hath foreshewed But it is sufficient for vs to knowe 1. Co. 10 11 that as Paule said This our age is the last so as another age after this is not to be looked for And touching this time of ours Christ said Matt. 28 20. I will be with you vntill the end of the world wherein he sheweth that the end of our age is the consummation of the world And when he instituted the sacrament of the Eucharist 1. Co. 11 26 he said Ye shall shew the Lords death vntill he come by which saieng he declareth that our sacraments shall endure vntill the end of the world 3 Manie are led by coniectures which are but weake I will not saie vaine to appoint the time of the last iudgement They bring foorth an oracle from the tradition of the Hebrues which they attribute to Elias and his Schoole namelie that the world should endure six thousand yéeres And those yéeres they distribute after this maner to wit that two thousand yéeres were spent before the lawe two thousand yéeres vnder the lawe two thousand yéeres they appoint to be vnder the kingdom of Messias And others haue feigned which commeth all to one purpose that the world shall endure six daies euen as it was made in six daies but as touching the lasting thereof they appoint for euerie daie a thousand yéers as though this had béene the mind of Dauid when he said Psal 90 4. And a thousand yeeres before thee are as yesterdaie that is past Also there be others which thinke that the mysticall bodie of Christ that is the church shall liue vpon the earth 33. yéeres which number Christ liued in the world as touching his bodie which he tooke of the virgin but to euerie yéere they distribute fiftie vsuall yéeres that they may make a yéere of Iubile All these things are inuentions of men And it is a miserable thing that whereas we haue so manie cléere and manifest things in the holie scriptures concerning faith hope charitie and the bonds of other vertues wherein there is nothing obscure we will leaue those vtterlie neglected and with so great superstition followe other things which are vncerteine and serue lesse vnto saluation This dooth the diuell indeuour that we should earnestlie occupie our selues in questions which be infinite vnprofitable laieng aside other things which should be necessarilie kept But when we heare mention to be made of the last iudgement let vs rather prepare our selues to watch and praie lest we be found negligent True certeinelie it is Augustine that Augustine said Prophesies are sooner fulfilled than vnderstood that Prophesies are sooner fulfilled than vnderstood Wherefore when we sée some of those signes which Christ set foorth vnto vs as tokens of the iudgement to come let vs saie with our owne selues Perhaps the wrath of the Lord is now to be powred out let vs feruentlie desire of God by praiers and most earnest faith that he will be mercifull and reconciled vnto vs for Christ his sake Concerning the ages and spaces of times the heretiks Marcion Cerdo Praxeas and Valentinus haue shamefullie doted as may be séene in Tertullian and Irenaeus 4 The deferring of punishments In Rom. 2 verse 4. which God vseth of his owne nature séemeth to inuite men to returne vnto God although it haue not the like strength of working in all men Wherefore Why God punisheth some and not all when we sée some punished and we our selues in the meane time spared it is meet that we should weigh this goodnes of God whereby he beareth with vs to the intent we should correct our selues Of which thing Christ admonished vs when he said at what time that word was brought him of some that were slaine with the fall of the tower of Siloa Luke 13 4. Doo ye thinke that they alone haue sinned As though he should haue said Not onelie they haue deserued that punishment but manie others ought to haue suffered the like But God will shew foorth certeine particular examples of his iudgement which one daie shall be generall Indéed the punishment of the vngodlie is deferred but yet it shall most certeinlie come at the time appointed Ibidem 6. The parable of the fig-tree which the good man of the houshold commanded to be cut downe séeing it bare no fruit admonisheth vs of the selfe-same thing For the husband-man obteined that the cutting downe thereof should be a little while deferred for that he would doong it and husband it if perhaps it would bring foorth fruit which if it did not then it should not onelie be digged vp by the roots but be also throwne into the fire Here are we taught not straitwaie to forsake our brethren How we should deale towards our brethren that offend when they offend but patientlie for a time to expect and that euen as God himselfe dooth so should we by benefits prouoke them to repentance not omitting in the meane time brotherlie admonitions But it is woorthie to be noted that the verie same men Rom 5 24. and 2 5. whom Paule said were punished when they were deliuered vp to the lusts of their owne hart and vnto shamefull affections and also vnto a reprobate mind shall againe be punished God punisheth the wicked with a double punishment which therefore is doone bicause that first kind of punishment drew them vnto pleasures and delights for he declareth that it shall one daie come to passe that they shall haue sore and gréeuous punishment laid vpon them But how dooth this agrée with that which the prophet Nahum writeth in his first chapter verse 9. A place of the prophet Nahum expounded namelie that iudgement and punishment are not vsed twise for one thing Séeing these men were punished once whie are they punished againe Certeinlie that sentence so commonlie frequented that God punisheth not twise is not so written in the prophet although it be so read in the seuentie interpretors The words are after this sort Whie doo ye deuise against the Lord He will make an end neither shall tribulation arise the second time Which words some of the Hebrues as Ierom reporteth doo interpret of the Assyrians who séeing they had gotten the victorie at the first time against the kingdome of the ten tribes thought that they had béene able in like maner to haue preuailed against the kingdome of Iuda which the prophet said should not come to passe and saith that after the first tribulation a second should not followe Indéed this exposition may be borne withall But there is an other which is more plaine namelie to saie that these things are spoken against Senacherib which besieged Ierusalem vnto whom God threatned an absolute and perfect destruction I will saith he so blot thee out as I shall not need to rise the second time against thee One plague shall be sufficient thou shalt be so vehementlie afflicted therewith Neither did the prophet dreame as
men that they may see your good works and glorifie your father which is in heauen to whome be all glorie for euer and euer Amen A praier of D. Peter Martyr against false worshipping of God and all maner of superstition COme we beseech thee at the length O heauenlie father illuminate the harts and minds of all thy Christians with the spirit of Iesus Christ thy Sonne that they forsaking idols and superstitions may conuert to thee alone who oughtest to be purelie sincerelie serued honored called vpon And suffer thou no longer the honour which onelie is due vnto thee to be impiouslie and lewdlie giuen vnto bread wine images and dead mens bones Thy holie name hath now beene long enough dishonoured with reproches the purenesse of thy Gospell hath now beene long enough polluted enough a great deale too much haue men abused the institution of thy sonnes supper vnto most vnpure idolatrie Stop at the length O Lord these furies of men which are mad and doo most miserablie ouerthrowe themselues Let them not anie longer with bread and wine vnder the name of the sacrament of thy sonne so shameleslie and desperatelie vpon euerie hill vnder euerie tree in all high waies streets temples and chappels commit fornication and so horriblie and detestablie defile thy holie religion Vnlesse thou O omnipotent God by thy mightie hand doo rid and turne awaie these things there is no more hope of mans saluation and cleansing againe of thy church Helpe O God helpe thy people whom thou hast redeemed with the bloud of thy sonne And thou Iesus Christ the true and eternall God confirme this worke which thou hast begun and bring the same to a desired end or else if there be no hope of recouerie and that there shall be no more in thy church anie publike and open place for thy truth come quicklie and hasten thy iudgement and for the glorie of thy name turne awaie so shamefull contumelie from thy holie supper which thou of thine incredible mercie and singular goodnesse hast instituted who with the Father and the holie Ghost liuest and reignest world without end Amen A SERMON OF CHRISTES DEATH out of the second Chapter of Saint Paul to the Philippians THey dearely beloued in Christ which behold the powers of the minde and they which haue writtē any thing of the same do for this cause commende and extoll memorie that it is an incomparable treasure of things that be past and a most faithfull preseruer of the same Further because great héede must bée taken lest those excellent things giuen vnto men by nature be not violated through our default therefore must not euerie thing but those things which bee most excellent and most profitable be committed vnto memory And among the workes of almightie God there is nothing in the worlde that doth either profite vs more or is worthie of greater admiration Wherefore he that most of all loueth vs and all thinges belonging to vs hath often commanded vs by his lawes that we should continually without ceasing beare in minde the woonderfull acts which he hath wrought for our saluation He not onelie would haue the people to beare in mind that he euen at the beginning made the workemanship of the world for our profite but he also commaunded straitlie that by obseruation of the Sabbaoth among them Exod. 20. 8. the same should be perpetually remembred He commanded those which were brought into freedome to shewe continually how he had deliuered the Israelites from the tyrannie of Pharao Exod. 12. 1. 26. and that the remembrance might be helped by an outward signe he tooke order to renew euerie yeare the feast and sacrifice of the Passouer And he doth not take it in good part that at any time his Church shoulde forget that in the last age of the world he deliuered his onely begotten sonne to the death and to the Crosse for the redemption of the world Esa 53. 3. c. Wherefore he not only prouided that the death of Christ should bée recorded in the bookes of the holie scriptures both of the new and olde testament but also when he should goe out of the world vnto the father Matt. 26. hée left vnto his disciples an institution of the Sacrament of the Eucharist to be continuallie exercised among the faithfull Now then séeing this is the chiefe and principall benefite which euer God bestowed vpon mankinde let vs neuer suffer obliuion to blot the same out of our remembrance And that this may not happen the yearely reuolution of the dayes of the world which haue nowe passed since the time wherin we beléeue that Christ was crucified doe perswade me to expound◠vnto you in such sort as I can his infinite loue whereby he refused not for our sakes to suffer death But because there is laide before me a huge heape of thinges to speake of least my spéech through the violence of the waues and heape of the flouds should either stray from the right course or fall into the depth of confusion we must chuse some place of the scriptures which as a certaine and stedfast lodestone may direct both you in your hearing and me in my speaking And this we will take out of the second chapter to the Philippians Let the same minde be in you that was in Christ Iesu who being in the forme of God Phil. 2. 5. thought it no robbery to be equal with God but made himselfe of no reputation taking vpon him the forme of a seruant and made in the likenesse of men and was found in habite as a man He humbled himselfe being made obedient vnto the death euē the death of the crosse for the which also God exalted him and gaue him a name which is aboue euerie name that in the name of Iesus euerie knee should bowe both of things in heauen and things in earth things vnder the earth and that euerie tongue shoulde confesse that the Lord is Iesus Christ to the glorie of God the father And that God may further the purpose which we haue begun let vs according to the accustomed manner craue his assistance by prayer They which iudge of the nature of the waters A similitude doe by taste make a triall of their swéetenesse by sight do trie their clearenesse they diligently examine their weight and finally they mark from what fountaine they spring Euen so in expounding the sentences of the scriptures not onely the signification of the words the sense of the sentences the things that went before and the things which followe must be considered but also with a speciall héede taking we must sée with what minde or to what purpose are spoken those things which were set foorth Remember at the beginning of this Chapter the words of the Apostle His minde is to exhort vnto charitie and vnto vnitie one with another The two plagues of these vertues are contention and vaineglorie The two rootes of them submission and
then should we not eate nor drinke and a number of such other things which by our owne fault and intemperance might doo harme For we must alwaies take héed whether the thing which we take in hand be dangerous of it selfe or by some accident Which thing also Salomon admonished Eccl. 21 4. saieng Hee that obserueth the wind shall not sowe and he that hath regard to the clouds shall not reape But when soeuer we are vncerteine whether the thing it selfe will please God or no and that great danger hangeth ouer our heads bicause we knowe that the same is not giuen by God vnto all men we ought to surcease vowing and to kéepe our selues frée And touching those vowes Whether vowes against the word of God are to be kept which perchance one hath made against the rule of the word of God and afterward séeth them to be odious and vnacceptable vnto God and that by the testimonie of the holie scriptures men oftentimes demand what is to be doone we answer in a word that they ought not to be performed Neither is the condition of a vow other than of an oth for séeing we be the Lords we cannot bind our selues to anie thing that is against his will euen as it is not permitted vnto men seruants by the ciuill lawe But this must chéeflie be regarded aboue all that before we doo make vowes and oblations we prouide to be iustified by faith for otherwise if we be enimies vnto GOD how can our gifts be acceptable vnto him For what a multitude of vnbeléeuers be there the which if respect should be had vnto gifts doo offer vnto God such as be excellent pretious and most déere vnto them and yet notwithstanding vnto him they are both vnacceptable and odious For we cannot estéeme those things as pleasant which we knowe doo procéed from an hatefull mind Yea and Esaie Esaie 1 13. in the name of God detested all the sacrifices of the Iewes when they disagréed from the true waie of godlines when notwithstanding the Lord had required in the lawe that those sacrifices should be offered vnto him And as Plato reporteth in Alcibiades Verie well did Homer write That the burnt sauours of the oblations and sacrifices which the Troians offered were not one whit acceptable vnto Iupiter bicause Priamus his people were hated of him ¶ These things are in the Commentaries vpon Genesis but of this whole chapter he wrote more largelie and more exactlie in his booke of vowes against Smith Of the Vow of the Nazarites 7 As touching the vow of the Nazarites In Iudges .13 at the beginning Numb 6. it is manifestlie set foorth in the sixt chapter of the booke of Numbers But those things which are there written may all be reduced to thrée principall points first that they should drinke no wine nor strong drinke nor anie thing that might make them droonke another was that they should not poll their head but all the time of their Nazariteship they should let their haire growe the third was that they should not violate themselues with funerall moornings no not at the death of their father or mother These things were to be obserued yet not for euer but for some certeine time onelie for they vowed themselues to be Nazarites onlie for a certeine number of daies moneths or years But wherefore God did institute these things there may be alledged manie causes First bicause men were so inclined to choose vnto themselues certeine kinds of life Wherefore God did institute this vow to the Nazarits by meanes whereof they might easilie fall into superstition Therefore God would after this maner bridle them As though he should haue said Wheras ye are thus prone to your owne indeuours and to inuent new waies of worshippings yet shall ye not doo what ye list your selues but ye shall doo that which I prescribe vnto you and so by making the lawe of a Nazarite he kept them in dooing their dutie But what is the meaning of these things They ought to kéepe their haire growing vntill the end of their vow for then while they were offering sacrifice and burning the flesh in the fier they cut off their haire and burned it in the same fier and from that time forward they were frée and returned to their old maner of life which also was common vnto other Others make it an allegorie An allegorie that when the haires were increased vertues also ought to increase in the mind But me thinketh there may be yéelded an other cause namelie that men should refraine from too much trimming and decking of their bodie for the clipping of the haire dooth serue verie much to the finenesse and trimming of the bodie For Paule saith in his epistle vnto the Corinthians verse 4. Vncomelie to let the haire grow the 11. chapter that For men it is a shame if they let their haire growe Although other reasons of other men are not to be contemned Cyrillus also and Procopius vpon the booke of Numbers Cyrill Procopius doo saie that These things were instituted by God to the intent he might call men backe from the idolatrous rites and worshipping of the Ethniks that that which they gaue vnto idols the Iewes might vouchsafe to bestowe vpon him So that whereas such men sacrificed vnto idols he would that these should rather sacrifice vnto himselfe not that God so much regardeth sacrifices but bicause he would withdrawe them from idolatrie We read that the Ethniks sometimes suffered their haire to growe bicause they would afterward consecrate the same either vnto the Nymphes or vnto Apollo wherefore Apollo was by them called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is A nourisher of the haire Yea and Theseus as it is written in Plutarch Plutarch went to Delphos there to dedicate his haire vnto Apollo And yong men also in Rome when they were past their childhood offered their haire and beards vnto some God Sophocles Sophocles writeth that Orestes put his haire in the tumbe of his father There might also be rendred an other cause which were not impertinent It behooued the Nazarits alwaies to be pure and although they were not of the tribe of Leuie yet they so behaued themselues all that time as though they had béene priests of the tribe of Leuie Leuit. 21 5. And in the 21. chapter of Leuiticus the Leuiticall priests were forbidden to poll their head which thing also may be perceiued by the sixt chapter of Baruch verse 3◠Ye shall see saith he priests in Babylon with their heads shauen and their garments cut and these were the priests of idols The Hebrues did not shaue their heads verse 7. So then we sée by the commandement of God that the priests of the Hebrues had not their heads shauen 8 In the booke of Numbers the sixt chapter God calleth the haires of the head a crowne or as other translate it a separation But contrariwise the
to good conuersation I am readie to alter the same I haue discoursed the more at large herof bicause it is a thing of great importance and it falleth out oftentimes in the holie scriptures And things are better vnderstood which be set downe to the full than such as are declared here and there by péecemeale VVe haue added these few things out of the like place vpon the first of Samuel the second chapter Looke part 1. place 15. Art 3. 38 Now there resteth that we speake of the verie will it selfe of God First of all I grant that the distinction which the schoolemen vse to make misliketh me not when as they affirme that the will signified is one and the will effectuall or as others write the well pleasing will is another The will signified is that which sheweth what we ought to doo The will â—…ified and the will efâ—…ctuall or what we ought to auoid for thereby we gather the iudgment and ordinance of God and that consisteth in the lawe in the commandements promises thretnings and counsels moreouer to this kind of will belongeth that saieng Thou art the God that wouldest not iniquitie Psal 5. 5. and 7. Ibidem 7. and that saieng also Thou hast hated lieng and iniquitie and all those testimonies by which it can be shewed that God would not haue sinnes And how I praie you can God be willing that sinnes should be séeing he hath made a lawe against them séeing he most seuerelie punisheth them séeing he hath planted in the minds of godlie men the abhorring of sinnes séeing for the taking away of sinne he suffered his owne welbeloued sonne to be put to death vpon the crosse Manie things are committed against the signified will of God But we must note that against this will of God which is called the will of the signe manie things be committed and doone The number is great of wicked men which contend against the lawe of God which disquiet preachers which slaie the prophets yea which in times past killed the sonne of God himselfe Neither must we omit that this is trulie so named That the will signified is the verie will of God Mat. 12 50. Deu. 10 12 and indéed the will of God séeing Christ saith He that dooth the will of my father the same is my mother my brother and my sister And it is written in Deuteronomie What other thing will God but that thou loue him and walke in his waies Moreouer the other will of God is that which is called mightie effectuall The effectuall will and according to his good pleasure which by no power can be vanquished and ouercome séeing it is written thereof that Whatsoeuer he would Psal 135. 6. Rom. 9 19. that hath he doone Of this will Paule saith Who is able to resist his will And surelie if there might be anie thing doone against Gods will and mind it would be weake and féeble These two wils are so distinct not as if they were two things and faculties which be placed in God séeing that act appéereth to be most absolute But forsomuch as God dooth not alwaies reueale his generall whole counsell vnto men for that is not néedfull What difference there is betweene these two wils séeing it hath béene enough for him to shew that which is sufficient for obteining of saluation thereof it coms that these two wils doo differ For what he hath by anie meanes declared that must be referred to his signified will and whatsoeuer he hath kept to himselfe as secret and hidden that apperteineth to his well pleasing will But to the end that this may be the easelier vnderstood it is méet to be shewed by plaine and notable examples God commanded Abraham that he should go to sacrifice his onelie sonne Isaac Gen 22 2 certeinelie in this precept was conteined his signified will for God shewed Abraham that he would onelie make a triall of his obedience and shewed him not that he would afterward let the sacrificing of Isaac which prohibition doubtlesse did followe afterward neither was his well pleasing will made manifest before Wherefore we may decrée that his well pleasing will and his signified will is all one but is in sundrie wise called according as it is knowne or vnknowne vnto vs. Besides this it was said vnto Ezechias Esaie 38 1. Set thine house in order seeing thou shalt now die Certeinlie there was no other waie in the king but death considering the force of his disease and course of nature and his death was the will of God as it might be perceiued both by a naturall signe and by the words of the prophet Yet bicause God of his mercie had decréed vpon his repentance teares to prolong life for manie yéeres this will of his was as well effectuall as well pleasing Ionas 3 4. A coniunction of the signified will with the effectuall Also by his signified will destruction after fortie daies was denounced vnto the Niniuites when as neuertheles God by his well pleasing will minded to forgiue them being penitent This will is ioined with the other for they which fall from the one doo light vpon the other and they which reiect that will of God whereby he publisheth his lawe his promises his thretenings and counsels doo run into that whereby sinners suffer punishment for their wicked offenses 39 Wherefore Augustine in his Enchiridion vnto Laurence the 101. chapter verie well saith That which God will haue doone is in anie wise doone either of vs or vpon vs of vs when we liue well vpon vs when we receiue punishment for sinnes committed And in the 102. chapter he saith that Sinners doo as much as in them lieth against the lawe of God but as touching his omnipotencie they cannot Yea and Gregorie wrote in his morals the 11. chapter and sixt booke Manie doo the will of God when they indeuour to change the same and in resisting they vnwittinglie obeie the counsell of God Also Ioseph answereth his brethren with this saieng Gen. 45 8. You sold me indeed but Gods purpose was to send me before you into Aegypt that I might prepare for you both food and safetie Moreouer this is the same will whereby God dooth predestinate his elect vnto eternall life the which as it is vnknowne vnto vs so the same being most mightie cannot be weakened By this distinction of Gods will we vnderstand sufficientlie what answer we ought to make Gen. 2 7. when it is obiected vnto vs that GOD made man a liuing soule and therefore would not that he should perish For we saie that this is true as touching his signified will for he offered vnto man a lawe promises thretenings and counsels which things if he had imbraced he had surelie liued But if we haue respect vnto that other mightie and effectuall will doubtles we cannot denie but he would haue men to perish For as we read in the 16. of Prouerbs Prou. 16
bicause if he did sinne he was to die But he would not that it should be lawfullie said This is mortall Therefore it shall vtterlie die Euen as we grant that our flesh is in such case as it may be wounded and yet it may come to passe that it shall not be wounded The bodie also of man as I may saie is in case to be sicke wheras neuerthelesse it chanceth manie times that some doo die before they be sicke Therefore he saith A similitude The garments and shooes of the Hebrues Deut. 29 5. that the state of Adams bodie was such as although he might die yet vnlesse sinne did happen he should be preserued from death by God euen as the garments and shoos of the Hebrues by the power of God were not consumed or worne by the space of fortie yéers in the wildernesse as we read in the 19. chapter of Deuteronomie And he thinketh Enoch and Elias that as concerning this condition Enoch and Elias haue now the state of Adams bodie bicause they be preserued from death yea whether they be susteined without meate or else doo vse such sustenance as God prepareth for them For the first man had meates wherewith he might be nourished and he did eate other fruits to withstand the defects of nature The tree of life was a remedie against oldnesse But the trée of life was against old age for by the same trée it came to passe that the decaid matter which was amended should be of no lesse goodnes and perfection than that which was lost But séeing the same commeth not to passe in vs we both are troubled with old age and at last death catcheth hold of vs. In Adam therfore there was a state of mortalitie but yet such as was to be swalowed vp by the benefit of God when he should at his due time be translated vnto the chéefe felicitie Whereby Augustine iudged that we may perceiue the greatnes of the benefit of Christ séeing he hath restored vs vnto more than Adam tooke from vs bicause that through Christ Augustine iudged that Christ restored more vnto vs than Adam tooke away not onelie life is restored vnto vs and death chased awaie but mortalitie also at the resurrection shall he taken awaie For we shall not be able to die which thing Paule teacheth when he writeth that This mortall shall put on immortalitie And that saieng vnto the Romans séemeth to make with this doctrine when he saith But if Christ doo dwell in vs Rom. 8 10. verelie the bodie is dead by reason of sinne In which place he saith not that our bodie is mortall through sin but is dead that is to saie subiect vnto death Afterward he addeth vers 11. His spirit which hath raised Christ from the dead shall quicken your mortall bodies This he spake of the resurrection wherin our bodies must be quickened which he called mortall but not dead that thou maiest vnderstand that not onelie death shall be taken from them but also that they shall be mortall no more And whereas the Pelagians thinke Death brought in by sinne cannot be vnderstood allegoricallie Rom. 5 12. that death is allegoricallie to be taken for the fall of soules it can in no wise be allowed séeing it is written in the fift to the Romans By one man sinne entered into the world by sinne death But if that onelie the death of soules he brought by Adam why did Paule expresse twaine who not onelie said Sinne but he also added Death Moreouer the testimonie of the booke of Genesis dooth most plainelie conuince them wherein mans punishment is thus recited Gen. 2 19. Earth thou art and into earth thou shalt returne Which saieng these men are constrained whether they will or no to ascribe vnto the death of the bodie vnlesse they dare affirme that our soules be fashioned of earth and into earth shall be dissolued And whereas they obiected Whence depended the preseruation of the first mans bodie Deut. 29 5. that we haue a bodie by nature compact of contraries if forceth not much bicause the same preseruation dooth not depend of nature but of God as the scriptures declare to be doone as touching the garments and shooes of the Hebrues But of what thing he meaneth death it cannot better be perceiued than by an Antithesis or comparing of it with the contrarie which is with life Life is of two sorts But life is of two sorts the one wherewith we be mooued to spirituall to diuine and to heauenlie good things and the same commeth to passe so long as we be ioined togither with God for vnlesse we be set on by the spirit of God we cannot procéed vnto those things which doo surpasse our owne nature Another life is wherewith we be mooued to pursue those good things which make to the preseruation of nature maintenance of our bodilie state Both of these liues Both the liues did death take awaie did death which was laid vpon vs for sinne take awaie For death is nothing else but a depriuing of life for so soone as euer man sinned he was turned awaie from God and so was forsaken of his grace and destitute of his fauour so that he was not able to aspire againe vnto eternall felicitie This bodilie life also may be said to be taken awaie through sinne How immediatelie after sinne came doth for immediatelie after sinne the beginnings and ministers of death inuaded man such be hunger thirst sicknes consumption of moisture and heate and the dailie quenching of life for all these things doo lead a man awaie to death And Chrysostome vpon Genesis Chrysost treating at large of this matter saith that The first parents so soone as they had sinned were dead foorthwith for the Lord foorthwith pronounced the sentence of death against them A similitude And euen as they which be condemned to die although they be reteined somewhile aliue in prison yet are reputed for dead euen so the first parents albeit through the benignitie of God they liued longer yet in verie truth they were dead by and by after that God denounced sentence against them Ambrose saith Ambrose that they were suddenlie oppressed with death bicause afterward they had no daie nor houre There is no houre wherein we are not subiect vnto death nor moment wherein they were not subiect vnto death Neither is there anie mortall man that can assure himselfe to liue the space of one houre Whereby it appéereth that both sorts of death was brought in by sinne So then we must beware that we consent not vnto them Death is not naturall vnto man which are woont to saie that death is naturall vnto man and as it were a certeine rest whereby the motion of life is interrupted In death there is a feele of Gods wrath Matt. 27 35. Iohn 21 18. Esaie 38 2. These sort of opinions must be left vnto the Ethniks for
alledged De frigidis maleficiatis Howbeit there be some which saie If he can find anie that will haue him to hir husband so he make knowne this imperfection hée may contract matrimonie with hir But what maner of marriage will that be when it is doone neither for procreation of children neither for auoiding of whooredome Vnto this they answer according to the saieng of Augustine which we read in the 27. cause question the first in the chapter Nuptâ—arum and it is written in the eight chapter De bono conâ—ugali In the old time marriage was an obedience of the lawe now it is for the redresse of our infirmitie and for the comfort of mankind But the place is ambiguous for the comfort of mankind may haue a respect vnto procreation of children sith thereby the parents conceiue no small pleasure wherin they delite themselues Howbeit at this daie they admit this kind of marriage and there be manie found which doo peaceablie liue togither They which intreat of these things haue considered that there is a great difference betwéene coldnesse and old age And they define that old age must neuer be driuen from marriage A lawe that forbad old age to marrie In ancient time was made the lawe called Papia or Papaea vnder Tiberius Caesar whereof Tranquillus in Claudio maketh mention and so dooth Lactantius whereby it was prouided that they which were past thrée score yéeres of age should not marrie wiues and that the women should not be married which did excéed the age of fiftie yéeres But these lawes were abolished by Iustinian as is to be found in the Code De nuptijs in the lawe Sancimus For this coldnesse is not in all persons alike Howbeit neither the lawes of emperours nor of bishops gaue libertie to them which were gelded men indéed to marrie Yet it behooueth that that coldnesse or diuelish practises which may dissolue matrimonie shuld be perpetuall For skilfull men doo sometime make a remedie for things which hurt but for a time Besides this it is necessarie Which be the verie impediments of matrimonie that the impediment be before the contracting of matrimonie for if they once become one flesh marriage is not vndoone Of this matter also wrote the Maister of the sentences in the fourth booke the 34. distinction 74 Now remaineth that we intreat particularlie of the matrimonie of Dauid And this will we first note that he was not mooued vnto that marriage of his owne accord neither of lust or of naughtie desire but by the aduise of his noble men and by the prudent counsell of physicians Neuerthelesse thou wilt saie that a naughtie aduise and a wicked must not be admitted This in verie déed is true but in this matter so far as may appéere neither lewdnes of mind nor naughtie desire can be prooued First old age nothing hindered but that the king might contract matrimonie who perhaps also was thought that as touching coldnesse he might be restored although not to the strength which he was woont to haue yet so as should be fit for his old bodie Certeinlie Abraham was restored when he was an hundred yéeres of age so that after the death of Sara he married another and by hir he did beget children Neither was there wanting naturall helps to Dauid wherewith the physicians thought they might restore him Moreouer if they declared vnto the damsell the old mans impediment and the same being knowen she gaue hir consent she susteined no iniurie It might be added that hir mind was persuaded by God that she should consent for the benefit of the whole kingdome Notwithstanding if she were mooued thereto by ambition the counsell had not béene good But to iudge rashlie of these points it standeth neither with our godlinesse nor yet with our authoritie Séeing these things might be doone of a sincere mind and by the will of GOD I thinke they ought rather to be taken in good part This dooth the historie teach that this damsell was not long with the king bicause within a while after he died howbeit his life which was verie necessarie for the Common-weale was prolonged for a while Yet thus much I will admonish that we néed not labour so much to excuse the fathers of blame who also ought not to be charged vnlesse the historie compell therevnto Neither will we passe it ouer that GOD vsed the occasion of this damsell to oppresse Adonias 1. King 2 17 and to establish the kingdome of Salomon The eleuenth Chapter Of Whoredome fornication adulterie and other noisome things which are contrarie to the seuenth commandement NOw I thinke it good to speake somwhat of whordome or fornication In Iud. 16 verse 4. For as there were manie in old time so now there are not a few which affirme that it is no sinne But I will prooue by the scriptures and by most certeine reasons that it is a gréeuous sinne They which extenuate this wicked crime doo ground vpon diuers arguments verse 20. First in the Acts of the apostls the 15. chapter when in those first times there arose a dissention among the Iewes and the Graecians it was by common assent decréed that the Ethniks should absteine from bloud from strangled from things offered vnto idols and from fornication Héere saie they whoredome is reckoned among those things which in their owne nature are not sinnes wherefore it appéereth that of it selfe it is not sinne For these things were then for a time decréed by the apostles that Christians might liue peaceablie together For No creature of God is euill as Paule vnto Timothie saith 1. Tim. 4 4. Furthermore they saie God would not command that which of it selfe is sinne but he bad Oseas the prophet to take vnto him an harlot Ose 2 1. and to beget children of fornication so that of it owne nature it séemeth not to be euill Moreouer euerie sinne is against charitie either against that charitie which we owe vnto God or else that which we owe vnto our neighbour But in whoredome or fornication there séemeth to be nothing committed against God for his honour and religion is not hurt neither also against our neighbour for there is no violence vsed against his wife neither is there anie wrongfull oppression committed Augustine Moreouer Augustine in his booke De bono coniugali writeth that as meate is vnto the bodie so is the bed for procreation But if a man eate and drinke a litle more than he ought he is not accused of sinne so likewise if a man doo straie a litle in the companie of women he is not to be iudged guiltie of sinne Lastlie those things which God hath forbidden as sinnes are so plaine and manifest that euen by the light of nature euerie one may vnderstand them to be sinnes but fornication in mans iudgement is not so accounted and manie thinke that it is no sinne Mitio in the Comedie in Terence saith Beléeue me it is no wicked
ought to haue gouerned well in his owne house 1. Tim. 3 4. But there was a suspicion of negligence séeing his wife did fall into adulterie If a clergie man had not reiected his wife when she fell into adulterie the Eliberine Councell gaue him no peace or fellowship with others during his life The Councell of Toledo decréed otherwise as we haue it in the Decrées 32. cause question the sixt in the chapter Placuit to wit that A clergie man whose wife did fall into adulterie might kéepe hir at home howbeit tied for certeine yéeres with a fasting that should serue to kéepe hir in health but not that should make hir to die In the Decrées the 81. distinction in the chapter Romanus the chapter Presbyter and the chapter Diaconus Adulterous ministers be vtterlie remooued from the ministerie And the Eliberine Councell did giue no peace vnto bishops priests or deacons being fallen into adulterie no not when they should die no more also did they to the common sort of men which had committed adulterie more than once or twise They found also another kind of remedie but that was in cases of suspicion In the Extrauagants De iudicijs in the chapter Significasti If a minister were suspected of adulterie and the crime could not be prooued Canonicall purgation they vsed the canonicall purgation namelie that he should find out other fiue ministers which would affirme by oth that they could not beléeue this of him But such it behooued these ministers to be as they might be sure would not forsweare themselues They vsed also another thing namelie that an adulterer should not contract matrimonie with the adulteresse if hir first husband had béene dead But this they vnderstood conditionallie if so be they had contracted while the other spouse were aliue or had conspired the death of the husband A decree of Iustinian There resteth to declare what we are to thinke of the decrée of Iustinian As touching that that a woman after she were beaten should be driuen into a monasterie and not be punished with death as an adulterer I perceiue not by what reason that might be prooued The crime belongeth vnto both as well to the man as to the woman why then is the punishment vnlike The sinne of the woman dooth no lesse staine the familie than the sinne of the man yea and that more Perhaps it will be said that she is weake but if that reason should take place no woman ought to be punished with death Wherefore vnder correction of so notable a man the inequalitie of the punishment can hardlie be allowed but I thinke he did this in fauour of the bishops Moreouer he is blamed insomuch as he ordeined that If a husband shall not demand his wife againe within two yéeres or else that he die she should be constreined to liue continuallie in the monasterie without marriage Vndoubtedlie that is against the holie scriptures What if she be incontinent as she gaue a token thereof by reason of the crime of adulterie If so be that the magistrate grant life vnto a malefactor he ought also to grant those things which perteine to a godlie life Otherwise what profit commeth by putting hir awaie vnlesse it be to make hir woorse I haue declared what I thinke concerning the decrée of Iustinian 30 Now let vs come vnto the other question namelie Whether women doo sinne in adulterie more greeuouslie than men whether a man and a woman doo sinne the one as gréeuouslie as the other in the case of adulterie and whether they both are to be driuen vnto one punishment so that in all respects they should be in all things equall Vnto verie manie it hath not so séemed good and that verelie for diuers causes They would haue the case to be more gréeuous touching women than touching men and the causes which lead them thereto are these First bicause they perceiued that the ciuill lawes doo admit no accusation of the husband against his wife or of the father against his daughter but not so of the woman although she take hir husband with the shamefull act and haue witnesses of the same as we haue in the Code within the title Ad legem Iuliam de adulterijs in the first lawe Wherefore they in old time accounted the fault to be more gréeuous in the woman Also they weigh this that a woman being taken is straitwaie infamous but a man must be first accused and condemned before that he be stained with infamie Thirdlie it was sometime lawfull before the lawe Iulia for husbands to kill their wiues as Cato testifieth in the place aboue recited The lawe saith he is to slaie hir that is taken But it is not lawfull for hir to touch thée once with hir finger if she perceiue thée to commit adulterie Herevnto Plautus pleasantlie alluded in the comedie Mercator In verie déed women are here bound to ouer-streict a lawe as Plutarch vpon the life of Romulus reporteth that it was lawfull for the husband to put awaie his wife for adulterie but not so on the contraie part Which lawe séemed also to like Constantine as we read in the Theodosian Code De adulterijs in the chapter Placuit Let the husband saith he put awaie his wife for adulterie but let not hir doo the same vnto hir husband though he be an effeminate person or a muliercularian For this terme he vseth Also they héerby consider of an inequalitie for that the woman if she kept ill companie with an other mans bond-man she was made a bond-woman but it is not taught that it was so doone vnto men if they sinned against bond-women Moreouer they saie that lust is alwaies counted to be more shamefull in women and that therfore the crime should be more gréeuous in them Further they suppose that a man although he liue in matrimonie if he kéepe ill companie with others being loose or single women as they call them he committeth not adulterie when as on the contrarie part a woman being married may haue fellowship with no man but she falleth into adulterie And they alledge that which Suetonius writeth vpon the life of Vespasian that he caused the Senate to decrée that a frée-woman which ioined hir selfe with bond-men should be constrained to bondage but decréed not so touching men Howbeit this and the fift argument is all one There is an other argument taken Ex Orificiano out of the Code in the lawe Illustris that It is a farre more shamefull thing for a woman to haue bastards that is by one which is not a lawfull husband than it is for a man to haue bastards Ecclesiasticus is alledged which in the 7. 24. 26. chapters verse 26. verse 13. speaketh manie things of the custodie which the father ought to haue of his daughters for the conseruation of their chastitie but speaketh nothing of his men children They also consider this that A woman being taken in adulterie looseth hir dowrie and
vnproperlie according to the common prouerbe A straieng toong telleth truth He was the child of death for they were capitall faults which he had committed and he should restore eight fold that is he should paie much Trulie it séemeth verie hard to punish theft with death The lawe in some case staieth a theefe Exod. 22 2. Neuerthelesse we must consider that in that lawe of Exodus this was ordeined that if a théefe had come armed in the night with intent to steale anie thing awaie it should be lawfull to kill him and that without danger In this case when it is said that the rich man dooth take awaie from the poore man his one onlie lambe there séemeth to be a violence vsed and not a fraud It is no maruell therefore if the punishment be augmented and he iudged woorthie of death Foure fold restitution And as for the restoring of foure fold we haue not onelie a lawe but also the example of Zachaeus Luke 19 8. in the 19. of Luke If I haue taken ought from anie man by deceit he saith to Christ I restore him foure fold Seuen fold restitution He saith not I restore him double but to shew his dutie the more he chose to himselfe the straiter punishment Againe there is a place in the sixt of the Prouerbs verse 30. where Salomon saith that A theefe which is taken shall restore seuen fold In which place it may be gathered as it séemeth that it was in the power of iudges to increase the punishment for at this time théeues did restore seuen fold Some answer that it was not there meant of anie precise number in the restitution of things taken awaie but that a théefe should be compelled to make a perfect restitution In that place he compareth the sinne of theft and adulterie togither and would shew and declare adulterie to be the greater If a théefe haue no other intent but to satisfie hunger it redoundeth not to his shame If he be taken he is compelled to yéeld againe that which he hath taken awaie If he be taken in adulterie he is punished with death Whether Dauid were punished aboue foure fold 2. Sam. 16 22. 2. Sam. 12 18. 13 28. 18 14. and 1. Kin. 2 25. Touching the restitution of foure fold it maie séeme that Dauid was punished not onelie to the proportion of foure fold but of aboue eight fold For his ten concubines were defiled by Absalom And although himselfe was not slaine yet was he reserued to great afflictions For foure of his sonnes were consumed first he whom he had by Bethsaba then Amnon afterward Absalom lastlie Adonias 3 The crime of stealing awaie of seruants In Gen. 37 verse 25. The crime of stealing awaie of seruants punished by death Deut. 24 7. Exo. 21 16. Gen. 37 28. Matt. 27 5. or children and selling of them was by the ciuill lawe punished with death as it is in the 48. booke of the Digests and in Deuteronomie the 24. chapter The punishment which God appointed for the same doth yet declare the grieuousnes of the crime For this fault the Hebrues confesse that they were manie yeares togither vexed by Pharao in Aegypt Assuredlie the selling of Christ draue Iudas to hang himselfe and in the end wrought confusion both to those that bought him and to the whole kingdome In the booke Zahor wherein be praiers which the Iewes repeat in the daie of Purification when they fast for the satisfaction of their sinnes there is mention made of ten Rabbins of great name the which were slaine by Caesar Adrianus For Caesar demanded of them what punishment their lawe tooke of such as should be found guiltie of stealing frée men awaie and selling them Who wiselie answered out of Deuteronomie 24 7. that they were woorthie of death Wherevpon the Emperor put them to death laieng to their charge that they were guiltie of this crime But what frée man it was that he charged them to haue sold it is not there expressed Yet in their Thalmud to the end to slander Christ when they make a declaration of this fact they saie it was Ioseph And least they should séeme to speake against all reason or likeliehood that after so manie ages these men should be punished for a wickednesse so long before committed they speake more absurdlie that soules remooue from one to another and therefore that the soules of the ten brethren of Ioseph did remooue into these ten Rabbins and that for this cause they were punished after such a manner Of well dooing and Hospitalitie 4 There is a notable place in the first to the In 1. Cor. 16. verse 4. Corinthians The communitie of things among the Anabaptists is confited Looke in the booke De votis pag. 79. put foorth at Basil the 16. chapter wherein we be taught beneficence and liberalitie By the which and by such like the Anabaptists which declare that among christians all things ought to be common be confuted For if their opinion were true there had béene no néed to exhort the faithfull to distribute almes vnto the poore for euerie one might take from whom he would But forsomuch as the holie scriptures commend almes vnto vs they shew plainlie that euerie one is a possessor of his owne goods although he be bound to communicate with his néedie neighbour of the fruit and profit which commeth of the same We sée also in the same place that the church of Corinth resisted not Paule in saieng What tellest thou vs of the Ierosolomits Haue not we poore people of our owne with vs whom we ought to find and reléeue Suffer vs to distribute our owne goods among our owne poore But when they had heard Paule determine that it was not inough that euerie church should find their owne poore but is also bound to reléeue the brethren of other churches if their abilitie serue they were readie to giue their consent Charitie must be doone in order yet not to be too strait laced For although that charitie ought to be doone in due order yet must it not be so strait laced as it should haue respect onelie vnto them that be hir owne In déed we ought to begin with such as be our owne but we are not there to make a staie Furthermore in distributing of almes there must be a consideration had of the honestie of those that be in néed Wherefore Paule said vnto the Galathians Gal. 6 10. Let vs doo well vnto all men especiallie vnto those which be of the houshold of faith Besides this there must be a speciall consideration had of them touching whom the word of GOD hath giuen expresse commandement as are the father the mother the wife the children and the ministers of the church Thirdlie necessitie must be regarded for otherwise there happen cases sometimes wherein our helpe cannot be deferred with a safe conscience in which time both father mother and the rest vnto whom we are
to be doone And yet notwithstanding God foreknew that it might haue béene doone and although it should neuer come to passe yet was it not hindered by foreknowledge but that it was possible Wherefore as the foreknowledge of God letteth not possibilitie so likewise it taketh not awaie contingencie and libertie 53 This necessitie of infalliblenes is not onelie declared and prooued by the holie scriptures and by resons as we haue now shewed but also is acknowledged of the fathers Origin against Celsus in his second booke against the argument of Celsus which he obiected against the christians saieng Your Christ at his last supper foretold as ye saie that he should be betraied of one of his disciples Matt. 26 21. if he were God as ye counted he was could not he let the dooing thereof Origin here woondereth answereth that this obiection is verie ridiculous for forsomuch as he foretold that that should come to passe if he had letted it then had he not spoken the truth and therefore he added that it was of necessitie neither could it otherwise be but that the same should come to passe which was foretold Howbeit bicause that this foretelling changed not the will of Iudas therefore he is woorthilie accused neither ought the blame to be laid vpon Christ which foretold it Origin in that place acknowledgeth the one and the other namelie the necessitie of certeintie and the nature of will not letted Ambrose also interpreting these words of Paule Iacob haue I loued Rom. 9 13. but Esau haue I hated referreth the sentence of the apostle to works foreséene and yet addeth that it could not otherwise haue come to passe but as God foresawe that it should come to passe Chrysostome also expounding that which is written vnto the Corinthians 1. Co. 11. 19. It behooueth that heresies should be confesseth that this necessitie is a necessitie of foretelling which is nothing preiudiciall vnto the power of our will choise Neither is this necessitie taken awaie by certeine places in the scriptures which otherwise at the first sight séeme to affirme a change to be in the mind of God as is that of Esaie when he threatened to Ezechias the king 2. Kings 20. 1. and 5. The certeintie of the foreknowledge of God is constant is not changed Ionas 3 4. and 10. Esaie 38 1. present death which prophesie neuertheles God séemed to change when he prolonged his life fiftéene yéeres And to the citie of Niniuie it was foretold that it should be destroied within fortie daies which neuerthelesse came not to passe Those things in verie déed make nothing against the truth before taught for God foretold vnto Ezechias his death which was euen at hand according to the causes of the disease whereof he was then sicke and therein was made no lie But as touching foreknowledge as GOD foreknew that the king should be in danger of that most deadlie disease euen so foreknew he that his life should be prolonged fiftéene yéeres And as he foreknew that the sinnes of the Niniuits deserued present destruction euen so likewise foreknew he that of his mercie he would giue vnto them to repent and to be saued By the verie which rule is to be expounded that place of Ieremie verse 8. in the 18. chapter wherein God saith that He also would change his mind or repent him of the plague which he had threatened vnto anie citie nation or kingdome if they would repent But what shall we saie of Paule who writeth to the Corinthians that He chastised his bodie 1. Cor. 9 27. Why Paulr chastised his bodie and brought it into bondage that he might not be a reprobate What ment he to change that firme purpose of God Verelie Paule ment not that he was able to inuert the order of the predestination or reprobation of God The saints worke well to the end they may be obedient to predestination and therefore he said not Lest I become a reprobate but Lest I be reprooued for he minded by all industrie and carefulnesse to be obedient to the predestination of God For they which are predestinated vnto eternall life studie to mortifie the flesh And he said that he would not become reprooued that is he would not be found and accused to lead his life otherwise than he preached which kind of vice all men disallow detest and condemne Wherfore in that place was not intreated of the reprobation of God but of that kind of crime It is dishonestie for a man to giue good admonitions and to liue wickedlie which they are guiltie of whosoeuer giue good monitions and in the meane time they themselues lead their life most wickedlie Although if a man will néeds refer these things to the iudgement of God he might well grant the same as touching present iustice or iniustice but not according to firme purpose wherof we at this present intreate 54 Cicero a man otherwise full of wit and of good literature verie well deseruing was excéedinglie deceiued in this question as it is euident by his second booke De diuinatione Which thing Augustine declareth in his fift booke De ciuitate Dei the ninth and tenth chapters For he thought it vnpossible that the foreknowledge of things to come should not ouerthrowe the facultie or power of mans will Ciceros opinion repugnant to our religion therfore he tooke awaie all maner of predestination or foretelling Which opinion how much repugnant it is to our religion all men vnderstand séeing it is staid vpon the oracles of the prophets God reuealeth to the prophets things that he will doo Amos. 3 7. Gen. 6 3. Gen. 1◠17. as vpon sure foundations And it is written that God did neuer anie thing which was of anie weight but he first reuealed it vnto the prophets He shewed vnto Noe the destruction that should come by the floud long time before it came to passe Vnto Abraham he foreshewed the burning of Sodoma and vnto him he signified the oppression and deliuerance of his posteritie in Aegypt Gen. 15 13. And in a maner vnto the selfe-same prophets he gaue charge to foretell the captiuitie of Babylon Ier. 25 verse 8 and 12. and the returne from thence He also commanded all the prophets to prophesie The authoritie of the prophets is constant that Christ should come And therefore vnto vs so constant is the authoritie of prophesies that to denie it is vtterlie to ouerthrowe all religion Wherefore Augustine not without iust cause said that Those men which were called Genethliaci If we denie GOD the foreknowledge of things we denie him to be God Psal 14 1. which auouched the fatall necessities of the stars were more tollerable than Cicero for they gaue some place vnto God But if he be denied to foreknowe things to come thereby also is he denied to be God Dauid saith The foolish man said in his hart There is no God Which saieng he sheweth
the bodie of Abraham was dead and also the wombe of Sara In which words Chrysostome saith are laid the foundations of our resurrection which we beléeue shall come For if God were able to doo these things then can there be no want in him either of meanes or power to restore the dead to life againe What faith confirmed Abraham to obeie God And vndoubtedlie I am persuaded that this faith was no small helpe vnto Abraham for moouing of him to sacrifice his sonne according as God had required at his hands For though he had receiued the promise that he should haue posteritie by Isaac yet he sawe that although he were slaine yet there was place still remaining for that promise for he beléeued that God was able to raise him vp although he were slaine and make him to liue againe And how praise-woorthie the faith of that patriarch was Paule declareth when hée saith that he had not a regard vnto his owne dead bodie or to the dead wombe of Sara but gaue the glorie vnto God being most assuredlie persuaded that God was able to performe and bring to passe whatsoeuer he had promised Ambrose by an Antithesis or contrarie position declareth the excellencie of this faith for hée compareth it with the incredulitie of Zacharie Luke 1 18. vnto whom when the angel shewed of the birth of Iohn Baptist yet he remained still in vnbeléefe and therefore he was reprooued of the Lord and his toong so tied that he could not declare it which punishment was verie conuenient for that offense for they which beléeue not doo neither speake nor confesse Abraham considered with himselfe Although I am now by nature past child getting and am become barren yet the power and might of God is not subiect vnto the impediments of creatures for God can beyond the accustomed maner and course of nature bring to passe whatsoeuer hée will Wherefore although I by mine abilitie cannot beget a child yet God can make his promise excellent with a miracle whereby he may excéed the order of nature The Rabbins of the Hebrues saie that Abram begetteth not but Abraham begetteth bicause saie they therin is put the aspiration He being a letter perteining to the name Tetragrammaton As if it should haue béene said The power of God being added he which could not beget now begetteth children Augustine in his questions vpon Genesis thinketh that this place of the apostle is not absolutelie to be vnderstood for we read that after the death of Sara Abraham had manie children by his wife Chetura Gen. 25 1. which he afterward married And he addeth that the opinion of naturall philosophers is that men of great yéeres cannot beget children of old women but yet they may of yoong maidens Wherefore he thinketh that in this place we must vnderstand that the bodie of Abraham was dead as touching Sara his wife which was now ninetie yéeres old But this exposition hath no such assured cause to compell vs to thinke it to be true for in that Abraham begat children of Chetura Sara being now dead that might come by this meanes that God had now besides the order of nature restored strength vnto him for begetting of children Neither maketh that anie thing to the purpose which Origin affirmeth who vpon this place writeth that the bodie of Abraham is vnderstood to be dead bicause he now liued chastelie with his wife neither had he anie more fellowship with hir But he commendeth him for that when he had receiued the aduertisement of GOD that he should haue issue by his wife he againe went in vnto hir These things as it appéereth be deuised of his owne head for they cannot be gathered by the historie Now the apostle is in hand to commend the faith of Abraham for that he constantlie gaue assent vnto the promise of God although as well his owne nature as his wiues were vtterlie against it Whether Abraham doubted when a child was promised him verse 17. Both Abraham Sara laughed 7 But whether Abraham anie thing doubted when God promised vnto him a child the scripture séemeth to leaue in suspense for in the 17. chapter of Genesis it is written that hée laughed and said Shall a child be borne to one of an hundred yeeres of age And shall Sara bring foorth a child being ninetie yeeres of age I would to God Ismael might liue in thy sight These words haue a shew both of ioie and of admiration yet neuertheles being ioined with some doubting And for this cause dooth this scripture make mention of these things that the faith of Abraham which is so highlie commended should in no wise be thought to haue béene without mistrusts which are accustomed to spring of the flesh and humane sense but bicause the faith of the Patriarch ouercame these mistrusts therefore it is praised Neither doo we read there Gen. 18 12. that Abraham was accused of incredulitie by God as Sara was who in like maner laughed and if a man weigh the outward laughter they were both alike but God which is the searcher of the harts vnderstood right well the faith of either of them Holie men although they beléeued the promises of God yet sometime The saints to confirme their faith sometime required miracles Iudg. 6 17. 2 King 20 8 A remedie against a weake faith through humane weaknes were in some doubt and thereof it came oftentimes to passe that they required signes and miracles for strengthening of their imbecillitie Which thing we read of Gedeon and king Ezechias But in this place is shewed a remedie against such temptations namelie that we should call our thoughts back from earthlie impediments and fire our eies onelie vpon the power of God Of this thing the angel admonished the blessed virgin saieng Nothing shall be impossible with God Luke 1 37. Whether the blessed virgin doubted Although it appéere not by the words of the virgin that she doubted but onelie she asked how that should come to passe For she doubted not but that as the angel had told hir she should conceiue and that straitwaie but bicause she sawe that she was not as yet coupled in matrimonie although she were betrothed she demanded how that should come to passe whether she should wait till she were ioined in matrimonie or whether it should by anie other meanes come to passe Wherefore the angel in his answer comprehendeth two principall points The one is that by the same he might remooue mistrust if anie such had peraduenture stucke in the virgins mind for he saith With God nothing shall be impossible The second point is of the maner of conceiuing The holie Ghost saith he shall come vpon thee and the power of the highest shall ouershadowe thee But whereas some feigne that she asked this bicause she had vowed hir virginitie vnto God this néeds no long confutation speciallie The blessed virgin made no vow séeing we are by the historie it selfe taught that
growne to such a number as they haue gotten the vpper hand of the physicians art if it be wounded if it be torne if it be fired if it hunger and be pressed with miseries and calamities finallie if it be ill handled with penurie and beggerie how can it otherwise be but the mind will be mooued troubled and gréeued These and manie other things doo sufficientlie shew that we are past all hope of absolute felicitie while we liue in this world 3 This haue diuers men noted and therfore haue referred the inioieng of perfect happinesse to another life but they thought that the same must onelie be attributed vnto the soule yea and they iudged that the bodie if it should be reuoked would be an impediment thereto And with this error was infected Marcion Basilides the Valentinians the Manicheis The error of them which said there are two beginnings of things a good god and an euill god and such other pestiferous sects who affirmed that there were two beginnings of things namelie a good god and an euill And séeing they thought the euill god to be the author of visible creatures they said also that he was the maker of the bodie and of flesh and that therefore the soule being seuered from these things after death should be happie and that there should be no néed of them to be restored againe which doo hinder and not further felicitie The same opinion had they which thought that the soule is ioined to the bodie An error about the coupling togither the soule with the bodie A similitude as a mariner is coupled to the ship and as a thing moouing vnto that which it mooueth and therefore they affirmed that it would not come to passe that the soule after this life shuld be ioined againe vnto his bodie For euen as the shipman or they which mooue and put forward anie burdens when they be rid of their businesse and haue gotten wealth inough doo not returne againe to their former labors so did they thinke that soules being once put awaie from the laboursome gouernment of bodies should not returne againe But they erre excéedinglie for the soule must not so be adioined to the bodie How they be trulie ioined togither for it is the forme and perfection thereof and of both being ioined togither is made one person So then there is left remaining in soules after death a vehement disposition to take vnto them their bodies againe Which Plato séemed not to be ignorant of nor yet Pythagoras for either of them said that There is * 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a passage of soules frō one bodie into another For as they would haue it soules after death are remooued into other bodies And bicause they returned not to the selfe-same againe that was rather said to be an alteration of place than a resurrection 4 But what maner of resurrection soeuer they haue appointed which haue taught Resurrection after the reuolution of the great yeare that after the great yéere or perfect reuolution of the heauens all things shal be restored as they now be so that thirtie six thousand yéeres hence we shall become euen the same both in number and in verie déed that we now be so that I my selfe shall teach in this place you sitting here in such sort as I now teach and you being present The reason of this opinion is astronomicall For they will haue it as Ptolome taught that that highest or be of the heauens comprehendeth in it thrée hundred thrée score and six degrées and that euerie starre doth euerie hundred yéeres passe ouer one of those degrées whereby it should come to passe that after thirtie six thousands yéeres euerie starre should returne to the point from whence it was loosed and began his motion And séeing the state or situation of the celestiall bodies was then euen in the same maner that it was from the beginning they thinke that all things shall returne to the same forme in which they then were I knowe there were some of them which prolong this restitution of all things not to six and thirtie but to fortie thousand yéeres howbeit this their reckoning is not allowed But ridiculous and vaine is each opinion and is confuted by Aristotle who affirmeth earnestlie that it can not be that the things which perish and decaie in the meane time should returne to the verie selfe same in particularities whatsoeuer space of time you will admit in the meane season Howbeit these men might lie without controllment for who can reprooue them after thirtie six thousand yéeres especiallie séeing from the beginning of the world vnto this daie six thousand yéeres are not yet finished I passe it ouer that such a kind of deuise is repugnant to the truth bicause the resurrection of the dead dependeth not of celestiall bodies nor of starres nor of degrées of the firmament but vpon the will of the high GOD. Besides this the holie scriptures doo shew that by the last resurrection eternall life shall be giuen vnto them that be dead so as they shall die no more But such a life cannot be loked for of celestiall bodies Moreouer the blessednes of saints would not be firme and stedfast when they should consider that they must be thrust foorth againe vnto the same trauels and miseries which they suffred before whiles they were héere Wherfore men haue verie much erred touching the resurrection of the dead The error of the Saduces Act. 23 8. The error of the Libertins 2. Tim. 2 17. The error of Hymeneus and Philetus And among the Hebrues were the Saduces who beléeued that there were no spirits and denied the resurrection of the dead At this daie also there be Libertines which make a iest at it and the resurrection which is spoken of in the scriptures they onelie referre vnto the soules And in the time of Paule there liued Hymenaeus Philetus who affirmed that the resurrection of the dead was euen then past whose doctrine as the apostle saith was like a canker that hath a wide fret for the minds of the vnlearned are easilie corrupted with such peruerse opinions 5 An other reason for the which God will restore the life of the bodies of them that be dead dependeth of his perfect iustice the which is not in this life declared Where we sée that for the most part the wicked doo florish in power and dignities and that they be gentlie vsed but on the other side that godlie and honest men be hardlie intreated and be in danger of most gréeuous displeasures which things vnlesse there shuld remaine an other hope might séeme to be vniust neither also would it be iustlie doone if the soule onelie should be either blessed or tormented with punishments séeing it hath had the bodie with it a companion in executing of actions as well good as bad Therefore it is méet that togither with the bodie it should haue experience both of ioies and paines séeing it did
Egyptians Arabians Phoenicians are circumcised And he thinketh that they did it because they thought that by such first fruites of their bloud are driuen awaie euill spirits to the end that they should not hurt him which is circumcised So the Diuell hath alwaies gone about to corrupt the sacraments of God The deuill to his power corrupteth the sacraments of God For it was superstition to ascribe the power of saluation or of the deliuerie from Sathan vnto the nature of bloud shed forth And at this daie the Iewes séeme not to be farre from this kinde of foolishnesse A fond custome of the Hebrewes in circumcising of their children For while they circumcise the infant there standeth one by with a little vessell full either of earth or of dust whereinto they thrust the foreskinne being cut off as though the diuell might séeme by that meanes to haue his meate For the Lord said vnto the serpent euen straightway at the beginning Vpon thy breast shalt thou creepe and earth shalt thou eate They séeme to thinke that the diuell hauing thus gotten his meate departeth from the childe and will not trouble him any more Amongst the Ethnicks also as the same Ambrose affirmeth was circumcision corruptly obserued after another manner The Egâ—ptians circuÌ„cised their children the 14. yeâ—re Gen. 17. 25 For the Egyptians circumcised not in the eight day as God had commanded but in the 14. yeare in so much as Ismael at that age receiued circumcision Which maner also it is most likely that the Arabians followed For at this day the Turkes are likewise circumcised at that age The Egyptians circuÌ„cised their women at the age of 14. yeere although the Egyptians as the same Ambrose affirmeth were woont also to circumcise their women kinde and that in the 14. yeere as they did their male children And for the same they vsed this reason because they might signifie therby that lust must be restrained which in both kinds at that age beginneth very much to be kindled The women kinde of the Hebrewes perished not in dying vncircumcised But God commaunded that onely the male kinde should be circumcised And yet were not the women of the Hebrewes therefore counted either strangers from the Church or from the couenant For they are alwayes numbred together with the men They that are vnmaried with their fathers and the married with their husbands 22 There haue bin some which by deceitful arguments haue spoken ill of circumcision A cauil against circumcision after a sort reprooued the God of the olde Testament For first they said that the foreskinne which was cut off is either according to the nature of the body or else it is against the nature thereof If it be according to the nature why would God haue it to bée cut off If it be against the nature why doeth God suffer it to growe Ambrose in his 77. Epistle to Constantius answereth that that foreskinne is according to the nature of our bodie but it is not absurd that those things which are agréeable with our body or our flesh be cut off if the spirit may thereby bée holpen Which wée perceiue to bée done in fastings and other mortification of the flesh and in bearing of the Crosse which God hath laide vpon all the faithfull In which we are compelled to suffer many things against the flesh Further they say that God feared awaie the other nations from the law of Moses An other Cauill when he laide vpon them this yoke of circumcision Which if it had bin away manie strangers and outward nations would haue come vnto the religion of the Hebrewes But after the selfe same maner also they might cauill against Christ himself for that he séemed to fraie away the world from his religion partly by reason of the seueritie of his doctrine and partly by reason of the persecutions and Martyrdome which in the first time the most part of the faithfull were like to suffer But they which truely pertaine to the number of the elect doe in no wise start backe for the difficultie of the calling But they which goe backwarde were not of vs and therefore they are fallen awaie Why God would haue them to be circumcised being yet Infants They maruell also why God woulde in so tender an age haue such a ceremonie exercised which might oftentimes bring weake little bodies into daunger That euerie age is méete for a Sacrament As touching age saieth Ambrose As euery age is subiect vnto sinne so likewise it is méete for the sacrament And that Infants are subiect vnto sin their diseases weepings paines and deaths abundantlie declare And if peraduenture they were brought in daunger of their life yet was there no cause why they should complaine forasmuch as they ought the same all wholly vnto God And yet as they write verie fewe haue by that occasion died And that paine and daunger brought some vtilitie Why God would the children to be afflicted with such a wound and with paine A similitude For euen as valiant souldiors when they remember that they haue before suffered many things for that they should not flie awaie are the more animated to stande by it least they should dishonour those scarres and woundes which they before suffered rather than they would forsake their place and standing So would God that the Hebrewes being now of full age and at mans state should defend the profession of their lawe euen against all daungers when they called to remembrance that for religions sake they had bin wounded euen from their infancie But nowe he saieth Circumcision is worthily refused of Christians For that séeing Christ hath shed his bloud the price of our redemption there is now no néede that euery particular man should priuately shed his owne bloud And as touching the Sacrament of Circumcision these things we thinke sufficient for this present purpose The eight Chapter Of Baptisme Baptising of Infantes and holinesse of Infants In Rom. 6. ver 5. A large and ample definition of Baptisme Looke In 1. Cor. 1. 17. BAptisme is a signe of regeneratioÌ„ into Christ into his death I meane and resurrection which succéeded in the place of Circumcision consisting of the fountaine of water in the worde wherein in the name of the Father and of the Sonne and of the holie Ghost remission of sinnes and shedding out of the holie Ghost is offered and by a visible Sacrament we are grafted into Christ into the Church and the right vnto the kingdome of heauen is sealed vnto vs and wee on the otherside professe that wee will die vnto sinne and from thence forwarde liue vnto Christ That the members or parts of this definition may the better be vnderstood we will plainelie set them foorth All Sacraments are called signes First it is called a signe which worde that it is common vnto Baptisme and vnto all the Sacraments it is prooued hereby because Paul in the
ouerthrowe heretikes I on the other part say that vnlesse wee vse figures as it appeareth in those things which we haue cited a little before the Heretickes haue the ouer hand For they also will vrge the proper sense that sense I meane which straightwaie offereth it selfe Onely this remaineth to shewe that such a phrase and figuratiue spéeche is verie often in the holy scriptures Such figuratiue speeches as this are most familiar in the scriptures Luke 8. 11. and this will easilie be doone Wee reade that The seede is the word of God The rocke was Christ Albeit I knowe some doe cauill 1. Cor. 10. 4 and woulde no figure to be héere also because Paul tended his spéeche vnto the spirituall rocke which they say is Christ verilie and not figuratiuelie Howbeit Augustine and Origen bee on our side who plainely say that the same outward Rocke signified Christ But least we might séeme to shift off that which is obiected wée say that if they will vnderstand The spirituall Rocke let them also in this place vnderstand spirituall and allegoricall bread and as touching the same wee shall truely and without figure confesse it to be Christ Moreouer the Lord said I haue chosen you twelue and one of you is a Diuell Iohn 6. 70. yet was not Iudas therefore transubstantiated into a diuell Of Circumcision it is written My Couenant shall be in your flesh Ioh. 17. 13. whereas the Circumcision is not the couenant but onely a signe of the Couenant Verse 20. In the 33. Chapter of Genesis it is shewed that Iacob builded an Aultar which he called the mightie God of Israel Exo. 17. 15. And Moses in Exodus after the victorie against Amaleck called the Aultar which he builded Iehouahnesi Ier. 23. 6. God my banner and Ieremie maketh mention of a Citie that was called Iehouah Zidkenu God our righteousnesse because these shoulde bee Monuments of those things which they expressed in names Iohn 5. 35. Of Iohn Baptist it is written that he was a burning and a shining Candle also Mat. 17. 12 he is Helias if ye will receiue him Christ saieth of himselfe Iohn 15. 1. I am the vine and ye bee the branches Iohn 10. 7. 1. Pet. 2. 6. I am the doore Of himselfe also it is written that Hee is a stone set for a ruine and resurrection Deu. 12. 23. In Deuteronomie The bloud is the life Whereas it is that wherewith the life is preserued and signified Gen. 37. 37 Of Ioseph his brother Iudas saide Let him not be slaine he is our flesh By which phrase of spéech was signified the naturall coniunction of kindred 1. Co. 10. 17 Paul saieth That manie be one bread which we must vnderstand figuratiuelie And Christ breathed vpon his Disciples and saide Ioh. 20. 22. Receiue ye the holie Ghost Yet is not the breathing transubstantiated into the holie Ghost In Genesis Gen. 6. 3. My spirit shall not abide in man because he is flesh And in Iohn The word became flesh Iohn 1. 14. wherein is the figure Synecdoche for the whole man is vnderstoode vnder the name of flesh And the Lorde vppon the Crosse saide Woman behold thy sonne Ioh. 19. 26. and to the Disciple Behold thy mother yet were they not transubstantiated they remained the same that they were before but there was appointed a new order a new relation and respect to be had betwéene them Of Christ it is said That he is our peace Ephe. 2. 14. whereas he is onlie the cause of our peace Againe Iohn 6. 62. My words be spirit and life whereas they only signified or brought these things vnto the beléeuers Iohn 1. 29. Iohn said of Christ Behold the lamb of God yet was not his nature changed into the nature of a Lambe 36 We reade euerie where in the holie scriptures Psal 19. 10. Psal 105. 5. 118. v. 13 that the wordes of the Lorde are iudgement trueth righteousnesse whereas these things be therein onely signified and expressed And this similitude doeth excellently well agrée with the sacraments which are said to be visible wordes Wee haue in the Apocalips I am Alpha and Omega that is Apoc. 1. ◠the beginning and ende of all things And Paul saieth of his Gospell which he preached It is the power of God to saluation vnto euerie one that beleeueth Rom. 1. 16 whereas it is onelie the instrument whereby the power of God declareth it selfe vnto men that shall be saued And as touching the Gospell of the crosse he saieth 1. Cor. 1. 21. That vnto the vngodly it is foolishnesse that is it signifieth a foolish thing vnto that kinde of men But he addeth Ibid. 24. That vnto the godlie it is the power and wisedome of God because it representeth these things vnto them And as touching the lawe it is said Deu. 30. 15 that He set before the Hebrewes life death blessing and cursing that is by signification of the lawe by the promises threatenings which were expressed in the same In the Booke of Genesis the vij Gen. 41. 26 kine and the vij eares of corne are saide to bee the vij yeares 1. Kings 11. 31. and this was as touching the signification Ahia the Prophet of Silo gaue vnto Ieroboam ten péeces of his torne mantell said that he gaue him the kingdome of the x. Tribes Ver. 10. In the first Epistle to the Corinthians the xj Chapter Paul wrote that the woman ought to haue on her head power 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is a couer whereby the power of the husband is signified And in the second Epistle to the Corinthians it is written 2. Cor. 5. 21 That God made Christ to bee sinne namely as touching the similitude and representation of the flesh Leuit. 7. v. 2. 7. 37. Osee 4. 8. Yea and the sacrifice which was offered for sinnes is called sinne And the Priests were saide to eate the sinnes of the people that is the sacrifices which were offered for the sinnes of the people In Ezechiel it is written Eze. 36. 25 I will poure vpon you pure water and by water he signifieth the holy Ghost The verie which thing we reade of Christ when he saieth Iohn 4. 14. He that shall drinke of this water and the rest that followeth where the Euangelist calleth to minde that he spake of the spirit which they were to receiue Exo. 12. 27. Of the Lambe we read that it was called the Passeouer although some indeuour to denie it But in the Hebrewe it is Zebah pesah hu The sacrifice is the Passouer By sacrifice cannot otherwise be vnderstoode but eyther the beast slaine for sacrifice or else the same action of offering the slaine beast Euen so we haue the bodie of Christ expressed both in the bread and in the wine and in the action aswell of eating as of
renowmed Quéene is a schoole or a certain place of warfare of the Almercifull and Almightie God where he through sundrie laboursome exercises God exerciseth the godlie with diuerse afflictions sometimes by afflictions and sometimes by diuerse perils teacheth and instructeth them that be his I suppose that of Godly men it is iudged most certaine and vndoubted Yet for all this the heauenly father doth not so deale as he hath determined that those whom he leaueth shal perpetually be troubled with afflictions and bée pressed with euerlasting griefes but sometimes helpeth to ouercome euils and at such oportunitie as he hath determined with himselfe suffereth them to escape out of the flouds and whilepittes of daungers to the intent he may declare that it is he that leadeth them to the gates of death and bringeth them backe againe 1. Sam. 2. 6. while hee taketh care that in his adopted children may shine the image whom he naturally begate vnto himselfe before all eternitie Rom. 8. 28. For the same our first begotten brother Iesus Christ dyed first before hée should be raised vp by his owne and his fathers power Therefore it behooueth that we also which are appointed to be made like his image shoulde first die before we rise againe After this sort the Israelites were in a manner deade while they were pressed vnder the most gréeuous tyrannie of Pharao in Egypt but they being deliuered by Moses and Aaron were after a sort plucked away from death Moreouer they séemed againe to haue perished in the manifold daungers and sundrie mischances of the wast wildernesse who afterward reuiued by entering into the lande of Chanaan To conclude they being ledde into captiuitie were thought vtterly consumed who neuerthelesse returning after 70. yeares florished againe and were then restored vnto life The verie which thing O most mightie Quéene Elyzabeth séeing God hath doone vnto you he hath not departed from that his olde manner of custome but hath rather confirmed the same and made it more manifest For while his workes are executed in the meaner and baser sort of men they indéed appeare the lesse But on the otherside when they be shewed in men woemen of noblest and highest estate then are they made in a manner famous in the eye of al mē Wherfore since you most noble Quéene Elizabeth are aduanced to the kingdome not in verie déede by a gentle Quéene Elyzabeth easie and pleasāt way but for certain yeares now passed you haue appeared to be scarse a foote frō death For so great déepe haue bin the daungers as the ship of your life was now welnéere loonke you are preserued by the power of God not by the helpe of man are promoted as we nowe sée to the possession of that famous kingdome Wherefore by the mercie and goodnesse of the sonne of God in whom only you did put your trust you are reuiued by the good helpe of God do inioy the kingdome of your father and grandfather and that to the safetie of the Church of Christ and to the restitution of the common weale of England falling in decay Therefore fitlie doth that saying sounde in the mouthes of all Godlie men at this time which is most ioyfully pronounced in the Psalme Psal 118. 28. This is the Lords doing and it is marueilous in our eyes The stone which the builders refused is become the head stone of the corner I confesse indéede that these wordes appertaine vnto Christ But séeing Godly men are accounted for his members I iudge they may be applied vnto them also For that the other members of the bodie are both garnished and haue profite by the ornaments and honour of the head Ephe. 5. 27. Paul the Apostle of Christ doth aboundantly testifie which in verie déede must be specially vnderstood of those members which are so eminent in the Lords bodie as it pleased God that your maiestie should at length excellently appeare among his people Now this is so great a benefite of God as it cannot be shut vp in you onely but through your own selfe is deriued vnto a great number of the faithfull For so manie as either are borne subiects in the kingdome or wish well thereunto and which séeke nothing else but the glorie of Christ all these séeme to themselues to be raised together with you from death Amongst whom because I neither am nor wil be the last euen as I perceiued my selfe by these welcome newes to be made excéeding and marueilous ioyfull so I thought it méete that first of all we should giue thanks vnto our most mighty and mercifull God secondly that we shoulde reioyce on the behalfe of your maiestie and also of the Church and Realme of England Wherfore let vs praise God and the father of our Lorde Iesu Christ which hath visited his people being almost deade and hath opened the way which a long time was shut vp from preaching of the Gospel of the sonne of God Beholde nowe againe is the horne of saluation lifted vp in the kingdome of Englande whereby the chosen of God by the inuincible power of our Sauiour Iesus Christ are deliuered out of the hand of their enemies and doe most syncerelie woorship the blessed GOD according to the prescript rule of the holie Scriptures Glorie be nowe to GOD on high Peace in the Church and the good will of God towardes the people of England that by the guide and good gouernement of this godlie Quéene her subiects being adorned with righteousnesse and holinesse may walke alwaies and innocentlie before him and that hee will so lighten them from aboue as they which through the night that went before were againe fallen into darkenesse and into the shadowe welnéere of death now the daies of peace being sprung vp may walke their waies safelie without any offence And that this may be done most mightie Quéene it is in your hand next vnto God Neither doe I doubt but for your auncient faith sake your godlinesse and fauour of God which hath protected defended and gouerned you from your childehood vnto this daie you wil giue the due honour vnto God and to his worde God kéepe from your syncere and religious heart the blemish of an vngratefull minde which though in euery sort of man it be most fowle in you which by the benefite of Christ are in this place it would be altogether intollerable Howbeit I am whollie perswaded that your Maiestie is both of a readie minde and will to restore the Euangelicall Religion And albeit that you are sufficientlie prepared and learned of your selfe this to doe and that you haue no want of the holie counsels godlie exhortations of others which daily sound in your eares Yet haue I also thought good for the verie great bounden duety that I owe vnto your Maiestie with no lesse breuitie than modestie to put you in minde of some things which principallie belong hereunto Which thinges I humblie beséeche you may bee no otherwise
that of a daungerous disease Neither doeth it nowe any lesse grieue mée when I perceiue that your sickenesse which troubleth you is a quarten ague I for my part am able to say much of the vntowardnesse and as it were rebellious obstinacie of this disease against medicines and Phisitians as he that hath two sundrie times striuen therewith The chiefest thing is that they which are in this state must vse great long pacience which I am sure you are not to séeke in matters without séeing it is aboundantly ynough planted within your minde by the spirite of Christ But I together with many others haue two causes to sorrowe for this your sicknesse The one is because you your selfe are broken and weakened which cannot otherwise be especiallie in a slender bodie now in a manner dried vp with labours And the other cause is that your labours in preaching and writing are discontinued to the great detriment of all Christians For there is nothing so much enemie vnto this disease as are studies and cares These be the things which disquiet not onely mée but all that be true godlie men Howbeit since the case so standeth it is our part to pray as earnestlie as wee can that you may spéedilie be restored to your former health And it is your part with all diligence to forbeare from all thinges that may doe you hurt especiallie from earnest studie and care of weightie matters whereby the humour of Melancholie from whence this feuer is stirred vp is so forced and striken as it setleth euen into the Marowe of the bones Verilie it is to be wished that since it hath so séemed good vnto God you should much rather quiet your selfe for certaine dayes or monethes than either to die which God forbid to the great griefe of the godly or else to the incredible hinderance of the Church to liue the rest of your life altogether with a féeble and consumed bodie and minde Wherefore take héede you offende not either against your selfe or against the Church of Christ Yesterday there came hither certaine messengers sent from the English gentlemen which liue at Strasborough which do certifie that their Quéene died the 16. day of Nouember The death of Quéene Marie and that the most noble Elizabeth is succéeded in the kingdome that with a full consent of all states For by chaunce they were gathered together at this time from all the partes of England to the assemblie which they commonly call the Parliament Nowe must we desire GOD that this alteration of the state may turne happilie to the honour of Christ and his holy Gospell I knowe that you and your godly Church will not faile to doe what in you lyeth Perhaps the time is now wherein the walles of Ierusalem shall be builded vp againe in that kingdome that the bloud of so manie Martyrs may séeme not to haue bin spent in vaine Other newes than this I haue not sauing that my Booke is vnder the presse Gardiners booke confuted by Peter Martyr wherein I haue discouered and confuted all the false arguments and shiftes of Stephen Gardiner somtime Bishop of Winchester touching the matter of the Eucharist Which as I hope hath happened in verie good season For it will be profitable especiallie at this time that the English Papistes may vnderstande that that booke is not inuincible as hitherto they haue bragged Fare you well and long may you liue vnto Christ and to his Church I salute all the Ministers and also Beza and the Marques From Zuricke the first of December To a certaine friend IT is euen in déed as you write right woorthie man and déere beloued friend in Christ and I am euerie day taught more and more by experience it selfe that the death of the bodie of that most godly yong man Edward king of England belongeth vnto manie partes of the Church and bringeth greater harme than many doe now perceiue But God the father of our Lord Iesus Christ graunt that within a while they féele it not to their great sorrowe But I which after some sort haue bin partaker of these matters if I should not bitterlie lament for the miserable case of our excellent brethren and for their most constant daungers aswell of minde as of bodie and should not euerie day shed iust teares for the mishappe of that people verilie I should be as a stone and péece of leade While they be now grieuouslie afflicted laid open on euerie side to offences burned euerie houre with the fires of temptations while with extreme vngodlinesse of hypocrites that Church is suppressed and trodden vnder foote how may it be that I and such as I am can sorrowe temperatlie and moderatlie While I taught in that countrie there were verie manie learners of the holie scriptures and verie toward scholers in Diuinitie whose haruest was welnéere ripe whom now against their willes I sée either miserablie wandering in vncertaine habitations or else most vnhappilie subuerted if they tarie There were in that kingdome a great sort of most sincere and learned Byshops who are shut vp in most straite prison euen now readie to be plucked away as théeues vnto death In that nation were laid the foundations of the Gospell and of a noble Church and with a fewe yéeres labour the holie building was in good forewardnesse and better and better was euerie day hoped for But now finallie vnlesse God put to his helping hand it is like to come to passe that not so much as a steppe of godlinesse in outward profession will be left These and other thinges suffer not my heart to be at rest nor my minde at quiet Wherefore I beséech God with all my heart that he will remitte some part of the punishment and for Iesus Christ his sake wil forbeare to powre out his great wrath otherwise we shall be oppressed with the heape of infinite euils And that which I doe so earnestlie wish I beséech you that you in like manner will desire of God that yet at the length he wil take pitie of afflicted England which I verie well know did before this calamitie verie much fauour you and other godlie men and good learning And whereas you admonishe me that I should here séeke and maintaine concord with them that teach I iudge that you speake the same of loue and good will and I assure you in déede that so much as in me lyeth peace and charitie shall remaine inuiolate I haue bin alwayes of milde nature and haue verie much loued peace and tranquillitie Wherefore I minde not especiallie now in my olde age to change my nature Welnéere all the professors of good artes and learning doe make much of me and I in like manner doe loue them In the same wise dooth the case stand towardes the Ministers of the Church sauing that I perceaue some of them beare me not so good will yet neuerthelesse I cease not to haue them in the same estimation that is due vnto the holie
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
and not ioined 115 a Whereby the same is wrought and not wrought 149 b 150 a Wherin the true and sound respect thereof consisteth 97 a 5 b Wherevpon it dependeth and dependeth not 131 a K. KEies of the church and how they are ment 26 a b When they were giuen vnto Peter 26 b They are generall things and how 27 a How euerie priuate man hath them 27 a Knowledge distinguished according to sense reason and faith 105 b That of God without integritie of life is hurtfull 86 a Two kinds thereof 159 b Of that which the Ministers are said to kéepe with their lips 29 a b. L. LAbour with hands and what is to be obserued therein 157 b Lawe of God though it be his will yet is it not euerie will of his 119 b The Gospell and it must not be separated 165 b Whie all men may not performe it sith it is Gods reuealed will 119 a who are counted dooers thereof 166 a Contrarietie séemeth to be attributed to the same and how 165 a b A distinction of those things which GOD forbiddeth therein 68 b What the not regenerate can doo in the same 102 b The end and vse thereof 103 a How and whereby the dignitie of the same is to bée esteemed 145 a Manie things commanded therein were kept before the same was giuen 147 b The promises thereof not vaine though the lawe it selfe cannot bee fulfilled of vs 165 b It requireth thrée perfections in our works 166 a With what terrour it was published 163 b Whie God gaue it in the desart or wildernesse 164 a The vse of the same among the faithfull 165 b 166 a What it requireth touching performance 102 b How the morall and ciuill of the old people be abrogated 165 b To go to Lawe is permitted to a Christian 163 a A lesson for such as are in sute 162 b Lawes of men and wherein the iustice of them is conteined 164 b. Laieng on of hands in making Ministers whereof it might séeme to haue come 169 a Leuen and whie God refuseth that it should not be offered him 169 a Libertie Christian a case touching it to be maintained or violated 71 b Lie officious is not repugnant to charitie 167 b Of the midwiues of the Hebrues and their Lie 158 a Lies though officious ought to bee auoided 150 b Life and how far foorth wee ought to loose it 68 a wee must laie it downe for our brethren 74 b How it is ment that we must so doo 75 a Arguments or persuasions of good Life 145 a Faith the instrument whereby wee obteine eternall Life 126 b Lifting vp of hands in praier 162 b Lights great in heauen and the end vse of them 144 b Whereof the originall of them in churches sprang 170 b Loue of God shineth in the death of Christ 7 a The inestimable fire of Christs 7 a M. MAgistrates their charge in a plentifull yeare 157 a Touching othes 164 b Touching idle persons 157 b Whie they be instituted 162 a What is to be regarded in the making of them 157 a Of their misusage 19 a Christians for safetie of their life may vse their helpe 148 a What they must doo if they will giue a testimonie of their innocencie 155 a A strong reason that God would haue them 163 a Mankind soone increased in number 147 a Manna wherevnto like and vnlike 162 a What wee are to learne by that wherewith the Israelites were fed 161 b At what time it was commanded to be eaten 162 a Manslaughter and whie we must forbeare it 148 a Marrie with infidels is contempt of religion 155 a Whether it bée necessarie that a man should Marrie a maid with whom he hath lien 142 a 2. Marriage is not condemned in that God requireth of the Israelites to absteine from their wiues vntill the third daie 163 a What is determined touching such as are coupled therein in flight in persecution 77 a b Who must not delaie it vnder pretense of pouertie 154 b Marriages that are not well knit and concluded 146 a Masse no propitiatorie sacrifice 132 b 133 a Whence the name thereof is deriued 135 b 136 a An application of the sacrifice of the same 134 b No eucharisticall or gratulatorie sacrifice 137 a Whether it be a sacrifice 132 a What a holie thing it was supposed to be 121 a b An enimie to the benifits of Christ 5 b Whereof the eleuation of bread in the same sprang 170 b The dangers insuing vpon going thereto 146 a Masses priuate not heard of among the fathers 134 b When they began 136 b Matrimonie declared to bee inseparable and how 45 b By what meanes it is violated 167 a Whie it is said to bee a mysterie 145 b Whether it be good simplie or in respect 167 a What is not ratified though carnall copulation follow it 154 a Whether the lawfull vse thereof be a veniall sin 167 a Whie God would haue it betwéene such as were not far off in kindred 154 a Whie it is commended and commanded 167 a Delaie therof should be inioined to none 156 b The néere coniunction of man and wife in it 82 a The commandement of the same and the vse thereof 145 a Mediator none betwéene God and man but one prooued 91 a Christ is none vnlesse he be also a man 134 b 135 a Whether the Anabaptists haue the true one 130 b 131 b 132 a Meditation and in what things it dooth consist 36 a Memorie and why diuers writers doo extoll it 1 a What things must be committed therevnto and whie 1 a Men and a distinction of their state 102 a Mercie of God and of the greatnes of the same and how far foorth it should be celebrated 136 a b. Merit of congruitie and condignitie attributed to the will 106 a Messias and touching the Iewes which denie that he is come 130 b Midwiues of the Hebrues and their lie 158 a Mind of man how it behaueth it selfe actiuelie passiuelie in spirituall things 127 a How it cannot atteine vnto supernaturall things 108 a God vseth it as an instrument to performe his counsels 127 a Wherein the change thereof of euill to be made good dooth stand 127 b Ministers when they may labour and what they must take héed of therein 157 b Whether in baptisme regard is to be had of their faith and religion 137 a b 138 a Of the custome to praie and prophesie at the making of them 153 b Why GOD giueth not to euerie one of his the gifts of the spirit 159 a b Controuersie about their apparell 116 b 122 a 123 a 115 b 118 a c. 121. Whether the surplis c. inioined them to weare had originall from the Pope 119 a Not bound to worke and labour with their hands and why 157 b Whether they may flie in persecution 77 b God communicateth with his the properties of some of his actions 150 b How far foorth slight in persecution
childe I haue sinned but speake it from the heart Wéepe ye with Ezechias Esa 38. 3. but wéepe with faithfull and syncere teares Prostrate your selues before Christ with the sinfull woman Luke 7. 37 Wéepe yee bitterlie with Peter with prayers and fastinges procéeding from a true faith Mat. 26. 75 Crie you out vnto God with the Niniuites Ionas 3. 5. Acts. 2. 37. Bée ye conuerted with those Iewes of whome Christ was crucified whome if ye spared no doubt but hee will also spare you For this doe I promise you by the authoritie of the word of God so that this repentance which I laie before you be firme and effectuall But and if ye demaund what I meane by a firme and effectuall repentaunce I will shewe you the cause and effectes thereof that it maie be discerned from a vaine Effectuall repentance feigned and hypocriticall repentaunce The originall mother thereof is of necessitie true and perfect faith For what soeuer is doone of vs without the grounde of the worde of God is vnfruitfull and hurtfull But wee haue not the worde of God for anie grounde but so farre foorth as we beléeue Therefore if ye sorrowe if ye lament if ye bewayle the fall that is past ye must néedes be mooued by the worde of God If a man beléeue it he reuealeth aboundaunt fruites for it cannot be idle in the heart of the faithfull Beholde therefore vnto you the beginning originall and fountaine of true repentance Nowe let vs consider the effectes True and effectuall repentaunce suffereth not sinne to goe vnpunished and without iust amendement But you will say coulde it euer bée brought to passe that the thing which is doone might bee vndoone That indéede cannot be vndoone which is doone but yet afterwarde the contrarie vnto that which before was doone maie be doone Vnto the deniall of the trueth made before the confession of the same is contrarie It behooueth therfore that by your testimonie you affirme whatsoeuer by abiuring yee haue denied And this maie be doone two maner of waies First if ye will in that place where ye committed the crime boldly confesse that ye haue erred wil by a liuelie contradiction testifie that ye hold no such opinion as the forme of the abiuration sheweth But in verie déede because this kinde of remedie requireth fortitude constancie and a singular valiantnes of minde because the waie is welnéere most certaine vnto Martyrdome which all men haue not the gift to suffer therefore dare I not require so great a matter of euerie one of you Let euerie man measure the strength giuen him by God and let him consider whether he bee able to performe this excellent and laudable worke If he haue confidence enough let him goe forwarde in the name of the Lorde for he shall doe no new thing in the Church of Christ Mat. 26. 69 Peter when hee had denied Christ he for Christes sake suffered the death of the crosse The renued constancie of the godly Marcellinus Bishoppe of Rome hauing first doone seruice vnto the Idols hee being led with repentance preached that which hee had denied and being made a martyr hee by his bloude gaue a testimonie vnto the trueth Holy Cyprian in his Sermon De Lapsis maketh mention of Castus Aemilius which when they were ouercome with the bitternesse of persecutions were humblie afterwarde conuerted to repentance and were so strengthened by Christ as the fight being renewed with the aduersary they gate the victory being made stronger than the fire and mightier than the flames confessing in the meane time with great constancie whatsoeuer they had before denied Howbeit thankes bee to God there is no néede to recite olde examples Some such thing within our age hath happened at London in England A certaine Priest being ouercome through cruell tormentes and long captiuitie did abiure The Bishoppe not content with his abiuration requireth his hande writing It is giuen him whereuppon the poore wretch goeth home and there is mooued and stirred vppe with so great sorrowe with such remorse and with such true and effectual repentance as when he coulde inioye no comfort rest nor anie quietnesse of minde nor could anie longer indure the sharpe threates of the conscience he commending him selfe to God returneth home to the Bishoppe and desireth to sée his hande writing which hee a fewe dayes before had deliuered and being shewed him he takes it violentlie and teares it blaming himselfe that he had béene so disloyall and notable a traytour vnto the Lord Iesus Christ adding moreouer Beholde here I am handle mee at your owne pleasure I saie I iudge and I affirme contrarie vnto those thinges that I first wrote Which when he had so boldlie and notably confessed hee was againe taken and within a while after burned I woulde to God that at the leastwaie so much valiant courage might happen to each one of you from the father eternal that by this meanes the truth of Christ may be made famous in you and that they which through you are made the weaker and haue suffered offence might be confirmed and returne againe into the way of God and goe forward in the purposed iourney But if that the weakenesse of your strength be such as hauing shewed the forme of repentance it cannot bring foorth fruite wee must come to an other kinde of remedie which consisteth in this that yée make voide your abiuration by your flight and departure otherwise the same doth yet burne before God and men For how shall it by repētance be extinguished or blotted out while yee remaine in the selfesame state while there appeareth in you no signification of a contrarie opinion doe not you by tarying and holding your peace plainlie confirme that which yée haue doone Depart yée at the least way I beséech you from this kind of intolerable death For your departure shal be a certaine kinde of martyrdome and confession So often as I consider in my minde the state of your affaires if happily there be left in you any féele of Godlinesse if anie sparke of light if any small droppe of the holie Ghost as I verilie thinke there is some left I maruell yea I am amased that ye so staie your selues For I sée not how you can liue what quietnesse of minde yée can inioy with what confidence yee can pray nor what communication yee can haue one with another Can any thing be it neuer so good whether the same belong vnto the spirit or vnto the body be swéete and delectable vnto you or refresh you Are yée not all whollie shaken with feare when yée go vnto masses in making no account of the commaundements of God but in seruing of men and as witnesses consenters in crucifying againe the sonne of God Is not this torment more bitter vnto you than a thousand deathes By this one idolatry yée communicate with antichrist in all things I maruel how it comes to passe that yée there
fall not downe if not deade yet like those that are deade Furthermore when yée be partakers of the communion once euerie yeare or oftner with what minde with what heart vpon what purpose doe yee corrupt doe yée confounde doe yée rent in sunder the order of this noble sacrament instituted by Christ Hebr. 6. 4. Séeing yée haue tasted the gift of God and haue knowen the trueth and yet will euen with your owne hands handle the greatest hypocrisie iniuries and blasphemies contained in those diuelish rites and seruices verilie I am euen besides my selfe so often as I consider that yee burst not for sorrowe when yee come together to doe those thinges Therefore since your state is so vnhappie and miserable what is a let vnto you héerein Natiue countrie house farme kinsfolke riches the pleasures of this world Wherefore you estéeme these things more than you doe God himselfe these things are your God since in comparison of these you despise any other thing by which meanes doubtlesse you discouer the idolatrie of your heart If it seeme to be a harde matter to forsake patrimonie heritages and possessions what will yée doe when yée shall die then shall yée be constrained will yée nill yée to forsake them If yée continue in dealing wickedly how can you euer truelie say that yée are heartilie sorie for this abiuration Take away the euill from among you then will we beléeue that yée haue repented Christ to the intent hée might wholie certifie vs of his incomparaloue towards vs forsooke his owne glorie laide aside his kingdome became a straunger and poore man for vs despised not infamie and a contumelious death Oh howe ill shall we answere him who for him or rather for our owne saluation refuse to suffer so smal a thing I should be ouer long if besides the example of Christ I woulde alledge the examples of the Apostles and of all the other Saints which liue and reigne with him Wherefore setting them aside I will speake of your brethren who least they should commit such things forsooke their countrie prouoking you to the imitation of them These are made of flesh as well as you of the same countrie of the same condition They also had rather as touching the desire of the flesh tary in their coūtry be recreated with their cities and houshold pleasures be conuersant with their friends and inioy their fathers possessions Howbeit Christ by his grace did more mooue them than did the worlde They vanquished themselues they followed Christ to the intent they might haue a quiet conscience that they might not be plucked away from God finallie that they might giue a cleare testimonie vnto the Gospel Wherefore there is no cause why you should say that this cannot be doone since it was not onelie vsed of the faithfull in times past but nowe also fullie perfected of your brethren I exhort you therefore that yée wil giue eare vnto this calling and that ye wil not feigne deafenesse weigh with your selues that the whips are made readie and that the daunger is at hand that yee shall shortlie euen against your willes forsake those thinges which of your owne accorde faith vertue and guide of the spirite you shoulde forsake Hitherto haue I desired you but nowe I desire and will desire Christ that according to his owne counsel which is full of compassion he will open your hearts he will incourage your will and will giue strength vnto your spirit that you will chéerefully take in hande the one or other of the two remedies set foorth which in this case are the fruites of a sounde repentaunce If yee shall despise both which God forbid although there come no other calamitie vnto you thereby yet shall this miserie followe you ye shall be depriued of the light of the trueth ye shall euerie day goe further backe from the heauenly father your heart shall so greatly bee hardened as ye shall bee destitute of your minde and vnderstanding And what other beginning of eternall damnation is there if this be not Turne awaie I beséeche thée my Lorde Iesus Christ this horrible misfortune from these deare brethren from thy brused members and from these miserable strayed shéepe Thou which hast first created them afterwarde fashioned them anewe fed them with heauenly foode thy worde I meane and thy flesh quickened them with thy spirit and endued them with most precious giftes succour them with thy mightie and stretched out arme wherewith thou in times past brought the Hebrewes out of Egypt Exo. 14. 21. Acts. 12. 8. Acts. 28 44 Gen. 12. 1. the thrée companions out of the burning furnace Peter out of prison Paule from shipwracke Abraham out of his owne lande and kindred Despise not I beséeche thée thine inheritaunce giue eare for thy holy names sake deliuer them from sinne raise them vp from perdition leade them vnto thy faithful flocke that they may there acknowledge their brethren and may in like manner of them bee receiued instructed and confirmed with spirituall peace with the gladnesse of charitie and syncere loue that they may find an assured peace and rest to their owne consciences to the intent that all of them ioyned in a good and holie fellowship they with vs and wee with them may come vnto thée when it shall bee thy good pleasure to inioy thine euerlasting giftes To Peter Sturmius 48. RIght reuerend sir forasmuch as I am not ignorant that wise and learned men doe verie well allowe that sentence of Cicero which he wrote vnto Curio namely that it is the part of a franke heart to desire to bee excéedingly beholding to him to whom he is alreadie much beholding therefore coueting to haue a liberall heart and hating the contrarie I desire also to bée excéedingly beholding vnto you since I haue bin much beholding before not onely to you but also vnto your most deare beloued brother Iames a famous and singular patron of godlinesse and learning And therefore being desirous to satisfie I hope my honest desire I craue somewhat boldly of you that you will not refuse to inlarge my debt vnto you by a certaine newe benefite The which is that with such authoritie as you haue you will vouchsafe to protect Doctor Zanchus so far foorth as trueth and iustice will permit otherwise I shoulde be verie impudent if I woulde require any thing especially of you which any maner of waie is against these vertues And in this respect doe I desire this because manie young men of Zuricke which for learnings sake haue liued for a time in Strasborough haue returned hither a fewe dayes since of whom I vnderstand that this man whom I haue alwayes accounted both godlie and verie well learned and these xxv yéeres at the least haue helde for the most deare friend is nowe so greatly pressed with slaunders and accusations as he standeth in ieopardie of all his good estimation For it is reported that his function of teaching is either nowe taken vtterly from