men slept the malitious enemy sowed tares among the wheat And it was not discerned vntill the blade was sprung vp and had brought forth fruit When I see the finger of the diall remooued from one to two shall I be so mad as to thinke it standeth still where it was because I could not perceiue the stirring of it In the forehead of the whore of Babylon is written a mystery so Paul calles the working of Antichrist a mystery of iniquity because the man of sinne doth couertly and cunningly wind his abominations into the Church of Christ. Polititians obserue that corruptions are bred in ciuill bodies as diseases in naturall bodies at the first they be not discerned easily but in their growth insensibly they proceed often till it come to passe which Liâ—e said of the Roman State Nec vitia nostra nec remedia ferre possumus We can neither indure the malady nor the medicin Was it so in the Empire of Rome and might it not be so in the Church of Rome The Rhemists acknowledge many barbarismes and incongruities in the vulgar Latine text Cardinall Caietan Sanctes Pagninus Franciscus Forerius Hieronymus Oleastrius Sixtus Senensis all learned Papists ingenuously confesse that beside solecismes in the vulgar translation of Rome there are many grosse faults additions transpositions omissions Isidorus Clauius a Spanish Monke professed that he found in it 8000. errors It is plaine they were so manifest and so manifold as that the Councell of Trent and after it Pope Sixtus Quâ—ntus aâ—d Clement 8. took order for the correcting of it I would know then of a Papist how this cockle was sowen among Gods seed in what yeere this that absurdity first crept into their text as Luke 15.8 domum eâ—ertit for domum euerrit and Exod. 34 29. Moses in stead of a bright countenance is said to haue cornutam faciem a face of horne whereupon the common painters among the Papists vsually paint Moses with two hornes as a cuckold to the great scandall of Christian religion as Augustinus Steuchus and Sixtus Senensis obserue The whole Rhemish Colledge cannot tell in what age confusus est in stead of confessus est entred in Marke 8.38 Pope Sixtus Quintus hath sundry coniectures in the preface prefixed to his Bible vel â—x â—niuriâ temporum vel ex librariorum inâ—uriá vel ex impressorum imperitiâ vel ex temerè emendantium licentiâ vel ex recentiâ—rum interpretum audaciâ vel ex haereâ—icorum scholijs ad marginem If the Pope cannot tell in whose head and hands is all the Churches treasure both for wit and wealth it is enough for the disciple to be as his Master is and the seruant as his Lord. The late Pope Clement 8. corrected the corrections of his predecessor Sixtus Quintus setting forth another Bible which one called vnhappily The new Transgression In these reformed editions of Rome there is such difference that we may say with the Prophet Egyptians are set against Egyptians and the destroier against the destroier one against another and all against the truth In the Roman Mâ—ssals and Breuiaries there were so many damnable blasphemies and superstitious errors that the late Popes euen for shame reformed them and yet they cannot tell in what yeere these corruptions first grew and therefore what need wee tell them at what time this and that popish nouelty was first sowen Is it not enough that we now discerne the tares among the wheat and prooue to the proudest of their side that there was no such darnell in Gods field for the space of six hundred yeeres after Christ I say no such stinking weeds as the single communion of the Priest halfe communion of the people worshipping of the bread creeping to the Crosse supremacie of the Pope which are the most essentiall points of all the Romish religion Secondly this parable makes against the Papists in the question of putting heretikes to death I confesse the words sinite vtraque simul crescâ—re teach not the Magistrates duty but rather shew Gods bounty towards heretikes It is the Princes office to banish imprison mulct and by all meanes possible to suppresse them and in no sort to suffer them as being so pâ—stilent as the plague For as the plague doth instantly strike the heart and by poisoning one infects many â—ic haeresis cor ipsum animae petit cùm vnum inâ—erficit centum alios inficit Heresie strikes at faith and so takes away the life of the Christian for the iust doth liue by faith and then it fretteth as a canker or gangren corrupting all other members of Christs mysticall body we may cry mors in illà as the children of the Prophets mors in â—llâ such cockle then ought to be cropt and topt but not vtterly rooted vp and burnt vntill the great haruest A murtherer and a traitor indued with faith and repentance may passe from the crosse to the crowne as the blessed theefe in the Gospell was instantly translated from his paine to Paradise but an heretike dying in his heresie cannot be saued He therefore that puts an heretike to death is a double murtherer as Luther thinks in destroying his body with death temporall in slaying his soule with death eternall Excommunication exile losse of goods imprisonment depriuation haue bin reputed euermore fit punishments for heretikes but fire and fagot is not Gods law but canon shot enacted first by Pope Lucius 3. An. 1184. and confirmed afterward by Innocentius 3. and Gregory 9. as it appeares in the Decretals and it was executed against the Waldenses and in latter times against the Protestants especially martyring the dead with the liuing the wife with the husband the new borne yea not borne infant with the mother whom they should haue cherished by all lawes and christened by their owne lawes and that not for the denying of any article of the Creed but onely for not beleeuing Transubstantiation and other new quirkes of the Schoole which the most iudicious among them as yet cannot explicate for as one wittilie Corpore de Christi lis est de sâ—nguine lis est deque modo lis est non habitura modum Scotus Cameracensis and other Papists of great note confesse plainly that transubstantiation cannot be inforced by the Gospell nor by any testimonies of the ancient Church And Bellâ—rmin Romes oracle doth acknowledge that it may well be doubted whether there be any place of scripture cleerly to proue transubstantiation otherwise then that the Church hath declared it so to be because many learned and acute men hold the contrary What hellish crueltie then was it in the Bonners of Queene Mary to make bonâ—fires of sillie women for not vnderstanding this their ineffable mystery wherein are nine miracles at the least as Ioannes de Combis affirmes If these gunpowder Priests and fagot Diuines
6. is said to haue done for his Poâ—edome The Lord saith Thou shalt haue no other Gods but me neither in hâ—auen aboue nor in earth beneath nor in the water vnder the earth and yet as the Scripture doth intimate the proud man makes honour his god the couetous man gold his god the voluptuous man his belly his god The first hath his idoll as it were in the aire the second his idoll in the earth and the third his idoll in the water as one pithily notes vpon the second Commandement Secondly some pawne their soules albeit they be not so desperate so giuen ouer to commit sinne with greedinesse as to sell their soules right out yet for their profit and pleasure they will be content to pawne their soules vnto the diuell for a time so Dauid in committing adulterie did as it were pawne his soule Noe when hee was drunke did pawne his soule Peter in denying Christ did also pawne his soule but these being all labourers in Gods vineyard redeemed their soules againe with vnfained and hartie repentance But let vs take heede how we play the merchant venturers in this case for our soule is our best iewell of greater value then the whole world and the diuell is the craftiest vsurer and greatest oppressor that euer was if he can get neuer so little aduantage if we keep not day with him he will be sure at the iudgement day to call for iustice and to claime his owne speaking vnto God as the King of Sodome did vnto Abraham Da mihi animas caetera tolle tibi Giue me the soules which haue been pawned and forfetted vnto me the rest take to thy selfe There is another kinde of pawning of soules and that is vnto God for Princes and Prelates Ministers and Masters are bound to God as it were in goods and bodie for all such as are vnder them as the Prophet said vnto King Ahab Keepe this man if he be lost and want thy life shall goe for his life But if thou dost thy best endeuour though the wicked incorrigible sinner die for his iniquitie thou shalt deliuer thy soule redeeeme thy pawne and when euening is come the Lord of the vineyard shall giue thee thy reward Thirdly some lose their soules as carnall and carelesse Gospellers ignorant negligent people who though they come to Church either for fashion or feare yet alas they seldome or neuer thinke of their poore soule from whence it came or whither it shall goe trifling away the time in the market neither buying nor selling nor giuing but idly gaping and gazing vpon other a fit pray for the cutpurse betraying themselues and their soules vnto that old cunnicatcher Satan who goes about daily seeking whom he may deceiue cunningly snatching and stealing such soules as are vnguarded vnregarded O blockish stupiditie will you keepe your chicken from the kite your lambe from the wolfe your faâ—ne from the hound your conies and pigeons from the vermine and will not you keepe your soule from the diuell but idly lose it without any chopping or changing in the market Fourthly some giue their soules as first the malitious and enuious person for whereas an ambitious man hath a little honour for his soule a couetous man a little profit for his soule a voluptuous man a little pleasure for his soule the spitefull wretch hath nothing for his soule but fretting and heart-griefe like Cain who said of himselfe Whosoeuer findeth me shall slay me Secondly such as finally despaire giue their souls away for the diuell bestoweth nothing in liew thereof but horror and hell of conscience The distressed soule may comfort himselfe with the conclusion of this parable The first shall be last and the last first The last in 〈◊〉 owne iudgement the first in Gods eye Thirdly such as destroy their bodie that the diuel may haue their soule giue themselues away for nothing in one word this is the case of all such as stand idle in the market they serue the diuels turne for nothing for the wages of sinne saith Paul is death and death is none of Gods workes a nothing in nature Why therefore do you stand idle in the market all the day goe into the vineyard saith the Lord and whatsoeuer is right I will giue you Now there be diuers labourers in the vineyard as there be diuers loiterers in the world one plants another waters some dig some dung the householder giues vnto one man a shredding hooke to another a spade to a third an hatchet so there be sundrie vocations and offices in the Church diuersities of gifts and diuersities of administrations and diuersities of operations 1. Cor. 12. But about the trimming of the materiall vine there be three sorts of labourers especialâ—y the first to proyne the second to lay abroad and vnderprop it the third to digge away the old mould and to lay new to the root al which are so necessarie that if any of them faile the vine will soone decay No lesse needfull in Christs Church are these three estates Clergie Magistracie Commonaltie It belongs to the Priest to cut away supersâ—uous branches with the sword of the spirit The Magistrate must protect vnderset and hedge in the vine lest the wilde bore out of the wood roote it vâ— and the wilde beasts of the field deuoure it The common labourer must dig and till the ground that hee may get sustenance for himselfe and other If no Priest what would become of our spirituall life if no Prince what would become of our ciuill life if no common people what would become of our naturall life We must al be labourers and that painfull and profitable painfull called in this our parable thrice workmen Non otiandum in viâ sed laborandâ—m in vineâ There is no roome in y e vineyard for sluggishnes Cursed is he that doth the worke of the Lord negligently But because Satan is the most diligent preacher in the world and heretikes compasse sea and land to make proselyts and to draw disciples after them it is not enough that labourers in the vineyard be painfull except they be profitable for as one said of the schoolemen A man may magno conatu nihil agere take great paine to little purpose toile much and yet not helpe but rather hurt the vineyard The by-word Euery man for himself and God for vs all is wicked impugning directly the end of euery vocation and honest kind of life That our paine may be profitable wee must labour in a lawfull calling lawfully for the good of the vineyard and then as it followeth in the last point of the parable wee shall receiue Gods peny for our paine When euen was come the Lord of the vineyard said vnto his steward Call the labourers and giue them their hire beginning at the last vntill the first Wherein obserue two things especially When at euening What giue theÌ„ their hire the
disputes in lib. 1. de Iustificat cap. 4. wrought by charitie but contrariwise charitie doth arise from faith It is then an idle dreame to suppose that charitie is inclosed in faith as a diamond is in a ring for Christ is the pretious pearle which giues life and lustre to the ring The iust liue not by loue but by faith in him It is an improper speech as our Diuines obserue to say that faith worketh by loue as the bodie by the soule the matter by the forme for the soule rather worketh by the bodie then the bodie by the soule The matter is passiue the forme actiue Secondly we say that Paul in that text faith which worketh by loue doth not intend iustification but y e whole course of a Christian aftâ—r his iustification hee shuts out of Gods kingdome nullifidians and meritmongers on the left hand nudifidians and carnall Gospellers on the right In Christ neither circumcision auaileth any thing neither vncircumcision that is to say no merit nor worshipping No religious order in the world but faith alone without any trust in workes auaileth before God On the right hand he doth exclude slothfull and idle persons affirming that if faith only doe iustifie then let vs worke nothing but barely beleeue Not so yâ— carelesse generation enemies of grace for faith is operatiue working by loue Paul therefore sets foorth in that excellent sentence the whole perfection of a Christian in this life namely that inwardly it consists in faith toward God and outwardly in good workes and loue toward our neighbours so that a man is a perfect Christian inwardly through faith before God who hath no neede of our workes and outwardly before men whom our faith profiteth nothing by loue Faith is the Christians hand Now an hand hath a propertie to reach out it selfe and to receiue a gift but it can not cut a peece of wood without an hatchet or saw or some such like instrument yet by help of them it can either cut or diuide Such is the nature of faith it doth receiue Christ into the heart but as for the duties of the fiâ—st and second table faith cannot of it selfe bring them forth no more then the hand can cut of it selfe yet ioine loue to faith and then as our Apostle â—â—ith worketh through loue performing all duties so well to man as God The propertie of true faith is to receiue in to it selfe The nature of true loue is to lay out it selfe vnto other faith then alone iustifieth apprehending and applying Christs merits vnto it selfe but it cannot manifest it selfe to other except it be ioyned with loue Shew me thy â—â—ith out of thy workes And thus as you see that inward worke of iustification is ascribed in holy Scripture to faith onely but outward workes of sanctâ—fication holinâ—sse and righteousnesse to faith and loue ioyntly I refâ—â—re the distressed soule to the comfortable Commentaries of Mâ—rtin Lâ—â—â—er vpon the Galathians and the curious Diuine to Doâ—tor Abbot his Apologie for the reformed Câ—tholike Tiâ— Iâ—â—tiâ—ication For I will ingenuously confesse that my conscieâ—â—e was neuer quieted more then in reading the one and my curiositie neuer satisfied more then in examining the other Though I bestoâ— all my goods to â—eed the poore â— Mâ—rcifull workes are pro sacriâ—iciâ—s imâ— prae sacriâ—iciâ—s accepted of God as sacrifice Heb. 13.16 yea more then sacrifice Hosea 6.6 I will haue mercie not sacrifice To be mercifull is the sole worke common to man with God It is then an higher step of perfection to distribute goods vnto the poore then to spâ—ake with the tongues of men and Angels or to be furnished with all varietie of knowledge yet Paul saith If I bestow my goods all my goods not vpon the rich but vpon the poore to feede not to feast them and had not loue it profits me nothing Where note fiue degrees of this amplification the first is to giue for most men as it is in the prouerbe are better at the rake then at the pitchforke readier to pull in then to giue out The second is to giue not another mans but our owne goods If I bestow my goods According to that of Salomon Ecclesiastes 11.1 Cast thy bread vpon the waters Paâ—is si tuus qui tuus The third is all our goods not some small portion or great summe but all according to that of Christ If thou wilt be perfect sell all that thou hast and giue it to the poore The fourth is to giue not to the rich but to the poore Frange panem esurienti saith the Prophet Deale thy bread to the hungry The last is to giue to the poore not superfluously to feast but necessarily to feede them If a man performe this and more then this out of vaineglorious ostentation or idle prodigalitie not out of loue to Christ and compassion of his members it were but so much as nothing Though I gaue my bodie to be burned Loue is seene more in deedes then in words and in suffering more then in doing and of all suffering death is most terrible and of all kindes of death burning is most fearfull Here then are many degrees in this one speech as Interpreters obserue first si tradidero not if I be forced but if of mine owne accord I giue my bodie to be burned as it is said of Christ he gaue himselfe for vs a sacrifice Secondly si tradidero corpus if I suffer losse not of goods onely though that be very commendable Heb. 10.34 Ye suffered with ioy the spoiling of your goods But affliction in body which is far dearer then our wealth as the father of lies in this truly Skinne for skinne and all that euer a man hath will hee giue for his life Thirdly Sâ—traâ—â—dero corpus meum if I giue not onely the body of my child though a woman is highly magnified for such an act in the 2. of Maccabees 7. but my hod not onelie flesh of my flesh but flesh which is my flesh not onely to suffâ—r a naturall death but a violent and of all violent the most terrible to be rosted yea consumed in the fire If any suffer all this and want charity to particular persons espâ—cially toward the common body of the Church it is no better or rather indeed worâ—e then nothing I beseech you therefore by the mercifulnesse of Gâ—d whatsoeuer you speake whatsoeuer you study whatsoeuer you doe whatsoeuer you suffer let all be done in loue Vniuersa inutilitèr habet qui vnum illud quô vniuersis vtatur non hâ—bet Vnprofitably quoth Augustine hath he all who wants that one whereby he should vse all As the same father in another place QuaÌ„ta est charitas quae si desit frustrà habentur caetera si adsit rectè habentur omnia How great is loue for if it be wanting all other graces lose their grace but if present all are profitable So the text