woorthie to be crowned but findeth much woorthie to be condemned in whom he findeth no merits of good things but deserts of punishments Hereby we sée what is the nature of humane works before iustification The same father in his first booke and 30. question to Simplicianus saith that We are commanded to liue vprightlie and that by a reward set before vs that we may atteine to liue blessedlie for euer But who saith he can liue vprightlie and worke well vnlesse he be iustified by faith Here we are taught that in men there might be a merit and deseruing of happie and eternall life if they could accomplish that which is commanded but forsomuch as that is impossible for vs to doo therefore we fall awaie from merit The same Augustine in his Enchiridion ad Laurentium the 121. chapter The end saith he of the commandements 1. Tim. 1 5. is charitie out of a pure heart a good conscience and a faith vnfeined The end of euerie precept is charitie and hath relation vnto charitie whatsoeuer is done without such charitie is not done as it ought to be doone Wherefore if it be not done as it ought to be it cannot be denied but that it is sinne Chrysostome Rom. 10 4. 39 Chrysostome expounding these words of Paule The end of the lawe is Christ If the end of the lawe saith he be Christ if followeth that he which hath not Christ though he séeme to haue the righteousnes of the lawe yet hath he it not in verie déed By these words we gather that he which is without Christ may doubtlesse haue works séeming to be good which yet in verie déed cannot be iust And straitwaie he saith Whosoeuer hath faith the same also hath the end of the lawe and whosoeuer is without faith is farre from either of them Hereby we gather that they which haue not faith are strangers not onlie from Christ but also from the righteousnes of the lawe which herein consisteth euen to doo that which is commanded And straitwaie For what doth the lawe tend vnto To make a man iust But it cannot for no man hath fulfilled it But bicause a man might obiect Although a man not regenerate cannot fulfill the lawe yet if he take paines therein and indeuour and trauell he may atteine vnto righteousnes This obiection also Chrysostome excludeth And a little before when he expounded these words Rom. 10 3. Being ignorant of the righteousnes of God willing to establish their owne righteousnes they became not subiect vnto the righteousnes of God Thus saith he he calleth the righteousnes of God which is of faith bicause it is altogither of the heauenlie grace wherein we are iustified not by our labours but by the gift of God This selfe-same thing also writeth Ambrose Ambrose Psal 32 1. when he expoundeth these words of Dauid Blessed are they whose iniquities are forgiuen and whose sinnes are couered He calleth them blessed saith he of whom God hath decréed that without labour or anie obseruation shall be iustified by faith onelie And vpon these words of Paule Being iustified freelie by his grace Rom. 3 24. They are iustified fréelie saith he bicause by the gift of God they are iustified by faith onlie they themselues working nothing nor making anie recompense The same Ambrose also vpon these words of Paule Rom. 5 14. Wherefore death hath reigned vpon them which haue not sinned after the similitude of the transgression of Adam He wrote this saith he bicause it is impossible for a man not to sinne which thing séeing peraduenture he spake of men regenerate what is it to be thought of men that are strangers from Christ Cyprian also d A Quirinum Cyprian We ought saith he to boast in nothing bicause we haue nothing of our owne I suppose it sufficientlie now appéereth that the same which we affirme is true namelie that men before iustification can not frame their works to the prescript of the lawe therefore are they sinnes and cannot merit iustification But if our aduersaries will saie that they affirme not that those works which they call preparatorie doo merit iustification but onlie are certeine preparations whereby men are made apter to atteine to iustification we may thus answer them If they merit not why doo you falslie attribute to them that your merit of congruitie Further why call ye them good séeing as we haue taught they neither please God nor are doone according to the prescript of the lawe Lastlie forsomuch as they want their end and not onlie are but also are of good right called sinnes how teach ye that men by them are prepared vnto righteousnes when as they are much rather by them prepared vnto punishments Wherefore let them once at the length cease to adorne them with these goodlie titles For though peraduenture God sometimes by these works bringeth men to saluatioÌ he doth it bicause of his mercie towards them which mercie is so great that he will vse sinnes and works also which are euill vnto the benefit of them 40 Now let vs sée if iustification be not attributed vnto works how the same is then giuen It is giuen fréelie it wholie dependeth of the méere grace of God for it no maner of waie dependeth of merits Which thing Origin sawe for he Origin vpon the epistle to the Romans expounding these words Vnto him which worketh the reward is not imputed according to grace Rom. 4 4. but according to debt But I saith he when I desire excellencie of speach whereas he saith that vnto him that worketh is rendred a debt can scarselie persuade my selfe that there can be anie worke which can of dutie require a recompense of God forsomuch as euen this that we can doo or thinke or speake anie thing we doo it by his gift and liberalitie What debt then shall he owe vnto vs séeing his grace hath preuented vs A little afterward he rendreth a reason of his saieng which reason Augustine oftentimes vsed for he bringeth that place of Paule Rom. 6 23. The wages of sinne is death but the grace of God is eternall life For here the apostle said not But the stipend of righteousnes is eternall life which yet the nature of the Antithesis required How eternall life maie be called the stipend of righteousnes For Paules meaning was to declare that our wicked works doo of dutie deserue death and that euerlasting death but eternall life is not giuen but onelie by grace wherefore in the second part he left out the name of stipend and of righteousnesse and in stéed of them put in the name of grace Neither doo I greatlie passe that Augustine in another place writeth that Paule might haue said The stipend of righteousnesse is eternall life but yet would not saie so least he should haue giuen occasion of erring For vndoubtedlie I sée no cause why Augustine did thinke that Paule might haue said it vnlesse peraduenture by
end of all things but euerie thing requires his owne proper end Euerie thing requires his owne proper end For a horse desireth not the chéefest good of a man neither dooth a dog wish for the perfection of a horse but euerie one his owne perfection To bring the reason of Aristotle to a plaine syllogisme thus it is What soeuer things desire good they haue an end set before them Humane things desire good Therefore they haue an end set before them The Maior proposition is manifest for in desiring of good they rest when they are come vnto the same And seing the motion and action is there finished there we saie is the end The Minor is prooued bicause all humane things are comprehended vnder art method action choise And I woonder much at them Whether God be desired of all things which by the good that Aristotle speaketh of doo here vnderstand not onlie the chéefest good but also thinke that God him selfe is described which onelie good they saie is desired of all things And this reason they bring that it is God him selfe which offereth all the good things of anie thing desired and all those things are most perfectlie conteined in God therefore no man can desire them but he desireth God him selfe But who séeth not that this is accidentallie which is vtterlie remoued from sciences seing they doo not teach the things that happen accidentallie And if this reason were of force wée should by this meanes prooue that vnchast men when they be delighted with anie fourme or beautie should wish for God which thing would be ridiculous We grant in déed willinglie that in God are most perfectlie comprehended all good things euen as the number of seuen comprehendeth all the former numbers which also the holie scriptures doo testifie For in Exodus God saith vnto Moses which desired the sight of Gods countenance I will shew thee all my good 33. vers 19. But Aristotle had no desires of this coniunction with God the prophet Dauid knew them Psal 72 28. who said in the Psalmes It is good for me to cleaue vnto God But that this is the sense of this place which we haue expressed the sequele dooth shew For the philosopher treateth of blessednesse which although that all men wish for yet for so much as they haue placed the same in diuers things to wit in riches honors pleasures vertues hereof it commeth that diuers men desire diuers kinds of good things all which things neuertheles would participate with the nature and forme of a generall good Yea and the philosophers hauing respect to the verie same thing wrote sometimes of the ends of good and euill How farre foorth Aristotle agreeth with the holie scriptures 4 But let vs weigh how those things agrée with the holie scriptures First that all things doo desire good it séemes to be a certeine imitation of God almightie the author of creatures For he while he made euerie particular thing had respect vnto a good end According as it is said in the booke of Genesis that God sawe the light Gen. 1 18. the great lights of heauen the stars herbs and plants and other things that they were good Finallie he rested the seuenth daie perceiuing that all things which he had made were excéeding good Wherefore this indeuor of good things is in all things the steppe and impression of the diuine propertie As touching arts and doctrines we will easilie grant that they desire good by them selues of their owne nature albeit that the same turne to euill and some vnto them which be not regenerate in Christ and therefore it comes oftentimes to passe that the secrets of saluation are hidden from men which be furnished and adorned with good arts and sciences and are open to them that be simple according to that saieng Thou hast hidden these things from the wise and hast reuealed them vnto babes Mat. 11 25. And Paule vnto the Corinthians the first Epistle Take heede to your calling my brethren how that God hath chosen not manie wise men 1. Cor. 1 26. but the foolish things of the world that he might make the wise men ashamed Which words would haue no place if arts doctrine might attaine to the leue good things and vnto that which might make vs acceptable vnto God Howbeit these things although they be good in their owne kind and nature yet to vs if we be vnbeléeuers and arrogant they are turned to euill As touching choises and actions the scripture saith in the booke of Genesis that The hart of man is inclined to wickednes Gen. 6 5. euen from his first childhood And Paule welnéere in the same sense said vnto the Romanes For I knowe that in me that is in my flesh Rom. 7 18. dwelleth no good thing Wherefore we must saie that it is a fault of nature procured by Adam that men not regenerate by Christ are prone vnto those things which are in verie déede wicked vniust and filthie and which are excéedinglie repugnant to the lawe of God and that if afterward they be instructed by the discipline of precepts by morall vertues or else that they be indued with an excellent wit true it is that they ouercome the fouler sort of appetites and of their owne choise are caried vnto certeine ciuill and morall things but yet vnto those as we said before which both be sinnes and turne to destruction Wherefore we must constantlie affirme that the choises and actions of them which be not regenerate are prone vnto euill as it is written in Genesis Which neuertheles is not against Aristotle bicause those euils are apprehended vnder the consideration of good things Yea and we that be regenerate are in a maner perpetuallie whether we will or no drawne vnto sinnes and those we most earnestlie desire yet by grace the spirit we resist those desires that at the length through faith in Christ we may become conquerours But as for the rest of the creatures of God we doubt not but that they séeke for good bicause they are gouerned by the lawes of God and whatsoeuer they doo they doo it by the lawe of nature albeit that euen they for the sinne of man are compelled to be subiect vnto vanitie But of faith hope and charitie and eâe of the grace and impulsion of the spirit of God Aristotle made no mention bicause he knew not those things which neuertheles doo desire the most true good things That the end of humane things is manifold 5 Also humane things haue not onelie a prescribed end as we haue taught but that end is manifold and in that diuersitie of ends some be more excellent than others for so much as this manifoldnes is of those kind of things which haue an order in themselues And Aristotle speaketh of them for no other cause but that he would of manie ends choose the most excellent which hée sheweth to be mans felicitie
it selfe is the finall cause not in that it is extant or brought to passe but in that it hath a respect of good and that either the efficient partie or else his action is made perfect thereby I grant that these things ought first to be vnderstood and knowen of the efficient partie but I denie that these things haue the nature of an end in that they be formes and shapes conceiued in the mind but in respect of those things which they signifie and represent vnto the vnderstanding of the artificer 11 Moreouer Why manie ends are referred vnto one there be manie arts ioined togither vnto one and manie ends also vnto one certeine end that they may reach vnto that for the which man hath his béeing And it must bée vnderstood that as faculties are more excellent among them selues so are also their ends The examples of Aristotle are drawne from the art of those that make bits for horses and of other arts of trappers saddles for horses all which he affirmeth to be conteined vnder the facultie of riding of horses Also of the same art of riding of horses and of all other warlike actions as to ride to shoote to throwe a dart to weare shéelds there is one architectonicall or principall art Whervpon he saith that vnder the art of warre are conteined all these things and it is to be vnderstood that the same principall art or architectonicall facultie dooth command and prescribe vnto those inferior sorts which it hath vnder it and that the end thereof dooth gouerne the ends of them Why art is called power Aristotle in his booke of Ethicks calleth art power respecting saith Eustratius the matter For euen as the matter is power and by power is knowen euen so arts are in power to atteine or not to atteine their end A physician dooth sometime heale and sometime he looseth his labour an orator otherwhile persuadeth and otherwhile bringeth not this to passe Also they are in power vnto contraries as a physician both may heale and may also hurt the health an orator may persuade and dissuade a Logician may prooue and confute Againe Aristotle affirmeth that there is no difference betwéene the woorthines of faculties whether they haue worke for their end or whether they haue action For if a facultie should in that respect be counted more noble bicause after the act it would leaue a worke then would carpenters art be better than the art of ciuill profession whereas felicitie is ordeined to be the end of ciuill profession which felicitie is no worke but an action which would be most absurd since nothing can bée found better or more happie than felicitie And this also we shewed before neither is this doctrine weakened by that former distinction of ends that otherwhile some are actions and that other are sometime works But herein is a doubt that when Aristotle gathereth a worthines of euerie end by the noblenes of the facultie what kind of demonstration this is And we answere that it is of the effects or as they commonlie call it of that which followeth For in verie déede faculties doo drawe their excellencie and worthines from their ends That the excellencie of ends and faculties is aswell towards the one as the other Wherefore since they be made excellent by them to trie the excellencie of the ends by the worthines of the faculties is to procéede from the effects to the causes although this proposition is true which waie soeuer ye turne it For as we saie that the end of the better facultie is the better so likewise we may saie that it is the nobler facultie which shall haue the worthier end 12 Now since the matter is on this wise let vs sée how these things agrée with the holie scriptures Sundrie ends of christians in working First we will grant that a Christian man in working hath manie ends For sometimes he hath herevnto respect that he may call vpon God him selfe that he may celebrate his name that he may giue thanks and such like where he hath respect vnto God without anie meane But sometime he laboreth to restore himselfe and by vertues and excellent actions to recouer the image of God wherevnto he was created Sometimes also yea and that verie often he is occupied in the helping of other men either by his riches or by doctrine or by counsell Wherfore it is manifest that euen of a Christian life there be manie ends which ends neuertheles as we saie haue degrées and order among themselues But whereas Aristotle saith that where the worke remaineth after the act That the works of Christians are not better than the working thereof the worke it selfe is better than the working therof going before it séemes not to haue place in our ends if we speake vniuersallie For when a man being mooued with charitie shall cloth a poore man nourish heale and instruct him it is certeine that after the act he leaueth a worke behind namelie health nourishment or raiment or instruction in the poore man in which kind of works the action which goeth before namelie obedience towards God and the vse of charitie are farre more pleasing vnto God and more to be estéemed than the worke remaining after the act séeing that is transitorie and shall perish What order the ends of Christians haue But how in him that professeth himselfe a Christian the ends which be many may haue an order among themselues it may be perceiued in faith hope and charitie For as the faith is greater and God more knowen by it the more is charitie inflamed about the end thereof in such sort that the end and as they saie the obiect of faith dooth prescribe vnto charitie and so much as the confidence is towards God so much is the loue towards our neighbour Wherefore the end of charitie which is the good of our neighbour is thus conteined vnder the end of faith and so it causeth that the power of faith as touching this matter excelleth and is better than the power of charitie And thirdlie as the faith is firme and the charitie actiue so the hope is more constant and with a stronger patience and fortitude we expect the performance of Gods promises in how much we apprehend those things with a greater faith and haue more fruitfullie exercised our selues by charitie And so these thrée powers namelie faith hope and charitie should bée sufficient vnto that which we would shew But when the order of the table of the ten commandements is set before vs we may manifestlie in them declare the selfe-same thing For the first table hath respect vnto God without anie meane but the other is directed vnto our neighbour And wée must vnderstand that there is a greater dignitie of the first table and that the end thereof is more noble bicause it conteineth the other and hath them vnder it as it were the chéefe builder bicause the end of the latter table is ruled and gouerned
saluation sake but to make a proofe or triall God is tempted And in his book De vera religione the 38. chapter hée saith that There was no cause why Christ should cast himselfe downe hedlong from the pinacle of the temple except for triall sake which had béen to tempt God But it fared not thus with Ionathas for first he wanted not faith secondlie he was led through necessitie and great profit namelie that he might vnderstand the will of God he beléeued that all those things were ruled by his mightie power and that the toongs euen of vngodlie men were stirred vp to speake by him And therfore it followeth How it happened that God tooke the Philistines word for an oracle that The Philistines voice was heard as an oracle of God For the gouernment of God is not restrained to the elect onelie but the affections saiengs and dooings euen of wicked men are directed by him to serue his glorie Doubtles the Aegyptians were naughtie people Exod. 12 3â yet GOD wan their goodwill towards the Iewes at their departure out of Aegypt so as they were content to lend them both garments plate and iewels as well gold as siluer 1. Sa. 17 14 God turned the hart of Absolom that he should not harken vnto the most craftie counsell of Achitophel God stirred vp Roboam 1. Kin. 12 15 that he should not hearken vnto the counsell of the wise and sage men Prou. 21 1. For as Salomon saith The harts of kings are in the hand of God To conclude all our affections thoughts and spéeches are directed by his power wherein if Ionathas had not persuaded himselfe how could he haue sought or taken a signe at the mouthes of wicked men Certeinlie others knowe not to what end God will direct the saiengs and dooings of men Ionathas did vnderstand it by the inspiration of God 6 This is not that kind of diuination This kind of diuination is not forbidden Deut. 18 10 which the scripture forbiddeth when it is commanded Let there be no soothsaiers among you Ierom saith that the word diuination in the holie scripture is alwaies taken in the woorser part For whereas men be ouer gréedie to knowe things to come therefore manie guiles and illusions are ministred vnto them To diuine things comming of necessary causes is not forbidden But séeing that things to come doo depend vpon certeine and necessarie causes therefore they appertaine not vnto that kind of diuination which is forbidden For the eclipse of the moone and sunne and the traiection opposition and méeting togither of stars is knowne to learned men how they shall be manie yéeres to come by reason of the certeintie of causes going before Also things that commonlie change may be foreséene by probable signes as a disease or death may be perceiued by a physician Things contingent are foreseene onlie of God But things contingent which are called ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã and which swaie equally as wel one waie as another are not foreséene but of God onlie For he alone knoweth to what end and purpose euerie thing tendeth wherefore they that professe such skill doo commit sacriledge Manie such deuises did the diuell teach the heathen people as to obserue matters by the entrails of beasts by the singing looking féeding of birds Wherefore they were charmers soothsaiers and obseruers of such things Moreouer they had among them from the same schoolmaster diuining vpon dreames lots prophesies and oracles Cicero in his booke of diuination Two principall sorts of superstitious diuination reduceth all these to two sorts For some he saith are naturall and some artificiall and that those be artificiall when as knowledge is gathered by the marking and obseruing of certeine things as in entrails and soothsaiengs and such like but that naturall be those which happen as vnto soothsaiers furious persons and dreamers All these things are naught bicause that part which belongeth onlie vnto God is ascribed onlie vnto men But to come againe to the matter This part of diuination Looke in 1. Kin. 20 31. which Ionathas followed is called in Latine Omen which as Festus thinketh is as it were Oremen For it is a certeine foretelling which slippeth out of a mans mouth with some furie So the Romans when they were minded to flie and leaue their citie and that the standerd-bearer had fixed their banner in the market place and had said Here will it be best for vs that spéech was taken for a signe of good luck and a forespeaking of that which should be indéed So did Ionathas by the Philistines words which they spake vnaduisedlie gather that God would giue him the victorie and deliuer them into his hands And certeinlie the Ethnikes in vsing this meanes were to be condemned but Ionathas not so for he was stirred therevnto by God but so were not they So Gedeon followed a forespéech Iudg 6 36. when he fought against the Madianites When it may be lawfull to imitate Ionathas But wée must followe neither Ionathas nor Gedeon vnlesse wée knowe for a certeintie that we be mooued with the same spirit that they were For if we will by the reasons and arts of men foretell things contingent or that may happen afterward wée shall iustlie and dulie be blamed If examples be agréeable with the common lawe they should prouoke vs to followe them but if they be not we must rather woonder at them than followe them This caution must be vsed in examples The ninth Chapter Of Miracles and what power they be of to establish faith and doctrine IN miracles two things are speciallie to be considered first In Iudges chap. 6 at the end what miracles are and secondlie how much and in what sort it is lawfull to aske them As touching the first the Hebrue word is Pala or Niphla from whence are deriued the nounes Niphlaoth or Miphleoth The etymologie of words By which words are noted Things secret from others by reason of their woorthines and excellencie Separated I meane and woonderfull The Grecians call it ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã of this verbe ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã which is To maruell The Latins call them Miracula that is Miracles bicause they are woorthie of admiration They call them also Prodigia Monstra Portenta that is Things prodigious monstrous or that are seldome seene to let vs vnderstand that by these things God ment to shew that somewhat should come to passe or bée doone aboue hope or expectation contrarie to the common order of things Wherefore Miracles greatlie extolled séeing that miracles are doone beyond the nature of things they cause admiration And certeinlie there are verie manie miracles which are made famous by writers as the temple of Diana in Ephesus the toombe of Artemisia Quéene of Caria the huge image of the sunne at Rhodes the wals of Babylon a great manie other such things Wherefore Augustine in his 16. chapter against the
epistle to the Manicheis wrote verie wiselie Augustine I call a miracle whatsoeuer appéereth to be hard vnvsuall aboue the hope or reach of the woonderer Out of which words may be gathered a certeine large description of miracles A generall description of miracles And since it is said that a miracle appéereth they may iustlie be charged Transubstantiation a feigned miracle which feigne transubstantiation will haue it to be a miracle which cannot be confirmed by the holie scriptures and séeing it appéereth not or is séene it ought not to be called a miracle 2 After this generall and large description let vs adde that of miracles some be true and some be false False miracles which they be and false miracles are said to bée those which either be not that which they appéere to be or if they be yet are they not doone by anie supernaturall power but by the power of nature although it be secret And this may the angels either good or bad doo thrée maner of waies Miracles three maner of waiâ doone For somtime they applie the powers of nature which are throughlie knowne vnto some matter or substance 1. By applieng of matter with the cause efficient by which ioining togither of matter with causes efficient effects doo followe and that in a maner vpon the sudden whereat the beholders cannot but woonder The diuels knowe that of things putrified are ingendred frogs woorms and some sort of serpents so that heate in certeine degrées be added therevnto Wherefore séeing it is not hard for them to couple these things togither they doo so sometimes to the intent they may deceiue men And by this means Augustine thought Augustine as he hath written in his third booke De trinitate that The sorcerers of Pharao did the same thing which Moses did 2. By stirring vp of bloud and humors Moreouer the stirring vp of spirits of humors bloud in men doo verie much annoie the bodies of men whereby the horrible figures images likenesses of things which be kept in these are mooued before the phansie imagination and in such order as the troubler of the spirit dooth knit them wherof arise sundrie manifold signes or visions which thing we sée otherwhile in phrentike folke And the matter may be brought to such a passe as the shapes and images which are kept within may be reuoked to the outward senses whereby he that suffereth such things dooth thinke that he séeeth and féeleth those things which are conuersant in his imagination or phansie when as in verie déed there is no such thing outwardlie doone Howbeit these kind of miracles may be rather counted among the number of illusions than of miracles 3. By the fashioning of airie bodies Also it commeth to passe that these spirits by their power doo fashion certaine bodies somtimes of the aire or other elements so as they may séeme altogither like vnto mens bodies and vnder them they appeare to whom soeuer it liketh them So came they sometimes vnto Abraham Lot and other of the fathers These things if we speake properlie and plainelie are not verie miracles but in our reason and iudgement there is no let but they may be so called yea and commonlie iuglers are said to doo miracles when as neuertheles they plaie onlie by the nimblenesse of the hands or else when by a certaine power of naturall things they present woonders to the beholders eies A definition of true miracles 3 But of true miracles this is the definition A miracle is a worke hard and not vsuall doone by the power of God aboue the power of anie creature and wrought to the end it may cause the beholders to woonder and to confirme faith towards the word of God The matter The forme Wherefore the matter of miracles is woorks the forme is hardnesse and vnwoontednes the efficient cause is the power of God The efficient cause The end which passeth nature created and the end of them is both admiration and also confirmation of faith And that we might not doubt of the cause efficient I thinke it best to adde that that power of God which goeth wholie beyond the power and strength of nature must sometime be vnderstood of Gods owne woorking and sometime of that which he dooth by angels or by men and that in such maner as shall be afterward declared Herewithall I will ioine the saieng of Augustine in the place before alledged Augustine against the epistle of Manichaeus the 26. chapter Miracles would not mooue vnlesse they were woonderfull and woonderfull they would not be if they were things accustomed Wherefore as they saie that of admiration sprang philosophie Faith commeth not of miracles but is confirmed by them which Plato thought to be the rainebowe and therefore the daughter of woonder euen so we may beléeue that faith which coÌmeth of the word of God although it doo not vtterlie spring of miracles yet may we beléeue that it is confirmed by them And therefore Augustine in his 12. booke of confessions the 21. chapter saith Ignorance is the mother of woondering at signes which admiration is an entrance of faith vnto the children of Adam which had forgotten thée O Lord. By this sentence he teacheth that men hauing forgotten God had an entrance and waie vnto faith by the woondering at miracles And trulie so it is For we know not the will of God but he as he is good hath opened the same to his prophets and apostles and that they might more profitablie declare it vnto vs he gaue them the gift of his word But bicause he knew that mortall men are strangers aduersaries to his word he granted the power to doo miracles to the intent that those things which he would haue his messengers to speke profitablie might be the easilier beléeued That the confirming of faith coÌmeth by miracles Marke witnesseth which saith in the end of his gospell Mar. 16 20. And they went out preaching euerie-where the gospell and the Lord wrought with them and confirmed the word with signes that followed And hereby it appéereth how méete a confirmation this is in that the promises of God depend of no other thing than of his will and power And the signes or miracles which we now speake of doo giue a sufficient testimonie of his power bicause they doo so far excéed the order of nature and they make vs assured of his will for they are shewed through the inuocation of his name and by his grace and spirit Augustine Wherefore Augustine in the place aboue alledged against the epistle of Manichaeus writeth that miracles win authoritie to the word of God for he when he did these séemeth to haue giuen as it were an earnest-penie of his promises Neither must we passe ouer these words which Augustine hath in the 24. treatise vpon Iohn Miracles stand not of the greatnes of works that Miracles consist not in the
séeme that it must rather be said that miracles are appointed and established by faith séeing if faith be not present as the euangelists doo saie miracles cannot be doone I answere that they which by praiers will obtaine miracles must after an accustomed and iust maner be indued with faith for those praiers are counted vaine which leane not vpon faith But if a miracle be giuen nothing letteth but that faith which is begun may be stirred vp and confirmed Moreouer this must we be assured of Looke in 2. King chap. 4 vers 30. that there is no let with God but that he may giue miracles vnto the vnbeléeuers yea hée hath oftentimes giuen them God oftentimes giueth miracles vnto vnbeleeuers Vndoubtedlie Pharao and the Aegyptians were vnbeléeuers and who knoweth not that there were verie manie miracles doone vnto them by Moses Christ likewise did then shew the miracle of his resurrection when all men in a maner despaired of his doctrine and truth wherefore nothing letteth but that faith may be confirmed by miracles And for that cause as we haue said they which by praiers labour to obtaine signes doo labour in vaine vnlesse they haue beléeued For praiers without faith are of no value with God and this Christ hath manifestlie taught in the 17. chapter of Matthew verse 21. For when his disciples could not heale the lunatike child the cause therof being demanded hée said that it happened by reason of their incredulitie Against exorcismes done at the sepulchers of dâd men Looke part 4 chap. 9. art 8. The diuell dallieth with idolaters whose answere manifestlie declareth what we must iudge of these exorcists or coniurers which indeuour to driue awaie diuels at the sepulchers of the saints and at their rellicks All things be there doone fainedlie The dead are called vpon without faith and the diuell maketh dalliance with idolaters faining to haue faith to the end that damnable worshippings may be still continued which is therefore manifest bicause those exorcists being most vnpure doo all things there without faith Origin vpon the 17. chapter of Matthew writeth verie well against this abuse Origins opinion of exorcismes If at anie time saith he it behooueth vs to helpe these men let vs not talke with the spirit by adiuring or commanding as though he heard vs but let vs onelie perseuere in giuing our selues to praiers and fastings These words spake he euen then when the inuocation of the dead and worshipping of rellicks were not vsed in the church What would he at this time saie if he should sée the madnes of our age But to returne to the chéefe point of the doubt I iudge that faith goeth before miracles as touching those which obtaine them by praiers but not as concerning them which stand by and haue not yet beléeued the preaching which they haue heard 14 But let vs sée by what meanes miracles may sometimes be doone by wicked men For there be some which shall saie in the latter time Haue wee not cast foorth diuels in thy name Matt. 7 22. Haue we not prophesied c Vnto whom shall be answered Verelie I saie vnto you I knowe you not These vndoubtedlie in working of miracles as it séemeth credible vsed praiers but yet being destitute of faith were neither iustified nor belonged to the kingdome of God Wherefore it séemeth to be no sure argument that praiers powred out without faith are not heard But we must note that ill men which by praiers haue obtained miracles were not vtterlie without faith For we find Thrée kinds of faith that there be thrée kinds of faith The first is a faith that consisteth of the opinion and persuasion of man Looke in the 1. Cor. 12 vers 9. whereby those things that be written in the holie scriptures are beléeued to be no lesse true than are the histories of Liuie Suetonius and those things which are now written of the new ilands and this kind of faith in respect of manie things is common both vnto Turks and Iewes There is another faith wherby wée being inspired from heauen doo liuelie and effectuallie cleaue to the promise of Gods mercie and vpon this faith dooth our iustification consist Finallle the third faith is called the faith of miracles With what faith those be indued by whom God dooth miracles whereby we are neither changed nor made one haire the better For it is a moouing of the spirit of God whereby men are stirred vp to desire miracles altogither beléeuing that it is the will of God that those should be doone that the thing required should haue successe Therefore while they cleaue vnto this faith sometime they obtaine their request Which I therefore speake Miracles are not alwaies doon at the praiers of euill men Chrysost bicause they doo not alwaies so neither are they alwaies lightened with that inspiration But if thou wilt demand how this kind of faith can be prooued let Chrysostome answere who vpon the 17 chapter of Matthew maketh mention thereof There Christ said If ye haue faith as the graine of mustard seed ye shall saie vnto this mountaine verse 20. Throwe thy selfe into the sea and it shall doo so In expounding of these words this father saith Whereas these things be not doone in the church at this daie shall we therefore saie that christians be without faith God forbid that we should iudge so ill of the people of God Faith iustifieng is now but that which is called the faith of miracles hath alreadie ceased Also this kind of faith is shewed by the words of the apostle in the first epistle to the Corinthians where he saith Though I had all faith 1. Cor. 13 2. so that I could remooue mountaines if I haue no charitie I am nothing Neither let it trouble vs bicause he saith all for that distribution is to be drawne vnto the faith of miracles This doubtlesse is plainelie perceiued in the 12. chapter of the same epistle where the apostle maketh relation of the frée acceptable gifts saieng Ibidem 12 8 and 9. To one is giuen the spirit of the word of wisedome to another the gift of knowledge by the same spirit to another the power of healing by the same spirit to another the gift of faith by the same spirit c. Faith in this place cannot be vnderstood the same whereby we be iustified For that is not rekoned among the gifts which are priuatelie distributed vnto some but is common vnto all true christians Now as I thinke it appeareth by what means they which be not as yet iustified might sometimes by their praiers obtaine miracles namelie bicause they are not destitute of euerie kind of faith 15 Now resteth it to sée Whither it be lawfull for godlie men to aske miracles Looke In Gen. 24 at the end Looke part 2. place 4. Art 54 In 1. Cor. 1 22. whether it be lawfull for godlie men to desire miracles of God
of God they must not in anie wise followe their mind An example of the Machabeis What time as the Macedonians Antiochus Demetrius and Alexander withdrew the Iewes which then liued vnder them from the true worshipping of God the Machabeis would not be obedient vnto them And whereas that house of priesthood was chéefe next vnto the kings familie it reuolted from those kings least that the sincere and ancient religion should be destroied And here in alledging of these things I count not the bookes of the Machabeis to be such as that I iudge from thence should be taken firme arguments of doctrine but bicause I reckon that historie to be true as the which is not onlie conteined in those bookes but also hath béene written by other authours 43 I will also adde the act of king Ezechias An example of Ezechias verse 7. verse 7. as it is written in the second booke of Kings the 18. chapter For as it is written in the 16. chapter of the same booke Achas had yéelded himselfe vnto the king of Assyria to whom he did not onelie paie tribute but for his sake he changed the worshipping of the true God For he going to méet the king at Damascus commanded an altar to be made at Ierusalem according to the paterne of that which he had séene at Damascus and he followed the seruice and religion which the Assyrians vsed But Ezechias his sonne being verie godlie perceiuing that those things which his father had doone were repugnant to the word of God fell vtterlie from the king of the Assyrians who then ruled ouer him as a superiour power But first he assaied to pacifie him with gifts and monie but when he sawe that would take no place he then defended himselfe and his people against him with all his power Neuerthelesse Seditions must be auoided so much as is possible in these things so much as is possible we must auoid seditions and most warilie prouide that vnder the pretence of religion princes séeke not their owne These things if they obserue and resist their superiour magistrates onelie for godlinesse sake let them not mistrust that they commit anie iniustice Moreouer the holie scriptures command Rom. 13 1. that Euerie soule should be subiect to the higher powers But that must be vnderstood as much as shall be lawfull by the word of GOD. For in the same scriptures it is written that the magistrate is a terror not vnto good works but vnto euill So as if the inferiours promote not euill things but good verse 3. they doo not then resist their powers Wilt thou not feare the higher power saith the apostle Doo good and for that thou shalt be praised Then if they defend godlinesse they shall deserue rather praise than blame but if thou doo euill feare the superiour power for he beareth not the sword in vaine for he is the minister of God a reuenger vnto anger against him that dooth euill All these sentences doo confirme the minds of the inferiour powers that they should be nothing afraid of the superiour power when they in defense of religion obeie him not Howbeit if thou wilt saie By what lawe doo inferiour princes resist either emperours or kings or Common-weales when as they defend the sincere religion and true faith I answer By the lawe of the emperour or by the lawe of the king or by the lawe of the Common-weale for they be chosen of emperours of kings and of Common-weales as supporters to gouerne whereby iustice may more and more flourish To the end therefore that they should rightlie iustlie and godlie gouerne the Common-wele according to the charge committed vnto them they were appointed wherefore they doo according to their duetie when in cause of religion they withstand the superior power Neither can that superior power iustlie complaine if in this case Iustinian the inferior power fall from it The emperor testifieth in the Code that his mind is not that anie of his decrées should take place in iudgements against right but that they should be made frustrate if happilie they be perceiued to varie from iustice Wherevpon Traian is not without cause commended who deliuering the sword and the girdle vnto the gouernor said If I rule iustlie A goodlie sentence of Traian vse it on my side but if I rule vniustlie vse it against me 44 Gregorie the bishop of Rome cannot be excused who perceiuing that the lawe made by Mauricius was vniust for he had decréed that none which was encombred with affaires of the Common-weale or appointed to the warres should be made a clarke or monke wrote indéed to the emperor that when he had séene his lawe he was woonderfullie afraid and therefore desired him either to remit somewhat of the rigor thereof or else vtterlie to alter it Howbeit he added Now that he had doone his dutie in admonishing him according to the obedience and seruice which he ought vnto him he would publish the lawe at Rome as he was commanded A fault in Pope Gregorie Doubtlesse this act of Gregorie cannot but be reprooued bicause he ought not to haue obeied the superior power in that thing which he iudged to be vniust and wicked When we write of these things in this maner we doo not open anie waie at all vnto seditions but onelie our care is that those things may be giuen to God which are due vnto God and vnto Caesar the things which be due vnto Caesar If the higher power would require either the goods or things of this world for the vse of the publike weale my counsell is that they should be giuen but not when those things be required to be ouerthrown and subuerted which haue respect to the worship of God And by this means surelie we may excuse iust Naboth 1. King 21 3 Naboth is excused which would not grant to the king his vineyard for he did not that of couetousnes and pride but bicause he sawe the lawe of God thereby to be violated whereby it was ordeined that lands and possessions among the people of Israel should remaine distributed by iust diuision This lawe of God the king went about to violate and to the performance thereof he sought the consent of that man which he with a good conscience could not haue doone Whether the inferior officers shuld resign their râomeâ ãâã they be constrained to wicked things Some thinke that when the superior powers go about to constraine their inferiors to do wicked things it were good and méet that they which exercise the inferior office should resigne and depart from their office but I thinke not so For this were to fall from his vocation which he ought not to doo especiallie when we sée that his surrender must be made to the vngodlie which either resist or oppresse the kingdome of God I iudge therefore that they ought to continue vntill by force they be deposed by the superiour powers that they through
A parologisme This is a false argument taken from that which is absolute to that which is in some respect bicause we also doo confesse that parents ought also to offer vp their children vnto God by bringing vp of them godlie and religiouslie but not in making a burnt sacrifice of them Perhaps they are driuen by an other reason namelie bicause they had heard of their ancestors that is of the holie Patriarchs that it would come to passe that one daie God would be well pleased with an humane sacrifice Which as they did peculiarlie vnderstand concerning Messias so the wicked being taught by the instruction of the diuell vnderstood it of some particular men Vndoubtedlie it was a maruellous blindnesse of their minds that they abhorred not to sacrifice their children vnto diuels and it was more than a true pretence of religion which consisted not of the word of the Lord but of a humane and diuelish inuention And certeinlie the more feruent that men be in superstitions deuised by them selues the further are they carried headlong into things more absurd And if so be that a good intent were at anie time to be commended here should it most of all haue taken place For they which did sacrifice their owne children did not onlie séeme to mortifie humane affections but vtterlie to despoile them On this wise doo men when they be carried awaie of their owne will What else I beséech you was this than to be cruell against their owne bloud Wild beasts which be altogither destitute of reason would commit no such thing who doo fight for their yoong ones offer them selues to die for the safetie of them Hereby we vnderstand what miserable gods the idolaters haue worshipped whom they would not haue to be mercifull vnto them except they had first doone them much harme Vnder the colour of godlinesse the earth was polluted with innocent bloud that a more vnhappie destruction might come against it And thus we sée that idolatrie exacteth more and farre more gréeuous things of men than true godlinesse and the word of God can obteine It gréeued not those men to kill their sons but they that professe the Gospell will not abide to chasten them no not lightlie The priests of Baal lanced their bodies so cruellie as the bloud ran on euerie side out of their bodies and they which would be called christians withdraw not their bodies from hurtfull pleasures 39 But and if we should demand Gen. 8 21. Exod. 29. Leuit. 1. 2. 3. Num. 15. 28. euerie where whether God haue at anie time delighted in humane sacrifice that will we not denie for through the death of Christ GOD was well pleased with mankind And that which in manie places of the lawe is written as touching sacrifices to wit that God smelled those things as a sweet sauor Leuit. 26. Num. 28. Ezec. 20 41 that must be referred not vnto the cattell which was sacrificed but vnto the principall type that was shadowed by them that is vnto Christ whose death neuerthelesse did not barelie and by it selfe please God but so farre foorth as it procéeded of a true obedience perfect mind and singular charitie And if thou demand whence that obedience and charitie obteined their dignitie and excellencie It shall be said from the diuine person in which the humane nature was sustained while Christ so farre foorth as he was man should suffer the works of our saluation Also the sacrifices of the holie martyrs wherein they suffer themselues to be slaine for the name of God is also most déere vnto God Yet is not God cruell as he that reioiseth in the bloud and death of men for the deaths and slaughters of martyrs please not God of them selues and in their owne nature except in that that they are offered for the testifieng of his truth Againe he hath not so respect vnto patient men as they be méere men and the children of Adam but as they belong vnto the bodie of Christ and are now become his members by regeneration and according to the forme of Paules speaking are called the men of God 2. Tim. 3 17 That God in his owne right might require humane sacrifices 40 In verie déed God might in his owne right haue required humane sacrifices of men For séeing he is the Creator of men he may determine of them at his owne pleasure which yet is the more lawfull for him when as all the posteritie of Adam haue béene made subiect vnto death That therefore which euerie houre they owed to God he might require of them whensoeuer he had thought good For trulie no iustice was against it but that he might vse their death for the fulfilling of his decrées And in requiring of this kind of oblations he shuld haue doone no iniurie vnto them for in stéed of the losse of this transitorie and fraile life he would haue requited them with a blessed and eternall life the which should haue béene counted for an aduantage and that a most manifest aduantage Wherefore those men that were to be offered in a burnt sacrifice might haue set their minds at quiet by this sound consolation But when it was lawfull for God thus to doo hée would not naie rather he forbad that it should be doone First before the lawe was giuen when as he staied Abraham from killing of Isaac Gen. 22 12. Leui. 18 21. Deu. 12 31. Deut. 32 17 Psal 6 37. Iere. 32 35. Afterward in the verie lawe it selfe in two or thrée places he chargeth that men should not offer vp their sonnes and sacrifice them as did the nations of the Chanaanites And after the lawe was made he oftentimes by the oracles of the prophets rebuked the Israelites when they committed such things And in the place of humane sacrifice he appointed the slaughters of beasts that is of buls of calues of shéepe of goats and of birds which neuerthelesse he remooued afterward when Iesus Christ had béene sacrificed Why God required the sacrifices of beasts And why he for a time suffered those kind of sacrifices Tertullian in his second booke against Marcion declareth First bicause he sawe the Hebrues incline to the ceremonies of the idolaters where these beasts were vsed in sacrifices wherefore he rather would that those things should be doone vnto him than vnto the vaine gods of the Gentils yea rather vnto diuels Furthermore with singular diligence and perfect precepts he distinguished the kinds of the sacrifices also he prescribed in a maner infinite things as touching the places vessels rites to the intent he might exercise those fathers verie busilie in his seruice that they might be constreined to meditate daie and night in his lawe and that with a true faith otherwise their sacrifices should haue béene hated of him as he spake by the prophet Esaie Esaie 1 11. To what end is this multitude of sacrifices offered vnto me Haue I required this at your hands
sometime with safforne and so they beguile the beholders of them and with maruelous craft deceiue them Héereof commeth that which we haue in common talke namelie that A man casteth a colour vpon anie thing when he deceiueth And it is woont to be vttered in bargains in couenants and agréements Without colour or counterfeiting that is Fréelie in good faith absolutelie and plainlie These things of the end The efficient and proper cause is the naughtie desire of pleasing The efficient cause the which sometime is stirred vp by pride and sometime by lust By pride bicause they will not haue anie to surpasse them in beautie but will make a shew to be farre more beautifull than others By lust for that they would séeme to be beautifull more and more than the measure of their owne naturall fauour hath appointed and so to allure men to satisfie their lust I am not ignorant that the most ancient fathers especiallie Cyprian in his booke De velandis virginibus teach that The diuell was the inuenter of such maner of trimming For when as he thinketh the euill angels had burned in the desire of women and had abused their bodies they for a reward of the licentious pleasures permitted vnto them made demonstration of these artes and shamefull ornaments Wherfore Cyprian writeth that these be not the ornaments which GOD made but those which the diuell deuised Touching the cause efficient we haue spoken enough But the matter is nothing else in a maner The matter but filth to wit smoke soot fome and spittle and such things for the most part as would loath a man to touch them Yea and sometimes poisons are mingled so that they with their counterfeit colours doo not onelie wound the minds of the beholders but doo also hurt their bodies Of the forme I haue nothing to saie bicause these things be tempered an infinite number of waies And looke how manie counterfeited women there are almost so manie kinds of false colours there be They are said also to die their faces and that is both to colour them and to deforme them It is also said that this vice is greater charge to women than to men bicause a woman through hir defiled and corrupt nature is desirous of beautie and as the Gréekes saie ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã that is desirous to be trimme Howbeit Paulus the second of that name Pope of Rome Pope Paul the second vsed to paint his face as Platina writeth at such time as he should come abroad absteined not from false colouring euen to the intent he might séeme of the more beautifull countenance as he was verie tall of stature But how shamefull a thing it was for the vicar of Christ as he challenged himselfe to be let other men iudge Certeinlie the Ethnike poet pronounced that It best becommeth men to be carelesse of their beautie And againe Farre from vs may such yong men be which are curiouslie trimmed like women For Iulius Caesar was desirous to couer his baldnes Iulius Caesar Wherefore bicause of the honors which were verie manie that the citie had bestowed vpon him he most willinglie receiued the laurall crowne which for this cause he ware in a maner alwaie And Ierom writeth Maximilla that Maximilla the prophetesse of Montanus vsed Stibium which may note vnto vs by what spirit she was led The generall word The generall word of this vice is feigning and also leasing sith they feigne a countenance to themselues as they list and they counterfet beautie Neither is wantonnesse far from it for when by nature they haue not the woorthinesse of beautie they counterfet the same as they can And we will not omit that there be diuerse which haue sometime painted their faces not to the intent they might appéere the better fauoured and fairer but bicause they would séeme to be more cruell fierce and horrible to behold The Brittons died their faces to seeme terrible as it is written of the Brittons who died their faces with a kind of hearbe like vnto plantine as Caesar reporteth in his fift booke of his Commentaries And in India where is no small plentie of pretious stones they are woont to make hollowe places in their owne flesh that in the hollownesse thereof they may close in pretious stones and that as well in the forehead as in the chéekes These things shall suffice for declaring the nature of false colours Now remaineth to be said whether it be lawfull to vse the same Arguments whereby some would prooue it lawfull to vse false colouring Some affirme that it is lawfull of whom there be manie Schoole-men who rather fauour and make much of vices than pursue them and séeke to wéed them out First they alledge certeine testimonies of the holie scriptures which at the first vew séeme to be of their side Secondlie they labour to prooue the same by reasons 61 Out of the holie scriptures they alledge that which is written in the first to the Corinthians the seuenth chapter verse 34. He that is not married careth for the things of the Lord how he may please the Lord but he that hath married a wife is carefull for those things that be of the world and how he may please his wife The vnmarried woman careth for the things of the Lord that she may be holie both in bodie and in spirit but the married woman careth for those things that be of the world and how she may please hir husband It is lawfull therefore for women to indeuour to please their owne husbands whereby they may reteine them still to be content with their owne wife For if they should despise them they might easilie incline to whooredome and adulterie Wherfore saie they there is some good vse euen of counterfet colouring And further vnto this purpose they drawe that which is written in the first of Timothie the second chapter verse 9. ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã that is In trim comelie apparell And they saie that the apostle spake this when he gaue precepts touching women Moreouer they declare that in the first epistle vnto the Corinthians the twelfe chapter it is written verse 23. that Vpon those parts of the bodie which are lesse honourable put we more honour on and our vncomelie parts haue more comelinesse on And that therefore if anie deformitie be either in the countenance or in the eies it is conuenient that we should decke them more costlie And bicause they be not so verie blind and blockish but that they sée this to be a great stop vnto them that men by these paintings and counterfet colours are prouoked vnto lust they haue inuented certeine craftie and subtill shifts that with them they might shadowe and colour their error 62 First they saie that we fall into the false argument which is called A secundum quid ad simpliciter that is to saie From that which is in some respect vnto that which is absolute
the harlot or vitler Augustine answereth Augustine that it was not the lie which the midwiues made but the faith and feare that they had towards God and the mercie shewed vnto the Israelits that pleased the Lord which the holie historie by expresse words dooth testifie And no otherwise must we thinke of Rahab Gregorie But I neuer like of the opinion of Gregorie who saith that for the lie which they made their eternall reward was turned to a temporall reward bicause it is said that God for their euerlasting blessednesse builded them houses But I iudge that by reason of the true faith which was effectuall in them in such sort as it brought foorth in them both loue and the feare of God which be lawfull and iust fruits of that faith the lie which they made through infirmitie béereaued them not of eternall felicitie 36 Abraham also is obiected who said Looke In Gen. 12. at the end and 19. 8. Gen. 12 13. that Sara was his sister Howbeit therein as Augustine teacheth he lied not he told that which was true but yet he spake not all the truth And that is of no man required to vtter all that he knoweth to be true He did not saie that she was his wife yet bicause she was his kinswoman he might according to the maner of the Hebrues truelie saie that she was his sister Notwithstanding he séemeth not to be holden altogither excused for although he lied not in calling of hir sister yet it appéereth that therein he fell bicause by not reuealing that she was his wife he put hir in danger of loosing hir chastitie sith he lest hir void of that helpe whereby onelie she might haue béene defended from falling into the loue of strangers Neither is it néedfull that I should indeuour to excuse Abraham altogither for he was a man and by too muth feare might easilie doo amisse Howbeit Augustine Augustine mentioneth that Abraham was then in danger two maner of waies the one least he should be killed him selfe the other the adulterie of his wife The first he might shun in calling hir his sister the other namelie least she should be polluted he was not able to repell For although he had said that he was hir husband that would not haue serued to deliuer hir from the shamefull lusts of the Aegyptians Wherefore that which he himselfe was not able to shun he committed vnto God and in that which was in his owne power he would not tempt him This séemeth to be the iudgement of Augustine But what I iudge I haue before declared 37 But did not the same Abraham lie when he said vnto his seruants Gen. 22 5. Looke In Gen. 27 19. Tarrie here and we will returne vnto you when neuerthelesse he was minded to sacrifice his sonne Which if he had doone he might not haue returned hauing his sonne with him but should haue returned alone without him Iacob also by expresse words lied Gen. 27 19. when he said vnto his father I am Esau thy sonne Paule also as it is written in the Acts saith that he knew him not to be the chéefe priest which commanded him to be striken when for all that as Augustine testifieth in his sermon of the Centurions sonne and as it is written in the 23. cause question the first chapter Paratus he knew him well enough Paule saith he was brought vp among the Iewes he had learned the lawe at the féet of Gamaliel wherefore he verie well knew the chéefe priest from other men 2. Kin. 10. 18 Iehu also lied manifestlie when he said Augustine Two kinds of men that he would worship Baal Augustine writeth that there be two kinds of men mentioned in the holie scriptures For that there were some so perfect as although they were not without sinne yet we may not rashlie iudge euill of them but rather séeke how we may defend those things which in their works haue a shew of sinne They oftentimes were so mooued by the holie Ghost that God by their words and acts might make certeine secrets knowne And so we must beléeue that oftentimes they both spake and did certeine things by prophesie So Abraham when he said We will returne vnto you prophesied vnwares that which shuld come to passe for he safelie returned from the mountaine with Isaac And Iacob in saieng I am Esau ment to declare nothing else but that he was the man to whom the degrée blessing and dignitie was due which séemed to perteine vnto Esau who was the first borne Paule also prophesied what should at the length become of the high priest namelie that as a painted wall and a thing altogither feigned and hypocriticall he should be taken awaie Further saith Augustine there were other men not so perfect but were euill which are spoken of in the old testament either to haue lied or else to haue doone some thing that might séeme to be sinne But he thinketh that we should not so greatlie indeuor to defend the good name and opinion of those men Of this sort of men was Iehu for although that murther which he executed vpon Achab and his familie and also his wéeding out of Baal and the worshippers thereof pleased God yet neuerthelesse he was a wicked king neither forsooke he the worshipping of golden calues Wherefore it shall be lawfull to confesse that in lieng he committed sinne But in my iudgement and as I noted before by this onelie distinction we may easilie dissolue this doubt namelie Note a distinction that those men were stirred vp to lie either by the spirit of man or by the motion of God When they did it as men we will not denie but that they sinned but when they spake so by the inspiration of God we maruell at their saiengs and dooings But we will not take it as an example and president to followe VVhether it be lawfull to lie for preseruing the life of our neighbour 38 But there ariseth a harder doubt Looke In 2. Sam. 15 33 namelie whether it be lawfull to make a lie for the preseruation of our neighbors life Augustine Augustine De mendacio ad Consentium saith If a man shuld be in great perill of death and the same man should also knowe that his sonne were in extreame danger who happening to die thou hauing knowledge thereof if the father aske thée Dooth my sonne liue And thou art sure that he also will die if thou shew him that his sonne is departed what wouldest thou doo in this case Whether thou saiest he liueth or whether thou saiest I cannot tell thou liest But if so be thou answer that he is dead all men will crie out vpon thée as though thou haddest committed man-slaughter and as though thou by thy heauie newes haddest béene the occasion of the death of this father being sicke and lieng at the point of death Augustine granteth that the case is hard neither denieth he but that as a man
the death and resurrection of Christ are most manifest But what it is to sit at the right hand of GOD it dooth not so plainelie appéere The spéech is metaphoricall deriued from princes and kings who place at their right hand such as they hold in greatest honour and estimation In the 100. psalme it is written verse 1 Sit at my right hand vntill I make thine enimies thy footstoole And Salomon when he was minded to shew great honour vnto his mother Bersaba 1. Kin. 2 19. he commanded that she should haue a throne set for hir vpon his right hand Matt. 20 21 Also the sonnes of Zebede desired of Christ that they might sit the one at his right hand and the other at his left hand Touching this high honour granted to him of his father Christ himselfe saith Matt. 11 17 and 28 18. All things are giuen vnto me of my father and there is giuen vnto me all power both in heauen earth And Iohn the Euangelist saith Iohn 13 3. Iesus knowing that all things should be deliuered vnto him And Paule vnto the Ephesians saith Ephe 1 20. He is set aboue all principalitie power vertue dominion and aboue euerie name that is named be it in this world or in the world to come Phil. 2 9 And vnto the Philippians He gaue him a name that is aboue euerie name that in the name of Iesus euerie knee should bow of things in heauen of things in earth Col. 1 15 c or of things vnder the earth And vnto the Colossians He is the beginning and first begotten of the dead that in all things he might haue the preeminence For it pleased the father that in him all fulnesse should dwell And although the right hand of God as we haue said signifieth honour and high dignitie yet must we not thinke that the bodie of Christ is spred out so farre as his Godhead and right hand is extended For that bodie as the state of humane nature requireth is comprehended in a certeine and definite place the which is heauen Acts. 3 21. as Peter in the Acts of the apostles dooth testifie as the article of his ascension dooth teach vs to beléeue and as Augustine and manie of the fathers haue instructed vs. ¶ Looke the dialog of both natures in Christ Of Christs person death and resurrection looke 3. sermons and the epistle vnto the brethren of Poland When as I was come thus far forward there happened into my hands which I had in vaine sought long before our authors exposition vpon the apostolicall Creed written in his owne naturall language A similitude The which D. Peter Martyr diuorsing himselfe from the dregs of poperie set foorth when he departed out of Italie as Master Iosias Simlerus testifieth in his life The same for so much as to my knowledge it was not yet extant in Latine set foorth in this maner I thought it would be both pleasant and profitable to the readers that it might come to light a few things being cut off bicause they were both largelier and more exactlie treated of in another place Further as touching the causes of departing from poperie looke the second epistle The xviij Chapter A plaine exposition of Peter Martyr vpon the twelue articles of the Christian faith THe articles of our faith set foorth nothing vnto vs but the knowledge of God And as we be not able throughlie to comprehend him he being perfect and vncorrupt in nature so is there particularlie giuen vs sometime some one small taste and féeling of him and sometime another And séeing in the diuine nature there be thrée persons as we beléeue of one essence namelie the Father the Sonne and the holie Ghost the whole essence perteineth to ech one of them The whole essence belongeth to ech one of the persons But now this first article which properlie concerneth the Father propoundeth foure things to be obserued first that he in whom we beléeue is the true God secondlie that the same is the Father thirdlie that he is omnipotent and lastlie that he is the author and first originall of all things created Now go to let vs sée particularlie To beleeue in God expounded what the proper meaning is of these words I beleeue in God Assuredlie we cannot otherwise explaine this sentence than to saie that he is to be acknowledged as God So as if a man demand of thée What is God refusing all humane subtiltie Looke in 1. Cor. 10. and laieng aside the difficulties that be vnsearchable thou must boldlie absolutelie answer without sticking that God is the eternall good of whom euerie other good dooth come Wherevpon it appeareth that he which estéemeth anie thing as much or more than God cannot trulie saie I beleeue in God For if so be thou acknowledge him to be the chéefe good thou wilt neuer preferre anie thing before him Neither yet can he rightlie beléeue this that at anie time setteth his hope anie other waie séeing hope is not but of some good thing If then God as I haue said be the good from whence euerie good thing dooth flowe whosoeuer expecteth anie good else-where beléeueth not trulie in him Furthermore they which attribute the good things which they possesse vnto their owne righteousnesse indeuour dooings and finallie to themselues haue not the sense and as I may saie the true taste of this first article of our faith What then wilt thou saie of them which haue appointed to themselues certeine ends of good things out of the vanitie of their owne deuise and out of the decrées of Philosophers and politike men yea and out of the sense of brute beasts in the which they in verie déed repose themselues whatsoeuer euill they bring Such kind of men doubtlesse properlie worship not God but in the place of God doo worship the phansies inuentions of their owne braine The thing beléeue me is of greatest importance for a man to haue the true God to be his GOD. Psa 144 15. The prophet Dauid pronounced that people blessed whose God is the true God 2 But now it dooth appeare what it is to beléeue in God howbeit Whie he is called father we haue not yet declared whie the father is called by the name of father That name is attributed vnto him for two causes chéefelie The one is for that he is the father of our Lord Iesus Christ which is the second person in diuine nature The other bicause it pleased him to be our father And he is therefore called father bicause he distributeth his inheritance to vs and so communicateth his nature with vs Rom. 8 17. as Paule to the Romans calleth vs The heires of God and Peter saith that we participate of the diuine nature 2. Pet. 1 4. For these two things speciallie the parents are woont to giue vnto their children For first they indeuour as much as they can to make them like vnto
force as contrition and repentance is deferred touching the sinnes committed And when repentance is performed then also let an end of the punishment of excommunication be appointed For which cause Christ being demanded of Peter How oftentimes a man should forgiue them that offend Ibid. 21. whether seuen times which séemed to be much answered Euen so often as they shall returne againe to better life For that be awointeth when he saith Seuentie times seuen Wherefore they which by repentance returne to the church must euermore be admitted And least peraduenture so often separation and receiuing reiterated by the ministerie of men against one and the same man should séeme to be of small importance and reputed for sport and mockerie as a thing procéeding from the will of man he addeth that He giueth them the keies of the church The keies of the church that is to saie the power that Whatsoeuer she should bind or loose vpon the earth should be established in heauen And this doth the church vnderstand in the same sort as the holie euangelist writeth it By this article therefore we beléeue that such diuine authoritie is committed vnto the church that it may absolue and set at libertie the persons excommunicate which repent them of their sinnes committed and may reconcile them to hir selfe whereby they may be restored vnto that place of a healed bodie whereof Christ is the head Which absolution being performed with publike vowes and praiers in the church no doubt but the church forgiueth them their sinnes committed Wherefore after the grant of this authoritie of the keies Matt. 18 19 and 20. Christ not in vaine added Whatsoeuer ye aske in my name it shall be giuen vnto you And Wheresoeuer two or three shall be gathered togither in my name I am in the middest of them Whereby it is gathered that the church is neuer present either to excommunicate or to reconcile them that be excommunicated but that Christ himselfe also is present 2. Cor. 2 7 8 Wherfore Paule to the Corinthians the second epistle writeth to the church that forgiuing the fault of that sinner of whom he had made mention in his first epistle they should confirme charitie towards him in renewing with him their old fréendship Behold how we contemne not the authoritie of the church but we denie it to be in the will and authoritie of one We confesse this power therfore to be in the earth among the godlie But euen as the multitude of beléeuers gathered togither in Christ haue onelie the right of excommunication so haue they also of reconciling and admitting and that which is so performed by them we beléeue also to be doone and confirmed in heauen Howbeit note that in this third meanes is conteined the forgiuenesse of publike sinnes onelie And as concerning the two former meanes the church hath belonging vnto it the forgiuenesse of all sinnes in generall Here onelie that absolution taketh place which apperteineth to publike crimes the which through euill example hath offended and doone harme vnto them to whom the knowledge thereof hath come Wherefore with all the hart and voice let vs giue thanks vnto God who hath granted vnto vs so great a benefit vpon the earth and hath laid vp greater for vs in heauen as afterward we shall sée The Resurrection of the flesh ¶ Looke more hereof in the third part 47 How these articles should be knit togither After remission of sinnes followeth life by a more fit method I cannot perceiue Sinne as it is knowne hath béene the onelie and whole cause of mans death and that we haue remission of sinnes through Christ it was shewed a little before Now then remaineth this one thing to wit that by him we shall be deliuered from death and released from the tyrannie therof so soone as euer we haue accesse vnto Christ by faith sith then shall perish in it the continuall iurisdiction which it obteineth against vs. For séeing the naturall power hereof is such as what it hath once seasoned vpon it firmelie holdeth therefore the philosophers write that it must not be granted that from such a priuation men can returne to their ancient habit In which matter certeinlie they be not deceiued if thou shouldest but consider the power of nature But we which be indued with faith doo so tast of death as we knowe that there is an end and limit appointed to the working thereof we being confirmed through the promise of Christ himselfe Iohn 6 39. who in the sixt of Iohn saith that He will loose none of them which his father hath giuen him but will raise them vp at the latter daie But if so be thou obiect that he will raise vp not onelie them that be godlie but also the vnbeléeuers and shall therefore the faith in Christ as touching the resurrection profit anie thing I answer that the confidence in Christ shall nothing at all profit vnto the méere and absolute resurrection séeing that degrée both the godlie and the wicked shall obteine but the resurrection vnto felicitie vnto life eternall and vnto heauenlie blessednesse is onelie granted vn-them which by faith are vnited vnto Christ Howbeit I thinke not méet to passe ouer this to wit that whereas the wicked shall rise againe they obteine not that by the power of their owne nature but by Christ For séeing we confesse that by the death of that one first man we were all made subiect vnto death it is reason also we should grant that how manie soeuer be made partakers of this second life should also obteine the same by that one man Christ who first was raised vp Wherefore the wicked whether they will or no shall féele in themselues the power of Christ but that which these shall obteine to their great harme iust men shall receiue to their great benefit This is the doctrine of Paule to the Corinthians when he saith As by one man came death 1. Co. 15 21. so by one man came the resurrection of the dead And as by Adam all men die so by Christ all shall be made aliue but euerie one in his owne order The first fruits is Christ then they which be of Christ And in the last and most vnhappie state shall they be which be strangers from Christ And as there shall be a difference in the state condition so shall there be also in the place For the saints then raised vp 1. Thes 4 16 and 17. shall togither with the godlie which then perhaps shall remaine aliue be caught vp to méet with that high King our Lord IESVS CHRIST in the aire Who vndoubtedlie as we haue alreadie confessed shall come to iudge the quicke and the dead as wée haue expresselie shewed in the article of the last iudgement Wherefore Christ will shew foorth his power generallie towards all as well good as bad not onelie in the iudgement it selfe but in the resurrection also He therefore is the first that hath
as touching the predestinate séeing of them he suffereth none to perish when otherwise of the reprobate it is said in the first chapter of the Prouerbs verse 26. I also will reioise in your destruction for God is not led vnwillinglie or violentlie but willinglie and gladlie to destroie the vngodlie Moreouer truth it is that man at the beginning was created a liuing soule and God for that cause may séeme not to be the author of death Genes 2 7. bicause he created man that he might liue who afterward by his owne fault procured death vnto himselfe But yet herevnto I adde that man could not haue life without the speciall benefit of God for he giueth it at his will and pleasure to whom he thinketh good And vndoubtedlie that is true which he himselfe speaketh in Ieremie that His thoughts are the thoughts of peace Iere. 29 11. How God is to be vnderstood to thinke the thoughts of peace and not of affliction First bicause that death and hir reteiners are as it hath béene said drawne to vs by our owne selues Further it must not be lightlie weighed which is afterward written in the prophet vnto the house of Israel that is vnto the elect and them that are predestinate to saluation for vnto them GOD intendeth nothing but for their saluation As touching the name of Iehouah by which God is speciallie named bicause all things haue of him euen the verie being which they haue and that therefore death séeing it bringeth a man to nothing cannot séeme to haue his cause of God it is to be vnderstood that death is ordeined for men as a punishment of sinne and is laid vpon them that deserue it Neither doo we denie but that God of himselfe is life séeing the essence of althings dependeth of him as of the fountaine Which neuertheles is not so but that he can withdrawe the same so often as he thinks good for whatsoeuer he dooth he dooth it voluntarilie and of his owne accord not as dooth the sunne the stars the moone the fire and other naturall things which worke naturallie and of a certeine necessitie Therefore Dauid wiselie said Psal 104 28 When thou openest thy hand all things shall be filled with goodnes which if thou plucke backe againe and once dooest close all things shall straitwaie be destroied Howbeit he closeth not his hand except he be prouoked by our ill deserts Looke the Theses De praedestinatione prouidentia at the end of the Common places in Latin The second Chapter Of the calling of God and of his grace THE calling of God is directed vnto that end that we should beléeue the same and further In Gen. 12 verse 1. The end of Gods calling that we should be saued by the benefit thereof Séeing therefore that our saluation and faith be those good things which the calling of God hath respect vnto this nature they haue that faith serueth for another end namelie for our saluation two maner of ends indéed but yet it may séeme to be one séeing without doubt the one tendeth vnto the other The forme of calling But the forme of the calling is not alwaies one and the same for sometimes it is doone onelie by inspiration of the spirit and sometimes by the words of God outwardlie propounded vnto vs either by writing or by word of mouth And those words of God whereby we be called doo consist partlie in promises and partlie in doctrine vnto the which also threatenings are otherwhile added Likewise we knowe that some haue béeme called by compulsion Acts. 9 3. as the holie historie in the Acts of the apostles declareth of Paule We also reade that this hath sundrie times béene brought to passe by benefits yea Matt. 10 8. and the gifts of healing bestowed vpon the apostles séeme to haue an eie vnto that Sometimes God calleth his children by aduersities Esai 22 12. of which waie the children of Israel had verie manie times experience And it must be remembred that this calling sometimes is vnderstood as concerning saluation A generall calling and a priuate calling séeing God dooth therefore call vs vnto him that we may be saued There is also a certeine other priuate calling for the taking of some certeine charge in hand be it of préesthood kingdome gouernment of houshold and other such like Which two callings be not all one bicause they may be seuered for so was Saule called vnto the kingdome 1. Sam 10 1. but not vnto saluation Iohn 6 70. Iudas albeit he were ioined to the apostleship yet was he not partaker of the saluation by Christ A calling effectuall and not effectuall Againe calling is of two sorts one is called effectuall and the other not effectuall not effectuall is when some men are thought by the reason of outward signes and tokens to be called and to apperteine vnto God to the church and yet in verie déed the successe is not so and hereof it is spoken in the 20. and 24. chapters of Matthew Mat. 20 16. and 22 14. Manie be called but few be chosen But that is said to be effectuall which by no meanes wanteth the due end of saluation of the which Paule speaketh in the eight chapter of his epistle to the Romans verse 28. when he saith All things worke for the best to them which are called according to the purpose of God for those which he knew before he also predestinated to be made conformable to the image of his sonne that he might be the first borne among manie brethren whom he predestinated them also he called and whom he called them also he iustified and whom he iustified them he also glorified Thou séest by these words of Paule that they which be called are predestinated and that the verie same shall be glorified Wherfore an apparant controuersie in the scriptures is decided for when it is said that some be called and not chosen there it is spoken of calling without effect Againe when those that be called are said to be iustified and glorified there the spéech is of effectuall calling this effectuall calling Paule nameth according to the purpose But this purpose of God is referred vnto predestination and foreknowledge Calling goeth before saith Rom. 10 14. This also must be added that calling goeth before faith which thing appéereth out of the tenth chapter to the Romans when the apostle saith How shall they call vpon him whom they haue not beleeued How shall they beleeue him of whom they haue not hard How shall they heare without a precher How shall they preach vnlesse they be sent Behold in this method of resolution thou séest that faith dooth two waies depend vpon calling Faith dependeth vpon calling two maner of waies First bicause they that should preach and be messengers ought to be called and appointed to declare the word of God and then they while they preach doo call the people of
and discerning them from other writings They will answer that bicause it is gouerned by the holie Ghost But I beséech you how knowe ye that Bicause they will saie Christ hath promised Matt. 28. 20 that Hee will be with it euen to the end of the world And bicause he hath also said Matt. 19 18. Where soeuer shall be two or three gathered togither in my name there am I in the middest of them And againe I will send the holie Ghost the comforter Iohn 16 13 which shall lead you into all truth These are the things saie they which persuade vs of the authoritie of the church but I would faine knowe from whence ye receiued these things The church hath hir authoritie of the scriptures but out of the holie scriptures wherefore we may contrariwise conclude that the church hath hir authoritie of the scriptures 4 Further by that place of Paule is declared another difference of faith Faith is a sinne assent Rom. 4 20. namelie that it is a firme assent For he pronounceth of Abraham that he nothing doubted and he vseth this verbe ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã which signifieth To reason with himselfe and to put doubts In which signification Luke in the Acts vseth the selfe-same word for so it is said vnto Peter Acts. 10 20. that he should go vnto Cornelius the centurion ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã that is Doubting nothing Abraham had a respect vnto the will and power of God which made the promise and not vnto his owne infirmitie or to the infirmitie of his wife Without God he had nothing whereby he could promise himselfe anie such thing wherefore as saith the apostle he was strengthened in faith neither doubted he through vnbeléefe which is all one as if he had said Else-where on euerie side were offered vnto him incredulitie and doubting Neither ought this sentence to be reprooued as though we doo féele no such experience in our selues for there is none in whose mind there riseth not at anie time some doubt touching those things which we beléeue for this commeth not of faith but of our infirmitie Of which thing we may be easilie instructed by that which we sée to happen in the habit of anie science especiallie of the mathematicall science for therein is certeintie and that verie great certeintie for there the conclusions doo necessarilie and most euidentlie followe of the premisses But if a man haue not perfectlie learned or perfectlie attained vnto the science hée shall sometimes doubt and this commeth to passe not by meanes of the science but by reason of the fault of him that vseth the science Euen so we bicause so long as we liue here we be weake neither can haue a full and perfect faith Why douts doo sometimes arise in vs euen against our wils therefore doubts doo oftentimes arise vnto vs yea euen against our wils But touching the nature of an opinion thou maiest perceiue it to be otherwise the which is such as there can be no blame laid vnto vs if we somewhat incline to the other part from that which we thinke to be true But the infirmitie which happeneth to vs concerning faith may come two waies for sometimes we firmelie cleaue vnto those things which we beléeue howbeit there are other things behind which are to be beléeued the which as yet we perceiue not And after this maner they which togither with the Gospell obserued choise of meates and other ceremonies are called by Paule in his epistle to the Romans Weake in faith Rom. 14 1. for they knew not as yet that the ceremonies of the lawe were abrogated Sometimes it commeth to passe that we sée indéed the things which are to be beléeued but yet we are not so perfect in faith that wée can firmelie and constantlie cleaue vnto them So Christ called the apostles Men of little faith and especiallie Peter Matt. 8 26 14 31. We must praie vnto God to increase our faith when through doubting hée was almost drowned with the waues of the sea Wherefore as touching each part we must alwaies praie vnto God to increase our faith It is also to be noted that the power of beléeuing commeth of the holie Ghost when as we yéeld not vnto so manie and so dangerous flouds of doubting which doo inuade the mind but doo in the end ouercome them which thing cannot be doone without a heauenlie and supernaturall power But in this assent of the faith What things we are to examine in the assent of the faith we must diligentlie examine both what he is that hath spoken and also what it is that is said and is set before vs to beléeue bicause the diuell dooth studie nothing more than to cause vs to beléeue that God hath spoken that which hée spake not Oftentimes also those things which be spoken by God himselfe are by false deceiuers wrested to a wrong sense are corrupted and so forced vpon vs to be beléeued Wherefore We must praie vnto God that he will not suffer vs to be deceiued séeing we haue néed of reuelation concerning each part we must praie vnto God that he will not suffer vs to be deceiued One of them which writeth vpon the sentences is of this opinion that If it were most assuredlie knowne that God spake anie thing faith therein could take no place for straitwaie saith he by the light of nature we should knowe that it ought to be true which GOD hath spoken vnles we will thinke him to be a lier But this man is woonderfull far out of the waie for we doubt not but that the prophets assuredlie knew that GOD spake in them yet they beléeued those things which they foretold We also assuredlie knowe that God spake those things Whether it followeth that they beleeue which knowe assuredlie that God hath spoken anie thing which are read in the holie scriptures and yet we beléeue them The apostles knew that they had receiued the holie Ghost and yet were they not therefore destitute of faith But that which is spoken of this man should then be true if we could knowe euidentlie by reason or sense that God spake these things which thing can in no wise be doone for they come not to our knowledge otherwise than by reuelation But this man in stead of euidence did put certeintie The last part which is in the definition wherein it is said that this assent wrestleth with the sense and wisedome of the flesh may manifestlie be declared Examples not onlie by the example of Abraham but also by a great manie of other examples God promised deliuerance vnto the children of Israel Exod. 3 8. Exod. 5 6. and yet in the meane time increased their affliction they were charged with a great number of bricks they had no strawe giuen them for their worke they were sharplie and cruellie beaten and when they were alreadie departed out of Aegypt the sea came against them on the
other side of them were great huge rocks and at their backs Pharao was with a great mightie armie against which hindrances the flesh could not choose but striue And in like sort manie things séemed to be against the promise made to Dauid 1. Sam. 16 verse 12. whereby he should be mooued not to beléeue the annointment by Samuel against the which it was néedfull that he should be strengthened by faith The apostles also descried manie tokens of infirmitie in Christ which they ought to haue ouercome by faith Faith perpetuallie wrestleth with some doubting The end of faith Wherefore we may conclude that such is the nature of our faith that it hath alwaies some strife with doubting 5 And whereas it is added Giuing the glorie vnto God the end wherevnto faith tendeth is respected namelie to aduance and increase the glorie of God which herin consisteth that we conceiue such woorthie estimation towards God It is said that Abraham was well-néere a hundred yéeres old for as it is written in the historie of Genesis the 17. chapter he was 99. yéeres of age Gen. 17 1. when this promise was made to him he had no like example before his time by consideration whereof his mind might be confirmed for he is the first that the scriptures doo make mention of to haue had strength of getting children restored againe to him Neither is it anie maruell that by the worke of faith is aduanced Gods glorie By faith we denie the best part of our selues forsomuch as thereby we for Gods sake denie the best part of our selues which is our mind and reason whereby we either assent or not assent vnto things set foorth vnto vs. Wherefore it is manifest that there can be nothing more excellent offered by vs vnto God than faith for it is woonderfull testification of the power and goodnesse of God for his sake to quench in our selues the sense of nature But I woonder at these which so diligentlie commend works and so lightlie extoll chastitie sole life and other works and yet are so cold in setting foorth of the commendation of faith séeing thereby commeth the victorie by which we ouercome both our selues and also the whole world For so Iohn saith 1. Iohn 5 4. This is the victorie that ouercommeth the world euen our faith Which thing I speake not as though I ment that we are iustified by faith We are not iustified by faith as it is a worke as it is a worke for it is polluted by sundrie blemishes of our infirmitie And Augustine saith that this sentence must by no means be admitted namelie Faith meriteth no iustification vnto vs. Ephes 2 8. that Faith meriteth iustification vnto vs for saith is not saith he of our selues but as Paule expresselie teacheth to the Ephesians It is the gift of God Howbeit in so much as it is a worke it excelleth manie waies all other works Faith as it is a worke excelleth all works Proofes that faith cannot be without good works Neither can it be expressed how far wide the Schoole-men erre when they imagine that faith can consist without good works for after their iudgement faith should not atteine vnto the woorthinesse of wisedome which as the philosophers doo write and also they themselues confesse cannot be had without the rest of the vertues What maner of diuine faith shall it then be if it reach not vnto the perfection of wisedome Moreouer forsomuch as vertue suffereth not vice to be ioined togither with it and they themselues affirm that faith is a vertue how will they haue true faith to be in sinners and in such as be strangers from God But they will saie The vertues of the vnderstanding are not repugnant vnto vices that they appoint faith to be a vertue of the vnderstanding vnto which kind of vertues vices are not repugnant for we sée sometimes that the most wicked men of all haue excellent sciences in them But neither will this anie thing helpe them their owne feigned imagination is a let therto for they imagine that those things which are set foorth to our vnderstanding if they be obscure and not verie euident that assent is not giuen vnto them vnlesse it be bicause the will commandeth the vnderstanding to giue assent and herein to subiect it selfe to the truth of God Wherefore I will demand of these men whether the worke of the will whereby it commandeth the vnderstanding to giue place and to assent vnto the words of God be good or euill Vndoubtedlie they must be compelled whether they will or no to saie it is good Without charitie the vnderstanding cannot be commanded to beleeue But without charitie it is not possible that the will should bring the vnderstanding to imbrace the things that are to be beléeued wherfore these fond deuises of theirs are repugnant the one to the other But we teach no such thing that faith should depend vpon the commandement of the will Faith dependeth not of the commandement of the will for how should the will be mooued to command things that are to be beléeued as good and woorthie of credit vnles it had first receiued the same by vnderstanding Indéed we confesse that those things which we beléeue are obscure and not verie euident to humane reason Those things which we beleeue are made plain by diuine reuelation but they are made plaine to the vnderstanding by the light of diuine reuelation and by the lightening of the holie Ghost wherefore by the iudgement of reason they are imbraced and admitted with the best certeintie Which things being so knowne and receiued the will consequentlie delighteth itselfe in them and so earnestlie imbraceth them as it commandeth the other powers of the mind to doo works agréeable vnto that truth which the mind hath beléeued and by this meanes out of faith springeth charitie after the which hope dooth followe For the things which we beléeue and earnestlie loue we wait for with a couragious and patient mind which thing perteineth chéeflie vnto hope Faith extinguisheth neither the nature of man nor yet reason Neither let anie man thinke that this is against reason or else that it extinguisheth the nature of man for that we séeme in beléeuing to refuse humane sense as though this were a madnes in vs as Festus said vnto Paule when he preached the faith of Christ Acts. 26 24. Much learning hath made thee mad The case standeth not so but rather it is brought to passe by faith that our reason maketh it selfe subiect vnto the doctrine of God and to his reuelation rather than to inferiour reasonings and persuasions the which being but vnderlings to the holie scriptures man is rather puffed vp than humbled by them And if anie man saie that men become mad with beléeuing we will adde that the same is doone most of all by reason 6 The apostle maketh mention that GOD quickeneth them that be dead and that
she was betrothed to a man neither was there at that time anie such custome to vow virginitie vnto GOD. But let vs returne to our purpose We ought to resist those doubts which striue against faith through weighing in our mind the power of God for touching the will of God there can no doubt arise for whatsoeuer he setteth foorth to be beléeued he promiseth of his owne accord this doubtles he would not doo if he would not giue it Wherefore it followeth that they which are tempted with such doubting are in doubt of his power The praiers of the church begin at the omnipotencie of God Hereof I thinke it to come to passe that the praiers of the church doo so oftentimes begin with the omnipotencie of God to the end that the harts of them that praie shuld be confirmed that they shuld not in their publike praiers desire anie thing with doubting or mistrust By these things it is manifest how gréeuous a sinne it is to doubt of the promises of God for this is nothing else A greeuous sin to doubt of the promises of God but to account GOD either to be a lier or else to be of small strength and they which be of that mind can neither call vpon God neither yet aske or looke for anie thing at his hands But now forsomuch as this is the nature of faith which the apostle describeth it manifestlie appéereth The diuell hath not faith that the diuell hath no faith for he can haue no confidence that he is accepted of God and besides that he knoweth right well by the naturall sharpenes of his vnderstanding that God is omnipotent But whereas Iames saith Iam. 2 19. The faith which is heere intreated of belongs to godlie men onelie that The diuell beleeueth and trembleth To beléeue in that place is ment To knowe But the faith which is here described perteineth vnto men onelie and to none but such as are godlie 8 But here ariseth a doubt For if onelie the word of God be to be beléeued why said Christ In Rom. 10 17. Iohn 8 38. that If they would not beléeue him yet at the least-wise they should beléeue his works For it séemeth by this sentence Whether we should beleeue miracles that we should also beléeue miracles But we answer that miracles are as testimonies whereby men are the easilier brought to beléeue so then they bée things by the meanes whereof men doo beléeue not that faith is directed vnto them as vnto his obiect albeit as touching the miracles of Christ and of the apostles we must beléeue that they were doone by God and not by Belzebub or by the diuell Matt. 12 14. as the Pharisies slanderouslie reported And this is conteined in the word of God for it giueth testimonie that these miracles should be wrought that they were wrought in their due time namelie in the preaching of sound doctrine Sacraments are beleeued What sacraments are The sacraments also are beléeued but they are nothing else than the visible words of God wherevnto also is ioined the word of God which is heard as Augustine saith The word commeth vnto the element and it is made a sacrament Howbeit there is discretion and iudgement to be had when we beléeue the word of God least we should drawe therevnto anie peruerse and corrupt opinion It is also requisite to haue a good triall and examination if one shall discerne of miracles and in the sacraments it must be considered that they be orderlie ministred that is in such sort as they were instituted by God And by a sound iudgement we must remooue awaie and set aside the inuentions of men that we beléeue them not as we would beléeue the words of God And when Basilius or other of the fathers saie that We must beléeue without examination or iudgement Whether wee must beleeue without iudgement or with iudgement Rom. 4 20. A distinction of iudgment which séemeth to be taken out of that which Paule saith in his epistle to the Romans that Abraham beleeued neither iudged he that word in Gréeke is ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã To answer to this doubt this is to be vnderstood that iudgment is of two sorts the one is when we take counsell of the senses and humane reason and this is to be vtterlie remooued from faith for it alwaies resisteth the word of God the other is the iudgement of the spirit which must of necessitie be had And this is it which Paule said Prooue all things 1. The. 5 21 and keepe that which is good And vnto the Corinthians Spirituall things are compared with spirituall things 1. Cor. 2 13. The harder places of the scripture must be conferred with the easier The authoritie of the church hath no dominion ouer faith Rom. 10 14. And with this iudgement it is necessarie to conferre one place which in the holie scriptures is somewhat obscure with another place which is more manifest The authoritie of the church hath no dominion ouer faith as some wickedlie thinke The office of the church is to preach to admonish to reprooue to testifie and to laie the holie scriptures before mens eies neither dooth it require to be beléeued further foorth than it speaketh the words of God Paule before he had made mention of the word by which faith is brought foorth he spake of them that preach the Gospell that is of the ministers which be sent by God in whom he described the ministerie of the church namelie that it consisteth in preaching of the Gospell Ibidem 17. Moreouer if faith as it is written come by hearing that is as it is added by the word of God then followeth it of necessitie that there is nothing whereby faith is more nourished mainteined and confirmed than by continuall reading and repeating of the word of God This thing testified Tertullian in his apologie when he saith that To this end holie assemblies are gathered togither to heare Gods word The philosophers saie that we of the selfe-same things both are and are nourished wherfore in like sort it coms to passe that if faith be of the word of God it is also nourished by the same We knowe moreouer How faith is nourished of the word that through often and vsuall works habits or grounded dispositions are confirmed as contrariwise if a man cease off from actions they waxe weake Wherfore if a man cease to read to heare or to repeat the holie scriptures faith will wax féeble in him And they which thinke that a liuelie and pure faith may continue in churches without often preaching doo excéedinglie erre A similitude of Chrysostom Chrysostome hath an excellent similitude of a light or lampe that burneth which soone goeth out vnlesse oile be still ministred vnto it by the lampe or light he meaneth faith and by oile the word of God and this he writeth in that place where he treateth of the parable of the
VVhether charitie may be called the forme of faith 27 As touching the second question we are to examine whether charitie be as the Schoole-men terme it The first reason the forme of faith And first I saie that they so speake not properlie but rather fondlie for it is not beséeming that one qualitie of one and the same kind should be the forme of another For we grant not that one accident cleaueth like a forme vnto another accident and that chéeflie among qualities It is said of figures or shapes that they happen vnto quantitie when as yet they be qualities But whether figures doo trulie or properlie perteine vnto the predicament of qualitie I will not stand at this present to prooue it sufficeth as concerning our purpose that one qualitie cannot be called the forme of another A feigned deuise of the School-men But the School-men by that their maner of spéech ment no other thing but that faith is made perfect by charitie euen as matter is woont to be made perfect by the forme of the same which feigned deuise of theirs must not be allowed For if faith be compared vnto hope and charitie it is euen so towards them A similitude as wisedome is to those vertues which they call vertues of intelligence and as prudence is towards those which they call morall vertues For euen as morall vertues are knit togither in prudence so those things also which belong vnto intelligence are ioined togither in wisedome But no man will saie that other-vertues of the mind bée the forms of wisedome neither that morall vertues are the forms of prudence wherefore neither hope nor charitie may be called the forme of faith The comparison which I tooke vpon me to make of faith vnto prudence is to be read in Chrysostome vpon the epistle vnto Titus Chrysost the third homilie where he saith that faith is of no lesse power to the gouerning of life than wisedome is The third reason Furthermore that our wisedome consisteth in faith no man I thinke doubteth and that hope and charitie are knit togither in faith it is hereby declared insomuch as where faith is these also are present with the same Moreouer to speake of the forme according to the nature thereof we make the same to be the beginning of the action but faith by a naturall propertie and vertue thereof maketh vs to hold fast the word of God Neither dooth charitie tend vnto that end the which rather compelleth vs to loue him whom we haue alreadie knowne by faith therefore charitie in respect of faith shall not be accounted a forme séeing it is no beginning of the action thereof the which chéeflie consisteth in beléeuing Furthermore matter is gouerned of the forme The fourth reason and thereby it is both contriued and conteined and not the forme by the matter But charitie is obedient vnto faith faith gouerneth the same for whatsoeuer we loue vprightlie it must be knowne by faith that we ought to loue the same For this in nature we sée that loue followeth the iudgement of the partie that knoweth Besides this the thing which begetteth is more perfect than that which is procreated And we make no doubt but that hope and charitie is ingendered by faith wherefore neither hope nor charitie can be the forms of faith That good works are ingendered by faith Dauid sheweth when he said I beleeued Psa 116 10. and therefore haue I spoken whereby appéereth that confession procéedeth of faith He saith also Ps 119. 101. I haue not declined from thy iudgements bicause thou hast taught me By these things it is manifest that the vprightnes of life procéedeth from the assent of faith 28 But let vs sée after what sort hope and charitie are ingendered of faith How hope and charitie are ingendered of faith Rom. 5 1. In the epistle to the Romans we read We being iustified by faith haue peace towards GOD through Christ by whom also we haue accesse through faith vnto the grace wherein we now stand and reioise vnder the hope of the glorie of God Behold the apostle expresselie sheweth that wée haue peace and accesse vnto God and hope of the glorie through faith The same dooth he more plainlie teach in his epistle to the Ephesians the third chapter where he writeth verse 12. that Wee haue accesse with confidence which commeth by faith Here againe thou séest that confidence which is hope dooth spring of faith And that charitie is deriued from thence the same apostle testifieth vnto Timothie when he saith Charitie out of a pure hart a good conscience 1. Tim. 1 5. and faith not feigned And the reason which we touched before persuadeth the same for séeing that by faith we apprehend GOD as the souereigne good as he that is mightie wise and most louing toward vs Which gaue his onelie sonne vnto death for vs hath giuen all things with him how can it be but that our loue must breake out towards him and towards all things which apperteine vnto him But touching order it is to be vnderstood that hope springeth out first For when as by faith we haue imbraced the promise of eternall life an hope is conceiued of obteining the same and from hence in the third place springeth loue for we loue not those things which we are out of hope to obteine 29 Now let vs come to the arguments A feigned deuise of the Sophisters Gal. 5. 6. which our aduersaries doo vse to prooue charitie to be the forme of faith They alledge that sentence of Paule vnto the Galathians Faith which worketh by loue Séeing saie they that faith doth worke by charitie the same it shall haue in stead of a forme Hereof groweth the error of these men that they imagine something to themselues that should be compounded of faith and charitie the which being all wholy compact of these might haue the first entrance of the working thereof from charitie as from the forme But this deuise of theirs is vaine for séeing faith and charitie be seuerall vertues and that one qualitie as I haue said before is no forme of an other there shall be no one thing compact of these two faculties Moreouer this maner of spéech to wit Not alwais that by which an other thing is wrought is the forme of it it may be the instrument of it 2. Cor. 5 10. that euerie thing worketh by an other thing doth not alwaie respect the forme but somtimes the instruments The writer writeth by his pen the souldier fighteth by his weapon the soule worketh by the bodie but all these things they confesse to be no forms but instruments And Paule siad that We must all stand before the tribunall seat of Christ that euerie man shall beare away according as he hath behaued himselfe in his bodie be it good or be it euill We saie also that prudence worketh by morall vertues which vertues notwithstanding are not counted the
that doubteth of saluation hath not the hope belonging to a christian or else if they haue that hope they must néeds be assured of their saluation But if a man will saie What if I shall be vnwoorthie and therefore God will not bestowe vpon me the chéefe reward I answer that this is a wrestling of the conscience and must be ouercome by hope for the obteinement whereof let vs cleaue fast vnto the word of God such as is this God is faithfull 1. Co. 10 13 which will not suffer you to be tempted aboue your power but togither with the temptation will make a waie out and such like places of the holie scripture wherein God promiseth that he will giue perseuerance vnto his euen vnto the end And to speake bréeflie the hope of the godlie leaneth onelie vnto the goodnes power and mercie of the onelie God This thing Basilius verie well vnderstood in his exposition vpon the 33. psalme when de interpreteth these words Psal 33 18. Hoping in his mercie He which putteth not saith he confidence in his owne proper déeds neither hopeth to be iustified by works hath his hope of saluation onelie in the mercie of God for when he shall consider these things with himselfe Behold God and his reward c. 44 But the Schoole-men haue taught farre otherwise for the Maister of the sentences in his third booke The school-mens definition of hope thus defineth hope Hope is an assured expectation of the blessednes to come comming of the grace of God and of merits going before Which definition how absurd it is especiallie touching the latter part it is manifest in those which are newlie from most heinous and horrible sinnes conuerted to Christ for they vndoubtedlie can haue no good merits séeing before they were void of charitie from which all our works procéed Yet can there be nothing more certeine than that they They that be conuerted vnto Christ cannot be without hope though they haue no merits and works They that be most wicked ought not to cast awaie all hope which be conuerted vnto Christ cannot be without hope Yea Augustine vpon the psalme From the depth haue I called vpon thee ô Lord exhorteth them that fall and those which liue in the depth of euils not to cast awaie hope and that by the example of the théefe and of manie others It may now be demanded of them by what merits hope is confirmed in these men They commonlie answer that merits doo not alwaies go before hope but alwaies go before the thing hoped for And they declare their opinion touching this matter in such sort as they teach that merits go before hope either in verie déed or else doubtles in thought For men newlie conuerted commonlie while they conceiue hope of saluation determine both in their mind and in their cogitation to doo good works whereby they thinke to merit the last reward But what certeine hope can these good works imagined in the mind produce which are not yet wrought For of a cause which yet is not cannot be produced an effect which alreadie is We should rather affirme the contrarie to wit that this godlie will springeth of faith and of hope than that faith or hope should procéed of it as from the cause But it is a world to sée how these men turne themselues when on the one side they saie that hope is an assured expectation and yet on the other side they will haue this to be a most firme doctrine that no man can be assured of his saluation vnles it be speciallie reuealed vnto him by God Here they perceiue themselues to be fast tied and they confesse that it is a hard matter to vnderstand what maner of certeintie the certeintie of hope is Here these miserable men sweat and go to worke and feigne and imagine manie things First they teach The certeintie of hope come of the certeintie of faith that all certeintie of hope commeth of the certeintie of faith and this indéed is not amisse for therfore we certeinlie hope bicause by faith we imbrace the most certeine promise of God But they go on further and saie that by faith we generallie and absolutelie beléeue that all the elect and predestinated shall be saued but that hope maketh vs to haue a confidence that we are of the number of the elect as though hope had a particular knowledge vnder faith that that which was generallie apprehended by faith is by hope applied vnto euerie one of vs apart Wherefore they affirme that this certeintie of hope is by supposition if we be of the number of the elect and doo persist euen vnto the end And this kind of certeintie they will haue to consist of verie likelie coniectures And at length they conclude that the certeintie of hope is lesse than the certeintie of faith 45 But contrariwise we make the certeintie of either of them to be alike The certeintie of faith and hope is alike for looke how much faith we haue so much hope also we haue for faith retaineth not with it selfe anie part of certeinetie which it deliuereth not ouer vnto hope That is a fond deuise which they bring touching application Faith applieth those things which it beleeueth vnto him in whom it is in that by hope they applie vnto vs those things which we haue by faith generallie and absolutelie beléeued For we doo not onelie beléeue that God is good or the father and author of mans felicitie but also euerie godlie man by faith assureth himselfe that God both is and will be vnto him good is and will be vnto him a father is and will be vnto him the author of felicitie Hereof commeth that certeintie of hope And for this cause it is that Paul writeth that It cannot confound And séeing faith hath a respect vnto God as to one that speaketh the truth and hope hath respect vnto him as vnto one that is faithfull and most redie to performe his promises and God himselfe is no lesse faithfull in performing than true in promising we may manifestlie conclude that hope hath as much certeintie as hath faith Certeintie as touching the obiect and subiect Neither can that anie thing more helpe them which they cauill at the length namelie that hope hath certeintie as touching the obiect but not as touching the subiect for when saie they it hath a respect vnto the clemencie goodnes grace and power of God there is no let in those things but that euerie one may be saued and therefore on that behalfe they appoint a grounded certeintie but if a man consider the subiect the mind I meane and will of him that hopeth forsomuch as it is pliable and wauereth and may be changed it can neuer be certeine or sure of saluation But these men séeme vnto me to deale euen as they doo A similitude which in a siege defending their citie diligentlie shut and defend all other gates sauing one which they leaue
open through which when the enimies enter in destroie althings they perceiue that they lost all their labour So these men take excéeding great paines bicause there may séeme to be no vncerteintie as touching the goodnes power and clemencie of God or merit of Christ Howbeit in the meane time they appoint our will to be so subiect vnto changing as it neither can nor ought to promise vnto it selfe perseuerance no not out of the word of God and by this meanes they quite take awaie all certeintie so that this saieng of Paule Hope confoundeth not can haue no place neither dooth the certeintie which they go about to establish anie thing profit Verely if we peruse the holie scriptures we shall not onelie vnderstand that God is generallie good and mightie but also that he is euermore vnto vs good and mercifull and that therefore he will confirme our will that it shall neuer fall awaie from him For as we haue a little before mentioned He will not suffer vs to be tempted aboue that which we are able to beare 1. Co. 10 13 but togither with the temptation will make a waie foorth verse 8. And in the first chapter of the first to the Corinthians Ibidem 9. He shall confirme you blameles euen to the end against the daie of the Lord Iesus Christ for God is faithfull by whom we are called There are besides Testimonies of the scriptures promising perseuerance vnto vs. What the certeintie of hope is a great manie other testimonies in the holie scriptures which promise vnto vs both perseuerance and confirmation of our will by Christ Wherefore we saie that this certeintie of hope is a firme cleauing vnto the promises offered vnto vs and receiued by faith bicause we knowe that we shall not giue ouer but continue euen vnto the last end 46 And of so great force is this hope that as Augustine writeth vnto Dardanus Hope calleth those things which are to come as alreadie doone Ephes 2 5. and in manie other places it calleth things that are to come alreadie doone as the same Augustine verie well declareth out of manie places of saint Paule and especiallie vnto the Romans vnto the Ephesians vnto the Colossians For vnto the Ephesians we are said to be alreadie raised from the dead and to be alreadie set at the right hand of God togither with Christ in the heauenlie places Vnto the Colossians Col. 3 1. If ye haue risen togither with Christ c. And in another place Titus 3 5 Rom. 8 23. He hath saued vs by the fountaine of regeneration And vnto the Romans By hope we are made safe Wherof the certeintie of hope springeth This certeintie springeth chéefelie of a woorthie estimation which by faith we conceiue touching the constancie of God the which no vnwoorthines of ours is able to cast downe Vnto which vnwoorthines of ours drawing vs from this confidence if we haue respect we must néeds against hope beléeue in hope and haue a full confidence that we shall be saued by Christ although the same vnwoorthines repugne neuer so much against it setting before the view of our eies our father Abraham whose steps we ought by faith to cleaue vnto He as touching the promise that he should haue issue weihed not his owne age or the age of his wife which was past child bearing but had a respect vnto him onlie which made the promise and considered his might and therefore he determined most assuredlie with himselfe that that should come to passe which God had promised Euen so although we be vnwoorthie and that our fowlnesse and sinne is a let vnto vs yet let vs haue no mistrust but that by Christ we shall be made safe vnlesse we will suffer our selues to be infected with infidelitie the which Abraham did most of all abhorre Rom. 4 20. for he staggered not through vnbeléefe as the apostle saith Wherefore this vncerteintie of our aduersaries is vtterlie taken awaie from the minds of the godlie for for this cause as the apostle testifieth would God haue vs to be iustified by faith Rom. 4 16. and not by works that the promise should abide certeine and vnshaken And this is indéed to giue the glorie vnto God What is to giue glorie vnto God which thing Abraham did for he notwithstanding those woonderfull great impediments hoped vndoubtedlie that the same which God had promised should come to passe Iob also made so small account of these impediments that he said Although he kill me yet will I hope in him by which words he sheweth The godlie in affliction will not cast awaie hope that it is the propertie of the godlie that albeit they be verie seuerelie afflicted by God and may appéere to be hated of him yet doo not cast awaie their hope Wherfore let vs imitate him and if so be that our falling and vnwoorthines shall set themselues before our eies yet let vs not distrust Let vs in the meane time detest our vices and as much as lieth in vs amend them but yet through them let vs by no means be cast downe from the hope of saluation For if when the promises of God be offered we should behold our owne woorthines we should rather be mooued to desperation than to anie hope for there is no man whose mind is not laden with manie and gréeuous sinnes Besides this Rom. 5 1. Paule teacheth vs that Peace towards God is had by Christ and by the faith which is towards him There shuld be no peace if we stood in doubt of saluation which peace vndoubtedlie should either be none at all or else verie troublesome if we should continuallie doubt of his good will towards vs. Doo we not alwaies in our praiers call vpon him as our father But no sonne which followeth naturall affection doubteth of his fathers good will towards him How then doo we call him father whom we suspect to be our enimie The fathers taught the certeintie of saluation 47 There might be a great manie of such other reasons brought for the certeintie of hope But now I will in few words declare that the fathers also in their writings taught the selfe-same certeintie Chrysostome vpon that place vnto the Romans thus writeth Doo not saith he yea though thou be of small woorthines discourage thy selfe séeing thou hast so great a defense namelie the loue or fauour of the iudge And a little afterward he saith For that cause the apostle himselfe when he saith Hope confoundeth not ascribeth all the things which we haue receiued not vnto our good déeds but vnto the loue of God Ambrose also saith that Forsomuch as it is impossible that they which are déere vnto him should be deceiued he would make vs assured of the promise bicause both it is God which hath promised and hath promised vnto those whom he will haue déere vnto him Augustine in his sermon which he made vpon mondaie in
yet hath it not the nature of faith There is also another kind of faith which serueth to worke miracles A faith of miracles and much differeth from the iustifieng faith and is common both to the godlie and also to the vngodlie of this Paule maketh mention in the first to the Corinthians when he saith 1. Cor. 12 vers 8 c. Vnto one is giuen the word of wisedome to another the word of knowledge to another he saith is giuen faith And it is not likelie that in that rehearsall of gifts and graces should be ment anie other faith than that which is the roote of miracles especiallie when as straitwaie are added gifts of healing and of vertues or powers And of this kind of faith both Chrysostome also Theophilactus haue made mention vpon the same first epistle to the Corinthians where in the 13. chapter it is said If I haue all faith 1. Cor. 13 2. so that I can remooue mountains c. And that vnto the wicked also this kind of faith is granted it is hereby testified in that it is most certeine that both they doo prophesie and worke miracles wherefore Christ shall saie vnto them I knowe you not although they boast with open mouth Matt 7 23. Haue we not in thy name prophesied Haue we not cast out diuels We must seuer also from this faith that faith Faith enduring but for a time which endureth but for a time whereof the Lord made mention in the parable of the séed which is sowen in the féeld for all falleth not vpon good ground but some vpon stonie ground when it is sproong vp with verie good successe it verie plainlie expresseth them which with a glad and ioifull mind receiue the word of God ãâ¦ã but when the burning and feruentnes of persecution shall waxe hot they fall awaie from it and therfore they are called ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã that is Men hauing faith for a season Wherefore leauing all these significations we in this discourse vnderstand faith to be that firme assent which is of so great force and efficacie as it draweth with it the affection of confidence hope and charitie lastlie all good works as much as the infirmitie of this present life will suffer 6 Therefore Smith Smith an english man an impudent ââ¦ophisier which wrote against me a booke of iustification although he set it out before against Luther against Melancthon and speaketh much against others and seldome maketh mention of me is herein excéedinglie deceiued in that he iudgeth that those are sharpelie to be reprooued which saie that faith is a trust And he bringeth a place out of the epistle to the Ephesians the third chapter where it is written By whom namelie by Christ Iesus Eph. 3 1â we haue ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã that is boldnes to speake A place to the Ephesians declared and ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã that is an accesse ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã that is in trust which commeth by faith Therefore saith he séeing trust is by faith it is not faith Oh fine man and wittie Diuine which alone sawe that these two things namelie faith and trust are two things which are diuerse and distinct each from other What other thing in a maner dooth Philip Melancthon and others our faithfull teachers meane when they call that faith whereby we are iustified Trust but that the same is not dead that it is not slothfull that it is not an humane persuasion but of so vehement an assent that it hath euen trust it selfe most inwardlie and nighlie ioined vnto it But I mind not much to contend with this man all that he bableth he scrapeth onelie out of the works of Ecchius Pighius and other âable of the Romane Antichrist and setteth them abroad as though they were his owne That faith which draweth not trust A dead faith iustifieth not but driueth into desperation and other holie motions of the mind driueth men into desperation so farre is it off that it can iustifie which thing the miserable ends of Caine and Iudas doo plainlie testifie But that which is a firme faith continuallie trusteth yea it sealeth our faith in the church by this common word Amen This word Amen sealeth praiers vsed among the faithfull Which word is deriued of this Hebrue word Aman which I before spake of and signifieth as Dauid Kimhi testifieth It shall be ratified and firme So shall the Lord bring to passe They which praie without faith do loose their labour A similitude They which praie without such a faith doo loose their labour In this faith vndoubtedlie men doo quiet themselues by tranquillitie and vnspeakable peace and are like vnto him which found a most ample treasure and pretious pearle wherein he so contented himselfe that he sold all that he had to buie it Hereof came it verse 4. that in the 7 chapter of Esaie the prophet said vnto the wicked king Achaz exhorting him to the true faith Hisschameer vehaschket that is Take heed and be quiet for the prophet would that the king should beware of incredulitie staie himselfe on the word of God which is the propertie and nature of faith as contrariewise the nature of infidelitie is to wauer and be vnconstant What is the propertie and nature of faith For They who beleeue not are shaken with euerie blast of doctrine and opinions and alwais wauer and doubt Wherfore in Iosua the 7. chapter verse 5. the people is reprooued bicause their harts melted awaie as water and that vndoubtedlie happened onelie by their incredulitie 7 Forsomuch therefore as hereby it now appéereth what we vnderstand by faith among manie significations of this word which of them we doo followe in this question we must now speake somewhat of works A distinction of works There is one kind of worke which after the action and motion remaineth outwardlie and appéereth after it is finished as the image which Phidias made is called a worke and the temple of Ierusalem was called the worke of Salomon But otherwise the actions of men and their voluntarie and reasonable motions are called works and after this maner we now take works which are neuertheles sundrie waies distinct the one from the other For there are some which are inward as To beléeue Works inward and works outward To loue To fauour To feare and To pitie other some are outward as To trauell abroad To giue almes To preach To teach and such like and of both these kind of works is our question ment Works morall and works ceremoniall They also diuide works into them which perteine vnto ceremonies and them which they call morall and we in like maner doo imbrace both kinds Further the time wherein good works are wrought must be distinguished for some be done before we are iustified and haue obteined the benefit of regeneration Works either go before or else followe
not imputed sinne By the which words we doo not onelie gather that the righteousnes by which we are said to be iustified sticketh not in our minds but is imputed of God that it is such an imputation as consisteth not of works but of the méere clemencie of God Further the apostle dooth by another propertie of good works confirme his opinion namelie The tenth reason bicause works are signes or seales of the righteousnesse alreadie obteined where he saieth of Abraham And he receiued the signe of circumcision being a seale of the righteousnes of faith which was in vncircumcision c. vers 11. Séeing therefore that good workes are signes and also seales which beare witnes of the righteousnes alreadie receiued they cannot be the causes thereof Neither haue ceremonies onelie that propertie but also euen those works which are called morall Euen verie morall works are seales of righteousnes imputed when they are pleasant and acceptable before God for they also are signes tokens of our righteousnes Wherfore Peter exhorteth vs to endeuour our selues to make our vocation sure namelie by liuing vprightlie by good works yea and the forme of the promise which God made with Abraham 2. Pet. 1 10. is dilligentlie to be weighed for therevnto is not added a condition of the lawe The eleuenth reason or of works And séeing God added none what boldnes were it in vs to presume to doo it and Paule saith For not through the lawe was the promise made vnto Abraham or to his seede Rom. 4 13. that he should be the heire of the world but through the righteousnes of faith For if those which pertaine vnto the lawe be heires then is faith made frustrate and the promise is of no force namelie because the lawe worketh anger Wherefore if we fulfill not the lawe the promise shall take no place And to beléeue that promise which shall neuer be fulfilled would be a vaine thing which vndoutedlie must néeds vtterlie be so if it be giuen vpon this condition that we should performe the lawe when as no man can perfectlie accomplish the lawe Vers 16. The twelfth reason But the apostle procéedeth further and by the iudgement of the most mercifull counsell of God decréeth after this maner Therefore is the inheritance giuen by faith and according to grace to the end the promise should be firme As if he should saie If the promise should depend vpon works our mind would continuallie wauer none might appoint anie certeintie of his owne saluation for his conscience would euermore accuse him that he had not perfourmed those works for the which the promise was made To the end therefore we should not wauer Why God would that our iustification shuld come by faith vers 18. The .13 reason God would that our iustification should consist of faith and grace that the promise might be firme The same thing also is gathered by that which is declared of Abraham howe that Contrarie to hope he beleeued in hope He is said to beléeue in hope contrarie to hope which either in him selfe or in nature séeth or féeleth no maner of thing which might persuade him to hope Euen as Abraham was an hundred yéeres of age his bodie was in a maner dead his wife an old woman and barren all which things naturallie put him from hoping and yet preuailing against them all he hoped But we if we had merites or good works whereby we might obtaine righteousnes then should we not hope contrarie to hope but in hope and according to hope Wherefore our iustification is to be appointed no otherwise than we read it was in Abraham for he is the father of vs all as it was imputed vnto him euen so shall it be imputed vnto vs. The .14 reason 12 But now let vs come to the .5 chapter There againe Paule plainlie expresseth in what case men are before they be regenerate for he saith For Christ when we were yet weake according as the time required Rom. 5 6. died for the vngodlie And straight waie But God setteth out his loue towards vs in that when we were yet sinners Christ died for vs. And he addeth vers 8. For if when we were enimies we were reconciled to God by the death of his sonne vers 10. much more being now reconciled shall we be saued by his life Hereby we gather that before regeneration men are weake sinners vngodlie and the enimies of God Who then can ascribe vnto such men power to obtaine righteousnesse at their pleasure when they list to doo good works Others maie beléeue it but the godlie will neuer be so persuaded This moreouer is another proofe in that he setteth foorth the cause of so great an euill when he saith Therefore vers 12. euen as by one man sinne entred into the world and by sinne death The .15 reason euen so death went ouer all men forsomuch as all men haue sinned As if he should haue said We haue béene euen from the beginning by the first man lost and condemned And least thou shouldest thinke that infants are to be excepted he saith vers 14. Yea death hath reigned from Adam euen to Moses ouer them also which haue not sinned after the similitude of the transgression of Adam The masse or lumpe of perdition comprehendeth all those that are borne from which corruption the holie scriptures teach that it is not possible for men to escape by their works and to challenge iustification vnto themselues Afterward in the .6 chapter thus speaketh our apostle vers 21. What fruit had ye then in those things whereof ye are now ashamed For the end of them is death The .16 reason but now being deliuered from sinne and made the seruants of God ye haue your fruit to sanctification and the end euerlasting life What other thing meane these words than that all things which men doo before they beléeue in Christ deserue nothing else but ignominie shame And there is no fruit there of sanctification but it followeth regeneration it selfe And who will saie that we are iustified by those things which are full of ignominie and shame The .17 reason But now let vs heare what is said in the beginning of the .7 cap. Knowe ye not brethren for I speake to them that knowe the lawe how that the lawe hath power ouer man as long as he liueth Rom. 7 1. For the woman which is in subiection to a man is bound by the lawe to the man as long as he liueth but if the man be dead she is losed from the lawe of the man Wherefore if whilest the man liueth she couple her selfe with another man she shal be counted a wedlocke-breaker but if the man be dead she is free from the lawe of the husband so that she is no wedlock-breaker though she couple her selfe with another man Euen so ye also my brethren are dead vnto the
also forgiuenes of sinnes vnto Monks coules to candles and the ashes of the boughes of the oliue trée and the palme trée and vnto pilgrimages Wherefore they procéeded vnto such fond and vngodlie trifles by meanes of those things which they so peruerselie interpreted in the holie scriptures concerning merits Vndoubtedlie none vnderstand but they which haue experience how hard a thing it is that a hart brused ouerthrowne and laden with the burthen of sinnes should when it is gréeued and oppressed quiet it selfe in the frée promises of God through Christ It is a verie difficult thing to rest in the promises of God for such a hart earnestlie laboureth that once at the length it may with a firme faith be established If we should with the Sophisters will a man to haue a respect vnto his works then should he neuer be in quiet but should alwaies be vexed and alwaies doubt of his saluation and at the last be swallowed vp with desperation I would not that anie man should thinke that when we reason of this matter we take in hand a vaine thing or a strife about words The fruit and end of this disputation It is a thing whereby is defended the honour of Christ and that which is proper vnto himselfe onelie namelie to iustifie and to forgiue sinnes We séeke that the same should in no case be attributed vnto works or to anie other thing else of ours We séeke that the promise should be firme and that afflicted consciences should receiue consolation in the words and promises of God Lastlie we séeke that the Gospell should be distinguished from the lawe and the lawe from the Gospell but this cannot they doo which ascribe iustification to works and confound and perniciouslie mingle them togither And for the confirmation of this proposition although I could bring a great manie more reasons in a maner infinite yet these which I haue alreadie brought shall suffice and I will omit the rest for they which are not mooued with these reasons neither will they be touched with anie other 19 Howbeit I thinke it not good to passe ouer with silence the trifling shiftes and wilie deceites whereby the Sophisters vse to auoid and obscure this doctrine which we haue now put foorth Whether iustification he denied to be onelie as touching the ceremonies First they saie that the holie scriptures as often as they take awaie the power of iustifieng from workes doo that onelie as touching the ceremonies of the old lawe and not as touching iust and vpright workes which commonlie they doo call morall workes In which thing how much men are deceiued euen the testimonies of the scriptures and especiallie of Paule whome they affirme to be most of all on their side as touching that matter will most plainlie declare For although this apostle speaketh of manie things which séeme to perteine both to the rites and also to the ceremonies of the lawe yet in his declaration he writeth a great manie mo other things Testimonies of Paul wherby is proued that morall workes are excluded from the power of iustifieng Ro. 1 23. c whereby he declareth that he speaketh not onelie of ceremonies but also euen of the other lawes of righteousnesse and goodnesse yea rather altogither of those which perteine to maners and euen vnto the table of the ten commaundements And in the .1 chapter when he reprooueth the Gentiles that without the faith of Christ they could not be iustified he setteth before their eies their works namelie idolatrie and shamefull lusts And toward the end of the chapter he rehearseth a verie long catalog of vices wherewith they were infected neither speaketh he anie thing of the ceremonies of Moses Wherefore forsomuch as those vices which he there mentioneth are against the ten commaundements and the morall lawe we can not thinke but of that also he vnderstandeth those things which he writeth And in the second chapter he reprooueth the Iewes for the like kind of sinnes vers 21 for he saith Thou which teachest an other doost thou not teach thy selfe Thou which teachest that a man should not steale doost thou steale That a man should not commit adulterie aft a fornicatour Yea and thou which detestest idols doost rob God of his honour Who séeth not that these things are conteined in the lawe of the ten commandements And in the third chapter he yet more manifestlie intreateth of the same when he writeth vers 11 c. There is none iust there is none that vnderstandeth or inquireth after God All haue declined and are together made vnprofitable there is none that dooth good no not one These things we sée are of the same kind and perteine vnto maners If the apostle would haue spoken onelie of ceremoniall lawes he would neuer haue made mention of these things And this is also more euidentlie gathered that when he had said Rom. 3 20 No flesh is iustified by the works of the lawe he addeth For by the lawe commeth the knowledge of sinne Wherefore that lawe whereby we knowe sinne iustifieth not According to which meaning he said also in the fourth chapter The lawe worketh wrath so farre is it off that it should iustifie Rom. 4 15. But it is verie manifest vnto all men that sinnes are better perceiued and the wrath of God against transgressours more prouoked by reason of the ten commandements than through the precepts of ceremonies I will not speake also of that generall sentence wherein it is said in the fourth chapter that Vnto him which worketh vers 4. a reward is not imputed according vnto grace but according to debt and also That God would haue the inheritance to consist of grace that the promise should abide firme and not be changed that our glorieng might be excluded which glorieng commeth no lesse of good workes morall than of ceremonies It is written also in the fift chapter that The lawe entred in Rom. 5 20. that sinne might abound and where sinne hath abounded there also hath grace more abounded These things also can not be drawne vnto ceremonies onelie Moreouer in the sixt chapter Rom. 6 1. when it was obiected vnto him that by so depressing the worke and the lawe he did séeme to open a gate vnto loose life and vnto slouthfulnesse and vnto sinnes as now dailie they obiect vnto vs he answered that We ought not to abide in sinne forsomuch as we are now dead vnto it By baptisme saith he we are buried with Christ that euen as he died and rose againe so likewise should we walke in newnesse of life And he admonisheth vs that euen as Christ died once and dieth no more so also we should estéeme our selues dead to sinne but liuing vnto God And he addeth that we must haue a diligent care that sinne raigne not in our mortall bodies and that we giue not our members the weapons of iniquitie vnto sinne but giue ouer our selues vnto God as of dead
the apostle teacheth that Abraham was not iustified by circumcision but receiued it afterward being now iustified by faith vndoubtedlie he taketh awaie the power of iustifieng from that ceremonie euen also in the time of Abraham wherein it was first instituted Psal 32 1. Dauid also when he affirmeth that blessednes herein consisteth that sinnes should not be imputed which thing as we now reason is nothing els than to be iustified speaketh he of his owne time or of an other time Abac. 2. 4. Rom. 1 17. And Abacuke when he saith that The iust man liueth by faith and excludeth works from iustifieng as Paule manifestlie expoundeth him spake he onlie of his own time thinke you Vndoubtedlie he spake both of our time and also of his owne time Lastlie when Paule expressedlie writeth vnto the Galathians in the 3. chapter vers 10. As manie as are of the lawe are vnder the curse and goeth on proouing that sentence from whence I beséech you séeketh he his testimonie Vndoubtedlie out of the lawe He saith Cursed be he which abideth not in all the things that are written in the booke of the lawe Séeing therefore the law so speaketh and that as Paule saith it wrappeth in a curse all those that transgres the commandements thereof then it followeth of necessitie that by those works which perteine vnto it no man can be iustified An other cauillation 22 But these men flie to an other shift For they saie that all those which are to be iustified are not of one and the selfe-same condition for they saie that some of the Hebrues some of the Gentils are conuerted to the faith of Christ and become christians againe that some They put a difference betweene them which were first conuerted vnto Christ and those which hauing fallen are restored after they haue once receiued Christ doo fall into gréeuous and wicked crimes and haue néed againe of instauration Now saie they the state and consideration of both partes is not alike for they which haue once professed the name of christians when they are fallen cannot recouer righteousnes but by good works as by almes-déeds by teares fasting confessions and such other which preparations merits are not required of them that from infidelitie be first conuerted vnto Christ But I would first heare of these good wise men out of what place of the holie scripture they found this distinction And séeing the maner of iustification is vtterlie one and the self-same and perteineth as well to the one as to the other why should the one come vnto it one waie and the other an other waie Further why doo they attribute vnto them that are fallen in christianitie They which are fallen from christianitie are in worsâr state than the Infidels Heb. 6 4. that they by their good works doo merit vnto themselues iustification but vnto those which come froÌ infidelitie they attribute not the same Are they which haue not kept faith when they were in the church better than the ãâã Certeinlie I thinke not For they which haue once tasted of the sweete word of God and doo afterward fall from it are in worse state than the other And The seruant Luke 12 47. which knoweth the will of his maister and doth it not is more greeuouslie punished Also 1. Tim. 5 8. He which hath not a care ouer his and especiallie ouer his owne houshold the same man hath denied the faith and is worse than an Infidel But they saie they denie not but that they which are conuerted from Infidels may doo some good works yea and that if they doo them they may after some sort deserue iustification at the least waie as they terme it of congruitie but that these works are alike required as well of these as of the other they denie But forsomuch as all their works as I haue else-where taught are sinnes how can they doo good works before God Moreouer how are not good workes required of them before they come vnto Christ and are baptised séeing none of them which are regenerate by Christ can beléeue trulie vnlesse he earnestlie repent him of the life which he hath lead For he dooth greatlie lament the sinnes and offenses of his former life confesseth that he hath grieuouslie erred which thing if he doo not vndoubtedlie he beléeueth not faithfullie and trulie This dooth Augustine write of himselfe in his booke of confessions And in the Acts of the apostles Acts. 19 19. the Ephesians when they had giuen themselues vnto Christ did not onlie confesse their sinnes but also burned those bookes which before they had vsed vnto superstition But I will declare what hath deceiued these men They read peraduenture in the Fathers that they attributed much vnto teares fastings almes and other godlie works of the penitent In what sense the fathers haue attributed so much vnto praier fastings and teares But these men vnderstand not what the Fathers meant in those places for they intreated of ecclesiasticall satisfactions and not of our works whereby God should be pacified or the forgiuenesse of sinnes deserued For the church forsomuch as it séeth not the inward faith of them that fall for there are manie which not abiding the shame of excoÌmunication doo sometimes counterfeit some shew of conuension and repentance thereby the rather to be reconciled and receiued vnto the communion of the other brethren the church I saie to the end that this should not happen would haue a proofe of their faith and conuersion to God neither would it admit vnto the fellowship of the faithfull such as were fallen before they had shewed fastings confessions and almes as witnesses of a true and perfect changing And bicause these men marke not this they confound all things and build therevpon most detestable hypocrisie An other shift 23 But they haue yet another shift for they saie that the works of Infidels are not sinnes although they be doone without the faith of Christ Whether the workes of infidels be sinnes For they imagine that there is a certeine generall confused faith towardes God which faith they which haue although they beléeue not in Christ yet that they maie worke manie excellent works which euen for that selfe same faiths sake maie please God and after a sort deserue iustification They giue saie they large almes they honour their parents they beare excéeding loue to their countrie if they haue coÌmitted anie thing that is euill they are sorie for it they liue moderatlie and doo a great manie other such like things that not vnaduisedlie But because they beléeue that there is a God which delighteth in such duties therefore they bend their endeuour to those things to make themselues acceptable vnto him Further they paint out colour their fond deuise with a trim similitude A similitude A stake saie they or a post being put into the earth although oftentimes it take not roote or life yet draweth it
he putteth the example of Abraham verse 18. who as it is before said Contrarie to hope beleeued in hope neither had he a regard vnto those things which as touching his owne part might haue béene a let vnto the promise of God namelie His owne bodie being now as it were dead an hundred yeares old and the age of Sara his wife These things sufficientlie declare what maner of faith that was by which vnto Abraham was imputed righteousnes so that therby we maie also vnderstand the power and nature of faith which iustifieth Paule also addeth that by such a faith is much aduanced the glorie of God For when as nothing is attributed vnto our works and merits it must néeds be that the whole glorie redoundeth vnto God Therefore Paule saith of Abraham Ibid. 20. He gaue the glorie vnto God knowing this most fullie that whatsoeuer he had promised he was able also to performe And the more to expresse the certeintie of faith he vseth this participle ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã whereby he signifieth that Abraham with a certeine most full assent imbraced the promise of God And least anie man should thinke that this was a proper and peculiar prerogatiue giuen vnto Abraham the apostle addeth an vniuersall rule and saith that verse 23. It was not written for him onelie that it was imputed vnto him for righteousnes but also for vs vnto whome it shal be imputed so that we beleeue in him which raised vp Iesus Christ from the dead which was deliuered for our sinnes and rose againe for our iustification Further out of the fift chapter we haue also an other testimonie Rom. 5. 1. Wherefore saith he we being iustified by faith haue peace towards God through Iesus Christ by whome we haue accesse through faith into this grace wherein we stand Here are twoo things to be noted the one is that we are iustified by faith and that by grace the second is that vnto this grace is not an entrance made open by preparations or works which dispose vs but onelie by faith In the eight chapter are set foorth as it were certeine steps and degrées by which we must come to eternall saluation Rom. 8 28 Whome he hath foreknowne saith he those also hath he predestinated that they should be like fashioned vnto the image of the sonne of God that he might be the first begotten amongst manie brethren And whome he hath predestinated those also hath he called and whome he hath called those hath he iustified and whome he hath iustified those will he also glorifie Here are reckoned vp fiue degrées foreknowledge predestination vocation iustification and glorification in which as touching our purpose let vs consider what commeth betwéene vocation and iustification And that is nothing else but faith for as much as vocation is wrought by the promise of iustification and of saluation the same is receiued by faith giuing assent therevnto 49 Towards the end of the 9. chapter there is set foorth Rom. 9 30. the difference betwéene the Iewes and the Gentiles and a reason is giuen why the Gentiles obteined righteousnes and not the Iewes For thus Paule saith What shall we saie then That the Gentiles which followed not righteousnes haue taken hold of righteousnes which is by faith But Israel which followed righteousnesse atteined not vnto the lawe of righteousnes bicause they sought it not by faith but as it were by works What can there be more manifest than these words For they declare that they which will be iustified by faith doo obteine righteousnes but those which doo aspire vnto it by works doo labour in vaine This selfe thing he prooueth euen from the beginning of the tenth chapter Rom. 10 3. where he describeth two kinds of righteousnes the one which he calleth ours which consisteth of works the other which he calleth the righteousnes of God which is taken hold of by faith And thus he writeth They being ignorant of the righteousnes of GOD and going about to establish their owne did not submit themselues to the righteousnes of God Hereby it is manifest that they which will establish their owne righteousnes that is the righteousnes of works doo fall away from the righteousnes of God Paule goeth on and more plainelie openeth the nature of these two kinds of righteousnes Leuit. 18 5. Moses saith he thus writeth of the righteousnes which commeth of the lawe Ibidem 5. The man which dooth these things shall liue by them By these words he sheweth that the righteousnes of the lawe consisteth in works But of the righteousnes comming of faith he thus speaketh Saie not thou in thy hart Who shall ascend vp into heauen to fetch Christ from thence Or who shall descend into the deepe to fetch vp Christ againe ftom the dead But what saith he The word is nigh thee euen in thy mouth and in thy hart The same is the word of faith which we preach which word he that beleeueth in his hart and with his mouth confesseth the Lord Iesus Christ shall be saued Hereby we sée that not the righteousnes of the lawe which is had by works but the righteousnes of faith is it which bringeth saluation And this is by the latter words more manifestlie confirmed verse 10. for in that there is added With the hart we beleeue vnto righteousnes and with the mouth is confession made vnto saluation The latter clause touching confession which séemeth to be an outward worke is therefore added least we should thinke that the faith whereby we are iustified should be idle for it is not a vaine and barren faith such a one as our aduersaries dreame that we obtrude It hath most plentifull and most aboundant fruits amongst which the profession of godlines obteineth the first place and is most necessarie Herevnto Paule addeth a testimonie out of the prophet verse 11. Esai 28 16. He which beleeueth in him shall not be made ashamed They are commonlie ashamed which contrarie to their expectation are frustrated of that which they hoped to haue obteined Wherefore the meaning is He which beléeueth in Christ and by this faith waiteth for saluation shall not be put to shame bicause he shall not be frustrated of his hope He addeth also an other testimonie taken out of the prophet Ioel verse 13. Ioel. 2 32 Whosoeuer doth call vpon the name of the Lord shall be saued in which words the promise of saluation séemeth to be ascribed vnto inuocation But Paule profitablie teacheth as I haue before oftentimes said when promises séeme to be adioined vnto works we must alwaies runne from them vnto the roote foundation namelie vnto faith So Paule in this place when he had said Rom. 10 14 Whosoeuer calleth vpon the name of the Lord shall be saued straitwaie addeth How shall they call vpon him in whom they haue not beleeued So he resolueth the whole matter from inuocation into faith Note that the scriptures
26. Ye are all the children of God by the faith of Iesus Christ For what is it to be the sonnes of God but bicause we haue alredie obteined adoption which we obteine onelie by regeneration or iustification And in the fourth chapter Rom. 4 28. Brethren saith he we are after the maner of Isaac children of the promise But to be children of the promise is nothing else but to beléeue those things which God promiseth whereby we are made his children according as he hath promised we should be For so was Isaac borne vnto Abraham not by the strength of nature but by the benefit of the promise of God In the fift chapter he writeth Rom. 5 5. We in the spirit looke for the hope of righteousnesse by faith In this place are two things touched the spirit of God whereby we are new fashioned and renewed vnto saluation and faith whereby we apprehend righteousnes Wherefore in this matter of our iustification although there be in our minds manie other works of the holie Ghost yet none of them except faith helpe to iustification Wherevpon the apostle concludeth Circumcision is nothing Ibidem 6. and vncircumcision is nothing but onelie faith which worketh through loue Hereof onelie dependeth iustification of this faith I saie not being dead but liuing and of force And for that cause Paule addeth Which worketh by loue Which yet ought not so to be vnderstood as though faith should depend of loue or hath of it as they vse to speake hir forme but for that when it bursteth foorth into act and will shew foorth it selfe it must of necessitie doo this by loue So the knowledge of anie man dependeth not hereon for that he teacheth other men but by that meanes it is most of all declared But if anie perfection of these actions of louing and teaching redound vnto faith and knowledge that commeth of another cause and not for that they depend of it or thereof haue their forme as manie Sophisters haue dreamed Ephes 2 8. 52 In the epistle to the Ephesians the 2. chapter it is thus written By grace ye are made safe through faith and that not of your selues for it is the gift of God And after that in the third chapter Eph. 3 16. That according to the riches of his glorie he would grant you that ye may be strengthened with might in the inward man by the spirit that Christ may dwell in your hart by faith He that hath Christ in him the same hath without all doubt righteousnes for of him Paule thus writeth vnto the Corinthians in the former epistle 1. Cor. 1 30. and the first chapter Who is made vnto vs wisedome righteousnes holines and redemption Here therefore it is shewed by what meanes Christ dwelleth in our harts namelie by faith Againe Paule in the third chapter to the Philippians Phil. 3 9. That I might be found saith he in him not hauing mine owne righteousnesse which is of the lawe but that which is of the faith of Iesus Christ Here that righteousnes which is of works and of the lawe he calleth His but that which is of faith and which he most of all desireth he calleth The righteousnes of Iesus Christ Heb. 11 33. Vnto the Hebrues also it is written in the eleuenth chapter The saints by faith haue ouercome kingdoms haue wrought righteousnesse and haue obteined the promises These words declare how much is to be attributed vnto faith for by it the saints are said not onelie to haue possessed outward kingdoms but also to haue exercised the works of righteousnesse namelie to haue liued holilie and without blame and to haue obteined the promises of God verse 5. And Peter in his first epistle and first chapter By the power of God saith he are ye kept vnto saluation through faith In these words are signified two principall grounds of our saluation the one is the might and power of God which is wholie necessarie for vs to obteine saluation the other is faith whereby as by an instrument saluation is applied vnto vs. Iohn in his first epistle and fift chapter verse 1. Euerie one saith he which beleeueth that Iesus is Christ is borne of God but To be borne of God is nothing else than to be iustified or to be borne againe in Christ If followeth in the same chapter Ibidem â This is the victorie which ouercommeth the world euen our faith By which testimonie is declared that the tyrannie of the diuell of sinne of death and of hell is by no other thing driuen awaie from vs but by faith onelie And toward the end of the selfe-same chapter it is said And these things haue I written vnto you verse 3. which beleeue in the name of the sonne of God that ye might knowe that ye haue eternall life and that ye should beleeue in the name of the sonne of God 53 Now let vs gather out of the euangelists as much as shall serue for this present question Matthew in his eight chapter saith Mat. 8 19 That Christ exceedinglie wondred at the faith of the Centurion and confessed that he had not found such faith in Israel and turning vnto him said Euen as thou hast beleeued so be it vnto thee Here some replie that This historie and such other like intreate not of iustification but onelie of the outward benefits of the bodie giuen by GOD. Howbeit these men ought to consider that sinnes which are in vs are the causes of the gréefes and the afflictions of the bodie For onelie Christ excepted who vtterlie died an innocent all other forsomuch as they are subiect vnto sinne doo suffer no aduersitie without iust desert And although God in laieng of his calamities vpon vs hath not alwaies a respect herevnto for oftentimes he sendeth aduersities to shew foorth his glorie and to the triall of all those that are his yet none whilest he is so vexed can complaine that he is vniustlie dealt withall for there is none so holie but that in himselfe he hath sinnes which are woorthie of such like or else of greater punishments And where the cause is not taken awaie neither is nor can the effect be remooued Wherfore Christ forsomuch as he deliuereth man from diseases of the bodie manifestlie declareth that it was he which should iustifie men from sinnes And that this is true the selfe-same euangelist teacheth vs in the .9 chapter verse 2 for when he that was sicke of the palsie was brought vnto Christ to be healed he saith that Christ answered Be of good cheare my sonne thy sinnes are forgiuen thee At which saieng when as the Scribes and Pharisies were offended to the end they should vnderstand that the cause of euils being taken awaie euen the euils them selues are taken awaie He commanded him that was sicke of the palsie to arise and take vp his bed and to walke Wherefore it manifestlie appeareth that Christ by the healings of the bodies
which are found in the holie scriptures but onlie is a certeine vehement confidence wherby we certeinlie beléeue that God will doo this miracle or that miracle Chrysost Of this faith Chrysostome interpreteth Paule in this place And to th' end that of this distinction either part might haue a peculiar name the one they call The faith of doctrine The faith of doctrine and faith of miracles the other The faith of signs and miracles And vnto this latter faith Chrysostome applieth these words If ye haue faith as a graine of mustard seed Matt. 17 19. ye shall saie vnto this mountaine Get thee hence and hurle thy selfe into the sea and it shall be done Neither vndoubtedlie can it be denied but that there is such a kind of faith for Paule in the 22. chapter of the first epistle to the Corinthians verse 8. when he rehearseth vp the frée gifts which the holie Ghost distributeth vnto euerie man as pleaseth him thus writeth Vnto one is by the spirit giuen the word of wisedome and to another the word of knowledge by the same spirit and to an other is giuen faith by the same spirit and to an other the gifts of healing by the same spirit Here we sée that amongst the frée gifts of the holie Ghost is reckoned faith and that in the third place the which Paule would not haue spoken of the generall faith wherby we are iustified And if we diligentlie peise these things we shall sée that Paule kéepeth the selfe-same order in the 13. verse 2. chapter of the 1. to the Corinthians For as here in the first place he putteth the word of wisdome so there he putteth prophesieng and as here in this second place he putteth knowledge so there also in the selfe-same place he putteth knowledge and as here so also there he putteth faith in the third place and as here the gift of healings and of miracles followeth faith so doth it there the remoouing of mountaines And therefore those things which Paule hath spoken of a particular faith ought not to be wrested to the vniuersall and iustifieng faith for that is to make a false argument which they call A secundum quid ad simpliciter to wit A paralogisme From that which is in some respect vnto that which is absolutelie As if a man should saie This faith may be separated from iustification which is called faith Secundum quid to wit in some respect Ergo the true faith and the iustifieng faith which is called faith Simpliciter that is absolutelie maie be separated from iustification If a man should so compare two seuerall kinds that he will ascribe one and the selfe-same propertie vnto either of them he shall soone be deceiued 57 But Pighius sawe that by this easie and plaine exposition all his reasoning might be ouerthrowen and therefore he went about to wrest it out of our hands forgetting in the meane time that the author and patrone thereof is Chrysostome And to infringe it he vseth this argument Paule manifestlie saith All faith Ibidem wherefore we may not vnderstand it of anie singular faith For the Apostle maketh an vniuersall proposition But this man ought to know Vniuersall propositions must be streitned vnto that matter at that time intreated of that vniuersall propositions are to be streictned abridged vnto that matter whereof the words are meant and spoken And although this might be declared by manie examples yet at this present onlie one shall suffice vs. Paule in that selfe-same epistle vnto the Corinthians the 1. chapter saith that He giueth thanks vnto God for them that they were enriched in all kind of speach and in all knowledge And it is not verie likelie that they were by the spirit of Christ indued with naturall philosophie with metaphysicall and mathematicall knowledge with knowledge of the lawe and with other liberall sciences but onlie with all knowledge which should perteine vnto pietie and vnto the gospell Neither is it likelie that they by the power of the holie Ghost were adorned with all kind of Rhetoricall Logicall Poeticall and Historicall speaches but onelie with those which should perteine vnto the edification of the church with sound doctrine godlie admonitions Wherefore propositions although they be vniuersall yet are they not alwaies to be vnderstood simplie but ought sometimes to be abridged vnto the matter which at that time is entreated of So likewsie that which Paule saith If I haue all faith we vnderstand of all that faith which serueth vnto the working of miracles And that in this sort they must be taken of necessitie the words following doo declare for Paule straitwaie addeth So that I can remooue mountains Chrysostome also saith Chrysost that He in that vniuersalitie sawe that this particular sentence is of necessitie to be vnderstood for he saith that It may be doubted how Christ saith that to remooue mountains a little faith is sufficient which is in smallnes of quantitie resembled to a graine of mustard séed when as Paule saith If I haue all faith so that I can remooue mountains as though to bring that to passe is required a woonderfull great faith He thus expoundeth the question and saith that Christ spake of the truth and nature of the thing for the gift of faith although it be neuer so small sufficeth to worke miracles be they neuer so great But Paule had a respect vnto the common opinion and iudgement of men for they when they looke vpon the greatnes and hugenes of a mountaine thinke that it cannot be remooued without a certeine incredible efficacie and greatnes of faith Neither helpeth it much Pighius his cause that Erasmus making answer vnto the Sorbonicall doctors Erasmus reiecteth this our interpretation For first his reason is verie weake and secondlie false for he saith that The purpose of the apostle was to praise charitie by comparison But what praise should that be saith he if it should be compared with faith which is one of the frée gifts of the holie Ghost and may light as well vpon the wicked as vpon the godlie For he should but coldlie praise a man which would saie that he is better than a dog or a beare First this is false that Paule compareth not charitie with frée gifts of God for he maketh mention of prophesieng of knowledge and of the gift of toongs and preferreth charitie before them Secondlie it is weake that he saith that if our interpretations be receiued the apostle should compare charitie onlie with frée gifts for we confes that toward the end he compareth it with the true faith For Paule saith There are three things faith hope and charitie but the chiefest is charitie And he bringeth a reason why For it abideth and the other shall cease Further it is a full comparison if as we haue said we begin at the frée gifts and so afterward come in order to the vertues Theologicall yea rather by that that
saith he were the promises made and vnto his seed He saith not And vnto the seeds as speaking of manie but as it were of one and in thy seed which is Christ And this testament I saie was confirmed by GOD towards Christ Let Pighius now yet beléeue Paule that in that séed which was promised vnto Abraham was Christ comprehended and meant neither let him from hencefoorth with such malapertnesse and desire of victorie take vpon him to saie that the faith whereby Abraham was iustified was not faith in Christ But as touching the remission of sinnes forsomuch as vnto vs is promised the blessing we ought to remember that the chiefe and principall point thereof consisteth in this that we should be receiued of God into fauour and that our sinnes should be forgiuen vs. But Pighius goeth on manifestlie to oppugne the doctrine of the apostle touching the iustification of Abraham for he saith that Before Abraham was circumcised had a testimonie of the scripture that his faith was imputed vnto him vnto righteousnes He beléeued God verse 4. as it is manifest in the 12. chapter of Genesis wherefore saith he according to this opinion of yours he was then iustified neither was his righteousnes differred vntill that historie which is written in the 15. chapter It is woonderfull to sée how much he attributeth vnto these his arguments as though by them were taken awaie from vs all possibilitie to answer What time Abraham was iustified What I beséech you letted but that Abraham might be iustified at that first time when God spake vnto him first to go out of his countrie and from his kinred For euen in the selfe-same place at the beginning of the 12. chapter wée read the selfe-same promises which are in the 15. chapter For thus God promised him I will make of thee a great nation and will blesse thee and will make thy name great and thou shalt be a blessing I will also blesse those that blesse thee and will curse those that curse thee and in thee shall all the families of the earth be blessed Vndoubtedlie in these words is conteined the promise of Christ and the remission of sinnes And therefore there shall be no absurditie if we saie that Abraham by beléeuing of those words was also iustified But bicause the scripture in that chapter did not plainlie set foorth this therefore Paule with great wisedome hath cited those words which are spoken in the 15. chap. where it is expresselie written that Faith was imputed to him for righteousnes which saieng was most necessarie to confirme the sentence of the apostle namelie Why God would renew the selfe-same promises that A man is iustified by faith But why God would renew the selfe-same promises it is not hard to sée so weake is our mind that except the words of God be repeated and againe and againe driuen into vs it easilie starteth backe from faith Neither doutles is iustification once onlie taken hold of but is so often apprehended as we trulie mightilie assent vnto the promises of God for séeing we continuallie slide and fall into sinnes we haue néed euermore that our iustification should be renewed 62 Afterward he cauilleth that in the epistle vnto the Hebrues Heb. 11. are manie things found touching faith and manie woonderfull acts spoken of which haue béene obteined by it but yet not one word spoken that iustification is to be ascribed thereto But this man with an vniust paire of balance weieth the words of the holie scripture neither sufficientlie considereth what those words meane Ibidem 33. The iust haue by faith ouercome kingdoms haue wrought righteousnesse haue obteined the promises for these are so to be resolued that from the last effect we must returne vnto the first The last is To ouercome kingdoms the next To worke righteousnes the first To obteine the promises among which promises are reckoned blessing life remission of sinnes and such other like which serue to iustification Wherefore that which is first made mention of faith apprehendeth by it we are iustified afterward followe good works In the 11. chap. to the Hebrues faith is said to iustifie and therfore it is said And they wrought righteousnes lastlie by the selfe-same faith we obteine temporall good things for that cause it is said They haue ouercome kingdoms So then Pighius falslie affirmeth that in the epistle vnto the Hebrues among the effects of faith is no mention made of iustification for although that word be not there read yet it is of necessitie and manifestlie gathered of those things that are there written For we verilie are not Arrians as some wickedlie béelie vs that we will grant nothing but that which is by plaine and expresse words read in the holie scriptures for we grant those things also which are by euident and plaine arguments gathered out of them But Pighius afterward demandeth Why we take awaie from works the power of iustifieng Vnto this wée could make answer in one word that we doo it bicause the holie Ghost in the scriptures so teacheth vs namelie that Men are iustified by faith without works But to the end we should not so brieflie dispatch it he hath laid a blocke in our waie for he answereth vnto himselfe that the cause thereof is for that our works are vnperfect neither satisfie they the lawe of God neither also can they stand sure before the iudgement seat of God But by this means also saith he we may affirme that iustification is not of faith for it also is vnperfect for there is no man beléeueth so much as he should doo But vnto this we answer as we haue in other places oftentimes answered that faith as it is a worke iustifieth not Faith as it is a worke iustifieth not for it hath that effect and fruit not by anie power of his owne but by his obiect that is by that which it doth regard and laieth hold vpon for from the death of Christ the promises of God is righteousnes deriued vnto vs. So a begger receiueth almes with a leprous weake and sore hand A similitude and yet not in that respect that his hand is in such sort weake and leprous But thou wilt saie Why doo not other good works also by their obiect namelie by God for whose sake they are done apprehend righteousnes as well as faith I answer Why rather faith than other works iustifieth that faith was to this vse made and instituted by God for euen so in the bodie of a man although it haue diuers and sundrie members yet the hand onelie taketh hold and receiueth And so is easilie dissolued that common lewd false reason We are iustified by faith Faith is a worke Ergo we are iustified for works sake Here in the conclusion is stuffed in this word For which was not in the former propositions and therefore the collection is not good Further the forme of the reason is as they
faith hath equallie a respect vnto all the things which are set forth in the holie scriptures yea saith he he dooth vnto God a thing no lesse acceptable which beléeueth that he created the world or beléeueth the thrée persons of the diuinitie or the resurrection to come than he which beléeueth that Christ was giuen to be our mediatour and that by him is to be obteined the remission of sinnes for that faith is of no lesse worthines than the other And if we be iustified by faith he affirmeth that that faith no lesse perteineth vnto the other articles than to the remission of sinnes by Christ And this he thinketh may be prooued by that which Paule writeth in the fourth chapter vnto the Romans verse 23. And not for him onelie were those things written but also for vs vnto whom it shal be imputed so that we beleeue in him which hath raised vp Christ from the dead Behold saith he that faith is imputed vnto vs vnto righteousnes whereby we beléeue that GOD raised vp Christ from the dead and not that faith whereby we beléeue that sinnes are forgiuen vs by Christ First here we confesse that our faith assenteth vnto all the things which are conteined in the holie scriptures But forsomuch as amongst them there is but onelie one principall and excellent truth vnto which all the other truths are directed namelie that Christ the sonne of GOD suffered for vs that by him we might receiue forgiuenes of sinnes what maruell is it if our faith haue respect vnto this one thing chéeflie For this that we saie Rom. 10 4. Paule prooueth for he saith Christ is the principall obiect of our faith that Christ is the end of the lawe Wherefore séeing he is the end of all the scriptures he is also the summe and principall obiect of our faith although otherwise by our faith we also imbrace all other things which are conteined in the holie scriptures And whereas he addeth that the faith which is of the other articles is no lesse acceptable vnto God than this faith which concerneth Christ and the remission of sinnes we maie first saie that is not true if a man rightlie weigh the dignitie of the action of faith for the dignitie of faith as also the dignitie of other like kinds of powers and qualities is measured by the obiects For as those obiects differ one from another in excellencie and dignitie The dignitie of faith is measured by the obiect so the consents which faith dooth yéeld vnto them ought according to the same to be counted inferiour or of more excellencie Séeing therefore God would in such sort haue his sonne to die and men by him to be reconciled that for this he hath instituted all the other things to be beléeued which are set foorth in the holie scriptures we cannot put anie doubt but that this pleaseth him much more than the other for that the other are directed vnto this as vnto their end And this is a common rule amongst the Logicians That thing it selfe is much rather of such condition and qualitie by meanes whereof another thing hath such condition and qualitie Wherefore this action of faith whereby we assent vnto this most noble truth ought to excell all other actions of faith whatsoeuer they be And so it is not by anie thing like acceptable vnto God whether a man beléeue this or that If we should vse this answer I knowe Pighius were neuer able to confute it But we saie moreouer that he in vaine contendeth about the greater or lesse dignitie of faith as touching this or that article We are not iustified by the dignitie of faith for we are not iustified by the dignitie of faith for it is in euerie man weake and féeble But we therefore saie that we are iustified by faith bicause by it as by an instrument vnto this end giuen vnto vs and by God appointed we applie Christ vnto vs and take hold of the forgiuenesse of sinnes Wherefore the woorthinesse or vnwoorthinesse thereof is to no purpose considered But that which he bringeth out of the 4. chapter to the Romans he bringeth cut and maimed for if a man read the full and perfect sentence he shall easilie sée that plaine mention is there made of the death of Christ and of the remission of sinnes which by it we haue obteined For Paule saith that Vnto vs it shall be imputed Rom. 4 24. as it was vnto Abraham if we beleeue that God raised vp our Lord Iesus Christ from the dead which was deliuered for our sinnes and rose vp againe for our iustification Is it not here most manifestlie said that we ought to beléeue that that Iesus Christ whom God raised vp was dead and rose againe that we should be iustified and haue all our sins forgiuen vs Doubtlesse it is a thing most vncomelie for a man that professeth diuinitie so wilfullie not to sée things that are most manifest That by faith euerie man is sure of his saluation 72 Afterward he maketh a cauilling about the particular faith whereby we saie that euerie one that beléeueth trulie in Christ ought to be most assured with himselfe that his sins are forgiuen him He denieth that there is anie such faith found in the holie scriptures and that therefore this is onelie our deuise and inuention Here vndoubtedlie I cannot hold my selfe but I must néeds saie that Pighius lewdlie lieth for I would haue him to tell me what did Abraham beléeue when he was iustified but that vnto him should one daie be rendered those promises of God For whom is it likelie that he beléeued they should be rendered vnto but vnto himselfe The selfe-same thing may be said of Moses of Dauid and of manie other of whom it is most certeine that they beléeued that the promises which God made vnto them should particularlie be rendered vnto them And what I beséech you ment Christ when he said vnto the man that was sicke of the palsie Matth. 9 2. Sonne thy sinnes are forgiuen thee and when he said vnto the woman Ibidem 22. Thy faith hath made thee safe And dooth not Paule to the Galathians thus speake of Christ Gal. 2 20. Who hath loued me and deliuered vp himselfe for me What can be more manifest than these words Let Pighius go now and make his vants that we were the first finders out of this proper and singular faith and let him crie that euerie christian man ought to beléeue that the promises are made onelie indefinitelie and that it is not méet that euerie one of vs should applie them seuerallie vnto himselfe For we ought to beléeue of our selues and not of others for we may as concerning others be deceiued whether they beléeue or no but touching our selues we may be assured and certeine of it Let euerie man beléeue the promises of God indefinitelie as touching others for we knowe not who is predestinate and who is reprobate
derideth vs as often as we saie that faith is had by the grace and inward working of the holie Ghost For he saith that it is woonderfull that the holie Ghost should haue his abiding and worke in them which doo not as yet beléeue The same Origin vpon Leuiticus in his third booke and third chapter The holie sicle saith he representeth our faith for if thou shalt offer faith to Christ as a price to the ram without spot offered vp for a sacrifice thou shalt receiue remission of sinnes Here also we haue expressedlie that remission of sinnes is obteined by faith by that faith I saie which is directed vnto Christ who was deliuered vnto death and sacrificed for vs. There can be nothing more manifest than these testimonies which Origin hath brought for vs. But these men are so obstinate that they will not be led from the opinion which they haue once taken in hand to defend although thou bring neuer so great light with thée least they should séeme to anie of theirs to haue defended an ill cause Cyprian 79 Cyprian beside those things which we afore spake touching the coniunction of faith with a good life writeth also in his third booke to Quirinus that Faith onelie profiteth and that we are able so much to doo as we doo beléeue The first part of this sentence perteineth vnto the third article of this question but the latter serueth verie much for that which we are now in hand with It is a woonderfull saieng doubtles that So great is the force of faith that by it we are able to doo what we will And yet did not Cyprian thinke it sufficient absolutelie to pronounce this but he hath also confirmed it by manie and sundrie testimonies of the scriptures As touching Basilius and Gregorius Nazianzen that shall suffice which I haue before cited Chrysostome Chrysost in his sermon which he hath intituled De fide lege naturae spiritu saith that Euen faith is of it selfe able to saue a man And for example he bringeth foorth the théefe Luk. 23 42. who saith he onlie confessed and beléeued but works saith he alone cannot saue the workers Faith can saue without works but not works without faith without faith After that he compareth works without faith with the reliks of dead men for dead carcases saith he although they be clothed with pretious and excellent garments yet they obteine not heate by them so saith he they which want faith although they be decked with glorious works yet are they by them nothing holpen A similitude And the same father vpon the epistle vnto the Romans vpon these words of Paule Rom. 10 6. But the righteousnes which is of faith Thou séest saith he that this is chéeflie particular vnto faith that we all treading vnder foot the complaint of reason should inquire after that which is aboue nature and that the infirmitie of our cogitations being by the vertue and power of God cast awaie we should imbrace all the promises of God Here we sée that by faith we obteine the promises of God and although by it we assent vnto all that which is conteined in the holie scriptures yet it peculiarlie hath a regard vnto the promises of God This is also to be considered that he saith that The infirmitie of our cogitations in beléeuing is by the vertue and power of GOD cast awaie for this maketh against them which contend that this is doone by humane power and strength as though we had faith of our selues and that it should go before iustification The same Chrysostome vpon the 29. chapter of Genesis in his 54. homilie This saith he is the true faith not to giue héed vnto those things which are séene although they séeme to be against the promise but onelie to consider the power of him that promiseth Let them well consider this which will haue vs to haue a regard not onelie to the power and promises of God but euen chéeflie to our owne preparations And expounding these words in Genesis Abraham beleeued God Gen. 15 6. and it was imputed vnto him vnto righteousnes Let vs also saith he learne I beséech you of the patriarch of God to beléeue his saiengs and to trust vnto his promises and not to search them out by our owne cogitation but to shew a great gratitude for this can both make vs iust and also cause vs to obteine the promises Here also are two things to be noted the one is that we are made iust by faith the other that by the same we obteine the promises which two things our aduersaries stoutlie denie The same father vpon these words of Paule vnto Timothie 1. Tim. 1 20. Of whom are Hymenaeus and Alexander which haue made shipwracke as concerning faith So saith he he which once falleth awaie from the faith hath no place where he may staie himselfe or whither to repaire for the head being corrupted and lost what vse can there be of the rest of the bodie For if faith without works be dead If faith be dead without works much more works without faith much more are works dead without faith Here is to be noted that this is an argument A minori that is From the lesser vnto the greater for he saith that works are more dead without faith than is faith without works The same authour in his sermon De verbis apostoli vpon these words of the apostle Hauing one and the selfe-same spirit of faith 2. Cor. 4 13. for it is vnpossible saith he yea doubtlesse it is vnpossible if thou liue vnpurelie not to wauer in faith By this we sée how great a coniunction Chrysostome thought that to be betwéene faith and good works The same father expounding these words of the apostle Rom. 3 31. Doo we then destroie the lawe by faith God forbid naie rather we confirme the lawe So soone as saith he a man beléeueth So soone as a man beleeueth he iâ iustified straitwaie he is iustified wherefore faith hath confirmed the will of the lawe whilst it hath brought to an end euen that for which the lawe did all things How then dooth Pighius saie that faith is onelie the foundation and therefore is verie farre from the perfection of iustification Or vnto what purpose is that that after faith he putteth so manie degrées and meanes whereby we come vnto iustification For Chrysostome speaketh farre otherwise that a man is iustified straitwaie so soone as euer he beléeueth Further he attributeth vnto faith euen this also that it maketh men iust when as the law was not able to performe that although by manie waies it did endeuour it Moreouer when he expoundeth these words They being ignorant of the righteousnes of God Rom. 10 3. Rom. 9 33. going about to establish their owne righteousnes were not subiect to the righteousnes of God This righteousnes of God saith he he calleth the righteousnes of faith which
men are not borne of faithfull parents all men are not admitted either vnto baptisme or vnto the preaching of the Gospell And some are catched quicklie Wisd 4 11. least corruption should change their harts and others are left to themselues who in processe of time become euill and so perish And among those which doo heare all one preaching all are not drawne by God wherevpon Christ saith No man commeth vnto me Iohn 6 44. vnlesse my father shall drawe him By which words it appéereth plainlie that there be some which are not drawne Augustine Wherefore Augustine said If thou wilt not erre I would not haue thée to iudge why God draweth one man and yet draweth not another And yet for all that is not frée will taken awaie for whether a man be drawne or not drawne there is no violence doone onelie compulsion is an enimie therevnto as we haue taught before Besides this sole life is called a grace or a frée gift of God and of graces it is written in the first epistle to the Corinthians 1. Cor. 7. 7. that the holie Ghost distributeth them as he will But and if that those graces whereof the apostle there speaketh 1. Co. 12 11. as prophesie wisedome knowledge toongs c were more profitable vnto the church and tended more to edifieng than dooth sole life and yet were not giuen vnto all men why would we haue sole life to be granted vnto all men alike An obiection 14 Perhaps some man will saie that all men also might haue those gifts so that they would beléeue Matt. 17 20. for Christ said If we had faith as the graine of mustard seed the verie hils should be obedient to our voice And vnto the Romans it is written Rom. 12 3. that These gifts are giuen to euerie one according to the measure of faith Moreouer A solution twoo things we may saie namelie that this faith is not the same wherewith we be iustified which is common vnto all beléeuers but it is the faith of miracles not granted vnto all men Yet also if these sentences be vnderstood of the faith whereby we are iustified neuertheles the argument should be féeble bicause all christians which beléeue in Christ haue faith howbeit not of themselues but rather of God and those graces doo not accompanie euerie degrée of faith And according as the holie Ghost dooth giue the same vnto men euen so dooth he distribute sundrie degrées of faith Neither is it our selues which appoint the measure vnto our faith but God as he will dooth temper the same But the first answer is weaker for we sée that the wicked which be strangers vnto Christ and destitute of a iustifieng faith haue sometimes such graces As God predestinateth to the end so he giueth means to the same as they shew foorth miracles Finallie as God hath predestinated euerie one of his elect to the end of eternall life so hath he also predestinated the meanes which may bring them vnto the same and that to euerie one as was conuenient A similitude Galen We sée that in the members of the bodie all members as Galen De vsu partium witnesseth haue not all one sort of powers and instruments And that we be members in the bodie of Christ the scripture doth most manifestlie teach wherefore we must not saie that all men haue atteined to abilities and gifts alike Paule dooth testifie the same who speaking of sole life bringeth in the word gift when he saith verse 7. Euerie man hath his gift and he addeth therevnto proper so that one hath it after this maner and another after that And Christ in the 19. of Matthew Matt. 19 11 All men cannot receiue this saieng saue they to whom it is giuen he that is able to receiue this let him receiue it 15 Neither dooth can in that place signifie To will as some doo imagine Can in these places signifieth not to will if we shall diligentlie weigh the text of the historie It is written in the eight chapter of the booke of Wisedome No man can be chast vnlesse thou giue it vnto him whereby that scripture teacheth that there be some vnto whom it is not giuen And this is a maruellous furtherance to our commoditie that we be rather gouerned by the will and appointment of GOD than by our owne Neither dooth the same thing make a little to the extolling of the maiestie and prouidence of God towards his people Augustine Augustine in his 19. chapter De bono viduitatis writeth It is in vs to will but our will is stirred that it may arise it is cured that it may be whole it is inlarged that it may be capable it is filled full that it may haue And in that place he maketh speciall mention of the gift of continencie But who will saie that the wils of all men be cured inlarged and full séeing we still sée so manie that be féeble and fallen downe The same Augustine in an epistle vnto Maximus The same Augustine 1. Cor. 4 7. For who separateth thée Thou wilt answer My good will my faith my righteousnes And wilt thou not immediatelie heare that which followeth What hast thou that thou hast not receiued If thou hast receiued Ibidem why dooest thou glorie as though thou hadst not receiued But these men when they affirme that the gift of sole life is offered vnto all men and that all men if they will may accept the same doo of necessitie fall into those answers which Augustine in that place condemneth For if I demand of him that is in sole life Who hath separated thée from him which is in matrimonie If we followe them he shall not haue what else to answer but My will my choise Saie therefore to him as followeth What hast thou that thou hast not receiued Why doost thou glorie as though thou hadst not receiued The same Augustine Augustine De sancta virginitate the fourth chapter I would all men to be as I my selfe am 1. Cor 7 7. but euerie man hath his proper gift of God one after this maner and another after that Who then giueth these things Who distributeth as he himselfe will to euerie one his proper gift Forsooth that dooth God with whom there is no iniquitie And it is either vnpossible or else most hard for men hereby to knowe by what equitie he maketh some men after one maner and some after another maner but that by equitie he dooth it it is not fit for anie man to doubt What hast thou therefore that thou hast not receiued Or by what péeuishnesse dooest thou loue him lesse of whom thou hast receiued more Here we vnderstand that it is God which maketh some after this maner and some after that further that he which liueth sole hath receiued the more Which two things if thou confer one with another thou shalt easilie perceiue what is to be
obteinement of his owne saluation Now it shall be declared particularlie The generall word is Change and changes Change is the generall word of repentance according to the philosophers are of manie sorts For if it be vnderstood in substance they saie it is a generation if in quantitie they call it an increase and decrease if thou go from place to place they name it a locall motion If this change be made in qualities in passing from one contrarie to another this fourth change they call an alteration Herevnto belongeth repentance we doo not cast our mind nor our bodie from vs but there is made a certeine alteration in qualities from vncleannesse to purenesse from a corrupt to a sincere life The subiect thereof Touching the subiect thereof we are to consider that the whole man is changed in respect of qualities but especiallie the will in which part of the mind repentance is placed for in the power thereof consisteth the rule gouernement of other powers Others haue supposed that this repentance is placed in the angrie part bicause it concerneth an high loftie matter Wherefore the will admitteth this change not fainedlie but vehementlie in such sort as there is great sorrowe for sinnes committed Passion or sorrowe is a certeine affection therefore I did not saie that it is a sorrowe bicause it is doone with reason Notwithstanding this sorrowe is foorthwith present it helpeth it worketh togither as appeareth in the seuenth chapter of the second to the Corinthians 2. Cor. 7 9. 10. Godlie sorrowe worketh repentance in you vnto the honor of God for some may sorrowe in respect of their owne losse We sée here now that from faith which is the gift of God FroÌ whence coÌmeth the efficient cause of repentance procéedeth the efficient cause of repentance As God giueth faith so also dooth he giue repentance otherwise if there be no faith True faith and tempârall faith repentance were not auailable But faith otherwhile is a true faith and otherwhile it is but a temporall faith such as the faith is such is the repentance that dooth insue if it be a true faith true repentance followeth Of what sinnes then must we repent vs Doubtles we ought to repent of all sinnes Of what sinnes we must repent vs. so as Tertullian rightlie said in his booke De poenitentia Whether it be in word or in déed that we haue offended he saith that euen he which by his iudgement hath appointed punishment for all those things hath also promised pardon through repentance A breefe declaration of the definition Some of those things which be placed in the definition belong vnto the generall word and some perteine vnto the differences the generall word is Change the difference is Alteration of life Another difference is that it be willinglie taken in hand for there be some things doone which we be not willing vnto Another difference is it may be taken in hand for sinnes committed The formall cause is conuersion and change the materiall cause is the will it selfe the obiects are the sinnes for which we sorrowe and the vertues which we striue to atteine the efficient cause is faith and God the end is the honour of God our owne saluation Thus the definition being declared let vs come to the distinctions Distinctions of repentance 4 Tertullian distinguished repentance into good and euill he saith it is euill repentance if we repent our selues of the déeds that be doone well namelie of almes-déeds of forgiuing our enimies of receiuing the sacraments but it is a good repentance when we change vnto better It is said to be either good or euill in respect of the end wherevnto we refer it Another distinction one kind of repentance is rude and without forme and another is perfect and absolute Whereby shall we gather this Bicause that it is the will which taketh in hand and that the same in hir owne nature is blind it behooueth that vnderstanding go before What shineth in those men The Ethnike repentance which be without Christ Somtimes there appéereth in them a certeine humane honestie the which as the philosophers saie is a life according to nature They read the Ethiks or morals of the philosophers they sée Ideas or forms of vertues when their vnderstanding taketh anie hold of this honestie they perceiue how far off they be from the same and for that cause they finding themselues by experience to be blamed are stirred vp with a certeine repentance Laertius teacheth that a certeine yoong man that was lewd and loose of life at a certeine time being droonk himselfe with droonken companions and wearing a garland rushed into the schoole of Xenocrates But the philosopher being not disquieted with their comming in procéeded in his treatise he spake so earnestlie of temperance that by little and little the words entered into the hart This yoong man laid awaie his garland and began to dispute of philosophie Howbeit such a maner of conuersion is not altogither to be commended it may be commended in his kind But it is nothing at all christianlike whereof we speake which ought to be according to faith and towards God as Paule witnesseth in the twentie of the Acts verse 21. that he preached repentance towards God and faith in Iesus Christ There be others which bring foorth this rude and vnperfect repentance in another sort When it is taken in hand by the will and the same followeth reason there must néeds be some thing which ought to giue light vnto reason They haue a generall faith or opinion Repentance comming of a generall faith or opinion that God is both a reuenger of euill and a rewarder of good They also behold that which he hath commanded in the lawe when they perceiue that they be commanded to doo such things as they doo not they be vexed with feare and after a sort repent themselues Some bring a place out of the 26. chapter of Esaie We haue beene with child of thy care verse 26. and haue brought foorth the wind of saluation But it maketh not to the purpose howbeit true it is that repentance with some is begun in this sort This may be hurtfull for vnlesse it haue some helpe besides it bréedeth desperation After this sort did Caine Iudas and Esau repent themselues Séeing the matter standeth thus then in the elect children of God faith is added forgiuenes is preached and they imbrace the same thorough Christ True repentance then dooth true and perfect repentance followe When the will vndertaketh this repentance Christ himselfe lighteneth the vnderstanding with the remission of sinnes then commeth the holie Ghost by whom strength is giuen to cast off sinne and the fruits of repentance doo followe that in sted of wicked acts good déeds are shewed foorth The holie Fathers said that this is to doo repentance What is to doo repentance and the holie scriptures doo declare
the holie scriptures The elder fathers had but two sacraments The elder fathers had but two sacraments Sometimes they make mention of repentance These things Augustine wrote vnto Ianuarius in his third booke De doctrina christiana the 16. chapter Ambrose in his booke De sacramentis intreateth of these two Wherefore of necessitie these men must either confesse that they haue forgotten the sacraments or else that there was not receiued so great a number in that age That they forgat it we cannot saie séeing they compiled a whole treatise of that matter Therefore this multitude of sacraments was not receiued at that time Pighius definition of a sacrament 11 But let vs come to the defining of it Pighius also defineth a sacrament and saith that it is an effectuall signe ordeined by God whereby is signified vnto vs a certeine kind of effect of the helpe and grace of God which is present at all times so there be not some thing to let in them that vse the same Whereas he saith to begin withall that it is a signe or rite instituted by God that is true for it is not in the power of man to ordeine sacraments they be testimonies That it is in God not in man to institute sacraments Mat. 21 1â and as one maie saie seales of the will of God and it is not the part of man to counterfet seales Furthermore this we learne out of the holie scriptures Christ asked the Scribes Pharisies from whence the baptisme of Iohn was If they had said Of men it had séemed friuolous for séeing sacraments belong to the nature of faith it is méet they should be drawne out of the holie scriptures from whence faith it selfe is taken And men which of their owne authoritie go about to institute sacraments doo make themselues to be gods To deale after this sort in religion were to worship God with commandements and traditions of men which Christ hath forbidden Lastlie séeing that Man is a lier and so is declared in the holie scriptures to be the things which are instituted by him haue in them no perfect truth wherefore sacraments must not be instituted by men He saith moreouer Psal 116 Rom. 3 4. that by this signe is signified to vs some sure effect bicause he will comprehend manie sacraments he will not restraine it to one effect namelie to the remission of sinnes He saith that the effects are diuers as the remission of sinnes offered which is offered in baptisme and in the Eucharist but besides he sheweth other effects of the worke of God that in matrimonie should be an inseparable coupling togither in the holie order should be a power of gouerning the church and so of other things vnlesse there be some let in them that vse those things This he saith to shew the efficacie of sacraments For in that some doo receiue the sacraments and obteine not the effects that happeneth bicause they come vnto them without religion and faith If he follow his definition he thinketh that he is able to comprehend manie sacraments But on the other side they which saie that the grace of the forgiuenes of sinnes is signified by the same doo tie themselues onelie to these two namelie baptisme and the supper of the Lord. 12 To define a sacrament we may saie Another definition of a sacrament that A sacrament is a promise of God touching the remission of sinnes through Christ signified and sealed by the institution of God with an outward or visible signe to the end that our faith should be lifted vp in vs and we to be more and more knit vnto God This séemeth vnto me to be a full definition Two things it conteineth namelie an outward signe and a thing signified Bicause the thing signified holdeth the chéefe place therefore I placed it first and said that It is the promise of God and is conuersant about the remission of sinnes thorough Christ For the sacraments which be in the holie scriptures doo chéeflie make mention thereof Furthermore this promise is sealed which thing the scripture sheweth calling circumcision a seale for the sacraments be certeine tokens and seales of the promises of God But forsomuch as these outward instruments be elements they cannot of themselues haue wherewith to signifie and seale therefore it is added By the institution of God The end is that our faith may be stirred vp by the holie Ghost which power the outward things haue not in them to shew the holie Ghost vseth these instruments and faith tendeth vnto that end that we should be the more knit vnto God The causes ye haue The formall cause is the signification and sealing The matter which is sealed and whereabout it is conuersant is the promise of God touching the remission of sinnes The efficient cause is the institution of God The finall cause is the stirring vp of our faith whereby we may be ioined vnto God And I allow of that which is commonlie said Sacraments be visible words they stir vp men by the sight other senses Rightlie dooth Chrysostome saie If we were spirits we should not haue néed of those instruments but we be compounded of a spirit and a bodie the senses of the bodie doo stir vp the mind 13 But if we prosecute this definition we exclude marriage Why we contend with the aduersaries touching the number of sacraments repentance orders confirmation and annoiling as I will particularlie declare after I haue said this one word that some will here saie Why doo ye séeke for a knot in a rush or make a doubt of a thing that is plaine These men would cote these seuen with the name of sacraments what haue ye to doo therewith It is not the name that we much stand vpon but it is the matter it selfe Wée knowe that it is lawfull for christians to vse the name so that there be no vngodlines hidden vnder it but let vs sée what they would haue to be signified by this word They saie that a sacrament is a visible forme of an inuisible grace and they adde it to be the cause so that they make these sacraments of theirs to be the instruments of saluation Then if they will receiue anie rites and cloke them vnder this kind of spéech it is vngodlie By men there can be no visible elements ordeined which may be seales of the promises wherfore let them either change this phrase of spéech and saie that a sacrament dooth not signifie these things and then we will grant vnto them or else if they will still vse this kind of spéech let them absteine from the name of sacrament The Maister of the sentences saith that The sacraments of the old fathers were not properlie sacraments bicause they brought no grace It is a detestable thing to take awaie this propertie from the institutions of God and to attribute the same vnto the inuentions of men What things be required in a sacrament To make the matter
Philistines 1. Sa. 14. 24. and had the victorie in his hands forbad that no man should taste of anie meate before euening So also certeine Hebrues vowed that they would neither eate nor drinke anie thing before they had killed Paule Acts. 23 12. as it is written in the Acts of the apostles This maner of fasting also perteineth not vnto this present matter 6 There is another kind of fasting The fasting familiar to christians which ought to be familiar to christian men namelie to take meate soberlie and temperatelie which is doon if they neither eate too often in one daie nor when they should eate doo gorge themselues with ouer-much meate or séeke for delicate meats and deintie dishes This order of liuing is verie profitable to diminish lusts What profit commeth by temperate feeding and it suffereth not the mind to be troubled with affections It maketh the mind to be more chéerefull and readie both vnto praier and vnto all the actions perteining to the life of man Wherefore Christ said Luk. 12 34. Let not your harts be oppressed with surfetting and droonkennes 1. Pet. 5 8. Peter also hath written Be ye sober for your enimie the diuell goeth about like a roring lion seeking whom he may deuoure 1. Cor. 9 27. Also Paule wrote of himselfe I chasten my bodie and bring it into bondage least I preaching vnto other should be a reprobate my selfe There is besides another commoditie by this fasting to wit that cost is spared not to be doone that we should laie vp couetouslie but that we should distribute to the poore of that which is ouer-plus vnto vs. Further there is another fast which is aboue mans strength and otherwhiles is giuen by God miraculouslie vnto some of the saints for the commending of their doctrine Moses vpon the mountaine fasted fortie daies A miraculous fasting for God ment by a notable example to shew that that lawe which he set foorth came from himselfe and was not inuented by men Neither went Moses therefore vnto the mountaine Exod. 34 28 to fast but to receiue the lawe of God and to talke with him Elias also receiued bread and water of the angell and in the strength of that meate walked fortie daies euen vnto the mount Horeb that he might be declared by this miracle to be the true reuenger of the lawe By this kind of fasting Matt. 4 2. our Sauiour commended the preaching of the gospell that it might not séeme to be a common thing but a matter of Gods owne ordinance and beginning Howbeit these fastings were miracles neither perteine they anie thing vnto vs but onlie that we should haue them in admiration by such examples be stirred vp with reuerence to receiue the word of GOD. There is also an other fast which lieth not in our power as when we being destitute of meat haue not whereof to eat Here haue we néed of patience and we must praie vnto God that he will strengthen and incourage vs. So the saints when they wandered about and preached the Gospell were sometimes pressed and straitened with hunger And the disciples Matt. 12 1. when they followed the Lord were driuen through hunger to plucke the eares of corne 1. Kin. 17. 9. Ibidem 6. and to rub out the séed Elias also desired meat of the widowe and waited at the brooke for such meat as the rauen should bring him This kind of fasting men doo not take vpon them of their owne accord but it is laid vpon them by God 7 But passing ouer all these fasts being such as perteine nothing vnto this disputation A religious fast let vs come to our fast which we may call a religious fast A definition of a religious fast And this fast is an vnaccustomed abstinence not onelie from meat and drinke so much as the strength will permit but also from all other things which may delight and nourish the bodie and it is doone of a repentant mind and of a true faith for the atteining of Gods mercie by praiers bicause of calamities which either alreadie ouercharge vs or else are verie nigh at hand The fourme of this fast The forme of this definition is abstinence such abstinence I saie as is aboue the accustomed maner and yet goeth not beyond the strength of the bodie The mater The matter is not onlie meat and drinke but all other things that may chéere vp the bodie The efficient cause The efficient cause is faith and repentance for sinnes committed against God The end is The end that by praiers we craue the mercie of God and either to turne awaie or to diminish calamities The exercises of them that fast truelie Wherefore they which fast ought to giue themselues vnto praiers almes-déeds visiting of the sicke and to the holie supper When we feruentlie praie vnto the Lord and doo from the hart trulie repent vs of the sinnes which we haue committed and by reason of them are earnestlie afflicted we cannot verie soone thinke vpon meat drinke and also fine delicates For to them which be vrged with so vehement a gréefe it is more pleasant to absteine than anie other delectation is So Dauid in the 35. psalme saith of his enimies verse 13. When they were sicke I laughed not but I put on sackcloth and afflicted my soule with fasting earnestlie praied for them And they which deiect and humble themselues bicause they in a maner despaire of their businesse are woont to contemne and loath meat and drinke and other delights and pleasures Why fastings doo please God Ierom. Hereby we may perceiue how it commeth to passe that our fastings doo please God vndoubtedlie not bicause the emptinesse of the bellie delighteth God And so Ierom derideth some which fasting ouer-much became vnprofitable all their life long to all purposes It pleaseth GOD when we humble our soule bicause we may returne vnto him with praiers and casting awaie other pleasures repose all our delight in him onelie 8 But the fastings Religious fast is publike and priuate whereof we now intreat be sometimes publike and sometimes priuate We take priuate fasts in hand when we are afflicted with our owne domesticall miseries For there is no man that is not sometimes vexed either in himselfe or in his familie Or if peraduenture it happen that he be not priuatelie gréeued with anie calamitie of his owne of them that perteine vnto him We must sometime fast for other mens causes yet must he sometime moorne for others For if we be all members of one bodie we must thinke that the discommodities of our brethren doo perteine euen vnto our selues So Dauid praied for them which afterward became his enimies and who triumphed at his harmes Iob. 2 11. So Iobs friends when they sawe him vexed with most gréeuous plagues did sitte by him full seuen daies in dust and ashes before they spake anie thing vnto
We for our part haue an Oracle farre more certeine namelie that They are not to be feared Matt. 10 28. which kill the bodie but cannot kill the soule The Decij vowed themselues to the death that their legions of soldiers might be preserued and get the victorie Our martyrs also when they shed their bloud rather than they will be plucked awaie from the religion of Christ cannot boast that they take an enterprise in hand which hath not béene heard of M. Puluillus when he should consecrate a temple vnto Iupiter in the meane time word was brought him by enuious persons of the death of his son was not one whit abashed in mind neither left he off that which he had begun but commandded that his sonne being dead should be carried out and buried With what mind then ought a christian man to suffer séeing he heareth the Lord saie Suffer the dead to burie their dead Matth. 8 22. Regulus when he had sworne that he would returne vnto Carthage although he knew that most gréeuous torments were prouided for him yet would he not commit the crime of violating his faith Wherefore we also séeing in baptisme wée haue publikelie giuen our faith vnto Christ although for the kéeping thereof we should suffer all things yet ought we not to violate the same Some will boast of the contempt they haue of riches and of voluntarie pouertie taken vpon them for Christ but let these boasters call to remembrance Cincinnatus who after he had behaued himselfe honourable and doone notable acts in his Dictatorship of his owne accord returned againe to till husband his foure acres of ground Let them remember that Valerius Publicola after he had passinglie well gouerned his Consulship died so poore as he left not wherewith to burie himselfe but was buried at the common charge of the citie And Fabritius so little repented him of his pouertie as he despised the gold of king Pyrrhus These so great and notable acts did these men onlie as I haue said to get the praises of men and to preserue that earthlie publike weale But we if we enter into anie dangers haue God himselfe to be our inheritance and our reward and shal be heires togither with Christ Before vs as a prise is set the kingdome of heauen and eternall felowship with the angels Wherefore it is manifest The notable acts of the Ethniks passed their expected ends but our rewards far passe our works that the notable facts of those heathen farre passed the ends and rewards set before them but our works are infinitelie excelled of the rewards that are before vs. I grant indéed that their works are not to be reckoned among the true vertues for they were rather shadowes and images of vertues And their works although they were excellent if we consider them after a ciuill maner Their works before God were glistering sinnes yet before God they were nothing else but glorious and glistering sinnes for they were not mooued to worke either by faith or by the loue of God neither yet did they direct their works to a iust end Wherefore Augustine in his fift booke De ciuitate Dei and 18. chapter when he had made mention of these and such like things prudentlie added Either we perceiue these things to be in vs or else we féele our selues to be void of them If at anie time we doo the selfe-same things there is no cause whie we should be puffed vp séeing they for lesser rewards haue doone the like but if we knowe our selues to be so weake and féeble that we dare not enterprise anie such things our minds ought excéedinglie to be pressed and touched especiallie séeing we be found weaker than the verie Ethniks were Moreouer God hath not respect to the gretnes heape of works these comparisons declare that God hath not respect to the quantitie and heape of works for else he would giue vnto them the rewards which he promiseth vnto vs. But GOD chéeflie respecteth this whether by faith we are ioined togither vnto Christ and whether we direct all that we doo to the praise and glorie of his name But to haue the power and abilitie to doo excellent acts he of his mercie ministreth abundantlie vnto vs when he iudgeth the time méet In the meane time let vs giue thanks vnto him for that he hath made our lot better than theirs In Rom 5 verse 3. 10 Furhter of so great force is the reioising of godlie men that those things which men especiallie vngodlie men reckon to be a rebuke and which they séeke to auoid through which they iudge them selues vnhappie the Christians doo turne the same vnto praise doo willinglie imbrace A similitude and doo most of all reioise in them For euen as the planets direct their course farre otherwise than dooth the eight sphere for that is mooued from the east vnto the west but the planets from the west vnto the east euen so godlie men doo willinglie imbrace those things and in them doo reioise which the wicked doo shunne and iudge reprochfull A rare thing trulie and woorthie of admiration For it is no woonder if a man glorie as concerning the promises and obteinment of the glorie of God but in afflictions to reioise passeth all humane reson Further bicause there is no reioising but of principall and singular good things which now we so assuredlie possesse as they can not be taken from vs for otherwise it should be no true reioising but rather a boasting least our reioising for the hope of the glorie of God should séeme to be vaine séeing in verie déed we haue not yet the fruition of it Rom. 5 3. Paule teacheth in the fift to the Romans with what good things God dooth in the meane time indue vs while we doo liue héere namelie Tribulations patience experience and hope which confoundeth not An excelleÌt gradation Vndoubtedlie an excellent and most profitable procéeding by degrées and woorthie to be obserued of vs all against doubtfull and fearefull times But godlie men sometimes sigh are sad and are heauie It is not repugnant that godlie men doo both sigh and reioise at one and the selfe same time 2. Sam. 15 7. and 16. 5. An example and complaine when they fall into afflictions how then doo they reioise Here is no contradiction at all For our outward man sigheth is heauie is sad the flesh complaineth but the spirit and our inward man reioiseth and is glad When Dauid went foorth of the citie from the face of Absolon bare footed his head vncouered and with manie teares outwardlie there appéered in him no signification but of miserie and sorowes for Semie who vpbraided vnto him this miserie sawe nothing in him but that which was lamentable and miserable Yet who doubteth but that he as touching faith and the inward man reioised excéedinglie for the fatherlie correction of God For therevnto was his mind bent and therefore he spared
the elect of God It is God that iustifieth c. Wherefore if God doo not accuse vs neither in verie déed shall our hart accuse vs while we haue respect vnto Christ for now we haue trust vnto Godward we shall obteine And while we be conuerted vnto Christ not onlie sinne and accusation is abolished but repentance is also increased 9 But it is doubted of some In 1. Sam. 1 9. whether it be lawfull to desire of God things that be indifferent for as they saie we be ignorant whether those things will be profitable or hurtfull vnto vs which doo aske And Plato in Alâibiade 2. saith Looke In Rom. 8 26. that It is a difficult thing to define our praiers and therefore thinketh that God must be desired onelie in generall and vniuersall termes Chrysostome vpon the epistle vnto Timothie the eight homilie How saith he can I knowe that I shall obteine that which I desire The answer is If thou desire nothing against the will of God or vnwoorthie of his maiestie no earthlie thing no worldlie thing but altogither spirituall things and so foorth The Lord in his praier teacheth that onlie things spirituall must be desired for all other things he comprehendeth generallie saieng Matt. 6 11. Giue vs this daie our dailie bread And in another place he saith First seeke the kingdome of heauen Ibidem 33. and these things shall be added vnto you Howbeit Augustine in his epistle vnto Proba affirmeth that this kind of things may also be desired of God for whatsoeuer things are lawfull for vs to wish those he saith are also lawfull to be asked Further these things God hath not seldome promised therefore we may craue them also And herevnto there doo serue examples Exod. 17 11 For Moses desired victorie against the Amalekites Gen. 17 18. Abraham desired that Ismael might liue he was heard Paule also desired to be deliuered from affliction 2. Co. 12 8. But here there be two things which must be considered What is to be considered in the desire of things indifferent The first is that in those things which be indifferent we doo not firmelie settle our selues but let vs perpetuallie refer them to the glorie of God Further we must determine to vse them well if they doo happen But some man will saie that séeing we be men we may be deceiued about the right vse of children for onelie God knoweth how well or how ill we will vse our children Moreouer the nature of man is inconstant and therefore we may be changed and may refuse that which we first desired Indéed these things be true But if thou with a faithfull and godlie mind shalt desire issue of God there is no danger bicause the successe is put in the hand of God by whose will all things to come are gouerned He regardeth not that which thou desirest but that which is most profitable vnto thée Rom. 8 26. And Paule saith What we may desire we knowe not but the spirit helpeth our infirmitie by his wisdom correcteth our praiers Neither must this be past ouer that sometimes God séemeth not to heare vs when as neuertheles he then heareth vs most of all as when Paule praied 2. Cor. 12 9. that the sting of the flesh might depart from him he heard that the grace and fauour wherewith God indued him should be sufficient for him Therefore when we make such kind of praiers we ought to be of this mind that whatsoeuer shall happen we may be contented with the iudgement of GOD. And when as Christ saith Matth. 6 33. First seeke ye the kingdome of God and then other things shall be giuen vnto you he saith not that the things not desired shall be giuen Indéed he will giue them but he forbiddeth not but that they should be asked so that they be the latter part of our requests Further he did not there speake of praiers but he spake onelie of the carefulnesse studie and disquietnes had about things fraile and transitorie In 1. Sa. 1. Matth. 6 7. 10 Moreouer Christ warneth that in praieng we should not vse much babling But we must vnderstand that he when he spake these things forbad not long praiers for he himselfe continued a whole night praieng on the mountaine Matt. 14 23. and before his death he praied abundantlie Luk. 21 37. 22 41. and he commandeth vs to be euer praieng and neuer to be wearie And the better to beate this into our heads he vsed parables namelie of the vniust iudge reuenging the cause of the widowe woman Luke 18 1. by reason of hir importunitie and of the man who being in his bed Luke 11 7. and would not rise yet at the last opened the doore vnto his fréend that continuallie knocked and gaue him so much bread as he was willing to take Yea and the Lord himselfe at the length heard the woman of Chanaan Matt. 15 23. that constantlie cried vnto him without ceasing Babling in praier is multiplieng of words without faith and the spirit 1. Kin. 18 27 In 2. Sam. 7 at the end So now it must be considered that much spéech or babling is then vsed not when we praie long but when we multiplie words without faith and the spirit being persuaded that we may be heard through the number of those words So Helias derided the Baalites and exhorted them to crie out lowder whereby they might at the length be heard of their God being either asléepe or else otherwise occupied Wherefore that is a foolish cogitation for God heareth vs not for our words sake but for his owne goodnes and mercie Another cause is if we will as it were prescribe vnto God and teach him what things we haue néed of Matth. 6 32. For God knoweth whereof wee haue need euen before we begin to praie These two causes being remooued we may praie so much as we will In what respect our praiers ought to be either long or short And how farre foorth our praiers ought to be either long or short Augustine verie well describeth vnto Proba The brethren saith he in Aegypt haue praiers short and often vsed as it were certeine darts cast out of the soules and that saith he least the zeale which they haue should wax cold Therefore he addeth If we sée our indeuour and feruentnes of praier beginne to wax faint we must not dull it with continuance but if so be that our attentiuenesse be chéerefull and readie bent it must not be left Brieflie he saith that praier ought to be much and the talke little And those saith he are much in praier who in déed desire things that be necessarie but with words superfluous but that praier is much when our hart being stirred vp we continuallie persuade him whom we praie vnto He saith that we ought to deale more with teares than with words and with wéeping rather than with speaking for
abide the crosse while thou séest so great a good laid vp for thée For the passions of this life Rom. 1 â⦠if we compare them to the glorie to come which shall be reuealed vnto vs are not to be esteemed Tertullian in his booke De resurrectione carnis That which the Hebrues call Chadarim and the Latins turne Cubicula he calleth Larders or saffes which he saith are for this cause vsed in the house that meate may be laid vp in them to be deliuered out againe vnto the vse of man Euen so saith he dead bodies are put into the graues to the intent that they should be brought foorth from thence againe But to returne vnto the lodgings or chambers and closets in the which God commandeth that the faithfull should bestowe themselues in the meane time namelie before the blessed life And if it be demanded what the godlie shall there doo while they be afflicted I answer that they be therein to the intent they may wéepe complaine themselues sigh call earnestlie for helpe and as it were to set foorth in the bosome of the father their gréefs and whatsoeuer dooth disquiet them For it is not the part of godlie men to bewaile their gréefs in the stréets in tauerns or in barbers shops or openlie to exclame of their oppressions for they must commit their cause to the iust iudge Euen in like maner as it is said by Peter 1. Pet. 1 13. in his first epistle the second chapter that Christ himselfe did shut the doore vnto thée for a little space The argument of this consolation is deriued from the shortnesse of time euen as Paule wrote in the second epistle to the Corinthians that The momentanie lightnes of the afflictions of this life 2. Cor. 4 1â dooth breed vnto vs a great weight of glorie And it is called a short time which is appointed in the meane time till the resurrection and that not amisse although it should be a long time bicause this must be vnderstood by comparison For if a verie long time be compared with eternitie it is a verie short time After the same maner Apoc. 6 11. the soules of them that be slaine for the name of Christ which praied God that their bloud might be reuenged are willed to be at rest to attend a certeine time The testimonie brought out of the propht Esaie The opinion of Aben-Ezra of the Chaldean paraphrast touching resurrection euen Aben-Ezra a famous interpretour among the Hebrues referred vnto the resurrection of the dead And the Chaldaean paraphrast saith that Thy God shall throwe the dead into hell which saieing belongeth to the time of the resurrection I might also haue brought those things which be written by the same prophet Esai 30 33. Esaie 66 15. in the thirtie chapter and in the last chapter concerning hell-fire Topheth fire vnquenchable the woorms that shall neuer die sulphur the bellowes and such like but the time will not suffer and I come to Ezechiel 41 This prophet writeth that he was led by the spirit into a féeld filled with bones This happened two waies Ezec. 37 11 first bicause he sawe those things by the inspiration of God An excellent place of Ezechiel touching the resurrection expounded and not by humane sense or imagination secondlie bicause those things were not shewed him in the bodie but in the spirit and vision of the mind And it is to be vnderstood that the resurrection of the dead was openlie at that daie beléeued that therefore the prophet did deriue his argument from thence He sawe bones that were drie bare withered and woorme eaten that the greater difficultie of recouering former life might be expressed For dead carcases that be whole and full of moisture would perhaps be thought that they might more easilie be restored to life God said vnto the prophet Thou sonne of man thinkest thou that these bones shall liue He answered Lord thou knowest In verie déed his faith was tempted but he made a godlie answer as one that was neither Saducie nor yet Libertine But if the resurrection of the dead were an article of the faith and openlie receiued why did he not boldlie saie They shall liue I answer bicause albeit he did beléeue that the dead at the end of the world shuld be quickned yet was he ignorant touching them which were there shewed him at that time whether they should be raised vp in that houre and therfore he committed the matter vnto God So as if there be anie doubt obiected vnto vs touching the articles of faith we will fitlie and profitablie followe his example in referring the matter to God saieng He knoweth and is able And séeing he hath made his will manifest vnto vs in the holie scriptures we beléeue those things which he hath shewed should come to passe And as concerning the vision of the prophet we must vnderstand that the citie of Ierusalem being destroied by the host of Nabuchad-nezar and the temple ouerthrowne by Nabuzaradan the chéefe man that had to deale with life and death there séemed to be an vtter ruine of the Iewes being in captiuitie at Babylon Wherefore the restoring of them into the land of Chanaan was now in a maner despaired of But God confirmeth and aduanceth their hope deriuing his argument from the Maior vnto the Minor that is From the greater to the lesse and saith Seeing I am to restore life vnto the dead which is a far greater thing than to redéeme captiues I will also make you to be deliuered from captiuitie as I haue promised which is much easier than to raise vp the dead And to the intent that the antecedent that is the resurrection of the dead should be more thoroughlie perceiued more euident and more firme he set before the eies of the prophet that vision Wherefore by the resurrection of the dead which is a thing diuine and of much more difficultie he maketh credit to be giuen that that is to be doon which is temporall and of lesser importance The verie same kind of argument ought we to vse If God grant vs greater things we must not doubt but he will giue the lesser if we begin at anie time to doubt of wanting things necessarie vnto this life In that temptation let vs saie Séeing God will giue vnto our bodie eternall life and felicitie in the resurrection surelie he will not withdrawe from vs the necessarie sustenance of this life The Hebrues so ordered themselues in those daies as they beléeued the resurrection of the dead but of the returne into their natiue countrie they despaired when as neuertheles God promised both But the calamities which presentlie disquieted them so occupied their senses as either they forgat the promises of God or else they gaue little or no credit vnto them GOD commanded Ezechiel that he should prophesie and speake to the bones which were in his sight saieng in the name of God I will put breath
came in verie déed namelie when Christ was transformed vpon the mount Thabor He was present togither with Moses euen as it should séeme in his owne proper bodie He shall come againe at the last time howbeit to iudgement with other saints which shall be raised from the dead but not to fight or to be slaine of Antichrist Some man perhaps will saie it is a wonder that these raptings did happen in the old testament are not written of in the new Yes verelie Diuers raptings of men in the new testament Luke 24 51 Acts. 24 51. Acts. 8 39. they are had also in the new For Christ of whom the old raptings were shadowes was taken vp into heauen in the sight of his apostles And Paule said that he was rapted into the third heauen whether it were in the bodie or out of the bodie c. And Philip the Deacon as we read in the Acts when he had baptised the Eunuch of Quéene Candaces he was caught awaie by the angell out of his sight and found himselfe to be at Azotus Wherefore there be notable examples extant as well in the old testament as in the new whereby we are warned that we should at the least wise ascend into heauen with our mind and there be conuersant before God and Christ Iesus Phil. 3. 10 1. Cor. 5 6. Our conuersation as Paule hath taught ought to be in heauen Neither let vs be forgetfull that wée so long as we liue héere doo wander and straie from the Lord happie no doubt are such raptings Damnable on the other side are the raptings of Dathan and Abiram Num. 16 31 who were caught quicke into hell And fowle and shamefull were those which the Poets extoll namelie of Ganimedes Proserpina and of others whose examples must euen as much be auoided of all men as the former examples must be expressed with as much imitation as we can And thus haue we spoken sufficientlie of the question proposed whereof I ment to haue said but a little But in trauelling therein I met with a number of by-turnings and points which I might not passe ouer that I was constrained to speake or write more at large than I was determined And as touching those things which I haue defined my mind was not to teach them as things firme and certeine or as perfectlie tried out by the holie scriptures but as likelihoods of truth the which we may gesse of without breach of faith And if anie man can alledge better proofes I am readie to heare him Neither haue I minded to contend earnestlie about those things which I haue affirmed and this doo I also persuade and counsell others to doo The xvij Chapter Of the end of the world of the last iudgement of eternall life of the equalitie of rewards and of the restoring of the whole world AS for the time of continuance of the world In 1. Cor. 10. ver 1â we haue no certeintie in the holie scriptures Augustine reckoned six ages of the world Augustine in his first booke vpon Genesis against the Manicheis reckoned six ages of the world The first from Adam vnto Noah the second from Noah vnto Abraham the third from thence vnto Dauid the fourth from that time to the transmigration into Babylon the fift from that time vnto Christ the sixt from Christ vntill the last iudgement Wherefore that age wherein we now liue being the last Iohn 2 18. may be called the decréeped or verie old age and of Iohn it is called the last houre but how long it shall continue Augustine we knowe not Augustine vnto Hesychius who had somewhat curiouslie questioned of the end of the world answered that He durst not either measure or reckon the spaces of times vnto the end of the world bicause it is written Matt. 24 3â that Of that daie knoweth no man neither the angels nor yet the sonne of God himself Epiphanius Which place Epiphanius interpreteth in the booke which he calleth Anchoratus affirming a double knowledge one of the execution or worke another of the inward science And then saith he God the father hath both waies the knowledge of the last iudgement of the inward science doubtlesse in that he hath knowen the time thereof secondlie of the worke bicause he hath alreadie executed iudgement How the sonne hath knowledge of the iudgment daie and how he hath not Iohn 5 22. He hath giuen all iudgement to the sonne and as touching himselfe he hath sufficientlie iudged And the sonne hath knowledge of that daie as touching knowledge but as touching execution he hath not bicause he is not yet come to iudge But the angels in neither sort knowe of that daie First in verie déed the houre time of iudgement is hidden to them further the worke or execution God hath not yet committed to them that they should go foorth and take awaie all offenses Howbeit this exposition séemeth to be verie subtill and wrested Augustine Augustine hath more plainlie interpreted it that The sonne knoweth not of that daie not as touching himselfe but concerning others whom he causeth not to knowe that daie neither hath he reuealed the same by his doctrine But if thou wilt saie that afrer this maner the father also dooth not knowe it bicause he hath not shewed the same daie or instructed anie man as touching it he answereth Yes verelie he hath reuealed it to the sonne Howbeit I would yet more simplie vnderstand that sentence as touching the humane nature of Christ which by the ordinarie and naturall condition knew nothing more than was declared vnto him by the diuine nature 2 Some haue had a mind to cauill that albeit the daie and the houre is not knowne yet that by coniectures we may atteine to the knowledge of the time bicause that Christ did speciallie speake of that daie but not of the time But this subtill point nothing helpeth them bicause it is written in the first chapter of the acts verse 7. It is not for you to knowe the times and moments which in Gréek is written ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã And that Matt. 24 14. which we read in Matthew When the Gospell shall be preached ouer all the world then shall the end be Augustine Augustine expoundeth The Lord shall not come before the Gospell shall be preached ouer all the world But by this it is not knowne how soone after such preaching he will come In the epistle to the Colossians verse 6. the first chapter the apostle writeth that Euen at that time the Gospell was alreadie preached ouer all the world and yet we sée that iudgement is still deferred The Lord in the Gospell of Matthew Matt. 24. shewed of manie signes of the last times but when we sée them we vnderstand not whether as yet they be thoroughlie come to the iust measure so as they should be reckoned euen for the verie same things which the Lord
vniuersallie pronounced in the holie scriptures doo alwaies admit an exception or restraint Iohn 10 8. 1. Cor. 6 12 All saith Christ as manie as haue come before me were theeues and robbers All things are lawfull vnto me but all things are not expedient Here may be vnderstood the figure Synechdoche so as it may be meant that in the same All are comprehended some parts And when as S. Paule saith that The creature shall be deliuered from the bondage of corruption it might be generallie vnderstood as touching the world bicause he is not to be anie more constrained to renew creatures by a new generation yet it followeth not thereby that all creatures as touching the particular kinds shall be preserued I thinke it therefore the part of a godlie mind to affirme neither part obstinatelie for we haue nothing on either part that is certeinelie defined Of creaturs that be dead onlie men shall be restored But yet this I dare boldlie saie that of those creatures which haue died onlie men shall be raised from death But as concerning the preseruation of other creatures after the daie of iudgement except heauen and earth whereof the scripture hath made mention I thinke nothing is to be said For séeing we lacke scriptures we must not ouer curiouslie search out anie thing It is enough if we doo vnderstand this that for our sakes was brought in the corruption of things and againe that when we shall be renewed all things which shall remaine shall be better than they were before But we must in such sort bend the strength of our knowledge We must so direct our knowledge as we let not flip the things necessarie to saluation that we let not those things escape vs which be necessa vnto saluation such as are the doctrines concerning God iustification worshipping good works and the vse of the sacraments Which vse shall neuer be sincere and pure vnlesse the nature of them be well perceiued and knowne for if we attribute vnto them more or lesse than it behooueth we shall perpetuallie erre The scriptures are chéeflie occupied about these principall points namelie that The man of God may be perfect 2. Tim. 3 1â Those things which the scriptures haue not spoken of are not necessarie to saluation and instructed to euerie good worke But these things that the scriptures make no mention of let vs not thinke them to be necessarie to saluation for the holie Ghost is so good as if they were necessarie he doubtlesse would haue taught them in the scriptures ¶ As touching eternall life looke in the confession of the faith at the end of the second part and of felicitis looke the 14. chapter of the first part and all the whole commentaries vpon Aristotles Ethiks The end of the third Part. E R THE Fourth Part of the Common places of PETER MARTYR Wherein is intreated of the outward meanes which God vseth for the saluation of his people and preseruation of mans societie The first Chapter Of the Church and of the Functions Calling Office Dignitie and efficacie of the Ministerie and Ministers in the same Church In 1. Cor. 1. Looke in the booke De voris pa 440. and 456. printed in Baâ⦠Whence the name of Church is deriued THE NAME of a Church is deriued of the Gréeke Verbe ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã that is to cal For none can bée partakers thereof which come not therunto by the calling of God And to define it The definition of the Church we say that it is a companie of beleeuers and regenerate persons whom God gathereth together in Christ by the word and the holy Ghost and by his Ministers gouerneth the same with purenesse of doctrine with lawfull vse of the Sacraments and with discipline And it is euerie where called the bodie of Christ bicause all the members thereof haue him for their head of whom by the ioynts and synowes they take their growing attaine vnto life by the inspiration of the holie ghost And these meÌbers are so throughly ioyned vnto the head as they are called flesh of his flesh bone of his bones Ephe. 5. 30. It is the soule of Christ and wée confesse the same in the Créede when wée say I beleeue in the holie Church And wée adde straight waie by exposition Who in right and before God be of the Church Looke in 1. Sam. 15. 34. The Communion of Saincts For they alone trulie and before God are of the Church the which otherwise hath mingled therewith verie many which be strangers from Christ and these in shew onely not in déede doe belong vnto the Church Wherefore of them Iohn said They went out from vs 1. Iohn 2. 19. Matth. 13. 39. but they were not of vs. And it is in the Gospell that when the goodman of the house and his seruants were asléepe the diuell sowed tares vpon the good séede And Paul in the first to the Corinthians the first Chapter 1. Cor. 1. 2. after he had saluted the Church of God added by exposition Vnto them that are sanctified by Christ Iesus being called Saints that we may vnderstand that the wicked appertaine not in verie déede vnto the Church although they be alwayes conuersant therein and that as we said a little before we may confesse that to be the Church which we call the Communion of Saints But and if thou wilt conclude hereby that the Church shal be vnknowen we will denie it to be a firme conclusion bicause there be proper markes assigned by which the same may be verie well knowen and be discerned from prophane conuenticles For wheresoeuer the purenesse of doctrine florisheth The marks by which the Church may be knowen the Sacramentes are purely ministred and discipline exercised thou hast a congregation whereunto thou maiest safely ioyne thy selfe although the honestie of euery particular man is not sufficiently knowen vnto thée Neither is it of necessitie required that the godlie should be discerned of men what maner of persons they bée while they liue here Christ while he liued here among mortall men was not knowen And we as the Apostle hath declared vnto the Colossians Col. 3. 3. the third Chapter haue our life hidden in God and when Christ which is our life shall appeare then we also shall be made manifest with him in glorie Againe we reade in the first of Samuel 1. Sa. 16. 7. It is God that looketh into the heart but men onely knowe those things which are apparant I know there is a fable spred abroad Against theÌ which say that the wicked be the members of Christ that the wicked be members of Christ howbeit dead members which neuerthelesse may be quickened But this is euen as true as if thou shalt say that a dead man is a man We wil confesse in déede that by Christ and by the holy Ghost they may be restored vnto life but in the meane time while that is not done
not euerie where receiued So as if a due consent ought to be preserued in the Church it is necessarie that we firmelie and constantlie staie our selues in the holie Scriptures Of discerning of Spirites 9 But the discerning of spirits is a gift In 1. Cor. 12. ver 10. How Spirits may be discerned by which the difference of theÌ which are moued by an euill spirit is knowen from them which are inspired with the holy ghost Which how necessarie it is Christ admonished when he said Matt. 7. 15. Beware of false Prophets which come vnto you in sheepes clothing but inwardlie they be rauening wolues 1. Thess 5. 21. And Paul vnto the Thessalonians Prooue all things and keepe that which is good But how spirites are to be knowen Iohn teacheth in his first Epistle when he saith 1. Iohn 4. 2. If a man confesse that the Lord Iesus is come in the fleshe he is of God and he that denieth that the Lord Iesus is come in the flesh is not of the Lord but is of Antichrist Augustine treating on these wordes Augustine maruelleth that manie Heretikes be verie pernitious which confesse the Lord Iesus to haue come in the flesh who neuertheles be not of God but he aunswereth to this effect that they confesse the Lord Iesus to be come in flesh which with a sound faith receiue all those doctrines which either goe before or follow this article If Christ come in the flesh he was before his comming he tooke verie fleshe vppon him to this end that he should verilie die and that afterward hée should rise againe whereby he might also giue vs the hope of resurrection And manie other things are knit vnto that principle the which aswell heretikes as infidels doe refuse either in whole or in part Wherfore Iohn would not distinctlie recken vp euerie thing which we ought to confesse vnto saluation to the end that our spirite might be approoued but he onelie spake of that which was the chiefe vnto which in a manner all other things necessarie to saluation are adioyned Looke part 1. pl 3. Art 8 Euery one that holdeth right opinions is not therefore saide to be of Christ Two sorts of confessioÌ But if thou wilt saie Admit there be some which rightlie and faithfullie hold al those opinions is he therfore thought to haue the spirit of Christ if he liue vnpurelie Augustine aunswereth that there is a certaine confession which is in outward words onelie and an other which is true and hath good workes with it And this he prooueth out of the Epistle vnto Titus Tit. 1. 16. They confesse that they know God but in deedes they denie him Therefore by contraries he saith there be some which in déeds confesse God him selfe therefore he affirmeth that confession of which Iohn speaketh is no vulgare confession but such a one as hath déeds But through these things which are spoken by this godlie man we haue as yet no certaine rule by the which spirites are discerned Many heretiks haue liued godlie in shewe For there be manie Heretikes which in outward shew haue had their life garnished with workes notable enough but the same in the meane time was contaminated with the indeuour of humane glorie and we being ignorant of the purpose of their mind can iudge nothing of the goodnes of the workes which they make semblance of for this iudgment pertaineth onelie to the conscience Wherefore Iohn in the same Epistle writeth 1. Ioh. 3. 20. And if so be our heart accuse vs God is greater than our heart and knoweth all things As if he had said Although thou shalt behaue thy selfe notablie in outward shew and shalt haue an euill minde thinke not that thou art hidden for God also vnderstandeth the peruersenesse of thy minde séeing he is greater than our heart So as to God must be left the secrete iudgement of perfect vprightnesse of workes because he being the iudge it maie be that he which shall giue his bodie to be burned 1. Cor. 13. 3. séeing hée is without charitie it is nothing and that those things which he séemeth to doe verie well are condemned Onelie we can iudge of those thinges which appeare manifestlie Two rules for the trying of spirits 1. Ioh. 4. 2. The confession of opinions must be examined according to the scriptures Before the new Testament was written opinions were examined by the Apostles sayings 1. Iohn 4. 6. 10 Wherefore there remaineth two rules for to iudge of spirites One is if the opinions as touching faith be retained perfect and pure And this meant Iohn when he said If anie man confesse the Lord Iesus c. And this confession of opinions must be examined by the holie Scriptures the which seeing they had not in the Church at the beginning as concerning the new Testament they were examined by the words and doctrine of the Apostles Therefore Iohn a little after saith He that is of God heareth vs and he that heareth not vs is not of God Then he addeth that thus we doe prooue the spirit An other rule is of maners and life This did Christ expresse when hée said By their fruites ye shall knowe them And as opinions are knowen by examining of them with the Scriptures Life and maners must be tryed by discipline so life and maners should be tried by the discipline of the Church Howbeit either rule of examination is at this daie waxen cold For the life of the faithfull is not looked vppon but the shéepe of Christ doe miserablie perish and are neglected Further the holie Scripture is lesse red than méet it should neither is it carefullie and diligentlie handled And the Papistes will that the opinions should bée examined not by the Scriptures but by the councels and fathers Thereof it commeth to passe that the Church hath these manie yeares béene deceiued In the Primatiue Church a gift was extant whereby it might easilie be knowen with what spirite they which did speake were ledde By these meanes Satan was resisted when he transformed himselfe into an Angel of light Of Councels 11 Wherfore let them take héed which in diuers places boast of the Councels In 1. Cor. 2. verse 14. in which it hath bin iudged as touching religion what men it behooued there to bée namelie spirituall for somuch as the iudgement onelie of diuine things is brought to theÌ But at this daie the greatest part of a Councell Out of this place is gathered an argument against Councels is so ouerfraught with grosse imperfections as in verie déede it is not lawfull to take meat with them They saie that they be the Church howbeit although they be baptised and haue taken orders in the Church Looke after pl. 6. Act. 9. 17 c. Looke part 1. pl. 6. Act. 11. yet doe they not therefore prooue themselues to be spiritual séeing it is prooued that they do the workes of the flesh and not
is inferior to the scriptures but neither the Bishop nor Magistrate may alter them A Notarie or Scriuener writeth actes and bargaines and otherwhile retaineth the writings in his office yet must not greater credite be giuen to the Notarie than to the testator or to them that make the bargaines 23 But they are woont to say that Heretickes beléeue not the Scriptures but that is their owne fault and not the fault of the Scriptures And the obstinate Iewes would not beléeue no not Christ or the Apostles But this must be imputed to their own fault and not to Christ nor to the Apostles What will they saie that they will not beléeue no not the Church For after the Synode of Nice the Arrians both were more in number and more obstinate than euer they were before But why doe they place the Church aboue the Scriptures Let themselues goe vnto the Turkes that by the authoritie and name of the Church they maie bring them vnto the faith Cyprian Cyprian De singularitate ClericoruÌ hath an excellent place If saieth he all that we doe we doe it onely to the ende that we may please the Lord vndoubtedly whatsoeuer the Lord whom we séeke to please shall will and command and allow that onelie shal be iust For séeing that seruantes cannot knowe of themselues what will please their lordes vnlesse they follow the commandements of their lordes and that men doubtlesse are not able to knowe the mindes of men like vnto themselues vnlesse they haue receiued that which they shoulde obserue much rather mortall men cannot comprehend the righteousnes of the immortall God vnlesse he himselfe vouchsafe to declare the iudgements of his righteousnesse Wherefore they which shunne the scriptures and make much of the Fathers séeme to me not to be students of diuinitie but of Fathers But wee will saie that which in olde time a certaine Ethnick answered that he cared not for those dimi gods so he might haue Iupiter to bee fauourable Euen so we make not so great account of the sayings of the Fathers so the Scriptures make of our side So as we sée that in olde time it was a laudable custome In old time onely the Canonicall Scriptures were readâ⦠the Church that nothing shoulde be read in the Church besides the Canonicall Scriptures and this was decréed in the thirde Councell of Carthage And in the Synodes when the controuersies were disputed both of the one side and of the other at the last the Bishops pronounced sentence out of the holy scriptures wherof we haue a most manifest example in Cyprian For when there was a controuersie in the Councell as touching the Baptisme of Heretickes The third Councell of Carthage euerie Bishop prooued his opinion by the testimonie of the Scriptures Againe séeing we would restore the Church in which the aduersaries themselues confesse many things to be corrupted there is no better counsell than to reuoke all things to the first beginnings of the Church and to the first originals of Religion For so long as we staie in Councels and Fathers we shall alwaies dwell in the same errours So in the Common weales where any thing is decayed good Citizens giue their indeuour that the same maie be reuoked to the first beginnings and foundations of the Citie if so be that those were good A iudgement touching the Canons ascribed to the Apostles Out of the booke of Dowes 24 But Smith kéepeth a great stirre for Canons of the Apostles and vehemently accuseth vs because wee will not by publike teaching receiue them as Canons of the Apostles But I would haue him to tell mée whether they themselues receiue them or no. Perhaps as he is wilfull he will saie yea But in the ix Chapter it is there commanded that a Bishop and any else of the Catalogue of Priests which standeth at the ministration of the holie mysteries if he will not communicate either let him shewe the cause or let him be excommunicate Verilie if he will admit this lawe he himselfe shal be a thousand times excommunicate séeing he is verie ofteÌ present at his idolatrous Masse and doeth neither communicate nor yet shew a reasonable cause why he abstaineth from the communion The Communion In the x. Chapter also it is there commaunded that faithfull men which enter into the Church should heare the scriptures Priuate masses condemned should perseuere in prayers with others and should communicate otherwise they ought to be depriued of the Communion Let this fellowe saie whether at this day his Papisticall Churches will haue this Canon to be of force or whether they do receiue it for a Canon or no. Ecclesiasticall men maried In the 6. Canon it is commanded that no Bishop or Priest vnder the pretence of Religion should put awaie his owne wife and that if he should put her awaie he should be excommunicate and finallie if he perseuere he should be depriued Doeth not this place sufficientlie prooue that they which were called to be Bishops might lawfullie retaine the companie of their owne wiues And againe it appeareth hereby that Matrimonie is not so repugnant to the holie Ministerie as these men imagine Which thing is nowe declared by Paul and therefore for the confirmation of this there is no néede of these vnwritten Canons But let vs yet procéede further sée whether these Canons doe so greatlie please Smith In the 38. The Byshops CouÌcels to be celebrated twise in the yeare Chapter we reade that the Councels of the Bishops shoulde be celebrated twise in the yeare namelie at the feast of Pentecost and in the moneth of October Here woulde I knowe whether the Papisticall Church receiue this Canon It receiueth it not séeing the Councels of Bishops are rare therein Woe be to Gregorie Nazianzene if this Canon were true Gregorie Nazianzene who not onelie conueied himselfe away from the Councel of Bishops but as it is in a certaine Epistle of his he durst write that he neuer in a maner sawe anie good ende of the Councels of Bishops Certainlie these Canons if they were written by the Apostles as this man would beare me in hand they should no lesse be reckoned within the account of the diuine scriptures than be the Epistles of the Apostles For what priuiledge should be more assigned vnto the Epistles than vnto the Canons if the Apostles had bin authors alike of both sortes of Scripture Did euer anie man recken these Canons among the Catalogue of the Scriptures But yet I minde to adde that which is written in the 8. Canon If any Bishop or Priest or Deacon shall with the Iewes celebrate the holie daie of Easter before the winter Equinoctiall Easterday he shall be depriued This Canon if it had bin made by the Apostles what place could haue bin left for the contention which happened in the time of Victor Policrates and Irenaeus The Ephesians did celebrate Easter after the maner of the Iewes alleaging
vnlesse he would repent and so he draue the Pope to recant I speake not of Peter who as testifieth the Epistle to the Galathians was iustlie and of due desert reprooued Gal. 2. 14. because he together with certaine others went not the right waie vnto the Gospell If thou wilt aske these men wherefore they thinke that Popes cannot erre as touching the faith they will answere that Christ said Luk. 23. 33. I haue prayed for thee Peter that thy faith doe not faile If they would transferre this vnto the Church it might after a sort be borne with séeing the faith of the Church which Peter did represent should indure euen vnto the ende But when as they applie that saying vnto the Popes they deale too impudentlie Why doe they not also applie vnto their Popes all things which are found to be said of Peter in the Scriptures Vndoubtedlie Christ said vnto him when he perswaded him to be fauourable vnto himselfe Mat. 16. 23 Get thee behinde mee Sathan thou art an offence vnto mee because thou vnderstandest not the things that be of God but the things that are of the flesh He also called him wheÌ he should haue bin drowned in the water Mat. 14. 31. Mark 9. 36 A man of little faith And in the transfiguration the Euangelist testifieth that he knewe not what he said Mat. 26. 52 Also the Lord commanded him that he shoulde put vp his sword into the sheath Which if the Popes woulde obserue the world perhaps should be quiet from warres Paule also vnto the Galathians in expresse words testifieth of Peter and certaine others that they went not the right waie vnto the Gospell Gal. 2. 14. All these things should most manifestly be applied vnto the Popes séeing they doe notablie agrée vnto them But these fellowes gather flowers vnto themselues and onelie vnto that purpose deriue those things which after a sort séeme to make vnto the establishment of power honour and tyrannie and thus they indeuour to leade awaie the faithfull from the word of God that they should not beléeue it but the Popes Councels Augustine Thus did not Augustine deale with Maximinus an Arrian Bishop vnto whom he said when he disputed with him Neither obiect thou vnto me the Councell of Ariminum nor I vnto thée the Councel of Nice séeing neither I am bound vnto this nor thou vnto that but let vs deale by the common testimonies of the Scriptures let matter contend with matter cause with cause and reason with reason 16 But of this part shall be saide ynough when I shall haue added this to wit that the thrée markes of the Church which are woont to be shewed by men of our side Which be the true marks of the Church according to Paul namely doctrine the right administration of the Sacraments and the care of discipline which these men cry out to be fained by vs and cannot be confirmed by the word of God are verie manifestlie found in the Epistle to the Ephesians whereof in the 5. Verse 25. Chapter it is written that Christ loued the Church and gaue himselfe for it that he might sanctifie it being clensed by the washing of water through the worde that he might make it vnto himselfe a glorious Church not hauing spot or wrinkle Hereof is gathered that besides an inwarde clensing which consisteth of the forgiuenesse of sinnes and of the sauing power of the holie Ghost there is required an outward word and Sacraments which the Apostle expressed saying By the washing of water through the word And the exercises of holie life he noted when he added That he might make it vnto himself a glorious Church without spot or wrinkle For by liuing godly the faithfull doe dailie laie awaie the affections and filthinesse of the flesh 17 Hosius when he perceiued that by these notes our Churches might easilie bee approoued Why Hosius reiecteth these marks of the Church hee maketh small account of them Because saith he it is brought to passe by Heretikes that they can not bee the markes of true Churches For he séeth that among vs the pure word of God is exercised the sacraments according to the institution of Christ administred and discipline not altogether neglected So as leauing those markes he bringeth in others all which he cannot finde in the Scriptures of God He saith moreouer Whether we iustly complaine that the âaitie is excluded from the Councels that we vniustlie complaine of councels in that he will haue them to be assembled of Bishoppes onelie and that therein they will admit no place for laie men It hath alwaies saith he béene doone after this sort Whereuppon of the fathers the Councels are oftentimes called Episcopalia that is Bishops Councels Indéed so are they oftentimes called because the greater part of them that méete together are Bishops And if they be compared with others they haue the preheminence séeing they be estéemed as better learned in the scriptures and more skilfull of Ecclesiasticall matters Yet are they not alwaies called after this manner For oftentimes they be called Councels of the Church Christian Synodes c. Neither is it soundlie prooued that by reason of the name or ioyning together onelie Bishops were in the councels and laie men excluded The Emperours were preseÌt and subscribed to the decrées of the Councels Oftentimes the Emperours were present and not onelie were present but also subscribed together with Bishops vnto things that were concluded Constantine in the 6. Synode Basil in the 8. who said he subscribed that he might imitate the godly princes Constantine the great Theodosius and Martianus all which as he saith subscribed vnto the councels Theodoritus in his historie recordeth that Constantine the great commanded the Fathers that they should discusse the controuersie then in hand by the Scriptures of the Apostles and Prophets Who séeth not that it is a farre greater matter to prescribe vnto iudges the forme of dealing than to subscribe vnto things that be iudged There is also extant a certaine Epistle of Eusebius Pamphili in the volume of the councell of Nice which he wrote vnto the men of Caesaria He saith that the Emperour was present at the councell Constantine in the Councel of Nice commanded the Fathers to subscribe and commaunded the Bishops that they should subscribe and he saith that he diligentlie examined the matter and declared that the sonne is begotten by the father being of one substance with him not by natural reason or by partition To do these things is not to be present in the councel like a stock or looker on but he did his part among the Bishops Panormitan Did not PanormitaÌ also write that we must rather beléeue a laie man that speaketh out of the Scriptures than the Pope if he deale without the word of God But against vs they obiect the act of Augusta Pulcheria which was sister vnto Theodosius the yonger also the wife
speake in essence or in kinde But this verilie agréeth to the father the sonne and the holie Ghost which are the thing signified And that which Augustine here writeth we maie easilie perceiue in the Sacraments which we nowe intreate of wherin the outward signe and inward matter of the Sacrament haue their properties ascribed one to an other Nowe that I haue sufficientlie spoken of the name and definition and also of the matter and forme of the Sacraments there resteth to speake of the finall and efficient cause of them The end of sacraments The ende for which the Sacraments were instituted is that our minde being admonished by the senses might bee stirred vp and by faith take holde of the promises of GOD and so be inflamed with a desire to attaine vnto them For we sée that signes tende to no other end but to transferre and to imprint those things which we our selues haue in our mindes into the mind of an other man that thereby he maie be made the more certaine of our meaning and will And this is not commonlie doone but in matters of great weight For if they be but light matters To things of great weight are added signes wee are not accustomed to confirme them with signes but in things of great importance they are commonlie vsed As when princes are consecrated when matrimonies are contracted when barganinges and giftes or other like couenaunts of great weight are made for we desire to haue them to the vttermost witnessed and to be knowen not onelie by reason but also by the senses The efficient cause of sacraments is GOD. 4 But there can bee no other efficient cause of the Sacraments giuen but either God or our Lord Iesus Christ who also is verilie GOD and of them ought wee to haue an euident testimonie out of the holie Scriptures Which is most plainelie declared by the definition which we haue nowe set foorth for thus we defined them namelie that Sacraments are signes not in déed naturall but giuen and that by the will of God And this his will cannot bee made knowen vnto vs but onelie out of the holie scriptures And therfore it is no hard matter to knowe howe manie there are in number in the newe Testament How many sacraments of the newe Testament there be Look part 3 pl. 8. ar 9. c New found sacraments excluded We sée that Christ instituted Baptisme and the Eucharist but the other Sacraments with the schoole diuines set foorth cannot by the worde of GOD be prooued to be Sacraments Wée speake not this as though wee denie that matrimonie is to be had in reuerence or that the institution of ministers is to be retained still or the pennance is to be doone although we reiect auricular confession and other the abuses thereof and denie it to be a Sacrament otherwise euen we also doe highlie estéeme those things but not as Sacraments Neither mislike we with that confirmation whereby children when they come to age should be compelled to confesse their faith in the Church and by outward profession to approoue that which was doone in Baptisme when they vnderstoode nothing but yet in such sort that of such an action wee frame not a Sacrament But as touching extreme vnction it is manifest that it nothing pertaineth vnto vs especiallie séeing it had no longer anie force than whilest the giftes of healing were extant in the Church And for as much as those giftes are nowe long since taken awaie it were a follie to kéepe still a vaine signe thereof Neither yet did Christ commaund that this vnction should be perpetuallie vsed in the church But those other things which we before spake of although they maie still be retained with profite yet are they not properlie Sacraments either bicause they haue not outward signes or because they want manifest words of promises Why besides Baptisme the Eucharist the rest are not sacraments properlie which should by a visible signe be sealed or else because there is no commaundement of God extant whereby we are bound to obserue those things Basilius in his booke de spiritu Sancto where he reckeneth vp the traditions of the Church maketh mention of the signe of the crosse wherewith wee ought to defende our selues and that vpon the Sundaie and from the resurrection vnto the feast of Pentecost they shoulde worship vpright and standing Basil reckoneth holy vnction among the Traditions Among others also he reckeneth holie vnction Hereby wee sée that this father helde not that this vnction is had out of the holie Scriptures which our aduersaries rashlie doe Further by his words we gather of how great weight it is since it is accounted but of the same value with those things which haue now long since growen out of vre 5 Nowe let vs sée The effects of the Sacraments what be the effects of the Sacraments The maister of the sentences in the fourth booke in the first Dist putteth thrée effectes of the sacraments for he would that as men for pleasure sake haue made themselues subiect vnto things sensible and inferiour vnto themselues so nowe they should for pietie sake doe the same that of a certaine modestie or as they speake humilitie they should suffer themselues to be made subiect vnto these visible signes of the Sacraments We are not by the sacrameÌts made subiect vnto Creatures But herein he séemeth not to say well For by the Sacramentes wee are not made subiect vnto creatures neither ought we to worship them onelie the mind is there erected vnto God that man maie be restored vnto his old dignitie for he is set to be aboue all things which are seene and not to be subiect vnto them The second effect he putteth to be of instruction that by the outward signes we should bee instructed of heauenlie things In Sacraments we are instructed as touching diuine things Which also we vndoubtedlie affirme Lastlie he saith that therefore they were instituted that we should not bee idle but bee profitablie exercised in true ceremonies casting awaie superstitions But this vnlesse it be declared is not verie plaine for we are sufficientlie occupied in beléeuing praying reading of the word of God and doing good to our neighbours But outward ceremonies although they be instituted of God yet without faith they nothing profite wherefore the exercising of them doeth not of it selfe please God Howbeit if faith be present superstition can take no place For faith hath alwaies a regarde vnto the word of God And so after this maner they maie be called exercises of faith and of pietie and bee counted acceptable vnto GOD. But wee will after a better sort Other effects set foorth these effectes of the Sacraments First we saie that they instruct vs which thing is alreadie saide Secondlie The kindle in vs a faith and desire of the promises that they kindle in vs faith and a desire of the promises of God Thirdlie that they
God which if we take hold of by faith we shall obtaine both saluation and also remission of sinnes This is the true sense according to which the fathers must be vnderstood when they say that grace is the power of the sacramentes Which is al one as if they had said vnderstanding and sense is the force of speach and of wordes Of the schoolemens stay or let 16 And how vnsafely the schoolemen speak of their stay or let hereby it is manifest for that they say that he putteth not a staye or let which although he haue not the act either of louing or belieuing yet obiecteth nothing that is contrarie or opposite vnto grace namely the act of infidelitie or of hatred Then in such case say they the sacraments of the Gospel giue grace But this is nothing else than to attribute vnto creatures the cause of our saluation and to bind our selues too much to signes and elementes of this world This ought to be certaine and most assured that no more is to be attributed vnto the sacramentes as touching saluation than vnto the word of God No more must be attributed to the Sacraments than to the word of God In what respect our sacraments are better than those of the old Fathers Wherefore if sometimes we heare as Augustine also saith that our sacramentes are better than the sacramentes of the olde fathers this ought to be vnderstanded that it be referred vnto perspicuitie For we graunt that our sacramentes both speake and preach more plainely of Christ than did the sacramentes of the olde fathers Now then séeing we are more clearely and plainly instructed faith is more fuller and bringeth vnto vs more grace and spirit And we gladly admit that which the fame Augustine saith Sometime the Sacrament is receiued without the thing sometime the thing without the sacrament That sometimes it commeth to passe that the sacrament is receiued without the matter it self For so the wicked and infidels vsing the sacraments receaue only the outward signes and are vtterly voide of saluation and of grace Sometimes also it contrariwise happeneth that the godly being excluded by any necessitie from the vse of the sacraments yet are in no wise defrauded of the matter it self and of the thing signified Neither let any man here lay to our charge that we affirme that sacramentes depend of our faith for neither teach we any such thing yea rather we affirme that the sacramentes are sacramentes although thy faith be either weake or none at all And Augustines iudgement is very good concerning him which onely carnally receaueth the sacrament when he saith It doth not therefore cease to be spirituall but vnto them it is not spirituall And now at length to make an end Grace is not bounb vpon sacraments as it were in smal bags Looke In Gen. 17 we must neuer come to this point to thinke that grace and our saluation is conteined in the sacramentes as in bagges which may be powred out vppon the communicantes and receauers for the sacramentes are as certain messengers of our saluation which whoso giueth credite vnto obtaineth saluation And thus much hitherto haue I sufficiently spoken of sacramentes in generall As touching the proposterous vse of the SacrameÌts looke part 4. pl. 16. Art 27. 28. in 2. Kings 5. Of Circumcision 17. Now remaineth for vs to speake somewhat of Circumcision For the better vnderstanding whereof we haue spoken these thinges the more largely and with more wordes What circumcision is saide to haue had remission of sinnes But here we shall not néede so long a treatise for if we remeÌber all those things which haue generally bin spoken of sacramentes it shall be no hard matter to vnderstand all that which may be spokeÌ of circumcision Rom. 4. 11. And circumcision not to goe from the wordes of the Apostle was the seale of the righteousnesse of faith because it preached and confirmed the promise concerning righteousnesse which the olde fathers receiued by faith And hereof it followeth that the old fathers had by it remission of sinnes For séeing that righteousnes consisteth chiefly in the remission of sinnes whosoeuer beléeues the promise set foorth and by circumcision sealed it followeth of necessitie that he was partaker of the remission of sinnes Some demaund whether circumcision and baptisme which succéeded circumcision Whether remission be had of sinnes to come bring remission onely of those sinnes which are alreadie past or also of those which are afterward committed Let these men consider that the vse of circumcision and of baptisme is not for a time but perpetuall For as the faithfull oftentimes faile so when they forthwith come againe vnto theÌselues they thinke vppon the promise of the Gospel which is as touching the remission of sinnes Wherein also euen for this cause they are confirmed for that they remember themselues to be either baptised or circumcised and so by putting too of faith they are deliuered from sinnes and are reconciled vnto God The error of them which wold not be rebaptized but at the houre of death Hereby it is manifest how they were in the olde time deceaued which would not be baptised but euen when death approched and that they were in a manner giuing vp the ghost Neither let any man thinke that this is repugnant vnto the kayes of the Church whereby the penitent are receiued For that they may the better vnderstand the matter this they must néedes graunt that those kaies of the Church are nothing else What the keies of the Church be but the preaching of the Gospell whereby the ministers doe perswade the beléeuers that their sinnes are forgiuen them But they which are to be perswaded are by the benefite of the holy ghost perswaded and their faith concerning the promise is also hereby confirmed for that they call to memorie the signe of baptisme or of circumcision which in times past they receiued And Paul when he sayd For the remission of sinnes going before meant that iustification when it is applied vnto vs alwayes putteth away those sinnes which we haue before coÌmitted Yet that letteth nothing but that the promise of the remission of sinnes and sealing thereof may oftentimes with profit be called to our memorie But so oftentimes as sinne is so forgiuen it followeth of necessitie that the same sin went before Howbeit that which we speake of tendeth to this to declare that the vtilitie of sacramentes is not for a time but pertaineth to the whole course of our life Circumcision differed from our sacramentes for that it was the beginning first step and visible enterance to the couenant of God And what maner of men the vncircumcised were accounted to be the Apostle declareth in the Epistle to the Ephesians Ephe. 2. 11. Remember saith he that ye were sometimes Gentiles in the flesh which were called vncircumcision of them which are called circumcision in the flesh made with handes ye were
of Iayes Againe the same father vppon Matthew the 26. Chapter Homilie 83. They were about to iourney froÌ Egypt into Palestina and therefore they did weare the habit of a traueler thou from the earth must ascend into heauen And in the 3. booke De Sacerdotio Doost thou thinke to dwell among mortal men and to stay and be in the earth And doost thou not rather thinke that thou shalt foorthwith be translated into heauen And in casting away all cogitation of the flesh doest thou not with a single heart and pure minde consider those things that be in heaueÌ 73 Augustine vnto Boniface hath all these things after the same order and sense The time of Easter being at hand hee saith As this or the next day saue one Christ dyed and on the Sonday This day Christ rose againe Baptisme is faith and the Sacrament of the bodie of Christ is the bodie of Christ And wee sée that in all the sayings which we haue reckoned The thing absent is really spoken of the thing present Acts. 9. 4. that which is absent is really pronounced of that which is present The same Father vpon the 54. Psalme The head was in heauen and he saide Why doest thou persecute mée Wee are with him in heauen by hope he is with vs in the earth by loue And in the 119. Epistle to Ianuarius Wherefore to that persecutor whom with his voyce he slue and translating him into his bodie after a sort hath eaten he sounded froÌ heauen Saul Saul why persecutest thou mee Vpon Iohn the 30. Treatise and we haue it in the Title de Consecratione distinction the 2. yet the first in déede The Lord is aboue but here also is the truth of the Lord For the Lords body wherin he rose againe ought to be in one place his trueth is euerywhere spread Also vpon Iohn the 50. Treatise For according to his Maiestie according to his prouidence according to this vnspeakeable inuisible grace is fulfilled that which was spokeÌ by him Behold I wil bee with you vntill the ende of the world Mat. 28. 20 But according to the flesh which the word tooke vpon it according to that which was borne of the Virgin according to that which was taken holde of by the Iewes which was fastened to the trée which was taken downe from the crosse which was wrapped in cloathes which was buried in the sepulchre which was made manifest in the resurrection Ye shall not alwaies haue mee with you Mat. 26. 11. Wherefore after he had béene conuersant as touching his bodilie presence fourtie daies with his Disciples they leading him foorth while they saw him but not followed him he ascended into heauen and is not here for there he sitteth at the right hand of his Father and is héere for he departed not with the presence of his Maiestie we haue Christ alwaies As touching the presence of the flesh it was rightlie saide vnto the Disciples Mat. 26. 11 Me ye shal not haue alwaies For the Church had him but a fewe daies as touching the presence of the flesh Nowe it houldeth him by faith it séeth him not with the eyes And the same Father vpon the Epistle of Iohn at the end Wherefore our Lord Iesus Christ did for this cause ascend into heauen on the fortie daie hee in this respect commended his bodie because it was to be left on the earth in his members for that he sawe that many would honor him for that he ascended into heauen and perceaued that their honoring is vnprofitable if they tread downe his members vppon the earth And that none might be deceaued nor when he should woorship the head in heauen should oppresse the séete vppon the earth he tould them where his members should be For when he was about to ascend he spake the last wordes after these wordes he spake no more vppon the earth The head being about to ascend into heauen commended his members vppon the earth and so departed Thou shalt not now finde Christ to speake vppon the earth Thou findest him to speake howbeit in heauen and out of heauen it selfe Wherefore because the members were ouertrodden vppon the earth For vnto Paul the persecuter he said Saul Saul why persecutest thou me Acts. 9. 4. I ascended into heauen but I lie still vpon the earth Here I sit at the right hand of the father there I still hunger thyrst and am a straunger After what sort then commended he his bodie vpoÌ the earth being about to ascend Acts. 1. 6. When his disciples had demaunded of him Lord if thou wilt at this time be presented when wilt thou restore the kingdome of Israel He aunswered vpon his departure It is not for you to know the time which the father hath layd vp in his owne power but ye shal receaue the power of the holy spirit comming vppon you ye shall be witnesses vnto me in Ierusalem Behold in what respect he spreadeth out his bodie behold when he wil not be trodden vppon ye shal be my witnesses in Ierusalem and ouer all Iury and Samaria and vnto the endes of the earth Behold I lie which doe ascend For I ascend because I am the head my bodie yet still lyeth In what sort dooth it lie Ouer the whole earth 74 Vnto Augustine Cyrillus dooth consent who saith vppon Iohn the 6. booke and 14. Chapter Here must we note that although he tooke from hence the presence of his bodie euen as he promised that he would be away from his disciples yet in the maiestie of his Godhead he is alwayes present Behold I am with you alwayes euen vntill the end of the world And the same father in the 9. booke vppon Iohn the 21. Chapter And Christ said that he would be with his disciples a little while not because he would vtterly depart from them for he is with vs alwayes euen vntill the end of the world but because he would not liue together with theÌ as he did before For the time was now at hand that he should goe euen into heauen vnto the father And the faithfull ought to beléeue that although he be absent from vs in bodie yet that we and all thinges are gouerned by his power and that he is alwaies present with all men which loue him Therfore he said Mat. 18. 20 Verilie verilie I say vnto you that wheresoeuer two or three be gathered in my name there am I in the middest of them For euen as when he was conuersant vppon the earth as man he then also filled the heauens and left not the fellowship of the Angels after the same manner now he being in the heauens filleth not the earth with his flesh and yet is with them that loue him And it must be obserued that although hee should be absent onely according to the flesh for he is alwayes present by the power of the Godhead as we haue said yet he said he would be a little while with
mouth D. Chadse It is euen the selfe-same saith Chrysostome D. Martyr Both the things which he saith must be ioined togither as well that It is euen the selfe-same as that which he addeth By commemoration D. Chadse If when we doo receiue the sacrament the selfe-same bodie is giuen which Christ offered it followeth that Christ is reallie and substantiallie in the sacrament D. Martyr I denie the argument for you passe from the substance vnto the accident And you make Quid what to be Quale after what maner That it is the verie same bodie as touching nature I haue granted it almost an hundred times but it followeth not as touching the maner of the bodilie presence either that he is there or that he is receiued of vs. D. Chadse Is he there D. Martyr He is but yet sacramentallie and by signification as our meaning is in our words or in our writings to wit that by these it is signified but it dooth not lie hidden vnder them D. Chadse Is it the verie bodie or no D. Martyr How often shall I tell you It is the verie bodie but yet it is not there except by a sacramentall signification D. Chadse I demand what is the substance of that sacrifice which is offered daie by daie You saie that if I shall offer it with the mind with faith it is the verie bodie of Christ Chrysostome hauing a respect not to my faith but to the substance of the sacrifice saith We offer not an other but the selfe-same sacrifice and so it appeareth that we deuise nothing but that which Chrysostome hath D. Martyr The substance of our sacrifice is a giuing of thanks for the bodie of Christ giuen vpon the crosse And by reason of this giuing of thanks faith and confession the fathers said that the bodie of Christ is offered in the supper Wherefore as touching the substance this bodie for the which we giue thanks differeth not from that which was crucified but yet to this end that it should be offered of vs is not required that he should be present corporallie neither that he should be held substantiallie in the hands of the communicants D. Chadse Chrysostome vpon Iohn homilie ãâã Paâents oftentimes gaue their children to be nourished of others but I doo nourish them with my flesh my selfe I giue to them I âauoâ⦠all men I ãâã all men an excellent hope of things to come Your brother would I be and I haue partâ ãâ¦ã flesh and bloud for you ãâã I haue againe giâ⦠you those things whereby ãâ¦ã ioined vnto you Here Chrysostomâ⦠sheweth that we be nourished by the time flesh of Christ He that is nourished by his mothers breasts is nourished by the flesh of his mother And Christ saith that he in like ââ¦reââoth nourish vs with his flesh and therfore he meaneth not this by signification for this should not be to nourish vs by his owne but by another flesh Wherfore it followeth that the flesh of Christ is present indéed D. Martyr That Christ dooth giue himselfe vnto vs and dooth nourish and mainteine vs by his flesh I grant But whereas you adde that we cannot be nourished vnlesse his flesh be present corporallie I denie it sith this meate and eating is performed by faith D. Chadse Yea but he saith Séeing he hath now giuen himselfe much more will hée giue himselfe hereafter therefore is it the selfe-same which is now giuen and which hereafter shall be giuen D. Martyr It is the selfe-same but here it is onelie receiued by faith and that it may the more effectuallie be receiued there be signes and sacraments giuen vnto vs. D. Chadse Shall not they then which be without faith receiue the bodie of Christ D. Martyr They shall not receiue it Euill men receiue not the bodie of Christ for they want the instrument whereby the bodie of Christ is receiued as I haue shewed before D. Chadse And is it there although it be not receiued of them D. Martyr Yea it is by a sacramentall signification in the elements bicause they signifie represent and giue vnto vs the bodie and bloud of Christ but yet they are not transubstantiated or the bodie lieth not hidden in them substantiallie and reallie or corporallie and carnallie to the granting wherof you would séeme to driue me by so manie your superfluous questions And when I affirme a sacramentall signification you must vnderstand such as is effectuall vnto beléeuers as may further the communicants and may stir them vp to imbrace Christ by faith the which can haue no place in them that be destitute of faith For I shewed that before when I opposed you that vnbeléeuers cannot receiue the bodie of Christ D. Chadse What then is a sacrament D. Martyr A sacrament What is a sacrament as the Schoole-diuines define it and is had out of Augustine is the signe of a holie thing or a visible signe of an inuisible grace And the holie Ghost vseth the sacraments that he may giue vnto vs Christ spirituallie to be imbraced with the mind and with faith euen as we are said to receiue saluation by the words of God not that saluation lieth hidden in those words or standeth in reall presence but is conteined by signification And this comparison of diuine words is verie agréeable with sacraments séeing by Augustines iudgement sacraments be visible words Wherfore by this answer you vnderstand what I meane by a sacrament D. Chadse By this means euerie thing may be a signe of the bodie of Christ D. Martyr Forsomuch as the Lord did not institute all things to this purpose That euerie thing cannot be a signe of the bodie of Christ as the Eucharist is nor that all things haue the word of God which in the sacraments is the chéefest part therfore all things cannot be called signes of the bodie of Christ after such a maner as now we take true and effectuall sacraments to be D. Chadse Augustine in his third booke De trinitate the fourth chapter is of my opinion For when he speaketh of the Eucharist he saith It is not sanctified to be so great a sacrament except the spirit of God doo worke inuisiblie Lo here you haue it that the holie Ghost and the worke of God is required to the making of a sacrament but there should be no néed of so manie things to bring but in a signification onelie D. Martyr I woonder that you cite that place of Augustine sith he there maketh speciallie against you Let vs sée what he saith there The apostle Paule might by signifieng haue preached the Lord Iesus one waie by his toong another waie by an epistle and another waie by a sacrament of his bodie and bloud The Lord Iesus by a sacrament of his bodie and bloud is signified Here you sée that the Lord Iesus Christ is signified by a sacrament of his bodie bloud the which you indeuor now to disprooue But let vs procéed Neither in verie déed doo we
sacraments signified grace to be giuen and ours signifie the same alredie giuen the signification is alike in the one and in the other and our sacraments shall haue no more than those of the fathers And against that which you bring that the sacraments of the old fathers were more obscure I will prooue that they had a more euident signification for the bloud of the lambe offered did more plainelie represent the bodie of Christ than the bread and wine if bread and wine be there D. Martyr I will answer to euerie thing in order I affirme that which you obiect against me to wit that the sacraments of the old lawe signified grace that should be giuen and ours the same alredie giuen and exhibited that is to wit Christ alreadie incarnate and which hath suffred death And while I was in my reading among manie other things which I discoursed as touching this matter I remember that I also said this bicause I would not admit that the sacraments of anie of both either ours or theirs of old time of themselues doo giue grace For whatsoeuer grace we haue that doo we obteine by faith and not as you feigne and saie for the works sake that is wrought Neither doo we for this cause make sacraments to be the more contemptible forsomuch as we determine that they while they be rightlie receiued doo helpe confirme increase faith whereby alone we be iustified For the holie Ghost as it vseth the words of God and the scriptures as it were instruments to change to saue vs so like wise dooth it vse the sacraments Now you sée how I haue vnderstood that the sacraments of the lawe signified grace to be giuen how ours signifie the same alreadie giuen Wherevnto you may adde that faith is more holpen by our sacraments than by those of the old fathers partlie bicause the words are plainlier expressed and that our excellent matter which is the redemption by Christ is more euidentlie set foorth in these And séeing faith is gotten by the word the more manifest that the word is the more ernestlie is faith stirred vp the more doth it apprehend the thing signified partlie bicause I easilie agrée that a more plentifull spirit is granted by our sacraments than was giuen by the sacraments of the old fathers And that remaineth as a sure ground which before I spake of that the thing to be doone being compared to that which is alreadie doone may be called both a shadowe and a figure Againe whereas you vrge that the lambe staieng of beasts for sacrifice more manifestlie represented Christ and his death I answer that the perspicuitie and plainnesse of the sacraments must chéeflie be regarded in the words Bicause if you compare the words with the elements the words be the life of them and to the old fathers were not giuen so expresse and plaine spéeches of Christ and his death as at this daie is vsed in our sacraments It is said This is my bodie Matt. 26 26 which shall be giuen for you And againe This is my bloud which shall be shed for you vnto the remission of sinnes And what can there be more plainlie and euidentlie spoken D. Chadse Where the faith is of more abundance there is the sacrament more excellent But the faith of Abraham was greater than ours is Therefore he held a more excellent sacrament and so should it follow that the sacraments of the old fathers were better than ours D. Martyr The first proposition which you take vpon you to prooue is not altogither true neither is it of necessitie that where faith is more abundant there the sacrament should be more excellent séeing Abraham both beléeued and was iustified before he had the sacrament of circumcision For there may be faith yea and it ought to be had before the receiuing of the sacraments We indéed haue granted that the same is holpen and confirmed by those sacraments but not that it should be giuen onelie by them If you had said that those sacraments whereby the faith is more confirmed and increased in the beléeuers ought to be estéemed the more excellent you should haue said true but yet that which you adde as touching Abraham would not be to the purpose vnlesse you had shewed that he obteined his faith by the sacrament which is not true And againe whereas you said that Abraham had a greater faith than ours is that should not be well affirmed bicause to conclude that which you went about you shuld haue prooued that Abraham had a greater faith than is had in the new testament and then should you take for a proofe a thing that were doubtfull For how doo you knowe but that Paule Peter manie of the apostles and martyrs had as much faith as Abraham Wherefore both the Maior and Minor proposition of your argument dooth admit exceptions and you imbrace more in the conclusion than can be found in the whole antecedent Here the Kings Maiesties Commissioners made an end of the disputations when they had heard eleuen of the clocke strike And M. D. Richard Cox Commissioner and Chancellour of the Vniuersitie of Oxford made this oration as followeth YE Students of the Vniuersitie of Oxford we haue bestowed foure halfe daies in examining of two questions namelie of transubstantiation and of reall presence of the bodie of Christ in the sacrament Greatlie did this disputation delight vs. And I would to God that the time would haue giuen vs leaue to heare all those things which might haue beene said in this matter That which wee wished came to passe to wit that the disputation was quiet The hearers I hope as they be now quiet so they will be desirous to learne the truth They which were the disputers on eitherside haue most diligentlie performed their part and must not be defrauded of their due commendation Men of our nation and of Oxford besides that they haue performed that which their conscience persuaded them they haue brought no small honour vnto this Vniuersitie for that in so great a cause they haue not shrunke but that they would openlie testifie according to the measure of their learning and gift imparted to them by the benefit of God both of what mind they werein these controuersies and by what reasons and authorities they were driuen herevnto Verie learnedlie doubtlesse did they performe the charge committed vnto them Howbeit the other learned men which in so great matters haue held their peace haue I know not how by their silence procured to themselues the blemish of deniall But Peter who is worthilie called Peter for his assured stedfastnes Martyr and worthilie called Martyr for the innumerable testimonies which he manie times vttereth of the truth ought to haue great thanks at this time both of vs and of all the godlie first bicause hee hath taken exceeding great paines in susteining the burthen of the disputations For if Hercules was not to deale against twaine what say we of Peter alone
vs to suffer Christ hauing suffered in the flesh arme your selues with the selfe same minde especially since he as it is said vnto the Hebrues suffered such gainesaying of sinners And againe Peter said Christ suffered for vs leauing an example that ye shoulde followe his steppes An Oration concerning the Resurrection of Christ CHrist in the Prophets is called the Sunne not onely because it lighteneth but because it setteth afterward riseth againe Ioh. 12. 24. So Christ died and rose againe He called himselfe a wheate corne which sufficeth not to be sowen for vnlesse it be corrupted and deade it brings foorth no fruite so was it not ynough for Christ to be borne but he would die that he might bring foorth fruite We haue made mention of his death now will we speake of his resurrection First we shall sée that Christ is risen Secondlie that we are risen together with him Thirdlie what we must now doe being raised vp As touching the first The resurrection of Christ Matt. 28. 1. Matthew saith that the women came earlie in the morning They say that vnto women was first shewed the resurrection to the intent that they which first brought death into the worlde might first bring tidings of the resurrection because they be weake and Christ vseth the ministerie of féeble things Leauing these allegations we must rather say that they had earnestly sorrowed at his death and for a certaine recompence it was good right that they should first reioyce So do the penitent with sorrow for the death of Christ especiallie because they crucified him receiue comfort Further they sought Christ and they which séeke him lose not their labour Wherefore if we do not finde Christ it is for that we do not repent and because we séeke him not These women worshipped him while he liued also they meant to do him the last honours when he was deade They did not as doth the world which first killeth the saintes and afterwarde worshippeth them when they be deade Howbeit if we shall speake the trueth the zeale and feruencie of these women was without faith and without a iust knowledge They had heard Christ tell them as touching his resurrection euen as the Angell tolde them nowe and yet they carried oyntments confections as though he shoulde not rise againe either they beléeued verie little or else they were forgetfull They were onely mooued of a certaine affection but not of faith Therefore they dealt vnwisely in their iourney Mark 16. 3. At the length came to their minde the rowling away of the graue stone which if they had considered of before they might haue brought one or two men with them So doth it happen where the wisedome of faith is not Mat. 26. 51. So did Peter thinke that hee had doone worthily when drawing out his sworde he cut off the eare of the high Priests seruant When we deale without faith manie thinges are foolishlie committed and oftentimes is giuen to God that which he requireth not as these women which vainely carried these swéete oyntments with them and as many at this day vse masses and choise of meates and such other kinde of thinges An Angel descended from heauen the testimonies of men wanted an Angell was present to shewe the resurrection By one and the same worke in the selfe same thing is shewed the state of the life to come Wee shal be as the Angels of God and shining as the sunne Wherefore the Angel did shine marueilously There was made an earthquake because in the resurrection is inuerted the nature of things And it behooued that the kéepers were terrified The women at the sight of the Angell were afraide by reason of the discorde which through sinne sprung vp betwéene our nature and the nature of Angels with whom neuerthelesse we ought to be familiar for they be our kéepers This dissention will indure vntill we haue put off our bodie The kéepers became as it were deade men they meant to haue kept downe Christ in the graue So woulde princes at this day by armes and councels haue the gospell to be buried Let mans counsell breake out it can preuaile nothing against God nay rather all things do happen quite otherwise They meant to terrifie all such as came and they themselues were made afraid They intended to let Christ from comming foorth and they themselues were let and became as deade men The Angell comforteth the women Feare ye not The Godly after feare doe receiue comfort by Angels because they speake the words of God and the worde of God doth comfort vs. The kéepers are not comforted because they be enimies of God and in enmitie doe perseuere He is risen he is not heere Against the vbiquitie of Christs bodie The bodie of Christ is not eueriewhere Tydings is brought vnto the disciples When we haue obtained any good thing we must communicate it with others He shall goe before into Galile Yet appeared he vnto them the viij dayes together wherein they were to tarry at Ierusalem by reason of the feast They were to returne into Galile because from thence they came The Lord was oftentimes conuersant with them in that place Acts. 1. 4. c. Vntill the time of Pentecost it behooued them to returne to Ierusalem then vpon mount Oliuet they saw him ascend into heauen and they were commaunded to tarrie at Ierusalem vntill they should be indued with power from heauen Nowe that the Lord is risen againe it appeareth by the testimonie of the Angel of the women and of the Euangelist But in the olde testament wheresoeuer we read that Christ shal reigne for euer there is shewed his resurrection In the oppression and deliuerance of the godly which is read in the olde Testament we haue the death and resurrection of Christ not in a figure but truely because Christ truelie suffereth in his members As for example Saule Saule whie doost thou persecute me Acts. 9. 4. Mat 12. 40 Psal 16. 10 Ionas shewed both as Christ saith And Dauid saith Thou shalt not leaue my Soule in hel nor suffer thy holie one to see corruption Christ foreshewed the same Destroy this temple Iohn 2. 19. and in three dayes I will builde it vp againe Mat. 17. 22. And in other places he oftentimes spake of betraying the sonne of man He prooued his resurrection by appearing the space of fortie daies Acts. 1. 3. He saith to his disciples in Emaus that Moses the Prophets Luk. 24. 26. and the Psalmes doe beare witnesse that it behooued Christ should suffer and so enter into his glorie Vnto the Corin. 1. Co. 15. 14 If Christ be not risen againe vaine is our preaching and vaine is your faith We are founde false witnesses They that bee deade in Christ are perished Neither should Christ haue béene the Lorde of the liuing and of the deade And vnto the Romans it is saide vnto this ende he is risen againe This much for
you that you will finish that which you haue begunne and that you will bring foorth and publish that which you are traueling in Now it remaineth that I should aunswere vnto those thinges which you demaund as touching our communion with Christ And omitting that which Iohn a Lasco a famous man both in learning and godlinesse hath iudged of this matter I will onelie in fewe wordes open what is my faith as touching this mysterie For I indeuour to be short especiallie sith such is your learning and sharpnesse of wit as you can by fewe wordes vnderstand what my meaning is Of our communioÌ or coniunction with Christ Hebr. 2. 14. Somewhat is the coniunction of one and the same nature which we haue common with Christ from his incarnation For it is mentioned in the second Chapter to the Hebrues where it is thus written Forasmuch then as the children are partakers of flesh and bloud he also himselfe tooke part with them Yet neuerthelesse it is not proper vnto the Christians for the Turkes and Iewes A certaine coniunction with Christ common to all men in generall and as manie as be comprehended among the number of men are on this wise ioyned with Christ Wherefore it behooueth that there come an other likenesse whereby the nature of euerie Christian as touching soule bodie and bloud be ioyned vnto Christ and that is it when by the helpe and indowment of Christes benefites we are renued vnto all thinges and being adorned with diuine properties are made holie and iust and through the giftes of God doe claime vnto our selues the gift of immortalitie and of eternall glorie Now then we consist no more of our weake and féeble flesh nor or faultie and corrupt bloud neither of an vnsauourie and sicklie soule but we are clothed with the flesh of Christ we are watered with the bloud of Christ we liue are mooued by the soule of Christ not that we haue as touching nature cast away our flesh bloud and soule but because we by the heauenly giftes which through beléeuing we haue obtained doe beginne while we liue here to haue the same nature which by the benefit of the first creation was all one in nature with that which Christ in his byrth tooke of the Virgin adorned and dailie more and more restored and finallie made perfect when we shall be come to the blessed resurrection Ye haue therefore my singular good brother in fewe wordes comprehended the beginning and end of our communion or coniunction with Christ Then doe wee beginne after some sort to be like vnto him when we be borne men and finallie when by the faith of Christ we are restored vnto his merites giftes benefites and properties which as we at our conuersion beginne to obtaine so shall we not haue it fullie perfect before we be aduaunced vnto the eternall life by the blessed resurrection Howbeit betwéene the beginning and end of this communion we must néedes graunt and beléeue that there is a meane which is secret and much lesse perceaued than those two extreme communions rehearsed yet neuerthelesse it is perceiued if with a faithfull attention we consider the holie scriptures For those vndoubtedlie shewe that so manie of vs as beléeue are the members of Christ and haue in common one head namelie Christ so ioyned to euerie one of vs as from thence by ioynts and knittinges together as is said vnto the Colossians and Ephesians we drawe the spirit Col. 2 19. Ephe. 4. 16. heauenlie life and all the properties and vertues of God and of Christ Therefore betwéene the first coniunction which I name to be of nature and the latter which I may iustlie say is of likenesse or similitude I put this meane the which may be called a coniunction of vnion or of secret mysterie thereby doubtlesse we are ioyned to Christ as to our head and are flesh of his flesh and bones of his bones séeing in that we beléeue we are all wholie quickened in him wée are increased and ioyned together with other members And of this inward coniunction aswell Baptisme as the Supper of the Lorde be most assured and firme tokens For straightwayes so soone as we beléeue in Christ we are made partakers of this communion and for because that in a profitable receiuing of the sacraments faith must be had therefore by it is the same coniunction both confirmed and increased while we doe vse the sacraments Wherefore through faith we are lifted vp from the degrée of nature so as we be ioined vnto Christ as members to their heade Furthermore from the immortall and heauenly heade which we doe nowe in verie déede possesse through faith are deriued vnto vs sundrie giftes heauenly benefites and diuine properties These are the things most déere brother which I thought to shewe as touching the coniunction we haue with Christ yet doe I not so vnderstand that meane coÌiunction as though I should thinke that the very substance of the flesh bloud of Christ is mingled indéed with the substances of the flesh and bloud of euerie one of vs or as if the body of Christ were really as I may say diuided among al men but I beléeue a certaine secret mystical communion wherby he is truely become our heade as the holy scriptures doe testifie Whereof it comes that I will not so easilie subscribe to Cyrill which affirmed such a communion as thereby euen the substance of the flesh bloud of Christ first is ioyned to the blessing for so he calleth the holie breade and then that it is also mingled by the meate with the flesh bloud of the communicants You sée therefore what my iudgement is of this matter I beléeue that there be thrée degrees of our communion with Christ and doe perceiue that the same meane secrete mysticall degree is expressed in the holy scriptures vnder the metaphor of members and the head of the husband and of the wife And euen as the substaÌce it selfe of the head is not mingled with the substance of the foote or hand although it be knit and ioyned vnto them by most straite knots Againe as the substance of the bodie of the husbande groweth not vp vnto one and the same bodie with the wife although by a singular bonde it be coupled together with it so are we by a woonderfull and inward societie ioyned with the bodie and blould of Christ although that our substances of ech part remaine vnmingled But now sir I see that I haue discoursed more at large with you than was conuenient your learning being considered wherefore if I haue vsed ouer many words pardon me according to your curtisie Betweene our two opinions there is but a little or no difference at all I beseech Christ that he will bring into his Churches concorde where yet there is none and that where it is he will vouchsafe to nourish and increase it Fare you wel and loue me as you doe I pray you in my name
appointed vnto vs we long by continuall faith to attaine indeuoring as Paule sayde vnto the Philippians Phil. 3. 13. and I before cited to apprehende so farrefoorth as we are apprehended by Christ Iesus Wherefore the ende of the augmentations of our faith shal be that it may come so farre forwarde as Christ appointed that it shoulde come and by the increases thereof wee more and more apprehende Christ although not beyonde the boundes and limittes of apprehending wherewith he himselfe imbrased vs when wee were enemies and before the foundations of the worlde were layde You defende also your opinion by this argument That the weakenesse or faith letteth not our coniunction with Christ Our faith is not verie perfect it is weake and oftentimes wauereth why therfore will wee that our coniunction with Christ should depend of the increasing thereof And séeing that fulnesse of faith which is required of ech one of vs can neuer be hadde we shall expect in vaine that Christ shoulde more and more be vnited vnto vs by the increasinges and augmentation thereof Further indéede I will not denie the weakenesse of faith as I doe iudge and you doe obiect Howbeit this infirmitie thereof is no cause at all but that faith should be accounted the meane and instrument whereby we apprehende Christ eternall life forgiuenesse of sinnes and other such promises as it most euidently appeareth out of the holie scriptures Wherefore if that faith so it be a true faith bee it neuer so litle obtaineth these thinges I sée not howe it can be but that afterwarde the selfe same also shoulde bee iudged to apprehende dailie more and more when it hath greater and more increasinges as you your selfe confesse it hath Nor in my iudgement is it a firme argument Faith is neuer had of vs full and perfect therefore by the increasinges and augmentations thereof we are not more fastened and vnited vnto Christ Let vs borowe a similitude of charitie the same is alwaies vnperfect while we liue heere and no man doubteth but that wee are ioyned thereby vnto our neighbour dooth it not therefore followe that charitie of this or that man hath an increase therefore he is more vnited and ioyned to his neighbour I thinke it followeth no man that is wise will reiect that kinde of argument Furthermore the profite which you declare that comes by the exercises of faith namely that it may be a helpe for our infirmitie least in verie déede we should fall therefrom by suffering the same to lie idle and vnoccupied this I willinglie imbrase yet so neuerthelesse as to this of yours I will also ioyne an other commoditie to wit that the exercises of faith are not onelie auailable to the retaining therof but do also make it stronger greater and the same the more it is strengthened increased the more it serueth to the apprehending of Christ so as we are thereby more vnited vnto him when it is increased than we are by it when it is féeble and lessened And if you shunne The words of vniting incorporating as you say you doe the wordes of vniting or incorporating I doubt not but you haue a good meaning therein For why shoulde I suspect the contrarie of you whom I sée to be so clearely instructed by God in pietie learning and holinesse Howbeit as I thinke it shall not be amisse to declare why I on the other side doe not mislike of those wordes for besides that they verie well serue to the opening of this matter it hath this withall that they are not strange from the holy scriptures For we haue vnto the Ephesians the thirde chapter Verse 6. That the gentiles might be coheirs and of the same bodie As if you would say If they might be incorporated namely one with another into Christ they might also be copartners of the promises of Christ And in the seconde chapter of the same Epistle Verse 15. That hee might make of twaine one newe man in himselfe making peace and that he might reconcile both vnto God in one bodie by the crosse so foorth Wee heare the Apostles teach that Christ brought two sorts namely the Gentils the Iewes into one and that in himselfe because they cannot be one in themselues but in respect that they bee vnited and coupled together in Christ And he addeth that they be reconciled together but yet in one bodie that is to wit of Christ himselfe for he addeth By the Crosse By which thinges I gather that the wordes of vniting and incorporating are agréeable to the holy scriptures and therefore I refuse them not as straunge wordes and inuented of late dayes but and if any doe abuse them they doe not well But what If the Heretickes will abuse the holy Scriptures shall the faithfull abstaine from the vse of them I trowe not wherefore it is better to correct the abuse than to auoide the lawfull profitable vse of these wordes But héere maie euerie one abounde in his owne sense How our vniting with Christ is augmented by the vse of the Sacraments whatsoeuer Paul or I say And whereas you write at the last that I say wée are the more vnited vnto Christ by the vse of the Sacraments I denie not but this I said so it be not laide to my charge that I attribute any thing to the elements or as they speake to the worke wrought but to declare in fewe wordes this is my opinion that euen as by the holy wordes while they bee either heard or read our faith is stirred vp waxeth feruent and is increased so doeth it also happen while we receiue the Sacraments which be the wordes of God but yet visible wordes that our faith is made more firme and increaseth by the benefit of which increasing because in very déede it is of God we are become more more ioyned incorporated vnto Christ In déede you say that wee first had this vnion or incorporation with Christ but that the same in receiuing of the Sacraments is sealed Which I denie not for the holie scriptures teache vs the same but mée thinkes that that must also be affirmed besides which doeth follow vppon the sealing For euen as déedes in writing if they be sealed doe the more cause credite to be giuen to the trueth of that which is contained in them so Sacraments being ioyned to the giftes of GOD doe make them to bée more certaine and manifest So as by the light and brightnesse which is added by the sealing the minde is stirred vp so that it beléeueth the more and the more it beléeueth the more earnestly it apprehendeth Christ and both commeth and ioyneth néerer vnto him These were the things learned sir that I had nowe to answere you by writing And I am verie well assured that you will take them in good part since I perceiue you to bée endued no lesse with humanitie than with other giftes of God Fare you well and doe not
brought his flesh out of heauen yet doe they not stray farre from a true mediatour Héere doe we say that vnlesse a man doe diligentlie examine similitudes he shall easilie be deceiued by them True in déede it is that the errours of men doe not change thinges for the nature of God is not peruerted by the false opinions of men as being that which alwaies abideth the selfe same firme and vnshaken A distinctioÌ of mens actions But yet the actions of men must be distinguished Some are so conuersant about their subiectes as they imprint nothing at all in them they change or innouate nothing such is the action of knowing or beléeuing For thinges which be knowen and beléeued suffer nothing at all of them that beléeue and knowe But there be other workes which doe deforme and alter sometime to the better and sometime to the worse the matter about which they are conuersant So the true Christ by the Iewes although they were deceiued was scourged woonded and slaine But in the first kinde of actions if there happen to be an errour the thinges themselues are not comprehended but certaine other thinges farre differing from theÌ This will I declare by examples Similitudes If anie man that exerciseth his wit in mathematical figures would iudge that a triangle hath foure corners he should not comprehende in his minde a very triangle but a quadrangle vndoubtedly he should erre and by that error it would come to passe that he should not attaine to the thing which he had thought to doe but vnskilfully be occupied about other thinges So in naturall thinges they which affirme that mans soule is a vanishing blast of winde or a flame that shall be soone quenched should not comprehende in their minde the true soule of man but either a vanishing blast or a litle fire to perish within a while so as they that erre are commonlie saide to take one for an other Therefore the Anabaptists while they dreame that Christ tooke not flesh of the virgin since they erre so gréeuouslie in that same now do they not beléeue in the true mediatour neither doe they attaine vnto him by faith but are caried to one whome they themselues haue forged not that their error hath changed the true Christ but because they are not occupied with their faith about him And he whoÌ they haue feigned did neither die nor suffer nor yet is anie where extant Indéed they take the actions properties of verie Christ and fasten them to their Christ whom they imagine but all in vaine for since this is doone by their onelie imagination 1. kings 12. 28. all this is a monster but not true Christ Ieroboam also and his complices saide that they in that figure and visible signe worshipped not calues but god But the scripture in Paralipomenon testifieth that their imagination was made frustrate because they did these seruices not to Iehoua 2. Chron. 11. 15. but vnto diuels Neither ought anie to stirre vp hatred against vs for Luthers cause As touching him we decree nothing séeing God at the last or while he was dying might lighten him as I am perswaded was doone vnto Cyprian when he shedde his bloulde for Christ his sake Of aboundant greatnesse is the mercie of God God doth not forsake theÌ that be his those which he séemeth to haue forsaken he helpeth being at the point of death Howbeit we doe here speake of them which be obstinate and doe not repent And vndoubtedlie the selfe same question might bee mooued as touching Tertullian and Origen and such like fathers which erred from the trueth in verie weightie matters when as in diuerse other thinges they wrote verie agréeably to the right faith Howbeit we iudge not here of men which perhaps by the benefit of God repented them before their death but of them onelie which of an obstinate minde continue in their error vntill the last end Moreouer we affirme that the weight and hurt of this error is so great as it damneth euerlastinglie those which abide and indure therin vntil the end Further this belongeth little or nothing to our matter For that which is brought as touching Luther belongeth vnto the fact but we reason of the lawe Now we haue no other right than that which the holie Ghost hath appointed in the scriptures of God where Iohn saith 1. Iohn 4. 3. that they which confesse not Christ to haue come in the flesh are Antichristes But Hadrian which earnestlie trauelleth in the Anabatistes behalfe aunswereth that they with open mouth confesse that Christ came in the fleshe although they denie that the same was taken of the virgin Howbeit it behooueth to vnderstande the oracle of Iohn according to his owne meaning and sense But he when he maketh mention of fleshe vnderstandeth no other than that which the diuine promises haue expressed Namelie which shoulde be the séede of Eue the séede of Abraham the séede of Dauid and the infant of Marie The holie Ghost is not contrarie to him selfe Wherefore that which he spake by Iohn is al one thing with that which the diuine promises haue shewed in other Canonicall bookes Wee knowe as thou doest O Hadrian that Christ to haue come in the flesh to haue taken the same of the virgin are two thinges and are in such sort two as the one maie be beléeued without the other as at this daie we sée it come to passe in the Anabaptistes Howbeit we ought not to haue respect what they do but what God requireth of Christian men He assuredlie wil haue those two to be ioyned together in one article whereby the benefit exhibited by the promises which were made before as touching him shoulde not be seuerall Who moreouer wil not maruell that the Anabaptistes are reckened among them which Christ the true foundation beeing preserued build vppon him hay 1. Cor. 3. 11 strawe and stubble which thinges although they shal be burned yet they that haue builded shall be saued because of the foundations In what respect Christ is the foundation of the Church Gen. 4. 15. Gen. 17. 7. Psal 132. 11 Assuredlie Christ is not the foundation of saluation except so farre foorth as it is laid by God for he as the scriptures most plainely testifie gaue and promised him as touching the humane nature to bee the séede of Eue the séede of Abraham the séede of Dauid and the sonne of man that is of Marie Why do we not rather by hay stubble and straw vnderstande to bee noted infinite genealogies vaine bablings vnwritten verities vnseasonable visions allegories and diuers traditions of men which maie or maie not bee beléeued All these thinges although they bée not plaine repugnaunt against Christ yet because they builde not they shall be burned with the fire of the diuine iudgement although that the authors because of the sound foundation from which they departed not shall not perish euerlastinglie But to beléeue that the fleshe of the
enemies vppon the sodaine not hauing regarde vnto the Counsell of Christ Luk. 14. 28. War must be thought vpon in time of peace saying He that will builde a Towre first reckeneth with himselfe what charges he must be at least if he beginne the worke and bee not able to perfourme it he become a laughing stocke to all that passe by who will mocke him saying This man began to build but was not able to bring it to perfection In like manner if a king minde to make warre vppon another first he taketh counsell and considereth with howe manie thousand souldiers he is able to fight with his enemies if he perceiue himselfe an vnequall match hée leaueth his purpose Wherefore you also after this manner shoulde haue taken counsell when ye might doe it in respect of leasure and quietnes weighing these things in your minde if perhappes the cruell tempest of persecution should arise which easilie may happen are wee strong ynough Haue we courage ynough If we incounter with our aduersarie we shall loose riches honours and perhappes this life also If the matter shall come to this passe are wee readie to suffer all these things Wherefore if the spirit had giuen you courage which thing was chiefelie to bee desired of God you shoulde wisely and valiantly haue persisted in the worke which you begun and haue fought with the enemie But and if you had felt your mindes weake and doubtfull so as they coulde not endure the losse of all your goods honours and life another Counsell was to bee taken not that you shoulde forsake the faith and leaue ChristiaÌ profession but that you shoulde goe to another place since yee neither wanted long oportunitie of time nor the commoditie of other thinges where with other of the seruaunts of Iesus Christ ye might bee safe from the imminent daungers in applying your selues to the continuall hearing of the syncers word of God you might more more arme your selues if perhaps ye should haue entered into new daungers For vnto this end doeth God sometime graunt quiet times that we shoulde commodiouslie weigh with our selues howe great is the strength which the holie Ghost giueth vs and howe readie we are to suffer the crosses which are at hande For it is not the part of a Christian man to be idle Truses indéede there maie sometime bee betwixt the Christians and Sathan and Antichrist but a firme peace may there neuer be Wherefore he that doeth not well imploy the time graunted of peace and quietnesse he is in one moment oppressed by the fury of the enimies And when he hath not retyred himselfe into safe places nor hath considered of his owne proper strength nor indeuoured by ardent prayers to obtaine greater strength nor hath prepared himselfe to the conflict that he might fight valiantlie in the battell of Iesus Christ what maruell is it if hee afterwarde fall if he come to ruine if in denying the trueth hee to his owne incredible harme bréede confusion and ignominie to the rest of the brethren To tell you in fewe wordes my brethren hence commeth all the mischéefe and miserie that yee haue made more account of riches honours pleasures and solaces of this life than you should haue doone because ye iudged in your carnall sense that your state or condition wherein ye then stoode was firme as if so be it had béene perpetuall and that there woulde neuer haue folowed anie alteratioÌ of thinges Through which causes it came to passe that ye haue not in the time of quiet state prepared your mindes to abide the daungers which dailie hang ouer your heades Oh howe great hurt hath it alwayes doone and alwaie will doe in the Church of Christ to make delay in the more happie times For then shoulde wee confirme our mindes and haue regarde to ourselues I meane by Christian wisedome to prouide for our selues To what end do ye thinke that peace is sometime graunted vs by God our excellent father How doth our flesh swimme abroade in the delightes and pleasures of this life Howe doe wee for a while yea excessiuelie laie aside the indeuour of worshipping of GOD the exercises of faith good actions and prayers and doe wholie incline our selues vnto the heaping vppe of golde siluer possessions and riches Vndoubtedlie this is not the will nor counsell nor purpose of our excellent Father Nowe haue I declared vnto you vnto what end God suffereth vs sometimes to inioy peace and quietnesse which thing eitheir yée did not know or else being knowen ye did not execute therefore it is no maruel if thinges haue not fallen out happilie vnto you As touching the originall of your fall me thinks I haue sufficiently disputed wherfore it is woorth the labour to shewe what remedy must be had for so great a mischiefe For if no medicine should be applyed The remedies for theÌ which be fallen in persecution of two euils either one or both together would followe namely that either yée should fall into the eternall death of desperation or else of fauourers and defenders of the Gospel you woulde become haters or assailers of it euen as the late examples of other men doe more than ynough declare Take heed I beséech you euen as much as you loue your owne euerlasting saluation both of despaire and of the hatred of the knowne Christian trueth and rather in the place and stéede of these euils embrace yee a syncere pure and vnfeined repentance For the heaueÌly father hath appointed this to be the beginning of saluation if at any time his children forsaking him had fallen into the hands of sinne and death Marke what a difference there is betwéene the predestinate and the reprobate The predestinate The difference betweene the predestinate the reprobate so soone as they are fallen doe straight waie returne to them selues doe sorrowe and lament and being suppliants vnto God doe crie out with feruent teares I haue sinned father Luk. 15. 18. I haue sinned before thee I haue sinned in heauen and in earth A forme of prayer for them that be fallen I dare not lift vp mine eyes or my face vnto thee Alasse I am euen hee whom thou for thine infinite mercy hast vouchsafed to adopt vnto thy sonne but I haue neuer feared thee as a father but as a forrener and straunger haue transgressed thy commaundements wherefore I doe not iudge my selfe worthie to be called thy sonne I am euen hee for whom thou gauest vnto the crosse thine onelie begotten sonne Iesus Christ very God and man hauing in himselfe all the treasures of thy wisedome being the authour of all creatures which he vpholdeth and preserueth by his words This thy so excelleÌt sonne I say thou hast deliuered for my sake vnto the shamefull death of the crosse thou hauing respect vnto this one thing namely that I being madâ conformable to his image might together with him become thy sonne But I being vnmindfull of so great a benefite
demanded of me whether I were Peter Martyr When I saide yea he saluted me verie gentlie and offered me all courtesies and testified that I was most welcome both to him and to all other good men Also the two Bishoppes that were with him prayed me instantlie that I woulde indeuour for a peace and concorde to bee made and that the troubles sprong vp might bee pacified I gaue the Cardinall thankes and aunswered the Bishoppes that I woulde further peace and concorde so farre as the worde of God and trueth of the Gospell might suffer That Cardinall is brother vnto the Admirall as welnéere all meÌ saie doeth iudge verie rightlie of Religion But the Admirall himselfe is so godlie and courteous as hee twise or thrise visited me euen in my chamber and most gentlie saluted mee But I returne to the Historie Afterward came in the Cardinall of Loraine with his well studied Oration Then came the king and Quéene Mother with the King of Nauare other noble personages Last of all came the associates to whome I streight waie ioyned my selfe The Cardinals and the Bishops sate but we stood and that without their circuit The OratioÌ of the Cardinall of Loraine The Cardinall of Loraine spake in French by the space of an houre and a halfe And first he greatlie flattered the royall maiesties Then hee entered to the confuting of Bezaes oration Manie thinges hee spake of his owne Church that the same had a continued succession and perpetuall imposition of handes and which worshipped Christ without anie Idolatrie Howe truelie he spake this all men knowe Afterward he indeuoured to shew that the Church doth not onelie consist of the elect regenerate and holie but also of the euill and wicked But this he therefore vrged lest the Cardinals and Bishoppes of whome it cannot be denied but that many are most corrupt liuers shoulde be thought to be excluded from the Church For they indeuour as much as they can to holde the chéefe places therein If the Church saith hee were of the elect then shoulde it be inuisible and we might be vncertaine of it Hee affirmed that generall Councels cannot erre neither in doctrine nor in manners but that they haue otherwhile varied and chaunged some thinges according as the times required He added that the same Church doeth imbrace and honour the worde of God but that he distinguished into ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã and ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã that is to saie not written and written and hee would that the Church shoulde beare rule ouer the written worde and that the interpretation thereof shoulde bee taken from thence When he had spoken much of these thinges hee came to the matter of the Sacrament where hee medled not anie thing with transubstantiation nor anie thing with the Masse but made mention of no other presence of the bodie of Christ than Luther and Brentius did For he affirmed that the bodie of Christ is present not locallie nor contained in bondes but after a heauenlie manner and more than substantiallie And when he had ended his oration he turned him to the Quéene mother and desired her that shee together with her sonne woulde abide in the same faith wherein they had hitherto béene educated and baptised in their infancie if this shoulde bee doone hee offered all dueties both of him selfe and of the Bishoppes and so hee made an ende of his Oration Hee abstained from taunts and spake quietlie ynough When he had helde his peace wee humblie prayed the Quéenes maiestie that wée might foorthwith aunswere that Oration Then the Cardinals and Bishoppes rose vp and stoode rounde about the seate of the king and Quéene but what they said it is vnknowen vnto vs but the euent declared that they made suit that our request might not be admitted And in verie déede it was answered that we should not then deale but that a day shoulde be giuen wherein wee might aunswere When we were returned vnto S. Germans foorthwith I and Beza were called into the court by the prince of Condie the Admirall they desired our opinion as touching the Oration They themselues who looked that it would haue béene sharpe and bitter praised the same as milde and moderate and they made much reckening of it because he had made no mention either of transubstantiation or of the masse Howbeit these things they spake to that end that we should not speake sharpelie and bitterlie of that Oration and so the hope of the conference to come might be broken off And they admonished me secretly and by the way that when I should be sent for the next day after to the Quéene mother I shoulde speake the more mildlie with her as touching that Oration to the intent that the conference might not be hindered by an vtter despaire of the agréement There we syncerelie shewed what we thought of the Oration that was made But I promised that I woulde deale mildly and modestlie with the Quéene as touching the Cardinals Oration Of which at the length I would not iudge and testifie otherwise than the word of God and truth it selfe would suffer The second conference of Peter Martyr with the Quéene The next day after I was sent for to the Quéene together with Beza and that in the euening She when she was come vnto vs led me aside that she might talke with mée alone First she desired that I would plainlie shew certain things vnto her The which so soone as I had saluted her I declared Which when I had doone she asked moreouer what I thought as touching the Oration I answered that it séemed vnto me to be eloquent and that certaine things therein were true and good which yet should be common with vs also as are those thinges that hee spake of obedience towards magistrates and that in the Church the euill dwell together with the good therein doe manie times exercise the holie ministerie and that we also doe not appoint an inuisible Church but doe define congregations vnto which the faithfull may know that they can safelie adioyne themselues but that the Church should be preferred before the worde of God cannot be graunted At the length shée demanded me as touching the last point namelie of the Eucharist wherein I saide that the Cardinal was vtterlie against both the truth and vs but that in conferring together perhaps he will somwhat relent And this I saide not that I so hoped but that the purpose and hope of conference might not be cut off She demaunded also if I had anie other counsell which might helpe to obtaine peace quietnesse besides that which I had giuen before I added that if there might bée no agréement in the conference as touching the presence of the bodie of Christ she should leaue that Article frée till it might be manifest or better prooued and shoulde suffer the Churches of Christ to retaine and preach that doctrine which they might iudge agréeable to the woorde of God and that in
of Guise and many Bishoppes also of the Court departed away In like manner the most part of our speakers seeing there was litle or no hope at all of renuing the Colloquie returned vnto their Churches And in the meane time were set foorth decrees whereby our sort were commaunded to yeeld vp the Churches yet was there graunted them a free libertie of preaching and places assigned wherein they should assemble together but yet vnder a certaine number prescribed Furthermore Armes was laide awaie on both sides and an Edict made that neither part shoulde speake ill of other for Religions sake Therefore when Martyr sawe that he was able to doe no more in this matter especially since hee had but small exercise of the French tongue he was minded to craue leaue to depart and for that cause went to the Prince of Condie and afterwarde was brought by him vnto the Queene in speaking with whom he said first we ought to render vnto God those things that belong vnto God vnto Princes those thinges that pertaine vnto them and for these causes hee saide hee was come thither that as touching God he might further Religion then that he might obaie her Maiestie which neuerthelesse hee did the more willinglie because shee was indued with excellent vertues whereof all men did speake honorablie and further because her kingdome was most notable that he she were of one countrie borne and most of all that he might obay the magistrate of Zuricke which was well minded towards the king and the Queene a matter not to bee contemned since it was of no small authoritie and power among the Swicers And further he added that hee in the matter of the Conference intermitted nothing which hee thought did serue to the purpose and that he dealt quietlie as shee commaunded him But whereas the matter proceeded no further hee saide hee was not in fault thereof but yet that some signe thereof woulde agree in time though none were had as yet Howbeit sincâ nothing coulde nowe be doone he desired leaue to depart because hee was an olde man and that winter was at hande at which time the iourney woulde bee incommodious by reason of raigne Snow and shortnesse of dayes Besides this for somuch as hee had hearde that it was reported to her Maiestie that hee came hither as a straunger that sought nothing else but to raise vp seditions in the realme and that he delighted in such kinde of mischiefe hee besought her that she woulde not giue credite vnto such thinges since hee was a man altogether voide of such hainous crimes For that hee hauing beene at Strasborough afterwarde in Englande and againe at Strasborough then lastlie in Heluetia shee might from thence bee informed if shee beleeued not him that he alwayes sought peace and concorde so farre as it might bee agreeable with the worde of GOD. And he shewed moreouer that there was nothing that coulde perswade him hereunto for that as touching the kingdome he saide he was earnestly addicted thereunto from his ancestors and to the Queene much more since shee was of his owne Countrie and as it were light and glory thereof and that he was therefore so affected towardes her as if neede shoulde require he woulde willingly giue his life for her glorie and preseruation and that among the rest of the things which he chiefely desired was that shee with her children and kingdome of Fraunce might be in saftie which being so he desired to be dismissed not with disgrace but with her good fauour Hereunto the Queene benignly and courteously answered him and promised that he shoulde depart safe sure and that within a day or two She also desired him that if his trauell for the selfe same cause shoulde be againe desired he woulde not refuse to take in hand the iourney againe and she said she was not ignorant that the labour was great but that shee accounted the same profitable and necessarie And as for other mens accusations shee said that she had in deede heard manie thinges touching sundrie matters but that shee alwayes reserued the iudgement to her selfe and protested that shee did absolutely thinke well of him Ouer this Martyr giuing her great thankes as reason woulde require he made petition also for the afflicted Churches excusing them for taking possession of the Temples against the kings minde for when they hearde that the King woulde haue them to bee restored they obeyed him Hee added also that if any thing bee committed otherwhile by the rude and weaker sort it ought not to bee imputed vnto the doctrine After that he had bin dismissed of the Queene the Queene also of Nauarre and the king did most graciously bid him fare well So in like manner did the Prince of Condie and the Admirall Besides this the Queene Mother and all the Princes which wee haue nowe named gaue thankes by their letters vnto the Senate of Zuricke for sending of Martyr to the conference according to their request and therewithall gaue vnto Martyr his due praise Also the Condie and the Admirall at Martyrs departure assigned vnto him two of their housholde which were noble men and Captaines who conducted him safe vnto Tigure Heere might I beloued Auditorie recite the letters of Princes and learned men wherein they heaped vppon him the great praises of Religion learning faith and diligence howbeit the consideration both of my time and purpose suffereth not me to stay vpon these things Therefore since I haue hitherto declared in what places he did seruice to the Church by his teaching disputing I will now shew how much he furthered the same by his writings First therefore after he had forsaken Italie hee set foorth in his natiue language an exposition of the Apostolicall creede that he might giue an account to all men of his faith After that when he was come into England and in expounding of the xj Chapter of the first Epistle to the Corinthians had disputed many thinges of the Lordes Supper then at the ende of the Chapter hee purposely handled this question And first hee confuted that Coniunction wherein the breade and Wine are commonly saide to bee transubstantiated into the bodie and bloud of Christ which seemes to bee the neerest coniunction with thinges of the Sacrament Then did hee examine the opinion of others which defende that the breade and wine in their whole and true natures are retained in the Sacrament and so retained as they haue ioyned with them naturally corporally and really as they speake the true bodie of Christ and his bloude In the thirde place hee weighed the opinion of them which saie that these things are not ioyned one with an other anie other way than after a sacramentall manner that is by signification and representation Lastlie he shewed how the opinions belonging to the second and thirde opinion is gathered that which maie most of all seeme to belong vnto godlinesse in this sacramentall matter This treatise together with the
of the fathers in the 20. Chapter of the first part Peter Martyrs opinion touching the same at the cal of the witch 1 76 b The Appearing of Felix bishop of Nola after he was deade 1 75 b Appearings Of the Appearings of fained gods 2 617 a Of diuels and who it was that appeared at the call of the witch 1 72 ab Of the deade 3 320 ab Of soules departed 1 75 ab Appetite That choise and Appetite be diuerse and distinct prooued 2 294 b Two sorts of them the one following reason the other the sense 2 290 ab Diuided into thrée parts and howe 2 293 b Apostataes Apostataes are in worse state than infidels 3 105 b Apostasie Apostasie defined 4 60 a From faith and what a sinne it is 3 206 b 207 a 4 33 b Of Francis Spiera and his vile end 3 23 b 24 a Iust causes thereof from the Romish church 4 90 a 94 ab Ar. Arke The Arke was a signe whereby God made himselfe knowne 2 338 a 339 a The length bredth height and other accidents of the same 2 357 a The Leuits laide it vpon a cart when as they shoulde haue borne it on their shoulders 4 247 a None might see it who folded it vp who carried it that if the Leuits had seene it they had died 2 332 b The fruit that came by the Philistines taking the same 1 13. 1â D. Kimhi disprooued in saying that the hie priest the Arke and the Ephod were alwayes present togither 1 59 b Aristotle The opinion of Aristotle touching the ende of things 1 2 b How farre he agreeth with the holie scriptures touching the cheefest good 1 3. a b Why hee in his Ethikes writeth so diligently of endes 1 4 b Argument An Argument drawen from figures is not alwayes firme 4 158 b From examples a great fault must be taken heede 1 49 b 50 a Arguments What we ought to weigh in Arguments 3 131 b Probable of two kindes 3 333 ab Arrogancie The Arrogancie of Philosophers 4 21 b ¶ Looke Ambition Pride Arrogation Howe Arrogation and adoption differ 3 79 b ¶ Looke Adoption Art A definition of Art and that the deuisers of them were called wise men 2 301 b 302 a Why it is called power according to Aristotle 1 7 b Artes. A diuision of Artes whereof some bring foorth some worke and some are consumed in their verie action 2 302 a Vnto what kind of Philosophie they do belong 2 301 b How in them all there is a respect to the principall art 4 247 a Their obiect is before the science 4 246 a In them many things are done not onely by art placed in the artificers minde and bodily members but by the helpe also of outward instruments as how 1 147 b Discontinuance of them bréedeth ignorance and forgetfulnes of the same 161 b Why the secretes of saluation are hidden from men furnished with them and sciences 1 3 b Of the excellent ends of the principall called architectonicall 1 4 a They are in power to attaine or not to attaine their ende and how 1 8 a The holie scriptures prescribe which must bee admitted 1 9 b How they are in power vnto contraries 1 3 a How being naturally good they do turne to euil and in whome 1 3 b Of the vse of the good 4 27 b The scripture teach which euery one should learne 1 9 b They doctrines desire good of their own nature â 3 b Artes actions and sciences are diuerse 1 4 a ¶ Looke Faculties Sciences As Ascension The place of Christes Ascension 3 370 b What he did for vs at martime 2 624 a Of the Ascension of Enoch and Elias into heauen 3 370 a c. Ascension daie was vpon Ashwednesdaie saieth Epiphanius 3 251 a Astrologie Against Iudiciall Astrologie and her diuinations 2 279b 280 a It was euer accounted a most vncertaine Art 1 35 b ¶ Looke Diuination Astrologers The Astrologers exclude frée will from man and howe 2 275 b 276 a They attribute much vnto starres yet take they not away all Damnation and Prescience 2 27 b The cause of good fortune and bad as they say 1 173 a Astronomers The Astronomers reason about the resurrection after the reuolution of the great yeare 3 328 b 329 a At. Attrition The difference betwéene Attrition Contrition 3 213 b 214a 216 a The schoolemens opinion thereof and that it is sinne 3 214 b 215a b 216 a ¶ Looke Contrition Au. Authoritie Whether the Authoritie of the Scriptures or of the Church is to be preferred 1 42 ab 43 a.b Regarde of diuine woorship belongeth to all such as be in authoritie 4 10 b ¶ Looke Magistrates Ba. Baldnesse Iulius Cesars Baldnesse was the cause that he alwayes ware a Lawrell garland 2 509 a Banishment A kinde of Banishment among the Gréekes for certaine yeares 4 271 a Perpetuall called ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã of Platoes deuising 4 271 b The Romane lawes punished no offence therewith 4 270b The difference betwéene it and peregrination 4 270 a It is meant vnder the vse of fire and water forbidden 4 271 a 272 b Of two sorts among the Romanes 4 270 b The extremest punishment of the Romanes 4 264 b Whether Christian Magistrates may vse it for a punishment 4 273 ab 274 a.b The etymon of the word 4 270 a What vse thereof is to be retained 4 274 b 275 a The difference betweene the Iewes and the Romanes 4 272 a Home to a mans house 4 273a The definition thereof 4 270 b Voluntarie of thrée kindes 4 271 b 272a What maner of action it is 4 270b The maner thereof vnder the Romane Emperours 4 272 b Two metaphoricall 4 273 a Into mynes 4. 272 b Of Damon and Aristides 4 271 a.b A dishonest kinde is 4 273 a That called Deportatio 4 272 b The Banishment called Lara fuga 4 272 b ¶ Looke Exile Baptisme Baptisme consisteth of two things 4 126 b By it the right of eternall life is sealed 4 114 a It is a signe of regeneration 4 112 a Without faith it is vnworthily receiued and how 2 586 b Why it ought not to be renewed or reiterated 4 112 b 4 104 b Vsed to the lame and bedred 4 131 b 128 a Repentance must be ioyned therewith 4 114 ab Of the spirite confessed by Augustine and other fathers 2 262 a What notable effects are attributed thereunto 2 243 b A faithful man may be saued without it 4 114 a Circumcision and it sacraments of regeneration 2 594 a Doone to Christ at 30. yeares of age 4 211 a What thing therein is temporall and what perpetuall 2 375 b Grace is increased thereby 2 262 ab What being doone in the name of the trinity it signifieth 2 627 b With what superstitions the papists haue infected it 4 126 b 127 ab 128 a Saluation is not denied vnto the beléeuer that desireth it though he cannot
them and places together 3 373 b Whether mens Bodies haue decreased euer since Noahs floud hitherto 1 130 b 131 a What manner of ones we shall haue at our resurrection 2 637 b 638 ab Whether naturall Bodies ca. bée without a place or in diuerse places 3 363 ab What kinde of Bodies spirits or demons are saide to haue 1 80 b 81 a Of Bodies assumed and what actions are sit and not fit for them 3 113 b 114 a In what respects it is meant that celestiall Bodies shal be quite abolished 1 120 a Bolde Who is Bolde and the nature of such a one 3 270 b Boldnesse Boldnesse doth affect a good thing that is hard to be had 2 410 a Bonde Of the guiltinesse of sinne and the Bonâ vnto punishment and whence they both arise 1 188 a Bondage Bondage of two sortes 3 163 a It is a thing against mans nature 4 314 a Mitigated by Gods lawe 4 316 b Cato slewe himselfe because hee woulde not come into it 2 281 b Why it is to be counted a punishment 4 314 a This of Christians greater nowe than was that of the Iewes 3 172 a Why it must not be reiected 4 314 a For debt determined by lawe 4 315 a.b ¶ Looke Seruitude Bondmen Diuers kindes of Bondmen 4 316 a.b Who bee Bondmen according to Aristotle that such haue somwhat in them apt to bondage 2 218 a ¶ Looke Seruants Bookes Manie Bookes of holy Scripture perished and that their losse is profitable and to whome 1 51 b 52 a Howe the Bookes of God are saide to bee sealed vp 3 353 b Christ left no written Bookes behinde him of his owne doings but his disciples were his registers 1 52 a Whether all the Bookes that Enoch wrote were authenticall 1 129 b Salomon wrote not his Bookes ând they were receiued and set downe as he spake them 1 52 a Howe the Bookes of the Machabees haue béene receyued of the Church 3 238 b A kings opinion touching written Bookes and the same misliked 1 52a Socrates and Pithagoras wrote no Bookes themselues but their Disciples in their names 1 52 a ¶ Looke Scriptures Borders The meaning of the Borders which the Iewes ware sowed to their garment 2 314 a ¶ Looke Garments Bosome What is meant by Abrahams Bosome 3 325 b 373. 374. 375. 376. 378 Br. Breath The worde Breath hath a double signification 1 121 b 122 a Howe God is saide to breath séeing hee hath neither mouth nor nosethrels 1 121 b 122 ab Brethren In the scriptures they which by any meanes were ioyned in bloud were called Brethren as howe 1 452 b Of the loue that ought to bee betweene Brethren and who be such 2 556 b 557 a Christ calleth the Apostles Brethren 3 81 a Brightnesse Of the splendent Brightnes of our bodies at our resurrection 3 358 b ¶ Looke Resurrection Bu. Building Building signifieth doctrine and fier the triall thereof 3 239. 240. 241. 242. ¶ Looke Doctrine Burdens Of vile Burdens and personall burdens 4 239b Ordinarie and extraordinarie 4 240 ab Burial Whether Buriall auaileth the dead 3 320 a 321 a 319 b Why it must not be contemned 3 322 a Howe it belongeth vnto them that be aliue 3 320. 321 a Regarded in the time of the Patriarches 3 234 b The lacke thereof is a punishment 3 321 b Whether to be in one place more than another is materiall 3 322b 323a Whether it be lawfull for vs being aliue to choose our selues a place for it 3 323 b Places for that purpose set foorth to sale 3 323 a What Christes Buriall doth teach vs. 2 620 b 621 a With what pompe the Cardinall of Yorke prouided for his Buriall 3 321 b Ca. Calamities Calamities hinder not felicitie proued by scripture 1 153 b 158 a ¶ Looke Miserie Calling Gods Calling of two sortes 3 29 a 44 b 4 12 a It goeth before faith 3 45 a The power thereof 3 45 b To what endes it is directed 3 44 b The honour of the same 3 45 b The forme thereof differeth and how 3 44b Whether the gift of effectual Calling be common to all 3 198 b It is of Gods frée mercie 3 45 a Good works are not the cause therof 3 15 a 14b Of the time of the same 3 45 b The difference of beleeuers and vnbeléeuers dependeth thereupon 3 18 b Of two kindes thereof the one generall the other effectuall and to whom they befall 1 196 b Howe it may be said to be common to all men 3 51 a It is without repentance interpreted 3 207 a How to determine whether it be effectuall or no. 3 47 b 48 a What things make it certeine 3 48 a One effectual and another not effectuall 3 45 a The outwarde is common to the predestinate and reprobate 3 30 a Much spoken to fro of that which is vniuersall 3 31. 32. 33. The names of gift and Calling vsed in scripture 3 202 a A Calling must not be condemned by a hard successe 4 9 b That we ought to be content with our estates and Calling 3 188 b A Calling ordinarie and a calling extraordinarie to the ministerie 4 11 b 12 a Lawfull and vnlawful 4 9 b c. Diuine and humane 4 10 a ¶ Looke Vocation Callings That in the Church shoulde bee ordinarie Callings 4 10 b 11 a Argumentes of such as confounde them 4 11 ab Hinderances to our Callings procured by the diuell 4 9 b Candels Waxe Candles added to baptisme 4 127 b Lighted at hie noone in poperie 4 127 b ¶ Looke Light Canons The Popes supremacie taken away by olde Canons 4 79 b What they haue determined touching the celebration of episcopall councels 4 55 b Vnto whome they giue the making of lawes 4 41 b Of them that are Apostolicall 3 252 a Whether they are all to be receiued 4 55 a They are but fained 4 56 a A iudgement touching them 4 55 a Captiues Of redeeming Captiues with Church goods 4 32 b 33 a A lawe for such as are redéemed at other mens costes 4 316 a Whether beeing taken in warre they should be slaine or saued 4 300 b 301. 302. Carcase Whether a Carcase be the bodie of a man 3 135 a Care Fleshly Care of the bodie must bée reiected 2 638 b Carefulnesse What kinde of Carefulnesse God forbiddeth in saying care not for to morowe 2 480 b 3 69 b Carnall The condition of Carnall men of two sortes 2 564 b Castels Whether Castels are to bee fensed 4 296 a Catechumeni Who be Catechumeni and conceiued sonnes of God 2 261 b Being baptised they may seeme more perfect than one being vnbaptised though he beléeued 2 262 a Of their dismissing by the Deacons from the Communion 4 217 a They ought not to stay in one degrée of faith and grace 2 262 a Catholike What Catholike signifieth and why it is ascribed to the Church 2 631 a Whether the Churche of Rome
a 1 8 b It conteineth all other vertues 2 555 b Why Paul calleth the way thereof excellent 2 558 b Diuerse degrees therein 2 558 b 559 a Howe hope and it are ingendred of faith 3 74 b Violated by euerie kinde of sinne 2 555 b 556 a By what meanes increased 2 557 a.b 558 a A description thereof 2 567 b What Barnarde meaneth in saying that it cannot be emptie 2 574 b In what actions the rule thereof must be obserued 3 166 b Whether faith it be diuided 3 154 a.b The Papistes accuse vs of the breach thereof 4 86 a Charitie commended vnto vs in two effectuall examples 2 519 b Towardes the poore diminished by worshipping of Images 1 344 b It must be extended both to the present the absent 2 521 b It must be doone in order yet not too straite laced 2 519 a Whether the works therof and of hope be iust 3 56 b It followeth iustification 3 137 a.b Howe it is hurt by fornication whoredome 2 470 b 471 a How it driueth out feare 3 290b 291 a 67 b 65 a 115b FroÌ whence the rule thereof must bee taken 2 392 a Whether remission of sinnes begotten thereby 3 148 a Whether it rather than faith doe iustifie 3 137 a 69 b 133 b 134 a 77 b Whether faith and it maie bee diuided 3 152 a Not violated by the inflicting of punishments 4 279 b In what state it shal be in heauen 3 76 a.b Howe it excelleth faith and so contrarie 3 75 b 76a b Arguments prouing it to be the forme of faith 3 75 a.b The ende of the same 1 8 b The office thereof 3 76 a Whether it may be called the forme of faith 3 74 a How it is meant that it is greater than faith 3 76 b Faith hope and Charitie are inseparable 3â 72 ab Among Christians commended as most excellent 2 376a Perfect in no man during this life 2 558b 555 b 568 b Amplified by a fiction and how 3 132 b Which the familie in heauen doe beate vs. 3 308 b The difference betwéene fauour loue and Charitie 2 558 a ¶ Looke Loue. Chastitiâ Whether the Chastitie of infidels be true chastitie 3 119 a Whether for keeping thereof it be lawfull to kill ones owne selfe 2 395 b Whether it be a naturall or supernaturall gift 3 â98 ab Why it is wisedome not to vow it 3 203 a Whether the gift thereof be common to all 3 198 b 199a b Generally commaunded 3 198 a Painting of the face is a corrupting thereof 2 511 b 512 ab Augustines opinion touching the examples of such as for the sauing thereof killed themselues 2 396 a 392 a Whether the olde man and Lot who for the loue they had to hospitalitie offered the spoâle of their daughters Chastitie were to be excused 2 305 b Iudith ventured her Chastitie for the deliuerance of her people 2 282 b The examples of Lucretia and Susanna in the case of Chastitie and other circumstances compared 2 394 ab Virginius rather slew his daughter than he would suffer her to loose her Chastitie 2 282 b The Chastitie of Ioseph and the adulterie of Dauid compared 2 481 a Lot offered the Chastitie of his daughters to the spoyle for the loue that he had to the right of hospitalitie 2 282 b Chastitie in wedlocke and out of wedlocke 3 198 a Chastisements The manner of Gods Chastisements vpon his children 3 55 a All are not for sinne 3 55 a ¶ Looke Afflictions Punishment Cherubim How the olde Hebrue interpretours thought the worde Cherubim was compounded 2 356 a The formes of them described by Ezechiell and also of their name 2 356 a Cherubims Of the Cherubims of Solomon the Cherubims of Moses 2 356 b 357 ab Why they are described with wings and to be full of eyes 2 358 a 1 112 a Ezechiels vision of them expounded 2 358 a What they did signifie and represent 2 357 b Of in order of of them described by Esaie 2 357 b Of Cherubims which be Angels and whose name is deriued of a figure 1 111 b 112 a Their site habit and proportion 2 357 a Their height and resemblance 2 356 b In Paradise and what was their charge 2 357 b Children Whether Children beeing magistrates ought to giue place to their parentes being priuate men 2 377b 378 a Whether they shall beare their fathers iniquitie 2 362a 365 b 220 b 235 a 236 b 366 b 239b 240 a They be certaine partes of their parents and what followeth 2 365 a They must not bee too mildly vsed of their parentes and of examples to the contrarie 2 378 a They haue not the vse of reason and yet they doe manie voluntarie actions 2 290 a They and brime beastes do things voluntarie and some thinges not voluntarie 2 289 b 290 a Compared with seruantes 3 143a Men maie not punish theÌ for the parents faultes 2 367 ab Most thicke darkenesse of ignoraunce in their mindes being yet in their mothers wombes 2 225 a The bearing of them hath alwayes béene honourable among all nations 2 431 a Why the Iewes did endeuour to haue manie 2 430 b 431 a Parentes ought to loue them all alike and why 2 378 b An aunswere to a false reason that because they haue no actuall sinne therefore they haue no sinne 2 239a The bodies and soules of them and infants are otherwhile deliuered to the diuill to be vexed 2 227 ab Some holines redoundeth from the parentes vnto them and howe 2 238 a The danger of their euill education 4 16 a Howe they are saide to haue sinnes proper of their owne 2 229 a Vnder what promise wee deliuer them to be baptised 2 238 b Most ample testimonies and argumentes proouing that in them there is original sinne 2 214 ab 215 ab Excluded from felicitie by Aristotle and why 1 155 b Abundance of them prooued to be a speciall blessing of God 1 148 b Why it was so long before the olde fathers did beget them 1 127 b They may attaine felicitie 1 157b 158 a Whiles they be yet sucking they coÌmit sinnes 2 224 b In what cases they are to bee counted but impostems and cankers prooued 1 148 ab Who was the first that is mentioned in scripture to haue had the strength of getting them restored againe 3 60 a 61 ab To haue them and to want them dependeth not onelie of seconde causes 2 431 ab What prreogatiue those that had begotten manie had among the Romans 2 431 a 1 148. Why God of euill parents giueth good Children and of good parents euill children 2 â 40 ab 367 a Store of good required to felicity 1 148 a How T. Aquinas vnderstandeth these words Children obey your parents 2 434 b What the Romane lawes decrâed touching Children of concubines 2 419 ab They were not vtterlie excluded from inheritance among the Iewes 2 476 ab Why he
difference made betwéene him and the Pope 4 38a The state of his soule separated from his bodie 2 622 a The saying of Hylarius howe he had sinne to bée marked 2 227 b He tooke flesh vpon him in one respect Angels in another 1 115 b What kind of creature the Arrians taught him to be 1 106 b Whether he be inferiour to his father 3 306 b Of his bodie much spokeÌ too fro worth the noting out of the fathers 1 116. 117. What his bodie hath respect vnto 3 78 b The later Dauid with what stones he smote the head of Goliah 1 44 b He grounded his doctrine vpon scriptures 3 340b Of his exaltation to glory 2 622 a A Iewe borne 3 30â a Wherefore he is called our mediator 3 308 a What his soule did when it was departed from the bodie 2 621 a Of the first and second comming of Christ 3 383 ab 2 625 ab 597 b The opinion of Apelles the heretike touching his flesh that it was not borne but brought from heauen confuted 1 115 b He was borne and brought not a body from heauen proued 1 117 b 118 a Nothing ca. bée doone without him and why 3 102 a Of his conceptioÌ by the holy ghost 2 616 b What we haue to note in that hee did eate after he was risen 1 88a b In what sense he is called the first begotten 1 108 a 2 â16 a The head and chiefe of new exorcists 4 130 a The scornings that he suffered at his death 2 619 a Why he called himselfe the sonne of man 1 117 b A most effectuall example of patience constancie 2 620 a How he is ioyned with all men 3 77 b 78 a Whether it wereof necesittie that he should die 2 610 b Why he departed this life loden with shame c. 2 618 b His humanitie is definite 2 611 b Of his sitting at his rathers right hande and what it meaneth 2 611 b Frée from sinne 2 615 ab The blowes wounds that he suffered at his death 2 619 a His death most ignominious 2 618 ab How he is said to haue left the world 4 156 b 157 a Their reasoÌs which say that he brought his bodie out of heauen 2 603 ab 604 a Why he is called the onely sonne of God 2 â15b He came from heauen though hée had his bodie out of the earth â 602 b 603 a How he had true sleâ⦠when he appeared vnto Abraham the fathers 1 117 b 118a Diuerse properties of his body set downe 2 638a Howe hee dwelleth in our hearts 2 60â a 3 162 a Why hée is called Lord 2 606 b 600 b 614 b 615 a How he is said to haue dyed for vs all 3 31 a The Manichies defame his genealogie and how 1 51 a All his passion reduced to foure chéefe parts 2 618 b 619 ab More oppugned his diuinitie than his humanity 2 614 b The difference betwéene his prayers and ones 3 368 b His death voluntary and noâ voluntary 3 298 b Of his affections how ours his differ 3 298 ab How he satisfied his father 3 222 b 223 a He was not deliuered to the crosse against his fathers wil 2 276 ab What his healing of the diseased teacheth vs. 3 129 b How he saw not the graue 3 343 a 344 b 345 a Himselfe was the cause of his owne comming 2 600 a Whether his kingdome shall haue an end 2 607 a He was not annoynted with oile 2 6â6 b What he did for vs at his ascending 2 624 a Vnto whom his nobilitie is communicated 4 313 b Fine things to be noted in his person 2 614 a His innocency obscured 2 618 b Adam and he compared and howe 3 31 a Both the old and the new testament do speake of him 1 39 b He dyed not altogether without sin 3 12 b 43 a How God is said to be made visible in him 1 30b 31 a His death resurrection represented in types shadowes 2 581 b 582a The very name of him is the knot wherein al the articles of the faith are conteined saieth Augustine 1 22 a How the prophets apply their doctrine vnto him 2 596 b Against such as helde that he had no true body 2 601 ab How the false Apostles woulde take him from the law 2 585 b 586 a He Manna most excellently compared 2 591 ab Against certaine heretikes that affirmed him to be a méere man 2 600b Howe farfoorth he concerning his humane nature is the full image of God 1 124 a Whether he were the sonne of God by nature or adoption 3 81 a Hee was otherwise in the loines of Abraham than of Leuy 2 245 a Augustine iudgeth that he hath restored vs vnto more than Adam tooke from vs 2 246 b Vnder his name is contained all the articles of the faith as saith Augustine 1 22 a Whether he may haue hope as yet 3 88 a The end of his predestination 3 25a Accused of sedition 4 319 a Of his death and buriall 3 342b Of his felicity now in heauen 2 598 a Of his kingdome 2 597 ab Christians A difference of Christians 3 105 b Why they are called annoynted 2 606 ab Wickedly accounted dogs 3 311 a Whether they may vse or desire helpe of infidels 4 296. 295. Their boÌdage greater now than that of the Iewes 3 172 a How it commeth to passe that some are iudged to damnation some to saluation 2 626b Against the counterfait or such as are but so in name 2 628 b The common profession of all Christians 4 310 a ¶ Looke Beleeuers and Faithfull Christianitie Wherein the whole sum of Christianitie consisteth 2 625 a ¶ Looke Religion Chronicles Aulus Gellius opinion of Chronicles and hystories 1 48 b The difference betwéene them and histories 1 48 ab 49 a Ciceroes opinion touching the same 1 48 ab ¶ Looke Histories Church militant The Church defined 4 1 a She cannot be well gouerned without troubles 4 63 a By what meanes she is increased 2 633 a 637 a Augustines meaning in saying I would not beléeue the scriptures vnlesse the authoritie of the Church mooued me 1 43 a 3 586. The Catholike Church is the communion of saints 3 78 b She of her owne authoritie cannot decide controuersies 4 75 b Whence the name is deriued 4 1 a 54 a 1 45 b 2 630 a In what cases euill men must not be excluded thereout 4 2 a How it is ment that she is the pââ¦ier and ground of truth 4 75 b Her dutie towards the excommunicated 4 59 a Whereof so great corruption in the same commeth 4 63 b Whether two heads may be therein one visible another inuisible 4 35 a Who be indéede of the Church and who not 4 1 b 2 a 3 79 a Dissentions in the Church of the Iewes and of the Apostles 4 3 a 2 425 ab The Church hath alwayes iudged by the
thereof do commit 2 320 b The Papistes speake manie lyes therein 2 318 a It is a publike profession of Poperie 2 323 b Mention thereof in Augustine 4 215 b 216 a When the name thereof began to be vsed 4 216 a Altogither contrarie to the institution of Christ proued 2 317 ab Of the abhominable sacrifice therof and how religiously the Papistes thinke thereof 2 317 ab 4 18 b 22 b 222. 223. 224. 225 Therein images are worshipped and howe 2 318 b From whence the word is thought to haue come 4 215 a Diuersly taken 4 216 b The ancient fathers vsed not the name 4 215 b Masse and Missio interpreted 4 219 b Called Missa as it were Missio 4 217 b Masses Priuate Masses condemned 4 55a 215. 216 Not read of in the olde fathers 4 179 a When they were vnknowen 4 207 a Masses be many times celebrated to the honour of some Saints 2 318 a Against them that alledge the example of Naaman for their permission to be present at Masses 2 318 b 319 a Mathematikes What kinde of Mathematiks the Emperour Constantine commanded to be burnt 1 19 a ¶ Looke Magicians Matrimonie Whether Matrimonie bee a sacrament and how 2 423 b 462 a 3 209 a 211 b Whether olde age might not contract it 2 467 ab Whether it is to be dissolued for the impotencie of the man 2 466 a To a iust Matrimonie is required a dwelling togither 2 464 b Of thrée kindes thereof 2 440 b Whether it polluteth âairing in lent 3 255 b Of three things specially requisite therein 2 423 b In what cases it is lawfull with Ethnikes 2 445 b Whether virginitie is to be preferred before it 3 202 b 203 a Confused contracts therein among the Scots and other nations 2 449 a A reason of Christ why it must not be dissolued 2 457 b Christ reduced it to the state wherein it was first 2 427 a 457 a Betwéene what particular persons the Romans would not admit it 2 449 b 450 a Wherein it consisteth 2 478 b Ierom smally fauoured it 3 244 a What thing is common both to whoredome and to it 2 469 b Naturall lets whereby it cannot any longer consist 2 458 b A rite of solemnising the same mentioned by Ambrose 2 444 a Why there shal be no vse thereof in heauen 2 637 b What kinde ought not to continue 2 327 b Of the mysterie signified therein 3 211 b An answere to their reasons which say that in contracting thereof there ought to be a libertie 2 435 a Against that which is priuilie coÌtracted 2 419 a Whether bonds or writings are required for contracting of the same 2 418 b 419 a What kind of vow or promise it is 2 431 b A disagréement betwéene the Canon ciuil lawes touching the Matrimonie of seruants 2 433 a What the principall point of Matrimonie is 2 423 b A definition therof out of the digests 2 418 b The institution of the same and that it maketh against polygamie 2 422a A cause why therein faith will not be kept 2 434 b Peter Lombard maketh it a sacrament 2 434 a Of the coniunction that is therein 3 78 b The matter the forme the efficient cause and the end of the same 2 418 b A sonne of Augustine begotten out of Matrimonie 4 114 a The hauing of concubines was Matrimonie before God in the time of the law 2 420 a ¶ Looke marriage Matter Wherein the difference betwéene Matter and instrumentes doeth consist 1 164 b Me. Meanes The difference betwéene cause Meanes 3 52 b Which leade vs to felicitie and those meanes wee haue from God 1 157 b Whereby the senses worke in their kinde 1 137 a He that woulde an ende séemeth to will those Meanes which craue an ende as how 1 179 ab Howe God giueth somethinges without Meanes 1 155 a Measure The measure of a cubite and of a foote 1 130 ab Meates Of the choise of Meates 3 253 ab 254 a Consecration of them 4 123 b Whether they doe defile or no. 3 168 b Of the vse and abuse of them 3 167 b 168 a What the Fathers haue saide touching the choise of them 3 170 ab What is al leadged against the frée vse of them 3 168 b All of their owne nature are frée for Christians 3 167 b 168 a What is alleadged for the choise of them 3 172 ab From whence the libertie of them sprang 3 174 a Libertie of eating all restrained 3 174 b What the faithfull must doe touching the libertie of them â 173 b In the lawe manie kindes are forbidden 3 168 a Popishe licences for eating some certaine 3 171 b Why some sometimes are forbidden 3 168 b What Meates the Nazarites were forbidden to eate 3 178 b 179 a Medea The spéech of Medea out of Ouid concerning incontinence 1 25 b Mediator One Mediator both in the olde lawe and the Gospell 2 586 a Meetinges Of conuenticles or secret Meetinges vsed in the primitiue Church 1 98 a ¶ Looke Church Melancholie The power of Melancholie shewed out of Aristotle 1 77 b 78 a A fretting humour and howe it worketh in the Melancholike touching pleasures 1 139 a Melchisedech Where Melchisedech reigned 4 299 a He did more represent Christ than did Leui. 4 236 a His sacrifice and his méeting of Abraham 4 223 a He was in the Idolatrous regions of Chanaan and yet no Idolater 4 295 a Hée was without father mother and genealogie 1 102 a Member A dead Member is no member 3 79 a Members Howe Christ suffereth in his Members 2 615 b 608 b Whether the wicked be Members of Christ 4 2 a Of diuerse Members in GOD what they signifie and why they are ascribed vnto him 2 339 a 1 124 b Memorie Memorie referred vnto thinges past 1 170 a Mercie of God and man A definition of Mercie out of diuers authors 2 412 b Commended in the Scripture 2 411 b whether it is to be shewed to them that suffer punishment 2 413 a What bee the obiectes thereof 2 412 b Howe profitable an affect it is and of certeine cautions touching the vse therof 2 413 b 414 a From whom Aristotle remoueth it 2 412 b The agréement and difference betweene it and Nemesis 2 413 b In whome God misliked and disallowed it 2 267 b Who be miserable in neede thereof and what it is 3 55 ab That we shall haue néede thereof in the day of iudgement 3 53 b 54 a Being showen to a neighbour without faith is sinne 2 267 b What kinde of Mercie P. Martyr estéemeth to bee foolish 2 415 ab Of the temple of Mercie built at Athens 4 266 a Vpon whom God hath not Mercie 3 12 a He is not compelled of duetie to haue Mercie vpon any man 3 11 b The purpose of God not to haue Mercie is as frée as the purpose to haue mercie 3 13 a Mercie is not properly but
Pighius bicause our aduersaries count him for their Achilles or chéefe champion and thinke that he onelie by his subtill sharpe wit hath pearsed euen into the secretest mysteries of the truth And this man vseth this cauillation A Cauillaton Ye are not iustified by that from which this iustification maie be separated for it is not possible that the causes should be pulled awaie or separated from their effects But faith is separated from iustification Whether iustification maie be separated from faith for manie that beléeue doo notwithstanding liue most shamefullie so farre is it off that they séeme to be iustified But bicause he thinketh that this maie be denied he bringeth a reason to prooue that it is not against the nature and definition of faith but that iustification maie be separated from it And he maketh an obiection out of the 13. chapter of the first epistle to the Corinthians verse 3. If I haue all faith so that I can remooue mountaines and haue not charitie I am nothing By these words he concludeth that faith maie be separated from charitie and therefore from all good works He citeth this also out of Matthew Matt. 7 22. Manie shall come in that daie and shall saie Lord in thy name we haue prophesied and haue cast out diuels and haue wrought signes But vnto them shall answer be made I knowe you not These signes saith Pighius can not be doone without faith Wherefore séeing that they are shut foorth from the kingdome of heauen which doo yet these things it is cleare that they were not iustified wherefore in them faith was separated from righteousnes But this he thinketh is much more plainlie confirmed by Iohn for he saith That manie rulers of the priests beleeued in Christ Iohn 12 4â which yet durst not openlie professe him But they which flie from the confession of the name of Christ are farre from saluation for Christ himselfe saith Mark 8 28. He that is ashamed of me before men of him will I be ashamed before my father These arguments although at the first sight they séeme to haue some shew yet if a man more narrowlie examine them he shall sée that that well agréeth with them The iudgement of Epictetus touching his owne books which Epictetus pronounceth of his books ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã that is These are but sights or ghosts of the dreames of hell Wherfore we must diligentlie ponder these reasons and not iudge of them by the first sight And euen as in coines of monie we vse not so much to haue a regard vnto the inscriptions A similitude or images as to the goodnesse and weight of the matter so also in arguments ought we to weigh and regard not so much the shew and colour of them as the thing it selfe and the strength of them We first denie that faith can be separated from iustification And whereas Pighius saith That that is not repugnant vnto the nature and definition of faith we in no wise admit it for against that opinion are all the holie scriptures and the true sense of the definition of faith and also the Fathers For as touching the scriptures Iohn saith He that beleeueth that Iesus is Christ 1. Iohn 5 1. the sonne of God is borne of God and he which is borne of God sinneth not For so long as faith beareth swaie in our harts we commit not those sinnes which destroie the conscience and alienate vs from GOD. How then saith Pighius that it is not against the nature of faith to be separated from iustification and from good works especiallie séeing Iohn saith Iohn 3 6. He which sinneth knoweth not God This thing also sawe the Fathers for Cyprian Cyprian De simplicitate praelatorum where he complaineth of the vngratiousnesse of his time for that charitie feare good works and such like were waxen verie cold thus writeth No man thinketh vpon the feare of things to come no man considereth the daie of the Lord and the wrath of God and that vpon the vnbeléeuers shall come punishments and that euerlasting torments are appointed for the vnfaithfull of which things our conscience would be afraid if it beléeued but bicause it beléeueth not therefore is it vtterlie without feare and if it beléeued then also would it beware and if it did beware then also should it escape These words declare that with true faith is ioined the feare of God and the eschewing of eternall punishments and auoiding of sinnes Now let Pighius go and saie that true faith can be separated from holie motions of the mind and from good works This selfe-same thing doth Ierome togither with Cyprian affirme against the Luciferians Ierome And if saith he I beléeued trulie I would cleanse that hart wherewith GOD is séene I would with my hands knocke my brest I would with teares water my chéekes I would haue in my bodie a horror I would be pale in mouth I would lie at the féete of my Lord and would wash them with wéeping and wipe them with my haires I would vndoubtedlie cleaue fast vnto the stocke of the crosse neither would I let go my hold thereof before I had obteined mercie Hereby also it is manifest that with true faith are ioined good works and repentance The definition of faith declareth that it can not be separated from iustification A similitude 56 But as touching the definition and nature of faith it may easilie be prooued that it can not be separated from iustification and from good works that is from his effects For faith is no common but a firme and vehement assent and that procéeding from the holie Ghost And if a poore caitife being condemned to die should receiue a promise onelie at the hand of a man that he should be deliuered and should giue credit vnto those words straitwaie his mind would wholie be changed to mirth and would begin inwardlie to loue the man that promised him such things and would pleasure him in what thing so euer laie in his power How much more is to be attributed to the true faith which is giuen to the word of God and is inspired by the spirit of God Wherfore if that humane faith doo drawe with it woonderfull motions of the mind how can we saie that the true and christian faith is naked without good works and destitute and alone Wherefore we now plainlie sée both by the holie scriptures and by the fathers and by the definition and nature of faith that it cannot be separated from righteousnes from godlie works Now let vs come to Paule he saith 1. Cor. 13 3. If I haue all faith c. But how knoweth Pighius that Paule there speaketh of that generall faith which cleaueth vnto the promise of God and iustifieth and not rather of a particular faith whereby are wrought miracles and which is a frée or gratious gift of the holy Ghost This faith is not applied to all things