séeing this commeth not to passe by anie error of faith but by our owne fault Wherefore we define faith by itselfe according to the propertie thereof and not as it is weakened in vs. Wherevpon the doubting and infirmitie of such an assent is the cause of notable falles The weakenes of our assent is the cause of sinnes which haue happened vnto godlie men and which we sée doo euerie daie happen For whatsoeuer naughtines men doo commit they doo sinne thorough the want and imperfection of faith bicause either they beléeue not that God ordeined lawes against the sinnes which they commit or else those lawes which are made they consider not as they ought to doo or somtimes they giue but weake assent vnto those things that be read and deliuered vnto them 20 Aristotle in his Ethiks maketh diligent inquirie how it can be Aristotle that when as yet there is a knowledge of diuine things anie thing can be committed against the same and he saith It may be that there is reteined onelie a generall knowlege but séeing that particular things doo vrge speciallie the force of a particular thing laid before vs easilie ouercommeth the generall knowledge and maketh the same more féeble If anie man haue assured himselfe that all theft is an vniust and infamous thing and on the other part conceiueth that it were fit for him to followe all his owne commoditie it may soone come to passe that he will not bring in the particular thing of the first sentence whereby hée should earnestlie reckon with himselfe on this wise That which thou now attemptest is theft a thing vniust and infamous For if he did thoroughlie cast in his mind these things and fixe his eies vpon them he would not steale but these things being verie off times abandoned and not considered of he onelie respecteth the particular thing of the other proposition namelie that this monie this garment this stuffe will both be commodious to him and serue him to great vse About which things his mind being bent and occupied he is soone snarled bicause that true knowledge while it is but smallie regarded by him is vnperfect and in a maner extinguished So Dauid as concerning faith An example in Dauid knew verie well that all adulterie both is sinne and displeaseth God excéedinglie 2. Sam. 11 4 but when he committed the same he had euen then but onelie a generall knowledge thereof the which was weake and of verie small efficacie and he conuerted in a maner all his cogitations vnto speciall and present allurements so euidently was the beautie of the woman which he beheld fixed in his mind Vnto which delights he gaue more of his consent than vnto the generall sentence drawne out of the word of God and perceiued by faith wherefore thou séest that through the weakenes of faith he came to his fall An example in Peter Also Peter knew with a generall knowledge that the libertie of the Gospell should be kept that corrupt opinions should not be brought in through his example on the other part he sawe that offense should be taken awaie from the weake brethren Gal. 2 12. Wherefore when the Iewes had come vnto him he began to withdrawe himselfe from the Ethniks neither did he eate with them bicause he did not remember himselfe so much as he ought to haue doone that by this act euill opinions would créepe in and by that meanes the libertie of the Gospell be ouerthrowne but he chéefelie had in his mind his weake brethren the Iewes toward whom he was more affected than it was méet he should And therefore he fell bicause he thought that they ought by no meanes to be offended So that he was vpon iust cause blamed by Paule that he walked not vprightlie By these things it appéereth of how great importance is the strength stedfastnes of the assent of faith which I repeated before 21 I confesse that while we liue here the same cannot perfectlie be had bicause we now knowe in part onelie There is no whole firme assent in this life 1. Cor. 13 6. whereas vnto a strong assent is required a full knowledge But bicause that desire may not suddenlie turne vs from the right nor yet affection disturbe the iudgement of faith this notable remedie we haue A remedie against the weaknes of faith namelie that with a fixed and attentiue mind we be continuallie occupied in the word of God and that we examine our actions by the same therein let vs exercise our selues therein let vs imploie our businesse and therein let vs earnestlie spend our whole time and trauell We must not behold with our eies nor fasten our mind vpon those things that are against the commandements of God which cause Gods word not to be beléeued Abraham being now a hundred yéeres old heard that he should beget a sonne Gen. 17 1. An example in Abraham Rom. 4 19. he respected not as the apostle saith his owne dead bodie he gaue the glorie to God remembring with himselfe that he which was able to doo all things and which failed not nor might not faile promised this vnto him Hereby it came to passe that neither he doubted nor yet mistrusted These things haue we said touching the stablenes and strength of the assent of faith And of what efficacie this strength of of faith is in the beléeuers Augustine declared vpon the ninth treatise of Iohn when he said Augustine To beléeue in Christ is in beléeuing to looue in beléeuing to go vnto him to be made a member of him Now doo we gather A definition of faith that faith is a gift or power inspired into vs by the spirit of God by which faith we giue a firme and stedfast assent vnto the word of God through the authoritie thereof This definition I doubt not but is made plaine by those things which I haue alreadie spoken 22 I am not ignorant that the apostle Iames mentioned that It is a dead faith which is destitute of good works howbeit that is no faith Iame 1 20 A dead faith is no faith when it is pronounced to be dead euen as a man when he is dead cannot be called a man vnlesse we vse a figuratiue spéech And when they saie that a man is buried they vnderstand the same of the dead carcase A dead faith is the dead carcase of faith euen so this is not to be accounted faith but rather a dead carcase of faith neither dooth it in nature agrée with true faith but in name onelie The apostle Paule also writing vnto Timothie called the same feigned saieng on this wise 1. Tim. 1 â— Paule called it a â—eigned faith Matt. 13 21. Temporary beleeuers Let charitie proceed from a pure hart a good conscience a faith not feigned And Christ in the Gospell described certeine beléeuers but those temporarie or which beléeued but for a time Wherefore when as in the
VVhether charitie may be called the forme of faith 27 As touching the second question we are to examine whether charitie be as the Schoole-men terme it The first reason the forme of faith And first I saie that they so speake not properlie but rather fondlie for it is not beséeming that one qualitie of one and the same kind should be the forme of another For we grant not that one accident cleaueth like a forme vnto another accident and that chéeflie among qualities It is said of figures or shapes that they happen vnto quantitie when as yet they be qualities But whether figures doo trulie or properlie perteine vnto the predicament of qualitie I will not stand at this present to prooue it sufficeth as concerning our purpose that one qualitie cannot be called the forme of another A feigned deuise of the School-men But the School-men by that their maner of spéech ment no other thing but that faith is made perfect by charitie euen as matter is woont to be made perfect by the forme of the same which feigned deuise of theirs must not be allowed For if faith be compared vnto hope and charitie it is euen so towards them A similitude as wisedome is to those vertues which they call vertues of intelligence and as prudence is towards those which they call morall vertues For euen as morall vertues are knit togither in prudence so those things also which belong vnto intelligence are ioined togither in wisedome But no man will saie that other-vertues of the mind bée the forms of wisedome neither that morall vertues are the forms of prudence wherefore neither hope nor charitie may be called the forme of faith The comparison which I tooke vpon me to make of faith vnto prudence is to be read in Chrysostome vpon the epistle vnto Titus Chrysost the third homilie where he saith that faith is of no lesse power to the gouerning of life than wisedome is The third reason Furthermore that our wisedome consisteth in faith no man I thinke doubteth and that hope and charitie are knit togither in faith it is hereby declared insomuch as where faith is these also are present with the same Moreouer to speake of the forme according to the nature thereof we make the same to be the beginning of the action but faith by a naturall propertie and vertue thereof maketh vs to hold fast the word of God Neither dooth charitie tend vnto that end the which rather compelleth vs to loue him whom we haue alreadie knowne by faith therefore charitie in respect of faith shall not be accounted a forme séeing it is no beginning of the action thereof the which chéeflie consisteth in beléeuing Furthermore matter is gouerned of the forme The fourth reason and thereby it is both contriued and conteined and not the forme by the matter But charitie is obedient vnto faith faith gouerneth the same for whatsoeuer we loue vprightlie it must be knowne by faith that we ought to loue the same For this in nature we sée that loue followeth the iudgement of the partie that knoweth Besides this the thing which begetteth is more perfect than that which is procreated And we make no doubt but that hope and charitie is ingendered by faith wherefore neither hope nor charitie can be the forms of faith That good works are ingendered by faith Dauid sheweth when he said I beleeued Psa 116 10. and therefore haue I spoken whereby appéereth that confession procéedeth of faith He saith also Ps 119. 101. I haue not declined from thy iudgements bicause thou hast taught me By these things it is manifest that the vprightnes of life procéedeth from the assent of faith 28 But let vs sée after what sort hope and charitie are ingendered of faith How hope and charitie are ingendered of faith Rom. 5 1. In the epistle to the Romans we read We being iustified by faith haue peace towards GOD through Christ by whom also we haue accesse through faith vnto the grace wherein we now stand and reioise vnder the hope of the glorie of God Behold the apostle expresselie sheweth that wée haue peace and accesse vnto God and hope of the glorie through faith The same dooth he more plainlie teach in his epistle to the Ephesians the third chapter where he writeth verse 12. that Wee haue accesse with confidence which commeth by faith Here againe thou séest that confidence which is hope dooth spring of faith And that charitie is deriued from thence the same apostle testifieth vnto Timothie when he saith Charitie out of a pure hart a good conscience 1. Tim. 1 5. and faith not feigned And the reason which we touched before persuadeth the same for séeing that by faith we apprehend GOD as the souereigne good as he that is mightie wise and most louing toward vs Which gaue his onelie sonne vnto death for vs hath giuen all things with him how can it be but that our loue must breake out towards him and towards all things which apperteine vnto him But touching order it is to be vnderstood that hope springeth out first For when as by faith we haue imbraced the promise of eternall life an hope is conceiued of obteining the same and from hence in the third place springeth loue for we loue not those things which we are out of hope to obteine 29 Now let vs come to the arguments A feigned deuise of the Sophisters Gal. 5. 6. which our aduersaries doo vse to prooue charitie to be the forme of faith They alledge that sentence of Paule vnto the Galathians Faith which worketh by loue Séeing saie they that faith doth worke by charitie the same it shall haue in stead of a forme Hereof groweth the error of these men that they imagine something to themselues that should be compounded of faith and charitie the which being all wholy compact of these might haue the first entrance of the working thereof from charitie as from the forme But this deuise of theirs is vaine for séeing faith and charitie be seuerall vertues and that one qualitie as I haue said before is no forme of an other there shall be no one thing compact of these two faculties Moreouer this maner of spéech to wit Not alwais that by which an other thing is wrought is the forme of it it may be the instrument of it 2. Cor. 5 10. that euerie thing worketh by an other thing doth not alwaie respect the forme but somtimes the instruments The writer writeth by his pen the souldier fighteth by his weapon the soule worketh by the bodie but all these things they confesse to be no forms but instruments And Paule siad that We must all stand before the tribunall seat of Christ that euerie man shall beare away according as he hath behaued himselfe in his bodie be it good or be it euill We saie also that prudence worketh by morall vertues which vertues notwithstanding are not counted the
afterward is made perfect and full when other good works come vnto it But how vaine this is Rom. 3 28. Paule himselfe sufficientlie teacheth for he dooth not onelie saie that We are iustified by faith onelie but also he addeth without works Further this also maketh against these men which is written in the booke of Wisedome To knowe God is full righteousnesse Wisd 15 3. In which place it is a sport to sée how Smith wringeth himselfe First he dares not denie the sentence for he counteth that booke for canonicall but as he is of a sharpe wit at the last this he deuiseth that God is not knowen by faith onelie but also by loue But who euer would so saie but onelie this man Vndoubtedlie by loue we doo not knowe but we doo loue But that which is spoken in the booke of Wisdome which yet with me is not of so great authoritie Christ himselfe hath most manifestlie testified in the Gospell saieng Iohn 17 3. This is eternall life that they knowe thee the onelie true God Although of this saieng also of our sauiour Gardiner the Bishop of Winchester Gardiner deuised of late I wot not what namelie that to knowe God is not properlie eternall life although it somewhat helpe forward therevnto But forsomuch as neither the Fathers nor Paule nor Christ himselfe can satisfie these men there is no hope that we shall anie thing preuaile with our reasons They adde moreouer that the Fathers saie that onelie faith iustifieth that is it is the principallest thing whereby we are iustified I confesse in déed This word Onelie sometime signifieth Principall 1. Cor. 13 13 that Onelie sometimes signifieth Principall But this sense cannot agrée with Paules purpose for if charitie be compared with faith charitie as Paule saith is more excellent and better Wherefore if both of them iustifie as these men will haue it then should charitie haue the chéefest part and not faith And this also is a great let vnto these men which I haue oftentimes spoken of that Paule so ascribeth iustification vnto faith that he saith Without works Augustine But Augustine saie they vnto Simplicianus writeth that By faith we begin to be iustified Vnto this we maie answer two maner of waies first that that beginning is such that in verie déed it hath the verie full and whole iustification So that Augustines meaning is that we are iustified so soone as we haue faith Or if this please them not we will saie as the truth is in déed that Augustine ment of the righteousnesse which sticketh in vs. They cite also Ambrose vpon the fift chapter vnto the Galathians In Christ c. For saith he we haue néed of faith onelie in charitie to iustification Behold saie they vnto iustification we haue no lesse néed of charitie than of faith But they are far deceiued for by those words Ambrose ment nothing else but to make a distinction betwéene true faith and vaine opinion therefore he saith that we haue néed of faith onelie namelie that which is ioined with charitie But Ierom vpon the fift chapter vnto the Galathians saith that It is charitie onelie Gala. 5 6. which maketh cleane the hart What other thing else shall we here answer but that this his saieng if it be sharplie and sincerelie vrged is false For it is faith also which purifieth the harts as it written in the Acts of the apostles And Paule vnto Timothie saith 1. Tim. 1 5. Charitie out of a pure hart and a good conscience c. By which words it is plaine that the hart must of necessitie first be pure before charitie can come Wherfore we will interpret that sentence by the effect and as touching our knowledge for then it is most certeine that we are regenerate and haue a cleane hart when we be indued with charitie After this maner also haue we before expounded this Manie sinnes are forgiuen hir bicause she loued much 89 And by the selfe-same meanes also may that saieng of Augustine in his booke De natura gratia the 38. chapter be answered vnto It is the charitie of God saith he by which onelie he is iust whosoeuer is iust But this séemeth also best vnto me to vnderstand such saiengs of the fathers to concerne that righteousnes which abideth and sticketh in vs for that consisteth not onelie of faith but also of all vertues good works Why our righteousnes is somtime attributed vnto charitie alone Now bicause amongst all vertues charitie is the principall therfore the fathers somtimes attribute righteousnes vnto it onlie And that which our aduersaries haue most vniustlie vsurped to expound this word Onelie for Principall or cheefe may in this place most iustlie serue vs for here we intreate not of that iustification which is had by imputation but of that which we atteine to after regeneration Wherefore in this our proposition we exclude not from a man that is iustified hope charitie and other good works but this onelie we saie that they haue not the power or cause or merit of iustifieng And when we saie that a man is iustified by faith onelie we saie nothing else vndoubtedlie but that a man is iustified onelie by the mercie of God and by the merit of Christ onelie which cannot be apprehended by anie other instrument than by faith onelie We must not desist from vsing this word Onelie Neither must we giue place vnto our aduersaries not to vse this word Onelie though they crie out neuer so much that of it springeth great offense and mens minds are by this persuasion somewhat weakened in the exercise of vertues For by sound doctrine we doo easilie remedie these discommodities for we alwaies teach that it is not iustification or true faith which wanteth the fruits of good life But we see the subtile and craftie deuise of these men for if we should saie that a man is simplie iustified by faith leauing out this word Onelie straitwaie they would adde of their owne that a man indéed is iustified by faith but yet he is no lesse iustified by hope and charitie and other good works For this verie cause the Catholikes in times past would not permit vnto the Arrians this word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 A like example that is Consubstantial or Of like substance bicause they would straitwaie haue said that The sonne indéed by appellation or name is God like vnto the father and in a maner equall vnto him but yet not of one and the selfe-same nature and substance Wherefore they did with tooth and naile defend and kéepe still this word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is Consubstantiall or Of one and the selfe-same substance as a word most apt to expresse the truth of that controuersie Which they might also by good right doo and chéefelie for that they sawe that that word was of necessitie concluded out of the holie scriptures out of which also is most euidentlie concluded this our word
call manie backe which otherwise would haue come vnto the truth and by their ill example they nourish vngodlines Neither doo they in the meane time while they thus dissemble admonish the weake of their weakenesse neither doo they speake anie word at all to testifie their faith Of Christian libertie 6 The Corinthians did so abuse Christian libertie as they continuallie boasted In .1 Cor. 6 verse 1. that all things were lawfull vnto them This dooth Paule denie and he maketh two kinds of forbidden things The one is of things indifferent Two kinds of things forbidden when by the vse of them a brother is offended another kind is that which in the nature thereof is alwaies euill which we can neuer vse well First he intreateth of things indifferent and vseth the figure Antypophora or an exception of that which was obiected They boasted Those things must be vnderstood of things indifferent All things are lawfull forme Paule added But all things are not expedient That bragge of theirs he repelleth by this first exception for although many things be lawfull yet must we beware of them when as they be not profitable He denieth not but that all things be lawfull vnto a christian but then thou must restraine thy spéech vnto things indifferent The proposition is generall but it must be more strictlie taken as is that saieng God will haue all men to be saued and 1. Tim. 2 4. Iohn 5 9. He lighteneth euerie man that cometh into this world As touching these things that be indifferent we must affirme that onelie according to their owne kind and nature they haue this indifferencie But when we come vnto election How somethings are said to be indifferent there is nothing indifferent for it is of necessitie that the same be either good or euill Whensoeuer anie thing is taken in hand we must alwaies haue a respect vnto edifieng We are not borne to our selues onelie but vnto Christ vnto the church and to our neighbours wherefore the rule of edifieng is so necessarie as it ought alwaies to be before our eies There is also an other exception in these things indifferent I ought not onelie to consider what maie further our neighbours the church The true Christian libertie must be kept and the house of Christ but I must also prouide least vnder the pretence of libertie I loose the perfect and true Christian libertie For it may be that while I followe the libertie of the flesh I may fall into hard bondage whereby I make my selfe a most vile bondslaue vnto my bellie appetite or lust and to mine euill affections Which danger béeing at hand I will refraine from things indifferent when they may bring an offense to the weaker sort Christ saith Paule to the Galathians hath redeemed you Galat. 5 1. stand therefore in the libertie which is bestowed vpon you In the meane time we must take héed of our affections least we make our selues subiect vnto them How a man must behaue himselfe towards the weake We must also beware of offending them that be weake vnto whom thou oughtest so to applie thy selfe that they may the easâ—ier be led from their infirmitie vnto a better estate But and if they will abuse thy seruitude for the defense of their weaknesse be not thou brought vnder their power but vse thine owne libertie But if thou be conuersant among them that be strong where thou maist fréelie vse things indifferent for if they be strong they will not be offended and shalt féele thine owne affections féeble or else by the vse of things indifferent shalt perceiue thy selfe to be made the more vnapt vnto praiers and godlie readings absteine from those things bring not thy selfe into bondage vse thine owne libertie Of Conscience In .1 Cor. cap. 8 ver 7. We must attempt nothing but that which we know pleaseth God Rom. 14. 7 Let vs now consider that in all our actions we ought to attempt nothing whereof we be not certeine that it is aprooued of God And this thing is handled at large in the 14. chapter of the epistle to the Romans that Whatsoeuer we doo it should staie vpon faith And vndoubtedlie whatsoeuer is doone otherwise it maketh vs worthie of hell-fier There the apostle saith Blessed is he that iudgeth not himselfe in that thing which he alloweth verse 22. Whereby it cometh to passe that he which iudgeth and condemneth anie thing and yet himselfe alloweth the same is condemned bicause he dooth it not of faith The conscience hath such a power as if it be good Note how the conscience may make a worke good or euill it maketh that worke to be good which in his owne nature is different and on the other side being euill it maketh it euill But yet neuerthelesse it is vnpossible that anie worke which is in nature euill should by our conscience be made good For of what conscience so euer thou be Wherein the power of the conscience exerciseth hâ—r power if thou forsweare thy selfe or commit fornication thou sinnest gréeuouslie Wherefore the power of the conscience exerciseth hir force in those things that be meane or indifferent and in those actions which in their owne nature should be good It is shewed out of the scriptures how necessarie a good conscience is Titus 2 15. Of this matter Paule wrote vnto Titus All things be cleane to them which be cleane but to them which be vncleane and vnfaithfull nothing is cleane bicause their mind and conscience are corrupt Also vnto Timothie Euerie creature of God 1. Tim. 4. 4. Rom. 14 14. which is receiued with thanksgiuing is good for it is sanctified by the word of God and praier And vnto the Romans But I thinke and am persuaded that nothing by Iesus Christ is common but that which a man dooth iudge to be common These places doo plentifullie teach how necessarie it is to haue a good conscience and that he sinneth which attempteth anie thing against his conscience Hereby it is manifest that if thou shalt thinke that God is offended at thy worke vndoubtedlie if thou doo not refraine thou preferrest now thine owne will before the will of God and thou louest thy selfe aboue God Wherefore it behooueth that the conscience be well persuaded about the dooing of things which good persuasion it cannot haue otherwise than out of the word of GOD wherin alone it is most certeinlie shewed vs what we must seeke for and what we must shun A similitude And euen as the philosophers determine that We alwaies go out of the right waie when in our dealing we follow not perfect reason What is defined to be sinne euen so among the Diuines it is defined to be sinne when we depart from the faith of a sound conscience 8 But since that this place concerning conscience commeth now to hand it shall be requisite to expound the nature thereof Wherefore it is to be considered that
the Apostles féete I confesse euen as you do that those garmentes are the deuise of man and that of themselues they edifie not but it wil be thought of some that it is profitable to haue them suffered for a time because this perhappes will bring to passe that these contentions shal be auoyded whereby greater fruites and more ample commodities are in danger to be hindred and left as wee sée it comes to passe the mindes of men shoulde straightway be turned from the gospell I passe ouer that they which defende these thinges might pretende some honest and due signification not strange from the scriptures The ministers of the church be Angels and messengers of God as Malachie testifieth Malac. 3. 1. And Angelles haue in a manner alwayes shewed themselues cloathed in white garmentes That not onelie the things but the signes also are to be retained Howe can we depriue the Church of this libertie that it may not signifie some thing by her actions and rites the same being doone without placing any woorship of God therein modestlie and in fewe thinges so as the people of Christ be not burthened with ceremonies and that better things be not letted But you will say let them shewe themselues to be Angelles let them not signifie it I heare what you say But the selfe same might haue béene aunswered vnto Paule 1. Cor. 11. 5 when he decréed vnto the Corinthians that the woman should haue her heade couered and the man vncouered for he onelie vrgeth a reason of the signification For anie man of the Church of Corinth might haue answered let the man shewe himselfe to bee heade of the woman and let the woman in her déedes and life shewe her selfe to be subiect vnto the man let them not contende to shew this by signes But the Apostle sawe this also to be a profitable thing that we should not onely liue well but that also wee should by wordes and tokens bee admonished of our duetie But and if héereby there be giuen an occasion of errour vnto the weake let them bee warned howe they should beléeue these indifferent thinges let them be taught by sermons that they iudge not the worshipping of God to consist herein But whether the eyes of them that stande by be withdrawen through the diuersitie of garmentes from the cogitation of weightie matters perhappes all men will not iudge it so to be For first our aduersaries might aunswere that this would not come to passe if those garmentes which haue béene vsed be without excesse and be verie plaine and such as haue béene hitherto vsed about holie seruices for vse and cheapenesse taketh awaie admiration Yea and perhaps they will aunswere that it is likely that they béeing throughly mooued by that admiration will the more attentiuely thinke vpon the things that be earnest vnto which end the signes of the Sacramentes séeme to haue béene deuised that euen by the verie sight and sense wee maie bee rauished to thinke of diuine thinges Neither doe I thinke that tyrannie is straight waie brought in if any indifferent thing be taken in hande to bee doone in the Church and be constantlie kept of manie At this daie we so administer the Eucharist in the morning time as in the after noone wée wil not haue the communion in the Church But who wil say that this is tyrannical because we doe it with the like will and consent of all men Vndoubtedlie it would like me best as I haue alwaies saide that wée shoulde doe onelie that which Christ did and deliuered to his Apostles But yet if anie things indifferēt be added I would not now therefore sharpelie contende especiallie séeing we perceiue that they by whom the light of the Gospell is greatlie aduanced in Englande and maie yet be aduaunced more are against vs. I acknowledge indéede with you That whatsoeuer is not of faith Ro. 14. 23. is sinne but yet that in our actions wée may haue a quiet conscience that séemes speciallie to further which in the Apostle is written vnto Titus Vnto the cleane all thinges are cleane Titus 1. 15 1. Tim. 44 And vnto Timothie Euerie creature of God is good And it is not necessarilie required that we shoulde haue in the holie Scriptures an expresse mention of the particular thinges which we vse This generallie is enough to knowe by faith that thinges indifferent cannot defile them which liue with a pure syncere minde and conscience These things haue I shortlie abridged as touching the controuersie which you propounded vnto me out of which I wish with all my heart that you maie happilie vnwinde your selfe And those thinges which I haue written I praie you to take in good part For if I could haue writtē either better or more plainly perhaps I might more haue satisfied your request Howbeit because it is not giuen to all men to writ aptlie and readilie hereof you must pardon me Further you shall finde mee alwaies readie to giue place vnto the trueth if I shall be otherwise perswaded Neither am I latelie perswaded in my minde of this opinion which I haue nowe declared but I iudged euen from the first that I applyed my minde vnto the Gospell that these diuersities of garmentes shoulde not be vsed but yet thought that the vse of them if other things which are prescribed vnto vs by the worde of God might remaine sound are neither vngodlie nor pernitious of them selues or of their owne nature I beséech almightie God preserue you safe and sounde with all your housholde through Iesus Christ our Lorde My wife and I salute you heartilie and your good wife Fare you well From Oxforde the 4. of Nouember 1550. As touching diuorse I do not write vnto you partlie because you your selfe differ the matter vnto an other time and partly because I knowe verie well that you vnderstande of what minde I am together with the Church of Strasborough and all other brethren in Christ To a certaine friende of his into Englande 38. MY good friend I sée in your letters you are afraide on both sides For if you reiect the ministerie you séeme to breake off an occasion of well doing But if you shall take vppon you the function offered you iustlie and for good cause feare least you shoulde séeme to agrée vnto those ordinances which not onelie diminishe and deface the pure worshipping of God but doe also corrupt it and maruellouslie make it to decaie although that vnto men which are not well conformed towardes the Gospell they maie séeme to haue but small weight and importance for they account all thinges as indifferent Of garmēts in the diuine seruice and of the crucifix Howbeit a man that is somewhat better instructed in religion séeing you being a messenger of Christ an earnest preacher of the Gospell to bee apparelled with garmentes at the Altar to pray before the Image of the Crucifixe to recite holie words and to distribute the Sacramentes will hée not
similitude Whereas they saie that there be plants which bring foorth boughes and leaues although they haue no fruit yet they should haue remembred that Christ as we before haue said cursed those sort of trées and when as he had sought for fruit vpon the figge trée and found nothing but leaues he smote the same with so effectuall a curse as it dried vp We denie not but that by men may be doone some ciuill and morall good thing which procéedeth through that power of God wherewith all things be preserued for as the Ethniks also confessed In him we liue Acts. 17 28. we mooue and haue our beeing But that power wherewith GOD gouerneth and mooueth all things dooth nothing at all further men vnto eternall life which be not regenerate But the state of our cause is whether they which be as yet aliens from Christ can doo anie thing which maie be allowed and acceptable vnto God that is it which we denie and they affirme But how much the place maketh for vs which is brought concerning the euill trée which cannot make good fruit there hath bin sufficientlie spoken 22 Now let vs examine the other place which these men go about to wrest from vs Whatsoeuer is not of faith Rom. 14 23 is sinne This place did Augustine in a maner alwaies obiect against Pelagius Augustine obiected against Pelagius that whatsoeuer is not of faith is sinne Pelagius made answer that this is no other than a particular reason which was spoken onelie of meats and for that cause ought not to be extended vnto other works especiallie of infidels Indéed we confesse that that question sprang first by reason of meats But after what sort the â—…ason thereof is alledged let vs consider by the words of Paule He which iudgeth saith he that is he which putteth doubt in each part and eateth is condemned this was to be prooued The reason which he gaue was For that it is not of faith But séeing this saieng is but particular neither could that which he had spoken be reduced to a Syllogisme vnlesse there should be added an vniuersall poposition therefore he added that Whatsoeuer is not of faith is sinne By which sentence Paules meaning is We must assure our selues of that wee doo that it is acceptable vnto God that so often as we attempt anie thing he would haue vs to be thoroughlie assured that the same shall be acceptable vnto God and is of him required by some commandement of the lawe which certeintie if it want he saith that whatsoeuer we doo it is sinne And Paules firme argument may thus be knit togither Whatsoeuer is not of faith is sinne To eate meates prohibited in the lawe with a doubting whether the same be lawfull or no Paule by a particular proposition prooueth a generall is not of faith Therefore it is sinne Although the apostle prooueth a particular proposition yet he vseth an vniuersall reason the which as it is applied vnto meates euen so it may be applied vnto all other actions so as all things whatsoeuer doo want this faith be sinnes Wherefore neither we nor Augustine doo abuse that sentence when we applie the same to the works of misbeléeuers But in these daies manie crie out that Faith in this place signifieth the persuasion of the conscience and that Paule respected not that faith which we saie dooth iustifie But these men take too much vpon them which bring in a new signification of faith without anie testimonie of the scriptures wherefore we might well denie this vnto them But forsomuch as if we grant them that which they would yet are they still compelled to returne to our opinion therefore we will not much contend with them about the same Admit it be as they would haue it grant we that faith be the conscience But what persuasion should there be of conscience concerning works that the same may vnderstand which be good and which be euill The lawe of God is the rule of the conscience Doubtlesse other rule can we not haue if we be godlie than the lawe of God for that is the rule wherewith the good and the euill must be iudged From thence must appéere the persuasion of our conscience that by faith it may vnderstand that worke to be good which it taketh in hand and contrariewise to be euill if it striue against the lawe of God And this is nothing else but that which we before spake concerning faith Wherefore let vs leaue these men who when they would be séene to speake things differing from vs doo fall before they be aware into one and the selfe-same opinion with vs. But we be here taught that whatsoeuer we take in hand a speciall regard must be had that we be assured of the will of God And the same thing taught Paule when he said Rom. 12 2. Let vs trie what is the good will of God And as the same apostle writeth vnto the Ephesians Let vs not walke as vnskilfull Rom. 5 17. which vnderstand not what the will of God is And that it be not thought that this interpretation is of our owne deuise I desire the reader to looke vpon Origin vpon Primatius the disciple of Augustine and vpon those Commentaries Commentaries ascribed vnto Ierom. which be ascribed to Ierom whom thou shalt find to be of the same iudgement when they expound euen that place which we haue now alledged for they acknowledge no other faith than that which all men acknowledge 23 But now to come to the principall point of this controuersie I thinke that it is plentifullie confirmed out of the holie scriptures that all the works of infidels be sinnes Of which mind not onelie is Augustine against Iulian Ambrose Basil saie that the works of infidels are sins but also Ambrose in his booke De vocatione Gentium the third chapter for he saith that Without the true worshipping of God those things which séeme to be vertues are sinnes Basil in his second booke De baptismo and seuenth chapter of purpose mooueth this question and maketh on our side And he citeth places out of the scriptures as out of Esaie A sinner Esaie 62 3. when he sacrificeth dooth all one as if he should offer vp a dog and when he offereth sweet cakes it is all one as if he offered vp swines flesh And he added He which committeth sinne Iohn 8 34. is the seruant of sinne and serueth it onelie Againe No man can serue two masters God mammon Matt. 6 24 What agreement is there betweene light and darknes betweene God and Belial Finallie 2. Cor. 6 14. he citeth that testimonie whereof we intreated before at large Matt. 7 18. An ill tree cannot bring foorth good fruit vpon all these testimonies he concludeth the verie same thing which we teach By these things I thinke it is now plaine Of the freedome of men regenerate what we are to iudge of the
call it Ab accidenti so that it is faltie for it is an accident A fallacie or happeneth to faith to be out worke in that it iustifieth vs. Wherfore it is a fallacie or deceitfull reason as the Logicians terme it of the accident Besides Pighius obiecteth that charitie iustifieth rather than faith for that it is the nobler and more excellent vertue But this reason we haue before confuted as ridiculous Charitie is more nobler than faith Therefore it iustifieth rather than faith For nobilitie or dignitie serueth nothing to iustification The dignitie of the vertue serueth nothing to the power of iustifieng For it is all one as if a man would thus reason The eies are more excellent than the mouth and the hands Ergo meats are to be receiued with the eies and not with the mouth or the hands Which also we sée happeneth in naturall things that things which followe are of more perfection although they giue not life A similitude In the child conceiued nature ascendeth as it were by degrées from the power of quickning to the power of féeling and from the power of féeling to the power of vnderstanding and yet doth it not thereof followe that the powers of vnderstanding or of féeling for that they are more noble than the power of quickening doo therefore giue life vnto the child And that to iustifie It is shewed by reason that faith not charitie iustifieth rather perteineth vnto faith than vnto charitie besides that the holie scriptures doo teach the same it may also be shewed by good probable reasons for the power of knowledge which perteineth vnto vnderstanding consisteth in perceiuing And therefore they which are taught anie thing after they once vnderstand it are accustomed to saie Accipio or Teneo that is I take it or I hold it For in verie déed by knowledge a thing is after a sort receiued into the mind wherefore it ought not to séeme strange that by faith we are said to take hold of the promises of God and the merits of Christ But charitie consisteth in powring out bestowing and communicating our goods vnto others which thing ought to followe iustification and not to go before for before that we are regenerate we are euill neither can we vprightlie or in such sort as God will allow of it communicate anie good thing vnto others 63 Herevnto Pighius addeth that If so be faith which iustifieth suffereth not with it selfe hainous sinnes which may spoile the conscience alienate a man from God it must néeds followe that if a man which beléeueth doo chance to fall into anie gréeuous wicked crime he is straitwaie destitute of faith and ceaseth to beléeue that there is a God when as yet notwithstanding we sée that wicked men doo not onelie beléeue that there is a God but also doo confesse all the articles of the faith This argument at the first sight séemeth to be verie terrible Whether true faith abideth with sinnes that be grieuous and waste the conscience but suffer not thy selfe gentle reader to be deceiued with a vaine shew examine it well and trie it diligentlie and thou shalt find it is a weake and ridiculous argument We grant that a man that is by sinnes and wicked facts alienated from God may assent vnto the articles of the faith beléeue that there is a God But this good man shuld haue taught further that the same is done by the motion and impulsion of true faith There may in déed be left to a wicked man a certeine humane persuasion either by education or by opinion bicause he thinketh it to be most likelie But least anie man should thinke that this that I saie is of mine owne inuenting namelie that a man which gréeuouslie sinneth is destitute of the true and iustifieng faith let him rather consider what Paule saith For he vnto Timothie saith 1. Tim. 5 8. He which hath not a care ouer his owne and especiallie ouer his household hath renounced faith and is woorse than an infidell Doubtlesse he which renounceth faith hath not faith And vnto Titus he saith Tit. 1 16. They confesse they knowe God but in deeds they denie him To confesse and to denie are things contrarie wherfore it must néeds be that forsomuch as both are spoken of the same men they are to be taken in diuers senses Wherfore they may haue faith that is a certeine humane opinion such as it is but yet not that firme forceable assent inspired by the holie Ghost whereof we now intreat Iohn saith in his first epistle and second chapter He which saith that he knoweth God verse 4. and keepeth not his commandements is a lier and the truth is not in him So then the true faith whereby we beléeue trulie in God is not without good works Neither ought it to séeme vnto anie man absurd that one and the selfe-same thing may be knowne diuers waies The diuell is not indued with a true faith for the diuell also as well as we both knoweth and confesseth manie things touching Christ whom yet Pighius doubtles as I suppose will not grant to be indued with the true faith whereby wée are persuaded to beléeue those things which we confesse of Christ It is possible also A similitude that one skilfull in the Mathematiks may assent to some one conclusion confirmed prooued by demonstration which demonstration if he chance afterward as oftentimes it happeneth by reason of age or some disease to forget he will not yet for all that cease to affirme that proposition which he before knew but this he will doo by opinion or some probable argument and not as he before did by demonstration Therfore the knowledge of one and the selfe-same thing dooth not of necessitie inferre the selfe-same ground and principle of knowledge And let these things be spoken onelie as it were by supposition as though we granted that opinion which held that after a man hath committed anie great hainous and wicked fact true faith is lost which yet in the elect is afterward by the benefite of God againe recouered otherwise it maie be said that in men iustified and also appointed of God vnto saluation faith cannot through the committing of anie hainous crime be vtterlie extinguished but as it were cast into a sléepe and lie hidden neither breake out to shew his life by good actions vnlesse it be againe stirred vp by the holie Ghost for in such men as haue so fallen the séed of God still abideth although for a time it bringeth not foorth fruit But Pighius goeth on and saith Faith is the foundation Therefore it is farre from the perfection of the building so then it iustifieth not for vnto iustification manie other preparations are required If by this perfection of the building Faith is verie far from the last perfection he vnderstand the blessed resurrection and chéefe felicitie wherein we shall sée God face to face
same opinion was Ierom vppon Malachie But the cause why the Prophet maketh mention of Minchah before other Sacrifices is for that the same was vniuersall and was adioyned to all Sacrifices and so might it easilie be offered by pooore and simple men 16 In lyke manner it is but weake that is obiected out of the Councell of Nice The Councel of Nice An vnbloudie sacrifice that therein is mention made of an vnbloudie hoste or Sacrifice which we deny not if thou wilt referre it to a memoriall and thankesgiuing But vnto them it is no vnbloudie Sacrifice séeing they boast that they haue true and as they terme it reall bloud in the Sacrament In what respect the communicants are saide to sacrifice Further according to this opinion not onelie the minister but the faithful so many as doe eate and drinke of the Table of the Lord doe Sacrifice although as we haue said we should not vse this word séeing the holy scriptures speake not so of the Eucharist Neither may they speake ill of vs as though we take away from Ministers their dignitie Wherein the dignitie of ministers consisteth For they haue their honor still for ought that we say Let them teach all nations let them baptise let them administer the Sacramentes and let them retaine discipline in the Church and let them not thinke that they haue lost their degrée if it be denyed that they offer Christ vnto God the Father What more excellent and honorable thing can they haue than to be the Ambassadors of Christ and to reconcile the world vnto God by their preaching as we reade in the 2. Epistle to the Corinthians 2. Cor. 5. 20 In the Actes of the Apostles we haue Acts. 13. 2. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 A place in the Acts made plaine Which place although Erasmus translateth Whiles they were Sacrificing and fasting yet in his annotations he saith that he vnderstandeth by the Sacrifice the preaching of the Gospel What 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 signifieth Neither is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 properlie to sacrifice but to execute a publike office and action The Gréeke expositions also in that place referre that vnto the preaching of the Gospell It is blasphemie to say that they offer vp Christ And let these men sée how they can be otherwise counted than blasphemous séeing they brag that they offer Christ vnto God the father because it followeth hereuppon that they make themselues better and more woorthie than Christ For he that offereth cannot be vnwoorthier than the thing offered Whereuppon Irenaeus when he vseth the word of offering Irenaeus plainelie speaketh it of the oblation which he referreth vnto the bread and vnto the wine That which is offered receiueth dignitie of him that offereth because it receiueth the dignitie from him that offereth and is therefore acceptable vnto God because he that offereth it is acceptable vnto him And thereby it is most manifest that be cannot vnderstand these thinges of Christ For Christ is not acceptable vnto God for the Sacrifice sake but contrariwise rather we be acceptable vnto God for Christs sake And I maruell that some would obiect against this our Argument the Baptisme ministred vnto Christ by Iohn Baptist séeing that was a Sacrament not a Sacrifice And we doubt not but that Sacraments may be ministred by them that are vnwoorthie vnto them that shall be better woorthie So then this instance is but vaine séeing a Sacrament hath not dignitie by the Minister But a sacrifice as saith Irenaeus getteth honor vnto it selfe by him that offereth And euen this doe we read in Esay in the Psalmes in Micheas the Prophet and elsewhere that God detesteth those Sacrifices which were offred without faith charitie and a good conscience Of the sacrifice of Melchisedeck Gen. 14. 18 Looke in Gen. 14. 18. 17 Manie also are woont to say of the sacrifice of Melchisedeck that now there is a priesthoode according to that order extant in the Church Wherefore say they euen as he offered bread and wine vnto God so we in the forme of bread and wine offer the sonne of God whereby the thing signified and shadowed may excell the figures and shadowes thereof But as touching this the historie of the booke of Genesis hath not that Melchisedeck offered bread wine vnto God but vnto Abraham and his hoste being wearied So Rabbi Salomon interpreteth that Neither can this hebrew word Iatsa in the coniugation Hiphil otherwise signifie than either to bring foorth or to bring out Onelie Rabbi Salomon added that therein might be a figure Rabbi Salomon because in that place namelie in Ierusalem it behooued them in olde time to offer an oblation of wine and Mincha But as touching the historie he affirmeth Why Melchisedeck went to méete Abraham that those thinges were offered vnto Abraham and to his hoste And that Melchisedeck would by this gift declare that he tooke it not in ill part that his posteritie was cut off by Abraham For he maketh this Melchisedeck as other Hebrewes doe to be Sem the sonne of Noah And therefore went he out to gratifie him with bread and wine that thereby Abraham and his hoste which were wearie Ambrose might be refreshed Ambrose also in his Treatise of the Sacramēts plainlie saith that these things were offered vnto Abraham Augustine And Augustine in his booke of Questions of the olde Testament writeth that the Eucharist of the bodie and bloud of Christ was offred vnto Abraham Now then vnto the Fathers which say that Melchisedeck offered vnto God we obiect the trueth of the Hebrew and other fathers which wée haue now cited But admit that he offered vnto God what is this vnto the Masse They shall haue no other than an allegoricall Argument which in verie déede is most weake Further we deny not An Allegoricall argument concludeth not It is not denyed but that bread and wine are offered vnto God but that bread in the supper of the Lord is after a sort offered vnto God to be sanctified that it is made a sacrament by him The difficultie matter in debate is whether Christ himselfe is offered vnto God the father by massing priests y◠which as it hath bin said these men doe not prooue That the Priesthoode according to the order of Melchisedeck remaineth in the Church And that a priesthood remaineth in the Church according to the order of Melchisedeck we deny not by reason of Christ who being our high priest is entred into heauen and for vs maketh intercession to the Father Of the which matter it is sufficientlie written in the Epistle to the Hebrewes Of the Masse peruse an other place at the end of this woorke Another Common Place of Sacrifice 18 And in Sacrifices it is to be obserued In Iud. 13. 22. That the offerer is more acceptable vnto God than the sacrifice Irenaeus Gen. 4. that God accepteth better of him
b God requireth more than it of vs 3 157b It grieueth the godlie that their Faith is not strong enough to resist their corrupt natures 3 267 a Why Paul ioyneth Faith and confession together 3 262 b Howe it is ioyned with repentaunce 3 213 a Of such as haue abiured it 3 206 b 207 a It was exercised by Ecclesiasticall satisfactions 3 236 a Without it there is no good thing 2 262 b Whether grace and a weake Faith haue the power to iustifie 2 261 b Whether it be a part of repentaunce 3 213 a In what cases it waxeth feeble 3 60 b and a remedie there against 3 62 ab 71 a Whether it can consist without works 3 60 b How it is made perfect by workes 3 75 a It applieth those thinges which it beleeueth vnto him in whom it is 3 84 a What is required for the triall thereof 3 87 b It is the correlatiue of Gods promises 3 126 a 128 b The meaning of Paul in saying Whatsoeuer is not of Faith is sin 2 269 ab Sinne is committed through the want thereof 3 70 b 71 a How it commeth to passe that about it there is doubting 3 59b Of that whereby we please God 3 106 ab Howe hope and charitie are ingendred of the same 3 74 b Whether it taketh place in things assuredlie knowen 3 59 b 60 a What thinges striue therewith 3 91 a Thereby we denie the best part of our selues 3 60 a It extinguisheth not the nature of man 3 61 a Of the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 thereof and whereto it is referred 3 91 b The end of the same 3 60 a In what kinde of promises it hath to do 2 549 b How many wayes it is taken and distinguished 3 57 b It is the rule and direction of a good intent 1 93 a Of comprehending the creation of the worlde thereby 1 16 b How farre forth it gathereth a knowledge of God and from whence 1 30 b The lawe and Faith helpe one another 2 578 b What shoulde be the forme thereof if any forme be 3 75 b What is a manifest falling away from the same 3 57 a By it we first answere vnto the calling of God 3 77 b The proper notes and colours thereof 3 142 b How it excelleth charitie and so contrarie 3 75 b By what meanes it is nourished and confirmed 3 63 ab Whether it be a trust 3 92 b Why it must not rest vpon humane wisedome 4 25 b It is not of workes 4 26 a The roote thereof in heauen 4 25 b It is no true kinde which breaketh not out into actions agreeable 2 316 b It cannot be tyed to fathers and Councels 1 93 ab A most notable confirmation thereof in the vanquishing of Giantes by weake men 1 131a b When it shall cease 3 76 a Whether the true and right kinde is to bee yeelded to the persecuters of the Church 4 33b What Paul intendeth by saying that the righteousnesse of Faith hath testimonie both of the lawe and the Prophetes 1 99 a Who haue a shewe of Faith but no true faith 3 73 b Whether it be in Infidels or no. 3 106 ab It draweth with it all good motions of the minde 1 106 b The apprehending thereby taketh nothing away from the trueth of thinges 3 77 b Whether it signifieth the conscience 3 98 b Two thinges necessarily required therein 2 634 b A comparison thereof vnto wisedome 3 74 a Where the fault lieth if wee wauer therein 3 70 b Whither hope or charitie bee the forme thereof 3 74a b Not perfect in vs in this life 3 72 b The force thereof in the beléeuers 3 71 ab Of the great conuinction betwéene it and workes 3 151 a It expelleth feare 3 65 a How farre foorth it agréeeth with feare 3 63 b The difference betwéene it and opinion 3 69 b and suspicion 3 57 b Howe it is harmed by a lie 2 544 a Errors in matters thereof is deadly sinne 1 95 a Whether infantes haue it 4 119 b 120 a 163 a Howe it is increased by good workes 3 135 b Manie more thinges reuealed vnto vs by the Scriptures than wée knowe by it 1 16 a It goeth necessarily before all good workes 3 154 ab Whether it maie bee separated from iustification 3 131 a 312 ab It formeth pertecteth al good works 3 149 b Whether ours to iustification and the fathers were al one 3 153 b 154 a 2 87 b What kind was necessarie to saluatiō til the Gospel was published 2 262 b 263 a Gregories opinion that it is the entrie whereby wee come vnto good workes but not contrariwise 2 260 ab To be with out it and without grace in Augustines iudgement is all one 2 259 a If I haue all Faith so that I can remoue mountaines expounded 3 132 b 133 a Prophesie and true Faith are not of necessitie ioyned together 1 23 a That of the Iewes commended by examples 2 588 ab A newe signification thereof that it is the persuasion of the conscience 2 269 ab Whether it goe before or follow myracles 1 68 ab The saintes to confirme it sometime required myracles 3 62 a It springeth not of myracles but is confirmed by them 1 63 b 67 b In whome it goeth before myracles as P. Martyr saith 1 68 b Faith foreséene mooueth not God to predestinate vs. 3 16a Diuers kindes of Faith 3 92 a Of the articles 3 144 b 145 b Of Doctrine 3 132 a Of myracles 3 26 b 199 a 132 a 1 69 a 6◠a Graunted euen to the wicked 3 92 ab A Temporall 3 92 b In the reprobate 3 34 a How to determine whether it be but temporall 3 47 b 48 a Formed and vnformed 3 71 b Effectuall and historicall 3 141 b 142 a Vnfeined and temporall 3 204 b Dead and liuely 3 71 b 134 b 135 a 92 a True Faith and counterfete 3 87 b 73 b General Faith and particular 3 132 a 133 a 106 a 107 a And whether by the particular euerie man is sure of his saluation 3 145 a 2 318 a Of opinion or persuasion of inspiration of myracles 1 69a Of a certaine humane Faith not inspired by God 3 134 b What kinde of Faith the Turkes haue 3 106 b Whether the Diuell bee indued with a true Faith 3 137 b 62 b What Faith driueth men to desperation 3 92 b Faith Ciuill Diuers definitions of Faith to wit ciuil faith 2 549 b In what respectes it is to be violated 2 538 a It comprehendeth in it all the partes of mans life 2 549b The necessitie thereof of truth among men 2 539 a Whether it must be kept with heretikes 2 538a Whether it must be kept with him that breaketh promise 2 548 b Whether it is to be kept with our enemies 2 537 a 371 a The Faith of Attilius Regulus to his enemies 2 539 a 282 b Faithfull The state of the Faithfull
Looke Imprecation Witch Who it was that appeared at the call of the Witch 1 72 ab It was not Samuell saieth Augustine 1 75 a Witches Witches haue no power ouer the godly 1 76 b 77 a Lawes of Princes against them 1 19a And such as repaire vnto them 1 84 b 85 a Witcherie Of the force of Witcherie the cause thereof in olde women and vpon whom it worketh most 1 79 b Witnesse These wordes there be three which beare Witnesse in heauen the father the worde and the spirit expounded 1 105 a The thre things which beare Witnesse of Christ 4 113 a How many wayes God is called to Witnesse 2 372 a What wee are taught by being forbidden to beare false Witnesse 2 553 a Witnesses Two famous Witnesses of the Church in the last age 3 382 b VVo. Woman The state of the Woman farre worse than of the man 2 460 b That she is and is not the Image of God and after what maner 1 124 a Why it is not meete that one Woman should be both a wife and a seruant to any man 2 379 ab Why Paule willed the Woman to keepe silence in the Church 2 242 b Whether before sinne the Woman were subiect to the man 2 379 a Women Whether Women may bee in warrefare 4 288 a They taught the people openly 4 7 ab They must haue their head couered in the congregation and why 2 481 b What Women labour to please men 2 510 a Why Women were commaunded to be silent in the Church 4 7 b Women indued with the spirit of prophesie 4 7 a Women circumcised among the Egyptians 4 111 a Why the Women that prophesie are commaunded to couer their heades 4 8 a Whether Women may teach in the Church 4 7 ab What ornaments Women may vse and not vse 2 513b Looke Women what is spoken concerning painting of the face 2 508 ab and so forward Holy Women maintained and releeued Christ 4 29 a Why we be called men why Women as Augustine allegorically saieth 1 124 a Wooers What kinde of emulation is betwixt wooers 2 417 b Woonders The difference betweene signes and woonders shewed out of diuerse writers 1 71 b Why the scriptures haue so often ioyned these two wordes together 1 71 b ¶ Looke Miracles Word of God The difference of Gods worde and Philosophie 1 58 a The preaching thereof hath all men subiect vnto it 4 230 b Howe miracles win credite to the worde of God 1 63 b. The same thing is offered by the worde that is doone by the sacraments 2 635 a Neither youth nor any other is excepted from hearing the worde of God 1 57 b Of the worde of God and hearing of the same reade all the 7. Chapter of the first part The force of Gods worde in the hearers of the same 1 58 a The difference of Gods worde specially in the Eucharist 4 196 ab 187 b It was the worde or Christ that God spake by to the fathers and Prophets 1 26 b The force of the inwarde worde of God in the minde 3 176 b God vseth the inwarde worde and the outwarde and in whom 2 233 a Whether the outwarde or visible signe of Baptisme be altogether necessarie to regeneration 2 233 a Of the word vnwritten and the word written with the antiquitie of both 1 42 b And how to beleeue it 3 70 a Whether it were written before Moses time 4 72 a Whether Christes bodie bee more worthie than his worde 4 214 a ¶ Looke Scripture Wordes Wordes are partly naturall and partly after the minde of the namers 2 590. 591 a Wordes are the principal signes thereof 2 542a b What they be 3 342 b Aristotles definition of them and who abuse them 2 544 b The vse of them 3 304b 4 144ab Certaine Hebrew wordes receiued into the Church 4 215 ab Worke of God How is it true that God rested from worke the seuenth day since he worketh dayly and hourely 2 374 b How it is a strange worke vnto God to punish euils 3 44a That God doeth worke nowe also and by what meanes and how 1 122b That which the holy Ghost calleth euill is no worke of God as Pighius saith 2 218 a Worke of man Howe the selfe same Worke is produced by God and by vs. 1 189 b 190 a Howe it may bee both of God of the deuill and of euill men 1 183 a Howe it can be the end of an action when it is after the action 1 7 b Sometime that which remaineth is more excellent and sometime the action and why 1 4 b An habite in the minde is no Work though it come of frequented actions 1 4 b Whether there may be any Worke of man found that should throughlie please God 2 572 a None good saith Augustine without faith 2 259 a To the goodnesse thereof it is not enough that the same in his owne nature be not euill what then 2 311 b A Worke cannot be made good by an habituall intent 1 93 b 95a The rule whereby it must bee directed 3 118 a How the conscience may make a Worke good or euill 3 165 a A Worke seeming acceptable vnto God may be sinne prooued 2 267 b Of a Worke of man which is in man and yet breaketh not out from his owne strength 1 132b Howe men are saide to Worke together with God 3 13 b 14 a Faith as it is a Worke cannot iustifie 3 60. Of the Worke wrought which is supposed to merite saluation 4 106 b 194 b Whether an Infidell can doe a Worke pleasing God 3 118a A charitable Worke of an Infidell namelie to cloath the naked is sinne prooued 2 267 ab Works of God Howe and after what sort wee must iudge of the workes of God 1 13b Three sortes of them about his creatures 1 181 b 182 a 184 a They doe helpe one an other 2 599 a Of the particular and common workes of the Trinitie ◠599 b Workes of men No place for good workes in the worlde to come 3 368 a Whether it bee lawfull to doe them for rewardes sake 2 573b 574 a What are turned into sinnes 3 152 b 153 a 26 a Faith goeth necessarilie before them 3 154 ab Faith perfecteth and formeth them 3 149 b Whether true faith and they can bee separated 3 131 b 132 ab How the old Fathers of the Church esteemed them 3 121 a They doe serue both to Predestination and Reprobation 3 34a They bee the effects of Predestination not the causes thereof 3 14b What they that defende merites doe thinke of them 3 54 a They after iustification doe profite 3 144a An ill comparison made betweene them and sinnes 3 22 ab They are not the causes of our calling 3 15 a They depend of GOD yet must we not cast away all care of liuing well 3 3 a Whereof good woorkes are signes and seales 3 95 b In whome they are a beginning to
feast daies of the Iewes 376. Whether it be lawfull to solemnize the birth daie of anie man pag. 377. chapter VIII The fift precept of the honouring of superiours pag. 377. A comparison betweene the duties of parents and magistrates Ibidem What dominion the husband hath ouer the wife pag. 379. Of ambition pag. 381. Of the desire of praise pag. 382. Of flatterie pag. 383. chapter IX The sixt precept of freendship 384. Of homicide pag. 385. Whether Elias did well in killing of the Baalites pag. 386. Of parricide pag. 390. Of sword-plaie Ibidem Whether it be lawfull for anie man to kill himselfe pag. 391. Of repelling of violence pag. 397. Of curssings imprecations and bannings Ibidem How far it may be lawfull to reioise in our enimies ouerthrowe pag. 400. Of a cursse shunning of reuenge 403. * Of the affects in generall pag. 405. * Of shamefastnesse pag. 411. * Of temperance pag. 412. Of mercie and Nemesis Ibidem Of crueltie enuie emulation and reuenge pag. 414. chapter X The seuenth precept of not coÌ„mitting adulterie pag. 418. Of matrimonie and concubins Ibid. Of polygamie pag. 420. Of barrennesse pag. 430. Whether it be lawfull for children to marrie without the consent of their parents pag. 431. Of rauine or violent taking awaie 437. Whether marriage be lawfull in persons of sundrie religions pag. 442. Of degrees forbidden in marriage pag. 447. Dispensation for marriage pag. 453. Of dowries pag. 454. Of diuorsements pag. 457. Whether matrimonie be a sacrament pag. 462. chapter XI Of whoordome fornication and adulterie pag 468. Of bastards pag. 475. Of idlenesse pag. 479. Of the punishments of adulterie 482. Whether the man or woman doo sinne more greeuouslie in adulterie pag. 489. Of reconciliation of man wife 495. Of wine and droonkennesse pag. 497. Of danses pag. 503. Of garments and apparell pag. 506. Of counterfet and false colouring 507. chapter XII The eight precept of not committing theft pag. 517. Of beneficence and hospitalitie 518. Of benefiting and vnthankfulnes 523. Of plaies and pastimes pag. 524. * Of gentlenesse and affabilitie pag. 528. chapter XIII The ninth precept of not bearing false witnesse Ibidem Of contumelie Ibidem Of suspicions pag. 533. Of mocking and taunting pag. 534. Of deceit or guile Ibidem Whether guile be lawfull for the rooting out of idolatrie and heresies 539. Of dissimulation pag. 541. Of truth and of a lie pag. 542. Whether it be lawfull to lie for preseruing the life of our neighbour pag. 546. Whether we may lie for modestie sake pag. 547. Whether faith against a promise breaker must be kept pag. 548. Of a fable and apolog pag. 550. chapter XIIII The last precept against lusting 551. Of the comparison betweene sins 553. Of charitie which is the fulfilling of the lawe pag. 556. Of salutations pag. 560. Whether the commandement of louing God with all the hart c. may bee kept in this life pag. 562. Whether the first motions should bee accounted sinnes pag. 565. Whether by rewards we ought to bee mooued to the obedience of God 573. chapter XV Of the vse and abrogating of the lawe pag. â—75 chapter XVI Of the likenesse and vnlikenesse of the old and new league or couenant pag. 582. A comparison of the sacraments of the fathers with ours pag. 586. chapter XVII Of Christ and his manifestation in the flesh and by what meanes he performed all the parts of our saluation pag. 599. chapter XVIII An exposition vpon the twelue articles pag. 612. The method and order of the Common places of the Third part AFter these things doo followe the causes and the generall meanes whereby we are both put and reteined in the possession of Christ and saluation and there be also shewed the effects of Christ remaining in vs. All which things the places following doo plainelie teach to wit the places of predestination and calling of faith and hope of adoption iustification Christian libertie of repentance of Christian life of patience in afflictions of the praiers of good men and finallie of eternall life THE CHAPTERS AND COMMON PLACES OF THE THIRD PART chapter I OF the eternall predestination of God wherein also are refelled the arguments which the aduersaries make against the same pag. 1. Whether GOD would destroie anie man pag. 42. chapter II Of the calling of God pag. 44. Of grace pag. 47. How grace and works are vnto eternall life pag. 52. chapter III Of faith and the certeintie thereof and how faith may agree with feare pag. 63. Of securitie pag. 67. Whether true faith may be separated from charitie pag. 69. How faith excelleth charitie and the contrarie pag. 75. What vnion the godlie haue with Christ pag. 77. Of the adoption of the sonnes of God pag. 79. The description of Christian hope 82. chapter IIII That iustification is of faith onelie not of works pag. 89. chapter V Of peace bondage Christian libertie of offense of conscience and of the choise of meates pag. 161. chapter VI Of vowes in generall pag. 175. Of the vow of Nazareth pag. 177. Of the vow of Ieptha pag. 182. Of the Rechabites pag. 188. Of peregrinations pag. 191. chapter VII Of marriage and sole life especiallie of ministers pag. 192. That chastitie is no common gift of God pag. 198. chapter VIII Of repentance of contrition confession and satisfaction pag. 203. chapter IX Of the works of supererogation imagined perfection of the Papists pag. 227. Of purgatorie and papisticall indulgences pag. 232. chapter X Of teares fasting there also of Lent pag. 245. Of watches pag. 256. chapter XI Of a Christian life and there of sundrie vocations pag. 257. Of freendship pag. 258. How we are to take counsel of God 260. The example of Naaman declared 263. That the possession of riches is lawfull for godlie men pag. 267. chapter XII Of liberalitie and magnificence 269. Of fortitude mortification enduring the crosse and affliction pag. 270. Of flight pag. 287. Whether Dauid did well in flieng to the Philistines for feare of Saule pag. 291. Whether the holie men were inferior to the Ethniks in abiding aduersities 296. chapter XIII Of holie praiers pag. 300. Whether praiers be the causes of the benefits of God pag. 310. How God saith he will giue that which he will not giue and contrariwise Ibid. Of the abuse of forreine language 309. Of musicke and meeter pag. 311. chapter XIIII Of death and of the consolation of the godlie against the same pag. 314. Of moorning for the dead pag. 315. Of buriall pag. 319. That soules loosed from their bodies do not sleepe pag. 323. Of wandering spirits pag. 326. chapter XV Of the resurrection pag. 327. chapter XVI Of the taking vp of Elias and Enoch and of their returne pag. 370. chapter XVII Of the end of the world pag. 385. Of the last iudgement pag. 386. That all mens glorie in heauen shall be alike pag. 389. Of the change of all things pag. 393. The method of the Common
expoundeth of those which vow vnto God certeine sharpe and hard things which serue to the subduing of the flesh change not that which they haue promised But the sentence me thinketh séemeth more plaine if it be largelie taken namelie of an oth that is hurtfull vnto vs which a good and godlie man will not breake or change Ierom. Ierom also vpon Ezechiel the 17. chapter is of this opinion For there the Lord saith that he was verie angrie with Zedechias verse 15. bicause he brake the oth which he had made with Nabuchadnezar king of Babylon For though the Iewes counted him as an enimie yet as Ierom declareth he was now a friend when he had by oth promised his faith vnto Zedechias Séeing it belongeth vnto friends one to be faithfull vnto another so as euill guile ought not there to haue béene vsed Augustine And Augustine in the 32. cause question the first the chapter Noli existimare writing vnto Bonifacius admonished him to kéepe faith euen with his enimie Ambrose Ambrose also in the 22. cause question the fourth the chapter Innocens dooth so aduise And the same sentence he hath in his booke De officijs where he bringeth the example of Iosua Iosua 9 4. towards the Gabaonites who notwithstanding that he ought to haue made the oth void and of no force yet by the consent of God he caused it to be kept and ratified Neither suffered he the Gabaonites to be slaine whom neuerthelesse he punished bicause of the guile which they vsed But if an oth be giuen for fulfilling of an vniust or vngodlie thing An oth giuen for an vniust cause must be cut off it must wholie be made frustrate bicause an oth ought not to be a bond of iniquitie Neither is it necessarie therevnto that anie man should come before a iudge to be absolued of this kind of oth Which I therefore speake bicause the Pope claimeth this right to himselfe namelie to release such kind of oths and as they commonlie saie to dispense with them As it appéereth in the 15. cause question the sixt where Nicholas absolueth the bishop of Triers The Pope cutteth off oths both lawfull and vnlawfull And his pride and arrogancie hath now at length brought his lawe and power to that passe that he not onelie breaketh vnlawfull oths but also abrogateth iust and lawfull oths when it séemeth good to himselfe So Pope Zacharie loosed the French men from their oth wherein they were bound vnto their king and he deposed the king from his kingdome and placed Pipin in his stéed But this is not to be maruelled at A prouerbe in the court of Rome séeing it is commonlie said at this daie in the Court of Rome that It is not méet for kings and great personages but for merchants to kéepe their oths 19 So then if there be an oth made guile must not be vsed vnlesse perhaps the one partie to whom the oth is made shall first depart from couenants and conditions for then the common saieng must take place He that breaketh faith let faith also be broken with him Wherefore Ierom to Nepotianus Ierom. commendeth the saieng of Domitius the Orator vnto Philip Séeing thou accountest not me for a Senator I also doo not take thée for a Consul But hereof we haue testimonies also in holie scriptures For Paule in the first to the Corinthians the seuenth chapter as touching faith giuen in matrimonie writeth that If an infidell depart verse 15. let him depart a brother or a sister is not in subiection vnto such but God hath called vs in peace And those things which are alledged of an oth I vnderstand them to be of like force in promises and couenants In which promises and couenants I affirme that iust and godlie men ought both to vse simple and plaine words A sophisticall act of the Thracians and also to liue with a good conscience The Thracians therfore are iustlie and woorthilie condemned who after truce had béene made to continue for the space of thirtie daies robbed spoiled by night excusing their act in that that their truce was made for the daie and not for the night Neither did the legat of the Romans plainlie A guile of the Romane legat against Antiochus but subtilie with Antiochus who hauing decréed that she one halfe of the ships should be giuen vnto the Romans and the other halfe vnto the king commanded them all in verie déed to be diuided and cut in sunder But he did it to the end the king might be vtterlie destitute of a nauie for the warres Therefore whatsoeuer a godlie man will promise he ought déeplie to weigh with him selfe before hand whether he be able to stand to his words and promises Ierom. Wherefore Ierom hath written vnto Celantia Whatsoeuer thou speakest thinke that thou hast sworne it 20 As touching the end of the question there remaine certeine doubts to be examined that the thing maie be the more manifest First if a man promise armor and succour to anie man for the space of thrée or foure yéeres and in the meane time hée becommeth a traitour to his countrie and maketh warre against it whether in this case he ought to performe his faith or else by euill guile to breake it I answer that neither in this case nor in the like is faith to be kept séeing as it is euident a mischéeuous act happeneth in the meane time which with a safe conscience we may not aid And in verie déed neither euill guile or periurie is here committed For he which hath sworne is not changed but he is changed An oth dissolueth not former bonds to whom the oth was made For oths can plucke away or diminish nothing of those bonds which went before Séeing then euerie man is bound to the word of God and to the preseruation of his countrie before he take any oth that which afterward is sworne must be vnderstood conditionallie that if the first bonds be kept vnuiolate The same also must take place in vowes that be vowed For although a man vow sole life yet forsomuch as he was before bound to the word of God wherein it is said that It is better to marrie 1. Cor. 7 9. than to burne and They which cannot keepe themselues chast let them marrie he dooth not take awaie the first bond for the vow which followeth Wherefore if he can not kéepe himselfe chast or if he burne he ought by the commandement of GOD to marrie Neither can any oth or vow that happeneth herein take awaie the power and force of the commandement of God Whether faith must be kept with Heretiks 21 Another doubt commeth to my remembrance touching those princes which haue giuen their publike faith and safe conduct vnto heretikes for their comming vnto Councelles or to conferences whether they ought to stand to their promises or else violating their oth to kéepe still the
maner and measure of the sinne for this cause Christ departed this life not onelie loden with railings and contumelies but also was as it were plucked from the same life by the violence of most gréeuous paines and most cruell punishments The which séeing the euangelists doo plentifullie recite it is not our meaning to spend anie longer time in particular describing of the same Howbeit it séemeth that all those punishments of Christ which vndoubtedlie are innumerable may be contriued speciallie into foure chéefe partes Among which the first appeare to be the sundrie sorts of scornings wherewith he was diuers times assailed such were the spitting in his face the saluting and intituling him by the name of king the putting off of his owne garments and cladding him with other garments vnaccustomed the reputing of him sometime to be a foole and sometime a prince by blindfolding his eies with a cloth and by putting the scepter of a king though the same were of a réed into his hands also being so araied the bidding of him to prophesie by such as mocked him also to be set naked in the sight of all the people finallie to sée his garments diuided to most wicked knaues and lots to be cast vpon them I passe ouer that he was accounted of Herod as it were a common foole an infinite number of other mocks with the which he was disquieted as the wise reader shall easilie vnderstand out of the holie scriptures In the 13. section But if one demand wherein the rebukes and ignominies laid vpon Christ wherof we haue spoken before doo differ from these latter I answer that those belong to vniust infamie to accusation and vniust condemnation but these were added for the punishment of those faults which slanderouslie were laid vpon him His blowes wounds 16 Besides these reproches we must weigh the stripes and bloudie wounds which he susteined in his whole bodie the blowes the scourgings the strikings with the réed the prickings with thornes and an infinite number of other things more which he suffered at the sessions of the priests and elders in the iudgement hall in the stréets and else-where in diuers other places His crosse These hard afflictions receiued he vnder the crosse the which he bare on his shoulders with great trauell before it held him stretched out vpon it with his whole bodie But he was crucified being not tied with anie bands as perhaps the rest were yet nailed vnto the wood through hands and féet euen as he himselfe hereof gaue a sure testimonie after his resurrection when he said vnto Thomas Iohn 22 27. Bring thy finger hither and see my hands and put foorth thine hand and put it into my side Which he added by reason of the wound that he receiued in his side by a certeine soldier after his death The verie which thing Dauid Psal 22 17. by the spirit of prophesie had foretold in the Psalmes They persed saith he my hands and my feet The same prophet also passed not ouer in silence that vnpleasant tast of myrrhe the which being mingled with vineger was proffered vnto Christ for a drinke For he writeth in the 69. psalme verse 22. They gaue me gall for my food and vineger for quenching of my thirst The fourth and last punishment which Christ for our sake tooke vpon him His death was that separation of the soule from his pretious bodie the which as he that had the same fullie in his owne power and that sawe all things to be fulfilled that were foretold of him by the prophets touching the former matter he of his owne accord making a lowd voice yéelded vp his spirit 17 But héere Why God chose this waie to saue mankind séeing euerie thing is most woorthie to be noted I stand in some doubt what thing I may here first setle my selfe to examine Howbeit among manie things I will now intreat as bréeflie as I can of this which I next adde First let me aske you one question whether it séeme most strange vnto you that God who by another easier kind of meanes might haue reconciled mankind to himselfe tooke in hand the performance thereof by so manie and so gréeuous paines and labours of his owne sonne For this is certeine that he might haue taken anie other waie in hand for reconciling of vs with his sonne why then did he make him subiect to so manie miseries and rebukes Here might I answer that the iustice of God might by no other meanes be satisfied Which answer as it is true so is it commonlie receiued Wherfore I thinke it méet to note here thrée things most profitable to be knowne The first shall be this that we may sufficientlie vnderstand by that so hard a meanes which God vsed for procurement of our saluation how great a bond by the iust iudgment of God was growne through our sinnes how gréeuous was the burthen of them how great was the wrath enimitie and hatred which God had conceiued against vs and how horrible a reuenge hoong ouer our heads Which if it be diligentlie enough considered will it not be a most fit bridle to restreine our lusts and to staie vs from falling into foule and shamefull acts and into the vncleane works of darknesse of this world and of the flesh Vndoubtedlie we considering with the eies of our faith how seuerelie and sharpelie God hath punished them in Christ euerie one of vs ought to be carefull to flie wiselie from them Another thing that is méet here to be noted is this namelie that the consciences of men which through the infirmitie of the flesh doo oftentimes faint could neuer assure themselues from damnation which by their continuall yea and shamefull falles they deserue especiallie when as God the most iust iudge who neuer leaueth our sinnes vnpunished is alwaies set before our eies Mens minds I saie being striken with the féele of sinne could neuer haue taken anie comfort vnto them vnlesse the seuere sentence against Christ had gone before But when we perceiue that the sonne of God by so hard and bitter chastisement abode the punishment for all our sinnes besides that from hence springeth a full assurednesse to our minds we can neuer be satisfied in giuing of thanks vnto the mercie of God for that he cast all our iniquities vpon Christ according as it was foreshewed by Esaie Esai 53 5. that so he should suffer for our sinnes those gréeuous wounds and afflictions And that is it which Paule remembreth in the eight chapter to the Romans verse 31. that GOD spared not his owne onelie sonne but gaue him to death for vs all 18 But now let vs come to the third point of doctrine which it behooueth vs diligentlie to weigh Besides the profitable vses that we haue before assigned as touching the sufferings of Christ heere he sheweth himselfe an example and liuelie image of all perfection séeing we may héere behold what patience
most firme most certeine and of assured persuasion that is that it is neuer naked but alwaies draweth with it manie and sundrie motions of the mind An assured persuasion is not naked but draweth with it other motions of the mind For experience dailie vse teacheth that in things ciuill a man being well and fullie persuaded of pleasant promises is filled with confidence reioiseth sheweth a merie countenance is glad and pleasant and cleaueth vnto him that made the promise that he maie by all meanes allow him but contrariewise when he beléeueth not the persuasion he laugheth at it neglecteth and contemneth it or waxeth cold and bendeth the brow Wherefore it can neuer be that he which beléeueth in verie déede can want such affections which are accustomed to followe a full and strong persuasion And therefore those that are the pure professors of the Gospell doo iustlie affirme that To beleeue hath a verie great coniunction with the action Vnto faith is ioined an assured confidence or with the motion of confidence hope and such like affections but most of all with the sincere and firme affiance which the same alwaies draweth with it Whereby it commeth to passe that in the holie scriptures promises are made both to faith and to trust Hab 2 4. Psal 22 5. Promises are in the scriptures giuen both vnto faith and vnto confidence Rom. 8 37. Esai 28 16. Iohn 3 36. Rom. 3 28. Psal 2 12. Esai 26 3. Rom. 5 5. Titus 3 7. For euen as it is said The iust man liueth by faith also He which beleeueth in him shall not be confounded and in the new testament He which beleeueth in the sonne hath eternall life againe We thinke that a man is iustified by faith Euen so is it written in the Psalme Blessed are all they which put their trust in him and in Esaie the. 26. chapter He shall keepe peace bicause they trusted in him and in the new testament Hope confoundeth not to Titus also the .3 chapter That we maie be heires according to the hope of eternall life Although in the old testament we doo find the promises are oftener made vnto hope than vnto faith yet in the new testament it is contrariwise Why in the old testament is often expressed hope and trust and in the new testament faith the reason whereof maie be this because in the old time the Hebrues erred not in beléeuing that there was but one God naie rather they professed the worshipping of him onelie But this was not well amongst them that they had not a liuelie faith which draweth with it a trust otherwise they had by education conceiued either a certeine opinion or else a certeine knowledge and therefore vnto this the scripture exhorteth them to beléeue trulie and effectuallie which was expressed by the effect vnder the name of trust But in the new testament they erred in the meaning both the Gentiles which were worshippers of idols and of manie gods and also the Iewes as touching the conditions of Messias for they looked that he should come in glorious pompe like a king and magnificall in worldlie empire Wherefore faith was oftentimes beaten into them whereby they might obteine the promises of God for it was verie necessarie that they should rightlie be instructed of the chéefe point of the thing that they should beléeue 3 And of this Hebrue verbe Aman is deriued this noune Emunah which signifieth Faith Faith somtimes signifieth a constancie in words and promises 1. Cor. 1 9. 10 13. 1. Cor. 1 18. 1. Thes 5 24 Psa 111 7. Rom. 3 3. and it sometimes signifieth Certeintie and constancie of words and promises Wherefore God is oftentimes in the holie scriptures called faithfull and his workes are called faithfull because they be firme and doo constantlie continue and we read in the epistle to the Romanes What if some of them haue not beleeued Hath their incredulitie made vaine the faith of God Yea and this Latin word Fides that is Faith if we maie beléeue Cicero is deriued of Fio because that thing is doone in déed which was spoken And sometimes it signifieth the assent of our mind whereby we receiue words which are set foorth vnto vs as it is said of Abraham He beleeued God Gen. 15 6. and it was imputed vnto him for righteousnes And for so much as in this discourse How faith is taken in this discourse The definition of faith we take faith now after this maner it shall not be from the purpose to define what faith is Wherfore Faith is a firme and an assured assent of the mind vnto the words of God which assent is inspired by the holie ghost vnto the saluation of the beléeuers And therefore it consisteth in the mind and is occupied about the words of God from whence we haue the matter therof Of the forme also we néed not to doubt because it is defined to be an assent The efficient cause is set downe to be the inspiration of the holie ghost And the end is declared in the last place when as we saie that this assent is inspired of the holie ghost to the saluation of the beléeuers Not much vnlike vnto this definition are those things which be written concerning faith in the epistle vnto the Hebrues the .11 chapter Hebr. 11 1. The definition of faith in the .11 to the Hebrues is declared namelie that Faith is a substance of things to be hoped for and an argument of things that appeere not Where that which the Latine interpretours haue turned Substantia that is Substance in Gréeke is written 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Which word Budaeus most learnedlie turneth in his commentaries Boldnesse strength or valiantnes of mind What 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 signifieth and it is deriued of this verbe 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which signifieth to Sustaine to receiue not to giue place vnto one that rusheth vpon a man Hereof a soldiour is called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which is Trustie and turneth not his backe vnto his enimies but goeth against them and resisteth them In beleeuing we haue need of strength And vndoutedlie in beléeuing we haue néed of this strength patience by reason of the great fight of which we haue there experience For we must resist the flesh we must ouercome reason which verie much striueth against faith we must also resist the condemnation of our owne conscience sinne and the wrath of God and there are manie things besides by which a fathfull assent is both letted and assaulted Now this 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or substance and those things that are hoped for are verie well compared togither betwéene them selues For God promiseth resurrection but yet vnto the dead he promiseth eternall life but yet vnto them that are rotten he calleth them blessed but yet those which abundantlie thirst and hunger and are on euerie side oppressed he pronounceth men to be iustified but yet such as are couered with
not imputed sinne By the which words we doo not onelie gather that the righteousnes by which we are said to be iustified sticketh not in our minds but is imputed of God that it is such an imputation as consisteth not of works but of the méere clemencie of God Further the apostle dooth by another propertie of good works confirme his opinion namelie The tenth reason bicause works are signes or seales of the righteousnesse alreadie obteined where he saieth of Abraham And he receiued the signe of circumcision being a seale of the righteousnes of faith which was in vncircumcision c. vers 11. Séeing therefore that good workes are signes and also seales which beare witnes of the righteousnes alreadie receiued they cannot be the causes thereof Neither haue ceremonies onelie that propertie but also euen those works which are called morall Euen verie morall works are seales of righteousnes imputed when they are pleasant and acceptable before God for they also are signes tokens of our righteousnes Wherfore Peter exhorteth vs to endeuour our selues to make our vocation sure namelie by liuing vprightlie by good works yea and the forme of the promise which God made with Abraham 2. Pet. 1 10. is dilligentlie to be weighed for therevnto is not added a condition of the lawe The eleuenth reason or of works And séeing God added none what boldnes were it in vs to presume to doo it and Paule saith For not through the lawe was the promise made vnto Abraham or to his seede Rom. 4 13. that he should be the heire of the world but through the righteousnes of faith For if those which pertaine vnto the lawe be heires then is faith made frustrate and the promise is of no force namelie because the lawe worketh anger Wherefore if we fulfill not the lawe the promise shall take no place And to beléeue that promise which shall neuer be fulfilled would be a vaine thing which vndoutedlie must néeds vtterlie be so if it be giuen vpon this condition that we should performe the lawe when as no man can perfectlie accomplish the lawe Vers 16. The twelfth reason But the apostle procéedeth further and by the iudgement of the most mercifull counsell of God decréeth after this maner Therefore is the inheritance giuen by faith and according to grace to the end the promise should be firme As if he should saie If the promise should depend vpon works our mind would continuallie wauer none might appoint anie certeintie of his owne saluation for his conscience would euermore accuse him that he had not perfourmed those works for the which the promise was made To the end therefore we should not wauer Why God would that our iustification shuld come by faith vers 18. The .13 reason God would that our iustification should consist of faith and grace that the promise might be firme The same thing also is gathered by that which is declared of Abraham howe that Contrarie to hope he beleeued in hope He is said to beléeue in hope contrarie to hope which either in him selfe or in nature séeth or féeleth no maner of thing which might persuade him to hope Euen as Abraham was an hundred yéeres of age his bodie was in a maner dead his wife an old woman and barren all which things naturallie put him from hoping and yet preuailing against them all he hoped But we if we had merites or good works whereby we might obtaine righteousnes then should we not hope contrarie to hope but in hope and according to hope Wherefore our iustification is to be appointed no otherwise than we read it was in Abraham for he is the father of vs all as it was imputed vnto him euen so shall it be imputed vnto vs. The .14 reason 12 But now let vs come to the .5 chapter There againe Paule plainlie expresseth in what case men are before they be regenerate for he saith For Christ when we were yet weake according as the time required Rom. 5 6. died for the vngodlie And straight waie But God setteth out his loue towards vs in that when we were yet sinners Christ died for vs. And he addeth vers 8. For if when we were enimies we were reconciled to God by the death of his sonne vers 10. much more being now reconciled shall we be saued by his life Hereby we gather that before regeneration men are weake sinners vngodlie and the enimies of God Who then can ascribe vnto such men power to obtaine righteousnesse at their pleasure when they list to doo good works Others maie beléeue it but the godlie will neuer be so persuaded This moreouer is another proofe in that he setteth foorth the cause of so great an euill when he saith Therefore vers 12. euen as by one man sinne entred into the world and by sinne death The .15 reason euen so death went ouer all men forsomuch as all men haue sinned As if he should haue said We haue béene euen from the beginning by the first man lost and condemned And least thou shouldest thinke that infants are to be excepted he saith vers 14. Yea death hath reigned from Adam euen to Moses ouer them also which haue not sinned after the similitude of the transgression of Adam The masse or lumpe of perdition comprehendeth all those that are borne from which corruption the holie scriptures teach that it is not possible for men to escape by their works and to challenge iustification vnto themselues Afterward in the .6 chapter thus speaketh our apostle vers 21. What fruit had ye then in those things whereof ye are now ashamed For the end of them is death The .16 reason but now being deliuered from sinne and made the seruants of God ye haue your fruit to sanctification and the end euerlasting life What other thing meane these words than that all things which men doo before they beléeue in Christ deserue nothing else but ignominie shame And there is no fruit there of sanctification but it followeth regeneration it selfe And who will saie that we are iustified by those things which are full of ignominie and shame The .17 reason But now let vs heare what is said in the beginning of the .7 cap. Knowe ye not brethren for I speake to them that knowe the lawe how that the lawe hath power ouer man as long as he liueth Rom. 7 1. For the woman which is in subiection to a man is bound by the lawe to the man as long as he liueth but if the man be dead she is losed from the lawe of the man Wherefore if whilest the man liueth she couple her selfe with another man she shal be counted a wedlocke-breaker but if the man be dead she is free from the lawe of the husband so that she is no wedlock-breaker though she couple her selfe with another man Euen so ye also my brethren are dead vnto the
19 and will haue compassion on whom soeuer I haue compassion These words also declare that the forgiuenes of sins and the meanes wherby men are receiued into fauour depend not of their works but of the meere and mercifull beneuolence of God The 25. reason And no lesse also doo the words following declare It is not of him that willeth verse 16. nor of him that runneth but of God that hath mercie verse 18. Againe He hath mercie on whom he will and whom he will he hardeneth But if iustification might be gotten by our will or by works then should it be both of him that willeth and of him that runneth Neither should they be conuerted on whom God hath compassion but they which should haue most compassion vpon themselues neither also should God harden anie man séeing all men might promptlie easilie and at their pleasure by good works be reconciled vnto God and also be iustified But it is farre otherwise for they which put their confidence in works doo too farâ—e erre from the true righteousnes whereof we now speake The 26. reason Toward the end of the ninth chapter the apostle saith Israel which followed the lawe of righteousnes verse 31. atteined not to the lawe of righteousnes And why Euen bicause they sought it not by faith but as it were by the works of the lawe And if the works of the lawe were a let vnto the Iewes for the obteining of iustification what should we then hope to haue thereby The 27. reason The verie same thing the apostle although in other words declareth in the tenth chapter They being ignorant of the righteousnes of God verse 3. and going about to establish their owne righteousnes did not submit themselues vnto the righteousnes of God These words signifie nothing else but that they fall from the righteousnes of God which attribute much vnto their owne righteousnes namelie to works And there is so great a contrarietie and repugnancie betwéene grace and works that the effect which procéedeth from the one cannot procéed from the other For Paule saith There is a remnant left according to the election of grace The 28. reason If it be of grace then it is not now of works for else should grace be no more grace Rom. 11 5. if it be of works then it is not of grace For this is the propertie of grace to be giuen fréelie of méere liberalitie but the propertie of worke is that the reward should be giuen of dutie euen of verie right Lastlie what shall we saie The 29. reason séeing the apostle crieth out Oh the depth of the riches of the wisedome of God! verse 33. Vndoubtedlie Paule by this affection declareth that it is a thing most hard to be knowne whether God deale iustlie which predestinateth whom he will iustifieth whom he wil hauing no respect to condition merits There humane reason is verie much offended there our flesh ceaseth not to crie against but if either of them namelie iustification and election should happen by works and merits there should be no trouble no offense no stumbling blocke laid against vs. But forsomuch as it is farre otherwise and that by vs cannot be rendered a reason of the will of GOD therefore Paule iustlie and woorthilie crieth out and to his opinion must all men that be wise agrée In the 14. chapter it is written Rom. 14. 22. Blessed is he which iudgeth not himselfe The 30. reason in that thing which he alloweth But he which iudgeth is condemned if he eate bicause he eateth not of faith For whatsoeuer is not of faith is sinne Hereby are we taught that they which want a true faith can doo or performe nothing which is not sinne I knowe indéed that the aduersaries interpret these words of the conscience but they are neuer able to prooue that faith signifieth conscience And although peraduenture Paule teacheth this at the beginning namelie that wée ought not to doo anie thing against our conscience yet in a maner afterward he bringeth in a generall sentence when he writeth that Whatsoeuer is not of faith is sinne As though he should haue said This is a generall rule when men go about to doo anie thing they ought to be persuaded by the spirit and word of God that that which they haue in hand to doo is acceptable vnto God and pleaseth him which persuasion if they haue not then vndoubtedlie they sinne in dooing that which they doo And if I should grant that in this place faith signifieth the conscience I would thinke it should be added also that the conscience ought not to be beléeued vnlesse it be instructed by the word of God forsomuch as there be manie indued with so superstitious a conscience that whether they obeie it or not obeie it they sinne most gréeuouslie But I will not stand long at this time about the expounding of this place therefore let vs heare what is said in the .4 chapter of the first epistle to the Corinthians where it is thus written I knowe nothing by my selfe vers 4. yet am I not thereby iustified These words Paule spake of his ministerie being now conuerted vnto Christ The .31 reason being now an apostle and whome as touching his function no man was able to accuse And if so great a fréend of God pronounceth this of him selfe and of his works what meane we to attribute iustification to the works of them that are not yet regenerate The works of the godlie and of the chéefe apostle of Christ could not deserue it how then can it be granted vnto those which are yet strangers from Christ vers 16. 15 To the Galathians the second chapter Paule repeateth that sentence which he had written in the .3 chapter to the Romans namelie that No flesh shal be iustified by the workes of the lawe Which sentence forsomuch as it is plaine inough and hath béene alreadie before recited néedeth now no further declaration But in the same chapter it is written Gala. 2 21. If righteousnes come by the lawe then Christ died gratis The .32 reason In which place gratis signifieth nothing else but in vaine and to no purpose which then vndoubtedlie should be most true For if true righteousnes before God could by anie other meanes haue béene atteined vnto by men whie then died he And whie was he crucified And againe This one thing I desire to learne of you The .33 reason Gala 3 2. Receiued ye the spirit by the workes of the lawe or by the preaching of faith And straight waie He therefore that ministreth vnto you the spirit vers 5. and worketh miracles amongst you dooth he that through the deeds of the lawe or by the preaching of faith They which are iustified receiue the holie Ghost for without it it is vtterlie impossible to be iustified and if it be not giuen through workes neither can
Pighius bicause our aduersaries count him for their Achilles or chéefe champion and thinke that he onelie by his subtill sharpe wit hath pearsed euen into the secretest mysteries of the truth And this man vseth this cauillation A Cauillaton Ye are not iustified by that from which this iustification maie be separated for it is not possible that the causes should be pulled awaie or separated from their effects But faith is separated from iustification Whether iustification maie be separated from faith for manie that beléeue doo notwithstanding liue most shamefullie so farre is it off that they séeme to be iustified But bicause he thinketh that this maie be denied he bringeth a reason to prooue that it is not against the nature and definition of faith but that iustification maie be separated from it And he maketh an obiection out of the 13. chapter of the first epistle to the Corinthians verse 3. If I haue all faith so that I can remooue mountaines and haue not charitie I am nothing By these words he concludeth that faith maie be separated from charitie and therefore from all good works He citeth this also out of Matthew Matt. 7 22. Manie shall come in that daie and shall saie Lord in thy name we haue prophesied and haue cast out diuels and haue wrought signes But vnto them shall answer be made I knowe you not These signes saith Pighius can not be doone without faith Wherefore séeing that they are shut foorth from the kingdome of heauen which doo yet these things it is cleare that they were not iustified wherefore in them faith was separated from righteousnes But this he thinketh is much more plainlie confirmed by Iohn for he saith That manie rulers of the priests beleeued in Christ Iohn 12 4◠which yet durst not openlie professe him But they which flie from the confession of the name of Christ are farre from saluation for Christ himselfe saith Mark 8 28. He that is ashamed of me before men of him will I be ashamed before my father These arguments although at the first sight they séeme to haue some shew yet if a man more narrowlie examine them he shall sée that that well agréeth with them The iudgement of Epictetus touching his owne books which Epictetus pronounceth of his books 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is These are but sights or ghosts of the dreames of hell Wherfore we must diligentlie ponder these reasons and not iudge of them by the first sight And euen as in coines of monie we vse not so much to haue a regard vnto the inscriptions A similitude or images as to the goodnesse and weight of the matter so also in arguments ought we to weigh and regard not so much the shew and colour of them as the thing it selfe and the strength of them We first denie that faith can be separated from iustification And whereas Pighius saith That that is not repugnant vnto the nature and definition of faith we in no wise admit it for against that opinion are all the holie scriptures and the true sense of the definition of faith and also the Fathers For as touching the scriptures Iohn saith He that beleeueth that Iesus is Christ 1. Iohn 5 1. the sonne of God is borne of God and he which is borne of God sinneth not For so long as faith beareth swaie in our harts we commit not those sinnes which destroie the conscience and alienate vs from GOD. How then saith Pighius that it is not against the nature of faith to be separated from iustification and from good works especiallie séeing Iohn saith Iohn 3 6. He which sinneth knoweth not God This thing also sawe the Fathers for Cyprian Cyprian De simplicitate praelatorum where he complaineth of the vngratiousnesse of his time for that charitie feare good works and such like were waxen verie cold thus writeth No man thinketh vpon the feare of things to come no man considereth the daie of the Lord and the wrath of God and that vpon the vnbeléeuers shall come punishments and that euerlasting torments are appointed for the vnfaithfull of which things our conscience would be afraid if it beléeued but bicause it beléeueth not therefore is it vtterlie without feare and if it beléeued then also would it beware and if it did beware then also should it escape These words declare that with true faith is ioined the feare of God and the eschewing of eternall punishments and auoiding of sinnes Now let Pighius go and saie that true faith can be separated from holie motions of the mind and from good works This selfe-same thing doth Ierome togither with Cyprian affirme against the Luciferians Ierome And if saith he I beléeued trulie I would cleanse that hart wherewith GOD is séene I would with my hands knocke my brest I would with teares water my chéekes I would haue in my bodie a horror I would be pale in mouth I would lie at the féete of my Lord and would wash them with wéeping and wipe them with my haires I would vndoubtedlie cleaue fast vnto the stocke of the crosse neither would I let go my hold thereof before I had obteined mercie Hereby also it is manifest that with true faith are ioined good works and repentance The definition of faith declareth that it can not be separated from iustification A similitude 56 But as touching the definition and nature of faith it may easilie be prooued that it can not be separated from iustification and from good works that is from his effects For faith is no common but a firme and vehement assent and that procéeding from the holie Ghost And if a poore caitife being condemned to die should receiue a promise onelie at the hand of a man that he should be deliuered and should giue credit vnto those words straitwaie his mind would wholie be changed to mirth and would begin inwardlie to loue the man that promised him such things and would pleasure him in what thing so euer laie in his power How much more is to be attributed to the true faith which is giuen to the word of God and is inspired by the spirit of God Wherfore if that humane faith doo drawe with it woonderfull motions of the mind how can we saie that the true and christian faith is naked without good works and destitute and alone Wherefore we now plainlie sée both by the holie scriptures and by the fathers and by the definition and nature of faith that it cannot be separated from righteousnes from godlie works Now let vs come to Paule he saith 1. Cor. 13 3. If I haue all faith c. But how knoweth Pighius that Paule there speaketh of that generall faith which cleaueth vnto the promise of God and iustifieth and not rather of a particular faith whereby are wrought miracles and which is a frée or gratious gift of the holy Ghost This faith is not applied to all things
so soone iudged or more rashlie condemned Whence procéedeth it that there is at this daie so manie iudgments concerning meats In the same epistle it is written Whatsoeuer is sold in the market eate ye making no question for conscience sake 1. Co. 10 25. But more plainelie in the second chapter to the Colossians Col. 2 16. Let no man condemne you in meat and drinke or in a peece of a holie daie or of the new moone or of the sabboth daies which were shadowes of things to come but the bodie is of Christ In the lawe many kinds of meats are forbidken Those things which he spake hitherto doo belong vnto the ceremonies of the lawe and to the feast daies of Moses Immediatelie he passeth to other obseruations not procéeding from the lawe but from men when he addeth Take ye heed verse 18. that no man beguile you of the victorie by humblenes of mind and worshipping of angels aduancing himselfe in those things which he neuer sawe puft vp rashlie with his fleshlie mind and holdeth not the head whereof all the bodie being furnished knit togither by ioints and bands increaseth with the increasing of God verse 20. And if ye be dead with Christ from the ordinances of the world why as though ye liued in the world are ye still held with traditions as Touch not Taste not Handle not all which perish with the vsing and are after the doctrine and commandements of men which things indeed haue a shew of wisedome in voluntarie religion and humblenes of mind and in not sparing of the bodie which are things of no value seing they perteine to the satisfieng of the flesh These words doo most manifestlie testifie that the place must be vnderstood touching the superstitious obseruation of mans inuentions And in the first epistle to Timothie it is written In the last daies manie shall fall awaie from the faith 1. Tim. 4 5. and shall giue heed vnto spirits of errour and doctrines of diuels which speake lies thorough hypocrisie haue their consciences burned with an hot iron forbidding to marrie and commanding to absteine from meates which God hath created to be receiued with giuing of thanks by them which beleeue and knowe the truth bicause euerie creature of God is good and nothing ought to be refused if it be receiued with thanks-giuing for it is sanctified by the word of God and by praier Titus 1 15. And to Titus Vnto the pure all things are pure but vnto them that are defiled and vnbeleeuing nothing is pure for their minds and consciences are defiled Also vnto the Romans Rom. 14 14 I knowe and am perfectlie persuaded that by Christ nothing is common but vnto him which shall saie it is common Vnto the Hebrues Heb. 13 9. It is an excellent thing to establish the hart by grace not by meats which haue profited nothing And in the Acts of the apostles it is said vnto Peter when he refused to eate of those creatures which were let downe from heauen Acts. 10 15. That which God hath sanctified doo not thou call common All these testimonies declare that euerie kind of meate is now through Christ made lawfull and pure 13 But against these things much is obiected First concerning that which Christ saith What things are alledged against this libertie of meate Matt. 15 11 That which entereth into the mouth defileth not a man they answer that the question was then whether meate receiued with vnwashen hands could defile a man And séeing the question was priuate they saie that which was answered ought not to be wrested in such sort as it should be vnderstood of all meates in generall For if saie they Christ had answered that generallie no kind of meats doo defile then should we also make things offered vnto idols lawfull neither should it be a fault to drinke poison and they had not sinned which in the primitiue church had eaten blood and flesh strangled Hervnto we answer that an occasion indéed was giuen vnto that sentence of Christ through a priuate question Whether we be contaminated by receiuing meate with hands vnwashen but the Lord when he denied that made a generall answer And that Christ in that place speaketh generallie the cause which he added vnto his sentence dooth make it plaine for That which entereth into the mouth is let downe into the bellie and is cast into the draught Which being incident to all kind of meats it cannot be doubted but that his sentence was generall Wherefore Christ prooued that meats doo not pollute Why meats doo not pollute forsomuch as they doo not touch the mind nor abide in vs but are digested and so auoided Neither is hereby ment that meate offered to idols or poison are lawfull for we are bound by the lawe of God to auoid such things I meane by the precept of charitie The circumstances cause that some meats must sometimes be forbidden not by the commandements of men For the circumstances doo cause that somtimes we must absteine from sundrie things either bicause there followeth offense in them that be weake or else bicause the health is impaired 14 But they saie againe that they also doo not affirme that meates in their owne nature Looke In 1. Sam. 9 verse 13. are vncleane but bicause the church hath commanded that the faithfull sort should vpon certeine daies refraine themselues from eating of flesh to the intent the flesh may be bridled Therefore if we obeie not they affirme that men are defiled not as though meats were euill or vnpure but bicause men deale intemperatelie An answer to the Papists that excuse their superstition in meats by the commandement of the church by violating the ordinance of the church Vnto this we saie that it is not sufficient to grant that meats in their owne nature be not euill and defiled for both the Scribes the Pharisies had knowledge thereof though they were neither Marcionites nor yet Manicheis for they allowed of the lawe of God Wherefore they were constreined to confesse out of Genesis that All things which God hath made are verie good But Christ vrgeth this that they did not well in ordeining of such decrées and declared that it was not well doone to take such carefull héed about washing of hands and in the meane time to suffer the commandements of God to be contemned and neglected bicause they made a religion and worship of God there where God had made none And yet neuertheles that lawe of the Pharisies although it now séeme friuolous might haue a goodlie pretensed shew as who should saie they would by the washing of hands as by a signe haue men to be admonished of the purenesse of the mind which they ought to procure through praiers and repentance And if so be they themselues had kept themselues cleane from sinnes then should the meats haue béene cleane vnto them and they might haue said in their
to persuade himselfe that he is able either to better it or to be equall vnto it much lesse is able to beautifie or decke the same And as touching those things which are vnder mans eloquence it verie well agréeth that they should both be handled and handsomlie set forth And finallie they that haue the Arte of eloquence let them carefullie take héede that they incurre not into those vices wherof ill preachers are accused by Paul Vices of ill preachers as Ambrose testifieth because they vaunted of their eloquence neither sought they the glory of Christ and further because they did not vrge nor inforce those mysteries of religion which were lesse plausible vnto the wisedome of man yea rather they could scarcelie allow of them The things are these namelie that the sonne of God was borne in the Virgins wombe also was fastened to the crosse was dead and buried in the graue These things did they maruailous cunninglie dissemble and digressed into arguments more likelie to be true in mans reason Erasmus Erasmus doeth not a litle inueigh against them which vnder pretence of this place raile against good artes as though the worde of the Crosse as Paule now saieth should be abolished by them And among other things he warneth these men The worldly power of the Pope obscureth the vertue of the Crosse that the worde of the Crosse is no lesse obscured when contrariwise they pretend that with force riches titles and armes they would defende religion But the iust complaint of this great learned man I now passe ouer Cold Ceremonies and superstitious abuses make féeble the power of the crosse whereunto this onelie I adde that the worde of the Crosse is no lesse weakened by superstitious abuses most cold Ceremonies and mere traditions of men by which the fauourers of the Pope at this daie thinke that Christianitie is to be vpholden than now when Paul speaketh against them who through the wisedome of man and the eloquence of spéech were an excéeding great harme vnto the Church of Christ The second Chapter Of the receiuing and not receiuing of rewards gifts and offices And also of goods Ecclesiasticall and the immunitie of Ecclesiasticall persons In 2. Kings 5. verse 16. Ministers of the word haue licence to receiue gifts and rewards THat which is propounded cannot in one answere be determined séeing it is a thing in it owne nature indifferent as that which sometime is rightlie sometime naughtilie done Looke in 1. Sam. 9. 7 But that it is lawfull for Prophets and Ministers of the word of God to receiue rewards and gifts wherewith they maie maintaine their life manie reasons doe confirme For in a common prouerb it is saide The labourer is worthy of his reward Mat. 10. 10 1. Tim. 5. 8 Which prouerb being true Christ and his Apostles vsed the same Further Paul saieth which thing he gathereth out of the newe Testament He that serueth at the Aultar 2. Cor. 9. 1◠liueth of the Aultar And Christ did more largelie expound the same in saying Ibid. v. 1. In 1. Sa. 9. ◠He that laboureth in the Gospell let him liue of the Gospell Neither ought such an exchange séeme to bée vniust 2. Cor. 10. 6 That they which sowe spirituall things should reape carnall things yea rather it may be called the change of Diomedes and Glaucus séeing a great deale lesse is receiued than that which is giuen Of this doeth the Apostle purposelie treate in the first Epistle to the Corinthians where amōg other things he expresselie writeth 1. Cor. 9. 7. Who goeth a warfare at his owne charges But it is no obscure thing that the ministerie is a certaine holie kinde of warfare Wherefore we ought not to defeate it of his wages Furthermore he alleageth out of the Lawe Thou shalt not moosell the mouth of the Oxe that treadeth out the corne Ibid. v. 9. Deut. 25. 4. And if so be that meate must be fréelie giuen vnto the Cattell which labour for our liuing why shall not things necessarie for their liuing be also giuen vnto Ministers that labour daie and night for the saluation of soules Pastors also haue fruite liuing of their flocke Are not husbandmen planters of vines maintained by their labours and fruites So that the Prophets and ministers of the Church whē they féede the children of God and husband them as the spirituall husbandrie they haue a right to be nourished and sustained thereby Yea and Paule who receiued nothing of the Corinthians 1. Cor. 9. 15 1. Thes 2. 9 and among the Thessalonians laboured with his hands And was oftentimes in hunger thirst and nakednesse 2. Cor. 11. 27. c. 2. Cor. 11. 8. yet did he receiue those things which were sent from other Churches and he so praised that sacrifice of theirs Phil. 4. 18. as he called them a swéete fragrant smell Christ also commanded his Disciples that they should eate such things as were set before them Luk. 10. 17. asking no question for conscience sake And Pharao otherwise an Ethnick Prince fedde Priests from his owne table Wherfore in the time of a grieuous dearth when as other men were constrained to sell their inheritance they still retained those things vnto them And in the first Epistle vnto Timothie we reade 1. Tim. 5. 17 that The Elders should haue double honour done vnto them especiallie they which labour in the word and doctrine Ioh. 13. 29. The Lord himself also had purses of Almes which he committed vnto Iudas and he was maintained by the wealth of the holie women which accompanied him And the Apostles receiued their liuing of the faithfull not onelie for themselues 1. Cor. 9. 5. Phil. 4. 10. but also for their wiues which they led about with them as Paul vnto the Philippians testifieth Ioseph as it is written in the Booke of Genesis Gen. 41. 40 receiued rewardes of Pharao by the which he honorablie maintained not onelie his owne life but had also for his father and brethren which went downe into Egypt vnto him Moreouer Salomon when he gaue giftes 1. King 10. verse 10. 13. Gen. 20. 14 did also receiue gifts of the Quéene of Saba Neither did Abraham refuse oxen shéepe golde and siluer which were giuen vnto him by Pharao when he had restored vnto him his wife Sara Gen. 14. 22. who neuerthelesse refused to receiue anie thing of the King of Sodom least it should haue bin thought that he had bin inriched by him Yea and let vs call to minde the historie of the holie Prophet 2. king 5. 16 2. king 4. 42 namelie of Elizeus who when he would receiue nothing of Naaman yet did he not reiect the gift of that man which came from Baasalizack a gift I saie of the first fruites that is of xx barlie loaues and of new wheate corne Also Elias refused not to be fed by the widowe of Sarepta
although wée affirme that the apprehension or holding fast of the bodie of Christ is doone by faith yet vpō this fast holding followeth an effect euen a true coniunction with Christ not a fained or imagined the which first belongeth vnto the soule secondly it redoundeth to the bodie And the same in the holie scriptures is commended to vs by Paul vnder a metaphor of the head and bodie when he calleth vs members of one and the selfesame bodie vnder Christ the head vnder the state of Mariage wherein two are made one flesh The which that Cyrill might expresse he brought in a similitude of molten waxe which is mingled with other waxe and so of two is made one Thus woulde he haue vs to bée ioined with Christ And to this purpose specially Ephe. 3. 6. make the wordes vnto the Ephesians wherein we are saide to be flesh of his flesh and bone of his bones which words if thou looke vpon at the first viewe wil appeare that it ought otherwise to be saide Whether Christ be of our flesh or we of his to wit that the sonne of God is of our flesh and of our bones because he assumed flesh of mankind Howbeit Paul vnderstoode not meere flesh but flesh cleane from sinne capable of resurrection and immortalitie The which séeing the faithfull haue not of themselues neither drew it frō Adam they claime it vnto them by Christ because they be incorporated vnto him by the sacraments and by faith Wherefore there happeneth a certaine enterance of Christ A falling in of Christ into vs. into vs and a spiritual touching the which Paul weighed when he said vnto the Galathians Gal. 2. 20. But now it is not I that liue but Christ liueth in mee Neither is there any néede in these respectes to drawe Christ out of heauen or to disperse his body into infinite places forsomuch as all this that we teach is spirituall and yet notwithstanding no fained thing for imagined sightes Idols or fained things doe not nourish the minde as here we be certaine that it is doone For we haue saide and we confirme it that these signes doe both signifie and offer and most truely exhibite the bodie of Christ although spiritually that is to bee eaten with the minde How the forefathers had the same thing in their Sacraments that we haue in ours not with the mouth of the bodie But if thou shalt demand after what manner the Fathers of the olde Lawe in their Sacramentes could haue the same that wee haue it is easie to bee aunswered séeing wée haue affirmed that in this Sacrament the thing is vsed spiritually not corporally And in the Apocalyps we reade That the Lambe was slaine from the beginning of the world They waited for things to come wee celebrate the memorie of them alreadie doone Lastly we haue shewed that great héede must be taken least that which we speake of spirituall eating be vnderstoode as though it destroyed the truth of his presence For Augustine saide vpon the 54. Psalme that the bodie of the Lorde is in a certaine place in heauen but that the trueth of the Lordes bodie is euerie where For wheresoeuer the faithfull be they apprehend that Christ had a true bodie giuen for vs and so they doe eate him by faith 82 Wherefore I haue nowe spoken in this sacramentall matter that which in my iudgement ought to be affirmed being according to the Scriptures which I woulde the godly reader woulde well consider and take in good part And God of his goodnesse graunt that at the length the Church of Christ may obtaine both trueth and quietnesse as touching this sacrament Which two things I therefore wish because hitherto I sée that the Eucharist whereof we intreate hath bin so ouerwhelmed buried and defaced with lies craftie deuises and superstitions as it might rather be iudged any other thing than that which the Lord instituted in the supper The which least it should easilie be cleansed the Diuell which is the most gréeuous enimie of al peace and truth hath sowne so manie opinions contentions disagréements heresies and controuersies sauing that they bée without bloud that scarcelie any consent woorthie of Christians can in mans reason be hoped for But these things alas we suffer not without cause who haue doone double iniurie vnto this Sacrament partlie for that in stead of a notable and singular gift of Christ we haue erected an execrable Idol and partly because we haue without sinceritie of faith with a conscience defiled with grieuous sinnes without sufficient triall of our selues abused these most holy mysteries I beséech the Lord to take pitie of so great a calamitie and vouchsafe at length to restore vnto his Church a reformed Eucharist and the right vse of the same through our Lord Iesus Christ Amen Looke the Exhortation to the Supper of the Lorde Also looke his Confession and opinion touching this whole matter Item the disputations with Tressham c At the end of these Common places The end of the Treatise of the Eucharist A short abridgement of the disputation which D. P. Martyr made as concerning the Eucharist against Gardiner Byshop of VVinchester THe matter of the Eucharist according as the Lorde deliuered the same vnto vs is both plaine and easie to be knowen which if it were handled according to the iudgement and sense of the holy scriptures and that there were a consideration had of the humane nature of Christ and of the receaued definition of the Sacrament there should be no great paynes taken either in the vnderstanding or handling of the fame Howbeit by reason of the contention and importunitie of the aduersaries it is become more intricate than any blinde labyrinth and it is come in a manner to passe that through contention wee haue welneere forgone the trueth for they rather thā they would giue place to the right and best opinion yea that they may by all maner of meanes defend their monstrous deuises rather than the truth they haue vsed all kinde of counterfeiting cauillations and deceiueable wayes Whereupon when I of late daies was diligent to encounter with the huge armie of their cauils and sophisticall Arguments and should answere the same with as much diligence as I could the volume grew in a manner to an exceeding greatnesse Fearing therefore least godly men when they come to take my book in hand being ouermuch tyred with long reading should returne as vncertaine as before for seeing the reasons on both sides and those sometimes but latelie and newlie deuised it is not possible but those which be the later should obscure the memorie of those that went before or in a manner make them to be quite forgotten I minded straightway to set the matter before mens eyes in a certaine abridgement or resolution which the Gretians call 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that those which shall reade my writings or be minded to reade them or haue alreadie read them may haue present
the other Yea and it is a most firme reason to saie There bée lawes therefore there be Iudges And if there be iudges there shall also be actions or pleadings of causes If there be Lawes there be also Iudges and iudgemēts And we reade that the Israelites euen at the verie beginning had controuersies which they brought vnto Moses Whereuppon Iudges were appointed when as Moses alone was not able to sustaine so great a labour And at the last was the lawe giuen vpon Mount Syna as wée haue it in the 20. Chapter of Exodus Neither could the lawe in a maner bring any vtilitie except that Iudges had bin appointed which shoulde execute the same Aristotle Aristotle in his Politickes called Iudges a liuely lawe Séeing therefore Iudges as it hath bin said be the worke of God and by him are instituted it is the part of godly men to set them forward And it commeth oftentimes to passe that thou art not able to helpe the poore the fatherlesse the widowe and straunger and finallie them which are committed to thy trust and to deliuer them from their oppressours vnlesse thou shalt implore the aide of publike iudgements and to forsake them thou maiest not with a safe conscience As touching the poore and oppressed Exo. 22. 21. the law admonisheth eueriewhere and howe those which belōg vnto vs must be holpē Paul vnto Timothie wrote in these words 1. Tim. 5. 8. He that hath not a care of his owne especially of his familie Elisaeus 2. kings 4. 13. hath renounced his faith and is worse than an Infidell Elisaeus the Prophet offered himselfe of his owne accord to intreate with the Magistrate for the widowe his hostesse And that we must not straight waie depart from our possessions fathers inheritaunce the example of Naboth the Iezraelite doeth testifie Naboth 1. king 21. 3 who would not deliuer his vineyarde vnto a Tyrant and this he did not through a desire that hee had of earthly things but that he might obey the lawe of God who after a iust maner diuided the landes amongst the Tribes and families as it is contained in the Booke of Iosua Iosua 13. Num. 36. 7. forbad by the lawes that they should not be transferred from one familie vnto another 4 Moreouer if our neighbour can bée brought by the authoritie of the Iudge from detaining of other mens goods it shall not be vngodly to lawe against him that he may at the leastwise be pulled from sinne And Augustine in his Booke De Sermone Domini in monte saieth Augustine that a seruant being conueyed awaie from a godly Maister if it be knowen that he will be marred vnder the gouernment of him that intysed him and that he may be reuoked from thence and recouered by iudgement he must not be forsaken It also happeneth oftentimes that the Pastors of Churches are hindered by the wicked from preaching or from féeding the shéepe of Christ and maie bee holpen by the publike power to execute their office fréely then must they not delay to attempt by iudgement For they then implore the helpe of GOD when they goe vnto the power appointed by him and vnlesse they shoulde this doe they might séeme to tempt God Sometimes also there maie happen a doubtfull case and that betwéene the godly for the iust possession of some thing whereas either of them would yéelde to other and neither of them will haue himselfe to be trusted because he feareth least he doe challenge that which is another mans and therefore with one consent they couet to haue that which is doubtfull to be determined by iudgement whereby they maie with a more safe conscience possesse that which they haue And they which indeuour wholy to take awaie iudgements doe giue an occasion vnto Iulian Porphirius and Proclus who slaundered Christianitie that it was an aduersarie vnto lawfull Common weales 5 Nowe séeing it is prooued Vnder what cautions we must goe to Lawe that it is lawfull sometime for godly men to goe to lawe let vs sée as touching the other point with what cautions this must be doone First of all must be prouided Psal 146. 3. that we mistrust not God that we put not confidence in Princes and Iudges Such men doeth the holy scripture plainely detest which pronounceth that we ought not to put our trust in Princes neither to put flesh for our Arme. Besides this let Charitie be kept inuiolate Ier. 17. 5. so as wée account not for an enemie that aduersarie against whom we haue commenced action Moreouer the powers of our minde must be examined and we must take héede that we be not led vnto this by disturbations of the minde or corrupt affections For it is better to lose the thing than to make a wracke of the spirit of lenitie and Christian gentlenesse Neither yet ought we for this cause to goe vnto the tribunall seates that we maie either increase our patrimonie or reuenue but the glorie of God safetie of our neighbour must chiefely be respected Also it is profitable that he which is to deale against any man in iudgement doe consider the imbecillitie of man and weigh how weake he himselfe also is For by that meanes as Augustine wrote vnto Macedonius the vehemencie of accusing is asswaged Augustine This did Christ commend when he answered the accusers of the adulterous woman Hee amongst you that is without sinne Iohn 8. 7. let him cast the first stone at her And as iudgements are at this day we are to take heede least with the indeuour of contention we cast not both our selues our aduersaries into grieuous and vnprofitable expences For iudgements are euerie where long differred sometimes by the treacherie couetousnesse of Iudges to the intent that they which be aduersaries at lawe maie be polled But yet the delaie of iudgements cannot all wholy bee condemned For oftentimes in the giuing of sentence there must be prouision made against the manifolde and subtill malice of men for the discouerie whereof nothing is more woorth than delay For in processe of time many things are opened which by craftes and subtiltie were hidden 6 But it should séeme that all meanes must be assayed before we come to sute of law euen in like manner as before warre is mooued all remedies should be sought And this would be verie decent for Christiās that controuersies should be taken vp by arbitrators common friendes Which also should not be wholie left vnto Magistrates for they should be eased of verie great and gréeuous trouble Séeing they are constrained oftentimes to sit all the day long to heare causes and the time which should be imployed about councell matters for the Common-weale least it should take anie harme they are constrained to spend vppon aduersaries at lawe In olde time among the Romans the degrée of gentlemen called Equites did execute iudgement afterward iudgementes did fall to the Senators
haue often héeretofore happened and euen in other places doth easily happen Notwithstanding we doe yet euen at this day especially in Oxford so many of vs as haue an earnest zeale to learning Oxford féele it to our great griefe Heere the common sort of people is so vnskilful as the Gospel séemes but a fable vnto them Héere euen to this day after the feast of Easter are vsed no sermons publikely Héere are all thinges so clearely ridde of the iuyce of the pure and syncere doctrine that euen the fountaines themselues growe drie and vncleane Howe in a manner all things are here infected with superstitious and peruerse opinions howsoeuer wee dissemble it the thing it selfe cannot be hidden How manie Colleges I beséech you are in this Citie let those which bee the faithfull and godlie distributers of the Almes declare which either cannot or wil not yéelde so much as one professor or preacher of the Gospell Should not the wisemen which be héere thinke with themselues that the common welth church and magistrate will thus say Is this the profite that we reape by so great expenses Is this the fruite that the common weale gathereth by ministring of liberall charges and things necessarie Is this the earnest affection that we sée in these places of the Gospel publikely receiued Is this the diligence that the pastors gouernors of the Church vse to further the godly indeuors of the kings maiestie I beséech you what else is this but to foster in the bosome manie lurking enemies of godlinesse and poysoned serpents neither are they ashamed in the meane time onely to send children to receiue the benefite of the almes but those in verie déede they do afterward instruct at home after their owne pleasure in vngodlinesse And some haue not béene content onely to thinke ill and to bée vnwilling to further the procéeding of godlinesse but haue not satisfied their minde vnlesse they came foorth and testified for themselues and their associates that they woulde not allow of the trueth set foorth Who hath compelled any man to beléeue who causeth any violence Who constraineth any man to haue a good opinion or to professe the doctrine of the Gospell Séeing therefore they cannot complaine hereof why doe they then willingly and openly bewray the poyson and pestilence of their minde Vndoubtedly wée haue not of al these companies neither do we looke for except God as it is saide be present with vs who according to the saying of the Prophet may preserue and kéepe knowledge with their lippes and of whose mouth the loue of God may be required and demanded But least we should complaine that without any example God requireth these things of vs our Malachie affirmeth that Phinees performed the same The law of truth was in his mouth and there was no iniquitie founde in his lippes he walked with me in peace and equitie and turned a great manie from their vngodlinesse c. First he rehearseth two things wherwith those most ancient priests were indued For as touching doctrine and preaching they were syncere and true For in opinions and iudgements they lied not at all they vttered no otherwise with their mouth than they thought from their heart and finally they had no respect of persons some speaking one thing and some another but they syncerely taught al things and euerie where to all men Secondly as touching conuersation and life they had peace namely being iustified by faith for hereof procéedeth peace tranquillitie in conscience towards God Afterward is added In equitie for that iustification in their hearts was not barren void and fruitlesse but it yéelded abundance of fruite which euen of men themselues so they would rightly iudge of them might bée allowed And this is to preach not onely with pure doctrine but also with innocencie of life And what insueth hereof at length our prophet declareth And he turned away manie from their vngodlinesse This is in verie déede to fish happilie for men to winne vnto Christ the people committed to our charge and to till the fielde of mens hearts filling them with profitable and fruitfull séede These thinges are not brought to passe by armes by the inuentions of men by superstitious ceremonies by vnctions by shauings of the heade and by the marks of orders but by the example of an innocent life pure doctrine men are drawne vnto God and are perswaded to forsake their former vngodlinesse Wherefore it is not sufficient for ministers to excell in Godly and sounde knowledge It is not ynough for them to liue in vpright and honest behauiour vnlesse they indeuour to conuert men vnto God These things did Christ require of the Apostles if we peruse the Gospels Matt. 10. 7. 1. Tim. 4. 13. 2. Tim. 2. 15. Tit. 3. 18. Exo. 25. c These things did Paul preach vnto Timothie to Titus and welnéere in all the Epistles if we will hearken vnto them neither did the garments of the priests in the old testament shadowe any other thing In the brest was Vrim and Thumim which is light and perfection because God would that by the light of doctrine they shoulde be famous further that they should be of most pure maners and integritie of life Also in the skirts of their garments there were belles because it behooued that their doctrine should sounde and be hearde in the Church And forsomuch as it was to be prouided that it shoulde not be doone with vaine noyse and iangling to the belles were ioyned Pomgranats a fruit doubtlesse pleasant and beautifull And that they might vnderstand that there was a charge laide vpon them to draw men vnto God Ib. ver 36. they ware engrauen vpon their shoulders and brests the names of the xij tribes But lastly they carried about them written vpon the cap which they ware the most holy name of God whose messengers they were By all these thinges if you beare them in mind ye may easilie gather the commodities and dignities of the holy ministerie Why the holie ministerie is contemned But nowe to holde you no longer in this matter than is méete I will declare in fewe words by what fault of ours it comes to passe that the order of ecclesiasticall men is destitute of her commodities and of the common sort so greatlie contemned But yee haue declined from mee c. It is as much as if he shoulde saie It is your fault which haue not stoode to your promises and couenantes therefore haue I spoyled you of your honours and profitable commodities You are salt without sauour therefore shall yee be cast out of the doores and trodden vnder foote Yee be a light vnder a bushell therefore shall yee be counted vile and dishonorable Ye builde not the citie vpon a hill that your good workes maie be manifest vnto all men but in the déepest valleies where your buildings are defiled on euerie side with the mudde and mire of lustes Therefore haue yée brought vpon you these
opinion Therefore since wee be most desirous of the vnitie of the church we would maruelouslie wishe that the controuersie which is sprong vppe amongest you should be pacified which wee suppose might bee doone if yée will deliuer your children heereafter to be baptised vnto those churches with whome ye agrée in faith and doctrine For if it could be doone after this manner Baptisme must be receiued of none but such as be of a right faith aswell they which thinke this kinde of baptisme whereof we dispute to be vnlawefull would greatlie reioyse to haue their conscience satisfied they on the other side which thinke the same to bee right and allowed would not for that cause defile their faith or conscience in anie point Beside this in doubtfull causes it most of all becommeth godlie men to imbrace those thinges which they may doe with most safetie The matter which ye propounde we reade not to be defined by the worde of God extant and pronounced in plaine and expresse wordes Wherefore wee must dispute thereof according to that which we may cōiecture by that which we gather out of the holie scriptures Which proofes and conclusions when all men admit not thereof commeth a difficult and dangerous handling of these thinges Howbeit forasmuch as you hauing asked our opinion we cannot kéepe secret our iudgement as touching the question propounded we wil alleage in fewe wordes those thinges which for the present time séeme most fit And if they like you you shall take it thankefully But if they doe not Christianitie being kept safe and inuiolate embrace yée those thinges which yée shall else where finde better Wherefore it séemeth good first of all that all faithfull men should be warned That Baptisme must not be reiterate that they doe not renewe the baptisme which is receiued by the Lutherans euen as wee doe not reiterate that which the Papistes haue ministred vnto vs. But whereas afterwarde you demaunde whether it be lawefull for men that professe the gospell to receiue baptisme of the Lutherans we say that this can not be doone of them without fault Not in verie déede that wee denie their churches to be any churches at all neither doe we thinke that baptisme it selfe is to be denied because of the crueltie which their ministers exercise against vs but wee thus thinke for other causes and those as it séemeth most iust First we affirme that Baptisme is a certaine sealing of the faith of him that is baptised or else if for want of age hee be not yet indued with faith we vnderstande that faith to bee sealed which the offerers of the partie to be baptised doe professe Insomuch then as there is a difference betwéene our faith and the faith of the Lutherans we cannot deliuer our faith to be sealed of them séeing they doe verie much detest the same so farre is it off that they will séeme to allowe it by the signe of baptisme Wherefore in doing of this wée shall séeme rather to consent vnto their faith and that we haue nowe changed our minde and opinion vnto their Church and faith Moreouer we thinke not that the Church of N. doth baptise into anie other faith than into that which flourisheth and is taught in the same But that baptisme is a sealing of the faith Rom. 4. 3. 9. Ib. ver 11. Paule sheweth when he saith vnto the Romans that Abraham first beleeued and that was imputed vnto him for righteousnes Afterwarde he receiued the seale of the righteousnesse of faith that is circumcision Neither can the faithfull doubt but that our baptisme succéeded circumcision Yea and the Iewes would not for anie other cause haue circumcised a stranger vnlesse hee being become first a proselite had professed their religion and faith And they of our religion did not baptise men of perfect age vnlesse they had instructed them fourtie daies before But perhappes ye thinke that the controuersie about the Eucharist is a certaine smal dissent which is not so séeing in it there is strife about the principall pointes of religion Further if the thing be of small importance why do wée so eagerlie contende for the same why doe wee not hide the smalnesse of the difference But if it be as we teach it to be of verie great weight why doe wee not auoide the shewe of a silent consenting with those churches which we knowe for certainetie to be in an ill opinion Why doe we not rather imitate the Lutheran ministers which would not commit their children to be baptised of our ministers Moreouer if in deliuering of your children to bee baptised you should testifie vnto those ministers that you would haue them to be baptised in that faith concerning the Eucharist which yee retaine and professe they vndoubtedly woulde not baptise them Also the godlie Iewes in olde time would not haue giuen their children to be circumcised of Ieroboams priests which worshipped the golden calues together with Iehoua Also we are not a litle mooued by the examples of our forefathers For that same great Theodosius as Socrates wrote in the 5. booke the 6. chapter when hee beganne to waxe gréeuouslie sicke at Thessalonica and would be made partaker of baptisme called vnto him the bishoppe of the Citie asking him first of all what faith that church professed whether the Arrian or the right catholike faith and when hee harde that it confessed Christ to be one substance with his father and that it was contrarie to the Arrians then he with a chéerefull and glad minde required himselfe to be baptised Yea and Valentinian the yonger when he might haue béene baptised in Fraunce yet for the suspicions of heresies wherewith the churches were then infected hee went to Millaine that hee might be there baptised by Ambrose which Church he knewe did followe the sincere and true professed faith To these I will adde Satyrus the brother of the selfe same Ambrose who when hee hadde escaped a most dangerous shipwracke and would not differ baptisme any longer most carefully shunning the churches of the Arrians repaired with all spéede to the catholike Church where hee might be baptised why would famous men so greatlie haue vsed this caution if it had béene all one matter to bee baptised of them which were of a right opinion and of them that erred in the chiefest pointes of faith Moreouer they that be baptised with the signe of baptisme are saide to be visiblie ingraffed into the church and especiallie into that Church in wich the sacramēt of baptisme is dispensed vnto them Therfore since ye wil not and that rightlie in verie déede consent with the Church N. why shoulde you offer vnto it your children to be baptised And herein further my déere brethren in my iudgement you are much deceiued that you thinke those ministers to agrée with you as touching the sacrament of baptisme Verelie it is farre otherwise The opiniō of the Lutherans as touching Baptisme for they attribute vnto the
profitable and necessarie vnto saluation Wherefore since that God woulde that wee shoulde both with faith imbrace and with mouth confesse al his whole doctrine he declared that he might not with a safe conscience holde this condition wherein hee nowe stoode vnlesse the thinges which hee desired by writing might bee graunted him and that this was a reasonable request that so much might be lawful for him as others of his degree would haue free vnto them both in their sermons and in the schooles He shewed moreouer that there appeared no light of reconciliatiō with him either by conferēce or anie other way but if there should be anie order taken he would not faile of his due tie though hee were called any other whither The Senate which loued Martyr and vnder certaine conditions were desirous to keepe him stil when they perceiued that he stood stedfast in this opinion and that it was no safe waie for them at this time to graunt him the libertie of teaching disputing and writing they against their wils gaue him leaue to depart Wherefore hee departed from Strasborough the xiii of Iulie in the yeare of our Lorde 1556. to the great griefe and lamentation of all good men of whome he was fauored loued and honoured aswell for his noble vertues excellent wit and singular learning as also for his courteous behauiour and great agreement which he perpetually maintained with all godlie and learned men When he was come to Zuricke together with that excellent man Iohn Iewell an English man now by the grace of God bishop of Salisburie he was very ioyfully receaued both of the Senate of the schoole and of the ministers of the Church of all the godlie And forasmuch as he lodged with Bullinger his old friend vntil such time as his household to wit Iulius with his wife and child had folowed him either made somuch of the other at that time as although there had bin before time a verie neere friendship betwen them yet was the same by this familiarity exceeding much increased and so confirmed as euen vntil death they kept and increased the same without the verie least suspicion of offence And those friendships are most assured which a resemblance of vertues and studies doe ioyne together which being very like betwene them both such as either of them both loued and honored other it is no maruell their friendships were also most neerely knit together And that hee loued the preachers and the rest of his Collegues and held them as it were brethren and in like-manner that hee alwayes imbraced the youngermen as children since it is knowen vnto all men there is no neede that I shoulde nowe spende anie time in declaring of this matter And they which haue not so throughly considered of these thinges maie hereby coniecture the pleasantnesse that hee had in ioyning vnto him the heartes of men that not onely his Collegues in the schoole and ministers of Churches and others which heard him euerie day teach loued him but also among the Senate and people euerie good man which neither hearde him teach nor coulde vnderstande him when hee spake yet they so honoured him as scarcely they did anie other of the cheefest in the commonweale And this did the assemblie of all states of men testifie whome yesterday yee sawe at his funerall The noble Senate also declared their good will towardes him when for honours sake they made him free of the Citie For albeit they had prouided by a lawe that because of the infinite number of Citizens none shoulde bee receaued into the Citie that yeare and the next yet woulde they not obserue that lawe in so notable a man as hee because they rightlie iudged that iniurie shoulde be doone not to the Lawe but rather to our citie if such a man should remaine among vs as it were a straunger and foreiner and not bee reckened among the Citizens Martyr at that time when hee came to Zuricke was vnmaried but at the length being perswaded by his friendes since hee himselfe was verie desirous of children and that the rather because hee alone was left of the familie of the Vermillii which sometime florished did determine to take an other wife sixe yeares after his first wiues death There was in the Italian Church at Geneua a maide borne at Bressa of an honest stocke whose name was Catherine Merenda which was come thither for religion sake This woman did Martyr take to wife being commended by the testimonie of good men and of the whole Church Of her did hee beget a sonne called Eliperius and at an other byrth Gerodora both of which neuerthelesse died in their first infancie He hath left the same wife great with child who I beseech the Lorde may be deliuered of a sonne which liuing may one day represent his father in learning and godlinesse Howe greatlie hee loued and esteemed this commonweale Church hereby yee maie gather that when he knewe hee shoulde leaue his wife great with childe hee tooke order by his testament that if a sonne were brought foorth after his death if it liued it shoulde not be brought vp else where than among vs. And the same his good will and affection yee may coniecture by this also that I shall nowe recite The next yeare after that hee came vnto vs there dyed at Geneua the noble man Maximilianus Celsus Count of Martinengo which did gouerne the Italian Church in that Citie Nowe there bee manie excellent men which hauing forsaken Italie are come to Geneua as to the sanctuarie and safest hauen of godlie men and among these are manie of the Citizens of Luca of the principall sort of that Common weale of whome manie were the scholers of Martyr in Italie and by his teaching came to the knowledge of Christ So nowe when an other was to bee substituted in the place of Maximilian which was deade Martyr by the generall will and consent and with most heartie wishes was chosen and the Elders of the Church sending letters vnto him about the same matter not onelie requested but also earnestly besought him that hee woulde confirme that calling The selfe same did the English men which were his olde friends of whom many excellent men liued thē in banishment at Geneua for Religion The selfe same did Iohn Caluin the ornament not onelie of Geneua but also of the vniuersall Church They saide that in that Citie and Church there was a good number of the better sort of Italians and many of his scholers which expected his comming and moe that made themselues readie in the way to meete him They shewed an excellent manner of choosing him I meane the verie notable consent by holding vp of hands so often allowed by the holy Ghost the most orderly distributions of their voyces wherein all thinges were doone with very good order and aduise Heerewithall they added that so great and ardent desire there was of the whole Church to obtaine this man for their guide
doeth nor alwayes define things that be profitable 2 227a Whether that which is called originall sinne be voluntarie 2 219 b Commended and praised 2 221 b It remaineth after regeneration but the blame is taken away by Christ 2 274 b It owne nature mortall 2 272 b Both sinne and the punishment of sinne 2 571 a 274 b 275 a 219 ab Why it is called sinne seeing the blame therof is taken away 2 274b Whether that which remaineth in the regenerate be sinne 2 271 ab 272 What is meant by Concupiscence or lusting 2 570b ¶ Looke Lust Motions Confession A distinction of Confession 3 114 a Not auailable in all alike â— 109 ab Forced in the Philistines Pharao others touching God 1 13b Required in iustification 3 105 b Whether it stande with the law of God 3 217 a What Confession is required in the Church 2 630 b Distinguished into diuerse kindes 3 216 b It must be done to God himselfe 3 219 b Priuate Confession of sinnes in some cases allowed 3 220 a Why Paul ioyneth Confession vnto faith 3 262 b Outward actions be a certeine shew therof 2 316 ab Peters Confession was the rocke whereof Christ spake 4 83 ab Two sortes of Confession one in words another in workes 4 46 a The Confession of diuels howe they testified of Christ 1 13 b The antiquitie of auricular Confession confuted 3 218 b 219 b 217 ab 114 a The destruction of the West Church 4 252 b Sinne committed two manner of wayes therein 3 236 b Instéed of satisfaction 3 236 b Why it was inuented 3 225 a why abolished 3 218 b 219 a Confirmation The beginning of Confirmation and whether it be a sacrament 3 211 a Annoynting vsed in Confirmation 4 15 b ¶ Looke Sacrament Congregation To enter or to be one of the Congregation what it was among the Iewes 2 470 b ¶ Looke Church Coniunction What manner of Coniunction we haue with Christ 3 78 a 79 a 4 144 In the Eucharist by faith 4 175 b 176 a 179. 180 a No neede of his corporall presence thereto 3 79 ab Of the Coniunction of the soule with the bodie 3 316 a 317 b 328 b Two sortes of Coniunction of the members of the bodie of the church 3 78 b 79 a Coniuration By whome Coniurations must be vsed onely and alone 1 91 b Against them being vsed at the sepulchres of dead saints 1 68 b Certeine in the Church 1 91a The diuell faineth himselfe to be afraid of them 1 67 a Of Solomons exorcismes or Coniurations and why he vsed them 1 91 ab Origens opinion of exorcismes or Coniurations at the graues of dead saints 1 68 b Added to baptisme and why 4 128 b ¶ Looke Exorcisme Coniurers The Iewes had Coniurers or exorcistes among them and how long they continued 1 91 ab Of some which haue the name but want the grace due to the name â— 91 b ¶ Looke Exorcists Magicians Conscience What Conscience is 3 165 b Of the wonderfull force thereof and wherein it appeareth 1 15 b In what cases it is to be beléeued 3 98 b Whether faith signifieth the same 3 98b How it is troubled after sinne committed 3 203ab Of feare comming of an euill Conscience 3 69 a The propertie and nature of the same 3 165 b 166 a Wherein it exerciseth her power 3 165 a How it may make a worke good or euill 3 165 a The féele of the same doeth testifie that there is a God how 1 12 b How necessarie a good one is 3 â—65a b Whether it be a sufficient schoolemaister vnto vs. 3 166 a How another mans Conscience is wounded 3 164 a Consecration Consecration and dedication differ 4 124 b How the fathers vnderstand the worde Consecration 4 172 a Consecration of Princes by Bishops why 4 236 b 237 a Of temples houses citie walles c. 4 123 ab Consecration of prophane things to holie vses 4 247 b 248 a Of fruites 4 127 b Of Children 4 114ab Of the Consecration of Ministers 4 13 b Of meates 4 123 b Of fonts twise a yere 4 127 a Howe fowly they erre which closely mâ—…ter the wordes of Consecration at the sacrament 4 105 a Of what strength the names thereof be 4 123 a What thinges must be onely vsed in the outwarde 〈◊〉 4 126 b The Popish Consecration of ministers 4 13 b 14 a 126 b Papisticall Consecration of churches 4 124 b 125 a 66a Why the papisticall kinde must be reiected 4 126 a Consolation Consolation by the scriptures in diuerse our distresses 1 44 b 45 ab Conspiracie Whether Conspiracie against Princes be lawfull 4 325 b 326 ab ¶ Looke Treason Constancie How perseuerance and Constancie do differ 3 184 ab The CoÌ„stancie of diuerse Ethniks 3 277 ab Of Anararchus and Zend in their torments 2 284 b Of M. Attilius Regulus 2 394 a 539 a Of the Iewes against the Macedonians and Romans 4 243 a Of Naboth 4 32 a 33 b Of Christ 2 620 a Contemplation Contemplation a great part of mans felicitie 1 5 a Eustratius opinion touching the same reiected and why 1 149 b 150 a And what felicitie is therein 1 149 b Whether the pleasures which spring of it do him 1 138 ab Who they be that giue them selues thereto 1 149b Reckened vp of Aristotle as an end 1 5 a The right vse of a life consisting in ciuill action and Contemplation 1 150 ab Of actuall Contemplation what the Philosophers and holy scriptures say thereof 1 16 b Why theologicall Contemplation goeth before actiue 1 16 b Contemplations Contemplations haue pleasure alwayes ioyned with them and why 1 135 b Contempt Three kindes of Contempt or contumelie 2 528b Of Gods word an heynous sinne 2 554 b Of good men purchaseth destruction proued 1 143 b In what case of the same imprecations and cursings are admitted 2 398 b 399 a Contentment An example for Contentment with our estate 3 188 b 259 b Contention Causes of Contention trouble 4 321 b 322 a The kinds thereof and when it is named a schisme 4 320 b Contention betwixt Aiaz and Vlisies and why 2 550 a Betwéene Augustine and Ierom. 2 544 b 545 a For the priesthood in Dauids time â— 247 b Vespasians iudgement in a case of Contention betwéene a Senator and a knight of Rome 2 401 b Which partie is accusable in a Contention 4 323 a Paul at Contention with himself and reconciled 2 548 ab P. Martyrs opinion touching Contention about Religion 2 391 a ¶ Looke Schisme Contingent Things Contingent are foreséene of God onely 1 62 a ¶ Looke Chaunce Continuance Continuance in sinne is most detestable 2 554 b Contraries Whether Contraries may be deriued from one originall 3 289 b 290 a What is required in them 2 294 b 295 a What the rule of them is 3 290 a 213 b Their nature 4 202 a An argument drawen
Circumcision and what it signified 150 a Baptisme and it be all one and how 150 a Collects and the reason of those praiers and their name 136 a Commandement which is the soule of all the rest 102 b 103 a The first and last obserued of none 167 b Commandements of God must be distinguished and how 160 b Foure in the first table and which they be 165 a Six in the second and what they be 165 a Why some are affirmatiue and some negatiue 169 b What we haue to note in the contents of the ten 164 b The coniunction of them 165 a The substance of them 164 a b Thrée kinds of actions handled in them 164 b What we must doo when two contrarie méet which cannot be performed both at once 166 a b 71 a b 72 a Commings of Christ in the scripture onelie two 231 b Common-weale and what kind of rule were good therein 163 a Platos imagined 52 a Communion or coniunction of vs with Christ 105 b 97 a What opinion Cyril held thereof 106 b The instruments or knots of the same 98 a Of the beginning and ending thereof 106 a Signes and tokens of it 98 a Distances of places hinder it not 97 b Of the Communion of the parts or members of the bodie 97 b Communion in the morning a deuise of man 119 b 120 a ¶ Looke Eucharist Concubines of the patriarchs were their wiues 152 a Concupiscence of two kinds recited in the last precept of the lawe 165 a Confession of sinnes both to God and men allowed 157 a Thrée maner of waies in the sacrifices 170 a How flight in persecution is a kind thereof 70 a Auricular must not be taken out of the church 170 a Coniunction of vs with Christ in the Eucharist 140 b 141 a b 106 a b 184 a b 220 a b 124 a b Disagréement touching the same 97 a Whether it be doon by Christ or by faith 126. How it is increased in Christ 124 b 125. 126 a 127 a A certeine kind common to all men in generall 105 b That the weakenesse of faith letteth it not 126 a Of the members of the church 139 a b 140 a b Of Christs humanitie and diuinitie 3 a b. Coniunctions two which we haue with Christ 97 a Conscience cléere a great comfort 112 b We must doo nothing against it 122 a b. Consecration is a sacramentall thing 242 b The force therof speciallie in the Eucharist 138 b 239 a When and how that of the bread in the Eucharist was made 212 a Consequent denied by denieng of the antecedent 130 b 131 a Constancie in persecution for true religion exhorted Read the 47. epistle beginning at pag. 139 Renewed in the godlie 145 b Consubstantiation of Luther and Brentius 153 b Contempt of Christ 3 b Contraries cannot be togither in one subiect at once 204 a b 205 a b. Contrition and how it is not effectuall to the remission of sinnes 157 a Controuersies about the vnderstanding of scriptures 187 a Conuersion and whether it be by compulsion 111 b 112 a 119 b Touching the power of God therein 108 b Thervnto we bring nothing actiuelie 117 b 118 a Whereto it and our disposition to doo good must be attributed 110 a b 111 a b 112 a b Of Paule 115 a Whether he therein were drawne by frée will 118 a b. Correction brotherlie extendeth to euerie estate 170 a Couenant and the definition and scope thereof 160 a What God requireth of vs to him ward therein 28 b 29 a That in the lawe and that in the Gospell all one 150 a What Iewes at this daie belong not to the same 150 b What God ment when in that which he made with the Leuites he promised peace 28 a b. Councels generall and how they are to be regarded 210 b 197 a b That they cannot erre as the Cardinall of Loren saith 152 b Not to relie or leane too much to them 249 a b. Counsell asking of God in euerie enterprise 38 a Court of leauing it or liuing in it 158 b Creation of all things and probable propositions concerning the same 144 a Creatures haue a substance circumscriptible 190 b How it commeth that some be cleane and some vncleane 147 b Wherin their holinesse standeth 163 a Crosse is Christs triumphant chariot 5 b 6 a 8 a How it maketh all things sauorie 9 a b How diuerslie men be addicted to the same 4 a Crucifix and of worshipping the same 121 a b The image thereof must not be on the table when the word is preached or the sacraments ministred 123 a b. Curiositie defined and what is intended thereby 152 a Why it dooth much hinder faith 163 a Cursses are lawfull for the godlie and so are oths 164 b What we are to gather by those that were laid vpon our first parents 146 a b. D. DAgon and the forme and figure of him being the Philistines god 86 b Dansing and what is thereof determined 161 a Deacons and whie they were ordeined in the church 50 a 42 b Dead and touching their buriall in chosen places and speciallie in temples 152 a Death more feared in the time of the lawe than of the Gospell 149 a Of bodie and soule set before Adam 145 a Of sorrowing and reioising therein and the causes thereof 155 b The crueltie therof complained of 82 a How the godlie desire that which they feare 67 a How the feare of the same is not of it selfe faultie 73 a b. Of two sorts the one bodilie the other spirituall 74 b Within what bounds the feare thereof must be restrained 67 b A thing to be feared 66 a How it dooth alwaies bring feare 67 a Whether there be a faultinesse in the feare thereof 66 a Not good by it selfe 67 a Whether the feare thereof in a Christian man be sinne 65 b A sermon of Christs 1 a and so forward In what respect he stroue with it 5 a Dearth and prouision against it when and by whom to be made 157 a Disagreement and bearing of hatred differ 176 a b. Discipline ecclesiasticall and how necessarie a thing it is 88 b Where the rule thereof must be sought for 89 a Vnder what pretense it is reiected 88 b Disputations must not be counted vnprofitable nor refused and whie 176 a Diuell let loose and at libertie 103 b Diuine is a god speking among men 49 b. Diuinitie a sermon concerning the studie of the same 43 b and so forward The ancientnesse thereof 45 b The vtilitie and profit of it 46 a The worthinesse thereof 45 a 249 a b Schooles for it and what ought to be read in them 89 a b The cheefe thing whereby to iudge matters thereof 210b How that when it is commended vnder one labour are reaped two fruits 44 b The nature and propertie of it set foorth by similitudes 56 b A kind thereof condemned whie 54 a A definition thereof 56 b Diuinitie or Godhead and a distinction
bound by the word of God and also godlie men should after a sort beare with vs. But a stranger which méets vs is so narrowlie driuen and in such danger as he may not be ouerpassed 5 But out of such a case of necessitie order must be kept so that first we must doo well vnto them whom God hath ioined vnto vs by anie means of friendship Augustine in this case admitteth lots Wherfore Augustine in his first booke De doctrina christiana saith If thou shouldest by chance méet by the waie with two persons of like honestie and necessitie and haddest onelie so much as would reléeue one of them thou thus musing with thy selfe couldest doo nothing better than euen to drawe cuts which of them to gratifie So shalt thou saith he gather by a certeine aime that either the one or the other was ioined to thée by the will of God in some degrée of coniunction Bicause when we be borne none of vs all chooseth to himselfe what associats fréends enimies parents or kindred he ought to haue These doo happen vnto euerie man by chance and euerie man is bound to do good vnto those which he ioined to him and such be called his neighbors Which word is not restreined onlie to the coniunction that we haue with our kindred countrie or particular places For that which the Gréeks called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Hebrues Rehe the Latines Proximum Who is vnderstood to be our neighbour in English A neighbour must be vnderstood as touching them which by the will of God through anie occasion doo méete or be ioined vnto vs or be commended vnto vs be it by meanes of kindred of friendship or of méeting by the waie We are accounted to be their neighbours to whom God dooth associate and ioine vs by anie maner of means Which appeareth in that man who in the parable of the Lord is described to haue gone downe from Ierusalem vnto Ierico Luk. 10 36. The parable of the Lord. This man being ill intreated by théeues being an inhabitant of Ierusalem yet was a Samaritane declared to be his neighbour notwithstanding that he was of a contrarie religion vnto him and perteined to another kingdome He was neighbour to him bicause the will of God was that he should méete with him In that case therefore he was the neighbour which deferred not his helpe when there was present necessitie that might not be deferred and when there was no other helpe It is prouided also that the name of a neighbour dooth not apperteine onelie vnto kindred and acquaintance for Elias went vnto Sarepta a place of the Sidonites The example of Elias 1. Kin. 17 11 and demanded bread and water of a widowe That widowe would haue vsed the ordinarie waie of charitie namelie to haue reserued that little that was remaining vnto hir selfe and hir sonne But the prophet said Go thy waies and first giue me of it The woman therefore when she would haue followed the vsuall waie of charitie the priuate admonition of the word of God did let hir which neuerthelesse was not vniust For the widowe knew him to be both a prophet and a man of God But if thou wilt demand how she vnderstood it being a stranger We cannot otherwise saie but that this was doone by the motion and persuasion of GOD as appeareth in the same chapter For God said vnto Elias I will command a widowe to feede thee Wherefore 1. Kin. 17 9. for the safetie of our neighbours life we are bound to bestowe not onelie our goods but also our soules that is our life as Iohn witnessed when he said 1. Iohn 3 16 that We ought to giue our liues for our brethren euen as Christ did But as concerning the sustentation of bodies first it behoueth that we set before our eies the glorie of God the which according as we shall iudge it to be promoted by anie kind of worke so must we be the more inclined to liberalitie So then we sée that this widowe had a godlie meaning in that she would first haue a regard vnto hir selfe and hir child but afterward when she vnderstood that this was a prophet that it did chéefelie belong to the glorie of God to haue him susteined she first ministred vnto him when as neuerthelesse she had it promised hir that there should be no want of sustenance for hir and hir child It now appeareth by that we haue spoken that there is an order to be vsed in charitie and yet neuerthelesse that the same must not be limited within anie streict bounds 6 But séeing we are in hand with almes we must answer that common grosse error wherin men thinke although they be intangled in the greatest crimes and doo not repent they may be able to attaine to euerlasting life so that they giue almes liberallie And they oftentimes obtrude vnto vs the saieng which we haue in the eleuenth chapter of Luke A place out of Luke 11. Giue almes and all things be cleane vnto you Which place requireth a diligent examination for that same verbe 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Giue maie as well be the indicatiue mood as the imperatiue If it be taken for the indicatiue we may saie Ye giue almes and all things be cleane vnto you verse 41. that is to saie When you be full of wickednesse giuen vnto rauine and in the meane time giue some almes to the poore ye thinke that all things be cleane vnto you as if this kind of spéech were a fine quip But if we read it after the common translation in the imperatiue mode Augustine in his Enchiridion to Laurence giueth vs this manner of interpretation that when it is said Giue ye almes it may be vnderstood that the dooing thereof must first begin with our selues to wit that we our selues conuert first vnto God and then all things shall be cleane vnto vs. For it is said Eccl. 30 24. Haue pittie vpon thine owne soule pleasing God So as in giuing of almes let vs first giue our selues bountifullie vnto God and then all things shall be cleane according to that which in another place he taught Make ye the tree good Matt. 12 33. and his fruit good The third exposition is to saie that Christ sowed the words among the Scribes and Pharisies with whom he dined But these men were carefull aboue other things for the cleansing of their platters and cups On the other side Christ persuaded them to make small account of outward cleanlinesse he saith Séeing ye be greeuouslie loden with rauine and deceit cleanse ye those things which be inward make cleane your hearts and conscience Which cannot be doone vnlesse there be faith for it is written Acts. 15 9. Purifieng their hearts by faith And as touching outward actions giue ye almes and then all things will be cleane vnto you For concerning outward things whether the platters be cleane or the cups washed
yea or no the conscience is neither the better nor the worsse Wherefore your consciences must be washed by faith ye must be liberall towards your neighbours Also there is obiected out of the 13. chap. of the epistle to the Hebrues that By such sacrifice God is pleased verse 16. A place out of the 13. chap. to the Hebrues But in the Gréeke we read 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which signifieth He is merilie affected or He is pleased And we are easie to be persuaded in this that the works of mercie are accepted vnto God and that they please him well so that he is willinglie delighted with them when they be wrought by godlie men Yet must it not be attributed vnto these works that either they please God or else make vs acceptable vnto him For this were to diminish and plucke from the sacrifice of the death and passion of Christ 7 And these things now might suffice touching almes but that we sée the deuotion of distributing to the poore waxeth verie cold and that dooth the beggerie of men that go from doore to doore most plainlie declare and this ought not to be suffered among christians It were méete that in euerie church there should be men chosen the which should haue the names of all the poore people registred and should diligentlie view both the pouertie wherewith they be oppressed and what labours they would be fit for and to distribute almes in such sort as they maintaine not them that be idle Against vagabond beggers and that they withdrawe their almes from those which will not labour And it would be verie requisite that in the churches there should be a common treasure chest for the poore wherein to put the common almes and that euerie man A remedie for the poore of that little that he hath not onlie offer whensoeuer there is anie godlie assemblie but also thrise or foure times in the yeare prepare some honest offering And so they which haue the custodie of the poore mens box not onelie ought to haue the distributing thereof but also to yéeld an account vnto the church both what they receiue what they laie out Neither should anie man pretend that he will distribute his owne goods at his owne pleasure for it is hard for one man to know all and things be more easilie spied out by them which are appointed for this purpose And it is rather to be wished that all things may be doone in order than rashlie Men heretofore could bestowe much vpon stocks and stones and vpon the outragious buildings of temples vpon dead mens bones and pilgrimages vpon stations pardons all which were superstitious things And yet at this daie they being deliuered by the benefit of Christes Gospell from those craftie deuises deale verie niggardlie with the poore being the liuelie temples of Christ 8 But Paule maketh speciall mention of the saints In Rom. 12. verse 13. The saints haue more need than others bicause they among others haue most néed being those whom the world doth hate And he rightlie addeth Strangers for in those daies the saints were turned out of all their goods and liued oftentimes in exile like straiers and bannished men Paule therefore exhorteth the Romans that they would interteine such men with louing minds and liberall hospitalitie The flesh is not bent to doo good to this kind of men for when it séeth them in miserie it iudgeth that they cannot requite their curtesie and therfore whatsoeuer is bestowed vpon them it thinketh the same to be lost And they which be affected on this wise account nothing more happie than to receiue so that they giue nothing willinglie except where they thinke they shall receiue as much or more againe In the lawe God dooth oftentimes commend strangers In the 22. of Exodus verse 21. A lawe for the poore and strangers he commandeth the Israelites that they should not vex strangers but should courteouslie intreate them bicause they themselues also had béene strangers in Aegypt And whereas he called to their remembrance the things that are past it maie also séeme to be profitable vnto vs if we thinke vpon the things to come For who is now so assured of his habitation as he knoweth for certeintie that he shall neuer be a stranger Leuit. 19 9. c. And in the 19. chap. of Leuiticus commandement is giuen to the haruest-folks and grape-gatherers that they should not gather all but leaue somwhat for the poore and strangers And God commandeth his people to loue them euen as themselues And in the tenth chapter of Deuteronomie Deu. 10 18 c. God affirmeth that he is the protector and auenger of orphans widowes and strangers for these kind of people are lest to his care Vnto all such kind of men we owe our beneuolence and chéeflie if they be of the household of faith These things the apostles Peter Iames Gala. 2 10. and Iohn had so great care of as when they had sent awaie Paule to the Gentils they themselues were appointed to be ministers vnto the circumcision they commended vnto his care the poore which dwelt at Ierusalem And this businesse he testifieth vnto the Galathians that he with an earnest diligence accomplished That which is in the Latine booke Necessitatibus that is Necessities is not well translated For the sophisters abuse this word teach that a christian man is not bound by the commandements of God to helpe the poore wretches vnlesse they be in verie great or as they speake in extreame necessitie But Paule willeth vs to communicate rather to their vses than to their necessities For Whether the poore must be holpen before their extreame necessitie to doo good vnto thy neighbour thou must not tarrie till he be vrged with extreame necessitie séeing that no man would gladlie so be dealt with Neither is this to be passed ouer with silence that some bookes in stéed of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is Vses or necessities haue 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is Memories And of the reading of it on this wise Origin or rather his interpretor maketh mention And Ambrose both readeth it so so interpreteth it We must benefit not onelie the present but the absent And so the sense is that we ought to do good not onelie to the poore which are present but also to them which be absent For Thales Milesius was woont to saie that We ought not onelie to remember our fréends present but those which be absent And the apostle had a great care to prouide that the Gentils should minister almes vnto the saints which dwelt at Ierusalem Howbeit we will followe the accustomed reading We must impart to the vse of the poore not to their pleasure 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and saie that we ought to communicate to the vses of the saints to their vses I saie and not to their pleasures or delights sith by that meanes men are