blessed action of his staid at anie time We saie that this must be vnderstood of other new creatures whereof God created none afterward yet he alwaies worketh in gouerning and preseruing of them for In him we liue mooue and haue our being Acts. 17 28. and while he inioieth himselfe who is the eternall felicitie Wherefore let them go There is onelie one world which looke for more worlds after this world of ours One onelie world there is and the selfe-same end of creatures according as it is héere described Neither is there cause why man néed to feare least anie creature should be made aboue him And this is not the least glorie of man that God did rest after the creation of him and that in him he finished the worke of the whole world It is said that God blessed the seuenth daie Gen. 2 3. What is ment by blessing the seuenth daie But To blesse is To giue and bestowe some thing What hath God giuen vnto vs by this seuenth daie Verie much euen this world filled and fraught with all good things What maruell is it if afterward it were most acceptable vnto him to be worshipped vpon the verie same daie séeing it is written Deu. 15 14. Giue him of that wherewith he hath blessed thee He blessed the seuenth daie This did he chéeflie giue vnto it that therein men should rest and applie themselues to the seruice of God Rabbi Agnon saith that this blessing dooth light vpon those which obserue and sanctifie the same sabboth Neither did the obseruation héereof béegin when the lawe was giuen in Sina but it was celebrated before that time as appéereth in the raining downe of Manna Exodus the 16. verse 23. 2 To sanctifie as it is taken in this place is To appoint some thing to the worshipping of God The sanctification of the sabboth for else-where it signifieth diuerse things And God sanctified the sabboth by the verie déed it selfe when he rested from his worke The which sanctification he not onlie rehearsed afterward in the lawe but also obserued it in act séeing vpon that daie he gaue no Manna to the people in the wildernesse But whether shall the people either in that daie or in anie other daie be idle No trulie But euen as God ceased not from all action but onelie from the bringing foorth of naturall things After what maner we should rest euen so we also must absteine from the déeds of our corrupted nature yet not to be discouraged from obeieng the motions of God naie rather we must the more persist in in this onelie worke vpon the holie daies And so dooth Paule expound in the fourth chapter to the Hebrues verse 10 that we should refraine our selues not from euerie kind of worke but from our owne works which a christian man ought to doo so long as he liueth So then we in christianitie must not be accused bicause we kéepe not the sabboth daie of the Iewes séeing we haue consecrated all the time of our life into a sabboth And therefore vnderstand ye it allegoricallie that this seuenth daie is named to haue neither morning nor euening for bicause this is in verie déed a perpetuall rest vnto the children of GOD. Here consider thou the order of things Some things are created for man therefore man was made after them But man was made for the seruice of God therefore straitwaie after his creation was brought in the blessing and sanctification of the sabboth Hereby men are admonished A holie daie besides the sabboth may be appointed by the church that if the church giue them commandement to imploie themselues in the seruice of God vpon anie daie in the wéeke this is not altogither the deuise of man and that it dooth not apperteine onelie to the lawe of Moses but that it had also a beginning from hence and that it serueth to the imitation of God But if thou demand why the daie of obseruation of the sabboth is not reteined here in our church I answer that we haue most of all reteined the same so that we ought to haue all daies to be such as we should rest from our owne works But that one daie rather than another should be chosen for the outward worshipping of God it was frée for the church through Christ to appoint that which it should iudge most fit for the purpose Neither did it iudge amisse if in obseruing of the Lords daie it preferred the memorie of our present restoring that is the resurrection of Christ before this finishing of the workmanship of the world Why God did choose onelie one daie in the weeke 3 But Paule by the one of the sabboths ment the daie of the holie assemblie God might indéed haue assigned all or manie daies for the worshipping of him but séeing he knew that we were commanded to eat our bread in the sweat of our face he requireth of vs one daie in the wéeke wherein leauing off from other works we should applie our selues onlie vnto him And euen as in other ceremonies there is some thing perpetuall and eternall and some thing changeable and temporall Euen as in circumcision and baptisme it is a perpetuall thing that they which belong vnto the couenant of God and are ioined to the people of God should be marked with some outward signe yet neuertheles the kind of signe was mutable and temporall For God at his owne will appointed the same to be doone either by cutting awaie of the foreskin or else by the washing of water Perpetuall also and eternall it is that so long as the church is here conuersant vpon the earth a maintenance of liuing is due vnto the ministers thereof But whether the same should arise by tenths or by certeine lands or by monie paid out of the common treasurie it may diuers waies be doone according as is most fit for the regions and times Euen so is it assured and firme When and why the sabboth day was turned into the Lords daie that there is one daie in the wéeke reserued for the seruice of God whether of the daies be appointed that is temporall and may be changed In old time by order of the lawe the sabboth was obserued for to reuiue the memorie of making of the world but now the Lords daie is vsed in the remembrance of the resurrection of Christ and therfore to confirme the hope of our resurrection to come But when this alteration was made we haue it not expressed in the holie scriptures yet in the Reuelation of Iohn we haue expresse mention of the Lords daie And it is verie likelie that the first christians for a certeine time reteined the Iewish custome of méeting togither vpon the * That was vpon Saturdaie sabboth daie But the thing as we sée was afterward changed 4 And why I should thinke that in that place is vnderstood the Lords daie In the Hebrue One signifieth the first Gen. 1 5.
honour and worship the true God but an idoll the which in our mind we haue fansied And verelie to this effect we ought to vnderstand Paule where he saith in the first epistle to the Corinthians 1. Cor. 8 4. We knowe that an idoll is nothing in the world Paule teacheth not that an idoll is nothing as touching the shape and outward forme for no man douteth but that the idols themselues haue place either in the outward matter or else inwardlie in our minds By an idoll then he ment not the verie signe but the thing wherevnto the same hath relation And he vnderstood that the thing it selfe which is signified in the idols is nothing at all séeing there is no where a god which is either represented or delighted with such images VVhether it be lawfull for Christians to dwell among Infidels 9 Séeing the Israelites fell In Iudges 1 verse 36. bicause they dwelt togither among the vnbeléeuing nations and rather exacted tributes of them than according to the commandement of God wéeded them out I thinke it good to intreate whether it be lawfull for godlie men to dwell and haue conuersation with the vngodlie And surelie there be manie reasons wherby the same might séeme to be indifferent The first is The 1. reason Matth. 9 10. The 2. reason 1. Cor. 7 12. bicause Christ did not shun the feasts of the Publicans Pharisies and sinners Secondlie Paule in the first epistle to the Corinthians admitteth not that the beléeuing wife should depart from hir vnbeléeuing husband if so be that he be content to liue and dwell togither with hir Moreouer The 3. reason 1. Co. 10 27 the same apostle writeth that If anie infidell bid you to a feast and ye be willing to go then eate such things as are set before you By these his words therefore he maketh it frée Furthermore the same apostle in the same epistle saith The 4. reason 1. Cor. 5 10. that he warned the Corinthians that they shuld auoid whooremongers raueners and euill speakers and such like but not all saith he for so must ye go out of the world but if anie be called a brother c. Wherefore it is not forbidden vs to auoid the fellowship of all the vngodlie The 5. reason Gen. 12 1. Besides this Abraham was called out of Chaldaea and was commanded to dwell as a stranger among nations which were strange from true religion Gen. 13 1. The 6. reason and so he dwelt in the land of Chanaan and in Aegypt which places were fraught with idolatries The 7. reason Gen. 13 12. Yea and Lot separated himself from the conuersation and houshold of Abraham his kinsman went to dwell at Sodom Also Naaman the Syrian The 8. reason 2. Kin. 6 18. returned to the idolaters his countrimen In like maner Christ did not retaine all those with him which he had healed from diseases Luk. 8 38. but sometime he sent them home againe that they might shew there what was doone vnto them The 9. reason Finallie by ciuill lawes certeine heretiks haue had places appointed vnto them as the Nouatians in the citie of Constantinople And it is granted at this daie to the Iewes to haue euerie where libertie to dwell among Christians 10 Now this question as it is weightie so hath it also verie manie difficulties A distinction 1. Wherefore it séemeth that we shuld first make a distinction what may be lawfull vnto magistrates or what vnto priuate men Distinction 2. Then must we vnderstand that the conuersation with infidels is of two sorts one is whereby men are compelled vnto idolatrous and vnpure worshippings and an other is whereby they remaine at libertie Distinction 3. Moreouer it must be considered that they which dwell togither with the vngodlie be sometimes as concerning religion skilfull and constant and sometimes both weake and also vnlearned It séemeth good therefore They that be learned and constant may dwell with infidels that we declare as touching priuate men that if they be learned and haue stedfastnesse ioined with learning so they be not compelled to cōmunicate with vngodlie ceremonies may lawfullie haue their conuersation with infidels yet so as there be vsed certeine cautions The first caution The first caution is that they doo it with this mind to instruct those which be strangers from godlines and to induce them to true religion And therefore while they be conuersant among them they must not cease but euer busie themselues about those things for the which they dwell in those places And that their instruction and doctrine may be fruitfull it is a singular point of wisdome that they be familiar gentle and courteous toward those whom they meane to win vnto Christ For vnlesse they fullie persuade themselues that they are beloued and greatlie estéemed of those which teach and admonish them the thing well purposed shall but vnhappilie procéed The second caution Furthermore there must be héed taken that they liue godlie iustlie and honestlie for if so be that the infidels should be offended at their behauiour their ministerie would vtterlie become vnprofitable for so much as it nothing auaileth to build that with one hand which thou destroiest with the other Moreouer The third caution this must especiallie be regarded that vnder the cloke of courtesie and friendship they mingle not themselues with vngodlie vsages no not although they were persuaded that by such meanes they could with more ease allure them vnto Christ For the rule of the apostle ought to remaine inuiolate Rom. 3 8. The fourth caution that Euill things must not be committed that good things may come therof Let them also beware that they séeke not their owne commoditie while they be conuersant with them For some there be which although they make a pretence to haue the Gospell published abroad yet in verie déed doo hunt after their owne pleasures gaine or aduantages Wherefore if it be past hope of the saluation of these infidels which thing neuerthelesse can sildome iustlie happen we must no longer deale with them but so far as either their necessitie or ours dooth require That is if peraduenture they should be verie sore sicke and could not otherwise be holpen than by our trauell or else if we our selues should not be able to get such things as be necessarie for our sustentation by anie other meanes than among them Also it may be lawfull to be in the companie of them so much as naturall and ciuill courtesies require or if they shall be our princes parents our wiues our maisters and such like 11 There remaineth Proofes out of the holie scriptures that we confirme this doctrine either by testimonies or by examples of the holie scriptures So indéed Christ did which for this cause kept companie with Publicans sinners Pharisies and Scribes that he might instruct them concerning saluation and conuert them from sinnes vnto godlinesse
that that woman was not counted for the wife of that brother which remained aliue but of the husband which was dead and that the name of the first husband whas giuen to the children which were borne of hir So as the brother which remained aliue was not properlie hir husband but onelie had accesse vnto hir that he might raise vp issue vnto hir To the seuenth We should haue fewer diuorsements and whooredomes Neither of them is true for they which hate their wiues will shut them out of their house as they which cannot once abide the sight of them Nor yet was that the cause why God permitted a man to haue more wiues than one And as touching whoordome certeinlie Dauid when he had manie yet he could not temper himselfe from Bersabe Greater would the fruitfulnesse be To the eight I grant it and therefore God dispensed with his lawe Howbeit now when as religion is not tied to one nation onelie but is dispersed ouer all the world there is no néed of such fruitfulnesse séeing now the church hath hir resting places of receipt although not alwaies in one place yet wheresoeuer God hath offered occasion But the marriages of the fathers might séeme to be adulteries No forsooth To the ninth séeing God either gaue licence or bare with it For as we said out of Panormitane adulterie is not committed but with collusion And that he prooued by two lawes the one ciuill and the other ecclesiasticall Vndoubtedlie marriages they were although not so perfect as that of one man to one woman But what shall become of that nobilitie of the Iewes To the tenth It shall firmelie abide in his owne state insomuch as those old patriarchs were borne of lawfull wedlocke For Zilpha and Bilha although they were but in the state of seruants and might be called concubins yet in verie déed they were wiues howbeit they were not mistresses of the house nor yet were handfasted with Iacob Neither did that nobilitie depend of the mothers but of the blessing and promise of God Valentinian had two wiues Admit he had To the 11. neuerthelesse we must sée whether he had them rightlie or no for although he were a good emperour yet was he not such a one as could not sinne Claudius Caesar when he perceiued that by the lawes it was not lawfull for him to marrie his brothers daughter made a lawe that it might be lawfull but scarselie was there anie one clawe-backe to be found which would followe that fact Now both these lawes are vtterlie extinct and forgotten séeing they be neither in the Pandect in the Digests nor yet in the Code Neuerthelesse the fathers reprooued not this in Valentinian How canst thou tell that To the 12. Surelie as I haue declared they haue sufficientlie set forth in their writings what their meaning was But let vs consider the euent Iustina that second wife became an Arrian and did gréeuouslie vex Ambrose The yoonger Valentinian which was borne of Galla the daughter of Iustina followed the religion of his grandmother and did vehementlie oppresse the churches and he laie miserablie slaine in his litter Chrysostome saith 1. Tim. 3 2. that Paule added The husband of one wife bicause of them which hauing manie wiues were conuerted from Iudaisme vnto Christ And therof it appéereth that polygamie also was borne withall euen in the church I answer that the same was therefore borne with To the 13 bicause that declaration of the lawe of Christ was of force for the time to come and not for the time past Howbeit it was borne with as a certeine infirmitie bicause with a good conscience they agréed among themselues Yet doo I otherwise vnderstand that place of Paule for him doo I thinke that Paule called the husband of one wife who liueth chastlie with his owne and followeth not the wiues of other men but is altogither of perfect and good fame And I am led so to thinke bicause the same Paule saith that Widowes should be chosen which had been the wiues of one husband But it was neuer lawfull for a woman by anie lawes to haue two husbands Paule would haue hir to be a widowe which should be chast and well reported of If the Turke at this daie with his two wiues should be conuerted vnto Christ might that polygamie be suffered in christian religion Surelie it might be suffered for a time To the 14. for they with a good conscience agréed betwéene themselues Neither must iniurie be doone vnto those wiues for euerie of them hath right in hir husband And that lawe which Christ made must be of force as we haue said for the time to come That which now is doone with a good conscience and in probable ignorance cannot be vndoone Howbeit an other kind of answer is made héerof in the Decrées of diuorsements in the last lawe If the first wife will dwell togither with hir husband she shall be counted for the wife and the rest to be dismissed if the first will not the next must be had in that place and so of the rest I doo not héere contend But yet I woonder at these men for in the same title the said Innocentius being asked his counsell of a Iew which in matrimonie had his brothers wife Answereth that she may be kept still after that they be contracted in good faith If this be lawfull why is not that other lawfull séeing Christ tooke awaie both But they might peraduenture answer that the Iewes had an expresse lawe for marrieng of the brothers wife but none at all for polygamie Or else that the Romane lawes would not suffer more wiues than one but one they would suffer although she did not so rightlie marrie Fruitfulnes is the blessing of God Be it so but now as I haue often said the same is not so néedfull To the 15. Indéed it is a blessing but yet not so that he is curssed which hath not children Augustine saith that it was neither against the custome nor against the lawe nor yet against nature To the 16. and yet it is now against the lawe and against custome Those things which were alledged concerning leapres and them which be far distant To the 17. make nothing to this purpose For neither doo we speake héere of him which at one time dwelleth and is conuersant togither with manie wiues A wife dismissed was married to an other when as in the meane time the bond of matrimonie was not vndoone I answer To the 18. that a bill of diuorsement did sufficientlie excuse hir from adulterie especiallie when she did it of probable ignorance Gen. 4. 19. To the 19. Lamech is commended by Chrysostome Doubtlesse it is not for polygamie but for repentance Yet for what cause so euer it were others doo not so praise him A wife To the 20. if she will may yéeld of hir owne right Howbeit this is not to depart from hir owne
not rehearsed all persons or degrées in whom marriages are forbidden For there is no mention made of grandmother when as neuerthelesse all men will confesse it to be most shamefull if anie man should take his grandmother to wife who is so far aboue him in yéeres The wise also of the grandfather is not mentioned And though the wife of the vncle by the fathers side be spoken of yet is there nothing spoken concerning the wife of the vncle by the mothers side Yea and that we more maruell at there is no prohibition for the father to marie his daughter when as all men confesse that those marriages be most incestuous So as it is to be thought that in that place are set foorth by the holie Ghost certeine degrées prohibited and those not manie but yet such that by them as by certeine exquisite and manifest rules we may iudge of the like Wherefore we must thinke that whatsoeuer is spoken as touching the mother is also commanded as touching the grandfather or grandmother séeing that all these are reckoned to be parents Those things also which are spoken as touching the wife of the vncle by the fathers side doo manifestlie shew what is to be doone as concerning the wife of the vncle by the mothers side forsomuch as these affinities or degrées haue by the same space or distance relation one to another So that I am of this mind that I thinke the prohibitions mentioned in the lawe are therefore set foorth that by them we might euidentlie vnderstand what is méet to doo in the like degrées Who more than others offend against the degree forbidden I grant neuerthelesse concerning Paulus Burgensis reason that they much more breake the lawe which doo contract matrimonies with persons forbidden and that they also peruert the order of kindreds For vnto me he séemeth to doo farre woorsse which marrieth his grandmother than he which marrieth his néece of his brothers side although I thinke that both these matrimonies are vnlawfull What the Hebrues of our time doo I passe not much yea I much doubt of that which Paulus Burgensis assureth himselfe as a thing plaine and manifest namelie that the Iewes at this daie are most diligent in obseruing of their outward lawes For me thinketh I should doo well in not giuing to them more dignitie or religion than to Christians Wherefore as it is manifest enough that we haue for mens traditions straied verie much from the right obseruation of the commandements of GOD and also from the right knowledge of the scriptures so is it also likelie that the same hath happened to the Iewes especiallie in this our age So as I am not iniurious against them when I will not yéeld more vnto them than vnto our selues Vnto the degrees expressed by God the Iewes haue added manie more Neuerthelesse I will not let to declare that their Rabbins haue added to the degrées forbidden in the lawe manie more as well in descending as ascending which thing I vnderstand the great learned man Paulus Phagius hath declared in his annotations on Leuiticus Neither can I be persuaded that they were added by them for anie other cause but onelie for that they thought that those degrées were comprehended in the degrées expressed by God Wherfore that as I thinke will not be sufficient for iudging of lawfull marriages if the degrée wherein they are contracted shall not by manifest and proper words in the lawe be forbidden nor yet the order of kindred peruerted for it may be that the like degrée and of the same distance is forbidden by authoritie of the lawe Neither dooth the scripture so far as I can sée alledge in anie place such a reason as belongeth to the peruerting of order although as I haue said before I will not vtterlie reiect the same 41 Some man peraduenture will saie What matter is it for vs of this age either to knowe or to marke those precepts which are conteined in the 18. and 20. chapters of Leuiticus séeing that we after the comming of Christ are no more bound to the ciuill laws of the Iewes I grant that the Christians are not bound to the ciuill precepts of the lawe but yet I ascribe those precepts which are there giuen for marriages not to ciuill lawes but rather to morall And I thinke that I may bring a reason out of the same place to confirme my saieng For God when he gaue those lawes added these words therevnto Leuit. 18 2◠20. 23. Take heed therefore that ye defile not your selues with whooredoms and such incests as the Gentils haue doone whom I haue driuen out of those lands which I haue now giuen vnto you for seeing those nations haue beene polluted with so greeuous wicked acts I haue therefore so destroied them and will doo the like vnto you except you shall diligentlie shunne those things which I command you as touching these euils I thinke no man will doubt but that the Chanaanits which receiued not the lawe by Moses neither were citizens of the publike weale of the Israelits could not by that lawe be condemned bicause they obeied not the lawes of the Hebrues They were subiect onelie to the lawe which is called morall Séeing then God reproueth them for that cause that they were so defiled with such filthie lusts and incests and affirmeth that for the same cause he depriued them both of their land and life it is manifest that these laws must be ioined not to ciuill precepts but to morall which all men are bound to obserue Neuerthelesse it séemeth at the first sight to be against this doctrine Gen. 20 12. in that Abraham a man otherwise most holie is thought to haue married his brothers daughter namelie Sara Amram had also Iochabed his aunt to wife of whom he begat Moses Aaron and Marie And it séemeth Exod. 6 20 that so godlie and holie men would not haue doone this if the morall lawe as we haue said had béene against it To this we answer first The lawe of nature was darkened through sinne that the lawe of nature was much blotted by corruption and wickednesse which ouerwhelmed all mankind soone after sinne and for that cause they which contracted such matrimonies thought peraduenture that the same was lawfull And therefore although they cannot altogither be excused by that ignorance yet it is to be thought that they committed lesse sinne than those which durst doo such things after the lawe was giuen I adde moreouer that among the facts of the fathers certeine things are now and then spoken of by which other men must not take example séeing they are sometimes to be interpreted as prerogatiues or certeine priuiledges giuen them But how so euer it be we must not as I thinke much labour to excuse the fathers in all things Although I knowe there be which saie The fathers must not in all things be excused from sinne that Sara was not the daughter of Abrahams brother
prouided by lawe that they which were néere of kin should not be ioined in marriage but that the same lawe was afterward released vpon this occasion For a certeine man which both was honest and of good reputation among the people of Rome being verie much pressed with penurie maried a cousine germane of his which was verie rich and wealthie for which cause he was accused of incest But his cause being heard he by the iudgement of the people of Rome was absolued For fauour bare a great stroke in the citie By meanes whereof there was a lawe made by the people that from thence forward it should be lawfull for cousine germans to marrie These things I thought good to declare of this kind of marriage both out of the laws of God out of the laws of the Romans both ancient and later and also out of the fathers ecclesiasticall Canons Wherevnto I will adde that there be manie cities acknowledging the Gospell which doo not allow the marriage of brothers and sisters children namelie Zuricke Berna Basil Schaphusium Sangal Bienna c. Also in the kingdome of England where I was there this degrée was excluded from marriage So as in places where the magistrate dooth forbid these marriages the faithfull sort must forbeare them for those reasons which I haue before declared But Othniel if he were the cousine germane to Achsa he might marrie hir by the lawe of God but if he were hir vncle he might not doo it by the common lawe howbeit he married hir Wherefore one of these two things we must saie either that there was a fault in him for the fathers as we haue alreadie said were not alwaies frée from sinne or else that God by a certeine priuiledge or prerogatiue would haue these things to be doone which neuerthelesse must not be challenged for an example Neither must we forget that by a custome verie vsuall in the scriptures In the scriptures kinsmen are called brethren they which by anie meanes were ioined in bloud were called brethren Euen as Lot is called the brother of Abraham and the kinsmen of Iesu Christ the sonne of God in the euangelicall historie be called his brethren So likewise in this place it may be that Othoniel is called the brother of Caleb when he was onelie ioined vnto him by some néere kindred And this exposition the interpretors for the most part doo vse the which I would not mislike vnlesse I sawe added in the text this particle The yoonger which is not accustomed to be added but when brethren or sisters are in verie déed compared togither VVhether anie dispensation may be made in degrees of kindred prohibited by God In 2. Sam. 13 verse 6. 48 Now let vs declare whether anie dispensing may be in the degrées forbidden by the law of God For at this daie those which would be counted christians being matched in the degrées forbidden doo saie Let vs go to the Pope let vs talke with him he will dispense with vs so we reward him with monie Neither doo the common sort onelie saie this but our maisters which be the Schoole-diuines The schoolmen defend the Popes dispensations in the fourth booke of sentences the 34. distinction concerning matrimonie write that the Pope can dispense And they indeuour to prooue that this he may doo For they saie that those precepts which be in the 18. and 20. chapter of Leuiticus Leuit. 18 and 20. touching degrées forbidden partlie be morall and partlie iudiciall The morall and naturall are that the father may not marrie his daughter nor the sonne his mother Here they saie is such an indecencie as by no meanes it can be taken awaie but that it should be a perpetuall impediment For they saie that the father and the daughter the mother and hir sonne be one flesh Notwithstanding in matrimonie it behooueth that one flesh become another than it was howbeit those are not seuered But if the reason were firme Adam might not haue married Eue she was his flesh for he saith Gen. 2 23. This is now flesh of my flesh They answer that Eue was the flesh of Adam not by waie of nature but by miracle sith God so framed Adams rib as it was made a woman Howbeit when kindred is defined we haue no recourse to miracles but it is said to be a bond of those persons which be deriued from one beginning by procreation so Eue might not be called a kinswoman of Adam Wherefore they saie that in those precepts which be in Leuiticus the indecencie betwéene father and daughter mother and sonne is naturall morall and perpetuall and that the rest of the degrées doo apperteine to the iudiciall lawes Some indecencie they would haue to be there but yet not so much as hath béene alwaies forbidden Deut. 25 5. For brethren sisters did at the first time marrie one to another yea and the sister of the brother departed was married in the lawe Gen. 29. for the raising vp of séed Iacob had two sisters in wedlocke Amram had his aunt Abraham had Sara Exod. 6 20. Gen. 20 12 whom he called sister Wherefore saie they these degrées namelie the father and the daughter the mother and the sonne are after a sort perpetuallie forbidden by the lawe of nature and by the morall lawe but other persons which be forbidden by God were kept backe from marriages howbeit that was by the iudiciall lawes But those lawes endured so long as the ciuill regiment of the Iewes continued which being decaied we are not tied to those lawes anie further than the church hath allowed of them so as vnto vs they be lawes of the church and not morall lawes neither are they laid vpon vs by the lawes of God but by the lawes ecclesiasticall and positiue And whereas they make the Pope to be president ouer the whole church they saie it is in his power for certeine iust causes to release these impediments They so flatter the Pope that Caietane Secunda secundae Thomae question 154. article the ninth saith that the Pope dooth for iust causes dispense in all those degrées except for marriage betwéene the father and the daughter and betwéene the mother and hir sonne not by a common lawe alreadie ordeined but by the Popes licence This he assigneth to be the cause for that they be iudicials Experience teacheth Emanuel king of Portugall that these things haue sometimes happened Emanuel the king of Portugall married two sisters Catharine Quéene of England two brethren Catharine Queene of England Ferdinandus the king of Naples married his aunt Pope Alexander the sixt allowing the same I haue read Incestuous marriages that Martin the fift gaue licence to marrie with a naturall sister whereof manie of the Canonists saie that it is to be doubted whether it were lawfull or no. This licence is horrible Ye sée how great matters these men challenge vnto themselues I am of another mind and those
determine of the goodnesse and naughtinesse of humane actions those eate the fruit of the trée of good and euill forbidden to our first parents Propositions out of the xx chapter of the booke of Exodus Necessarie proposition 1 THe commandement of the sabboth is partlie morall Thou shalt keepe holie the sabboth daie and partlie ceremoniall wherevpon some thing conteined therein is eternall and some thing but for a time proposition 2 The christian church erred not when in the place of the Iewes sabboth it appointed the Lords day to be kept whereof there is mention made in the holie scriptures although there is no commandement there extant as touching the obseruation thereof proposition 3 The magistrate ought to compell strangers although they be of an other maner of religion that they doo nothing openlie against the religion of the citie proposition 4 Those works were not forbidden to be doone on the sabboth daie which might neither be deferred nor preuented without the losse of life proposition 5 The works of charitie which we are bound necessarilie to doo vnto our neighbour must be preferred before holie ceremonies proposition 6 The commandements of God haue an order among themselues therefore when two of them méet togither at one time which cannot be performed both at once we must applie our selues to the former not indéed neglecting the latter but deferring it till an other time proposition 7 Those works must be doone vpon holie daies which by the word of God it is manifest doo belong to the worship of God proposition 8 It is lawfull for the church to adde vnto the ceremonies deliuered to vs by the word of God both time maner place yea and some ceremonie as well for ornament as for edifieng of the faithfull who neuerthelesse are not permitted to change the substance of them as the Papists haue doone in their Masse which now cannot be doone with a safe conscience proposition 9 The Monkes which drawe awaie children from their parents and make them Monkes Honor thy parents sinne more gréeuouslie than did the Scribes and Pharises whom Christ reprooued bicause they transgressed the commandement of honouring parents proposition 10 In the promises of temporall things God includeth spirituall promises proposition 11 Temporall things although they sometime séeme vile yet are they conteined in the promises of God to the intent we may be taught that the prouidence of God extendeth it selfe vnto all things and to let vs knowe that good things although they be neuer so small must be asked from God Probable proposition 1 IN the word Parents are comprehended schoole-maisters maisters ministers of the church bicause in old time when there were but few men the good man of the house performed all these duties proposition 2 In the table of the ten commandements parents are not expreslie commanded concerning dutie towards their children bicause they haue by nature more vehement affections ingraffed therevnto than children haue towards their parents proposition 3 The precept of honouring parents is chéefelie in the promise as Paule saith namelie in the particular promise for that promise which is in the second precept is generall Propositions out of the xx chapter of the booke of Exodus Necessarie proposition 1 WHen God commandeth that we should not kill he by the testimonie of Christ Thou shalt not kill forbiddeth anger which must not be vnderstood of euerie anger but of that onelie which is against charitie proposition 2 Reuenge belongeth not to priuate men séeing it is a worke of the magistrate proposition 3 They which saie that the commandement of not reuenging is a counsell and not of necessitie to saluation doo greatlie erre proposition 4 It is lawfull for euerie man against them that be priuate to repell violence by violence so it be not doone of hatred or desire to reuenge and onelie when an extreame necessitie forceth wherein we cannot vse the helpe of lawfull defenders proposition 5 The mishap of those that are punished with death is to be lamented but yet the execution of a iust iudgement against them must not be hindered by our defenses or by the intercessions of others proposition 6 It is not lawfull for a man to kill himselfe Wherefore Peâ—llianus is iustlie condemned for iudging them to be martyrs who when they were fallen into gréeuous mischéefes killed themselues vnder pretense of repentance proposition 7 Neither are those to be heard which grant the same when chastitie is put in danger proposition 8 The death of Samson excuseth not them which of their owne will doo kill themselues proposition 9 In the precept wherein adulterie is forbidden Thou shalt not commit adulterie matrimonie which is the contrarie is commended for that it is a lawfull â—oming togither of man and wife into one flesh by the institution of God for the procreating of children and godlie education of them and that fornication may be auoided proposition 10 The lawfull vse of matrimonie is not as manie thinke a veniall sinne proposition 11 They which saie that matrimonie is not good but in comparison of whooredome and adulterie are of an ill iudgement proposition 12 Matrimonie is violated when man and wife being lawfullie ioined togither into one flesh there is mingled a strange flesh not onlie in the grose and outward fact but with the hart with words beckes and other dispute actions proposition 13 Also matrimonie is violated by a diuorse admitted without lawfull causes proposition 14 It is not in the power of man and wife that the one should grant to the other the vse of their bodies vnto others out of matrimonie proposition 15 In a well ordered Common-weale the crime of adulterie ought to be punished with death proposition 16 Christ released not the seueritie of the lawe of God in that respect that he condemned not that woman which was taken in adulterie Propositions out of the xx chapter of Exodus Necessarie proposition 1 BY that precept Thou shalt not steale the Israelites could not be reprooued of theft when they robbed Aegypt Thou shalt not steale since to vsurpe other mens goods against the will of the Lord belongeth vnto the nature of theft But they carried not out other mens goods but their own to wit being giuen them by God proposition 2 By this precept are established priuate possessions of things so as there must be no communitie brought in as touching the possession of all our goods but onlie as touching a participation of the vse and fruits proposition 3 The entercourse of merchants if it be iustlie ordered is not to be condemned but it ought rather to be accounted as a bond of humane societie proposition 4 They which deceiue the magistrate of tributes are guiltie of theft no lesse guiltie are prâ—…ces when they exact greater tributes than reason would or else when they grant not vnto the subiects those things for the which they paie tributes proposition 5 They which deâ—…aâ—… ministers yoong students and the poore of the
of the Gospell Therefore prophesie at this daie is not so verie necessarie neither yet the gift of healing the church hauing now plentie of physicians neither the gifts of toongs séeing the church is spred ouer all nations and the studie of languages flourisheth among all christians nor yet the power of deliuering the wicked vnto satan since the church hath christian magistrates readie to punish malefactors with the sword Yet in mine opinion it is not to be denied Prophets at this daie but that there be still prophets in the church although not so famous as in times past And it should séeme Teachers in stead of prophets that in the stéed of them there succéed most learned teachers of the holie scriptures plentifullie at this daie giuen vs of God Teachers be no prophets Neuertheles it cannot be prooued by the scriptures that such be called prophets vnles they by the inspiration of God foreshew some secret mysteries without the earnest indeuor of mans eloquence Except thou wilt wrest the words of Paule in the first to the Corinthians to that purpose 1. Cor. 14. and yet thou canst not prooue it necessarilie Mark 16 17. And although that Christ said that there should be such gifts in his church yet he did not warrant that they should continue still for euer neither haue we anie promises that Christ would perpetuallie adorne his church with such gifts The fourth Chapter Of Visions and how and how much God may bee knowne of men Out of the booke of Iudges the 6. chapter vers 22. Looke before cha 3. art 6. NOw the place it selfe putteth vs in remembrance to speake some thing of visions and in what sort and how much God may be séen of men But least that this place should be passed ouer without either method or order I will set foorth certeine distinctions which I thinke to be néedfull And first it is supposed Distinctions seruing to the question proposed The nature of God is not knowē by the sense that the knowledge of God is offered vnto the senses or vnderstanding or else we thinke that it is granted by nature either else by some prerogatiue and reuelation beyond the course of nature And besides this the knowledge of the substance nature and as I may saie the verie essence or being of God differeth from that which consisteth of tokens arguments testimonies signes of the presence of God Lastlie we are to speake either of that knowledge of God which is expedient for this life or else of that onlie which is looked for in the world to come Wherfore I will begin with the outward senses as touching the knowledge of them thus I affirme that the nature substance The nature of God can not be knowen by the senses and essence of God cannot be reached vnto by the senses Forsomuch as those things which be perceiuable by the senses haue no affinitie with God but are a maruellous distance from him and to saie the verie truth the qualities which be of a certeine kind and are numbered among things accidentall doo stir vp the knowledge of the senses wherevnto since that God who is most pure is not subiect it is not possible that he should be knowne by the senses And that this is true it is vnderstood by the certeine experience that euerie man taketh of his owne mind For it is most certeinlie true The error of the Anthropomorphites that no man hitherto hath by his senses perceiued him and yet the Anthropomorphites persuaded themselues that God might be knowne by the senses for they attributed vnto God a terrestriall bodie but their opinion is vtterlie reiected For the scripture beareth record Iohn 4 24. that God is a spirit and it maketh a manifest difference betwéene a spirit and a bodie when our Sauiour saith Feele and see for a spirit hath neither flesh nor bones Luk. 24 39. And there is no man but knoweth that a mans bodie and the parts thereof cannot consist or be without flesh and bones Further the foolishnes of these men herby appéereth in that there is not a bodie to be found that is absolutelie pure simple and vncompounded For be it of as equal a temperature as may be yet it hath parts whereof it is cōpounded that euerie composition is contrarie to the nature of God the verie Ethnicke philosophers haue perceiued 2 But let vs leaue these Anthropomorphites and speake of others whom Augustine maketh mention of in his epistle De videndo Deo Augustine to Paulinus These men as the scriptures beare record and the true catholike faith confesseth beléeue that GOD is altogither most pure simple and without bodie but yet denie not but that in that blessed state which we hope for the saints departed doo behold him with their eies and therefore they saie that we are deceiued in that we wholie measure the state of the life to come by those things that we sée commonlie doone and exercised here Wherefore saie they although the dull eies of our bodie cannot discerne God nor the angels nor spirits yet being once strengthened with that felicitie they shall sée them not by their owne proper nature or power but they shall haue the brightnes of their sight so lightened that they shall be able to reach to the verie essence of God These men perhaps are lesse deceiued than the Anthropomorphites but yet deceiued For howsoeuer our eies are to be confirmed when we shall be in our owne countrie in heauen yet they shall euen there remaine eies yea bodilie eies shall they be and therfore shall not go beyond the kind largenes of their owne obiects Indéed they shall then easilie indure a more persing and greater light than now they are able to abide with their eies The eies of the bodie shall not attaine to the essence of God neither here nor in the life to com neither shall the sight of those colours hurt them which now offend them yet shall they not reach vnto the essence of God For none of our bodies shall in that blessed resurrection be so disguised that they shall either become spirits or else surcease to be bodies anie longer Wherefore there is not so much granted no not to the bodie of Christ that after his resurrection it should passe into a spirit For that had not béene to haue the bodie rise againe but to haue it abolished Therefore they that thinke our sight shall be made so perfect that it shall be able to perceiue the substance of God doo nothing to the cōmendation therof but doo in verie déed destroy it The Anthropomorphites offend against the nature of God bicause they cloth it with a bodie but the other doo iniurie to the nature of man in that they persuade themselues that it shall not continue in the blessed resurrection And so our opinion abideth true and in force as well concerning this present life that we liue as
oftentimes which like vnto dogs or swine contemned and trod vnder their féete the doctrine that was set foorth vnto them And yet did they not for these mens sakes withdrawe their sermons from the people Yea Christ verie often preached to the people when the Scribes Pharisies stood by whom he knew verie well to haue committed sin against the holie Ghost yet did he not for their cause cease from dooing his office Euen so at this day bicause some blasphemers and despisers cannot be let from the vse of the holie scriptures but that in a manner the whole flocke of christians must receiue damage thereby therefore it is better to licence them vnto all men one with another The rising of heresies must not hinder the reading of the scriptures But they saie that many heresies be sproong vp in these daies which should be an occasion to forbid this thing But they that so saie should consider that before Augustines time there were both Arrians and Manichies yea and that while he himselfe liued the heresie of the Pelagians and Donatists and manie other pestiferous sects were spred abroad and yet neuertheles he gaue counsell to read the scriptures as appeareth by his epistle Ad Volusianum and in his sermon of fasting where he prooueth that among the faithfull sort the reading of Gods word euen in the time of feasts bankets ought to be as an exercise in stéed of plaies games And all the fathers in a maner besides doo manie times exhort the people of Christ vnto this studie And it is a verie slender reason that good things should be quite taken awaie bicause they be abused of some For then the Eucharist it selfe should be taken awaie bicause as Paule testifieth manie abuse the same to their owne destruction To conclude what discommodities soeuer they obiect God knoweth them better than they who not onlie permitted the lawe but also the prophets to be common amongst the people yea that the same should be deliuered vnto strange nations to be read The Eunuch of the Quéene of Candace read the prophet in his chariot Acts. 8 28. when Philip stood by him What I beséech you wil they be wiser than God For whatsoeuer is necessarie to saluation as we haue often said is plaine and easie in the scriptures Wherefore in that the scriptures were predestinate to our glorie and that from the beginning we must giue infinite thanks vnto God which so timelie thought vpon our saluation 19 Moreouer Out of the preface vpon the Iudges some diuide the holie scriptures into foure parts and some bookes aswell in the old testament as in the new they ascribe vnto lawes some vnto histories some vnto prophesies and some vnto wisedome Of the diuision of the holie scriptures But it is not lawfull so to diuide the holie bookes one from another séeing that in Exodus Leuiticus Numbers and Deuteronomium wherein they appoint lawes to be contained are found almost as manie histories as lawes Moreouer in the books which they haue assigned to the prophets are oftentimes taught and plainelie expounded lawes of vpright liuing neither can we properlie separate the bookes of Salomon and others like which they would haue proper vnto wisedome from lawes or prophesies For in them are manie sentences which perteine to the instruction of a good life and without doubt haue the nature of lawes Againe séeing that in these very many secret mysteries are opened vnto the church by instinction of the spirit doubtlesse the attentiue readers of them may marke therein oracles of things to come but yet so neuerthelesse as well néere in euerie booke they be set foorth vnto vs dispersedlie and yet the holie books are not seuered one from another by such bounds or limits I would rather thinke as hath séemed good vnto the learned sort that whatsoeuer is contained in the holie scriptures All things in the scriptures referred vnto two principall points should be referred vnto two chéefe points I meane the lawe and the gospell For euerie-where either Gods commandements to liue well are set foorth vnto vs or else when we are found to swarue from them either of weakenesse or of some certeine maliciousnes the gospell is shewed whereby through Christ we are pardoned of our trespasses and are promised the power and strength of the holie spirit to restore vs againe to the image of Christ which we had lost These two things may be séene in all the bookes of Moses in the histories in the prophets and books of wisedome and throughout the whole testament old and new Surelie they be not separated one from another by bookes and leaues but by that waie which we haue now declared And thus much is said of the matter of the holie scripture in generall ¶ Of the reading of the holie scripture looke the thrée of the first sermons which are added at the end of this booke Of Historie Ibidem Looke the epistle vpon the booke of Sam. and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and the preface vpon the second booke of Sam. A definition of historie The difference betweene chronicles and histories 20 Let vs now declare somwhat of the historicall scriptures An historie as Quintilian defineth it in the second booke and fourth chapter of his institutions is a declaration of a thing that hath béene doone From whom Augustine dooth not much varie saieng that Historie is the declaration of anie thing doone either by God or by man comprehending within the compasse of this definition as well prophane histories as those of the Bible Howbeit all narrations of things doone are not of one sort For some are called Chronicles or Annales shewing the successe of things from yéere to yéere and time to time but others are properlie called histories Howbeit we cannot well doo this vnlesse we distinguish these two one from the other Cicero in his second booke De oratore when he touched these matters writeth on this wise The Gréeks themselues wrote so in the beginning as our Cato Pictor and Piso did For historie was nothing else but a gathering togither of things doon from yéere to yéere and for the preseruation of such things in publike memorie the chéefe prelate did put euerie yéere in writing whatsoeuer was doon woorth the registring within that yéere and so continued from the originall of the Romane state euen vnto Publius Mutius who bare the same office Which being doone he not onelie did publish it abroad but also did set it foorth in a table at home that the people might haue the perfect knowledge thereof Yea and manie of them saith he which are counted the chéefe historiographers at this daie followe much of their trade who without anie curiousnes or eloquence leaue the monuments of times persons places and things euen simplie as they were doone Wherefore as Pherecydes Hellanicus Acusilaus and manie other among the Gréekes such were our Cato Pictor and Piso among vs who haue small regard to
séeme that it must rather be said that miracles are appointed and established by faith séeing if faith be not present as the euangelists doo saie miracles cannot be doone I answere that they which by praiers will obtaine miracles must after an accustomed and iust maner be indued with faith for those praiers are counted vaine which leane not vpon faith But if a miracle be giuen nothing letteth but that faith which is begun may be stirred vp and confirmed Moreouer this must we be assured of Looke in 2. King chap. 4 vers 30. that there is no let with God but that he may giue miracles vnto the vnbeléeuers yea hée hath oftentimes giuen them God oftentimes giueth miracles vnto vnbeleeuers Vndoubtedlie Pharao and the Aegyptians were vnbeléeuers and who knoweth not that there were verie manie miracles doone vnto them by Moses Christ likewise did then shew the miracle of his resurrection when all men in a maner despaired of his doctrine and truth wherefore nothing letteth but that faith may be confirmed by miracles And for that cause as we haue said they which by praiers labour to obtaine signes doo labour in vaine vnlesse they haue beléeued For praiers without faith are of no value with God and this Christ hath manifestlie taught in the 17. chapter of Matthew verse 21. For when his disciples could not heale the lunatike child the cause therof being demanded hée said that it happened by reason of their incredulitie Against exorcismes done at the sepulchers of dâ—d men Looke part 4 chap. 9. art 8. The diuell dallieth with idolaters whose answere manifestlie declareth what we must iudge of these exorcists or coniurers which indeuour to driue awaie diuels at the sepulchers of the saints and at their rellicks All things be there doone fainedlie The dead are called vpon without faith and the diuell maketh dalliance with idolaters faining to haue faith to the end that damnable worshippings may be still continued which is therefore manifest bicause those exorcists being most vnpure doo all things there without faith Origin vpon the 17. chapter of Matthew writeth verie well against this abuse Origins opinion of exorcismes If at anie time saith he it behooueth vs to helpe these men let vs not talke with the spirit by adiuring or commanding as though he heard vs but let vs onelie perseuere in giuing our selues to praiers and fastings These words spake he euen then when the inuocation of the dead and worshipping of rellicks were not vsed in the church What would he at this time saie if he should sée the madnes of our age But to returne to the chéefe point of the doubt I iudge that faith goeth before miracles as touching those which obtaine them by praiers but not as concerning them which stand by and haue not yet beléeued the preaching which they haue heard 14 But let vs sée by what meanes miracles may sometimes be doone by wicked men For there be some which shall saie in the latter time Haue wee not cast foorth diuels in thy name Matt. 7 22. Haue we not prophesied c Vnto whom shall be answered Verelie I saie vnto you I knowe you not These vndoubtedlie in working of miracles as it séemeth credible vsed praiers but yet being destitute of faith were neither iustified nor belonged to the kingdome of God Wherefore it séemeth to be no sure argument that praiers powred out without faith are not heard But we must note that ill men which by praiers haue obtained miracles were not vtterlie without faith For we find Thrée kinds of faith that there be thrée kinds of faith The first is a faith that consisteth of the opinion and persuasion of man Looke in the 1. Cor. 12 vers 9. whereby those things that be written in the holie scriptures are beléeued to be no lesse true than are the histories of Liuie Suetonius and those things which are now written of the new ilands and this kind of faith in respect of manie things is common both vnto Turks and Iewes There is another faith wherby wée being inspired from heauen doo liuelie and effectuallie cleaue to the promise of Gods mercie and vpon this faith dooth our iustification consist Finallle the third faith is called the faith of miracles With what faith those be indued by whom God dooth miracles whereby we are neither changed nor made one haire the better For it is a moouing of the spirit of God whereby men are stirred vp to desire miracles altogither beléeuing that it is the will of God that those should be doone that the thing required should haue successe Therefore while they cleaue vnto this faith sometime they obtaine their request Which I therefore speake Miracles are not alwaies doon at the praiers of euill men Chrysost bicause they doo not alwaies so neither are they alwaies lightened with that inspiration But if thou wilt demand how this kind of faith can be prooued let Chrysostome answere who vpon the 17 chapter of Matthew maketh mention thereof There Christ said If ye haue faith as the graine of mustard seed ye shall saie vnto this mountaine verse 20. Throwe thy selfe into the sea and it shall doo so In expounding of these words this father saith Whereas these things be not doone in the church at this daie shall we therefore saie that christians be without faith God forbid that we should iudge so ill of the people of God Faith iustifieng is now but that which is called the faith of miracles hath alreadie ceased Also this kind of faith is shewed by the words of the apostle in the first epistle to the Corinthians where he saith Though I had all faith 1. Cor. 13 2. so that I could remooue mountaines if I haue no charitie I am nothing Neither let it trouble vs bicause he saith all for that distribution is to be drawne vnto the faith of miracles This doubtlesse is plainelie perceiued in the 12. chapter of the same epistle where the apostle maketh relation of the frée acceptable gifts saieng Ibidem 12 8 and 9. To one is giuen the spirit of the word of wisedome to another the gift of knowledge by the same spirit to another the power of healing by the same spirit to another the gift of faith by the same spirit c. Faith in this place cannot be vnderstood the same whereby we be iustified For that is not rekoned among the gifts which are priuatelie distributed vnto some but is common vnto all true christians Now as I thinke it appeareth by what means they which be not as yet iustified might sometimes by their praiers obtaine miracles namelie bicause they are not destitute of euerie kind of faith 15 Now resteth it to sée Whither it be lawfull for godlie men to aske miracles Looke In Gen. 24 at the end Looke part 2. place 4. Art 54 In 1. Cor. 1 22. whether it be lawfull for godlie men to desire miracles of God
onelie séeke whether they ought to be called voluntarie or not voluntarie And there is a great difference betwéene wicked men which either to flatter tyrants or else bicause they be delighted in shamefull and euill works offer themselues of their owne accord to doo these things and betwéene others which for honestie sake cannot be induced to commit these things vnlesse there be laid before their eies great and most gréeuous calamities or else great rewards And thou maist heare of some which hauing proposed some great good vnto themselues will saie that for the obteining thereof they are constrained to attempt anie thing And on the other part it is also said of manie that whereas they cruellie oppresse the people and beare rule for their owne sakes onelie they are constrained by tyrants to doo that which is wicked And at this daie there be a great sort which fall awaie from the christian truth being constrained by the most cruell persecution of tyrants There is also brought a similitude of the casting foorth of things from a ship which is doone when the tempest of weather constraineth not that this serueth anie thing at all vnto maners but that by the euidence of the matter that which is now in question may the better appéere 45 These actions which we haue rehearsed are mixed actions That some actions be both voluntarie and not voluntarie for in respect that they may be omitted and are not of such necessitie as they must in anie wise be doone they séeme to be Voluntarie but in respect no man could choose them for themselues they séeme Not voluntarie but rather drawe néere to the nature of those things that be voluntarie bicause in them is a certeine comparison of euill things Two euils are proposed to wit either pouertie with the losse of goods or else with those goods a present death the will chooseth the lesse euill and coueteth to auoid the greater Therefore when the will doth his part in those actions these things cannot choose but be called voluntarie Besides this Aristotle in his Rhetoriks admonished that the lesse euill hath the consideration of the good and is greatlie to be wished for since that which is desired is good and there is no doubt but it is the will that chooseth the end But the end of these actions whereof we dispute is applied to the consideration of the time For since the safetie which the mariners wish cannot be had except by casting their goods into the sea the will doth choose that casting of them awaie Wherefore the time in all this matter must be considered I meane not that time which is past or to come for before that chance no man would choose these doings afterward when the mariners haue escaped they are sorie and discontented in their mind for those things which were cast awaie but the matter must be iudged of according to the present time while it is doone And therefore since there is then made a choise and that the matter is called into deliberation and that the originall of the dooing is in the dooer of it who either may doo it or maie not doo it those things are said to be voluntarie As touching the action we cannot iudge in generall but we must haue a respect to the circumstance of the time And yet simplie these things are called Not voluntarie bicause for themselues no man would desire them but neuerthelesse since they be not considered simplie but are to be desired in this respect and he that desireth them is not without knowledge for he knoweth what he doth and his will or desire wherby he chooseth these things is present therfore be they actions Voluntarie For all things must be iudged of according as they be doone and doone they cannot be but at a certeine time and therefore they must be iudged according to that time and not as they are apprehended by reason for so are they Not voluntarie For while they be considered of simplie they are set aside from the consideration of time Neither is it to be doubted but that herein commeth the consent of the will for those things would not be doone vnles the will would giue hir assent True indéed it is that no man would those things for their owne sakes but for some other thing but yet this causeth not but that they be Voluntarie If they were violent the dooer would not inferre anie inforcement therevnto but the originall of the doing and of the assenting therevnto is in him that is the dooer and therefore may choose whither he will doo it or no. Séeing therfore these be called relatiues and are referred vnto the will they must not be iudged of simplie but according to the respect they haue vnto the will Wherfore since the will as hath béene declared hath place in those things they must be called Voluntarie 46 By two reasons haue these mingled actions béene prooued hitherto to be voluntarie That the actions called mixed be voluntarie bicause for them we are praised or dispraised First bicause they must be estéemed according to the nature of the time present wherin they be doone secondlie for that they be in the power of the dooer For vnlesse the will should mooue the instrumentall parts in verie déed they would not be doone There is a third reason taken from praise and dispraise Bicause men are somtime praised and sometime dispraised in the suffering of these vile and shamefull things Therefore dooth this appéere to be voluntarie for praise and dispraise speaketh not but of things voluntarie And Aristotle saith that Men are sometime praised or dispraised herein bicause they are not so alwaies as we shall perceiue for otherwhile praise is not giuen to these men but pardon is granted them but on the other side saith he they be dispraised That same particle On the other side signifieth two things either men will not abide reprochfull things for the loue of great and excellent things or else they suffer indéed such things but yet for light and vnworthie causes in which causes they are reprehended Aristotle onelie mentioned one of these the other he kept in silence For which good things hard mishaps must be abidden These great good and honest things for the which men must indure gréeuous and hard haps are iudged to be our countrie our parents children wife iustice and such like Zopyrus the Persian as Herodotus reporteth mangled his owne nose his eares and his lips that he might betraie the citie of Babylon vnto his king Darius Vlysses as it is said of Homer suffered his bodie to be beaten and to be deformed with stripes and apparelled himselfe in vile clothes and in that habit as if he had béene a runnagate seruant went vnto the Troians and entring into the citie throughlie spied out the same But on the other side all men dispraise Dolo bicause he reuealed the secrets of his owne countrie that he might not be constrained to abide anie torments What
principall 40 But some man perhaps will saie that If the prince should compell those vnto the right vsing of the sacraments which are not yet persuaded of the truth he should driue them headlong vnto sinne so farre is he from furthering of their saluation For there they shall doo against their conscience and whatsoeuer they doo in such wise Rom. 14 23 is sinne as the apostle testifieth And héere I thinke it good to make a distinction betwéene that which is of or by it selfe and that which is by aduenture and by hap or as they speake in the schooles that commeth by accident The magistrate in this matter which we haue now in hand setteth foorth to his subiects that which is right good and iust but whereas sinne is committed in the meane time that happeneth nothing at all by his default but rather by the incredulitie and misbeliefe of them whereof he is not to be accused when he hath diligentlie laboured to haue his subiects well instructed Whethe princes ought at the length to driue their owne subiects to the right vse of the sacramēts Neither are the Papists which at this daie be suffered by christian magistrates ignorant that we ought to haue in vse the sacraments instituted by the Lord. So as they can not iustlie complaine of their magistrates if they would haue them to be vprightlie and in due order ministred vnto them Besides they which obiect these things vnto vs must note diligentlie that by the same waie we may cauill against God for he hath set foorth vnto men his lawe which is most perfect to be kept of them Shall we then saie vnto him We be weake corrupt vicious of nature and not able to performe thy commandements as thou hast willed vs and so whether we doo against that which thou hast commanded or performe that which thou hast willed we shall euer sinne bicause we shall faile neither can we obeie as we should doo wherefore whatsoeuer we doo we shall not auoid sinne Thus whosoeuer shall contumeliouslie speake against God will not he of good right answer him againe The things which I haue declared vnto you to be kept be iust and right but in that ye be weake and feeble it ought not to be imputed vnto my default for I haue especiallie holpen your weaknesse hauing giuen mine onelie sonne vnto death for your sakes If ye will beléeue in him onelie whatsoeuer ye shall not accomplish in performing my precepts it shall not be imputed to you to euerlasting death So may a good prince answer I require of you those things which are conteined in the word of God and the things which are decent and doo edifie now if your opinion or conscience be against it that must not be ascribed vnto me which haue diligentlie imploied my trauell that ye might not be ignorant of the truth and miserablie perish For I haue verie carefullie studied that ye might be taught and instructed in the truth and so will I still procéed in exhorting admonishing and commanding you that ye read the holie scriptures and that ye praie vnto God to open the eies of your mind These things if the prince shall saie I sée not by what right or by what reason he may be reprooued 41 And I thinke it not méet to be omitted Augustine changed his mind touching the compulsion of heretiks which Augustine said that he was once of the opinion that nothing should be doone to heretiks by compulsion but they to be instructed by admonitions and doctrine But he confesseth that he was warned by certeine bishops of more experience which shewed him of certeine cities which before were in a maner vtterlie destroied by the error of the Donatists and were by violence and lawes of emperors compelled to come vnto the catholike church which cities being thus at the length sincerelie conuerted vnto the truth rendred thanks vnto God neither would they if by anie meanes they might returne vnto such pernicious opinions Wherefore the godlie prince shall nothing at all hurt such men naie rather he shall profit them verie much if when instruction hath béen giuen he compell them to receiue the sacraments dulie as they be deliuered by the word of God But this I would haue to be vnderstood concerning his owne subiects his natiue countriemen and denizens which inioie the right of the citie or prouince Otherwise I doo not thinke that he ought to vse anie violence towards strangers that passe to and fro and which occupie the trade of merchandize either inward or outward And yet I iudge also that he must take diligent héed touching these least they infect the people with wicked doctrine So as I suppose that the steppes of the Israelites are to be followed who made none a Iew or a Proselyte neither infranchised anie among their nation Leuit. 17 8. Exod. 14 7. vnlesse they had béene first circumcised receiued the lawe of Moses and communicated with their sacrifices Which thing being so diligentlie obserued by them there is no cause whie our princes should not doo the like vnto anie namelie to suffer no citizen of theirs either natiue or stranger borne but that they might compell or constraine him vnto the ceremonies and seruices consonant or agréeing to the word of God 42 But now let vs procéed and speake of those lords or magistrates which are subiect vnto the power of superiours A distinction Looke part 4. place 13. art 22. These séeme on this maner to be diuided some to haue iurisdiction either proper or by inheritance or else committed vnto them by emperours kings and publike weales Or else they be without iurisdiction and are reputed noble men onelie for the nobilitie of their bloud or by reason of notable riches gotten togither And surelie séeing this latter sort differ in a maner nothing at all from priuate men we must in my opinion so iudge of them as of those other priuate persons of whom I haue before spoken But the first which be rulers of prouinces cities and places either by inheritance or by office committed vnto them they ought not otherwise to doo in the thing whereof we now discourse than we haue before prescribed for those which are méere and absolute magistrates For by the commandement of the superiour princes it is not lawfull for them to compell the subiects whom they gouerne vnto vngodlie religion neither to permit the same to those infidels which inhabit their territories But if thou shalt saie We must obeie the higher powers I grant it but yet Vsque ad aras that is So far as religion shall permit The answer of the Lacedemonians When they which ouercame the Lacedaemonians commanded such things as were against their lawes and institutions they said If ye shall command vs things more harder than death we will rather die Then such kind of magistrates must in all other things be subiect to the superiour power but in those things which are against the word
verse 24. that the substance of Hierico became accursed and yet what soeuer was there brasse iron siluer or gold all that were they to bring to the treasurie of the Lord. If a féeld by anie hap should be consecrated vnto idols the same Augustine iudgeth that those things which grew therein are lawfull for the beléeuers Psal 24. 1. for The earth saith he is the Lords and all the fulnes thereof And vnto Timothie it is said 1. Tim. 4 4. Euerie creature of God is good so it be receiued of vs with thanks-giuing and praiers Else should we blame Paule who was manie daies in Athens and vndoubtedlie fed of the fruits and commodities of the Athenien féeld Acts. 37 16. which féeld neuerthelesse was consecrated vnto Minerua But if there should now be fruits and those consecrated appointed to the speciall vse or seruice of idols the christians ought to refraine least they might séeme to communicate with impietie But bicause men in old time were accustomed sometimes to sacrifice vnto fountaines and riuers for that they attributed vnto them a certeine kind of diuinitie I know not what and therefore they threw into them sometimes either the sacrificed flesh or the inwards of the same it is doubted whether christians might vse those waters afterward Augustine answereth Yes indéed it is lawfull for we knowe saith he that there be verie manie which doo sacrifice vnto the sunne yet feare we not to vse the light of the same and to enioie the beames thereof yea and there be found infidels which doo offer sacrifice vnto the winds and yet neuerthelesse we vse the winds in our sailing 53 Last of all The case of one which iournied by the waie Publicola putteth him in mind of a case concerning a certeine man which passing through a desart and the same man being verie hungrie happening vpon a church or chappell of idols where by chance finding certeine flesh set readie he demandeth whether it were lawfull for him to eate if he professe christian religion Augustine answereth bicause it may be that that same is not sacrificed flesh but is left there of strangers by chance which turned in thither either to dine or sup therfore séeing it is not apparant that those are sacrificed things he that is hungrie may vse them Further as if he had not satisfied himself he maketh this distinction Either he knoweth for a certeintie that the flesh was offred in sacrifice or he knoweth for a certeintie that it was not or else he doubteth And he addeth If he doubt or else knowe for a certeintie that it is no sacrificed flesh he may eate lawfullie But if it shall certeinlie appéere that the flesh was offered in sacrifice let him absteine in respect of christian pietie Héere would I not willinglie subscribe to the iudgement of Augustine 1. Cor. 8. 4 for I sée no cause whie he may bid a christian man that is hungrie to refraine from this kind of meate for being in the wildernesse he hath not there anie weake brethren whom he may offend neither yet dooth he communicate with diuels séeing no sacrifice is there in hand neither dooth he set foorth vnto the infidels his libertie to be condemned or blasphemed Which things were the iust and onelie causes whie the apostle forbad the eating of things offered vnto idols Therefore I would iudge that in such a case it is frée to vse that kind of meate for Psal 24 1. The earth is the Lords and all that is therein VVhat is to tempt God 54 To tempt is nothing else In. 1. Co. 10 Looke part 1. pla 8. art 15. Looke In Gen. 24. at the end God tempteth two manner of waies but to make proofe Wherefore they tempt God which will haue triall of his power and will And this is doone two waies bicause otherwhile there is no lacke of such things as we haue néed of but we disdaine to vse those accustomed and familiar things and we would be holpen by meanes exquisite and vnheard of As if one that would not put on a garment which he hath and in the meane time should praie A similitude that God by some strange meanes would driue awaie the cold frō him as there be euerie where to be found who not content with the miracles rehearsed in the holie scripture would now haue some other to confirme the truth of the faith According to this sense Christ answered sathan when he persuaded him to throwe himselfe downe headlong from the top of the temple Matth. 4 7. It is written Thou shalt not tempt the Lord thy God As if he shuld saie The waie to go downe is manifestlie knowne vnto me I haue steps to what purpose should I cast my selfe downe headlong If I doo it I shall tempt God 55 Another kind there is of this temptation when we lacke necessarie things but yet neuerthelesse haue a promise and godlinesse dooth persuade vs to attend patientlie But manie refuse to tarie the Lords helpe yea they dare prescribe a time vnto God and a meane also whereby they would be holpen of him This riseth through the vnpatientnesse of aduersities which happeneth oftentimes with our greate destruction Wherefore the scriptures not without cause exhort vs euerie where to patience Tertullian Tertullian also and Cyprian haue verie notablie written Cyprian concerning patience None of vs ought to prescribe vnto God either the meanes or the time of helpe he best knoweth the iust causes and he for good considerations deferreth his gifts The first is The 1. reason for that our sinne should not lurke in the mind for vnlesse we were deferred vnpatience would not bewraie it selfe wherewith otherwise the hart is infected Which being not vnderstood of vs we would liue more carelesse neither would we praie to haue it taken from vs. The 2. reason Further if things necessarie should foorthwith come vnto vs perhaps we would not attribute the same vnto God but either vnto chance or else vnto our owne strength and indeuour Wherefore God hath appointed that when he deferreth his helpe which he afterward giueth at the time prescribed we may acknowledge him to be the authour of our deliuerance The 3. reason For by this means we vnderstand that helpe is come vnto vs not by our owne appointment but by his And affliction is recompensed with the pleasantnes of delaieng for most pleasant are those things which be longest looked for Neither dooth God demand anie thing else but that we should weigh his gifts with a right consideration lest they should become vile And thus we must beware of this heinous crime that we through vnpatience doo not tempt GOD for by such meanes men either beléeue him not to be the author of all things or else they be in doubt whether he take care of them And when helpe is deferred at length they spue out their anger and powre foorth their hatred which they miserable
the molten calfe Exod. 32 20 Other good princes also and Serenus the bishop of Massilia Neither haue we euer perceiued that the scripture condemned ouerthrowers of images but the workers of images The first perhaps Who first painted churches which painted the church was Paulinus the bishop of Nola which yéelded this reason for the fact When the faithfull sort met togither vpon the holie daie to celebrate the memorie of Felix the martyr they were interteined with a religious banket and when they were more giuen to féeding of their bodie than reason would that father deuised to paint vpon the wall the histories of the old testament of the new to the end that the people by beholding of them might the more soberlie behaue themselues in their banket But howsoeuer that holie and godlie father ment in other matters yet in this matter he offended double For first he should not haue banketed the people in the church séeing we know that in the church of the Corinths there were manie things found fault withall by the apostle 1. Co. 11 22 concerning those feasts Moreouer he did amisse in that he thought men were more instructed by dumbe pictures than by the liuelie word of God Wherfore did he not rather teach them by a liuelie voice that they should temperatlie and soberlie spend out the time of the holie feast This had béene the ordinarie waie and meanes and most void of all danger Prudentius Prudentius also which liued in the time of Honorius and Theodosius singing the passion of Cassianus the martyr said that The historie of him was pictured in the church And in the seuenth Synod which was holden vnder Constantius and Hiren Nilus a bishop one Nilus a bishop is brought in which counselleth him that should build a new church to garnish the wals on euerie side with images and pictures But what bishop this was it is not knowen a martyr indéed he is called in this respect that he so became for Christ in the time of Dioclesian But it can not be he bicause it was not then permitted vnto the christians to build churches publikelie Further in that second Synod of Nice we read manie feined things and those things which were cited by those fathers for the most part are not extant in the booke of those men which were of sound iudgement There also it is reported that Gregorius Nissenus wept at such time as he passed by the image of Abraham but whether that image were in the waie or in the temple it appéereth not There also it is read that the martyrdome of Euphemia the virgine was painted out in the temple of the citie of Calcedonia howbeit so farre as I can gather these pictures were in the church-porch Augustins temple had no images But that Augustine had no images in his temple it appéereth hereby that he expounding those words of the 113. psalme The images of the Gentiles be siluer and gold euen the works of mens hands he writeth The works of mens hands for they worship that which they themselues made of gold and of siluer Doubtlesse we also haue manie instruments and vessels of such kind of matter or metall for the vse of celebrating the sacraments the which vessels being consecrated to the ministerie it selfe are called holie in the honor of him whom hereby we serue for our saluation And these vessels I beséech you are they anie other thing than the works of mens hands Yet notwithstanding haue they a mouth speake not Haue they eies yet will not sée Doo we praie to them bicause through them we make supplications vnto God That is a verie mad cause of impietie Wherefore it is manifest that images were not there for otherwise he would haue confessed himselfe inexcusable 24 Moreouer in the same Synod they cite Basil in his oration of the fortie martyrs A place in an oration of Basil expounded But that which they alledge maketh nothing to the matter now in hand For Basil affirmeth not that the acts of these martyrs were described in the temple but in the commending of them in his oration he saith that he would doo rightlie and orderlie whereby others might againe and againe be strengthened in faith For painters while they paint foorth the acts of valiant men they stirre vp others vnto laudable enterprises Men began euen at the first vpon a readie good will borne vnto Christ and to his apostles to haue some of their images at home with them Afterward being not satisfied with the priuate vse of them they set them not within the temples but in the porches Againe they considered with themselues What if they should be put in churches would they not bring such and such things vnto our memorie And finallie there insued an adoration Constantine with his sonne Iustinian at the temple of Sophia made pictures the which afterward Philippicus tooke awaie for which cause there followed afterward verie fierce contentions And séeing Paule saith 2. Cor. 6 16. How agreeth the temple of God with idols Is it not a shame at this daie that churches should be fraught with images How the ancient Christians ordered themselues in praiers Tertullian expresseth in his Apologetico the 30. chapter We saith he honor GOD with our eies lifted vp to the heauens and not vnto pictures Lib. Instit 2 cap. 2. Lactantius reproouing the Ethniks saith If ye thinke that those whom the images doo represent be in heauen whie doo you not lift vp your eies vnto heauen Wherefore it is lawfull so to saie vnto our aduersaries If ye thinke that the saints be in heauen whie doo ye not lift vp your eies vnto them which ye turne vnto the images in the temples Also we may prooue by an other argument Other arguments to proue that the Christians had no images that Christians had no images in their temples For Aelius Lampridius describing the liues of the thirtie tyrants among other things saith that Adrianus the emperor had decréed to appoint churches vnto the Christians but that there was one which did dissuade him that he should not doo it For he said If thou doo this the temples and images will be forsaken and all men will become Christians For those churches which the emperor was minded to giue them he builded without images Insomuch as those churches which were afterward erected without images were called the temples of Adrian Moreouer it must be considered that those things ought not to be had in the churches which call men backe from the religion of Christ Vndoubtedlie verie manie as well of the Turks as Iewes would be content to become christians were it not that they be greatlie offended at our images Paulus Ricius a learned Hebrue Wherevpon Paulus Ricius a verie learned Hebrue which was christened at Pauia said It was verie expedient that images should be remooued out of churches bicause manie of the Hebrues by the meanes of them be called
I am led by the Hebrue phrase wherein one signifieth the first as in the booke of Genesis And the euening morning were one daie that is The first daie Also in another place when it is written Looke In the booke De votis pag. 76. set foorth at Basil In one of the moneth it is ment The first daie of the moneth And when it is written One moneth it must be vnderstood The first moneth Also we read in the Gospell of Marke the 16. chapter verse 2. And earlie in the morning in one of the sabboths they came vnto the sepulchre the sun being now risen where manifestlie by one of the sabboths is vnderstood the Lords daie Matt. the 28 In the euening of the sabboth when the first daie of the weeke began to dawne verse 1. So it is also written in the 24. chapter of Luke verse 1. verse 1. and in the 20. of Iohn And to inflame our minds to giue almes vnto the poore Paule did verie fitlie choose the daie of the holie congregation Why Paule chooseth for almes the daie of the holie congregation bicause of the word of God publike praiers and godlie lessons which be vsed vpon that daie through all which things we be put in remembrance of the benefits which God for his mercie sake hath bestowed vpon vs. Also we receiue the sacraments wherby is renewed the memorie of that most excellent benefit I meane the death of our Lord Iesus Christ And what christian mind is not persuaded to benefite his neighbour by the godlie remembrance of so great a good turne Who is it that will not when he reuolueth in himselfe with a godlie mind that the sonne of God gaue himselfe vnto death euen to the death of the crosse for his sake that will not I saie alonelie impart some of that earthlie riches which is bestowed vpon him but rather giue himselfe for his brethren We confesse also the communion of saints which will be either verie slender or none at all vnlesse it be confirmed by liberalitie towards the poore But there is no token of godlinesse or communion of Christians more excellent than is charitie Neither are we for this cause to be accused as obseruers of daies and of times Gal. 4 10. as were the Galathians as though we attribute more holinesse to one daie than to an other We onelie for order sake and a certeine ciuill custome of the church doo méet togither vpon that daie rather than vpon an other But in the epistle to the Galathians either they are reprehended by Paule which renewed the Iewish feast daies or else the Ethniks which superstitiouslie obserued the daies of the Aegyptians or of those that professed the Mathematicall sciences In 1. Sam. 1. verse 3. 5 Moreouer there may be manie causes reckoned whie GOD would haue the people yéerelie besides the sabboth daie to ascend to the place which he had chosen for religion sake Exo. 23 15. First he appointed the same bicause the remembrance of his benefits should not be forgotten but should be reuiued by yéerelie peregrinations For in the feast of Passeouer was celebrated the memorie of their deliuerance out of Aegypt and in the Pentecost the remembrance of the lawe giuen by Moses Further in both the solemnities there was thanks giuen for the new fruits receiued Three principall feast daies of the Iewes For in the feast of Easter they offered the first fruits of barlie and at Pentecost they offered bread made of new wheat Lastlie in the feast of Tabernacles was remembred the benefit whereby God sustained the fathers by the space of fortie yéeres in the wildernesse and thanks were giuen bicause they had now gathered in all the sorts of fruits And rightlie were these thrée principall parts of the gifts of God called to remembrance in these thrée peregrinations for they be speciall good things wherein consisteth the societie of man For the first felicitie of anie nation is that there be a common-weale and that it be frée and this the Iewes obteined when they were deliuered out of the hard bondage of Aegypt The second felicitie is to haue lawes and religion proper to themselues for no common-weale consisteth without lawes and religion The third is that there be no want of things necessarie for life Wherefore the remembrance of these benefits was yéerelie renewed by the commandement of God Further an other cause of this ascending to the feasts at Ierusalem was that the mutuall concord of the people in diuine seruice and religion might be preserued For when the Iewes were once gathered togither and did their sacrifices all after one and the selfe-same order it was most prudentlie prouided that sundrie religions should not arise The first cause was that the priests and Leuits might openlie teach them concerning the lawe and holie seruice whereby the people returned home much better instructed than when they came thither There is also a sixt cause alledged that in such an assemblie and mutuall beholding of one another charitie might the more growe and increase among the tribes For they sawe and talked one with another they kept their feasts togither and that which was most of all they ioined in publike and solemne praiers togither Furthermore by these peregrinations there insued a necessarie sustentation of the holie ministerie For the oblations and sacrifices were multiplied the greatest part whereof came to the priests and Leuits Besides this the minds of them that praied was confirmed that God would heare their praiers for he promised that in that place he would fulfill the praiers of the people Which cause vndoubtedlie should mooue vs to celebrate holie congregations for notwithstanding that we may praie at home yet séeing he promised that he will allow of our praiers Matt. 18 19 where two or thrée shall be gathered togither in his name therefore the appointed celebrations of the méeting togither in the church must not be neglected Moreouer God would that by such godlie peregrinations they shuld testifie their obedience especiallie in that they did not choose the place wherevnto they had accesse but it was appointed by the will of God And it must not be omitted that that place did represent Messias vnto the fathers without whom no works of men though they be trim and goodlie in shew can please God Lastlie that worke was a notable exercise of faith for so often as they were to go vp vnto the place which was assigned for diuine seruice the Hebrues were compelled to leaue all vacant and without gard at home For the enimies were at libertie in the meane time to breake foorth to waste and destroie althings Howbeit they obeied the word of God and little regarded whatsoeuer should happen committing all that euer they had to the safegard of God And so great a confidence had they towards God as they doubted not but he would defend their borders although they were desolate Thrée times euerie yéere it behooued
the brother of him shuld marrie his wife neither is there anie exception added namelie that vnlesse the same brother haue his owne wife before Wherefore God not onelie permitteth but also commandeth that there should be polygamie If polygamie were permitted so often diuorcements would not be vsed for husbands doo therefore refuse their first wiues bicause they may marrie others Also the fruitfulnesse which is chéeflie regarded in matrimonie would be greater by manie wiues than by one And by this reason the Turks at this daie doo defend polygamie bicause they haue a singular respect vnto propagation and issue of children Againe what account shall we make of those ancient patriarchs vnto whom the Iewes haue alwaies attributed so much Surelie vnlesse we accept of polygamie they were begotten either in whoordome or in adulterie sith lawfull matrimonie it cannot appéere to be And by that meanes should the fathers and authors of the stocke and name of the Iewes be bastards Where shall then become that nobilitie so often bosted of For onelie Rachel was the lawfull wife of Iacob and of hir onelie two were brought foorth Ioseph and Beniamin And of Ioseph were Ephraim and Manasses borne For indéed Lea was a wife but yet a supposed wife that is a concubine or rather a harlot than a wife Wherfore all the other patriarchs were bastards Besides this Valentinian the elder a godlie emperour and a christian had two wiues togither as Socrates affirmeth in his fourth booke For when as Seuera his wife had verie much commended vnto him the fauour and beautie of the yoong maid Iustina whom she had in hir traine the emperour therewith inflamed was wholie determined to take hir to wife Yet did he not put awaie Seuera from him séeing of hir he begat Gratianus which afterward did reigne Howbeit none of the fathers which liued in that time although they were franke of spéech and excellent men reprehend him for so dooing Yea and of this second matrimonie was Valentinian the second borne and Galla who afterward married Theodosius the emperour And this also is affirmed by some touching Charles the great although others write that he put awaie the daughter of Desiderius king of the Lombards without publication of the cause and that after the same he tooke to wife a maiden of Sueuia a damsell of a noble house Howsoeuer the matter be yet all men grant that he besides his wiues had foure concubins Chrysostome vpon that place of Paule The husband of one wife saith 1. Tim. 3 2. that Paule added this for their sakes which came from Iudaisme vnto Christ For to them it was lawfull to haue manie wiues Yet saith he Paule gaue warning that a bishop should not be chosen from among the number of such And Ierom likewise followed the same opinion Wherefore in those daies they that had more wiues than one were suffered among the christians And at this daie if a Turke or a Iew should come vnto Christ with his two wiues what should be doone as touching them To plucke either the one or the other awaie against hir will were crueltie But should we permit them both Moreouer séeing barrennesse is a cursse of God if a man cannot by his first wife haue issue shall he so remaine curssed or not rather marrie another Augustine Augustine in his 22. booke against Faustus the Manichei when as he dealt in this matter he so diuided sinne Sinne diuided as he said one is against nature another against custome and another against lawe He saith that polygamie is not against nature for it is a furtherance vnto fruitfulnesse neither against custome bicause it was now openlie receiued neither against the lawe séeing there was no caution made by the lawes concerning the same wherfore he concludeth that polygamie was lawfull The lawe also of marrieng another wife was granted if anie mans wife became a lepre Likewise there is licence granted vnto those wiues whose husbands are wandered into far countries or be fled touching whom it cannot be knowne or heard either by letters or yet by messengers for a certeine space of time what was become of them And yet the bond of matrimonie rested in both for if the first husband that was far absent returne home he is compelled to take his owne wife although she be married to another And after this sort polygamie is permitted Howbeit this dooth not much make for the matter séeing we speake here of those which vse two wiues both togither Furthermore if a woman for anie cause shall be refused by hir husband the bond of matrimonie remaineth vndissolued but she can not returne to hir husband from whom she is compelled to depart for she is now become prophane vnto him yet may she be married to another In this sort a wife may haue two husbands Men are woont to refer the originall of polygamie vnto Lamech but touching him Gen. 4 19. whatsoeuer others doo thinke Chrysostome saith he was a good man and a godlie It séemeth also to agrée with reason that whosoeuer will may yéeld as concerning his right Why then should not this be lawfull in matrimonie if the wife be willing to permit it vnto hir husband séeing by that means there is no iniurie doone vnto anie For so Sara permitted Agar vnto Abraham and not onelie she tooke not that fact of hir husband in ill part but also she did of hir owne accord prouoke him thervnto Also Caietane vpon Genesis saith Let the godlie reader consider that in expresse words there is no lawe written as touching polygamie Arguments against polygamie 6 But on the contrarie part to speake plainlie of the thing it selfe I saie that polygamie is not lawfull And to prooue this I will reason first from the verie institution of matrimonie For if we will knowe the forme or reason of anie thing we must haue recourse vnto the beginnings God at the verie beginning created not thrée or foure but two and by the mouth of Adam himselfe pronounced the lawe of marriage Gen. 2 23. This is now bone of my bones for this cause shall a man leaue father and mother and shall cleaue to his wife and they shal be two in one flesh that is They shall be so vnited togither as they may be one flesh If we perceiue anie thing hath happened otherwise in matrimonie the same must be reuoked to this originall forme An obiection But if thou wilt saie that the latter lawes as the lawiers terme it doo ouer-rule the former I answer that if anie things were brought in or vsurped afterward the same be humane inuentions and that the first institution is the lawe of God An other obiection verse 4. 5. And if thou wilt likewise contend about the time the same is also in time the latter for Christ in the 19. of Matthew and in the tenth of Marke called home the same as it were by a kind of recouerie Knowe ye not saith
men in déed might giue certeine gifts vnto their wiues Iointures called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 before the marriages which were called iointures as some certeiye recompensings of the dowrie Yet neuerthelesse when they were once married togither the Romane lawes permitted not that they should giue gifts one to an other Plutarch Whereof Plutarch also hath made mention out of whom neuerthelesse is brought an other reason than that which I declared to be taken of the verie laws These be the words in the 35. and 36. precept of matrimonie Certeine bodies are said to consist of seuered things as an armie and a nauie other bodies of things ioined togither as a house and a ship and other some are vnited and compact togither as all liuing creatures are Wherefore matrimonie which consisteth of liuing creatures is vnited and compact but the matrimonie which is made either for dowrie sake or for children belongeth to bodies ioined togither And that which consisteth for pleasure or carnall copulation thou maist number among the seuered bodies for there man and wife may be said to dwell togither but not to liue togither And as in liuing creatures the temperatures of humors runne through all parts so marriage must mingle bodies monie friends and kinsfolke togither And the maker of the Romane lawes forbad persons coupled in matrimonie to take or to giue gifts one to an other not to the intent they should not be partakers of anie one thing but that they should thinke all things to be common Howbeit these things are to be vnderstood of frée gifts and not of dowries Dowries of maides giuen out of the common treasurie which otherwise were both lawfull and much vsed in the Romane publike we le For the daughters of Scipio Curius and Cincinnatus had dowries out of the treasurie bicause of the pouertie of their parents to the intent they should not be married without dowries The councell of Arls made a false decree Yea and the generall Councell of Arls as it is rehearsed in the thirtie question the fift chapter Nullum sine decréed that no matrimonie should be contracted without a dowrie Let the dowrie saith it be according to the abilitie neither let anie woman presume to take a husband or anie husband a wife without publike marriage This canon I willinglie allow in that it condemneth secret marriages but where it decréeth that marriages cannot be contracted without a dowrie séeing that is not confirmed by the testimonie of Gods word I cannot admit For there are and haue béene verie manie which haue married wiues altogither without dowrie yea and these men of so great honestie and authoritie as it should séeme a rash part to condemne their dooing séeing the holie scriptures are not against it Neither doo I iudge that matrimonie should by anie meanes be denied to those women which are without a dowrie if marriage be necessarie for them Moreouer Paule testifieth Ephes 5 23. that matrimonie dooth shadowe the coniunction that Christ hath with his church Wherfore if the truth of the matter be well considered the church had nothing to offer vnto Christ in the name of a dowrie naie rather as Ezechiel teacheth the same was found wrapped in bloud and mire Ezec. 16 30 Also the fathers in the old testament séeme sometimes to haue had wiues without dowries So then it séemeth méet to be decréed that men may and that it is lawfull to receiue dowries when they are giuen and that the same custome is honest so that a iust measure be not excéeded and that he which marrieth be not allured therevnto through the name of the dowrie as being the principall cause The maners and godlinesse of the wife ought chéeflie to be regarded Neither ought anie man foorthwith to persuade himselfe If I shall marrie a wife without a dowrie I shall therefore haue hir the better and the more at quiet Ierom. sith as Ierom declareth in his first booke against Iouinian Cato Censorius had Actoria Paula to wife The wife of Cato borne of a base kindred who was poore also and without a dowrie and yet neuerthelesse she was a droonkard impotent and behaued hir selfe proudlie toward Cato Of Diuorsements and putting awaie of wiues In 1. Cor. 7 verse 10. 52 Vnto the Hebrues and Ethniks it was but a light matter to put away their wiues and it was lawfull vpon euerie occasion but vnto the Christians it ought not so to be This hath Christ declared in the 5. and 19. of Matthew Matth. 5 31 and 19 7. There when he saith Moses gaue you a bill of diuorsement it ought not so to be vnderstood as though Moses did this of himselfe without the commandement of God for he was most faithfull Heb. 3 2. as GOD beareth record of him And that which is decréed in the lawe Deut. 24 1. touching diuorsement afterward is commanded in Malachie to wit Mal. 2 16. If thou hate thy wife put hir awale For the Lord would not that hatred and enimitie should be reteined in so néere fréendship Wherfore Christ calleth vs hom vnto the first institution in the new testament Christ calleth vs home vnto the first institution For insomuch as now the spirit is more plentifull and grace more abundant men ought to vse greater patience and charitie towards their wiues and not so to deale against them as they should reiect them for euerie cause In like maner there is required of the wiues a greater obedience and modestie 53 Here thou wilt saie vnto me What if thou shalt find at this daie among Christians such as be so hard-harted and so obstinate in reteining of hatred and enimitie in wedlocke as they be not onelie equall to the Iewes but also go beyond them therein Séeing then the disease is all one why is not the same remedie left Vnto whom we answer that they which be of such sort be strangers from Christ wherfore we commit them to the Common-weale to determine of them as it shall séeme most expedient For when they cannot be amended by the church let vs count them for Ethniks and Publicans let vs deale with them by the ciuill lawes Why Paule intermitteth the exception of adulterie 1. Cor. 7. We haue it plainelie enough declared by the word of Christ that a diuorse ought not to be doone vnlesse it be for the cause of adulterie The which exception if it be intermitted by Paule it is no maruell for when Paule saith that he speketh not these things but the Lord he sendeth vs to the Lords owne words neither dooth he plucke anie thing awaie from his commandement And when he saith that he commandeth not but the Lord he maketh not those things of small force which he taught before when they are not read to be expresselie spoken of Christ sith euen those things are of the Lord for he saith And I thinke that I also haue the spirit of God 1. Cor. 7
concubine at home so saie they the issue shall be certeine Certeine perhaps it might be but lawfull it shall not be Séeing therefore that this mischéefe is both against matrimonie and charitie and also the publike weale it cannot be denied but that it is a sinne most gréeuous And for so much as it is so whie are the stews at this daie openlie suffered in cities I speake not of the Ethniks I speake of the Christians and of those Christians which will alone séeme to be the successors of Christ and to be called by that name Within their dominion whooredome is most shamefullie mainteined they not onelie being willing vnto it but also taking aduantage and reuenues for the same That which is against the word of God against matrimonie against charitie and against the publike weale either it is no sinne at all or else it is a notable sinne If it be a sinne why is it not taken awaie and wéeded out Howbeit I knowe what they will babble Augustine They bring foorth Augustine who in his booke De ordine writeth thus Take awaie brothell houses and all places will be filled with filthie lusts But let vs consider at what time Augustine wrote this booke Doubtlesse while he was yet Catechumenus that is vnbaptised and not sufficientlie instructed in religion And although he had not béene Catechumenus yet this saieng of his dooth not agrée with the word of God neither with verie Augustine himselfe who in another place affirmeth that the good which commeth of euill as a recompense must not be admitted Which also Paule vnto the Romans taught euen as they were woont to saie of vs Rom. 3 8. Let vs doo euill that good may come therof whose damnation is iust We must neuer haue regard to the end and euent when we be vrged by the commandement of God Sometimes men saie vnto vs Vnlesse thou commit sinne this or that euill will succéed But we must answer what God hath commanded the care of the successe shall rest vpon him Neither is it méet that one onelie sentence of Augustine should be of greater authoritie than so manie reasons which we haue brought and so manie plaine places of the word of God 7 God commanded absolutelie and by expresse words Deut. 23. 17 that there should be no harlot in Israel But some go about to wrest this place from vs Certeine words taken both in the good part and the ill in saieng that these Hebrue words Kedescha and Kedeschim signifie not Whoores or Harlots but rather the priests of Priapus which were vowed and consecrated to things most filthie But contrariewise I thinke that Kedescha signifieth an Harlot and Kedeschim Buggerers and effeminate persons God would haue neither of those suffered among the people And that which they obiect of the holie seruices of Priapus it is nothing For it was sufficientlie before decréed touching idolatrie and what néed it to be repeated againe Yet that we may the more manifestlie vnderstand that Kedescha signifieth an Harlot Gen. 38 ver 15 c. let vs read the historie of Iuda and Thamar in the booke of Genesis and there we shall sée that Zonah and Kedescha are taken both for one and the selfe-same thing For which cause we must note that there are certeine words which may be taken both in the good and euill part Of which sort among the Hebrues is this word Kedescha which signifieth both Holie and also an Harlot euen as is this word Sacrum among the Latins it signifieth curssed And therevpon Virgil saith Auri sacra fames Virgil. that is The curssed hunger of gold This Hebrue word Kedes is To prepare or To be prepared whereof is deriued that word which signifieth an Harlot bicause such women are prepared and set readie for all men or else bicause they are woont to go trimlie decked and painted Wherfore Clemens saith Clemens that The Lacedaemonians suffered harlots to weare wrought garments fine apparell and gold which things were not lawfull for matrons to vse Now let vs sée what followeth in Deuteronomie verse 18. And the hire of an harlot shall not be brought into the sanctuarie Here againe the lawe calleth that Zonah which it had before called Kedescha But thou wilt saie If the lawe would not haue harlots to be suffered what néeded it to haue forbidden their oblations What néeded this lawe They which speake on this wise doo séeme indéed to speake wittilie but yet they speake not sufficientlie For foreine nations also sent gifts for the furniture and vse of the temple The Eunuch of the Quéene of Aethiopia came to Ierusalem to offer in the temple The Macedonians and Romans gaue yéerelie oblations and sacrifices in the temple Wherfore the lawe forbiddeth that if anie thing be offered by strangers that is gotten by the gaine of an harlot the same should not be admitted into the sanctuarie Besides this God had giuen a charge that there should be no harlot in Israel but he knew that they would not obserue that lawe And when the Philistines Macedonians and Romans reigned ouer them they had harlots Matt. 21 31 Yea and Christ maketh mention of harlots and publicans togither Then right well dooth God first forbid that there should be no harlots among the Hebrues and afterward he decréeth that if in case they were had the gaine comming of them should not be admitted into the sanctuarie Which vndoubtedlie he commanded bicause of the vilenesse and filthinesse of the gaine In the same place he added Ibidem The price also of a dog shall not be brought into the sanctuarie bicause that beast is fowle and vncleane 8 Caligula otherwise a detestable monster decréed as we haue in Suetonius that they Suetonius which should commit whooredome or brothelrie should be openlie punished Hostiensis Hereof Hostiensis writeth ridiculouslie Harlots indéed saith he are bound to paie and to offer but the church cannot nor ought not to receiue the same Yet the glose dooth much better decrée in the Decretals distinction the 90. in the chapter Oblationis namelie that Nothing at all which commeth of the gaine of an harlot should be offered in the church But priests and moonks when they feared that some of their profit should be gon haue deuised an other reason For although saie they the gaine of harlots cannot be receiued for an oblation The Pope makes an vniust gaine of harlots Looke In Gen. 38 21. yet nothing letteth but that it may be receiued for almes But after what sort dooth the Pope receiue the monie of harlots Surelie not as an oblation bicause he cannot nor as almes bicause he is not poore it resteth therfore that he receiueth the same as a prince The Lord would not haue this kind of monie in his sanctuarie but the Pope will haue it in his treasurie and he hath it and getteth a woonderfull great gaine by it Whose vicar then is the Pope Gods vicar Naie God
to the people of the dansing of the daughter of Herodias And among other things he saith At this daie the Christians deliuer to destruction not halfe their kingdome not an other mans head but euen their owne soules And he addeth that Where wanton dansing is there the diuell danseth togither with them In the councell of Laodicea it is written The Councell of Laodicea It is not méet for Christian men to danse at their marriage Let them dine and sup grauelie and moderatelie giuing thanks vnto God for the benefit of marriage We read also in the same Councell Let not the Clergie come vnto shewes either vpon the stage or at weddings They may indéed be present at marriages but afterward when there come in 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is singers or plaiers vpon instruments which serue for dansing let them rise and go their waies least by their presence they should séeme to allow that wantonnesse The Councell of Ilerden In the Ilerden Councell which was held vnder the Popes Symmachus and Hormisda and vnder Theodoricus the king the same is decréed namelie that Christians should not danse at marriages The Councell of Alliciodoren In the Alliciodoren Councell which was held vnder Pope Deus dedit this restraint séemeth to be made for the Clergie For there it is forbidden that anie of the Clergie should at a feast either sing or danse as though in a sort that might be lawfull for others The schoolmen Of the same opinion are certeine Schoole-diuines vpon the third booke of sentences distinct 37. who referre these prohibitions onelie vnto the holie daies Richardus De media villa saith that To danse on the holie daies is a sinne most gréeuous as though on other daies it might be permitted But the opinion of the fathers and sound councels is farre more seuere than the opinion of these men who perniciouslie leaue those things at libertie which should be restrained séeing therewith is ioined a danger vnto soules and not a danger onelie but offenses gréeuouslie to be lamented Howbeit it séemeth that these men borrowed this their doctrine wherein they forbid dansing on the holie daies out of the ciuill lawes For in the Code in the title De ferijs in the lawe Dies festos In déed we release idlenes on the feast daies but we will not haue men giue themselues vnto voluptuousnesse Wherefore it shall not be lawfull on the feast daies to vse dansings whether they be doone for lusts sake or for pleasure 56 But let vs sée what opinion the Ethniks had of this matter Aemilius Probus Aemilius Probus in the life of Epaminondas saith that To sing and danse was not verie honourable among the Romans when as the Graecians had it in estimation Salust Salust in his oration against Catiline wrote that Sempronia a certeine lasciuious and vnchast woman was taught to sing and danse more delicatelie than became an honest matrone And there he calleth those two things the instruments of lecherie Cicero Cicero in his third booke of Offices writeth that An honest and good man will not danse in the market place although by that meanes he might atteine to great possessions And in his oration which he made after his returne into the senate he in reproch calleth Aulus Gabinius his enimie Saltatorem calamistratum that is A dansing dizard It was obiected to L. Muraena for a fault bicause he had dansed in Asia And euen this also was obiected against king Deiotarus Cicero answereth for Muraena No man being sober danseth either in the wildernesse or at an honest and moderate banket vnlesse perhaps he be out of his wits The same Cicero in his Philippiks among other vices vpbraideth Anthonie with dansing But it appeareth that the nature and disposition of the men of the East and of the West parts was not all one They are chéerfull of mind and nimble of bodie and for that cause delight in dansings 2. Sam. 6 16 For to omit other examples Dauid the king dansed publikelie And they which come now vnto vs out of Syria doo affirme that the Christians which liue in those regions doo vpon the resurrection daie and also vpon other famous feast daies come into the temple with harps viols sing psalms among themselues danse togither For their spirits are verie light and ours more sad heauie Howbeit they saie they danse soberlie and modestlie the men apart by themselues and the women by themselues Of Garments and Apparell 57 We sée that the Lord did first giue vnto men decent and thriftie garments In Gen. 3 verse 21. such as haue respect vnto a vse and not vnto a delicatenesse and prodigalitie And séeing that in all men iustice comelinesse and modestie ought to be obserued we be taught héere to vse the same in our garments the end whereof is profit and honestie This must be obserued that therein we passe not our bounds either as touching the stuffe or as touching the maner and fashion That these limits are appointed for garments it appeareth in that Adam first made himselfe bréeches for he was ashamed of his nakednesse Therefore an honestie must be regarded God for this cause apparelled man for that he would cast him out of the distemperature of the weather therefore vtilitie is to be respected The Iewes had their frindges and the priests their proper kind of garments Further herein it is conuenient that there be a diligent consideration had of the custome age and sex that there be no rash alteration from the maner of the countrie And what custome must be obserued the sundrie garments which were appointed vnto priests doo declare and in that the prophets were clothed after another maner than the common people The sex also must be considered Deut. 22 5. for a woman must not weare the apparell of a man nor the man of a woman Touching age the youth must go after one sort and the elder people after another The vse of the countrie must be regarded for the Iewes ware frindges on their garments Matt. 23 5. How greatlie men doo sinne by wearing of wanton apparell we may gesse by the apostles Peter and Paule 1. Pet. 3 3. 1. Tim. 2 9. who forbad women to weare pretious garments and superfluous decking of their haire that should be trimmed or braided with gold or pearle who neuerthelesse haue a colourable excuse namelie to please their husbands Wherefore how much more must these things be reprooued in men Wherefore the vse of garments was giuen vs. If then the vse of garments was deuised to withstand the prouocation vnto wantonnesse whereof a shamefastnesse was giuen vs by God they are greatlie to be blamed which prouoke the same euill by the curious fashion finenesse and nicenesse or vanitie of apparell Also let all superstitiousnesse be auoided neither let there be anie vertue or holinesse attributed vnto garments And let here the goodnesse of GOD be considered
setteth foorth his seruice of Baal by a comparison Achab séemed in that religion to be most superstitious but it is said that in comparison of Iehu he worshipped Baal but a litle This is euen as if he should saie Those things were but sport and plaie in comparison of those same which I am minded to giue The holie scriptures testifie that he did these things fraudulentlie Why Iehu pretended an honour and seruice vnto Baal to the intent he might gather all the Baalites into one and slaie them all togither bicause he might not otherwise haue brought his purpose to pas For verie manie of the Baalites hauing intelligence of the slaughter of Achab and Ochozias and also the children of Achab and kindred of Ochozias fled awaie for feare and hid themselues in secret places Wherefore Iehu feigned these things and made proclamation that he did maruellouslie fauour the Baalites Moreouer he perhaps feared least if he should deale violentlie and openlie a sedition might be raised among the people to take in hand new matters But the Baalites being inuited by such faire and curteous indeuours came in and of their owne accord cast themselues headlong into the danger of death whereas otherwise they were both subtill and craftie But after this maner God dooth infatuate such men and taketh them tarde in their owne wilinesse Euen as we also perceiue that it came to passe in Pharao Exo. 14 23. who wilfullie and of his owne accord entring into the red sea was drowned and all his whole host with him The fact of Constantius Cesar This kind of guile and lieng in times past Constantius the father of Constantine the great vsed who hauing imbraced Christ set foorth an edict which was far contrarie vnto his will as though he would not suffer anie christian to liue in his Court. So as he commanded by his edict that they which would professe christian religion should surrender the offices which they had receiued and should be discharged from the wars They which sincerelie imbraced Christ despised courtlie dignities and departed from the Emperours traine on the other side they which onelie bare the name of christians bicause they would kéepe their former place and degrée departed from Christ But the matter fell out otherwise for the Emperour called home those that went their waie and commanded that they should enioie their former offices and commodities and he put awaie those from him which had forsaken Christ And he vsed this reason If they were not faithfull to that power that is Christ whom they worshipped neither will they be faithfull to me nor yet faithfullie labour and indeuour for the defense of me and mine empire But Iulian whom they call the Apostata who reuolted from Christ made an other maner of lie A lie of Iulian the Apostata For as Ammianus Marcellinus reporteth when he led his armie against Constantius his brother by the fathers side fearing least he should offend his soldiers of whom the most part were Christians feigned himselfe to worship Christ also when as he was alreadie reuolted from him Wherefore vpon a solemne feast daie of Epiphanie he entered into the temple togither with the Christians And there be verie manie dissimulations as touching religion to be found out in the histories Of Dissimulation In Iud. 3. at the end 26 But what shall we set downe as touching dissimulation Dissimulation is of two sorts I saie that the same is of two sorts One which hath respect onelie to deceiue the which séeing it differeth not much from a lie vndoubtedlie it is sinne If one being wicked doo faine himselfe to be honest and godlie the same man is an hypocrite in that he dissembleth he sinneth gréeuouslie Whosoeuer also hauing a malicious and enuious heart against anie man flattereth him and feigneth to be his fréend is not without sinne yea he is infected with a detestable dissimulation But there is an other kind of dissimulation which tendeth not to the deceiuing of anie man but serueth onelie to kéepe counsell secret least they should be hindered and this dissimulation is not to be refused or condemned as sinne séeing as we haue alreadie declared it is not alwaies required that we should open whatsoeuer truth we doo knowe Socrates was praised In the Commentaries vpon Aristotles Ethiks although he were a verie great dissembler Howbeit he said he knew nothing meaning in comparison of the knowledge of God So dooth Plato excuse him in his Apollogie Also he compared those things which he knew with those things which he knew not and being so compared they might be accounted nothing Besides this his mind was not to deceiue but rather to shew vnto others which boasted that they knew manie things how verie little or nothing they knew So Christ being most innocent tooke vpon him the flesh of sinne After what maner Christ dissembled 1. Cor. 2 8. and hid his innocencie and diuine nature the which he did not to deceiue mortall men but that he might suffer for the saluation of men For if he had béene knowne to be the Lord of glorie they would neuer as saith the apostle haue crucified him Moreouer Christ feigned also before two of his disciples that he wold haue gone further this he did not Luke 24 28 bicause he would deceiue them but he therefore opened not himselfe vnto them for a time bicause he would reprooue them of their incredulitie and instruct them by testimonies of the scriptures Therewithall also he signified how far he was from their hearts or as Augustine interpreteth it he shadowed vnto them his departure into heauen Wherefore it euidentlie appéereth that in those dissimulations there was no lie séeing his words well agréed with the thing signified 27 And Dauid Of Dauids dissimulation Looke in 1. Sam. 21. at the end when he fell into a most perillous danger being with Achis the king of Geth changed his countenance and feigned himselfe a foole and by meanes that he séemed to be such a one he escaped Héere some saie that he dissembled not but that God to deliuer him strake such a feare into him and that his senses being taken from him he might doo those things which be spoken of him in the first booke of Samuel 1. Sa. 21 13. Wherefore in his psalme which beginneth I will alwaies giue thanks vnto the Lord Psal 34. he gaue God thanks for so great a benefit Togither also with this his act he by the inspiration of God shewed what Christ should suffer for our sakes namelie to be counted as a foole and a mad man Or else it may be answered that Dauid is not wholie to be excused of sinne if he as being a man more afraid than was méet sought for this kind of helpe But if he by the motion of God did it wittinglie and with knowledge we will not accuse him of sinne though we may not imitate his example Neither is it lawfull
were annointed is deriued from the Hebrue word Ieschah And why he was so called the angel declared For saith he he shall saue his people from their sinnes This word Christ is a Gréeke word in Hebrue it is called Meschiah that is annointed In old time among the people of GOD kings prophets priests were annointed for verie hard conflicts rest vpon them which are appointed to these offices Wherefore vnder that token they be admonished that they should become like vnto wrestlers if they will doo according to their vocation And no man is ignorant but that the wrestlers were accustomed to annoint the parts of their bodie before they buckled togither Vnction interpreted to be an abundance of the spirit Or else which is a good deale the more likelie by vnction was signified abundance of the spirit with the which these thrée kind of men are indued sith prophets kings and priests in the administration of their functions haue néed of an abundant spirit And that the inspiration of the spirit is in the holie scriptures called vnction we haue no néed to doubt Esaie saith Esai 61 1. The spirit of the Lord vpon mee therefore hath he annointed me Luke 4 18 Which place Christ interpreteth to be written of himselfe so as it néedeth the lesse exposition of vs. And in the psalme by the testimonie of the epistle to the Hebrues Heb. 1 9. Psal 45 8. it is spoken as touching our sauiour Therefore hath God thy God annointed thee with oile of gladnesse aboue thy fellowes And in the Acts of the apostles the 10. chapter Acts. 10 38. Peter preached vnto Cornelius the Centurion of Iesus of Nazareth whom God annointed with spirit and with power And in the epistle of Iohn it is written 1. Iohn 2 20 verse 15. The vnction shall teach you in all things Also in the 105. psalme when there was mention made of Abraham Isaac Iacob c it is written Touch not mine annointed And he could not call them annointed so farre as can be gathered of the holie scripture by reason of anie externall and symbolicall vnction wherefore it is wholie to be referred vnto the instinct of the holie spirit Neither must it be passed ouer that our Lord Iesus Christ atteined to so abundant plentifull vnction of the spirit as the same by him floweth also vnto vs which beléeue in him according wherevnto it is written in the second epistle to the Corinthians the first chapter in these words verse 21. It is God surelie that confirmeth vs togither with you in Christ and hath annointed vs who also hath sealed vs and hath giuen the earnest of the spirit in our hearts Whereby it cōmeth to passe that so manie as truelie beléeue are not vnfitlie called both Christs christians 12 But this we must note that those ceremonies of the lawe did vanish by the comming of Christ In 1. Sam. 10. at the beginning Wherefore the papists and some of the fathers also were lead with a certeine false affectation in that they obtruded to vs their annointing Of annointing Looke In 1. King 1 34 c. They would haue that oile of theirs to be set foorth so curiouslie with such pompe and solemnitie as no other sacrament is so highlie commended vnto vs by Christ This is the disposition of men that they alwaies make more account of their owne inuentions than of the commandements of GOD. But these men in their oile doo dreame I cannot tell what more than a marke that cannot be blotted out And yet what the same is they vnderstand not neither being asked be able to teach others what it meaneth But all these things Christ by his comming did abrogate wherefore there is now no néed of oile It is sufficient if ministers be lawfullie chosen that they may with some authoritie teach the people Neither is it now néed for kings and princes to be annointed Looke part 4. pla 1. art 21. But if so be there be anie that at this daie be annointed the whole consideration thereof in my iudgement belongeth to ciuill ordinance not to religion Albeit therein also séemeth to be some false affectation of the Iewes for now we be all annointed and christians and it is sufficient to haue the thing it selfe There is no néed of a signe after that we haue dedicated our name vnto Christ And we are said to be annointed not bicause we be stroked with oile but in respect that we haue atteined vnto that which the oile in old time signified Oftentimes the thing it selfe is put for the signe and the signe also for the thing Christ was neuer annointed with oile Christ was not annointed with oile Esaie 61 1. Psal 105 15 so far as we read and yet Esaie thus writeth of him The holie spirit be vpon me bicause he hath annointed me And in the 105. psalme Dauid saith of Abraham Isaac and Iacob When they were but a few in number and God had led them about defended them and punished kings for their sakes Touch not saith he mine annointed We read not that Abraham Isaac and Iacob were annointed with oile yet bicause they were consecrated for to instruct the people of God they be called Christs and annointed The thing it selfe is vsed for the signe 13 Christ also is called Lord. In Ro. 1. 7. Whie Christ is called Lord. Looke In .1 Cor. 8 6. Which name dooth fitlie agrée with him for all things are giuen vnto him by the father and he hath paied the price for our saluation wherefore he is iustlie called Lord. And we may gather that héereby he obteined this name bicause the Hebrues neuer pronounce the holie name Tetragrammaton written of foure letters which is Iehouah but pronounced by other words that is Elohim and Adonai which signifieth might or dominion Which thing séemed to be the cause that the 70 interpretors when they read this name Tetragrammaton translated it by this word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which is Lord. As it appeareth in manie places of the which we will alledge one Psal 110 5. The Lord said vnto my Lord where in the first place is written Iehouah which they translated Lord. So as when Christ is called Lord it is as much as if he had béene called God Although Tertullian against Praxea saith that Christ is called Lord when he is ioined with the father for then the father is called God But and if the sonne being ioined with him should also be called God the Ethniks might thinke that we grant more gods than one Wherefore to withstand their suspicion we make this word Lord an epitheton of the sonne But if we name Iesus Christ by himselfe and alone he is plainlie called God as it appéereth in manie places of the scriptures And he vseth a certeine similitude A similitude As a beame of the sunne when we make mention of it by it selfe we call it the sunne and we saie that
sundrie abuses the sacraments ordeined of God and especiallie the holie supper of the Lord which they haue turned into filthie and shamefull idolatrie and of the signes or seales thereof they admit the simple flocke to the participation of one onelie as though it were in their power to inuert the order which the Lord hath appointed They not content I saie to defraud the flocke of Christ of that principall food of soules which is the word of GOD doo also cut awaie halfe the sacrament which is as it were the visible word and the euident testimonie of the goodnesse charitie and ardent affection of Christ toward vs a memoriall of his death the most effectuall marke of that vnion whereby they growe vp togither vnder Christ himselfe being head vnto a holie bodie of the church But this will I here adde that this one thing they worke by their traditions namelie they establish that tyrannie of theirs and make it to extend further abroad Howbeit the hope is that Christ will at length take pittie of so noble a bodie of his and that he will not suffer a mortall man anie longer to vaunt himselfe so proudlie against his head This Christ onelie Christ I saie is the head of the church That the Pope is not head of the church 40 But they which saie that the Pope is head of the church as he will commonlie be accounted which also his shamelesse flatterers feare not to publish openlie both by words and writings séeme in my iudgement to be like vnto those wicked Iewes which all with one voice denied Christ to be their king and professed Caesar to be their prince Euen as in a bodie well framed there is one head so must the church A similitude vnles it be transformed into some kind of monster be indued with one head onelie the which head is Christ Neither standeth it with any reason that they saie they haue the Romane bishop to be appointed another head as it were vnder the chéefe head Christ whose bishop to wit that other head they will haue to be a necessarie instrument For there was neuer séene in a well shapen bodie such a disorder as thervnto should be ioined two heads wherewith one should be subiect vnto another séeing the verie name of Head signifieth the chiefe part of the bodie But Christ alone sheweth himselfe aboue the church he altogither by maruellous and vnspeakeable meanes ioined the humane nature vnto the diuine nature Behold the head which God appointed to that beloued bodie as it is written in the epistle to the Ephesians Epes 1 21. We confesse in déed that the members in that bodie be diuerse wherof one is more excellent than another but in this point they conspire all in one that they be subiect vnto that head and are to serue faithfullie vnder it Wherefore it is not lawfull to deuise more heads than one and vndoubtedlie it is verie intollerable pride for one to arrogate vnto himselfe the honour of Christ But I beséech you let it be as these men will that the Pope should be counted another head vnder Christ the principall head Yet with what faith he is vnder Christ as a fit instrument experience it selfe speaketh which beareth record that he not onelie doth not cleaue vnto Christ but that he is plainlie against him both in works déeds and counselles Neither is it my purpose to set foorth at large the proofe of this matter Barnard séeing Barnard hath declared the same indéed not fullie but yet so as their craftie and subtill exception may be discouered Wherefore being content with this profitable declaration I will not here at this time adde anie more but that I conclude againe Christ onlie is the head of his church that that bodie hath onelie Christ to be the head and not anie sillie man which with his authoritie alone may wrest corrupt peruert and rent in sunder the words of the scriptures whereof he boasteth among his sort that he within the closet of his brest hath the full knowledge and perfect interpretation not a sillie man which according to the naked iudgement of his owne will may expulse out of the church whom he please and accuse and condemne them not a sillie man that at his owne onelie becke may appoint pastors rectors and bishops vnto churches to whom he will not commit the custodie no not of their own goods bicause he mistrusteth their wit and industrie whereof he hath not had anie one iot of triall Now then we be content with one head namelie Christ the holie Ghost being the guide and the holie scripture being as an outward testimonie of his will the certeine persuasion whereof the power of the holie Ghost dooth inwardlie seale in our minds By what meanes the church is edified 41 But let vs weigh I beséech you by what meanes that most holie bodie of the church may be established edified and also increase And here I affirme that besides the inward grace faith and outward scripture we haue also néed of admonitions and godlie sermons out of the word of God the which be miserablie intermitted at this daie by them which would be called christians And yet neuertheles this is the chiefe and principall worke of the Apostolicall office the which as though it were vnworthie for the dignitie of a Bishop forsooth these new heads of the church haue committed it vnto certeine hungrie Moonks Preaching committed to certeine hungrie Moonks who neuerthelesse are threatened vnto gallies vnto perpetuall prisons and to be put to euerie most cruell death if they passe the bounds prescribed by them Indéed they knowe verie handsomelie how to withdrawe themselues from their owne office charge and labour but so as they will neuer preach vnto the people concerning holie things The maner of papisticall preaching Yet neuerthelesse whosoeuer doo take that charge in hand they will haue them to preach after the rules prescribed by them Whereof it commeth to passe that the poore small flocks of Christ either perish with hunger or else are scantlie and slenderlie fed And commonlie the sermons touching holie things are onelie made in the time of Lent and a verie few daies besides and that either by a sort of vnlearned and vndiscréet men which knowe not sufficientlie those things that they speake or else by them which stand more afraid of some than they ought to doo or else by such as hunt after honours riches or fauour which are not fit for their vocation Wherefore at that time they haue sermons but yet such as in them they vtter méere trifles and bewraie the grosse darknesse of ignorance But if otherwhile they shew something of the truth it is doone with such cloked spéeches with such intricate minsed and nice termes as they rather destroy than edifie or else they preach flatteries the which vndoubtedlie vnto all godlie men are méere intollerable And such be they that preach for the desire they haue either of
should also haue absteined from fish and especiallie the delicater sort of fishes for there be some of them which doo no lesse delight the taste and no lesse prouoke vnto lusts than flesh doth And vndoubtedlie among the Fathers as well Greekes as Romans fishes were estéemed among the greatest deinties 19 Moreouer Socrates the historiographer Socrates in his ecclesiasticall storie teacheth that the Fathers fasted far otherwise for in the Lent some fasted two daies some foure some ten some fiftéene Diuers formes of fasting vsed by the fathers They fasted not all after one maner some twentie and other some the whole fortie daies And when they fasted some absteined from all kind of flesh and fish and did onelie eate all maner of pulse Others absteined from all foure footed beasts and liued onelie vpon foules and fishes for all things at that time were left frée in the church For when they had fasted vntill euening at supper they did eat moderatelie what so euer came to hand albeit the thing began afterward by little and little to decline to superstition Ierom to Nepotianus saith Ierom. that There were in his time which not onelie absteined from all kind of meat but also from bread They vsed certeine thin broths made well with spices neither did they drinke them out of a cup but supped them out of a shell Augustine A comparison between a Manichei and a christian Augustine De moribus ecclesiae et Manichaeorū bringeth in a Manichei elect for so they called their ministers who in déed did eat no flesh but in the meane time vsed most delicate and fine meats most swéet sauces Wine also they might not touch but drinks which were made of fruits the which were like vnto wine and in pleasantnesse of taste far passed the same of these I saie they dranke abundantlie On the other part he appointed him to be a true christian man which remained fasting vntill euening and then had to supper a messe of woorts sodden with a péece of lard and a small portion of salt flesh and dried in the smoke and dranke thrée or foure cups of wine Augustine demandeth whether of these semeth to haue fasted best and more trulie and he gaue iudgement on the Catholikes side 20 The Montanists so delighted in this choise of meats The 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of the Montanists Tertullian Ierom. as they inuented for themselues 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which were meats to drie vp nature and such like Tertullian for as Tertullian affirmeth they did onlie eate bread salt and all maner of pulse and their drinke was water This kind of fast they vsed two wéeks before Easter Ierom. Ierom also addeth that they were woont to fast thrée Lents and that bicause they fasted so seuerelie they were called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is to saie Continent men Eusebius Eusebius in his fift booke and 18. chapter writeth Montanus was the first that wrote laws of fasting that one Apollonius reprooued Montanus bicause he was the first that wrote lawes of fasting as though the church before him were frée He by lawes and rules prescribed what daies men should fast and what meats they should absteine from such an author haue the Papists of prescribed fasts and choise of meats Against choise of meats Matt. 15 11. 1. Co. 10 27 Titus 1 15. This superstition agréeth not with the word of God Christ saith That which entereth into the mouth defileth not man And Whatsoeuer is set before you that eate making no conscience thereat And Paule to Titus To the cleane all things are cleane but to the vncleane nothing is cleane Col. 2 16. To the Col. Let no man iudge you in meate and drinke To the Romans Rom. 14 17. The kingdome of God is not meate and drinke To the Corinthians also there be manie things set foorth for the confirmation hereof where he intreateth of meats dedicated vnto idols 1. Cor. 8 10. So the scriptures make no mention of anie choise of meats to be vsed for religion sake In what respect a certeine choise of meats is to be admitted yet I denie not but that a choise of them must be had either to auoid costlines or for sicknes sake or else for the auoiding of excesse But that christians should absteine from flesh from egges and from milke for religion sake is no where prescribed in the scriptures 21 Another abuse is that they laie vpon vs such fasts as the strength of men is not able to indure for they will haue the people to fast fortie daies Which if it should be required according to the prescript rule of God and of the old church namelie that the fast should be continued vntill euen no man well-néere were able to abide it When the institution of Lent began And that institution is referred vnto Thelesphorus the Pope by other some to a time a little before him And vndoubtedlie therein is nothing else but a certeine méere wicked zeale Matth. 4 2. and euill imitating of Christ for he fasted fortie daies therfore superstitious men thought it good that christians should fast so manie daies euerie yéere Whereas notwithstanding Christ fasted after this maner but onelie once in all his life time Christ required not fortie daies fast of his apostles neither exacted he at anie time anie such act to be doone by his apostles But these men decrée it to be sinne and that a gréeuous sinne when such a fast is violated They should haue considered that Christ all that time did eate nothing and in that he was able so long to endure it perteined to a miracle and to the diuine power The scriptures in no place command that we should imitate Christ in that thing Chrysostome in his 45. Chrysost homilie vpon Matthew The Lord saith he hath not commanded thée to fast fortie daies although he might haue commanded the same What then commanded he He saith Learne of me Matt. 11 19. for I am meeke and humble in hart But the maner of these men is peruerse for they will imitate Christ in that which they are not commanded but in that they are commanded they will not Our Sauiour when he sent foorth his disciples said Go vnto all nations Matt. 28 20. teaching them to keepe not whatsoeuer I haue doone but whatsoeuer I haue commanded you And it is a woonder to sée how superstitiouslie and subtilie they haue decréed of those things in the Councell of Martin De consecratione distinction 3. chapter Non licet and in the canons of the Councell of Laodiceum in the chapter Non oportet it is commanded that in the Lent fasting on the thursdaie should not be broken And in the Councell of Agathensis it is commanded that fasting on the saturdaie in the Lent should not be broken bicause vpon the thursdaie and saturdaie manie fasted not Yea and vpon the sabboth daies also in the
Lent wherein they fasted not they would that a choise of meats shuld be reteined And De consecratione distinction 4. chapter Denique sacerdotes they doo ordeine that the priests should begin their fasts from Quinquagesima And in the same place the fift distinction in the chapter Quadragesima Gregorie hath inuented a reason to prooue that Lent ought to be fasted We must saith he giue the tenth part of the whole yéere vnto God and the tenth part of the yéere consisteth of fortie daies therefore we must fast so manie daies Gregories reason for the keeping of Lent confuted A goodlie reason forsooth Why dooth this Gregorie forget that the Leuiticall priesthood and ceremonies thereof haue now ceased Wherefore it is not lawfull to bind christian men vnto tenths and Iewish ceremonies And if for that cause the time of Lent must be consecrated to a fast bicause it is the tenth part of the whole yéere why did not the Iewes in the old time fast in that sort Why did not the prophets reprooue them Why the father 's ordeined Lent season for deceiuing GOD of such a kind of tenth 22 But I will shew so farre as I can perceiue why Lent was first inuented The fathers when they perceiued men to liue verie licentiouslie and negligentlie thought to haue them compelled after a sort to renew godlines some part of the yéere and somewhat to bridle the rage of the flesh And for this purpose they did thinke the fortie daies before Easter to be most méet that men might so long haue their minds occupied in repentance and in remembring of the benefits of God The institution of Lent is against christian libertie This inuention although at the first view it may séeme a goodlie thing yet it agréeth not with christian libertie For we must thinke vpon the great benefits of God and vpon our great ingratitude and vpon other our most gréeuous sinnes not onelie fortie daies but continuallie also Further by this meanes they opened a verie wide gap to liue most securelie retchleslie for if they haue once fullie performed those fortie daies they thinke that all the yeare after they may wholie giue themselues vnto all kind of pleasures and lusts for they referred the time of repentance vnto those fortie daies And although the forefathers had a Lent yet as Eusebius saith in his fift booke Eusebius and 24. chapter it was left frée vnto all men Irenaeus For Irenaeus after this maner intreated with Victor bishop of Rome when he would haue excommucated the East church bicause it agréed not with the church of Rome about the kéeping of Easter What said he may we not liue at concord although they vse their own rites as we vse ours For in the Lent some fast two daies some foure daies some ten daies some fiftéene some twentie and other some fortie daies and yet neuerthelesse concord is reteined 23 There is an other abuse for bicause some there be Fasting is an exercise not a holinesse which appoint a holinesse to consist in fasting as though a worshipping of God consisted in it whereas in verie déed fasting is onelie an exercise which of it selfe hath no holinesse They are fooles which in fasting doo thinke that for that cause they haue God bound vnto them Wherefore we must not rashlie giue credit vnto Ierom Ierom. when he saith that Fasting is not a vertue but the foundation of all vertues For onelie Christ and faith in him is the foundation of vertues If he had said that fasting is a helpe vnto certeine vertues he might haue bin borne withall The fathers attributed ouermuch vnto fasting And doubtlesse herein the fathers erred oftentimes in that they praised and extolled fasting abooue all measure If so much should be attributed vnto fasting we must of necessitie confesse that Iohn Baptist liued more holilie than Christ Matt. 11 18. for he fasted more than Christ did For Christ did eat and drinke as temperate and moderate men vse to doo But it is said that Iohn did neither eat nor drinke 1. Tim. 4 8. Yea and Paule to Timothie writeth that Bodilie exercise hath small profit but godlinesse is profitable vnto all things If thou wilt demand what godlinesse or pietie is I will answer What godlines is that it is a true worshipping of God a soundnesse of doctrine and a pure life which things doo followe hope and faith In these things assuredlie is verie great profit And the exercise of the body hath indéed some profit howbeit not verie great But we must consider that Paule speaketh not of fasting and exercise of the bodie which is hypocriticall and wanteth faith but of the true and christian fasting For those things which want faith and procéed of hypocrisie are sinnes neither doo they any thing profit Esaie 58 5. Wherefore Esaie faith Is this the fast which I haue chosen But these our men go further and besides that they appoint a holinesse in fasting they make it also to be a part of satisfaction For the Schoole-men That fasting is no part of satisfaction in the fourth booke of sentences appoint satisfaction to consist of praiers almes-déeds and fasting What is to make void the death of Christ if this be not They babble also that by fasts soules are deliuered out of purgatorie And least anie should thinke that I faine these things let him reade Gratianus Gratian. in the 13. cause question second chapter Animae The aduersaries saie that by fasting soules are deliuered out of purgatorie where he citeth the words of Gregorie who saith that Soules are deliuered from purgatorie either by praiers or fasting of their kinsfolkes 24 There is also an other more gréeuous abuse for that some affirme that by fastings they can satisfie the church although they cease not from sinne Esaie 58. 3. This kind of fast God himselfe reprooueth by expresse words in Esaie What care I saith he for your fastings Ye fast vnto contentions and strifes Is this the fast which my soule hath chosen Pope Liberius decréed Liberius a Pope that all the Lent we must absteine from strife and suite in lawe This is not verie wiselie decréed for the publike wealth cannot stand if it be so long or euer matters be heard or iudgement giuen If fasting should for some weightie cause be denounced for a day or two there might for that space of time be commanded intermission of iudgement but that lawes should be silent so long as Liberius would haue them that is against the publike weale Besides this the selfe same Liberius saith that the vse of matrimonie polluteth the fasting in Lent wherefore they would haue men all that time to haue no fellowship with their wiues 1. Cor. 7 5. But Paule much more sincerelie exhorteth married folkes that they should seuer themselues for a time and that by their owne mutuall consent and to returne togither lest they should be tempted
distinction for he that taketh counsell of the Lord dooth it to be certified either of the vprightnesse of the thing or else of the successe As touching the vprightnesse of the thing whether the same be honest or dishonest whether it please or displease God we are sufficientlie taught out of the prophets out of the lawe and out of the gospell so as we cannot now be ignorant thereof But as concerning the euent it is no maruell if now we be without such oracles for farre other promises were giuen vnto vs than vnto the Iewes For vnto them God promised a politike gouernement certeine and that in a certeine place appointed to indure vntill the comming of Christ but now God by his gospell hath neither appointed a citie nor a kingdome certeine Wherefore God oftentimes gaue oracles vnto the Iewes whereby they might vnderstand both what they should take in hand and what successe they should haue And though they had infinit enimies on euerie side yet did he kéepe vnto them their common weale euen vntill the comming of Christ Further the Iewes were as yet ignorant and vnskilfull of ciuill things as being seruile men brought foorth of Aegypt wherefore such helpe of God was néedfull for them Finallie their religion was as yet latelie and newlie come vp and not yet sufficientlie confirmed so that it was néedfull to confirme the same by signes and miracles But now the kingdome of Christ is spred farre and wide it cannot be conteined in one or two common weales Againe the Christian princes are now expert enough in ciuill affaires Lastlie our religion hath now of long time béene sufficientlie confirmed vnto vs. Indéed God promised that he would neuer forsake his church vtterlie vntill the comming againe of Christ but he promised vnto it no certeine place but that if perhaps it be exiled from one place it shall find harbour in another Wherefore although we haue no oracles yet is that no argument that God at this daie maketh lesse account of vs than he did in old time of the Iewes It is sufficient for vs that if we put our trust in the promises of God and behaue our selues well he will not forsake vs. In Rom. 1 16. Rom. 1 16. 8 But now whereas Paule writeth vnto the Romans that he is not ashamed of the Gospell albeit he spake that vnder his owne person yet he meaneth thereby to admonish the Romans vnto whom he writeth that they also though they were highlie exalted ought not to be ashamed of the Gospell And he vseth the figure Liptote The figure Liptote for he speaketh lesse than he meaneth Not to be ashamed is in this place as much as if he had said I verie much glorie And this spake he plainlie and without anie figure to the Galathians Gal. 6 14. saieng God forbid that I should glorie in anie thing but in the crosse of our Lord Iesus Christ We are to glorie in the Gospell if it be receiued truelie and from the hart But there are manie at this daie which doo boast that they are christians and haue receiued the Gospell which I would to God they did trulie and from the hart For there be too manie of them which if they were well examined as touching maners are most far from Christ and as concerning rules of religion if a man begin to trie those men but euen in the * Principles of religion Catechisme thou shalt perceiue that they neuer vnderstood anie thing of Christ That commonlie is counted a thing to be ashamed of which is had in contempt of the world and that is counted honourable which the world hath in estimation Our flesh is deceiued while it iudgeth of the gospell But in iudging of the Gospell our flesh is excéedingdie deceiued for it thinketh it a thing to be ashamed of as touching vnderstanding as touching good things of the mind as touching good things of fortune and also as touching good things of the bodie For as touching the mind and vnderstanding the flesh counteth it a foolish thing to persuade it selfe of those things whereof it cannot yéeld a reason And as touching the good things of the mind bicause we cannot be iustified by our owne vertues and notable actions And it thinketh it but a follie to cast awaie the goods of the bodie in such sort as we should crucifie the flesh with all the lusts thereof and to be willing concerning the goods of fortune to take vp our crosse and by contumelies and reproches to followe Christ All these séeme vnto the flesh to be things for a man to be ashamed of Against which we must continuallie set this sentence which Paule vseth We are not ashamed of the Gospell Vndoubtedlie this doctrine hath manie enimies And first are the Epicures Who be they which are ashamed of the Gospell or rather the Atheists that is men without God who thinke that this Gospell is altogither a trifle and a feigned thing and they doo much maruell at vs and deride vs for that we are so carefull and diligent about the same There be other ciuill men which gouerne the publike weale and these men thinke this doctrine vtterlie seditious and they count it a thing vnméet that preachers vnder the pretence of publishing of repentance and preaching should be permitted to reprooue the vices of magistrates and princes end after a sort to defame them vnto the people And this saie they is nothing else but to rent in sunder publike weales After these come in place hypocrites Moonks and other religious persons which crie out that by our Gospell the lawes of God are ouerthrowne holie ceremonies contemned good works despised holie images taken awaie and as they saie all deuotions vtterlie abolished With these verie aduersaries was Paule troubled for the Scribes Pharisies and high priests cried out that by this Gospell which the apostles preached the lawe of GOD was abrogated ceremonies which the patriarchs prophets had kept were set at naught the tribe of Leui spoiled of his honour the dignitie of the priesthood made equall with the prophane estate and the publike weale of the Iews vtterlie extinguished Against which sharpe saiengs it was necessarie to encounter with these words I am not ashamed of the Gospell whatsoeuer ye saie and imagine against it 9 It happened also in the time of Augustine and Chrysostome when that whole cities had not as yet receiued Christ but that there were togither in one citie both christians and also idolaters that if at anie time a noble and wealthie man had taken vpon him the name of a christian his affinitie kinsfolke and fréends would come vnto him and saie Doost thou beléeue in one that was crucified Art thou not ashamed to commit thy saluation to him that was afflicted with extreame punishment and was not able to saue himselfe What madnesse is this of thée Doost thou beléeue in one that was nailed to a crosse Vnto whom he should haue answered I
béene borne withall Naaman desired it might haue beene lawfull for him to prostrate before the idoll in presence of the king Looke part 2. pl. 4. art 28. and pardoned at Gods hand if when the king of Syria worshipped in the temple of Rimmon he also should knéele and fall prostrate before the idoll Indéed he desireth not by expresse words that the prophet by his praiers would obteine this thing for him but yet neuertheles after an other maner or closelie he did signifie it Neither is it against godlinesse that they which doo féele themselues weake and féeble in faith should craue to be holpen and confirmed * 1. Praier verse 24. by diuine power euen as in the ninth chapter of Marke the father of the child that had a dumbe spirit who said that he did beléeue and yet neuerthelesse praied that his vnbeléefe might be strengthened Doubtles Naaman sawe that there was sinne in that action of the which he spake and therefore desired pardon for the same For there is no man that desireth pardon for iust and honest things He therefore knowing his owne infirmitie and vnderstanding that this should happen vnto him desireth pardon for his offense to come Whereby it is perceiued that sinne of this kind perteineth not at all vnto ignorance Sometimes idolatrie is committed being not knowen to be such as it is as was the same of the which Sozomenus wrote in the third booke of his historie A horrible act of Iulian the Apostata where he reporteth that Iulian the Apostata a horrible enimie of Christian godlines sitting in his tribunall seate after the maner of other emperours had before him fire and frankincense to the intent that before him might be continuall incense to the idols of the Ethniks And when he minded at a certeine daie to bestowe a benefit of monie vpon those souldiors that were about him and accepted none but such as had throwen into the fire certeine graines of frankincense in verie déed the simpler sort of souldiors which professed Christ nothing imagining with themselues of idolatrie as they who thought that the same ceremonie rather perteined vnto the imperiall dignitie than vnto the worshipping of idols threw graines of frankincense into the fire prepared and among others receiued the monie distributed vnto them by the emperour But afterward when as they were in banket one with another they talked verie godlilie and honourablie of Christ whereat one of them that stood by greatlie maruelled said How can ye either speake rightlie or thinke well of Christ séeing ye haue this daie forsworne him And he let them vnderstand that the incense which was made before Iulian was doone vnto the idols which they hearing foorthwith departed out of their lodging crieng out that they were wholie christians and that they would perseuere in the right and perfect faith that indéed their hand erred but that their mind remained all one And while they thus cried out they came vnto the emperour restoring vnto him their monie and praieng him if so it were his pleasure to kill them for that they would still continue Christians Héere we sée that the act of idolatrie through error was committed But it happened not on this wise vnto Naaman who had some gesse that the thing which he feared to doo tended to vngodlie worshipping of idols He séemeth to demand that of the prophet which was not in his power namelie The commandement of auoiding idolatrie cannot be dispensed with by men that he would dispense with the lawe or commandement which concerneth the flieng from idolatrie Vndoubtedlie all mortall men are bound without anie exception vnto that precept But they doo most gréeuouslie offend against the same which being indued by GOD with some great benefit haue transferred themselues vnto the worshipping of God among the number of whom no doubt but Naaman was at this time Howbeit it séemeth that he ment not of idolatrie indéed An excusing of Naaman but onelie as touching the outward gesture of the bodie whereof he rendereth a reason vnto the prophet namelie that the king might not bow his knée vnlesse he also did bend downe to the ground bicause the king leaned vpon his hand And it is not without a fit signification that one and the same thing is twise repeated by Naaman namelie The Lord forgiue me or The Lord be mercifull vnto me For that repetitiō sheweth that the thing which was required was doone with a verie humble hart and that it was desired of the prophet with a most vehement affection of mind Howbeit it séemeth that it should be imputed vnto this mans fault that he was too desirous to kéepe still his honour and authoritie for if he would haue giuen ouer his state and office he might haue auoided all danger of the sinne that was imminent 12 But they which indeuour after a sort to defend him doo curiouslie and subtilie distinguish the action of bowing downe before an idol If so be saie they that Naaman had bowed his knées with intent to followe the dooing of his king then had the worke of them both béene of one sort reason and nature and therefore should haue béene condemned of idolatrie For in imitating of the king he would haue doone the verie same thing that the king did whose purpose was to worship the god Rimmon wherefore neither could he that did imitate idolatrie be absolued But this is not agréeable with Naaman who had alreadie called Elizaeus to witnesse that he would not from thence forward offer anie oblations or sacrifices vnto strange gods wherefore it resteth that the same action was onelie a certeine kind of dutie towards the king Which action vndoubtedlie of his owne nature and simplie was indifferent for to sit with the king when he sitteth to stand with him when he standeth to knéele with him when he knéeleth doo not in respect of themselues belong either vnto vertue or vnto vice but may be doone either well or ill wherevpon it is said to haue his forme and kind of the things added which they call circumstances Those vndoubtedlie if we haue respect vnto in this place the act of Naaman will be found faultie For first there is a respect to be had vnto the place wherein it is doone as being in the temple and before an idol togither with the king worshipping prostrate also Naaman maketh himselfe one of the idolaters Furthermore the qualitie of the time it selfe is to be considered namelie that euen then when the king should worship he should bow himselfe before the idol Rimmon For men are not woont to adore all the while they be in the temple but then onelie when they implore the helpe of God when they giue thanks vnto him when they praise and celebrate his goodnes or power These qualities and circumstances doo shew that the act of Naaman was faultie But hereby they yet still endeuour not a little to excuse the same bicause in such kind of dooings the
saie did not Dauid sinne when he fled vnto Achis Argumēts to proue that he sinned not There be some which defend him and saie that he might doo the same without hurt of religion and faith For why saie they is he héere to be blamed séeing he was not reprooued before when he fled into the land of the Moabites 1. Sam. 22 3 Were they lesse idolaters than were the Philistines Further he had at that time a most mightie enimie and also vngratefull and vntrustie kinsmen was it méet for him to liue alwaies in danger Besides this it behooued him to haue a regard not onelie vnto himselfe but vnto them that depended on him 1. Sam. 27 ◠for he had sixe hundred soldiers with their wiues children which led a hard life in the woods forests How had he béene able to haue mainteined them in Iudaea Should he haue vsed violence against his owne countriemen and well-willers and haue gotten meat for them by violence And what they would haue giuen them of their owne accord it sufficientlie appéereth by the historie of Nabal 1. Sam. 25. There were euen with Saule manie honest men which fauored Dauid and wished him well and for that cause they were oftentimes brought into danger Which perill séemed to haue an vtter end if Dauid should lead his life out of the Hebrue confines Wherefore he was to depart if it had béene but for their sakes onelie For it is the dutie of an honest man rather to suffer all things than others for his sake should be cast into perill Moreouer it was the part of a wise man to vse the occasion which God offered him which vnlesse he had doone he might haue séemed to haue tempted God But thou wilt saie he had promises I grant but those make not a man slothfull and dismaid What saie we to that when Iohn 4 5. Christ himselfe went vnto the Samaritans and vnto the borders of Tyre and Sidon Lastlie it behooued that some end should be appointed vnto the sinne of Saule Matt. 15 21. that he might cease to persecute the innocent man Arguments on the contrarie part 31 One the other part this fact of Dauid may also be reprooued for manie causes For first it séemeth an vnwoorthie thing that Dauid so notable a man should go as a suppliant vnto the Philistines being men which before time were not onelie ouercome by the Iewes but also by himselfe For he séemeth to contemne the benefit of God who hauing obteined victorie will submit himselfe to the verie same man whom he ouercommeth For this cause was Pompeius blamed who hauing atchieued so manie acts would afterward become an humble suiter vnto Ptolome But the stoutnesse and great courage that was in Cato is famous bicause he forbad the people of Vtica to séeke the fauour of Caesar for his sake Moreouer God forbad with verie strict words that the Iewes should not enter in league with the banished nations such as were the Philistines nor yet that they should desire helpe of them that were vngodlie Beside this Dauid whom God assigned a ruler and prince ouer his people now becommeth a fugitiue What infamie it was counted to be a fugitiue Which thing what and how great an infamie it is we are taught both by the light of nature it selfe and also by the ciuill lawes For in the Digests De captiuis postliminio in the law Postliminium in the paragraph Filius and in the paragraph Transfugae He that flieth vnto his enimie is depriued of the right in his owne citie So that by this act Dauid depriueth himselfe of the publike inheritance of the people of God And as it is declared in the same place He is a fugitiue which in the time either of warre or of truce flieth either vnto the enimies or vnto them which be neither enimies nor yet fréends and receiueth assurance of them And he hath lost the benefit of the Postliminian lawe which is debarred from the right of recouering of his owne goods and countrie Againe De capite minutis Those men are declared to be enimies vnto the common weale He which helpeth an enimie either by his trauell or by kéeping of companie with him incurreth the crime of high treason and is guiltie of betraieng either his prince or countrie And in this crime not alonlie the act it selfe is regarded but also the will so that the same be euidentlie enough knowen If anie Christian at this daie being capteine of the warres should flie on the Turks part with his soldiers he should not onelie be counted a runnagate but also incurre a greater reproch Yea and if he should doo the same but euen to an other christian prince that is an enimie vnto his owne naturall prince and countrie he should be iudged a runnagate and traitour And it is credible that some couenant was made that Dauid should beare armes against Saule and séeke his life whom he had twise alreadie spared Moreouer who is that which doubteth but that Saule did insolentlie boast of this running awaie of Dauid and told his fréends in reproch of him that he whom they attributed so much vnto was a runnagate a faithlesse man a forsaker both of his people and religion And it is verie likelie that those men when they heard those things scarselie refrained themselues from teares And albeit that Saule appéered before to behaue himselfe vniustlie when he thrust out Dauid yet might he now séeme to haue a iust cause of condemnation against him Besides this he being a Iew borne and a frée man yet called he himselfe a retainer and seruant of Achis 1. Sam. 28 2. He also so much as in him laie subuerted the counsels of God Ibid. 27 12. for God had chosen him to be a king who should defend his people howbeit he reuolted vnto the enimie and made war euen against his owne people This indéed was rather to plaie the part of a robber than the part of a king And he humbled himselfe there where he was to haue serued in perpetuall bondage and that which is a thing most gréeuous he was to doo it vnto a wicked and a barbarous king For so Achis himselfe pronounced that it should come to passe Thou shalt be saith he my seruant for euer He was constrained also to win the tyrants fauour by no honest practise for he made a lie and applied his spéech vnto his will namelie 1. Sam. 28 2. that he did somewhile inuade his owne nation the Iewes somewhile the Kenites and somewhile the Ierahmelites Howbeit there be some which saie that Dauid lied not at all when he said that he fought against the south part of Iuda 1. Sa. 27 10. for that those places apperteined to the lot of Iuda Iosua 15. as it appéereth by the description of Iosua albeit that they had not as yet entred into that whole inheritance But howsoeuer this be let it be of what
sorrowe when they be mooued against these affections So Dauid the more he was inclined to his children the more he was vexed They which attribute all things vnto destinie and fortune or to the necessitie of a matter bicause they doo against the scriptures of God must not be heard We conclude that holie men when they on this wise sorrowe wéepe and are mooued with sadnesse doo please God so as they retaine faith and followe the spirit But on the other side we affirme that the philosophers and Ethniks while they séeme to deale so magnificallie to contemne all aduersities and by no meanes to be disquieted doo displease God with all their goodlie shew of vertues That the Ethniks with their goodlie shew of vertues displease God Heb. 11 6. This thing hath Augustine taught in his fourth booke against Iulian the fourth chapter and he alledged thrée reasons The first is that Without faith it is vnpossible to please God wheras they séeme to deale so heroicallie in the mean time be void of faith they cannot please God The second reason Men void of faith be as yet ill trées but ill trées bring foorth ill fruit The third reason It is not sufficient to doo those things which in their owne nature séeme good but we ought to doo well Who will saie that those Ethniks doo those woonderfull things rightlie séeing they doo vnfaithfullie In that they doo vnfaithfullie they doo not rightlie Let them boast of their things as magnificallie as they will these reasons haue we We saie that they their woorks doo not please God The same father saith in the exposition of the 25. psalme at the end that there were manie of the Ethniks which deferred to come vnto the Christians they said We sée in them manie defects the which we haue not He answereth that they are greatlie deceiued séeing in those vertues which they boast of they are not good but in a sort euill and I haue willinglie added that they are often times verie euill Forsomuch as they please themselues verie much with those vertues of theirs they become proud but pride is hated of God We conclude that Dauid and such as he was pleased God in sorrowfulnesse more than could the Puluilli Anaxagoras Aemillij Bruti or Torquati which séemed with a great loftie mind to contemne the sorrowfull things which happened When Socrates is obiected vnto vs of whom Plinie writeth in his seuenth booke that he alwaies shewed to be of one countenance neuer merrier or sadder Against him we oppose Christ which vnto vs is one for all also the apostles prophets and our Dauid and we will saie that these did a great deale more rightlie and wiselie than he did For the godlie are gouerned by the word of God not by the opinions which men haue spred abroad They are led not by the opinion or staie of assent of the Platonists and doubting philosophers but by a most certeine and constant faith They are directed by the spirit of God but not by the wisdome of humane flesh which is enmitie against God and therefore they please God Neither haue the godlie thought it méet that affections in these cases should altogither be restrained or taken awaie when they sawe themselues to be chastised by God when they sorrowed that they had broken the lawes of the Lord and that they had giuen the cause of these euils these things can neuer sufficientlie be lamented They did rather iudge it méet to slacke the bridle vnto affections which might further godlinesse and strengthen repentance 41 But one thing perhaps some man will demand how it happeneth Whie these greefes are more frequent in the old testament than in the new that we more read of those gréefes in the old testament than in the new I might peraduenture saie that this which they would prooue is not true In the new testament they lament which doo féele their sinnes But it appéereth not now as it did in the old time it is not doone with that preparation I grant that the custome then was that those moornings should be publike now the consideration of the age in our time suffereth not this Againe I might answer that certeinlie the forefathers had the promise of eternall life as we haue but moreouer and that the promises of the land of Chanaan and the increase of séed and these temporall blessings were more earnestlie offered vnto them than vnto vs. Matth. 6 33 These things are also promised vnto vs for if we First seeke the kingdome of God the rest shall be ministred vnto vs. Howbeit these things are generallie promised vnto vs they are nor so often repeated We are in greater light therefore we rather applie our mind vnto the better promises Thereby perhaps insue lesser sorrowes in the losse of temporall things 42 This must the rather be called to mind least we be disquieted when we perceiue that Dauid was so vexed 2. Sa. 12 13. whereas neuertheles God had said by Nathan that his sinne was put awaie Whie Dauid sorrowed though his sinne were taken awaie Those things are not repugnant in themselues for it was vndoubtedlie taken awaie and forgiuen bicause it happened not vnto him to eternall death which he deserued This bond which he had procured was extinguished by the mercie of God Further he deserueth to be slain as touching the life of the bodie but God did not slaie him Moreouer the aduersities which happened were not punishments of God in his anger but fatherlie chastisements to preserue discipline that he might the more déepelie acknowledge sinne take héed vnto himselfe from thence foorth and that others also might be made to beware Neither ought Papists therefore to make a purgatorie bicause God forgiueth sinne in this life and punisheth in an other For the holie scriptures haue nothing at all concerning purgatorie but they shew that the godlie shall straitwaie after death be blessed Howbeit if we should grant them which yet we must not grant them that God would punish the godlie in an other world yet might not the church with hir keies mitigate these punishments as the punishments of Dauid and of others this thing standeth in the pleasure of God The xiij Chapter Of Praiers and of the intercession of Christ wherein is intreated of speaking in a strange toong of Musicke and of hymnes In Rom. 1. verse 9. Two kinds of praiers THe praiers of the godlie are diuided into two kinds For some be at set times as be those which are vsed in a publike congregation at appointed and prescribed daies I mean vpon the Lords daie and vpon such other daies as are assigned by the church for publike praiers Further it is the dutie of a christian man to haue houres also appointed euerie daie wherein he maie praie vnto God and that thrée times fiue times or seuen times in a daie as his businesse will suffer him An other kind of those praiers there is which are called
vncerteine for we vse them so often as anie present danger vrgeth vs. But Paule saith Rom. 1 9. that he alwaies maketh mention of the Romans in his praiers and in some bookes is added the aduerbe 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Euerie where although some copies haue blotted it out There were Heretiks which were called Messalians of them the Tripartite historie maketh mention The heresie of the Messalians or Eutichs they attributed all things vnto praiers and that so much as they did derogate both from the word of God and also from the sacraments affirming that all these things doo nothing profit but what commoditie soeuer we haue the same commeth by praiers And they could not abide to labour with their hands or to doo anie other thing If a man had vrged them to worke they would haue said that the same should nothing at all profit séeing we ought to doo nothing but praie Whereas the apostle neuerthelesse warneth expreslie 2. Thes 3 10 that He which laboureth not ought not to eate He also writeth that A man ought not to neglect the care of his owne 1. Tim. 5. 8. especiallie of his houshold which fault if anie man commit he should be taken as one that had renounced his faith But passing ouer this superstition we must attribute verie much vnto praiers séeing this is the nature of the children of God The nature of the children of God is to praie often euen for the most part to giue themselues vnto praiers for that is to acknowledge the prouidence of God For while we beléeue that a man can obteine nothing which is not giuen him by God we are oftentimes prouoked to praie humblie for his aid in such necessities as doo happen And while we praie we doo no lesse submit our selues vnto God than the claie is subiect vnto the potter for we chéeflie make our praiers that whatsoeuer we desire we may haue the same if it be his will And forsomuch as in praieng the mind is led awaie from carke and worldlie cares and is wholie carried vp vnto God there ought nothing to be more pleasant vnto vs than to occupie our selues in this kind of studie And it is to be lamented at this daie that the maner of praieng is so worne out of vre among Christians that it is a thing but rarelie vsed and especiallie in so great a light of the Gospell and of the holie scriptures It is no maruell then though all things doo wax so cold Certeinlie A similitude heat dooth there increase where the light can not easilie passe through but is heaten backe againe and as they saie reboundeth to the vpper parts Wherefore this lower part of the aire which compasseth the earth is most hot bicause the beames of the sunne which strike vpon the earth being not able for the thicknes thereof to perse doo rebound backe againe be in a maner doubled whereby the heat is stirred vp In like maner ought it to be in our harts when the light of Gods word shineth vpon them for when we haue receiued it we ought to returne it vnto God in making praiers vnto him to performe those things in vs which he hath commanded which he hath vouchsafed to reueale vnto vs. When we speake to God and God to vs. For when we read the scriptures God speaketh vnto vs but when we praie we speake vnto God And we ought verie often to vse this dialog that when we heare in the holie scriptures that God either reuealeth himselfe or commandeth anie things we againe for our part may desire of him that those things be not spoken in vaine vnto vs but may be doone with profit and fruit 2 We be also taught by Paule so to order our praiers that we praie not onelie for our selues but also for our neighbours Further Rom. 1 10. when he praieth that he might haue a prosperous iornie vnto the Romans he signifieth that our works should begin with praiers if we will haue them to haue good successe But some are feared awaie from calling vpon God bicause they saie he heareth them not But they ought to be confirmed séeing they heare that Paule was oftentimes let from going vnto Rome and yet continued he still in the same desire and vsed to repeat the selfe same praiers Yea and in the latter epistle to the Corinthians 2. Cor. 12. ◠he writeth that he desired no lesse than thrée times to be deliuered from the sting of the flesh vnto whom yet at the last answer was made that it was sufficient for him to haue the grace of God Wherfore either we be heard at length or else if that which we desire be not granted there is something granted in the stéed thereof far better and more profitable vnto our saluation God dooth oftentimes defer our requests Why God dooth oftentimes defer our requests to the end as Augustine saith in a certeine homilie that we may learne to desire great things with great feruentnesse Others are called awaie from praiers bicause they thus determine with themselues Although I desire not these things yet God will doo that which shall séeme good vnto him neither can his will be altered by my praiers But these men vnderstand not that God before he granteth anie good thing vnto his elect is woont excéedinglie to kindle their minds with a desire to obteine those things Why God will haue vs to praie for that which otherwise he is readie to giue Further when he will doo anie thing he stirreth vp those that are his to desire that which otherwise he would haue doone to the intent that for honour sake he might attribute the same vnto their praiers This is also another cause for that Gods benefits are then the more acceptable when they are craued and desired Moreouer in praieng our minds are more ioined vnto God Yea and these vowes and holie desires séeme to be nothing else but ladders and degrées whereby we ascend vp vnto God Neither doo the godlie doubtlesse while they praie thinke that by their praiers they deserue those things which they praie for That praiers be no causes of the benefits of God Why then wilt thou saie are praiers made I answer that they be as certeine waies and spaces whereby we come vnto that which we earnestlie desire Wherefore GOD will grant vnto vs those things which shall séeme to him profitable and conuenient but yet he hath decréed to giue them by these degrées not that praiers are the causes of his benefits but bicause they be as it were a waie wherby we must atteine to those things A similitude If thou wilt go vnto a riuer thou must go that waie which leadeth thither whereas neuerthelesse that is not the cause whereby thou commest to the riuer for if thou lacke powers of the mind and strength of the bodie thou goest thither in vaine A similitude And when a Schoolemaister goeth to the Schoole
in the word of God caution 5 Neither may that broken and quauering Musicke be lawfullie reteined wherewith they which be present are so hindered as they cannot vnderstand the words though they would faine doo it caution 6 Furthermore héed must be taken that in the churches nothing be sung without choise but onelie those things which be conteined in the holie scriptures or which are by iust reasons gathered out of them and doo exactlie agrée with the word of God For if there should be a windowe opened vnto the inuentions of men it were to be feared lest ecclesiasticall Musicke would at length turne to fables and trifles Yea we sée alreadie that there are brought into the congregation manie fond Sequences as they call them and fabulous hymnes and manie other things also which rather stirre vp laughter and lothsomnes than true faith to the hearers The hymns of Ambrose I speake not these things as though I would dispraise the hymnes of Ambrose and other hymnes which be of that nature forsomuch as I iudge that by them the faithfull may be instructed The Symbole of Athanasius The psalms of Augustine and of Chrysostom and also admonished The Symbol of Athanasius séemeth also méet to be allowed and the psalmes of Augustine against the Donatists and the psalmes of Chrysostome if they were extant whereof the ecclesiasticall historie of Eusebius in the 7. booke maketh mention For whatsoeuer things were written in them we must beléeue that they agrée with the holie scriptures and that they further the edifieng of the faithfull in the church But contrariewise the psalmes of Valentine The psalms of Valentine of which Tertullian maketh mention must of all other be condemned and with them the most corrupt psalmes which were sung in the temple in the honour of Paulus Samosatenus as the historie of Sozomenus declareth But now to conclude the matter I affirme that godlie religious songs may be reteined in the church and yet I grant No precept in the new testament for singing in the congregation that there is no precept giuen thereof in the new testament Wherfore if there be anie church which vpon iust causes vseth it not the same cannot be iustlie condemned so that it defend not that the thing it selfe of his owne nature or by the commandement of God is vnlawfull and that it doo not for the same causes either reprooue other churches which vse singing and Musicke or else exclude them from the fellowship of Christ For the church of Alexandria as it hath béene said before either vsed verie little singing or well-néere none at all For they sawe the infirmitie of the people to be such as they gaue more héed vnto the harmonie than vnto the words So that if we shall perceiue in these daies that the christian people doo run vnto the churches as vnto a stage plaie where they might be delighted with piping and singing in this case wée must rather absteine from a thing that is not necessarie than to féed their owne pleasures with the destruction of their soules The xiiij Chapter Of Death of Consolation of Moorning and Buriall in what state the soules of the godlie are before the resurrection WE ought not to séeke for the fruit of Christs actions in his owne person onelie In 1. Cor. 15 12. The fruit of Christs acts doth redound vnto vs. séeing it most of all redoundeth vnto vs neither did the diuine nature take vnto it the humanitie in Christ to the intent it would shut vp his benefits within the precincts thereof but by the same it would deriue the force of his goodnesse vnto the rest of the parts of our nature So that the same concurreth verie well Cyrillus which Cyrillus writeth in his Treatise vpon Iohn namelie that GOD the word hath after a sort assumed the whole humane nature For albeit as touching the substance he onelie put on a particular man yet by the same he quickened and sanctified the rest Euen as if a sparke of fire shuld suddenlie catch hold A similitude and inflame a parcell of haie indéed it would first take hold of that which were ioined therevnto but afterward passing through by little and little If Christ remooued sinne he also remooued death it would kindle the whole stacke of haie were it neuer so great The diuinitie did first remooue all sin from the man which it assumed and by remouing sinne remoued death Secondlie through Iesus Christ himselfe it tooke awaie sinne from the beléeuers according as Iohn said Iohn 1 29. Behold the lambe of God which taketh awaie the sinnes of the world And if so be that he haue put awaie sinne from them he hath also driuen awaie death therfore so that we beléeue in him the life of resurrection shall be giuen vnto vs. Seeing we be iustified wherefore are we subiect vnto death But some will saie If we be iustified foorthwith so soone as we beléeue and that sinne is taken awaie wherefore dooth death remaine vnto vs We answer that notwithstanding by the mercie of GOD and through Christ sinne shall not be imputed vnto vs yet the same resteth still in our flesh and we are bound euerie daie to put off the old Adam For during the time that we shall kéepe still anie part of the reliks of his oldnesse euen so long shall we carrie death about with vs. Wherefore we shall once die at the last that we may put off what infection soeuer we gat vnto vs by the first Adam and a bodie altogither changed shall be restored vnto vs in the time appointed ¶ Looke the fift and sixt epistles at the end of this booke Of moorning for the dead out of the booke of Genesis vpon the 23. chapter verse 7. That it is lawfull to moorne for the dead 2 But now let vs speake of moorning for the dead Let our proposition be that It is lawfull to moorne for the dead First this is apparent not onelie by the example of Abraham but for the most part also of the fathers Looke Iu 2. Sam. 3. 31 and 35. verse 41. vers 33 35. Christ in the 19. of Luke wept ouer the citie that was to be destroied and in the eleuenth of Iohn when Lazarus was dead and that his sisters wept he rebuked them not It is not for Christians to haue that mind void of all affections as the Stoiks would haue it They themselues boasted thereof yet thou shalt not find that they had such affections If Tertullian in his booke De patientia and other fathers at anie time saie that the dead ought not to be moorned for this vnderstand thou not of moorning at all but of moorning immoderatelie according as Paule saith in the first epistle to the Thessalonians the fourth chapter verse 13. I would not haue you sorrowe concerning them that sleepe as others sorrowe which haue no hope Faults they be if thou moorne immoderatelie that is
concerning the nature of death changed by the goodnes of God how of a damnable nature it is made profitable vnto vs not onelie those things which we haue spoken of doo put vs in mind Rom. 3 25. Heb. 9 10. but this also namelie that the same in Christ was made an onelie sacrifice pacifieng and reconciling vs vnto God Yea and our death also if we be ioined vnto Christ and die for his truth is made an acceptable oblation vnto God so as we are said to be offered vp vnto him ◠Tim. 4 6. euen as Paule wrote vnto Timothie I saith he am sacrificed or offered and the time of my departing is at hand Psal 116 15 And in the Psalmes it is written Pretious in the sight of the Lord is the death of his saints But there followeth an excéeding great reward after such a death for If so be as the apostle writeth in the same epistle we die togither 2. Tim. 2 12. we shall also liue togither if we also suffer togither we shall also reigne togither But what can more ease vs of sorrowe than to acknowledge that Christ tooke the same death vpon him Wherefore for that which he hath suffered why should we so sorowe and lament if it happen vnto vs séeing he died without desert but we most deseruedlie Neither could the diuine promises or rather the league couenant and testament be more aptlie or better confirmed vnto vs for euen as it is said vnto the Hebrues Heb. 9 16. Not anie one of these is ratified vntill that death doo come Bréeflie Christian men may manie times drawe out of the scriptures these and such other like comforts But let them not maruell if that all sorrowe be not vtterlie taken from them for the Lord will that death shall be gréeuous Neither did Christ indure the same without sorrowe and teares Matt. 26 38 c. yet neuerthelesse they shall doo these things in such sort as the limits and prescribed bonds shall not be excéed And finallie it may appéere easilie by that which hath béene spoken what things of the Gentils mentioned since the beginning of this disputation ought to be reteined by vs and what must be refused We confesse that the pleasures of the flesh as corporall things must be mortified but yet we grant not that they procéed of the bodie vnlesse it be by accidentall meanes in that it is corrupted with sinne But we denie it to be an vtter enimie vnto sciences as Plato or Socrates hath affirmed for as we haue alreadie expressed the senses of the bodie doo verie much further to the atteining of them And that we be much drawen awaie through preseruing of the bodie it selfe from the searching out of the truth and from diuine things we doo not easilie grant it to be in godlie men For they while they referre all things to the glorie of God and Christ doo bestowe little or nothing vpon the bodie that is not doone well and according to vertue But admit that it dooth happen sometimes through our fault in such sort as thou affirmest thou oughtest not therefore to inferre that the bodie is ill rather séeke thou that the faults therein may be amended But we vtterlie reiect that kind of consolation namelie that death must in no wise be lamented bicause there is no remedie for the same For we beléeue the resurrection according as Christ and the holie scriptures haue taught vs. Of Buriall 9 Whether it be anie thing expedient for the dead to be buried or to be left vnburied In Gen. 23. verse 7. Whether it be any thing expedient for the dead to be buried The Poets haue said that it is expedient namelie Virgil in the sixt booke of his Aeneidos on this wise Nec ripas datur horrendas aut rauca fluenta Transportare priùs quā sedibus ossa quiêrunt that is Nor from these fearefull banks nor riuers boarse they passage get Till vnder earth in graues their bodies bones at rest are set Moreouer the common sense of all nations dooth well-néere agrée with this opinion The Iewes were verie diligent in annointing The Romans burned the bodies with great pompe Suetonius reporteth that togither with the dead carcase of most lewd Nero was burned a great abundance of spices and pretious odors Our Papists at this daie and in ancient time manie Christians prouided that in remembrance of the martyrs their bodies should be safelie laid vp In the first booke of kings the 13. chapter verse 20. the prophet of God threateneth an other prophet who did eat bread in Bethel contrarie to the commandement of God that his carcase should not come into the sepulchre of his fathers But if so be that the matter had not forced it should not haue béene appointed as a punishment And in the second of kings the 22. chapter verse 19. God promiseth vnto Iosias that bicause he wept rent his cloths and sorrowed for the wickednesse of the people he should be brought into the sepulchre of his fathers In the second booke of Samuel verse ◠the second chapter the men of Iabes-Gilead are commended and blessed by Dauid bicause they shewed kindnesse vnto Saule and Ionathas for they buried them But and if so be it had perteined nothing vnto them what kindnesse had they vsed vnto them In the 79. psalme Dauid complaineth Psal 79 2. that the vnbeléeuing tyrants which were destroiers of the people of God left vnburied the dead carcases of the seruants of the Lord to be meat for the fowles of the aire and to be torne with beasts of the féeld But if so be the matter forced not the prophet would not haue sorrowed or lamented for the same These things notwithstanding That it nothing auaileth the dead to be buried or not verse 4. we are of the same mind that Augustine is of in his little booke De cura suscipienda pro mortuis that It nothing auaileth the dead as touching their saluation whether they be buried or lie vnburied In the 12. of Luke the Lord saith concerning them that persecute the Christians When they haue killed the bodie there is no more for them to doo The Lord denieth not that they cannot triumph against them that they cannot scorne them or that they cannot cast them out to the beasts and birds but there is nothing else saith he that they are able to doo against them that can be felt that shall be gréeuous or shall bring them anie harme All the haires of the head are so numbred Matt. 10 30. as they cannot fall without the will of the father Matthew the tenth Euen so those things which be doone about the dead bodies of martyrs vnlesse it were the will of God they should not be doone but if those should be hurtfull to their saluation how could it be that God would not turne them awaie from such as he loueth Augustine intreateth of these things in his first booke De
afflicted the Hebrues and also were aduersaries to the true worshipping of God I knowe likewise that there was a certeine other man named Polychronius The cauils of Polychronius confuted by Oecolampadius verse 4. which was bold to affirme that this place of Daniel must not be vnderstood of the resurrection of the dead but he groundeth vpon no firme reasons and he is confuted by Iohn Oecolampadius a verie learned man Further we sée that by Iohn the apostle in the 20. chapter of the Apocalypse the verie same things well-néere and in the same order are taught as they be written by Daniel where we read that there were seates placed and the iudgement appointed againe it is added that they did liue againe which suffered death for Christ Lastlie this we may saie euen that which we brought for making plaine that place of Ezechiel namelie if they will haue it metaphoricallie taken that by the resurrection of the dead is shewed the state of the people of the Iewes after the death of Antiochus it must in verie déed be determined that there is a resurrection of the dead otherwise a similitude or parable cannot be deriued from thence verse 4. Why Daniel was commanded to seale vp the booke 49 Furthermore God commandeth the prophet that he should seale vp the booke for a time which must not so be wrested as though GOD would not that these prophesies should be read and knowen séeing prophesie is giuen to the intent it should edifie and teach But the holie ghost prophesieth by Daniel that the negligence of men in reading and knowing the word of God should be great and that therfore for their incredible slouth the holie bookes should be sealed vp from them to the intent they should vnderstand nothing of spirituall things And therfore he prophesieth that the incredulitie should be great and he that beléeueth not vnderstandeth not the secret heauenlie things Yea and at this daie among christians what a verie great number maist thou find that would be counted and called by that name which neuer read the Gospels throughout We may also interpret that the bookes of God are sealed vp as touching our senses and humane reason 1. Cor. 2 14. for A naturall man dooth not perceiue those things that be of God yea not onelie they be sealed vp to him but they séeme to be foolishnes These things are open vnto them to whom the Lambe hath opened Apoc. 5 5. to whom onelie as we read in the Apocalypse it is giuen to open the sealed booke Ouer this there be manie which read the holie bookes recite them vnto others and instruct others vnto whom neuerthelesse they are sealed vp bicause they in verie déed haue no sense nor experience in themselues neither doo they tast what things they read teach R. L. Ben-Gerson thought that by this forme of spéech God commanded the prophet that from these visions he should take nothing awaie nor yet adde anie thing thereto ouer and besides At the end it is written Manie shall run into diuers parts Dan. 12 4. and shall passe by and knowledge shall be multiplied By these words let others vnderstand what they will to me it séemeth that the time of the new testament is foreshewed when as the apostles are sent to preach the Gospell ouer all the world Therefore when they had wandered among all nations the saiengs of the prophets became much more plaine than they were before as well for the great abundance of spirit that was powred out as also for that the prophesies may be a great deale better vnderstood when they be fulfilled than before when they were reuealed And these things I thinke to be sufficient for this place 50 Now I come vnto the prophet Osee A place of Osee as touching the resurrection declared God promised sundrie times that he would once destroie death whereby is manifestlie gathered that wée must beléeue the resurrection of the dead the which being taken awaie death reigneth and cannot be said to be abolished Esaie in the 25. chapter saith verse 8. I will destroie death for euer and I will wipe awaie the teares from all faces and I will take awaie the rebuke of my people for euer These things be manifest but Osee in the place now brought did more vehementlie and effectuallie speake the same From the hand of the sepulchre will I deliuer them Ose 13 14. and from death will I redeeme them O death I will be thy plague O graue I will be thy destruction verse 54 This place did Paule vse in the 15. of the first to the Corinthians as an euident testimonie Neither must it mooue vs that he followed not the Hebrue veritie but the Gréeke interpretors for albeit he change the words yet he departed not from the sense The translation of the seuentie interpretors was then better knowen and was well-néere in all mens hands and so Paule dooth sometimes vse the same that euen the Gentils might vnderstand that those things which he taught were extant in the holie scriptures But as to the meaning of the prophet thus it standeth He a little before had inueihed bitterlie against Ephraim that is against the kingdome of the ten tribes prophesieng destruction and most certeine ouerthrowe vnto them for their idolatrie and wicked life afterward he gaue the comfort which I haue rehearsed to wit that they should be deliuered and plucked out from death and from the graue But thou wilt saie How may it be that these things are not repugnant one with another namelie that they should be vtterlie cut off and that they should be deliuered But there must be a difference put betwéen the Israelits For on the one part manie of them were of a most obstinate mind cleauing vnto idolatrie and to most gréeuous sinnes to these belonged destruction bicause they repented not On the other side there were among them some good men holie men and true worshippers of God who notwithstanding that they were to be wrapped in other temporall calamities yet should they be deliuered and to them properlie belongeth the comfort which is brought But the aduersaries will yet vrge more earnestlie and saie We doo not read that the ten tribes were restored nor deliuered from the graue of their captiuitie some of them perhaps returned but they came not by great companies neither was anie more restored the kingdome of Ephraim that is of the ten tribes This indéed is true and therefore GOD in comforting them did not promise temporall redemption or the deliuerance of this life but the blessed resurrection with euerlasting felicitie And he saith that he will redéeme them from the graue and that he will deliuer them from death and saith that he will be the plague of death and the destruction of the graue A rule in reading of the prophets In reading of the prophets we must oftentimes vse this rule namelie that we should vnderstand threatenings to take place as
word of God is sinne And in a certain oration of the confession of faith It is a fall saith he from faith and a crime of excéeding great pride either to start backe from that which is written or to admit that which is not written Iohn 10. 17 And he addeth a proofe Because my sheepe heare my voyce Neither are we bound saith he to heare others than the shéepheard And that he might affirme his saying the more he brought a place vnto the Galathians Gal. 3. 15. No man altereth a mans Testament or addeth thereunto And if so great honour saith he be done to the testament of a man howe much greater must bee done to the Testament of God And in the exposition of the Créede which is attributed vnto Cyprian after the recitall of the Canonicall Scriptures By these things saith he are gathered what soeuer is necessarie to saluation And against the Aquarians he alwaies appealeth from custome vnto the holie Scriptures and vnto those thinges which Christ himselfe did And in an Epistle vnto Pompeius he hath manie things to the same purpose Ierom. Ierom also vppon Ieremie the 9. Chapter The Elders saith he must not be followed as touching errors but faith must be sought for out of the holie scriptures Chrysostome vppon the 7. Chrysost Chapter to the Hebrewes Euen as they which giue rules haue no néede to teach a thousand verses but a certaine fewe by which the rest maie bée vnderstoode euen so if we would onelie hold fast the Scriptures of God not onelie wée should not fall our selues but we should also call them backe which be falne And this he prooueth by that which Christ said Iohn 5. 39. Search ye the Scriptures in which ye thinke there is eternall life Againe Yee erre Mat. 22. 29 not knowing the Scriptures And he citeth the place of Paul Whatsoeuer things are written Rom. 15. 4. are written for our learning that by patience and consolation of the Scriptures we may haue hope Lastlie he bringeth al those places the which are cited by me a little before and in his oration de profectu Euangelij vppon the place of Paul vnto the Philippians Phil. 1. 18. Whether by occasion or by enuie c. If ye would holde fast these words saith he ye may encounter with heretikes But vpon the Epistle to the Galathians de Diuite Lazaro he hath manie things much more euident Abraham aunswereth They haue Moses and the Prophets Luk. 16. 29. Here Chrysostome sheweth saith he that greater credite ought to be giuen to the scriptures than if a man should rise againe from the dead And he addeth that we ought not onelie to giue more credite to the worde of God than vnto dead men but also more than vnto the Angels as Paul hath admonished Gal. 1. 8. Also if an Angel from heauen shall teach you an other Gospell than that which wee haue taught let him be accursed 16 Furthermore it is certaine The Church iudgeth by the word and by the spirit that the libertie of the Church must not be taken awaie But the Church hath alwaies iudged by the word and the spirite Therefore it is now méete also that it should iudge as it list For what did those most auncient writers when as yet there were no fathers If then the Church iudged by the word and the spirite why maie it not now also iudge in the same sort For the Fathers vndoubtedlie meant to helpe the Church not to depriue the same of her libertie But they are woont to saie that in the Apostles times was onlie an infancie of the Church and that afterward the same grew more and more to perfection These things are not to be confuted but to bee laughed at For woulde to GOD that wee could attaine to the lowest steppe of the Church which was in the Apostles time Howbeit admit that the same were the infancie of the Church as ye affirme but if so bee that they were then able to aduaunce the Church by the word and the spirit why can not wee now also promote it after the same sort For there bee manie thinges alwayes in the Church which ought either to be renewed or taken awaie iudging by the spirit and holie scriptures those thinges which the fathers ordained either by giuing consent vnto them or dissent from them according as we are now in a riper age of the Church than they were But how do these men estéeme of the Fathers If for age sake we also shall one day become fathers and those schoolemen which were fiue or six hundreth yeares past shall now bee fathers And so there will neuer bee anie certaine number of the fathers But they saie that the Scriptures are obscure and therefore that there is néede of Fathers to bee interpretours But the fathers were also obscure and therefore there was néede of the Master of Sentences But séeing the Master of sentences himselfe might séeme to be obscure there was néede in a manner of infinite commentaries And hereof arose verie manie sectes disagréeing in opinions one from an other so that some were called Scotistes others Thomistes others Occamistes others were called by other names Neither certeinlie can it be denied The fathers Councels Traditiōs erre and are sometimes one against an other but that the fathers erred often times Cyprian erred as concerning the baptisme of Heretikes Tertullian as touching Monogamia that is the Mariage of one wife and others after another sort Councels also did oftentimes erre as we haue aboue declared at large Lastly the traditions do other while erre are repugnant in them selues The tradition of Ephesus was that the Christians should celebrate Easter vppon the 14. daie of the moneth as the Iewes did and they ascribed the same vnto Iohn the Apostle and Euangelist But contrariewise the Romane tradition was that the Christians should not celebrate Easter but after the 14. daie of the moneth least they might séeme to agrée with the Iewes And of this tradition they make Peter and Paul to be authours Either of both is Apostolicall yet both of them maie not be allowed Panormitanus But Panormitanus de electionibus in the Chapter Significasti saith that the vnlearned if they bring the Scriptures must be more beléeued than the Pope the whole Councel if they deale without the scriptures A man that was a Canonist although hée oftentimes erred in manie other things yet could he sée this Paul saith 1. Cor. 14. 29. When anie man prophesieth let the rest sit still and iudge The fathers when they interprete the scriptures doe not they Prophesie Wherefore we must as it were sit and iudge of their sayings 17 But they saie that then at the leastwise the Fathers are to be allowed The fathers are not to be allowed in all things wherein they agrée together when they agrée among themselues No verilie not then alwayes For the consent of
wise it stood with the common weale of Rome In the miserable most daungerous times It created a Dictator who behaued himselfe as a Monarch It appointed also a Senate hauing respect vnto vertues and merites By reason whereof it might be called a gouernment of manie Howbeit in the most weightie affaires and in confirming of lawes and decrées the matter was brought vnto the common people of Rome by meanes whereof it was iudged to be a gouernment of the people 10 Cyprian writeth vnto Cornelius the Bishoppe of Rome Cyprian that he laboured much with the people that they which are fallen might haue pardon Which if it might haue béene giuen by him selfe there had béene no néed that he should so greatlie haue trauelled in perswading of the people Augustine And Augustine against the Donatistes sheweth the same when he saith We must then cease to excommunicate if the holie people shall be infected with one and the selfe same vice For it will not saith he consent to excommunication but will defend and maintaine him whom thou shalt excommunicate Wherefore this right pertaineth vnto the Church neither ought it to be plucked from the same against which opinion they chiefly are Excommunicatiō must not be committed to one Byshop or Pope which would haue the same to be committed vnto one Bishop or Pope because they saie that a bishop is the vniuersall Church as they speake virtuallie But at this daie we sée that he is oftentimes the whole Church as I maie so saie viciouslie This vnderstand thou of them that be euil that deale tyrannouslie They are woont to saie that this is therefore to be doone that tranquillitie maie be kept For if so be that consent of voices should be left vnto the multitude there wil be tumults and seditions raised vp But these men ought to consider that the Citie of Rome was in better state when it suffered those broiles of the Tribunes and people than afterwarde when it was come vnto Tyrantes For in those turmoiles of the people thou maiest perceiue some good and wholsome laws continuallie to be made and manie wicked were condemned By meanes whereof the Romane common weale flourished and stood But when it was come to the Tyrannie of one it suffred Neroes Domitians Caligulaes and Commodoes and other like pestiferous persons Euen so when excommunication was turned to one man thou maist often times sée him with great abuse excommunicate others who is himselfe excommunicated and cut off both from Christ and from the true Church which thing is in no wise conuenient to be doone For he that commandeth a man to be banished it is necessarie that he himselfe haue the right of the Citie And that the Bishoppes of Rome be excommunicate and be strangers from the Church A proofe that the Pope is excomunicated frō the Church Gal. 1. 8. the Epistle to the Galathians doth sufficientlie teach where it is said If anie man shall preach any other Gospel than we haue done let him be accursed And that they doe teach otherwise than doe the holie Scriptures it is so euident as it néedeth no proofe Further it is required that they which be excommunicate should be present neither can it therefore be that they which be in England or in Spaine should be condemned by them which be at Rome Of this matter as we haue aboue declared The Councell of Africke did the councell of Africke complaine And Cornelius the Bishoppe of Rome in the time of Cyprian sent backe to bee absolued into Africa those which were there excommunicated Tertullian And Tertullian in Apologetico Chapter 39. writeth that iudgements were giuen in the Church with great consideration as with them that were assured of the sight of God and that there was a singular prouidence of the iudgement of God the elders or Priestes sitting as chiefe who attained vnto the degrée and honour not by reward but by testimonie that is to wit because they were allowed for their life maners 11 There is a saying of some The opinion of them which say that excommunication is not needfull that in times past séeing Magistrates were Ethnickes excommunication might take place but not at this daie when as the Magistrate is a Christian who with the sword and ciuil punishments taketh awaie euill from among the Cities and Church But let these men know that there be manie vices whereat the ciuill lawes do wincke as adulteries drunkennesse euill talke and such like kind yet cannot those things be suffered of the Church Againe the Magistrat doth oftentimes punishe by monie by a certaine exile and prisonment for a time which punishments being performed he restoreth them to be citizens neither requireth he anie repentaunce but the Church cannot reconcile vnlesse they be such as be penitent Wherefore let not iurisdictions be confounded The difference betweene ciuil power and ecclesiastical power in reconciling Let one be ciuill and an other Ecclesiasticall Yet doe we not denie but that princes or a Magistrate hath that principall power by which although he exercise not all offices and all Arts in a common weale yet doeth he prouide that all things be doone in due order 1. Chro. 15 25. c. 2. kings 12. 2. king 18. 4 2. kings 22. c. And if so be that the ministers of the Church behaue not thēselues well he correcteth them as Dauid Ioas Ezechias and Iosias reformed the religion and Priestes 12 Now let vs sée When excōmunication must be vsed Augustine The Donatists when excommunication must be vsed Augustine in the 3. booke against the Epistle of Parmenianus and in manie other places against the Donatistes writeth that the same must be vsed when there is no danger of schisme The Donatistes did vrge him obiecting that the Catholikes haue no Church because they wanted excommunication On the otherside Augustine obiected Cyprian who in his Sermon de lapsis Cyprian complaineth that certaine bishoppes of his time were greatlie corrupted who notwithstanding the poore did starue they would possesse plentie of siluer they drew lands vnto them by craftie practises and by manifolde increasing of vsuries they made their gaine the greater from whom neuerthelesse Cyprian did not seperate himselfe and yet neuerthelesse we must not beléeue but that he had a Church Therefore Augustine saide If it maie be doone without schisme let it be had if otherwise let vs staie our selues For that would be to séeke destruction and that which was inuented for charitie sake would be repugnant vnto charitie He also bringeth the parable of the tares Mat. 13. 29. The parable of the tares wherin Christ would not haue the tares plucked vp least the wheate should be destroied together with it And he calleth to minde the example of Christ Iohn 12. 6. Mat. 26. 21 Iudas communicated with the Lord. who forbare Iudas whom he knewe to be a thiefe and did communicate with him in the institution
ye say sometimes without Christ aliantes from the common wealth of the Israelites straungers from the couenauntes of the promises without hope in the world and without God And in the Epistle to the Philippians he teacheth Phil. 3. 3. which is the true and spiritual circumcision For we saith he are circumcision Which is the true spiritual circumcision which serue the Lord in spirit and glory in Christ and haue no confidence in the flesh And to the Colos he writeth Col. 2. 11. In whom saith he ye are circumcised with circumcision not made with handes by putting off the sinfull body of the flesh By which place we sée as we haue before also noted that forgiuenesse of sinnes is to be put as well in circumcision as in baptisme Wherefore Augustine in his booke against Iulianus the Pelagian in that part wherein he heapeth vp a great many of authorities of the fathers reprooueth the Pelagians by these wordes of the Apostle for that notwithstanding they denyed originall sinne yet they baptised their infantes for séeing they affirmed that in them is no sinne how could that baptisme as Paule saith be circumcision not made with handes by the putting off of the sinfull flesh These places of the Apostle serue very much to expound the meaning and nature of circumcision In Deut. the x. Deut. 10. 16 Chapt. the Lord saith Thou shalt circumcise the vncircumcision of thine heart neither shalt thou harden thy neck In sted of vncircumcision the Chaldey interpretour hath Tephashot that is foolishnesse thereby signifying The first ground of sinne that the first ground of sinne herein consisteth that we are blind to all thinges pertayning to God and that we are in all heauenly things blind and want the knowledge of God The promise which circumcisiō sealed The 70. interpretours haue 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is hardnesse of heart The promises which are offered vnto thē that are circumcised are those that God is made our God the God of our séede in which onely thing we haue the horne of plentie that is the summe of all good things Hereof also springeth our felicitie and consolation in all affliction They were thereby also put in minde of the mortifying of the flesh that is of the cutting away of superfluous pleasures And moreouer by it they professed true religion And briefly thereby was signified the couenant made with God These were the thinges signified and the matter of this sacrament and doe pertaine truely vnto the nature and substance thereof Why circūcision was cōmaunded of the part of generation 18 Now are there two thinges remaining to be discussed The one is why circumcision was commaunded to be marked in the member of generation the second why it was commaunded to be doone the eight day Out of Augustine in diuers places we gather that therefore God would haue it so to be to put vs in minde that originall sinne is by generation drawen from the parentes vnto vs and that euen as the foreskinne being cut off in the parent dooth notwithstanding return againe in the childe which is begotten so originall sinne being remitted vnto the parentes buddeth vp again in the childrē which are brought foorth We are thereby also admonished which we haue now oftentimes said that the league of God pertaineth not onely vnto vs but also to our children which we beget Finally by that signe was chiefly signifyed that Christ should spring of the séede of Abraham Circumcision is no ridiculous thing Neither ought we here to follow our owne sense or humane reason to thinke that to be a thing ridiculous or of small force which God himselfe hath instituted For otherwise the crosse of Christ and the Gospel are an offence vnto the Iewes and foolishnesse vnto the Gentiles Neither ought we to iudge of thinges diuine according to that which is shewed outwardly Diuine things must not be iudged according to outward sight 1. Kings 5. 11. Otherwise Iulianus and Celsus made a laughing matter that the aple was forbidden our first parentes And Naaman the Syrian thought it a ridiculous thing that he should be seuen times washed in the riuer of Iordan Neither doubt I but that there were some which derided Moses when he cast the wood into the bitter waters Exo. 15. 25. to heale their bitternesse In our dayes also very many maruaile how it commeth to passe that the stealth of one halfpeny bringeth eternall destruction The word of God is of great weight But these men ought to remember that these thinges are not to be considered according to their owne force but vnto them must be added also the weight of the word of God which vndoutedly is of so great weight as it weyeth heauier than the whole world Neither is there any thing so vile and abiect but that whē the word of God is added thereunto it is made notable and excellent In déede kinges and princes of this world haue a care to haue goodly and honorable seales But as touching the promises and giftes which are by them sealed they oftentimes deceaue men But God when he vseth euen the most abiect signes neuer deceaueth any man The seales of God consist not of honourable things Now will I speake in a word or two of the consideration of the eight day The Hebrewes affirme that such is the dignitie of the seuenth day that of it all thinges obtaine I know not what force and strength Wherefore they thinke that after the seuenth day there commeth into the infant newly borne so much strength that he is able easily to abide the paine of circumcision But let vs leaue vnto them such fained toyes and let vs rather thus thinke That the eight day betokened the resurretiō of Chri Col. 2. 11. that in the eight day was betokened the resurrection of Christ and therewithall ours Which may easily be perceaued by Paul for he saith that in circumcision was signifyed the cutting off of the sinnes of the flesh But the sinnes of the flesh can neuer be perfectly cut off from vs vntill we are come to the holy resurrection All the whole time of this world and the time of this whole lyfe The whole time of this life represēteth a wéek representeth a wéeke of dayes But the eight day signifyeth the resurrection There is moreouer an other reason not to be contemned namely that a child being so newly borne is able to doe nothing of himselfe as touching the attainment of righteousnesse Wherefore hereby we be admonished that iustification commeth not of our workes And although it were so in the right of circumcision In Baptisme we are not inioyned to any certaine number of dayes yet are not we in baptisme bound to any certaine number of dayes For Christ hath made vs frée from this kinde of obseruation Howbeit there haue bin some which haue gone about in baptisme also to compel Christians vnto the eight day But those the
stock of that Patriarch Saluation is not attributed to the generation of the flesh not that we attribute this to the generation of the flesh as vnto the chiefe and true cause For as our owne saluation is so verily is altogether the saluation of our children of the méere election and mercie of God which oftentimes goeth together with naturall propagation Weigh with thy selfe that euen they be elected of God which be also borne of the saints as we sawe it came to passe in Isaac which was the seed of AbrahaÌ„ Rom. 9. 7. not only according to the election but also according to the generation of the flesh The promise is not generall touching all the seede Not that it dooth alwayes so happen of necessitie because the promise is not generall as touching all the séede but of that onely in which the election together consenteth Otherwise the posteritie of Ismael and Esaw were of Abraham But because we ought not to be ouercurious in searching out the secret prouidence and election of God therefore we iudge the children of the Saintes to be Saintes Séeing wée be ignorant of the secret predestination of God we hope wel of the children of the faithful so long as they by reason of their age shall not declare themselues straungers from Christ We exclude them not from the Church but imbrace them as members thereof hoping well that as they be the séede of the Saintes according to the flesh so also they be partakers of the diuine election that they haue the holy ghost and grace of Christ And for this cause we baptise them Neither must they be heard which mooue a doubt of this matter and say A Cauill What if the minister be deceaued And what if for a very trueth the childe be not the childe of promise of diuine election and of mercie As the profession of a man of ripe age may be a false tokeÌ„ so to be borne of the faithfull is no true signe Because the same cauill may also be as touching them that be of lawful age For we also knowe not whether they come fainedlie or whether they beléeue truely whether they be the children of predestination or of perdition whether they haue the grace of Christ or whether they be destitute thereof and doe falsely say that they belieue Why doost thou baptise them I know thou wilt say This I doe because I follow their outward profession which if they falsifie it is nothing vnto me So we say that the Church dooth therefore imbrace our children and baptise them because they pertaine vnto vs. And that is vnto the Church such a token of the will of God as outwarde profession is in them that be of ripe yeares For as it may be deceaued in the one sort so also it may be in the other There is nothing so certaine but it may be otherwise And so not all so many as are baptised are either saued or predestinated to eternall life Neither can we by any other meanes discerne betwéene the baptised who belong vnto saluation and who be not the sonnes of God but that we dailie iudge of them by their workes 8. Against the Anabaptists Wherefore the Anabaptistes must not be heard which will not haue children to be baptised Because they deny originall sinne therefore they will haue them tary till they come to yeares whenas now euerie one hauing sinned by choyse and fallen by his owne will and infected with vice hath matter to be washed away by baptisme From these men we disagrée as far as heauen is wide Originall â—n prooued Rom. 5. 12. séeing we altogether confesse originall sinne For it is prooued in the Epistle to the Romans where it is said that by one man sinne entred into the world by sinne death Whereby it appeareth that sinne is there wheresoeuer death hath taken place Therefore séeing infantes dye it is of necescitie that they be subiect vnto sin And many other testimonies there be in the same Chapter which most manifestlie prooue this originall sinne And we haue in the psalme Psal 15. 7. For behold I was borne in sinne and in sinnes hath my mother conceaued me And Christ said Iohn 3. 5. Vnlesse a man be borne anew of the water and of the spirit c. Whereby is manifest that if it behooueth vs to be borne againe we be borne in sinne And vnto the Corinthians the 2. Epistle and 5. Chapter Verse 14. it is said of Christ That one dyed for all men But and if he be dead for all it is manifest that the infantes also had néede of a redéemer And when it is said vnto the Romans Ro. 5. ver 6. 8. 10. Christ dyed for them that were sinners enimies and weake and vngodly it followeth that infants also are such in their owne nature wheÌ„ they be born vnlesse we wil say that Christ dyed not for them which is against the iudgement of Paul now alledged And in the booke of Genesis it is shewed Gen. 8. 21. what the imagination of our heart is euen from the very childhood and deliuerance from the mothers wombe Wherefore the Hebrewes haue often in their mouth Ietser haraa an euill imagination which they take out of that place of Genesis And we read in the booke of Iob Iob. 14. 4. Who can make clean that which is conceaued of an vncleane seed Where the séede of man is called vncleane which cannot be otherwise referred but to originall sinne For if thou shalt weigh the naturall causes the séede of man hath no more vncleanesse in it than hath the séede of other liuing creatures Ephe. 2. 3. And to the Ephesians We were by nature the childreÌ„ of wrath as others be Where that word Nature sheweth that this euill is drawen with vs euen from the beginning Why Parents regenerate doe procreate childreÌ„ with original sin And although that they be Christian parents yet because they beget not with that part wherein they are clensed anew with the minde I meane where faith hath place by which they are reconciled vnto God but with the body with the flesh which while we liue here haue not altogether put off their vncleanesse as it is deriued from Adam so dooth it drawe with it his infection and blemish So then we disagrée very much from the Anabaptistes for both we confesse originall sinne which they deny and doe also teach that childreÌ„ ought to be baptised as at this day in the Church Therefore how are the infants of Christians when they are baptised Howe our Infants may be called holie though they be infected with original sinne called holy members of the Church séeing they be corrupted with originall sinne We aunswere that in originall sinne two thinges are to be considered One is the corruption of nature whereby the posteritie of Adam lacketh righteousnesse and are loaden with ignorance and euill concupiscence Then there is a
saie that they shadowe Christian kings to be made Prophets and Priests and also strong wrestlers to fight continuallie with the Diuell the world and the flesh And while they doe these things they expounde them not vnto those that stande by and a great part of their Priests are ignorant of them Besides this if they vnderstande the matter after such a sort séeing they alone will be Priests they disagrée much among themselues Wherefore intollerable is their ambition who by the ceremonies which they haue added doe arrogate vnto themselues onelie that which belongeth vnto all Christians as they themselues also testifie The Papists as much as in them is would pull the Priesthoode from Christ He. 9. 10. But it is no maruell if they be iniurious to other Christians séeing they spare not Christ himself whoÌ„ they feare not to rob of his honor For he as the Epistle to the Hebrews teacheth is our onlie Priest which remaineth for euer and alone offereth the sacrifice of saluation for vs. But these men with an incredible boldnesse haue challenged vnto themselues the ministerie both of the Priest and of the offering Moreouer Paul when he armed the faithfull vnto battell against the world Eph. 6. ver 10. c. Note the flesh and the Diuell he did it by the word that is by wholesome admonition not by oyle neither doe we finde that the sonne of God or the Apostles annointed them whom they baptised But it is no maruel that these men do things which the Apostles neuer did séeing they also teach those things which the Apostles neuer taught Salt added to baptisme The vse of salt was much in the olde Testament for without salt sacrifices were not offered But Christ and the Apostles admitted not that seasoning to the Sacraments of the Gospell So then that which is added vnto Baptisme is selfe worship and no lawfull and sincere administration of Baptisme Spitle added to Baptisme Further why shoulde they haue vsed their corrupt spittle The diuels be no Scorpions whom they would destroy with their spittle In déede there is a certaine propertie of spittle against poysons but that is naturall but to spirituall graces we reade of no power that it hath especiallie when the institution and word of Christ is not applied vnto it But they saie that Christ with his spittle tempered the dust and with that claie wyped the eies of him that was borne blind We know that this was doone but let them shew that Christ commanded that we should doe the like and then we will graunt that they doe it rightly and orderly but they can in no place shew of such a precept Whereunto thou maiest adde that the spittle of a corrupt and infected man to saie no worse ought not to be compared with the spittle of Christ It is therefore a peruerse imitation séeing they learned no such ceremonie neither of Christ nor yet of the Apostles And it maie well be sometime Note that they hurt the infant which they spit vppon if they be infected either with the Leprosie or with the French pockes which is not vnlike for it falleth out sometime that diuerse of them be whoremongers 6 Furthermore I would demaunde of them Waxe candels added to baptisme wherefore they light waxe Candles in Baptisme séeing it is ministred in the day time I am not ignorant that the Christians were constrained in the old time to vse lightes in the holie assemblie because when the Church had no peace of their Princes it was not lawfull for the Christians to assemble in the day time and therefore as Plinie testifieth they had their holie assemblies before dayelight The cause why they vsed lights in the Churches in times past Yea and Ierom against Vigilantius writeth we light not candles in the daie time as thou doest vainelie misreport but we vse light as a tempering of darkenesse that we maie watch till it be daie light least we sléepe with thée in darkenesse c. For in the time of Ierom when the Church had now peace vpon certaine daies there were watches vsed in the temples and there candles being lighted the Christians which watched gaue themselues to prayers singing of Psalmes and hearing of the word of God And this is it that Ierom teacheth that the vse of waxe lightes was not vsed in the daie time but for auoyding darknesse of the night Whereby wâ—…ther that this father acknowledgeth not the vse of waxe candles which are lighted in the daie time and yet notwithstanding in Poperie candles are lighted euen in the Churches at high noone In poperie candles are lighted at high noone The duble consecratioÌ„ of fruits is also superfluous at Easter at Pentecost because the salt water is consecrated when it is applied to an holie vse The priests blowing forth added to baptisme the word of God I meane being added thereunto For then as it hath béene said it is made a sacrament Let them saie moreouer what meaneth the breathing of the Priest before that the Infantes bee baptised Perhaps they attempt to breath the holie Ghost vppon the Infant that is to be baptised But that this is not in mans power all wise men vnderstande For onely God giueth the holie Ghost vnto men But and if they will saie that by such a breathing they driue away the euill spirite who hath giuen them such power But of that matter we will speake more largelie when the place serueth Thrise dipping in Baptisme In vaine also doe they giue precept of the thrée times dipping in the water séeing that once maie bee sufficient and otherwhile a smal sprinkling is enough And therefore in the booke de ecclesiasticis dogmatibus the 7. Chapter the proposition is read not * Categorica simple but disiunctiue that is to wit that after the confession made the partie to be baptised should either be dipped in the water or else sprinkled Yea and Cyprian himselfe allowed the baptisme of them that lie bedred For manie at that time differred baptisme till the end of their life and when as they in that state beeing at the point of death could not be baptized they were onelie sprinkled with water We also demaunde of them Why salt is exorcised wherefore they coniure the salt as though the diuell by himselfe were not salt enough therefore dwelleth in salt that he maie be yet better and more salted The maister of the Sentences in the 4. booke the thirde Distinction of baptisme saith that therein bee some thinges as he speaketh substantiall but othersome that be added he saith that the substantiall things with vs are the word and water but the rest he saith are added for honestie sake for comlines and solemnitie If we shall receiue these things it wil follow therof that Iohn Christ the Apostles and primitiue Church did baptise vnhonestlie vncomlie obscurelie or shamefullie because their baptisme wanted all these things the which as the master
cause of the will of God which is reuealed in them proposition 4 The summe of those things which are conteined in the holie scriptures is the lawe and the Gospell which parts are indifferentlie conteined as well in the new as in the old testament proposition 5 The fift booke of Genesis hath a preface agréeable to the lawe and the Gospell as being that which should be capable both of the one part and the other proposition 6 They which perceiue the knowledge of God taught here by the creation doo obteine the same by faith proposition 7 We beléeue that the world was so made by God that notwithstanding there is auouched no alteration of the will of God Probable proposition 1 HEauen and earth which are written to haue béene first made doo expresse the matter of all things that were to be brought foorth both of the bodies aboue and beneath proposition 2 The spirit of the Lord which was carried vpon the waters may verie probablie be taken for the holie Ghost and for the wind proposition 3 The word of GOD in the bringing foorth of things is a manifestation of his will proposition 4 Whereas GOD might manie waies haue made the world he onelie approoued this waie and therefore it is oftentimes added And God sawe that it was good proposition 5 The euening and morning were made the first daies of the gathering togither spreading foorth of the light before the bringing foorth of the sunne proposition 6 The waters aboue the firmament be in the middle region of the aire A disputation of the article of creation proposition 1 WHen we speak of the creation of things we bring not foorth one thing out of another after Aristotles maner but we affirme all natures as well bodilie as without bodie to be created of nothing by the word of God proposition 2 For God to the intent he would make manifest both his power and his mercie created of nothing an infinit sort of men in the whole nature of things proposition 3 And thus must this creation be vnderstood not that things be here created in such wise as they should haue their being without the counsell of God but God continuallie gouerneth and directeth them as Paule in the Acts saith In him we be we liue and haue our moouing proposition 4 Further the maner of the creation was this First God made the heauen and the earth and those things which be conteined in them proposition 5 Besides this that there might be a certeine mind which should vnderstand this infinit power and wisedome of this creation he made man and gaue him rule ouer his creatures proposition 6 And bicause he had made him after his owne image he commanded also that he should be acknowledged and magnified of him aboue his works proposition 7 And this was no hard matter for man to doo when he had the whole power in his owne hand proposition 8 For the image of God according wherevnto God had made man was the mind it selfe in man in the which mind shined the true knowledge of God and in the will true obedience Propositions out of the first chapter of Genesis Necessarie proposition 1 ALbeit that names are manie times giuen by men yet this also must be referred vnto God séeing the ends conditions from whence things be named be of God and by his procurement he that nameth is rather mooued in respect of one of those things than in respect of another proposition 2 The kéeping backe of waters from drowning the earth we attribute not to the stars but to the word of GOD as also the power whereby plants and hearbs are brought out of the earth proposition 3 The great lights are set for signes to gather thereby the faire and stormie weather to come and the other dispositions of the aire and they be also signes whereby the wrath and mercie of God is perceiued before hand proposition 4 Vnto the signes of heauen must not be attributed a power ouer the reasonable part of our mind neither yet a frée power of things to come proposition 5 Albeit it is said Let the waters or earth bring foorth this or that yet the creation of all things must be attributed to God alone proposition 6 So must we occupie our selues in the bookes of philosophie and in the contemplation of naturall things as we referre all the properties instruments actions and substances of them vnto God the authour proposition 7 Whatsoeuer things are spoken in the creation of man as touching the image and similitude of God doo most fullie agrée vnto Christ and by him are restored vnto vs. proposition 8 In that that man being created according to the image of God is set ouer creatures we gather a rule what maner of elections we ought to make either of ministers of the church or of magistrates proposition 9 The perfection of life must not be weighed by abstinence from eating of flesh proposition 10 The true sabboth is the ceasing from works which be proper to our nature corrupted but not from those wherevnto God leadeth vs by his spirit and admonition proposition 11 All the life of a christian man ought to be a sabboth after the maner before said Probable proposition 1 A Man is said to be created vnto the image and similitude of God bicause since he is made of a reasonable nature and indued with all vertues whereby he should represent GOD he had by God his dominion ouer creatures proposition 2 God hath oftentimes restored by faith vnto the godlie that power ouer creatures which was giuen at the beginning proposition 3 Our bodie is partaker of the image of God bicause it is the instrument wherewith we through our actions doo expresse the properties of God proposition 4 By this reason that a man is indued with the image and similitude of God is declared the nature of true felicitie of vertues and of all laws and whome the church ought to haue for hir citizens proposition 5 When God said Be ye fruitfull and multiplie he commanded matrimonie by which precept all men are bound which can doo that dutie or by a speciall instinct of God are not mooued that in single life they should be more readie to serue the Gospell proposition 6 The eating of flesh was not dispensed with before the floud either bicause men were then stronger or bicause the earth brought foorth better fruits than now it dooth or else that men might more enure themselues to humanitie proposition 7 Whereas in the holie scriptures are taken manie arguments and similitudes wherby we are persuaded to liue well there is a forme giuen vs from plants lights liuing creatures which forme we may vse in other things when they happen Propositions taken out of the second chapter of the booke of Genesis Necessarie proposition 1 MAns soule is not of the substance of God neither hath it the same nature that the soules of other brute beasts haue proposition 2 The soules of men were not
concerning Christ through the persuasion of the holie Ghost vnto saluation proposition 7 Besides the righteousnesse of Christ imputed vnto vs through faith we grant that there is yet giuen vnto those men that are iustified another certeine inherent righteousnesse and that the same is gotten by good works and holie exercises proposition 8 We grant that there is an inherent and gotten righteousnesse and such as is acceptable vnto God and necessarie vnto saluation proposition 9 By an inherent and obteined righteousnesse men though they be holie cannot stand in the iudgement of God proposition 10 To the obteining of Christs righteousnesse and remission of sinnes which by faith we apprehend works doo not concur as part of the causes of them Probable proposition 1 THe ceremonies of the lawe which conteined Christ apprehended by faith may be granted to haue iustified proposition 2 When we saie that we be iustified by faith we iudge that faith must be vnderstood for the disposition and power whereby we be made capable of the remission of sinnes and righteousnesse of Christ proposition 3 We grant that a man is iustified by works howbeit that is touching inherent righteousnesse and reward by the which righteousnes we first obteine a good and holie life of God Propositions out of the xvi and xvij chapters of the booke of Genesis Necessarie proposition 1 THe couenant of the fathers and that which we now haue after the comming of Christ is all one as touching the foundation thereof which is Christ although there be some difference in rites and ceremonies proposition 2 Circumcision and baptisme as touching the matter of the sacrament be all one notwithstanding the difference of the ceremonie proposition 3 The infants of christians when they be borne doo no lesse belong vnto GOD than did in old time the children of the Iewes therefore must they in like maner be baptised with water as those were circumcised proposition 4 A sacrament is an outward signe instituted by God to signifie and exhibite grace to them that rightlie receiue it proposition 5 Sacraments in the old testament not onelie signified but also did exhibite the grace of God proposition 6 Sacraments are no cause of grace but they are instruments which God vseth while he sanctifieth them that be his proposition 7 Sacraments are not so necessarie instruments as God hath altogither tied his power vnto them as though without them he were not able to giue saluation proposition 8 As sacraments cannot without a verie gréeuous crime be neglected so are they receiued with excéeding great commoditie proposition 9 Circumcision is a sacrament deliuered vnto the fathers by God to signifie and exhibite regeneration to those which rightlie receiued it proposition 10 The children of the Iewes although they died before the eight daie vncircumcised yet they were saued and no lesse are the children of the christians if they die before baptisme Probable proposition 1 THe Iewes which at this daie resist Christ by their infidelitie belong not to the couenant of God made to the fathers proposition 2 The promises of GOD are not yet fulfilled in the Iewes so far as concerneth their generation according to the flesh therefore the nation of those men is not altogither strange from the couenant of God proposition 3 When Abraham laie with his handmaid therein did neither himselfe nor his wife sinne proposition 4 Those handmaidens which certeine of the patriarchs married for wiues were not through that matrimonie exempted from the state of bondage Propositions out of the xviij and xix chapters of the booke of Genesis Necessarie proposition 1 THe bowing of the bodie which for honour sake Abraham shewed vnto the angels is not to be accused as belonging to idolatrie proposition 2 It is not necessarilie gathered by the number of those angels or spéeches had betwéene them and Abraham that there be thrée persons in one diuine nature proposition 3 Although the measure of sinnes be certeine beyond which GOD deferreth not his vengeance yet dooth not our naturall knowledge perceiue the same proposition 4 God dooth otherwhile for his elect sake spare countries and cities but he dooeth it not alwaies proposition 5 There can be no lawe set vnto the iustice of God that we should appoint that bicause there are found iust men in place therfore God should spare it proposition 6 A recompensing of sinnes must not be allowed that a man may commit a lesse sinne least another fall into a greater or by anie meanes be vexed proposition 7 Lies though they be officious ought to be auoided proposition 8 God dooth communicate with his ministers the properties of some of his actions proposition 9 The ouerthrowing of the Sodomits dooth shew vs an example of the last iudgement proposition 10 The infants which perished in the destruction of Sodom were not vniustlie punished Probable proposition 1 THey which were interteined of Abraham in a banket and went to ouerthrowe Sodom were angels not the thrée natures which we worship in the holie Trinitie proposition 2 Hope is so much the more increased in godâ—… men as by the diuine grace they are adorned with manie gifts proposition 3 If there be anie place longer spared by God where much wickednesse reigneth we must thinke that God hath there his elect although they be secret Propositions out of the 19. and 20. chapters of the booke of Genesis Necessarie proposition 1 THose things which were not rightlie doone by the fathers we cannot rightlie excuse them vnder this title as to saie that they were no sinnes bicause they were shadowes of the new testament proposition 2 Ignorance dooth not altogither excuse the daughters of Lot from sinne when they laie with their father proposition 3 It becommeth not a godlie man to séeke for comfort in droonkennesse when he is pressed with aduersities proposition 4 Droonkards must be excommunicated proposition 5 In the vice of droonkennesse the alienation of the mind is not sinne but the punishment following immoderate drinking which in verie déed is sinne proposition 6 The obseruation of dreames is not generallie forbidden by God but onelie a vaine and superstitious obseruation proposition 7 It is lawfull to obserue dreames either bicause men by them are otherwhile warned of God or bicause by a naturall consent they shew some things vnto vs. proposition 8 The prophesie which in the holie scriptures is allowed is the power to discerne secrets through the light of God granted vnto men by the holie Ghost without the addition of the doctrine of men proposition 9 There is no necessarie affinitie betwéene prophesie and faith that iustifieth proposition 10 It is proper vnto godlinesse to refer all things vnto a diuine cause Probable proposition 1 THe euils which are committed by droonkards must be ascribed or not ascribed to them according as they haue willinglie or vnaduisedlie béene droonken with excesse proposition 2 Bicause lust doth lesse oppresse the reason than wine dooth therefore droonkards if they commit anie thing amisse are more to
Ecclesiastical discipline is reiected But vnder what deuise or colour it is reiected at this day in many places is woorth the hearing They say that there is a daunger least vnder the colour of discipline the Ministers of the Church should take vppon them tyrannie should correct reprooue and excommunicate for no iust causes but at their owne pleasure Moreouer they say that our Magistrates at this day thankes be to God are Christians and therefore séeing they punish the more grieuous sort of crimes this Ecclesiasticall discipline might séeme to be superfluous Neither doe these good men perceiue that there néedeth not to bee any feare of the Ministers where the rule of the Gospell as touching brotherly correction is obserued For this charge is not to bee committed to the authoritie and wil of one man but in the shutting out from brotherly societie them which will not be amended a consent of the Church must be had by whose authoritie if it be doone no man can iustly complaine of the tyrannie of one or of a fewe And no lesse vaine is that which is brought as touching the Christian Magistrate For a great part of the Princes of our world doe obey the lawes of the Romane Antichrist and therefore are offended with the restored and reformed Churches so farre is it off that they wil doe any thing for their commoditie Further if in any place they bee departed from the Pope and haue Euangelicall Churches within their dominion vndoubtedly they vse in other but temporall and ciuill lawes wherefore they passe ouer manie vices and leaue them vnpunished which neuerthelesse as of the holy Scriptures they are sharpelie reprooued so doe they not a litle hurt vnto the Church of Christ An example thereof may bee fornications drunkennesse riotousnesse such like common mischiefes which in ciuill iudgement are dissembled and of the ill people are laughed at Further the politike Magistrate punisheth verie manie crimes either by temporall punishment or by a payment of monie Which when a man suffereth either in bodie or in purse he is set frée neither is there any further prouision made for the soule of him that sinned but the Church so correcteth and otherwhile excommunicateth as the soule may be saued in the day of the Lorde Nor is he while he is after this manner chastised or made ashamed for a time accounted as an enemie but as a brother is profitably admonished of his saluation The rule of discipline must bée sought for in the scriptures And for the bringing in and retaining of this discipline whereof wee nowe speake the continuall handling of the Scriptures in the Church doth greatly furder For places are there offered continually according to the precepts whereof the life of Christians must be directed Doubtlesse manie things profitable enough are otherwhile taken out of the fathers and Canons of councels as it cannot be denied but yet those things that haue bin drawen out of the verie Armorie of the holie Scriptures are farre more mightie and of more efficacie to mooue the mindes And to the intent that so it may be and to be the more profitably doone it behooueth to institute schooles of diuinitie Schooles of diuinitie which may be certaine storehouses and garners of your Churches whose corne of the Ministers vnlesse prouision be made that it may be renued it will easilie be consumed within one or two ages Wherefore let children of the Church vnto whom God hath giuen a strong health and a wit not vnapt for studies be exercised in Ecclesiastical schooles let them learne the tongues whereby they may the more néerely and familiarlie vnderstand the newe and olde Testament And howe we ought with a religious sobrietie and prudent dexteritie to handle the holie Scriptures in Christian Schooles I woulde declare in many wordes and more at large sauing that wee are alreadie admonished thereof to our great harme by the wicked examples of Papisticall schooles Those things that belong vnto edifying What things ought to be read in the schooles of Diuinitie let them be there oftentimes rehearsed and by reading and ouer reading the Bookes of the holy Bible let them that be taught from God not thinke it grieuous to note with all diligence all the places that belong héereunto those let them haue in readinesse distinguished I say into certaine common places and orders Which may be so often and in a maner continually repeted in the memorie that finallie when neede shall require they may offer themselues of their owne accorde Tit. 3. 9. That vnprofitable questions must be reiected But as for superfluous questions which alwayes haue contentions ioyned with them and as Paul saide vnto Titus are vnprofitable and vaine I iudge must be altogether shunned in a Christian schoole For whatsoeuer time we bestowe vpon them all that is cut off from the knowledge of the worde of God which without doubt is most profitable And whereas this miserable life is verie short oftentimes with sundrie occupations enféebled it is in my iudgement no sound counsell but a méere madnesse to fall from the serching out of necessarie thinges to séeke out superfluous and other while pernicious things What maner of Ecclesiasticall Pastors must bée chosen But as there ought to be preferred vnto Schooles expert teachers of this methode and studies so out of them afterward must be chosen and promoted to the ministerie Pastors which haue béene exercised in such holy schooles and haue verie much profited both in Godlinesse and learning whose part shal be so soone as they be called to that office to be wholly occupied in those thinges which belong to their heauenly father of which they must not yéelde any thing vnto flesh bloude parents kinfolkes friends princes or kings And because they are commaunded to preach vnto the people not onely forgiuenesse of sinnes but also repentance therefore vices as they deserue must be reprehended not lessened or diminished as is doone of them which serue not the Lorde Iesus Christ but their bellie Ro. 16. 18. But this wil not they doe which be not of a valiant and bolde spirite But if for that they be men they shal perceiue themselues to be striken with feare or to be mooued with any affection let them not forget the words of God vnto Ieremie Beholde I haue giuen my wordes into thy mouth Ier. 1. 10. Beholde I haue placed thee this day ouer nations and kingdomes that thou maist roote out and destroy scatter plant Doutlesse mightie and great are these workes but of the Pastors of the Church they cannot bée doone by armes sworde or other outwarde power Also they bring them not to passe by the small terrifying or menacing threats of humane words which are deuised of a boldnesse without abilitie to perswade For you shall sée many rash fellowes thunder vainelie out of a pulpit but after their thunder-clappes followeth lightenings of towe or straw yea rather bubbles which fasten no stroke
sacrament And if a man doe diligentlie weigh his words scant any age shall be fit for baptisme For that he thinketh it to be denied to young mē also to them that be vnmaried as persons subiect as yet to temtation and faults as if albeit old men be lesse with lust inflamed yet they be not vexed with gréeuous kinds of temptations Neither was Tertullian so néere of one time to Higinus as you suppose For Higinus was bishop in the yeare of our Lorde 140. but Turtullian florished vnder Eleutherius in the yeare 210. Nowe whereas Higinus doth onely decrée of the Godfathers to infants it appeareth they were woont to be baptised before that For he that ordaineth the manner of a thing doth surely deale in a matter that was extant before I denie not that in the primitiue times baptisme was sometimes differred for all were not baptised in their infancie Yet none of right beliefe denied baptisme to infants if they were offered to receiue the same Which if you thinke not so to be it were conuenient you should shew some one who withhelde children from the sacrament of regeneration There was indéede one among them who gaue aduise that baptisme should be differred till thrée yeares end if it might be in respect of the childrens strength which happily he supposed because children of thrée yeares old begin then to remēber somwhat But he in any wise denied not that they should be baptised before thrée yeares if they were in daunger of life or if it séemed good otherwise to their parents In sum the time of baptisme at the beginning was not preciselie set yet was it neuer denied to children that were offered Concerning Origen it is certaine he saith that the baptisme of children is a tradition of the Apostles And this reason he alledgeth because euen they also haue their corruption to be washed away and your allegations are found in his commentarie vpō the Epistle to the Romanes and are to be vnderstoode of them that be of riper yeares For in those dayes many of elder yeares were conuerted vnto Christ and many that were borne of Christians differred their baptisme for certaine yeares when as we haue alreadie saide no time was prescribed Of such then doeth Origen complaine that in that age the sacrament of baptisme was not so plainly and cléerelie declared as in the Apostles times and that the Apostles began baptisme at them that were of riper yeares there is no question But that they did not baptise children withal by what scriptures will it be prooued To Ludouicus Viues vpon the 26. Chapter of the first booke De ciuitate Dei what else should I answere but that he is deceiued when he saieth that none but of ripe yeares were baptised of old For Cyprian who was after Tertullian about 40. yeares resisted them in the Councell who thought that the eight day was to be tarried for in baptising of children whereby nowe you sée that euen then children were baptised and that the question of the time onely was disputed of Wherefore both Viues and Erasmus might in this matter haue spoken more warily But where you séeme to denie baptisme to infants for my part I doe contrariwise by al meanes affirme and beléeue the same as a thing which out of the scriptures is cléere ynough vnto me Now if you admit Originall sinne to be in children and yet will not permit them to be baptised you are not of Origens iudgement whom I cited before vpon the Epistle to the Romans But that Ruffinus rather than Origen should be authour of those thinges that there bee read howe shall we knowe So the same might be saide of his Commentaries vppon Genesis Exodus and other bookes Truely I am faine to reade Origen as he is translated sith the Gréeke coppies are not commonly extant And as you alledge for your opinion Origens testimonies both out of these Commentaries vpon the Epistle to the Romans and out of his Homilies vpon Leuiticus so shoulde you likewise admit those thinges that we take from thence Which neuerthelesse whether you haue gathered them out of his Commētaries or out of his Homilies vpon Leuiticus or vpon the Numbers they make but to this that verie manie at those dayes of ripe yeares were admitted to the Sacrament of Baptisme And the like woulde at this day come to passe if God would graunt that the Turkes shoulde receiue Christ This déere friend in Christ is that which now I would shortlie runne ouer Which I pray God you may at the length acknowledge with me to be true Certaine it is that Paul had no power but to edification Nor doe I who do easilie acknowledge the meanenesse of my giftes thinke my selfe to haue receiued any thing of the Lord which is not due to the edification of the Church of Christ The cause of religion I am for my part readie to further in all things which I shall iudge agréeable to holie writ But if you be not yet of the same mind that I am God may bring to passe that one day you will thinke as I doe The question of childrens baptisme hath béene once or twise disputed of héere for scholasticall exercise sake not that God bée thanked I haue founde anie héere who déeme otherwise thereof than the Church at this day beléeueth To write vnto you what foundations in the scripture our faith of childrens baptisme dependeth vppon I haue thought superfluous partlie for that I discoursed them vnto you at large when you talked with me partlie for that you may reade them in bookes published by men most notable aswell for their learning as for their Godly iudgement I wish you in the Lorde well to fare From Oxforde the first of December 1550. For Martin Borhaus his salutations I thanke both him and you Of your saluation in Christ most desirous Peter Martyr Here followe letters of M. Peter Martyr to certaine Englishmen To a certaine friende of his 35. SYr your Letters full of courtesie which you wrote vnto me were so welcome as I do giue you excéeding great thankes for them Vndoubtedly herein I receaued most comfort by them that I vnderstande you are so mindefull of me and doe perceiue that this is doone for no other cause but that you haue a verie great loue of godlinesse and to the holie scriptures Therefore since you loue God in me and the labour though it bee verie small which I bestowe vppon the Church I reioyce in this your good wil and affection And I pray and beséech almightie GOD againe and againe that he wil daily more and more increase the studie of godlinesse holie doctrine wherwith he hath hitherto adorned you I sorrowe vnspeakeablie that there is euerie where in England so great a penurie of the worde of God and since they which are bounde to féede the shéepe with the doctrine of Christ are of such faint courage as they vtterlie refuse to doe their duetie I knowe not with what teares and
4 233 b How Christ is the foundation thereof 4 83 b Church malignant The Romish Church is not the true Church 4 90 ab 2 b Whether shee is to be called Catholike 4 70 b 71 a 2 631 b 632 a What they that haue departed from her must do Full of superstitions 2 631a b 632 a Malignant 4 95 a Markes and notes thereof 4 94 ab 95 a Degrees of orders therein 4 132 a Neither Catholike nor Apostolike 4 93 a Greatly annoyed the Church of Christ 4 77 b ¶ Looke Papistes Pope Rome Church triumphant The triumphant Church vsed no strange language 3 311 a Churches Churches be publike places and not the possessions of priuate men 2 353 b Manie doe still reteine circumcision 4 110a Why they vsed lightes in them in times past 4 127 b Howe necessarie the visitation of them is 4 9a An order therein and which must bee taken for the better 4 2 b The vnitie of the dispersed described 4 82 a All be catholike and equall 4 71 b Papisticall consecration of them 4 124 b 125 a 66a Of the Churches of Adrian and why they were so called 2 352 b Schooles and Cathedrall Churches commonly went together 4 7 a What workes become Christian Churches 4 66 a Why golde was giuen vnto them 3 323 a They had seruice in their mother tongue 3 310b What reuerence ought to bee had of them 4 65 b Howe they must be adorned 4 66 a The beginning of superfluous expenses in them 4 67b Diuers particular haue fallen 3 64 b That Images are not to bee set vp therein 2 35â— b 351 ab Churchgoods Whether the vse of Churchgoods is to be inuerted 4 31b 32 ab 33 a Whether Churchgoods be at any priuate mans giuing 4 33 a For what vses they may be deliuered to princes c. 4 32 b 33 a Ci. Cicero Cicero wisheth that he had neuer béene wise 1 11 b Circumcision Circumcision still reteined in manie Christian Churches 4 110 a Baptisme and it compared 4 118 b Whether it tooke away originall sinne 4 102 a 104 a Why it bound men to obserue the whole lawe 4 110 a The manner thereof vsed among the Iewes 4 111 a The couenant of the same was before the thing it selfe 4 201 a Whether it profited vnto saluation 4 102 a 104 b What was confirmed thereby 4 98 a How it is saide to haue had remission of sinnes 4 108 a Of what things it did put in minde 4 108 b 109 a Before it there were some signes of the sacrament 4 110 a Whether baptisme and it differ not c. 4 104 a Doctrines thereabout disâ—enting 4 102 a Of women among the Aegyptians 4 111 a Why it was commaunded to be doone the eight day 4 109 ab What is to bée iudged of infants dying without it 4 110 ab Whether the knife seruing for it were of stone 4 111 a Why it might be reteined in the primitiue Church for a time 4 109. What thing therein is temporal and what perpetuall 2 375 b It was the sacrameÌ„t of regeneration among the Iewes 2 594. Cauils against it 4 111 b It was no bare signe 4 102 ab Paul speaketh both honourably and contemptuously thereof why 2 589 a At what time it was not vsed of the Iewes 2 577a It was spred among forten nations 4 111 a Why it was commanded of the part of generation 4 109 a The promises which it sealed 4 108 b 109a How it is meant that the soule which receiued it not the eight day should be cut off 4 110 ab 122 ab Why it is nowe néedelesse among Christians 4 112 a Why god wold haue the Iewes receiue it being yet infants 4 111 b Why they were in the couenant before it was receiued 4 119 a Which is the true spirituall Circumcision 4 108 b ¶ Looke sacrament Circumstances Of what force Circumstances be in actions 2 514 b 5â—5 a How they do aggrauate or attenuate sins 2 554 ab 414 b How they dispense with actions and make them excusable prooued 2 288 a They do somtimes restraine the commoÌ„ vse of things 3 108 b Actions are to be iudged by them 3 264a b Eight which be conuersant in actions 2 287 b Howe the scriptures determine touching them 2 292 b Circumstances for the which Dauid augmented the punishment of theft 2 517 b 518 a ¶ Looke Actions Occasions Cities Whether the destruction of Cities belong to the seruice of God 2 403 ab Two Cities the one of God the other of the diuell 3 32 a To what end the Cities of refuge among the Iewes serued 4 110a Citizens The part of good Citizens taught by a contrarie doing to Cato 2 393 b 394 a Why Citizens must be sworne to defende their magistrates 4 298 a Effeminate 3 188 b Cl. Cleane This worde Cleane diuerslie vnderstoode 3 116 ab God maketh meÌ„ Cleane and how they are saide to make themselues cleane 3 13 b ¶ Looke Sanctified Clemencie A definition of Clemencie and in whome it is an ornament 2 415 a 248 b Noted in diuers Princes 4 302 b 303 a Of Augustus Cesar 4 262 b 263 a The obiect effectes and extremities of the same 2 415 ab Howe it doeth diminish punishmentes 4 262 a Méete for Princes 4 248a Great vse thereof euen in the Iewish lawes 4 262 b When it must be vsed 4 248 b ¶ Looke Mercie and Pitie Cleargie men Whether Clergiemen may got to warre 4 286. 287. 327. Why they be exempted from tributes and customes 4 34 a Diuerslie punished for marrying 3 194 b To be admonished corrected of Princes 4 235 b Whether it were lawfull for Princes to exempt them from their subiection 4 239 a bound to obey higher powers 3 34 b In case of adulterie they admit no reconciliation of their wife 2 488 b 489 a Diuers orders of them acknowledge by scripture 4 55 b Married by decree of the Canons 3 193 b From what burthens or charges they are exempted 4 239 b 240 ab Deposed by Iustinian for vsurie 1 525 b Their loose life in these daies noted 2 526 b Prohibited to play at dice or to bee present thereat 2 525 b What titles they vsurpe nowe a dayes 2 381 a Popish charged with singular negligence 3 193 a ¶ Looke Priestes Ministers and Prelates Co. Cogitation What affectes doe spring from the Cogitation 2 405 b The force thereof 2 565 ab ¶ Looke Imagination Colleges The vse of schooles and Colleges 4 7 a Of colouring the face Reade at large 2 507. v. 508. 509. c. ¶ Looke Face and Painting Combate Whether a Combate betwéene twain be lawful 4 308 a Whether it maie be for safetie of a whole armie 4 31â— b The difference betwéene it and warre 4 308 ab The inconuenience and offence thereof 4 309 a The finall causes why some thinke it sufferable 4 308 b 309 a Whether for oftentation of
Their zeale without knowledge pitied 2 560 a Whether we be more vnhappie than they which haue no answeres of our affaires 3 260 b Why they endeuoured to haue many children 2 430 b 431 a They appointed two Messiases 3 346 b They themselues doubted not that Christ should change their Ceremonies 2 579 a Which of them beheld Christ in their sacrifices 2 582a Compared to a lasciuious and wanton wife 2 579 b Why they boasted of the Lawe in vaine 2 580 b Suffered in Rome to practise vsurie 2 472 b They and the Israelites compared 2 446 a Cruellie vsed by Antiochus 3 352 b Their state and that they deserued not their election 3 18 b 19 a It is Gods wonderfull worke that they endure to this daie 2 599b Whether they at this day be coÌ„tained in the league made with Abraham 2 598 b 599 a The meanes that God vsed to haue them remember his lawe 2 577 b To what end they so dispersed are preserued 2 599 b Why God would haue them being Infants circumcised 4 111 b They are our witnesses howe 2 599 b Their maner of circumcision 4 111 a That they had not the holie Ghost disproued 2 592 b Destroyed by the Macedonians 2 596 b Who of them had the spirit of Christ and who not 2 595 a Why God gaue them Manna in the wildernesse 2 591 b They auouche that nothing of the olde Lawe should be chaunged 2 587 ab They had Exorcists among them 4 129 b 130 a Howe it can bee saide that God spake not to them as touching sacrifices 4 44 ab Whether they were ignoraunt of Christ and his doctrine 4 105 b 106 ab They haue added manie more degrees forbidden to marrie vnto them that are expressed by God 2 148 a The Samaritans and they had no conuersation 2 446 a Whether they vnderstood the promises which were sealed by the ceremonies 4 105 ab They oppressed the auncient Church 4 93 b 94 a Whether they heard of the preaching of the Gospell 4 4 ab They suffered for the Lawe of GOD. 3 282a Whether they be more noble than the Gentiles 4 313 b God deliuered them three maner of ways from tyrannie 4 329 a Their stocke pure and vnmixed 4 312 ab What lot the debtors among them had 4 315 a No Nation had Lawes so proper to them as they had 4 312 b An example of their obeying the Magistrate 4 226 b They had no executioners 4 264 a But a remnant of them saued 3 21 a In what respects their steppes are to bee followed 2 325 b Their constancie against the Macedonians and Romanes 4 243 a What forme of a common weale they had 4 226b 227 a They carie the Bible about with them but beleeue it not 2 329 a What thinges they should be prohibited to vse among Christians 2 330 a What we haue to learne by the scattering abroade of them 2 329 a They wander abroade retaine their owne Lawes wheresoeuer they become 2 328 b God hath set a marke vpon them what 2 329 a They and the Gentils signified by the parable of the prodigall sonne and the elder sonne 2 328 b Whether they abused and corrupted the holie bible as some haue charged them 2. 329 ab They shal bee receiued into the Church at the latter dayes 2 328b They are a testimonie vnto christian religion 2 329 ab Why they refused to dwel among Christians as saieth Augustine 2 328 ab 329 b Their common wealth was most auncient 4 312 b Ig. Ignorance What kinde of Ignorance excuseth sinne 4 301 a Two sortes one of negation another of euill disposition 2 571 b Of the fact and of the lawe 4 301 a A kinde of Ignorance in infants counted sinne 2 225 ab Of a kinde of Ignorance laide by God vppon men as a punishment 2 292 b Ignorance is in all the wicked sort of men but yet they are not excusable â— 292 b 293 a What the holie Scripture determineth of that Ignorance which hath repentance following it and of the contrarie 2 292 ab Ignorance which hath not sorow following it maketh vs guiltie 2 293 a He that doeth a thing through Ignorance is ignorant but not contrarie 2 286 b It is one thing to doe through Ignorance and other thing for the doer to bee ignorant 2 286 b Of a generall Ignorance and a particular and which of them excuse 2 287 a True godlinesse cannot bee ioyned with Ignorance 2 259 b Voluntarie is not in that whith is doone by Ignorance 2 286 a What kinde of Ignorance doeth not holde a man excused 2 288 b 289 a Why generall Ignorance maketh not a man to doe against his will 2 287 ab Howe Ignorance can be called the cause of a thing doone against the will 2 288 b It is prooued that euill men doe not things through Ignorance but ignorantly 2 286 b 287 a Euerie Ignorance is not sinne of Angels ignorance 2 571 b Probable Ignorance may in some part excuse sinne 2 426 b Ignorance of Christianitie reproueable in Christians 2 311 a What the scripture determineth of the Ignorance which excuseth and excuseth not 2 292 b Socrates his meaning in condemning himselfe of Ignorance in all thinges 2 541 b 548 b Of two kindes of Ignorance incident vnto men the one hauing repentance following it the other not 2 286 a Im. Image The definition of an Image with the matter the forme and ende of the same â— 332 b 334 a It is among those thinges which appertaine to qualitie 2 333 b Daniels example wrongfully alledged for the defence of Image worshipping and why he was not cast into the fornace with his fellowes 2 319 b 320 a The Papistes confuted for saying that they worshippe not the Image but the thing signified 2 350 ab Of the Image of God in man according to error and according to truth 1 29 a 12 b 123. 124. 125 a 4 â—71 b 172 a 223b 612 b To swarue from the Image of God is sinne 2 576 a That a woman is and is not the Image of God and after what maner 1 124 a Christ the Image of God and how 2 615 b 1 124 a Howe the Image of Christ is begunne in vs 3 10 b In what respect it may and may not bee made 2 340 b Crucified vpon the crosse 2 354 b 355 a Painted with Asses eares in despite 2 341 b What hath beene feigned of the same painted in a cloath c. 2 335 a Images Images distinguished 4 103 a They may haue a good vse and what that is 2 355 ab Into what groue errors men fell by worshipping of them 2 336 a Altars are not to bee erected vnto them 2 351 a What it is to worshippe them 2 344 b Diuers worthie men that destroyed and defaced them 2 351 ab For what things the vse of them is good 2 341 b The worshipping of them reckened amongest the
366. 367. 368 369. Whether it shal be with the same substance and flesh 3 360 a Why the article thereof is very hardly beleeued 3 327 b Of the order and disposition of bones in the Resurrection 3 349 b Figures and types of our Resurrection 3 381 a A diuision of the doctrine of Resurrection into certaine points 3 329 b 33◠a The subiect of the same 3 331 b A pondering of the probable reasons which make for it 3 333b Whether it was altogether vnknowen in the olde Testament 3 346a Whether it be naturall 3 333 a Whether all things which haue past from our bodies shall bee restored then 3 366 a Vnto what predicament it belongeth 3 331 a Whether it belong also to the wicked 3 345 b Whether Christ were the first that auouched it 3 340b Partly denied by ouermuch lamenting for the dead 3 316a Ezechiels vision warranteth our Resurrection 3 349 a The Chaldean paraphrastes opinion touching Resurrection 3 348 b Whether the Eucharist profite vnto the Resurrection 3 362a A difference betweene the good and bad in their Resurrection 3 392 b The Resurrection testified by a similitude of herbes ◠348a A confutation of the reasons brought against it ◠364b 365. 366. That it shall bee in a place 3 363 a The certeintie of Resurrection 3 54 b A place of Esaie touching it expounded 3 347 b 348a To come to the latter is to haue part in the first and how 3 369 b 370 a Testimonies out of the newe Testament for proofe thereof 3 355 ab 356 ab What the Resurrection whereby the saintes shall reigne with Christ a thousand yeares doeth teach vs. 3 358 b The Resurrection from the dead an excellent great miracle and of some which in the old Testament and the newe were restored from death to life 1 72 ab Two sortes of Resurrection in the scripture 3 332b 333 a Of the spirituall Resurrection and what it is 2 567 a Dauncing on the Resurrection day vsed of Christians in Syria 2 506 b The Resurrection of Christ betokened by the eight day 4 109 b Certaine proofes and types of Christes death and Resurrection 2 608 b 581 b An image and patterne of ours 3 362b 357 a The Resurrection of Christ the triumph of our faith 2 621 b It furthereth our saluation 2 624 b Why Christ did eate drinke after his Resurrection 3 358a 1 88b Howe it went beyond nature 2 624b The fruite of Christes Resurrection 2 623 b Howe faith is occupied therein 2 609 b Two worthie things to bee noted in the Resurrection 2 622a 1 116 b 117 a 3 362 b What body Christ had after his Resurrection 4 186 ab Whether Christes bodie after his Resurrection were visible 2 639 ab Rest Howe the worde Rest is to bee vnderstoode and of Gods rest on the seuenth day 2 374 b What manner of Rest we should vse on the sabboth day 2 375 a Restitution Of foure folde seuen folde and eight fold Restitution 2 518 ab Reuelation Diuerse meanes and wayes of Gods Reuelation 3 240 b A Reuelation by a dreame reported by Augustine 1 75 b Who they be that waite for the Reuelation of the sonnes of God 2 248ab Manifest Reuelation vnderstoode by these wordes the day 3 240 b How the Reuelation of the sonnes of God is waited for of all creatures 2 247 b 248 a Reuenge Two kinds of Reuenge the one publike the other priuate 2 417 b 279 a Priuate Reuenge in no case lawfull prooued by Christ and his Apostles 2 387 ab 388 a 4 289a 290. 279 ab In what cases priuate Reuenge is lawfull 4 327b 328 a 2 414 a 417 b 418 a Reasons to withdraw vs from priuate Reuenge 2 557 b Howe we may know that priuate Reuenge is not lawfull 1 49 b Who they bee that thinke thereupon 1 109 b Priuate Reuenge allowed and disallowed 2 487 ab 4 284 ab A kinde of Reuenge in case of adulterie not allowed 2 490 b 493 b By contumely and who vse it ◠529 b What is to bee thought of the priuate Reuenge of Moses Phinces and others 2 389 b Whether Samson did well or ill in praying that he might Reuenge himselfe vpon his enemies for the losse of his eyes 2 418. Publike Reuenge displeaseth not God 4 279 a Why the Scriptures say that God when he doeth Reuenge is angrie 1 207 a The slender meanes that God vseth for a great Reuenge 3 284 b 285 a Reward Reward promised to the workes of the wicked the Ethnikes and hypocrites and what reward 2 263 b 234 a Whether it be due vnto the workes of the not regenerate 3 143 a A Rewarde substantiall and a rewarde accidentall 3 390 b 392 b God is not properly said to Rewarde sinnes 2 263 b Of euill men who fulfilled gods will and receiued a Rewarde 2 572 b A Rewarde giuen by GOD for workes of charitie 2 521 b Eternall life called a Rewarde in scripture 3 28 b Why Paule would not say the Reward of righteousnesse is eternall life 3 53ab ¶ Looke Merites Rewardes Why God by Rewardes stirreth vp men to obedience 2 573 a Of the diuersitie or equalitie of them in heauen 3 390 ab 391 ab Whether such difference bee necessarie 3 391 ab 392 ab Whether we ought by Rewards to bee mooued to the obedience of God 2 573a Gods promised Rewardes pertaine both to the vnperfect and perfect 2 575 a Whether it bee lawfull to doe good for Rewardes sake 2 573 b 574a Wee may loue gaine and Rewardes for Gods sake 2 575 a Rh. Rhetoricke Rhetoricke and Logike interchangeable artes 4 232 a Ri. Rich. Whether it bee vnpossible for all Riche men to bee saued 3 268 a Who of poore were made Riche 3 269 b Riches How God blessed the olde Fathers with Riches 1 148 b Why Riches are added vnto felicitie as necessarie 1 147 a Their state is feruile to what end we haue them 1 146 ab Termed a gilted felicitie 1 147 a Good things howbeit in their owne degree 1 147 a The possession of them is subiect to many casualties as howe 1 146 b 147 a The holie Scriptures testifie that they bee violent 1 147 a Their nature is doubtfull and serue to all vses 1 146 b Of what thing they are the ende according to Aristotle 1 5 a Supposed of some to bee the chiefest good disprooued 1 146 ab In what cases they are to be forsaken and cast away 3 267 b The getting and obteining of them is a violent thing 1 146 ab The possession of them is lawfull for godlie men 3 267 ab Midas called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 for his greedinesse of them 1 146 b With what conditions they may iustlie be retained of the godlie 3 268 ab Diuided into naturall and artificiall of both 1 147 b How they doe besot them that be vitious 1 146 b The gift of God 3 267 a Of their
vp by the wanton intisements of dansing Vndoubtedlie if a man will examine his owne selfe or haue an eie either vnto experience or reason he shall perceiue that in such spectacles the lusts of the mind are greatlie kindled and inflamed and he shall note that men returne home from those danses with lesse vertue and the women with lesse chastitie Further dangers must rather be auoided than nourished for as Salomon saith Eccle. 3 27. He which loueth danger shall fall therein 54 But some will obiect that whereas danses be so against maners and doo kindle lust that commeth rashlie and by chance but euerie thing must be iudged not according to those things which happen by chance but according to those things which be in them of their owne nature There be some so chast and vncorrupt that they can behold these spectacles with a perfect and chast mind I grant that this may somtime happen A difference of accidents But I adde that all accidents are not of one and the selfe-same kind for there be some which happen verie seldome other some are called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is which by their nature may as well be present with as absent from anie thing And there be some which are called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is such as are woont to happen oftentimes and for the most part These last accidents ought in euerie thing to be considered and most diligentlie weighed Neither must we note what may be doone but what is woont to be doone Aristippus Aristippus dansed in purple and being reprooued he made an excuse that he was made neuer a whit the woorse for that dansing but might in that delicacie kéepe still his philosophers mind Howbeit there must be no eare giuen to such words Demosthenes For as Demosthenes saith and the same is cited by the lawiers We must not regard what some one man dooth at one time but what is woont to be doone for the most part Admit we that there is some one man so chast as he is nothing at all mooued with such intisements how in the meane time is the people and multitude prouided for Shall we for the perfectnesse and integritie of one or two suffer all the rest to be in danger But so a man will saie take awaie heare the word of God and manie eate and drinke the holie mysteries to their owne condemnation A certeine profitable distinction Here must we vnderstand that certeine things are profitable to the saluation of men and are commanded by the word of God and these ought by no meanes to be taken awaie And certeine things be indifferent which if we perceiue that they tend to destruction they must not be suffered We haue the lawe of God for hearing of sermons and receiuing of the sacraments but for dansing there is no commandement giuen Wherefore these things must not be compared togither But by meanes of dansings and leapings some saie that verie manie honest matrimonies are brought to passe It may sometimes be so but I was neuer of the opinion that I would haue matrimonies to be contracted by these arts wherein a regard is onlie had to the agilitie and handsomnesse of the bodie There be other means much more honest let vs vse them and leaue these as being shamefull and vnchast Let vs remember that although honest matrimonies are sometimes brought to passe by dansings yet much more often are adulteries and fornications woont to followe of these spectacles Honest dansings We ought to followe the example of the godlie fathers who now and then vsed dansings but yet such as were moderate and chast so that the men dansed by themselues and the women apart by themselues By such kind of danses they shewed foorth the gladnesse of their minds they sang praises vnto GOD and gaue him thanks for some notable benefit which they had receiued But we read not in the holie scriptures of mingled danses of men and women togither But our men saie Who can danse after that sort In saieng so they discouer themselues what they séeke for in dansing Further let vs marke the effects of dansing It is written in Matthew Matt. 14 6. that the daughter of Herodias dansed at a banket which the king made and the king tooke a pleasure in hir whom without shame he could not openlie behold sith she was a manifest testimonie of his vnlawfull matrimonie and of his adulterie The effects of lasciuious dansings For Herod had married the mother of that maiden being his brothers wife Through that dansing it came to passe that Iohns head was smitten off Manie be offended with vs bicause we crie against dansings as against things which are of their owne nature euill and forbidden On the other side we saie that things are not alwaies to be weighed by their owne nature but by the disposition and abuse of our flesh We cannot denie but that wine of his owne nature is good which neuerthelesse is not giuen to one that is in an ague not that the wine is euill but bicause it agréeth not with a bodie which is in that wise affected When the Iews had made themselues a calfe to worship they sat down they did eat they dranke Exod. 36 6. and rose vp to plaie In which place it séemeth that to plaie was nothing else but to danse 55 But least I should séeme to speake and to iudge these things of my selfe I will adde certeine testimonies of the fathers Augustine Augustine against Petilianus the sixt chapter saith that The bishops were woont alwaies to restreine idle and wanton dansings But now a daies there are some bishops which be present at danses and danse togither with women so far off are they from restreining this vice The same Augustine vpon the 32. psalme when he expoundeth these words Vpon an instrument of ten strings I will sing vnto thee maketh those ten strings the ten commandements And when he had spoken somewhat of euerie one of them at the last he commeth to the sabboth whereof it is written Exo. 20 10. Remember that thou keepe holie the sabboth daie I saie not saith he to liue delicatelie as the Iewes were woont to doo For it is better to dig all the whole daie than to danse on the sabboth daie Chrysostome Chrysost in his 56. homilie vpon Genesis when he intreateth of the marriage of Iacob Ye haue heard saith he of marriage but not of dansing which in that place he calleth diuelish and euen there he hath manie things which make for our purpose And among other he writeth that the bridegrome and bride are corrupted by dansing and the whole familie is defiled Againe in the 48. homilie Thou séest saith he marriages but thou séest not danses for at that time they were not so lasciuious as now a daies they be And he hath manie things more vpon the 14. chapter of Matthew Matt. 14 6. where he spake
WHatsoeuer iustice is found in the lawes of men is conteined either in the Ethnike writers or else in the table of the ten commandements proposition 2 All iust and vniust actions maie be reduced vnto the table of the ten commandements euen as all things which be are to the ten predicaments proposition 3 In the table of the ten commandements are taught in few words those things which be most plaine for principles should both be bréefe and euident proposition 4 All things which be commanded in the table of the ten commandements doo verie well agrée with the light of nature proposition 5 The table of the ten commandements is vnderstood of all those which be indued with reason concerning those things which are laid before vs in it at the first vew but those things which it hath in secret are not perceiued except of them which are lightened with the spirit of God proposition 6 In both the tables there are handled thrée kinds of actions namelie of the heart of the toong and of the worke proposition 7 Certeine precepts of the ten commandements were not then first commanded by God when he gaue the lawe vpon mount Sina but long before but in the lawe they are repeated and plainlie set downe for the better expressing of them proposition 8 There are two causes alledged why the sabboth was commanded whereof the one is of the whole commandement and the other is of a part proposition 9 Although that these words Thou shalt loue the Lord thy God with all thy hart c. And thy neighbour as thy selfe be not expresselie had in anie of the ten precepts yet are they the forme and measure of them all proposition 10 Albeit that he which loueth his neighbour hath fulfilled the lawe yet are not so manie commandements of the table superfluous Probable proposition 1 IN the first table we place foure precepts first that he which is the true God should be alone accounted for God The second precept that no other gods or anie images should be placed togither with him The third that his name should be accounted holie The fourth that the sabboth daie be kept But in the second table there are taught six precepts namelie Thou shalt honour thy parents Thou shalt not kill Thou shalt not commit adulterie Thou shalt not steale Thou shalt not beare false witnesse Thou shalt not lust proposition 2 The last precept wherein is spoken of concupiscence is to be comprehended in one not to be diuided into two proposition 3 Onelie two kinds of coueting are recited therein bicause those be the grosser kind and doo more commonlie happen proposition 4 The first commandement and the last doo after an excellent maner answer one to another for both of them giue precept as touching the spirituall motions of the mind for the first requireth good motions and in the last we are forbidden euill motions proposition 5 He that offendeth in one is made guiltie of all for no lesse are the commandements of God ioined one with another than are the vertues of the philosophers Propositions out of the xx chapter of the booke of Exodus Necessarie proposition 1 IN the holie scriptures there séemeth contrarietie attributed to the lawe of God according as it is taken either by it selfe or by the accident or else as it is considered perfect whole or otherwise maimed and vnperfect When it is taken by it selfe and perfect that is not without Christ and faith then it is said to be spirituall quickening and comfortable but contrariewise if it be vnderstood as it dooth happen and not whole that is without faith and Christ it is said to bring damnation death the wrath of God and such like euils proposition 2 The works of the lawe must not be vtterlie denied to be the causes of our righteousnes and saluation but it must be denied that they be the principall and whole causes of these good things the mercie of God in verie déed is the chéefe and verie true cause of our iustification proposition 3 The works of the lawe yea and faith it selfe when it is vnderstood by it selfe that is seuerallie from Christ and the mercie of God as they procéed from vs they haue alwaies sinne ioined with them yea and they be sinnes proposition 4 If we take the lawe without Christ there shall we sée commanded vs things vnpossible and such as stir vp ill affections proposition 5 Séeing God ioined the Gospell with the lawe it behooueth vs that we receiue the same in such wise as it is giuen vs by him so that we separate not the one from the other proposition 6 Albeit that the lawe cannot be fullie kept of anie mortall man in this life yet must not the promises of the lawe be accounted vaine proposition 7 The works of the lawe declare righteousnesse by that which followeth that is by an argument which bringeth in the cause by the effect and by the continuall vse of those works we obteine righteousnesse whereby nature is restored and made perfect but yet are we not iustified before God with it by it selfe proposition 8 Albeit that the works of the lawe are said to iustifie by another thing that is by faith annexed therevnto yet is it not accidentallie bicause the knitting togither of faith with works is of it selfe proposition 9 The ciuill and morall lawes of the old people be abrogated not as touching the substance but as touching the maner obseruations or circumstances but the morall part remaineth simplie in his owne strength yet may it in some respect be said to be abrogated bicause it condemneth not the faithfull secondlie bicause it is not gréeuous vnto them séeing willinglie and of their owne accord they bend themselues therevnto proposition 10 Euerie faithfull man according to the proportion of his faith is partaker of this deliuerance from the lawe proposition 11 Such is the vse of the lawe among the faithfull as they preach the same vnto the vnbeléeuers further that by it they stir vp themselues to repentance and renew themselues to good works and to a better life proposition 12 The law of God requireth thrée maner of perfections in our works First that what we doo outwardlie it be honest secondlie that we doo this willinglie and of our owne accord lastlie that by a good and spirituall motion we refer all this vnto God proposition 13 We must by the discretion of the law of God not by our owne iudgement determine of that which is honest and that which is dishonest or of the goodnesse and naughtinesse of our owne actions Probable proposition 1 THose before God are counted the dooers of the lawe which hauing faith in Christ doo earnestlie exercise themselues in the obedience of his commandements proposition 2 In that sentence of Daniel Thou shalt redeeme thy sinnes with almes he meaneth the punishment and paine which is due for sinnes proposition 3 They which by their owne iudgement not by the word and lawe of God will