nature But they that are not occupyed in this following doe falsly attribute to themselues a christian name Furthermore they are not counted the lawfull sonnes of God but bastardes rather For God acknowledgeth none among his sonnes but whom he seeth at the least to endeauour to imitate his fathers vertues To this pertayneth that saying of the Lord in the Prophet If I be a father where is mine honour But the cheefest parte of honour which children can doe to their parents is to imitate their vertues Whosoeuer earnestly looketh for the glorye of christianitie let him set before himselfe this cause of shewing mercy to his neighbour and let him not suffer himselfe to be led away with euil examples from this necessary and due worship of God The second cause is the commaundement of God vnto which all creatures ought to obey Of this cause Iesus the sonne of Sirach maketh mention chap. 29 Helpe the poore for the commandements sake and turne him not away because of his pouertie And a little after Bestow thy treasure after the commaundement of the most high and it shal bring thee more profite then Gold Our treasure that doth neuer fayle we must lay vp and keepe in heauen but yet it is in this life bestowed vpon the poore vpon whom the benefites that be bestowed the Lord so accepteth as if we had bestowed them vpon himselfe All the testimonies of the Scripture which doe commend vnto vs the loue of our neighbour doe require especially liberalitie towarde the nedie For this is the chiefe part of true loue Hereunto belongeth that saying of the Lorde Deut. 15. I commaund thee saying thou shalt open thine hand vnto thy brother that is needy He that contemneth this precept of the Lord how can he loue God how can he feare him for thus sayth Iohn Whosoeuer hath this worldes good and seeth his brother haue neede and shutteth vp his compassion from him how dwelleth the loue of God in him And Iob 6. He that taketh away mercie from his neighbour hath forsaken the feare of the Lord. Whosoeuer therefore determineth to loue God and to feare him from his heart let him thinke that he doth owe obedience to God commaunding Of which thing Micheas speaketh after this sort I will shew thee O man what is good and what the Lord requireth of thee surely to doe iustly and to loue mercy and to humble thy selfe to walke with thy God The thirde cause is the imitation of examples of Christ our Lord first and then of his members Christ was made poore for vs that he might enrich vs. What therefore do we agayne owe to the members of Christ especially seing he witnesseth that that is done to himselfe whatsoeuer we doe to the least of his members Matth. 25. The holy fathers desired nothing more than to relieue the poore Saints Abraham doth reuerence strangers and biddeth them to eate with him that he may shewe liberalitie vnto them Lot desired the Angels to come into his house whom he thought to be poore straungers Cornelius the courtier is written to haue giuen himselfe to continuall prayer and almes which the scripture witnesseth to haue come vp into remembrance before God The fourth cause is the dignitie and estimation of almes godly bestowed before God Prouerb 21. To do mercie and iudgement is more acceptable to the Lorde then sacrifice Christ sayth Matth. 9. I will haue mercie and not sacrifice Heb. 13. To doe good and to distribute forget not for with such sacrifice God is pleased So great dignitie so great estimation is there before God of the almes godly bestowed It is preferred before sacrifice God is sayd to be singularly moued and delighted therewith This dignitie ought worthily to admonishe them which abounde in this worldes good that they indeuour according to the counsell of Paule to be rich in good workes The fift cause is our neighbour himselfe But that euery man is neighbour one to another the Parable of the Samaritane doth teach although this neighbourhode is greater with some than with other some Euery man both godly and also vngodly is neighbour vnto me and that first by reason of our creation Secondly for likenes sake Thirdly in respect of our common life and humane societie And although this triple bonde wherewith men are bounde among themselues is a great cause wherefore men ought to doe good vnto men neuerthelesse there is yet a farre greater bonde wherewith Christians are knit togither with Christians For first one vocation is common to all Christians whereby we are called to the vnitie of spirit in the bonde of peace Agayne by the same spirit we are begotten agayne to be the sonnes of God whereby it commeth to passe that both we haue one father which is God and also we are brethren among our selues Moreouer we are members of the same mysticall bodye the heade whereof is Christ Finally we haue the same hope of the glorie to come for we are heyres of eternall lyfe in Christ Iesus our Lorde If we doe earnestly thinke vppon this fift cause of mercie towarde our neighbour there is none that doth not acknowledge howe necessarily liberalitie is to be shewed to them that be in neede I do not make mention of that bond by which al men in this world are debters one to another Who wil seme to be a contemner of the vnitie of the spirite whereunto the Gospell calleth vs Who can abide to heare that he is a denier of spirituall brotherhoode Who dare so despyse the members of Christ that he will suffer them to be tormented wyth colde hunger and nakednesse Who will not worthilye suffer him to be partaker with him of the things of this worlde which soone fade awaye whom he assuredly thinketh shall be heyre with him of the heauenly treasures If this cause of liberalitie and mercie were esteemed of many according to the worthinesse thereof they woulde not set their mindes so much vpon deceyte and vniust gayne they woulde not so much spoyle and rob the needie members of Christ and they would thinke more of cherishing and making much of their owne fleshe As often as we see any that is in miserie crauing our helpe and succour let vs I pray you remember the saying of Esay Hide not thy selfe from thine owne flesh The sixt cause is the punishment yea and that manifold of them which are hard toward the poore The first is the wrath of God Ecclesiasticus 4. Turne not thine eyes aside from the poore because of anger The second is the curse In the same place it is sayd For if the curse thee in the bitternes of his soule his prayer shall be heard of him that made him The third is the refusing of thy prayer which thou makest in thy necessitie Prouerb 21. He that stoppeth his eare at the crying of the poore he shall also crye and not be heard A horrible punishment truly then which none
we doe not deserue a crowne by fighting but the father giueth it vnto his children of his mere goodnesse who considereth not so much what the children doe deserue as what he hath promised them of his fatherly loue Furthermore if any man obiect the crowne of life is promised to them that loue therfore loue is a merit or desert of the crowne We must aunswere that there is committed a fallacion of that which is not the cause as of the cause For the antecedent doth not contayne the cause of the crowne but the qualitie or maner of crowning And bicause there be two principles of things one that the thinges be the other that they maye be knowne what they be we must vnderstand y e concerning God his mere good will and pleasure and the redemption which his sonne hath wrought and fayth concerning our selues are the very principles which doe iustifie and saue vs. But if thou considerest the knowledge of righteousnesse and saluation the principles thereof are rightly sayd to be patience vnder the Crosse loue mercy towarde the poore and other vertues For these doe make that thou maiest be knowne to be righteous and saued Wherupon the Lord sayth I was an hungred and ye gaue me meate I was naked and ye clothed me By these fruites of fayth the angels of God and men shall iudge the tree in the last day and thereby shall account the righteousnesse and saluation of the elect But here of more in the second chapter where shall be entreated of a liuely and of a dead fayth 13 Let no man say vvhen he is tempted I am tempted of God for God can not be tempted vvith euell neither tempteth he any man He being about to entreate of the causes of tentation first taketh away the error of them which thought God to be the author of tentation and forbiddeth that any man when he is tempted that is when he is prouoked to doe euill say that he is tempted of the Lorde For God wyll not haue sinne therefore he prouoketh not to sinne neither is delighted with the perdition of men Wherfore as God himselfe is voyde of tentation so doth he tempt no man that is he doth not moue him forwardes to sinne Thys place doth plainly make agaynst those that make God the author of sinne 14 But euery man is tempted vvhen he is dravvne avvay by his ovvne concupiscence and is entised He sheweth the cause and fountayne of tentation that is of prouoking to doe euill This fountayne or spring he maketh to be euery mans own concupiscence to the which he attributeth a double effect For the first it withdraweth the cogitation of man from that which is good Secondly it entiseth the affection of man and ouerwhelmeth him vnwares We must therfore striue agaynst the first motions least that being entised by our concupiscence we fall into sinne Of tentation and the remedie agaynst it TEntation is a driuing forward or perswading of a mā to enterprise some thing that is either to commit or to omit Hereof there are dyuers sorts whych take their differences of their endes For there is one tentation of seducing or beguyling there is another of presumption another of triall Of these three I wyll speake in order and shewe the remedyes agaynst euery of them Tentation of seducing is that the ende whereof is seducing or beguiling By this man is prouoked to enterpryse something agaynst the law of God whereby he being deceiued is miserably excluded out of the familie of God falleth from grace and becommeth guiltye of eternall death vntyll such tyme as he repent For fayth can not abide and and remaine when man giueth place to such tentation and knowing and willing doth disobediently despise the commaundement of God This tentation of seducing is of two sortes if thou considerest the causes thereof For it is eyther outward or inwarde I call that inward whose beginning and cause is in man himselfe to wit euel concupiscence which fighteth togither with a domesticall tyranne that is originall sinne and driueth a man to offend that by this meanes the olde man that is originall sinne may obtaine the rule in man But concupiscence in euery man is of two sortes one naturall an other of the flesh Naturall concupiscence is that by which we do naturally desire those thinges which by the right iudgement of reason we iudge eyther honest eyther profitable eyther pleasant This by it selfe is the worke of God in man and by no meanes to be condemned as long as it keepeth it selfe within it owne boundes that is whiles it desireth those thinges that are shewed by the right iudgement of reason to wit those thinges whiche are in very deede honest profitable and pleasant by which nature is not defiled but preserued Concupiscence of the flesh is when by the corruption of the flesh we desire those thinges whiche please the flesh and displease God as when we couet after any thing which is forbidden vs by the law of God This of Plato is worthely called a beast with many heads of which it is spoken prouerbially Concupiscence is the first beginning of all euells For it is a most fruitefull mother of pernicious children to this Marcus the Heremite did attribute selfe loue Of this do spring surfetting and drunkennesse couetousnesse thirst after vayne glorye Of this surfetting come vnlawfull lustes and all kindes of pernicious pleasures Of couetousnesse commeth fraud guile iniurye lying violence manslaughter Of thirst after vayne glory springeth pride wicked ambition diuers ill practises briefly contempt of God and of our neighbour Thou seest what a fruitefull mother of all vices the concupiscence of the flesh is which one hath called and not vnworthely the fountayne of all euel in asmuch as it is not onely the euident cause of all iniquitie and hatred of God but also it calleth men from that which is good and honest For when men doe study vpon heauenly thinges and meditate vpon diuine matters this commeth and with entisements as with certayne cordes draweth them backe Wherefore Iames doth not without good cause affirme that men are entised by their owne concupiscence But how shal we ouercome the concupiscence of the flesh This beast is to be bounde with singular art and cunning and to be mortified but it is bound not by mans strength but by a diuine power that is by the spirite of fayth which in the man that is regenerate doth ingender a certayne newe concupiscence which is called the concupiscence of the spirite This when it is first conceyued by the spirite of fayth setteth it selfe agaynst the concupyscence of the flesh whereupon there riseth in all the godly a very sore conflict betweene the flesh and the spirite Hereupon is that which Paule sayth The flesh lusteth agaynst the spirite and the spirite agaynst the flesh But from whence is that concupyscence of the spirite
vvorkes and through the vvorks vvas the fayth made perfect 23 And the Scripture vvas fulfilled vvhich sayth Abraham beleeued God and it vvas imputed vnto him for righteousnes and he vvas called the frend of God 24 Ye see then hovv that of vvorkes a man is iustified and not of faith onely The summe of this reason is this Such as the fayth of Abraham was ought also the fayth of other beleeuers to be For he is therefore called the father of the beleeuers bicause that they that beleeue ought to imitate and follow his fayth but the faith of Abraham had workes ioyned with it which is thereby proued bicause he did so much esteeme obedience toward God that he would rather kill his onely sonne then not obey God Therfore the fayth of other also ought to haue workes ioyned with it which if it haue not it is worthely to be accounted vaine and dead This is the summe of the argument Now let vs wey the wordes of the Apostle which are wrested of the Schoolemen against free iustification First the word iustified is to be discussed which is as much as if he had sayd was declared to be iust or was knowen to be iustified and that this is so I proue by three necessarie arguments The first is taken of the scope and end of this present disputatiō For Iames hath not purposed a disputation of the causes of iustification but onely doth shew by what effects iustification may be gathered and as it were set before the eyes of men Seing therefore it is an exceeding great errour of effects to make causes in respect of the same thing they are by no meanes to be borne which forgetting the scope ende of the disputation proposition that is to be proued presume very high go about to disproue the doctrine of Paul concerning free iustification when as the purpose of Paul was far otherwise thā of Iames. For Paul seketh the cause of iustification Iames the effects of the same Paul descendeth frō y e causes to y e effects Iames contrariwise ascendeth frō the effects to y e causes Paul seketh how we are iustified Iames how we are declared to be iustified Paule excludeth works as causes of iustification Iames includeth the same as the effectes of iustification Seing there is so great difference betwene the purpose of Paule and Iames who seeth not the vanitie of the Scholemen which say that the Apostles are contrary the one to the other The seconde necessarie argument is taken of the order of the causes and the effects Genes 15. Abraham is pronounced to be iustified Abraham beleeued the Lord and he counted that to him for righteousnesse But this came to passe thirtie yeares at the least before he receyued a commaundement concerning the offering of his sonne Isaac Genes 22. Howe therefore can it be that he shoulde be sayde to be iustified by that worke which he did the thirtie yere after y t he was by the voyce of God said to be iustified It is necessarie therfore that to be iustified in Iames doe signifie to be declared iustified The thirde necessarie argument is taken of the wordes of the Angell Genes 22. After that Abraham had purposed to kil his sonne at the commaundement of God was called back from his purpose by the voice of the Angel he heareth of the Angell Now I know that thou fearest God seing for my sake thou hast not spared thine only son What other thing I pray you do these words meane than that y e voluntarie obedience of Abraham was a testimonie of the feare of God a certaine declaration of the iustification of Abraham And thus briefly it is declared what the word of iustification doth signifie in this disputation of Iames. Afterwarde when he sayth that the fayth vvrought vvith his vvorkes he expresseth the nature of a liuely fayth to wit that it is effectuall and full of good workes Seing that the fayth of hypocrites hath not this nature it is in no case to be iudged a true and liuely fayth This saying therefore of Iames doth teach nothing else but that good workes doe proceede of fayth That which Iames addeth through the vvorkes the fayth vvas made perfect is nothing els than y t the fayth of Abraham was declared by his workes not to haue bene counterfait or hypocriticall but true and sincere For if thou doest cal that perfect here which is in it degrees absolute no mortall man liuing at any time hath had a perfect fayth Moreouer when he sayth that the scripture was fulfilled which saith Abraham beleeued God and it vvas imputed vnto him for righteousnesse that is not to be referred vnto the cause but vnto the effect For by that deede Abraham declared that he was in very deede iustified before by fayth This fulfilling therefore ought to be referred to the experience of men and not to the iudgement of God 25 Likevvise also vvas not Rahab the harlot iustified through vvorks vvhen she had receyued the messengers and sent them out another vvay He proueth by another example y t a true a liuely faith is not without works Rahab by her dede or works declared hir selfe to be iustified by fayth when with the perill of her life she sent away y e messengers of the people of God least they shoulde come into the hands of them that sought them 26 For as the bodie vvithout the spirit is dead euen so the fayth vvithout vvorkes is deade By a most apt similitude propounded he proueth that the fayth of hypocrites is vayne in as much as it is like a deade bodie or carkas wherein is no liuely spirite and therefore no mouing or sense of a liuing creature is founde in it And thus Iames by sixe firme reasons hath proued that a true fayth is frutefull in good workes and that the fayth of hypocrites which is voyd of workes is a vayne boasting rather than fayth A declaration of the doctrine of repentance WHen as Christ doth define the Gospel to be preaching of repentance and forgiuenesse of sinnes in his name he setteth forth two things vnto bs whereof one is the benefite which the Gospell offereth the other the meanes by which the benefite is applyed vnto men The benefite which is offered is forgiuenesse of sinnes The meanes is repentance For they onely which repent are made partakers of the forgiuenesse of sinnes wherewith is ioyned iustification saluation and eternall lyfe Hereof it easily appeareth that nothing is more necessarye for a man in this life than to vnderstande wherein true repentance consisteth without the which forgiuenesse of sinnes commeth vnto no man Of this wholsome and true repentance I will speake and will so declare the matter by the worde of God and manifest examples that euerye man may acknowledge the truth and playnnes thereof The foundation therfore of the preaching of repentance without all doubt is the mercie and grace of
demaunded what are the causes of good workes by which men ought to be stirred vp and pricked forward to worke well There are numbred three most weyghty causes necessitie dignitie and reward Necessitie may be made to be of fiue sorts of y e cōmāndemēt of worship of det of holding fast y e fayth of auoyding punishmēt of cōuersion or regeueratiō Necessitie of the commaundemēt is bicause God doth seriously and seuerely commaund obedience toward his lawe Keepe mine ordinances sayth he and walke therein Paul sayth This is the will of God euen your sanctification Necessity of dette or dutie that we owe is declared Rom. 8. We are detters not to the flesh but to the spirite for we are not our owne but his that hath redemed vs with his bloud Necessitie of holding fast the fayth is commaunded to vs of Paule If there be any that prouideth not for his owne and namely for them of his housholde he denieth the fayth and is worse than an infidel And agayne Fight a good fight hauing fayth and a good conscience neyther of which is kept while we giue our selues to sinne Necessitie of auoyding punishment is confirmed by the testimonie of Dauid For iniquitie sayth he thou doest chastice the children of men Necessitie of conuersion is affirmed in this saying As I liue sayth the Lord God I desire not the death of the wicked but that the wicked turne from his waye and liue When therefore conuersion is made man is also quickened by fayth through the holy Ghost Moreouer vnto conuersion is ioined regeneration which is a beginning of a newe lyfe a newe light wisedome righteousnesse and a renuing of the image of God in vs. The seconde cause is dignitie which consisteth in this that the man conuerted or regenerate is nowe the sonne of God according to that saying He gaue power to be the sonnes of God to them that beleeue in his name Howe great a dignitie is it that they which beleeue are the temple of the holy ghost liuing that Christ dwelleth in them by fayth that the Father the Sonne and the holy Ghost doe come vnto them and will dwell with them that they are the members of Christ On the contrarie wey what a wickednes it is for the children of God to resemble the image of the enimie howe great a daunger it is that the temple of God shoulde be polluted with the filthinesse of Satan what a cruell thing it is to driue God out of his dwelling place Wherefore it becommeth the children of God to imitate their heauenly father which sayth Be ye holy for I am holy Herevpon Paule sayeth that we are called to sanctification and not to vncleannes The thirde cause is a rewarde that is a recompence of the pacience and obedience of them that beleeue This rewarde is not giuen for the worthinesse of the worke but for the promise of grace Seing that the good workes that are done of the godly are the bounden duties of seruants and vnperfect and defiled it may be demaunded why God hath added promises to good workes And there may be numbred fiue causes hereof The first that they may be testimonies of the prouidence of God For God will haue it knowne that good things pertayning to the bodye are created of him and are not spreade abroade by chaunce but are of him giuen to the Church and preserued according to the saying He is thy life and the length of thy dayes in the dayes of hunger they shall be satisfied the rich haue suffred hunger but no good thing shall be wanting to him that feareth the Lorde The seconde that they may be testimonies that God will yea euen in this lyfe keepe and preserue his Church Wherefore Paule sayth 1. Tim. 4. Godlynesse hath the promise of the lyfe present and of that that is to come Bicause God will of his infinite goodnesse gather his Church for his sonnes sake the mediatour he keepeth this order of nature he maketh the earth fruitefull that he may feede and nourishe his Church euen in this life and bicause for his Churches sake he doth feede also the rest it becommeth vs especially to be thankfull The thirde bicause God will haue corporall necessitie to be a monishment warning concerning fayth prayer hope giuing of thankes therefore hath he set forth his promises wil haue these good things to be asked loked for by fayth by this asking and looking for he will haue fayth hope and pacience to increase The fourth that they may be warnings of the promise of grace bicause that fayth which acknowledgeth the sonne and receyueth reconciliation ought alwayes to go before in the asking of corporall things and for the sonnes sake the other promises were set forth and ratified All these things are comprehended in the saying Whatsoeuer he shall aske the father in my name he will giue it you The fift bicause God will haue both these things to be knowne both that the Church is subiect to the crosse and yet nowithstanding that it is marueylously preserued in this lyfe euen among perils and daungers that all the maruaylous preseruations of the Church and al the wonderfull deliuerances of the same may be testimonies of the presence of God in his Church as it is sayde Num. 14. That the Egyptians maye knowe that thou O Lorde art among this people Iosu 3. Ye shall knowe that the Lorde God is in the middest of you 1. Kings 17. That all the earth may knowe that there is a God in Israel Esay 37. Nowe O Lorde our God saue thou vs out of the hande of Zenacherib that all the kingdomes of the earth may knowe that thou onely art the Lorde Seing that al men haue sinne it is rightly demaunded whose obedience doth please and whose doth not please To this question I doe aunswere thus Sinnes are of two sorts some are committed of them which know and are willing agaynst their conscience such sinnes are not in them that beleeue For if he that beleueth doth fall agaynst his conscience he doth as it were shake of the holy ghost renounce the fayth and is made guiltie of the wrath of God and except he repenteth he falleth headlong into eternal punishment Moreouer they which being deceyued by the delusions of the deuill doe reuolt from the foundation that is doe renounce and forsake any article of the fayth whether they vnderstande it or vnderstande it not doe cease to be holy doe shake of the holy ghost and become guiltie of eternal wrath and displeasure as Cherinthus Ebion Arius Fotinus and such lyke heretikes Other some sinnes are not committed agaynst the conscience as blindnesse and ignorance doubting many omittings of our dutie and vicious affections agaynst which euilles the godlye doe striue and doe beleeue that they are put away for the mediators sake Although this vncleannesse is in
Psalme place him amōg the dwellers in y e tabernanacle of y e Lord that is among the heires of eternall life which contemneth a vile person and honoureth them that feare the Lorde Whether is this accepting of persons or no Accepting of persons is properly when as the true cause by the which wee ought to pronounce of the person being neglected we doe consider in the persons some other thing without the cause for which eyther we pronounce false sentence agaynst the person or otherwise doe accept and fauour the person Wherefore this precept of the Apostle doth not subuert and ouerthrowe the order of God established in the fourth commaundement concerning the honor of superiours But if any mā should despise a poore man that is godly and preferre a rich man that is wicked he leauing the true cause shoulde iudge amisse as Iames sheweth when he sayth 2 For if there come into your company a man vvith a gold ring and in goodly apparel and there come in also a poore man in vile rayment 3 And ye haue respect to him that vveareth the gaye clothing and say vnto him sit thou here in a goodly place and say vnto the poore stande thou there or sit here vnder my footestoole 4 Are ye not partiall in your selues and are become iudges of euill thoughtes By this example he declareth what maner of accepting of persons he condemneth to wit that which followeth a false iudgement for a true in iudging men For he which doth that is not onely condemned by the iudgement of his owne conscience but also his iudgement is peruerse and naughtie which taketh riches for a rule of difference He doth not therfore simply forbid to honor the rich but he speaketh by the way of comparison and condemneth him which honoureth wicked rich men with the contempt of godly poore men Wherefore that accepting of persons is here condemned which followeth a false difference for a true which keepeth not a right maner which erreth from the right ende If any man therfore preferreth a rich man before a poore bicause he is rich his iudgement is peruerse and corrupt Agayne if thou doest so preferre a rich man before a poore that thou handle the poore man reprochfully there is sinne in the maner thereof Finally if thou preferre a rich man before a poore to winne fauor thereby thou hast erred from the right ende For what thing is more vnworthie than to despise the poore man which is godly and learned and honourably to receyue and entertayne the rich man which is vngodly and vnlearned He which maketh such a difference with himselfe betweene the poore man and the riche is become a iudge of euill thoughtes that is is not rightly affected but iudgeth peruersly agaynst the rule of godlynesse and charitie 5 Hearken my beloued brethren hath not God chosen the poore of this vvorlde that they shoulde be rich in fayth and heires of the kingdome vvhich he promised to them that loue him He doth in a short entrance or preface stirre vp the hearers to be attentiue to the argument which he afterwarde annexeth God hath chosen the poore of this world which are rich in fayth that they should be heyres of the kingdome which he hath promised to them that loue him Therefore the poore of this world are not to be contemned In this argument note the order of our restoring againe In the first place is set election which is noe where els to be sought but in Christ Ephes 1. In the second is set fayth whereby generall election is applyed to the hearers of the Gospel For God hath chosen on this condition if men be engraffed by fayth in his sonne without whom is no election but mere reprobation In the third is put inheritance whereby is signified adoption by which the beleeuers receiue prerogatiue to be the sonnes of God In the fourth is added loue for that is the true fruite of fayth and an affection proper to the sonnes of God It is no maruayle therefore if God hath promised a kingdome to them that loue him For they by fayth haue obtayned power to be the sonnes of God yea and to be called heires of the heauenly kingdome For it is manifest out of Paule that loue is not the cause of reigning when he sayth The gift of God is eternall life through Iesus Christ our Lord. Of Election THis place doth admonish that I speake something concerning election For I see not a fewe to erre from the true cause thereof Paule sayth 1. Cor. 1.26 Brethren you see your calling how that not many wise men after the flesh not many mighty not many noble are called but God hath chosen the foolish thinges of the world c. And here Iames saith God hath chosen the poore of this vvorld Hereupon some do not rightly gather y t wise mighty noble and rich men are reprobates on the contrary the ignorant weake vnnoble and poore are chosen For if wisedome power noblenes and riches which all are the giftes of God were the cause of reprobation and contrariwise foolishnes weakenes vnnoblenesse and pouertie were the cause of election it should follow that all rich men are reprobates and all poore men chosen but both is false For not a few rich and noble men are godly chosen and saued and many poore men are vngodly reprobates and condemned Why therfore doth Paule say Not many wise men not many mighty not many noble Paule doth not speake of the counsel of God who will that al men shall be saued and come vnto the acknowledging of the truth 1. Timoth. 2. Which would haue no man to perish but would all men to come to repentaunce 2. Pet. 3. But he accuseth the naughtines of men which abuse the giftes of God to their owne destruction The Gospell calleth all but some pretend one thing some an other wherby they doe not come Many being entised and as it were made druncken with wisedome many with might many with noblenes many with riches many also with other thinges cannot abide the sweete sauour of the Gospell Whereby it commeth to passe that not by the counsell of God which hath created no man to certayne damnation but by their owne fault they are not elect For God will haue all at length to be saued if so be that they doe embrace by fayth the author of their saluation They which contemne him doe worthely fall away from saluation For God will cast awaye those and condemne them no otherwise then an earthly father doth cast of and disherit an obstinate and disobedient sonne which he woulde not haue done if he had obeyed his father If therefore we consider the counsell or purpose of our creation and restoring againe by Christ God in deede will haue all men to be saued but yet by saluation and life that is by Christ the mediatour But if thou marke the euent or ende he will condemne all
which haue not obeyed him calling by his Gospell This is confirmed by the saying of y e Lord in Matthew many be called but few be chosen Of this saying there are two parts the first commendeth vnto vs the goodnes of God which calleth many by his Gospel that they may be saued For we must not thinke that God calleth them whom he will not haue saued The latter part is a complaint of the greatest parte of men which contemne the Gospell and will not liue worthy of so noble a calling Wherof Christ complayneth in Matthew where he is reprehended which had not a wedding garment to the which reprehension afterward is ioyned this complaynt of Christe few are chosen This complaynt he also sheweth with teares Matth. 23. whē he saith How often would I haue gathered thy children togither as the hen gathereth the chickens vnder her wings and ye would not Behold Christ will Hierusalē will not The meaning therefore of the saying of the Lord is many be called to wit to obtayne saluation by Christ so that they will beleeue the Gospell But fewe be chosen that is fewe haue the wedding garment that is fewe doe beleeue and are godly in deede That this is the signification of the word election it is manifest out of the psalme where elect and peruerse or frowarde are set one against the other for he sayth thus with the elect thou shalt be elect and with the froward thou shalt be froward Therefore he is sayd to be elect which is in deede a godly and sincere worshipper of God keeping fayth and a good conscience Wherefore there is no cause that any man should be troubled with thinking of his election as though God had appoynted some certayne men to saluation and the greatest part of men to certaine damnation but rather let him thinke that this is the vnmoueable will of God that as he will saue without difference all that be penitent so on the contrarie he will condemne all that be impenitent And these are saide not to be elect because of the euent or ende For they haue shutte from them selues the way of saluation Let vs therefore obey the Gospell let vs liue in true repentance let vs not suffer our selues to be caried away from Christ with the cares of this world But rather let vs preferre obedience toward the Gospell before al things of the world whereby we may obtayne the saluation promised through our Lorde Iesus Christ in whom God hath chosen the beleuers before y e foūdations of the world 6 But ye haue despised the poore By this setting of one contrarie against the other he sheweth the grieuousnesse of the sinne God doth honour the poore that beleeue but you do despise the poore Your sinne therefore is grieuous and vnworthie of the heires of the kingdome of God Doe not the rich oppresse you by tyrannie and doe they not dravve you before the iudgement seates 7 Doe not they blaspheme the vvorthye name after vvhich ye be named In these wordes are conteyned two plaine arguments It is a foolish thing for men to honor them of whom they are oppressed and tormented and to contemne them that excell in true godlynesse You doe that when you doe honour your rich men which are tyrannes with the reproche and disdayne of the pore The vngodly rich men do blaspheme that worthy name of Christ whereby you will be named and whereof you are called Christians therefore it is an vnworthie thing that you shoulde honour them with the contempt of the poore 8 But if ye fulfill the royall lavve according to the Scripture vvhich sayth Thou shalt loue thy neighbour as thy selfe ye doe vvell 9 But if ye regarde the persons ye commit sinne and are rebuked of the lavve as transgressours This is a preuenting of an obiection For he preuenteth the obiection of hypocrites by the which they might excuse themselues that they did well in honouring rich men seeing that honour is included in the loue which the lawe doth require toward our neighbour He aunswereth by a double condition If you fulfill that is if you endeuer by true fayth and integritie of mynde to performe it without colouring or hypocrisie For here the worde of fufilling is to be referred not to the degrees but to the substance of obedience or to the parts therof the royall lavve that is the lawe which is like the kings hie way that is streight and playne which leadeth the wayfaring man without turnings to the place appointed But that kings hie way is to loue our neighbour and to consider this only in him that he is our neighbour and to haue respect to no other things in him ye doe vvell that is your defence is iust But if ye regarde the person ye commit sinne but that you regarde the person it is manifest by your deede For you honor wicked rich men and despise godly poore men which truly is not to go in the kings hie way to the loue of your neighbour 10 For vvhosoeuer shall keepe the vvhole lavv and yet faileth in one poynt he is giltie of all 11 For he that sayd thou shalt not commit adulterie sayd also Thou shalt not kill Novv though thou doest none adulterie yet if thou killest thou art a transgressour of the lavve He doth more forcibly vrge the hypocrites which did flatter them selues when as in one poynt of the law they had done their duty well whose hypocrisie he reprehendeth by this argument he which breaketh some one point of the law is a transgressor of the lawe and giltie by the iudgement of the lawe For he hath broken the whole law This is declared by propounding an example of the fift and sixe commaundement He which of this place doth contend either that all sins are alike or that the giltines of euery transgression is equale doth wrongfully vnderstande and take the wordes of the Apostle who in this place doth deale only with hypocrites which did iudge the perfection of the lawe in part agaynst whome the Apostle setteth transgression in part But that sinnes be not alike or equall as the Stoickes woulde haue them first it is euident by the causes For who doth not perceyue that it is more grieuous to sinne of maliciousnes than of infirmitie or ignorance Secondly the euent proueth the same He which sinneth wittingly and willingly doth as it were shake of the holy ghost but he that falleth through weakenesse doth not so Thirdly the vnequalitie of the punishment wherewith God the iust iudge punisheth doth conclude the vnequalitie of sinnes That seruant that knewe his maisters will and prepared not himselfe neyther did according to his will shall be beaten with many stripes Fourthly euery mans owne conscience doth naturally vnderstande the degrees of sinnes for they are vexed with some more with some lesse Fiftly the lawe of God and all ciuill lawes doe acknowledge degrees of sinnes according to
the godly yet they doe please God for the mediatours sake receiuing by fayth forgiuenesse of their sinnes according to that saiyng Blessed are they whose sinnes are couered And Paule sayth If ye mortifye the deedes of the flesh by the spirite ye shall liue These things I thought good to speake more at large concerning true and wholesome repentance and the partes thereof that the maner of true repentance or turning vnto God may be plainly vnderstande of euerye one and the order of the partes of repentance may be considered that that which is proper to euery of them may be giuen vnto it that we doe not confounde the properties of the partes that we may vnderstande that iustification and saluation is free that we may not depriue fayth of it properties Briefly that we being iustified by fayth freely for Christes sake may giue to God his glorie and worship and exercise our selues in all kindes of good works whiles that we shall be straungers in this lyfe which a full and perfite redemption through Christ our only sauiour shall follow to whome be prayse for euer Amen Chap. 3. The summe of the thirde Chapter AS he perswadeth that none doe rashly vsurpe vnto him selfe authoritie of maistership gouernment but rather that he bridle his owne tōgue so he requireth that wisedome be shewed by modest conuersation rather than by contention and enuie whereof many mischiefes doe come The order and partes of the thirde Chapter THere are two partes of this Chapter the first concerning maistership not to be rashly vsurped ouer other but rather that the tongue is to be bridled The second of the vse of wisedome and giftes without enuie and contention Either part hath it reasons by which it is proued The exposition of the third Chapter with an obseruation of the Doctrine 1 My brethren be not many maisters THe meaning of this proposition considered by it selfe is doubtfull but if it be restrayned as it needes must be to the reasons by which the proposition is confirmed the meaning is easye Seeing therefore that all the reasons whiche are afterwarde added doe contayne the discommodities of an intemperate tongue we must of necessitie here take maisters for them which take vnto them selues authoritie to refourme and censure others and doe seuerly and rigorously call other mens deedes vnto examination and in the meane season doe not see there owne faultes He doth not therefore condemne here brotherly admonition which proceedeth of fayth and loue which hath the commandement of Christ and is the foundation of Ecclesiasticall discipline but he condemneth the lightnes ambition and pride of them which doe not so much regarde edifying as they doe giue them selues to sclaunder and backbite Christ sayth Matth. 23. Be not ye called Rabbi for one is your maister to wit Christ and all ye are brethren And call no man your father vpon the earth for there is but one your father which is in heauen c. If any contende vpon these wordes that it is not lawfull for any godly man to take vpon him the title of maister or teacher I obiect agaynst him the forbydding of the name of a father For here we are no lesse prohibited to be called fathers then maisters Wherefore as it is not simply forbidden to be called fathers but in this or that respect so neither are we simplie forbidden to be called maisters or teachers This meaning therfore is to be considered Christ doth not esteme by what name or title thou art called so as thou abidest vnder his gouernment and maintaynest brotherly concord without ambition and contempt of others Paule calleth himselfe the maister and teacher of the Gentils yet he hath not broken this commaundement of Christ but rather obeyed it For his maistership did tende vnto this ende that he might bring all vnder the gouernement and rule of Christ They therfore which eyther vpon the wordes of Iames or the prohibition of the Lorde doe condemne scholasticall promotions doe mistake and falsly apply the Scripture and appayre and diminish the profitable gouernment of a common wealth concerning learning Let ambition be farre from vs let vs submit oure selues to the maistership and gouernement of Christ and let vs reuerently retayne and keepe scholasticall order Knovving that vve shall receiue the greater condemnation The first reason is taken of punishment they which are ready to condemne others who notwithstanding them selues are in the same faults or greater doe prouoke the wrath of God agaynst themselues For seing that loue doth couer a multitude of sinnes and they are desirous to discouer the sinnes of others they doe sufficiently declare that they are voyde of loue 2 For in many thinges vve sinne all The second reason taken of our common imbecillitie and weaknes For our common infirmitie and readines to sin ought to admonish vs that we be not ouer rigorous agaynst others The chiefe causes of our falling into sinne are these 1. Sin dwelling or abiding in vs. 2. The manifold craftes and assaultes of the deuil 3. The examples of the greatest part of the worlde and those exceeding euill 4. Negligence of gouernours of maners and discipline as in parents ministers of the Gospell and ciuill rulers If any man sinne not in vvord he is a perfect man and able to bridle all the body The third reason taken of the profite of a bridled tongue He that can temper his tongue is a perfect man that is vpright or entire and endued with many other vertues Therefore he that doth vse his tongue vnruly and dishonestly is no whit vpright or entire for he is polluted with many vices Wherefore we must not rashly take vnto vs authoritie to iudge and refourme the maners of others 3 Behold vve put bittes into the horses mouthes that they should obey vs and vve turne about all theyr body 4 Behold also the shippes vvhich though they be so great and are driuen of fierce vvindes yet are they turned about vvith a very smal rudder vvhithersoeuer the gouernour listeth 5 Euen so the tongue is a little member and boasteth of great things The fourth reason likewise is taken of the profit and commoditie of a well ordered tongue For as a bitte put into the horses mouth doth turne about all the body of the horse and as the rudder of a ship doth guide the whole ship so a well ordered tongue boasteth of great thinges that is it bringeth to passe great matters and doth as it were direct the whole man into the way of perfection when as contrariwise a disordered and an vnruly tongue is like to a bitte that is lewse and a rudder that is set at libertie Behold hovv great a thing a little fire kindleth 6 And the tongue is a fire yea a vvorld of vvickednes so is the tongue set among our members that it defileth the vvhole body and setteth on fire the course of nature and it is set on fire of hel The fift reason taken
receyuing mony for it doth sell and the thing that is translated is ware or merchandice On the contrarye he which giuing mony receyueth ware or marchandiâ—e is sayde to buye Here we must not regarde what the monye is worth in it selfe but publike authoritie vse or iudgement is to be considered For the value of the mony is by lawe rather than by nature Wherefore equalitie is not here to be considered in the substance of the mony but in the vse thereof This kinde of trade according to the foundations before layde requireth equalitie without deceyte betwene the byer and the seller He which here wittingly and willingly doth oppresse or defraude his brother in any matter hath contrary to the precept of Paule broken the equalitie of iustice required in contracts and bargaynes Wherefore the godly must take especiall heede that they doe vse no deceyte eyther in the wares or in the price Let the ware be sayde of the seller to be such as it is in deede or at the least such as it is thought to be without falshode and deceite let the due price be aunswereable therevnto that the proportion of an Arithmeticke maye be obserued But here it may not without a cause be demaunded what the due or reasonable price is To this I doe thus simplye aunswere Euery pryce is not due and reasonable which the byer the seller do agree vpon betweene themselues by their priuate iudgement but y t which eyther is named and set of the iust and publike prisers of thinges ordayned of the magistrate or which is priced according to the common value of the thing at that time when the bargayne is made He therefore which to day doth buy a busshell of corne according to the common price for three shillings may afterward a certayne time being betwene sell the same for sixe shillings if this then be the common price CoÌ„trariwise if after certayne moneths it be bought commonly for one shilling he offendeth which asketh thre for it although he bought it for three For here regard is to be had of the time and place and the plentie and scarcitie of the thinges which are solde is to be considered But here three sortes of men doe most grieuously offende as they that ingrosse all into their owne hands that no man may sell or gayne but they hucksters commonly called regraters and they which doe first set a price of things according to their owne priuate iudgement that their couetousnesse maye be satisfied In the number of these are they which haue plentie of Butter Oxen wine corne or other things through the yerely profites of their rents When as some hauing neede doe buye of these they are compelled whether they will or no to giue so much as is asked Whereby oftentimes it commeth to passe that the seller of corne or other things the common price being not yet set and confirmed doth sell exceding deare Whose example when other also which haue plentie of the lyke things doe followe it falleth out that a bushell of corne which perhaps otherwise might be sold for two shillings is solde for eyght But thou wilt say the ware is myne why is it not lawfull for me to sell it as I can the buyer is free he may eyther buye or not buye what doe I therefore offend Thy sinne is exceding great cloke it by what name or title soeuer thou wilt For thou doste not so much offende agaynst thy buyer as agaynst the whole common weale which thou doest wounde worse than if thou didst inuade it with robberie For through thy couetousnesse it commeth to passe that many are pyned with miserie and famine He which is iniurious agaynst one man doth deserue euerlasting paynes what shall be thought concerning thee which killest so many families with hunger or at the least art the cause that they liue in greater miserie Thou mayst excuse thy selfe before the iudgement seat of men but God doth not esteme such craftie euasions neyther is he deceyued with the peruerse interpretation of his lawe For his iudgement seat is iust which doth not regarde the person The buyers also doe here oftentimes offende For it falleth out sometimes that they buye dearer eyther bicause the payment is deferred or that they may procure the fauour of great men of whom they buye that the gayne which is nothing at all hoped for by the things that are bought may be recompenced by some other meanes Here more things might be sayde but these may be sufficient for them that haue vnderstanding For I doe looke to preuayle little with them which loue godlinesse with Aiax Aiax would seeme deuout towarde God so long as he perceyued nothing to bee required of him which was contrary to his affections but when he was commaunded to spare Vlysses In other things sayth he I will obey thee but not in this thing Of this sort is the religion of many at this day they will be louers of godlynesse so that it doth not disagree with their affections which they will haue wholye to be satisfied yea though God be angrie therewithall What I pray you is more horrible than to preferre their owne affections before the commaundement of God But this is sufficient for these men will not heare vs. The question concerning the redeming of a bargayne is dissolued out of Leuiticus where the Lorde doth commende vnto his people the lawe concerning the redeeming of bargaynes But then onely I iudge this kynde of bargayning to be allowed when it doth not disagree with the foundation before taught Do not that to another which thou wilt not haue done to thy selfe As the conscience of a godly man maye trust vnto this onely foundation in all bargaynes so also in that bargayne wherein is made a couenant for the redeeming thereof Of Borowing Borowing is a contract or bargayne whereby the dominion of a thing is translated vnto an other no price being put betweene but with a couenant that the same thing be restored agayne in the same kind of sort But here are two thinges to be considered of the godly equalitie and a bond Equalitie if in equal number measure and weight thou restore that which thou hast receyued with out deceit deceit excludeth fault in the substance quantitie and qualitie of the thing To this belongeth that precept of Hesiodus Borowe of thy neyghbour by righte measure and restore agayne by the same right measure and by greater also if thou art able Where as he sayth by greater if thou art able it may apertayne vnto thankfulnes although the Poet maketh an other cause to wit this that thou mayest find thy neighbour ready to lende thee if at any other time thou hast neede Let there be a double bond obserued a naturall and a christian bond The naturall bond is that by which we are bound by the law of nature to lend vnto others which doe neede that thing
is condemned The Nicene Synod in which were 318. fathers did also condemne vsurie And Gratianus against the vsurie of Clergie men doth adde these wordes out of the decrees of the Nicene councell Because many of the clergie for couetousnes sake seeking after filthy lucre haue forgotten the diuine precept wherein it is sayd He that giueth not his money vpon vsurie this holy councell hath decreed that if any be found after this decree to take vsurie or by anye such trade to seeke after filthie lucre c. he be throwne out of the Clergie and counted voyde of all ecclesiasticall decree or office Hierome sayth To seeke vsurie or to defraude or to take violently doe nothing differ Lend to thy brother and take that that thou hast lent and seeke for no ouerplus because the ouerplus is counted for vsurie Augustine sayth what shall I say of vsurie which euen the verie lawes and iudges themselues doe commaund to be rendred whether is he crueller which stealeth or taketh away any thing from a rich man or he which killeth a poore man with vsurie These thinges verily and such like are possessed ill and I would that they were restored but there is none who being Iudge they shalbe required agayne But now let vs wisely consider what is written To a faythfull man the whole world is riches but to an vnfaithfull man not somuch as a halfepeny Doe we not conuince all men which seeme to themselues to reioyce in the goods that they haue gotten and know not how to vse them to possesse that which belongeth to an other For that truly belongeth not to an other which is possessed rightly But that is possessed rightly which is possessed iustly And that is possessed iustly which is possessed well Euery thing therefore that is possessed ill belongeth to another These wordes sayth Augustine Ambrose sayth Why doste thou turue the industrie of nature into deceyt Why doste thou desire that there shoulde be lack of things necessarye Why doste thou make scarcitie to be wished for to the poore and doste lament common plentie Thou doest espie when there is small increase Thou callest that industrie which is the practise of subtiltie and that which thou callest a remedie is a deuise of mischiefe But may I call vsurie theft those are taken for the tymes of theft in which thou being a cruell deceyuer doste creepe into the bowels of men vnto whom the vsurie of corne layde vp is multiplied Why doest thou wish euill to all men thy gaine is publicke losse The same sayth also in an other place He fighteth without a weapon which exacteth vsurie he reuengeth himselfe of his enemie without a sweard which is a receiuer of vsurie Chrysostome sayth Lende take greater vsurie but lend so that thou shalt receiue there where as is no enuie no accusation no deceit no terrour Lend nothing to them that be in neede but vnto Christ who both suffred neede and hunger for thee and also nourisheth all men For this vsurie doth prepare a kingdome but the other prepareth hel fire this is a point of godlines and mercie the other of crueltie and couetousnes The same sayth in an other place there is nothing more filthy then vsurie nothing more cruel An vsurer procureth the miseries of others and his lucre maketh the aduersitie of an other Such a one doth as it wrre lift vp his hand and thrust into shipwrecke The same saith in an other place The money of an vsurer is like to the sting of an Aspe For he that is stong of an Aspe being as it were delighted doth fall into a sleepe and through the soundnes of sleepe doth dye because then the venim doth priuily runne through all his members So he which taketh vpon vsurie doth for the time feele as it were a benefite but the vsurie doth runne through all his substance and conuerteth all into dette Lactantius sayth If a man hath lent any money let him not take vsurie that the benefite may be safe and perfect which releeueth necessitie and let him altogither abstaine himselfe from that that is an other mans For in this kinde of dutye he ought to be content with his owne whom it behoueth otherwise not to spare that that is his owne that he may doe good But to take more then he gaue is vniust which he that doth doth after a sort practise deceit that he may get his pray by the necessitie of an other Bernard saith What is vsurie the poyson of a Patrimonie What is vsurie according to the law a theefe foretelling what he intendeth to wit to rauin Luther doth most greuously inueigh against vsurers whose writings because they are in the handes of many I will not here make mention of any thing out of them Hitherto we haue spoken of the prohibitions of vsurie and of the causes of the prohibitions of all which this sentence is concluded that vsurie is therfore forbidden that by it our neighbour be not hurt that charitie among men be not broken that humane societie be not disturbed that the goods of priuate men be not wasted to the destruction of families and common weales As often as therfore we read that vsurie is prohibited let vs looke vnto these endes of the prohibition least that vnder a pretence of vsurie that is forbidden we doe iudge to sharply of other contractes and bargaines which the lawes doe allow Of the second J Find that the punishment of vsurers is of three sorts to wit ciuil spirituall and ecclesiasticall The ciuil punishment according to the auncient lawes of the Romans as Cato witnesseth was that vsurers should be punished with paying foure times as much theeues with paying onelye twise as much Surely the auncients did sufficiently declare by this sentence that they did iudge vsurers to be worse and more hurtfull then common theeues And for this cause they were not suffred to come to publike dignities and offices as men vnworthy of them But alas so great at this day is the corruption of christian maners that they which were infamous among the prophane nations and counted worse then theeues are iudged worthy of very hie honour yea and that among Christians I remēber being a child when there were onely two vsurers in this realme which wer commonly knowne of whom one being one of the common sort did dwell in Morea in Denmark This mā although he was exceding rich through vsurie yet after his death his children which he left were brought vnto such pouertie that we haue seene in this citie a certaine daughter of his not onely in a torne and filthy garment and that scarce couering those partes of the body which nature biddeth to be couered but also following in the sight of many a most filthie trade whereby notwithstanding she could not keepe her selfe from beggerie There was an other which came of a better familie vnto whom no small substance had come by inheritance
can be more grieuous and it is no maruel that he is not heard of God which doth not heare the Sonne of God crying in his members The fourth is a depriuing them of their giftes For it is written From him that hath not euen that he hath shalbe taken away But he is sayde not to haue which doth not vse his giftes and goods to the glorie of God and the relieuing of them that be in miserie To this pertaineth that saying Prouerb 3. He that despiseth the prayer of the poore shall suffer pouertie The fift is the begging of their children or their most wicked life which is farre more grieuous then all neede and pouertie I haue spoken of the punishments of them that are cruell toward the poore and that not out of philosophie which may erre but out of the verye oracles of God which cannot deceiue or lye He that shall contemne these shall in short time finde a iust iudge Now we will speake of affection of what sort we require it to be in him which hath purposed to giue almes and of the due and conuenient maner of almes Christ will haue two vices to be excluded from almes Matth. 6. which are hypocrisie and vaine glorie For these two doe as pernicious poysons infect whatsoeuer they touch Neyther is that any maruel For where hypocrisie is there is no fayth where vaine glorie is there is no loue of God no feare of God Let therefore pharisaicall Hypocrisie and foolish boasting be farre of from our almes What affections then do you require in almes loue of God charitie of our neighbour syncere gentlenesse and cherefulnesse For with these affections as with a certaine heauenly salt our almes ought to be sprinkled whereby it ought to be a sacrifice acceptable to God Furthermore with almes fayth is to be ioyned by which we doe not only assure our selues that our almes doth please God but also that he hath a care ouer our whole lyfe that he doth furnishe vs with necessary defence and liuing And bicause he requireth that we should helpe others and hath promised rewardes we shall for Gods sake bestowe benefites and agayne by fayth looke for the help of God In y e maner of our almes we shall consider the quantitie according to the counsel of Tobias who sayth If thou hast much giue plenteously if thou hast little doe thy diligence gladly to giue of that little Equalitie that thou of bounden dutie doe bestowe thy almes on the needy and he againe with a thankful minde receyue it and wishe well vnto thee Readynes of mynde according to that saying of Paule 2. Cor. 8. If there be a willing minde it is accepted according to that a man hath and not according to that he hath not Difference of strangers and them that be of the housholde of fayth according to the counsell of Paul Gal. 6. While we haue time let vs do good vnto all men but especially vnto them which are of the housholde of fayth that is them which by fayth are in the same familie of God that we be Possession according to the saying of Salomon Let thy fountaines flow forth but be thou maister of them Nowe it remayneth that we speake of the endes of godly almes and of the fruite thereof And although both the endes and also the fruite of holy almes may easily be gathered of those things which go before yet that I maye the more stirre vp the godly reader to this necessarie holy and dutifull office I will adde somewhat of the endes and fruites of almes godly bestowed The ends are foure The first the relieuing of our needy neighbour and the refreshing of the members of Christ The seconde the prouoking of others to liberalitie toward the poore according to that saying 2. Cor. 9. Your zeale hath prouoked many The thirde the witnessing of our fayth and of the feare of God For the duties of charitie are directed vnto this ende that by them we doe witnes that we feare God whose commaundement we obey The fourth the glorie of God Diuers and manifolde fruites do followe liberalitie towardes the poore Paule witnesseth that it wyll come to passe that they which haue bene liberall and bountifull towarde the poore shall abounde in euerye good worke For so it pleaseth the Lorde to recompence obedience towarde him with newe graces And this is it which y e Lord sayth Matth. 6. The Lord shal reward thee openly And Psal Blessed is he that iudgeth wisely of the poore the Lorde shall deliuer him in the time of trouble Salomon He that hath mercie vpon the poore lendeth vnto the Lorde Paule sayth He that soweth liberally shall reape also liberally Esay 58. If thou poure out thy soule to the hungry and refresh the troubled soule then shall thy light spring out in the darkenesse and thy darkenesse shall be as the noone day Ecclesiasticus 29. Lay vp thine almes in thy secret chambers and it shall keepe thee from all affliction it shall fight for thee against thine enimie better than the shielde of a strong man or speare of the mightie Here the wise man calleth the necessities of our neighbours secret chambers in which benefites are to be layde vp and kept wherevpon one of the holy fathers hath sayde elegantlye and well the hande of the poore is a treasure house of Christ Then the wyse man addeth the exceeding great fruite of the bounteousnesse layde vp in those secret chambers to be deliuerance from euils and a most strong fortresse and defence agaynst our enimies For a man can by nothing be more defended protected against perils than by bounteousnes mercie But I speak of y e almes which proceedeth of fayth as it sufficiently appeareth by those things that I haue before spoken least that any man think that I agree with the Papistes which value their almes without Christ and without fayth These things concerning liberall and godly almes I thought therfore to adde that I might admonishe especially them that are of the richer sort of their dutie that they may vnderstande that they are bounde by the law of God to bestow part of their substance vpon the poore and that freely for the commandements sake of God and for many other causes which I haue rehearsed Furthermore that if they shall refuse to obey the commaundement of God they may know that they are giltie of disobedience towarde God Of these thinges that is playnly concluded which I propounded to wit that none may without great sacrilege take gaine of this first kind of men In the second order or state of men I place artificers and those which get their liuing with the labour of their handes To these according to the precept of Christ we must lend and looke for nothing agayne For as the Apostle forbiddeth to giue vnto these freely when he sayth He that laboureth let him eate As charitie dooth not require that
the Anabaptistes abuse this saying to abolishe euery othe I iudge it expedient to declare this place more at large that it may be euident howe farre it is lawfull to sweare and howe farre not and that I may keepe a certayne maner in the handling hereof I will speake of these things in order First I will generally shewe that it is lawfull sometime to sweare Then I will inquire out those things which are required to a lawfull oth that it may appeare which is lawfull and which is vnlawfull Moreouer whom we must beleue when they haue sworn for we must not beleue euery one that hath sworne In the last place I will refell the argumentes of the Anabaptists Of the first THat othes are sometime lawfull it is taught by the sixe arguments following The first the seconde precept of the ten commaundements doth manifestly require the religion or right vsing of an othe For when it forbiddeth the abuse of the name of God it requireth the lawfull vse thereof to wit inuocation of God part whereof is a religious othe The second the declaration of the second precept Deut. 6. doth proue the same for there Moses sayth Thou shalt sweare by his name this saying doth both witnes that an othe is lawfull and also doth shewe a maner of swearing For God will not haue that the Israelites sweare by the names of Deuils after the maner of the Gentiles but by his name The thirde Exod. 22. The commaundement of the Lorde is this when there is controuersie concerning a thing committed to another to keepe if the thing be taken awaye God hath commaunded that he to whom it was committed to keepe do purge himselfe with an oth The fourth the many examples of saints and holy men as of Abraham Isaac Iacob and of many others who in no case woulde haue eyther sworn themselues or required othes of other except they had thought that it had bene lawfull to sweare But the othes of them doe make a rule of a lawfull othe as I will afterwarde declare The fift the example of Christ and of the Apostles in the newe testament Howe often doth Christ vse this maner of swearing Verily verily c. Howe often doth Paule sweare and also the other Apostles These things the Apostles had in no wise done and much lesse Christ if euery othe had bene vnlawfull The sixt the end of an oth Heb. 6. And an oth sayth he for confirmation is among men an ende of all strife We haue firme reasons by which it is plainly shewed that euerye othe is not vnlawfull as the Anabaptistes crie out Nowe let vs go to that which we propounded in the seconde place Of the seconde IN an othe which is an affirming or denying of some thing with a calling to witnes of the name of God or of some other thing which ought to be vnto vs sacred and vnuiolate foure things are required which are diligently to be considered in euery othe as the partes of the othe the causes the affection of him that sweareth and the ende of swearing The partes are two the one is the calling of God to witnes about the thing which we affirme or denie For he that sweareth when he hath no other witnesses appealeth to God from whome nothing is hidde and desireth his testimonie and confirmeth by an othe that that which he sayth proceedeth from God as a witnes Hereupon it followeth that we must not flie to the diuine testimonie but when as both other witnesses can not be had and the matter is so knowne to him that sweareth that he knoweth that he doth not rashly appeale to so great a witnes The other is the condition of the vengeance of God against him which sweareth and deceyueth in swearing For if he doth not escape punishment which doth falsly alledge the testimonie of an earthly king what shall be done to him which maketh God a lyer This condition ought to call backe all men not onely from periurie but also from lightnes of swearing The causes of swearing are two the former is the ignorance of the thing which is in hande the latter the weyghtines thereof For in trifling matters and of none or small importance we must not flie to an othe For the name of God ought to be more sacred and holy vnto vs than that we should flie vnto it by swearing except exceeding great necessitie doth vrge vs. The affection of him that sweareth ought to be double for he ought to be moued thereunto both w t hatred of a lie and with the loue of the truth Wheresoeuer this affection is not the name of God is taken in vayne The ende of swearing is also double one that the truth may be known another that God maye be honoured by whome it is sworne Of these foure rightly conferred togither it shall easily appeare when it is lawful to sweare and when not Certayne doe allowe this distinction that a publike othe only that is required of the lawfull magistrate is lawful but not a priuate othe that is which one maketh of his owne accorde eyther in his owne or in another mans cause But bicause many examples do proue euen priuate othes I do not receyue this distinction Nowe I define that to be a lawfull othe which is taken in the feare of God to confirme the truth of that thing the ignorance whereof woulde eyther hinder the glorie of God or hurt the safegarde or good name of our neyghbours Of the third NOw is to be declared whom we must beleeue when they haue sworne For we must not beleeue euerye one no though he haue sworne The Poet Menander saith write the oth of wicked men in the water He signifieth therefore by this signe that it is vayne that wicked men sweare For he which doth playnly transgresse the other commaundements of God as with idolatrie vniustice tyrannie dronkennes adulterie haunting the companye of harlots and with such like he will easily also contemne God with swearing Wherefore let neyther the godly magistrate nor any other easily approue such men hauing sworne Paule swearing in these wordes God is my witnes Forthwith addeth Whom I serue in my spirite signifying that we must beleeue them that feare God if they shall sweare concerning any thing For they that being voyde of fayth can not worship God howe are they to be thought to worship him with the religion or right vsing of an oth Howe wilt thou giue part to him from whom thou hast taken the whole Of the fourth NOw let vs see what foundations the Anabaptists rest vpon First they bring the saying of the Lorde Matth. 5. I say vnto you sweare not at all Secondly they vrge the wordes of Iames Sweare not my brethren neyther by heauen nor by earth nor by any other oth Let saith the Lord your communication be yea yea Nay nay For whatsoeuer is more then these commeth of euil These
Thessal 4.6 The office duty of him that selleth VVhat is to be obserued concerning the price of thinges Three kindes of men especially do offend in bying and selling An obiection The aunswere How greuously they sinne which enhance and rayse the price of thinges without cause To loue godlines with Aiax is so long onely to be godly while nothing is required of vs contrary to our owne affections in which number are too too many at this day Redeming of bargaines VVhat borowing is Two thinges to be marked in borowing A precept of Hesiodus concerning borowing and restoring that which is borowed VVe are bound by a double bond to lend vnto others Luke 6.35 How the Iewes corrupted the law concerning lending The meaning of the saying of Christ before mentioned concerning lending Luke 6.33 â—4 Psal 112.5 The lending of the godly and of the vngodly doe much differ VVhat the godly consider and regard in their lending Psal 15.1.2 Two sorts of borowing VVherin Vsurie consisteth The chiefe points which he meaneth to handle concerning vsury Foure prohibitions of vsurie The first prohibition of vsurie The very heathen Philosophers did disallow vsurie and affirme it to be contrarie to nature Other reasons prouing vsury to be against nature The second prohibition of vsurie out of the word of God Verse 25. Verse 37. Verse 19.20 Verse 8. The third prohibition of vsurie taken from ciuil ordinances lawes of common weales How Solon did moderate vsurie among the Athenians The moderation of vsurie which the ancient Emperours made The fourth prohibition of vsurie whiche is taken out of the decrees of Synodes and the sayings of holy fathers Gratianus against vsurie Psalm 15.5 Hierome against vsurie Augustine against vsurie Ambrose against vsurie Chrysostome against vsurie The money of an vsurer very fitly compared to the poison of an Aspe Lactantius against vsurie Bernard against vsurie The chiefe causes wherfore vsurie is forbidden Three kinds of punishment of vsurers How the auncient Romains punished vsurers and what they iudged of them The corruption of our time is great An example worthie to be noted of all but specially of vngodly vsurers Another example of an vsurer Though vsurers are not punished of men yet they shall not escape the punishment of God Though punishment be deferred yet it is not therfore taken awaye A profitable admonition to vngodly vsurers The spirituall punishment of vsurers though little esteemed of many yet truly exceeding grieuous Note How vsurers were punished heretofore according to the censure of the Church Vsurers were very iustly prohibited from the ceremonie of offring An obiection The aunswere Vsurers were in time past put back from the holy communion and that for most weightie causes reasons Matth. 7.6 An admonition to the ministers of the Gospell Vsurers in time past wer excluded froÌ„ christian buriall and that by the iust censure of the Church VVhy we solemnise the burials of holy men Reasons and testimonies wherfore vsurers haue bene excluded from christian buriall Ierâ— 22.19 Psal 116.15 VVith what fayre gloses some will seke to diminishe the heynousnesse of vsury * Their owne naturall corruption VVhere vsury is established there charitie is ouerthrown An obiection in the behalfe of vsurers The aunswer Euery will is not without constraint as it is shewed by examples Another obiection in the behalfe of vsurers The aunswer Vsurers are Idolaters and why Vsurie which some affirme to be the vpholding of families and common weales is in deede in the ende oft times the vtter ruin of them VVhat vsurers ought to doe to whom God hath giuen grace to repent and to forsake so detestable a sin No bargain is disallowed which is not contrarie to charitie A profitable rule concerning bargains The dutie of charity which we owe to the poore and impotent Diuers causes which hinder men that they are so slacke in the necessary dutie of giuing almes VVhy he purposeth to intreat of almes more at large VVhat chiefe poyntes he meaneth to handle concerning almes VVe must bestow the first almes vpon our selues VVherein the mercy consisteth which we ought to shew first to our owne selues The first distinction of almes Two kindes of almes which is bestowed vpon other Spiritual almes what it is how diuine and passing al other kinds of almes Iam. 5.19.20 Ciuil almes what it is Luke 6.36 The first cause yea and that most weighty which ought to stirre vp all christians to be diligent in giuing almes Malac. 1.6 The second cause which ought to moue vs to the giuing of almes He cannot rightly feare the Lorde which is not mercifull to the poore 1. Iohn 3.17 The third cause which ought to prouoke vs to be liberall in giuing almes The fourth cause which ought to stirre vs vp diligently to distribute our almes to the poore Almes rightly bestowed is a thing much accepted and esteemed before God The fift cause of giuing almes A triple bond wherwith all men are ioyned in neighbourhoode one with another Other exceeding neare bonds wherewith Christians are knit togither which also ought not a little to moue vs vnto liberall almes toward our nedy brethren Esay 58.7 The sixt cause that ought to moue vs to giue almes is the sundrye punishments which shall light vppon them that are vnmercifull towarde the poore Matth. 25.23 Two things diligently to be taken hede of in giuing almes VVhat affections ought to be in him that bestoweth almes Quantitie in almes how to be considered Tob. 4.9 Equalitie in almes Readines and chearefulnes in giuing almes Vpon whome especially almes is to be bestowed Prouer. 5.16 The endes of godly almes are foure â— Cor. 9.8 Psal 41.1 Prouer. 19.17 * That is such as eyther through pouertie age or for some other cause are not able to helpe themselues How we must behaue our selues in lending to artificers and labourers Three great faults in many artificers and labourers The first fault founde in artificers and workemen The seconde fault He speaketh not of our countrie Englande but of his owne countrie Denmarke whether the same may be sayde of our countrie that I leaue to the iudgement of others An obiection The aunswer The thirde fault in many artificers and workemen Very vniust vsury practiced among husbandmen Nice and delicate yong men Ill bringing vp is a cause of marring many which are of a good towardnes and wit An apt similitude How much bringing vp preuaileth either vnto vertue or vice it is declared by an excellent example Good education a most profitable patrimonie Two thinges which much hinder good education A very apt similitude The fewer the children the more diligently to be cared for that they be well brought vp Cruell loue in many mothers that thinke them selues to loue their children most dearely The second cause which hindreth good education The discommoditie of euill bringing vp is properly shewed Contending who shall passe one an other in quaffing and drunkennes Contending in vanitie and excesse of apparell How we must behaue our selues