that of a daungerous disease Neither doeth it nowe any lesse grieue mée when I perceiue that your sickenesse which troubleth you is a quarten ague I for my part am able to say much of the vntowardnesse and as it were rebellious obstinacie of this disease against medicines and Phisitians as he that hath two sundrie times striuen therewith The chiefest thing is that they which are in this state must vse great long pacience which I am sure you are not to séeke in matters without séeing it is aboundantly ynough planted within your minde by the spirite of Christ But I together with many others haue two causes to sorrowe for this your sicknesse The one is because you your selfe are broken and weakened which cannot otherwise be especiallie in a slender bodie now in a manner dried vp with labours And the other cause is that your labours in preaching and writing are discontinued to the great detriment of all Christians For there is nothing so much enemie vnto this disease as are studies and cares These be the things which disquiet not onely mée but all that be true godlie men Howbeit since the case so standeth it is our part to pray as earnestlie as wee can that you may spéedilie be restored to your former health And it is your part with all diligence to forbeare from all thinges that may doe you hurt especiallie from earnest studie and care of weightie matters whereby the humour of Melancholie from whence this feuer is stirred vp is so forced and striken as it setleth euen into the Marowe of the bones Verilie it is to be wished that since it hath so séemed good vnto God you should much rather quiet your selfe for certaine dayes or monethes than either to die which God forbid to the great griefe of the godly or else to the incredible hinderance of the Church to liue the rest of your life altogether with a féeble and consumed bodie and minde Wherefore take héede you offende not either against your selfe or against the Church of Christ Yesterday there came hither certaine messengers sent from the English gentlemen which liue at Strasborough which do certifie that their Quéene died the 16. day of Nouember The death of Quéene Marie and that the most noble Elizabeth is succéeded in the kingdome that with a full consent of all states For by chaunce they were gathered together at this time from all the partes of England to the assemblie which they commonly call the Parliament Nowe must we desire GOD that this alteration of the state may turne happilie to the honour of Christ and his holy Gospell I knowe that you and your godly Church will not faile to doe what in you lyeth Perhaps the time is now wherein the walles of Ierusalem shall be builded vp againe in that kingdome that the bloud of so manie Martyrs may séeme not to haue bin spent in vaine Other newes than this I haue not sauing that my Booke is vnder the presse Gardiners booke confuted by Peter Martyr wherein I haue discouered and confuted all the false arguments and shiftes of Stephen Gardiner somtime Bishop of Winchester touching the matter of the Eucharist Which as I hope hath happened in verie good season For it will be profitable especiallie at this time that the English Papistes may vnderstande that that booke is not inuincible as hitherto they haue bragged Fare you well and long may you liue vnto Christ and to his Church I salute all the Ministers and also Beza and the Marques From Zuricke the first of December To a certaine friend IT is euen in déed as you write right woorthie man and déere beloued friend in Christ and I am euerie day taught more and more by experience it selfe that the death of the bodie of that most godly yong man Edward king of England belongeth vnto manie partes of the Church and bringeth greater harme than many doe now perceiue But God the father of our Lord Iesus Christ graunt that within a while they féele it not to their great sorrowe But I which after some sort haue bin partaker of these matters if I should not bitterlie lament for the miserable case of our excellent brethren and for their most constant daungers aswell of minde as of bodie and should not euerie day shed iust teares for the mishappe of that people verilie I should be as a stone and péece of leade While they be now grieuouslie afflicted laid open on euerie side to offences burned euerie houre with the fires of temptations while with extreme vngodlinesse of hypocrites that Church is suppressed and trodden vnder foote how may it be that I and such as I am can sorrowe temperatlie and moderatlie While I taught in that countrie there were verie manie learners of the holie scriptures and verie toward scholers in Diuinitie whose haruest was welnéere ripe whom now against their willes I sée either miserablie wandering in vncertaine habitations or else most vnhappilie subuerted if they tarie There were in that kingdome a great sort of most sincere and learned Byshops who are shut vp in most straite prison euen now readie to be plucked away as théeues vnto death In that nation were laid the foundations of the Gospell and of a noble Church and with a fewe yéeres labour the holie building was in good forewardnesse and better and better was euerie day hoped for But now finallie vnlesse God put to his helping hand it is like to come to passe that not so much as a steppe of godlinesse in outward profession will be left These and other thinges suffer not my heart to be at rest nor my minde at quiet Wherefore I beséech God with all my heart that he will remitte some part of the punishment and for Iesus Christ his sake wil forbeare to powre out his great wrath otherwise we shall be oppressed with the heape of infinite euils And that which I doe so earnestlie wish I beséech you that you in like manner will desire of God that yet at the length he wil take pitie of afflicted England which I verie well know did before this calamitie verie much fauour you and other godlie men and good learning And whereas you admonishe me that I should here séeke and maintaine concord with them that teach I iudge that you speake the same of loue and good will and I assure you in déede that so much as in me lyeth peace and charitie shall remaine inuiolate I haue bin alwayes of milde nature and haue verie much loued peace and tranquillitie Wherefore I minde not especiallie now in my olde age to change my nature Welnéere all the professors of good artes and learning doe make much of me and I in like manner doe loue them In the same wise dooth the case stand towardes the Ministers of the Church sauing that I perceaue some of them beare me not so good will yet neuerthelesse I cease not to haue them in the same estimation that is due vnto the holie
Augustine in his 13. book De trinitate the 22. chapter is to be receiued where he wrote on this wise The Angels did trulie eate yet not for néed but to procure conuersation and familiaritie with men Wherefore when as in another text it is said that Raphael did not eate it must not so be vnderstood as though he did not eate at all but that he did not eate after the maner of men But this is speciallie to be noted there What maner of meat was that of Angels that when the Angel answereth that he dooth féed vpon inuisible meate and drinke that spirituall food was nothing else but a perfect and manifest knowledge of the true God and an execution of his diuine will As Christ also said Iohn 4 32. that His meate was to doo the will of his father The verie which also is our meate although not after the same maner for they sée God manifestlie but we by a glasse and in a darke spéech 1. Co. 13 12. 17 We may call Angels both according to the Gréeke and Hebrue name messengers or legats In Gen. 32. at the beginning verelie not as though they should teach God as concerning the affaires of men or any other busines naie rather to the intent that they themselues may be instructed what they ought to minister and shew tidings of Tob. 12 12. Whether Angels do offer our praiers vnto God If so be thou read in the scriptures that they offer vp our praiers this is not doone of them to instruct or teach God in like maner as wée when we praie feruentlie doo not therfore laie before God our calamities as though he were ignorant of them séeing the Lord testifieth of that matter Matth. 6 33 that He knoweth wherof we haue need euen before we aske But by discouering and laieng them open we our selues be the more earnestlie bent to craue the helpe of God And what discommoditie should arise if wée affirme this selfe-same thing to come to passe in Angels These things did Augustine write in his 15. booke De trinitate the 13. chapter And in Enchiridio ad Laurentium the 58. chapter he saith the same thing when he intreateth of the names of Angels which are recited in the first chapter of the epistle to the Colossians Colos 1 16. Let them saie what they can what be thrones dominions principalities and powers so they be able to prooue that they saie And against the Priscillianists and Originists the 11. chapter Archangels saith he perhaps are powers and we denie not but that there is some difference betwéene these To be ignorant of the estate of Angels is no harme to vs. but to be ignorant of such a thing will bring no great danger vnto vs. For there certeinlie are we in danger where we despise the commandements of God or neglect the obedience of him But if thou wilt aske me why the scriptures make mention of these things if the knowing or not knowing of them be of so smal importance He addeth a fit answere namelie that If these things haue béene reuealed to some excellent men they may then knowe that there is nothing prooued for a certeintie which is not found written in the scriptures To which answere I adde also this other Bicause we may be the more humble and not to puffe vp our selues as though we were able to sound vnto the deapth of all that we reade in the canonicall scriptures Gen. 32 1. 18 The Iewes haue noted in the historie of Iacob that the scripture saith not that he went and met with the Angels Whether godlie men be better than Angels but contrariwise that the Angels met with him and that they saie was done for honor sake And thereof they argue further that Iacob and euerie godlie man is more woorthie than Angels Psal 91 11. forsomuch as the person that is met is more honorable than hée that goeth foorth to méete Also he is better which is borne of anie man than he which beareth him But the scripture saith that the Angels doo beare the godlie in their hands least they should hurt their feet against the stones Who so euer is appointed to haue the custodie of another séemeth to be inferiour to him which is kept By which reasons they make Angels inferiour vnto holie men who are called The freends of God But all men doo easilie sée how these reasons of theirs doo prooue For the father and the mother doo beare in their armes their yoong children doo they therfore beare more woorthie than themselues It is said that Christ doth beare all things by the word of his power Hebr. 1 3. but who is so far beside himselfe or deceiued as to iudge that things created be more excellent than the Sonne of God The shepheard when he findeth his shéepe beareth it vpon his shoulders doth he beare a better than himselfe A father a maister and a fréend go foorth vpon the waie to méete with their sonne scholer or fréend returning from perill out of a strange countrie doo they this therefore as vnto their better Men be euerie-where set ouer flocks of shéepe to kéepe them yet are they much better than the shéepe In verie déed the Angels doo all these things not that they are bound to vs but to the intent they may be thankefull vnto God Wherefore the arguments of the Rabbins are vaine and friuolous 19 But vnto this selfe-same purpose there be reasons gathered out of the new Testament For the Apostle saith in the first chapter to the Ephesians Christ being raised vp by his father from death Ephes 1 21. is lifted vp on high far aboue all principalitie and power and dominion and aboue euerie name that is named not onlie in this world but also in the world to come Further in the second chapter he testifieth Ephes 2 6. that God hath taken vs vp togither with him and hath alreadie made vs to sit on the right hand with him whereby it commeth Whether we shall be indued with greater glorie than the Angels that wée are accounted greater than the Angels For if we sit hard by Christ and he no doubt hath ascended aboue all creatures the highest degrée giueth also place vnto vs. Howbeit this is yet a blunt argument for it may be that we shall sit with Christ in glorie taking the saieng generallie It is sufficient that we be partakers of that glorie And it followeth not necessarilie thereof that we shall be superiours vnto the Angels vnlesse that thou wilt vnderstand that the state of men shall then be so absolute perfect as they shall haue no more néed of the helpe of Angels When they shall haue God and Christ present and saluation atteined to what purpose shall there be néed of the ministerie of holie spirits whereof vnderstand this reason If so be that when Christ came and powred out his spirit plentifullie among the faithfull that same
warned of God As the first cause doth not a litle delight mee so it perswadeth me to wish and desire you to continue remembring mée as you haue doone For I also in like manner will not be forgetfull of you Prayer the remedie against prodigious sights And as touching the other cause I thinke it méete by prayers stirred vppe with a singular faith and some amendement of life to desire God that he will turne awaie his wrath If that the Ethnickes as we reade in Liuie and other good writers whē they vnderstood of strange sightes and woonders shewed in anie place vsed diuerse and manifoulde kindes of sacrifices to the intent that those thinges might not take effect what ought we to doe which be instructed with the true light of Christ Wee haue no slaine sacrifices sauing Christ Iesus alone but yet prayers repentance and holy life whereby oftentimes are diminished the scourges hanging ouer our heade be set foorth vnto euerie one of vs in the holy scriptures Great vndoubtedlie is the slothfulnesse and most deadlie securitie in euerie place therefore it is no maruaile if the heauenlie father for his mercie sake prouide that we may be stirred vp by such kinde of strange sightes For he called not vs vnto his holie Gospell that we should sleepe in idlenesse therefore he séeing that men are not in such sort mooued as they ought to bee by the word of preaching and by the doctrine of the holie scriptures Why he sendeth prodigious sights hee also giueth warning from heauen not to the intent hee would terrifie those which he accounteth for his most deare children but that he may stir them vp to goe forewarde in their indeuour and to lift vp their heades because they perceiue that their redemption draweth néere yea to be euen at hande Of these kinde of signes from heauen are the wicked afraide who doe whollie depende on the seconde causes of nature neither haue they stedfast hold of the diuine promises nor yet of the most safe ankerhoulde of faith whereunto they may cleaue Whereas contention is renued about the sacrament it is to be lamented but since that the strife is growen by the obstinacie of others it is not méete for our men to leaue the trueth vndefended And for my part I am fullie perswaded that this is the Lordes doing who will not that so good and so necessarie a cause should be set at naught Wherefore I commende our men which haue written and I doe earnestly allowe of their studie labour and faithfulnesse neither doe I mistrust but that they shall at length obtaine that good successe which is desired Lastly I warme you that you neuer doubt but that your letters will be most acceptable vnto me Wherefore I wish that you may liue happily in Christ Haue a diligent and faithfull regarde vnto your vocation and let not your studies of the holie scriptures either decaie or rest For they which either nowe be spent with age or within a while shall bee spent will leaue the lamps vnto you that be young men Wherefore it is your part to prouide that they may safely and fruitefully be committed vnto you Praie vnto Christ for mée and most friendly salute in my name Maister Pellican From Strasborough the fourth of Aprill 1556. To Lodouicke Lauater 31 SInce hitherto my learned friende and verie louing brother in Christ I had nothing sure or certaine to write to you as touching my comming vnto you therefore you haue hitherto receiued no letters from me But nowe at the length I write signifying vnto you that vppon Saint Iohns day leaue was giuen mée to depart In which matter I so greatlie labored as I neuer in al my life obtained anie thing with greater difficultie Al the good and learned men earnestly withstood my purpose The magistrate draue mee off euen vntill this time and when he gaue me leaue he testified in plaine termes that he did it against his will And afterwarde when I tooke leaue of my auditorie which was a verie great number all that were present did wéepe at my departure These thinges haue I therefore rehearsed to let you vnderstand that I had a great desire of comming vnto you You therefore my Lauater and others your fellowes haue that which you desired I come and am now wholie occupied in preparation of my iorney which I might much sooner and more commodiously haue doone if I could sooner haue béene discharged I will write no more because I hope verie shortlie that I shall mine owne selfe inioie the presence of you all fare you well therefore and loue me as you doe and commende mee to all the Brethren From Strasborough the xxx of Iune 1556. To Philip Melanchthon 32. SInce I iudged right worthie and reuerent man that you should be incredibly occupied in this assembly of Woormes I thought good to forbeare troubling you by my letters But nowe that I had knowledge of those things which our reuerend friende Maister Bullinger tolde me of I could not be drawen from writing vnto you I sée that it hath happened there which in times past happened in the Synode of Nice where the Bishops which mette together leauing in a manner the cause which was to be dealt in against the Arrians discredited one another with accusations and libels But this difference I perceiue to bee betwéene the maner of our assemblie and their Synode that the Nicene Councell was gouerned by the godlie Emperour Constantine who repressed the inconstancie I will not say the foolishnesse of the vnwise Bishops and at the length helde them in their duetie but in our assemblies there was no such authoritie of godlie Princes that coulde so much as staie the bread worshipping Diuines frō departing This haue I therefore called to minde that since we perceiue the lot of Christes Church to be such as it is assaulted both within and without we may perceiue that there hath no newe thing happened vnto vs of which kinde of consolation although you that are a strong captaine of the warres of the Lord haue no néede yet haue I rehearsed the same that I might lament this infirmitie of godly men which happened long ago onely it hath not bin perpetuall You no doubt as you haue doone the office of a good man and of a faithfull defender of iustice so haue you marueilouslie bounde all our heartes vnto you who accounted it no iust waie that they shoulde bee condemned which haue neither deserued ill of Religion nor yet were either cited or heard nowe in your iudgement In déede a cleare conscience is a great comfort vnto vs but nowe doe we reioyce more aboundantly because God hath through you being our principall and courteous patrons prouided that euen our cause which we assuredly trust to be good shoulde not be condemned by a newe and vnaccustomed forme of iudgement Wherefore I most heartilie thanke you and I beséeche God the Father of our Lord Iesus Christ that he wil graunt good
wéeping it maie be sufficientlie lamented But I trust it wil come to passe that we shall see things in better state God grant that I be not deceaued of this my hope Howbeit so long as the Pastors of Churches doe leaue off the function which God hath appointed thē both indeuor you to confirme your selfe through the words of God and to your power be a furtherance to your householde which if you doe you shall gouerne your familie not onelie in the fleshe but also in the spirite And these things I write not that I thinke you to be slouthfull but that I maie incourage you to the more earnest doing of that which I iudge to belong vnto you As touching the controuersie which you would haue me to declare I thinke there is not much to be said for somuch as you your selfe haue by your owne iudgement declared so sound and godlie an opinion as I doe wholie condescend vnto that which you haue allowed Garments in the exercise of diuine seruice counted amōg things indifferent Wherefore since these bee thinges indifferent they by themselues make no man either godlie or vngodly yet euen as you also iudge I thinke it more expedient that this garment and others more of that kinde shoulde be taken awaie when it maie conuenientlie be doone to the end that ecclesiasticall matters maie bée most sincerelie executed For while that the signes which be not supported by the worde of God be defended and retained with so obstinate a minde there you maie verie often times sée that men are not desirous of things themselues And where that which is but a vaine shewe is holde in great price it comes oftentimes to passe that the thing which is of great importaunce is greatlie neglected O immortall God howe manie Ecclesiasticall men as they woulde séeme to bée are there at this daie who if you shall pull from them the garment and the cappe haue vndoubtedly nothing that representeth a minister of the Church But if we shoulde giue place vnto wrath there woulde be no ende of quarels The young man of whome you write vnto mee I will as faithfullie and earnestlie as I can commende vnto Doctor Cookes when he commeth And if there be anie other thing that you woulde haue with me be bolde to commaund me you shal haue me readie at your commandement Fare you well and loue me as you do in the Lord. Since I haue no newes that I iudge worthie for you to knowe this onelie I signifie vnto you that all thinges are in the same state that they were when you were here present From Oxforde the first of Iulie 1550. To a certaine friend of his 36. Whereas I write not againe vnto you by Abels seruaunt a fewe daies since I would not haue you so to take it as if your letters were not greatlie to my liking Truely I was minded to write but being let by the shortnesse of time because he made ouermuch haste I was constrayned to put ouer vnto this day which I determined then to doe It was verie welcome vnto me to heare that which you wrote as concerning our friende Maister Cheeke For considering the vnhappinesse of fortune those thinges may after a sort be bornewithal so he shewe it in déede that his faith rather staggereth than is broken or extinguished which is in a manner vncredible vnto mée that he can perfourme so long as he remayneth in Englande For my part I will desire God the father of our Lorde Iesus Christ and that with most feruent prayers that he will so by his spirite repaire his shipwracke as he may at the length with as small losse as is possible ariue at the hauen of saluation Concerning my Lorde of Canterburie his booke against Antonie which as you write is nowe in the presse I reioyce so farre is it off that I should be anie thing mooued for that cause séeing I looke for nothing to come from that man but such as is exact wittie and diligently handled But I feare least that which you haue heard be not true so great a desire thereof haue you kindled in mée I haue no newes at this time to write vnto you We are all in good health and I teach here as I was woont before time to doe with you God graunt that I may not labor without fruite Italie is nowe in part troubled with gréeuous warres and in part séemes that it will héereafter be miserablie handled and that through the displeasure of the Pope alone But God almightie which gouerneth all things by his prouidence will perhappes by this meanes waste the kingdome of Antichrist and will so diminishe it in this age as he will one daie giue the same to the godlie to be derided and hissed at which I beséech Iesus Christ may come quicklie to passe Fare you well and loue mee as you doe and salute in my name euerie one of the English brethren From Zuricke the 15 of March 1557. This Epistle seemes to bee vvritten to the reuerend Father Iohn Hooper Bishop of Glocester although in the Authors owne copie there is no name put thereto 37. RIght reuerend and welbeloued in Christ Iesus the letters which you sent vnto mée a fewe dayes since I determined before this time to haue aunswered but I haue bin hindred by so great and manifolde businesse that til this present I could neither satisfie mine owne will nor perhaps your desire Wherefore it is in your good nature and wisedome to take this delay in good part Those things which you haue put in writing touching the controuersie risen betwéene you and the reuerend Lord Bishop of London concerning the garmentes of the Ministers of the Church I haue both read them as you desired and according to the shortnesse of time haue considered of them as héedefully as I could Which I therefore say because I could not kéepe your writing any longer than one night For the messenger by whom I receiued the same departed vnto Cambridge the next day verie earelie in the morning whither you wished that by the same mā I should send that I had read vnto Maister Bucer Which I did with diligence and without delay In that short space of time which then was giuen I so comprehended with myself the whole cause as first I was not a little delighted with your singular and ardent zeale whereby you indeuour that Christian Religion may againe aspire to the vncorrupt and plaine purenesse For what ought to bee more desired of all godlie men than that all things may by litle and litle be cut off which haue but litle or nothing at all that can be referred vnto sounde edifying and which of godlie mindes are iudged to bee ouerchargeable and superfluous Verilie to saie as touching mine owne selfe I take it grieuouslie to bee plucked awaie from that plaine and pure custome which you knowe all we vsed a great while together at Argentine where the varietie of garments about holie seruices were taken
these daies hath béene set foorth more perfectlie I greatlie reioyce for the excellencie of your wit for this edifying of the Church and for this honor of England and I beséech you that you will procéede to treade with your steppes in the way wherein you haue entered For although the cause that we haue be good yet in comparison of our enemies number they are but few that defende the same and they séeme so to bée awakened as by the goodnesse of their stile and by their sophisticall Argumentes they giue themselues much credite among the vnlearned multitude I speake of Staphilus Hosius and manie other writers of this sect which at this daie be strong Patrons of the Popes lies Wherfore since in that most learned and eloquent Apologie of yours you haue stirred vp so great a hope of you knowe you for a certeintie that all good and learned men doe nowe assure them selues that the euangelicall trueth while you are aliue shall not bee wronged of the enemies without reuenge Doubtlesse I doe verie much reioyce that I haue séene that daie wherein you are made the Father of so noble and excellent a childe God our heauenlie Father of his bountifull goodnesse grant that you maie oftentimes multiplie the like séede But as touching other thinges that your are there doing I am as ignoraunt as is the Parthian or Indian of the affaires of Germanie But I perswade my selfe that your affaires are in a good or else in an indifferent state For we haue experience of the thing it selfe that there is no messenger swifter than he which bringeth tydinges of the miseries calamities and destruction of friendes but their felicitie ioy prosperous state is much long kept secrete froÌ„ vs. But whatsoeuer it is we ought to hope the best one of an other séeing it is a most certaine thing that God is continuallie present in al places and that after a gratiou manner vnto those that bée his of which number are we But as touching me if you bée desirous to know throughlie howe I doe vnderstande that in minde I am merie in Christ and am occupied in the verie same labors wherin I applied my selfe when you were present but in bodie I am not so strong and lustie as I haue béene for the burthen of age waxeth euerie daie more heauie than other Nowe by the space of a yeare and a halfe I am waxen altogether to the lesse neither doeth my stomacke serue me whereby I might haue an appetite to my meale Furthermore I am troubled with the Rume vnto which euils happen no small griefes of my legges because of two vlcers wherewith I am otherwhile greatlie disquieted Wherein though the bodie properlie and by it selfe be vexed yet by reason of the consent which the Gretians call Sympathia the minde also cannot choose but be afflicted These thinges which I am sure for the good will you beare me you will bee sorie to heare I would not haue inserted in these my letters sauing that I shoulde haue verie great néede of your prayers which I haue perswaded my selfe that I shall obtaine to bee more earnest because of the necessitie wherewith I am vrged Of the French affaires I write nothing because I assure my selfe that they are no lesse knowen vnto you than vnto me The Synode of â—rent seigneth as though it woulde procéede but it goeth so flowlie forwarde as in these fiue Sessions thereof it hath decréed nothing that maie serue to the purpose Those thinges that it doeth define bee olde and mouldie so as they cannot séeme to doe the part of fathers but of beetles which alwaies turne ouer the selfe same dongue of traditions Fare you well most worthie prelate and more than one half of my soule God loÌ„g maintain you kéep you and increase you in al kinde of goodnes both to the Church to the Commonweale All friendes and learned men doe salute you From Zuricke the 24. of August 1562. The Commentarie of Lauater vpon the Prouerbes Lauater hath set foorth his Commentaries vppon the booke of the Prouerbes To the Church of straungers at London 45. IT séemes that Hadrian hath dealt verie vnprofitablie who hath disquieted the Church in moouing of that controuersie whereof our aduise of late was asked Further herein is he the lesse to be allowed because hee defendeth that opinion whereby the hearers are rather destroyed than edified in the true and right doctrine of faith Whether obstinate heresie as touching the person of Christ exclude the Anabaptists from saluation For whereas he affirmed that the peruerse opinion touching the flesh of Christ brought from heauen and not taken of the blessed virgin doeth not depriue the Anabaptists of saluation they continuing obstinatelie therein but that they being yet of that opinion belong as well vnto Christ as vnto the Church doeth not this extenuate both the weight and mischiefe of that heresie And doth it not confirme those wretched men in their errours And doth it not call backe others from the carefulnesse to shunne and auoide that errour But he saith They which are touched with the feare of God will giue place to those which shewe them that they liue in a great and daungerous errour Howbeit I would faine knowe how grieuous an errour or how horrible a daunger that is which plucketh not men from eternall saluation but suffereth them still to be both members of Christ and also parts of the Church The Apostle when he would exaggerate certaine sinnes aboue others saith 1. Cor. 6. 8. They that commit such things shall not possesse the kingdome of God If the faithfull ministers of Christ although they by assured testimonies of the worde of God confute earnestly speake against this opinion namely that such as so erre shall perish vnlesse they repent bring not to passe that they will yéeld vnto the trueth shall we beléeue that they will sooner yéelde and bee healed when they heare that their opinion though it be false and against the word of God doth not exclude them either from saluation or from Christ It is not likelie nay rather when they shall be taught things which bée true and contrarie vnto their dreames they will saie vnto a sounde teacher thou loosest thy time and thy labour I depart not from that opinion which I haue taken vpon me to defend wherof I alow because it doth not separate men from eternall life Furthermore the faithfull men will saie Whie doe we so diligentlie shunne and auoide these men since to kéepe them companie is not pernitious For if we shoulde bee infected with their contagion we shal be in no daunger at all in the end Hadrian who otherwise is against the Anabaptistes and as we haue heard is commended for sinceritie of life did negligentlie consider of these thinges therefore he supposeth that it is answered by that his Dilemma He with whom we deale either feareth God or else is destitute of his feare If he doe not feare
lawes vnto our Churches First that in euerie one sermon there shall not assemble aboue the number of thrée hundreth or fiue hundreth persons Moreouer they require that the ministers shoulde not inueigh bitterlie against the Pope and the Masse They let not but that they may reprooue these things by descriptions in such sort as the standers by may vnderstande but they will haue the names to be forborne for common quietnesse sake least mens minds should be the more bitterlie stirred vp Howbeit these things will not be rashlie admitted by our sort they be as yet desired not finished There shall be also giuen in the kings name vnto churches Letters patents wherein they shal be commended vnto the Magistrates and presidents both of the Cities and of the prouinces Armour and weapons shal be taken away from our sort and from our aduersaries for the hindering of conflicts and slaughters While I was writing these things three of our associates went their wayes The Quéene mindeth to send me backe into the companie and protection of the Ladie Roetelin the mother of the prince of Longauill to whom belongeth the towne of Nuburge She is a verie Godlie woman and within these fewe dayes shée minds to goe thither she will also sende with me some man in her owne name whereby I may the more safelie come home I thinke I haue prouided well for Stukius He shalbée with a certaine noble man of Paris who is both Godlie and rich Hee shall instruct a young brother of his And betwéene whiles it shal be lawfull for him to follow his owne studies and he shall want nothing Farewell my most déere Gossip and most louing brother in the Lord. In the Court at Saint Germans the 2. of October To Theodore Beza 59. RIght woorthie man and most deare brother in Christ we being assisted by the bountifull fauour of God came safely and in health the 5. of this moneth vnto Trois where the brethren assemble together for the pure worshipping of God and that peaceablie and quietlie without any molestation doone of the aduersaries The Church is verie populous and is euerie day increased The Bishop intertained vs verie curteouslie who do the more earnestlie further the kingdome of Christ And he not onelie teacheth his flocke purely but because there is a great doubt in his conscience as touching his calling insomuch as therein he had not the election or confirmation of the people he therefore called the Elders of the reformed Church and prayed them that they would godlie and prudentlie consider whether they would choose him confirme him and account him for their Bishop which if they should thinke fit to be doone he woulde indeuour himselfe to procéede as he hath begun to edifie and as much as in him lieth to increase by teaching exhorting the Church committed vnto him but and if they shoulde not thinke him to be fit for so great a function they shoulde declare it fréelie and openlie and that hee is readie to giue place so he may liue in a Church reformed according to the discipline of the Gospel And he desired that they would spéedilie deliberate with the Church as touching that matter Which thing being doone of them all with one assent hee was acknowledged and receiued as true Bishop Wherefore his authoritie and godlinesse greatlie profiteth the Church of Christ God bee praised which after this manner gouerneth and directeth the kingdome of Christ At Dion there is raised a tumult doubtlesse not by the offence of the faithfull but by the wilfulnesse and furie of the aduersaries For while our brethren were in their holie assemblie they inuaded them and hauing gathered a bande of men they strooke vp the drummes as though they were to fight a maine battaile Seuen horses were spoyled Howbeit our sort got the better hande There be certaine men sent to the court which carie with them the cause plainelie set foorth and as they terme it informed They would haue had me by my letters to commend their cause to the Admyrall and the Prince of Condie but séeing the two principall guides of my iourney sent letters vnto them I thought it sufficient to desire you that you woulde in your owne name and mine doe this vnto them whom I pray you to salute heartilie from me Which thing also I would to be doone vnto my verie louing brother Master Galasius and to the vicount and especiallie to your brother if hée be there present Also my Iulius saluteth you Farewell my verie good brother God mercifullie assist your labours Both the Captains my guides doe verie much salute you From Trois the 6. of Nouember 1561. To Theodore Beza 60. THe 21. day of this moneth right worthie man and welbeloued brother in Christ I came safe and in health vnto Tigure and am all manner of wayes ioyfullie receiued of all sorts of people in the citie And the two captaines of souldiers that brought me home were so honoured by the Consuls Senate and officers and were so bountifullie and noblie intreated as they might easilie vnderstand what account this commonweale maketh of their masters Lastlie there be appointed for honour sake to bring them to Berna But I had rather you should heare these things of them when they come to the Court than to write any more of that matter Further you will not beléeue how much our fellowe ministers reioysed to heare that concorde continued sure and inuiolate betwéene vs all the while that wée were together and not without cause For what can be more ioyful in the Church than brotherlie agréement But of you and other of the brethren there is mention made and the verie honourablie These things be comfortable and as I perswade my selfe will not a little recreate you in your great labours But with this ioy were sprinkled certaine heauy newes For it is writtē out of France that from king Philip there bee sent verie threatning letters vnto the Kings gouernours whereby he séemed not to desire but to commaund that the authoritie of the Romane Bishoppe shoulde remaine in Fraunce without impeachment that otherwise he would professe himselfe to bee an open enimie of them who otherwise would than they had decréed Further it was added that the king commaunded that the Bishops which were departed shoulde returne againe to Poyssi and should there confute the confession of the French Churches These thinges séeme vnto vs both newe and hard Howbeit we will giue no full credite vnto them vnlesse we be certified by you which I beséech you my welbeloued brother in Christ that either yée will not differre or neglect to doe Fare you well most woorthie man GOD through Iesus Christ make your labours fruitfull In like manner aide vs with your prayers and earnestlie salute in my name our brethren and friends My Iulius saluteth you and also Thomas Blaurerus who as his letters testifie most hartily loueth you From Tigure the 25. day of Nouember 1561. To Maister Caluin 61. I Departed
things wee daylie heare and feare but he being blessed inioyeth the pleasures of heauen but this doe I lament that when he had nowe brought welneere to an ende manie and notable workes the labours of manie yeares the watches of manie nightes yet could he not fullie finish them and bring them into light and reape this ioy and as it were this fruite of his labours I lament for the schooles sake which haue lost such a teacher in whose place cannot bee put the like For whomsoeuer O Fathers yee shall set in our Martyrs place another Martyr yee shall not haue For he was no vulgar Diuine or of the common number of learned men but he was also of so great a wit of so excellent learning and therewithall of such godlinesse modestie and courteous behauiour that both he was acceptable beloued and reuerenced among them with whom he liued and was euen of the aduersaries also reckened among the excellent men and was had of them in great admiration While these thinges doe both increase my sorowe and that I also see you with a heauie looke sad countenance and with waterie eyes to shewe the griefe and exceeding trouble of your minde I am ouercome with the greatnesse of sorowe and see not what beginning or what ende I may finde of my Oration Howbeit least I should faile of my duetie I will suppresse my sorowe and will not commit that in exercising of this my office mourning should bee of such force in mee as it shall hinder mee of my duetie and make me vngratefull towardes my Maister But forsomuch as the praises of Martyr bee exceeding great by reason of his excellent and diuine vertues that the power of my eloquence is exceeding smal yet the same restrained by great and vehement sorrowe I will not indeuour to set foorth euerie act of his with gorgeous and stately amplifications least perhaps by my Oration the honor of them should bee more impaired than increased but I will onely set foorth vnto you his life and death after an historicall manner and I will indeuour so farre as I am able that those things which either ye your selues haue seene or else haue heard here and there and at sundrie times of that good man and excellent diuine ye may vnderstand them all being gathered into order and placed altogether to the intent that euerie one of you may take woorthie examples of all vertues aswell to the instruction of others as eche one to the framing of his owne conuersation And I will followe the way and order vsed by them which commit other mens liues vnto writing And first of all I will set foorth his Countrie his Parents and Education Afterward when we haue as it were laide these beginnings and foundations I will begin to discourse of the residue of his life which aboundeth with examples of verie great and ample vertues For euen as in the Corne fieldes we are not onely delighted with a plentifull haruest and aboundance of fruite but therewithall we are also desirous to knowe in what manner of soyle the Corne groweth after what manner the fieldes are tilled what time they be sowen by what industrie of the husbandman they were holpen vnto so great fertillitie so in men not onelie the contemplation of vertue as it were of good fruite but also a knowledge of the Parents and Education doeth much please and delight vs. Now then Peter Martyr was borne in Florence the most florishing Citie as ye all know not onely of Hetruria but of all Italy and which a very long time hath defended and retayned her ancient freedome It was then in the yeare of our saluation M. D. which yeare is very much celebrated because of the natiuitie of Charles the v. a verie mightie Emperour And the day was the vj. Ides of September Vpon which day the fathers haue written that the Virgine the mother of God was borne and that the citie of Ierusalem was taken by Titus the sonne of Vespasian and ouerthrowen according as Christ hadde prophesied fortie yeares before His parentes were Stephanus Vermilius and Marie Fumantina both of them of an ancient and honest kindred whose ancestors for the most part bore office in the Citie These gaue vnto the childe the name of Peter Martyr by reason of a certaine vowe which according to the manner and custome of those times they hadde made vnto one Peter Martyr of Millaine who sometimes as they say was slaine of the Arrians of that time for the defence of the true faith whose temple also was not farre from his fathers house His parents had him for their onely sonne for all the rest of their children which they had begotten him excepted and his sister Gemina Felicitas died in their childhood His parents were of reasonable good wealth Their sonne whom they desired to bee well brought vp they committed to faithfull maisters and moreouer they instructed him with singular diligence at home His mother who was learned in the Latine tongue did chiefly instruct her sonne therein from his first childhoode and while he was yet young did interprete vnto him the Commedies of Pub. Terentius an excellent author in the Latine tongue neither doubtlesse was this discipline of a woman to be contemned Forsomuch as among olde authors and the most excellent in this tongue the chiefe Orators the Gracchi Lelij Catuli Iulij and Curiones receiuing of their mothers the purenesse of the Latine tongue and swetenesse of pronunciation brought it from this maternall and domesticall discipline vnto the place of pleading And in our age the noble woman Iane an English woman daughter to the Duke of Suffolke and Olympia Morata an Italian omitting those which be aliue haue euidently declared by their example what the indeuour of women maie bring to passe in eloquence if they applie their mind thereunto From this domesticall discipline he was brought vnto Marcellus Vergilius a man learned and famous for that he not long agoe translated Dioscorides and set foorth Commentaries vppon the same This Marcellus at that time exercised the office of Secretorie to the Common weale of Florence which was before the office of Aretinus and Pogghius and moreouer he taught the latine tongue vnto young gentlemen in the schooles to his great commendation In this first course of his studies he had to his fellowes friends noble young men and Senators sonnes Francis Medicis Alexander Caponius Francis Riccius and Raph Riccius also Angelus Stuphas and Pandulphus Stuphas and Petrus Victorius whose singular and excellent learning is knowen vnto all men by reason of the auncient Greeke and Latin authors either set foorth with Commentaries or otherwise restored to their owne perfectnesse And in this first course of his studies while hee was yet a young beginner euen streightway there appeared in him a singular and notable wit which brought vnto his Parentes and Maisters an vndoubted hope of great learning and excellent vertues For first of all there was