was vsuall among them 59 What also the ancient fathers in the church haue iudged hereof it is no difficult thing to perceiue Origin granteth Origin that some bishops gaue leaue vnto wiues being separated from their husbands to marrie others which fact of theirs he saith was against the scriptures and yet he excuseth the bishops that they did it not without consideration Of the same mind shalt thou find Ierom to be in the Epitaph of Fabiola which was married to an other while hir former husband yet liued Ierom. Ierom there confesseth that she did not well therein but yet in the meane time he excuseth hir fact by sundrie and manifold reasons And it appéereth manifestlie that the other marriage of this woman was not quite cut off The bishops therefore of those times did not giue counsell to haue new marriages but it séemeth that they did bear with those which happened in the meane time Albeit as we haue recited out of Origin some of them gaue licence to marrie againe But we are to beléeue that the greater part did rather suffer than persuade A Canon of the councell of Neocesaria Wherefore I vnderstand the Canon of the councell of Neocaesaria wherin ministers of the church are forbidden to be present to blesse the second marriages to be ment as touching this sort and not of those which are renewed after the death of the other spouse forsomuch as these marriages are good and godlie and are commanded by Paule vnto whom so euer they shall be néedfull séeing he saith vnto Timothie that he would haue The yonger widowes to marrie and to bring foorth children 1. Tim. 5 14. But those other marriages in so much as the other married partie was liuing were taken for suspected although they were borne withall and therefore the ecclesiasticall blessing was not giuen to to them And this dooth the reason shew which is added to the Canon The foresaid Canon expounded for it is said For how can they inioine repentance for these marriages Whereas it is not read that euer anie repentance was inioined for second marriages after the death of the husband or wife as though they had béene sinne But for matrimonie which hath béene doone the husband being yet aliue it is manifestlie shewed in the epistle of Ierom which we euen now spake of There was repentance inioined to Fabiola although as I haue said we read that that matrimonie was neither dissolued neither yet counted vnlawfull for that woman was with the latter husband so long as he liued Ambrose admitteth three causes for a wife to depart from hir husband 60 And as concerning Ambrose how little he misliked second marriages the one partie being aliue his exposition vpon the second to the Corinthians the seuenth chapter dooth plainelie testifie where he vnderstandeth that the wife may depart from hir husband for thrée causes The one if he be an adulterer another if he be a backe-slider from the true religion the third if he would abuse his wife through lust contrarie vnto the iust vse and custome of nature for these causes saith he let a woman depart but let hir remaine vnmarried sith that is not lawfull to hir which is lawfull to the husband For if the husband put awaie his wife for fornication sake he may marrie an other And he saith verie plainlie that the mans cause in this respect is better than the womans and the reason he allegeth bicause Man is the womans head 1. Cor. 11 3. and that therefore it is not méet he should be tied by such streict lawes Peraduenture besides this reason which he brought he had respect vnto the lawe of the old testament Deut. 24. 1. where it séemeth to haue béene lawfull onlie vnto the men to giue a bill of diuorsement Which héereby is prooued bicause at no time in the scriptures there is anie mention made of women that they should giue a bill of diuorsement vnto their husbands And in the prophet Malachie Mal. 2. 16. It is confirmed by the prophet Malachie when God dooth complaine of the crueltie of husbands towards their wiues which dailie lamented in the temple and wept in their praiers making relation what they indured at their husbands hands he commandeth that he which hateth his wife should giue hir licence to depart But and if so be it had béene permitted vnto women to giue vnto their husbands a bill of diuorsement they would not haue indured such crueltie and so hard a state of life They would haue departed of themselues and would not haue waited for an admonition from the Lord which should saie by his prophet If thou hate thy wife put hir awaie And vndoubtedlie God séemeth in the old testament for sinnes sake to haue subiected the woman vnto the man by a certeine kind of seruitude so as hir state in manie things should be woorse than the state of man Num. 5 12 It was lawfull vnto the husband if he had béen gelous to make triall of hir by publike and solemne ceremonie which was not lawfull for women against their husbands Polygamie or to haue more wiues than one was sometime granted vnto men which was not permitted vnto women And we might reckon vp manie such like things which notwithstanding were not without consideration appointed by the law of GOD which would be now ouerlong to rehearse Yea and among the Romans Among the Romans also it was more lawfull to the men than to the women there was no such punishment of lusts vsed against men as was against women The woman was condemned of adulterie with what man so euer she had kept vnlawfull companie but there was no punishment vsed against the man except when he had plaid the harlot in a strange bed or had rauished those which were honest and frée borne but if he had doone wickedlie in harlots houses or against his owne handmaids there was no punishment for him 61 But Ierom in the epistle to Oceanus hath otherwise and he saith Ierom. that That which the holie scripture commandeth the man the same dooth also redound to the woman and he will haue the like decrée of both Further as touching the Romane lawes he saith In one sort speaketh Caesar and in another sort Christ one waie Paule and another waie Papinianus For my part although I cannot denie but in the lawe of Moses the condition of women and men was vnlike in respect of manie things yet in this cause as the state of our time standeth I would not subscribe vnto Ambrose against whom also Augustine is Augustine is who in the second booke and eight chapter to Pollentius De adulterinis coniugijs maketh both their states alike Notwithstanding that A vaine deuise of the Maister of the sentences which the Maister of the sentences bringeth is most vaine whose iudgement is that these things are pact into Ambrose his books by heretiks But so might all controuersies be easilie
iustices hand against adulterie as if he might saie He hath small courage that thrusteth not through both the adulterer and the adulteresse But although the lawes are silent yet the iustice of God sheweth it selfe for it punisheth adulterers with madnesse with furie and with other most gréeuous punishments euen as we sée in Dauid A distribution of the punishments of adulterie These things had I to declare of ciuill punishments which if they were distributed into a certeine method were either punishable by death so as the magistrate himselfe punished them or it was appointed to be doone by priuate persons as by the husband the father of the adulteresse or else if they escaped the punishment of death they were noted with some infamie The infamie was sometime naked without outward tokens sometime it had certeine outward tokens of shame otherwhile the adulteresse was set vpon an asse and crowned with wooll Sometime there was added a chastising of the bodie The wiues were beaten with cudgels their noses were cut off Or else the punishment was of an other kind they were banished they forfeited a summe of monie they lost their dowrie they were diuorsed and might no more be married 27 Now we will speake of ecclesiasticall punishments And wheras manie things be shewed by the fathers and the councels we will vse this method that first we will declare what they haue disallowed in the ciuill lawes secondlie what ecclesiasticall punishments they themselues haue laid vpon adulterers They allowed not death for adulterie First the punishment of death liked them not In the Councell of Tribure chapter 46. it is ordeined that If an adulteresse shall flie vnto the church she may not be deliuered vnto hir husband or to the iudge or president The first councell of Orleans which was held vnder Clodouaeus in the 3. canon hath in a maner decréed the same namelie that Adulterers may be safe if they flie to the church shall not be deliuered or else if they be deliuered they shall take an oth that they will not hurt them and if so be they had not stood to their oth but violated the same they were excommunicated The bishops challenge the punishment hereof to themselues At the length it came to that passe that the bishops to saue them from death would haue the iudgement of that crime to perteine vnto their Court. And this they will haue to be the cause thereof If this examination be permitted to laie men they would be too negligent therein as who should saie that they themselues are most seuere And what I beséech you doo they by their episcopall examinations They set a fine vpon their heads and separate them from the marriage bed Hereof arise innumerable whooredomes yea and the naughtie men themselues sometimes abuse these wiues being separated They allow not the adulteresse to be slaine by hir husband Moreouer they allow not that the adulterer or the adulteresse should be slaine either by the husband or father Of this mind was Augustine in his treatise De adulterinis coniugijs ad Pollentium in manie places of the second booke He would that those priuate men should forgiue adulteries committed Reasons why the adulteresse should not be killed by hir husband verse 7. These reasons he bringeth We be all infected with sinne we haue néed of mercie Therfore vnto sinners we must shew mercie And he vseth the saieng of Christ in the eight of Iohn He which among you is free from sin let him cast the first stone against the adulteresse He that is thus vrged let him thinke with himselfe whether he be guiltie of sinne Matth. 6 12 Forgiue ye saith our Sauiour and it shall be forgiuen vnto you We praie Forgiue vs our trespasses euen as we forgiue them that trespasse against vs. With what face can we speake these things if we be so cruell in reuenge God will not the death of a sinner Ezec. 18 32 but that he shuld turne and liue Why then wouldest thou his death These reasons be not firme in all respects For if they should be vnderstood concerning ciuill magistrates no malefactor should be punished and to what end should magistrates then beare the sword As touching priuate men I agrée with Augustine that they ought not to take such power vpon them as to slaie the adulteresse and the adulterer If anie man will saie The publike lawes doo there giue authoritie vnto the husband An obiection he is no priuate person euen as when they command the soldiers to fight or the executioner to put a man to death who be priuate men But if by the commandement of the magistrate they doo that which they are comanded they be not priuate persons anie more It is lawfull for a traueller by the waie to defend himselfe against théeues if they assaile him if he slaie them he is discharged For the magistrate at such a time armeth him he cannot be sued at the common lawe the prince would not that his subiect should perish I answer that the ciuill lawes haue giuen no such authoritie to the husband and the father of the adulteresse but onlie hath pardoned their gréefe conceiued they command not that this should be doone but they command the soldiers and executioners to doo their duties Wherefore the similitude is not alike So also it may be answered of the trauelling man which is set vpon by théeues if he defend himselfe with a mind to kill the théefe he is not absolued but if he kill him by chance or as they saie by accident then he is absolued The case is not all one for he hath no time to call vpon the magistrate he cannot sue him at the lawe But the husband might shut vp the adulterer in his house he might call for witnesses and deale with him by the lawe Also the Ecclesiasticall writers and the Canonists doo not allow that when accusation is had the adulterous husbands should be heard and not the adulterous wiues Neither would they allow accepting of persons to wit that onelie the common persons and not the nobler sort should be put to death 28 Also they are against that rigour that if the adulterer or adulteresse escape there should be no reconciliation had Augustine Looke art 30. in his booke a little before alledged will haue it to be otherwise If the woman saith he repent let there be a reconciliation He alledgeth reasons thereof God must be followed his church dooth oftentimes commit fornication as we knowe was doone in the time of the Iudges and Kings yet he saith by Ieremie Ierem. 3 1. Ye will not receiue your adulterous wiues I doo otherwise The same dooth Hosea affirme in the name of God Hose 1 14. and 2 3. If examples shall beare stroke Dauid did so Michol the daughter of Saule was giuen vnto another 2. Sam. 3 14 that which was committed was adulterie for in that meane while there was no diuorse
said that we must not cast awaie hope of them that be onliue But whereas he saith that no man must be punished with a curse it agréeth not with the sayings of other fathers Councels which cursed Arrius Manicheus and manie Heretikes Further it séemeth to agrée but little with the holie Scriptures séeing it is said vnto the Galathians Gal. 1. 8. If an angell from heauen shal preach anie other Gospel than we haue doone let him be accursed In the Synode of Nice there séeme also some degreées to be appointed in the Church In the Synode of Nice Hearers In the first place were herers bicause they were suffered to be present at the holy preaching Wherfore none were vtterlie driuen awaie vnles there were some open derider contemner There were also men that prostrated themselues Men prostrated who desired pardon of the ministers of the Church for their sinnes committed There be also suppliants reckened Suppliāts who not withstanding they were driuen from the sacraments yet when the faithfull prayed they were suffered to be present vnto which degrée it séemeth that the abstinents did pertaine Finallie they are reckened which communicated in the Sacramentes with the whole Church Excommunicants Among these degrées it was accompted the smallest to be driuen from the Eucharist for a time more gréeuous to be put apart from the companie of them that prayed but most gréeuous of all to be remooued from them that laie prostrate But as touching the Councell of Nice manie thought that these articles were counterfeit and that they are not to be reckened for the lawfull decrées of that Synode séeing they are almost no where obserued yet out of Cyprian we manifestlie gather To men fallen into Idolatrie no peace giuen but at the houre of death that there were some degrées vnto them which were falen into Idolatrie as he saith there was giuen no peace by the Church vnlesse it were about the houre of death but vnto adulterers it was graunted after a long repentance Adulterers Libellates what they were But vnto the Libellatistes for so were they called which for monie redéemed themselues in the time of persecution pardon was somewhat easilier granted So as out of the Fathers are easilie gathered these degrées which neuerthelesse cannot be prooued by the holie scriptures Who shold vse the sentence of excommunication 8 Now are we to intreate who they be which ought to exercise excommunication Separation from God and from the members of Christ the which as wee said happeneth through infidelitie and other sins cannot be laid vppon vs by anie creature wée separate our selues from God Esa 59. 2. Wherfore Esaie saide Sinnes haue made a separation betweene me and you Rom. 8. 35. 39. And Paul saide that he certainlie knewe that no creature could pluck him awaie from that loue wherwith God Christ loueth theirs But Excōmunication which is a token of this inward * Apostasie is a falling away from him that we professe Apostasie in déede not a certaine and necessarie token yet a great one and greatlie to be feared must be inflicted by the Church of Christ Excommunication is no certaine token of the separation from God And therefore I haue said that it is no certaine and necessarie token of the separation from God and the members of Christ because it maie sometime be that a good and innocent man maie be excommunicated by the corrupt iudgement of the rulers in the Church as we haue knowen it to bée doone more than once in the councels and among the Fathers which were otherwise accounted holie Wherefore by excommunication we are not properlie said to be separated from God but are shewed and discerned to be separated A similitude as in the old law a priest when he iudged anie Leaper did not infect him with leprosie but pronounced him to be alreadie infected Mat. 16. 18 Neither is it against this sense that the Church is said to bind loose because this iudgement when it concurreth with the word of God Howe God worketh together with the iudgement of the Church is not in vaine And séeing God worketh together with them the separation which had alreadie happened to the poore wretch is become more gréeuous But now this onelie we say that in excommunication it perpetuallie happeneth that Apostasie and falling awaie from God goeth before the same and so God worketh together with this iudgement of the Church when according to the rule of the holie scriptures it decréeth that he maie send scourges and vncleane spirites for to vex them that be excommunicate Ambrose We read of Ambrose that the Scribe of Stellico when as he had excommunicated him beganne to be gréeuouslie vexed with an ill spirite And these thinges doth God to the intent he maie declare that he confirmeth that in heauen which in earth shall be iustlie bound 9 But that we maie rightlie vnderstand who ought to be excommunicate it is néedefull to discusse in what sort the societie of the Church is It is not simple What maner of societie the Church is of but it is cōpounded of one alone of manie good gouernours and of the gouernment of the people For from it must be remooued pernitious kindes of common weales I meane Tyrannie the gouernment of a few How it is a monarchie Act. 20. 28. and the Lordshippe of corrupt people If thou respect Christ it shall be called a Monarchie For he is our king who with his owne blood hath purchased the Church vnto himselfe He is now gone into heauen yet doeth he gouerne this kingdome of his indéed not with visible presence but by the spirit and word of the holie scriptures How it is an Aristocracie 1. Co. 12. 28 Ephe. 4. 11. And there be in the Church which doe execute the office for him Bishops Elders Doctors and others bearing rule in respect of whom it maie iustlie bee called a gouernment of manie For they which are preferred to the gouernment of Churches onlie because of the excellent gifts of God as touching doctrine and purenesse of life must be promoted vnto these degrées These offices are not committed vnto them according to the estimation of riches and reuenewes not for fauour bewtie or nobilitie sake but in respect of merites and vertues but if it be otherwise it is doone against the rule But because in the Church there be matters of verie great weight importance How it is a Democracy referred vnto the people Acts. 1. 15. Acts. 6. 2. as it appeareth in the Acts of the Apostles therefore it hath a consideration of politike gouernment But of the most weight are accounted excommunication absolution choosing of ministers and such like so as it is concluded No man can be excommunicated without the consent of the Church The Romane common weale that no man can be excommunicated without the consent of the Church On this
the Bishops Councels To conclude this controuersie is betwéene vs and our aduersaries namelie whether the Church can erre We ioyne thereunto the worde of God by which if it deale and define we will graunt that the same doeth not erre But the Papists iudge that it is so greatly ruled by the holie Ghost that although it decrée anie thing besides or against the worde of God it doeth not erre and therefore they will that the same should rather be beléeued than the Scriptures of God But while they stand to that opinion they dissent the whole world ouer from the fathers who alwayes in their Councels confirmed their decrées by diuine Oracles 11 Our aduersaries procéede and craftily assault the trueth with a certaine saying of Augustin Contra Epistolam Fundamenti The saying of Augustin I should not beléeue the Gospell except c. expounded Look part 1. pl 6. Act. 7. part 4. pl. 4. Act. 12. There the man of God writ I shoulde not beléeue the Gospel vnlesse the authoritie of the Church mooued me withall Vnto these wordes they adde a rule of Logicke wherein it is saide that for the which euerie thing is like that thing it selfe is more like But they ought to haue knowen that if we shoulde deale by Logick that rule is true onelie in finall causes For if a man for healthes sake vse a medicine health is rather desired of him than the medicine But in efficient causes nothing is this waie concluded vnlesse the whole and full cause shall be brought For if one will saie that a man is made drunken with wine he cannot thereby prooue that the wine is more drunke because the whole cause of drunkennesse is not in the wine For it is required that it should be digested in the stomacke and that vapours bee stirred vp to trouble the braine Further if one shoulde learne of his maister the eloquence of an Orator it shoulde not therefore be concluded that his maister is better than he in making of Orations because the maister is not the whole cause of his learning There is besides required a wit and also a studie and diligence But the Church of which we nowe speake is not the whole cause of our faith it onelie publisheth preacheth and teacheth Also there is néede of the holie Ghost to lighten the mindes of the hearers and to bend their willes to imbrace those things which bee spoken Therefore Augustine wiselie wrote Vnlesse the authoritie of the Church had mooued mee withall and did not put simplie mooued What is to be affirmed of that that the Church hath giuen iudgement touching the holie Bookes 12 They are woont also to prattle vnto vs that the Church hath giuen iudgement of holie writ allowing some part and reiecting other some For it disallowed the Gospell of Nicodemus the Acts of Peter diuers Reuelations of the Apostles the Booke of the shepheard and such like And on the other side it imbraced the foure Euangelists which we now haue the writings of the Apostles which are at this daie read in the Churches By which iudgement they decrée that the authoritie of the Church excelleth the holie scriptures Howbeit this kinde of reasoning deriued from iudgement is weake because there be men of sharpe wit found which can discerne betwéene the right verses of Virgill and the wrong and betwéene the naturall workes of Aristotle and the counterfeit who neuerthelesse are a great deale lesse learned than Virgill or Aristotle 1. Iohn 4. 1 We are also commaunded To trie the spirites and to put a difference betweene God and the diuell and yet we be not equall or greater than God Howe then doeth the Church of God behaue it selfe towardes the words of God put in writing It preserueth and faithfullie kéepeth them it publisheth defendeth maintaineth them it is like a Notarie which faithfullie retaineth testaments with him whereas he is able to doe nothing beyond the last will of the Testator for if he should chaunge or inuert the same he should not be counted a faithfull Notarie but a falsifier and counterfeiter of testaments The Church in no otherwise hath and preserueth with it the holie Scriptures when as neuerthelesse it maie not either change or inuert or amplifie them But séeing they contend with an obstinate minde that the authoritie of the Scriptures dependeth of the Church why doe they not produce some Canon or decree of some Councel by which the holie Scriptures be ratified The holie scriptures haue not béene ratified by any decrée of Councels The primatiue Church of the Christians found the writings of the olde Testament to be firme and by them allowed and established the articles of our faith After this succéeded the Bookes of the Apostles written by the inspiration of God the which Bookes no decrée of men hath fortified For the wordes of God are not subiect to the will of men but on the other side whatsoeuer thing the Coūcels of the Church haue decréed they alwaies were careful to confirme them by the words of God euen as it may be prooued by all the Synodes which were of best note I am not ignorant that certaine Councels made rehearsall of the Bookes of God which also some of the olde Fathers did howbeit the faith of the diuine Scriptures was of force among the Christians long before the recital which they made Moreouer in their Catalogue are founde certaine bookes either past or abolished the which our enemies affirme to be most Canonicall The Books of the Machabées For out of the historie of the Machabees they séeke to prooue their Purgatorie when as neuerthelesse it is easilie shewed out of the writings of the old Fathers that that booke is not in the holie Canon 13 Some being ouercome by the force and power of the trueth preferre the worde of God aboue the Church but they will ouerrule tyrant like and retyre themselues to interpretations which they will haue to belong onelie vnto the Church Whether the exposition of the Scriptures belong to the Church namelie the Romane Church so that in verie déede they are not subiect to the word of God but doe account it to bée subiect vnto their decrées But howe faithfull interpretours they be and how iust expositions they make euerie one maie perceiue by these things which I will here adde Anacletus saide Interpretations of the scriptures Iohn 1. 41. that Peter was called Caephas of the Gréeke worde 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 because he was head of the Church But how straunge a thing it is that the Hebrew or Syrian worde should take his deriuation of the Gréeke tongue all men perceiue Christ reaching out the cup in his supper Drinke ye all of this saieth he Mat. 26. 27. The Romanists in their interpretation saie Drinke not ye all of this Let the laie men or vnlearned be content with the bread let onelie the Priests receiue both kindes In the Epistle to the Hebrewes Matrimonie is
called honorable amongst all men Hebr. 13. 4. And vnto the Corinthians it is written 1. Cor. 7. 9. They that doe not containe let them marrie Ibid. And it is better to marrie than to burne But they by their decrées and expositions exclude a great part of the world from marriages namelie all the holy Ministerie Exod. 20. 4. The Law of God commandeth that we should not make vnto our selues images to worship them these men commaund that images should be had and worshipped Col. 2. 16. Paul saieth Let no man iudge you in meate and drinke These in their interpretations haue peruerted this libertie and haue brought in a most seuere or rather ridiculous and superstitious choise of meates The holy scripture hath decréed That we by faith are iustified without workes Rom. 3. 28. They by their exposition affirme that wee are also iustified by workes Therefore their glosses be verie much against the text Neither are their interpretations anie thing else than corruptions Where the word of God commaundeth that we should set our mindes on high their interpretations draw vs downeward This power of expounding the scriptures haue the Popes therefore drawen onelie vnto themselues or vnto the Councels to the intent that they might after their owne pleasure bring in straunge opinions into the Church and contend against the worde of God howsoeuer they thought good Neither did the Iewish high Priests Scribes and Pharisées otherwise behaue themselues But Christ receiued not their peruerse interpretations Matt. 15. 4. c. Christ reiected false interpretations God commanded in the Lawe that children should obey their parents But the Priests being driuen by couetousnesse tooke away the strength of this commaundement in absoluing of children from the burthen of maintaining their parents perswading them to offer excellent and riche giftes the which should profit their parents much more than sustenance The Lord hath cryed out also against this craftie interpretation he testified that the commandement of God is made voide Matt. 5. 33. Also by their exposition they haue lessened the strength of others and haue taught that some are of strength and some féeble Here also the Lorde hath gainesaide hath confuted their Sophisticall interpretations Matt. 5. 20. They also taught that men satisfie the Law if onelie they conforme themselues vnto the same Christ reiecting these peruerse glosses hath declared that the law requireth not onelie outward works but also good motions of the minde Wherefore there is no cause why the aduersaries should compell vs without iudgement to repose our selues in their expositions Augustine wrote bookes of Christian doctrine where he teacheth manie wayes to interprete the Scriptures but among thē there is not one wherin he sendeth vs vnto the Pope or vnto the church In obscure things he willeth vs to vse the skilfulnesse of tongues to consider those things which goe before and which followe to expound a doubtfull place by another place which is more easie and manifest and such like things Thou canst no where finde in the Fathers that the Scriptures are in such sort that this or that Councell hath interpreted the same after this or that maner 14 But hereat they crie out that it is sufficient that Christ hath saide Mat. 18. 17 If he will not heare the Church let him be vnto thee as an Ethnick and Publicane Howe that saying of Christ to wit that the Church must be heard is to be vnderstoode Vnto this I answer that it may séeme that Christ spake not there as touching the exposition of the scriptures but of brotherlie correction But setting this answere aside I saie that the Church must be heard so farre forth as it answereth or speaketh out of the word of God but if it bring forth onelie the deuises and traditions of men we must with deafe eares pretermit the same and specially then when it setteth foorth things that be against the worde of God To conclude we include the true Church in the word of God the which as a firme and certaine rule is fixed vnto it But as concerning power aboue the Scriptures The olde Fathers acknowledged not any power of the Church to which the word of God should be subiect which these men challenge to themselues the olde Fathers neither acknowledged nor sought In the Councell of Nice as the Historie of Theodoretus sheweth Constantine commāded the Fathers that were assembled together to define the controuersie as touching one substance of the Father and the Sonne by the Scriptures of the Prophets and Apostles there none withstoode him in saying that the Church of her own authoritie ought to iudge the controuersie because the same should not be subiect to the Scriptures but should rather haue them in her power Neither did they complaine that the Emperour plucked any thing from the Church séeing it subiected the same to the rule of the Scriptures 15 But they crie out that the Church is the pillar and ground of the trueth How that is to be vnderstoode which Paul saith The Church is the ground of trueth 1. Tim. 3. 15 as it is written in the first Epistle vnto Timothie Here I saie that the wordes of the Apostle must not so bee vnderstoode as though the Church doeth vrge confirme and compare her authoritie with the word of God The case doeth not so stande The word of God is of it selfe most firme it indureth for euer neither hath it anie néede to be propped vp by men naie rather it sustaineth all things Heauen and earth passeth Matt. 5. 18. the wordes of God doe not passe But the Church is the pillar and ground of the trueth so farre forth as it hath the word of god with it as it preacheth retaineth and kéepeth it within it selfe as it defendeth and maintaineth it neither is the word heard without it but not as though that ground did yéelde strength or authoritie vnto the word wauering or like to fall So farre forth then as it speaketh out of it it erreth not nor cannot erre Whether the Pope may erre in the matter of faith but speaking or dealing without it not onelie it can erre but it doeth erre But our men on Gods name doe also attribute this vnto Popes that in the matter of faith as they call it they cannot erre When as neuerthelesse it most certainelie appeareth that Iohn the xxj The heresie of Pope Iohn the xx◠most shamefullie fell séeing he affirmed that the soules of men perish together with the body or as some more modestlie say doe sléepe and shall finallie be raised vp when as our bodies also shall rise againe from the dead at the latter daie Neither did the Bishops nor Cardidinals whom they saie doe represent the Church resist the Pope that erred so soulie and shamefullie The schoole of Paris resisted him and so informed the French king of his errour as he forbad all his the Communion of the Pope
bring for a certainty And to dedicate or initiate the Gréekes call 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 but to consecrate they call 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and to sanctifie 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 To consecrate to initiate to sanctifie to dedicate what they signifie And the Latins name them Initiari Dedicare Consecrare Sanctificare And to sanctify is nothing else but to apply to diuine and religious vses or to prepare himselfe to offer some thing vnto God And Cicero said to bind with euerlasting religion And there is a difference betwéene these words To coÌ„secrate and To dedicate forasmuch as thinges are sayd to be consecrated when of prophane thinges they are sayd to be religious and holy and they are said to be dedicated when they are appointed to any certain God This truely is a very trifle The dedications of the Hebrewes but yet it must be earnestly considered that the Hebrewes did dedicate and initiate their thinges not by simple and bare wordes but by adding of outward rites signes I meane and tokens which might be séene not forsooth that they thought any holinesse or diuine qualitie to be in those thinges for séeing they be in the soule they be not capable of holinesse but so they thought because the rites being instituted by God those thinges which were consecrate might become instrumentes of the holy spirit by which the faith of men might be stirred vp Neither were they deceaued because those thinges for that time had the word of God that which is to vs at this day water bread wine was vnto theÌ„ sundry and manifold signes in holy thinges Furthermore as the holy historie teacheth they extended consecration vnto priestes altars garments other implements as well of the Temple as also of the Tabernacle 3 The very selfesame thinges in a manner haue the Papistes of a certaine naughtie zeale drawen vnto them The Pâ—pisticall consecrations In the second councel of Bracca in the 5 Canon it is commaunded that a Church should not be consecrated till a prouision be made for giftes and reuenewes Whereby both the Minister and Deacon might be maintained least the temple being built should lye desolate Both these might haue bin doone if superstition had not béene added whereby they in that Synode would haue it prouided that in no wise the Temple should be without oyle and lightes Much better should it haue bin that these expenses had bin bestowed vppon poore and sick folke The like in a manner hath the councel of Wormes 3. Chapter But De consecratione in the first distinction by the former Canons it is very seuerely commaunded that no Temple should be builded or consecrated vnlesse it were with the will of the Byshop of Rome Which in very déed tended vnto manifest tyrannie And why it was abolished I will not now declare But againe De Consecratione in the Chapter Missarum Solennia there is strait commaundement that Masses should not be said or sung except in places dedicated by byshops And there in the Chapter Si alijs it is affirmed that it is far better that Masses be not said nor sung than that they should be celebrated in places not consecrate And least they should séeme to speake without the scriptures they bring that which is written in the 12. Chapter of Deuteronomie Verse 4. Take heede that thou offer not thy whole burnt offerings in euery place but in that place onely which God hath chosen As though God hath chosen to himselfe all those places which they with their superstitious Masses doe euery where contaminate But there be many more of these things in the Extrauagantes of consecration of Churches and Altars and also of holy annoynting In a Nationall Councell holden at Colen which was held in the yeare of the Lorde 1536. in the 9. part the 12. Chapter Those fathers which were present endeuored to excuse their dedications and denyed that they would follow the trade of the Iewes when as neuerthelesse in confirming their trifles they bring nothing out of the word of God vnlesse it be so much as they wrest for their purpose out of the old Testament But Gratian in the beginning of the first distinction De Consecratione while he goeth about to confirme those thinges whicâ—â—re fondly doone in the dedicatioÌ„ of Temples Arguments of Gratian in behalfe of the papistical consecrations reasoneth on this wise The Iewes did these thinges therefore it is much more lawfull for Christians to doe the same grounding his reason in very déede from the greater Which kinde of Argument is most féeble because it is not lawfull so to conclude of the ceremonies and rites of the olde fathers In morall preceptes the reason would be firme but in ceremonies which were figures shadowes it is not méet so to reason séeing all the commaundementes of that kinde were abolished after the purging of Christ Arguments of the men of Colen But I returne to those of Colen who in the place now alledged the 14. Chapter say that Temples are therefore consecrated that from theÌ„ce ill spirits may be expulsed which how true it is shall afterward in his place be declared But in consecrating of the Church they haue superstitiously deuised many thinges For they vse water oyle waxe lightes many markes of the crosse vppon the walles And vppon the flowre the description aswell of the Gréek as of the Hebrew alphabet when as neuerthelesse the byshops which doe these thinges be altogether ignorant both of the Gréeke of the Hebrew Papisticall renunciatioÌ„ of temples Their custome is also to reconcile as they speake the Temples themselues if they haue bin ouerthrowen if bloud haue bin shed by slaughter or if filthie lustes haue bin committed or if the dead body of a man excommunicate or an aliant from Christ haue béene there buryed when as neuerthelesse their temples are continually polluted with horrible Idolatrie But in those reconciliations least they should be thought destitute of holy scriptures they bring for example sake the fact of Christ who hauing made a whippe of small cordes cast the byers sellers out of the Temple Which argument in very deede dooth manifestly reprooue them because the Byshops and Suffragans which dedicate their Temple doe buy and sell their owne labour For vnlesse they be hyred for some reward for the dooing of these thinges they deny to goe Further what other thing else are the Papists Temples but the markets and marchandise of Masses Neither dooth that any thing helpe them which they bring out of the 14 and 15. Chapters of Leuiticus séeing all those things belong vnto the tabernacle of Moses 14 Furthermore it is to be considered What kind of things the Papists doe consecrate that these importunate men doe not onely consecrate the Temples themselues but also the altars and coueringes of the altars I meane the tableclothes and napkins also the Chalices patins the Massing garmeÌ„ts
be retained And in déede some of the fathers and some Councels doe séeme to be on their side Of Basil and Chrysostome we haue alreadie spoken before Augustine in his 1. booke De ciuitate Dei the 7. Chapter compareth the sanctuarie of the Empire of Romulus with the Temples of the Citie of Rome in which in the time of Alaricus a barbarous king the Christiās had immunitie For when he had taken the Citie of Rome by force he would haue them all to be safe which fled for succour vnto the Temple of Peter and Paul Romulus saith he opened a sanctuarie to increase the number of Citizens Alaricus to preserue a multitude of his enemies which is more to be praysed And in the same booke the 4. Chapter he saith that the sanctuaries of Christians were of farre greater power than those of the Ethnickes And againe he vseth the example alreadie alleaged And he added that the Christian sanctuaries were able to defend the Romans being now Captiues but the sanctuarie of Iuno which was at Troye was not able to defend the Troyans from the Gréekes As Virgil vttered in the secōd booke of his Aeneidos The Temples great were spoyld and Iunoes holy doores were brast Both Phoenix and Vlisses false with them their traine about The pray did keepe and Greekes to them the Troyan riches brought Yea moreouer it is said that the same Alaricus restored much of the golde which was taken out of the Vatican When Boniface the Earle which vnder the Romans gouerned Africa had taken one by force out of the Church of Augustine Augustine in his 187. Epistle to the same Boniface writeth that he woondred verie much that he plucked a man from them and he willed him safelie to restore the partie with all conuenient spéede And he addeth that he commaunded his Cleargie men that they should not take anie offeringes out of his house and that he had now excommunicated him This also we haue in the decrees 17. quest 4. in the Canō Miror And in the 188. Epistle the same Earle made a verie lowlie aunswere vnto Augustine whome he verie much loued acknowledging that he had gréeuouslie sinned Behold saith he I now restore the man whome I tooke away yet let it be knowen to thee that he is most woorthie of death Wherefore we sée that gréeuous offences in the Church had defence in right of the sanctuarie In like manner the Councels greatlie fauored sanctuaries The Councell of Arausicanum Chapt. the 5. decréed that none should be plucked away from the Church The 4. Councell of Aurelianensis Chapt. the 21. not onelie commaunded that this rite should be retained by the Byshops but will haue them to be excommunicated which shal neglect to doe it The 12. Councel of Toletanus Chapter the 10. giueth for sanctuaries xxx paces about Churches which be of the lesser sort But vnto the Metropolitans it giueth fortie The Councels of Ilerdenum Triburiensis decréed in a manner the same thinges 41 What shall we then iudge Whether it be expedient to haue Sanctuaries Must sanctuaries be retained or abrogated I forasmuch as I perceiue that the lawe of God retained sanctuaries but yet of verie straite libertie and doe sée also that the lawes of Nations instituted them and that otherwhiles there may be iust causes of them therefore I would determin that they ought to be retained With these cautions they may be had certaine cautions being obserued First that no priuate or publike thinges be hurt by that libertie Secondlie that no iniuries be doone to anie man or else vices nourished and maintained through the hope of pardon and impunitie Further it séemes that we ought to take héede that they be not open vnto all kinde of crimes but that they be graunted for some certaine men as when one man hath killed an other neither wittinglie nor willinglie Or else if a good man without his owne fault by the iniurie of fortune shal be burdened with debt or in such like thinges But to graunt sanctuaries for all crimes it is farre frō godlinesse Againe it were good to be decréed that they should not be manie and much frequented that men may behaue themselues the more circumspectlie and grauelie in their daungerous actions Numb 35. 13. The olde lawe had onelie sixe in the whole kingdome of Israell But in our Regions there be alwayes manie For the Canonistes haue maruelouslie indeuored to inlarge that libertie Notwithstanding it should be the part of a good magistrate to restraine the number of them Also it ought to be prouided that they which be detained in sanctuaries when by iudgement they be found guiltie might not easilie scape away And that the priestes or Monkes if they make a way for them to escape should vndergoe certaine punishmentes 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Howbeit it is come to passe that they themselues also are Sanctuaries as being men that haue extorted and vsurped sundrie formes of exemption The fifteenth Chapter Of Exile or Banishment In 1. king 2 at the end FOrsomuch as Abiathar was banished to the territorie of his Father and Semei commaunded to kéepe himselfe at Ierusalem the which be kindes of banishmentes it shall not be amisse to speake somewhat of Exiles or Banishments The orders obserued in the treatise of this Cōmon place First we will inquire out the definition of Exile Secondly we will searche which be the kindes thereof And thirdly shall be disputed whether this kinde of punishment ought to be vsed in Common-weales namely for expelling of an hurtfull man out of their dominions when they may punish him And to kéepe a right Method we wil begin at the Etymologie of the word Of the Hebrewes it is called Makalash The Etymologie of Exile For the verbe Kalash is to gather or binde together Therefore did they call Cities of refuge by this name because they gathered themselues vnto them and thither were the fugitiues drawen together And it may also be called Magnahash of flying or scaping away The Gretians also called exile 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a fugiendo of flying away The Latines if we may beléeue Nonius Marcellus called it Exilium because they that so flie away be without countrie or Land namelie of their owne And men were said to goe from one soyle to an other when they fled from anie hurt or punishment which remained for them at home But they which studie to comfort exiled men doe call their exiles peregrinations when as neuerthelesse there is perceiued no smal differēce betwéene these things For peregrination is taken in hand willinglie and for sundrie causes The difference between Exile and Peregrination not for the auoyding of punishment which should be laid vppon them at home But so men speake that they by a more milde word may extenuate that punishment exhorting their friendes by that manner of speach to take that vppon them as voluntarie which they suffer against their will And vndoubtedlie that flying
places of the fourth part ALbeit that the holie Ghost be the onelie bond that we haue with Christ and the most assured pledge of our saluation and an vndoubted preseruer of all things yet vseth he thervnto diuers and those externall instruments for into the church he gathereth the elect and by the ministerie of the word and sacraments and also by the bond and helpe of discipline he begetteth vs vnto Christ and he feedeth and preserueth vs vnto eternall life And herewithall he raiseth vp and vseth magistrates as well for the preseruation of mans societie and publike honestie as also for the maintenance of pietie and seruice of God so then this last part comprehendeth an explication of these places THE CHAPTERS AND COMMON PLACES OF THE FOVRTH PART chapter I OF the catholike church pag. 1. Of sundrie ministers of the church 3. Of calling to the ministerie pag. 9. Of the dignitie and contempt of the ministers pag. 15. Of the office of pastors pag. 16. Of the efficacie of the ministerie 21. Of the mightie simplenes of the ministerie pag. 25. chapter II Of receiuing or refusing of rewards gifts and offices especiallie by ministers of the Church pag. 28. Of the immunitie of ecclesiasticall men pag. 32. chapter III Whether there may be two heads of the church one visible and an other inuisible pag. 35. chapter IIII Of ecclesiasticall lawes pag. 41. An exposition of the place To obeie is better than sacrifice expounded pag. 44. Of traditions pag. 45. Of discerning of spirits Ibidem Of the authoritie of the Councels Fathers and Canons pag. 46. chapter V Of ecclesiasticall discipline pag. 56. Of excommunication pag. 57. Of order and comlinesse in the church pag. 65. Of temples and their ornaments Ibid. chapter VI Of schisme and whether the professors of the Gospell be schismatikes pag. 68. What is become of them which in times past died in the Popes religion 91. chapter VII Of sacraments in generall pag. 96. Of circumcision pag. 107. chapter VIII Of baptisme baptising of infants and holines of them pag. 120. chapter IX Of the dedication of temples the baptising of bels of oile salt spittle wax and other papisticall corruptions about baptisme pag. 123. Of papisticall holie water pag. 138. chapter X A treatise of the Lords supper with a preface before the same pag. 147. An epitome of the disputation of the Eucharist against Steeuen Gardiner 198. chapter XI Of the communion vnder one kinde pag. 204. chapter XII Of the Masse pag. 215. Of sacrifice pag. 220. Another Cōmon place of sacrifice 223. Of altars pag. 225 chapter XIII Of a magistrate of the difference betweene ciuill ecclesiasticall power 226. Of tenthes pag. 235. chapter XIIII Of the office of magistrates especiallie in exercising of iudgement pag. 245. That the charge of religion belongeth to princes pag. 246. Of the clemencie of princes pag. 248. Whether it be lawfull for magistrates to let the giltie go vnpunished Ibidem Whether the excuse of Dauid in not punishing of Ioab may be allowed 256. Whether it be lawfull to release iust punishments which are inioined by lawes pag. 260. Of executions and hangmen pag. 264. Of sanctuaries pag. 265. chapter XV Of exile or banishment pag. 270. chapter XVI Whether it be lawfull for a christian man to go to lawe pag. 275. chapter XVII Of warre or battell pag. 280. Whether vnto a iust warre the authoritie of the magistrate be alwaies required pag. 284. Whether it be lawfull for the godlie to haue peace with the vngodlie pag. 294. Of fenses and of spials pag. 296. Of treason pag. 297. chapter XVIII Whether captiues ought to be put to death or saued pag. 300. Of things which be taken by the right of warre pag. 303. chapter XIX Of a seuerall combat hand to hand 308. chapter XX Of nobilitie pag. 311. Of bondage pag. 313. Of debtors pag. 315. Of occupieng of merchandize 317. chapter XXI Of troubles and sedition pag. 319. Whether it be lawfull for subiects to rise against their prince pag. 324. Whether Iehoiadah did right in putting Athalia from the kingdome pag. 325. Of induring of tyrannie by godlie men pag. 328. The contents of those things which be added to this booke of Common places are set downe at the end of the foure parts Certaine faults escaped THere is no garden so well trimmed but hath some weeds no siluer so well tried but hath some drosse no wine so well fined but hath some leeze no honie so well clarified but hath some dregs finallie no humane action but hath some defect meruell not then good Readers that in so huge a volume consisting of so manie leaues lines and letters oftentimes varied both in forme and matter a fault or two doo escape were the Correctors care neuer so great his diligence neuer so earnest his labour neuer so continuall his eies neuer so quicke his iudgement neuer so sound his memorie neuer so firme breeflie all his senses neuer so actiue and liuelie Such faults therefore as are passed being but few in number if it please you in reading fauourablie to amend according as they be here corrected your selues shall be profited and I satisfied Fault Correction Part. Page Colum. Line They Men. 1 143 2 19 anger pride 2 529 2 49 fathers father 2 600 1 25 renewed remoued 4 59 1 58 whordome idolatrie 4 245 1 11 Lord my my Lord. in the additions 113 2 10 These are thought necessarie to be noted others if anie be I refer vnto your owne selues that shall take paines to peruse the whole booke aduisedlie THE Common Places of the famous and renowmed diuine Peter Martyr Vermilius a Florentine selected into foure parts out of his bookes and Commentaries HONI SOIT MAL Y PENSE E R The first part wherein is principallie intreated of the knowledge of God the Creator Of the ends of good and euill among the Christians The first Chapter Out of the Epistle to the Rom. Chap. 8 verse 25. AVGVSTINE in his 19. booke De Ciuitate Dei the fourth Chapter very wel declareth how Christian hope is caried vnto those good things Hope is caried to inuisible things which cannot be séen For if thou askest saith hée a faithfull man what he maketh to be the end of good and euill things he will answere Life and death euerlasting The ends that a faithfull man putteth which things can not be séene nor comprehended by mans reason And therefore the wise men among the Ethnikes being puffed vp with pride would not settle their hope vpon those things For which cause some held that the ends of good things are the goods of the mind some the goods of the bodie and some either vertue pleasure or both ioined togither But GOD laughed them to scorne and sawe how vaine their cogitations were For they would rather account those things for the chéefe good which be tempered with manie miseries and calamities than to receiue those sincere perfect and most firme
voice of Christ that is to wit doo followe the true and naturall sense of the scriptures Againe we haue in the second chap. of the 1. epistle to the Corinthians A naturall man doth not perceiue those things that be of God 1. Cor. 2 24. neither is he able to do it bicause they be but foolishnesse vnto him But the spirituall man iudgeth all things And againe in the same place Ibidem 10. The spirit searcheth out the deepe mysteries of God And Christ himselfe said The spirit of comfort shall declare all things that I haue said vnto you Iohn 14 26. Also Iohn in his epistle saith 1. Ioh. 2 27. The spirituall vnction shall shew you of all things But some will saie These things be true indéede but we be destitute of the spirit To whom I answere saieng If you haue not the spirit Whether all men haue the spirit of Christ Rom. 8 9. how dare you call your selues christians séeing Paul to the Rom. sheweth vs that They be none of Christs which haue not the spirit of Christ And yet I speake not this as though I were ignorant that there must be degrées of this spirit geuen séeing it is euident that all men cannot haue a like vnderstanding of the scriptures But yet this I affirme Euerie one may gather out of the scriptures so much as is necessary to saluation Chrysost that there is no true christian man to whom so small a portion of this spirit is giuen but that he may gather iudge out of the holie scriptures such things as be necessarie to saluation so as he neglect not to be conuersant in the reading of them both daie and night Which thing Chrysostome vpon the preface to the epistle vnto the Romans hath plainlie declared when he saith This thing commeth not by ignorance but bicause they will not haue this holie mans writings continuallie in their hands Neither doo those things which we knowe if we knowe any thing come vnto vs by the goodnesse and pregnancie of our wit but bicause we being alwaies throughlie affected to that man we neuer cease reading of him For they which loue A similitude doo knowe more than all other the dooings of them whom they loue as béeing carefull of them Wherefore saith he a litle after if ye also will applie your minds and trauell in the diligent reading herof it shall not be néedefull to require anie other thing of you True is that saieng of Christ Seeke Matth. 7 7. and you shall find knocke and it shal be opened vnto you And there is no doubt but that Chrysostom spake these words to all men for he spake them in a sermon to the people And marke well what he affirmeth namelie that if they would but diligentlie reade saint Paules epistles they should not néed of anie other teacher The word is a sure token to find the truth of the scriptures 6 The second note and sure token by which we may throughlie search out the truth of the holie scriptures is the verie scriptures themselues For it is requisite that we should determine that péece of scripture which is hard and darke We must iudge of an obscure place by a more clere place by another part which is more plaine and easie Christ hath giuen vnto his church the old testament the authoritie whereof let the Manichies the Martionits and such other pestilent heretikes fret thereat neuer so much is most stable and sure insomuch as by it The old testament proueth the new Acts. 17 11. the old christians also haue iudged of the new testament It is written in the 17 of the Acts that the Thessalonians hauing heard Paule repaired to the scriptures to sée whether things were as Paule had declared or otherwise And Augustine De doctrina christiana teaching what manner of man a preacher should be willeth him to conferre the places of the scripture together and dooth not send him to search out the opinions of the fathers or to séeke out the determinations of the church or the canons or the traditions of men A third arbitter but no high censor is the consent of the church 7 To these two arbitrers which I haue declared to be the faithfull interpretors of the holie scriptures we willinglie ioine the firme consent and authoritie of the catholike church yet not in such sort that as our aduersaries indeuour to prooue all the iudgement of the scriptures should depend thereon For it is not lawfull either for a councell or for the church to interpret the scriptures as séemeth good vnto them For that were to haue dominion ouer the faith of godlie men Therefore when they interpret the word of God it is their part to prooue that they haue expounded such things according to the consent and proportiō of other places of the scripture Wherfore the most dangerous error of the antichrists must be auoided with great circumspection It is not the church that giueth authoritie to the word which presume to saie that it is the church which hath woone authoritie to the books of God where it is far otherwise For whatsoeuer estimation or authoritie hath happened vnto the church all that hath come from the word of God It is detestable to heare that the holie oracles woords of God should purchase their credit of men which otherwise are but liers Yet neuertheles such things they imagine and deuise that when they be found to decrée constitute in manie places of the sacraments and other points of doctrine far otherwise than Gods word doth permit they will maintaine that it is lawfull for them so to doo Looke part 4 chap. 4 art 12 and chap. 6 art 11. bicause the church saie they which hath brought credit and authoritie to the word of God may change alter therein whatsoeuer shall séeme good vnto hir Wherefore that which they ground vpon must by all maner of meanes be resisted Let vs not be brought to thinke that the holy scriptures haue gotten their credit and authoritie by the church And yet I vrge not this much as though I despised or contemned the dignitie of the church Three functions of the church about the word of God For I attribute vnto it thrée goodlie functions about the word of God The first is that I grant she doth as it were a witnesse preserue the holie bookes but it cannot be gathered thereby that it is lawfull for the church either to alter or peruert anie thing in the holie scriptures A similitude The church as a witnes preserueth the holie bookes Experience teacheth vs that both priuate and publike euidences are committed to registers notaries to be safelie kept and preserued and yet no man in his right mind will saie that it is lawfull for them to change any thing in them Neither may we thinke that the power of those registers can be greater than their wils which appointed them to be
put in record And here it shall not be vnprofitable if we consider of the difference betwéene the word of God The word of God first reuealed then written as it was reuealed vnto the prophets at the first that which was preached afterward or published in writting wherein we shall only sée a difference in the time and not in the strength and authoritie For we grant that the word vnwritten was of more antiquitie than that which was afterward put in writing and that aswell both the one as the other was bestowed vpon the church but yet as we said before it was not lawfull for the church by any meanes to wrest or alter the same Secondlie we doubt not The duty of the church is to preach publish the word but that the churches part is to preach and set foorth the word of God committed vnto it wherein it is likened to a crier who notwithstanding he proclame the statutes of a prince or magistrate A similitude yet is he not either of more or of equall authoritie with them But all his labour is faithfullie to proclame all things euen as he receiued them from the princes and magistrates For if hée should so doo he might be counted a traitour Wherefore it behooueth the ministers of the church that they prouide and indeuour nothing more than to be found faithfull 8 Thirdlie we also acknowledge it to be the function of the church The church discerneth the true scriptures from not canonicall that séeing it is indued with the holie ghost it should descipher discerne the true and proper books of the heauenlie word from them that be not canonicall Which office doubtlesse is not to beare a higher authoritie than the scriptures as many doo foolishlie dreame For thus they saie Forsomuch as the church hath accepted and allowed some scriptures and hath refused other some to be no scripture therefore it hath authoritie to determine of them as it listeth But this is a verie weake kind of argument We will grant in verie déede that the ancient church had such an abundance of the spirit as thereby they easilie knew which of those that were presented vnto them were the true proper words of God and these as canons and rules of Gods word they disseuered by a spiritual vnderstanding from the other books called Apocrypha which being once done it was not lawfull for the church to make what interpretation it would but both the spirit of Christ must be harkened vnto and also the consent of all the places of scripture must be diligentlie considered The verie which thing we sée dailie to be done When a kings letters are brought to a citie or prouince A similitude the lieutenants and gouernours of those places by verie vse and morall skill knowe well inough whether the letters which be deliuered in the name of the king be true or counterfeit but when they shall perceiue them that they be neither fained nor depraued it is not lawfull to alter transforme and wrest them after their owne will Euen so must we thinke of the church For it is not onlie a faithfull witnesse but also a sure kéeper of Gods books and yet it is not lawfull for the church to appoint anie thing in them otherwise than God himselfe hath prescribed There be a great many that can iudge which be the right works of Aristotle and of Pâ—ato and which be not who neuerthelesse are not straight way to be thought comparable to either of them in learning And amongst vs christians euerie one can easilie espie the difference betwéene God and the deuill and yet must we not be compared with God and much lesse be thought to excell him Euen so the church must not for this cause preferre hir credit or authoritie aboue the scriptures Augustine 9 But they alledge that Augustine saith I would not beléeue the gospell vnlesse the authoritie of the church should mooue me But that place of Augustine hath this latine word Commouéret that is to saie To mooue with the help of another thing and not simplie To mooue of it selfe Faith is powred in by the holy ghost and the ministers work togither by him For vndoubtedlie it is the holie ghost which powreth in faith to the hearers of Gods word And the ministers of the church being his instruments are rather to be said to mooue togither by him than absolutelie by themselues The same Augustine against Faustus in the 28. booke and second chapter writeth that the heretikes called Manichei should aswell beléeue that the first chapter of Matthew was written by him as he beléeued that the epistle called the foundation of their religion was written by Manicheus bicause it was so preserued among the elders of their religion and so came from hand to hand at that time And therefore it must on this sort be vnderstood that the church mooueth vs to beléeue the gospell bicause it faithfullie kéepeth the holie scriptures preacheth them and discerneth them from other writings The same father in his sixt booke of confessions the fourth fift chapters dooth plainlie witnes that God himselfe doubtles giueth authoritie to the holie scriptures Tertullian Irenaeus Tertullian Irenaeus standing in disputation with the heretikes did therefore send them vnto the apostolike churches bicause they allowed not full and wholie of the scriptures wherefore they would that they should vnderstand the sense and meaning of them by such churches as were certeinelie knowne to be apostolike For méete it was that such churches should be continuall witnesses and preseruers of the bookes of God And yet did they not by this meanes affirme that the authoritie of the church is to be preferred aboue the scriptures 10 But our aduersaries saie that they are led by a common rule vaunted by the Logicians namelie That thing is to be iudged the more so A rule in Logicke for the which another thing is so Wherevpon they gather this reason If the scripture haue authoritie by iudgement of the church then it followeth that there is a more authoritie in the church than in the scripture But they consider not how that sentence of the Logicians taketh place onelie in such causes as are called finall but that in efficient causes it is not firme For although this inferiour world of ours be warmed by meanes of the sunne and planets it followeth not Similitudes that the sunne and planets be therefore more hot than the things which they haue warmed Likewise surfetters and intemperate men are droonke by reason of wine but we cannot conclude thereby that wine is more intemperate than they Yea the Logicians teach that the foresaid rule is then firme and true in efficient causes when they be brought whole and perfect not when they be mangled and vnperfect Which point doubtles is smallie obserued by our aduersaries in this argument For the church is no efficient cause of that authoritie and credit which
these three be one but and if ye receiue the testimonie of men the testimonie of God is greater In this place thou séest saith he that the testimonie of the holie Ghost is called the testimonie of God whereby it is prooued that the holie Ghost is God The spirit bloud and water represent the three persons And that those thrée I meane the spirit bloud and water doo represent the thrée persons it is shewed by thrée reasons The first is taken from the Analogie or conueniencie of the signes which Augustine recited Secondlie thou perceiuest that those thrée are said to be one which is not méete for them vnles thou shalt respect those things which be represented for otherwise spirit bloud and water doo varie in nature or kind one from another Thirdlie those thrée nounes in the Gréeke 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is water spirit and bloud be of the neuter gender vnto which afterward is put the masculine article in the plurall number namelie 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is These three be vnto one or be one But the masculine article as touching signes which be of the neuter gender might take no place vnles it should be applied vnto those which are signified that is vnto the Father the Sonne and the holie Ghost Neither let it trouble vs that it is read some-where These three be vnto one as though it should make for the Arrians which said that these thrée persons be vnto one bicause they consented togither in one testimonie as though the spéech concerneth not one maner of nature but one maner of will The Hebrue phrase And the phrase commeth néere vnto the Hebrue so as To be vnto one and To be one is the selfe-same thing As when we read in the psalme I will be vnto him a Father and he shall be vnto me a Sonne it is as if it were said I will be his Father and he shall be my Sonne And in another place They shall be vnto me a people 2. Cor. 6 18. and I will be vnto them a God is all one as to saie I will be their God and they shall be my people And when it is said They be one there is signified both a distinction of persons and an vnitie of substance For vnlesse there were some distinction it should haue bin said It is one The 21. reason verse 57. 12 Also they alledge the song of the thrée children wherein when all creatures are stirred vp vnto the praises of God the Sonne the holie Ghost are not mentioned whereby it is plaine that they be not reckoned among creatures Neither maist thou saie that this song is a part of the Apocrypha bicause this part of Daniel is wanting in the Chaldean edition for thou shalt sée the verie same to be done euerie-where in the Psalmes of Dauid wherein is the same stirring vp of creatures vnto diuine praises Iohn in his first epistle saith 1. Iohn 5 6. The spirit is truth and this cannot be written of a creature séeing truth is chiefe and principall The 22. reason and dependeth not of another They are woont to alledge the beginning of the booke of Genesis The 23. reason where it is said The spirit of the Lord mooued vpon the face of the waters Genes 1 2. In which place they affirme that there is mention made of thrée persons namelie of the Father which created of the Sonne by whome all things were made as when it is said In the beginning it is all one as to saie By the beginning and of the holie Ghost I knowe that the Hebrue expositors interpret far otherwise of these words but I haue onlie taken vpon me to shew those places by which the fathers gathered the Godhead of the holie Ghost Wherevnto adde The 24. reason that Paule in his epistles seldome maketh mention of the father and the sonne but he also speaketh of the holie ghost either expreslie or by adding of somewhat pertaining to him And Basil sheweth The 25. reason that it was a custome receiued in the whole church to adde in the end of the Psalmes that which we now vse Glorie be to the Father to the Sonne and to the holie Ghost wherein the thrée persons are made equall the one to the other The 26. reason 13 The Synod of Nice set foorth a créed in which we saie I beleeue in the holie Ghost But it is verie manifest that we must not repose our confidence in anie thing that is created And bicause in those daies the contention was not much sproong vp of the holie Ghost there was nothing else added but afterwards when diuers and sundrie heresies grew vp as touching him The Councell of Constantinople then in the Councell of Constantinople which was the second among the foure principall manie things were added to make this article plaine For we grant that We beleeue in the holie Ghost both the Lord giuer of life By the particle Lord they make him equall vnto Christ who in the scriptures is commonlie called Lord which epitheton or addition they would therefore to be expressed Against the Arrians bicause the Arrians affirmed that Christ was altogether a creature but yet the noblest they said which next vnto God was the chéefe And they said that the holie ghost was yet lesse than the sonne and euen his minister Wherefore the Synod in place of Minister put the title of Lord. The selfe-same thing did they in the particle The giuer of life for they saw that it is written in Iohn that not onlie the father doth giue life but that the sonne also can quicken whom-soeuer he will and so least the holie ghost might séeme to be excluded from this propertie they added that particle And that his Godhead might be the more manifest it was added The 27. reason that He together with the father and the sonne is woorshipped and glorified 14 Further Athanasius hath in his créed The 28. reason God the Father God the Sonne and God the holie Ghost And to prooue this thing no lesse is the forgiuing of sins taken for an argument which they grant as proper to the holie Ghost For when Christ had breathed vpon his disciples he said Receiue yee the holie Ghost Iohn 20 22. and whose sinnes ye remit they be remitted vnto them and whose sinnes ye reteine they be reteined Whereby it appéereth that this power is yéelded to the holie Ghost and is proper vnto God And this euen the Scribes themselues testified The 29. reason who hearing Christ saie to the man sick of the palsie Thy sinnes be forgiuen thee Matth. 9 2. cried out that he spake blasphemie in that he durst take vpon him the office of God Furthermore The 30. reason the holie scriptures doo call this self-same spirit both A sanctifier and giuer of light which faculties are méete to be attributed vnto God onlie In Exodus the fourth chapter
iust lawes and of the Latins it is called Ambitus that is Ambition Ambition for it is a most vile thing to craue the peoples voices by great gifts Héerof in the digests Ad legem Iuliam de ambitu are manie things extant Those which were conuicted were condemned of infamie and also in a paiment of monie And the punishments of this fault were manie times in the commonweale of Rome increased for the fault did growe on without measure Yea and the ecclesiasticall Canons did imitate the Romane lawes And bicause this vice grew mightilie in the church and at this daie reigneth euerie-where manie lawes were decréed which are in the first cause quest 1. throughout the whole question and in the fift booke of the decretals in the title De Simonia in another title that the prelats should not grant their owne places or places of the church Simonie for a yéerelie rent They that sell ecclesiasticall dignities followe Gehezi the seruant of Helizaeus 4. King 4 12. and they which buie them are like vnto Simon Magus Neither is only monie but words euerie kind of flatterie if they be done onlie vnto that end to obteine ecclesiasticall honors to be estéemed as a price And the fathers did so persecute this vice as against those that commit Simonie they admitted anie sort of accusers euen those that were infamous dishonest persons harlots and suth other sort of men which is not suffered in the complaint of other crimes Lastlie must be regarded that we vse honors well when they be gotten That honors gotten must be wel vsed which I therefore speake bicause we may sée some euerie-where which abuse them to obteine power to compasse riches and follow pleasures vnto all which things they make the waie easie to themselues by dignities and honors as well ciuill as ecclesiasticall 18 These things we thought good to be recited The dutie of them that doo giue honor as touching them which receiue honors now must we speake a few words of them whose part is to yéeld honor vnto others for these also must be admonished bicause héerein men may sin diuerslie and manifoldlie I suppose there is none that doubteth but they doo greatlie erre which denie iust and méet honors to them that well and rightlie behaue themselues and yet we sée that there be manie such as denie this And those men are a great deale worsse than these which in the stead of giuing honor doo hate them doo diminish their deserts be disquieted and gréeued if they shall sée anie thing go well with them these men without doubt are to be accounted vniust and most vngratefull Some indéed there be which frankelie inough doo honour good men but this they doo to reape in like maner some benefit fauour or helpe of them and these passe not much of the well doings of honest men but onlie séeke their owne good wherefore they rather sell their honor than make it a reward of vertues Againe wée haue knowne others which are readie inough to giue honors vnto honest men but in dooing thereof vse a peruerse iudgement for those good things which they ought to regard they neglect and doo greatlie estéeme those things which be of lesse value If a man do well ouer-sée his church bring sound doctrine liue godlie and sheweth euerie-where good examples in this respect they make small account of him but if the same man giue craftie and expert counsell to increase wealth or shew some vnknowne thing in husbandrie or in physicke then they haue him in admiration and with praises extoll him to heauen There be also those which doo flatter and which adorne euen foule vices with the names of vertues Also there be some which in giuing of honors kéepe no meane but either they giue them sparinglie or else more than they should 19 All these things which I haue rehearsed How these things agree with the holie scriptures must be diligentlie taken héed of which since I haue largelie enough declared now remaineth that we shew how the doctrine of Aristotle agréeth with the holie scriptures or else differeth from them Indéed when he saith that honour is not the chéefest good he disagréeth not anie thing from the holie scriptures for the chéefest good cannot be desired more than is méete but in wishing for honours we must temper our desire I would not haue you saith the Lord to his apostles be called Rabbi or maisters or fathers Matth. 23 8. but rather regard this that ye serue one another and that with a lowelie and moderate mind Besides this our sauiour would not suffer his to be defrauded of the chéefest good seing he came purposelie to make vs happie But he setteth vs open in a maner vnto rebukes Luke 21. Mat. 6 10 Iohn 16. Mark 13. Phil. 2 7. and he foreshewed that his children should haue contumelies doone vnto them whom he comforteth by his owne example Who abased himselfe and taking vpon him the forme of a seruant was made obedient euen to the death of the crosse And whereas it is affirmed that our chéefest good should be firme proper and not easie to be remooued it maketh with that which Paule saith that therefore our saluation and iustification doth consist of grace and faith Rom. 4 16. but not of works that the promise may be firme That honours may soone be taken awaie the holie scriptures doo testifie for Christ said Matt. 13 57. Marke 6 4. that No prophet is without honour saue in his owne countrie And we sée that the saints hauing honour manie-times doone vnto them are within a while after accused caught vnto punishment And finallie the holie scriptures teach that honour is of the kind of those good things which are referred to some other thing bicause the Lord said Let others see your good works Matth. 5 16. and glorifie your father Where we sée that glorie and honour ought not to rest onelie in vs but must be referred vnto diuine honours and praises Of certeine good things attending vpon Felicitie namelie riches beautie nobilitie and such like and how far men may vse them vvithout hinderance vnto Felicitie 20 In the definition of Felicitie action of the mind was the generall word vnder which it was conteined A distinction of good things which verie well agréeth with the old writers who diuided good things into thrée parts The goods of the mind and among those things gaue the principall and chéefe place vnto the goods of the mind Wherefore séeing felicitie is the chéefest good it is well assigned to belong vnto the actions of the mind That same distinction of good things procéeded from the Academikes and before them from Socrates as it may appéere in Platos fift booke De legibus albeit afterward followed the Stoikes which onelie made one kind of good things though Aristotle made no mention of them bicause they flourished after his time The goods of
brought into the citie Which act Augustine dooth maruellouslie mislike of who most euidentlie sheweth that it is not lawfull to counterfeit God by images And in his eight booke De ciuitate Dei 23. and 24. chapters he sharplie reproueth Hermes Trismegistus who presumed to saie that Men doo well in making of images that euen as God made heauenlie gods so he gaue power vnto men to make earthlie gods 8 But at this daie in Christendome there be such kind of images suffered whereby God himselfe may be represented For An image of the trinitie to expresse the blessed Trinitie thou maist sée euerie-where in the churches a man painted with thrée heads In an other place they put a tall old man for God the father who hath standing before him a yoong man that is to saie the sonne and betwéene both they place the picture of a dooue and that is in stead of the holie Ghost Neither do the rulers of the churches take awaie these things but allow of them howbeit with such fond arguments as be necessarie to repeate least we should séeme to dissemble anie thing The seuenth Synod which was held at Nice The 7. Synod of Nice in the reigne of Constantinus and Iren thus concluded For it is God which the image teacheth but it selfe is not God looke vpon this but worship with thy mind that which thou beholdest in the same image But what is to be iudged of this Synod we shall sée in due place In the meane time let vs heare the obiections of the aduersaries First of all they saie that the holie scriptures haue giuen occasion to forme images The obiections of them which would haue images of God for séeing they haue attributed vnto God the parts of a man namelie eies eares head nostrels féet c. There séemeth no cause whie but that the painters and grauers may forme the verie same vnto him Also it is written in Ose Ose 12 10. I am likened by hands of the prophets And in the seuenth of Daniel verse 9. The ancient of daies was shewed vnto the prophets which had the heares of his head white like wooll Ezech. 1 26 Esaie 6 1. Exo. 24 10. and 33 23. Also there was shewed vnto Ezechiel the similitude of a man Yea Esaie saith that He sawe the Lord sitting vpon a throne c. And Moses also with the elders sawe God sitting vpon a throne vpon the mountaine he beheld his hinder parts like vnto a man going awaie Wherefore they saie that séeing those things haue béene shewed and haue béene séene by the prophets whie shall it be thought a wicked part to plant out the selfe-same things in colours and engrauings The first answer to those obiections Of some it is answered that the diuersitie of members which is attributed vnto God in the holie scriptures did shew by a certeine mysterie that the diuine nature should in time to come take vpon it a humane nature But I let passe this answer for this time affirming that we ought héere to haue regard to the goodnes of God whereby it did so humble it selfe vnto our infirmitie that séeing we can not vnderstand his nature he would vnder the name of members or parts open or rather shadowe vnto vs certeine of his properties For by the eie he describeth his prouidence by the arme his might by hands his workmanshippe by nostrels his wrath and the rest of like sort Where it is afterward said that it is lawfull for vs to vse the same lineaments colours and engrauings it followeth not for there is no lawe giuen vnto God All things which he dooth rightlie and iustlie are not lawfull for men to doo for God taketh reuenge of his enimies he commanded the father to kill his sonne and willed the Hebrues to take away the goods of the Aegyptians the which neuerthelesse is wicked for men either to doo or command Deut. 32 35 Gen 22 1. Exod. 11 2. for he appointed lawes for men and not for himselfe And for so much as he is the author of the lawe he may otherwhiles except some things from it Wherefore we must assure our selues that what he did he did not without consideration In déed he expressed himselfe some times by certeine apparitions but in them there was no danger of idolatrie for who is there that worshippeth words either spoken or written else offereth sacrifices vnto them For words passe awaie knowledge also and conceits of the mind are put out of remembrance but if so be things themselues be painted or ingrauen outwardlie men will readilie adore them burne incense to them and praie vnto them Further let vs consider that the prophets which had such kind of formes in their mind did neuer picture them nor yet made images of them for they did knowe that God forbad such things to be doone Neither did they dispute with themselues in this maner God hath thus declared himselfe vnto vs therefore it is lawfull so to expresse him out in images Besides this God commanded that there shuld be a propitiatorie vpon the arke Exo. 25 17. as though his seat should be there but the same was an emptie seat neither was there anie image of God therein Moreouer the scriptures which doo shadowe God manie waies if they be attentiuelie read will teach vs that God is a spirit and without a bodie and so doo they méet with that error which might arise in our minds But a picture or image although we behold the same a thousand times doth signifie none other thing than that which was shewed at the first sight Wherefore there is neither waie the like reason And it is trulie prooued that God is not to be expressed by images But they make their mone saie What shall we then doo Shall not God be some maner of waies counterfeited that our minds thereby may be caried or lifted vp to the consideration of heauenlie things We answer that of his images there be enow alreadie extant for Christ is the liuelie image of him let vs therefore behold him his acts and in him we shall know God abundantlie Furthermore we haue in the holie scripture which most perfectlie painteth out God to vs so much as is requisite to the painting out of him What néed haue we either of wood brasse gold siluer or other sensible matter Againe if it delite vs to behold the liuelie images of him let vs looke vpon godlie men which now be and sometime haue béene in the church for they vndoubtedlie were from the beginning created and afterward were restored to the image of GOD. We haue moreouer as it is aboue declared all the works of nature wherein the printed steps of Gods power doo appeare Further we haue the visible sacraments wherewith the word of God is ioined Surelie these things may suffice and ought to be inough to lift vp mens minds to the beholding of God and his properties But curious and
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
saieng we haue in the Decretals De adulterijs in the chapter Si vir sciens and it is the Councell of Arles A man which reteineth an adulteresse is partaker of the crime Also If a woman being put awaie should be married to an other although hir latter husband be dead she may not returne to the first for she is now become vncleane vnto him as we haue it in the 24. chapter of Deuteronomie verse 4. Reasons which make for reconciliation 40 But now passe we ouer these things and let vs sée the reasons which make for reconciliation That most mightie and excellent God of ours would be the spouse of his church and that not onelie in this our age but also in the daies of the fathers Howbeit the church speciallie in old time did oftentimes decline vnto idolatrie and plaid the harlot with the gods of the Gentils as we may read in sundrie places in the booke of Iudges and in the historie of the Kings and in the Prophets Ierem. 3 1. Yet neuerthelesse Ieremie in the name of God called hir home that she might returne againe to hir husband And euen so did the prophet Ose and that with manie spéeches Ose 2 19. And if God be readie to receiue his adulterous wife man ought also to be reconciled vnto his wife especiallie if she fall from hir error and repent For how manie so euer be Christians they professe the following of God There is extant an example of Dauid 2. Sam. 3 14 which brought home againe his wife Michol although she had béene bestowed by the father to an other man Iustinian Iustinian also in his Authentiks when he commandeth an adulteresse to be beaten and closed vp in a monasterie yet dooth he giue leaue vnto the husband to take hir vnto him againe if he will within the space of two yeares and so dooth most manifestlie allow of reconciliation Augustine in his second booke vnto Pollentius Augustine laboureth verie much in this to haue them reconciled For in his time there were manie which would not take their adulterous wiues as they which were now spotted and polluted Wherevpon he wrote But doost thou thinke hir to be polluted whom baptisme and repentance hath purged and whom God hath made cleane She ought not to séeme polluted vnto thée And if that she be alreadie reconciled by the keies of the church and admitted into the kingdome of heauen by what right maist thou repell hir from thée In the 32. cause question 1. these words also are written If she be fallen thou maist knowe that to fall is common among men and mercie ought to be shewed to hir if she be risen againe For the same would we haue doone vnto vs. And extreame lawe is extreame iniurie In the Decretals De adulterijs stupris in the chapter Si vir sciens we read out of the Councell of Arles An adulteresse if she be penitent ought to be receiued The Glosse in that place asketh by what lawe or right she should be receiued It answereth Not of necessitie bicause the man cannot be compelled whether he will or no to take hir Wherfore he ought by the lawe of honestie to bring hir home againe But I would aske the question Ought he not to take hir home by the dutie of godlinesse and precept of God when as Paule saith vnto the Philippians Doo whatsouer things be honest iust Phil. 4 8. And so the necessitie of the cōmandement taketh place therein Howbeit the Glosse ment there of the outward lawe of pleading whereby no man may be constreined to take an adulteresse againe But in the Canon now cited is added Not often for if she fall often into adulterie she should not be receiued The Glosse there obiecteth Christ against himselfe who being demanded How oft a man should forgiue his brother when he sinneth against him answereth Not seuen times onelie Matt. 18 22. but seuentie times seuen times Vnto this he saith that the words of the canon must be vnderstood that when the adulteresse dooth so often straie the church shall make no intercession for reconciliation partlie bicause there would be a windowe opened vnto wickednesse and partlie for that it is thought to be but a feined and counterfet kind of repentance Also there is added another answer namelie that it is spoken for terror sake that the people might not sinne too boldlie and licentiouslie Hereby it is gathered that the church ought to make intercession for repentance to the intent there might be a reconciliation Wherefore the adulteresse either sheweth tokens of repentance or else sheweth none if she shew anie the church ought to make intercession for hir that there may be a reconciliation but if she shew none intercession of the church shall not be vsed otherwise it might be thought to be a supporter of sinnes An answer to the reasons on the contrarie part 41 Now must we make answer vnto the arguments which séemed to be a let vnto reconciliation As concerning the ciuill lawes they must be amended by the word of God Ierom and Chrysostome speake of the adulteresse which will not repent And this is plainelie perceiued by the Councell of Arles For so it is there The Councell of Arles A man which reteineth an adulteresse is partaker of the crime yet neuerthelesse if she repent let hir be receiued But why the lawe of Moses would not suffer Deut. 24 4. that a wife being once put awaie should returne to hir first husband after the death of the second the cause may easilie be shewed For if he had permitted this diuorsements would soone haue béen admitted in hope that the wife should at one time or other recouer hir husband againe God would that she which was once put awaie might not returne anie more least she should be put awaie vpon small occasion There might also haue béene lieng in wait for the latter husband that the wife when the latter were taken awaie might returne againe to the first Wherefore the lawe of God was most equall which perteineth not vnto adulteresses whom by the commandement of God it behooued to stone vnto death By these things now it appéereth that it is lawfull for the husband to returne againe into fauour with his wife that hath béene an adulteresse so that she be penitent who neuerthelesse ought to accuse his wife of adulterie if the crime be openlie knowne or if she doo perseuere in wickednesse or else if the issue be borne by adulterie least the lawfull heires should be defrauded For vnlesse that accusation should be a remedie a man might not disherit his child borne in adulterie Further the church may make intercession and deale with the husband for to bring home his penitent wife againe So as our Leuit must not be blamed for receiuing of his adulterous wife into fauour if so be that she did repent hir of hir adulterie Of VVine and Droonkennesse 42 Now
whoÌ„ seeing other mens minds be hidden and that they bée vtterlie ignorant what is in them it behoueth that they vse the cautions discribed by the Apostle least they erre in their elections But God rightly chooseth his with out those rules Psal 7. 11. Ier. 11. 20. Apo. 2. 23. For hee trieth the raines and the heartes and chaungeth the wils of men at his owne pleasure Albeit some haue saide that Paul in Iudaisme was of verie honest conuersation as hée himselfe testifieth vnto the Philippians Phil. 2. 6. And in the latter Epistle to Timothie he writeth that he had serued God from his forefathers with a pure conscience But I hold not with these men For I will not diminish his fault in persecuting of the Church seeing Paul did so greatlie after a sort reproch himselfe with the same Wherfore when I allowe of the solution nowe brought this commeth to mind that the Canons which the Apostle deliuered vnto Timothie are not alwaies kept euen as touching men For Ambrose the Bishop of Millaine Ambrose was chosen he being yet a Nouice when hée was yet a Nouice and youngling in the faith was placed in the Sea of the Church For he was sent from the Emperour to execute the office of Praetor Here the aduersaries vaunt against vs that it is lawfull sometimes to deale against the holie Scriptures and that the woordes of God are not most stedfast But we must note that the preceptes of God sometime haue not their owne strength neither in verie déede be preceptes For when two preceptes méete together so as they crosse one another The commandemeÌ„ts of God so fare as sometime one giueth place to another wherof the one is more excellent than the other God wold haue that chiefly to be done then the other which is of lesse excellencie and as touching the will of God inferiour giueth place vnto the first and hath not the authoritie of a commaundement because God woulde not haue it to bée doone in that place and at that time Euen as Christ taught as touching the drawing of an Oxe and an asse out of a pit on the Sabboth daie Luk. 14. 5. By which meanes he excused his Disciples who had plucked off the eares of the corne on the Sabboth daie Matt. 12. 1. and had rubbed out the graine And he often times testified that hee woulde haue mercie and not sacrifice Ibid. ver 7. The Church of Millaine therefore was greatlie molested by the Arrians it had néede of a Bishop An examination of the chusing of Ambrose and speciallie of a teacher that shoulde bée of great authoritie These thinges were perceiued to bée in Ambrose Neither was there anie other fit man presented Whereby that Church was quit from the other precept which was of lesse excellencie wherein it was commanded to beware of Nouices or those which were not fullie instructed And of this matter it séemeth to be enough to haue spoken somewhat by the waie 20 Moreouer the rite of the olde consecration is set foorth in the booke of Numbers In 1. Sam. 7 at the beginning It behooued that the Leuite should chaunge his garment and wash his bodie and shaue all his haire The consecration of the Leuites Priestes Further that he should come into the Tabernacle vnto Aaron and by him to be consecrated before God the Lorde After the same maner also it behooued the Priestes to be consecrated namelie that they shoulde put on newe garmentes that they should be sprinkled with holie oyle and bloude This outwarde meanes was to this purpose effectuall that the people might vnderstand that they were nowe ministers assigned vnto them by God But these shadowes being taken awaie there is nothing left vnto vs but the laying on of hands But the Papists The laying on of hands as I suppose to the intent they might bée of more solemnitie The conseâ—ation and mark of the Papists haue transferred all those rites and Ceremonies of Moses vnto themselues They are clipped they are shauen they are washed they are annointed they haue garmentes put on them And I maruel not a little why they be not also circumcised But they adde that these things of theirs are indued with much greater vertue than those rites of Moses For that they imprint a marke which cannot be raced out and that it consisteth not onely in the flesh but that it pearceth also euen vnto the soule Paul saith that he beareth the markes of the Lord vpon his bodie Gal. 6. 17. But these good men would laie vp those thinges in their minde For what they doe in their bodie all men sée In 1. kin 19 The signe of outward vnction 21 Moreouer oile in the olde time was an outwarde ceremonie appointed by God and therefore it was not destitute of the worde of God And it signified the gift of the holie Ghost whereby God instructed them whom hee woulde promote either vnto ecclesiasticall or publike offices Moreouer by that signe they which were promoted were aduertised of their duetie Wherefore it was a sacrament but not generall because al the beléeuers in God were not annointed but onelie the men of that order which we haue mentioned before 1. Kings 19. 19. But some man wil saie we reade not that Elisa was annointed by Elias with outwarde oile for as the holie Historie saith he onelie cast his cloake vnto him Neither was Azael consecrated by Elisa with outward vnction 2. Kings 8. 11. Some aunswere that indéede the same was vsed although the holie scriptures make no mention thereof Certeinlie manie things haue happened which the holie Historie otherwhile speaketh not of But I woulde saie that séeing it commeth to passe manie times in the Sacramentes that outward signes take their name of the things as breade and wine in the holie Supper are called the bodie and bloude of Christ The nature of sacraments in the transferring of names because they be the signes and Sacraments of those thinges In like manner the verie bodie of Christ Iohn 6. 51. as we reade in the 6. Chapter of Iohn is called breade that euen so Elias although he had not the outward ointment yet it may be saide that he did annoint because by his ministerie God working the same he bestowed the grace and frée gifts of Prophesie the which are signified by the outward vnction The verie which forme of speaking Dauid vsed when in the Psalme vnder the person of God he said Psal 105. 15 Touch not mine annointed And he spake of Abraham Isaac and Iacob whom he calleth annointed whenas notwithstanding they had not the outward vnction But so they be called because they were replenished with the spirite and with graces the which were signified by the oyle Yea and our Sauiour Iesus himselfe is called Christ that is annointed because he hath had the grace of God and that indéede beyonde the measure of other men 1.
that subiectes which obey those lawes be well aduised And let this much suffice for the question propounded 6 But passing ouer these things In 1. kin 21. at the beginning two things come now to minde to be examined which serue to our purpose For there be two things which pertaine not to our right and power and yet are they sometime required of princes therefore we must sée whether it be in our hand to giue them There be certaine goods which be called Ecclesiasticall goods of the which the Bishops and Ministers of the Church be disposers and haue the charge but are not frée and absolute lords For they be assigned for the liuing of the Ministers and for sustenance of the poore Neuerthelesse this doeth Princes oftentimes require that they should be giuen to them and to their nobilitie There is also a Catholike sound faith which is not ours but must onelie be agréeable to the doctrine of the holie Scriptures and oftentimes notwithstanding it is required by Monarches and Tyrants that we should bend and apply the same to their will and pleasure Wherefore it is demanded whether in those things we should alwaies follow the constancie of Nabaoth whereof there is mention made in the xxj Whether goods ecclesiastical are to be deliuered vnto Princes Chapter of the first booke of Kings As touching the first to wit Ecclesiastical goods the opinion of all men is not one reasons are foūd for both parts They that wil not haue those things to be giuen say that these goods be not the goods of the ministers but of the Church so as it is not lawfull for them to plucke away those things that be none of their own Leo the first of that name writing vnto a Bishop néere Sicilia said these goods are not ours but are committed vnto vs. Further they saie that those things being giuen vnto kings princes are not conuerted vnto good vses but serue vnto riot and courtlie pompe and they thinke it rather the part of a Magistrate to prouide that those be well distributed and bestowed And that if he shall perceiue that Ecclesiasticall men performe not the same both they maie and ought to driue them to doe their office Ambrose Verilie Ambrose would not deliuer the Church vnto Valence the Emperour when he required the same Laurence Laurence also would not deliuer the Treasures of the Church vnto the most cruell Emperour Decius but bestowed them vppon the poore Further hee shewed vnto the Tyrant the lame the blinde the afflicted and néedie and those he said are the treasures of the Church On the other side Augustine being a man of a gentle and méeke nature Augustine was a man of méeke nature was not austere and strait in defending of those things Naie rather as Possidonius the Bishop of Calamensis reporteth in his life the 33. Chapter when some of his Clergie were enuied by reason of certaine Farmes and possessions which they had said openlie vnto his people that he had rather liue of those things which should be giuen by the people than to take vpon him the charge of possessions landes of the which he with his might be maintained and that he was readie to giue place that they themselues and the Ministers should be maintained by the oblations of the Aultar as they were in the olde Testament And this he not onely spake in wordes but performed it by a certaine déede which differeth not from this his saying For vppon a time a certaine noble man of Hippo who notwithstanding liued at Carthage franckly and of his owne accorde gaue to the Church of Hippo wherof Augustine had the charge a possession by writings made and sealed which writings he deliuered to Augustine and his clergiemen onely reseruing vnto himselfe the profite of the land during his life But after a certaine time when he had repented him of his graunt he sent his sonne vnto Augustine to require the writings of the graunt and in the meane time he would giue a hundreth shillings to be bestowed vpon the poore These things being heard Augustine lamēted and sorrowed not for the possession demanded againe but for the inconstancie of men For he reprooued him by letters but he restored the writings of the gift neither woulde he receiue those hundreth shillings And yet neuerthelesse he feared not to alienate from the Church that right of Donation which he then possessed The question is difficulte Note in the resoluing whereof I was first of this opinion that if the Magistrate and Prince woulde take awaie those goods they should not be resisted by force Howbeit if they would compell me to deliuer those things I should not easilie yéelde vnto it 7 But oftentimes it commeth to passe that Princes and Magistrates will not take awaie those goods by force but they would haue them deliuered by writings of exchāge or alienation made and sealed And vnlesse this be doone there is a danger least their mindes should be alienated from the Church and from the reformation thereof And whereas they maie séeme after a sort to fauour religion and if they be reiected they will hinder the same and through them the Church shall want good Ministers and Papistes shall be called in the people shall be destitute of syncere and pure doctrine neither shall the same haue a due administration of Sacraments For what vses the goods of the Church may be deliuered When the cause then cōmeth into so great daunger then if that any goods of the Church be deliuered to the end that the Church maie be redéemed from such vexations they which so doe must not in my iudgement be thought to sinne For if it be lawfull to sell the goods of the Church for redéeming of the beléeuing captiues why should it not also be as lawfull for the redemption of the Church it self That the goods of the Church maie be solde to that vse Ambrose declareth Ambrose who in his second Booke of Offices Chapter 28. saieth That Ambrose tooke the goods of the Church and imployed them to godly vses that he sometimes for this cause incurred the enuie of the Arrians for that he melted the Challices of gold the holy vessels whereof he might make a benefit for the redéeming of captiues further that he defended that the soules of the Captiues which were redéemed bée more acceptable vnto God than vessels of golde and other ornaments of Temples Beside this he rehearsed the example of Laurence of whom we spake a little before The example of Laurence adding that the Church hath gold not to kéepe it but to bestowe it That the verie same is lawfull Gratian in the decrées 12. Quaest 2. Can. Apost And it is out of the sixt Synod And the same thing is in the same place in the Canon Et Sacrorum Can. Therfore if it be lawfull to redéeme captiues with the Church goods alienated awaie it shall be much more
third vnto Emperours And of this mind be the Schoolemen as Thomas in Secunda Secundae de Ieiuni saith that the Church cannot decrée at what time and in what manner we shoulde fast For euen as saith he ciuill Magistrates maie declare and ratifie those things which be confusedly and obscurely shadowed in the lawe of nature so the Church may define determine those things which be confusedlie taught in the holie Scriptures Ostiensis And Ostiensis de vi Constitutionum saith that such decrées ought to be of that force that he which coÌ„tenmeth them should be excommunicated And wee reade in the histories that Victor would haue excoÌ„municated al the East part for no other cause but for that they did not solemnise the feast of Easter after the Roman vse Albeit that matter was somewhat repressed by the Counsell of Ireneus The reasons that are brought for the contrarie An answere to the reasons denying this power vnto Byshops they thinke that they be able easilie to refell For whereas it is saide that the Bishops receaued not authoritie of Christ to make lawes they aunswere that that is nothing For they saie that lawes doe belong vnto doctrine Cicero What the Lawe is For the lawe as Cicero saith is a commaunding of honest things and a repelling of things shamefull So that séeing the Church hath the authoritie to teach if hath also saie they authoritie to make Lawes 1. Pet. 5. 3. And albeit Peter saith that a Bishop ought not to beare rule yet that he ought to haue ouersight in the Church and to haue the power of the keies And whereas it is alleaged that the Church hath no right to punish they say it is false for the Church may bind lose excommunicate And whereas Paule writeth that he wil not cast any man into a snare 1. Cor. 7. 37 they say he writeth this particularly of virgins because chastitie is not commonlie giuen vnto al men And that it is a weake argument for a man thus to gather It is not lawfull to make a lawe of virginitie therefore it is not lawfull for any cause And that whereas Esaie saith Esa 33. 22. Thou art our lawmaker and king that is true as touching the last iudgement eternall damnation Or by the figure * Antonomasia is when in the place of a proper name an other name is put Antonomasia bicause whatsoeuer is is of him For otherwise by the same reason euerie ciuil magistrate should be taken away 3 But whether these bee Lawes or or no I will not contend bicause it maketh not much to purpose Wherefore let it bée set downe that it is lawfull for the Church to make to it selfe either Canons or lawes or decrees or statutes or call them by what name thou wilt For the Church is a companie and must be ruled by the word of God especially bicause it belongeth to the saluation thereof and to the worshiping of God But there be other things which belong onelie vnto outward discipline For there is néede of certaine outward bondes to the end that the fellowship of the people maie be retained 1. Cor. 11. 5 So the Apostle decréed that women ought to praie with the head couered and men vncouered Acts. 15. 29 And the Apostles in the Actes decréede that we should abstaine from bloud from strangled and from things dedicated vnto Idols And alwaies in Councels after they had done with doctrine they began to intreate of discipline Finallie so did all the Fathers as Tertullian Origen Basill Augustine and Ierom. The ende of these lawes must be edefying and good order But for so much as they be not of neessitie they maie be changed according to the times and places as in Baptisme concerning the thrée times dipping of sprinkling of them that are diseased of the time of Easter and Penticost at which times onely Baptisme was woont to be giuen Of the Eucharist in what place at what time after what manner whether we ought to communicate standing or sitting in the morning or at euening vnlesse that these things shal be determined of there will neuer be any tranquillitie of the Church For one man will heare a Sermon at one time and an other at an other time one in this place and an other in that So as it is lawfull to appoint such decrées if it be done with the peace of the Church Others reason thus The people is vnlearned and vnskilfull therefore to be held in Ceremonies But this difference is betwéene vs and them of old time They had many Ceremonies we as saith Augustine haue verie fewe And Christ saith that God will haue a people of whom hee shall bee called vpon in spirit and in truth 1. Co. 14. 40 Yet Paule teacheth the Corinthians that it behoueth that there should be some things which maie serue vnto order and comelinesse Howbeit this order consisteth not in great pompe in apparell in songs in the noyse of bels and organs but in that which may serue vnto modestie and grauitie which may remoue lightnesse confusion and barbarousnesse 4 Now that we maie vnderstand What maner of laws ought to be of the Church of what sort such lawes should be we ought to remeÌ„ber that some there bée which pertaine to doctrine and some to gouernaunce Vnto doctrines nothing ought to be thought necessary but that which is gathered either expressely or by manifest and sound reason out of the holy Scriptures such as is of the baptising of Infantes and of Homonsion that is that Christ is of one substance with his father For God expressely commaunded in Deuteronomie Deut. 12. 32 that there shoulde not any thing be added vnto his lawe Againe those things which pertaine to gouernance are distinguished two manner of waies For some be necessarie and serue vnto saluation of which sort none must be thought vnlesse they be taught in the holie Scriptures Others there be indifferent in their owne nature the which we may vse either well or ill Lawes toâ—ching thâ—… indifferent Vnto this part onely belongeth all this discourse In this kind we must speciallie take héede that nothing be thought to be done to the worshipping of God For diuine worshiping dependeth not of the will of men but of the counsell of God Therefore Christ in Matthew saieth out of Esay Matt. 15. 9. In vaine do they worship mee teaching doctrines being preceptes of men For the worshipping of God must remaine simple and pure Esa 29. 23. Ibid. v. 14. Therefore God saieth in Esay that he would send furie and madnesse vpon them of whom he is worshipped according to the preceptes of men And in déede so we sée it commonly come to passe that they which are wholie occupied in this are after a sort giuen vp to a reprobate sense they dote they are mad and they cannot sée euen those things that bée most cleare Col. 2. 10. Paul vnto the Colossians saieth If
is inferior to the scriptures but neither the Bishop nor Magistrate may alter them A Notarie or Scriuener writeth actes and bargaines and otherwhile retaineth the writings in his office yet must not greater credite be giuen to the Notarie than to the testator or to them that make the bargaines 23 But they are woont to say that Heretickes beléeue not the Scriptures but that is their owne fault and not the fault of the Scriptures And the obstinate Iewes would not beléeue no not Christ or the Apostles But this must be imputed to their own fault and not to Christ nor to the Apostles What will they saie that they will not beléeue no not the Church For after the Synode of Nice the Arrians both were more in number and more obstinate than euer they were before But why doe they place the Church aboue the Scriptures Let themselues goe vnto the Turkes that by the authoritie and name of the Church they maie bring them vnto the faith Cyprian Cyprian De singularitate ClericoruÌ„ hath an excellent place If saieth he all that we doe we doe it onely to the ende that we may please the Lord vndoubtedly whatsoeuer the Lord whom we séeke to please shall will and command and allow that onelie shal be iust For séeing that seruantes cannot knowe of themselues what will please their lordes vnlesse they follow the commandements of their lordes and that men doubtlesse are not able to knowe the mindes of men like vnto themselues vnlesse they haue receiued that which they shoulde obserue much rather mortall men cannot comprehend the righteousnes of the immortall God vnlesse he himselfe vouchsafe to declare the iudgements of his righteousnesse Wherefore they which shunne the scriptures and make much of the Fathers séeme to me not to be students of diuinitie but of Fathers But wee will saie that which in olde time a certaine Ethnick answered that he cared not for those dimi gods so he might haue Iupiter to bee fauourable Euen so we make not so great account of the sayings of the Fathers so the Scriptures make of our side So as we sée that in olde time it was a laudable custome In old time onely the Canonicall Scriptures were readâ—… the Church that nothing shoulde be read in the Church besides the Canonicall Scriptures and this was decréed in the thirde Councell of Carthage And in the Synodes when the controuersies were disputed both of the one side and of the other at the last the Bishops pronounced sentence out of the holy scriptures wherof we haue a most manifest example in Cyprian For when there was a controuersie in the Councell as touching the Baptisme of Heretickes The third Councell of Carthage euerie Bishop prooued his opinion by the testimonie of the Scriptures Againe séeing we would restore the Church in which the aduersaries themselues confesse many things to be corrupted there is no better counsell than to reuoke all things to the first beginnings of the Church and to the first originals of Religion For so long as we staie in Councels and Fathers we shall alwaies dwell in the same errours So in the Common weales where any thing is decayed good Citizens giue their indeuour that the same maie be reuoked to the first beginnings and foundations of the Citie if so be that those were good A iudgement touching the Canons ascribed to the Apostles Out of the booke of Dowes 24 But Smith kéepeth a great stirre for Canons of the Apostles and vehemently accuseth vs because wee will not by publike teaching receiue them as Canons of the Apostles But I would haue him to tell mée whether they themselues receiue them or no. Perhaps as he is wilfull he will saie yea But in the ix Chapter it is there commanded that a Bishop and any else of the Catalogue of Priests which standeth at the ministration of the holie mysteries if he will not communicate either let him shewe the cause or let him be excommunicate Verilie if he will admit this lawe he himselfe shal be a thousand times excommunicate séeing he is verie ofteÌ„ present at his idolatrous Masse and doeth neither communicate nor yet shew a reasonable cause why he abstaineth from the communion The Communion In the x. Chapter also it is there commaunded that faithfull men which enter into the Church should heare the scriptures Priuate masses condemned should perseuere in prayers with others and should communicate otherwise they ought to be depriued of the Communion Let this fellowe saie whether at this day his Papisticall Churches will haue this Canon to be of force or whether they do receiue it for a Canon or no. Ecclesiasticall men maried In the 6. Canon it is commanded that no Bishop or Priest vnder the pretence of Religion should put awaie his owne wife and that if he should put her awaie he should be excommunicate and finallie if he perseuere he should be depriued Doeth not this place sufficientlie prooue that they which were called to be Bishops might lawfullie retaine the companie of their owne wiues And againe it appeareth hereby that Matrimonie is not so repugnant to the holie Ministerie as these men imagine Which thing is nowe declared by Paul and therefore for the confirmation of this there is no néede of these vnwritten Canons But let vs yet procéede further sée whether these Canons doe so greatlie please Smith In the 38. The Byshops CouÌ„cels to be celebrated twise in the yeare Chapter we reade that the Councels of the Bishops shoulde be celebrated twise in the yeare namelie at the feast of Pentecost and in the moneth of October Here woulde I knowe whether the Papisticall Church receiue this Canon It receiueth it not séeing the Councels of Bishops are rare therein Woe be to Gregorie Nazianzene if this Canon were true Gregorie Nazianzene who not onelie conueied himselfe away from the Councel of Bishops but as it is in a certaine Epistle of his he durst write that he neuer in a maner sawe anie good ende of the Councels of Bishops Certainlie these Canons if they were written by the Apostles as this man would beare me in hand they should no lesse be reckoned within the account of the diuine scriptures than be the Epistles of the Apostles For what priuiledge should be more assigned vnto the Epistles than vnto the Canons if the Apostles had bin authors alike of both sortes of Scripture Did euer anie man recken these Canons among the Catalogue of the Scriptures But yet I minde to adde that which is written in the 8. Canon If any Bishop or Priest or Deacon shall with the Iewes celebrate the holie daie of Easter before the winter Equinoctiall Easterday he shall be depriued This Canon if it had bin made by the Apostles what place could haue bin left for the contention which happened in the time of Victor Policrates and Irenaeus The Ephesians did celebrate Easter after the maner of the Iewes alleaging
for their owne quietnesse faine and dreame vnto themselues a certain tranquillitie and peace in the Church the which it is vnpossible to haue The church cannot be wel gouerned without troubles disquietnes if they will rightlie féede the flocke of Christ For they cannot haue al things at rest and quietnesse vnlesse they will winke at faultes The Synode of Nice assuredlie had no respect vnto these things An example of the Synode of Nice when it condemned Arrius and his fauourers whereas yet a great part of the learneder and mightier sort of the world fauored him wherby afterward much troubles followed in the Church in such sort as welnéere the whole world was shaken Neither did the Lord Iohn 6. 16. when manie were offended because he spake hard things and difficult to be vnderstood desist therefore from preachers of the trueth but turning to the twelue said Will ye also goe awaie Ibid. ver 67 They saie that we set foorth things vnpossible because if the greater part of the Church bée corrupted who shall excommunicate Wée aunswere that that which our aduersaries vnderstand is vnpossible to wit that the whole Church or the greatest part thereof should be all infected with one and the same kinde of vice so as there should not manie times happen repentance and amendement in the meane while Ouer this why are not vices which grow resisted at the beginning We must not expect till a disease inuade the whole bodie Whereof comes so great a corrupting in the Church Neither commeth it otherwise that in so populous a Church the multitude should be corrupted but because they intermitted this discipline If the Elders and principals of the Church had not ceased but continuallie had deliuered vnto the people to be excommunicated those whom they perceiued to be past amendement the whole Church should not so welnéere wholie haue béene defiled 15 And when they demaund What is to be done if the people consent not vnto excommunication What shall be doone if it happen not that excommunication of the offenders is not obtained by the consent of the people I will aunswere that this at the leastwise must be regarded that the Pastor distribute not the Sacraments vnto them that be condemned conuicted of manifest crimes Chrysost That sacraments must not be imparted comē polluted Chrysostome said that he would rather spende his owne bodie than impart the Sacraments vnto polluted men And in the meane time he ceaseth not to perswade by all meanes that this censure should be restored Augustine The best time to excōmunicate And it will as saith Augustine be a most fit time to obtrude the same when the Church is afflicted with calamities for then the mindes of the people are more readie to receiue sounde doctrine Wherefore although we haue this feare of these fathers in suspect yet doe we not discredite this father as though he had not by firme and strong reasons contended against the Donatistes The heresie of the Donatists For they said that the vniuersall state of Christianitie had no Church because betraiers of the holie bookes were admitted to the communion of the Church and polluted all things Further who in comparison of themselues condemned all other Christians released their owne from the seueritie of the Censure and in their congregations suffered most vnpure men such as were the Optatians the Gildonians and the Primians In fine they were not able to conuince those whom they had accused of betraying the holie bookes as Caecilianus and others of like sort in the Acts before Constantine the great they did nothing 16 Nowe must we intreate to what end excommunication must be vsed Vnto what end excommunication is vsed First of all least the Church should haue euil report Secondlie that he being so cast out might be amended Further that others should not be corrupted A similitude in like manner as by one scabbed shéepe the rest also are infected Fourthlie that the seueritie of this iudgement might terrifie from sinning Finallie that the wrath and punishments which are sent by God maie be auoided For while man doth chasten the hand of God withdraweth punishments but if that they cease God prosequuteth his iniuries And excommunication was chiefelie inuented for the restoring of his principall and inwarde communion with God And we ought alwaies to remember with our selues 2. Cor. 10. 8 that authoritie is giuen not to destruction but to edification of the Church They are enuious to these graue and lawfull causes Against thē which excōmunicate for monie which onelie for the paiment of a little coyne and monie doe bring in excommunication and oftentimes vse this diuine sword against them which are not able to paie séeing such are rather to be accounted worthie of mercie than of punishment Again because in common weales there be ciuill tribunal seates of Magistrats therefore this punishment should séeme to be lesse in this kinde of crime than in others Nor doe I speake this as though I thought that the Censure of the Church hath no place against those which deceiue circumuent and withhold other mens goods especiallie when they will not be amended But this onelie I lament that they persecute this kind of fault onelie leaue vnpunished adulterers drunkards backbiters and other such like wicked persons Besides forth because many being paide they absolue from excommunication whē as they haue had no triall of repentance or chāge of life We must not excommunicate for light causes Irenaeus reprooueth Victor The sword must not be drawen out for light causes Therefore Irenaeus not without a cause reprooued Victor the bishop of Rome for that he would excommunicate manie Churches of Asia for no other cause but because they would not consent with the Romane Church for the celebrating of Easter Which example must not so be taken as though for the feare of a schisme we shuld not vse excommunication séeing it is therefore recited by vs for that the causes of this censure must be great 17 But of what affection they ought to be which doe excommunicate Of what affection they ought to be which do excommunicate this we maie saie that doubtlesse great pitie and mercie ought to be vsed and that they ought so to be prepared in minde as if they should plucke out their owne eye A similitude and cut off their owne hand or foote For if we be members all of one bodie how shall not we woonderfullie sorrow when one member is to be pulled awaie from the rest of the bodie When Tiberius should subscribe to the death of anie condemned person he was woont to saie Tiberius Caesar I would I could write neuer a letter Which thing if it were men would be the more carefull neither should there so manie vniust sentences in excommunication be suffered Hereby appeareth how greuously the Iewes sinned who being prouoked through anger and hatred caused
or no Moses vndoubtedlie cyteth the Booke of the Iust Num. 21. 14 Iosu 10. 13. 2. Sam. 1. 18 the Booke of the warres of the Lord. And it may be that Noah Abraham Isaac and Iacob wrote those things which belonged to their times so as Moses afterward by the inspiration of Gods spirit did gather and digest those things Certainlie Iude in his Epistle did insert certaine things out of the Booke of Enoch Iude. 14. The book of Enoch Nor doeth it make anie matter if thou saie that the Booke is * Of an vncertaine author Apocryphus because that Booke perhaps was Apocryphus which was caried about after the Apostles time But those things with Iudas brought were both firme and certaine But let vs imagine that there was no wordes of God before Moses except such onelie as were giuen foorth by mouth and deliuered by handes What serueth this to the present matter For the verie same wordes when they were afterward put in writing ought to be kept and retained so as nothing in them shoulde be changed by men The church is later thā the word Séeing the Church is gathered together by the word of God the same of necessitie must be latter than it neither can the Church by her owne authoritie be against the wordes of God because the spirit of God doeth not striue with it self But that it is in word or in writing it maketh no matter for these bee accidents and not the proper and true nature thereof And therefore the word of God whether it be deliuered by worde or by writing it is inuiolable neither can it speake things contrarie 9 Ouer this Hosius is against vs Whether the Church the word of God are to be heard alike and saieth that the holie Ghost speaketh with faithfull men aswell by the Church as by handwriters who wrote the holy scriptures and thereby concludeth as he thinketh that the Church should equiualentlie be heard as the holie Scriptures But we saie that the spirit of God speaketh vnto vs both wayes yet as we are warned before things in no wise repugnant one to another Wherefore when as the same spirit deliuereth any thing by the Church that is not repugnant with the written Oracles Furthermore of the handwriters we be certaine for our forefathers which then liued did manifestlie knowe that the holie bookes were set forth by them So as there is no cause to feare that they are counterfeit Againe the spirit of God is present with the faithfull whereby they perceiue the writings of them to be diuine and not counterfeit by men But as touching the Church we stande oftentimes in doubt For the Bishops which represent the same doe not alwaies come together in the name of the Lord. The Byshops and Councels doe erre Look before cap. 4. art 10 Cyprians error And although they be godlie and holie yet are they men and haue much of the flesh whereby their mindes and affections are oftentimes troubled I doubt not but that Cyprian with his Bishops met together with a good and godlie minde yet neuerthelesse he erred as concerning the rebaptising of heretickes which shoulde returne to the Church Besides this in Councels the voyces be not weighed but numbred whereby it commeth to passe that oftentimes the greater part preuaileth aboue the lesse and the worse aboue the better So as we cannot determine that the Church is without error as the scripture is Howe the Fathers of the Synode of Nice behaued them selues Verilie in the Synode of Nice although it was rightly decréed concerning one substaunce of the Father and the sonne yet was there much séede of impietie inserted as touching satisfactions and times of repentance But how those fathers were mooued and driuen by affections thereby it is sufficiently declared in that like furies and mad men they raged one against another and with their infamous Libels and slaunders stirred vp and inflamed the good Emperour against their fellowes that it is a woonder he could abide their vntemperāce They were called together to deale about a principall point of religion and setting this aside they gaue ouer themselues onely vnto choler and stomacke The maner and error of the Ephesine Synode In the second Synode of Ephesus they not onelie erred shamefullie in doctrine but they also came to blowes so as Flauianus the Bishop of Constantinople was there spurned to death I knowe that some saie that that assemblie was not a lawfull Councell Howbeit this mooueth me but litle For I demand what might be wanting thereunto that is required vnto due and true Councels The Bishops were called together by the authoritie of the Emperour no lesse than vnto the Synode of Nice The legates of the Bishop of Rome were present and the Bishop of Alexandria sate as chiefe by his owne right The Synode of Chalcedon The Councell of Chalcedone although it iustlie condemned Eutiches yet is it reprooued by Leo the Bishop of Rome that estéeming lesse the Seate of Alexandria it gaue the second place to the Seate of Constantinople and abolished that which was decréed in the Councell of Nice which could not be done without note of inconstancie 10 But they saie that this belongeth not to the doctrine or Articles of the faith Against whom we replie by the latter Synode of Ephesus which allowed the errour of Eutiches and absolued him whom afterwarde the Councel of Chalcedone condemned and further The Synode of Cōstantinople that the Synode of Constantinople the which was helde vnder Leo the Emperour tooke awaie images Againe that the seuenth Councell which was gathered together vnder Irene allowed aswell of Images as of the worshipping of them Séeing these Councels varie and be contrarie in the chiefe points of faith who shall giue iudgement of them Certainly none but the word of God according whereunto it behooueth that the answers of the Church or Councels be examined The church otherwhile doeth erre if we speake of that Church which is visible and sitteth in Councels Mat. 24. 24 The Lorde saieth that the false Christes and false Apostles shall so preuaile as the verie elect if it were possible should be deceaued Dan. 8. 9. 11. 36. Daniel also testified that Antichrist should sit in the verie Temple of God that is among them which are named the Church Let vs consider the méetings of the olde Church and we shall perceiue that they went so farre astray that amongst them Ieremie the Prophet was ouerthrowen Ierem. 26. 1. Kings 22. 24. and Micheas who was beaten when the 400. Prophetes were come together before the kings Achab and Iosaphat Iohn 9. 22 Finallie Christ and his Apostles were condemned by the Councell of the Iewes yea Nazianzene said he neuer sawe good end of the bishops Councels Whether the Church can erre and Nazianzene to returne to our owne Councels in a certaine Epistle of his said that he neuer sawe good ende of
of Martianus being a wise woman and well commended She in her Epistle vnto Strategus in the Prohems of the councell of Chalcedon The example of Pulcheria to Strategus commaunded that out of Nice a citie of Bithinia where she would haue had the councell which afterward was translated to Chalcedon should be expelled al the cleargy men and Moonkes to the intent that they might leaue the place voide and frée vnto the Bishoppes and that the matters might not be molested by them The Argument is of an Act or example which is not of force In verie déed that woman was in other things godlie and wise but in this act shee cannot be allowed Neither is it thus doone by our aduersaries at this daie In the councell of Trent and in manie other together with Bishoppes there sate Abbots general Masters of the Franciscans of the Carmelites of other orders which were not bishops 18 Fricius also a Polonian The iudgement of Fricius of Polonia an excellent learned man iudgeth that the Legates of the kingdomes and Prouinces of Christianitie should be admitted vnto these kindes of Actions of the church But setting aside the reasons of men I thinke we must haue a regarde vnto the first councell which is in the 15. chapter of the Actes of the Apostles Acts. 15. ver 22. 23. The Apostolicall Councell ought to bée a paterne vnto all Councels This for so much as it was holie and Apostolicall ought to be accounted for a law and rule to all councels There the Apostles establishing the decrée of Christ saide So it seemed good to the Apostles and Elders with the whole Church Afterward they béeing minded to write thereof to the Antiochians wrote letters after this manner The Apostles Elders and brethren c. These things do plainelie testifie that not only the bishops but the other mēbers of the Church haue place in councels And as to that which we cōplained of the Church of Rome they alleadge that the same hath alwaies had singular authoritie among the Christians The power of the Roman Church exceeding her boūds hath brought great losse vnto the Church Vnto this we answere that whatsoeuer power the church hath the same ought to be vnto edifying Let nowe the Romanistes themselues take héede that they edifie the bodie of Christ They haue raised vp infinite contentions for the maintainance of their primacie and for that cause they stirre vp most bitter contentious troubles to the intent they maie obtaine and kéepe the same They diminish the Church of Christ they shorten it and contriue it in a narrow roome For all those which will not acknowledge their primacie they excommunicate and cast out from the communion of the faithfull Furthermore they lay vpon men an intollerable burthen of mens traditions Besides the Canons of the Councels they haue adiected innumerable decrées and decretals their Sext their Clementines their Extrauagant constitutions Thus the Church is charged by them with most gréeuous burthens so farre is it from being eased The complaint of Augustine for the burthen of Ceremonies in his time Augustine in his time complained that the Church of Christ was more charged than in old time the Church of the Hebrewes was I beséech you what would that father now saie if he should behold our times which is now so gréeuouslie pressed with superstious rites and manifold traditions as it is altogether oppressed Of the Romane Church it maie fitlie bee said In vaine doe they worship me Esa 29. 14. teaching the doctrine and precepts of men But let vs consider to what end they so extoll the power of the Romane Church Certainelie for no other cause but that they may easilie obtrude their traditions and euerie fained thing Why they so greatlie extoll the name of the Romane Church so as with hearing the name of a decrée letter or tradition of the church of Rome we should straightwaie giue a blind consent 19 When we demaunde of them how so great a power happened vnto the Church of Rome they saie and especiallie Cardinall Caietanus From whence they claime the Roman power Before pl. 3. Act. 1. that it came by Peter For Christ as they saie when he knewe that he shoulde goe from hence into heauen left that Apostle to be his vicar vppon the earth But we demaund why had not other Churches the Popedom from Peter Because saie they they were not properlie or peculiarlie appointed or ioyned vnto Peter They faine that before Peter was anie where Bishop the Popedome was a wandring and flittering thing namely that there it should be wheresoeuer Peter abode At the last as they trifle he setled himselfe in the Church of Rome But séeing they iudge also that Peter before he went to Rome was also Bishop of Antioch why doe they not attribute the Popedome vnto that seate especiallie séeing they celebrate euerie yeare the feast of Peters chaire whereby they declare that they renewe the memorie of his being bishop in Antioch Yet must we not beléeue that the Church of Antioch was planted by Peter For it was before that Peter went thither He no doubt was at Ierusalem with the rest of the Apostles Acts. 15. 4. 7. as it is in the 15. of the Actes when that great contention sprang vp among the beléeuers of Antioch as concerning the Legall ceremonies of Moses whether they should be obserued or refused All which cause was referred to the Apostles at Ierusalem Whether Peter leauing his byshopricke of Antioche went to Rome 20 But they faine that Peter went afterward vnto Rome and forsaking the bishopricke of Antioche tooke vpon him the bishopricke of Rome But how knowe they that Peter going to Rome kept not to himselfe the byshopricke of Antioche As though wée sée not dailie that the Byshop of Paris London Artois and Augusta doe goe to Rome yet do not renounce their byshoprick But let vs graunt them that they desire let them at the least wise shew why they gaue not the second place vnto the Church of Antioche next vnto Rome Truelie they made the Patriarche of Alexandria to be chiefe séeing that Church was founded and planted by Marke an Euangelist not an Apostle Further in the Councel of Chalcedone they depriue the Patriarche of Alexandria from his place giuing vnto the Byshop of Constantinople the second place next vnto the Romane Byshop whenas neuerthelesie it appeareth that the Church of Constantinople was founded by none of the Apostles whereby is gathered that Churches haue not gotten their honour or degrée of the founders otherwise the Churches of Ephesus Ierusalem Corinthe and Thessalonica and such like which had the Apostles their master builders should be preferred aboue Alexandria Constantinople many other famous Churches than that which they by the decrée of the Canons haue beene lesse estéemed And as touching Peter it is verie vncertaine to the most learned men whether he came to Rome Whether Peter
were at Rome how long But forasmuch as the Fathers and the greatest part of the Ecclesiasticall historiographers affirme it I will not denie it But this I will boldlie affirme that hée liued not 25. yeares bishop of Rome as they woulde and that this is altogether against the course of times and against the holie Scriptures 21 But that is of verie small weight and ridiculous which they feigne namely that the Popedome of the Church of Rome ought to be preferred aboue the Church of Antioch and other Churches where Peter liued because hée died at Rome and no where else Therfore say they al those which are created Bishops of Rome do not onely succeed Peter in the bishopricke but also in the Popedome What of this shall there be more attributed vnto the death and Crosse of Peter than of Christ If Peter were slaine at Rome Christ was fastened to the crosse at Ierusalem I woulde moreouer heare of these men how it comes to passe that the bishops of Rome succéede Peter in the Popedome and that the bishops of Ierusalem succéede not Iames in the Apostleship and become not Apostles in like maner as the Romane bishoppes be Popes Heere they feine a difference out of mans reason but not out of the holy Scriptures Their reasō why those of Ierusalē receiue not the Apostleship from Iames as the Roman Byshops doe the Popedome frō Peter that the Apostleship was a dignitie of persons which together with the persons them selues was extinguished but that the Popedome is a function so necessary in the church as the same ought to be continued and indure perpetually When we afterwarde demaund of them whether they thinke that by the will of God or by the will of Peter the Church of Rome hath the Popedome and we say that that seemeth to be done by him because if he woulde haue gone away from Rome and haue gone to another Church and there haue died doubtlesse the Popedome should haue béene there appointed and not at Rome Héere they chase while they will that the Popedome should by the lawe of God be tied to the seate of Rome But setting aside the holy Scriptures out of which they haue nothing to make on their side they flie vnto féeble traditions A Fable touching Christ and Peter I will not say vnto fables they say that Peter when he was at Rome and the Christians there were most cruellie tormented vnder Nero at the last was perswaded by the brethren to goe from thence Who being come vnto the gate of the Citie saw Christ come to méete him When he had séene him he said Lord whither goest thou And he made answere vnto him I come to Rome that I may be there crucified againe By which answere they say that Peter knew he should die at Rome Hereof therefore these pleasant followes gather that the Popedome was confirmed to the seate of Rome and not to any other Church And they alledge an example of Marcellus Bishop of Rome A supposed example of Marcellus in verie déede not true but counterfait wherein hée writing vnto the men of Antioch saieth that the seate of Peter was sometime with them the which was afterward by the will of God translated vnto Rome These things are brought by them which they vtter being destitute of better arguments They haue not one out the holy Scriptures but they onely deuise wilie subtilties to confirme false doctrine They did feine that God chose Rome as the most mightie and most noble Citie of al the worlde wherein he might place the Popedome Neither doe they sée that it was his old maner and propertie to choose things base and abiect as Paul in the first Epistle to the Corinthians 1. Cor. 1. 26 and the holy Scriptures in manie places testifie Whether the Apostles were Byshops any where 22 But as to this matter it séemeth much more likely that the Apostles were neuer Bishops for their charge was to trauell throughout the world to preach Christ and to raise him vp Churches in cities townes But the office of bishops is to reside in their Churches The office of a byshop and continually to féede the shéepe committed to their charge The Apostle Paul in the Epistle to the Ephesians put a difference betwéene Pastors and Apostles Ephe. 4. 11. but they of Apostles make Bishops Whether how Iames was bishop of Ierusalē I am not ignorant that it is declared by certaine of the most auncient writers that Iames the Apostle the brother of our Lorde was Bishop of Ierusalem This indéed they saie but the holie scriptures teach no such thing I suppose he was a great while at Ierusalem and from thence with his Councel studie and paines taking did helpe the Churches néere about I meane the Churches of Syria and Palestine but that he liued bishop in that Church I am not perswaded For the verie which cause I thinke that Iohn remained a good while at Ephesus to the intent he might both confirme and instruct the Churches of Asia which vndoubtedlie were verie manie And to speake that of Iames which commeth to minde by the waie Clement the Bishop of Rome and as they will haue it the successor of Peter calleth and saluteth him by the name of Bishop or Pastor of all the Churches of Christ But as touching this matter I will not contend ouermuch But if I shall graunt that the Apostles were Bishops I will aske our aduersaries where was the Bishops seate of Paul It cannot be denied but that they also ascribe the same vnto the citie of Rome How saie you Whether Peter and Paul could be Bishops both at one time at Rome Cardinal Pole Was Paul also made Bishop of that citie when as Peter liued Bishop there It is not méete that two should be Bishops at one time of one and the selfe same citie Cardinall Pole writing against Henrie the 8. King of England feineth that the bishops See or seat Apostolike of Paul was set as a graft in the Bishops See or Apostolike seat of Peter so as both together grue vp into one function All men sée these things to be lies and therefore feined because our aduersaries wanted other iust defenses of their lies If the thing might bee doone after this sort A decrée of the Synode of Nice wherefore did the Synode of Nice afterward charge that no Bishop in any Church shoulde bee ordained while the former Bishop were yet liuing And it gréeued Augustine verie much he hauing no knowledge of that Canon Augustine while Valerius the bishops of Hippo was yet liuing that he was appointed bishop of that Church But to returne to Paul We which from the Gentiles are conuerted vnto Christ ought rather to haue respect vnto Paul than vnto Peter Gal. 2. 7. séeing as it is in the Epistle to the Galathians the Apostleship of Peter had respect vnto the circumcised and the Apostleship of Paul
vnto the vncircumcised Such verily was the societie betwéene these Apostles 23 But setting these reasons aside I perceiue plainlie that this power which they say is giuen onely to the Bishop of Rome by the succession of Peter The primacie of the bishop of Rome is taken away by the old Canons is ouerthrowen by the Canons of the Fathers forsomuch as in the Synode of Nice some certain limits were prescribed vnto the Patriarches of Rome of Alexandria and to the rest which might not haue béene done if the Roman Patriarch had at that time béene head of all Churches How rightlie they did which appointed foure Patriarches to be the principall of all Bishops throughout the Church of Christ I will not at this present declare But this onelie I affirme that they in the Church which is * Gouernance of many good men Aristocrasia or a kind of common weale did institute a * The dominion of the foure Patriarches was like the quadrumâ—…rate in Rome Quadrumuirat whose fellowship neuerthelesse in processe of time they obserued with small fidelitie Leo the Pope misliked that any Byshop should be called vniuersall For Leo the first of that name complayned that the Patriarch of Alexandria would make himselfe the vniuersall Byshop of the Church of Christ The very same coÌ„tention had Gregory with Iohn Byshop of Constantinople And Socrates in the 7. booke and 10. Chapter wryteth that the Byshops of Rome and Alexandria went beyond the limits of their iurisdiction especially in that they turned themselues to an outward dominion which is a most sure token that the Byshop of Rome had not in times past as they will haue it an infinit power 24 But to returne to Peter himselfe by whose labour they boast that they haue obtayned so great and so excellent an authoritie of their Popedome as it may be iudged by none vppon the earth whosoeuer he be But good Peter as it is in the Acts of the Apostles when he was accused because he went in to the Ethnikes Acts. 11. 2. Peter had none of that common maioritie declared the cause purged himselfe neither did he flye from iudgement vnder that pretence that he was Pope and that he would be iudged by none vppon the earth as they would haue it He was sent together with Iohn by the Church of Ierusalem into Samaria Acts. 8. 14. whereby it commeth to passe that he is of lesse authoritie than the same For it is euident that he which is sent is inferiour vnto him whose messenger he is made Moreouer Paul ordayned Byshoppes and that by Titus Titus 1. 5. neither did he in that thing aske counsell of Peter or thought it requisite to vse his authoritie therein The same Paul as we haue to the Galathians reprooued him Gal. 2. 14. that openly before the Church of Antiochia vndoubtedlie not as an inferiour vnto him but as one equall and of lyke dignitie The most ancient Fathers were not subiect to the Roman bishop Cyprian and others of the most auncient fathers and also Councels especiallie those which were celebrated in Africa when they wrote letters vnto the Byshop of Rome professed not the subiection towards him which they imagin should be giuen him they called him brother or else honorable or worshipfull fellowe in office or such lyke In the 4 Chapter to the Ephesians are reckoned the ecclesiasticall degrees Ephe. 4. 11 The Ecclesiasticall degrees and God is declared to haue put in the Church some Apostles some Prophets some Pastors and teachers c. No mention of the Popedome in the holie â—…tures But of so great a matter namely of the Popedome we haue no mention there made There is also a remembrance of one bodie one spirit one hope of vocation one faith one baptisme but this ministeriall head of the Church is vtterly silenced 25 But they make great outcryes that they haue a perpetual succession of these their high Byshops What we are to iudge of the continual succession of the Romane Byshops and that the same is greatly accounted of by Tertullian Augustine and other fathers as though the Churches of Ierusalem Antioch and Alexandria cannot euen vnto this day shewe their successions As though perhappes also we would defraude of those successions the Churches of Corinth Ephesus and very many other Apostolicall seates And what Did not also the high priestes of the Iewes in the time of Christ and the Apostles bragge of their successions euen from Aaron But yet that might be no impediment but that it should be lawfull for the Apostles to depart from them when they sawe them reiect the Gospell of the sonne of God Steuen also sayd vnto them although they sate in very honorable place and might make vaunt of their successions and that verily with great bouldnesse You haue alwayes resisted the holy Ghost So that succession no whit auaileth them which depart from godlynesse and from the worde of God And that it is sometime lawfull for iust causes to depart from a continuall succession Note an example of Charles the great the example of Charles the great declareth The Emperours of Greece had a continual succession but whenas now through succession of time they were become slothfull and of small courage the Romane Empire reuolted from them and they ordayned Charles the sonne of Pipin to be Emperour Augustine Moreouer Augustine teacheth vs for what cause the fathers sometimes alledge those successions In his 165. Epistle vnto Generosus dealing against the Donatistes as touching this matter he writeth many excellent things among the rest he rehearseth the Roman Byshops euen vnto Anastasius which in his time sat at Rome and at length saith Ye will not be so boulde to say that any one of these was a Donatist so as it appeareth that ye enterprise newe matters in the Church and bring in newe opinions vtterly vnknowen to the auncient time séeing vnto your doctrine you are not able to shewe any succession or continuance with the auncient fathers Wherefore the argument of this father was very euident and plaine against the Donatistes neither will we therefore despise the same but being instructed thereby will contend against the Papists Let vs make a reckoning of the Roman byshops in their order course vntil we come to Boniface the 3. which first erected the Popedome Boniface the 3. first â—…rected the Popedome Certainly we may perceiue that amongest them there were many excellent and holy men and valiant confessors of Christ yet let our aduersaries say if they can of any one of them This was a Papist Let them take héede then to which of those men they will apply their doctrine The doctrine of the maioritie of Rome is newe and froÌ„ whence 〈◊〉 sprang so as they may say that he receiued it by this or that succession Vndoubtedly this doctrine of theirs is new in no wise taught by those godly fathers but by the
tyde for all the whole fasting day they spent their time in Sermons Hymnes and other godly exercises Towards night the Supper of the Lord was ministred the Sacrament was receyued Afterward they returned home to the refreshing of their bodies Albeit in the time of Augustine in many Churches The Eucharist celebrated vpon Mandie Thursday at night in Augustines time as he himselfe reporteth that vpon the Thursday before Easter to the intent the Act of Christ might be represented the better the Eucharist was giuen to the faithfull at night and after Supper But I finde this custome to bee abolished by the 6. Synode which at Constantinople was held in Trullo Whose Canons are extant in Gréeke wherein there is plaine mention made of this custome to be among the Churches of Aphrica But to returne whence we haue digressed So the integritie of Sacramentes be retained as touching the time other such like circumstances we shoulde not be verie carefull séeing of those things there is nothing cōmanded Christ when he was baptized was thirtie yéeres of age Would it not be a great follie at this day if we would baptize only such as be 30. yéeres olde To the 10. The washing of féet 15 Of the washing of féete which is now omitted we say that therein is a double signification to be considered One as touching remission of sinnes and cleansing the filth of the minde the which is giuen vnto vs by Christ Thereof the Lorde said vnto Peter If I shall not washe thee Ioh. 13. 8. thou shalt haue no part with mee And he that is washed hath no neede but that his feete be washed And about this signification S. Bernard dealeth verie much Furthermore that washing was a signe of charitie and submission of the minde which we ought to vse though we bée noble of great honour Wherefore Christ said thereof Ib. ver 13. Ye call mee Maister and Lord and yee say well for so I am but if that I a Lord and Maister haue washed your feete ye also must one wash an others feete By which commaundement he meant that no mā for any honors sake of this world should cease from doing his duetie vnto his neighbour euen as touching those things which séeme to be but vile because Christ himselfe would doe them The washing of féete was common and vsuall among the Iewes For in the hotte regions as Iewrie is when men iourney by foote their bodies are verie much wearied with heate Wherefore vnto men wearied and full of dust the washing of féete bringeth no small refreshing especially séeing in those Regions men goe not so well shod as they doe with vs. Otherwise howe could Christ haue bin washed of the woman that was a sinner Iohn 12. 3. and be wyped with her haire and be annointed when he should sitte downe at the Table vnlesse he had his féete eyther bare or else so as they might easily be vncouered And that the washing of féete in the Scriptures doeth represent the meanest seruices towardes our neighbours Abigail testified who when Dauid meant to take her for his wife answered 1. Sa. 25. 41 Thy hādmaiden wil be readie who shall wash the feete of my Lord as if she had said I doe not thinke my selfe worthy of so great an honour I will rather be ready to do the meanest seruices vnto thy seruants And Paul in the first Epistle vnto Timothy 1. Tim. 5. 10. whē he speaketh of a widowe to be chosen of the Church requireth such a one as shal aboūd in good works hath washed the féete of the Saints Where there is no doubt but by the washing of féete Paule requireth that she haue exercised her selfe in doing of seruices and commodities to the men of God And Christ while he saieth in the Gospell When ye fast Matt. 6. 16. I would not haue you to be sad as the Hypocrites but commaundeth the contrarie Thou when thou dost fast annoint thy head c. By which place it is not to be gathered that in fastings we shoulde anoynt heads but because in Siria or Arabia surnamed the happie the vse of Oyntments was common when men would shew themselues to be mery yea they were in a maner daily annointed except they had bin in some sadnes therfore Christ meant that when we are in hand with priuate fastings we must not intermit the custome of outward worshipping as though by fastings we woulde winne the fauour of the people But we among whom is not that vse of oyntmentes are not bound in fastings to doe that which Christ saide The verie which thing thou maiest vnderstand about the washing of féet which our aduersaries obiected That can not be called a Sacrament although by the element it may signifie no common thing and it hath a commandement ioyned therewith because there be giuen no particular words which should come to the element to make it a sacrament and by which the promise of some singular gift or grace to be obtained is declared vnto vs. Furthermore neither Christ nor yet the Apostles decréed that they which were to Cōmunicate should washe one anothers féete Augustine And Augustine in the 119. Epistle vnto Ianuarius writeth that some Churches remooued this Ceremonie least it shoulde be estéemed for a part of the Sacrament or else for Baptisme the verie which notwithstanding some Churches retained Act. 15. 29. To the 11. 16 There was also opposed vnto vs a decrée of the Apostles wherein they ordained that the Gentils which were conuerted vnto Christ should abstaine from bloud and from that which is Strangled Which séeing it is abolished they say it is lawfull sometimes to decline somewhat from the Scriptures Howbeit we must marke in this place what is the end and meaning of that decrée It was pronounced because of the dissension risen in the Church For they which were conuerted from Iudaisme thought that the Gentiles for obtayning of saluation should be compelled to retaine Moses lawes and should kéepe the old Ceremonies But Paule and Barnabas taught otherwise according to whose minde the Apostles decréede Yet did they not by their constitution prohibite but that men conuerted from the Gentiles vnto Christ might kéepe somewhat of the Ceremonies of Moses so that they should not thinke those to be necessarie vnto saluation Howbeit to the intent they might not be gréeuous or troublesome vnto them which were conuerted out of Iudaisme who liued then very friendly with them they gaue that commaundement and it séemed to helpe somewhat to the quietnesse of the beléeuers So that the Apostles for no other cause did decrée that the Gentiles should abstaine from these things séeing they would not that the Iewes which were conuerted shoulde bée straight way offended of whom the Church in that first time did chéefelie consist Wherefore they commaunded not these things in that they belonged vnto the lawe or vnto Moses but according as they perceiued them to further the
The parts of the Masse I thinke it good to make rehearsall of the partes thereof according as they were in the ancient time The Gréekes séeme to haue begun their Liturgie with Kyrie eleison 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as if before al things they wold craue pardon of their sins This phrase the latine church borowed of them which some doe attribue vnto Gregorie Howbeit while the people were gathering together and before they were assembled they did sing somewhat out of a Psalme or out of some parte of the Scripture and that song they called The Entring in The entrie of the Masse because in verie déede the people then went in Thereof they made Caelestinus to be author After Kyrie eleison the people being as it were gladde for obtaining remission of their sinnes they song vnto the praise of God the Hymme Glorie to the highest Glory be to the highest which as they will was inuented by Telesphorus Further they had the Collectes which are ascribed vnto Gelasius The Collects Besides foorth certaine things were recited out of the holie Scriptures either out of the olde Testament or out of the Actes The Epistle or out of the Apostolicall Epistles Which being heard there remained some portion to be recited out of the Euangelicall historie The Gospel But when the readers of the Church had rehearsed the former lessons the Deacon because he might be séene of all and vnderstoode of all pronounced out of a high place and pulpit those things which should be shewed out of the Gospell Therefore while he went and ascended vp vpon the steppes the people was accustomed to sing some verses of the Psalmes The Graduals which they commonlie called Graduals Also they vsed therin Halleluiah with a certaine chéerefull crye reioycing at the gladde tydings of the Gospell The Halleluiah This worde Halleluiah séemeth to be taken from the church of Ierusalem wherof there is mention both in the Apocalips and in the tytle of certaine Psalmes When the Gospell was recited the Bishop or pastor of the Church An exhortation added an interpretation and exhortation vices were corrected and they consulted as touching them that should be excōmunicated Which things being thus finished the Catechumeni and others which would not communicate were sent away But in our dayes because there be seldome any Catechumeni and that those which are not to communicate stand by one together with an other yea none wel-neare doe communicate except one sacrifising Priest The mission or sending away transposed by the Papists Ite missa est what it signifieth the Papists haue differred that Mission vnto the end of their abhomination For then are they woont to say with a loude voyce Ite Missa est that is Goe your way Ye haue leaue to depart But in olde time when those things were doone which wée haue rehearsed they which remained to be partakers of the holy Supper sung the Créede to the intent they might diligently admonish one another as touching the principall points of Religion wherin they should agrée together The Créed For in the Créede is contained the effect of our faith This contents or summe doubtlesse if a man attentiuely read the auncient Fathers The Créede is saide to be a tradition of the Church Tertullian is called the Tradition of the Church which both is drawne out of the Bookes of God and is necessarie to be beléeued vnto saluation And sometime it is alleaged by Tertullian against the hereticks which denied the holy Bookes The Synod of Nice The Synode of Nice set foorth the full and perfect Créede howbeit not first of all for some things were extant before as out of Tertullian wée may perceiue Thrée sorts of the vse of oblation 7 Moreouer when they had sung the Créede the standers by offered of their goods what they thought méete Verily the offering had thrée maner of vses For a part was bestowed vpō certaine moderate feastes which the Christians at that time did celebrate verie religiously 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and they were commonly called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 A part which remained was distributed to the poore And finally thereof was set aside some bread and wine for the vse of the holy Supper And that this oblation of things was then vsed two things doe testifie First certaine verses sung by the people while the offering was made The Offertorie The Collects Which verses are therefore called by them the Offertorie Further the same is knowen by those Collects which be had in that part of the Masse Yea and Iustine a verie auncient Martyr in his Apologie made mentiō of this oblation so did Cyprian also and diuers of the ancient Fathers After these things they which came to minister the holy supper The Sursum Corda Doe this said Lift vp your heartes euen as the Ethnickes in their Ceremonies were woont to crie Doe this And verie well truely and in good time did the Christians thus say whereby they might admonish themselues that they should thinke vppon no carnall nor earthly thing but should altogether bend their minde vnto heauen where Christ is to be sought and not vpon the earth as though he were included in bread or wine Lastly were giuen thanks when it was saide We giue thée thankes We giue thée thanks Lorde holy Father almightie and eternall GOD through Christ our Lord c. These things are most auncient and are euerie where in the most auncient Ecclesiasticall writers Yea also Whereof Eucharist tooke name the mysterie it selfe of Christes bodie and bloud is called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 because the whole confection thereof consisteth of thanksgiuing And when the Minister had saide Through Iesus Christ our Lord The proper words of the Supper The Lords Prayer Holie holie c. he descended to the proper words of the supper Which being recited the Lordes prayer was added But Xystus would that the people should before that sing Holy Holy Holy c. And that a conuenient accesse might be giuen to that song A Canon there were prefaces put betwéene But hereunto they haue patched a Canon of their owne which a certaine Schooleman made as Gregorie in his Register maketh mention Who in déede is not allowed by the same Gregorie in that he would insert his owne and neglect the prayer of the Lorde The kisse of peace The kisse of peace they say was inuented by Leo the second which séemeth not so vnto mée séeing it was a custome in the Church euen in the time of the Apostles Ro. 16. 16. that Christians should one intertaine another with a kisse of peace Yea and Paul maketh mention in his Epistles of that kinde of kisse 1. Co. 16. 20 Also Iustine Martyr in his second Apologie speaketh of this kisse The song of Agnus Dei is said to be brought in hither by one Innocentius The song of Agnus Dei
suffereth and cherisheth them with most ample benefites whereas notwithstanding he verie well knoweth both what they are and what they will be So that Princes should much rather pardon offenders séeing it is vnknowen vnto them what manner of men they will become at the length He confirmeth his reason out of a place in the Epistle to the Romans wherein it is said Rom. 2. 4. Doest thou not know that the goodnesse of God leadeth thee to repentance We saith he doe imitate God when we would not haue the guiltie to bee destroyed but to be kept vnto repentaunce Princes also should followe this God doeth not punish verie manie in this worlde yet doeth he otherwhile bring punishment vpon some least he should séeme to haue cast off the care of the world But he suffereth many to goe vnpunished that we may perswade our selues that once at the length shall be the general iudgement wherein according to their desertes he wil punish them that be obstinate and grounded in sinnes but those which promise repentance and amendment he giueth to the Church Fifthly the heauenly father hath commanded Matt. 5. 44. that we shoulde loue our enemies but they which are condemned to death for their misdéedes be enemies of mankinde so according to the word of God we ought to beare them good will But we can wish no better to them than saluation that is repentance amendment and eternall felicitie Sixtlie in the Church they shall not straightway be admitted vnto the holie supper First their minde shall be tryed by that publike repentance they shall poure out teares in the holie congregation they shall craue the ayde and prayers of the Church they shall fast they shall goe in the habite of Mariners and they shall exercise themselues in godly workes What else is this than to punish themselues iustlie Wherefore those whome ye shall let goe shall not escape among vs vnpunished Seuenthlie that which we desire is easie not onelie possible vnto you because ye haue the power of life and death ouer them for whome we intreate Therefore when ye yéelde them vnto the Church ye depart not from your duetie For you excéede not the charge committed vnto you Eightlie that which we require of you I would not haue you to doubt but is for your owne profit For ye as well as other Christians haue néede of mercie vnlesse ye thinke your selues altogether frée from sinne Then set them frée vnto vs that your fault may also be forgiuen by God Ninthlie it is méete that ye should follow the example of Christ Iohn 8. 11. He acquited the adulteresse which was guiltie of death he condemned her not onelie he exhorted her to amendment saying Go thy way sinne no more Tenthly After all this consider ye the fact of Ioseph the husband of the blessed virgin Matt. 1. 19. He being otherwise a iust man was so mooued with mercie towardes his spouse as although he knew her to be great with child yet would he not put her to open shame or by accusing her of adulterie abandon her to extreme punishment Againe ye ought to haue a consideration of mans infirmitie which is such as being well weighed it may not onelie aswage the griefe of the accuser but also the rigor of the Iudge Furthermore ye ciuill men which would be accounted honest boast euerie where as a token of good nature and gentlenesse that ye had rather defend in place of iudgement than accuse therefore ye ought not to be offended at vs if we seeke the preseruation of them that be guiltie Neuerthelesse betwéene intercession and defence there is a great difference For he that defendeth that which is layd to the charge of the guilty affirmeth it to be well doone the which we doe not For neither doe we comfort and excuse théeues and murtherers other malefactors but confessing that they haue offended we make intercession for their safetie Moreouer the maner of ciuill men is that if they sée broyles risen in an other mans house for that the father would punish the sonne or the husband his wife they come betwéene them and intreate that the matter may be pacified And what they themselues would punish in their owne house they intreate that it should not be punished in the familie of an other Hereunto euen you your selues which be rulers of the people of Rome doe sometime in the Ecclesiasticall Synodes make intercession for some priestes that they be not more sharply dealt withall and according to the seueritie of the Canons of the Church Wherefore that which you graunt vnto your selues towardes the Church graunt in like manner vnto vs to vse at your tribunall seates and at your executions Last of all we while we craue of your power this kinde of obedience chiefely haue this regard that vnto the ministerie of the Church and vnto the word of trueth which we preach we may winne the loue and goodwill of the people For whē they shall perceiue that the Ministers of the word of God and the pastors of the Church doe so desire thirst after the saluation euen of most wicked men they cannot choose but loue them and gladlie giue eare vnto them 7 And this last Argument as it séemeth to me mooued him to make these demaundes Yet doe I not sée that other Byshops especiallie those of the East part were earnest in this matter so farre as I might discerne by the most ancient Ecclesiastical histories Howe the repentance of the guiltie might be prouided for But as touching the saluation and repentance of the guiltie there was no cause why the bishops should so much disquiet themselues if the Ministers were brought to the prysons of the condemned men before they were put to execution For by exhorting them by warning and teaching them those thinges which serue vnto repentance and amendment they might as they doe in our dayes haue brought them by the helpe of God vnto acknowledging of their sinnes and sound repentance But I perceiue not that this wholesome ordinance in times past was in vse in the Church especiallie when the Emperours now professed Christ Now that we haue rehearsed the reasons of Augustine I thinke good to admonish you hereof to wit that the letting goe of Benhadad which is declared in the 1. 1. Kings 20. ver 23. The sending away of Benhadad was vnlike to that which Augustine vrged booke of kinges the 20 Chapter is not in all parts conformable vnto the pardoning which the Byshops required of the Magistrates for them which be guiltie For neither anie high priest nor priest at all made sute for Benhadad Further he himselfe made no promise of repentance or amendment yea and there was nothing at al specified concerning Religion Yet there remaineth some likelihood that on both sides he is let goe whom God had deliuered vnto the Magistrate to be punished 8 But after the reasons of Augustine let vs heare the Arguments of Macedonius The
mercifull and pitiful minde wherefore he determined to put her away omitting the accusation of the fault This interpretation if we followe we cannot otherwise but condemne Ioseph of too much tēdernesse slacknesse that would not prouide to his power for taking away the euil of adulterie out of the Commonweale of Israel according as the lawe of God had cōmaunded Or else we will say that Ioseph séeing he was properlie truely iust would not defame the adultrie of his wife because he was vncertaine of the maner of the crime For aswel it might be that the maid sinned before they were betrothed as after If she had falne after they were betrothed Deu. 22. 23. Ib. ver 28. she was held for an adultresse but if before she might only be accused of whoredome Which crime in very déede was no crime of death yet he that had doone the dishonor to her should of necessitie marrie her yet so notwithstanding that her parents had giuen their consent Wherefore séeing he was iust he would not accuse Marie of adulterie because he was not sure that it was adulterie And so to vnwinde himselfe out of these perplexities he determined to put away his wife But that this might not be God forbad it by an Oracle Brieflie he was no magistrate Further y◠kinde of the crime did not appeare Howbeit they of whome we now intreate be Magistrates they must giue iust punishmēt for a fault that is knowen not for that which is vncertaine 13 Moreouer Augustine willed that mans weakenesse should be considered To the 11. for if that be somewhat diligentlie weighed he thinketh that aswell the griefe of the accuser as the rigor of the iudge shall be broken Profitable and verie godlie is the admonition because it is euerie mans part to sorrowe that the nature of men so noblie instituted is fallen headlong into so great an imbecillitie Howbeit we must not be led by this sorrow although it be iust either to diminish or to corrupt publike iustice Besides foorth To the 12. it was inferred that good men say they had rather defend than accuse before the iudgement seate I know this hath bin often boasted of but I affirme that both the dueties be necessarie vnto the commonweale and that sometimes the one and sometimes the other is more to be desired as may séeme most conuenient for the partie accused for the time and for the place For he that accuseth helpeth the Magistrate who cannot sée all thinges by himselfe He also that defendeth the partie accused helpeth the commonweale he instructeth the Magistrate against the vehemencie of accusers or their slaunders or cauillations Neuerthelesse Cicero said when he accused Verres that he defended Sicilia And so earnestlie did he labour that his accusation should be accounted for a defence To the 13. And as for them which runne vnto families among whome they perceaue either trouble or discord to be raised if they doe it with this minde that by their comming they may prouide least the good man of the house should excéede measure either in punishing his seruants or children or in correcting his wife they are to be praysed but if it be to the intent they may take away all kinde of chastisement and discipline they behaue not themselues well To the 14. Neither also did he well which for a priest made intercession to the Ecclesiastical Synode if perhappes he meant that an adulterer a whormoonger or a drunkard should be vnpunished and honest Canons of the Church to be neglected for his sake But if he onelie sought that he should not be punished ouer sharplie or more than was méete and that he should be gentlie handled so farre as Ecclesiasticall discipline would suffer he shall not be blamed In déede Paul made intreatie vnto Philemon for Onesimus Ver. 17. which had fled from him But that seruant being now renewed in Christ returned of his owne accord vnto his Maister He was no captiue neither was it a crime of death Wherefore this example belongeth nothing to the cause which we haue in hand To the 15. 14 There remaineth the last Argument which as Augustine thought was of verie great weight namelie that it would winne fauour and good will to the word of trueth which is preached by the Ministers of the Church The reason in déed is plausible For the Church of Christ séemeth herein to be amiable and louing in that it hath carefull pastors and such as be verie desirous of the saluation of Christians and would gladlie haue their offences though they be grieuous to be forgiuen them Thus doe some say that Constantine was allured vnto Christianitie because our Byshops had promised him pardon for a parricide committed for he had caused his sonne to be slaine But whether this be true or no I referre it to the Authors That goodwill and fauor must be woonne vnto the holy Gospell I my selfe also am of that minde but yet not by such a way as the lawes and discipline which be the thinges whereon the commonweale dooth depend should be loosed Grace vndoubtedlie is preached in the Church of Christ as touching reconciliation with God which is fréelie graunted vnto beléeuers without woorkes but yet not to this end that the guiltie sort should be plucked away from Magistrates This did not Christ nor the Apostles at anie time neither doe the holie scriptures either in the old or new Testament commaund anie such thing nor yet is it read that the holie fathers in olde time did set foorth anie such example Augustine was verie milde of nature and whereas this thing was alreadie vsurped in his time in the Church and especiallie in the Church of Africa he would not haue it abrogated For which cause in that Epistle he gaue place both to his owne nature and to the cause And Iames when he saith Iame. 2. 13. that Iudgement without mercie remaineth to him that hath not shewed mercie A place of Magistrates expounded speaketh not of Magistrates but he earnestlie putteth other men in remembraunce to forgiue iniuries and offences which can neuer sufficientlie be vrged among Christians And Ezechiel when he saith I will not the death of a sinner Eze. 18. 32. but rather that he conuert and liue writeth it of God who is frée from lawes But earthlie Magistrats must iudge according to lawes Yea and good princes for their owne part would not the death of sinners but their conuersion and wishe them life and would bestow it vppon them but yet so farre as the lawes whereof they be Ministers doe permit them 15 Now there remaineth that I declare what I am to say as touching this controuersie What we are to decrée as touching this matter First let vs make a distinction betwéen inferiour Magistrates and superiour from whom there lyes no appeale and who haue absolute dominion The inferiours must in anie wise iudge according to those things which are prescribed
trouble or sedition is a voluntarie action whereby there is contention among manie aswell touching ciuill thinges as matters of Religion And there is brought in a priuation aswell of order as of vnitie by reason of the inclination of the minde to the making of strife or for anger for receauing of an offēce or for desire of glorie or of pleasures or of gayne and most of all for the diuersitie of faith or else for too much plentie or pouertie and that to the ouerthrowe of good ordinances and that godly men may shine more and more by the occasion thereof This is a verie full definition I am not ignorant that other descriptions are commonlie vsed as when it is said that sedition is the violence and wrath of the people But here onelie is touched the cause enforcing It is also said to be sedition when the people disagréeing come to hand strokes whereby is shewed that the same is no light motion but a vehement which draweth the matter vnto a conflict Which Virgill séemeth to haue laid before our eyes when he saith And lyke as in a people stout when oft it dooth betide The common sort to make a fray of witte which are full wide Now flyes the stones and fierie flames and furie feedes the fight But that which we brought is a full definition and comprehendeth the whole matter The subiect of sedition Hypostasis Subiectum Concretū There remaineth that we consider of the ground or subiect or concrete as the Legitians speake séeing we haue spoken of the nature it selfe He is a seditious person saith Isidorus in his Etymologies which causeth a dissention of mindes and maketh discordes Yet neuerthelesse not onelie the Authors and heades of that wickednesse are to be accounted seditious but they also which followe them which helpe them nourish and defend them Albeit that they which are the captaines and disturbers of the peace doe sinne much more gréeuously than doe others 9 But the greatnesse or greeuousnesse of this crime dependeth of the excellencie of good thinges which be taken away by it How great a crime sedition is What woorser thing can happen vnto a multitude than if order and vnitie be subuerted Plato in Sophista saith that sedition is the corrupting of naturall knowledge Which that it may yet be more plainelie vnderstood I will bring the saying of Augustine which we haue in the 9. Chapter De Ciuitate Dei where he said that wise men prescribed not euerie companie of men to be a people but that which was ioyned by consent of lawe and mutual participatiō of profit But since that sedition peruerteth lawe and common profit the fault is much more gréeuous than brawling in which the strife is for the benefite of one or two and yet is not common lawe ouerthrowne nor publike benefite taken away Also the greatnesse of this sinne is gathered by the punishmentes as Paul said to the Galathians Gal. 5. 12. I would they were cut off which trouble you Wherefore trouble is méete to be cut off In like manner the Apostle said in the same Epistle to the Galathians Ib. ver 10. Numb 16. 32. 2. Sam. 18. 21. 2. Sam. 20. 25. They which trouble you shal beare their iudgement The sedition of Core Dathan and Abiram was punished by death So was the sedition of Absolon Likewise was Seba the sonne of Kichri stirred vp against Dauid The lawes of men haue reckoned his haynous crime among the offences of death as we may sée in the Digestes De Poenis in the lawe Si aliquis aliquid ex metallo in Paragraphe Authores or Fautores For both those titles are read Of them it is there pronounced on this wise Either let them be hanged on a gibbet or be cast vnto the beastes or else be caried vnto the Iland Euen so is it written in the same title in the lawe Capitalium the Paragraph Solet in the Code De seditiosis the first and second lawes And sometimes they haue the same punishmentes laid vppon them which they haue that be guiltie of treason as we haue it Ad legem Iuliam Maiestatem the first lawe The Canons of the Church haue oftentimes decréed that those which were seditious should not receaue orders And thus much of the punishment and greatnesse of the crime All which contend in sedition must not be accused 10 It is further to be vnderstood that they must not be all accused which contend in sedition For whereas there be two partes of which the one striueth against the other it is of necessitie that séeing they contend about contradictions in thinges repugnant the cause of the one part is good and the cause of the other is euill they which defend a iust cause good lawes and common profit are not to be accounted seditious Contrariwise they which striue against these thinges must be punished Elias and Achab were both in one cōtentiō We must consider which part of those troublers is guiltie By the things which we haue spoken we may discerne the same 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Yet is it better to gather this by the wordes of the Prophet 1. kings 18. 18. Thon leadest the Israelites from the true God vnto Baal and takest away the lawe of the true God therefore art thou thy selfe a troubler But I call backe the people vnto Iehouah the God of their Fathers and I contend in behalfe of the lawes made vppon mount Sinai and receaued by our forefathers therefore I am no troubler nor seditious man Thou I follow thinges contrarie but seeing I defend and maintaine the sound opinion and the better side I am not to be accused of troubling and making sedition And euen this may be lawfull for vs to returne vppon the Papistes when they count vs troublers and seditious men We maintaine the true woorshipping of God and the glorie of Christ we receaue the Scriptures of God we vse the Sacramentes sincerelie as they were instituted by Christ we receaue thrée Créedes we will not woorship Creatures Images or Idols therfore we are no troublers Iustlie are they accused of so great wickednesse which doe all thinges contrarie Happie is that Common-weale or Church which is ruled and gouerned by the word of God And contrariwise vnhappie is the same which followeth the inuentions of men reiecting the Oracles of God Psal 44. 15. Happie is that people said Dauid whose God is Iehouah Whereuppon is concluded on the contrarie part that vnhappie is the people which hath not Iehouah for their God And in that historie of Achab and Helias we sée that that kingdome of the x. 1. king 17. ◠tribes was gréeued with famine and had heauen closed vp And albeit the Papistes be not troubled with famine of outward meate yet are they pined with great penurie of gods word and the light of heauen is most manifestlie shut from them A verie strong Argument it was of the Prophet and by that meanes
so straitlie driuen as Hadrian thinketh as though the same ought onelie to be vnderstoode touching that rule wherein it is saide that Sinnes are freelie forgiuen vs through Christ Indéede the same is the most happiest message of all other but yet it is the Gospell also which the Apostles taught in like manner of other principall articles Whereupon Paul in the 2. Epistle to Timothie the 2. Verse 8. chapter saith Remember that Iesus Christ made of the seede of Dauid was raised againe from the deade according to my Gospel Beholde nowe in the same place vnder the name of the Gospell is comprehended the doctrine which teacheth that both Christ is risen from the deade and is borne of the séede of Dauid And to preach the Gospell otherwise is nothing else with the Apostle than that which he saide in the first Epistle to Timothie the 6. chapter 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is to say otherwise to teach Wherefore it must not be suffered that that same saying of the Apostle shoulde be restrained to one Article onelie Neither can there be anie reason assigned whie that cannot iustlie be called a good message and gladsome preaching whereby it is testified and declared vnto the worlde that God stoode vnto the promises who sent his sonne to take flesh of the séede of Eue of Abraham and of Dauid euen as in old time he promised by his Prophets to doe Therefore since we haue these generall sayings it is not to be looked for that we should shewe this or that errour to be condemned and suppressed by name and in expresse words in the scriptures For where shall we finde there that they be condemned and are estraunged from God which doe not receiue the bookes of the olde testament which opinion neuerthelesse was common vnto the Marcionites Manichees and manie other heretikes Neither are they at anie time condemned by expresse words which denie that the soules after the death of the bodie do liue but thinke that they die together with the flesh and that as touching life euerlasting they about the end of the world shal be raised vp againe together with their bodies Also they which woulde not that pardon and reconciliation should be giuen vnto the brethren that be fallen are neuer saide in the holie Oracles to be either condemned or to be out of the way of saluation Wherefore when Hadrian requireth this at our hands concerning the errour of the Anabaptists both he dealeth fondlie and whilest he taketh away one or two errours he openeth a verie wide gappe vnto manie For of verie fewe doeth the scripture speake in that forme and phrase which he nowe requireth of vs. Lastlie remaineth that wee should examine the syllogismes which Hadrian brought in against vs as our men had doone against him that those as he thinketh he might cōfute the more euidentlie but these I haue thought good for two causes to passe ouer First because it séemeth not verie lawefull for godlie men to be childishlie subtile especially in defending of an opinion the which as at the beginning hath béene sayde edifieth no man and may hurt verie manie Secondlie because we iudge that in this question those thinges are to be written which are vnderstoode of the greatest part of the holie congregation and that there be verie fewe which haue exercised themselues in the quirkes and subtilties of Logicke and sophistrie The trueth it selfe especially that which is euangelicall is plaine is taught and made euident by the apostolicall light and simplicitie Furthermore those thinges be alreadie before alleadged whereby is plainelie and manifestly discouered whatsoeuer deceite is in these trifeling argumentes Nowe for the finishing of this that wee haue written let vs adde this namelie let vs celebrate with high prayses the most ample mercie of God that in all thinges he discouereth himselfe with maruelous brightnesse and as Dauid singeth in the burden of his Psalme florrisheth for euer that is eternallie Howe farre foorth the praises of God must be celebrated But yet ought we so to celebrate his praises as on the other side the iudgementes of God towardes vnbeléeuers and heretikes be not thereby cancelled This is therefore written because Hadrian saith that he was verie much driuen to defende these thinges which hee defendeth for that they greatlie auailed to the worthinesse greatnesse of Gods mercie Howebeit after this manner they also perhappes did excuse themselues which reckened Caine and Iudas among the number of the saintes and blessed men Also Origen and his fauorers hadde vnmeasurable respect vnto the clemencie of God when as they taught that the punishmentes of the godlie should one daie at the last be finished and in verie déede the fires of hell should not be euerlasting and since they wrote that euen to the diuelles themselues after a multitude of ages shal be geuen pardon and saluation No iust prayses of the mercie of God are those which ouermuch obscure the seueritie iustice of God Wherefore letting this newnesse of doctrine goe let vs thinke with ourselues that we must by al meanes séeke the peace and quietnesse of the church Of intricate and vaine questions vndoubtedlie there is store enough Wherefore it shall be your parte that kéeping the trueth safe and sounde ye spéedilie returne into amitie thinking this diligentlie with your selues that it is a singular benefite vnto you to haue there where you are both the french and flemish Church This cannot the diuell abide and for that cause stirreth vppe discordes and contentions among you to the intent that strangers may be more and more hatefull to English men Wherefore watch yee with singular care and diligence that the euill spirit haue not his owne desire and that the Church of the sonne of God receiue no losse He that is reprooued let him beare it with no lesse patient minde than Peter did when he was reprehended by Paule And contrariwise they that haue taken vpon them the defence of the trueth if their brother which hath turned from the right waie not of mallice as it should séeme but rather of a certaine errour giue eare vnto them that admonish him well let them account him no lesse than before in the place of the minister of God and of a most louing fellowe in office Fare you well my verie good brethren assist vs with your prayers vsing your indeuour to maintaine peace among you as much as yée can From Zurick the 15. of Februarie 1561. An Epistle to the English Church 46. MY déere beloued brethren in Christ albeit wee doe maruelouslie loue your Church and doe iustly and worthilie make great account thereof yet are wee verie loath to determine of such nice questions as doe bring none or in verie déede small edification For since there are among you two sorts of the which one affirmeth and the other denieth it might easilie bee that they which cannot abide the doctrine set foorth had rather rent in sunder the Church than change their
things were spoken in the Frenche tongue For so it was agréed vppon because the Quéene the King and the noble Personages might vnderstande Wherefore since I cannot speake that language although I vnderstande the same I spake nothing neither was I requested to speake But yet in the ende at the instance of my brethren and associates I desired of the Quéene that leaue might be giuē me to speake hereafter which courteouslie and most gentlie shee graunted mée Moreouer I demanded in what tongue shée would haue mée to speake She answered In Italian that shée also might not bée ignorant what shoulde bee doone The 26. day of September we mette together againe We were warned by the Quéene the Prince of Condie and the Admirall who were desirous that the conference shoulde not be broken of that we shoulde forbeare to speake in the first place of the Article as touching the presence of the bodie and bloud of Christ in the Supper For they saw it would come to passe before wee shoulde come to that point that they should be conuinced of most grieuous abuses and errours Wherefore we presented a supplication to the Quéene wherein two things speciallie were contained first that our men shoulde by the sentence of the Cardinall vppon no iust causes be dispoyled of their ministerie whereas yet if we woulde vrge them touching their institution according to the lawfull Canons and the holie scriptures wee might easilie shewe the same to bee voide and that they are verily straungers from the true Church of God Secondly we complained that we are in a manner compelled by force to receyue the confession of Augusta and to subscribe to the prescpipt wordes thereof otherwise that the appointed conference shall not goe forward We shewing that it belonged vnto the maiestie royall to decrée as touching the manner and order of disputing the Quéene at that time made no answere to the supplication There the Cardinall began againe to deale as touching our vocation affirming that the same is voide Further he complained that we reprooued both him and other bishoppes as though they had no iust calling in the Church of Christ laying to our charge that we woulde goe about to ouerthrowe the kinges authoritie whereby they were created Bishoppes which in his iudgement were a most seditious thing After this he turned his spéech to the Eucharist affirming that the wordes of the suppper to wit This is my bodie must bee vnderstoode euen as they be spoken There I tooke him at his worde and first of all I defended the ministerie of our Churches It would now be ouer long to write the reasons Also I aunswered to the false accusation wherein he slaundered vs to be seditious as we that woulde not haue the appointment of Bishops to be in the Kinges power I added moreouer that I did verie much maruel that the Cardinall saide yesterdaie that there were onely thrée Councels before Augustin séeing hee himselfe maketh mention of the Councell of Ariminum and the Syrmian Councell helde in the time of Constantius which councels since that they gréeuously erred they were afterwarde amended I obiected moreouer that he was excéedinglie deceiued insomuch as he was bolde to affirme that in the commaundementes of God in the holie histories in the Testamentes and Sacramentes there be no tropes or figuratiue spéeches and I made it euident by the scriptures that there were figures founde and that therefore it might not be concluded of him that the words of the Lord which they call the wordes of consecration shoulde bee vnderstoode absolutelie There a Spaniarde the Prince of the Iesuites which came thither with the Popes Legate sodenly tooke holde of my wordes and made a sharpe oration where he reprooued the Quéenes Maiestie that shee hath taken vppon her the iudgement of these causes seeing it did not belong vnto her but vnto the Pope the Cardinals and Bishops and that it is not méete while the Councell of Trent is helde to celebrate here such a priuate conference This Oration of the arrogant man greatly offended the Quéene and had it not beene for the Cardinall of Ferrara shee woulde haue taught the Iesuite modestie The Cardinal turned his talke to mee yet so neuerthelesse as all men might perceiue that he refused to incounter with me Hée beganne to alledge that he vnderstoode not my language Whereas notwithstanding it is reported that hee vnderstandeth it verie well Hee said that he had rather dispute with a man of his owne language But I excused my selfe that I spake on this wise by the commaundement of the Quéene and that otherwise I was readie to dispute in Latine Therefore he beganne to aunswere me after a sort in the French tongue which hee coulde not haue doone vnlesse he had vnderstoode what I saide Yet neuerthelesse he aunswered not to all the obiections And when I was to confute his arguments the Quéene aduised me to vse the Latine tongue to the intent that all the prelates and Doctors which stood by might vnderstande I obeyed and those thinges I spake which were conuenient for the time Therewithall came Beza and in fewe wordes aunswered the iangling Spaniarde And then he beganne to deale with the Cardinal himselfe about the supper of the Lord and to dispute somewhat as touching Transubstantiation And the Cardinall of Loraine woulde not haue it to be founde in the scriptures that breade was giuen by Christ in the holie supper There did I bring in the expresse wordes of the Euangelist who saith that the Lorde tooke breake blessed it The cardinall of Loraine set to schoole by Peter Martyr brake it and gaue it to his disciples and I shewed that these verbes haue no other accusatiue case than Bread In vaine did he indeuour to vnwinde himselfe D. Depensius beganne to speake somwhat in the matter But when he coulde not refraine from the lowde and clamorous spéech of the Sorbonistes the matter brake foorth into an action of tumult insomuch as neither the Cardinall himselfe abstained from excéeding great noyse Wherefore at the commaundement of the Quéene the night being now come the assembly was disolued The manner of that action séemed vnworthy of a kinglie presence wherefore the Quéene determined to bee no more present neither would she afterward that the matter should be tryed betwéene so manie but she assigned fiue colloquutors on the aduersaries part and fiue also on our part Of the aduersaries were chosen the Bishoppe of Valence the Bishop of Sagensis Doctor Bottiller Doctor Salignacus and Doctor Depensius and of our sort these be the names Beza Galasius Marlorate Spina and my self For both partes there were appointed Notaries But being without Iudges and other witnesses we talke friendlie and quietly enough For so farre as I can perceiue wee haue aduersaries méeke enough and which disagrée not much from vs. Wee haue béene nowe thrise with them and to conclude we haue onelie dealt as touching the presence of the bodie in the supper I am called but
seldome to the Quéene and that priuilie By whose indeuour this is doone it is euident enough but I will shewe you thereof an other time Fare you well right worthie man and my reuerende brother in Christ Assist vs with your prayers and salute your whole household and all our most déere fellow ministers in Christ All my associates doe salute you and also Iulius and Stuccius I will write to the Magistrate but yet breifely Impart you vnto him those thinges which by your wisdome you shall thinke expedient From the Court at Saint Germans the 2. of October 1561. To Iohn Caluin 55. I Feared least those letters had bin lost which I sent vnto you when I first came hither but I perceiue they were deliuered vnto you séeing you haue courteouslie answered them Howe the state of our businesse is here I thinke it not néedeful in manie words to signifie vnto you because Beza in his letters comprehendeth al things that are woorthie to be knowen And as touching the successe that will come hereafter I cannot tell of what good I shoulde assure my selfe but doe vtterly despaire that the schoole men and false Ecclesiasticall men will consent with vs. We haue had verie quiet Coloquutors and as they pretend not disagréeing from vs. Howbeit of the Cardinals Bishops and Doctors they are misliked and they be accused as men suspected of Heresie This day in the assemblie of the Bishoppes at Poyssi they purge themselues and doe pleade their cause The Counsell of the brethren is that wee shoulde deale so gentlie and mildelie with the aduersaries as wee may séeme to haue giuen no cause of breaking of the Conference But it is to bee feared least they will impudently abuse our mildenesse They that are the rulers séeme to deuise a certaine Interim and would faine a Religion both of that which is Papisticall and that which is the Lutherans This word Interim signifying In the meane time arose of the name of a Booke set out by Charles the v. as touching a compositiō in Religion till a generall Councell The baser sort of the Papistes would not sustaine that burthen For that is their onelie endeuour that nothing at all may bee changed of their pesteferous ordinance but would haue our Churches to be burthened therewith if any libertie shoulde be graunted vnto them But the Quéene will include both parts I meane them and vs within the same decrées and Edictes I after I had giuen Counsell for the pure and syncere restoring of religion am no more called for neither doeth she demaunde any Counsell or instruction of mee To conclude onelie remaineth the prouidence of God from whence manie thinges must bée hoped for but of the flesh and arme of the mightie I looke for little or nothing Verilie this is a ioyfull thing to be heard that euerie day there comes verie many vnto the trueth and so greatlie is the number of the faithfull increased as the enemies are marueilouslie vexed The Bishops as it is reported are determined to depart from Poyssi the next wéeke The Cardinall of Loraine would obtrude his Catechisme vpon the Cities of Fraunce but the Bishops doe not receiue it Fare well right excellent man and most louing brother in Christ Salute you all our fellowe Ministers and also my Lorde Marques and Balbanus In the Court at S. Germans the 4. of October 1561. To Maister Henrie Bullinger 56. I Write but fewe wordes my reuerend and most louing Gossip because I finde fewe things woorthie writing haue happened since the time that I sent the last letters vnto you You heard of mée before that fiue of the Coloquutors of our aduersaries were not onelie suspected vnto the Cardinals and Bishops but that they were accounted for Heretickes because they séemed somewhat to consent vnto vs in the matter of the sacrament Wherefore they woulde not haue them for their partie to conferre with vs anie more For which cause the conference hath nowe bin suspended these 15. dayes and I feare verie much lest it be altogether broken off You will not beléeue howe manie waies and by how manie subtilties the Papistes haue most craftilie procured this thing namelie that the disputation begun might not goe forwarde Which drift of theirs the authoritie and will of the legate I meane the Cardinall of Ferrara hath much furthered This moreouer with all that they mistrust themselues to be able sufficiently to defende their ill cause by testimonies of the scriptures and by good and approoued reasons Howbeit it happened afterwarde not without the maruelous worke of Gods prouidence that the Bishops and Cardinals themselues which helde their méeting at Poyssi the x. day of this moneth so disagréed among themselues as it wanted not much but that they had come to handie strokes For some were readie to subscribe to the Actes but the greatest part were against it But nowe they are wholie occupied in making of Canons of which I sawe some foure dayes agoe which be so rude and grosse as you may thereby easilie perceiue that the bondslaues of the Pope would not haue any reformation of the Church Onelie they make a shew that they would haue certaine things corrected which in verie déede are of no moment but the verie pumpe of the ship they suffer to be filled with most shamefull filthinesse They retaine the Masse the sacramentall confession they acknowledge the authoritie of the Pope they will haue Images they allowe Pilgrimages so farre is it off that they will condemne them I doubt not but I shall heare of farre more grosse things This day they are to returne vnto the Court whither vndoubtedly they will bring straunge monsters If the hope of conference bee this wéeke cut off as I thinke it will I will desire leaue to depart in the next wéeke For it is not méete that I should so idelie spend so good a time Howbeit the time of this delaie is not altogether lost For from the time that this conference was appointed vnto this day it is vnspeakable how much the Churches of the faithfull are increased in number but yet not without hurlie burlie For the 12. day of this present moneth our sort went out of Paris to heare a Sermon in the fielde since that in the Citie they haue no temple they were in number viij thousand When the Papistes vnderstoode of this they at the returne of these home to the Citie shutte them without the walles howbeit all in vaine For they by force entered in and when as the aduersaries setting vppon our men the fight began on both sides there many were wounded on either partie and some slaine Neither doeth it otherwise happen in other places of the kingdome Wherefore necessitie as it is thought will driue the Quéene the noble men and the kings Counsell to giue leaue vnto our sort that they may haue publike assemblies and some Churches otherwise there will bee no ende of offences and conflictes Vndoubtedlie we are at this day in great feare
the propositions to be disputed of and did not openly set them foorth after the accustomed manner so as euen to that day hee was ignoraunt of them for they saide that hee which had so latelie in so manie lectures intreated of the question of the Lordes supper coulde not bee vnprouided whatsoeuer questions shoulde bee propounded of that matter Then when they continued in vrging of him hee againe aunswered that first hee woulde not without making of the kinges Maiestie priuie of it enter into so weightie a matter especially since it seemed to tende vnto sedition And besides that vnto a lawfull disputation was required that there shoulde bee certaine questions propounded that Iudges and Moderators shoulde bee appointed by whose iudgement and awarde the whole matter might be gouerned Againe that Notaries be requisite which with faithfulnesse and diligence maie register the arguments and sayinges of both partes but since that none of all these thinges were nowe prepared and ordayned hee saide that neither he woulde nor coulde dispute and especially since there was not time enough for discussing of so great a matter the day drawing then towardes noone But after that he coulde not satisfie the aduersaries with these reasons notwithstanding they were most indifferent and that the matter seemed nowe to tende vnto a fray and conflict the Vicechaunceller of the Vniuersitie of Oxforde that I may so call him by the vsuall name came among them the while and with these conditions departed the fray that both Martyr and Smith with some of their fellowes shoulde meete together at his house that by common aduise they might appoint propositions to bee disputed of together with the time the order and the manner of disputing After this hee commaunded his officers whome they call Bedels to dismisse the people And hee himselfe going to his seate tooke Martyr by the hande and leade him home to his house and by his authoritie appeased them which made the tumult Martyr being deliuered from this present daunger and that hee might not therefore seeme to haue refused disputation for anie mistrust hee had to the cause came home to the Vicechaunceller at the houre appointed being accompanied aswell with others of his friendes as especially with Sidall and Curtop who at that time were singular defenders of the trueth but afterwarde in Queene Maries time they retained not the same constancie Euen so did the aduersarie Marianis temporibus brought with him Cole Oglethorpe and three other doctors of Diuinitie A long reasoning there was betweene them about ordering the disputation For Martyr saide it was meete that they in confuting of him shoulde obserue that order which hee himselfe had vsed in teaching and this at the length he obtained Moreouer he misliked of wordes that be strange barbarous and ambiguous which neuertheles bee receiued in schooles and therefore he onelie vsed two wordes to wit Carnally and Corporally because the holy Scripture in describing the Supper speaketh onely of the fleshe and body not of the thing and substance Howbeit least they shoulde thinke that hee himselfe dallied by any ambiguitie hee saide that hee vnderstoode those wordes as if it were saide Really and Substantially There were also some dissentions betweene them about other matters but since at the last there was an agreement of all the whole manner of disputation betweene them all things which were then appointed was by consent of the parties referred to the Kings Maiesties Counsell that they might vnderstande of the whole controuersie The disputation was appointed by these men to bee the fourth day of May at which day were to bee present the Kings Commissioners which should gouerne the disputation But Smith finding himselfe in his owne conscience guiltie of the tumult which was made expected not the day appointed but withdrewe himselfe by flight and first went into Scotland and then to Louane in Brabant After that the prefixed day was come there came vnto Oxford the kings CoÌ„missioners the reuerend father Henry Bishop of Lincolne D. Richard Cox Chauncellour of the Vniuersitie of Oxford D. Simon Haynes Prebendarie of Christs Church there M. Richard Morison Esquire and D. Christopher Neuinson Doctor of the Ciuill law In the presence of these Martyr disputed by the space of foure dayes with three Diuines of the Popes religion namely Tresham Chadze Doctors and Morgan a Maister of Art But with what learning he confuted these men I shal not need to rehearse seeing the Acts of this disputation are in al mens hands to be seene For Martyr because the aduersaries spred manie false and fained things among the people of this disputation he being constrained by the impudencie of the aduersaries and also at the earnest request of friends which continuallie desired it published the same disputation in Print But with what faithfulnesse and diligence he did this the testimonie of the Kings Commissioners in a treatise added of them doeth declare Not long after this disputation the Commons of Deuonshire and Oxfordshire raised a Commotion wherein death was threatened vnto many but namelie vnto Martyr When he could not nowe teache no nor remaine without daunger in the Citie he by the assistance of his friendes was safelie conducted to London not without singular reioysing of the King who seeing him comming as he looked out of his house at Richmond saluted him with a cheerefull countenaunce and was glad of his safetie Also his wife and familie did his friendes keepe secret till the furious multitude of the seditious people was gone out of the Citie For vpon two armies leuied by the nobilitie of the Realme the sedition was soone suppressed and the chiefe Authors executed And then Martyr returned againe to Oxford vnto his accustomed labours of reading and disputing at which time forasmuch as the Papistes knewe themselue â—atelie vanquished in disputation and that they durst not openly take armes vpon them oftentimes in the night they raised some stirres before Martyrs lodging and otherwhile beate at his doore with stones and sometime brake the casements of his windowes Wherefore the Kings Maiestie for the assurance of his safetie and quietnesse made him a Canon of Christes Church and commanded that he shoulde goe into that College assigning him a faire house together with a pleasant Garden In this Colledge there was a Deane for your courtesie in hearing of me causeth me to prosecute these meaner things also and by the vertue of this office both he was moderator of the disputations there moreouer he promoted the Doctors of Diuinitie after the common manner of Vniuersities Also Martyr himselfe whereas before he had the degree of Doctorship by the priuileges of the Pope was againe solemnlie created Doctor of Diuinitie at Oxforde And shortly to say Martyr had all them for his friendes in Oxford which loued the pure and true doctrine and which were of any name for their learning in that Vniuersitie Ouer and besides these the Reuerend Bishops Hugh Latymer Nicholas Ridley Iohn Ponet Iohn
metaphorically ascribed vnto God 2 413 a Visiting the iniquitie of the fathers vpon the children is a worke of Gods great Mercie and howe 2 366 a Iudgement without Mercie remaineth to him that hath not shewed mercie expounded 4 254 b Merit The nature and propertie of Merite 3 52 b Of congruitie quite taken away from man 3 142 b 143 a 130 a 4 5 b All respects thereof excluded in the matter of saluation 3 52 b Not vsed in the scripture 3 56 a How the father 's qualified it 3 56 a It were good to be left 3 56 a The Merit of a worke wrought 4 194 b Of the Merit of congruitie and condignitie 2 257 b Assigned to works 3 55 b 56 a Excluded from adoption 3 153 b Merits Merits of congruitie condignitie allowed 3 221 a Excluded 4 306 a 2 264 a 275 a 3 108 a 302b 105 b Vnto what workes they of congruity are due 3 119 b 120 a Al quite abolished 3 144 a Whether hope springeth thereof 3 82 ab 86 a They breede dispaire 2 54 a Excluded from iustification 2 584a They haue no place in our calling and saluation 3 18 b What they that defend them do thinke of good works 3 54 a The Merits of the parents is not the cause why God promiseth good vnto their children 2 240 b Workes cannot properly be called Merits 3 52 b 53 a Messias The Iewes appointed two Messiases 3 346 b ¶ Looke Christ and Sauiour Metaphor The nature of a similitude and Metaphor 3 351 a Mi. Mightie Why God executeth by weake meÌ„ and not by Mightie 1 131 b Why Mightie men and princes do resist God 1 131 b ¶ Looke Princes Minde Of the parts of the Minde and how the affects are placed in them 2 409 ab The baser parts thereof and the noblest also are corrupted how 2 225. all 226. all Qualities thereof say the schoole men passe not from the parents to the children 2 239. be disprooued 2 241 a Vnto what inconueniences the sonne of man is subiect 1 1 b Altogether corrupted 2 564 ab Howe it is carried and mooued too and fro 2 565a b The infirmitie thereof and the alterations of the same described 1 158a In what respects it doeth and doeth not truely expresse God 1 123 b The excellencie thereof being a part of the soule 1 134 ab Whether it be hurtfull to the bodie 3 316 ab God hath the same place in the world that the Minde hath in man 1 170 b The scripture against Aristotle who saith that the Minde desireth the best things 2 564 ab Minds In what respects diuels can sée the minds of men 1 83 b Minister The office and dutie of a Minister 4 286 b 3 162 a 4 19 a 21 b â—27b He is the mouth of the church 4 224 ab What things are to be considered in him 4 233 ab Thrée things required in him that is lawfull 4 20 b 21 a The difference betwéene him and a magistrate 4 226 a Whether one hauing care of soules may flit in time of persecution 3 288 ab His publike prayers are the prayers of the Church 4 224 a Ministers Of the vnitie of Ministers 4 25 a In what respectes they are subiect vnto Magistrates 4 232 a Their authoritie most ample and excellent 4 230 b From what burthens and charges they are exempted 4 239 b 240 ab God vseth their aduersaries for the perfourmance of his counsels 2 386 a The force of the worde vttered by the mouth of them 2 386 a They may lawfullie receiue giftes and rewardes 4 28. 29. 30. Whether they hauing wherewithall to liue otherwise maie take stipendes 4 29 b They are called Angels 2 358 a Vnto whome the choosing of them belongeth 4 36 b Degrées of theÌ„ allowed in the Church 4 25 a Obseruations to be vsed in the making or choosing of them 4 10 a They must be consecrated of two manner of wayes 4 24 a That sometimes attributed vnto them which belongeth vnto God 4 24 a Whether their leawd life bee a cause of separation from the Church 4 35 b What they haue in common with all creatures 4 24 b Fewe in Ambroses time 3 195 b 196 b Whether they may haue wiues 3 192. 193. 194. 195. 196. They might by the decrée of a Canon 4 55 a Not to bee counted priuate men 1 445 ab Subiect vnto Magistrates two manner of wayes 4 38 a The primitiue Church had more than be nowe 3 194 a Their excellent office and charge 4 17 ab 18 ab Whether ill men may be made such 4 13 a Of the contempt and authoritie of Ministers 4 15 b c. Of their consecration 4 13 b They haue had the charge of ciuill gouernment 4 327 a Cautions in their election 4 13 ab Their leawdnesse defileth not the Sacramentes 4 101 a They may lawfully reprooue the sinnes of the Magistrates 4 324a They haue a paterne of duetie in Elias 4 319 ab 320a They ought to remedie two impediments touching Gods promises 3 49 b Whether the making of them be a sacrament 3 210 b They are mocked 4 16 a When it shall not bee lawfull for them to receiue stipend 4 30 b 31 a To what intent they must be in the campe 4 287 a 328 a Decrées of Councels against the adulterous sort 2 489 a Whether nouices are to be chosen 4 13 b Whether they may flée in persecution 4 2 a 60 a Ministers among the Gentils before the Apostles 4 4 b 5 a They must bee hospitall 4 17 b Their charge touching doctrine in foure pointes 4 48 b Why God would not gouerne his Church without them 4 23 b Whether it be lawful for them to warre 4 186 b 287a 327 a Excessiuelie honoured 4 24 b Howe they swarue from the faithfulnesse required in them 4 19. 20 What prayers they should daylie make 4 24a Their laboursome life described 4 29 b 30 a They must not bee ambitious 4 24 ab Whether they bee denied their due stipende 4 â—0 a They are the instruments of the holy ghost 1 43 a Sinne committed against them is horrible 2 554 b Whether they may vse their weapons 4 327 b When they maie bee in place of souldiers 4 328 a They must not procure sectes 4 21 b What bee their sacrifices 4 18 b They must not meddle with manie vocations 4 18a No where in Scripture called Priestes 4 222 a They and Magistrates haue their functions ioyned together 4 22 a 232 a 233 ab Howe they both shoulde behaue themselues one to an other 1 10 a Cautions for them when they are to distribute the sacraments 4 19 b 20 a Wherein their dignitie consisteth 4 222 b Canonicall purgation in the case of adulterie suspected in them 2 489 a Christ reuengeth the inuiries doone to them 4 21 a Whether they may be exempted from the ordinarie power 4 229 a It is the office of God onelie
for that shee saide there was now such discorde and sedition in the kingdome for Religions sake that it was exceedingly troubled Heereunto Martyr answered franklie that although he coulde not assure himselfe any good at the aduersaries hand yet he denied not but that they should bee courteouslie and mildly dealt withall so that no part of the trueth were diminished or cut awaie Hee saide it was no maruell that some discordes should arise since Christ foreshewed that such thinges must happen in the preaching of the Gospell and hee confessed that hee came to sende not peace but the sworde and that the fire was alreadie kindled and that hee woulde not otherwise but that it shoulde burne further that it was vnpossible that pure and true religion shoulde bee restored and retained without the Crosse and therefore saide that it behooued her with a valiant courage and syncerely to take this charge in hand and that God according to his promises would not faile who asswageth euils and giueth patience Moreouer being oftentimes asked of the Queene what counsell hee coulde giue for setting of thinges at quiet hee aunswered that hee sawe no other remedie but by suffering the professors of the Gospell to assemble together freely in their holy congregations graunting them Churches wherein they might haue godlie Sermons for if shee woulde cause this to be doone the truth woulde easilie manifest it selfe and that there shoulde bee no neede of conferences or disputations Lastlie when hee was demaunded what hee iudged as touching the confession of Augusta he aunswered that to him the word of God seemed to be sufficient for vs because therein are clearely contained al things which serue vnto saluation Neither if that confession were receaued saith hee woulde there followe a reconciliation with the Romanistes since they haue condemned the same as Hereticall To the same effect did hee aunswere the king of Nauerra and other great men in the Court which asked his opinion of the selfe same thinges After this followed the publike Action whereunto the Cardinals and Bishoppes thought not good to admitte Martyr but yet the Queene would haue him to come In this Action the Cardinall of Loraine made an Oration which also hee did afterwarde publishe Herein hee spake manie things as touching his Church as that which had a continued succession imposition of handes and which worshipped Christ without Idolatrie Hee denied that the Church of God stoode onely of the elect because otherwise it shoulde become inuisible and that men shoulde alwayes be vncertaine of the same Further hee added that the Councels coulde not erre neither in doctrine nor in manners but that they might alter manie thinges by reason of the diuersitie of tâ—mes And hee affirmed that the Church it selfe was before the Scriptures and that the interpretation of them was to be sought from the Church After this hee digressed to the matter of the Sacrament and saide nothing of the Masse and of Transubstantiation but hee affirmed the bodie of Christ to be there present not indeed locally or circumscriptibly but after a heauenlie manner and as he spake supersubstantially And when he had made an ende of his Oration hee turned himselfe vnto the Queene mother and to the king and vpon his knees prayed them that they woulde persist in that faith wherein they were borne and baptised and therewithall hee offered with all his Bishoppes all manner of duties seruices and obedience A fewe daies after Beza according to his singular learning did greatly in open audience confute the Cardinall of Loraines Oration But the Cardinall opposed him selfe against him and required that ours should either subscribe to the confession of Augusta or else that they shoulde accept of a breefe draught which hee brought touching the Lordes supper and that vnlesse they woulde condescende herein hee woulde deale talke no further For hee sought causes to breake off the conference In this action did Martyr holde his peace because all thinges were doone in the French tongue But when they mette together againe hee being admonished by the brethren and by the Queenes leaue hee himselfe also spake a great while in the Italian tongue against the Cardinall of Loraine who seemed to refuse the ioyning with him and alledged for excuse that Martyr spake in the Italian tongue as though hee had not vnderstoode the same and hee said that he would rather deale with a man of his owne language howbeit he indeuoured to aunswere to some things by him alleadged And moreouer a certâ—ine Spanyard being a Maister of the order of the Iesuites made an Oration in Italian against our men whereunto Beza aunswered in few wordes but Martyr beganne againe to argue against the Cardinall as touching the Supper howbeit because the night was at hande and besides that the act was full of contention so that euen the Cardinall himselfe abstained not from clamors the day there was no more done But nowe after that the aduersaries our men reclaming but in vaine had founde the meanes that the beginning of the conference shoulde take beginning at the article of the Supper of the Lorde there were fiue speakers chosen of each part Of the aduersaries partie the Valentine and Sagentian Bishops Botilerus Salignaicus Depensius which were doctors and of our men Beza Marlorat Spina M. de Sola and our Martyr These dealt without anie iudges vsing onelie two Notaries And first they sought diligentlie to haue some certaine rule proposed wherein the parties might commen together of the presence of Christos bodie in the Eucharist and when as many things had bin alleaged on both sides Martyr also being demaunded set foorth a briefe writing of his opinion which neuerthelesse satisfyed not the Bishoppes for that they saide it was ouer bare but the disputers of our part agreed with Martyr Afterwarde there was betweene them a disputation of this question for the space of certaine dayes and at the length a newe order was taken whereby both the partes might commen together of the presence of Christes bodie in the Supper and hereunto the disputers of eache part agreed and subscribed But Martyr when he sawe that therein were certaine ambiguities declared that hee woulde not varie from the sense of the first writing which hee had deliuered vnto them Hee together with Beza and the rest of the speakers of our part added a briefe declaration vnto the latter rule that ambiguitie being remooued the aduersaries might see what our meaning was But the Cardinalles and Bishoppes after it was declared vnto them that the speakers were agreed as touching this Article disallowed of those thinges which were doone by their owne speakers yea and accused them of Heresie wherefore by their meanes the conference was suspended for certaine dayes For nowe both by their owne will and by the instigation of the Popes legate they decreed to breake off the conference But in the meane time the Bishoppes wrote certaine Canons and at length the 19. of October the Cardinalles of the house
of Guise and many Bishoppes also of the Court departed away In like manner the most part of our speakers seeing there was litle or no hope at all of renuing the Colloquie returned vnto their Churches And in the meane time were set foorth decrees whereby our sort were commaunded to yeeld vp the Churches yet was there graunted them a free libertie of preaching and places assigned wherein they should assemble together but yet vnder a certaine number prescribed Furthermore Armes was laide awaie on both sides and an Edict made that neither part shoulde speake ill of other for Religions sake Therefore when Martyr sawe that he was able to doe no more in this matter especially since hee had but small exercise of the French tongue he was minded to craue leaue to depart and for that cause went to the Prince of Condie and afterwarde was brought by him vnto the Queene in speaking with whom he said first we ought to render vnto God those things that belong vnto God vnto Princes those thinges that pertaine vnto them and for these causes hee saide hee was come thither that as touching God he might further Religion then that he might obaie her Maiestie which neuerthelesse hee did the more willinglie because shee was indued with excellent vertues whereof all men did speake honorablie and further because her kingdome was most notable that he she were of one countrie borne and most of all that he might obay the magistrate of Zuricke which was well minded towards the king and the Queene a matter not to bee contemned since it was of no small authoritie and power among the Swicers And further he added that hee in the matter of the Conference intermitted nothing which hee thought did serue to the purpose and that he dealt quietlie as shee commaunded him But whereas the matter proceeded no further hee saide hee was not in fault thereof but yet that some signe thereof woulde agree in time though none were had as yet Howbeit sincâ— nothing coulde nowe be doone he desired leaue to depart because hee was an olde man and that winter was at hande at which time the iourney woulde bee incommodious by reason of raigne Snow and shortnesse of dayes Besides this for somuch as hee had hearde that it was reported to her Maiestie that hee came hither as a straunger that sought nothing else but to raise vp seditions in the realme and that he delighted in such kinde of mischiefe hee besought her that she woulde not giue credite vnto such thinges since hee was a man altogether voide of such hainous crimes For that hee hauing beene at Strasborough afterwarde in Englande and againe at Strasborough then lastlie in Heluetia shee might from thence bee informed if shee beleeued not him that he alwayes sought peace and concorde so farre as it might bee agreeable with the worde of GOD. And he shewed moreouer that there was nothing that coulde perswade him hereunto for that as touching the kingdome he saide he was earnestly addicted thereunto from his ancestors and to the Queene much more since shee was of his owne Countrie and as it were light and glory thereof and that he was therefore so affected towardes her as if neede shoulde require he woulde willingly giue his life for her glorie and preseruation and that among the rest of the things which he chiefely desired was that shee with her children and kingdome of Fraunce might be in saftie which being so he desired to be dismissed not with disgrace but with her good fauour Hereunto the Queene benignly and courteously answered him and promised that he shoulde depart safe sure and that within a day or two She also desired him that if his trauell for the selfe same cause shoulde be againe desired he woulde not refuse to take in hand the iourney againe and she said she was not ignorant that the labour was great but that shee accounted the same profitable and necessarie And as for other mens accusations shee said that she had in deede heard manie thinges touching sundrie matters but that shee alwayes reserued the iudgement to her selfe and protested that shee did absolutely thinke well of him Ouer this Martyr giuing her great thankes as reason woulde require he made petition also for the afflicted Churches excusing them for taking possession of the Temples against the kings minde for when they hearde that the King woulde haue them to bee restored they obeyed him Hee added also that if any thing bee committed otherwhile by the rude and weaker sort it ought not to bee imputed vnto the doctrine After that he had bin dismissed of the Queene the Queene also of Nauarre and the king did most graciously bid him fare well So in like manner did the Prince of Condie and the Admirall Besides this the Queene Mother and all the Princes which wee haue nowe named gaue thankes by their letters vnto the Senate of Zuricke for sending of Martyr to the conference according to their request and therewithall gaue vnto Martyr his due praise Also the Condie and the Admirall at Martyrs departure assigned vnto him two of their housholde which were noble men and Captaines who conducted him safe vnto Tigure Heere might I beloued Auditorie recite the letters of Princes and learned men wherein they heaped vppon him the great praises of Religion learning faith and diligence howbeit the consideration both of my time and purpose suffereth not me to stay vpon these things Therefore since I haue hitherto declared in what places he did seruice to the Church by his teaching disputing I will now shew how much he furthered the same by his writings First therefore after he had forsaken Italie hee set foorth in his natiue language an exposition of the Apostolicall creede that he might giue an account to all men of his faith After that when he was come into England and in expounding of the xj Chapter of the first Epistle to the Corinthians had disputed many thinges of the Lordes Supper then at the ende of the Chapter hee purposely handled this question And first hee confuted that Coniunction wherein the breade and Wine are commonly saide to bee transubstantiated into the bodie and bloud of Christ which seemes to bee the neerest coniunction with thinges of the Sacrament Then did hee examine the opinion of others which defende that the breade and wine in their whole and true natures are retained in the Sacrament and so retained as they haue ioyned with them naturally corporally and really as they speake the true bodie of Christ and his bloude In the thirde place hee weighed the opinion of them which saie that these things are not ioyned one with an other anie other way than after a sacramentall manner that is by signification and representation Lastlie he shewed how the opinions belonging to the second and thirde opinion is gathered that which maie most of all seeme to belong vnto godlinesse in this sacramentall matter This treatise together with the
that men should liue in honest Mirth of heart how 2 497 b 498 a Of the dangerous Mirth that is sought for by drinking too much wine 2 499 b 500 a Miserable Who be Miserable and stande in néede of mercie 3 55 ab Miseries Vnto what Miseries this bodie of ours is subiect 1 1 ab What are most gréeuous 2 622 a Mitre The originall of Mitre or verses 3 311 b Against lewd and vnchast Mitre 3 312 a ¶ Looke Songs Mo. Mocking What maner of Mocking is lawfull and vnlawfull 2 534 a Modestie Whether for Modestie sake it bee lawfull to lie 2 547 ab 543a The Modestie of Socrates 4 21 b How men be most reclaimed with Modestie 2 547 b Monkes Whether the order of Monkes stand with Gods word 2 180 ab Whether they doe agree with the Nazarits 3 180 ab Vnder what conditions ours might haue béene suffered 4 7 a They and the Rechabits compared 3 190 ab None in the Church in the Apostles time 4 219 b Moonkes a meane order betwéene the clergie and the laitie 4 219 b The Moonkes of the Charterhouse foolish superstition 3 174 a The Charterhouse Moonks austeritie 3 190 b Monie To what ende and purpose Monie was inuented and that it is not of naturall goods 1 147 b Howe the saying of Ecclesiastes that vnto Monie all things are obedient must be vnderstood 1 149 a Mourne Whether it be lawfull to Mourne for the deade 3 315 a Mourning Of Mourning for the deade 3 179 a Faultes therein 3 315 b Two things to be considered in the same 3 315 b Of Mourning and teares in diuerse respects 3 245. 246. 247 a What kinde is most acceptable vnto God 3 247 a Whether all kinde be allowed of God 3 247 a Mormolyciae Of the Mormolyciae which were diuelish delusions 1 89 b 90 a ¶ Looke Spirits Moses Howe God shewed himselfe to Moses face to face 1 27 b 28 b Who that Angell was that spake to him in the bush 1 28 a Mortification Two kinds of Mortification 3 276 a Two principall points thereof 3 272 b By what meanes wee attaine thereto 2 629 a 620 a Mortification of the bodie must not be excessiue 3 273 a Motion The scriptures doe oftentimes feigne Motion and sense to thinges without life 2 251 b Diuerse properties incident to the same whie pleasure is no motion 1 135 b Sometime it taketh name of that end wherto it tēdeth 2 568 a Discontinued is not the same in number that it was at first 3 330 b Of the nimble Motion of our bodies at our resurrection 3 359 a Local Motion proper to man beast and other creatures 1 189 b It cannot be without place 3 364 b The propertie thereof 3 359 a Whether Motion shall cease if time haue an end 3 394b Motions The first Motions to euill are sin 2 575 b 570 a 275 a 274 ab 363 b 364 a 365 b 572 a 552 ab 553 ab 607 b 608 a 3 41 a Vnto what kinde of sinne they bee referred 2 272 ab 273 a Comprehended vnder the word sinne 2 241b They hinder vs from fulfilling the lawe 2 242 a From whence they doe spring 2 272 b Ierom calleth thē 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and why 2 573 a That they are no sin 2 571 ab nor crimes 3 298 a Of themselues neither good nor euill 2 565 ab The first Motions vnto euill are in their owne nature mortall 2 272 b Whether the corrupt Motions which remaine in the regenerate be sinnes 2 271 a 272 a The Motions of Augustines mind before his conuersion to Christ 2 265 b Corrupt in infants and accused for sinnes 2 272 a Augustines iudgement touching the Motions of mans minde either to good or euill 1 178 b Of the heart not in our owne power 2 293 b Euill euen in the regenerate 2 563 b How Adam fel not hauing naughtie Motions 2 570 b 571 a Sudden and hastie are voide of making choise 2 294 ab After what manner the Motions of our minde depende of God 1 188 b Why God séeing he knoweth that wicked men will abuse good Motions doth suggest them 1 186 a God is the bringer foorth of all things yea euen of the euill Motions of the will 1 188 b The affectes are Motions of the heart and what manner of motions 2 407 a Howe euen the good Motions of the minde are occasions of sinning and be turned into sinne ◠185 b 186 a Contrarie Motions in one will of the Godly 2 400 ab 401 a Mu. Multitude Whether Multitude bee any true note of the Church 4 93 a Murther How Murther being a sinne is neither murther nor sinne 2 475 a In what cases it was not punishable by Gods law 4 328 a What the ciuil lawes determine of the will in a case of Murther 2 385b 366 a What is forbidden vnder the name of Murther 2 552 b 553 a The note thereof is anger 2 517 a Why it was granted to Elias to destroy with fire from heauen the captaines of fiftie and their soldiers and the same denyed to the Apostles this concerneth Murther 2 387 a Selfe murther A briefe catalogue of causes that oftentimes mooue men to selfe Murther 2 392 b 397 a Two alledged by Plato why none should Murther themselues 2 392 b Whether for the honour of god it be lawful for himselfe 2 396 b Certaine mitigations of punishments made by Emperours in such cases 2 392 a 393 a What is determined touching such as Murther thēselues through madnesse 2 391 a Selfe murther committed for visitations sake of friends departed 3 317 a It is not lawfull for a man to Murther himselfe 2 391 b 392 a why 3 316 a Whether for kéeping of chastitie it is to be committed 2 395 b Augustines opinion thereof 2 392 a 396 a and of Lucretia 2 394 a The seuere law of the Athenians in such cases 2 393 a Penalties appointed by the ciuil lawes 2 392 b 393 a Of certaine Philosophers which did Murther themselues 2 392 b The Circumcellious guiltie thereof 3 282 b 238 b And the Donatists desirous with their reasons for the fact 2 395 ab And the virgins of Lemnos without cause by what means they ceased at length so to doe 2 394 a Why Cato did Murther himselfe 2 393 ab In what torments Virgu placeth all such 2 392 b How the Hebrues excuse Saul in that he did Murther himselfe 2 396 b Ionas obiected for an example as of one that will willing to Murther himselfe 2 395 a Iudas guiltie of Murther both in respect of Christ and himselfe also 2 392a ¶ Looke Manslaughter Murtherer Samuel was no Murtherer in killing Agag 2 388 b Murtherers Who be Murtherers by the decrée of the ciuill law 2 385 b The Apostolicall Canons cal such Murtherers as gelde themselues 2 392 ab Chrysostome counteth them worse than Murtherers that kill themselues 2 392 a Musicke From
whence Musicke had originall 3 311 b The woonderfull effects thereof ouer the affections 3 312 b Whether it bee lawfull in Churches 3 313 a Cautions in the vsing thereof 3 314 a In the East and West Churches 3 313 ab When it and mitre shoulde be vsed of the Ethnicks 3 312 a Musician Elizeus called for a Musician to the ende he might recouer his right minde 1 22b My. Mysterie A Mysterie distinguished 4 17 a The general signification thereof 4 97 b Howe it and sacrament differ and agree 4 96 b Of that signified in matrimonie 3 211 b Mysteries Certeine Mysteries of God exempted from our iudgement 2 532 b Whereunto we cannot naturally attaine 1 10 b God rather reuealeth them vnto the simple than to the wise 1 37 b Vnto whom those of Christ were not knowne in the old lawe 3 346 ab Vnto them nothing must be added 4 97 a Mysteries of Ceres 4 96 b The Mysteries of the Ethniks were sumptuous 4 112 b 113 a ¶ Looke Sacrament Na. Naaman The example of Naaman falling before the idoll expounded 3 263 ab 264 ab Hee knewe his fact to be blameable and offensiue 2 319a Alledged for the defence of ydolatrie 2 318 b 319 a But a nouice in the true religion of God 2 319 a ¶ Looke Ydols and Ydolatrie Names Names of things are partly naturall and partly after the mind of the giuers 2 590 b 591 a Of certaine Names attributed vnto God and their signification 1 100. 101. ¶ Looke God Nature A definition of Nature and what the same is 1 57 a Diuerse significations thereof 4 175 a It is as the Philosophers affirme the originall of motion 2 133 a What it is able to doe about vertues and vices 1 55 a How Augustine vnderstandeth the word Nature 1 188 b The Nature of man doth mesiâ—semble God and howe 1 12 b Being destitute of Grace disturbed 3 94 ab Howe the Nature of men and of Christ doe differ 3 78 a Howe the Nature of man is good and not good 2 227 a Wee haue not the originals of a Nature perfect but of a nature corrupt which prooueth originall sinne 2 217 a The Manichers errour that both it is euill and that it was created euill by God 2 258 b Corrupt not onely by the fault of our first parents but also by the sinnes of all our progenitors 2 220 a Whether as it is now corrupt it can resist the grace of God 3 47 a As it was instituted it was without corruption 3 23 b 2 219 a The opinions of Ethnikes declaring the naughtinesse thereof 2 227 ab As touching Nature there is no difference in men 3 15 b 16 a By what kinde of Nature Eâ—ds precepts bee knowne to be iust 2 475b Pighius interpretation how wee be the children of wrath by Nature confuted 2 217 b 218 a His false imagination touching the integretie thereof in their first man 2 229 b Galens opinion that vertues and vices are not in men by Nature â— 54b 55 a The difference betwéene the first man and our Nature now corrupted 1 187b Howe our Nature must bee changed that Gods lawe may be pleasant vnto vs 3 46 b Two properties of our Nature to wir action and contemplation 1 150 a That men in punishing and rewarding respect not whether things be doone by industrie or by Nature 1 55 a Nazarites The summe of the Nazarits vowe 3 27 b Forbidden to drinke wine 3 171 a Caried some shewe of our Monks 4 7 a Ne. Necessarie What things are said to be Necessarie absolutely and conditionally 1 174 a How things may be called Necessarie and how casuall 1 174 b How things depending of chance do fall out to be Necessarie prooued 1 125 ab Necessitie fatall and in other senses A definition of Necessitie 3 34 b Of fatal Necessitie and what it is 3 4 b 5 a Against the erronious doctrine thereof 3 36 a Fauourers of fatall Necessitie and their reasons 3 38 ab 39 a 2 277 b 1 172 a 169 a 175 b The old writers iudge that those things which be doone are doone thereby and that God himselfe is helde therewith 2 276 a Whether Necessitie be a let vnto Gods proiudence 1 166 b Vnto the predictions of Astrologers a méere Necessitie must not be ascribed 2 279 b 280 a Whether things that be of Necessitie are vnder Gods prouidence 1 172 b Two sundrie respects to be marked in things touching their Necessitie 1 174 a Euerie thing while it is is of Necessitie 3 41 a That somthing though it be of Necessitie yet is voluntarie 1 198 b That some thinges done of Necessitie are not to bee allowed 2 273 b 274 a To doe voluntarily and to doe of Necessitie are not contrarie one to another 2 257 a Whether by predestination Necessitie be inferred 3 34 b A geometricall Necessitie 3 34 b Of certeintie and of coaction 3 35ab Of supposition and absolute 2 278 b Proofes of supposition 3 35 b 36 a 11 b 1 169 a 209 b â— 174 a 295 b 2 610 b 611 a It doeth not ouerthrowe our frée will 2 178 b It is in Gods foreknowledge 1 209 b Necessitie of certeintie or infalliblenesse 3 35 b 36 a 37 ab Of consequence and of the consequent 3 35 ab 2 278 b 279 a Of compulsion of nature 2 610 b 611 a Two sorts of Necessitie out of Augustine 3 39b Inward and outwarde Necessitie diuided 3 34 b What Necessitie is repugnant to the will 3 4â— a Of a Necessitie of sinning which hath no compulsion ioyned therewith 2 256 b It is not absolute in the wicked 2 257 a Necessitie taketh not away the nature of sinne 3 2â— b Manie things of Necessitie in the diuine nature 2 611 a As to bee good and yet he is not driuen by force to be good prooued 2 256 b His will bringeth not Necessitie to things 3 40 b What Necessitie belongeth to his foreknowledge 3 41 a He is not tyed to any Necessitie because all things to him are possible 2 276 a Necessitie maketh things vnlawfull lawfull 3 196 b 197 a 2 304 b 305 a Whether the poore must be holpen before their extreme Necessitie 2 521 b In a case of extreme Necessitie pouertie what is to be done 2 519 a The Saints of God are in more Necessitie than other 2 52â— a ¶ Looke Aduersitie Negligence A definitioÌ„ of Negligence 3 68 a Neighbour The worde Neighbour of a large signification how 2 519 b Who is our Neighbour and how such as are enimies one to another be neighbours notwithstanding 2 404 b The name of Neighbour pertaineth not to kinred or acquaintance onely 2 519 b Howe wee must deale with our Neighbour in a case of trespas 2 557 b How we may iudge of him 3 48 a We ought to spend our verie life for his sake 2 519 b Neighbours What we are to doe when we see our Neighbours