ioyned with faith of miracles as also faith of miracles hath euer historicall or temporarie faith ioyned with it but not alwaies iustifying faith 13. Faith even in the most godly sorte of men is imperfect in this life and feeble yet whosoever feeleth in his hearte a serious purpose to beleeue and wrastling with doubt he may must surely perswade himselfe that hee hath trewe faith 14. Trewfaith once kindled in the hearte though in some sorte it often faint and be obscured yet it is neuer wholy extinguished 15. But after this life it is changed into a more full and certaine knowledge of God heauenly thinges namely a present feellinge and experience of happinesse with God which knowledge the scripture nameth a knowledge by seeinge face to face 16. Faith which is only historicall causeth desparation and heauinesse of Gods iudgment though accidentally 17 Temporarie faith causeth a certaine ioy but not pacifying our consciences because not proceeding of a true cause and worketh in vs confession and some shew of good workes but only for a time 18 Faith of miracles obtaineth those miracles whereof it is from God 19 Wee obtaine righteousnes before God and participation of Christ and all his benefits onely by that faith which applyeth to euerie particular man the promises of grace 20 True conversion and beginning of new obedience according to al the commandements as it cannot goe before this faith so it cannot but accompanie it OF THE OFFICE AND PERSON OF Christ the onely Mediator Disputed by D. Zach. Vrsine in the Vniversitie of Heidelberge for his degree of Doctorship an 1562. The Proeme WHereas God hath not only appointed in his church a ministerie of his word and coÌ„maÌ„ded approved this vocatioÌ„ to the office of teaching which is practised in the church but also hath coÌ„meÌ„ded this most high daÌ„gerous functioÌ„ of all others that are performed by men to those which haue both the knowledge of heauenlie doctrine and also indifferent abilitie to deliuer the same and by innocencie of life giue vnto the hearers examples of that which they teach and doth by the mouth of S. Paule pronounce them guiltie of others offence which place or consent to them that place in this order men vnfit that is such as by life or evill doctrine giue offence to the church 2 Tim. 5. Lay not thy handes rashly one anie be not partaker of others offences these things I say being so it is without doubt necessary that such as in churches or schooles shall vndertake parte of this labour of teaching bee first heard by such as can iudg of the truth of doctrine and willinglie submit themselues to the triall censure of men I therefore although in coÌ„fidence of mine owne worthinesse I may so little presume to present my selfe to this publique view of learned men and young students that I bring neither learning nor experience nor iudgment nor anie thing at all to plead in my behalfe for the patient presence and attention of the learned besides great trembling and earnest entreatie of Gods assistance and your fauour yet seeing they who haue ben some times coÌ„uersant in scholes should not draw back from triall and seeing it is a part of ingenuity faithful dealing not to conceale eueÌ„ a mans owne weaknes I haue thought it fit both for discharg of my duty my further learning not peremptorily to withstand their commaund whose pleasure it is that I should come into this place But because the custome and purpose of these disputations is to determine vpon some principal pointes of Christianity I haue determined at this time to repeate discusse that argument of scripture which is touching the office and person of one onlie mediatour betweene God and man eveÌ„ Christ Iesus our Lord both because it compriseth a short grounde and summe of Christianity as also because ever our forreine and hom-bread contentions do most concerne this point I purpose therefore after my manner to recite as breifely and plainly as I can the sence and meaning of some propositions togeather which reasons and testimonies taken out of holy scripture 1. Position After man by sin was separated from God the most absolute and perfect a iustice of God would not suffer him to be reconciled vnto God except some b very man borne of that mankind which had sinned yet himselfe free c from al spot of sin had endured sufficient punishment for mans sins and perfourmed the full obedience of Gods law a. Gen. 2. 17. In the daie that thou eatest therof thou shalt die the death Deut. 27. 26. Cursed be he that coÌ„tinueth not in all the wordes of this lawe to doe them Mat. 5. 26. Thou shalt not come out thence till thou hast paide the vtmost farthinge Rom. 8 3. God sending his own sonne coÌ„deÌ„ned sinne in the flesh that we c. b. Rom. 5. 12. 15. As by one man sin entered into the worlde c. Cor. 15. 21. For since by man came death by man also came the resurrectioÌ„ of the dead 1. Tim. 25. Heb. 2. 14. 15. 16. Aug. de verâ— relig That nature was to bee assumed which was to be delivered c. 2. Cor. 5. 21. He made him which knew no sin for vs c. Heb. 7. 26. For such an high Priest it became vs to haue which is holy innocent vndefiled c. II. But the merit of no persoÌ„ which was not God could be equall to the sin of all man-kind much lesse greater then it d. Act. 20. 28. God hath purchased his church with his owne bloud Rom. 18. 3. When it was impossible to the law in as much as it was weake because of the flesh God c. III. Such a person also as had beene only a creature could not haue ben able to endure the weight of Gods anger against the sins of maÌ„kind and to deliver himselfe out of it e. Psal 30. Lord of thou marke what is doâ—e amisse who shall be able to endure it Deut. 4. 24. The Lorde thy God is a consuming fire IV. Moreouer it stood him vpon by his desert intercession to obteine by his power to restore vnto vs that righteousenesse life which we had lost to free vs from sin death to defend saue vs vntill we were perfectly restored f. f. 1. Cor. 15. 21. By man came the resurrection of the dead Ioh. 10. 28. I giue vnto my sheepe eternall life Ioh. 6. 39. 15. 26. Mat. 11. 27. Eph. 4 8. 9. 1â— Heb. 7. 26. 1. Cor 15. 22. 23. V Lastly it is necessarie that all which should bee saued being engraffed into the body of this mediator should be borne caried by him for ever g. g. Eph. 3. 17. That Christ by faith may dwell in our hearts Io. 15. 4. Abide in me Iâ—n you As the braÌ„ch caÌ„not beare fruit in it selfe except it abide in the vine so neither can you except ye abide in me Rom. 8. 9. He that
these tteasures and are adiudged vnto eternal maledictioÌ„ everlasting death For thus saith he in the Gospell He that beleeueth not is coÌ„demned alreadie the wrath of God abideth on him And Paul testifieth If any man hath not the spirit of Christ the saÌ„e is not his which place of the apostle I suppose to be very pertineÌ„t to this preseÌ„t purpose For if the vnfaithfull beloÌ„g not vnto Christ neyther are they of Christ it may souÌ„dly be argued well coÌ„cluded by the logiciaÌ„s rule of Relatiues that Christ with his benefites pertaineth not vnto them and as they are not Christs so neither is Christ theirs For how I pray should Christ pertaine vnto theÌ„ whom one day at the last iudgement he shall pronounce before all the world aliants and strangers from him his benefites and his kingdome of whoÌ„ he shall testifie that he never knew them lastly whom he shall cast as being the cursed workers of iniquitie into hell fire Yea but saie you Christ died for the sinnes of all Therefore he rose againe for the iustification of all The answere herevnto is two-folde either of which is true and sóund First as often as the Gospell extendeth the fruit of Christs merites and benefites vnto all it must be vnderstood as saith Saint Ambrose of the whole number of the faithfull and elect For this is the vsuall and common voice found everie where throughout the whole course of the gospel He which beleeveth shall be saved and commeth not into iudgement He which beleeveth not shall be damned and is iudged already and the wrath of God abideth on him Wherefore the Gospell dispossesseth all vnbeleevers of Christs benefites not onlie by a flat exclusion but also by positiue vertue of that condition of faith and repentaunce by which he promiseth expresly or covertlie his benefits vnto meÌ„ which it appeareth is neuer found in the reprobate that is such as do persist and wil stil persist in their impietie Christ therefore is thus said to be dead for all that is for all the faithfull and elect for whom alone he also praied and in whom alone he findeth the end and fruit of his death But to extende the benefites of Christs death vnto infidels reprobates for whom he neuer praied whom he neuer knewe or tooke for his owne and on whom the wrath of God abideth for ever what els is this but against his expresse commaundement to giue holy thinges vnto dogges and cast pearles before swine This answere may be strongly maintained by the authoritie of holy scripture and testimonies of sound fathers and is much available vnto Christian consolatioÌ„ Howbeit there is an other answere no lesse true wherwith we may satisfie the most contentious wranglers that Christ died for all men absolutely and without exception to wit if you respect the sufficiencie of the merite and the price which he paied It is out of all doubt and controversie that the death of the Son of God is of such weight worth that it may serue to purge and cleanse the sinnes not of one world only but thousands of worlds if at least all mâ—â— would apprehend by faith this salue of sin But the question concerneth the efficacie and participation it selfe of the fruits which we mainely deny to be common to the beleeving and vnbelâ—â—â—ing or to be generally promised or given in the 〈…〉 and we hold it no sound doctrine to 〈…〉 in this respect Christ died alike for all 〈…〉 and reprobate But here some men possessed with an 〈…〉 as if the Church had not other controveâ—â—◠〈◊〉 â—nough spew out on vs their stinking 〈…〉 open mouth taking it grievously that 〈…〉 not those heavenly treasures and iewels equallie to the godly and vngodly to the faithful and vnfaithfull to the elect and reprobate to Christs members and the Divels vassals to the sheepe to the swine They make lowd out cries on vs for denying that Christ died for al. They say this our assertion is tainted with a more odious blasphemy then any of the Saracens Turkes and Pagans and that by it Christian Religion is cleane overthrowne It is not my purpose to encounter with these monsters of men only I must needs touch the slaÌ„der they fasten on vs. For what slaunder is there if this be none When we distinguish the worth of the merue from the efficacie and participating of the benefites and restraine according to Scripture and the iudgement of the soundest Fathers this participation to the whole number of the faithful alone gathered from amongst the Iews Gentiles do we then deny that Christ died for all But that the truth of this controversie may the more appeare and these busie heads if it be possible may by some satisfaction on our part be set at rest let vs in briefe set downe the force of our maine reasons whereon wee ground this our distinction And first the holy Scripture it selfe teacheth vs plainely this kinde of distinction and forceth vs therevnto For you shall finde it in scripture somtimes absolutely spoken that Christ tasted of death for all men that he gaue himselfe a ransome for al men that he is the recoÌ„ciliatioÌ„ for the sins of the whole world Againe you shal read that Christ praied not nor sanctified himselfe that is offered vp himselfe for the world but for the elect which were giuen him That hee laid downe his life for his sheepe that hee gaue his life for the ransome of many that by his knowledge he iustifieth many that hee shed his bloud for many that the world cannot receiue the holy spirit because it seeth him not neither knoweth him and because it hath not the spirite therefore it is not CHRISTS These places carry some shew of contrariety were it not that the former are vnderstood by vs of the sufficiency of satisfaction and the latter of the efficacie and working vertue thereof Furthermore other places occure which seeme to impart vnto the wicked the benefit of redemption as when Peter saith that they denie even the Lord which hath bought them that they were purged from their old sins And Paule also saith that they were sanctified with the blood of the TestameÌ„t al which the Scripture els where enforceth vs to interpret either of the vaine glorying of Hypocrites of their redemption and sanctification or els to vnderstand theÌ„ no otherwise then of the extent and sufficiencie of Christs satisfaction whereas it simply excludeth the vnfaithfull and vnrepentant from the benefit of Redemption and constantly avereth that they are yet held captiues in the snares of Devill that they are overswayed by him and carried headlong to worke wickednes that the wrath of God abide hon them he saith is abideth not it returneth as if it had at any time relinquished them lastly that Christ never knew them much lesse redeemed them Now if I were purposed to
produce the opinions of Fathers and the sounder Schoole-meÌ„ who thus interpret the Scripture with vs I should lead you into a large field of discourse Notwithstanding it is not vnfitting my purpose to cite at the least some few of them for confirmation Let vs heere Cyrill thus recoÌ„ciling those words of Christ I pray not for the world with that sayinge of Iohn He is a propitiation for the sinnes of the whole worlde Iohn saith he seemeth to dissent from us Sauiour For our Sauiour heere refuseth to pray for the world but Iohn affirmeth that he is the propitiation and reconciliation not for our sinnes onely but for the sinnes of the whole worlde But the blessed Euangelist S. Iohn because he was a Iewe least the Lord should seeme to be an aduocate with his father for the Iewes onely not for other nations which as soone as they were called obeied of necessirie added for the whole world But the Lord Iesus separating you from them which are none of his saith I pray for them a loue who keepe my sayings and haue takeÌ„ my yoke For whose mediatour and high Priest he is he doth for good cause imparte vnto them alone the benefite of his mediation Hitherto Cyrill Let vs hear Prosper also in this answeare to Vicentius obiections clearly distinguishing on this manner As far forth saith he in his answere to the first obiection as you respect the greatnes and power of the price Or as you respect the our whole cause of mankinde so the bloud of Christ is the redemption of the whole world but they who passe the time of their life heere without faith and without the Sacrament of regeneration they haue no part in this redemption Wheras then in regard of the one whole cause of mankinde truely vndertaken by our Lord Iesus Christ all are well saide to be redeemed yet all are not freed from captiuitie withovt doubt the appropriation of redemption is theirs out of whome the prince of this worlde is cast dislodged and are nowe no longer â—ims of the diuell but meÌ„bers of Christ whose death was not so coÌ„municated vnto all mankind that it should effect the Redemption of these who were not to be regenerated and renewed in the spirit but so as that that which was by one example performed in behalfe of all might by the Sacrament be confirmed in some particulars For the potion of immortalitie being a confect of our infirmitie and Gods truth is of force in it selfe to profite all but if it be not drâ—nke it salueth not The same Prosper making answere to the demaÌ„ds of the FreÌ„ch-meÌ„ in plaine tearms alloweth of this phrase Christ died for the faithfull alone which these men condeÌ„ne as smelling of Turcisme his wordes are these Wheras then our sauiour is rightly said To haue beene crucified for the redeÌ„ption of the whole world in regard of the true and reall taking vnto him mans nature and in regard of the common losse wee sustained in the person of the first man Adam yet he may well be saide to be crucified only for those to whome his death was availeable For the evangelist saieth that Iesus should die for the nation and not for the nation onely but that he should also gather togeather in one the childreÌ„ of God which were scattered Thus far Prosper Gregorie saith The author of life gaue himselfe over vnto death for the life of the Elect. Innocentius 3. who liued a bont the 1200 yeere of our Lord thus writeth The bloud of Christ was shed FOR THE PREDESTINATE ALONE as touching the efficacy therof For the shedding of the righteous bloud for the vnrighteous was of so rich a price that if the whole world would beleeue in their Redeemer the snares of the Deuill should take bold of none Bernard saith Christ according to the fulnes of time indeed died for the wicked but according to Gods decree of Predestination for his brethren and friends Thomas on the 5. of the Apoc. writteh on this maÌ„ner Of the redeÌ„ptioÌ„ purchased by the passioÌ„ of Christ we may speak in a double sence signification either respecting the sufficiency therof so his passioÌ„ redeemed all because as coÌ„cerning himself he deliuered al For his passioÌ„ is sufficient to serue redeeme al yea if there were a thousand worldes as saith Anselme in his 2. booke and 14. Chapter Cur Deus homo c or els we speake therof respecting the efficacy in this sence he redeemed not all by his passion because all cleaue not fast vnto the Redeemer and therefore feele not nor perceiue the virtue of redemption The same authour againe saleth The merite of Christ as concerning the sufficiency thereof equally belongeth vnto all but not concerning the efficacy which happeneth partely by reason of free-wil partly by reason of Gods election by whome the effectes and fruites of Christs merits are mercifully bestowed on some and by the iust iudgment of God are withheld froÌ„ other some Lambard in his third book Distinct 22. ca. Christ offered himselfe vp to God the Trinity for almeÌ„ as touching the sufficieÌ„cie of the price paid but for the elect alone as touching the efficacy because he wrought salvation only for the Predestinate What should I say more where as these present proofes declare sufficiently that this interpretation of holy Scripture is not vpstart or profane but of ancient received in the Church and grounded on evident truth One only place of Peter Galatine a Monke indeed but yet a learned Divine and skilfull in the Hebrew I intend to alleadge that these clamorous punies novices in divinity may better see how that whatsoever is either vnknowne vnto them or standeth not with their monstrous inventions is not presently new-fangled heathenish Thus therefore he wel truely commenteth on these words of Esay My righteous servant shall iustifie many c. Although the passion of Christ ought to bee sufficient to wash away the sins of all men yet it washed not them all away but their sins only who shoulde beleeue in him repeÌ„t For this cause he saith And himselfe bare the sinnes of many Now omitting authorities let vs bring forth the reasons which this vpstart Pelagian progeny by their profane absurd opinion doth especiallie oppose against vs. They labour tooth and naile to prooue that Christ died for all why no man denieth it For this is the voice of Scripture They adde heerevnto that he died for all and everie particular man We deny not simply this their assertion although wee finde not where the scripture speaketh on this maÌ„ner They farther vrge that he died for all and evrâ—e particular both elect and reprobate for Cain David for Iudas and Peter for them which shall bee damned in like sorte as for them which shal be saved without all respect either of their faith or infidelitie This is a hard saying They run on still
and say he died for all and everie of these not onely in respect of the sufficiency of his sacrifice and satisfaction but also in regard of the efficacy of the same What meaneth this newe devise I pray That forsooth Christ by his death and bloudsheading hath truely and effectually deliuered from death purged from siâ— sanctified reconciled vnto God and restored vnto his grace and fauour by his death bloudsheading all and euerie single man yea even those who are not saved but haue beene eversince Caine are at this day and shall bee hereafter damned This is their abominable sottish opinioÌ„ on which they build an other as false and foolish that forsooth All the wicked as many as heretofore perished or at this day perish or hereafter shall perish they neyther perishâ—d ne perish nor shall perish for their sinnes wheras they are washed away by the bloud of Christ Iosus but for vnbeleife alone They who are not vtterly ignorant of this controversie and question wil easily grant that we here coine nothing of our own nor speake any thing with intent to slander reproach them But oh how horrible a sound is this in Christian eares These quaint and gay Procters of wicked imps mainetaine that all vngodly and filthie dogs before after the death of Christ are received into the grace favour of God We say first that this is a false diveâ—lish opinioÌ„ because it impugneth scripture which every where maketh open proclamation that the wicked and vngodly as long as they remaine destitute of faith and repentance are not in the grace and favour of God but are and continuallie remaine the children of wrath and eternal malediction neither are they delivered from sin and death but are held captiues and ensnared by the devill alreadie condemned and plagued with the heavy wrath of God Secondly we affirme that this their forgerie is most absurd vaine because it shamefully overthroweth both it selfe and maine principles of the Christian faith For let vs but propose vnto our selues this Thefis or assertion All meÌ„ without exception faithfull and vnfaithfull before and after the death of Christ are truelie vndoubtedly received into grace and favor with God by the bloud of Christ what trow yee will be the isâ—ue ensuing herevpon verily a huge heape of absurdities First original sin with the guilt thereof shall by this their position be vtterly taken away and it will proue in their opinion â—n open falshoode to say that all men are borne the children of wrath because in their iudgment all are borne in the favour and grace of God But herein the Scripture iointlie pronounceth on our side that we al are by nature the children of wrath Secondly all the children of Turkes Saracens Canibals who at excluded from the couenant Church of God shall heerby be borne in the grace and favour of God and by force of Consequence there shall be saluation without the Covenant of God and without his Church O those sauage and cruel monsters of our age who shame not to seate the infantes of Turkes Infidels borne without the church in the bosome and fauour of God nor dread to plucke vnmercifully the poore infants of Christians dieng befor Baptisme out of the bosome of God and plung them head-long into hell fire For who knoweth not that they so fondly bind the saluation of infants to the Sacrament of Baptisme that they expressely depriue them of euerlasting happines and violently hale them out of Gods grace fauour who die before Baptisme vnlesse they haue ben assoiled by the praiers either of their parents or freindes But if it be trew that by baptisme they are againe receiued into the fauour of God howe then wâ—l this peremptory disputer maintaine that long since all mankinde was accepted into the same Thirdly therefore this their straunge conceite bruseth and quasheth in pieces an other opinion of theirs concerning the infantes of the faith â—â—ll borne out of grace assailed by the Devill before Baptisme and damned Fourthly all the wicked which before the death of Christ fell into hel fire and were againe reconciled vnto God by the death of â—hrist restored into his grace and favour how if this your 〈◊〉 goeth for truth how then I say fel they theÌ„ce who were received into it being dead whereas they could no more offend through incredulity wherefore those vngodly persons shal either coÌ„tinue in Gods favour and be saved without faith or shal coÌ„trary to your position be cast headlong again froÌ„ theÌ„ce without your crime of incredulity Fiftlie Incredulity either shal go for no sinne or if it be a sinne then all sinnes shall not be purged by the death of Christ or if all be cleansed at least the sinne of incredulity shal be of more force and vertue then the death of Christ But to say either of these were erroneous impious For incredulity not only is it selfe a sin but the mother nurce also of al other offences cleaveth fast togither with other sins even to the regenerate howbeit it is purged forgiveÌ„ to theÌ„ by the bloud of Christ Sixtly it is a shameful grosse he to affirme that the wicked are daÌ„ned not for their vngodly sins but for their incredulity As if it were not registred recorded in Scripture Theeues covetous persons drunkards and such like shall not inherite the kingdome of God As if Christ in his final iudgement shal not say vnto theÌ„ depart into hell fire c And as if forsooth incredulity were not the chiefe of sins Nay we argue the cleaâ—e contrary that they are coÌ„deÌ„ned for sin because they are condeÌ„ned for incredulity For tell mee what sinne is more grievous and heâ—ous then incredulitie Heere our Apostata sporteth and toreth ouer childishly Incredulity saith he is not now considered as it is in it selfe a sin but only as it refuseth the meanes of saluation For what is it Sir to refuse the meaÌ„es of saluation Is not this a contempt of God Is it not a most detestable sinne offence verely incredulitie is therefore a sinne because it refuseth saluation with the meanes therof Seventhly this their monstrous opinion beareth the wicked in hande that howsoeuer the truth of the Church doctrine touching originall sinne the guilt of the wicked stande immoueable yet it is at no time inherent in them nor can truly be attributed vnto them For let vs take a Turkish infant or some barbarous ancient person who neuer heard one syllable of the death of Christ and therefore cannot be saide to haue despised it through incredulity now let these disputers tell vs at what time they wil account these to stand in the grace and favor of God to be reconciled vnto him iustified and sanctified whether in their mothers wombe or soone after their birth vvhether in their childhood or in their youth whether in their perfect age or in their old yeares lastlie whether in their life
the people of his charge with the sword of Gods word chased and put to flight the enemies of the faith But what should I speake of his meditations We founde ô deere Vrsine that thou didst truely obserue what Demosthenes had before in word deed approued That easie things were harde to bee conceived by the negligent and harde things easie to the diligent So certaine was it that thou thoughtest nothing vnworthy thy meditation For what easie thing did escape him What difficult thing was there wherevnto he did not attaine Whatsoever the eternall spirit of God delivered in the bookes of the Prophets Apostles all that he beleeued faithfully searched diligently and attained by medâ—â—ating theron miraculously For those he accoumpted the worthiest paines which were bestowed in those divine studies As often as I thinke on the greate laborious and peremptorie desire of meditation which was in this man and I cannot but thinke of it verie much and often I still call to minde that elegaÌ„t senteÌ„ce of Baâ—â—â—us the Great seeing the truth is harde to finde wee must euerie where seeke after it For if the conceiuing as of arts so also of true 〈◊〉 and religion be made greate by that continuall encrease vvhich by little and little is gathered together there is not that thing so meane simple which they that enter into that kind of know ledge may or ought to despise But what thinke you of this that there was nothing delivered by those great men principall philosophers which this my busie fellow professor did not by meditation attaine were it neuer so crabbed deepe and obscure was he not well seene in the moral wrightings of Aristotle and other wrighters was not natural philosophie plaine open and easie vnto him did hee not absolutelie conceiue the drift and nature of Aristotles Organon the subtiltie of vvhich worke some flie as despairing of the vnderstanding thereof others with rash iudgement coÌ„deÌ„ne it as the fatal and pernicious Scylla or Charybdis of youth the subtiltie and commoditie of vvhich vvorke Vrsine sharpelie and speedilie perceaued and presented it as it were in a table to be perceived and perused by others What should I heere speake of the Mathematiques vvhose foundations are commonlie grounded on serious meditatioÌ„ of mind whose principles are coÌ„tained in axioms or petitions as they cal theÌ„ Their difficult preceptes were not vnknowne to Vrsinus vvho by serious meditatioÌ„ not fleeting slender insight throughly pervsed theÌ„ all Well then let vs now see what witnesses we can produce for this matter After I haue vsed his own testimony I wil then thinke of others Vrsine himself in the whole race of these his too shorte daies is a most substantial witnes of his owne meditatioÌ„s al those vertues which before I haue recited For what duties of piety or ChristiaÌ„ charity or coÌ„moÌ„ curtesie did he omit his religious duty toward God God himselfe did see acknowledg seal hath now at the last rewarded But because the best vvay to knowe the tree is by the fruit let me with your patience a litle turne your thoughts to the fruits of his godlinesse religion Truly I thinke that in holy scripture they are the greatest fruits of godlines which coÌ„cerne the advancemeÌ„t of Gods glory And wheÌ„ was this sacred soule at al waÌ„ting herevnto wheÌ„ did it not endevor labor vehemently to giue light everie day more theÌ„ other to the truth therwith to lighteÌ„ others with whoÌ„ it did coÌ„verse that so it might dispel the foggy clouds of error But those duties of piety are most neerely linked vnto charity which concerne both edifying of the church the salvatioÌ„ of our neighbors Wherfore now I wil speak iointly of both sorts of duties demoÌ„strate how painful this couragious soldier of Christ did labour by his speech his wrightings his whole minde that he might not in the least maner trip or waÌ„der froÌ„ his duty As therfore the duties of piety charity ar between theÌ„selues agreeable vnited so also they liued encreased altogither shoÌ„e forth of this maÌ„ when he lived For if we respect the exercises hee vndertooke in regarde of these duties good Lord how great was his faith his diligence his fasting his watching for not onelie the fruits ensuing heereon can witnesse thus much vnto vs but also that macerating and pullinge downe his bodie that taminge of his flesh that outwarde man worne and spent with sore passed labours so that hee died an vntimelie death I woulde to God my deare Vrsine thou hast not so weekned thy selfe with vnmeasurable 〈◊〉 that thou mightest longer tyme haue 〈◊〉 vs 〈◊〉 schoole Gods church For thou diddest so far respect god that thou diddest no way respect thy selfe Alasse alasse deere Vrsine the light of Germanie the pillar of the church the father of this our schoole and the immortall glorie of this couÌ„tie Palatine I woulde thou couldest haue been perswaded to haue taken thy-selfe a little from thy-selfe and respited thy-selfe a little from thy continuall cares that so wee this schoole the whole church might a little longer haue enioyed thee when I in times past admonished thee somwhat to this purpose thou madest mee aunswer that bodilie exercise did little profit where vnto I replied that it was profitable and that by entercourse it was to bee ioyned with the exercise of the mynde and that it was elegantly proved by Chrysostom to the people of Antioch all this I tryed with him but to no purpose But what meane I the Lordes will hath been done it is better to bee silent then to reply Who then is there which can shew that the duty of this worthy and laborious man was ever wanting either in speech or wrightinge as long as hee was any way able to shew it for mine owne part I know not whether the remembrance of his invincible paines which hee vncessantly vsed in perfourmance of these duties did more greiue me or the conceipt of that fruite whith without care of him selfe hee dealte vnto all posteritie doth delight mee although tyme may were awaie greife but this fruit shall continue beyonde all tyme. Yf I respect private conference thy mynde was an wholesome and well sured treasure if thy publique speeches it was the oracle of God at least for that measure that may be found in mortalitie if both togeather that thy divine disposinge and dispensinge of the mysteries of God doth not the brightenesse therof dazel and blinde the eyes of my mynde and vnderstandinge Thou man of God thou well furnished Divine with all the holie complete armoure of divinitie thou excellent amongest all divines when diddest thou at anie time cease from preaching and professing of the truth when diddest thou coÌ„ceale those mysteries which were stored vp in thy armoury that is in thy mind wheÌ„ wert thou at any time idle it is straÌ„ge that I wil tel you yet very certainly true there neuer came in my preseÌ„ce
and so almost to nothing to their owne great greife and the publique damage of the church How often and how grieuously doe Nazianzen Austin and Ambrose confesse that they haue takē these withdrawings and callings awaie from their studies They truely deale more wisely so they be not over stricte which imitate that same Basilius the Greate and Chrysostom For they so closely betooke themselues to their function that they preuented all such withdrawings as are wont eyther rashly or without respect of dutie to be imposed vpon learned men They saw well that if you admit these importune saluters at the first they will afterward challenge it as a right to be troblesome to good men by their example provoke other men to the same importunitie but that you shoulde provide for best if at the first you tooke some care prevented these vncourteous curtesies In this sort therfore did this good soule do seruice to God and the church or else tender his owne health Thou rather art churlish ô thou importune mā whosoeuer thou art which vncurteously desirest that which Vrsinus of curtesie might of duty ought to deny It is folly not to excuse him that is busied in affaires of the church but not pardon him that tendereth the health of his owne bodie is in humanitie both contrarie to the lawe of charity Although to come to the last part of my speech this our deere brother was not so hindered but that whē he was vnable to lift his handes his tongue stambering his iawes almost closed vp almost panting gaspinge for breath did yet attend to these studies duties For whē his strength failed the iuice bold in his body was decaied how often did hee thinke of this our Schoole How often did he cōplaine that he was idle amidst that painfull buisinesse of his infirmitie sicknesse How reasonablie did he persist in those wrightings he had vndertaken vntill that soule which coulde bee conquered tamed by no afflictiōs begā to fleete flie out of his brokē cōquered tamed corps ô blessed is that faithfull and wise seruant whom his Lord when hee commeth shal finde so doing happie is that man whose God is the Lord And that this man of famous memorie our beloued freind is now in that hill of Sion in the citie of the liuing God in the heauenlie Hierusalem amongst myriads of Angels in the companie church of those first begottē which are gathered into a heuēly armie with the iudge of al flesh with God the spirit of the iust that are now perfited with the mediator of the New testamēt Iesus Christ the sprinkling of the bloud of our saluatiō both those argumēts which before I vsed namely those heauēly gifts of wir faith hope study of pietie charitie humanitie and all other duties and curtesies do evidently confirme as also that most happy ende which hee made doth certainly demonstrate For not to speake of this that his soule long since lived vnto God was dead vnto this wretched and miserable world for so I speake holilie with Christes Apostle of an holy thing when mention was made vnto him of faith hope charity resurrection life glory and eternall happinesse Lord how did he assent applaude sweetelie smile at it how did he cast vp his eies to our Redeemer to whom as he had long before cōmended himselfe so also he did at length surrender his soule most peaceably so was wafted out of the deepe sea of this world into a most pleasāt harbour of salvation and rest euen the bosome embracings of our heauenlie father Who is there heere I beseech you amongst vs that wil not religiouslie crie out for ioy and wish together with me O let my soule die the death of the iust and let my ende be like vnto his For he truely saw he saw by liuelie faith heauen open vnto him Christ the Prince and perfiter of our faith sitting at the right hand of maiestie in the heauens incomparable glory provided for him the whole companie of that heauenly church welcomming him lastly all making to saluation since he did so quietly yeeld vp his soule vuto God the Creator and Father of spirits that so hee might liue with him eternallie This then is that soule noble and worthy auditors this is that sanctified soule and acceptable to God which to our great losse is of late daies takē from vs although as sometimes Cyprian and Ambrose saide wee haue not lost it but sent it before purposing our selues in good time to follow We haue not lost but repaied him as Epictetus warneth vs. For he which gaue him hath required receiued him backe againe Why then do we mourne for him whom we haue not lost We lament that so sweet and fit an instrument of Gods glorie is receiued backe from vs we lament this foreshewing of euil hanging ouer vs and now ready to befall vs we lament the present ouer-flowing of wickednes iniustice and al perfidious dealing which commonly preuaileth so much the more as it perceiueth these meanes of protection and saluation to be taken from vs. For haue we not reason to lament the losse of that instrumēt of whom it is sin to conceale any thing that may worthily be spoken in commendation I know right well noble auditors that many here present are able to speak more to this purpose then I either haue done or can do For that dailie familiarity which you had with our Vrsine hath enriched you with store of matter and variety of learning with eloquence But seeing of duty deserte I haue yeelded you the first place in this matter and you haue vouchsafed me the second you wil also I hope willingly pardon me for substituting in my roome a Diuine to speake of a Diuine and attribute vnto this man that which himselfe spake sometimes of Athanasius the stoute mainetainer of the truth and Antagonist of errors He was the Lords faithful laborer a man of God the reconciler of men the trompet of truth the pillar of the church Gods true champion constant in the faith of Christ most fit for defence against poisenous heresies who though he were peaceable moderate in all things yet could hee neuer patiently endure that for quietnesse sake God should be betraied but was a vehement warrier and an invincible Herioicke spirit in this case cōmending some moderately chastising others correcting some mens coldnesse bridling others heate providing for some that they fall not labouring that others which were fallen might be raised againe simple of maners divers in discharge of many duties wise of talke wiser in vnderstanding wherefore he so liued was so instructed and so instructed others that as his life manners might be a list limit to vpright dischardge of the like dutie so also his opinions may bee examples as it were authenticke lawes of faith and religion All this I may wel speake in commendation of this our Divine which