me as you doe To Henrie Bullinger 26. THose things which you wrote vnto mée right woorthie Sir doe fullie testifie what minde and good will you beare mee for the which cause I giue you most heartie thankes And in the meane time I knowe not what else to aunswere but that I haue you all the Church I meane the schoole and most honorable Magistrate within my heart and bowels I continue still of one minde and wholie determine with my selfe to come vnto you neither as I thinke will my desire bée in vaine Indéede there be manie impediments so as this delay which our honorable Senate required for to deliberate of the matter is no lesse troublesome to mée than to you For manie times there come learned men vnto me such as are of some authoritie and my verie familiar and speciall friendes which indeuour all they can to stay me from departing The French church which is of our professiō are against it And there be manie in the schoole and in the Senate which trulie fauouring our doctrine say that my departure will cause great detriment but yet by the grace of God these things doe not hitherto mooue mée because I sée that the Germane Church it self is vtterly against me as touching doctrine neither doe I thinke that any reconciliation can be hoped for Howbeit because I haue bin required by my Lordes that I woulde comprehend in a certaine briefe writing my opinion of the Sacramentarie thing touching the Eucharist to the intent it might be perceiued thereby howe much the preachers of this Citie doe differ from mee I did not staie to doe it and our opinion I haue written in fewe wordes in déede but yet so cléerelie and euidently as they which vnderstande it not bée as senselesse as stones Wherefore I thinke that our aduersaries will rather depart from hence than suffer that it shoulde be taught and disputed in the Schoole or bée written of any professor of this Citie I expect what answere they will make I know they will not depart from their obstinacie I in the meane time will vse your benefite which I doubt not but is offered me by God whom beléeue mee I haue desired welnéere these thrée yéeres that either he would make this vocation tollerable vnto mée or else that he woulde prouide mee of another Nowe since he hath hearkened vnto mée and vpon the sodaine hath offered that which I desired vnlesse I would imbrace it as the common saying is with both the hands I should bée vngratefull The writing which I gaue to our noble and honorable Citie I would now sende vnto you but I haue no Copie with mee except that which is written with mine owne ordinarie hand which in no wise you can reade but as I hope I shall my selfe shewe it vnto you Those things which you admonished me of I like well and I will take as much héede as I can that I bee not deceiued In the meane time I am to thanke you in two respectes for the vocation which you haue offered mée For yée haue prepared a commodious méete and honest way for me to depart from hence and by this meanes there is giuen an occasion that I haue héere now openly and before the Magistrate twise confessed my faith and meaning as touching the Eucharist not onely by worde of mouth but also by writing which I hope by the fauour of God will not bee vnprofitable As touching D. Zanchus I beléeue that which you write that it woulde in déede be profitable for him that I shoulde tarie héere but when he shal speake with me himselfe I am perswaded that he will be content with our iust determination In the meane time fare you well and let mee not be without the voyce of your prayers Of my comming stande you in no doubt I doe all thinges and I set all thinges a worke that I may bee dismissed From Strasborough the 22. of May 1556. I praie you that you will excuse mee to our fellowe Ministers that I did not now write For by reason of the absence of Marpachius and Zanchus I am so ouercharged with businesse as I haue no leasure at all Verie heauie newes are this day written vnto vs from Anwarpe namely that Maister Cheeke an English man Schoolemaister vnto king Edward of godly memorie a man verie agréeable vnto vs in doctrine and notable for his learning and godlie life together with Maister Peter Caro are taken betwéene Anwarpe and Bruxels in a litle towne called Fulsorte There is no hope of their life And it is sayde that they shall bee sent into England to the Quéene and I feare least some grieuous example shall be shewed vppon them They be two excellent men as all the English men know Wherefore I beséeche you and your godlie Church that you will powre out for them your prayers as a swéete smelling sacrifice that either they maie be deliuered frō so present a danger or else that there may be giuē them a true and sound constancie in the confession of Christes name and his trueth Fare you well againe and loue mee as you doe To Henrie Bullinger 27. THat messenger which departed from hence eight dayes since and had letters from your sonne vnto you made me not priuie at all of his departure wherefore good Sir and reuerende brother in the Lorde you must not maruell that I wrote not vnto you for I was much desirous to haue doone it and was verie sorie that the occasion was so lost Nowe at the length haue I gotten leaue It was graunted me vppon Saint Iohns Eue. Which I beséech God maie turne to good and bee luckie and fortunate For the Magistrate differed the time euen vntill that daie He protracted the time a great while and labored much to kéepe me still and finallie confessed to my owne selfe that hee did vnwillinglie let mee goe I am preparing for the iourney and when the faire is at an ende I hope that I shall depart from hence Wherefore I will not write much because I trust to bee present with you shortlie I come with a glad minde and with all my heart and I doubt not but with a willing and readie minde I shall be receiued of you I heare that your sonne hath written vnto you touching a house which I my selfe did not aduise him to doe But nowe that he hath doone it I am glad and I giue him thankes But sée how bolde I am I assure my selfe of all thinges euen as Im like manner am readie to doe anie thing for your sake Numius maketh hast and I euen at this present time am occupied in the ordering of my bookes therefore I ende my letter I desire that all the fellow Ministers may be heartilie saluted from me and that it maie be tolde them that there is nowe nothing I more desire than by my presence to pleasure them whome I entyrelie loue and honour in Christ God kéepe you long safe amongest vs. From Strasborough the
right worthie Sir from Paris the day before the Calendes of Nouember and in 22. daies I came safe and sounde to Zuricke being verie surelie and faithfullie conducted by two leaders of souldiers whom they commonlie call captaines who are godlie and valiant men Vnto whom was no smal honour doone by the Consuls Senate and ministers of the Church and certaine men were appointed to attende vppon them on the way as farre as Berna Wherefore they maie shewe vnto their Princes as I doubt not but they wil how honourably they haue bin intertained of vs. Moreouer the Quéene mother and the king of Nauarre haue written hither most courteous letters and so haue the princes the Admirall and the Condie which letters were verie well accepted The Lorde perhappes will vouchsafe that the mindes of the men of this Citie shall well and firmelie be knit to the kingdome of France especiallie if there happen to come a iust consent in religion We when wee were all for sundrie causes gladde beholde heauie newes are brought out of France First that King Philip hath written thither verie threatening letters wherein hee not required but in a manner commaunded that the authoritie of the Pope might be kept safe and sounde in France and as they say he protested in expresse wordes that hee woulde bee an open enemie vnto all those which would otherwise will and decrée And it is added moreouer that a commandement is giuen out to the Bishoppes in the kings name that they shoulde returne againe to Poyssi and there confute the confession of the French Churches But this doe we not easilie beléeue vnlesse we be certified thereof by Beza that famous and learned man God defende his owne worke and establish those foundations which séeme not to bee vnfortunatelie laide Certeinlie it woulde be a deceite yea and that a verie manifest deceite one side being dismissed to call our aduersaries againe and to condemne them that be absent But God wil sée these things I was desirous in my returne to haue séene you But since the winter was nowe come I feared least if I returned home by a greater iourney I shoulde bee ouertaken with raine or foule wether that also was the cause why I did not fall into the traine of the Marquesse of Retheling the prince Longauil when I was earnestlie desired being at Blandine I woulde not agrée therevnto because I perceiued that the iourney was to be differred certain daies Herewithall I considered that it shoulde make but small if wee were asunder in bodie sith we haue our minds and iudgements most néerelie ioyned together and this doeth the most stedfast concorde declare which wee so many of vs as were appointed in Fraunce kept while we liued together in one house and at one table whose peaceable and perfect fellowship I shall neuer forget Wherefore holde me excused I beséech you if I returned home by a more readie way I would pray you neuerthelesse in the meane time to salute in my name euerie one of your Collegues especiallie that learned man Merlin our welbeloued brother Professor of the Hebrewe tongue Fare well most excellent man and deere brother in the Lorde GOD most mercifully blesse your Godlie labours Also salute I beséech you the Italian Pastor and my Lorde Marques From Zuricke the 25. of Nouember 1561. To a certaine Friend being an eloquent and famous man as concerning the cause of the Eucharist 62. TO write briefelie and plainelie of a matter weightie and in a maner obscured through the contentions of men you your selfe right woorthy man who are an excellent maister of speaking and in writing most skilfull doe verie well know howe verie hardly and difficultlie it can be doone Therefore I ceasse not to maruell what was the cause why in your last letters you doubted not to require this of mee who both in speaking and writing am in a maner able to doe nothing Yet because you requested mée and I for the honour I beare vnto you haue vndertaken to perfourme it I determined to discharge my selfe of my promise by the first faithfull messenger Which thing also I will doe with the better courage because I knowe that I write not vnto one that is ignoraunt of the controuersie For so farre as I sée you altogether dwell in the cause of the Eucharist so farre is it off that you can be called a straunger therein Wherefore since this is my opinion of you I will so knit vp the chiefest pointes as I may shew that I rather meant to note them than to expounde them Take you it in good part and if I shall not fulfill your will you shall not accuse my minde which is most readilie inclined towardes you but your owne selfe which haue requested it I ouerpasse 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or Commutation of the bread and wine because the aduersaries professe that they no lesse flie from that than wee doe Neither also doe I thinke it néedefull to dispute whether the wordes of the Lorde wherein he saide that the breade is his bodie and the wine his bloud ought to be accounted proper or else figuratiue and tropicall For in verie déede they against whom we dispute being after a sort returned to a sound iudgement doe now confesse that they acknowledge a figure to be in those wordes but yet doe so confesse it as they ioyne the bodie and bloud truelie properlie and in déede vnto the bread and wine and put 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to wit the comming together of the two natures vnto that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or Communication of the Pope And they decrée that the flesh and the bloud of Christ are not onelie in heauen but are also present in the holie Bread and Wine of the Supper Neither doe they feare to affirme The feined deuise of vbiquitie that the Lordes bodie although it be humane is at one time in manie places together Yea and they procéede so farre as they pronounce it to be euerie where aswell as the diuine nature Further they attribute vnto that bodie a presence which occupieth no place But I doe say that the humane nature of Christ was euermore comprehended within some certaine place which place he so occupied that he was not any where else at the same time The Euangelical historie sheweth that he was sometime in Galile Iohn 2. 1. Iohn 2. 13. Luke 7. 40 Iohn 12. 1. sometime in Ierusalem sometime in the house of Simon and another time in Bethania Whereby it appeareth that some certaine place was giuen to the bodie of Christ And that he was not together in any other place he manifestlie shewed when he witnesseth that Christ saide Iohn 11. 15 that Lazarus was dead and that he reioyced because hée was not there By the verie which wordes he so declareth himselfe to haue bin in that iourney as he was no where else Also the Angels saide vnto the women when they sought for the Lordes bodie in the Sepulchre Matt. 28.
euen without them both they may haue their being and also may exercise their owne actions For they loue they desire they vnderstand euen without bodies 15 Now we must sée what they can doo Two sorts of power of the spirits Their power is of two sorts one in vnderstanding another in working But we will sée what is to be attributed vnto them in both kinds Of the knoledge which they haue That spirits doo knowe manie things we haue no doubt for after the opinion of Lactantius Tertullian Capella Looke In 1. Cor. 12 2. and Plato in his booke intituled Cratylus they be called Daemones quasi 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 à sciéndo that is of knowing Whether they know of things to come But peraduenture you will demand whether they also knowe things to come for the which things chéeflie their counsell is demanded I answere that things to come are not alwaies knowne after one maner First things to come are not knowne as things present but of God onelie for he within his compasse comprehendeth all the differences of times For as Paule saith All things are naked laid before his eies Heb. 4 14. Others doo not presentlie sée the effects of things but by reasons they gather of things to come and that manie waies For first they sée the causes of things and by them gather of the effects which shall afterward followe But of causes some are necessarie and some not necessarie of necessarie are such as be contained in the mathematikes and in the opposition or coniunction of the heauenlie spheres So doo men which be skilfull in the stars foretell manie yéeres before hand what time eclipses shall happen afterward Other causes sometime are not necessarie or certeine for their effects may be hindered and such are those which are called things seldome happening or things that may happen this waie or that waie So the mariner pronounceth of the tempest and the physician of the pulse 16 Then if there be such knowledge granted vnto man How the spirits knowe of things to come much rather must the same be granted vnto spirits For they are not let by the heauines and lumpe of the flesh as men be besides this continuance and experience is a furtherance vnto them For if that old men doo sée manie more things than yoong men doo The old age of spirits then is it credible that spirits which liue for euer doo knowe verie manie things and if they haue bodies proper and of their owne as some thinke they haue such as are nimble and readie The nimblenes of them so that in a verie short space they can flie to and fro ouer all places of the world and make relation what is doone euerie-where And for that cause Tertullian calleth them Tertullian Flieng spirits When they doo these things they may séeme to be prophets bicause they foreshew such things as are afterward declared vnto vs in writing And Augustine De ciuitate Dei saith Augustine that They foreshew these things that they might be accounted for prophets And in his booke De genesi ad litteram he reciteth an historie of a certeine man who as he saith would take meate at no mans hands but at the hands of a certeine préest and that whereas the préest dwelled far off about the space of fiue mile from him he was woont to tell before hand Now is he comming out of his house now is he onward in the waie now is he in the tauerne now is he come to the field now is he at the doore But Augustine denieth that this kind of foretelling is prophesie for if a troope of soldiers should come from some place A similitude the watchman from the top of a tower spieng them comming should declare that within short space they would be there he saith that he neuerthelesse cannot séeme to be a prophet Moreouer spirits may foretell those things which God commandeth them to doo Spirits may foretell things commanded them by God as oftentimes it happeneth for God dooth oftentimes command them to wast and destroie countries And as Dauid saith He destroied Egypt by euill angels So in Samuel Psal 78 49. 1. Sam. 28 verse 19. the diuell foretold that Saule the next daie after should die for he was then in the bondage and possession of the diuell Further when they sée that they haue a bound prescribed them they promise so they may haue some little gift giuen them that they will rage no longer Spirits of the aire An other reason is for that they be placed in the aire and from that region as out of a watch tower they perceiue the influences and euents of things much more easilie than we can They see the scriptures of the prophets Besides this also they sée the scriptures of the prophets and whatsoeuer is doone in the church and although otherwise they knowe manie things yet are they much better learned both by meanes of the scriptures and also for bicause they sée what is doone in the church Wherefore Paule vnto the Ephesians saith Ephe. 3 10. that The hidden mysterie of Christ is made manifest vnto principalities and powers in the heauenlie places And whereas Hermes Trismegistus foreshewed vnto Asclepius that there would be a fall and desolation of idols and lamented the same Augustine saith in his booke De ciuitate Dei that he might vnderstand that by the predictions of the holie prophets Manie times also doo they knowe for that they be present at the counsels of God and are called to execute his commandements For so when GOD was taking counsell to deceiue Achab the diuell stood foorth and promised that he would be A lieng spirit in the mouth of all the prophets of Achab 1. Kin. 22 22 and a certeine other spirit obtained of God to forment trouble Iob. And it is no maruell Iob. 2 6. for the diuell is the minister of God to doo execution Howbeit when they be thus called to the counsels of God they sée what he hath appointed to doo They gather the causes by the effects Oftentimes also by effects they gather the causes of things as if they sée a man liue well and godlie they suspect that he is a chosen of God for good déeds be the fruits and effects of election in like maner if they sée a man to frame himselfe well vnto religion and to knéele deuoutlie they thinke he praieth although they cannot descend into his mind 17 But although they can by so manie waies and meanes knowe things to come Why the spirits are oftentimes deceiued yet are they oftentimes deceiued and that for manie causes first bicause God can let the causes of things God can let the causes how certeine soeuer they be though they be neuer so certeine or necessarie When the children were cast into the burning fornace it was certeine that they should be burned but God did
concerning giants These testimonies of Plinie and Berosus being in the latin copie put a little after are more conuenientlie set in this place Plinie Berosus Philostratus But among the Ethnicks we reade of much more woonderfull things such as men can hardlie be persuaded to giue credit vnto For Plinie writeth in his seauenth booke that in Candie there fell downe a hill and that there was found a mans bodie of sixe and fortie cubits long which some thought to be the bodie of Orion some of Otho Also it is written that the bodie of Orestis being digged vp by the commandement of an oracle was of 7. cubits That which Berosus affirmeth of Adam and of Seth his son of Noah his sons that they were all giants séeing it is without scripture it may be reiected Philostratus saith in his Heroikes that he sawe a certeine dead carcase of a giant of thirtie cubits long another of two and twentie and another of twelue The common stature of men of our time The measure of a foote But the common stature of men in these daies is little aboue fiue foote And héerein the measure of a foote agréeth as well among the Gréeks as Latins that vnto euerie foote are appointed four hand-breadths and euerie hand-breadth conteineth the â—readth of foure fingers that is the length of the little finger But if so be that the two outwardmost fingers I meane the thumbe and the little finger bée stretched out euerie foote conteineth onelie two spans or hand-breadths Vnto this place I thought good to transfer those things Augustine which Augustine hath in his 15. booke De ciuitate Dei the ninth chapter where he reprooueth those which affirme stoutlie that men were neuer of such tall stature and sheweth that he himselfe sawe vpon the coast of Vtica a chéeke-tooth of a man so excéeding great as the same being diuided into the fourme and quantitie of vsuall téeth in our age it might easilie be iudged a hundred times greater And that there were manie such personages in old time he declareth out of the verses of Virgil in the 12. booke of Aeneidos where he brought in Turnus to haue lifted vp from the earth and to haue shaken at Aeneas so great a stone as twelue choise men could scarselie rule Virgil. He said no more but straight a mightie stone be there beheld A mightie ancient stone that then by chance within the feeld There for a bownd did lie all strife twixt lands for to appease Scarse could twelue chosen men that on their shoulders lift with ease Such men I meane as now adaies the earth to light doo bring This vp in hand he caught and tumbling at his foe did fling Which thing he declared out of the sixt Iliad of Homer Also Virgil in the first booke of Georgicks saith that men would woonder in time to come when they should happen to till vp the féelds of Aematia to sée the greatnes of bones which should be digged out of the graues Further he alledgeth Plinie the second Plinius secundus who in the seauenth booke affirmeth that nature the further forward that it goeth the lesser bodies it dailie bringeth foorth He calleth to mind that Homer once in his verses bewailed the selfe-same thing wherevnto I might adde the testimonie of Cyprian against Demetrianus Cyprian But if I should be demanded whether I thinke that mens bodies which came after the floud Whether humane bodies haue decreased euer since Noes floud hitherward Aulus Gellius were lesse than those which were brought foorth before the flood perhaps I would grant they were but that they haue continuallie decresed euen from the flood to this daie that I would not easilie grant especiallie considering the words which Aulus Gellius wrote in his third booke where he saith that The stature wherevnto mans bodie groweth is of seuen foote which séemeth also at this daie to be the measure of the taller statures But yet we read in the Apocryphus of Esdras in the fourth booke 4. Esdr 5 54. at the end of the fift chapter that now also our bodies are lesse and dailie shall be lessened bicause nature alwaies becommeth more barren The selfe-same thing also as I said a little before Cyprian séemeth to affirme But I alleadged the cause whie I cannot easilie grant therevnto namelie for that I sée little diminished at this daie of the measure which Aulus Gellius described 36 Now it séemeth good to shew the cause whie God would that some men otherwhile should be borne of such huge stature The cause whie God would somtime raise vp such huge giants Forme and stature doo nothing further vnto saluation Augustine in the 24. chapter of the booke before alleadged thinketh this was doone to the intent that it should be left for a testimonie vnto vs that neither the beautifulnes of the bodie nor the largenes of stature nor yet the strength of the flesh should be accounted among the principall good things séeing those are sometimes common as well to the wicked as to the godlie Certeinelie they which bend their mind vnto godlines will iudge that spirituall good things must be preferred far aboue partlie bicause they further vs vnto saluation and partlie bicause they in verie déed make vs better than other men But that giants were nothing at all furthered vnto saluation through the greatnes of their stature he prooueth by that which the prophet Baruch writeth in the third chapter Baru 3 16. What is becom of those famous giants that were so great of bodies and so worthie men of war Those hath not the Lord chosen neither hath he giuen them the waie of knowledge therefore were they destroied bicause they had no wisedome But if a man will peruse the historie of the Bible he shall scarselie find Giants tooke not the defense of good causes Deut. 3 4. 1. Sam. 17 verse 1. that they at anie time tooke a good or godlie cause in hand naie rather he shall perceiue that through their pride and frowardnes they were perpetuall enimies vnto God For so was Og the king of Basan so was Goliah and his brethren they were most iniurious to the people whom God had imbraced chosen from others to be peculiar vnto himselfe Also there is another matter which may verie much confirme our faith Giants ouercome by weake men For the holie histories alwaies make mention that such huge giants were foulie vanquished in battels and that especiallie by weake men and by men verie vnexpert in warfare namelie by Dauid being as yet a shéepheard by the people of Israel when as yet they were yoong souldiers and ignorant in wars Wherefore the spirit of God warneth vs to be of a constant and stedfast mind when for godlines sake we are to fight with such monstrous men We must not then be dismaid for lacke of strength séeing the holie oracles in euerie place pronounce that it is God which deliuereth such huge
open to all men as though it were in euerie man either to receiue it or to put it from him And when they be asked who dooth giue grace to them which accept it in such sort as they both desire it and receiue it when it is offered to them they flie vnto frée will and of all these is Pighius the standerd-bearer Wherefore if either thou aske of Aristotle or of them Since felicitie is thus common as ye say how coms it to passe that so few obteine the same Bicause few saie they will learne few will labour few will accustome themselues to honest and good exercises But we will here note a generall and a certeine proposition To euerie nature or kind there is a purposed end the which all that be comprehended in it may atteine And surelie that which Aristotle answered as touching them that haue not their perfect senses be lame and féeble why they cannot be partakers of felicitie namelie bicause of their naturall defect that proposition may be vnderstood when the powers shall be perfect so doo we answer that men cannot now by themselues be perfect bicause nature was corrupted euen from the beginning and that we haue not the powers as well of the mind as of the bodie perfect So that now when we heare these things let vs thinke that we heare Aristotle not Paule or Christ Here haue we thrée things that are spoken of felicitie It is a diuine thing Three things spoken of felicitie it may be obtained by the thrée principall things which he haue alreadie rehearsed and it is common in a maner to all men 29 There remaineth fortune which Aristotle remooueth from the causes of felicitie bicause it is thought vnwoorthie that it should be admitted to open so excellent a gift vnto men But before I shew the reason brought by Aristotle A plaine declaratiō what fortune is I will indeuour to declare what fortune is As it is written in the second booke of naturall philosophie It is an accidentall cause and then it commeth in place when anie thing is ioined to anie man which is author of the effect following vnto the producing of which effect that which is ioined therevnto worketh nothing but onlie giueth sometimes an occasion and the effect may well come to passe without it This is made plaine by a similitude If a man by reason of an ague become temperate we will saie that this fell out by fortune for temperance commeth of the will as of hir own proper cause which will bridleth the affection of lust The ague might haue bin the occasion whereby this came to passe but the cause it could not be And bicause these things to wit the will of temperate gouernement and the ague méete by fortune in one and the same man therefore doth temperance spring by fortune from the ague But it appeareth plainelie inough that the feauer is not by it selfe the cause of the temperance otherwise all that be gréeued with a feauer would become temperate According to this maner of speaking must the sentence of Paule be examined and vnderstood 1. Cor. 8 1. Knowledge puffeth vp Pride which immediatelie preferreth our owne things aboue other mens procéedeth from the will héereby we become vaine and puffed vp And bicause knowledge giueth an occasion vnto some that this is done therefore knowledge is said to puffe vp but yet by fortune bicause in one selfe man are ioined together by chance these two things to wit the desire of passing and excelling others and also some knowledge of things And as these things be ioined together at all aduentures so doth vaine puffing vp procéed by fortune from knowledge Also it hapneth that when vnto that effect which we desire by it selfe and by our owne aduise another effect by chance is ioined therewith then the same commeth of fortune not purposelie whereas we in verie déed sought for another thing As otherwhile it hapneth vnto them that be diggers that they in labouring doo finde treasure when as they onlie intended the trimming of their vines and trées this I saie happeneth by fortune when as the digger sought for another matter neither is the digging the proper and true cause of finding out the treasure for if a man should affirme this he must of necessitie auouch that all diggers doo finde treasures Adde moreouer that all the effects of fortune doo verie seldome come to passe and that contrariwise than falleth out in the true and proper causes which verie seldome are hindred from bringing foorth their effects Which things being so it appeareth and that manifestlie that fortune is repugnant to reason and counsell That fortune is not the cause of felicitie Wherefore it is not méete to attribute vnto it that it bringeth foorth felicitie And so Aristotle concludeth that séeing felicitie is better deriued from the causes before mentioned than from fortune it is méete that wée should determine it so to be bicause it ought to be in the best maner that it can One reason whereby Aristotle prooueth fortune to be no cause of felicitie is this The chéefest good ought not to be referred vnto a vile and abiect cause Felicitie is the chéefest good fortune is but vile among the causes Wherefore blessednes ought not to be reduced vnto fortune being a cause lesse woorthie than others And hereof dependeth the force of this argument for although a noble cause doo otherwhile bring foorth a vile effect as we knowe that the sunne dooth not onelie bréed a man but also frogs fleas and flies yet excellent effects cannot procéed but of noble causes Here we sée that by euident and most manifest words Aristotle excludeth fortune as he that would not number the same among the causes of felicitie and taketh propositions as well out of his booke of naturall philosophie as also out of his metaphysicks the verie which certeinlie he might haue doone in affirming God to be the cause of mans blessednes So that he excludeth from this number both God and fortune GOD as ouer-woorthie and too high but fortune as an vnwoorthie and a more vile cause For it is a most inconstant thing and hath no substantiall ground-worke which neuertheles is so excluded as it can doo nothing about the nature and substance of felicitie and yet vndoubtedlie it can doo somewhat about those good things which helpe vnto felicitie be the instruments therof But if it be of power concerning riches and honours and such like which as it hath béene said doo not a little further vnto felicitie why doo they denie them to be the cause thereof We grant indéed that these things doo accomplish and doo seruice vnto felicitie and doo such seruice as it may not be without them but we denie that it dooth properlie cause the same For it so fareth not that as the lacke of these things may hinder blessednes so if they be present they can performe and bring the same to passe For thou shalt sée manie
For euen as those things which be sodden haue a pleasant taste so haue rawe things an vnpleasantnesse ioined with them togither with a certeine taste that is horrible Those be sauage and cruell which doo torment without a cause as though they were delited with the torments of other men euen as beasts that knowe not goodnesse and honestie but haue onelie respect vnto swéetnesse and commoditie either for that the sight of bloud is delitefull or else bicause they will be fed with flesh Now since crueltie consisteth in this that therein is a going beyond the measure of right reason let vs sée whether Dauid and others haue passed the bounds of reason Certes they followed a mediocritie and those things which they did belonged vnto punishing iustice for those were woorthie of the greatest punishments Dauid followed reason but yet a diuine reason the which reason alone is called good God stirred him vp vnto these things not without a cause And it was necessarie for him since he was a grand capteine to followe that reason which God had shewed vnto him 53 That the Ammonites were most wicked men we may knowe it by manie causes First of all they against the lawe of nations shamed the ambassadors of Dauid in cutting short their beards and garments They gaue an ill iudgement of the most godlie king Dauid namelie that he had sent that ambassage with a feigned hart not to comfort the sonne of the king of the Ammonites which was dead but to destroie him Againe when the head citie was besieged and that they had slaine Vrias and other valiant men they also vaunted against God This did Nathan declare 2. Sa. 12 14. Bicause thou hast prouoked mine enimies saith he to speake euill of me the child which is borne of thee shall be slaine If God slue the child of Dauid bicause Dauid had giuen an occasion of blaspheming God how much more gréeuouslie were they to be punished which did this thing And further wheras they had doone iniuries vnto Dauid yet did they first mooue war against him And neither would they onelie hurt Dauid but they also solicited others of his subiects and tributaries to forsake him They disquieted all those regions of Syria and Mesopotamia and that which is most of all they burned their sonnes and daughters for their idoll sake which they worshipped And what maruell was it if they were throwne into the same fornaces The punishment of like for like wherein they threw their owne children This was a punishment of like for like And alwaies in those punishments which are not reprooued in the scriptures we must flie vnto this namelie that God gouerned those fathers Some to make these punishments the lesse saie that all were not so handled but the seigniors and princes onelie which were as the staie and succour of the people But Iosephus saith that they were all rid out of the waie And the scriptures also séeme to make it a generall punishment Howbeit I would thinke that some were excepted for in the 17. chapter of the second booke of Samuel we read 2. Sa. 17 37. that Sobi the sonne of king Nahas did helpe Dauid when he was driuen out of the kingdome by Absolom Wherevpon it is gathered that the one sonne of king Nahas was slaine and that the other was by Dauid made ruler of the countrie These things are not so much to be woondered at in him séeing he was a figure of the true Dauid which at the last daie shall saie vnto all men Go ye curssed into euerlasting fire which is prepared for the diuell and his angels Those punishments which God shall laie vpon the wicked in hell are not cruell They shall be as it were intollerable punishments but yet they procéed of a right punishing iustice He saith in the Gospell Matt. 25. 41. Bring ye vnto me all them which would not haue me reigne ouer them and slaie them in my sight Here let magistrates learne to haue a regard vnto right reason when the guiltie are deliuered to them to be punished It must not gréeue their mind to execute those punishments which are iust and commanded to be doone Of Enuie 54 Now come we to enuie In Iudg. 8 verse 1. the same did Cicero thinke should rather be called Inuidentia than Inuidia the which word Inuidentia we may in English call Enuieng or Enuiousnesse Wherein enuie and enuiousnes doo differ bicause among the Latinists those that are enuied are said to suffer enuie But enuieng belongeth to them which pine awaie with this kind of gréefe And therefore he thinketh that enuie or enuieng is so called bicause they which be enuious doo looke too narrowlie to other mens prosperitie Wherefore A definition of enuie enuie is a gréefe taken at the prosperitie of other men especiallie of them which haue béene of like degrée with vs. For a poore man enuieth not a king nor yet beggers noble men Enuie is of equals and such as be like vnto our selues And likenesse is considered in kindred riches beautie age wit dignitie and such like The cause of enuieng is not in respect that we be afraid of harme to come vnto vs by such men as we doo enuie for that were feare but that men of a certeine hatred and stomach cannot abide the prosperitie of others especiallie of their like and equals this worketh enuie Enuie is alwaies had in euill things and it is gréeuouslie reprehended in the holie scriptures bicause it is most plainelie repugnant vnto charitie it selfe For in the first epistle to the Corinthians 1. Cor. 13 4. the 13. chapter the apostle said Charitie enuieth not For Paule in that place did not take this Gréeke word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in his proper signification But vnto the Galathians he hath more plainlie forbidden enuie Gal. 5 26. saieng Be not desirous of vaine glorie prouoking one another and enuieng one another In which place not onelie enuie is reprooued but also the mother thereof is shewed Looke In Gen. 26 24. and In 2. King 6 16. Iudg. 8 1. that is to wit the desire of glorie And this may we also note in the historie of the Iudges for the Ephraits enuied Gedeon bicause the glorie of so great a victorie séemed to haue come vnto him And this affect beareth rule in all those things wherein we desire to excell Neither yet dooth it forbeare vertues for he that is enuious would not haue his equals and such as be like vnto him to excell in anie ornament of vertue And the reason why enuie is conuersant among such as be alike is that although the prosperous fortune of our equals and them that be like vs dooth not plucke anie of our goods from vs nor maketh vs lesse than we be yet the enuious man dooth so conceiue of other mens goods as if by them his honour and dignitie his gaine and other ornaments should be diminished An enuious man is called a
alienated Lot from himselfe that he vnderstood not with what women he had kept vnlawfull companie Wherefore rightlie saith Seneca in his 84. epistle before alledged Seneca They which are droonke doo manie things which afterward when they be sober they be ashamed of Lot sought to make himselfe merrie by wine and he incurred a perpetuall sadnesse Let them therefore which séeke to be made merie with ouermuch wine remember that they put themselues into a verie present danger and by that meanes may easilie throwe themselues headlong into most gréeuous sinnes Neither is there anie cause why anie man should excuse that such euents be vncerteine so that a man cannot tell for a certeintie whether he which drinketh too much shall fall into these shamefull matters for so much as the thing is so certeinlie knowne that euen the daughters of Lot being yet virgins vnderstood it namelie that the old man by wine might be driuen to naughtie lusts and be so deceiued as he might haue ill companie euen with his owne daughters Who will therefore saie that he knoweth not that which they vnderstood Lot was deceiued and snared by his owne daughters But they which loue too much mirth to wit droonken men doo allure themselues God punisheth droonkennesse with most greeuous punishments and doo fight openlie against themselues neither thinke they or call to remembrance that God with most gréeuous punishments taketh vengeance of droonkennesse and suffereth not the abuse of his most pretious gift to be long vnpunished These bibbers are woont sometimes to bring foorth Lot as a patrone of their intemperance Neither doo they marke Why the holie scriptures make mention of the historie of Lot that the holie scripture setteth foorth the storie of him as an horrible and almost a tragicall example God did not lightlie punish the droonkennesse of that man for he being coupled with his daughters they conceiued by him and the thing could not be dissembled Incestuous children were borne Ammon and Moab of whom came the nations of the Ammonits and Moabits which were both hated of God and enimies to the Israelits Lot himselfe as it is to be thought was alwaies in gréeuous sorrowe for the crime which he had committed he became a by-woord among men And séeing the testimonie of the holie scriptures is extant and shall remaine vnto the end of the world how often so euer they be read so often is his infamie noted spred abroad If so be God spared not a mâ—n otherwise holie the nephew of Abraham harborer of angels what will he do to those gluttons and swine whom no vertue can persuade either from sitting or lieng droonken both daie and night That which we read happened once to Lot these men haue euerie daie in exercise Droonkennesse obiected against Cato 46 But looke what our droonkards alledge of Lot the Romans in old time alledged of Cato bicause he being so verie a graue man sometimes in the night recreated his mind doubtlesse not in bolling and bibbing immoderatlie but in sipping and drinking a little adding therwith much honest talke Neither considered they that the same man was sober all the whole daie and laboured much in determining and iudging of causes in consulting with other Senators concerning the publike weale in hauing affaires with the people in executing the office of a magistrate in reading and in writing Such good and honest indeuours ought these men to haue imitated But let vs procéed in rehearsing of examples Amnon 2. Sa. 13 28. Dauids sonne was slaine by Absalom verelie not in his sober mood but when in a banket he was more merrie than was méet by drinking of too much wine And as it is declared in the latter end of the first booke of the Machabeis Simon the high priest was with his two sonnes Mattathias and Iudas slaine by his sonne in lawe 1. Macc. 16 16. when in a feast they were in a maner droonken by swilling in of much wine And the historie of Iudith although it be not found in the Canon of the Iewes sheweth Iud. 12 20. that Holofernes otherwise a verie féerce generall of an armie was so ouerwhelmed with wine that without much a doo he was beheaded by a â—ilie woman I might adde how Sisera Iud. 4 19. being droonken was slaine by Iahel although his drinke was milke and not wine And if beside these we will read ouer the stories of the Ethniks we shall find manie and notable examples of them which were most gréeuouslie hurt by droonkennesse Alexander of Macedonia Alexander of Macedonia the conqueror of the world was most shamefullie ouercome with wine and being droonke slue Clytus his most valiant and faithfull fréend whose diligence industrie labour prudence strength he had long time vsed in the wars to his great commoditie So when he had slept his fill till he was sober againe and had remembred with himselfe the act which he had committed he was so sorrie and ashamed that he wished himselfe dead But yet he amended not his vice of droonkennesse naie rather he droonke so much wine in one night as he fell into a feuer and bicause he would not temper himselfe from wine he within a while after died Wherefore Seneca in his 84. epistle alreadie alledged writeth that Alexander which had escaped so manie dangers and ouercome the hardest enterprises perished through intemperance of drinking and by the fatall cup of Hercules Marcus Antonius Marcus Antonius otherwise a stout and valiant grand capteine and a conqueror in manie battels so laded himselfe sometimes with wine that euen in a morning in the tribunall seat before the people of Rome whilest he sat to giue iudgement he was compelled to vomit And in Aegypt he vsed much drinking by reason whereof he could doo nothing honourablie but was most shamefullie put to flight by Octauius What the Poets write of the feast of the Lapiths and Centaurs it is better knowne than should be néedfull for me to recite at this time And I thinke I haue now brought examples sufficient which being diligentlie considered serue much for the auoiding of droonkennesse 47 But they which are not terrified from the filthinesse thereof by the word of God which we haue first and foremost shewed and doo not abhor the same being persuaded by those examples now alledged The effects of droonkennesse shall perhaps be woone and led from it by considering those euils which doo spring of the abuse of wine It is expedient that the trée be knowne by his fruits And assuredlie droonkennesse is to be counted such a thing as the fruits which spring thereof be knowne to be Howbeit that we may speake orderlie we will diuide the euils by their subiects for it hurteth the bodie vexeth also the mind wasteth the goods The losse and hurts by droonkennesse and is hatefull to our neighbours As touching the bodie by droonkennesse come oftentimes sudden deaths the dissolution
it is not forbidden bicause it may be in the stéed of armour Wherefore if it be lawfull to take armes against them iustlie it is lawfull also to vse guile according to the saieng of the poet What matter is it against an enimie whether a man vse fraud or force Howbeit this must be considered that we speake onelie of those enimies which either God himselfe Who be verie enimies or the publike weale or a iust magistrate declareth to be enimies and not of those which euerie priuate man hateth Moreouer I doubt not but séeing it is lawfull to repell violence with violence when there is no other waie to escape it is also lawfull to set guile against guile For he which repelleth violence with violence as the lawes doo permit the same man is not to be counted a priuate person forsomuch as he is armed by the magistrate So as it is manifest that he dooth not against the lawes but with the lawe Euen so he that is suddenlie oppressed may lawfullie escape by euill guile if he can Moreouer the scriptures teach that this kind of guile is iust Ierom. For Ierom saith and it is written in the Decrées the 22. cause the second question 1. Kin. 10 21 the chapter Vtilem that Iehu did dissemble honestlie with the priests of Baal bicause he had not béene able to haue killed them all if he had begoon to put some of them to death Wherefore to the end that he might gather them all togither he feined himselfe to be much more desirous to worship Baal than Achab was and by that means he slue them all But this we ought to regard that they which are so destroied by guile be woorthie of punishment and as they be commonlie called are notorious offenders and such as cannot be punished by ordinarie means For which cause the king of Denmarke is by some commended who through guile destroied most pernicious théeues which he could not take For he fained a warre and made a proclamation that as manie as would come A guile vsed by the king of Denmarke against theeues Augustine should receiue wages of him and promised pardon vnto the théeues for the wicked acts which they had before committed But I for my part as I shall afterward declare would not so absolutelie allow these kind of examples Augustine as may be read in the 14. cause question the fift in the chapter Dixit and it is a place in his questions vpon Exodus sheweth that the Israelits deceiued the Aegyptians Exo. 12 35. when they borrowed of them gold and siluer vesselles And yet the same was not to be counted a fault in them when as yet no man doubted but that they did it by euill guile The same father in the 23. Cause question second in the chapter Dominus which is taken out of his questions vpon the booke of Iosua Iosua 8 4. rehearseth the place wherein it is said that GOD cōmanded the Hebrues to fight against the citie of Haie by lieng in wait which without doubt belongeth to guile Ierom Ierom. vpon the 17. chapter of Ezechiel alledgeth this sentence as a worldlie saieng namelie What matter is it against an enimie whether a man vse fraud or force Howbeit he agréeth therevnto although he denie that it can take anie place where an oth is made before But this I will anon discusse Ambrose in the 14. Cause question the fourth permitteth guile or gainefull fraud against enimies And after this manner he interpreteth the place of Deuteronomie where God gaue the Iewes libertie to put their monie in vsurie to strangers Deut. 23 20. namelie that where the warre is iust there also vsurie maie take place For the goods of the enimies are ours and they maie be lawfullie taken from them and whether it be by fraud or by violence it forceth not There be some which alledge that which is written in the latter epistle to the Corinthians the 12. chapter 2. Co. 12 1◠When I was craftie I tooke you with guile But that maketh nothing to the purpose séeing the apostle in that place dooth verie manifestlie vse the figure * That is mockerie Ironia For he was accused as though he had receiued monie of the Corinthians by the hands of other which by himselfe he refused to receiue Which he straitwaie disprooued But those examples which we brought first doo manifestlie prooue that it is lawfull to vse guile yea euill guile against enimies namelie kéeping close our counselles and actions and vsing tollerable works and words The ciuill laws allow of guile against enimies Neither doo the ciuill lawes teach otherwise In the Code De commercijs mercatoribus in the lawe Non solùm The emperor decréed not onelie that no gold should be transported vnto the barbarous nations which were enimies vnto the state but also that such gold as they had should be taken from them by subtill guile or policie And in the Digests De captiuis postliminio reuersis in the lawe Nihil interest It is decréed that captiues howsoeuer they returned into their countrie againe should recouer their owne goods and old estate whether they were sent home againe or whether they escaped by violence or by guile Although afterward in the lawe Postliminij in the Paraph Captinus it is restreined vpon condition that If they returne with a mind to tarie at home For if they should either promise or sweare vnto their enimies to returne they should not enioie the right of returning Wherefore Attilius Regulus enioied not the benefit Attilius Regulus bicause he was sent to Rome to persuade the Senate about the exchange of prisoners Then forsomuch as he had promised was minded to returne he by the lawes might not vse euill guile 18 Hereby also that appeareth to be true which a little before was said that we maie not vse euill guile against our enimie if there be an oth made betwéene vs. An oth distinguished And that this maie be the more plainlie vnderstood we must distinguish an oth as the lawiers doo one auowching another promising or as they terme it the one assertiue and the other promissorie For when we sweare either we doo affirme or else denie some thing to be or to haue béene which we neuer ought to doo with euill guile by adding an oth or else we promise to performe some thing And forsomuch as faith is to be kept euen with our enimie the same faith also is not to be broken by euill guile So as if those things which we haue sworne vnto our enimie to kéepe and obserue be temporall goods such as are monie honour and life of the bodie the name of God for these things ought not to be prophaned Wherefore Dauid Psal 15 4. in his 15. psalme saith He that sweareth to doo euill and changeth not In the Hebrue it is thus written Nischhab leharah velo iamir Which place I knowe that D. Kimhi
predestinated are so to be taken as they are foreséene of God and by this meanes they cannot séeme to be temporall Be it so That which is the latter cannot bee the efficient cause of that which went before take them in that maner yet can it not be denied but that they are after predestination for they depend of it and are the effects thereof as wée haue before taught Wherefore after these mens doctrine that which commeth after should be the efficient cause of that which went before which how absurd it is euerie man may easilie vnderstand Further the efficient cause is of his owne nature more woorthie and of more excellencie than the effect speciallie in respect it is such a cause So then Our works cannot be of more woorthines than predestination if works be the causes of predestination they are also more woorthie and of more excellencie than predestination Ouer this predestination is sure constant and infallible how then shall we appoint that it dependeth vpon works of frée will which are vncerteine and vnconstant Things constant and certeine depend not of things vnconstant and vnterteine and may be wrested to and fro if a man consider them particularlie For men are alike prone vnto this or that kind of sinne as occasions are offered for otherwise if we will speake generallie frée will before regeneration can doo nothing else but sinne by reason of the corruption that commeth by our first parents So as according to the mind of these men it must néeds followe that the predestination of God which is certeine dependeth of the works of men which are not onelie vncerteine but sinnes also Neither can they saie that they meane as touching those works which followe regeneration for those as we haue taught spring of grace and of predestination We must not so defend mans libertie that wee spoile God of his libertie Neither doo these men consider that they to satisfie mans reason and to attribute a libertie I knowe not what to men doo rob God of his due power and libertie in election which power and libertie yet the apostle setteth foorth and saith that God hath no lesse power ouer men than hath the potter ouer the vessels which hée maketh But after these mens opinion God cannot elect but him onelie whom he knoweth shall behaue himselfe well neither can he reiect anie man but whome he séeth shall be euill But this is to go about to ouer-rule God and to make him subiect vnto the lawes of our reason As for Erasmus he in vaine speaketh against this reason for he saith that It is not absurd to take awaie from God that power which he himselfe will not haue attributed vnto him namelie to doo anie thing vniustlie For we saie that Paule hath in vaine yea rather falselie set foorth this libertie of God if hée neither haue it We must attributed vnto God that libertie which the scripture sheweth of him nor will that it should be attributed vnto him But how Paule hath prooued this libertie of God that place which we haue cited most manifestlie declareth They also to no purpose obiect vnto vs the iustice of God for héere is intreated onlie of his mercie Neither can they denie but that they by this their opinion doo derogate much the loue and good will of God towards men For the holie scripture when it would commend vnto vs the fatherlie loue of God Rom. 5 8. affirmeth that He gaue his son and that vnto the death and at that time when we were yet sinners enimies and children of wrath But they will haue no man to be predestinated which hath not good works foreséene in the mind of God And so euerie man may saie with himselfe If I be predestinated the cause thereof dependeth of my selfe But another which féeleth trulie in his hart Loue towards God is kindled by the true feele of predestination that he is fréelie elected of God for Christ sake when as he of himselfe was all maner of waies vnworthie of so great loue will without all doubt be woonderfullie inflamed to loue God againe 23 It is also profitable vnto vs that our saluation should not depend of our works For we oftentimes wauer and in liuing vprightlie are not constant Doubtles if we should put confidence in our owne strength we should vtterlie despaire but if we beléeue that our saluation abideth in God fixed and assured for Christ sake we cannot but be of good comfort Further if predestination should come vnto vs by our works foreséene the beginning of our saluation should be of our selues against which opinion the scriptures euerie-where crie out for that were to raise vp an idoll in our selues Moreouer the iustice of God should then haue néed of the externall rule of our works But Christ saith Ye haue not chosen me Iohn 15 16. but I haue chosen you Neither is that consideration in God which is in men The same consideration is not of Gods choise that is of mans choise when they begin to fauour a man or to loue a fréend for men are mooued by excellent gifts wherewith they sée a man adorned but God can find nothing good in vs which first procéedeth not from him And Cyprian saith as Augustine oftentimes citeth him that we therefore can not glorie for that we haue nothing that is our owne and therefore Augustine concludeth that we ought not to part stakes betwéene God and vs to giue one part to him and to kéepe another vnto our selues to obteine saluation Touching saluation the whole must be ascribed vnto God for all wholie is without doubt to be ascribed vnto him The Apostle when he writeth of predestination hath alwaies this end before him to confirme our confidence and especiallie in afflictions out of which he saith that God will deliuer vs. If predestination should depend of works it wold make vs not to hope but to despaire But if the reason of Gods purpose should be referred vnto our works as vnto causes then could we by no meanes conceiue anie such confidence for we oftentimes fall and the righteousnes of our works is so small as it can not stand before the iudgement seate of God And that the Apostle for this cause chéefelie made mention of predestination we may vnderstand by the eight chapter of the Epistle to the Romanes Rom. 8 1. and 8 c. For when he described the effects of iustification amongst other things he saith that we by it haue obteined the adoption of children and that we are mooued by the spirit of God as the sons of God and therefore with a valiant mind we suffer aduersities and for that cause euerie creature groneth and earnestlie desireth that we at the length be deliuered and the spirit it selfe maketh intercession for vs. And at the last he addeth Ibidem 27. That vnto them that loue God all things worke to good And who they be that loue God
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
maner of historicall faith we vnderstand For if saith he they call all those things which are written in the holie scriptures an historie The difference betweene an historicall faith and a faith of efficacie will they bring to vs another faith wherby we may beleue those things which are not written in the holie scriptures But we reiect not an historicall faith as though we would haue some new obiects of faith besides those which are set foorth in the holie scriptures or are not out of them firmelie concluded But we require not a vulgar or cold assent such as they haue which are accustomed to allow those things which they read in the holie scriptures being thereto led by humane persuasion and some probable credulitie as at this daie the Iewes and Turkes doo confesse and beléeue manie things which we doo but an assured firme and strong assent and such as commeth from the moouing and inspiration of the holie Ghost which changeth and maketh new the hart and the mind and draweth with it good motions and holie works In this maner we saie that that faith which is of efficacie differeth verie much from an historicall assent And that we are by that faith How it appeereth that we are iustified by a faith of efficacie Rom. 8 16. which we haue now described iustified we haue thrée maner of testimonies the first is of the holie Ghost Which beareth witnesse vnto our spirit that we are the children of God the second is of the scriptures the third is of works But contrariewise they which hold and crie that a man is iustified by works haue no sufficient testimonie for the holie Ghost testifieth it not the holie scriptures denie it onelie works are brought foorth those without godlines and faith such as were in times past the works of the old Ethniks are at this daie the works of manie which beléeue not in Christ and be strangers from God But it is woorthie to be laughed at that he hath cited also a place out of the 66. chapter of Esaie verse 2. by which onlie though there were no more places than it his cause is most of all ouerthrowne Vnto whom saith God shall I looke but vnto the poore man vnto the contrite hart and vnto him that trembleth at my words By these words Pighius thinketh are signified those works whereby God is drawne to iustifie vs. But the matter is far otherwise for the scope of the prophet was to detest the superstition of the Iewes for they neglecting th' inward godlines of the mind trusted onelie to outward ceremonies Wherefore this did God by the voice of the prophet condemne and declared how odious it was vnto him Heauen saith he is my seate and the earth is my footestoole Ibidem 1. As if he should haue said I nothing passe vpon your temple which ye so much boast of for Heauen is my seate such a seate as you cannot frame to make And the earth adorned with all kind varietie of plants liuing creatures hearbes and flowers is my footestoole Where then shall be that house which ye will build for me And where shall be my resting place And straitwaie to declare that it is not the temple built with hands All these things saith he hath mine hand made and all these things are made saith the Lord. By which words we learne that God delighteth not in these things and in outward ornaments sumptuous buildings for their owne sakes but chéeflie requireth faith inward godlinesse of the minds that he may dwell in them And who be indéed faithfull and godlie is declared by their certeine and proper notes Whosoeuer is poore and séeth himselfe to want righteousnesse and whosoeuer is contrite of hart that is to saie afflicted in this world whosoeuer is of a mild and humble spirit and not of an arrogant and proud spirit whosoeuer with great reuerence and feare receiueth the words of GOD he most iustlie may be numbred amongst them These are sure tokens and as it were the proper colours of faith and true godlines Afterward the prophet declareth how much God estéemeth the works of men that beléeue not and are not as yet regenerate though these works be neuer so goodlie to the shew He which killeth an oxe saith he it is all one as if he should kill a man and he which sacrificeth a sheepe as if he cut off a dogs necke he that offereth an oblation as if he offered swines flesh and he that maketh mention of incense as if he blessed iniquitie All these kinds of oblations and sacrifices were commanded and appointed in the lawe of God which yet being doone of an vncleane hart and one that is estranged from God were counted for most gréeuous sinnes Wherefore Pighius hath nothing out of this place whereby to defend his error but we by the selfe-same place doo most aptlie and most trulie confirme our owne sentence Now this is a notable and sharpe disputer which bringeth for himselfe those things which make so plainlie and manifestlie against himselfe 69 But he snatcheth at this also out of the epistle vnto the Hebrues Heb. 11 ◠that He which commeth vnto God ought to beleeue that there is a God that he rewardeth them which seeke vnto him By these words it séemeth that he would conclude that iustification is giuen vnto them who séeke God by good works Two sorts of them that seeke God But he ought to haue made a distinction of them that séeke God which thing Paule also did to wit that some séeke him by works other some by faith This distinction Paule sheweth neither leaueth he vnspoken what followeth of it for thus he writeth vnto the Romans Israel Rom. 9 30. and 10 3. which followeth after righteousnes atteined not vnto the lawe of righteousnes bicause they sought it of works and not of faith Wherefore they which séeke God to be iustified of him by faith as the apostle teacheth doo atteine vnto that which they desire but they which will be iustified by works doo fall awaie from iustification And that God rewardeth works which are doone of men regenerate and by which they hast forward to the crowne of eternall saluation we denie not But that perteineth not to this question for at this present the contention is not about this kind of works but onelie about those things which are doone before regeneration Those Pighius laboureth to prooue that they haue their reward and to be merits after a sort of iustification Neither dooth this anie thing helpe his cause when he affirmeth that this kind of merit redoundeth not vnto God or maketh him debtor vnto vs or is equall vnto that which is rewarded for these things although vnto him they séeme to serue onelie to extenuate the dignitie of merits yet doo they vtterlie take awaie all the nature of merit For whatsoeuer good thing men doo yea euen after iustification the same is not properlie theirs for God
the Councell of Chalcedon tooke awaie the consent of the second councell of Ephesus In the Synode of Constantinople vnder Leo the Emperour there was a consent to take awaie Images But that consent in the Synode of Nice vnder Irene was taken awaie by an other consent And that selfe same consent was afterward also taken awaie by the Councell of Germanie vnder Charles the great But I will adde a proofe by induction that we must not alwayes iudge of the scriptures by the Fathers We must iudge of the fathers by the scriptures but we must rather iudge the Fathers by the Scriptures Other Fathers saie that iustification is of Faith and not of workes Others doe affirme that workes doe much auaile vnto iustification Who shall decide this controuersie The word of God Paul vnto the Romanes saith We iudge that a man is iustified without the workes of the law Neither can it be saide Rom. 3. 26. that Paul in that place doeth onelie treate of Ceremonies for he treateth in that place as touching that lawe which sheweth sinne and worketh wrath and he addeth that we be iustified fréelie and he mentioneth the decaloge Rom. 7. 7. I had not knowen lust saith he vnlesse the lawe had saide Thou shalt not lust Peter was reprooued by Paul Gal. 1. 14. because he dissembled and withdrew him from the Table Here doeth Ierom contend with Augustine Ierom saith that Peter so dealt with Paul as though that matter had béen doone of set purpose that by the reproouing of Peter the Iewes which were present might the better vnderstande the whole matter Augustine cannot abide anie dissembling or lie in the scriptures Who shal here be the Iudge The word of God Ibid. ver 11 Paul to the Galathians He was saith he to be reprehended or blamed because he did not walke vprightly according to the truth of the Gospell Mat. 16. 18 Vpon these words Thou art Peter vpon this rocke will I build my Church others vnderstand vppon the rocke that is vppon Christ and vppon the faith and confession of Peter but others vpon Peter himselfe Who shall iudge this controuersie The word of God Paul saith An other foundation can no man laie than that which is laide 1. Cor. 3. 11 euen Iesus Christ In the Scriptures the dead are oftentimes said to sléepe Ioh. 11. 11. That doe some referre vnto the bodie others vnto the soule 1. Thess 4. 13. Luk. 23. 43. Who shall iudge this case The word of God Christ saith vnto the théefe This day shalt thou be with mee in Paradise Phil. 1. 23. Dan. 9. 5. And Paul saith I desire to be dissolued and to be with Christ Daniel confesseth his sinnes In which place Origen saith that he doeth not susteine his owne person but the person of others Augustine citeth this verie place against the Pelagians and teacheth that none is innocent Who shall iudge these things The word of God Paul saith Rom. 3. 23. 1. Iohn 1. 8 All haue sinned and need the glorie of God And Iohn If we shall saie that we haue no sinne we deceiue our selues and the truth is not in vs. Rom. 7. 24. Paul saith Who shall deliuer me from this bodie subiect vnto death This doe Ambrose and Augustine interprete of Paul regenerate Others thinke it was spoken of others not regenerate and that it cannot be applied vnto Paul Who shall iudge of these sayings but the word of God In the same place it is written Ibid. ve 22. I serue the Law of God in my minde But those that be not regenerate serue not the lawe of God in mind And he addeth Verse 19. The good which I would that I doe not But those that be not regenerate those cannot will that which is good Verse 25. And he addeth through Iesus Christ our Lord. It is not the part of a man not regenerate to giue thankes vnto God the Heretikes called Millenarii thought that Christ would returne vnto the earth and raigne among men for the space of a thousande yeares And of this minde was Papias Lactantius Apollinarius Irenaeus Iustinus and others those doeth Ierom flout and calleth it a Iewish fable This controuersie doeth the worde of God easilie decide Paul saith The word of God is not meat and drink Rom. 14. 17 And Christ saith My kingdome is not of this world Ioh. 18. 36. And in the kingdome of my Father they are neither maried nor doe marie Mat. 22. 30 In the times of Cyprian and Augustine the Eucharist was deliuered vnto Infantes This is not doone in these dayes but which is the better the worde of God shall iudge Paul saith 1. Cor. 11. 28. Let a man trie himselfe and so let him eate of that bread and drinke of that cup. But Infantes can not trie them selues I might besides recite manie things in which the fathers disagrée among themselues where it should be necessarie to referre the iudgement to the word of God Wherefore let Smith consider howe wiselie he might write thus According to the rule and leuell of these fathers let vs examine the sense of the holie Scriptures let vs follow the iudgement of these men in reasoning of things pertaining to the holy scriptures 18 But our aduersaries while they thus obtrude the Fathers séeke no other thing but to beare rule ouer our faith But this would not Paul 1. Cor. 1. 24 We will not saith he beare rule ouer your faith That is vnder that pretence that we teach you faith we would not beare rule ouer you in taking awaie your substance Wherefore it is not méete that the Fathers in respect that they taught faith in the Church should so farre ouerrule as whatsoeuer they haue saide or written it should not be lawfull to iudge the contrarie for that would not be to beare rule but to exercise tyrannie Augustine in his second booke to Cresconius Grammaticus Augustine We saith he do iniurie vnto Cyprian when we seuer any of his writings from the authoritie of the Canonical Scriptures For it is not without cause that the Ecclesiastical Canon was made with so wholesome care wherunto certaine bookes of the Prophets and Apostles doe belong the which wee ought not in any wise to iudge and according vnto which we may freelie iudge of other mens writings whether they be faithfull or vnfaithfull Constantine And Constantine in the Synode of Nice exhorted the Byshops that they should decide all controuersies by the Canonical Scriptures by the scriptures Propheticall and Apostolicall and inspired by God As Theodoretus testifieth in his historie Augustine And Augustine against Faustus the Maniche in the xv booke and v. Chapter The scripture saith he is set as it were in a certaine seate aloft to the which euerie faithfull and godlie vnderstanding should humble it selfe Therein if anie thing as absurde shall mooue vs it is not lawfull to say the
diuerse others were catholike before the Romane Church was planted Besides foorth let vs consider that the Catholike church was in old time called the Church of Christ not the Romane Church From whence came this addition What mortall man hath made this article of the faith We saie and professe in the Créede that Wee beleeue one holie Catholike and Apostolike Church These words haue they transformed into the Romane Church But by what licence and power they haue doone this vnlesse they confesse their owne ambition they are not able to shewe And as to mens arguments if this title should be giuen vnto anie it had béene conuenient for the citie of Ierusalem séeing Christ did their teach and was fastened to the crosse from thence ascended into heauen and from thence sent his Apostles to preach Why the Church of Ierusalem was not preferred as fles◠But there were manie causes for the which that Church was not appointed the first of all The Apostolike men which at the first time floorished therein were godlie and modest and therefore sought not after such primacie Againe there happened a certaine emulation I will not saie hatred betwéene the Iewes and Ethnickes which were conuerted vnto Christ And as the Iewes were most sure holders of the ceremonies of their forefathers so attempted they to obtrude them vpon the Gentiles which indeuour being perceiued the estimation of that Church was obscured Besides these things that place after the destruction brought in by Titus and Vespatian was not famous nor noble for so much as no kings and Monarches had anie abiding there And it is manifest enough that the primates of Churches followed the ciuil magnificence To this the Patriarches of Ierusalem in processe of time were not constant in the true faith but did pollute thē selues with heresies Wherefore they were the lesse famous And therewithall penurie and pouertie was adioyned which was a great hinderance vnto the primacie That Church was not so plentifullie inriched as were the Churches of Rome Alexandria and Constantinople But to returne whence I came If antiquitie if the conuersation of Christ and his Apostles and the original of the Gospel wrought not that the Church of Ierusalem should bee or be called Catholike how can they imagine that the Romane church had it Perhappes they will saie Of Peter But of this I will speake hereafter And to the matter now in hand let vs affirme that all churches as touching the thing it selfe so they retaine faith and the word of God with iust synceritie be Catholike and also equall But if we shall beholde not the thing but the accidents to the iudgement of ignorant men that excelleth others which excéedeth in riches and great estate of princes And as for godlie men that Church is more excellent than the rest which is more honourable in the giftes of God and graces of the spirit 7 Further our aduersaries are most manifestly founde to be plunged in those crimes of which the Apostle hath pronounced 1. Cor. 6. 10 The Papists are guiltie of those crimes for which Paul saith men are excluded from God that they which doe such things haue no part in the kingdome of God What place therefore shall we giue them in the Church Vndoubtedlie they be Simonites Sorcerers bloud suckers raisers of warres men giuen to lust they abound in more than Persian or Sybariticall riotousnesse They haue no leasure for the word of God they preach not they féede not the flocke naie rather they fill all things full of offences And in the meane they did nothing but iangle of Peters and Pauls from whom they are more distant than heauen is frō earth Lastly they wil not suffer vs to deale with thē They suffer none to deale with them except they wil cōmunicate with them in the Masse vnles we communicate with them in the masse wherin doe hang so manie faults as in this place cannot be declared But it maketh no matter The faults and corruptions thereof in these our daies are so manifest as they haue no more néede of one to set them foorth One thing onelie I will alleadge that they propound bread and wine there to bee adored which if a man shall refuse to worshippe he is vtterlie vndone both in life and goods Wherefore séeing there be so iust and so manie causes of our departing from the Papacie our separation séemeth verie much worthie to be praised not to be disallowed But least we should dissemble anie thing nowe let vs bring those things which they are woont to obiect against such causes 8 First they saie The first obiection Whether the authoritie of the worde of God depend of the Churches iudgement that it is neither rightlie nor orderlie done by vs who measure the Church by the word of God when as we should deale otherwise namelie that the word of God should be established by the authoritie of the Church Briefelie they would that the vertue and power of the Church should be preferred aboue the worde of God To confirme this Hosius Hosius the bucklar of the Papistes in our time alleageth that which was spoken by Christ Mat. 18. 17 If they will not heare thee tell the Church Now thou séest saieth he that there was a Church of the new Testament when there was no written worde thereof Some men answer that Christ ment this of the Church that was to come and should be gathered by the preaching of the Apostles but not of that which was extant at that time In the time of Christ the Church had the written word This answere I allow not séeing the Church was euen then neither did it want the word written as this man faineth that is to wit the bookes of the olde Testament Out of those doubtlesse did Christ and the Apostles confirme their doctrines Wherefore Paul in the Epistle to the Romanes speaking of the olde Testament saieth Rom. 15. 4 Whatsoeuer things are written before time are written for our learning that wee through patience and comfort of the Scriptures might haue hope Vnto Timothie he saieth The whole Scripture giuen by the inspiration of God is profitable to teache and conuince to correct and instruct that the man of God may be perfect 2. Tim. 3. verse 13. c. Vnto the same man also he writeth Attend thou vnto reading c. Of the Thessalonians it is saide in the Actes of the Apostles Act. 17. 11. that they hauing heard Paul searched out of the Scriptures whether the things were so as he had taught But our aduersaries fetch their Argument further and affirme that the Church of God was before Moses which neuerthelesse had no Scriptures Whether the word were written before Moses time for they account the bookes of Moses to be most auncient of all Which I would easily yéeld vnto if they would speake of those that be now extant But howe doe they knowe whether that olde Church had anie diuine bookes
or no Moses vndoubtedlie cyteth the Booke of the Iust Num. 21. 14 Iosu 10. 13. 2. Sam. 1. 18 the Booke of the warres of the Lord. And it may be that Noah Abraham Isaac and Iacob wrote those things which belonged to their times so as Moses afterward by the inspiration of Gods spirit did gather and digest those things Certainlie Iude in his Epistle did insert certaine things out of the Booke of Enoch Iude. 14. The book of Enoch Nor doeth it make anie matter if thou saie that the Booke is * Of an vncertaine author Apocryphus because that Booke perhaps was Apocryphus which was caried about after the Apostles time But those things with Iudas brought were both firme and certaine But let vs imagine that there was no wordes of God before Moses except such onelie as were giuen foorth by mouth and deliuered by handes What serueth this to the present matter For the verie same wordes when they were afterward put in writing ought to be kept and retained so as nothing in them shoulde be changed by men The church is later thā the word Séeing the Church is gathered together by the word of God the same of necessitie must be latter than it neither can the Church by her owne authoritie be against the wordes of God because the spirit of God doeth not striue with it self But that it is in word or in writing it maketh no matter for these bee accidents and not the proper and true nature thereof And therefore the word of God whether it be deliuered by worde or by writing it is inuiolable neither can it speake things contrarie 9 Ouer this Hosius is against vs Whether the Church the word of God are to be heard alike and saieth that the holie Ghost speaketh with faithfull men aswell by the Church as by handwriters who wrote the holy scriptures and thereby concludeth as he thinketh that the Church should equiualentlie be heard as the holie Scriptures But we saie that the spirit of God speaketh vnto vs both wayes yet as we are warned before things in no wise repugnant one to another Wherefore when as the same spirit deliuereth any thing by the Church that is not repugnant with the written Oracles Furthermore of the handwriters we be certaine for our forefathers which then liued did manifestlie knowe that the holie bookes were set forth by them So as there is no cause to feare that they are counterfeit Againe the spirit of God is present with the faithfull whereby they perceiue the writings of them to be diuine and not counterfeit by men But as touching the Church we stande oftentimes in doubt For the Bishops which represent the same doe not alwaies come together in the name of the Lord. The Byshops and Councels doe erre Look before cap. 4. art 10 Cyprians error And although they be godlie and holie yet are they men and haue much of the flesh whereby their mindes and affections are oftentimes troubled I doubt not but that Cyprian with his Bishops met together with a good and godlie minde yet neuerthelesse he erred as concerning the rebaptising of heretickes which shoulde returne to the Church Besides this in Councels the voyces be not weighed but numbred whereby it commeth to passe that oftentimes the greater part preuaileth aboue the lesse and the worse aboue the better So as we cannot determine that the Church is without error as the scripture is Howe the Fathers of the Synode of Nice behaued them selues Verilie in the Synode of Nice although it was rightly decréed concerning one substaunce of the Father and the sonne yet was there much séede of impietie inserted as touching satisfactions and times of repentance But how those fathers were mooued and driuen by affections thereby it is sufficiently declared in that like furies and mad men they raged one against another and with their infamous Libels and slaunders stirred vp and inflamed the good Emperour against their fellowes that it is a woonder he could abide their vntemperāce They were called together to deale about a principall point of religion and setting this aside they gaue ouer themselues onely vnto choler and stomacke The maner and error of the Ephesine Synode In the second Synode of Ephesus they not onelie erred shamefullie in doctrine but they also came to blowes so as Flauianus the Bishop of Constantinople was there spurned to death I knowe that some saie that that assemblie was not a lawfull Councell Howbeit this mooueth me but litle For I demand what might be wanting thereunto that is required vnto due and true Councels The Bishops were called together by the authoritie of the Emperour no lesse than vnto the Synode of Nice The legates of the Bishop of Rome were present and the Bishop of Alexandria sate as chiefe by his owne right The Synode of Chalcedon The Councell of Chalcedone although it iustlie condemned Eutiches yet is it reprooued by Leo the Bishop of Rome that estéeming lesse the Seate of Alexandria it gaue the second place to the Seate of Constantinople and abolished that which was decréed in the Councell of Nice which could not be done without note of inconstancie 10 But they saie that this belongeth not to the doctrine or Articles of the faith Against whom we replie by the latter Synode of Ephesus which allowed the errour of Eutiches and absolued him whom afterwarde the Councel of Chalcedone condemned and further The Synode of Cōstantinople that the Synode of Constantinople the which was helde vnder Leo the Emperour tooke awaie images Againe that the seuenth Councell which was gathered together vnder Irene allowed aswell of Images as of the worshipping of them Séeing these Councels varie and be contrarie in the chiefe points of faith who shall giue iudgement of them Certainly none but the word of God according whereunto it behooueth that the answers of the Church or Councels be examined The church otherwhile doeth erre if we speake of that Church which is visible and sitteth in Councels Mat. 24. 24 The Lorde saieth that the false Christes and false Apostles shall so preuaile as the verie elect if it were possible should be deceaued Dan. 8. 9. 11. 36. Daniel also testified that Antichrist should sit in the verie Temple of God that is among them which are named the Church Let vs consider the méetings of the olde Church and we shall perceiue that they went so farre astray that amongst them Ieremie the Prophet was ouerthrowen Ierem. 26. 1. Kings 22. 24. and Micheas who was beaten when the 400. Prophetes were come together before the kings Achab and Iosaphat Iohn 9. 22 Finallie Christ and his Apostles were condemned by the Councell of the Iewes yea Nazianzene said he neuer sawe good end of the bishops Councels Whether the Church can erre and Nazianzene to returne to our owne Councels in a certaine Epistle of his said that he neuer sawe good ende of
although wée affirme that the apprehension or holding fast of the bodie of Christ is doone by faith yet vpō this fast holding followeth an effect euen a true coniunction with Christ not a fained or imagined the which first belongeth vnto the soule secondly it redoundeth to the bodie And the same in the holie scriptures is commended to vs by Paul vnder a metaphor of the head and bodie when he calleth vs members of one and the selfesame bodie vnder Christ the head vnder the state of Mariage wherein two are made one flesh The which that Cyrill might expresse he brought in a similitude of molten waxe which is mingled with other waxe and so of two is made one Thus woulde he haue vs to bée ioined with Christ And to this purpose specially Ephe. 3. 6. make the wordes vnto the Ephesians wherein we are saide to be flesh of his flesh and bone of his bones which words if thou looke vpon at the first viewe wil appeare that it ought otherwise to be saide Whether Christ be of our flesh or we of his to wit that the sonne of God is of our flesh and of our bones because he assumed flesh of mankind Howbeit Paul vnderstoode not meere flesh but flesh cleane from sinne capable of resurrection and immortalitie The which séeing the faithfull haue not of themselues neither drew it frō Adam they claime it vnto them by Christ because they be incorporated vnto him by the sacraments and by faith Wherefore there happeneth a certaine enterance of Christ A falling in of Christ into vs. into vs and a spiritual touching the which Paul weighed when he said vnto the Galathians Gal. 2. 20. But now it is not I that liue but Christ liueth in mee Neither is there any néede in these respectes to drawe Christ out of heauen or to disperse his body into infinite places forsomuch as all this that we teach is spirituall and yet notwithstanding no fained thing for imagined sightes Idols or fained things doe not nourish the minde as here we be certaine that it is doone For we haue saide and we confirme it that these signes doe both signifie and offer and most truely exhibite the bodie of Christ although spiritually that is to bee eaten with the minde How the forefathers had the same thing in their Sacraments that we haue in ours not with the mouth of the bodie But if thou shalt demand after what manner the Fathers of the olde Lawe in their Sacramentes could haue the same that wee haue it is easie to bee aunswered séeing wée haue affirmed that in this Sacrament the thing is vsed spiritually not corporally And in the Apocalyps we reade That the Lambe was slaine from the beginning of the world They waited for things to come wee celebrate the memorie of them alreadie doone Lastly we haue shewed that great héede must be taken least that which we speake of spirituall eating be vnderstoode as though it destroyed the truth of his presence For Augustine saide vpon the 54. Psalme that the bodie of the Lorde is in a certaine place in heauen but that the trueth of the Lordes bodie is euerie where For wheresoeuer the faithfull be they apprehend that Christ had a true bodie giuen for vs and so they doe eate him by faith 82 Wherefore I haue nowe spoken in this sacramentall matter that which in my iudgement ought to be affirmed being according to the Scriptures which I woulde the godly reader woulde well consider and take in good part And God of his goodnesse graunt that at the length the Church of Christ may obtaine both trueth and quietnesse as touching this sacrament Which two things I therefore wish because hitherto I sée that the Eucharist whereof we intreate hath bin so ouerwhelmed buried and defaced with lies craftie deuises and superstitions as it might rather be iudged any other thing than that which the Lord instituted in the supper The which least it should easilie be cleansed the Diuell which is the most gréeuous enimie of al peace and truth hath sowne so manie opinions contentions disagréements heresies and controuersies sauing that they bée without bloud that scarcelie any consent woorthie of Christians can in mans reason be hoped for But these things alas we suffer not without cause who haue doone double iniurie vnto this Sacrament partlie for that in stead of a notable and singular gift of Christ we haue erected an execrable Idol and partly because we haue without sinceritie of faith with a conscience defiled with grieuous sinnes without sufficient triall of our selues abused these most holy mysteries I beséech the Lord to take pitie of so great a calamitie and vouchsafe at length to restore vnto his Church a reformed Eucharist and the right vse of the same through our Lord Iesus Christ Amen Looke the Exhortation to the Supper of the Lorde Also looke his Confession and opinion touching this whole matter Item the disputations with Tressham c At the end of these Common places The end of the Treatise of the Eucharist A short abridgement of the disputation which D. P. Martyr made as concerning the Eucharist against Gardiner Byshop of VVinchester THe matter of the Eucharist according as the Lorde deliuered the same vnto vs is both plaine and easie to be knowen which if it were handled according to the iudgement and sense of the holy scriptures and that there were a consideration had of the humane nature of Christ and of the receaued definition of the Sacrament there should be no great paynes taken either in the vnderstanding or handling of the fame Howbeit by reason of the contention and importunitie of the aduersaries it is become more intricate than any blinde labyrinth and it is come in a manner to passe that through contention wee haue welneere forgone the trueth for they rather thā they would giue place to the right and best opinion yea that they may by all maner of meanes defend their monstrous deuises rather than the truth they haue vsed all kinde of counterfeiting cauillations and deceiueable wayes Whereupon when I of late daies was diligent to encounter with the huge armie of their cauils and sophisticall Arguments and should answere the same with as much diligence as I could the volume grew in a manner to an exceeding greatnesse Fearing therefore least godly men when they come to take my book in hand being ouermuch tyred with long reading should returne as vncertaine as before for seeing the reasons on both sides and those sometimes but latelie and newlie deuised it is not possible but those which be the later should obscure the memorie of those that went before or in a manner make them to be quite forgotten I minded straightway to set the matter before mens eyes in a certaine abridgement or resolution which the Gretians call 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that those which shall reade my writings or be minded to reade them or haue alreadie read them may haue present
offence And haue our aduersaries thought that Christes order in the Sacramentes may so easilie be vndoone To the 4. 9 They said that as touching the olde lawe we are indued with a greater libertie than were the Hebrewes and therefore we are permitted to change something in ceremonies which for them was not lawfull But these men ought to know that Christian libertie herein consisteth not that we should change the institutions of Christ but in that that Christ hath reduced manie ceremonies into fewe and instead of laborsome hath giuen easie and plaine and in the stead of obscure ceremonies hath set downe those which are most euident Adde that we by the power of the spirit are made willing and voluntarie doers for we are not constrained by the lawe but we doe willinglie those thinges which religion perswadeth Wherefore they proue not what they would but are rather driuen to the contrarie For séeing we be so frée as we haue but a few ceremonies and those easie and gentle it would be an intollerable thing and woorthie to be condemned if we should not performe them without corruption 10 They say To the 5. that the ceremonie is not for that cause polluted neither the people defrauded because somuch is had vnder one kinde as vnder both For with the bodie of Christ his bloud is also giuen and that vnder our kinde Of Concomitancie a Papisticall deuice which may be englished Ioint companying which they say is doone by Concomitancie for so they speake But these men should haue weighed that the communion of the bodie and bloud of Christ is not in this Sacrament by the woorke of nature For whatsoeuer of these thinges is deliuered vnto vs is receaued by faith and is offered vnto vs by the words of Christes promises And in these outward thinges God requireth chieflie an obedience Signes and the outward actions of ceremonies be fraile thinges The word of God indureth for euer therefore the nature of the Sacrament must be iudged by it So much is giuen vnto vs as God appointed to giue of whose will we know nothing further than his sayings disclose vnto vs. But Christ appointed two partes of the Sacrament by one of the which he sayd that his bodie is communicated and by the other his bloud and of these he hath left vnto vs expresse wordes wherefore we must rather giue credit vnto him than vnto the subtill sayings of men Thou tellest me of I know not what Concomitancie and doubtlesse it is thine owne subtill poynt of reasoning I know that it so fareth with the bodie of Christ which is in heauen as it is not without bloud I doubt not but that these thinges be ioyned together in him But how wilt thou prooue that they be signified when they be ioyned together in the Sacrament On the one part the faith of the communicants comprehendeth there the bodie of Christ nailed vppon the crosse for our saluation whereof we be spirituallie fedde And the same faith on the other part layeth holde of his bloud shed for our saluation and hereof wée bée spirituallie watred and haue droonke About these mysteries of the death of Christ is the minde of the faithfull chiefelie occupied while they communicate Wherefore wee must not regard in what sort the bodie of Christ is now in heauen We followe the woordes of GOD and perceaue it is not of necessitie that those things which in their owne nature be ioyned together should be communicated one with another Things in their owne nature ioyned may seuerally be communicated The humane and diuine natures are ioyned together in the subiect of Christ neither are they plucked one from an other Yet wilt thou not say that wheresoeuer the diuine nature is there also is the humane vnlesse thou wilt extend the bodie of Christ to an vnmeasurable greatnesse the which is most strange from the nature of man The sonne of God in so much as he is God is found euerie where and filleth all places the which his bodie doth not Further in the holy Ghost all graces or giftes are ioyned together yet for all that is not the gift of sundrie tongues giuen to him vppon whomsoeuer the power of prophesying is bestowed or so likewise on the other part Also seueritie and mercie are most néerely ioyned together in God and yet neuerthelesse when as one is made an inheritor of eternall life he hath a proofe of the mercie and not of the seueritie of God And the same might I affirme of many thinges which being ioyned together in themselues yet are they communicated asunder But herein standeth the effect of the answere that this communication is no woorke of nature and therefore is not giuen vnto vs by the constitution or disposition of the thing which it hath in his owne nature but by the will and pleasure of the giuer of whose will and counsell wée cannot decrée further than is expressed by his owne words To the sixth 11 They sayde moreouer that in Baptisme there is much altered First because Infants haue water powred vppon them The cite of dipping in Baptisme and are not dipped in as the Gréeke woord 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 signifieth I know that the Fathers when it might be in respect of age and health vsed dipping the which was shadowed in the olde Testament when the Israelites passed through the sea yet is it not of necessitie neither is there a commaundement extant for the same When it is vsed it hath an excellent signification because when we are dipped in we are signified to dy with Christ and when we issue foorth we are declared to haue risen with him vnto eternall life Howbeit this signification as we say is not of necessitie But that which concerneth the nature and naturall propertie of Baptisme is a cleansing from sinnes Wherefore in the Epistle to the Ephesians Ephe. 6. 26 Christ is said To haue cleansed his Church by the washing away of water in the word And we are pronounced to be baptised vnto the remission of sinnes And this cleansing whether we be dipped or whether we be washed all about or whether we be sprinckled or after what manner soeuer we be washed with waters it is very fitlie shewed in Baptisme Neither dooth the Gréeke word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 only signifie to be dipped but any manner of way to be sprinckled Moreouer the reason is not a like To change the manner of washing and to take it all wholy away Because in them which be sprinckled or haue water powred vppon them the element of Baptisme namelie water is kept and hath his signification Neither doe we superstitiously contend after what sort we are to drinke of the cuppe eyther little or somewhat largelie Neither through little pipes as sometime it was doon and as the Bishop of Rome dooth at this day or with our lippes put to the cup or by bread dipped and made wet in the wine as it is in the historie of
Great numbers of thine Ancestors that liued long agoe To what purpose these arguments are vsed It is a ridiculous thing for a man to boast that he can recken vp seuen great grandfathers These reasons some vse to extenuate the nobilitie of bloude Neither are these things spoken amisse or yet without profit especiallie against them which onelie for the vertue of their ancestors will be counted noble whereas otherwise they themselues liue dishonestlie vilelie and obscurelie And if any man haue together with vertue obtained nobilitie of bloud Nobilitie of kindred ioyned with vertue to profitable doubtles he hath great commoditie by it syth nobilitie is not a thing altogether outward as it was obiected For the properties and markes and motions of the Ancestors are I knowe not howe transferred to the posteritie which although that in the next children or childrens children doe not oftentimes shewe foorth or appeare yet are they still kept by a certaine power and reuiue againe in other of the posteritie so as in them the spirites and courages of their ancestors are renued vnto vertue Wherefore séeing such sparkes are still reserued in vs they are not wholie to be accounted among outward good things Neither agréeth that comparison of the Mule which they saie is procreated of a horse for that in the Mule the generation is stayed Neither can the Mule if we cōsider the common course of nature liue long But they which are begotten of noble parentes although they thēselues degenerate yet may they afterwarde bring foorth others And to staie euen in that similitude It no small deale adorneth the Mule that he is begotten of the horse séeing for the same cause they are more commendable than Asses But Iuuenall Cicero and Iphicrates spake of those noble men which when as they themselues had no part at all of their fathers or predecessors vertue and good disposition woulde notwithstanding be had in estimation for this cause onely that they came of a noble bloud He which being but of obscure parentage hath made himselfe honorable by vertues is of farre more excellencie than are they which comming of great nobilitie doe with vices and wicked actes and with Idlenesse cowardice dishonour both them selues and their stocke God vnto the posterity of Saincts graunted many things Rom. 9. 4. Exod. 20. 6. Gen. 49. 10 Num. 1. 47 3. 1. c. And how much God attributed vnto the posteritie of the godlie it is manifest not onelie by a place in the 9. Chapter to the Romanes but also by that place in Exodus where God promised that he would doe good euen to a thousand generations of the iust but euen héereby also in that he decréed that the Priestes and Kings should be chosen out of a certaine stocke This prerogatiue the Ethnickes contemned not For he which praiseth Alcibiades which some thinke was Euripides when he was crowned in the games of Olimpus saith that he which shall be happie must come of a noble Citie To which purpose I might cite a great manie of other things Whether the Gentiles be more abiect than the Iewes 1. Cor. 1. 26 if néede should so require But what shall we say of our estate Are we more abiect than the Iewes Or may we in comparison of them séeme to be without nobilitie séeing Paul thus writeth Consider your calling brethren Not many noble men not manie wise men are called I aunswere that there is no cause why we should therefore be sorie for our estate For although if we consider the stocke it self from whence we were cut off and which we cannot denie but was a wild Oliue trée we be obscure and without nobilitie To them that be graffed into Christ is cōmunicated all the nobilitie of Christ Ephe. 5. 30 yet after we are once grafted in Christ all his nobilitie is most trulie communicated vnto vs For we are now not onelie members of him but also flesh of his flesh bone of his bones so as now all his fathers are made our fathers Which things although they haue not happened vnto vs by naturall generation yet vnto a godlie man it ought to bée sufficient that they were afterward giuen vnto vs. Of Seruitude or bondage 5 The first mention of Seruitude or bondage in the holy scriptures is in the 9. In Gen. 9. 5 Looke In 1. Sam. 4. 9 of Genesis And it shall not be vnprofitable if we speake somewhat thereof The name From whence came the name of Seruitude if we weigh the Latine Etymologie was deriued of Seruando that is kéeping because those whome the vanquishers had not slaine in war they kept to themselues to the intent they might vse their labour Mancipia are goods cattel bondmen or captiues Thereof were they called Seruants as saith Florentinus the Lawyer in the fourth booke of the Institutes By the same reason had Mancipia their name because they were taken with the hand from enemies as we haue it in the first of the Pandectes of Iustinian Plinie in his 7. The originall of seruitude booke the 56. Chapter attributed the inuention hereof to the Lacedemonians But our writinges which be more auncient doe make vs beléeue that he is deceaued The cause of bondage is sinne The cause of seruitude For warre denounced and made if it be iust it is doone for the repressing of sinnes but if it be vniust as touching their part which make it yet by the dispensation of God it is iust who prepareth thereby to punish those which he hath knowen woorthie to be chastised This did Daniel and other Prophetes most manifestlie declare Dan. 9. 5. when they accounted their owne iniquities and the iniquities of their forefathers to be the cause of victorie vnto the enemies against the people of God Truely bondage is therefore a punishment Seruitude is a thing against mans nature because it is against the nature and condition of man God ordained man not that he should serue but that he should haue dominion Wherefore the good fathers in old time did not exercise dominion ouer men they were Pastors of the flocke and they ruled men onelie with loue and Counsels And séeing Man is made to the Image of God Gen. 1. 27. and that it is the propertie of God to commaund not to execute thinges commaunded it is prooued that men also are not of nature to serue Howbeit bondage must not be reiected by this Argument Bondage must not be reiected and why séeing it is inuented as a bridle of iniquitie and a medicine vnto mans naughtinesse For thou maiest finde manie thinges which haue had their beginninges of a naughtie cause which must not be altogether reiected but retained Hereuppon the Apostles Peter and Paul verie oftentimes in their Epistles Ephe. 6. 5. Col. 3. 21. put vs in remembrance that subiectes and seruantes should be duetifull towardes their Lordes and that they should not presume to shake off the
Oliue branch to Appius garland of the wild Oliue trée wouen with leaues not to the garlandes giuen to them that first clymed a wall that first boorded a ship or saued a Citizen in fight not to Images of Marble Brasse Siluer or Gold not vnto other Images vnto banquetes perpetuallie in a readinesse and vnto the meate in the Senate house of Athens but to this end that we may be made the most deere children of God his heires and coheires with Christ And further I beséech you for your saluation sake that if there be in you anie compassion anie pitie anie remorse or anie care or regard of the Church that is of the bodie of Christ so rent in sunder scattered in these our daies haue a regard I beséech you haue a regard vnto this For it will not be restored by riches or holie vestmentes neither by the choise of meates nor by rites and ceremonies but by this one medicine of the word of God it may be cured Assuredlie if the power of doing miracles were at this day extant in the Church as it was in the primitiue Church perhappes it would much confirme the doctrine of godlinesse Howbeit if we would gather all together in one and would deale by most earnest prayers and vnfeined teares we shall not bring so much to passe as in times past did the handkerchers of Paul Whereby it plainly appeareth with how great studie the knowledge of the holy scriptures must be obtained since by that onelie helpe the tentes of God ought to be defended Moreouer the Apostles which were so excellent in spirit and in miracles suffered not themselues for anie cause to be remooued from the worke of handling and communicating the word of God Acts. 6. 2. but rather prouided that Deacons should be ordained in the Church whereby they themselues being fréed from the care of the Tables might onelie apply themselues to the administration of the Gospell 2. Tim. 4. 13. Yea and Paul when he was held captiue at Rome commaunded that the Satchel with the partchmentes and bookes should be brought vnto him that both by reading and writing he might profite the Church 1. Tim. 3. 13. And the same Apostle warned Timothie that he should diligentlie giue himselfe to doctrine and reading that he might preserue both himselfe those which should heare him But if that all these thinges shall litle mooue vs which without doubt ought verie much to mooue vs why doe we not regard with what cruell conflictes we are assailed Ephe. 6. 12. Our wrestling as the Apostle saith is not against flesh and bloud but against principalities and powers and heauenlie wickednesse Which battell séeing it is not one onelie and sleightlie followed but is diuers manifold and most sharplie fought it warneth vs that we should alwayes haue out of the Armorie of the scriptures most necessarie weapons It behooueth vs in this battell to know all manner of wayes and meanes of fighting least we shamefully yéeld when we come to the conflict What dooth it profite to haue sharply disputed against Ethnickes Philosophers when the Iewes on the other side waste destroy all thinges Or what auaileth it to haue vanquished the Marcionites Valentinians Arrians and such other pestilent heretickes if the Papistes destroy all thinges farre and néere Finallie what thing praise woorthie shall we doe if we onelie defend godlie doctrine and bring nothing to the institution of a godlie life to the mending of manners and to spiritual edification Wherefore come ye all hither to assist the Commonweale of the Church and with this want of the word of God more hard than the Adamant compasse ye about the people of the Lord while they be inuaded by such violent and craftie enemies Forget not Paul who as it is in the Actes Acts. 2. 18. put the Ephesians in minde that he was whole thrée yéeres with them he warned euerie one and that with manie teares and let vs be ashamed of our selues who either preach not the Gospel at all in the Church or else verie seldome and that so coldlie that we may rather séeme to doe some other matter There be applyed no vehement affections nor is there anie thing doone earnestlie and from the heart but all thinges are rather doone of a certaine custome and ceremonie Let no man alleage that these thinges belong onelie vnto the Byshoppes and Pastors séeing Paul to the Colossians warneth euerie man Col. 3. 16. aswell that the word of God may dwell plentifullie in their heartes as also that our communication should alwayes be gratious and powdered with fault that we may know how to aunswere all men 1. Pet. 3. 16. And Peter will haue vs to be readie to giue a reason of that hope which is in vs. But now since I sée that my time is past I will make an end and will bend my selfe to prayer as to a most sure hauen to craue the assistance of Gods helpe And as holy Moses Deut. 3. 2. when he had now ruled the people of God 40. yéeres on this wise prayed Deut. 23. 2. That my doctrine may drop as dooth the raine and my speech as dooth the deawe So I O God most humblie desire thée that those thinges which I shall teach thy children may be no stormes of errors but desired and plentifull raine of the trueth and that my interpretations may be no water to destroy the Church and ouerthrow consciences but a deawy consolation and profitable edification of soules And I earnestlie desire thee also to incline and giue eare vnto my prayer that all those which be here present may receaue the holy séede of thy word not as the highway nor as the thornes neither yet as the stonie ground but as the good ground and field prepared by thy spirit they may out of the scriptures which shall be committed to the furrowes of their heartes bring foorth fruite some thirtie some sixtie and some an hundreth folde An Oration which he made at Zurick the first time after he succeeded in the place of Conradus Pellicanus What things are woont to fraie vs from the weightier sort of functions THose causes yée Diuines and most déere brethren in Christ which are woont many times to terrifie men from any function of charge as both the experience and the writings of the wise doe teach me are indéede not infinite that they cannot bee comprehended vnder a certaine number but yet many and manifolde doe come to my remembrance First some doe refuse a charge committed vnto them because it is laide vpon them as newe fresh and vnlooked for of them A similitude For euen as the yoke is soone shaken off from vntamed cattle the bridle from young coltes so doe all those things easily disquiet men whereunto they haue not béene accustomed and especially if they shall choose to themselues a kinde of life which is altogether contrarie from that whereunto they are called For
repugnant to the will of God and I doubt not but that he which shall suffer such an affect to be carried by his owne violence without restraint doth withstande the holy commaundements But otherwise it is if faith and syncere charitie be the guide thereof that with other affects and motions of the minde it may be submitted and repose it selfe in the will of God Neither ought the first motion thereof be compared with the desires of those thinges which honesty forbiddeth either to haue or to compasse For these things by themselues and in their own nature be faultie But séeing that not seldome but often we may iustly both reioyce in prosperitie and sorow in aduersitie they are not by themselues faultie motiōs but so farre foorth as they drawe some euill thing from vs being corrupted euen as in all vertues it commeth to passe Such affectes also should be faultie if we should suffer them so far to be enraged as we would do any thing against the wil of God Moreouer this also I will adde that death being weighed simplie and by it selfe is to be feared but so farre foorth as it is commaunded by the worde of God it must be imbrased with all the heart with all the soule and with all the affections And although we require not of feare that it shold consent for that is beside the nature thereof yet do we require of it that it should giue place which if it doe it selfe also so far as is in the power thereof obayeth God But where death is not commanded vnto vs nor for this cause commeth into question the feare of it so it kéepe it selfe within iust lymites cannot iustly be condemned Of these things seeing we haue spoken aboundantly we wil end the first part of the treatise wherin we haue plainly declared our iudgement as touching the feare of death whether it be faultie or no and we will begin the seconde part as touching the commaundement of Christ giuen to his Apostles If they shall persecute you in one citie Mat. 10. 23 flie you vnto an other which manie perswade thēselues was afterward abrogated by Christ euen as that saying Ibidem 5. Go not into the way of the Gentiles and into the citie of the Samaritans enter yee not Vnto this opinion subscribed Tertullian when he wrote of flying away because while that commandement should indure and be of force he perceiued that flying away might not iustly be denied vnto the faithful But to say briefely what my opinion is I thinke that precept hath nowe the selfesame weight it had then when it was giuen to the Apostles And as touching that saying Goe yee not into the way of the Gentiles and into the Cities of the Samaritans enter yee not I thinke it was a commaundement but for a time for afterward Christ commaunded the contrarie when hee departing from hence into heauen sent foorth his disciples into all the worlde to preach the Gospell Wherfore since there is extant no commandement of Christ whereby flying away is forbidden That the precept of Christ touching flying away is perpetuall it behooueth to kéepe inuiolate that commandement of flying away to wit that it should be of as great force at this day as in old time it was first deliuered to the Apostles Neither as I thinke doth that obiection any thing prooue that the Lorde saide Mat. 10. 28. Feare yee not them which kill the bodie whereunto whosoeuer thinke that flying away is vnlawfull doe leane as vnto a foundation For it must be considered that in the selfe same 10. Chapter of Matthew and in one and the same saying of the Lord vnto the Apostles are contained both the sentences and both were recited vnto them being sent to preach Therefore if both the sentences might then stande together as touching the Apostles what letteth that they may not stande together at this day as touching vs For I sée no absurditie if in the time of persecutions while there is a lawfull way and oportunitie of flying a man flie away to the intent he may liue vnto God not vnto himselfe and that hee may shun the tempting of God if he shoulde offer himselfe to a daunger not necessarie he being certified by faith that a way of escaping is shewed vnto him of God because without his wil there is no meanes to escape and is readie to resist the enimies of the trueth and the Gospell when his good houre shall come and yet in the meane time is so encouraged and hath most surely purposed with himselfe that if he shoulde be taken and led vnto the tyrants he will rather dye not once but a thousande times than to renounce the trueth and forsake his deare Christ Assuredly he that is indued with such a minde and which hath thus decreed with himselfe in flying he followeth the doctrine of Christ when as he doth not so feare them that kill the bodie but that notwithstanding them though he be helde captiue of them hée will confesse the faith or the same being confessed will defende it euen vnto death bloud fire and extreme tormentes For after this manner I thinke that Christ himselfe our Lorde fledde Ioh. 10. 36 when his hower was not yet come Acts. 9. 30. So did Paul when by the holy brethren he was let down through the wall of the city of Damascus So did sometime Policarpus Cyprian and other holy martyrs flie away when they auoyded for a time 1. kings 18. 13. Also in the olde testament we reade of the selfe same thing that was doone by the Prophets Wherefore séeing wee finde not that the leaue to flie away was not reuoked or abrogated by Christ it séemes not that the same shoulde be restrained by vs if it be doone by iust meanes and circumstances If a man flie for ydlenesse sake or in respect of the delights of this worlde or else because he is ashamed to confesse Christ or haue determined with himselfe such carnall purposes there is no doubt but he must bee vtterly blamed for it But he which for the causes aboue specified and especially which flyeth away for auoyding a daunger like to insue vnto the soule whereunto no man ought rashly to offer himselfe vnlesse he will tempt God whie should he be blamed Verily vnto me he séemes not worthie of blame especially when in flying away he denyeth himself and taketh vp his crosse with Christ Neither can any denie but that the flight taken for such causes is a kinde of confession That flying away is a shewe of confession If thou weigh the thing in equall ballance it is easie to vnderstand that the Gospell and pure faith in Christ is of no small estimation vnto them which so flie away For who had not rather tarie at home at his owne house enioy his goods vse the familiaritie of his own Countrimen than as a poore and vnknowen man to wander like a straunger in a farre Countrey where he
all meanes to haue me tarie here Howbeit what he shal bring to passe I know not This neuerthelesse must I shewe you that my purpose was in my iourney to goe to Geneua and to bee there for a while in your companie But the winter which is nowe at hande hath terrified me from anie further iourney doubtlesse that which I haue nowe deferred I hope the next spring I shal bring to passe And if you think that I be able to doe you anie pleasure here onelie giue we warning and it shall suffice I wish you well to fare in the Lorde and that you maie long remaine in safetie to the Church of Christ At Strasborough the 3. of Nouember 1553. To Maister Iohn Caluin ABout the feast of Easter I wrote letters vnto you right worthie sir but it was by a yong gentlemā of Hungarie who was slaine not farre from Selestade Wherfore since there happened so sorrowful a mischaunce they could not be brought vnto you And those thinges which I then knewe and wrote since I doubt not but that you had knowledge of them by some other meanes I thinke them not fit to be repeated There is a verie fearefull newes reported of out of England namelie that there the Parliament as they call it hath assented to restore vnto the Pope his most tyrannicall gouernment The popish kingdome restored in England And Philip is and is accounted king of Englande The good men on all partes flie frō thence as much as they can And I can not expresse howe great a disturbance there is of all thinges And nowe amongest vs there bee thrée excellent knightes namelie Morisin Cheeke and Cooke no lesse famous in godlinesse than in learning who I thinke within fewe daies will come vnto you These thinges I therefore write to the intent that you together with your Church will pray for that state not onelie afflicted but in a manner ouerthrowen Doubtlesse nowe are the Bishoppe of Canterburie and the rest of the Bishoppes in extreame daunger We here liue in peace and quietnesse as touching outwarde matters and nowe we perceiue we are deliuered of feare touching our French Church whereas manie before suspected that something woulde bee chaunged in doctrine and administration of the Sacramentes Which neither is nor I hope shal be doone I would to God that the cōtention of some against their pastor might be taken awaie But yet doe I trust that at length it will be quieted and as I iudge wil easilier be quenched by dissembling our iudgment than if men resist by violence and power And this euill hath also néede of prayers Finallie I would haue you vnderstande that this doeth greatlie gréeue me together with other good men that against the trueth against your good name they spread verie foule and false reports as touching the eternall election of God and that heretikes ought not to bee put to death But it maketh no matter since as wee heare in these thinges which they write they dare not confesse their names I saide as we heare because there is not one of those namelesse bookes brought hither to Strasborough Wee that be here and especiallie Zancus and I doe defende your part and the trueth so much as in vs lieth But how Maister Alasco was ill intreated through out Denmarke and the Churches of Saxonie you maie vnderstande by this man that deliuereth you my letters Fare you well and pray for vs. Zancus saluteth you verie much I in like maner pray you salute in my name Martinengus and also Galeatius the Marques and N. From Strasborough the 9. of Maie To Maister Iohn Caluin SIr I lately receiued letters from Vienna that I shoulde sende them vnto you which before I did not because I had no sooner a conuenient messenger And nowe I write partly vppon this occasion and partly because it séemeth now lōg since I saluted you Which duetie though I haue slacked for a time yet will I not suffer it wholie to cease And besides this my good wil there hath happened another thing namely that a fewe dayes past I read with great pleasure the worke which you set foorth in defence of the wholesome eternall predestination of almightie God Wherefore since I was greatly delighted with the reading thereof I thought it iust and my part to giue you thankes And I doubt not but that vnto your labour will come a iust and aboundant fruite as touching them which bee chosen and predestinate vnto eternal life by GOD vnto whose glorie it was taken in hand And I also haue gathered manie things for the confirmation of this matter in my Commentarie vppon the Epistle to the Romanes which certaine monethes past I sent vnto Basill to Peter Perne to be imprinted which Booke neuerthelesse could not at this Mart be finished which nowe I let you vnderstand to assure you that euen for good cause and with all my heart I am glad of your writing We haue here no newes but that your selfe knowe The inauguration of the newe Emperour after an vnusuall forme and manner and hitherto not heard of hath bread an incredible woonder For by this Coronation as they terme it the authoritie of the Romane Antichrist séemeth more to bee ouerthrowen than euer before And by what meanes the Archbishops which be Electors coulde bee brought to consent vnto this maner of inauguration no man in a maner can tell But howsoeuer it is we will expect the workes of God Hither came two from Vienna the one of which is a preacher but the other is an Earle young in déede of age but yet well exercised in learning and one that much fauoureth Religion He was a Counsellour to the newe Emperour but nowe he dwelleth with Maximillian the King of Bohemia hens well inclined to the Euangelicall Churches and indeuoureth to shew that the Lutherans and wee iudge one thing as touching the matter of the sacrament but yet hitherto he could not make this plaine vnto some He iourneieth to Tubinge and Hedilborough from thence to Philip into Saxony who he saith that hee for a certaintie knoweth to be now constrained to write testifie what his opinion is touching the question of the sacrament God graunt him such constancie as becommeth his learning and godlines Both of these men affirme that king Maximilian is enclined to the religion of the Gospell and wisheth that the Church of Vienna should be altogether reformed These were the things which I had to write vnto you I beséeche God the father of our Lorde Iesus Christ that he will long preserue you in health to his Church From Zuricke the 21. of Aprill I pray you salute in my name our fellowe Ministers To Maister Iohn Caluin TRuelie sir it was neither griefe nor maruell vnto mée that a fewe daies since when you sent letters to our friende Maister Bullinger by whom you would make the excuse you wrote nothing vnto mée But this was verie grieuous vnto me before to heare that you were sicke and
salute Viretus Zanchus my associate desired me to salute you To Theodore Beza 24. MY déere and welbeloued brother in Christ the letters which I ioyned vnto these of mine did your friende and mine yea our common friend Gasper Oleuian write vnto me but because there want cariers to come to you and that hee hath not much leasure he prayed me that reading them ouer I would straightway send them vnto you to the intent that your selfe might not bee ignorant what hee doth and what daungers he standeth in for publishing the Gospel Verilie that which the good and Godly man hath desired of me I most willingly do for two causes first to gratifie Oleuian himselfe whom I make great account of for his great learning and singular indeuor towards Religion then because there is offered a iust occasion of writing vnto you which I take willingly and of my owne accord for the good loue which I beare vnto you For otherwise I was desirous to giue you thanks for the little booke which N. deliuered to me in your name wherin you haue elegantlie comprehended as you do other thinges the lawes of your newe erected schoole Wherefore I doe excéedingly reioyce with you your Church and common weale for the vniuersitie which yée haue erected And I pray and beséech God the father of our Lord Iesus Christ that it may be dailie increased with greater giftes and that it may become fruitfull as well vnto religion as vnto policie according to your desire Surely there coulde not bee desired of you a more profitable thing especiallie in these dayes Praised be god which so directeth you in the greatest perils that you more largelie thinke vpon the aduancement of his glorie than manie others doe which on euerieside abounde and be full of securitie and idlenesse No doubt but God will bee present at his worke and that which you haue to verie good purpose begun he will not onely defend but as I assure my selfe and all good men doe hope he will prosper with plentifull and large increases Neither coulde they better prouide for your newe schoole than to choose you to be the guide and gouernour thereof For you according to your dexteritie and wisedome wherewith God hath adorned you will so direct and temper all things as vpon those foundations which shal be laid of you others shal be able in a manner without any paine to build rightlie and syncerely As for my part if I can do nothing else I will yéelde vnto you which run rightly and valiantly no deade but liuely and most euident reioysings But to returne to Oleuian the more he is indangered for Christs cause and the Gospell the more readily and chéerefully should he be holpen by prayers Neither would that exhortation be vngratefull nor vnfruitfull which shoulde comfort and refresh him in so great a contention and gréeuous a conflict But there is no néede for me with my counsels to giue you light who séeth cléerelie and euidentlie Farewell faithfull seruant of God and most louing brother in Christ God blesse your labours I pray you in my name salute master Caluin and maister Viret and the rest of the ministers and fellowe laborers The daunger wherein yée liue doeth no lesse touch me and other good men than if we were there present in your place We will not be behind with our prayers I pray God of his mercie graunt that we may heare that things come to passe according to our hope The 4. of October 1559. To a certaine friend of his NOw most woorthy sir to whom I am for many causes beholding I send ouer vnto you according to my promise a fewe dayes past that same written confession sealed vp with little twigges as I receiued the same And when I doe throughly consider thereof I doe not thinke that it was exhibited by our sort in such wise as it is written For there is no mention made of apprehending the bodie and bloud of the Lorde by faith not with the mouth of the bodie which séemes to bee the whole key of this controuersie Certainly I am not offended at the name of substance because I know that our faith is not carried to a vaine and fained bodie But I maruell at this that in the second Article it is said that signes haue alwaies ioyned with them the thing it selfe that is signified and that in the thirde is declared the manner of that coniunction which is saide not to bee called onely figuratiue or shadowing Verilie for my part I knowe none other coniunction of the flesh and bloud with the signes than that which is of signification which neuerthelesse I affirme not to bée of small force but an effectuall coniunction because the holy Ghost vseth the same as a certaine instrument euen as he vseth the outwarde worde And no lesse obscure is that which is added Which may truely certainlie represent vnder the shew of visible things If the verbe To represent doe note a type or figure it is well but if it be to appoint a thing to be truely present as it doth oftentimes signifie it is not true and an occasion is giuen of sinning And séeing in these things it behooueth to deale with verie great perspicuity doubtlesse in my iudgement there néeded a more large exposition Againe in the same thirde Article it is written that the controuersie is onelie about the manner of presence which is knowen to God alone but mée thinkes that it hath alwaies béene confirmed by one sort that the same manner is the apprehending of a liuelie faith Wherefore I doe not thinke that the manner of this presence is to be accounted obscure or doubtfull The manner of the Lutheran presence cannot be vnderstoode For while they affirme a reall and substantial presence they eyther extend the Lordes bodie vnto an infinite greatnesse or else they pronounce it to be in a thousand places at once which in verie déede goeth beyond all truth and reason And bréefelie I sée not that in this profession our true coniunction with Christ is any where signified to be such as may abide a distance of places betwéene vs and the bodie of the Lorde so that héere among vs is not required his reall or substantiall presence to the end wee maie truly be ioyned with him These things onelie I was minded now to shewe which would somewhat disquiet me if I though that it were so written and confirmed by the brethren but because I cannot perswade my self thereof I am the lesse gréeued yet gréeued I am because I heare that such things are caried about vnder our name And I doubt not but you will perceiue more things who haue no néede of one to shew you and some things I doe interprete fauorably and doe wholie perswade my selfe that you will take in good part those things which I haue written since you are not to doubt but that all procéedes from a good heart but I will no longer let your businesse Fare you well and loue
29. of Iune 1556. To Henrie Bullinger 28. MOst louing and reuerende man in the Lorde I receiued your letters ful of great courtesie Christian loue whereby I perceiue that you in appointing a successor in place of the good and godlie olde man that is dead were verie mindfull of your Martyr I knowe that I haue not deserued so great an honour but whatsoeuer I vnderstande to bee most friendlie doone by you and your associates that doe I wholie attribute to your goodnesse Christian affection Wherefore doubt you not but that I shoulde most thankefullie haue accepted your calling of me sauing that our Schoole and Senate tooke the same gréeuouslie For manie indéede haue indeuoured by diuerse wayes and meanes and yet doe indeuour to discourage me from consenting vnto your calling of me But I which preferre the consent of Religion and godlinesse aboue all thinges am stedfast in my determination and being demaunded of our noble and honorable Senate what my minde was I nothing at all dissembled but saide that leaue to depart woulde be verie acceptable vnto me truely not that I am vnmindfull and vngratefull for benefites receiued for I knowe that I am much indebted to this noble Common-weale from the which doubtlesse I woulde not suffer my selfe to bée plucked awaie if I coulde agrée with their ministers in the matter of the Sacrament But since I am in no hope thereof I haue openlie shewed how desirous I am to goe whither I am called by my most louing brethren and hauing an occasion offered I complained to the Magistrate that our doctrine of the Eucharist shoulde in open audience be so vnmeasurably and shamefully ill spoken of by the ministers in this citie And I added that I woonderfullie maruell and am sorie that they will not teach and dispute of this matter openlie in the schoole whereas neuerthelesse in the Churches they vtter spéeches verie outragious and bitter Brieflie I haue nowe twise pleaded the cause before them and sometime by such as were appointed to talke with thē apart And I thought that the matter woulde haue béene altogether dispatched in foure dayes but this daie the Senate aunswered me that they perceiued the causes were reasonable for the which I desired leaue to depart howbeit that they thought not that anie thing should be doone rashlie in so great a matter and therefore I was desired that I woulde at the leastwise abide patientlie the respite of one moneth for an absolute answere For then they promise that either they will offer mee such conditions as I maie with a quiet conscience remaine among thē or else they will set mee at libertie to goe vnto you as I desire This request of our Magistrate vnto whom I am much beholding and who I knowe is much of our opinion I coulde not in right and honestie refuse especially since they added that there bee certaine causes for the which they might not vpon the sudden giue me an absolute answere and so against my wil I yéelded to that space of time which they required But I pray you bee of good chéere I will not desist as much as in me lieth that your calling of me shall not be in vaine A moneth space will soone slip awaie Wherfore according as you desired me by your letters I will be present with you at the feast of Iohn Baptist if the Lord graunt as I hope he will that the matter may be brought to an end But how much I am beholding to your puissant and wise Senate for the vocation which they haue offered me and for the letters which they haue sent hither doubtlesse I haue signified by my letters and haue giuen them thankes But I beséech you my singular good friende that you also will yet more at large testifie the same vnto them Also I giue thankes vnto al your associats and my most louing brethren in Christ vnto whome I had now most willinglie written but I was let of these affaires and talke which I haue with friends who by reason of this matter doe euerie hower come vnto me I pray you vouchsafe to excuse me vnto them for I will write vnto them so farre as I can or else my selfe will be present with them before they be aware I detained your messenger with mee two daies longer than reason woulde but this I did because I hoped that this thirde day I might haue dispatched the matter I pray you therefore that you will take this his tariance in good part and procure that I maie not be blamed for the same Salute you all the fellowe ministers and associates Fare you well and happilie maie you liue in Christ From Strasborough the 7. of Maie 1556. To Lodouick Lauater 29. I Am not a little delighted my déere brother with your courteous letters For by your reioysing with me for my deliuerance out of the English perils you shewe your singular great loue towardes me which although it were well enough knowen to me before yet is it now made farre more manifest I stay as yet at Strasborough but I haue not yet determined what I will doe whereof when I am resolued I will finde the meanes that you also shall vnderstand it They haue not hitherto restored me to my former state And what the lette is that I haue not bin hitherto receaued you your selfe can better gesse than is requisite and safe for me to expresse by letters And if it happen that I tarie I will not suffer either my lippes or my tongue to be depriued of that libertie of spéech which you exhort me vnto vsing neuerthelesse both moderation and fit oportunitie Wherefore if it be my chaunce to labour here in the field of the Lord I shall by mine owne prayers and by the prayers of other godlie brethren obtaine of the Lord that I may at the length gather such fruite as I néede not repent me of For the lodging in your house which you willinglie offer if I come thither I giue you thankes neither doe I refuse your good turne or rather courtesie Wherefore if I come it may well be that I will turne in to you As for the setting foorth of my bookes we will talke more thereof at an other time when leasure shall serue In the meane time liue and farewell in Christ cōmending me to al your associats and fellowe ministers especially to Iohn Abulmis when you shall sée him From Strasborough the 30. of December 1553. It is at length decreed that I shal remaine héere at Strasborough and they doe restore my former place vnto me which I had heere before my departure into Englande The Calendes of Ianuarie 1554. Vnto Lodouicke Lauater 30. YOur letters woorthie Lodouicke I receiued full of curtesie and loue towardes mée which I accepted most thankefullie for two causes aswell for that by so friendlie and gentle sending of letters you shewe that I am continuallie remembred of you as also because you certified mée by what strange sightes men be there
disputation which we shewed before that he made openly of this controuersie hee first published in Englande And at the same time he woulde haue the Commentaries vpon the first Epistle of Paul to the Corinthians to be printed with vs at Zuricke a worke without doubt for the plaine exposition of manie darke and harde questions most worthie to bee reade And after that hee was returned out of Englande to Strasborough from thence was called to Zuricke hauing gotten amongst vs not onely some leasure but also that libertie of writing which he desired he reuiewed manie of those things which hee had written before he finished them and put them in print And first the Commentaries vppon the Epistle of Paul to the Romanes which hee publikely interpreted before in Oxforde Of which booke this onely will I say that hee performed the same with great learning and diligence so as all men confesse that after so manie verie learned interpretors olde and newe which haue written vppon this Epistle yet this booke maie bee reade with great and peculiar fruite At the same time was set foorth by him a defence of the auncient and Apostolike doctrine touching the holy Sacrament of the Eucharist against the booke of Stephen Gardiner For hee a fewe yeares before had published a venimous and pestiferous booke of the Eucharist vnder the name of M. Antonius Constantius wherein by meere sophisticall and most crooked Argumentes he indeuored to ouerthrowe the true and sounde professed doctrine which we hauing receaued of Christ and the Apostles and most auncient fathers of the Church doe followe and professe at this daie And to the compiling of this booke verie manie of the Papistes applyed their trauell and deliuered all their Arguments vnto Gardiner that hee out of that heape might choose what hee woulde and of this booke they triumphed and gloried that there was no man which durst incounter with this their Goliath wherewith beeing mooued that most learned and godlie man Thomas Cranmer Archbishop of Canterburie who oftentimes before incountered with Winchester went awaie with victorie and with singular praise hee tooke this matter vppon him But he being held in most straite prison and had neither store of bookes about him not so much as paper to write and afterwarde being taken awaie by cruell death which for the confession of the true faith hee constantlie suffered was constrained to leaue off the workes which were now in his handes begunne Wherefore manie Englishmen which were louers of godlie true religion desired Martyr oftentimes both in his presence and by letters that hee would succeede in this burthen and that hee woulde not suffer the mindes of the simple to be infected with venim of this booke nor the Popes adherentes so impudently and arrogantlie to triumph against our men Therefore being stirred vp at the desire of friendes and with the equitie of the thing it selfe hee tooke this worke in hand and hauing ouercome diuers and manifolde impedimentes hee finished it at Zuricke and committed the same vnto printers to be dispatched And first of all in this booke he defended the reasons of our men whatsoeuer they were that Gardiner had gathered and confuted Then also hee defendeth against such false accusations the rules which hee himselfe had set foorth in the treatise of the Eucharist Thirdly hee defendeth the answers whereby the argumentes of the aduersaries are wont to be confuted in this disputation Lastlie hee approueth the iust and true interpretations of certaine places which Gardiner with his sort brought out of the fathers for himselfe And in all this whole worke whatsoeuer is vttered aswell in the holie scriptures as in the monuments of the auncient fathers Councels he hath so plentifully diligently comprehended and hath examined all thinges so exactly and perfectly as this worke is helde in admiration euen of them which bee great learned men After this defence against Gardiner there followed an other defence against the two bookes of vnmaried life of Priestes and monasticall vowes written by Richard Smith an Englishman sometime professor of the Diuinitie lecture at Oxford For when Martyr interpreted at Oxford the first Epistle to the Corinthians in the 7. Chap. where the Apostle writeth many things of virginity matrimonie had also disputed largely of vowes Smith in whose place Martyr by the Kings commandement was appointed to reade the Diuinitie lecture was continually present and not onely gaue great heede to those thinges which Martyr saide but did also diligently put them in writing and afterwarde going to Louane he set foorth two vaine but yet venemous bookes against Martyr as touching the sole life of Priests and of Monasticall vowes This man could not Martyr in his Commentaries of the Epistle to the Corinthians answere For his friendes vrging and earnestly desiring the edition of that booke he might not deferre the same but yet in the ende of his seuenth Chapter hee promised this answere and shortly after hauing gotten leasure he answered him but for certaine causes weightie and of great importaunce he finally after certaine yeares published this answere when he was at Zuricke And he confuteth not onely Smithes argumentes but he diligently and throughly examined in a manner all things that may bee saide in this matter Which all they can testifie that haue not slightly perused the same Furthermore at Strasborough after he was returned thither out of England he interpreted the booke of Iudges and as ye knowe did set foorth amongst vs Commentaries vppon the same wherein he expounded many questions of Diuinitie not common euerie where and that verie golden booke which neuerthelesse many by reason of the difficultie and great darkenesse haue shunned hee made verie plaine by bringing a light of interpretation Lastly when Iohn Brentius had set foorth a litle booke as touching the personall vnion of the two natures in Christ wherein hee for assuring of the carnall corporall and reall presence of the bodie and bloud of Christ in the holy supper tooke vpon him to defende a newe and monsterous doctrine of the vbiquitie of Christes bodie Martyr at the request of his friendes setting foorth a Dialogue confuted his booke And because hee knewe that Brentius did in other writings not altogether deserue ill of the Church he woulde not put thereunto his name and expressely defame and speake ill of him especially since this nothing furthered the cause but largely confuted his arguments least they shoulde bleare the eyes of the ignoraunt And further which was the chiefe point of the question he prooued by most assured testimonies of the scriptures and most auncient fathers that the humanitie of Christ is not euerie where With this writing Brentius being mooued indeuoured at one push to ouerthrowe both Martyr and Bullinger by setting foorth a vehement and stinging booke Which booke when our Martyr sawe being a man otherwise most milde of nature yet was he somewhat angrie that Brentius dealt in an ill cause and with so great vnfruitefulnesse
is the Forme of it it may bee the instrument 3 75 a Fornication Why Fornication is a most deadly sinne 2 469 ab An enemie to charitie and the common weale and how 2 470 b Forbidden euen by the lawe it selfe 2 468b Forbidden by the testimonies of the newe Testament 2 468 b 469 a Their reasons which goe about to prooue that it is no sinne 2 468 a How other sinnes bee without the bodie and by Fornication wee sinne against our owne bodie 2 469 b 470 a Among some nations counted no sinne 3 166 a The Nicolaites did openlie and manifestly commit it 3 470 b Why Paule laboured more to perswade the Corinths that it is sinne than is endeuoured in the olde Testament 2 347b 468 b Whether the flesh of theÌ„ which commit Fornication is all one 2 422 b 423 a 469 b Fortitude Fortitude defined 3 270 b 271 b The subiect thereof 3 271 b Examples of the same in the Ethnicks 3 296 a Of M. Artilius Regulus 2 394 a Of Curtius noted 2 394 b Of Christians 2 401 b 402 ab Of diuerse auncient Romans 3 277 ab More worthie than temperance 3 276 a The cause thereof 3 272a A brutish kinde noted 3 297 a How God inspireth it into men 3 272b Whereto the same serueth 1 2 a A distinction thereof 3 271 b 272 a Of what extremities it is the meane 3 271 b The whetstone thereof is anger 2 408 a 3 296 b The end obiectes of the same 3 271 ab It was not Fortitude in Cato that he killed himselfe 2 393. Fortune Fortune excluded from blessednesse by the iudgement of holie scripture 1 157 b Their absurditie that make felicitie depende thereupon 1 161 a What it is according to naturall Philosophie 1 156 a It dealt most rigorously with Priamus whome sometimes she flattered 1 158 b of Cresus 159 a What things are said to fal out thereby 1 156 ab Why Aristotle remoueth it from the causes of felicitie 1 156 ab A strong reason prouing that felicitie springeth not from it 1 157 a All the effects thereof doe seldom come to passe â— 156 b Whether the good things of the bodie doe also come of it 1 157 a Nothing more vnstable than it 1 161 ab The Poets opinioÌ„ therof and wherein we ascribe things thereto 1 182 a The image of the same spake two seuerall times what 1 85 a Whether Gods prouidence take it away chance 1 168 b Aristotles and the Astrologers reason why some haue good and some bad 1 173 a The good and euill of man standeth not in it 1 161 a It and chance are referred vnto vs not vnto God examples 3 39 ab How felicitie is darkened thereby being aduerse reade the similitudes 1 163 a A false principle of the Ethnikes euerie wise man frameth to himselfe his owne Fortune 1 157 b ¶ Looke Chance Found Howe thinges Found become theft and what is to be done concerning them 2 437 b Foundation Of the Foundation of the church reasoning too and fro 4 82. 83. 84. 85. ¶ Looke in Church Fr. Free A definition of Free shewing what it is 2 257 a 252 b 253 a Why we are said to be so 3 163 a Scriptures to prooue that before regeneration we be not Free. 2 255 ab How miserably Adam fell wheÌ„ he was Free 2 253 b 254a Freedome Three maners of Freedome or libertie in men 2 257a The difference betweene the Freedome of the godly and vngodly 2 271 a Of our Freedome in heauen our heauenly countrie 2 271 a ¶ Looke libertie Friendes Friendes are no small helpe vnto felicitie and why 1 143 b The want of them is no hinderance vnto felicitie 1 149b For what causes they must and must not be sought 3 2â—9 a He is far more to be reprooued that hath ill Friendes than he which hath corrupt children and why 1 148 b The delight that true Friends take in dooing good set forth by comparison 2 385 a Diuerse paires of Friendes noted 3 258 ab Friendship A definition of Friendship 3 258b 2 384 b Grounded vpon choise 2 556b What kind is very fraile transitorie 2 455 b The endes of the true false 2 384 b What kind is inuiolable 2 384b Why more conuenient than iustice 3 258 a The necessitie thereof in al estates 3 258 a What thinges are requisite therein 3 258b By what meanes it is dissolued 2 556 b It consisteth in iustice and what if that faile 2 423 b It is necessarie vnto felicitie and why 1 148 b Seneca reprooueth the opinioÌ„ of Epicurus touching the same to be sought in a case of profit 2 385a God prouided that it might increase among the Iewes 1 1â—9 a Their Friendship amitie with the Israelites reproued and why 2 446a Of the Friendship that was betweene Dauid and Ionathan 2 385. 3 258 ab None so neere necessary but must be broken wheÌ„ God commandeth 2 523 a Of spirituall Friendship bodily friendship and ciuill friendship whether of these are to be preferred 2 380 a Freewill The worde Freewill is not read in the scriptures 2 252b A definition thereof 2 253 a In man denied but in God graunted and in what respects 1 191b 192 a With what necessitie the choise thereof may verie well agree 2 278 b The necessitie of suppositioÌ„ doeth not ouerthrowe it in vs. 2 278 b Not vtterly taken away from man and in what it faileth 2 279 b 3 156 a Grace which seemeth to resist it doeth not take the same away 2 280 b Gods foreknowledge doth nothing hinder it as Cicero saieth 2 277 b 278 a We haue it not in al things 3 201 a Whether the gift of sole life depend vpon it 3 19â— b 199 ab Adam in his first creation had it 2 253 a In what thinges it consisteth and is occupied 2 253 a What forced Cicero so earnestly to vphold it 2 277a b howe 3 39 a Seuen reasons in sequence against it 2 275b 276 a So taken as it is contrarie vnto violence and compulsion not vnto necessities 2 256 b Why the Church calleth them heretikes which denie it 2 258 b The Manichies reason howe vaine it is thereabout shewed by a similitude 2 259 a Much remaining in men as touching ciuil and morall vertues 2 256 b 257 a Whereupon Augustine saide that man abusing it lost both himselfe and the libertie thereof 2 254 b What the Stoiks thought therof 3 38 ab The inteÌ„t of fathers to defend it 3 19 b Repentance dependeth not thereupon 3 15 b What the scripture determineth touching it 2 255 a Howe it is defended and how it is letted 3 41 a Before regeneration it can doe nothing but sin 3 16 b Not proued by conditionall propositions as how 3 13 b The Pelagians opinion of grace and Freewill to doe good workes 3 50b 121 b 122 a 1 155b How it is weakened lost 3 122 b
set downe whereby men are prouoked thereto 2 368 b Not so ill a crime as adulterie 2 479 a Fraude vndoeth it not but tieth it fast 2 549 a The whole world was shaken so soone as the Law concerning it was made 2 371 a In what cases an oth may bee broken without it 2 538 a Committed in vsing deceitefull words in swearing 2 371 a A seuere chastisement thereof both in the offender and them that knowing it held their peace 2 374 a Whether it bee lawfull to offer an oth to him that is suspected of Periurie 2 373 b ¶ Looke Oth and Svvearing Permission Of Permission to commit sinne and doe euill and whether such permission be in God or no. 1 1â—6 ab 190 b 206 a 202 b 203 ab How it belongeth to his will 3 36 b 37 a In Permission of temptation there is the will of God which prooueth that he tempteth 1 211a Of dispensing permission and ful growne permission 1 200 b In Gods Permission of the Iewes cruellie to crucifie Christ there was a will of God not to hinder their naughtie will 1 199 a Howe the worde Permission is vnderstood in scriptures 1 203b ¶ Looke VVill of God Persecution Whether slight in Persecution be lawfull for the godlie 3 287 ab In what sense it is said to be good 3 288 b Flight is lawful vpon condition 3 287 b 288 a Reasons why it should not be shunned 3 288 b 289 ab 290 a Whether flight be lawfull for a minister or pastor 3 288 ab 4 21 a What ministers may flie and what ministers may carie at home 1 60 a The nature thereof is not to abrogate the Lawe 2 323 b Why the Apostles gaue no precept of flight in that case 3 290 b What Dauids flight in the Persecution of Saul teacheth vs. 3 29â— b 292. 293. Persecutions The effects of Gods Persecutions vpon the godlie 1 172 b ¶ Looke Flight Perseuerance How Perseuerance and constancie doe differ 3 184 b Persons Where respecting of Persons is found and not found 3 201 a Persuasion Howe effectuall an assured Persuasion of a thing is 3 9 a Peter What Peter had peculiar aboue the other Apostles 4 82 a 83 ab Whether his confession may bee called the foundation of the Church 4 33 ab Whether he and Paul could be Byshops of Rome both at one time 4 â—9 b Whether the Primasie of the Popedome was giuen vnto him 4 82 a A fable touching Christ and him 4 79 a Why hee was called Cephas 4 74 b Diuerse defectes in him appliable to the Pope 4 76 a Whether he were chiefe of the Apostles 4 80 a Why it was saide to Peter onely Feede my sheepe 4 84 b 85a Christes wordes Peter loue so thou me c. expounded 4 84 ab Thou art Peter and vpon this rocke c. expounded 4 82a b 83 ab Ph. Phantasie The great and effectuall power of the Phantasie 1 77 b By the power thereof a man may thinke he seeth that which hee seeth not 1 89 a Phantasies Whether Angels be bodies or but Phantasies 1 87 b 88 a ¶ Looke Imagination Pharisies Whence the name of Pharisies had beginning 3 337 a They affirmed the resurrection of the dead 3 340 a Philistines The Philistines came to some knowledge of God by taking of the Arke 1 14 a Philosophie Philosophie sprang of admiration and howe 1 63 b The difference betweene Gods worde and it 1 58 a Howe one thing is taught one way by Diuinitie and another way in Philosophie 1 17 a Definitions of the same and vnto what thinges the knowledge thereof extendeth 2 300 b Into what partes Cicero distinguished it 2 302 a Aristotle iustlie blamed for excluding a young man from hearing it and his reasons 1 52 b It is the gift of God and by what venoms and corruptions the diuell defiled the same 2 302 b Defined by Plato 1 159a Diuided into actiue and contemplatiue 2 300 b and howe they differ 301a Diuided into Morall Economicall and Politicall 2 301 b Speculatiue diuided into three parts supernaturall naturall and Mathematicall 2 301 b Speculatiue preferred before the actiue and why 2 301 a Actiue and contemplaÌ„tiue mentioned in the holie scriptures 2 302 b Why in Diuinitie speculatiue goeth before actiue 2 302 b 303 a What kinde of Philosophie Paul reprooueth 2 302 ab Whether it be repugnant to Christian godlinesse 2 303 b Whether it bee lawfull for a Christian to studie it 2 302 a The ende thereof and Christian godlinesse 2 303 a Whereto it tendeth 1 17 a The great profite that the authors thereof brought to the worlde declared by comparison 2 302 a Why Chrysostome calleth the true Religion Philosophie 2 428 a Pithagoras was the author of the name and howe 2 300 b Ciceroes commendation concerning morall Philosophie 2 303 b 304 a Two thinges to bee performed in the peripateticall Philosophie 1 54 a Philosophers The pride of Philosophers noted through the knowledge of naturall thinges 1 2 a 4 21 b They rested in seconde causes 3 258 b They despaired procured by example 1 11 b They yéelded not themselues to the prouidence of God 1 11 b To what intent they seemed to make their writings obscure 1 11 a The greter the fouler of life 1 11 b They hid the knowledge which they had of God and howe 1 11 a Howe they knowe that there is a God 1 12 a They diuided the vnitie of God into parts 1 11 ab Phisicke Whether the ende of phisicke be health 1 7 a Phisitians What phisitians the ciuill lawe condemneth 4 128 b They bee the ministers of nature 2 515 b Their dealing with one sicke of a burning feuer 2 579 b Manie funerals dishonourable vnto them 2 414 a Pi. Picture The Picture of Christ is admitted to bee made 2 340 b Of his crosse other things is lawfull 2 341 a Decrées that no picture of Christ shoulde bee made in anie stuffe 2 340b Of Angels is lawfull and howe farre foorth 2 341 a ¶ Looke Image Pictures Of what thinges there ma. bée Pictures and of what thinges not 2 335 b Whether they are to bée worshipped 4 178 b Against the sumptuous shamefull and blasphemous ones 2 341 b Whether Luke were a drawer of pictures or no as some say hee was 2 335 ab ¶ Looke Images Pilgrimage What was meant by the continuall Pilgrimage of the Rechabites 5 190 a The Pilgrimage of Plato commanded 3 191 b ¶ Looke Trauelling Pilgrimages Why the Lacedemonians forbad pilgrimages 3 192 a Vnto Sainctes condemned 3 176 b Pirasie Pirasie counted a verture among the auntient Gréekes 2 475 b Pitie Foolish and vnaduised pitie is condemned in the Scripture 2 413 b 414 a It maketh great men to sin 4 248 b 523 a Of foolishe pitie conceyued of soules departed 3 237 b What kind P. Martyr esteemeth to bee foolish 2 415 ab ¶ Look Compassion and Mercie Pl. Places Places doe
at Athens 4 266 a Temples Why Temples are consecrated 4 125 a From whence it sprang 4 124 a Temples are not builded vnto Martyrs saith Augustine and why 1 104 a What reuerence ought to bee had of Temples and Churches 4 65 b Of Christians howe they must bée adorned 4 66 ab When the golden vessels beganne in them 4 67 a How we are saide to be the Temples of God and of the holy Ghost 1 103 b 104 a Temperance Howe Temperance is saide to spring by Fortune from an agâ—e 1 156 a Fortitude more worthie than it 3 278 a The obiects therof whereabout is conuersaunt 2 512 a It commeth of the will as of his owne proper cause and her office 1 156 a What it is and the two eâ—tremities thereof 2 412 ab Vnto what purpose it serueth 1 1 b Why it doeth not moderate the pleasures that come by hearing and séeing 2 412 a Temperature Howe farre foorth the Temperature of mans bodie hath power to worke 1 79 b Tempest A part of Athens territorie drowned in a Tempest and howe 1 90 b That spirites can raise them vp 1 90 b Tempt What it is to Tempt God that the same is doone two manner of wayes 2 331 b 332 a And when he is tempted out of Augustine 1 62 ab Of some which Tempt him euen of impudence and contempt 2 332 b Howe Saint Iames is to be vnderstoode that God doth Tempt no man 1 211 ab In what respect he is said to Tempt men 1 192 b The cause why the diuell doubted not to Tempt Christ 1 83 a Afterwhat manner one may craue myracles and yet Tempt not God and what it is to tempt him 1 70 b Temptation Temptation defined with all the causes formall finall materiall and efficient 1 210 ab Euerie kinde thereof commeth not from God and of a kinde of temptation that is to be desired 1 192 b The holie scriptures euerie where ascribe Temptation vnto God and how 1 210 b Augustines iudgement vpon these words Leade vs not into Temptation 1 194 b Temptations The purpose of God in laying Temptations vpon the godly 1 211 ab Against temporall the godlie doe pray and why 1 212 ab Of Temptations which haue a perpetual and deadly end the Godly are not afraide and why 1 212 b Of thrée kinds all which the Israelits vsed against God 2 331 b 333 ab How the gifts of God be knowne in Temptations 3 202 b Distinguished into aduersities and suggestions vnto wicked déedes 1 211 b Whether we may pray to bâ— rid from them since they be of God 1 211 b In Temptations as they be suggestions vnto sinne is either fall or victorie and what we must doe in those temptations 1 212 a Howe the euill may be punished with Temptations from God why 1 211 a Teraphims Of Teraphims and the diuerse opinions of men touching the same 2 358 ab They were images prooued 2 358 ab Laban worshiped them 2 358 b Teraphims taken in euill part in the scripture and that they told lyes 2 358 b Testament Whether the newe Testament and the olde be diuerse 2 586 a 582 b 583 ab 592 b 596 b 4 288 b 101 b They differ only in accidents 2 586 ab How the old is said to be abrogated 2 587 a 4 103 b God promised in the olde the chiefe felicitie to the fathers 2 584 b One and the same league of the olde and new 2 â—96 ab To what end we must read the old 2 607 b Temporall things in the old Testament belong to eternall life 2 595 b 596 a Enemies of the olde 3 184 b 2 362 a 1 41b 50 b The olde Testament proueth the newe 1 41 b. 42 a The Anabaptistes confuted who said that the olde serueth nothing for vs. 3 339 b The time of the newe prophesied 3 353 b Why that should not bee lawfull in the newe that was lawfull in the olde 4 67 b Greater thinges are required in the newe than in the olde 2 369 a Both doe speake of Christ 1 39 b Testaments or last wils Whether the wils and Testaments of such as kill themselues bee good in lawe 2 593 a What are good in lawe 3 113 a Pighius distinction of them 3 139a Fond Testaments and last willes made in poperie 4 30 b 31 a Testimonie Nothing found in the world so vile and base but giueth a Testimonie of God 1 12 b What auncient and euident Testimonies of the Iewes Sibyls God hath giuen to his trueth 2 329 b Th. Thankesgiuing Songs of Thankesgiuing for benefites receiued 3 3â—8 b 309 a Prayer and Thankesgiuing ioyned together 3 309 a Theft Wherein Theft and capt doe differ 2 437 ab Adulterie and it compared and which of them is the greater 2 437a b A definition thereof 2 517a In what cases the same being against Gods law was is permitted 1 â—0 a How the same being a sinne is neither theft nor sinne 2 475 a Howe it becommeth sacrilege 2 514 a Commended among the Lacedemonians 2 475 b Howe in thinges found it is and is not committed 2 437 b 438 a Gods law in some case punished it with death 2 518 a What wee are taught by being forbidden it 2 553a A lesse vice than reproche 2 530 a Whether the sentence of Dauid touching it to be punished with death bee against the lawe of God requiring restitution 2 517 b The head and sum of all Thef is couetousnes 2 517 a Theeues Whether faith and promise giuen to Theeues is to bee kept 2 538 b Whether they or adulterers are more hurtful to the commonweale 2 494 ab A guile vsed by the King of Denmarke for the destroying of them 2 536 ab Thoughts Of troubled Thoughts quiet thoughts and how they appeare 1 83 b Howe euen good Thoughts are occasions of sinning be turneâ— into sinne and in what respects prooued 1 185 b 186 a The diuell cannot know mens Thoughts for that belongeth to God onelie 1 83 b 84 a No impressions arise in the bodie by quiet Thoughts 1 83b Howe God is to be vnderstood to thinke the Thoughts of peace 3 44 a Threatenings Why promises and Threatenings are added to the Lawe 2 â—73 ab Of the Law profitable to the godlie 3 67a Why God doeth eftsoones performe his 3 3â—3 a They are either conditionall or absolute 3 302 ab Thumim Of Vrim and Thumim which shined vppon the brest of the high priest 1 58 b 59 a Ti. Time The cause of Time and by what meanes the same shall ceasse and be taken away 1 120 a Whether motion shall cease if the same haue an end 3 394 b Howe a verie long Time is but short 3 348 b Title Of a good Title and in what respectes the same is saide to bee good in any thing that wee holde 1 56 b 99 a Titles What Titles Church men now adayes vsurpe and take to themselues
praise in them 2 264 b 265 a The metaphor of a good and euill tree inferred for the proofe of them in the not regenerate explaned 2 267 ab Two Works in man first to vnderstand and then to practise 2 301 a Three kindes in vs to bee noted 2 253 ab All euill cannot be made good by an intent 2 388 b Whereof it commeth that they so bee 3 55 b When they shal be actuallie perfect 2 566 b Working Of Working together with good 3 51 a Howe and in what sort 1 207 b 208 a Howe wee are made able to Worke togither with the holie Ghost and with grace 2 â—70 ab 271 a World How the world shall perish and not perish 3 381 a Nothing found therein so vile and base but giueth a testimonie of God 1 12 b How Christ is said to haue left it c. 4 156 b 157 a Of the change of all things at the ende of the same 3 393 a The Philosophers errour touching the beginning of it 110 b 111 a How long as some say it shoulde endure 3 386 ab Two principall conditions of the renewing thereof 3 397 a Of praying and not praying for the ende thereof 2 398 a Of comprehending the creatioÌ„ of it by faith 1 16 b No certeintie of the continuance of it in the scriptures 3 385 b Whether it shal vtterly perish 3 397 a Of the fire which shall consume and burne it 3 395 ab 396 a Worship One manner of Worship giuen vnto God another vnto men 2 342 b A difference is to be obserued betweene ciuill and diuine 2 309 a With what God must be serued and of the Papisticall 2 315 a. Of the inward and outward and wherein they both consist 2 316 b To worshippe God otherwise than he hath appointed is idolatrie 2 309 b After what maner wee shoulde Worship the flesh of Christ 4 177 b The Turkes Worship not the true God though they be zealous in their worship 4 96a The true Worship of GOD where and how 4 67 b In what thinges it doeth consist 3 305 ab 2 385a It must not bee done to holy men 2 345 a Done to Christ prooueth his diuinitie 2 601 a We must Worship God in that he is felicitie 2 574 b What earth that is which ought iustly to haue Worship done to it 4 177 b The nature and propertie of such Worship as consisteth in outwarde signes doone to Princes and states c. 2 307 b What P. Martyr concludeth of that which the Centurion did to Peter and Iohn to the Angell and whether it were idolatrous 2 309 a If to Worship angels bee not lawfull why were they worshipped in the olde Testament 2 347 a What Worship that is which we must do vnto saints 2 348 a What the Papists alleage for the maintenance of their idolatrous Worship 2 315 b Of being present thereat 3 265 ab What it is to Worship images 2 344b Ieroboams purpose of establishing an idolatrous Worship to God 2 315 b False Worship of God is not to be suffered in a kingdome howe God punished it 2 324. 325. Of such as allowed images but not their Worship 2 344 b Peresius attributeth a kind of Worship to the Crosse 2 343 b 344 a Who Worship their owne phansies 1 612 b Worshipping Two kindes of religious Worshipping the one inward the other outward and wherein they consist 2 307 ab ¶ Looke seruice Worthie Howe the more Worthie thing is sometime ordained for the lesse worthie 1 6 b VVr Wrath. Wrath taken in Scripture foâ— vengeance 3 388 b Gods is not stirred vp but vpon iust cause 2 218 a Pighius interpretation howe wee bee the children of Wrath by nature 2 217 b 218 a What things doe make vs so 2 218 a What and when the day of Wrath is 3 388 b Wrestling Two sorts of Wrestling 3 234 a Of Iacobs Wrestling with the Angell 3 283 b 284 a Wrong What we must doe in cases of Wrong 2 557b ¶ Looke Iniurie Ye Yeare Of the reuolution of the great Yeare 3 328 b 329 a Yeares When dayes are to be takeÌ„ for Yeares the scripture teacheth 3 324 b 325 a The same manner of them were at the beginning that bee nowe though Plinie say the contrarie 1 128 a What the thousand Yeares that Christ shal reigne with his saints doe signifie 3 358 ab Yesterday Christ Yesterday and to day how it is expounded 3 325a Yo. Youth What things Youth are not to be admitted to heare or reade 2 550 b The testimonies of diuers writers touching their vntowardnes 1 53 ab Their faults must be no cause to keepe theÌ„ froÌ„ hearing of wholsome doctrine 1 54 a How they behaue theÌ„selues in hearing 1 53 b May heare good doctrine with profit why reade the proofes 1 53 a Not excepted from hearing the worde of God 1 57 b Ze. Zeale Of Zeale and what the etymon of the worde teacheth 1 94 a Fond in the Apostles to imitate Elias 2 387 a Wherein they agree and wherein they differ is taught by a proper similitude 1 95 a It must first be well tried before we giue place vnto it and why 1 95 b A verie euill and blinde Zeale noted in some which is ioyned with selfeloue 1 95 b The Zeale of Iehu was not iust 2 572 b A Zeale without knowledge in the Iewes 2 560 a 1 94 b 95 a 96 a FINIS propositi laus Christo nescia FINIS A breefe Table Collected out of the additions shewing effectuallie such matters as are therein conteined Where also the Reader for his further resolution may turne backe to the former Table ABrahams fact in defending Saraes chastitie 149 a What we haue to note in his seruant prescribing himselfe a signe to knowe Isaacs wife by 152 a His faith in respect of that of the new testament 248 a.b Whether his bowing to the angels were idolatrie 150 b What the promises of God vnto him doo teach vs. 149 b Whether he sinned when he laie with his handmaid 150 b. Accidents and whether they may be in manie places or in two subiects at one time 192 a That our bodies are not nourished by them 196 a Actions and how they are iudged iust and vniust 161 a A distinction of them and their subiects 131 b Of the good morall ones of infidels 104 a The will commandeth them 105 b Thrée kinds of them handled in the ten commandements 164 b Adam and to what end he was created c. 37 a Diuers things concerning him spoken 145 a Aduersities and what we are to consider in them 159 b 157 a How Christ by his afflictions did sanctifie them all 3 b 4 a Adulterie and that it ought to be punished with death 167 a Affections that are faultie and not faultie 68 b 69 a Diuersitie of them by turnes in mans will 105 b We must not be void of them and why 66 b Touching their vse
Semie when as Abisai would haue killed him Ibidem 10. for How knowest thou saith he whether the Lord hath commanded him to cursse me That one and the selfe-same man may haue contrarie affections Dauid declareth when he saith Psal 2 11. Serue the Lord with feare and reioise in him with trembling But thou wilt saie that afflictions are euill how then can we reioise in them That they be euill no man will denie for they be punishments of sinne ministers of death the last enimie that shall be driuen out of the world and at length from godlie men be vtterlie remooued Apoc. 21 4 For God shall wipe awaie all teares from the eies of the saints We grant that afflictions of their owne nature are euill howbeit we saie Afflictions of their owne nature art euill Rom. 8 28. that vnto the godlie and to the elect of God of whom we héere speake they are by the clemencie of God made good and profitable for Vnto them all things worke togither for the best For neither doo they suffer these things to their hurt but to their triumph And these things are like vnto the red sea wherein Pharao is drowned A similitude but Israel is saued for in the wicked they stirre vp desperation but in the godlie a most assured hope They are instruments whereby as we haue said is shewed foorth the goodnesse and might of God both in comforting vs and also in erecting vs. They are occasions euen of most excellent good things The power of God is made perfect in our infirmitie By these things as by a fatherlie chastisement our dailie falles are repaired hautinesse and pride kept vntder the flesh and wantonnesse restrained our old man corrupted but our inward man renewed sluggishnes and slouthfulnes is shaken off the confession of faith is expressed the weaknes of our strength is discouered and we are prouoked more earnestlie to praie and call for the fauour of God and dailie doo better vnderstand the peruersenesse of our owne nature Besides through afflictions we are made like vnto Christ for It behooued Christ to suffer Luke 22 26 and so to obteine his kingdome we also ought to followe the verie same steps Matt. 11 12. Matt. 7 13. Phil. 2 7. For the kingdome of God suffereth violence and strait is the waie that leadeth vnto life But Euen as he after the obedience of the crosse was exalted 2. Tim. 2 12. and had giuen him a name aboue all names so we also if we suffer with him we shall reigne togither with him And it is a swéet thing for a louer euen to suffer for the thing that he loueth By this meanes also we accustome our selues vnto patience that being become as it were the Diamond stone we shall rather wearie them that strike vs than we our selues be broken For these things be as exercises in a humane bodie whereby rather the health is confirmed and the strength recouered than taken awaie or weakned through them Rom. 5 3. 11 Wherefore the godlie vpon good cause reioise in afflictions knowing that Affliction worketh patience And héere is to be noted a phrase of spéech much vsed in the holie scripture whereby that which belongeth vnto the thing That which belongeth vnto the thing is attributed vnto the instrument is attributed vnto the instrument or signe And that this is oftentimes vsed in the sacraments we haue prooued by the saieng of Augustine albeit that our aduersaries are earnestlie against it Héere Paule attributeth vnto afflictions that which is the worke of God of the holie Ghost namelie Afflictions of their owne nature woorke not patience to worke patience by which afflictions forsomuch as they are of their owne nature euill and odious patience is not gotten but rather shaken off And this doo we perceiue to be manifest in the wicked who at such time as they be somewhat gréeuouslie afflicted doo burst foorth into blasphemies and also fall oftentimes into desperation A similitude But as the physician of things venemous and hurtfull maketh most healthfull medicines euen so almightie God by his wisdome out of afflictions although they be euill things bringeth foorth most excellent vertues among which patience is one This vertue belongeth to fortitude wherevnto are referred all those things Patience belongeth vnto fortitude which the saints doo suffer whether it be in couragious abiding of afflictions of the bodie or else in subduing of reason and mortifieng of the wisdome of the flesh Manie Ethniks also suffered manie things with a valiant mind but yet indured them not with a me sound consolation Onelie they said that by sorrowe they could neither change them nor let them for they ascribed those things vnto the necessitie of the matter Wherefore they said that this is our lot that euen as it were in a banket we must either drinke or depart And if we chance to die either we shall haue no féeling after death or if anie féeling be we shall be in a better state In this maner did they frame themselues after a sort to beare all aduersities But in godlie men the consideration of fortitude and patience is farre otherwise The consolations of the godlie they haue other causes and other meanes whereby they confirme themselues For they beare not those things with a good courage as though they should happen at all aduentures but bicause they knowe that by singular prouidence they come from the most louing and almightie God from God I saie their father who with a louing mind and by his right hand Psal 119 17 sendeth vpon them those afflictions to wit Iames. 1 2. vnto the saluation of the elect And for the same cause they also with their right hand that is to saie patientlie doo receiue them and take them in good part crieng with Dauid It is good for me that thou hast humbled me and with Iames They reckon that all ioie consisteth in those aduersities which the most good and the most wise God their father sendeth They alwaies lift vp the eies of their mind to those promises of Christ Matt. 5 4. Blessed are they which moorne for they shall receiue comfort Blessed are they which suffer persecution for righteousnesse sake for theirs is the kingdome of heauen Blessed are ye when men reuile you and persecute you and saie maner of euill against you for my sake falslie reioise and be glad for great is your reward in heauen They doo beare all things with a good courage not bicause in sorrowing they cannot be changed but bicause they knowe that in valiant suffering they offer themselues an acceptable sacrifice vnto God and persuade themselues that they shall one daie be deliuered from those euils in the stéed whereof are laid vp for them most ample ioies and quietnesse wherewith no fortune be it neuer so aduerse may be compared For The sufferings of this life Rom. 8 18. are not woorthie of
the glorie to come which shal be reuealed in vs. The cause whie the Ethniks giue ouer in afflictions and the saints perseuere The Ethniks oftentimes gaue ouer in the middest of their miseries bicause they wanted strength to perseuere neither vnderstand they from whence they should require strength bicause they neither knew the true God nor yet their owne weakenesse But the godlie men doo continue indure abide and perseuere bicause they knowing the weakenesse of their owne strength doo flie vnto Christ Who strengthening them they are able to indure althings who comforting them they doo not onelie perseuere but also euen in the verie feruentnesse of the paine they reioise and be glad Acts. 1 41. The apostles went from the sight of the councell reioising bicause they were counted worthie to suffer reproch for the name of Christ 12 Adde that Patience worketh experience Rom. 5 4. And this experience is a certeine triall both of our selues and our owne strength What triall springeth of patience and especiallie of the might and goodnesse of God For in this suffering of aduersities we learne how great the corruption of our nature is which vnlesse the holie Ghost helpe it straitwaie being touched with anie aduersitie breaketh foorth into blasphemies and complaints against the prouidence of GOD. Hereby we learne how greatlie our strength is broken and made féeble by reason of sinne for we should sinke vnder afflictions if we were not staied vp by the might of Gods helpe An example Iob. 3 c. Hereof we haue an excellent example set foorth in Iob for he being by God deliuered vnto the diuell to be tried how great blasphemies powred he out in his afflictions How much complaineth he of the prouidence and iustice of God Iob 9 and in manie other places The light of the holie Ghost had no sooner illuminated him but how did he plucke vp his spirits againe How godlie and sincerelie dooth he iudge of God The peruersenesse of our nature is hidden vnto vs for the hart of man is vnsearchable A similitude But looke how soone the fire is striken out of the flint stone so soone breaketh out our crooked nature when affliction oppresseth vs. 1. Pet. 1 7. This triall as Peter saith is euen as a fornace vnto gold A similitude And therefore God answered vnto Abraham when he was now readie to sacrifice his sonne and had his sword readie drawne and stretched out to strike him Gen. 22 12. Now I knowe that thou fearest God Indéed God knew that well enough before but by that fact he brought to passe that this obedience was the better knowne vnto others For we are like vnto certeine spices A similitude whose swéet sauour is not felt vnlesse a man bruise them well We are also like vnto stones called Pyritides A stone which shew not foorth that force which they haue to burne except when they be pressed hard with the fingers Rom. 5 5. Besides this Triall bringeth hope and thus hath God disposed these instruments of his as that they should one helpe another and one bringeth another in By reason of the hope of the glorie of GOD afflictions are not troublesome vnto vs but God giuing vs strength we beare them with a valiant mind In the verie suffering of them we haue a greater triall and proofe of the strength and goodnesse of God towards vs herevpon we conceiue the greater hope So hope bréedeth and bringeth in patience and patience hope for when we consider that God was present with vs in suffering our afflictions patientlie we hope also that he will hereafter be present with vs and at the length make vs blessed A similitude The sicke man bicause he hath confidence in the physician suffereth his impostume to be cut Afterward as he féeleth himselfe reléeued he putteth confidence more and more in the physician so as if néed were that his foot should be cut also he would nothing doubt to commit himselfe to his faithfulnesse The diuell as much as in him lieth driueth vs to desperation and by afflictions goeth about to persuade vs that God is our enimie But contrariewise the holie Ghost saith Bicause thou hast quietlie patientlie borne affliction it ought to be a sure token vnto thée that God therin declareth his fauour towards thée Wherfore haue thou a good trust for he vndoubtedlie will deliuer thée And although Iames putteth experience before patience whereas Paule sets it after yet is there no disagréement betwéene them For Paule meaneth that experience which is giuen at the length after the battell that we may haue a full triall of our selues and Iames meaneth the selfe-same experience but yet as it is gotten and ingendered by the exercise of tribulations But that which Iames addeth Iam. 1 3. namelie that Patience hath a perfect worke A place of Iames expounded may be expounded two maner of waies Either that he exhorteth vs vnto perseuerance in suffering to the intent that our patience may be absolute and perfect as that which falleth not awaie Or else that we should be of a perfect mind towards those which afflict vs of so perfect a mind I saie that we desire not to haue them recompensed with the iniuries which they doo vnto vs. As touching the nature and effects of hope we haue disputed in another place 13 But in the eight chapter to the Romans In Rom. 8 verse 31. after that Paule had by infinite reasons confirmed the excéeding loue of God towards vs now by the waie of interrogation he crieth out that there is nothing which can interrupt that loue wherewith God loueth vs. Accuse vs whosoeuer will let aduersities come whatsoeuer they be yet all things shall worke togither for our good The propertie of loue For this is the propertie of one that loueth continuallie to doo good vnto him that he loueth Wherefore séeing GOD so loueth vs whatsoeuer he dooth or whatsoeuer he sendeth vpon vs we must beléeue that it will be for our benefit neither ought anie aduersities to persuade vs but that we are continuallie beloued of God And that which the apostle saith that he is most fullie persuaded of I would to God that we also were persuaded of the same He reckoneth vp those things which séeme commonlie to be most hard and whereby men are woont oftentimes to be dismaied and he affirmeth that euen these things hinder not the loue of God towards vs so far is it off that anie other things can plucke the same awaie from vs. The apostle staieth the longer vpon his place bicause our flesh and humane reason can hardlie be persuaded of this thing For oftentimes when we are afflicted we crie My God Psal 22 1. my God why hast thou forsaken me And that with a farre other maner of affect than Christ pronounced those words We crie Psal 13 1. How long wilt thou be angrie ô Lord With manie