subiect vnto him as to the onely Vicar of Christ in earth as to the vniuersall Bishoppe of the Church as to him which cannot erre in decreing doctrine of fayth and finally to whom onelye it is lawfull to discerne as hee lyst him selfe of religion and Christian discipline Wherefore let this be euery where a sure and firme rule Note a certain sure rule that these outwarde submissions of the body doo then pertayne vnto Idolatry when as they are testimonies of the mynd attributing more vnto a creature than is mete or which are onely proper vnto God For they are not referred vnto God him selfe or to the obedience of his commaundementes but to vayne formes shewes which we haue fayned vnto our selues and conceaued in our mynde Hereby may we also gather that the inuocations of Saintes which the Papistes vse Inuocatiōs of the dead pertayne to idolatry are Idolatrous For they geue vnto sayntes that which longeth onely vnto God namelye that they being absent shoulde heare our praiers or that they can be present at one time either euery wher or els in many places therby to succour those which call vpon their names in diuers partes of the worlde Augustine in his Epistle to Dardanus durst not affirme that Augustine A creature can not be in many places at one tyme. no not euen of the soule of Christ namely that at one time it might be in many places Wherfore that which Christ said vnto the theefe This daye shalt thou be with me in Paradise he expoundeth the same to be vnderstand as touching his diuine nature for that the bodye of Christ should the same daye be layde in the sepulchre and his soule should be in hell Basilius Didimus Neither coulde that soule be both in Paradise and in hell at one time Basilius also de spiritu sancto also Didimus would not graunt this vnto the Angels that they can at one time be in diuers places affirming that that soly is to be graunted vnto the onely nature of God But they which do cal vpon saintes they beleue that they doo heare them and that they are present with them which without doubt is to attribute more vnto them than the strength and order of a nature created can suffer But here they trifle and say that they doo not thinke so but that God hym selfe which heareth their prayers doth open vnto the Sayntes what is required of them But thus I aunswer that they deceaue both them selues and also others For they knowe not whether God wyll shewe vnto the Sayntes their vowes or prayers Wherfore the praiers which they poure out cannot leane vnto faith which ought to be certaine and without doubt They bryng also a fayned lye of the glasse as they say of the deuine essense wherein the Sainctes beholde all thynges A fayned lie of the papists of a glasse of the deuine essence But this theyr fayning hath no foundation in the holy Scriptures Furthermore seing they will needes haue it so admitte it were as they fayne it to bee Yet shoulde they bee compelled to graunte that that theyr glasse hath not a naturall representyng but a voluntarye so that there the Sainctes can see that onely which GOD will haue sene Otherwise withoute any exception the Sainctes myghte there see all thynges whiche is both false and also moste manifestlye resisteth the holy Scriptures Bycause of that daye sayeth the Lorde neyther doe the Aungelles knowe whiche yet doe see the face of the Father Moreouer the Papistes doe not after thys manner call vppon Sainctes for if they did they shoulde saye thus Cause O God that thys or that Saincte maye knowe those thinges whiche I desire of hym and that he maye bee with me and graunte me that whiche I desire But they doe cleane contrarilye O Saincte Peter saye they Sainct Paule pray for me bryng thys or that to passe for me Wherfore they thinke that the saincts do altogether heare vnderstand their voyces whiche thing if they thoughte not then were their doinges vtterly folyshe They declare also by their titles additions which they ascribe vnto the blessed virgine to the crosse and other creatures The Papistes attribute more vnto creatures than is conuenient how far more worthy they esteme and iudge of them than their nature can suffer Neither are they affeard as I haue before declared when I entreated of the heresyes of the Papistes to lyghte vp lyghtes Waxe tapers and Lampes vnto creatures to cense them and to doe other thyngs which the Ethnikes An alter is not to be erected but only vnto God and also the Iewes in the olde law were wont to geue vnto God only What more Do they not builde alters vnto Images of Sainctes But vnto whom alters are builte the same are confyrmed by a sure testimonye to be powers of God or ells Gods Augustine in hys x. Tome .vi. Sermon writeth thus An alter is Augustine which testifyeth that to be counted for God to whom it is erected For they namely the Ethnikes what GOD they haue and that they take that Image for a god the alter doth testifie What should the alter do there if they counted not that for a god Let no mā say vnto me It is not the power of god it is not god But I haue already sayd I would to god they knew this so wel as all we know it But what they count it or what they make of it that alter testifyeth But say the aduersaries we therfore do these things Of miracles which are done at the alters of saintes bicause we haue by experience proued that they please god for as much as he there worketh miracles I know in dede that god hath sometimes wrought miracles by sainctes and such as were dead God hath some times wrought miracles by dead bodyes corpses of dead saintes For the bones of Elizeus by the touche of them restoreh one being dead to lyfe And the same Elizeus vsed the cloke of Elias to deuide the waters of the riuers that he myght make the more expedition on his iourney But god doeth therefore woorke these thinges sometymes that the doctrine of the Prophetes and the Apostles whiche was the very woorde of god might bee confyrmed And yet the Scripture declareth not that there was any inuocation made eyther vnto Elias or Elizeus when those miracles were done But for as muche as the Papistes by these their inuocations seeke not the confyrmation of the doctrine of the Gospell Miracles which are done at the inuocations of the dead are to be referred vnto Sathan but rather are diligente aboute this to establyshe superstitions those miracles whiche they boaste of are to be referred rather vnto the deuill than to God For Sathan seeketh for nothyng so much as to leade men awaye from the sincere worshippyng of GOD. This vndoubtedlye was assayed by the enchaunters of Pharao and that suche thinges shoulde sometime happen vnto
writeth Euen as welles the more they are drawen the better they are so vndoubtedly are the wordes of God for the more diligently they are handled and vsed the more plentiful fruit is by them receaued therfore I tooke in hand to interpretate this history And although I am not ignorant that you do so abound with the most learned woorkes of other men that ye neede not thys my commentary yet to that I answer that to riche men also are debtes payde and giftes are geuen vnto kinges who otherwise are more riche Who is more riche then God himselfe Vnto whoÌ„ neuertheles al the godly do both geue thankes also to their power referre thankes Wherefore I doo not offer vnto you thys slight gift bicause I thinke that ye haue neede thereof but that your benefites should not remayne with me longer then is meete as though they wer neglected Farther that we might be styl more and more bound together in amity For these duties are certayn common bondes wherwith men are pleasauntlye and profitably bound together betwene themselues I haue in deede bene long in your debt yea rather I shal alwayes be in your debt for I shal neuer be able to pay al that I owe vnto you wherfore I wil gladly be perpetually in your debt And wil with great pleasure alwayes behold keepe and preserue your benefits layd vp with me so that they shal neuer dye nor neuer at anye time slyp out of my mynde So fare you wel most worthy and noble men God the father of mercy encrease prosper and for euer blesse you together with your publike wealth Church and Schoole in al good thinges through Iesus Christ our Sauiour Amen At Tigure the .22 of December 1560. ¶ Places of the scripture which here and there a man shall finde in these CommeÌ„taries expounded or learnedly and wittely alledged wheras the first number signifieth the chapter the other the verse or verses of the same chapter as they be distinguished and set foorth in the Byble printed at Geneua the most expedite and ready way for speedy finding of the same GEnesis 1.1 In the begynning 262. b 6.2 The sonnes of God saw the daughters of men that they were faire 15. b. and .285 33 18 Iaacob came safe to Sechem 159. 47 22 Onely the land of the priestes bought he not 264. Exodus 12.12 I wyll pas thorow the land of Egipt 128. b 20.13 15. .16 Non dices falsum testimonium 39. b Non furaberis NoÌ„ occides 39. b 20 16 Thou shalt not beare false wytnes c. 87. b. 22 16 .17 If a manne entyse a mayd that is not betrothed 284. b 33 11 Face to face Deuter. 5.9 Visiting the sinnes of the fathers vpon the children c. 178. b. c. 181. b 7.1.2.5 When the Lorde shall geue the land into thy power 245 24.3 .4 The first shal not take agayne a wyfe repudiated after the second husbands death or diuorsment 250. 1. Kings 3.16 There came .ii. harlots vnto the king 233 4. Kings 5.18 Herein the Lorde be mercifull 50. b Ezra 7.24 No tole tribute or custome to be laid vpon the priestes 264 Psalme 2.11 Kynges serue the Lord. 54. b 15.4 He that sweareth to his hinderaÌ„ce chaÌ„geth not 85 b. 86 b 33.16 The kyng is not saued by the multitude 91. b 50.18 If thou sawest a thiefe 232 73.2 My feete were almoste moued 142. b. 14â— 170. b 78.49 Vexation by sending oute of euil angels 128. b 82.1 God standeth in the assembly of the Gods 267. b 91.1 He that dwelleth vnder the helpe 247 102.22 When the people shall be gathered together and kynges to serue the Lord. 266 111.10 Feare of the Lorde is the beginning of wysdome 246. b Prouerb 18.23 He that retaineth an aduoutrous woman is vngodly and a foole 249. b Esay 7.12 I wyll not aske nor tempt God 131. b 66.3 He that sacrificeth a sheepe is as if he slew a dog 206. b Ieremy 1 10 I haue appoynted thee ouer nacions and kyngdoms 262. 31.31 I wyll make a newe couenaunt 74. b Ezechil 17.13 King of Babel had taken an othe of Zedechias 85. b 18.20 The sun shall not beare the iniquity of the father 179. Daniel 4.24 Peccata tua elcemosynis redime 72. Hosea 1.2 Take thee a wyfe of fornications 233. b 6.6 I desyred mercy and not sacrifice 194. 8.4 They haue set vp a king but not by me 256. b Ecclesiasti 16.14 He wyll make place to al mercy 272. b Baruc. 6.3 When ye shal se gods of gold and syluer 51. Mathew 5.16 That they may se your good works glorifi 157 b 5. 18 If thy hande foote or eye offend thee cut it of 46. 5.23 If thou bring thy gift to the altar 206. b 6.1.2.5 To be sene of men 153. 6.22 The light of the body is the eye 153. 7.1 Iudge not that ye be not iudged 277. b 9.30 See that no man know it 10.37 He that loueth father and mother more theÌ„ me is not worthy of me 265. 12.20 A brused reede shall he not breake 134. 14.6 But wheÌ„ Herods birth day was kept the daughter of Herodias daunced 287. b 15.4 Honour thy father and mother 189. b 16.18 Vpon thys rocke I wyll build my church c. wyll geue the keyes 149. 17.20 Faith as much as a graine of musterd seede 130. 17.21 This kinde goeth not out but by prayer and fasting 276. 19.28 Ye shall sytte vpon twelue seates 175. 21.31 Publicans harlotes shall go before you into the kingdome of heauen 232. b 23.24 Strain at a gnat and swalow a camell 201. b 25.41 Go ye cursed into euerlasting fyre prepared for the deuyl and his angels 208. b 26.4.5 The syxt houre 166. Marke 10.4 Moses suffered to write a bil of diuorcement 233. b 15.25 The third houre 166. Luke 18.13.14 Publican prayed and departed iustified 207. b 22.38 Behold here are two swerdes 259. b 22.35 When I sent you wythout bag or scrip dyd ye at anye tyme want any thing 260. 24.39 Feele and see for a spirite hath not flesh 209. Iohn 6.15 They would come c to make him a king 147. 8.44 The deuil wheÌ„ he speaketh a lie he speaketh of his own 167 9.31 God heareth no synners 78. and. 207. 18.11 Put vp thy sword into thy sheath 260. b 20.26 The dores being shut 211. b 21.15 c. Feede my lambes 149. Actes 7. â—0 An angel of the Lord in a flame 120. 10.25 Cornelius met Peter and fel down at his feete 69. b. 13. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 41. b 21.25 Paul was purified 51. b. 15.29 That ye abstain froÌ„ things offred to Idols 229.233 b. Romains 3.8 Why do we not euil that good may come thereof 39. and. 253. 6.23 The wages of syn is death 272. b 9.3 I would wysh my selfe seperated from Christe for my brethren 253. b 11.29 Giftes and calling of God are without repentance 188. b 12.19 Vengeance is mine
the holy oracles and wordes of god should get their credite by men which are otherwise lyers But these things they faine to the entēt that seyng they are manifestlye founde often tymes to haue decreed and ratified in the Sacraments doctrines farre otherwise than the holy scriptures will beare Whiche thing they would defend that they may do it bycause the Churche whiche doth bring authoritie and credite to the worde of God may alter things in the holy Scriptures as pleased it Wherfore we must resiste them by all meanes possible in this thyng which they take vpon them to do We may not suffre our selues to be brought to thys poynte to thincke that the Scriptures haue had their credite and authority by the Churche And yet do I not write these thynges as thoughe I woulde despise or contemne the dignitie of the Churche vnto the whiche There be three offices of the Churche touching the word of God The Churche as a witnesse kepeth the holy Bookes I do attribute thre offices and them moste excellent as touchyng the worde of GOD. The firste of them is that I do confesse that the Church as a witnesse hath kept the holy bokes But thereby it can not be proued that it is lawful for it to peruert or alter any thing in the holy bookes Experience teacheth vs that publique and priuate wrytinges are committed to scriueners whiche are commonly called notaryes to be layd vp and diligently kept of thē And yet there is none that is in his right wittes which wil say that he may alter any thing in them or wil beleue that their authoritie is of greater force than their willes were whiche desired to haue the same written The worde of God reuealed and written Neither shall it be here vnprofitable to obserue the difference betwene the worde of god as it was reuealed at the beginning to the Prophetes sainctes as it was afterwardes preached or written For we do easely acknowledge betwene these that there is onely difference of tyme and not of the authoritie or efficacie For we confesse that the worde vnwritten was more auncient than that which was afterward appointed to letters and we graunt that either cōferred together was geuen to the Churche but in suche sorte that the Churche as we haue sayd can not by any meanes wrest or chaunge it The office of the Churche is to publishe and preache the worde of God And this vndoubtedly is the second office of the Church to preach publish the wordes committed vnto it by God In which thing it is lyke a common crier who althoughe he do publishe the decrees of princes and magistrates yet he is not aboue the decrees or equal vnto them in authoritie But his whole office is faithfully to pronounce all thynges as he hath receaued them of the princes and magistrates And if he should otherwise do he should be counted altogether for a traytour Wherfore the ministers of the Churche ought to care and study for nothing so much as to be founde faithfull We acknowledge also the last office of the Churche to be The Churche discerneth the holy bokes frō counterfaite such as are Apochriphas that seyng it is endued with the spirite of God it must therfore discerne the sincere vncorrupted bookes of holy Scriptures from the counterfaite and Apocriphas whiche is not yet to be in authoritie aboue the worde as many do foolishely dreame For there are very many which can discerne the true propre writings of Plato and Aristotle from other falsely put to them yet in comparison of iudgement they are neither of greater lernyng nor yet of equall with Plato or Aristotle And euery one of vs cā easely know God from the deuill yet are we not to be coūted equal with God much lesse can we thinck that we do excel him So the Churche ought not bycause of this to preferre faith or authoritie thereof before the Scriptures Augustine But they say Augustine sayeth I would not beleue the Gospell except the authoritie of the Churche did moue me therunto But in that place is read to moue together for in very dede Faith is not poured in by the minister but by God it is the spirite of God which poureth faith into the hearers of his worde And bycause the ministers of the Churche are his instrumentes they are rather to be sayd to moue with than absolutely to moue The same Augustine writeth in his 28. booke and second chap. against Faustus that the Maniches ought so to beleue that the first chap. of Matthew was writtē by Matthew euen as they did beleue that the Epistle whiche they called Fundamentum was written by Maniche bycause vndoubtedly they were so kept by their elders from hande to hand deliuered vnto them This is it therfore that the Churche moueth withall to beleue the Gospell bycause faithfully it kepeth the holy scriptures preacheth them and discerneth them from straunge Scriptures The same father manifestly witnesseth in his 6. booke of his confessions the 4. and 5. chap. that God him selfe in very dede did geue authoritie to the holy scriptures Tertullianus Irenaeus But Tertullianus and Irenaeus hauing to do against heretikes did therfore send thē to the Apostolicall Churches bycause they did not admitte the whole scriptures Wherfore they would that they should take their iudgemēt of those Churches which were certainly knowen to be Apostolical For it was meete that those Churches should continuallye remayne both witnesses and also keapers of the holy scriptures and yet therfore they did not decree that the authoritie of the Churche should be preferred before the scriptures What is to be thought of a certayn rule of the Logiciens But the aduersaries say that they are led by the sentence whiche is cōmonly vsed among Logiciens Euery thyng is such a thyng by reason of an other VVherfore that other shal more be counted suche Wherfore they reason after this maner If by the Churche the Scripture hath hys authoritie it must nedes be that the Church much more hath that authoritie But they remēber not that this sentence put by the Logiciens taketh place onely in finall causes and is of no strength in efficient causes For althoughe our inferior worlde be made warme by the sunne and the starres yet doth it not thereby followe that they are farre more warmer And agayne when immoderate men by wyne are made droncke we can not therby conclude the wyne to be more dronken than they Yea the Logiciens teache this that this their sentence is then strong and of efficacy in efficient causes when such efficient causes are brought forth whiche are whole and perfect and not whiche are perciall and maymed whiche rule is not obserued of our aduersaries in this argument For the Churche is not the whole and perfect efficient cause of that faith and authoritie whiche the holy Scriptures haue with the faithfull For if it were
lest their lyes shoulde be founde out For there they saye Take ye and eate and also The Papistes in the Masse make many Lyes As often as ye shall do these thynges ye shall do them in remembraunce of me When as neuerthelesse they haue appoynted to eate and drinke it alone And vndoubtedly very many other thynges speake they secretly and openly in the Masse as thoughe many did communicate or should communicate when as the sacrificer alone doth it in dede A lye is euer fylthy but then most filthy of all when it is admitted in holy thinges and before the Lord. But what shall we saye of their applications They affirme that they can as they luste them selues applye the sacrifices whiche they make vnto the quicke and the dead Euery man is iustified by his owne faith and lyueth dyeth in hys owne righteousnesse But the Scripture teacheth that euery man is iustifyed by hys owne fayth and that all men shall either dye or lyue in their owne ryghteousnesse or vnryghteousnesse but they saye otherwyse for they can as they saye helpe both the quicke and the dead by their Masses If they woulde attribute that vnto prayers namely that they taught that by prayers they mought helpe the necessityes of others it myght be borne with all By praiers we heâ—pe other But when they affirme that the worke it selfe namely of the Masse hath in it so muche power and vertue that it can helpe all kynde of men that maye by no meanes be suffred Besides this Masses are very oftentymes celebrated in the honour of certayne Sainctes whiche vndoubtedly is moste farre from the truthe for as muche as Christe hath for thys purpose instituted hys Supper that it shoulde be a memorie of hys death and not of other Saynctes I will not speake howe that it is moste commonly sene that there is nothyng founde certaine of those Sainctes whome they there worshyppe The lyues of many sainctes are Apochripha and full of Fables the lyues of them are Apochripha and very often also full of fables and Poetes faynenyngs There are also in it certayne yea very many straunge rites signes to be laughed at gestures in a manner foolyshe and garmentes not vsed the significations of whiche thynges are vtterly vnknowen not onelye of them whiche stande by but euen the sacrificers them selues SignificatioÌ„s of Ceremonies in the Masse are not knoweÌ„ if they shoulde be demaunded what they meant they coulde not aunswere Wherefore either they aunswere nothyng or if they go aboute to saye any thyng they bryng forth not one thyng but thyngs moste disagreyng whereby thou mayste easely gather that there is no truth in their wordes Wherefore fayth can haue no place in these thinges whiche they do in theyr Masse when as it onely there hath place where the worde of God offreth it selfe vnto vs. And that they can not defend them selues from the detestable synne of Idolatry the ymages do testifye Images are worshipped in the masse vnto the whiche they turnyng them selues do celebrate their most vnpure seruices For they can not be content in the Masses to looke vpon them but they cense them and kneele before them and finally they do vnto them all kynde of worshippyng whiche is to be done onely to God And bycause as I haue before mencioned they dare affirme that the Masse hath affinitie I can not tell what with the institution of Christ it shall not be from the purpose Sacrifices of the Ethnikes are more agreable with sacrifices appointed by God thaÌ„ is the Masse with the holy supper and it is easy to be done to declare that if we marke the tokens the olde Ethnikes may with much more likelyhode excuse and defend their sacrifices than these can defend the Masses For the sacrifices of the gentiles did not differ from the maner of sacrificyng whiche the fathers had before the lawe and whiche God allowed in his lawe when as these men in their Masse differ from that supper whiche Christ prescribed and as the EuaÌ„gelistes and the Apostle Paul haue deliuered There on euery syde was inuocation of God a temple an alter Sacrifices Priestes Killing sheding of Bloud Salte Wyne Oyle Meale a holy banket religious garmentes washynges fumigations continuall fyer singing oracles and such lyke whiche would be to long to rehearse Let the Popishe sacrificers shewe as many thinges if they can in their Masse whiche do agree with those thinges whiche Christ did in the supper But if so be they can not let them then thinke that their Masse doth no more agree with the godly celebration of the holy Supper than do the rites of the Idolatrers agree with the legall sacrifices Wherfore let them cease of so to kysse their littel daughter and to preache that it ought to be counted the institution of Christ and of the Apostles I will not speake of the yearely Obites and Funerals of the dead whiche are oftentymes vsed there of whiche thinges the Lord hath nothing commaunded By it they stablishe Purgatory wherof the holy scriptures write nothyng That furthermore is most farre from pietie bycause in their Masse they poure out prayers vnto sainctes whiche are already departed out of this lyfe In hearyng of Masses the anger of God is not pacified but prouoked Finally all the thynges whiche they there do they make a market of them sell bargayne and set them out to most filthy gayne Wherfore we must diligentlye take hede that whilest we desyre to worshyp GOD and to haue hym mercifull vnto vs we do not in hearyng of Masses exceadyngly prouoke hys anger agaynst vs. What is to be answerd to the exaÌ„ple of Naaman the SiriaÌ„ These superstitious men go forwarde and by the example of Naaman the Sirian will proue that it is permitted them to be present at the most fylthy Masses Naaman prayed Elizeus the Prophet that if he bowed his knee in the teÌ„ple of the Idoll Rimnon when the kyng whiche leaned his hand on his shoulder should so do he would implore for hym mercy and forgeuenesse of GOD. To whom Elizeus aunswered only go in peace These our men ought to consider with theÌ„ selues whether they onely haue sene and read this diuine history I thinke not For the holy Martyrs in the olde Churche were studious day and nyght in the holy Scriptures Wherfore this history of Naaman was not hidden from them And what cause was there then that they would not followe such an example and that with the losse of their lyfe These auncient noble men and pillers of our fayth sawe that whiche our aduersaryes recken not with them selues namely that that Naaman whiche is set before vs was newly conuerted vnto the true God and was yet a weake souldiour who was not also yet ready to deny both hys owne and hym selfe for Gods cause but desyred after a sorte to kepe hys olde place and dignitie with hys kynge The whiche thyng to attayne vnto he sawe
naturally is not moued eyther by anger or hatred or any passion semeth to be prouoked vnto wrath c. And aptely is there mencion made of the anger before the punishment is rehearsed For mē vse fyrst to be angry before they reuenge What anger is Neyther is anger any other thyng ells if we may beleue Aristotell in hys Rhetorikes but a desire of reuengement bicause of contentempte For they which perceaue themselues to be despised and contemned do straightway thinke how they may be reuenged and they diligently meditate howe by some punishment they may requite the iniurye or despite done vnto them Two kindes of punyshments are mencioned in thys place Two kynds of punishmentes the taking away of goodes and seruitude of the which the one is grieuouser than the other For it is far more grieuous to be brought into bondage than to be spoyled of goods But God vseth so to do to punyshe by certayne degrees those which haue deserued euill For he doth not by and by punyshe most greuously And as touching the woordes we must note that Schis and Schisch signifye one thing for Shin and Samech haue great affinitie the one with the other which D. Kimhi hath also noted in thys place Moreouer where it is sayd whether soeuer they wente oute the same interpreter addeth to fyghte And in deede it is very lykely although I am not ignoraunte that that sentence may be more largely taken namely to vnderstande that whatsoeuer they tooke in hande to do or to what thinges so euer they applyed themselues vnto all those thynges happened vnluckely vnto them By this place is gathered that no mans goodes are taken awaye neyther are any brought into bondage excepte God himselfe both will and also bryng to passe the same For it is sayd here that he gaue them into the handes of raueners and sold them into the handes of their enemyes round aboute them Dauid in hys .xliiii. Psalme grieuously complayneth of this plague and saith that God had solde hys withoute any price Augustine which place Augustine consideryng he sayeth that at the fyrst sighte it semeth absurde that any shoulde be solde when no price is geuen But thus he aunswereth as touching the enemies which solde the Israelites there was a price geuen by the byers But as touching God which was the principall cause of the selling he tooke no price For what could those Idolatrous violent and rauenous men vnto whom the Iewes were deliuered to be sold geue vnto him Vndoubtedly they neither bought nor deserued those commodities with any reward Or ells we may thynke that the price of the Hebrewe bondmen was so small and vile that it was counted for nothyng The wicked sell themselues to sinnes without any price and so by thys figure of speach they were sayd to be sold without any price Wherefore Esaye in hys .lii. Chapter writeth Ye are solde for nought And this phrase serueth very well for those which do binde thēselues to sinnes and wickednesse when as therby they shall get no commoditie at all And how hard this bondage was which the Hebrewes serued when they were so solde by their enemies it is manifestly expressed in Deuteronomye for there it is sayde Thou shalt serue thine enemye whom the Lord shall send vppon thee in Hunger in thurst and in nakednesse and also in al penurye and he shal put an yron yoke vppon thy necke till he shall destroye thee Moreouer by these examples we are also taughte what Christians euery where deserue for their daylye transgressions and innumerable superstitions and also Idolatrous woorshippynges Neyther is it to bee doubted but that a heape of euelles are at hande excepte Christ by fayth deliuer vs from those curses of the lawe The hand of the Lord is alwayes present in all our actions VVhether soeuer they went the hand of the Lord was agaynst thē with euell lucke In all our actions the hande of the Lorde is continually presente for withoute hys myghte and power we can not so muche as moue oure selues Wherefore both good successes and euell are to bee ascribed vnto hym Neyther had they any power any longer to stande before theyr enemyes And no meruayle for by reason their goods were spoyled and their number diminished bicause of those which wer brought into bondage they wer so impayred and weakened that they could by no meanes match with their aduersaries Vndoubtedly if we diligently consider the histories from that time wherin superstition began to reygne in the church we shal fynde that our princes haue had either no good successe at al or els very smalin their expeditiōs against the enemies of the fayth The cause of the vnluckye battels against the Turkes We haue fought and the oftentimes against the Turkes and Sarazens but for the moste part vnluckely Neither do the gouernours both of the publicque wealth and also of the Churche feele that the hand of the Lord is agaynst them with euill lucke and that that is the cause why they can not stand before their enemyes Agayne let vs note that the Scripture doth here most manifestly testifye that God him selfe deliuered the Israelites into the handes of rauenors solde them into bondage for that that thinges were done by hys motion And this doth Ezechiel the Prophete euidentlye shewe where he describeth how Nabuchad-nezar standyng in the ende of two wayes and in a maner determining to directe his host one way was of God chaunged and after a sorte forced to turne his armye agaynst Ierusalem And yet must we not vnderstand these thinges so How god may be sayde to worke euyll workes in the wicked as thoughe we should thinke that God doth instille a new malice into the heartes of the wicked For they nede it not For of what sorte soeuer they be they are framed of malice and synnes but GOD seyng he is a strength and workyng of most efficacy driueth them as he doth all other thyngs to be moued to worke Wherfore they whiche are altogether corrupte and voyde and destitute of the grace and fauour of God can do nothyng but onely worke euill But God God vseth the sinnes of the wicked by whose motion they are stirred vp to worke directeth their euill doynges cruelties spoylinges lustes and tyrannies to what end so euer it shall seme good to his iustice and most highe prouidence Moreouer let vs here consider It is most vnhappy to haue God angrye how miserable and wretched a thing it is for a man to haue God angry Wherfore let vs most diligently take hede that in all our affayres that we take in hande we first of all reconcile him vnto vs by an vpright faith in Christ for he beyng angry agaynst vs nothyng can prosperously go forward These thynges did the Lorde as he had spoken and sworne Threatninges are set forth here and there in the lawe of GOD and especially in Deut. But we neuer read that I
in the myndes of the vnderstanders than if they had ben perceaued by the outward senses Wherfore in expounding the Prophetes it is true that very oftentymes we stād in great doubt whether the thing were so done outwardly or rather so appeared to the Prophet to be done in mind And in certain of thē by reason of the circūstances of the matter we are compelled to graunt that it was onely a vision as Ierome testifieth of the breeches or hosen of Ieremy Ierome whiche at the commaundement of the Lord he put in a rocke by the riuer Euphrates and he suffred them to remayne there so long till they were rotten and then he was commaunded to take them and to put them on agayne And this vision happened whilest the city of Ierusalem was grieuously besieged by the Chaldeyans whē the Prophet could not go and come to the riuer Euphrates For at the same tyme when he would once haue gone to Anathoth where he was borne he was taken euē as he was going out of the gates and accused of treason In like manner the same Ierome affirmeth that that was onely done by a vision whiche is written in Ezechiell of the bread baked in the doung of an oxe and how it lay many dayes vpon one and the selfe same side To these may be added the eatyng of the booke and such like whiche either humane nature or circumstances of the matters and tymes suffred not so to be done as it is writtē And as touching the preaching expressing vnto the people that things which the Prophetes had in their myndes a thing sene by phantasy or imagination was all one and had as much efficacy as if it had outwardly bene sene But yet they fled not vnto the visions of the mynde when the thing it selfe might outwardly be done For seyng God can vse both wayes he hath sometymes taken this way and other sometymes that way as it hath pleased him and as he hath iudged mete and profitable for vs. But in all these things me thinketh the sentence of Ambrose is to be holden Ambrose The visions of Prophets wer not naturall which intreating of these images sayeth That they were such as will did chose and not such as nature hath formed whiche vndoubtedly maketh agaynst those whiche will haue prophesieng to be naturall as though by the power of the heauens or some certain instinct of nature or temperature of humors such images sights offred themselues to be sene of the outward senses of the Prophetes or to be knowen inwardly by imagination phantasy The will sayth Ambrose namely of god or of an aungell would those thinges and aboue other thinges chose them and not the power of nature formed them But there is an other doubt which in dede is not to be left vnspoken of Whether God at any tyme shewed himself or whether they were alwayes angels that appeared namely whether god himselfe at any tyme shewed himselfe vnder these images or formes Or whether onely aungels alwayes appeared which wrought spake with the Prophets sometimes in theyr own name other sometyme in the name of god Ther haue ben some which said the god himself neuer appeared but by angels in the name of god all those things were accōplished which are written to be either spoken or done in those visions And they contend that they haue certayne testimonies in the Scriptures which make with thē among which one is found in the Actes of the Apostles where Stephen expressedly calleth him an aungell whiche called to Moses out of the bushe when as for all that he is in Exodus named God Farther Paul to the Galathians testifieth that the lawe was geuen in the hande of a Mediator be the disposition of Aungels And no man doubteth but that in Exodus it is written that the law was geuen by god Wherfore they conclude that we must vnderstand that God appeared not by himselfe but by Aungels Howbeit forasmuch as the essence or diuine nature can not be taken away either from the holy ghost The holy ghost shewed himself in a Doue or from the sonne for either of them by nature is God how will they defend their opinion when as it is expressedly written in the gospell that the holy ghost descended vpon Christ in the forme of a Doue If they say that an aungell came and not the holy ghost they accuse the Scripture as a lyer but if they cōfesse that together with that Doue the holy ghost appeared what shall let but that god himselfe also appeared vnto the fathers vnder other figures and images They cā from this by no meanes escape except which I thinke they wil not do otherwise they should bring in a manifest heresy they will deny the holy ghost to be God And that which I haue aunswered of the holy ghost we may obiect the like of the sonne out of the wordes of Paul to Timothe the 3. The sonne of God appeared in humane flesh chap where he writeth Without controuersy it is a great mistery god is made manifest in the flesh iustified in the spirite c. For the whole Churche and right faith confesseth that the word was the true god whiche appeared vnder the fleshe of man Whiche if he did as vndoubtedly without conterfayting he did why may he not be said to haue done the same in the old Testament vnder sōdry formes and manifolde figures Without doubt that was much greater whiche he gaue vnto vs in the latter tyme. But he whiche hath geuen the greater thing we doubt not but that he also can geue that whiche is lesse Peraduenture they will say that that whiche was geuen in the latter tyme the holy Scriptures do set forth to the end we should beleue it but that whiche ye require to haue ben done in the old time is no where read It is the word or sonne of god by whom God spake vnto the fathers Prophetes Yea but if we diligently marke the Scriptures teach that also For the sonne of god is named by the Euangelist the worde or 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 whiche we must beleue was not by him done rashly but bycause it might be vnderstand that by him god spake when the scriptures testifie that he spake Wherfore as often as we read that the word of the Lord came vnto this mā or to that man I iudge that the same is so often to be attributed vnto the sonne of god Christ our Lord namely that god by him spake vnto the fathers and Prophetes Which least I should seme to speake in vayne I wil for this sentence bring forth two testimonies Iohn 1. The first is read in the first chap of Iohn No man hath sene god at any tyme straight way by the figure Occupatio is added The sonne which is in the bosome of the father he hath reueled hym For a man might aske If no man haue sene god at any tyme who appeared then
so confirmed that if they had spread such things abroad they could in disputing haue confirmed the same by apt testimonies Wherfore he thought meete that they shoulde tary till they were more fully instructed He would not haue the truth vtterly to be vnspoken of but yet to the openinge of the same he chose a time conuenieÌ„t Wherfore it is not therby rightly gathered that myracles are of no force to confirme fayth bycause Christ sometimes forbad that they should be published forasmuch as that commaundement of the Lorde belonged onely for the taking of better occasions and not perpetually to keepe silence Lastlye there is an other thinge Whiâ—â—◠〈◊〉 goeth bâ—â—â—â— racâ—s or 〈◊〉 meâ—h after whiche seemeth to be agaynste that article of the definicion For it seemeth that faythe cannot be confyrmed by miracles when as they require it and wil haue it to goe before them For in Math. the 13. chapter it is written that Christe bicause of the incredulitye of his owne citizens wroughte in a manner no miracles And Marke addeth that he could not Wherfore it shuld seme that it is rather to be said that miracles ar constituted and stablished by fayth when as if it be not present as the Euangelistes say miracles can not be done I aunswere that they which by prayers will obtayn miracles must after an accustomed iust maner be endewed with faith for vayne are those prayers counted which leane not vnto fayth But if a miracle be geuen there is nothing letteth but that fayth whiche is begon maye by it be stirred vp confyrmed Farther this is for assured that god is not letted but that he can also geue miracles vnto the vnbeleuers God sometime geueth miracles vnto the vnbeleuers yea he hath oftentimes geueÌ„ miracles vnto them Vndoubtedly Pharao and the Egiptians were infidels And who knoweth not but that there were vnto them very many miracles wrought by Moses Christ likewise did then shew the miracle of his resurrection when all men in a manner dispayred of his doctrine and truth Wherfore nothing letteth but that faith may by miracles be confirmed And for that cause as we haue said they which contend by prayers to obteyne signes do labour in vayn except they beleue Bicause prayers without fayth are of no value wyth God which Christ hath manifestly taught in Math. the .17 For when his disciples could not heale the lunatike child when the cause thereof was demaunded he sayd that it came of theyr incredulity whose aunswere openly declareth Against the coniurations wich are made al the sepulchres or graues of the deade what we muste iudge of those cuniurers which at the sepulchers of saincts and at reliques go about to expell deuels All thinges are there faynedly done Deade men are without faythe called vpon and the deuill playeth to gether with idolatrers and faineth that he beleueth to the end that pernicious worshippynges may be retayned whiche is hereby manifest bycause those Exorcistes are both men moste vnpure and also they do all things there without fayth Origene vpon the .17 Origene chapt of Mathew hath very wel written agaynst this abuse If at any time sayth he we must be by these holpeÌ„ we must not speak with the spirite eyther in adiuring hym or commaunding hym as though he hearde vs but onelye let vs perseuere in geuinge our selues to prayers and fastinges These words spake he euen then when the inuocation of the dead and worshipping of reliques were not vsed in the church What would he at thys day say if he should se the madnes of our times But to return vnto the hed of the doubt I iudge that fayth goeth before miracles as touching those whych by prayers obtayne them but not as concerning those whych stand by and haue not yet beleued the preaching which they haue heard Wyth what faith euill men are endewed by whome god worketh miracles But let vs see by what meanes miracles may sometimes be done by wicked men For some shall say in the latter time Lord haue not we cast out deuils in thy name haue not we prophesied c Vnto whome shal be aunswered Verelye I say vnto you I know you not They vndoubtedly in working miracles as it seemeth credible added prayers when as for all that they wanted fayth neyther were they iustified neyther pertayned they to the kingdome of God Wherefore that seemeth not to be firme that prayers poured out without faith are not herd But we must note the ill men which by prayers obteined miracles wer not vtterly wtout fayth Three kyndes of fayth For there ar three kinds of faith fouÌ„d For there is a faith whych consisteth of humayne opinion and perswasion wherby those thinges which ar written in the holy scriptures ar beleued to be no lesse true then the histories of Liui Suetonius those things which ar now written of the new Ilandes This kinde of fayth as touching many thinges is common to the Turks the Iewes Ther is an other faith wherby we being stirred vp by the heauenly inspiration do liuely with efficacy cleaue to the promise of the mercy of God By this faith certaynelye is attayned iustification Lastlye the thirde fayth is called the fayth of miracles whereby we are neither chaunged nor made the better euen by a heare forasmuch as it is the mouinge of the spirite of God wherewith men are stirred vp to desire miracles Myracles are not alwayes wrought at the prayers of wicked men vtterly beleuing that it is the wil of God that they should be done and that which is required should haue successe Wherfore whilest they leane vnto this fayth sometimes they obteyne that whiche they desire whiche I therefore speake bycause not alwayes they doo so neither are they alwaies illustrate with that inspiration Chrisostome If so be that thou wilt demauÌ„d how this kind of fayth can be proued let Chrisostome aunswere which vpon the .17 chapter of Mathew maketh mencion of it There Christ sayd If you haue fayth as much as is a grain of mustard sede you shall say vnto this mountayne throw thy self into the sea and it shall do it In expounding these wordes this father sayth bycause at this day these thinges ar not done in the church shal we therfore say that ChristiaÌ„s are destitute of faith God forbid that we should iudge so euil of the people of God The fayth which iustifieth is present but that which is called the fayth of miracles hath now ceased This kind of faith also is shewed by the words of the apostle in the .i. epistle to the Corrinthians wher he sayth Although I haue all faith so that I can remoue mountaynes and haue not charitye I am nothinge Neyther let that trouble vs in that he sayth Al. For that distribution is to be drawn vnto the faith of miracles But that is more manifestly perceaued by the same epistle wher the Apostle maketh mencioÌ„ of fre gratious gifts saying
without an heade in it And when we speake of the head of the Churche we must keepe our selues in the Metaphore and as it should be absurde and monstrous for one man to haue two natural heades so shal it be iudged as portentous for the Churche to haue two Metaphorical that is spiritual heads We must alwaies wheÌ„ we entreate of any thing persist in the same order and kinde which thing if wee doo not obserue we shal easily be deceaued by equiuocation But let vs returne to the Pope Of the keyes foundation of the Churche who least he shoulde seme to be destitute of testimonies of the holy scriptures taketh two places out of them Whereof the one is Vpon this rocke I wil builde my Churche and wyll gyue the keyes c. But that place pertaineth to al those which confesse the verity of faith for Peter when the Lord demaunded what the Apostles beleued of him aunswered in the name of them al that he was the sonne of the liuing God Wherefore that which Christ speaketh vnto him pertaineth to all them whych together wyth him beleue and professe the same selfe thing For the keyes are geuen vnto the Church And in Iohn the Lord after his resurrection gaue them vnto all them at the last also when he should ascend vp into heauen he sent them all alike to preache throughout the world And as touching the fouÌ„dation the Church hath no other foundation but Christ For Paul vnto the Corinth sayde No man can lay any other foundation then that which is already layde How the Apostles are called foundations of the Church which is Christ Iesus And if at any time the Apostles be called foundacions of the churche that is to be vnderstand bicause they in the first time of the Churche cleaued vnto the foundation as the first and greater stones not bicause the Churche leaned vnto them as to the principal foundation The other place which they bring out of the scriptures is Not onely to Peter was the coÌ„maundement geuen to feede the flocke of Christ bicause Christ saith vnto Peter feede my Lambes But they are excedingly deceaued for it was not the office of Peter onely but also of the other Apostles to feede the flocke of the Lord. But it was so sayd peculiarly vnto Peter bicause he had denyed the Lord thrise and therefore he might haue seemed to haue fallen from the fellowship of the Apostles vnles he had of Christ bene restored by certaine woordes And that not onely he but also other ought to feede the shepe of Christ his own woordes testify which be writeth in his Epistle wher he admonisheth other Ministers to feede the flocke of the Lorde But graunt that the Lorde gaue vnto Peter anye principal thing what hath the bishop of Rome common with him Let hym declare his spirite and as Peter hath labored for the Church let hym also labour which thing if he performe then wil we acknowledge him not as an vniuersal bishop but as a good Minister of Christ The spirite of Christ is not bouÌ„d to chairs He sayth that hee hath the chaire that Peter had What seate I pray you speaketh he of The holy ghost is not bounde to seates But graunt that it were so Antioche had Peter sitting in it before Rome had For that church he planted and long whyle gouerned But they say that he was slayne at Rome But the Iewes crucified Christ himselfe at Ierusalem which is a thing of greater waight Wherfore if we should follow this argument the bishop of Ierusalem should be preferred aboue all other Yea and Peter as it is written to the Galathians was not the Apostle of the Gentiles but of circumcision as it was agreed betwene Paul Iames Iohn and Barnabas Neither do we euer reade that Peter prescribed the other Apostles any thyng or that they depended of him Yea Paul most manifestly testifieth that he receaued nothing of Peter Farther it is certaine that Peter was slain vnder Nero Iohn liued euen to the time of Traiane And they say that Cletus Linus and Clemens succeded Peter at Rome What then shal we thinke that Iohn the Apostle was subiect vnto Clemens And of necessity he should be so if the Byshop of Rome be the vniuersal head or general bishop But who wil say that this may be suffred Moreouer An Epistle of Clemens lyes may be confuted with lyes Our aduersaries bring the Epistle of Clemens which is a fained Epistle as a thing certaine We wyl gratefy theÌ„ in this thing Clemens Iacobo â—ratri domini Epis copo EpiscoruÌ„ regnanti Ecclesiam que esi Hierosolymis omnes que suÌ„t vbique Dei prouidentia and we wyll now graunt that to be true which is false Let them marke his superscription which is written after thys maner Clemens to Iames the brother of the Lord by the prouidence of God the bishop of bishops gouernour of the Church which is at Ierusalem and of al the Churches euery where What wyl they say here The bishop of Rome ascribeth his title vnto the Byshop of Ierusalem and attributeth this vniuersall charge of all Churches vnto him and not to himselfe This argument maketh verye muche agaynste those which haue vnto the Churches obtruded this Epistle for true ratefied it But that can nothing hurt vs which is takeÌ„ out of that epistle against our doctrine For we know that it is a fayned thing as that which was neuer alledged by any of the fathers And in it the same Clemens affirmeth that he hym selfe wrote the litle booke called Itenarium Perri which booke as it is said in the Decrees is counted among the Apocripha bookes But of this thing I haue spoken sufficient these thinges haue I rehearsed onely that we might vnderstand howe much Gideon is to be preferred before the Antechristes of Rome Whither the gouernment of God bee excluded by humane Magistrates Here is put forth an other question whether the rule and gouernmeÌ„t of God be therfore excluded bicause the Magistrate of a publike wealth or of Aristocratia or of a kingdome is geuen vnto a man The cause of the doubt is bicause when it was sayd vnto Gideon Thou shalt raygne ouer vs he answered I wyl not raygne ouer you but the Lord shal raign ouer you It is not hard to dissolue this question proposed forasmuch as the administration wherwith God gouerneth publike wealthes hindreth not the Magistrate which is his Vicar Minister And assuredly God raigned together with Dauid and Iosias and the Israelites at that tyme had a certaine Magistrate and one of their own with whom also God himselfe also gouerned Wherfore the wordes of Gideon do not teach this that God cannot raigne there where as is a lawfull king But this thyng onelye he regarded that the present state of thinges whiche was instituted by God When God is sayd to gouerne pub wealthes ought not to be altred
the angel therewithall flewe away as though he caried vp the sacrifice with him into heauē An other argument is He would not haue taught vs so many and such thyngs if we should perishe He came vnto vs once or twise and instructed vs of thynges whiche we should doo Wherfore be of good comforte we shall not dye ¶ Of Sacrifice The offerer is more acceptable vnto God then the Sacrifice VNdoubtedly the womans argumentes are good out of whiche may some thynges be gathered whiche are not vnprofitable And firste that God more accepteth hym that offreth then he doth the Sacrifice yea the oblations please not hym but for the offerers sake This sentence Irenaeus proueth by the scriptures in his fourth booke and .34 chapter For God had a regarde vnto Abel and to his giftes but vnto Cain and his giftes he looked not bycause of the disposition of them that offred For looke what manner of will he that offreth hath towardes God the lyke will hath God to the oblation Christ also sayth If thou bryng thy gifte vnto the aulter and remembrest that thy brother hath somwhat agaynst thee go and reconcile thee first vnto thy brother and then come and offer thy gifte As thoughe he should say If whylest thou art euill and enemy vnto god thou doest offer thyne oblation shall not be acceptable vnto God Wherfore Irenaeus concludeth Irenaeus that they are not sacrifices whiche sanctify but the conscience of him that offreth And he addeth a reason bycause God nedeth not our Sacrifice Among men the euill may oftentymes be absolued bycause men are sometimes couetous and nedy and are easely wonne with money But if it happen the Iudge to be both iuste and good he will reiecte the money neither wyl he suffer his equity after that manner to be blotted So God bycause he can not be wonne by flattery obserueth the mindes of men and not the Sacrifices In Esay the .66 chapter he sayth He that sacrificeth a shepe is as if he slewe a dog not that god hateth sacrifices in vniuersal but bycause he alloweth not the oblations of euill men I haue the largelier spoken thinges bicause the papistes boast that in masses they offer Christ vnto God the father which thinge if it should be graūted then must god the father more esteme a noughty sacrificer then he doth his sonne But this woman reasoneth most wittely God hath receaued our sacrifice therfore he is not angry neyther wil he destroy vs. We count the sacrifices of christians to be a contryte heart prayers The sacrifices of Christians geuinge of thankes almes mortifienge the affections of the fleshe and suche like These are lefte vnto vs after the abrogation of the carnall sacrifices that wee shoulde offer them as the fruites of our faythe and testimonies of a thankefull minde But as touching the pacifieng of God Christe offred himselfe once vpon the crosse neither is there any nede that any man should offer him againe For by an oblation he accōplished al thinges Now remayneth that we embrace his sacrifice with fayth and we shall haue God mercifull vnto vs who of his goodnes will by Christ accept those sacrifices which we haue now made mencion of But Augustine contra literas Parmeniani in his .2 booke and .8 chapter seemeth at the fyrst sight to make agaynst vs. Augustine For the Donatistes woulde not communicate with the other Christians because they counted them defiled and vnpure and they cited a place out of Iohn Wee knowe that God heareth not sinners Your men sayd they haue betrayed the holye bookes haue burnte incense vnto Idoles haue denied god how then wil god heare them Augustine aunswereth that it may be that an euill minister although he be not hearde for his owne cause yet when he prayeth for the people he maye be hearde And he confirmeth his sentēce by the example of Balaam for he being a most wicked man prayed vnto god and was heard But if a man diligentlye examine these thinges he shall finde that Augustine is not against vs although at the first sight he semeth a little to presse vs. When he had sayde that the euill ministers also are heard The publike prayers of the minister are the prayers of the Church hee strayghteway addeth that that is not done for their wickednes sake but bicause of the fayth and deuotion of the people whereby wee gather that althoughe the minister be the guide in woordes yet are they not his prayers but the prayers of the Churche For there muste bee one certayne manne whiche maye conceaue the prayers for the reste leaste in the multitude shoulde rise a confusion or tumulte if euerye manne shoulde by his owne woordes poure out prayers aloude in the Church Wherfore the minister is a certayn mouth of the church The Myniste◠is the mouth of the church Therefore if he bee euill it is not he which is heard but the faythfull people which speake by his woordes This thinge taughte Augustine when he writeth that an euill minister is hearde not for his wickednes but for the fayth and deuotion of the people Hereby are we admonished that whilest we are presente at publike prayers wee muste take verye diligente heede and determine that those prayers whyche are recited are ours How it is sayd that Balaam was heard But Balaam by a certayne forme of prayer prophesied and therefore his woordes are called a blessinge bycause he prophesied happye thinges vnto the people of god And hee was not moued vnto these prayers of his owne will but by the sprite of god Wherfore hee was not hearde but the holye ghoste was the true authour of hys woordes That whiche is alledged out of Iohn God heareth not sinners Augustine sayth that that was not the saying of Christ Whyther God heareth sinners but of the blind mā which was no◠yet fully illustrate Wherefore he affirmeth that sentence not to be true in vniuersal For as they define the prayers of peruerse ministers ar somtimes hard because they are of the church But as touching the oblation of Christ I do not think that the papists wil graunt that the whole church offreth it whē as they wil haue that to be peculiar to the massemongers And though they should graunte that yet is not the whole Churche greater or more acceptable vnto god then Christ bicause he is not acceptable vnto god for the churches sake but the church is acceptable vnto god for Christes sake But to returne to the saying of Iohn that God heareth not sinners addinge a profitable distinction we maye thus expound it A distinction of sinners There are some sinners whiche fall of weakenes or sinne of ignorance which yet afterward acknowledge themselues are sory and repent faythfully But there are other which sinne without conscience want fayth neyther are they led with anye repentance The fyrste sorte bicause they haue fayth are heard the other forasmuch as they want
of the Church Whether fastes denounced ought to be obeyed whether men are bound to obey them or no Vndoubtedly they are bound by the law of fayth by obediēce For when fastes are set forth that are agreable vnto the word of God how can he which beleueth in god detract thē Assuredly he cā not Howbeit this is to be vnderstād of those which are of the state conditiō that they be able to fast For if a mā be hindred either by age or disease or labours in the case this ought to be of force which the scriptures say I wil haue mercy not sacrifice But they which are not hindred ought to obey Consilium Gāgrense In the counsell of Gāgrensis chap. 30. it is ordeyned that if a mā obey not the fastes which ar cōmāded him of the Church howsoeuer he boast of perfectiō without bodely necessity proudly contemneth the decrees of the Church let him be accursed The Canones of the Apostles In the Canones of the Apostles although they be Apocripha conteyne certayne strāge things neither is it sufficiently agreed vpō the nōber of them in the Canon I say .68 it is cōmanded that the Clergy which fast not hauing no bodely necessity shuld be deposed Let infātes in no case be cōpelled driuē to fast for that should hurt their health Yet Ioel sayth Sanctify a fast gather together old men sucking children And the Niniuites at the preaching of Ionas cōpelled beasts infātes to fast These wer extraordinary thinges neither are they for that end set forth that we should imitate them Augustine As for priuate fastes most men will haue them to be free Wherfore Augustine ad Cassulanum We know sayth he that we must fast when we are commaunded but on what dayes we should fast and what dayes we should not we know not bycause that is no where prescribed in the newe Testament therfore fastes are to be left free And in his 2. booke de Sermone domini in monte expoundyng these woordes Howe fastes maye be called free or not fre Iudge not and ye shall not be iudged he writeth that men may two maner of wayes iudge rashly Either if they drawe that into the euill parte whiche mought haue bene done ryghtly or if when it is manifest that a facte is playnely euill they thinke that he which hath done it can not repent And of the first kynd he bringeth an exāple as if a mā bycause he is sicke in the stomake or is troubled with any other infirmity of the body would not fast An other whiche knoweth not this will suspect him to be a gloton to much delicate For here that which is free which may well be done is drawen into the worse part This in deede is Augustines opinion which yet we ought prudently soundly to vnderstand For if a priuate man when he is in misery or daunger doth see that fasting prayers may helpe him he except he fast doth vndoubtedly sinne But for as much as fasting after this sort maner now declared may profit we must vndoubtedly fast It is free in deede bycause by the outward law he can not be condēned which fasteth not But when our fast may aduance the glory of god it is no more fre for asmuch as we ar cōmanded to loue God withall our hart with all our soule wtal our strength For there are many things which of their own nature are free indifferent But when it commeth to choise we see they may eyther illustrate or obscure the glory of God then are they not free nor indifferent bycause all our strengthes and facultyes are to be applyed vnto the glory of God In true fastīg we must faste the whole day Farther there is an abuse of fastes as touching the space of tyme for as much as the Papistes if they some litle while defer their dinner and then whatsoeuer they eate so that they eate no fleshe they thinke it sufficient But the elders remayned fasting al the whole day euen to euening al which time they were occupied in the worde of God in prayers and holy occupations In Leuit. the .23 God sayth The Iewes fasted from euenyng to euenyng when ye fast rest from all worke and afflicte your soules for it is a Sabaoth And no man doubteth but that the Sabaoth endureth from euening to euening So Saul when he had put the Philistines to flight proclaymed a fast vntill night And Dauid in the death of Abner sware that he would taste of no meate till night Tertulian Augustine Tertullian cōtra Psychicos sayth that the Churche produced their fastes euen to euenyng Augustine de moribus Ecclesiae contra Manicheos Let accustoned fastes saith he of the Church be continued euen vntil night for al the whole day were celebrated holy assemblyes were also had publique prayers but at euenyng they were dismissed In the Lent did eate meate But it is a sporte to see how the Papistes illude this aūcient custome they say their euen songes before noone then they go to dyner at night they institute a drinking so boast that they fast very wel Thomas Aquinas Consilium Calcedonense Whiche was the ix houre Thomas in secunda secundae sayth that in his time fastes were produced euen vnto the ninth houre And he bringeth the counsell of Chalcedonia where it is decreed that he which eateth before the ninth houre should not be counted to haue fasted Here by the way we must declare which was the ninth houre The vi houre was at none in which tyme we rede the Christ our sauiour was crucified Wherfore the ninth houre must needes be the third houre from noone The elders dyd so deuide the tyme The distribution of the houres among the elders that alwayes from the Sunne set to the Sunne rysing they counted 12. houres and agayne as many from the rysing of the Sunne to the goynge downe thereof Agayne they deuided eyther tyme into foure spaces and those they called watches And euery one of those spaces contayned three houres Wherefore the thirde houre from the rysing of the Sunne is with vs eyther the eyght or nynth houre as the tyme of the yeare requireth For these houres are vnequall The sixte houre is noone and the nynth is the thirde at after noone and the .xii. at the sunne set But Thomas obiecteth vnto hymselfe that whiche we say namely that the elders fasted the whole day It is ridiculous to heare what he aunswereth Bycause we sayth he are in the state of the day and the elders were in the state of the nyght therefore we must finishe our fastes in the day tyme when as they ended them in the night tyme. And he bryngeth this saying of Paul The nyght is past the day hath drawen nyghe Whiche sentence how much it serueth to this present thyng all menne see and vnderstande An other abuse is the choyse of
dayes althoughe he mought haue commaunded it What then commaunded he Learne sayth he of me for I am meeke and humble in heart But the manner of these men is peruerse For they will imitate Christe in that which they ar not commaunded but that which they are cōmaunded they will not followe Our sauior when he sent foorth his disciples Go sayth he to all nations teachyng to obserue those thynges not whatsoeuer thynges I haue done but whatsoeuer thynges I haue commaunded you And it is a wonder to see howe superstitiously and subtelly they haue decreed of these thynges in the Counsell of Martine de Consecratione Confiliū Martini in the dist 3. Non licet and in the Canones of the Counsell of Laodicenum in the chapter Non oportet it is commaunded that in the Lent fastyng on the Thursday should not be broken And in the Counsell of Agathensis it is commaunded Consiliū Agathense that in the Lent fasting on the Saterday also should not be broken bycause on the Thursday Saterday many fasted not Yea on the Sondayes also in the Lent wherin they fasted not they would that there should be retayned a choise of meates And de Consec in the dist 4. A reason out of Gregorye for the obseruynge of Lent Gregoryes reason confuted chap. Denique sacerdotes it is ordeyned that the Priestes should begyn theyr fast from Quinquagesima And in the same place .5 distinct chap. Quadragesima Gregorius hath inuented a reason wherby to proue that Lent is to be fasted We must sayth he geue the tenth part of the whole yeare vnto God And the .x. part of the yeare cōsisteth of .40 dayes Wherfore we must fast so many dayes A goodly reason I promise you Why doth thys Gregory forget that the Leuiticall priesthoode and ceremonies thereof haue now ceased Wherfore it is not lawfull to bind christian men to tenthes and Iewishe ceremonies And if for that cause the time of Lent be to be cōsecrated to a fast bicause it is the tenth part of the whole yeare why did not the Iewes in the old time so fast Why did not the Prophets reproue them bicause they deceaued god of such a kind of tenth But why Lent was inuented as much as I can gather I wil declare Why the father 's instituted Lent The fathers when they saw men liue very carelesly and negligently thoughte it good that they should be cōpelled after a sort to renew godlines in some part of the year somewhat to bridle the fearcenes of the flesh And for this thing they thought that the .40 dayes before Easter were most mete that men should so long haue theyr minds both occupied in repentance also in remembring the benefites of God This inuention although at the first sight it might seme trimme The institutiō of Lent is against Christiā liberty yet it agreeth not with Christian liberty For we must think vpon the benefites of god and of our greate ingratitude and other our moste grieuous sinnes not onelye 40. daies but also continually Farther by this meanes they opened a most wide window to liue securely and reacheleslye For if they once had performed fullye those .40 dayes they thoughte that all the whole yeare after they mighte geue themselues wholy to al kind of pleasures and lustes For they referred the time of repentance to these .40 dayes And although the elders had a lent Eusebius Ireneus yet as Eusebius sayth in his .5 booke and .24 chapter it was left free vnto all men For Ireneus after this manner entreated with Victor bishop of Rome whē he would haue excommunicated the East church because in the obseruinge of Easter it agreed not with the church of Rome What sayd he can we not liue at concord although they vse theyr owne rites as we vse ours For some fast in the Lente two dayes some .4 dayes some ten dayes some .15 some .20 and other some .40 dayes and yet is concord neuertheles kept in the Church Ther is an other abuse Fasting is an excercise not a holines namely bicause som put holines in fasting as though a worshipping of god consisted in it where as in very dede fasting is onely an excercise which of it selfe hath no holines They are fooles which in fasting thinke that for that cause they haue god bound vnto them Ierome wherfore we must not rashly geue credite vnto Ierome when he sayth that fasting is not a vertue but the foundation of al vertues For onely Christ and faith in him is the foundation of all vertues If he had sayd that fasting is a helpe of certayn vertues he mought haue bene borne with al. And vndoubtedly herein the elders oftentymes erre A fall of the riders for that they prayse extol fasting aboue measure If so much should be attributed vnto fasting we must of necessity confesse that Iohn Baptist liued more holily then Christ For he fasted more then Christ did For Christ did eate and drinke as temperate and modest men vse to do But it is sayde that Iohn did neither eat nor drinke Yea and Paule to Timothy writeth that the exercise of the body hath small vtilitye but piety is profitable to all thinges If thou wilte demaunde what piety is What piety is I wyll aunsweare that it is a true worshippinge of God a soundnes of doctrine and a pure life which thinges follow hope and faith In these thinges assuredly is very great profite and the excercise of the body hath indede some profit but not so great But we must note that Paule speaketh not of fasting and excercise of the body which is Hipocriticall and wanteth fayth but of the true and christian fasting and excercise of the body For those things which want fayth and procede of hipocrisy are sinnes neither do they any thing profite Wherfore Esay sayth Fasting is not a part of satisfaction Is this the fast which I haue chosen But these our men go farther and besides that in fastynge they put holynes they make it also a parte of satisfaction Forasmuch as the Scholemē in the .4 They extende fastes euen to purgatory Gracian boke of sētences do appoint satisfactiō to consiste of prayers almes fasting What abrogateth the death of Christ if this do not They say also that by fasts soules are deliuered out of purgatory And least any should think that I fayn these things let him rede Gratian in the .13 quest .2 chapter anima where he putteth the wordes of Gregory who sayth Soules are deliuered from purgatory either by the prayers or fastinge of theyr kinsfolkes There is also an other more greuous abuse for that some affirme that by fastes they can satisfye the churche althoughe they ceasse not from sinne Thys kynde of faste God himselfe reproueth by expresse woordes in Esaye What care I saith he for your fastes Ye fast contentions and strifes Is thys the faste which my soul hath chosē
health 135. b Dreames it is not vtterly forbidden to regard them 138. b Dreames of prophecieng geuen by God to the wicked 134. Dreames some ar sent by God 137 Drunkennes hurtes 163. b Drunkennes hath 2. sences 162. Drunkennes bringeth all vices to light 164. b Dwelling of Christians with infidels or godly with vngodly 44. b E. EAre rynges 250. b Eating defined 212. Ecclesiasticall power and Ciuill 257. b Ecclesiasticall causes pertayne to the Magistrate 266. Ecclesiasticall power is subiect to the ciuill 258. b Elect are punished to their saluation 33. Electors of Princes 90. b Elements of bread wine and water 134. b Elias was of the tribe of Beniamin 272. Elloborus is bearfoote 164. b Elohim and Iehouah 112 b Elohim whom it is attributed vnto 206. b Emaus called Nicopolis 41. Emperours why they were ordained 2. Emperour subiect to the pope 257 Emperor corrected of a bishop 145 Emperours all were not consecrated of the Pope 261. b Emulation handled 141. b Emulation described 143. b Enak defined 15. Enakim 15. b Endeuour or labour is required to be ioyned with faith 13. b Enemies described 85. Enemies god destroieth somtimes without the helpe of man 99. England 271. d Enochs booke 16. Enterprises require three things 271. b Enuy intreated of 141. b Enuy described and mother therof 143. Enuious persons described 141. b Epha measure 116. b Ephod what 150 b Ephod what 238. b Ephori 90. b Ephraites more noblethen Manasses 141. b Ephramites pride 197. Epitaphes soong 102. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 reioycing at an other maÌ„s hurt 143 Errour very hurtfull 〈◊〉 the church 148. b Errours of fathers 279. Errour of Ambrose 194. Errour of Augustine 195. b Errours of Grigory 147. b Errour of Grigorye Byshoppe of Rome 56. Esay was maryed 94. Esay deth what occasioned 117. b Espials thre meÌ„cioned in the scripture 35. b Essence of God shal be knowen of vs in the lyfe euerlasting 121 Eternal life fully geuen vs is presently possessed onely in part 7. b Eternall lyfe whether it may be called a reward 272. Ethniks had better knowledge of God then the Papistes 207. b Euensong before noone 277. b Euents no good trial of lawful actions 227. Euils is not to be committed to auoyde euyl 253. Euil lesse is to bee preferred before the greater 253. Euil how it is taken away 268. b Euil not euill if God commaunde it 39 Euil in the fight of the Lord. 67. b Euil works how God may be said to worke in the wicked 7. Euill men sometymes punished by wurs 80. b Euil spirit signifieth either the deuil or wicked affections 168 Euil thinges muste not onelye bee left but good thynges also put in vre 176. Euripides sentence 158. Examples of drunkennes 163 Examples profitable 2. wayes 4 Examples of sayntes abused 4 Examples of Gods doinges is not to be reasoned of alwayes by vs. 233. b Excommunicate person 285. Excommunicate persons howe we may keepe coÌ„pany with theÌ„ 45. b Exercises of the bodi haue no great vtility but piety 140 Exodus what it entreateth of 1. b Ezechias liued in Romulus time 3. b Ezechiel was maried 94 F. FAble defined 159. b Fable of frogs in Aesop 160 Face of the mynde aswell as of the body 121 Fayning is not alwaies lying 209. Fallacy a secundum quid ad simpli citer et accidentis 256. b Faithes efficacy 98. Faith of three sortes 130. b Faith of hospitality 252. b Faith is to be kept with the ennemy 85. b Faith to heretiks is to be kept 86 Faith is not to be kept to him that breaketh faith 85. b Faithes beginning 207. b Faith obtaineth promises 13. b Faithe of no force if it want the word of God 152. Faith cannot sufficiently be confirmed by myracles 129. b Faith iustified the fathers as well as vs. 74. b Faith refuseth not humain help 125 Faithes effectes is prayer and fasting 276. Faith coÌ„meth not of miracles but is confirmed by them 127. Faith is the soul of good works 242 Faith whyther it go before miracles or miracles before faith 130 Faith directeth good intent cleaueth onely to the woord of God not to fathers or counsels 152. b Faith is the gift of God 122 Fals of godli meÌ„ churches 226 b Fathers synnes whether the sonne shall beare 178. b Fathers iustified by fayth as wee 74. b Fathers the more auÌ„cient the more sincere 216 Fathers are not to be excused in all thinges 20 Fathers are neither constant nor without errour 152. b Fathers authoritye yll compared with the scriptures 152 Fasting handled 274 Fastes of sundry kindes 278 Fasting distinguished into common and priuate 94. Fastinges abuses 279. Fastes denounced of Princes whither they are to be obeyed 277 Fastings vpon saints euens 140 Fault where none is ought none to confes 90 Feare of God contrarye to securitye 246. b Feare comprehendeth al maner religion of worshipping 113. b Feare maye not moue againste iustice 38 Feare godly driueth not a man to parricide 194. Feare of the enemies once knoweÌ„ is a good begiÌ„ning of victory 134 Feare at the sight of God or angel how it commeth 117. b Feare euil of two sortes 247. b Feastes are wont to haue ryddels 218. b Felicity of the vngodly 170. b Fellowship of the wicked is to bee fled 251. b Fellowship of godlye with vngodlye 44. b Fellowship of the godlye is profitable 29 Feeding of the flocke was not onely Peters office 149 Feete washing much vsed in Syria 252. b Figuratiue speeches ar no lies 111 Filthy burthens defined 263. b Fish counted among delicates 278 Finders of things ought to restore them 283 Flatterers vsage 84. b Flesh and bone of any man is the most coniunction that may be 156. b Flesh refreining 278 Flight for truth 52. b Foode of angels 212. b Foote measure 16. b Forbidding of things is to some an alluring to the same 158. b Forgeuenes of synnes 13 Forgiuenes of syns may be wythâ—out restitucioÌ„ of so happy state as we had before we synned 65. b Formes why they are more seene sleeping then waking 135 Fornication handled 229 Fornication is hurtful to the common wealth 130. b Forswearing is alwayes vnlawfull 39. b Fortune ruleth not things but the prouidence of God 172 Found things must be restored 283 Foundation church hath none but Christ 149 FoundatioÌ„ of the church is Christ 241. b Foule parents how they shal haue fayre children 4. b Foxes plenty in Syria 223. b Free men may chaunge their dwellings for iust causes 227. b Free will confuted 104. b Free will cannot be gathered of the commaundements 73 freÌ„dships fouÌ„datioÌ„ is honesty 166. b Frendship grounded vpon profit or pleasure is weake 26. b Frendes dreame ofte of their frendes 135. b FroÌ„wardnes of ours whence it springeth 167 G GAbaonites god fauoured 36 Gabaonites traitors â—8 b Gabaonites wickednes 252 Gaine more commonly soughte for then health 174 Garmentes of nedle worke or dyuers colours attributed onely to prynces 111. b
that it myght easely come to passe that he should fal into the sinne whiche he declared vnto the holy Prophete Naaman the Syrian knewe that his deede was culpable nought And when he knewe ryght well that the same agreed not with true godlynesse he required the prayers and intercession of the man of GOD whereby he fallyng of weakenesse hys faulte myght be forgeuen hym Otherwyse there is none whiche nedeth to aske pardon for that which he thynketh is lawfull for hym to doe We make intercessions for sinnes and not for thinges permitted vs. Wherefore thys place maketh much agaynst our aduersaries and that that is sinne which they moste earnestly goe aboute to excuse is manyfestly proued by thys historye I would to God they woulde diligentlye marke in that action that which theyr Naaman selfe And if they shoulde fall as thys man feared that he shoulde fall they woulde not cloke it with a vayne defence but woulde emplore the mercye of God and prayers of holy men that that maye gentlye be forgeuen them Elizeus gaue not Naamā libertie to go vnto Idols whiche they naughtely haue committed Neyther did Elizeus as they persuade themselues geue Naaman the Sirian liberty to go vnto Idoles he sayde onely Go in peace Which was also an accustomed kinde of salutation at the time Neither may we gather any other thing out of these words then that the Prophet promised to do that which he was requested to do Namely to pray vnto God for the saluation of the man Fyrst to strengthen him that he should not fal Secondly that if he sinned his fault might be forgeuen him They vse to obiecte also certayne woordes out of the Epistle of Ieremye the Prophet which are written aboute the end of a litle booke entituled of Baruch An answer to a place of Baruch And these are the wordes In Babilon ye shall see Gods of golde and Siluer borne vppon mens shoulders to caste oute a fearefulnesse before the Heathen Take heede ye followe not the Gentiles when ye see the multitude of people worshipping behynde and before But saye in your hartes O Lorde it is thou that oughtest onely to be worshipped c. By these wordes do our Nicodemites thinke it to be sufficient that they which are presente at Idolatrous worshippings do say in their hartes O Lord it is thou that oughtest onely to be worshipped But they shoulde more attentyuely consider that the Prophet if he were a Prophet which spake these woordes which I therefore speake bycause the little booke of Baruch is Apochriphus The boke of Baruch is Apochriphus and is not founde in the Hebrewe gaue not the Iewes libertye to goe into the Temples of the Idols and to bee there present at prophane and Idolatrous rites and there to speake with the true God in themselues in theyr hart onely But he speaketh of those Images which were caryed about the citye for that was the manner among the Babilonians as the historie of Daniell testifyeth Images amōg the Babilonians wer crried about the citye which maketh mencion that an image set vp by Nabuchadnezar was openly caried about with great pompe and with Musicall instrumentes and sundry songes At the hearing whereof al men were commaunded to worship the Image which they beheld which the felowes of Daniel would not do Of those images I say it is writtē in the Epistle and the Godly are faythfully admonished that they should not as the Ethnykes did who were behinde and before thē reuerence or worship those images Yea rather in detesting their wicked worshipping they should say or at the least way in their hart O Lord it is thou only that oughtest to be worshipped These metings comming by chaunce through the citie could not be auoyded the Godly therefore were to be admonished how in suche metinges they shoulde behaue them selues But with great importunitye as they be shamelesse Why Daniell was not cast i◠to the fornace with his fellowes they yet go farther and demaund how chaunce Daniell was not cast into the burning fornace with his fellowes when as the punishment was a like appointed vnto thē which would not worship the image of Nabuchadnezar Wherfore these mē fayne with thēselues that Daniell dyd make as though he worshipped it and for that cause the Chaldeians medled not with him And they saye also that they may lawfullye do that which they thinke thys holy Prophet of God dyd They consider not that they openly fal into a false kynde of reason which commonly is called Non causa vt causa which is when that which is not a cause is put for a cause Paralogismos For there might be very many other causes why Daniell was not then punyshed Peraduenture he mette not the image which was caryed about or if at any time he met it the Chaldeians marked not what he dyd Or being founde faultye in it and marked he was not accused bycause the Kyng loued him excedinglye But we must not beleue Daniel dissimuled not the worshipping of the image that the man of god for feare of punyshment or death would dissemble the worshippyng of the image agaynst the lawe and pietie whē as it is afterwarde declared how for piety sake he was caste to the Lyons Wherefore forasmuche as there myghte be diuerse causes that he was not deliuered to be burnt in the fyre with his fellowes Why do these men thē snatch vnto thē only one cause and that such a cause as was vnworthy and ful of reproche to such a holy man and specially seing in the holy scriptures there is not so much as a suspition of so detestable an acte any way geuen vs Of Paule who toke on hym a vowe clensed hymself after the manner of the Iewes They seeme to themselues to speake much to the purpose and trimlye to defende theyr doing when as they bryng that whiche is written in the Actes of the Apostles the xxi Chapter where it is declared that Paul by the Counsell of the Elders of the Churche of Ierusalem tooke vppon hym a vowe and foure other men with hym and purifyed themselues after the manner of the Iewes If the Apostle of God saye they woulde vse the ceremonyes of the lawe alreadye abolyshed we maye also be suffred sometymes to admitte and to be present at rites and ceremonyes so long tyme receaued The sūme of the Preaching of Paule But that thys may the playnlyer be vnderstande we muste knowe that thys was the summe of the Preachyng of Paule We thynke that a man is iustifyed by fayth without workes As many as are vnder the law the same are vnder the curse The iuste man shall lyue by hys fayth How far legall ceremonies were graunted or condemned in the primatiue church Wherefore the Apostle in that fyrst tyme of the Preachyng of the Gospel dyd not condemne the ceremonyes and obseruations of the lawe towarde the Hebrues vnlesse they were retayned
with that fayth and mynde as thoughe iustification shoulde come by them And thys hys sentence hath he moste manyfestly set forth in hys Epystle to the Galathians where he sayth ye whiche are circumcised haue fallen both from Christ and from grace For Christ is made of none effecte vnto you if ye shoulde be iustifyed by the lawe As thoughe he woulde say These thynges of Moyses do not alienate you from Christ excepte ye exercyse them with thys mynde and purpose that therby ye myght be iustified Take awaye thys opinion and the Apostle commended good woorkes and as for ciuile and accustomed institutions so that they were iuste and not Idolatrous he suffred still in their owne place neyther dyd he let but that the legall ceremonyes myghte bee still vsed Wherefore he writeth In the Lord there is neyther Iewe nor Greeke nor seruaunte nor free man And that circumcision also and cuttyng of the foreskynne are nothyng but only the obseruyng of the commaundementes of God and a newe creature Agayne he that is circumcised let hym not desire to haue hys foreskynne which is cut of if thou be called when thy foreskin is cut of be not then circumcised Let euery man abide in that wherin he is called Indifferent thynges may sometimes be kept sometimes left And that suche thynges as were ciuile and indifferent myghte sometymes be obserued and sometymes lefte out as serued for edification the same Apostle declareth by that which he speaketh of hymselfe I am made all thynges to all men to win very many to the Iewes I am made a Iewe and to those which are without a lawe I am as without a lawe Neyther did he no lesse confyrme his sentence by examples than by doctrine For when he was requyred that he woulde as the manner was circumcise Timothe he graunted vnto it But when they would haue compelled hym for the ouerthrowing of the Christian libertye to circumcise Titus likewise he declared that he woulde not geue place not for an houre bicause sayth he false brethren are therefore entred in among vs to searche out our libertye He obserued therefore the Mosaicall ceremonyes when the same myghte be done without any ill purpose and hurte of the church And by this meanes be auoyded the offence of the Iewes The ceremonies of the law are not to be cōpared with the inuentions of men least they shoulde be alienated from the Christian religion which they had receaued Neyther ought the Nicodemites to conferre the ceremonyes of the olde law with the inuentions of men For they were brought in by the woorde of God but these were thrust into the Church by the pollicye of the deuill and of deceatfull men They were not forbidden by and by after the Ascention of Christ into heauen but might be so long obserued Howe long the old ceremonies were lawful in the church as the temple and publique wealthe of Israel remayned and vntil the Gospell of the Sonne of God were reuealed and Preached and vntill the Church were well augmented both of the Iewes and also of the Gentilles Neyther was it mete as Augustine Godlye and learnedlye writeth vnto Ierome that those ceremonyes Augustine of the auncient Sinagoge should strayghtwaye without honour be reiected But Idolatrous and superstitious thinges alwaies were are and shall be prohibited Wherfore for a tyme it was lawfull to obserue them so that by them were not sought the true ryghteousnesse Wherfore Paule the Apostle though thou shoulde looke vppon the actions themselues which by the law he obserued can not be iustely reprehended and much lesse can he be blamed if thou consider hys mynde purpose and as they terme it hys entent But to the supporters of the Masse both these thynges wante Fyrst they defend a thyng which is contrary to the woorde of God Thei which by dissimilatiō do go vnto the masse seke not God but their own and as I haue declared is wonderfully agaynst it Moreouer in that theyr dissimulation they studye only for themselues namely to kepe still theyr riches degree place dignitye and estimation when as Paul for this cause only sometimes obserued the legall ceremonies least the Iewes should fal from Christ and that he myght the better and easiyer allure them to the Gospel They obiecte also that by their dissimulation they woulde auoyde offences Whether we should go to messes to auoid offence For say they If we shoulde be vtterly agaynst Masses we shoulde be counted wicked and vngodly men and we shoulde be a great offence to our countrey I beleue in dede that these men do auoyde offences but yet offences of the world they will not geue an offence but it is vnto myghtie men tirannes and Antichristes namely least they shoulde prouoke their weapons anger madnesse agaynst them But these are not those offences which Christ taught to be auoyded whē he sayd of the Scribes Pharisees Let them alone they are blynd leaders of the blynde What offences therfore are to be auoyded What offences ar to be auoided Those namely which hinder the spreading abroade of the Gospell of the sonne of God which kepe backe men frō comming to the pure doctrine which do call backe men already beleuing from Christian religion which they haue receaued Now let thē consider I pray you whether by their dissimulation they do not offende the superstious and Idolatrers Vndoubtedly yes For those namely the superstitious and Idolatrers saye with themselues The vngodly by that dissimulation are more confyrmed See those men whiche knowe the truth of the Gospell and haue embraced it doe come also vnto oure Masses Surely if they were so vngodly as they are sayd to be these men also woulde abhorre them Wherfore being confirmed by these mens example they oftentymes are setled to perseuer in their purpose The weake ones by the dissimulation goe backe frō theyr purpose lately receaued Yea the weaker brethren newly conuerted vnto the Gospell when they perceaue these learneder sorte and as it were the ringleaders to dissemble they dare also do the like and they suspecte that they were deceaued and they which ought to haue gone farther in religion do then go backeward But we must say they beare with the weake ones and sometymes to frame our selues vnto them For we haue very many whiche are not yet persuaded that the Masse is an euill thyng and if they shoulde perceaue that we came not vnto it they would not heare of other chiefe poyntes of religion Wherfore we must beare somewhat with their weaknesse as Paule faythfully hath counsayled in his Epistle to the Romanes We graunt that we must somewhat beare with such as be so weake Somwhat is to be borne with the weake ones only in thinges indifferent but with Paule we may not suffer that to be done but in things indifferent But thinges which by themselues are euill and by God forbidden we may for no mans fauor