. Kin. 12 15 2. Par. 21 16. and the stirring vp of the Philistines and that Amazias would not harken vnto the warnings of the king of Israels prophet apperteineth to the iustice of God God was minded to punish them To the 11. As touching the words of Ahia the Silonite for performing wherof c. These things were not doone bicause they were foretold but foretold bicause God foresawe that they should be And to the end that they might so be he appointed them for punishments of the wicked and he knew how he would vse them and his reasons were allowed of God It is written in the 14. chapter of Ezechiel Ezec. 14 9. If the prophet be deceiued To the 12. it is I that haue seduced him Here haue we nothing else but that the sinne of the false prophet may be two waies considered As it procéedeth from the will of an ill prophet so it displeaseth God and therefore he said he would punish it but if afterward the vse of it should be weighed that God by such seducing would be reuenged of the people then he did iustlie withdrawe his grace from them further he vsed that seducement which properlie and by it selfe may not be ascribed to God 31 There was brought a place out of the 21 chapter of the prouerbs where it is said Prou. 21 1. To the 13. that The hart of the king is in the hand of God and he inclineth the same which waie soeuer he will The proposition is generall Which waie soeuer he will he inclineth the same Here is no exception therefore as well vnto good things as vnto euill things In the twelfe of Iob Iob 12 24. it is said that God dooth take a waie the harts of them that be rulers of the earth and that he maketh them stagger like droonken men And how these things must be vnderstood of inclination I haue declared Wherefore I vnderstand this sentence of Salomon no otherwise than those words of saint Augustine in his booke De gratia libero arbitrio to wit that he inclineth our wils vnto good or euill according to his good pleasure To the 14. Another argument was out of the 105. psalme Psa 105 25. where it is said God turned their hart so as they hated them What maner of turning that is which he made in their harts Augustine dooth teach verie well in the same place it was no good hart that GOD made euill But such is the goodnes of God that he vseth both angels and men and when they be euill he piketh good things out of them He increased the Israelites with children and with wealth these things were good wherfore God by dooing good vnto the Hebrues turned the hart of the Aegyptians vnto hatred for hatred ariseth through other mens felicitie Wherefore God turned their hart which naturallie was euill vnto a hatred against the Hebrues not by making of their hart euill Ye sée therefore that I feined not when I said that God suggesteth either inwardlie or outwardlie such things as in their owne nature be good but through our fault doo come occasions of sinning but yet occasions taken not giuen And the occasions which be offered be not the furthest remooued causes as is the firre trée hewen vpon mount Pelion but they be immediate occasions which stir vp our desires euen as the Hebrues happines was the immediate occasion why the Aegyptians enuied them Esai 63 17. Esaie the 63. chapter Wherefore hast thou made vs to erre To the 15. Lord Which saieng Ierom interpreteth of Gods louing kindnes God did not straitwaie punish their sinnes wherefore they began to contemne his iudgements God did suggest this his mercie in them which was good but through their fault it was drawne to contempt They may also be the words of the wicked which cast vpon God the cause of their sinnes Or
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
thinketh that this concupiscence which he saith is originall sinne be voluntarie He will answer that it may bée called voluntarie bicause the sinne committed by our first parents was voluntarie but in vs it cannot be said voluntarie bicause wée haue not taken it vpon vs by our owne choise vnles perhaps it may be so called Pighius against Augustine for that it is not by violence put into vs. Against this opinion Pighius inueigheth for thus he saith If so be that the sinne of Adam corrupted mans nature it behooued such a naturall effect to be in sinne for there was not anie thing at all in that first transgression that had a propertie to corrupt nature more than other sinnes haue Wherfore it shall be necessarie to confesse that our nature is corrupted not onelie by the fault of our first parents but also by the sinnes of all our progenitors Which thing séemeth verie absurd vnto Pighius that we should be so much more corrupt than others as we are later borne than they 10 But this chéefe point to wit whether the sinnes of all parents be deriued from one to another vnto the posteritie I will for this time omit and will speake thereof toward the end so much as shall be thought méet In the meane while I denie that which this man taketh for a ground namelie that corruption is the naturall effect of sinne Corruption is no naturall effect of sinne For the reason thereof procéedeth rather of diuine iustice by which the grace of the spirit and heauenlie gifts wherewithall man was indued before his fall was remooued from him when he had sinned And this withdrawing of grace procéeded of Gods iustice although the blame must be ascribed to the transgression of the first man least thou shouldest straitwaie saie Grace being withdrawne corruption followed of his owne accord that God is the cause of sinne For when he had once withdrawne his gifts wherewith he beautified man foorthwith insued vices and corruptions of their owne accord the which before were strange from the state and condition of man This man demandeth how sinne can haue the power to corrupt mans nature Whether by meanes of priuation Or by reason of the matter or subiect of priuation But by meanes of priuation he thinketh it vnpossible to be for that being nothing can worke nothing neither that it can be by reason of that action which is subiect vnto priuation as was the wicked choise through the will of the first man For he saith that Adam when he did eate the forbidden fruit desired not this Manie things followe men against their wils neither was it his will to corrupt his owne nature and the nature of his posteritie This is a verie weake argument for oftentimes we sée that many things doo followe men against their wils andn vnwares which things though they would not yet are they ioined togither with their actions A similitude They which load themselues immoderatelie with meate and drinke doo it not vpon anie such cause as to procure vnto themselues the gout but the gout followeth of it owne accord Euen so although Adam would not haue had these things happen yet when he had sinned they happened of themselues But he saith that séeing this concupiscence happeneth of a certeine necessitie of birth and not by choise or election it cannot haue the nature either of a fault or sinne But this cōmeth to passe by reason that he maketh a lesse lighter matter of sinne than he ought to doo for he would sinne to be voluntarie and a thing spoken doone or lusted against the lawe of God But if he take the same to be iniquitie 1. Iohn 3 4. as Iohn hath described it he shall perceiue that the nature of sinne is to be found in concupiscence For it is an vniust thing In concupiscence is found the nature of sinne Looke after in part 2. place 2. Art 25. that the bodie should not obeie the mind in honest things that the lusts should be at variance with the mind and seeke to haue dominion ouer it that reason should striue against God and despise his commandements These things being vniust come they willinglie or come they necessarilie doubtlesse they be sinnes But dooth not this Pighius which obiecteth these things perceiue that it is necessarie also for him to appoint that the posteritie of Adam is guiltie of his sinne and that whether they will or no which thing is speciallie against the word of God For it is written in the prophet Ezechiel Ezec. 18 20. The sonne shall not beare the fathers iniquitie And The soule that sinneth tha same shall die According to Pighius children should beare their fathers offenses not their owne Which doubtlesse will be false if we beléeue Pighius séeing children doo die and are giltie of eternall damnation although they haue sinned nothing at all Vnto which absurditie we be not driuen which we doo put in euerie man that is borne the fault and the cause wherefore he dieth and is condemned Also vnto Pighius it séemeth a reprochfull and blasphemous thing against God that he suffereth sinne to be sowne in new borne babes séeing they cannot doo withall but be borne and affected in such sort as we sée all other men to be borne and affected But let Paule make answere to this obiection which saith in his epistle to the Romans O man Rom. 9 20. who art thou that makest answere vnto God Hath not the potter power of the claie to make of one lumpe one vessell to honour and another to dishonour Let Esaie also answere which saith Esaie 45 9. that It is not conuenient for one potsherd to dispute with another touching the workemanship of their maker God is not such a one as ought to be brought into order by our reason which would come to passe if we should measure his iustice by the rule of our iudgement Séeing there is no daie passeth ouer wherein there happeneth not somewhat in the gouernment or worldlie things that we blame and that dooth not content and satisfie our owne wisedome when I praie shall we count God to be iust For who is able to declare the cause whie grace is not so much giuen vnto him which perisheth euerlastinglie as to another which is saued 11 I knowe that these men haue béene accustomed to saie that God dooth nothing there vniustlie bicause he is not bound to anie lawe and that he distributeth one and the like grace vnto all men But here certeinlie humane wisdome will not staie it selfe for it will complaine and saie that he ought to deale alike towards all though not by the precept of mans lawe yet by the lawe of his owne goodnes Moreouer what humane wisedome can sée what the iustice of God is that some are taken awaie while they be yet infants or children least afterward their harts should be peruerted with lewdnes and by this meanes doo atteine
suffer euen those things which Apollo prophesied to be conteined vnder destinie How we put the knitting togither of causes But we as we declared at the first denie not but that things are knit togither as God ordeined and knew before hand yet so as the nature and condition of them remaineth whole and sound For vnto whom soeuer a thing contingent as the Schoole-diuines speake is due they haue the same and to whom soeuer necessitie belongeth with necessitie they be constreined But in verie déed grace which finallie séemeth to resist frée will dooth not take the same awaie To the seuenth but rather helpeth and restoreth it But now we will cease from these matters least we dispute more curiouslie of them than beséemeth christians Let euerie one followe their owne vocation and let vs leaue inquiring more than is requisite about the secret and hidden will of God touching prescience and predestination and let vs followe that doctrine of God which is plainlie laid out before vs in the holy scriptures ¶ Looke another place of the same argument in the addition at the end of this booke Now we thinke it conuenient to ioine vnto this disputation certeine other discourses namelie of Voluntarie and Not voluntarie and also of mans choise and such like Of Voluntarie and Not voluntarie 41 Aristotle in his first booke of Ethiks treateth at large of that which is voluntarie Out of the Commentaries vpon Aristotles Ethiks and of that which is not voluntarie the reason whereof is bicause praise dispraise pardon and sometimes mercie be voluntarie The argument is taken from the consequents Praises and dispraises serue vnto morall knowledge for as commendable maners and actions are to be desired so those which are blame-woorthie are to be auoided Howbeit such praises and dispraises cannot be iudged of vnlesse we knowe whether they be doon with a willing or vnwilling mind Further he added another cause to wit that this doctrine is a part of the ciuill facultie wherto belongeth the making of lawes And lawes set foorth rewards and punishments to the obseruers and transgressors of them it is néedfull therefore that they knowe which be voluntarie things and which be not voluntarie Whether lawes may command things not possible to be performed For men that be vnwilling doo not obteine rewards and they which sinne by compulsion should not suffer punishments Some wrest this reason of lawe-makers herevnto as though they ought to regard this that they command not those things which of necessitie must be doon nor those things which are vnpossible to be doone but onlie those which be in our owne power and that therefore it behooueth them to knowe what is the nature of voluntarie and not voluntarie I knowe in verie déed A definition of lawe that this is the definition of lawe that It is a reason commanding honest things and calling backe from things that be dishonest But that which these men auouch to wit that it commandeth things which be possible I would onelie grant it as touching ciuill laws but not of diuine laws for those require things that be vnpossible especiallie in respect of the state of nature corrupt defiled Howbeit Aristotle vsed not this reson he onlie touched these things which I haue mentioned of punishments rewards Whether the affects of the mind be voluntarie or not voluntarie But whie did he speake of the affects since those be not voluntarie but are naturallie planted in our minds The Gréek scholies answer that albeit as touching substance and root they be of nature yet may they some kind of waie be called voluntarie insomuch as by vse exercise they may be inlarged or repressed Or else we will answer that Aristotle made mention of both of affects I meane and of actions but voluntarie must onelie be referred to the actions The which thing being doone it will also belong vnto the vertues which are conuersant in the affections for those also are gotten by actions which when they be right and commendable must be accounted voluntarie Morouer whie dooth Aristotle saie that somtime pardon somtime mercie must be shewed Bicause we doo not alwaies take mercie on them whom we pardon for a man in defending himself killed him which set vpō him he did it not willinglie he is forgiuen but we take not pitie on him To knowe which is voluntarie and which not voluntarie may serue to the moderating of punishment due by lawe 42 But how the knowledge of that which is Voluntarie and Not voluntarie may helpe to moderate the punishments which laws appoint it may many waies be shewed They which haue committed anie thing against their wils or of compulsion are not punished And in the ciuill lawes there be verie manie titles which prouide remedie in the case of ignorance or compulsion euen as they doo likewise concerning those things which be doone for feare and by craftie collusion and touching them which be vnder 25. yéeres of age c. Also he that is taken with madnesse or frensie is forgiuen yea and a mad man although he kill his father shall not be punished The lawes of God quit the hewer of wood Deut. 19 5. which by chance and not willinglie shall kill an other bicause perhaps the axe might flie out of the helue and certeine cities were appointed for refuge Also Plato in his ninth booke of laws sheweth that manie things are to be forgiuen where the will did not consent So as it greatlie auaileth lawe-makers and iudges of the lawe bicause of giuing punishments and rewards to knowe what is doone voluntarie and what is not doone voluntarie We will speake first of Not voluntarie for in this matter the priuation séemeth to be better knowen than the thing it selfe By darknesse is the light better knowen and sicknesse dooth make the goodnes of health the more manifest The definition of not voluntarie This definition of Not voluntarie appéereth by the reckoning vp of the parts thereof so that it is rather a diuision than a definition albeit that iust and full diuisions haue sometime the place of a definition And we then chéeflie vse them when that which is common to the parts can not be expressed by anie one certeine point thereof Howbeit we must vnderstand that it is called Not voluntarie of these two formes or kinds which be of one signification for euen that which is doone violentlie and vnwittinglie is not voluntarie And we prooue that the diuision of these two parts is rightlie made for Voluntarie which is contrarie to Not voluntarie standeth of two things of knowledge and desire First we must knowe that which we must desire then are we stirred vp therevnto by a motion of the desire But either of these two may be hindred ignorance taketh awaie knowledge and violence letteth the desire For good cause therefore be these two put contrarie to that which is voluntarie Violence is defined what it is after this maner It is a
they are verie much to be commended which stand fast in their sound determination and in their good purpose And on the other part they which shall fall from their sound determination are to be dispraised Themistocles is maruellouslie commended who would rather die than beare armes against his countrie But they on the contrarie side are most worthie of dispraise which would rather denie godlinesse than to suffer torments or death Whether those things that be doone for pleasure or vtilitie sake be not voluntarie 49 When Aristotle had set downe two kinds of the things which be Not voluntarie then he confuted their opinion which made a third kind of the same For they said that the wicked actions which we commit for atteining of pleasure and profit are violent and they made onelie those to be voluntarie actions which be rightlie consenting vnto reason By these reasons they are confuted The first is bicause then all our actions would be violent for whatsoeuer we doo we doo for these causes namelie for delectation and commoditie The second reason is bicause that which is violent is ioined with sadnesse but they which deale for pleasure sake are glad not sad so as it appeareth that those actions are not violent The third reason is that then euerie euill man would excuse his euill actions transferring his fault vnto outward things that is to wit such as are pleasant and profitable and he would saie that he were constrained by these things which is a matter to be laughed at The fourth reason There is no greater cause whie these men should make themselues authors of honest actions than pleasant profitable things to be the cause of shamefull actions bicause they haue in them selues the originall as well of these as of those Bréeflie if these mens opinion were true there would be no sinnes nor wickednesses of men which might not be excused vnder pretence that the same is doone against their will or violentlie The reason is alleged bicause all men deale for these causes namelie for delight and profit Which in verie déed is true if also vnder the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 thou comprehend honest things for there be manie which for honestie sake doo manie things But thou wilt saie that the aduersaries doo not so vse that word as thereby they haue noted onelie delightfull profitable things I knowe it But thus dooth Aristotle argue and saith that They which will rather blame delightfull and profitable things than themselues which yéeld themselues so readilie to be allured thereby deserue to be laughed at This is it that they are iustlie to be blamed for that they suffer themselues so soone to be caught by these things and to be called away from iust actions Why should they attribute vnto themselues honest things and ascribe that which is dishonest vnto outward things séeing that those also are in our power Euen as it appéereth in men that be temperate and continent which doo soone temper themselues from these things And furthermore it may be woondered at why they doo not in like maner saie that they are constreined by honest things séeing that they choose them and since those be no lesse outward than be pleasures and commodities Vndoubtedlie if we of good right ascribe to our selues honest things the dishonest also shall belong vnto vs for contraries doo both belong to the selfe-same generall kind and are to be measured by the selfe-same rule Aristotle séemeth to speake those things against Plato for * In Mnemone Plato said that Good men are not made good by nature as if he should saie they are good by will and by their owne election And on the other side of euill men in his ninth booke of lawes he said that they are all and in all respects euill but yet vnwillinglie But Aristotle affirmed that as well good men as euill are led by their owne accord and with voluntarie actions For as well of goodnes as of naughtinesse there be originals which doo mooue outwardlie to wit things which doo offer themselues to our vnderstanding but since they be both in the one and the other there is an helpe and aid giuen therevnto by vs which doo choose and discerne the same 50 Now that we haue spoken of Not voluntarie which is doone by violence let vs sée what can be said of Not voluntarie procéeding from them that be ignorant And first Aristotle taketh awaie Voluntarie from that which is doone by ignorance for nothing done by him that is ignorant can be called Voluntarie séeing this requireth a knowledge of that which is doone But Aristotle noteth a certein diffrence of those men Two kinds of ignorance which doo anie thing of ignorance for some of them when they haue afterward perceiued what they haue doone it repenteth them and there be others which repent them not but rather confirme that which hath béene doone These two kind of ignorant men bicause they differ much one from another doo make diuers forms and kinds of ignorance and bicause they differ one from another in matter it is méet also that they be called by sundrie names Wherefore he that repenteth him after he hath perceiued his error shall be called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is One that dooth against his will And he which repenteth him not shall be said to haue doone it being not willing for he reteineth still the name of the generall word to wit of Not voluntarie At the beginning our actions were diuided that some of them are Voluntarie some Not voluntarie We began the discourse of the parts of this diuision with that which is Not voluntarie that Not voluntarie we distinguished againe into that which is against the will or violent which is doone by force and into that which is doone by ignorance Violent was defined to be that whose beginning is from without vs and wherin that which is the dooer or sufferer giueth no helpe therevnto Now is shewed the other part of Not voluntarie wherby a thing is doone thorough ignorance and this is shewed to be of two sorts namelie with repentance or without repentance That which is with repentance is simplie against the will but that which is without repentance is at the beginning Not voluntarie but after the acknowledging of the fact bicause he dooth not repent him he séemeth to be somwhat yea to be verie far from dooing of it against his will naie rather that he hath somewhat Voluntarie therein These things therfore in name must be thus distinguished The first shall be called he that dooth against his will and the other shall be called he that dooth not with his will Examples of both sorts of ignorance Oedipus is said in the fables to haue slaine his father and to haue married his mother against his will for vnderstanding what he had doone he so repented him as he put out both his eies And on the other side Tiberius racked his host of Rhodes ignorantlie
but yet one wanteth that is Whereabout vnder which word is signified the matter or subiect of action And when it is said of Aristotle Wherein there be signified two things namelie place and time So that The circumstances are eight in number if we will haue the iust number there be eight of which number this reason may be alledged Bicause either we respect the causes of the action or else we consider the nature or substance of the action The cause if it be efficient then is it named of this circumstance Who. If it be the end then we account it of the circumstance Wherefore Or if it be the matter then we adde to it the circumstance Whereabout Or if it be as touching instruments or the organs we referre it to the efficient cause which before we called Who. But if so be we consider the action it selfe the nature thereof is expressed by the circumstance Whereby But when we consider the measure thereof then haue we the circumstance of time and place which we call When and Where And last of all we regard the proportion of the maner which is a thing belonging to qualitie and is the circumstance that we named How No man saith Aristotle is ignorant of all these circumstances he meaneth of them all at once A man may be ignorant of one or other of them particularlie but none can be ignorant of them altogither vnlesse he be a verie foole for how shall a man haue no knowledge of himselfe This is not generallie true bicause a man may easilie be ignorant of the cause efficient If himselfe be that efficient I confesse it is the harder not to knowe himselfe But euen this also may haplie come to passe that one sometimes minding an other matter may stirre a ship and yet marketh not that which he dooth But that we now speake of is to be vnderstood for the most part Howbeit this subtill point falleth not out in things that are morall The matter is made plaine by examples How circumstances do excuse What did the circumstances excuse Aeschylus the tragicall Poet He in a tragedie did séeme to reueale certeine sacred mysteries of Ceres which thing raised so great a tumult in the theatre as he was well néere slaine He fled vnto the altar of Bacchus from thence he was brought to the iudgement of the Areopagits he pleaded his cause he excused himselfe that he knew not those things to be mysteries and bicause he knew not what he did he was quit Also an other man made a certeine engine or instrument of warre which did cast stones the effect whereof when he was minded to shew he discharged the péece and by a stroke killed a certeine man he excused himselfe that he knew not what he did The circumstance Whereabout which is the matter or subiect of action appéereth by the example of Merope She laie in wait for hir sonne and killed him thinking that he had béene hir enimie when he was hir sonne Héer the error was in the circumstance Whereabout And this example is said to be in Euripides in the tragedie of Crespontes which is not extant Sometimes we know not and that is called the circumstance Wherewith as if a man thinke he runneth with a blunt speare the same shal be armed with a sharpe head Or a man thinking that he dooth throwe a pumice when he hath throwne a stone whereby some bodie is hit or woounded or slaine Otherwise we are ignorant of the end A man for health or for recouerie from sicknesse letteth bloud giueth a medicine or lanceth the flesh and there followeth a contrarie effect for either the partie dieth or he is hurt the ignorance of the end dooth excuse him Also the maner of the action as when a man dooth a thing and would not it holds him excused They which contend one with an other with all the strength of their hands or fingers which is a kind of wrestling and one mindeth to teach the other and thinking to strike but lightlie striketh gréeuouslie he is excused Sith that there is an ignorance in those things that which is doone shal be counted against his will especiallie if those circumstances which are the more principall be hidden from vs. And these circumstances be Wherefore Whereabout or Wherein But Aristotle in his example séemeth to haue omitted the circumstance of place and time that is Where and When. Which is no maruell since they might séeme to be knowne well enough as those which néeded no examples Neither is it required that when manie things of one sort be expounded examples should be brought of all things For it sufficeth that some things be shewed so to be for the examples which make plaine some of those things do serue also for the declaring of other things But least there should be found a lacke of them we saie it may be that some man knoweth not that the place wherein he cōmitteth anie euill is holie otherwhile also the circumstance of the time namelie of a festiuall daie or of a holie daie or of a birth daie may be vnknowne 54 If that which is doone against the will ought to be ascribed to the actions which are doone vnwittinglie while we be ignorant of these particular circumstances there is required moreouer that the error being knowne and discouered the action should be gréeuous and we should be sorie for that which happened to vs vnawares For if this gréefe should not ensue vpon it the action may be called not voluntarie yet shall it not be against the will But héere it is worth the séeing How ignorance is the cause of a thing doone against the will how ignorance can be called the cause of a thing doone against the will This is therefore bicause it depriueth vs of knowledge which if it had béene present that which is now doone had not béene committed or if it had béene committed it had made the action voluntarie Wherefore either it depriueth vs of the knowledge whereon voluntarie dooth depend or else it depriueth vs of that knowledge which if it had béene present the action had not followed And it may be that he which dooth vnwittinglie hath ignorance ioined togither with the act which he dooth What kind of ignorance dooth not excuse and yet he is not vnwilling to that which is doone but rather desireth it wherevpon there followeth no sorrowe afterward when the thing is knowne And this kind of ignorance dooth not excuse him nor yet maketh him to haue doone it against his will As when a man thinkeing to kill a hart killeth his enimie whom he before wished to haue béene slaine and now being slaine reioiseth notwithstanding he then knew not what he did There is moreouer a certeine ignorance which some of set purpose would haue for they desire and choose that they may be ignorant least by knowledge they should be withdrawne from sinning or from pleasurs And this kind of ignorance is greatlie to be
accused much lesse excused There is an other ignorance which is so doone as a man knowing what is right and méet when he commeth to the action neglecteth that cogitation of honestie right and rather considereth his profit and pleasure And this commeth to passe either of a vehement perturbation of the mind or else of some ill habit Neither also dooth this ignorance excuse for he that so is ignorant for lacke of consideration he dooth not that which he might and ought to haue doone Now and then ignorance commeth héereof that a man will neglect to learne or else for that he shunneth labour or bicause he vseth no studie and diligence For euerie man ought to knowe the generall lawes Since therefore euen this man dooth not that which he can and ought he is not to be excused Howbeit in these actions there is something that is Not voluntarie for this ignorance preuenteth actions or the motion of the will which motion if it were present knowledge would not followe The last ignorance is that whereof we treat this excuseth it obteineth pardon and mercie bicause the circumstances are not knowen and for that after the action sorrowe and gréefe doo followe Of that which is Voluntarie The definition of voluntarie standeth vpon two parts 55 As touching Voluntarie the definition standeth of two parts First saith Aristotle the beginning thereof must be inward Secondlie the circumstances must be knowne for if voluntarie be contrarie to that which is against the will and that which is against the will consist of two parts then is it necessarie that the contraries to them must be placed in the definition of voluntarie Hervpon we sée the excellent method of Aristotle for except he had before hand shewed the nature of violence and ignorance he could not so easilie haue defined what voluntarie was Moreouer Aristotle was the rather mooued to write of these things bicause that those things which are doone of angrie men or men that are mooued with desire are comprehended in the definition of voluntarie For both the originall of the dooing is in the man himselfe which is the dooer and they doo vnderstand and verie well knowe the particulars for they vse deliberations and sharpe iudgement either to reuenge or to compasse that which they desire which would not be doon if they were ignorant of the circumstances Wherevpon it is concluded that those things are voluntarie and that those doo erre which haue thought such things to be doone against the will And what mooued them to thinke that those things are against the will it may easilie be perceiued They sawe that it was altogither difficult Why some thinke that angrie and lusting men doo things against their wils to resist those two affections namelie anger and desire as those which are more violent than the residue and therefore they thought that men are constreined by them Wherefore Heraclitus said 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is It is hard wrestling against anger And Plato in his second booke De republica saith 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is Anger is neither to be striuen with nor to be subdued But if there can be no striuing against the same nor that it can be conquered it séemeth to compell and to make that the actions be doon against the will For which cause the same Plato in his ninth booke De legibus saith that An angrie man 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is to saie Is like to one that dooth against his will He saith not that he dooth altogither against his will but like vnto him And Cato the Censor said that he which is angrie differeth from a mad man onelie in time Yea and other men as Euenus haue béene bold to saie that Wrath is much woorse than madnesse But Plato in his treatise of Cratylus writing of desire compared the same to a verie strong bond Wherefore we also doubt not but that these two affections are vehement and of great force but yet that they are not so strong as they cannot be bridled by reason Which we sée come to passe in temperate men and those which be indued with méekenesse and other vertues But yet would I not denie that those actions are more voluntarie which be doon without the inforcement of such affects which neuerthelesse is no cause that these should be excluded from the number of them 56 Aristotle saith that none of the rest of the liuing creatures doo anie thing against their wils no not children The proposition is to be confirmed Those things that are doone by inforcement or by desire be voluntarie That was declared before by the definition Now are other reasons added herevnto whereof the first is this If they were actions against the will neither brute beasts nor children should doo anie thing of their owne accord But those doo manie things of their owne accord Therefore those things are doon against the will The argument is conditionall of the consequent taken to ouerthrowe the antecedent The conclusion is prooued Bicause brute beasts and children since they be without reason whatsoeuer they doo That children and brute creatures doo some things with their wils and some things against their wils they doo it through those affects But how absurd the consequent is hereby it appéereth insomuch as we sée that these liuing creatures and children doo certeine things against their wils As when they be ouercome and shut vp in anie place but on the other side when they be loosed and set at libertie they doo manie things willinglie and of their owne accord They choose themselues meat when they will they enter into chambers dens from thence when it séemeth good they go foorth They defend their yoong ones they flie to their nests and infinite such other things they doo willinglie and of their owne accord They reioise in libertie and on the other side when they be constreined to anie thing it gréeueth them and they are not a little disquieted Alexanders horse Bucephalus admitted no man to sit vpon him but Alexander which without doubt he did not by constreint The elephants doo loue their maisters they obeie them yea they knéele downe when they be commanded But what should we speake of elephants Dogs in a house doo fawne vpon their maisters but doo barke at strangers they hunt chéerfullie they followe those which féed them all these things certeinlie they doo of their owne accord Manie things belonging to this matter might be rehearsed of birds fishes and other brute creatures which are so woonderfull things and are doone of them with so great an inclination that sometimes manie haue thought that in brute beasts there is a will whereby they choose those things which like them most refusing other things which doo displease them Yea and some men haue ascribed some reason vnto them bicause they sée that those things which they doo they doo them with great industrie Which we would not grant albeit as we haue said we must
there two sorts of mans felicitie the one which we may call actiue and thereof dooth Aristotle write in his first booke of Ethiks and the other which is farre more perfect and exquisite is contemplatiue and of that he disputed in the tenth booke Whereby it appéereth that man if he become perfect in this double felicitie draweth verie néere vnto the similitude of God Wherefore Plato in his booke of the immortalitie of the soule said that Philosophie is the imitating of God according to mans abilitie Neither is this distinction of practise and speculation giuen as some thinke by the works of our owne vnderstanding and will for it ought not thus to be bicause knowledges are distinguished by their obiects But if a man will somewhat more diligentlie consider of the matter he shall sée that it must be taken according as those things be which are vnderstood for those either haue God and nature for their causes and then they belong to the kind speculatiue bicause such things we cannot doo by our owne choise But there be other things which haue vs for their causes in respect that we doo will choose and these be of the actiue facultie But let vs sée whether of these is the more excellent By the common and receiued opinion the speculatiue is preferred before the actiue Which part of wisdome excelleth other for action is ordeined vnto contemplation but not so on the other part And no man doubteth but that which is ordeined to another thing is of lesse worthinesse than that thing But they againe obiect that the generall word of contemplation belongeth vnto action for therefore doo we behold nature that we may loue the author thereof and therefore doo we séeke to knowe God to the intent we may honor him and for this cause is our diuinitie of some called actiue Howbeit these men in reasoning after this maner are verie much deceiued for there is no science therefore called actiue bicause there followeth a worke of that knowledge vnlesse the selfe-same thing be performed which was first knowen When we behold nature and the heauen albeit of the same there followe a worshipping and louing of God yet must not such a knowledge be called actiue forsomuch as that is not brought to passe which we doo behold for there is no man that can make nature and heauen and other works that followe thereof Accidentallie they are said to be doone for not all they which doo behold these things doo loue and honor God naie rather they be oftentimes furthest of all from him And further the works following that knowledge also our diuinitie haue respect vnto this that we may knowe God more and more vntill we behold him face to face in the kingdome of heauen And our sauiour Christ confirmed this opinion when he said This is eternall life Iohn 6. that they may knowe thee the onelie true God and Iesus Christ whom thou hast sent A diuision of mans vnderstanding And not onelie doo these two points diuide philosophie but they also diuide our vnderstanding wherevpon the one is called actiue and the other speculatiue not as though there can be two powers or faculties of the mind but bicause the vnderstanding according as it is conuersant about such and such other things so is it called either speculatiue or actiue That philosophie which is speculatiue is diuided into thrée parts A diuision of speculatiue philosophie For there be some things euen vtterlie sundred and seuered from the matter so is God and so are the intelligences and they are called supernaturall or else they are things so inherent in the matter as without it they can not so much as be defined in that sort they are naturall or else they are after a middle sort for that they cannot be without a matter either of iron or wood or such like and yet may be defined or vnderstood without those things as are the Mathematiks 7 These things may be yet further distinguished but I cease A diuision of actiue philosophie and I will so diuide actiue philosophie as therein may be taught precepts touching the life and instruction either of one or of manie If it be of one it is a booke of morall philosophie if of manie they are either more in number or fewer If they be fewer they concerne houshold gouernment if they be more they belong to the common weale But in what place shall we leaue arts Vnto what kind arts doo belong They are comprehended vnder the third actiue kind and belong vnto politike gouernment neither must they be excluded from the nature of wisedome For art is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 In this definition there appéere two things First that art is an habit belonging to knowledge whereby some things are certeinlie comprehended namelie through exercise and experience so as it can not be excluded from wisedome And it is not to be doubted that the ancients called them Wise men which found out these arts or else did excell in them Wherevpon Bezeleel and Aoliab in the holie scriptures are called wise men The other thing that we speake of is that this knowledge is actiue for these things are knowne by exercise and by these habits somewhat is doone and brought to passe which helpeth to mainteine the life Wherfore the walkers vpon ropes and iuglers and such other like which doo nothing profitable vnto mans life must not be called artificers but deceiuers and triflers A diuision of arts But arts may be diuided into those which bring foorth some worke and into those which in the verie action are consumed Now dooth it appéere by these things what we are to iudge concerning Logike for euen the same also must be reckoned among the arts and it worketh most profitable things in the life so as it ought not to be diuided from wisedome especiallie séeing it is a readie meane instrument and waie to procure wisedome vnto vs. Neither must the waie be cut off from his scope appointed Yea moreouer Cicero distinguished the parts of philosophie so that it is partlie touching life and maners partlie touching nature and things hidden or else it concerneth the art of disputing in the first of his Academ which he rehearseth out of Plato Neither dooth Galen disagrée from this opinion But as concerning the authors of philosophie we must vnderstand that they brought more profit to the world than did Ceres that inuented the increase of corne and graine than did Bacchus that found out the wines or than Hercules that rid the world of monsters for these things belong to the maintenance of bodilie life but philosophie nourisheth and instructeth the soule it selfe 8 Now must we remooue a certeine small impediment and it is that which Paule saith in the second chapter to the Colossians verse 8. Beware least there be anie man that spoile you through philosophie Whether it be lawfull for a christian to studie philosophie By which words
of swearing The first is a voluntarie oth which is both giuen and taken among priuate men and that in couenants bargaines and particular agréements which kind of oth it is frée for euerie one to take or refuse An other is called necessarie bicause it cannot be refused without most great and weightie causes for it is giuen by the iudge or the magistrate The third they doo call iudiciall the which the aduersaries in lawe doo one owe vnto the other which when it is offered by the defendant vnto the plaintife it is of necessitie otherwise it may be oftentimes refused Also there is an affirming oth which belongeth vnto the time present and past for things that are to come cannot be affirmed séeing they be not knowne although an oth of promise hath respect vnto the time to come and then is it shewed when we bind our selues either to doo or not to doo anie thing And in euerie oth GOD is called to be a witnesse which thing is sometimes doone simplie and absolutelie and somtimes he is appealed vnto as to a iudge and reuenger against a lier Whether it be lawfull for a christian man to sweare Matt. 5 34. 3 There remaineth that we sée whether it be lawfull for a christian man to vse an oth Some there be which vtterlie denie it and detest it bicause of the words of the Lord But I saie vnto you ye shall not sweare at all let your communication be yea yea naie naie But the father is not repugnant to the sonne The Lord in the 22. of Exodus Exod. 22 8. and 11. commandeth the magistrate of Israel in some certeine cases to take and demand an oth therefore it is lawfull Esaie in the 65. and Ieremie in the fourth Esai 65 16. Ierem. 4 2. doo promise in the name of God to the holie people that they should sweare by the true God God did sweare Christ added to his spéech Iohn 4 3. Verelie verelie He being adiured or charged by oth of the high priest Matt. 26 63 did not reprooue the fact as an euill thing but he obeied it Paule in the first to the Corinthians the 15. chap. sweareth And in the second to the Corinthians 2. Cor. 1 23 he calleth God a witnes vnto his soule Apoc. 10 5. The angels doo sweare Moreouer an oth oftentimes redoundeth to the profit of our neihbour and hath ioined therewith an honour towards God therefore it is not to be detested In the new couenant greater things are required than in the old 4 And little dooth it further these men when they saie that the sentences of the lawe and of the prophets doo prooue nothing Since that we be a new people there ought to be performed far more excellent things than be there conteined for the comming of Christ brought no new thing as touching works onelie it brought a more ample spirit and more plentifull grace Vndoutedlie whatsoeuer good and healthfull thing we can doo is conteined in the lawe and the prophets And would to God that we were able to accomplish such and so manie godlie works as God hath there prouided to be expressed vnto vs Séeing therefore that no man is better able to order politike gouernements and Common-weales than God himselfe and that he would that an oth should there be of force let vs also suffer it there to be For Christ came not to abolish Common-weales in politike gouernements no rather he left them in their owne estate And now séeing the magistrate hath oftentimes to doo with disloiall men why should he not vse the due remedie appointed by God The words of Christ in the fift of Matthew Sweare not at all Matth. 5 34 must be expounded and are not so strictlie to be vnderstood as they sound The meaning of Christs words is to require the lawe of vs that we should liue togither so faithfullie and according to charitie as we might haue no néed of an oth Let euerie one therefore take héed to himselfe that he be not called by his owne default and that as touching this matter he satisfie the words of Christ who for all this saieng decréed not but that if we happen to deale with men that be not so affected or indued with so much godlinesse whom neuerthelesse it is expedient for vs somwhat to beléeue it is lawfull to sweare especiallie where the glorie of the Lord may be aduanced Neither let it trouble thée That Christ forbad not an oth that Christ in his words hath this phrase Not at all For his spéech was specially spoken against the Scribes and Pharisies who were bold to saie that those oths were established and firme which be exhibited by the name of God but those which are sworne by heauen by the earth by the altar by the temple and such like are not of force and that therefore it is not lawfull to transgresse them These things Christ confuteth and would that all these oths should be of great importance and therefore persuadeth that so far as lieth in our power we should so liue and in such sort behaue our selues as that through our default we be not called to an oth Oths by creatures Neither are the oths which are sworne by creatures to be lightlie estéemed as they accounted them séeing they are not created to the end we should abuse them as witnesses of our vntruth they ought to be instruments of vertues not of vices And if we abuse them in this sort the iniurie that is doon is great yea and that verie great for when they be called as witnesses in an oth our mind telleth vs of them that they belong vnto God and that the power of God dooth shine in them For an oth as it is in the epistle to the Hebrues is alwaies made by some thing greater than he that sweareth Heb. 6 16. But creatures be inferiours vnto men vnlesse they be considered as they be the host of God and doo seruice vnto him and so to sweare by creatures is not forbidden Wherefore when we sweare we vse the holie Euangelists the bodie of Christ faith and other like words Ioseph sware by the life of Pharao Gen. 42 15 Deut. 32 1 Esaie 1 2. And Moses and the prophets doo call the heauens and the earth to witnes of those words which they were to speake vnto the people Let those oths therefore contrarie vnto the opinion of the Scribes and Pharisies be firme and stedfast oths and as touching our owne conuersation let vs so liue that there be no néed for vs to sware neither by God nor yet by anie other thing at all And this is that same At all which Christ spake of There be also oths made of cursings Oths of cursings 2. Cor. 1 3. Psal 44 2. and 95 11. as Paule who in the second to the Corinthians calleth God for a witnes vnto his soule And in the holie scriptures of the old testament they sware in
séene or open vnto others So then let them couer their face if they thinke it to be foule or lesse decent But they will saie that it is not the custome in all countries that women should go with their faces couered If this maie not be let them abide the foulenesse and indecencie laid vpon them by God What if so be they had béene borne lame or with a crooked backe Certeinlie they might not haue amended these things but should haue suffered them Let them therefore which be deformed by nature endeuour to make themselues commendable and approoued for their vertue and honest conditions Thus much for answer vnto the places of the scripture alledged by them Now must we confute their subtilties The aduersaries sophismes confuted 70 First they saie that we offend by a false argument A secundum quid ad simpliciter from that which is after a sort to that which is absolute For séeing there be manie things found which prouoke lusts which cannot be denied to be sinne therefore that we iudge all things to be vicious which mooue or stirre our euill concupiscences But this they affirme to be false and bring an instance of naturall beautie which inflameth those that looke therevpon and yet will none saie that there is fault therein To this false surmise we answer that one and the like consideration is not to be had of beautie naturall and of that which is counterfet Bicause naturall beautie cannot be accused of sinne séeing it is the worke of God Againe she that is beautifull by nature indeuoured not to obteine this gift but they which paint their faces séeke it as much as they can that being not beautifull yet at the least wise they may séeme to be such and therewithall discouer their owne corrupt mind and shew signes of a naughtie concupiscence Furthermore they said that we vse a false syllogisme of the accident in that we iudge of the action not according to the nature thereof but according to the accident which followeth the same that is by the circumstances which are about the matter and happen therevnto Two kinds of circumstances Héerevnto it is said that whereas of accidencies or circumstances there be two kinds one common bicause either for the most part or now and then it is separated from the thing and others so fixed and constant as they be not disseuered by these of this second kind mens actions are iustlie and vpon good cause allowed or disallowed Euen as for that it is a thing necessarilie incident vnto surfetting to ouercharge the hart therefore it is condemned as sinne Droonkennesse also Droonkennesse bicause it taketh awaie the hart of man prouoketh him to lust and otherwhile also stirreth vp vnto furie therefore it is accounted sinne This in like maner they haue alledged that sinne is in things An vncerteine rule either by a naturall condition or else by an affection of those persons which vse them but that in counterfet colour there is no euil by a naturall condition but that sinne dooth onelie happen through the corrupt will of them that practise these things Howbeit if we should followe this as a continuall and certeine rule we should defend manie acts wickedlie doone to be things indifferent which neuerthelesse by the scriptures and by the iudgement of sound men are condemned For in adulterie if thou haue respect vnto the condition of nature what else I praie you is there but a coniunction of man and woman Shall we therefore saie that such a coniunction is not sinne Naie verelie it is a most gréeuous wickednesse bicause men are not there coupled with their owne but with other mens The which condition is so annexed vnto adulterie as without the same it cannot be committed Theft also if thou looke vpon the naturall action is to carrie awaie a thing from place to place and to translate it from some one person vnto another But in these actions theft is not committed vnlesse the goods belong to another man and be taken awaie against the will of the owner Wherefore the circumstances or fixed accidents are of so great importance as in them that which is doon is iudged to be sinne yea and in them it resteth oftentimes that the forme of sinne is changed For if that which belongeth to another man be taken awaie from the owner against his will theft is committed but if thou take awaie a holie thing or remooue it from a holie place now it is not theft but sacrilege 71 Moreouer they tooke it as granted that a thing whether it procéed of nature or of art is all of one sort and therfore when there is both a naturall beautie giuen and an artificiall séeing the one cannot be reprooued as a sinne neither ought the other to be disallowed And that the things naturall and artificiall haue one and the selfe-same respect A similitude hereby they prooue bicause the health which is naturall and that which physicians restore by their art A difference betweene things naturall and artificiall be both of one condition and propertie But in arguing in that sort they are deceiued for it is not true that things naturall and artificiall are both of one condition And the similitude brought dooth prooue nothing for the health which is restored by physicians is not artificiall but naturall It is nature it selfe that bringeth foorth the same being aided by medicins and physicke Wherefore the physician is called the minister of nature And if so be that nature doo so faint and be vtterlie destitute of strength the physician can bring nothing to passe But bicause I will not séeme to cauill admit we them to be of one condition then will I aske Bicause naturall beautie dooth prouoke vnto lusts therefore must we studie to doo it more vehementlie by painting and colouring Further it is not true that semblable effects are brought foorth in them both for naturall temperature maketh true beautie but counterfet colours and painting doo make it dissembled feigned and counterfet They contended that the true cause ought to be distinguished and separated from the occasion This will we easilie grant denieng neuerthelesse that which they affirme to wit that we should not iudge of the actions according to the occasions For although it so happen sometime yet is it not alwaies true forsomuch as occasions haue a great force and according to their difference manie things are allowed and also dispraised How great force occasions be of So great respect had God vnto occasions as for them he made manie lawes Wherfore would he haue his people of Israel to méet togither all in one place to sacrifice and to worship Assuredlie euen bicause there should be no occasion giuen of schisme in religion if men had assembled togither in diuers places at their owne pleasure For in sundrie places euerie man would haue serued GOD after his owne mind and not by the prescript lawe of GOD. Neither did he for anie
action both the father and the holie Ghost had to doo for the efficient cause and the action perteined vnto the thrée persons And that may be prooued by the scriptures insomuch as Esaie saith Esa 48 16. The Lord and his spirit hath sent me Gala. 4 4. And Paule to the Galathians When the fulnesse of time was come God sent his owne sonne Luk. 1 35. And in Luke the angel saith The holie Ghost shall come vpon thee the power of the highest shall ouershadow thee And afterward as it is in Matthew Matth. 1 18 She was found great with child by the holie Ghost By these testimonies it appeareth that Christ was sent both by the Father and by the holie Ghost Besides this the sonne himselfe was the cause of his owne comming Indéed that might séeme to be a hard matter that one and the same thing should both be the efficient cause and the effect yet may it be proued manie waies For first as touching sanctification in the tenth chapter of Iohn it is thus read Whom the fathers sent and sanctified verse 36. doo ye saie that he blasphemeth bicause he saith I am the sonne of GOD Afterward in the 17. chapter Christ againe saith For their sakes sanctifie I my selfe verse 19. The verie same may be said as touching the death of Christ for Paule vnto the Romans Rom. 8 31. writeth Who spared not his owne sonne but gaue him for all our sakes Gala. 2 20. And to the Galathians he saith Who loued me and gaue himselfe for me The same also is said touching the resurrection séeing Paule vnto the Romans saith He that hath raised vp Iesus Christ from the dead Rom. 8 11. shall also raise vp your mortall bodies But Christ himselfe in Iohn saith Iohn 10 18. Destroie ye this temple and I will in three daies reedifie the same Againe I haue power to laie downe my life and to take it againe And By him all things were made Iohn 1 3. The same also we may saie of the incarnation of Christ for Paule vnto the Galathians saith When the fulnesse of time was come Gala. 4 4. God sent his owne sonne The same apostle to the Philippians saith He made himselfe of no reputation Philip. 2 7. taking vpon him the forme of a seruant We sée therefore that it appeareth sufficientlie by the holie scriptures that Christ was both the efficient cause and the effect Wherefore there were thrée that came as touching the efficient cause although the worke it selfe did perteine onlie to the sonne Of this matter writeth Augustine at large in his second booke De trinitate the fourth chapter and against Foelix the Arrian chapter 24. to prooue that Christ is both the efficient cause and the worke And as concerning that which Christ speaketh of himselfe in Iohn Iohn 7 28. namelie I came not of my selfe must either be filled vp with adding this one word Onelie as if he had said I came not onelie of my selfe or else it is to be vnderstood touching his humane nature 2 Paule in the 9. In Rom. 9 verse 3 5. Looke par 1 pl. 11. art 3. to the Romans hath an excellent commendation of Christ wherein he expressedlie confesseth the two natures in him ioined togither in one the selfe-same person so that of both natures is made Christ Of the which saith he is Christ according to the flesh who is God ouer all things blessed for euer In 1. Cor. 11 3. His humane nature is declared in these words Of the Iewes as touching the flesh for by the flesh in the Hebrue toong is vnderstood the whole man His diuine nature is most manifestlie described in these words Who is God ouer all blessed for euer The same also is not obscurelie signified in that which is added As touching the flesh for that particle should not haue béene put vnlesse he had had some thing more than the flesh This doctrine the Arrians Mahumetists A confutation of the Rabbins of Mahumet and of the Arrians and whatsoeuer they be that hold that Christ is a méere man doo impugne among the which also are the Rabbins of the Hebrues For euen as by a corrupt interpretation they had corrupted the lawe as touching maners and life which is manifest by the interpretation that Christ made of the lawe and in that he reproued their vaine deuises so had they also depraued the sincere faith of the Messias to come so that they thought he should be a méere and simple man For when Christ demanded of them what they thought of the Messias they made answer Matt. 22 42. that he should be the sonne of Dauid neither had they anie déeper or higher consideration of him Wherefore Christ obiected vnto them the 110. verse 1. psalme where Dauid called the Messias his Lord which could not agrée to a méere and simple man borne of his stocke as they fondlie imagined Ambrose expounding this place affirmeth that These words must néeds be applied vnto Christ sith there is here no mention made of anie other person vnto whome they may aptlie be applied If they will not saith he haue these things to be vnderstood concerning Christ let them shew some other person mentioned by Paule vnto whom they may be referred and if besides Christ they can find none other then let them leaue vnto Christ the glorie which is attributed vnto him by Paule Ambrose indéed confesseth Ambrose that when the father and the sonne are ioined togither in the holie scriptures the father is called GOD and the sonne Lord. And this he saith is doone for this consideration bicause we preach that we worship one God onelie And if we should repeate the name of God we might peraduenture séeme to depart somewhat from that vnitie and therfore are those names so varied But I sée that that rule is not in the holie scriptures perpetuallie obserued Psal 45 8. Heb 1 9. for we read in the psalme as it is cited in the Hebrues Therefore God euen thy God hath annointed thee with the oile of gladnesse Héere for that he intreateth of the father and the sonne he repeateth the name of God twise He saith moreouer that Christ is aboue all Phil. 2 10. is read also in the epistle to the Philippians for there it is written that In the name of Iesu euerie knee should bow both of things celestiall terrestriall and infernall Out of which place no lesse than out of this which we haue héere in hand he gathereth the diuine nature in Christ séeing if he were not God Apoc. 19 10 and 22 8. he should not be worshipped For in the Apocalypse Iohn was forbidden of the angell to worship him I am thy fellowe seruant saith he take heed thou doo it not Matth. 8 2. and 9 18. else-where But Christ when he often times permitted himselfe to be worshipped did plainelie testifie that
their works or merits sake but I will doo it saith he for my name sake From this reason Paule departeth not for he sheweth that God by predestination will make open the riches of his glorie that all men might knowe how little the Iewes had deserued this election of God that the nations being ouerhipped they alone should be counted for the people of God Which thing Steuen expoundeth in the Acts of the apostles when he saith that They had euer resisted God and had bin alwaies stiffe-necked What good works then did God sée in them to prefer that nation before all other nations Ezechiel notablie describeth how God looked vpon the people of the Iewes at the beginning Ezec. 16 3. namelie as vpon a naked damsell and on euerie side polluted and shamefullie berolled in bloud I passed by saith the Lord and when I sawe thee in that case I had compassion of thee What must be doone in iudging of controuersies 25 Further let vs remember what is the scope of the apostle in the epistle to the Romans for if we will iudge vprightlie of controuersies we must not cast our eie off from the scope The indeuour of the apostle was that he might by all maner of meanes commend the grace of Christ And this purpose can nothing more hinder than to affirme that the predestination of God that is the head and fountaine of grace commeth of the works of men And if it be counted a fault in Orators if in their oration they perchance reherse things which would much hinder the cause that they tooke in hand how can we suspect that the holie Ghost persisteth not in that which he began but speaketh things strange from that which he purposed Neither can we make anie other reason of the members than of the head which is Christ Iesus The sonne of God did freelie take vpon him the humane nature Séeing therfore that no man can doubt but that the sonne of God did fréelie take vpon him mans nature for if the question shuld be asked why rather he than anie other man tooke flesh of the virgin Marie There can no other reason be giuen but that it so pleased him For as touching works anie other man borne of anie other virgin might haue had them no lesse than he which was borne of Marie For whosoeuer had had the Godhead as Christ had trulie he should haue doone the selfe-same works which Christ did Séeing therefore that that humanitie was taken of the sonne of God fréelie and of the pure and méere mercie of God euen after the selfe-same maner whosoeuer are the members of Christ As iustification is not of works so likewise is not predestination are chosen fréelie and without anie merits of works Finallie all those reasons which prooue that iustification consisteth not of works the same also prooue that predestination dependeth not of works Now resteth to declare whether Christ and his death may be said to be the cause of predestination Here we answer that Christ and his death is the principall and chéefe effect of predestination Christ and his death is the principall effect of predestination For amongst those things which are of God giuen vnto the elect is Christ himselfe the fruit of his death For whatsoeuer is giuen vnto vs by this waie and by this conduit as it were is deriued vnto vs from God And forsomuch as it is certeine that the effects of predestination may so be cōpared togither Christ as touching his humane nature and death is not the cause of predestination as one may be the cause of the other but vnto none of them agréeth to be the beginning of predestination therefore we denie that Christ as touching his humanitie or death is the cause of our predestination although he be the beginning and cause of all good things which come vnto vs by the purpose of God 26 I am not ignorant that there haue béene some Sentences of manie of the fathers agree not togither as touching this doctrine which haue gone about to reconcile togither the sentences of the fathers with this most true doctrine which we haue now by manie reasons prooued For they saie that the fathers when they write that predestination is of works foreséene by the name of predestination doo not vnderstand the worke or action of GOD whereby he electeth or predestinateth anie man but rather the end and certeine meanes and that as touching them nothing can let but that works may be causes For it is without all doubt certeine that the last damnation commeth of works as the cause and good works spring of faith as from their head or fountaine I sée indéed that the intent of these men is not to be discommended which labour to applie the sentences of the fathers vnto the truth as much as is possible but yet that which they auouch to be true cannot I affirme For there are certeine sentences of the fathers so hard that they can by no meanes be drawne to this meaning It is not true that they saie that all wholie is not of God for they to defend the libertie of our will will not haue all things to depend of the predestination of God and of purpose saie that all wholie is not of God but somewhat also is required of vs. And they expresselie write that God electeth some It is not true also that God electeth bicause of faith foreseene for that he foresawe that they would beléeue They haue also here and there manie other such like saiengs so that I by no meanes can sée how their sentences can agrée with our doctrine in this point Howbeit Augustine fullie agréeth with it Ierom also disagréeth not from it although oftentimes in manie places he agréeth with Origin and others but against the Pelagians he highlie commendeth the sentence of Augustine touching this matter and excéedinglie alloweth his writings against this heresie Séeing therefore that Augustine oftentimes vsed this argument against the Pelagians it must néeds be that the same verie well pleased Ierom now being old And Cyprian as we haue before said manifestlie writeth that There is nothing ours wherefore it followeth of necessitie that it is all of God But howsoeuer it be there is no néed that we should now dispute much as touching the fathers As in all other things which belong vnto faith We must giue sentence according to the scriptures not according to the fathers so also in this question we must giue sentence according to the scriptures not according to the fathers And this selfe-same thing euen the fathers themselues required at our hands which I in alledging of arguments haue performed to my power 27 Amongst the latter writers Pighius being forced by the vehemencie of the scriptures granteth vnto vs that works are not causes of predestination For he confesseth that it consisteth fréelie and of the méere mercie of God with a respect saith he to works I thinke
grounds which are vnderstood of vs so our works which procéed from will shall be said to be frée those things which are so produced in nature that also their contrarie may come to passe are counted contingent Howbeit that necessitie of certeintie or of consequence which we affirme is neuer to be denied neiher must we plucke awaie our works either from nature or from foreknowledge or from the prouidence of God And as touching the will of GOD we must thinke that in verie déed it gouerneth and moderateth all things which thing is of all men commonlie granted For although men perceiue and féele that they by will doo decrée and choose those things which they are minded to doo yet if they be godlie men they will alwaie saie This or that will I doo if God permit But if they be yet without the religion of Christ as were the Ethniks yet notwithstanding they alwaies make mention of fate or destinie of the thrée sisters called Parcae or of chance which is oftentimes read in the poets Who as we haue said before if by the word Fate or such like they vnderstood the connexion of causes ouer which God himselfe is the ruler and moderateth gouerneth it then is there no hurt in that opinion although by reason of the abuse of the word it is better vtterlie to abstaine from it There are some also which dreame of a certeine fatall mightie and strong necessitie affixed vnto the stars and vnto naturall causes which God himselfe cannot change which is erronious wicked and far from the wise men of old time who expresselie declare that by Fate they vnderstood the will and gouernement of God The verses of Cleanthes the Stoike which he wrote touching this matter Seneca in his 18. booke of epistles hath turned into Latine whose meaning in english is thus Verses of Cicanthes touching destinie Lead me ô souereigne sier and Lord of loftie skie Where pleaseth thee for I obeie to followe speedilie Lo prest I am without delaie though loth thou makest me Yet groning forward shall I go and euill while I be What being good I might haue doone to doo I shall be faine The willing persons fates doo lead vnwilling they constraine Although in these verses be auouched fate or destinie yet is the gouernement thereof put in the hands of God for he calleth vpon the most high father and desireth to be led of him whose will notwithstanding he affirmeth to be both certeine and infallible The selfe-same thing séemeth Homer in his Odyssea to haue ment in these verses which are thus in English Such is the mind in earthlie men and so themselues they bend As mooues the sier of men and gods that dailie doo ascend And when we speake of foreknowledge The prescience of God must not be separated from his will we exclude not will for as we at the beginning admonished God cannot foreknowne that anie thing shall come to passe vnlesse he willeth that it shall come to passe For there can nothing be but that which God willeth to be and that which God willeth he also bringeth to passe for vs for as Paule saith He worketh in vs both to will and to performe 52 But this will ioined to foreknowledge neither inuerteth nor destroieth natures The prescience of God inuerteth not natures but so worketh in them as is agréeing with them and therefore forsomuch as the nature and proprietie of the will of man is to worke fréelie and by election the foreknowledge and will of God taketh not awaie this facultie or power from it Predestination is the cause of all our good actions Praiers of the Church although his predestination be the cause of all good actions which are doone of the elect and in the elect Which thing is not onelie prooued by testimonies of the scriptures but also the consent of the church in their praiers affirmeth the same For thus it praieth O God from whom all holie desires all good counsels and all iust works doo proceed c. And sinnes although after a sort they are subiect vnto the will of God yet are they not in such sort produced of it as are good actions howbeit this ought to be for certeine that they also are not doone vtterlie without anie will of God For permission Permission belongeth vnto will which some doo acknowledge differeth not from will for God permitteth that which he will not let Neither ought it to be said that he dooth vnwillinglie permit but willinglie as Augustine saith Wherefore in either kind of works the will and foreknowledge of God in such sort vseth it selfe that it ouerthroweth not the facultie or power of mans will In the predestinate it prouideth that nothing be of them committed which may ouerthrowe their euerlasting saluation And from the reprobate it taketh awaie no naturall power which perteineth to their substance or nature Note what God doth towards the reprobate neither compelleth it them against their will to attempt anie thing but it bestoweth not vpon them so much mercie nor so much grace as it dooth vpon the elect and as should be néedfull to saue them But a great manie herat stumble for that they think with themselues If God haue foreknowne that we shall méet togither to morrowe then must it néeds be that our will was vtterlie determined to this part otherwise that could not be foreknowne Whether our will be vtterly determined to one part But we answere as we haue alreadie signified that that determination is in such sort with God as is agréeing with the proprietie or nature of the will But vnto it is proper so to will one part that of his nature it can also will the other part Wherefore we confesse that if we haue a respect vnto God it is appointed and decréed what we shall doo for his knowledge is not in vaine called foreknowlege for he hath not an opinion of things so that his knowledge can be chaged but hath a certeine and sure knowledge And there can be no knowledge vnlesse as we haue said it be certeine and firme But this definition and certeintie of his we both haue said and doo saie inuerteth not the nature of things neither taketh awaie libertie from our nature Which is prooued by this reason Manie things are possible which neuer shall be God did foreknowne that manie things are possible which in verie déed shall neuer be and although they shall neuer be yet the foreknowledge of God taketh not awaie from them but that they are possible Which we will declare by an example of the scripture Christ when he was taken Matt. 26 53. said I could haue asked of my father he would haue giuen me eleuen legions of angels which should defend me from these souldiers Wherefore Christ affirmeth that it was possible for him to aske and that vnto him might be granted so manie legions of angels which yet was neither doone nor was by anie meanes
séeing this commeth not to passe by anie error of faith but by our owne fault Wherefore we define faith by itselfe according to the propertie thereof and not as it is weakened in vs. Wherevpon the doubting and infirmitie of such an assent is the cause of notable falles The weakenes of our assent is the cause of sinnes which haue happened vnto godlie men and which we sée doo euerie daie happen For whatsoeuer naughtines men doo commit they doo sinne thorough the want and imperfection of faith bicause either they beléeue not that God ordeined lawes against the sinnes which they commit or else those lawes which are made they consider not as they ought to doo or somtimes they giue but weake assent vnto those things that be read and deliuered vnto them 20 Aristotle in his Ethiks maketh diligent inquirie how it can be Aristotle that when as yet there is a knowledge of diuine things anie thing can be committed against the same and he saith It may be that there is reteined onelie a generall knowlege but séeing that particular things doo vrge speciallie the force of a particular thing laid before vs easilie ouercommeth the generall knowledge and maketh the same more féeble If anie man haue assured himselfe that all theft is an vniust and infamous thing and on the other part conceiueth that it were fit for him to followe all his owne commoditie it may soone come to passe that he will not bring in the particular thing of the first sentence whereby hée should earnestlie reckon with himselfe on this wise That which thou now attemptest is theft a thing vniust and infamous For if he did thoroughlie cast in his mind these things and fixe his eies vpon them he would not steale but these things being verie off times abandoned and not considered of he onelie respecteth the particular thing of the other proposition namelie that this monie this garment this stuffe will both be commodious to him and serue him to great vse About which things his mind being bent and occupied he is soone snarled bicause that true knowledge while it is but smallie regarded by him is vnperfect and in a maner extinguished So Dauid as concerning faith An example in Dauid knew verie well that all adulterie both is sinne and displeaseth God excéedinglie 2. Sam. 11 4 but when he committed the same he had euen then but onelie a generall knowledge thereof the which was weake and of verie small efficacie and he conuerted in a maner all his cogitations vnto speciall and present allurements so euidently was the beautie of the woman which he beheld fixed in his mind Vnto which delights he gaue more of his consent than vnto the generall sentence drawne out of the word of God and perceiued by faith wherefore thou séest that through the weakenes of faith he came to his fall An example in Peter Also Peter knew with a generall knowledge that the libertie of the Gospell should be kept that corrupt opinions should not be brought in through his example on the other part he sawe that offense should be taken awaie from the weake brethren Gal. 2 12. Wherefore when the Iewes had come vnto him he began to withdrawe himselfe from the Ethniks neither did he eate with them bicause he did not remember himselfe so much as he ought to haue doone that by this act euill opinions would créepe in and by that meanes the libertie of the Gospell be ouerthrowne but he chéefelie had in his mind his weake brethren the Iewes toward whom he was more affected than it was méet he should And therefore he fell bicause he thought that they ought by no meanes to be offended So that he was vpon iust cause blamed by Paule that he walked not vprightlie By these things it appéereth of how great importance is the strength stedfastnes of the assent of faith which I repeated before 21 I confesse that while we liue here the same cannot perfectlie be had bicause we now knowe in part onelie There is no whole firme assent in this life 1. Cor. 13 6. whereas vnto a strong assent is required a full knowledge But bicause that desire may not suddenlie turne vs from the right nor yet affection disturbe the iudgement of faith this notable remedie we haue A remedie against the weaknes of faith namelie that with a fixed and attentiue mind we be continuallie occupied in the word of God and that we examine our actions by the same therein let vs exercise our selues therein let vs imploie our businesse and therein let vs earnestlie spend our whole time and trauell We must not behold with our eies nor fasten our mind vpon those things that are against the commandements of God which cause Gods word not to be beléeued Abraham being now a hundred yéeres old heard that he should beget a sonne Gen. 17 1. An example in Abraham Rom. 4 19. he respected not as the apostle saith his owne dead bodie he gaue the glorie to God remembring with himselfe that he which was able to doo all things and which failed not nor might not faile promised this vnto him Hereby it came to passe that neither he doubted nor yet mistrusted These things haue we said touching the stablenes and strength of the assent of faith And of what efficacie this strength of of faith is in the beléeuers Augustine declared vpon the ninth treatise of Iohn when he said Augustine To beléeue in Christ is in beléeuing to looue in beléeuing to go vnto him to be made a member of him Now doo we gather A definition of faith that faith is a gift or power inspired into vs by the spirit of God by which faith we giue a firme and stedfast assent vnto the word of God through the authoritie thereof This definition I doubt not but is made plaine by those things which I haue alreadie spoken 22 I am not ignorant that the apostle Iames mentioned that It is a dead faith which is destitute of good works howbeit that is no faith Iame 1 20 A dead faith is no faith when it is pronounced to be dead euen as a man when he is dead cannot be called a man vnlesse we vse a figuratiue spéech And when they saie that a man is buried they vnderstand the same of the dead carcase A dead faith is the dead carcase of faith euen so this is not to be accounted faith but rather a dead carcase of faith neither dooth it in nature agrée with true faith but in name onelie The apostle Paule also writing vnto Timothie called the same feigned saieng on this wise 1. Tim. 1 â— Paule called it a â—eigned faith Matt. 13 21. Temporary beleeuers Let charitie proceed from a pure hart a good conscience a faith not feigned And Christ in the Gospell described certeine beléeuers but those temporarie or which beléeued but for a time Wherefore when as in the
26. Ye are all the children of God by the faith of Iesus Christ For what is it to be the sonnes of God but bicause we haue alredie obteined adoption which we obteine onelie by regeneration or iustification And in the fourth chapter Rom. 4 28. Brethren saith he we are after the maner of Isaac children of the promise But to be children of the promise is nothing else but to beléeue those things which God promiseth whereby we are made his children according as he hath promised we should be For so was Isaac borne vnto Abraham not by the strength of nature but by the benefit of the promise of God In the fift chapter he writeth Rom. 5 5. We in the spirit looke for the hope of righteousnesse by faith In this place are two things touched the spirit of God whereby we are new fashioned and renewed vnto saluation and faith whereby we apprehend righteousnes Wherefore in this matter of our iustification although there be in our minds manie other works of the holie Ghost yet none of them except faith helpe to iustification Wherevpon the apostle concludeth Circumcision is nothing Ibidem 6. and vncircumcision is nothing but onelie faith which worketh through loue Hereof onelie dependeth iustification of this faith I saie not being dead but liuing and of force And for that cause Paule addeth Which worketh by loue Which yet ought not so to be vnderstood as though faith should depend of loue or hath of it as they vse to speake hir forme but for that when it bursteth foorth into act and will shew foorth it selfe it must of necessitie doo this by loue So the knowledge of anie man dependeth not hereon for that he teacheth other men but by that meanes it is most of all declared But if anie perfection of these actions of louing and teaching redound vnto faith and knowledge that commeth of another cause and not for that they depend of it or thereof haue their forme as manie Sophisters haue dreamed Ephes 2 8. 52 In the epistle to the Ephesians the 2. chapter it is thus written By grace ye are made safe through faith and that not of your selues for it is the gift of God And after that in the third chapter Eph. 3 16. That according to the riches of his glorie he would grant you that ye may be strengthened with might in the inward man by the spirit that Christ may dwell in your hart by faith He that hath Christ in him the same hath without all doubt righteousnes for of him Paule thus writeth vnto the Corinthians in the former epistle 1. Cor. 1 30. and the first chapter Who is made vnto vs wisedome righteousnes holines and redemption Here therefore it is shewed by what meanes Christ dwelleth in our harts namelie by faith Againe Paule in the third chapter to the Philippians Phil. 3 9. That I might be found saith he in him not hauing mine owne righteousnesse which is of the lawe but that which is of the faith of Iesus Christ Here that righteousnes which is of works and of the lawe he calleth His but that which is of faith and which he most of all desireth he calleth The righteousnes of Iesus Christ Heb. 11 33. Vnto the Hebrues also it is written in the eleuenth chapter The saints by faith haue ouercome kingdoms haue wrought righteousnesse and haue obteined the promises These words declare how much is to be attributed vnto faith for by it the saints are said not onelie to haue possessed outward kingdoms but also to haue exercised the works of righteousnesse namelie to haue liued holilie and without blame and to haue obteined the promises of God verse 5. And Peter in his first epistle and first chapter By the power of God saith he are ye kept vnto saluation through faith In these words are signified two principall grounds of our saluation the one is the might and power of God which is wholie necessarie for vs to obteine saluation the other is faith whereby as by an instrument saluation is applied vnto vs. Iohn in his first epistle and fift chapter verse 1. Euerie one saith he which beleeueth that Iesus is Christ is borne of God but To be borne of God is nothing else than to be iustified or to be borne againe in Christ If followeth in the same chapter Ibidem ◠This is the victorie which ouercommeth the world euen our faith By which testimonie is declared that the tyrannie of the diuell of sinne of death and of hell is by no other thing driuen awaie from vs but by faith onelie And toward the end of the selfe-same chapter it is said And these things haue I written vnto you verse 3. which beleeue in the name of the sonne of God that ye might knowe that ye haue eternall life and that ye should beleeue in the name of the sonne of God 53 Now let vs gather out of the euangelists as much as shall serue for this present question Matthew in his eight chapter saith Mat. 8 19 That Christ exceedinglie wondred at the faith of the Centurion and confessed that he had not found such faith in Israel and turning vnto him said Euen as thou hast beleeued so be it vnto thee Here some replie that This historie and such other like intreate not of iustification but onelie of the outward benefits of the bodie giuen by GOD. Howbeit these men ought to consider that sinnes which are in vs are the causes of the gréefes and the afflictions of the bodie For onelie Christ excepted who vtterlie died an innocent all other forsomuch as they are subiect vnto sinne doo suffer no aduersitie without iust desert And although God in laieng of his calamities vpon vs hath not alwaies a respect herevnto for oftentimes he sendeth aduersities to shew foorth his glorie and to the triall of all those that are his yet none whilest he is so vexed can complaine that he is vniustlie dealt withall for there is none so holie but that in himselfe he hath sinnes which are woorthie of such like or else of greater punishments And where the cause is not taken awaie neither is nor can the effect be remooued Wherfore Christ forsomuch as he deliuereth man from diseases of the bodie manifestlie declareth that it was he which should iustifie men from sinnes And that this is true the selfe-same euangelist teacheth vs in the .9 chapter verse 2 for when he that was sicke of the palsie was brought vnto Christ to be healed he saith that Christ answered Be of good cheare my sonne thy sinnes are forgiuen thee At which saieng when as the Scribes and Pharisies were offended to the end they should vnderstand that the cause of euils being taken awaie euen the euils them selues are taken awaie He commanded him that was sicke of the palsie to arise and take vp his bed and to walke Wherefore it manifestlie appeareth that Christ by the healings of the bodies
departed shall not declare things there shall be no resurrection And in the same psalme it is written verse 16. All the whole heauens are the Lords and the earth hath he giuen to the children of men If heauen belong not vnto men but that they must dwell vpon the earth and therein must come to their end there is no resurrection to be hoped for And Salomon Eccl. 3 9. in the third chapter of Ecclesiastes writeth that There is all one end both of man and of beasts For as the one dooth die so dooth the other yea they haue both one maner of breath And who knoweth saith he whether the breath of the sonnes of men ascend vpward and the breath of beasts downeward And in the 14. of Iob it is written verse 7. that it is not so with man as it is with trées or plants For these when they be cut off are woont to sprowt and to shoot foorth againe but man when he is dead returneth not Againe it is said that this resurrection shall be vniuersall But Daniel verse 2. in the 12. chapter séemeth to describe the same to be particular Manie saith he which now sleepe in the dust shall rise againe But he would not haue said manie if they should all be raised vp Yea and it is written in the psalme The vngodlie shall not rise in iudgment Psal 1 6. And it is méet that séeing by Christ the dead are to be restored they onlie should obteine this benefit which shall be ioined vnto Christ Wherevpon it followeth that the vngodlie which are strangers vnto Christ shall not be raised vp These are the reasons which are woont to be obiected against those which affirme that there is a resurrection 9 Now let vs come to the second point in searching out what may serue to the nature and definition of resurrection The definition nature of resurrection And we will begin at the etymologie of the word It is called of the Gréeks 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in the composition of which word the preposition 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is the verie same thing that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is which signifieth Againe as if it were ment That which was fallen to stand vp againe Therefore Damascen writing of this matter saith that Resurrection is the second standing of the dead And the Hebrues called the same Thechijath hammethim for Chaia is To liue Wherefore it is euen as if they had said The quickening of the dead And bicause Com among them is To rise thereof they deriued the noune deriuatiue Thekum hammethim that is The rising of dead men Also among them there is found Cuma And of the verbe Amad which signifieth To stand they haue deriued some noune of this kind Perhaps also they haue other words of this signification but these are more accustomed and more commonlie vsed among the Rabbins Touching the Latin name we will consider afterward 10 As to the matter Resurrection belongeth to the predicament of action In euerie action two things to be considered And whereas in actions two things are chéeflie to be considered namelie the dooer and the subiect it selfe into which the action is powred by him that dooth The efficient cause of this action is God The efficient cause of the resurrection for that no cause in nature nor power in anie creatures can be found which is able to bring to passe the resurrection as afterward in place conuenient we shall declare Action in verie déed is manie waies distinguished Actions diuerslie distinguished One is naturall as generation corruption increasing diminishing alteration and such like And there be also other actions The forms of actions which belong to practising knowledge as to build to paint to plough to cast mettall And other actions which haue respect vnto the will that is to mans choise such be the works of vertues and vices Againe actions are distinguished that some be oeconomicall that is perteining to houshold gouernement others be politicall others be ecclesiasticall But resurrection taketh place in no part of these distinctions for all these things which we haue rehearsed after a sort are reuoked vnto nature Vnto what forme of action resurrection i◠to be referred But the resurrection of the dead is an act altogither beyond nature Wherefore it shall be reckoned among those things which doo excéed and surpasse the force of nature 11 Now resteth for vs to consider of the subiect wherein it is receiued The subiect of resurrection And vndoubtedlie it is no other thing that is raised vp but man which was by death extinguished But man as all men knowe consisteth of two parts to wit of the soule and of the bodie So as it must be considered whether resurrection perteine to the bodie or to the soule To speake properlie Which part of man is the subiect of resurrection bodies doo rise againe and not soules for that is said to rise againe which fell when it had stood vp But soules die not togither with the bodie but remaine aliue and therefore séeing they fell not they shall not rise againe And that soules remaine aliue after they be separated from bodies the holie scriptures doo shew for Christ said vnto the apostles Matt. 10 28. Feare ye not them which kill the bodie but the soule they cannot kill But if soules should be extinguished togither with the bodies they which destroie the bodie would also destroie the soule Ouer this Christ said vnto the théefe Luke 23. 43 This daie shalt thou be with me in paradise which would not haue béen if the soule had perished with the death of the bodie And when the death of the rich man and of Lazarus is described in the gospell it is plainlie enough expressed what becommeth of men after death for Lazarus was caried by the ministerie of angels to the bosome of Abraham but the rich man to the torments in hell There be also other testimonies agréeable vnto this saieng but let these be sufficient at this time That resurrection is to be attributed vnto bodies Tertullian also taught in his 5. booke against Marcion and in his booke De resurrectione carnis and saith that manie things doo rise which before fell not as herbes plants and such like but none is said to rise againe but such as fell first when they had stood before And he argueth from the proprietie of the Latine toong which maketh a difference betwéene Surgere and Resurgere the one signifieng To rise and the other To rise againe And he saith that Cadauer a dead bodie was so called à Cadendo of falling wherefore he affirmed that the resurrection is not of soules but of bodies 12 Moreouer it must be noted Resurrection is as it were a certeine new birth that the resurrection of the dead is a certeine new birth For euen as in the first birth a man is brought foorth consisting both of bodie and soule
reprooue all the wicked And soone after Looking for the mercie of our Lord Iesus Christ vnto eternall life Let it be sufficient that we haue brought these things out of the new testament vnto the which adde the article of the apostles Créed wherin we confesse our selues to beléeue the resurrection of the flesh Further all those places wherein Christ is said that he shall be iudge of the quicke and the dead haue relation vnto this 55 Now that we haue séene the signification of the word and also the definition and haue sought whether this resurrection may be plainlie set foorth by naturall reasons and further haue brought testimonies Of the causes of the resurrection verse 4â— as well of the old as new scriptures now it foloweth that we speake somewhat of the causes thereof It is the effect of faith and it followeth iustification Whervpon it is said in the sixt chapter of Iohn He that beleeueth in me hath life euerlasting and I will raise him vp at the last daie So as God by his power is the efficient cause thereof For which cause Christ said vnto the Saduces Matt. 2â— 15. Yee erre being ignorant of the scriptures and of the power of God And not onelie God the father himselfe but also the holie Ghost is cause of the resurrection For as we haue alreadie said it is written in the epistle to the Romans If the spirit of him Rom. 8 11. which hath raised vp Christ from the dead dwell in you c. Yea moreouer the sonne himselfe which is Christ Iesus is a cause of this resurrection for in the Gospell of Iohn he said Iohn 6 40. I will raise him vp at the last daie And againe Euen as the father raiseth vp and quickeneth Iohn 5 21. euen so also the sonne quickeneth c Further Ibidem 28. They which be in the graues shall heare the voice of the sonne of God and shall come foorth Iohn 11 25. c. In the eleuenth of Iohn I am the resurrection and the life Moreouer there is an argument taken hereof that Christ by his death tooke awaie sinne which was the cause of death Verelie no man doubteth but that the cause being remooued the effect is taken awaie In the first to the Corinthians 1. Co. 15 22 the 15. chapter In Adam all men are dead in Christ all men shall be reuiued as by one man came death so by one man came the resurrection from the dead The finall cause of resurrection is assigned to be 2. Cor. 5 10. That the whole and entire man should be iudged at the tribunall seate of God and should receiue rewards or punishments according as he hath behaued himselfe But the angels although they shall be ministers of the resurrection yet can they be no causes Among the causes of the resurrection to come the resurrection also of Christ is numbered for Paule in the first to the Corinthians verse 13. the 15. chapter saith If the dead rise not againe neither is Christ risen againe and if Christ be not risen our preaching is in vaine But we may argue on the other side Christ rose againe Therefore we also shall rise againe So then the resurrection of Christ séemeth to be the cause of our resurrection which indéed is to be granted but yet not so as that verie action wherein Christ was raised vp and which is now past is the efficient cause that performeth or dooth anie thing which should bring foorth our resurrection but bicause the diuine power and might which is in Christ séeing he is God is reteined still euen as he raised him vp from the dead so will he also quicken vs in due time This we sée come to passe in humane things A similitude For he that is a white man begetteth also a white sonne not that the colour it selfe can procreate but that those beginnings or causes which wrought the begetter to be white do make him also white which is begotten by him Euen so our resurrection shall not be vnlike to the resurrection of Christ Further this must be noted that the diuine actions and heauenlie benefits which are imploied vpon men be as Damascenus saith deriued vnto vs by the flesh of Christ which now should be none at all vnlesse he had béene raised from the dead Wherefore by this meanes the resurrection of Christ may be also called ours bicause without that we might not haue obteined ours Againe if we should like philosophers followe Plato adiecting vnto the foure kinds of causes an Idea or paterne we might saie that the resurrection of Christ was the exemplar cause of our resurrection The finall cause of resurrection is assigned to be that The whole and entire man should be iudged at the tribunall seate of God and should receiue rewards or punishments according as he behaued himselfe And thus much of the causes 56 It followeth that we should speake of the properties and conditions of the bodies Of the condition and propertie of bodies when they shall rise which shall be raised vp The Schoolemen called them indowments or qualities neither can I disallow of those which they haue reckoned bicause I perceiue them to be gathered out of the holie scriptures Howbeit I thinke not that all the properties were gathered by them neither yet may it be for in this life we cannot haue experience of the glorie of the saints but we shall then perfectlie and absolutelie knowe it when we shall come vnto it Immortalitie the first propertie The first condition that commeth to my remembrance of the blessed is immortalitie And assuredlie in the diuine scriptures so often as there is mention of the life to come the same is said to be eternall as being that which shall haue no end Paule saith This mortall must put on haue immortalitie 1. Co. 15 53 and this corruptible bodie must put on incorruption And séeing the punishments rewards which shall be rendered according to the nature of works be sempiternall the subiect or nature which shall be giuen them must néeds be immortall also Furthermore séeing it is no doubt but that Christ destroied sinne and death it remaineth that the life of the saints should be immortall And in the sixt chapter to the Romans it is written verse 9. Christ rising againe from the dead dieth no more neither shall death haue anie more power ouer him Besides in the first to the Corinthians the 15. chapter verse 50. Flesh and bloud shall not inherit the kingdome of God Yet must not these things be taken for the verie nature and substance of flesh and bloud fâ—… they which shall rise againe shall be wholie indued with these things But the apostle hath respect vnto corruption vnto the which flesh and bloud in this life are subiect wherfore he added Ibidem Incorruption And corruption shall not inherit incorruption 57 Vpon this propertie followeth an other namelie that after
health indéed returneth but it is not the same in number for as well the old things brought foorth as the new are diuerse Herevnto we saie that this indéed is true and altogither taketh place in those efficient causes in which the action or thing it selfe brought foorth is distinguished from the efficient cause as it commeth to passe in all causes created But the resurrection is the worke of God wherein the action is not diuided from the nature and substance of the agent it selfe And lastlie whereas it was alledged that the heape of those things which passed fell from the bodie should be monstrous and that if all things should be restored at the resurrection mens bodies should be of excéeding greatnes but if on the other side all things shall not be laid vp in store what reason can be assigned whie some parts should be restored more than other some Not all things which haue past from our bodie shall be restored at the resurrection I answer It hath béene alreadie said that not all things which be cast foorth of our bodies shall be receiued when we rise againe but onelie those things which make to a iust and conuenient quantitie But whie rather one sort than an other are kept in store we must commit it to the iudgement of God who disposeth all things with singular wisedome 70 Now it resteth that we dilate of those places which in the holie scriptures séeme at the first sight to be against the resurrection In the 78. verse 39. psalme it is written And he remembred that they were but flesh their spirit or breath departing awaie and not returning againe For the exposition of this place the scope must first be considered namelie that God was led to take mercie of his people bicause their infirmitie was knowen vnto him So as bicause of their frailtie and féeblenesse therefore had he mercie vpon them and scattered them not abroad with one onelie stripe Sometime the spirit is said to be against the flesh in respect that the flesh is said to be weake and the spirit strong and valiant So said Christ vnto his apostles when as they slept Matt. 26 41 while he was in praieng The spirit indeed is readie but the flesh is fraile And Esaie in the third chapter Esai 31 3. describing the weaknesse of Aegypt saith Aegypt is flesh and not spirit that is It staggereth with féeblenesse Sometime the flesh the spirit taken both for one thing it standeth not firme and strong But sometime the flesh and spirit are taken both for one thing and both betoken infirmitie euen as in this place where the same thing is repeated in the latter clause which is spoken in the former In this place therefore the spirit is not ment to be the soule of man or the diuine inspiration but the breath blast and wind A similitude which being gone and past perish and are restored no more When the life of man is finished we begin not againe at the originall neither doo we bud foorth as trées and herbes cut downe but we lie in the dust not returning vnto our former state When I saie that after death men be not like vnto herbes I am not against Dauid who saith in the 103. psalme verse 14. He knoweth his workmanship he remembreth that we are but dust The daies of man are as grasse and as the flourishing flower of the field the wind commeth ouer him and he is withered and his place hath knowen him no more Wherein man is like and vnlike vnto the grasse Herein standeth the similitude that the sudden and vnexpected destruction of flourishing man may be perceiued but in this is the similitude taken awaie that men doo not spring foorth anew like vnto plants and herbes There is shewed moreouer that there is nothing found in man to prouoke God vnto mercie but miserie But if spirit be taken for the soule then we will saie that the prophet dooth weigh of man and consider of him according to his owne nature and strength and trulie pronounceth that his spirit dooth so depart as it returneth not For the blessed resurrection is a miracle not a worke of nature This scripture speaketh not of man according to those things which he shall receiue through the bountifulnesse and power of God but according to the faculties and strength which it hath by nature Also it is written in the booke of Wisedome the 15. chapter verse 8. His spirit shall go foorth of him and it shall not returne againe And no man doubtlesse hath brought with him from his mothers wombe or from the originals of nature the power to rise againe Indéed our soule hath a being after death but it hath no power of it selfe to returne vnto the bodie which it had Naie rather if God should remooue from it his preseruing power it would fall to vtter ruine This is the common and receiued exposition of this place Howbeit there is an other sense which commeth to my remembrance no lesse profitable than both the former When the Israelites were pressed with aduersitie in the desert and were for iust causes punished by God they cried vnto him that they might be deliuered but this they did verie vnperfectlie which was not hidden from God Yet neuerthelesse he had mercie vpon them bicause they were flesh that is of a corrupted nature and for this cause they oftentimes fell againe into the same sinnes Also their spirit that is their earnest motion of praieng and inuocating of the true God IEHOVA was not stedfast in them but in a maner passed by them and returned not séeing they fell againe to idolatrie after the deliuerance obteined Wherfore these were Chronij that is Temporizers as we read in the parable of the séed in the eight of Luke verse 13. 71 In the 115. psalme verse 16. it is written The heauen of heauens is the Lords but the earth hath he giuen to the children of men Wherevpon some doo gather that men are so become bound to the earth as heauen dooth not belong to them But they are farre deceiued for from thence is drawne aboundantlie the goodnesse of God which hath no néed of earthlie commodities neither hath it anie maner of néed of worldlie wealth and yet did it bring foorth the whole world howbeit vnto the vse and commoditie of men But that God hath no néed of those good things héereby it is prooued that he dwelleth in the heauens whither these things ascend not and where they cannot growe Neither yet did the prophet so affirme God to be setled in heauen The essence and power of God is euerie where as he denieth him to be euerie where for the essence and power of God is in all places But he is peculiarlie said to dwell in heauen bicause his presence is there ment to be more famous How God is said to be in heauen more mightie and more effectuall as well
kinde of gouernments in the Church yet to confesse the truth this me thinketh is most fitlie to be vnderstoode of Elders not in verie deede of them which had the charge of the word and of doctrine but of those which were appointed as assistantes vnto the Pastors They as being the discréeter sort and indued with a greater zeale and godlinesse were chosen out from among the laitie The office of the Elders Their office was chiefelie to attend vnto discipline and to take héede what euerie man did and in euerie house and familie to sée what néede euerie one had as touching that which belonged to the soule or to the bodie For the Church had hir ancients or if I may so saie hir Senate which according to the time prouided for profitable things Paul describeth this kinde of Ministerie not onelie in this place but also in the first to Timothie For thus he writeth The Elders are worthie of double honour 1. Tim. 5. 17. especially they which labour in the worde and doctrine In which wordes he séemeth to signifie that there be some Elders which teach and set forth the word of God Two sortes of Elders and there are others which although they doe not this yet as ancients and Elders they doe gouerne in the Church This did not Ambrose leaue vntouched when he did expound that place Yea he complaineth that euen then either through pride or through the slouthfulnesse of the Priestes they were in a maner worne awaie For while they which haue the gouernment of the Church séeke to drawe all things vnto themselues they prouide as diligentlie as they can that they maie haue no fellowe officers ioyned with them in that roome Rom. 12. 8 Wherefore Paul willeth that they which haue this charge should doe their indeuour and remoue slouth and sluggishnesse Further he addeth He that sheweth mercie let him doe it with cheerefulnesse The office of widowes and of old men And this séemeth to haue bin the office of widowes and of olde men which were to that ende maintained by the Church that they shoulde take care of strangers and of them that were sicke For good cause he commandeth these to haue chéerefulnesse For men that be weake and afflicted are much reléeued if they sée their necessities are ministred vnto with chéerefulnesse For they which with a frowning countenance and heauie chéere do these things séeme to adde sorow vnto them that be sorowfull for thereby they misdoubt that they be chargeable and troublesome to their brethren By meanes whereof they are oftentimes brought to that point as they count death much better than such a life Thus much spake Paul concerning the publike ministeries of the Church which he vpon iust cause calleth 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to wit frée gifts For al these things Why these ministeres be called free gifts although it séemeth that they maie be gotten by humane arte and industrie yet shall we neuer bring to passe any thing in that kinde by our owne labour vnlesse we be holpen by the grace of God wherby those things which we doe are made profitable and effectuall For they which are occupied in these offices maie in déede without the helpe of God obtaine the praise of men and well liking of the people but they cannot further the saluation of soules commoditie of the Church And as touching this matter they oftentimes haue God fauourable and gratious vnto them which neuerthelesse obey him not with a syncere wil. But this is to be excéedingly lamented that this gouernance of the Church is so miserablie decaied that at this daie not so much as the names of these functions are anie where extant In the stead of these they haue put Taperbearers and I knowe not what Acoluthes and Subdeacons which serue for trifling and vaine actions about that superstitious Aultar of theirs In 1. Cor. 16. verse 5. 12 And in the first Epistle to the Corinthiās the 16 Chapter we haue a notable place as concerning the visitation of Churches For Paul for the same cause would returne to the Corinthians first suruey the Churches of Macedonia because he could not straight waie trauell to Corinth he deuised to send thither Timothie Of the visitation of Churches And howe necessarie the visitation of Churches is the state of humane things doeth declare by the which we easilie perceiue that things do oftentimes decaie and fall to ruine vnlesse they be nowe and then reuoked to their first order and institution Wherefore wée are not to doubt that this is no humane but an apostolicall inuention What maner of men the visitors of Churches should be But it behooueth that they which visite shoulde be men of great authoritie of honest and godlie life and also wel instructed in the holie Scriptures For if so bée they shall not by the worde of GOD perceiue those things to be peruerse which they woulde amende they shall bring nothing to passe Peraduenture thou wilt saie séeing al Churches haue their owne Pastors what néede is there that other men shoulde come vnto them to visite Wée aunswere that it oftentimes happeneth that the men of anie Church do not so greatlie estéeme their owne Pastors being otherwise good men because through continuall conuersation they grow in contempt but when they shall come before thrée or foure which bée of other Churches beeing men of great name and authoritie they may be a great deale more easilie corrected and the ordinances of the Pastors if they bée good ordinances maie bée maintained by the authoritie of these men if they bée not good they maie bée amended Now it is growne to an vse that this office of visiting is assigned vnto Primates and Archbishops because those men which were indued with the more ample giftes of God and which did excel others in learning holines were woont to bée preferred to the higher places to the chéefe seas and more notable Cities But forasmuch as we sée that in the most places at this daie such high degrées are by the fauour of princes and by peruerse election commended vnto vnméete men what profite can these men bring by their visitation Verilie not a whit but oftentimes no small inconuenience Of calling and especiallie vnto the Ministerie 13 Verie ill doe they gather In 2. Sam. 2 v. 8. A calling must not be condemned by a hard successe which thus saie Things happen not to this or that man according to his minde therefore his calling is not of God For who suffered either more or more gréeuous things than did our Sauiour Christ And yet was his calling most lawfull Wherefore a great comfort is héere offered to the ministers of the Church and to lawfull magistrates that although they sée manie troubles laid before them yet that they should not despaire for those things procéed of the Diuell Hée verilie hateth all lawfull calling For hée séeth that God wil blesse it and that his strength
the tradition of Iohn the Apostle The Romanes did otherwise and made vaunt of an olde institution of Peter their Apostle Vndoubtedlie the Canons of the Apostles if they had bin nowe sprong vp had defined this vaine question Hereby this commeth to my minde that as the selfe same Canon cyteth they make mention both of the readers singers as though in the time of the Apostles eyther readers or singers were reckoned among the holie orders these orders beléeue me were brought in after the Apostles There is neuer anie mention made of these orders in the holie Scriptures of the new Testament What orders in the Clergie mē the scriptures acknowlege Thou maiest finde Bishops Elders and Deacons The rest be put in and inuented by men not that there were not in the Apostles time those which read or recited something in the holie congregation or those which did sing somewhat but thou canst neuer shew that these things belonged to the holie orders Wherefore séeing the Apostolicall Canons haue made mention of these orders The Canōs of the Apostles are feined they bewraie themselues to be counterfeit Further I passe ouer that Zepherinus the Bishoppe of Rome in his decretall Epistle Zepherinus maketh these Canons of the Apostle to be seuentie when as there are onelie reckoned fiftie Which so great a diuersitie of number declareth them not to be of the right sort For if they had bin properlie and lawfullie set forth by the Apostles we should haue them preserued with singular diligence and there would be a certeintie of their number according as the Canonicall Epistles of the Apostles are extant neither is there anie doubt of their number The fifth Chapter Of discipline gouernment of the Church and namelie of Excommunication Of order Ecclesiasticall Of Temples and their ornaments In 1. Cor. 10. verse 9. A definition of ecclesiastical discipline Look the 18 Epistle whose beginning is Sum plané ECclesiastical discipline is nothing else but a power graūted to the Church by GOD by which the willes and actions of the faithful are made conformable to the lawe of GOD which is done by doctrine admonitions correction and finallie by punishments and also by excommunicatiō if néede require They that cannot abide this kinde of medicine speake ill of their Pastors for dooing well their office Howbeit of God whose messengers they be they are not nor euer shall bée forsaken Wherefore let vs set before our eyes what things must be obserued in brotherlie correction Two extremities in brotherlie correctiō to be auoided In 2 Sa. 12. at the beginning We must take héede that we auoide two extremities and kéepe the meane On the one part that we vse not a faire and flattering spéeche whereby we rather nourish vices than remooue them On the other part that we vse not ouer rough rawe admonition least we rather turne a man from saluation than leade him vnto it The meane must be kept which Christ will haue to be kept in the 18. Chapter of Matthew Verse 15. If thy brother trespasse against thee saieth he goe and reprooue him betweene thee and him onelie But if he shall not heare thee take yet with thee one or two And if he refuse to heare them tell the Church In 1. Sam. 2 verse 22. the which is verie necessarie aswell in the Church as in the Common weale and in euerie familie forsomuch as the same being taken awaie all goeth to wrack For euen as there shall neuer want poore folkes whom we may helpe with our liberalitie Mat. 26. 11. so there will neuer lacke vices of men Of reproouing the which by reproouing we maie heale so as reproouing is an action pertaining to discipline A definition of reproouing whereby of charitie we are earnest with them that are fallen as touching their sinnes warning them to repent according to the manner and forme set forth by Christ to the intent that euill maie be taken awaie from among vs. In this definition action is placed as the generall worde the efficient cause is charitie for that it is no iust correction if it procéede of hatred wrath or iniurie But the matter wherein it is occupied be sinnes and those grieuous sinnes séeing lighter faultes pertaine not to this kinde of correction The forme is the maner prescribed by God The ende is that euill maie be taken awaie from among the faithfull which is euerie godlie mans part to haue a care of in the Church so much as possiblie maie be Correction comprehendeth not discipline generallie Yet neuerthelesse correction containeth not discipline generallie because neither a Father neither an Ecclesiasticall Pastor nor yet a ciuill Magistrate ought to suffer sinnes to passe for that there be manie with whom brotherlie admonition is of no force Wherefore the father if his offending sonne and the Magistrate if stubborne Citizens will not amend their liues ought to punish them more sharplie than by admonitions A Pastor shall correct with the greater discipline a brother that goeth foreward in disordinate life This discipline is no inuention of man Neither is this kinde of Action inuented by men but established by the lawe of God Christ as it is written in the Gospell saieth Mat. 18. 15 If thy brother trespasse against thee reprooue him betweene thee and him alone And Paule vnto the Galathians Gal. 6. 1. If thy brother be suddenly taken in anie offence ye that be spirituall instruct him with all gentlenesse And in the 2. to the Thessalonians 2. Thess 3. 15. Yee shall not esteeme them as enemies but admonish yee them as brethren Verse 17. And in Leuiticus the xix Chapter it is written Hate not thy neighbour but beare with him correct him when he sinneth least thou beare his sinne Reuenge not nor keepe hatred against him but thou shalt loue thy neighbour as thy selfe So we are commaunded not onelie by the Gospell but also by the lawe to admonish and rebuke our brother Exod. 25. 5. And vndoubtedlie if we be commaunded to lift vp the asse of our enemie falling downe vnder his burden howe much more is it commaunded that we should helpe our brother when he falleth Leui. 19. 14 Also in an other place to wit in the 19. Chapter of Leuiticus God hath charged by the lawe that a man should not laie a stumbling block in his waie that is blinde but shoulde rather bring him into the waie againe but brethren which do sinne grieuouslie are blinded with couetousnesse and doe straie out of the waie so as they cannot be ouerpassed of vs without a fault Of Excommunication In 1. Cor. 5 at the end 2 Excommunication as concerning the Etimologie of the word is that whereby we make anie voide of the fellowship of communion The Grecians call it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 And vnder that name is signified some thing seuered from common things for Religions sake that aswell in
thinke that the bodie of Christ in the sacrament is giuen seuered from the bloud and the bloud seuered from the bodie it decréed that onely the Priests shoulde vse both kindes in the Masse and that to the people onely the one kinde shoulde be distributed The 2. reason The 3. reason Further they saie that it was authorized by the Councell of Constance Moreouer they contriue the Commaundements of God into two principall points Some of them they will haue to remaine perpetuallie firme and vnshaken so as they may neuer be violated among which sort they place the moralles The others doubtlesse they appoint to be those which concerne outward things of which kind be the Ceremonies and sacraments And these they will not haue to be so necessarie but that according to the place and time they maie be changed The 4. reason They maintaine also that it was no wrong to the Christiā people that one kinde is taken from them For the bodie of Christ say they is not giuen in the forme of bread without bloud euen as in the cuppe also the bloud is not had without the bodie They likewise alleadge The 5. reason that the libertie of Christ his Church is far greater than was the libertie of the Synagogue that therefore it is lawfull for the Church to change more things in our Ceremonies than was permitted to the fathers of the olde Lawe For we are not vnder the law as seruants but as frée mē vnder grace And they indeuour to shew that sometimes the Church in manie rites altered euen in verie matter First of all they say The 6. reason that it dipped not them which be baptised according as the Gréeke word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 signifieth but it onelie sprinkled or after a strange manner washed Neither is it to be doubted but that those which so be washed must be holden as baptized Cyprian séeing that Cyprian béeing demaunded whether they which were baptised in yéelding vp the ghost should be iudged as baptized for they lay in the bed and being oppressed with the force of sickenesse might neither be dipped nor yet washed but onelie sprinkled wherefore they should seeme not to be baptized that man of God aunswereth that they had perfect baptisme The 7. reasō 2 They vaunt also that in baptisme the wordes haue sometime béene altered séeing in the Actes of the Apostles the 8. Acts. 8. 16. 10. 48. Chapter we reade that baptisme was giuen in the name of our Lord Iesus Christ when as notwithstanding in the Gospell the Lorde commaunded his disciples that they should baptize in the name of the father and of the Sonne The 8. reasō and of the holie ghost Yea and they alleage that at this day the order prescribed by Christ is peruerted Matt. 28. ve 19. 20 For he commanded that they should first teach and then baptize But wee deale otherwise we first baptize infantes afterward when they are growen we teach thē The 9. reasō And againe they say that that which Christ did is not obserued in our communion For we receaue the sacraments fasting whereas he distributed them when he and his Apostles had supped The 10. reason We also choose vnto our selues the morning whereas hée made his supper in the euening Neither doo we washe féete whereas he first washed his disciples féete and commaunded that one should wash an others féete The 11. reason In like maner they alleage the commaundement of the Apostle 1. Cor. 11. 4 to wit That a man should not pray or prophesie with his head couered nor yet a woman with her head bare Which at this day is not so carefully preciselie obserued Also a decrée of the first Councell The 12. reason Acts. 15. 29 which was held in time of the Apostles namelie that the Gentiles should abstaine from bloude and strangled The 13. reason is abolished And these fellowes cauill that the case of the Apostles with whom the Lord in his last supper communicated is not like the case of the Christian people For they were ordained by Christ to be Préests wherefore they say that iustlie and vpon good cause there was ordained an other disposition of the communion for the lay people The 14. reason They faine likewise that Christ otherwhile distributed the Eucharist vnder one kinde to his disciples especiallie when he went with them vnto the towne of Emaus where they are said to haue knowen him in breaking of bread Luk. 24. 35. Whereupon they argue that we offende in séeking to establishe a doctrine precept onely by one action of Christ Further they crie out that the consent of the Catholike Church maketh for them The 15. reason and they alleage causes whereby they are led to minister onelie one kinde vnto the laitie The 16. reason The first they say is least the wine should be spilt which might easilie happen if it should bée ministred to the whole multitude The 17. reason The other cause is for that it were requisit that as well wine as bread shoulde bee reserued for the sicke and ministered vnto them whensoeuer they should aske it which might not conueniently be doone because wine is so soone and easilie corrupted The 18. reason Besides this they obiect that there be many which drinke no wine who being able to receiue onely one part if both partes were of necessitie they woulde thinke that neither they communicate rightly neither that they haue the whole Sacrament Lastly The 19. reason they alleage the honour of the ministerie for they haue iudged it méete that more shoulde be attributed vnto their Massing Priests than vnto the general multitude Neither would they that the communion of the laitie should be of equall dignitie or estimation with the Masse I haue wel-néere recited their Arguments which be of most force 3 Nowe on the contrarie part I will shewe our reasons Against the mangling of the Eucharist whereby shall be shewed how grieuously they offend in this mangling of the Lordes Supper First they depart from the institution of Christ and preach an other Gospell than he himselfe and his Apostles haue preached And this doth excéedingly iarre from godlinesse This in diuinitie ought to bee a chiefe principle whereby all things must be resolued The Lorde saide It is the word of the Lord that indureth for euer From the which 1. Pet. 1. 25. if we shoulde be called backe to mens fancies since they often change we shall haue nothing firme in religion but we shall be driuen from certeinties to vncerteinties and the authoritie of men shall be equall to the authoritie of God The 2. reasō Gal. 1. 8. Vnto the Galathians it is written If wee or an Angell from heauen shall preach otherwise let him be accursed But and if that Paul wil neither haue Angels nor Apostles to bee heard which affirme any thing contrarie to the
Christ which he had with his Apostles would gather a generall precept séeing that action of Christ was not ordinarie but it had a precept ioyned therewith the which was afterwarde confirmed by Paul Moreouer we deale as wée shoulde when we haue recourse to the head and to the verie institution of the Sacrament 20 Now let vs speake of the causes To the 16. by which they pretend that the Church was led to make a decrée for the mutilation of this Sacrament The first was least the cuppe should be spilt Here we maruell excéedinglie at Irenaeus Basil Ambrose Nazianzene and Augustine béeing verie prudent Fathers who sawe not these daungers in the Eucharist or if they sawe them as likelie it is thou must acknowledge that they made no such account of them as they in respect of them violated the Sacraments the which neuerthelesse they administred very often For of priuate Masses there was then no vse They euermore communicated in the mysteries with others and the people ranne together to the Sacraments much more often than at this day they do They were not so greatly troubled if any part of the holy drinke had fallen vpon the ground A young mayd in Cyprians time did vomit vp the same Their chiefe care was that it might be distributed vnto them that were worthie But our men now are not carefull to driue away dogges and swine by which assuredly is doone a greater iniurie vnto the bloud of Christ than if the same should be spilt vpon the ground Wherefore we counsell that the godly ministers should take verie diligent heede that they shed not the holie cup. But if it shall happen by chaunce they may be sorie for it yet the matter must not be so exaggerated as it were an horrible and detestable crime Augustine Augustine as it is in the first question in the Chapter Interrogo vos A question whether the bodie of Christ or this world 〈◊〉 the more woorthie calleth into doubt whether the bodie of Christ be more worthie than his worde To some of the ruder sort it might seeme to be a blasphemous question yet is it disputed of by Augustine and he attributed as much to the word and saying of Christ as he did vnto the sacrament and he plainly saieth that the word of Christ is no lesse than the bodie of Christ Whereupon he concludeth that as we are carefull that a part of the sacrament should not fall vpon the ground euen so no lesse heede must be taken as well by the ministers of the word as by the hearers thereof that nothing be pronounced in vaine out of the words of God And neuerthelesse because it is a perillous thing that any of the wordes of God should by negligence slip away from him that pronounceth or from them that be hearers therefore the godly Sermons are not remooued from the people To the 17. 21 And as to that which they speake of corruption which might easilie happen if wine consecrated vnto the sicke should be kept we saie that no man driueth them into these extremities vnlesse it be their own superstitions Who constraineth them to kéepe the Sacrament of the Eucharist Who commaunded them this thing It behooueth say they to giue vnto the sicke That the Eucharist must be giuen to the sicke I graunt but the mysteries should also be celebrated before the sicke persons They cauill that the sick cannot alwayes stay and abide the long rites of ceremonies But let them consider that this verie thing ariseth of their own superstition and not from the commaundement of Christ That which Christ commaunded may be drawen into foure wordes Gregorie Gregorie testifieth in his Epistle that the Apostles vsed onelie the prayer of the Lord. But our men earnestlie affirme that the Sacrament of the Eucharist should be wrought onelie in their Masse and not otherwise So as they themselues are the cause of these impedimentes and therefore they must not be ascribed to the institution of Christ To the 18. 22 As touching the abstainers from wine and them which in respect of sicknesse cannot receaue wine Touching the absteiners we may readilie aunswere thrée wayes For there be some which say When there is this necessitie against which no law is of force let onely one part of the Sacrament be giuen vnto men but thereby is not prooued that as touching others which are able the Sacrament should be diminished by the decrée or doctrine of men because it is a rash part of a particular thing to bring in a generall rule It séemeth to be God which bringeth that man into necessitie neither dooth that man willinglie pollute the Sacrament of the Lord. It may otherwise be aunswered That any kinde of drinke may be vsed in the Eucharist that such drinke must be giuen vnto these men as they can away withall the perfection of the Sacrament and the reciting of the Lordes wordes being preserued But if one wil say that Christ did not so institute they that thus iudge doe aunswere that Christ vsed that drinke which might be abidden and which was méete for the receauers from whose institution they say that they depart not when they deliuer euery one to drinke that which he is able to abide For this séemeth rather to yéelde to the infirmitie of a brother than to violate the Sacrament But whatsoeuer may be thought of these answeres the which I will not vtterlie condemne to the third I willinglie agrée because it séemes to me to be sure and perfect enough to wit that if a man cannot receaue the Sacrament as it was instituted by Christ let him abstaine for if he desire it and beléeue no commoditie or benefit shall in that respect be wanting vnto him euen as vnto him that desireth Baptisme if he haue not the libertie thereunto it is imputed as if he had receaued the same Neither ought we by reason of these verie seldome chances to dismember the sacrament of Christ Lastlie they are boulde to affirme that by this meanes an honour is doone to the Ministerie To the 19. Vnto whom we answere that héerein consisteth not the honour of the Ecclesiasticall Ministery that he which distributeth the sacrament should haue a double portion or the greater péece of bread when as the people onelie receiueth one kinde and vseth a lesse péece of bread Paule very sufficiently in the first epistle to Timothie and also vnto Titus hath described excellent properties of Ministers 1. Tim. 3. 2. Titus 1. 2. by which they should commend their honor And againe vnto Timothie he wrote that the elders are worthie of double honor when they gouerne well 1. Tim. 5. 17. and do labour in the word of God And of this matter I thinke there is sufficientlie spoken at this time The twelfth Chapter Of the Masse Also of Sacrifices In Iud. 1. 33 BEcause in manie places there is oftentimes mention made of this Hebrew worde Mas
the other Yea and it is a most firme reason to saie There bée lawes therefore there be Iudges And if there be iudges there shall also be actions or pleadings of causes If there be Lawes there be also Iudges and iudgemēts And we reade that the Israelites euen at the verie beginning had controuersies which they brought vnto Moses Whereuppon Iudges were appointed when as Moses alone was not able to sustaine so great a labour And at the last was the lawe giuen vpon Mount Syna as wée haue it in the 20. Chapter of Exodus Neither could the lawe in a maner bring any vtilitie except that Iudges had bin appointed which shoulde execute the same Aristotle Aristotle in his Politickes called Iudges a liuely lawe Séeing therefore Iudges as it hath bin said be the worke of God and by him are instituted it is the part of godly men to set them forward And it commeth oftentimes to passe that thou art not able to helpe the poore the fatherlesse the widowe and straunger and finallie them which are committed to thy trust and to deliuer them from their oppressours vnlesse thou shalt implore the aide of publike iudgements and to forsake them thou maiest not with a safe conscience As touching the poore and oppressed Exo. 22. 21. the law admonisheth eueriewhere and howe those which belōg vnto vs must be holpē Paul vnto Timothie wrote in these words 1. Tim. 5. 8. He that hath not a care of his owne especially of his familie Elisaeus 2. kings 4. 13. hath renounced his faith and is worse than an Infidell Elisaeus the Prophet offered himselfe of his owne accord to intreate with the Magistrate for the widowe his hostesse And that we must not straight waie depart from our possessions fathers inheritaunce the example of Naboth the Iezraelite doeth testifie Naboth 1. king 21. 3 who would not deliuer his vineyarde vnto a Tyrant and this he did not through a desire that hee had of earthly things but that he might obey the lawe of God who after a iust maner diuided the landes amongst the Tribes and families as it is contained in the Booke of Iosua Iosua 13. Num. 36. 7. forbad by the lawes that they should not be transferred from one familie vnto another 4 Moreouer if our neighbour can bée brought by the authoritie of the Iudge from detaining of other mens goods it shall not be vngodly to lawe against him that he may at the leastwise be pulled from sinne And Augustine in his Booke De Sermone Domini in monte saieth Augustine that a seruant being conueyed awaie from a godly Maister if it be knowen that he will be marred vnder the gouernment of him that intysed him and that he may be reuoked from thence and recouered by iudgement he must not be forsaken It also happeneth oftentimes that the Pastors of Churches are hindered by the wicked from preaching or from féeding the shéepe of Christ and maie bee holpen by the publike power to execute their office fréely then must they not delay to attempt by iudgement For they then implore the helpe of GOD when they goe vnto the power appointed by him and vnlesse they shoulde this doe they might séeme to tempt God Sometimes also there maie happen a doubtfull case and that betwéene the godly for the iust possession of some thing whereas either of them would yéelde to other and neither of them will haue himselfe to be trusted because he feareth least he doe challenge that which is another mans and therefore with one consent they couet to haue that which is doubtfull to be determined by iudgement whereby they maie with a more safe conscience possesse that which they haue And they which indeuour wholy to take awaie iudgements doe giue an occasion vnto Iulian Porphirius and Proclus who slaundered Christianitie that it was an aduersarie vnto lawfull Common weales 5 Nowe séeing it is prooued Vnder what cautions we must goe to Lawe that it is lawfull sometime for godly men to goe to lawe let vs sée as touching the other point with what cautions this must be doone First of all must be prouided Psal 146. 3. that we mistrust not God that we put not confidence in Princes and Iudges Such men doeth the holy scripture plainely detest which pronounceth that we ought not to put our trust in Princes neither to put flesh for our Arme. Besides this let Charitie be kept inuiolate Ier. 17. 5. so as wée account not for an enemie that aduersarie against whom we haue commenced action Moreouer the powers of our minde must be examined and we must take héede that we be not led vnto this by disturbations of the minde or corrupt affections For it is better to lose the thing than to make a wracke of the spirit of lenitie and Christian gentlenesse Neither yet ought we for this cause to goe vnto the tribunall seates that we maie either increase our patrimonie or reuenue but the glorie of God safetie of our neighbour must chiefely be respected Also it is profitable that he which is to deale against any man in iudgement doe consider the imbecillitie of man and weigh how weake he himselfe also is For by that meanes as Augustine wrote vnto Macedonius the vehemencie of accusing is asswaged Augustine This did Christ commend when he answered the accusers of the adulterous woman Hee amongst you that is without sinne Iohn 8. 7. let him cast the first stone at her And as iudgements are at this day we are to take heede least with the indeuour of contention we cast not both our selues our aduersaries into grieuous and vnprofitable expences For iudgements are euerie where long differred sometimes by the treacherie couetousnesse of Iudges to the intent that they which be aduersaries at lawe maie be polled But yet the delaie of iudgements cannot all wholy bee condemned For oftentimes in the giuing of sentence there must be prouision made against the manifolde and subtill malice of men for the discouerie whereof nothing is more woorth than delay For in processe of time many things are opened which by craftes and subtiltie were hidden 6 But it should séeme that all meanes must be assayed before we come to sute of law euen in like manner as before warre is mooued all remedies should be sought And this would be verie decent for Christiās that controuersies should be taken vp by arbitrators common friendes Which also should not be wholie left vnto Magistrates for they should be eased of verie great and gréeuous trouble Séeing they are constrained oftentimes to sit all the day long to heare causes and the time which should be imployed about councell matters for the Common-weale least it should take anie harme they are constrained to spend vppon aduersaries at lawe In olde time among the Romans the degrée of gentlemen called Equites did execute iudgement afterward iudgementes did fall to the Senators
NOwe let vs sée whether it bée lawefull to fight a Combat They coÌ„monly call the same Duellum that is a CoÌ„bat betwéene twaine Not because this word doth properlie signifie that thing For Duellum properly signifieth euerie fight because therein two partes doe contend But I to the intent that this treatise may be the plainer will call 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is where one fighteth with one Duellum a Combate Whether a combate betwéene twaine be lawfull Dauid say they fought a Combate hande to hande therefore it is lawfull And the fathers when they wrote vpon that place made some note of that matter Howbeit the Canonicall lawes vtterly condemne it And the latter sort of Lawyers when they treat thereof say that the thing it selfe doubtlesse is nought but yet for as much as it is suffered among Princes therefore they say that they giue Counsell howe the same must be vsed As if there should be a disputation of whoredome all men would straightwaie graunt that the same is wicked and damnable but because it is suffered in many common weales they would admonish with what moderation it should be vsed Manie saie that it is lawfull to fight a Combate as if sentence of death be giuen against an innocent with this exception to wit vnlesse he will fight a Combate The selfe same thing they thinke to bee lawfull if that suites in lawe of ciuill and criminall thinges cannot otherwise be ended They say that examples be extant of Christian Princes who not onelie permitted this but also they themselues after this manner contended And they adde that this kinde of fight hath some shewe of a lot And séeing lots are permitted as wee haue largelie before declared this also by the selfe same right may be permitted Lastlie they saie that this is no lesse lawfull than warre But warre may lawfullie be made therefore also a Combate The difference betwéen war a combate Before I come to the matter it selfe it behooueth to shewe that there is a great difference betwéene a Combat and warre For in warre men incounter with great forces yea sometime with all their strength but in this cause the triall of the whole matter is permitted onely vnto two And although More and Lesse as they say doe not chaunge the kinde yet be there here great differences And further we must consider that there is a great difference betwéene a Combat and that defence whereby they saie it is lawfull to repell violence by violence Because he that is so inuaded by a Cutthâ—ote or théefe although he be a priuate man yet is he sufficientlie armed by the Common weale onelie for defending of himselfe and not for killing For he that is in that place cannot alwaies call for the Magistrates helpe But here they méete together by appointment and the one is fully minded to kill the other Combates taken in hand either by priuate counsell or by Princes permission Exo. 20. 13. Moreouer these conflictes are taken in hand either by priuate appointment or else by permission of the Magistrate Neuerthelesse that is altogether condemned For it is written Thou shalt not kill But this if the Magistrate permit there féemeth to bee in it a certaine kinde of iustice Howbeit we ought to knowe that we must not obey the Magistrate if either he commaunde or permit those things that be vniust and repugnant to the worde of God In déede we must obey the Magistrate We must obey the Prince Vsque ad Aras but yet Vsque ad Aras that is with a safe conscience towardes God And séeing such kinde of fight is an humane action that must be obserued therein which is obserued in other Actions That is vnto what ende the same is taken in hand The end of euerie action And the end of euery actioÌ„ hath a respect either of iustice or iniustice either of goodnesse or naughtinesse Wherefore let vs take reasons first from the word of God secondly from good lawes lastlie from the end Now let vs enter into the matter it selfe 2 The finall causes why some thinke that Combat should be permitted be diuers and manifold set foorth héere and there among manie sorts of authors both Lawiers and Canonistes and Schoolemen First they saie it is lawfull because they say it is in stead of proofe of a hidden thing that it may appeare some man hath right and is an innocent For when there appeare neither witnesses nor euidence the vttermost is to trie the matter by battell And among the Lawyers this kinde of triall is called vulgare as in the Decretals De Purgatione vulgari and in the same place De Clericis Duello certantibus and in the Decrees 2. Cause quest 5. in the Chapter Consuluistes and in the Chapter Monomachia It is also called vulgare because it is onely of the common sort of men and hath not any strength either by right or by lawes Wherefore this kinde of proofe is deceitfull and vncertaine It is not lawfull to abuse the creatures of God But these men abuse them séeing they laie holde of that for a Testimonie which was not instituted to that vse And that doth the end oftentimes declare wheras the iuster part is often vanquished For this séemeth to be the order of nature that the more strong and skilfull not the more innocent should haue the victorie And in the Decretals De Purgatione vulgari in the Chapter Significantibus there is a case described namelie that there were two men of whom one accused the other of theft and that they fighting together a Combat for triall of the cause the iuster man was slaine For the theft was found with the other How euerie man may trie his owne right But that which is euerie mans right maie be tried if thou wilt aske counsell of the holie Scriptures Either it may bée prooued by witnesses as when it is saide Deut. 19. 15 In the mouth of two or three witnesses shall euery word stand Or by writings Iere. 32. 7. c. as in the 32. of Ieremie when a néere kinsman would redéeme landes there were bookes written and sealed Or by publike confession Iosua 7. 19. therefore Iosua commaunded a wicked man openly to confesse his wickednesse and to giue the glory vnto God Or by an othe Exod. 22. 7. and therefore in Exodus if one had lent his garment to an other and that the same afterward had bin stolen it behooued him to whom it was lent to confirme by an oth that he tooke it not awaie And in the 6. Hebr. 6. 16. Chapter to the Hebrues that an oth is the ende of euerie controuersie But that sutes in law should be finished by Combat A combate is not lawfull for trying of suites in Lawe Ro. 14. 24. it is no where read in the holie Scriptures Wherefore they which fight after that maner doe it not of faith And whatsoeuer is not of faith is sinne Neither is
be excused than they which sinne by the instigation of lust proposition 3 The primitiue church had more prophets than the church now hath bicause signes were requiâ—… or the gathering of men vnto Christ and bicause that christian doctrine could not yet be had of godlie men by humane studie proposition 4 We haue not as the old synagog had perpetuall prophets bicause onelie Christ and his spirit which is present with his church succéeded all the old fathers Propositions out of the xxi chapter of the booke of Genesis Necessarie proposition 1 AN oth is a confirmation of the will of God or a testimonie of diuine things proposition 2 An oth of his owne nature is good proposition 3 It is lawfull for a christian man to sweare proposition 4 Although that an oth arise of an ill occasion yet is it of a good cause proposition 5 An oth whereby those things are confirmed which be repugnant with the word of God is void proposition 6 To auoid periurie it is good not to sweare but seldome and for great causes proposition 7 We must not sweare by the names of idols Probable proposition 1 TO sweare by creatures is not altogither forbidden by God proposition 2 They are not excused from periurie which doo vse fraudulent and craftie words proposition 3 It is lawfull for christians to take oths of infidels although they sweare by the names of their idols Propositions out of the xxij and xxiij chapters of the booke of Genesis Necessarie proposition 1 TEmptation is an vnknowne searching out of a thing to find out the knowledge thereof proposition 2 It cannot be denied but that God is the author of temptations proposition 3 God must not so be accounted the author of temptations as the fault of sinnes should be reiected vpon him proposition 4 It is lawfull for godlie men to resist temptations by praier proposition 5 Godlie men are not afraid of temptations whereby they should be excluded from eternall life proposition 6 To wéepe in funeralles is not forbidden proposition 7 Although death happen to no man but by the will of God yet they which sorrowe for the death of others doo not against the will of God proposition 8 We must beware least the prolonging or increasing of sorrowe be not against the faith of the resurrection proposition 9 Whether the dead doo lie buried or vnburied it maketh no matter as touching their owne saluation proposition 10 To be adorned with a sepulchre or to be destitute thereof is a solace or sadnesse of them that be aliue proposition 11 The care of burieng the dead must be reteined as a religious dutie proposition 12 The reuelation which commandeth that the bones of martyrs should be digged out of sepulchres to the intent they should be worshipped is not to be beléeued Probable proposition 1 IT is an absurditie to burie dead bodies in temples proposition 2 The saints which be dead are ignorant of themselues what is doone about their dead bodies or sepulchres proposition 3 It is agréeable vnto godlinesse for a man to choose himselfe a place to be buried in Propositions out of the xxiiij and xxv chapters of Genesis Necessarie proposition 1 THe seruant of Abraham which prescribed himselfe a signe to knowe the wife chosen by the Lord vnto Isaac did not tempt God proposition 2 He that séeketh an experiment of the power of God to the intent his owne faith or the faith of others may be the better confirmed or that he himselfe or others may be instructed such a one dooth not tempt God proposition 3 They doo tempt GOD which without a true faith but rather of a contempt doo séeke signes to satisfie their owne curiositie or desire proposition 4 To tempt GOD is without a cause to make triall of his power goodnesse and faith proposition 5 Curiositie is an immoderate desire of knowing whereby either we séeke those things that should not be sought or if they should be sought we séeke them not the right waie proposition 6 The women which somtimes in the holie scriptures are said to be the patriarchs concubines were their wiues proposition 7 Those things which are due vnto vs by predestination we ought to praie for and labour to atteine vnto proposition 8 Since predestination signifieth an eternall action of God we cannot assigne anie efficient cause thereof out of God proposition 9 We grant that God dooth predestinate them whom he forknew would vse well his gifts but we denie that the same good vse of Gods gifts is a cause of Gods predestination proposition 10 Our calling the good vse of Gods gifts faith and other vertues and holie actions of godlie men may be causes and beginnings of predestination but as from the latter and to knowe them by proposition 11 The declaration of the goodnesse and righteousnesse of GOD is the finall cause but there may be assigned a generall cause of Gods predestination Probable proposition 1 THe fathers sought wiues out of their owne kindred that a greater conformitie of maners might be had in matrimonie and that the worship of GOD might the more firmelie flourish among them and that they might haue the lesse familiaritie with infidels proposition 2 The barren which are described in the old testament to haue brought foorth no fruit declare fruitfulnesse to be the gift of God and doo confirme the childbirth of the virgine lastlie they signifie the regeneration of the children of God whervnto mans strength is not able to atteine proposition 3 Now are there no oracles shewed vnto vs as there were vnto the old synagog bicause Christ was appointed the end of oracles and by him came a more plentifull spirit and finallie there be now extant more and more cléere scriptures than the fathers had Propositions out of the xxv xxvi and xxvij chapters of Genesis Necessarie proposition 1 ALbeit God reuealeth vnto men some thing that shall come to passe it is not therefore lawfull for them to doo against the laws of God or against the rule of reason to bring it to passe proposition 2 Although they that doo vs good be but wicked men yet ought we with a thankfull mind both doo them good and wish them well proposition 3 When in the holie scriptures are shewed anie of the fathers sinnes we must not séeke from thence an example of life but rather woonder there at the faithfulnesse of God proposition 4 When the world is pressed with famine it is not to be doubted but that sinnes are punished thereby proposition 5 God otherwhile dooth good vnto the posteritie for the deserts of their forefathers which be now dead proposition 6 Albeit that enuie is a gréeuous sinne yet to be mooued with indignation and zeale dooth sometimes happen without blame proposition 7 Vehement perturbations of the mind must be auoided that we may be apt instruments of the holie Ghost proposition 8 The actions of the fathers which we sée haue a shew of sinne if we will grant that they were
determine of the goodnesse and naughtinesse of humane actions those eate the fruit of the trée of good and euill forbidden to our first parents Propositions out of the xx chapter of the booke of Exodus Necessarie proposition 1 THe commandement of the sabboth is partlie morall Thou shalt keepe holie the sabboth daie and partlie ceremoniall wherevpon some thing conteined therein is eternall and some thing but for a time proposition 2 The christian church erred not when in the place of the Iewes sabboth it appointed the Lords day to be kept whereof there is mention made in the holie scriptures although there is no commandement there extant as touching the obseruation thereof proposition 3 The magistrate ought to compell strangers although they be of an other maner of religion that they doo nothing openlie against the religion of the citie proposition 4 Those works were not forbidden to be doone on the sabboth daie which might neither be deferred nor preuented without the losse of life proposition 5 The works of charitie which we are bound necessarilie to doo vnto our neighbour must be preferred before holie ceremonies proposition 6 The commandements of God haue an order among themselues therefore when two of them méet togither at one time which cannot be performed both at once we must applie our selues to the former not indéed neglecting the latter but deferring it till an other time proposition 7 Those works must be doone vpon holie daies which by the word of God it is manifest doo belong to the worship of God proposition 8 It is lawfull for the church to adde vnto the ceremonies deliuered to vs by the word of God both time maner place yea and some ceremonie as well for ornament as for edifieng of the faithfull who neuerthelesse are not permitted to change the substance of them as the Papists haue doone in their Masse which now cannot be doone with a safe conscience proposition 9 The Monkes which drawe awaie children from their parents and make them Monkes Honor thy parents sinne more gréeuouslie than did the Scribes and Pharises whom Christ reprooued bicause they transgressed the commandement of honouring parents proposition 10 In the promises of temporall things God includeth spirituall promises proposition 11 Temporall things although they sometime séeme vile yet are they conteined in the promises of God to the intent we may be taught that the prouidence of God extendeth it selfe vnto all things and to let vs knowe that good things although they be neuer so small must be asked from God Probable proposition 1 IN the word Parents are comprehended schoole-maisters maisters ministers of the church bicause in old time when there were but few men the good man of the house performed all these duties proposition 2 In the table of the ten commandements parents are not expreslie commanded concerning dutie towards their children bicause they haue by nature more vehement affections ingraffed therevnto than children haue towards their parents proposition 3 The precept of honouring parents is chéefelie in the promise as Paule saith namelie in the particular promise for that promise which is in the second precept is generall Propositions out of the xx chapter of the booke of Exodus Necessarie proposition 1 WHen God commandeth that we should not kill he by the testimonie of Christ Thou shalt not kill forbiddeth anger which must not be vnderstood of euerie anger but of that onelie which is against charitie proposition 2 Reuenge belongeth not to priuate men séeing it is a worke of the magistrate proposition 3 They which saie that the commandement of not reuenging is a counsell and not of necessitie to saluation doo greatlie erre proposition 4 It is lawfull for euerie man against them that be priuate to repell violence by violence so it be not doone of hatred or desire to reuenge and onelie when an extreame necessitie forceth wherein we cannot vse the helpe of lawfull defenders proposition 5 The mishap of those that are punished with death is to be lamented but yet the execution of a iust iudgement against them must not be hindered by our defenses or by the intercessions of others proposition 6 It is not lawfull for a man to kill himselfe Wherefore Peâ—llianus is iustlie condemned for iudging them to be martyrs who when they were fallen into gréeuous mischéefes killed themselues vnder pretense of repentance proposition 7 Neither are those to be heard which grant the same when chastitie is put in danger proposition 8 The death of Samson excuseth not them which of their owne will doo kill themselues proposition 9 In the precept wherein adulterie is forbidden Thou shalt not commit adulterie matrimonie which is the contrarie is commended for that it is a lawfull â—oming togither of man and wife into one flesh by the institution of God for the procreating of children and godlie education of them and that fornication may be auoided proposition 10 The lawfull vse of matrimonie is not as manie thinke a veniall sinne proposition 11 They which saie that matrimonie is not good but in comparison of whooredome and adulterie are of an ill iudgement proposition 12 Matrimonie is violated when man and wife being lawfullie ioined togither into one flesh there is mingled a strange flesh not onlie in the grose and outward fact but with the hart with words beckes and other dispute actions proposition 13 Also matrimonie is violated by a diuorse admitted without lawfull causes proposition 14 It is not in the power of man and wife that the one should grant to the other the vse of their bodies vnto others out of matrimonie proposition 15 In a well ordered Common-weale the crime of adulterie ought to be punished with death proposition 16 Christ released not the seueritie of the lawe of God in that respect that he condemned not that woman which was taken in adulterie Propositions out of the xx chapter of Exodus Necessarie proposition 1 BY that precept Thou shalt not steale the Israelites could not be reprooued of theft when they robbed Aegypt Thou shalt not steale since to vsurpe other mens goods against the will of the Lord belongeth vnto the nature of theft But they carried not out other mens goods but their own to wit being giuen them by God proposition 2 By this precept are established priuate possessions of things so as there must be no communitie brought in as touching the possession of all our goods but onlie as touching a participation of the vse and fruits proposition 3 The entercourse of merchants if it be iustlie ordered is not to be condemned but it ought rather to be accounted as a bond of humane societie proposition 4 They which deceiue the magistrate of tributes are guiltie of theft no lesse guiltie are prâ—…ces when they exact greater tributes than reason would or else when they grant not vnto the subiects those things for the which they paie tributes proposition 5 They which deâ—…aâ—… ministers yoong students and the poore of the
be the summe of all such points of Diuinitie Philosophie and Historie c. as are therein comprised Gathered and laide together in an alphabeticall order as followeth An introduction to the Reader FOr the easier and readier vnderstanding hereof sith many places carie diuerse numbers both in respect of Part and Page it shal be necessarie to note that all such figures as stand thus inclasped or imbraced 1 2 3 or 4 doe signifie the 1. 2. 3. or 4. Part remembring alwaies that the whole volume is Quadripartite or consisting of 4. Parts besides the additions which may be a supposed Part by themselues the other figures as they fall more or lesse doe import the page or side of the leafe Note further that A inferreth the first columne as we commonlie call it or partition of any page B the second And thus much brieflie by way of aduisement The first Table Ab. Abraham OF Abrahams bosome 3 373. 374. 375. 376. 378. ¶ Looke Bosome Absolution A definition of Absolution 3. 208 b Abstinence Of Abstinence from flesh 3. 170 ab From whome it sprang 3 174 a In diuerse cases counselled 3 167b The Abstinence of the Nazarites and Rechabites 3 171 a 172 b Of the Manichies from mariage and flesh 2 293b ¶ Looke Meates Abuse The Abuse of good things is no reason why they should be quite taken away 1 47 b 2 341 a It may be euen of the verie best things 4 227 b A thing is not made euil by the Abuse thereof 3 3 a Abuses Whether Abuses in the Church must be borne withall 3 164 ab Ac. Accidents A difference of Accidents 2 505 a Accidents of the Lawe and the Gospell 2 586 a 577 ab Of the minde and the bodie 1 188 b That same thing may be spoken of them which cannot be spoken of the subiect 4 83 b Accuse If our heart Accuse vs what the remedie is 3 303 b Action Euerie Action and moouing is of God and how 1 188 b Sometime the worke which remaineth is more excellent and sometimes the Action and why 1 4 b How the selfesame Action is produced by God and by vs. 1 189 b 190 a What may and is counted an excellent Action 1 139 b The ende of euerie Action 4 308 b Better than vertue more to be desired than it 1 150 b How it is to be seuered from vertue 1 151 a That the most perfect must not be accounted for felicitie 1 151 a In what respect it must be of necessitie or necessarie 1 172 b That Action is sinne which is depriued of the ende due vnto it 2 265 a Two things to be considered in euerie Action 3 331 a An Action doone by another is said to be doone by our self 4 234 b The chiefe Action of mans life what it is and that brute creatures shall not partake it 1 132 a Euerie good Action is his good whose action it is and therefore honour is his that giueth it 1 142 a That the Action of vertue is wholie in the minde 1 151 b disprooued Of a general Action of God the effects of the same 1 181 b 182a Howe a worke can bee the ende of an Action when it is after the action 1 7 b Actions After what Actions the actions of vertues do follow 1 4 b Of diuerse vnlawfull Actions and their circumstances and whether they were tollerable 2 304 b 305. 306 The Actions of the affects and of reason be contrarie 2 406 b Pure and happie Actions remain for vs after this life saith Plato 1 159 a Vnhonest Actions called by Aristotle 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and why 1 163 b The Actions of vertue haue pleasure alwayes ioyned with them 1 135 b The onely commended meanes to attaine honour 1 144 b Nothing more firme constant than they 1 161 a.b In what respect good Actions are commended in aduersities 1 164 a They are sinnes 2 562 Of themselues sufficiently to be sought for 2 573 a Whether their pleasures do hurt 1 138 a Vnto what Actions felicitie doth belong 1 146 a By what Actions it may be altered 1 163 b To what end ciuil and domestical Actions do serue 4 220 a Whether at any time honour and iust Actions be diuided or alwayes ioyned together 1 142 b The Actions which are done before we attaine to an habit bréede not pleasure 1 136 a How honour is ioyned vnto Actions to what actions 1 141 b Outwarde Actions bee a certeine shewe of confession 2 316a b What is the deficient cause of euil Actions 1 184 a Actions are knowen by their obiectes 4 32◠b Some admit excesse other some admitte none 1 137 b Which be the perfecter 1 4 a Which follow after works already brought to passe 1 4 b Which cunning worked do neither go before nor yet follow 1 4 b The ende of them is not simple but sundrie 2 573 a 574 a A diuision of them 2 533 a 3 331 a To be iudged by their circumstances 3 264 a 2 515. 2 287bab 516 ab Whether they that procéede from anger and lust be voluntarie or not voluntarie 2 290 b 291 a Which deserue praise or dispraise 2 291 ab Some good some euil and some indifferent 1 136. Some necessarie 3 166 b Howe they haue and haue not necessitie 3 35 ab Differences of them and of pleasures 1 136 a In which the rule of charitie must be obserued 3 166 b Whether they shal be called necessarie or contingent 3 35 b 36 a Which are worthie of pardon and which not 2 284 ab Whether the Actions of creatures shal be perpetuall 3 394 b Mingled Actions ought to bee reckened among those that be voluntarie 2 291b For them wée be praised and dispraised in the scriptures 2 291 b 292 a Which take part of voluntarie and part of not voluntarie 2 394 b Why they be voluntarie 2 283 b When mens Actions haue an order 4 320 b 321 a We be not masters of them 2 565 a They cannot passe out of the boundes of Gods prouidence 1 199 b Our best haue their defect 2 566 b The peruersenesse of them 2 574 a Of Actions voluntarie not voluntarie violent and mixed read pages 280. 281. 282. 283. 284. 285. c. Voluntarie in brute beasts children through wanting the vse of reason prooued by scripture 2 293 ab Frequented Actions leaue an habite in the minde 1 4 b The iudgement of the scripture touching the choises and Actions of men 1 3 b They decrée appoint that there is a principall ende whereunto men direct all their Actions 1 6 b Howe Aristotles doctrine touching good Actions which delight good men standeth with the holy scripture 1 141 ab The Actions of the not regenerate are prone to euill and why 1 3 b in what respectes they are not right and acceptable vnto God 1 132 b they are better than their workes 1 8 b The Actions of God are by no meanes
deserue the title 4 70 b 71 a Cause The difference betwéene Cause meanes 3 52 b Whether one and the same Cause may produce contrarie effectes 3 289 b That which is the Cause of a cause may also be the cause of an effect as how 1 178 a 3 14 b An accidentall Cause can bee no cause say the Philosophers 1 173 a Euill hath not an efficient but a deficient Cause 1 184 a Of a Cause which so worketh that it is also wrought and not wrought of another 3 39 b That which is the latter cannot be the efficient Cause of that which went before 3 16 b One and the same thing may bee both the efficient Cause and the effect and how 2 600 a It is not lawfull for a sound and constant thing to assigne a mutable Cause as how 1 161 b Howe the instruments are affected to the efficient Cause 1 164 a What is the deficient Cause of euill actions 1 184 a God is not the proper Cause but the remoouing or prohibiting cause of sinne and how 1 191a How God may be said to be the deficient Cause of sinne 1 187 a An obiection that if God bee not the Cause of sinne then he is not the cause of all things 1 198 a The highest Cause of causes is Gods will 3 15 a Causes The coniunction of Causes and effects is hard to change 4 330 ab Efficient working vpon them to couet to bring foorth effects like themselues in nature as how 1 176 b Noble may sometimes bring foorth vile effects as how 1 156 b Of naturall Causes much spoken by way of assertion and confutation 1 79 ab How they be indefinite or not limited 1 175 a Betwéene them and effects there is a circuit and how 2 578 a All doe not necessarily bring foorth their effects 3 40 b Some are necessarie and some not necessarie what they be both 1 81 b A difference betwéene them and occasions 2 509 b 510 a In what respects there is no necessarie power of working in them 1 174 a God can let them be they neuer so certaine and necessarie and how 1 82 b We must not depend wholy vpon second Causes 3 258 b They doe oftentimes change themselues in working 1 173 b They are instruments of Gods prouidence 1 173 ab Of Gods sentence according to them 1 110 a Though somewhat forceable of themselues yet vnable to bring any thing to passe without Gods prouidence procured 1 170 a Causes of effectes knowne vnto spirits and how 1 82b The Causes of honour both formall efficient materiall and finall 1 141 b Thrée kinde of Causes deliberatiue demonstratiue and iudiciall and their times 4 255 a Ce. Ceremonie Thrée things in euerie Ceremony of the old lawe 2 580 a Of the Ceremonie of washing the féete 4 211 ab Ceremonies Ceremonies were accidents of the law 2 577 a Howe the prophets ment that they should be transferred to the Gentiles 2 579 a The law it selfe woulde haue them abolished 2 578 b With what charge God gaue them 2 579 b Whether they were vtterly vnknowne to the common people 3 310 a 4 105 b 106 ab Some thing in them firme and perpetuall 2 577a b 375b Why God gaue them which should afterwards be abolished 2 579 b 1 173 b 174 a Whereby it may be gathered that God woulde not haue them longer obserued 2 577 b At what time they were not vsed of the Iewes 2 577 a God himselfe abolished them 2 577 a Onelie one thing pertaining to them commaunded in the tables of the law 2 350 b In what peculiar place they were exercised 2 577 b It is no great matter whether they be vsed all alike in all places of a kingdome 2 324 b Which may be chaunged for edification sake 2 324b The Papists bring in Pauls example to approoue the vse of them 2 320a The fathers in the law were bound to more than we 2 593 b In what respect they are counted detestable before God 1 2 b Of their vse and howe long they should last 1 9 b Howe long they remained after Christs ascension 2 320 b Whether it were lawfull for holie men in the corrupt Church of the Iewes to communicate with them 2 321 b The Nicodemits compared them with the inuentions of men and why 2 320 b Whether the Iewes vnderstoode the promises which were sealed by them 4 105 ab Whether iustification be denyed to be onely as touching them 3 10â—ab 10â—ab 105a The time when they had their beginning 2 579 b 580a Whie they were instituted 4 140 a Iohn Baptist shewed that they shoulde bée abolished 2 579 a Cautions touching them in the Church 4 42 b 43 ab Diuerse Papisticall 4 70 ab Burthens in the Church complained of 4 77 b In what respect Paul was content that they might be vsed 2 320 ab Certaintie Of the Certeintie of hope much spoken too and fro 3 83 b 84 ab The fathers of the Church taught the Certeintie of saluation 3 â—5 a Ch. Chance How things depending of Chance doe fall out to be necessarie prooued 1 175ab Euen the things that to be so 〈◊〉 to come by Chance are gouerned by Gods prouidence prooued 1 17â— b 18â— b 173 a â—…9 a Fortune and Chance are referred vnto vs not vnto God examples 3 3â— ab Why any thing shoulde be saide to come by Chance seeing God hath determined of the one part so made it a thing of necessitie 1 174 b A cause comming by Chance can be no cause say the Philosophers 1 173 a The nature of things that come by Chance what it is 1 34 a What things are saide to be doone by Chance and not of necessitie and contrariwise 1 169a 174 a Whether Gods prouidence take away Chance and fortune 1 168 b 174 a Why in the nature of things some be necessarie and some casuall or depending vpon Chance 1 174 b What the Grecians call a thing comming by Chance and how many sorts of them there be 1 169 b The peripatetiks were of opinion that many thinges come by Chance 1 172 a What kind of games depend thereupon 2 525 ab Howe thinges are saide to be by Chance in respect of God and vs. 1 169 ab The Philosophers assigne two groundes or beginnings of Chance 1 169 ab Change Whether there be Change in God 3 302 a 10 a 37 b In what respect there is and is not 1 208 a Whether it be in the thing it selfe or in him 1 207 a None in him though in mans reason there maie séeme to be 1 109 b 3 49 ab All men but not after one manner confesse it 1 208 b Whether God doeth Change his purpose when man changeth 1 207 b The Change of man commeth not of himselfe but of God 1 207 b Of the Change of all thinges at the ende of the worlde 3 393 a ¶ Looke VVorlde Charitie A definition of Charitie 2 558
haue béene oftentimes doone for the escaping thereof read examples 2 282 b Who they be that abhorre and feare it 3 85 b A consolation for the taking thereof 3 318 a Whether Christ in remoouing of sinne remooued it 3 315 a Why God will haue it to be gréeuous to his 3 319 a The state of the faithfull after it 3 235 a Whether it is to be accounted euill or good 3 317 a Whether it ouercome all men without exemption 3 380 ab Whether the essentiall beginnings of man do perish thereby 3 365 b Howe it is made profitable to Gods children 3 319 a The procurer thereof 3 43 a The bodie of the first man was not of necessitie subiect vnto Death 2 246 a Whether God would the Death of a sinner 3 42 ab The difference betwéene the Death of a man and a beast 3 332 a The Death of the bodie dependeth of the death of the soule 3 42 b Howe the Death of our bodie cannot be called death 2 589 b The Death which children suffer is a reason to prooue that they haue originall sinne 2 215 b What Ierom writeth touching the Death of Esai 1 31 a By what scriptures the Death of Christ is prooued 2 608 ab Most ignominious read how 2 618 ab Why Christs Death was so acceptable to his father 2 610 b What we must cal vpon in thinking thereof 2 607 b 608 ab Christ called Death baptisme 4 114 a Debt What the ciuill lawe determined touching priuate and publike Debt 4 315b 316 a Debtors The lawes of God touching Debters 4 316 a Ciuil lawes for them 4 315 ab Deceipt What Deceipt is and wherein it is forbidden 2 534 b ¶ Looke Guile Dedication Consecration and Dedication differ 4 â—24 b Of what strength the names thereof be 4 123 a A lawfull kind of Dedication 1 126 a What is to be doone at the Dedication of a Church 4 66 a From whence it came among Christians 4 124 a 123 a Dedication of the walles of a Citie 4 123 b Of the Hebrues 4 124 b Of Bizantium or Constantinople 4 123b The rites of the Ethniks 4 124 a Of priuate houses 4 123 ab ¶ Looke Consecration Defect Euerie Defect maketh not a thing euill prooued 2 222 b Definitions Thinges differing in nature haue some things common in their Definitions 3 91 b Delaie God vseth Delay in his guifts for thrée considerations 2 332 a Deliberation Concerning what things Deliberation is néedefull and concerning what it is néedlesse 2 253 a In what holy thing it néedeth not 2 316 a It doth not properly concerne pleasant grosse delights 2 295 b Demonstrations Demonstrations of two sorts 3 333 ab Descending The Descending of Christ into hel 2 621 a 3 374. 375. 344 a ¶ Looke Christ and Hell Desire Whether the power of Desire and of anger be all one 2 409b 410 a How it is carried vnto those things which be pleasant and vnpleasant 2 295 a An argument that it is not choise and that desire is contrarie to desire 2 294 b 295 a How contrarie anger is thereunto 2 410 a It commeth néerer to the sense than anger doth 1 410 a Howe the desire of praise must be reformed 2 382 b Desire of honour in Alexander and Iulius Cesar noted 1 144 ab It driueth men somtimes to madnesse 2 383 a The moderate Desire of honour is not to be blamed and what is saide to and fro therof 1 143 ab 144 a ¶ Looke Honour and Praise Desires Desires may be plucked away from the worke so cannot pleasures 1 136 b Contrarie Desires cannot be both at once in one man 2 295 a The Desires of actions are sundry and are the causes that pleasures doe varie 1 136 b Desperation Against Desperation 3 85 ab Wherof it procéedeth 3 68 a What faith and feare driueth men thereto 3 92 b 66 a 67 a It is one of the extremes of hope 3 68 a A woonderfull example of the same 3 23 b 24 a Destinie Destinie defended 3 6 b In what respect the Stoikes seuer mans wil from it 2 280 a Boetius opinion from whence it hath his name 1 174 b The reason why the Stoiks bring it in 2 277 b What kinde of necessitie they defined it to be 1 175 b The Ethnikes thereby vnderstoode God 3 36 a A subtle argument of Origens touching the same 3 6 ab Whether by the doctrine of Predestination it be confirmed 3 4 b 5 a Fauourers thereof 3 38 ab 39 a Wee must absteine from the name and why 3 5 a Howe the word is to be allowed or not allowed 3 36 a 9 a Destruction In what respectes Christ ma. bée called Destruction 3 355 a Whether the Destruction of cities and men belong to Gods seruices 2 403 b Deuises Platos narration of a Demon that presented Thamus king of Aegypt with foure of his Deuises and what they were 1 52 a Di. Diceplay Against their reasons which defende Diceplay 2 525 b 526 a Condemned by the ciuill lawes 2 525 b Iustinians decrée for the abolishing thereof 2 525 b Whether thinges lost thereby be recouerable 2 526a Discipline Ecclesiasticall or Ciuill Of Discipline and what the same is 1 57 a 2 634 a In what thing the ecclesiasticall consisteth 4 56 a Defined 4 96 a No inuention of man 4 56 b Life and manners must be tryed thereby 4 16 b Almost vtterly lost 3 236 a Vnto whome it belongeth and that it must be learned 1 154. Ciuill Discipline must not be neglected of Infidels and why 2 264 a By it the scourges of Gods wrath are auoyded 3 10 a The Ethnikes doe sinne lesse by kéeping therof than by reiecting of it 2 264 a By what meanes it is preserued in the worlde 2 364 b 365 a 466 b Discontinuance Of Discontinuance in artes sciences vertues c. and the effect of the same 1 161 b Diseases What Christes healing of bodily Diseases teacheth vs. 3 129 b 130 a The daunger of the contagious and that wee ought to auoide it 2 312 b Not onely bodilie but also of the minde deriued from the parentes to the children 2 231 a The causes of them and their difference 2 553 b Such as come by kinde doe passe from the parents to the Children 2 239 b They haue naturall causes and howe the Philistines behaued themselues in their diseases 1 13 b Dispensations A Dispensation graunted by God to the Iewes to marrie with the seuen nations of Chanaan 2 446 b Touching Polygamie and the reasons why 2 425 a 427 a Dispensations Whether the Pope may graunt Dispensations in cases of matrimonie 2 445 b For marriage betwéen parties of degrées forbidde 2 451 a The Schoolemen defende it 2 453 a For othes 2 537 b Dissentions Dissentions in the Church of the Iewes and of the Apostles 4 3 a Are no iust proofes that the Church is not the true Church 4 2 b 3 a ¶ Looke Contentions
kinde of ignorance excuseth a Fault 4 301 a Faultes What we are to doe when wee see the Faultes of our neighbour 4 259 b Looke Offenses Fauour In what case wee be if we bee not perswaded of Gods Fauour 4 142. It is prooued that Gods grace is the Fauour which hee beareth vs. 3 49 b The difference betweene Fauour loue and charitie 2 558a Fe. Feare Feare defined 3 271a and diuided 3 65a b Fiue kindes thereof mentioned of the schoolemen 3 66a The affect of the same how it worketh in the heart 2 411 ab It flieth an euill thing which is harde to bee shunned 2 410a A true distinction betweene seruile and a childlike 3 66 a What is in the saintes whiles they bee aliue 3 67 a Whether the adopted be deliuered from all kinde thereof 3 65 a Of damnation and how it worketh ◠64 ab Without faith 3 67b 66b Remedies against an euil Feare 3. 69 a What manner of one Christes was 3 66b 67 a How perfect charitie casteth it out 3 67 b 65 a 290 b 291 a Whether seruile Feare be vnprofitable 3 65 b Of Feare comming of an euill conscience 3 69a Why white wee liue here wee cannot shake off all Feare 3 64 b It hath respect to many kinds of euils 3 67 b Paules exhortation therto is not vnprofitable 3 64 ab Howe farre foorth faith and it doe agree 3 64a Of an euill Feare and whereof it springeth 3 69 a Whether seruile Feare prepareth vnto iustification 3 115 a What maner of Feare is in the saintes departed 3 6◠a Howe faith and it are coupled together 3 66 b Howe it can abide and yet be driuen out 3 65 b In whom it is neuer separated from faith 3 66ab What the Feare of God signifieth in the Hebrue phrase 1 6 b Howe great a dignitie it is to Feare God 2 259b Howe Feare may bee godly and vngodly 3 184a How a seruile Feare may be called profitable 3 115 b Whether Ieptha was driuen by a godly Feare to sacrifice his daughter 3 184a With Feare trembling worke your saluation expoūded 3 117 a Fearefull Who is Fearefull and the nature of such a one 3 271 a Feastes Of three principal Feastes yeerely celebrated of the Iewes the meaning of them 2 376 ab Feasting Of preposterous Feasting 3 269 b Feete The washing of Feete and what it signified 4 211 ab ¶ Looke Ceremonies Fellowship Fellowship distinguished 4 58 b The Fellowship of the Church is compounded 4 60 b ¶ Looke Communion and societie Felicitie ciuill or naturall Aristotles definition of Felicitie 2 257 b 1 132 a Actiue contemplatiue which the most excellēt 2 301 a The miserable fall of Priamus from it 1 158 b Principles thereof and principles of miserie 1 166 ab Solons sentence touching the same not to be had in this life assented vnto of Diuines 1 166 a Whether aduersities doe beautifie or blemish it 1 163 b 164 a Onely Iob recouered it being lost 1 165 b Whether God be the cause therof according to Aristotle the Peripatetickes 1 154 ab 157 b Pouertie is no let thereunto and how that is prooued 1 149 a It may be retained in extreme torments of Phalaris bull say the Stoikes ◠163 b Friendship is necessarie thereunto and why 1 148 b False and true causes thereof 3 113 a What kind of men haue a hard Felicitie as Eustratius saith 1 149 b The aunswere of some why it is obtained but of fewe the same being so common 1 155b Store of good children required thereunto 1 148 a Who be excluded from it according to Aristotle 1 155 ab Vnto whome calamities are no hinderances touching the same 1 158 a Fortune bringeth it not to orth and why ◠156 b What the holie Scriptures determine touching vertue belonging thereunto 1 153 ab Whether it is to bee had in our life time or not vntill our death 1 158 b 159. all 1 160 a Vnto what actions it doeth belong 1 146 a Aristotles conditionall argument that it commeth of God 1 154 ab The meanes which he speaketh of to attaine it are commaunded vs in Scriptures 1 157 b Hee reckeneth vp fiue causes thereof which be reduced to two 1 154 a He excludeth God and fortune from the causes thereof howe 1 156 b 157a Why he remooueth fortune therefrom 1 156 ab Howe his definition thereof agreeth with the holie scriptures 1 132 ab That which hee treateth of is but politike or ciuill 1 149 b Strong reasons proouing that it springeth not from fortune 1 157 a Whether a man may returne from his present miseries to his former Felicitie 1 165 b Of the Felicitie of man in this life and in what things the same consisteth 1 125 a It must not be sought from accidental causes and why 1 161 a Two hundred fowre score and eight opinions might bee reckened of the same 1 133 a Their absurditie that make it depend vpon fortune 1 161 a No disagreement about the name thereof but about the thing it selfe 1 132 a Whether all pleasures haue fellowshippe therewith 1 140 b Honour is not felicitie and wherein it concurreth concurreth not with it 1 141 b 142 a c. The opinions of Philosophees touching the same distinguished 1 132 b The cause why there arose so manie so variable opinions thereof 1 133 ab By what actions it may be altered and chaunged 1 163 b The meanes whereby GOD doth giue it as Philosophers say 1 155 a An obiection that the most perfect action must not bee accounted for it 1 151 a What the Scriptures determine touching the outward things belonging thereunto 1 148 b 149 ab Calamities hinder it not prooued by scripture 1 153 b What Felicitie Epicurus ascribed vnto God 1 13 a Beautie required to Felicitie and what Aristotle meaneth by beautie in that place 1 147 b Nobilitie required therunto and why 1 148 a It is a diuine thing by what three principall means it may be obtained that the same is common to all men 1 155 ab 156 a Solons sentence to Cresus boasting of his Felicitie 1 158 b Children may attaine Felicitie prooued by Scriptures 1 157 b 158 a Who are borne vnapt thereto 3 30 b Theophrastus against the Stoikes that it cannot be in torments 1 153 a All kinde of pleasure is not secluded from it and why 1 134 a How it may be adorned and also blemished and by what meanes 1 163 a Great prosperitie encreaseth it in the blessed 1 162 b Howe it can be the cause of vertues and yet be produced of them 1 162 a Whether it would haue neede of goods farre inferior vnto it 1 147 a Contemplation a great part thereof 1 5 a 149 b Being an action it cannot happen to men in death 1 159 a It is the most excellent end 1 4 a Why it dependeth vpon wisedome as saith Cicero 1 160 b Outward goods
ghost is in vs before faith 2 578 a A long contention betweene the Greeke and Latine Churches whether hee proceeded from the Sonne 1 107 b Whether hee should haue taken vpon him some visible nature as the sonne did seeing he was also sent 1 109 a He is not the same that be his giftes 2 627 b Of sinne against the Holie ghost 3 239 a 206 b 207 a Why it is irremissible 2 628 a Not apparently knowen 4 59a Whether such are to bee excluded from hearing Gods worde 1 57 b 58 a Whether all hope of their saluation is to bee cast away 4 59 a Holinesse What Holinesse is in the infants of faithfull parents 4 115 ab 2 25◠ab Whether a Holinesse consist in fasting 3 255 ab Homousion Of the worde Homousion and howe the olde Catholikes coulde not away with it 1 108 b Honestie A distinction of naturall Honestie out of Phil. Melanchthon 2 425 b Honor. Definitions of Honour or glorie 1 142 a 141 b 2 381 b Greater Honor must not be done to anie than the worthinesse of his person requireth ◠144 b Whether at any time it bee seuered from vertues and iust deedes or ioyned alwayes with them 1 142 b Howe and in what cases errour and offence is done on the part of him that doeth giue Honour 1 145 a Herod Domitian and Nero had Honour done them farre aboue their degree 1 144 b How Aristotles doctrine touching Honour agreeth or disagréeth with the Scripture 1 145 b It is not the cheefest good and reasons why 1 146 b 145 b 141 b 142 a What Honour is due vnto Princes and excellent creatures 2 342 b 377. 378 Wherein the Honour due to parents consisteth 2 380 b How Honour is ioyned vnto actions to what actions 1 141 b Whether the desire of Honour should bee accounted among good things or euill things 1 143 a Whether the testimonie of one honest and wise man be sufficient thervnto or the signification of many required 1 142 b The causes thereof both formall and efficient and in what signes the matter thereof shal be 1 141 b How Honour followeth vertue as the shadowe doth followe the body reade the similitude 1 142 b 143 a It is of the kinde of those thinges which are referred to some other thing prooued by scripture 1 145 b Whether it bee his that giueth it or his to whom it is giuen 1 142 a In giuing it vnto good men what we get and in contemning them what we gaine 1 143 b What kinde of Honour it is which we should to good and honest men 1 143 b The chéefe and perfect Honour that the faithfull shall haue of Christ at the last day of iudgement 1 144 a Honor is the good both of him that doth giue it and of him to whom it is giuen 1 142 a A rule of Augustines to be obserued in the receiuing of Honour 1 144 b Honour is not indéede the rewarde of vertues 2 381 b 382 a That we must not take too much care for it and of diuerse that haue hunted after it 1 144 ab Of how large and ample a signification this word Honour is 377 ab It must not be desired simplie and for it owne sake 1 144 a A sentence of Salust touching the desire thereof 2 382 a Why we do Honour vnto excellent men 2 381 b The right way to come to Honour is vertuous actions 1 144 b In what things the Honour due to God consisteth 2 342 b Honours In what respects Honours do profite them that doe well 1 144 a The duetie of them that yéelde and giue Honours vnto others 1 145 a Of such as buy them being a vice condemned by all iust lawes 1 144 b Why they are to be desired 1 143 b A diuision of them some small and slender othersome sounde and substantiall 1 142 a Cautions to bee vsed in the admitting of them 2 381 b Honours may soone be taken away 1 145 b It is lawfull for holy men to take them being offered and why 2 381 b We must vse them well when we haue gotten them and how some abuse honours 1 145 a Are compared to a brittle glasse 1 142 a Hope A definition of Hope 3 85 b Of two sorts 3 87b 88 a Why God gaue it vs. 3 86b The obiect and subiect thereof 3 84 a The vse of the same 3 88 a The certeintie and vncertaintie thereof 3 82. 83. 84 ab 87 b 88 a Whereupon it depēdeth dependeth not 3 82 ab 83 a Whether Hope dependeth of merits 3 86 b How it doeth not confound 3 82 ab Of what extreames it is the meane 3 67 b Whether it bee the forme of faith 3 74 ab It conteineth expectation or attendance 3 86 a Howe Hope is after and not after faith 3 85 b It hath respect vnto difficult thinges as howe 3 86 a Taken for regeneration and for faith 3 158 a The difference betwéene it and faith 3 86 b It is an affect of the angrie power and why 2 410 a Howe emulation and Hope are ioyned together 2 417 b In it is sorrow ioyned together with ioy 3 86 a Whether the sainctes in heauen haue Hope 3 88 a Faith Hope and charitie are inseparable 3 72 a Christian Hope is carried vnto those good things which cannot bée séene and howe 1 1 a 2 a Howe it is discerned from the counterfait 3 87 b Whether the workes of charitie and it be iust 3 156 b Whether Paul were frustrate thereof as it should séeme by his words 3 86 b 87 a Hope is a golden chaine and how it is confirmed 3 88b What is required for the triall thereof 3 87 b The Hope of Christians and Ethnikes differ 3 89 a What it is to beléeue in Hope contrarie to hope 3 96 a The Godlie in affliction cast it not away 3 85 a In what part of euerie liuing creatures minde it consisteth 3 86 a Howe absurdlie the schoolemen define it 3 83 ab It calleth those thinges which are to come as alreadie doone 3 84 b Howe Hope and charitie are ingendred of faith 3 74 b Whether good workes auaile to the certaintie of Hope 3 86 b What the fathers of the Church say of the same 3 85 ab Horses Howe Salomon had such store of Horses sith Palestine bréedeth verie few 4 317 a The price of these Horses 4 318 b Hospitals Hospitals néere vnto Temples 4 17 b Hospitalitie Hospitalitie becommeth a noble man 2 522 a Whereof we may gather that it is a verie good vertue 1 49 b To followe it is more than to kéepe it 2 522 a The lawes thereof ought ordinarily to bee kept vnuiolate prooued 2 522 b 523 a Inioyned vnto ministers 4 17 b The swallow noted for an enimie thereto 2 522 b 523 a The Hospitalitie of Abraham Lot and others 2 522 a Whether Iohell did right in violating the lawes of Hospitalitie 2 522 ab Lot
how necessarie an art the same is and that it is a procurer of wisedome 2 302 a The right meanes of disputing contemned by Epicures 1 153 a It hath diuerse endes and purposes 1 7 a How it ceaseth to be Logike and becommeth Sophistrie 1 20 b Rhetorike and Logike interchangeable artes 4 132 a Rules in Logicke resolued 4 73 b 54 a 1 43 b Longsuffering Of the Longsuffering of God before hee punish sinne 3 111 b ¶ Looke Patience Lorde Lorde and God in the Scripture both counted one 3 339 b Why Christ is called Lorde 2 606 b 615. 610 a Lot What is meant by the distribution of kingdomes by Lot 4 305 b What manner of Lot could haue place in the soule of Christ 2 245 a Lottes Manie kindes and what Cicero reporteth of them 1 59 b All may be reduced to three sortes 1 60 a A question what néede the Israelites had of them then hauing better directions 1 60 b What the Scripture teacheth vs concerning them 1 59 a Vppon what principle or ground◠they doe depende 1 60 a Much vse of them among the Iewes in diuers cases 1 59 b Fiue thinges to bee obserued and marked in the vse of them 1 60 ab Darius king of Persia instéede of them vsed the neighing of an horse 1 59 b The example of them in the election of Matthias must not bee followed 1 60 b In olde time sundrie waies 1 59 ab Howe when and in what causes they must be vsed 1 60 a Of Elections by them and what wee haue to marke therein 1 59 ab Howe Ieroms meaning is to bee taken in that hee saith the vse of thē is vtterly vnlawful 1 60 b In what case of giuing almes Augustine admitteth them 2 519 ab 1 60 a What we haue to note vpon this that whiles Lottes were a casting God was prayed vnto 1 60 b Loue natural or ciuill The definition of Loue. 3 258 b 2 384 b 556 b Wherewith Saul loued Dauid and of Dauids loue to Ionathan 2 385 a Touching Loue in diuers doubtfull respectes reade certaine cases propounded 2 380 a Whether that of children is lesse to bee estéemed than religion 3 184 a Of children and of wiues compared 2 574 b The force of brotherlie Loue. shewed by examples 2 557 a Wherein it consisteth 2 558 a From whence it springeth 2 557 a What the lawe commandeth touching the Loue of our selues 3 257 b 258 a What kinde of affection it is 2 556 b Why God perswadeth vs therunto in his law 2 280 a The difference betwéene fauour Loue and charitie 2 558 a The endes of true Loue and fained or false loue 2 384 b Prodigious and inordinate Loue. 2 450 a What remedie God ordeined as a medicine for raiging Loue in the Iewes 2 446 b 447 a ¶ Looke Friendshippe Loue Theological The Loue of God described 3 280 b Gods Loue election and predestination ioyned together 3 9 a Wherin the Loue of God towards vs did chieflie shine 2 610 a What it requireth of vs. 2 611 a Wherein it chiefly consisteth 2 567a Of the same out of Barnard and Augustine 2 574 b 575 a What kinde of Loue Gods lawe requireth 2 568 b It goeth before all other gifts 3 49 a It bringeth vs infinite instructions 2 611 ab How towards God it is kindled 3 17 a Whether the same whereby God loueth vs doe spring from our loue 3 17 b 18 a Whom we should set before vs as a paterne to Loue God 2 572 a When we shall Loue God with all our heart c. 3 54b 55 a Why we cannot Loue God in this life perfectly 3 228 b Why we are commaunded to Loue God with al our heart sith it cannot be performed in this life 3 54 b 55 a How Loue is ingendred of faith 3 74 b Whether it iustifieth vs. 3 138 b 139 ab Vnperfect and faultie in this life 2 558 b 563 a When it is performed 2 566 a How they that Loue God are saide to kéepe his commaundements 2 569 a The words of Christ Thou shalt Loue the Lord c. expounded 2 556a ¶ Looke Charitie Lu. Luke Luke was a physician and no painter as some say he was 2 335 ab Lust Two sorts of Lust 2 552 b Compared it to a verie strong bonde and that it maketh the actions of men not voluntarie 2 289 b The obiects of the same 2 552b Prodigious and inordinate 2 450a The eye leadeth thereto 2 481 b A cause of painting the face 2 508 b Not the holiest man aliue frée from it 2 552 a Whether it be more filthie and shameful in women than in men 2 491b 492 a Lust specially treated of as the hed of all euils 2 551 b The commandement against Lust is not rightly diuided into twaine 2 553 ab That precept cannot be fulfilled in this life 2 566 a Chrysostomes errour touching the precept Thou shalt not Lust 2 594 a Diuerse interpretations of these words Thou shall not Lust 2 552 a ¶ Looke Concupiscence and Desire Lusts Whether to haue Lusts and to bée giuen euer vnto them is all one 1 203 b 204a Whether they that be stirred vp with them are to be compared with phrentike men 4 251 b Intollerable Lusts gréeuously punished read the examples 1 49 b Luther Luthers manner of repeating the ende of the first table in euerie precept of the latter table 1 8 b 9 a Ma. Madnesse What P. Martyr determineth of such as kill themselues through Madnesse 2 391 b Of the Madnesse that God sent vpon Abimelech and the Sichemits and why it was 2 390 b Magike Against Magike and arts forbidden 2 437 b Of diuerse myracles wrought by that art 1 85 a That art Magike is vaine and vncertaine prooued by Plinie 1 84 b Tertullian prooueth the arts Magike a second ydolatrie and how 1 73 b Magicians Magicians can doe manie thinges prooued by Gods worde 1 84 b 85 a The meanes that they vse in working their art Magike 1 79 b What diuerse writers haue diuerslie thought of the Magicians rods turned into serpents 1 86 a That there be Magicians and howe the Platonists Peripatetikes and Diuines vnderstand Magicians 1 78 b 79 a Being brought into the Councell before a iudge haue vanished away 1 116 b Nero and Iulian being Magicians could do nothing by their art 1 84 b The inconueniences that haue fallen vpon some by giuing themselues vnto Magicians 1 84 b Sharpe lawes made against them and such as repaire vnto them for counsell or any other purpose 1 84 b 85 a ¶ Looke Sorcerers Magistrate The definition of a Magistrate 4 226 a 22 b Whether he may beare rule ouer preachers 4 38 a What the Church must doe if the Magistrate be vngodly 4 38 b How the consent of the people dependeth vppon his voice 2 437 a Whether he ought not to punish offenders with death 4 291 a Those that striue against their
not separate beléeuers 4 2 b The necessarie coniunction of places and bodies together 3 373 b 363. 364. Places shall bee in the life to come 3 364 a A distinction of infernall places 3 374. 375. 376. 377 Play Manie kindes of play reade in the holie Scriptures 2 525 a No rule in holy scripture concerning it 2 525 a The plaie of Samson though honest yet deadlie 2 528 a Plaies Plaies are generallie founde in the holy scriptures 2 527 a To what intent the ciuill law forbad them 2 527 b Other honest exercises besides them to be vsed and what 2 528 a Reasons diswading vs from them 2 527 b Whether all kinde are to bee misliked 2 524b The fathers condemned stage Playes and why 2 527 a ¶ Looke Games Planets The cause of the motion of the Planets and why they are mooued 1 120 a Plants What life Plants haue 4 22 b Please What women labour to Please men 2 510 a Pleasant The generall cause why any thing is said to be swéete and Pleasant vnto any man 1 140 a Some things are Pleasant naturallie and some things accidentally 1 140 b Pleasantnesse Pleasantnesse in mocking vsed euen of Gods seruants 2 534 a Pleasure The definition of Pleasure 3 46 b 1 135 b Of two sorts and which be commended 2 412a Which is taken of procreation is not simplie euill 2 245 b Of his owne nature it is good and to be desired but not of all things 1 138 b That one extinguisheth and letteth another 1 136 a Whether it must be wished for the life or the life for pleasures sake 1 139 b Aristotles proofe that it is not a motion 1 135 b Pleasure is not strange from felicitie and of what kinde of things it séemeth to be 1 140 a Plato and Aristotle agrée in the subiect thereof though after a sort they disagrée 1 135 b Attributed by Plato vnto the sense 1 134 b Why Epicurus thought that it was the chiefest good 1 133 a A possible qualitie and in the predicament of qualitie 1 135 b All kinde thereof is not secluded from the chiefest good 1 134 a How diuerse men take it in diuerse thinge according as they be affected 1 140 ab The generall cause for the which pleasure in any thing is desired 1 140 a From whence that of the senses springeth as Plato thinketh 1 135a Naturall necessitie being satisfied it ceaseth 1 135a What things are required to the perfecting thereof and how long the same may last 1 136 a The cause why newe thinges doe bréede pleasure and delight 1 136 a Of the pleasure of the bodie the pleasure of the minde called Ambrosia and nectar 1 134 b Whether these thinges tha bée doone for Pleasure be not voluntarie 2 285 a What exercises Christians should vse for their Pleasure and recreation 2 528 a Of taking Pleasure in sinnes and that the godly doe sometimes 2 559 a The reason why God enioyeth one and the selfesame pure and eternall pleasure 1 139 a Pleasures Whether all pleasures haue fellowship with felicitie 1 140 b What by temperance are moderated and what not 2 412 a diuided in kind sith actions doe differ 1 136 a Which haue no excesse neither are to be auoyded 1 139 a What pleasures drawe néere to the nature of the chéefest good 1 139 a Whether they which must be auoyded be verie pleasures or séeme so to be 1 138 b Some pleasures admit excesse othersome admit none 1 137b Of diuerse Romane Emperours that gaue large rewards to such as coulde deuise newe 1 134 a The pleasures of the sicke are greater than the pleasure of them tha bée in health saith Plato 1 135 a Desires of actions being diuerse are the causes that pleasures doe differ 1 136 b Some naturall and sinne accidentall of their contrarietie and the cause thereof 1 140 b 111 a Some be single and vnmixed othersome compound and mixed 1 137 b Some pure vnpure 1 136 b 137 a Some bodily othersome not bodilie 1 137 a How Aristotles opinion touching the grosser sort of pleasures agréeth with the holie scriptures 1 139 b 140 a How greatly they do hurt annoie 1 137 b Diuerse pleasures of diuerse beastes and that diuerse men also haue their diuerse pleasures 1 136 b What pleasures in generall must be auoided and in what respect 1 137 b Galens opinion of gréefes and pleasures in all the senses and how 1 136 b 137 a They are not single but mixt 1 135 a A great number of contrarie pleasures of the common sort and why 1 140 b 141 a Whether the pleasures that spring of contemplation or iust actions do hurt 1 138 a Why those which hurt and are to be auoided are desired of many 1 138 b 139 a Of bodily pleasures how they bee neither good nor bad but indifferent of themselues and howe they change their nature 1 137 a They are pleasures in déed though some thinke them to be but apparant pleasures 1 138 b Why and to what end they were giuen vs of god 1 139 a They are rather good than euil in respect of ciuil goodnes 1 137 b Young and melancholike men are most inclined vnto them why 1 139 Catiline abused them yea euen in tempering himselfe from them how 1 137 ab Galens opinion of the inconuenience of their excesse 1 138 a Augustines opinion touching them and what titles hee giueth them 1 139 a Ciceroes iudgement touching the euils which arise of them 1 138 a Po. Poëms The difference betwéene diuine poems and humane 3 309 a Poetrie Whence poetrie had original 3 312 a Poets Plato banished poets out of his Commonweale 1 197 b 2 550 b Poison Howe poison though it bee naturally euill may be vsed well and to a good purpose 1 182 a In spitâ—e is a propertie against poison 4 127 b Policie The intent of ciuil policie and to what ende it laboureth 1 157 ab Looke Gouernement Poligamie Poligamie or the marriage of many wiues lawfull to whome when and why 2 347 a It is a great corrupting of matrimonie 2 424 b What the fathers of the church iudged touching it 2 426 a Whether it be a peruersnes of nature 2 425b Allowed as a remedie against barrennesse 2 421 b Cardinall Caietans caution or aduertisement for the allowing thereof 2 421 b 422 a A defence of the olde fathers vnder the law in that case 2 426 ab Why it is not lawfull now in the time of the Gospel as wel as in the time of the lawe the faithfull being so fewe 2 427 a 428 ab Answers vnto all the particular reasons making for it 2 428 b 429 a c. What Dioclesian and Maximinian decréed against it 2 424 b The vile ende thereof in Valentinian 2 429 b Why it was not licenced to Adam 2 425 b The arguments and reasons of such as would haue it lawfull 2 420 b 421 ab Therein was hidden a mysterie
flame with extreame paine Luke 16 24. All these things no doubt must be vnderstood metaphoricallie But the goodnesse of God had this blessing to wit as well spirituall felicitie and heauenlie happines as also the necessarie vse of things temporall which we for the merits and worthinesse of Christ doo receiue not onelie laid vp in his secret treasure before all worlds and bestoweth the same vpon vs in time conuenient but also he prouided that by his prophets and holie scriptures it should be deliuered vnto vs by apt words and by figures most effectuall and most profitable to teach 31 But yet it séemeth to be doubted In Gen 15. towards the end whether the Iewes of our time which giue no credit vnto Christ haue anie right in this league which is made with Abraham and his posteritie to wit whether they be conteined therein or else whether they are vnderstood to be vtterlie excluded from the same This in my iudgement ought thus to be expounded if the league haue Christ for the foundation and substance thereof now are they by supposition strangers from the same Further in this league are considered the ceremonies and the holie rites the which being now since the comming of Christ abolished although they be at this daie reteined by the Iewes doo nothing at all make vnto this couenant Naie rather if they be kept they are against it bicause they gaine-saie Christ which is the principall substance of the couenant Wherefore in act and in verie déed we denie that they at this daie be conteined in this couenant Vnto whom neuerthelesse we denie not that Rom. 3 ◠which Paule dooth grant vnto them namelie that the word of GOD is committed vnto them for we sée that by a certeine woonderfull prouidence of GOD the holie bible is kept among them And if so be they beléeue not that disanulleth not but that they are to be receiued being as yet adorned by so excellent a benefit of GOD. Furthermore whereas Paule in the eleuenth chapter to the Romans verse 25. prophesieth of them that they shall be conuerted when the fulnesse of the Gentils is come in and calleth them enimies for our sakes and beloued bicause of the fathers and speaketh of them when as they were now departed from Christ this also me thinketh is to be attributed vnto them namelie that the promise of God as concerning that generation is not yet cléerlie taken awaie For by the power of the promise God continuallie calleth some of them and it is thought that hereafter he will more fullie call them Againe we acknowledge with Paule that the same good oliue trée from whence they being cut and graffed againe is more proper vnto them than vnto vs for they are not onelie graffed in by the predestination of God as we be but they are more néere to Christ in respect of the flesh and their stocke is more néere knit vnto him than ours is Rom. 1 16. Wherefore Paule saith To the Iew first and to the Greeke For the which causes the apostle speaking of them yea euen when they were swarued from the truth said that he was excéeding sorrowfull for their destruction forsomuch as to them belonged the fathers Rom. 9 2 and 4. the adoption the glorie the testament and the promise All which things are not so to be interpreted as though the Iewes doo now in act perteine to the league but are ment as touching them which of their stocke are to be adopted into that league These things be thus spoken of their kindred that is of their nation as it had the old fathers apostles and those that were afterward to beléeue and not particularlie for euerie Iew as who would saie that they should be verified of the vnbeléeuers and obstinate In Rom. 11 verse 30. 32 The works of GOD are so ordered as they easilie helpe and by no meanes hinder one another The works of God doo helpe one another Therefore the blinding of the Iewes although in them it be sinne yet in that it is the worke of God it had a good end namelie the conuersion of the Gentils and the conuersion of the Gentils shall helpe towards the saluation which shall be giuen vnto the Iewes for it shall prouoke them to enuie And in the meane time vntill this come to passe It is a woonderfull worke of God that the Iewes endure euen vnto this daie let vs consider with our selues the woonderfull worke of God they as yet continue and are kept in so great aduersities and in so diuers and gréeuous captiuitie and dispersion they hold still their religion as much as they may they exercise themselues in the holie scriptures although they vnderstand all things corruptlie Doubtles no ancient Troians Lombards Hunnes or Vandals haue so held still their owne as they could be disseuered from all other nations in ciuill life and religion and could shew their originall historie set foorth in most true writing and being euerie-where dispersed as they were could neuertheles kéepe their owne ordinances Which forsomuch as it so continueth among the Iews it is vndoubtedlie a singular worke of GOD and bringeth vnto vs no small commoditie The Iewes are witnesses of out bookes since they are witnesses of our bookes which they carrie about with them as their owne and authenticall And that dooth Augustine also note For vnlesse that people were yet still remaining the Ethnike philosophers might suspect that these things are of our owne inuenting which we beléeue and preach as touching the creation of the world of Adam of Noah of Abraham of the patriarchs kings and prophets So as they are doubtles all this while perpetuallie preserued of God for some saluation to come The xvij Chapter Of Christ and his manifestation in the flesh and by what meanes he performed all the parts of our saluation VNdoubtedlie In 2. Sam. 7 vers 18. GOD is trulie said to come to vs manie waies Of the incarnation or comming of the sonne of God but yet properlie and speciallie the sonne of God which is the true God came in the nature of man to saue mankind For although God be in euerie place yet we saie that he came bicause he put vpon him the nature of man and thus we saie he came vnto vs and presented himselfe vnto vs both the Father the Sonne and the holie Ghost Bicause albeit that the works of the Trinitie as touching inward matters be particular as to beget to inspire to procéed for these things are doone by the diuine power which is common vnto the thrée persons yet the same as concerning outward things are inseparable Then wilt thou saie Wherefore is the sonne onlie said to be incarnate Here two things are to be considered of vs namelie the action and the worke As touching the worke it selfe Christ alone tooke vpon him the nature of man sith that nature is ioined with the onelie substance of the sonne But with the
the lawe to be too rigorous bicause of the lasciuiousnes of yoong women and therefore meet to bee abrogated whether the minister ought to persuade the magistrate to the abrogating of the same or to let it be at libertie or what answer hee must make them question III WHether the magistrate doo rightlie if he decline from the lawe of God Whether this part belong vnto christian libertie VVhether it be agreeable to the lawe of nature or else whether it be wholie politicall question IIII SEeing we read that the most holie men did not onelie sweare As trulie as the Lord liueth but otherwhile added As thy soule liueth not onelie in their affirmations but also in their protestations what answer must be made to the papists which saie that we must not sweare by the name of God onelie Vnto the first question BY the lawe of GOD in the 22. of Exodus it is not altogither necessary that a man should marrie the virgine whome he had lien with For it is there added Exo. 22 16. But and if the father shall refuse to giue hir vnto him that hath deflowred hir let him pay the dowrie of virgins This addition is of great importance for God wold that hir fathers power should remaine entire and suffereth not that children should contract marriages without their parents consent And if that this lawe should decrée the marriage betwéene hir that is defiled and him that defileth to bée in anie wise necessarie the dishonest yong maid would easilie suffer hir selfe to be defiled by him whome against hir fathers will she would wish to be hir husband to the intent that without his consent she might obteine hir desired marriage Wherefore God would haue it to be in the fathers power to allow or disallow of such marriages Séeing then the magistrate is the father of the countrie he may by his lawes either command or release such lawes so that the fault escaped not vnpunished bicause herevnto he is bound by the lawe of God that euill should be taken awaie from among the people Vnto the second question IN my iudgement it is not profitable for the common weale that bicause of the wantonnesse or lasciuiousnesse of yoong maids the lawe of marrieng hir whome a man hath defiled should be abrogated For vnlesse that men should be restreined from fornications through the feare of this punishment they would be bold euerie where to pollute those which are wanton and dishonest wherevpon filthinesse and dishonestie would more more abound in the citie I would neuer therefore be an authour to the diminishing of the punishment of euill disposed persons least a greater window be opened to sinne Wherefore in my opinion it should be the ministers part to warne magistrates faithfullie that as much as is possible they should by the law rather bridle sin than set it at libertie Vnto the third question THis lawe is partlie ciuill and partlie morall That is morall and perpetuall for the magistrate to represse fornications and wandering lusts And it belongeth to the nature of politike gouernment to decrée the kind of punishment which in verie déed is left frée vnto the prince but yet so frée as he may change the ciuill iudgement of the Iewish lawe in such wise as may séeme most agréeable for his people doubtlesse not vnto the libertie of the flesh but vnto the amendment of offenses The Romane lawes as it is in the institutions of publike iudgments in Paraph the first for committing such a crime punished a man which was of the greater calling with the losse of halfe his goods but the baser sort they banished and restreined with bodilie punishment And Augustine in his book De mendacio to Consentius chapter 8. saith that Thefts are lightlier punished than whoredomes Wherefore it is frée to the magistrate to change the punishment but yet when he hath anie néed to restreine vices he must not for the performing thereof decrée an easie but a more gréeuous punishment otherwise that kind of vice euen as others doo will dailie more more increase And by these things which I haue alreadie said I thinke there hath béene answer enough made vnto the fourth question Vnto the last question AS touching oths I answer that there be thrée formes of swearing vsed in the scriptures One when we saie By God By Christ and such like The other two haue the forme of praier or execration The formes of execration be these I praie God I die Ill come to me Which kind of oth is in the seuenth psalme If I haue doone anie such thing if there bee anie wickednesse in my hands if I haue rewarded euill vnto him that dealt friendlie with mee yea if I haue left him destitute that did hurt mee then let the enimie persecute mee without a cause and take mee let him tread downe my life and laie mine honour in the dust But the forme of swearing by praier is So let me liue So God helpe me Among which kind those oths are reckoned whereof the question now standeth Thy soule liueth or my soule liueth c. As touching the first forme of oth I thinke it is euident enough that we must sweare onlie by God but in the other two formes nothing letteth but that the things created may after some sort be named which in verie déed if the thing be more narowlie considered is doone after an indirect maner bicause it is a true though a secret calling vpon God For what other thing is Thy soule liueth than Let God so saue thée as this thing is true which I now witnesse as I will doo this thing that I promise thée In like maner as touching execrations the spéech is directed vnto God when we saie Let the enimie persecute my soule It is euen as if I should saie GOD suffer me continuallie to be vexed They are therefore abrupt and abridged maners of swearing wherevnto to make them perfect must be added the name of God Euen as on the other side whensoeuer the name of God is expressed and the execrations also are not expressed as Let God doo so and so vnto me Where it is not mentioned what things those be Which he will suffer if he shall faile of that which he hath sworn to doo The Propositions of D. Peter Martyr disputed openlie in the common Schooles at Strasbrough in the yeare of the Lord 1543. The Propositions necessarie be 592. and the propositions probable be 63. neuer imprinted before this last yeare 1582. Out of the first chapter of Genesis Necessarie proposition 1 SEeing the holie scripture is a declaration of the wisedome of God we haue from thence the fountaine of our felicitie proposition 2 Albeit that those things which be set downe in the holie scriptures doo serue both vnto knowledge and practise yet is there nothing therein conteined but is a furtherance to our actions proposition 3 The excellencie of the holie scriptures is herein perceiued that it sendeth vs to the high
cause of the will of God which is reuealed in them proposition 4 The summe of those things which are conteined in the holie scriptures is the lawe and the Gospell which parts are indifferentlie conteined as well in the new as in the old testament proposition 5 The fift booke of Genesis hath a preface agréeable to the lawe and the Gospell as being that which should be capable both of the one part and the other proposition 6 They which perceiue the knowledge of God taught here by the creation doo obteine the same by faith proposition 7 We beléeue that the world was so made by God that notwithstanding there is auouched no alteration of the will of God Probable proposition 1 HEauen and earth which are written to haue béene first made doo expresse the matter of all things that were to be brought foorth both of the bodies aboue and beneath proposition 2 The spirit of the Lord which was carried vpon the waters may verie probablie be taken for the holie Ghost and for the wind proposition 3 The word of GOD in the bringing foorth of things is a manifestation of his will proposition 4 Whereas GOD might manie waies haue made the world he onelie approoued this waie and therefore it is oftentimes added And God sawe that it was good proposition 5 The euening and morning were made the first daies of the gathering togither spreading foorth of the light before the bringing foorth of the sunne proposition 6 The waters aboue the firmament be in the middle region of the aire A disputation of the article of creation proposition 1 WHen we speak of the creation of things we bring not foorth one thing out of another after Aristotles maner but we affirme all natures as well bodilie as without bodie to be created of nothing by the word of God proposition 2 For God to the intent he would make manifest both his power and his mercie created of nothing an infinit sort of men in the whole nature of things proposition 3 And thus must this creation be vnderstood not that things be here created in such wise as they should haue their being without the counsell of God but God continuallie gouerneth and directeth them as Paule in the Acts saith In him we be we liue and haue our moouing proposition 4 Further the maner of the creation was this First God made the heauen and the earth and those things which be conteined in them proposition 5 Besides this that there might be a certeine mind which should vnderstand this infinit power and wisedome of this creation he made man and gaue him rule ouer his creatures proposition 6 And bicause he had made him after his owne image he commanded also that he should be acknowledged and magnified of him aboue his works proposition 7 And this was no hard matter for man to doo when he had the whole power in his owne hand proposition 8 For the image of God according wherevnto God had made man was the mind it selfe in man in the which mind shined the true knowledge of God and in the will true obedience Propositions out of the first chapter of Genesis Necessarie proposition 1 ALbeit that names are manie times giuen by men yet this also must be referred vnto God séeing the ends conditions from whence things be named be of God and by his procurement he that nameth is rather mooued in respect of one of those things than in respect of another proposition 2 The kéeping backe of waters from drowning the earth we attribute not to the stars but to the word of GOD as also the power whereby plants and hearbs are brought out of the earth proposition 3 The great lights are set for signes to gather thereby the faire and stormie weather to come and the other dispositions of the aire and they be also signes whereby the wrath and mercie of God is perceiued before hand proposition 4 Vnto the signes of heauen must not be attributed a power ouer the reasonable part of our mind neither yet a frée power of things to come proposition 5 Albeit it is said Let the waters or earth bring foorth this or that yet the creation of all things must be attributed to God alone proposition 6 So must we occupie our selues in the bookes of philosophie and in the contemplation of naturall things as we referre all the properties instruments actions and substances of them vnto God the authour proposition 7 Whatsoeuer things are spoken in the creation of man as touching the image and similitude of God doo most fullie agrée vnto Christ and by him are restored vnto vs. proposition 8 In that that man being created according to the image of God is set ouer creatures we gather a rule what maner of elections we ought to make either of ministers of the church or of magistrates proposition 9 The perfection of life must not be weighed by abstinence from eating of flesh proposition 10 The true sabboth is the ceasing from works which be proper to our nature corrupted but not from those wherevnto God leadeth vs by his spirit and admonition proposition 11 All the life of a christian man ought to be a sabboth after the maner before said Probable proposition 1 A Man is said to be created vnto the image and similitude of God bicause since he is made of a reasonable nature and indued with all vertues whereby he should represent GOD he had by God his dominion ouer creatures proposition 2 God hath oftentimes restored by faith vnto the godlie that power ouer creatures which was giuen at the beginning proposition 3 Our bodie is partaker of the image of God bicause it is the instrument wherewith we through our actions doo expresse the properties of God proposition 4 By this reason that a man is indued with the image and similitude of God is declared the nature of true felicitie of vertues and of all laws and whome the church ought to haue for hir citizens proposition 5 When God said Be ye fruitfull and multiplie he commanded matrimonie by which precept all men are bound which can doo that dutie or by a speciall instinct of God are not mooued that in single life they should be more readie to serue the Gospell proposition 6 The eating of flesh was not dispensed with before the floud either bicause men were then stronger or bicause the earth brought foorth better fruits than now it dooth or else that men might more enure themselues to humanitie proposition 7 Whereas in the holie scriptures are taken manie arguments and similitudes wherby we are persuaded to liue well there is a forme giuen vs from plants lights liuing creatures which forme we may vse in other things when they happen Propositions taken out of the second chapter of the booke of Genesis Necessarie proposition 1 MAns soule is not of the substance of God neither hath it the same nature that the soules of other brute beasts haue proposition 2 The soules of men were not
and not ioined 115 a Whereby the same is wrought and not wrought 149 b 150 a Wherin the true and sound respect thereof consisteth 97 a 5 b Wherevpon it dependeth and dependeth not 131 a K. KEies of the church and how they are ment 26 a b When they were giuen vnto Peter 26 b They are generall things and how 27 a How euerie priuate man hath them 27 a Knowledge distinguished according to sense reason and faith 105 b That of God without integritie of life is hurtfull 86 a Two kinds thereof 159 b Of that which the Ministers are said to kéepe with their lips 29 a b. L. LAbour with hands and what is to be obserued therein 157 b Lawe of God though it be his will yet is it not euerie will of his 119 b The Gospell and it must not be separated 165 b Whie all men may not performe it sith it is Gods reuealed will 119 a who are counted dooers thereof 166 a Contrarietie séemeth to be attributed to the same and how 165 a b A distinction of those things which GOD forbiddeth therein 68 b What the not regenerate can doo in the same 102 b The end and vse thereof 103 a How and whereby the dignitie of the same is to bée esteemed 145 a Manie things commanded therein were kept before the same was giuen 147 b The promises thereof not vaine though the lawe it selfe cannot bee fulfilled of vs 165 b It requireth thrée perfections in our works 166 a With what terrour it was published 163 b Whie God gaue it in the desart or wildernesse 164 a The vse of the same among the faithfull 165 b 166 a What it requireth touching performance 102 b How the morall and ciuill of the old people be abrogated 165 b To go to Lawe is permitted to a Christian 163 a A lesson for such as are in sute 162 b Lawes of men and wherein the iustice of them is conteined 164 b. Laieng on of hands in making Ministers whereof it might séeme to haue come 169 a Leuen and whie God refuseth that it should not be offered him 169 a Libertie Christian a case touching it to be maintained or violated 71 b Lie officious is not repugnant to charitie 167 b Of the midwiues of the Hebrues and their Lie 158 a Lies though officious ought to bee auoided 150 b Life and how far foorth wee ought to loose it 68 a wee must laie it downe for our brethren 74 b How it is ment that we must so doo 75 a Arguments or persuasions of good Life 145 a Faith the instrument whereby wee obteine eternall Life 126 b Lifting vp of hands in praier 162 b Lights great in heauen and the end vse of them 144 b Whereof the originall of them in churches sprang 170 b Loue of God shineth in the death of Christ 7 a The inestimable fire of Christs 7 a M. MAgistrates their charge in a plentifull yeare 157 a Touching othes 164 b Touching idle persons 157 b Whie they be instituted 162 a What is to be regarded in the making of them 157 a Of their misusage 19 a Christians for safetie of their life may vse their helpe 148 a What they must doo if they will giue a testimonie of their innocencie 155 a A strong reason that God would haue them 163 a Mankind soone increased in number 147 a Manna wherevnto like and vnlike 162 a What wee are to learne by that wherewith the Israelites were fed 161 b At what time it was commanded to be eaten 162 a Manslaughter and whie we must forbeare it 148 a Marrie with infidels is contempt of religion 155 a Whether it bée necessarie that a man should Marrie a maid with whom he hath lien 142 a 2. Marriage is not condemned in that God requireth of the Israelites to absteine from their wiues vntill the third daie 163 a What is determined touching such as are coupled therein in flight in persecution 77 a b Who must not delaie it vnder pretense of pouertie 154 b Marriages that are not well knit and concluded 146 a Masse no propitiatorie sacrifice 132 b 133 a Whence the name thereof is deriued 135 b 136 a An application of the sacrifice of the same 134 b No eucharisticall or gratulatorie sacrifice 137 a Whether it be a sacrifice 132 a What a holie thing it was supposed to be 121 a b An enimie to the benifits of Christ 5 b Whereof the eleuation of bread in the same sprang 170 b The dangers insuing vpon going thereto 146 a Masses priuate not heard of among the fathers 134 b When they began 136 b Matrimonie declared to bee inseparable and how 45 b By what meanes it is violated 167 a Whie it is said to bee a mysterie 145 b Whether it be good simplie or in respect 167 a What is not ratified though carnall copulation follow it 154 a Whether the lawfull vse thereof be a veniall sin 167 a Whie God would haue it betwéene such as were not far off in kindred 154 a Whie it is commended and commanded 167 a Delaie therof should be inioined to none 156 b The néere coniunction of man and wife in it 82 a The commandement of the same and the vse thereof 145 a Mediator none betwéene God and man but one prooued 91 a Christ is none vnlesse he be also a man 134 b 135 a Whether the Anabaptists haue the true one 130 b 131 b 132 a Meditation and in what things it dooth consist 36 a Memorie and why diuers writers doo extoll it 1 a What things must be committed therevnto and whie 1 a Men and a distinction of their state 102 a Mercie of God and of the greatnes of the same and how far foorth it should be celebrated 136 a b. Merit of congruitie and condignitie attributed to the will 106 a Messias and touching the Iewes which denie that he is come 130 b Midwiues of the Hebrues and their lie 158 a Mind of man how it behaueth it selfe actiuelie passiuelie in spirituall things 127 a How it cannot atteine vnto supernaturall things 108 a God vseth it as an instrument to performe his counsels 127 a Wherein the change thereof of euill to be made good dooth stand 127 b Ministers when they may labour and what they must take héed of therein 157 b Whether in baptisme regard is to be had of their faith and religion 137 a b 138 a Of the custome to praie and prophesie at the making of them 153 b Why GOD giueth not to euerie one of his the gifts of the spirit 159 a b Controuersie about their apparell 116 b 122 a 123 a 115 b 118 a c. 121. Whether the surplis c. inioined them to weare had originall from the Pope 119 a Not bound to worke and labour with their hands and why 157 b Whether they may flie in persecution 77 b God communicateth with his the properties of some of his actions 150 b How far foorth slight in persecution
may be lawfull for them 73 a Scarsitie of them complained of 54a Vnto what things they doo call and not call vs 42 a The cause why they are contemned is their owne fault and how 31 a Of two things wherewith they should be indued 30 a b Whereof the laieng on of hands in making them might seeme to haue come 169a Why they are said to kéepe knowledge with their lips 29 a b They bind and loose and how 26 a b Who haue béene chosen such 49 b What danger followeth their error 21 b Their office and dutie 29 a b And of their corruptions 19 a b Whereto they doo and doo not carrie vs by the doctrine of the word 49 b They make not the word and sacraments better or woorsse 153 a 133 b That taking awaie of Ecclesiasticall lands must not discourage them from their function 122 b Ministerie whether it is to be forsaken bâ—cause the church-goods are pulled from it 15 b 16 a Why it is contemned 31 a The fruit and profit thereof 28 a The honour and dignitie 19 a 30 b The dutie and office thereof 48 b What good qualities are required in men before they be chosen into it 72 b 73 a Of taking and forsaking or refusing it for apparell sake 120 b Diuers meanes of calling speciallie to the same 159 b Wherevnto it dooth apperteine 124 b What spirit that is which God hath giuen them that be promoted therto 72 b Touching presentations and institutions of such as are to be preferred to the same 123 a What kind of men must be promoted to it of their charge 89 b 90 a It dependeth of God and his spirit 49 b The chéefe cause why manie are called backe from it 27 b 28 a A sermon of the profit and woorthines of the same 27 b and so forward Miracles doo not simplie confirme doctrine 160 a What works of God are so called 57 a b They haue béene doon by the aduersaries of God and why 160 a Of what things they be testimonies 159 a Moonks spoken against which allure children from their parents to make them Moonks 166 b Moorning for the dead 82 b 83 a Whether lawfull or not 151 b 152 a Where remedies in that case are to be found 83 a b Who in so dooing be void of christian hope 83 b Mortification of the flesh is a sacrifice 168 b Moses and of his beautie 158 a Of the brightnesse of his face 36 a What wée haue to note by his praieng on the mount with his hands lifted vp 162 b A comparison betwéene him and the scriptures 32 b His father in lawe a préest and a prince 158 b The sauing of him his killing of the Aegyptian c. 158 b Motions first are sinnes 68 a b 69 a How it is ment that they are not in our power 102 b Multitude and to doo as it dooth is no safe waie of dealing and whie 15 a b. Murthering of ones selfe and that it is not lawfull 167 a In what case it is permitted and not permitted 148 a Musicke of what kind must be had in the church 161 a The force thereof in the affections 160 b 161 a N. NAmes that we are taught to giue to them that be of our familie 146 b Nature how farre foorth shée and hir rules must be followed 162 b 163 a Necessitie absolute and by supposition 105 b 130 a What kind striueth with the will 105 a Augustine touching the Necessitie of sin 105 a 104 b In the not regenerate 126 b What it is to striue against Necessitie 128 b Noah a figure of Christ crucified 148 b His droonkennesse excusable 148 a Number of mankind soon increased 147 a O OBedience to be exhibited or denied 71 b vnperfect in the regenerate 103 a Christs spoken of to and fro 4 b 5 a b. Obiects and that we must not change the natures of them as how 66 b Oblations what and whose doo please God 133 a b What the Lord dooth cheefelie consider in them 16 a Offices of preferring vnwoorthie men to them 153 a b What things are woont to fray vs from the weightier sort 51 a That one by himselfe should not take all vpon him 162 b Opinions and the waie to confute the false 135 a Oracles of the Ethniks 38 b Why they doo now cease which in old time were so common 152 b Order and what the same is 25 a Oth what it is with the vse and abuse thereof 151 b The danger of taking a false one 75 b Lawfull and so are curses 164 b Thrée forms of them vsed in scripture 143 a b. P. PApists how they will that To doo and To sacrifice is all one 134a Diuers superstitions of theirs imurious to Christ 7 b 8 a Paradise where it was planted and néere what regions 145 b In the East 45 b How the things spoken thereof are to be ment 145 a Parents of how large ample a signification 166 b What we are to note by these words Honour thy Parents 166 b Passion of Christ distributed into certeine principall parts 6 a Both in himselfe and in his members 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7 c. How to behold it fruitfullie 7 a Passeouer and why it was euerie yéere renewed 1 a The reason of the name thereof 139 b 140 a Pastors with a complaint against the false ones in the church 21 b Peace of two kinds 25 a warre must bée thought vpon in the time thereof 142 a b Of that which Christ hath brought vs 25 a Vnto what end God granteth and giueth vs it 142b 143 a Of the world and why it is so named 25 a Wherof that in conscience toward God procéedeth 30 a b The effects of that which Christ bringeth 25 b What God ment when in the couenant which he made with the Leuits he promised Peace 28 a b. Periurie and who are not excused from it though they sweare not 151 b Persecution Whether flight which hath the feare of death ioined therewith can please God 72 a 64 a b 65 a 154 b Whether the precept touching it were vniuersall 71 a It is perpetuall 69 a b 73 b How far foorth it may be lawfull for ministers 73 a In England for religion 95 a 92 a b Whether they that flie in such case doo forsake or béetake themselues to the church 75 b 76 a How it is no sinne 67 b Obiections and answers touching it 72 a b 73 a b c. Hard cases resolued 77 a b Remedies for them which doo reuolt in it 143 a 139 b 140. How it is a kind of confession 70 a b For whom it is lawfull and not lawfull 77 a b 78 a 80 a b A wise prouision 140 a Tertullians opinion touching it 71 a Whether it be against charitie 79 b 80 a The necessitie thereof for Christs sake and the reward thereof 142 a The apostles fled in such a case 71 a That of Dauid and